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The Narrow Sea

Moonlit Echo

I didn’t know what to make of Ari, really, he just so seemed so unlikely. Everything about him seemed wrong. So I let my mind wander, to try and let my subconscious make sense of him, and that’s when it came back to me.

Years ago, when I was still too young to enter the guard training program, much less the guard itself, I attended ESSTs. Standing for ‘Extreme Situation Strategy Talks’, a military program any pony could go to, although most ponies admittedly didn’t really take it seriously till a couple of months ago. Funny how it takes almost becoming bug food to do that. But i digress, this was before the invasion. I was an eager colt then, soaking up all I could guard training wise. This was one of my favorite ways to practice for the program as I counted my days, weeks, and years to the entrance exam.

Being a guard was my dream job, incase it wasn't obvious already.

I mean if you weren’t a Lunar guard there really wasn’t much out there for employment, at least in my mind, especially considering most ponies were diurnal. Sure the opportunities had increased but…

Sorry, Where was I? That always bugs me, the misunderstanding that...You know I'm going to shut up now, back to the memory.

Right, that particular ESST featured the grand, grand, grand, well you get the point. He was the far reaching descendant of a pony that had participated in the Great War. A subject most yawned at now; I know I was sceptical as to what he could add to the talk since he wasn’t even part of the guard. He had been a scholar and practitioner in the defensive arts of hoof to hoof combat. Back then the hoof to hoof moves had fascinated me more than his words, really his ancestor’s advice, but now as I find myself letting my mind go over my unique situation, they return with surprising clarity.

‘Gaining the trust of the enemy is the hardest task but the most needed one, then, and only then do they allow you the knowledge to escape.’

He had been one of the few prisoners of war to live, so I think his words may have had merit.

But, escaping doesn’t seem like the sane route anymore and I don’t think that is stockhoof syndrome talking either. I can see why the memory came up, that had been my goal before Ari talked to me today, however, Thinking about what I have learned…Despite what I know must be right, has to be true about my princesses; Ari and his herd have been able to poke holes in my reality.

Sirens were vanquished hundreds of years ago by Starswirl the Bearded himself. Yet I saw one in action yesterday, felt the weight of the magic in the air.

Changelings were vile, conniving insects…That had only reappeared four months ago, with little information recorded on them, and now the queen of them has given a possible reason...It didn't sound too crazy either.

Maybe I was going mad?

There was supposed to be no other Alicorns. Sure the storms exsisted and that is why he was called here, but…Why haven’t the princesses heard of them before? We trade the Minotaurs for hay every month, diplomats visit all the time it seems, and treaties are brought up on occasion. Surely some pony would have mentioned these storms? This whole situation felt like it was missing something and I couldn’t put my hoof on what it was. I had to get to the bottom of this, I mean; she would ask me the same questions. My princess would want to know the all the specifics as well. I had come out here with the intention of easing the confusion that my princess was feeling, not increasing it. She worried for his safety…Which she was right to do actually; he did get captured by a pirate. Can you believe it?

Him a…That was another point of dissention. Was he really an Alicorn or a Royal changeling?

Now I felt he was an Alicorn, however that brought back the why questions again. If the reason the bug had given…No, surely that storm had been a fluke, a random occurrence.

The water was real though.

Maybe there was some truth in the story. That he was an Alicorn from another planet, world, and he was sent here to stop the princesses from destroying the world…Unintentionally. But how could they not know? They had lived longer than any other being, save Discord, that thing didn’t really count. He was insane…And posing in the Royal Canterlot gardens. No, he didn’t do this, but the water was real, and the stallion in the room certainly seemed real.

My head felt like it was spinning and I don’t think it was the fumes from my vomit, wavering back and forth, yes and no.

Physically, in the most basic sense, he looked like an Alicorn. He had an equine body, long horn, and feathered wings. I had spent at least a minute searching his face, blue eyes, and never seen a trace of shimmering green. His magic field even was a golden yellow, a color not reported from any changelings from the battle of Canterlot. But as the battle proved, we don’t really know that much about changelings after all.

