"Princess Twilight? If I may have a word?"
"Please make it quick, Sea Swirl."
I nodded. "I would like to propose forming a team of Equestria's finest explorers. To explore the world underneath our hooves, a world that has only been touched by seaponies. Perhaps we could team up with them to explore what's under the sea. It's so vast, and-"
"Sea Swirl." Twilight held a hoof up. "It sounds to me like you haven't thought this out very well."
"Um...well, it was more of a spur-of-the-moment idea...but I've been working on it for a moon or two, and I just know that once it's perfected, it will provide a whole new avenue of research!" I explained. "Princess, the sea and space are two of the most unexplored areas known to creaturekind. Please, allow me to do the honors in helping to explore at least one of them."
"I will consider it." The Princess rose and began approaching me. "But I'm quite sure the seaponies have the underwater part of our lovely world covered."
There was a pause. I saw the Princess' eyes move to my flank, her eyes remaining on it as she passed me.
"Sea Swirl, you earned your cutie mark for a reason. While I appreciate your efforts, perhaps it would be best if you stuck to other areas of aquatics."
I could only stand there in shock as she left the room. A wave of calm washed over me, anger hidden just beneath the surface, and after the guards escorted me out of the castle, I made my way home.
Gritting my teeth, I angrily kick the sand in front of me as the memory bubbles forth. As much as I knew Princess Twilight was trying to let me down gently, it didn't give her any right to try and deny me a chance to take my destiny to new heights. For her to tell me that the seaponies had explored more of the seas of Equestria than I ever would...it was awful.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath to calm myself down, to become one with the sea and its soft waves lapping against the shore, just as I was taught to do. Unlike the rest of the creatures on this island, I chose to stay. This is my domain, after all. If I can just have this island, all to myself, it will be paradise for me.
But that doesn't hide all the ones in the thralls of panic, the ones who try to make an escape from the island in the hopes of going back to Equestria. It's too far from this island. I know none of them will make it, because nopony has ever made it back. Not even most of the Wonderbolts, who decided to make the journey to Equestria to see if any part of it was salvageable for living after the disaster, returned. Whether they were eaten by a jumping shark or simply collapsed into the sea from exhaustion, who was to say.
My ears swivel backwards as I listen to the sound of running hooves. I crack my eyes just a little bit open, just for curiosity's sake. It's a pink-coated unicorn whose mane and tail are streaked with all shades of pink, and even a stripe of white. Panting in quick breaths, she runs straight into the ocean and begins swimming, moving her hooves as fast as she can.
Like she has a chance. There are big waves out there. She won't have much stamina nor endurance by the time she reaches them. The ocean will take her, just as it's probably taken everycreature that's ever tried to run away. No matter if they fly, teleport, or simply rush in, the ocean claims all. It even claimed Equestria. Water was the whole reason we escaped to this island in the first place. Underwater volcanoes are nothing to be trifled with, especially when they cause earthquakes and tsunamis of extraordinary magnitudes.
But it's all just a blur now. I've tried to push it out of my mind as much as I can, but the wounds are still fresh, the questions still ripe for answering. All I can do is look out to the ocean, look back at the trees, and watch everycreature scramble to get back what has been taken.
The sounds of hooves reach my eardrums, but they're not the frantic sounds I've become used to. Instead, they're uneven and stumbling. I turn around and watch the fight go down. Two stallions are kicking, biting, and headbutting each other, whinnying and nickering aggressively. After a few minutes, the fighting stops.
"I...what just happened?"
"I don't know. Why are we even here?"
"Your guess is as good as mine. Come on, let's head back. Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine."
Once they disappear from sight into the leafy forest ahead, I turn back towards the water. My body tenses up out of fear, knowing that someday, I might become feral. I like to think I have a rational mind, but that doesn't stop the regression. Even Equestria's best healers -- the ones remaining, at least -- haven't figured out a name for it yet. The last I heard, the working title was Savage Syndrome. Weak, but enough to strike fear into anycreature. No one wants to become feral. For some creatures, it means that they are walking murderers that must be euthanized as quickly as possible in order to protect the lives of others.
I shudder and furiously shake my head to dispel the thoughts, looking out into the ocean and attempting to make myself one with the sea again. The sounds of hoofsteps again ruin any attempts.
"Your Majesty?"
"Please, Sea Swirl. You know you can call me Princess Twilight."
"Right. Sorry." I clear my throat as the princess sits down beside me. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm taking a break. We just had to euthanize Yona. It took quite a massive effort just to get her to stay still, and that's not including how many lives were needlessly lost."
