Fear of the Deep

Another warm weather and sunny clear day in Ponyville. At its towns Café establishment with one window and door entry with surroundings of other ponies having their drinks and small meals at their tables outside. I’m still waiting for my order to arrive along with my good friend Ember who sat across from me. I didn’t pay attention to him as my mind was starting to wander off as usual staring at the newspaper I held, I cursed my short awareness span as I heard him trying to get me to notice him.

“Flare? Flare!” He called out, “You silly horse, they’re finally bringing our drinks!”

“Oh, sorry” I apologized as I looked over to the waiter bringing my coffee and Ember’s tea as it was being set down on the white clothed table. “ I was thinking about these rumored illegal chicken experiments that would make them produce more eggs at a faster rate.”

“How are they illegal?” Ember pondered as he sipped his tea “It sounds like a wonderful thing, think about all the more cakes we could have!”

“It would be nice,” I replied pointing at the news headline. “But apparently, it's making the chickens go crazy and become destructive that Princess Twilight had to shut it down by royal decree. Even though that law is in effect, there’s some other rebellious ponies that won’t cooperate. They probably think Twilight is not fit as a new ruler of Equestria, but that’s just my tinfoil hat theory.”

Ember looked at me with a smile. “Those ponies are silly for even trying such a thing. Still, it’s good to hang out with you!” His demeanor changed into a serious questioning look “Hey Flare, may ask you something?”

I looked up to my cute pegasus friend from my coffee cup and into his red and blue heterochromia eyes with curiosity but anxiousness. “Sure, Ember, what do you want?” I asked peculiarly

He sipped his tea and gently placed his cup down on the table as he started to scratch the back of his blue and white mane.

“Well, It’s just, my favorite performer Vinyl Scratch, is having a show at a special party on a yacht at the Celestial Sea.”

“Oh?” I responded with interest “What’s the problem then?”

“It's out in the middle of the sea, Flare!” He whinnied as he leaned over the table making more direct eye contact with me “I want to go, but I don’t want to be in the middle of the ocean and have a risk of drowning!”

“Well, uh,” I pondered, “Can’t you just wait for another show?

He shook his head “Nuh-Uh! It’ll be her last performance for a while and then she’ll be on break, I heard she will have the best wubs and dubs musical phenomenon breakthrough EVER! It’s so loud and upbeat that it has to be in the middle of the ocean so other ponies won’t complain about the noise! ”

“Oh, that IS a problem” I leaned back in disbelief looking at the sky, I couldn’t bear to see my pegasus friend in so much distress, I had to help him somehow!

“Ember, we’ll get you on that ship!” I proclaimed slamming my hooves on the table causing other ponies at the establishment turning their heads toward us.

“But I’m scared” he pleaded with his ears flopped down “I don’t like the water, I don’t want to risk drowning again ever since I was a young colt on that class camping trip…”

I put my hooves on his hooves and smiled with reassurance, “If it makes you feel any better Ember, I got stung in the eye by a bee when I was a young colt. I’m still afraid of them. I haven’t overcome my fear of them yet, and that’s okay. Maybe I’ll help you find a way to overcome your fear for just a brief moment so you can enjoy yourself at that party!”

“I don’t know…” He said with doubt looking down at the table.

“Trust me!” I said with confidence. “I think I know some pony that can help you! Let’s go!”

We deposited our payment of Bits at the table and left the cafe.

We traveled by train to Manehattan.

In that port side city, we approached a small gray wooden one story shack against the docks near the ocean with decorative sea shells, a life preserver ring, and various aquatic images of fish and plants painted on the wall.

“This is the place!” I sing-songed “My friend should be able to help you! Although, you might wanna bear with her condition”

“Huh? I still don’t know, Flare..” Said Ember disapprovingly “What if it doesn’t work?”

“Trust me,” I reassured “She’s an oceanographer, and an excellent swimmer, even though she can’t form any new memories, at least she still has her talents and knowledge.”

