Paisley Tales

By Ukulele Moon

Chapter 4

Nani Moku had been working on helping as many victims of the hurricane as she possibly could that day. Cots and make-shift hay beds were sprawled unscrupulously all over the front grounds of Paisley Island’s main clinic.  The moans and wails of injured ponies that had been caught in the up sweep of the recent storm were almost deafening. All of the Island’s inhabitants were working hard to care for the injured and the bereaved visitors who just happened to be in the right place at the wrong time.  Even though she was completely surrounded by villagers and visitors alike, she felt completely alone. Her husband, Sand Castle and her nephew Blue Moon were caught up with running errands for Mayor Easter Island.

Her body was beginning to fail her with aches and pains. It was time for Nani to call it quits and focus on her own problems at hand. She was not a young pony by any means and age was finally starting to catch up to her. The recent stress of her injured daughter who was currently in surgery was not helping the situation and seemed to be the only thing she could think of at the moment. She had spent the day keeping busy by helping others, but now, her mind raised and bordered on a panic attack as reality began to take full grasp on her emotions. She wasn’t use to being the helpless one in situations like this, she had always been the comforter.

 As she left the grounds in front of Pineapple Passion’s clinic, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in one of the windows of the nearby huts. She stopped for a moment to let herself fully realize her situation. She almost laughed to herself when she saw the haggard pony that stared back at her. “To think,” she said to no one in particular, “My name means Pretty Island,” her voice trailed off to a faint whisper. Her voice was flavored with anxiety.

“I still think you’re pretty,” answered back a familiar voice from somewhere behind the teal unicorn mare. As she turned to face the responder, a gust of tropical wind blew her tangled pink mane into her nose and caused her to sneeze loudly. The dying afternoon sun had also produced a last aggravating glare that temporarily blinded her. The blue pegasus stallion chuckled as he used his hoof to gently push away stray wisps of his wife’s mane.

“Sand Castle,” Nani Moku warmly embraced her equally exhausted husband. “What are we going to do?” Her voice was colored with a sort of distraught tenseness that was foreign to her beloved mate.

Sand Castle quietly lead his wife away from the center of town and towards the eastern beach. He knew she was about to ignite emotionally and didn’t want to cause a stir on their behalf. Nani Moku had given her all today and was showing signs of her inherent frailness. She was practically hanging on him for support. He was aggrieved to see the normal energy and vibrancy that his wife seemed to possess in great quantity to have dissolved like morning dew drops on a sunny day. Their marriage had been a long and happy one. They had produced one beautiful daughter, a miracle child, that came into their lives when they had all but given up hope of ever having a foal of their own. Now her life was hanging in the balance.

Sand Castle could only produce a small sigh. His heart was heavy not only for his wife, but their daughter Ukulele Moon. He heard Nani Moku finally start to break down into tears at his side. Her small sobs produced a cry of grief that crushed his heart and made his head slump to meet hers. The diminutive unicorn mare began to wail in great heaps of helpless regrets. He tried his best to comfort her wordlessly but knew that his inability to tackle social situations was only posing as a hindrance in a time of desperate needs.

“She’s our only baby,” His Pretty Island continued.

“And she’s strong, Nani. She always has been,” he said in the most reassuring voice he could possibly muster. He had no idea how incredibly hard it would be to pull this kind of strength together for his beloved wife. He had always assumed if you loved someone, it should come naturally. This wasn’t some scared tourist he was comforting through a surfing lesson, this was his soul mate.

“I couldn’t stop her, she ran out of the shelter,” Nani continued. Her voice was breaking into high pitched squeals.

“There was nothing you could have done. Ukulele has always been headstrong. It’s not your fault.” Sand Castle sucked in air through his teeth in an attempt to distract himself from his own remorse.

“What are we going to do if she,” Nani began. “And Gear Turner, he’s gone, isn’t he?” her voice came to a sharp peak and drifted off as if hopelessness was overcoming her entire being. The loss of their son-in-law was hitting her as hard as a fresh crop of coconuts. They could only assume that the quirky Pegasus stallion had been lost in the violent clattering of the hurricane since there was no word from the search party. Not even his body was found, only a few stray white feathers with his distinctive Paisley markings.

