//------------------------------//
// Chapter 9 
// Story: An Expression Of Love 
// by Fluttershy20 
//------------------------------//

The first rays of the morning sun crept into the cave, managing to snake its way down the passage, and shine on the two ponies sleeping snugly under the one blanket.

At first, Twilight’s mind was as blank as a piece of paper waiting to have something written on it. Then suddenly, the gears in her brain started to turn, and her body began to wake up. First her tail swished and twitched, like it usually did when she woke up, then each of her legs started to twitch and flex, and then finally her eyes opened slowly, her ears twitching as she rid herself of itches.

She yawned loudly, and was about to stretch her legs and get up when she felt something across her back, something light and feathery. She looked back and threw the blanket off herself to see what it was, fearing it was a big hairy spider. She relaxed and smiled when she saw a wing from Fluttershy draped over her, keeping her close for comfort after spilling out the story of her parents from her lips. 

Twilight drew out a long, sad sigh, and stroked Fluttershy’s head gently with a hoof. A part of her wished that what Fluttershy had told her last night was not the truth, and it was just something that happened between them. Yet, for Fluttershy to be in such pain, it could only, and sadly, be the truth. She briefly wondered how many times Fluttershy had thought about what she had said to them, and cried herself to sleep with those words running through her head, shaming her and making her hate herself for her words.

She shook the thought out of her head as quickly as she had thought about it. ‘They all probably apologised, then kissed and made up,’ Twilight reasoned to herself. ‘It wouldn’t be like Fluttershy to hold a grudge against them and herself.’ Yet the pain Fluttershy was in last night put Twilight into doubt. The sorrow that spilled out of Fluttershy yesterday seemed to be one from a pony that had held it in for a long time, never once talking about it or had never resolved it. And, if Fluttershy kept holding it back, it would be something that would never be resolved. They would never speak again, and Fluttershy would be in a far worse state when they passed away, and she had never got the chance to say sorry, or even goodbye.

That was something Twilight did not intend to happen. If need be, she would drag Fluttershy to their front door before she would let that happen. She loved Fluttershy with all her heart, and wanted what was best for her, and make her feel better about herself as well. And she wanted to help Velocity as well, a pony that had been so kind and amazing to her when she was in school. She felt she had to return a favour to her, and that favour was to the bring her daughter back into her life. 

She broke out of her brooding when she felt Fluttershy start to stir beneath her. The pegasus let out a pleasurable groan as she craned her neck forward, and flicked her head as though she was trying to get rid of something on her. Twilight lifted her head off Fluttershy’s, and looked down sweetly at the stirring pegasus. “Good morning, Fluttershy,” she greeted her warmly.

Fluttershy groaned once more, and then slowly opened her eyes. They flickered open and closed for a moment as her mind told her it was time to get up, yet a part of her didn’t want to get up. She wanted to stay here forever, with a wing over her best friend…

Her eyes snapped fully open once more when she felt one of her wings was now over her best friend, who was next to her, awake as well. She lifted her head up, and locked eyes with Twilight, while drawing her wing back to her side inconspicuously. “Good morning, Twilight,” she replied, smiling warmly at her friend while fighting her blush back. “How are you this morning?”

“I’m okay, thank you. Haven’t slept like that in ages,” Twilight responded as she lifted the blanket off them both and put it back in one of the pouches in her saddlebags. “How about you? Slept well?”

“Mmm hmm,” Fluttershy hummed with a nod. She got up and stretched out her forelegs, sticking her backside high in to the air as she did so. “I slept really well, thank you.”

“And how do you feel?” Twilight enquired with raised eyebrows.

Fluttershy grinned. “I haven’t felt this good in ages, Twilight.” It was the truth. She felt as though a great weight had been lifted off her, and now she was able to walk freely without such a burden holding her back. “Thank you for listening to me last night. I imagine what you heard wasn’t easy to listen to, but I thank you for sticking with me.”

Twilight smiled amiably. “It was a pleasure, Fluttershy. I would do the same for any of my friends.” She got up from the floor, and straightened down her mane with her hooves. “Right, I suggest we get a move on back to Skyros before we are missed.”

Fluttershy nodded in agreement, then quickly picked up her saddlebags and set them on her back. “Okay, I’m ready, Twilight,” she nodded.

Twilight set her own saddlebags on her back, and nodded as well. “Right, come on let’s go.” Fluttershy nodded, then took the lead as she began to take the path back through the throat of the cave. Twilight had one last look around the chamber, and the incredible paintings that adorned the walls. ‘Wish I had some time to draw them,’ she thought. “Say, Fluttershy,” Twilight called to the pegasus. “Let’s say we keep this place as our little secret? Somewhere to go as a getaway if we come back here?”

“Oh, that sounds brilliant, Twilight!” Fluttershy called from the other side. “We should leave a marker or something that only we could recognise, then we know we’re not too far away from this place!” 

“That sounds like a good idea! Right, are you completely through yet?”

“Nearly, just give me a moment… uh… Um, Twilight? I think I’m stuck.”

Twilight put a hoof to her face and groaned. “How can you possibly be stuck? We came through just fine, so you should be able to fit back through all right!”

“I know, but I thought I might try a different way through, and now I’m stuck. Could you give me a hoof, please?”

Twilight rolled her eyes, sighing heavily. “Just hold on. I’m coming.” She began walking through the gap to aid her friend.

“That’s all I can do,” Fluttershy called out in response. Twilight quickly found Fluttershy’s backside in her face, with her hind legs kicking out in midair as she tried to push herself out, but to no avail. Twilight leaned to the left to see what the problem was, and quickly found it. 

Fluttershy had tried to jump through the gap rather than walk through it, not noticing that the gap was narrower higher up than it was at ground level. Her saddlebags were too big for the gap, and they wedged themselves in, squeezing Fluttershy between them and sticking her in midair like glue. 

“Do you think you can get me out?” Fluttershy called, trying to look over her shoulder.

Twilight rubbed her chin with a hoof as she pondered on getting Fluttershy through. “All right, and I’m really sorry about this, but I’m gonna try and push you out from this side with my hooves, okay?”

On the other side, Fluttershy felt her face flush pink. “O-okay, Twilight, whatever is easier for you.”

Twilight nodded, grateful for Fluttershy’s consent. ‘After this, I might need to use a memory wipe spell for both of us.’ “Okay, I’m gonna start pushing the moment I set my hooves on you, so I want you to start pushing yourself through as well. Ready?”

“Yes, just do it quickly,” Fluttershy said, setting her forehooves against the walls to push herself out. Twilight reared up, set her hooves against Fluttershy’s rump, and began to push hard, while Fluttershy pushed herself forward.

After a moment, Fluttershy found herself to be free, and she was sent diving to the ground, with Twilight staggering through the gap and falling on top of her. “Oh, sorry,” Twilight said as she tried to get up. “Are you hurt?”

“That’s okay, and I’m fine. Yourself?” Fluttershy asked as she picked herself up from the ground.

Twilight sat on her haunches and checked herself over. “Yeah, still in one piece. Right, come on, we’ve wasted enough time as it is.”

Fluttershy’s ears fell flat as she stood on all fours and bowed her head in shame. “Sorry I slowed us down with that stupid stunt of mine.”

Twilight chuckled. “It’s okay, Fluttershy. I forgive you. We all do stupid things like that, anyway. It’s what makes us ponies.” With that, she turned around and led the way out of the cave, with a more cheerful Fluttershy in tow.

Once they made it outside, they both breathed in the fresh, cool air that hung about like mist. Around the two ponies, the grass that smothered the landscape was covered in morning dew, which shone like diamonds in the bright, high sun. A few white, puffy clouds drifted slowly overhead, heading further into the islands, but other than that it was a clear summer’s day.

After leaving a small mark with ‘T and F’ in it by the cave’s mouth and in view of a small path, the two ponies quickly left the cave behind them, and began walking along the iron path that wiggled across the island, both of them hoping it would lead them back to the bridge and back to Skyros. “So, Fluttershy, tell me: what happened after you said what you said to your parents? You never mentioned what happened next.” Twilight quickly added, “Don’t worry if you don’t want to, of course. I was quite hard on you yesterday, and for that I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, Twilight,” Fluttershy assured her, smiling. “You were right; I should have said something about it long ago, rather than bury it in me. But anyway, do you want to know what I did next?”

Twilight nodded. “Well, okay then. Well, after I said that to my parents,” Fluttershy began, “I raced back upstairs, upset with my parents and ashamed of myself, while leaving them in tears. I must have cried for hours, for the next thing I remember was that the moon was at its highest, and my parents had gone to sleep.

“I realised at that moment that I was right, but in a different sense; I did not deserve to have better parents, but they deserved to have a better daughter. So I packed up everything that I had and needed, and ran away from home, just leaving a note saying I was going to Ponyville, and please don’t follow me.”

Twilight’s jaw dropped in shock, yet she listened intently. “How did you get down from Cloudsdale?” she asked quickly during the pause.

“I cloud-jumped my way down,” Fluttershy replied. “I dived from cloud to cloud across the sky, until I was close enough to the ground so I could use my wings and have something akin of a happy landing. I made it to the ground, conveniently right next to a sign that said Ponyville was around a mile or so south of where I was. I grinned to myself, and then began walking towards the town.

“I made it into Ponyville just before the moon was about to go behind the horizon. I wandered quickly through Ponyville, too scared to stop incase somepony might try to kidnap me or take me back to Cloudsdale, and got to Sweet Apple Acres just as the sun was rising.

“When I arrived, Applejack was confused at me returning, and I quickly told her – well, sobbed would be the more appropriate term – about what happened between me and my family. She and the rest of the Apple Family took me in as one of their own, a bit reluctantly, I might add, but I can understand that. I barged into their home, saying I had nowhere to go and pleading with them for me to stay there, so of course they would be a bit reluctant. I asked Applejack if that was the case and she said it was the truth, yet if I was willing to earn my stay, then things would be better between us. I eagerly accepted, and was quickly put to work on taking down the apples.”

