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Three Guests, Invited or Otherwise3,310 words
Welcome to Everglow4,451 words
Setbacks and Opportunities6,666 words

Welcome to Everglow

The three mares slowly came to their senses and shook their heads.

Sunset was the first to recover. Groaning and her head still swimming, she opened her eyes to see not the guest room that she and the other mares had just been in, but an open field near a forest. Her eyes widened and she whipped her head around, searching for some kind of sign of the castle they had just been in, only to find nothing.

Trixie soon regained her senses as well and her eyes widened as she too was taken by surprise with the new surroundings. “Trixie… did not mean for that to happen,” the show mare admitted.

Sunset narrowed her eyes. “You shouldn't have been trying to meddle with magic you didn't understand,” she snorted, looking around once more.

It was Moondancer who collected herself last, shaking her head clear. “Where are we?” she wondered aloud.

Putting her frustration behind her, Sunset turned her attention to trying answer that question, which was on all their minds. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I don't think we're in the world the mirror is normally connected to. We would look different,” she said, taking note of their unchanged forms.

Trixie looked around as well. “I've been all over Equestria and I've never seen any features like this,” she pointed towards a direction. “Do you hear that?” she asked her companions. “It sounds like waves. We have to be somewhat close to the sea, at least.”

The two other unicorns raised their ears and indeed they could hear the distant rumble of tumbling water on a shore. “Must be a fair bit of shoreline if we can hear it from here,” Moondancer said.

The oldest of the three of them perked up and finished the train of thought. “From there we can find where we are, or better yet, be able to find a town.”

Trixie smiled smugly, feeling as if the plan was hers from when she first spoke up. “You may both thank Trixie for solving our dilemma.”

Moondancer fixed the performer with a flat look while Sunset glared. “I'll thank you once we get back to Twilight's castle. Till then I don't want to hear anything from you.”

The former student of Celestia turned towards the hills they heard the waves from and began the walk towards them leaving a stunned Trixie behind, who stared at her retreating form.

Moondancer was in equal shock, though recovered much more quickly than Trixie had and gave the performer a sympathetic look before following Sunset.

Trixie recovered soon enough and scowled, following the other two with her nose in the air.

The two younger mares had soon caught up to Sunset as they came to the top of the hill and looked out. Before them was a long and expansive beach. Golden yellow sand covered the shore, with waves washing over it at regular intervals. Looking along the shore line the mares saw nopony playing in the water, or anyone at all.

It was oddly quiet save for the waves and gulls.

“I don't think I recognize this place,” said Moondancer, looking as far as she could.

“Trixie does not see anything familiar,” she said quietly.

Sunset was getting more frustrated with their predicament and looked around more. The only structure around was hardly one at all, being a ruin on a short cliff off to their left. “Let's see if we can get a better look from there.”

The other two had no objections, and followed closely behind.

As they approached the structure, they began to hear something strange. It sounded so much like singing, though in a language that none of them understood. It mixed with the sounds of the tide and almost felt like they were one in the same. The three mares were nearly bewitched by the melody but none of them felt it was playing with their will.

They had reached the ruined structure before long, the ruined stone likely the base of a lookout post from decades before. The singing had gotten longer, and though they still couldn't understand the words they could distinguish them from the sound of the sea crashing on shore. They curiously followed the side of a still standing wall and could hear the source as round the corner.

They turned it and saw, lying like a sunning cat, a light blue pony in a leather jerkin. He was facing out towards the sea, his eyes closed as he continued to sing for his unexpected audience.

The three unicorn mares watched him in wonder and came to notice the strange features of this stallion. The neck of his jerkin collar did nothing to hide four slashes along his neck, and they seemed to open just slightly as he sang.

Gills.

The pony had gills. And even more noticeable was the fin like webbing behind his front hooves suggesting he was at least a strong swimmer.

The stallion’s song grew quiet as he finished, and a gentle smile graced his lips as his bright green eyes opened. His head turned as he heard the clopping applause of the cream colored mare with glasses. His expression was just as surprised to see them as theirs was to see this new land he had come to.

