Adventures in the Bermikun Triangle

by Rakoon1

Morlock, the Unstoppable

A few days have passed ever since the Sea Raiders have been formed and the members of the crew started to get to know each other.

Clover didn’t share much about his life before he got to the Bermikun Triangle, much less how he lost his body and got bonded. However, Dusk and Star got to know a little about Mallet.

According to him, he was from a small island called Ragnasala that was part of an archipelago at the north of Celestia Ocean where the Mighty Helm were known to live. He had become a member of the Mighty Helm and was pretty happy with that until the day he ventured in the area of the Bermikun Triangle and got stuck there.

Despite knowing about Opal being a princess from Obstang, there was still many things her newly friends didn’t know about her and that she was keeping from them. But nopony pressed her to tell anything.

But Calabrass was one of the greatest mysteries, as, even if he talked a lot about his days as a pirate, he didn’t talk about how he became a sword and what drove Heartbeat to do that to him. But the greater mystery was Chaos, as all of the Sea Raiders didn’t know how Chaos came to be. Who had built him and how they managed to turn him into a living ship?

For the time being, the crew was able to stay as far as possible from Golden Bones and his army of skeletons, specially when it came Netherwhere, Skullivar’s fortress, located in the Sea of Vapir. However, they knew it was only an eventuality for them to meet again those villains, being the reason why they tried to stay ready for anything, with Dusk trying to master the power of Calabrass and Star managing to use his magic again, at least the most basic spells.

Dusk, however, was still very unsure about his role as captain and so he wanted to prove himself as such in every opportunity that came to him. That opportunity came when they found an island in the Sea of Beru containing a hill with a large X-shaped hole on it.

Getting out of Chaos and landing on the shore, he exclaimed to his fellow crewmates:

“Guys, check this out, you are totally not gonna believe what I just found! That's an actual spot in the shape of an actual X! X marks the spot. X is the spot!”

From the Chaos, the others were observing him and the hill and Opal asked:

“Does he have to this much enthusiastic over an X?”

“Does a bear do its business in the woods?” Clover asked, in his usual odd way. “You know. In an office, a desk, with a paper and pencil.”

“For what I know about Dusk, I’d say that, whenever there’s the potential for action, he can get a little carried away” Star replied, as he and the others (except for Clover) started to get out of the ship.

“Mallet doesn't get it” Mallet said. “Big hole. Lots of big holes on lots of islands. So what?

“And this is why I'm captain” Dusk told to his friends, turning then to Calabrass, as advancing towards the hill. “Calabrass, what do we do when X marks the spot?”

“We plunder it!” he exclaimed. “I sense ancient riches hidden in the darkness. Me jeweled teeth are jumping!”

“I suggest patience” Star advised his brother. “We must formulate a sensible strategy to move forward…”

“Charge!” Dusk and Calabrass exclaimed, not hearing not even a word the alicorn prince was saying, running towards the X-shaped hole and sliding down to the cave.

“Maybe he didn't here strategy and just heard forward?” Opal suggested. “Seriously, are you sure you two are brothers?”

Ending to the end of the slide, Dusk found himself in a domed cave. When he stood up, he saw that it was already occupied by Golden Bones’s skeleton soliders who were, at that moment, transporting a black chest.

“Treasure!” Calabrass exclaimed. “The teeth never lies!”

“Thanks for doing the heavy lifting, guys” Dusk told the skeletons, while grabbing Calabrass, as they started to head towards him. “That's very considerate for an army of the undead. Calabrass, give me the Eye of Sino!”

And he transformed. After that, Dusk charged forward, starting hitting the skeletons, causing them to break into frozen pieces. After doing that, Dusk, satisfied with his work, started heading towards the chest, while detransforming and saying:

“Like taking treasure from a bunch of boneheads. Plan sh’man! When you’re captain you have to think fast, act fast, and...”

It was then that Calabrass, while being agitated by Dusk, saw Golden Bones approaching from behind and shouted:

“Move!”

He turned around, to see Golden Bones preparing to attack him with his hook. Dusk then hasted to shout:

“Eye of Sino! Ice Shield!”

Transforming again, he caused Calabrass to form an ice shield to prevent Golden Bones from striking him. While Dusk was trying to hold the golden skeleton’s attack, the villain exclaimed:

“You're in over your head, whelp! This is Skullivar's chest! I'll keel haul you and hang your hide from my mast!”

