//------------------------------//
// Chapter 6 
// Story: The seething sea ceaseth and thus Shimmering Sea hast savethed us 
// by kitten_girl86 
//------------------------------//

Coral Blossom served a quick lunch of kelp soup heated over hydro-thermal vents piped directly into the kitchen. Shimmering Sea dug right in while the other two were more hesitant until they tried it; Fluttershy loved it, Twilight was ok. Spike was slipping mixed gems (that Twilight brought with them) up into his bowl helmet using a long two-pronged fork. Coral Blossom also downed her own stone bowl of soup, disregarding the utensils Shimmering Sea had placed out.
“Umm, why do you own utensils if you don’t use them?” Spike asked abruptly. Twilight’s magic fizzled out and Fluttershy froze with her own spoon in her mouth. Shimmering Sea tried not to laugh at their facial expressions but utterly failed.
“We have utensils for different purposes. Some of our foods are too thin and they disperse on the water, like your soup there. You’re hardly getting any of it because of the spoons and not eating quickly enough. Other foods like our stews require utensils for the ingredients. You should also know... we eat fish here,” added Coral Blossom. Fluttershy gasped and her eyes went to pinpricks before she sobbed. Spike leaned over and patted her back.
“Not all fish in the ocean is like your animals on land, dear Fluttershy. Some fish are quite... well... unintelligent, for a lack of a better word. They don’t associate with ponies at all. They swim in packs and hide from predators. They show no capacity for companionship or connection to any pony,” Coral Blossom assured them. “The hunters travel in small groups with an animal expert to make sure that they are not taking any wrong fish and done with respect.” [1]
That seemed to calm Fluttershy significantly but she set her face in a determined look. “I just want you to know, Coral Blossom, I will not eat fish. If Twilight and Spike wish to try it, I will not hold it against them.”
Twilight shook her head no but Spike seemed extremely eager to try it. Coral Blossom nodded and motioned a hoof to Fluttershy. “I’ll make a sea-salad for dinner tonight; plain for you and Twilight, fish for me & Spike. Shimmering Sea can decide what she wants then.” They all nodded agreement but Shimmering Sea, having recovered from the laugh, and soberly tilted her head.

Later, Coral Blossom took them out for a tour of the water village. Fluttershy swam up with Coral Blossom while Twilight and Shimmering Sea swam behind with Spike riding on Twilight’s back, holding onto her mane. 
The village was full of merponies as colorful as any town in Equestria; the only difference was that they were all earth-mers... not a single uni- or peg-mer to be seen. Groups of merponies passed by them staring with a mix of curiosity, suspicion and slight hostility. Mothers hurriedly marshaled the fillies and colts away at high speed; some being able to slam the front doors behind them.
Coral Blossom took them to a large stone structure in the middle of the village. “This is Great Hall; your equivalent to a town hall or throne room. Here you will meet with the Council Elders; you can plead your case to them and they will decide if you can share with the public.”
“That’s not right,” Twilight said with a frown. “I'm a princess of Equestria. I have the right to address the public any time I see fit and don’t need the permission of the local authority to do so.”
“The oceans do not fall under the jurisdiction of Equestria, your highness. They never have. During the Harmony Summit when the three (land) tribes formed Equestria, no one could decide who would rule over them so it was decided to label them as ‘neutral, International waters’ and left to their own devices.” Shimmering Sea seemed to blush having spoken up, almost like Twilight in her Lecture Mode. 
“In that case, I think it would be a good idea to follow their procedures,” Fluttershy said gently.

Coral Blossom led them into the Great Hall. Out in the hall, a dark grey merpony stopped them. “You must be properly announced,” he stated stoically. Coral Blossom gave a quick rundown of who was who. The merpony raised an eyebrow at Shimmering Sea but said nothing. He went inside the room; a few moments passed before he came back to the door and motioned them inside.
“Presenting Coral Blossom of Bermareda [2] Triangle ; Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship of Equestria; Lady Fluttershy of Equestria; Spike the Dragon of Equestria; Shimmering Sea of Bermareda Triangle and Equestria, uni-mer daughter of Coral Blossom.”
Fluttershy blushed at being introduced as lady; Twilight saw this and winked. Meanwhile, both Coral Blossom and Shimmering Sea exchanged a worried glance when the merpony had mentioned that Shimmering Sea was a uni-mer.

The room was an open space with a round stone table in the very center, surrounded with smaller stone blocks as seats. “Kinda looks like your throne room, Twi,” laughed Spike. 
Three merponies sat on the farther seats, each wearing a short hooded cloak with the hoods up and did not seem to register their entry. All three were humming a strange tune as their eyes remained closed and their hooves glowed slightly with earth pony-style magic.
Suddenly, a gentle wave of fresh water washed over the group, making them feel invigorated; especially Coral Blossom and Shimmering Sea. Twilight figured that they had used merpony magic to add more oxygen into the water.

The three removed their hoods revealing two stallions and a mare; they passively looked down at the group. “Coral Blossom; what is the meaning of this?” the stallion on the left asked.
“I'm not sure what you mean, Wave Surf. I've come to the council for an audience,” Coral Blossom said nervously.
The other stallion, Swift Current, stepped down from this chair and approached the group. “We are referring to your daughter’s unexpected return. You know the law here! All uni- and peg-mers born are to be sent to the surface!” he hollered furiously, stomping a hoof on the stone floor; it was somewhat diminished by the water’s resistance.
Shimmering Sea could not bear to see her mother treated this way. She swam to place herself in between Coral and Swift. “I’ll have you know; I WAS sent the surface! For sixteen years, in fact! She just made sure that I could come back and find her when I was ready.”
The mare, Pearl Wisdom, calmly drifted forwards and raised a hoof to still everypony. “Peace, my friends. What has been done cannot be undone and we shall move forwards,” she said gently. Pearl turned to Twilight, bowing deeply. “Greetings Princess Twilight; please forgive my colleague. He is very strict on the laws here. Shimmering Sea was to never learn the truth but now that she has, we’ll deal with it.”
Despite Pearl’s calming nature, Shimmering Sea did not trust her. And Pearl’s next words confirmed her suspicions: “Coral Blossom, since you insist on having Shimmering Sea return to the ocean, you will take her to the Bone Caves to join the other uni- and peg-mers.” Coral Blossom’s eyes turned to pinpricks and she started to cry.

“What are these ‘Bone Caves’?” Twilight demanded as Fluttershy hurried to Coral’s side and began to comfort the mare. Swift swam from his seat to hover near the other two. “The Bone Caves is an underground complex of a mer-city for those born uni- or peg-mers so that they can live out their lives in peace. Every merpony city has one of these but they are not mentioned in polite society.”
“You mean to say, if any uni- or peg-mers return to the ocean, they are segregated from earth-mers?!?” Twilight demanded angrily. “That’s not right!” hissed Fluttershy, her face contorted in anger.
“They are only separated for the safety of the earth-mers. They are allowed to go out to hunt and farm, and do whatever else they wish to do. They are simply forbidden from entering an earth-mer city.” Wave Surf gave off a sense of superiority that simply rubbed Shimmering Sea the wrong way and she did not hide her emotions; her face scrunched up furiously. Pearl Wisdom seemingly ignored Shimmering Sea’s piercing glare and swam out of the Hall, motioning for them to follow.

About a half hour swim later, Pearl had brought them to an entrance to a cave clearly marked with warning signs: “Bone Caves” “NO EARTH-MER ENTRY” “UNI- AND PEG-MERS ONLY” “ALL WHO ENTER DO SO AT OWN RISK”