Twilight and her friends enjoy a relaxing day at the beach, when Rainbow Dash has a startling encounter that leads to an exciting undersea adventure. Featured on Equestria Daily on 09/28/2012
Twilight and her friends enjoy a relaxing day at the beach, when Rainbow Dash has a startling encounter that leads to an exciting undersea adventure.
"Uh!" Applejack grunted as she spiked the volleyball with her front hoof. It sailed over the net, only to be met with a strong headbutt from Rainbow Dash and sent hurtling back. Applejack pivoted on her front hooves, bucked the ball back with her hind legs, and the two athletic ponies continued their one-on-one game of beach volleyball.
Rarity stretched out on her plush beach chair, sighing contentedly. "Oh what a lovely day to be at the beach!" she proclaimed.
Spike gazed lovingly at the white unicorn, gripping her umbrella in his claws. "It certainly is..." he said distantly.
Rarity peered over her shades and tilted her large sunhat out of the way. "Hm. Spike, be a dear and move just a teeny bit to the right, will you?" she asked. Spike, still grinning dimly, did so.
Nearby, a small group of hermit crabs scuttled toward a newly created sandcastle, just as Fluttershy finished molding the last tower. "There you go, little hermit crabs. Now you have a proper home to live in," she said.
As Twilight Sparkle kept her snout in a book, conveniently titled, How To Have Fun at the Beach, Pinkie Pie waddled up to her. She was wearing flippers on all four hooves, a mask and snorkel sat atop her head, and a large yellow inner-tube encircled her body.
"Boy, Twilight! It sure was lucky you were able to get us passes to Canter Cove!" Pinkie exclaimed. Her buffoonish gait from the flippers caused her to accidentally kick up a bit of sand onto Twilight's book.
Twilight flinched, and shook the sand from her book, giving the party pony a slightly irritated look. "Y-y-yeah, it was," she replied. Twilight turned her gaze to the sunny vista around her and her friends. Canter Cove was one of the municipal beaches of Canterlot, and one of the most luxurious vacation spots in Equestria. Twilight smiled at the sight of her friends enjoying themselves. "I just figured we could use a little vacation after all the excitement lately," she said.
No sooner did Twilight finish her sentence, when Applejack suddenly called out from down the beach, "Whoa nelly! Heads up!" The volleyball she and Rainbow Dash had been batting back and forth careened away from the playing area, smushing Fluttershy's sandcastle. Fluttershy yelped as she shielded herself from the sandy spray. The hermit crabs crept away unharmed, but the castle was no more. Fluttershy sighed forlornly at the mound of sand that was once the home to the small creatures she was trying to help.
Applejack and Rainbow Dash cringed at the result of the incident. Applejack could only stammer out an apology. "Er, sorry 'bout that, sugarcube," she said with a guilty grin.
"Oh, it's okay," Fluttershy replied. "I can always make another one." She began to dig her front hooves in the sand once again, making another attempt at a sandcastle home.
Rainbow Dash piped up after a moment. "Uh, maybe that's enough volleyball for now," she said. "Hey! Who's up for a swim?" Rainbow was met with enthusiastic cheers from her friends.
The six ponies galloped happily into the water, splashing around and giggling. After a long bout of frolicking in the shallows, Rainbow Dash glided up to Twilight. "Hey Twilight! I just had an awesome idea!" she said. The purple unicorn leaned over, as Rainbow Dash whispered in her ear.
Twilight was taken aback by the request. "What? Gosh, Rainbow Dash, do you think that's safe?"
"Trust me! It'll be the coolest thing ever!" the blue pegasus exclaimed.
Twilight thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Well, okay, Rainbow," she said. "As long as you know what you're doing."
Squealing with excitement, Rainbow Dash flew up to some of the lower clouds in the sky above the water. Twilight retreated to the water's edge, readying herself to participate in Rainbow Dash's new plan.
As the other ponies made their way out of the water, Twilight's horn began to glow. Furrowing her brow in concentration, she swayed her head back and forth. As she did so, the water before her started to dip and rise. At first, it was only a few small ripples in the surf, but soon, the waves grew larger and reached further out into the sea. After a while, Twilight's spell had stirred up large, impressive waves that crashed back and forth across almost the entire length of the beach. It was not long before many of the other ponies visiting the vacation spot had their attention drawn to the scene. It was just how Rainbow Dash liked it.
High above the water, Rainbow Dash perched herself on the edge of a narrow cloud. She peered intensely at the roiling waves below her, judging the best opportunity to make her move. Her eyes focused onto a large wave rolling away beneath her, and she readied herself.
"And now!" she announced, "Rainbow Dash will perform her greatest display of stunts ever!" With that, she bounced a few times on the edge of her cloudy perch, not unlike a diver atop a diving board, then zoomed down toward the churning sea.
After a short free-fall, Rainbow Dash's wings flapped open and she shot forward. Zigzagging between the crests of the waves, she kicked her hooves into the foamy white tips. As the sunlight hit the watery spray from Rainbow Dash's kicks, a long, winding rainbow appeared behind the speeding pegasus as she darted along. Delighted by the display, the ponies along the edge of the beach began cheering and chanting Rainbow Dash's name. Beaming with pride, Rainbow Dash turned her head to the beach far below her, grinning at the crowd and relishing the cheers.
It all happened at once.
Amidst the cheers and whistles of the ponies on the sandy beach, Twilight cried out, "Rainbow Dash, look out!"
Turning her head a moment too late, Rainbow Dash could only let out a gasp as an enormous wave came crashing down on her. The watery cascade slammed her down into the water, pushing her far below the surface and out of sight. Shouting in horror, the other ponies galloped into the water, frantically searching for their missing pegasus friend.
Rainbow Dash floated numbly in a dark blue void. After a few moments, the stunned pegasus slowly regained her senses. Luckily, she had managed to hold her breath, despite the powerful blast of water that struck her. Rainbow Dash peered blearily into the water, trying to get bearings. Just as she did so, a pair of bright green eyes suddenly appeared before her.
At first, Rainbow Dash felt a sense of relief at the sight of a stallion in the water with her. But as she gained a better view of the pony, the full sight galvanized her. The pony was shaped like any other, but where his hind legs should have been, a long, fish-like tail extended.
Uttering a muffled cry of shock, Rainbow Dash rocketed toward the surface. At the shoreline, Twilight and the other ponies dodged out of the way of the screaming pegasus as she shot out of the water and crashed onto the beach, leaving a deep groove in the sand. The ponies trotted up to where Rainbow Dash had made her landing, her back end protruding comically from the large mound that she had become embedded in. Twilight dug at the sand, trying to help her friend out of her landing site and make sure was all right. "Rainbow Dash? Are you okay? Are you hurt?" she called out.
Rainbow Dash burst forth from the sand, sitting upright. Wiping the grit from her eyes, she stared intensely at the sea. "A pony... in the water..." she said blankly.
Twilight and the others all looked perplexed. Before they could say anything, Rainbow Dash leaped from the mound and galloped past them into the water. Her friends followed, voicing their concerns.
"There's a pony in the water!" Rainbow Dash cried out. She splashed around the shallow surf, her head flew from side to side as she looked around desperately for some sign of the creature she had glimpsed.
Twilight rushed to Rainbow Dash's side and placed her front hoof on her friend's shoulder. "Rainbow Dash, what's going on?" she asked.
Rainbow Dash turned to Twilight with a bewildered expression, completely lost for words. She looked back to the sea, quivering with disbelief at what she had seen.
That evening, at the Canterlot library, Rainbow Dash was pacing back and forth, countless thoughts racing through her mind. She, Twilight, and the others had all gathered at the library to discuss Rainbow's bizarre sighting. Twilight was scouring the upper level of the library, while the others watched an agitated Rainbow Dash trot from one end of the room to the other.
"Uh, Rainbow Dash? Are you sure you saw what you saw? I mean, y'all hit the water mighty hard," Applejack said cautiously.
Rainbow Dash shot her a hard look. "I know what I saw!" she said. "I'm telling you, he was down there!"
The four ponies exchanged skeptical glances. Rarity finally spoke. "Rainbow, dear, are you positive you didn't just see a dolphin or some such creature?"
Rainbow Dash snorted angrily. "Dolphins don't have hooves, Rarity!" she snapped.
Rarity cocked her head, startled by Rainbow Dash's sharp reply. Calming herself, Rainbow Dash put a hoof to her face, and sighed. "I'm sorry," she said. "Look, I know how it sounds. I almost can't believe it myself. But I'm telling you, I saw a pony in the water, and he had the tail of a fish!" She sighed heavily and continued pacing.
Fluttershy peered at her lifelong friend. "Goodness, Rainbow Dash," she said, "whatever it was, if it has you so worked up, then maybe... maybe there is something down there."
"Y'think she's on to somethin'?" Applejack asked.
Then, from the upper level of the library, Twilight's voice chimed in. "Actually, it's possible she is." In a bright purple flash, Twilight teleported to the ground floor. A large, dusty book hovered before her in her magical grip. Opening the ancient looking tome, Twilight flipped through the dry old pages, until she arrived at the appropriate entry. "Take a look at this, everypony," she said.
The friends gathered around Twilight as she described the passage before them. "This is one of the oldest books I have about pre-Equestrian history," she explained. "It tells of the three tribes and their journeys before the founding of Equestria. It also mentions the tales of other creatures, like donkeys and even zebras."
