[Gallopocous Island] A bit of R&R

[Skye]

Cheerilee sighed happily as she set her saddlebags down on the beach overlooking the sparkling water. The salty sea breeze ruffled her mane and tousled her tail as she looked out over her chosen vacation spot. It had been a while since she took a trip out of Ponyville, what with all the teaching of her little ponies and all. But sometimes she needed a vacation. She'd been lucky she had found a substitute teacher for the month she was taking off, and she hadn't been to the islands in a very long time. Not since she was a filly, that she could remember. And there had been so much to see, then! She looked about at the seashells dotting the pristene sands nearby, remembering how she'd found one and held it up to her ear to listen to the sea anywhere she went. Cheerilee wondered if she might find more like that.

But for now, the agenda was a bit of sunbathing. After all, she'd come to the islands to relax, not go exploring like when she was younger. That was for the fillies and colts now, and she was long since a mare that deserved her rest. It was a good thing she'd arrived when she had, the sun was just a bit above the horizon on its way towards late afternoon, so she'd still have some time to relax on the beach and sipping something suitably fruity-flavored while reading a book or something. The Teacher Pony had borrowed one of her favorite classics from Twilight's library, a collection of romance stories and poems from her favorite authors. As she spread her towel out on the sands, just a few feet up from where the tideline was, she glanced out over across the beach. There were a few other ponies in the general vicinity, but not so close that she was likely to get sprayed with sands from a wayward game or careless trot along the water's edge.

This was truly perfect, it was a great way to start her vacation.

[buxy]

With a long, loud holler, Beach Breaker cruised through the water along the length of the beach on a makeshift surfboard fashioned from a stretch of rough diftwood. He carved down the wave, banking in a futile attempt to catch air off the top of the breaking wave, and tumbled head over hoof into the water, his board flying into the air without him. The carefree pony popped to the surface just in time for a wave to crash directly on his head, sweep him to the shore, and dump him flat out on the sand.

"Iiiiirie!" Breaker shouted, shaking out from ears to tail like a wet dog, his dreads flying and sending a spray of water in every direction. He trotted over to the purple earth pony, who clearly would have been perfectly happy to be left alone with her books, and plunked down in the sand next to her. "Didja catch dat, sistah? N'bad fi bein' w'tout me flats, aye? Dat skettle scuttle carry okay fa de improvisin'. Trute, tho', I preferin' me a more gracious dismount." He leaned close at the end, relaying his last statement in a conspiratorial whisper.

"Aye, me!" Breaker threw his head back and laughed at the poor, confused mare's expression. He touched a hoof to his chest. "Eem Breakah." He gestured with that same hoof towards the mare. "An' you be?"

[Skye]

It was a pretty good book, she always chose good ones from the library; good classics that really got her absorbed. Some of the love stories were a little cliche and sappy, but then again, that's why Cheerilee liked them. This one was about a pegasus hero, flying to save his lady love from a monster of the ocean...she closed the book with a sigh and hugged it to her chest. Oh, what if, what if! If only those were the days, she would have given up her left horseshoes to be chained to a rock and have her hero come save her. Well, at least in her fantasies she did, anyway. The teacher pony doubted she'd have acted any less scared that she was going to be eaten alive by some frightening sea monster. Yet, that hero... a blush rose to Cheerilee's cheeks.

Some movement just out of her field of vision attracted her attention and she turned her head to watch some beachgoers trotting down the beach. Then not far out, another pony was on a surfboard, riding the waves in ways she'd only seen pictures of. Her book lay forgotten on the towel as she rolled to her side, watching as he seemed to effortlessly fly through the water on such a small sliver of wood. Suddenly, as he turned to ride the crest of a wave, she gasped when he lost control of the board and plunged into the water. Though moments later, he rolled out onto the sandy shore, wet as anything and apparently having the time of his life. Her eyes widened as he approached her and plopped down beside her, speaking in the most atrocious accent she'd ever heard.

"I, err..." it took a moment for her brain to process the language he was speaking. Equestrian? Griffish? Possibly Dragonite? Oh, she had no idea! Then suddenly the last few words sprang into her ears and she realized he was speaking Equestrian, but with the most peculiar dialect. "I'm sorry, I didn't understand what you said. That's a most unusual accent you have! Do all ponies around here speak that way? Oh, forgive me for being rude! I'm Cheerilee, a teacher from Ponyville, just here in the Gallopocous Islands for a vacation. What was that you were doing? It looked dangerous!"

