The first things Fluttershy noticed were the white walls and the smooth hardwood floors. The interior of the house was spotlessly clean and immaculately detailed. The family room, which also served as a dining area, had large glass windows that gave a clear view of the sea and the backyard outside. The living room was quaint and quiet, with three sofas and a beautiful marble fireplace. The kitchen was absolutely huge, bigger than the kitchen in SugarCube Corner. It had two ovens and a huge fridge, not to mention an island countertop with a second sink. The main countertop had its own double sink, and there were big windows which also looked straight out to the backyard and the sea.
Behind the family room were French doors that led out to the backyard. Fluttershy decided to explore that area of the house later. There was also a meeting room, a bedroom with a fireplace and glass doors that led out into the backyard; a large bathroom with a big sink, a large shower room and windows facing the rear of the house; and a large pool (Fluttershy didn’t get to see that yet).
“Okay,” Justin began, as they settled down in the family room. “You can put your stuff in the master bedroom, then head over to the adjacent bathroom and get freshened up. I’ll start cooking a late-night dinner for the two of us.”
Fluttershy nodded and walked down the hall to the bedroom. She’d been in here only once before but the sheer size of it was almost overwhelming. Laying her saddlebag on the floor beside the bed, she pulled out her only spare fresh set of clothes, trotted over to the bathroom, closed the window blinds and door, stripped down, grabbed a towel from the drawer, and climbed into the shower, setting the water to warm and adjusting the shower mode to a soft, rain-like setting.
Meanwhile, Justin set to work. Unlike many other millionares and billionares in Malibu, Justin had been properly raised by his mother, who taught him strictly. He learned how to cook, how to clean properly, what procedures to use when house cleaning, how to repair a house, how to drive, how to socialize properly, how to establish a successful business, how to avoid fraud, lies, and treachery – all from a young age. With his culinary skills, Justin whipped up a meal of spaghetti, garlic toast, and even baked a chocolate cake with icing.
Fluttershy took quite a while too. After her long shower, her body felt relieved yet still achy from all the driving she’d done. Furthermore, sitting upright like a human had caused considerable hip joint soreness. But at least her warm, furry body was clean and shiny. Quickly and thoroughly drying herself with a big white towel, she then used a brush and comb in the bathroom drawer to smoothen out some parts of her fur. Finally, she changed into some new clothes, set the Supra’s insurance and registration papers, as well as the leftover cash, on the bedside table. Then she combed her mane and headed back to the family room, walking on all fours, where Justin was eagerly waiting with a glorious banquet of food for him and her.
“What type of food do you prefer?” Justin asked Fluttershy as she got into the chair opposite him and tied a large white sheet around her neck.
“Um, I’d rather not have the meaty spaghetti,” Fluttershy said, leaning back in refusal.
Justin smiled. “I should’ve known you were vegetarian,” he said with a huff. “Here, you can have the noodles if you wish, as well as the salad.”
Fluttershy felt as if she hadn’t eaten in ages and savored every mouth in silence. Justin had to force himself from constantly looking at her as she ate – her eating faces were too cute for his heart to bear. After eating, Fluttershy cleaned up the table and wiped up every stain and pieces of dust, while Justin washed the dishes. Later Fluttershy walked around to calm her stomach down and let her muscles slowly flex and recover from her long-distance driving ordeal. Then she sat down on the master bedroom bed, looking over how much cash she’d spent over the course of her journey.
Justin peeked into the room. “Yo Fluttershy, want a drink with some cake?”
Fluttershy nodded and set the money down.
“So, how is Equestria like?” Justin asked, as they each ate a slice of cake and sipped bottles of apple cider out on the back deck, gazing up at the stars, the moon, and the wide open California bay.
Fluttershy’s lips squirmed at the strength of the cider, but after a few more cautious sips, she got used to it, and then introduced Equestria.
“Well, we have several cities and towns. There’s the Crystal Empire, Baltimare, Manehattan, Appleloosa, Ponyville, and Canterlot. I live in a little cottage just outside Ponyville near a forest with all my animal friends. In Canterlot lies a large castle, where our rulers and leaders, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, watch over the day and night. Recently we had a really powerful villain by the name of Starlight Glimmer. One of my best friends, Twilight Sparkle, couldn’t defeat her, no matter how hard she tried. But in the end, Starlight ended up realizing the error of her ways and reformed.”
