“So, you built that vessel all by yourself?” Flare asked.
“Mmmhmmm.” Nick nodded. He and Flare strolled along the western bank of the Atoll's southern land strip. A midnight tide rippled to their left, adding a delightful percussion to their conversation. “Before I set out for the K.M.C.A.”
“Before you set out for the what?” Flare asked, eyes narrow.
“The Kihutajan Marine Colonial Academy. Y'know... college!” He smirked at her.
She gave him a blank stare.
“Erm... most ponies where I come from... er... go through an extended educational system.”
“Ohhhhhh.” She blinked. “You mean an institute of learning?”
“Yup!”
“Hmmf. Those sound lame.”
Nick fought the urge to grimace. “Well... it's... k-kinda important for a pony like me.”
“In what way?”
“I mean... that's how I aim to earn the credentials I need in order to get ahead with—”
“Did it teach you how to sail a ship out into sea and outrace a giant sea serpent?”
“Well... no...”
“And you built the ship before you went to Kihutaja, yes?”
“Yeah. Yeah, I did.”
Flare grinned, teeth showing. “Then it seems to me like you've learned plenty!”
“Pfft! You kidding?! I haven't even gotten my doctorate in—”
“Hah hah hah hah!”
Nick frowned, folding his forelimbs with a pout. “It's super serious!”
“Yes! You landwalkers are always so super serious!” Flare stifled another wave of laughter. “So serious about wasting time.”
“I'll have you know I've done plenty of life-rewarding things at the K.M.C.A.!”
“Like what?”
“Like...” Nick's tongue rolled, but there was nothing to click it against. His ears folded back as he searched the starlit waves for a semblance of words. “Like... erm...” He gulped hard. “Economics. Ethics. Social... err... synergy.”
“Those all sound boring wastes of Verlaxion's good gifts,” Flare said. She smirked. “At least here, your good talents have been put to saving lives.”
“Well... one life,” he said with a chuckling breath.
“With talents such as yours, we could certainly use you for many a fine hunt!”
“Huh?”
“Why, your ship, of course!” She pointed further down the beach from where they had trotted. “A finer piece of seacraft I've never seen!”
“Why, th-thank you.” Nick cleared his throat. “But... I-I'm not exactly staying.”
Flare cocked her head to the side. “You're not?”
“Hardly.”
“Why not, landwalker?”
“Because... well... b-because I've got... y'know... stuff!” He paced out into the surf, squinting into a warm gust of sea air. “School stuff. Studies. Heck... don't even get me started on all the student loans. Heh. Phweeeee...”
“Stuff. Studies. Loans.” Flare smirked. “I've heard of landwalkers speak of these things before.”
“So you know how flippin' important they are, then.”
“Nope.” She shook her head. “In fact...” She chuckled. “I find it funny.”
“In what way?”
“Landwalkers are so stressed about life that they'll give weight to invisible things.”
“Hey...” Nick frowned, pointing. “Student loans are not invisible.”
“Are they not?”
“Wait 'til the sun comes up, girl. You can see the gray hairs. Heh.”
“Did student loans anchor you to your academy? Did studies keep your boat in its original harbor?”
“Well... I...” Nick fidgeted in the low surf. “I... I-I came just because Rainbow Dash needed a boat...”
“She could have chosen any other mariner, yes?”
“Yeah, but... but I was the first pony she ran into and we... k-kinda had some trust going... and...”
Flare giggled. “Is Rainbow Dash truly the reason you came out here? So far... far away from the Kay Em Cee Ehh?”
“I... I don't see what you're getting at...”
“Of course you don't.” She winked, trotting closer until her breath fluttered his mane hairs. “Because you haven't been living until now.”
“Believe me...” Nick smirked. “I have every intent on living a long, healthy life. That's what all the prep at K.M.C.A. is for.”
“So much preparation... but none of the actual living...”
“I...” Nick blinked at that, his gaze momentarily shooting past her face. “I... I really wanna make ships.”
“Even though,” she purred, drifting closer. “You're even better at sailing them.”
“Well... I'm good at both... and... uhm...” He cleared his throat, leaning back slightly. “Gosh, you're tall.”
“And you're short,” she murmured, smirking. “And you've got girl hair.”
“Pfft. Yeah, well... that's a matter of opinion.” His eyes sparkled. “Y'know... I kind of like the shaved look. It makes you look... what's the word? I guess 'undainty' wouldn't cut it.”
“Strong?”
“Yeah. Sure. That.”
“You're welcome to see it closer,” she hummed, though there was very little air to carry her voice—for it was throttling straight down his trachea from her lips clamped over his.
“Mmmmff!” Nick's eyes crossed as—FWOMP!—both ponies fell into the sand with her sprawled on top of him. A few more indecipherable words attempted to escape, but failed right at the point where their muzzles contacted. His horn flickered sporadically, kicking up bits of sand around them in a circle.
It took a few moments for Flare to realize this. She promptly sat up, bracing her forelimbs on either side of his quivering, wheezing figure. “I... I do not understand,” she cooed, eyelashes fluttering. “You do not wish to melt together?”
“M... M-M... m-mama... m-melt?!” Nick stammered, attempting to collect his nerves. He slicked his mane back and blinked awkwardly at her. “What... how... did...”
“I presumed that your feelings for me were warm and ardent, which is why you saved my flesh from Ultimo earlier.” Flare pouted. “Perhaps it was wrong for me to initiate melting...”
“Melt... melt...” Nick's eyes traced the heavens in starry thought. “Nealenders... Verlaxion... Queen of Frost... Ice Shard... melt... Melt... MELT!” He gasped and winced all at once. “Oh... oh snap. I—I uhhh... uhhhh...”
“How silly of me,” she muttered, leaning back and clutching her hooves together. “Land walkers sail seas of a different salt. You must not wish to melt.”
“It's... it's okay! Really!” He smiled crookedly, hiding his heavy sweat. “Ahem... I just... I totally find you attractive and would... would like to get to know you better and maybe... y'know... go steady n'stuff.”
“Go... steady?”
“That's right.” A pause. Nick rolled his eyes and spoke, smirking: “It means to be marefriend and coltfriend, y'know? A couple. I mean... if... uh... if you're interested.”
“Yes. I think I understand, and I would definitely be interested in going steady with you.” A beat. Her lips curved devilishly. “But we can do all of that after melting, too, yes?”
Nick bore a stupid smile, his ears folding back. “Works for me,” he squeaked.
And then Flare plunged forward again. FWOMP!
Starlight.