The Expedition (Lightning Dancer, Skyra, and Seren)

[Gaedwyn]

Many ponys have heard of the lands beyond Equestria but few have ventured to see them for them selves. A brave group of ponys will now attempted to venture beyond Equestria, and settle new lands.

Below lies their story.

Skyra

Skyra had always dreamed of going farther than any pony had gone before, but now that she was old enough, she was having second thoughts about the trip. But now that a pony had already responded to her flyers about puting together a team, she knew there was no backing out.

She looked up, and there, standing in front of her was the silhouette of a pony, "Greetings" Skyra said, forcing a smile, "are you here about the expedition?"

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Here is a basic picture of the world

[RarityDash]

Here she was, Canterlot, the beautiful capital of Equestria. Its fine architecture glistened under Celestia's sun. It was a city of class and beauty. There was much to respect and admire. Serendipity hadn't been to this city many time before; she had little reason to. Her home was far to the west, in the city of games and excitement, Las Pegasus. This city was still fresh to her. It still held a certain excitement, and furthermore it held many things she hadn't yet seen and many ponies she hadn't yet met.

Serendipity's job at the casino suited her perfectly. She enjoyed it too. The pay was good, and she met new and interesting ponies every day. It was a delight. However even such a fun job, got boring after some time. Often times, whenever it suited her, Serendipity would leave the casino and her city behind, riding winds of adventure to wherever they might take her. In this case, she had found herself in Canterlot. Furthermore, she had answered a peculiar flyer she had found in her path.

An expedition to lands beyond Equestria. It sounded like it might provide some fun, at least until she grew bored of it. Serendipity had never seen lands beyond Equestria before, and she had never been on a real expedition before. She had to admit, it sounded really awesome. On a total whim, she had decided to reply to the flyer. Now, here she was at the meeting place, ready to meet the rest of the team. She hoped there would be lots and lots of them. She wanted to meet lots of new and interesting ponies. She had her notebook ready and everything.

A single pony approached her. "Greetings. You here about the expedition?" she said. Serendipity studied her. She was a pegasus, and rather young. She looked to still be a filly.

Seren frowned. One pony, and a mere filly at that. Had she got roped in something not worth her oh so valuable time? Or...?

"Oh, hi there, little filly, you must be helping out with things, huh?" Serendipity started somewhat condescendingly. "Yup! I'm here for the expedition! The name's Serendipity, lucky charm of the entire city of Las Pegasus. Glamorous mare extraordinaire, here to make this little expedition special!"

"So where is everypony else? I'm not late, am I? That would totally suck. I hate being late. Seriously," Serenditipity started, looking around for signs of any more than just this one filly.

[Gaedwyn]

"Actually...Its just me... I hope its no trouble, I myself was expecting more pony's, but it looks like your the only one who showed" Skyra walked outwards until she could see the deep blue sky. "I'm Skyra by the way, and if we are going to make it to a suitable camp site before nightfall, I suggest we get a move on... Where not going to be back for a long time, so make sure your ready before we head out!" She Laughed, "Just tell me when your ready" said Skyra enthusiastically.

[RarityDash]

"Actually...Its just me... I hope its no trouble, I myself was expecting more pony's, but it looks like your the only one who showed"

Seren wasn't sure what to make of this revelation. The expedition she had signed up for was one filly? Wow. That wasn't expected. Part of her considered turning around and bolting right there. Wasn't much fun to be had entertaining a single filly after all. Still, there was the prospect of seeing new lands and maybe meeting some new ponies on the trip. Perhaps that would make this worthwhile? She wasn't sure, but she supposed she'd play along, at least for a while.

"I'm Skyra by the way, and if we are going to make it to a suitable camp site before nightfall, I suggest we get a move on... Where not going to be back for a long time, so make sure your ready before we head out! Just tell me when your ready."

The filly added. Seren nodded. "So just us two then, eh? Welp, that seems kind of a little weird, but I guess I'm okay with it. I mean, your parents know about this, right?" Seren asked this, but considering her whole life had been lived in defiance of her own parents, it was maybe a little hollow.

"I'm perfectly prepared for practically anything though. This pony you see before you is ready for whatever out little expedition plans to throw in her gorgeous direction! Just say the word, and I'll be ready to depart! Oh, and how will we be traveling anyway? Train? Carriage? Airship? Hot air balloon? Ooh, and how much do you estimate this expeditions going to cost me? I mean, I have a good amount of bits on me, but I'm not totally loaded, if you get what I'm saying" Seren asked rapidly, giving a series of nods.

