Chapter 17: Arrival
Chapter 17: Arrival
The city of Baltimare lay silent by the bay as the Friendship Express rolled into the station.
The train came to a halt, let out a rush of steam then sat there motionless, as if waiting for something.
After a couple of seconds, a door in one of the carriages opened and Tom stepped out onto the earth. The train had pulled past the station to the end of the line, closer to Horse Shoe Bay.
Bending down, Thomas laid both hands on the earth and reached out, being careful not to get lost like the last time. After a minute or so he stood up, reached back and accepted Michael's lamp from Applejack, who was standing just inside the car.
Holding Michael in his left hand, Tom curled his fingers so they were in contact with the flame and let Michael speak for him.
"Most of the town is deserted, however there are some stragglers in the town center as well as some who aren't leaving at all."
"My soldiers shall encourage them to leave," said Luna, heading back towards the rear cars.
Along with several earth pony porters and a couple unicorns, Luna had also seen fit to bring as many earth pony guard volunteers as she could find.
As the royal guards got into formation by the caboose Thomas started helping the porters unload the supplies.
Less than half an hour later Thomas had most of the supplies unloaded from the train onto carts they had brought from Canterlot.
Just as Tom was about to take hold of two heavily loaded carts and make his way towards the beach, several guards came running back from the town, calling for Luna.
"What is thine trouble?" she asked, as Thomas put down the handles to see what was going on.
"Your highness, while we were able to get most of the remaining populace to leave there are several..." The guard paused, unable to come up with the right word.
"Stubborn pin-heads," volunteered Michael.
The guard coughed before continuing, "Well... yes, with all due respect. Several old families demand that they take their heirlooms with them, and since they don't have the necessary transportation they are refusing to leave."
"Then I, their Princess of the Night, shall tell them... They. Art. Leaving." said Luna in a voice that brooked no arguing.
Thomas nodded in agreement and was about to begin pulling the carts when Lucas spoke up.
"Hold it princess. How many carts do we have?"
"Seven," said a porter standing by the train with a checklist in his hooves.
"And how many families are there?"
"Truly, thou art not suggesting that we acquiesce to their demands?" said Luna, in a shocked tone.
"Hear me out." continued Lucas, "We need you here, helping us move supplies, and setting up defenses. None of us has the leadership qualities or local knowledge to manage the set-up process. And besides, if I know set-in-their-way types, it would take a lot longer than it should, even if you were to go talk to the families."
Luna paused for a second to consider Lucas's words, then she turned to the soldiers and said, "How many?"
"Two families in the center of town, and one near the bay," replied the soldier, saluting.
"That leaveth us still with four wagons," said Luna with a hoof on her chin. "Very well. Take thee the three carts and help the families to vacate thine premises at once."
"Tell them to take some of the less necessary supplies as well," said Lucas, "You know some of the supplies we won't need until later, like the tents, cooking supplies and stuff. They can bring them back when they return. It will simplify things for us."
"Excellent suggestion," said Luna, turning to the porters, "Load those supplies on the carts and hitcheth them unto the guards. Also, you four," she pointed to several porters, "Go with them and help."
Tom grabbed the handles of the two carts again and heaved them towards the beach as, behind him, two porters started tossing supplies from one cart to another and Pinkie, Fluttershy and the guards started hauling the other wagons towards the town.
As Thomas pulled the carts through the town, he aimlessly considered how much Equestria was like Earth.
Even here there are idiots that doubt the Princesses, like people who think they can weather through a hurricane, outwit a tornado or find a deal worthy of Black Friday.
Aboard the cart, Michael's flame danced back and forth to the rhythm of the cobblestone street.
Suddenly there was a noise from a back alleyway and Thomas stopped and shifted his focus to peer into the mass of trashcans and dumpsters. Even Michael stayed silent, waiting for something to happen.
Then a cat hissed and jumped from behind a trashcan, causing the lid to fall to the ground with a clatter that echoed through the alleyway.
Tom stepped back involuntarily and the cat, taking one look at him, turned tail and fled down the road in fright.
"CCAAATT!" Yelled Michael in mock terror, then he snorted. "Nervous much? And here I thought you said this was just My Little- ... That dumb show."
