"The Logical Defiance?" Rainbow Dash scoffed. "Of course I know about it! It's a one-of-a-kind submersible with a dual quintet of massive rotary mounted propellers that also serve as aerial choppers, which provide lift in combination with an internal electrolysis-enchanted system of hydrogen-fueled buoyancy, the same system that provides oxygen for the rear rockets while it's in flight, and the ship is equipped with a set of sonic-based magicannons on top of the regular ventral and dorsal set of cannon hatches!"
Applejack, Fluttershy, and Twilight Sparkle all stared across the table as she gave out a bedazzled sigh.
Rainbow caught their shocked gazes. "What? I like ships! But... what does the Logical Defiance have to do with anything?"
The voices of chatting cafe customers and the eager consumption of pastries filled the background as the three ponies simply continued their shocked gaze. The stout blue pony behind the counter spared a glance at the partially-eaten pastries on their plates--the assortment of meals had been rather wide-spread among the group--before turning back to the line of hungry ponies, adjusting her pink mane as she smiled and took another set of orders. Sweet scents wafted out from the swinging doors that led to the kitchen, swirling about the yellow-walled room before sinking to the floorboards.
"Rainbow...." Twilight finally managed. "The Logical Defiance is Captain Piepan's ship."
"Wait, what?! When did this happen?!"
"It's always been Captain Piepan's ship!" Twilight cried. "From the very first time she raided Manehattan! It wasn't ever seen before then!"
"...Seriously?"
Applejack nodded. "Every story Ah've ever heard bout Piepan had her with the flying submarine."
"I overheard some ponies talking about it once," Fluttershy offered awkwardly. "They, um, mentioned the Laughing Menace...."
"How in the hay can you know detailed specs about a unique one of a kind ship and not know about its equally unique and infamous captain?!" Twilight demanded.
"Hey, look," Rainbow held up her hooves, "I don't go for the whole 'pirate tales' kind of thing. I'm more into awesome marines and cool ships and... not boozed up thieves. I mean, look at the sea angels! Taking down whole armadas on their own--"
"Like they'd let ya in after what just happened," Applejack snorted.
"Hey! I can take Piepan!" The officer stood up suddenly. "Matter of fact I'll prove it! I'm going to get out there, find her, and rip that stone of yours out of her hooves!"
"And how exactly are ya plannin' on findin' her?"
Rainbow Dash held up a hoof for a moment.... then sat down with a sigh. "I hate it when you're right," she muttered, crossing her forehooves together and glowering at the floor.
"Poor Rosewing," Fluttershy murmured, poking at the plate in front of her. "Trapped in a metal can hurtling underwater to who knows where.... I hope she's okay. She's probably terrified."
Twilight bit her lip, awkwardly patting the yellow pegasus on the shoulder. "It... might not be all that bad. Maybe captain Piepan just wanted a pet...?"
Fluttershy shook her head. "I don't... I don't know. I just... I just don't know."
"That shiftstone's been in mah family for generations," Applejack muttered. "And it's been guarded by its chosen for just as long. But the minute Ah decide ta show it off... whoosh." She gestured with her hoof. "Ah failed. Supposed ta keep tha thing safe.... and Ah lost it."
"You didn't lose it," Rainbow grumbled, "it was stolen. Completely different. I'm sure your family will understand."
"Ah don't think so," Applejack glumly told the sulking pegasus. "Thing was one-of-a-kind."
"Six of a kind," Twilight absently corrected.
The farm mare's eyes widened slightly. "Beg pardon?"
Twilight looked up, noticing three gazes fixed on her. "Oh! Right, well... according to my research, there were once six magical artifacts known as the Elements of Harmony. They were used at some point near the beginning of Old Equestria to 'banish chaos', although I don't exactly know what that means, and there are sparse but consistent mentions of them throughout all pre-flood documentation. I don't know how much of it is true," she quickly clarified, "but they remained in the hooves of the princess until the flood itself began. After that, she entrusted them to various noble families... or at least that's what I've gathered, details from the Flood are sketchy."
She sighed, letting her head rest on the table. "I was only able to track down one of them on an old story, a hunch, and a lot of luck. And it got stolen by the world's craziest pirate--who was probably listening in while I was talking to miss Rarity," she realized suddenly. "Flood damn it this is all my fault..."
Fluttershy took a breath. "...I... I don't think it's anypony's fault but Piepan's. I mean, she's the one who came here looking for something, and she's the one who stole the shiftstone... or Element, I guess... and... she broke my windows... and she took Rosewing..." She rubbed her hooves together with a quiet sigh, letting her mane droop over her eyes.
