Chapter I: The Unforgiving World

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A battalion of black clouds lined the horizon, obscuring the setting sun. They sent a frigid and fierce gale as a vanguard, rocking the boat against the trembling waves.

“Hmm. This storm wasn’t supposed to hit until tomorrow.”

Twilight Sparkle looked up as her mother observed the gathering storm through her telescope. She reached for her hand and held it as tight as she could.

Twilight Velvet patted her daughter’s head and smiled. “Don’t worry, Twily; we’ll be fine.” The ship gave a dangerous lurch, almost knocking Velvet and Twilight off their feet. As Twilight hooked her arms around Velvet’s waist, Velvet shouted across the deck, “Captain, how soon until we reach land?”

At the helm of the boat, a grizzled old man with a short, scruffy beard gave the wheel a hard spin. “We got about an hour until it pops over the horizon, Mrs. Velvet! We’ll be lucky if we outrun this beast! C’mon lads, put yer backs into it! Batten down the hatches!”

Across the boat, half a dozen sailors manned the sails and the rigging. A wave crashed against the side of the ship, spraying water across the deck. Half the men slipped, and one of the mast ropes went loose, opening the bottom sail. It caught a strong burst of wind and threw the ship forward.

Velvet fell over and Twilight tumbled on top of her. Twilight looked up at the clouds trampling over the sky, faster than any conquering army. A thundering trumpet sounded from within the swelling black mass, signaling them to rain watery arrows down upon the small ship.

Twilight was immediately soaked through her dress. Her teeth chattered as she asked, “M-Mommy, are w-we going to b-be all right?”

Velvet helped Twilight to her feet. “Of course we are; it’s just a little storm.” The world was briefly illuminated by an explosion of light within the clouds, followed closely by the boom of a cannon. “But, you should get below deck where it’s safe.”

She kept a hand on Twilight’s shoulders while leading her to their small cabin. The ship rocked again, battered by the wild waves and wicked wind. As reassuring as her mother’s hand was, Twilight couldn’t stop herself from producing a squeak every time thunder clapped overhead. With every lurch of the ship, Twilight’s heart hammered faster.

Inside their cabin, Velvet sat Twilight on the bed and lit a candle. The room was decorated with star charts, sea charts, and books, with the extra room going to the bed and desk. Outside the porthole, the seas churned under a tempestuous sky.

Twilight watched in horrific mesmerization. Another wave pounded the side of the boat, and she fell onto her mother’s lap. She curled against her while Velvet stroked her purple hair and gently shushed her.

We’re going to be okay, we’re going to be okay, Twilight chanted in her mind. Sailors always talked about how they had escaped terrible storms. After today, she could say the same thing and brag to her big brother.

She hoped.

Velvet sat her up and held her by the shoulders. “Twilight, I want you to stay here,” she said gently.

Twilight’s purple eyes widened to saucers. “Why? Where are you going?”

“I’m going to see if I can help with anything. The more hands they have on deck the better.”

“Well…” Twilight swallowed the fear rising out of her stomach. “Then I want to come help too!”

Velvet smiled and kissed her on the forehead. “You’re a brave girl, Twily, but I need you to stay here where it’s safe. I think you’re a little too small to do the things the crew members do.” She sat up and wrapped the blanket around Twilight, then kissed her again. “Everything will be fine. I’ll be back soon, promise.”

Twilight watched her step out the door, swinging it shut behind her. She pulled the blanket tighter, trembling despite its warmth. Her mother was strong and smart and brave and always kept her promises. Yet, Twilight couldn’t ignore the sick feeling in her stomach.

Their trip had been a simple expedition to keep the sea charts updated and for some leisurely star charting. Twilight had spent the entire month acting on her best behavior to come on this trip—she even forced herself not to tattle when Shining pulled her hair.

The weather had looked so perfect this morning, but her father said that sea weather was unpredictable at times. Twilight had read how strong the storms in the Equestrian Sea could get, but never thought she’d be caught in the middle of one.

Twilight huddled under her blanket and was knocked to her side as the ship careened again. It rocked back, sliding Twilight across the bed and against the wall. An almighty crash came from the deck, and Twilight poked her head out from her quilted sanctuary, biting her lower lip.

Please, be okay, Mom. A wave smashed into the window, cracking it and letting in a draft that extinguished the candle and scattered some of the smaller papers.

“Oh no!” Twilight scrambled out from underneath her blanket and grabbed the charts before they could become more disorganized. Her efforts were in vain, however, when the next wave smashed the porthole completely, letting in seawater and salty air. “Ahhhh!” Twilight jumped on her bed, her boots and socks already soaked.

The ship tilted to the left, and more seawater gushed in, destroying the charts. Twilight watched helplessly as all of her mother’s hard work was destroyed by the cruel sea. Small tears fell from her eyes, adding to the flooded room.

Then, Twilight was lifted off her bed. She floated in the air, ignoring gravity for but a moment before she crashed down, biting hard on her tongue. She clasped a hand over her mouth, feeling blood mix with spit. I want my mommy!

She got up, ignoring the water that now rose to her ankles. The ship groaned in pain as she pried the door open and ran into the hall, where more water sloshed against the floors. She ran up to the deck, stumbling against the wall twice before she reached the chaos outside.

The storm was no longer a battalion of dark clouds—it had grown into an armada of a tempest. The first surge of wind nearly knocked Twilight off her feet and into the churning abyss. She wrapped her hands around the slick railing, hanging on for dear life.

“Mom!” she shouted over the din of the squall. She squinted her eyes against the lashing rain, making out the burly members of the ship’s crew, but couldn’t find the slim figure of her mother. Lightning lit up the world for a moment, but Twilight still could not spy her.

She didn’t need a flash of lightning to see the tidal wall rising up against the ship. Her eyes followed it as it rose higher into the air, dwarfing their small seafarer. It bellowed into the night, or perhaps that was the men screaming. Twilight couldn’t find her voice to scream. She just stared at the wave with large, uncomprehending eyes.

The wall fell on them, tossing the boat over like it was nothing more than a toy. Twilight’s world flipped upside-down before she fell into the jaws of the ocean. Its bitter, cold teeth tore into her skin, and she lost her grip on the ship’s rail, sinking down into the ocean’s belly. She paddled her short arms with all her might, fighting against a vicious and unforgiving current. She could see and hear nothing, only feel her lungs begging for air and her heart begging for salvation.

Mommy, I don’t wanna die!

Her head popped above the water, only to have a wave shove her back down. Twilight refused to yield so easily, however, and she came up again. “Help!” she screamed. Her voice barely made it to her own ears. Still, she went on screaming and splashing.

Something brushed against her back, prompting her to scream in surprise instead of desperation. She twisted around, seeing the outline of a thin strip of driftwood floating next to her. She latched onto it, digging her nails into the soggy bark. “Help! Mom! Anybody!”

But there was no one to answer her calls. She quivered against her wooden life-preserver, tears indistinguishable from the saltwater coating her face. Everyone’s gone… I’m going to die at sea… I’ll never see anyone ever again.

Twilight didn’t want to give up, but the odds were against her. She didn’t know which way was home or how far she was from land. As if to put her out of her misery, another wave rolled over her, knocking her from her driftwood and back into the belly of the beast.

No! No! The last spark to survive drove her to swim for the surface. Her hand brushed the air, but the current dragged her back down before she could take a breath. No… Twilight’s mind slipped into a watery haze, her muscles exhausted from trying to keep her afloat.

As she sank into oblivion, a hand grabbed onto her wrist…

******

“Long ago in the Equestrian Sea, there was a pirate feared by all. Ruthless, cruel, spiteful, and greedy, she was every sailor and land-dwellers’ nightmare. Some called her the spawn of the Devil himself. Others said she was the child of Neptune and a siren. Wherever she came from, everyone feared her name and the name of the ship she commanded.

“Sunset Shimmer of the Crimson Heart.

“A ship with sails painted in the blood of all those that had fallen before it. All who saw them turned away as fast as they could, for standing up to the Crimson Heart meant standing up to hell itself. Sunset Shimmer and her crew terrorized the Equestrian Isles, stealing any treasure they could, and attacking villages just to hear the people scream.

“But while Sunset was deadly and ruthless, she was also beautiful. Survivors remarked on her flawless skin, and crimson and gold hair. She prided herself on her beauty above all else.

“That would become her downfall.

“On a full moon night, the Crimson Heart sailed to a mysterious island said to hold a fabulous treasure: a crown that could grant the wearer eternal life. Sunset and her crew came ashore, prepared to take the crown for themselves. She led her crew deep into the jungle, where she found the cave where the crown rested. She wasted no time in putting it on. Everyone would admire her beauty for all time.

“Unbeknownst to her, however, the crown held a curse. The minute it touched her head, Sunset’s body transformed! Her skin turned an angry shade of red, her hands turned to claws, fangs replaced her teeth, bat-like wings sprouted from her back, and her hair no longer flowed like silk. She had become a monster, reflecting the true look of her black heart.

“In a blind rage, the new, monstrous Sunset attacked and murdered her own crew. When she calmed down and saw what she had done, Sunset tried to take the crown off, hoping to reverse its effects.

“But neither the crown, nor the curse yielded.

“Forced to look like a monster forever, Sunset Shimmer hid away from the world, lamenting the loss of her crew and her beauty. Some say the Crimson Heart still sails the seas, the dread captain its only occupant.”

Twilight Sparkle looked at the picture accompanying the story. It depicted a young woman with red and gold hair, and a bored scowl upon her otherwise beautiful face. Her eyes held a profound thought, one that made Twilight curious as to what had been going on through her mind at the time.

Snapping the book shut, Twilight stood from the bench and stretched, feeling the wind blow through her hair. She adjusted her glasses and gazed out to the sea from her clifftop perch. The Unicorn’s Horn was her favorite spot in Pony Bay to come and read. Whenever she finished a book, she could just stare out at the sea and contemplate its meaning.

In her hands she held Legends of the Sea, a collection of folktales and myths from across the Equestrian Sea. They were myths to most people at least.

Every legend has a kernel of truth. Twilight smiled fondly over the words her mother had bestowed upon her long ago. The world was full of mysteries, many of them unexplainable. But Twilight knew the truth was out there.

“Sunset Shimmer,” she whispered. The fearsome pirate that had been cursed into a monster. Twilight knew she had been a real person—she had evidence and facts to prove it. What she couldn’t prove was the mysterious disappearance of the Crimson Heart and its captain.

Twilight watched the sun cast ripples of light off the water. Is it possible for that curse to have actually happened? I’ve read stranger things. The world was a strange place, vast and mysterious. With all of the stories Twilight had heard and read, she wasn’t as quick to dismiss something as a fairytale like many of the other island dwellers.

The wind embraced her, tousling her purple hair and making the tresses that framed her face dance. She smoothed out the folds of her dress, a simple beige garment that drew down to just above her ankles; it’s only decoration was a pink bow around the middle. Her sandals crunched the crisp green grass as she drew closer to the cliff.

True to its name, the Unicorn Horn tapered off to a sharp point overlooking the ocean. Twilight stopped just before the fence that blocked off the more unstable ground. She looked out over the azure sea, inhaling the mixing waft of brine and spring flowers.

The ocean was calm today. The sky boasted a clear, picture perfect blue, acting as a mirror to the water below. It was days like this that stirred Twilight’s heart with yearning. She could hear the sea calling to her. Or maybe it was all the books she had read, romanticizing the infinite ocean.

She knew firsthand how dangerous it could be—how unforgiving... how cruel. Her chest tightened and her head began to swim. She stepped back and clutched her book to her middle, before she was dragged back under the vicious current.

When Twilight could breathe again, she started down the slope back to town proper, her mouth set in a thin determined line.

I’m not afraid, she reaffirmed. There was only one thing that kept her on the island. Twilight loved him to death but sometimes, Shining Armor was too protective of her.

She slowed as the road began to curve inland, and looked out to the beach in the gap between the hill and town. Twilight couldn’t help it if she wanted to see the world—to follow in her mother’s footsteps of exploring and recording the unknown. Twilight wanted to know the truth behind the legends.

Instead, she was stuck here while her brother got to sail the seas as a naval officer. She had wanted to enlist in the navy when she came of age last winter, but Shining had forbade it.

Twilight gripped the book tighter and puffed her cheeks. She couldn’t understand why. He worked with other women in the navy, so he could never pull the ‘it’s too dangerous for women’ excuse.

Yes, they were the only family each of them had left, so Shining had some excuse to shield his little sister. But Twilight didn’t want to be coddled for the rest of her life—she was eighteen! By all rights, she should have technically been out of the house already. Her reluctance to get married and modicum amount of personal funds were the only reason she hadn’t moved out.

That, and her home was very comfortable.

Twilight’s sandals kicked loose pebbles from the dirt path. It ran flat next to the long fields where the ponies grazed, before snaking past the aviary and turning to cobble as it entered town. The sundial just before the first house told Twilight it was a little before two. She quickened her pace, lest she be late for work.

As dead as it was, Twilight was always punctual.

Chapter II: Plunder and Pillage

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The bookstore was quiet; a dull, lethargic quiet complemented by the dim lighting and dark furniture. It was like the little store on the corner existed in its own pocket of space, the numerous books muffling the sounds of the outside world. There was only Twilight turning pages, and every few hours, the jingle of the bell over the door. Every other day, the ring of the cash register would break the monotony.

Twilight turned a page and sighed. She kept her elbows propped up on the counter and her cheeks rested against her upturned palms. With the amount of reading people did on this island, she was surprised Golden Oak Books had stayed in business so long. What never surprised her were the wages she earned. At most, she’d bring home a few silver pieces at the end of the week.

Wednesday was drawing to a close, with nary a buyer for three days straight. At this rate, Twilight would live with her brother forever.

It wasn’t bad by any means. Shining took good care of her when he was home. Twilight knew better than to complain about her lot in life when there were younger children wondering where their next meal would come from.

She adjusted her glasses and yawned. I’ve been reading too many adventure stories, she thought. Ideas of faraway places had made her a little stir crazy, nothing more. The last time she had been away from Pony Bay was to go to the library in Hollow Shoals with Shining for her eighteenth birthday.

Maybe I’ve just been around too many books in general, she mused facetiously. Her eyes returned to the page she had left off on. Her fascination with pirates had begun to wane, declining with the disappearance of the Crimson Heart. She knew there were no books in the little shop that would give her anymore leads on the ship or its mysterious captain, so she occupied herself with a copy of the store ledger, looking over books people had bought over the years.

It was nothing to gawk at. Most people bought books on agriculture or fishing. A few romance books were bought here and there, and one history book. Still, it killed the time, something Twilight had too much of.

Her heart skipped two beats when she turned the page and stared down at her mother’s name. It had been written in untidy ink, but it was there. Twilight Velvet. Next to her name was the book she had bought, Sky Chart’s Guide to the Stars.

Twilight knew that book. It was on her personal bookshelf in her room. She had first found it on her mother’s nightstand when Twilight had miraculously come back from the storm that claimed Velvet’s life. Twilight had taken the book back to bed and curled against it until she fell asleep, face damp with tears.

So she bought it from this store. Small world. Twilight felt a lump in her throat, but pushed it down. What was in the past was in the past. She had done all her crying for her mother. Still, she got a fond feeling from finding out small things about her even all these years later.

The door to the back room opened, and out shuffled Mr. Novelty, the owner of Golden Oak Books. He was a thin, pale man with a reedy voice and a hunch in his back. Shining had joked to Twilight once that she would end up like him if she didn’t go outside more.

Mr. Novelty gave a quick sweep of the shop and sighed. “Still no customers, Miss Sparkle?”

“No, sir,” Twilight said, closing the ledger.

“People today,” Mr. Novelty huffed, “no respect for literature.” He walked over to the curtains and peeked at the setting sun beyond them. “Well, Miss Sparkle, you’re free to go.” He reached into his pocket and handed Twilight three silver coins as she walked out. “Sorry I can’t pay you more.”

“That’s fine, Mr. Novelty. Thank you.” Twilight smiled and inclined her head, then made her way out the door and into the fresh air. She looked at the coins in her hand and frowned. She would never live on her own like this.

Others were closing up their shops and stalls as well. Golden Harvest loaded up her mule with a box of unsold carrots, waving to Twilight as she walked by. Roseluck offered flowers, which Twilight politely declined. She never bought anything with her own money that she didn’t need.

Out of the town square, up main street and two blocks from the lookout tower was Twilight’s home. It was two stories of brick with a wooden roof and a chimney. Nothing lavish, but a far cry from poor. She pushed the door open and stepped into the sitting room, decorated with a large rug that had been shaved from a manticore according to Shining. A tea table sat in front of the lit fireplace, above which hung a family portrait.

Her father Night Light had an arm around her mother’s waist, while a young Shining Armor held the hand of his baby sister, sitting on the floor. Twilight walked past it, ignoring the outdated information it gave any newcomer to the house.

“Hello?” Twilight called into the kitchen. “Camellia?”

A rose colored face popped around the corner. “Good evening, Miss Twilight!” Camellia said brightly. “How was your day?”

“It was fine,” Twilight said, fighting back a discontented sigh. Camellia was nice, but she was only here to clean the house and cook meals. At least, that’s what Shining told Twilight. She knew Camellia was here to keep an eye on her, making Camellia a babysitter more than a maid. While Twilight knew it was no fault of Camellia’s, it didn’t make her eager to make friends with the hired help.

“So good to hear, Miss! The laundry is all done, and I’ll start dinner right away!”

“Thank you.” Twilight forced a smile before slipping upstairs and into her room. She sat on her bed and reached for her coin jar underneath. It was getting heavier. She slipped her three silver coins in, then picked up the notepad sitting on her desk. Adding three to the total amount of money she had written down and running some quick calculations in her head, Twilight reasoned she could afford a house in fifteen years if she got paid every single day.

“Uuugh!” She flopped onto her bed and stared at the ceiling, counting the stars painted onto it. She loved counting them as she fell asleep, but tonight, seeing them just made her more restless. Rolling onto her side, she faced her bookshelf, stuffed with books she had bought and been given over the years. They ranged from adventure, to history, to science, to her favorites, oceanography and cartography.

Twilight stood up and pulled Sky Chart’s Guide to the Stars from its spot and flipped it open. The Cassiopeia constellation greeted her, telling her the story of a vain queen that had been punished by having her daughter almost sacrificed to a monster.

Twilight snapped the book shut, her restless mood made only worse. Walking along the beach and looking at the ocean would only deepen her agitation. Instead, she curled up on her bed, keeping the book against her stomach as she stared at the sun setting behind the other houses.

Her stomach rumbled, but her bout of melancholy confined her to her bed. Is it wrong to have a comfortable life and still want something more? Her father had always said she was a miniature version of her mother. Maybe she was never meant to sit at home and work in a bookstore. She closed her eyes and got comfortable against her pillow. There you go with those fantasies again.

******

“Miss Twilight! Miss Twilight, wake up!”

Twilight hadn’t been aware she had fallen asleep until Camellia shook her awake. “Huh, what?” She sat up, her glasses askew, rendering the world blurry in one eye and clear in the other. There was a loud ringing in her ears, until she realized that was the city bell tolling.

“We have to go!” Camellia cried. “Pirates!”

“Pirates?” As soon as she said it, Twilight heard the screams of the townsfolk outside. Night had fallen, yet several orange glows came from between the buildings. Cannon fire jolted Twilight up from her bed, and she hastily followed Camellia into the hall, tripping several times as she regained her footing.

They tromped down the stairs, the wood creaking under their combined weight. Twilight let Camellia lead her by the hand through the sitting room. Her brain was still trying to catch up with her current situation.

Pirates? Pony Bay? Now? Why?

“We’ll sneak out the back door and run to the woods,” Camellia said as they entered the kitchen.

“Uh, okay,” was all Twilight could think to say. Wait a minute. She grinned goofily. This is just a dream. I was reading about pirates earlier, and now I’m having a dream about them. Completely logical. Twilight watched Camellia grab a knife and open the back door to the tiny garden they owned. Guess I’ll just let the dream play out.

Outside, the air carried a faint odor of smoke and gunpowder. Odd, I’m pretty hyper aware in this dream, Twilight thought. She helped Camellia over the garden fence before clambering over herself, feeling the unvarnished wood against her fingers.

The first tendrils of doubt began to creep across Twilight’s mind as she landed on the other side, feeling the impact in her joints. Still, all of this was too much of a coincidence to be anything other than a dream. Pirates hadn’t attacked Pony Bay in almost fifty years—they had no reason. Pony Bay was a small town on a small island that exported fruits and, of course, ponies. Not only that, the island was a stone’s throw away from Canterlot and the naval fleet it housed.

See? All of this can be explained with rational thought. Twilight followed behind Camellia as they hurried down the little street behind their house. Now, all I have to do is wake up. It proved easier said than done. Twilight squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again, but was still not in her bed, and she could hear cries of distress from the other side of town. A knot grew in her stomach. She resorted to the tried and true method of waking from a dream: pinching her arm.

She dug her nails into her skin until they left a mark, but nothing about her cognitive perception changed. Cannon fire still boomed in the night.

Twilight and Camellia burst onto main street where, fifty feet from them, were two young men jumping out of a broken window. One of them was short and pudgy with orange hair sticking out from under his red bandanna, and a very bad overbite. The other was tall and lanky with a rather dimwitted expression. They were both dressed in white shirts with thin leather vests and short pants.Both of them locked eyes with Twilight.

I’m starting to think this isn’t a dream.

“Hey, I think that’s her!” the short one yelled.

“Really?” The tall one squinted his eyes, making himself look even more dimwitted. “Yeah, she looks like the picture.”

“Quick, get her!”

Camellia grabbed Twilight by the wrist and ran as the two pirates drew their daggers and gave chase. Twilight realized she was being partly dragged and picked up her feet.

“Th-they’re chasing me? Why are they chasing me?” Twilight said between breaths.

“I don’t know, Miss Sparkle, but we can lose them in the forest,” Camellia said. “They won’t hurt you, I promise.”

The path sloped upwards, and the pirates were hot on their heels, ignoring the other civilians fleeing about or boarding their doors. Twilight didn’t dare look over her shoulder, knowing it would only slow her down. She could see the chase played out in the shadows cast by the full moon. The two pirates were almost in arm’s reach.

The forest was in sight, but blocking the path were two women dressed in similar attire to Twilight’s assailants. The first had green hair with varying tones, and yellow eyes filled with excitement. The other had purple hair with raspberry streaks, and magenta eyes. She looked a little bored, but perked up when she saw Twilight running toward her.

“Lemon Zest, it’s Twilight,” the purple-haired girl said.

The one named Lemon Zest drew her cutlass and grinned. “And I thought tonight couldn’t get any more exciting!”

Twilight and Camellia skidded to a stop, before Camellia pushed Twilight to the right and pointed with a finger. “Run! I’ll hold them off!”

Before she could find a voice to protest, Twilight’s legs carried her off down a smaller street. They know my name! But this isn’t a dream! What’s going on? She heard quick footsteps behind her and doubled her pace, developing a stitch in her side.

She slid into a narrow alley and knocked over a wooden crate, hoping it would slow her pursuers down. What do I do? Should I try to go to the forest? Should I go back for Camellia? She reached the end of the alley and found herself only a block from the aviary.

The aviary! I’ll send a message to Shining! Then, I’ll hide in the forest until the navy comes! Twilight tightened her focus and pushed ahead, ignoring the clatter of wood behind her. Out of the alley, she turned down the road leading out of town. It was a clear shot to the small wooden building.

A thousand questions buzzed in Twilight’s mind, but she focused on the task at hand. She could ponder the cosmic forces of the universe if she survived the night.

In the gap between the town and the Unicorn’s Horn, Twilight saw it, anchored just off the coast: a large ship with blood red sails sitting hauntingly on the black water. She almost stopped running to stare in awe.

The Crimson Heart.

Sunset Shimmer’s legendary ship was moored less than a mile from Twilight’s position. Did that mean it’s cursed captain was lurking somewhere around as well? Twilight shook her head clear, and reached for the aviary door. Someone shouted behind her, and she threw the door opened and hurried inside. She pulled the wooden bolt down and pushed a barrel in front for extra measure before taking a breath of relief. Her breath turned into a gag at the smell of bird droppings and dead mice.

Twilight turned around, examining the hay covered floor and the rows of makeshift nests reaching up to the open roof. Messenger birds of all kinds roosted above her: falcons, pigeons, and even a few owls. To her left was a small desk with parchment and an inkwell. Twilight snatched up the worn quill next to the ink and hastily began to scribble a message.

Bam!

“Twilight, we know you’re in there!” one of the male pirates shouted from across the door. They pounded against it again, this time making the barrel wobble.

A fine layer of sweat coated Twilight’s forehead. She bit her lip and continued writing. Maybe this was a bad idea! What if they get in before Shining gets here? But why are they after me?

Bam!

Twilight blew lightly against the ink, urging it to dry faster. She was wasting precious seconds waiting on this damnable ink!

Bam!

“Come on, Velvet, just open the door! We won’t hurt you!”

“Velvet?” Twilight whispered. Did they know her mother? Did they think she was her mother? Twilight pushed it aside; she had more pressing issues to deal with. The ink was dry enough, she decided, and she rolled the parchment up and wrapped a seal around it.

She moved to the middle of the room, searching for a roused bird. She spotted a plump brown owl staring down at her from the second shelf.

“You! Could you come here, please?” Twilight hoped the chubby bird could make the trip.

The owl tilted its head to one side and blinked, considering Twilight’s request. After the pirates slammed on the door again, it quickly fluttered down and landed on Twilight’s shoulder.

“Here,” Twilight handed it the letter. “Take this to Shining Armor, or any officer in Canterlot really. Just make sure you get help!”

“Who,” it hooted.

“You.”

“Who.”

“Get help.”

“Who.”

“From anyone!”

“Who.”

Bam!

The owl snatched the letter and took off, scattering feathers all over Twilight. She watched it vanish into the stars before bringing her attention back to her situation on the ground. The door bolt was severely cracked, and the barrel had tipped over with the last impact. Twilight ran back and set it upright, just as the pirates knocked again, fully splitting the bolt.

She threw herself back as the door came apart with the next blow, and the barrel rolled off to the side. The two boy pirates and the one named Lemon Zest looked down at her, all of them wearing triumphant smiles.

“Well, Twilight, thanks for making this night so much fun!” Lemon Zest said. “I was worried capturing you was gonna be too easy!”

Twilight scooted back until she hit the other wall. “What do you want with me?”

Lemon walked forward, her boots crunching against the matted hay. She pulled a cloth from her back pocket. “Nothing personally. I’m just here for the adventure.” She grabbed both of Twilight’s arms with one hand and lifted the cloth. “But the captain has special plans for you.” She stuffed it into Twilight’s mouth, making her gag. Lemon looked back to the other pirates. “Come on, help me tie her up! We don’t want to keep the captain waiting!”

Twilight’s eyes widened as they approached with lengths of rope. Her heart hammered in her chest, threatening to break free. As another cloth fell around her glasses, she could only hope the owl would reach Shining Armor.

Chapter III: The Crimson Heart

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Twilight had gained her sea legs long ago, but her stomach churned as she bobbed up and down on the little boat. She couldn’t see anything, just hear excited voices around her and the distant cries of the townspeople. Her hands and feet were bound in thick ropes that chafed whenever she moved, which, thanks to the waves, was quite a lot. With the gag in her mouth, she could only breathe through her nose, making it hard to hyperventilate.

The boom of a nearby cannon made her jump in her seat, and several hands pushed her back down. One hand stayed on her shoulder, and a voice said, “Easy there, Miss Velvet. No point in jumping ship unless you can swim like an eel.”

Twilight tried to speak, but only managed muffled grunts. They really thought she was her mother. But that begged the question why were they looking for Twilight Velvet? She had been dead for a decade. Unless…

A great fluttering rose in Twilight’s heart. Could her mother have survived the storm? Could she be alive somewhere out there? But then why hadn’t she come home? And how were these pirates associated with her? All of the questions and the possibility that her mother might be alive made Twilight’s stomach squirm even more. She was almost glad she was gagged; it was good incitive to not throw up.

The boat bumped against something, and everyone around her began to move, rocking the boat even more. Hands grabbed her from all sides and hoisted her up none too gently. Twilight landed on damp wood, fresh with the scent of brine and rum. The rocking of the sea was less pronounced here, but she could still feel herself swaying.

Her blindfold was ripped off, and Twilight beheld the deck of the Crimson Heart through her smudged glasses. It was at least one hundred feet from where she sat to the bow, and twisting her head, another thirty feet to the aft. The width was equally impressive, measuring another fifty feet at least. It was all made up of polished dark red wood speckled with seawater that reflected in the moonlight. Cannons mounted the sides of the ship, crates of cannonballs next to each of them. Large barrels were tucked against the gun deck, flanking a door with skull and crossbones painted on it. Three masts towered over Twilight, the red sails currently rolled up.

Twilight’s kidnappers climbed onto the ship after her, just as the skull door opened up. The woman who walked out had dark blue hair with two lighter shades running throughout it. Her eyes were yellow and fierce, complementing the scowl on her face. She was dressed just how Twilight imagined pirates to look: black vest and leather boots, a puffy white shirt, and grey baggy pants. All that was missing was a hat. Instead, she had goggles sitting on her forehead.

She took one look at Twilight, and her eyes widened in outrage. “Who is this?” she said, low and lethal.

The short orange-haired pirate looked quizzically from Twilight to the other girl. “Umm, Twilight Velvet?”

“That’s not Twilight Velvet!” the girl yelled. She clapped a hand over her mouth, and fear washed out the fury in her eyes. When she spoke again, it was in her low, dangerous voice. “I gave you idiots a picture! How could you screw it up?”

Lemon crossed her arms. “Hey, to be fair, it was a black and white drawing. And she looks just like Twilight Velvet.”

“Ugghhh!” The girl ran a hand down her face. “I knew I should have gone with you idiots!” She snapped a finger toward Pony Bay. “Toss her overboard, go back, and find the real Twilight Velvet before—”

The door opened again, making a sharp squeal, and everyone around Twilight went rigid, the looks in their eyes matching the blue-haired girl’s. The very atmosphere around Twilight changed, tightening until it could be cut with a knife.

“Captain on deck!” a squeaky voice from on high yelled. From the shadows of the ship, several more bodies appeared and lined up behind Twilight. They all faced the door, and the figure stepping out of it.

A black cloak, utterly silent, drifted across the deck and stopped in front of Twilight. Their hood was up and cast a deep shadow, making it impossible to see inside. Twilight could still feel their eyes scouring over every inch of her, examining, weighing, judging. The hairs on her neck stood up, and ice dropped into her stomach. The cold was countered by a faint heat radiating from the cloaked figure.

The tension in the air drew to a snapping point when the figure drew a breath. “Indigo,” a raspy voice said from beneath the hood, “this isn’t Twilight Velvet.”

The blue-haired girl Twilight now knew to be Indigo took a tiny step forward. “I… I know, Captain. Lemon thought she had found Velvet but—”

“I asked you for Twilight Velvet!” the voice rose to a yell, becoming duel-toned in its infliction. “Not a child!” The cloak fluttered wildly for a moment before settling down.

If the goal had been to intimidate, the captain had succeeded. Everyone behind Twilight took a large step back and trembled. The cloak fluttered again, and something red and lightning fast shot out and snatched the gag from Twilight’s mouth. She gasped, both in shock and relief, and took several gulps of air.

“What is your name?” the voice rasped.

Twilight stared into the black abyss of the hood. Her heart drummed in her chest, and her mouth was painfully dry. The figure in front of her was a tower, standing a foot taller than the rest of the crew, and absolutely dominating over Twilight. The faint heat Twilight felt started to rise, driving away the cool sea air around them.

The pieces lined up in Twilight’s mind. If she was on the Crimson Heart, there was only one person who could be under the cloak. She was kneeling before the one and only Sunset Shimmer.

Twilight had been picked up and dropped into her fantasy books. This couldn’t be happening, but she had already proven to herself that she wasn’t dreaming.

She came out of her trance, remembering she had been asked a question. “M-my name is T-Twilight Sparkle. Twilight Velvet is my mother.” Behind her, she could hear the crew murmuring.

Indigo cleared her throat, and all instantly fell silent.

“Where is she?” Sunset hissed.

Twilight took a deep breath. “She’s dead.” Her heart sank as the words left her mouth. Of course her mother wasn’t secretly alive. It was a miracle Twilight survived the storm.

All that could be heard was the creaking of the ship against the gentle waves. Then came the shuffle of feet backing away. Twilight guessed she had given the wrong answer.

