the Equestria dialouges

by Paradise Oasis

chapter ten-homecoming

chapter ten-homecoming

And so, with Lulamoon defeated, I wait. For three hours I wait, and all that I hear is the sound of the winds howling through the Canterlot ruins. There is no trotting of alicorn hooves on the cold stone, no flapping of alicorn wings signaling an approach by air. I expect her to show up, after everything that has transpired. But only the silent stillness of the afternoon greets me, as I wait for Princess Luna to appear.

I begin to wonder... had all of Luna's appearances been Trixie all along? Then why did the 'real' Luna seem so different than the imposter? Had I really imagined the whole thing, as Masquerade suggested. I finally come to the conclusion that, no matter how long I tarry here, Princess Luna is not coming. With a sigh, I trot out of the castle ruins, spread my wings, and take to the skies.

It is when I am soaring over the mountains, back into Dream Valley, that I notice something... odd. There is a large, dark shape moving up the Rainbow river, from the direction of the coast. Clearly, it had entered at one of the inlets from the ocean, and was gliding it's way into Dream Valley.

The only thing that would be coming up the river like that, I realize, would be a ship. It's a sloop-of-war, I gather, judging by it's size and speed. As I approached closer, I can make out several sails atop three masts. The flag of Dream Valley flies high above one of them... right beneath the grim smiling skull the jolly roger.

"Great Horsemaster... it's him...." I cry, trying to hold back tears. "HE'S HOME!"

I race back towards the castle, as fast as my wings will carry me. I arrive just as the drawbridge is lowered, and several of the mares and foals come pouring out of the castle to meet the approaching vessel. The ship and I arrive at the same time, and I can hear voices call out from the deck;

"Bring her about, first officer Salty!" The Captain yells. "And lower the gangplank!"

"Aye! Capitan Barnacle! Men, WE'RE HOME!"

The gangplank is lowered, and pirate ponies come pouring off the ship. These brave unicorns and earth stallions, who have been at sea for several months now, rush into the waiting hooves of their wives and foals. I land on the deck of the sloop, a ship called the Saucy Mare, a few feet from the Capitan and the first mate.

"Captain, she's here." The first mate, a turquoise earth pony tells the stallion next to him. "Permission to go ashore, sir."

"Aye, go ahead, Salty." The stallion replies. "Yer sweet mare, Fizzy, is waiting for ye there."

Salty salutes, then gallops off the ship. And I am left standing there with the Captain, who is facing away from me.

He is standing there on the deck, up on two legs, with his front hooves crossed behind his back. His long red coat billows in the breeze, while his tri-cornered hat shields his eyes from the sun. A cutlass and flintlock pistol are tucked into his belt sash, and I can see the golden chain of a compass that hangs around his neck.

"I didn't expect ye to be here to meet me." He tells me quietly. "I suspected ye would be away on one of yer adventures."

"You old sea pirate." I tell him sarcastically. "You know I'd never miss you coming into port!"

He turns to face me... and again I see the stallion I fell in love with so long ago. A tall, blue earth pony, with an orange mane and deep pink eyes. His body carries the scars of a thousand pirate raids, and his cutie mark- a treasure chest filled with shining golden coins- becomes visible as the winds blow his coat back. A Patch covers the dead eye long ago cut out by a troll pirate- an eye he is to proud too replace with a twinkle eye gemstone.

"North Star." He steps up to me, and presses his warm lips against mine. I taste the saltiness of the sea air on them. "I've missed ye, lass."

"It's good to have you home, Barnacle." I tell him, resting my head against him, as he strokes my mane with his hoof. "It's been far too long since you left."

We stay like that for a few minutes, before separating and trotting off the ship. Wind Whistler and her team of mechanics are waiting to board the vessel.

"She took quite a few hits during our battles with the goblin fleets, Miss Whistler." My husband tells our family friend. "So please give her a good patch-up job."

"Why can't you just bring this thing back in one piece, just once?" She grumbles. "Every time you come home, my work load goes up."

Wind Whistler pulls the goggles on her forehead down over her eyes, and picks up her box of tools in her mouth. Barnacle and I watch as the earth pony and unicorn engineers attach chains to the front of the Saucy Mare, which the Sea Ponies grab in their mouths, and tow the ship into the giant cavern hidden behind the waterfall. Wind Whistler and her teams a have massive laboratory/repair dock in the caverns deep below Dream Castle, and they can fix and upgrade my husband's ship, to make it even better than it was before!

"So, was you voyage successful?" I ask him, as the two of us trot into the castle.

"Aye, we raided several goblin towns." He whinnied. "And brought back tons of precious booty! Gold coins and shining jewels galore!"

"That's wonderful!" I reply, smiling. That treasure will make excellent bartering material for trade with the humans. Of course, some will have to be given to Queen Majesty as tribute, to be added to the royal hoard.

"We also plundered several tons of oats and other foodstuffs." He tells me with a smirk. "That'll help get the herd through winter."

"Blimey, sounds like you've had a better turn of luck than I've had around here!" I reply, frowing.

"Aye?" He asked me, looking concerned. "Now what happened to ye while I was away, that was so horrible?"
.....

"Dad!"

"Papa!"

Countdown and Baby North Star gallop up to greet their father, as soon as he walks through the door of our apartment in the Castle. We then all sit down at the table, and talked long into the evening about his adventures while he was away. After the children had run off to play with the gifts Barnacle had brought back for them, I tell him everything that has happened with Luna and Trixie.

"Aye, a horrible time you've had of things, indeed." He replies as I finish, sticking his pipe into his mouth, and blowing sea foam bubbles out of it. "We need to go talk to Queen Majesty at once, and set matters aright with certainty."

"That will not be necessary." A voice says from the shadows, as Masquerade materializes in the room.

"Blast it, woman!" Barnacle snorts in surprise, using the human term for a mare. "Ye have no right ta invade a pony's privacy like that!"

"And you have no place speaking to a mare in such a tone, stallion." She glares at him, reminding Barnacle that we ponies are a matriarchal society. My husband simply falls silent.

"Do not invade my apartments, and speak to my mate in such a rude manner, Masquerade." I warn her. "Now why have you come here?"

"To tell you that I have taken care of everything with Majesty." She looks down, and paws at the ground with her hoof. "Gusty told us about everything that had transpired with Trixie, and her story was corroborated by Wind Whistler and Fizzy, along with a few other ponies who saw the real Luna."

"Is that all?" I snap in a demanding tone.

"No." She gulps, choking on the words she is about to speak. "I also came to say... I am sorry, I was in error, and you were right. I should have trusted your judgment."

"Thank you, Masquerade." I tell her, "That actually means a lot, coming fro-" But when I look again, she has disappeared.

"Vanished without a trace." Barnacle says, slightly spooked.

"Something she and Luna have in common." I noted.

"But if that was the real Luna..." He looked back at me. "Lass, what are ye going ta do?"

"I'm going back to the ruins soon." I tell Barnacle. "I'm going to try to talk with Luna one last time."

"And tonight?" He asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Baby North Star and Countdown wanted to go over to Play with Ember this evening, so I told them they could go spend the night at Twilight Shine's apartment." I get a mischievous gleam in my eye. "And as for us....it's been six long months since I've seen you last, Barnacle. I wonder if the good captain can still steer his ship into port..."

Comments

Huh, wonder what would happen if the goblins beg for peace after this happens, wonder what will happen then