His expression changed into a toothy grin soon after, and the mares took a step back as they saw his teeth. Mixed with the flat teeth of a pony was the sharp teeth of a predator. The smile was friendly but unnerving, and though it was for but an instant, something instinctual made the ponies want to flee. The strange pony seemed to notice and his grin closed, still smiling, but hiding his teeth.

Then he spoke. “Ah, did me singing summon you three lovely lassies?” His accent was melodic and full of a playful whimsy. The lilt in his tone did much to alleviate their apprehension.

His compliment was nearly lost in his tone, though only Moondancer seemed to smile and blush at it. Trixie seemed more annoyed at the odd stallion.

“We came up here for a look around, we only heard your singing on the way,” Sunset explained.

The stallion smiled and nodded. “Ah, then perhaps it is fate or the will of the gods that I was here when you saw fit to climb up here.”

“I doubt that very much,” she said. “Where are we? Are we far from Ponyville?”

The stallion looked confused. “I would guess ye are. I've never heard of such a place.”

The three mares shared a collective sigh and Moondancer wondered aloud. “Where in Equestria are we?”

“Equestria? Got ta say I never heard of that land.”

The strange stallion’s words caused all three of the mares to gawk. They stayed silent as they began to understand just how far from home they were.

The stallion looked to their worried faces and gave them the friendliest smile he could manage. “My loves, I do believe you are well and truly lost.”

Trixie and Moondancer both blushed, though the former seemed more indignant. “That's putting it mildly,” said Sunset, keeping her composure better than her fellow Unicorns. She kept a wary eye on the stallion, before chiding him. “And you are not familiar enough with us to speak like that.”

The stallion chuckled and smiled. “Quite right, you’re a sharp lass, and I've been rude.” He gave them a proper bow. “If I may, my name is Aquamarine.”

The oldest of the three mares spoke first. “I am Sunset Shimmer.”

The bespectacled mare introduced herself next. “I am Moondancer,” she spoke quietly.

Lastly, and by her opinion certainly not least, was the mare in a magician's garb. “And I am The Great and Powerful Trixie,” she added a small bit of magic to her introduction to cause a brief flash of pyrotechnics to give it more flare.

After a moment the stallion chuckled and clapped his hooves together in a light applause. “I see, you are adventurers then? I did that for a wee bit some time ago,” he said.

The three mares gave him another odd look. “We're hardly on an adventure, we're just lost because of her,” Sunset said, pointing her hoof accusingly at Trixie.

As it looked like an argument was about to flare up, the stallion spoke again, reevaluating them. “Now that you say it, the three of you would be terribly under equipped for such a thing.”

Sunset sighed and looked to the stallion once more, and she asked the question she was dreading the answer to. “Where exactly are we, then?”

“You are about a few hours trot south of Port Mareheart, on the Western Coast of The Everglow Empire,” Aquamarine answered.

The three mares looked at each other puzzled, hoping one of them would chime in to say they knew where this place was, or had even heard of it. And as they all stayed silent, Sunset’s fears became confirmed.

Trixie’s little outburst at the castle had gotten the three of them transported to a different land, perhaps even an entirely different world. She looked again to the stallion, whom they had just met, who may be their only friend in this strange place, and he too was strange.

“We've never heard of this place. I… think lost doesn't quite match it,” she said.

Aquamarine took on a thoughtful look and nodded. “That may also explain your lack of clothes,” he said.

The three of them gave him an inquisitive look, and he figured out what they were going to ask. “Well, you three are quite immodestly dressed. I suspect if I walked behind you I'd have a very pleasant view.”

The three of them blushed furiously, though only Moondancer was so embarrassed as to hide behind Sunset.

The stallion only chuckled. “Calm down lassies, I'd only take a gander if invited. It's not like the empire outlaws a lack of dress, but if you don't want ponies taking a peek you may wish to put some coin towards some clothes.”

“The great and powerful Trixie will not tolerate such rude and suggestive remarks about her person,” said the performer heatedly. “She is to be admired, yes, but she will destroy you if you dare to look at... That, without her permission.”

Aquamarine nodded but laughed all the same. “I have a reputation, it's true, but I would never take advantage of lost mares trying to get home,” he said, putting a hoof over his heart as if making an oath.

The mares still regarded him with some suspicion and this caused him to sigh. “At least allow me to guide you to Port Mareheart. I'll even take the lead for your comfort.”