He pushed Dusk, knocking him away and causing him to drop Calabrass for a few moments. But Dusk was able to picks up Calabrass soon enough and casted a freezing wave that froze Golden Bones's hook. Detransforming, Dusk said to Golden Bones:

“Stay frosty. And P.S. what’s a keel haul?”

“Get him!” Golden Bones ordered, as the unfrozen skeleton soldiers started to re-assemble themselves. As soon that happened, they started to advance towards Dusk.

“Oh, yeah, that happens here” Dusk said, remembering that fact about the skeletons, while fighting off the soldiers.

Golden Bones broke the ice and got his hook free, picking up the chest and starting to head to the exit. Dusk, over a boulder while fighting, saw him do that and told him:

“Get your hooves off my pirate booty! Wait, that's sounds wrong.”

“My master claims this treasure as his own, and so it shall be!” Golden Bones replied, while keeping walking. “You will tire eventually, my army will not!”

“You're not the only one with an army” Star’s voice was heard saying.

And he, Opal and Mallet all arrived and ready to fight. Using his magic beams, Star was able to knock down some skeletons and, with a fast flying, he stood back-to-back with his brother. While shooting at the skeletons, Star said:

“Tell me there was more to your plan than running in like aunt Rainbow Dash does.”

“No, that's pretty much it” Dusk replied. “Thanks!”

“I think we need to spend a little time defining the word plan” Star commented.

At that moment, Dusk noticed Golden Bones trying to leave the cave with the chest.

“You bet, right after I open that treasure!” Dusk replied, starting then to jump rock after rock until he reached Golden Bones by landing in front of him, getting ready to battle him and his skeleton soldiers.

Looking to the chest, Star had a bad feeling so he entred for a brief moment in the sage mode and could feel strange vibes coming from there.

“Zak, I'm getting some bad vibes from that chest” he warned his brother.

“Aye, your brother makes some sense” Calabras said. “Somethin' about that booty doesn't feel right.”

“You were the one with the jangly teeth” Dusk replied to him. “If there's treasure let's snag it!”

But he didn’t get much time to say more, as Golden Bones advanced ready to attack with his hook. Using his magic to hold Calabrass, Dusk blocked the attack. They continued to fight and Golden Bones said:

“Tenacious brat! You're in over your head, as usual! Yield!”

But Dusk ignored him and, instead, he grabbed Calabrass and said:

“Eye of Sino!”

Transforming again, the young unicorn prince exclaimed, while stabbing Calabrass’ frozen blade on the ground:

“Frozen Path!”

And so he created a path of ice under Golden Bones, causing him to slip and hit the skeletons that were behind him, like they were bowling pins.

“Strike!” he exclaimed.

While that happened, Star and Opal were taking down the skeletons, one with his magic and the other with her gun.

“Do you think he knows what he's doing?” Opal asked Star.

“I'm not sure, but he does do it with style” Star replied. “Of a sort.”

At a lower level, Crogar, while holding his sword that had been activated, said:

“Mighty Helmet style! Battle first, think later!”

Meanwhile, Dusk was trying to open the chest with Calabrass's blade. While doing that, the talking sword said to him:

“Dusk, I have t'point out that y'r plans seem a little off. Are ye that hungry for gold? Why is that treasure so important to ye?”

Knowing he could open up with Calabrass, Dusk told him:

“It’s not about treasure. Look, I’m still new to the whole captaining thing. I have to show them that I can do this. Especially when my brother is a big hero… Now let’s open this puppy!

As more skeleton soldiers continue to come, Opal said:

“Captain! Speaking from a purely mathematical standpoint, we’re about to be kicked from behind!”

Dusk looked around and saw that his friends were in a real trouble. The focus Star was providing to keep attacking the skeletons was preventing from taking off, while Mallet was being subdued by skeletons. That put Dusk in a position where he needed to choose: the treasure or his friends.

“Dusk!” Star called. “We need you now!”

Making his decision, Dusk made a big jump into the fight while shouting at the skeletons:

“Get your bony fingers off of my friends! Sino! Total blast!”

Transforming again and craving Calabrass on the ground, while landing beside Star and Opal, he blasted a huge freezing attack at the skeletons, who turned into frozen statues which broke in thousand pieces.

Golden Bones, arriving to the edge of the chest, laughed and then proclaimed:

“The chest is ours!”

