Author's Note

I apologize for such a long wait. I've been so busy with life and I honestly just couldn't feel like writing. I however, have been writing, but not so much as I used to. I love entertaining you guys, but I have a life outside of the internet and I'm trying to get a job, Talking with my girlfriend who I have been trying to give her the confidence to being a writer because her RPs are pretty good and she is a really creative woman. Because of them, I may use her influence for future stories

Anyway, enjoy the new chapter

Proofread by Miles Skywalker

Music to My Ears

I slowly open my eyes, checking my surroundings. Leaning up, I give out a stretch, hearing a crack on my left arm. I bring my arms down, looking towards the window, seeing the sun's rays from above the kingdom shining down. Before removing the covers, I take notice of something sticking out from the sheets, between me and my fish half. Takes me five seconds to realize I have morning wood.

"Really?" I said to myself. "I still have a penis with this fish tail? I wonder how it looks."

Lifting off the covers, there it was, my penis in all its glory. Looking down to the shaft, I take notice of a flap between the scales. "Huh... so that's how it works.

Someone knocked on the door, making me jump. I quickly put the covers over my morning wood, with my hands on top of it to make it not stand out.

"Travy?" said Skystar from the other side. "Are you awake? Breakfast is gonna be ready soon."

"I am! Just don't come in!"

"Why not?"

"I... have bedhead and look weird."

"What's bedhead?"

"When humans wake up, our hair looks silly."

"Can I see?"

"N-no! It's hideous."

"Awwww! Okay. Table is in the throne room. Hope you like scrambled eggs."

The sounds of her tail moving fade away, as I look back down at my semi-erection. I let out a sigh of relief. "Phew! Would be bad swimming around with this guy up."

After getting myself cleaned up, I put on my usual shirt from yesterday, swimming into the throne room. There, in the throne room is a circular table at the bottom of the throne, with Novo's friends chatting as they eat their breakfast. With her back towards me is Skystar, giggling to their conversation. I rub my left eye, looking towards the empty seat that stands beside Novo.

"Good morning, everyone," I said, giving out a stretch of my arms.

"Good morning, Travis," said Novo, "Please come and have some breakfast before it gets cold."

I swim to my chair, sitting down comfortably on the red cushion. On my flat rock plate are my scrambled eggs, making my mouth water. I picked up my fork, using its side to cut a piece of it it. As I place it in my mouth, the flavor somehow tasted very familiar. The egg tasted like gran-gran's scrambled eggs, without the glass of juice and a slice of toast. Memories of her brings tears to my eyes.

"Travy?" Skystar said worriedly, bringing me back to reality. "Are you okay? You're crying."

I take my left finger, swiping it on my cheek. Looking down to my finger, it is definitely wet. "Oh! Well... these eggs are really good. They remind me of gran-gran."

"Who's that?" asked Novo.

"My grandmother. Sweetest person I'll ever know. She made me laugh, she was there when I had a horrible day... she..."

My eyes go blurry with tears, making me put down my fork and cover my face. "She... she was taken away from me by that awful driver..."

Why am I crying? I haven't cried like this in such a long time. Not since gran-gran died. I was ten when she got into that crash and I cried constantly for about a week.

As I sobbed uncontrollably, tears falling into the palms on my hands, I suddenly feel a fin on my right shoulder, making my sobbing come to a complete stop. I take a peak to my right, seeing Skystar looking at me with a tear in her eye.

"Travy," she said in a soothing voice, "Don't cry."

Somehow, her words calm me down, as I give out a sniffle.

"Thanks, Skystar."

I couldn't resist hugging her. She's a rather good friend and seeing a tear in her eye makes it clear that she really cares for me. She hugs me tight, as I give out a few more sniffles. The mood goes away suddenly, as Novo's friends look at us with big and bright eyes. I break the hug, looking back at my breakfast with red cheeks.

After breakfast, I bathe on the surface. Sliding my fingers across my hair to make sure every strand is cleaned. I go under the water, tilting my head up towards the rushing water, getting my face splashed by water, enjoying it all. My tail splashing into the entrance of Seaquestria, creating large ripples that make it to the middle.

"Ahhh," I exhale, enjoying the decent temperature of the fresh water that pours down onto my skin, "Refreshing."

"Hey there, mister!"

