//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: The 6 element seas // by Randomateverything //------------------------------// "Well your room is certainly...interesting..." Adofo said "*sigh* Yeh, as much as mother spoils me, she doesn't ever give me anything that I actually want, or even need. It's all, 'Oh here's a crate of make up!' or 'Here's your fifty sixth vanity! This one is briiiiiiiiight pink. Oh and it has lots and lots of flowers too!' and sometimes 'I cleaned you room! I redecorated too! Now it's at least 20% more girly.' Ughh, mother is sooo annoying." Everyone laughed at Rainbow Dash's impressions of Queen Celestia. "Your room I shall not judge, for to my mother I also bear a grudge." Zecora said "My room is so prim and proper, You'd never guess that I'd seen a party popper." "...Wait, I don't get what you mean...How can your room be so girly that ponies, or Zebras, would think you've never seen a party popper?" Rainbow Dash asked, Zecora shrugged "It just rhymes." She stated. Everyone burst out laughing "Heh, you guys are definitely not what I expected, from the way mother talks about you, I always thought that Zebras were uptight, a bit like the Canterlot snobs." Rainbow remarked "Well, there are lots of Zebras who disagree with party's and that, they're mainly the zebra's who followed Mwamba. But most of us love a good party or two." Adofo said "Speaking of Parties..." Pinkie started "Let's have a party!" All of a sudden, Rainbow's room was covered in streamers and balloons, Zecora and Adofo stared in awe and surprise at the speed this party was set up. Rainbow nudged them and said "Don't bother asking, I don't know how she does it either." It started getting late, a maid came and knocked on the door, saying that prince Adofo and Princess Zecora were to be escorted to the guest suit where they will be staying, also, that Queen Celestia and Princess Luna wanted to see Princess Rainbow Dash in the dining hall. The three royals sighed, but knew they had to go. Prince Adofo and Princess Zecora followed the maid out of the door, whilst Princess Rainbow Dash signaled for her two friends to join her in her walk to the dining hall. When Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie reached the dining hall, they were greeted by Princess Luna, who looked very awake for a pony who lived during the night. "Your here! Finally, I've been waiting for this for soo long!" she cheered gleefully "Waiting for what?" Princess Rainbow asked "Well, after you and your friends left, your mother asked for me to see her. At first I was a right disgrace to be woken up before my domain, but, after everything was explained to me I was instantly awake. I'm so so so glad that this day has finally arrived! Forgive my un-lady-likeness." "What day? What's so special about today?" "Well, not today exactly, but in the next few days!" "But what's so special about it?" "Ah, well, you are aware that it is your birthday soon, yes?" "Yeh, how could I not be aware...but what's so special about this birthday? I mean, all we do is invite a few stuffy nobles and eat very little." Princess Luna giggled at this "They are not stuffy nobles Rainbow, they are very close friends of Celestia's, and as far as I'm aware, you still get to stuff your face with cake." "Well, I would, if the cake wasn't so rich that it made me throw up...and even if the couple hundred cupcakes that are made are some of the nicest cakes ever, I still don't get to eat them until the five layer cake is completely gone!" "I am also aware that you sneak out large slices of cake for your friends, especially Lady-in-waiting Pinkie Pie. And she also bakes you treats." Rainbow Dash blushed, realising that her aunt knew "You know, it's not very smart to have a party under the cover of night, whilst trying to hide from the one pony who can see anything that goes on within her domain." "Hehe, sorry aunt Luna, I'll invite you to the next one, I promise!" "Oh, they'll be no need to do that Rainbow, for this birthday is your 15th." "Yeh, so?" Luna frowned "Did you not read up on royal traditions in your lessons?" "Ehehe, I, kinda, maybe, umm, didn't really pay attention, to my lessons, at all." Rainbow looked away, sheepishly, while Luna just burst out laughing "AHAHAHAHAA! That, is the funniest thing I've heard all week!" "Well, since you never really speak to anypony, I'm not surprised." "Ehehe...yeh. Anyway, to enlighten you, on a Prince, or Princesses 15th birthday, they have a coronation. This announces them officially to the public, so all those ponies who have never seen you before can get to see you, and maybe even meet you. The coronation will also announce your position to take the throne. Being the Queen's daughter means that you will be heir, and I the 2nd in line. After this, you will also be allowed outside the castle to roam at your own pace, and will be eligible for marriage. Although that doesn't usually happen for another few years. Yes, that's all the important details. And, in the next three days, you will be taking lessons on how to act 'properly' in public." Rainbow groaned, "Oh, but don't worry, you'll be taking those lessons with me, as Celestia will be busy setting things up. You are also permitted to bring Pinkie and Fluttershy along. And I'm pretty sure that Prince Adofo and Princess Zecora will join us in touring the city for the lessons." Rainbow perked up, just a little bit, when she heard this. "Yes! Thanks aunt Luna! You're the best! ... When's mother getting here?" "She should be along any moment." The door at the end of the room opened "Ah, here she is now." "Good evening dear sister, daughter." Queen Celestia said as she entered the room, Princess Luna just nodded in reply "Hello, mother" "I assure that Luna has already told you what is coming up?" "Yes mother, she has, and I'm very excited." "I would hope so. Now, you will be assigned your own personal tailor, who will design and make all of your clothing, so you won't have to go and buy any yourself. During your training this week, she will come in and gather your measurements. You will also be assigned a body-guard, your body-guard will follow you around whenever you