The Life and Times of Flix the Hippogriff

by AlaskaIsCold

Nine Thousand Kilometers from home

Luna searched her way through the countless dreamscapes.

The Realm of Dreams was her domain, although she was happy she had a chosen few ‘Dream Wardens’ to ease the load, Destined Path being the most advanced one by far. This gave her the time to tend to the dreams of the ponies further away requiring more energy to reach. Her last pony to tend was by far the furthest away. One thing that always worked for her was the relative perception of time in the dreamscape. Once she had a lock on her target, she shot forward at a speed that she could only reach in this realm. After an unknown amount of time, Luna slowed down and slowly circled around two dream-spheres, so far away from the others that she could no longer see any of them. They slowly orbited each other, but with a flare of her horn, the two dream-spheres merged into a larger one which she entered.

The alicorn walked into a... surprisingly normal scene. It looked like it was the large park that was in the center of the lower Canterlot districts, which she could see from her tower. In the distance were the two she was searching for: Flix and Orlonda sitting under a tree. She floated over with a smile on her face.

“So how goes the adventurous duo?” The alicorn sat down next to them as Flix looked up at her with a grin.

“It took ya over a month to come visit? I figured you would have been here sooner?” The hippogriff asked while Orlonda slowly opened up one eye and nodded a greeting to Luna.

“Thou dost not realize just how far away thou art, Flix. Even in the dreamscape, thou art distant,” Luna replied as she nuzzled both of them.

“So, did she like the present?” Flix asked, his rather chaotic grin getting larger.

Luna chuckled a bit. “She appreciated the gift, but mayhap thou should have given her the boat instead of just the deed to it? An amusing name, by the way. I have never seen her get that red before. HMS Sunbutt will stand proudly amidst the names of the rest of her fleet.” The alicorn laughed for a few moments before calming back down.

“I also wanted to check up on Orlonda. I have to admit that I was not expecting that there would be a range component to the hive network. Two days ago, Queen Polistae came to me, worried that she felt one of her drones drop from the network. For a harvester to do that on their own was unheard of in her hive.”

Flix nodded as Orlonda curled up around the hippogriff, content for the moment. “It... was interesting. I woke up to her screaming and didn’t know what to do. She has had to deal with horrible nightmares if I’m not around her while she sleeps. I offered to send her back home, but she refuses to leave me.”

Luna nodded. “Hast thou been sailing continuously since you left?”

Flix nodded. “Sailing steady between four and six knots once we set sail. However, we have had to do some sweeping arcs around foul weather systems. I’m glad I took that sextant when I had the chance. Too bad the North Star doesn’t come up anymore.”

Luna was actually quite surprised. “Thou art that far south?! I have to admit that I have not worked on the southern sky in far too long.”

Flix smiled as he raised a claw and snapped his talons. The day turning into night as he viewed the night sky as seen from the southern hermisphere. “I actually have been doing science while on board. Well, it’s art that can be considered scientific. I have been painting the night sky as well as taking the right ascension and declination of each major star and nebula. I have to admit that the sky down here is amazing. I don’t remember you talking about these in your class!”

Luna smirked. “I don’t remember thee paying attention in my class, now that I think about it. How dost thou know how to use a sextant anyways?”

Flix rolled his eyes. “I was paying enough attention,” He pointed up to a patch of red in the sky. “I call that the Mana Nebula – it’s the kind of purplish red that makes me think of mana.” He started pointing off various stars and noting how they related to each other. “This is why I know exactly where I am. Because I know where the North Star is in relation to these further points, and as long as I have at least two references points so that I can figure out my longitude, I can reference that group of stars there.” He pointed to the Southern Cross. “And I can figure out my latitude.” I can tell you that I am about nine thousand kilometers south-southwest of my starting point in Vanhoover.”

Luna smiled brightly; this was the first time in a long while that she had seen Flix this happy and animated. Maybe he had found his calling as an explorer? “Thou dost seem to love this lifestyle, Flix. Thy keen attention to detail in thine art has made thee adept at navigation and exploration.”

