Clothes Don't Always Make The Woman

Chapter 9

Cala Concha, Recreation Center

Like everything else in this tropical paradise, the recreation center was modern and full of the best equipment money could buy. There were a fair number of guests milling about, but I think there were fewer of them than normal simply because it was so nice outside by comparison. The receptionist greeted us warmly and led Braeburn & I to where the baking class was to be held. Considering the resort’s clientele, I couldn’t help but wonder what sort of precautions would be taken to avoid accidental burns and whatnot. Suffice to say, cooking in the nude was not without its risks. Just ask my mother. She’d regale you with all sorts of hilarious, but cautionary tales.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I spotted a rack along the wall lined with aprons. There were also hot pads and oven mitts placed at every baking station as well. It would seem that guest safety was indeed a priority at Cala Concha. Marvelous~ The receptionist pointed towards our assigned station and I made sure to thank her as she walked away. Come to think of it, I never asked Braeburn if he was handy in the kitchen or not. I would assume so, given the Apple Family’s penchant for baked goodies and various country dishes. Better late than never, I suppose.

While we waited for the other guests to arrive, I wrapped my arm around Braeburn’s waist. “I’m terribly sorry, darling. But I… don’t recall if I ever asked if you could cook. Is that something all of the Apples are trained to do since birth or is delegated to certain family members?”

Braeburn placed his hand in-between my shoulder blades. “Ah can cook, but ain’t anythin’ fancy. Just the basics. AJ’s the one who’s got a real knack for bakin’ and some of the other Apples are masters of pit BBQ. Depends on who ya ask. Ah can get by with what Ah know.”

I shrugged, not really sure what I had been expecting to hear. “Then, I imagine we shall both be learning quite a bit by the end of the class.”

“Ah thought yer ma was a baker by profession. Didn’t she teach ya how ta do it properly?”

I nodded. “That is true but I never developed a talent for it. Neither did my sister for that matter.”

“What does she know how ta cook?”

I rolled my eyes. “She can barely boil water. In fact, on one particular occasion, I recall that she brought mother a bowl of greyish liquid one morning for breakfast. Turns out, the primordial goop was her attempt at making oatmeal but somehow managed to burn it to oblivion.”

Braeburn winced. “That bad, huh?”

“Yes, I’m afraid so. She won’t be wooing any suitors with her culinary skills. That’s for sure.”

No sooner had I uttered those words, did the devil herself appear. Sweetie, along with her beau, awkwardly shuffled into the kitchen (holding hands I might add) and took their place right next to our station. Being a considerate older sister, I walked over and kissed Sweetie’s cheek. She returned the kiss in kind to my left cheek and looked at me expectantly. What exactly did she wish for me to say? Was this her way of seeking my approval? If so, I’d already decided that Button was a decent, young man and a good match for her.

“Hi, Rarity!”

“Hello, sister. I’m… surprised to see you here, actually.”

Sweetie blushed slightly. “Well, um—about that…”

“Go on. You might as well be honest with me. It’s not as though baking is taboo, dear.”

Sweetie chuckled and rubbed the back of her neck. “Button suggested it. He said his mom runs the baking class and that she’s really good at her job too. Ya know, maybe I could… learn something? Hehe. As in other than burning stuff to a crisp, that is.”

“Hmm. That remains to be seen, quite frankly.”

Sweetie put her hands on her hips and pouted. “Well, it’s not like YOU’RE Gordan Ramsee.”

“Of course not, darling. I never professed to be an expert in such matters. You know as well as I do that mother is the one who would take that title. Hands down. I’m merely… concerned that your eagerness to learn could cause a lot of unnecessary accidents.”

Sweetie grabbed hold of Button’s arm and sandwiched it in-between her breasts. The poor teenager blushed like a tomato and tried to act casual. “That’s why Button’s with me!”

I shot him a sympathetic look. “Very well. I shall entrust my baby sister’s culinary education to you, Button Mash. Be warned though: Sweetie is capable of creating some truly horrible eldritch abominations. It’s not too late. You can back out now if you’d like.”

Still blushing, Button smiled when he glanced over at Sweetie. “I’ve always been pretty good at cooking. Heh. At least that’s what my mom tells me. Maybe she just needs the right teacher?”