I jumped, swimming backwards, as my back smacks against the chest of the hippogriff statue. In front of me is a seapony with light magenta-ish color, with a light cornflower blue and bluish-gray mane. She wears a necklace showing a pink shell. She stared at me with surprise, as she swims close to me, now less than a foot away.

"So you're the human I never got to see while I got sick," she said in a bubbly voice, kinda similar to Skystar.

"Y-yeah, that's me. I'm bathing, at the moment..."

"Oh! You were cleaning yourself?! My bad! I was just so curious to what you look like. I was at the castle, but was being taken care of by Seaspray."

"Seaspray? Doesn't ring a bell to me."

"Tall seapony, light purple, wears a necklace similar to mine, mint green mane."

"Hmm..."

I try thinking back, but nothing is coming up in my memory.

"Not really. Either I haven't been paying attention to my surroundings or he hasn't shown himself."

"I guess it's because he's been watching over me during my fever. Enough of my fever, I wanna know more about you Travy."

"Well, my name is- wait! Who told you that my nickname is Travy?"

"My cousin silly."

"Who?"

"Skystar."

"Hold the phone! Let's start over. You're Skystar's cousin... Silverstream, is it?"

"That's me!"

"It's coming back to me. Yeah, Skystar told me about you during breakfast at one point. Nice to meet you, though this is rather awkward to meet you while I'm naked."

"Everybody is naked, silly!" she giggles.

She swims to my left, resting her back against the stone, looking at me with a big grin.

"So tell me, how did you get here? All I know from Seaspray is that you are the only human to ever be in our kingdom, and you're here to stay, right?"

"You heard right. I got here because a storm damaged my boat pretty badly and I found Mount Eris close by and was hoping to find someone who could help me and I found Skystar who took care of me and gave me food. Took me to sea Novo, made an agreement, and I'm now stuck here. Also, don't worry, I'm not gonna kill anyone. Nor do I have intention to."

"You're pretty cool, Travy. What's your real name?"

"It's Travis."

She sticks out a fin towards me. "The name's Silverstream."

"Uh... I already know that, but okay."

I shake hands with her fin, smiling towards her.

"So, you gonna go hear my cousin sing tonight?"

"Yeah, I can't wait. She has a great voice."

"'A 'great voice', huh?"

She gives me a smirk, making me question to what she's thinking. I just said she has a good voice is all, what would she be thinking?

"Uh... why are you smirking?"

She giggles, nudging on my shoulder.

"Tell me, is my cousin cute?"

"C-cute?! Uh... she is, b-but-"

"Oh? Do you have the hots for her?"

"N-no! I don't! We're just friends! I can't fall in love with her immediately! Plus, if I were to, it'll make her look weird to everyone."

"I'm just kidding, silly," she laughs, smacking against my back, "Hehehe! You're funny. Say, what do humans eat?"

"We can be omnivores or be vegetarians. Sardines can do for now. I would love to have a piece of steak right now."

"Steak?"

"Juicy pieces of meat that make my mouth water. Cooked and juicy."

"Oh boy, that's making me hungry already. Oh! What is royalty like at your home?"

"Our leader he's... ask me another one."

"Hobbies?"

"I like to fish."

"Fishing? Oh! You know, there's a fishing club and if you enjoy finishing you should go see them."

"Oh? I didn't know you guys had such a thing, but I'll try it."

"Cool! Me and Skystar will cheer for you when the competitions come! Whoever catches the most fish wins."

"Sounds like fun. I did that a few times back with other fishermen."

"Perfect! So when you're done bathing, come down here. I'll let you meet them."

"Thanks, Silver. Mind if I give you a nickname?"

"Skystar calls me that, so of course you can."

I wave to her as she waves back before slipping down back to Seaquestria.

I dive back to Seaqestria, swimming around the bottom, waving to other seaponies. Some wave back, some just smiled friendly.

"Never been around down here, but it sure does look ni-"

I bump into someone, as I look forward, an old seapony looks to me with surprise and seems rather upset. He has wrinkles on his face, his arms are thin and shaky. His scales are grey, along with his fins being the color of dark blue. His mane, the color of white as foam. The grumpy old seapony stares at me with hatred in his yellow eyes.

"Murderer!" he shouts. "I lost my dear wife to you! You humans are monsters! It's your fault we're down here in the first damn place!"

