//------------------------------//
// A Dark Cloud Hanging Over 
// Story: A Compass to the Soul 
// by CartoonNerd12 
//------------------------------//

The wooden swords clashed together as Rainbow and Scootaloo were doing another lesson that early morning on the ship's deck.

Dash stopped and put aside the tool to say, "You're getting better at this kiddo."

Scootaloo put aside her own sword to reply, "Well when you have something worth fighting for it helps with the motivation."

Rainbow beamed and wrapped a wing around her.

Unbeknownst  to them, Apple Bloom was watching from a distance. The red-headed filly  had woken up to the sound of fake swords clashing and went to see what  it was. She kept herself hidden in the entrance of the crew's quarters  while watching the newly mother and daughter dueling it out.

She  humphed under her breath, "Applejack never teaches me how to swordfight…  She's always too worried that I could hurt myself or others…"

A voice behind her said, "Because I know you will."

AB gulped and turned back to her sister eying her, "Oh um… Hey, Applejack… What are you doing up so early?"

"Same  as you, I woke up to a sound and now I know what it is." she looked to  see Rainbow and Scootaloo still swordfighting and shook her head, "She  shouldn't be doing that with a young filly because like you she could  get hurt or worse."

"But it looks like they're having fun! And Scootaloo seems to be handling that wooden sword pretty well."

"Yeah well, it's still a stupid and dangerous thing to do." on that note she went straight over to the mare and filly.

They saw her and stopped with the swordplay.

Rainbow asked, "What is it, Applejack?"

AJ scolded, "Do you realize how careless you're being right now?"

Dash was confused, "What do you mean?"

"This!" she pointed to the swords, "Don't you realize you're going to get your daughter killed?!"

"What?! That's crazy! I'm trying to teach to her how to defend herself!"

"By using a dangerous weapon?!"

"It's not dangerous! They're fake!" holding up the wooden sword, "She's not using a real sword yet!"

Applejack forcefully took the sword, "Fake or not, you can still poke yer eye out with this or cut yerself!"

Dash countered, "Only if you use it wrong! If you're careful you don't have to worry about those things!"

At this point the entire crew had woken up from the arguing and watched as the captain and first mate went at it.

Scootaloo was upset that the two mares were fighting over whether or not it was safe for her to learn swordfighting techniques.

Apple  Bloom came up to her expressing, "You know it's not fair that you get  to learn such cool things especially from someone who's now your mom."

"But  Mom was teaching me this stuff before she adopted me. That shouldn't  have to change just because the captain is my mother now."

"At least you have a mom…" AB mumbled bitterly.

Scootaloo caught that and was surprised by her friend's tone, "What's that suppose to mean?"

"Oh  what do you think, Scootaloo? You and I were able to connect because we  were orphans, but then out of nowhere, the captain just adopts you just  like that! So yeah, sorry if I am actually jealous of what you have!"

Scoots' eyes widen realizing her friend spoke the truth, "Apple Bloom… I'm sorry… I didn't realize…"

"How could you? You were too excited by the idea of being adopted. Heck, I would be too…"

Meanwhile Rainbow and Applejack had ceased their fighting to hear what the kids were saying much to AJ's dismay.

Tears  nearly spilled from the filly's eyes, "What I would give to know what  my mother was like just like Applejack and Big Mac did, but no, I was  too young when my parents died at sea… All I have is stories about their  past and Applejack's memories of them."

Her sister sadly uttered, "Apple Bloom…"

Before  any other words could be spoken Derpy had suddenly shouted from atop of  the mast, "Captain! Dark clouds hanging over the horizon!"

Hearing  that, Rainbow ran to the front of the ship to see if it was true, she  took out her telescope and through the lens she could see a huge storm  happening and it was coming their way!

"Oh that's not good…" she  said under her breath before flying up to the top of the sail and  ordered at the top of her lungs, "Battle stations everyone! A storm is  underway!"

Taking her orders, most of the crew prepared themselves by tying everything down and then grabbed the ropes to the sails.

Applejack told Fluttershy while pointing to the fillies, "Get the girls below deck!"

"Yes, of course!" the pegasus replied and ushered the girls away.

Scootaloo watched with worry as Rainbow Dash was still on the sail and kept ordering the crew on what to do.

Fluttershy wrapped a wing around her, "She'll be alright, Scootaloo. Dashie is much too tough to let a storm bring her down."

The filly was hesitant to leave but trusted Fluttershy's judgment and went with her.

The  storm came faster than expected as the winds picked up and the dark  clouds surrounded them. Then it started to rain followed by lightning  flashing. Thunder rumbled on and the waves began to toss and turn,  rocking the ship.

Rarity complained while holding on to the helm's railing, "Ugh! This rain will simply ruin my mane!"

Applejack  was next to her and shouted out, "That's what you're worried about the  most?! We'll be lucky if our supplies don't get waterlogged after this!"

The waves grew fiercer and ended up on the deck almost washing away half the crew.

Night Gilder was having a difficult time steering the helm, making her cry out, "Help!"

Applejack  heard her cry and using all her strength she moved against the harsh  wind and reached the helm by holding to one side of it while Night  Gilder held the other side. Together, the two were able steer the ship  as steady as possible while combating the rogue waves.

