//------------------------------// // Chapter Three // Story: Dreams and Disasters // by Quillery //------------------------------// Dreams and Disasters by Quillery Chapter Three Alligator Sky Three days stuck on a cruise ship, as it turns out, was not as fun as Dash expected. Sure, the flying village was big enough. There were shops and games to amuse herself, and the cafeteria had proven to be worth every visit. She had spent most of her time with Twilight in their room, although spent it reading quietly on their own bunks. Unfortunately, there were only so many times she could read a book or play one of the games offered by the crew before she wanted something else to kill the time. The obvious solution for her was to go flying and practice her routines. Every aspect of her form always had kinks to work out, and it wasn’t like she was at a loss for free time. But, as the voyage dragged on, the ship found itself trawling through a cloud of dense fog. It brought a wet chill to the air, making leaving the room uncomfortable. The pegasi crew members did what they could to keep it at bay, but the captain deemed it a safer alternative for the passengers to remain in their rooms. And so, Dash was confined to her tiny room with Twilight, with only a few options to pass the time until they arrived in Great Brayton. She had exhausted many of her books, and was growing tired of reading. So that left her the option of working with Twilight to come up with more creative ways to spend their time. “How are you doing that?” Twilight said. “Doing what?" Dash replied. “That!” “This? Years of practice, Twi.” “But that isn’t possible! If I put this here, you should have put that there! That’s how it’s supposed to work!” Dash chuckled at Twilight’s frustration. “Says who?” “My books! They distinctly lay out the strategies for this, right down to the moves. Like this one. I put this across this way, and you should have done it like this.” “A book?” Dash chuckled. “Hah. You can’t learn this from a book, Twi. No matter how many moves it shows you. Just practice and experience.” “Who in Equestria did you practice with to get this good?” “Eh, Pinkie, mostly. Needed to do something the pass the time between pranks.” “Are you saying that Pinkie is even better at this than you?” “Oh yeah. Way better. She is like a goddess at this. I’d be lucky to keep up with her.” Twilight stared with disbelief at Dash, who was trying to conceal a smirk. Their gaze went unbroken for a long while in silence. Dash brought a hoof to her mouth in an effort to not laugh, but the serious look in Twilight’s eyes was making it difficult. After a few quiet giggles and grunts of frustration later, Dash finally broke the looming quiet. “Best out of fifteen?” Twilight slumped down on her spot of the floor, scattering the stacks of paper with a sweep of her hooves. “Nopony should be this good at Tic-Tac-Toe.” “Well, you suggested something to pass the time.” Dash wandered over to the window and peered outside. “It’s too cold outside with all this mist. You’d think we’d be there already. I mean, it’s been three days.” Twilight stood up and went to her bunk. She grabbed a book with her magic and laid it in front of her. “I suppose the ship has to travel slower through it so they don’t hit anything. At least until they know exactly where the shore is. Don’t worry, Dash. We’ll definitely be there later today.” “I hope so. I’m going crazy cooped up on this ship! Are you sure I can’t just go for a quick flight around the ship?” “Are you kidding? Between the unpredictable wind variances over oceans and your unfamiliarity with them, you'll likely tire faster than over land, and then there's the issue of the limited visibility due to fog, the complete lack of landmarks due to the lack of land to mark, and the non-static origin due to the ship's passage, and—” “Alright, alright! I get it. I’ll stay grounded. But don’t think I won’t go for a quick flight once we hit land.” “Once we leave the harbor, of course.” Twilight giggled. “I think the port authority would have an issue with a pegasus suddenly abandoning ship without processing through customs.” Dash sighed. “Yeah, yeah.” Twilight returned to her book, leaving Dash to stare out the window. The fog floated by ominously, and as it did, her mind began to drift into her imagination. She smiled at how easy it was to imagine herself in the clouds, racing through the sky. In her mind, she was the boss, and not even a bit of fog would take the sky from her. As she crested above the obstructing mist, she