The Hayseed's Craft

I received a letter. By itself, that was innocent enough. It was the contents that alarmed me. Wholly disjointed and hastily scrawled with a quill that was not in proper working order, the letter was written by an old classmate of mine during my university days. We’d never seen eye to eye on many subjects, in fact, I’d almost go so far as to claim that he would deliberately antagonize me precisely to see how I would respond. Nevertheless, the rivalry we shared gave us both an incentive to be our very best, and we both graduated with honors near the top of our class. After that, he disappeared into Griffon territory, having majored in equinology, he went to learn more about griffons, to compare and contrast cultures. Having majored in archaeology myself, I stayed in Equestria, having been offered a job at a new dig site that opened up near Appleloosa in the Macintosh Hills. We stayed in touch by letter, but we both grew out of the habit, until letters came rarely once a year, and then we stopped altogether. The last time either one of us had sent a letter before I received this one had been almost ten years past, which made this all the more curious. When I opened it, it read:

To my friend and colleague, Dr. Dusty Relic, I write this in haste, but you must come immediately to the town of Susurrus in the Hayseed Swamps overlooking Horseshoe bay. When you arrive, please, ask for Pearl Dive, as that is the name I am currently using. Make no mention of our work together, but please make haste. I know not when this letter will reach you, but please, with all speed, come to meet me. Send no response by mail, but come in person. Your friend, Updraft.

This came as something of a surprise to me. I suppose it shouldn’t have, given that we had been out of touch for so long, but I couldn’t think of a single reason Updraft would have been anywhere near the Hayseed Swamp. His focus had always been griffons, through and through. The lost treasure of Griffonstone was one of the major subjects of a research paper he had published many years ago. He had spent many a night talking about griffon culture, and how their empire could have rivaled ponies many years ago, but something had happened to them, and he linked it to their lost treasure. It was well received, but nopony had taken it particularly seriously, as it implied there was something supernatural at work in the treasure itself, and that griffons were dependent on it. While it was true that griffons had lost much of the power their kingdom once commanded, there was no great loss of culture, just material wealth. All this effort and time in griffons, and then he suddenly ends up in the Hayseed swamps! It seemed preposterous, but after ten years, who was I to judge?
It wasn’t like I was going to turn him down, either. He either wanted to share a discovery with me, possibly to gloat, or he was in trouble and needed my help. Given the tone of the letter I had received, I imagined it was more the latter, so with due haste, I decided to prepare myself for the journey. Thankfully it wouldn’t be too far to travel. After my tenure down near Appleloosa, I had left the dusty trails and hills of that country to come back up to Baltimare to teach at my Alma Mater; Miskaponic University. I had a comfortable wage, my own office, and a home within the city limits. Everything a pony could want, though I had never wed. Married to my work, I suppose.

It was a simple matter to put things in order for a small vacation, and I assumed two weeks would be more than enough. If necessary, I could request more, but I would need to see what Updraft had gotten himself into before I determined how much time would be necessary for whatever was going on. I packed a trunk with various effects, including some archaeology tools, just in case. If Updraft had contacted me instead of somepony else, it might be that he needed my expertise in my field, so it couldn’t hurt to be safe. I slipped on my coat and hat, waxed my moustache (despite my haste, there was always time for personal grooming), floated my trunk behind me, and was on a train to the Hayseed swamps that afternoon.
The trip would only be roughly two hours or so, so I could expect to arrive in time for supper, hopefully with my good friend Updraft. I pulled out his letter and read over it another time, trying to glean further information from the meager note he had scrawled out to me. Sadly there wasn’t much to go on. His writing was atrocious. Given that he didn’t have the precision a unicorn like myself could exhibit, I could give him some leeway, but this was a step down from what I remembered. He hadn’t provided a return address on the letter, either, simply scratched out mine on the front, pasted a stamp on it haphazardly, and likely tossed it in the nearest mailbox. That indicated a significant measure of haste. What could have caused that haste was anypony’s guess. I imagined I would find out soon enough, as I looked out the window and could see the clean grasslands giving way to the murky bog of the swamp. The town appeared to be on the far eastern tip, nestled between the mountains and Horse Shoe Bay itself, and bordering the ocean. I’d never heard of the town before, so this promised to be quite the adventure.

As the train pulled in, I beheld out the window a rather bustling villa. My excitement was short-lived, when I stepped off the train and discovered that contrary to what my directions had told me, the train did not go all the way to Susurrus, and I would be required to commission a coach, or walk. Not fancying a trudge through the soggy marsh, I went about searching for somepony willing to provide me a ride over there, but was getting every-increasingly dismayed at being constantly rebuffed. Several of them denied knowing the place, and refused further conversation on the subject, and those who did know it wouldn’t take me there. As evening fast approached, I finally gave in and began the slog to my destination. It shouldn’t take more than an hour or so to walk, and I was no stranger to hardship, having worked in the blazing sun and remote vistas for a good portion of my life.
Unfortunately, life has ways of making fools of us all, and it quickly became apparent that my time on the dusty trails of the Macintosh Hills had not prepared me for this. Contrary to the sun-worn rock I was familiar with, where the ground was hot and unforgiving, baked until there was nothing but sand and stone, these swampy trails were much slower to traverse, given that the road, such as it could be called, was soft, clutching at my hooves as I went. I rolled up my coat sleeves in a vain attempt to preserve them from the mud, but by the time I’d been walking for half an hour, the constant splashing had rendered them filthy and wet. I never dropped my trunk, thankfully, but given that my magic was intent on keeping it aloft, I was unable to devote as much effort to clearing my path, and my clean tan fur quickly took on a darker shade of brown, splashed with stains of green.

It was well past supper when I finally breached the foliage into a dingy town, nestled between the mountains on the south, and the ocean to the north. At first glance, after having wrestled with nature for a good hour, a welcome sight. Making my way into town, my spirits once again began to fall. The townsfolk, those that I saw, were reluctant to meet me. I approached several shops when those few ponies on the street trotted away from me, to ask about my friend ‘Pearl Dive’. As I entered the first one, the vague feeling of unease that I had been courting grew larger. The shop seemed to have the bare minimum of supplies needed to qualify as such, with barely any food on the shelves, and barely serviceable, rusty tools hanging off hooks. One of the lengths of rope I saw I swear had moss growing on it!
The shopkeeper stood up as I entered, seeming to glance about the shop looking for something before turning to me. “Hngh?” He grunted, which I assume was a ‘hello’ of sorts.
“Yes, my good fellow, I am here looking for a pony called Pearl Dive. Can you direct me to his place of residence or work?” I said, trying my best to be amiable. I must have been quite a sight, with mud and leaves stuck to me all over, but I was as polite as I could possibly be. I needed to put on a good front for the town, in order to determine if Updraft was in trouble or not.
“At the docks, mountain-side.” He responded, his eyes not wavering from mine.
“Thank you, my good pony. Also, where might I find a place to stay? I may be here several weeks.” I said, trying my best to hold his gaze. If it was some sort of intimidation tactic, I wasn’t about to give in.
“Inn at the docks. Heavy Angler.” He said. He didn’t seem inclined to volunteer anything further, so I went on my way. Hopefully Updraft could let me stay with him.