I practically had to bite down my own tongue in order to suppress the urge to let out a girlish squeal of delight. Those two were simply ADORABLE together~ It was quite evident (to me at least, I’m not sure about everyone else) that Button would take the time to admire my sister’s, admittedly, stellar physique but he could hardly be blamed for such behavior. As hormonally-driven teenagers were often wont to do. Although, to be fair, Sweetie seemed perfectly fine with him not only looking at her body, but touching it on occasion too. The attraction was mutual.

I think the biggest factor for the continued success of their budding relationship was that they were both accustomed to the naturist lifestyle. What normally would have been an extremely awkward interaction between the two of them, was now just a slightly awkward one. You know, new date jitters and all that. I can’t even imagine how difficult a time Sweetie would have had if she’d started dating a boy who wasn’t used to seeing so much bare skin on a daily basis. Painful memories of my own childhood trauma threatened to rear their ugly head, but I brushed them aside. There was no point dwelling on them. I had a better life now and so did my baby sister.

I titled my head slightly, grinned, and gave Button a gentle pat to the shoulder. “Perhaps, you’re right, Button. Just make sure she doesn’t burn the entire kitchen down. I’m sure Cala Concha has an excellent insurance policy but… one mustn’t become lax in situations like this.”

Button’s face paled and he appeared quite apprehensive all of the sudden. “Umm—really? Gosh, I didn’t realize that Sweetie was a walking disaster in the kitchen. I mean, she mentioned—”

Sweetie glared daggers at me. “FINE! I’m a terrible cook, ok? That’s why I wanna get better.”

Button gently rubbed her back. “It’s ok, Sweetie. Anybody can learn!”

I chuckled while they chatted amongst themselves, confident that Button Mash would probably wind up being the ‘House Husband’ in their relationship. Goodness me! Did I really just imply that my sister would get married to him? Calm down, Rarity. Best not to jump to conclusions yet. They probably haven’t even had sex yet, let alone—AHEM… moving onto other matters.

While Braeburn & I were busy washing our hands and donning our cooking aprons, a middle-aged woman came padding into the kitchen. Her brunette hair was tied up with an adorable pink scrunchie, but otherwise, she was just as nude as everyone else present. The woman’s peach-colored skin looked soft and smooth, a testament to how well she cared for herself. Her most… distinguishing feature, shall we say, was her incredibly voluptuous figure.

With voluminous breasts, puffy, pepperoni-sized nipples, wide hips, a jiggling bottom, and a dense patch of pubic hair gracing her loins… I’d wager that many of the other guests (the male ones in particular) would qualify the baking class instructor as a Grade-A MILF, if you’ll excuse the term. I found it an apt description, if a bit vulgar. She greeted us all with a polite smile and donned a frilly pink apron. I noticed that quite a few men were enraptured. Figures…

“Hello, everyone! My name is Cream Heart and I’ll be your teacher today~”

Almost immediately, sexy shenanigans ensued. Cream Heart cried out in surprise when she managed to drop her clipboard underneath one of the metal tables. Suffice to say, she gave everyone present a generous view of her unmentionables whilst she was crawling on her hands and knees trying to retrieve the aforementioned clipboard. I scoffed when I caught Braeburn staring. Seriously? I know it’s IMPOSSIBLE to miss such a thing but you don’t have to stare so intently.

I promptly elbowed him in the stomach. “That’s quite enough, darling. Show the poor woman some respect. She’s probably not even aware of how… exposed she is right now.”

Braeburn slowly nodded and tried to look anywhere other than Cream Heart’s backside.

“Sorry about that, folks! I’m a little clumsy. Today, we’re going to be making spanakopita. For those of you who don’t know, that’s a traditional Greek pastry made from phyllo dough and stuffed with spinach and feta cheese. Sounds yummy, huh? Well, it is!”

Cream Heart walked over to the fridge and got out a few sheets of prepared dough and distributed them amongst the guests. Each of our stations already had the spinach and cheese set out for us, so we simply had to make sure the dough was placed onto the baking pans properly. She took her place at the head of the class and showed us how to arrange the ingredients.

After a quick demonstration, Cream Heart walked around all the stations to make sure everyone was incorporating the feta and spinach into the triangles of dough correctly. When she got to Button Mash, Cream Heart didn’t hesitate to wrap her son in a bone-crushing hug. She then proceeded to smother him with affectionate kisses. Much to his credit, Button didn’t seem to be bothered by the act but it did manage to earn him a few jealous looks from the other guests.