I didn't know Yona all too well. Still, my lips form a tight frown. "This Savage Syndrome is taking out everyone."
"Indeed."
The silence hangs in the air, thick like smog. The Princess coming to sit next to me feels like a request I can't ignore, made all the more prominent by the memory from before playing in my mind. I have a chance to tell her how I feel, and if things keep going the way that they are, I may never get a second one.
"Princess Twilight?"
"Hm?"
"I hate to say this, but...I told you so."
The Princess blinks once, and then twice. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't you remember when I approached you about exploring the world underwater, and you said that the seaponies had that covered?" I stare into those purple eyes, the ones full of trauma and pain and experience. "I don't think they could have predicted Equestria's downfall. Who knew there were underwater volcanoes that could cause earthquakes and tsunamis, huh? Let alone ones that brought Equestria to ruins?" My own eyes narrow. "Did the seaponies ever approach you about that?"
To my surprise, the Princess seems to have an answer on hoof. "Some did, yes. Though the volcanoes they explored had very little activity, and certainly not enough to cause any natural disasters, the threat was still there. So I kept the concerns in mind, putting other issues to the forefront."
I give a derisive snort.
"I'll admit that was not the wisest of ideas."
"No duh. If you had let me assemble a team and let us explore the volcanoes, maybe we could have mitigated the threat somehow. Maybe we could have stopped it before it wrecked the entire country and killed creatures."
The Princess's eyes close. "Sea Swirl." A deep breath. "Would you be willing to tell me about your plan?"
Surprised, I open my mouth and then close it. The first question that comes to mind for me is why the Princess wants me to explain my plan to her. Is she planning some kind of an escape from the island, using my plan to do it? I don't expect someone like her to steal the credit for someone else's work. Or maybe she's planning an escape with me at the at the head, which I would decline, of course. I had long since accepted that Equestria was gone. The ocean had claimed it, just as it claims everyone who ever tries to regain what was once taken for granted.
"I suppose I can indulge you." I look towards the ocean. "As you know, my cutie mark is of two dolphins. Much like your friend Fluttershy, I have an innate ability to connect with bodies of water, and all of the sea life that lives within them. While said bodies of water might be the residence of seaponies, there are very few who have as big of a connection to water and sea life as I do. The seaponies that currently exist -- or perhaps I should say the seaponies that used to exist -- were originally straight hippogriffs. And while I don't know too much about hippogriffs, I do know that they are more attuned to land and the air than water. I don't think I've ever met anyone who was a biological seapony. Have you?"
"I'm sure there are some out there." I wait for the Princess to correct herself like I did, but nothing comes forth, and instead she continues. "Not all of them were killed by the erupting volcanoes and tsunamis."
I can hear the quiver in her voice. She's holding on to hope. The seaponies are a fragment of Equestria, one of the many species that makes up its vast residency base. Land-dwellers might have been as good as dead, but the strongest seaponies at least had a small chance of escaping. No one is really prepared for the effects of a tsunami underwater, though -- I have a story to tell about that.
"Not all of them." I echo. "Anyway, it's like I said. The aquatic world of Equus is underexplored, and I thought that gathering a team of explorers to see what it had to offer would benefit society. Who knows if there is- was an underwater creature waiting to strike? Or if there was something polluting the water from below that would make creatures sick?" I close my eyes. "That's what I wanted to find out."
There's more silence that follows, indicating that the Princess is thinking about my words. My eyes open, and I follow a crab skittling along the beach, going about its life without a care in the world.
"But you turned me down under the pretense of 'considering it'. You told me to find a new destiny because the seaponies dedicated themselves to such research. Do you know how hurtful that was? To be told that what I used to do as a filly, what I wanted to do when I became a full-grown mare, was 'already done' by someone better?" I can't stop the anger from seeping into my voice as I rise to my hooves. "My team of explorers was even going to include seaponies. They love the sea just as much as I do. If we worked together, we could accomplish so much." I angrily stomp a hoof into the sand. "The only thing you were right about was that I hadn't planned things in full yet. But eventually, I did, Princess. I did, and I traveled to Seaquestria. I made friends with seaponies, and together we explored. Because..." My vision goes hazy. "Because exploring the sea is much more fun when it's with friends."
Only a minute passes before Twilight responds. "You're right, Sea Swirl. I...what I did was wrong of me. You had nothing but good intentions, and just because the seaponies live under the water doesn't necessarily mean all of them are dedicated to underwater research. In truth, it was a small group of seven."