“Each one us are friends with one another and learn from each other’s mistakes. When evil comes, we deal with it seriously and effectively, using practicality and strategy. Everyone accepts each other for who they are, and there’s little to no fighting. Yes, bullies are present now and then, but we manage and deal with them in a helpful and reasonable manner. Karma is hardly ever carried out.”
Justin smiled and sighed sadly. “Very interesting. Makes me feel sad how this earth is full of so many of us yet we humans are so messed up. We’ve got betrayal, lying, unrealistic hatred, gangs, murder – it’s just crazy. That’s why I moved here. One little hill, one big luxury home, no one to disturb me. All the best high-tech security at my disposal. I kinda hate to say this, but I wish I could visit Equestria, Fluttershy.”
Fluttershy nodded sadly and took a swig of her cider. “Yeah, I do recall seeing a few instances of road rage when I was stuck in traffic just below LA on Highway 10. It was quite sad and shocking to see.”
Justin’s eagerness kicked in again. “Any other special things about Equestria? Like, how it looks and how the ponies go about their lives? Do they perform jobs?”
Fluttershy smiled and rolled out all the info – about Rarity’s love for fashion and her seamstress business; the marketplace, what items were often used and how much each one cost in bits; as well as Applejack’s farm and her family, the apple harvest, and the Summer Harvest Parade; furthermore, she discussed about her relationship with Discord and how she was the only one to be able to reform him when everypony else gave up.
Justin swallowed and gazed out to the horizon. He was more jealous of the lives of ponies than ever.
“You seem to have quite a way with animals,” Justin said, finishing up his slice of cake and taking another swig of cider. “Is that why you have a butterfly mark on your flank?”
Fluttershy touched her cutie mark and blushed. “Y-yeah. Animals are my best friends and helpers. I help them out too, with all the love and care I need.”
“Man, you’re basically Equestria’s vet and animal behaviorist,” Justin proclaimed. “Speaking of which, do you mind if you stayed for another day? I have a day off and would really like to have you as my dive buddy.”
“Really?!” Fluttershy’s eyes and ears shot up with surprise.
“Yes,” Justin replied, bubbly with enthusiasm. “We can explore the underwater world together, observing and meeting all kinds of fish, clams, and other amazing water creatures, big and small. Afterwards, I’ll show you the completed portal and you can go home.”
Fluttershy could hardly sleep that night because she was so excited. But before tucking in for the night, she revealed the one thing that had come out of her near the end of her journey.
“Uh, um, Justin?” she whispered.
“Yes?” he replied, turning under the large blanket to face her.
“I…I…I actually like the Supra. It was rather scary, but I got used to it and soon it became so much fun to drive.”
Justin cocked an eyebrow. “So whatcha sayin’? You’re shy, timid, and not a fan of loud or scary things, and yet you like my Supra?”
Fluttershy’s face fell. “Yes, I do like it. It’s a really reliable and enjoyable car.”
Justin smiled. “It’s okay. We’ll talk later tomorrow.”
The next morning, Justin cleaned up around the house after breakfast. Because he was the only one living there, many of the rooms were uninhabited for many weeks, even months. Fluttershy could hardly wait as she sat on the deck chair next to the pool, while Justin went to retrieve a few items.
Opening up the garage door, he gently pushed the Toyota Supra inside. Using a set of tools, he pried open a secret compartment in the center console, and pulled out a poker card-sized metal unit, similar to an external HDD, with metal pins in the bottom and a few wires sticking out of the side. This was the final electronic piece needed for the portal to function properly.
Carefully stashing it away in a drawer in the garage, he headed back inside the house, opened up a closet, and got dressed up in his scuba gear. Next he took out a smaller set of gear, in the size range of a 6 to 8 year old child. It was a gift from one of his diving instructors – and it would now be Fluttershy’s.
“Pleurgfthrright,” Justin said, spitting out his mouthpiece. “Let’s get started on the basics, shall we?”
Fluttershy smiled with enthusiasm.
“Now, let’s start with the jacket – it’s more of a backpack, really. Since you’ve got warm fur, I guess you won’t need a wetsuit. Right?”
Fluttershy nodded. “So how do I breathe?”
