• Published 20th Apr 2016
  • 13,193 Views, 2,320 Comments

Gazing to the Ocean of the Sky - David Silver



She can swim far and wide across the waters of Equestria, but it's not enough. There are places above those waters, places she plans to reach. Where biology failed her, her mind would succeed. Equestria better be ready, because she plans to visit!

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37 - Episode 6 - In the Mirror

Twilight sagged with a little sigh, seated across from the rest of the Mane Five. "You let them put it there?"

Applejack shrugged. "Ah was busy farmin' when it happened and ah figured it was yer idea."

Spike shrugged softly. "I heard it coming and went out and saw a herd of stallions just carrying it along. I tried to tell them to stop, but they weren't listening to me..."

Twilight put a hoof to her head.

Elsewhere, Indigo enjoyed the mobility afforded by his customized dry swimmers. He explored Twilight's castle with a little smile and a curious look in his eyes. Twilight had so much to look at! He nudged open a door that led into darkness and he squinted at it. His eyes were more suited to the dark than a pony and he slowly advanced into the collection of boxes with only the clip-clop of his hooves, biological and mechanical.

He saw a large pedestal and began to grow curious about it. It seemed attached to a lot of... were they mechanics? He wasn't really sure, but he knew exactly who to ask! He galloped out of the room in search for his friends that happened to be mares, not to be confused with marefriends.

Cherry and Berry were brought in, both confused. Cherry looked around with growing curiosity. "This doesn't look like she uses it that often."

"That's putting it mildly." Berry blew off some dust from the top of a box. "The dry is gathering. Did you know dry collects on things that don't move?"

Cherry stepped up beside Berry. "I did not know that." She reached out and left a hoofprint in the dust. "Neat!"

Indigo pointed at the strange pedestal. "Take a look at this. I think it's mechanical." He looked mildly miffed at his friends becoming easily distracted. "The dry will wait."

Cherry stuck out her tongue a little. "Don't be so upset, now what do you have?" She wandered closer, eyes wandering over the platform and following the wired to the grand mecha... "I don't think this is mechanical, at least not entirely."

Berry nodded quickly. "There are a lot of parts I don't get, and if we don't even understand the start of it, it's not mechanical." Both mares crossed their forelegs and nodded with finality.

Indigo shook his head. "So what is it? Is it too complicated for either of you to figure out?" He looked towards Berry as a devious look overtook his face. "Bet Cherry'll figure it out before you."

Berry gasped with offense. "What?! No! I can figure it out. Just you watch and see." She advanced on the machine, as odd as it was, and began to poke and prod at various pieces of it, trying to figure it out.

Cherry looked over Berry's shoulder before leaning towards Indigo, "Sneaky boy." He blushed at her words but didn't argue it. "Berry, have--"

"I almost have it!" She threw a lever and something crackled to life. "We're missing a part. I think I turned it on, but it needs... something."

"It needs unicorn magic." Twilight entered on the surprised sea ponies. "What are you doing in here?"

Indigo recovered first and pointed at the device. "What is it?"

"That..." Twilight trailed off a moment. It'd been a while since she used the portal. "It's dangerous."

Spike rolled his eyes as he followed Twilight. "It's not that dangerous."

"Spike!"

"What?"

Berry looked to the dragon. "What does it do?"

Spike looked between Berry and Twilight, one looking hopeful, and the other demanded silence with a glare. He squirmed in place. "I... shouldn't say."

Cherry decided to take the fight to Twilight. "We'll just get more curious until we figure it out. At least tell us what it does before you tell us not to use it."

Indigo nodded quickly. "We just want to know what it's for. It looks interesting." He turned back to the machine. "You're a unicorn, you can turn it on, right?"

"I could..." Twilight let out a sigh. "But I shouldn't. Look, it's a portal to another world."

Cherry raised a brow, but Berry let out a sudden laugh. "I knew it!"

Indigo blinked at Berry. "You knew it?"

Berry gestured at the arch the device formed. "It looked like some kind of door or something. I just couldn't figure out how to turn it on."

Twilight's horn glowed, throwing the switch back to the off position. "Good, now that we--"

The device flared to life, fed by her magic and crackling to life, but only for an instant with the switch being toggled to the off position. It was long enough. Indigo vanished from the platform.

Twilight gaped at the spot Indigo had stood in.

Cherry pointed at the spot. "Is he alright? Bring him back."

"I-It's not that simple!" Twilight took a step back.

Berry advanced on Twilight. "You sent my precious Indigo to Waves-knows-where, bring him back!"

Twilight shook her head. "I can't just... summon him. He has to walk back."

Cherry smiled. "Oh, that's simple. We'll just wait for him."

