//------------------------------//
// Tension on the Beach 
// Story: A Compass to the Soul 
// by CartoonNerd12 
//------------------------------//

It's been a whole day since Rainbow Dash and Soarin had gone to get  the Water Rose. And it worried Scootaloo to no end. Her friends tried to  distract her by her trying more activities to get their cutie marks but  to no avail.

Apple Bloom inquired as they walked around the village, "Are you still upset by what I said on the ship?"

Scootaloo shook her head, "Of course not, I know you didn't mean it. And I don't blame you for feeling the way you did."

Sweetie asked, "Then what's wrong?"

"I'm  just worried that Rainbow Dash won't want me around anymore… I mean she  gets her boyfriend back all of a sudden when I thought it was just  going to be her and me. What if he won't like me and…" tears welled up  in her eyes.

The fillies quickly hug her with AB saying, "Of  course Soarin will like you! Why when he was on the ship with us he  actually played with us! He'll be the best dad you have!"

Scootaloo's heart swelled at the idea of getting a new dad, after all she had a new mom so having a dad would be nice too.

While the Crusaders were talking a colt was watching at a distance underneath a hut until he jumped to a smooth voice.

"Cute filly, isn't she?"

Rumble  looked up to see Capper's smug face making him go bright red from  embarrassment and anger, denying, "I don't know what you mean."

The  cat tsked, "Oh come now, Rumble, I saw the way you were looking at her  when you first saved her and the way you were arguing with her  afterwards. You like her."

Spike came in and teased, "He does."

The  colt grinded his teeth and retorted, "Oh yeah?! Then why haven't one of  you made a move on that pretty unicorn you two are swooning over?!"

The duo were shocked that he was able to pick up on that.

Rumble smirked knowing he bested them, "Oh come on, it was so obvious…"

They went red from humiliation.

On the other side of the village, Quibble Pants was working on fixing his hot air balloon with Daring Do coming on to the scene.

"Need any help?"

Quibble rolled his eyes, inquiring, "Do you have any experience working or flying a hot air balloon?"

Daring darted her eyes, "Well no… I just thought-"

"Then  you wouldn't be very helpful in this case, this is a delicate  instrument requiring the right skills to make it work so everything has  to be precise."

She humphed, "Whatever you say, professor…" she turned around and walked away.

Quibble ended turning back and with a guilty look on his face, he deeply sighed and went back to work.

A  few yards away from him, Applejack and Twilight were going over  inventory with their crewmates getting the ship ready as they waited for  their captain's return.

Big Mac and Flash was helping them out along with Sky Beak and Seaspray.

Flash went up to the purple unicorn who was working on a rock and saluted to her, "Permission to speak, ma'am?"

Twilight felt a tiny blush on her cheeks when she saw him but dismissed the feeling and stated professionally, "You may."

Feeling  flustered he clumsily said "I was wondering, um, how did a mare such as  yourself know so many procedures and keep everything so organized?"

She raised her brow, "Meaning?"

"Well, um, it's just… I never seen a mare write so much and direct so well."

"Um, thank you, I guess?" she went back to work.

Without  thinking he blurted out, "When I was growing up I was taught that the  stallion had to take charge so I'm just amazed by how you and your  friends can do so much."

She frowned at those words, "Because we're mares?"

He started, "Yes-" then realized, "I mean no!"

Twilight went, "Uh-ah…"

Flash  sweated, "That came out wrong, what I'm trying to say is that I'm just  impressed by everything you're doing!" he gave a sheepish look.

Twilight  didn't know what to make of it, he seemed like a nice enough stallion  and yet it seemed he didn't know how to speak the right words in front  of her.

She told him, "In the village I grew up in, I was told  that a mare had her own place in society and that I shouldn't pursue an  education that stallions had. Turns out my village had very backwards  thinking and I learned so many mares get jobs and careers like Rainbow  Dash and Rarity did. Is it possible you grew up in a town just like  mine?"

Flash's eyes widen thinking back how he was encouraged a  career that was stable and to prove how much a stallion he can be. As  much as he loved the idea of being in the royal guard a part of him felt  like he was obliged since he didn't have many choices in his life.

