At the same time, after all of them had disappeared from Moria, Bolt was unconscious, but his hair moved a bit for some reason. He slowly began to wake up as he slowly opened his eyes. Things were blurry, but he was eventually able to see everything. That was until he saw a fish go by him.
“Wait, was that a school of fish?” thought Bolt. That was until he widened his eyes in shock. “But that means I’m…?!!!”
He suddenly stood up and gasped out loud, as if he couldn’t breathe, for he was underwater. No, not underwater, under the ocean. But as he flailed and wailed, he suddenly realized he could breathe.
“Wait,” said Bolt as he was able to speak, “I can breathe underwater?”
“Why, of course, you can.”
Bolt was surprised to hear a voice underwater. He widened his eyes in shock. Behind him was a Seapony. She looked like Rainbow Dash, besides the tail fin.
“Bout time you woke up,” said the Seapony with a smirk on her mouth.
Bolt was taken aback, for she looked like Rainbow Dash; she sounded like Rainbow Dash. But does she act like her? He wondered…
“Aw, you look so cute.” said Bolt in a sweet tone.
Suddenly, she felt flustered, blushed, and slapped him as she said, “S-shut up!!”
Bolt had an unamused look on his face, then thought to himself, “Yep, she’s definitely like Rainbow Dash, alright.”
The seapony cleared her throat and said, “So, welcome to your trial.”
“Trial?” said Bolt “What Trial?”
“Something that tests you out.” said a voice.
Bolt’s ears perked up at that. He turned around and, to his shock, were four individuals he knew all too well, for they were none other than his cousins.
“What?” said Bolt softly, then spoke so they could hear him. “John? Bobby? Clint? Coop? How the heck is this possible?”
“Oh, we’re not your cousins.” said John.
“We just happen to have chosen this appearance to make you more comfortable.” Said Bobby.
“Comfortable?” said a confused Bolt.
“We know how close you chose to be with your cousins ever since what your father did.” said Clint, making Bolt wince at the mention of his father.
“We know how much you missed them,” said Coop “They were the only ones who felt like they were both brothers to you.”
Bolt looked down, saddened, for it was true; he missed his cousins. John swam up to him, placing his hand on Bolt’s shoulder, gaining his attention.
“Hey, no worries.” said John “Everyone loses those they care about from time to time.”
“Death is a natural part of life.” said Bobby. “But life goes on, and we must find a way to go with it.”
“Okay, okay,” said the seapony who looks like Rainbow Dash, “Enough with the mushy stuff. Can we get a move on?”
Suddenly, Clint wrapped his arm around her, surprising the seapony with a blush, and said, “Now, Coral, we talked about this. When we give trials….”
“We need to be patient, I know.” said Coral. “I just don’t like waiting for so long.”
“You know, you remind me of my wife,” said Bolt, until he had a deadpanned expression as he said, “You both have the patience of a sparrow.”
“Excuse me?!” shouted Coral as she was over his face.
“He has a point, ya know,” said Clint. “You need to learn to take things slow from time to time.”
“I don’t like to go slow!!” shouted Coral.
“Anyway,” said John as he gained their attention while looking at Bolt, “Our trial is very simple. We need you to help us.”
“Help you with what?” asked Beau.
“Why to retrieve our treasure.” said Bobby. “They were all stolen by an enemy of the sea known as Piranacon and his Sea Witch.”
“In other words, we are to be like pirates.” said Bolt.
“Precisely.” said Coop.
“Something tells me this isn’t going to be easy.” said Bolt.
“Nope,” said Clint “For you to help us succeed, you’ll need an upgrade.”
“Upgrade?” said Bolt with a flexed eyebrow.
The four Bolton cousins” bodies began to glow instantly and transform. Once they were done, Bolt was stunned and taken aback by what they had turned into. The four cousins have turned into large creatures who greatly resemble his favorite TV show, Street Sharks. John had turned into Ripster, a Great White Shark. Bobby had turned into Streex, a Tiger Shark. Clint had turned into Jab, a Hammerhead Shark. And Coop had turned into Slammu, a Whale Shark.
Bolt’s mouth was a bit hung open, with Coral swimming close to him with a smirk and said, “Pretty awesome, huh?”
She could close Bolt’s mouth, but he suddenly realized something and said, “Why do they look like Street Sharks?”
“Again,” said John with Ripster’s voice, “We wanted to turn into something you were familiar with.”
“So that means we’re gonna have to give you the same power we do,” said Bobby with Streex’s voice. “But only temporarily, of course.”