"Mmmrngh." Rainbow managed to pull herself partway out of her sulk. "Shy, you know I would be out there in a second if I knew how to find that boat... Flood dammit! I hate this! I hate feeling this... useless!" She turned to Twilight. "You're some sort of professional wizard magic pony, right? Can't you track the shiftstone or something?"
"Technically I'm a sorcerer with a mage equivalent in general wizardry," Twilight replied as she lifted her head. "Although I specialize in arcane spell construction and analysis--"
The pegasus groaned. "So is that a yes or a no?!"
"I mean..." Twilight sighed. "Look. In theory, if I had another one of the Elements I could maybe get some sort of resonance tracking going on, or if I had had time to study that one before it was stolen, but I can't construct a scrying spell if I don't know what I'm looking for! As is, there's no way we can get anywhere unless somepony here has a way to seek out magical artifacts--"
There was a sudden loud THUNK as something rammed against the front door of the cafe. Various ponies stared in confusion as a smaller thump came again, accompanied by a feminine voice cursing. The door was abruptly swung open just as a white unicorn skidded in, dragged along by her glowing horn.
"Terribly sorry, everyponeeeeeeee!" Rarity flailed a bit as she was dragged around the cafe. "Just a minor magical mishap--oh, sorry--I'm sure it will stop soon--"
She slid to a stop in front of the small group, her hornlight fading.
"...enough." She dusted off the edges of her gown, blushing faintly as she gave them all a small smile. "Well, that was, ah, an adventure!"
Fluttershy tilted her head. Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes. Applejack settled for raising an eyebrow.
"Did..." Twilight blushed a bit, clearing her throat. "Did you just have a spell surge?"
"Ahahaha, no!" Rarity tittered, her eyes darting around as she waved off the question. "A spell surge, moi? How could you even suggest such a thing? But, ah, on an unrelated note, I would love to know why you have all gathered together." She cleared her throat. "For curiousity's sake, you see--"
"Whoa, hold up there partner." Applejack was looking between the two unicorns. "What in tha hay's a spell surge?"
"It, um..." Twilight cleared her throat, awkwardly rubbing her hooves together. "Well, sometimes, when a unicorn is... it's actually fairly complicated, you see, since it's a rarer form of a magic surge, but if there's a resonance between a mystical presence in a connecting leyline and a unicorn's own thaumic field, they..." She gestured vaguely, her blush increasing as the other ponies continued to stare. "They can, um, get dragged along."
"Oookay." Rainbow ruffled her feathers. "So... why are you two acting like fillies who walked in on their parents?"
The two unicorns' faces both grew incredibly red. "What?! We're not--" "Darling, please, it isn't anything like--"
Fluttershy cleared her throat. "Um, Dash? Spell surges usually only happen with blank flanked ponies, since they don't have a destiny yet. Having a spell surge late in life is... not very common."
"Ooooooooooh, so it's 'wet the bed' embarrassment. Gotcha."
"Oh dear goddesses..." Rarity dragged a hoof down her flushing face. "Can we please change the subject? I am actually quite curious as to why you all are sharing a table."
Twilight sighed. "That pink mare that followed me into your shop was actually captain Piepan. She stole the artifact I was looking for from Applejack, then broke into Fluttershy's store and stole a fruit bat, and she made a pretty clean getaway despite Rainbow's attempts to capture her." She shrugged. "So we were all just standing on the dock, Applejack said she needed some comfort food, one thing led to another--"
"Ah did not say Ah needed comfort food," Applejack retorted. "Ah just said Ah wanted ta drop by a cafe on the way home."
"Right." The lavender unicorn sighed. "Basically, we want to chase a pirate submarine to get back the artifact and Fluttershy's bat, but the only way I can think of to locate the thing is some sort of tracking spell on the artifact, and I can't--"
She paused.
"...Rarity, how exactly do you locate things for your antique store?"
"Oh, you know," Rarity replied vaguely, "looking over passing merchant wares, heading for various trade gatherings, the occasional black market purchase, a detection spell for enchanted objects--"
Rainbow started. "Wait, what?!"
"A detection spell," Rarity clarified. "It helps me find enchantments, although I'll admit I have fine tuned it to search for older magical objects as that is my trade--"
"No, you said something about a black market."
"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about."
"But--"
"Hold up," Applejack interrupted. "Could ya locate something that was enchanted before Old Equestria was around?"
"Well, I suppose I could," Rarity mused, "although I don't exactly have the strongest magical potential--"
"Well I have a Kohaku class Schooner," Twilight interjected. "If you were to cast your spell through the gem matrix, we'd probably be at least able to locate one of the Elements--"
"--and from there we could use tha Element itself to locate the other Elements," Applejack continued, "like tha one Piepan has!"
"Leading us right to her!" Rainbow finished. "Where we can break in, take back AJ's shiftstone, and bring it home!"
"Um, and rescue Rosewing?"