“Oooh~ You brought your girlfriend with you today! She’s really cute, Button.”

Button blushed furiously and looked down at the floor. “Mom, we’re not—well, I don’t actually know if we’re officially dating yet. Uh… are we, Sweetie?”

My baby sister seemed to mull it over for a moment but ended up nodding in agreement. “I guess so. Don’t you want me to be your girlfriend?”

Button grinned sheepishly. “Yeah. I’d like that. So long as you’re ok with dating a guy like me.”

Sweetie leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Yep!”

Cream Heart clapped her hands together. “Awww~ You guys are so adorable together! What did I tell you, Button? Sometimes, it takes a while to find the right girl.”

In all the excitement, Cream Heart had managed to drop her clipboard again. Button let out a frustrated groan when his mother began crawling around on the floor with her butt up in the air. Almost instantly, everyone’s gaze gravitated towards the middle-aged woman and Button decided that enough was enough. He found the clipboard and helped his mother back onto her feet. Her cheeks flushed rosy pink and tried to laugh off her apparent clumsiness.

“Mom, you can’t keep doing that.”

Cream Heart blinked owlishly. “Do what, honey?”

“Showing everyone your brown eye.”

Cream Heart’s brow furrowed in confusion. “But my eyes are blue…”

Button sighed to himself and continued folding pastries. “Never mind. I dunno how long Sweetie and her family will be staying at the resort for but we do plan on keeping in touch afterwards. If there’s time, do you think she could take some one on one lessons with you, Mom?”

“Certainly, sweetie. I just have to make sure it’s when I’m off the clock. Or maybe I can check with Fizzle to see if we can arrange something during work hours, since Sweetie is a guest. Oh! I’m sorry, miss. I got caught up chatting with my son. I didn’t mean to ignore you.”

I waved my hand. “Not a problem, Ms. Cream Heart. My name is Rarity Belle, by the way. Sweetie’s older sister. A pleasure to meet Cala Concha’s premier pâtissière. I must say, those blueberry scones you made the other day were simply marvelous!”

“Thank you! It’s an old family recipe with my own personal twist. Between you and me, I’ll let you in on a little secret. Friday morning, I’m going to be baking some baguettes and croissants. If you swing by the dining hall around six, I’ll be sure to give you some fresh ones.”

I squealed with excitement. “That would be lovely, darling. Goodness! I can’t even recall the last time I had a proper baguette or a croissant, for that matter. I usually stick with bagels for breakfast since they’re the mainstay in Manehatten. Do you serve Quiche Loraine as well?”

Cream Heart pursed her lips in thought. “Hmm. I honestly don’t know. Doesn’t sound familiar. But I can check with the head chef once I’m finished teaching today’s class. If nothing else, I imagine the kitchen has all of the ingredients to make one.”

I nodded politely whilst I helped Braeburn mix up more of the feta filling in a bowl. “Well, aren’t these pastries shaping up nicely? I dare say, they look professionally made. Braeburn, darling, are you certain that you don’t have a knack for this line of work?”

Braeburn chuckled sheepishly. “Nah. Hung out around mah cousin long enough ta pick up a few things is all. Plus, Miss Cream Heart did a good job showin’ us what ta do in the first place.”

“Sounds like another excuse to stare at her breasts, if you ask me.”

Button looked absolutely mortified while his mother left our station to go check up on a few of the other guests. “Can you guys please stop talking about my mom that way? Or at least wait until I’m not around to hear it.”

I cleared my throat and placed my hand on his shoulder. “Sorry, darling. I didn’t mean to make the situation more awkward for you. I suppose I’m just a little jealous of how much attention your mother manages to attract. Particularly, from red-blooded males…”

Button let out a resigned sigh. “No worries. This isn’t my first rodeo, Miss Rarity. I just wish there’d be at least one decent guy out there who’d treat my mom like the nice lady she is instead of a walking sex buffet. To make matters worse, my mom can be a bit airheaded as you might have noticed. She doesn’t always realize when other dudes are trying to flirt with her.”

“What about your father? Is he—”

“Died when I was really young. So, don’t feel bad about asking. I never got the chance to know him. At all… really. Hehe. Can’t miss what you never had in the first place, right?”

I rubbed Button’s back gently. “I’m sorry to hear that, dear.”