Twilight flipped a few more pages, arriving at a series of primitive looking illustrations. "See these drawings?" she said. "These are old carvings and murals of ponies who were said to have dwelt in the sea. They broke off from the other ponies long ago to form their own kingdom. A lost tribe." The ponies murmured in fascination.
"No way, that's it!" Rainbow Dash burst out, pointing her hoof at one of the images in the book. It was of a pony seeming to gallop amidst simply drawn water patterns. It had two forelegs outstretched, while a fish-like tail protruded from its hind end. "That's what I saw!"
The others gasped. "Rainbow Dash," Twilight said in an urgent tone, "you've never looked through this book before, have you?"
Rainbow Dash cocked an eyebrow. Twilight giggled and rolled her eyes. "Right, just wanted to make sure."
"Well golly," Applejack proclaimed, "that can't be just some coincidence! I think you might have somethin' there, Rainbow Dash!"
Rainbow Dash flitted up into the air with excitement. "Then let's check it out!" she exclaimed. Hovering closer to the floor, she extended her front hoof toward her friends. "Who's with me?"
The other five ponies looked to each other, then back to Rainbow Dash. Twilight spoke first. "Gosh, if there's any truth to this, it could be a big discovery! Count me in!" She reached her hoof out and touched Rainbow Dash's.
"Same here!" Applejack announced. "Whatever's goin' on down there, y'all ain't facin' it without me!" She touched her hoof with Rainbow and Twilight's.
Rarity's white hoof gracefully joined the others. "And I as well!" she said. Immediately after, Pinkie Pie's hoof shot in, clacking against the others' as she blurted out an enthusiastic, "Woo-hoo!"
The five friends turned their heads to the gentle yellow pegasus nearby. Fluttershy recoiled slightly, then smiled. "You know what? Me too!" she said, and placed her hoof in the circle with the others.
The next day, far out at sea, a small fishing boat chugged to a stop, and bobbed steadily in the water. Aboard the 'Orca,' Rainbow Dash and her friends stood on the deck, readying themselves for their new adventure.
"Thanks for the boat ride, Mr. Squint!" Twilight said to the gruff earth pony stallion operating the boat.
The old salt tipped his pale gray cap. "Not at all, Miss Twilight," he said. He shut down the engine, and set to tending his vessel, humming an old shanty to himself.
Twilight turned to her friends, as she briefly perused a scroll she brought with her. "Okay girls," she said, "now this spell is pretty complicated, but it should do the trick."
Rarity looked uneasy. "Uh, ahem, what exactly will this spell of yours do, Twilight?" she asked apprehensively.
Twilight began her explanation. "Well, in order for us to give an extensive search underwater, we need to be able to stay below for a long time. This 'breathing bubble' spell will allow ponies to stay underwater indefinitely."
Rolling up the scroll and setting it aside, Twilight continued her speech. "I've already spoken to Princess Celestia herself about all of this, and she's very interested in hearing about what, if anything, we discover. If we don't find anything, it's fine. But, if we do find anything, any evidence of these creatures at all, she wants to hear about it. This is very important to all of pony-kind."
The others nodded.
"We have three days to conduct our search until the Princess expects to hear back from us." Twilight leaned toward her friends, pointing a hoof at them to emphasize her point. "Got that? Three days."
Rainbow Dash swished her tail. "That's all I need!" she exclaimed. "So let's do this!"
Twilight nodded, and her horn began to glow as she cast her spell. Soon, a small purple bubble emanated from the tip of her horn, and slowly expanded in size until it was larger than a pony's head. Twilight nudged the bubble in Rainbow Dash's direction. Rainbow winced as the ethereal blob wafted toward her and enveloped her head. With a few slight shifts and distortions, the bubble gently conformed to Rainbow Dash's head and mane, and the purple hue faded to complete transparency. Rainbow poked at the delicate clear surface around her head. She gave a slight chuckle at the strangeness of the situation.
"Now, be careful, all of you," Twilight warned. "These bubbles are tougher than regular soap suds, but they can still break with enough force."
Rarity and Fluttershy gave each other worried looks, then turned to Twilight. "And you're sure this is safe?" Rarity asked.
Twilight thought for a moment, then said, "Well, safe enough. I think." Rarity and Fluttershy gulped. Twilight readied her horn for the spell again. "So, who's up next?" she asked cheerfully.
After a few minutes, each pony had her own magic breathing bubble formed around her head. Pinkie Pie prodded at hers with childlike glee, and giggled at the wobbling magical substance around her head. "Cool!" she chortled.
Rainbow Dash smirked. "Pinkie Pie, I've got so many bubble head jokes I could making right now, I can't decide on just one!" Pinkie Pie responded with a wide grin.
Then, before any of the other ponies knew it, Rainbow Dash was up on the edge of the stern. "Look out, sea ponies!" she exclaimed. "Here I come!" With a cry of exhilaration, she dove headfirst into the rippling water. The others looked on with disbelief.
Applejack chuckled as she climbed up the stern to where Rainbow Dash had jumped from. "Never did learn to look before you leap, huh sugarcube," she said. "Geronimo!" Soon, she too was over the edge of the boat and splashing down into the water.
Giggling with excitement, Pinkie Pie then careened over the edge in a cheerful bounce, and Twilight followed her. Rarity and Fluttershy clambered up the boat's edge with distressed looks on their faces. Clutching each other and uttering a wail of dismay, they hurled themselves into the strange blue world their friends had just disappeared into.
Deep below the surface, Rarity and Fluttershy sank down to the seabed where their friends had arrived. The two ponies were still clinging to each other as they settled onto the sandy floor, cringing at the bizarre situation. After a moment, Rarity dared to open one of her eyes to peer at her strange surroundings. Gasping with delight, she shook Fluttershy gently, urging her to finally look as well. Reluctantly, Fluttershy finally opened her eyes. As soon as she saw the sight around her, she too joined her friends in the joyful gaze at the new world around them.
In the vibrant blue water, rippling sandbars crested with brilliantly colored corals and sea plants stretched out as far as they could see. Sparkling schools of fish of every color, shape and size wove in and around the scenery before them.
"Whoa..." Rainbow Dash said distantly. "This is so cool!"
"O-o-h, you're telling me!" Rarity giggled. "Oh this is giving me all sorts of new ideas for my next fashion line!" Soon, the white unicorn had thrown herself ahead of the group, frantically paddling toward the amazing scenery. Tittering with glee, she zipped from reef to reef, perusing all the exotic shapes and colors of the seaweeds and corals.
Rainbow Dash gave a half-smile. "Okay ladies," she said, "now let's remember why we're all down--" She stopped when she saw that her friends had all lost their focus and were thoroughly enchanted with their wonderful new discoveries.
By some miracle, Twilight had managed to keep a quill and parchment at the ready, despite her watery surroundings. She diligently jotted down notes and sketches of all the new things she observed. "Wow! I can't wait to document this back home!" she said excitedly.
Applejack stepped to Twilight's side, looking bewildered at her note-taking friend. "How're you doin' that?" she asked. Twilight simply responded with a puzzled look, as if surprised by the question.
Nearby, Fluttershy was greeted by a school of small fish. They meandered gently around her, drawing a quiet giggle from the visiting pegasus. "Hello, new friends!" she cooed. "Oh I can't wait to meet more creatures like you!"
Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie had discovered a school of brightly colored seahorses. Giggling, she pointed at the familiar looking creatures and called out, "Hey Rainbow Dash! Maybe we should ask these little guys if they know anything!" The tiny fish swarmed around the pink pony, prompting a fit of laughter from her.
With a dejected sigh, Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, then gave a sharp whistle. "Guys!" she shouted. The others snapped to attention. "We really need to focus here!"
Twilight cleared her throat, and swam to Rainbow Dash's side. "You're right, Rainbow Dash," she said. "We only have a limited time down here, so we should make sure we know what we're doing."
Applejack was soon at Rainbow Dash's side as well. "So, what exactly are we lookin' for?" she asked.
"Anything that looks strange, I guess," Rainbow Dash answered.
The ponies were all together, striding along the sandy ocean floor and scanning the scenery around them. Soon the group came to a ledge looking over a vast chasm. Bright spires of coral and rock reached high above them. Long, waving plants swayed in the currents, and countless sea creatures cruised about in slow, deliberate courses among the watery jungle. Down below, an eerie dark trench stretched down into an unknown abyss. The six friends all gazed at the vast alien landscape before them.
"Trouble is, everything down here looks like something strange," Rainbow Dash mused.
The friends were so absorbed in the scenery, none of them had noticed the huge shadow looming over them.
Pinkie Pie suddenly sensed the presence lurking above them. Turning her head, her face filled with shock and horror at the sight. "Uh, g-g-guys?"
The ponies turned their heads, seeing the gaping maw of the enormous shark that was upon them. A collective gasp emitted from the six friends.
"Scatter!" Rainbow Dash shouted.
Screaming, the ponies shot through the water in random directions, narrowly avoiding the clashing array of teeth. Each pony made a break for a hiding place, trying to evade the marauding predator. Applejack hastily shoved a bewildered Rarity behind a rocky spire and out of the shark's sight. Fluttershy tried to take cover in a patch of waving seagrass, but was soon spotted by the beast. Just as the shark was about to make a move for her, Twilight used her magic to pull Fluttershy to safety.
Trembling, Pinkie Pie peeked out from beneath the huge snail shell she hid herself in. Suddenly, she sprang out of her hiding place with a loud yelp of pain. Rubbing her backside, she glared at the large hermit crab that had nipped her flanks.