My walk through the town was about what I expected following my first impression. The place was less than bucolic, smelling heavily of brine and fish. Judging from the shop, and my experience at the neighboring town, nopony came here to trade anymore, so I was curious what they all subsisted on. There were only fishing boats at the dock, and as I made my way onto the jetty it didn’t look like they had been out recently. What exactly were all these ponies doing here, if there was no trade, and there were no fisherponies doing their work? To be fair, I wasn’t exactly an expert on ocean travel or work, so I could have been wrong about the fishing boats, but the dock wasn’t exactly alive with activity. There were two grizzled old ponies in front of the Heavy Angler. They were seated on barrels, wrapped up in their rain jackets just watching me as I crossed the docks, looking for the house at the end. At least I’d have a place to stay for one night if I couldn’t find Updraft. Then be gone in the morning.
I trotted slowly down the wooden planks, hooves clopping on the boards as I passed rickety hut after rickety hut. All were old, creaky, and looked prime to collapse, except for the final one. This one had a light on inside, the roof was patched in multiple places, and some of the walls had newer wood in them. I breathed a sigh of relief. This must be Updraft’s place. Nestled right next to the mountain cliff, the jagged peaks diving into the ocean in the distance, with the rest of the town block it off from the swamp. As I neared it, walking up to the door, I thought I saw movement inside behind the curtains in the window, and I could hear somepony muttering. I hoped I wasn’t interrupting anything, but I wasn’t going to wait out here in the dark any longer. I was hungry, tired, and filthy. I rapped on the door with a hoof.

There was no answer at first, but the muttering inside stopped. I heard the sound of something heavy being shifted, followed by a thump and cursing. Finally, hoofsteps approached the door, and there was the sound of locks being undone, and finally, the door creaked open slightly, a chain still hooking the door to the frame. A tired, disheveled, dark blue and black-maned Pegasus peered up at me from the crack, his brown eyes wide and seemingly afraid. It was Updraft, sure enough. He certainly seemed a sorry sight compared to the last time I saw him.
“What d’you want?” He asked flatly, without even a welcome.
I attempted to remain surreptitious, suspecting there was a good reason he had changed his name here. “Yes, my name is Dr. Dusty Relic, I’m here looking for one Pearl Dive. I’m here strictly for research purposes, you understand. I wish to. . . study the ocean near here, and I was told you could help me, is that correct?” I came up with the first excuse that came to mind, and hoped it was good enough. I didn’t want to give away that I knew him too soon.
Updraft nodded vigorously, agreeing with me or just nodding for the sake of nodding, I wasn’t sure. “Of course, of course, I can help. Come in.” He said, closing the door, unhooking the chain, and opening it wide for me.
I smiled and stepped inside, floating my trunk above my head, trying to avoid the lights. His little cabin was cramped, and filled with papers, books, and artifacts of some sort. Or knick-knacks, I couldn’t be sure. None were labeled, and they were stacked on papers, or used as bookends, which wasn’t really something a pony should do with such things. I frowned as I surveyed the room, but Updraft motioned me past the kitchen-cum-study, into the room past it, which must have been the bedroom, with a shower and bathroom behind a curtain in one corner with towels and rags piled high. It certainly was rustic, that was for sure.

“You can put your trunk anywhere you like, just try not to disturb anything.” Updraft said, waving a hoof at the room. “You can also shower if you need to. The water’s cold, though. No heat. You’ll get the bed if you want it. I don’t need it.”
“Well thank you, uh, ‘Pearl’.” I said, not sure if I should keep referring to him by his pseudonym. He didn’t say anything, so I just kept going with it. “So, you being the expert on the area, what brought you out here in the first place, if I may ask?” I tried to be as surreptitious as possible, feeling like a character out of one of those ‘bit dreadful’ stories. I started peeling off my sodden coat, eager to wash myself of the grime of the road.
Updraft glanced around the room, looking at the window before answering. “I came out here because I’d heard there were clams in the area that grew the biggest pearls you’d ever seen! I’ve been hoping to find any, but it looks like they were merely tall tales. I’ve been trying to scrounge up enough money to start a cultured pearl farm, but things aren’t looking good. I can show you the spot I’ve been eyeing for it tomorrow, if you’re up for it?” He said, and gave me an exaggerated wink.
I rolled my eyes, but played along. At least I knew he was still somewhat sane, though I had no idea why he felt the need to be so circumspect. I’d have to ask him tomorrow, once we were far enough away from town. It was quite apparent he didn’t like the townsfolk, and after my brief interactions with them, such as they had been, I couldn’t say I did either. He’d been living with them for who knows how long, and it really must have worn on him something fierce. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days.

I showered quickly. The mechanism looked cobbled together from parts ripped from different bathrooms, as neither handle matched the other. Only one worked, of course, and the showerhead itself was a bucket with holes in it. As promised, the water was cold. More than cold, though, it was absolutely frigid, and by the time I felt satisfied I’d removed the worst of the mud from myself, I was shivering. I toweled off quickly and sat close to the fireplace, smoothing out my moustache in a small mirror I kept in my trunk.
“So is there someplace we could get a bite to eat nearby, ah, Pearl? Or could I cook something? It’s been a rather long day, and I missed tea as well as supper.” I asked.
Updraft grunted and set a kettle above the fire. As he did so I noticed his wings were awfully filthy. He’d always taken good care of them, so this struck me as odd, and rather concerning. It was indicative of something big if it was causing him to ignore his wings. He returned to the kitchen while the kettle heated up, and I heard him chopping something. He came back bearing a small plate of raw vegetables, and salted fish. Not my usual fare, and certainly not filling, but it would suffice for now. I’d had the foresight to bring some trail rations with me, so I wouldn’t starve, even if Updraft couldn’t provide enough. I accepted the meager supper with all grace, and ate, and Updraft sat with me in silence, staring into the fire until the kettle began to whistle. He got up, pulled it off the fire, and poured us both a cup of tea, which I sipped at, yet again in silence, staring into the flames. I had no idea what to say that wouldn’t be incriminating, though I was desperate to ask him about what his work was here. He seemed to fear the townsfolk, so I determined that I would wait until tomorrow like he wanted. Until then, it was at least pleasant to see my friend again.