[Gaedwyn]

"So just us two then, eh? Welp, that seems kind of a little weird, but I guess I'm okay with it. I mean, your parents know about this, right?" Skyra looked puzzled, "Parents?" Skyra nudged Seren, expecting some kind of explanation.

"I'm perfectly prepared for practically anything though. This pony you see before you is ready for whatever out little expedition plans to throw in her gorgeous direction! Just say the word, and I'll be ready to depart! Oh, and how will we be traveling anyway? Train? Carriage? Airship? Hot air balloon? Ooh, and how much do you estimate this expeditions going to cost me? I mean, I have a good amount of bits on me, but I'm not totally loaded, if you get what I'm saying" Skyra took a moment to prepare all of her answers,

"We will be traveling with these" Said Skyra as she spread her wings "The expedition won't cost you anything, i have two tents and food provisions in my saddle bag... Now, if thats all of your questions, let us leave"

[RarityDash]

"Parents?"

The other pony seemed confused. Serendipity gave a small laugh and shrugged. Maybe this pony just looked kind of young? "Welp, you look kind of young is all. Figured you still lived with your parents or something... I dunno. Guess not."

"We will be traveling with these. The expedition won't cost you anything, i have two tents and food provisions in my saddle bag... Now, if thats all of your questions, let us leave"

Skyra proceeded to answer the rest of the playful pegasus' questions. The first answer was hardly what she had hoped for? They were flying there manually? That sounded kind of crazy. The no cost thing was pretty cool though. Heh. More bits for her to splurge when they got back that way. Nice.

"Eh, guess I'm tapped out when it comes to questions," Seren said with a snicker. "We're seriously traveling the whole way by wing though? I mean, won't that take like forever?"

[Gaedwyn]

"Welp, you look kind of young is all. Figured you still lived with your parents or something... I dunno. Guess not."

"I'm just about out of filly hood" Replied Skyra,

"We're seriously traveling the whole way by wing though? I mean, won't that take like forever?"

"Yes" Replied Skyra, "We will travel by wing for the entire expedition"

What is this mare playing at? well... maybye she's not the best flyer, or she just gets exausted realy quikly... flying to the western shaw wouldn't be hard. But then they would have to cross the western sea, and that would be very hard...

Skyra thought this mare was very strange, she seemed... well.... Condecending, she asked questions about SKyra's personal ability rather then the expedition itself. Maybye she was put-off because not enougth ponys showed up, maybye Skyra had done somthing wrong, either way Skyra didnt know, but the expedition would go on as planned none the less.

[RarityDash]

"I'm just about out of filly hood." Skyra assured her.

Seren nodded quietly, still not sure what to think. She seemed reluctant to even acknowledge she had parents. Come think of it, this pony seemed inclined to say little more than what she absolutely had to. It was kinda fishy. She didn't strike Seren as particularly friendly.

"Yes. We will travel by wing for the entire expedition" the filly answered her question.

"Well, if you say so, but if you ask me that sounds totally crazy. Seriously," Seren started, sighing.

Seren laughed and gave a steady nod. "But enough about all that nonsense. I'm sure you have lots and lots of questions for me. I mean, I bet you weren't expecting a mare as talented, amazing and beautiful as me to answer your call!"

[Gaedwyn]

"But enough about all that nonsense. I'm sure you have lots and lots of questions for me. I mean, I bet you weren't expecting a mare as talented, amazing and beautiful as me to answer your call!"

"actually I don't have any questions, but I suggest that you drop your ego before we head out, it wont help you if we run into a storm, or worse yet dragons" Skyra glared at Seren, hopefully putting her in her place.

Seren was sure of herself, this annoyed Skyra... Just wait until we encounter a dragon.... Skyra thought to herslef

[RarityDash]

"Actually I don't have any questions, but I suggest that you drop your ego before we head out, it wont help you if we run into a storm, or worse yet dragons"

The filly replied sharply. Seren frowned. She gave a small huff. Like she was going to just take that lying down!

"Hmmph. You don't have to be all mean about it. Lighten up! This isn't going to be fun for anypony if you gotta go and be a gigantic stick in the mud. You're still so young. You have no reason to be all stern and super serious like that." Seren steadily said.