Tom reached out a hand to grab Michael and establish the connection.
Have a look at what I can see.
Michael looked around through Tom's eyes and could see nothing but building foundations, and a couple meters of buildings rising up on all sides.
You've got a wonderful view from up there of all the sights to see, in color. All I can see is the building foundations, cobblestones, utilities and basements. You hear that?
Michael listened in silence for moment before he caught the sound, Yeah, sure. It's a flag flapping in the breeze.
What's it look like?
Two stretched ponies orbiting around a sun and moon on a blue field of stars.
Yeah, well I can't see that. Think about it. Look up, what do you see?
Sky, clouds, sun an' stuff.
Right, now have a look through my eyes again.
Michael did as he was told and suddenly realized what Thomas was getting at.
Nothing.
That's right, no sun, no clouds, no light. Every time I look up at the sky I'm reminded just how blind I am. Sure I can see things a lot of people can't, but other than that... Nothing. No color, no light, no reflections, the barest hint of textures, not even shadows.
Growing up my favorite things to look at were massive, awe-inspiring things, mountains, and clouds. My favorite vacation we ever went on was to see the Grand Canyon. Now I can only see about as far as I could throw a stone, any further and I risk getting lost in the earth.
You have anything else you'd like to say?
Michael was silent for a moment, then, Sorry man. That was... stupid of me. Like my sister said, I can be a real oaf sometimes. Do you forgive me?
Thomas placed Michael back in the wagon and picked up both wagon hitches. Then he set the right one down and gave the O.K. sign before picking it back up and continuing towards the bay.
When they got to the ocean, Thomas set the hitches down and picked up Michael. Using the lamp like an eye he sorted through the boxes in the wagon until he found what he was looking for.
Setting the box on the ground he reached in and took out a life preserver, an anchor and a length of rope.
I still don't get our end, said Michael.
We anchor the life preserver close to shore and it provides a quick way to find Lucas in such a large body of water, returned Thomas.
Yah, I got that. But how will he know we'll be looking for him?
He can hear us under water, and besides it's only meant to be a visual marker, not a telephone.
Looping the rope through the anchor and the life preserver, Thomas threw the preserver into the ocean and began pulling until Michael told him it was within reaching distance from the shore. Then he wound the remaining length of rope around the anchor and dropped it in the sand.
Now back to the train.
Why aren't they hauling anything? asked Michael, careful to keep his voice neutral.
Because the other wagon is mostly full of heavy stuff. They could have hauled this one but I did it so they could continue loading the other wagon. They'll help unload the stuff once we get it here.
You know what amazes me, said Michael, with a note of comedy in his voice, We're humans from a greatly advanced civilization. We get sent to another universe where the dominate life-form is horse, and we're the ones who lack the fine motor control required to do anything. Ironic, huh?
Thomas paused for a second. Then he shook his head, chuckling.
Let's just get back to the others. The sooner Lucas gets out there, the sooner we find out what we're up against.
Leaving the wagons, Thomas headed back towards the train.
Thomas pulled the last two wagons filled with oil, weapons and deterrents through the town streets. Luna hovered above while the porters trotted carefully behind Thomas and a squadron of earth pony guards held up the rear. Fluttershy, Rainbow, AJ and Pinkie had returned to Canterlot and there was now one train left in the station, should they need to follow the whatever was coming.
Suddenly Thomas stopped and held up a hand. Several guards fanned out surrounding the porters and Luna charged her horn in preparation.
A porter darted forward and held Michael's flame to Thomas's back so they could hear him.
"Somethings not right. I feel... fragile. Like something important was just taken away from me. And... something else-"
He paused as if searching for the right words and a gentle breeze blew down a nearby alley, scattering leaves in its wake.
"Wait! It's Mira. My sister's back!"
The guards immediately eased, the glow faded from Luna's horn and several porters let out an audible gasp of relief.
"Mira?" said Michael, confused, "Are you there? ... What's wrong?"
There was a short moment of silence before Mira spoke, "I just got back from the dead island. Luna, four heroes from our world gave their lives there to protect Equestria. What's coming now, is the offspring of what they defeated."
