With a giant splash of water, the Sea Treader was pulled headlong into another wave as the Marblehead guided the wooden ship through the storm. The bow was yanked over the crest of the wave before being plunged into the next one. Over and over, the process was repeated, yet the stalwart ship continued to chase the steel behemoth without complaint.
Applejack and Rainbow Dash were currently perched on the very bow, having challenged each other to a competition of who could get dunked the most. Currently, Applejack was winning as Rainbow Dash looked a little bit green.
Twilight shared Rainbow Dash's sentiments as she was currently hanging her head over the side of the ship, ridding herself of dinner. Just as she finished unleashing the last of Culinary's soup, a wave came up and rinsed her mouth with sea water. Gagging, she fell back onto the deck and coughed up a good amount of the salty liquid.
Fluttershy, who had been standing behind Twilight, dodged out of the way of the water and helped Twilight to her hooves.
“Oh Twilight, you poor thing.” She said while rubbing Twilight's back. “Why don't you go lie down.”
Twilight nodded, still too sick to even respond. With Fluttershy escorting her, the seasick alicorn made her way to the captain's cabin and lay down, dry retching into a bucket.
Fluttershy stepped back out onto deck just in time for a wave to come crashing over the bow and douse her in sea water. With an annoyed huff, she shook out her wings and climbed the stairs up onto the poop deck where the pegasus known as Silent Hooves wrestled with the tiller.
She watched him for a little bit before scanning the horizon. Every way she looked, there was nothing but darkness. A small speck in the distance caught her eye, and she stared at it for a moment, swearing that it had wings, but it disappeared before she could be sure. She shook her head. No bird would be foolish enough to brave this storm.
Turning to Silent Hooves, she had to raise her voice somewhat in order to be heard.
“Excuse me!” She said, waiting for a response.
“Excuse me!” She tried again.
“I hear ya ma'am!” Silent Hooves shouted, keeping his eyes ahead of the ship.
“I was wondering, will we be out of this storm soon?” Fluttershy asked.
“Aye, soon enough.” He shouted. “Ya can't see it, but those clouds up there are startin' ta thin out! We'll be clear of the storm in ten minutes.”
“Thank you!” Fluttershy yelled before turning around and watching as Applejack laughed as another wave submerged her in water while Rainbow Dash gamely held on despite her ever growing sickness.
As the clouds cover the moon above, darkness fell over the sea, shrouding the ships that dared to sail on such a night. Like a predator stalking a mother and cub, the Bloodhound, aided by the vision of sharp eyed thestrals, followed the Marblehead and towed ship.
Longhorn stood on the deck next to a panting and thoroughly soaked griffon, listening as he made his report.
“It was as you predicted, Captain Longhorn.” The griffon gasped, very tired from his long flight in the rain. “I spotted the Elements on the second ship, most of them at least, but they are always together.”
Longhorn nodded. “Now, what happens next depends entirely on them.”
“What do you mean?” The griffon asked.
“If the Marblehead tows that ship all night, they'll outrun us and we'll never catch up.” Longhorn growled. “If the Marblehead lets them go some time in the night, we can sneak up on them and take them by surprise.”
The griffon shook off some of the water and hissed. “What will the plan of attack be if they do?”
“Standard night attack.” Longhorn said. “The air creatures will dive from above and take out anybody on deck, then the Bloodhound will grapple and the rest of the crew will board.”
“I see.” The griffon hissed, somewhat annoyed that he still had the job of taking point.
“Since most of the crew don't know what the Elements look like, pass the word that I want all bodies aboard that ship to be taken alive.” Longhorn ordered.
“Aye Captain.” The griffon said as he walked off to perform his duties.
Slowly but surely, the pirate ship found its way closer and closer to the unsuspecting merchant ship.
Information Booth stood rigidly as Princess Celestia glared at him.
“Why should I believe you?” She asked menancingly.
“Captain Longhorn has a personal vendetta against the iron ship.” He squeaked. “He wants to see it sunk!”
Iron Keel stepped forward. “And what of the Elements of Harmony?”
“Captain Longhorn promises to leave them be!” Booth said, trying to control his bladdder. “He has no quarrel with Equestria.”
Celestia circled the diminutive stallion like a shark circling its prey. “Tell me, Mister Booth, does it not seem a little convenient that your captain is going to take all the risk for Equestria, claiming to be able to take the ship and then leaving it for us? Why should I not consider this a trap?”
Booth gulped. “He explained that you are to be insurance, in case things go badly for the Bloodhound.”
Iron Keel slammed his hoof down. “Then why does he not reveal the location of the ship now? Why is he having us wait?”
Booth visibly jumped at the admiral's anger.
“He doesn't trust you!” He squeaked. “He says he will only call for help if he needs it!”
Celestia stopped circling and looked at the nearby porthole.
“That had better be him.” She said as smoke rapidly curled into the room and materialized into a note in front of Booth.
Iron Keel quickly grabbed the note before Booth had a chance to and read it out loud.
“Booth, inform the Navy that we have failed in our attack and are currently being chased down by the Marblehead. We are going to lure them into the east Bugganville strait. Signed, Captain Longhorn.”
Booth nearly fainted in relief. Celestia and Iron Keel, on the other hoof, were not so happy.
“What is the Bugganville Strait?” Celestia demanded.
Iron Keel stepped in to answer. “It's not really a strait, your highness, but a small slip of water that runs through the entire middle of the island. Barely large enough for one of our cutters to move through, and if the reports are accurate, the iron ship will be too large to navigate such a channel.”