Part of me wonders if any of those seven included the seaponies I had made friends with. But I put the question to rest. They were explorers, sure, but there was no way they could've survived amidst a flurry of constant spinning.
"I should have given you the go-ahead. I should have let you embrace your destiny as you saw fit, instead of trying to steer you towards a path I thought was right. If I had...maybe this all could have been prevented."
"There was nothing you could've done, Princess. You can't fight nature."
"I know. That's why I said maybe this could have been prevented." The Princess gives a bitter chuckle. "The irony is a little amusing, at least. To have Equestria destroyed by something underwater, only for the survivors to flee to an island that is surrounded by water..."
I sit back down. "Like we could've gone anywhere else?"
"Touche." There's a short lull, and then the Princess gazes down at me with sad purple eyes. "I'm sorry I brushed you off. All of my little ponies are important to me, regardless of what marks are on their flanks, what destinies they may have, and what dreams they decide to pursue. I know it's too late to fix things now, but I would like to...start over. If that's all right with you."
Biting my bottom lip, I stay silent. There are a million excuses I can devise as to why the Princess acted the way she did -- an offbeat day, stress, half-flanking things, the list goes on and on. In spite of what she did, I respect her as Equestria's leader, and it's for that reason that I keep my anger in check.
I meet her gaze and give a small smile. "I think I'd like that."
The Princess wraps her wing around me in a comforting embrace, and we look out towards the ocean together, up until it's time for her to lower the sun and raise the moon.
After curfew, I make my way to the shore once more, though it's on the other side of the island. I had once thought of making a bed here, but dropped the idea when I realized that it would be tough defending against the elements. So, I was forced to bunk in the depths of the jungle along with everyone else.
Tonight, though, something particular calls me here. During one of Pinkie Pie's impromptu parties, I had felt a tugging sensation, like someone was pulling on me with an invisible rope. I stayed at the party in order to not hurt Pinkie's feelings, but it went on for longer than I was expecting. I don't know if someone was waiting for me, or if my mind was playing tricks on me. Now that the party is over, I have to know.
The sound of bubbling water catches my attention. I race to the water's edge, keeping my eyes on the bubbles, holding my breath as I wait to see whether what would emerge is a threat or is on the side of good.
My fears are squashed as a creature rises from the water. Equine, but certainly not a seapony. The blue gem affixed to her pink pearl headband glimmers in the moonlight, as does the blue seashell wrapped around her pink pearl necklace. Her dark purple eyes are warm, as is her smile.
I...don't know what this creature is. It's unlike anything I've ever seen before. Maybe it's because there's not enough light?
"Um..." I clear my throat. "Hello. Can I help you?"
"Yes, actually." The creature's smile grows bigger. "I'm an escapee of Equestria. Oh! Whoops. I should start by introducing myself, huh?" She chuckles. "My name is Coralita La Mer. I'm a mermare from the seas."
Now, it clicks. The name "mermare" is one I haven't heard in a long time, not since Mom read me stories about them. Part of my fillyhood underwater explorations was going deep into pools and lakes in vain attempts to find any trace of mermares. I held onto hope they were real for many years, until I grew into a teenager and came to the conclusion that mermares didn't exist.
But they do. There's one right here, speaking to me.
"Coralita La Mer." I stop to let the name linger on my tongue. "That's a nice name. Mine is Sea Swirl. Uh, but where...you escaped from Equestria?"
Coralita nods. "I wasn't in the path of the tsunami when it struck, but word got around in the seas through surviving seaponies."
Immediately my eyes widen. There were so many tsunamis, ones that wrecked towns and homes and lives alike. It was hard to imagine the seapony species still lived. "Are there more of you?"
"Oh, yes! We live in the Glowstone Seas. Guess why it's called that?"
"...It's built on a glowing stone?"
"Mm, not quite. That glowing stone is a great source of power for us! It makes a lot of stuff keep on swimming." Coralita rubbed a fin behind her head. "Whoever came up with that name probably wasn't very good at names."
I can't resist cracking a smile.
"Anyway, you're probably wondering why I came up here, aren't you?" Coralita sighs. "Please don't get mad, but, um...I've been watching you, ever since you came to this island. In fact, my home is right below this island."
My breath becomes caught in my throat. How did I not notice Coralita before? How did I not notice her home before, especially since it's right under my hooves? If she came up to the surface to watch me, how did I not feel the same pulling sensation I did during Pinkie's party?