Twilight  and Pinkie were hanging on to the starboard side of ship next to the  cannons with the water hitting them every so often.

Below deck Fluttershy was trying to keep the girls calm, though she herself was just as scared by the whole thing.

Scootaloo questioned in concern while being careful of objects possibly falling on her, "The ship won't go down, will it?"

Fluttershy  nervously replied, "O-of course not! We've been through this before and  we made it past the storm just fine!" trying to ease herself that  everything will be okay after all.

The trio exchanged uneasy looks but hoped that Fluttershy was right.

Back  on deck, the storm seems to have worsen as the rain down poured on the  crewmembers and the waves kept coming onto the ship all the while the  crew tried to secure the riggings especially Rainbow Dash.

Suddenly  she heard a shriek and looked down to see Pinkie and Twilight trying to  secure a cannon that came loose from it's binds.

Pinkie yelled through the howling wind, "Captain! The cannon!"

Acting quick she used a rope to swing down and landed next to them to help push the cannon back in place.

Unfortunately then a giant wave overwhelmed them and forced Pinkie to fall into the sea!

She cried out, "HELP ME! MARE OVERBOARD!"

Both Twilight and Rainbow saw this and screamed out, "PINKIE!"

Dash commanded while making for a lifeboat, "Twilight, help me unattached this thing!"

The unicorn did as she said and used her magic to untie the binds as Rainbow jumped in the boat.

The boat dropped and landed in the water close to where Pinkie was splashing around.

Meanwhile  Scootaloo had been looking through the porthole when she saw the whole  thing! Fearing the worst, she opened the aperture and shouted, "Mom!"

Rainbow  rowed the boat to where Pinkie was and got her in. She heard her  daughter and looked up while yelling, "Scootaloo, you get back inside  this instant!"

"But how will you get back up to the ship?!"

Pinkie motioned, "She's got a point there, Captain."

"Don't worry, I got that taken of," she shouted up, "Twilight! We need you to levitate us up!"

"Aye-aye, Captain!" the unicorn yelled back and started to use her magic to lift the boat.

Rainbow and Pinkie could see it was working much to their relief and joy and the same went to Scootaloo.

But  just as Twilight's aura was about to get the boat onto the ship another  giant wave washed over the deck and knocked Twilight into the lifeboat!

The  boat dropped back into the rough ocean much to Scootaloo's horror  making her bellow, "NO!" then with a determined look she proclaimed,  "No! I won't lose a parent again!" and before her friends and Fluttershy  could stop her, she jumped out from the porthole and into the small  boat.

This made Rainbow shocked and angry as she hollered, "Scootaloo! What do you think you're doing?!"

The  filly wrapped her arms around her adopted mother's torso while  declaring, "I couldn't stand the thought of losing you too like my  parents!"

Hearing those words, Dash's face soften a little and she  wrapped her wings around her daughter, even though she still scolded at  her, "Still, that was such a reckless thing to do and I forbid you from  ever doing that again."

Scootaloo sniffled and nodded.

Pinkie made a comment, "Well look on the bright side, at least it can't get any wor-"

"DON'T SAY THAT!" both Rainbow and Twilight protested.

But  it was too late, the damage had already been done and the boat started  to rock more violently and the waves began to carry the lifeboat away  from the ship!

"OH NO!" Rainbow exclaimed and both her and  Twilight started to use the oars to paddle back to the ship but the wind  and tide wouldn't let them.

Fluttershy, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie  Belle saw this through the portholes and called out to the castaways but  the further they drifted away the harder it was to hear their voices.  Eventually the rowboat was nowhere to be seen causing the fillies and  Fluttershy to cry.





When the storm  finally died down and the sun was peeking through the clouds, everyone  on the ship was immensely relieved they got through this okay but when  they noticed a couple of their crewmates were missing as well as their  captain they began to worry.

Applejack called out, "Rainbow Dash! Pinkie! Twilight! Where are you guys?!"

Rarity called out as well, "Yes, please come out wherever you are darlings! This isn't funny!"

By then Fluttershy, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle came up to the deck where everyone saw the tears in their eyes.

Fearing  the worst, Applejack had them explaining why they were so upset. When  they got the answer, everypony gasped and started to weep as well.

Apple  Bloom ran into her sister's arms as she sobbed out, "I didn't even get  to apologize to Scootaloo for what I said to her this morning! I feel so  awful!"

AJ gently shushed her, "It's going to be alright… we're  going to find her… All of them…" then she noticed that everyone was  looking at her, for guidance no less. Knowing what must be done she took  charge. "Alright, everypony, our captain and three of our shipmates are  lost at sea and it's up to us to find them. But for now, I need all of  you to get warm, eat a hot meal, and then rest. Is that understood?"

They  agreed to her command and went straight to the galley. Only Applejack,  Rarity, and Fluttershy were left to talk amongst themselves.

Fluttershy asked, "Will we find them?"

Applejack stated, "We're going to try. We'll search and search as long as it takes."

Rarity exclaimed, "Hear, hear!"

AJ held out her hoof followed by her two friends placing their hooves on top of hers.