You know what confuses me? Fine Line said in an attempt to start a conversation, ecru hooves shuffling the photos taken from his Polaroid. The soft ocean breeze made his brown mane sway softly, he shivered a little when it caresses the back of his neck.
“What?” Crimson Trails asked. He was sitting beside Fine, forelegs resting on the back of the seat. The warm rays of the sun were a welcome sensation to his drying grey fur. His red mane on the other hoof, was still wet. He regrets forgetting his towel.
“Ace of Base and Ace of Spades.” Fine replied, eyes still on the pictures.
“You mean the band and the song?”
“Yeah, I always mix the two up.”
Crimson raised an eyebrow. “How? Ace of Base is the band that sung I Saw the Sign while Ace of Spades is a song performed by Link Wray. To put it simply, Ace of Base, I Saw the Sign, Link Wray, Ace of Spades.”
“Okay, got it.” Fine stopped browsing the pictures and placed them inside his saddlebag.
“So where are we going next?”
“We’re going to Rocky Nestles.” Crimson answered. “We’ll be spending the entire afternoon there.”
Crimson turned to look at the carriage’s backseat, wondering why everyone was so silent. It turned out that his father, Tough Crop was fast asleep. His ‘friend’ a middle-aged griffon named Giselle was leaning against him, snoring softly. Her daughter, Uno was at the right end of the seat, resting her head on her claw, looking bored.
Crimson turned his head back and continued to enjoy the scenery. After all those jumping at the falls? It’s no wonder they’re exhausted. His father was always like this, taking a short nap while travelling and waking up when they reached their destination.
Every year, he and his father would travel to Emerald Island to spend the first week of their summer there. But this time, they’re not by themselves.
Fine Line, the stallion sitting beside him was his cousin on his father’s side. It took Crimson four years to convince him to travel with them to the island. He only accepted his invite this year because he recently graduated from college. And as a way to celebrate, he joins them in their vacation. An introverted stallion, he only speaks when spoken to, although he tends to get cocky when he’s around people he’s close to or he’s in a place with ponies that he knows he’ll never meet again.
He doesn’t know much about Giselle other than the fact that she and his father were co-workers and his father was very friendly towards her, perhaps a little bit too friendly. Something tells him that if this ‘friendliness’ between them continues, he’ll have a stepfamily in the future.
Even though he only met Uno today, he can already tell that she’s your textbook case of a tomboy in how the way she acted back in the waterfalls. It’s not like he’s complaining or anything, heck, it’s much better than those frilly, girly mares he see in Manehatten every day.
Everything was quiet in the carriage, save for the rhythmic trotting of hooves and the occasional clacking sounds of the carriage’s wooden wheels when it hit a rock on the dirt road. The carriage moved slowly, but it’s going in a steady pace. Crimson knew that it’s going take a little while before arriving at Rocky Nestles so he just decided to gaze at the passing scenery while getting lost in his thoughts.
Crimson was awoken from a loud tapping of wood. He rubbed his eyes with his hoof, he hadn’t realized he was asleep.
“We’re here.” The driver said. He was standing at the carriage’s door. He was the one making all the noise to wake everyone up.
“Crimson, get the bags while I go rent us a cottage.” Tough Crop ordered as he got out of the carriage to stretch his legs.
“I got this one.” Fine said carrying another saddlebag along with his as he hurried outside the wooden vehicle.
Giselle got out as well, her daughter followed. “Tough Crop! You shouldn’t have! Come on, we’ll split the bill.”
Tough raised a hoof, pushing it back and forth. “It’s okay, I got this.”
“Well at least let us pay for lunch.” She offered.
“Well if you insist.” Tough Crop said as he trotted towards the cottages.
Rocky Nestles is one of Emerald Island’s most popular tourist attractions. And given that it’s already summer, the beaches are going to be packed. Every corner was bustling with activity. Creatures of different shapes and sizes were roaming everywhere, ponies, griffons, minotaurs, even dragons can be seen walking on the beach’s hot sands.
