Ark: Friendship is Survival

by Pomp-Neigh

Chapter 90 - Twilight Tales and Pink Sails

Per one of the young gigantopithecus’ requests, Twilight unfurls her wings in presentation while standing at the forefront of the classroom filled with youthful curiosity.

“Truth be told, I wasn’t actually born with these,” Twilight said, folding her wings. “I earned them.”

“Earned them?” One of many voices began to question.

“You can earn wings?”

“I wonder If I could earn wings...”

“At least It’s better than taming an argentavis.”

A series of amazed ‘Oohs’ and ‘Ahs’ also swept across the classroom, accompanying those curious voices. Once everything dies down and silence takes hold, and before Twilight can make a statement, a hand is abruptly raised along the right side of the aisle.

Twilight points a forelimb in their direction happily, “Yes, you there.” As the young yellow-furred ape lowered her arm, the lavender mare could’ve sworn she had seen them before.

“It’s nice to meet you again, Twilight. You might not remember me, but my name is Grunda.”

Twilight’s ears twitch as she tilts her head inquisitively before narrowing her eyes and rummaging through her memories. “Wait a second,” her eyes widen in realization, “I think I do remember you. You’re Sir. Gideon’s granddaughter, correct?”

Grunda giggles. “You got it!”

“We never properly met when I first arrived in Maimuta.” Twilight chuckles heartfully. “Well, now we can certainly correct that. Is there something you’d like to ask me, Grunda?”

“It’s just… What kind of equus are you?” Grunda asked, earning several agreeing whispers from her classmates. “Unicorns are one thing, but you’ve got a horn and wings. And did someone paint your fur? Or is it naturally like that? It’s so bright, but I think it’s so pretty—you’re like a fuzzy mejoberry!”

A round of humorous laughter results from the class as a whole, and thanks to Granny Pithecus, Twilight was definitely used to that comparison and nickname by now.

The sound of the classroom door being pushed open immediately stole everyone’s attention as Sir. Gideon steps through the doorframe, followed by Journey Joy, who gently kicks the door closed with a hind leg.

“Ah,” Gideon starts, making his way over and positioning himself alongside Twilight as Jo-Jo lowers herself onto her stomach near the door. “I trust that you’ve all been on your best behavior, yes?”

“We have, Sir. Gideon.” The class unified.

“They’ve been wonderful,” Twilight gleed. “I’m happy that you two were able to join us. Grunda asked me something that I feel you two should be present here for.”

“Then please, my dear,” Gideon states, walking over to his desk positioned alongside the board, pulling out his seat, sitting down, and maneuvering it forward before resting his arms on the furnishing.

“Please do go on.” He motivates with a gesture

Twilight nods, looking back to the board, “May I?” She asked of Gideon.

“Of course! You are free to use everything and anything you need for today’s session. I must admit, I’m also quite eager to know more about you, so feel free to see me as just another student.”

“I’m with the old noggin,” Equulla said, her ears perking up to attention. “You interest me greatly, Twilight.” ‘And in more ways than one.’ She adds internally.

Satisfied and now unrestrained, Twilight proceeds to pluck a charcoal-made chalk from a nearby holster and proceeds to draw three different equine figures on the board, although she left her name advertised above.

“Ok, class,” Twilight began after spinning around to face the curious masses. “Here are the three types of ponies who inhabit my homeland, Equestria: earth ponies,” she gestures a wing over to the earth pony figure, “Pegasi,” her lavender appendage indicated before hovering over to the last, “And unicorns.”

‘I knew it,’ Gideon says internally as Twilight continues on. ‘I always believed that unicorns are real, but to know that equus with wings also exist is fascinating! Then again…Twilight is basically the culmination of all three. But to that end, I wonder… How?’

“As for me, I am what’s called an alicorn. But I wasn’t born as one, as I mentioned before. Goodness, no. That would be my niece. I was once a unicorn. More on that later.

See, there are other pony races, too. Like the thestrals, crystal ponies, sea ponies, and more.”

Twilight paused and allowed those words to sink in as the children, Gideon and Jo-Jo remained silent in wonder, not daring to disturb the lecture, having been long since drawn in.

“Equus, the world I come from, is a place full of magic, harmony, and friendship, although the road to achieving this paradise was long and full of hardships. Still, we managed, and all living things flourish in the peace and prosperity we enjoy together.”