She paused to giggle as the memories came back to her. “I couldn’t buck down the apples at all; my skinny legs were not strong enough to take the apples down. After a while of increasing frustration, and coming very close to giving up, I tried using my wings. At first I couldn’t fly too high up, but I kept practicing more and more until I was able to get into the tree itself, and I literally shook the apples out of the trees and into the baskets below.”

“So that’s how you learnt to do that,” Twilight said. “I’ve always wondered how you were that quick when we saved Applejack’s home.”

“It took a lot of practice, but I got there in the end. I even managed to beat Applejack with it when we raced through the orchards once, bringing down the apples on every tree we saw. Of course, she got faster and stronger in the legs later, so she was able to get better than me.” Fluttershy paused to watch a large, spotted-winged butterfly hover in front of her for a moment, before soaring away from them. “I stayed with them for about a year, during which I met Pinkie, Rarity, and started talking to Rainbow Dash again after she moved into Ponyville. I only knew the others by name until you came along, for I was too shy to walk into town by myself, so I always walked with Applejack.”

Twilight giggled inwardly. ‘She missed out the part where she turned into a fine young mare,’ she thought.

“I also began to communicate with all the animals that inhabited the town, and became good friends with them all, so much so that I decided that I would never leave Ponyville, not for anywhere else in the world. I also began looking for my own home to settle in so I could look after my animal friends and their families, and any others that came my way. I saw the cottage I now live in, and found it to be too expensive; I could have never afforded it with the money I was getting from Sweet Apple Acres. 

“That was when I received a letter from somewhere – it never said who or where, but what was inside was enough to make me faint. It was a deed to the cottage, bought and paid for under my name, and insured and such by some outer party. I quickly moved in, and the Apple Family helped me settle in and repaired it and such to what it is now. The rest is pretty dull, so you probably don’t want to know about all that.”

Twilight blinked, stupefied by the story she had just heard. “That is incredible,” she remarked, yet she couldn’t help but be nagged about a few things. “Yet it doesn’t tell me about your parents. Did you ever talk to them again?”

Fluttershy folded her ears and bowed her head, ashamed of herself. “I haven’t spoken to them since our argument. I haven’t received anything from them, neither have I sent anything to them in return.”

Twilight looked at her friend in shock. “Why? Why did you never do anything?”

“I tried, Twilight. I tried, and I tried, and I tried!” Fluttershy whimpered, tears threatening to spill once more. “But every letter I tried to write ended up in my bin. I couldn’t say sorry, or thank you, I couldn’t even say hello on it, so I gave up and left it. There were times where I wanted to go up to Cloudsdale and go back to them, but even then it became so difficult for me; I wasn’t brave enough to even say hi to my own family.” She stopped and tried to sniff back her tears, even as they dripped down her cheeks.

Twilight felt a great amount of sympathy for Fluttershy. She figured she would have been disgusted by her friend’s actions, were it not for the fact that Twilight did more or less the same thing. 

The last time she had spoken to her parents was at the wedding of Shining Armor and Princess Cadence a few months ago, yet that was it. She had never spoken to any of them when she was in Canterlot whilst studying under Princess Celestia and her tutors. And when she left for Ponyville, they only found out about it in the newspaper celebrating the return of Princess Luna, and the heroism of the six ponies who brought her back. She had separated herself from her family, and carried on with her own studies rather than see them from time to time. 

Despite the separation from them, she felt happy about it, for she knew her family was not too far away from Ponyville, and she had a Hearth’s Warming card from them every year, so that was nice. Yet with Fluttershy, she hadn’t received even that. Twilight knew she had to help with this, and knew the only way she could was to be a friend for her.

She put a hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder, making the pegasus shoot her head up. “You’re wrong, you know? About you not receiving anything from them since your estrangement.”

Fluttershy cleared her cheeks, and looked confusedly at Twilight. “What do you mean?”

Twilight smiled tenderly. “Did you ever try and find out who bought the house for you? Who paid for it in your name and insured it for you?”

Fluttershy shook her head. “I always thought it was the Apple Family, but they’ve always denied it. I haven’t thought about looking.”

“Well it is so blatantly obvious when you think about it, Fluttershy.” Fluttershy shook her head, making Twilight roll her eyes. “Your parents bought the house for you. They saw it was perfect for you, and bought it for you to have.”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped as her mind began to put together the pieces. Twilight was right. They knew she was in Ponyville, and must have seen the house was for sale. So they bought it and paid for it in full to go on her name. ‘They did that for me, even after what I said, they did it for me,’ she thought.

She slammed a hoof into her face so hard it sounded like it hurt, and groaned loudly. “I am such an idiot!” she screamed, tears spilling down her cheeks.

Twilight quickly wrapped her forelegs around the pegasus, gently stroking the other mare’s mane. “They must love you dearly, even after what you said, Fluttershy. They wanted you to be happy, they wanted to show you, to express how much they loved you.” She pulled away from the pegasus, and smiled at her. “A love that is worth more than any letter that could ever be written.”

Fluttershy looked into her friend’s eyes, and knew that Twilight was right. ‘They still love me, even after all this time,’ she thought joyfully. Even after what she said, even after losing contact with them, they still loved and cared about her, even buying her a home to live in and keep with her animal friends, while she didn’t even thank them for it, not even thinking it was them that did it. For that she felt horrible and undeserving of the Element of Kindness.

“I am such a fool, Twilight,” she whispered gently on Twilight’s neck, giving the unicorn a slight chill. “A big, massive, silly gullible fool.”

Twilight giggled while shaking her head. “Oh no. Oh I don’t think so. You just made a mistake, that’s all. But it isn’t one that can’t be fixed.” She pulled away from Fluttershy’s embrace, and placed her hooves on the pegasus’s shoulders. “I want you to promise me that you will see your parents once we get back. You don’t need to say hello, or I’m sorry, or even thank you. Just go to them. That’s all they want from you.”

Fluttershy nodded instantly. “I will do that. As soon as I return home, I will go to them. Can you come with me, so I know I won’t back out if I have somepony with me?”

Twilight’s smile broadened. “Sure, I’ll come with you, but only if Velocity has those nice gingerbread ponies she bakes,” she teased. She moaned pleasurably at the thought of them, making Fluttershy giggle and come back to her more cheerful self. “Right, shall we keep going?”

Fluttershy nodded, and together the two set off once more. “Thank you, Twilight, for being so understanding,” she said, nuzzling the unicorn gently.

Twilight smiled, and returned the nuzzle. “You are most welcome.” 

The rest of the trip across the islands and back to Skyros was uneventful. The two ponies filled the journey with banter, songs and poor jokes. They passed over the bridge less than an hour later, and realised that they were not too far from the bridge at all and could have gone back to Skyros before the storm had hit. After shrugging off their silliness with a laugh, they carried on past Castamare, and back on the road towards the capital city of the Iron Pony Islands.

Half an hour later, they came into sight of the wooden and bricked buildings that hung around the edge of the city. “Ah! There’re you lassies now!” Twilight and Fluttershy halted when they saw Seahoof galloping up to them from one of the shacks, and smiled at him in greeting. “I was starting to fear that you both got caught in the storm last night.”

“We were just lucky,” Twilight explained. “If Fluttershy hadn’t found a cave out on the second island, we would have been caught in it.” Fluttershy blushed at the praise.

“Well I’m just glad you both are here and safe, and we can now start heading further west,” Seahoof said, turning around to lead them to the Wave Breaker.

Twilight giggled in excitement. “I’m looking forward to it.” Fluttershy nodded eagerly in agreement beside her. Despite her fear of the unknown, Fluttershy found the excitement carried by her friend being passed to her, and now she couldn’t help but anticipate what they might find on the other side of the world.

They quickly fell in line and broke into a trot as they followed Seahoof through the city and back to the harbour. “So, Seahoof, how did the supplying go for the ship?” Twilight asked inquisitively.

Seahoof looked back with a small smile. “It went really well, thank you, lass. The ship now has ample supplies to keep us going for four months out at sea.”

“That must have been really expensive to buy all of that food and drink,” Fluttershy observed.

“Aye, it was, lassie,” Seahoof agreed with a nod. “But in the end, so long as your crew stays healthy, then the pay doesn’t matter.” The three went silent once more as they wandered through the city. As they walked through the narrow streets, they saw the city slowly coming alive as the first few ponies strolled through the town, preparing themselves for another day of work.

‘Skyros looks and feels like me after a night of intense studying,’ Twilight thought as she saw the tired ponies around her. Eventually, they managed to break through the busying city, and arrive in the small harbour where the Wave Breaker was docked, looking the same as it did when they left it. “Would have thought they’ll use this chance to give her a paint job,” Twilight muttered into Fluttershy’s ear.

Fluttershy stifled her giggle with a hoof over her mouth. “Too right,” she agreed. She looked right and saw Green Leaf walking into the city. “Green Leaf!” she called cheerfully as she trotted over to the earth pony.

The mare jumped in shock at Fluttershy’s voice, and turned to face her with a wide smile. “Oh, h-hello, Fluttershy,” she stammered, looking away shyly. “Had a nice day yesterday on the island?”

“Oh, it was lovely, thank you,” Fluttershy replied with a small smile. “Me and my friend saw so much, and did so much together that I will cherish forever.” Behind her, Twilight blushed pink. Fluttershy suddenly noticed Green Leaf had all her possessions with her, and her smile wavered. “You’re not coming with us, are you?”

Green Leaf shook her head. “Sorry, but since I’m under eighteen it’s part of my contract that I can only go this far out from Equestria. Still, got a few months to wait for my birthday, so maybe one day I’ll see what’s out there.” She looked up at Fluttershy, and grinned at her. “But it was worth it just to meet you.” She reared up and hugged the pegasus tight. “Good luck out there, and I hope you find whatever it is you’re looking for.”