The kiosks and food stands were piled up with lines of hungry customers. The cottages were filled to the brim as well. Tough Crop had to wait for another group to pack up and leave before he can rent one. And once he did, he’d still have to clean up the mess that the other group had left.
After a frustrating moment of cleaning up a cottage’s worth of garbage with his son and nephew, they were met with Giselle and Uno carrying large plastic bags filled with food and beverages.
“Here you go guys.” Giselle said while placing down a large plastic bag. “Hope you like spring rolls and hanging rice.”
Uno followed by placing down her plastic bag of sodas and cider and took a seat at one of the cottage’s concrete chairs.
Tough Crop pulled out a spring roll from the bag and bit down on its golden exterior. A crunching sound can be heard as Tough continued to munch on the roll’s crispy shell.
“Ooh, still crunchy.” Tough said as he grabbed a single hanging rice. With both of his hooves, he held the small coconut leaf basket and spread open the sliced part, revealing two steaming halves of perfectly cooked pearly white rice.
“And the rice is still warm.” He added.
Giselle pulled out five paper plates and set it down on the cottage table, filling the plates with three spring rolls and two pieces of hanging rice each.
“Eat up kids.” She said while reaching for the plastic bag with beverages inside, she then pulled out five plastic cups and set it beside the paper plates.
“You’re going to jump off those cliffs later, aren’t you?”
“Cliffs? Jump off?” Fine said to Crimson with a voice so soft that it can be considered a whisper.
“Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. There’s this thing where the owners of the beach decided to place a diving board on one of those cliffs over there.” Crimson said while pointing a hoof at the towering rock formations standing at the side of the beach. “For any thrill seekers wanting an adrenaline pumping experience.”
“They also added a slide there as well but chose to remove it afterwards because it ruins the cliffs natural aesthetic.” He continued.
“Are you gonna jump there?”
“Of course, I always do every time we go here.”
“Do they charge entrance fees there? Like back in the falls? I regret paying three bits for a day’s access in swinging their vines only to use it for like three times.”
“Four.” Crimson corrected. “And no, they won’t charge you there. The only thing they’ll ask you when you reach the top is if you have the guts to take the jump.”
“That settles it. I’m jumping too.” Fine concluded.
“Let’s eat first.” Crimson replied, earning a giggle from the group.
And not a moment after that, they started digging in. Giselle poured everypony’s cup with soda. Crimson said thanks when his was filled, and so did Fine, but softer.
The entire course of the meal was festive, in its own little way. Everypony was talking, swapping stories here and there. The sound of eating was mixed with jolly chattering. For a second everyone was chatting, and the next they became silent, suddenly busy chewing their food, and a moment after they were busy talking again.
Crimson let his eyes roam around the beach, he can see a lot of ponies sunbathing. Most of them were mares, some had bikinis on and some don’t. He doesn’t know why, but for Crimson, mares with bikinis on were much sexier than those without.
Now that his eyes had had their fill, it was his stomach’s turn.
While chewing on another roll, Crimson noticed Fine pouring something on his. It was a small red bottle with no labels on. He saw fine pour it on the end of the bitten spring roll, the red sticky liquid mixed with roll’s contents, turning the vegetables red.
“What’s that?” Crimson asked.
“What’s what?”
“That.” Crimson pointed at the bottle that Fine was holding with his wing.
“Oh this.” Fine said, while putting the lid back to the bottle. With his wing, he cradled the bottle like he was carrying a baby, slowly caressing the bottle’s body as if it were a child’s belly.
“Es una salsa, muy salsa.”
“What?”
“It’s a sauce, that’s very saucy.”
“Sauce? You mean like hot sauce?”
“Yeah. Want some?” Fine offered, grinning.
Crimson cringed at the sight of his cousin. Why are his teeth red? He thought. It’s like he was hit by a minotaur or something! And his eyes! They look like he just saw the saddest movie ever! Jeez! Was the sauce really that hot?
“Uhh, no thanks.”
“Your loss.” Fine shrugged as he poured himself another helping.