After looking at him for a scrutinizing moment, Sunset nodded. “Very well, but if I suspect any funny business, I'll make sure it's not pleasant for you,” she threatened.

Aquamarine smirked and winked at her. “Wouldn't dream of it, lassie.” It didn't do much to reassure her, but they were off soon enough. “Be much faster if you three could swim, but I suppose beggars can't be choosers,” their guide commented on the way.

“We can't all be blessed to be born with fishy fins,” quipped Trixie.

Aquamarine chuckled at this. “True,” was all he said to that as he kept a steady pace that the other three were able to keep up with easily.

Moondancer broke their silence eventually. “I’ve been meaning to ask, mister Aquamarine -”

“Just Aqua, please,” he cut her off. “All that is quite a mouthful,” he said.

Moondancer cleared her throat, “Alright, Mr. Aqua, but, this place, Port Mareheart, are all the ponies there, like you?”

Aqua chuckled at the question. “I like to think I'm one of a kind, but if you mean Sea Horses, then sort of. It's a seaside town so we tend to live there. Judging from the question, I take it you don't see many of us?”

Moondancer shook her head. “You're the first I've ever seen.”

“Trixie has heard of Sea Ponies before but has never met one,” The performer added.

Aqua looked back to look at Sunset. “What about you, lass? Am I the first you've ever seen?”

Sunset had given him a cautious look, but answered. “With how you look and how you sing, I thought you maybe a Siren. I've seen those before,” she said. “Though, their true forms had long tails instead of hind legs.”

Aqua looked thoughtful as they continued down the road. “Sound a lot like the Deep Tide,” he said. “They're our kin, though they are a bit twisted. Not sure why they're like that, but most I've had the displeasure of meeting are a might cruel.”

The other three were quiet as they kept walking, and Sunset pondered on Aqua’s words. She hoped that these Deep Tide ponies he spoke about wouldn't be as much trouble as the Sirens she and her friends at Canterlot High had to deal with.

The remainder of the journey was spent mostly in silence until they reached the city proper, and it was as he had said. A variety of ponies walked about, some unicorns, pegasi and earth ponies as well. Mixed in on occasion were indeed a few like him, with gills and fins.

And also like he said, they wore far more clothing than the three of them.

Sunset was the most conscious of it, having before felt the modesty that being human had taught her. They felt a few lingering stares, and a couple mares looked at their guide and them before rolling their eyes, but they were left unharassed.

Aqua turned to them. “I hope you have a few gold between the three of you. I can lead you to a tavern or inn that'll put you up for the night, but if I go paying your bills ponies may start getting the wrong idea.”

“Trixie has some bits with her, she is not sure it will suffice,” Trixie said. Her horn glowed to pull a few bits from her cape, counting them out to ten. “It may be enough, so long as they don't try to cheat Trixie.”

Moondancer’s horn lit up as well, pulling a pocket in her sweater produced five golden bits of her own. “I got five, do you have any, Sunset?”

The oldest of the three shook her head. “All I have in my bag now is the book that Twilight and I… communicate… with…” She trailed off before smacking her face with her own hoof. “I'm so dumb,” she scolded herself. “How could I have forgotten?”

“Trixie does not know, but she also knows not what you are talking about,” the show mare said.

“I'll show you when we get a room.” Sunset sighed as she looked again to Aqua. “How much would a room at the inn cost?” she asked.

Aquamarine smiled. “Well if I shared a room with the three of you, I'd give up half my worldly possessions,” he said with a wink, gaining another round of blushes, and glares. He quickly changed the subject. “If those 'bits’ you're talking about are gold, you'll at least get a room, but you'd have to share, not sure for how long though,” he said. “Maybe a day or two. You may need to find work to get much further.”

The mares kept their thoughts to themselves as they came to a busy marketplace, mostly filled with ponies calling out to sell produce or simple crafts. Aqua then brought them to a small inn on the edge of the market square. “This place is good to travelers, and I believe breakfast is included.”

Sunset nodded as the other two looked the building over. “Thank you, Aqua, we may not have been able to find it so quickly on our own.”

The Sea Pony grinned at her. “Maybe you could thank me with an invitation to your room later,” he teased.

