Chapter 39: Kaelynn
Kaelynn rested on the edge of the railing, staring off into a gigantic herd of moving bodies. Each of them towered over her friends down on the ground, and could probably crush them dead with only a modest effort.
But even in her own world, buffalo weren't terribly aggressive unless provoked. What did that mean when they became intelligent? They'd been gathered around the campfire for over an hour, and there was no blood yet.
Kaelynn turned, hurrying back belowdecks and down the hall to her own quarters. The door was already open, and the ground already wet from previous trips.
Ryan rested just below the surface, though looking at him now was more like looking at a mirror. He was copying her again. Well, her normal self.
"They're still talking," she said. "No, I don't see any griffons coming yet. Maybe the pony navy got them."
The fish emerged from the surface to listen, and remained there to speak in Kaelynn's own voice. "Should we tell them to hurry up?" she whispered.
"Will it help?" Kaelynn asked. "I don't think the ones they're talking to will be rushed into giving us the answer we want. You don't bring hundreds of people when you're only going to talk for a few minutes."
The fish swam in a few nervous circles, back-fins breaking the water behind her. There wasn't exactly enough space in here to spread out comfortably. Now Kaelynn was the one standing on the rubber mat, looking down at a fish trapped by gills and cruel fate.
Except that Ryan wasn't trapped. Kaelynn splashed at the edge of the water with a hoof, agitated.
He emerged another second later, looking up.
"Keep watch with me on deck," she said. "They might need us. You can't help down here, believe me. I was trapped long enough to know."
Ryan splashed away a short distance, fins opening to full size. "What if we have to go back up? It almost killed me last time. I used up so much... it's like I'm hollow inside."
"And I'll help with that," she countered. "If we have to try that again, you can go back in. I'll help you get underwater before we get too high. You can't just hide and hope things go well."
As she said it, something thumped on the deck overhead. A single set of hooves. And Janet can't fly, so it has to be Vesper.
"Come up with me," she said again. "Sounds like Jordan's back. She might finally have some results for us."
Ryan reached out with both forelegs, and Kaelynn caught them. Even transformed to be standing on her own, the gesture felt more than a little strange to her. Like grabbing her reflection out of a mirror.
But Ryan didn't make it out onto the ground, not like that. As she pulled, green light engulfed him, and water sprayed in all directions. He landed as himself, the green insect with shimmering wings. They buzzed once, shaking off the last few drops of water, before folding under a protective shell on his back. "I hope you're right. I need to... conserve, for now. Keep the strength I have left."
They walked back to the deck together. Vesper wasn't the kind of person to just stand up there waiting patiently, and she'd already made it down a few steps looking for them. She stopped as she finally saw them, grinning eagerly.
"Hey, I have good news! And maybe some bad news..."
Kaelynn squeezed past her up to the deck, gesturing for her to follow. Jordan hesitated for a second as she saw Ryan following, but only a second. At least she didn't stare awkwardly or look terrified anymore.
They were all getting used to having the changeling around. Now if only Blake could do similarly well.
Up on deck, Kaelynn saw that some part of the crowd of buffalo was already rising. Most of them seemed to be moving on, while the smaller group by the campfire had already started setting up camp. They had actual tents!
"Good news first," Vesper said, following behind them. "The buffalo will let us through! The Worldgate is part of their sacred history, and they want to make sure anyone who uses it will respect their customs."
"Which I'm guessing won't interfere with getting us home," Ryan said. His voice had that strange echoing quality that no one could quite replicate, enough to make Kaelynn herself do a double-take. It wasn't scary, though. I wonder what it would sound like if he sang with me.
"Right!" Jordan agreed. "But there's something else, and it might."
Kaelynn followed her to the railing. Janet and Blake were making no attempt to return to the ship, but were watching in their direction. Probably waiting for them to bring the phones and stuff to the portal.
Galena dropped from the rigging to the deck beside them. She eyed Ryan warily, keeping a full stride away from him. She said nothing, only listening.
"We're waiting," Ryan said. "What else is there?"
"Well..." she trailed into a high-pitched squeaking sound. Was that a bat's equivalent of a shrug? "We don't completely know. What they say doesn't make a whole lot of sense."
"What was it?" Ryan asked. "What did they say exactly?"
