How I Became the Sea

I flounder and flail wildly in an attempt to break free. Desperate, enraged thoughts fill my head as I approach my fate. Pressure builds up inside of me as my movement becomes even more erratic.

I feel something pressed against my mouth. I open it to defiantly roar my last breath. And I breathe... in? What?

The brightest green I have ever seen in my life fills my vision. I slow, reeling at the glowing aquamarine eyes that meet mine. Fluttershy moves back, a smug look on her face. In my stupor, I release all the oxygen I just received. Rolling her eyes, Fluttershy locks lips with me again. I'm... confused.

It feels hot and awkward, but I breathe in air. So... so she isn't drowning me. I have to say, I am more than glad. I felt a little betrayed when she began dragging me down.

I ogle at her in pure amazement. Her eyes. How...? Fluttershy laughs. It's so... I don't know how to describe it. It has a soft comfort to it, like a breeze nudging at wind chimes. It's fitting, I think.

"You want to go back home?" She asks in that perfect voice. I manage to nod. "I'll take you back. But first..."

Fluttershy air-kisses me again. She smiles playfully, eyes twinkling. She takes advantage of her free reign by snaking up, down, and all around my body faster than my eyes can keep up with her. I'm not an idiot; she's clearly enjoying this.

"Fair is fair."

She grabs me again, and we shoot off like a missile. I can only watch passively as she takes me wherever the heck she wants to. The deep blue sea around us is vast; seemingly endless. The ocean floor, however, is alive with color.

We kick up sand as we race through a jungle of seaweed, over rust-colored corral, and join the every day traffic of marine life. All the while, of course, Fluttershy occasionally stops to let me... well, catch my breath, for lack of better words.

I still can't believe what I'm seeing. Never mind the mind-boggling journey under the sea, or having to make out with a mythical beast to stay alive. Just look at those gorgeous eyes! I swear, I've never seen them glow like that. Not even when she was underwater.

I pretend to be interested in the scenery as we zoom and whirl this way and that. After some time, the two of us devise a more effective system: I cling to her back, forelegs wrapped over her shoulders, and hind legs clamped to her sides as she goes. I give her a quick tap every time I need air, and she turns her head to allow me to refill.

I must say, she is a very powerful swimmer. It takes a while for me to loosen up, but eventually I do put all my trust in her. I tap her shoulder and take her air with a grin on my face. I really don't care where she takes me.

I giggle hysterically as we surface. Just... wow! If I'm breathless, I can't imagine how Fluttershy feels, and she did all the hard work! My shaky appendages let go of Fluttershy, and I slip free. We're both drifting lazily towards the beach, now.

I kind of hope it takes a while to get there. Fluttershy rolls over in the water, floating on her back while she keeps me balanced on top of her. Her eyes aren't glowy anymore. But now that I've seen them like that, I can't grow any less fond of them. I slip my goggles off so I get an unobstructed view of them.

The wide range of shining stars reflected on her eyes looks so stunning, like an intricate painting mapped over her pupils. I can't look away. Fluttershy smiles at me. Usually when she does, it's one of those cheeky Gotcha smiles. But... not this one.

I clear my throat, then hesitantly bring my hoof up to gently tap her shoulder. Fluttershy raises her eyebrows at me, eyes silently asking me, Do you want to? I chuckle nervously, and nod.

She lifts her head up. I lower mine. This time, I'm not feeling her lips against mine just so Fluttershy could have a laugh. I am, because I want to. All those other "kisses" may have been to keep me from dying, but this one makes me really feel alive.

I feel somewhat disappointed to have to take my lips away from hers. I've kissed one or two ponies before, but nothing ever felt so warm, tender, and heartfelt. The memory of her perfect, plush lips leaves a tingling feeling on my own. I pin my ears back when I realize that Fluttershy can probably feel my heart beating faster.

Some time later, we wash up next to Fluttershy's rock. I purse my lips as I look at the beach. The tank Fluttershy was in is now shattered to pieces. The foam on the waterline has some... ahem, slight discoloration.

It's stupid. I'm stupid for thinking it, but I don't really want to go. And the way Fluttershy holds on to me... I hope that she doesn't want me to go either. I rub the back of my neck as I get ready to speak.

Before I can, I shout in surprise as Fluttershy hurls me clear over her. I land on the sand with a wet thud, and shake the dizzy out of my head. What was that for, I wonder to myself in genuine pain. I thought we were having a moment.

As I stand back up, a ghastly wail fills the air, sending a wave of chills down my spine. Fluttershy is entangled with another creature, whinnying in fury as they fight. I freeze when I see the golden, scaly skin of the thing that is so. Much. Bigger than Fluttershy. How did she manage to take on two of them?!

It's attacking blindly and savagely, as if already endangered, and just trying to take Fluttershy down with it. Well, I ain't gonna let it. I gallop over, and pounce into the tussle. I kick wildly at the thing, chomping down on its neck in the process. I hope I'm doing more than being a nuisance.

Nope, I am entirely nuisance-worthy. The Siren throws me off of its back, and I land roughly on the rocks. I cough. For a few moments, I see doubles of everything. Probably not a good sign that I see two outraged gold Sirens clambering towards me, red eyes burning right through me. I try to run away, but I trip over my own hooves.

With its mouth open wide, I think I'm witnessing my last moments. Instead, out billows a giant cloud of mist. Very briefly, I see the Siren's contemptful look, while behind it Fluttershy stares at me in horror. And then they're gone.

I blink. The mist is too thick to see through. I can barely see my hoof in front of my face as I wave repeatedly to clear it up.

"Fluttershy? Hello?" I call out. I flinch when I hear my voice echo back. I whimper slightly. If there's one thing I truly hate, it's to be alone. And I am alone.

I don't understand. What happened? That Siren. It did something to me. It must have cursed me. I curl up on my rock, where I fear I may have to spend the rest of my life. Just as my eyes begin to water, I feel a glimmer of hope.

Hope in the form of a lick of a breeze. I raise my head. Was I just overreacting? Could I just fly away? The mist starts to clear, and I burst into relieved laughter. Stupid Siren; it thought it got me! Nothing gets the Dash!

Pretty soon, the mist evaporates entirely, revealing the sunshine from above. I dance in victory on my rock. Awe yeah, baby! The Siren is nowhere to be seen, and good riddance. And Fluttershy's okay! She's sitting right on her rock. Funny, her mane looks longer from behind.

"Fluttershy!" I bound over. Fluttershy looks over her shoulder in stunned silence. I wave at her, and I fail to react as she tackles me in a hug.

"Uh, I'm okay," I chuckle. She shuts me up by trapping me in a deep, greedy kiss. I... am confused again. "Hey, hey. I'm okay." I try to assert.

Something feels... wrong, though. Her eyes are tired. Drained. She looks exhausted. What did that Siren do to her?

"Hey," I try to smile comfortingly. "You okay?"

We both jump as a loud horn goes off.

"All hooves on deck, everypony! We found her!"

I stare at the ship closing in to the beach. My ear twitches. I could have sworn that was Applejack's voice coming from the megaphone.

In a panic, Fluttershy dives into the water, desperately swimming to clear away from the ever-nearing ship full of ponies.

"Twilight, send a signal up for Rainbow Blaze. We finally found her."