Ari seemed honest and physically was an Alicorn, although several facts suggested it could be a disguise. His mane didn’t wave and he didn’t even have a cutie mark. But maybe his world was just different?

He was certainly different.

Different, but...

When it came down to his authenticity…All of these mares, Minotaurs, and even that rodent believed him to be a Alicorn. They were ready to defend him and offer support at the flick of a tail. I am serious about that last part; they defended him even when he rutted the queen of the changelings, something that no Alicorn would ever do…They were one of Equestria’s enemies in the Great War and most recently they proved why again!

Yet, he, an Alicorn, rutted the bug like she was just another mare, more than once if the insect’s screams of pleasure were to be believed.

I woke up to that.

Loud, ear piercing squeals calling his name.

Explaining that nightmare to my princess was going to be interesting and hopefully not as painful as commenting on the vile union had been.

Allow me to explain, you see their nausea inducing racket had woken every pony in the cabin, it was that loud and sick. Most had the normal reaction: look at the floor, twitch an eye, and try to block out the evidence of the offending act going on. But some actually…Well, of course his depraved hybrid mare looked excited to hear them. She wasn’t alone. That was actually more horrifying than hearing them go at it, the fact that more than several mares looked interested in the copulating below us, except with them in place of the changeling.

Stomach rolling, I tell you!

That is when I had to remind them what he plowing into and what that said about him…For some reason all the mares took offence to that, even the ones that didn’t enjoy the auditory assault he was gracing us with.

One even went down to check on him.

An Equestrian…She returned a panting mess, eyes wide, and brown muzzle stained red. I couldn’t help but ask how much she had vomited at the sight of him stuffed inside a disgusting bug…For a starved earth pony she was still really strong.

The stallion didn’t even have any shame when he returned with it, foul changeling odor coming off him in waves, that and the heady smell of rutting.

But then again, maybe he was just simple…I mean he even looked surprised when the headset wearing zebra wouldn’t look at him. In fact, now that I’m not getting pummeled by hoofs I can’t help but notice how oblivious he was to most signals the mares were giving him, I know he is from another planet but surely some of our equine body language must translate? We even speak the same language for Luna’s sake!

What a-

Ari

“-idiot I was! I mean when they said ‘unbreakable’ I really should have figured they didn’t just say that for giggles.” Chrissy face hoofed and Lyric just shook her head, “Exactly! And the weirdest thing was that was the only ship with them, every other one had shackles.”

“So what happened to the ship?” Kapera yelled from ‘her’ corner, arms crossed over a huge chest scar.

Don’t ask, don’t ask, no, stop staring!

Ripping my eyes from her chest I gave a weak chuckle, “Well, you see eventually when we got out of the cell-.”

“HOW?!” She had stood, ears back, and eyes wide in…Disbelieve? I mean I did say unbreakable but that didn’t quite equal inescapable. “The cuneal writing was perfect, not even a raging sea serpent should have crac-.”

Warmth flooded my body as I heard that, my muscles screamed to move as my logical mind shouted to wait. Crackling flooded my channels as my heart pounded, unsure whether to move to my hooves or horn. It sounded like, no she had all but said that she had helped him. Kapera had made the cell that had doomed many ponies, maybe other species as well, she was responsible for…

Why had she made the cage for a slaver?

“Ari?!” A female voice called in surprise.

Tensing my muscles, I stood in one swift movement, causing forelegs to wrap around my neck with a panicked squeak, and hooves touched my withers. But I only had eyes for one being.

Like a wave, the crowd parted, I couldn’t tell what their expressions were. Fear? Anger? Did it really matter when she had helped with the transport of real, live ponies to their death or enslavement? Her expression changed from one that had said the wrong words back to a one of anger as I slowed my approach. Restraining the urge to attack her, she…

Deep breath.

