Chapter 3
Equipped with the respirator Spike had given her, Twilight left the castle and made her way to the new library with Applejack and Fluttershy. The odor hadn’t gotten any less offensive in her absence and their guest had made quite a home for herself. Nature had successfully overtaken the entire section of the village it resided in. Vines and moss thrived off the wooden structures. Weeds, tall grass, odd flowers, and brambles had appeared. The humidity and dew point were still working together against anybody who wasn’t crazy for swamp life. A lot of magic would be needed to fix the mess.
Despite the adverse conditions, activity in the streets had almost returned to normal. Some ponies were wandering into the mess to check on their homes and fetch any objects of value they couldn’t afford to lose. A few birds had returned and were watching the drama unfold from the rooftops in the company of squirrels and a few butterflies.
Celestia and Luna were standing in bubbles of their own creation, unwilling to wear masks. Twilight created three for herself and her companions to follow their example and teleported their respirators out of the way. She noticed a glowing blue line on the ground. It had stopped the spread of the insect’s influence. Judging by the color of the aura, Luna had been responsible for it.
“You’re right on time, Twilight,” Celestia said. “I trust you’re ready to leave?”
“Yes, but I left some of my stuff at the castle in the foyer with Spike because I didn’t want any of it to get damaged by the atmosphere our sightseer has brought with her. It won’t take long to retrieve our things once we know what method of transportation we’re taking to get where we’re going.”
“That’s fine,” Celestia said.
Something collided with Twilight from above. Fluttershy and Applejack gasped as she was pulled into the air. Twilight had the mental image of a hawk snatching a lazy bullfrog from its Lilly pad while it was wondering how many mosquitoes it could eat in an hour. She was carried up into the air and looked down to see two familiar blue hoofs wrapped around her chest.
Twilight struggled to get comfortable. “Rainbow? What are you doing?”
“Are you ready? Because I don’t think you’re ready,” Dash replied, full of excitement. She could barely keep her voice steady.
“Ready for what?”
“Oh, you’ll see. Start flying and follow me.”
Dash tossed her forward into the air. Twilight spread her wings and began working them while her hoofs instinctively tried to find the ground they had never tired of seeing. She quickly found her balance within the air and followed Dash for a few miles until an odd vessel came into view. Twilight felt her wings stop working. She coasted forward for a moment as her brain desperately tried to process what she was seeing until she suddenly started falling to the ground. After conquering her momentary confusion, Twilight was back in the air again trying to stay afloat on numb wings.
It was a full-length ship. Flying through the sky. Effortlessly. Without a blimp. Without helium.
Dash flew a few circles around Twilight. “Is this even real life?” She came to an abrupt stop and put both of her hoofs against her cheeks. “How fast do you think it goes?!”
A sense of wonder that Twilight had not felt since she was a foal entered her heart. It was almost powerful enough to keep her afloat without the aid of her wings. She didn’t care that she could not immediately pin how the airship worked. She just was thrilled it was possible.
The ship had been constructed out of wood and the strength of the craftsmanship came out in its overall design. It could fly through the worst storm Twilight could imagine with ease. White paint covered the exterior. Princess Celestia’s Cutie Mark was emblazoned on the stern, leaving no doubt as to who the airship belonged to. The deck was completely flat, like a runway. It would be easy for pegasus ponies to land and take off from it. A single mast near the stern displayed the flag of Equestria proudly. Next to the mast was a compartment leading down into the ship. No helm was visible. A large window had been placed at the front of the ship beneath the deck. The captain was likely in there, just like a conductor would be at the front of their train looking ahead at the tracks in front of them.
“This is. . .” Twilight didn’t bother finishing the sentence.
Beautiful? Unbelievable? Historic? Her commentary was unnecessary. The vessel spoke for itself, as much a character as the princess it had been made for.
Twilight watched as an earth stallion with a cinnamon coat and a jet-black mane with specs of white mixed in wandered out onto the deck. He gave them a friendly wave. The stallion was in full armor and bore five silver stars arranged in a circle on his chest plate. Only the General of the Army was given five stars, but it wasn’t him. It was the stallion who had come before him known as Onyx Adamite. Not one for galas or parties, Twilight had never met him and knew very little about him. He was supposed to be retired and enjoying the rewards for his years of service under Celestia and Luna, who likely had something to do with reinstating him for the mission ahead of them.
Dash flew in closer and hailed the general. “Rainbow Dash requests permission to come aboard!”
Onyx shrugged. “Sure, why not?”
Dash did a short spin. “Awesome!”
