Much Needed Improvements
Chapter 13: Much Needed Improvements
Twilight groaned out in frustration and shifted slightly. No matter how much she tossed and turned, she just couldn’t find a comfortable position in her bed. As she turned over one more time, she noticed something odd about her bed. The sheets felt rough and course instead of being soft. The surface felt bumpy and she could have sworn that there was something poking at her ribs. The alicorn opened her heavy eyelids to discover what was the cause of this. When she opened her eyes, she was face-to-face with a human skull.
The purple mare immediately yelped in surprise and instantly backed away from skull. Now fully awake, she now realized that she was sleeping on top of a pile of bones this whole time. She inwardly cringed at what she was just laying on and frantically looked around to find out how and why this was happening. She gasped in shock when saw that she was now in the same pit of bones that she saw back in Coldmoat, only this time she was now inside it. She immediately tried to fly out of the pit, but her wings felt unusually heavy. Even heavier than usual from her recovery. The alicorn then realized the stench that hit her nose. While the smell of sulfur overpowered her senses before, she was now at the mercy of the rotting stench of death and decay. Twilight couldn’t hold it in anymore and let out a scream of absolute terror. Her mind raced with questions as to how and why she ended up here.
“Wha-What?! How did I…? Guys, anybody, help! W-Where is everybody?!” she cried out in desperation, hoping that one of her companions were nearby and could help her out of this dreaded pit. She did get an answer, although it came from a source that she hardly expected.
“PAY CLOSE ATTENTION, READER! YOUR DEPLORABLE PERFORMANCE BACK IN THE LAST RITE INSPIRED ME TO GIVE YOU A REMINDER OF WHAT IS AT STAKE.”
Twilight recognized the patronizing tone of the Voice and looked to the sky desperately trying to find its source.
“THE LAW OF THIS LAND IS VERY SIMPLE: FREEDOM IS A PRIVILEGE! A PRIVILEGE LOST WHEN ONE IS CASTED DOWN INTO THE DOWNSIDE, AND CAN ONLY BE EARNED AGAIN THROUGH VICTORY IN THE RITES.”
“THOSE WHO DO NOT FULLY REALIZE THIS ARE DOOM TO SPEND THEIR PITIFUL LIVES HERE, WHERE THEIR BONES WILL ONE DAY MAKE UP THE GROUND ON WHICH NEW EXILES WILL STAND ON.”
“IF YOU CAN’T GET THAT THROUGH YOUR HEAD, THEN THIS WILL BE THE FATE OF YOU AND YOUR COMPANIONS. WHY DON’T YOU LET THAT SINK IN.”
Twilight then began to notice that she was starting to slowly sink deeper into the river of bones. She desperately tried to struggle and flap her wings, but it was ultimately all for naught. The alicorn started to hyperventilate as the bones crept past her body and up to her neck. The purple mare held her head as high as she could. She looked up in horror as she saw that the twinkling stars in the night sky were fading away, leaving only endless, black abyss. Twilight felt the bones reached her chin and let out a terrified scream. Her vision slowly faded to black as the last bit of her head submerged beneath the bones.
“Twilight? Twiiiilight?!”
The alicorn opened her eyes and let out a startled cry. She tried flailing once again, but she still felt restrained. She struggled even further in attempt to escape, but suddenly stopped when she heard a familiar voice.
“Twilight! It’s okay, it’s me!”
Once she stopped panicking, Twilight looked around and saw that she was back in the safe confines of the blackwagon and back on her bunk. She leveled her breathing and looked over to see that it was Pinkie Pie who was trying to calm her down. The party pony had the alicorn in a tight embrace, which would explain her previous restricted movement. Pinkie looked worried but was still giving her friend a soft smile when she saw that the purple mare had calmed down. “Pinkie,” Twilight asked her friend. “what are you doing in my bunk?”
“Well, everybody got up and going half an hour ago, and Hedwyn noticed that you still weren’t up. So, he sent little old me to give you a super-duper good morning! But then I saw that you were tossing and turning like you were having a really bad dream. I acted fast and gave you one of my Pinkie hugs to wake you up. And it worked…kinda.” The pink mare scratched the back of her head in slight embarrassment. “Anyway, are you okay, Twilight?”
The baker’s explanation helped Twilight piece together what happen in her head. It seemed like the burial mound she saw back in Coldmoat had more a of a drastic effect on her psyche than she thought. It was even more clear that the dream was obviously fabricated by the Voice either to intimidate or discourage her from continuing with the journey. She still had no idea as to how he was able to accomplish this, but she supposed that it hardly mattered at the moment. What was important was that she needed to put on a brave face for her friends. She couldn’t tell them about her dream or what she had found in Coldmoat, lest she risk causing them to lose hope of ever see Equestria again. “I’m fine, Pinkie. It’s just been a little rough for me here. I’m still recovering from my injuries.” She said softly as she looked at the bandages on her front hooves.
“Oh yeah, Hedwyn told me you were in really bad shape when he found you. But hey, at least he patched you up lickity split…more or less.” Pinkie said trying to brighten up the mood.
“So, Pinkie,” Twilight said trying to shift the conversation away from her wounds. “have the girls caught you up on what’s happening with the Downside and the Rites?” The energetic mare nodded vigorously with a confident smile. With that question answered, the alicorn figured that now would be a convenient time to ask about what happen back in Equestria. “Alright. Back in Equestria, I apparently did something with the magic mirror which caused an explosion that transported us to this world. However, I’m having a really hard time remembering the chain of events that lead to that moment. Would mind telling me your side of the story?”
“Oh, I remember that!” the baker began to explain. “I went to the castle so that I could show you my new patent-pending Pinkie Pie Pop-tastic Party Poppers! While I was looking for you, I ran into to Rarity who was also looking for you! When I tried to show her one of my Party Poppers, she stopped me because she didn’t want to get any confetti into her hair…again. Eventually, we heard you and the rest of our friends in the library. As soon as Rarity opened the doors, I popped one of my Party Poppers to give us an extra silly entrance! That’s when I saw the mirror explode and there was a super bright light. After thirty minutes of falling in the weird, blue, swirling portal, I ended up here with you! Does that clear anything up?”
In all honesty, Twilight didn’t exactly find the information very helpful. Pinkie had just arrived when the explosion happened, so she had no idea as to why the alicorn was fiddling with the mirror in the first place. However, she didn’t to sound rude to her friend who was just trying to help. And it at least confirmed that Rarity was in the room as well. “It does, Pinkie,” Twilight answered. “Why don’t you go outside and tell the others that I’ll be out soon, okay?
The pink mare smiled and saluted. “Okie dokie lokie!” She then merrily hopped over to the door and exited outside to join the others.