Luna nodded her head, "Rest assured, if we get through this I will personally see to it that they shallt be honored and remembered for their sacrifice."
"I have some information about what the creature looks like, and where it came from. But I'm afraid I still have no idea what is could be." continued Mira.
"We'll figure that out after I get a better look at the thing," said Lucas, from his jug aboard one of the carts, "Right now we need to prepare for the attack. We would appreciate it if you would continue acting as Tom's translator. Just out of curiosity, I assume that what is coming is an aquatic creature?"
"Both, from what I heard," answered Mira, "I was told that it fought on land as well as being parthenogenic."
"The possibilities narrow," said Luna, squinting her eyes as they continued towards the beach, "Didst thou receive a physical description?"
"I was told it resembled a giant crab spider," said Mira, as they stepped onto the beach.
Luna's face froze in shock as she hovered in mid-air above them, "That's... Impossible..."
Everyone stopped and looked up at her as she continued, "How would one...? Why would one ever...?"
"Do you know what it is?" asked Lucas.
"Perhaps. It would answer many questions, but also raise many more. We canst discuss it whilest we unload."
Landing, she lit up her horn and began taking crates off the wagon, talking all the while.
"I may be mistaken. But Mira's description, suggests the monster couldst be a Moon-Beetle. They are indigenous to the Equestrian Moon and, in the wrong circumstances, incredibly dangerous."
"But the moon is-" started Michael, before his sister interrupted him in a comically dull monotone.
"Magic."
"Dangerous in what way?" asked Lucas.
"Moon-Beetles live in a symbiotic, parasitic relationship with the Equestrian Moon." explained Luna, "Many objects in our universe exhibit magical tendencies and some build up magical reservoirs. Our sun and moon art two such examples. However, magic hath a tendency to proliferate and, on our deserted satellite, requires redistribution. The sun naturally distributes its inherent magic, but the moon lacks this ability."
"Is that why you and your sister can move them?" asked Mira.
"Verily."
"So if these creatures are strictly moon-bound, how is it you know about them?" asked Lucas.
"Whilest confined to the moon during my banishment," returned Luna, with a note of regret in her voice, "I noticed the Moon-Beetles and transcribed a small study of their natural behaviors. They art parasites that feedeth on the moon's magic field. But once they art full and reacheth maturity they self-combust and distribute all their magic in a different location. They art capable of storing massive amounts of magic within their carapace, thus I conducted mine research from a distance. Fortunately, the moon possesseth such vast reserves of magic that they ignored me for the most part. But if one hath found its way to Equis it will be starved and I knoweth not what we canst do to stop it. Art thou certain thine description is correct?"
"That's how Nathaniel described it," said Mira.
"Let us pray then that your Nathaniel was mistaken in their description. But place Lucas into the water, to be sure."
Thomas took the jug off the cart and walked over to the ocean. Walking in the sand was difficult, but the minute Tom set foot in the ocean the sand beneath him gave way and he fell face-first into the waves. Sediment swirled around him has he tried to get upright, but the liquefaction of the sand made it nearly impossible.
"That's one way to do it," said Lucas through the water surrounding them.
Thomas could feel the broken jar in his right hand as he lay there trying to grasp some form of equilibrium.
"Here let me help."
The ocean seemed to draw itself back as, from above, Luna provided Thomas with a little magic support.
Ripping his feet from the thick sand, he stumbled back onto the more manageable sand of the beach.
"Thou understandeth what thou needst do?" asked Luna, landing on the beach.
After a minute of silence she realized Lucas had no means of speaking back. So, with an uncomfortable look on her face, she stepped into the surf and, taking a deep breath, stuck her head under the water.
A few seconds later she raised her head and said, "He is on his way."
The second that Lucas entered the ocean he realize just how limited he had been in every other situation he had been in before. He could see for what felt like forever. After being confined to pools, jugs, jars and pots Lucas felt like a little kid in a candy factory... Wonka's... with infinite funds.
"Thou understandeth what thou needst do?" Came the Blue Princess's voice from above, and he wondered again at her archaic dialect.
He waited for them to do something and was pleasantly surprised when the princess shoved her head underwater to get his answer.