Once it was time to retire, Updraft once again insisted I take the bed, so after mild arguing about it I did so. Sleep was troubled and uncomfortable, but when morning came I felt much better. Oddly, I don’t think Updraft actually slept, as he was in roughly the same place I left him when I retired. His eyes had already been hollow and haunted, so I couldn’t use that as any indicator of the amount of rest he’d gotten. However, he had breakfast prepared which once again consisted of vegetable and salted fish, so I ate that and didn’t bring it up. I hoped every meal in this place wasn’t going to consist of the same thing. A stallion needs variety in his diet. Updraft seemed eager to be on our way, and I would say the same for myself, so immediately following breakfast, I slipped on a fresh jacket, waxed my moustache, and followed him out of the shack.
Morning in Susurrus seemed about the same as evening. I could see two ponies sitting in front of the inn. I had no idea if they were the same ones, but of all the things I had come to expect from this town, that wouldn’t have been particularly surprising. Something about them had Updraft on edge, so them avoiding sleep wouldn’t be unexpected. It didn’t feel like we had been watched last night, though, and I hadn’t heard any noise. Maybe creaking planks to indicate somepony was stalking the outside of the house or something of that ilk? It was curious, and I had so many questions.
Updraft lead me along the docks, first showing me his personal skiff. “It’s certainly not much, but it’s what I use to get out to locations I expect to dive. Maybe if business picks up I can get a better one, but this is serviceable for now.” He was enthusiastic about it, but I couldn’t tell if he was putting on a show or not, so I chose not to respond, just nodding instead.

Updraft pulled a box of some sort out of the skiff, put it on his back, and lead me down the cliff side out along the mountain’s edge. It was a fairly easy walk, if a little harrowing. We were only several feet above the water, and the incoming waves, while small, were still crashing just below our hooves. I hadn’t taken the time to check if we were at low or high tide, but given that I couldn’t see an upper level for where the seawater might rise to anywhere on the cliff, I surmised it must be high tide currently. We reached a cave of sorts, more a hole the water had punched into the shrinking mountain, and Updraft stopped to look back along the path. He looked back at the path we had taken, glancing out across the water, and then turned to me, and the look on his face was one of sheer relief. He hugged me, suddenly, and I could smell days or weeks worth of brine and sweat on him. I hugged him back, though, until he pulled away.
“Dusty, thank Celestia you came! It has been an absolutely harrowing past few months, and I had no idea who else to turn to!” He said, patting me on the shoulder. “We have a lot to discuss, and you deserve so many explanations, but I figure showing it to you will answer most of your questions.”
“Show me what, exactly?” I asked, looking at the box he’d brought as he lowered it to the rock.
“Well that’s one of the questions that will be answered, won’t it?” He said.
Upon seeing the contents of the box, I grimaced. I suspected we’d probably have to get in the water, and I was right. There were two sets of simple diving gear in the box, complete with tanks of air. I had never enjoyed being underwater, and being underwater this close to where waves were crashing against the rocks was definitely not going to make that any easier.

“Well, I’ll go along with it, because you asked me to and I do really want to know what’s been going on here, but I want it put on the record that I will not be enjoying this.” I said, as I stripped off my jacket and folded it into the box.
“You’ll like it, trust me. This is right up your alley.” Updraft said, strapping on his goggles.
“Well, if it’s underwater you know full well this couldn’t possibly be ‘up my alley’. I’ve never enjoyed swimming.” I said, floating the various parts of my diving gear on. “I’ll need you to check these, I can see how they fit, but I’m not sure how they work. I don’t want to receive a mouthful of water once I’m in there.”
Updraft obliged my request, checking everything, and once my mouthpiece was in, he slapped the tank, checked his own, and dove into what I had assumed was a tide pool at one side of the small cave we were in. I shuddered, but closed the box and followed him, gingerly sliding my hind hooves into the water, before plunging in, the water closing over my face. It was dark, and I could feel the familiar panic of being underwater attempting to overwhelm me, but Updraft had brought a light with him, and shined it on me, helping to quell the rising fear. He grabbed me by the hoof and pulled me along, his wings helping him swim faster than me. I kicked lamely, trying to help, but if Updraft was doing most of the work. I found it briefly amusing that a Pegasus seemed to be so at home in the water. I did not have time to be amused for very long, because Updraft tapped me and pointed at the cave floor and my previous thoughts were all washed away in amazement at what I saw.

It was immense, or, it could be. The only part that wasn’t directly embedded into the rock of the mountain was the head, and part of a shoulder. Updraft slowly moved the light across it, illuminating the figure. It wasn’t a pony, or at least, it didn’t appear to be one. The face was quite alien, but evoked the tell-tale shape of a pony underneath the Piscean visage. Though worn from quite possibly centuries of exposure to the sea, as I got closer I thought I could discern details for scales on the figure, and tentacles draped down the front of what might have been the muzzle. There wasn’t any more of the statue exposed, but the material it was made of was different than the surrounding rock, so I could easily say it had been here before the mountain itself. Which was… impossible, to say the least. I could not believe it. Whatever Updraft had found here, whatever it was, and whoever had made it, should have been impossible.
My amazement was interrupted by a tap on my side, and Updraft pointed up with a hoof. I nodded and followed him back up the hole, and the reason for the exit quickly became clear. The water at the lip of the pool had receded slightly, leaving us a good bit of hefting to get back out. Once clear, I pulled off my gear and gasped.
“What in Tartarus was that? It was, it was…” I struggled for a moment. “I don’t know what it was, but it wasn’t pony! It must have been there for millennia at least to be embedded in the rock like that! But that means it would have to predate ponies too long to have been carved by them. No race has even been around long enough to have carved that when it first existed!” I rambled on and on, dripping onto the rock as I paced back and forth, trying to collect my thoughts.

