54 - We Can Do It
Things became hectic. While the sea ponies were drafting up parts and keeping the smith busy when they weren't busy fitting the pieces together and constructing the shared device that would ferry the fuel safely, the unicorns were all abuzz about their portion of the task.
The three horned ponies had used chalk to make countless circles, lines, squares, and other patterns across the entire hull of the thing while chatting in a constant, excited, babble.
Indigo leaned towards his two mare friends. "They're really into this."
Cherry nodded. "Who doesn't like to get something big done? We had lots of fun making this train work, why shouldn't they enjoy their part?" She looked over as Moon Dancer slowly trailed along one of those lines and smudged out a bit, just to redraw it slightly differently. "They're taking it seriously, and I'm glad. We'll make this work."
Twilight dropped down with a flutter of her wings. "About that! There's one thing that hadn't been accounted for, but I think we can manage without too much difficulty, and it gives us a use for the heat the engine produces that isn't being used for the actual driving of the train." She pulled out a strange two-headed beaker. "Water, as you may know, is actually comprised of two kinds of air. One, the kind we breathe, is also what fire breathes. So--"
Berry blinked at Twilight. "Water has air?"
"Why, yes." She bobbed her head. "With this, we'll combine that extra heat and some magic and bust apart the water into the two kinds of air, so you'll have the air you need for the fire. The other kind of air we don't have much use for." She shrugged. "You can just let it go and it'll turn back into water on its own." This wasn't strictly accurate, but was good enough for all the ponies involved.
She wandered off, humming a tune to herself as she got back to work.
Cherry watched her go and looked back to her friends. "I have no idea what half of what she said meant, but it sounds good. Dry power needs air, so if she can make more, that's good." She clopped her hooves lightly. "Now let's get this fuel pump working."
With a shared rallying cry, they got back to their own labor.
It would be several days before all six of them collapsed in a pile of hard worked, but satisfied, pony flesh.
Starlight sat up with a weary smile. "She should be ready to go."
Cherry thrust a hoof into the air. "Then off we go!"
Twilight gently pressed at that leg, drawing it back down with her magic. "Don't be that eager. We should test it before you rush into the depths of the ocean. I don't... expect issues, but better safe than sorry."
The train was transformed. Thin lines of neon cyan and purple ran along its red frame, carrying the thaumic power and along the vital patterns that would protect it and enable it to do as it needed to do. It was a spectacle to see, even when not moving.
Berry shook her head. "The only way to test it is to do just that. We'll go back to the beach where we began and roll it into the ocean and it will work or not." She flashed a grin at the unicorns. "I have no doubt in your performance."
Moon Dancer smile a bit more awkwardly. "We tried our best to account for every reasonable expectation."
Twilight rolled a hoof. "Be that as it may, this is no small undertaking. We can't assume everything will be perfect, even if we want it to be." She pointed at the train. "It's important we be ready in case anything goes wrong. If we're careful, we can fix it and try again. Let's not look at it as a setback, but a chance to learn. We'll do this."
That attitude was more to Cherry's liking and she offered a hoof, to be met almost instantly by her aquatic peers. Twilight met it, clopping her hoof in, soon to have Starlight and Moon clopping in with a show of solidarity.
Moon smiled as she adjusted her glasses. "Well, let's get some rest. We're all fatigued after a day's work. We can set out tomorrow."
So they did that, retiring to the castle where Spike had thoughtfully prepared a dinner for the herd of exhausted workers.
"So, uh..." Spike rubbed behind his head. "Twilight?"
"Yes?" She took a great big bite of the hay burger that had been made for her, chomping a bit messily. "What is it?"
"Am... I a familiar?"
Twilight blinked softly. "What? Who said that? Don't be ridiculous."
Spike squirmed a bit in place. "Trixie said it, 'cause you kinda made me, and I do all the things a familiar would do, so..."
Twilight rolled her eyes. "Let's start by looking at who's talking. Trixie? You're taking her word?"
"Hey!" Starlight scowled at her mentor in clear defense of her friend. "It was, perhaps, a bit... harsh, to bring that up with Spike, but it was far from unfounded."
Cherry tilted her head. "Are familiars bad?"
Spike blinked. "No?"
Cherry shrugged softly. "Then does it matter if you are one or not? You're Spike, the most amazing and friendly dragon I ever met." She reached with a leg and pulled Spike close.
Twilight joined the hug. "You are also my #1 assistant and one of my best friends."
Starlight nodded. "Nobody here doubts your worth, as a pony, a dragon, or anything else you care to be. You're great, Spike."
Indigo bobbed his head. "Don't worry about it, Spike. You're Spike, and not many people get to be that."
Berry pointed up at her horn. "I'm a sea pony unicorn suddenly, but I'm still Sea Berry, and that's more important. You, as the others pointed out, are Spike, and that's a fine thing to be."
Spike was blushing in the group-wide admiration and support. "Y-yeah!"