Twilight sighed again and scanned over the room. She was still kind of shaken by the sheer intensity of her nightmare and still needed to talk with others in a normal fashion. Her eyes then landed on the Beyonder Crystal sparkling in the corner of the room. As she watched the orb glimmer, she remembered how Sandra had offered her presence if the purple mare if she ever wanted to chat. Thinking that talking with the phantom might calm her nerves, Twilight got out her bunk and walked over to the Crystal. She reached out her hoof to touch the glassy surface and her senses felt the same strange sensation she had felt before. The alicorn blinked a few times and saw that Sandra was now right in front of her. The spirit looked down to the pony and smirked.
Musical Cue - Forbidden Knowledge
“Hmm, miss me already, dear Reader?” she asked. “It seems like there’s something on your troubled mind. Have you taken me from my eternal boredom to talk?” The spirit chuckled but sounded like she was laughing at herself.
Twilight was caught a bit off guard at how the phantom had accurately guess the alicorn’s actions, but she shook it aside and spoke with her anyway. “Um, yeah. I just needed to talk to somebody, and I don’t really feel like talking to the others yet. I had a…a nightmare about something I saw in the Flagging Hands.”
“Ah, you’re sloshing your way across that dreaded marshland right now?” Sandra mused. “A hideous place, as I understand. Although, I’d imagine that you’ve already grown accustom to its wonderous aroma. I suppose my loss of smell might be one of the very few benefits of my eternal prison!” The phantom laughed again, although it sounded as though she was laughing at her own conditions.
“There was something else,” Twilight continued. “the Voice was there too. He was taunting me. He gave me a warning abut what would happen to me and my friends if I failed. Do you have any idea why he would do this? What have I done to upset like this?”
“Most likely nothing.” Sandra answered. “The damned Voiced oversees the Rites and the participates involved in them. For the most part, nothing escapes his gaze. He watches the exiles and their struggles as a sick form of entertainment. And now for some reason, you’ve gained his center of attention. Quite the unfortunate situation you have found yourself…” As Twilight gave a look of dread and worry, the spirit gave her a smirk. “I suppose you could look on the bright side. You and I share a common misery! That is usually the best you can find in this dreaded wasteland.” Sandra then turned away from the alicorn. “I have no Trials for you at this time, so this is where we bid farewell for now. If you have need of me, well, you know where I am.”
Just as suddenly she appeared, Sandra vanished from the purple mare’s sight and her senses returned to normal. She wanted to ask as to what the phantom meant by sharing a common misery, but that was far from her greatest concern. While she hoped talking to the spirit would put her more at ease, Twilight only felt more anxious after their conversation. It was hard enough that she had to survive the Downside, so she especially didn’t want the attention of some omnipresent force that found twisted pleasure in seeing her and her companions struggle. Already she could tell that she would not be looking foreword to sleeping tonight. Nevertheless, the alicorn turned to the door and let out a heavy sigh. Even though she still didn’t feel a hundred percent at the moment, she knew that the others were waiting for her. Twilight stepped into the heavy morning air and saw that everybody was already grouped together near the smothered-out fire pit. As she got closer it seemed like they were all in mid-conversation.
“You gotta be joking here.” Rukey said in disbelief.
“Does the Reader seem like the joking type to you, Greentail?” Jodariel responded back.
“Well,” Rainbow began. “the jokes that Twi tells involve math or other nerd stuff that usually go over everypony’s heads.”
“But I always laugh at them!” Pinkie cheerfully intervened. “Everybody deserves to get laughs from their jokes.”
Twilight finally decided to join the conversation. “Why are you guys talking about my jokes?”
“We’re not,” Hedwyn answered. “We’re talking about the star that you saw last night. It’s leading us to a location right in the middle of a body of water known as the Sea of Solis.”
“We do not argue with the stars.” The Demon said to Rukey.
“You talk like we can just go ride out right into the water! Is that your plan, Jodi?!” the Cur snapped back.
“I have’ta agree with Rukey here,” Applejack said. “I don’t rightly feel like doggy-paddlin’ all the way to the next Rite.”
Before Twilight could input her thoughts, Tariq suddenly stepped up. “Pardon my interruption, but I believe there is a way for the blackwagon to cross the Sea.”
All attention went towards the Lone Minstrel. “What do you mean, Tariq?” Twilight asked him.
“My client, Sandalwood. He has a way of anticipating such eventualities.” Twilight’s perked up at the mention of Sandalwood, but she continued to listen on. “West of here lies a place called Big Bertrude’s. The proprietor is an old companion of his. She may be able to assist us with our nautical impasse, as well as perhaps assisting with the spacing situation in the wagon as well.”
“I would have to agree on that.” Fluttershy quietly said, followed by a soft yawn. “It would be nice if I could have a bunk to myself again. I didn’t really get the best sleep last night. No offence, Pinkie.”
“None taken!” the pink mare said cheerfully. “I am quite the cuddle-bug!”
Twilight looked around the group to see what everybody else thought of the minstrel’s suggestion. It appeared that no one had any objections to the new course and even Hedwyn’s smile return. “Sounds like our best shot right now. Are you with us, my friend?” the Nomad asked Twilight.
Seeing how there was no reason not to go with the minstrel’s plan, the alicorn gave her own smile. “Alright then, let’s get everything packed up and make our way to Big Bertrude’s.”
Everybody nodded in agreement and went of to get ready to get back on the trail once. Half an hour later, the campsite was all packed up and the blackwagon was all set to get going. Everybody piled into the vehicle and the wagon started up and made its way west. Twilight looked out the window and watched as they were now driving away from the Pit of Milithe. As she saw the giant cocoon shrink into the distance, she had to admit that she was already feeling better knowing that they were getting some distance from it.
Musical Cue Continued - Sinking Feeling
By the time the day reached mid-afternoon, the blackwagon was still making steady progress on the road. They had thankfully avoided any mud pits or pot-holes like when they first started traveling in the Flagging Hands. As such, everybody was free to do whatever they desired during the trip. Jodariel was busy braiding her hair again. Pinkie was telling jokes to Hedwyn, who while didn’t really get most of them, still gave a polite smile to the baker. Mae was facing the wall talking to her “little brother” while Applejack joined in with the conversation as well. Fluttershy was telling Rukey and Ti’zo about some of her animal friends back in Equestria. Rainbow Dash was in her bunk taking a nap, which was rather typical for the time of day. Finally, Tariq was in his usual corner, lightly strumming his white lute. Seeing how everybody else was either occupied in their own conversations or looked as if they rather not be disturbed, Twilight decided to talk with the Lone Minstrel. As she walked up to the minstrel, he stopped his strumming and looked to the alicorn.
Greetings, Madam Twilight. I am actually glad that you are here, for there is something I’d like to discuss with you privately.” he said in a hushed tone. “Do you have a moment of spare time?”