“Can I have some?” Uno asked.
“Sure.” Fine said, hoofing her the hot sauce.
When Uno received the bottle, she grabbed an uneaten piece of spring roll and poured twice the amount Fine usually puts on his rolls. Without hesitation, she chewed on the roll non-stop until there’s nothing left on her claw except for a few crumbs of the roll’s shell. And at the end she didn’t wince in pain, unlike Fine who does every time he finishes eating one.
“Whohohoa!” Crimson cheered as he slapped Fine’s fine backside.
“You just got schooled son!”
Fine took her gesture as a challenge and snatched back the bottle from her grasp. But this time he’s not pouring it on any lousy spring roll. If he wishes to make an impact, then he’s got to make it big! He has to hit it where it hurts! Those were the words that lingered in his mind before he did the unthinkable.
And much to the horror of everypony sitting in the cottage, Fine finally did the unthinkable and poured the bottle in his mouth. Its raw spicy contents flooding from his tongue all the way down his throat.
When he’s finally done drinking the infernal concoction, he slammed the bottle on the table as if it were a shot glass. He then stared at Uno while preventing himself from showing any signs that he was suffering, suffering terribly, suff-oh Celestia, why did he do that? Why!? Oh Goddesses, Why!? It’s so hot!
Uno was a bit impressed at Fine’s sudden bout of courage, but still, it was not enough. She grabbed the bottle from his hooves and proceeded to take a sip as well. Only this time, it was twice as long as Fine’s, when she’s done drinking, she slammed the bottle on the table, similar to the way Fine did earlier. But the difference between the two was that Uno doesn’t look like she was struggling from internal pain like Fine does. She just smiled at him smugly while licking the excess sauce that has spilled on her beak.
Infuriated by her actions, Fine took the bottle from her and attempted to drink it longer than hers. And when he was done, Uno grabbed the bottle and drank even longer, outmatching him again.
From a simple lunch at the beach it escalated into a hot sauce drinking contest. A pony and a griffon outmatching each other while those that weren’t involved just sat there, staring in awe, eager to see which side will win.
Several sips later, both pony and griffon now looked like they’ve been to Tartarus and back. Their heads now resembled the head of a number two pencil, their fur and feathers were soaked beyond belief, and they haven’t even stepped hoof on the beach yet, their eyes were redder than those of a demon’s, and they were panting like they’ve had a non-stop marathon around Equestria.
Shakily, Fine raised the bottle to his mouth. But before the bottle’s tip could hit the edge of his lips, he let go of the hot sauce.
The bottle dramatically fell on the table, then it dramatically bounced a bit off the surface, then it dramatically ceased moving, dramatically. All of this happened in a black background.
“You win.” Fine declared, his voice weak. “No more.”
Upon hearing Fine’s words, Uno raised a tired but victorious claw up in the air.
“If...” Fine began. “If I could drink seawater right now, I bet it would taste like cider.”
Crimson hoofed him a cupful of soda. “Here, have this instead.”
He also poured Uno other cup to which she thanked him weakly. Tough was now hoofing Giselle a couple of bits. Fine and Uno chugged their drinks greedily and asked Crimson for more.
He poured them another one and they gulped it down in an instant. He poured them another batch, but this time they were sipping it leisurely.
While the two were still drinking, Crimson eyed the almost empty bottle of hot sauce.
“Say.” He said, curious. “Can I have some of that hot sauce of yours?”
Fine didn’t say anything as he was too busy sipping the soda, he just gave Crimson a nod of approval.
Crimson held the small red bottle with his hoof and poured the last drop or two on a piece of rice. Slowly, he took a bite from the part of the rice where the sauce has landed. He expected a burning sensation that would blow his socks away, if he was wearing one, but that sensation did not arrive.
Instead, he was only met with a slight prickly feeling from his tongue, and after that it was replaced by the mild flavour of the rice.
“What? That was it? In my head, I thought it was gonna be spicier. Jeez, so anti-climactic.”