"That wasn't very nice!" she scolded. She spun around indignantly, only to find herself snout-to-snout with the hulking shark. She giggled nervously. "H-h-hey! Uh, I b-b-bet you've got a terrific smile!" she babbled.
Pinkie's attempt at flattery was met with a lunge from the shark. The enormous jaws smashed shut around the party pony's neck, then pulled away. In a strange, comic fashion, Pinkie Pie's head popped back into place, having pulled itself deep between her shoulders at the last possible second. Before the shark could retaliate, Pinkie was scrambling backwards to a nearby rocky crevasse, squealing with terror. Tucking herself into the tiny gap, the pink pony was soon cornered by the shark.
Using her wings to propel herself in the water, Rainbow Dash pulled herself to the scene. The shark twisted and thrashed its body as it tried to cram its large head into the tiny space where Pinkie Pie was trapped. Pinkie pressed herself against the back wall of her hiding place, which was starting to crumble under the shark's assault.
"Help! Somepony help!" Pinkie Pie wailed. The chomping maw was only inches away. Just as the crumbling rock was about to give way, the shark felt a strong tug from behind.
"Get away from her you big goon!" Rainbow Dash shouted. She had wrapped her front legs around the base of the shark's tale and flapped her wings furiously, trying to pull the monster away from her friend. With one last tug, Rainbow Dash managed to yank the huge fish hard enough to pull it away from its intended meal. The beast turned its attention on Rainbow Dash, and lunged toward her. With the same deftness that aided her in her aerial stunts, Rainbow Dash rolled out of the path of the shark's lethal maw. The razor-sharp teeth missed her, but the beast's powerful tail did not. The shark struck Rainbow Dash with its thick and heavy rudder with incredible force as it swam past her. The strong blow ruptured the magic air bubble surrounding Rainbow Dash's head with a loud pop, and sent the blue pegasus careening toward the rim of the nearby trench.
Unable to gain control of her trajectory, Rainbow Dash slammed into the rocky edge. The sudden impact jolted the last bit of air from her lungs and rendered the pegasus unconscious. With a dull moan, Rainbow Dash's limp form sank into the dark recesses of the undersea canyon, a stream of bubbles trickling from her mouth.
At last, the shark swam away, searching for easier prey. It had decided these creatures were not worth the effort. Nearby, the other ponies had regrouped, and struggled through the water to reach the trench their friend had disappeared into. Gathering at the edge, they desperately called out her name.
"Rainbow Dash! Rainbow!" Twilight cried out. The friends stared into the inky depths, trying to catch any sign of the fallen blue pegasus, but nothing could be seen. The five ponies felt their hearts sink. Twilight's eyes welled. "Rainbow..."
Suddenly, a mysterious form surged through the water before them, plummeting down into the trench. Twilight and the others blinked in confusion.
"Was... was that a tail?" Twilight wondered aloud.
At the bottom of the dark trench, the stunned Rainbow Dash slowly settled on the slimy seabed, blackness all around her. Her lungs completely empty and her senses barely returning to her, she had no strength left to struggle for the surface. She was fading fast.
Suddenly, Rainbow Dash felt the impossible sensation of the forelegs of a pony wrapping around her torso. Barely comprehending the situation, she then felt herself being pulled through the water with tremendous speed. Faster and faster she went, the water rushing over her with increasing intensity. Rainbow Dash squinted hard, trying to keep the tangy salt water out of her eyes and making it impossible for her to see what was happening. There was a loud splash, a flash of sunlight, and the next thing Rainbow Dash knew, she was bursting through the surface.
Rainbow Dash threw her head back as she gasped in the blessed air. Panting and coughing, she gradually caught her breath, and tried to wipe the salty water from her eyes. She could still feel the forelegs of a pony around her, but her mane had become matted over her face from the seawater, preventing her from seeing her rescuer. As she tried to shake her multicolored hair out of her vision, she felt a hoof help clear the colorful strands from her line of sight. Her view finally cleared, Rainbow Dash's eyes slowly began to focus. Finally able to see the creature who had saved her life, a quiet gasp escaped her.
Rainbow Dash was looking into the bright green eyes of the stallion she had witnessed the other day. His coat was dark blue, and a bristled black mane ran along the top of his head. Just behind him, Rainbow Dash could see the fluke of his fish-like tail splash the surface of the water. It was the sea pony.
Still embracing Rainbow Dash in his forelegs, the sea pony looked at the panting pegasus with concern. Then, he spoke.
"Are you all right? Can you breathe up here?"
Rainbow Dash said nothing at first. She stared at the stallion holding her, eyes wide with amazement. Soon, her shock subsided, and a gentle smile crossed her face. "It's you..." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
The sea pony, relieved that his new friend was safe, smiled back. "Hey, you."
In the middle of the shimmering blue ocean, two ponies bobbed in the water. Rainbow Dash was still in the sturdy embrace of the mysterious sea pony stallion who had saved her life moments ago.
"Oh my gosh..." she said softly. "Thank you..."
The sea pony gave a bashful half-smile.
"Oh my gosh, I can't believe you're real!" the pegasus blurted out. "I can't wait for you to meet my friends!" Rainbow Dash pressed herself closer to her savior. "I'm Rainbow Dash! What's your name?"
The sea pony blinked, and his smile faded. He seemed strangely unnerved by Rainbow Dash's words. "I... uh..."
Suddenly, a series of splashes caught both his and Rainbow's attention. A few feet away, Twilight Sparkle and the rest of her friends had arrived at the surface. Catching sight of Rainbow Dash, the five ponies began jabbering all at once, bombarding their friend with questions like, "Are you okay?" and, "Oh my gosh! What happened?"
The yammering ponies gasped in unison as they saw the blue stallion cradling Rainbow Dash. Twilight Sparkle's eyes shot back and forth from her pegasus friend to the strange pony with her. She tried to speak, but could only stammer in bewilderment. "R-r-rainbow? Is that a... I mean, is he a... ?"
Rainbow Dash smiled upon seeing her friends. "I'm fine, guys, I–" She and the sea pony exchanged startled glances as they both realized they were still draped in each others' forelegs. The two leaped from each other, smiling awkwardly.
Rainbow Dash scratched the side of her head. "Whoa, heh... I guess I had somepony looking out for me, huh," she said.
The sea pony pursed his lips. He looked around himself, meeting the eyes of each of the mares fixated on him. There was a look of mild dismay on his face, as if he had been caught in some wrongdoing. Smiling sheepishly, he finally introduced himself. "Breaker," he said. "They call me Breaker."
After her magic air bubble had been restored by Twilight, Rainbow Dash had returned with her friends to the undersea realm with Breaker the sea pony.
Deep below the surface, seven ponies gathered atop the rippled sandbars. Breaker floated close to the sea bottom, allowing his land-based friends to stride along next to him. He moved in a slow undulation, propelling himself along with his tail and occasionally pushing his two front hooves into the sand.
The sea pony scratched the side of his head. He went to speak, but soon found himself crowded by excited mares from all sides.
"Oh my gosh! We have to throw you a party! A 'Found the Lost Tribe' party!" Pinkie squealed.
"I've heard that pearls can be found by the bushel down here! You simply must show me where to find some!" Rarity crooned.
"How fast can you swim? What does breathing water feel like? Oh! Are you able to keep books down here?" Twilight asked.
Applejack stamped her hoof. "Land sakes!" the scowling earth pony interjected. "Did y'all leave your manners back ashore or somethin'? Let's at least show a little gratitude afore we start grillin' the poor guy!"
Looking rather embarrassed, the other ponies collected themselves and resumed their stroll.
"You're right, Applejack," Twilight said. She turned back to Breaker. "Please excuse our behavior. We're all very grateful for what you did. It was very brave of you!"
Breaker shrugged. "Hey, it was, um, nothing," he said.
"Hogwash! Who knows what woulda happened if you hadn't come along!" Applejack added. "Speakin' of, how's the head, Rainbow Dash?" Applejack waited for Rainbow Dash to respond, but received no reply. "Rainbow Dash?" Applejack turned toward the blue pegasus.
Rainbow Dash had not even heard Applejack's voice. Her focus was entirely on Breaker. She was staring at the dark blue pony as she sauntered along next to him, oblivious to the fact that her friend was speaking to her. Applejack picked up her voice. "Rainbow!"
As if snapping out of a trance, Rainbow Dash blinked and shook her head. "Wha– huh?" She glanced around herself, looking as though she had just then noticed her friends were with her. "Oh, uh, well I guess I–" Suddenly, Rainbow Dash uttered a frantic squawk as she toppled forward and landed face-first in the sand. She had caught her front hoof on a rock.
Breaker flinched. "Are you okay?"
Rainbow Dash popped back up, waving her forelegs to dissipate the cloud of sand she had stirred up. "Uh, I-I'm fine!" she said. She chuckled and gave a toothy grin, trying to maintain her composure.
Pinkie Pie sprang up next to Rainbow, looking very concerned. "Rainbow Dash, you should watch where you're going! If you keep staring at Breaker like that, you could get hurt!"
Rainbow Dash's cheeks flushed. She shot Pinkie a sharp look, and the others began giggling. Breaker smiled slightly, relieved that the attention was away from him for a moment. His own cheeks had turned red as well.
"So, Breaker!" Twilight said, "You've got to tell us about your kind! What do sea ponies do?"
Breaker suddenly looked mortified. His eyes darted from side to side as he stammered for a few seconds. "Uh... Hey, how about you tell me about your kind instead!" he said finally.