Fluttershy smiled, and patted the earth pony on the back. “Thank you, and I wish you all the best as well.”

Green Leaf pulled away, let go of Fluttershy, then turned around and walked into the city. Fluttershy watched her go with a small, sad smile. “Although I barely know her, I am going to miss her. She seemed so sweet.”

Twilight nodded in agreement, even though she couldn’t help but feel jealous of the green earth mare. “Come on, lassies!” Seahoof called from on the Wave Breaker. “We’re waiting on you now!”

Twilight and Fluttershy turned around and trotted on board. “Oh, I do hope we see some whales out there,” Fluttershy said excitedly, practically hopping as she trotted.

Twilight beamed at Fluttershy’s enthusiasm. “I just hope it’s going to be a smooth, short journey, or else my time on this ship is not going to be pleasant.”

Fluttershy looked at her friend amiably. “I’m sure it will be fine, Twilight. At least you’ll have me to look after you should you get ill.”

Twilight glanced at her friend with a wry smile and a faint blush. “I can easily imagine you in a nurse’s outfit to be honest. You would make a great nurse.”

Fluttershy blushed heavily as they moved onto the top deck. “Oh, I don’t know. I’d probably faint at some of the stuff they have to go through.”

“I doubt it. It’ll probably be like helping your animal friends, only this time it is with other ponies.”

Fluttershy shrugged. “I suppose, but I guess we’ll never find out. I’ve never worked well with other ponies, anyway.” She stopped talking when she heard something get drawn up behind her, and looked back to see the gangplank was now raised and the ropes holding the ship at the harbour were now being unfastened and thrown back on board. “Wow, I guess this is it. No going back now, eh?”

Twilight gripped her hooves on the deck hard as she felt the ship begin to drift away from the harbour, and turn towards the harbour entrance. “Yeah. No going back now,” she agreed once the ship had become steadier.

The two nodded, and watched in silence as they left Skyros and the Iron Pony Islands behind them. “Oh, Miss Fluttershy, I believe you had forgotten this on your travels!” Seahoof called to Fluttershy, holding up a large, thick yellow blanket with pink edges.

“My blanket!” Fluttershy squeaked in delight. She raced over and grabbed the blanket and Seahoof in both hooves. “Oh, thank you for looking after it for me while I was gone. I don’t know what I would do if I had lost it forever.”

Seahoof grinned and patted the pegasus on the back. “You’re welcome, lass. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to guide this ship out of here.” He pulled away and went back to concentrating on steering the ship away from the harbour. 

Fluttershy nodded and quickly went back to Twilight, with her blanket draped across her back. “Wow, Fluttershy, your blanket looks lovely,” Twilight remarked, rubbing a hoof over it. It felt like the softest silk, and it made Twilight want to go under it and snuggle up to Fluttershy.

Fluttershy’s face went pink. “T-thanks, Twilight, I’m just glad it’s been found.” She let out a contented sigh. “Everything’s going to be all right from now on.”

Twilight nodded in agreement. The two ponies fell silent as they watched the Iron Pony Islands go smaller as they left them behind, then looked westward as the ship turned about and begun its either long or short voyage into the unknown.





Fluttershy knocked timidly on Seahoof’s cabin door a few times, hoping that he would still be awake. She waited a minute before the door swung open, and a tired looking Seahoof appeared from the other side. “What is it, lass?” he enquired impatiently.

‘I don’t blame him for being grumpy,’ Fluttershy thought as she fidgeted nervously under Seahoof’s gaze.  ‘Trying to sleep in this condition is probably not easy for non-winged ponies.’ “Um, I am really sorry that I disturbed you at this time, but I was wondering if you had any spare anti-sickness tablets available?” She quickly added, “Don’t worry if you don’t, I’m sure we can manage.”

Seahoof’s impatient gaze softened. “Is it Twilight again?” Fluttershy just nodded curtly in response. “Give me a minute, and I’ll find some for her.” With that, he disappeared behind the door. 

‘Might as well sit here for a bit,’ Fluttershy decided. She set her rump down on the floor, and waited patiently for Seahoof to return, while her mind drifted off to somewhere else.

The first five days since leaving the Iron Pony Islands were uneventful. The sea was calm and peaceful, the sky was a cloudless blue, and everypony on board had worked or relaxed as the Wave Breaker ploughed its way through the ocean. 

In that time, Twilight and Fluttershy had talked increasingly to the other crewmembers on board, and it came to the point where many of them became their friends. The only one that didn’t seem to enjoy their company to an extent was Seahoof’s first mare, or Miss Grumpy Pants, as Twilight started to call her.

“She’s Wave Kicker, my wife,” Seahoof said to them when he had heard them complaining about her and her lack of friendliness. “Me and her have been running this ship together ever since we met. I know she’s not the most open pony on board; she tends to be that way, so she doesn’t have any emotional attachment towards anypony if something happens to them. When she’s away from the ship, however, she’s the most loving mare you’ll meet. Don’t take the way she treats you two personally.” The two mares nodded, and walked on. 

Then, on the sixth day of the voyage, the sea turned rougher, and Twilight fell ill. 

Fluttershy shuddered as she remembered standing by Twilight’s side, patting her on the back, while Twilight vomited uncontrollably over the side of the ship. The Wave Breaker rocked about like a cot constantly as it trailed over the ocean, trying to keep level even as the waves threatened to capsize it. Fluttershy, thanks to being a pegasus, was able to endure it. Most of the other ponies, however, couldn’t, and they usually ended up joining Twilight at the side.

After another four days, the ocean did not get any smoother, and Twilight was confined to her quarters. Fluttershy was asked to remove herself from the quarters, but the pegasus shred her shy personality for a moment and said, “I will never leave Twilight’s side! Not while she’s like this!”

So Twilight became her responsibility, and she did everything for her: threw out her sick buckets via the window, fed her to keep her strength up, kept her washed and clean and guided her to the bathroom. Twilight protested at every turn she could, saying she just needed some air and a piece of dry land, but Fluttershy said adamantly, “I’m not going to leave your side.” She emphasised the point by draping a wing over her shivering friend.

Now, it was the tenth day, and the ocean was getting calmer, but only by a little. Twilight’s condition had improved, but she was still unable to sleep, and kept throwing up whenever there were a few rough moments in the ocean, so Fluttershy had to keep going to Seahoof for anti-sickness tablets. ‘Hopefully tomorrow the ocean will be a lot calmer, and Twilight can actually make some good memories out of this,’ Fluttershy wished.

She looked up from the floor when she heard the door open, and Seahoof appeared with a bottle of tablets in his hoof. “These little beauties are the strongest stuff I have,” he explained. “Give her just the one, and that should make her sleep well tonight.”

Fluttershy quickly took it in both hooves. “I will. Thank you, Seahoof. Sorry to have disturbed you.” With that said, she rushed down the corridor to her and Twilight’s quarters, with the tablets secured firmly under her wing.

She soon arrived at the front door of their cabin, and raced quickly inside. When she shut the door behind her, she turned around, and felt her heart break at the state her friend was in.

Twilight was wrapped tightly in her sheets, as though the rest of her body had been placed in a sack with only her head visible. Her eyes were half open, her nostrils ran with snot, huge black bags rested under her eyes and her mane was sticking up like long grass. She groaned when she heard Fluttershy had returned. “Did you get the anti-sickness tablets?” she enquired, her voice vibrating as though her voice box was breaking apart.

Fluttershy walked up to the other pony, and stroked her head while revealing the tablets to her friend. “You poor, poor thing. Hopefully these will do you the world of wonder.”

She broke open the top, and shook out a single tablet. “Tongue, please?” Fluttershy asked. Twilight opened her mouth and rolled out her tongue, which Fluttershy dropped the single tablet on. “Now roll back and swallow,” Fluttershy instructed. Twilight retracted her tongue, and gulped the tablet down instantly, sighing when she felt it roll down her throat and into her stomach.

“Thank you so much for looking after me, Fluttershy,” Twilight whispered, unable to speak any louder. “I know I haven’t been the easiest patient to work with, but I appreciate everything you have done for me.”

Fluttershy waved it away with a flick of her hoof. “Don’t worry about it, Twilight. It’s the least I can do for you after what you did for me back on the Iron Pony Islands.” She jumped up on her bed, and made herself comfortable. “Besides, what kind of a friend would I be if I left you in such a state?”

Twilight sniffed, and a small, peaceful smiled appeared as her eyes began to close. “You’re always a great friend, Fluttershy, no matter what. And that is why I–” She cut herself off when the tablet took hold, and she fell asleep instantly, her side rising and falling with gentle movements.

“Aww,” Fluttershy said, tilting her head and smiling sweetly at the unicorn. “Sleep well, Twilight,” she whispered, before setting herself on her side and relaxing her shoulders, looking at Twilight with a feeling she had never felt before, yet knew what it was.

‘Okay, this is getting annoying. For the last time I do not love Twilight Sparkle!’ she screamed in thought, her shoulders clenching together once more as her stress levels suddenly increased. Yet the cracks were starting to show themselves, and she could see them clearly breaking apart, and revealing Twilight for what she truly is: the most beautiful mare Fluttershy had ever laid eyes on.

As she thought about it, her mind drifted back to when she was crying, and Twilight had her in her embrace, and listened as Fluttershy had told her about how she separated herself from her parents. Her friend’s touch was one of the most comforting feelings she had ever experienced. Twilight’s hooves wrapped around her body felt gentle and cosy, and she could spill out her troubles and never be ridiculed for it. It was the touch of somepony that she felt safe and secure with, more than any other.

And Twilight’s kindness to her. Even though there were a few rough moments in their friendship, Twilight had always displayed an amount of kindness that no other pony had ever given her, and had always showed the utmost faith in her in whatever they all did. Sending a dragon out of Equestria, trying to heal the Princess’s sick bird and helping the other pegasi to create a tornado that would give Cloudsdale the water they needed, to name but a few. In all those times, Twilight had showed her belief that Fluttershy could do it when nopony else could, and she never lost patience with her. 

