Gulliver's Last Travel

by Boss_Hoss1

The Gallopacos Islands

Gulliver's Last Travel

Chapter 2 ; The Gallopacos Islands

By Boss Hoss

Captain's logbook, H.M.S. Alicorn
August 16(?), 1720 ~Anno Domini

It was the great fortune of literally dropping upon a safe harbor that likely saved our lives from the raging typhoon. That much I saw before I was taken by my family to our cabin to wait out the storm. Thank the Lord my son has grown to be such a strapping young man to aid me so.
The ship bobbed gently wherever we were, lulling me to remain abed despite the glorious dawn creeping through the cabin’s gallery window.
My exertions of the night before, combined with my illness left me to savor every moment in my bunk.
Yet as I lay there, I gradually became aware of a sound that I now realized had been with us all night, as low as it had been.
It was… singing! Singing that was now rising in volume about the ship.
Singing from a miraculous choir in perfect harmony, no matter which direction you listened, and even using the ship as a huge sound box to amplify it. The words were strange but easily understood; “Shoo be do, Shoop, Shoop, be doooo…”

As if on cue, my dutiful children entered the cabin.
Alexander coughed politely and laid a hand on my damp shoulder “Father, we… we have visitors, to put it lightly.”

Adding her sixpence and accumulated wisdom of sixteen years to the matter, Elizabeth wailed “Father! We are beset by… by… map decorations!”

Alexander rolled his eyes heavenward “Hippocampus, if I am not mistaken, dear sister.”

I took this news in stride, and not with a little hope. I had never asked the Houyhnhnms if they had neighbors in the sea but it would make sense.
With a dry chuckle, I replied as I sat up and moved to stand “The plural I believe is “Hippocampi”, my dears. Come, show me our guests.”

Once on deck, I heard the singing much clearer now.
On the Starboard side, Elanore stood at the rail, looking over the side in wonder.

Curiously human sounding gasps, giggles, and ooohs of wonder sounded from below, mixed with equine words; < Monsters! >, < Did they eat the crew? >, < …What if they are the crew, silly? >

Turning at the sound of our feet on deck, Elanore smiled at me “Lemuel! Oh my word! I have never seen such darling creatures! How I wish you had brought us here before!”

Chuckling, I gave her a weary hug and a kiss. “Would that I came here first, rather than the petty, nasty little land of Lilliput, my Darling.”

As I leaned over the rail, there was a chorus of more gasps and looked upon a rainbow of many equine bodies sticking from the water down to their waists.

Occasionally one would dive back under with a flash of a dolphin’s tail fringed with a strip of tail hair.
Booming a laugh, I waved at the oddly round-headed creatures, calling out < Good morning to you all from the sailing ship, Alicorn! I am Captain Lemuel Gulliver! Have I arrived at the land of Houyhnhnms? >

After a moment of silence, there was a sudden spate of chatter from the Hippocampi from all sides of the ship.

One of the strange equines, colored a bright lime green, with a yellow mane paddled right up to the side with her hooves and waved. “< Excuse me Captain, sir! Hi, I am Wavedancer of the Gallopacos herd.
You are at one of the Gallopacos islands, for which our herd is named. This one is Windy Corral Island, to be exact. The Southernmost one. We have not heard of the land you seek, but perhaps the mighty Alicorn, Celestia, Princess of Equestria, Guardian of the Sun, Protector of the Moon would know? Her land lies to the Northwest. >

Alicorn? The land is ruled by a piece of unicorn horn? Surely not!
I looked down to the strange mare. < Could you explain that please? Where I am from, ‘Alicorn’ refers to the horn of a unicorn itself, or the tooth of a Narwhal sold to the gullible.>
I snorted and pointed toward the bow < The Yahoo that sold me this ship tried to convince me the carved ivory horn on the figurehead was such an artifact and not a Narwhal tooth. All to wring a few more Pounds from my pockets. >

Scrunching up her face in thought, Wavedancer stared up at me. < Oh my! You are a long way from home indeed to not know the Princess. …I guess that would explain why the carving lacks wings. May I come aboard? I think we need to talk without a lot of shouting. >

Tapping my fingertips to the rail, I had to think for a moment before replying < Certainly Miss Wavedancer. You may come aboard, but it may take a little time to rig a sling to winch you aboard and to fill a washtub with sea water… >

Wavedancer giggled and flipped her flukes < Oh, all you need is a wet blanket to put over me and make sure nothing sharp is on deck. Is the way clear? >

A quick glance over the deck, then back to the water < It is, but I do not understand what you mean to do. >

Grinning at some joke, the mare giggled before backing up < Oh, just stand back, Captain. Here I come! >

With that, she flipped tail-over and went under. The crystal clear water let us see she was swimming in a circle, faster and faster… Surely she is not…

Elizabeth leaned over the rail from the Stern Castle, watching the mare “Look how fast she swims! What is the silly thing doing, Father!”

My eyes went wide as I waved my son and wife away from the rail... “Back! She means to jump up here!”

There was a great fountain of water and a streak of green somersaulting over the rail to roll on the deck with a splash.

An impressive jump given it was fifteen feet from waterline to rail!

High pitched giggling filled the air as two hooves clattered on the deck. Wavedancer quickly righted herself and pulled herself up on a large coil of rope to settle on it like a seat or a nest. Belatedly, I bowed to the Hippocampus mare. “My darlings, this is Wavedancer. Alexander, please fetch a blanket and a bucket of sea water to keep her wet.”

