[Fillydelphia] A descent into Madness (closed. Pm for info)

[BeGoneThots]

Storm nodded and gently lifted the urn. As he carried it, he spoke softly. "I will make breakfast in the morning. Any preferances?" He was setting the urn in his saddle bags to keep it from making a mess on the boat. He smiled softly at Blueblood and let out a sigh.

His ball of light faded out again. Leaving them in the darkness of night. Something Storm was thankful for. The stallion allowed his mane and tail to unbraid and rest as he slowly rung the water from them over the side of the ship. It wasnt long before he yawned again himself.

[Blueblood]

"No preferences..."  Blueblood mumbled as he stumbled below deck, the coffee's effects having worn off.  Piloting a ship through a storm, and to anchor on an isolated sandbar, was no easy task.  Of course, given that unconsciousness is not a substitute for actual sleep, Storm probably wasn't much better off.  If the former guard wanted to catch a few winks, though, he could.  He was beyond where any sergeant could scold him.

 

The Prince slept by watches out at sea.  It wasn't quite dawn then, when he stepped out onto the deck again.  The sky was full of the proverbial darkness before the dawn, but a faint light was hovering about the boat.  "I... didn't light any lamps... Storm, is that you?"  Following the greenish-blue glow, Blueblood found himself near the urn they had taken from the shipwreck.  Was... was that what was glowing?  

 

Hair were beginning to prick on the back of his neck; all the strange stories heard in dockside gatherings began to come back to the sailing Prince.  Ghost ships and seaponies, phosphorescent monsters of the deep...

[BeGoneThots]

Stormstride had been on the stern watching the waves. He was almost asleep when the prince came on deck.

He hadnt noticed anything off until the glow was mentioned. It was quite the unique thing to see. He moved bedide the prince, and slowly pushed him back. "Stsy behind me... better it gets to me first." He whispered.

He stepped closer and stood beside the urn. On impulse he touched the urn gently. The thing was quiet but still glowing. Ss he turned to look at Blueblood the sound of a ship rocking back and forth on the water reached his ears. Then a soft thud ss it hit the sandbar.

Storm mover to look. He could see the wreck still. But now there was a faintly glowing pony there. Moving about as if trying to pull rigging. Storm gazed softly at it. "Prince... look" Storm motioned, as the pony seemed to be examining his ship. Though the wreck was still visible to them, it was apparently a full ship to this pony. "By thunder... no. Oh gods and fates now.. im so close to shore..." his voice was weak. Ragged as if parched of thirst.

[Blueblood]

Storm did not need to tell Blueblood twice to stay back.  "It's not fair!"  He whispered hoarsely as the apparition grew more clear.  "I don't even believe in ghosts!"  Still, it didn't look as if the... well, for convenience's sake one could call it a pony, was hostile.  More... distracted.  Not knowing that he was dead, even.  

 

The Prince looked at the guard, then back at the ghost, several times before clearing his throat.  "Er, Hallo!  Hail to the Voyager!  This is the HMS Windrose!"  He called out, not able to bear the tension any longer.  Would the other respond?  Or was he barred from hearing the voices of the living?

[BeGoneThots]

Storm watched carefully. The pony didnt respond at first. But that didnt stop storm from trying. "Hey!! You need help?" Nothing. Storm looked at him a bit. Moving to the urn he touched it. The pony instsntly turned snd looked at them, as if he could see them. "Ahoy!!"

"Ahoy! This is voyager II. A storm blew me off course! Im trying to make shore! My sexton washed overboard with my charts. Can you tow me into shore?"

[Blueblood]

So... it seemed one had to tap the urn in order to get the ghost's attention.  As it seemed that the apparition wasn't 'all there,' in the sense of not being quite up to current developments, Prince Blueblood felt quite justified in giving the earthenware a sharp rap to speed the proceedings along.  "Afraid it's too late for that!  You're wrecked and... er, dead!"  

 

Hm, awkward.  Where did one go after that?  'We have your skull in a jar?'  No, it would probably be best to wait until the echoes of the first bombshell had time to die away.  He looked nervously at Storm as they both waited for the reaction; if the spirit of the dead reacted badly... well, neither the Prince nor the guard had any real experience in dealing with this sort of thing.