"Oh! Yeah, that..." The blue pegasus glanced at the yellow one. "That too Fluttershy. That's a part of the plan."
"Well, that's that then," Twilight declared firmly. "I cannot in good conscience let a pirate captain retain hold of a powerful ancient artifact, and the fact that she has taken one of Fluttershy's animals prisoner is beyond the pale. I am going to find the Elements, I am going to find Piepan, and I am going to take back what she's stolen from the citizens of Pony Island! Who's with me?!"
"Shucks, Ah ain't just goin' ta let ya sail tha seas alone, Twi! 'Sides, tha shiftstone's mah responsibility, all things figgered."
"Count me in! I'd never leave a pony hanging, and there's no way I'm going to miss out on an adventure like this!"
"I... I can't stand by knowing ponies are working hard to rescue Rosewing. I'll come too, if that's alright with you all..."
"Well... I suppose since this whole operation hinges on my spell, I'll come along as well. This could be quite exciting!"
"Then it's settled! Pack your bags and meet me at the docks in an hour. We have a pirate ship to hunt down!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the middle of the ocean, on a small runabout boat, a minty-coated pegasus ran her hooves over the roughshod shirt she was wearing. "Come on, where is it.... Ahah!" With a flourish she produced a glowing stone from a small pocket."Permission to come aboard, captain?"
"Password, me lass!"
The pegasus groaned, dragging a hoof through her rough amber mane. "Come on, you know it's us! Who else could know the rendezvous point?!"
"Aye dinnae hear ye givin' me a word o' pass!"
"She's your sister," the pegasus grumbled to the other pony in the crate-laden runabout. "Why do I have to be the one to say this?"
The grey earth pony adjusted her black dress with a small smile. "I suspect it's meant as part of your punishment, Lightning Dust."
"Ugh..." With a sigh, the pegasus rose the glowing stone to her mouth. "'I feel pretty, oh so pretty, I feel witty and pretty and bright.'"
"...That be last week's password, lass."
"What?! But Octavia said--"
Lightning Dust cut herself off, her eyes narrowing as she glared at the smiling pony across from her. "You... you planned this, didn't you?"
"No, actually, it was the chief engineer." Octavia held out her hoof. "Allow me?"
Lightning tossed over the stone, crossing her forelegs and glowering. "Flood damn higher-ups and their flood-damn pranks and this flood-damn probation..."
"Ahem. 'I'll have the triple-scoop sundae, no sauce.'"
"Good to hear yer voice, sis! Oy, get this tub up to the currents!"
It wasn't long before an odd rocking overtook the runabout. Octavia leaned over the bowsprit, sliding a pair of rubber capped wooden slats outward and locking them into place; Lightning Dust matched her actions with an aft set of struts before returning to her sulk. The ship was jolted moments later as a metal deck surfaced underneath it, water sliding off into the ocean.
"Good show Pinkie." The grey pony looked around as she spoke into the glowing stone. "We're between... the third and fourth dorsal hatches, closer to the fourth."
"Position acknowledged, Aye'm sending the crew up through the fourth. Ye best be heading fer the third one."
"Roger that, over and out."
Lightning Dust rolled her eyes, hopping over the edge as Octavia pocketed the stone. "It's not a radio, you don't have to sign off or anything."
"Just because something's not necessary doesn't mean it's not polite." The earth pony primly slid off the polished oak.
"Polite? In this crew?" The two of them walked down the deck, Lightning glancing behind her at the diamond dogs clambering out of the hatch behind them. "I don't know if you forgot, but we are friggen' pirates! Flood, the chief engineer checks your leaky valve once a week!"
"My valve is not leaky!"
"What's all that squeaking then, huh?"
Octavia, stopping in front of the closed hatch, barely managed to keep her face straight. "That's when I tighten her bolts."
The pegasus actually let loose a bark of laughter. "Tightening her bolts! Oh sweet goddesses, that... that is a good one. I'm going to have to remember that one." She absentmindedly put her hoof in a small indentation, dragging it back as far as it could go before removing it and sticking it in the next slot. "See, that's my point. Not even you are as uptight as the jerkwads in the navy. But you should still loosen up a little!"
"I'll take your suggestion under advisement." Octavia raised an eyebrow as she watched Lightning repeat her motions. "But in return, I would suggest that you become a little less impulsive."
A brief THUNK sounded from the hatch and Lightning pulled her hoof out of the slot. "Yeah, yeah, nearly got myself killed with that stunt, yadda yadda yadda." She grabbed the wheel on the hatch, loud squealing accompanying her effort to turn it. "You know... sometimes... the captain... reminds me... of my mom!" With a final grunt, the thick metal door was tugged back.
Octavia climbed down a ladder into the small chamber, resting her forelegs on the empty cannon mounted in the center of the floor. "Well, sometimes you remind her of a petulant teenager."