“It’s ok. My mom did an awesome job raising me by herself anyway.”

I smiled. “And it clearly shows. You’re a mature young man, Button.”

It filled my heart with joy to see how supportive Sweetie was being. She’d stopped mixing the feta (the only task she could perform without burning something) and instead concentrated on hugging Button from behind with her arms wrapped around his waist. If I hadn’t been convinced before that they were destined to become a loving couple, this act sealed the deal for me. I’m not entirely certain if Sweetie told either of our parents about her newfound relationship with Button Mash but I was confident that they would reach the same, inevitable, conclusion I had.

The rest of the class went by as you’d expect. Some people were much better at baking than others. But overall, it was a smashing success. Braeburn and I took a doggie bag full of the pastries with us while we walked along the beach back to our room. Button and Sweetie tagged along for a while, until they decided that some private time together was in order. I can’t really blame them. They were a couple of teenagers in love, after all. I waved goodbye while they headed off to go snorkeling. Immediately thereafter, my stomach began to growl.

Given that it was getting close to dinner time, I suggested that we head over to one of the nicer venues Cala Concha had to offer for a bite to eat. Since it was still so early in the evening, there were very few guests milling about the restaurant. It was a quaint little place. Upscale without feeling too pretentious. Of course, it’s rather difficult to do that when the dress code is non-existent. Maybe in a few years, I could try and make nude fine-dining a trend in Manehatten.

We took our seats at a table that gave us a gorgeous view of the ocean. It was so beautiful with the sky painted in orange, purple, and red. The waiter lit a candle for us, set a basket full of mini-baguettes in the center, and took our drink order. I perused the menu while Braeburn seemed to be somewhat confused by it. Then an errant thought struck me. He probably wasn’t familiar with the vast majority of gourmet meals listed. I got up from my seat, stood behind him, and placed my hands on his shoulders, rubbing them affectionately while looking back at me.

“Damn it. Ah feel like an uncultured buffoon, Rares! Can’t understand most of the stuff on the menu. Like Au Gratin ‘Taters, Foie Gras Pate, and just what the hell is Consommé?”

I giggled. “Those are all Prench cuisine terms, darling. Most of them just make simple items sound fancier simply because they are in a foreign language. Foie Gras, for example, is just mushed up goose liver pressed into a little patty.”

“Uh… yeah, no offence. But that doesn’t sound tasty at all. Anythin’ you’d suggest?”

I leaned forward and kissed the back of his head. “Of course, ~ I am a woman of exquisite taste, after all. Just leave the ordering to me, darling. I promise to get something you’ll like.”

Much to Braeburn’s surprise, he was shocked to learn how delicious fried frog legs were. I will admit that it was not a dish that I often indulged in, but since it was available, I figured why not? I decided to shy away from things like Fois Gras and Escargot, out of respect for Braeburn’s more… rustic tastes and well, I didn’t care for either of the dishes. I never quite understood the appeal of eating rubbery little snails, soaked in garlic butter. Blech!

I was about to curse when a glob of cream sauce from the pasta I was enjoying landed directly on my right breast. I paused for a moment and suddenly remembered that I wasn’t wearing any clothes for it to stain in the first place. Maybe it was the wine getting to my head but I let out a most unlady-like giggle snort. Erm—actually, make that several. Braeburn started to snicker and we both wound up laughing together in a manner that I’m sure would have been far more embarrassing had there been more people dining near us. I was having fun and didn’t care.

Braeburn reached across the table and took hold of my hand. “If Ah haven’t said it before, I’ll say it now. This whole naturism thing ain’t too bad once ya get used ta it. Mind mah sayin’, but this is the most fun I’ve had durin’ a vacation in a long time. Glad ya suggested it.”

“You’re quite welcome, darling. I just knew you’d warm up to it eventually~”

Braeburn chuckled. “Don’t get ahead of yerself now, Rares. Just because Ah don’t mind bein’ nekkid here at the resort, doesn’t mean I’ll be runnin’ around in mah birthday suit all the time.”

I showcased my most exaggerated pout while simultaneously rubbing my foot along his leg. “Well, I happen to think you’re at your best au naturale. Gives you the opportunity to showcase all those wonderful, toned, muscles you’ve built up over the years. And I can feel them a lot more readily as well since there’s nothing to get in the way, Mr. Braeburn Apple.”