All four of the Guardians raised their hands, allowing them to energize themselves and fire a bit of energy each at Bolt, causing him to glow and transform while he closed his eyes. Once they were done, he opened his eyes. He was a shark.
“Whoa, cool.” said Bolt as he admired the form.
“You chose a Megalodon?” asked Coral.
“The Megalodon shark has been one of my favorite sea predators since I was a kid. Whenever I saw that shark, I was mesmerized. I made many fanfiction stories about me becoming one and fighting alongside the Street Sharks. They were my all-time favorites.”
“See,” said Clint in Jab’s voice, “Told you he’d like it.”
“So,” said John, “Shall we?”
The lot began to swim towards their destination, wherever it might be for Bolt to face his next test.
They swam and swam for about an hour until finally, they arrived at their destination. When they arrived, Bolt was surprised to see what it was. They were Schooners, Galleons, Brigs, Frigates, and Man-O-Wars, littered throughout the entire area.
“Whoa,” said Bolt, “That…is a lot of ships.”
“Welcome to Shipwreck Grove,” said Bobby.
“Where thousands of ships had been sunken during the last great sea war.” said Clint.
“Great Sea War?” asked Bolt.
“Long ago,” said Coop, “The sea was littered with thousands of shark men who would sink any cargo ship. Then one day, Caribouria gathered all their warships and headed straight to their territory. But the Shark Men surprised them with ships of their own. The battle lasted for almost three days. Though the Shark Men and their ships have been destroyed, many forces of Caribouria had lost their lives trying to tame the sea.”
“Damn,” said Bolt, “Twilight would have a field day with this information. So, I assume this Captain is in charge of this area?”
“That he is,” said Coral, “Along with hundreds of his Piranha warriors.”
“Then we’d better try to sneak our way…” said Bolt, until Coral cut him off.
“Forget sneaking. Let’s go there now!!” shouted Coral as she darted off.
“Coral!!” shouted John, for he couldn’t believe she was doing it again.
“Man,” said Bolt as he looked at Coral, “She is like my wife.”
Bolt and the rest followed suit to ensure that Coral would be safe. As they swam, John shouted, “Coral!! Get back here now!!”
“What’s the big deal?!” shouted Coral as she swam ahead. “The treasures in the big ship, and it’s right….”
However, Bolt saw a stray harpoon going straight toward her and shouted, “Watch out!!”
He quickly swam toward her and grabbed her, causing him to shield her as he was shot in the shoulder, making him shout in pain. As he stopped, Coral was shocked that Bolt got hurt; even the Guardians went over to see if he was alright.
“You good?” asked Coop.
“Just pull the thing out of my shoulder.” said Bolt, allowing Bobby to pull it out, making Bolt wince in pain.
“What in Tartarus was that?” said Clint.
On the other hand, John looked closer at the spear’s tip. He realized what it was as he said, “Piranha Khans.”
The Guardians stood in a circle formation to protect Coral and Bolt. But he was just as ready to face them. All around them were all Anthropomorphic Piranhas, all wearing what appeared to resemble the Khans from the days of ancient China. From the looks of them, these guys don’t like to mess around. At the same time, appearing on what appeared to be a seahorse was ridden by a Piranha that’s armor looked different. From what Bolt could guess, that guy resembled a lot to Genghis Khan.
“Who dares enter the territory of Captain Piranacon!!” bellowed the leader.
“We’ve come for the treasure you’ve stolen!!” shouted John.
“Are you really?” said the captain with a coy grin.
“That treasure doesn’t belong to you!!” shouted Coop “We are the rightful guardians and protectors!! And you are not worthy of keeping it!!”
“Oh, but we shall.” said a familiar voice. Right next to the Piranha leader was what appeared to be a Sea Witch of sorts. But to Bolt’s shock, the Sea Witch looked like Chrysalis. “Soon, the treasure shall belong to us, and once we unlock it, we will….”
“YOU!!!” shouted Bolt as he cut the Sea Witch off, causing him to charge towards the Sea Witch, taking her by surprise as she was instantly tackled over.
Everyone watched in shock and surprise that not only did Bolt charge and tackle her, but he was beating her up.
“Uh, I think he might know her.” said Coral as she pointed it out.
“Get this barbaric brute off me!!” shouted the Sea Witch.
Both of her eels came to defend her, but out of instinct, Bolt chomped on both of them hard, killing them in the process.
“Get them all!!” shouted Piranacon, allowing the Piranha to attack head-on, with the sharks having no choice but to fight.
“Guess we are doing this then.” said Coop as he and the others charged.