"Besides, It's not ego at all. Me being talented, amazing and beautiful is cold, hard fact!" the pegasus mare ultimately chimed with a smirk, throwing her mane back to highlight how very glamorous she was.

[Gaedwyn]

"Hmmph. You don't have to be all mean about it. Lighten up! This isn't going to be fun for anypony if you gotta go and be a gigantic stick in the mud. You're still so young. You have no reason to be all stern and super serious like that."

"I am stern because this is a seriouse situatuion! Going out there is dangerouse, you or I could die!" Skyra's stern look had now turned into a frown, not a frown of rage, but a frown that showed everything she had lossed.

"Besides, It's not ego at all. Me being talented, amazing and beautiful is cold, hard fact!"

"And its attatudes like that, that gets ponys killed" Snapped Skyra

[RarityDash]

"I am stern because this is a seriouse situatuion! Going out there is dangerouse, you or I could die!", "And its attatudes like that, that gat ponys killed"

The filly continued her grim and serious act. Boring! Seren really hoped they met some other ponies on this trip, because right now this one so far was hardly worth a footnote in her notebook.

"Yeah, yeah whatever," Seren said, rolling her eyes and fake yawning.

She turned her body a little and pointed to her cutie mark, a line of three 7's. "See this, it's the symbols for the winning jackpot slot line at High Stakes Casino Resort, where I work! Good luck isn't just the meaning of my name, it's my special talent!" Serendipity giggled. "This may be all dangerous and stuff for you, but for me, I'm free to coast through life, riding the winds of good fortune!"

[Gaedwyn]

"See this, it's the symbols for the winning jackpot slot line at High Stakes Casino Resort, where I work! Good luck isn't just the meaning of my name, it's my special talent!"

"I dont care about your good luck at some silly little casino" Replied Skyra sharply

"This may be all dangerous and stuff for you, but for me, I'm free to coast through life, riding the winds of good fortune!"

"do you know what happened last time we tried to hold an expedition?..... 10 good ponys died, 8 to a dargon, and the other 2 because of a storm... so if you dont want to take this seriously, go back to your taky little casino and i'll go by my self" With that Skyra turned around and prepared for flight

[RarityDash]

"I dont care about your good luck at some silly little casino do you know what happened last time we tried to hold an expedition?..... 10 good ponys died, 8 to a dargon, and the other 2 because of a storm... so if you dont want to take this seriously, go back to your taky little casino and i'll go by my self"

Seren just shook her head and yawned again. If this filly was trying to scare her away it wasn't going to work. Nope! Not at all.

"Welp, sucks to be them then. Maybe if you had a lucky pony like me along on the last one, they'd still be alive," She commented with a goofy smirk. She felt a little bad about making light of this situation, especially if it was true, but really, it didn't have anything to do with her as she saw it. Besides, she was kind of enjoying ticking this pony off at this point.

"And I'm not going anywhere. I was considering bolting before, but now I want to prove to you just how totally awesome I am!" Serendipity added with enthusiasm.

[Gaedwyn]

Skyra just shook her head, and started to fly west.

She couldn't believe this, such a emotionless pony...

"And I'm not going anywhere. I was considering bolting before, but now I want to prove to you just how totally awesome I am!"

"You don't need too, go home, i wont have you here if you wont take it seriously" and with that Skyra disappeared into the clouds

[RarityDash]

"You don't need too, go home, i wont have you here if you wont take it seriously" The other pegasus said before spontaneously taking to wing, flying off as fast as she could.

Seren didn't hesitate. She propelled herself quickly into the air, flying after Skyra. The filly was a little faster than her, but she was determined to at least not lose her.

"Hey, wait up!" she shouted out after the other pony. "I'm not going home! Not after all that!"

"You may think you're all better than me, because you're all serious and stuff... but all that seriousness, it's overrated and it's not going to get you anywhere in the end," Seren said with confidence. "Life is too short for all that. That's why I try to wring every last drop of enjoyment out of everything I can."

[Gaedwyn]

"Life is too short for all that. That's why I try to wring every last drop of enjoyment out of everything I can."

"Evan laughing at the prospect of the death of good friends I see" said Skyra as she slowed down before shedding a single tear.

"If that's what you call enjoyment, then you are a monster"

[RarityDash]

"Evan laughing at the prospect at the death of good friends I see"

Serendipity sighed at these words. There was being a happy-go-lucky, totally cool, glamorous mare adored by all, and then there was taking it too far and being an insensitive jerk. As she noticed a tear, she noticed she probably had crossed that line, re-crossed it and probably crossed it again six or seven times for good measure.