“Let’s not think of it, Nani. All we can do is pray.” Sand Castle wasn’t the religious type but he knew his wife was very much a spiritualist. If he had to play the part to calm her down enough to think clearly, then he would certainly do just to protect her. He stomped his hoof angrily in the sand. The feeling of helplessness was not something he was used to dealing with gracefully. Many times he had seen Nani Moku face situations with such refinement and humility to other ponies in need and it stunned him. That’s what he loved most about his wife, her ability to rely so strongly on her own beliefs that she could put everything else aside. It’s no wonder she was known as a motherly figure to many ponies around the island.

Sand Castle watched his normally poised wife break down in front of him, uncharacteristic of her enduring personality. It was like watching a complete stranger dealing with emotions and discomfort foreign to him. “I need some time alone, husband.” Nani said as she looked deeply into his pale blue eyes.

“Of course, whatever you need.” He almost felt a sense of relief when she asked to be by herself for a time. He suspected she was going to use this time to commune to her Goddess or something. It wasn’t a topic he was exactly comfortable dealing with, but he respected his wife’s beliefs. He had mostly thought that the tales of the Goddess Pele and their origins had been a myth which was the widely accepted concept throughout their society. Ponies like Nani Moku were somewhat of a rarity in terms of social norms. “You’re going to be alright?” he asked dutifully.

Nani nodded slowly at her husband. “Yes, I just need time with Her.”

“Ah,” he tried to sound like he even remotely understood what she was talking about at the moment. He knew that a lot of ponies thought his wife was really strange and maybe even a little scary. No one had seen or heard from the supposed Goddess savior of the Paisley Ponies in centuries and only a few healers and priestesses still clung to their beliefs as if they were rare gems. He turned away from his wife and gave his old wings a good flap. He lifted off the ground with a small gust. He turned to his wife one last time. He could have sworn that she possessed the faintest glowing aura around her horn. Nonsense, he quickly dismissed to himself. Paisley Ponies did not possess the magic of the rest of Equestria for some unknown reason. Their magic was unusually weak compared to ponies from other lands.

“I will keep watch over the clinic. You go and do whatever you need to, Nani. I’ll let you know if anything changes.” He said to her.

Nani Moku pursed her lips and nodded. She turned and ran in a northerly direction down the beach. The sky was beginning to turn shades of purple and pink as the sun began to kiss the top of the ocean in the embrace of twilight. A helpless Pegasus stallion could only hear her soft hoof beats fading away on the pure white sand and the idle flapping of his azure wings.

Elsewhere…

The Electric Lime was the kind of club that was a rare sight in most of Equestria. It certainly drew large crowds during the tourist season that seemed to be dazzled by the kind of music and performances that were held there. Unlike most establishments in Equestria, the iconic club had endured a barrage of pirate raids and severe run-ins with the unpredictable weather. It was still the largest and most brightly lit building in Coconut Hollow, the capital city of Paisley. It’s odd purple color and alien architecture had earned it the nickname, “The Purple Cow.” Many villagers of Paisley would have liked nothing more than for the eye-sore of a nightclub to be demolished by a tropical gust.

Fizzy Grape, the club proprietor was one of the oddest ponies that anypony could come across. She was a brash and outspoken Pegasus that seemed to employ only the Island’s dregs that could otherwise not find a job at the more polished resorts. Fizzy prided herself and her band of rag-tag ruffians on their ability to not fit into the normal mold of tropical pony paradise. They were always trying to bring performances and shows that astonished tourists and angered the local denizens. The entire building was cast from metal and surrounded in an unnatural glow of green neon lights that clashed heavily with the ornate exterior.

“How’re the storm-shutters holding up, Mai Tai?” yelled Fizzy from the bottom floor of the club. She was quickly trying to assess the damage to her beloved establishment.

The pink pegasus with the stunning green eyes and electric blue mane seemed to explode from behind a set of brightly colored stage curtains. “I think she held up pretty good,” Mai Tai answered back.

“We got lucky, Mai, really lucky,” Fizzy reminded her younger protégé.

“Oh Fizzy, you’re not happy unless you’re freaking out about something, are you?” Mai Tai landed beside her with a gush of youthful energy. Mai Tai could easily have been the prettiest pony on the Island. There was hardly a young stallion that wasn’t dazzled but her unusual looks. However, most every other pony on the island dismissed the boy-crazy pegasus mare as nothing more than a floozy. She smiled crazily at Fizzy who could only smile back. It was hard to be upset around a pony like Mai Tai even if the whole town secretly prayed that your nightclub would spontaneously burst into flames. It was no wonder that Fizzy had chosen the beautiful dancer as her successor until her own daughters, Mojito Madness  and Grape Nehi were old enough to take the reins.

