//------------------------------//
// 10 - Crystal Reefs 
// Story: The Woman Who Lived Nextdoor 
// by Hazel Mee 
//------------------------------//

Chill Wave leaned casually against the sheet-metal siding of the ice shed and winked at me.  "Hey, lucky colt.  Word is you shacked up with that human mare, huh?"

"Yes?" I reluctantly replied.  I knew where this was going, but how long would it would take to get there?

"You mounting that?"

Not long at all.

"No."  I kept my voice flat and my ears up.  Tongues were no doubt wagging all over town and I wouldn't do anything to make it worse — like by screaming denials at this creep.

"Aww, ain't nothing wrong with a little strange."  Wave waggled his eyebrows at me and I gave him a dose of my tried-and-true grumpy face.

A quiet hiss and chime of magic came from inside the shed as his less-annoying twin actually worked for a living, instead of loafing around, getting on my nerves.  He'd better finish soon or his brother was going to be picking up his teeth from the deck!  Blind to my anger, Wave gazed down the pier at my sloop, where Mayree and Sun Squall were busy stowing their gear.

"Maybe you're not horny enough for a Canterlot lady, huh?  Think she'd go for a handsome unicorn stud?"  He ran a hoof over his spiky purple mane, slicking it back as his slimy tongue darted over his lips.

I couldn't hold back from sneered at him.  "I guess we'll never know since there aren't any in Smile Harbour."

He laughed and slugged my shoulder.  "Oooh, harsh burn, dude!"

Chill Breeze trotted out with Mayree's air tanks floating beside him, just in time to save his twin from getting tossed in the harbour.  "Please excuse my horndog brother.  He'd jump a shark if he could keep it from biting him."

"I would not!  Not unless it was a nurse shark… I dig fillies in uniform."  The idiot smacked his lips and actually sounded proud of his disgusting perversion.

Making a point of ignoring him, I inspected the tanks and tapped the pressure gauge to make its needle twitch.  "Looks like a full charge.  Thank you."

Breeze smiled in a much more genuine way than his brother could ever manage and said, "It wasn't easy but, yeah, I got her done.  The gaseous concentration and fractional distillation spells are a breeze, heh, but I couldn't have ported it into the tanks without that scroll Mayree gave me."  He pranced, making the deck creak beneath his hooves.  "Can't believe I cast a spell written specially by thee Twilight Sparkle!  Princess of muffin Magic!"

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it."  I fished out my bit purse to pay him, and after a moment's struggle to get the tanks on my back, I cantered away, eager to escape Wave's knowing smirk.

"Hey, you sure you don't need a load of ice for your blue balls?" he called after me.

"No, thank you!"  Blintz-head.

His lurching hyena laugh followed me down the pier to my sloop.

"So I said to her, 'Oh yeah?  Well, your muzzle is jammed so far up your mom's αssнοℓε that your opinions stink like her sнιτ!'  And then I smacked her!"  Sun Squall windmilled her fore hooves in the air while a vicious snarl twisted her pretty lips.

"Mee-ow.  Squall, you catty βιτςн!"  Mayree met me at the top of the gangplank and helped unload her air tanks.  "Thanks, Mainstay."

"You're welcome."

She checked the gauge and popped the mask over her muzzle to take a whiff.  Satisfied, she stowed it and cocked an eyebrow at me.  "What was Wave yelling about?"

She hadn't heard?  Thank the stars for her cute little shell-like ears.  I shoved the gangplank away onto the dock and said, "Nothing worth repeating.  He was just being a hay-for-brains, like usual."

She smirked and squinted at me suspiciously.  "It must have been funny, he was laughing pretty hard."

Sun Squall pranced over to stick her muzzle into it.  "He asked if-"

I pressed a hoof over her grinning mouth and insisted, "It.  Was.  Nothing!  Now, if you're both ready, can we cast off already?  We have to get there before nightfall."

It turned out to be a beautiful day for sailing.