He slowly said, "You know something… I think I did."

Her own eyes widen and the two started to talk more.

On  the beach, Pinkie and Cheese were having a picnic together while a yard  away Sliverstream and Terramar were playing in the ocean.

The CMC shortly came onto the sandy shore as Apple Bloom suggested, "Wanna try getting a cutie mark in treasure hunting?"

Scootaloo and Sweetie exclaimed excitedly, "Yeah!"

Then AB spotted Rumble flying to the seaponies and shouted, "Hey, Rumble!"

Scoots was less than thrilled that her friend wanna get the colt's attention.

Rumble wore an indifferent expression and flew to them, "Yeah? What do you need?"

"Do you want to join us in trying to get a cutie mark in treasure hunting?"

Rumble frowned and turned his back to them, stating, "No thanks. I don't want to get a cutie mark."

The fillies froze at those words and gasped loudly, "WHAT?!"

He casually said, "You heard me."

Scootaloo yelled, "How could you not want a cutie mark?! That's like not wanting to breathe!"

Sweetie Belle added, "Yeah! Everypony wants to know what they're meant to do!"

He humphed, "Not this pony!"

They shouted, "Why?!"

He turned back and motioned, "Because cutie marks are silly, and... a-and they just force you into one thing your whole life!"

Scootaloo went red in the face and retorted, "You take that back! Cutie marks are the most important thing in a pony's life!"

He lowered his face to her and whispered in her ear, "Never…" and turned to go with a smug look on his face.

She blew up with a stomp of her hoof, "That's it! I challenge you… to a duel!"

There were gasps ranging from the Crusaders to the happy-go-lucky couple and the seaponies.

Rumble's eyes widen stopping in his flight and landed on the ground to face her with a smirk, "Challenge accepted."

Pinkie went between them nervously inquiring, "Now wait-a-minute are you sure you want to do this? A duel is serious business!"

Cheese nodded and mentioned, "It could get dangerous especially for foals such as you!"

"Not if we use wooden swords." Scootaloo was quick to answer.

Rumble agreed, "Like we be stupid to use real swords, Soarin hasn't taught me how to weld a blade yet."

Scootaloo turned to her friend, "So AB if you would be so kind as to get the weapons."

Apple  Bloom looked concerned but slowly gave in, "Well… okay… but if  Applejack finds out or anyone else does, you're the one explainin'  this." she ran off.

Within minutes she came back with the wooden tools and the challengers armed themselves.

Pinkie  and Cheese agreed to play referee to make sure both sides were going to  play fair and that either side didn't take it too far and end up  getting hurt.

The pink pony stated, "For the record, we're going  to claim deniability when this is over and no one is to tell what went  on here."

"Agreed." the group said.

Cheese added, "Yeah it's irresponsible but I got a feeling you would have done this anyway without our supervision."

Neither Scootaloo or Rumble denied or confirmed Cheese's statement.

The stallion quipped, "I thought so."

The foals stood apart from each other with swords in mouth gazing hard at the other.

Knowing they were ready to go, Pinkie gave the signal, "Ready… Set… Parry!"

The  wooden swords clashed together as the young ponies fought with the  sword fighting techniques their mentors taught them. The onlookers were  in awe of how well they were holding up.

Sweetie commented, "Wow…"

AB nodded dumbfoundedly, "Yeah…"

Terramar indicated, "How long do you think it's going to go on?"

At the suggestion Cheese got out an hourglass and watched it.

Rumble  and Scootaloo kept staring at each other as they fought, their eyes  telling them that they weren't about to give up anytime soon.





The sand in the hourglass passed an hour making Cheese to turn it around so the sand can fall the other way.

Scoots and Rumble were still going at it while the kids looked bored from watching the fight as they lay on the beach.

"They have to be getting tired at this point, right?" Sweetie wearily asked.

Bloom unenthusiastically replied, "You would think so…"

Pinkie whispered to her beloved, "Wow… they really want each other don't they?"

Cheese whispered back, "I know they're young but that's some serious sexual tension they're displaying."