John swam around at an alarming speed, munching on a few Piranha warriors. Coop smashed a few with his double fists. Clint used his hard head to bash through the Piranha blockade, while Bobby smashed his way through by grabbing a huge boulder and smashing them. But Bolt was so focused on the Sea Witch he didn’t realize that they were being surrounded. Realizing they needed a quick escape, Coral had to perform the biggest cover they’d ever seen; by going fast.
“Gotta go fast!!” shouted Coral as she swam super-fast. She swam so fast she created the biggest tornado-like whirlpool, sucking most of the Piranha warriors away, while Piranacon had to get to cover quickly.
Seeing an opportunity, Coral Dash grabbed Bolt and shouted, “We gotta go!!”
“Let me at em”!!” shouted Bolt. “Let me at em” so that I…!!!”
Coral pinched his neck, causing Bolt to grunt and instantly pass out. Coral couldn’t help but smirk and said, “And John thinks it was a waste of time learning to knock others out with a simple pinch.”
Coral swam away, carrying an unconscious Bolt. The Guardians quickly flee because they now have an opportunity to retreat.
*********************************************************************
************
After such a disastrous move, the guardians continued to try and stay in cover while Clint scolded Coral.
“What the heck was that all about, Coral?!” shouted John.
“Hey, I know what I was doing!” said Coral.
“No,” said John, “we told you to stick with the plan!! If you want to be part of a team, you gotta learn to work with them.”
“Hey, at least I’m not the one who attacked the Sea Witch all berserk.” said Coral.
“Yeah, what was that about?” said Bobby.
“Hold on.” said Coop as he went over and instantly slapped Bolt, making him wake up.
“Damn, I hate that.” said Bolt as he sat back up.
“You mind telling us what that was about?” said John after he and the guardians were back to normal, as was Bolt.
“None of your business.” said Bolt as he grumbled.
“I ain’t buying that.” said Coral “The way you looked at her and snapped. You’ve seen her before, haven’t you?”
Bolt looked around and saw that all eyes were on him. Bolt groaned as he stood back up. He grumbled and said, “She looked a lot like Chrysalis.”
“Wait, Chrysalis?” said John “As in the former Queen of the Changelings?”
“That’s the one.” growled Bolt.
“The heck did she do to you?” said Coop.
“Oh,” said Bolt as his left eye twitched rapidly, “Not much. Other than the fact that she tried to use me as her own PERSONAL SEX TOY!!!”
They were taken aback by what he said, then looked at one another, then back to him.
“She did?” said Clint “Whoa dude, that’s mondo messed up.”
“How did that happen exactly?” asked Coral.
“See, a while back,” said Bolt, “Starlight Glimmer, an old student/friend of Twilight, left with her friend Trixie to visit her old village. But at the same time, after she left, Chrysalis had sent her Changelings after us, captured us, and attempted to take over Equestria by capturing its defenders. When she took a good look at us, she wanted to have sex with us. And she tried to <gulp>, rape me too.”
He then began to have flashbacks of what happened during their capture at the Changeling Hive and what Chrysalis nearly tried to do to him. After the flashbacks, he
quivered in fear while rolling like a ball, leaving the others stunned by this information.
“Whoa.” said Coop “You weren’t kidding. That was bad.”
Bolt then tried to calm down, looked down as he sat normally, and said, “I felt like I failed her.”
They wondered what he meant, with Bolt saying, “When I first arrived in Equestria, I was out of my mind, surrounded by beings I don’t even recognize or know. Then I met Rainbow Dash. At first, she was infuriating, but I grew to like her over time. She always tries to show off, but I soon realized she wasn’t comfortable talking about her feelings. I couldn’t help but have much respect for her that she’s afraid to be judged, especially with her flying skills.”
He then looked away and said, “But when I saw that she was about to fall, I don’t know what possessed me. Instead of standing around, I jumped ship and headed straight for her, desperately wanting to save her. When I did, I was scared out of my mind that she was hurt. But she was okay, and she was also more shocked to see who had saved her. After I saved her, she ended up having a crush on me. I returned my feelings to her, and we ended up dating. Granted, we had our ups and downs, but we could get past our differences and got married later on, even had a son, Bolt Junior.”
He looked down in sadness and said, “But when Chrysalis captured us, I never felt so helpless. The one time I saw her in danger, I couldn’t save her. I was trapped. I felt like I failed her. That’s why I sometimes try to be brave for her. Her loyalty is what gave me the strength to move on. But…I want to do more. I want to help more. I… want to keep her safe. I want to do this because I love her so much that I can’t bear to live without her.”