Seeing how the minstrel always had something interesting to say, Twilight nodded and sat down. However, before he could speak again, the pair was interrupted by a sudden snort. It appeared that Rainbow had woken up from her siesta and groggily looked over. “Oh, hey guys,” she said as she yawned. “what are ya talking about?”
“Oh, apologies if we woke you from your nap.” Tariq said to the pegasus. “I was merely discussing with Twilight about a matter regarding the Rites. I suppose I’ll just wait for another moment when she is alone to tell her.”
“Hey,” the Wonderbolt said, sounded slightly offended. “anything you can say to Twi, you can say to me too! Right Twilight?”
The purple mare was bit hesitant to answer the cyan mare’s question at first. While what her friend said was true, she also didn’t want to disrespect Tariq’s wishes for privacy. Therefore, Twilight thought out a reasonable compromise. “It’s alright, Tariq. You can tell me what you want to say and I’ll sure Rainbow will keep it between the three of us.” She then looked to to the Wonderbolt. “Okay, Rainbow?”
While the pegasus initially rolled her eyes, she did comply. “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” She said while miming the iconic Pinkie Promise.
“Hm, very well.” Tariq said. “apologies for the alleged secrecy. All matters directly regarding the Rites are normally meant for the Reader alone, however I can tell that you know when and when not to speak such matters. When you confronted the Withdrawn, the Witch Udmildhe repeatedly invoked a certain name.”
Wile Twilight was trying to remember what the minstrel was referring to, Rainbow beat her to it. “Yeah, she kept on mentioning something called ‘Yslach’, right?”
Tariq gravely nodded his head. “Aye, Yslach, the Astral-Born. I hesitate to speak it even now. As I’ve mentioned before, the Downside was ridden with the Greater Titans when the Eight Scribes walked this land. Yslach was…different. Not only was he the eldest but he carried an air of him that spoke of foreign intrusion to this land. To put it simply, he seemed not of this world.”
Twilight’s interested peaked when Tariq made mention of not being of this world. “Wait, do you think that this has anything to do with-“
“I severely doubt it, Madame Twilight,” the minstrel prematurely answered her question. “Based on how you’ve described your world, I believe you arrived here on much different circumstances. The few proposed origins of Yslach speak of a plane that is near incomprehensible due to vast intensity and horror.”
The alicorn could gain a small understanding of what the Lone Minstrel was talking about. There were a few pieces of literature that she had read that had made reference to hypothetical beings and locations that were described as something far beyond logical understanding. Sights not meant to be seen and knowledge best left forgot. The mare had small bits of curiosity on the subject, but she never thought she would ever gain more insight on it from further studies. Until now, that is.
“So, if this thing was so big and bad, how did the Scribes even take it down in the first place?” Rainbow asked.
“The credit for that feat would go to the Crone Scribe, Milithe. After casting countless bounding hexes and charms, she was finally able to subdue the creature into what you witnessed back at the Pit.” He then gestured over to the bookshelf and the many copies of the Book of Rites. “As a symbol of victory against the Titan, the Scribe took parts of his hide and ichor to bind the Book of Rites, along with its numerous copies.”
The pair of ponies were then caught off guard by the sudden morbid fact. “Wait,” Rainbow asked in disbelief. “You’re say those books over there are made out of some monster’s flesh and is written with it’s blood?!” When the minstrel nodded his head, the cyan mare looked even more flabbergasted. “Okay, why would the Scribes do something crazy like that?! What’s wrong with regular paper and ink?”
“Aside from the lack of those resources in the Downside, it was symbolic.” Tariq calmly answered. “Since Yslach came from the stars and possibly even beyond, creating the Book from his essence would further bind the Scribes to the stars that they obediently followed. A strange custom, I admit, but it served their purposes.”
“Well,” Twilight said, trying to change the subject. “I guess it’s a good thing that monster is gone for good.”
“I wouldn’t exactly say that, Madame Twilight.” Tariq corrected her. The pair of ponies looked on in confusion as to what the minstrel was referring to. “While Milithe was able to bind his physical form, Yslach did not die. A being such as that is incapable of that, according to some accounts. The creature is now regenerating very, very slowly in the giant cocoon you saw. Thus, it can complete it’s vow to devour everything and everyone, so that it may return to the realm it was banished from. In a sense, it is in exile. Just like yourselves.” Silence hung between the two mares as they were still trying to fully grasp what the minstrel had told them. He clearly took notice of their faces of awe and worry, so he was quick to reassure them. “However, it would take ages for the creature to be reborn. Long far before this and the coming generations have to worry about. Thus, Udmildhe’s ravings are more or less inconsequential, for the while. Yet, the history of Yslach is inarguably connected to the Rites, so it must be known to you. I trust that you shall put in more time on research of the subject once the Book opens more to you.”
Twilight definitely felt less anxious once the minstrel said that they wouldn’t have to worry about Yslach’s awakening. She initially thought as to why Tariq would even give the warning if it had no immediate consequences, but she knew that every bit of information regarding the Rites and the Scribes would help her and her friends get home to Equestria. “Thank you for telling us, Tariq.” she politely said to the Lone Minstrel. “Is there anything you’d like to tell us?”
The minstrel scratched his chin in thought and then answered. “As a matter of fact, this is something I’d like to ask of you, Madame Twilight. I was wondering if I could ask for one of your feathers?”
“Wait, what?!” Rainbow nearly shouted. “Why do you want one of Twi’s feathers?” Twilight was surprised by her friend’s sudden inquiry of the request and even almost detected a small bit of outrage in her voice.
“I apologize if I have accidently stumbled on a sensitive subject,” Tariq began. “I merely thought that having ones of those purple feathers would aid us in the immediate future when we reach Big Bertrude’s. If the request is too demanding, I will not pry. However, I would only require one of her secondary feathers for later.”
Twilight opened up her right wing and inspected it closely. Though she was still tender from her wounds, the feathers cascading the appendage in question were still in good condition. The primaries looked smooth and the secondaries and secondary coverts were only slightly ruffled. The alicorn figured that sacrificing one of the coverts wouldn’t be so detrimental to her recovery and could easily grow back. She was about to reach for one of them with her muzzle before Rainbow stopped her. “Hold on, Twi,” she said in a serious tone. “you don’t have to do this. You need to let your wings recover properly or else it could mess up your flying in the long term. Tariq will just have to deal with-“
“It’s fine, Rainbow.” Twilight interrupted her friend. “I’ll just give him one of my secondaries. My wings will heal just fine if I only lose one tiny feather.” The cyan mare still didn’t look convinced, so Twilight pushed harder. “Please, Rainbow? I’m sure it’ll help us get back to Equestria. I trust Tariq that he wouldn’t ask for something like this for no good reason.” A quiet minute passed before the Wonderbolt finally relented and gave a nod of approval. With the pegasus’s consent confirmed, Twilight opened her right wing again and pulled her face close to it. She looked over and found a secondary covert that appeared in good condition and grabbed it between her teeth. The alicorn then gently twisted the feather and yanked it off in a swift motion. The stinging pain only lasted for a second and another glance at her wing revealed that there was no bleeding. Twilight grabbed the feather from her teeth with her magic and levitated it over to Tariq. The minstrel took the feather and inspected its quality.