“My word…” Gideon drops in complete awe. “And from what you’re implying, other creatures live alongside you ponies?”

“Definitely!” Twilight shouts enthusiastically. “I was just about to cover that, but yes. There are beautiful races that we ponies are proud to call friends. Yaks, griffins, changelings, kirin, dragons-”

“Dragons?!” Everyone shouts as Sir. Gideon, in particular, had pushed his chair back from standing up so suddenly as it scraped along the floor.

“You mean to say that dragons inhabit your world freely?!” Gideon asked.

Twilight nods, knowing of Grok’s encounter with the draconian lurking within the Red Obelisk. Deductive reasoning only dictated that he’d tell everyone else in the tribe about it. “They do. Hay, there’s a whole nation of dragons. I even have a brother who’s also a dragon. Though he’s technically my son, too.”

Several gasps and words of awe are let loose. “No fucking way…” Jo-Jo mutters amongst those in attendance, but mindful of the children. “T-that can’t seriously be true.” She raised her voice, amazed and shocked.

“I swear that everything I’ve said so far is nothing but the truth,” Twilight assured with a smile. “I mean, just look at me! I’m living proof, and If you think my appearance is unique, let me assure you that my friends and I are just a taste of what my world has to offer.

But look at me ramble on and on. Pfft.” The alicorn dismissed humorously, waving a forehoof. She clears her throat for the coming lecture.

“To truly tell my story, I must first tell you about another. This was the catalyst that brought me and my friends together and kicked off our incredible journey.” She sighed lovingly. “I…I wouldn’t be who I am today…were it not for the Tale of the Two Sisters.”

The cooling wind flutters Pinkie Pie’s mane as she stands attentively in the crow’s nest of the Painted Mary, Captain Jack’s name for the ship, which sails the Ark’s ocean fluently. At the same time, several forms of sea life—primarily dolphin-like ichthyosaurs—swim alongside the vessel.

Pinkie had thought the name to be quite fitting, given the alias of Jack’s tribe and crew: the Painted Sharks. Of course, they weren’t sharks, but the captain explained that it was a name passed down in his family for countless generations.

And yet, strangely…the pink mare couldn’t help but feel like she’s heard of that name before, but she was sure it’d come back to her.

“Oi, Pinkie!” Captain Jack called from below. Pinkie’s ears twitched as she turned around and poked her head through the gaps in the wooden railings around her, looking down at the yeti.

“Yes, captain?!”

“The coast is clear for Herbivore Island! Come down from the crow’s nest and help the crew prepare to go ashore!”

“Aye, aye!” The pink mare responds while shooting the yeti a saluting gesture. Her hooves clopped against the wood as she made her way over to the rope ladder, setting her hind legs on the first hardwood rung and lowering herself to the deck below.

As she dismounts the ladder and lands on the ship’s deck, the other crew members shuffling about and moving resources, the equine trots over to the ship’s starboard side and stands next to one of the ballistas positioned there.

In the short distance lies Herbivore Island, the exact antithesis of Carnivore Island—or Dead Isle. She had never been there personally, but thanks to HLN-A’s challenge, both Spike and Rainbow Dash had since informed her of their own experience.

That, and it helped to have a sort of bird’s eye view from that strange place she and HLN-A watched the remainder of the challenge from.

Pinkie’s ears flickered as Jack could be heard whistling a tune nearby and up a small flight of stairs to the bridge, and the turning of the ship’s steering wheel, followed by the vessel being maneuvered toward the island.

“Ahoy, ya scallywags!” All in attendance shift their gaze to the captain. “Pinkie! Urd! Sedan!”

Pinkie and her two direbear crewmates all shift to attention.

“You three will be tasked with gathering resources for our journey, food, drink, and the like. We can’t afford to make any more stops on the way to the Red Gathering. Savvy?!”

“Aye, aye, captain!” Pinkie shouts in confirmation as the duo of direbears sit on their backside in unison, waving a claw.

Jack nods in satisfaction. “Then crack on, mates! Step to it!”

Following Jack’s order, the crew disperses and returns to their duties, Pinkie falling in as she aids Shellshock, the carbonemys, Salamaya, the diplocaulus, and Mr. Pecks, the dodo, who’s also the ship’s bosun, transport crates of various sizes meant for storing perishable items similarly to preserving bins.

……….

Meanwhile, on Herbivore Isle…

……….