“Fair point, darlin’.”

After another swig of wine, I leaned back in my chair. “Can you believe it?”

“Believe what?” Braeburn asked.

“That my sister would be inclined to go snorkeling.”

Braeburn took a bite from his frog leg and hummed in thought. “Ain’t too surprisin’ ta me. Sweetie seems like the spirited type. The kind of gal who likes ta try out new things. And well, if she’s spendin’ time with her boyfriend, all the more reason for her ta go along with it.”

“I suppose so. Would you be interested in such a thing?”

Braeburn gave me a noncommittal shrug. “Reckon Ah could be persuaded ta go. Beautiful views of the ocean, and present company included. Sounds like it might be fun.”

I raised my brow. “Oh? Trying to butter me up after gawking at Cream Heart, eh?”

“Heh. Ya got me there, Rares. Ah still feel bad about it though.”

I looked out towards the ocean and sighed. “Don’t be. Men and women alike are naturally inclined to seek a desirable mate. Our ancestors were polyamorous, after all. As I’ve said before, whenever you look at other women, it makes me a wee bit jealous. Like I’m inadequate or something. But it’s harmless if you leave it at that. I’ve done it too, so I can’t claim the moral high ground. I’m sorry if I lost my temper with you, Braeburn. I’ll try to keep in check better from now on.”

I nearly jumped out of my seat when I felt Braeburn trace his foot along my leg. It was a completely unexpected gesture of affection from him. Much to my embarrassment, I did squeak and blush quite profusely afterwards. He laughed accordingly. “We’ll be alright, Rares. Reckon this is what every couple goes through. So long as we’re honest and faithful, things’ll work out.”

“Indeed. I know they will.”

The rest of the evening was rather uneventful by Cala Concha standards. Sometimes, the best way to enjoy a vacation is to relax and do nothing of consequence at all. After dinner, we took a quick soak in the hot tub, walked along the beach for a little while, and returned to our room for some light reading. It wasn’t long before I began to feel drowsy (having a full belly and wine does that to one’s composure), so I closed my novella and snuggled up against Braeburn. He ran his fingers gently across my shoulder blades, which made me feel even sleepier. My eyelids became heavier and heavier until I drifted off to sleep.

Somehow, I found myself aboard a ship. Not a modern one, mind you, but of those sail-driven triremes from ancient times. I looked down at myself and instead of hands, hooves appeared before me. Having known Princess Twilight and Sunset Shimmer, I immediately recognized one of the passing crew members as an Equestrian. An earth pony, given his lack of additional appendages. Or so it seemed. His coat had an odd, glittering sheen to it. Almost like crystals.

I gazed out towards the sea and it was dead calm. In fact, the water was so flat that it resembled a pane of polished glass. The full moon hung in the center of the starry, night sky, shining down on the earth like a massive pearl. I don’t ever recall the moon being so beautiful before. It was as if the celestial body was calling out to me. A grizzled, mulberry-coated pony ambled over to where I was standing and took a big gulp from what I could only assume was a wine skin.

His dark purple mane was cut short, and he appeared to be missing his left eye. The very picture of an ancient sea captain if I’ve ever seen one. Erm—if they were a pony, that is. He offered me a swig and I politely refused. Not knowing the gentlestallion’s name, I waited for him to start the conversation. He remained silent for a few moments longer and then let out a heavy sigh.

“We’re gettin’ closer, Ada. The stars have never led me astray before and they won’t now. Even so, I can feel the tinglin’ deep inside the marrow of me bones. Powerful magics afoot, I tell ye.”

Suddenly, I felt exactly what he had just described. It made me shiver despite the warm evening air. “Closer to what… exactly, if I may ask?”

The captain laughed. “Our death or a new world ta explore.”

“Would you mind elaborating, good sir? Just to refresh my memory.”

The captain closed his eyes. “Aye. The Emperor bade us ta explore a magical anomaly ‘round these uncharted waters. Heard tales of it fer years, but nopony’s ever come back with solid proof. That is, until now. Even brought along a seed crystal ta keep our magic charged up. Ya know, since we can’t very well take the Crystal Heart along with us.”

“Do you have any idea where the portal will lead us?”

“Can’t say I do. Might be a gateway ta another world, if the rumors are ta be believed.”