“This will do nicely.” he complimented and put the feather away in his robe. “I thank you again, Madame Twilight. I am confident that this will us in the immediate future. Now, if you will excuse me, I am going to see how everybody else is faring at the moment.” The Lone Minstrel then stood up and made his way pass the two ponies. Once he left, Twilight looked to her friend.
“Rainbow, you seemed kind of upset when Tariq asked for one of my feathers.” Twilight said with concern.
The pegasus let out a huff in response. “Look, Twi, feathers are just…really important, okay? It’s a pegasus thing. You know how I’m always pestering you about keeping your wings neat and clean?” Twilight nodded her head at the memories. It was one of the few things that the usually laid-back pony took seriously and she often chastised the purple mare whenever she got lost in her studies and forgot to preen and clean her wings. “In Cloudsdale, they taught us that offering a feather is only for like, super important situations. You can’t just give your feathers away to, well…anybody!”
While Twilight did understand where Rainbow was coming from and respected her customs, Twilight knew that she had to reassure her friend on another matter. “Rainbow,” she began. “I understand what you’re saying, but I trust Tariq and the rest of the Nightwings as well. They saved my life and they want to help us get home. Considering that we’re visitors from another world in a land full of exiled criminals, the amount of trust they’re putting in us say a lot. So, I think I’m comfortable trusting them with one of my feathers in return. Don’t you agree?”
Rainbow mulled over what the alicorn had said for a minute and then sighed. “I guess you got a point there. I’ll try to keep that in mind. Sorry about that, Twilight.”
“It’s okay, Rainbow,” Twilight said with sympathy. “I know you’re just trying to look out for me.”
The blackwagon came to a sudden halt and the two ponies looked over to see what was going on. Pinkie Pie was jumping up and down all excitedly. “Ooo, we’re here! We’re here!” She then stopped bouncing and looked to Jodariel. “Are we?” she asked tilting her head.
“It would appear so.” The Demon answered as she made her way to the door. She opened the door and made her way outside, at which everybody else followed through. As Twilight stepped outside, she was forced to shield her eyes from the sudden brightness for a few seconds. When she looked back, she saw that the low afternoon sun was actually visible in this certain portion of the Flagging Hands. They had spent so much time in the dark marshlands that it seemed her eyesight needed to adjust back to actual sunlight. The alicorn then looked around the area and saw that there were about a dozen or so mud huts. They were small structures, but they appeared to be suitable structures from the elements. Before she could wonder who could live in these huts, Twilight jumped a little when she saw movement in the shadows inside one of them. Closer inspection revealed two green eyes gazing right at her. Soon, other sets of eyes began to appear in the other huts, all of the them staring at the Nightwings.
“I got a real bad feelin’ about this place, y’all.” Applejack carefully said as she gestured Mae to get behind her. Fluttershy and Ti’zo also subtlety cowered back to the wagon just in case they had to make a quick retreat inside. Twilight, for her part, stood steadfast and kept her ground.
“Stay together and don’t move.” Jodariel commanded the rest of the group. “Best not to invoke any defensive reactions from them.”
“That will not be necessary, Miss Jodariel.” Tariq politely rejected the command. The minstrel then stepped forward from the group. All of the eyes then centered on him as he spoke allowed to them. “Sandalwood sent us.” He spoke calmly.
This garnered a reaction amidst the hidden figures and soon enough, they began to emerge from their huts. It was then Twilight saw that all of the inhabitants were Bog-Crones, just like Udmildhe. The serpentine creatures were still slightly taller than the ponies, although they were mostly hunched over and appeared rather sickly. Most of their features were covered in ragged cloaks or shawls and some of them were even carrying items such as wooden staffs and crude tools with them. The bog-dwellers slithered up to the blackwagon and began examining its exterior. The Nightwings and ponies were still on their guard, though it appeared that the Crones took no interest in them. The alicorn’s attention was diverted again when one last Crone emerged and slithered up to Tariq.
She was obviously the leader of the group of Crones based on her size, which was around Luna’s height. Dull, gray draping covered her long tail while a teal coverlet immersed her hunched upper body, creating what looked like a giant hood. Her skin was a pale gray but was nearly as wrinkled and cracked as Udmildhe’s skin and was touched up with turquoise on her nails and lips. She also had two turquoise horns protruding upward from her forehead and branched out at varying lengths. At first, Twilight thought that she had brown locks of thick, curly hair, but was shock when noticed that it was actually a small conglomerate of snakes, complete with their own sets of yellow eyes. However, closer inspection revealed that the serpents didn’t seem like independent conscious creatures and acted more like appendages reacting to external stimuli.
“Thou speakest the name Sandalwood.” the Crone spoke in a crackly voice. “We would know his whereabouts. Reveal them to us.”
Tariq showed no signs of intimidation and responded in his usual polite manner. “Good day to you, Big Bertrude. It is a pleasure to meet you at last.” Twilight tilted her head a bit when Tariq had unintentionally revealed the Crone to be Big Bertrude, the one that the minstrel had said would help the Nightwings on their journey. Given her sour impression with Udmildhe, the alicorn hardly expected that they would find from the other Crone of the Downside. However, she quickly dismissed the thought, remembering that it was exactly her place to judge a creature based on the sole actions of another of the same species. The Lone Minstrel then continued his friendly conversation with the Crone. “Sandalwood always spoke highly of you and your handiwork.”
“Nrrrgghh, he did, did he?” she mused. It appeared that the compliment had taken a positive effect on the bog-dweller, but she quickly returned back to her thoughts. “In turn, we know who thou must be.”
Bertrude looked behind the minstrel and looked as though something had caught her immediate interest. It was a moment before Twilight realized that is was her that Bertrude was staring at. The Crone then began to approach her. Twilight flinched at this action, but she continued to stand her ground. The serpentine creature reached the purple mare and meticulously circled around her. She stopped in front of the alicorn, leaving her surrounded on al sides by the Crone’s snake-like tail. Rainbow Dash and Applejack tensed up more in anticipation for action in case the Crone decided to coil her tail and straggle the alicorn. However, Bertrude did no such thing and instead straighten her back to give herself a more imposing height. Twilight then looked up to find that the Crone was once again staring at her with those small, glowing blue eyes. Although, the alicorn saw that she wasn’t staring at her out of disgust or morbid shock. Instead, Bertrude looked as though she was intensely examining something; almost as if she was trying to identify what exactly was in front of her. Twilight remained speechless as the Crone continued her analysis. Being so close now, she was able to notice her sharp chin and the bronze circlet with an aquamarine jewel she wore on her head.
