Rhyme of the Ancient Aviator/Dialog

This is the transcribed dialog from the Rhyme of the Ancient Aviator quest.

Hmmmm?

• Hi! What’s up?
• What are you staring at?
• …er, sorry to bother you. I notice you don’t have a Talent Mark. What’s up with that?

I am an ancient aviator,

A midshippony by trade

The winds would be my arbiter

The storms I would evade

Until fate dealt me a drastic hand

So now I sit here bound

To warn those still upon the land…

I cannot leave the ground.

• You got wings, dude. You wanna fly, use them.
• Aren’t you being a bit over the top? Can’t be that bad.
• Is there any way I can help?
• Nice rhymes, dude! You a poet?

I was first mate on a trading blimp

A zeppelin, strong and fierce,

Defiant they called her, a ship first rate

Who’d sailed for countless years.

She weathered storms a hundredfold,

Braved cyclones tall and wide,

And her reinforced and armored hold

Stored countless cargo inside.

Many moons ago this time of day

She set forth from these cloudy isles

For a colony in Hoofston Bay,

A journey of 12,000 miles.

What happened next, I’m cursed to tell

To all who’ll hear this song.

Should you accept, I must warn you

My tale is quite long.

• Fire away! Can’t be longer than my grandpa’s stories.
• Two of those last two lines totally didn’t rhyme. But yeah, I’m game to listen for a while.
• Yeah… I got like things to do…thanks for offering though!

’Twas over the Arabian Sea

Our problems first began.

We’d navigated to a point

Where once there had been land.

An atoll with a wild orchard

Of tropical fruit trees

Was a favored rest stop for my crew

During long ocean journeys.

I set down in a long boat

Defiant carried in its hull.

Under the waves I saw the sea

Had swallowed the island whole!

Such a water rise I’d never seen

In years of sailing past.

I returned aboard and warned the crew

To leave these waters fast.

When I saw the ponies look aghast

To the north with their eyes wide.

A tidal wave a mile high

Bore down upon our ride!

With little choice, we dropped our sails

And battened hatches too.

With no chance to fly over it

We’d have to punch right through.

The moment that we hit the crest

I was knocked to the floor.

Our boat groaned and I was sure we’d

Never see the shore.

With a crash Defiant hit the surf

Badly damaged but intact.

We’d braved the wave, still with all hands

But our hull was badly cracked.

As the crew sang songs in their relief

I took inventory.

We had supplies to live four days

Before we’d go hungry.

• Wow, you weren’t kidding -- this is long.
• What happened next?
• Hehe, oh man I just remembered I left a souffle in the oven… sorry to cut you off…

For five weeks we were set adrift

Through constant rain and storm.

We had no food, at night the crew

Would huddle to keep warm.

This weather I could not explain;

In the past when it was fall

The storms would last a week at worst…

Five weeks without a lull?

Then a cry rang out above the ship,

A deep unearthly crow,

As ghostly horses circled us

The wind grew chilled as snow.

I should have guessed, only one beast

Could cause an endless storm.

Windigos, but not just one;

We’d provoked an entire swarm.

They swooped down on my frightened friends,

Grabbing them one by one.

When they found me in the cargo hold

I faced the pack alone.

I remembered what my father said:

“Windigos feed on your fear.”

So I tied myself to a hatch and yelled:

“Beasts, you are not welcome here!”

I forced myself to feel rage

To drown out any fright.

It was the only feeling I could hold

For an entire night.

They circled but could not approach,

Though they hissed and made a show.

Finally with little other choice

They flew away, letting me go.

Alone amongst Defiant’s wreck…

No hope, no crew, no food…

The figurehead my only friend

I’d naught to do but brood.

There should be an island to my east

According to the maps,

Assuming it’d not fallen prey

To the windigos’ traps.

I fixed the hull best as I could,

Made a sail out of blanket.

But when I reached the atoll

They had already sank it.

But squinting through the water

I saw seaweed on its beach;

Diving into the murky brine

I grabbed all that I could reach.

These disgusting salty plants

Sustained me in the blue.

‘Twas all the food I had to eat,

I drank the morning dew.

Four days later a call sounded

From where I stored the kelp.

I jumped awake, hoping in vain

The newcomer could help.

“Hello to you!” I called back;

A mistake, I do admit…

Hunger had addled my mind,

Coldness had dimmed my wit.

On hearing me, my new friends

Showed their teeth and loudly laughed.

