Day 1
The expedition was a lot more involved in getting going than I ever imagined and I would have failed completely without Midnight Sparkles assistance. The entire operation was far beyond anything I had experience with in the past and I was ever so thankful for her experiences and skills.
So I decided to make myself useful in some way and record the expedition for posterity because of its potential effects on the long term conditions in Equestria.
The day started when I arrived by the airship this morning as it was getting ready to leave to find one of my friends already there waiting for me, he was going to join us as it turned out as he was still attached to the Dream Legion and was joining as part of the guard compliment we were bringing along.
After some quick and friendly banter, we boarded the sh…
XXXXXXXXXX
“Morning Swift,” I said and paused as I spotted him outside the ramp, “Didn’t expect you here.”
He saluted quickly and then shrugged, “Didn’t you hear? I’m coming along. Still attached to the Legion and command thought it was best to send me along.”
I nodded and yawned, “...Sounds good to me. Sorry, long night.”
“Yeah, I had the same kind of night,” Swift agreed with a smirk.
I grinned briefly as we started up the ramp before I frowned, “Minuette okay with you leaving for a couple of months like this?”
Swift shrugged, “Wouldn’t say okay as much as, understand how things are in the Guard,” he admitted, “I’ll miss her, but I have my duty.”
I nodded and flicked my right ear.
“Commander,” Tempest said, waiting at the top of the ramp, “Everypony is ready.”
“Thank you, Tempest,” I said, giving her a nod, “Your quarters okay? They rebuilt everything like that to fit ponies better.”
“They are fine, sir,” she said with a nod, “The Captain is waiting on the bridge.”
“Let’s not keep him waiting then.”
To be fair, I was a bit late, I wanted a quick talk with Celestia before we left and it dragged out a little more than I had planned so we were a bit behind.
Tempest nodded and moved to lead the way through the passage through the ship, up a pair of metal stairs, by the time we reached the top, she fell back to a hoofstep to my left while Swift moved along in the same position to my right.
Classic by the book guard position.
Tempest had been studying more than magic it seems.
The airship was big, but not that big or it wouldn’t be able to fly at all so it didn’t take long to make our way up to the bridge.
Everypony was ready to go.
Captain Jetstream turned to me when we entered. Despite his name being extremely pegasus, he was an older earth pony, his mane starting to go grey and were cut short, a captain's hat resting on his head. He was an experienced airship captain, having been in Equestrias(admittedly small) airfleet for his entire life.
“We’re ready to cast off, Lord Page,” he said with a nod as a greeting.
The pegasus mare by the wheel looked over to us when we entered and quickly saluted.
I nodded to them both and then turned to Captain Jetstream, “Your ship, your show, Captain. As soon as everypony is onboard, take us out.”
Captain Jetstream blinked at me in slight surprise before he slowly nodded, “Yes, sir.”
With that, I turned and left the bridge to leave them to it. They didn’t need us looking over their shoulders as they worked.
We made our way down to the hold where it had been set up as part cargobay for supplies and part workspace for the expedition.
That’s where I found Midnight and Moon Dancer by a desk covered by a big map. From the volume of their voices and the way the rest of the team were avoiding that half of the hold, they were having a bit of a disagreement.
“So…” I asked as I stopped to look at them, “I take it we’re not quite sure of our final destination yet?”
Moon Dancer blinked at me in surprise as they both turned to me and Midnight shook her head with a smile,
“Oh, no,” she said and tapped her hoof on the map, “Moon Dancers estimated position is a very good starting place for our search.”
I frowned, “So… what’s the argument about?”
Midnight shook her hoof, “Oh, we were just discussing the theory of metathaumical flow in relation to leylines. For a spell like this it’s clearly necessary for the casting site to be by a leyline.”
Moon Dancer shook her head, “It’s not!” she said, “You can use a lot of unicorns instead, redirect the flow temporarily, use a magical cistern, or even pony sacrifice to power the spell!”
Midnight rounded to her again, “All of which adds difficulty, unnecessary steps or is evil!”
Moon Dancer put her hoof onto the table, leaning forward, “Turning ponies into blood drinking monsters! I don’t think ‘it’s evil’ would stop them!”
Midnight's wings spread in protest, “It still added unnecessary steps and for something that complex in the first place, why do it that way if there is a leyline with easily accessible power!?”
“There might not be an easily accessible leyline!”
I made my escape before they pulled me into the argument. They’ll figure it out, they were both among the smartest and most educated ponies I knew.
Moondancer really is ultimate bookworm, if she don't shy for moral reasons from learning about at least theoretical knowlegde about ritual sacrifices for power boost... .
They'll either figure it out, or start making out.
Are they seriously already discussing the theory behind the Thestral/Bat Pony Metamorphosis spell?
MEANWHILE...AT THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE...
Cadance: AHHH! Granny Smith? H-how did you get here?
Granny Smith: I threatened that pesky Discord into being my taxi...nevermind that dearie...THIS should be looked into!
*Granny points at the hidden camera footage*
Cadance: What??
Granny Smith: Twilight-two and Moondancer. We should hook 'em up.
Cadance: Really? Hmmm...now that you mention it...that is a lot of tension in that argument.
Granny Smith: Yep. I may be not know any magicky sciencey talk but the Apple family knows how to argue! THAT is two tailshakes away from bein' foreplay!