[BeGoneThots]

The pony stared at them. Something on his face, confusion snd anger. Storm snorted at Blueblood. "Dont aggitate him." He whispered. Jumping off the boat, Storm spoke softly as he landed on the sand bar. "Look closer at your vessel... its just rotten wood now. We dont mean you any harm. We found your remains. We were going to take you back to shore for burial."

The ghost stepped away. "N..no. you're lying..." stormstride's face softened. "I dont lie. Brutish as i am... i do not tell untruths. Especislly to ponies that wouldnt be able to handle it once the truth was revealed."

The ghost screamed snd scrambled away, running several feet away on the water. As he slowed it dawned on him where he was.

[Blueblood]

"Don't agitate him!?"  Blueblood muttered; a pony perturbed by other ponies who refused to be dead and decent like everypony else.  Seriously, why couldn't they resolve their own issues?  It wasn't as if he was limited by a physical body anymore.  That earth pony could fly like a bird if he wanted to!

 

Showed how much the Prince knew about ghosts and the burden of things left undone.  In any case, if the ghost was looking for a less stern and softer counterpart to Stormstride... well, he was getting only half.  "Look here, old chap, I'm sorry you're... dead, but it happens!  No Sailor goes out without knowing they might not come home.  At the very least we'll make sure to get you to... er, where is home, for you?"

[BeGoneThots]

The ghost was quiet as he tried to wrap his mind around it. Yes. It was the risk they all took at sea. But... no he couldnt be dead. Looking back he began to see his ship for what it had become.

Storm watched the stallion as he slowly came back. "Th.. then i.. my home..i.. im from.." panic was setting in. He could not remember his home. "Lets try an easier one... what year is it?" Storm said sensing and seeing the ghost begin to panic. "The.. the year? Its...." the pony thought a moment before blurting out a date. Storm nodded. looking at Blueblood to see his reaction the former guardpony was processing the information himself.

200 years.. roughly. This poor colt had died and been trapped her for 200 years. "Why did you come out here?" "My fiance.. we were to be wed, but she never showed at the alter. We all assumed something had happened. When i questioned the dockponies, she had boarded a ship in panic. Headed down the riving to Manehattan. They said she looked terrified. Something horrible happened to her.. i had to find her."

"Im afraid that wont be possible anymore... you have been out here for 200 years." The colt put his hooves on his face. "Oh Celestia no... please no." Stormstride watched him cry. "Where was it you came from?"

The stallion thought hard. "It... was a small boating village on the river. We cut timber and built boats. Did a lot of trading with Manehattan. The place was called ShimmerRock." Stormstride had never heard of ShimmerRock. But it was possible it had a name change since then. He looked at Blueblood like, 'where is the place he said?' "Alright... I will take you home. I promise you that. You will get to go home." "And what peace would await me without my beloved?"

[Blueblood]

200 years... it was an incomprehensible spanse of time for the Prince, even with his Aunts having far surpassed that in their own lives.  The passage of time wasn't necessarily felt, though, as it seemed that the ghost's memory only repeated his last day.  Still, that had to be torturous, and Blueblood's expression went from warily irritated to pained and sympathetic.

 

Still, he kept silent until asked about Shimmer Rock.  "Don't recall it; the closest thing I know is a dockside pub called the Shimmering Rock, near Manehattan's warehouse district."  He frowned, shaking his head.  "I suppose that's not much help."  

 

The ghost didn't seem to think so, mourning the separation from his beloved.  But what could Blueblood do about that?  She was certainly dead by now; who knows if she might have moved on or not?  How on earth could they find her, without even a name?  *Wait, I can just ask about that.*

 

"Er, I don't think we've been introduced.  I am Prince Blueblood, of Canterlot.  And your name, sir?"  Out of habit, the unicorn gave a little bow with his name.  Belatedly, it occurred to him that the same title and name were borne by one of his ancestors when this poor colt had been alive.  He wondered what sort of a reputation the old chap had among the lower classes, and scrutinized the ghost for any clue in his reactions....

[BeGoneThots]

The colt stared in facination a moment before bowing. "Y..your majesty. I am Boatwright." He rose slowly, reverance and some fear on his face.

Stormstride swallowed softly. This colt was obviously from a time when royalty were still worshipped. He remained silent. Just watching.