After what seemed like many minutes of awkward silence, Bertrude spoke with the pony. “Thou are not of here, nor from anywhere near here. Thou are otherworldly.” She then blinked a few times. “Where doth thou come from and why art thou here?”
The alicorn gulped a little and then answered the Crone’s inquiry. “M-My name is Twilight Sparkle, and I come from Equestria. I’m the Reader for the Nightwings.”
Bertrude took in Twilight’s answer and then looked over to the rest of the ponies. Her expression did not change as she stared at the multicolored mare. He looked back to the purple mare and muttered to herself. “Hmmm, curious.” The bog-dweller removed herself from the alicorn’s space and returned back to the Lone Minstrel. “Doth Sandalwood yet live? Speak plain and quickly.”
Tariq lightly shook his head. “To be frank with you, madam, I do not know for certain. For I have been apart from him for some time in order to carry out his will.” He was quick to switch over to a more positive outlook. Although, I have every faith that, aye, Sandalwood lives. As for his current whereabouts, I understand that he awaits us somewhere near Wakingwood, beyond the waters.” The Lone Minstrel then gestured to the wagon. “We wish to seek him there, but as you can see, our wagon is ill-suited for the task. It is hardly seaworthy, and it needs to be expanded in order to accommodate more members to our party we expect to gain on our journey.”
Brutrude maintained her neutral expression all while studying the minstrel. “Doth Sandalwood know about their arrival?” she asked as she pointed over to the ponies.
“Not very likely, no.” Tariq answered. The bog-dweller frowned at this and murmured something under her breath. She seemed more reluctant to help now because of the ponies’ presence, which caused Twilight to become worried again. “However,” the minstrel continued. “I believe I have something her that may offer some additional enticement.”
He then reached into his robe and pulled out the purple feather that Twilight gave him earlier. Bertrude eyes lit up again when she spotted the feather. Swiftly, but carefully, she swiped the feather from the minstrel and examined it closely. She looked to the alicorn and then back to the feather, as if to confirm that the feather did in fact come from her. She held it up to the afternoon light and hummed in thought. Finally, the Bog-Crone stashed the feather away in on of her pockets and faced the group. “Very well,” she said. “we shall see what we can do. However, we will require assistance from one of ye if we wish to complete the task by dawn. Who shall assist us?”
The group remained silent for a second at the Crone’s request. While Twilight would normal be glad to help in any way she could, she still couldn’t help but still feel a bit uncomfortable around her and the rest of the bog-dwellers. She looked over and saw that everybody else also seemed to share the same sentiment. All except for one, that is.
“Oh! Me me me me me! Pick me!” Pinkie Pie shouted as she waved her hoof.
“Wait, you want to help them, Pinkie?” Twilight asked her in surprise. It wasn’t that she wasn’t aware of how notorious the pink mare was for helping strangers out of the kindness of her heart. It was just that it seemed like her cheery personality didn’t match well with the dreary Crone.
“Sure!” the party pony replied. “It’s sounds super fun and I get to help you guys out. It’s a win-win!”
“Uh, Pinkie,” Applejack said to the baker. “what exactly do ya know about construction and capetry?”
“Oh psh-shaw!” Pinkie responded to her friend’s lack of confidence. “As one of Equestria’s best party planner, I’ve prided myself in mastering various skills and tasks to prepare for any possible celebration situation. Besides, how hard can it be?!” The pink mare bent her neck down and used the curl of her hair to pick up a wooden mallet that just so happened to be on the ground. “Oh look, a fun hammer!”
Bertrude gave the pony a blank stare and then addressed the rest of the group. “Are ye sure there are no others among ye that would like to aid us?” The group of Nightwings and ponies still remained silent, with the exception of Rukey letting out an awkward, fake cough. Pinkie Pie still looked excited to help and jumped up and down in anticipation. The Crone let out a groan of defeat. “Nrrrggggh…fine. She may assist us this night.” she said reluctantly. “As for the rest of ye, there are huts to the west nearby. Rest for the night and return to us at dawn. That is all.” The bog-dweller then slithered off to make preparation for renovating the wagon.
“By your grace, Big Bertrude.” Tariq said with a bow.
“Wait,” Hedwyn said to the minstrel. “Are you about this? Leaving the wagon in their care? I would to have something happen to our only means of transportation.”
“Don’t worry, Hedwyn.” Pinkie reassured the Nomad. “You just let your Auntie Pinkie handle it and that wagon will be all new and improved! Alrighty, see you guys tomorrow!” The pink mare then zoomed off in the direction Bertrude went, obviously eager to get started.
“Wait, is she older than me?” Hedwyn asked the other ponies in confusion. The mares slightly chuckled amongst themselves as they were by this time used to Pinkie’s craziness. The Nomad just simply shrugged at this and moved on with the conversation. “Well, I suppose we’ll have to wait and see what happens. Let’s go to the campsite Bertrude mentioned and I can get some dinner cooking.”
“Mind if I help ya with that, Hed?” Applejack asked. The Nomad nodded and seemed appreciated for the extra help.
As the group began to leave, Twilight stopped for a minute and went inside the blackwagon before it was hauled away by the Crones. Once inside, she grabbed the Book of Rites and left the vehicle so that the bog-dweller could get to work. The alicorn rejoined the group just as they made to the outer huts that they would be stay for the night. Hedwyn and Applejack began cooking up a meal using nearby ingredients by the evening. Dinner was still rather quiet as everyone ate around the fire, but there were a few bouts of friendly conversation between the Nightwings and the ponies. A much-welcome respite of the miserable atmosphere that they had as they traveled across the Flagging Hands. As the stars began to glimmer in the night sky, Twilight decided to retire to one of the huts for an early sleep. She bid goodnight to the group and headed inside.
The hut was extremely sparse, with the only a medium-sized hay mattress in the middle as the only piece of furniture. The purple mare casted a minor illumination spell to brighten the darken room and laid down on the mattress. While the hay was a bit scratchy, it seemed comfortable enough for her. Once she was all settled, Twilight took the Book from under her wing and placed it front of her. For some inexplainable reason, she had the urge to grab from the wagon before she left with the rest. She was about contemplate the reason for this when the symbol on the cover began to shimmer. The alicorn then cautiously opened the Book to investigate what exactly was causing this. To her surprise, she saw that some of the pages began to flash a few times before going inert again. Twilight flipped through the Book and saw that some of the pages previously locked to her were now available. The purple mare was pleasantly surprised by this as the last time she had read anything from the Book was all the way back in the Prairie. It appeared that now she could continue further into first chapter. Before she could get started on reading the new material, the alicorn was interrupted by a familiar voice.