The sharks were silent, for this was deep. They could sense loyalty in him, but his loyalty to his family was the strongest they’d ever felt.
“Hey now,” said John, “Don’t feel so down, man.”
“He’s right,” said Bobby. “Though you don’t need to worry about Chrysalis, be happy that your wife still loves you.”
“And that both of you have a child to boot. A child that loves you both to pieces.” Said Coop.
“Yeah, dude.” said Clint. “And if you still have problems, try to talk about this to friends instead of just keeping it bottled in. Folks who get you.”
Coral felt sorry for Bolt. She groaned for she wasn’t going to like it. She swam next to Bolt and sat down next to him.
“The guys are right, Bolt.” said Coral. “Look, I may act boastful, and I’m sure she does. But we both had to use it because we were hiding our fears. We’re afraid to die alone as well as our loved ones. But because of our loyalties to our friends and to what they stood for, it’s what gave us the strength to carry on and help us through our most difficult time.”
She held his shoulder and said, “I’m sure you feel the same. But don’t let one mistake make you feel any different. The only one that can stop you is yourself.”
Bolt kept pondering over what they said, for they were right. His loyalty to his family is strong. And he needed to do this…for them. He slowly looked at Coral.
“Can I…hug you?” asked Bolt.
At first, she felt a bit flustered, but she rolled her eyes and said, “Fine.”
Bolt hugged her, which Coral returned. She had to admit, it felt nice. They broke the hug, with Bolt saying, “Alright…I’m ready for another go.”
“That’s the spirit.” said John.
“So, what do we do now?” asked Clint.
Bolt smiled and said, “I think I have the idea.”
He stood up and began to draw up a plan with a nearby stick he found. He began to make a map of the terrain and said, “Alright, here’s what we’ll do.”
One hour later
The guard had been doubled back at Shipwreck Cove because of earlier events. But at the same time, two Piranha warriors tried to tend to the Sea Witch’s injuries, making her wince in pain.
“Those sharks will pay for their interference with our plans.” said Captain Piranacon.
“Never mind those four,” said the Sea Witch with a snarl. “That bastard of a Megalodon will pay for what he did to me…BEFORE I EVEN HAD THE CHANCE TO FINISH TALKING!!!”
Piranacon swam close to her and said, “Not to worry, beloved. We will make him pay for what he did to you and your pets.”
As the Piranha Khans continued to patrol all around, they failed to notice a couple of figures swimming through the shadows. As one of the Piranha Khans passed through a certain ship, a pair of hands grabbed it and ended up being pulled with all its might. From the next ship, the same happened to another. Then another from another ship. And another, and another, and another, and another. It had been going on for the past half hour. And from within what appeared to be a Frigate, many Piranha Khan forces were knocked out and tied up.
Bolt tied the last group up nicely and tight. After he was done, Bolt dusted his hands as he said, “And Rainbow Dash thought it was a waste of time learning how to tie someone up using the Ponyhead Knot. Thank you, Applejack.”
On the other hand, Coral pouted and said, “I hate sneaking around.”
“Better than your plan, Prism Head.” retorted Bolt, making Coral gape her mouth open in shock.
“What did you say?!” said Coral as she was face to face with him, with the rest of the four guardians watching in concern.
Bolt then thought about something and ended up having a gentle smile. He leaned in and whispered in her ear about something. Her eyes slowly widened in surprise, and she blushed. She leaned backward and ended up rubbing her head nervously, but she kept her smile. The other guardians were surprised to see what he did, with John swimming towards Bolt.
“Whoa,” said John. “What did you say to her?”
Both Coral and Bolt looked at one another, then at them.
“Sorry.” said Bolt with a shrug.
“Trade Secret.” said Coral in agreement.
Though deep down, Bolt knew what to say. One day, before he and Rainbow married, she was nervous; she even tried to pin him hard on the ground and got hostile. But he ended up saying a handful of words that caught her completely off guard. Though no one might know what it was, all they could tell was that Rainbow and Bolt had loved each other more than ever. And they have kept the relationship strong ever since.
But back to the topic at hand. Bolt and the Guardians, even Coral, continued to swim, trying to find their way around, trapping more and more of the goons in the process. They finally finished trapping the last of their targets, cutting the captain’s forces in half.
“Alright,” said Bobby, “Now that’s taken care of, now what?”
“We’ll draw more of them in our little traps,” said Bolt. “That way, they won’t be able to overpower us.”
Meanwhile, Coral looked at where the bad guys were and widened her eyes in shock while she said, “Uh, I see four flaws in your plans.”