Two skeletons grabbed the chest and started heading towards the exit. However, in their clumsiness, they ended up dropping the flag that was covering the top of the chest. Golden Bones then turned to the rest of his army and told them:

“To me, you scurvy dogs!”

And the rest of the soldiers also got out, with Golden Bones following them, leaving the Sea Raiders alone. Turning to his friends, Dusk asked, while putting Calabrass back at his scabbard:

“You guys all right? Sorry, I was stuck with…”

He then remembered the reason why they were there and exclaimed, while turning around:

“The chest!”

They went all to the place where the chest was, finding nothing but the flag that was dropped from the chest.

“Sure, they got the chest, but we’re fine and that’s what matters, right, Captain?” Opal said.

“I guess…” Dusk said, while taking the flag with his magic, still not liking the fact they have lost.

“No one wins been every fight, Dusk” Mallet told.

“We’ll be ready for them next time, Dusk” Star said. “Have no fear.”

And he left with Mallet and Opal. After they were gone, he said to Calabrass:

“We lose like that and guess who they don’t want as captain any more. I gotta be stronger, Cal. Whatever it take to...”

In Netherwhere, Golden Bones presented the chest to his Master, while kneeling before him.

“Bring me that chest, your exact words, and your humble servant delivers” he said to Skullivar.

“So rare…” he said.

“What’s that?” Golden Bones asked. “Th-the treasure, my Lord?”

“No. The times that you actually do something right.”

And gliding to where the chest was, he passed his hand over it and it opened, revealing a helmet inside.

“While I'd like to accept the...compliment, I think we’ve been hornswaggled” Golden Bones said, as Skullivar made the helmet come to him with telekinesis. “This is just junk.”

“How little you understand, poor Bones” Skullivar told, as he advanced forwards, followed by Golden Bones, gliding towards the window, as a big headless pony armor rose up from the trapdoor. “This acquisition will complete my collection.”

And he made the helmet hover toward the armor and assemble itself. A red glow started coming out of the hollow parts of the armor.

“After all these years, Morlock the Unstoppable” Skullivar said. “Finally, a worthy emissary!

“The position of emissary is already held, Skullivar, and quite capably...” Golden Bones said.

“I’ll be the judge of that” Skullivar replied, starting to zap electricity and powering up the Morlock armor, with its red glow turning green. After it was fully charged, it was seen that it was connected to Skullivar’s movements.

In Marituga, Dusk, Star, Opal and Mallet were walking through its streets, with the captain still pouting about their defeat.

“Dusk, I know you don’t like to lose” Star said.

“Correction, I hate to lose” Dusk replied. “Worse than brussels sprouts. Worse than stink hoof.”

“So do I, but on occasion it happens” Opal said.

“And it’s my fault, right?” Dusk asked.

“Of course not!” Star replied, as the group stopped, while putting his hoof over his brother’s shoulder. “There were more of them. They were stronger. They were faster.”

“But if I was a better leader, we’d be plundering booty instead looking for Sassafras’s stupid moving shack” Dusk replied, while moving a few steps away, referring to the witch that lived in Marituga and that was known for her greed.

As he kept moving, Mallet released a chuckle, while saying:

“Booty…”

That caused Opal to give him a poke in a disapproval way. And the group continued. As they advanced, Calabrass exclaimed:

“A-ha, Next left! Down this alleyway. I’m picking up on her weird Voodoo!”

Arriving to Sassafras’s shack, Dusk opened the door and walked down the stairs, along with his companions.

“She need some nice curtains. Place creepy. Always creepy.”

Arriving to the end of the staircase, at the right side, there was an open door that gave access to a room full of shelves with books. At the center, there was an elderly earth mare, sitting before a crystal ball. She possessed a pale green coat with a crystal ball as her Cutie Mark, a greyish mane and bluish green eyes. Her mane was styled in a bun with two bones and a shawl over her shoulders.

“Yeah, but she’s always right” Dusk replied.

They started to approach her, but then she told, noticing their presence:

“It’s called a doorbell. You should try.

But Dusk just dropped some coins on her desk that immediately caught her attention.

“You like money, I like not losing” Dusk said. “Let’s talk. Today we got kicked in all Seven Seas over this.”

And he picked up the flag, showing it to Sassafras.