‘She cares deeply about you, you know?’ her mind, or so she thought, said to her. ‘I would go as far to say that she cares about you more than the others.’

Fluttershy drew out a heavy sigh. “I know,” she whispered. ‘Maybe there is a chance between us.’ Yet as she thought of that, she believed it would never happen. Twilight deserved better than her.

She rolled over to look away from Twilight, and closed her eyes as her mind blanked out and her dreams took over.





The morning sun shone in Twilight’s eyes, making her groan and trying to shoo it away with a hoof. “Not yet, five more minutes,” she complained, having not yet realised she was awake. It didn’t take long for Twilight to figure out that she was not going back to sleep any time soon, and opened her eyes.

She quickly saw Fluttershy’s bed was empty, and properly made and ready for another night to sleep in. ‘Must have gone upstairs for breakfast,’ she thought. At that moment, she noticed something else. Something that made her lips curl up into a blissful smile. The world wasn’t going up or down as rapidly as it had been for the last four days. She looked out of the porthole to see that the sea was once again smooth and calm, just the way she liked it, and the sky was once again blue, free of the dark storm clouds that had hung over them the past few days.

With this knowledge gained, she felt immediately better and ready with whatever was going to happen today. She sighed pleasantly, and kicked the sheets off her until she was free of their grasp. She groggily got out of bed, staggered through the door and headed towards the top deck, intent on getting some air, and some food.

When she arrived on the top deck, the most beautiful pony she had ever seen greeted her. Fluttershy was about to walk back through with a tray full of cereal and porridge on her back, when she stopped and her eyes widened in surprise when she saw Twilight standing before her. “Did you miss me?” she asked weakly, a small smile on her lips.

Fluttershy’s own lips curled into a massive grin. Before Twilight knew what had happened, Fluttershy had set the tray down on the deck, then pounced on her like a predator and tackled her to the ground, wrapping her friend in a hug. “Oh I am so glad you’re up and about!” Fluttershy cried, tears of joy welling up in her eyes. “The last five days or so with you being ill has been horrible!”

Twilight let out a low gurgle sound. “Can’t… breathe,” she rasped. ‘She must have missed the well me to hug me this hard,’ she thought. 

Fluttershy quickly let go and backed off, blushing furiously. “Sorry,” she said as she helped Twilight up. “It’s just that I’m so happy to see you up and about after so long. How are you feeling, anyway?” Fluttershy asked, taking a step closer to her.

“I feel much better thank you, Fluttershy. Better enough to do this.” She raised her left foreleg into the air, awaiting Fluttershy to raise her right foreleg and do their welcoming ritual.

Fluttershy grinned as she understood what Twilight wanted to do. She lifted her right foreleg in the air, and proceeded to do the welcoming ritual with Twilight, while both ponies chanted, “High hoof, low hoof, tail slap, hug.”

Both ponies giggled as they pulled away. “Oh, Twilight, I was gonna bring you some breakfast to have, but since you’re up you could have it up here with me… if you want to, of course, I wouldn’t mind if you want to go back to bed. It would be nice to share my breakfast with a friend.”

Twilight giggled. “I would love to have it out here with you. I wanted to get some air, anyway.” She picked up the tray of cereal and porridge with her magic, and carried it in front of her.

“Um, Twilight, is it wise to use your magic after being ill for so long?” Fluttershy queried hesitantly. “Ma-maybe you should let me hold onto the tray.”

Twilight looked back at her friend, smiling assuredly. “Don’t worry, Fluttershy, I have complete control over my magic.” She suddenly staggered and fell to her stomach, breaking her hold of the tray. The tray shot down towards the ground, but before it could hit the floor and spill cereal and porridge everywhere, Twilight managed to catch onto it with her magic.

“Phew,” Twilight puffed. “See, Fluttershy. Total control.” Fluttershy shook her head and rolled her eyes at the statement.

The two ponies moved to the side of the ship where they knew they wouldn’t get in the way, and proceeded to eat their meals. Twilight picked up the bowl of porridge, and looked inside. She immediately wished she didn’t. ‘I didn’t know they had run out of food. That’s the only reason as to why they start using my vomit for food and pass it off as porridge,’ she thought. “What kind of porridge is this, Fluttershy?”

“Oats, I think,” the pegasus replied, her voice muffled by a mouthful of flakes. “Sweetened with sugar. It will help you to get your strength back.”

Twilight nodded reluctantly, and looked back at the bowl of porridge. She had never liked porridge, preferring cereal or pancakes or even bagels to porridge. ‘Porridge is the most disgusting looking thing ever invented since mane dye,’ she thought. Nevertheless, she was willing to try it, for Fluttershy’s sakes more than her own. ‘It might be nice.’

She picked the spoon up with her magic, and quickly chomped down on the porridge resting on it. She closed her eyes as the taste took hold in her mouth, and when she opened them again, she was a believer. 

“Porridge is amazing!” she exclaimed, before diving her spoon back in and began devouring the contents of the bowl in seconds. 

Fluttershy looked up from her bowl, and gave her a look that said, “I told you so.”

“Twilight, lassie, it’s good to see you up and about after a long time,” Seahoof said as he walked up to them, grinning through his bubble pipe.

“It feels good to be back up and about, Seahoof,” Twilight replied with a small, weak grin. She quickly gulped down another spoon full of porridge. “What did we go through the last five days?”

“Just some ocean storm, wee lassie,” Seahoof replied as he sat down beside them, leaning against the railing. “We’re about a hundred miles or so from Equestria now, so expect a lot of things out here that we wouldn’t normally see.”

“Captain! Starboard side! I think you want to see this!” a pony suddenly called out, a hoof stretched out and his eyes wide. 

Twilight, Fluttershy and Seahoof turned their bodies around to have a look. For a long minute that felt like hours, nothing emerged from the water, much to the disappointment of Fluttershy. Just when they had given up and were ready to turn back around, the thing emerged from the ocean once more. It was too far away to know clearly what it was, but it was big, with a black back, a slight hump and a small dorsal fin. Just when Fluttershy thought she knew what it was, it disappeared back into the depths, making her pout and moan in disappointment.

Twilight patted her on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, Fluttershy, I’m sure more will show up,” she assured her.

She wasn’t wrong. Suddenly, the back of another one of the creatures appeared then disappeared. Then another, and another, and another, until a whole group of them were rising and diving back in to the water.

Fluttershy craned her neck up as high as she could just to make out what they were, while Twilight and Seahoof looked on curiously. “Any ideas on what they are?” Twilight asked.

She didn’t have to wait long for an answer. One more of the creatures emerged from the water before disappearing, and then no more appeared for a long time. Just when they thought the creatures had gone, one of them leapt out of the water, revealing to the ponies its black top and white belly, a large hump on its back and its white and black tail fin. It swerved about and dived into the water on its back, spraying the water high into the air and onto the ponies on board the ship.

Fluttershy could no longer contain her utter joy. “A humpback whale!” she squealed, jumping with utter delight. “An actual humpback whale! I have always wanted to see one of them and now I have and they are so awesome!” She spread her wings and took to the air. “I have got to take a closer look!” Before anypony could stop her, she flew away from the ship and straight towards the humpback whales, squealing and giggling with delight.

Twilight reared up and rested her crossed forelegs on top of the railing, watching her crush go off to make new friends with a small smile. The moment she was witnessing made this trip completely worth it. The look of joy on Fluttershy’s face as she saw an animal that she had never seen before was something Twilight could not describe. It filled Twilight with a joy she had rarely felt, and it made her wish she could fly after Fluttershy and share the experience with her.

She didn’t notice Seahoof glancing at her with a wry smile. “You know, when you two first came on board, I actually thought you two were a couple.” Twilight froze instantly, her ears pinning up and her eyes widening in shock. “I asked Fluttershy about it and she said you two were only close friends. I can see now that it is only a one-sided thought from you.”

Twilight slowly turned her head around to look at him, her eyes revealing her surprise. “Ho-how did you know?” she asked. She couldn’t deny the feelings she had for Fluttershy, for they were true and honest as Applejack was.

Seahoof gestured with his head at Fluttershy, who was dancing above the whales with sheer delight, chatting away with them as though they were old friends. “I’ve seen the way you look at her, lass. The small smile that appears on your lips at the very sight of her. The dreamy eyes you have on you now when she looks as happy as she is now. Yeah, I know that look, Twilight. It was the same one I had every time I laid eyes on Wave Kicker before she became my girlfriend – before she became my wife.”

Twilight’s eyes widened and she nodded in understanding. Her eyes suddenly turned fearful. “Please don’t tell her anything, Seahoof,” Twilight pleaded. “I want this to come from me and no other, not even a letter.”

Seahoof chuckled, a few bubbles escaping from his bubble pipe. “Don’t worry, lassie, she will not hear your love for her from me. But I would like to know why she doesn’t know about it yet? And when are you going to tell her?”

Twilight rested her head on the railing, and sighed. “I haven’t told her yet because… because I’m afraid to.”

Seahoof looked at her sympathetically, and slung a leg over her shoulders. “It’s okay to be afraid about sharing your feelings, Twilight. Everypony gets scared when they admit to somepony they love them. It is a fear of the unknown, the idea that a relationship with somepony could change dramatically with just three simple words. But we need to fight past that fear, and charge forward with hooves kicking out against it. But most of all, we need to place trust in those that we love to see past those feelings, and maybe stay as friends, or become something greater.”

Twilight looked up at him admiringly. “You need to look past your feelings for a moment, Twilight, and put your trust in Fluttershy and her mind,” Seahoof advised. “You must let her know before it’s too late, Twilight, so that begs the question once more: when are you going to tell her?”

“That’s just it, Seahoof. I’m not sure when, I only know where,” Twilight replied.

Seahoof’s face twisted into a look of confusion. “Then, where are you going to tell her?”