She shook her head, then glanced forlornly at her book, looking like the hero was going to have to wait a little longer to save his princess. Cheerilee reached out and touched her hoof to Breaker's. "Pleased to meet you, Breaker. Do you live around here?"

[buxy]

"Dat. Miss Cheery-lee, be surfin'. Truly crawful doins fi ya time eeyah. S'not de safest, aye, but de bess," the goofy pony tossed his forelock slightly, an expression not unlike a wink as he clacked his hoof against Cheerilee's. Which, if anyone could see, was exactly what he was doing underneath the long, thick dreads. If he paid any notice to the fact that Cheerilee had been previously occupied with her book, or might have the slightest inclination to do something besides talk to him, Beach Breaker gave no sign of it. "An, no, I be speakan like me muddah an' faddah, tho... wheeya dey start, I kyansey." He let out a slightly sheepish chuckle.

"I be layin' me 'ead round de way tru' dem dunes," he gestured with a hoof through the dunes to the east, away from town. There was a narrow, carefully manicured, but easily overlooked path widing through a slight break in the duneline, marked only with a pair of stakes wrapped in small strips of red fabric. Without being pointed toward it, the average pony would hardly notice it's presence, and pass on by. Something Breaker counted on, he hated for his grasses to be disturbed, and even many of the native islanders failed to realize just how fragile the beach ecology could be, particularly in Breaker's own backyard. A misplaced hoof could wipe out an entire genus of grass that had taken years to cultivate. "Aye me, you say Ponybille? DE Ponybille? Me sistren pass tru' deyah lass yeer, brung me de sweetess apple jam I done evar did ate." Breaker lifted his chin, smacking his lips at the memory.

"Miss Cheery-lee, you chose bess an' mose relaxan locale en all 'Tia's great wide wuld to spen' ya bacation," Breaker nodded slowly, his head continuing to bob far longer than was necessary, taking in the sand, shore, and sea before him. This was home, the most perfect place on earth, and he loved seeing other ponies embrace it.

[Skye]

Cheerilee cocked an eyebrow, listening to Breaker speak, her brain working overtime in attempt to grasp his accent. The more she listened to it, the more she grew to like it, and even found it fun, once she got the hang of it. "Crawful doin's?" she replied, looking a bit confused. "I don't know how anypony could do such a thing, it looks so dreadfully unsafe! But fun at the same time, I suppose." she pointed to his board with her hoof. "Who makes those? I've seen them about, and some of the shops in town sell them, but are they made here? And no two are alike! Oh, your mother and father spoke like that? Goodness gracious, we're all over the place, aren't we? I have to say, I didn't expect any company this morning, I'd just come out to do some reading on the beach." she indicated her book beside her on the towel.

As he indicated the dunes, she squinted before noticing the stakes and the unusually groomed sand between them. She'd mistaken it at first for just a natural formation, but as she looked closer, she realized there was a path between them just as he said. "Layin' me...oh! You mean you sleep out there in the dunes? Have you got a house out there? I suppose it must be quite relaxing going to sleep every night to the sounds of the waves splashing on the shore." but she didn't know anything about the grass, at least not the beach-grass type. "Yes, Ponyville, not too far from Canterlot. It's a little bitty place, but I call it home." she hugged her hooves to her chest, and smiled. "All my little ponies live there, and if it wasn't for the fact that I needed a little time off, I'd be there teaching. It's only the first thing I love most about living there. So many little ponies running around, their young minds just waiting to be filled with knowledge about the world! And I bet they would love to learn more about the beach and the sand and what it's like living here."

The mention of his sister and the apple jam brought a smile to Cheerilee's face. "That would be Sweet Apple Acres! We get most of our apples from there, the orchards really are a sight to see. If you ever come to Ponyville, Mr Breaker, I'm sure Applejack would love to give you a tour of them. They're only her pride and joy. Though," her voice dropped to a whisper, "She's sometimes a little peculiar about some of her trees, so be careful what you say about them." but she smiled again and looked around at the beach nearby. "It is rather lovely. I suppose that's why you decided to make it your home. Have you been living here long? What do you do for a living?"