Only Indigo remained next to Twilight, but a layer of perspiration coated her face, and she had one hand near the sword at her side. “I-I know you’re disappointed, C-Captain, and I assure you, I will make sure my informant does not get away with this. B-but, I think—”

“Be silent, Indigo,” Sunset said, barely raising her voice.

“Aye, Ma’am.” Indigo quickly stepped back into line.

Sunset’s cloak paced the floor in short strides. Heavy boots could be heard from underneath. Her hood twisted and looked down at Twilight again, and a snort of fury issued from within. A growl followed, and Twilight noticed the temperature around her spiked again. Everyone behind her took another step back.

“Please,” Twilight said, wanting to do anything to break the tension, “what did you want my mother for? How did you know her?”

Sunset’s growl subsided, and the heat faded back to the dull warmth Twilight had originally felt. The silence lingered for a moment before Sunset said, “How good are you at translations and map reading?”

Twilight raised her bound hands to adjust her glasses. “Um, well, I’ve studied a lot of ancient culture and understand some basic rune writing. I’ve also taught myself the alphabet from the last age, even if no one speaks it, but there’s a lot of interesting books I was hoping to read someday written in old script. And my mother taught me everything about cartography. It’s actually my life’s dream to be a cartographer like she was, so I—”

“Silence!” Sunset shouted.

Twilight closed her mouth and shrunk down. She hadn’t meant to ramble on, it had all just spilt out; whether from nerves or from the chance to show off what she knew, she couldn’t say.

Sunset’s hood faced Indigo. “Weigh anchor and get us to open water before the navy shows up.”

Indigo nodded. “Aye, Captain.” She looked at the crew and jerked her head. “Well, you heard her, bilge rats! Let’s shove off!”

Everyone began to hustle and bustle, scurrying around the deck, heading below or up the masts, and preparing the rigging. Twilight twisted her head this way and that trying to follow everyone. Something red flashed in front of her eyes, and the ropes binding her hands and feet split apart.

“On your feet, Miss Sparkle,” Sunset said.

Twilight stood up, stumbling at the rocking of the ship, but quickly gaining her bearings. The ship began to turn, and she could see Pony Bay come into view on her right. She looked back to Sunset, cold realization sinking in again. “What are you going to do with me?”

Sunset turned toward the door. “That depends on what you can do for me. Come.”

Common sense told Twilight it would be unwise if Sunset had to repeat herself. Twilight hurried after her, keeping close to the hem of her cloak. The hall was cast in a dim light from the few lanterns that lined it. They walked around a set of stairs leading to the lower deck and entered through another door with an eight rayed sun split between red and gold painted on the door.

The captain’s quarters lay on the other side, well-lit and well-furnished. A round table sat in the middle atop a large purple carpet with intricate designs. To the left was a bed with perfectly folded sheets, and to the right was a writing desk with a stuffed bookcase accompanying it.

Twilight spun around to get a look at the whole room. She noticed the door frame was molded with pictures of little red chickens that were on fire. Leaning in closer, Twilight saw they were actually supposed to be phoenixes. Next to the door was a short wardrobe with jewelry and old photos on top.

“Sit down.”

Twilight jumped at Sunset’s sudden command. On the other side of the table, Sunset was seated in a tall armchair with armrests curved like thick talons. Her hood was still up, and gave Twilight the impression she was about to have an interview with the Grim Reaper.

When Twilight took her seat in the smaller chair across the table, Sunset produced a tattered parchment from within her cloak and tossed it onto the polished wood. “Start reading. The more you translate, the longer you’ll live.”

Twilight sucked in a warm breath to counter the chill that ran down her spine. Her shaky fingers reached for the paper, tending to it as gently as possible. She unraveled it and found a washed out map decorated with old writing and smudges of ink.

This is old. She inhaled the musty scent of preserved parchment from bygone eras. This is really old. Her mind slipped into cartographer mode, dismissing the reality that she was a prisoner to pirates. She started with the pictures, tracing a finger around the islands and sea currents. Drawing on her eidetic memory, Twilight went through the numerous sea charts she had studied, trying to find one similar to the map in front of her.

Her finger moved down to a smaller island, and circling the perimeter, Twilight recognized it as Pony Bay. The shape was a little different, but she recognized the coast and the Unicorn Horn. So this is the Equestrian Sea. Her eyes moved up to the two large land masses that divided the map almost in two. Which means this is the Fantasy Strait, she reasoned, looking at the narrow sea path that went between the lands. And this is the Everfree Sea.

She turned her attention to the writing, faded and smudged after who knew how many years. It certainly wasn’t modern script, Twilight knew that for sure. She turned the map to the side. Actually, she wasn’t sure what language it was.

“Well, can you read it or not?”

Twilight startled and stared at Sunset. Sweat gathered on her brow, and she fiddled with her glasses. “P-please, just give me a moment.”

Okay, right. Not doing this for fun. Life is at stake. Goosebumps rose on Twilight’s skin, and she bit back a hysterical giggle. I’m on a pirate ship being forced to translate a map and I might possibly die. At least I’m not bored. She took a shuddering breath, fighting the tears stinging her eyes. Next time, I should just wish for a pony.

She examined the script again, digging through her wealth of knowledge. Some of it looked like rune writing, and Twilight recognized the symbol for treasure: a diamond within a diamond. The rest of the script almost looked familiar, but Twilight couldn’t recall where she had seen them or what they meant.

Her eyes glanced to Sunset, though it was impossible to gauge her mood. Twilight bit her lip and desperately tried to remember anything about the markings.

“W-well, that means treasure,” Twilight said, pointing to the double diamond. “And it appears five times on the map, so there’s treasure in the Equestrian and Everfree Seas.”

“I know that already,” Sunset said, impatience creeping into her voice. “How do I get the treasure? What are the instructions?” She leaned forward. “Start giving me some answers, or you’ll be sleeping with the sharks.”

“R-right, yes, o-of course!” Beads of sweat rolled down Twilight’s nose. She wiped them off before they could drip onto the map. The last thing she wanted to do before she died was damage an ancient artifact.

Twilight closed her eyes and concentrated. I’m not going to die here. Shining’s going to get my message and rescue me. I just have to survive until then. Come on, I’ve seen these before! Where have I seen them before? She opened her eyes and stared at the words again, focusing on each character one at a time.

Hmm, this one almost looks like the ‘ah’ sound, only it’s… She blinked and looked through the characters again, her mouth dropping open in delight. “It’s backwards!” she cried.

“What?”

Twilight jumped up from her chair. “It’s backwards! It’s Sea Script written backwards, that’s why it was so weird!”

Sunset stood as well. “So you can read it?”

Twilight poured over the map. “Some of it, yes. But Sea Script is really, really old and went through a lot of changes while it was being used. I haven’t memorized all of the characters and patterns yet. It’d be easier if I had a reference guide.”

“And where could you get a reference guide?”

“The library at Hollow Shoals probably has one,” Twilight said offhandedly, still reading the parts of the map she could decipher.

“Then I suppose that’s where we’re heading next. Congratulations, Miss Sparkle, you’re our new cartographer and translator.”

Twilight looked up from the map, eyes wide. “But… I—”

“Can’t finish reading the map without the book.” A red hand appeared from Sunset’s cloak and dragged the map off the table and into the folds. “The deal is you translate the entire map. Then, we’ll drop you off at the closest island. Is that understood, Miss Sparkle?”

Twilight bit down on her lip. It wasn’t like she had a choice; she had nothing to barter with. Sunset held all of the cards. It was either agree with her and live, or say no and be tossed overboard.

But, just because she had no bargaining power didn’t mean she couldn’t ask questions.

“What’s the treasure?” Twilight asked, recalling the five treasure marks.

“None of your business,” Sunset said evenly.

Twilight sat up straight, feeling a sudden bravery. “I’m going to find out if I read the map. Wouldn’t it be easier to tell me?”

Sunset fell silent. Her cloak moved up and down with her light breathing. “Have you heard of Neptune’s Blessing?” she said softly.

“Yes.” Twilight nodded. “It’s an old legend. ‘He who is granted Neptune’s Blessing shall have their heart’s desire granted and be crowned King of the Seas.’ It began about five-hundred years ago when people began to stop worshipping the sea gods. The believers thought it was Neptune’s last magic relic he granted humanity before he perished, or in some readings, returned to the land of the gods. Historians think it’s some kind of jewel used in worship that was lost—”

“I didn’t ask for exposition,” Sunset said. The inclination of her voice never changed, but it was commanding all the same.

Twilight took a seat again and hunched her shoulders. “Sorry,” she said, her cheeks burning.

Sunset turned and faced the window looking out to the complete darkness of the sea and sky. “This map will lead me to Neptune’s Blessing. If the legends are true, then it will grant the owner a wish.”

“You want to wish to become human again?” Twilight blurted out. She clapped her hands over her mouth.

Sunset looked over her shoulder. “How do you know what I am underneath this robe?” She didn’t sound angry, more tired, and genuinely curious.

Twilight swallowed the nervous lump in her throat. “I know all about the legend of the Crimson Heart and you, Sunset Shimmer. Though I guess they really aren’t legends, are they?”

Something that almost sounded like a small laugh came from Sunset. “You’re a learned girl, Miss Sparkle. Yes, all of the legends about my ship and I are true. My greed and violence turned me into a monster.” She sighed deeply. “And my crew paid the price.”

“I’m sorry.”

Sunset fully turned back to Twilight. “Showing sympathy for your captor?”

Twilight looked down at her hands. “Well… it’s just, I know what it’s like to lose people you care about. Good or bad, I’m still sorry for your loss.”

“Hmph.” Sunset swept a sleeve through the air. “Don’t expect any sympathy aboard my ship, Sparkle. The world is a harsh place; better you learn that now.” She waved her sleeve again. “But we’re far off course. I offered you a deal, Miss Sparkle: either work for me, or I gut you like a fish. What say you?”

Twilight fiddled with her fingers and sighed. “I really don’t have a choice, do I?”

“There’s always a choice. But I expect you’ll pick the right one.”

“Fine. I’ll translate the map.” Twilight paused, then asked, “That’s why you were looking for my mother, right?”

“You ask a lot of questions.”

“I like to know things.”

Sunset snorted. “Yes. That’s why we were looking for Twilight Velvet. One of Indigo’s informants told her Velvet was one of the best cartographers on the sea. What he failed to mention was that she was dead.” She crossed her arms. “I suppose it’s a stroke of good fortune that her daughter takes after her.”

Twilight blushed again. Being likened to her mother was always a compliment, even when coming from a pirate.

“Now, our deal has been made. Go find Indigo. She’ll show you to a cabin and afterwards, send her to me. And don’t worry, none of the crew is to touch you… for now.”

Another chill ran down Twilight’s spine. When Sunset said nothing else, she got up from her chair and turned for the door. She put a hand on the knob, then lingered as a thought came over her.

“Umm…” She looked back to Sunset. “Do you always wear that cloak?”

Sunset was silent for a moment. “You ask a lot of questions,” she said again.

This time, Twilight wasn’t sure how to respond.

Sunset walked around the table, drifting closer to Twilight. Even while standing, Sunset loomed over Twilight, her mere presence compelling Twilight to gain some distance. She gazed into the empty void of Sunset’s hood, wondering if her curiosity had gone too far.

“Do you want to see the monster under the cloak?” Sunset whispered. “Do you want to see if the entire fairytale about the demon captain is true? Is your curiosity that strong, Twilight Sparkle?”

Was she ready to see a monster? Against her better judgement, Twilight nodded.

“Very well.” Two red hands sporting only four claws each reached out from their sleeves and lifted the hood off. Her entire face was as red as her claws, like she had been perfectly sunburnt all over. Sharp fangs protruded from her mouth, and she had long, pointed ears that looked like they had a bite taken out of them. Her hair plumed upwards, red and gold, and billowing like actual fire. Upon her head sat a gold crown with a black star as the centerpiece.

Twilight stared into a set of teal eyes that held a deep store of exhaustion, despite whatever front Sunset was trying to put up. Realizing that she was staring, Twilight finally blinked and looked away.

Sunset blinked as well and cocked her head. “You didn’t scream,” she said curiously, “you didn’t even flinch.”

“Was I supposed to?”

“Well, that’s what I expect from everyone when they see me.” Sunset shook her head. She raised a hand and pressed it against her wild hair, and used her other hand to bring the hood back over it. It cast a shadow over her face, but Twilight could still see her eyes. “You’re an… interesting child, Miss Sparkle. Now get out of my sight.”

Deciding she had pushed her luck enough for one night, Twilight complied and left. The door slammed shut behind her. She made her way back outside, where several crew members were either adjusting the sails or cleaning the deck.

A rough hand grabbed her by the shoulder and swung her to the side, where she found herself staring at Indigo. “What are you doing wandering around?” she demanded.

“Umm, the captain told me to come find you. She said you’d show me a cabin? And she wanted to see you afterwards.”

Indigo grunted, but steered her back inside. This time, they went down the stairs and into a wide hallway lined with several doors. In the middle of the hall, a ladder was positioned, leading up to the main deck, or lower into the ship.

“All right, listen up,” Indigo said, stopping in front of the first door on the left. “Sunset may be the captain, but I’m in charge of things around here, got it? You do what I say, when I say it, and how I tell you to do it.”

Twilight flinched at the harsh tone of her voice but nodded.

The corners of Indigo’s mouth twitched. “Good. This is Lemon and Sugarcoat’s room. You’ll stay here. And I mean stay in here unless we need you for something. Someone will give you a meal eventually.” She leaned into Twilight’s face, eyes narrowed and jaw set. “And if you even think about trying to sabotage us, I’ll make you wish you were never born. I want that wish just as much as the captain does, savvy?”

Twilight nodded again. As soon as she was finished, Indigo opened the door and shoved her inside.

“Good.” She gave a feral smile. “Welcome to the Crimson Heart.”

She slammed the door, leaving Twilight alone in the room.

Chapter IV: On the Wind

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Shining Armor considered himself a relatively calm and collected person. Even when under fire from enemy ships, he didn’t panic. Panicking only incited the crew to follow in suit, and soon, nothing would get done. Then there’d be a real reason to panic.

So, he gave his orders with strong command. Sometimes he hurried, but he never rushed. Rushing would make things sloppy, giving more opportunity to mess it up. No matter the situation, he tried to remain strong, diligent, and thorough.

When Shining got the letter from his baby sister, he’d thrown all that away in an instant.

He sprinted through Canterlot Castle, letter clenched in his hand. Pirates! Pirates in Pony Bay! Why? What do they want with Mom? What do they want with Twilight?

He had been rudely awakened in the early hours of the morning, just as the sun rose out of the eastern horizon, by a plump and noisy owl. All of his grogginess faded in an instant the moment he read Twilight’s letter. Now here he was, racing through the castle at top speed. His naval uniform had been hastily put on, with two of the buttons on his red shirt still undone, and the silver chestplate crooked. Likewise, his sapphire hair was only combed in the front, leaving the back a shaggy mess.

There was no time to take things slow, there was no time to be thorough and diligent. His sister had been kidnapped by pirates and could be anywhere by now! Cold sweat mixed with the warm sweat running down the back of his neck. Shining couldn’t bare to think about what those pirates could be doing to Twilight.

The marble hallway became a blur as he sped up. Some of the station guards shouted at him to slow down, but they fell on deaf ears. Shining refused to slow down until he reached the throne room.

Fortunately, fate decided to meet him halfway. Shining rounded a corner and had to ground his heels into the carpet to force himself to stop before he crashed into a company of guards.

“Woah, there, soldier, what’s the rush?” one of them asked.

Shining doubled over, hands on his knees as fatigue caught up to him in his brief respite. “I… I’m sorry,” he said between pants. “I just… need to see…” He looked up in between the narrow gap in the guards procession and caught a glance at the well-garbed and beautiful figure standing in the middle. “Princess Cadence!”

With a wave of her hand, the two front guards stood apart, allowing Shining to fully view the princess. She wore a long purple gown with diamonds embedded into the hem, and a tiara sat neatly placed in her three-toned pink, purple, and gold hair. “Good morning, Captain Armor,” she said, a smile lighting up her pink, heart-shaped face. It quickly flipped into a frown. “You seem distressed.”

Shining straightened up and adjusted his naval uniform. “I-I am, Your Majesty. I just got a letter from my sister. She said pirates attacked Pony Bay.”

Princess Cadence covered her mouth with a hand. “Oh my goodness!” She turned to one of the rear guards. “I want two cruisers out there immediately, along with a supply ship. Send a scout back with a full report of the damage as soon as possible. Double patrols around the island.” She raised her hand as the guard motioned to leave. “Try to be subtle about it. I don’t want the civilians panicking.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

She faced Shining again. “Did your sister perchance identify the pirates responsible?”

Shining shifted his weight from one leg to the other. “Well, she did, but… she thinks it was… the Crimson Heart.”

“The Crimson Heart?” Cadence repeated. “But no one has seen that ship in a century. I would be amazed if it even lasted this long.”

“It’s possible she was mistaken,” Shining said quickly. “But whoever they were, they were looking for my mother, and chased after my sister instead. I think they’ve kidnapped her.”

A grim shadow crossed Cadence’s face. “I understand how that would be quite distressing. I believe I would be correct in assuming you came to see me to get permission to give chase?”

Shining bowed. “Please, Your Majesty. Twilight is the only family I have left.” His stomach knotted up at the thought of never seeing her again. He had promised to protect her and he had already failed.

Cadence made a quiet hum. “You and your soldiers are quite adept, Captain. But, for argument’s sake, if it really is the Crimson Heart, and if Sunset Shimmer is still at the helm, she’s not to be taken lightly.”

The hope in Shining’s eyes flickered. “Your Majesty, you don’t actually believe that fairy tale, do you?”

“I’ve heard stranger things, Captain. Contrary to popular belief, there’s still some magic left in this world.” She shook her head. “But, I digress. You’ve dealt with pirates before, though your last rescue mission had… less than favorable results.”

Regret clawed at Shining’s heart, making him wince, but he held his ground.

Cadence yielded a sigh. “You’re one of the navy’s best captains. But, let’s err on the side of caution for this.” The hard look in her eye told Shining there would be no room for arguments. “You’ll go with the ships to Pony Bay and gather what information you can. Afterwards, Crimson Heart or otherwise, you’ll take one of the cruisers along with your crew and give chase. Full reports whenever you can, Captain.”

“Of course, Your Majesty. Thank you so much!” Shining turned on his heel and took off down the corridor again.

“Good luck!” Cadence called after him.

Shining gave her another silent ‘thank you’ as he sprinted out the castle. He would have to be diligent and thorough after all, but the faster he got to Pony Bay, the faster he could get on the trail of those pirates, whoever they were.

The sun shone brightly over Canterlot, bathing the marble and brass city in its warm glow. The gulls flew on the sea breeze drifting in from the northwest. A group sitting in the courtyard scattered with angry cries as Shining barreled through.

He got off the castle grounds and was halfway down the first hill when he realized he’d be better off catching a taxi carriage. With the sun only halfway through its ascent, hailing a carriage proved to be an easy feat. As it bobbed along the cobblestone road that snaked down the hills of Canterlot, Shining tried to gather himself again and form a plan of attack.

First thing’s first: why? Why would pirates attack Pony Bay? Why would they be looking for his deceased mother? Why would they take Twilight instead? Was she okay? And was it really the Crimson Heart that darkened Pony Bay’s shores?

He rested his head against the back of the seat. Gathering information would be tedious work and only widen the gap between him and whoever had the guts to steal his sister away. But orders were orders. He just hoped one of the faster cruisers had been assigned to Pony Bay.

The sounds of the sea grew louder as the carriage came to Canterlot’s oceanfront. The gulls were much noisier here, their cries mingling with the calls of fish and produce merchants and the slapping waves against the stone pier. Dock workers and passing peasants filled the streets at this early hour. Shining watched the commercial ships and fishing boats pass by his window as he continued down the street.

The carriage came to a stop at the gate to the Naval Yard. Cut off from the rest of the docks, it housed many of the ships in the Equestrian Armada.

Shining stepped out and paid the driver five silver coins. He flashed his badge to the guard at the gate, who then pulled the chain mail back to let him into the yard. The stone pier curved with the island, creating a large crescent that cradled all of the Princess’ ships. They ranged from small, private merchant ships, to powerful frigates with tall masts reaching for the sky, and webs of netting catching the sea air.

The Defender was halfway down the marina, its silver hull sparkling in the morning light. Two decks armed to the teeth with cannons, the bowsprit tipped to the sky, and three masts, naked with their dove white sails rolled up. From the tip of the main mast, the Equestrian flag blew, two winged unicorns circling the sun and moon.

The gangplank was down, and as Shining approached, he was surprised, and a little annoyed, to see his chief officer, Fluttershy waiting for him at the bottom. She was dressed in her white naval uniform with matching slacks and a blue navy neckerchief.

She saluted Shining as he drew near, knocking off her white cap. “Oh no!” She quickly grabbed it and dusted it off before resuming her salute. “G-good morning, Captain.”

“At ease Miss Shy.” Shining stopped and sighed. “I hate to ask this, but where is Lieutenant Dash?”

The look in Fluttershy’s eye told him everything he needed to know before she said it. “Umm, well…”

Shining ran a hand down his face. “Uuuugh! Fine.” He looked over his shoulder, growing further perturbed by the long walk ahead of him. He looked back at Fluttershy, who flinched from his intense stare. Normally, he would apologize, but he had neither the time nor the patience. “Fluttershy, you’re in charge until I get back. This morning’s wakeup call was not a drill. Tell the crew to prep and be ready to sail by high noon.”

Fluttershy gave a shaky salute. “Well, i-if you think I can do it…”

“You’ll be fine. The crew knows when to listen to you.” Shining gave her a supportive pat on the shoulder, then began his brisk walk back out the Naval Yard. I ought to ring Rainbow Dash’s neck this time.

The cool ocean air kept him from getting too warm in his uniform, but as the sun rose higher, he could feel himself beginning to sweat.

It was a twenty minute walk to the Prancing Pony, the closest bar and frequent hangout spot for sailors. It looked like an old wooden shack on the outside, with a statue of a rearing pony next to the door. The inside was better taken care of, with polished tables and booths, and two large chandeliers that provided cozy lighting. It didn’t take Shining long to find Rainbow in her rumpled uniform.

In a booth near the back, a rainbow-haired woman arm wrestled with a young man wearing a stetson lowered over his eyes. They were evenly matched, their muscles bulging and straining against the other’s weight.

Shining marched over, though Rainbow Dash took no notice. She kept her teeth clenched so tightly, Shining wondered if she might shatter them. From under the stranger’s hat, Shining could see an amused grin.

“Ahem,” Shining said rather than actually clearing his throat. Rainbow turned toward him, turned back, then snapped her neck around again, violet eyes wide with panic.

“Captain! Aaagh!” In her moment of distraction, Rainbow’s competitor had decided the match was over, and slammed Rainbow’s arm down. “No fair! I was… that was…” Rainbow’s face matched the shade of red in her hair.

The stranger stood from the booth, chuckling. “You put up a decent fight,” he said in a gravelly voice. He tipped his hat down to his nose in Shining’s direction. “All yours, partner.” As he sauntered off, Shining couldn’t help but feel a sense of familiarity from him.

More pressing matters stopped Shining from pursuing the man. Instead, he sat down across from Rainbow, still stewing in defeat, arms crossed and lips pursed. She looked more like a child than Shining’s First Lieutenant.

“Dash, it’s not even noon, and you’re in here drinking and fighting.”

Rainbow sat up. “I was not drinking! I came in here for breakfast.”

Shining stared, his face expressionless.

Rainbow wilted and bit her lip. “Okay, maybe I came for one drink. But then some punk who was already drunk was getting all handsy with me, so I decked him! Then that guy challenges me to an arm wrestling contest! I was just minding my business.”

“Lieutenant, if I wanted a story, I would have asked for one,” Shining said cooly.

Cheeks turning red again, Rainbow bowed her head. “Sorry, sir.” She began fixing her crooked neckerchief and straightening out her shoulder boards.

Shining put his hands on the table, cupping them together and leaning forward. “Rainbow, I made you First Lieutenant because you work hard and you know how to inspire others. But you can’t do that if you’re drunk half the time.” He tapped his knuckles against the table, startling her enough to raise her head. He locked eyes with her. “There are better ways to cope.”

“I know. I…” Rainbow’s voice caught, and she looked at her lap again, her spiky bangs falling over her face. “I’m sorry.”

“You can apologize to me by getting up and getting back to the ship, double-time. We’ve got a mission.” Shining stood and looked down at her. The cloud over her head was thick today.

“Another scouting mission?”

Shining shook his head. “Chase and rescue.”

Rainbow snapped her head up, the cloud beginning to dissipate. “Who are we rescuing?”

Shining set his mouth in a grim line. “My sister.”

Just like that, the cloud was gone. A determined fire replaced the moisture in Rainbow’s eyes and she leapt to her feet with a vigorous salute. “First Lieutenant Rainbow Dash, reporting for active duty, Sir!”

******

One guard stood at Canterlot’s east gate. His gold painted armor reflected the sun and shot a beam right into Applejack’s eye. She grunted and brought her stetson lower.

The guard held a hand out as Applejack crossed under the threshold. Applejack stopped and reached into the pocket of her trousers, pulling out five gold coins. They slid hands, and the gold vanished into the guard’s armor.

“Supplies should be there just after sundown,” he whispered. “Be careful getting out though; they’re doubling patrols.”

“Thanks, Loose Lips.” Applejack flashed a grateful smile and continued on her way. She kept her stetson on until she was a good two miles away from the city. . Her ponytail fell from its coil atop her head and swung side-to-side like a blonde pendulum. The sun warmed her freckled face, teasing a smile out of her. Tiny puffs of dust kicked up in her wake as she traveled along the country road.

Reconnaissance was always fun. Whenever she wasn’t caught at least. Bar patrons always had the best stories, and the most action happened in bars and taverns. While Applejack hadn’t gotten into a fist fight this time, she had met a worthy challenger in the noble sport of arm wrestling.

She had also picked up some information she was sure the captain would love.

Applejack’s long legs and athletic build gave her quick and long strides. Even so, it was nearly dark by the time she reached the back of the island, despite the numerous shortcuts she had found. She pushed her way through a thick set of foliage, escaping the small forest that bordered the inner hills of the large island from the secluded beach. The sun melted into the waves, setting them on fire as Applejack walked along the beach, whistling a nameless tune.

The hills rose up on her left, turning into tall cliffs that the ocean had buffered for millennia. The beach thinned out until Applejack was waist deep in the water, following along the cliff face. She came upon a narrow ledge and hauled herself onto it, pressing her back into the wall and shimmying along until the path widened out so she could put one foot in front of the other.

Soon, she found herself in a wide cove. Anchored in the center was a purple ship with gold trimming, Good Fortune scrawled in fancy letters near the bow. Applejack’s nameless tune became a single high note that bounced around the cove. A second later, a lower note came in reply, and a ladder dropped from the deck.

Applejack leaned back, then threw herself from the ledge, catching onto the ladder with one hand while her boot kicked the water. She frowned at her failure to completely clear the gap, but climbed the rope ladder until a pair of strong hands pulled her the rest of the way.

“Thanks, Big Mac,” she said, wringing out her shirt.

“Eeyup.” The muscular young man named Big Mac nodded.

“Applejack’s back!” a high-pitched voice sang from the crow’s nest. The keeper of the voice scrambled down the rigging and tackled Applejack in a mess of flailing limbs and outrageous pink hair. “Did you bring me a present?”

“No, Pinkie,” Applejack grunted, “I didn’t bring you a present.”

Pinkie rolled off and bounced to her feet. “Bummer.” She cartwheeled across the deck, over to the cabin door decorated with a heart and crossbones. She knocked with her foot and shouted, “Captain, Applejack’s back! And she didn’t get me a present again!”

Applejack rolled her eyes, taking off her boots and emptying the water from them.

The door opened, and the first figure to run from it was a girl no older than twelve, with long red hair decorated with a pink bow. “Applejack, didja at least get me a present?” The girl wrapped her arms around Applejack’s middle and looked up at her with heart-melting eyes.

“Sorry, Apple Bloom, the only present I brought was some information.” She pat her little sister on the head.

“Well, information is as good as gold to the right person,” a refined voice said. A woman with long locks of royal purple that curled at the ends exited the cabin next. As always, she was dressed to the nines in her purple coat with gold buttons that complimented her off-white blouse. Her breeches were a similar white with black knee-high boots. Atop her head was a purple tricorn with a white feather.

“Aye, Captain.” Applejack nodded in agreement. She held her tongue against commenting on her captain’s need to play dress up everyday. That conversation never ended well.

Captain Rarity looked Applejack up and down and gave a disapproving click of her tongue. “A quick report, then go and dry yourself off before you catch a cold, darling.”

Applejack took a seat on top of an empty barrel, Apple Bloom joining her. “Well, I was in the bar—”

Rarity rolled her eyes.

“—and havin’ an arm wrestling contest with this hothead girl. Turns out, she’s part of the Royal Navy, ‘cause her superior officer comes in lookin’ none too happy.” Applejack scratched the side of her face. “Guess the uniform shoulda tipped me off. But she looked so raggedy, Ah didn’t think much of it. Anyway, they start havin’ a conversation, and it starts to get interestin’.” Applejack leaned forward. “Some pirates up and snatched that captain’s sister.”

“Oh my,” Rarity said, holding a hand over her mouth. “Navy or not, that’s absolutely dreadful.”

“Agreed. Which reminds me, gettin’ outta here is gonna be a might harder. They’re makin’ more rounds now.”

Rarity nodded. “We’ll worry about that after our supplies arrive.”

“Right. So, Ah started talin’ them afterwards, tryin’ to see if Ah could find out a little bit more. Apparently, the girl got a letter off before bein’ snatched.” Applejack held a finger up. “Now, here’s where it gets really good. Accordin’ to the girl, the pirates that attacked the island and took her belonged to the Crimson Heart.”

Rarity and Apple Bloom’s eyes widened. From up in the crow’s nest, Pinkie let out a loud, “Oooooooooooh!”

“‘Oooh’ indeed,” Rarity murmured. She paced the deck, her hand pushed against her chin. “Why would Sunset Shimmer kidnap a little girl?”

Applejack shrugged. “Don’t know. That’s what the navy’s tryin’ to figure out.”

“You think it has something to do with the map?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Maybe,” Rarity said. “Regardless, we have a lead again. Applejack, did you learn where the Crimson Heart was seen last.”

“Pony Bay.”

Rarity clapped. “Bravo, Applejack; we’re back in the race! Let’s set a course for Pony Bay and see if we can’t find some clues. The faster we get that map, the faster we get our wish!”

There was a proud chorus of, “Aye aye, Captain!” A flurry of activity started, with crew members running back and forth across the deck to prepare the ship.

As Applejack hopped off the barrel to go get dry, Apple Bloom asked, “So who won the arm wrestle?”

Applejack looked down at her and grinned. “Ah did, of course! Ain’t nobody on the sea stronger than me!”

Chapter V: Hollow Shoals

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Boredom.

For almost the entirety of her two days aboard the Crimson Heart, Twilight had been confined to her quarters and left to her thoughts. Occasionally, she was let above deck for ten minutes of fresh air, then sent back down so she wouldn’t get in anyone’s way. The knot of dread tied around her stomach never loosened, but as Twilight sat on her hammock, nudging the floor with her sandal, it had taken a backseat to the last feeling she thought she’d have while being held hostage by pirates.

Sheer and utter boredom.

In her solitude, she wondered if Shining had got her message. She hoped her maid Camellia was still alive, though she feared the worst. She thought about the rest of Pony Bay after the pirate attack. Was the book store okay? Had Mr. Novelty made it through? She knew it wasn’t healthy to dwell on it, but she had nothing else to do.

Her cabin mates were Lemon Zest and Sugarcoat. Lemon Zest seemed pretty nice… for a pirate. However, when she came down from her chores, she would strum her guitar or bang on her drums for another hour, disrupting any sleep Twilight had been attempting to catch. At least she was willing to talk to Twilight, though they were mostly one-sided and focused on some crazy adventure Lemon had gone on.

Sugarcoat, a surly faced, bespectacled girl with long silver pigtails barely said a word to Twilight. On Twilight’s first morning, Sugarcoat had been reading a book in her hammock. When Twilight asked her what it was, she gave Twilight a withering glare.

“The Complete Collection of Limerick’s Poetry,” she said flatly.

“Really?” Twilight smiled. “I’ve been meaning to read that myself. Is it good?”

“Yes.” Sugarcoat then raised the book to block out Twilight’s face.

Just like that, Twilight’s hopes of having some semblance of a friend jumped out the porthole.