“And I want to know what is this...” Dusk started, before Sassafras casting a spell that burned the flag. “Hey!”

“I cannot have such dark enchantments within my walls” she replied. “Besides, it clashes with everything.”

“Seeing this place, I thing none of those are quite true” Star commented, earning him a harsh look from the witch.

“Why did you fry that flag?” Dusk asked.

“It bears the mark of Morlock!” she said.

Despite telling that in a sinister way, it didn’t had a very big impact on the Sea Raiders.

“Oh, great, she just added a creepy name to the chest” Opal said. “That doesn’t sound so good.”

“Morlock the Unstoppable” Sassafras said, while releasing from her hooves a luminous green cloud that quickly takes the form of the Morlock armor. “A haunted suit of indestructible armor, controlled by its remote host.”

“That chest wasn’t big enough for armor” Dusk replied.

“The armor was scattered a century ago” Calabrass replied. “Skullivar has sought control of the Morlock ever since! If that chest contained the last piece he was seeking, we are surely doomed.”

“And it’s my fault” Dusk said, falling again into his depression. “I failed to stop Bones.”

“Dusk, this isn’t anyone’s fault” Star said. “Every plan falls apart if the center doesn’t hold. You’re our center, little brother. Right?”

“I’m trying” Dusk replied.

“I hope you do better than trying” Opal replied. “Otherwise, I would have joined you for nothing.”

It was then that Star sensed the same feeling he had felt before.

“Guys? Remember that strange energy from the chest? Well, I’m sensing it again.”

Hearing that, the Sea Raiders rushed out of the shack, with each one preparing to engage in battle if necessary.

“Is it another piece of the armor?” Dusk asked his brother.

Entering in sage mode, Star tried to concentrate and then said:

“I don’t think it’s a little piece. This is bigger and coming right this way. I mean, really, really close!”

“How close is really, really close? Mallet asked.

A that moment, the Morlock armor suddenly arrived behind them, making a huge stomp that casted them away, while creating a thick dust cloud that soon cleared, revealing the big armor to the four teenagers.

“You had to ask” Opal said to Mallet.

“That must be Morlock” Dusk said. “Does anypony knows how to stop the unstoppable?”

It was then that Skullivar’s voice came from it, as the villain was talking to them at his fortress, saying:

“You cannot escape Morlock, boy! It is unstoppable. It never tires, it never fails!

And he made Morlock do another stomp that knocked down the Sea Raiders.

“I’ll lead him away!” Dusk told to his companions. “Skullivar may have his armor but what he really wants is Calabrass.”

“Slow down, captain” Opal said. “Let’s put our heads together and…”

But Dusk didn’t let her finish and, holding high the sword, he started heading at full speed towards Morlock.

“Hey, Mor-dork!” he called, before sliding underneath Morlock and running away. Just like he predicted, Morlock turned around and went on his pursue.

“And watch you run down the street” Opal ended. “Seriously, he has to stop doing that.”

“Hurry!” Star said to Opal and Mallet, with them following Morlock.

Dusk was giving chase, but behind him, Morlock didn’t contain itself. To get to Dusk, he destroyed buildings that would get on its way until he arrived in front of him.

“Wow!” Dusk exclaimed.

“Your sword will be mine and you will fall beneath it!” Skullivar told.

And he tried to punch Dusk, but he escaped by rolling forward and continued to run. But the armor resumed its pursue, destroying everything in its path while chasing him. But one of the debris caused Dusk to trip, with him ending dropping Calabrass.

“Calabrass, no!” Dusk called.

Morlock arrived to Calabrass’ edge and Skullivar laughed, while saying:

“Too easy!”

When it was about to take Calabrass, Mallet arrived just in time and strikes the armor with his sword, with his power being increased by the propellers. Opal then jumped, using Mallet’s back as a trampoline, and prepared to attack, only for Morlock to punch her, sending her backwards to Mallet and knocking them both down. Star arrived and fired his magic, freezing Morlock with electricity. He then picked up Calabrass with his magic and tossed him to Dusk. Arriving to his brother’s side, Star told him:

“They call Morlock unstoppable for a reason. The only way we’ll take this monstrosity is together.”

“You’re absolutely right” Dusk replied. “We’ll beat him together right after I beat him first! Calabrass, give the Eye of…”

“Aye, wait, boy!” Calabrass interrupted. “The Morlock processes enchantment I cannot predict or counter! Through it pains me to say it, this is not a beast I can defeat alone. Nor can you.”