"Ready, willing and able." he replied.
She nodded her head and he was off.
Unlike back home, where light could only penetrate so deep below the surface, here Lucas could see not just by sight but also physically through the water. As he dove deeper into the murky depths while the color faded everything was still as sharp and clear as when he was a human.
Though the temperature decreased rapidly, Lucas's body (or the water that made it up) just seemed to integrate to the new temperature and adjust that as the new 'warm'. Though he knew it was getting darker, and the sediments floating the water provided some cloudy obscurance he still felt little to no fear as he descended. He could feel for what felt like miles, and the insubstantiality of his being provided him with a sense of near-invulnerability.
He was now traveling straight down, having left the continental shelf far behind him. As he waited to touch down on the ocean floor he hummed the Superman theme to himself mentally.
At last he spotted it far below him and, with a quick shove, thrust himself through the water to land (metaphorically and actually) on an alien planet.
With a mental anchor and a horizon to orient himself, Lucas stretched himself, trying to feel farther in all directions. He was now limited completely to the tangibility of the water, having left all sunlight far above him. But this was more like removing a distraction than providing a handicap.
The farther he stretched out, the more deep sea creatures he could feel.
But no giant monster beast...
Thomas, Luna, the porters and several soldiers, having constructed the defenses, were helping set up camp for the night.
Several soldiers had asked the Princess to sleep within the safety of the soldier camp. Luna replied that she would be sticking with Thomas and his compatriots. However, she did allow a couple soldiers to guard her tent.
As two porters began constructing a large tent in which Tom and his friends would sleep, Tom reached down and carved out a small fire pit with one hand, before depositing several rocks around it.
Looking up, he asked Mira to translate for him, "So how long do you guys plan on staying with us?"
The porters looked up and, the unicorn on the right, replied, "I'm heading out after this. But a couple earth ponies are staying through the night to help set down in the morning and prepare for departure in case you need to follow the creature along the river."
"Aren't they scared?"
The earth pony porter answered, "We are. But we trust the princess, and the soldiers have been told to defend us. We're just glad to be helping."
Meanwhile Michael, who was unable to help set anything up, and had gotten in trouble for yelling at a porter, had been stuck with the soldiers.
One young soldier named Heavy Hoof decided to build a fire and let Michael sit in the flames. The commander of the squad felt it was best to keep Michael distracted and let Heavy Hoof stay and talk to Michael.
"-And then I took a deep breath and said, 'yay' and the sergeant said, 'private... you are now my favorite private in the history of ever. Now get over there and give me fifty push-ups!"
"...I don't get it."
"Yah, me neither at the time, but apparently I sounded like someone he knew really well."
Heavy Hoof sat there for a minute before Michael spoke.
"Can I ask you something?"
Hoof nodded.
"I hope you won't get offended by this, but... what exactly do you guys do? I understand you're helping us with this monster right now, but I can't imagine you get that many of those."
Hoof chuckled. "Actually you might be surprised just how many creatures do attack us. But you've got a point, this isn't really our true purpose. We are mostly the royal guard. We watch over the princesses and guard the city of Canterlot. It may not seem like much-"
They watched as Luna arranged some logs in a tipi-like fashion before setting them aflame with one sharp flash of her horn.
"But it is our duty. And it is an honor to serve the princesses!"
"I guess I know what that means. We've got... guards who do the same where I'm from. They're the butt of a lot of jokes, but they still do what they need to."
After almost an hour of searching Lucas came to the conclusion that, even though he was fast, he wasn't capable of searching the entire ocean floor to find the coming creature.
Settling once again on the ocean floor he looked around for some... something that might help him. But all he could see were some heavily armored crustaceans, weird ghostly fish and a large dark fish with huge teeth.
"Little help guys?" he said.
Then he got an idea.
Wait a second. You're all heading one direction. And I'm betting it's, away from the coming storm.
With that Lucas lined himself up and darted off into the darkness, in the direction from which all the deep sea creatures were fleeing.
The further he traveled the fewer creatures he saw, until he was forced to spend several minutes figuring out which direction a sea slug was going for directions.