I tapped my hoof at the door and a few moments later we heard a latch unlocking and a jostle of a handle as the door creaked open.

Behind the entrance reveals a beautiful purple magenta earth pony with golden eyes and a purplish pink mane and tail with yellow and orange trimmings. She bore a cutie mark of an oxygen breathing tank that’s attached to a blue seashell mouthpiece respirator on her flank.

“Oh Flare, This is a surprise visit” She looks over towards Ember with a bit flirtatiously love in her eyes “Who’s this cute gentle colt?”

Ember stammered “Nuh-uh, I’m not cute! I’m just a silly horse!”

She giggled at him, “Oh yes you are cute, I know good looking stallions when I see one” She pressed her hoof against his muzzle and it made a squeak noise. Ember closed his eyes and scrunched up his face.

“I’m Lana Shelly,” She greeted, “Is it okay if I take your picture one moment?”

“Huh?” Ember said with confusion

Before he could respond, Lana brought out a polaroid camera that she stored on her person and aimed it at Ember. There was a flash and he winced from the sudden bright light as the camera instantly printed out his picture, he did look silly in that photo with that confused look on his face.

“Sorry,” Lana said in a now serious tone “I have a hard time remembering faces with ponies I just met. I won’t remember you after this moment of time. It's .. my condition, I have anterograde amnesia, I can’t form any new memories like a goldfish lost in an empty tank.”

“Oh I’m sorry about that,” said Ember “I’m Digital Ember, but you can just call me ‘Ember’!”

Lana took out a marker and wrote on the photograph ‘Ember’ in small hoof writing. She then put it away behind her mane along with the marker and camera.

I stepped up to her “We need your help, Lana” I stated “Ember wants to go to that yacht party featuring DJ Pon-3. Problem is, he’s terrified of the ocean for the fear of drowning. Do you think you can help him gain his confidence?”

She looked at Ember with curiosity and compassion in her eyes. “Had a bad experience with the wondrous big blue, huh? Well don’t you worry cutie, Lana will teach you how to overcome your shark infested terrors!”

Ember looked at her with doubt “You sure?”

“As sure as school of tuna!” She cheered clapping her hooves

“But tuna is stinky…” Ember pouted

She let us inside and we headed down the stairs to what looks like a mini underground pool room surrounded with light blue lighting, with concrete flooring and the pool is decorated with white tiles, the walls were painted blue with plant life like kelp and bubbles. There’s 2 doors that lead to what looks like a classroom and a dressing room.

All of Ember’s legs were shaking with panic on his face as he noticed the pool as he tried to back trot up the stairs! I placed my hoof on his back and smiled

“No need to go up the stairs, Ember!” I assured “She can definitely help you, just please give her a chance! We won’t force you into the pool, and even if you do choose to go in there, it won’t be any deeper than up to your chest. We’ll take it slow okay? ”

Lana nodded and added “I’m a certified diver, I will make sure you won’t drown.”

It felt like our words hit a wall. Ember panicked and flapped his wings and flew up the stairs in panic. I heard a door slam as soon as he disappeared from our sight.

“Ember!” I shouted. I flew up after him and managed to meet him outside of the door where he was curled up against the wall on the concrete sandy floor.

“I’m sorry,” He sobbed, “I just can’t do it, maybe I’ll have to miss Vinyl’s performance…”

I wish I knew how to comfort my friend. My unfocused brain looked around in despair and noticed a beehive hanging off of a tree in the distance near the shores of the beach.

I looked at Ember and back at the tree with that horrifying hive filled with those dangerous little yellow monsters, I knew what I must do!

I feel panic and worry in my mind, but my heart is out to my friend Ember, I want him to be happy. If maybe I can conquer my fear of bees and hornets, maybe he can overcome his fear of the water too?

I gulped as I cautiously trotted up to the tree with the hive. Ember looked up from his shaking tears and saw me approach the tree. “Flare, what are you doing you silly horse?” He called out.

I ignored him and reached the base of the tree, I turned around, looked at him and smiled shakily. “If I can conquer my fear then so can you!” I exclaimed as I kicked the tree as hard as I could with my back hoof!