Fizzy’s own family were still busy helping the tourists and islanders that had been hit hardest during the outrageous tropical tempest. Mai Tai and her had spent the day attempting to salvage what was left of their profits from the night before the storm had hit. They had donated water, food and other miscellaneous supplies to the rescue effort. Mai Tai and Fizzy had even spent the morning hours after it was deemed safe looking for survivors. One of those survivors just happened to be one of her best friends and biggest supporters, Ukulele Moon.

Fizzy Grape sighed to herself as Mai Tai went behind the bar to check what drinks needed to be reordered. She wondered to herself how much time her club had without the support of the islanders.  It was useless to try to convince the rest of Paisley that the nightclub was an economic necessity. These days, pony tourists just weren’t as interested in quiet nights and palm trees swaying in sultry breezes. What attracted ponies was the kind of cutting edge music and skilled dancers that were on Fizzy’s payroll. The Major, Easter Island, seemed like a hawk poised to strike on her club as if it was a field mouse. A life time of work and investment ended because the stucco exterior didn’t match the rest of the boring little shops around her.

“They’re just a bunch of prudes, Fizzy,” Mai Tai assured her friend. She could see the worry sprawled across her face like stars spreading across a darkened night sky.

“Yeah, well we’ll see how those prudes vote during the next Town Hall meeting. This storm put a hold on things but it didn’t stop what’s coming around the corner for us,” Fizzy spat back a bit more angrily than she intended.

“Surely they’re going to take into account all the stuff we donated and all the time we put into helping the other islanders. Come on, you have to stop worrying yourself to death like this, it isn’t good for anypony!” Mai Tai gently put her hooves on Fizzy’s back and gave her dear friend and teacher a small backrub.

Fizzy could have melted right there. Even her husband, Lightning Strike, was not nearly so skilled with his hooves as the infamous Mai Tai. It was no wonder why so many stallions chased after her in vain. She craned her neck towards Mai Tai and closed her eyes. She let the vivacious pegasus mare work her magic on tired and sore muscles and tried to dissolve her anxiety in Mai Tai’s soft voice. “If you keep this up, I’m going to have to give you a raise or something,”

“Ah, is that a promise now?” Mai Tai chuckled softly.

“Ugh, did you hear what happened to Ukulele?” Fizzy interrupted the peace that had seemed to swell over the room as the evening tides that lazily hung on the sandy local coastlines. As soon as the words came out of her mouth, she instantly regretted them as she felt those skilled hooves drop from her stinging muscles. She heard Mai Tai gasp a little and as she turned she saw the unmistakable expression of a crestfallen friend.

“Yeah, I was one of the ponies that found her,” Mai Tai said in a soft, distressed voice. “There’s still no word from the clinic as to her condition.”

“Pineapple Passion is one of the best doctors in all of Equestria. Ukulele couldn’t be in better hooves, Mai Tai. She’s going to pull through this,” Fizzy tried to say with some confidence in her voice. She placed a work-hardened hoof on the lovely rosy pegasus’ rounded shoulder.  “She has to,” Fizzy said suddenly as if she was trying not only to convince Mai Tai but also herself.

“Pineapple said she was bleeding internally. I don’t know much about medicine but I know that isn’t good. And Gear Turner, he’s gone, isn’t he?” Mai Tai said sadly and with an air of acceptance laced into her usual musical tone. She pushed away a stray tress of her voluminous mane and sucked in a hard breath.

“It certainly looks like it, Mai.” Fizzy looked at her dear friend and caught the stare of those powerful verdant eyes.

“Why would he have been out in that storm? What in the name of sweet Celestia was he trying to prove? I know they had a fight earlier that day but seriously!” Mai Tai stomped a hoof angrily down on the cold tiled floor of the club.

“Now, you can’t be splitting hairs, Mai. You know Gear Turner is,” she paused for a moment to correct herself, “was an inventor. Those types are always so eccentric.”

