//------------------------------// // Sunken (DarkDarsi) // Story: Like Magefire // by Archangel of the Silent //------------------------------// "I told you it was a bad idea to come along." Twilight weakly turned her head to face the other pony in the slowly sinking lifeboat. It had been a terrible day. The cold ocean water lapped at her hooves, the numbing sensation it caused threatening to take them off at any moment. The sun, though at it's highest, did not warm her fur, rather only continued to add to the chilling effect. If she didn't die from hypothermia soon, there was still a griffon destroyer swiftly moving towards their position. It would only be a few minutes before she became the most valuable prisoner of war in Equestrian history. "Worth it," she whispered hoarsely, an ever-present shiver in her voice, causing the yellow pegasus pony to chuckle a little. "You would be the one to say something like that," Spitfire replied, her energy draining a little. "See your marefriend one last time before she's executed in some backwater Ataska POW camp?" Eight hundred meters. "Something like that." A short silence followed. "Would you come lay down with me?" Six hundred meters. Spitfire didn't say anything, just whipped her mane around in the most suggestive way she could manage with all the water in it, and settled in next to her company. Twilight pressed her chest into the airmare's back, spreading what little warmth was left between them. Four hundred meters. "Thank you." The royal took a wing and wrapped it around her company's body. "It's the least I could do." Two hundred meters. "There's something I need to tell you." Spitfire turned her head over her shoulder to look directly at her marefriend and gave her a questioning look. The destroyer was right on top of them, the bow lining up perfectly with the hull of the inflatable boat. Her forward deck towered some distance over them, the mast blocking out the sun, making sure all hope really was lost. "I... I lo--" "Do I need to give you two some privacy?" a familiar voice called out from somewhere above. Both of the suffering mares recognized the cheerfulness of it, and the happiness they heard didn't feel out of place. There was only one pony with a voice like that. Spitfire just stared into the sky as Twilight shot up to a standing position, searching for that voice. "Cadence?" she called out, completely forgetting the cold, the pain, the everything except hope. "Cadence, is that you?" "Somepony get down there!" a new pony called, likely a crew member. "Hang on, Twilight! Help is coming!" "I wouldn't mind some privacy," the pegasus whispered, only barely being able to be heard by Twilight. "But they have warm beds on board." Two new pegasi jumped from the guardrail of the ship, Navy fliers from the uniforms. In a single swift motion, they picked up both of the castaways and brought them up, soaking wet, to the deck, where both Cadence and a Navy commander were waiting. "Twilight, there you are!" Cadence ran up and gripped the smaller alicorn in a bone-crushing hug, uncaring of the water now trapped on her own fur. "After those griffons left, we'd thought they would have already searched for survivors!" Suddenly, the state of near-hypothermia Twilight was in caught up with her. "We're alive, but I should probably see a doctor..." Cadence finally pulled away. "Right, of course. Doctor, shower, warm bed, I'm guessing. Commander?" The officer stepped up to the group, awaiting his orders. "Take these two down to the medbay. See to it they get whatever they need. Privacy included." "Aye aye, ma'am!" The officer threw his forehoof in salute, then turned and faced the newcomers. "Welcome aboard the ENS Crystali, ladies. If you'll come with me, I'll take you down to the corpsmare." Both of them nodded and followed as he opened a hatch to a staircase leading below deck. As they walked, Spitfire found herself smiling. "Hey, Twi?" Her marefriend looked at her questioningly. "I love you, too." It was going to be a wonderful day.