“Really, what?” asked Bolt.
“Them.” pointed Coral.
As they watched, to their shock, it was Piranacon and the Sea Witch talking to four anthropomorphic sea animals, who were his officers. One looked like a lobster, one looked like a squid, one looked like a shrimp, and one looked like an electric eel.
“What can we do for you, master.” said the Eel.
“I want you all to take the chest to a different location. Seeing that we’ve been compromised.” said Piranacon.
“We live to serve my liege.” said the shrimp.
“Oh, crud,” said Bobby with widened eyes. “If they move the chest, then we’ll never find it.”
“Then we gotta act fast.” said Coral.
“Then we’ll have to make a move.” said Bolt.
“Alright, this is what we’ll do,” said John “The five of us will handle Piranacon and his goons. Coral, you get the chest.”
“Why do I have to get the chest?” said Coral in disappointment. “I wanna kick butt too.”
Bolt suddenly had an idea. He had to try pulling a Twilight Sparkle if she was like his wife.
“What’s that, Coral?” said Bolt. “Are you saying that you’re too slow and too much of a chicken to try and get that chest?”
That immediately caught her attention, making her look at him and say, “What did you say?”
“I’m just saying,” he playfully shrugged. “If you’d rather not use your speed to help catch our prize, then you’ll have to be considered second best and the slowest slug ever.”
He looked at her with a smirk and said, “Unless your chicken?”
Now that caught her attention, getting her all mad as she said, “Oh yeah?!! I can get that chest, no problem!!”
“Prove it.” said Bolt while squinting his eyes.
That was her trigger word. Because of it, she instantly charged straight toward the ones carrying the chest away.
“Wow, nice job.” said Coop, looking at Bolt.
“She’s a lot like my wife.” said Bolt. “If they ever met, those two would act crazier than Pinkie Pie on a good day.”
“Heh, we’ll take your word for it.” said Bobby.
“So, I assume this is the part where we kick butt?” asked Clint.
“You bet your ass we will.” said Bolt as he cracked his knuckles.
At the same time, Piranacon tried to calm the Sea Witch down, saying, “Do not despair. Once we find them, we will….”
“You’ll what?!!” shouted John.
They immediately looked and saw Bolt and the Guardians, in their shark forms, waiting for them to make the first move.
“You.” growled the Sea Witch as she was angry, seeing Bolt again. “I will make you regret what you have done to my face.”
“Really?” smirked Bolt as he said, “Looks like someone else already beat me to it.”
The guardians couldn’t help but laugh at the insult he had just given her, making her face red with anger.
“I will make you eat those words.” said the Witch with a growl.
“Bring it on, Calamari.” said John.
“Attack!!” shouted Piranacon.
The remaining forces attacked full force, allowing Bolt and the Guardians to attack head-on. John tackled a ton of them like a bowling ball, Bobby bit most of the Piranha Khans, and Coop slammed them with his fists as if he were the Hulk. Clint toyed with them around, trying to get their attention, while Bolt continued to cause them trouble and led them to more traps that he and the guardians had placed in case things went south.
“Come and get me, little fishies!!!” shouted Bolt.
As the Piranha Khans chased him, they failed to notice the traps. As some passed certain sports, Bolt broke a few support beams, allowing parts of the ships to fall on the Piranhas, crushing them beneath the ships. After he was done, he dusted his hands with a smirk on his mouth.
“I think even Rainbow would’ve been impressed.” said Bolt as he darted away.
At the same time, the remaining Piranha Khans continued to fight the guardians, with the captain too preoccupied to pay attention to what was happening around him. On the other hand, the Sea Witch wanted to fight because her temper was growing.
“I will make living sardines out of those meddlesome guardians.” said the Sea Witch.
“Predators don’t make good sardines!!” shouted Bolt as he charged towards her.
“Oh no, not again!!” shouted the Sea Witch as she was once again tackled over.
While the guardians were almost finished mopping up the stragglers, John, on the other hand, had a beef to pick with Piranacon. He swam towards him and floated near him.
“You’re going to pay for taking what doesn’t belong to you, Piranacon.” said John.
“Oh, I will enjoy this.” said the captain as he readied himself for a fight.
Once they were ready, both charged toward one another and wrestled as they’d never wrestled before. At the same time, the Sea Witch continued to be battered by Bolt as he kept swinging her around, and thanks to his new shark abilities, he could make short work.
As he pinned the Sea Witch against the wall, she shouted, “Why are you beating me up so much!!!”