Silence held the cabin now, even the hooves outside seeming to fade into nothingness.

And release.

Before me stood a, well, I really didn’t know what she was. Her short rounded ears were folded back, almost as flat as her muzzle, which was set in a grim line. Kapera was braced for something to go down, using a paw to push her rising apprentice down, keeping the siblings out of her mess.

In.

My body felt like a heavy weight was upon it, muscles stuck as we locked eyes, blue and gold clashing. She still hadn’t explained herself. “Anything you want to say?” Claws clipped the planks beneath us, one side then the other. “No? Nothing you want to say to the last victims of your work?” Her muzzle tightened as she cast her eyes to my hooves, ears splaying as she looked at them. “These old cracks?” I stomped a hoof, wincing as the crack on my wall widened ever so slightly and vibrations of agony traveled up my foreleg. “Well, don’t worry they aren’t from your cage, I got these smashing chains.”

“Really?” Gennady spoke up, leaning forward to look at the two cracks that were splitting the front of my hooves, helped by the chips along the circumference.

“Yes, over six hundred,” I didn’t turn away from Kapera, “While I can’t speak for every other pony that was stuck in that hull…” Ruffling my good wing I felt Ayodele still on my back, “Some for two weeks,” looking over at Marble, she met my eyes after a second, a frown on her muzzle, “Others for four weeks or longer, I feel pretty darn pissed off.” Snorting I realized that was an understatement, “No, I feel angry, justified to know why you made such a thing?” Another deep breath to push back the anger, “When I had heard such good things about you…You agreed to help us…Why, no, how could you have allowed such a thing to happen?”

Ears were all on her, her eyes blanked, and face stilled into a mask.

“Are you done?” I nodded, breathing out as I felt my thoughts just hang out there. “Ari, sometimes beings don’t tell the whole truth...” As she trailed off I felt the slap, not a physical one, no, it was the irony. I was just an Alicorn stallion after all, nothing else. “Many, many years ago, I was just trying to get my business to make any money, any at all.” I must have showed my disbelief. “Come on Ari, use your brain!” Her tone then turned soft, “Have you really seen any being like me in your time here?” She raised her paws and gestured to her body.

Backing up, my anger slightly diffused as I took in her appearance. Without the apron she was laid bare, short golden chest fur turning to white lumpy scar tissue, it followed no pattern like my whip marks did. It spoke of a lot of pain, no scar like that was made from a little cut. “No, I have never seen any being like you.” My eyes couldn’t leave her chest, morbid curiosity getting the better of me. “How,” I queried, gesturing to her general chest area.

Everypony crowded in, my mares returning to my sides, nuzzling me as my muscles relaxed. Was I still angry? Hell yes! But I was also aware that there was a reason now, it sounded like Arch had tricked her, and that racism was still as strong then as it was now.

At least the racism on Earth was slightly more discreet.

“This old thing?!” She patted her chest, sporting a toothy grin, while causing every pony to wince. It just looked painful to see her touch it. But within seconds her voice quickly turned slow and soft. “Oh, I just got this escaping from my home in Zebrica.”

WHAT?!

A murmur of Zebrican started through the crowd.

“See Ari, my people, my family, we were warriors.” Golden eyes smiled as something returned to them, a life. “And we had been fighting the slavers for awhile…But their technology; the magic beat our physical abilities more often than not. My tribe couldn’t handle it and it was decided that we would go to the mainland for help, learn the new technology, and gather support.” A shudder passed through her body as her tail wilted. “They expected that though and my family was lost…So I hid low, learned the technology for when more escaped.” She met my eyes and I felt I knew what she was going to say. “No more came, I later learned my village had been essentially vaporized, a Mongofu hunt from the air.”

Well, I didn’t quite know what to say to that. I felt really bad for her now, at least my family was still alive, even if I would never see them again. Not that I visited them anyway, but my friends would be missing me. Not that one reality was better, both were hard to accept.