Really...all this time, I could've...
No. I like this island. I can go into the sea anytime I want, and no royal decree can stop me. Ponies aren't made to live in the sea, not without magical means. And while I've strengthened my magic over the years, I don't know if it's possible to stay in a seapony or mermare form permanently.
Coralita continues to speak. "I don't exactly have many friends in the Glowstone Seas. Most seem to think I'm a bully." I tilt my head at the way she uses air quotes using fin gestures. "In truth, though, that's only because I'm next in line for the throne. Jealousy, you know?"
"Ha. Tell me about it." I roll my eyes. "My destiny was to explore the oceans, lakes, and ponds and provide Equestria with all sorts of research. But when I talked to Princess Twilight about it, she told me the job was better left to seaponies. Even though my exploration team would have included seaponies!" Lowering my front legs, I sigh. "I'll admit, I was a little jealous of them. Still am. I mean, they get to live underwater, and I'm stuck here on land. N-not that I have anything against them!" I hold up my hooves, giving a nervous chuckle. "I- anyway, I cleared things up with the Princess earlier today. Things are fine now."
Coralita turns, her head slowly moving left and right as she takes in the view. Then, her head tilts down, and she looks into the water.
"Ugh, I'm sorry. I went off on a nonsensical tangent. Just ignore that."
She turns around and looks at me with eyes full of sadness and longing. "Sea Swirl...you want to live in the ocean, don't you?"
Stammering, I take one step back, and then another. "N-" I shake my head. "No! I-I-I'm happy living on this island! I can go into the sea whenever I want! I-"
A sound cuts through the air, long and screeching like a cat's yowl. I jump and whirl around, watching the leaves rustle and listening to the muffled yells and screams of creatures alike. I don't need to think about what's going on. The scenario is all too familiar.
"Rainbow Dash, subdue her! Now!"
"I'm trying! She's too fast, even for- ow!!"
"Get the gun!"
"She's trying to fly away!"
"I think she's heading towards the ocean!"
I freeze. My heart skips a beat. I know it's a feral creature, but I don't know where it's heading. For all I know, it could be to the north side of the island. To the east, or even the west side.
The rustling grows more intense.
A shadowy, feathery figure shoots out. It only takes me a few seconds to realize that it's a hippogriff. A young one, going by how small it is.
"No! First Yona, and now Silverstream?!"
I don't know Silverstream all that well, either. Still, the fact that a hippogriff has gone feral this time seems like a bad omen.
"Sea Swirl! Take her down!"
The voice is clear, its owner not so much. I'm too paralyzed with fear to do anything, let alone light up my horn. All I can do is watch Silverstream head for the ocean, taking the plunge and shapeshifting into her seapony form before whirling on the approaching ragtag group of creatures, snapping her beak aggressively.
From there, I shut down. Muffled words are spoken, a loud bang shoots through my eardrums, and a dying wail disturbs the peace, but my awareness goes after that. It isn't until I'm led to my bed that I recover somewhat, wondering if meeting Coralita and Silverstream developing Savage Syndrome was nothing more than just a dream.
I wake up the next day with every inch of my body feeling heavy. It's amazing how I even wake up at all, given how I certainly didn't get enough sleep. Slowly, I roll out of bed, my hooves feeling like they have weights attached that keep them pinned to the floor but finding the resolve to keep moving until I reached the outside.
"Sea Swirl!" Someone calls out to me, but my head is throbbing too much to identify who it is. "Good morning! How're you feeling?"
It takes me a moment to find the energy to spit up words. "Tired. In pain. A little hungry."
"Aww, well, I can resolve that third one for you!" the someone chirped. "But for the pain, you should probably go and see one of the doctor ponies."
"Mm." I clutch my head. "I'll come see you when I'm done with the doctors."
"Got it! See ya!"
The high-pitched voice of the someone who talked to me rings in my ears as I trudge through the massive clearing. I know where the doctors' house is, but getting there is a massive feat that requires me bobbing and weaving through creature after creature. It's not until I step inside the house that I take a deep breath, happy to be away from the din and even happier that the interior is incredibly large. It had to be, of course -- one of Princess Twilight's top priorities upon getting to the island was making sure creatures were trained in the art of medicine. Even Fluttershy's skills had been honed beyond just caring for animals, as evidenced by her leading a tall stallion through the area.
"Ah, Sea Swirl!" A brown-coated mare made her way up. "Goodness, you aren't looking too good. Here to be checked out?"
I nod.