After coming in for a smooth landing on the deck, Dash joined Onyx and started to make the most out of her limited time aboard the ship. Twilight let her be and flew back to Celestia and Luna. The appearance of the airship had drawn everyone out into the open. Ditzy Doo flew past her followed by several other pegasus ponies and a few of the more magically inclined unicorns who were particularly adept at levitation. All of them were eager for a closer look while earth ponies stood on the rooftops with the birds she had noticed earlier. Anyone who owned a camera had it out and those who didn’t were out of luck since the only shop that sold them was currently on the bad side of town.
Luna and Celestia were both beaming with pride by the time Twilight landed in front of them. They had every right to. An airship free of a helium blimp would revolutionize travel, trade, and defense. Applejack and Fluttershy were as transfixed as Twilight had been. She joined them in watching the airship come to rest above the library.
“Magnificent, isn’t it?” Luna asked. “It gives us great pleasure to present, albeit a bit early, the Eclipse.”
Since the initial jolt of excitement had started to wane, Twilight needed answers. “How does she fly?”
Celestia chuckled a little at Twilight’s eagerness. “The airship has been bound to a crystal capable of holding a magical charge.”
“So, it’s basically enchanted wood?”
“Yes, but I think it would be appropriate to give it a little more credit than that.”
A tinge of dread entered Twilight’s heart as she started wondering if she had upset Celestia. She had to get rid of it immediately. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that in a bad way.”
“I know you didn’t,” Celestia said, easing Twilight’s paranoia.
“What spell keeps it in the sky?”
Luna scoffed. “There is no way you are that ignorant.”
Twilight almost felt like a fool to give such a simple answer. “Is it a levitation spell?”
Celestia nodded. “A simple solution usually hides behind a complicated problem.”
“How much effort does it take to keep that ship from crashing into the ground?”
“Some strain is involved, but it is nothing compared to the effort it took to bind the crystal to the ship,” Luna said.
“When did you intend on revealing this ship to the public?”
“During the celebration of the new year,” Celestia said. “Now is fine as well. This airship will enable you to reach your destination more quickly than you would if you had to cross the ocean by boat since you will be needed back as soon as possible.”
Luna clicked her tongue. “Royal obligations can be so tiring. How I wish I could go with you. Perhaps some other time.”
That prompted Fluttershy to join their discussion. “You should ask Discord about that.”
“About what?” Luna asked. “Me going out on some grand adventure instead of stalking the halls of the castle at night? What would he know about that?”
Fluttershy smiled. “Quite a bit, actually.”
“Are you talkin’ about those theories he has about alternate universes and such?” Applejack asked.
“Not that I’m too eager to take his side, but those might be more than theories,” Twilight replied.
“Some of them are pretty strange,” Fluttershy said. “It’s difficult to tell when he’s making things up. For me, at least. Anyway, you should ask him about the Malum when you get a chance to.”
“I will do that,” Luna said.
“Have you taken that ship through a storm quite yet?” Applejack asked.
Celestia nodded. “Since the crystal is bound to the ship, it can absorb the energy from a bolt of lightning. There will be plenty of pegasus soldiers on board as well, so do not be too concerned with the weather.”
“I reckon unicorns will be piloting the ship, right?”
“Nine of them, to be exact. In eight-hour turns. All of them are students from my school of magic. You can trust in their experience. One is a grand master. Six are masters. There is also one intermediate and a single promising novice. All but the intermediate and novice have had a turn flying the ship. Despite how it may look, it is not a complicated matter to learn.”
“Do not be bothered by the presence of the novice,” Luna said. “She will do fine. We enjoy presenting such opportunities to those with enough talent.”
“Would Twilight be considered a grand master?” Fluttershy asked.
“Twilight is an alicorn and is above that system,” Celestia replied. “However, if she was still a unicorn, I have no doubt she would have already earned that rank.”
Twilight almost blushed. “How are we going to get the bug on the ship?”
“First, we will send Fluttershy in to calm the bug down,” Luna replied. “Then my sister and I will teleport the bug into the cargo hold. The aforementioned grand master will be present to make sure that the bug’s influence does not destroy the ship.”
Twilight examined the mess in front of them. “Where did the bug go? I can’t see her.”
“You might find this particularly distressing,” Luna said to Twilight. “Are you ready? The bug has crawled inside the library and has made a lair for herself behind the front desk.”
It only seemed natural to Twilight. “Of course she did.”
“Do you think she’s lookin’ for a book?” Applejack asked, trying to add humor to the situation.
Celestia’s horn lit up. A crate appeared in front of them. The lid came off by itself, manipulated by her aura. Galoshes were inside.