Twilight looked up to see if Fluttershy considered coming back any moment. When she saw the pegasus was having the time of her life, she replied to Seahoof in a whisper, “Beyond this ocean somewhere there is a flower that shines silver and when two ponies that are meant to be together are present, the flowers sing. I intend to find that flower, and use its song to confess my feelings to Fluttershy.”

Seahoof clenched his lips tight as he held back the booming laugh he wanted to release. After a moment to calm down, he said, “So all of this is just to tell Fluttershy that you love her?” Twilight nodded sheepishly, a faint blush on her cheeks. Seahoof chuckled again. “Twilight, it would have been easier if you asked her out on a date, or better yet, do a serenade for her.”

Twilight tilted her head. “What’s a serenade?”

“When you stand outside the bedroom window of somepony you love, and sing a song to them that tells him or her how you feel about them,” Seahoof explained. “It’s how me and Wave Kicker started our relationship.”

Twilight nodded, even though she couldn’t see herself performing a serenade outside Fluttershy’s bedroom window in the dead of the night with all the creepy noises that came from the Everfree Forest not too far away. ‘Who would I get to play the music? Myself?’ Despite that, there was a certain appeal to such an idea. ‘I might have to hit the books to see if there is a spell for that sort of thing.’

She looked towards the sea again to see Fluttershy waving goodbye to the whales. “Thank you for listening to me, Seahoof, and for the advice,” Twilight said. “You’re a good friend.”

Seahoof reeled his head back in surprise. “We’re friends?”

“Of course we are. What else can we be?” Twilight said, smiling amiably at him. Seahoof smiled in return, and then went off to command the ship once more, glancing back at her nervously several times. 

With the captain gone, Twilight turned back to Fluttershy, who landed back on the ship, shaking with unbridled excitement. “So, how were the whales?”

Fluttershy’s head drooped. “It wasn’t brilliant,” she said morosely. Twilight felt her smile dissipate at the sound of Fluttershy’s sadness. Before she could ask what went wrong, Fluttershy looked up with a grin that was wider than her face. “It was the greatest, most awesome thing ever! Not even the word epic could describe flying near them!” She squealed and bounced on the spot as she let out her joy, while the other ponies on board looked on as though they were looking at a mare possessed.

Twilight’s smile returned, and quickly developed into a grin as she watched her crush dance and hop about in excitement. This was what she wanted to see. She wanted to see the mare behind the mane, to see what Fluttershy was truly like away from everything and somewhere where she felt safe and secure. What she found made the pegasus even more precious to her than she felt before. She saw Fluttershy as someone who she could truly be herself with, as did Fluttershy it seemed; she saw someone who was kind, loving, understanding, witty and above all compassionate.

Something she knew she would lose if her confession didn’t work out the way she wanted it to go.

“Oh, and the whales were so lovely!” Fluttershy continued spinning around with a dreamful smile on her face. “At first I couldn’t understand them for they were speaking in really slow, low tones. Liiikkkkkeeee tttthhhhhhiiiiiisssss,” Fluttershy demonstrated by impersonating one of the whales. Twilight burst into laughter once Fluttershy started talking, and couldn’t stop for a few minutes afterwards as she rolled about the deck, clutching her sides as tears spat out of her eyes.

Fluttershy watched Twilight roll around with a sweet grin, chuckling despite herself. ‘That had to be the worst impersonation I have ever done,’ she thought. ‘Still, it was worth just to make Twilight happy after so long being ill.’

Twilight eventually stopped laughing, and hauled herself back to her hooves, breathing heavily. “That was truly, and utterly, brilliant,” Twilight panted, wiping her teary eyes with a hoof. “Did the whales talk about much?”

Fluttershy shrugged. “Not much, really. They asked why a large group of Equestrian ponies were so far away from Equestria. You see, humpback whales travel usually alone until mating season, that’s when they travel in larger groups. This time, however, was a major exception. They grouped together to follow us after seeing us coming this way, believing we were lost in the storm, and wanted to guide us back to Equestria. I told them that I was touched by their kindness, but we aren’t in any trouble. I told them we’re explorers on an adventure. They wished us all luck and a safe journey wherever we go, and said they wouldn’t be too far away if we needed help.”

“That’s very sweet of them,” Twilight remarked, looking from Fluttershy to the ocean where the whales had gone. “At least we have some guardian angels around us to keep us safe.”

Fluttershy nodded in agreement. “Right, now that the excitement has passed, shall we go back indoors and have that pool contest you wanted to play?” Fluttershy suggested. She added really quietly, “And lose at.”

Twilight’s small smirk said it all. “I think I’m up for it.” She opened the door leading back inside the ship, and bowed her head. “After you.”

Fluttershy bowed her head in return, and hastily trotted through the door with Twilight just behind her, both ponies grinning in anticipation for the upcoming game.





Fluttershy was hungry, as was evident by the growling noises coming from her belly. ‘Be quiet, stomach,’ she hissed in thought. ‘You don’t want to wake up Twilight, do you?’

She hoped that rubbing her belly would make the growling noises go away, but if anything it just made them fiercer than the last. She looked over to the other side to see Twilight sleeping peacefully, a small smile sprawling across her face. ‘Of course she would be smiling,’ Fluttershy thought. ‘I still don’t know how she beat me in playing pool, but she was good at it.’ 

She sat upright and flicked her mane out of her face, looking outside at the starless night while reflecting on her and Twilight’s game. The two mares had played pool for the rest of the morning and all of the afternoon, with Twilight beating Fluttershy three to two. It didn’t matter to Fluttershy that she had lost, for the five games they played were truly memorable, and Twilight didn’t rub it into her face that she beat the pegasus at something. 

It was just after the fifth game did Twilight realise that the sun had gone down, and night had fallen over the Wave Breaker. The two ponies promptly retired back to their cabin, feeling tired and joyous over the events of the day.

That was until Fluttershy realised she hadn’t eaten anything except the morning, and now her stomach was protesting about the lack of food inside her. Twilight had mostly eaten crisps from the mess-room, so she felt quite full. ‘I better go and get something from the kitchen,’ she decided.

It was good that she knew where the kitchen was on the ship like she knew every hair in her mane, for this wasn’t the first time she went to the kitchen for a midnight snack. 

With a single eye trained on Twilight in case she woke up, she firstly stretched her hind legs out, and placed them gently on the ground. Then quickly she threw herself forward and landed on her forelegs, while using her wings to guide her down gently and slowly.

After a long second, Fluttershy confirmed to herself that Twilight was still asleep. “Phew,” she sighed mutedly. Glancing at Twilight with a grimace at every sound, she crept slowly forward, standing on the very tips of her hooves as she waded towards the door. Once she was next to the door, she quickly unlocked it, opened it quietly, then slipped outside and shut it gently behind her.

She put an ear to the door to make sure Twilight didn’t call out her name all of a sudden, and when she didn’t, Fluttershy punched the air in victory. “Yes!” she cried in a hushed tone. She quickly trotted down the corridor, smiling proudly at herself and humming a little tune she and Twilight had sung before.

After a while, she made it to the front door of the kitchen, and her belly growled in anticipation of the hoard of food that must be stored in there. Fluttershy giggled. “Quiet, belly,” she said, looking down at her pudge. “You don’t want to wake up the whole ship.” She took a quick look around incase anypony decided to appear, and then hastily opened up the door and went inside, shutting it behind her with her tail as she did so.

She briefly looked back to see if the door was shut, and then looked at the kitchen, the pupils in her eyes growing large at the sight before her. The kitchen was a pretty small room, with a large oven stretching along the wall furthest from the kitchen door. On the far right corner was a small door leading to the freezer, and next to it was a large cupboard big enough to fit the pegasus in. To the left of the oven were a large number of units filled with frying pans and other kitchen tools that were used for cooking.

But none of that mattered to her, for all she cared about was getting to where all the food was stored.

She walked over to the cupboard, and opened it up to see it full of ready to use bread and spreads and other foods like olives. “Oh, I love olives,” she said to herself. She took out a jar of open olives and a half-used loaf of bread, and began to munch away on her find, feeling too hungry to actually prepare a proper sandwich.

After a while, she felt stuffed, and her belly fell silent as it was appeased by the amount of food she had. “I can actually sleep better now,” she said to herself satisfactorily. She put the bread and olives back in the cupboard, and calmly shut the door. ‘I sure hope we have enough food to last us for four months. I feel like I’ve already eaten a month worth.’ She briefly made a mental note to pay Seahoof extra for the eaten food.

She turned around to make her way to the door, but froze in horror when she saw the door handle go down and the door slightly open. ‘Oh my goodness!’ she thought in horror. The door was about to open fully, but suddenly stopped, giving Fluttershy the chance to hide. ‘If I’m caught I might be done for stealing food… again.’ Quickly and silently she opened the cupboard door, squeezed herself inside, and shut it as though she wasn’t there.

It wasn’t very comfy for Fluttershy; she could feel a jar of something press into her backside, her back was against a pile of boxes of crisps, and the walls were so tight she had to push her hooves forward to ease the pressure on her shoulders. Despite the uncomfortable position Fluttershy found herself, she had a small hole in the door which she could peep out of. She leaned down, and looked through the hole as the pony who had opened the door walked in.

Her eyes widened when she saw Seahoof come in, his face serious and yet regretful of something, while behind him came his wife, Wave Kicker. For a moment, Fluttershy considered opening the door and saying sorry for eating some of the food, but the look on both of their faces gave her pause. ‘Why are they here? Surely not to have a snack as well.’

“Were we followed?” Wave Kicker demanded seriously.

Seahoof shook his head. “No, my dear, we were not. Most of the crew are asleep, and the rest are upstairs on the top deck,” he answered.

“Good, for what I want to talk about is something I don’t want the other half of the crew to know about,” Wave Kicker said, having one last look around. “It has to be tomorrow; we can’t afford any more delays to the plan. We have to make our moves tomorrow.”