I felt the blood drain from my face. “How can you be so cavalier about all of this?! We might die out here. Never to be heard or seen from again!”

The captain shrugged and took a big gulp of wine. “Then we die. What better death could ye expect, Ada? The gods of the sea’ll take care of us. Certain as the moon in the sky.”

Before I could voice my protest, the sky darkened with an eerie green haze. The water began to become choppy and rough as well. Had I been in the right state of mind, the rocking of the boat would have made me seasick but I was far too frightened to care about my stomach. As we continued along, the air began to smell of ozone. Not unlike the aftermath of a lightning strike.

I let out a frightened cry after spotting a gigantic, swirling mass of… I’m not really sure what it was. It looked like a hurricane but glowed like a nuclear reactor. I’d never seen such a thing before and I’m not ashamed to admit that I soiled myself on the spot. Thankfully, these ponies didn’t seem to wear clothing, so I didn’t have to throw away a good pair of panties.

“WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS THAT?!!” I screeched while gripping the mast.

“Our destiny, Ada.” the captain replied with a wild look in his eyes.

“You can’t be serious! We’re basically sailing right into a MAGICAL HURRICANE!!”

The captain laughed. “Aye. So we are. Alight, lads! Full speed ahead! Gods be with us.”

My world ended in a brilliant, neon-green flash and for a while there was simply… nothing. When I finally regained consciousness, I coughed a few times. Apparently, I’d swallowed quite a bit of seawater at some point. I blinked a few times and surveyed my surroundings. By some quirk of fate, we’d gone from the middle of the ocean to a tropical paradise. It was then that I realized the ship had wrecked into a shallow reef nearby. I began to sob when I felt a hoof touch my back. When I turned around, the captain offered me a sad smile.

“Yeah. I know. Looks like we ain’t gettin’ back anytime soon.”

I accepted his hug and sniffed. “What of the others?”

“Unfortunately, most of ‘em drowned. One lad survived but I couldn’t save him. Poor bastard got cut up by the reef. Was bleeding too much fer me ta save him. At least he died quick.”

“Are we the only ones left now?”

The captain nodded. “Aye. Appears that way.”

I didn’t notice any bodies lying around the beach but that was probably because many of the sailors had already drowned while the ship was further out to sea. And, subsequently, their corpses would have quickly become a meal for any predators prowling the waves. Sad, I know, but at least they didn’t go to waste rotting in the tropical sun. Despite it being the middle of the day, the captain had managed to build a fire and it was set up in front of a lean-to made from palm leaves.

We walked over to the fire and he offered me a coconut. “Here, Ada. Ye best drink some of this. It’ll help stave off dehydration. Gods know seawater won’t do nothin’ but make ye mad.”

It was delicious, yet I found it difficult to enjoy the beverage properly when I had so much on my mind. “What are we to do? We’ve no means of transportation and we don’t even know if we’re still in the same world as before. It is a forgone conclusion that no one will come looking for us.”

“Yer correct on all accounts. Best we can do is survive, Ada.”

Out the corner of my eye, I spotted a beautiful gem sitting next to the fire. It was about the size of a human fist and glittered in a rainbow of colors. Not unlike a gigantic version of an opal. Yet, it was far more translucent than one at the same time. I admired the gem for a few more seconds until my curiosity got the better of me. I turned towards the captain and cleared my throat.

“Is that the seed crystal?”

The captain nodded. “Aye. Pretty, ain’t it? At least we won’t ever hav’ta worry ‘bout our magic runnin’ out anytime soon. Assumin’ we live very long in the first place…”

I reached out to touch the gem with my hoof and cried out in surprise when my senses were assaulted by a myriad of visions. They didn’t seem to be organized in any sort of sequential order, just bits and pieces. Most disturbing of all was when I saw a desolate cave with a pair of pony skeletons lying next to one another, the gem nestled in-between them. Before I knew it, the vision abruptly stopped and darkness soon followed thereafter.

My eyes suddenly shot open and I let out a loud gasp. I panicked for a few seconds, trying to take stock of my surroundings and just what the hell I’d been through. I could tell that my heart was beating at a furious staccato within my chest and my skin was drenched in sweat. A sigh of relief escaped my lips when I realized that I was back to being my normal, human self. Braeburn was somehow still asleep when I glanced over at him. Since it would basically be impossible for me to go back to sleep myself, I decided to clamber out of bed and walk over to the patio.

