Beneath the Surface

"Three pirate ships." Sky says for the fourth or so time. "Which they all went underneath the ocean shortly after they attacked." She says and smiles. "The only thing that was a real threat to my ship tonight was that damned royal transport ship that just landed. It almost broke off half of my main mast..." Sky grumbles.

"I saw the Viper shift to the side when it landed. I don't remember the captains being that bad they are normally a little looser with their flying when they get back home but they never compromise safety. Not much I can do about it anyway, I'm just a civilian." Storm said only partially to Sky Cog as he turned to face the transport.

"Well..." Sky says, but immediately forgets what she wanted to say. "Now that you're on board, we can finally return home." she says as she gives little power to side propellers, making the airship slowly drift away from the dock.

As the Crystal Viper departs, the other ship follows suit, rising into the air and similarly moving slowly away from its mooring position.

Eclipse stands by the edge of the Viper as he watches the ground shrink. "Going home..."

After the Crystal Viper was high enough, it turns towards the sea, main propeller turned on and the ship started speeding up, going faster and faster, eventually leaving the large transport ship behind.

"One hour until we get home.." Sky says.

"One hour..." Quimia repeats, murmuring. "I can only hope that we do not run into pirates, as you previously have."

Divine looks up from the bed, panting and covered in sweat. Her mane is out of place, and she is wearing a dopey smile. "H- hey Ician~"

Ician blinks. "Uh..." He frowns. "I leave you alone for all of ten minutes..."

"Hopefully... I don't want another combat..."

"Agreed. Wholeheartedly." Quimia stares out over the scenery as the distant sea grows ever larger in her field of vision. "I must say, I have never been on an airship before. This is a... pleasant experience."

Divine smiled again and climbed off the bed, staggering over to him. "Yeah... I blame Ruby..." She purred and nuzzled his neck.

"Yes, I blame her too." Ician sighs. "Do you feel sick? Or ill?"

"Not really... I think I'm feeling too good..." She kissed his neck before trailing her lips up to his and kissing him again.

Ician flinches a little and takes a step back. "Um... not now, please, Divine... I'm still a little... how should I say... sore. From the whole Th..." He hesitates. "... incident."

"Which, my love, is precisely why we need to talk." Ruby says as she walks out into the room, towel around her mane.

"Talk?" Ician asks quizzically. "What is there to talk about?"

"Well, us, silly. Cause you seem a little damaged... by her. And we wanted to know if we can help."

"I... don't know." Ician sighs. "Look, I've told you before in the Bar. The usual way I deal with emotional crises is to not think about it. Occasionally I drown it in alcohol. But the point is... I've never tried to solve it by talking. That would be novel."

"And we have plenty of time my love." Divine nuzzled him. "I certainly don't mind. Your voice is heavenly."

Ician rolls his eyes. "Now you're just flattering me." He sighs and moves to the edge of the bed. "Okay, look, it's like this... No, let me start this with a rhetorical question." He looks at Divine and Ruby. "Have either of you ever been in a situation where you had to choose one of two very important things to do? Like, say..." He shrugs. "I'd give a military analogy but it would be too complex and time-wasting."

Divine nodded quietly. "Yeah..." Ruby smiled and shook her head.

"Can't say I have."

Sky smiles and moves away from the wheel. "Wanna try?" She asks, pointing at the steering wheel.

"Make those two things important enough and it'll tear you up inside to choose." Ician shakes his head sadly. "And there was mine. Duty against love. I almost destroyed myself inside trying to decide. It was... horrible."

---

"I..." Quimia is taken aback. "I have never even flown an airship before, miss Cog. I do not think that I possess the necessary skill set to do so now."

Divine pouted sadly. "I- if that's how you feel..."

Ician sighs. "I don't mean to say that love isn't important to me. But my Duty is to the citizens of Equestria." He looks up at the ceiling. "If I didn't try to stop... her... she may well have overrun Equestria, killed thousands of ponies, taken many more captive... It would have been selfish of me to pick love over that."