And he started controlling Dusk’s foreleg, much to his annoyance, as he fought for control.

“Seriously?” he asked. “This isn’t one of Calabrass’s life lessons, is it? So what do we do?”

“Running away is nothing to be ashamed of under certain circumstances” Calabrass replied, as he saw Morlock recovering from Star’s attack.

And he started to pull Dusk away from Morlock, while the young colt said:

“Hey! Calabrass! Get back here!”

“Dusk, we need…” Star started to say. “Uh, younger brothers…”

He turned to Morlock who started to advance towards him.

Calabrass continued to pull Dusk, who was holding as much he could, while going down the island stairs to the dock. Opal approached there and asked:

“Dusk Storm, what are you doing? Is this some new attack where you run around the whole Triangle and hit your enemy from behind?”

“It’s not me!” Dusk protested, turning then to Calabrass, while holding him tight to prevent him from pulling him. “What is your problem, Cal?!”

“You have no idea what you're dealing with!” he replied.

While he continued to make Dusk to come with him, Opal approached and said:

“Actually, I do. The Morlock armor is a repository vessel for the consciousness of its controller. In this case, Skullivar has commandeered the…”

“Opal, there’s no time for that now!” Dusk replied. “I need to take this thing out or…”

And suddenly they heard Morlock behind them, knocking both Star and Mallet down the stairs, right to their side.

“…or that'll keep happening!” Star ended. “You guys chose a leader, I’m leading!”

And he started advancing towards Morlock, saying then:

“I don’t care what you’re wearing, Skullivar! I’m gonna open you like a can of…”

But when he was about to land a hit, Calabrass dodged away from the armor. Again, much to Dusk’s frustration, Calabrass continued to control his foreleg, making Dusk to hang onto him. Morlock then kicked Dusk down the stairs. While getting up, Dusk told to his talking sword:

“Calabrass! You missed on purpose!”

“Aye, bet yer scurvy breath, I did!” he replied. “I don’t want t'be corrupted by evil enchantments! I’m tryin' to tell ye that…”

But he didn’t finished as, he and Dusk both saw Morlock rolling barrels toward them. Having no other choice, Dusk slammed Calabrass on the stairs, forcing him to access the Eye of Dezer. Once he transformed, with Calabrass turning into a rock hammer, he said:

“Dezer Stone Wall!”

And he created a huge wall to protect themselves and the others from the barrel. After the wall disappeared, Dusk said:

“I’m telling you that we go big or go home. That’s what a captain does.”

And he started charging toward Morlock.

“Yes, fool” Skullivar said to Dusk from his lair. “Come to me.”

Dusk tried to fight off Morlock, but Calabrass wouldn’t help him.

“Calabrass!” Dusk called. “I need you now or we’re street pizza!”

“Fine!” he replied, done with Dusk. “Ye were warned!”

Now that Calabrass wasn’t resisting him, Dusk could now use his power at will and exclaimed:

“Stone Crusher!”

And, after a big jump, Dusk hit the hammer to the ground in front of Morlock and unleashed a giant attack, creating a powerful shockwave that created a dust cloud.

“Yes!” Dusk exclaimed, victorious, that is until he saw that Morlock was still in place. “Really?!”

Laughing, Skullivar asked:

“Is that your best?”

“Perhaps now, ye've learned the definition of unstoppable” Calabrass said to Dusk.

Appearing beside his little brother, Star said:

“Dusk, we have to try a different tact!”

“Star’s right!” Opal said, with her gun ready, positioning herself along with Mallet.

“We stand together” the latter added, with his sword also ready.

Seeing them all at his front, Skullivar said:

“Excellent. Right where I want you.”

And he made Morlock hover itself up and separate its hands from its torso. They then advanced and just captured Star and Opal with one and Mallet with the other.

“No!” Dusk exclaimed. “Star! Opal! Mallet!”

Seeing his friends, pinned to the ground by Morlock’s hands, he started to feel that everything that happened was his fault, for is inability to be a good captain. So he could only say:

“I…I’m sorry.”

Skullivar’s laugh was heard, as Morlock’s armor approached him, hoovering, and then he said:

“You don’t know the meaning of the word, yet!”

Having said that, Morlock's head separated itself from the body and hit Dusk so hard that he got knocked out.