“Don't push it,” said the fiery maned unicorn.

This earned a hearty chuckle from the stallion who smiled to her. “Alright then, I'd best be moving off, got me own business to mind for once,” he said, waving his hoof. “Good luck to ya.”

With that the stallion left the three on their own. With a sigh, Sunset turned to her companions and led them inside.

The three of them went to the front desk where a mare with a greying mane sat looking over a ledger, likely doing some calculations.

“Excuse me?” Sunset tried to get her attention, feeling the weight of the day on her back.

The innkeeper looked up from her papers and smiled warmly. “Welcome to Mare’s Rest, we offer very comfortable rooms and we have plenty of vacancies this time of year, will it be three rooms or are any of you a couple?”

Sunset shook her head. “No, just one room for all of us,” she said.

The mare behind the desk looked at the three of them with wide eyes. “Oh my, young folk are so full of energy these days.”

It admittedly took Sunset a moment to understand what she was insinuating and her face flushed for what had to be the dozenth time that day.

What was wrong with the ponies here?

“No,” she said, almost a little too quickly. “We’re short on funds and need the cheapest room we can all fit in,” she explained.

The old mare let out a nervous laugh. “Oh, of course, well, we let ponies sleep in the common room for only a few silver each, but if you three want a little more privacy….” She trailed off as she looked through her ledger, seeing over the rooms that were available.

“The room that would fit you best would likely be a couple’s room,” the innkeeper started. “Though it'd already be cramped, and one of you would need to sleep on the floor, we could provide an extra blanket and pillow,” she smiled up at them. “It would come to ten gold for two nights, and that includes a breakfast in the mornings.”

Sunset looked to her tired companions, and then nodded, nudging her head to call them over.

Taking Trixie and Moondancer's coins she went over to the desk and put a bit on the table, her magic holding the rest. “Will you accept these?”

The innkeeper looked over the foreign coin with scrutiny. “No clue what realm these are from, but they seem to be real gold, and gold is always worth its weight in gold. Alright, I'll take ten of these,” she said.

Sunset placed the rest of the payment on the desk, smiling in relief. “Thank you,” she said.

The Earth Pony scooped the coins into a tray after counting them out and them grabbing a key for the three of them. “Think nothing of it, please go right in and make yourselves at home,” she said. “Breakfast is at sunrise, your room is upstairs, down the hall, third on the left. I’ll be by to give you the extra blanket and pillow in an hour's time. Is there anything else you may need?”

Sunset was about to say 'no’ when her stomach protested with an audible grumble, and she was willing to guess the others were feeling the same. “Would another piece get us some food delivered to our room?”

The old mare let out a laugh. “Sweety, I'd make dinner for all three of you myself for a gold piece.”

The three mares smiled with relieved expressions, and Sunset spoke again. “Thank you, nothing extravagant, just something tasty to fill our bellies.”

Sunset set another piece of gold on the counter and the aging mare smiled at them. “I think I'll make some of my veggie stew, fill you three up plenty,” she said.

Moondancer sighed with anticipation. “That sounds wonderful.”

The old mare chuckled. “It is, I promise. Now you three head to your room and get comfortable, stew for three won't take too long, I'll bring it with your blankets.”

The mare set a bell on the counter and went to the back, presumably towards the kitchen, while Sunset led the way to their room. Luckily she remembered the directions and they found it soon enough.

She put the key in the lock, opening it to reveal the room. It was cozy, and for three mares it would be very cramped. There was a lantern hanging near the door that Sunset lit with a simple spark of magic.

There was a double bed that would let two of them sleep comfortably, but trying to squeeze in a third would be a bit too cozy. There was indeed enough room on the floor for one of them, if the old mare brought the blankets like she said she would.

“Guess we'll have to make due,” Sunset said as she set her bag down and opened it, seeing pajamas and other amenities. The PJs were clearly still fitted for her human body. With a sigh, she considered the idea of selling or trading them for clothing befitting her pony form. For now she pulled out the book that may keep her in contact with Twilight.

The other two squeezed into the room, and were at least glad the room would be warm from the rapidly approaching night.

