//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2 
// Story: Tales of A lost Pegasus 
// by Midnight Galaxy 
//------------------------------//

	I awake with a start bashing my head on the top of my bunk. I roll out of my bunk and lay on the floor for a moment to make sure my brains were all still intact. I sit up, my head still throbbing. I blink away the sleep left in my eyes. I open the curtain to my bunk. The blackness of the cabin reminds me that it is still the middle of the night. I walk to the door and open it slowly. The quiet creaks of the iron hinges makes me cringe. I peer out to see if any pony was there. Not seeing anyone, I proceed. I know that there is at least a pony at the helm and one on look out. That is fine by me. I needed to stretch my wings. I shut the door behind me and walks out onto the deck. A few lanterns are the only thing lighting the ship. I look up at the stars and stare for a minute. I look at the full moon and all of its glory. 

I shake my head, snapping myself out of my own trance. I arch my back and stretch my wings out. I flap them a little lifting my hooves off the wood floor of the ship. I quickly realize that that isn't the best idea. I see the ship slowly move underneath my hooves and drop back to the deck. The sea is rather calm and the wind has died since the evening. The cool night air sends a chill up my spine. I look out the bow of the boat and see that the sun has begun to rise. The orange glow stretches across the eastern horizon. Suddenly the ship turns, throwing me off balance. I watch as the brightening eastern sky drifts to the right.

I walk up to the helm to find Hob standing there. “What are you doing at the helm?” I ask a little surprised. 

“Tis me shift,” he says with a smile. 

Carl walks up behind me with a smile on his face. “Time to switch shifts Ol' Hob. How was the night?” he asks taking the helm.

“Clear as can be,” Hob grumbles in his usual way as he limps to the lower deck. 

“You're up early for a foal. Couldn't sleep?” he asks with a hint of worry in his expression. 

I shake my head and answer, “No, I just wanted to stretch my wings. They get tense under that jacket.”

He smiles at me and gives a small chuckle. “What I wouldn't give to be young again,” he says remembering his days of youth. “Why don't you go wake the Capt'in?” he asks with a smile. 

I nod my head and head back to the captains cabin. I put the red jacket she had given on. Remembering what she had expressed last night I stand outside of her curtain and stomp a hoof. I hear her walking around on the other side. After a moment she opens the curtain with a huff. 

“Thank you for waking me. Let's go see how the winds are faring today,” she says with a smile. I see that she is wearing the red jacket she had taken out o the trunk yesterday. The gold stripes and buttons down the middle seemed to almost glow in the morning light. We walk to the helm together. 

“Mornin' Capt'in!” Carl shouts as we walk up the steps. 

“How be the winds faring today?” she asks, looking at the cloudless sky. 

“Gentle as can be,” Carl says with a smile. 

“Good... You ready young one?” she asks looking at me. 

“Ready for what?” I ask.

“We start yer training today. I'm gonna teach you how to handle a sword,” she says with a smile.

She walks back to her cabin and I follow her. She opens the trunk at the end of her bed and pulls out two swords and lays them in front of me.

“This is called rapier,” she says picking up one of the long thin swords. 

She pulls it out of its sheath to show me. Standing up on her hind legs, she shows me how to hold it with my hoof. I follow her actions. She holds it pointing up and I do the same. I wobble a little, not used to standing on my hind legs like that.

“Let's get you used to the way it feels to move with the sword. I want you to walk around the cabin here. Hold the sword however it is comfortable for you,” she says sitting on the floor. 

I take a wobbly step forward, loosing my balance for a moment. I hold the sword pointing to my left so I wouldn't fall on it. I stumble a few more steps and then begin to get the hang of it. I smile and laugh at this.  Look over to Amelia and can see she is smiling as well. 

“This feels really odd, but I can see how it is easier to fight like this,” I say stumbling back towards her. 

