Having understood a part of the complex map, Twilight Sparkle and her friends folded up the old paper and put it back on the bedside table, before heading back into the living room. They were starting to get a bit bored, without the comforting possessions of their homes back in Equestria.
“I miss my comfy clouds of Cloudsdale,” Rainbow Dash whined, flopping down on the sofa. “I mean, I could definitely handle the clouds here, but there’s just not any other pegasi to keep me company or play around with. No offense, Fluttershy.”
“Ah, it’s okay,” Fluttershy replied with a slight blush. “Angel Bunny can be a real handful, but I’m glad he’s here. Still, it doesn’t feel the same without all my other animal friends. I wish I could go diving again.”
Rarity shot up so fast she hit her hoof on the coffee table. “Fluttershy, you went…diving…in the sea?”
Fluttershy nodded with a smile. “Why yes, Rarity. It was…rather brief, but I enjoyed every minute of it. I just wish I could go back to see all those creatures again. They’re just so amazing and colorful and fascinating to watch and communicate with.”
“What are we waiting for?” Pinkie Pie said excitedly. “Let’s go splashing!”
Twilight Sparkle and Starlight Glimmer, however, were not as amused.
“I’m not so sure about us going out and about on our own,” Starlight said, the seriousness in her voice considerably notable.
“Come on!” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “We’ve gone out for that walk along the highway before, remember? If we can go that far, we can go the distance.”
Twilight sighed. “Okay. But we must be responsible and cautious – remember that Justin said that the government would do anything to get their hands on foreign, unrecognized, or abnormal items?”
“Well, we sorta fall into that category,” Starlight Glimmer added.
Fluttershy and Rarity headed to the closet where Justin stored the scuba gear, and carefully pulled it out.
“Wow, this is…complicated but interesting,” Rarity complimented. “However, it’s gonna take time for me to make heads or tails of it.”
Fluttershy giggled and showed Rarity the basic components of the scuba gear, when Rarity thought a little more on the situation. “Fluttershy, this is all too big to carry in their saddlebags.”
“You’re right,” Fluttershy admitted, her face falling as her mind glanced rapidly for a solution. Just then, Applejack came over and noticed the pile of black, yellow, blue, and clear on the floor.
“What in tarnation is this?” she demanded.
“Oh Applejack, haha, it’s not so bad. It’s just one of Fluttershy’s new outfits that Justin gave to her,” Rarity replied with a short chuckle. “However we need help moving it. It’s rather heavy, so we can’t carry it. If only we had something with wheels.”
Applejack offered to search for such a thing, and came back with an old wagon from the garage’s storage cupboard. “I think this should do.”
With some effort, the three of them lifted the scuba gear onto the wagon successfully, sharing a high-hoof for achieving so.
Meanwhile, Twilight and the others had prepared themselves for the trip, taking a good shower and brushing their manes and tails well, free of any dirt or grime. With some assistance from Rarity, everypony had two towels – one large one to dry their bodies, and one smaller one for the face, mane, and tail. At last, everyone was ready.
“Uh, who’s got the keys?” Spike asked, as they all walked out the door.
Fluttershy held up the spare key, given to her by Justin. Twilight used her magic to turn it in the slot and lock all the doors securely. Then she slipped it into her saddlebag, and they all continued.
“You sure you know the route?” Applejack called over the sound of the crashing waves as they walked down the side lane of the Pacific Coast Highway.
“I do recall, from the last time I went with Justin. It was rather long, so it may be around afternoon when we arrive,” Fluttershy replied.
We’re now counting entirely on you, Fluttershy, Twilight realized as they walked ever further down the road. After about two kilometers Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Starlight Glimmer all began to feel tired and sore from so much walking. For Applejack and Rainbow Dash, however, it was as if the journey had just begun.
“Are we there yet?” Pinkie Pie asked for the millionth time as they headed down a road that led off the highway, towards civilization.
Fluttershy couldn’t take it anymore and decided to fly, using her front hooves to block out all the painful whining behind her. All her friends had to do was keep their confidence and hopes up, and everything would be fine. Little did the eight friends suspect what awaited them in the coming hours.
It took another half hour of navigating through a small neighborhood before Fluttershy finally found what she’d been looking for – a short road near the water’s edge, with a large park, a boat club, restaurants – and yes! A dive shop and scuba center. This was it. The place where Justin had been before.
Instead of announcing to her friends that they’d actually arrived, Fluttershy simply pointed to a far end of the park’s parking lot. “That’s where Justin parked the last time I was here with him.”
Twilight beamed and shot the rest of her friends a See? I told you so look. The long trip was finally over.
“I’m hungry now,” Rainbow Dash moaned. “Did we pack any food?”
“I did bring two of my cupcakes!” Pinkie Pie said excitedly. “Would you like some?”
“Sure!” Rainbow Dash replied. “But, I was hoping for something more…conventional.”
Fluttershy clicked her tongue to get their attention and pointed again, this time at a little building near the parking lot. “I got that covered.”
They all shared a small vegetarian pizza, being careful not to eat too much, as swimming wasn’t a reasonable activity option immediately after eating. Once eating was over, Twilight and her friends headed out to the park, where they saw three kids and a dog playing ball together.
