Temporal Trotters

by wyattpugsley

9. Sleep Walking

Posada awakes in the middle of the night. Tossing and turning. She tries rearranging her pillow and moving her blanket to cover and uncover different parts of her body to no avail. She quietly rolls out of bed, being careful not to wake up her partner laying beside her.

She softly walks over to the nearby desk and chair, sitting on it and looking out the window overlooking the bed. Her claws on her cheeks. “I don’t think I’m ever going to figure this out. I don’t understand why I have to constantly go from being high on top of the world to being so overcome with negative thoughts I can’t even sleep.”

She puts her claws over her eyes now, supporting her head with her arms. She hangs her head in sorrow, silence emanating in the room while thoughts zoom through her mind. The moment only broken when she hears a familiar sound coming from outside her door, the sound of magic being cast. Her ears perk up, head rising from the table as she stands up and slowly moves towards the door. She slides the deadbolt off, carefully turning the doorknob and pushing the door back. Her head peaks out, looking to the right, nothing. Just the fireplace burning. Looking to the left she sees a faint glow of blue reflecting bizarrely near the counter. The door gets pulled back further and Posada methodically stalks her way down the hall and towards the corner. Peering around the corner she immediately looks to the innkeeper’s counter. Her jaw dropping as she sees both the innkeeper and a cloaked unicorn performing what seems to be some sort of spell on him, giving his eyes a purple hue. The unicorn performing the spell locks eyes with Posada almost as soon as she turns the corner. Her horn glowing as she continues performing the spell, her eyes glowing a purple color as well.

“You…” The unicorn whispers. She ceases the spell, the innkeeper falling to floor as the spell caster slowly walks to Posada. Her cloak swaying as she does so, revealing a cut to the right shoulder.

Posada’s heart drops once she sees this. It couldn’t be… “You’re the bandit who attacked us on the road!” She yells out.

“I’m hardly a bandit. Do you really think a bandit would be this skilled in magic? That a bandit would track you down after entering the city? They’d never make it past the gates, you idiot!”

Posada tries to back up, wanting to grab her dagger from the room. But the unicorn quickly pins her hooves and claws to the floor. “What do you want from us?!” Posada yelps out.

“I don’t want anything. I got all the information I needed from the innkeeper. Handy of you to tell him all about your plans. You have my thanks for that.”

“That’s what you wanted? Why?!"

“Just keeping an eye on you, is all. I have no need to reveal anything more than that.”

“Why not? Afraid we’ll figure out who you are?” Posada tries again to walk back to her room, straining to try and break free from the spell restrains but failing to move at all.

“Pathetic,” the spell caster says, looking down at Posada. “I don’t understand what they see in you. But I shall leave you be, as ordered.”

“They? You don’t work alone?”

“Your time is over, Posada. No more questions. Go back to bed,” the unicorn says before casting a spell to put Posada to sleep. She instantly falls over, passing out much like the innkeeper. “I’ll make sure she doesn’t remember this. No need to risk any more suspicion when she’s following along perfectly as-is.”

***

The sun is shining, birds are chirping, and Posada is awaking in her usual manner. Wrapped around her partner as she opens her eyes and deals with the daily trauma of waking up.

She goes about her daily routine, getting ready, waking up Skystar, and then heading out to the lobby with her girlfriend to wait for Lucien to wake up as well. Posada places a rolled-up map on a nearby table before sitting down on a nearby chair, biding her time with Skystar.

“How’d you sleep after our little escapade, Sky?”

“Actually, pretty good. Think you ran all the energy out of me,” she giggles. “How about you?”

“Eh, woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t get back to sleep. Just too many thoughts. But I got up for a bit and managed to fall back asleep.”

“Aww, you could’ve woken me up if you needed someone to talk to.”

“I was fine, plus I don’t think it’s really fair to wake you up and make you suffer just because of my own issues, that’s silly.”

“True. But if you were really struggling or whatever. I wouldn’t want you to be having a breakdown all alone while I’m just there sleeping.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks, hun.”

Lucien emerges from his room, his staff holstered on his hip as he enters the lobby and sits beside Posada and Skystar. “Good morning,” he says. “Ready to begin our preparation?”

“Indeed,” Posada unrolls the map she placed on the table, revealing an extensive and large depiction of the Hippogriffia mainland and the nearby ocean surroundings. “Obviously, we’re here,” she points to Northpoint, the city residing in Hippogriffia’s northern most corner. “While the ruins are said to be around this general area of Seaquestria,” she says while pointing to the northwestern coast of Hippogriffia, off Howlington. “It’s a decent jaunt but I think we could fairly easily swim it. There’s also the option of taking a boat that’ll drop us off right by the underwater city of Stonefall, which should be close to the ruins as well. What are we thinking?” she turns to her two travel companions.