No pony said anything for a while as we took it in, Kapera having been through just as much as us, she was against the slavers like we were.

“It’s at the bottom of the Narrow Sea.” Kapera looked up from her paws, blinking rapidly; tears shimmered in her eyes as a small smile started on her muzzle. “Your runes were flawless, I couldn’t buck my way through. We fought our way out.” Her mouth started to open, “And yes, I did break your inhibitor too, it did throw quite a kickback though.”

A chuckle escaped her, fluffy tail rising, “Really?”

“Really, really!” I shot her a grin, “Definitely make it stronger next time.” I paused, it just hit me. “If you still will that is? No pressure…I kind of overreacted, no, I just feel so angry after seeing all those ponies in the ships…Not all of them made it and that hurt.”

“I know…When I found out…It was too late and I was just one.” A long sigh followed.

Maybe I was just one, but one became two and then three…

“Well, that is changing. Most if not all of the slavers are dead, their leader is dead, and over six hundred zebras are going home.” I chuckled, “All due to my idiocy.”

Kapera snorted, a sound that sounded odd coming from her muzzle. The air seemed to lose pressure, “Maybe I was wrong about that Ari.” I blinked at that, was that an apology? “You do stupid stuff, especially in the morning.” Nope. “I mean really Ari?! Right below us and without a silencing spell! I think you might have traumatized the bat.”

Blood rushed to my muzzle, of course she would point out that. My mares giggled, somehow sounding unapologetic for my actions, or they just liked seeing me squirm.

“I don’t know one! Remember, no magic on Earth?”

“Well that doesn’t mean there was no manners there I hope!” She sat down, grinning at my puzzled expression, “That means you are on breakfast duty, stud.”

Rolling my eyes at her nickname, I turned and went to escape her teasing. She hadn’t really changed that much, but I will take what I can get. Just like the Thestral, Kapera had her reasons. I can’t even fathom being on my own in the beginning, without Chrissy’s help.

All the way to the door I grew more aware of a sensation, pleasant, calming, and troublesome. “Ayodele, do you want to stay up here? I mean we didn’t clean up down there really.”

The mouth stilled and the body squirmed, “N-no, I mean, I’m fine up here-.”

Chrissy snorted and I felt her eyes on my back, while Lyric muttered something. “Hmm,” I asked turning to her.

“Nothing Ari, I will tell you later.”

“Actually Ari, we need to talk privately.” Chrissy added, her long tail flicking Ayodele and I in the rump. Nodding my understanding to my mare, levitated the mare off my back, setting her down gently.

She looked worried, “I’m just getting breakfast-,” giggles came from Lyric, “-Not that type!” I snorted, but couldn’t bring myself to be angry with her; I was the one that started that silly joke. “See you in a jiffy.”

Was it weird that I felt guilty for leaving her alone?

With that we made our way to the pantry, this time for food, and not just because I really didn’t have the energy in me for a third round. We were all hungry. Even better, Lyric didn’t even ask about the hatch, instead humming a happy tune until we entered the pantry.

The wood was stained where the puddle used to be.

“Kapera was a bit harsh Ari, I hope you didn’t take her words to heart. She really believes in you, you should have seen the resources she has.” Lyric gave a almost musical giggle at whatever she was thinking of, probably the stain.

“I didn’t take it to heart; I figure that is just ‘her’.”I grabbed two barrels with apple pictographs, sticking them by the door. “Are you feeling alright?” My eyes made their way to her tail, carefully bandaged and splinted.

A wince passed over face, “Well, as good as I’m going to be. Unsurprisingly, the Samaki didn’t go easy on me.” Sighing she continued to look around as I wondered what in the world a ‘Samaki’ was, “That’s just the cost of using my siren song.” I paused in moving bales, “Yes Ari, I had to use it. We didn’t know you were around the corner, and Falmer was on our tail.”

Falmer? Oh that must be the ape.