“There are stickers in the grass past the barriers,” Celestia said. “You should put these on before going any further.”
As Twilight was putting on the boots she had been given, a few stallions arrived pulling carts containing more crates. While the contents of most of them were a mystery to her, the one with the fresh apple sticker stamped on the center had a clear indication of what it most likely carried.
“I see our gifts have arrived,” Luna said. “I am not sure what good they will do since the Salamanders have yet to be swayed by kindness, but perhaps you will have better luck. I will send these up to the cargo hold once the bug is safely on board. Fluttershy, I do believe we’re ready for you.”
The blue line Luna had been maintaining vanished.
All eyes fell on Fluttershy, who produced a crooked grin that failed to hide her apprehension. “Here goes nothing.”
Fluttershy took the lead while the others fell into formation behind her. Burs crushed under the rubber boots they wore. The front door of the library had been broken off its hinges and was nowhere to be found. Twilight quickly solved the case of the missing door when she spotted the bug eating it behind where the front desk used to be. It had quite an appetite for wood, which explained where all the missing shelves and portions of the floor had run off to. A few tattered books were discarded on the floor, serving as monuments to the five seconds the bug had spent trying to figure out if books tasted good. Twilight breathed in for four seconds, held her breath for seven, and then exhaled for eight to recalibrate her mood. It was a valiant effort, but it did nothing for her.
The bug tucked the door underneath itself and began hissing, channeling fear and confusion into anger. Fluttershy continued onward as the others remained behind. Twilight neglected to mention the bit about how the bug slimed whatever it didn’t like if it got too close and did not think now was the best time to bring it up. She would be sure to get Fluttershy out of the way if she thought it was coming.
Fluttershy put on a smile, which did not have an immediate calming effect on the bug. “Look at you. You’re having a bad day, aren’t you?”
Her tone got through to the bug, causing its hiss to end in a sharp, quizzical grunt. A shorter hiss followed and Fluttershy stopped where she was to give the bug plenty of space.
“Don’t worry,” Fluttershy said. “We’re not mad at you at all. We know you’re very far away from home and all we want to do is help you go back.”
The bug gave a brief buzz as a reply and looked at the other ponies. Twilight took it as a cue to nod and soon all of them were agreeing with what Fluttershy had said.
“Do you see those two pretty ponies over there?” Fluttershy pointed at Luna and Celestia. “They are going to put us both on a big ship we will use to take you home. It will be scary for only a moment, but I know you can be brave. I’ll be right here with you the whole time, okay?”
Her genuine care for the well-being of their uninvited guest managed to get through its thick shell. Fluttershy moved a little closer to her. The bug didn’t object. She reached out and gave it a brief pat on its shell, producing a sound akin to tapping a boulder. It uttered a sharp squeak of protest and moved the door it was protecting underneath itself.
“Oh, you want to take the door with you?” Fluttershy asked. “Sure. It must taste really good, huh?”
The bug buzzed warmly. Never having developed a taste for wood, Twilight could only assume that since the door had to have been expensive, it was undoubtedly quite delicious. The bug didn’t want to give it up. They could make another one. Fluttershy turned, looked at Celestia, and nodded. She then smiled at the bug to melt away its fear and keep it focused on her. The two princesses closed their eyes for better concentration and in a moment the atoms that made up their two passengers were flung across their current dimension into the cargo hold of the Eclipse.
The potential consequence of their decision was voiced by Applejack. “We just put a termite on a ship made of wood.”
“Indeed,” Luna said. “Twilight, you will need to stop the ship and gather a few trees before you cross the ocean.”
Twilight nodded, foreseeing no difficulty with tree hunting unless the bug was a fussy eater. They left the library together. The absence of a door made their brief trek substantially easier. Twilight thought she heard music coming from somewhere above them, but ignored it. Once outside, they formed a circle in the mud.
“After we’ve sent up a few additional supplies, you’ll be ready to leave Equestria,” Celestia said. “Be very careful. I know I have said this before, but this time I really mean it. I can’t overstate it. Our military has worked tirelessly since it was first organized to bring our land under control. Due to their efforts, Equestria very well may be the safest country in the world. Do not hesitate to rely on the guards I have assigned to protect you. Every single pony on that airship has earned their right to be there.”
“Speaking of protection, I feel this might be the best time to bring up one last bit of information,” Luna said. “While I am sure you will have everything in order for a stunning show of diplomacy, there is still a possibility you will run into unpleasant complications should you encounter something much bigger than the ship. If that happens, you can use the crystal to amplify a simple stun spell that should incapacitate any opponent you must fight. If that isn’t enough, you could also string together enough teleportation spells to jump fifty miles away if needed.”