Twilight and her friends were puzzled by Breaker's response. "Oh! Sure!" Twilight replied. "I guess you've all been down here by yourselves for so long, you probably aren't familiar with us either!" She cleared her throat as she began her speech. "Well, we do things like study magic, science and history!"
Fluttershy then spoke up. "We also take care of all the animals and keep the weather."
"And we throw the best parties!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.
Applejack stepped in. "That's right! And we grow some mighty fine apples up top too! Heavens to Betsy, you probably never even heard of apples down here! You'll have to try some once you get a chance to visit!"
Breaker pursed his lips in response to Applejack's words. "Uh... Y-y-yeah..." he said slowly.
Rarity slinked over to Breaker's side. "And what of you, dear?"
"That's right, fair's fair!" Applejack added. "Tell us a little somethin' about yourself!"
Twilight hopped toward Breaker excitedly. "Yes! Please, you've got to tell us!" she said. "I have so many questions!"
Again, Breaker looked distressed, as if struggling to think of what to say next. "Uh... well..." Then, his face brightened. "You know what? We do just those sorts of things too! Just underwater! Nothing special at all!"
Twilight's expression wilted. "Huh?"
"Yup! We're just like all of you! Except we swim! A-a-and we don't have those apple things! But other than that, we're just plain ponies! So that's it!" Breaker smiled awkwardly.
The six friends were dumbfounded. They all looked at each other, muttering in confusion.
Seeing the opportunity, Breaker started to swim away from the other ponies. "Well, uh, it's been really fun meeting all of you!" he said. "But it's getting a bit late, so I should probably get going. Lots of sea pony things to do and all!"
The six mares looked at Breaker with shocked expressions.
"What?" Twilight exclaimed. "But... but there are so many things we need to learn! You've got to come with us to the surface and tell us about your kind! All of Equestria will want to know about you! After all these years! Breaker, you're a huge discovery!"
Breaker's face filled with dismay. "Look, I'm really sorry," he said. "I am. But I've got to get going!" He began to swim away.
"Wait just a minute!" Rainbow Dash shot through the water and in front of Breaker, halting him. "You saved my life, and now you're just gonna take off? Just like that?" She folded her forelegs and glared at the sea pony.
Twilight and Applejack pulled themselves up through the water alongside Rainbow, further impeding the sea pony's escape. Behind him, the others had also risen up in the water, surrounding him.
Breaker glanced around himself, looking as though he was about to panic.
Rainbow Dash inched closer to the sea pony. "What are you hiding, Breaker?" she pressed.
Breaker rubbed the back of his head. He looked more worried than ever. "I... I..." Suddenly, the sea pony's eyes widened. He looked out to the depths, his ears twitching.
Rainbow Dash peered at Breaker. "What is it?"
Breaker turned back to the pegasus with a terrified expression. "Hide. Now," he whispered. Rainbow Dash tilted her head. "Go!" Breaker hissed through clenched teeth.
Taking the hint, Rainbow Dash shot back down to the sea floor with her friends, and the six ponies took shelter as best they could among the rocks and plants. Rainbow Dash peeked out from beneath the large flaps of seaweed she concealed herself beneath. In the open water, she could see Breaker, swimming back and forth, as if on the lookout for some sort of danger. Rainbow Dash wondered if another shark was about to attack.
Breaker nervously scanned his surroundings, hoping intensely he was mistaken about what he had sensed. For a moment, he felt the danger had passed. But then, two shadowy forms rose up before him.
Breaker gulped upon seeing the creatures who had appeared before him, then forced a smile. "Hey guys!" he said cheerfully.
Two burly sea pony stallions clad in body armor and helmets leered at Breaker. Still wearing his fake smile, Breaker continued to speak. "So how are things in law enforcement?" Neither of the armored stallions reacted. Breaker chuckled. "Hey, come on, you guys aren't still sore about that trespassing thing from a while back, are you?"
Silence.
Breaker's smile weakened as he cleared his throat. "Well! It's been nice seeing you gentlecolts again!" he said. He began swimming backward, away from the two warriors. "Hope you have a nice day, and that we can do this again real–" Breaker went silent as he bumped into an obstacle that had risen up behind him. The blue sea pony turned, his smile completely gone. "… soon..."
Floating before Breaker was an enormous sea pony stallion, even larger than the two brutes nearby. He was adorned in an ornate variation of the armor his companions wore, and a huge trident was strapped to his back. His thick forelegs were folded across his broad chest, and he glared at the young stallion.
Breaker's face lit up. "Riptide!" he exclaimed joyfully. "How's my favorite captain of the guard?"
Riptide snorted, sending a stream of tiny bubbles from his nostrils. "Oh, not well, lad," he grunted. "I'm afraid I'm not doing well at all."
Still trying to pass himself off as cheerful, Breaker replied to the beastly guard, "Gee, that's a shame. Well, you know what always lifts my spirits? A nice, relaxing nap by the thermal vents. Cures all! Now, if I were you, I would–"
"I've been hearing stories about you, Breaker," Riptide interrupted. "Stories about you going near the shoreline. Again." Riptide pushed himself toward Breaker as he spoke, and Breaker hastily paddled backward as he did so. "Stories about you getting much too close to land ponies, Breaker. Much too close to breaking Sacred Law." Riptide continued to advance on the terrified Breaker until he bumped into the two stoic thugs behind him, cornering him.
Riptide leaned forward. His voice had taken on an even harsher tone. "Stories that make the elders very unhappy, Breaker. And if the elders are unhappy, I am unhappy. And when I am unhappy..."
Breaker swallowed. "Hey, come on... It's me, remember?"
Riptide jerked his head forward, jamming his muzzle against Breaker's. He smiled menacingly, and snorted another stream of bubbles into Breaker's face. "Keep your snout clean, lad," he grunted. Finally, the hulking guard moved away from Breaker. He gestured to his troops with one of his forelegs, and swam off into the depths. The two enforcers followed, and soon the three were out of sight.
Breaker watched Riptide fade away into the deep ocean. He remained motionless, wanting to make certain the monstrous guards were far enough away before he dropped his act. Exhaling shakily, Breaker slowly sank down to the seabed. He sat back on his tail and stared at the ground, his face filled with horror. Putting his hooves to his temples, he slowly rocked back and forth. "Oh, no..." he muttered. "Oh, no, no, no..." He repeated himself several more times, before he saw the light blue hooves of a mare standing before him.
Breaker looked up to see Rainbow Dash and her friends gathered around him. They all looked at their sea pony friend, eyes wide with concern.
Fluttershy had barely emerged from her hiding place, still shaken by the sight of the armored warriors. "Wh-wh-who where those guys?" she whimpered.
"'Sacred Law?'" Twilight asked.
"'Too close to land ponies?'" Applejack looked insulted.
Breaker lifted himself off the seabed and floated in place, wringing his forelegs. Rainbow Dash stepped closer to him. "Breaker?" The sea pony turned his head away, unable to look the pegasus in the eye. Reaching up with one of her forelegs, Rainbow Dash touched him on the chest. "Breaker, what's going on?"
Breaker sighed, and finally met Rainbow Dash's gaze. "I guess it's time I explained a few things, huh..."
It was nearly sundown, and the bustling metropolis of Canterlot was preparing for nightfall. The industrious goings-on of the day were winding down, and the sparkling nightlife of the big city was starting up. Well-to-do ponies trotted about, excited for the day's end and the fun that followed. But at one side-street cafe, spirits were low as five forlorn ponies convened at an outdoor table.
Twilight Sparkle and her friends glanced at each other with sullen faces, and the purple unicorn sighed heavily. "Complete isolation," she said flatly.
Applejack shook her head slowly. "The whole mess of 'em, never to come anywhere near other ponies. Ever," she said.
A distraught Pinkie Pie blurted out, "It's just so sad! All those new ponies, and none of them are allowed to be friends with us!"
Twilight sighed again, and went to sip her drink. She was so lost in the dilemma, she nearly jumped out of her skin when the nasal voice of the waitress pony chimed in from her side.
"Freshen your carrot juice?" the yellow unicorn mare asked.
Pinkie Pie clapped her front hooves over her mouth, silencing herself.
"Uh, no thank you," Twilight replied. She waited until the server departed, then the five ponies leaned in closer to each other, trying to keep their voices low.
"What're we gonna do, y'all?" Applejack said. "The princess expects us to report to her in just a few days! We can't lie to her!"
Fluttershy's ears drooped. "But if we tell the truth..."
"Who knows what will happen to Breaker..." Twilight finished.
Pinkie Pie slumped in her seat and pouted. "As Granny Pie would say, 'bummer...'"
Twilight tapped her hoof on the table. "One thing's for sure, we've got to keep the discovery of the sea ponies to ourselves until we figure out how to handle all this," she said. "I don't know what we'll do yet, but at least Rainbow Dash volunteered to stay behind to see if she can learn a few things from Breaker. That way, maybe we can get a little more information that will help solve this."
Applejack nodded. "Mighty strange, though," she said thoughtfully. "Rainbow isn't usually into all that academic stuff. I wonder what's gotten into her."
"'Sky ponies?'" an amused Rainbow Dash said. "Is that really what you guys call us?"
"Well, yeah," Breaker replied matter-of-factly. "Isn't that what you are?"
Rainbow Dash flapped her wings and put her front hooves to her hips. "I beg your pardon, mister," she said in a tone of mock-indignation, "but I'm a pegasus."
"O-o-h, well please pardon me!" Breaker bowed. "Am I forgiven?"