But finally something loomed before him, several miles off the shelf, slowly lumbering towards the bay. As he got nearer, Lucas knew that he and his friends were in trouble.
It was several hours after the camps had been set up, all the unicorns had left, and Michael had been transplanted into the fire pit near his friends.
Luna had made several attempts to cook some sort of vegetable on a stick, with no success. At last she gave up and through her stick in the fire.
"I don't understand! How is it my sister canst do this and all I get are the cinders?"
Heavy Hoof, who was one of the guards allowed to protect the princess that night, gave a hopeful look at the fire and, sighing, Michael formed the flame into a donut allowing Luna an even roast.
"The trick, if my princess will allow me," said Heavy Hoof, "Is to be patient with the flames. Take it easy, rotate the stick, and let it cook gently."
Once again Luna tried cooking what to Thomas, with his foot resting in the fire-pit, looked like an artichoke.
After a few moments, the Princess of the Night withdrew her food and proclaimed, "Huzzah! We hast cooked the food. In thine face sister!"
She took a quick bite and Michael's flames sizzled as she spat it back out into the fire.
"This is disgusting! How can she eat this stuff?"
Thomas raised a mental eyebrow at the princess's momentarily dropped dialect and, getting up, he walked over to where the waves lapped at a small dock where they had repositioned the life preserver for easier access.
Dipping his hand in the water, Tom was surprised to find Lucas waiting for him.
Did you find it? he asked.
Yes. Can you get me out of here?
Thomas gave a signal and a porter came over carrying a large fluted jar. Dipping the jar into the water, Tom felt Lucas zip in and wait to get back to the others.
Walking back to the fire. Tom set the jar on the sand and sat down.
Luna was the first to speak, "Didst though find it?"
"Yes. I'm estimating it was about 100-120 miles from here in deep water, but sticking near the continental slope."
"And what didst thou behold?"
"...Exactly how Mira described it. Six large, heavily armored legs with two large frontal appendages kind of like claws and a mouthful of tentacles. I'm not quite sure just how tall it was but it was probably close to a hundred feet."
"Approximately 85 feet, the average adolescent," said Luna. "My fears are confirmed. What is coming is't most certainly a Moon-Beetle."
"So then how did it get here?" asked Lucas.
"Mira told us of what she learned from the previous Elements. I am certain that the zebra who-"
"Hold it! What zebra? Previous Elements?"
Mira explained to Lucas what Nathaniel had told her on the Dead Island and Luna continued.
"As I said, I am certain that the zebra was summoning the creature from afar. Zebra's lack our inherent magic but are able to summon and create with runes and potions. The important thing now, is't determining how best to stop it."
"How long till it reaches shore?" asked Mira.
"I couldn't stop it, and I barely slowed it down, but it's not exactly sprinting with all that water resistance. I'd say late morning at best, early at worst."
"OK then, like Luna said," stated Mira for Thomas, "Till then we figure out how best to defeat it, get some rest and prepare to fight tomorrow morning."
"You said you were on the moon before, couldn't you just... send it back?" asked Michael.
"T'would be best for everyone," agreed Luna, "Alas, so long as the Beetle is alive, it will absorb all magic directed against it, even to return it home."
"There's no way to talk to it?" asked Lucas.
"They art normally a peaceful, if unintelligent species." replied Luna, "They know no other language than their own, neither canst they read or write and even simple logic is beyond them. I know no way to communicate peaceful intentions to it."
"So then what do we do?" said Michael.
Slamming his right fist into his left hand, Mira translated for Thomas, "We fight! Kill it if we must, incapacitate if we can."
"I thank thee," said Luna, "Whilest the creature is a danger of the moment, it possesseth a destined purpose and place. However, what you suggest will not be easy."
Raising her horn up, Luna released a spell and a large tome appeared in front of her which she caught and, levitating it in front of her, flipped to a specific page.
"The Moon-Beetle's internal biology is very similar to most insects. It hath a distributed nervous system, and appears to use magic to breathe minerals. Thus rendering it unconscious is not an option. The Moon-Beetle's digestive process consists of passing magic-permeated substances across it's Labium-"
"English please," piped up Michael.
"Those mouth tentacles I told you about," said Lucas.