“Let’s just say that you look a lot like the Changeling Queen who tried to take over Equestria through selfishness and greed.” said Bolt, then went, “And for the fact that she tried to use me as her own PERSONAL SEX TOY!!!”
He threw her hard against another part of the ship, with her using her staff to fire her magic beams, but they kept missing him. He charged toward her like a battering ram and rammed her hard against the ship. He pinned her hard. Something then happened with his senses. Instead of seeing the witch, he kept seeing Chrysalis, a stranger human stranger he had never seen before, and the man who had caused him the most pain…his father.
He got angry and ended up pounding her hard, over and over and over and over, while screaming in anger, not towards the Sea Witch, but at the two people and Changeling that had caused him so much pain in the past.
After the thirtieth punch, the Sea Witch was wounded, while he picked her up and looked straight at her in the eye. “You will never hurt anyone ever again.”
The Sea Witch began to chuckle while she said, “You can talk a big game all you want, but soon the chest will be ours. And your little rainbow friend will be walking into a trap.”
“Trap?” muttered Bolt. Then he realized something in shock; she was talking about Coral. And she was in danger. Bolt looked at the Guardians and saw that they were still fighting. But then he remembered what his wife had taught him about not leaving a friend hanging, which means all of them. He then released her and looked in the direction that Coral swam.
“Hang on, Coral, I’m coming, “said Bolt, instantly causing him to swim in her direction to save her.
But he wasn’t going there defenseless, that much he knows. But as he swam, he spotted something that could give him an edge. As he swam downwards, he grabbed something out of the wreckage and flew straight for Coral. Bolt took a good look, and it appeared to be a Double-Edged Sword, but the holster almost appeared to have an image of a shark on it, while at the center almost appeared to be a shark’s teeth, while the blade itself almost looked like a lightning bolt.
“Hmm,” said Bolt as he looked at it. “Nice sword” before he swam with all his speed.
*********************************************************************
******************************************
At the same time, while the goons were tasked with taking the chest away, Coral followed them close behind, swimming with all her speed as if she wanted to do an underwater Sonic Rainboom.
“Alright, there they are.” said Coral when she finally could catch up with them. She pounded her fist together with a smirk and said, “Time to show them what I can do.”
And with great speed, she swam towards the two goons. She used her speed to make an underwater tornado. Once it was strong enough, the current of the tornado instantly pulled them away, allowing her to swim to the chest and grab it.
“Ha!! Gotcha!!” said, Coral. She began to boast with pride and said, “Oh yeah, who’s bad, who’s bad?”
“Oh yeah, who’s cornered like a sitting duck.”
Coral instantly stopped with her eyes widened and her pupils shrunk. She slowly turned around and saw Piranacon’s Lieutenants, the anthropomorphic shrimp, lobster, squid, and electric eel, all bearing their weapons and ready to pounce.
“Uh, hey guys.” said Coral with a nervous grin. “What brings you around?”
“Oh, a lot of things, really.” said the lobster. “Robbing, pillaging, and oh yeah.”
He pinched his claws and said, “Keel hauling sea lubbers from trying to take our booty.”
“Oh crud.” said Coral, knowing she was in danger.
Just when she was cornered, she heard a loud yell.
“SHARK ATTAAAAACK!!!”
Within a split second, Bolt tackled the Lieutenants over, taking Coral by surprise when she saw Bolt tackled them over and making them crash against the wall. As Bolt swam right side up, he couldn’t help but smirk.
“I always wanted to say that.” said Bolt to himself.
He quickly swam back to Coral and said, “You, okay?”
“Wha…” said Coral, surprised to see Bolt “What are you doing here?”
“You were in danger.” said Bolt. “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“Pff,” said Coral while rolling her eyes, “I could’ve taken them.”
“Sure, you could.” said Bolt sarcastically.
“But why’d you come back for me?” asked Coral.
“Because you’re my friend,” said Bolt. “My wife once told me that if anyone’s in trouble, never leave them hanging. My only concern was to make sure that you were okay.”
Coral was a little surprised by this; she couldn’t help but blush and smile a little while looking away. She looked back at him and said, “Thanks.”
At the same time, the Lieutenants returned, wanting some payback for what Bolt did.
“We’re not finished yet, ya monkey-faced fish!!” shouted the Lobster.
Bolt growled, for he did not have time for this. “Oh, you guys are so asking for it.”
“Yeah, bring it.” said Coral.
“Coral,” said Bolt, “Get the chest to a safe spot.”
“What?!” shouted Coral. “But…!!”