"I see. Follow me and I'll take you to one of the exam rooms."
When I sit down on the cot, I drop a bomb on Hard Stick in the form of a question. "What happened last night?"
Hard Stick closes the door behind her and frowns. "With Silverstream? She exhibited symptoms of Savage Syndrome, completely out of the blue. I was chasing her down, along with a few others, in the hopes that I could get her to calm down..." Her head moves downwards to the floor. "...but the tranquilizer gun was fired. She sank into the ocean."
I blink. "So it...wasn't a dream?"
"I...no. You were there, Sea Swirl, weren't you?"
"Yes. But I was paralyzed with fear. I-I didn't know if Silverstream was going to attack me, or what was going on!"
Hard Stick solemnly nods. "Mm. I understand. It doesn't look like it, but Savage Syndrome has everyone on edge. Myself included." Her body ripples with a short-lived shiver, then she straightens and puts on a smile. "But enough doom and gloom, hm? What's going on with you?"
"I didn't get enough sleep. I have a pounding headache, my body feels weighed down..."
"I see." Hard Stick taps her chin. "I know there's a weekly funeral for Savage Syndrome victims today, but I would suggest you get more sleep."
"...But I can't miss the funeral service."
"I'm sure the Princess will understand." Hard Stick fixes me with a steely glare, the glare she gives her most stubborn patients. "Go, Sea Swirl. Go back to bed. Get some sleep. If you still feel crummy, come back here and we'll discuss treatment options for you."
Somehow, even though Hard Stick was a good mare with vast medical knowledge, her advice didn't feel right to me. I'm a morning pony, especially where sunrises are concerned. Even now, I still try to get up in the mornings before the sun rises. Sleeping until the afternoon isn't me.
Regardless, I nod, thank her, and step out, deciding to make a pit stop at the mess hall on my way back. Knowing that I didn't dream about Silverstream last night meant that I didn't dream about Coralita, either -- and the sooner I got in touch with her again, the better. I just couldn't do it with a roaring headache and an empty stomach.
I stay for the funeral service, of course.
Given how many creatures die of Savage Syndrome each week, it's rather long. Silverstream's portion, especially, is very lengthy, but I sit through it. I may not have known her, but I'm respectful and don't bail, my headache ebbing away as the eulogies go on.
When the service is over, I rush to the south island as fast as my hooves will take me, keeping my eyes straight ahead and looking for any sign of water. Getting closer and closer, I feel the same pulling sensation that I did last night, and I use that as a motivator.
By the time I reach the shore, I have a hard time braking, nearly launching myself into the water. The sand I kick up is launched, however, and lands right next to...
"Coralita!"
"Sea Swirl!" A breathy chuckle. "Oh goodness, am I so happy to see you!"
"Me...too!" I pause to catch my breath. "I...oh, wow...I'm not used to...running that fast on land..."
"You're more of a swimmer, aren't you?"
"Very." I straighten. "Where did you go last night? You...you didn't witness..."
Coralita nods. "I did. It was terrifying. I was afraid the creatures trying to stop that hippogriff would see me, so I ducked back under the water. And then when I re-emerged again, you weren't there, and I got so scared!"
"Yeah. I...sort of froze up. I was taken back to the campsite we have in the woods."
"Sea Swirl...that hippogriff, she...turned into a seapony..." Coralita hides her face under her fins. "I watched her drown. I heard her scream as she sunk to the bottom."
My eyes widen. "You didn't try to save her, did you?"
"No. I was too terrified."
"You shouldn't have. She turned feral."
"Turned feral?"
Knowing the concept of Savage Syndrome would be hard to explain, I sigh and sit down in the sand. "On the island, there's this disease that's going around named Savage Syndrome. No one knows how, or why. All we know is that when a creature contracts it, they turn feral. They regress." I gesture to the sand behind me. "For example, since I'm a unicorn, if I went feral, I would kick, bite, and display other signs of aggression towards others."
Coralita slowly nods. "So like...a wild angry animal?"
"You could say that, yes."
"That's awful!" Coralita begins to fidget using her fins, twirling them around. "And to think, you don't know how it spreads..."
"There are theories. But there's nothing conclusive yet."
There isn't much of a silence before Coralita raises a fin inquisitively. "Hey, I wonder if..." She shakes her head. "No, no. It's silly."
"It's not silly, Coralita. Tell me."
Coralita contemplates for a moment, then nods. "Okay. Based on what you've told me, I have a theory as to why Savage Syndrome develops and spreads."