[buxy]

"Crawful. Mean it good. Extreh good," Breaker nodded, clopping a hoof down on top of the flimsy driftwood board. "Aye, they few ponies en town makan dese, all by de barre 'oof. I got me a reeeeal beeyoot, but I'm f'get back 'ome. Dese waves extreh bashy t'day, troo choka groun'swells. So I takan me a scrapper drifters to coast." Breaker nodded again, working at a splinter with the tip of his hoof for a moment, before snapping back to the conversation with a broad grin. "Ah, 'bashy', 'choka', also mean it extreh good."

"Me dwellins most 'umble, miss Cheery-lee, juss eensy shack, lettan in dat cooool ocean breezes," Breaker lifted his head and took a deep breath of the light, salty breeze that had sprung up on cue, his chest puffing out before letting go in a contented sigh. "You teachah? I loven dem little fillies an' colts, open mind, open 'eart, beauty way t'live. You bess teach em good 'bout me shore an' sea when you trottan 'ome."

"Appeal-jack? Irie! She soun' like she got deright idear 'bout de shoots an' sprouts. Love me a like-minder mare, yah?" He gave a quick toss of his forelock, another wink, more likely than not. "Wan secon', miss." He sprang to his feet, cantering down the beach a clip, dreads flying behind him. With a short spray of sand under his hooves he stopped short and grabbed a beat up saddlebag from where it lay just above the floatsam left by the high tide. Trotting back to Cheerilee, he plunked down beside her again. He rooted in the threadbare, olive colored bag, nearly his entire head disappearing inside it, before resurfacing with a neat bundle of carefully cropped dune grass held together by a string, and flipping it to the towel in front of Cheerilee with a flick of his chin. "Dat. Is what I be doon wit' mah preshus time. Eem bootanist. Makan a tastiar, sweetar, mouth-wataraner, an' 'ealthier eats. I spen' me 'ole 'istory righteeyah, workan 'ard on dat ye got afore ya." Breaker smiled proudly, squaring his shoulders and nodding for Cheerilee to try a bite. His latest crop had only just reached maturity, and he was eager to share.

[Skye]

Cheerilee blinked as he explained. That accent, sometimes so difficult to understand! Yet it was fascinating and delightful in its own way. She rolled her hooves beneath her and stood, brushing the sand that clung to her hide. She leaned closer to investigate the board, nudging at it with a hoof. "Hoofmade? That's fantastic work! Oh, you have another one? How many of these do you have? Do they come in different sizes and shapes too?" she listened more as he continued. "Oh, because the waves were too strong, you didn't want to risk your good board? I can understand that! I have many books of my own at home that I keep for safekeeping, and read the more battered and used copies for reference." the teacher pony processed his words again, then giggled. "Mr. Breaker, you sure do talk funny! Nopony in Ponyville has an accent as unique as yours! I'm sorry for giggling, I just cant help myself!" then she hiccuped, her hoof going to her mouth. "Oh dear, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say something insensitive. It's just I've never been here before."

When Breaker lifted his nose to sniff at the breeze, she did the same, and sneezed, still not quite used to the salty smell of it, and rubbed her nose with her hoof. "Excuse me! I wish I could bottle up this air to take back home, it's so refreshing but it tickles the nose so." and in response to his question, she sighed happily, and wore a dreamy expression. "Oh, I love my little ponies, so fresh and new, and eager to learn! I'm one of their teachers. My cutie mark," she indicated it with a hoof, "Represents my wish for my students to bloom and the cheer I hoped to bring to them as they learn. They're our future and I can't wait to see each of them moving on with their adult lives with what I've given them. I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world, and I promise they'll hear all about this little trip!"