“Hey there, egghead.” Twilight looked and saw Rainbow Dash giving her a relaxed smile. “You doin’ alright?” she asked as she welcomed herself inside.
“Oh, Rainbow,” Twilight responded. “I’m fine, thanks. What are you doing here?”
“Eh, everybody began to head off to bed and Hed asked me to check up on ya. Hey, what’cha reading there?” The pegasus circled around the prone pony and looked down at the black pages. “Wait, is that the flesh book Tariq told us about earlier?”
Twilight preferred not to think of the Book in such a macabre manner, so she answered the pegasus while also correcting her. “Yes, Rainbow. Though, I think it would be best not to think about that certain aspect of it. This is the Book of Rites, it supposedly tells the history of the Eight Scribes and the Rites. It has some type of enchantment on it that prevents me from seeing all of the pages, so I’ve only been able to read a small part of the first chapter. But it looks like some more pages just opened just now.”
The Wonderbolt smiled and shook her head a bit at the alicorn’s excitement at that last sentence. “We fall into a brad new world and the first thing you do is find a book to read. Classic egghead move, Twi.” The alicorn rolled her eyes at her friend’s light teasing, well aware that she meant no insult to her. She was about to read the first new page when she felt something brush against her side. She looked over and saw that Rainbow laid down on the mattress right next her. While the close contact was surprising, the purple mare didn’t find it particularly unpleasant either. “That being said,” the cyan mare continued. “You mind if a join your little reading sesh?”
Twilight was caught off guard by this question, even more so than when the Book reveal more pages to her. “You want to read with me? A book?” she asked to confirm that she wasn’t hearing things. Her friend nodded, but the alicorn was still finding it hard to believe. “What’s with this sudden interest in literature, Rainbow?”
“Hey,” the daredevil responded defensively. “I read books sometimes! And if I remember correctly, it was a certain egghead that got me hooked on it in the first place.”
This was true as it was Twilight who had introduced the pegasus to the adventures of Daring Doo when she out of commission in the hospital. But even then, the alicorn knew that she was still picky at what she would read. “It’s just that this isn’t exactly an action-packed Daring Doo novel.” the purple mare explained. “It’s more akin to a history book relating to the Commonwealth and the Downside. I’m just not sure you’ll find it too interesting.”
“Yeah well, if it’s made out of the skin of some ancient monster from space, it has to be somewhat interesting. Besides, I’m sure you’ll spin so that I don’t fall asleep out of boredom.” Rainbow gave the mare a smile before she bashfully asked something else. “Though, since you said you didn’t get that far yet, you mind starting from the beginning for me?”
Twilight was rather touched that she showed interest in the Book. While she was perfectly fine knowing that two mares had different interest from each other and could still hold their friendship nonetheless, the purple mare absolutely cherished those rare instances when their interests aligned and that they could enjoy whatever subject or activity they were doing in tantum. And she loved it even more when Rainbow would figuratively slow down from her fast and spontaneous lifestyle so that she could be on the same wavelength as the alicorn. It was a sign of the deep friendship that Twilight had formed with her, and the rest of her friend for that manner, from countless instances of interaction, comradery, temporary disagreements and compromises. So, it was for that reason why Twilight had no problem accepting the cyan mare as a reading buddy for the night, even if she had to go back to the beginning for her.
“Of course, Rainbow.” The alicorn said. “Just get comfy and we’ll start from the beginning.” The pegasus responded by snuggling a bit closer to the purple mare as she turned the page. Twilight then began to read out loud from the start of the first chapter.
The alicorn recounted the first few pages of the chapter to Rainbow to catch her up to speed. The Master-General of the Sahr Empire, Gol Golathanian, recorded how the self-centered Emperor Soliam Murr lead his empire to ruin which eventually lead to a takeover from his most trusted advisor, the Rope-Caller. Golathanian now served under a new ruler and his former liege was now an enemy of the state. Once the pegasus was caught up, Twilight could now look over the new pages revealed.
Murr was unaware of the tryst occurring at his throne as he was too busy looking for the coveted Celestial Orb. He followed the River Sclorian in search of the treasure, only he found something else entirely. Instead of treasure, he found his people and the deplorable state he was in. He continued to see the misery in their faces and kept hearing the venomous words they spat at his character. For the first time in many, many years, Murr felt the growing pain of shame in his heart. In time, the looks and words proved more than he could bear. Tragedy struck, and the former emperor was claimed by the River. As the raging rapids took him, he remembered hearing cries of joy from the subjects that were nearby to see his end.
That should have been the end for disgraced emperor, Soliam Murr, but it appeared that destiny had other plans for him. He had eventually washed upon the shore of the River, deep within the wastes of the Downside. Bleeding and alone, Murr had time to reminisce on the folly of his greedy quest and the folly of his rule over his poor country. His consciousness began to fade, and he found peace in knowing that he received the fate he deserved. It was then to his surprise that his received aid from a native Imp that went by the moniker of Ha’ub. The Imp cared not for his previous actions as emperor and slowly nursed him back to health. Throughout the next two decades, the pair travel the wasteland with Ha’ub guiding Murr away from dangers.
Throughout those twenty years, enemies of the former emperor would venture to the Downside to hunt him down, some under the employment of the Rope-Caller to bring him his head, others to enact cold, cruel revenge from years of suffering. Golathanian was one of the former, under orders of the new emperor to hunt down his former liege. He plunged into the River willing and made his way to the Downside. Eventually, the Master-General found his target, although his was shocked at what he had found. Soliam Murr was a mere shadow of his former self. Half-starved and disheveled, he had two, large horns that sprouted from the sides of his head that curved inward and down towards his chin. There were also other small, pointed horns that protruded from the top of his head. Golathanian, a man who had conquered countries, felt initial fear of this bestial reflection of the former emperor. When Golathanian found his liege, he discovered that him and the Imp Ha’ub were already fighting against another group of foes that had also wanted to claim the former emperor’s life simply named the Beyonders.
Twilight paused for a few seconds as she recognized that name. It was the same name of the phantoms that were trapped in the Beyonder Crystal. Could their attack on Murr have the reason for their imprisonment? The alicorn shook that question aside when she realized that she was in Rainbow’s company at the moment. She would just have to find time later to ask Sandra about her connection with the Eight Scribes. She then looked back to the Book and continued reading.