So, Twilight passed the time however she could, counting the knots in the wood, humming an old song to herself, trying to remember verbatim some of her favorite stories. At last, on the third day, her boredom came to an end.

She could feel the glide of the ship come to a halt, the wood creaking as the anchor caught onto a reef and held the Crimson Heart in place. Twilight climbed off her hammock, half expecting, half hoping someone would come knock on her door. She began to smooth out her dress, then decided there was a futile effort. Since she had been captured, Twilight had not changed her outfit, nor had a proper bath. She reached up and felt her greasy, tangled mess of hair, but counted herself lucky that she had been made to stay inside so long, otherwise, she’d probably be covered in a layer of sweat and grime.

The knock came at last, and Twilight hastily answered it, surprised to find a little boy who couldn’t be older than ten or eleven. He was short and ragged with shaggy brown hair that fell close to his eyes, one of which looked like it had been punched. He wore a red bandanna around his head.

“The captain wants you on deck at once, Miss Sparkle!” he said, his voice still high and lined with a Trottingham accent.

“Aren’t you a little young to be a pirate?” Twilight asked, looking down at him.

He growled, which, instead of being intimidating, Twilight found adorable. “I am not! Captain said I was a real pirate, and what the captain says, goes!”

Twilight held her hands up. “Okay, I didn’t mean to upset you. Just lead the way.”

He gave Twilight another irritated look, then lead her down the hall to the central ladder. Before Twilight started climbing, she couldn’t help but notice the boy didn’t have any weapons on him. Real pirate indeed.

Dusk had settled, turning both the sky and sea shades of orange and pink. The ship had moored on the back half of Hollow Shoals and watched the sun sink into the other side. Despite the dim light, Twilight still had to shield her eyes upon making it above deck where the crew assembled. They gave Twilight a measure of looks, ranging from indifference to annoyance. Twilight stopped and stood next to Lemon Zest, who gave her a hearty slap on the back.

“Don’t look so nervous, four-eyes. It’s just a briefing. Then, we get to go into town and loot stuff!” She pumped a fist into the air, eyes sparkling over the idea of pillaging.

The little boy pirate ran over and knocked on the aft door, then stood at attention. As soon as it opened, he shouted, “Captain on deck!”

Sunset stepped out, looming over the rigid crew. She still sported her cloak and hood, keeping her entire face in shadow. “Today’s mission is simple. A few of you will escort Miss Sparkle to the library so she can retrieve the book that will help her decipher the map. Just like at Pony Bay, you’ll wait until nightfall, then take a longboat to shore. This time, however, you are not to be seen or heard.”

The light in Lemon’s eyes died, and she slouched forward, pouting at the deck.

“I don’t want to leave a trail for the navy to follow,” Sunset continued. She glided over and stopped in front of Twilight. “Go in, take the book, get out. That’s it.”

Twilight’s breath hitched and shiver crawled down her spine. She could see Sunset’s eyes inside the dark cloak. On the first night they had been heavy with exhaustion and what Twilight thought to be sadness. Today, desperate determination and simmering rage filled them. Do not mess this up, they told Twilight.

She nodded, unable to say anything else with those eyes staring into her.

Sunset backed away, sweeping over her crew one last time. “Sour Sweet, Sugarcoat, go with Indigo on the escort mission. You’ll depart in an hour. Dismissed.” Cloak whipping in the breeze, she turned and headed back into her cabin.

When she left, a collective breath of relief rose from the crew members.

“Oh joy, I get to go ashore with the shut-in,” a cheery voice said. Twilight turned around to find a freckled girl with rose colored hair decorated with an aqua streak. She gave Twilight a warm and inviting smile. When Twilight opened her mouth to introduce herself, the girl’s smile made a 180° flip and a shadow crossed over her purple eyes. “I did not sign up to be a babysitter,” she growled.

Twilight took a step back, unsure of what startled her more, the girl’s incredible glower, or how fast her attitude had changed. Twilight took an extra step and bumped into something soft. She whirled around to find Indigo, her eyes already lidded in displeasure.

“All right, Sparkle, remember that talk we had?”

“Y-yes,” Twilight said, feeling small and boxed in by Indigo and the angry, freckled girl.

“Good. Then I don’t want to hear a peep out of you unless I ask you a question, got it? Sour is right, we’ve got better things to do than babysit you.” She jerked a thumb to the cabin door. “Now get back to your room and stay there until we come and get you.”

Indigo’s pursed lips and continuing glare told Twilight the conversation was over, whether or not Twilight had anything to say anyway. She looked back at Sour Sweet, who grinned like she had gained a personal victory.

Head down and spirits sinking faster than the sun, Twilight returned to her room, where Sugarcoat sat in her hammock, reading. Where does she keep her books? Twilight thought. She made to say hello when she remembered how their previous conversations went and decided against it.

Sugarcoat glanced up from her book, eyes narrowed behind her glasses. “You look really pathetic when you’re sad.” Her voice was quick and flat, making her statement sound like a universal truth Twilight had to accept.

“I, uhh…” Twilight bowed her head further and dropped down onto her hammock, which lurched forward and spat her onto the floor. She heard a snerk from Sugarcoat and groaned into the floorboards.

I want to go home.

******

The longboat glided across the moonlit water; the only sound came from the oars propelling it toward the sleepy town of Hollow Shoals. Twilight sat at one end of the boat, watching the lights drift closer. She focused on them instead of Sugarcoat and Sour Sweet, who had been delegated to row, and glared at Twilight like it was her fault.

Indigo sat at the opposite end, arms crossed and eyes toward the overcast sky. Clouds occasionally moved in front of the moon, stealing the light away and leaving the boat to drift across liquid darkness.

Twilight kept silent, not wanting to invoke any of the pirates’ wrath. She turned her head down after catching Sour’s eye one too many times. The sea was calm tonight, gently pushing them to shore, yet with every roll, Twilight’s stomach lurched.

She was about to steal! She was about to commit piracy! Yes, it was against her will, but she was still going to break the law! What would Shining say? What would her parents have thought? Twilight bit down on her thumb before she squealed in anxiety.

Maybe I can run away when they aren’t looking. Hide somewhere until they give up and go away. As soon as she finished the idea, she discarded it as a terrible plan. Maybe I can find a navy officer and ask him for help! Unlike Pony Bay, Hollow Shoals was big enough and far out enough to warrant some naval protection. There were bound to be a few soldiers on duty.

Glancing up at her captors, Twilight wondered if the reward outweighed the risk. If she failed… But, I am valuable to them since I know how to translate the map. The burning desire in Sunset’s eyes flashed through Twilight’s mind, and her confidence fell. If push came to shove, Sunset probably wasn’t afraid to get rid of her.

Another look up, and Twilight caught Sugarcoat’s eye. While not as angry as Sour, she still held an air of superiority and indifference. Twilight sighed. They’d be watching her like hawks all night; there was no way to escape or get a message out.

Shining will find me eventually. He’ll search the whole world if he has to. Of course, if Twilight did make it back home, she could be sure Shining would never, ever let her out of his sight again.

The boat brushed up against a cropping of rocks in front of a cliff. Indigo stood and tied to boat to a narrow boulder, then jerked a thumb to the cliff. “Showtime. Let’s get moving.”

Sour jumped up, wobbling the boat and nearly knocking Twilight over. She pressed herself against the cliff face, found a solid grip, and began to climb. It was a short ways to the top, but from where Twilight sat, the precipice stretched up for miles.

Indigo stared down at her. “You’re next. Start climbing.”

Twilight scooted to the front of the boat, then imitated what she had seen Sour do. She ran her hands over the rocks, feeling for the easiest one to grip, then hoisted herself up. This proved to be nearly impossible as her long dress prevented her from moving her legs far enough to properly climb. Twilight fell back into the boat, precariously rocking it. If it hadn’t been for Sugarcoat and Indigo’s distributive weight, they would have tipped over.

Indigo growled, grabbed Twilight by the arm, and yanked her back to her feet. “Hold her,” she said, handing Twilight to Sugarcoat. Indigo pulled a short dagger from her waist belt and knelt in front of Twilight. “If you scream, my hand will slip.”

Before Twilight could ask what she meant, there was a loud shrriiip! Twilight gasped as a cold breeze brushed against her legs, and looked down to find Indigo had turned her sundress into a skirt that ended just above her knees. Indigo tossed the fabric into the water and pointed to the cliff again. “Now, get up there.”

Without her dress, Twilight found climbing easier, but still a slow moving process. Her arms trembled the entire time, and it took all her strength not to look down. She also couldn’t help but worry that Indigo and Sugarcoat were staring at her underwear.

A rough pair of hands grabbed her and pulled her to the top, dropping her into the grass. “I know it’s your first time and all,” Sour said, her voice laced with honey before it turned bitter, “but could you move any slower?”

Twilight pulled herself up and brushed her knees off. Don’t respond; you’ll just make it worse. They stood on the outskirts of the town; a spatter of tall trees separated them from small, fenced-in farms. Indigo and Sugarcoat quickly joined them, and Indigo took point, leading them around the farms.

They moved quickly and kept to the deeper shadows whenever the moon came out. Twilight wasn’t sure why; even as they entered town, there was almost no one outside. Still, they kept to the back alleys and ducked behind boxes and fences. Even with their skulking, Twilight felt exposed thanks to her new skirt showing off her legs and knobby knees.

The town of Hollow Shoals comprised mostly of one story brick houses with wooden roofs surrounded by towering emerald trees. Torch lamps lit up the cobblestone road, serving as the only sources of light when a cloud swallowed up the moon.

The four of them crossed the road, their shadows stretched by the torch lights until they spread across the walls, drawing thin until they faded away as their masters retreated into the gloom.

At the mouth of another alley, Indigo raised a hand for them to stop, and motioned for them to press against the wall. Twilight followed instructions, but Indigo pressed an arm against her, locking her in place. A second later, Twilight learned why.

Two naval officers marched past dressed in their white uniforms and blue jackets. They both carried a sword at their side and one of them had a musket.

Twilight watched them walk off, neither of them turning to look in the alley. Her plan of asking for help had been doomed from the start; Indigo proved far too competent to even give her a chance.

When the guards were well out of range, the girls moved down the street in the opposite direction. The library stood at the end, one of the only buildings to have more than one floor. Circular in design, it towered three stories above the other houses, each story smaller than the last, giving it the impression of a grey wedding cake. There were no torches lit around it, basking the library in an eerie darkness.

The group slinked around to the back door, almost invisible in the night. Twilight’s stomach squirmed uncontrollably as Sugarcoat picked the lock and swung the door open. They stepped into the back room, transitioning from one shade of darkness to another. The only way Twilight could tell she was inside was the wood creaking beneath her and the absence of the wind.

“Sugarcoat, find a lantern,” Indigo said, “Sour, guard the door. Sparkle, follow me until we get some light in here.”

With a quiet sigh, Twilight did as she was told and followed Indigo’s outline. As her eyes adjusted to the dark, she began to make out the bookshelves and stairs leading to the upper floors.

A light burst into existence on the other side of the room, joined a moment later by a second one. Sugarcoat came over and handed one of two lanterns to Twilight. “I hope you’re better at finding books than climbing walls.”

Twilight snatched the lantern and quickly turned away, not giving Sugarcoat the satisfaction of seeing her mortified face.

“So what’s the name of this book we’re looking for?” Indigo asked.

“It’s called Languages of Yesterday: A Complete Study of the Transformations of Languages and Dialects by Rough Accent,” Twilight said, realizing it was the first time she had spoken all night. She started down one of the rows, reading the section headings. If she remembered correctly from the last time she came here, the reference guides were on the second floor. Still, Twilight doubted the pirates knew that, so she decided to take her time and enjoy the brief solace the presence of books gave her.

She moved away from the center of the library to the curved shelves that made up its circumference. She traced her fingers over the spines, savoring the touch and resisting the urge to pull one off the shelf to flip through its pages. Reading some of the titles, Twilight found she had entered the fiction section. She stifled a laugh. Here she was, in a library with pirates, helping them decode a map so they could get a legendary treasure. In a few short days, her life had become one of the stories she would read so often as a child. She could still hardly believe it, but knew better than to think it was still a dream.

Behind her, Indigo cleared her throat, and Twilight knew her moment of leisure was over. She made her way to the spiral staircase and ascended to the next floor, looking in earnest for the book.

“Indigo!” Sour yelled, making Twilight nearly drop her lamp.

Indigo inhaled sharply. “Keep looking,” she said to Twilight before running downstairs.

A muscle twitched in Twilight’s jaw, but her moment of defiance went as quickly as it came. She sighed and turned back to the bookshelves, pausing when she heard voices downstairs.

“So, Indigo,” a light and refined voice said, “what brings you to little Hollow Shoals? Your captain has you running errands?”

“It’s none of your business, Rarity,” Indigo snapped. “I suggest you get lost before we have to make you.”

Twilight carefully poked her head over the balcony to see what was going on. Just below her, she could see a standoff between Indigo, Sour, Sugarcoat, and three people she didn’t recognize, but judging by their outfits, Twilight guessed them to be pirates as well. The girl on the right had a mass of poofy pink hair to match her pink skirt and blouse. In fact, the only thing not pink on her was the black bandana on her head. On the left was a girl wearing a stetson hat of all things. Her hair was blonde and done up in a thick ponytail. Twilight took the girl in the middle to be the captain based on her expensive looking outfit, and the tricorn over her purple hair.

“Now, now, dear,” the girl Twilight took to be Rarity said, “there’s no need to make a scene. We just want the map and the poor girl you kidnapped.”

Twilight’s heart somersaulted. There were more pirates looking for her? Were they here to help her, or did they just want her for their own nefarious ends?

“Oh, you only want a map and a girl?” Sour asked nicely. “Because that isn’t asking too much or anything!” she finished in her sharp tone.

“And what if we said we have no idea what girl you’re talking about?” Sugarcoat asked.

“Then Ah’d say you were a terrible liar,” the girl with the stetson said.

“Why would you want her anyway?” Indigo asked.

“Because her brother is probably super worried about her, and we wanna make sure she gets to him safely! Plus, he’d probably pay a lot to have her back!” the pink one said, bouncing every other word.

Wait, so are they going to help me, or hold me for ransom? Twilight leaned away from the railing. Perhaps it was best to keep her presence unknown until she knew which side to pick. She looked back at the bookshelves. Should I keep looking? Will it even matter if those other pirates take me? Wait, what if I use this chance to escape? Her hopes quickly died as she looked at the windows. They were narrow, and too high up for her to reach. Glancing over the rail again, she saw there was no way she could make it to the front entrance without someone spotting her.

She bowed her head in defeat. Her safest bet was to find the book and take it with her. If the other pirates caught her, at least she’d have something to read this time. She moved down an aisle, carefully reading the titles. Provided the book is even here. Her eyes widened in horror. What if the book wasn’t here? She couldn’t stand to think what Sunset Shimmer would do to her if she came back empty-handed.

Sharp clangs of steel from below interrupted her thoughts. Twilight rushed to the balcony again, finding three duels taking place between the crew of the Crimson Heart and the newcomers. Now that their backs weren’t to Twilight, she could see the face of their captain. Something clicked in Twilight’s brain, and she let out a gasp.

“Of course—Captain Rarity,” she whispered excitedly. “The captain of the Good Fortune. They steal from the rich and give it to anyone in need. Maybe they can help me.” Twilight frowned. The pink girl had implied charging Shining for Twilight’s safe return though. Maybe putting her trust in other pirates wasn’t the best idea. On the other hand, she trusted Sunset wouldn’t kill her when she finished translating the map. Or drop her on a deserted island.

In the end, Twilight supposed her fate belonged to whichever side won the duel. Once again, she went back to the books. She finally found it in the fifth aisle; spine thicker than she remembered and cover starting to peel off. She tucked it under one arm and headed for the stairs, kneeling down to watch the fight before her.

Indigo and Rarity clashed swords right in the center of the library. Indigo was quick and forceful, while Rarity was graceful and delivered each slash with precision. Sugarcoat struggled against her blonde assailant, who smiled confidently the entire time. Likewise, Sour had a hard time against the girl with the poofy hair, who hadn’t even drawn her sword yet. Instead, she merely ducked and dodged Sour’s every move.

“Hold still and let me hit you!” Sour yelled, spittle flying from her mouth.

“Maybe I’m going home sooner than I thought,” Twilight said to herself. She looked at her book, wondering if she should put it back. It wasn’t too late to stop her act of theft. Maybe a quick peek while I’m waiting. She set the book on her lap and opened it up to a random page, her elbow knocking into something in the process.

The lamp she had set down fell off from between the railings, and Twilight watched it in slow motion as it tumbled over and over before crashing against the wood, setting it ablaze while stray sparks jumped onto several of the books.

Twilight let out a shriek of mortified terror, her heart burning along with the books. What had she done? She had committed the vilest of sins! She had damned her own book-loving soul!

The others stopped their fighting as the fire spread across the floor. Indigo looked up at Twilight and shouted, “Get down here, now!”

Twilight stared at the flames a moment longer, tears welling in her eyes, then quickly ran down the stairs, keeping Languages of Yesterday clutched tightly to her chest.

Sour kicked the front door down and ran out, Sugarcoat following close behind. Indigo grabbed Twilight’s wrist the second she got to the bottom stair and dragged her out. Behind them, the other pirates desperately worked to put out the blaze.

Half running, half being dragged, Twilight followed Indigo back the way they came. They paused in one of the alleys to catch their breath, just in time for a group of guards to run past them toward the library.

Indigo let go of Twilight and, to her shock, gave a small grin. “Nice job with that distraction. I didn’t think you had something like that in you.”

“Eh heh… yeah.” A sharp jolt went through Twilight’s cheek when she forced herself to smile. She prayed Rarity and her crew could put out the fire before the whole library burned down.

They continued back across town, with Twilight checking over her shoulder every other minute. As they reached the outskirts of the city, she still couldn’t see any smoke, leading her to believe the fire had been contained. Once they reached the cliff where the longboat was moored, Twilight realized she had a new problem to deal with.

Sour climbed down first, then Indigo gestured for Twilight to go. She was nice enough to hold the book, but Twilight still had little idea how to manage herself while clambering down the rockface. The best method, she decided, was trying to remember the pattern she had used to climb up, and go in reverse.

While her plan had been sound, the execution left a lot to be desired. She couldn’t remember verbatim which footholds she had used, and had to guess the distance between rocks. By the time she dropped unceremoniously into the boat, she had raw palms and scraped knees.

Indigo added insult to injury when she climbed down the cliff with one hand around Twilight’s book. She caught Twilight’s open mouth and gave her a smug grin. They shoved off the second Sugarcoat dropped in. Above them, they could hear the toll of the city bell, disturbing the once quiet night.

“The captain isn’t going to be happy Rarity found us again,” Sugarcoat said.

Indigo leaned back and stretched her arms behind her head. “Hey, we got the book, we got the map. There ain’t much Rarity and her crew can do to us now. She knows starting a direct fight with us is a bad idea.”

Twilight remained silent and hugged her book. She had her insurance. Sunset wouldn’t kill her since she had retrieved the book. But would she have been even safer if she had run away with Rarity?

She shook her head. She was dealing with pirates; there was no safe choice. Twilight hugged her book tighter. In one night, she had destroyed her dress, stolen a book, and nearly burned down a library. As the Crimson Heart drew closer, she couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

At least the night was over.

Chapter VI: Hellfire

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“Oi!” Indigo called as the longboat bumped up against the Crimson Heart. A rope ladder came over the railing for Indigo to seize and hoist herself up. Twilight followed behind her, book held tightly under her arm. Her heart still sat heavy in her chest over the potential destruction she had caused. Of a library no less! Arson, theft, aiding pirates! Even if Shining found her now, would he be able to give her amnesty from the law?

I did it all against my will! Twilight argued. They made me do it out of fear of death! Surely that would hold up in the courts. It had to!

She reached the deck finding only a handful of crew members working. At Indigo and Twilight’s appearance, a few of them took to tying the longboat up while others weighed anchor. Twilight stood awkwardly in the middle of the deck. Did she go back to her cabin and wait there, or go knock on Sunset Shimmer’s door?

Sugarcoat walked past her and glared. “I know that fire was an accident. Next time you make a distraction, do something that won’t get us all killed.”

Never before did Twilight have an urge to hit someone with a book. Sugarcoat’s comment made Twilight’s choice clear though. She was done dealing with pirates for tonight. All she wanted was her hammock and blanket. Her stomach made a small growl. I wouldn’t say no to food though.

The cabin door opened and Sunset strolled out. She paused for a moment, hood turned toward Hollow Shoals, then continued over to Indigo. “Please, Indigo,” she began in a monotone voice, “remind me what my instructions to you were.”

Twilight heard everyone on deck take a sharp inhale. Indigo kept her back straight, trying to look as strong as possible, but her eyes kept flickering away from Sunset. “Go to the library, get the book, and get out.”

“And?” Sunset growled.

“Do it without being seen?”

“Very good. So tell me, Indigo, why do I hear the city bell ringing if you managed to follow my instructions?”

Indigo began to sweat. “The guards never actually caught us. You see, we got to the library and we sort of ran into Rarity and some of her crewmates.” Indigo held her hands up as Sunset growled again. “But we got the book! Twilight just started a fire to create a distraction! None of the navy even saw us!”

Sunset rounded on Twilight, who held her book up like a shield. When nothing happened, Twilight peeked around it to see Sunset had turned back to Indigo, a red claw aimed at her neck. Indigo gave up trying to look brave and now stood paralyzed, eyes wide and shoulders shaking.

“Whether or not they saw you is irrelevant now,” Sunset whispered. “The alarm has been raised, and if they saw Rarity, there are still going to be ships patrolling the waters soon.” Her claw began to glow, casting a red shadow on Indigo’s neck. “Tell me, Indigo, do you enjoy breathing?”

Indigo whimpered.

“Answer the question!”

“Y-yes, Captain!”

Sunset pressed her claw forward, a twitch away from marking Indigo. “Pity,” Sunset said, a sadistic edge to her voice.

Twilight ran up to Indigo’s side and held her book up again. “Stop! It’s not her fault! I’m the one who started the fire! You don’t have to kill her!”

The ship fell dead silent, as if everyone, Twilight included, had forgotten how to breathe. What had come over her? Why was she trying to protect this random girl who acted only as one of her jailers? Whatever the reason, Twilight knew it would be the last action she took in this world.

Sunset lowered her claw from Indigo and instead pointed it at Twilight, pushing the book out of the way. “Are you trying to tell me how to run my ship, Sparkle?” she asked, so low, Twilight could barely hear her.

Twilight couldn’t stop herself from trembling uncontrollably, like her body had been submerged in ice water. “N-no, I j-just think killing your o-own crew is… a poor idea,” she said in the mousiest voice possible. She tried to raise her book again, but Sunset held a firm hand against it.

“A poor idea,” Sunset repeated.

“Captain!” the kid pirate from earlier shouted from the crow's nest. The tension broke and everyone took a momentary breath of relief, including Twilight. “There’s two ships… I mean, argh, two ships off the starboard… I think.”

If Sunset didn’t have her claws so close to Twilight’s throat, Twilight might have laughed. Sunset turned away and looked off the ship. She hissed and snapped her fingers. “Indigo, take the helm. The rest of you, evasive maneuvers and prepare the cannons in case they catch up.”

Everyone took off in a flurry of activity and rushed around Twilight. She jerked her head this way and that to see what they were all up to. Her body started to regain feeling and she backed up until she hit the cabin door. Logic dictated she retreated to her room. Morbid curiosity told her to stay put and see what happened.

A boom sounded through the night, and a flume of water erupted off the side of the ship. Another boom came from behind them, and another splash disrupted the previously calm waters.

“Looks like they’re skipping the negotiations!” Lemon Zest shouted, loading a cannon with a lead ball.

“Load every cannon on the port side!” Sunset said, marching up the stairs to stand behind Indigo. “Bring us around into firing range.”

“Aye, Captain.”

The ship leaned as Indigo spun it around. Twilight gripped the doorknob to keep herself steady but still didn’t retreat inside. The naval ships came into view, cannons at the ready. Twilight could see silhouettes scurrying about on the deck. Both ships were smaller and had less guns than the Crimson Heart, but they were sleeker and cut faster across the sea.

The wind pushed back against the sails, buffering them against the mast as the Crimson Heart turned away. They came to a crawl as they lined up with the other ship while the second continued to circle behind.

Sunset threw her arm out. “Fire when ready!”

Twilight covered her ears, using her book as a muffler as dozens of cannons boomed like thunder, leaving clouds of smoke behind. Through the haze, Twilight could see the naval vessel beginning to splinter, it’s starboard side filled with holes. Screams and shouts mixed in with the continuous cannon fire as the navy retaliated, letting off a barrage of their own. The Crimson Heart trembled, and the sound of fracturing wood snuck between Twilight’s fingers and the book’s pages.

“Damage to the port side, Captain,” someone shouted.

“I can see that, nimrod!” she shouted back. “Send them to the depths before they make it worse!”

“Enemy ship sneaking up on our starboard!” Sunny Flare shouted, gesturing with a telescope. “I think they’re trying to board!”

To Twilight’s right, the second ship closed in, using the last of the momentum the wind had given them. The Crimson Heart had come to a standstill, the wind completely against them. Cannon fire erupted, and one blasted through the second sail on the mainmast. Twilight pressed herself against the door, considering that perhaps now was the time to retreat.

A fountain of water exploded dangerously close to the ship, spraying her with seawater. She slipped inside the door, pausing to keep her balance as the ship rocked again. Below deck, she found the hallway in a state of chaos. Pirates ran back and forth, loading the cannons positioned at the portholes in each room. Debris cluttered the floor, and wisps of smoke curled out of the blast holes left behind by enemy fire.

Twilight lingered on the stairs, watching everyone scurry like busy ants. A splintering crack from somewhere beneath her gave her reason to continue onto her room, now occupied by two pirates manning a cannon. They flashed her a look of disdain and waved her away with nary a word.

She backed out into the hall wondering if the hull would be safe since her room had been commandeered. The stairs leading to the lower decks sat at the other end of the hall, across the cargo hatch and through the erupting chaos.

The wall exploded a few yards in front of Twilight, and she found herself on the floor, heart sputtering, and splinters and nails raining down around her. She threw her book in front of her face, and while it proved a viable shield there, shrapnel tore into her bare legs. Her ears pounded from the calamitous noise while the rest of her body had gone numb with shock.

Maybe there is no safe haven. She rolled over and pushed herself onto her feet, leaning on the wall while she regained her balance. Looking down, she saw trickles of blood running down her legs and staining the top of her socks. It stung more than anything, telling Twilight she had only received numerous shallow cuts. Looking around, it appeared none of the other pirates either noticed or cared she had almost been killed.

Twilight paled. She had almost been killed. If she had started walking any sooner, that ball of lead could have taken her apart! Her chest tightened, forcing her to take in air with tiny gasps. I almost died! I could still die! They’re still shooting at us! Where did she go? What did she do?

Another cannonball tore through the ship, further from Twilight this time. However, it didn’t exit the ship alone. It slammed into the back of one of the crew members, smashing him through the other wall and dragging him into the dark abyss with a horrified scream.

Twilight dropped her book, moving her hands to her mouth as she stared at the spot the pirate had stood. The crew took notice as well, grimacing and giving a moderate berth to where he had been hit, now sprinkled with blood. There was no mourning. The pirates resumed their attack as if he had never been there.

For Twilight, the world slowed to a crawl as the scene replayed in her mind. Someone had died! Blasted away by a ball of lead and fire right in front of her! Sure, she didn’t know him, but… She leaned her back against the door and placed a hand over her erratic heart. That could have been her moments before. She had come close to sharing his fate. What kind of world had she entered, where people could die right in front of her and everyone else hardly batted an eye?

Twilight reached her shaking and clammy hands down to retrieve her book. This was nothing like her stories, where dying characters got a monologue and a send off before they perished. Death was instantaneous and cruel. I need to get above deck. It would be no safer, but at least Twilight could see the chaos unfurling rather than be taken by surprise.

As she turned her head, she saw through one of the cannon-made holes, and her eye caught something moving into the sky and over the enemy ship. It flew in front of the moon, and Twilight saw its silhouette to be humanoid. Whatever it was, it had the rest of the crew enraptured as well, for they all stopped reloading the cannons to watch.

It raised its featureless arms over its head, palms to the sky. A ball of fire formed, growing ever larger with each second. The enemy cannons stopped, replaced by gunfire as the soldiers tried to shoot it down.

“Ignorant fools!” the figure shouted, its voice duel-toned. “You dare cross Sunset Shimmer? You dare to duel with my Crimson Heart? Feel the flames of damnation!” She moved her arms back, then flung them forward, sending the fireball hurtling straight into the center of the ship. It went off like a bomb, sending smaller fireballs scattering over everything else. Within a minute, flames engulfed the entire surface of the ship, sending plumes of smoke spiraling into the sky.

Twilight turned and threw herself up the stairs, moving as fast as she could to the deck. All the while, Sunset’s demonic laugh pounded against her eardrums. Twilight burst outside, finding everyone frozen in awe and fear as the ship off the starboard side burned on the water, devoured by the hungry flames Sunset had cast. On the other side, the second naval ship slowly sank beneath the waves, mast broken and bow destroyed by cannon fire.

The Crimson Heart basked in the orange light of the burning ship. A few brave souls returned to the cannons to finish the job of sinking it. Twilight watched some of the more fortunate soldiers jump into the ocean to escape the cascading flames. Everything and everyone else went up in smoke.

The tension on the ship tightened again, and Twilight tore her attention away in time to see Sunset descend upon the deck. Her cloak discarded, Twilight beheld her entire demonic form. Like her face, the rest of her skin was an angry sunburnt red. A flame patterned frock with a black center adorned her, cutting off just above her knees, and with no back, allowing her to freely spread her wings. They were black with red insides, and decorated with several holes. Waves of heat shimmered off her pointed black boots.

Everyone stepped back as far as they could, shaking and cowering as she looked over them. Twilight lifted a shivering arm, fighting the fear paralyzing her. She found the doorknob and gave it a twist. The door creaked as it opened, breaking the abrasive silence. Sunset turned her head to Twilight, the sclera of her eyes no longer white, but a black void empty of all human emotion. They locked Twilight down, freezing every muscle in her body. All she could do was wait for Sunset to burn her alive.

Sunset blinked. Then blinked again. She held her head and blinked a third time, the blackness of her eyes replaced once more with white. She glanced around the deck with… was that shame Twilight saw? Sunset scooped up her cloak and threw it over herself, bringing the hood up to cover her face.

“Someone check the damage to the lower deck and report back to me,” she said, her voice low and raspy.

Several of them, including Sour, scrambled below deck, while the rest got busy with cleaning up leftover debris. Twilight looked again to her left, seeing the tattered ship riddled with holes, then to the right, to the boat glowing on the black water, smoke and singed wood assaulting her nostrils. She looked down at her book, vibrating in her grasp. No, those were her fingers trembling.

A shadow covered her world, and when she looked up Sunset stood before her. Twilight recoiled back into the cabin hall with a gasp, the first full breath of air she had taken since almost being hit. Sunset paid her little mind, stepping around her and the stairs to reach the door to her room. “Get to work, Miss Sparkle,” she said, all emotion gone from her voice. The door slammed behind her.

Twilight stood rooted to the spot, book clutched against her chest again. Slowly but surely, her feeling returned, and she gained the strength to put one foot in front of the other and move downstairs. The pirates had departed, leaving Twilight alone with a still smoking cannon. She clambered onto her hammock and rested her head against her pillow, never believing she would be so happy to be in these quarters again.

She took a breath. Then another. And another. Each one came quicker and became successively harder to get down until Twilight gave in and cried, hiccuping each time she took a break for air.

All those people. Dead. Lost to the bottom of the sea. Just like her mother. Was it the fact that they were dead, or that they were killed with such little remorse? Did it matter? Either way, Twilight felt sick and wanted nothing more than to go to sleep and wake up back home with Shining doting on her and telling her she was forbidden from leaving Pony Bay.

Because if this was what the world was like, Twilight wanted no part of it.

******

Rarity lowered her spyglass and sighed, holding a brief moment of silence for the lives lost. She watched the Crimson Heart turn and catch the wind, its sails billowing out as it crossed the water once more. A cloud rolled in front of the moon, and the night swallowed the ship whole.

Applejack stepped up next to her and let out a low whistle. “Glad that didn’t happen to us last time we ran into them.” She took her hat off and held it to her chest. “Neptune rest those poor fellas.”

“Every legend and whisper I’ve heard appears to be true,” Rarity said, tucking her spyglass away. “Captain Sunset is not one to be trifled with. Make her mad enough and, well… you can see the results.”