“Yeah, and that idiot is dead now and my best friend probably will be too! This is so stupid!” Mai Tai shouted back angrily and careless flung her foreleg out. As her hoof slammed down, it struck the table she was nearest and sent a martini glass rocketing to the floor with a crash. Broken glass showered Fizzy Grape like a sudden burst of sharp confetti. Uninjured, the proprietress of the club expressed a look of surprise and unusual concern for her normally composed employee. Mai Tai realized her outburst had not only caused her friend to shrink in her presence but also damage part of her livelihood.  She softened her stance a little and tried to calm herself to prevent another careless mistake from happening. She wasn’t really angry at Gear Turner or Fizzy, she was angry at life.

Mai Tai and Ukulele Moon had been fast friends since childhood. They had met when Mai Tai still went by her given name of Love Potion. She was born into a family that didn’t understand or accept her from an early age and generally made life very difficult for her. When she was around Ukulele in those early days, she couldn’t remember being happier as the pair would explore Paisley Island’s backcountry together. A wrecking ball of tragedy stuck Mai Tai’s life and Ukulele had provided unending support for her beloved companion.

Mai Tai spent a portion of her life in care of the Island’s orphanage after a pirate raid had killed both of her birth parents. Unfortunately, that wasn’t an unusual story on Paisley Island. It it still didn’t make the soreness she carried any less real. There was literally a baggage claim department worth of emotional issues to sort through. With deceased parents, a pony really can’t make peace with anything except excruciating memories and scares that softly faded on her pelt. Mai  Tai had been taken in by Ukulele’s family and treated as if she had been born into the family. They had even given the former Love Potion the nickname ‘Mai Tai’ after a crazy adventure that her and Ukulele Moon shared together.

Picturing life without such an essential friendship wasn’t something Mai was prepared to do yet. She had always envisioned her and Ukulele Moon growing old together and ending up pranking orderlies in some old pony’s home. The dream of the both of them being married two their childhood sweeties and having huge families seemed so alien from the reality that was creeping up around her like weeds in one of Ukulele’s gardens. Mai Tai could feel her cheeks beginning to flush with blood as she mulled over all of the possible outcomes of this situation. Either she was going to have a friend that was so badly brain damaged that she wouldn’t be able to remember a thing that they had shared or she wasn’t going to have a friend at all.

Fizzy Grape didn’t need to be in Mai Tai’s head to sense what was going on inside of the wily Pegasus mare. A flurry of concern overtook her and she moved closer to Mai Tai in an attempt to comfort her. The moment was short lived as the doors to club burst open.  A diminutive brownish-hued Unicorn with a streaming blue mane trailing behind her came trotting quickly into the establishment. It was Butterfly Bay, another close friend of Mai Tai.

“Butterfly, what is it?” Mai Tai said as she looked up. Her tear-streaked eyes only took on a more lovely and deeper hue of green and resembled twin jade orbs.

Butterfly Bay was in that moment caught up in that enticing stare of the intimidating figure before her. Quickly though, she snapped back into actuality and looked at her acquaintance. “There’s been a change in her condition, I just heard from one of the nurses. Ukulele is crashing. They need blood donated and they can’t find a match. They’re asking everyone on the Island for help. They can’t find her mother.”

Before Fizzy could say another word to her employee, she realized that she was talking to thin air. “I’m guessing it’s Ukulele’s lucky day. I think they just found a blood donor match,” as she glanced at the doors of the club flapping in the wind like the wings of a seagull caught in a storm.

“How do you know that, Fizzy?” Butterfly said in her quiet, bashful tone of voice.

“Because no pony moves like that unless they’re on a mission.” Fizzy said with an air of confidence in her voice.  For some reason, she felt like everything was going to be alright after all. It wasn’t like her to base her reactions or intent on something that was just a ‘gut feeling,’ but knowing that Mai Tai was going to donate blood on Ukulele’s behalf seemed like a righteous action that should be rewarded.

“I hope so.” Butterfly said gently, not wanting to provoke the unpredictable nature of the night club owner. She turned to leave quietly but she caught Fizzy’s attention.

“Where do you think you’re going? I still need help cleaning this place up! I’ve got a Town Hall of angry villagers to face in a few days. I need the place spotless! Some old storm isn’t going to keep The Electric Lime down!” roared Fizzy Grape.

“Uh, uh,” Butterfly stuttered. “I don’t work here?”

“Like that matters!” She exclaimed. “Hard work never hurt anypony, and girl, you need all the help you can get! Less yapping and more sweeping.” She then threw a broom in the direction of the unicorn mare.

“Okay,” Butterfly Bay was not about to argue with the imposing mistress of the nightclub.