“No point in exerting ourselves by swimming there, just take the boat,” Lucien remarks.

“I agree. That’s the easiest way to go,” Skystar agrees.

“Sounds good, then. I assume you’re all fine with heading out today as well?”

“Yes ‘all’ two of us are ready and waiting,” Lucien replies.

“Same here, Possy.”

“Right. I think that’s really it until we get underwater. We’re all capable of form change so no worries about surviving. That’s all.”

“Very well. I will meet you two by the docks when you’re ready,” he says. Leaving the lobby and returning to his room.

Posada let’s out a sigh, “I can already tell he’s going to be a joy to travel with…”

“He is a bit odd,” Skystar replies.

“Maybe he’ll come around after spending some time around us. Whatever. Let’s go get our stuff and head down to the docks, love.”

***

The duo walks north through town to the docks of Northpoint. The crowded streets and mass of buildings give way to a more open space. Sail boats and galleys docked alongside wooden docks. With some ships just outside of port sailing out to the ocean. It smells like fish and algae as the wind blows into town.

They walk over to the local ferry station, Lucien standing by the entrance already. He waves at the two and says, “I bought spots for us already. Boat’s leaving soon so let us head out.”

The trio walk on to their ferry boat. A medium sized sailboat that can hold about a couple dozen people not including the crew. It is of course made from a lightly colored hardwood, likely oak. It creeks lightly as the waves tussle it around in the dock.

At the helm stands the captain, a younger looking stallion with a captain’s hat adorned on his head. The various crew mates conducting their many tasks before departure from the port.

A crew mate towards the entrance of the boat unties the ropes from the dock, a few others opening the sails as the ship starts to slowly float away land. Below deck a handful of crew members use oars to help maneuver the ship out of the port and towards the ocean. With the wind eventually hitting the sails and allowing the ship to continue without assistance. Now fully underway and heading towards its destination.

Posada looks around the boat, currently standing beside Skystar. She sees Lucien over to the other side of the ship, his dark black hair blowing in the wind as he stands by himself. Seeing an opportunity, she walks over to strike up a conversation.

“So… Lucien, wanna tell me about yourself? Your background? How you go into treasure hunting?”

“No, I don’t. I’m here for business not a friendship camp. You can spill your heart out if you want but I don’t have anything to say, honestly.”

“Oh… Alright.” Posada looks out into the distance, tapping her hooves as she leans on the railing. Lucien takes his leave and moves to another spot on the ship, with Skystar walking over to Posada and standing beside her.

“Are you doing okay, Possy?”

“Yeah, just not a fan of our guest. He’s a total killjoy to be around.”

“He is a little bit. But he doesn’t need to be oozing charisma to do his job well. Besides we still have each other to talk to!”

“Guess so. Would be nice to know more about the creature who could end up protecting us or saving our lives. I’m no Twilight Sparkle saying “friendship is magic”, but having at least some level of connection to the people you’re around is beneficial. Bastard,” she kicks the side of the ship’s railing, pouting after doing so.

“Don’t take it so personally. It’s nothing against you, I just don’t think he’s one for conversation. I can go talk to him a bit one on one if you want me to, tell him how you feel.”

“If you want. It doesn’t matter to me.”

“Ok hun…” Skystar steps away from Posada, walking over to Lucien who’s laying in the shade on the deck of the ship.

“Hello, Lucien.” She stands in front of him, glaring down and making eye contact.

“Skystar.”

“I’ve noticed you and Posada haven’t exactly been hitting it off. I know we just met and all but it would be helpful to at least know a bit more about you, just for trust reasons.”

“I don’t like Posada, honestly. She comes off as bossy and abrasive to me. Even her outfit is so stand out and brash like she’s just begging for attention. Just look at her hat! What’s that emblem even supposed to be?“

“I… see why she can come off that way. She is eccentric at times, but she means well, she really does. It’s just that her excitement can come off as abrasive like you said if you don’t know her. And I mean we’ve known each other for what, only two days now? Give it some time.”

“So you say. I don’t need a whole week to decide if I like someone or not, I can tell based off how they carry themselves. For your sake, I’ll consider listening to her if she talks to me again.”

“Thanks, I guess? I’ll leave you alone now,” she says before walking over to Posada, leaning over the ship railing with her.

“I talked to him. He said he’ll be more open to conversation from now on, I wouldn’t expect him to be thrilled about talking though.”

“You’re like a daycare worker trying to get two kids to play nice with each other,” Posada smirks and giggles. “Thanks, though. I’ve cooled down a bit, I won’t push him.”

“That’s for the best… Let’s just relax for now, we’ve got a while until the boat reaches the drop off point.”

Author's Note:

I'm gonna come clean, I have no idea what the ocean actually smells like. I've never set foot on a salt water beach, only freshwater/great lake beaches. So I based the smell off that and descriptions online which really weren't that helpful.