MLP FiM: Into the Brine IC

[Alkonost Storm]

There had always been stories of ponies from the sea. And until now, that was all everyone had believed them to be: stories told by the brave Equestrian sailors who braved the untamed oceans.

In Equestria, where the weather was managed mostly by the Pegasi (or unicorns, depending on the population of certain areas), the vast expanse of the oceans was still the one area where the weather ran wild.

And these days, it had been wilder than usual, shipwrecks starting to occurr frequently. Surprisingly, there had not been a major loss of life in these incidents, as all survivors claimed the same thing: ponies from the sea rescued them and guided them to shore.

As the accounts were from sailors, some would have sniffed at the stories because everyone knows sailors and mariners are full of superstition. It was when the pride of Hock and Croup's commercial clipper fleet, the HRH Seablossom was wrecked that the Princesses Royal decided these stories should be investigated at last...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The launch ceremony for Illuminating Mares wouldn't be until 8:30 but out of habit Zephyr rose early, had a simple but filling breakfast and grabbed his saddlebags before trotting out the door. It wasn't very far from docks but as Zephyr longed to stretch his wings, the dapple-gray colt took to the air, flying low until reaching the docks of Port Roan, his hometown and the starting point of the nautical expedition that had been commissioned by Their Royal Highnesses Celestia and Luna.

[Anya the Purple]

Particula, too, had gotten up early. After a breakfast of salad and tea (it was what all the Manehattan socialites were eating, and one of the few things her mother had taught her to cook), she walked down to the port to watch the ships load. Though she appeared bored, she was actually enjoying the pleasant-seeming business of the docks. It was certainly a change from the quiet of her lab or the refined façade of city life.

Idly, she wondered what was in the boxes being hauled on and off of the ships. Foodstuffs, she supposed, from islands with a more tropical climate. And probably other things as well. She even saw a few boxes that looked suspiciously like the containers of the new software she'd been dying to get her hooves on. She hoped Professor Meditor would buy a set if it arrived while she was gone.

Looking around once more, she say a young-looking gray colt. He didn't seem to be loading any boxes or doing anything else ship-related. "Hello," she called, putting on a welcoming smile her mother had spent hours perfecting. "Are you part of the expedition, too?"

[Alkonost Storm]

Zephyr started a little when the unicorn addressed him, not having expected anyone other than himself to be up at this hour. "Ah, yes, I'm part of the expedition. Since you're at this dock, that must mean you're here for the same reason, Miss...?"

[JW%]

Jadewise opened one eye to see sunlight. He gave a snort and a shake of his head. Too early. He could catch a little more shut eye before...

Before he heard the sound of tiny galloping hooves across the rooftop. He held his breath for a moment to confirm he was hearing what he was hearing. Then he let his breath out in a sigh. It was indeed too early.

The shrill piping voice could be heard in the distance(equal to the height of the stables) shouting out at the top of her little lungs: "I'm FLYYYYYYYING!!!" as PrettySparrow lept with all her speed and childish energy off the roof of the stables. She spread her little downy pegasus wings wide and she could, eyes closed and legs posed in a proper flight formation.

And obviously dropped like a stone, as she completely forgot to flap her wings, and didn't have them spread in a proper gliding shape.

Jadewise reached out with the power of his unicorn horn and wrapped the little pegasus in a lifting force. A containing force. He stopped the little yellow and silver winged ponys fall only a few hands from the ground.

"Sakes alive, what is going on here?" Came the landmare who owned the stables. "Some ponies are trying to sleep still."

Jadewise stomped on his horse shoes... after all he was in the city and the hard packed roads would be painful if his hooves weren't protected, not like the wilds he was used to living in, and walked out. A few ponies in the stalls next to him flicked their ears and looked up questioningly.

"I'm flying!" PrettySparrow chirped again. The landmare gave a snort at this obvious falsehood.

"You were falling." Jadewise corrected. "Flying means that you weren't going to hit the ground."

"I didn't!" PrettySparrow insisted, still caught in the levitation spell.

"Flying also means you are going somewhere." Jadewise told her, then turned to the landmare. "Apologies. The child is still learning and testing her boundries."

PrettySparrow struggled, squirming her legs and kicking, still forgetting to flap her wings. "Is she jumping off of rooftops like this often?"

"She's been building up to it, trying to learn how to fly properly." Jadewise explained. "At first it was just off of small rocks or stumps. The other day she jumped out of a tree."