“She must really want that wish. What do you think it’s for?”

Rarity ran a hand along the polished railing, keeping the other on her tricorn as the wind tried to blow it away. “I have two guesses. Either she wants to look human again, or something along the lines of world domination.”

Applejack made a half shrug. “If it’s the first one, would it be so bad if she got it?”

“Perhaps, perhaps not.” Rarity turned to her first mate. “But I’d feel better if the wish was in our hands, wouldn’t you?”

“Of course. Ah’m just contemplatin’ is all. Our wish will do a lot more good for a lot more people.” She looked out to the sinking wreckage. “Problem is, how do we get the map back without ending up in Davy Jones?”

Rarity walked out to the middle of the main deck and paced in short strides. Depending on how damaged the Crimson Heart was, Sunset would stop in Haven for repairs and supplies. Potentially, they could try to take the map there, but a scuffle would probably ensue, and the last thing Rarity wanted was for more pirates to join in on this treasure hunt.

She shook her head. “We play the waiting game. Follow from afar, see where she goes. A treasure like this has to have guideposts or a key to obtain, so she’s not going to head there straight away. We wait for an opening, then take back the map and the girl.”

Applejack nodded. “Aye aye, Captain.”

Rarity pulled a pocket watch from her coat and checked the time. “Do you mind taking first watch?” It was barely nine, yet Rarity could feel exhaustion tugging at her eyes.

Applejack waved her to the door. “Of course. You go get some shut eye. Ah’ve got everything under control out here.”

With a nod and a smile, Rarity retreated into the ship. None of the braisers had been lit, leaving Rarity to take careful measure of where she stepped. Before she retired to her quarters, she took a detour down below deck.

Her eyes adjusted to the dark and she navigated her way to the cargo hold. There, she found her prizes. Leaning against one of the crates of cannonballs was Apple Bloom, and resting her head on her shoulder was Rarity’s younger sister Sweetie Belle. Her pink hair curled in front of her face, rising and falling with every breath.

The duo was fast asleep, a blanket wrapped around them. Sprawled out on top of the crate with a book on her stomach was Pinkie, lightly snoring with every inhale.

The scene took Rarity back in time. She remembered her and Applejack sitting in the orchard while Big Mac read them stories. Before Sweetie and Apple Bloom had been born. Before their little town had been raided and burned. Before she and Applejack had lost everything, with nary recompense from any higher power.

Before Rarity decided they become ‘noble pirates’ to help anyone in need of good fortune.

Her nostalgia waned and she turned to leave, heart warm and curiosity sated. She was pleasantly surprised the daring duo hadn’t tried to sneak above deck earlier. Pirates they may be, Rarity wanted to spare the youths the darker aspects of their trade for as long as she could. Of course they knew but it didn’t mean they had to see it.

Rarity returned to her cabin. A large dining table and several chairs filled the center space. While Rarity slept and changed here, her room was for her whole crew to enjoy dinner in. The rest of the cabin was taken up by a large armoire where all her clothes sat neatly tucked away, and a modest bed with purple sheets. Made of silk.

A captain gets to have some perks.

Chapter VII: A Secret to Everyone

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Shining stood at the helm of his ship, both of them awashed in silent melancholy. The flotsam was minimal, but enough to tell a story. A singed barrel drifted by, a tattered piece of sail caught in the wood. More crates and wooden planks sat among the waves, the only remains of a battle no older than a day.

To his left was Hollow Shoals, no bigger than his thumbnail. It basked in the cloudless afternoon sky, enjoying the sun’s glowing warmth. Shining looked from it to the calm turquoise waters filled with debris. Knowing that a naval vessel had come out here, fought, and lost against a pirate ship, and was now sitting somewhere beneath him on this bright day painted a sharp contrast in his mind.

He could only presume this had been the work of whoever had taken his sister. Civilian reports from Pony Bay informed him the pirates had been seen leaving north, and a passenger ship they had passed by told Shining a ship with red sails was headed in the direction of sleepy little Hollow Shoals. He had last stepped foot into the hamlet a little under a year ago to celebrate Twilight’s eighteenth birthday.

What would pirates want here? He placed the question on his ever-growing list, still topped by, why would pirates take my sister?

“Captain, I think I found someone!” Rainbow shouted from across the deck.

Shining ran to her side and took out his spyglass, following Rainbow’s finger to a piece of driftwood. A naval officer clung to it, clothes torn and face covered in soot. No… Shining looked harder. He’s not clinging. The man’s eyes were open, his pupils empty and lifeless. His body had held onto the wood, but his soul was long gone. Shining lowered his spyglass and shook his head. “Forget it, Rainbow,” he said, resigned. “He’s gone. I doubt there are any survivors out here.”

Rainbow opened her mouth to protest, but another look at the officer’s still body made her close her mouth. She scanned the sea again, then huffed in resentment.

While Shining kept a calmer mask than her, he shared her frustration. Fairy tale or not, whoever was at the helm of the Crimson Heart was merciless. If it really is the Crimson Heart we’re chasing after and not some lookalike. Shining didn’t know why he was denying the idea of Sunset Shimmer and her ship having survived a century. He had heard tales of Sirens and Tatzelwurms from reliable sailors and naval captains.

Sure, but an immortal demon captain? He had to draw the line somewhere. In the long run, it was all irrelevant. All the mattered was getting Twilight back. Unfortunately, the trail had gone cold. He turned his gaze to Hollow Shoals again. “Take us into port!” he called, then signaled for their accompanying ship to follow. Hopefully someone in town could give them breadcrumbs to chase after.

******

The Crimson Heart laid on its side, looking like a sad, wooden beached whale. All of the cannons and crates sat on the beach next to it, while the crew gathered in front of Sunset, who had positioned herself under a large palm tree. Twilight stood in the back, map in one hand, book in the other.

“Some of you might be wondering why we’re careening in one of the bays on the back half of Haven,” Sunset said from under her hood. “Well, I want our presence here to be as discreet as possible.” Her voice grew harder. “You can also consider the walk to town and back as punishment for your screwups! Now, get into town, grab all the supplies we need to fix the holes in my ship, and get back here as soon as possible. The less pirates who know what we have, the better.”

The crew let out mutters of disgruntled agreement and ‘aye-ayes’, and shuffled off, save for the little boy Twilight had come to know as Pipsqueak. He gave a hearty salute and shouted, “Yes, Captain!” before running along after Sunny Flare. It was almost enough to get Twilight to smile.

A whole day of sailing had brought them to a lush green island surrounded by numerous rocks. When Twilight had been ordered up on deck, interrupting her translation of the treasure map, she saw the island of Haven was decorated by several small coves. As they circled to the back of the island, Twilight saw another pirate ship had docked on its side with its crew patching a large hole just above the water line.

Twilight ignored the tropical scenery and trudged up the beach to find a large enough rock to sit upon. Here she was, the pirate capital of the Equestrian Sea. She had read about Haven in some of her books. Smugglers and traders always stopped here to swap goods, fix their ships, or gather information. Honest, innocent people lived here too, making it hard to distinguish sometimes who was morally grey and white.

A day ago, Twilight might have found her circumstances fascinating. Now, she just wanted to do her forced labor and go home in one piece. She would stick to reading her fantasy stories, not being a part of them. She found a comfortable boulder near the cliffs lining the beach and clambered on, then opened her book and spread the map out on top.

In the day she had spent confined to her room, Twilight had refreshed her memory on Modern Sea Script (‘modern’ being the version used just before the first settlers moved out onto the ocean and introduced Old Equestrian), and started to learn the runes and pronunciations for Old Sea Script, sometimes called the Language of the Gods.

Reading her book brought calm to her turbulent soul. She almost forgot about the cannon blast that had nearly killed her, and the two ships that were now at the bottom of the ocean. She fought against another shiver down her spine and continued to read. The map had many scribbles written in tiny handwriting, mixing between Old and Modern Sea Script. Everything being backwards only added to the confusion. Twilight found treating it like a puzzle kept her from losing her patience.

She traced a finger over one of the treasure markers on the map. It sat upon a cluster of islands with a short line of script floating in the water above it. The archipelago actually wasn’t too far from where they were now. Twilight mouthed out some of the runes, the ancient language tickling her tongue.

Boots crunching into the sand interrupted her study, and she lifted her head to give a sharp look to Sunset. For once, Twilight got to look down at her instead of up.

“Are you making progress?” Sunset asked in monotone.

“Yes,” Twilight answered, equally flat. They stared at each other in silence. At least, Twilight assumed Sunset was staring at her. Sunset turned to face the ocean, but didn’t move. Without her eyes assumedly on her, Twilight went back to work.

“You’re just in shock,” Sunset said.

Twilight looked up again. “Excuse me?”

Sunset folded her sleeves behind her back. “You saw death for the first time. It takes a while to process. You’ll get over it soon. That’s how the world works; people die everyday.”

“And that makes it okay?” Twilight jumped off her rock, letting the book and map fall. “You go around shooting and burning people and it’s fine because ‘people die everyday’?” Twilight wasn’t sure where this outburst had come from, but the adrenaline rushing through her veins told her not to stop. “I guess that explains why you love to threaten your own subordinates so much! They’re all expendable as long as your stupid ship is fine!” Twilight gestured wildly to the Crimson Heart.

“Remember your place, Miss Sparkle,” Sunset said lazily.

“My place is a slave on your ship! The only reason I’m not expendable at the moment is because you need me to find your stupid treasure! Lucky me! I get to live to see tomorrow, provided a cannonball doesn’t hit me!” She stood in the sand, fists clenched, cheeks red, huffing and puffing while Sunset just stood there, arms still crossed behind her.

After a full minute, Sunset asked, “Feeling better?”

Twilight picked up her materials and climbed back onto her rock. “Minimally.”

Sunset made a tiny nod and started toward her ship. “Death is part of life, Twilight Sparkle. Get used to it.”

Twilight huffed and stuck her nose back into her book. Her outburst had dispelled the dark cloud sitting over her, but a sour taste now lingered on her tongue. Death may be a part of life, but killing isn’t. She engrossed herself in her work, allowing the ancient runes and dead dialects to drown out Sunset’s philosophy. She managed to block the entire world out until something fluttered onto her ear. She jumped a mile high, dropping her book into the sand once again. Swinging her head around, she saw a small blue butterfly lingering around her head.

She took a moment to examine it, trying to identify its genus, when another one came over and they both retreated into the jungle. Twilight lifted her eyes to the line of trees on the cliff above her. Vines and flowers hung on the edge and left a strong, verdurous smell that mixed with the ocean breeze. It reminded Twilight of the lusher parts of Pony Bay. She spun around and stared at the ocean, sparkling under the sun.

Twilight inhaled softly as she reached down to retrieve her book and dust the sand off. “I’m still alive. I can still enjoy this,” she said softly. She continued her work at a more relaxed pace, taking time to look up at the sea.

******

Lemon Zest had tread through the jungle path before, ducked under large leafy fans and been smacked by branches Indigo had pushed out the way and let snap back into Lemon’s face. But breaking through the trees and seeing the town of Haven still brought a grin to her face.

It sloped down along a hill dotted with large green bushes and shaded by tall trees. Sturdy wooden houses were sprinkled along the hill, placed at uneven intervals, but looking perfectly natural. The town continued down to the water, where a long network of docks had been built. What started as solid construction turned into ramshackle and hastily built walkways that shook when the wind blew. Similar looking shacks had been built alongside the docks. A few ships sat not too far off, anchors down and sails rolled up.

Lemon hurried in Indigo’s wake, grinning at the picturesque image of potential pirate adventures. Last time she had been here, she had gotten into a bar fight! She crossed her fingers hoping it would happen again.

Indigo looked over her shoulder. “No.”

“What?” Lemon frowned. “You don’t even know what I’m thinking.”

“You’re thinking of going to the bar, getting in trouble on purpose to start a fight, and then winning said fight like last time,” Sunny Flare said from behind, words running a mile a minute.

Lemon shrugged innocently, happy Sunny couldn’t see her impish grin. “I just wanted a drink.”

Indigo stopped on the hillside, halting the two girls and Pipsqueak who brought up the rear. “Lemon, I know bar fights fit your ‘pirate image’, but we don’t have time for your flights of fancy. We fix the ship, then shove out.”

Lemon put her hands behind her head. “Sometimes I wonder who’s wound more tight, you or the captain.”

Indigo balled her fists and resumed her march. “I’m doing my best not to get burned alive. That includes doing what the captain says. Even if she’s a complete bitch about it,” she mumbled.

“Well, you would know,” Lemon said at equal volume.

“Hey!” Pipsqueak shouted from the back. “Sunset’s the captain and what she says goes! That’s how being captain works!”

“Unsinkable logic right there,” Sunny said. Lemon could hear the smirk in her voice. “Listen, if you want my opinion—”

“Not really,” Lemon and Indigo said simultaneously.

“—avoiding the bar is the best option,” Sunny continued like they had said nothing. “Just in case one of us says something she shouldn’t about you-know-what.”

Indigo looked past Lemon and locked eyes with Sunny. “Please tell me you see the irony in that statement,” she said, eyes lidded.

“Hey, just because I’m a conversationalist, doesn’t mean I’m a blabber-mouth. I know perfectly well how to keep a secret. The very idea that I of all people would let the details of our entire operation out to the public is—”

“Completely possible,” Lemon finished. “It’s not that you have a loose tongue, it’s that you have a motor mouth. They keep you talking long enough, you’ll say something stupid eventually.”

Sunny huffed and stuck her nose into the air.

The path zigzagged down the hill, taking them through the town. The more honest workers, farmers and fishermen, gave them wary looks, quick reminders not to cause too much trouble, even if Haven was mostly run by pirates. Lemon and Sunny had to take long strides to keep up with Indigo’s quick gait, leaving poor Pipsqueak to half run, half stumble down the hill after them.

The town leveled out at the base of the hill, and the pungent smell of fish overrode the floral and fragrant smells of the jungle. Lemon inhaled eagerly, catching the scent of rum and body odor. She exhaled and slumped her shoulders. “So, what are we doing here, anyway? The rest of the crew is perfectly capable of doing all the hard stuff.”

Indigo didn’t say anything as they walked onto the docks and stopped in front of a larger wooden shack with a decrepit sign in front reading, “Haven’s Heaven.” Jovial shouts and clinging cups could be heard from inside.

Sunny looked from Indigo’s neutral face to Lemon’s starry-eyed stare. “I thought you said we weren’t going to the bar?”

“I never said that. I said we’re not going to indulge Lemon’s stupid bar fantasy.”

“So why are we here?”

Indigo grit her teeth. “I need to see a man about some misinformation we got.”

Sunny’s eyes widened and she nodded in understanding, then scowled and jerked a thumb at Lemon. “But why did we bring her?”

“Because, if something happens and we do get in a fight…” Indigo cracked her neck and her knuckles. “I want to make sure we win.” She pushed the door open and walked inside. Lemon followed close behind, sticking her tongue out at Sunny. Sunny scowled again and tagged along, keeping a hand on Pipsqueak’s shoulder.

The floorboards gave an unhealthy squeak beneath Lemon as she stepped inside. She paid it little mind as she sized up the bar’s patrons, various rouges and tough looking sea-goers. She spotted a few obvious pirates as well, boasting stories up at the front. Lemon kept a finger near her right flintlock pistol strapped to her waist as she followed Indigo through the dim room. They stopped at a table in the back corner, where a man with shaggy seaweed green hair was already facedown, snoring into the wood with a drink in his hand. Indigo snatched it and turned what little remained over on his head.

He snorted a few times and rolled his head onto his arm. “Whaaaat?” he mumbled. Indigo slammed her hands on the table, and he bolted right up. “Oi! Can’t a man get some sleep?” He squinted his bleary eyes. “That you, Indigo?”

Indigo grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and lifted him out of his seat. “Murky, we need to have a talk.”

Murky rolled his head back and groaned. “Can’t even have a drink without being accosted. All right, what’s got your breeches in a twist?”

Indigo threw him back into his seat, then sat down on the opposite side of the table. She jerked her head to Lemon and Sunny. Lemon nodded in returned and turned her back to the table, blocking the two from sight. If she turned her head, she could see Indigo from the corner of her eyes.

“Murky,” Indigo began, clenching her fists under the table. “You gave me an old picture of Twilight Velvet and told me she was in Pony Bay.”

“Yeah, I remember something like that. What’s the problem?”

“You forgot to mention she was dead,” Indigo said, hissing between her teeth.

“She is?” Murky paused for a while. “Huh, would explain a few things. Okay, okay, don’t give me that look! I didn’t know when I sold you that information! I got it from Berry Punch! Blame her! ‘Course, she was drunk at the time…”

“She’s always drunk!”

“Fair point. Well, how’d you find out she was dead?”

Indigo eased back in her chair and crossed her arms. “We sailed to Pony Bay and kidnapped her brat of a daughter. Lucky for you, she takes after her mom.”

Murky started chuckling. “So that was you lot! Word across the sea is that some pirates up and raided pretty Pony Bay and made out with a hostage.”

Indigo swore. “News traveled all the way here that fast?”

“‘Course it did. From what I’m hearing, that girl you stole wasn’t just Velvet’s daughter. Apparently, she has a brother who’s pretty high up in naval command, and he’s huntin’ for the pirates who took his sister.”

While Indigo swore again, Lemon shivered with excitement. Pirate hunters, ancient treasures, life or death battles! Being a pirate was better than she could have hoped! Running from home was still the best decision she had ever made.

“The captain’s gonna love to hear about that,” Sunny said under her breath.

“Should we be worried?” Pipsqueak asked, looking up at Lemon with a pout on his adorable face.

Lemon reached over and ruffled his bandanna. “Nah, you’ve seen what the captain can do. We’re fine.”

Indigo drummed her fingers on the table. “Terrific. We’ve got Rarity and the Royal Navy chasing us. Picked a great time to patch up the ship.” She stood up, her chair screeching across the wooden floor. “I ought to gut you like a fish, Murky, but since we got what we wanted in the end, I’ll let you go this time.”

Murky didn’t appear phased in the slightest. “You know, you never did tell me why you needed a cartographer so bad—”

Indigo whipped out her sword and leveled the point to his throat. Beads of sweat instantly welled up on his forehead. She pushed the tip against his adam’s apple. “The less questions you ask about that, the better.” Indigo held her sword there until Murky began trembling, then sheathed it and turned to leave.

They were close to the door when three figures crossed their path. They were all burly, and had unkempt hair that fell over their eyes. The one in the middle stood a head shorter than his two companions. He brushed his white hair aside to look at Indigo, a smug grin on his face.

“I recognize your pretty faces,” he said. “You’re working for the fabled demon captain, aren’t you?” He tried to sound gentlemanly, but the slight slur of his words and the stink of alcohol just made Lemon want to punch him even harder.

“Sorry.” Indigo put a hand just over his head then pulled it across, leveling it to her chin before raising it to the top of her head. “You must be this tall to ride this pony, let alone ask her questions.”

His smug grin started to falter. “Not a very friendly answer.” Lemon saw his hand drop down near the hilt of his sword, and her own hand tensed. “I don’t suppose we can talk this out over a drink?”

Indigo snorted. “You wish.”

The man’s smile returned. “Funny you should mention that,” he said in a lower voice. “I was hoping you might know where I could find one.”

Lemon’s gut relayed a signal to her hand, and it whipped her right pistol out almost of its own accord. A shot rang out through the tavern, and the small lead ball whizzed right past Indigo’s arm, and embedded itself into the short man’s shoulder. He gripped the wound and staggered into his thicker brown haired companion. Sunny took the opportunity to shoulder tackle the remaining opponent into a nearby table, spilling the drinks of its occupants.

The two older, gruff looking sailors stood up and drew out their swords, and in a matter of seconds, the entire room was in an uproar. Sunny grabbed Pipsqueak by the hand, drawing her sword with her other, and dove through the opening she and Lemon had made.

Indigo kicked the brown one back into a wooden pillar, giving the building a violent shake, enough to get everyone to freeze for a moment. Another shot rang out, and the fighting quickly resumed.

“Now this is what I’m talking about!” Lemon yelled as she ducked under someone’s fist. She swiped a bottle of rum off the nearest table and smashed it over her current assaulter's head, spilling alcohol everywhere. Lemon then brought her empty weapon around and whipped it across another girl’s face before jumping onto a nearby table to avoid getting lunged at. The table groaned in agony, threatening to give under her weight. Lemon used it as a launchpad and jumped off, landing on someone else’s shoulders and taking them to the ground.

She pulled her cutlass out and parried a quick jab from another pirate. She pushed to the inside of his guard and thrust, only scratching the front of his shirt thanks to his quick reflexes. Lemon sidestepped his riposte and slashed his side, sending him to the floor with a spurt of blood. She jumped over him, inching closer to the exit while fights continued on both sides of her.

A bullet flew past her ear, the windtrail brushing against her. She considered pulling out her second pistol and returning fire, but Indigo appeared and yanked her by the arm, jabbing another pirate with her rapier to clear the space to the door. The two girls ran out, finding Sunny and Pipsqueak near the shore.

Lemon put her sword and gun away, and let out a loud mirthful laugh. “Now that’s how you have a good time!”

Pipsqueak crossed his arms and stuck his lower lip out. “How come I couldn't be part of the fight?”

“Because if something happens to you, captain will probably kill all of us,” Sunny said. She dipped her head toward Indigo. “Guess you were right about having Lemon in a fight.”

Indigo forcefully stowed her sword, the hilt clanging against the sheath. “We shouldn’t have had a fight in the first place. How the hell did that nobody know about—”

“Nice fight you started in there, girls,” a raspy voice called from near the bar’s entrance. “Bet half of them don’t even know what they’re fighting about.”

Indigo placed a palm against her face. “Dammit, why today?”

Lemon looked back at the new pirate strutting toward them. She had a longcoat draped lazily over her shoulders, and a small shirt that showed off her midriff. A feathered hat sat on her hair, spiked bangs with purple tips. She had tanned skin, and was both well toned and nearly a foot taller than Indigo.

“How are you, Zappy?” she said with a feral grin.

“Not now, Gilda, we’ve got places to be,” Indigo snapped.

Gilda put a hand on her hip and leaned forward. “Oh yeah? Like hunting for a treasure of legend, eh?”

The four pirates tensed. Lemon’s hand gravitated toward her left pistol, trigger finger still itching and ready to go. Indigo tilted her head back toward her crew members and dropped her voice to her accusatory growl. “Seriously, who blabbed?”

“Oh, none of your little crew told me anything.” Gilda tapped her temple. “Some things, you just know, savvy? Don’t worry though, your secret’s safe with me. Don’t want too many pirates all trying to claim the same prize.”

“That ‘prize’ is ours!” Pipsqueak said, pushing in front of Indigo. “Captain found the map first!”

Gilda stared down at him, biting her lip to stop from laughing. “Where’d you find this guppy?”

Indigo pushed him back. “He stowed away. Captain finds him endearing.” She locked eyes with Gilda. “And I know you’re not dumb enough to cross Sunset Shimmer.”

“I dunno.” Gilda took a step back and examined each of them. “If she’s got whelps like you onboard, maybe she’s not as tough as the legends say.”

“Captain Sunset is the best captain ever!” Pipsqueak shouted.

Sunny clapped a hand over his mouth. “Your enthusiasm is appreciated, Pip, but now might not be the best time to talk.”

Lemon tapped the handle of her gun, keeping her eyes locked with Gilda. She’s right. Actions speak louder than words. Indigo’s heel slammed into her shin, and Lemon teetered over in pain.

Gilda grinned at the spectacle. “Good call, Zappy. Your captain might be big and bad, but I can take you all on.” She turned on her heel and headed back down the docks. “Better keep an eye over your shoulder, because I’ll be right behind you guys until I find a way to take that map.”

Indigo watched her for a moment before abruptly turning and heading up the hill, leaving Lemon with the strong temptation to just shoot Gilda in the back of the head. Sunny, however, nudged her hard and gestured for them to follow.

“Why didn’t you let me shoot her? Now we have Rarity, the Royal Navy, and Gilda to worry about.”

“Because, she would have outdrawn you. You may be a good shot, but Gilda is better.” Indigo huffed and headed back for the jungle. “And I’m not in the mood to lose anymore crew members.”

Sunny beamed. “See, she does like us.”

“Marginally.”

“What do we do now?” Pipsqueak asked, running to catch up with Indigo. “What do we tell Captain Sunset?”

Indigo looked back at all of them. “We tell her that Mr. big brother is after us and nothing else.”

“What about—”

“Nothing else,” she repeated, giving Pipsqueak a hard stare. “No matter how we spin this, she’s going to think someone said something, and someone is going to die. Do you want someone to die?”

“No,” Pipsqueak said, a tremble in his voice.

“Neither do I. So, everyone keep your mouths shut. Aye?”

“Aye!” they chorused.

As they walked back up the hill, Lemon stretched her arms over her head and took one last look at the bar, a familiar grin on her face. I’d say today was a good day!

Chapter VIII: Wheel of Fortune

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Twilight couldn’t be positive, but she had a strong feeling it was almost midnight when the tide pulled the Crimson Heart back into the water. The exhaustion yanking at her eyes and the fact that she was yawning twice a minute proved an effective time keeper.

Sunset stood at the helm of the ship, gently steering it past the rocks that guarded Haven. Her hood was down tonight, allowing her fiery hair to flow wild and free. She looked down at Twilight on the main deck and gestured for her to come up.

Too tired to be scared or resentful, Twilight obeyed and climbed the stairs, stopping by Sunset’s shoulders. Sunset spun the wheel to the right, easily maneuvering around a sharp boulder. The open sea greeted them, with a cool wind at their backs.

Under the soft moonlight, and with her eyes their normal color, Twilight found Sunset had almost a gentle look to her. Her eyes gazed lovingly at the sea, and while it wasn’t a smile, the line her mouth set gave her an air of tranquility. Even her gaunt cheeks seemed fuller.

“My Crimson Heart may be large, but she’s also agile,” Sunset said with soft sincerity. “Made from proud redwood trees. She’s strong and fire-resistant.” She caressed the steering wheel with her red claws. “It’s not often I have to take her in for repairs. But I suppose it’s fitting for this particular voyage.”

Deep down, Twilight was fascinated with learning more about this ancient ship, and questions danced on her tongue. But she had spent the last sixteen or so hours staring at a book and a map under the sun. Even with her glasses on, the world was a blurred mess.

Sunset looked at her and must have recognized Twilight’s exhaustion. Perhaps it was the blurriness, but Twilight thought she saw Sunset smile before she turned back to the wheel. “What’s our heading, Miss Sparkle?”

Twilight unrolled the map and looked at the additional notes she had scribbled into the margins. “The clo-closest island…” A powerful yawn overtook her. “Sorry. The closest island that is designated to have a treasure on it is north by northwest of here. About fifty leagues. It appears to be an archipelago.”

Sunset pointed to the stars above and traced a path with her claw. “Very well.” She stomped her boot. “Loose the mainsail and run the line free! Our bearing is north by northwest! Keep Canis Major to the port side!”

The pirates scurried across the deck, releasing the sails and adjusting the rigging. In a short minute, the Crimson Heart made waves across the black sea. Sunset gave the wheel another turn, then smiled in satisfaction.Twilight shuddered, recalling the murderous lust in Sunset’s eyes from only two nights ago. What had caused such a shift from the calm, apathetic, almost disinterested captain that presented herself most of the time, to a violent, fire throwing demon?

Sunset caught Twilight staring, and her smile vanished instantaneously. “You’re dismissed.” She turned her back to Twilight.

Twilight didn’t need a second invitation. She rolled the map up and headed for the stairs, stopping when something caught the corner of her eye. She looked out behind the ship, seeing a blurry outline of another vessel. She couldn’t make out any details, and when she blinked, it was gone. She looked across the deck, but everyone else had their attention focused on securing the Crimson Heart. Twilight could see something fluttering in her peripheral vision again, and when she turned to look, there was the misty ship on the edge of the dark horizon.

Against her better judgment, she retreated up the steps and back to Sunset’s side. “I think there’s another ship out there.”

Sunset stepped away from the wheel and looked out to where Twilight pointed. She stared hard at the horizon, and Twilight stared too, seeing nothing once more. Sunset huffed, her hair flaring up as well. “The sea’s empty, Miss Sparkle.” With a swish of her cloak, she marched back to the wheel. “Go get some sleep.”

Twilight continued to look for the dark ship, slowly making her way below deck. She looked away, staying aware of her peripheral vision, but even then, the ship failed to appear.

“You’re in everyone’s way again.”

Twilight snapped her head to her left, finding Sugarcoat eyeing her with disapproval. Twilight slipped inside the ship if only to get away from Sugarcoat’s hard stare. She entered her cabin and collapsed into her hammock, thankful when it decided not to flip her onto the floor. She let the map and book fall just below her and curled up against her dusty pillow.

Her nose twitched as she caught her own unwashed scent. She still hadn’t changed out of the clothes she had been kidnapped in, nor had she had a chance to bathe. She looked at her fingernails, coated in dirt and ink stains. She could feel the uncleanliness all over her body, spreading like an infection. She rubbed at her arm, trying to scrub the filth off until her skin was pink and hot. Still, she felt dirty. She turned over and hugged herself. If she had one wish, it would be to take a long, hot bath.

Twilight used that comforting fantasy as a lullaby to take her to sleep. She awoke what felt like only minutes later, but the sun sparkling on the water outside her porthole told her otherwise.

“Captain told me to wake you up,” Sugarcoat said, lingering in the doorway. “Keep working on the map.” She shut the door and left Twilight alone to her thoughts.

“Yeah, she’s a real charmer, huh?”

“Gah!” Twilight jumped and looked at the hammock above her. Lemon was still lounging in it, hands folded behind her head.

”You always this jumpy?” Lemon asked while Twilight fanned her heart. Lemon climbed down, being careful not to kick Twilight in the face. “You need to learn how to relax.”

“I’m being held against my will on a pirate ship,” Twilight deadpanned.

“Hey, that was a great impression of Sugarcoat!” Lemon brushed out her shirt and headed into the hall. “Have fun reading!”

The door shut, leaving Twilight alone like she had been the past two days. She turned and looked out the window, staring at the endless blue outside, sea and sky meeting with only the thin line of the horizon to distinguish them. Twilight gathered her research materials and sat against the wall. She had deciphered a good portion of the map so far, committing to memory all of the locations and notes of the treasures she had uncoded. On top of them being written in a dead language, some of them appeared to be riddles.

Well, finding ancient treasure is never supposed to be easy. She hunched over the parchment, biting her tongue in concentration as she decoded and deciphered. The gentle swaying of the boat kept her relaxed, albeit sleepy at times. She spent the rest of the morning and the early afternoon finishing her translation of the map and memorizing every word. She leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. Now all she had to do was solve the riddles.

The door swung open, and Twilight lifted her head to see Sunny Flare with a bowl of oatmeal and an orange. “Captain thought you might be hungry, so she told me to bring you some food.” She set the bowl and orange at Twilight’s feet. “Also, she wants to see you when you’re finished.”

Twilight set the map aside and picked up the bowl. “Umm, there’s no spoon.”

“Yeah, we’re out of spoons. Funny story about that, see, one day while we were on the sea, I was trying to cook—”

“How do I eat this without a spoon?” Twilight asked, cutting through Sunny’s quick words.

Sunny shrugged. “You could use your hands. Oh, but then you’ll get the map dirty. Huh, yeah, that’s a pickle. Tell me how you solve it; I have to get back to work.” She waved and left Twilight to her solitude.

Twilight looked at the gray, lumpy substance in the bowl that didn’t have any odor. Her stomach growled anyway, and she lifted the bowl to her mouth, slowly tipping it forward. She gagged at the horribly bland taste, but kept slurping, being as careful as possible not to spill any on her already dirty dress. In spite of her best efforts, some still dripped onto her front, leaving gray smears.

She finished the bowl and gagged again as the taste lingered on her tongue and in the back of her throat. She snatched the orange up, peeled it, and shoved two slices into her mouth, savoring the citrusy taste as it burned away the last of the oatmeal.

She slowed down and enjoyed the rest of her orange before beginning the tedious process of getting her hands as unsticky as possible. She furiously wiped her fingers on any part of her dress that still looked marginally untarnished. When she was confident she could hold the map without damaging it, she rolled it up and made her way above deck. Anyone not handling the sails was busy scrubbing the deck.

Sunset stood at the wheel, almost like she had never moved from last night. She scoffed as Twilight approached. “I can see you enjoyed your meal.”

Twilight’s cheeks heated up, but she said nothing.

Sunset pointed ahead of the ship. “We’ll be at our destination by nightfall. Tomorrow, we’ll make land and mount a full expedition.” She snapped her fingers. “So, is there anything you need to tell me about this island?”