"I am a teenager!" Lightning flapped in, grabbing the inner hatch handle and pulling it shut behind her. " But I'm not... petulant!" she insisted as she rotated it.
"Mmmhmm. So I suppose it was I who went on and on about my incredible aerial ability to everypony I met whilst you were the responsible one who actually purchased the rations the crew needs to survive?"
"Okay, first of all, I am awesome," Lightning stated, opening a panel on the wall and tugging on the thick chains behind it. "Secondly, how in the hay is that petulant?" she demanded as the floor started to descend. "Bragging isn't the same as complaining!"
"Hmm, true enough." Octavia shrugged as the floor began to descend beyond the small chamber's walls. "But putting oneself first, making their own claim to fame... well, that doesn't inspire a lot of confidence in your social skills." The two of them emerged into a long, wide hallway, the square pillar they were on continuing to sink into the ground. "In all honesty, Lightning, your sole problem is your ego. Whether or not you are, quote unquote, awesome is besides the point. On a ship this big, you are part of a group and you have to take orders."
"...but we're fricking pirates!"
"That just means we follow our own laws, instead of the Equestrian Remnant's." Octavia stepped off the platform as it meshed into the ground. "You had best wise up and learn them soon, otherwise the captain might make you walk the plank. Or worse." She leaned toward Lightning conspiratorially. "You know how... creative my sister can be..."
"Talkin' about me a'hind me back?" a pink mare quipped, saddling up to the two mares with a broad grin. "Aye hope ye not be tellin' Dusty here any family secrets, sis!"
"Don't worry, Pinkie, I would never even bother." Octavia rolled her eyes. "She wouldn't believe the skeletons in our closet. No offense, Rattler," she added, nodding to the pegasus skeleton standing on Pinkie's left.
He waved it off casually, clacking his wings against his ribs.
"Suddenly I'm very curious," Lightning Dust said dryly. "And just as suddenly I've decided I really don't want to know. If you'll excuse me, captain, I need to head to the showers and--"
"Lass, ye still have swabbin' ta be attendin'. Get ye flank down to tha mess and whip a mop, savvy?"
"But--Captain, I just got back from--!"
"Tha showarrrrs will still be tharrr once ye scrub tha deck!" growled the pink mare. "Now get ye flank movin' afor Aye give it a cat'o'nines!"
"But--"
"NOW, LASS!"
Lightning Dust held up a hoof, paused, and let out a resigned sigh. "Fine," she grumbled as she slouched to the stairs. "Fine, whatever. It's not like I took out a whole line of enemy cannons single-hoofed or anything, noooooo, I'm only good enough for deck scrubbings, and the captain obviously knows best, even if she never explains what she's thinking to anyone, and I'm pretty sure that we actually have a dedicated cabin boy on board anyway..."
Pinkie rolled her eyes. "Rattler, would ye keep an eye on tha sea pup?" The pegasus skeleton nodded briefly before galloping down the stairs. "Honestly, tha lass runs her yap like a shark chompin' fish."
"You know she only joined us because of your reputation for free living," Octavia reminded her. "No rules, no responsibilities--"
"Aye, Aye know. Aye just dinnae like bein' so harsh on me crew, even those what do be needin' a swift buck to the noggin." Pinkie gave Octavia a sly smirk. "Aye prefer me underlin's ta be likin' bein' under me. Makes everyfin' so much easier... an' not just a bit more fun, savvy?"
"Yes, yes, I understand. Not that I agree, mind you, but you are my little sister, and I need to keep you out of...." Octavia shook her head. "I was going to say 'out of trouble' but then I remembered what we do for a living."
"Harrharrharr!" Pinkie roared, slapping a firm hoof on her sister's shoulders. "Don't ye worry, Aye get what ye mean. Speakin' o' gettin' ye, Aye got ye a lil' somefin while ye was off at the markets."
"Oh?"
"Aye!" With a flourish, the perky pink pirate pulled a particularly precious torc out of her top pocket. "Ta-da!"
"Oh my! It's beautiful!" Octavia took the torc in her hooves. "Who exactly did you steal it from?"
"A farmer off o' Pony Island," Pinkie explained casually. "Belonged ta a princess once, if'n memory serves right."
"Well I don't doubt it." Octavia lowered her head and slipped it on. "Something this lovely must have come--"
The tree-shaped gem suddenly shone brightly. Octavia only had enough time for her eyes to widen before she was suddenly flung backwards, Pinkie rushing after her as the torc flew by her head. "Octy! Sis! Are you--Arrrr ye alright, lass?!"
"Ungh. I'm... I've got some bruising on my barrel, and I think I twisted my ankle." The grey mare looked past her sister. "It... The torc. It said... well, it didn't say, exactly, but it told me that I wasn't the pony to wear it. In my head."