She daydreamed for a moment, thinking about how she was going to turn this into a lesson back at school, before returning to the present as Breaker talked about Applejack. "She does! Her farm is one of the best places to get any produce around Ponyville, and they provide so much for us that we hardly have to trade for anything anywhere else. Of course, we still need some other things that they can't grow because of the weather." she blinked as Breaker trotted off back down the beach, and she sat down on her towel again. Watching curiously as he rummaged around in it, she blinked again when he came up with the grass tied with string. "Goodness, you grow this too? I didn't know anything like that came from around here!" she nudged at it with a hoof, then sniffed at it. "What does it taste like? Can you do anything with it? We have a lot of lettuce in Ponyville, how would you compare it?" she sniffed at it again, trying to get an idea of its scent, then blinked, and smiled as she was offered a bite. "Oh, may I? Thank you very much!" Delicately, she took a munch of the bundled sea grasses, mulling over its flavor and texture. "This is definitely different!" she said around the mouthful.

[buxy]

"I 'avan a longbard, fi gracefall coastan, a shortie fi da trickies, an' me scrappars uncountable litterin' de dunes," Breaker nodded, daydreaming for a moment, surfing in his own mind before returning to the conversation with a gentle, rolling laugh. "Irie, sistah! I kno' I be talkan strange to yer prettee fillee ears. T'ain't of you bein' a visitry, neithah. Dem folk eeyah don' ovahstan' it deyself."

"Dat salt aiyah doin' wondahs fi us all. I can' imagine bein' wit'out," a great shiver passed down Breaker's spine, starting at his crest, shaking through his dreads, over his back, and ending with a flick of his thick, heavy tail. He got to his hooves and thumped one against his chest. "Nevah. We be 'ealthiah. Breathan' bettah. You stick aroun', you see it makan' you strongah. You look it up, teachan dat to you foals." Breaker peered at her mark, nodding approvingly at the smiling flowers, this was a mare, with her unending patience (she had certainly outstayed any other stranger he'd approached lately) and happy demeanor, ideally suited to teach. It was a happy coincidence that they'd crossed paths, and he was just starting to think how well Cheerilee would get along with his sisters when he abruptly cleared his throat, jerking his head away as he caught himself leering a bit too long at the young mare's flank.

"Only I be growan dis, miss Cheery-lee. It have de heartiness an' sweetniss of de dune grass, but dat dune grass be empty of de nutrishuss. So I takan alfalfa an' timotee 'ay an' crossan dem wit' de grass an' creatan' bess taste an' bess 'ealth possible. Dat dere 'as..." Breaker tilted his head thoughtfully, mentally sifting through his records. His notes and ledgers were immaculate, and his recall of each was impeccable. "T'ird generashun 'falfa cross wit' timotee, an' a eight generashun marram an' bayberree as 'im mama an' papa. It keep losan de marram ear, tho'." He shook his head in frustration. Marram grass, the very species adorning his flank, had a heavy ear at the top of each mature leaf, and no matter how many different combinations he tried, he couldn't get that ear to breed into his hay crosses. "I 'ave me a teory, dat de calcium an' protein will righ' double..." Breaker trailed off, catching on that Cheerilee not only couldn't understand half of what he was saying, she probably didn't care about it either, and grinned, ducking his head sheepishly.

"I preferan raw. Pure, 'ealthy, from motha eart'," he stomped his hoof for effect. "Tho I 'ear it make a lovelee pie cruss when it grinded down, an' stews up nice wit' mangoe an' pears."

"That my mark," Breaker arched his neck and touched his nose to his flank fondly. "Me passion an' soul be in dat crop. Also, it dances." The stallion rippled the muscle under his skin, making the grass appear to wave in a breeze. He grinned at Cheerilee, all too proud of his cheesy trick.

[Skye]

Cheerilee's ears twitched as she processed his words, still trying to get used to the accent. Though the more she listened the easier it was, he still used some words that were unfamiliar to her. What was a longbard? Or a coastan? And for that matter, what in Equestria was a shortie? And she had absolutely no idea what a scrappar was! But she listened politely, in hopes she'd have an opportunity to ask. He certainly was the strangest, but friendliest pony she'd ever met! At least in these neck of the...err...dunes, anyway!. "Oh, not everyone around here speaks that way? How unusual! However did you pick up such a colorful accent?" though she sure recognized a compliment when she heard one, and her ears turned a slightly darker shade of purple to go with the blush at her cheeks. "Mr. Breaker, I really do apologize, you just caught me so very offguard. I hadn't expected anyone in this area to take an interest in me, and I'd hoped for a quiet vacation and maybe a sampling of a bit of the island life. You've certainly brought that!" she indicated the grasses she'd sampled earlier.

