“Hey, scallywags, it's time to be awesome!” cried Captain Celaeno, as Rainbow Dash and the rest were finishing their song.
“Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!” voices of parrot crew and ponies were sounding in unison.
Rainbow Dash was proud of herself. She not only helped cool pirates… that is swashbuckling treasure hunters crew to remember, who they are, but also made new friends. New allies, who could help ponies on their quest.
“Now, set the course on the Skull Island!” commanded Celaeno.
“What?!” stumbled Dash, who was already going to celebrate new buddies with a sonic rainboom. “Aren’t you going to help us reach mount Aris?”
“Why? We are not delivery service anymore. We are pirate crew again! And we have a lot of treasure hunting catch up to do. Smuggler cove at Skull Island is the best place to start. Sure they would have some maps and rumors about promising places.” explained Celaeno. “Also we have to get rid of Storm King’s merchandise, preferably for a hefty price.”
“But… But we helped you to remember your way. Returned your awesomeness! What about gratitude?”
“You only did that so we won’t toss you overboard.” Celaeno pushed the leaver and airship started to descend to catch a better wind.
“Calm down Rainbow Dash,” said Twilight gloomy. “This is not Equestria and apparently just one song is not enough to get things right.”
“I refuse to believe that!” Rainbow was never good at quitting. “It’s all sailors’ tradition to stick together. And we all are against the Storm King. If you don’t help us, you’ll regret it for the rest of your lives.”
“Don’t push you luck, pony!” Celaeno angrily glared right into eyes of Dash, who was hovering right beside her. “I’m still deciding if you’re worthy of my crew or we should just sell you.”
“What? Again?”
“Rainbow!” hissed Twilight, but pegasus wouldn’t listen.
“You shouldn’t underestimate us.” in one swoop Rainbow Dash circled Celaeno and got hold of the stirring wheel. “Bet, we could be more awesome and more daring crew than you ever be!”
“That’s it! I’m gonna teach you a lesson.” before Dash could even blink a saber was already in Celaeno’s hand.
“Stop this instant!” cried Twilight and sent a spell to paralyze Celaeno and Dash.
However, Celaeno instantly turned around and literally slashed magic charge in half.
“You know, there was one perk in working with Storm King’s merchandise. We got ourselves some magic-proof weaponry.”
Before ponies realized they found themselves surrounded. Except for Rainbow Dash, who shot upwards.
“Not so daring now?” laughed Celaeno. “Flee away, little pony!”
But Rainbow Dash wasn’t fleeing. She flew around the ship, gaining speed. And just at the moment when pirates saw her again, she passed the sound barrier, creating her sonic rainboom.
“What is that?” Celaeno and her crew were bewildered by the sight.
And before Celaeno realized a speeding pegasus rushed to her and snatched captain’s saber with her teeth.
“Not bad,” admitted Celaeno staring at her empty hand.
“Ah knof” answered Dash.
“But if you want to impress me, you need to be more, then one trick pony.” Celaeno dashed towards a pile of crates. Rainbow Dash threw herself at her, but parrot captain ducked and pony missed.
When Rainbow Dash turned herself around, Celaeno was already holding a crowbar.
“I don’t need a real blade to teach a lesson to the likes of you!” she explained.
“Now, little pony show what you’ve got!” Celaeno lunged and two weapons clashed several times.
“I admit, you are pretty good,” said Celaeno after her every strike was parried. “Let’s see, how...” before Celaeno finished there was a loud crack and the airship tilted.
“We descended too low!” one of the pirates, Mullet, was the first who got, what was happening.
Airship skimmed treetops with a lot of jolting. Making use of the distraction five surrounded ponies broke out the pirate’s circle. Learning from past mistake Twilight didn’t try magic on them, but instead made the deck covered with ice.
“Level the ship. Now!” cried Celaeno.
However pirates were too far from airship controls. And they couldn’t move quickly enough on the jolting ice. Another hard jolt sent Celaeno herself on all four. Rainbow Dash didn’t waste the time – she flew to the altitude control lever and pulled it, putting blade aside. Turned out that the lever was rather tight and it took Dash several seconds, before it moved and the ship started to ascend.
When Rainbow Dash finished, she turned to see how Celaeno was doing. Captain was standing right beside pegasus with her saber reclaimed. Dash couldn’t even say a word.
“Ok. I admit it. You are more capable, than you look.” Celaeno sheathed her saber. “And I’m grateful that you saved my ship.”
“Well, I was actually saving my friends. It just happens that we were on the same ship.” while Rainbow Dash was saying this, Twilight pressed her hoof to her face. “So, you probably shouldn’t be thankful for that.”
“I know. But as you’ve said, we are on the same ship. And we should help each other. Otherwise, we end up under the Storm King again.”
“So, are you going to help us reach Mount Aris?”
“Yes.”
“See, Twilight? A song, a sword-fight and a sonic rainboom were enough after all.”
“I wish you would do everything without sonic rainboom.”
“Why?”