looked out over the horizon below. The growing cloud began to darken, shifting from a bright grey to a dark, murky black. It cut away as parts of it dissolved, revealing rolling hills below her. Her eyes widened as she witnessed was what happening. What? “Dash, is something wrong?” Dash turned around and rubbed her eyes. Twilight was behind her, sitting on a cloud with her. She glanced around, and recognised it as the roof of her home. Looking up, she saw that the sky had shifted back to night. The stars twinkled in the distance, accompanied by the occasional streak of light that soared across the sky. Twilight was staring at her, with concern in her eyes. “Dash?” Dash shook her head, and the clouds dissipated around her. Twilight was back on her bunk, and they were back in the tiny cabin, staring at each other. “Y-yeah, Twi. I’m fine. This cabin fever is getting to me is all.” She glanced out the window again. Nothing had changed, everything was still the same boring way it was. “I’m hungry,” she said quickly. “Do you want anything from the cafeteria?” “You want to go outside? It’s freezing out there!” Dash scoffed. “I wouldn’t say freezing. Just a little chilly is all. Plus, I am a pegasus. I fly in cold weather all the time. This is nothing.” Twilight stared at her with worry in her eyes. “If you catch a cold in this weather, Rainbow Dash, I’m going to be really upset with you.” Dash trotted over to Twilight’s bunk and patted her on the head. “You worry too much, Twi. I’ll be fine. Some air in my feathers will be just the ticket to keep me from losing it.” Twilight rolled her eyes, and sighed in defeat. “Okay, just don’t be gone for too long. I’d rather not have to leave to come get you in this cold, and I definitely don’t need to be playing doctor for you during the whole trip.” “That actually sounds pretty nice,” Dash muttered. “Hm? Did you say something?” Dash went stark still once Twilight asked the question. Did I actually say that out loud? Oh ponyfeathers! “N-nothing Twi, I’ll be back in a flash with something tasty, you’ll see.” Before Twilight could utter another objection, Dash went out the door and shut it briskly behind her. Her body shivered as the chill air washed over her, and she heaved a sigh of relief. That was way too close. I really need to pay attention to what I say around her. The last thing I need is to weird her out for the whole trip. Her stomach rumbled, and she began to walk in the direction of the cafeteria. Maybe some food will clear my head. Or at least help me figure out what to do about this whole trip before I end up turning it into one huge mess. ***** Dash was surprised to see others had braved the morning cold to enjoy breakfast. A few families had gathered at the many tables of the ships galley and were talking loudly amongst themselves. She smiled to herself as she moved past the seats towards the line, intent on making her excursion as short as possible. Wouldn’t want to make Twilight worry, would I? She made her way to the counter, eyeing the various things they had on display for breakfast. As the warm smells drifted past her nose, she heard a startled noise from the other side of the shelves. She looked up and saw one of the attendants staring at her with widened eyes. She was a unicorn with a coat almost exactly like Twilight’s. Her mane, however, was far shorter, and toned two very dark shades of blue. “Are you...Rainbow Dash?” she asked. “Uh...yes?” Dash replied. The unicorn’s face brightened and she smiled widely while hopping in place. “Oh, I knew it! I knew I recognised you! I saw you last year at the Best Young Flyers competition. That Sonic Rainboom you did was amazing!” “Oh, yeah? Glad you liked it. Always awesome to meet a—wait a second. You’re a unicorn. How did you see the competition?” The mare giggled and rolled her eyes. “Cloud walking spell. It’s not that hard to use and I’ve always enjoyed watching pegasi fly.” “It’s a pretty awesome hobby, I guess. When you have pegasi like me in the skies anyways.” The unicorn offered a hoof across the counter. “I’m Sea Swirl. It’s great to meet you, Miss Dash!” Dash returned the hoofshake with a smile. “Just Dash is fine.” “So, where are you headed? I never expected to meet the Rainbow Dash on the same ship I worked.” “Eh, just a trip across the ocean. No big deal, really.” “You aren’t going alone, are you?” Dash shook her head. “Oh no, I’m going with one of my friends. It’s really some big mission for the Princess, actually, and Twilight asked me to come along.” “Twilight? You mean Twilight