Grinning at seeing the incredible mare up close, Alexander saluted and ran off “Aye, father!”

In turn, I pulled up a water keg and sat before Wavedancer to put our eyes on a level out of courtesy. <Wavedancer, I would like you to meet my family; Elanore, my wife. My Son, Alexander is fetching your blanket, and coming down the ladder is my daughter, Elisabeth.>
He looked to the strange mare expectantly
< Now, you were going to explain “Alicorn” yes? >

Nodding, the odd mare curved her tail for comfort as Alexander laid a wet blanket on her.
< Certainly! First, to understand the one, I must explain the others. Landwalker ponies are in three kinds; Earth ponies, who draw their strength from the land, Pegasus ponies, who fly and control the weather, and Unicorns, who are magic itself.
The Alicorn is an immortal who rules us all, who combines all the powers in one body. Her wings and horn are truly majestic! It is said she controls the Sun and the Moon.>

Diplomatically, I did not show my disbelief. Surely every ruler I have met in my travels made the same claim of godhood.
Instead I pressed on <Fascinating! By the bye, I am afraid my crew fled overboard in the storm. Have you seen others of our kind today? >

Wavedancer waved her hoof at each of the humans in turn, then sighed < Oh dear, I am afraid you are the only ones the herds have spotted overnight. Your ship came alone with the wild magic. For that matter, just what are you creatures? >

Hanging my head, I sighed. If luck was with them, they were bobbing in the seas off Japan. If not, I hope whatever lands they find a fair one.
At worst, I hope their end was quick…

Turning back to the mare, he nodded < I see…That will be problematic, Wavedancer, for my ship is meant to sail with a crew of no less than fifteen.
I need eleven more to sail anywhere. I had hoped to offer them parole after a night of being battered into submission by the waves, but now… >
Shrugging helplessly, I changed the subject < Anyway, My species is called humans, though the place I seek call us Yahoos. Does that sound famil… >

From below came whinnies < Friend Gulliver! Friend Gulliver! Who is that mare we hear? Are there more horses aboard? Can we get off the ship now? >

< Yes! Yes! We still feel sick from all that rocking last night! >

Startled, the hippocampus turned < I thought you needed eleven more than the four ..huu-mans I see ? Sounds like you have some more landwalkers aboard, and ponies at that. >

Shrugging off the blanket before I could explain, the mare wiggled her way like a seal to the main cargo hatch which Alexander had apparently opened for air that morning.

Sticking her head over the edge, she called < Hello from the Gallopacos herd! I am Wavedancer, a Hippocampus. What sort of pony do I speak to? >

A dapple grey stallion and a chestnut mare looked up from the loose-box they were in, the net slings for their safety taken down after the storm.

< Two stone-horses if you please, mare. Friend Gulliver took us in for companionship. I am Angus. >

< And I am Daisy. Saved us from a life of slavery in the quarry, he did. Such a kind man! Would that he was a stallion, I could perhaps entice him to make me part of his herd. >

Wide-eyed, Wavedancer turned to look at me, then giggled < That is quite a vote of confidence, Captain. Why are they not up here helping you? >

Sighing, I knelt beside the lime mare < Aside from the fact they are not as flexible as a Houyhnhnm, unable to even pick up a tool in their fetlocks, they are twice your size.
No human ship was made with a horse in mind. They must be lifted in and out by winches. >

Shaking her mane in wonder, she looked at me < Poor things, to be so limited. Perhaps the Sun Goddess will smile upon them in your behalf. >

Suddenly, she slapped her tail on the deck and looked to the island with a grin
< In the meantime, you need a crew. I may know somepony who can help…>
With that, she bent her foreleg around in an impossible direction no Houyhnhnm ever could manage and patted her back.
< Feel up to a little swim to the island? Once I’m back in the water, I can carry you easy as pie, Captain… >

Comments

[Shpoople96]

Wait a minute... Celestia meets two horses?
Did you really just do what I think you did!

[Boss_Hoss1]

1666795
Depends on what you think i just did.
But the fun is only just beginning. Gulliver brought his books too...

[Shpoople96]

1666949
The commercial for the episode with Celestia standing next to two horses?

[Boss_Hoss1]

1666970
Hmm, no relation actually unless opportunity presents itself later.
The horses were present in Chapter 1 before the commercials aired. ^_^

[Shpoople96]

1666985
Well, yeah. But you were presented with one hell of an opportunity with that commercial.

[Boss_Hoss1]

1666993
I'll have to freeze frame it and see. Could at least be descendants since I set this 300 years before FiM Episode 1

[Shpoople96]

1667024
Oh... Er... Hmm... Ah...
...Let me stop there before I make other sounds.

[Braininthejar]

Yay for people who read books !

[Boss_Hoss1]

1667823
*Bows* Thank you!

[HaveANiceDay]

This story is interesting. I'll have check out the books.

[FanOfMostEverything]

Gulliver's a bit off-target, though not so far off that he'll have to learn an entirely new equine language. It should be interesting to see how he reacts to a land that isn't an allegory for the failings of Western society. For once.

[Dracon_Pyrothayan]

Of course, being from Gulliver's earth would definitely explain why delegates from Saddle Arabia would be impressed by flying animals.