“I don’t think it’s from Equestria.” Updraft finally said.
I blinked in confusion. “What?”
“I said I don’t think it’s from Equestria.” Updraft said again.
“But… you’re suggesting...” I began.
“Exactly what you think I’m suggesting. I’ll explain when we get home. Quietly, of course. Let’s get out of here. It’s cold and we’re both wet.” Updraft said.
I wasn’t going to argue, but the way his attitude changed was disturbing. He seemed reluctant to talk about it, while at the same time eager to do so. His suggestion was also completely ludicrous! It’s true the statue appeared to be old. Far older than anything I’d expect a carved figure to be, and there was still the question of who built it. It had the basic shape of a pony underneath all that, so you wouldn’t expect the Diamond Dogs to have carved it, nor the griffons or minotaurs. Building a carved statue in the ocean wasn’t something the deer would do either, and the head was too stocky to be a deer anyway. Then there was the matter of it sharing undersea features like scales and tentacles. I hadn’t had a good look at the neck, but I’d wager there were gills somewhere in that mess of seaweed and barnacles. I really wanted to have a longer look. If I could get a team out here with cameras and… wait, why didn’t Updraft have a team out here with cameras? This was the find of the century! Possibly the millennia! He would be famous! It must be the villagers. Something they were doing was preventing him from getting anything going. I felt a chill at the realization that the villagers might be the cause of Updraft not having any help other than myself out here. What exactly had they done, and what might they be capable of if push came to shove? I was no fighter, and the only thing I had that resembled a weapon were my digging tools. My mood fell as we made our way back to the cabin.

Updraft carried the box inside his shanty, tossed it into the kitchen, and once I was inside, locked the door and drew the blinds. He started up a small fire and put on the kettle to heat some water. He grabbed the two still dirty cups from the counter and brought them out, along with some more salted fish. He put it all on the table, pulled up a seat, and sat down, motioning for me to do the same opposite him. I obliged.
“So” He said quietly, “Let’s start with how I found it. I’ll try to make this brief.”
“Take all the time you need.” I said.
“I was, as you know, researching griffon history.” He began, “I was interested in the lost treasure of Griffonstone, the Idol of Boreas, because it was reportedly what made them great. As with many others, I believed it was the symbol of greatness it provided that instilled a deep sense of greatness in the, so I wanted to know the history behind its creation.”
“Indeed, I’ve heard all that before.” I said.
He nodded. “Most ponies have. My research took me further into their history. I discovered, through much prodding, cajoling, bribing, and threatening, that the Idol of Boreas had been taken by the griffons from the minotaurs during a battle. The griffons, while defending from minotaur attack, had struck back at the minotaurs and stolen the Idol from them in a show of strength. The minotaurs, in turn, had taken it from the diamond dogs, who had dug it up from somewhere.” He said. He paused when the kettled started to whistle and he stood to pull it off the fire and pour water into each cup. “The griffons, meanwhile, lost the idol when Arimaspi came to take it from them, but he died in the attempt. In every instance, the idol was taken by force. Now, here’s where it gets interesting.”

“I was already interested, but continue, please.” I said, sipping slowly at my tea.
“So as I continued my research, which was difficult, by the way. I pieced together stories and folk tales and all the rest, trying to figure out where the idol originally came from.” Updraft’s smile became wide, toothy, and a little unsettling. “It was found somewhere in Equestria, on the eastern coast in the mountains!”
“You think it came from here.” I said.
“Yes! There aren’t any other artifacts in the cave, but surely that statue can’t be the only thing in the ocean around here. There must be more! There must!” Updraft slammed his hoof the table, and I jumped.
I sipped my tea and didn’t answer. I didn’t really know what to say. The statue was amazing, and held implications that I could only imagine without another good look, but if there was more in the ocean nearby, well… possibilities flooded my mind and I honestly felt a little dizzy, but I just sat and sipped at my tea, trying to decide what I should do. If I went back to the university and asked them for funding to do research in such a remote area, would they approve? Would they believe me? I needed proof of some sort, and the statue was all I had. My camera wasn’t waterproof, as most of my work had taken place in deserts, so I was equipped for that sort of work.
“Have you taken photos? Do you have any proof I could take to the University?” I asked.
Updraft just shook his head. “None. My camera went missing early on. I suspect the locals, but I have no proof of that, either.”
That was disturbing, to say the least, but what else could I do? I could travel to the neighbouring town and pick one up, but I didn’t relish making the slog through the swamp. Updraft had had at least a year here to get a new one, why hadn’t he done so? Something didn’t add up.

“Why… haven’t you picked up a new camera yet? You could easily fly to the next town and get one. What aren’t you telling me?” I asked.
Updraft looked uncomfortable, and he shifted his wings weirdly. He didn’t answer, but looked at his tea. I opened my mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a pounding at the door.
“Pearl! Got a job for you! Git out here, and bring your guest!” A gravelly voice yelled.
Updraft cringed, but stood up. “Come on, Dusty. I hoped we’d have more time, but they… don’t like to be kept waiting. Just do whatever they ask, okay?”
“What do you…” I began.
“WHATEVER, they ask. Please!” He said, then moved toward the door.
I was confused and honestly rather frightened, but I followed Dusty, my magic at the ready just in case. I wasn’t going to be much use magically in a fight, but I could at least confuse or stun them momentarily if it came down to that. We stepped outside to find five of the villagers waiting in a semicircle for us. They remained standing on all sides, and herded the two of us down the docks. Four of the five were wearing large rain jackets, and the reason for that eluded me. As far as I could tell, the weather, while cloudy, didn’t look like rain. If Updraft was this concerned, maybe they were hiding weapons? It seemed unlikely to me, as none of these five were unicorns. Judging from size and build, three of the four wearing jackets were earth ponies, with the last being a Pegasus based on her slim build. Unless the Pegasus was hiding something under her wings, I couldn’t imagine a way for the rest to hide something under their jackets without there being some telltale bulge. I wasn’t going to lash out at them until they made the first move, but I was at least going to be ready. Updraft in his prime could have fought them off, or just flown, but if he was going along with it, there was a reason, so I just stood by his side, trying to give him some comfort, and taking some myself.

We were taken to a large building just behind the docks. I surmised it was the town hall or mayor’s office or other structure of importance once upon a time. Now it merely looked like a larger version of the delapidated huts dotting the area. Covered in mold, dry seaweed, and seagull droppings. The windows, I noticed, were all boarded up, and upon entering, a briny, wet smell met my nose and I recoiled, but the pony behind me grunted and pushed me forward. His voice sounded phlegm-filled and I hoped whatever he had wasn’t catching. We were taken into a wide-open room where another pony in a raincoat stood at a desk, clearly waiting for us. This one was a unicorn, I noted, and my chances of using magic to escape disappeared. I’d never been able to take on another unicorn in a fight. My abilities were purely utilitarian. Digging, moving, and delicate manipulation. Never brunt force. The crowd of villagers stood around Updraft and myself in a circle, and the ones at the door shut and barred it. This was swiftly looking worse and worse, and I did not like it.
“Pearl Dive.” The pony at the desk said, his voice also phlegm-filled and wet. “You have brought a new member to the fold. Do you wish him to be put to the test, or shall he be used to appease our family from the sea?”
“The test, master.” Updraft said.
“Wait, what? What test?” I said in confusion, looking back and forth between Updraft and the large, oddly-bulbous pony.
“Do what they want, and you’ll be fine.” Updraft said.
“What test, what the hell is going on? What fold? I’m here for research!” I said, backing away from Updraft as well as their leader.
“There will be no research here. You join the fold, or you go to the ocean.” The fat pony burbled. “Seize him.”