Flix couldn’t help but grin. “There have been a few problems here and there, but we have discovered something great! We know the effective range of the Orange Hive network, approximatly seven thousand kilometers before no connection can be sensed by a harvester.”

Orlonda opened her eye again. “You know that I’m right here, don’t you? You’re sounding a lot like Pif or Twilight, being all science-y! Luna, why don’t you ask him the question you wanted to ask him first?”

Flix looked back to Luna as the alicorn sighed. “There is something…. The herd misses thee. Roseclaw is just now finally showing herself outside of the bedroom. She feels like she has failed thee as a mother. Everyone is trying to distract themselves so they don’t fall into a depression. Discord really reamed us before we went to talk to thee. Even quiet Fluttershy joined in, and that was most telling to Twilight.”

Flix did not respond the way the alicorn was thinking he would. Rather than get huffy, throw a tantrum, or simply force himself to leave the dream, he leaned back against the tree and let out a heavy sigh. “I could go back right now if I want to. Discord gave me a return crystal for just that reason. But I honestly don’t want to. What use is a normal hippogriff in the company of kings, queens, princes, princesses, lords and ladies? I never fit in there and we both know it. I do love them, but I’m not ready to return to them yet. Maybe once I have done something on par with their accomplishments, I can feel like an equal amongst my brothers and sisters, but if I came back now, I would just be the forgotten son again.”

The scenery changed and they were sitting on the deck of the catamaran, looking at the millions of stars of the Southern Hemisphere.

“Something has been calling me for a long time, well before the fight with Celestia. I just only heard it clearly when I opened myself up to it. Is it close? I don’t know. It could be another three weeks away or I could reach it tomorrow, but I can’t go back until I find it.” Flix looked back to Luna with a quiet smile.

Luna started to cry as she reached forward and wrapped the hippogriff up in her wings, holding him tightly. Flix smiled. “You shouldn’t cry. I will come back to annoy you all in person, You Moms better be ready for it.”

Luna’s eyed went wide. The younger members had always called her Auntie; Flix was the first one to call her Mom.

“I think I’m going to wake up now. Talk to you in a few weeks, Mom.” Flix smiled fondly at Luna as the dreamscape started to destabilize, and Luna waved goodbye as it collapsed.

Flix woke up and yawned, rubbing his eyes as he looked at the night sky which had begun to brighten. It would be a little while longer before the sun would rise, so it would be okay to take some time before beginning his routine… that and Orlonda was still asleep, and he wouldn’t leave her yet.

# # #

Luna woke up with a smile on her face, but then blinked when the noticed the rest of her herd staring back at her.

“Luna, are you okay?” Free asked.

“I am more than okay, and I bring word from Flix.” She smiled as the family gathered around to hear what she had learned.

# # # # # # # # #

-- Next time: A Friend in Maewo? –

Comments

[Frostgear]

Can't wait until the next one.

[Da Fennec]

Indeed can't wait for the next one as well. Little surprised to get one so soon after the last one

[Kevin Lee]

-- Next time: A Friend in Maewo? –

Good question....
Are they going to encounter Marewui with her Might Fishhook? That one's a bit of a trickster...could be on par & a rival to Discord

[pahnazd]

That was pretty sweet.
And Flix has a good motivation. Him feeling useless, even though he really isn't... well, there was a lot going on which resulted in his decision.
Don't worry, you'll find your greatness.

Also, if there was ever any need to have an excuse to cuddle with Orlonda, he has all of it now!

And Luna got way happier as well. That's lovely.

My memory's pretty spotty - wasn't there a time she dragged Path away when her season started so the two had a child as well? Or was that a non-canon chapter?
Just got confused, because everyone called her Auntie with no one calling her Mom until now.

[PinkDragonJr]

Flix calling Luna Mom does raises an interesting question. Luna has gone into heat in this universe and found relief with Long path. Is it ever mentioned if she fell pregnant or not?

Never-mind. just read the first paragraph of the next chapter. thanks.