“And once you do,” said Bolt as he slowly looked at her, “let’s kick their butts.”
Coral smiled in glee, grabbed the chest, made sure that it was hidden well, and joined up with Bolt. He gave her a sword, gaining her attention while saying, “I also got you a weapon.”
She took the sword and was in position. The two of them prepared for a full strike. As they prepared for a fight, Bolt noticed the other guardians slowly surrounding him. They must’ve dealt with Piranacon. Bolt smirked while the sharks surrounded them.
“Now then,” said the Eel, “Before we kill the both of you, any last words?”
Bolt whispered to Coral about something. She found it strange but agreed to it.
“Just three.” said Bolt with a smirk.
And before they could react, Bolt, Coral, and the Guardians shouted, “Shark Slammu Slam!!”
They charged straight toward them, taking the four of them by surprise. With great strength, they bashed against the Lieutenants like a large herd of Football players. After squishing them hard, the four Lieutenants collapsed, knocking them out cold.
Once they were out and the Guardians united, Clint said, “That. Was. AWESOME!!!”
Everyone celebrated as they high-fived one another, for this was truly the great battle they had ever had.
A while later, after making sure that Piranacon, the Sea Witch, and their cronies were locked away, the Guardians and Coral regrouped with Bolt at a safe location, with the chest residing with the Guardians after they were turned back to normal.
“I gotta admit,” said Clint, “I had my doubts when we attempted the second time, but you really came through for us.”
“That’s what friends are for,” said Bolt. “We’re loyal to a fault and always have each other’s backs.”
“That’s good to know.” said Coop.
“You did well out there, Bolt.” said John. “You even came for Coral when you realized she was in danger.”
“My wife once taught me a thing or two about loyalty.” said Bolt. “Even though she can be stubborn sometimes, she’d never leave her friends hanging. And from what she taught me, neither would I. My loyalty is to my home, friends, and family.”
“And yet,” said Bobby, “I noticed you have trust issues.”
Bolt nearly flinched as if they could see through him. But he decided to not give himself away and asked, “What do you mean?”
“Trust me, bro, we can tell.” said Coop.
Bolt figured that he couldn’t hide it from the guardians, for seeing that they could also know about stuff, he decided to come clean.
“Two reasons actually.” he started. “First part is my father. He was an abusive drunk who later got sent to prison because we couldn’t handle him anymore. Plus, he didn’t even want me. All he ever cared about was boning my mom.”
“Whoa, what?” said Bobby in shock.
“Damn, that was rough.” said Clint.
“But there was…another reason.” said Bolt.
He moved a few inches forward, then spoke.
“My Uncle owned a university called Bolton U. My cousins took place after they promised their dad they would look after the place. There was a doctor among them called Luther Paradigm. He was a leading scientist in genetics. For years he was friends with their father. I also trusted him when I first met him when I was sixteen. He even helped me get my first job during that summer vacation, and I was really good at it. They kicked him out when they caught him experimenting on the animals and the students. A few weeks later, he returned for revenge and burned it to the ground.”
The Guardians were shocked to hear this. Bolt gripped his fists, angered by thinking about that moment.
“When he set the university on fire, my cousins lost everything that day. Everything they and their dad had built was reduced to ash, all because they disagreed with his methods when experimenting on innocent people and animals who didn’t have a say in anything. Everyone knew that it was Dr. Luther Paradigm who destroyed the place, but they couldn’t make the evidence stick despite there being witnesses. Now my cousins were left with nothing and had to start a new business again.”
The five of them were shocked by what he revealed. Trust two people who thought they would love you but ended up being backstabbed and hurt when they didn’t do anything to you. Clint swam next to him and placed his hand on Bolt’s shoulder, gaining the human’s attention.
“Sorry to hear that, bro.,” said Clint.
“But you know they can’t hurt you anymore, right?” said Bobby.
“I suppose.” said Bolt while rubbing his right arm.
Coop suddenly smiled and said, “Why don’t you have a fish burger with us? Food always helps calm us down.”
Bolt perked up at that, looked at them, and said, “Did you say Fish burgers?”
They saw the look in his eyes, causing them to look at one another with a smirk. Coral groaned and said, “How can you guys even eat that stuff?”
“Hey, don’t complain.” said John “Besides, you love that stuff too.”
Coral couldn’t help but roll her eyes, for they have a point by that part. Half an hour later, Bolt had joined the guardians at their lair. Thankfully, their lair was a cave with a large air pocket. Coral would’ve complained about it, but thankfully she can go between land and sea as she turned her mermaid tail into pony legs. While the place looked like a makeshift home, at the large table was a large plate stacked with fish burgers, while their plate was filled with fries, with a kelp shake on the side.