Justin held up the mouthpiece and explained. “This goes in your mouth. As you breathe normally, the air flows from the tank you wear on your back.”
As Fluttershy eased into the jacket and slipped her mask on, she noticed a small rectangular pod.
“What’s this?” she asked Justin, holding it up.
“That’s the display. It shows you your depth – in other words, how far you are below the surface – the pressure of the air, and other useful information. Kind of like the boost controller gauge in the Supra,” Justin explained, neatly arranging the air hoses so they wouldn’t be in the way.
Finally, Fluttershy slipped on her fins, but due to her having hooves and not feet, Justin had to use string to secure them to her hind hooves.
Once Fluttershy was fully suited, she and Justin sat by the pool’s edge, while he taught her how to breather properly through the mouthpiece without gasping or having a sluggish breathing rate.
Finally came the hand signals, which weren’t too difficult to remember. However, Fluttershy had to tweak one of them a bit for her hooves. The thumb and forefinger circle became an inward curve made by her wings, but everything else pretty much fell into place.
Justin checked to make sure everything was working properly, then he back-flipped into the pool with a splash. Surfacing, he called out to Fluttershy.
“Come in, the water’s warm!” he said welcomingly, but Fluttershy grabbed her tail in fear. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d been underwater (apart from her pool adventure with Carter).
Justin made a sweeping gesture with his hand. “If you can handle the boost from a turbo, you can handle this. Now come on in!”
Fluttershy opened up her air valves to the appropriate level, took the mouthpiece in her mouth, took a few breaths, and using her wings, flew over the water, then lowered herself into it. For a while, she floated, then slowly began to sink.
“You ready?” Justin asked, and she hesitantly nodded.
Once Fluttershy had been in the water for a couple minutes, she began to swim, just as she had before with Carter. Soon her memories of various strokes and kicks came flooding back, and she started to swim gracefully back and forth across the pool.
“I’m ready,” Fluttershy confirmed, slipping on her diving mask and taking a few breaths. Closing her eyes, she gave a kick and ducked under the surface. Opening her eyes once more, she observed the sparkly blue world around her. She made out the edges of the pool as well as the bottom, and then gave a few strong kicks, using her wings for extra propulsion, and soon began to swim underwater smoothly.
Breathe in, breathe out, she told herself. Just like on land. It will flow.
Relaxing her breath, she began to breathe normally, and the air began to flow. Being…well, Fluttershy, she began to relax under the water and didn’t surface for about five minutes, leaving Justin rather worried. Eventually he could take it no longer and dove under the surface, giving her the “are you okay?” signal.
Fluttershy replied with her “wing circle” to signal that she was OK.
And so, after a few more rounds, Fluttershy was perfectly comfortable with scuba gear. She knew how to operate it, how to breathe from the tank with the right pressure, and how to read the little information display.
“I think…we’re ready to go,” Fluttershy said happily, as Justin packed his scuba gear and hers into the Lamborghini’s little front-mounted trunk. Justin started it up, pulled out of the driveway, and drove off down the road.
“This feels…different compared to the other car,” Fluttershy said, noticing all the digital and shiny aspects of the Lamborghini’s interior. “There’s no gear stick, no key to start the car, and the interior is all smooth and precise. Rarity would love this.”
“One of my best friends,” Fluttershy said when Justin pulled a face of confusion. “She loves fashion and beauty, but she does it from her heart. She’s caring and very generous.”
Justin cruised down the Pacific Coast Highway, heading for a beach resort where they could explore the coral reefs.
“What’s your favorite hobby?” Justin asked, as they pulled into the parking lot, where quite a few people had already gathered to spend their joyous day at the beach.
“Mostly I just like to spend time with myanimal friends,” Fluttershy replied, getting out of the car and walking around to the front-mounted trunk. “I tell them stories, I give them their daily meals and drinks of water, and I also cook sometimes.”
“Have you ever been in the ocean surrounding Equestria?” Justin asked, as they headed off to the dive shop to check in.
“No, never,” Fluttershy said, waving to the receptionist behind the desk.
After all the requirements had been met, Fluttershy received a diver’s certificate and headed down to the boat with Justin, where a group of other divers were waiting as well.
“I thought you said we were diving together,” Fluttershy said, pouting.
Justin smiled and let out a tiny laugh. “We will be together, just with other people as well. Besides, it’s good to get to know others too.”