"I'd had no idea that such things grew here, or that there were ponies that took life as freely as you do. That's definitely different than where I come from, where most everypony takes things very seriously. I suppose it must come with our proximity to Canterlot and the frequent visits from the Princess. I wonder what she would think about a day on the beach here!" she pondered this for a moment. "Healthier, better breathing...oh! The salt air! It is a very unique thing! I'm sure you're used to it by now, though! I do rather like it, though I do miss my candles and pretty flowers back home. But I'll ask our resident doctor about it. Maybe she'd like to know that a short stint here would do someponies some good!"

The explanation of the grass did sink in a little more. After all, just about everypony knew what grasses were good for them and tasted good, and she recognized timothy and alfalfa as he went on about the lineage of his special grasses. "Did you? I had no idea you could do something like that! Maybe you could set yourself up a nice little market somewhere! I'm sure you'd make quite a bundle of your special grass, it'd be in high demand!" though she didn't really understand the more in-depth information of his grasses, that was after all, for the horticulture ponies to worry about. In her case, it was more about learning the basics! And he'd already covered that! She giggled as he trailed off. "A lovely pie crust, that sounds delightful." she peered at his mark, recognizing marram grass as a cutie mark, the first of its kind she'd ever seen on a pony.

But as he rippled his flanks, causing the grass to ripple a bit, she couldn't help but giggle. That was the silliest thing she'd seen all day!

[buxy]

"Aye, me," Breaker chuckled, shaking his head. The words 'quiet vacation' had made him cringe a bit. He was a lot of things, oblivious tended to be among them, but not all the time. He rubbed the back of his neck with a hoof. "Ain't be no reason t'be apologizin' sistrah, tho, mebbe I be apologizin' to yoon. If it be a quiet relaxan time y'want, I ain't been doin' much t'elp dat. En, me talkan, from me mama an' papa. Dey make'an great travels, an' take little diss, little dat, in dey speech, like some be takan souveniers, y'see? Mostly island hoppan' in places mos' pony nevar 'ear of. Sout' of eeyah. They all talkan funny down deyah." Breaker tossed his mane in a wink again.

"De Princess? She visit you?" Breaker whistled, letting that settle in for a moment. "Tia hersef..." He tried to imagine the princess making a visit to the island, and getting the chance to see the sun herself stroll along his beach. "I'm thinkan I may need to make me a trip uppa Ponybille way. Y'makes it sound so rite nice an' peacefull, miss Cheery-lee."

"A bundle! Irie, bits t'ain't be mine callin'," with a great shake of his mane he nosed into his bag and came back up with a small mouthful of grass, chewing idly as he continued. "I be keepan dem shops what want 'em full stock in de town, an' in trade dey gibe me some what I be needan. T'ain't much I need, trute, I grow me food, own me land from me fadder's fadder, ain't more I can'be makan or tradan for." The stallion shrugged, rolling one last piece of grass back and forth as it hung from his lips. "Mebbe it not so seempal up in Ponybille."

[Skye]

Cheerilee waved a hoof. "Oh, no, no need to apologize, I had come with an expectation of finding one thing and found another. I certainly wouldn't have known that I'd have missed an interesting conversation partner in you. I had figured to read a bit and get some sun, before that beach party I've heard about. Have you ever been to one? I hear they're supposed to be a lot of fun. We sometimes have parties in Ponyville put on by Pinkie Pie, but they're a little different and I wanted to see what a real Beach Party was like here."

"Your method of speaking is definitely unique, to be sure. I'd have to say the most unique way I've heard anyone speak, and I know that there are various places around Equestria where lingo and accents vary greatly. So it's not surprising that they'd have likely picked up so many of them. I didn't even know there were lands to the south! My maps need an update! What sort of lands are down there?" she started to gather up her towel, the sun beginning to sink into the sea on the horizon. Cheerilee finished off the morsel of special grass Breaker had brought her, and tucked her things back into her saddlebag.