While drinking their sodas, Fine and Uno fixed their eyes on Crimson, giving him an angry glare.
After a short yet hearty meal and an impromptu sauce drinking contest, Crimson, Fine, and Uno took a short walk at the beach, leaving Tough and Giselle at the cottage who was now sharing a bottle of cider.
Aside from the indistinct chatter coming from the crowd around them, the walk was quiet. Probably from the fact that Fine and Uno’s mouths were still recovering from the fiery torture they’ve put themselves earlier.
Crimson lead them silently to water. Fine asked him where they’re going and Crimson explained that they’re heading for the cliff. Baffled, Fine asked Crimson how they’re going to reach the top of the cliff if they’re going into the sea when the actual path in getting there is in the other direction. Crimson told Fine that there’s a ladder underneath its rocky walls for ponies to climb back after taking the jump and that’s where they’re going, because screw the normal way, he added.
The gang were already halfway to the ladder when Fine suddenly swam to the cliff’s rocky shore.
“Guys I need to take a rest, my legs are getting tired.” Fine said while having a hard time climbing the spiky rocks with his hoof.
“Same here.” Uno said, following Fine.
Crimson rolled his eyes as he followed the two towards the shore. Wing wielders, all muscle on the wings none on the body. He thought, grunting as he climbed up a rock.
Fine was squirming uncomfortably as he tried to sit on its spiky surface, the fact that these rocks are sharp and never on the same level doesn’t help either.
“These rocks are weird.” He said, looking down. “They look like small dented bottlecaps.”
“They’re not rocks.” Crimson corrected. “They’re barnacles.”
Fine’s eyes went wide at Crimson’s words. Panicking, he immediately jumped off the rock he was sitting and dove back into the water, creating a large splash that managed to hit Crimson and Uno. Uno yelped in pain, not expecting to get hit by salty sea water right in the eyes.
“Dang it Crimson!” Fine shouted after coming out of the water. “Couldn’t you have said that before I laid my rump on one of those things!? They don’t bite, do they?”
Crimson looked up to the skies and sighed, and then he turned to look at Fine flatly.
“If I say no would you shut up and calm down?”
“Whatever, I’m good to go.” Fine said and looked at Uno. “Uno, you coming?”
As a way of saying yes, Uno jumped back to the water.
“Heck, I’ll even race you there.” She said, daring Fine.
“Is that a challenge?”
“You ready to lose twice today, buddy?” Uno said, pronouncing the ‘buddy’ in a condescending tone.
“Just trying to get even.” Fine said, positioning himself towards the ladder’s direction. He looked at Uno and gave a brief wave of courtesy.
“Ladies first.”
Uno slowly shook her head, smiling. “So foolishly courteous.”
And not a moment later, the griffon swam hastily towards the cliff ladder with the best of her abilities. Fine on the other hoof, waited patiently until she gets to an adequate amount of distance before swimming himself as well. Crimson just followed in a slow pace, giggling to himself as he witnessed another match between the two unlikely rivals today.
The top of the beach’s cliff was already filled with ponies, particularly in where the diving board was located. Some were yet to jump, others already did, and some were just there to take photos while others just stood there, gawking at how high the drop is.
Every time somepony would take a leap, the crowds would cheer. If it weren’t for the karaoke stand below playing songs all day, this would be the loudest place in the beach.
Fine was now soaked and panting. He just climbed up the ladder as fast as he could. But it was all worth it. Seeing that Uno had just arrived at the top of the cliff, he flashed the huffing griffon a smug grin.
“Told you I’d get even.”
“Only because I was going easy on you.” She replied weakly, still catching her breath.
“Says the one who got a head start.”
“So, who’s going first?” Said Crimson, who just climbed up the ladder.
All three trotted to join the gathering crowd on the diving board. Grasping the guard rails as tightly as they could, each of them took a long stare at the drop below.
“That’s high.” Fine commented. “Hey Crimson, How high is it?”
“About thirty hooves high.” Crimson replied, his gaze still focused downwards. “Dropped a stone there once, took three seconds before hitting the water.”