Fluttershy tilted her head in confusion. ‘What plan? And what moves? Is there going to be a dance tomorrow?’ Fluttershy asked herself. Her ears pinned up when she heard Seahoof sigh.

“I know we can’t delay the plan for any longer; we’re as far out at sea than anypony has ever been. But… is it really the best choice?”

The pegasus flicked up an eyebrow. “Have you gone soft for those two little land-lovers?” Wave Kicker asked harshly.

Fluttershy’s eyes widened in horror. ‘Land-lovers? But nopony uses that term unless they are…’ She clamped her hooves around her mouth to cover the horrific gasp she released. ‘… P-p-p-pirates.’

“I haven’t gone soft on them, my love, but I just think we should try something else first rather than hold them to ransom,” Seahoof said. Fluttershy had to fight the difficult urge to shake violently in terror.

“We have tried everything else,” Wave Kicker persisted. “This is the only option left open to us. We have on board two of the greatest ponies in Equestria. Princess Celestia will pay the sum of half of Canterlot just to have her student back, and Fluttershy has enough money from her model career to buy her own ransom. Those two will make us rich beyond measure!” 

She quickly looked back incase her outburst had been heard. “All right, this is what we’re gonna do. After they head up and get their breakfasts, we surround them, put that magic stun thing around Twilight’s horn, then send them back to their cabin and keep them there till their ransom is paid off.”

Seahoof reluctantly nodded in agreement, much to Fluttershy’s surprise, and dismay. ‘I… I thought you were my friend,’ she thought, tears in her eyes.

“And what if they start fighting?” Seahoof enquired, raising his eyebrow.

“Then we bind them and gag them, then throw them into their cabin to stay until their ransom is paid,” Wave Kicker answered with a smug smile.

“Uh huh, and what if they don’t want to pay the ransom?”

“I…” Wave Kicker paused as she had no idea what to do when that came to it. “I’m not sure. But I’m not gonna have them killed, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

Seahoof smiled thinly. “Good, because we are not murderers, and I don’t want to be known next to a murderer. Got it?”

Wave Kicker nodded. “Perfectly,” she said. “Right, come on, love, let’s get some rest. A big day tomorrow.” She spun around and trotted out of the kitchen, a smirk on her face at the thought of tomorrow, and that made Fluttershy’s stomach churn at its presence.

“Yeah, looking forward to it,” Seahoof said, though his enthusiasm for it was strangely absent from his tone. He trotted after his wife with his head low and his ears flat, and closed the kitchen door behind him, allowing Fluttershy to breathe at a panicking pace. 

After a moment to make sure they weren’t coming back, Fluttershy opened the door, ran out of the cupboard and galloped out of the kitchen and back to her and Twilight’s cabin, intent on warning Twilight of the danger they were in. 

She could not believe what she had just heard. All this time, those two were planning to kidnap them and hold them to ransom. Was Seahoof lying to her and Twilight all this time? ‘They never intended to get us to the flower,’ she thought. ‘They just wanted to use us for their own gains.’ The idea made her feel like shooting up the food she had just eaten. ‘I have to warn Twilight. We both have to get off this ship.’

She made it to the door of their cabin, and raced inside, slamming it behind her. After a moment to make sure she wasn’t followed, she crept up to Twilight’s bed, and began to shake her like a rattle. “Twilight! Twilight, wake up!” Fluttershy whispered frantically, looking back at the door every so often in case Wave Kicker or Seahoof came in un-expectantly. 

Twilight let out a low groan, and an eye opened narrowly. “Oh, Fluttershy,” she croaked, feeling annoyed. “Why did you wake me up? I was having such a nice dream.” She suddenly noticed the panicked look on Fluttershy’s face. “What’s wrong?”

“There’s no time to fully explain!” Fluttershy whispered frantically. “We have to get off this ship, now!”

Twilight felt herself fully awaken in a second. “Leave? As in, leave this ship right now?” Fluttershy nodded, her eyes wide with terror. “Why? Why should we leave all of a sudden? We’re safe here, aren’t we?”

“Trust me, Twilight, we’re no longer safe on here. I was in the kitchen getting a mid-night snack–” She cut herself off and blushed when Twilight raised a questioning eyebrow. “I hadn’t eaten since morning, okay? I was starving. Well anyway, I was in the kitchen when suddenly I heard the door open. I jumped in the cupboard and shut it behind me, and watched as Seahoof and Wave Kicker came in. They started talking about us, Twilight, and what they plan to do with us.” She gripped the unicorn by the shoulders, and shook her. “They’re pirates, Twilight! Tomorrow morning they’re going to lock us back in here and hold us to ransom!”

Something in Twilight’s mind ticked, yet that was it. She was still too asleep to actually follow what Fluttershy was saying. “So you heard Seahoof and Wave Kicker outlying their plans to hold us to ransom?” Fluttershy nodded. Something else ticked in Twilight’s mind. “And that all this time they wanted to use us for their own gains?” Fluttershy nodded again, this time more quickly. This time, her mind was active with a thousand thoughts and emotions, yet out of all of them, rage was the most felt.

She looked up at Fluttershy once more, and smiled assuredly. “Don’t worry about it now, Fluttershy,” she said, trying to keep the anger of betrayal in her voice out, and found it to be working. 

“Don’t worry about it now?” Fluttershy cried, looking at Twilight disbelievingly. “How can I not worry about it now?”

“There’s no need, look.” Her horn lit up, and the door locked itself. “See, if they want to try anything tonight then they can’t.”

Fluttershy had to resist the urge to slam a hoof into her face. “Yes, but how is that going to save us from an entire ship of pirates?”

“I’ll think of something in the morning,” Twilight replied. “Tomorrow, we’ll get up earlier than usual, head up top and confront Seahoof to find out if this is true. If it is, then I want to know why, and see if we can come to some other arrangement.”

“Arrangement? How can you come to an arrangement with pirates?” Fluttershy asked. “All I know about them is that they’re bloodthirsty, savage ponies who would turn on you in a heartbeat if it meant getting more money. They would never listen to us, no matter how hard we try.”

Twilight put her hooves on Fluttershy’s cheeks, and lifted her head up so she could look her in the eye. “Don’t worry, Fluttershy,” she said soothingly. “Just stay as close to me as you can tomorrow, and everything will be fine. I promise, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Although Fluttershy was still panicking inside, she suddenly felt safe with Twilight’s words running through her ears, and Twilight’s hooves on her cheeks. “I know you won’t, Twilight.” She pulled herself out of Twilight’s hold, and then climbed into her own bed. “So tomorrow morning, then?”

Twilight nodded. “Yep. Tomorrow morning it is. Get some shut-eye; you’re going to need it.”

“I know. Goodnight, Twilight. I’m sorry for waking you.”

“It’s fine,” Twilight giggled. “Thank you for telling me what was going on. I’m just amazed they haven’t done this earlier.”

“Probably so not to arouse suspicion,” Fluttershy deduced as she laid out on her side facing Twilight. “I would wait a while myself if I was in their hooves.”

“I guess.” Twilight conceded. “Well, either that, or they have no idea what they’re doing.” She sighed and lowered her head onto the pillow, looking calm on the outside, but inside, she was frightened and burning with rage. “Goodnight, Fluttershy.” With that, she went instantly to sleep.

Fluttershy smiled at her friend, and threw her duvet over herself. ‘Twilight is so brave,’ she thought admirably. ‘Anypony would be lucky to have her as a lover.’

Before she could respond to that, her mind blanketed out and she was fast asleep.





Twilight felt like she was burning with anger as she and Fluttershy walked through the corridor to the top deck. Twilight’s eyes were glued ahead, narrow and a slight fire in them. Behind her, Fluttershy trotted nimbly after her, her head low, her eyes wide with fright and her ears pinned up high to pick out anypony coming up from behind them. 

They had woken up the moment the first glimpse of the sun had appeared in their window. The two ponies, though slightly tired, felt ready to confront Seahoof and Wave Kicker and denounce them as the fiends they were. Both ponies felt angry with this, yet Twilight felt more angered than Fluttershy.

She had trusted Seahoof enough to come on board his ship, eat his food, drink his punch, and listened to him say cheerful words even though he was lying through the skin of his teeth. She felt betrayed by him, his wife and his crew who were probably in on it as well. She wanted to know exactly why they felt they had to do this to them, and wanted to know if she could have Fluttershy freed and have herself be the sole hostage. ‘Fluttershy’s too sensitive to be a hostage here,’ she thought as they walked through the ship. ‘I’ll arrange a deal to get her off this ship and then they could take me as a single hostage.’ She felt enraged more at the fact that they were willing to hold Fluttershy as a prisoner, even after everything the two of them have done for them. ‘Fluttershy is too beautiful and too kind to be here. I’ll do this for her.’

The two soon made it onto the top deck, and had a quick look around. “Any sign of him, or his wife?” Fluttershy whispered. She was standing so close to Twilight their flanks were touching, yet no pony cared. It didn’t feel like the right time to be embarrassed by such things. 

Twilight looked up, and didn’t see him on the balcony outside the bridge. “Not there either.” She shook her head. “Let’s check the sides of the ship.” They went to the port side of the ship, looked down the side of the deck, and saw Seahoof finish speaking to one of the crewmembers of the ship.

Twilight grinded her teeth together to suppress her anger, while Fluttershy shrank back in fright. “What are we going to do?” she asked.

“This,” Twilight growled. With that, Twilight stormed out from behind the corner, and strode towards Seahoof with a murderous rage she hadn’t felt since seeing Cadence down in the mines beneath Canterlot. Fluttershy quickly followed her, hoping her friend wouldn’t do anything rash.

Seahoof turned around, and greeted the two ponies coming towards him with a nervous smile. “Ah, lassies, good morning to ya. Didn’t expect you two to be up so soon. What brings you both up he–?” He was cut off when magenta magic surrounded him, and lifted him into the air. He screamed aloud. 

“Don’t. You even. Dare! Act all nice to us!” Twilight roared, before throwing her head to the left, sending Seahoof dangling above the calm water.