"She visits quite often. Her pupil, Twilight Sparkle, lives in Ponyville with us, and for some reason, a lot of thing seem to center around that pony! So the Princess comes to visit occasionally. And you should come to Ponyville and visit! You would definitely make quite a scene! And our little ponies could definitely learn something from ponies around Equestria." she shouldered her saddlebags, and turned to walk down the beach, pausing to look over her shoulder at Breaker. "Well, that sounds quite like you've got everything hoof in hoof, if only all of our ponies were as self sufficient as you! But look at me, I don't even have a date for the party. I wouldn't suppose you'd help a pony out, would you?"

[buxy]

"Islands mostlee down dere. T'aint easy for de ponifolk to be gettan dat way, tho. Too far for flyan, an' dem watars a mite rough for de boatan. It be a long time 'fore anypony be spendan enough time for mappin' dems." Breaker watched as Cheerilee packed up her saddlebag, his shoulders sinking just a little at the potential loss of a new friend.

"A visit, miss, would be ver'nice," Breaker smiled, trying to imagine Ponyville, the image in his head, of course, completely lacking any of the shocked stares he'd likely earn. His daydream also prominently featured Celestia on a leisurely stroll through town, with little to no fanfare. He was dragged, a little reluctantly, back to reality by the phrase 'beach party', and snapped back to attention when 'date' quickly followed, all his vibrancy rushing back at once.

"A pritty filly like you? No date?" Breaker put a hoof to his forehead in a gesture of mock-tragedy. "Eem tinkan you can be countan on me, miss Cheery-lee. You name de time an' de plass, I be at you beck an' call." Breaker gave a deep bow, lifting his head and shooting a huge grin at the vacationing teacher.

[Skye]

The teacher pony smiled as Breaker joined her in her leisurely walk down the beach with her saddlebags. She'd heard there was going to be a beach party further down the island and she'd seen some of the preparations going on as she'd topped one of the dunes before finding her little patch of beach. Not too far in the distance, and it'd surely be dark by the time they arrived at the erected pavilion. Tiki torches had already been lit for ponies arriving from the night and the strains of island music could be heard pealing over the white stretch. "I think you'd quite enjoy a visit. Maybe you could tell Rainbow Dash about the islands to the south and she might know of some Pegasus Ponies who have been there. She's a very thrill-seeking pony, I'm sure that'd be just the kind of thing she'd look into on her own. She's always looking for ways to get into the Wonderbolts, and she's got a thing for flying fast and far."

"And no, no date. To tell the truth, I hadn't expected to need one while I was here, I'd expected to just relax on the beach and catch up on some reading, maybe get in some sun and check out some of the local fare while I was here, but now that you're here, you've given me a little bit more direction to enjoy my vacation. I do hope you don't mind?" when he bowed, she broke into a broad smile. "I'm glad! Thank you! I wasn't sure how it would look showing up at the party alone, but with an escort, I think we might have a good time! I've never been to one of these kinds of parties before. Our Pinkie Pie likes throwing parties with a lot of cakes and balloons, and this looked to be a different kind of party. I wonder what she'd say if she learned about how they were done down here? Ponyville would never be the same!"

[buxy]

Breaker nodded, a wide grin on his muzzle, taking in every tidbit about Ponyville and its residents that Cheerilee was sharing, storing it away in the same corner of his brain that had already decided he'd be paying a visit in the near future. If this Rainbow Dash knew of anyone who'd travelled to those distant islands his parents so fondly reminisced about, he'd love to hear their stories.

"Eem thinkan you be lovan de beach party, m'ladee," Breaker bobbed his head cheerfully, a coltish spring in his step as he accompanied Cheerilee down the beach, dancing a bit from one side of her to the other. His light-hoofedness was a stark contrast to the tall stallion's heavy, athletic build. "T'ain't nuffing fer mares t'be goin' by dey lonesome 'round dese part. But it breakan me poor 'eart to tink of y'be snatched up by one of dem roguish, brutish, uncouthish island stallions, lookin' to share d'more unsavory side of deyself wit' youn, if'n you catchan me drift." A small shake of his dreads was the only sign of his wiggling eyebrows beneath.

As they drew closer to the party, he buried his nose in his saddlebag again, not breaking a single stride as he rooted about. Content he had more than enough snacks to share with anyone who might look for a bite to eat, he lifted his head high, his chest buffing out a bit with pride. It wasn't often he got to be the pony to introduce a pretty new traveller to the townsfolk, and he was pleased as punch he was about to have his chance.