“A three second drop.” Uno said flatly. “One feels like eternity. I can’t imagine it with three. Just kidding, I have wings.” Uno quipped, flapping her wide brown wings afterwards.
“So, who’s going first?” Crimson said again.
“Is the rule ‘ladies first’ still applicable here?”
“Hey Fine, screw you.”
“Sure.” Fine shrugged. “I’m not picky.”
Uno swiped a wing at Fine, only for the ecru pegasus to dodge instantly. He hid behind Crimson when he saw Uno slowly approaching him with a wicked grin on her face.
“Before Miss Grumpy could pound me here...yeah I know what I said” He winked at Crimson before continuing. “I’ll take first jump.”
Beginning to calm down, Uno folded her wings back. “Yeah, you do that.”
“And so I will.” Fine replied, turning around to face the diving board. The other ponies standing there made a way for him to pass through. He doesn’t know why, but when he set hoof on the edge of the diving board, he can’t move, it’s like his legs had set root on the slab of concrete.
He looked down from the board and was met with a vast sheet of blue. White sprays emerged when the water hit the barnacle coated shores. His chest felt heavy. He found it hard to breath. Before he started getting dizzy, he turned to look at Crimson, who, amongst other ponies was staring at him expectantly.
“This is safe right?” He asked, his voice sounding nervous.
“I wouldn’t be alive right now if it wasn’t.” Crimson replied.
What a reassuring reply, really boosted my confidence. Fine Line thought. He turned again, looking back down at the sea below. When he did, the terrible feeling was back again.
“Oh Celestia that’s high.” He whispered to himself. How can anypony jump this high!? It’s freaking scary! It’s like staring Death right in the face! He jerked his head left and right. He jogged in place, but careful enough not to trip and suddenly fall. He blew short puffs of air as he jogged.
“I can do this. I can do this.” He repeatedly said.
“Do what!?” Uno called out from behind. “Yap around all day and not jump?” She taunted.
“Very funny! I don’t see you jumping off of cliffs!” He cried back.
Uno walked towards the diving board and stood beside him. When she looked down, a wave of chills rushed through her body. She suddenly felt her claws and paws tremble. But she stood her ground and shook it off.
“Tell you what.” She began. “If you jump first, I’ll follow suit. How’s that sound?”
“Guess I’m the lady then?” He quipped, earning a soft smack on the head from her.
“What about you Crimson?” He called, looking back at the crowd. “You should be the one doing the jumping here, given you’re a repeat customer and all.”
“Excuses, excuses. So are you gonna jump or not?” Crimson looked at Uno. “Hey Uno, aren’t you gonna beat his flank if he stays here?”
Uno looked at Fine. She flapped her wings slowly, giving herself a slight gust of air from below so that she can stand on her hind legs. She gave him a threatening grin as she cracked her knuckles.
“Oh yeah.” She said, tilting her head slightly as she focused on Fine.
Fine raised both of his hooves in defeat. “Okay! Okay!” He said, finally caving in. “Yeesh, peer pressure much? Haven’t we outgrown that by now? Don’t you thi-
Crimson and Uno rolled their eyes.
“Just jump already!” They both cried in unison.
“Okay Fine! Fine’s jumping!” He cried. He looked down once more. Again, the nervousness started kicking in.
“Celestia, help me. I don’t know if there’s a heaven up there because the Goddesses that are supposed to be running it is down here.”
At last, Fine finally did the jump. The crowd cheered, Crimson and Uno were speechless. But right now, he doesn’t care about any of them. The only thing that’s in his mind right now was fast approaching sheet of glimmering blue below him, the loud roaring of the winds violently spiralling in his ears, the weird sensation he’s currently feeling as if that time has suddenly slo-
SPLASH!
Peering from the cliffside, Crimson and Uno had a perfect view of where Fine had landed. The water sizzled white at the spot where the pegasus had hit the surface. Uno looked at Crimson, deciding to break the short moment of silence.