Meanwhile…

Mountain Moon was a long way from the usual hustle and bustle of the big city of Coconut Hollow but it was also the sacred home of the Goddess Pele. Nani Moku was really feeling a strong sense of exhaustion as she rounded yet another part of the trail to the top of the inactive volcano that had been the supposed birthplace of Paisley Pony kind. Her aged hooves moved purposely along the hard rock trail that was littered with natural dangers such as sharp pieces of volcanic glass and scorpions. Even though her own heart beat was hammering in her ears like an ancient tribal drum, she did not even stop to rest.

Princess Luna’s magnificent orb was beginning to rise high in the night time sky. Nani Moku’s older eyes, afflicted by cataracts, could not clearly see the path. She had traveled this way so much as a filly that memory served her well where her body could not. Usually she would stop and take a moment to absorb the natural beauty of the remote island but tonight she could not afford to dally. There was so much at stake and so much that she must petition to the Goddess Pele. Even in the darkness, Nani could make out The Electric Lime Nightclub that showered the valley beneath her in a weird synthetic glow from its volley of neon lights. She frowned a bit at the sight but knew that the club’s owner was a very hardworking mare.

As she reached the summit of the long-dormant volcano, she stared down into the massive crater that time had formed over thousands of years. The sight still inspired emotions that awakened the core of her being and charged her soul. Her heart skipped a beat at the vision that was laid before her in the milky light of the celestial body. She swore that she saw the very middle of the crater smoking in the pale moonlight. That was impossible as the volcano was deemed completely safe by local geologists. That was one of Paisley Island’s driving points for tourists was the sight of the magnificent Mountain Moon towering over the ancient tribal pony civilization that was birthed from legend.

Nani Moku grimaced as an annoying body pain ripped into her side from muscles that were overworked and stressed. Her attention was momentarily diverted as she attempted to walk the cramp off and resume her spiritual journey to the altar that had been set up some time ago by the ancients who worshipped the tumultuous earth Goddess. In that moment, the smoke that had been pooling in the center of the crater began to take form.

The night wind swept Nani Moku’s mane and gave her a much needed burst of fresh air to her weary lungs. As she turned back to approach the alter to make her maternal plea to the Goddess she was caught by a surprising sight of a fully formed, tanned Alicorn slowly making her way from the gorge beneath her. It seemed as if the form was floating on air and birthed from the smoke that wreathed the walls of the stone mass.

The massive Alicorn was at once standing before the beleaguered unicorn mare. “Nani Moku,” the Goddess spoke to her in a voice that sounded of thunder on the plains.

Nani Moku was speechless. She had many times felt the presence of her beloved deity but never had she beheld the sight that was before her right now. She almost wanted to turn tail and run from the spectacular figure that seemed to make even the huge rocks around her appear as pebbles. Nani knew that kind of cowardice had no place in the worship of this Goddess and that she must attempt to gather all of her courage from every fiber of her being.

“You sought me,” the Alicorn remarked. Pink-tinged tendrils of her seemingly non-corporeal hair gathered around her like the lava that spewed from volcanoes such as Mountain Moon.

“I did, my Goddess,” Nani said in a tone that almost came off completely unrealistic to her. She could hear the fear in her voice as it trembled in the presence of the deity. She felt herself pointedly attempting to bring her besieged body into a low bow of respect in front of Pele.  

“Rise, little one, I am honored.” Pele said in a tone that sounded both powerful and maternal. Nani couldn’t help but noticing that the Goddess in all of her glory looked somewhat diminished that night as if She had spent a great deal of energy or effort on some great project. “You have come on behalf of the child that I gave to you, long ago.”

Nani Moku nodded. She could easily remember the night that she had prayed to Pele for a foal of her own. She had only heard clearly the voice of the Goddess that reassured her that she would indeed conceive a child and carry it to term. After four terrible miscarriages, Nani had all but given up hope that she would ever feel the soft, warm feeling of a foal in her grasp. “My daughter is very ill right now. She might die.”  

“I am aware,” Pele sounded almost distracted as She turned her gaze away from the unicorn and out in the direction of the western sea.

“I can’t lose her. She’s my baby.” Nani’s voice broke in a shrill unbefitting of her normal demeanor. She had always envisioned meeting the Goddess and being a shining example of a devoted follower but the pain she was feeling right now overrode all of her intent.