Kaelynn found herself grinning as she watched. The bug was the smallest member of their group when he looked like this.
"The lotus of adhesion has been stripped," Vesper said. "No, I have no idea what that means. They seem to think it makes their Worldgate special. Uniquely dangerous for unprepared travelers, too."
"Did you ask them to explain what that meant?" Kaelynn asked. "I assume that means as little to you as it does to me."
Vesper nodded. "And they said that we should expect extreme danger on the other side." She lowered her voice. "There are monsters on the other side—monsters on two legs that can kill you from hundreds of meters away. They told us to listen to the sound of thunder without lightning. If we hear it, run."
"Uh..." Ryan's wings buzzed nervously. "That sounds a little like... can't be. Why would they say it like that? They'd be on two legs too. People wouldn't be shooting at them. There were human bodies below New York."
Vesper shrugged. "We don't know. We could've kept asking them to explain, and get stuck here negotiating for hours. Or we could get through, and poke around before the Eagle’s Talon gets here to kill us. Blake decided the second one. Grab our bugout bag, and let's go."
"Will you leave me behind again?" Galena asked, suddenly harsh. "More and more of these we visit. Every time I wait behind. What if I wish for proof of your promises? This time, I go."
Vesper's wings folded, ears tucking backward. "I, uh... would that leave anyone on our ship? The buffalo wouldn't steal it, but I know some pirates who might."
"Doesn't matter," Galena said. "If they come with everyone else gone, I couldn't defend her anyway. I am coming."
Vesper squeaked again, then realized what she was doing and covered her mouth with one hoof.
"Then we're all going," Ryan said. "Fine, whatever."
"I'll get the bag." Kaelynn galloped down the steps, then shoved aside a single loose board. A set of heavy saddlebags was inside, so full it barely fit. Their human clothes were inside, along with phones and cameras. Most of what they'd brought between worlds.
She slung it on, tightened the strap, then followed the others down the ramp.
A few buffalo near their ship remained where they'd been standing. They stood as their little group passed by, muttering to each other. Kaelynn couldn't make out the words, but she didn't ask. It probably wasn't meant for her anyway.
Blake hurried over as they made it to the campfire, voice harsh. "Who the hell is watching the Bright Hawk?" he demanded.
"No one," Kaelynn said. "Unless you want to go back. Galena wanted to come through. She's never been, and she wants to know if she can trust us."
Blake groaned. "I can't go back, I'm the one who memorized the whole..." He glanced to the other side of the campfire, and the tents already erected not far away. He lowered his voice. "I'm the one who has to do the ritual. I promised I would... and I think I'm the only reason they're letting us through. I'm almost a dragon, and they respect us for saving their tribe. Even though I... know nothing about it and had nothing to do with it."
"We'll all go," Vesper said. "We just have to do it fast. It's almost night... griffons won't attack in the dark, will they?"
Galena shook her head. "It is hard to see without the sun. Hard to fire cannons accurately, hard to fire crossbows and other weapons too. But they might advance under the cover of darkness, and emerge with dawn to bombard and destroy us."
Ryan groaned. "That is not helpful."
They deliberated for a few minutes more, but Kaelynn had little to add. No one was willing to stay behind, and Galena seemed convinced there would be no attack during the night.
"FINE," Blake finally said, his voice loud enough to attract a few stares from watching Buffalo. "We're all going right now and damn the consequences. We'll just have to make it quick, maybe circle back for another visit if it shows promise."
He walked to the waiting tent, where two buffalo stood with no sign of preparing for rest. They had a strange tray on the ground beside them, with little patches of mud in each corner.
"My friends and I are ready to make the journey," Blake announced. "We wish to travel and return quickly, so danger does not follow us or find your tribe."
Both stood, watching him respectfully. "Stand before us, dragon, and be anointed for the crossing."
He did. Kaelynn watched, and soon found it hard to keep from giggling. The buffalo dipped their hooves in mud of different colors, and started smearing it on Blake. They drew below his eyes, along his back and sides. With two of them working it wasn't a long process, though it did make her wish they had more camera batteries.
Eventually the process finished, leaving Blake's body covered with detailed patterns in red and white mud. They retreated from him, almost bowing. "The dragon is prepared to guide passage between the world of life, and the world of darkness," said one. "Protect these others while you travel."
