To Save a (bunch of) Seapony[ies]

"And that, Twilight Sparkle is why I am tasking you with the responsibility of catching these poachers. But be warned, when you find them, they will not show you any mercy. They'll kill anypony who stands in their way, so be careful. I understand your abilities are superior to that of any other unicorn, but these ponies are very powerful, and they had the highest technology on their side.

-Sincerely, Princess Celestia"

Twilight finished reading the letter aloud to Spike, who was laying down in his little bed.

    "So let me get this straight," Spike said, "Princess Celestia expects you to dive down to the bottom of the ocean somehow and stop a group of criminals who broke out of Canterlot's Maximum Security Prison?"

    "Not her exact words, but yeah, that's what she implied." Twilight replied, looking at the letter again, and then flipping it over, "There's also this bit about a former student of hers on the back of the paper. "

    "Was he/she/it evil?" Spike interjected quickly, hoping the answer would be a no.

    "Of course not!" Twilight gasped, "Why would you even suggest that?!"

    "Dunno. Just a thought." Spike answered, rolling his eyes.

    "Anyway, it says she once taught a young unicorn named Stephen, and on the day he earned his cutie mark, everypony made fun of it because apparently he earned it in telling stories about seaponies he met... somehow. Basically, nobody took him seriously and everybody treated him like a kid. They all thought he just made everything up, but according to this letter, he cast a permanent water-breathing spell; one of the hardest to master, and ran away with these supposed 'seaponies'. It says Celestia's been searching for almost 16 years now, but still no sign of him, and since we're supposed to be going to the same ocean he disappeared to, it's possible we may find him ."

    "Wow" Spike said, getting out of his mini bed, "I wonder where he is now."

    "That's the interesting thing, Spike!" Twilight said, enthusiastic all of the sudden, "He could be ANYWHERE by now! Or......dead. But that's besides the point!"

    "Actually that very much relates to the point."

    "Whatever. The punchline here is that we get the rest of the gang, find a way to cast a water-breathing spell, and rescue some seaponies and possibly a long lost unicorn!"

    "But, Twilight......"

    "What, Spike?" Twilight sighed, grabbing her saddlebag and started to fill it with quills, papers, and books she would most likely not need, but she was going to read anyway..

    "How are you going to learn that water-breathing spell? According to this book, and your own words it is one of the hardest spells to master." Twilight proceeded to grab the book and read every word on the page in about ten seconds flat.

   "Well.....uh....I was talking about the permanent one, but according to this book......" Twilight trailed off as she finished reading, "Only certain unicorns and alicorns with water-related talents can cast this spell, and even then, it's still one of the hardest spells to cast, permanent or not."

    "Wow, no wonder nopony could find Stephen, when even Princess Celestia herself couldn't even cast the spell necessary to find him....

Also, how do you plan to take books, paper, and ink underwater?"

    "Then how could he possibly cast the spell?" Twilight wondered aloud, "I mean, according to this letter, he was only a young foal when he ran away...

and about those books..I'll make them waterproof. That spell is actually really easy."

   "The real question is, 'Why would he run away?' I'm sure a few ponies laughing at your cutie mark doesn't justify jumping in the ocean to live with seaponies."

   "Spike, a Pony's cutie mark is what their life's purpose is. It's what you were meant to do. Making fun of something that you will have for the rest of your life can be very damaging for a foal. Especially if it's ponies  you are in contact with daily, which, from what I can tell is what happened here. Also, I'm sure it was more than a few ponies who felt like being jerks." Twilight explained as she levitated the saddlebags onto her back and started to walk to the door, opening it with her magic.

    "By the way Twilight," Spike called just as she was about to step out the door,

    "What?"

   "You never answered me....how do you plan on getting to the bottom of the ocean?" He asked.

   "Well.. do you remember that time I changed everybody into Breezies?"

   "Wasn't there..." Spike sighed, resting his head on his hand and rolling his eyes.

   "Oops......sorry." Twilight apologized, blushing slightly, "Anyway, when we all had to guide the Breezies back to their world, I had to turn all our friends into Breezies to help them. I think....if I can maybe get a look at one of those Seaponies, I may be able to cast that same transformation spell, and turn us all into Seaponies."

   "Sounds good....but I still don't see how that's easier than a water-breathing spell."

   "Me neither, but it does have many advantages." Twilight explained, "We could swim faster and be more agile in the water, whereas if we were just under a water-breathing spell, we'd still be swimming like horses." Twilight turned to walk out the door, but Spike interrupted her again.

   "One more thing, Twilight." He said, sitting up.

   "What, Spike?" Twilight practicality groaned.

   "Can I come?" He asked, smiling at her.

   "Sure, Spike." Twilight answered, smiling as Spike jumped out of his bed and rushed over to the door. The two then set off to find the rest of their friends.