Tom nodded, relieved that someone had asked for him and Mira said, "Oh, those things... Of course. Luna, could you keep the technical jargon to a minimum. We don't all speak Twilight."
"My apologies, I shalt attempt to paraphrase across it's... mouth-parts, where the magic is siphoned off and distributed throughout the Moon-Beetle's carapace- shell."
"What happens if we break it's mouth?" asked Michael in a matter-of-fact tone.
The firelight was just bright enough to illuminate Luna's raised eyebrow as she responded, "Surprisingly enough I hath witnessed just such circumstances. A Moon-Beetle was trapped upside-down neath a collapsed lunar mountain when an outcropping of rock managed to pierce the mouth-part. When I approached the creature, I discovered said incident had rendered the organ useless. I also saw the beetle had laid its egg. Thus I extricated its offspring to a new location before returning and relieving the parent's suffering. However, as I carried the egg away the beetle ended its own life prematurely."
"So you're saying if we take away its ability to absorb magic it blows itself up?" said Mira, speaking for herself as well as Thomas.
"Verily. If thou seekest to render it incapable of consumption, thou needeth a mage to return it from whence it came lest it detonate on Equis."
"Great, so if we defuse the threat, it explodes in our faces, leaves an egg and the whole thing starts over again," said Mira, trying to match Tom's voice a little.
"Who's capable of sending the beetle back to the moon?" asked Mira.
"Myself, mine sister, her student or at least three highly skilled unicorn mages."
"So we need some way to provide a signal if one of us takes the mouth out," said Lucas.
"That should not provide much difficulty," said Luna, her horn engulfing everyone and everypony around the fire, "Merely scream it out, and my magic shall provide the signal."
"OK, but if this beetle's as tall as a building how are we going to hit it? Tom doesn't really look like he could use a pair of stilts," said Michael.
"What do you mean throw you ?" said Mira, addressing Thomas.
Thomas reached his hand out and tapped Luna on her horn, then he raised his right hand and slammed it down into his left.
"Would that not hurt thee?" asked Luna, tilting her head inquisitively.
"He says he might have a solution for that," replied Mira, skeptically.
After discussing as many potential modes of attack as they could think of, several of the guards even chipping in, and Tom letting Luna pick him up a few times, they tried to get some rest.
"I will stand watch," said Luna, "Rest while you can, for it may not be possible for some time."
"Your Highness," said one of the guards, stepping forward, "We shall stand with you."
Luna gave the guard an indecipherable look and replied, "I am the Princess of the Night, nothing in the darkness shall harm me," then, turning to walk away from the camp, she paused and continued, "However, I would not forbid two by my side, should you wish it."
As the night wore on Lucas tried to get some sleep, but all he could think about was what he had tried to do to the Beetle when he first encountered it.
Nothing I did could stop it. A maelstrom of sand, silt and stone filled the depths of his memories as the dark hulking juggernaut continued slowly onward.
In the end death shall not come, only a new beginning, for life shall go on.
The prophesy repeated itself again and again through his head as his mind turned it over trying to parse together a physical future.
If the Beetle lives, does that mean we'll die? And if we kill it does that mean we'll live? Or are our fates linked and its death signal our own? But if an underwater landslide can't stop it, what chance do we have?
Meanwhile, on a cliff overlooking the bay and ocean, two unicorn guards stood watch as a single blue light scanned the waters for the moon's wayward child.
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Dude, you need to kill the damn beetle already. Or have a red-shirt show up and try to fight the beetle just to be slaughtered by it. Also, when's the next chapter?
8078556 I'm working on it. Also, be careful what you wish for.
"-And then I took a deep breath and said, 'yay' and the sergeant said, 'private... you are now my favorite private in the history of ever. Now get over there and give me fifty push-ups!"
Great FOB Equestria reference.
Nice Chapter!
8079260 Glad you enjoyed it friendly random reader.
8078666 I volunteer as tribute.
I guess Fluttershy needs magic to do her thing?
It won't eat the spell? At least on any of them that touch it? If ONLY the tentacles can absorb it could.be surrounded and killed from behind by Unicorns.
Also, while it is harsh, killing an egg should be trivial compared to an adult.