"Right, right." Pinkie helped her sister up, her eyes darting about. She caught sight of the small crowd of diamond dogs and ponies staring at them. "Oy! What are ye sorry lot lookin' at?! Get them crates down ta storage afore Aye lock ye in thar!"
"Pinkie... what is that thing?"
"...Aye dinnae know, lass." The captain's gaze fell on the now inert piece of jewelry. "Aye think... Aye think ye should head down to quarters. Aye'll take that o'r ta tha first mate an' let her have a looksee."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The salty wind whisked through the manes of five ponies and the scales of one dragon, all sitting tightly packed in a small boat slicing through the ocean waves. Spike had a claw casually resting on the outboard motor, occasionally making one or two course corrections or checking the gauge crystal to see how much magic was left. Twilight stood in the bowsprit, peering across the waves for any distant islands, any ships, anything that would tell them where they were headed. Fluttershy sat starboard of her, fidgeting with her mane and glancing down at the deck. Across from the other pegasus, Rainbow Dash leaned against the edge of the boat, her eyes shut and her shoulders slumped. She started to lean to the right, but Applejack gently pushed her back with a roll of her eyes.
From her seat next to Fluttershy, Rarity took a moment to look around at her travelling companions. She frowned as she noted the nervous fidgeting, silent sleeping, and annoyed nudging going on around her. "Well now, this simply will not do!"
"What?" Twilight glanced back. "Do you think you need to modify the spell you put into the gem matrix?"
"No, darling, I'm sure it's fine." She gestured at the other ponies. "I was referring to the silence in our fair vessel! After all, we're all going to be traveling together for a while, it might behoove us to open up and talk."
"Ah reckon you're right an' all," Applejack agreed, "but what is it we should talk about? Ah mean, Ah'm a farmer, ya'll are an artifact saleswoman, Rainbow's in the military, Shy has a pet shop..." She paused, turning to the yellow pegasus. "Who all's tendin' to your shop while you're gone?"
"Oh! Um, I... I asked a pegasus called Flitter to, um, look after my animal friends.." Fluttershy flicked her wings out, managing to move her gaze up to Applejack's. "She's... well, she's not the kindest of ponies but she... she can handle them..."
Twilight turned around. "I'm sorry if I dragged you all into this without thinking... I mean, you have lives back on Pony Island, and I just came in and--"
"Don't ya worry none, sugarcube." Applejack glanced back over her shoulder. "Mah family can keep the farm runnin' while Ah'm with ya."
"And all I have to worry about are my shop and my sister," Rarity added. "Oh, I do hope she's not giving miss Hooves any trouble..."
"Ya have a sister?"
"Yes, little Sweetie Belle." Rarity rolled her eyes with a smile. "Precocious little thing, loves to play with my merchandise... which has caused more than a few broken artifacts, but I just can't stay mad at her for too long."
"Heh. Sounds like Apple Bloom." Applejack chuckled, idly pushing Rainbow back up. "Mah lil' sis ropes herself into these crazy situations... honestly, sometimes Ah think she has to be smarter than me just ta do what she does, but she doesn't seem ta think very long term. Not anything like mah older brother, he's very... well, Ah know he's smarter than me, but he's not the kind to think fast if he can help it." She shrugged, turning to the other unicorn. "Ya got any siblings, sugarcube? Ah heard Dash mention your brother or somethin'..."
"Oh yeah. Navy captain, Shining Armor." Twilight shook her head with a small smile. "He's really big on chivalry, very much an officer and a gentleman... and great at what he does. I mean, I... don't see him as often as I'd like, he's constantly on deployment, but he always makes time for me when he gets shore leave... Well me and Cadance, my old foalsitter." She giggled. "I'm pretty sure they're dating 'behind my back', it's so obvious it's hilarious. Oh, and there's Spike, too, he's kind of like a little brother--"
Spike snorted as he shifted the motor to turn around a small coral reef. "Kind of?"
"Okay, exactly like a little brother."
"Thank you."
"Very helpful," she continued with a smirk, "but also very annoying."
"Hey!"
"What about you, Fluttershy?" Twilight turned to the yellow pegasus. "Any siblings?"
Fluttershy hid her face behind her mane. "...I would... really rather not talk about it."
"...Oh."
For the briefest of moments, an awkward silence threatened to scend on the small crew.
Then Rainbow Dash let out a massive snore.
Rarity huffed. "Honestly, how can that mare sleep at a time like this?"
"It's a military thing," Twilight explained with a wave of her hoof. "Whenever my brother comes home, he gets as much sleep as he can, but just poke him and he's bright-eyed right off the bat. Apparently they conserve energy so that they can be fully aware when they're on duty." She shrugged. "I can see the sense behind it, but you have to be really devoted to train your body like that."