Twilight unrolled the map. “Actually, yes. I’ve finished translating everything to modern Equestrian, but there seemed to be riddles for some of the treasure pieces. For instance, the island we’re heading to.” Twilight tapped the script scribbled next to the picture. “The text translates roughly to ‘in the center of space’ or rather ‘gap’. I’ve looked at the archipelago for any noticeable gaps between the islands, but they’re all pretty clustered together. My next theory is that maybe there’s a large clearing somewhere there and perhaps that’s what the author is alluding to.”

“I would like fewer theories and more concrete facts, Miss Sparkle. We don’t have time to dig up the entire archipelago.”

“I’m trying my best,” Twilight said in clipped tones. With food in her stomach, she now had the strength to be annoyed again. “Just because I translated it doesn’t mean it’ll always make sense.”

Sunset folded her arms behind her back. “And it’s your job to make it make sense.” Her voice remained calm and patient, but Twilight couldn’t stop her shoulders from tensing.

She looked at the map and started to pace the deck behind Sunset. “In the center of space,” she said under her breath. There were twelve islands in total, varying in size and shape. The largest gap she could see was between a crescent shaped island and one that looked like a left-leaning blob. Even then, it wasn’t by a large margin. She re-read her tiny translations, then stared at the original text, mentally flipping the letters from their mirror presentation. It was possible that she had mistranslated something, if unlikely.

Just as she decided it wouldn’t hurt to consult her book again, something caught her eye. She looked at the rune for ‘space’, a crescent shape that opened its mouth to the upper right of the paper. She then looked over at the islands again and found one that matched the rune almost exactly.

“Aha!” Twilight jumped and ran back to Sunset, nearly shoving the map in her face. “The author didn’t mean ‘the center of space’, they drew the space symbol because it looked just like the island! It was a shorter way of writing it! Of course it wouldn't make sense today!” She pulled the map back to herself. “Now I have to go through and double check to see if the author is being literal in other places as well. It never occurred to me to look at it from this angle. Maybe these aren’t riddles at all, just slang translations and shortcuts from hundreds of years ago.” A throaty, gasping sound hit Twilight’s ears, and she turned around to see Sunset… laughing. It sounded disjointed and harsh like she was out of practice of such a simple act. “What?”

Sunset let out a few more ‘laughs’ before clearing her throat. “Nothing. You just…” She shook her head and turned her attention back to the wheel. “It’s not important. That will be all, Miss Sparkle.”

Twilight knew better than to keep pushing for more answers. She had gotten lucky once, but that luck could easily turn, even if Sunset seemed to be in a good mood. Still, it was the good mood—the laughing—that made Twilight pause and stare at Sunset’s back. Her stoic face and emotionally stunted responses, then her explosive temper a few nights ago… jovial laughter was one of the last things Twilight expected to hear, even if it had sounded strange.

Twilight rolled up her map and moved down the stairs toward the cabin door, just in time to hear Sunset bark orders in her usual assertive manner. Sunset Shimmer… I don’t understand you.

******

Shining wasn’t sure he believed in luck. Saying you got lucky diminished your achievements or put actions, good or bad, in the hands of some divine force. But he had to admit, he had gotten a lucky break in picking up the trail of the Crimson Heart, even if it was indirect.

Talking to the guards stationed at Hollow Shoals only gave them the information that the pirate ship looked like it was heading north. Shining took the chance anyway, and they spent a day at sea, finding nothing. It wasn’t until they pulled into the port of a smaller island did Shining get lucky.

One sailor on the docks told Shining that he had seen a red looking ship far off in the distance a day ago. Then, two hours later, a purple ship sailed by, looking like it was chasing after the first one.

Rarity, Shining thought. No other seafarer, pirate or otherwise, would sail a purple ship. Though, as far as pirates went, Rarity and her crew were an odd case. They had never pillaged, very rarely killed anyone, and seemed to only attack and board nobles or merchant ships, but never sank them. Still, they were guilty of piracy, and if Shining found the chance to take them in, he would.

In the meantime, he would use their trail to find Twilight, even if they did have almost a day on him. The wind pushed the Defender northeast toward, what Shining hoped was his sister. He stood over Flash Sentry’s shoulder, watching him guide the ship across the open water. Rainbow overlooked the crew as they moved about the deck, occasionally partaking in conversation with Fluttershy.

Rainbow fell back to Shining’s side. “Sir, I have a question.”

Shining nodded. “Go ahead.”

“Okay, so, let’s just entertain the idea that, hypothetically, we might be facing some sort of magical demon person,” she said, rolling her wrist. “How do we plan to beat her? Especially if she’s immortal.”

“Immortal doesn’t mean invincible, Rainbow.” Shining took a long enough pause for Rainbow to start to fidget. “And, in the extremely unlikely case that we’re faced with a demon, we’ll employ a tactical retreat. Our main focus is getting Twilight back, anything else takes second priority.”

Rainbow still looked tense but nodded regardless. She rejoined Fluttershy by the edge of the aft deck, leaving Shining alone with Flash again. Unfortunately, Flash now had beads of sweat lining his brow.

“You don’t really think Sunset Shimmer is still alive and that she’s some sort of fiery demon, do you, sir?” he asked.

As much as Shining wanted to give a definitive ‘no’, he couldn’t ignore Princess Cadence’s words. The world was a mysterious place, no matter how much science was thrown at it. He found the idea of Sunset ridiculous, but a small feeling in his gut told him not to dismiss it outright. Not yet at least. Still, he had to put on a brave face for the rest of his crew. He didn’t have the luxury of showing doubt.

“I think it’s a very unreal possibility,” Shining said. “And even if it is, it’s nothing we can’t handle. If Sunset Shimmer is alive, then it’ll be our job to turn her into a fairytale.”

******

The islands of the archipelago proved larger than the map had led Twilight to believe. Most of the islands were covered with dense clusters of trees or tall bushes, and many of the islands were connected by shallow sandbars. The islands that weren’t blessed with emerald trees were still coated with grassy plains and large rocks. Twilight guessed the cluster of islands measured about two leagues in diameter upon her first glance of them.

She stood off to the side while Lemon and some of the other crew members prepared the longboats. The Crimson Heart had been anchored behind one of the rocks on the outer perimeter. It would be a bit of a paddle to shore. The day of Twilight’s first treasure hunt was overcast, with large cumulus clouds drifting over them.

“There isn’t going to be a storm or anything, is there?” Twilight asked, holding the map for support.

Lemon let one of the ropes holding the longboat ease between her hands. “Nah, the sky’s just trying to look tough. So stop frowning! This is where the fun starts!”

“Lemon, don’t make me regret taking you along instead of Indigo,” Sunset said. She turned to Indigo, standing by her side and fighting not to scowl. “You’re in charge while I’m gone. If a ship comes into range, shoot first, don’t ask questions.” She pulled her hood over her face. “Dead men tell no tales.”

“Aye aye, Captain,” Indigo said with a bored salute.

Sunset jumped off the side of the ship, floating down and landing gently in the longboat. “Let’s shove off!”

Lemon climbed down first, then Sugarcoat, with Twilight and Sunny following after. As soon as she sat down, Sunset tossed a paddle to Twilight, smacking her in the face. She rubbed her nose and adjusted her glasses before taking up the oar, slipping the map down her shirt in the meantime. A second longboat followed close behind them as they pushed through the water, the tide eventually carrying them to the shoreline.

Twilight sat the oar down and massaged her still throbbing nose. She stepped onto the warm sand and pulled the map back out. It wouldn’t be too much help in trying to find the exact location of the treasure, but it still felt nice to hold onto.

The second longboat pulled up, its passengers carrying all the shovels. With everyone gathered, they set off up the short coastline, and into the forest.

Sunset kept the lead with Twilight right behind her. Sun fell through the trees in thin, glittering threads whenever the clouds didn’t block its light. With the trees so tightly pressed together, everyone had to stay in a single file line, ducking and weaving between the branches. Sunset would smash through much of the undergrowth, her red claws tearing through vines and snapping branches like twigs.

During a pause in the environmental carnage, Twilight asked, “Sunset—”

“Captain.”

“Er, right. Captain Sunset, you, well, have wings, don’t you?”

Sunset looked back at her. “Yes.”

“So, why didn’t you just fly over to the island?”

She turned back to the makeshift path and kept charging ahead. “I didn’t feel like it.”

Twilight wasn’t sure what other answer she was expecting and just followed after. The path began a steep ascent that at times turned into a climb more than a walk. The ocean breeze had a hard time making it through the trees, leaving Twilight hot and sweaty by the time they made it to the top of the hill.

The forest thinned until the crew exited out to an open plain that overlooked much of the other islands. Sunset raised her hand for them to stop. “This is as center as we’re going to get. Start digging.”

Twilight put her hands on her knees and doubled over, taking in slow gasps of air. She found a spot out of the way and sat down, watching the pirates fan out and break ground. While she caught her breath, she unraveled the map again, more out of impulse than anything else. Her eyes fell to the bottom of the map, where rune text had been untidily scrawled in the corner. Twilight wondered if she should tell Sunset about the cryptic translation it had but always decided against it. Someone like Sunset wouldn’t care.

A canteen hovered in front of Twilight’s face, and she looked up to see Sunset dangling it from a claw, her hood down again. “Don’t get too cozy. Drink, then get up. I have a task for you.”

Twilight did as told, taking a long draught from the canteen, leaving it nearly empty. She got to her feet and was handed two more empty canteens. Before she could ask, Sunset pointed across the way to another island where a waterfall could be seen coming down out of a high forest.

“Find the water’s source and refill these. We might be out here for a while.” She looked over to her pirate crew digging. “Sugarcoat!”

The bespectacled girl froze in her poor attempt at getting the shovel to break through the hard ground. She appeared to have made the least progress out of everyone so far. She set the shovel down and heeded Sunset’s beckoning hand.

“Go with Miss Sparkle to fill up the canteens. And try to be quick about it.” Sunset looked up at the roving clouds. “These won’t be here for very long.”

“Yes, Captain.” Sugarcoat snuck a glare at Twilight, like it was her fault she had gotten stuck with this job. The two girls followed the high plain to the other side where it sloped down into a forest again.

Going down was almost as bad as climbing up, with dense foliage and uneven footing. As luck would have it, Twilight pushed through a thick bush only to find on the other side was a sudden dip in elevation. She stepped out before her depth perception could finish processing, and dropped five feet before hitting the grassy slope and tumbling down. She didn’t roll for too long, enough for the canteens around her neck to smack her face only twice. She landed against a tree, positive she had bruised a rib.

Sugarcoat made her way down next to Twilight and stared disinterestedly. “I’m required to ask if you’re okay, but I can see that you’re clearly not.”

Twilight used the tree as support to stand up again. She pulled leaves out of her hair and checked her arms and legs for any deep cuts. “I’m fine,” she said, not making eye contact with Sugarcoat.

“You’re bleeding.” She pointed to the back of Twilight’s leg.

The cut was long but still fairly shallow, and only stung now that Twilight had noticed it. She brushed the smear of blood away and walked ahead, massaging her side.

“We should go back. I doubt you can make it all the way to the water.”

“I said I’m fine!” Twilight would have loved nothing more to find a quiet place to sit and maybe even cry over her constant misfortune, but she refused to give Sugarcoat and her condescending attitude the satisfaction. She winced at the first few steps, but the more she moved, the more her adrenaline rose to fight the pain off. They reached the bottom of the hill and pushed their way out of the remaining forest, then followed the shore to the left until they found another sandbar to walk across.

A crab scuttled out of their way, dipping into the shoals. Aside from the gulls overhead, Twilight noted this archipelago was devoid of much life. Sugarcoat stayed silent behind her, leaving Twilight with only the sound of the lapping water.

They crossed over to the next island, and Twilight groaned as the terrain sloped upwards again. Sandy hills rose in uneven bumps before another forest sprung up. Twilight appreciated the shade at least; for as Sunset predicted, the clouds were now fewer and far between. While Twilight stumbled a few times (Sugarcoat didn’t comment, but she did snicker) she avoided another physical catastrophe.

Soon they could hear the sounds of running water, and the trees thinned enough that Twilight no longer had to fight to move ahead. They found a small stream, and Twilight quickly threw the canteens aside and rushed to the edge, dipping her hands in the cool water. She watched some of the dirt and grime caked under her fingernails wash away and enjoyed the soothing and cleansing feeling. She scrubbed her hands together, then splashed water on her arms and legs and scrubbed them down, finally purging herself of days of filth and blood.

“You’re going to get dirty and sweaty again in a few minutes. You know that, right?” Sugarcoat asked.

“I don’t care,” Twilight said, taking off her glasses and splashing water on her face. “I haven’t bathed in a week and I want to feel clean.” She kept scrubbing until every visible part of her was pink instead of purple. She couldn't do anything about her dress, nor did she have time to fix her hair, but she felt better than she had in days. With a grateful sigh, she slipped her glasses back on and stared at her rippling reflection. There was the girl who had been snatched from Pony Bay. She looked a little foreign after not seeing her for so long.

Twilight took the canteens and filled them up, handing one to Sugarcoat when she finished. The canteens held a surprising amount of water and were heavy at full capacity. She let Sugarcoat take the lead, and the duo had only made it ten steps when the bushes rustled nearby and they heard a soft curse.

Sugarcoat quickly drew her sword, but her hand trembled as several pirates made themselves visible in the surrounding bushes, Captain Rarity among them. Even with leaves in her hat and hair, she still looked composed and distinguished.

“Well, this is a good stroke of fortune,” she said, sword still not drawn. “I thought we might have to wait until sundown for an unsavory sneak attack, but here’s our prize.” She looked Twilight up and down and pursed her lips in displeasure. “A little worse for wear but still okay.” Her eyes fell on the tip of the map sticking out of the top of Twilight’s shirt. “Perfectly okay.”

Twilight looked between Rarity and Sugarcoat, unsure to be apprehensive or delighted Rarity was about to take her away. She remembered them mentioning giving her back to Shining in the Hollow Shoals Library. Were they really going to keep their promise?

Sugarcoat took a step away from Twilight. “This is a fight I clearly can’t win, so I won’t even attempt it.” She took another step back, but this time, Rarity’s crew took a step forward. “You can go ahead and take her.”

“That’s very nice of you, dear,” Rarity said sincerely. She frowned and shook her head. “And under normal circumstances, I’d let you run along perfectly unharmed. But…” Her forces moved forward again. “The longer it takes Sunset to know what happened, the more time we have to escape her wrath.”

Sugarcoat’s eyes went wide, and she turned and flew through the trees. Three pirates, including the one Twilight knew as Pinkie Pie gave chase, crashing through the undergrowth.

“Do tell, my dear, what’s your name?”

Twilight turned from the chase scene to Rarity. “Twilight Sparkle.”

Rarity made a little bow. “Well, Miss Twilight Sparkle, I am Captain Rarity of the Good Fortune. I can assure you, you’re in good hands until we deliver you safely to your brother. I hear he’s been looking for you.”

Twilight’s heart fluttered. Maybe, just maybe this whole ordeal was about to end. Rarity gestured for Twilight to follow close behind, and she did so willingly. However, as they made their way opposite of the direction Sugarcoat had run, Twilight noticed all of the looks stolen at the map. If giving it up is the only price I have to pay, I’ll do it gladly.

They trod down another slope which Twilight took with much more caution. “Those ruffians didn’t do anything to you did they?” Rarity asked, actually stopping to help Twilight down some of the more rugged terrain.

“No, not really.”

Rarity looked over some of the cuts Twilight had. “Well, I can see they didn’t treat you all that well either way.” She gently steered Twilight around another sudden dip Twilight wouldn’t have seen on her own. “I know what you must be thinking about pirates right now, but I assure you again, we’re only here to help.”

Twilight smiled. “I’ve heard stories about you, Captain Rarity. I think I trust you just a little more than Sunset.”

No sooner had they gotten to flat land did a shot ring out, and a branch near Rarity explode into hundreds of splinters. One pirate grabbed her and pulled her behind a tree, with a second one doing the same to Twilight. Another shot rang out, and a plume of dirt went up behind the group.

“By order of the Equestrian Royal Navy, you’re under arrest!” a loud, scratchy voice said. “Come out with your weapons down and your hands up!”

Rarity nodded to the pirate holding Twilight, and he drew his sword and placed it in front of her neck. “Sorry, dear. We still have your best interest at heart, but we also need to think about our own livelihood.”

I hate pirates, Twilight thought as she was forced to walk out into the open. Standing in the sand were five naval officers, two of them reloading their muskets, with the other two pointed hesitantly at the pirate holding Twilight. The one at the front, with fierce purple eyes and rainbow hair, clenched her jaw.

“Let the girl go,” she said in a low voice.

“We honestly would, darling,” Rarity said from her position behind the tree. “You’ll find this hard to believe, but we had every intention of giving her back to you. All we want is the map she has and for you to let us walk away.”

The woman spat into the sand. “You think I’m stupid? I’m not making a deal with a pirate.”

“I think it would be in your best interest. We all get what we want in the end. Also, from our position, it’s easier for us to shoot you than vice versa.”

“You’re bluffing.”

Another shot echoed across the beach, and one of the officer’s hats flew off. He fired in return, but only struck more bark.

“Am I?” Rarity said with sinister playfulness.

The rainbow-haired woman let out a furious snort. “If you touch one hair on her head…”

Twilight’s captor plucked the map from her front and slowly removed his sword from her neck. He backed up into the trees, vanishing with the rest of the pirates, leaving only the sound of rustling leaves behind.

The woman ran up to Twilight. “Are you okay?”

Twilight took a deep breath and exhaled slowly through her nose. “Sure.”

“My name’s Rainbow Dash, I work for your brother.” She stuck out her hand, and Twilight gave it a light shake. “I’m glad those pirates didn’t do anything to you.” There was still a hint of bitterness in her voice.

“Lieutenant, should we give chase?” one of the soldiers asked.

Rainbow looked at the treeline, her jaw set. She narrowed her eyes and spat in the sand again. “No. Captain said Twilight was our first priority. We have her. Let’s get out of here.” She pointed down the coast where Twilight could see a longboat sitting in the sand. From the other direction came the sound of cannon fire. “Better hurry so Shining can give the signal.”

Twilight followed in Rainbow’s wake. “What signal?”

“We came with two ships. When we got close, we saw the pirate ship was anchored and quiet. An easy target, but Shining didn’t want to risk opening fire in case you were on it. So, we split the ships up. We came around to this side to start looking for you. If we found you, Shining could give a signal to the other ship to start shooting. Guess the pirates saw us and started shooting first.”

As they came around the corner of a cliff, Twilight could see Shining’s ship sitting out in the water. Hope, full, honest hope filled her breast. She was almost there, almost to safety. The thought made her look over her shoulder, wondering what was about to come and ruin it. If Sugarcoat made it back to Sunset in time, there was little stopping her from flying over and attacking Shining.

And if something happened to the Crimson Heart...

Twilight jumped into the rowboat. “We still have to hurry.” She frantically gestured for everyone to get in after her. “If Sunset Shimmer finds out about all of this, she’s going to be very upset, and that’s bad news for everybody.”

Rainbow froze with one leg in the boat. “So… it’s true? Sunset Shimmer is alive?”

“Yes, and she’s a demon who can burn down ships single-handedly, so we need to go!”

The soldiers exchanged looks of panic and quickly pushed the boat into the tide, jumping in and beginning to paddle as hard as they could. Cannons sounded in the distance, each blast making Twilight’s heart pound harder and harder.

Almost there. Almost there. She knew it was all in her mind, but it looked like they weren’t getting any closer to the Defender. Twilight looked behind her, then into the sky. Both were clear of Sunset, but Twilight couldn’t stop her heavy breathing.

“Easy now,” Rainbow said. “We’re gonna be fine. I know you’ve been through a lot, but you’re safe now.”

That’s what Rarity said before she used me as a bargaining chip. A pirate is a pirate. Twilight pulled her fingers, the map absent from her hands. In such a short time, she had relied on it as an anchor. She hadn’t realized how much of a comfort it had been until it was gone.

The row boat bumped against the side of the Defender and a ladder dropped down. Rainbow climbed up first, then helped Twilight up onto the deck. Before she could take it all in, she found herself in a tight embrace. Strong, familiar arms wrapped around her and hugged her tight, and she leaned into his shoulder, burying her face into his uniform.

“It’s okay. I’ve got you,” Shining said quietly. “Everything’s okay now.”

“Shining, I...” Twilight wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. She could cry later. “I missed you, and I’m so glad to see you, but we need to leave right now.”

“She’s right, Captain,” Rainbow said. “Sunset Shimmer is real, and apparently, she’s really dangerous. Also, I believe the Crystal Sea is engaged with the Crimson Heart.”

Twilight looked Shining in the eye. “If something happens to her ship, she’s going to be even more furious, and you don’t want to see what happens after that. Call the other ship off and let’s just go home.”

“Okay, easy, easy,” he said, stroking her shoulder. He looked up at the wheel. “Flash, take us around. I need a visual on the Crystal Sea.”

“Aye, Captain.”

Shining looked back at Twilight. It wasn’t doubt in his eyes, but a hope that Twilight was wrong. “So, Sunset is really… this demon thing?”

Twilight nodded. “I know it sounds like a fairytale, but I’ve seen her. I’ve seen what she can do.”

“Did she hurt you?”

She followed his eyes to the cuts decorating her arms and legs. “No, she didn’t touch me. She really just wanted me to translate this treasure map. That’s why she came to Pony Bay; she was looking for Mom but got me instead.”

“But, Mom’s been gone for over a decade.”

“I know. Really bad information.”

Shining shook his head. “I’m just glad you’re safe. I can’t imagine what this has been like for you.”

“Captain,” Flash said, “we’re coming into view.” The ship pulled around one of the smaller islands, and the sight in the distance left them all speechless.

The Crystal Sea sat on the water in flames, just like the other boat had on that dark night. Fire engulfed the mass, and smaller explosions erupted across the deck. Another plume of smoke rolled off one of the islands.

Shining and everyone else on deck gaped in horror. Twilight closed her eyes and bowed her head, more tears falling to the floor. More people dead because of Sunset, because of a treasure.

“Captain!” a pink-haired girl yelled, pointing at the sky.

Twilight followed her finger, and her heart drum rolled in her chest. Out of the sun came a winged figure, a fireball already in her hand. She sped toward the ship and landed in the middle of the deck in a crouch. She sprung up and hurled her fireball at the nearest man, the force knocking him off into the water while flames consumed him.

Sunset pointed a claw at Shining, her eyes reduced to black pits with slitted irises. “You have something that belongs to me!” she said, her voice drowning in hatred and anger.

Shining put an arm in front of Twilight. “You’re not taking her again. Open fire!”

Six guns pointed at Sunset, and each one fired an iron ball into a different part of her. Black, tar looking substance sprayed from her wounds and dribbled down her arms and legs. Sunset fell onto her back, wings and arms spread. She coughed up spittles of her black blood, then fell still.

No one moved. No one breathed. Even the water drew still at their feat. The blood ran across the deck and smelled of rotting fish and ash. Twilight gently pushed Shining’s arm down to get a better look at her former captor. Her eyes were still open, but nothing stirred in the darkness.

“Ha!” Rainbow clapped her hands. “She wasn’t so tough after all!”

The silence broke, and the rest of the crew started to murmur before chatting and laughing victoriously. Shining didn’t join them, his eyes were still fixed on Sunset, as were Twilight’s. Something turned in her stomach. Was it pity? Remorse?

Sunset gasped and jumped to her feet, and the cries of victory turned to screams of horror. Whatever had been stirring in Twilight’s stomach quickly dissolved into primordial fear. Sunset’s eyes were wide, but her iris slits were narrow and filled with rage. She stepped toward Shining, heat radiating off her body, the wood melting where she stepped.

“You shouldn’t have done that, Captain,” she said, raising a hand. Fire engulfed it, and she grinned sadistically.

Shining backed up, keeping Twilight behind him. “What are you?”

She pointed her palm toward his chest. “Death.”

“Stop!” Twilight pushed her way in front of Shining and threw her arms out. “I won’t let you kill him!” To her amazement, Sunset actually froze.

“Twilight, get out of the way,” Shining whispered.

Twilight shook her head. “You won’t hurt me,” she said to Sunset. “You need me. I’m the only one who can tell you how to get your treasure.”

Sunset lowered her hand but it remained ignited. “Are you trying to bargain with me, Twilight Sparkle?”

“Yes, I am.” Like when she had lost her temper on the beach, Twilight wasn’t sure where this surge of confidence came from, but every instinct told her to use it in full.

Sunset’s insidious eyes held a gleam of amusement. “Oh? How very daring. This must be the brave brother I’ve heard about. But tell me, Miss Sparkle, what’s stopping me from taking my map back and burning you all alive? I saw you scribbling notes. I can find someone to pick up where you left off.”

Twilight swallowed the last of her fear and let her flickering courage drive her. “Because the map is gone. I… I lost it.”

The gleam died, replaced by arrant fury. “You did what?” Sunset’s hair billowed up like a pyre, and a wave of heat washed over everyone.

“The map is gone!” Twilight tapped her temple. “But I’ve memorized it. Every detail, every picture, every translation. I can still take you to Neptune’s Blessing.”

Sunset roared, the blaze in her hand growing larger and wilder. “And what’s to stop me from just taking you, hmm? I am Sunset Shimmer, scourge of the seas! I don’t make deals with mortals!”

Twilight stepped forward. “I’ll go with you—”

“Twilight!”

She shushed Shining. “I’ll go with you if you leave this ship and everyone on it alive. Or else.”

Sunset raised her burning hand, pointing it over Twilight’s shoulder. She let out a low, feral growl. “Or else what?”

“Or else, I’ll kill myself,” she said, throwing as much conviction as she could into the simple sentence. She heard Shining take a sharp breath, but didn’t dare look back at him. “I’ll find a way. I’ll drown myself, or hang myself from the mast. But if you kill anyone here, then I’ll take my own life, and you’ll never get your wish.”

Their eyes locked, neither giving anything away. The world around them went still again. Sunset bore into Twilight with her black, possessed eyes. Twilight stared back with fierce resolve, hoping Sunset would make a decision before her courage left her.

Sunset’s tail flicked back and forth, and her pointed ears twitched. With her unblinking eyes, it was the only sign of life she made. She lowered her hand, the flame going out. Her sclera turned white again, and when she spoke, her voice had lost its demonic overtone. “Very well, Twilight Sparkle. We have an accord. You’ll serve me until I get my wish. I make no promises for what happens afterward though.” She looked past Twilight. “And if you give chase, I will destroy you. I’ll turn each and every one of your men to ash before sending your ship to the bottom of the sea.”

Shining took Twilight’s hand and spun her around to face him. It was rare that Twilight saw her brother with any sort of fear. Now, he looked terrified… and heartbroken. “Twily, you don’t have to do this. Please, there has to be another way.”

She shook her head. “There isn’t. If I don’t do this… you’ll be killed. Go home, please.”

“You’re the only family I have left!”

Twilight leaned up and kissed his cheek. “I’ll come back someday. I promise.”

“Twilight, please,” he choked out.

“Thank you for coming after me. I knew you would.” She stepped back toward Sunset, still feeling residual heat emanating off her body. “I love you, Shiny.”

“A heartbreaking goodbye, truly,” Sunset deadpanned. She hooked an arm around Twilight’s waist. “Don’t let your dear sister’s sacrifice mean nothing, Captain. Stay out of my way.” With a single flap of her wings, she and Twilight were airborne.

The deck of the Defender grew smaller and smaller as they soared away. Twilight saw Shining run the length of the ship, calling her name until she was well over the ocean. The wind whipped her face, sneaking past her glasses to sting her eyes. She looked up at Sunset who only stared ahead, then looked back at her brother, kneeling at the bow of the ship.

So close. I had been so close to freedom. This was her fate now: to serve Sunset Shimmer until the treasure hunt was over. Even then, she had no guarantee she would ever see Shining again. A deluge of sorrow drowned out her courage, and her tears fell into the ocean below.

Chapter IX: Tempest Turn

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Rarity saw the plume of smoke rise up from somewhere on the ocean, and urged her crew to move faster. They rushed out of the forest and down into the cove they had anchored the Good Fortune in. Now let’s just hope our fortune stays good and we get out of here in one piece.

She whistled as they got to the edge of the water, and the Jacob ladder fell over the side of the boat. It was a short swim to the ladder, and Applejack lent Rarity a hand when she neared the top. “Thank you, dear,” she said, shaking the water out of her boots. “Is Pinkie back yet?”

Applejack looked over the edge of the ship. “No. Ah figured she was still with you. In fact, Ah’m surprised you’re back this early. You’ve only been gone for an hour.”

Rarity reached into her blouse. “Fortune’s been kind to us today.” She held the map up for all to see, wiggling it between her fingers. “Now, we just need Pinkie to return so we can leave.”

“Let’s hope she gets back to us before Sunset finds out about the map,” Applejack said. She looked at the rolled parchment with childlike wonder. Rarity took notice and giggled, handing it to her. Applejack unrolled it, taking in the islands and ancient writing drawn in old ink. Her eyes fell on the edges and corners, and she gasped. “Rares, look! There’s a whole bunch of notes written on here.”

Rarity leaned over. “So there is!” Her eyes sparkled with mirth. “That little Twilight Sparkle must have been writing little hints for herself. It’s not a complete translation but this is more than helpful.” She straightened up and threw a hand to the sky. “Fortune truly does favor the bold!”

“Ah’ll hold off on the celebratin’ for a while.” Applejack scanned the surrounding forests for any trace of Pinkie, occasionally turning her eyes skyward for any sign of Sunset.

While she kept lookout, Rarity took the map back and looked over it herself. Twilight’s handwriting was neat but horrendously tiny. Rarity had to squint and press the map to her face to read it. A treasure marker sat on their current location with a translation written in the waters between islands. “‘In the center of space’,” Rarity said under her breath. What did that mean? Rarity shook her head. She knew it would put her in a precarious situation later on, but Sunset could have the first key to the treasure. Rarity had the map now, and as much as fortune had been kind to her today, she knew when not to push it.

A commotion out in the trees drew her attention, and from the overgrowth came Pinkie and her party. She made a wild gesture with her arms that, accompanied by the panicked look in her eyes, meant it was time to go.

Sure enough, as soon as Pinkie got to the top of the ladder, she said in a high-speed babble, “The girl got back to her crew before we could make her be quiet, so we had to run, but I saw Sunset attacking a navy ship, and there’s another one not too far away, and I think we should leave before Sunset sees us, and ooooooh, is that the map?”

“Weigh anchor!” Rarity yelled, handing Pinkie the map. “Get us to open water on the double!”

“Which way?” Big Mac asked on his way up to the wheel.

“Any direction the Crimson Heart is not in.”

******

The wind in Twilight’s chest left with her hard impact against the deck. She rolled up to a sitting position and clutched her side, keeping her head down so Sunset couldn’t see the tears still falling. The hole in her heart had torn into a fissure, and it took Twilight’s raw will to keep her pain down to mere tears and hiccups. She would never see Shining again. She was a slave. This is how she would live, and with her run of luck, how she would die.

“Damage report, Indigo?”

“A few hits to the starboard side, but nothing extensive, Captain. We lost one crate of ammo in the hit. No deaths or injuries.”

“Good. Make sure Miss Sparkle doesn’t go anywhere. I’m going to make sure we find that treasure.”

“I don’t think there’s any need for that, Captain.”

“And why’s that?”

“Because Lemon and the others are coming across the beach.”

Twilight looked up and followed Sunset and Indigo’s gaze. Indeed, the landing party had reached the longboats and were loading up. Lemon carried a small black box in her hands and looked quite pleased with herself. Twilight kept her sight on them, unable to bring herself to look back into Sunset’s heartless eyes. At the beginning of her journey, Twilight had only felt indifference toward Sunset, maybe even pity. Both of those had eroded away, leaving behind intense spite. Perhaps even, for the first time in her life, Twilight felt a twinge of hatred.

Lemon scurried up the ladder first, the box under her arm. She held it out to Sunset. “So yeah, we got the treasure, but as soon as you left to check out the cannon fire, Sugarcoat came back saying Rarity had… taken… Twilight.” She looked down at Twilight. “Nevermind.”

Sunset snatched the box, and when Twilight looked into her eyes at long last, she found familiar anger. “Rarity is here?”

Sugarcoat climbed aboard, sporting numerous new cuts and dirt stains from when Twilight had last seen her. “She confronted us when we went to get water and took Twilight and the map.”

This time, Sunset’s eyes turned to their black sclera appearances for a brief second. She turned to Twilight, gnashing her teeth as she spoke. “You told me you lost the map.”