Thankfully the burgers were large, considering that they chose to eat them in their shark forms. Why? Because it makes chewing on the burgers much easier. They continued to munch it down; even Bolt was more satisfied with the burgers. After the tenth burger, Bolt released a large belch and sighed contentment before turning back into a human. “Oh boy, that hit the spot.”
“No kidding.” said Coop as he felt the same “We’re glad someone also likes fish burgers beside us.”
“Yeah,” said Clint, “We’re not much of a fan of Coral’s sandwich.”
“Hey!!” said Coral. “I liked the sandwich.”
“Let me guess,” said Bolt as he guessed, “A Pasta and Potato sandwich on sourdough?”
Coral looked at him surprised and said, “How’d you know?”
“My wife likes them too.” said Bolt “Blame her metabolism. She’s the fastest flyer, and sometimes it’s hard to keep up with her.”
“You fly?” asked John.
“I wish I could.” said Bolt. “Twilight helped create a cloud I could ride and walk on when I arrived. It’s fine and all, but….”
Bolt couldn’t help but sigh as he said, “What I wouldn’t give to have wings like her and be able to fly alongside her. Same with Scootaloo.”
“Scootaloo?” said Bobby.
“Yeah,” said Bolt “The two may not be siblings, but they have a strong sister-like relationship. She really wanted to fly, but her wings didn’t grow properly. Not to mention….”
He looked sad when he thought about her, then looked at them and said, “When I asked her aunts why she can’t fly, they told me that she couldn’t because she was born with Avian Unireflexia.”
“Uh, what’s that?” asked Bobby.
“It’s a disability that keeps any Pegasi from flying.” said Bobby. “For a Pegasi that’s grounded and can’t be able to fly. That would be like a Unicorn that can’t use its magic.”
“That’s right.” said Bolt. “Sometimes I wish she could fly with Rainbow. But she’d be devastated if she discovered that she couldn’t fly. Her aunts didn’t tell her, nor did her parents. They want to spare her from the pain, but if they kept it a secret from her, she’d end up resenting them, even Rainbow.”
“Harsh man,” said Clint.
“That’s why I want to do the right thing for her,” said Bolt. “And I also want to fly alongside Rainbow. My wife means everything to me, same with my son. I want to fly alongside them, to be by their side.”
Coral couldn’t help but smile and said, “Clearly, your loyalty to your family is the strongest.”
“Let’s just say they made me what I am.” said Bolt “If it weren’t for them…I don’t know where I’d be.”
“Then it’s only fair that I give you this.” said Coral as she handed him the case while opening it.
Bolt was surprised by this and asked, “Are you sure?”
“Of course, she’s sure.” said Coop “She is the Guardian, after all.”
“Wait, what?” said Bolt surprised. “But I thought all four of you were guardians.”
“Oh, we are,” said Bobby. “But we’re always helping her when she needs some serious muscle.”
John whispered, “Truth be told, she may be a ditz, but she’s got a heart of gold.”
“I heard that.” said Coral as she looked at them with a stink eye. She looked at Bolt and said, “But yeah, you’ve shown true loyalty out there by being there for those who can’t help themselves. Therefore, it’s only fair that you receive this as a reward for passing your trial.”
She opened it and presented what was inside while she explained everything. “What you see here is called a Driver. Like many knights known for their loyalty, the most loyal of them would bear this until the day they passed on. But after sensing your spirit, the most loyal of them, you are worthy of wielding this artifact.”
The Driver glowed blue, allowing it to float right into Bolt’s hands, taking him by surprise. Coral said, “Use that thing well and kick anyone’s butt who tries to mess with your friends and family.”
Bolt couldn’t help but smile while he held onto it while looking at them and saying, “I will…I promise.”
The Guardians gave Bolt a bear hug. After the hug, he began to glow from his feet.
Coral said, “Catch you later. Hope to see you again.
“Yeah,” said John, “We’ll even invite you for some fish burgers next time.”
“I’ll hold you guys to that, “said Bolt while smiling and waving at them goodbye moments before reappearing back in Moria.
After he was gone, Clint said, “You know, he’s not so bad after all.”
“Yeah,” said Coop, “I’m gonna miss that guy.”
“Come on guys,” said John, “Let’s spread the word. They’ll need to know that the guardians will soon return to this world.”
Soon enough, they left and began to spread the word; for the rest of the husband 6, Emily’s trials had only just begun.