The matter was gently set to rest and ponies resumed their feasting. There was work to be done.
The Red Rocket was pulled along by one of the trains in active service. No matter how loudly they had argued, they would not permit the Red Rocket to roll on its own power on the company lines. That matter aside, they had arrived. It was the city where everything had started.
A pony met them after they hopped off their train.
"Good day," said the familiar unicorn stallion. "I have a present." He moved for Indigo and furnished a set of legs. They looked even better than the others, sleek and finely articulated. Its insides looked finely cushioned and it had a nicely crafted space for fins. It was... enviable.
Enviable enough that both sea mares were glaring at it.
Indigo accepted it with wide eyes. He squirmed into it with some help by Starlight and soon was standing in the new rig. "Wow! Why? I mean, thank you!"
The inventor nodded. "Consider it part of my fee for your idea. I have a feeling I'll be selling a lot more of these. Good luck." He raised a hoof in a salute and trotted off.
Cherry prodded the harness. "It's... better than mine."
Indigo shook his head. "Yours has you in it. That makes it... better." He was blushing as he said what he hoped were smooth words.
Cherry burst into gentle laughter and hugged Indigo close. "That was sweet, but you're going to let me look at that later, no buts."
Berry butted in between them. "Not without me."
Twilight coughed into a hoof softly. "Let's focus on the task at hoof. They're unloading the train from the tracks, then we'll roll to the water's edge. I added some wheels that should adjust to work better on the sandy floor of the ocean and the beach itself. Follow me." She hopped up into the engine and soon all were gathered at the controls, which had several new buttons.
She pointed at the one that looked like a puffy doughnut of a wheel. "This one activates the soft-surface wheel adaptation." She pressed it and a loud humming was heard as the train began to sparkle wildly, magic clearly being put to work. It raised upwards as its wheels inflated like balloons, becoming huge and soft. "There we are. On firm surfaces, just press it again."
Twilight began going over what did what and what let them see what and what they wanted to see, didn't want to see, and what to do if they saw something they didn't want to see. "Does that make sense?"
Cherry gave an unsure nod. "I'm not sure I rem--"
Twilight pushed an operator's manual against Cherry. "Here you are. I made one for all three of you."
Berry blinked in amazement as she flipped through a few pages, then set it down. "I think we're ready."
Twilight began to go over more safety features and procedures, but Starlight gently lifted her mentor. "We'll get out of your mane. Good luck!"
Soon the three unicorns, and Spike, were parked on the beach, cheering among a crowd that had quickly gathered to see the amazing train power itself down towards the water's edge. The big wheels were doing the job, rolling on top of the sand instead of making big holes and getting stuck in them.
It was time.
Berry put out a hoof towards Cherry. "Well, rival, let's show the world what our combined might can do."
Cherry met the hoof with a clop. "Let's bring the dry to the ocean, and the ocean to the dry!"
Indigo bobbed his head. He wasn't as invested as the other two were, but he was invested in them. He would not abandon his friends. "Let's do it."
They assumed their positions and turned on the air seals. The coal bin snapped shut and a new humming came from deep within as air began to be manufactured for the train. The rest of the compartment would flood, but none would get into the places it didn't belong.
It would be a very wet engine of dry. The idea pleased all of them.
With a lurch, the train started forward and began rolling into the water. A new sound reached them as sea water began to be sucked up and fed into the air-maker to keep things going. The metal around them quickly grew damp, wet, then flooded as water rushed into their cabin.
But the engine kept rolling.
"It's working!" cheered Cherry as the entire train submerged and kept right on rolling, powering out towards the sea.
Twilight looked towards her friends. "Well... That went well, but our work is just starting."
Spike blinked. "Huh? I thought that was it?"
"Oh no." Twilight shook her head. "The prophecy starts now. We have to get the station ready to receive their train when it returns, and they'll have friends with them, I suspect. The tsunami begins now. The ocean rushes to the land in a mighty wave." She nodded softly. "Though I think we'll like this wave."
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I see Twilight has taken a page from her mentors handbook. So the real question is will the ponies be ready for the coming sea ponies?
Twilight got rid of those pesky wings?
7601963 The sea ponies find the dizzying varieties the land ponies come in to be confusing. She has a horn, and uses it more often than her air flippers. Easier to remember that.
No! Don't end it yet, you still have to have chapters of them going back home than back to the Dry again.
just to redrew - just to redraw
*****
It's been a fun tale and this is a good place to park the story for now. There are so many dangling plot threads that if you feel like picking it up again in the future, or someone commissions it, there should be no problem finding something to write about.
Thank you for all your hard work and even more for sharing it with us!
their is one problem with this A all of those carbon emissions, B its a super old model with no electricity and trains like those had no buttons, just levers pullys and hing dinds so a button would not work, plus a button means that thy cut into it and thats not right that she did that without their permision, also what inflates the wheels
oh so this is one one those, we don't need to explain anything endings.