"Whoa!" I hold my hands up to him. "Take it easy, Sir. I know of your history, bu-"

"Silence!" She interrupted. "You are but savages! Every last one of you! You can fool everyone, but you can't fool me!"

I take notice around me, some seaponies staring, murmuring to one another. I look back to him, swimming a few feet away.

"Look, Sir. I am human, but I have no intention of hunting any-"

"Humbug! You're just saying that to fool everyone! I'm not stupid! I may be old, but I'm not stupid. You are vile, putrid, unholiest creature on the planet!"

"Hey! That's going too far!"

"Oh?" The old geezer smirks, chuckling under his breath. "Go on! Get angry! Fight an old man! Show us your true colors!"

"I'm not gonna fight an old seapony."

"Really now? Then I'm certain you will after I give you a crack of my tail!"

With all his might, he swings his tail at me, smacking against my chest. it didn't have the effect that he expected. It felt like a small sting. I stood there, showing little bit of pain that he tried to inflict upon me. He looks back at me with surprise. The crowd watches with surprise, as more seaponies begin to crowd us.

"What?! Didn't that hurt you?!"

"A tiny sting is all I felt, Sir."

He grits his teeth, holding up his fins, punching me in the chest, just to feel little taps. I look down to him, as he continued to punch me with everything he had. His arms shaking as reels back before throwing another punch. The crowd watched us with surprise.

"You! Killed! My! Wife!" he shouts, as he continues to punch. Tears roll down his cheeks, as he gives out a few sniffles. "Die! Humans are all scum!"

I look towards the crowd, some were crying, mourning with him for his loss. I too felt bad for him; he lost his wife and there's nothing I or anybody can do to bring her back. I wrap my arms around him, holding him close, as he struggles.

"The hell are you doing?!" he asked as he thrashed. "Let me go, you beast!"

"I'm sorry for your loss, Sir," I said to him calmly. "I'm certain your wife was a good lady. I know it's been hard losing someone you lost. I lost my gran-gran when I was ten and I certainly have been upset for some time."

His thrashing dies down slowly, as he sobs onto my chest, a few seaponies in the crowd sob.

"Tell me, what was she like?"

"She was my pearl... my pride and joy. She always made me smile on a bad day when I feel down. She had bright yellow scales so shiny that they twinkled. A voice so calm and clear that sounded like it could put anyone to ease. I loved her and she loved me."

"She sounds very sweet, Sir. She's in a better place now. She'll live up there with all the good seaponies like everyone else. I know there's a place where good creatures go and they'll live up there forever. You'll see her again, just not yet. Your wife would want that. Keep on living for her."

I release him, as he puts a fin on my shoulder, wiping away the tears. He smiles softly, looking me in the eyes.

"You really mean it? She's in a better place?"

"Of course I mean it. From what you told me, she sounds like a great person."

"Remember I said humans are terrible and they were scum?"

"Y-yeah?"

"I have never been so wrong."

He hugs me tight, as I look around, seaponies clapping with tears in their eyes. He breaks the hug, giving me a nod.

"You're a great creature," he said. "If only humans could be more like you."

"Thank you, Sir. My name is Tra-"

"I know your name, sonny," he smiled, flipping his flipper. "No need to remind me. My name is Reefer."

"Reefer. Pleasure to meet you."

The two of us shake, as the crowd gasp, making the two of us break the handshake, looking up to see Queen Novo coming down.

"Oh! Your majesty!" I said, my tail flailing back and forth, nervous. "There's nothing to worry about. It's-"

"Majesty," interrupted Reefer. "My queen Novo, this human is such a great creature. He made me see humans a whole different way! He made me feel ever so better, just like my Gold Star once did. It's as though she's talking through him."

"Well, I heard you were fighting and were assaulting him out of anger for your loss," said Novo, cocking a brow. "No apology?"

He looks to me, lowering his head, his eyes closed.

"I'm sorry... my wife meant so much to me that I took my anger out on you just because I assumed all humans were monsters."

"Hey," I said, putting a hand on his shoulder, "I forgive you. I understand your loss. I told you that I was once like you after my gran-gran, I took my anger out on the people who were in my way, but I eventually knew what I did was wrong and I apologized. I was forgiven, though I had to do a lot for them to make up my wrongs."

He smiled softly, patting my shoulder. "You're a good fella. Now if you excuse me, I need to go buy some seaweed for dinner. You take care around here, Travis."