A pack of sharks was now trying

To overturn my craft!

• Wow! What did you do next?
• Sorry to cut you off, but I really gotta go.
• I’ve always wanted to eat seaweed…

The leader of the sharks was white

With a scarred and bulged stomach.

“Jump in the water now, pony,

And we swear we’ll make it quick!”

“If you had any honor,

As I do,” I dared to say,

“You’d duel me for my right to live

And you to swim away!”

His smile grew even wider,

“A duel you want? Of course!

Just meet me in the water

And we’ll settle us some scores!”

“I don’t trust you among your mates,

Why don’t you come up on deck?”

I challenged, whereupon he jumped

Onto my splintered wreck.

“Now I get to choose the weapon

Since you got to choose the turf.

And I pick teeth!” he laughed, as his mates

Cheered him on from the surf.

He lunged, I dodged, he snapped, I blocked,

Barely parrying his blows.

When I recalled my father’s words:

“A shark’s weakness is his nose.”

When next he struck, I jumped forward

And punched him in the snout.

He buckled up, rolled off the edge,

And splashed with a pained shout.

“Cheater!” he cried, “I said just teeth!”

“That doesn’t count! You punched!”

“You forfeit the duel! Destroy his boat!

We’re having him for lunch!”

• You dueled a shark? Is that like, the only time that’s happened in history?
• Oh man, I just remembered I have to… iron my… llama. Bye!
• How did you escape?

As the sharks tore off plank by plank

Of my poor dirigible

I noticed they would not attack

One place – Defiant’s hull.

The cargo hold was reinforced!

The sharks could not break through.

‘Twas watertight and airproof…

I knew what I had to do.

As the ship listed dangerously

I sprinted over the keel,

Locked myself inside the hold

And double-checked the seal.

When Defiant finally groaned and sank

My airtight room did keep.

I’d no food or hope of rescue.

My air would last a week.

I hit the ocean floor after

Countless hours had passed.

The darkness my only companion,

Waiting my one repast.

I had but one reassuring thought;

When finally I did go,

Cold, alone, and deprived of sight

I probably wouldn’t know.

It’s impossible to know how long

I sat in dark remiss

Until a noise aroused me;

A barely audible hiss.

I located the source of it

When I stepped into a puddle.

A microscopic crack had formed

In my steel-wrapped bubble.

Each hour the hiss got louder;

There was no fix I could find.

I still had naught to do but wait

Yet now in real time.

Once I was in treading water

I had one last thing to try

I flipped the rowboat upside-down

Trapping the air inside.

With my head under the dinghy

At least I still could breathe

For maybe an hour at best…

I’d no choice but to leave.

Once the room was flooded

I prepped to leave to the unknown.

When I heard the door creak loudly

And open on its own!

Something swam around me,

I had not the nerve to look,

But I wasn’t being eaten

So that’s a plus in my book.

Then a head poked under my boat,

A head I was shocked to see!

Fierce eyes, a snout, familiar shape…

It was a sea pony!

He glanced at me with mistrust;

I recalled father’s warning:

“Sea ponies trust a land-dweller

Like we’d trust a Changeling.”

I tried to speak but he spoke first:

“Stranger, you come with me.

Try anything suspicious

And we’ll leave you to the sea.”

They pressed the boat on my head,

Tied a rope around my waist,

Searched Defiant for valuables

And left the site with haste.

The trek was harsh and painful

But I saw such wondrous sites!

Coral, sea vents, and fish of which

I’ll never see the likes.

As I was wondering just how far

Our group had left to go,

I saw the ground become tinted

With an aquamarine glow.

I wanted to ask of my guard

Where we were approaching,

But I feared his wrath if he did deem

That I was bothering.

Then the sand turned to tiles

Under my exhausted hooves.

I bent my head to get a peek

Even if he disapproves.

A gathering crowd stared back at me,

Sea ponies large and small,

Amongst a grand submerged city

With towering spires tall.

There were streets, and shops of all kinds,

Statues and lamps austere.

I looked in awe, wondering how

Fate could have brought me here!

The guard then kicked my behind

For the shock had stopped me dead,

“We’re still moving,” he growled,

“The Palace is up ahead.”

The palace was a wondrous sight,

Stained glass, shaped like a bloom.

I was led to the tallest tower

To see the grand throne room.

On a gilded throne of marble

With amethyst stone inset

Sat a pony more beautiful

Than any I have met.