"I will," Blake said. He led them a short distance away from the camp, towards the massive stone butte. Kaelynn followed with the others, along a trail through the desert plants.
"It was right here the whole time?" she asked.
"Apparently," he answered. "We could go through without their permission, but then we'd make enemies. The Burning Suns seem like reasonable people, rituals aside. If this ends up being the way back and forth, they won't be happy with us. But we'll worry about that if we find it."
"And we probably won’t," Jordan said. "I don't think they'd be so worried about ponies crossing back and forth if it was going to lead somewhere good." She glanced over her shoulder, as though checking to see if any bison were following them. There weren't, or not that Kaelynn could see. Creatures many times her size had never struck her as particularly stealthy.
"They talk about Earth like it's their afterlife. Where all the bad creatures go to be reborn into torment at the hands of... demon-spirits, that hunt for sport and leave mountains of corpses behind. Over and over, in an endless cycle. They used to go back and forth all the time, but the tribe hasn't had anyone go in this whole generation."
They reached the stone wall, and the doorway. This was the least hidden of any of the Worldgates they'd encountered—and also the first that wasn't underwater.
Kaelynn stopped to stare at the strange arch carved in the rock. Light bent and twisted around it, leaving a halo right at the edges. She could see grass on the other side, except that it was pointed the wrong direction, like a wall. Brilliant orange and white stars flickered through the opening, blasting at them before fading into the distance.
The arch itself was tall enough that a single buffalo could pass through it at once, even the largest. The red rock around the opening had many patterns painted on, similar to the ones now flaking off Blake's sides.
"Hold on," Blake said, turning to face them all. "I promised I would do this, so nobody move." He cleared his throat. "Out from the shelter of the sun, we walk. Knowing the danger of our path, we travel. Begging the protection of the dead, we pray."
He dropped down, touching his horn to the ground just beside the opening. The air within seemed to ripple, like water was trapped there and agitated by his touch.
It settled after a few seconds. "Was there a point to that?" Ryan asked, breaking the silence. "It's not like they can hear us."
"Honor," Galena squawked. "Oaths must not be broken, insect. If you do not wish to do, then give no oath. It is simple."
"I'm not a..." Ryan's wings buzzed in agitation, and he trailed off. Maybe not the strongest point he could've made. "That's not very polite."
"Neither is oath breaking." She reached out, toying at the edge of the opening with one claw. But she pulled it back quickly. "Is that all, Blake?"
He nodded. "Stay together, everyone. We'll probably have to donate some clothes for Galena once we get there. We'll be as quick as possible. In, try to call for help, then back out again. Ryan, you can handle that?"
"Call Jolie," Ryan rehearsed. "Give our message, then back through."
They packed in close, hurrying through the opening.
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Will this be their great return? Or will they meet yet another annoying obstacle?
The lotus of adhesion has been stripped, huh?
I'm guessing this portal is safe, completely, but if they use it then Janet will be right and they'll be horse famous because the shapeshift isn't working.
A very good back up plan. Not as much of a good plan A.
Hmm... It seems hinted at that this Worldgate, while leading somewhere connected to civilization will probably fail to change their forms. Can't go back home properly if they aren't human. Also, might colour Galena's perception of these worldgates if the transformation doesn't occur on her first experience with them. I guess we'll see next chapter what happens.
This isn't like the others is it?
I feel like this means that they will still be ponies on the other side but we'll all have to wait and see what happens next chapter.
Edit: Dang. 10862442 beat me to the theory.
Lotus of adhesion has been stripped, huh?
If the transformation function is broken then this world gate really will make them horse-famous.
I think this means that their gate doesn't transform you when you cross through it. So they might go through as human... those of them that haven't used too much magic already. But Galena will still be a Griffin I bet.
I'm fairly sure this particular Worldgate lacks the transformation aspect of travel. The buffalo probably said
because of that. It's made more obvious by the fact that they imply they were hunted by humans.
Well, Cahokia is in the US, but depending on where in it they pop up they could be popping up under a road. The fact they said something had been disassembled makes me think the other side if it isn't obvious, and it does not turn you into humans. Bunch of ponies showing up in the middle of traffic would cause quite a stir.