"It's simply being true to who I am to never lose this gorgeous smile and cheerful attitude of mine," Seren said with a small sigh. "If you want an apology for that, that's not the sort of pony I am... but I guess I really could stand to filter some of the stuff I say."

"That was totally a mean thing to say. I'll admit that. It was stupid and I wouldn't be at all surprised if you hated me for it," Seren admitted with some rare heaviness. "But do you think your friends would really want you to be all mopey about them? The simple fact is that you survived where others didn't. You owe it to them to live your life to the fullest you possibly can. I'm sure they'd want to see you laugh and smile more."

[Gaedwyn]

"But do you think your friends would really want you to be all mopey about them? The simple fact is that you survived where others didn't. You owe it to them to live your life to the fullest you possibly can. I'm sure they'd want to see you laugh and smile more."

"....I....I'm....."

Skyra was speechless, through her grief it was impossible to see the bigger picture.... and this pony had opened her eyes....

"you....your right.....and.....I'm...sorry" Although it pained her to say it.... it had to be said.

Skyra continued to head west with Seren, keeping an eye out for any sign of trouble.

[Gaedwyn]

Skyra took a map out of her saddle bag, "we shall make camp here," said skyra as pointed to a spot on the map about 1 5th of the way between canterlot and the western shore.

[RarityDash]

"....I....I'm....you.... your right.....and.....I'm...sorry"

Seren was surprised at the filly's reaction. She had seemed really set in her convictions. She wasn't expecting to see her come around like this and let it all crumble. She was still young though. Emotions run high at that age, Serendipity could remember herself back then.

"Don't apologize," Seren said in a low voice with a smile. "I didn't ask for one and I don't expect one. Just be yourself and don't apologize for any of it. That's how I live at the least."

Evidently the pony was ready to put it behind them, as she pulled out a map to show Seren. She glanced it over.

"We shall make camp here," the filly said, pointing to a spot, to the west, right around Ponyville and Cloudsdale. That didn't seem too bad for a flight.

"Oh, so we're heading back west, then? Cool with me," Seren said with a steady nod. "We might be able to stop off back in Las Pegasus if we go that way!"

[Gaedwyn]

"We probably will, stop of in las pegasus for a break, but we shouldn't let ourselves get carried away" warned Skyra, just then, a Pegasus pony burst from the clouds and colided with both Skyra and Seren, all three plumeted to the ground...

When Skyra awoke, it was dark, and her right wing was tied in a bandage, she frantically looked around for any sine of Seren, then she caught site of her, and she was with another pony...

[RarityDash]

"We probably will, stop of in las pegasus for a break, but we shouldn't let ourselves get carried away" Skyra said.

Seren nodded. Great. She had half expect the other pony to shut her down entirely. "Awesome! That would be great. I could show you the--!"

Suddenly somepony came rushing toward the two of them, knocking the three of them out of the sky. Serendipity didn't get a good look at her at first, but she seemed to be another pegasus filly. Being the largest of the three ponies, Seren was the least effected by the collision. She managed to regain her senses just before impact and helped shield the other two from what could have been a really messy impact. Of course, the force of the crash knocked all three of them out in the end.

Serendipity awoke not that long after. The other two were still out. She decided to fumble through Skyra's saddlebags, looking for some bandages to wrap around what obvious wounds she could see on the others. After a few more hours, it had become dark. She sat beside the unknown filly as she waited for one of the two to wake.

[Gaedwyn]

"Seren?" Skyra said quietly "What Happend to my wing?, and where is that other pony?" Skyra managed to stand up, and walk to her saddlebags, she puled out 2 tents and quikly assembled them, dragging the unconciouse pony into one, and offering Seren the other.

[RarityDash]

"Seren? What Happend to my wing?, and where is that other pony?"

Seren nodded. "Welp, wherever our new friend here was going, she was evidently in a hurry. Big mid air crash! You two were knocked out instantly. Thanks to my awesome luck I stayed conscious long enough to catch you both and keep impact with the ground from being to ugly, but we were all hurt pretty bad. I used your bandages on your wing there, which didn't look too good, as well as my leg," Seren indicated her right back leg, which was bandaged due to some ugly deep scrapes and bruises.

"As for her, I think most of her injuries were to the head... so who knows when she'll wake up and join us," Serendipity finished, nodding toward the other filly, who was still out.