“Bet you a bit he won’t come out.”
“Whoa...that’s dark. Alright I’m in.”
Just as Crimson finished his sentence, Fine resurfaced and was now swimming towards the ladder. Crimson gave Uno a dumb grin. Uno rolled her eyes in annoyance.
“Whatever, it’s a dumb bet anyway.”
As Fine climbed up the cliff, he saw Crimson and Uno waiting for him at the end of the ladder.
“Guys did you see that!?” He exclaimed. His voice devoid of any nervousness that wrapped around him like a plague earlier, like something heavy was taken off his shoulders, he was hysterical.
“I know I only fell for like a couple seconds, but dang! It felt like forever! I’m so high in adrenaline right now that my hooves are shaking!” he raised a foreleg at them, grinning as he did so.
But instead of focusing at his shivering legs, Crimson and Uno’s eyes were fixated on Fine’s teeth. The upper set that was supposed to be pearly white in color was soaked red in blood.
“Dude.” Crimson said, his face cringing. “Your mouth, it’s bleeding.”
“What?” Fine used his tongue to scour any wound in his mouth and to make sure if his teeth were still intact, his taste buds were hit by the metallic taste of blood. And also, there’s a small swelling on his gums, just above his front teeth.
“Oh, tastes like rust.” Fine said as he continued to lick the blood off his teeth.
“What happened back there?” Crimson said, worried.
Fine gave them an innocent smile while scratching the back of his head.
“I uh...kinda looked down while falling.”
“What!?” Crimson cried in disbelief. “You looked down while falling from a thirty hoof drop? Are you mad? It’s like taking direct hit from a minotaur!”
“Then that minotaur is a bad hitter, because none of my teeth are knocked out and my gums only swell a little.” Fine shot back.
Crimson didn’t say anything, he just placed a hoof between his eyes and slowly shook his head. Even at a time like this, he still manages to crack jokes. I guess he’s alright. He thought. He then shifted his gaze to Uno who may be having second thoughts on taking the jump, he knows he does.
“So Uno.” He began. “Are you still in on this after that? We could just bail you know, no one would judge.”
“I would.”
“Shut up Fine.”
“It’s okay, I’m still in.” Uno assured Crimson.
“I’m a-” she paused, gulping. “Hen of my word.”
“Then I’ll follow after you.” Crimson replied hesitantly.
The gang trotted back towards the diving board. The crowd cheered once more as another one, this time a dragon took the leap off the cliff and created a large splash as he hit the water’s surface.
Uno joined the ponies who were about to jump at the edge of the board while Crimson and Fine stayed with the crowd. Instead of looking down, only to get terrified afterwards, Uno stared directly into the horizon.
“I’ll be fine, I’ll be fine.” She chanted to herself.
“And I’ll be Uno.” Fine whispered to Crimson.
Fine Line’s joke got out a snort from Crimson. “Darn it Fine!” He said, still laughing his flanks off.
Even though she’s not staring down at the sea below, Uno could still feel the familiar chill she felt before. And the more she averted her eyes from the drop below, the more it tried to grasp her, to bring her down, dragging her into its deep blue depths. Usually, Uno was not one to succumb to such sensations, but agreed to give in anyway.
Anything just to get this over with. She thought.
She took a few steps away from the board. When she realized that she’s already halfway on the slab, she stopped walking, and ran. She ran towards the edge of the board, and she ran fast. She ran so fast that after a second or so, she was now stepping on air. This was it.
She was falling, she was falling hard. She could feel the rushing wind in every feather of her body. The chill she was feeling was much worse than ever. It was a terrifying sensation. Crimson said that this was just a three second drop. But it felt more than that. It felt like eternity, and much more.
Crimson and Fine, along with the crowd all watched the falling griffon as she hurled herself towards the deep blue. The crowd went wild at what she did.
But what she did next killed all the hype from the ponies standing on the cliff. Uno, just a split second from hitting the water, the tip of her tail, just an inch away from hitting the surface suddenly flapped her wings open. Yes, she flapped her wings open, stopping the momentum of the fall. Then she folded her wings back to her body and dove down the water head first.