Twilight imagined the aquatic Indigo landing in Canterlot high and swallowed heavily. "I... should fetch him..."

Berry waved between Twilight and the device. "Go ahead."

"It's not that simple!" Twilight cringed. "My copy is in there, and we shouldn't meet more than absolutely necessary."

Cherry raised a brow. "You have a copy?"

"All ponies have a copy there." Twilight let out a sigh.

"All dry ponies, perhaps." Cherry got a grin. "Turn that back on and let us get him. We'll bring him back, promise."

Twilight put a hoof to her head.

Spike raised a claw. "I could go with them?"

"No!" Twilight clopped the ground. "Your double is there too."

"I have a double?"

Twilight let out a sigh. "Yes, a dog of my copy. Look, let's just..."

Cherry advanced alongside Berry. "We can't leave Indigo alone in a strange place. Let us rescue him!"


Indigo fell through a space that wasn't space and landed with a dull thud, groaning in pain. He pushed to his... feet? His hooves were covered in a strange material. Some kind of fancy shoes? How did they stop being... Where was his tail? He spun around looking for it, but did little but make himself dizzy.

His hooves, his front hooves, they'd changed wildly. They had almost no fur and terminated in wriggly things, like Spike's claws.

"You alright?"

He looked up at a... thing. It was a thing that looked like him, with two-colored mane. A her, he was certain. "Um, just a little... lost?" Indigo tried to keep himself calm. "Where am I?"

She pointed one of her wriggly claws at the building behind her. "In front of Canterlot High. Are you a new student?"

"Um..."

"Wow, you are lost. Look, my name is Bon Bon." She gestured to the school. "Come on, Principal Celestia will know what to do."

Celestia, there was a name he recognized. He nodded and she began to walk away. He tried to follow and staggered clumsily at first before he at least got the basics of bipedal motion down. What was he, and why did they dry swim in such a funny way? On the bright side, he was in The Dry and didn't actually feel dry at all. Whatever he was, it was a dry species.

The stairs were a special challenge, but it had a piece of metal he could grab and hold onto as he navigated slowly.

Bon Bon raised a brow at his curious and awkward ascent. "Maybe we should take you to the nurse first."

"No, no! I'm fine, really." At least, physically. Mentally, he was freaking out. Where was he? What was he? Could he get back to his friends? "I want to see Celestia." Surely that powerful princess would have all the answers.

Bon Bon took him down a hallway floored with some kind of smooth and shiny stone. The light came from magic panels in the ceiling. There were bits of writing all over the walls excitedly reminding any passerby of any number of events that he didn't understand. "What's a Spring Formal?"

She seemed surprised at the question. "Do they not have dances where you're from?"

"Oh! I love to swi--" She looked at him like he was insane. "I mean... Um, yes, we have those." He laughed nervously.

"Well, here we are." She gestured to a door. "Just go on in and ask for Celestia. Good luck, uh, what was your name?"

"Indigo." He blushed at realizing he was being rude. "Nice to meet you, Bon Bon. Thanks for the help."

"Hope you get everything straightened out." She wriggled a few of those fleshy claws. "I have to get going. Good luck!" She returned the way she came, leaving Indigo facing that door.

All he had to do was... He saw a pony do this... He bent over and went after the knob with his mouth, but discovered quickly his new mouth wasn't suited at all to getting around the device that opened the door.

Suddenly, a loud clanging sound filled the hallway. He stood up ram stiff as lots of things emerged and began dry swimming right past him as if he wasn't there. There were so many of them! They came in all colors and sizes, male and female. Most of them were talking with one another animatedly as they swam to wherever they were walking to, and they were swimming to a lot of places! He saw a few dealing with the doors though. They used their fleshy claws to grab it and turn it.

Is that what those were for? Oh! Indigo flushed. Of course it'd be like Spike. He should keep that in mind. What would Spike do? He reached forward and opened the door, slipping into the new room where it was quiet. There was one other... thing... She? was seated at a desk and looked up at him with a raised brow.

"Um, hello. Can I talk to Princess Celestia?"

She snorted softly. "I'm afraid we're all out of princesses, but we have a special on principals." She pressed a button. "Celestia, you have a visitor."

"Send them in," came a familiar voice from the thing being spoken to. Was it like the metal robot?

The female gestured at another door. "Go on in." Her eyes fell back to whatever she was working on.

Indigo advanced past her to face that door, but he knew better! He seized it with his wriggly claw things and soon had it open with a little smile of triumph. That wasn't so hard. He could mana... That was not Princess Celestia.

Author's Note:

The story continues with a sudden detour. Indigo! Who gave you permission to go off on adventures on your own?

We must correct this typo immediately!

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