When Dusk came to his senses, he found himself inside of a cage that was hanging from the ceiling of the Demoniac’s bridge. He felt a little stunned and asked to himself, while sitting up:

“Who’s sitting on my brain?”

It was then that he noticed where he was and that Calabrass wasn’t with him anymore, seeing Golden Bones behind the steering wheel of the ship. In another cage, he saw Star and Opal, unconscious.

“Star! Opal!” he called, turning and then seeing Mallet in a third cage, also unconscious. “Mallet!”

Feeling everything was lost, Dusk sit against the bars of his cage, saying:

“Great… I guess now I messed up big time. I don’t even know how, really. All I wanted was to be a good Captain. But the truth is I have no clue what I’m doing half the time. I’m no big adventurer. I’m just a surf rat who got lucky.”

“You think we didn’t know that?” a voice asked.

Dusk turned around and saw that Star was awake.

“Hey!” he said. “You’re supposed to be out cold!”

“Is that why you’ve been running half-cocked all day?” Star asked. “To impress us?”

“To lead you” Dusk said. “You trusted in me to be the captain. I wanted to prove I could do it. I mean, if I have to ask for help all the time, what sort of captain am I?”

“Dusk, being a great captain isn’t about being the smartest or the strongest or the fastest” Star told, as Opal and Mallet started to wake up. “Look at our mother. She faced many foes, but she didn’t do it all by herself. She had help, friends that she inspired and that inspired her. Being a good captain it’s about knowing you’re a part of, well, a family, and knowing how to bring out the best in everyone. From the first time I saw you with Calabrass, I just knew you would be a good captain and that I would follow you anywhere."

“Really? Even when I screw up royally?”

“Really.”

That gave some confidence to Dusk who then replied:

“I would be more comfortable if you were the captain.”

“I’m tiring of leading” Star replied. “I have a long time for that. A little pause to help others to lead will serve me right. So any ideas, captain?”

Immediately after that, they all hear Morlock hitting Calabrass at the stairway that lead to the Demoniac steering wheel. As it was doing that, Skullivar said to Calabrass:

“I want the Seven Eyes! Spit them out!”

While enduring the hits, Calabrass said:

“You got yer enchantments, Skullivar! I gots mine! Thank Heartbeat for that.”

“Not for long, sword” Skullivar replied to him. “Once I get you to the Netherwhere, I’ll have all the time I need to pilfer your secrets! Not even Heartbeat’s curses stand a chance against me!”

The Demoniac was very close of the vortex, a triangular portal from where a glimpse of the Sea of Vapir could be seen, where the Netherwhere could be seen.

Inside, Dusk, seeing the vortex getting closer, turned to Opal, who was more knowledgeable about Calabrass, and asked:

“If we enter the Netherwhere, can Calabrass be broken?”

She just made a slight sighed, but Dusk knew what that meant and then said:

“Okay, new plan. A plan that needs all of us.”

Getting tire of trying to make Calabrass to give him the Eyes of the Seven Seas, Morlock turned to Dusk and Skullivar said:

“You, whelps. Command the sword to spill out the gems.”

“Um, yeah, that’s not gonna happen” Dusk replied. “Like ever. Like even if you put bite-acudas in my cage and...”

But he didn’t finish, as Mallet’s cage suddenly lowered down.

“Mallet!” Dusk called.

The cage reached the floor and was opened, with Morlock going there and taking him, while saying to Dusk:

“Do you value your crew, Captain? These poor fools followed you on your merry adventures, by is their faith deserved?”

They were taken outside of the Demoniac, where Dusk and the others were being watched by the skeleton first-mate, with Golden Bones and the other soldiers a little behind. Morlock was at the plank, about to drop Mallet to the sea, where a band of bite-acudas was waiting for him to be dropped.

“Don’t, he can’t swim!” Dusk exclaimed.

“Don’t worry about Mallet drowning” he said to his captain. “The bite-acudas'll eat me way before that!”

“Hold it!” Dusk said to Skullivar, while falling on his knees. “You win. I-I’ll do what you want. I'm in way over my head. I don’t wanna play captain anymore. The sword is yours, if you just promise to let me go.

“What?” Opal asked. “What did you say?!”

“No, Dusk!” Star exclaimed. “You can’t!”

“You would abandon your crew, which include your own brother?” Skullivar asked. “Sell them out to save your own skin?”