"I'm floating!" PrettySparrow chirped, having worked out that she wasn't going to get anywhere in her struggles as long as Jadewise was holding her, and deciding to take pride in what accomplishments she had managed.

"She's going to hurt herself if she's not careful."

"I've gotten good at catching her." Jadewise said, paying for the stall they stayed the night in, and shrugging on his coat and hat. "Are we ready to head down to the docks PrettySparrow?"

"Yeppers!" Came the chirp of the still immobilized at shoulder level baby pegasus. "Look at me! I'm floating!" Jadewise released his hold on her, and she dropped to the ground with a sprawl of legs and wings and a little "oof!" She bounced right back up as if made of rubber, and continued bouncing around like somebody had sugar coated her hay that morning despite neither of them having had breakfast yet.

Jadewise started off walking when he heard the landmare shake her head and wonder outloud "How did the little thing get up on the roof in the first place..."

"That's easy." Jadewise called back. "Same way she got up into a tree. She flew." He gave his little pegasus daughter a nuzzle that nearly knocked her down, making the little pegasus giggle and finally remember to flap her wings. The result was the good natured shove pushed her sideways, but she neither fell over, nor even landed from her skip. "Let's get some breakfast and head down to the docks. It'll be launch time when we get there, and we mustn't be late."

"'Kay!" To PrettySparrow this was all just one big fun adventure, meeting new people and seeing new places. To Jadewise it was something a little more complicated, a follow up on his theories of interwoven natural magics, the so called 'wild' magics of the uninhabited places, and how they touched on other facets of the invisible arcane world. The reports of sea ponies were interesting of course, but he paid no more attention to that than he did the raving that said weather in the wild forests and mountains were in fact caused by flutterponies, tiny ponies with butterfly wings so shy that nobody knew about them. Preposterous theories.

[Alkonost Storm]

Seeing no response was forthcoming at the moment, Zephyr walked closer to the pier the ship was docked by. For optimum mobility and speed, in addition to the fact that it would not be heavily crewed, Illuminating Mares was a schooner.

In addition, it would be the first of its kind to pioneer a new fusion of technology and magic. Special controls and mechanisms were needed to activate it, but once that was done the magics would activate, enabling the ship not only to submerge but also providing a protective sphere around it that would keep the water and sea creatures out but air within. In addition it was able to withstand a lot of pressure, which would be helpful if they needed to submerge deeper than usual.

[Anya the Purple]

"Particula," she said, catching up with him. "And yourself?" She looked at him for a moment, then turned to the boat. She could see and understand the technology behind it - there had been an article about such ships in a magazine she subscribed to. It really was quite cool. "You know the motor doesn't run on coal at all?" she said. "It needs a little magic to get it going, but then the motion churns seawater in and out of this little mechanism on the back end, outside of the air bubble it generates, creating a miniature hydroelectric dam. It literally runs on its own motion!"

[Alkonost Storm]

"Zephyr. It's a pleasure, Miss Particula." A pause as he looked at the schooner again. "Clearly the shipwrights have outdone themselves this time...She'll be the first of her kind to dive beneath the waves."

[Penny Royals]

Bright stood on the outskirts of the harbor, watching the waves crash all around. It had been a long journey to get here- Filly Delphia wasn't close to Port Roan, not by a long shot. She'd came here the previous night, to fall asleep in a small inn of sorts. Now it was the next day, before the ceremony, and she was getting familiar with her surroundings. She visited a few shops, and checked out all the places nearby- looking for small or large areas to explore. She got halfway through a little forest before she realized that she wouldn't have time to do the whole thing, and thus came back.

So now she stood here, the waves rolling in, her mane being tossed every which way by the rampant winds. It was rather solitary- but she didn't mind it. It was to her liking in every which way.

[Alkonost Storm]

Not far from Bright's position, the Illuminating Mares could be seen quite clearly, being the only ship anchored on this side of Port Roan. If one squinted, they could see some bystanders as well as the moving figures of the crew that would be in charge of maneuvering and sailing the vessel. For now, they were simply cleaning, moping her decks and rails, generally making sure she was presentable for her launching ceremony. If you had to look for comparisons, the closest would be a bride being dressed and groomed for her wedding day.

[Anya the Purple]

"It's exciting, isn't it?" Particula said, gazing at the ship. "Magic meets technology. Ponies have been working towards something like this for years. Decades, really. Imagine the possibilities, now that we've bridged the gap!" She lapsed into silence, thinking of potential medicines, computers, and modes of transport.