It was a brief scuffle. I wouldn’t call it a fight. I was outnumbered and outmagicked, and though I fired off a brief burst of coloured light, it only stunned a single pony while the rest of the crowd surrounded me and restrained my limbs. They didn’t bother trying to stop me from using my horn, but I didn’t know what I could do with it anyway. Updraft didn’t try to help me, though I wasn’t expecting him to in the first place.
Once they had me down on the damp ground, the fat pony at the desk muttered at me. “You will be given fourty-eight hours to prove yourself worthy of being here. Do not fail.”
Without giving me a chance to respond, I was hefted up by the crowd of ponies around me. Their limbs were cold and clammy, some even felt moist. They ponyhandled me into other parts of the building, descending a staircase to what appeared to be a dungeon. I wish I were kidding, but they had built a dungeon in the wet basement of their little community center or whatever this building was. I was tossed into a cell, and the door was locked. I was then left to myself on the slimy floor. For what reason though, I could not say.
Of course, I didn’t just sit there and take it. As soon as they let go of me and left the room, I ran up to the bars and gave them a good rattle. I didn’t expect them to fall in at all, but I felt it was worth the effort to try. Maybe they’d actually failed to lock it, or maybe the salty air had ruined it to the point where it was useless to even do so. Alas, my efforts were useless, as the cell was solid, locked, and had no exit, save for a pony-sized hole in the middle of the floor.

The inclusion of such a hole had me worried, because the ponies who had put me here obviously did not expect me to use it to escape, or they wouldn’t have bothered locking the cell door in the first place. No, I expected the hole to have a much more sinister use. One that I did not think I would enjoy discovering.
I watched the hole for a short time. The swell of the tide pushed the seawater up to lap at the edges of it, and I expected a slimy creature of the deep to leap out at any moment. This was not what happened. At least, not immediately. I should imagine about an hour passed, and despite my watchful eye upon it, the hole did naught more than spill some water into the cell, wetting the already damp floor of my cell. I turned my attention to the other aspects of this dungeon I found myself in, though the rest was hardly more exciting.
From my vantage point inside one of them, there appeared to be about eight cells altogether. I could see four on the other side of the hall from me, and if there wasn’t an extra one hugging the wall across from the stairwell, then that should leave both sides even. None of the other cells were occupied, save for damp bedding and a stool in each. There was no guard down here, and no station for one to sit at even if they were to station one. I suspect they thought the locked doors and the ominous holes of water would be enough to keep the occupants in line and restrained. Either they would break out of the cell and come up to the main area of the building, where they would find the obese pony and his lackeys, or the prisoner would tempt fate with the hole in the cells and encounter whatever awful beast lay below. Neither option appealed to me, so I determined to wait.

Wait I did, and time passed. I was delivered a small amount of food which, of course, included fish. Updraft had gotten used to it, and he insisted I do whatever they wanted, so I ate it. I didn’t want to starve to death down here, after all. My curiosity demanded I sate it, and if that meant doing what these ugly ponies wanted, I would do it. With much wailing and gnashing of teeth, of course. I didn’t intend to go quietly into whatever cult they had going on.
My main concern at this point, however, was lasting the 48 hours, while still accomplishing whatever was expected of me. To join their “fold” I had to pass some form of test. If I failed, I expected the other option, that of being sent to appease the family from the sea, would be the outcome. That sounded suspiciously like being fed to the fishes, and that wasn’t a good outcome, so I had to pass something.
I looked down at the hole.
They wouldn’t, would they? Did they expect me to swim through there to some destination? Were all these cells for the test? Was I supposed to pass through this pitch-black watery pit and come out the other side? That was madness! Ponies weren’t water-going creatures! Some could get proficient at it, sure, but most didn’t take up swimming as anything more than a hobby. It certainly wasn’t the norm for anypony I knew!
I looked at the hole. The water had lowered itself a couple of inches. The tide must have been going out.
The only way I could even have a hope of traversing whatever underground cave was expected of me was with magic. I couldn’t hold my breath worth a damn, and my form was laughable. I would need to use a breathing spell of some kind, and still have enough energy to make light so that I wouldn’t get lost down there. That would be tricky.

I waited and watched, hoping that something else would make itself evident as a test of some kind. I would even have preferred if some monstrous sea creature hauled itself into the cell with me for a battle to the death. At least then I would be able to remain on land. I lived in a desert, for Celestia’s sake! Water was not a thing I enjoyed. Still, nothing happened. The hole just remained still, save for the dark water lapping at the sides.
I groaned and determined that I if this was the test, and I did have to traverse some underwater cave, I would need some time to prepare for it. Hours had already passed, though I couldn’t be sure how many, and my efforts would have to bear fruit before my time limit was up.
I stood and approached the hole. I was wary, as any sane pony would be of the water and the dark, both of which were before. I stared down into its circular maw, and felt a chill go up my spine. It seemed to stare back, though I was sure it was merely my imagination.
My imagination; that creative beast that helped me during my work so very often, was now working against me. Thoughts of my death flashed through my mind: Being pulled into the hole by some alien appendage, being chewed by the maw of some deep-sea creature, drawn to the surface by the arcane promises of a cult of villagers living by the seaside. That and more flashed through my mind, the worst of it echoing in my head as I realized I would have to brave those depths sooner or later.
I tested the water with my hoof. The water was cold. The kind of cold you would expect water in a cave to be. The tide was either coming in or going out, I couldn’t tell, but it was nearer to the top of the lip than I thought it was earlier.

When I wasn’t immediately pulled to my death, I dipped my hoof in deeper. It was possible to get used to the water. It wouldn’t numb my limbs as I attempted to swim to safety, so I was thankful for that. However, there was still the matter of seeing my way through while I was down there. I lit my horn, which is one of the spells I could reliably perform even when stressed, and tried to shine it down into the water.
Results were minimal. There was no illumination of a horrible face looking up at me, which I had secretly feared I might see, but I could see nothing else, either. The light didn’t penetrate the surface of the water with much efficacy, leaving me no better off than when I started. I had the sinking realization that I would need to stick my head in the water to hope to see anything.
At that thought, I felt panic rising up from within me, and I had to steady myself with a few deep breaths. I was going to have to go into the water, and I was already panicking at the thought of simply sticking my head in! I whimpered quietly.
I kept my spell going, inhaled several times, then before I could think about it any further I stuck my head down the hole and into the chill waters, propping my body up with my forehooves on either side of the hole.
I opened my eyes after my head was in and I looked around, aiming my light in different directions. It went much further now that it didn’t have to penetrate the surface, and I could see that there was indeed a cave that the hole lead to. There was a good amount of rock on either side of the hole, which was the foundation of the building I was in, but it went deeper, with outcroppings and pillars of stone here and there.