Twilight wiped her face, smearing on whatever false bravery she could muster. “I did. I lost it to Rarity. She ran into the navy and handed me over but kept the map.”

“She can’t have gotten far,” Indigo said in an appeasing tone, her eyes on Sunset’s snapping and biting hair. “I’m sure we can catch them and—”

“No.” Sunset closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her fiery hair shrunk down to its normal height. She held the box out and examined it. It looked plain despite its ominous coloring. There wasn’t even a lock to it. Sunset traced a claw across its lip, then snapped it open. A faint glow poured out, illuminating the surrounding area as Sunset pulled the chest up.

Twilight stood up, wanting to see for herself, but kept her distance. Sitting on a purple cushion was, what Twilight thought, pure light hardened and shaped into an odd form. It had one long, sharp point on one end and on the other, jagged edges like it had been broken.

“We got what we came for,” Sunset said quietly. “One of the five keys that unlocks Neptune’s Blessing. Gather them all and bring them to Neptune’s Throne, and we will have our wishes granted. Rarity may have the map…” She looked at Twilight. “But we still have the map reader who has generously offered to help us finish our treasure hunt. Rarity isn’t an issue. If she wants the piece we already have, she’ll have to come and get it. And I know she won’t try that.” Sunset snapped the box shut.

Without the key giving off its light, the entire world looked dimmer. With nothing left to ogle at, Twilight returned her gaze to the floor, unable to maintain her look of defiance.

“Miss Sparkle.”

Twilight refused to look up at Sunset’s call.

“What’s our heading?”

“Griffonstone, in the Fantasy Strait,” Twilight said, limply waving her arm.

“That’s a two week trip at best,” Sunset said. “We’ll have to restock on supplies when we get closer.” She addressed the rest of the crew, barking orders and sending everyone into a mad hurry. Head still bowed, Twilight made for the door. It had been a long, emotional day, and she had no energy left. “Where do you think you’re going, Miss Sparkle?”

Twilight looked over her shoulder, fixing her eyes on Sunset’s tall, pointed boots. “Bed.”

Sunset let out a bark of laughter, completely different from the one Twilight had heard earlier. “No, you’re not. I don’t tolerate slackers on my ship. You don’t have a map to read anymore, so now, you’ll have to find a new job to help pull your weight.” She paused, and Twilight didn’t need to look up to know she was grinning. “After all, you’re officially a pirate now.”

Twilight dug her nails into her palm. Fury burned through her, demanding a release. Twilight wanted to scream and throw her fists at Sunset, but her rational brain asked, what good would it do?

It would feel good! She’s mocking me now! She knows I can’t fight back, so she’s rubbing it in my face! But fighting back would only result in her own embarrassment. Though there wasn’t much, she choked down what pride she had and lifted her head to Sunset. “Fine. What do you want me to do?”

“Start scrubbing the deck,” Sunset said, brushing past her. “I’m sure Indigo will find some use for you afterward.” She opened the cabin door and vanished inside, black box in hand.

Twilight stood in the middle of the deck, watching her shadow steadily grow longer from the setting sun’s light. She had made her choice. Now she had to reap the consequences. A bucket of water dropped next to her along with a thick block of holystone, a cleaning material usually reserved for the naval ships. A hand slapped the back of her head.

“Come on, Sparkle, get to work,” Indigo said.

To spare herself further abuse, Twilight got onto her hands and knees, dipped the stone into the bucket of water, and started scrubbing the dirt from the deck. A girl minding her own business snatched away by pirates…. Twilight scrubbed harder. Forced to read a map to lead them to some stupid treasure…. She put her whole body into it. Ripped away from her only family. Abused and forced to clean the ship! Even after the dirt was gone, Twilight forcefully scrubbed down the same area. At least she had a release now.

At least with her face to the floor, no one could see her grinding her teeth together, or her splotchy red cheeks, or the tears gathering at her eyes again.

*******

Twilight had no consistent sleep schedule. She would wake at dawn, work various odd jobs, be allowed to take a short nap, work some more, then be placed in the crow’s nest for half the night. One night she would watch the sun set, and another night, she would get to sleep until midnight, then forced to watch the sun rise.

She worked with red eyes and tight lips, speaking to nobody unless she absolutely had to. The only exception was the young child, Pipsqueak, or Pip for short. They shared galley duty, cleaning it from top to bottom after Sunny finished making bowls of gruel for everyone. For reasons Twilight still hadn’t ascertained, Pip had an unwavering loyalty for Sunset. Twilight wanted to ask why but avoided doing so. Her bitterness had only grown deeper in the three days she had been condemned to the lowest rung on the pirate ladder, and she didn’t want anything to spoil the one positive relationship she had.

Pip asked questions whenever he could about anything he could think of. While he never meant to be rude, Twilight had to kindly tell him not to ask questions about her personal life.

“Can you tell me what Pony Bay is like? Or is that a personal question?”

They sat on the floor of the galley, cleaning out bowls with a dirty rag and a bucket of salt water. Twilight knew for a fact this wasn’t sanitary, but also knew they had no better way to clean things around here. “No, that’s a fair question. There isn’t much to say about it though. It’s a small, quiet island. The people are nice, if a little… simple,” she said delicately. “They weren’t too big on reading. I mean, we had a school, and most people were literate. But so few of them wanted to expand their knowledge.” She put down the bowl she had scrubbed clean and moved onto the next one. “Makes me wonder why we had a bookstore in the first place.”

“Did you have any friends there?”

Twilight opened her mouth but hesitated. She had people she talked to on a daily basis. She had her caretaker Camellia, who Twilight talked to out of politeness more than anything. She had her boss Mr. Novelty, who shared her love of reading. Twilight supposed he was the closest thing she could call a friend. It was a sobering thought; her closest companion was a fifty-odd year old bookseller. Twilight had always preferred the company of books and maps over people. That wasn’t to say she didn’t like people. Books just tended to not make fun of her, or pity her for not having a mom.

“I had acquaintances,” Twilight said.

Pip furrowed his brow. “What’s an acquaintance?”

“It’s… kinda like a friend. You talk to them but you don’t spend a lot of time together.” Pip nodded like he understood, but Twilight saw the mist of confusion in his eyes. They cleaned in silence for a time as a question built and burned in Twilight’s throat. “Pip, how did you end up on a pirate ship?” she blurted out, hoping it wasn’t too personal or tied too closely to Sunset.

Pip picked up his stack of bowls and moved them to the table. “I was born in Trottingham, but I guess my parents didn’t want me, so they left me at an orphanage,” he said. His voice had lost its chipper edge, replaced by a dull monotone. “The caretakers would read us stories sometimes about explorers on the sea, or navy officers stopping pirates.” He took a brush and started swabbing the floor. “All the other kids liked hearing about the navy. But I wanted to hear more about the pirates!” He looked at Twilight with an adventurous gleam in his eye. His chipper tone returned as he said, “They got to go look for treasure and never had to listen to anyone! They were fearless!

“The other kids would beat me up because I was smaller than them and because I thought pirates were cool. Then one day, the city bell starts ringing really loudly, and everyone’s screaming that pirates are coming!” He had stopped scrubbing now, enraptured by his own story. “I wanted to see if it was true, and I wanted to join them! So I snuck out of the orphanage and ran down to the dock. That’s when I saw the bestest ship ever: the Crimson Heart! When the pirates started pillaging, I snuck onboard and hid until the ship left. That’s when the captain found me.” He smiled fondly. “I got really scared first, especially when she took her hood off. But then I told her I wanted to be a pirate!”

“And she just said yes?” Twilight asked.

“Uh-huh! She smiled, and that’s when I knew she wasn’t as scary as she looks.” Pip shuddered and closed his eyes. “Except when she gets really mad.”

Twilight finished her bowls and helped Pip with the floor. At least Sunset didn’t kidnap him. She knew a few younger kids back home who also fantasized about the pirate life. Twilight would be remiss if she said she hadn’t dreamed about it once or twice. She loved any story of adventure. But what she had dreamed of and what she was living out now were completely opposite realities. She supposed Pip lucked out. He had gotten his fantasy.

Speaking of fantasies…

“Pip,” Twilight asked in a quieter voice, “do you know what the pirates are going to wish for?”

Pipsqueak shook his head. “Captain said we each get to make one wish, so I guess everyone is gonna wish for something. But I already have mine! I’m a pirate!”

Twilight hummed in absent agreement. From the fables she had read, it was pretty vague if Neptune’s Blessing granted one wish or one wish per user. No one could even agree on what Neptune’s Blessing was. What if this entire thing is just a wild goose chase? No, Twilight had seen one of the keys. They were on the trail of something, that much was certain.

“Do you miss home?”

Twilight looked over at Pip, looking back at her with sad curiosity. “Yeah. I do.”

“I know you’re sad. But being a pirate is a lot of fun. You’ll see.”

The childish innocence in his voice made Twilight smile despite her heavy doubts. But with Pip around, maybe things wouldn’t be absolutely terrible.

She still kept quiet among the rest of the crew. Lemon would occasionally try to engage in a conversation, but most instances continued to prove they were one-sided with Twilight doing most of the listening. Sugarcoat continued to glare at her anytime they crossed paths. At least now Twilight had some inkling of why Sugarcoat didn’t like her. Having to escort the black sheep and then being chased down by rival pirates probably left a bitter taste in one’s mouth.

Sunset stuck primarily to her room. When she did come out, her black cloak covered her entire body once more. Twilight didn’t complain. Resentment coated her heart like gunpowder, and Sunset was the spark. Twilight could only hope the next time they came in contact, she didn’t explode and say something regrettable.

On their fourth day since departing the archipelago, Twilight found her mundane routine broken by Sunset’s impromptu entrance onto the main deck.

“Batten down the hatches and roll up the sails!” she shouted. “There’s a storm coming!”

Twilight looked out at the sea, glittering under the sun with clouds scattered few and far between. “Are you sure? There’s no sign of any storm activity.”

“I’m sorry, have you spent the last century and a half sailing the open sea and memorizing weather and current patterns?” Sunset asked, not bothering to look at Twilight.

“Well, no—”

“Then do as I say and brace for a storm.” She turned with a flourish of her cloak and returned to her room.

Twilight sucked her teeth but did as told, following Indigo’s instructions to secure the mainstay and tighten down the crates and cannons on deck. The red sails rolled up and the Crimson Heart sat in the open water. Darker clouds slowly moved in from the north and as they crept closer, the waves turned choppy, rolling the ship from side-to-side. The first drop of rain hit Twilight’s lens. She held her hand out and felt another land in her palm. The clouds hadn’t overtaken them yet, but raindrops the size of coins descended upon them.

A wave of dark gray washed over the sky, drowning out the sun and leaving the Crimson Heart in shadows. A fierce wind howled, ripping past Twilight, threatening to toss her overboard. As if to balance out the wind’s shoving, the ocean sent a wave crashing into the ship from the opposite direction. Twilight staggered, staying on her feet by flailing her arms. The sea sprayed a layer of its salty spit over the deck, and when the wind blew again, Twilight lost her balance and landed on her bottom.

“Quit your lollygagging, Sparkle and help tie the mast down!” Indigo shouted over the ever-growing roar of the storm.

Twilight rushed up, being careful not to slip a second time. A clap of thunder made her jump, and her heart began to beat irregularly. It’s going to be fine. You’re going to be fine. It’s a small storm. As if insulted, a massive wave hammered into the ship, sending it careening to the side. Shouts went up, and the crew scrambled to the side that wasn’t teetering toward the churning abyss.

The clouds had eaten the entire sky now, leaving them in a darkness as thick as night. A feral roar sounded across the ocean, raising the wet hairs on the back of Twilight’s neck. A jagged tongue of lightning struck out across the roiling sky, and Twilight froze in her haste to Indigo’s side.

She lost her grip on the railing, falling into the waiting maw of the ocean. Water tossed her every which way; she couldn’t see the surface, she couldn’t breathe! She stroked her arms as hard as she could, but the current proved stronger, pulling her deeper into a watery grave.

Twilight gripped her chest, desperately trying to suck down air but getting only lungfuls of water. The world dimmed, everything faded away, including her thoughts. Mommy, please, help!

“Sparkle!”

A flash of lightning burned its after image into Twilight’s eyes. She rubbed the sharp line out, regaining her senses as the wind and rain howled around her. She took several short breaths, savoring the oxygen supplied to her lungs, even if it was littered with hundreds of raindrops. Through her rain soaked glasses, she could make out Indigo’s blurry outline, no doubt glaring at her. Twilight thought she heard her say something, but it was lost over another clap of thunder.

Twilight resumed her assigned task and grabbed onto the rope Indigo pulled on. The rough fiber burned against Twilight’s slick palms, but it provided a decent grip even under the torrent. She heaved with as much strength as she could muster, focusing her every thought on securing the line. You’re going to be fine. You’re going to be fine. Teeth chattering, heart pounding, vision blurry, Twilight had to fight to stay in control.

“We’re clear, Sparkle!” Indigo shouted.

Just as Twilight released the rope, the ship jumped, and Twilight floated in the air. Lightning arched overhead, landing somewhere in the water to her right. She hit the deck, wheezing between hyperventilation. The sky looked fine a few hours ago! What happened? Where’s Mom? She sat up and looked about, finding only grim splotches. Taking off her glasses, everything changed to blurry outlines. She ran a thumb across her lenses, allowing her to see for a second before the rain muddled everything again. In that brief window, she saw Sunset at the wheel, fighting it with fierce determination.

“Keep away from the sides if you don’t want to meet Davy Jones early! Resecure that cannon before it rolls away! Look lively if you want to live and see the sun again!” Sunset’s voice broke through even the loudest roar of thunder. Firm, commanding, unflinching, even against the wild beasts rampaging in the sky above and the sea below.

Both beasts tossed harder, throwing wave upon wave and gusting gale upon gale against the Crimson Heart. Claws of water reached over the sides and tore into the deck. Lightning lit up the world for a brief moment, and when it faded, Twilight swore it was darker than before. The blobs of people lost their color, becoming gray silhouettes against a black backdrop.

Twilight continued to run her fingers over her glasses so she could get a better look, if only for just a second. Being able to see the calamity around her proved slightly better for her nerves than having no idea what was happening. Oddly enough, Sunset’s forceful voice giving commands kept Twilight grounded as well. I’m going to be fine. Sunset knows what she’s doing.

The ocean swelled and heaved again, tossing the ship like a toy boat. Twilight slid back and hit the railing while her mind continued into the black waves. Her hand brushed the surface, but another wave forced her further down. Darkness surrounded her, choked her. She screamed, eliciting only bubbles. She kicked as hard as she could, begging for air, for light!

“Secure the bottom rigging! Now!”

Sunset’s voice grabbed Twilight and forced her back to the present. The ship had steadied itself again, and Twilight hurried from its side before she got swept away. She crashed into someone and hit the drenched deck with a wet thwack! Rubbing her lenses down, Twilight saw she had hit Sugarcoat, also in the middle of wiping off her lenses. They looked at each other through their bleary vision, and a look of understanding passed between them. Sugarcoat said nothing, but Twilight swore she saw her nod her head before hurrying to the rigging.

With her temporary sight, Twilight saw Pipsqueak on the other side of the ship. He cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted something just as another wave smashed into them. Twilight fell to her knees, and when she looked up, Pip had vanished.

“Pip? Pip! Pipsqueak!” Twilight could barely hear her own cries. She furiously wiped her glasses and whipped her head around, but the little one was nowhere to be seen. She ran to the side where he had been standing and looked into the black ink, nearly indistinguishable from the sky. Before the rain obscured her vision, she saw a red bandana floating in the darkness. “Pip!”

Twilight swung her head around and called for help, but no one seemed to have noticed the boy overboard. She didn’t know what thought ran through her head, or if there were any thoughts at all, but she jumped onto the railing and dove into the roaring water. The second she hit the waves, her mind threw her back in time. Her body froze, both from the freezing temperature and the overpowering fear. Why had she dived into the darkness? What purpose had this served? Submerged in her watery grave, Twilight could do nothing but allow herself to be tossed like a ragdoll. Pressure constricted her chest, stopping her from breathing in or out. Her eyes remained wide open, and she occasionally saw flashes of light.

Mommy… I don’t want to die.

Something snapped in Twilight’s mind, and a long stream of bubbles flew from her mouth as she silently screamed. No! No! I don’t want to die like this! Not like this again! No! No! She flailed her arms, trying to reach what she prayed was the surface. But what about Pipsqueak? He was the reason she had dived in the first place! But Twilight could barely see anything. She wanted to live! She needed to get out of the storm!

The crushing pressure. Water on every side. The closing darkness. It was all too familiar to Twilight. She began to hyperventilate, swallowing mouthfuls of water. The salt burned her throat and clouded her disconnected thoughts. Stop… stop breathing. Swim up! Up! Her arms moved in slow motion, and just like before, the current pulled at her ankles and yanked her down, eager to continue its embrace forever.

No… Please… Twilight remembered faintly how someone had taken her hand as her mind faded out. She remembered flying until she hit sand and woke up on a beach. She stared up at the stormy sky, rain falling on her glasses. How had she managed not to lose those? It’s funny what your last thoughts are. Twilight took a deep breath through her nose. This all feels so real.

She sat up and threw up a deluge of water before coughing and spluttering. Her hand brushed against the hardwood deck. This wasn’t a memory, someone had grabbed her again and brought her back from the brink of death.

Loud coughs and splutters next to her revealed a drenched and shaking Pip on his hands and knees. Twilight tried to say something but another expulsion of water stopped her.

A hand wrapped around her upper arm and hoisted her to her feet. By the high level of warmth it radiated, Twilight knew who it belonged to. She allowed Sunset to lead her inside the ship then into the captain’s quarters. She was pushed into a chair and a blanket dropped over her. To her left, Twilight saw Pip receive the same treatment.

“What happened?” Sunset’s voice drove away the remaining fog in Twilight’s head. She wiped her glasses down one more time, leaving streaks behind. Sunset had her hood down and she sat on the corner of her desk.

“I saw Pip go overboard, so I tried to save him,” Twilight said, unable to get her voice higher than a whisper.

“You mean you jumped into stormy waters with no visibility and no line to help you get back?” Sunset’s calm voice had a testy edge to it.

Twilight’s voice failed her. When laid out like that, of course it seemed foolhardy.

Sunset turned her gaze to Pip. “Are you okay?”

Teeth chattering and body shaking, Pip nodded his head. “Th-thanks to y-you, C-Captain.”

Sunset flashed him a quick smile. “Stay below deck and get dry. I’m not fishing for you again.”

“Aye-aye, C-captain!” Pip saluted then tightened the blanket around himself and hurried out. Twilight wished he had stayed. As damp as her spirits—including her anger—were, she didn’t want to be in a room alone with Sunset.

Crossing her arms, Sunset looked down on Twilight. “I should emphasize the fact that our deal is broken if you die in any way, accident or not. If I don’t get my wish, someone is going to pay, and I’d hate for it to be your brother.”

Twilight huddled underneath her blanket. “What was I supposed to do? None of you had noticed. If I had gone to get you, he could have been at the bottom of the sea by then.”

“And what were you going to do if you did manage to reach him, hm?” Sunset raised her voice a level. “Were you going to swim against the tide and climb your way back onto the ship with Pip on your back?”

“I don’t know! I had to do something!”

“And what you did was reckless and stupid!” Sunset got off her desk and threw an arm out. “I admired you for your intellect and daring, but perhaps I was wrong!”

“And I thought maybe there was something still human underneath that appearance, but perhaps I was wrong!” Twilight had stood and knocked her chair back. She thought her dip in the ocean had made the powder of resentment damp and unusable, but the spark Sunset provided proved more powerful than Twilight had imagined. “Maybe there’s only a selfish demon after all!”

Sunset raised her hand, and Twilight flinched back, waiting for the strike.

“Get. Out.”

Twilight opened an eye. Sunset’s hand still hovered overhead, but her eyes were squeezed shut and her teeth gnashed together. “Get out of my sight, Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight turned on her heel and stormed out, slamming the door shut behind her. Once on the other side, she raised a hand to her head and let out a long sigh. “I shouldn’t have said that. She saved Pipsqueak’s life.” Twilight groaned. “Why am I feeling guilty? I wasn't wrong. She’s selfish and cruel and…” Twilight stomped down the stairs and entered her room. “Oh!”

Pip sat in the corner. “Um, hi,” he said shyly. “I just… wanted to thank you for trying to save me.”

“You’re welcome. I just wish it had turned out a little better.” Twilight collapsed into her hammock. “You are okay, right?”

He gave a shaky nod. “I’ll be fine. Are you okay?”

Twilight stared at a knot in the floor. She had just had a second scrape with death in the one fashion that traumatized her and scarred her for life. She had yelled at her captor and almost been hit. ‘Okay’ wasn’t a word Twilight would use, but she couldn’t unload all that onto a child. “Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

Pipsqueak stood up and gave Twilight a tight hug. Despite both of them being soaked to the bone, the hug contained all the warmth Twilight needed. “Good night, Twilight.”

“Good night, Pip.” She watched him exit, leaving the room quiet save for the settling storm outside. Another storm stirred in Twilight’s heart. Sunset had only saved Twilight’s life out of necessity for her own plans. But she had also saved Pip…. And this was the second time Sunset had saved Twilight’s life.

Twilight remembered the other instance a hand had pulled her from the water. For her entire life, she had wondered how she had survived the storm that had taken her mother and everyone else on the expedition. The answer now sat on the deck above her. Now Twilight had to only question why?

Was there some sort of divine fate transpiring? Were she and Sunset destined to meet again so Sunset could use her as a pawn? If not that, then why did Sunset save her all those years ago?

A riddle. Sunset was a riddle that dominated Twilight’s thoughts. Taking Pip in, treating her crew like dirt, her odd, disjointed laugh, her maniacal violence, her daring rescue.

“Sunset Shimmer… who are you?”

Chapter X: Silent and Passionate Sea

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Since her only outfit had an impromptu wash on top of being torn and covered in dirt and blood, Twilight had been given a spare set of clothing which consisted of an itchy beige shirt, a short jacket, and some trousers. At least she didn’t look like she had been kidnapped from her home anymore.

The storm had passed, and though the ship had taken on some water and a cannon had been lost, everyone on board survived. The day after boasted blue skies and calm winds, like the storm had never even happened. According to Sunset, they had been thrown off course by a day or so, not that it mattered much to Twilight. It just meant an extra day before Sunset interrogated her about the next key.

With no map and only one book to read, Twilight spent any free moments she had staring listlessly at the ocean, usually from the comfort of her room where no one bothered her. She enjoyed her time alone, but couldn’t deny that keeping busy stopped her from becoming bored. She could only get lost in the wonderful world of translation scriptures so many times. At least when she had the map, there was always some new detail she could focus on.

Its image solidified itself in her mind. She hadn’t been lying when she told Sunset she had memorized all of it. Staring at it for days on end coupled with her perfect memory gave her a clear sight of every island, every rune, every stain, every tear. Fascinating and fun to think upon to be sure, but Twilight needed something else to occupy her thoughts.

Something that wasn’t Sunset.

Every time Twilight thought about her, she clenched her fists in confusion, anger, and annoyance over the two aforementioned feelings. Yet she couldn’t stop dwelling on Sunset’s actions and mannerisms and mood shifts. It was like Sunset had two different personalities. Calm, near emotionless, and caring just enough to preserve the lives of those around her for further use. Then, there was angry Sunset, violent, spiteful, and willing to destroy entire ships to get what she wanted.

Neither of them were great, but at least in the calm persona, Twilight occasionally saw some humanity. She shook her head. Here she was again, thinking about Sunset and her perplexities. Twilight had better things to do than ponder what went on in Sunset’s head.

She pressed her forehead against the wood next to the port hole. No she didn’t. Without a book in front of her, Twilight only had her idle thoughts, and they kept drifting back to her demon captor. Twilight had almost become numb to the fact Sunset was actually a demon, save for when she remembered her bouts of fury and fiery destruction. Sunset’s apathy just made her out to be a bitter woman with red skin and hair that danced like fire.

Twilight raised her head and stretched her arms out, feeling a powerful knot in her shoulder. All of her new chores had left her sore in too many places. She didn’t say a peep though. The last thing she wanted was ridicule from anyone about her being weak, even if she wanted to collapse and sleep for three days straight.

An actual meal sounds really good, too. Twilight returned above deck, her break being nearly exhausted. The work pace around the ship moved calmly in the late afternoon. After cleanup from the turbulent storm, no one seemed interested in doing more than they had to. The Crimson Heart bobbed along the waves, the wind blowing against them. On the horizon, Twilight made out a tiny spit of land.

Half an hour later, when the island had only moved a few inches closer, Pip shouted, “Land ho!” from the crow’s nest. A few heads turned but no one gave the silhouette too much attention.

The sun had almost completely fallen before they got a good look at it. Even up close, the island was still disappointingly small. It had a tiny port with only fishing boats, a few shops and houses, and an inn. When they were close to making land, Sunset stood at the helm of the ship. She cleared her throat, and all eyes turned on her.

“Mercay Island may be small, but it’s also unprotected.” She waved an arm toward the island. “Go take a walk and do what you will. Just make sure to bring any leftovers you find back to the ship.”

The crew gave a rowdy cheer and readied the gangplank, pushing and shoving over each other to reach land. Twilight watched them file off, having no desire to see them ransack a poor village. A profound emptiness filled her stomach, and it wasn’t due to her lack of nutrition. Was there anything she could do to help these villagers from the pirate attack? As Sunset’s crew stormed off into the town, whooping and hollering, she found her answer.

She lowered her head, defeated before she even had a chance to fight. The only thing she could do was pledge not to join in the bedlam. No, now would be a good time to catch up on her sleep. Twilight headed for the cabin door, her eyes briefly looking over Sunset as she gazed out at the orange ocean.

Twilight grunted and continued below deck. She kicked off her shoes, fluffed her pillow, and got as comfortable as she could in her hammock. The netting and the way it rocked whenever Twilight moved never got better, but at least she had learned not to fall out. She closed her eyes, pretending it was her bed back home, and Shining had just kissed her goodnight. A warm comfort and a heartbreak at the same time. The comfort won out though and took Twilight into the folds of slumber.

She dreamed, but she didn’t feel like she had been asleep very long. Her eyes fluttered open, finding only more darkness. She sat up and yawned, exhaustion pulling harder at her eyes now that she had a taste of rest. A quick glance out her window told her it was the dead of night. Twilight laid her head back down and closed her eyes, but in the blissful quiet, she heard a soft strumming.

Raising her head up again and tuning her ears, Twilight deduced the noise originated from somewhere above her. The strums were slow and soft enough that, if the world had not hushed to listen, Twilight wouldn’t have heard it. Curiosity drove her to examine what it was, so she slipped her shoes on and navigated her way through the dark corridor and headed upstairs.

Upon opening the door to the deck, the melancholy of a strumming guitar brushed her ears. She lifted her head to the crow’s nest, where Sunset leaned against the mast, her wings to Twilight and her face to the pale full moon. From her lips came a slow song, sung by, what Twilight would describe as, a mourning angel.

“Somewhere out there,

“There’s a place for me,

“Somewhere across,

“The shimmering sea.

“See how it sparkles?

“See how it shines?

“A treasure like that,

“Could never be mine.

“Where has it gone,

“The lost piece of me?

“It’s somewhere across,

“The shimmering sea.

“My search goes on,

“Day after day.

“Have you seen it,

“My heart gone astray?

“Somewhere out there,

“It’s waiting for me.

“My lost piece of light,

“Across the shimmering sea.”

Twilight leaned against the frame of the door, trying to picture such heartfelt lyrics lifting out of Sunset’s mouth. Closing her eyes, Twilight saw not the demon, but the crimson and gold haired girl from her book. She breathed in the wistful emotions Sunset poured out of her song. The lyrics ended, but she continued to strum.

A snap and a discordant chord rang out across the boat, making Twilight jump. She landed, the wood creaking beneath her. Twilight froze, her hand on the door, praying Sunset would just dismiss the noise as one of the ships bodily sounds.

Sunset wasn’t so easily fooled, however. She sighed and set her guitar down. “What do you want, Miss Sparkle?”

“N-nothing!” Twilight said quickly. “I just… I heard a noise and I came to see what it was and…” She cleared her throat. “You have a really nice voice.”

Sunset looked over her shoulder, her red face looking more pink in the moonlight. She looked annoyed, but an honest, “Thank you,” passed through her lips, even if it sounded a little forced. She looked back to the moon. “I shouldn’t be surprised you stayed on the ship tonight.”

Twilight folded her arms in front of her. “I want no part in whatever they’re doing to that poor town.”

“Well, it’s not on fire. So it can’t be as bad as you assume.”

True enough, the town seemed mostly quiet save for a small ruckus coming from the inn. Either way, Twilight stood by her words. “Why didn’t you go join them?”

“Someone has to watch the ship. Who better qualified than its captain?” She sighed. “I would just ruin their experience anyway. No, my plundering and pillaging days are over.”

One less pirate to pillage villages was a good thing, but with the surrender in Sunset’s voice, Twilight couldn’t help but feel bad for her.

“Don’t pity me, Twilight Sparkle.”

“Wah! But, h-how—”

“It’s in your nature. I can tell. Every bit of sentiment and sadness tugs at your heartstrings.” It happened again. Sunset let out her broken and stuttered laugh. “That you feel sadness at everything is, in itself, sad.”

Twilight’s cheeks burned. “Yeah? Well, at least I feel something other than anger or nothing at all! The second something makes you mad, threatening or killing them is your go-to answer!”

Sunset became perfectly still, and Twilight knew she had overstepped her bounds again. In one swift motion, Sunset leaped from the crow’s nest, swooped around, and landed in front of Twilight, towering over her. Silhouetted by the moon behind her, her blue eyes glowed with a haunting light. “You love to test me, don’t you, Sparkle?”

Her dry mouth failed to produce any sort of response other than wordless gaping.

“You’re right. I feel nothing. I have to feel nothing,” she said in a low voice, her monotone punctuating her words. “Do you know the full extent of my curse, Twilight Sparkle? Do you think an ugly appearance and fire powers are all I got?” Her wings unfurled, blocking the light of the moon and consuming Twilight in shadow. “I wish that was all this accursed crown had done to me. I fight every day to keep my emotions in check, Sparkle. I can’t let myself feel fear or pain or sadness or anger. I can’t indulge in these powers I’ve been given, otherwise, I lose control. I lose control to the true demon sleeping inside me. The one that would like nothing more than to set the world on fire and watch it burn while she laughed in delight. A demon born of my malice and avarice and lust for power.”

Sunset retracted her wings and turned toward the front of the ship, her tail swishing behind her. “I’m immortal in every sense of the word. I have lived over a century in this form, never aging, never falling ill to any disease. I have been shot and stabbed and drowned, yet I always wake up again.” She lifted her claws and examined them. “A hundred years of aimless sailing… of trying to find some point to life after all my friends have been murdered. Of trying to find an adventure worthy of my time. Joy and excitement and surprise have all left me as well.” She whipped back around. As much as she was trying to fight it, Twilight could hear emotion leaking into her words. “So yes, Twilight Sparkle, I have no emotions to give, and the ones I do, you don’t want to see. I look upon you and see your noble heart weep for the sorrows of this world and I am torn between being grateful my heart is stone and being envious that you feel something.”

The ensuing silence was poignant with Twilight at a loss for words, and Sunset staring her down, daring her to say she was sorry. Twilight did genuinely feel for her. Those explosive outbursts, the dual-tone in Sunset’s voice, those haunting eyes. That had been a different Sunset Shimmer in some way. She lost her humanity in those moments, something she clung desperately to if the shame Twilight had seen after the night at Hollow Shoals was anything to go by.

“I…” Twilight chose her words carefully. “I apologize for what I said last night. I was mad but I shouldn’t have called you a selfish demon.”

Sunset grunted and moved to the side of the ship, looking out across the still water. “You’re the only person I’ve met who would apologize after calling me a demon. You’re far too kind for your own good.” She sighed. “We’re all slaves to our emotions in the end. The heart can be a cruel thing.”

“Maybe.” Twilight joined Sunset in looking at the moonlit sea. “But it’s what makes us human. I know you’ve lived a long time, but there are still reasons to be excited or happy.”

“I find them few and far between.” She ran a hand across the rail. “My only joy comes from having my ship, the only companion to keep me company through these long years.”

“See? That’s something, isn’t it?”

Sunset smirked and looked down at her. “You’re surprisingly optimistic and kind for someone in your position. You do remember where you are, correct?”