[mekasoundwave]

Tick Tock was currently in a contradiction: he was early, but he was late. While the clockmaker had made sure to wake early on the day the expedition started, he still had a rather long journey to make from Canterlot to Port Roan. When he rose didn't matter, he'd still get there at about the same time.
Still, he made sure to get the earliest train ticket he could get, and made sure he was on a fast route. While Tick liked to be punctual, somethings just couldn't be helped.

He arrived, sure enough, and still had plenty of time before the ship sailed. From what Tick could tell the ship was still in the process of being loaded and prepared when he arrived. Tick Tock made his way to the docks, where a group of ponies had began to assemble.

"Excuse me, but this IS where the group going on the expedition is supposed to meet, right?" He asked to the unicorn and pegasus who , from the sounds of things, were already discussing something to do with transportation.

[Alkonost Storm]

Zephyr turned to regard the rather dapper-looking unicorn. "This is where the ceremony will be, yes." A pause. "I take it you're in the expedition? Name's Zephyr, and this is Particula."

[mekasoundwave]

"Wonderful," Tick Tock responded enthusiatically to Zephyr's confirmation. He began walking closer to them, so he could carry out a converation properly. "Indeed I am a part of it. My name is Tick Tock, and it's a pleasure to meet you both."

Tick had a subdued, but still quite sincere smile on his face as he introduced himself to Zephyr and Particula. First impressions were always important, in both business and leisure.

[Anya the Purple]

"Charmed," said Particula, pulling her gaze from the boat. She gave him a polite smile. From his accent and vocabulary, she judged he was from an upper-class city, Manehattan or Canterlot or something like that, unlike Zephyr, who clearly... wasn't. Then she scolded herself for even thinking that. That was her mother talking, and she'd sworn off that kind of thinking when she'd left home for college.

[Penny Royals]

Bright looked around. She heard voices suddenly, talking somewhat loudly. She turned around, to look at the group just a short while beyond- a handsome white stallion, a purple mare and a less handsome but still somewhat appealing gray stallion. They seemed to be pointing and talking about the boat. She smiled.

"Hey!" She called down to them, "Are you guys on the expedition too?!"

[Alkonost Storm]

Zephyr was the first to spot the bright-pink, blonde pony cantering their way. "We are! What about you?" He called out to her as she approached. "Although..." Here, Zephyr took a moment to fish out the expedition roster from his saddle bags. "According to this we're a unicorn short, still. But other than that, nearly everyone's here!"

At the same time this was going on, on a rock far out in the vicinity of Port Roan's harbor, a gorgeous specimen of a Sea Pony was currently sunning herself on said rock.

She had heard rumors of a launch ceremony for a new ship (though not the reason for its launching) and her curiosity had won over her reason. However it looked like Foamborn had arrived too early since from what she could tell, none of the ponies looked important enough, nor were they carrying the bottles of alcohol that had replaced the animal sacrifices of the past.

Perhaps those people would come by later, though. At the moment, Foamborn was contented to wait and get a lovely tan in addition to watching the launching ceremony.

[JW%]

"Izzit this one?"

"No."

"Izzit this one?"

"No."

"Izzit this one?"

"Illuminating Mares, north side, pier four." Jadewise repeated. "What ship is that?"

"I dunno." PrettySparrow asked, looking up at him with wide eyes and a tilted head.

"It says the name there on the side."

"But I can'ts read!"

". . . of course. Well, what pier are we passing?"

"I dunno. What's a Tide Chariot?" PrettySparrow messed up the pronouncement making Jadewise pause a moment to figure out what she was saying.

"Tide Chariot. It's the name of that ship." Jadewise finally answered. "The one docked by pier six."

"Well, yeah, I can see that, the pier has a sign that says 'six', but what's a chariot?"

"It's sorta like a wagon with only two big wheels that you can pull much faster." Jadewise explained, not wanting to point out that she wouldn't have been having these questions about words if she actually couldn't read them as she claimed.

"So, are we there yet?" PrettySparrow asked again.

"You tell me." Jadewise asked as they came around the corner to the northern side of Port Roan, and saw the gathered crowd in front of the gangplank to the Illuminating Mares. Not to mention the schooner itself.

"Yes, yes we are." PrettySparrow declared with a stubborn resoluteness and a nod of her head.

"Thank you, I'm sure I wouldn't have found my way without you." His comment made her giggle a little.