If it doesn't turn them back to humans then Janet might get disheartened and start thinking she has been in Equestria too long.
10862463
I think Janet will be upset, but not disheartened. She's seen what crossing that line looks like and not transforming while traversing a gate ain't it.
More importantly, she's seen Rose go human and she knows that if she had gone that far, she would have gone human again, at least temporarily.
Interesting how nearly nobody makes a connection to this....
"It's almost like it might have something to do with that 'lotus of adhesion' thing. But what are the odds of that?"
Sudden is right. They've been to two of them since you joined on, lady. Take a chill pill.
"Can't imagine what that's like," said Kaelynn.
I wonder if not being underwater has something to do with the lotus problem. Lotuses aren't exactly known for flourishing in arid conditions, after all...
And yeah, this could prove problematic. I'm sure Janet will be thrilled by the technical difficulties on this one. Or we could all be wrong and the lack of adhesion could refer to something else, like a stable position in space or time. We'll see soon enough.
The fact that they won't transform when they go through is heavily implied. I wonder if the ritual serves an actual purpose since it might just have a magical effect that they won't be able to notice.
Well that'll be awkward when they are perfectly safe...if still Equestrians on the other side.
And then the story just end. No more chapters. No more continuations. It just end here. Story Complete.
oh, i think i get it: they won't turn human!
Horse fame here they come.
Compared to the other gates, this is probably the most benign reason a Gate is no good. Between the monsters, bad locations, angry guards... keeping them from returning, you'd think they'd start imagining some sort of higher power or conspiracy is keeping them there. It's less infuriating than believing a whole set of unrelated coincidences is keeping you home.
I guess it'd be a plot twist if the danger on the other side actually were monsters and not humans.
Sound advice. Because you were so perceptive about who was listening the last time.
You know, a thought occurs. It's related to Fine Print's ending so I'm going to spoiler it.
It occurs to me that in the several months that have passed since Janet disappeared through the San Jose worldgate, there is a non-zero chance that she's become an urban legend. And now she's going to show up on Earth with potentially the same appearance she had when she jumped through the door.
Janet is going to be the first one to become horse famous, and she's not even planning on staying horse.
10862570
And this, everyone, is why we can't have nice things.
This portal should open out into Nebraska.
i.imgur.com/syaGQiQ.png
10862632
There are literally stories, and movies, and even 1 game I think, where they do just that. It's called 'Leaving it to the Reader'. Did they survive? Or did they die? It's Up To YoU!!!
So I honesly wouldn't be surprised if it DID end there, even tho I joked about it. And people would claim it's great writing.
10862626
Lotus of.. not adhesion, but cohesion!
This worldgate doesn't convert passers
I suspect this gate is gonna be defective.
10862865
Sorry. I wasn't trying to offend. I actually found your post humorous in a "we would riot" kind of way. One of its two upvotes was from me. I suppose maybe I should have just linked this imgur video.
10862191
Dash's voice is on the low end of feminine, Spike's is on the high end for masculine, how far apart are they?
10862761
The portal map said Cahokia, which was a mound city built by the Mississippi Native Americans. If it's talking about the historical site in Illinois then it's actually extremely close to St. Louis, across the river from if that's correct.
10864128
So the portal opens in East St, Louis? That would explain the warnings from the buffalo.
But seriously, I wasn't expecting the Equestria side to use an Earth-side name.
That's not good.
I feel like intentionally using a known broken worldgate is an incredibly bad idea.
Oh, now I see, the brokenness is that this portal doesn't include the species transformation.
Sounds like 1800s era buffalo hunts.
Everybody in, maybe they all can die to a hunt all together.
10865482
I mean, what's the worst that could happen? They go through, don't transform, and it closes behind them leaving them stranded on Earth to become horse famous?
I know this next chapter has already been written, but I'm still hoping this ends up with some UFO themed joke 'the aliens done abducted my cows!'
Well then. I think I know the death they're talking about... Hope these worldgates don't travel through time as well!
If the portal does not transform them does it only work one way.
I.e human going through ends up as buffalo. Go through the other way and you stay as you are.
Sure sounds like a human with a sniper rifle to me.
I wonder if that's because buffalo have an analog in our world that actually exists.