“A mother always shares the pain of her child. I feel the pain of my children echoing from all over Equestria. At times, a mother must sacrifice herself for the nourishment of her children,” Pele glanced back at her follower with large, luminous eyes that struck her like a rock skipping across the surface of the water.

“You’re asking for a sacrifice?” Pretty Island said. “Goddess, I will do anything I must do. If you’re asking for my life in trade for hers, consider it done.” Although she was secretly terrified of facing the unknown throng of death, she felt compelled to offer herself in place of her daughter.

“You have already given of yourself,” the deity corrected her swiftly “ the sacrifice comes from another mother. Soon you will witness the children of Paisley sacrificing much to achieve something that they never thought possible. That is the destiny of my progenies. ”

Although she was terribly confused by the sentiments of the Goddess that seemed to be dissolving in front of her, Nani Moku’s heart that had bared so much pain began to lighten.  Perhaps there was a chance that her daughter would pull through and find happiness even without the loving embrace of her cherished husband. Nani Moku witnessed the form of the Goddess begin disband around her and disappear into the sultry night air of paradise. Nani Moku smiled to herself and looked out over the valley beneath her.

The calm and quiet that peace afforded the mare was temporary as she saw Sand Castle tearing through the sky and towards her position perched high above the city. “Pretty Island! I was hoping I’d find you here! Pineapple Passion has news for us! Can you get on to my back?” he shouted in a voice that was a little louder than he intended it to be. He would be lying if he didn’t say he was excited and a bit afraid of what was to come.

“Yes, of course!” She mounted the strong back of her work-hardened husband. Years of hauling up fish and surfing had awarded the older stallion an impressive set of muscles that rippled as he flew. He was beginning to show his age as well but at least he was able to do it as elegantly as possible. The night wind was acting up and gave a strong gust as Sand Castle took off from the cliff that Nani Moku had been perched upon.

“Who were you talking to?” He asked in a very matter-of-fact tone.

“I think you know,” Pretty Island leaned forward and whispered into his ear lovingly. It sent a happy wave of pleasure through the old stallion that rekindled some dear memories. “She’s going to be alright.”

“Ha! Well, I think you’re right, wife! Praise be to the clouds if they helped our daughter recover!” He burst out into the brisk chill of the darkened heavens. Sand Castle was delighted that something could be salvaged from this tragedy and bring back the fire that normally burned in his bride’s heart. They charged through the clouds together as if they were leaves on the ground for anypony else.

“It still isn’t going to bring back Gear Turner,” She felt herself lamenting for the loss of her son-in-law. She knew how much her daughter loved the crazy pegasus even if they spent most of their time having huge arguments. Even though her marriage to Sand Castle had been a smooth one, she suspected that Ukulele Moon and Gear Turner related to each other by bickering about everything. “Ukulele is going to be very different when she learns what happened to him.”

“I know, but there’s nothing we can do about him. I miss him too, Nani, he was so good to our daughter.”  Sand Castle affirmed. “All we can really do is just be there for her and be supportive of her recovery.”

“You’re right, as always,” Nani quietly said back to him.

They landed just a few yards away from the clinic doors. A crowd had formed on the outside that was anxious to know the fate of the island’s infamous tour guide. Blue Moon, Ukulele’s cousin, stood closest to the door displaying his usual face that was almost impossible to read. He noticed that Sand Castle and Nani Moku had arrived and the ruggedly handsome earth pony stallion stoically approached them. His amber eyes were full of something that Pretty Island couldn’t place.

“Ukulele is conscious and in recovery. Pineapple has been waiting for you two,” rumbled the deep voice of Ukulele’s cousin.

Nani found a wave of relief that crashed into her welcomingly and instantly lightened her voice. “She made it?”

“Well, apparently she needed a blood transfusion,” he began.

“But I had that covered, Nani!” entered the playful, carefree voice of Mai Tai as she interrupted Blue Moon. He only sighed and grumbled at the precocious pink pegasus. He was quite used to being interrupted but it still stung him at times.

“You, Mai Tai?” Nani said as she carefully stepped forward. Even though she was running high on adrenaline, she was still aching from her physical exertions on Mountain Moon earlier that evening.

“Yeah, a long time ago we both got typed for blood donation. Turns out, we’re a perfect match.” She said with cool confidence as she landed next to Blue Moon and attempted to jolt him out of his usual calm demeanor. She was always trying to shake his foundations but she never saw as much as an eyebrow lift from the stoic stallion.

