The Open Sea

by NahB

Weather

“AJ! I need you to keep us on toward Crest Island!” Twilight called down to her friend.

“Ah am, Twi. The storm comin’ up is gonna rake us hard if we don’t turn into it, though.”

Twilight sighed. She knew that they would have to weather the storm or run from it, and they were NOT going back to Fog Island anytime soon if they could help it. “Alright. Get us through the storm, AJ, but whatever you do, make sure that we don’t turn back towards Fog.”

“Got it, Twi,” the orange earth pony responded.

Twilight Sparkle, former student to Princess Celestia herself and the bearer of the Element of Magic before the Flood found herself heading down the stairs from the upper deck to midship, frowning. There, she saw Pinkie Pie and Rainbow dash speaking, eating some of the oats they had purchased from a merchant of Fog Island from small, brown paper bags.

“Rainbow, Pinkie, we’ve gotta get the sails secure. I’ll get Fluttershy and Scootaloo to help you – the storm will be on us quite fast. I’ll get belowdecks and see about reinforcing our hull.”

The rainbow-maned Pegasus and pink earth pony looked at her and nodded, setting aside their food. They immediately began to get to work, pulling in the main sail on the mast and minimizing surfaces for the strong winds to drag about.

Twilight entered the crew deck and found most of her other shipmates there, talking, eating, drinking. Twilight moved around the room and found Scootaloo and Fluttershy in the back. They looked at her as she approached, nervous.

“Sorry guys. Rainbow and Pinkie need help up top shoring things up.”

The two pegasi nodded. “Okay, Twilight,” Fluttershy said. The yellow flier pushed the younger Pegasus ahead of her as the two left to go up top.

Twilight looked around herself, trying to find Rarity. It shouldn’t be hard to find one pony on a ship with a crew of only 14, but Rarity always seemed to be somewhere unexpected.

The lavender mare took stock.

AJ was piloting. Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Scootaloo were above-deck getting ready for the storm. That’s five. In the common area was Twilight herself, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell, Big Macintosh, and sleeping old Granny Smith in the cot in the corner. That’s 10. Elsewhere on the ship was Redheart, Rarity, Spike, and Cheerilee. Sighing again, the lavender unicorn exited the crew area and went below, toward the magazine and cargo hold.

She found Spike and Cheerilee speaking in the magazine, the purple dragon leaned against a tall barrel.

“Spike, can you please not lean on the powder? I know it’s-“

“I’ve got it, Twilight,” Spike said. The dragon stood up and stretched, his arms higher than Cheerilee’s head.

“Thanks, Spike. Have either of you seen Rarity?”

Cheerilee nodded. “Yes, I saw her head into the starboard cargo hold a little while ago. Why?” she asked.

“Storm soon. We need to reinforce the hull. Get Redheart in here and the three of you should secure everything down here. Thanks, Cheers.”

The pony and dragon nodded, and got to work. Twilight turned to head into the starboard hold when she saw Redheart. Before Twilight could say anything, the nurse gestured with a hoof. “I heard.”

Twilight nodded and entered the hold. True to Cheerilee’s word, Rarity was inside. The white unicorn was looking into a mirror that was being held aloft by a blue aura.

Twilight frowned. “Rarity, I know you’re worried about them, but you haven’t been able to see them before.”

The unicorn in question turned to Twilight, eyes glistening. “Rarity, you know that a lot of spells stopped working once the Flood hit.”

Rarity’s eyes were threatening to drop tears, but she nodded. “I know Twilight, but I can’t help but think that something went wrong on that ship.”

“I realize that you’re worried, Rarity, but we have bigger problems on the way. A storm, in just a little bit.”

Rarity started, but nodded once again, her eyes hardening. “Okay. I’ll reinforce the lower deck. You go ahead and head up.”

“Good,” Twilight said. “Glad I can count on my First Mate.”

Twilight Sparkle went back above, and began lacing the wood planks with her magical energy. It would wear off overnight, but it would add protection against the deadly waves and wind. She also shot a spear of energy into the mast, since it would need extra support.

She travelled around, putting her horn here and there, sending small lavender shocks into the wood of the ship. Her ship. The Free Mare, it was called, and it was Her Ship.

Twilight looked around for her companions, but realized that they were done working and had retreated to the crew quarters. She looked up at the darkening sky, knowing that the storm on its way was huge, and it would be hard on them. She entered the Pilot’s area, and set her hoof on Applejack’s back. “AJ, are you sure you can handle this alone?”

The orange mare, after their last storm, had requested that she be allowed to deal with the next storm alone. Not knowing why, Twilight had let her do it, knowing her friend to be capable.

“Ah know ah can, Twi. I need to do this, for myself.”

Twilight nodded and exited the area. As she made her way to the crew quarters, the other four sailors came up from below decks. The five all entered the crew area together, and the tones inside were hushed as they all worried about the storm overhead.

“Okay everypony,” Twilight began, “keep calm. We’ve been through a dozen storms like this, and half a dozen worse. Just keep your heads on, and if AJ calls, then we’re there to help.”

Twelve nods were sent at her. “Just keep on going, and know that we’re going to be fine, and at Crest Island before the week is out.”

Twilight moved to the large silver box placed alongside the wall, by the door to the decks. “AJ, you got that?” She asked, touching a hoof to it.

“Yeah, I’ll shout if I need y’all,” a tinny voice came back.

“Good.” Twilight released her hoof. “Okay everypony, let’s hunker down.”

Twilight retreated towards the port side of the room and stared out at the waves that grew ever larger, in a little porthole.

Rainbow Dash walked up beside her, flicking the lavender unicorn with her wing. “You sure it’s all gonna be okay, Twi?”

“I know it should, Rainbow, but I just have this stupid feeling that this storm is more than just a storm.”

The two mares stared outside for a moment, and then the cyan Pegasus pushed Twilight aside. “Aww, it’ll be fine, egghead. It’s just a storm.”

Twilight nodded before laying down on the floor. “I hope you’re right, Rainbow, I hope you’re right.”

Comments

[NahB]

This writing style is outside my comfort zone. Hope everypony likes it.

[Cryoshell]

I like this, I like this a lot.