[Anya the Purple]

"Hello. My name is Particula. It's a pleasure to meet you," Particula said, flashing the practiced smile at Bright. Then her jaw went slack as she stared past her. "But that's..." She took in the dark blue coat, the blue-green eyes. "Master Jadewise!" She called, running up to him and bowing. "This is such an honor. Are you on this expedition as well? I mean, that's what the papers said, but I didn't actually believe... I'm Particula, a student of Proffessor Meditor? At Manehattan University? He always speaks very highly of you. Is it true that you're writing an essay on the effects of magic at a molecular level? Do you think magic particles exist? I've always wondered what your opinion was on that. It's so amazing to actually meet you!"

[Alkonost Storm]

Zephyr had no idea what Particula was rambling about but simply smiled and remembered his courtesies. "Here for the launch as well, sir? I think that makes up everyone for the expedition team. All that's left is for the Princesses to make their appearance."

[JW%]

"Ah." Jadewise nodded, not entirely sure how to deal with this situation. "Particula was it?" He pause for a minute. "Yes. Yes. Yes. He was a blowhard busybody. Yes. Obviously. Thank you." Jadewise counted off tapping his hoof as he replied to almost every sentence she had said. PrettySparrow had already dashed up the gangplank and was looking about the deck while the conversed. "Is there anything else?"

[mekasoundwave]

Tick Tock kept quiet as more and more ponies arrived for the expedition. They all seemed to be busy with asking if this was the place they were supposed to be meeting at and introducing themselves. It would be very rude and un-gentlemanly to interupt for something as trifiling and simple as his name. There'd be time for that later.

Plus, right now, there were more pressing things on Tick's mind. As Zephyr said, everypony seeme to be here, and that left only the Royal Princesses to show up and wish their intrepid crew good luck, and possibly give more details on what they wanted out of this journey. Some clarification and a sense of direction would be very useful. And it'd also be nice to see them again, as Tick hadn't seen the two since completing the work on the castle they had comissioned of him. And plus, seeing Princess Luna... during the DAY? Unheard of. Such a rare sight alone would make this trip worthwhile.

Tick Tock's horn glowed as a pocket watch floated from his coat pocket. He wasn't as late as he expected, which made the smile on his face widen. It was only a matter of time until the princesses got here, and then things would really get under way.

[Anya the Purple]

Particula's eyes widened, and she took a step back. "A blowhard busybody? Professor Meditor?" Surely Jadewise was thinking of a different pony. No one could say something like that about the kind, gentle professor who had taught her so much.

[JW%]

"Yes. That's him." Jadewise nodded, remembering that professor breaking up several rousing debates he had experienced. Probably because they looked rousing enough that thunderbolts and various flying pieces of furniture seemed moments, or perhaps statements, away from being made reality. Jadewise hadn't taken well to having a mediator forced on his debate sessions. Nor had he appreciated some of Meditors suggestions for dealing with slow student. And Jadewise had his fill of those lazy colts and fillies. Hence why he left teachings to pursue more directed studies. Like this one.

"I assume my equipment has already been stowed aboard." Jadewise said, making his way up the gangplank. "Yes PrettySparrow, I can see you fine, get down from there." He said, heading off a 'look at me!' declaration. "And that this boat has been thoroughly tested." He didn't look forward to feeling the boat being crushed under his hooves when they attempted a high pressure dive.

[Alkonost Storm]

Of course, before Particula could demand what that was about, there was a sudden fanfare as a strange shape appeared in the sky. It was a chariot, the kind usually used by the princesses on public appearances. The pegasi guards, of course, managed a perfect landing. Celestia was the first to step off, followed along by Luna.

"Perfect, you are all here. And the ship? Gorgeous. I'm certain she will pull through for all of you and more." It was at that moment that the captain of the ship appeared. "Time to board!" He yelled down to the ponies on the docks before taking a moment to bow before the Princesses. "We're ready to leave once you do the Launch ceremony." Celestia nodded. "Of course. I will just say a few words and let Luna swing the bottle."

[mekasoundwave]

Tick Tock's ears perked up as he heard the familiar fanfare. Looking up and seeing the descending shape of a royal chariot as it cast a shadow on him only confirmed his assumption and caused a wide grin to form on his face. When the chariot landed, the watchmaker pre-emptively bowed. He'd done this before, he knew how the routine that went with greeting royalty.

As he rose, Tick turned his head to look at the boat. Somepony, the captain or first mate he assumed, yelled over to say he was ready to go. Things were going quite swimingly, it seemed.