The beehive didn’t move from the tree at all. The bee’s didn’t take notice of me... yet. It still remained peacefully on the tree undisturbed, I probably didn’t kick the tree hard enough. As I raised my back hoof to try again, I saw Ember flying toward me with worry on his face as he pounced on me causing both of us to tumble away from the tree.

We both ended up a far distance from that monster bug hive as we were laid down side by side from the rolling.

“You dense horse!” He shouted furiously, “You don’t have to prove anything to me, that was extremely foolish of you, Flare! You could have gotten hurt! ”

Cheese and crackers he’s right! What was I thinking? “I’m sorry, Ember!” I sighed with regret “I just wanted to help you, by proving to myself fear is just a stupid hold back, but I guess it's also a safety net as well”

“Yeah you silly pony!” The anger left from his cute face “ Wear a beekeeper outfit next time you do something that stupid” he laughed.

He looked over to the ocean and sighed “I guess I could always get a recording of Vinyl's show to watch, but it won’t be the same..”

“Maybe you won’t have to miss it!” Lana’s voice shouted, “I have a solution for you, Ember”

She trotted up to us and brought out 3 items for us to look at.

The first thing she brought out is a picture of Ember with his silly cute confused look on his face, under that picture is some writing next to his name which now says “He’s terrified of drowning underwater, help him as best as you can! So he can go to a party at sea”

“It’s a good thing I wrote your problem down, cutie!” she cheered “Cause it helped me find a solution to your troubles!”

Next she placed a glass bottle that looks like it's filled with bubbly blue liquid soda as it fizzles as she gently placed it on the ground. “This is a water breathing potion” She exclaimed “In case you do fall off of the yacht, you’ll be able to breathe like a guppy! It should last for 6 hours, that’s enough time for a party right?”

She then placed down a necklace with décor of a purple claw like nail gem with two sky blue beads on the sides next to the bottle.

“This will turn you into a merpony, also in case you fall off, which will also help you breathe underwater!” She stated “You can borrow it, but please bring it back. I got it from the hippogriffs after solving their problem with some vicious sharks near their living space. I made a picture with a note on it that says you have it". She smirked "and trust me, you do not want me to hunt you down even with my handicap!"

Ember laughed nervously and I couldn’t help but chuckle as well.
“I couldn’t take these!” Ember protested politely, “They’re yours! I just can’t!”

Lana shook her head and smiled “Don’t worry about it sweetie kelp pie! You deserve to be happy and live a little, at least.. You get to keep the memories you have fun with.. I can’t sadly, no matter how hard I try, all I can go by are these pictures, but I just want to live, you know?” There was a bit of sadness in her voice.

He smiled, “Thank you Lana, I will have fun, just for you then! And I will bring your necklace back!” He turned to me “Thank you Flare!” He picked up the potion and put on the necklace that was given to him. “Well then, shall we prepare for the party?”

I nodded “Absolutely!” I turned to Lana, “Would you like to come with us to DJ Pon-3’s show?” I offered

Lana looks over to Ember knowing that even though she won’t remember the night. At least she’ll live the moment.
She brought out a camera, took a picture of both of us and wrote something down on the photograph “I'll put on my best dress for it” She flirted, "I'll see you two later!” She headed to her home to get ready.

The night out on the yacht in the Celestial Sea was wonderful. The sky was clear and beautiful with stars and the ocean waves were calm. Ember was right about the music, It had the best dubstep noises and wubs that every pony can enjoy to their hearts desire. It was loud but fun. There was dancing, fine drinks and catering to any pony's imagination. But most importantly, I get to see my good friend Ember enjoy himself as he cheers on his favorite idol Vinyl Scratch and have some sort of safety of comfort with no worries at sea .

Author's Note:

This is for a contest by DigitalEmber for the Reader X Ember fan fic about him, I have never wrote a some what long 2500 word fanfic before, but I did it I guess? *Shrugs*

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