I nodded, wincing as my wing automatically tried to extend to cover her, definitely not healed. She noticed my expression, raising an eyebrow at it. "Arch liked whips and he had a blade sort of whip wrapped around there…It was stronger than my bone.” I admitted as I tucked it in again.

Understanding, she nodded, a small smile growing on her muzzle. “Hold him still Chrissy.”

Chitin pressed into me, forcing me to square up as she leaned into me, hard. I guess she was feeling-Then the pain returned, my eyes whipping over to the pink glow. Fuck, healing spells hurt. Holding back my whimper, I focused on my breathing as the pain grew from a sharp pain to a dull, fading ache. In and out, the pain going slowly leaving with it. I wasn’t ungrateful but damn I swear all the spell did was speed up the pain I would go through.

Eventually the warmth faded, the glow dimmed and I snorted several times at the sensation.

Fuck, damn, and all the rest of the curse words. Maybe I will research painless healing spells. Yes, that was still better than waiting weeks for it to heal, but damn it hurt.

“Better?” I nodded to Lyric as she removed the splint, not trusting myself to not swear. “Good, next I will heal that…Ayodele was her name?”

“Yes, she hurt her back hock in the fight. If it wasn’t for her the others wouldn’t have gotten the courage to fight back.” I smiled at the memory, “She was the only one to help me, an amazing pony, and friend.” Chrissy’s actions with Folami and Marble came back to me then. “Actually a lot of them are excellent friends, brave, helpful…What happened earlier,” I looked pointedly at Chrissy, “You two don’t have to worry about my eyes wandering.” I tentatively blanketed them with my wings, hardly any pain now. “I love both of you very much.”

For a second we enjoyed the silence, basking in each other’s warmth and scent.

Tensely Chrissy broke it, “Ari, I know you see them as friends but many aren’t acting like they want to be just friends.” Fuck. I was afraid of that. “For example Marble, that earth pony, she was all over your rump last night. Nuzzling into your flank…I felt love coming from her.”

Nope.

“It could have just been my scent?” Shifting hooves, I inspected a barrel filled with small round grains, “All the mares seemed to take a sniff every once in awhile to calm down.”

Lyric shared a glance with her, “Okay, your scent is really calming…But Ari, there is a line between calming instincts and intimate actions, signals to the other sex that they are interested. Remember my attempts to get your attention?” Yes, I remembered…But, “Good, now there are other signals too.”

“But they-.”

“Ari! Listen,” I shut my mouth, still thinking about how I had even told the mares I didn’t know body language that well. “Thank you. I’m sure Chrissy might know more…But mane nibbling, full body grooming, and nuzzling is beyond friends.” Oh, but… “Friendly nuzzles are short and brief, anything longer than a couple seconds, unless they are family, is considered intimate. Preening is family and special pony territory generally, unless the pony is a long time friend.” The pegasi too...I lowered my head, “Licking, kissing, rubbing, and tail grooming are definitely beyond friends.”

“Fuck!” That’s all I could say, even after I told them they still were trying to get my attention.

Chrissy nodded, looking almost sadly at me with her ears back, “Yes, exactly." Her expression turned to one of clear annoyance, ears growing flatter. "There are quite a few that are interested in you…And although I know you weren’t looking at them in that way, I couldn’t help but feel territorial.”

She watched my face, looking in my eyes for an answer. But I was still fuming, trying to process every little interaction I had with them. “They know.”

“What,” they both asked, sharing a confused looked.

“The mares all know I don’t know body language, I told them the same time I told them about both of you.” Lyric perked up, “Yes, they also know about the foals.”

I frowned considering the facts. Even after I basically said ‘hey I’m an alien that doesn’t know the meaning of anything unless you spell it out for me’ they still kept at it. Foals on the way? Still interested in me. Ayodele still has been grooming my neck, lying on my back, even after seeing my herd…That actually is impressive in a way, she wasn’t turned off by race.