“You truly are sisters, Mai.” Nani said in a warm, welcoming tone of voice that was music to the high-energy pegasus’ ears. She knew Mai Tai, having lacked a proper mother, was always seeking approval from maternal figures. She had nurtured that relationship carefully over the years and saw past what many ponies refused to accept about the young mare. She knew Mai Tai was a lot smarter and more courageous than others in the city gave her credit for in the past.

Mai Tai could only blush at the kind words that were showered upon her from her adoring adoptive mother.

“A huge risk, getting blood from the likes of you,” interrupted Easter Island, the island’s elected leader. The purple unicorn with waves of yellow hair the color of straw pushed her way between Blue Moon and Mai Tai. She wrinkled her nose and gave a disapproving stare to the magenta mare with her light pink eyes that reminded Mai Tai of an albino rat.

“Hardly, actually the screening process for blood donation is very stringent,” Blue Moon continued. He didn’t seem to bat an eye at the Island’s major as she rudely stepped in front of him and seemed to breath in his face. “Besides, Mai Ta here is actually quite responsible and that takes the risk percentage for a blood borne pathogen down to…”

Again, Blue Moon was interrupted by a few choice words shot off by Mai Tai to Easter Island. Sand Castle grabbed her before she could land a punch to the tall, lavender colored unicorn. An act that would have assuredly put her behind bars in the island’s brig and given rise to more rumors. Before the small crowd of ponies broke out into an all-out brawl, the doors of the clinic opened with a gentle swoosh and Pineapple Passion, the city’s doctor stepped out to face the scene. She cleared her throat to get the attention of those before her. In any other instance, she may have found the scene to be quite comical with ponies with oddly fixed expressions looking dumbstruck at her.

“Ukulele is ready to see you now,” Pineapple said directly to Ukulele’s parents.

“Please! Let me come in! She’s my sister.”

Easter Island clicked her teeth and made a mocking noise to no pony in particular as if the idea of Mai Tai having a family was completely beneath all reason. Mai Tai shot her a dangerous warning look but then refrained from allowing herself to slip back into old habits. She looked pleadingly at Pineapple Passion and Nani Moku for some kind of support in this situation.

“I can only allow two visitors.” Pineapple said reaffirming her position on the matter. The citrus colored earth pony mare was usually quite professional in most situations even if they involved some of her dearest friends. Personally, she had no malice towards Mai Tai or any of the other orphans that inhabited the island. She couldn’t understand why so many families chose to give the cold shoulder to children that had lost so much during pirate raids. Easter Island wasn’t the only pony on the island with such obvious prejudices. It took a very special pony family to adopt one of the survivors of the raids as the children were usually completely terrorized from their experience and could be hard to handle.

“Mai Tai, you go with Nani and see Ukulele first. I can wait,” Sand Castle said quietly. A few of the ponies assembled gave a surprised look to the father of the injured unicorn.

“Sand Castle, I couldn’t,” Mai Tai began to suddenly feel very guilty for being so greedy about her best friend. She should be thinking of what was best for Ukulele and not for herself. She hung her head low in regret with her ears pinned back to her head.

“No, it’s alright,” assured Nani Moku. “We’ll go see her together. She’ll be happy to see you,” She gently nudged the pegasus through the wide doors of the clinic. Pineapple Passion quickly swept the doors closed behind them and brought up the rear.

“Wait, before you two see her, there’s been a few complications.” Pineapple interjected.

“Complications?” Mai Tai’s face fell.

Nani turned to face the doctor’s amber eyes. “Whatever it is, we can handle it, Mai Tai. Have faith.”

“You see, Ukulele lost a lot of blood. Sometimes the brain processes this trauma by changing its chemistry. She’s also been through a great deal of physical harm. All of those wounds will heal, but her mind is altered.” Pineapple began. “I’m hoping when she sees you, that it will clear up some of the anomalies I’m seeing.”

“Anomalies?” Mai Tai was beginning to raise her voice in panic. She burst past Nani Moku and Pineapple and headed for the doors of the recovery room. Quickly she pushed them open with little regard for the poor nurse that was just behind the entrance. She sent the earth pony mare flying backwards into the furthest wall from the force of her entry. “Ukulele!” she cried as she ran to her hospital bed.