Golathanian remained out of sight as Murr and Ha’ub tried desperately to fight off their attackers. It was in that moment that the Master-General felt something stirring in his heart. It was an aching feeling that originated from either the pity for the deformed man or from the love he felt when he had served him. It was then he made his decision. What he would do next would mean betraying the country that he had loved and fought countless years for. But in that small moment, it hardly mattered. Golathanian jumped from his hiding spot and sprang to his liege’s defense.
With his superior might and the aid of the Imp Ha’ub, the Master-General was able to drive off the Beyonders from their assault. When the danger subsided, he turned to the former emperor – his Emperor – to ensure he was unharmed. What he said next shook Golathanian to his very being.
“You gave your freedom, Master Golathanian, so that I yet have mine.” he said.
“You, too, now are an exile of the Downside. In all the days which I have left, I never could repay the mercy you have shown me. So, if I cannot do so in this life, then I shall do it in the next.”
And thus, it was in that moment that the honorable Master-General, the fallen Emperor and the humble Imp would cross the wretched lands of the Downside. Eventually, the trio would come across those who then see Soliam Murr as Gol Golathanian did.
Twilight attempted to flip to the next page of the Book but discovered that the page refused to budge. “It looks like that’s all there is for now.” she said in slight disappointment. Nevertheless, Rainbow seemed rather impressed.
“Wow,” the pegasus said, as if she was still gathering her thoughts on what she had just learned. “that’s…really something, Twi. Who’da thought that this world would have such a crazy history.”
“Are you saying that Equestia had a dull history compared to this?” Twilight asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Well, no,” Rainbow replied. “Equestria is pretty crazy too, if you think about it. I guess it’s just about…perspective or something. I don’t know, there’s probably some eggheady way of explain what I’m trying to say.” She then took another glance at the pages. “But you know? This might be just crazy talk here, but this Gol guy kinda reminds me of you.”
“Wait, what makes you say that?” Twilight asked, not really seeing the connection.
“It’s like this,” Rainbow explained. “Aside from being honorable and being dedicated to a cause, it seems like both of you like to see the good in those that others gave up on. Even though this Emperor was supposedly a really bad dude, Gol didn’t listen to all of that and helped him. He followed his gut and he decided that he would help Murr. I’ve seen you do the same thing with ponies like Princess Luna, Starlight and Stygian. You could’ve easily defeat them by using the Elements, your awesome alicorn powers or even just banish them to another dimension. But you went the extra mile and found a way to help them instead of defeating them. It’s actually a trait that I really admire about you, Twi. You always try to see the best in everycreature. Do you get it now?”
Twilight gave her friend a nod. The purple mare supposed that Rainbow did have a point. At the risk of stroking her own ego, Twilight did have a history of looking to redeem villains instead of just defeating them. True, there were some villains that refused to compromise and see reason, Tirek and Sombra being notable examples. However, that didn’t stop her from at least trying her best to bring all creatures to the side of friendship. In that sense, she could definitely see some parallels with the Master-General and his redemption of Murr. As much as Twilight wanted to contemplate this further, she unintentionally let out a yawn.
“Oh, uh, I guess you’re kinda tired now.” Rainbow said as she started to get up. “Guess I’ll go hit the hay too now. Night, Twilight!”
As the alicorn watch her friend about to leave the hut, she suddenly remembered something unpleasant. The nightmare she had last night had still left her a bit shaken, so throughout the day she tried to distract her mind from sleep. Now that it was now closely upon her, Twilight was starting to get nervous in fear that she would receive another nightmare tonight as well. With that in mind, Twilight decided to take a gambit. “Rainbow wait!” she said to the pegasus. When she got her friend’s attention, she unconsciously started to circle her hoof on the ground. “I-I had a nightmare last night, and…I guess I’m a bit scared that I’ll have another one tonight. W-Would it be okay if you could…sleep with me tonight.”
The cyan mare didn’t respond immediately, and a small, subtle blush lit up her cheeks. “Uhh,” she stumbled with her words. “Would that make you feel better? I mean, are you sure you would be okay with that?” Twilight gave her a look, silently pleading for her to stay. Eventually, the pegasus relented and smiled. “Alright, egghead. I’ll give you some company tonight.” She then walked back over and returned to her original position next to Twilight. The alicorn flinched a bit when she suddenly felt the pegasus’s wing wrap across her back. While the act was unexpected, Twilight had to admit that it felt rather pleasant. The cyan mare then laid her head down on the mattress. “Goodnight Twilight.” she said before sleep quickly embraced the pony.
Twilight smiled and then decided to follow her friend’s example. “Goodnight…Dashie.” she whispered as she closed her eyes. Relieved of her fears of any incoming nightmares, it wasn’t long before sleep embraced her as well.
The next morning, Twilight was feeling more refreshed than ever. She was spared from any nightmare during the night, most likely thanks to Rainbow Dash’s presence. Thankfully there was no air of awkwardness between the two friends when they awoke. Rainbow asked if she slept well, then the alicorn respond yes and thanked the pegasus for spending the night with her. The pair exited the hut and saw that everybody else was alright having breakfast, save for Tariq who had apparently left to check on the wagon. After finishing their meal, the group headed back to Bertrude’s camp where they found the minstrel before them.
“Everybody,” he addressed them all. “it appears that the wagon is ready.”
When Twilight looked to where the minstrel was gesturing to, her eyes widen in disbelief. It looked as though the blackwagon was slightly elongated and had a fresh coat of redwood paint. The wheels looked brand new and the great, white horn that curved upward from the front of the roof looked like it had been both polished and sharpened at the tip. Gone was the dinky lantern that hung from the horn and was instead replaced with a much newer one that contained a yellow-glowing crystal. The alicorn also noticed that sides of the wagon looked more reinforced than they did the day before. As everybody was admiring the exterior of the wagon, Pinkie Pie burst through the door and jumped outside.
“Welcome, ponies and Nightwings,” she announced with flare. “to the new-and-improved blackwagon! Come insde and take a looksy!”
The pink mare hopped back inside, with the rest of the group following her inside. Twilight was once again taken aback at the changes that were made to the interior. For some inexplainable reason, it felt as though the inside of the blackwagon looked a bit bigger than it did on the outside. The common room was completely cleaned of debris and the Nightwings’ sigil was clearly visible at the center of the room. There was a large, wooden table near the center, a long rack for all the rainments and masks in one of the corners, a chandelier-type lamp full of lighting crystals firmly attached to the ceiling, and a multitude of bunks were lined up across the left wall. Along with these improvements, Twilight also noticed a variety of nautical additions as well. The hull was fully sealed and reinforced, and there were even a few porthole windows in the back wall. To garnish it all off, there was a big, shiny nautical bell that would be fit for a dingy.
“I…wow.” Hedwyn said in amazement.
“You guys seeing this? Flutters, help me look around!” Rukey said the timid pegasus. The yellow mare followed the Cur over to the front of the wagon, where there was an improved steering system in place. Fluttershy opened a hatch nearby and saw that the Drive Imps now had a much nicer area to operate the machinery of the wagon’s motor.