Cadance: I do see the potential. I will added it to my charts for now but remember that Page's herd is still priority.
Granny Smith: If those fights gets steamy enough, the hunka alicorn might get roped in the middle regardless!
Cadance: Oh my Crystal Heart...Granny you are a genius!
Granny Smith: Its called wisdom silly pony! WISDOM!
She's not wrong there
10413948
Both have plausible reasons, but ultimately its only conjecture. They can only guess how the ponies acted thousands of years ago. Despite the facts for the possible ways, in the end they could have just said, "Screw it. We will set up our spell here because I like the way the light is hitting us."
After all, us humans will go to some extreme lengths to make something work, "just because".
Oof. You'd better not be planning on killing him before this expedition returns. >_>
10413948
Can someone create a pool?
People can side with Midnight, Moondancer or neither
One thing wasn't sayed here, so let's bet:
How many changelings actually is on this airship?
Try to remember you come from a time of plenty. A large kingdom like Equestria likely has multiple nodes with more lines. You could walk to one and be confident that nothing there will try and kill you. The ritual was done during darker times.
Half the things ponies back then did would likely count as evil by today's standards.
camo.fimfiction.net/ILcaG0dtJS9o7uuTDQcgDOtOM9cwY53z9WjQJsls6VI?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com%2Ff%2F29e0efca-dbe3-44db-acd0-387f0fe959dc%2Fde4bo04-01c92e09-fa40-44b4-bcce-102fa7434320.jpg%3Ftoken%3DeyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjphcHA6Iiwib2JqIjpbW3sicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvMjllMGVmY2EtZGJlMy00NGRiLWFjZDAtMzg3ZjBmZTk1OWRjXC9kZTRibzA0LTAxYzkyZTA5LWZhNDAtNDRiNC1iY2NlLTEwMmZhNzQzNDMyMC5qcGcifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6ZmlsZS5kb3dubG9hZCJdfQ.bKW3lusEmmvZlCA564cu2TQotnqKQkY7Tr0OUlFTL6U A picture before take off.
A theory:
One is not what they seem.
Two will find comfort in one another.
One will die.
One will stay behind.
So... No Fluttershy find the love of her life?
No Daring Do hired? No RD tagging along & to screw things up? ... ...
No idea what to expect.
How many Changelings will follow? Bugwaifu never will let him go without a assasin & Espionage squad. We cant risk the future King
seed get stolen by another mare!safety.Nice chapter
10414186
Nah... Tempest is to tough to get axed and to dutyful to stay behind.
Page cant stay behind without Celestia invading the Jungle with 1/4 of the army and Chrysalis murdering everything even looking in Page direction with ill intent.
Midnight is to op to get killed as well and not enough book in antic citys that did use books in general.
Changelings and a guard or two better keep there distance to any red clothing...
Moondancer... Perhaps to study Thestrals stay for a year or two?
10414189
Hopefully less hectic than a certain other human in Equestria story with an airship. How bad could having the mane six on the ship be? Very.
10414131
Didn't he mention that one of the three potentially hostile hives were somewhere in a jungle?
If the story is going where I think it's going, having more than a minimal number of changelings among the crew would limit the more entertaining directions the story can go.
I totally see another hostage scene coming. Maybe not with page, this time; because, he can see through illusions. But, another member of the crew; possibly the ever curious Moon Dancer. It's hard to justify having that happen the more changelings are on the ship. I can't remember when, but, if I'm not mistaken, it's been established that changelings can identify each other while disguised.
Ah, one of THOSE arguments. Pure theory, based on a difference in starting conditions.
i have a feeling the ship is going to be fuller on the return trip.
10414027
I don’t think he’d do something like that!
Please don’t tempt Fate or give him Ideas!
10414643
It's a trope. One I hope isn't being brought into play.
Midnight an Moondancer are arguing over what if's, like if there's a ley line or not in the imitate area of the spell that was cast. Its adorkable, but they'll soon realise it's better to just hypothesize it for now.
10414776
I agree, their going to realize soon, maybe after half hour seeing how their argument was going
10414264
And was no doubt fixed by a technician who just said, “fuck these dumb ass engineers!” and got it to work in the usual way: used BOTH a leyline AND a blood sacrifice
10415624
Ah yes, the age old motto of ancient engineers: "Fuck it, I'll just do this."
10413940
I lost your storyline and I don't understand where Granny Smith is and what is her motivation to do this?
10417578
Just another random shipping
Possible spoilers (or not) so I'm putting spoiler tape down
Assuming that the curse and subsequent modification aren't real, I'm going to guess that the Thestrals were very private and wether it was due to pony explorers making assumptions or the Thestrals just trying to scare pony explorers away, the rumors about the blood drinking bat Pegasus tribe was born.
11171204
Well.... there were the occasional true-to-life events where someponies had the misfortune to get between a few Thestrals and a bunch of mangos during some particularly bad cravings.... those events weren't very pretty
Now that’s how you properly behave on a ship, submarine or plane. Captain has the word, no matter who you are… 👌
10414186
I need to remember this to confirm it later… Agh! I’m 99% sure I’m going to forget it! 😓
10413940
Nopony is to old for shipping
Granny Smith joined the shipping community!
Jetstream Sam?!?!