I pulled my head out of the hole and gasped a sigh of relief. The one major relief I felt was that I saw no creatures. I knew that there would be creatures, but seeing them and knowing about them are two completely separate things, emotionally. I can handle knowing they’re there, but seeing them while I’m in the water with them was a different matter entirely, and was likely to cause me to panic.
Now that I had a vague outline of the underground I was going to have to navigate, I prepared some mental notes. I was going to need to have a spell to provide me with air, which was going to be the hardest part, and then I was going to have to determine the direction I would want to swim once I was down there. Getting lost in the cave would mean certain death. Almost as certain as failing to pass the test in 48 hours.
Ere I began attempting the spell which would provide me with fresh air, I attempted some calculations on the filthy floor. The building I was in wasn’t that far a distance from the docks, which would mean that the length I would have to swim would hopefully not be much farther. Taking into account my poor swimming skill, and any detours I might have to take, (hopefully not more than several meters), I determined I would need air for at the uppermost, ten minutes.
I tapped my chin in thought as I pondered the swim. It would be difficult, and I would probably be exerting myself, which would make me breathe harder than usual. If I began to panic, I might begin to hyperventilate, which would further steal away my air faster than I wanted it to. If all of those things happened, I would need to double the air I brought with me. Twenty minutes, at the utmost. It would strain my skill in magic to their limit.

Despite my skills lying elsewhere, I lit up my horn and attempted a spell that was supposed to shield the user’s face from sand and dust. I didn’t know if it would work underwater, but I thought I should give it a shot. After all, the worst that would happen would be that it didn’t work, and I’d have to attempt to modify it. The spell was a struggle to cast, but I got it. I felt a cool breeze moving in circles around my head when it was done, and sat rather pleased with myself.
However, I couldn’t rest on my laurels quite yet. I needed to see if this spell would shield my head from water as well as sand and other flying grit. I positioned myself above the hole in the floor and once more stuck my head into the waters below. To my eternal delight, it seemed to work! I kept my head underwater for several more seconds, taking in a few quick breaths while immersed, then pulled my head back out.
I smiled wide as I shook the water off my neck, and pondered my swim some more. I still had no idea how many hours had passed, but I knew it couldn’t yet have been a full day. I’d rest a bit, letting my magic recuperate, then try to… actually dive in.
I gulped at the thought of putting my whole body in that all-encompassing darkness, but I didn’t have a choice. The cultists up above me held all the cards, and they didn’t seem the forgiving type. The village was proof enough of that. They were dying by their own hooves and their own habits. I had little sympathy for them, but I didn’t want to die. So here I stood, prepared to swim for my life.

After a brief rest, I found myself walking in circles, breathing deep and slow as I calmed myself before my dive. I tested my two spells to make sure I could keep them both going at the same time, and drew in a few deep breaths.
My heart was pounding in my chest, and I tried not to think about the coming dive. It was just a thing that needed doing, like cleaning the house, or fetching the groceries. It was an errand. It was a chore. It was nothing. An annoyance. A minor setback. A stepping stone. With these thoughts firmly in mind, I cast the air spell first, turned on my horn-light, and jumped in.
The darkness closed over my body, followed by the cold water. Panic rose swiftly around me, and I struggled with my imagination to calm myself down. Slow and steady breaths, I told myself. Slow and steady breaths. Air would be the first killer, with anything else coming afterward.
I oriented myself in the direction of the coast, and turned my horn light forward, sweeping it around me. The rocks went down some few meters at a slope, then turned, opening into a wider area with pillars of stone throughout the underwater cave. I kept myself next to the ceiling of rock, pushing myself along it as I made my way deeper. The thin beam of light provided very little actual light, with there only being a small shaft of it piercing the black of the abyss that surrounded me.
The darkness proved to be my fiercest opponent, and I struggled to keep my mind focused. The thought of whatever might be out there, possibly swimming right next to me, kept forcing itself to the forefront of my thoughts. I would occasionally sweep the light in a full sphere around me just to make sure I wasn’t being accompanied by some hidden denizen of the deep. Thus far, I was alone.

I swam onward, keeping myself next to the wall with my bubble of air around my head. The spell was supposed to be functional for hours if prepared properly, but that assumed an environment of sand and dust. Without actual air to refresh itself, I suspected it would only last a quarter of one at most. I didn’t like my chances, but I had to take the risk.
As I moved on, I realized I had neglected another problem: I could hear nothing. My ears were only exposed to the cool breeze flowing around my head, and were not immersed in the water itself. The sounds of the water, like motion nearby, or the call of an underwater mammal, or the crashing of waves against rocks, were gone. I could hear nothing except swirling air.
The quiet and the darkness took their toll on me, and as I swept the light about the rocky pillars which I had yet to reach, I thought I saw motion. A black shape disappearing into the maze. I stopped for a moment and flashed my light back and forth among the rocks, but nothing appeared.
I found myself hyperventilating from swiftly rising panic, and realized that it didn’t matter if I had seen something or not, I couldn’t stop. I had to keep moving. It would eat me, or it wouldn’t, and there was nothing I could do about it. I was not a fighter, and underwater, I stood even less of a chance than on land.
It was with this in mind that when I finally reached the pillars of stone, that I had clearly seen something moving indeed. I kept my light following it here and there as it darted about the pillars. I was so intent on it, that I barely noticed that the pillars I was swimming through were not naturally occurring formations of stone. They weren’t outcroppings carved by the beating of the tide on the rocks. These were carved.

I stopped next to one of the pillars and ran a hoof over the mollusk-encrusted stone of one of the pillars. The evidence of it being hoof-made was in the uniform size and shape of the pillar from the roof of this stone cave down to the floor. There were faded and nearly-illegible carvings in the stone of it, barely visible through the sea-life that made its home on it.
I wanted to understand it.
This cave must be connected to the giant statue Updraft had taken me to see. The proximity between the two and their geological position lent credence to that fact, but I was still no closer to understand why they were both underwater.
The features of the Piscean pony statue led me to believe that the race that had created them were a sea-going race, possibly even living underwater entirely. If they lived here centuries ago, making their home in the underwater passages, why did they leave? What happened to them, and what were they like? If these carvings were writing, that meant the ponies here had language! They had a level of technology necessary to create monstrous carvings that rivaled those made today! This was the find of the century! Maybe the millennium!
I needed to know more about them.
I felt the water around me move and realized I was still in a desperate situation, and I had become distracted. Cursing myself for a fool, I swung my light around in a panicked circle, looking for possible sources of motion. I remembered that before I had begun staring at the pillar I had seen something moving. Whether it was dangerous or not was another matter, but I didn’t want to take chances. Especially with the weird cultists up above. They meant this to be a test, so it couldn’t be easy. Whether they meant the distance to swim or getting past a creature was still in doubt.