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Well, I suppose," she giggled. "This time."
The two ponies laughed and continued to swim about the Equestrian sea. Rainbow Dash eyed the sea pony for a moment, trying to think of what to say next.
"Say," she finally said, "what is it with you and those guards exactly? I got the feeling there's some history there."
Breaker grinned. "Yeah, kind of," he said. "We've had a few run-ins. I don't follow the rules that much."
Rainbow Dash glanced at the image of a cresting wave along Breaker's side. "Oh, so your cutie mark, and your name, they must mean–"
"Breaker by name, breaker by nature," the sea pony explained. "It's just how I am." He puffed his chest out slightly, smiling broadly. "I've never been the fit in and play nice type, you know?" Rainbow Dash cocked an eyebrow. Breaker cleared his throat, his attempt at posturing dimmed.
"Well, don't get me wrong," Breaker continued, "I don't try to hurt anypony, it's just little things. Like the time I sneaked into the Coralseum to watch the games. Man, what a scene..." The sea pony chuckled to himself, as if remembering something fondly.
Rainbow Dash's eyes widened with increasing interest. "Games?"
"Sure, you know, like racing and stunt swimming," Breaker responded. "Actually, I'll tell you, I used to do try-outs myself, back in the day. But..."
Rainbow Dash looked perplexed. "But you stopped? How come?" Now it was Breaker's turn to raise an eyebrow. Rainbow Dash smirked and rolled her eyes. "Oh, right, Breaker by name," she said. "Gosh, that's too bad though."
Breaker just shrugged. "It's okay. Hey, it's still fun trying to get away from the guards all the time. Gotta be quick!" With that, Breaker burst through the water, circling Rainbow in a display of flips and twists. "Know what I mean?"
Rainbow Dash responded in kind. She bolted toward Breaker and swam around him rapidly, spinning the sea pony, then returned to form. "Yeah, you could say that," she quipped.
Breaker steadied himself and shook off the dizziness. "Whoa, Rainbow Dash, you're a real torpedo!" he remarked. He swam up to the pegasus eagerly. "Hey, where'd you learn to swim like that?"
Rainbow Dash beamed. "Who, me?" she said. "Swimming's not too different from flying, y'know. And you're talking to one of the best fliers in Equestria!"
Breaker looked intrigued. "Wow, that's kind of awesome," he said. He thought for a moment. "Hey... wanna show me what else you can do?"
Rainbow Dash blinked. "Well, wait a second, my friends are expecting me to learn a bunch of stuff from you. I can't spend all this time just playing around," she protested.
Breaker smirked. "Hey come on, show me what you got! You swim pretty good, for a mare!"
Rainbow Dash's eyes narrowed. "You're on!"
Soon, the two ponies took off through the water. They raced, tested each others' speed, and created stunts and tricks. Soon, they had made their way to the surface, giving Rainbow Dash a chance to show off her flying talents. She zoomed along the surface, while Breaker breached the water and started to combine his own unique tricks with Rainbow's aerial stunts. The two ponies laughed and cheered, their impromptu competition turning into a dance in the golden rays of the setting sun.
Time passed, and the sun disappeared over the horizon. Rainbow Dash and Breaker had settled down on a sandbar, relaxing after their athletic array. The two gazed out at the undersea landscape. The depths had grown dimmer now that the sun had set, and the moon sent silver shafts of light through the water.
Neither of the two ponies spoke for a long time. Breaker was still looking out over the undersea landscape, but Rainbow Dash had since turned her gaze towards him. As before, she found herself fixated on the sea pony. There was something about him that fascinated her, but it was more than the mere fact that he was a pony with a fish tail.
Rainbow Dash watched his subtle movements, the occasional twitch of his tail, the way his shaggy black mane, slightly longer than most boy ponies she knew kept it, swayed in the current. Most of all, she found herself lost in his vivid green eyes. Finally, she broke the silence. "Hey," she said softly, "Can I ask you something?"
Breaker turned to the pegasus. "Sure, Rainbow. What is it?"
"Why did you do it?" Breaker looked confused, and Rainbow continued. "When I was in danger... why did you risk so much for me? I mean, all that Sacred Law stuff, you said it was wrong for your kind to even come near us." It was a question that had been burning within Rainbow Dash for a while now. In fact, it was the real reason she volunteered to stay behind with him, while her friends returned to the shoreline.
Breaker looked unsure of what to say. His eyes turned to the ground. "Well, you know, like I said before, I... break the rules. That's all," he said. His voice started to trail off.
Rainbow Dash shook her head. "It's more than that."
Breaker prodded the sand for a moment, lost in thought. "Gosh, it's kind of hard to say," he said. "We were always told that the other ponies hated each other, which is why our ancestors cut themselves off so long ago. Ever since, we've kept to ourselves, and tried to avoid all the strife and distrust. Go with the flow, not get involved, that's how we've always been." Breaker rested his chin on his hoof. "But, me being me, I couldn't help being a little curious."
The sea pony sighed, many thoughts crossing his mind. "But I never, ever took it this far... I never meant to break the biggest law we have." The sea pony looked pensive for a moment. Then, his eyes brightened as he recalled the events from earlier in the day. "But, when I saw you and your friends together, all different ponies, all helping each other... Gosh, Rainbow, you tackled a shark! Where I come from, only the bravest ponies would do something like that! And all for the sake of another pony who didn't even have wings? Well, I thought that meant things were different. So I guess that's why I did what I did."
Rainbow furrowed her brow. "Has anypony ever broken the law before?"
Breaker shook his head.
Rainbow Dash leaned toward her sea pony friend. "Breaker," she said worriedly, "how bad is it if you get caught breaking that law?"
Breaker frowned. "Bad," he said. "Real bad."
Rainbow Dash's ears drooped. "If you had the chance, would you do things differently?"
Breaker looked to Rainbow Dash, his expression becoming very serious. "No. Never. Not in a hundred years," he said. Rainbow Dash smiled.
Breaker chuckled. "I mean, after a hundred years, yeah I'd probably just take off, but other than that!"
Rainbow Dash scoffed as she swatted Breaker on the shoulder, and the two ponies burst out laughing.
After a moment, Rainbow Dash spoke. "Y'know, things are different up above. Maybe they can be down here too?"
Breaker inched closer to Rainbow Dash. "I'd like things to be different."
Neither pony said anything. They held a comfortable silence as they smiled at each other.
A bold voice cut through the water. "And some things never change!"
Breaker gasped, his face contorted with shock and horror. Wheeling around, Breaker saw the source of of the voice. The mighty Riptide and his two cronies had reappeared.
The enormous warrior stallion glowered at the two horrified ponies before him. "Oh Breaker," he sighed, "What have you done, lad?" Breaker said nothing. He simply gawked at the huge warrior with terrified eyes.
Riptide floated closer to his prey. An exasperated look was spread across his face as he parodied an expression of sorrow. "It's only one law, lad. One simple law," he said. Breaker and Rainbow Dash slowly crept away from the advancing guard. Riptide's voice went flat as he spoke again. "I'm very, very disappointed, Breaker." Riptide's expression hardened. He shot Rainbow Dash a contemptuous sneer, then turned his angry eyes back to Breaker. "Take him."
At the command, the two armored guards quickly moved toward Breaker. Breaker turned to his pegasus friend. "Rainbow Dash, get out of here!" He pushed her away, urging her to make her escape.
"I'm not leaving without you!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. The two ponies began to make a desperate attempt to evade the marauding guards, when the tough fibers of a net lashed out and wrapped around the base of Breaker's tail. He snapped back, and was quickly reeled in by his captors. Rainbow Dash turned to see her friend being restrained by the two gormless bruisers.
The guards held Breaker by his forelegs as he thrashed desperately. "Rainbow, run!" he shouted. In a swift move that defied his tremendous size, Riptide swung his huge trident and aimed the lethal points at his captive. A fierce red glow emanated from the weapon, and violent blast of crimson bolts surged into the struggling stallion. Breaker howled in pain as the crackling energy enveloped him, then he slumped in the grip of the guards.
"Breaker!" Rainbow Dash shrieked.
The two sea pony guards began to swim away into the deep, dragging the stunned Breaker along with them. In a rage, Rainbow Dash threw herself at one of the soldiers, battering him with her hooves. "No! Let him go!"
The sturdy handle of Riptide's trident struck Rainbow Dash, knocking her away. She slammed into the sea floor, yelping from the painful blow. Trembling, Rainbow slowly began to pick herself up, only to find herself being loomed over by Riptide.
"This matter does not concern you, sky pony!" Rainbow Dash recoiled from the bellowing sea pony. "Now, leave this place," he snarled. "Never return." Riptide heaved his massive bulk away from the defeated pegasus, and he and his minions swam away, with Breaker in their custody.
Breaker looked up weakly as he was taken away, meeting Rainbow Dash's horrified eyes. The stricken pegasus could only watch helplessly as her friend was dragged into the depths.
It was just after daybreak as Twilight Sparkle had risen from her slumber. She soon roused her friends who were staying with her at the Canterlot library on their brief vacation in the big city. Looking around, she saw that only four of her friends were counted for.
"Has anyone seen Rainbow Dash?" she asked.
Suddenly, Rainbow Dash blasted into the main lobby of the library, crashing into a bookcase and sending scrolls and books scattering in all directions. Shielding themselves from the papery cascade, the others stared dumbfounded at their pegasus friend.