“Jeez, so anti-climactic.” Fine said, voicing the crowd’s general opinion in regards to Uno’s stunt.
As Uno climbed up to the top of the cliff, Crimson and Fine awaited her at the ladder’s end.
“Way to go Uno!” Crimson greeted. ”You did the jump! Well, most of it anyway.”
“Jumping off that cliff makes you forget you had wings!” Uno said, still shivering, but not as bad as before.
“Aww, poor birdie!” Fine taunted. “Did the cliff make you forget that you’re a griffon too? Is that the reason why you chickened out?”
Crimson frowned at Fine’s words, thinking that he’s taking this rivalry a little too far. Seriously, calling her a chicken? That’s crossing the line.
As a response, although violent, Uno forcefully shoved Fine off the cliff. Once the pegasus felt nothing but air at the bottom of his hooves, he immediately spread his wings open, saving himself from another goddess-awful cliff drop. Fluttering his wings, he slowly flew back towards the cliff and gave Uno an angry glare.
“Not cool Uno! Not cool! Thank Celestia my wings are already dry enough to fly or else I’d go into another one of those terrifying drops! My outlook on life has been changed forever after the last one and I won’t have it changed again!”
Brewing a mischievous idea on her mind, a small sly smile formed on Uno’s lips.
“You sure you don’t want o take another leap?” She asked Fine, her tone playful.
Fine pointed a hoof at himself. “Does this face looks like it wants seconds?”
“Yes!” Uno screamed. She quickly charged at Fine, grabbing him tightly around the waist. Her hold was so tight that Fine could not move his forelegs, let alone spread his wings. Uno opened her feathered appendages as she dragged Fine off the cliff. Once they’re at the air, she folded her wings back to her body and dove straight to the water.
As the two swooped down towards the sea, Fine can’t help but scream his lungs off his chest. But his cries of distress were drowned by the cheers of the crowd up on the cliff. The last sight he saw before hitting the surface of the water was Crimson with an amazed look in his face.
Several moments later, the two climbed back up the cliff. Uno was laughing so hard that tears came out from her eyes while Fine spat out every curse word that existed in the Equish vocabulary.. When they reached the top, Crimson was already waiting for them.
“That was a crazy move you guys pulled back there! Are you two alright?”
“Never felt better!” Uno replied, a big grin carved on her face.
“Revenge, vengeance, retaliation.” Fine panted, briefly looking at Crimson then turned to look at Uno, glaring at her like a rabid dog. “I want one of those right now! Hey Uno! I want vengeance!”
“Dream on buddy.” Uno scoffed. “I’m done for the day, jumping that is. I’ll be over there.” She said while pointing a wing behind her. She turned her back on Crimson and Fine and walked towards the crowd of ponies who were cheering once again as another one leaped off the diving board.
“Hey, hey, hey!” Fine called out in an attempt to stop her. “Get back here! I’m not done with you! I’ve yet to make you fall for me!”
“Wait, that came out wrong.” Fine said, biting his hoof in regret.
Crimson rested a foreleg on the back of Fine’s neck. “She is something, isn’t she?”
“Just shut up and jump already.” Fine retorted, jerking himself away from Crimson. “Maybe watching others suffer will sate this burning need inside me.”
The two trotted to the diving board again. Once they got there, Fine shot Crimson an expectant look.
“Yeah, about that...” Crimson dragged on while pondering for an excuse. “Hey! Have you noticed that this place sounded like a pony name?”
“What are you talking ab-Oh!” Fine’s ears perked up. “Changing topics! Are you scared Crimson?”
“Hey, what’s the holdup?” Uno called out from the crowd.
“Crimson’s scared. Oh! Uno, can you just stand at the edge of the board for a bit? I promise I won’t do anything sinister.”
“Haha, nice try.” Uno turned to look at Crimson. “Come on and get it done already. There are others waiting.”