A teal unicorn, a shade darker than Nani Moku was laying on the bed. A wild mop of curly magenta hair with two colorful stripes running through it was carefully tied up in a pony-tail to keep the blood from her wounds from caking into it. Large, lime colored eyes popped open at the commotion that surrounded her. Mai Tai had gotten herself tangled in some equipment and kicked a tray over. She rushed to her friend’s side as a bunch of hospital supplies went toppling over in a whirlwind of pegasus power.

Nani Moku entered quietly behind Pineapple Passion who was quietly cursing the rude intrusion of the overly emotional pegasus. There was a long, deafening silence in the room as Ukulele Moon looked to each of the individuals before her for some sign of recognition. She shrank back from Mai Tai’s energetic advances as if she was some kind of poisonous snake.

“GET AWAY FROM ME!” shouted Ukulele. She almost looked as if she would fly off the hospital bed and threaten to tear her surgical stitches open. The earth pony nurse from earlier quickly recovered and helped Pineapple Passion restrain the patient until they administered a sedative intravenously. Ukulele slumped almost instantly as the powerful drugs found their way into her frail system.

“Ukulele?” Mai Tai seemed diminished when the realization of the situation hit her head on.

“She doesn’t remember anything. I was hoping that if she saw you, she would remember something. The injuries she suffered cause this to happen.”

“This is the sacrifice of the mother the Goddess was speaking about,” Nani Moku said out loud suddenly. It had earned her three very confused glances from those that were still conscious in the room. “There’s something I have to do for my daughter, I just have to figure out what that is.”

Pineapple waited for Ukulele to slip into a dreamless slumber induced by the drugs before speaking. As she felt the strength from her patient slip, she leaned forward to address the small group. “I understand Gear Turner was lost in the storm. He is presumed deceased, correct?”

Both Mai Tai and Nani Moku nodded their heads in grief-struck approval.

“You can’t tell her that. Any more trauma is going to cause more physical and mental problems for Ukulele. She may remember fragments of her life or she may even remember large portions, but right now we have to concentrate on keeping her calm for the sake of the foals.” Pineapple coaxed her voice into a lightened tone. “While I was performing the surgery on her perforated stomach, I discovered that she’s about 12 weeks along. We can’t even let her know, for right now, that she’s with foals.”

“Foals?!” Mai Tai roared making Nani Moku jump. She felt the room spinning around her with an intensity that almost made her pass out in the arms of the ever-ready attending nurse. She received a rueful glance from the earth pony care-giver.

“She’s carrying Gear Turner’s foals. It’s twins.” Pineapple said happily. She made no attempt to hide her encouraging tone. Pregnancy and childbirth were the bright sides to her job and were stark welcomed contrast to the illness and death she battled in a daily basis.

“This is what the Goddess Pele must have meant,” Nani looked to her frail looking daughter sprawled carelessly on the sickbed.

“We’ll do whatever we have to, for Ukulele and Gear Turner’s foals,” Mai Tai said with a confident tone in her voice that made Pineapple Passion and Nani Moku regard her.

“Ladies,” a deep voice pierced the already chaotic atmosphere of the recovery room. “We’ve got a huge problem.” It was Blue Moon. The usually resigned stallion sounded noticeably aggravated.

“Don’t any of you ponies have any respect for the recovery process?!” Pineapple asked in an annoyed tone. She realized that the hallway and entrance of the hospital was crowded with more ponies that should be there. Sand Castle pushed ahead of Blue Moon and looked at the doctor with a worried look in his eyes. “Now Sand Castle, Blue Moon, really. I expected more from the both of you. I know you can both count. I said two visitors only!”

“Yes well naturally, but,” began Blue Moon.

“PIRATES!” somepony shouted from outside in a panicked tone. She suspected it was one of the tourists by the tone of disbelief that colored the voice.

“Damn it!” cursed Pineapple Passion. “I guess the storm wasn’t enough of a flank whooping for us, huh? Now those damned Diamond Dogs have to pick through the wreckage!”

“I’ll rally everyone. It’s going to be one hell of a night!” Sand Castle embraced his wife and took off into the night. Blue Moon charged out of the hospital gallantly and to the armory. Tourists were ushered back to the safety of the fortress-like shelters and islanders began to ready themselves for the oncoming battle. An eerie still and calmness loomed menacingly over the island despite the chaos that was unfolding.

Goddess Pele watched from Mountain Moon as the second wave of the storm began to hit.