Leaping to her hooves, Rainbow Dash frantically zipped from one pony to the other, babbling random words. "Sea ponies... Guards... They took him! Dragged him away! I couldn't help him! I tried, but too strong! I... I... !"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, darlin'!" Applejack grabbed Rainbow by her shoulders, steadying her. "Just slow down! What happened?"
The distraught Rainbow Dash took a moment to catch her breath. "It's Breaker!"
After the harrowing tale of Breaker's capture was told, the ponies were left aghast.
"Oh my stars!" Rarity gasped. "Those brutes were so terrifying! Oh, poor Breaker!
Rainbow began shooting back and forth across the library, agonizing over the fate of her sea pony friend. "We have to do something!" she cried. "They're gonna do something terrible to him! Oh horse feathers! What if they already did?"
Twilight Sparkle began gathering her papers and quills. "Well, one thing's for sure, we don't need to worry about what to tell Princess Celestia anymore," she said.
Rainbow Dash landed next to Twilight. "I'll say we don't!" she exclaimed. "Twilight, you tell the princess we need as many guards as we can get! I'll start organizing the other pegasi as best I can, and the rest of you, gear up! Everything we've got!"
The others gaped at Rainbow Dash in bewilderment. "Rainbow, what are you saying?" Applejack asked.
"Rescue mission!" Rainbow Dash said boldly. "We're heading for the sea pony kingdom! I'm not leaving Breaker down there! I'll kick down the front gate myself! We'll use the Elements of Harmony if we have to! Who's with me?" Rainbow Dash leaped into the air, hovering in a dynamic pose, awaiting the enthusiastic cheers of her friends. But instead, all she got was silence.
Rainbow Dash turned to her friends, puzzled by their lack of support.
Twilight Sparkle shook her head. "Rainbow Dash, that just isn't how it works," she said.
The blue pegasus's eyes widened. "What?"
"The sea ponies aren't evil, Rainbow. We can't just attack them," Twilight continued. "Remember? The goal was help them open up to us, and realize that all of pony kind has come together." Twilight dipped a quill into a bottle of ink, and began scribbling on a sheet of parchment. "I'm going to get a letter to Princess Celestia. I'll tell her what we've discovered and what's happened so far. With her help, maybe we can find a way to get in touch with the sea ponies, and try to make a case for Breaker."
"That's a good idea, Twi," Applejack said. The others nodded, murmuring in agreement.
Rainbow Dash dropped to the floor. Her hooves made a loud clacking sound as she hit the tiles, startling the others. Breathing heavily, she began to speak. "I don't believe this." Her voice started flat, but began to rise as she continued. "Breaker is out there, he's in all kinds of trouble, and you just want to write letters?"
Twilight was taken aback by Rainbow's harsh tone. "Rainbow Dash, relax. We just have to–"
"Letters!" Rainbow's voice cracked.
Twilight winced. "Rainbow! Calm down!"
Rainbow Dash reared up on her hind legs, kicking her forelegs frantically. Shrieking in frustration, she spun around and rocketed out of the library. The gust of wind from her speedy departure sent papers randomly fluttering about the room, and five ponies stood sadly in the center of the lobby.
Twilight Sparkle sighed, and trotted out of the library. "Guys, get things started for me..." The friends nodded, and set to their task.
In the skies above Equestria, the peaceful dawn was shattered by a furious pegasus blasting through the air. Rainbow Dash threw herself into cloud after cloud, punching and kicking them wildly. The white billows dissipated from the blows with dull, unsatisfying poofs, until the enraged pony shrieked in anguish, then dropped face-down onto one of the few remaining clouds. Her shoulders quivered as she lay there.
"Rainbow Dash?" a familiar voice called up from the ground.
Rainbow Dash sniffled, and tried to wipe away the tears in her eyes. She leaned forward, peering down at Twilight Sparkle.
"Rainbow, it's me," she said tenderly. "Please. Come down."
Rainbow Dash sniffled again. Grabbing a wad of cloud with her hoof, she pulled the soft white tuft around herself and turned away from her friend petulantly. "Leave me alone..."
Twilight Sparkle's frown deepened. "Rainbow Dash, I'm sorry. I never meant to be insensitive. I understand how you feel, it's just–"
"Do you?" Rainbow Dash cut in. She was sitting up on the cloud, leering down at Twilight. Tears beaded her eyes. She zipped down to the ground, landing before the purple pony. "You really think you understand?"
Twilight blinked, then scowled. "Of course I do!"
Rainbow Dash turned away from her friend, rolling her eyes and snorting with derision.
A puzzled Twilight tilted her head, trying to comprehend Rainbow Dash's odd behavior. She stepped closer to her, putting a hoof on her shoulder. "Rainbow, I really do. After what Breaker did for you, we all understand."
Rainbow Dash looked back to her friend, and the sting of realization hit Twilight as she saw Rainbow's pained expression.
"You're not talking about just that, are you..." Twilight said.
"It was because of me," Rainbow said in a trembling voice. "I'm the one who wanted to stay behind. After what he did for me, I... He was caught because of me!" Rainbow Dash grabbed Twilight by her shoulders. "We have to help him!" she wailed. "We have to!"
Twilight Sparkle put her forelegs around Rainbow Dash. "We will, Rainbow. We'll save him. I promise."
On a low cloud above a lake in Ponyville, Rainbow Dash lay on her stomach gazing wistfully at the water beneath her. She touched the water with her hoof, making small ripples in the surface. It had been several days since she and her friends had returned home, and since she had last seen Breaker.
The pegasus sighed, and closed her eyes. Just as she began to doze off, she heard her name being called from the edge of the lake. Rainbow shook her head, blinking a few times before she turned to see her friends lined up along the water's edge.
"Rainbow Dash? Could you come over here for a moment? We have something to tell you," Twilight said.
Rainbow Dash sighed, and with a few flaps, made her way to where her friends stood. Since her outburst at the Canterlot library, she hadn't seen her friends much. She feared there may have still been some tension left over. "Hey guys..."
"Listen Rainbow," Twilight began, "I just got word back from Princess Celestia, and she said–"
"Look, guys, I'm sorry about how I acted the other day," Rainbow Dash interrupted.
Twilight shook her head. "It's all right, Rainbow. We're going to–"
Rainbow Dash turned away from her friends as she continued to blather. "It's just, I can't stand not being able to help my friends! It'd be the same for any of you!"
"Rainbow..."
"And I owe Breaker so much! After what he did, I just–"
Suddenly, a familiar purple blob enveloped Rainbow Dash's head. The magic surface turned transparent, and the pegasus turned back to her friends. They all sported their own magic breathing bubbles around their heads, just like the ones they wore when they first began their undersea trip days ago.
"Rainbow!" Twilight blurted out. "You don't have to worry about that anymore!"
Applejack stepped forward. "We just got official word from the princess!" she said. "She's charged us with makin' our way to the sea pony kingdom, and try to give our pal Breaker a hoof!"
Rainbow Dash looked astonished. "Really? You mean it?"
The friends nodded, and one by one they held out their hooves, making a circle. "You in?" asked Twilight.
Rainbow Dash smiled excitedly, then placed her hoof in the circle. "You got it!"
"All right!" the ponies cheered.
Pinkie Pie burst out laughing, and wrapped her forelegs around the entire group. "Aw, you guys!" she giggled. She pulled her friends in, squeezing them tightly. Her smile vanished when a series of loud pops were heard, as hers and her friends' air bubbles ruptured. Pinkie smiled bashfully. "Sorry, everpony... Uh, Twilight?"
Twilight Sparkle grimaced. "Yeah I'm on it..."
The next day, the six ponies had returned to the sea. They retraced their steps as best they could from their first excursion to the undersea realm, making their way to where Rainbow Dash last encountered the sea ponies.
"Rainbow?" asked Twilight. "Is this where it happened?"
Rainbow Dash looked around. She frowned as she recalled the terrible incident. "Yup." She looked off into the distance. "They took him this way." With that, the six friends made their way off into the deep ocean, hoping to find the kingdom of the sea ponies.
After many hours of hiking along the sea floor, the friends began to feel their search was going nowhere. Panting heavily, Rarity was near collapsing. "Oh heavens," she gasped, "had I known there would be this much walking I'd have packed another set of horseshoes!"
"Come on, keep it together, everypony!" Rainbow Dash proclaimed. "Breaker is counting on us!" Rainbow was hopping along rocky outcroppings, tirelessly scanning the gloomy sea around her and her friends. "There's gotta be something down here that can give us a clue!"
As if on cue, the ponies heard Fluttershy utter a gentle gasp. "Oh my goodness!"
Rainbow Dash and the others soon converged on the yellow pegasus. She was ducking behind a large rock as she gazed out across a sandy expanse of the sea floor. The other ponies took cover behind the boulder as well, trying to catch sight of what had caught Fluttershy's attention. Soon, they all saw it.
Flitting along the seabed, a little sea pony filly was gathering small seashells in her forelegs and humming to herself. Rainbow Dash and the others quickly ducked behind their rocky hiding place. "This is it!" Rainbow Dash whispered. "We must be getting close to the sea ponies now!"
Twilight nodded. "Indeed. Maybe if we try to communicate with her, we can try to get some idea of where the kingdom is located. From there, we can figure things out."
"Hold on a minute, y’all," Applejack pointed out. "Remember what Breaker said, now. We gotta think this through, make sure we don't spook the poor thing. For now, I think we'd best lay low, and try to–"
"Oh no!" Rarity moaned.
The others poked their heads out from behind the boulder. At once, all of the ponies' jaws dropped.