Nothing appeared in front of me with flashing teeth as long as my forehoof, so I was safe for now, but I had wasted time. I had wasted a lot of time.
I pushed off from the pillar and began swimming again. I still knew the direction I needed to go, but I had sunk away from the cave walls, and was now pushing myself from pillar to pillar. I made it past several of them, but I still saw no light of any kind. I was trapped in this pitch-dark cave. I didn’t even know if there was an exit from here at all!
I felt myself begin to breath heavier, and realized I was beginning to panic. I tried to quell the rising fear that I had begun swimming to my death, but it wouldn’t go away. I could have stayed in the cell and fought them off. I could have tried to reason with them. I could have tried to escape the cell from the door instead of swimming down here!
I was beginning to hyperventilate, and I was kicking my hooves through the water faster than I needed to. I knew deep inside that I was pushing myself closer to death much faster, but the panicked part of me was much stronger. My horn light began flickering and I realized I was losing control.
Just as the light went out I saw something moving in the darkness coming directly for me. I flailed in the water, trying to swim upward toward whatever surface there might be above me. Maybe find a pocket of air hidden in these caves for years. I felt something slimy touch my hind hoof, and my air spell went out as I yelped in fear. The water closed over my head, and my shouting disappeared in a series of bubbles. I kicked and tried to scream as the grip it had on my tightened, but it was no use. I was at its mercy.

The thing slithered up the length of my body, its touch almost sensual in its motion. Its smooth surface pressed up my legs, across my belly, and up around my neck. It wrapped tight around my throat and I feared it would choke me, but instead it slid around, then up to my face. I felt something cold press against my lips, then the grip around my body tightened and I was pulled away from the cave wall and into the darkness.
In the pitch-black I saw nothing, but my vision began to be covered with stars as my air ran out. My lungs burned and I knew this was it. The thing was carrying me to its lair, where it would feed on my bloated corpse for days. I tried to convince myself I should just be resigned to my fate, but my stubborn grip on life had me hold my breath for as long as I could.
I opened my mouth, desperate for breath, and took in a lungful of water just as I felt myself breach the surface. I flopped onto solid ground, coughing and hacking up saltwater. My vision swam, peppered with flashing spots as my lungs ached for air. I scraped at my throat, wheezing and choking on brine.
I felt something press against my chest, and some horrid monstrosity appeared in my spotty vision above me. I tried to push it away, but it began to smother me. I felt pressure against my chest and my ribs were pressed roughly downward. The pressure continued in a steady rhythm until I coughed up more seawater. I was rolled onto my side, and liquid poured out my mouth and nose, and after what felt like a burning eternity, I was able to inhale proper air.
I breathed. Shaky at first, interspersed with the occasional cough, but air was flowing through my lungs, and I reveled in it. I thought only about how much I enjoyed breathing, and payed little attention to the thing that had helped me do so.

Once my breath returned to me and stars no longer cascaded across my vision, I could pay attention to what had happened. From my position on the floor I could see I had been returned to my cell. Though on second glance, it wasn’t the original one I had been placed in. This one was flush with the wall, where my previous one had been closer to the middle. The cell doors were all locked, so it was moot, but my position was curious: Who had brought me here?
That was when I remembered something grabbing me. In the panicked haze of my memory, I recalled something slimy grabbing hold of me and dragging me through the water. It was this creature that had dragged me to safety.
It was also this creature that was still here with me! A chill went through me and I heard something that sounded akin to a wet rag being slapped against a countertop. I slowly turned to face the source, pulling myself to a sitting position.
It could have killed me several times already, but instead had chosen to rescue me from my watery peril. I felt safe enough, but seeing it sent further panic through me.
It almost looked like the statue that Updraft had taken me to see. It had a vague pony shape, but it was a mess of tentacles and fins beyond that. The eyes were oversized and a solid milky colour. At first I thought it was blind, but it seemed to know where I was despite not having its eyes focused on me. Its muzzle was more pony-shaped than that of the statue, but it was half-open and I could see several rows of shark-like teeth meant for tearing flesh. Its mane was plastered to its body, and was exceedingly long, draping in tendrils around its body to the floor.

As I stared at it, it tilted its head in a bird-like manner, flicking its wet, drooping ears and spattering me with seawater. Its eyes weren’t pointed in my direction, so I didn’t believe it was looking at me, but it spoke in the same gurgling voice as the rest of the villagers who had thrown me down here.
“Mine?” it said.
“I-well-I’m not sure what you mean,” I said.
“Mine gift?” It pointed at me with a hoof or tentacle, I wasn’t sure which.
“I don’t have much on me, but you can have my—“ I searched my clothes and found my pocketwatch, which I held out to the thing “—my pocketwatch?”
With a squeal, the thing spit up bubbles, grabbed the pocketwatch from me, and dove back into the hole. I was left alone, back at the starting point of my trek, having made no progress and almost drowning myself. The only benefit of the attempt at swimming away, was now knowing that there were indeed creatures down there, and I had no idea if they were benevolent or not.
I had, however, learned something of value: The villagers spoke the same way as this thing, though the villagers themselves were much more articulate. This gave me room to assume they were descended, or at least related to, this sea-creature I had encountered.
Were these pony ancestors? Had ponies descended from sea-creatures long, long ago? Was our history filled with the depths of the ocean instead of green pastures and wide fields? If this was the case, why was there so little known about these? There was an entire town filled with these ponies that bore some relation to the sea-creatures, so why would they keep it such a secret? It didn’t add up, and I was certain there was something I was still missing. Some piece of the puzzle unbeknownst to me.