My jaw drops. To think that a mermare held the potential answer to a question doctors on this island had been studying for moons was shocking. Still, I motion for her to continue.
"You've been living on this island for a long time, right? I mean, how long has it been since Equestria got destroyed?" Coralita stops to think for a minute or two, then shakes her head. "And you've had to adjust to life on this island that...uh...probably isn't all that bigger than an Equestrian town. Maybe. I don't know." She shrugs. "But anyway, you can't escape, right?"
A rhetorical question, one that I answer anyway. "No. There's nowhere to escape to."
I catch a glint of hope in Coralita's eyes, but before I can ask about it, she launches back into her explanation. "I bet that doesn't do well for minds. It's like...living in a bubble and never getting to see the world outside! Literally!"
Like the flick of a light switch, it all falls into place. Why Savage Syndrome becomes a sudden onset. Why creatures regress into nothing more than undomesticated animals. Why euthanization is the be-all-end-all of the disease.
Being on this island is turning us all into crazed versions of ourselves, fueled by anger and panic from being trapped and having nowhere to escape to.
And anyone can be subject to change.
Even me.
I can feel my heart thrumming in my chest as I stare at my hooves. Seeing creatures turn feral around me had always scared me, partly because I never knew whether they would turn their sights on me and put me in danger. But this is the first time I'm realizing the true consequences of Savage Syndrome. It runs so much deeper than anyone thinks. Part of me wants to tell the doctors. Best-case scenario, Coralita's theory could further their research exponentially, and they could develop a treatment for Savage Syndrome to prevent any more lives from being lost. Worst-case scenario, they wouldn't believe me and we would all be stuck with creatures continuing to die left and right.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I look past Coralita, towards the blue water that lay beyond me. Something suddenly occurs to me, and I try to steady my nerves as I make eye contact with the mermare.
"If you live below the island...does that mean you could get Savage Syndrome too?"
"Hmm...I'm not sure. I don't really have to stay under the island; I can go anywhere in the world I want to, as long as there's water. I just prefer staying here, because it's my home."
That explains things. That means Coralita is largely safe from Savage Syndrome, then. She isn't bound to land the way most creatures here are, and can swim to wherever she pleases. Relatedly, that would also explain why winged creatures have attempted to leave the island themselves, even though they end up (likely) being killed. Like how Coralita can swim in the water, they can fly in the air to wherever they want to -- they just get more tired and are more of an easy catch for carnivorous water-dwellers.
Because this island, and the area surrounding it? It's made for the finned, not the winged.
Heaving a sigh, I slowly rise to my hooves and turn. "Coralita, this is a big discovery. Thinking about it, it makes sense. It explains everything. You...you could save the creatures here."
"What are you going to do?"
"I have to tell the doctors here about this."
"Wait!" Coralita reaches out with a fin. "Please, if you're going to tell them...don't say I came up with it. I...I don't want them to find out about me. About us. I don't know what'll happen..."
I blink. "You want me to take all the credit?"
"Um...i-if that's feasible, yes."
Having someone revoking their involvement in something as big as this is a bit surprising to me, but I understand where Coralita is coming from. After all, if I didn't know mermares existed, I'm willing to bet others don't know they exist either. And if they find out they do exist...who knows what could happen?
"Okay. If that's what you want." I smile. "Later on, though, can we talk? It's about something important."
"Sure thing! I'll meet you at sunset."
I give a nod and hurtle myself back into the underbrush, knowing now what I need to do -- for my sake, and for the sake of everyone on the island.
"So, Sea Swirl. Would you mind explaining your supposed theory about Savage Syndrome?"
I nod at the Princess, adjusting myself in the chair made out of sticks and leaves. I launch into my theory, keeping my eyes on the head doctor and the Princess as I tell them about the cause of Savage Syndrome and how it isn't contagious, but certainly is dangerous.
The look on the Princess's face is nearly indescribable. It almost makes me falter a few times, but I keep going, the image of Coralita's face never leaving my mind.
"Princess?" Beating Heart nods affirmatively. "What Sea Swirl is saying makes sense. I don't know why we never saw it before, but..." She pauses for only a moment before continuing. "Equestria is a vast country, as I'm sure you know. Being trapped on an island of a smaller size, especially with no way of escaping to bigger land, can drive anyone mad."
"But creatures have escaped before."
"But they usually collapse in the water or get eaten by other animals like sharks."
The Princess's gaze moves to me. "And how do you know that for sure?"