A strong, steady sou-wester blew just enough cloud cover that we weren't baking in the sun for the whole voyage.  I didn't even have to tack often to stay on course and we arrived sooner than I'd anticipated.  The Crystal Reefs form wide subsurface lagoons across a broad sweep of the sea, and they could be dangerous if you didn't know them like the back of your hoof.  I carefully tacked through the gap in a familiar almost-circular lagoon before weighing anchor to its white sandy floor.  If you squinted, you could just make out a hint of green on the west horizon.

The tail-end of the Tatzlmanian island chain.

Mayree lowered her dual-spyglass from her eyes and asked, "Does anypony live there?"

"Not on that little atoll, no."  I held up one of my charts and pointed it out to her, then swept my hoof along the island chain to tap on the largest one.  "There are a couple of towns on Marelorca and the beaches draw a lot of tourists from the mainland."

"Don't forget the non-stop parties too", chirped Sun Squall while fluffing her wings.  "It's like the Summer Sun Celebration all year round!"

Mayree bared her fangs.  "Oooh, pony beach parties?  We have to go there sometime."

I grimaced as I carefully stowed the chart and my sextant.  She'd better not be thinking about hiring my little sloop for that journey!  Oh, she could do it, barely, but my hooves trembled at the prospect of sailing back into that sea of glittering lights, brash music, and sweaty heaving bodies.  I'd wasted too many bits and brains in the bars of Marelorca.

Mayree wobbly walked to the bow.  "Can you help me get my sςμβα gear on, please?"

A lot of zipping and clipping later she back-sided over the port rail and porpoised off to see the wild life that lived around the glass-like reef.  The Princesses had started letting some so-called 'dumb' human machines into Equestria, and she took along a special camera from Earth that could take photos underwater.  I guess she'd have to post the exposed film and wait a few weeks to get prints made.  There sure wasn't anypony in Smile Harbour to process it.

I turned to Sun Squall and asked, "Can you help me-"  She sprang off the deck and flew up in to the sky, pounding her wings to climb towards a hoofful of fluffy clouds.  "-put the tent up?"

I sighed and got started on it by myself.  An earth pony's work is never done.

There were no weather teams this far out but at this time of year it should stay mild.  The tent was for just in case and I know from bitter experience it was better to get it up now than when it's pissing down.  I dragged the heavy waxed canvas out of its storage locker and assembled the support poles.  It went up over the bow's flat deck, meaning I couldn't rig the jib, but we only planned to spend the night and sail back in the morning, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Fitting Mayree in it might be.

I grunted as I shoved the last pole into its socket and then stepped inside to smooth wrinkles from the floor.

"Heeeeeeeeelp!"

My ears swivelled toward Mayree's gurgled yell.

I galloped on deck and stared in her direction.  She bobbed on the surface a few dozen yards away, frantically waving a fore.

"Heeeeeeeelp!"

A quick tug snugged my cork vest, and I leaped over the rail, breathing out hard through my nostrils as I plunged into brine.  Mayree must have seen I was coming because she stopped yelling and waited impatiently as I pony-paddled toward her.  A few seconds gallop took forever to swim but I finally got close enough to shout, "What's wrong?"  Gasp.  "Are you hurt?"

"ƒμςκιηg sharks!"

A pointed fin cut through the waves between us and I swallowed a mouthful of water.

"They're all around me!  Dozens of them!"

I ducked my head beneath the clear water and squinted.  She was right!  I could hardly see but at least a dozen blurry grey shapes circled her long pink hinds.

And one was coming right for me!

I popped up and gargled a salty yell as the big fish attacked!

And broke down into laughs as tendrils on its blunt snout wiggled over my belly.  "Starnose sharks", I spluttered while pushing the beast away with a hind.  "They're harmless and playful, unless you're a clam."

Mayree growled, "One of them groped my…  Never mind!"

Sun Squall finally turned up, swooping down to hover over us.  "What's going on?  I heard a yell."

"Starnose sharks."

"Oh", she looked back and forth between us.  "So?"

"So, Mayree was frightened and-"

"I was not!"  She slashed a hand through the water to splash me.

I laughed, shook wet mane out of my eyes and panted, "Fine, nopony was yelling for help like a scared little filly — I just needed a refreshing dip."  Mayree growled as I paddled in a circle and made waves back to the sloop.  "Come on, ignore them."