Twilight frowned and bowed her head. “Yes, I’m well aware of where I am and how I got here.” She turned away. “You’re right. Maybe I am too nice for my own good. I don’t know why I’m trying to comfort you.”

“That makes two of us. Though if it helps your over-inflated heart, the sentiment is… appreciated,” Sunset said genuinely. “Pipsqueak is the only one around here who shows me any kindness.”

Twilight looked over her shoulder, softening her hard expression. “You’re welcome. Maybe if you didn’t try to instill fear in everyone, they’d show you some more compassion.”

Sunset narrowed her eyes. “Mind your boundaries, Sparkle.”

“Sorry,” Twilight said, flinching back.

Sunset folded her arms behind her back. “A captain has to run a tight ship. She has to make sure they know who’s in charge. And with the way I look…” Her voice grew softer. “You think they’d respect me if I was soft with them?”

Twilight honestly thought they would, but perhaps that was her naivete. The two stood side-by-side in silence, and Twilight wondered what thoughts ran through Sunset’s head. She also wondered what she was doing out here talking and even comforting her captor. Anger, bitterness, resentment? No, those emotions were absent now. Maybe her lack of experience with them made them hard to hold onto. Her heart still ached at the thought of Shining, and she quietly fumed at the way she had been ripped away from him. But she had no direction to point her anger in. Sunset wasn’t entirely at fault, she had been consumed by otherworldly anger at the time. Though Twilight reasoned the events would have played out the same regardless, just perhaps with fewer death threats.

Still, the embers of anger were weak tonight. Twilight could talk to Sunset on a human level, and while they had drastically different worldviews, it was nice to talk and be heard rather than yell or be given commands. And as jaded as Sunset was, at least Twilight now understood why. That understanding laid a strong foundation for sympathy, whether or not Sunset wanted it.

Twilight looked down at the water, listening to the waves lap against the side of the ship. She laid one hand on top of the other and bit her bottom lip. “Sunset…”

“Captain.”

“Sorry, right.” The interruption derailed Twilight’s slow building confidence. She wet the inside of her mouth and tried again. “Last night… you saved me from the storm.”

“Aye?” Sunset raised an eyebrow.

“Well… that jogged a memory I’ve had ever since I was little. My mother and I went on an expedition to update some sea charts. On our way home, a storm hit and destroyed our boat. I thought that was the end for me.” Twilight gripped her hands. “But as I sank into the ocean, before I blacked out, I remembered a hand grabbing hold of my wrist. I remembered the sensation of flying through the sky. When I woke up on the beach and the navy found me, they had no idea how I could have survived.” She lifted her head and locked eyes with Sunset. “But last night, you grabbed my wrist and I felt the sensation of flying again. It was you all those years ago, wasn’t it? You saved me from the storm.”

Sunset looked away, her mouth flat and her eyes unreadable. The longer she didn’t speak, the more the question ate at Twilight. It demanded an answer. She demanded an answer! Twilight opened her mouth, ready to yell again, when Sunset spoke. “Yes,” she said, so soft, Twilight barely heard it. “I pulled you out of the water.”

There it was. Confirmation and closure Twilight didn’t know she needed until yesterday. She had always thought it had been a miracle. In some ways, it still was. “Why?”

Sunset shrugged. “I was out flying. I like flying on stormy days. Closest thing to excitement I can find. I saw a broken ship and a girl fighting for her life, so I decided to show mercy.” She returned her gaze to Twilight. “I should be thankful I did.”

“Weren’t you the one who told me the world was cruel and unforgiving?”

“It is. But…” A smile graced Sunset’s lips. “I have a soft spot for children. If it’ll help them avoid the cruelties of the world for a little while longer, then I’ll lend a hand.”

“Is that why you let Pip stay?”

Sunset’s smile grew a little wider. “He wanted to be a pirate. Who am I to say no?”

Twilight unclenched her fingers. “Thank you for saving me. Both times, I guess.”

“Mmm.”

So that was it. Twilight lived thanks to Sunset’s mercy. Did that mean Twilight owed her a debt? Was this the universe making sure Twilight evened out the scales of karma? She looked up to the stars glittering overhead. The light of the moon dulled some of the weaker stars, but they littered the sky, and constellations jumped out at Twilight.

Sunset must have noticed her stargazing. She pointed to the northwest. “Look, you can see all of Hydra tonight.” Twilight followed her finger as it traced the long serpentine constellation.

“Wow,” Twilight breathed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen all of it.”

“Do you know the story behind it? It’s one of my favorites.”

Twilight eagerly nodded her head. “There once lived a beast with two heads that terrorized an entire city, stalking the night and eating travelers who strayed too far. It hid in the nearby swamp, its mottled skin blending in with the muck,” Twilight said, enthusiastically wiggling her fingers as she got into the story. “The people of the city were scared to leave, and merchants were scared to travel there. Everyone feared they would soon starve to death.

“Then, along came the hero, Flash Magnus, who had heard of the city’s plight. Armed with only his sword, shield, and his legendary reflexes, he ventured forth into the swamp!” Twilight pretended to hold a sword and shield up. “He wandered through the bog, gazing through the dizzying swamp gas to find the Hydra before it found him. As he stepped over a soggy piece of earth, it trembled and rolled beneath him. There it was, the two heads of the Hydra, saliva dripping from its mouths!

“Flash readied his sword and dodged the first head! Then he blocked the second with his shield, looped around and slice! Off goes the first head! The Hydra roared in agony and collapsed to the ground, and Flash thought his task nearly done. But as he stepped up to cut off the other head, the neck of the second bubbled, and before his eyes, two heads sprouted from where the one had been!” Twilight raised her arms and pinched her fingers together. She didn’t know why she was getting so into this, but Sunset watched her with a wide grin on her face. Twilight continued, “Faced with three angry heads, Flash retreated to higher ground, avoiding the vicious teeth! He ducked under a tree while the Hydra tried to smash through it. It left it stunned, allowing Flash to swing his sword and cut another head off. But his action would be his folly, for a few seconds later, two more heads sprouted! Faced with a seemingly unkillable enemy, Flash’s courage began to wane. How could he kill something that refused to die?”

“Ah, and there lies the heart of the legend!” Sunset said, taking over with a flourished wave of her hand. “Flash Magnus realized that he could not behead the beast, and he could never reach its heart. The best thing he could do was seal it away, and he had just the plan to do it. The swamp he stood on was active and known for its powerful geysers that could send a castle skyward if disturbed enough. Flash led the great behemoth on a wild chase through the swamp, ducking and weaving through the thick underbrush, always staying just a hair’s breadth from the Hydra’s jaws. They stomped and trampled and tromped across the muddy swamp until Flash led the monster to the geyser field. Out in the open, Flash knew he was at the monster’s mercy. It would take timing and luck to get out of this alive.

“Flash raised his sword and shield again, feeling the ground beneath him begin to bubble. He deflected each of the heads with deft skill, blocking one head while stabbing at another!” Sunset mimicked Flash’s actions, earning a giggle from Twilight. “He stood his ground, feeling it shake and writhe. Bubbles burbled from below, but still, he didn’t move. All four heads of the Hydra reared back for one united strike, one Flash had no hope of blocking. He grit his teeth. It was now or never! As the heads came down, Flash jumped back, throwing himself as far as he could. Some say he even flew at that moment. The Hydra crashed into the mud with a mighty force. And that force was enough to set off the geyser building below. With a mighty bellow, the geyser exploded, sending the Hydra up, up, up into the sky!” Sunset stretched her arm out to to the stars. “The Hydra became trapped there, unable to find a way to climb down.” She pointed to the cluster of four stars at the top of the constellation. “There are its heads, still writhing in anger.”

Twilight held her hand over her mouth, laughing as Sunset concluded the fable. Sunset joined in, her broken laugh sounding a little more whole and practiced. “You make a good storyteller,” Twilight said once her laughs had subsided.

“As do you.” Sunset kept her eyes on the stars. “You remind me a little of Clover,” she said wistfully.

“Who’s Clover?”

Sunset sighed, bringing her whole body down as she exhaled. “She was my first mate. Clever, she was. Always finding a way to help us get out of messes I usually made. She knew every legend, every star, and every gold piece in our treasury.” Sunset closed her eyes. “I miss her most of all.”

“I’m sorry.”

Sunset kept her eyes closed, her face twitching every few seconds, like she was fighting to recall a bad memory. Twilight wanted to offer some word of comfort, but a yawn rose up and escaped her instead. Sunset snapped out of her trance. “You should get to bed. We set sail at first light.”

Twilight knew she had no room to argue. Her adrenaline from storytelling was gone, reminding her body of just how tired she still was. At best, she’d get a few hours before being rudely awakened.

“I… enjoyed our conversation,” Sunset said, drawing out her words like she wasn’t sure she believed them.

“I did as well.” The night air blew Twilight’s tresses to the side. “It was… fun.” She waved a hand in farewell. “Goodnight… Captain.”

Sunset watched her retreat from the corner of her eye, arms folded behind her back again. “Goodnight… Twilight.”

Chapter XI: A Change in the Tides

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Rarity’s chair squeaked as she leaned back, tilting her head toward the ceiling. She wrapped her curled locks around her index finger and hummed a nameless diddy. A yawn interrupted her chorus, turning into a squeak as it escaped. Judging by how low her candle had burned, the night had worn on quite a bit.

Strewn across the table in front of her were several maps in addition to the one she had relieved from Twilight Sparkle. Being centuries old, Rarity needed to see if anything in the ocean had changed since the map had been drawn up.

She rubbed her eyes, the weariness hitting her all at once. It wouldn’t do for a captain to wake up with bags under her eyes. She gently rolled up the maps and stowed them away in the top drawer. As Rarity pulled off her boots and prepared for bed, someone rapped against her door.

I told Applejack to get some sleep. She’s worrying over nothing. Rarity pulled the door open, finding not her first mate, but Sweetie Belle, rubbing her eyes. “Sweetheart, what’s the matter?”

Sweetie yawned. “I can’t sleep. I keep having weird dreams about ghost ships and a creepy lady.” She turned her adorable green eyes on Rarity. “So, can I sleep with you tonight?”

Rarity couldn’t help but giggle. She took Sweetie by the shoulders and led her inside. “May I sleep with you tonight.”

“I asked you first.”

This time, they both broke into fits of giggles. Sweetie’s laughs doubled when Rarity tickled her sides, punishment for her quip. When Rarity decided her sister had been tortured enough, she gave Sweetie a gentle push toward the bed. “I’ll be along in a second.”

Sweetie curled herself between the satin sheets and quilt blanket while Rarity extinguished the candles, leaving only the natural light the crescent moon provided through the bay window. She tucked herself in next to Sweetie and gave her a kiss on the forehead. “Goodnight, sweetheart.”

“Goodnight, Rarity.” Sweetie yawned and snuggled against Rarity’s shoulder. While many things around them had changed, it moved Rarity to tears that their sisterly bond remained the same.

Rarity’s eyes slid shut, and she found a lullaby in Sweetie’s light snoring. Whatever nightmare had troubled her before, it was long gone now.

Rarity stood on the deck of the Good Fortune, hands on the wheel as she steered it across the night waters. The full moon hovered above her, filling more of the sky than normal. The ship also seemed quieter than usual.

A light fog drifted over the sea, growing steadily thicker as time went on until Rarity believed her ship had taken to sailing on clouds. The moon still shone blindingly from above.

“Do not… continue…” a voice drifted out of the fog.

“Who’s there?” Rarity asked, taking her hands off the wheel. As hard as she looked, she couldn’t divine anything beyond the gray veil.

“Do not follow my map.” The voice sounded distressed, filled with sorrow. “Please…”

“Where are you? Who are you?” On her left, the silhouette of a ship appeared. It’s sails looked torn and there appeared to only be one person aboard, standing at the bow.

“Please… do not follow the map. There are no dreams… only darkness…”

Rarity squinted her eyes, trying to see the person better, but the harder she tried, the more obscured they became. They drifted further away, taking the fog with them.

Rarity opened her eyes, a chill running down her spine. By the way darkness still enveloped her room, Rarity guessed she hadn’t been asleep long. She placed a hand over her heart, willing it to slow down. Goosebumps clung to her forearms in spite of the warmth Sweetie provided.

The dream, while being blurry and gray, remained squarely at the forefront of her mind. The voice, pained and urgent, repeated its message over and over again in Rarity’s ears.

Being careful not to wake Sweetie, Rarity gently slid out of bed, moving her sister’s arm up to the pillow, which she quickly clung to. Rarity walked over to her desk and pulled the treasure map out of the drawer. Feeling the old parchment between her fingers, the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Something lingered in the map, something that hadn’t been there before. Rarity stared hard at it. Could it be haunted? She knew better than to dismiss tales of cursed treasure and ghost ships, her encounters with Sunset had been lesson enough.

From the corner of her eye, Rarity saw a darker shadow out on the water, but when she turned to face it, it had vanished. She pursed her lips and set the map back in its place. Haunted or not, I won’t let it get the best of me. Of course a treasure like this would have a few hurdles to overcome. Rarity got back into bed and let Sweetie’s arm fall across her face. While usually annoyed by Sweetie’s sleep-flailing, Rarity took the close contact as a comfort.

******

Am I a hypocrite?

Shining sat at his desk, head in his hands, his default position for the last four days. His chin had started to sprout stubble and the rest of his hair sat upon his head in a disheveled tangle.

His mind had wandered adrift for the better part of his solitude; his thoughts lost in dark and cold fog. His heart drowned in a churning ocean of sorrow, dropped into the deepest chasm of regret and failure.

Failure.

No one had said it, but that’s what he was. His entire support ship was dead, and he had lost one member of his own crew. Most importantly, he had lost his sister. To add insult to the mortal wound, she had given herself up to save him!

It was brave. It was moving. It marked him as a failure. If he couldn’t save his own sister, what kind of officer was he?

A rough and choppy voyage through the turbulent waters of his mind led him back to the question. Am I a hypocrite? He remembered finding Rainbow after their last infamous pirate chase. Staggering drunk, unable to finish a cohesive sentence, crying her eyes out. He told her that was no way to act and that she needed to pull herself together.

Here he sat, not drunk on alcohol, but on emotion. Shut off from the world to perpetually mourn. He couldn’t go on like this. But knowing he would never see Twilight again…. He slid his hand up and down his face, finding a few tears. The idea hurt him more than any bullet wound or gash with a saber.

What do I do now?

The question buried itself in the center of his mind, an island that his thoughts circled around, keeping it in sight but never daring to explore it. He glanced at it through a spyglass. He didn’t know. Maybe he didn’t want to know. How could he go on like nothing was wrong when his baby sister was enslaved to pirates? Immortal, demon pirates.

A harsh, hysterical bark of laughter escaped his dry throat. Once upon a time, everything had made sense. Shining upheld order, bringing supplies to islands in need, stopping pirates, and occasionally fending off some of the larger beasts of the deep. Then Sunset Shimmer walked out of the pages of folklore. Did this mean Sirens and seafolk were real too? Had the ocean gods really existed? Were the stories told from sailors from the distant parts of the sea true?

What did it matter now? Unless some legend existed that told him how to beat Sunset and save Twilight, Shining couldn’t bring himself to care.

Another mournful sigh rose in his breast, and he released it slowly, running his hands back over his head and down the nape of his neck. I can’t stay in here forever. But I don’t know what to do. Four days he’d been stalling, drowning in his sorrow. Moving on felt so wrong. It felt more twisted and broken then when he had done it before. When his mother had died, it had been a hollow, empty feeling. One day she had been there for him. Then she went out and never came home. It hadn’t been easy, but she traveled frequently. Shining just had to pretend she had gone on a very long trip. When their father passed away from sickness, it had been a building anticipation. Shining had time to prepare for this loss when it became evident Night Light wouldn’t make it.

This time, Twilight, who had been a constant in his life, who he could confide all his pain as he did for her, had been ripped away before his very eyes. Perhaps it was the fact that he knew she wasn’t dead that made it impossible to look forward. Every instinct in his body told him to go charging after her. But the look in Sunset Shimmer’s eyes… and the fire in her hands…. It was suicide.

Bam, bam, bam!

Shining jerked his head up, hand reaching for his revolver still strapped to his hip.

“Captain!” Rainbow’s scratchy voice came through the wooden door. “Open up! We need to talk!”

“R-Rainbow, you can’t address him like that!” Fluttershy’s urgent whisper managed to find its way to Shining’s ears as well. “Especially now, after…”

“Well if he wants to come mark me for it, he needs to face me!”

Shining scooted his chair back and got up from his desk as Rainbow started pounding the door again. He threw it open just as Rainbow drew her fist back. “What is it, Dash?” he asked, his voice hoarse.

Rainbow lowered her fist and straightened her back. “We’ve been docked here in this town for three days, and fine, before you ask, yes I went and got a little drunk on the first night.”

Fluttershy mumbled about it being more than a ‘little’.

“But you’ve been cooped up in your room the entire time!” she said, casting an irritated glance at Fluttershy. “I know what happened sucked—I’m not understating that. But we can’t just sit here forever. Sir,” she finished, lowering her voice.

Shining sighed, finding an answer to his first question. He wanted to tell her to get lost and let him mourn, similar words she had said to him a year ago. Instead, he opened the door further and gestured for them to enter. He returned to his chair and collapsed into it, massaging his temples. “What are they saying out there?”

Rainbow took a seat in one of the smaller chairs across the desk. “A lot of them know you have a right to be angry. But they also want to know why we haven’t gone back to Canterlot yet. Or why we haven’t done anything yet.”

“They’re worried about you, Captain,” Fluttershy said. “We’ve never seen you like this. I know you’re sad. I’m sad too. But I’m also worried about your health. Have you eaten anything at all recently?”

Shining had to pause and think. And as the seconds wore on, he knew he hadn’t eaten anything in a good while. He didn’t feel hungry, but he certainly felt weak.

Fluttershy gave him a stern look. “I’ll be back with some fruits and bread. I know this is difficult, but you need to eat.” She turned on her heel and marched out the door. Timid as she could be, Shining saw in her what other naval officers overlooked: her compassionate heart.

Rainbow tried to look Shining in the eye, but he kept his gaze down on his desk. “Captain—”

“Lieutenant, I know what you’re going to say.”

“Then let me say it,” Rainbow said firmly. “Because this is for your own good.” She took a deep breath and clenched her fists resting in her lap. “Our last rescue mission… when we tried to save those families from being sold as slaves. And we almost did it too.” Rainbow closed her eyes as her voice cracked. “We saved everyone except those girl’s parents. The pirates thought it’d be better to kill them than let us get the satisfaction of completely beating them. And she saw it—dammit, Shining, she saw them go down!” Tears flowed down Rainbow’s face. “And I had to carry her back to the ship while she cried the entire time. She had looked at us like we were heroes when we came to save her. Then… that dead look she had. I still see it when I go to sleep, Captain.”

“I know you do, Rainbow.”

“And you told me the pain I felt made me human. And that it should drive me to do better so that no one else would have to lose family members like that girl.”

“And I guess you’re here to tell me the same thing? That I should use this pain to make sure no one else has to go through what I’m going through?”

“No.”

Shining lifted his head. Rainbow was still crying.

“I came to tell you that I’m sorry.” She dropped her head, her bangs falling over her eyes. “I couldn’t prevent you from losing Twilight. I failed. And I’m sorry.”

Shining’s mouth made a small opening through which he breathed softly. “Rainbow… no, it wasn’t your fault. You couldn’t have… none of us could have stopped… her…”

Rainbow wiped her tears and looked at Shining with a flicker of fire. “Then you can’t blame yourself either. She’s a demon. An actual fire-throwing demon. We shot her six times, Captain, and she got up like nothing happened. I know you’re in here mourning, but I also know you’re in here thinking it was your fault. All those nights I sat in the bar, I kept thinking ‘how could I have saved that girl’s parents?’ I still don’t have an answer. But you don’t have to have an answer, Captain. No one could have prevented this.”

“Maybe not.” Shining slumped in his seat. “But I still lost her, Dash. I promised I’d always watch over her. I was saving up so I could move her to Canterlot where she’d be safe. Now she’s gone.”

“Yeah, but she’s still alive. You can still go save her.”

“How?”

Fluttershy knocked before opening the door and stepping inside with a basket of bread and fruits on her arm and a canteen of water in hand. “The crew scavenged this together for you.” She set everything on his desk and pointed at the loaf of bread. “Now, eat and drink up… Sir,” she said with a blush.

Shining did as told, his stomach growling upon seeing food before him. He tore off a piece of bread and chewed it thoughtfully, reflecting on Rainbow’s words. His spiraling stemmed from his failure to protect Twilight. Whether or not it was actually his fault was irrelevant. But like Rainbow said, Twilight was still alive out there, and that fact both drove nails into his heart and filled him with a taunting hope.

He took a massive swig of water and sighed in contentment. “Thank you, Fluttershy.”

She looked away with a bashful blush. “You’re welcome, Captain.”

“Like I said, Sir,” Rainbow continued, “we all know you have a right to mourn. But… we need a direction, an order, something to do. We’re not telling you to move on, but we can’t keep mooching off this tiny town.”

“I know.” Shining glanced out the window, seeing a fraction of the village he had docked them in. Big enough to be included on most maps, but small enough to be overlooked, it was a good place to lay low. Shining knew he still had a job. He still had to report in to Princess Cadence. He just couldn’t find the strength to pen his shortcomings on paper.

Still, he had to do something. He didn’t have to move on, but he had to move forward. But forward to where? He had thoughts and inklings. Dangerous ones at that. Ideas he wouldn’t have considered a week ago. He lifted a red apple from the basket and looked at his faint reflection on its shiny skin. Things had been different a week ago. His world had changed.

Maybe he would have to change with it.

“I appreciate what you both have done,” he said solemnly. “I promise, I’ll have an answer for you tomorrow. Right now, I just need to think on something.”

Fluttershy looked like she wanted to say something, but closed her mouth and nodded. She stood up and waited for Rainbow who watched Shining a little more critically.

“All right,” she said slowly. “Tomorrow.” She got up and followed Fluttershy out the door.

Shining watched it shut behind them. He took a bite from the apple, keeping it pressed against his lips as he chewed. Tomorrow.

******

While Twilight’s lot in life hadn’t changed, she went about it with a different attitude. Because she could no longer point her anger directly at Sunset, she did her assigned chores with a sense of obligation; sort of like a job, where Sunset had already paid her by saving her life. It didn’t make her work any more enjoyable, but she carried herself in a lighter manner now that she didn’t have all that negativity weighing her down.

And perhaps it was her imagination, but when Sunset gave her an order, it wasn’t with cold indifference anymore. Sure, Sunset still barked the order in her blunt, emotionless manner, but Twilight felt it was the same tone she gave the rest of the crew. She saw Twilight as equal to them now.

Twilight carefully thought about this as she rested in her hammock after another galley cleaning session. If she was treated as an equal, that meant she was no longer a slave. But if she wasn’t a slave, then what was she? She couldn’t be a pirate. She didn’t feel like a pirate. She didn’t want to be a pirate. But she was on a pirate ship, getting to know its crew and helping them find a lost treasure. It wasn’t done willingly but Twilight couldn’t say she was doing it at swordpoint anymore.

She tried not to dwell on it too long. She found that if she did, it tended to lead to some deeper philosophical questions that she also didn’t have an answer to. It was best to just roll with the waves and see where they took her. Twilight had to admit, it was an odd feeling not having a plan for the future. Sure, she had never had a concrete idea of what she wanted to do ten years from now, but she knew she wanted to save up and buy her own house just to have a little more freedom away from Shining. And if Mr. Novelty happened to pass on and leave the bookstore to her well, that would have been a sad but welcome bonus.

Her mood soured as Shining crossed her thoughts again. She had wanted a little freedom from him. Not this. “Well, be careful what you wish for and all that.” She yawned, tempted to fall asleep. But she was in good graces with Sunset now, she didn’t want to risk getting yelled at again.

She got to her feet and stretched her arms out. It dissolved into a wild flail as the ship lurched beneath her and threw her back into her hammock. She untangled herself and got up again as the Crimson Heart repositioned itself. Did we hit a reef? Twilight hurried above deck, finding the crew backing away from the sides of the ship and a terse silence weighing over everyone.

“What’s going on?” she whispered to Sunny Flare.

“We’re under attack,” she said, drawing her sword.

Twilight scanned the horizon, finding nothing but calm waters for leagues on all sides. The afternoon sun hung lazily in the sky with not a cloud to keep it company. Yet everyone on deck had their mouth set in a thin line, and a sword or pistol drawn. A few of them, the more nervous looking ones, manned a cannon. Twilight looked up at Sunset who stood behind Indigo at the wheel of the ship. Sunset had a long cutlass drawn, a silver blade with a ruby encrusted hilt. It dazzled in the sunlight and left red reflections against the wood.

Sunset had her eyes narrowed and her mouth turned in a scowl. “Come on, beastie,” she said with a hint of annoyance. “We know you’re here.” Not even the wind answered her. Twilight then noticed, the sails were not billowing out like they normally did. They laid flat against the mast, and without their wild flapping in the wind, the ship held an eerie silence.

The hairs on the back of Twilight’s neck stood up, and she pressed them down. What in Equestria was going on? She wanted to ask more questions, but the silence was so profound, so all-encompassing, she dared not to say a word. Only Sunset could speak, and every word was uttered to the rippling sea.

The ship rocked again, and everyone looked to the starboard side. “Over there!” someone shouted.

Twilight caught a quick glimpse of… something before it sank back into the deep, leaving only lapping waves behind.

“Now it’s just toying with us,” Sunset growled.

A static of fear rippled through the crew, disrupting the silence. Breaths came out fast and heavy, boots tapped against the deck, arms swished swords around, keeping them loose. Twilight kept to the door for a quick escape. She remembered the cannonball, and how it had torn through the ship with ease. There is no safe place.

The ship tilted up from the port side, bumping and shuddering like wheels against cobblestone. Everyone staggered over to the starboard while Indigo got them straightened out. “I’m really getting sick of—”

A giant spout of water erupted off the port side of the ship, releasing a squealing, squelching roar like Twilight had never heard. As the water crashed back down, a massively long purple worm loomed over the ship, reaching as high as the mane mast. A red mane flowed around its pink head, sporting a tripartite jaw with beady black eyes on each section.

The static of fear evolved into a shockwave that left Twilight shivering. “I-is that a—”

“Tatzlwurm!” Pip shouted.

The beast roared, its three sided mouth splitting open and revealing a mass of writhing black tentacles. One shot forward with ferocious speed, grabbed one of the crew members, and pulled him into its mouth. Its jaws snapped shut, and it dove back into the ocean, leaving the crew in a screaming fit of unrest.

“Stop yelling and keep your eyes peeled!” Sunset shouted. “They liked to dart and weave! Odds are, he’ll probably pop up on the other side. Prepare the cannons to fire!”

The team at the cannons readied their torches, keeping the fuse just within their reach and leaning on their back legs. Sunset’s prediction came true. The Tatzlwurm emerged again, slower this time, but with its massive form, it still sprayed the deck with gallons of water. The artillery men did their best to protect the fuse and the flame, and managed to light two of the cannons. While the fuse wound down, the rest of the crew peppered the sea serpent with a hail of bullets.

It roared in aggravation, then struck several of its tongues out. The black appendages grabbed several weapons and hoisted them back to its mouth. Lemon, who had just finished reloading, shouted, “Hey, give it back!”

The cannons went off, nailing the Tatzlwurm right in its center. It coughed violently, and spat out a gun that hadn’t made it down its throat yet.

“Thank you!” Lemon yelled.

The iron balls didn’t pierce the serpents stomach, but left several black bruises. It roared and dove under again, leaving the Crimson Heart to rock in its wake. Everyone reloaded their guns and moved to the other side of the ship, waiting for it to resurface.

Twilight stared where it had been, mesmerized. She had never seen a creature that large. She had heard tales of Tatzelwurms and their horrifying tongues. Getting wrapped in one was more or less a death sentence; they secreted a toxin that numbed any part of the body it touched. They were an incredibly rare sight on the sea, to the point where many didn’t think they existed.

At this point, I think it’s safe to say that anything is possible now.

The waves went still again, leaving everyone to stand in an anxious hush. The minutes started to drag out, and Indigo asked, “Is it gone?”

A sharp gust of wind threw the sails out and made everyone jump. The boat pushed forward with the brief surge of momentum before the wind died again. Several of the pirates laughed uneasily, including Twilight.

The Tatzlwurm burst from the deep on the same side it had gone down on and struck its tongue out again. Twilight didn’t register the tentacles lashing out for her until they were wrapped around both her wrists. The paralyzing toxin soaked into her arms, generating pricks and needles through her muscles before turning them into useless noodles.

Her throat, however, worked just fine.

She screamed louder than she ever thought possible as the worm hoisted her toward its drooling mouth. She flailed her legs, but that was all she could do. The maw closed in on her. The world became darker and darker. A flash of silver and scarlet streaked before her eyes, and Twilight fell back to the deck, landing hard on her hip. The sharp pain reverberated through her body, but she couldn’t lift her arms to rub it down. She looked at her wrists, coiled by severed tentacles, still feebly squirming.

Above her, cutlass in one hand, a fireball in the other, Sunset fought the beast off, cutting another one of its tongues before yelling, “Eat this!” in her demonic voice and hurling the fireball down its throat.

It clamped its mouth shut and smoke rose from its lips. It coughed, releasing a great cloud of ash before roaring mournfully and sinking back into the ocean. Everyone stayed on their guard as Sunset descended to the deck. She stalked toward the door, sparring nary a glance to any of them, not even Twilight. The door slammed shut behind her. Only then did the crew release a collective sigh of relief.

Lemon and Sunny rushed to Twilight and carefully pulled the tentacles off with the pommels of their blades. They each took one of Twilight’s arms over their shoulders and hoisted her up.

“How you feelin’, Sparkle?” Lemon asked.

Twilight opened her mouth but nothing came out. She felt better than the last time she had courted death, at least emotionally wise. Still, she knew she was experiencing some sort of shock. The tentacles were gone, but if she closed her eyes, she could still feel their wet, slimy texture around her wrists. And she could feel the hot breath of the Tatzlwurm against her skin as it pulled her in…

She let out a shuddering breath. “I need to lay down.”

Sunny nodded as she and Lemon helped her below deck. “You’re lucky to be alive. I’ve never seen the captain move so fast. I mean, I know it was probably terrifying for you, but it was kinda cool to watch her save your skin again.”

Again. Twilight bowed her head. That made three debts Twilight owed Sunset. She had marched away without saying a word. The three girls passed Sunset’s door on their way below deck. Somewhere inside, Sunset was probably fighting to regain her senses, or lamenting the fact that she had lost control again.

Because of me, Twilight thought, feeling a self-loathing begin to rise. If I wasn’t so helpless…. Maybe I could have fought off those tongues. Maybe I could have fought off Rarity when she tried to use me as a bargaining chip! Then I wouldn’t have to be rescued all the time.

They laid Twilight down in her hammock, and Sunny rushed off to fetch a flask of water. This was the nicest they had ever treated Twilight. She supposed surviving mortal peril had a few advantages. But this is the last time! I’m going to learn how to fight! She tried to clench her fists, but the toxin still had her arms rendered useless.

“Don’t worry,” Lemon said, noticing the crease in her brow, “the venom should run its course in an hour or so. At least, that’s what I heard.” She shrugged. “That was my first time seeing a Tatzlwurm too. It was so cool!”

‘Cool’ was the last word Twilight would use to describe the experience. Sunny returned with the water, tipping it into Twilight’s mouth. She and Lemon kept her company for half the hour before Sugarcoat came down and told them they were both needed above deck. They left, but to Twilight’s disappointment, Sugarcoat stayed.

“You know, this might not have happened if you weren’t so helpless,” she said the second the door closed.

“I’m well aware,” Twilight said through clenched teeth. She could feel a slight prickle down the length of her arm. If her feeling returned quick enough, maybe she’d start her self-defense training by slapping Sugarcoat.

Sugarcoat leaned against the wall and pulled out a pocket-sized book from her jacket. Twilight squinted her eyes to read the title on the spine.

“Is that Oxthello?”

Sugarcoat looked up, surprised. “Yes, it is. I picked it up from the town we were just in.”

Twilight smiled in spite of the fact the book had been stolen only a few nights ago. “You should let me know when you’re done. I love Shakeshoof's work, and I’ve read that one twice.”

“Really?” Sugarcoat cleared her throat and resumed her usual nonplussed look. “And I thought you were one of those pompous scholars. It’s nice to know someone else on this ship appreciates good literature.” She resumed reading, but Twilight could see the tiny smile on her lips.