go outside. Hoof-maiden Fluttershy and Lady-in-waiting Pinkie Pie will also accompany you. You are to go no-where, outside, without your body-guard. Do you understand?" "Yes mother." "There will also be no stunt flying, you are a princess, not a performer." "But mother, wh-" "No buts! You are a princess, and you shall act like one, I will not have you flying through the streets of Canterlot like a mad-mare and tarnishing our reputation!" Princess Rainbow went silent "As I was saying, you will walk with grace, your wings are only a decoration, to be used only to show off beauty. I will have a few of my friends come in to show you, you remember Jubilee June, don't you?" "Not her! Anypony but her!" "Now now, a lady mustn't complain! Jubilee will come by in two days to show you how to act properly, and you better pay attention, if you cannot behave like a lady by your fifteenth birthday, then you will wait another year for your coronation. Do you understand me?" "Yes mother." "LAND AHOY!" Came the shout from the crows nest. Captain Rarity was instantly on her hooves, barking orders "Raise the sails! Twilight, Get the wheel! Get us to the horse-shoe bay! Applejack, what supplies do we need?" "We're runnin' mighty low on food, Capp'n, we're gonna need more ammunition an' medical supplies. We could also do with a few more cutlasses." "Right, when we hit land, you sort out the cutlasses, I'll deal with the food, and Red-heart can gather the medical equipment. Speaking of Red-heart, Red-heart!" "Yes Captain!" Red-heart called, as she galloped over "How is Macintosh doing?" "He's fairing well, I've managed to hold off all infection, despite my lack of equipment, and when I get hold of a proper splint, his leg should heal within a few weeks." "Good, when we get to land, you need to gather all the medical equipment we're gonna need...Have you seen Bonbon anywhere? She's going to need to come with me to gather food." "I Just saw her heading into the galley, Captain." "Thanks Red-heart." Captain Rarity walked down into the ships Galley, where all the cooks were rushing about, taking stock of what they had. Bonbon was walking around, noting what was missing and what was needed. Captain Rarity trotted over to her. "Bonbon, I need you to come with me to gather food supplies. Most of the ponies in the town we're heading to won't recognise me, but I'm going to need some back up in case the royal guards show up. I'll also need you to tell me what food we need." "Ay ay Captain." Bonbon responded "Might I ask when we be docking?" "We'll be docking in the next hour, and we'll head off to collect food on the fourth day of our arrival. Our ship needs a few repairs that need to be done, so we'll be docked until then, it should only take a week. Do we have enough food to last four days?" "Yes Captain, just about, we'll have completely run out by then, and there'll be no breakfast the fourth day." "We can live with that." "Captain, what are you doing on the first three days?" "I was going to head to the black market and get the artifact sold for a good price, you know it takes a few days to get a really high bid, and I also thought that we could relax sometime, have a little break from pirating until we can leave, I really need a day at the spa to put my mane and coat back into pristine condition, and it would be nice to just relax on the beach for once, wouldn't it?" "I suppose. Right, I'll continue to make notes on what we need food-wise. Oh, it would also be a good idea to grab some more cutlery, most of it's gone overboard." Captain Rarity groaned, every, single, time, they had tea, somepony would lose their knife or fork to the swaying of the ship and it would fall off through the decorative boarding around the ship. Rarity nodded in response, she'd have to buy reserves this time, so she didn't have to buy cutlery every time they docked ship. She supposed she could also buy less expensive cutlery this time, if it was going to be lost to the ocean, she'd rather not have spent hundreds of bits on it. Rarity sat in her cabin, staring blankly at the wall. She was thinking. Thinking about her life as a pirate. She knew she was good at being a captain, and caring for her crew, but she just felt she wasn't cut out to be a pirate. She didn't even like it, but then, she didn't dislike it, either. It was more of a neutral feeling. Her father had pushed her into the role, and seeing he was Captain Magnum Black, she couldn't just back out of it. They would be reaching shore within the next 10 minutes, and Rarity had already made all the preparations necessary. She sighed, and thought back to what her filly-hood dream had been. To be a princess, to find a handsome prince, fall in love with him, eventually marry him, and then help him rule over his kingdom. It was all she had ever wanted. She remembered that, one time, as a filly, her parents allowed her to go and see the Queen's parade. She had been ecstatic, the clothing Queen Celestia wore was gorgeous, and Princess Luna's mane flowed behind her like the starry night sky. What really got Rarity though, was the little blue pegasus filly, who rode with them. She was the newest Princess, about the same age as Rarity herself, perhaps a little older. The little princess was shown to everypony in Canterlot on that day, presented to show the strong line of Queen Celestia. It was then she realised that being a princess was what she wanted, to be able to strut around in fancy clothing, be friends with the elite of the elite, and become the most popular mare in history. It didn't matter where she was, as long as it wasn't running around, hiding from those who she wanted to join. Unfortunately, that is where she ended up. A knock was heard on the door. "Come in." Captain Rarity said, a second later, Applejack walked in, "What is it, Applejack?" "We're landin' now Capp'n. An' a few ponies on th' docks are a might curious ta what's goin' on." "Tell them were simply here for supplies, they shouldn't bother us too much. Oh, and do be a dear and find Wooden Plank? He'll probably be at the Golden ocean. Tell him that Magnum's daughter needs a hoof with her ship, he'll fix it up for us." "Yes Capp'n."