Water drained from my fur and out the scuppers as I hauled myself over the transom.  I was going to itch like a flea infestation until I rinsed off the salt.

"Here!" Mayree snarled and threw a fluffy white towel in my face.

I grinned at her and rubbed myself down while she struggled out her black diving suit.  There was no towelling off my sopping wet cork vest and I tugged at the neck, encouraging air to circulate between it and my hide.

Supper was salad, sandwiches, and cold soda as we watched the sun creep to the horizon, blazing in orange and gold glory.  It touched the waves and Princess Celestia gave it a push, making it zip out of sight as a dark blanket, spangled with stars, swept across the sky.

"Aww…  Just when it was getting good", Mayree grouched.

I lit an oil lantern and hung it on the mast.  Turned down low it would burn all night and if I were fishing, I'd hang out the nets for anything attracted by its light.  There's nothing quite so satisfying as being rocked to sleep by the waves and waking from a peaceful slumber to find your nets packed with an easy catch.

"I'm going to fly around for a bit", said Sun Squall.  She hopped over the rail, skimmed the sea, and her silhouette arced up against a sky full of stars.

Mayree yawned, hiding her fangs behind a hand.  She crawled to the tent and stuck her head inside.  "Will we all fit in here?"

"You and Squall can have the tent and I'll sleep on deck."  I grabbed my sleeping roll and carried it to the stern.

"Really?"

"Yes, I'll be fine."

My roll was just the thin mattress off my bed, tied up in a bundle.  I flattened it by the transom and flopped down to watch Mayree drag curled up squishy pads of blue foam and several blankets into the tent.  She crouched on all fours with her shoulders in the tent and her rump, barely covered by a slip of tight white fabric patterned with orange flowers, stuck up at me.  Wave's lusty nonsense echoed in my mind and I snorted in disgust.  Tearing my eyes away I looked up to where familiar constellations glimmered — the Milk Bucket, the Dragon, the Five Sisters, and the whorl of Luna's Navel.  The stars stretched away to forever as waves lapped against the hull and gently rocked my boat.  It was easy to fall in love with a night like this.

Or to fall asleep.

I yawned and something in my jaw popped.

Mayree sat next to me and leaned back against the hull.  In a hushed voice she said, "Thanks for bringing me out here, Mainstay.  It's so beautiful down there and I wish you could see it too."  She held up the lumpy black shape of her human camera.  "I can show you some photos, if you want?"

"Uh…  Sure, but don't you have to-"

She pushed a button, it chirped, and a tiny but bright window burst into life on its side.  She put it before my eyes and I saw a brilliant, colourful painting of a section of crystal reef, complete with a shimmering school of diamond-back fish.

It was so bright and beautiful that my eyes watered.

She chuckled as I leaned closer so that the little painting filled my vision.  "You like that, huh?  How about this one?"  She pushed a button several times and more brilliant paintings flickered by on the window until it stopped on a tendril-covered grey snout.  "It's one of our friendly neighbourhood starnosed molesters.  Lucky I got this shot before I started, uh, freaking out."  Hugging me with one fore she quietly said, "Thank you for coming in after me."

"You're welcome", I muttered absently as I touched a hoof-tip to her camera.  "This is amazing!  It's like…  It's like I'm really down there."

She smirked.  "Let me find you a vιδεο."

A few chirps later and the painting moved!

I jerked away from it and might have fallen over if Mayree's fore weren't around my shoulders.  Eyes wide in shock and every muscle trembling I pressed my muzzle against the camera and stared.  I was there!  Below the waves!  Swimming slowly along the beautiful glimmering coral, seeing it in a way I'd never-

I lurched back with a startled whinny as something blurry swam right past my nose.

Mayree laughed and ruffled the mane between my ears.  "Calm down there, stud.  нοℓλ ςяαρ, haven't you ever seen a moving picture before?"

Is that was this was?  I blinked and stuttered, "N-no?"

Didn't they have a Saddle Arabian stallion in them, and daft mares who should know better than to swoon at him?