Fluttershy’s knees knocked with nervousness as she and Justin approached the boat. Grasping her certification document in her mouth, she held it up for the other divers and the leader to see.
“Wassup guys!” Justin said in his usual friendly, jolly tone. “Good to see y’all today. Max and Leslie! I recognize you both from the second dive school I attended about a year ago. How was your last H2O exploration?”
The bright yellow of Fluttershy’s fur caught Max’s eye as she stepped onto the boat.
“Who... is that?” he asked, wearing a face of astonishment.
Justin grinned sheepishly. “That’s…Fluttershy, my friend. She loves animals, and was eager to meet the animals of the sea, so I invited her along for the dive. Boy, does she sure learn new things quickly.”
It literally took half a second for the other divers to start cooing and aahing over her, and Justin had to intervene.
“She ain’t called Flutter ‘shy’ for nothing,” he huffed, as the boat began to speed out to sea.
Fluttershy sat and watched the land get smaller and smaller in the distance, while Justin chatted with his old dive buddies. She clearly wished she could do this by herself, but her Equestrian friends had always shown her that safety and fun was best in numbers.
So, picking up her courage, she turned back to face the divers and spoke up.
“Um…my name is Fluttershy. I’m not familiar with this area, but I’d love to learn more. Not a lot though. I only recently took up diving as, like driving, I found it interesting. Besides, who can resist all those amazing sea-dwelling creatures! Also, this is my first time diving in the ocean. I practiced in a pool before. How long have you all been diving?”
“About five years,” Max replied.
“Three and a half,” Leslie said. Then came the other responses.
“Ten.”
“Two.”
“Around seven.”
“Fifteen.”
“You’re pretty much a rookie,” one of them said. “But no worries, sweetie. You’ll get it down-packed in no time. It just takes time.”
Once the boat reached the diving point, everyone prepped themselves – sliding on their masks, opening up their tank valves, and running brief minor checks. Then they leaned over the edge and flipped headfirst into the blue ocean waters.
“Uh…um…let’s not…go!” Fluttershy said with a hesitant squee as the last diver flipped over.
As he kicked and swam his way down towards the brightly colored coral with his old dive buddies, Justin had clearly forgotten about her.
Just as the lead diver was about to give a warning signal to indicate that one member was missing, a yellow object hit the water up above them. It was Fluttershy. With her hind hooves kicking and her wings spread out, moving like a kayak’s oars for extra propulsion, she swam down towards the group, forming a circle with one of her wings to indicate that she was OK.
The lead diver held a good-you’re-okay look, and Fluttershy joined the group. It was hard for the other divers not to wear an excited expression or smile broadly due to Fluttershy’s intense adorable looks as she gazed in awe and amazement at the colorful, dazzling world around her, and somehow managed to communicate effectively with several species of medium-sized fish.
As it turned out, Fluttershy could swim a lot faster than Justin and the rest of the group, with her incredible strength and her wings as added propulsion. She soon left the lead diver in her wake, heading straight for a sea turtle she’d spotted a while back. Even as the lead diver made a few serious sweeping gestures, urging her to come back, Fluttershy ignored him, staying near the surface with the turtle, talking to it and even caressing it a little on its left flipper.
Justin struggled not to smile as Fluttershy continued to spend ample time with the turtle, even swimming alongside it and pointing out a few small groups of jellyfish.
After a happy moment with the turtle, Fluttershy swam back down to the reef, this time observing octopi and angelfish amongst the rocks and variety of corals. Her dedication to viewing and making friends with wildlife was beyond anything Max, Leslie, or even Justin himself had ever witnessed.
It took more than forty-five minutes for Fluttershy to finally finish her dive, and even then she didn’t want to leave. It didn’t help that the lead diver gave her a mean earful as soon as they all were back on the boat.
“It’s all right, sweetie,” Max said, wiping her tears away. “Some assholes just don’t understand the meaning of kindness and the joy that nature truly can bring. I will say though, you did take some big risks back there.”
“And you can always come back on our scheduled days,” Leslie added with a motherly smile. Justin glanced over and smiled, causing Fluttershy’s face to light up with excitement.
“I’ll explain at home,” Justin replied as the boat’s motor revved up and the convoy headed back towards land once again.