“You'll get the hang of it after a little while,” she says with a smile. “I'll show you how to walk a little straighter at least,” she says standing up on her hind legs again. I set my sword down and stand next to her. “Left hoof first... then the right... left, right, left right... Now you're getting it,” she says.

I smile as I follow her steps across the floor. With every step it becomes easier to balance and walk. As time progress, so do I. After a while I begin to feel the affects of lack of food. I drop back down to all four with a grunt. 

“It feels really weird to be walking like this again,” I say shaking a little. 

“Why don't we take a break and see what there is to eat in the galley?” she asks.

I nod my head and follow her out the door and down to the lower deck. Going around the stairs we enter the galley. 

“MR. SILVER!” she yells.

A stark white pony ventures out of the shadows of the galley. He is white from his mane to his tale. He almost seems to glow in the dim light of the lower deck. This earth pony didn't seem like he wold be the sailor type, but what do I know. 

“Why, if it ain't the Capt'in. What brings you to grace my humble galley with yer presence?” he asks with a smile and a bow. 

“Some food and a mug of cider for the young one and I,” she says sitting down at one of the tables. 

“'Aven't seen 'em around. New guy?” he asks looking at me with curiosity in his eyes. He walks closer to me making me jump.

“HE, is the reason we are makin' this voyage. Now, I ordered some food! Where is it?!” she asks with fire in her eyes. The white pony jumps and runs back to cooking. “He's nothin' but a slacker. I keep him around because he is the best cook you could every find,” she says watching him with contempt.

“He doesn't see to be the brightest pony,” I say watching him as he drops a bowl on his head. 

“He isn't, you should see his sketch book though. He is an amazing artist,” she says.

He runs out with two plates and two mugs balanced on his head and back. Laying them on the table he quickly returns to work. I manage to squeak out a “thank you” before he runs back to the kitchen. A plate of grilled apples, delicately arranged on the plate. I hesitantly take a bite out of a piece of apple. It tasted a little strange, but good at the same time. I sat there, eating slowly. Thoughts running through my head. I stop and stare off into the distance. 

“Boy!” I hear Amelia shout snapping my back to reality. “You alright there?” she asks looking at me with a worried look. “You're eyes got this strange glow to them,” she says standing up.

“I just zoned out for a moment,” I say shaking my head.

She stares at me for a moment, long and hard. Letting out a sigh she picks up her mug and quickly drinking down the rest of the contents. I do the same so I can follow behind her. We walk back topside. The deck is bustling with ponies running this way and that.

“WHAT THE HAY IS GOING ON HERE!” she yells making everypony stop in their tracks.

“PIRATES!!!” one of the crew members yells running off again. 

“BATTLE STATIONS!” she yells with a smile. 

She rushes into her cabin and grabs her sword. She tosses me the one I was using earlier to practice with. She pulls a large hat with a feather out of her trunk. It's golden buckle and huge black feather stands out against her body. 

“It's been a long time old friend,” she says with a broad smile. She sighs and pulls out a small gold locket. “Has it really been that long?” she asks herself. She sighs again and slams the trunk shut. “We got some pirate tail to kick,” she smiles again as she struts out of the cabin. I follow behind her.

The dark ship is closer now. I can see the ponies who are all yelling and clanging their swords. Amelia pulls out her telescope and scouts the boat. 

“There is about fifteen of them, most look like they can't even walk straight,” I say staring at the blackened sails. “The one at the helm seems to be the only sober one among them. He should be the captain,” I say.

“Ya got some eyes on ya kid,” she says looking at me with a grin. 

As the ship comes closer it explodes. Pieces of wood and metal fly past me in slow motion. I see a large chunk heading for Amelia. I shove her out of the way just as the piece hits me in the flank. I hear her scream and the pirates all screaming for help out in the water. I smile as the pain hits me. I can at least go knowing that I did something good with my life. The pain mixes with another feeling that is new to me. I can feel something moving down my leg as the light begins to fade to a black abyss.