The Poseidon Adventure

Chapter 2: Midnight

Back in the ballroom it was still very festive, people were dancing, laughing, and having the time of their lives. There was about a few minutes left till midnight. At their table, Pinkie and Cheese were still talking to their friends about their time at the ports the Poseidon stopped at. At the table next to them, Twilight and Spike were still talking to Celestia, Luna, and the others at the table. Her parents and her brother had gotten up from the table and went across the room to the dance floor. Sweetiebell, along with Applebloom, and Scootaloo were on the dance floor. The only one who wasn't in the ballroom was Fluttershy, she had gone back downstairs to grab a bracelet from her dresser. Realizing what time it was Pinkie and her boyfriend got up from their table and made their way to the stage.

Finally the music had ended and the ships entertainment director came up on stage.

"Ladies and Gentlemen may I have your attention please?" He announced through the microphone. "It's exactly, 60 seconds to midnight. Please stand and fill your glasses."

Everyone cheered and proceeded to fill their glasses with the ships finest champagne. Many from the dance floor returned to the tables to get their glasses. The time was drawing near and the party was hitting it's big climax of the evening. Twilight, her family, and her friends gathered around the Captains table.

Downstairs at Sunset and Flash's party, everyone prepared themselves as well. Like everyone else, the two were excited. They stood with their new musician friends when they noticed someone who looked like she had no where to go. The sad look on her face really didn't sit well with the 5. Sunset knew what to do.

"Derpy." The crossed eyed woman looked up. "don't be alone tonight. Come over here with us." She then grabbed her arm and escorted her to the small group. Derpy was now as happy as she could be. Being a single mother she really didn't get out much, and with her eyes she felt like a total outcast. But tonight, Sunny proved she wasn't. Handed a glass of champagne, that Flash smuggled out of the kitchen, the group prepared for the big countdown.

Up on the bridge the Captain and the crew continued watching the RADAR. Then he went over to the ships phone and called the lookout on the forward mast.

"Lookout is there anything yet?"

"Nothing yet sir. The overcast is making it a bit hard to see."

"Keep a sharp watch off the port bow, we have a big RADAR target coming our way."

And with that he hung up the phone. "Longman, get the binoculars." The target was closing in and was about a mile from the Shallows. They hoped to spot it in time to turn into it, that is, if it was a real danger. The Captain knew it, but there was always the chance he was wrong. That's what scared him the most.

Back down below Pinkie and Cheese got on stage and proceeded to grab the trigger system to the 'Party Cannons'. They proceeded out on stage where they met up with the band and the entertainment director. Right next to them, just as cheery as they were, was Cadence, the lead singer and guitarist, Sombra, her brother and the bass guitarist, Chrysalis, the pianist, and Sombra's wife, and the drummer, Discord.

They were all thriving off the excitement in the room. The sound of party blowers, laughter, and excited chatter filled the air. Finally the director spoke.

"Everyone quiet please. Your attention everyone, please be quiet." The whole room quieted down and the countdown began. "Ten seconds" the whole everyone on the ship then began to count down. "9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1" And with a blast of the ships horn and the flick of the switch on the remote, the 'Cannons' went off as everyone shouted out, "HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

The whole ship went wild. Streamers, confetti, and balloons were raining down all over the place. People were cheering, kissing each other, singing, dancing, and having the greatest time of their lives. And everyone was in on it, the ballroom, the kitchen, all the staff and passengers, including the ones at the party downstairs. It was the celebration of a lifetime.

Upstairs though, the mood was less energetic. The crew watched as the blip on the RADAR got closer. It was now 3 miles from the Poseidon, and closing fast over the Shallows.

Up in the crows nest, the lookouts were searching off the port bow for anything unusual. Suddenly one of them spotted something in the dark, something they've never seen before. It was a terrifying sight for the both of them. They immediately phoned the bridge. The Captain picked up halfway through the first ring.

"What is it lookout?" He said, after waiting so long he would finally get his answer.