Almost an hour later, all of the feeling returned to Twilight’s arms, and she stood and stretched them, rolling her shoulders and flexing her fingers. She took a step forward and winced, her left leg nearly buckling. Her impact against the deck had been harder than she thought; something was certainly bruised at the least. She ignored Sugarcoat’s silent eyebrow and limped upstairs, trying her hardest not to put pressure on her injury. She approached Sunset’s door, took a deep breath, and knocked.

It took a full minute before Sunset answered. She had her cloak on and hood up. “What is it?”

“I, umm…” Twilight cleared her throat. “I wanted to say thank you again. And, I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

Twilight ran a hand up her other arm. “I made you use your powers to save me. If I had defended myself, maybe that thing wouldn’t have gotten me.”

Sunset’s hood swished. “Don’t flatter yourself, Sparkle. That thing was getting on my nerves. I decided it was just best to burn it and be done.”

Twilight stared into the darkness of her hood. Something in her heart couldn’t quite buy the lie Sunset tried to sell.

“If that’s all, then I bid you a good night, Sparkle.” Sunset put a hand on the door.

“Wait!” Twilight stuck her foot out to stop it from closing. “Even so, I feel so… useless any time there’s a confrontation. And I know there’s going to be more in the future. I want to learn how to defend myself.”

“And?”

“And…” Twilight forced herself not to shrink away. “I was hoping you could teach me.”

Sunset opened the door again and lowered her hood. Twilight saw curiosity and genuine confusion on her face, like the night they had first met. “Why?”

“Well, you’re probably the best, right? You’ve been around the longest out of anyone here. And you were a legend even in your time. They called you a Pirate Lord.”

Teal eyes examined Twilight up and down. They narrowed. “You understand that I’ll be the hardest instructor out of anyone here, right?”

Twilight gave a shaky nod. “But if you’re going to learn something, why not learn from the best?”

Sunset flashed a smile before her mouth fell to a hard line. “Fine. I’ll teach you, if only so both of us have something to do again. And I hope this isn’t part of a desperate plan to escape. I’ll only teach you just enough. Don’t ever dream of besting me in any combat.”

“O-of course not! Thank you, Su—Captain!”

“Hmph,” was Sunset’s only response before she closed the door.

*******

The entire crew gathered on the main deck. Shining stood above them at the wheel, clean shaven, the bags mostly gone from under his eyes, his hair neatly combed again. They looked up at him with relief, anticipation, even hope.

He had spent all night thinking over this, only getting a few hours of sleep. Still, it had been the first real sleep he had since Twilight had been taken. As long as she was out there—as long as Sunset was out there, he could never truly rest.

I hope I’m making the right choice.

“We are loyal naval men and women for Her Highness, Princess Cadence. Our job is to protect the seas of her kingdom,” he said loud and proud. “In spite of the tragedy we suffered, this remains our duty. However…” The word hung in the air as Shining assessed their faces again. Only concern remained. “Circumstances have changed.

“The princess expects us back in Canterlot in ten days time. But I cannot go back.” The crowd began to murmur, turning their concerned gazes onto one another. “I am the captain of this ship. I was in charge of this mission. The failures we suffer fall squarely on my shoulders. And as such…” his voice fell, “I cannot go back as things stand.” He turned his head out to the ocean, sparkling under the dawn of the new day. “Demons exist. Monsters that pose a true threat to our land. But if they’re out there, then surely there’s a way to beat them, too.” He faced his crew and raised his voice again. “I am taking it upon myself to venture out and find a way to defeat the immortal demon Sunset Shimmer! Yes, for the good of Equestria, but as some of you are no doubt thinking, yes, to rescue my sister as well!

“I understand what this means; the consequences that are to follow. That is why I am not asking any of you to join me. Another ship bound for home will be here dawn after next. I encourage you all to take it. It has been an honor to serve as your captain, and I thank you for your hard work. You’re dismissed.”

He watched over them as his words rolled around in their heads. Some of them hesitated. Some walked off the ship without a second thought. A few stared back at him, refusing to move. The minutes passed, and a few more soldiers walked down the gangplank and back into town. Soon, Shining was down to twenty faces lined with resolve. Among them were Rainbow, Flash, and to his surprise and gratitude, Fluttershy.

“You realize this is insubordination, correct?” he asked. “The punishment is imprisonment. Even death.”

Fluttershy trembled but stayed where she was. Rainbow puffed out her chest. “I’m not letting you take all the glory of beating Sunset Shimmer by yourself.”

“You’re the bravest captain I’ve ever known,” Flash said. “I’d follow you to world’s end.” The remaining crew gave a hearty cheer.

Shining closed his eyes, allowing a single tear to fall. “Very well then.” He gripped the wheel. “Raise the gangplank and weigh anchor!” A renewed fire stirred in his heart. “We’re going to slay a demon.”

Chapter XII: Swords and Stories

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Twilight fought a yawn as she stepped up onto the poop deck. The sun had just rose above the horizon, turning the sky a newborn baby pink.

Lying on the middle of the deck was a foil, its blunted tip pointed at Twilight. Sunset sat on the curved back of the ship, watching the sunrise, her hood down.

“Last chance to retreat,” she said. “Lemon Zest might make a kinder teacher.”

Twilight picked the foil up by the handle and turned it over in her hand. All of her index finger and thumb could hide underneath the bell guard. The blade had a slight angle to it, but swishing it around, she found it flexible. It dawned on Twilight that she had never held a sword before.

Despite the odd feel of the grip, she gave a resolute swish. “No. I’m going to do this.”

Sunset faced her. “Hmph. Your dedication is admirable. Let’s see how far it takes you.” She hopped down from her seat and glided over to Twilight. “You’ll start with basic fencing techniques to get a strong foundation. If you haven’t given up by the end of that, I’ll teach you sabre proper.”

“I’m not going to give up,” Twilight said firmly.

“Very well.” Sunset extended her red claws from her robe and grabbed Twilight’s wrist. Her hand was warm, like she had just pulled it away from the fire. “First, you’re holding it wrong. See where the blade angles? Make sure it’s always toward the ground. Place your thumb right under the guard, yes, like that. Now, hold it primarily with your index and thumb. No! Keep you whole hand curled around it! Just let these two carry most of the weight! Better.”

Twilight let Sunset guide her fingers to their proper positions, trying not to flinch when she suddenly raised her voice. The pommel now rested against her wrist, and Sunset made a curt nod of satisfaction.

“That’s how you hold a foil. Don’t lock your elbow. Loose, just like that. Keep your wrist loose as well. A light grip is all you need.” She unfastened her cloak and tossed it to the side. “Now, the key to proper sword fighting is balance.”

She mimicked Twilight holding a sword and stepped out with her right foot. Her left turned outward, a perfect ninety degrees from her front foot. Twilight copied her, wiggling her body to keep upright. Sunset straightened up and examined her. She used her boot to nudge Twilight’s feet apart.

“Keep at shoulder distance. Make sure your heels are aligned at all times. Bend your knees. Not that much!”

Twilight found it increasingly awkward as she followed all of Sunset’s commands. The pain in her hip wasn’t helping matters either. She tried to keep most of her weight on her right leg, but Sunset quickly reprimanded her for not standing up straight.

“Keep your balance even.” Sunset moved in front of her and guided the point of Twilight’s foil up to her chest. “Make sure the tip is always aimed at their center. That’s what you’ll be lunging for.”

“But…” Twilight’s mouth went dry. “What if I don’t want to kill them?”

Sunset slitted her eyes. “I’m sorry, did you think just learning how to swing a sword around would be enough to make all the bad guys go away? Did you think once they saw the fearsome Twilight Sparkle, they would surrender?”

“N-no, but—”

“You told me you want to learn how to fight, so that’s what I’m going to teach you. Pirates fight, and when we fight, we fight to win. And sometimes, winning means the other guy has to die! Call it self-defense if it makes you feel better, but it just so happens that swords have pointy edges that are good for stabbing. One way or another, you’re going to put the pointy end through your opponent's body, or they’ll do the same to you!” She stepped around Twilight’s blade and leaned in. Her breath was hot, yet odorless. “So do you still want to continue? Or shall I let you go back to your cabin?”

Twilight got control of her trembling arm and took a measured breath. She said she was going to do this. Yes, she could call it self-defense, fighting only when she was threatened, but she would learn how to fight. She also wouldn’t give Sunset the satisfaction of quitting.

“Continue,” she said firmly.

Sunset leaned back, a smug smile on her face. “This might prove fun after all.” She moved to Twilight’s side, examining her stance. “This is your en garde position. Rule number one: never let your guard down. Don’t keep the blade straight out in front of you, point it a little inward. Just a little. There. When you come to en garde, you come to the quarte position. Now, come to aplomb.”

Copying Sunset’s movements, Twilight lowered her arms to her sides and brought her feet together while maintaining their perpendicular positions. Her shoulder and hips sighed in relief.

“Now, en garde!”

Twilight jumped to her defense position, correcting herself when she realized the foil was pointed too far inward. Sunset roughly made more adjustments to her shoulder and wrist, then stepped back.

“Aplomb.”

Twilight rested.

“En garde!”

She snapped to the ready. Sunset adjusted her again. They repeated the process at least a dozen times, until Twilight could align herself without Sunset having to change anything. After three consecutive en gardes with no adjustments, Sunset moved to the opposite end of the poop deck.

“When I say ‘advance’ you’re going to take a step toward me. Nothing about your stance should change. You lead with your front foot, your back foot stays perpendicular. Make sure they stay the same width apart as well. Clear?”

Twilight wasn’t certain how well she could maintain keeping her feet the same distance, but nodded regardless.

“Advance.”

She stepped forward, trying as hard as she could to keep her feet shoulder width apart while making sure her sword arm didn’t tremble too much. Palm up, blade pointed slightly to the left, everything loose. She kept her eyes and the point of her sword focused on Sunset.

“Advance.”

Twilight took another step and stopped, then moved again when Sunset gave the command. With slow, measured steps, she made it to Sunset. The captain appraised her with bored disapproval, though Twilight granted that was her default expression.

Sunset flicked Twilight’s forehead, and when Twilight raised a hand to rub the sting, Sunset’s other palm shot out and slammed into Twilight’s chest, sending her to the floor.

Twilight looked up at the still brightening sky in a daze, then scrambled to her feet, cheeks red. “What was that for?”

“First, your stance was sloppy when you reached me,” Sunset said, her voice hard. “Then, you let your guard down.”

“I—”

“En garde!”

Twilight fumbled over herself to get back into her stance. While her mental memory was spot on, her muscle memory left a lot to be desired. Sunset roughly corrected her again, the moved to the other side of the deck.

“Advance.”

Twilight moved on Sunset’s command, earning another flick on the head when she arrived. Sunset then jumped to the opposite side and had Twilight advance again. This regiment continued for over an hour, Twilight being flicked whenever Sunset thought she was being sloppy.

Negative reinforcement is hardly an adequate way to teach somebody. Twilight wanted to rub the bruise quickly forming on her forehead. It at least provided a small distraction from the sharpening pain in her hip.

Just as Twilight got a hang of advancing with perfect precision, Sunset ordered her to step back. Twilight practiced retreating away from Sunset, flinching whenever her fiery-haired teacher would jump toward her to evaluate her progress.

Flinching earned Twilight another flick.

An hour later, Sunset had mixed it up, randomly calling ‘advance’ or ‘step back,’ keeping Twilight on the balls of her feet. The pain in her hip had evolved into a raging burn, screaming at Twilight to collapse onto the floor and take a break. The simple exercise of moving back and forth while keeping her arm raised had created a fine layer of sweat across Twilight’s brow, and her heart hammered in her chest, though part of that might have been out of fear from Sunset’s harsh bark and discipline.

“Come to aplomb.”

Twilight straightened herself, her leg nearly giving out. Her right shoulder wanted to fall off.

Sunset rolled her eyes. “All right, take a break.”

With a euphoric sigh, Twilight dropped to the deck, making sure to land on her right hip. She laid her foil to the side and pressed one hand against her aching leg, and the other up to the bruise on her forehead. They hadn’t even reach proper swordplay, and Twilight felt she was nearing her limits.

Not going to give up. She winced at the spot on her head. But having a break is nice.

Sunset moved over to the railing of the deck and looked out over the rest of the ship. Just like the water, activity around the ship flowed smoothly. Indigo stood at the wheel, having never glanced back at Sunset and Twilight during their training session. Pipsqueak stood in the crow’s nest, a spyglass pressed against his eye.

Twilight closed her eyes and felt the sun on her face. The steady rocking of the ship helped ease her nerves, and by keeping perfectly still, she could feel some of the exhaustion slip out of her body.

All too soon, she heard a distinct snap of fingers and opened her eyes to see Sunset glaring down at her. “Rest time is over. On your feet.”

Twilight looked up at her with, what she hoped was, determination and not despair. She tried not to whimper too loudly when she shifted her weight onto her left side.

“Work through the pain,” Sunset said, walking past her to lean on the back rail. “If your enemies find a weakness, they’ll exploit it. Learn to fight, even with disadvantages.”

Harsh, but Twilight supposed Sunset was correct. No one was going to show her mercy in battle. She barely got any outside of it. She picked up her foil again, and at Sunset’s command, dropped into her en garde position. Sunset drew near and circled around once for inspection.

“I’m going to flick you…”

Twilight adjusted the width of her stance and her grip on the sword. A fresh bead of sweat made its way down the side of her face.

“Better.” Sunset moved to Twilight’s front and drew a cross in the air. “The body can be broken up into four target areas: sixte, quarte, octave, and septime.” She pointed from Twilight’s right shoulder, to her left, down to her right midsection, and to the left again.

“You’re currently guarding in quarte. If an opponent engaged you while they were in quarte, you would parry into sixte and then lunge.” Sunset took Twilight’s arm and moved it across her body, then angled her wrist so her foil faced inward. Twilight hadn’t thought it possible, but this was even more uncomfortable.

“Now, you’re guarding in sixte. If you were engaged here by an opposing sixte...”

“I would counter by parrying quarte. Logically, that means if I lunged, I would hit their quarte.”

The corners of Sunset’s lips twitched. “At least you pick up the theory fast. Now, move back to quarte. Most of the movement is in the wrist.”

The next hour was considerably easier than her previous lesson. Twilight moved her arm and rotated her wrist, practicing her ‘changes of engagement’ as Sunset called them. Sunset still flicked her anytime she thought Twilight’s form looked sloppy.

“There are four more types of engagement, but we’ll cover those later,” Sunset said dismissively. She watched Twilight settle back into quarte. “Last lesson of the day, and the most crucial: the lunge.”

Sunset took up her own rapier and got into her en garde stance. “Lunging is your best and primary way to attack your target. You get through their guard and deliver a decisive hit.” She raised her wrist, keeping her blade pointed forward, then took a decisive step with her front foot. Her back leg and arm were extended but relaxed. Her sword arm, however, was fully stretched out and perfectly horizontal with her shoulder. She brought her back leg forward and her left arm up, then lunged again, every part of her body moving in one fluid motion.

She straightened up and pointed her blade at Twilight. “Your sword is an extension of your arm. Treat it as such.”

Twilight nodded and wiggled her shoulders to stay lose. She just had to get through this, and her first day of training would be over. She followed Sunset’s instructions, raising her blade to shoulder level while keeping a slight bend in her arm.

“Keep your back foot planted on the ground,” Sunset barked. “Now, step forward as far as you can and fully extend your arm. Feel your sword pull you forward. Unlike you, it wants the kill.”

Ignoring Sunset’s last remark, Twilight lunged, throwing her arm and front foot forward with a small cry. A sharp pain in her hip made her cry again, but she gritted her teeth and held her outstretched position. Until her center of gravity shifted, and she wobbled and fell onto her face.

Sunset let out a sigh above her. “I was almost impressed. Get up.”

Twilight got back to her feet and clutched her side. Sunset’s reproachable gaze hurt just as much as her flicks. Without a word, Twilight went back to en garde.

“Lunge.”

This time, Twilight made sure not to overextend. Her hip still vehemently protested the movement, but Twilight fought through the pain, twisting her face up in concentration. Sunset walked around her, then gave her a strong jab in the shoulder. Twilight teetered to the side and fell over.

“Your heels weren’t aligned. And you’re leaning too much to one side. Focus, Sparkle.”

“I am focusing,” Twilight said between her teeth. She continued her lunges and, just like with her footwork, Sunset would find something to criticize every time, and flick Twilight on the head.

And again, just as Twilight’s shoulder was about to pop off, and her hip seared with pain, Sunset said, “All right. That’s enough for today.”

Twilight dropped her foil with a loud clatter and fell backward onto her bottom. She lifted her head up to the sky and let out a grateful sigh. All of her muscles went numb, robbed of strength.

Sunset picked up the discarded sword and tucked it into a barrel in a corner. “You’re a smart girl, Twilight. And you’ve got determination. Your physical abilities leave a lot to be desired.”

Twilight glared up at her. “If that’s another way of telling me to quit, it’s not going to work.”

“I didn’t think it would.” Sunset climbed onto the back railing of the ship and looked out across the water. “It’s endearing in an annoying way. Go rest up. I’ll give you a break tomorrow so your leg can heal, but you better not forget what you’ve learned today.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Twilight took that as her cue to leave, but as she tried to pick herself up, she found most of her body, especially her legs, were unresponsive.

And this is only day one, she thought. Maybe I should have gone with Shining on his morning jogs.

Sunset didn’t seem to mind Twilight’s continued presence at least. She stared out with a contemplative look on her face, her long ears twitching every few seconds. Twilight turned her attention back to the sky, watching a few clouds bunch up into large blobs.

“If you’re going to sit there,” Sunset said, still facing the sea, “at least make yourself useful. Tell me more about the next key.”

“Oh, right. Sure.” Twilight closed her eyes and conjured up a vivid image of the map. She honed in on the Fantasy Strait, the narrow pass between two continents. One-hundred miles long, with a large clearing at the center. Twilight could see the treasure marker in her mind’s eye, inked on the left side of the strait’s center.

“‘The griffon has stars in its eyes,’” she said, recounting the inscription next to the treasure mark.

Sunset rested her elbows on her knees and placed her chin in her hands. “‘The griffon has stars in its eyes…’”

“One would think it refers to the town of Griffonstone, which is built into the cliffs around the strait’s center. But, Griffonstone is only two-hundred years old, whereas the map, and by extension, the key, date back much further than that. But, I don’t have any other territorial maps to cross-reference, so I’m not sure what else it could be referring to. After the last key, I can’t rule out the possibility that the clue was being literal again.” Twilight paused to breathe. “Are griffons real?”

“At some time, they were. But that was before me. Never met anyone who claimed to have met one.” Sunset kicked her legs against the ship. “I’ve sailed through the strait plenty of times before. Griffonstone was built originally to honor the beasts who were believed to reside there. Even now, they have monuments to griffons everywhere. Finding this key may well be like finding a needle in a haystack.”

“Well, Griffonstone is outside of Equestria’s jurisdiction. The whole strait is neutral territory between Abyssinia and Hippogriffia, so hypothetically, we won’t have to worry about any military force.”

Sunset twisted to face Twilight, an odd grin on her face. “You know, you’re starting to sound like a pirate.”

Twilight felt her face heat up. “I-I’m just trying to be aware of the situation! The less fighting and law breaking I have to do, the better!”

“Whatever you say, Sparkle.” Her mischievous grin softened into a curious smile. “I wonder… do you know the story of how the Fantasy Strait came to be?”

While her body was still sluggish and achy, Twilight found enough strength to sit up straight. “Of course. That’s such a common one, it’d be harder to find someone who didn’t know it.”

Sunset gave her short, stuttered laugh. “Then humor me.”

Twilight crossed her legs and got as comfortable as she could. “Hundreds and hundreds of years ago, the countries that are now Abyssinia and Hippogriffia were two different nations entirely. Large, powerful, and full of riches, both kingdoms expanded their territories until they met in a beautiful grassy field.” Twilight spread her fingers, easing into her mystic storytelling voice.

“Now, in the center of that field was a tree. Tall with strong boughs, it looked like an average tree. But the fruit it produced were some of the sweetest, juiciest fruits for miles. When the kingdom from the west first arrived, they saw the tree, picked all the fruits, then left, seeing nothing else of interest. When the eastern kingdom arrived soon after, a gardener saw the bare tree, and tended to it until it bore fruit again.”

Sunset hopped off the rail and landed next to Twilight. “But, when the west kingdom returned and saw the east kingdom on what they believed to be their territory, the west quickly became angry. The kingdoms argued over who had gotten to the tree first and who had proper sovereignty over the field. It escalated until both kingdoms declared war on each other,” Sunset said with a savage grin.

“The war raged for years, with countless deaths on both sides. While neither side forgot about the tree, it soon became a war of pride and dominance. Neither kingdom refused to yield, dwindling their resource to prove their superiority.”

“So, the war reached a boiling point,” Twilight said, uneasy about the excited gleam in Sunset’s eye. “With so many soldiers dead and towns razed, both kingdoms and the remains of their armies met on what was once the beautiful plain. The tree had weathered the war, and stood in between both armies. As both forces prepared to charge, a brilliant light shone down from the sky, and from that light, two figures appeared.”

“Celestia and Luna,” Sunset said softly. “The daughters of the ocean god Neptune. They had sensed the great fighting from their home, and had come to investigate it personally. ‘Children,’ Celestia asked, ‘why do you fight with such intensity and hatred in your hearts?’”

“The people stared in awe at the two divine creatures before them,” Twilight said. “‘Oh, great ones, both of our nations feel we have been cheated by the other.’ They explained how the war had come about, both sides arguing their case.”

Sunset made a wide sweep of her arm. “‘Clearly, the western kingdom is in the right,’ Luna said. ‘They were here first.’”

Twilight made a face of mock indignation. “‘But the eastern kingdom actually took time and effort to tend to this land when the west were nowhere to be found!’ Just as it looked like the divine sisters were about to pick a side and begin the fighting anew, Celestia snapped her fingers. ‘There is a simple way to solve this problem.’”

Sunset nodded. “And so, she and her sister declared that each kingdom would have rights to half of the land, splitting it down the middle from the fruit tree. But to ensure they would not be tempted again to fight, one sister walked north from the tree, while the other walked south, each dragging a staff along the ground behind them. When both of them reached opposite ends of land, the ground rent asunder, a mighty chasm opening and splitting the kingdoms apart.”

“The tree was split as well, one half resting with each kingdom. And that was how the Fantasy Strait came to be. Both halves of the tree still rest at the center to this day. Or so they say,” Twilight finished, adjusting her glasses.

“Aye. I’ve seen it with my own eyes,” Sunset said, falling back to her monotone pitch. “Old, gnarled and lonely looking. Sitting above Griffonstone, minding its own business. Doesn’t produce fruit anymore.”

Twilight tentatively stretched out her legs and wobbled to her feet, lurching forward from the sharp pain sprouting from her hip. She fell onto her face, feeling a flush of irritation that Sunset had done nothing to help her.

Sunset stepped past her, walking down the stairs. “Thank you for the story, Twilight.” Her words were sincere, but she didn’t spare any glance backward.

Twilight propped herself up on her elbows, staring after Sunset and her abrupt departure. What really goes on inside her head? Pushing herself onto her legs again, Twilight was better prepared for the pain and the awkward balance. She hobbled down the steps, becoming increasingly aware of the large void in her stomach. It gave an angry roar, and Twilight had to lean on the handrail as a wave of lightheadedness rolled over her. She and Sunset had been practicing so intensely, Twilight had forgotten to eat.

Maybe that’s where she hurried off too. Stomach clenching tightly, Twilight tried to make her way below deck to forage for food.

“Hey, Twi!”

She looked up. Lemon Zest was near the front of the ship, sitting in a circle with Sunny Flare, Sugarcoat, and Sour Sweet. Lemon emphatically waved her over, holding a bowl of food in her other hand.

This is a trap, Twilight thought initially. Lemon Zest occasionally talked to her, and Sugarcoat had delivered less stoic insults recently, but for four of them to be gathered and want to associate with her…. No, nothing good could come of it.

She gave a hesitant wave back, but turned for the door.

“Aw, c’mon! We got food for ya!”

Twilight’s stomach gave a demanding roar. Traitor. She sighed and walked over, trying her best not to limp or show any sign of fear. She sat on the deck next to Lemon, who handed her a bowl of salted meat, two apples, and a roll.

She stared at the food before her, mouth watering. With difficulty, Twilight restrained herself from tearing into it, looking up at the other girls instead. “Okay, what’s the catch?”

“What do you mean?” Sunny asked.

“You’re just offering me a bowl of food. Don’t you all hate me?”

“Hate's such a strong word,” Sour said with a smile and a wave of her hand. “None of us just liked the idea of having to waste our time looking over a defenseless, crying, bookworm.”

“But, we saw you getting sword lessons from Captain Sunset,” Sugarcoat said. “We thought you might not be that bad if you’re trying to learn how to defend yourself. Plus, you have good taste in books.”

“Oh… umm…” Twilight looked at her food again. This had not been her intention when she requested sword lessons. Being accepted by the gang of girls who kidnapped her? She wondered where this fell on the scale of irony. Still, she couldn’t say she was displeased by the results, especially If it meant less scathing looks and words during her internment here.

“Thanks,” she said, and took a bite of her apple.

“So, what was the lesson like?” Sunny asked. “None of us ever see the captain fight. Usually, she just blows up whatever’s in her way.”

“So I’ve noticed,” Twilight mumbled. She rubbed the sore spot on her forehead. “She’s… an aggressive teacher.”

“Figures,” Sugarcoat said. “I don’t think ‘mercy’ is a strong word in her dictionary.”

Sour tossed an apple core over the side of the ship. “I’m surprised she agreed to train you in the first place. I would have thought someone like you would be completely hopeless at fighting.”

Twilight retracted her statement about receiving less scathing words.

“She probably did it out of boredom,” Lemon said, popping the rest of her role into her mouth. “What else does she do all day? Hey, Twi, if you ever want to learn how to shoot a gun, I’m your girl!”

“I’ll… consider it.” Wielding a blade was one thing. Twilight didn’t know if she had it in her to fire a lead ball into someone. Regardless of what Sunset said, Twilight was doing this for self-defense only.

The girls made idle chatter as they ate. Twilight for the most part just listened. While the meat was over-salted, and the roll hard, they felt like a banquet to Twilight’s hollow stomach.

“So, Twilight,” Sunny said, sitting her bowl aside, “what was life like on your little island? You know, before we kidnapped you.”

Twilight repressed a deep sigh. None of these girls possessed any tact. “It was nice and quiet. I worked in a bookstore, and I walked out to the point everyday to read.”

Lemon snorted. “Sounds boring. I think we did you a favor.”

“Hardly.” Twilight looked around at all of them. They couldn’t be too much older than she was, now that she had time to look. “How did you all end up on a pirate ship?”

Sunny spoke first. “Funny story about that. See, me and Sugarcoat actually lived on Haven. I worked in my parent’s store, and Sugarcoat was a barmaid. So we’re just living our lives, you know. Watching pirates come and go and stuff. Then one day, the whole town is abuzz because someone saw the Crimson Heart sailing toward us. We all knew about Sunset, but no one had seen her in several years—they were starting to think she had died for real. But she comes into town and announces she’s looking for more crew members, won’t say what for though.”

“So she decides to be nosy,” Sugarcoat said flatly, “and starts ferreting around to find out what Sunset need a new crew for. I still don’t know how she did it, but she eventually found out Sunset had a treasure map.”

“So of course, I told Sugarcoat, because I tell her everything—”

“Unfortunately.”

“And I told her we might as well be pirates. We already lived in the pirate capital of the Equestrian Sea.”

Sugarcoat sighed. “I was tired of being a barmaid for drunken pirates every night, so I decided I didn’t have much to lose.”

Twilight lifted a finger. “So, instead of serving drunken pirates, you joined a pirate crew?”

“I assumed a pirate like Sunset would run a tight ship. My assumptions were correct. And I’m not the one serving alcohol anymore.”

Twilight reasoned that made sense. She looked between Sunny and Sugarcoat. “And Sunset just let you two join like that?”

Sunny gave a hapless shrug. “She didn’t exactly have a lot of options. No one was in a hurry to join the demon captain.”

“I certainly wasn’t,” Sour said, crossing her arms and hunching her shoulders. “Mother and Father always said I was ‘unstable,’ so the first chance they got to get rid of me, they forced me onto Sunset.”

To Twilight’s surprise, there were actual tears in the corners of Sour’s eyes. Pushing her surprise further, both Sunny and Sugarcoat put a consoling hand on Sour’s back. From her frequent mood swings, Twilight had a hunch Sour wasn’t all together. That wasn’t an excuse to be pushed out by your parents, however.

Lemon rested her arms behind her head and laid back on the deck. “I was the daughter of the duke of Tall Tale.” She stuck her tongue out in disgust. “Everyday it was dressing prim and proper and going to fancy classes and meeting people who claimed to be important. I hated it. It was so boring and repetitive.

“So, I ran away. I was about twelve when I did. Snuck on a trading ship and ended up on Cloudsdale Isle.” She grinned. “They threatened to throw me into the ocean once they found out I had stowed away. So, I said I would work for them, for free even. Well, they wouldn’t turn down free labor. So, I got to go around the sea on a trading ship. The first mate even taught me how to use a sword and a pistol. Got real good with it too.”

“Yeah, you shot my sword right out my hand!” Sour yelled.

“Hey, I said I was sorry, like, ten times already.”

“We found the ship Lemon was working on about a month after we joined Sunset,” Sugarcoat explained to a curious Twilight. “We were running low on supplies, so Sunset ordered us to raid it. We killed most of the crew, but Sunset was impressed by Lemon’s aim.”

“I told her I was willing to be a pirate, so Sunset spared me, and I joined the Crimson Heart.” Lemon said with a proud grin. “Can you say ‘best adventure ever’? Not many people can say they fought a Tatzlwurm and lived to talk about it, eh, Twi?”

Twilight would prefer to never speak of the incident again if she could avoid it. “So,” she pressed on, “what are you all going to wish for?”

Lemon closed her eyes. “Nothing. I got what I wanted: freedom and adventure. I’m perfectly happy.”

“Money,” Sugarcoat said like it was obvious. “I could buy a house, books, and never have to subjugate myself to dealing with people I hate.”

“Yeah,” Sunny said. “My folk’s store always seemed to be struggling. If I wished for a ton of gold, they could just retire and never have to deal with making ends meet or having something stolen from them.”

Sour looked down and twiddled her thumbs. “I don’t know. Maybe Neptune’s Blessing can make me not ‘unstable.’ Maybe my parents would take me back then. Not that I want to go back at this point!” she added harshly.

None of them asked Twilight what she would wish for. Frankly, she didn’t know either. Maybe she would wish to go home and see her brother again. But if Sunset kept her promise, that could be an easy reality as long as Twilight led them to the treasure. Twilight doubted Sunset would let her have a wish anyway.

They all drew quiet. Hearing these girls had relatively normal lives before becoming pirates, voluntarily or otherwise, brought an odd sense of relief to Twilight. And their wishes were surprising to say the least. Sure, two of them wanted gold, but it wasn’t out of greed. Sunny’s was down right altruistic. They weren’t a band of bloodthirsty monsters like many books had Twilight believe. Like Sunset, they appeared to have a few layers to them.

“Oi, you barnacles!” Indigo’s voice cut across the deck. “You’ve sat around long enough! Get back to work!”

Everyone scrambled to their feet, grabbing their bowls and heading down to the galley.

“So, what’s Indigo’s story?” Twilight asked Lemon in a hushed voice.

Lemon shrugged. “Don’t know. She doesn’t talk about herself that much. I just know she’s been here longer than all of us. I can never tell if she admires the captain or hates her.”

Twilight caught a glimpse of Indigo before heading below deck. The scowl on her face rivaled Sunset’s.

Indigo caught Twilight’s eye and glared with an intensity that said, ‘I dare you to try and make friends with me.’

Twilight trained her eyes forward and kept walking. She wouldn’t deign to call the other girls her friends, but knowing there were four less people on the ship who hated her gave her a comfort she hadn’t felt since she had seen Shining.

The fact that said comfort was coming from the pirates who had caused all of her woes in the first place didn’t escape Twilight’s notice. But, she took whatever she could get.

Across the Shimmering Sea

by Albi

Chapter I: The Unforgiving World

Chapter II: Plunder and Pillage

Chapter III: The Crimson Heart

Chapter IV: On the Wind

Chapter V: Hollow Shoals

Chapter VI: Hellfire

Chapter VII: A Secret to Everyone

Chapter VIII: Wheel of Fortune

Chapter IX: Tempest Turn

Chapter X: Silent and Passionate Sea

Chapter XI: A Change in the Tides

Chapter XII: Swords and Stories