There was also the matter of escape. I was still stuck waiting for the end of the 48-hour time limit I had been given, and I didn’t want to wait for the villagers to be rid of me. Not only was I worried their “rid” involved having me killed, but there was the matter of all the unknown history this village had inside it. It would be a travesty for the information to be lost simply because the villagers hated outsiders. I had to get into their good graces just as Updraft had in order to be allowed to stay here. The lost history of Equestria depended on it!
I stood up and attempted to cast my air spell once again, but a wave of dizziness washed over me. I was exhausted, both physically and magically, from the previous attempt. Being so near-death would do that to anypony, and magic was currently out of my reach.
I did not know how many hours I had left, but I imagined I would hear the villagers coming before they tried to take me away, and I was certain 48 hours had not yet passed, so I lay down in the damp bedding to rest. It was cold and uncomfortable, but I needed it. Upon closing my eyes, I fell asleep almost immediately.

When I awoke, I saw a pile of seafood in front of me. Much of it was raw, and I was not a fan of eating raw fish. Salted was one thing, but raw was a little bit beyond me yet. There was seaweed and what appeared to be other deep-sea plants, so I ate those instead.
Once I was done I lit my horn and cast my air spell. There was still some dizziness, but it was minor, and I went to dive into the hole. When I stood over it, before I could dive in, a tentacle, followed by a face filled with sharp teeth broke the surface, and I jumped back in surprise, losing both spells.

“Gift yes!” The creature yelled as it splashed up into my cell.
My heart was pounding, but I began to relax as I realized it was just the creature from before. I don’t know why it came back. It probably desired more gifts. Its appearance was less horrifying to me now that I knew it only wanted to get presents. Its behavior reminded somewhat of a dolphin; if a dolphin had shark-teeth and soulless eyes.
It held out a tentacle toward me, and I checked my pockets for anything else I might have that I could give it. I didn’t have much else except my cuff-links, so I pulled one of those off and floated it over to the creature.
To my surprise, it didn’t want it. Instead, the creature reached out and grabbed my hoof. Its slimy appendage tugged at me, and I had the distinct feeling it wanted me to swim with it. It slid itself back into the hole in the floor, but I shook my head.
“I actually have to breathe air. I can’t breathe underwater like you,” I said.
The thing looked at me in what I assumed was confusion, and gripped my limb harder, pulling on me as it started to sink. I pulled back, trying to get the message across to this thing I couldn’t follow it so easily.
“No, really, I can’t breathe down there! I need air!” I said.
“Gift come!” It said, wrapping a second tentacle around my other forehoof and pulling on me.
I felt my heart lurch in my chest as I understood what it was talking about. It wasn’t asking me for a gift; I WAS the gift! Was this the test? Was I supposed to get along with this creature or defeat it in battle? Was I supposed to talk to it? Get along with it? Whatever I was supposed to do with it, I needed to do it fast, because I was going back into the water!

I frantically cast my air spell as I reached the hole leading into the ocean, but my light spell was not within my grasp at the moment. I plunged into the cold water and the oppressive darkness. My forehooves were held tightly in the grip of the creature, and I was pulled along to a place I did not know. I was disoriented, and had no idea which direction I was going, or if it was toward the coast or further into the maze of caverns beneath the town.
Not long after we went into the water, I felt the motion cease, and I was released. It was so sudden that I didn’t know if I should try to escape or not, but I had no further time to make a decision as a frigid and powerful thing wrapped itself around my neck.
Upon contact with my flesh, whatever had wrapped itself around me burned fiercely. It started out as a minor annoyance, but it quickly built up into an agonizing bite. I screamed in pain and tore at it with my hooves, but the pain didn’t go away, and it was as ineffectual as trying to defeat an ursa major by punching it. I got the impression this thing didn’t care about me at all, whatever it was.
As suddenly as it had begun, the pain ceased. The thing let go of me, and I was left floating in the pitch-black water. I felt smaller tentacles around me, and surmised my erstwhile friend had returned. Probably after defending me from the larger one. I don’t know what was more terrifying: That the owner of that larger tentacle was so close, and probably watching me as I swam, or that it had what must be children.
At that thought I realized something: The villagers. They were PROTECTING these things.

I lit my horn and prepared to start up my light, when I realized that I hadn’t been casting anything. The pain from the larger thing must have knocked out my spell! But then, how was I breathing?
I brought a hoof up to my neck, and felt ridges. They opened and closed rhythmically without me doing a thing, and I realized I had been given gills. Through magic, but what kind of sea-creature was that powerful?
I felt myself shiver, halfway because of the tender touches from the sea creature who thought of me as a gift, and half because I realized that somewhere in the water before me was something so ancient and powerful it could just pass out gills to whomever it pleased. Could I look at this thing? Did I want to look at this thing?
The creature crawling all over me was making shrill noises at me that sounded like it was excited, but I was barely paying attention to it. I was conflicted between my curiosity and my own sense of self preservation.
Updraft had discovered something ancient and powerful, and he wanted to share it with me, so I came. The caveat he had not told me was that along with the ancient civilization, he had discovered the god, or the descendent of the god, that this civilization worshipped. An underwater deity of such immense power and unknowable wisdom that it dwarfed our own, and cared little for our comings and goings. It was secure in its power. Secure in such a way that only a being so ancient can be, and I was going to look at it.
I had known from the beginning that I would look. I was trying to convince myself not to, with little success. I powered up my horn, and turned on my light, ready to see whatever I would see.

The next thing I knew, I was back in my cell, and the villagers had come to get me. I don’t know what had happened, but I had apparently passed the test. The villagers examined my neck, and though I heard nothing of what they said, I was passed back to Updraft with a pleased gurgle, and dragged back to his house. He laid me down on the filthy bed and prepared some tea, which I didn’t touch.
I felt… lost.
I had forgotten something. Something important, but I could not gather enough energy to care. I needed… I needed… to see the ocean.
I stood up, and went to the door. Updraft didn’t try to stop me. He just followed along behind me, as though he understood exactly what was going on. I went out to the docks, where the villagers were no longer looking at me with suspicion. Instead, I saw on their faces the same kind of expression I knew was now on my face. There was a distinct understanding between us and the thing beneath hidden in the cove. We were to remain and keep it undisturbed, and it would leave Equestria undisturbed. It was a fair trade.
“What’s her name?”
“What’s… oh.” Images flashed in my head of milky-white eyes and shark-teeth. “Her name in our tongue is Cave Eel.”
Updraft nodded. “Mine is White Cap.”
“How many of the villagers are…?”
“Only about a quarter. They’re in charge of choosing who gets tested, as you saw. They wanted fresh blood, and being allowed to stay and research was important to me,” Updraft said.
“Do you really want to know? Have you seen it?”
Updraft shook his head. “If I have I don’t remember it. Nopony does except the children, and they don’t tell.”
“I get the feeling we’re better off that way.”
“Yeah, me too,” I said.
We stared at the horizon as the sun went down. I would have to have my things delivered to me. I knew just the pony to invite, too. He was curious. Curious to a fault...

The End.