The cool ocean breeze felt marvelous on my bare skin. It was still quite early, judging by the semi-starry sky and the orangish glow of the sunrise cresting above the horizon. I leaned against the railing and took in a deep breath to calm myself. The dream I’d experienced, if one could even call it that, was the most vivid I’d ever had in my entire life. It all felt so… real. More importantly, what did it all mean? What was the significance? Why did it choose me?

By some quirk of fate, I sensed a gentle tingling sensation in the back of my mind. It was familiar to me somehow, something I should have recognized, I—it was my geode calling to me. It had never done such a thing before, and I was afraid of what it might mean. On a whim, I padded over to the velvet-lined jewelry box I kept it in and fastened the geode around my neck. I was rewarded with a pleasant warmth filling my entire being. I grasped it and sighed.

“I feel like an idiot talking to a piece of jewelry. But what other choice do I have? Darling, if you can understand me, what were you trying to tell me last night? Did those poor ponies actually wind up here at Cala Concha in the distant past?”

As if to affirm my suspicion, the geode glowed twice.

“Well, damn. I suppose you do have some level of sapience. At some point, I’ll have to ask Sunset if this is at all normal or if you’re the exception to the rule. Why give an ordinary girl like me all of this… magical power? Am I really that special?”

The geode glowed once and urged me to go… swimming? Exploring, would be more exact.

I glanced towards the bedroom where Braeburn was sleeping and debated if I should wake him up or go out exploring on my own. Come to think of it, I don’t believe I ever explained my powers to him or how they worked. But surely, he must have known about the geodes since Applejack used hers quite frequently. In the end, I decided to write a brief note for him and explain that this was simply something I needed to do on my own.

After grabbing a quick breakfast from the canteen, I rented a set of snorkeling gear from the vendor and headed out towards the beach. I didn’t have a clue where I was going exactly, rather the geode gently prodded me in the right direction from time to time. An hour and a half later, I arrived at a secluded section of the beach beyond where Braeburn & I had first made love.

To be honest, I felt a little ridiculous wearing nothing but a snorkel mask and a pair of rubber flippers. Oh well. It’s not as though anyone else was around to see me. I held the geode in my hand once more and it told me to swim out towards the coral reef. After a few deep breaths, I dove into the turquoise water and watched the fish swim underneath me. Most of them were quite beautiful. As most tropical fish come in a vast array of colors, shapes, and sizes.

I was aimlessly swimming along until I spotted a large rock formation. Upon closer inspection, I realized that it was not just a formation, but an underwater cave. Had it been any deeper, I would’ve had serious doubts about diving down to explore the entrance. Drowning was not on my immediate ‘to do list’ or ever, for that matter. The geode assured me that I would be fine. I surfaced for a moment, took in a deep breath, and maneuvered into the entrance.

Much to my amusement, it was indeed a short trip through the cave. I’d barely been underwater for thirty seconds when I saw the telltale distortion of surface water. It was rather dark, so the geode lit the way for me. Granted, I’m no geologist, but I was a bit perplexed as to how there was breathable air so deep inside the cave. Then, as I looked around, I realized that the walls and ceiling were covered in a blueish-green moss. At least I wouldn’t die of asphyxiation.

There wasn’t much else to see while I explored the cave. Mostly because it wasn’t very large to begin with and I didn’t want to risk straying too far from the entrance, lest I get lost. I was about to give up and head back when I spotted a pair of pony skeletons. They were the exact same size and shape from my dream and it was then that I realized I’d witnessed a vision of the past. I couldn’t help but shed a few tears for the poor creatures. However long they’d lived beyond the shipwreck, it was entirely here in this world and not their own.

After taking a moment to collect myself, I happened to spot something glitter out of the corner of my eye. Even while coated with centuries worth (I was making an educated guess) of dust and muck, I recognized the seed crystal from my vision. I bent down, carried it over to the water, and washed it off as best I could. It was so beautiful that I took some time to admire it. Given that it was roughly the size of my fist, I’d have to break it apart to craft it into proper jewelry but—

My thoughts were interrupted by a blinding flash. The crystal suddenly began floating in the air, filling the cave with iridescent beams of light. It frightened me so badly that I managed to fall straight on my bare bottom and onto the hard, mossy, ground below. While it did indeed hurt, I was more concerned about if the thing would explode or vaporize me with a magic beam.