“It’s not like they like me anyway” Dusk said. “Even Star only knows me for a matter of days. I was only in charge because I had Calabrass. I was the strongest and now I’m not.

Before that, Skullivar laughed and put down Mallet, advancing to say, while approaching Dusk and showing him Calabrass.

“Stripped of all your power and see yourself as you truly are! Tell me how to loosen the stones!”

“The truth?” Dusk asked. “Just like everything else in this crazy place, I don’t have a clue.”

“Then you are no use to anyone!” Skullivar exclaimed, while picking up Dusk. “Except, perhaps the bite-acudas!

And the armor tossed him to the water. But when he was falling, Dusk whistled and the Plank rose from the water, saving him from being eaten by the bite-acudas. While hoovering around the Demoniac over the water, he said:

“Good plank! Good plank!”

Turning then to the rest of his prisioners, Skullivar said to them:

“Huh, I've wanted to do that for a long time!”

He turned then to Calabrass and told him:

“Now, sword, you and I have some unfinished business.”

“Do your best, skull king” he replied. “You're not worthy to wield me.”

“I will enjoy attempting to convince you otherwise” Skullivar told him.

“Anyone ever tell you that your bad guy banter is totally stale?” Dusk’s voice asked, causing Morlock to turn to him and seeing him on the Plank. “Don’t you have like, a bad guy speech coach or something?

And he started to surf around Morlock, all while dodging his attacks and, because Morlock was not great in speed, Dusk was able to get Calabrass out of its hand, throwing him out of reach and causing him to be stabbed on one of the cannons at the top of the Demoniac.

“Ouch!” the sword exclaimed. “My coccyx!”

“Impossible!” Morlock exclaimed, not believing Dusk was able to survive all that.

The plank got low beside Mallet, allowing Star to untie his hooves, while saying:

“Before you go taking over the Triangle you should learn how to count. There are seven of us! Clover! Chaos! You're up!

And the Chaos rose from the water and got ready to fire, preparing the canon in its mouth.

“Let's put this Lead-Head to bed!”

Clover was sitting at the end of the bow and said:

“I give you guys shore leave for one afternoon and look what happens!”

The Chaos fired a blast at the Morlock armor, sending it backwards and hit Golden Bones and breaking apart some soldiers along the way. Dusk then proceeded to release Opal and Star, including the latter’s wings, with one of the swords of the skeletons and Star commented:

“A very convincing execution of phase one of our plan… Captain.”

“Thanks” Dusk replied. “Now if I can get Calabrass back, phase two might actually work.”

“If we do it together” Star remembered.

“Somepony slightly smarter than me once said The whole thing falls apart if the center doesn't hold. Together!”

And the Sea Raiders and Skullivar's army, with Golden Bones now standing up and his soldiers assembling, were ready to battle.

“For the Mighty Helm! For Ragnasala! For the Sea Raiders!” Mallet shouted, before charging toward Golden Bones, with the propellers of his sword activating.

“Really?” Golden Bones asked, before he and some of the skeletons being knocked by Mallet.

The skeleton first-mate went to attack Dusk, who blocked his attack, but he was broken apart by Clover, who appeared there, swinging his ball-and-chain. Seeing him, Dusk asked:

“Hey, Clover, how good are you with machinery?

“Awful!” he replied. “I break pretty much everything I touch.”

“Perfect!” Dusk said. “I have a mission for you!”

Morlock was at the top of the Demoniac and Skullivar exclaimed through it:

“You only delay the inevitable! I wield the Morlock! I have the Sword of Seven Eyes! It's over!”

Going back to the Plank and taking flight, Dusk said:

“We can't let him get Calabrass into that portal! Hit him from all sides!”

And so Mallet, Opal and Star started to attack Morlock.

“Have you learn nothing?!” Skullivar asked.

And the Morlock armor hovered up and started separating its limbs from its torso to assault the crew, each one dealing with one limb. When Dusk was about to rescue Calabrass, Morlock's right front hoof knocked him away and grabbed the sword. After recovering his balance, Dusk continued surfing forward, while being chased by the armor's right front hoof, while the rest of his crew hold onto the seperate body parts. Star and Opal were able to completely subdue the parts they were fighting.

“Stick together or fall apart!” Dusk said.

Mallet then got hold onto one of the armor's legs.