Sparkle?” “Yeah, is there another one I should know about?” “Wow, two famous ponies on one ship. The girls back home are going to flip about this one.” Dash chuckled, reaching for a tray of apples and oats. She added a few others while Sea Swirl continued her excited reverie. “I saw you two at the end of the competition. You two make a cute couple.” Dash’s leg went limp and the tray fell from her grip and clattered on the ground. She ignored the stares from the nearby groups and glared at Sea Swirl. “What!?” she hissed. Sea Swirl had a horrified look in her eyes. “Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to imply anything if you aren’t actually... I just assumed because of how close you were.” “We’re not...” Dash choked on the words. As much as she knew they were true, she didn’t want them to be. Sea Swirl stared at her, and her expression of guilt slowly turned dreamy. “Oh... I see...” she crooned. “You aren’t now, but you want it, don’t you?” “Can you keep quiet?! Ponies are listening!” Dash glanced around, noticing that many of the seated ponies were looking her way, as well as the others in line. Her face had a twinge of panic as her eyes darted around, looking for a way out. Sea Swirl thought a moment, scratching her chin, then turned around, calling into the kitchen. “Cookie! I’m taking my break. Be back in fifteen!” Dash watched her go around the counter and walk towards her. The unicorn was smiling brightly as she approached, and she pointed to a vacant table on the far side of the room. “Sit with me?” Dash raised an eyebrow. “Why? So you can make fun of me privately?” Sea Swirl shook her head. “Never. I just want to talk. And maybe I can help you, if you’ll let me.” Dash examined Sea Swirl’s face critically. This complete stranger was offering help about a problem she would have loved to have kept secret. She searched for a hint of malice or deceit in this pony, but there was none. Sea Swirl, all smiles, carried a genuine expression. Dash sighed reluctantly. “Fine. What’s the worst that could happen?” Sea Swirl grinned, and her horn began to glow. She lifted a small tray of assorted foods in her magic and led the way to the table. Dash caught sight of her cutie mark as they walked. A pair of dolphins? How does she plan on helping me? Throwing me in the ocean? They sat down. Sea Swirl grabbed an apple and split in half with her magic, offering a half to Dash. “So, is there anything you want to ask me? Anything at all? I’m pretty sure I can help out, if you tell me what you’re having trouble with.” “How exactly? Your cutie mark are dolphins. How does that make you qualified in l—this sort of thing?” Sea Swirl giggled. “What? A pony can’t have a hobby?” She glanced down at her flank, then back to Dash with the same dreamy look in her eyes. “I study all kinds of creatures, although sea life does have a bit of priority. I’m still in school, so I can’t exactly make a living on dolphins just yet, so I work on ships like this during the summer. The observatory on the bottom of the ship is wonderful to just watch the ocean for hours. “But I don’t just watch sea life. I observe all kinds of creatures, to see how they interact with others. There are certain things that ponies and animals have in common, mostly how they connect with others. It’s that little... spark between to living beings that I see, the same thing I saw between you and Twilight last year.” “But there isn’t really anything going on between us.” “Why not? Your reaction earlier says that you want there to be.” “I don’t... I don’t know. I just don’t know how to approach the subject. I’ve never thought about anypony like this before, even back then. These feelings I’ve been having and the dreams...” Sea Swirl sat up in her seat, her eyes wide. “Dreams? Interesting...” Dash facehoofed. “Did I really say that?” Sea Swirl nodded with a grin. “You see what I mean? I can’t think clearly about this. I only noticed how I felt about her a few weeks ago. I’ve been just coasting, without really doing anything.” “Not much of a romantic, are you?” “Of course not! I’m Rainbow Dash, not some mushy pony who obsesses about love... no offence.” “None taken.” “So what do I do? What can you do to help me, when I can’t even help myself?” Sea Swirl sighed. “Maybe you should start from the beginning.” ***** Sea Swirl was silent. She simply stared intently as Rainbow Dash vented her feelings to her. She covered how she felt about romantic interest in general, and how she ended up falling for Twilight in the first place. After a while, Sea