"Off the port bow. We've never saw anything like it. A massive wall of water coming at us." The lookout said, clearly panicked.

Not believing what was said was true, the Captain put his binoculars to his eyes and looked off the port side of the ship. What he saw made his jaw drop and his skin pale.

It was a massive wall of water standing 90 feet high, due to the shallow water, and stretched from side to side as far as the eye could see. Everyone on the bridge who saw it knew they were in trouble. The Captain's nautical instincts then kicked in.

"HARD TO PORT LONGMAN! CLOSE ALL WATERTIGHT DOORS, SOUND ALL STATION, AND GET OFF A MADAY!"

The crew sprang into action. They began hitting switches and giving orders to the other crew stations on the ship. Suddenly the alarms began going off, the horn blowing, bells ringing, crews all ready at their stations springing into action. Longman began turning the ship to port until the wheel stopped moving. And all at once the party atmosphere the party atmosphere silenced under the new sounds. None of the passengers knew what to make of it. The also didn't know what to make of the ship starting to lean to it's left. They were beginning to suspect something was wrong.

Back on the bridge everyone held their breath as the watched the wave come closer to the windows. The Poseidon turned as much as she could but by now it was too late. Everyone on the bridge braced for impact as the wave struck. The glass shattered and water flew right through the openings, knocking the Captain, the representative, and the crew off their feet. The 'sparks' down in the radio room came under fire as a barrage of glass and water hit him, knocking him out of his seat.

The ship was now being righted by the massive swell. But the unstable ship was no match for the wave as it then heeled to its starboard with a scream. Suddenly the confused partiers went into full blown panic mode as the room began to roll to it's side. What was once cheering and laughter, was now screaming and terror as people, dishes, chairs, everything went tumbling down the room. Up at the Captains table everyone watched as everything and everyone fell towards the stage in front of them. Suddenly, one by one, everybody lost their footing. Grabbing the tables, the floor, and even each other, the passengers began falling down the slope.

Down one level, Flash, Sunset, and their party began falling onto the walls, each other, and into the open cabins. Many were trying to climb up the walls to escape the avalanche of people and objects, but to no avail. Just outside the kitchen, Joe and the two bakers, the Cakes began falling against the wall, attempting to avoid glass, dishes, pots and pans, and utensils coming out of the kitchen, through the bus area where they were, and into the ballroom.

The walls were now the floor, object were falling like snow, people who were still at the opposite wall fell into the pile of debris, injured, and the already dead, or fell onto the Christmas tree. But it wasn't over yet. By now the ship was completely on its side at a 90 degree angle...and increasing. The top heavy decks of the ship, acting as a weight began to turn the ship over. Everything that made it to the walls began to slide again as the ship rolled over. Surprisingly the Christmas tree still sat in it's stand. Everything began to come loose, tables, chairs, carts, dynamos, boilers, engine room equipment, anything that could be jarred loose by gravity, did. In the kitchen objects hit the gas lines to the burners, setting off an explosive chain reaction. The fire was quick, but was horrifying to say the least as the workers trapped inside by the closing emergency doors were engulfed in flames.

Finally the ship started to end it's 180 degree trip of destruction. But ship still swayed a few degrees from side to side, as if trying to scatter the debris evenly through out the ship. The lights were flickering, dimming, and brightening as if they were confused. The screaming of the injured, dying, and terrified echoed in every room through out the ship. In the ballroom the sounds came from all directions including the floor, which was now the celling. Anyone who held on to the tables, that were bolted to the floor, as the ship rolled over, were now dangling from them like Christmas lights.

Then, one by one they began to fall to their deaths. One in particular caught the eye of about a dozen. He was above the middle of the 3 big stain glass panel light fixture that helped light the ballroom. The young man held on as long as he could, but couldn't hold forever. He fell with a yell and hit the panels with a loud 'SMASH'. Suddenly with several small booms heard, the lights went out, and the ship went silent as it's movements ceased.