Crimson backed away from the board to join Uno. “I think I’ll just let them jump first while I gather my courage.”
Annoyed, Fine followed Crimson towards the crowd. Idly standing there, he saw a new group of ponies that he’s pretty certain were not from Equestria. Judging from their builds and the jaw line of that particular stallion he observed, Fine quickly concluded that they’re from Germaney, or any other country near it.
“So are you gonna take the jump?” He asked the one with the magnificent jaw line.
“I need more cider.” The stallion replied with a thick accent.
“Hah! You’re gonna need something a lot stronger than that!” He shot back.
It was only moments later when the guy Fine had small talk with jumped off the cliff along with his other friends. When they all got back up the top they then went in for another round, and another. Overall, the group of ponies jumped off the cliff three times consecutively.
After the group left, the diving board was now filled with a family of ponies eager to experience the cliff’s thirty hoof high drop. A small colt that Fine believed to be in his ‘tweens took a dive, alone.
Fine poked Crimson’s side with an elbow. “Look. Kid’s got more guts than you.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Crimson said, waving his hoof lazily at Fine. “I’ll jump after him.”
He didn’t.
The afternoon on the cliff went by with dozens of ponies jumping off the diving board. Some ponies jumped alone while others go in groups. Most of the mares in the groups were hesitant the first time, but eventually took the leap after they were pressured by their friends by chanting their names repeatedly.
Down below right at sea, Fine saw two ponies paddleboarding. The one in the lead rode his board gracefully like a pro, while the other one keeps on tumbling and falling. Every time the second pony hits the water, the crowd up the cliff would laugh and cheer. Fine waved a hoof at the clumsy pony and he waved back in reply.
“Did you see that!?” Fine exclaimed. “Dude’s just waved at me!”
Back on the cliff, an old stallion took a jump off the board. After he climbed back up, he went for another round once more. And when he got up once again, he went in for a third one. But before he could step on the board, Crimson stopped him.
“Whoa there old timer, weren’t you scared at all?” He asked.
The old stallion shrugged. “It’s just water.”
“Whohohoa!” Fine screamed directly at Crimson’s ear, making him flinch.
“You just got schooled son!”
“Oh shut up.”
Several moments have passed, minutes have turned to hours, Celestia’s sun has now begun to set and still, Crimson didn’t take the jump.
“Come on Crimson.” Fine said his tone a bit akin to whining. “It’s getting pretty late.”
“Yeah.” Uno joined in. “Your father said that we’d be leaving shortly.” She ended her line with a scoopful of ice cream in her mouth.
“Hey where’d you get that?” Crimson asked Uno, pointing a hoof at the cup of ice cream she was holding.
“Down there.” She pointed at the group of food stands with her wing. “One bit per cup. Also, they ran out of chocolate. I know, I asked.”
“Aw nuts. Do they have vanilla?”
“Yes.”
“Mango?”
“Uhuh.”
“Ube? You know what’s ube right?”
“Uhh...no.”
“Ube, as in purple yam?”
“Nah. Not ‘nah’ as in their out of stock, but ‘nah’ as in they don’t have one in the first place.
“Cookies and cream?”
“Uhh, maybe? I dunno.”
“Rocky Road?”
Uno sighed, starting to get annoyed. “You know what? Come with me to the kiosk and ask the pony working there.”
“Okay.” Fine agreed. “But let’s go ask Crimson first, maybe he wants one too.”
But when they turned around to look at the board, Crimson wasn’t there.
“Wait, where’d he go?” Fine asked Uno who in return, gave him the ‘I don’t know either’ look.
“Hey guys!” came a voice from the cliff’s ladder. The two turned around and saw Crimson, fur drenched in seawater.
“I took the jump!” He said, confirming their thoughts.
“No way, you jumped without telling us?” Fine said, his face showing a look of dismay.
“Well I would but if I did, then maybe my urge to jump would disappear by then.” He reasoned.
Uno bit on the small wooden scoop. “Jeez, so anti-climactic.”
Author's Note
Expect more shit like this from me...