“Reminds me of the times I used to spend with my mother,” Twilight said quietly, sitting down on a bench and watching them run and jump and giggle. “I should pay her a visit sometime.”
Family’s always the best, Applejack thought, smiling in agreement.
Just then, the ball came flying towards the two of them. Twilight caught it with her magic, and Applejack kicked it back, instantly catching the attention of the kids, who started to jog over to the bench.
“Don’t get too close!” their mother warned.
As the kids got closer, Twilight got off the bench, and Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy all jumped off the rock they were sitting on, admiring the water view. The kids – one teenager and two little girls – looked at Twilight, frozen in shock. Twilight looked right back, but with a calm, composed smile. However, Fluttershy gasped and yelped upon seeing the kids.
“FLUTTERSHY!” the teenager shouted, but his tone was clearly one of joy and surprise.
“Carter!” Fluttershy exclaimed, and ran to him faster than she’d ever run in her life. They met in a tumble of tickles, hugs, and happy tears.
“No way!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, swooping down from above and flashing in front of the teen. “You’re the kid Fluttershy told me she was best friends with?!”
“Y-yes, that’s me, Carter!” Carter replied. “I guess you deserve a hug too, Rainbow.”
“How did you know my name?” Rainbow Dash asked, giving Carter a little smooch on the cheek.
“Well, your tail’s colors speak for themselves, to be honest,” Carter said with a giggle.
Twilight then introduced herself to Ashley and her friend, Lily, and they too all shared a lovely warm hug.
For a while, the ponies, the kids, and the dog played together in the park, taking turns throwing and catching the ball. It look some time before the mom, Lorraine, noticed the commotion, yet was pleasantly surprised and delighted when she saw Fluttershy.
“Omigosh, I can’t believe you’re back!” Lorraine exclaimed, and Fluttershy flew over and gave her a warm hug. “I…I thought I’d never see you again.”
“Neither did I,” Fluttershy admitted. “I brought my friends too. We came here to go swimming and to enjoy the relaxing beauty of nature.”
“So did us,” Lorraine replied. “Well, the latter. I thought this place wasn’t for swimming.”
Fluttershy glanced around at the park. There was a dock, but no diving board or rope fence. You’re right, but the dock should do.
As the afternoon set in, it was parting time. Lorraine had only been to the park as a brief getaway while her husband, Jack, was out on a business trip in California.
“Don’t forget to come back soon!” Twilight and Applejack said, giving everyone a good-bye hug and wave.
“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash added. “Next time we’re gonna bring the Supra! Right, Fluttershy?”
Fluttershy nodded with a smile, but her real attention was now to the water.
With Lorraine, Ashley, and Carter gone, it was now time to get wet – the real reason why they’d come this far from home.
Twilight, Applejack, Starlight, and Pinkie Pie all took off their saddlebags and jumped excitedly into the water with consecutive big splashes. Rarity and Rainbow Dash, however, stayed on the dock with the wagon, each one holding an end of the scuba gear.
“Lift it, Rarity!” Rainbow Dash commanded. “One, two, three!”
The two ponies lifted the gear up and set it down on the wooden dock. With patience and slow steps, Fluttershy guided them through each component – where it was to be attached, in what manner and order, and its function.
“Wetsuit first,” Fluttershy said, slipping into it. Rarity then pulled up the zipper and fastened the Velcro flap.
“Next is the weight belt and the fins,” she ordered kindly. Rainbow Dash helped slip the fins on and strap them to her hooves, while Rarity attached the belt snugly, but with room to move and flex.
“Now the buoyancy jacket,” Fluttershy said. “Be careful with all the air hoses, don’t wanna break those.”
Working together, Rarity and Rainbow Dash lifted up the buoyancy jacket and carefully slipped it onto Fluttershy, who then tightened the straps for a secure fit.
“Finally, the mask and the mouthpiece,” Fluttershy said, pointing to the yellow mask with a cone-shaped piece attached just below it. “The thick strap goes behind my head and the front see-through part slips onto the front of my face. And the mouthpiece goes in…well, my mouth.”
Rarity suspended the mask in mid-air while Rainbow Dash carefully stretched the mask’s elastic strap andplaced it over Fluttershy’s head, before adjusting the second strap. With the breathing apparatus now in place, Fluttershy could no longer speak, but could still hear.
Last part is to test the breathing apparatus, she thought out loud. But obviously, all Rarity and Rainbow Dash heard were funny-sounding muffles.
“What do you mean, darling?” Rarity asked. “Is the mask too tight?”
Fluttershy shook her head and pointed to the small knob on the tank with her hoof, then made a counter-clockwise motion. Luckily, Rarity understood and opened up the tank valve fully. Fluttershy then made a gesture to turn it back clockwise, but only partly. Rarity understood and did as shown. Finally, Fluttershy checked her regulator gauge, and set it to the right pressure before taking a few breaths. Then she gave her friends a tail gesture to say that everything was OK.
Rarity smiled with a blush at her friend Fluttershy, looking so awkward yet so cute in her scuba gear. Without another word, Fluttershy waddled like a duck towards the edge of the dock, and flew into the air for a moment, before sliding into the water as smooth as an eel from a bucket, making barely a splash.
“Are we gonna go see if she’s okay or what?” Rainbow Dash asked. The two of them ran along the dock and hit the water, leaving the saddlebags unattended.