Pinkie Pie had trotted out into the expanse where the little sea pony had been swimming about and was now standing before the startled filly, smiling broadly. "Hi there!" she chirped. "I'm Pinkie Pie! What's your name? Hey! Can you tell us where we can find your long lost kingdom of sea ponies so we can help our friend?"
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and groaned. "Aw, Pinkie! What the hay!"
For a moment, the filly remained motionless, staring wide-eyed at the smiling pink stranger before her. The assortment of seashells she had been collecting clattered to the ground, and the sea pony child gave her reply.
"Mommy!" With a flick of her fish tail, the filly took off through the water at astonishing speed, and was soon out of sight.
A confused Pinkie stood in the sandy plain, not sure of what to make of the encounter. "That's funny. I'm pretty sure I took a bath today," she pondered aloud.
Soon her friends were by her side, and Rainbow Dash was scowling. "Well, that went well," she grumbled. "Now what do we do?"
Twilight took a moment to think. "Well... we could try heading in the direction she went, see if that leads us closer finding this place. But if that's how they're going to react to us, it could only make things worse."
"Twilight's right," Applejack agreed. "If we're even gonna get a chance to speak with any of them, we've gotta find a way to get on their good side first."
Twilight nodded. "Rainbow Dash, did Breaker tell you anything during your time with him that could help with this?"
Rainbow Dash thought for a moment. Then, her eyes widened as an idea struck her. "Well, there was one thing. It's kind of crazy, but it might just do the trick!" She turned to the farm pony. "Applejack, can you see if you can whip up an oversized bridle of some sort with the stuff around here?"
"Can do!" the earth pony exclaimed.
"Great! And Pinkie? I need you for the next part," Rainbow continued. "But I gotta warn you, you aren't going to like it."
Pinkie Pie blinked.
"Rainbow Dash," Twilight leaned over to her pegasus friend. "What are you up to?"
Rainbow Dash gave a confident smirk. "We're getting a ride to the sea ponies."
Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rarity and Fluttershy had all taken cover behind some of the rocks on the seabed, while Rainbow Dash was perched atop a huge stone archway. The oversized makeshift bridle was in her front hooves as she readied herself for her plan.
"Applejack, are you sure that bridle you put together is sturdy enough?" Twilight whispered.
Applejack peered out to where Rainbow Dash was hiding. "Sure as I can be," she replied.
Twilight looked worried. "I hope Rainbow's plan works. From what she told us, the sea ponies have great admiration for anypony who can deal with sharks. I just hope Pinkie can handle it too."
Out in the middle of the open sea bed, Pinkie Pie nervously trotted along, her eyes darting from side to side. The others watched nervously from their hiding place. Across the way, Rainbow Dash kept her sights on her friend and the waters surrounding her.
"Okay Pinkie, just hang on..." Rainbow muttered under her breath.
Pinkie continued her trot, playing her role as best she could. As Rainbow maintained her vigilant watch across the seascape, she saw what she was waiting for.
The menacing form of a large shark soon swam into view. It first circled the area, then closed in as it recognized its pink prey from days ago.
"Oh, nelly..." Applejack gasped. "If I had fingers, they'd be crossed right about now..."
Pinkie hastened her trot to a full gallop, her heart pounding. She made her way to the stone arch where Rainbow Dash had hidden herself. Taken in by the increased activity, the shark picked up speed, and shot after the now terrified Pinkie.
With a yelp, Pinkie scrambled for the stone arch. She first sprinted along the sea floor, then paddling wildly with her hooves through the water. Behind her, the huge shark was closing in fast. At last Pinkie was upon the rocky structure, and crying out in dismay, she threw herself past the threshold, the shark close behind her.
Pinkie dove behind the rocks, and just as her vicious pursuer cleared the archway, Rainbow Dash threw herself down at the shark, jamming the bridle into the beast's mouth. She gripped the tethers in her front hooves tightly as she seated herself on the shark's back, just in front of its dorsal fin. The shark thrashed wildly, trying to shake off the pony that had unexpectedly planted herself upon it.
Rainbow Dash tugged at the reins, doggedly trying to tame the ferocious sea creature. "Easy, big guy! Easy!" she called out. Gradually, the shark ceased its flailing, and soon Rainbow Dash guided the creature to a steady undulation through the water. Grinning with satisfaction, Rainbow steered her new mount towards the spot where her friends were hiding. "Yeah, that's right. We're gonna be pals for a while now."
The other ponies stepped out to the open, staring in awe at their friend as she was perched atop the mighty predator.
Applejack gave a low whistle. "Now ain't that somethin'..." she remarked.
Suddenly, Pinkie Pie hopped into view, bouncing excitedly. "Oh! Oh! What should we name him? I vote for Mittens!" she exclaimed.
The other ponies looked at her with befuddled expressions. Twilight giggled. "I think we better save that discussion for later, Pinkie," she said.
Rainbow Dash readied the reins in her hooves. "Now, which way did that sea pony head again?"
At the bottom of the ocean, the long since forgotten city of the sea ponies was abuzz with rumors and gossip. News of the one who had violated Sacred Law had spread fast among the sea ponies, and soon, talk of yet another encounter with the ponies of the surface world were circulating among them.
"Did you hear what little Minnow claimed she saw earlier today? A land pony! Just walked right up to her, just beyond the seagrass meadows!" a lavender sea pony mare prattled. Like nearly every other sea pony in the city, she and her friend were absorbed in the scandal involving Breaker.
"Good heavens!" the green hued companion exclaimed. "Ever since that... that miscreant broke the Law, it's been land ponies this and land ponies that! I just hope someone thinks of the children!"
Suddenly, the outcries of various sea ponies were heard throughout the kingdom. "Shark! Shark!"
Terrified sea ponies scattered in all directions as the enormous predator made its way through the city, around the towers and spires, and soon circled down lower to one of the plazas of the undersea city. The cries and screams had caught the attention of the guards, and within moments the valiant protectors of the city scrambled to defend against the oncoming threat.
As soon as they met their opponent, however, the astonished guards stopped cold, staring at the oddity before them. After a while, a burly form pushed past them, making his way to the center of the commotion.
"Move aside! What's happening here?" demanded Riptide. Soon, the guard captain was upon the disturbance, and even he could not help but utter a gasp at what he saw.
Rainbow Dash and her friends were seated in a row atop the shark. Rainbow slowed her mount to a steady lap, as the population of sea ponies, once fleeing in terror from the threat, had begun to crowd around the amazing sight before them. Twilight Sparkle and the others glanced nervously around them at the countless wide-eyed faces upon them. Rainbow Dash, however, maintained a steady glare at Riptide.
Easing the shark down, Rainbow hopped to the stone floor. Keeping her eyes on the guard captain, she strutted up to him. Riptide was nearly three times Rainbow Dash's size, but it was the sea pony who looked intimidated. He glanced back and forth at the brash sky pony before him and the mighty sea predator nearby, seemingly unable to comprehend what he was seeing. Neither of them spoke for a moment.
"Not to sound cliché," Rainbow Dash finally said, "but take us to your leader."
A vast stone amphitheater made up the chamber of the sea pony elders. The tiers and arched windows were dotted with countless sea ponies. An event unlike any other in their history was about to unfold. In the center of the room, three ancient sea ponies, the mysterious elders, sat behind a tall podium, with Riptide floating by their side, as they awaited the audience of the six strange creatures who had come to call.
Twilight Sparkle and her friends slowly strode into the center of the chamber. Despite the tremendous number of ponies present, the entire chamber was nearly silent, save for a few quiet whispers among the assembly. Ever wanting to be friendly, Pinkie Pie waved cheerfully at random sea ponies in the crowd, but her efforts were only met with scornful glares. Mothers clutched their children defensively, some ponies even swam away as if in fear. Pinkie sulked.
The six friends paced across the floor, meeting the trio of decrepit looking sea ponies. Applejack leaned over to Twilight. "Well, we made it this far," she whispered. "What now?"
"Try to make the best case we can, I guess," Twilight replied.
The elders surveyed their visitors for a moment, then exchanged narrow-eyed looks. "A long time since we encountered ponies such as you," the wrinkled, brick-colored old mare seated to the right croaked.
Applejack tried to make a motion to tip her hat, despite the precious air bubble surrounding her head. "Mighty pleased to make your acquaintance, ma'am!" she exclaimed.
The old mare sneered. "It was hardly ever a pleasant experience," she continued, as if ignoring Applejack's greeting. Applejack blinked, then frowned.
"Tut-tut, Sargassa," the breathy voice of the gaunt old stallion seated to the left rebuked. The snobbish old creature took a moment to preen his flowing white mane. "Mind your manners. Just because we leave beneath the waves does not mean we must sink to their level..."
Applejack's eyes narrowed, and her scowl deepened. Rarity scoffed at the insult.
Twilight Sparkle stepped forward. "If you please, elders," she said as politely as she could, "we've come to your city on behalf of our friend, Breaker. He was–"
A snort escaped the bitter old mare. "Him. Ah yes. The Law-breaker." She spat the words.
"Yes, ma'am," Twilight continued. "Please. We ask that you to forgive him for what he did. He was only trying to help."
"Oh isn't that darling!" the wispy old stallion cackled. "Perhaps he was just looking for a new pet!"
It was all Rainbow Dash could do to keep herself from attacking the arrogant creature. Even Twilight herself was beginning to lose her patience. "Please," she said, "while we mean no disrespect, we only ask that you rethink your ways, and set Breaker free. You must understand, all of pony kind are no longer enemies, and we–"
"Rethink our ways! You dare?"
