20,000 Legumes Under The Sea

Sunset stepped into the round submersible, and took a seat on the small bench that lined the walls. “So how does this thing work, anyway?”

“It’s got both basic and automatic navigation.” SkAIstar took a seat in front of the controls, but rather than grabbing any steering wheel or something like it, she merely stuck her finger into a small hole in the console. The console made a soft moaning sound, then lights lit up all around them, followed by the whir of machinery.

Rainbow Dash took a seat across from Sunset, her expression pensive. “Guess we’re leaving then, huh?” She looked back out into the hallway from whence they came, and sighed. “This sucks, man. A lot of the stuff here sounded really cool.”

Sunset nodded. “I’ll admit, there was some neat stuff here. But it’s one thing to go to an underwater deathtrap, it’s another to want to stay there when there’s no safe and easy way out. How long until this thing reaches the surface?”

SkAIstar hummed to herself, and the door to the submersible closed, the air pressurizing around them with a hiss. “Should only be about five minutes or so. We don’t have to do any of that fancy stuff normal divers do thanks to that pill you took.”

“I am so ready to be landlocked again,” Sunset muttered.

The submersible slowly lifted into the water, lights shining in all directions. There weren’t any windows, but several monitors showed views from cameras outside the sub. Sunset watched as they rose higher and higher, and soon enough, all of Beantopia was spread out below them. The complex was massive, consisting of crisscrossing passageways and squat rooms and occasionally large glass domes. She could see the vibrant green of the arbeantorium even from here. There was so much of it they’d never even gone near.

“What are you going to do once we’re out of here?” Sunset asked, turning to SkAIstar.

SkAIstar frowned. “I’m not entirely sure. It’s not like I’m really a legal person or anything, you know? Truthfully I’d love to just keep working at Beantopia, but we’re going to have to do all sorts of stuff in order to survey the damage and reassess a lot of safety protocols and stuff. Assuming Mom and Twilight even want to continue the project after this.” She rubbed at the back of her neck, and glancing over at Sunset and offering a weak smile. “After that, I suppose they’re the ones who get to decide what to do with me. I’m just a machine, after all.”

Sunset shook her head. She couldn’t tell the difference, herself, and should it really matter? The rights AI had in society were a topic fiercely debated in science fiction, and now it seemed like their world would be charging into that head on. It probably wouldn’t be easy. But at the very least, she could vouch for SkAIstar to Twilight.

Silence reigned for several minutes, and Sunset was happy to muse in her thoughts. She heard Rainbow Dash sigh, then looked up.

Rainbow Dash had pulled out the onesie she’d gotten at the gift shop, and was staring at it forlornly.

“Everything alright? Dash?”

Silence for a few long moments, before Rainbow Dash shook her head. “Do you think I’m a good dad?”

Sunset shrugged. “I’ve been away, and haven’t had any chance to witness your parenting skills firsthand. Do you think you’re a good dad?”

“No. I mean, I dunno.” Rainbow Dash scratched at her head, her face twisted in a scowl. “I don’t really even do anything. Fluttershy just kind of takes care of everything and the two of them exist in their own little world, you know? It’s just… fucking weird, man. I thought everything was going perfectly fine. Good girl, good job, good sex, good friends, good sex with friends, good sex on the job, good sex—”

Sunset raised her hand. “You’ve made your point.”

Rainbow Dash smiled weakly. “Sorry. But now it’s all like, I dunno. Everything’s changed. Everyone’s moving forward, but I’m still just sitting back at the starting line, wondering when the race is even going to start.”

“That’s just life, isn’t it?” Sunset stared up at the ceiling, leaning back. “It wasn’t that long ago I was stuck in a similar rut. But you know, you’re Rainbow Dash, right? You’re awesome. Champion athlete in high school. And you’re a champion in everything else you do too. Look, if being a dad was a sport, would you refuse to even compete, because you weren’t sure you could do it?”

“Pfft, no.” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “I’d crush that sport, make it my bitch.” A fire burned in her eyes for a few moments, but it quickly faded. “But it’s not a sport. And don’t know what to do. I don’t even know where to start.”

Sunset leaned forward, and placed a hand on Rainbow Dash’s knee. “Look, I’m not an expert. I don’t even want to get into my own family dynamics. But the fact that this is bothering you means you’re already in the right place. You just can’t use that uncomfortable feeling as an excuse not to do anything.”

Rainbow Dash grit her teeth. “But what do I actually do?”

“Care.” Sunset met her gaze. “Care about Fluttershy, and care about Fizzlepop. You’re a family now. Being involved is like, eighty percent of the work already. Show that you care, do things for them, support them however and whenever you can. For the rest, well. I told you already. Friendship. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.”

“I think there’s more to it than that,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

“Maybe, but—”

A shadow passed over the submersible.

Everyone froze.

“Skystar?” Sunset asked. “What’s going on?”

SkAIstar licked her lips. “Um, I’m picking up something very large on radar. I think your friend from earlier is back.”

Rainbow Dash went pale. “I don’t want to die in here.”

“Keep it in your pants, and we’ll be fine,” Sunset muttered through clenched teeth. “Is there anything we can do?”

“Um…” Various data flickered across the monitors, and SkAIstar shook her head. “I don’t know! This thing is just an escape pod, it doesn’t have any weapons or anything. Maybe it will leave us alone?”

A thick tentacle slapped its way over one of the outside cameras, obscuring it completely.

The submersible shook.

Everyone screamed.

“Fuck, fuck fuck!” Rainbow Dash doubled over onto her knees, clutching the onesie to her chest.

Sunset held onto a safety rail for dear life,. “This thing has to have something!”

“I don’t know, I don’t know!” SkAIstar shouted, her voice laced with panic. “There’s something here about an emergency beanis port, but I don’t know what that is?”

From the depths, the creature loomed towards them, tentacle dragging the submersible towards a giant eye.

Red warning lights and klaxons screamed in their eyes. Sunset looked around frantically, then she spotted it.

There was a hole at the back, pointed towards the monster even. Small lettering spelled out above it, ‘In case of emergency, insert Beanis*’.

*Rainbow Dash might work in a pinch.’

Sunset stared at the hole, stared at Rainbow Dash, stared at the monster about to devour them. Well, might as well give it what it wanted, right?

“Sorry, Rainbow Dash,” Sunset muttered. “Looks like Fluttershy’s going to have to wait a little bit longer on that orgasm you promised her.”

Without wasting any time, Sunset yanked Rainbow Dash up from the floor, pulled her pants down, and stuffed her into the emergency port.

“What the hell are you—”

Sunset pulled the lever next to the port.

Rainbow Dash’s mouth hung open, her eyes rolling back into her head. “Oh god, the pressure, it’s… oooooohh fuuuuuuck!”

All of Rainbow Dash’s pent up frustrations exploded into the ocean in a singular, perfect jet. It hit the creature straight in the eyes, blinding it and causing its grip to loosen.

The force from her spectacular jizz propelled them forward, up, up, and out of the water entirely until they were rocketing through the air, crashing onto the platform above.

Sunset kicked open the door to the submersible and rolled out, grunting in pain, and thankful for any semblance of land beneath her.

She watched as the Beanis Tower started to deflate, framed by the setting sun, accompanied by the moans of Rainbow Dash, still lost in the aftershocks of ecstacy.

“That,” Sunset said, pushing herself to her feet. “Was the stupidest fucking thing I’ve ever seen.”