"But it makes for some really funny pranks," Spike quipped. "Remember the waffle hat?"
"Oh goddesses, the waffle hat." Twilight blushed and groaned. "I don't like to think about the waffle hat."
Applejack's eyebrow rose. "Waffle hat?"
"Oh, uh..." Twilight blushed. "It... I was being a stupid foal, see. I kind of maybe got a little bit jealous, because he was sort of dating another pony and, you know, I was only six years old, and--" She shook her head and laughed. "SO! That was... good talk, we all learned something I guess, how close are we Rarity?"
Rarity smiled slyly. "We're still far enough out that I want to know more about this waffle hat."
"It, uh, it's kind of--well, I mean, I don't really want to, uh--"
Spike snorted. "It made the papers."
Twilight descended into an awkward squeak.
"And it made Cadance very happy," Spike added casually. "That's the pegasus that Shining was dating... they actually got married earlier this year, it was a big thing."
"Yeah... yeah, they deserve each other." Twilight shook her head. "And they forgave both of us for the waffle hat thing years ago, so let's all just drop it and move on."
"Oh very well," Rarity said, the smile not leaving her face. "I suppose I could always go to Canterlot and look through back copies of the papers when all is said and done." She blinked for a moment. "Ah! I think we're slowing down..."
"Oh! That has to mean we're close!" Twilight returned to looking forward, peering across the blue horizon. "I think... Yes! There's a small islet up ahead. Not much more than a sandbar, really... what's a sandbar doing this far from a shoreline anyway?" She tilted her head. "I mean, there's nothing for the current to push it against, unless there's some sort of underwater mountain range..."
Applejack and Rarity shared a concerned glance as Twilight pulled a notebook out of one saddlebag and a sextant out of the other. Their eyes widened when she pulled another odd device out, lining it up with the sextant as she gave a ponderus hmm.
It wasn't until the boat was in hoof's reach of the small scrap of sand that Twilight put the instruments away. "Right. I don't know what's going on here, but there's simply no reason for this island to exist. At all." She prodded at the yellowish beach cautiously.
With a snort, Rainbow Dash blinked herself awake. "Huh... We stopped. We're here, then?"
"Well, we're wherever here is," Applejack explained, gesturing toward the sand. "Apparently, the first shiftsone's somewhere over there."
"Huh." Dash flapped her wings, hovering over the beach with a critical eye. "Rarity, can you feel the doohicky from here?"
Rarity frowned, letting her magic flow from her horn. "It's further inland... well, it would be if this island weren't so small." She disembarked from the boat with graceful practice. "Honestly, there's only enough room here to build a house! Well, if one wanted to build a house on sand--"
"Rarity!" Twilight hissed. "Get back in the boat!"
"Why?"
"This island makes no sense! For all we know it could lose stability and dissolve at any moment!"
The white unicorn frowned, stomping at the ground experimentally. "Seems firm enough to me..."
"Look, if the island suddenly starts breaking apart, I'll grab her and bring her back," Rainbow assured Twilight. "Right now, though, she needs to find the... thingy that'll let us find Piepan."
Twilight cocked an eyebrow. "'Thingy.'"
"Well, you call it an Element of Harmony, AJ calls it a shiftstone, Rarity calls it an artifact..." The pegasus shrugged. "When you all can agree on a name, I'll stop calling it a thingy."
"Over here, darlings!" Rarity had trotted to the center of the island and was waving back at them. "It's under quite a bit of sand, but I think I can dig it out." A shovel emerged from her saddlebags, diving into the sand in her telekinetic grip as she hummed a happy tune.
"Wait... are you saying that it's..." Rainbow held her hooves over her muzzle. "BURIED TREASURE?!"
"Highly unlikey, miss Dash." Rarity gave a wide sweeping gesture with her shovel. "Most cases of 'buried' treasure are simply the result of years of natural inclement weather layering sand over the object in question. Very few people, pony or otherwise, would choose to hide something valuable under what amounts to a layer of disintegrated rock."
"Well, this island is apparently magical or something. How do you know it wasn't made specifically to bury this treasure?"
"...hmmm. I suppose you do have a point..." Rarity looked down at the hole she was digging and grinned. "Ah, here we are! Some... wooden object. Definitely not a gemstone, but it could well be a container of sorts..." She reached down with her magic, tugging at the exposed artifact. "Just... Give me a momeEEEP!"
Rainbow swooped up, catching the small chest as it flew into the air. "Whoa! You alright there, Rarity?"
"I have sand all inside my gown!"
"I'm taking that as a yes. Hey Twilight! Catch!"
The scholar barely had time to light up her horn before the chest went flying toward the boat. "RAINBOW DASH! You shouldn't just throw things like this around, it could be easily damaged!"