Maybe we could be friends still, it can’t be real love yet, and we haven’t even known each other long. Mind you I didn’t know my mare friends long before they became my mares.

“OW!”

“You zoned out for a second,” Lyric gave the spot a kiss, “Sorry.”

A long sigh escaped me, “So what do I do now? I can think of at least three that are still interested even after meeting you.” They snorted at that. “Well, there was more before they saw the competition.” I chuckled at that, Chrissy was the tallest mare in the room, and if I remember correctly Azure said they have to challenge the lead mare to enter the herd.

Thankfully I still held veto power…I think. Clarify later.

Chrissy gave my stack of hay bales an eye roll before motioning for us to leave, “Nothing.” My disbelieve showed, “We will be rid of them in a day and if none of those fillies have the guts to actually use words after what you told them, then don’t use words either.” Seeing me nod she continued, “Don’t encourage the behavior either though,” a snort escaped me, “But don’t comment on it either, those fillies just have a crush on you.”

Dear lord, school all over again. ‘Check yes if you like me.’ Well, not acknowledging the ‘note’ would be mean but if they couldn’t say it…

Levitating the food we began our ascent, comfortable in the silence.

The deck was clear; no pony was even by the wheel. Instead it was locked in place with a mop. Zebrica was growing larger, the land appearing wider and taller as we approached. Above us, the sky was still clear as well, no birds or clouds, just a bright calming expanse of blue. It just made me want to fly, soar above my problems, but I knew that would have to wait. Breakfast first; turning to the cabin I noticed the door.

It was closed.

Cocking my head, I expanded my focus and twisted the knob in my magic. The door opened easily and we entered after a shared confused look. Placing down the hay and barrels in the middle of the room, I noted the lack of talking, every pony was gathered around Folami who was grinning like a mad mare.

What the hell did I walk into?

“Hello? What’s up?”

“They can see the docks!” I blinked at Folami before a big smile broke free, that was awesome. She was talking to me again and the land was getting closer! “And they say that almost all the ports are open, it’s clear sailing ahead!”

A round cheers rose to the ceiling, accompanied by clapping from Kapera and Dinari. I joined in as well, enjoying the moment of relieve. Sure I was still in pain but this was great news, no pirates ahead, and our destination was less than a day away.

Why had the door been closed though? It was- a new thought hit me then.

Glancing to Chrissy as we made our way to Folami, my mares just following me with confused expressions and splayed ears, “Can I borrow the headset?” She nodded and I took it as some ponies started distributing the food. “Thank you.”

Now how do I word it nicely? ‘I have a changeling as a marefriend’, or ‘please don’t react badly’, or even ‘remain calm’? I was stuck, better to ask. “Folami, how racist are zebras in general?”

You could have heard a pin drop.

“Racist?” I nodded, gesturing a hoof to my herd. “You see on the main land if my mares walked around they would be met with plenty of slurs and most likely assaulted.” Frowning at her, I let the seriousness settle in, “And you all know exactly why no harm must come to them.” A confused look on the Thestral while every being nodded, and somepony even responded with a ‘yes’, “Well, then I want to make sure that I moment we step off the boat I’m not walking into a mob.”

“Changelings aren’t treated with the level of fear Equestrians hold for them, they really haven’t interacted much with us.” Folami started, glancing at my mares. “So they are more legend, little more than a word, which is to say we don’t have anything against them.”

I called ahead anyway, met with surprise mostly; they hadn’t been close enough to seem who was on the airship. But they assured me that they would prepare the crowds for us. Dear lord, the crowds, and most likely the officials…

But, more pressing than the crowds was the mission.

We still needed the airship. “Okay then, does any pony know a good place to buy an airship?” I settled down, returning the headset to Folami. No pony answered as most had turned to stuffing their faces. Following their lead I levitated a dozen apples over and was surprised as Lyric went to town on them. Between the two of us we were making quick work on the pile.

I will ask again after they eat.