"Your majesty... i beg you. My beloved. Something happened to her. I have to find her. Her name is Marryweather. Please. She always wanted to move to Canterlot. Have you parchance seen her?" He was distraught. Obviously so with what he had been through.

[Blueblood]

Ah, so this one was a respecter of royalty, was he?  All irritation instantly drained from Prince Blueblood's mood, and Storm could see the unicorn stand visibly straighter for having shed the burden.  "I'm afraid not."  He called out, putting as much princely timbre into his voice as possible.  "I have heard nothing of her gracing my city, either in my forebear's time, or now as a shade like you.  However!  If you will kindly accompany your, ah, mortal remains, we shall endeavor to, at the very least, dig up her whereabouts."  He smiled in satisfaction at the statement, before what he actually said occurred to him.  "Not, ah, literally.  Hopefully."  

 

That probably took most of the effect out.  And in the back of his mind, the stallion was still in shock that this is what his life had become.  Still, one had to keep up appearances, lest the lower class lost all respect for one's position.  Celestia knew that said respect was at a low ebb these days...

[BeGoneThots]

Storm waited and watched. "y.. yes sire." The stallion moved to the urn. he was hesitant. Uncertain of the fate that awaited him. As he cwme to the remains he simply dispersed. Storm saw thr glow fade from the urn before he sighed. "Well. I guess Manehattan is our next port."

The former guard stallion nodded softly. "I will secure his remains with me. Then i will sleep a bit. Still a couple hours before the sun rises." He moved back to the boat. Warping back onto the deck he placed the urn in his bags before taking them below desk to secure. He seemed more calm. Resolute and determined.

[Blueblood]

Blueblood nodded at the guard; Manehattan would indeed be the best place to start.  "I'll pull anchor; it's going to be dawn soon.  We've stopped here for longer than we think."  Already the horizon had gone from an inky purple to a steely grey, the soft tones of night surrendering to the cut and clear common day.  Now had come the hour when ghosts tramped back to graveyards... or funeral urns, as it were.

 

"Stay below; I can handle the Windrose myself for a while."  In truth, the Prince really wanted a few hours alone to think more than anything else.  As he operated the pully and winch system that could allow one pony to raise an anchor, he tried to put his thoughts in order now that he was no longer moved by the inertia of events.

 

*So... let's review.  I'm sailing with a former guard, who is certainly not all right in the head.  Life's dealt him a bad hand, but he hasn't played it well, either.  Got to find something for him, he'll destroy himself left to his own devices.  End up a ghost, I suppose.  What does make ghosts ghosts?  What are we going to do about our ghost?  How did I get to be in the business of digging up ghosts anyway!?*

 

Thinking was proving to be a fruitless venture, but that's what came of using servants as auxiliary brains.  One's own tended to atrophy.  *Once we get to shore, I'll wire for my secretary.  He's better at sorting out this sort of thing.*  Having found a suitably aristocratic solution, Blueblood's mind settled, and he unfurled the sails, letting them bow out as he manned the tiller.  "Homeward bound."  He muttered softly.

[BeGoneThots]

Storm madr no argument. He went below, anf laid down to sleep in a corner. He stayed there for several hours before he got up.

He took time to make food. His automatic way of fixing food made it look like a decently prepared meal. As he went about mixing his ingredients, he had tims to think. This ghost was docile enough. Just lost and confused. Storm was still in auto pilot when he came on deck, levitating a table and chair behind him. He set out a plate of food on the table. Puffed cream and fruit pastry, served with a soft cream soup and crisp veg. "Food is prepared." He said softly before moving to lean over he rail. He had set up the table like he would have at home. Fork and spoon and knife to the side. A folded napkin. And a glass of juice to the side. He was quiet as he stared out over the waves.

[Blueblood]

While the business of sailing solo was doable to a skilled sailor, it could get tiring after a while to have to both man the tiller and the sails.  The Prince wouldn't be able to do it if he wasn't a unicorn.  He'd gotten quite good at magical rope manipulation over the years.  When he really got into the groove, he could feel the ship as an extension of himself, occupying his mind with the sheer sensations of travel.  

 

That was why he went out as often as he could.  It cleared his mind of all extraneous matters, letting all stress drift out in his wake.  Usually.  Today it seemed to be at half-effectiveness.  Perhaps breakfast would help.  Speaking of which...