“Perfect!” Dusk exclaimed. “Keep it up, guys! Almost there!”

“We're almost there” Skullivar said. “The Netherwhere!”

Dusk looked and saw the vortex really close.

“It is over, boy!” Skullivar exclaimed.

Dodging an attack from the hoof that was pursuing him, Dusk started flying back toward the Morlock torso. As he was getting closer, Dusk said:

“You wanna know how Calabrass works, Skullivar? The same way we all do. As part of a team!”

And he leaped out of the Plank and held onto the armor’s right hoof.

“Are you mad?” Calabrass asked him.

“No, just a little crazy” Dusk replied him.

“It's the same thing!” the sword told.

Getting hold of Calabrass, Dusk exclaimed:

“Calabrass, give me the Eye of Blazz!”

With that, he and Calabrass transformed and gained fire abilities. He then fired a burst of magma at the Morlock armor. The lava quickly cool off, turning into stone. Sensing that, Skullivar said, holding to his throne place:

“Arrgg! Something's wrong. Bones, get them into the portal, now!”

Getting over the mechanical hoof, Dusk turned to Opal and asked:

“Opal, are we in position?”

“Now or never, Zak Storm!” she replied.

He then headed towards Mallet and told him:

“You're up, big guy! Let's finish it. Together!”

As he jumped of the hoof, Mallet hit it really hard, freeing Calabrass, only for him to be grabbed by Dusk who landed back to safety.

“Everyone, now!” he shouted to his crew.

He fired magma at the armor, causing the torso to be pushed back and sink into the sea. Star then used his magic to throw the part he was fighting with, while shouting:

“Go!”

And Dusk fired magma at it right before it fell and sank into the sea as well.

“Seperated from the torso, the Morlock limbs are still indestructible, but vulnerable to entrapment in magma, which, upon hitting the water cools into a solid mass of rock!” Opal exclaimed. “Now that’s a very good plan!”

And so they did the same with the other three limbs that were still free and, after the last one was casted into the sea, the four of them hoofbumped.

“Together we stand…” Star started.

“…divided he falls!” Dusk ended.

“Yeah!” Opal and Malled exclaimed.

“This is far from over!” a voice said, ruining their celebration.

They turned and saw Golden Bones and his skeleton army surrounding them.

“Oh, we forgot to plan for this part” Opal said.

“Don’t worry, Opal” Dusk reassured her. “Bones is no better at counting than Skully. Right, Clover?”

He looked up to where the bridge was. Chaos was there, using its metallic legs to get hold to it. Clover appeared inside the bridge, right behind the ship’s steering wheel.

“Yummy!” he exclaimed. “I love the taste of a collision course! Woohoo!”

After increasing the Demoniac’s speed and spinning the steering wheel around, Clover before broke a circuit wire. He chuckles, before he teleporting away.

Outside, the alarm started ringing, alerting everyone that the ship was malfunctioning. The Chaos arrived with Clover on deck, causing Bones to get out of the way, with the little ghost waving towards his teammates. Dusk, Star, Opal and Mallet all run to their ship and Chaos jumped to the water, getting away from the Demoniac.

As the Demoniac continued to spin around towards the vortex, Golden Bones cursed:

“You’ll pay for this!”

As he saw the Demoniac entering the vortex to the Netherwhere, he said:

“No!”

And the vortex disappeared.

As the Chaos sailed under the twilight sky, Calabrass, now secured again on his scabbard, said to Dusk, who was behind the steer wheel:

“Not bad, Dusk. Played like a true captain. Maybe ye’ll earn yer stripes yet!”

“It’s basic strategy: nothing can hold together if the center falls” Dusk said, looking then to his brother. “A smart alicorn prince taught me that.”

And he gave him a small punch on his shoulder, causing him to get out of the steer wheel platform.

“I prefer First-Mate” Star replied, clearing his throat. “Chaos?”

Responding to his request, Chaos caused the platform where Dusk was standing to launch him up, causing him to be flung into the sea.

His teammates all laugh, while seeing Dusk swimming back to the surface.

“I totally did that on purpose” Dusk joked to them, smiling.

But Calabrass just spitted out water at Dusk, saying then:

“So did I, ye landlubber.”

He also laughed.

“Bathroom break!” Clover exclaimed, preparing to leap down from the Chaos to join the fun.

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

Did I already ask what Zak Storm is?