She shimmered with unearthly light,

Her skin was white as coral.

Rainbows reflected over the court

From her headdress’ pearl.

I fell to my shaking knees

Paying my due respect.

“We found him,” announced my chaperones,

“Within a sunken wreck.”

When the boat was removed from me

Breathing soon gave me trouble

Until the sorceress summoned me

A protective air bubble.

“Speak stranger,” she commanded,

“On what drew you from the shore

And left you a new denizen

Here on our ocean floor.”

“My boat was sunk by Windigos,”

I answered, still in awe,

“Tell me, is this the fabled kingdom

Of…Aquastria?”

“Speak not that name!” she trilled, enraged,

“Of ponies tranquil and spineless!

This is a proud warrior city

Of noble stock, Aquantis!”

When I was young my father would tell

Legends of this city.

They loved war and swift punishment,

Felt no remorse or pity.

With a twirl of her hair

She conjured a display of sparks.

“I am Princess Marina,

This city’s fabled monarch!”

“What shall we do?” the lead guard asked.

“Our people don’t take guests.”

Marina nodded, “Lock him up.

He’ll be under arrest.”

“As we cannot kick him out of here

For he cannot even breathe,

We’ll try him through the system

And if he passes, he leaves.”

“How do I earn my freedom?”

I asked Princess Marina.

“The same way all do,” she replied,

“Within the arena.”

“Prisoners who win the tournament

May leave here in good health.

If you win, I’ll use my magic

To send you home myself.”

• How could you compete in a sea pony tournament?
• There’s no way Aquantis actually exists!
• What happened next?
• Well, that seems like a good stopping point for now. Uh, have a good day…

The next day I was led through crowds

Of rowdy sea ponies

Hollering at the contestants

Of today’s festivities.

I was a source of wonder

To all those who did attend.

Even my rival challengers

Held hushed conversation.

When the largest broke from the rest

And fiercely approached me.

“When this game starts,” he hissed with joy,

“I’ll kill you personally!”

“Pleased to meet you,” I replied,

“I didn’t catch your name.”

“Crasher!” he announced proudly,

“The champion acclaimed!”

“I’ve won this game a dozen times

But I choose not to leave!

I live to crush my enemies,

And their dreams to go free!”

“I’m ranked higher than anypony

In our history!

And you, as the first from the land

Shall be my next trophy!”

“Shame boasting isn’t an event

For you’d be quite prepared,”

I idly replied, leaving him

Glaring with teeth bared.

I took my place beside the rest

As Marina decreed,

“Welcome to all, today we see

Which prisoner shall be freed.

He who scores the highest

In the five coming events

Shall be allowed to leave our land

Pardoned for his offense.

The first event is javelin!”

At that I perked my ears.

I’d gained much practise as a skipper

In my early years.

Each of we six were then handed

Our own 6-harpoon set

And turned to face a throwing range

With our own small target.

Marina spoke, “A point for each

Hit in your target center!”

So Crasher threw his first shot

But the harpoon did not enter

For I threw faster, not at where

My scoring could take place,

Instead I broke his target leg

So it fell on its face.

The other four met a similar fate,

Then my final harpoon flew

At my target standing alone

And hit the middle true.

Minutes passed ‘till Marina’s voice

Broke through the silence strained:

All sea ponies are now in last

While I was one point gained.

Crasher protested bitterly

“His cheating is evident!”

Marina shook her head and said,

“On to the next event.

Manta racing is the next

Contest we’ll see today!”

At that, led onto the turf were

Six rearing, saddled rays.

The sight filled me with a sudden

Anxious consternation.

I’d absolutely nothing,

No experience to draw on.

One was much larger than the rest,

A muscled purebred dragon.

Crasher mounted it with a whoop,

“I always take this one!”

The lesser rays were doled out

And we lined up in the sand.

A light flash from Marina’s horn,

A cheer, and the race began.

I could barely keep my seat

As I took the first bend

I held on, but it was quite clear

I was way at the end.

In contrast, Crasher’s epic ray

Had a comfortable lead.

Already he was beginning

Lap two with extreme speed.

As he approached me, grinning,

Knowing victory was won,

He sideswiped my poor manta

For extra humiliation.

As my ray collapsed, desperately

I jumped on Crasher’s back

And sent the pony tumbling

Onto the racing track.

I managed to dig my hooves into

The dragon ray’s broad side.

In seconds I was in first place

Atop my monstrous ride.