 

Blueblood nodded at Storm as he brought up the food, letting his grip on the sail ropes slack as he diverted his magic to eating.  "Thank you."  He poured the soup into a flask, rather than a bowl.  Dishes like that were not quite so useful on a rocking boat.  "So... do we have any idea as to what we actually plan to do about our, erm, guest?"

[BeGoneThots]

Storm was pondering himself just that thought. "Possibly i will take him with me. Its my sworn duty to tend to all ponied. To serve and protect. That oath said nothing about after death. And so i shall uphold that duty for him as well." Storms cutie mark was gleaming brightly in the sun.

He didnt notice. "If i can find his home village i can find his beloved's name and work from there. I will find where she rests. And give him the peace he needs."

[Blueblood]

In spite of the inherent gravity of the situation, Blueblood found himself having to stifle a laugh at the mental image of a serious Stormstride standing guard over a piece of pottery.  He'd be certain to draw odd looks throughout his travels, but on the other hand, he'd have a heck of a story to back him up!

 

"Investigative work, then.  I'm frankly not too good at that sort of thing... say!"  The Prince's somewhat downcast visage brightened again.  "Psmith, my secretary, he's a jolly brainy chap.  Just the sort of assistance you'll be wanting.  I'll loan him to you while you're out looking for his special somepony... her remains, rather."  The unicorn's eyes drifted to the horizon as he pondered.  "I don't suppose she's a ghost too?  Don't really know how it all works, myself."

[BeGoneThots]

"I dont know. Perhaps. Maybe not. The world beyond our own is unaccessable... even to an Allicorn. Our magic is merely a fragment of it. A tiny sliver of a world unseen by pony eyes. There are likely many things we will never understand." He turned slowly. Looking at blueblood a moment before speaking again.

"Have you ever sat in a library? Not to read. But just to gaze at it. Its like... stepping through time and space. You can go anywhere and anywhen without leaving your seat. As often as my parents aregued with me... i always found my way to the library in Cloudsdale."

[Blueblood]

There were, indeed, a great many things that Blueblood would never understand.  There were some who would say that the Prince had never really understood anything that happened to him in his entire life.  That was an unfair generalization, perhaps; though an aristocratic reserve was often employed to disguise bewilderment as much as any emotion.

 

He was not disguising it now, however.  "What, just looking at shelves?  No."  His gaze grew a little more thoughtful, however, as his eyes looked over the dawn horizon.  "But then again, whenever I wanted to go somewhere else I could just... go.  I suppose the Windrose is my library, in that respect.  Of course, I only inherited her once my parents... died."  Reticence in using the word was really unreasonable, given that they had just seen a ghost, but old social habits die hard.  "Didn't really have much freedom of movement before then; not after they caught me running away from home, anyway."

[BeGoneThots]

Storm chuckled softly. "You sound like me...." He leaned down a bit and looked into the water. "It was always study harder. What do you mean you only made 95%? Why are you looking at those foals, you have magic practice.... One day I up and left. Took the test and joined the guards. That was the last time I spoke to my folks. They sent letters, but I never opened them. Always sent them back. Probably full of their disappointment in my life again." He looked at the prince and smirked. It was easy to see the bags under his eyes. He was still tired. Aged. Older than he should have been. 

 

Looking back at the water he smiled. "I escaped into books. I lived in other lives. I saw other times. I saw so much of the world without ever leaving it.... and then I found out it was all lies. Fabrications. The world isn't gumdrops and and lollipops. It's heartache and pain. The poor bloke we found out there.... he is an example of it. How long did any pony look for him? How long would they have looked for you or I?" He turned finally. "It ain't right. I've seen too much of this and it stops here...and now. We get to Manehattan, you do what you will. If Psmith wants to join me so be it. But I will be helping this poor lost soul. And any others I may find along the way." He moved to the bow. He stood there looking out over the ocean. He had no concern for himself.Only those that could not provide or care for themselves."

[Blueblood]

It was increasingly odd the way that the respective lives of the Prince and Storm continuously echoed each other.  There had also been in Blueblood's life a general assumption that the world, as the guard put it, was in general a candy-land.  Perhaps it was the pastel colors that created the illusion; more likely it was the softening effects of luxury.

