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.