A female brown gradient lystrosaurus of such a low level scurries through the grass at admirable speed, flaring her nostrils as she hones in on a particular delicacy, her tusks ready to bite into the flesh of any and all forms of vegetation.

The therapsid had only recently been set down on this island. Just shy of a full day, if she recalled correctly. She had made great strides during her time here, and soon enough, she would enjoy her favorite food source: an entire bush of citronal.

She soon reaches the bush and sniffs at its ripe, sour fruit. The lystro looks it over inquisitively before biting onto the lowest-lying citronal with her beak and tusks and yanks her head away, pulling the fruit clean off the bush.

The lystro drops the fruit onto the ground and hungrily enjoys her favorite treat. After a few moments passed by, the earth began to shake around her as something moved nearby, but the therapsid paid it no mind. After all, she knew that she shared this island with other herbivorous creatures far larger than her. Still, all living things here tolerated one another, provided a certain amount of respect was shown.

A shadow looms over the dog-sized quadruped, causing her senses to flare with caution as she turns around to investigate…only to set her eyes upon flesh-rendering claws.

The lystro raised her head slowly while fear grew in her form and soon met the eyes of the owner of those death-dealing claws, who looked down at her.

She had never seen this…thing before. It studied her, chirping while doing so, and all she could do was remain frozen in place. Was it a threat? Surly, it would be just like the other-

‘SCRAAAAWWR!’

The stranger roars out with a sudden burst of aggression, the likes of which the lystro had never before seen in any other herbivore on this island. The titan draws back its right claw, preparing to strike in what looked like pure hatred, earning a submissive shriek from the lystro, who hoped for its mercy.

Unfortunately, the entity had no mercy to give, and the lystro’s life instantly ended following a swift and decisive strike that sent her corpse flying away.

This island was now the home of something that was never meant to be there. The Ark never would’ve allowed this to happen under normal circumstances, but HLN-A’s meddling had certain…

Consequences.

Comments

[Charlie_K]

Stupid fucking tickle chickens, always ruining everything.

Where's a bronto with its brutal tail swipe when you need it?

[Theone23]

Hah! Only thing I could think of with the Theri bit was in Jurassic World: Dominion, when the Theri slaps a deer just for being in its path.

I especially love the fact that the Theri has been there ever since HLN-A placed it there. Nice call back.

[Pomp-Neigh]

11662007
A bronto would put that tickle chicken in its place. One strike with that tail is enough to send the rooster flying.

[Pomp-Neigh]

11662141

Bruh. I completely forgot that was a scene from the JW franchise.

Oh yeah, HLN-A and Helena's meddling has effects on the Ark(s). The installations weren't meant to be dabbled with too carelessly, which is why we have Overseers to, of course, oversee them. And even though Helena is a homo-deus now, even she admits that she's still new to it all.

[Charlie_K]

11662422
Send it flying into the lagoon where those damn leedsichthys seem to spawn and hang out as they wait for rafts to cross their path so they can sink them.

[Pomp-Neigh]

11662537
Heh. Thanks to the animated series, we also now know that leeds can eat megalodons. So a theri is just a little chicken nugget.

[Green-Venom]

Alright, let's summarise our Ark survival tribe:

Twilight: Deserter
Spike: Somewhat of pro, but hides it as to not embarress his friends
Rarity: The obsessed organiser who never leaves the base
Pinkie Pie: Allways running off to do her own thing
Fluttershy: PvE playing PvP
Rainbow Dash: The scout who's always all over the place
Apple Jack: Hardcore grinder
The Survivor: The server alpha/veteran
Vanellope: The Troll
Rudey: That one guy who hasn't gone insane yet

How much did I get right?

[Pomp-Neigh]

11667762
Hah! That’s about the gist of it.

[Green-Venom]

11667930
PS: I'm not sure if you accept ideas as a currency, but if you do, here's a bit of inspiration for comic relief: A chaotic Compy gang with personalities not alto dissimilar to the crussaders at their "worst". After all, can't do much wrong with Compies...

[Pomp-Neigh]

11668636

Great minds think alike! I can safely reveal that that was my plan all along.

[Green-Venom]

11668721
Sweet!

[Pomp-Neigh]

11668737
We'll get the typical curious and ravenous compies, too, of course. But compies with personality is something I want for all the creatures on The Island.

We'll get our mindless and driven-by-raw instinct giganotosaurus, like in the game, but then we'll have gigas like the Demon King, with their own personality.