Like clockwork, the offbeat clip clop of a three legged mare met my ears. I tensed, knowing why she was coming over now.

Ayodele liked me for a more intimate reason than friendship and if I was honest that upset me, I wanted female friends again. She had seemed so nice, helping me down, hanging out with me after I was blown back from the bars, and just having my back in general.

But I don’t know if I could handle the thought of three mares, my two were already pregnant, and I still had so much more to do before the foals got here.

The hoof steps stopped, waiting, and I looked over at her. Actually it was Ayodele and Ayomide, both wearing matching looks of discomfort. “Soooo,” Ayodele started, dragging out the word to an awkward degree.

“So…” I glanced at Lyric, the perfect way to get rid of her excuse. “Lyric said she would heal your hock for you,” They locked eyes, green eyes blinking as the zebra cocked her head. “It will hurt at first but it saves weeks of agony.” I gave a weak flap of my wings, one slightly less feathered than the other, but both flapping strong.

“Wow.”

Lyric took the lead then, “So I take that as a yes?” A tentative nod, ears splayed, and a questioning look to her as Lyric’s pink magic filled air. “Come closer, I don’t bite.” I snorted at that, right, like she didn’t bite my neck earlier. “Ari, you zoned out.” Returning to Ayodele, “But seriously, I need to touch my horn to the break.”

With her cousin supporting her she made it around to our front.

“You might want to lay down for this, Ari wasn’t exaggerating, it is effective but we don’t have any potions for pain.”

They shared a nod after she had clumsily laid down, Chrissy tense despite her claims that this was just a crush. Well, I sort of see her reason for the tenseness. Ayodele had placed her back against my chest, in an oh so subtle move, she shimmied her fur along my chest tuft. Getting comfortable took a long minute. Lyric’s head wasn’t nodding when the mare was done.

Horn to hock, the pink magic seemed to jump to the desired area, ignoring the splint as a rose glow spread along the hock. Eyes were on us as the pain hit her, squeals escaping her lips, and making me close my eyes.

I know that pain all too well now.

Rosy magic faded as i opened my eyes, my mare looking just as sorry as I felt for the panting mare pressed to my front. Her cousin removed the splint slowly, nothing from the pained zebra. Lyric slowly flexed the leg for Ayodele, smiling to the crowd as they went back to their hay.

“See, all better.”A sad smile, “I wish I knew a better spell, but it was what my mother used on me hundreds of years ago and still works the same.” She shuddered, “Exactly the same unfortunately.”

Also unfortunately, she didn’t leave, to her cousin’s discomfort and mine now that I knew what this meant. But she still didn’t say anything about it so no pony else did. This continued on like that, every pony talking and eating. A generally lazy day, nothing to mention really, except maybe the fact that I still ate more than Lyric, but now she came pretty close to matching me.

Foals are scary, I definitely don’t want to be dealing with what ever the ‘instincts’ are and the princesses.

Eventually the day ended. Golden rays and reflections on the window panes disappearing as shadows and darkness traded places with them. Lanterns were lit, the moon rose, and Moonlit Echo was given a sponging off and blanket. The cooler sea winds creeping in among the giddy passengers, for despite the dull nature of the day’s events, the day to come was going to be big.

This excitment had actually been building all day.

We had been ‘discreetly’ peeking over the railings all day. An eye always finding the impressive land mass, home for many here, as it was growing clearer. By morning it would be upon us, the docks, zebras, and most importantly the airship engineers.

Dimming the lantern nearest to us, I yawned, feeling better than I had in days. “Good night,” it came out slightly muffled as another yawn crept up my throat. They were so catchy once they started. Kissing scales and chitin I stifled another one as my eyes found the green and hazel ones below my chin. Every time we had gotten up to walk or get food, they were there, Ayodele really. I think Ayomide was just too nervous to leave her side.

Fuck it, if they wanted to be pillows so be it. We would e saying goodbye tomorrow anyway.

Not one complaint came.