He looks to Novo, who gives him a nod of approval. He swims upward, as I look back to Novo, who swims in front of me. She smiles, as Skystar appears from behind.

"Travy!" shouted Skystar, jumping out to hug me. "You really are such a great guy! Why can't humans be like you?"

Her hug tightens, as she rubs her cheek against mine. My cheeks warm up, looking towards Novo and the crowd, as they giggle and chuckle. "Okay, Sky. You can let me go. I'm having trouble breathing."

"Oopsie!" she said, releasing me. "My bad. I couldn't help myself."

"What’d I miss?!"

Silverstream swims quickly, as she floats between Skystar and I, breathing heavily. "Uh... you missed it."

"Shoot!" she shouts. "I always miss the good stuff!"

"Well, Silverstream," said Novo, wrapping her arm around her, "you won't miss your cousin's singing tonight."

"Oh! Well, yeah! I can't miss that! I'll be there most definitely!"

"And you, Travis, shall sit beside me as we watch from a good view."

"Me sitting in the good seats?! That's just like getting the good seats at a baseball game back at home."

"Baseball? What is this so called baseball?"

"Baseball is a sport back home," I explain. "Along with football and basketball, two other of my favorites."

"Perhaps we can try these so called sports you mention."

"Football seems to be the only one to work down here. I can't see basketball and baseball working underwater. I can show any seapony that's interested. Who knows, you guys may like it as much as I do."

The crowd smiles, as they chat to one another, nodding in agreement.

"Then tomorrow, you shall show us football and tell us how it is done like on the surface."

"As you wish, Novo."

The crowd dies down, as they all swim away to a different direction, along with Novo swimming back up to the throne. Skystar and Silverstream still floating close to me, as they both grab my hands.

"Hey, Travy," said Silverstream, “Let's go see the fishing club I mentioned earlier."

"Yeah!" nodded Skystar. "Let's let you get to know them and how things work."

The two of them drag me along, swimming me towards the direction to where the fishing club is.

The day goes on, as nighttime begins to go over the ocean and for Seaquestria, as I stand beside Novo, as the throne room fills with many seaponies chatting, sharing a drink, laughing, enjoying the music that plays in the background by an orchestra with actual human instruments found long ago by a sunken ship found far from some fishers who wandered far in search for fish. Skystar talks with a few female seaponies as they giggle together about something. Skystar then takes notice of me, waving a fin. I wave back before she goes back talking to them. I look to Novo, as she smiles to her daughter.

"Gee," I let out, unsure how to start the conversation, "what a crowd, huh? I don't think I've seen so many seaponies huddled into a large room like this."

"I've never seen Skystar talking to another seapony in such a long while," replied Novo, taking a sip of her champagne.

"They must be talking about me. She seems to be having such fun time."

"You are certainly a special creature, Travis. If only all humans were like you, we wouldn't be hiding underwater."

"If everyone were the same, the world wouldn't be interesting, but I would wonder what the world would be like if our races got along. We could be helping one another."

"Possibly. Enough talk on differences. Go and enjoy yourself. Go see Skystar and her new friends."

I get pushed a little by her tail fin, moving toward her and her friends. One is a dark pink seapony with dark-blue eyes, dark pink mane and fins. The other is pale-yellow, with dark-green mane and fins. The third is teal, with a light-blue mane and fins.

"Oh my gosh!" said the pink seapony. "I finally get to talk with the human! Hey there, my name is Razzle Shine."

"It's a pleasure to meet you."

"My name is Clam Finder," said the pale-yellow seapony. "Great thing you did for that grumpy old seapony."

"My mother always told me to be nice to others and in return, they be nice to you."

"That's something I think everyone knows... Travis, right?"

"Yeah and yeah, that's true. It's a good lesson I had growing up."

"I'm like," said the teal colored seapony in a dead toned voice, "happy to see you... my name is Aqua Seaweed."

"Uh, hey there. It's nice to meet you too."

She stares at me with a soft smile, blinking once.

"Is this chick okay?" I thought. "She's pretty weird."

"Skystar," said Clam, "how did you find this guy?"

"He was bleeding to death and I nursed him back to health. He's a great guy, girls. He's a perfect human being."

Perfect human being? Somehow, the way she said that made me feel rather happy. I wish I was perfect, but no one is.