“No! Please, don’t do this! I can’t swim!” he cried, looking at her with pleading eyes.

“A captain that can’t swim?” Twilight said mockingly. “That’s something I haven’t heard of.” She was shaking with rage, her eyes locked onto the captain’s trembling form, not noticing the look of horror on Fluttershy’s face.

“Twilight, what are you doing? Let him down now!” she yelled whilst moving to stand in front of her friend with a look of anger. “This isn’t how we do things, Twilight! You know that better than I, so put him down!”

“You heard her, put my husband down!” Twilight and Fluttershy looked towards the bow to see Wave Kicker and around twenty other ponies behind her heading towards them, their looks venomous and foul. They looked sternwards and saw the other members of the crew on the other side, looking bewildered to what’s going on.

“ANYPONY COMES A STEP CLOSER AND I WILL THROW HIM IN!” Twilight yelled, prompting everypony to step back, including Fluttershy. “Even at my age I can throw you all in like throwing pebbles into water! So keep! Back!” At once, the ponies stepped as far away as they could go without feeling like they were losing ground.

Fluttershy remained where she was, transfixed with terror at Twilight’s rage. “Twilight, you’ve done it, now stop. Please, stop this. You’re really starting to scare me, you know? Please stop.”

Twilight glanced over to Fluttershy, and her eyes widened a little at the fear in her friend’s eyes. “Not yet,” she replied calmly. “Not before I learn the truth.” She walked up to the side of the ship, staring at Seahoof with rage-filled eyes, while eyes of pure terror stared back at her. “All right, Seahoof, I want you to tell me the truth! Have you and your wife been planning to kidnap us and hold us to a ransom?”

All eyes suddenly turned to Seahoof, who had stopped squirming and froze in horror at what he had been asked. Fluttershy looked to Wave Kicker, and saw in her eyes what Twilight had accused him of was true. She looked back at Seahoof, and watched as he hung his head in shame. 

“Aye, lass. It is true.”

Everypony except for Fluttershy, Twilight, Wave Kicker and Seahoof began to talk at once. Some stating their disgust, while others supported the captain. Fluttershy could see that the ship was now divided, with some on the side of the two pirates, and probably have been since the beginning, while the other half spoke of their disgust and how they did not sign up for piracy.

It didn’t take a genius to see a bloodbath could soon be among them. Fluttershy felt her cheeks go red with anger as she watched Twilight now join in, along with Wave Kicker. “ENOUGH!” Fluttershy yelled. 

Everypony went silent, and turned to look at Fluttershy in shock. “Thank you,” she said at her usual tone of voice. She briefly shot a glare at Twilight, before looking at Seahoof neutrally. “Why? Why did you want to do this to us? Did you hate us the moment you set eyes on us?” Twilight looked from Fluttershy to the captain, her look accusing and damning at once.

Seahoof looked horrified by her accusations. “You think I’m doing this out of spite? I would never do that, Fluttershy, no even to my worst enemy! No, we planned this for the money. It was always about the money.”

He let out a sigh. “Me and my wife can barely cope these days, thanks to the large cruise ships that take ponies about, where once it was little ships like ours that once dominated the ocean. Nowadays, the Wave Breaker is the only one left. But even that is being taken from us. More and more ponies decided to take the cheaper and more luxurious ships, while this began to rust away and only take the fair few that would decide to come with us. We started to lose money, and we were becoming close to losing the ship, and our way of life. 

“We tried everything we could think of, yet nothing worked, and we became close to bankruptcy. It was like that, until you two came into Vanhoover, looking for a ship. You, Twilight Sparkle, the student of Princess Celestia and the bearer to the Element of Magic. And you, Fluttershy Whisperwing, the most famous fashion model that ever lived, and the bearer to the Element of Kindness. The ransom for you two would be more than enough to get this ship repaired and re-built to proper standards, and would help me and my future family.” He looked sadly to his wife, who looked back at him with worry. Fluttershy looked over to her, and saw for the first time the slight bulge around Wave Kicker’s belly.

‘She’s pregnant,’ she realised. She looked back at Seahoof, not in anger or betrayal, but in sympathy. She put a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Twilight, bring him back in, please?”

Twilight shot her head around, making Fluttershy withdraw her hoof. “Why? So they could tie us up and hold us! I’m not letting him go, not until you are safe.”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened further. ‘She’s not angry about Seahoof kidnapping us, she’s angry that I’m in danger.’ “I don’t feel like I’m in danger, Twilight. Not anymore,” Fluttershy assured her. “So please put him down?”

Twilight shook her head again; making Fluttershy fear she was going to drop Seahoof in the water. Fluttershy decided to take drastic action. She stepped in front of Twilight, making Twilight lose her line of sight and break her hold on Seahoof. As soon as the aura around Seahoof was gone, Fluttershy shot through the air, and caught his forehooves before he could fall screaming into the water. “Help me!” she called to Wave Kicker.

Wave Kicker spread her wings and fluttered quickly up to them. She quickly wrapped her hooves around Seahoof’s hind legs, and helped Fluttershy guide him back on board the ship.

They set Seahoof down, and backed away from each other. “I’m so sorry if Twilight hurt you, but know that she didn’t do it intentionally,” Fluttershy said, sitting in front of Seahoof. “She was just very angry.” She looked over to Twilight with a neutral look, making Twilight’s legs quiver and look away in shame. 

Seahoof looked at her in disbelief, his chest rising and falling as he tried to get some air. “Why?” he asked once his breath had returned. “Why did you help me, lass?”

“Because you’re not a bad pony; none of you are,” Fluttershy explained, looking to both of them. “You both just made a bad decision, that’s all.” She backed away from them, and looked around to address the whole ship. “You are right, Seahoof, I am the most famous model that has ever lived, and I’m certainly the richest as well. Why, I have more money than I ever need, or want. It pains me to know that there are ponies that are barely able to cope, such as you two. Which is why when we get back to Equestria, I will give you half my money; it should be enough to help you rebuild this ship.” She looked over to Wave Kicker, and smiled lovingly. “And it will definitely help you start your family.” She quickly muttered in Seahoof’s ear, “Congratulations, by the way.”

Everypony stared at Fluttershy in shock. “You would give us this money, without asking for anything in return?” Wave Kicker asked disbelievingly. She shook her head doubtfully. “You’re lying.”

Fluttershy’s kind face suddenly turned into a ferocious scowl. “I may be many things, but I am not a liar,” she growled, making Wave Kicker gulp in nervousness. She looked back at Seahoof, her face returning to its usual, loving look. “I want to help you, Seahoof, you and your family.” She stretched out her hoof for Seahoof to accept. “Would you like that help?”

Seahoof quickly stood up on all fours, and took Fluttershy’s hoof in one of them. “Fluttershy, lass, any stallion out there would be lucky to have you as their special somepony.”

Fluttershy blushed lightly and giggled. “Um, not really, since I’m more attracted to mares than stallions,” she said.

Twilight’s head shot up instantly, her eyes wide with shock. ‘Did I just hear that right?’ 

Seahoof chuckled. “Then I’m sure there’s a fine mare out there for you, lass,” he said, before quickly winking at Twilight. The unicorn looked to Seahoof, her face expressing guilt and interest at once. “I… I’m sorry for attempting to kidnap you, lassies. I understand if you won’t forgive me.” He bowed his head, and awaited his fate.

He didn’t need to wait long. Fluttershy jumped up and hugged him tight. “It’s okay, Seahoof,” she said soothingly. “I forgive you.”

“As do I,” Twilight added, moving to stand beside them. “And I’m sorry if I hurt you, Seahoof, and I apologise to you too, Fluttershy. I’m sorry for scaring you like I did; I just haven’t felt that angry in a long time.”

Fluttershy jumped out of Seahoof’s hold, and gently embraced Twilight. “I forgive you as well, Twilight. I know how you felt just now; I’ve been angry like that myself.” Fluttershy’s ears fell flat as her mind went back to the horror of the Grand Galloping Gala. “You just lose control of yourself when that happens.” 

Twilight smiled, even though she felt like she did not deserve it. “You’re too kind, Fluttershy. Far too kind.”

Fluttershy’s smile grew wider. “I know.” She turned back to Seahoof. “Could you turn this ship back around and take us home, please?”

Seahoof looked surprised, while Twilight looked shocked. “Are you certain, lass? You might not get another chance to continue with this. I have my family to look after soon.”

“I know,” Fluttershy nodded. “But raising a child is far more important than some silly little flower.” Fluttershy and Seahoof quickly looked to Twilight for her consent. Twilight looked at them both, and nodded.

After a moment, Seahoof nodded compliantly. “Turn this ship around!” he bellowed. “We’re going home!” The crew complied immediately, and got back to work once more.

Fluttershy glanced at Twilight as she walked up next to her. “I’m sorry, Twilight,” she said sadly, putting a hoof on her shoulder in comfort. “I know the flower meant a lot to you.”

Twilight waved it away, smiling dismissively. “It’s all right, Fluttershy. And you’re right, raising a child is more important.” Her ears fell flat. “It’s just a shame we won’t see the flower.”

Fluttershy giggled, and extended her leg over Twilight’s shoulders. “I don’t know. It is a flower after all, right?” Twilight nodded. “Well, it’s not going anywhere.”

Twilight looked at Fluttershy for a moment, before bursting into a fit of giggles. Fluttershy soon joined her, and soon the two were laughing uncontrollably. Twilight knew Fluttershy was right. The flower was just a flower at the end of the day, and wouldn’t move about or be on the other side of the world in less than a year. ‘We can try again next year, or the year before that,’ Twilight thought. ‘Maybe it won’t even come to that.’

After a while, the two ponies stopped laughing, and looked at each other admirably. “You’re right, Fluttershy. You always are. I should listen to you more often, like when you said Spike feared that Owlowiscious would replace him. You were right about that, and you’re right about the flower. It isn’t going anywhere, and we can try again at some point.”