Soon it was all over;

I had won another bout.

All looked stunned, except for Crasher

Who instead looked quite knocked-out.

Once he woke up, he turned beet-red

Recalling what transpired.

He shouted, “Give me the straight duel

I’ve so badly desired!”

Marina ignored him;

“So begins our middling task.

The Boxing winner shall be he

Who stands in the ring last.”

We were led to a stone circle

And stood around the rim.

Then Marina hit a gong,

Signaling us to begin.

In a flash, Crasher downed the first,

Followed soon by two more.

I was retreating from one fixed

On sending me to the floor.

Suddenly I spotted Crasher

Approaching from my back.

At the last second I darted

Away from his attack.

His punch sent the other pony

Careening into the palace.

For a second Crasher stumbled,

Having lost his own balance.

I pushed him and he staggered

But soon regained his footing.

Before he mauled me we heard “Stop!

You stepped out of the ring!”

Indeed he had, and per the rules

That disqualified him.

He roared and charged me anyway

To tear me limb from limb.

Marina blasted him aside

And strode onto the court.

“With three out of five victories

This tournament’s cut short!

We have our winner!” And the crowd

Cheered with excited glee

At the spectacle of fighting

They’d been graced enough to see.

“Will you be joining us for the

Celebratory feast?”

The princess asked, I shook my head,

“I’d like to be released.”

She bowed her head. “Of course, stranger,

That is your choice to make.”

A wave of magic left a portal

Gleaming in its wake.

“No need to state your homeland

For you are a pegasus.”

Greeting me from the other side

was bright Cloudopolis.

For quite some time, I stared in awe

At the clouds within the glow,

Then turned away, “Sorry, that’s not

the place I wish to go.

The frozen arctic is the land

I ask you send me to.

I can’t go home until I’ve tried

To save my wayward crew.”

The princess snapped angrily,

“My reward was very clear!

Winning gets you a portal home

Not just to anywhere!”

“If you won’t send me there,” I said,

Facing her eye-to-eye,

“Then put me on the surface;

If I can’t warp, I’ll fly.”

Her eyes flashed red as the portal changed,

“Take it, ungrateful whelp!

But you can’t leave without punishment

For rudely denying help!”

“I curse you ‘till the end of time

to lose what you love most!

Maybe next time you’ll think before

Scorning a gracious host!”

A flash of light blinded me

As the portal sucked me in.

I emerged onto a plateau

Battered by frigid wind.

I knew not what her curse had done

Until I tried to fly.

My wings refused to open

And I wasn’t quite sure why…

Until I curled up to sleep

That night in a snow bank.

I realized my Talent Mark

Did not adorn my flank.

The love of my life, flying,

I would never again do…

The wind won’t whistle through my mane,

My days aloft were through.

But it would all be worth it

If I brought my crewmates home

So I marched for countless days;

through ice and storms I roamed.

At last I reached my journey’s end;

The windigo’s dark lair.

Black jagged spires overlooked

Cavernous depths austere.

I marched in, caring not what lay

Within the waiting chill.

Though they were a force of nature

I had my force of will.

When I reached the inner sanctum

Through much sneaking and stealth

I found my crew trapped in a cage,

All in a horrible health.

Their eyes went wide when they saw me,

They thought I was a ghost,

Haunting them for leaving me

To float along the coast.

I shushed them as I freed them

From their incarceration,

But barely had we moved at all

When we were set upon.

The hissing, snarling windigos

Leapt to defend their prize.

That’s when I learned Marina’s curse

Was a blessing in disguise.

I had no joy to prey upon,

No hope on which to feed.

Her theft of flying granted the

Immunity I’d need.

Unchallenged I marched my friends out

To freedom on the beach.

We built an airship, Homecoming,

Out of wreckage and debris.

The ship could fly, but when it did

I’d slide off to the ground.

The curse still applied, so it seemed,

To vehicles airbound.

So, tearfully, my crew took off,

Thanking me endlessly

To fly home to their families

And clouds I longed to see.

I walked instead, over continents;

Though I couldn’t take the blimps

To get back home, I didn’t care,

I had to have a glimpse.

Imagine my surprise when I

Finally made it there

To see my crew had built for me

A giant spiraling stair

So I could be at home like them…

And now at home I stand.

This all happened so long ago…

But I’d do it all again.

And here you stand before me again hearing my tale of woe.

Now take this lamp to light the night and on your way do go.