"Because there's no land, habitable land, for miles. The island is one of the few places in Equestria that still supports not just ponies, but most other creatures as well." I match the steel in the Princess's eyes. "No creature can fly forever. And there are many other animals that see those in flight as easy prey."
Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Beating Heart looking between me and the Princess. Knowing that there was a chance the Princess could dismiss me like she had done in the past, I decide to focus my efforts on appealing to the pegasus mare. "My cutie mark represents my connection to water and the life it bears. I know what I'm talking about. Please, consider what I'm saying. Adopt it into your research. Maybe then, we can stop Savage Syndrome from taking the life of anyone else."
Like a thick cloud of fog, the silence lingers for what feels like hours. And then, the Princess takes a deep breath.
"All right. Beating Heart, I will allow you to incorporate this information into your research. From there, you and the others may begin making cures that will hopefully stop Savage Syndrome from developing."
A breath of my own that I had no idea I was holding in is expelled from my lungs.
"Thank you, Princess." Beating Heart nods. "And thank you, Sea Swirl. Your help is invaluable."
"It's no problem." I let my gaze rest on the Princess. "And thank you for believing in me."
"I didn't want to repeat the same mistake I made the last time you had something important to say, Sea Swirl. You are a bright and intelligent pony, one whose skills can benefit all of us and let us live beneficial lives in our new home."
A small smile forms on my face, one that wavers. "Thank you. But, um...before you go, I have something I need to tell you."
"Hm? What is it?"
A lip bite. A shaky inhale. A small headache beginning to form, as though my brain is screaming for me not to say it. But I have to say it.
No...I have to lie.
"I'm planning on...going on a journey."
The Princess's eyes widen. "You're escaping?"
"No. This isn't escaping." I explain. "I'm going on a journey to see if there's other land, either in Equestria or out, that creatures can live on. Maybe I'll get lucky and find some nearby. Creatures can go live there, and we can all be neighbors." A sad chuckle slips from my lips. "But I think, with my skills, I can make it."
"What if you don't?"
"Actually, let me revise. There's no 'I think' here. I will make it with my skills." I straighten. "You can trust me, Princess. My destiny is to explore the waters of Equestria, and that's something I can still do even if most of Equestria has been flooded and wrecked beyond belief."
The Princess's answer is quick, much quicker than I'm expecting. "All right. I trust you, Sea Swirl. Please come back safely."
I nod and slide out from my seat. "Thank you. I will."
But the more I walk around the island, the more I begin to wonder if my lie could just as easily become the truth.
After dinner, I head for the south side of the island once again, sure in my decision. All I need to do is to be sure Coralita is on board with it.
Heading through the leaves and trees, I hear noises. Angry whinnies. Ferocious roars. Screeches that pierce the sky I can barely see. All signs of the Savage Syndrome I have been working hard to avoid since my arrival. The Princess and the others have their work cut out for them, but with my theory and their research, things should hopefully get better.
I emerge onto the shore and stop at the water's edge, not finding Coralita anywhere. The fear radiating through me begins to take hold even more as my eyes scan the water. What if someone feral found her and killed her? What if she swam away?
No. I couldn't think that. Maybe she was just under the island somewhere, in the Glowstone Seas. And I could go and find her. A long time ago, I had told myself that studying and perfecting a seapony transformation spell would come in handy for underwater exploration. It was advanced magic, but I had hope that, if I really committed to learning and worked hard, I could master it -- and I eventually did.
Trotting a little ways into the water and closing my eyes, I light up my horn. I can feel the wisp of magic surrounding me, lifting my body out of the water and suspending me in midair. My back legs become numb, replaced by a feeling of fins and scales like the rest of my body.
The next thing I know, I'm plummeting into the sea with a splash. My eyes open, and I take a deep breath. I can both inhale and exhale fine, which all but confirms I'm a seapony. And the sea life swimming past me don't even give me a second look.
Smiling, I begin making my way under the island, not at all surprised when I hit the deeper parts of the sea. It isn't until I see a dull glow -- a shield, perhaps? -- that I realize I'm getting closer and closer, and I swim faster.
"Coralita?" I call. "Coralita? Are you here?"
A purple-and-green shape approaches the shield from inside and moves quickly through it. "Sea Swirl?!"
We connect and spin around and around, like a gorgeous dance of friendship in the water that's filled with laughter and hugs. Seeing Coralita in the water, instead of having us be separated by land and sea, feels freeing. The sea is both of our domains, and now, it will be both of our homes.
