//------------------------------// // The Ultimate Manic // Story: A Twist in Evolution // by Dark Nightshade //------------------------------// The rest of the day went by fairly fast, and strangely, as Twilight had requested that she study Submersive Exploration in her natural habitat, AKA the ocean. Twilight had footed the bill this time, and everyone managed to pile into Flash's car. It was a tight fit, which was very unfortunate. As they started driving again, Submersive Exploration's stomach gurgled. Sunset Shimmer looked back at her in almost fear. "Please don't," she said. "Why does that happen as we get into the car?" Flash asked, his voice sounding terrified. "This is the second time this has happened, and it's in the car. Again." "Actually, it did this during the night several times," Submersive Exploration said. "And don't worry, I can hold it." "Hold what?" Twilight asked. "Oh, you don't want to know," Sunset Shimmer said. "Sorry, but she's going to," Submersive Exploration said. Sunset Shimmer's eyes widened. "Oh, no," she said. "Flash, roll down the window." The trip to the scuba renting place, and then to the docks was long and filled with the terrible stench of Submersive Exploration's gas. Twilight was fascinated by the what Submersive Exploration said was the cause of it all, even though she could've done without the smell. Rarity, of course, was mortified by it all. As the reached the ocean, they pilled out and rented a boat. As Twilight payed for it, and they started heading towards the boat, Twilight asked Submersive Exploration another question. "Hey, once we get out away from the port, can you start swimming besides us?" Twilight asked. Submersive Exploration nodded. "I don't see why not," she said. "Of course, everyone will have to look away as I undress, but yeah, I can do it." Twilight keyed the ignition, and the boat's motor purred to life. As the boat sped away from the port, Submersive Exploration inhaled the salty air, and remembered her home. Rippling Horizon was a beautiful city, with large buildings made of coral, steal, and in some cases, pearl. It was also the most technological advanced city in the undersea world, with the invention of prison prisms, the space distorter, time frame freezer, and the long distance transporter. She wondered again how she had been trapped on the coral reef, and how long she had been there for. As the boat speed along, Twilight glanced back at Submersive Exploration. "Hey, Submersive Exploration? Could you try swimming alongside us?" Twilight asked. Submersive Exploration came out of her memory lane and nodded. "Okay, everyone turn around," she said. As she started pulling her stuff on, she focused on the speed of the boat. She grinned. She was going to get to change. As she leaped off the boat, her legs melted seamlessly back into her tail, and as she dove into the water, her entire cell structure started to change as well, her skin becoming sleeker, her frame becoming smaller, but stronger. The flapping of her tail let her keep pace with the boat, but she knew that she could easily outpace it. The boat started slowing down, and Submersive Exploration had to turn around to leap onto it again. She returned to her usual omnis form, with the tail, but everyone stared at her in awe. Twilight's eye was twitching with what Submersive Exploration was excitement. "You never said you could change yourself," Twilight said. "Not directly, no," Submersive Exploration said. "But I probably should've specified that. Omnis's are able to change into the subspecies that they hold in their genetic structure." "What else are you able to turn into?" Flash asked. "And where were you keeping your clams?" "I always hold onto my clams," Submersive Exploration said. "Flash, don't bring this around to my girls. Anyway, I'm able to transform into all subspecies." "And how many is that?" Twilight asked. "Millions," Submersive Exploration said. Twilight's jaw dropped. "Holy crud," she said. "What else can you do?" Submersive Exploration grinned and her cell structure started to change again. Once she was done, her hands had thickened and were now covered with red, glowing shell. The rest of her body hadn't changed as much, but her eyes had seemed to whiten more around her pupils. "Mantis shrimp!" Twilight said. Submersive Exploration's only response was a snap of her fingers. Or at least, Twilight thought was a snap. She hadn't seen Submersive Exploration's fingers move, but a loud noise was heard, with what seemed like a small shock wave being generated around her fingers. "That is so awesome," Rarity said. "Can you do that with a dolphin?" Submersive Exploration's mouth started to elongate a few centimeters, her head started to round out, and her skin became smoother. Rarity squeed. "That is so awesome!" "What other kind of things are you able to do?" Twilight asked. Submersive Exploration was about to show her another transformation when suddenly the something under the ocean rumbled. The ocean started to ripple for a few seconds, before it started to slosh around, the boat rising and falling with the strange new waves. "Where did all this come from?" Flash yelled. The ocean started to get more violent. Submersive Exploration jumped into the water, still in her dolphin form , and started staring into the horizon. It was then that she realized that several meters to her left was the reef she had been stuck to. A massive cloud of silt was raising from dozens of miles away. A shadowy form started to show. Submersive Exploration squinted her eyes. It almost looked like- "What is that?" a suddenly appearing Twilight asked. Submersive Exploration stared at her. "You need to get back to the boat!" Submersive Exploration said. "No! I'm coming with you!" Twilight said. "Besides, whatever that thing is is obviously scaring you. You're face is pale." "Yeah, it is for a reason," Submersive Exploration said. "That creature in that cloud is one of the most feared creatures in our control!" "What is it?" Twilight asked. "It's a leviathan," Submersive Exploration said.