7601990 Fixed!
Thank you for taking this journey with me.
The primary plot has been seen to, that of the prophecy delivered way back at the start of this.
So any chance of a sequel
I love this story. ~hug
7602013 I hope there will be one.
7602022 me too, and if there is it will be awesome and hilarious.
7602012
It is as they say, and it has never been more true.
I'm here for the plot.
I like the way this ended, but it does feel like there is room for a sequel. Any plans to make one?
To be honest, I was hoping we'd get to see the story progress a little longer. I mean we never got to see whether Indigo chose Cherry or Berry.
Starlight nodded. "Nopony here doubts your worth, as a pony, a dragon, or anything else you care to be. You're great, Spike."
Indigo bobbed his head. "Don't worry about it, Spike. You're Spike, and not many pony's get to be that."
-
Cool story bro.
7602291
That tickles me funny bone.
7602282 sequel?
I liked this story. Not as intense as some of your other exploits, which is a good thing as it gave me something relaxing to read, giggle at, and enjoy. Very satisfying.
7602452 That's one possibility.
very nice
They were Aching to return.
Land Below Wave.
They Will Be Heros.
Marty, It Swims.
This is not the End. This is not even the Beginning of the End, but merely, the End of the Beginning.
Transform And Roll Out.
Ah sweet, sweet oxygen, how much I miss thee. Its always the small mistakes that have the largest consequences.
New Friends Are Coming. Its time To PARTY.
7602291 Will you need ocs for the sequel?
7603034 I don't see a sequel.
7602008 Mechanical typewriters used mech. buttons so that could give credence to that, as for the rest I guarantee it will be explained as 'magix'.
(This tyre and lift combo was never explained either.)
7602012 To Dave, thank you for the follow through and finish, this has been one of the more enjoyable stories here, good to have a lighthearted story now and again without constant horrors plaguing the protagonists. Well done.
7603334 well he does not like he oh its magic so ya, hell the runes are also imposible, were does the energy come from with them and since when do ponys use chalck runes
7603358 Since it's an alternate universe and the multiverse contains infinite possibilities. Emphasis on 'infinite'.
(Not everything needs a Twilight explanation.)
You're to smart for your own good >.<
Can't wait to see what happens next
7603535 What am I being clever about?
7603124 So you're saying.... It's just going to end there? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now to start building that underwater tourist trap!
Onward, to bigger brighter things!
Keep going! ;)
sequel plz!
Will there be a sequel???
Well then, I think 90% of my comments on this site start with "Well then,", but anyway, trains in the sea, fire and water are mixing, prophecies are happening, hopefully we will see the end of them. Oh and artificial legs are being manufactured for ponies, doctors should raid that stallions workshop.
Good job
7605311 Still, have any links to the facts? I'd really like to see those. I mean it didn't come from nowhere, did it? There has to be something that started it.
7605580
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactase_persistence
For other mammals, a gene gets flipped and the enzymes for processing lactose get shut off after infancy. For (most) humans, it stays on.
7605616 And what about the party planning? Also, Twilight may want to keep her interaction with that world to a minimum to keep the nobles from saying that she's been "shrinking out on the duties."
7606406
But the third party is caused by the event which requires the second party which is the event for the first party.
I can never remember, is SCA down on the left, or the right?
Oh whatever, we got a few seconds, just glance both places.
PARTY
Man, this story needs a sequel.
You really threw up this book. I gave you about a month to get more chapters and when i get back there is 30+ new chapters!!! What a feat. Some storys take weeks to get fresh content.
7607128 My usual schedule is 2k/day.
...You know, there is only one tiny thing wrong with this story. The fact that it's over now...
please make a sequel.
7607172 You are a crazy mad dashing writer. Writers block is a thing. You though have writers vomit lol. Cant stop writing a good story. To bad it ended though. Would have been interesting to see you write a much longer story. Maybe even end up as one of the biggest too. This story deserves that.
7643396 I've written a story on this very site that went over a million words. How long do you want to see?
7651272
hehehe~
Its working out well for me good sir, and I thank you for writing out this adorable and silly adventure of a seapon-Hippocampus on the Dry,
Too bad it had to end, you should've added an epilogue about the sea ponies meeting the equestrian ponies
Wait... it's over...?
Okay, that does not feel like an Ending. It feels like a Stop. Like an abrupt cut off just when things were really getting good. I implore, you good sir, to continue this seemingly unfinished story. I can see from the comments that I'm not the only one of this opinion.
Your story is magnificent and we're all desperate for it to not only continue, but also have an actual resolution. As it stands, the story has no real point where all the strands are wrapped up - Who did Indigo choose, did the wet-train succeed, was a full water-rail network established, did the Red Rocket's pressure problems ever get fixed, and how did the nation react to this new population if the rail-link was a success? So many unanswered plot threads.... I fear that may be a typo of the highest order.