Swirl fluttered her eyes closed and pursed her hooves together. “Why are you on this trip?” she said. “Huh?” Sea Swirl reopened her eyes. “Why are you going on this trip with her?” “Because she asked me to. All our other friends couldn’t make it, so I was the only one. I didn’t want her to go all alone.” “Was that the only reason?” “Well, I hadn’t actually realised what I was getting into until after I agreed to it.” “I see. But afterwards, you had to have seen a way you could use this to your advantage?” Dash rubbed her neck. “I dunno. Maybe? Like I said, I’m not into the whole lovey-dovey thing. I was hoping I could at least admit it to her at some point and see what happened, but...” “But...?” Dash swallowed nervously. “I’m scared.” Sea Swirl laughed. “Rainbow Dash, daredevil stuntmare, afraid? The tabloids would have a field day.” Dash’s eyes narrowed. “Not funny.” “Sorry, couldn’t resist. Now, do you want my opinion?” “Yes! Isn’t this the reason you asked me over here in the first place?” Sea Swirl took another bite of her apple. “Just be yourself.” Dash blinked and stared, mouth agape. “That’s it?! How does that help me?” “You said it yourself, mushy stuff isn’t your thing. So trying to force it won’t do you any good, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing. The best thing you can do is be yourself around her, but pay attention. See what she likes, and try to find things the two of you like to do together.” “But we already do that! That’s how this all started.” “That was as friends back home. Now you’re thousands of miles away, in a different place surrounded by different ponies. If you want to hint your feelings to her without just coming out with it, just start by showing the interest. Not with words, but with actions.” “What if she doesn’t notice? Twilight isn’t exactly very observant to that kind of thing, especially when this whole thing is basically one big field trip for her.” “Then act like you’re on the same field trip. Enjoy it the same way she would. The biggest thing is, try and take the reins a bit. Show her things you might enjoy, see how you two really connect in a new environment.” “And that will help show my feelings?” “Well, it will be subtle at first. The main thing is that it will give you confidence in the matter.” Dash sat up, slamming the table with a hoof. “I have plenty of confidence!” Sea Swirl frowned. “Oh really? Remember, I was at the Best Young Flyers competition. I saw you leaving the stage at the beginning of your routine. You looked like you were about to fall out of the sky.” Dash went quiet. She leaned back into her chair and crossed her forelegs across her chest, frowning. Sea Swirl rolled her eyes. “Maybe I can phrase this better. All of these things you can do might give you confidence, but what it is really doing is making you comfortable with the whole situation. It’s pretty obvious you’re scared about moving forward with this, especially with somepony who you’re already friends with.” Dash nodded. “Thats normal, and probably your biggest obstacle. I can’t really give you much advice on that, because it really depends on the friend. Does Twilight seem like the type of pony who’d shut out somepony who showed feelings for her?” Dash shook her head. “Never.” “Then you should be fine. This might be hard for somepony like you to do, but just take it slow. Love has a way of doing the really hard stuff for you, as long as you keep your heart open to the idea.” Sea Swirl finished her food, while Dash stared down at her plate in silence. A single beam of light crossed the floor, hitting the skin of her apple. It seemed to glow in the sunlight, drawing her attention to the window. The sun was finally peeking out of the clouds, ready to start the day across the world. A loud, bellowing voice called out, accompanied by a ringing bell. “Land ho! The shores of Great Brayton are on the horizon. We will be docking within the next hour!” “And that’s my break,” Sea Swirl said, standing up. “You better get back to Twilight.” “Yeah, I guess I should.” She slowly rose from her seat, grabbing her tray and balancing it on her wing. “Thanks, I guess... for the advice.” Sea Swirl smiled. “Anytime. Just be yourself and believe in yourself, and you’ll be fine.” Dash stood up to leave, taking the remaining food and balancing it on a try with her wings. Sea Swirl watched her leave, smiling dreamily. You were right, Cadence, she was a mess. My boss is probably going to kill me for taking such a long break, but it was worth it. Now, the rest is up to her...