 

In any case, the disillusionment had come late, and come harshly to him, but... perhaps with its good effects as well.  "To act for those who have no oranges..."  Blueblood remarked, somewhat cryptically.  "Sorry, just thinking back to a similar conversation I had a little while ago.  It was a shock to me when all the monsters started showing up too, you know?  But in a way, it's easy to understand there; I suppose monsters can't help being monsters.  It's the idea of reasonable ponies and such acting in such a manner that's baffling."  He frowned as he thought of unopened letters, full of things not read, and perhaps not worth reading.

 

"Well, there's a limit to what one can do with force, and I mostly act beyond it.  Or before it.  Whatever.  Basically, I can't do the things you do, so I'll do what I can.  In this case, loan you someone who can sniff out this poor fellow's traces."

 

~***~

 

Another day and night of sailing brought then back into Manehattan harbor under a red morning sky.  "Glad to get in safe; seems our storm had siblings."  The royal captain nodded at the glowering heavens, proverbially urging sailors to take warning.  Docker ponies swarmed to moor the Windrose, and soon the two (or three) ponies were disembarking.

 

"It'll take a bit for Psmith to get here, another day by train.  Wasn't expecting to come back so soon, you see."

[BeGoneThots]

Stormstride nodded softly before looking at the sky. He smirked. "Old hag just divided up. She's out there still. Wandering about and looking for someplace to blow on. I suspect we could see a piece of her here and there before long." He nodded to Blueblood, "As well. I am going to find a library and start looking. It's where I do best investigative work. Perhaps there is an old newspaper or writing about the missing boat and it's captain. At least that would give us one answer." He set his saddle bags on, and started off quietly. 

 

Stormstride had always stood out in a crowd. But now he really stood out. Having lost some muscle mass over recent months due to depression and lack of food he was more likely standing out like he used to back in school. One dock worker whistled at him as he walked past. Normally Storm would have lashed out. But having had time to relax a little, he just turned and stared at the pony with one raised eyebrow, "Something on your mind son?" The dockworker was floored, this was a colt. Storm continued on his way. He managed to find a street map that led him to the library. From there he found a taxi to a nearby hotel. It cost him heavily, but he secured a small room for the next three days. 

 

He sent word to the Windrose of his location, before returning to the library to check out some books. He stayed in his hotel room, waiting for Psmith to return as he revised himself on the history of the ship, it's captain, and Shimmer Rock. The books only went back so far. There had once been a boat building and logging village near Manehattan. But it was absorbed into the city as it grew. The name was changed and now it's location was lost. Storm glanced at the urn, and went back to reading. He had promised this colt help. He would not fail now.

[Blueblood]

*Knock knock knock*

 

"Room service!"  The pleasant female voice came from outside Storm's door, which was strange, considering that he hadn't ordered room service.  Opening the door, he would have found a hotel attendant bustling about a cloth-covered tray.  "Compliments of the Prince himself!"  She beamed, having apparently been the recipient of some royal charm downstairs.  "He said he had to run, and that you'd be busy, but he pulled out all the stops.  Three full courses, and coffee afterwards!  Just ring me up when you're ready for it, alright?"

 

And with that, she bustled right back out, leaving the tray.  There were covered dishes under the first cloth, resting on top of a wheeled table with its own white cloth covering.  There was a slight motion of this cloth, as if somepony was underneath the tray... A quick look under confirmed this.  A well-dressed young stallion peered back at Storm through his monocle, his long limbs curled up to fully conceal himself.

 

"Shhh."  Psmith whispered conspiratorially.  "Please deign to be patient and wait until the maid has passed fully out of earshot, comrade.  It would be most embarrassing for our practice of infiltration methods to be interrupted by a last-minute error.  These lapses of coordination spell doom to investigative enterprises; pray let us avoid them."

[BeGoneThots]

Staring blankly at Psmith the stallion nodded and levitated one tray to a small table. Sitting to eat, he took his time as he read over his notes. The door closed on its own by magic and storm spoke softly. "You can come out now..."

Waiting patiently the former guard spoke softly. "And try not to touch the urn on the table. He only comes out at night. And id like to let him stay asleep as much as possible."

Finishing the first try the male then began to read in more earnest. "Shimmer Rock... no actual listings in the records. Just a vauge discription of it being up river a few miles."