"Your Highnesses," he said to the two Princesses. "I don't want to keep you from doing your royal business and getting this show on the road, so let me just say that it is a pleasure to see you both again and that your decision to authorize this expedition shall not have been a poor one."

With that, he gave a quick bow and backed out of the Royal Sisters' way so that they could start the ceremony without him in their way.

[Anya the Purple]

Particula, too, bowed before the Princesses, though Jadewise's words were still on her mind. She followed Tick Tock, who seemed to know what he was doing. Now, she reflected, was the time when having listened to her mother's lectures on public appearances and whatnot would have been useful.

[Alkonost Storm]

Zephyr followed Particula onto the gangplank, then the deck itself, feeling a bit giddy when he stepped onto it. It had felt so long since the last time he walked a deck, ever since the wrecking of the Seablossom... Pushing those thoughts away, he focused on Celestia, who had begun her speech.

"As you all know, the sea has always been wild, these days more so than usual. It will be a very dangerous job, so anyone with cold hooves or last-second regrets, now is your chance to step off."

She waited a few seconds, beaming in what looked like motherly pride as she saw that none stepped off the ship. "You are all very brave, my little ponies. We wish you well, from the bottom of our hearts."

There was a slight pause as she gathered herself before turning to her sister. "Luna? The bottle if you please." Luna looked a bit too enthusiastic about this part of the ceremony. "We have always wanted to do this and insist on doing it properly. How do we proceed, sister?" Celestia was able to bite back the urge to giggle. "Just bash it against the prow, Princess Luna."

Luna's horn glowed, and a blue-purple aura surrounded the bottle--a reasonably aged vintage called Moon's Summer--before smashing it into the prow. As the red fluid slid down the side of the ship, it was evocative of the blood sacrifices used to bless ships on their maiden voyages in more ancient, violent times. Naturally, Luna was careful enough to gather up the broken pieces with her magic, so as not to harm any marine wildlife, as the ship's anchor was raised and lines were cast off.

Down below in another part of the ocean, a sleeping unicampus was gently roused by the sweet, rich flavor of Moon's Summer in her mouth. She only smiled to herself, knowing it was only a ship just blessed as she gazed up towards the surface.

[Penny Royals]

Bright bowed before the princesses, though found herself unable to stare- she'd only seen pictures, but in real life... wow, they were far more beautiful than anything she'd yet to see.

She followed the other ponies onto the ship, keeping her ground while walking up and onto it. She watched the princesses go about their business with the ship, blessing it with Moon's Summer and a few other such things. She smiled at the Princess Luna's eagerness.

[Anya the Purple]

Particula staggered across the deck, trying to get used to the motion of the ship. When she reached somewhere that seemed out of the way, she sat down heavily. She missed her lab already.

Taking a look around, she spotted a young Pegasus hopping about. She thought she might have seen the filly before, possibly with Jadewise. "Hello there," she called, trying to get her mind off the rocking that was already making her feel a bit ill.

[JW%]

The arrival of the Princesses had meant Jadewise was distracted by one overwhelming desire: Keep PrettySparrow from tackling them and pestering them with a million requests. Anything from raising and lower the sun and moon so fast as to create a strobe effect, to explaining how they could both be up and active without causing an eclipse, to some things that Jadewise probably couldn't predict.

Fortunately, the event went off without much of an issue, even though it did involve distracting and occasionally restraining PrettySparrow. He'd probably have been somewhat pleasantly surprised to realise that PrettySparrow could also be distracted by Particula.

"Hi ya!" Came the chirping reply. "Who are you? Are you a stranger? I'm not supposed to talk to strangers, 'least not 'till I've been introduced, but you don't look that dangerous so I guess I could talk to you a little since talking never hurt anyone, and your just sitting there, even though you look a little sick, while I'm having lotsa fun 'cuz I've never been on a boat before though the swaying is kinda like riding a cloud during a strong breeze but Jadie doesn't like me riding clouds because he's afraid I'll fall off, and he gets kinda annoyed when I call him Jadie because he doesn't like nicknames even though I think it's kinda cute so maybe he's just grumpy like that, insisting everyone call him by his proper name, and I guess that's okay because my names even longer and harder to say."

This was all delievered at the pace of a song bird trilling while PrettySparrow hopped and bounced around and around Particula as she sat on the deck, if anything adding more dizziness to the motion sickness.

"I'm PrettySparrow! Who're you?" That was the sign that Particula needed to speak up, or PrettySparrow would just start repeating herself until something shiny caught her attention.