Fluttershy nodded in agreement. “I just hope we get another chance like this. It might be quite difficult in the future to get a ship like this.”

Twilight’s mind was suddenly invaded by the words Seahoof said to her yesterday morning. ‘Seahoof was right, I need to tell her soon, or she may find herself with another pony – or, well, mare, in her case.’ “Well, maybe it might not come to that,” Twilight’s mouth said before her mind could tell her to stop.

“Hmm?” Fluttershy mumbled, looking at her weirdly.

Twilight took a deep breath. ‘This is it, Twilight, you can do it, just say ‘I love you’ and that will be the end of it.’ She looked up from her crush’s hooves, and said, “Fluttershy, there is something I have to tell you. I–” She was cut off when she and Fluttershy were sent flying across the deck, and slammed into the side of the ship.

Around her, she could hear the screams of other ponies as they fell to the deck, and even heard her love groan in pain. She looked over to see Fluttershy gritting her teeth and clutching her side. “Fluttershy! Are you all right?” she called.

Fluttershy looked up, and nodded. “I-I think so. It just hurts a bit,” she replied. She got up on her hooves and staggered towards Twilight, but before she could make it, another crash from something hit the ship, and nearly sent Fluttershy into the side once more.

Before she could hit it, however, Twilight caught her in her magic, wrapping a magenta aura around her like a shield. “We need to get away from anything that could hurt us!” Twilight yelled. Without further word she carried Fluttershy to the stern of the ship, which was large and roomier with less obstacles in the way.

When they arrived, they saw that the ocean was in turmoil. The water was bouncing up and down, making the ship sway like a cot once more. It was making Twilight feel ill once more. “Twilight!” Fluttershy rasped, through gritted teeth as the pain in her side throbbed. “Cast that cloud-walking spell of yours on yourself! It might help!”

Twilight nodded, and quickly cast the spell on herself. Sure enough, it worked, and she felt like she was standing on solid ground again. “Wow, magic really does solve everything,” she chuckled to herself. She set Fluttershy down, and stood close to her while the pegasus rubbed her side with a hoof. “Just what the hay is going on?” she wondered aloud.

She looked up at the sky to see it was a bright blue, with only a few clouds dotted across it. She looked at the ocean again, to see it was in the conditions of a thunderstorm. Waves began to sprout higher and more ferociously than before, and were coming in at all directions. “We can’t be in the middle of an ocean storm!” Twilight yelled.

“We’re not in an ocean storm, lassie, we’re in an ocean battle!” Seahoof yelled as he staggered towards them, holding onto the ship’s railings for dear life. “Look!” he pointed to the east of the ship. 

Twilight and Fluttershy spun around, and felt their breaths leave their mouths at the sight before them. “What, the hay, is that?” Twilight asked, her eyes wide with fear.

It looked like a tentacle of an octopus, except it was as wide and as tall, or even taller, than that mightiest Canterlot tower. Around a dozen others soon joined the first one, each just as big as the original. Twilight and Fluttershy looked around to see groups of other tentacles shoot out of the ocean and point high into the air.

“Krakens,” Fluttershy stated, a wide, open smile on her face as she watched them in awe. Her awe of the great creatures quickly dissipated when the group of tentacles closest to them fell back into the water like a falling tower, creating massive waves that threatened to engulf the ship.

Twilight quickly raised a shield around the ship, which protected it as the wave bounced harmlessly off the shield and back into the water. However, it did not protect them from getting wet.

“Krakens!” Twilight spluttered as she moved her mane out of her eyes. “I thought they weren’t real!”

“Does it look like they’re not real to you?” Seahoof shouted. He turned his head around to address Wave Kicker. “Turn this ship around now! Get us away from these krakens as quick as you can!”

Wave Kicker nodded, and galloped back up the bridge to turn the ship around. Twilight and Fluttershy watched as the dozen other krakens threw their tentacles down, creating around a dozen or more waves larger than the ship. Twilight quickly powered up her horn again, and raised a shield over the ship. The waves crashed into the shield like a freight train, and either washed over it and fell back into the sea, or fell back upon contact with the shield. Twilight did not have the time to recover as yet more tentacles rose out from the ocean depths. “Can somepony please explain to me what are they doing?” Twilight called.

“I think it’s kraken mating season,” Fluttershy replied, a small blush on her cheeks.

“Mating season?” Twilight and Seahoof repeated, looking at Fluttershy incredulously.

Fluttershy nodded. “Oh, yes. From what I read about them, kraken males usually splash large waves to impress the females. You see, the one with the bigger waves has the bigger tentacles, and the one with the biggest tentacles has the biggest–”

“I think I get the picture, thanks!” Twilight cried, her mane dripping wet as another wave washed over them. “Get this ship turned around now!”

“Everypony, hunker down and pray we get out of this!” Seahoof bellowed. At once, ponies smashed open life-jacket boxes, and began loosening the two lifeboats at the back of the ship. 

Slowly, and much to the relief of Twilight and Fluttershy, the ship began to turn around, bobbing up and down like a buoy in the middle of a storm. Around them, more and more groups of tentacles appeared, each belonging to a kraken preparing to create the largest waves. Fluttershy grabbed hold of Twilight, shaking in terror. “Hold me,” she squeaked.

“Only if you hold me,” Twilight replied.

“I already am.”

“Oh, good.” She grabbed hold of Fluttershy, and the two watched with terrified eyes and shook with fear as the water, and the scene around them, turned sublime. It made the two frightened for their very lives as the krakens showed off their impressive nature. 

“Fluttershy, I have something to tell you. I was going to save it for later, but now might be the best time. Fluttershy, I have a cru–”

“Twilight, look out!” Fluttershy screamed, pointing behind her. Twilight looked around, and screamed as a large wave smashed into the ship, and sent the two ponies flying. 

The wave sent many ponies flying, but thankfully didn’t throw any overboard. Twilight recovered once the wave had gone, and blew a sigh of relief when she realised she was still on the ship, and the ship hadn’t capsized. That relief suddenly turned to panic when she realised Fluttershy wasn’t holding her. “Fluttershy! Fluttershy, where are–”

She turned around just in time to see the tip of Fluttershy’s tail disappear over the side of the ship, and into the water below.

“NOOOOO!” Twilight screamed. Without hesitation, she galloped as fast as she could towards the side, and then jumped over the railing and into the water. Her eyes widened when she realised what she had just done, but her determination to save her friend took away that fear. 

“Fluttershy!” she cried, swimming as the pegasus had taught her to. “Fluttershy, can you hear me?”

“Twilight!” Fluttershy screamed. The tone of her voice told Twilight that she was panicking. “Help!”

She looked northwards, and saw Fluttershy thrashing about in the water, her visible eye wide with panic as the water bobbed up and down, and the currents threatening to pull her under. Twilight began to swim fiercely towards her, her every stroke aimed at saving her friend, and make her swim faster. ‘You can do this, Twilight,’ she told herself. ‘Swim for Fluttershy, swim like she told you to.’

She was barely a foot away when Fluttershy went under the water. Twilight took a deep breath, dived under, and grabbed Fluttershy’s outstretched hoof with both of her own. She then pulled hard, bringing her and Fluttershy back up to the surface.

Both ponies gasped for air. “Spit out the water!” Twilight commanded. Fluttershy did as she was told, and coughed out any water that entered her system. “Are you all right?” Twilight cried, wrapping her forelegs around her friend’s waist.

Fluttershy nodded abruptly. “I- I think so!” she shouted. Her eyes widened when she realised she was talking to Twilight. “Yo-you saved me!”

“Of course I did!” Twilight replied, offering her a brave smile. “I would do anything for you, Fluttershy!”

Fluttershy smiled back, and hugged her close. “Thank you, Twilight!” she pulled back. “Now let’s get back to the ship!” Twilight nodded in agreement, and with a hoof wrapped in hers, the two swam for dear life back towards the ship, which they could see turning away from them.

“Seahoof!” both ponies called, sputtering as the water threatened to pull them down again.

The captain looked at the back, and his eyes widened in seeing them down there. “Get one of the lifeboats out there, now!” he barked. Immediately, the little lifeboat was hauled up by two cranes, thrown over the side of the ship, and dropped into the ocean.

“Hold on to me!” Twilight called. Fluttershy nodded, and swam close to her unicorn friend. She quickly powered up her horn, and the two ponies vanished, only to re-appear on the lifeboat. “Right, now take us back up!” she called.

The cranes began to haul the lifeboat back up, but before they could properly start another large wave the size of Canterlot’s walls smashed into them, breaking the chains apart and sending the little boat adrift.

Before the boat could capsize, Twilight wrapped it around with her magic, and kept it afloat, while keeping Fluttershy aboard. Once it was over, the two ponies were soaking wet, but otherwise fine. “Twilight!” Fluttershy cried, her eyes scanning the sea around them. “Where’s the ship?”

Twilight looked around, and her eyes widened when she couldn’t see the Wave Breaker anywhere. She looked behind Fluttershy, and her eyes widened even further in horror as a kraken’s tentacle smashed into the water, and a massive wave sprouted up and charged towards them. ‘I think I now know where the ship is; right behind that.’ “Fluttershy, come here!” she called frighteningly.

Fluttershy looked back, and upon catching sight of the wave she quickly scurried over to where Twilight was and hugged her tight. Twilight tried to power up her horn once more, but she was exhausted after doing the spell so many times, and even with the small shield she could conjure up, it was like sand trying to stop a wave.

The two ponies hugged each other close, and closed their eyes to fight back tears as they realised that this was their last day together. “Twilight, I just want to let you know, that being your friend… has been the best thing that has ever happened to me,” Fluttershy sniffed.

“And there’s something I need to tell you, Fluttershy,” Twilight sobbed. “I’m just so sorry I never said it earlier. Fluttershy, I love y–”

Her words were drowned out when the wave crashed into them, and engulfed the little lifeboat completely.