"Oh my goodness, you're a seapony!" Coralita swims circles around me. "I...how did you do it? You don't have a fragment of that Pearl hidden somewhere, do you?"
I wave a hoof. "No, no. When I was living in Ponyville, I decided to practice mastering a spell that would turn me into a seapony. It took quite a few years of practice -- and a lot of mishaps -- but I did it." I frown. "I don't know how long I can stay in this form for, though."
"Oh! Well, in that case, we should get you to the Glowstone Seas." Coralita points below her. "It's just down there. Come on!"
While Coralita is able to move back through the shield, I hesitate and stop. Tentatively, I move a hoof through the shield, squeezing my eyes shut and bracing for an electric shock of some kind or for guards to rush me and deem me an intruder.
"It's okay!" Coralita says, waving me in with a fin. "The shield was made so that both mermares and seaponies can pass through!"
I open my mouth to ask exactly how that works, but close it just as quickly. The "how" isn't important right now. What's important is telling Coralita about my plan.
As soon as I slip inside, my eyes widen. Tall buildings line my view, all made out of sand that seems to stick together without any sign of crumbling. Mermares of all different colors swim through the area, chatting and laughing in a way that makes my heart hurt. It reminds me too much of Ponyville, long before the volcanoes destroyed it -- ponies and other creatures going about their daily lives, unaware of the danger that was about to become far more than just a threat.
"Hey, are you okay?"
Coralita's voice cuts into my thoughts. She reaches up and wipes my eyes with a fin.
...My eyes? Was I crying just now? In the deep of the ocean, it was hard to tell. I give a nod. "I'm...I'll be fine. This just...it reminds me of when I used to live in Ponyville. The island doesn't really feel the same. Everyone's been so tense." A shaky sigh. "But enough about that, Coralita. We need to talk about something important."
"Sure!" Coralita drifts down to the side of one of the buildings, away from the area that I could probably classify as being the "main road". Or the "main current", as it were. I follow suit, watching the Glowstone Seas' inhabitants for a few more seconds before I fix my attention on Coralita. "So what do you wanna talk about?"
I take a deep breath. "Well, I told the Princess and Beating Heart, the island's head doctor, about your theory. They loved it. They're going to include it in future research."
Coralita claps her fins together. "Really? That's great!"
"Yeah..." My smile wavers. "But the problem is that it might take a while before a cure to Savage Syndrome is fully developed. And I don't know how many more creatures are going to be lost to it. That's why I...I want to live here."
There's a silence. And then: "Y-you...here?"
"I'm scared, Coralita. I don't want to develop Savage Syndrome. I see these creatures fighting all the time, and I wonder when they'll turn on me. I wonder when I'll become stir-crazy and develop Savage Syndrome, and have to be euthanized..." I glance downwards. "If I can avoid that fate, long enough so that an effective cure can be developed -- or hey, maybe even preventative treatment -- then I'll be okay."
Coralita says nothing, rubbing her fins together nervously. I press on.
"And, I want to learn more about you. I want to learn more about your species, the Glowstone Seas...everything. You're the first real friend I've made since coming here, and trust me, I could really use one." I chuckle. "So what do you say?"
"Um..." Coralita looks up at me. "Well, that...sounds great!"
I blink. "Why do you sound so nervous?"
"D-don't get me wrong, Sea Swirl. I want you to stay here!" Coralita glances to her left. "It's just...our queen...she might not be so understanding."
"Tell me about it." I roll my eyes. "But if we work together and tell her what's going on, I'm sure we can persuade her to let me stay." I extend a hoof. "Besties?"
Coralita looks at the fin, then back at me. For a minute or two, I wonder if she's not going to go through with my plan. Whoever her queen is, she must be intimidating, far moreso than any of the Princesses. But she still finds the confidence to place a fin on my hoof, smiling all the while.
"Besties. Forever."
Still fin-in-hoof, we simultaneously nod, then swim back out into the fray. For the first time since I've come to the island, my heart is filled with a sense of hope.
Things will be okay. They have to be.
Author's Note
Coralita comes from the IDW comics, as the original design and name of Jewel from the "Friendship Ahoy" arc. Specifically, I used this beta design as reference, as it was closer to Jewel's final design and the first design looked a bit too seapony-ish for my liking.
The name "La Mer", meanwhile, comes from Tropical Rouge Precure and its mermaid character Laura La Mer. It's a tropical story, so I am absolutely entitled to at least one reference.
I am also 99% positive I slipped up on the tenses when writing this, so feel free to correct me if you find a mistake.