Moondancer reached the bed and fell onto it, considering the prospect of falling asleep and hoping this was just a dream. The promise of food was likely the only argument keeping her from drifting into sleep then and there.

Sunset sat next to her and nudged her. “Moondancer, we haven't decided on who sleeps where yet,” she said.

Moondancer groaned but began to get up when Trixie spoke up. “You two can sleep on the bed, Trixie has slept in worse conditions when she was traveling,” she said.

The fiery maned unicorn shook her head. “You don't have to do that.”

“I do,” Trixie argued back. “I insist. As you said, it is my fault that we are stuck here.”

Sunset looked at the yet unopened book in her hooves. “Maybe, but I pushed you to it.” She was trying to be sensible, as mad as she was at the performer, she had been the one to goad her on. “Let's not focus on who to blame, we need to focus on getting home. Then we can point hooves all we want.”

Trixie looked down and nodded. “Very well, but, I wouldn't know the first step to doing that,” she said.

“Neither do I,” Sunset admitted. “But maybe Twilight can,” she said smiling, opening the book.

“What's that?” Moondancer asked, looking over the older mare's shoulder.

Looking at the studious mare, Sunset thought for a moment. “Well, long story short, it's a book that works two ways. Whatever I write in it will be seen in the other book and vice versa. Twilight has the other book. I just hope she isn't too worried.”

Looking at the pages her eyes widened at the words written in an increasingly frantic manner.

Where are you?

Are you OK?

What happened?

Why won't you answer?

Can you answer?

Sunset couldn't help but laugh despite the guilt she felt. “I probably should have answered sooner.”

Trixie had joined the other two on the bed and was reading as well, suppressing her own laughter. “She is quite the worrier,” she snickered.

“Well wouldn't you be?” Moondancer scolded. “We just disappeared without a trace, it’s no wonder she's worried.”

Sunset nodded. “I need a pen, maybe with her help we can figure out a way back.”

There was no pen to be found in the small room but soon there was a knock at the door, the kindly old innkeeper was on the other side. “I brought you stew and blankets dears,” she said through the door.

Sunset answered it, opening the door and taking the blankets in her magic. “Thank you. I hate to trouble you more tonight, but do you happen to have a quill and ink I can use?” she asked.

The innkeeper smiled. “It's no trouble at all dearie, I'll be right back. Help yourselves to the stew, there is a bowl for each of you,” she said, before wondering off.

It was then that the smell of the stew reached the three unicorns and they went to take up their bowls, retreating into the room. They ate the stew, which had a thick and rich broth swimming with vegetables. It filled their stomachs and tasted pretty good as well.

Trixie still insisted that she be the one to sleep on the floor and laid the blanket down and the pillow.

The innkeeper was back before they finished the soup, but only just barely. She delivered the quill and ink and took the bowls when they were finished, and wished them a goodnight.

Sunset looked at the book before her and tried to think of what to tell Twilight. Trixie had already gone to sleep, and Moondancer had set her glasses on the small nightstand before laying down on her side of the bed. As Moondancer put the long day on the other side of her eyelids, Sunset put the quill to the page.

Twilight, do not worry. We are safe and I finally have the means to answer you. I'm not exactly sure how it happened, but we are in a new world. It's not like the human world that I had been in before. It's full of ponies, interesting ones too if the first one we met is any indication.

It's late and I am tired. I'll talk to you more after I get some sleep and we'll figure out how to get back together.

Sunset

With that, Sunset closed the book. It probably didn't satisfy all the Princess’s worries but it would at least let her know that the three of them were alright.

With a means to contact with Twilight, Sunset's own worries were alleviated and she found sleep came easy to her.

Author's Note:

Chapter 2 is up, should have chapter 3 up about the same time tomorrow, but it is entirely possible it'd be a day or so late. Some editing needs doing yet.

This chapter introduces the first of my characters played in the table top game, and actually my first Ponyfinder character ever.

Aquamarine is a Sea Pony with a high charisma, and I played him like a playboy. He'd spread money around, buy people drinks in taverns and flirt with every mare that he came across. He was a shameless flirt, and it had gotten him into trouble as often as it got him out of it. Sure, trying to flirt with the evil sorceress might get you killed, but if she's got a nice butt you just got to let her know.

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