"What insolence!"
"Four-legged brats! We ought to–"
Suddenly, the imposing old stallion seated at the center held out his forelegs, halting the tirade from his peers. He settled his eerie, iridescent yellow eyes on the purple mare. "Go on, my dear," he said. His voice was deep and rich, and could be felt almost as well as it could be heard.
Still shaken from the tongue-lashing she had received, Twilight took a breath, and continued. "You must know, ponies all across the land have embraced friendship, and things are better now. We only wish to share that."
"That's right!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed happily. "Everypony is friends with everypony!" Pinkie reached out to her sides, reeling in Rarity and Fluttershy and hugging them tightly while sporting a nearly deranged, toothy smile. "See?"
The sea pony elders peered at Pinkie's bizarre display with dull expressions. Pinkie kept her ample grin, but arched her eyebrows in dismay. "C'mon guys, it's the sea ponies..." she said to her friends. Her words were slurred by her outstretched cheeks and clenched teeth. Rarity and Fluttershy forced uneasy smiles.
The old sea pony stallion sat in thought for a moment. "Bring him in."
By the order, Riptide gestured with his foreleg, and soon two guards wafted into the chamber from behind the podium, clutching a blue sea pony by his forelegs. It was Breaker. He kept his head lowered as he was ushered into the room, a pair of sturdy iron manacles fastened to his forelegs. Slowly, he looked up, as if in fear of what he would see, but his eyes widened the moment he saw Rainbow Dash standing across the way. He started forward, but was restrained by one of his armored escorts. Rainbow Dash's eyes pricked with tears at the sight of her friend in his predicament.
Twilight sighed. "Please, elders. There's no need to punish Breaker for putting your kind in danger, because there is no danger anymore." Rainbow Dash stepped forward, emphasizing Twilight's point. "Can we be friends?" Twilight pleaded.
The chamber fell painfully quiet. The elder seated at the center closed his eyes, occasionally tapping his hoof on the podium as he ruminated. His companions simply glowered at the six mares, unimpressed. Then, the old stallion opened his eyes.
"Child. Your pleas are certainly heartfelt," the elder began, "and perhaps your world of the surface has changed since we departed so long ago."
Twilight and her friends felt their spirits rise at the elder's words.
"But, be that as it may," the elder continued, "our ways have not changed for ages, and there is not nearly enough reason to alter them after all this time."
Twilight's heart sank. Rainbow Dash gasped, and the others muttered in disbelief. Twilight started to speak again. "But–"
The elder shook his head. "A handful of ponies from the world above seeking 'frienship' simply does not justify undoing centuries of tradition. With or without your friendship, we are no worse off. There is nothing you have that we want." His voice turned hard. "Breaker has broken Sacred Law. He must be punished to the fullest."
The other two elders held expressions of grim satisfaction as the the decision was rendered.
Twilight's mouth hung open in dismay. She racked her brain for some kind of way to persuade the elders, but nothing came to her. She looked to Breaker, mouthing a sorrowful apology to the doomed sea pony. Breaker's gaze fell to the floor, convinced that his fate was sealed. Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy all hung their heads in sorrow.
Suddenly, Rainbow Dash stepped ahead of her friends. She stood boldly before the elders with her wings proudly outstretched. The elders peered at the impudent sky pony standing before them.
"Then take me instead."
Nearly every pony in the chamber gasped. The elders, the guards, Twilight and the others, and Breaker himself all gawked at Rainbow Dash in shock.
"Breaker did what he did because he believed things between our kind could be different," Rainbow Dash said. "If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't even be here. But if things can't be different, then..." The pegasus stopped. There was nothing left to say.
The elders stared at Rainbow Dash, lost for words. The center elder leaned forward. "You, a sky pony," he said, "you would... take his place?"
Rainbow Dash held her proud stance. "Yes."
"No!" Breaker thrashed frantically. This time it took both guards to restrain him. "Rainbow Dash, stop! You can't!" he cried.
"Sky pony," the elder said sternly, "do you understand what you are doing? What it means?"
Rainbow Dash blinked. Her expression suddenly filled with sadness. She looked back her friends. The five stricken ponies were nearly in tears. Rainbow Dash's eyes welled, and she stifled a knot in her throat. "Yes..." she replied. Turning back to the elders, she made her final plea. "Just please... Don't hurt him..."
A long, tense silence was held, as every pony in the amphitheater tried to comprehend the situation. The elders looked to each other, clearly moved by Rainbow's bravery. Even Riptide's expression had softened.
The center elder spoke again. "A sea flows to many places, and the tides change constantly. It has been a long time since we have allowed ourselves to do the same. As I said before, our ways have remained unchanged for so long, so perhaps it is we who have forgotten how to go with the flow, as we once so often did."
Rainbow Dash almost allowed herself to smile.
"However," continued the elder, "a law was indeed broken. For the sake of stability, a sentence must be carried out. Bring him forward."
Rainbow Dash uttered a gasp of protest. She stepped back, as the two guards pulled Breaker to the center of the room.
The sea pony elder addressed the prisoner. "Breaker, you have brought about a great disruption to our kingdom. Such is the case with any great change. Therefore, we charge you with a task."
Breaker swallowed.
"You are to live amongst the land ponies, to learn from them, and teach them of our kind as well. And above all, respect their laws."
Breaker blinked. A wave of relief washed over him, and his guards undid the fetters around his forelegs.
"We have spoken," the old elder said, rapping his hoof on the podium.
Riptide nudged Breaker toward the group of mares standing nearby. "Keep your snout clean, lad," he grunted, and gave a wry smile.
Breaker turned toward Rainbow Dash. The two ponies stared at each other, lost for words. Rainbow Dash suddenly burst out laughing, tears escaping her eyes. Breaker did the same, as he and Rainbow threw their forelegs around each other. They twirled briefly in their embrace, drawing a long, low, "O-o-oh," from the throngs of sea ponies around them.
"Oh my gosh!" Breaker exclaimed. "Rainbow, I thought I was never going to see you again!"
Rainbow Dash held Breaker tightly. "Hey, you..."
It was sunset when Twilight Sparkle and her friends returned to Ponyville. Seven ponies gathered at the edge of the large lake that was to be Breaker's new home. As the ponies helped Breaker settle into his dwelling, Princess Celestia herself had arrived to greet the newcomer. Twilight eagerly recounted the tale of the adventures she and her friends had during their mission to the sea to her teacher.
"Boy howdy!" Applejack declared. "We're gonna need a vacation after that vacation!"
Princess Celestia looked impressed. "It sounds to me like you all had quite an adventure!" she said. "And it sounds like an important lesson was learned as well." The kindly monarch turned to Breaker and Rainbow Dash. "Having the courage to question authority is nothing to be ashamed of," she said. "It can lead to many great things. But always remember that rules are in place for your protection." She peered at Breaker, tilting her head toward him. "I trust you'll keep this in mind while staying in our fair kingdom?"
The sea pony and the pegasus grinned at each other. Breaker bowed. "Yes, your highness," he said. Princess Celestia smiled.
Soon after, the princess excused herself, vanishing in a magical flash, and Twilight and her friends began to make their way back to Ponyville. Pinkie Pie was bouncing with excitement, blathering randomly about all the ideas for the party she wanted to throw to celebrate the arrival of their new friend. Soon, all the ponies had all gone their separate ways. All of them, except Rainbow Dash, who still stood by the edge of the water alongside Breaker.
Rainbow Dash scratched the side of her head. "So are you okay with all this? This works? I mean, it's not exactly the ocean..."
"Of course, Rainbow. It'll suit me just fine," Breaker said. "Hey, it sure beats the the alternative!"
Rainbow Dash giggled.
Breaker looked around, as if trying to make sure he and Rainbow Dash were alone. "Actually, I really wanted to say thanks. I mean, for what you did back there."
Rainbow Dash shrugged. "Aw, don't mention it."
Breaker suddenly looked very dire. "No, really. I mean it," he said. "I've never had anypony stick up for me like that before. I didn't want to make a big deal about it in front of your friends, but... it really means a lot to me."
A warm smile crossed Rainbow Dash's face. "Hey. What are friends for?"
Breaker smiled back. "I think I'll like being friends with a pegasus," he said.
Rainbow Dash took a step closer to Breaker. "I think I'll like being friends with a sea pony."
The two ponies remained silent, smiling at each other. It was funny, Rainbow Dash thought, how startled she was the first time she stared into those big green eyes she once again found herself lost in. It was not long ago that Breaker seemed like something out of a fairy tale, and nothing more. But now, after everything that had happened and everything they had been through together, now he was someone special. Rainbow Dash slowly began to lean forward.
"Hippocampus."
Rainbow Dash blinked. "Huh?"
"A hippocampus pony," Breaker repeated. "That's what I am. It's what all my kind are called, actually."
Rainbow Dash blinked again. "Oh! Good to know!" she said. She flapped her wings, taking flight. "Hey, it's getting late," she said. "I sure am beat after all that traveling and shark wrestling and stuff! But we should totally hang out tomorrow!"
Breaker nodded. "You got it! As long as Twilight doesn't want to spend the whole day asking me questions!"
Rainbow Dash giggled again. "See you later!" she sang. She fluttered away, as Breaker waved farewell.
Breaker pulled himself further into the lake, and dove beneath the water and into his new home. His new life among the land ponies was going to be pleasant. He was sure of it.
