Fraternal

by Melody Song

The Lost City

Daring dove under again to get a better look.

Towering white pillars were stacked on top of each other. Crumbling statues and houses were inside the circle of pillars. Parts of the pillars had broken off and were scattered around on the sea floor. The whole place had become an artificial reef. All sorts of fish were swimming around. Coral and sea plants were growing on the wreckage. Daring rose up again and gasped for air.

"The Lost City of Foalantis. After all these years...I finally found it." Daring breathed.

"So, where are the two beams the legend says it's buried under?" Rainbow asked

"To find out, we'll have to swim out to the City. But we will have to leave the parts where there's air. Meaning we'll be holding our breath for a long time. You up for it?" A familiar determined gaze grew on Rainbow's face.

"Let's do this."

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The two mares dove under the water and swam towards the underwater city. Daring pointed to Rainbow and then to her left. Rainbow nodded and swam in the indicated direction. Daring swam the opposite way and searched around, lifting pieces of rubble carefully. She swam under one and pushed some seaweed to the side. As she reached the other end, she saw Rainbow coming from the other side. She swam upwards and back to the cavern, Daring following.

"Did you see anything?" Daring asked

"Yeah, I saw something glowing, near where we were."

"Well, now that we know the direction we need to swim, we won't waste time. But we need to figure out a way to get deeper without running out of air." Daring said

"It's too bad we don't have Silverstream's necklace." Rainbow sighed

"Who's what?" Daring asked

"Silverstream is a Hippogriff at Twi's Friendship School. She and the rest of her kind have these special necklaces. Each one contains a piece of the Pearl of Transformation. She can switch between Hippogriff and Seapony as she pleases."

"So you're saying that if we had one, we could turn into Seaponies and breathe underwater?"

"Yeah. Silverstream's pretty much like Pinkie Pie, if we asked she'd probably hoof it over. But she's not here and I didn't think it'd be literally underwater so there was no point in asking at the time." Rainbow said

"I can understand that. Maybe I have something in here." Daring turned back to the ledge and swam over.

"Why can't we just go back and get something from Horseshoe Bay? Maybe there'll be something useful there." Rainbow suggested

"But we can't guarantee there will be anything helpful. Besides, we don't know if the way in would close again, and I have no clue how it opened in the first place. So if we leave, we would either find what we need and have no way back in, or we wouldn't find anything useful and still wouldn't have a way in."

"It'll be better than staying here!" Rainbow objected, and Daring rolled her eyes, turning back to her.

"Rainbow, who's been doing this longer?"

"We're the same age, you admitted it!"

"I meant how many times have I adventured?"

"Lots of times." Rainbow admitted

"Then let the more experienced pony here handle it." Daring snapped, turning to her bag and digging through it. She pulled out her whip and set it to the side, followed by ruined snacks and such.

There was a splash from behind her, which Daring ignored. She then turned to Rainbow's bags. She pulled out a few more food items and a sleeping bag, but not much else.

"Great I came all this way...I was so close. I'm so stupid, I should have thought this through!" Daring thought, slamming her hoof in the water and turning back to Rainbow. Only to find she wasn't there.

"Rainbow?" Daring asked, turning around "Rainbow?!"

The mare came out of the water a little bit away from Daring, holding something in her hooves.

"You scared me, where did you go?!" Daring asked as Rainbow came closer.

"I was trying to help. Here." Rainbow shoved something at Daring and swam back to the ledge. Daring looked at it and saw some shells and seaweed.

"How...?" Daring asked, turning back to Rainbow.

"Put the seaweed through he shell and it becomes a breathing mask." Rainbow explained.

Daring did as she said and slipped it on. She dove under for a few seconds and realized Rainbow was right, she could breathe. It probably wouldn't work for long but it would work.

"Thanks." Daring said, then moved closer. "I'm sorry I snapped at you Rainbow, I didn't mean it."

"I know you didn't. I should have just agreed. You're the adventurer, you know more about this than I do."

"Well, you were right about the shells. We're in this together, I should listen to your ideas as much as you do with mine." Daring objected

"How about we both agree to be more considerate. Friends?" Rainbow asked

"Always. Now, let's go find that sphere!" Daring said, slipping on the breathing mask.

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They swam down to where Rainbow saw something glowing. There it was.

A huge clearing that looked like it had once been an arena stood before them. Where there was probably once grass there were seaweed. In the center of the clearing there were two statues of identical ponies. They stood on their hind legs and reached up with one foreleg. Together they held up a shining blue orb trapped beneath two stone pillars.

The two of them swam closer, in awe of the majestic statues. Daring gestured for them to resurface. They swam back to the air pocket and came up to talk.

"The Sphere is trapped under the pillars, just like the riddle said." Daring said

"I know. But didn't it also say something about the 'foretold two' being the only ones who can lift them up?" Rainbow asked

"Right." Daring sighed, then brightened "Well, what's life without a little risk?"

"You are my new best friend." Rainbow gasped, and Daring shook her head, laughing.

"Well, let's go."

They dove down once more, swimming confidently back to the arena. Daring swam forwards first and took the end of one pillar, motioning for Rainbow to take the other. Rainbow grabbed it, looking to Daring for the signal. Daring raised her wing and held up three feathers.

"Three...two...one." Daring counted in her head, folding down her feathers at the same pace.

Together they each lifted one of the pillars off the sphere. A strange blue light seeped from the orb and onto the pillars.

"Oh no! What is it doing?!" Before Daring could motion for Rainbow to drop the pillar, something magical happened.

The blue light wrapped around their hooves. The part near Daring turned gold when it touched her hooves. The pillars suddenly became much lighter, as though they were made of air. They saw their chance. Daring kicked her back legs, lifting the pillar completely off and tossing it to the side. Rainbow did the same and they moved as one to the Sphere. Both reached out at the same time...and touched the Sphere.

Daring felt the magic heal her old injuries, and could see Rainbow relax slightly as the Sphere likely healed whatever injuries she had too. Daring and Rainbow grabbed the Sphere and swam out of the arena. Out of the Lost City of Foalantis.

Comments

[SuperPinkBrony12]

"Yeah. Silverstream's pretty much like Pinkie Pie, if we asked she'd probably hoof it over.

Does Rainbow forget what happened when Twilight tried to steal the entire Pearl of Transformation from Silverstream's niece? I doubt even someone like Silverstream would just fork over her necklace to the first one to ask.

[Melody Song]

10025297
Well, it's not that she forgot, it's just that she knows that Silverstream has had more time to trust them than Queen Novo. So she might give in a little easier.

[Admiral Q Ponyform]

10025297
She is a teacher and is like Pinkie

[Gyro Pony]

You've got yourself a new follower