Another  30 minutes passed and with it the sun slowly lowering in the horizon.  Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Terramar, and Silverstream ended up falling  sleep.

Rumble and Scootaloo were finally getting tired in the fight but they still didn't stop all the while panting heavily.

Pinkie called out, "You know if you both call a draw no one loses and no one wins, sound good?"

The pegasi foals looked at each other with Rumble muttering behind his sword, "I will if you will…"

She frowned and looked like she wasn't going to but then she sighed and mumbled, "Deal…"

With that they dropped their tools together and shook on it begrudgingly.

He declared, "Next time for sure!"

She narrowed her eyes, "Oh it is on!"

The  party couple exchanged an exasperation sigh with Pinkie uttering under  her breath, "I wonder if we can get Twilight to cast an aging spell on  them so they can just kiss all that sexual frustration away."

Cheese had to contain his laughter.

Suddenly said unicorn ran up to them shouting, "They're back!" causing the kids to wake up, "Rainbow Dash and Soarin!"

Scootaloo gasped and ran past them.





Soarin and Rainbow greeted their friends with Quibble gawking at what Dash was holding.

The  cyan mare held up the bubbled rose, "Behold! The legendary Water Rose!"  she smirked, "Retrieved by yours truly and the love of her life."

Soarin chuckled and pointed to himself, "I think you mean 'retrieved by yours truly and the love of his life'."

She nudged playfully at him and he returned the favor.

Daring  threw her hooves in air, "Okay! We get it! You guys are so in love!  Some of us don't have a love life you know!" saying that last part  bitterly.

The couple made sheepish grins and awkward movements.

"Mom!" They heard Scootaloo's voice and saw her rush to them.

Rainbow  handed the bubble to Quibble and held her arms out for the filly that  landed in them. They hugged it out with Soarin inquiring.

"Don't I get a hug too?"

Scootaloo addressed him, "Oh yeah, um, sorry Dad…?"

Upon hearing her say that, Soarin's eyes watered and his lips trembled.

Dash saw this and sighed, "Oh boy here it comes…"

Soarin exclaimed while hugging them tightly, "She called me Dad! I'm a daddy!"

Scootaloo  felt squashed between her adoptive parents but it still felt nice since  she hadn't felt love like this for a very long time.

The crowd  around them released some sniffles being Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle  with their older sisters holding them close at the touching scene.

As  much as no one wanted to ruin the moment Twilight cleared her throat to  remind them, "As sweet and wonderful as this is, we still have a couple  of tasks to complete." she pointed to the Water Rose, "Especially since  we have to decide how we'll split the cure between two ailing  comrades."

They stared at the bubble and by extent the rose head contemplating what Twilight said.

Dash said, "Hmmm, this will be a problem."

Quibble  pondered for a bit until he said, "Not necessarily… I have an idea. You  see I brought my chemistry set with me so I can easily whip up a cure  for both!"

The large group started to cheer till Quibble held his  hoof up to finish, "However I will need at least a day and a night to  complete it and I will need someone to write down notes as I work," he  asked, "Miss Sparkle, will you please do that for me?"

Twilight was taken by surprise, "Me? Why of course but why me exactly?"

"I've  seen how well you been able to keep everything under control in our  time together and I've noticed your writing skills are quite excellent, I  would be honored if you helped me though this."

Everyone except Daring encouraged Twilight on as the adventurer muttered to herself, "Oh sure he lets her help out…"

When  Twilight accepted bashfully, she and the professor went to work right  away by finding an abandoned hut for peace and quiet and set up the  chemistry set that was from Quibble's bag.

While the duo started  on the project, everyone else waited patiently by the village campfire  with the sun officially down and the night sky had come out.

Daring  Do feeling like she needed to do something worthwhile inquired to the  kids presented, "Hey, how would you all like to hear the story of a sea  pirate that was force to overcome all odds just to be reunited with his  loved ones?"

Excited by the idea, the CMC, Terramar, Silverstream, and Rumble told her they wanted to hear the tale.

Daring smiled, "All right then, get ready. For the legend of El Zorro Negro or is better known as The Black Fox…"