“About thirty percent of its capacity will be dedicated to keeping the ship operational while it is in the air,” Celestia said. “Do not rely entirely on the crystal. It has a limit. If that limit is exceeded, it will break. You can’t string together a whole book of spells using the crystal. Don’t let the amount of power at your disposal go to your head, either. I was even tempted by it.”
“I promise I will be careful,” Twilight said.
“I know you will,” Celestia said. “Have a safe voyage.”
“I sincerely wish you and all the other members of the ship the very best of luck,” Luna added.
Celestia and Luna gave them both a slight bow and left to take care of all the last-minute details that needed to be addressed before the ship could leave. Twilight looked up at the airship and began visualizing herself on the flight deck in preparation for casting her teleportation spell.
“Are you ready to make the leap?” Twilight asked Applejack.
Applejack held down her hat. “Take me away.”
Five seconds later, Twilight and Applejack were out of the makeshift swamp and safely aboard the airship. The noise associated with the instantaneous reassembly of their atoms attracted the attention of Onyx, who had been gazing over the safety railing at the town beneath him. Twilight cast another spell to clean their boots so they wouldn’t trek goop all over the polished deck.
Onyx came to a stop in front of them. “Hail, Princess Twilight Sparkle and Applejack.” He bowed. “It is an honor to serve under both of you.”
Twilight had to blush. Here was a stallion who had spent most of his life fighting to keep the kingdom safe, very nearly prostrating himself in front of her.
“Well met, General Adamite,” Twilight said. “There’s no need to be so formal. And you don’t serve under us. You serve alongside us.”
“In that case, just call me Onyx,” he said as he stood up. “I have to admit, I’m somewhat of a fan of your exploits.”
“He’s also a great singer!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.
Pinkie stepped in-between Applejack and Twilight with no warning. They gasped in shock and backed away from her to give her more room to stand in. Her presence on the airship made no sense, but Twilight knew better than to question it. She could only be impressed that Pinkie had managed to acquire a parachute, a saddlebag, and a pair of goggles since she had last seen her lurking underneath the castle with caffeine.
“You just missed a rousing song about what it’s like to be a royal guard for Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Don’t worry, I’ve got it all on tape.” Pinkie Pie produced an old Poni Trotman with a cassette tape stuck inside and then put it back in her saddlebag. “You can listen to it when you get back. It will give you something to look forward to.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?” Twilight asked.
“Me? I’ve got a super big party to plan for. Well, don’t let me hold up the end of this chapter. Bye!”
Pinkie leaped off the side of the ship. Her effortless jump was accompanied by an odd noise only she seemed capable of producing that nobody had enough courage to ask her about.
“Thanks for reading this story, everybody!” Pinkie Pie shouted to the heavens on her way down.
It was impossible to tell who she was addressing. Dwelling on it would be a waste of time.
Rainbow Dash flew up from where Pinkie Pie had just fallen and landed in front of Twilight and Applejack. “This ship is incredible! Just wait until you see your rooms. I really wish I was going with you guys. Maybe next time, right?”
Twilight nodded.
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, okay?” Dash gave them a wink, galloped to the end of the deck, and took off with a burst of speed.
They could hear Dash hollering in the distance from where they stood.
“I’d say we’re ready to drift away,” Onyx said. “You two should stay out here for a while. When you get bored, you can find me on the bridge down below. It shouldn’t be too hard to find. Anyone will be able to take you there.”
Onyx left Twilight and Applejack alone on the deck. They both wandered over to the railing and looked down at Ponyville. Twilight could barely make out the figures of Luna and Celestia as they worked with a team of unicorns to remove the environmental alterations the bug had caused.
A few minutes later, the airship started to move. Twilight felt anticipation building in her belly and rushing through her chest as the reality of the situation became apparent. Her pulse quickened. She could hear it beating in her ears. Twilight opened her wings slightly, but stopped herself and tucked them back in before Applejack noticed.
The airship gained speed faster than Twilight had anticipated. Onyx was being a showoff. Applejack held her hat down to her head as the wind picked up and began flowing past them.
“Land sakes alive!” Applejack’s accent had slipped. “Ah always figured we’d wind up doin’ somethin’ like this eventually, but ah still can’t hardly believe that day’s finally here!”
“I couldn’t have said it better myself!”
Though the journey ahead was fraught with uncertainty, Twilight was sure of one thing. When she got a chance to tell her brother about this, he would easily be more jealous than Dash.
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All that quality time together pays off