"You caught it, didn't you?"
Twilight huffed. "Right." She examined the chest carefully, watching out of the corner of her eye as Rarity righted herself and trotted back toward the boat. "Hmm. These are old Equestrian runes..."
Fluttershy leaned out, helping Rarity board the boat again. "Really? What--hmmf--what do they say?"
"Hmmm." She tilted the chest around. "It says the object within was entrusted to a family by 'the goddess', but the family began to die out... the last members anchored an enchantment to this chest in hopes that someone worthy would one day find it." She paused. "Or anchored this chest to an enchantment. It's not entirely clear. Anyway, the family hoped..."
She frowned. Spike leaned forward. "What? What did they write?"
"...they hoped that whoever found this," Twilight said slowly, "would use it to end the flooding before all of Equestria was covered in oceans."
For a brief moment, the only sound was the lapping of the current against the sides of the boat.
"Wow. That sucks." Rainbow Dash hovered back to her seat. "So how do we open it?"
Twilight gave a helpless shrug. "I... don't know, actually. There doesn't seem to be a latch. I mostly research and examine, I've never worked with old chests or containers--"
"Oh, give it here," Rarity sighed. "I think I might be able to open it."
"Really?" Twilight allowed Rarity's blue aura to take the box, watching as she rotated it carefully. "I mean, I suppose you would have a better idea on how to handle ancient artifacts than I would--"
"It's definitely enchanted," Rarity mused, peering at one side carefully. "Otherwise the water damage would be quite severe... Ah! Here we go." Two slats slid outward in her magical grip, snapping flat against the sides as Rarity unfolded the entire container. "It appears to be a simple enough puzzle box--well disguised though, I must admit..."
The words died in her throat as she finished opening it. There, nestled in the wispy remains of a silken cushion, was a deep purplish gemstone shimmering with reflected sunlight.
"...eeeyup," Applejack breathed, "that's another shiftstone."
"It's quite beautiful," Rarity murmured, her hoof reaching toward the artifact. "It almost seems as though it was--"
White fur met purple crystal, and there was a blinding flash.
When Twilight had blinked the sparkles away, she noticed that the gem was no longer in the box. Her eyes darted toward Rarity's neck and she couldn't help but gasp; a purple gem in the form of an ancient urn was resting in the golden torc now around the other unicorn's neck.
Applejack recovered first. "Well well well! Looks like Ah've found another old family member, eh Twi?"
"It might not be that," Twilight mumbled. "It could have chosen her for... any number of reasons!"
"I... I'm descended from a noble family?" Rarity looked down at the gem, brushing it in awe. "I had no idea--"
"I just said that it might not be that! For all I know it could have chosen you because you were... born on a Wednesday or something!" Twilight huffed, crossing her forelegs.
Rainbow Dash smirked. "What, you jealous?"
"NO! I'm not jealous. The family's dead anyway, so it doesn't mean anything." Twilight looked away. "I just thought... you know, we could examine the thing in its dormant form. Now I don't know if I'll be able to distinguish its magical signature from Rarity's--"
"Um." Fluttershy held up an awkward hoof. "Does anybody else hear a hissing sound?"
Spike's eyes widened, and he pointed. "LOOK! THE ISLAND'S DISINTEGRATING!"
The ponies all turned their gazes and saw he was indeed right. Sand was rolling into the waters, in grains and clumps, and the small landmass broke apart before their very eyes. In moments, the waves had claimed the grains; no sign of the former beach remained.
"...That," Rainbow Dash finally managed, "was incredibly freaky."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"GIT YER FLANKS MOVIN YE BILGE RATS! IF AYE SEE ONE ARRRRRSE LEFT BEHIND IT'LL BE BENT O'R WHILE THE OWNER BE LICKEN' THE WHOLE ENGINEERIN' DECK!"
A blonde pegasus mare paused, giving the Laughing Menace a glance and a smirk. "Will you be watching, captain?"
"Nay, Kicky." Captain Piepan gave her the stinkeye. "Don't ye be temptin' me."
"Oh poo. I suppose I'll be in the raid then." The violet pony took off from the deck and joined the other ponies already swinging down to the skyscraper rising from the ocean depths.
Ah, Manehattan. A wonder of the modern world, built floor by floor even as the flood drowned the previous residents. Members of every race could be found running away and screaming as the pirates dove off the hovering Logical Defiance, some rushing across skyways while others simply dived into the water. Piepan caught sight of the local guardsponies gathering a few blocks off and gave them a cheerful wave; figuring they might not have noticed her, she then launched a rocket in their direction and giggled as they scattered. Not that the rocket was particularly powerful; after all, she'd ordered her crew to keep from firing cannons until the local navy had caught up with her, on account of Manehattan's general structural fragility. But it still spewed enough flame and explosives to... discourage any regal-falutin' protectors from trying to get in the way of her crew.