“Pinkie, how in the hay were ya able to do all this? And overnight, no less!” Applejack asked in disbelief. The pink mare giggled in response.
‘Sorry, Applejack,” she said with a wink. “That’s a trade secret!” The party pony then happily bounced over to the right side of the room, where there was a door that Twilight did not remember being there. “Oh, Twilight! I got a little surprise for you!”
Pinkie opened the door and reveal a cozy-looking little room. There was a bed pushed up against the wall along with a small desk and chair that were perfect for the purple pony’s height. There were also shelves that lined the walls and a small window to let in natural light. Finally, the Book of Rites was tucked away in the corner on its pedestal with its multiple copies on a bookshelf nearby. It was obvious that this room was built for Twilight to reside in, and the alicorn was rather touched by this addition. “Pinkie, you didn’t have to give me my own room.” she said to her friend.
“Oh, it’s no biggie, Twilight!” Pinkie said nonchalantly. “I just thought that you deserved something nice for working so hard to get us home. Do you like it?” Twilight was partly speechless at the kind gesture. She looked to her friend with an appreciative smile and nodded her head.
“The wagon should be fit for sea voyage.” Tariq noted. “Let us depart at your earliest convenience, Madame Twilight.”
“What about Big Bertrude?” Hedwyn asked. “I would like to thank her for her hard work as well.”
“Well, why don’t you tell her, silly? She’s right behind you!” Pinkie said to the Nomad.
Hedwyn turned around and jumped back a bit when he saw that the Bog Crone was in-fact behind him, despite nobody realizing her arrival to the wagon. Bertrude paid them no mind and slithered up to the Lone Minstrel. “Tell Sandalwood that he owes us twice over.” she simply said to him.
“Uh, Bertrude?” Applejack asked, grabbing the Crone’s attention. “I hope Pinkie weren’t too…much for you last night.”
The bog-dweller closed her eyes and hummed. “Mmmnrrrg…the Pink One was surprisingly useful last night. Work went much faster with her assistance than we expected.”
“Aw, Bertie,” Pinkie gushed at the indirect compliment. “I’m just glad I was able to help. Working with you and the rest of the Crones was super fun!”
Bertrude chose not to respond to the pink mare’s comment and began to take her leave. Before she made it to the door, however, Hedwyn stopped her. “If I may, Big Bertrude? You could discuss your debt with Sandalwood yourself, if you wish to accompany us on our voyage north. Our group would welcome someone of your vast experience.”
The Crone’s response to the Nomad’s offer was swift. “Dare thee make flirtations upon us?!”
“No! I…um” Hedwyn struggled to clear up the misunderstanding. There were a few stifled chuckles coming from Rukey and Rainbow at the Nomad’s expanse, something even Twilight admitted was a little bit funny.
“Enough.” Bertrude said, ending that awkward line of conversation. “We take our leave now. But, should ye see that Sandalwood, tell him also to come visit us again. Now, begone from here and tell no one that we were paid in favors.” The Crone then slithered out the front door. As she left, Pinkie rushed over to the open doorway.
“Bye, Bertie! I hope we can see each other again really soon! Remember what I said about smiling!” the pink mare shouted. Bertrude paused for a second and huffed before she slithered back to her kin at the camp. Pinkie then closed the door looking satisfied. “She gets it.” she said without worry.
With the Bog-Crone dismissed and the wagon improved, Twilight saw no other reason to dawdle. And apparently, Tariq was thinking the same. “We were fortunate that she assisted us, but I believe we must go now. I know the navigation controls and shall gladly explain as we go. Let us make our way to the Sea of Solis.” he said as he made his way to the front of the wagon. As it began to start up, multiple members of the group stated their thoughts of the upcoming leg of the journey.
“Yaaay, boat trip!” Pinkie cheered “Oh my gosh, I forgot my floaties!”
“This is so exciting!” said Mae. “I don’t even know how to swim!”
This caused some concern with Applejack. “Alright, sugarcube, let’s not have you lean off the side then. Y’hear?” the farmer instructed the girl, who then reluctantly agreed.
“Screeee!” Ti’zo chirped out.
“Yes, Ti’zo, I’m sure there will be plenty of tasty fish out there for you.” Fluttershy sweetly replied to the Imp.
“Aw yeah! Time for some swashbuckling adventures out at sea. Let’s get sailing!” Rainbow eager shouted
Jodariel let out a sigh. “I’m beginning to feel ill already.”
Soon enough, the blackwagon began moving again and headed north toward the Sea. Twilight smiled as she looked out the window and confirmed that they were finally about to leave the Flagging Hands. The marshland was by far the greatest obstacle Twilight and her companions had to overcome, but they had prevailed in the end. The sun was shining, and hopes were once again high among both the Nightwings and the ponies. Now, they were heading to the shining Sea and begin the next step of their adventure.
And unlike the Flagging Hands, Twilight was actually sort of eager to see what they would find.
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Poor Twilight, Brighton using the graveyard to motivate her while cruel was certainly effective. Will her relationship with him mirror the canon reader's or will Twilight somehow be able to forge a friendship with him?
I also loved Twilight and Dashie's reaction when they found out the book was made from the skin and blood of an eldritch terror. Although I was a little surprised she was able to even look at the book so quickly after learning this bit of info.
And finally let's not forget Big Bertrude's first appearance and how Pinkie was able to almost immediately befriend her despite her rather intimidating appearance. I kind of figured Pinkie would be the one to approach her considering Fluttershy has already bonded with both Rukey and Ti'zo. I'm still betting that when Sir Gilman and Rarity makes their appearance. He will appoint himself as Rarity's personal knight and constantly refer to her as either "Milady" or "My Fair Maiden"
9817641
I mean, tbh, having Pinkie trying to befriend Bertrude of all character is just hilarious and you'll be surprised how well that friendship will develop in the future.
So, without going too far into spoilers, I do have plan for the Voice to be more antagonistic towards Twi, even more so than in the game. Given the fact that she from a different world WITH the fact that she very well-read, he's really not going to be fond of her or her victories in the Rites.
On a side note, any thoughts about that connection Rainbow made between Twi and Gol?
9817688
I was wondering if that little comparison had a deeper meaning to it. Since we still don't know what caused the explosion that transported the girls to the Downside. I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say that Gol has some kind of connection to Twilight and that he was the one that interfered with her spell.
9817787
You might be right, but you also might be wrong....or possibly both.
Waiting for the "Strange Voyage" musical cue, because I dig that song something fierce.
9852971
Glad to see that you're interested! If you're curious about the game it's based on, you can check out this trailer for it. Either way, it's nice to have another reader for my story!