“Please wait a moment! I didn’t mean to disturb your rest. I’ll just leave now if you want—erm—power crystal or whatever you prefer being called.”

I closed my eyes and waited for my body to be reduced to ash but slowly opened them again when it didn’t happen. Instead, the geode had been torn off of its chain and was orbiting around the gem like a tiny moon. They began to spin faster and faster until the two gems fused together. The glowing ball then floated across the room and stopped directly in front of me.

“What do you want me to do? Am I… supposed to place my hand there?”

A single flash was a clear indication of the geode/gem’s intent. I did as I was told.

The next thing I knew, my body was floating in the air and I felt a sensation akin to having the most orgasmic massage in the history of mankind hit me from head to toe. I know it’s a rather crude way of describing the experience, but I had nothing else to compare it to. When it was all said and done, I gently landed on my feet with a newfound sense of power. Whatever had just happened, it fundamentally changed my magic abilities. I blinked a few times in disbelief when I noticed that my skin was glowing with the same rainbow-like hue as the gem before.

“I can’t even begin to imagine what this all must mean. For starters, I hope the glow isn’t permanent. Because there’s no way I’ll be able to provide a rational explanation for it.”

As if by my will, the glowing immediately ceased. Well, that was one problem solved. But I couldn’t help but wonder if this was just the beginning of my troubles. The gem had clearly chosen me as its bearer, yet I couldn’t fathom why. Perhaps, it recognized the Equestrian magic in my geode and thought me to be a pony. Who knows? Why must life be so complicated?!

In any case, one of the first things I would need to do is contact Sunset Shimmer and see if she could provide some answers. I’d never been particularly close to her in terms of being a friend, but I did chat with her from time to time. She and Twilight were like peanut butter and jelly though. Besties if I ever saw them. Hopefully, she wouldn’t mind helping me out.

I whispered a silent prayer for the deceased and made my way over to the entrance. Since my geode was no longer lighting the way, I found it much more difficult to see where I was going and subsequently tripped over a jagged piece of rock. What I expected was pain, but I never felt any. When I looked down at my foot, it glittered like a quartz crystal. How bizarre! To test my hypothesis (a rather foolish one, I know), I kicked the same chunk of rock as hard as I could with my bare foot and it wound up crumbling apart. My skin was literally harder than solid rock.

“Are you serious?! I have even more gemological abilities now?! Damn it all! I never asked for this, you know. Ugh… why does the universe always see fit to continuously throw curveballs at simple girl like me? All I ever wanted out of life was to live my dream as a jeweler and settle down with a nice boyfriend. IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR?!!”

With a resigned sigh, I put on my snorkeling gear and swam back to the beach. The entire time I walked back to the resort proper, I couldn’t help but wonder what was in store for my future. What would I tell Braeburn? More importantly, HOW would I tell him? There simply wasn’t any way I could fathom where he would take the news in a calm and rational manner. If I were in his place, I’d certainly freak out as well if my significant other said she had magical super powers.

It also occurred to me that Sunset Shimmer might not even be familiar with the gem I fused with. Given how ancient it was. Perish the thought but… I might even have to visit Equestria and seek Princess Twilight’s help for my condition. When I finally returned the snorkeling gear, I glanced over at the wall clock. It read eight thirty-two am. Though I’m ashamed to admit it, I made a beeline for the cocktail lounge and ordered a large piña colada with an extra shot of rum.

The bartender looked at me as though I’d grown two heads. No doubt, he was judging my choice of morning beverage but I didn’t care. When he didn’t immediately start mixing my alcoholic tonic, I crossed my arms underneath my breasts and gave him the stink eye. After that, he performed his job in a competent and timely manner but hesitated to slide the tiki-head shaped glass my way. I let out a frustrated huff.

“Yes, sir. I’m quite serious about drinking. Go on. Be a good chap and slide it over. Please? I’d rather not have to get cross with you. Trust me; you don’t want to see me when I get cross. It’s been… a rather trying morning for me and I’m in desperate need of a distraction.”

The bartender blushed and slid the glass towards my open palm. “Apologies, ma’am. I don’t see too many guests ordering… libations this early in the day. Would you like any snacks to go with your drink? We have a special on bacon-wrapped conch fritters.”

I nodded enthusiastically. “That sounds lovely, darling.”