With one final check to make sure the raiding party was completely off board, Captain Piepan shrugged her shoulders and galloped off the edge of her vessel, flinging a long rope ahead of her. Blasts of sound coming from the massive propellers below her as she fell for the briefest of moments; then the hook at the end of her rope caught on one of the skyway safety rails and she was swinging towards a lower window. Her piercing laughter drowned out the noise of the propeller behind her and she slammed through a window hooves first, rolling across the tiled floor into a standing position with sabre drawn at the startled crowd.
"LISTEN UP! If ye be valuing yer hide, ye be doing exactly what Aye tell ye!" She swung her sword suddenly, pointing it at a shocked unicorn. "No spells!" The sabre twisted to a changeling, who gulped. "No hive-contacts, Aye know how ta spot 'em!" With a twirl, she pointed at an elderly kirin. "And no followin me when Aye leave, savvy?! Now go through your desks and throw the documents out the window!"
"But these are important files regarding--"
A pie to the face cut the pegasus off, and he collapsed with a gurgle.
"That," Piepan said, "was chloroform. This!" She held up another piepan. "Be ACID! Anypony have anything else to say?!"
The crowd whimpered and shied away.
"GOOD!" Piepan smiled, surprisingly gently. "Aye know ye lot aren't fighters, and Aye only be here for one thing. Everypony have a cupcake ON ME!"
A yell went out out as she pulled out what looked to be a massive wooden cannon, and everybody dived for cover as the unmistakable sound of rapid gunfire commenced. When it stopped, however, there was no smoking stain on the wall, no crater on the floor, and a series of immaculate cupcakes on every desk.
One pegasus poked his head out, prodding the confectionary curiously. "Did... did she really just shoot cupcakes at us?"
"That's captain Piepan," a unicorn muttered. "Battier than a thestral, she is."
"I hear she screwed the pirate captain Scorn over," another pony commiserated. "Figuratively and literally!"
"She once robbed Canterlot of all its booze in one night! She's the reason the rum is always gone!"
Captain Piepan had already left the room, but she smirked as she heard excited chatter echo behind her. Technically it had been three nights, but a legend is a legend, and that wine had tasted great.
Reaching into the pocket of her longcoat, she held out the torc she had stolen from the orange farmer. "Come on, come on... Show me what ye want, little friend." The torc rotated in the grip of her frog, and she trotted through the halls in the direction the gem was pointing. Perhaps what she was following was just a hunch, but her hunches had always been good in the past. And if she was right, the sister gem was right... about...
"AHA!"
"EEP!" A gangly earth pony lept behind a table covered in old urns and gemstones. "S-Stay back! I'm armed! With... a gun!"
"Ach, laddie, ye've got ta show a wee bit more backbone afor any lass be lookin' twice at ye." The mare tutted as she waltzed in, pocketing the torc and letting her eyes flick around the room. "How much arrrrrrrrre they payin' ye ta be locked in this dingy room? It looks like ye be starin' at age-old junk and serchin' fer secrets long gone, aye?"
"I... I'm a researcher, yes, but what does that have to do with--?"
Pinkie slammed her sword down on the table hard enough to make all the artifacts bounce. "LET ME TELL YA SOMEFIN LADDIE! This is almost all total trash! Ye want to know how Aye know that? Cause it be doin' nofin! No magic, no pony comin' through what be seekin' a purchase, this be the garbage o' the elders!"
"H-hey! That's not true!" The gangly pony rose up and glared nervously at her. "This is all very valuable, you know! I mean, would you be here if it wasn't?"
The pirate smiled. "Ah, there's a nit o' backbone in ye after all! But Aye did say 'almost'. That gem thar?" She pointed at a blue gem. "That's the only thing Aye be here fer!" She reached out to swipe it up--
--and was blinded by a flash of light. When her vision cleared, she could see the colt blinking, but the gem was gone. An odd weight on her neck caused her to glance down, where she spotted a blue gem shaped in the outline of a feline face, set into a golden torc.
"...what?" The colt stared at it. "What have you done?"
"Laddie, Ah've claimed me destiny." Captain Piepan smiled at him broadly. "Hold still."
"What? Why would AAAAAAUGH OH MY FACE OH GODDESSES MY FACE YOU CUT MY FACE!"
"Ach, ye'll thank me later." The pink mare turned toward the door. "It'll scar, and mares like scars, savvy?"
"IT'S BLEEDING EVERYWHERE OH GODDESS WHYYYYYYYYY?!"
"Oh shut yer yap, Aye did ye a favor!" With those words of wisdom, the pirate walked out the door. "Honestly, some ponies..."