"Oh my!" said Razzle with a gasp. "Was it scary for you, Travis?"

"It was. I thought I was gonna die, until the princess found me and saved my life."

She blushes, making Clam giggle. Aqua blushes, her tail flailing a little.

"Tell me, Travis," said Clam in a odd tone, yet funny. "Do you have a thing for the princess?"

"Come on, Travis!" said Razzle, getting in front of me, her muzzle poking my nose hard. Her yellow eyes staring directly into mine. "Do you like the princess?! Have you two kissed?! Have you-"

Aqua pulls her back, her arm around Dazzle's neck and fin over her mouth.

"Sorry, Travis," she said in her usual tone, rolling her blue eyes. "She speaks out of her mind."

"Y-yeah, that's okay. I'm fine."

"Attention everyone!" said Novo, as everyone glued their eyes onto her. Mine included, as she holds up a glass of wine. "A toast for all of you that came and to you, Travis."

Everybody looks to me, making me feel a little embarrassed, as I give off a blush. "Hehehe..."

"A toast to that wonderful human!"

I look toward the source, seeing Reefer hold up his glass.

"Cheers," said Novo, as she takes a sip, along with the crowd.

"Heh. Thanks, guys."

"Now everyone, make way for my daughter. For she is about to sing."

Everyone, myself included, move away from the middle of the room, as Skystar swims away towards the hall. I follow after her, wanting her to give her a boost of confidence. Before she could go into the bathroom, I tap on her shoulder, making her look back at me.

"Travy?" she said, her eyes looking into mine.

"Sky... break a... well, a tail fin out there, when you sing. You can do it."

She blushes, covering her muzzle, as her tail fin flails back and forth. "Thank you."

She zips into the bathroom, shutting the door, leaving me floating as I turn back. As I look towards the hall, her friends giggle, giving me a questionable look.

"What's so funny?" I asked, as they continued.

"We like, saw her blushing to whatever you said," said Aqua, giving her usual expression, but with an addition to a smirk.

"Did you say something se-"

Razzle gets cutoff, as Clam covers her mouth. "What she meant to say is did you say something cute to her?"

"N-not really. I just told her that she can do it and that she's gonna break a tail fin out there."

They giggle, as Clam releases Dazzle's mouth. They swim slowly away, disappearing into the crowd, as I go float beside Novo. Novo sits on her throne, finishing up her glass, putting it aside.

"So, Travis," she said. "I hear you're going to try fishing. Am I hearing that right from Sky?"

"Yes. I'm just fishing. I won't escape. I don't have any plan on it. It's quite a long way to get home and I don't know if I can survive outside from the kingdom."

"It can be dangerous out there. Some seaponies are killed from sharks if not too careful."

"Uhh… well, I'll make sure to watch my back when I'm out there."

Suddenly, the room goes silent, as the lights turn off, seaponies clapping, Novo included.

"Looks like Sky is ready, Travis. Better make yourself comfortable."

"Oh! Of course."

I lean against her throne, as I look up to see small tiny balls floating down, shining down towards the figure below. They shine brighter, forming a circle above, revealing Skystar. Somehow, her scales are glinting to the light, as the glowing orbs orbit above her. She puts a fin on her chest and starts singing gently. The tune was the same as when I made my way up the mountain. Now I get to hear it a second time without any interruptions.

"Wow..."

I was speechless... the vocals coming out of her were fantastic. My focus was entirely on her, as the murmurs fade. All I can hear is her. I enjoyed her singing until it came to an end, as everybody clapped. Myself included, as I give out a whistle.

"Absolutely beautiful!" I shouted, getting her attention.

She smiles, blushing, as she waves to me. The orbs swim back up into a hole of the ceiling, as the lights around the throne room light back up. The crowd goes back to their usual selves. Skystar goes back to her friends, talking about the performance perhaps.

"Oh boy, Travis," smirked Novo, as she rests her head on her fins. "I see what's going on here."

"Huh? What?"

"Don't play dumb. I notice how intrigued you were when you watched her singing."

"She has a good voice! That's all!"

"'She has a good voice, is all' he says."

She giggles, as I form a blush on my cheeks.

"This is gonna be a long night." I thought, as I scratch the back of my head. "Along with living around here, but I'm really feeling much more welcomed here. I will miss home, but this is my home now. I have to get used to it."