“How long until we can be there?” She asked.
“Sunrise.” Iron Keel stated.
“Get us there!” Celestia ordered.
Twilight slowly felt herself slowly drifting off into a deep sleep. The Marblehead had already cut the Sea Treader loose, no goodbyes or anything, leaving the sailing ship to plot its own course.
Now that the ship was clear of the storm and not being dragged along like some toy, the Sea Treader's violent motions had turned into a gentle rocking that lulled the seasick princess into sleep. Her eyes closed, and her breathing became slow.
The sudden jolt of an impact threw Twilight from the bed and she landed on the floor with a grunt. Standing up, she groggily turned to the door and opened it.
“Hello?” She croaked.
There was rustle of feathers and something impacted the back of her head. She stumbled, but turned and launched a spell, sending a griffon flying through the passageway and out the back of the ship. The thud of heavy hooves attracted her attention to the door at the end of the passageway.
Racing towards it, she slammed it open with her magic and leapt out, horn flared and ready for battle. Standing on the deck in front of her was a mixed crew of evil looking pirates, in the middle of the group stood a massive black minotaur holding a cutlass to Applejack's throat.
“Settle down Princess, lest you want to see the insides of every last one of your friends.” He ordered.
Twilight looked around and saw that all of her friends, including Silent Hooves, had been taken captive and blades held to their throats. She let the magic on her horn die out and looked at the minotaur.
“Happy?” She asked.
“Not yet.” He smirked.
Before Twilight could react, several pirates jumped at her and began to beat her with their hooves. The last thing Twilight felt before succumbing to the pain was an inhibitor ring placed on her horn.
“Not again.” She thought.
Longhorn looked with satisfaction at the broken princess, her battered and bruised body lying on the deck. He laughed as the six other ponies screamed at him, the orange one he was holding even bit him.
With a simple flick of his wrist, Longhorn turned the blade away from the pony and hit the stetson covered head with the butt of the sword. She fell limp in his grasp and he casually tossed her at the nearest pirate as if tossing away a rag.
“Get the prisoners back aboard the Bloodhound! Prepare to make full sail!” He roared.
A chorus of “Aye-ayes” answered him as he stood proudly on the deck of the freighter. Turning to the starboard, he watched the lights of the Marblehead as they vanished into the night.
“Give me a lantern.” He ordered.
A lantern was placed in his outstretched hand and he lit it with a cruel smile.
“Like a moth to flame, so shall the Marblehead follow us to their destruction under the combined firepower of the Equestrian Fleet!” He announced to his crew.
They roared in agreement, stamping their hooves and claws on the deck. Longhorn brought the lantern close to his face, staring at the sputtering flame inside.
“Goodbye Stalker.” He whispered. “My one regret is that I didn't kill you myself.”
With that, he turned and flung the lantern on the sail where it shattered, sending burning oil across the canvas. The flame eagerly ate up the sail before turning to the mast itself, turning the lumber into a towering beacon of light.
Longhorn followed his crew onto the Bloodhound as the freighter was turned into a raging inferno. Looking at where he last saw the lights of the strange iron ship, he noted with a satisfied smirk that they began to reappear as the Marblehead steamed over the horizon once again.
“Cap'n! The Sea Treader's on fire!” Storm Stalker called.
Trade Breaker started from his bed, scrambling out his door and up towards the wheelhouse. His first mate followed him, fear in her eyes.
Breaker arrived on the bridge, blinking away his sleep and looking through the windows. Miles ahead, the hulk of a ship could be seen burning brightly against the night. He stood, stunned at the sight and refusing to speak.
“Cap'n?” Stalker asked. “Yewr orders?”
She tried again before reaching out and touching him. He turned to look at her, confusion in his eyes.
“What happened?” He pleaded. “Why is my father's ship burning?”
Storm shook her head. “Ah don' know.”
“SHIP OFF THE PORT BOW!” Came the frantic call from the lookout.
Breaker turned and saw lanterns bobbing in the distance. They were a long ways off and heading for Bugganville by the looks of it. He heard Storm Stalker catch her breath and he looked at her.
“What is it?” He asked.
“Ah'd know that ship anywhere.” She growled. “The same won tha' chased the Golden Curse fer three whole days.”
Grabbing Trade Breaker, she pulled him close. “Cap'n, that ship out there be the Bloodhound, and she belongs tae that cursed minotaur Longhorn, an' Ah'm tellin' yew right now, we cannae beat him. His crew is tae big an' he's tae smart tae let himself be seen like this. It's a trap that he be leadin' us intae.”
Trade Breaker looked at her, then at the burning Sea Treader.
“Helm, set a course fer Bugganville!” He ordered.
“CAP'N!” Storm yelled. “YEW CANNAE DO THIS!”
Trade Breaker pushed her hoof off of him and pinned her against the window.
“I'LL BE SENT TO THE REAPER A'FORE I LET LONGHORN GET AWAY!” He roared in her face. “THERE BE SEVEN SOULS ABOARD THAT SHIP! AN' COME STORM, PIRATES, CELESTIA HERSELF TO STOP ME I'M GETTIN' THEM BACK!”
Storm Stalker wilted under her captain's fury, letting herself fall to the floor when he let her go. Never before had Trade Breaker struck her in anger. Never before had he made her feel so weak and powerless as she did in that moment. She hated the feeling, and she hated him for making her feel that way.
Trade Breaker ignored her and turned back to the stunned crew on the bridge.
“Helm, all ahead full.” He growled. “Make yer course to intercept the Bloodhound.”