"Okaaay, I think that's enough for now."  She tapped the camera and the bright painting vanished, leaving spots dancing on my eyes.  "I don't want to give you nightmares or something."

I swallowed heavily and said, "Nothing so beautiful could ever give me nightmares."

It sounded corny, but I meant it.

"Aww… that's sweet", she cooed while hugging me close to press her cheek on mine.  "Glad you liked it."

Sun Squall's hooves clattered on the deck and she tucked her wings against her heaving sides.  "I'm back!" she announced, as if we hadn't noticed.  She squinted at us and a big smile spread across her muzzle.

"Not interrupting something am I?"

Mayree laughed and got up.  "Just Mainstay getting his tiny mind blown.  Celestia help him if he ever goes to an ιмαχ!"

They shared a giggle at my expense but I could tell from the cant of Sun Squall's ears that she had no clue what Mayree was babbling about.  Hah!  Now you know how it feels, filly.  They went into the tent, quietly chatting and giggling, probably at me.  I sighed happily and stargazed for a bit before curling up with my tail over my snoot.

Mayree called, "Good night, Mainstay."

"Sleep tight", from Sun Squall.

I called back, "Sweet dreams", and lay my head down with a happy but tired sigh.

A few minutes later it started to rain.

I groaned and looked up.  A patch of stars were hidden by a dark shape almost directly overhead.

"Mainstay!" Sun Squall yelled from the tent.  "Get your rump in here."

"What?  No, it's just a little shower.  It'll blow away soon."  The cloud didn't look like it was moving.  At all.

Mayree growled, "Do we have to come out there and drag you in?"

I huffed, "Fine!"  I jumped up, grabbed my now slightly damp mattress in my mouth, and hauled it into the tent.

Blintzing mares always ganging up on a colt.

They helped me get my mattress under cover and roughly flopped it down on top of their sleeping pads.  Finding enough space for everyponys legs was a struggle.  Eventually we settled with Mayree in the middle, lying on her side with her hinds tucked up so her paws weren't outside, Sun Squall cuddled up against her chest, and I squeezed in on the other side of Mayree with my back pressed against hers.

It was blintzing tight and I shifted my legs around, vainly hunting for a position that was least uncomfortable.  Somepony was lying on my tail.

My ears twitched as Sun Squall giggled.

Mayree whispered, "Shh…  Trying to sleep here."

All was quiet for a while as rain pattering against canvas.  Then Sun Squall giggled again.  She tried to stifle it but something was tickling her funny feather.

Mayree grumbled and shifted against me.  "Squall, cut it out."

Like a camera painting bursting to life, an image of what was making that silly pegasus so giggly popped into my head.

"Squall?" I asked.

Mayree groaned, "Not you too."

"Squall, why did you park a raincloud over my sloop?"

That tweaked her funny feather and she burst out laughing.

Mayree sat up and gasped, "Squall, you little βμggεя, what the hay?"

Sun Squall's laughter broke down into cute snorts and she said, "N-now you have two snuggle ponies!"

I could hear Mayree showing her fangs.  "That's right.  I do, don't I?"

Oh no.

She was too quick for me!  Twisting and pouncing like a horrible alien predator she scooping me up in her fores.  I squirmed and struggled, but not too hard, I didn't want to hurt her.  After a frantic moment of flailing hooves, I fell limp against her chest.

"You're not a very good snuggle pony", she grumbled into my twitching ear.  "Take that lumpy vest off."

"No way!  I like not drowning, thank you."

"You won't sleep walk over the side while I'm hugging you.  Now take it off, it's itchy as нεℓℓ!"

I grunted and squirmed in her fores, "No!  Just let me sleep outside if you don't like it."

"Squall?" she asked in a determined voice.

"Yeah?"

"Want to help me strip a stallion?"

My ears pinned flat at Sun Squall's gleeful shout.

My beloved safety vest was tossed out the tent flap and Mayree ruthlessly made me into her new snuggle pony captive.  Sun Squall cuddled against my other side and draped a wing over us.

Once I quit fighting, it was actually kind of nice.