//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: Battle for the Booty // Story: Rainbow is Magic S2: Treasures of the Deep Blue // by aceotaku //------------------------------// A bright pink Nurse Shark with a nurse’s cap on her head swam through the depths of Captain Squirk’s pirate ship, peeking into a room. A purple jellyfish held an assortment of scalpels, forceps, syringes and other medical tools in its spear-like tentacles, standing over a huge, hulking mass. “D-doctor...” The nurse said nervously. “Vat is it!?” The doctor turned, the top of its round head sporting a translucent, almost ghostly single eye. “Can’t you see I am viz a patient!?” “W-well...I-I have another patient for you...” “VAT!? WHO!? What ze hay is happening out zhere!?” The nurse bit her lip, looking aside. “w-well...about that...” --------------------------- Several Minutes Earlier Captain Squirk laughed in triumph as he stood on the deck of his ship; tentacles raised high in the air as water swirled around him and his crew, as he set to work attempting to steal an entire city beneath him through a large water funnel connecting his sphere of liquid to the ocean surface below. “What’s mine is mine!” He cackled. “And what’s yours is ALSO mine! Feh heh heh heh!” One the surface of the ocean proper, several ships of varying sizes, types and levels of sea-worthiness floated, several having been outfitted with salvaged cannons found on the ocean floor, firing upon the pirate ship ahead. The yak leading the charge turned to the armoured seapony at his side as a pony put the finishing touches onto the metal. “Keep those pirates busy! Fire all ye got!” The yak said before turning to the seapony. “We’ll help as best we can up here, so ye best focus on helping yer people, lass.” The seapony glared, still suspicious and wary, but lacking any real options nodded and dived down, having seen the battle taking place beneath the seas. “Okay ya lubbers!” The yak called out to the other ships. “Dump anything big and heavy ye got! That beastie down below looks like a real piece of work!” The pony nearby smirked and trotted off, manning a large mechanism that launched a large metal claw down below the water’s surface at breakneck speed. Captain Squirk yelped as an errant cannon managed to get through the shield of water and strike near where he stood. “Pistolerro!” He bellowed, looking over the side of his ship. “Show those scallywags not to mess with us!” Looking out through a porthole of the ship, an enlarged pistol shrimp with an oversized claw nodded, reaching a smaller claw to tug on several strings at once, causing several cannons to fire upon the fishers and salvagers outside. The fishers cried out as they did their best to dodge the attack, several ships being struck and sinking as their occupants either try to move to another ship or swim away. The yak winced and started to shout an order...only for a blast of pressurised water to strike him in the shoulder. The yak grunted, his kind’s natural strength giving him the ability to not be as damaged as any other citizen of equestria, he gazed out to see Pistolerro pointing her oversized claw outwards. The yak growled and lifted a large harpoon. “Give it yer best shot, ya cretin! I’ve faced FAR worse than you on these seas, so don’t think I’m scared of a few measly drizzles!” Pistolerro rolled her eyes and started firing, knocking the yak back with sheer force, the cannon being torn asunder. The yak however smirked defiantly. “Hey, what do you think is happenin’ down there, while ye’re busy dealin’ with some old fisherponies?” He chuckled sardonically, lighting a pipe even as his wounds bled. Pistolerro blinked and gazed down, eyes widening as she spied the battered form of her comrade, Angle Glow, as he lay unconscious on the sea floor in the middle of the city, a few figures gathered around his body as several bits of debris lay atop him. The armoured seapony turned to face the pirate ship, eyes blazing with fury as she suddenly charged, screaming in rage as her home was being devastated and she and the others were being pulled upwards. “I won’t let you lay a single slimy appendage on my home or my people!” she roared. However, she pushed back as a suddenly burst of water pressure struck her at high speed, causing a loud bang and superficial damage to her armour. Crabnasty swam to her to grab her, arching back and crying out in pain as he too was shot in the back. Twilight’s horn glowed as she summoned a shield around herself, Rarity and the two sea dwellers, grunting as the shield reverberated from the shots striking it. “W-what is it now!?” Rarity exclaimed in shock. Crabnasty groaned in pain. “It’s one of the crew...Pistolerro...a magically enhanced, enlarged pistol shrimp, her right pincer is now a dangerous projectile firing weapon, especially underwater...” Bubble Burst groaned, reorienting herself. “If you have time to be spouting exposition, you have time to get up and fight!” Rarity swam over to the seapony, gripping her shoulders. “That’s crazy! One shot FLOORED you; I doubt she wouldn’t stop at just one! If you try to fight that pirate directly, you’re just going to get yourself killed!” “What do you expect me to do!?” Bubble Burst snapped. “Stand here and WAIT in this BUBBLE!? How is THAT going to solve anything!?” Twilight groaned. “We’ll need to think of something fast anyway, I can’t hold this up for much longer...” --------------------- As their homes were lifted up high, the various seaponies began to flee and fight against the currents. One by one, each saw a large metal object fall out from a hidden space in their homes as they torn off. Seeking refuge, and said objects looking like they’d protect them, most seaponies hurriedly put them on, while others continued their futile attempts to swim by themselves, only to be pulled up to the ship above. However, those who had managed to put on their newfound armoured suits found they could swim freely. They could escape from the scary pirates! Something above caught their attention however. Their homes. The unlucky seaponies who were their friends who were being pulled towards the pirate ship. And finally, a large glowing bubble being attacked, which held four figures within it. A strange crab creature that was fighting hard to protect everyone. The two ponies who came to their city and helped fight off the pirate, one of whom even tried to repair Bubble Burst’s home by herself. Bubble Burst, who looked so hurt and vulnerable, who fought so hard for everyone all the time even when she hated everyone. Most importantly, they saw these peple, their protectors, were in trouble and very desperately needed help. The seaponies gulped fearfully but gripped the aged tridents in their hooves. They knew what had to do be done now. The armoured seaponies, inspired by the brave bravery and selflessness of others, swam upwards, their armour giving them an incredible burst of speed. Noone was around to help, so they had to finally step up and help out. ------------------------ Twilight groaned, cracks forming in magical shield under the onslaught being laid upon her and the others. Pistolerro sneered, aiming both her claw and several cannons at the group, ready to finish them off. “Stop hurting our friends!” a voice cried out from beneath them. Pistolerro blinked in surprise as several armoured seaponies, much like Bubble Burst, swam upwards and flung their tridents towards her, striking into the cannons just as the pistol shrimp fired them...causing a massive explosion to tear a large into the ship’s hull. “W...what the hay just happened?” Rarity queried. Bubble Burst looked around, seeing the many seaponies around her, suited up and ready for action. “I thought...I thought their armour was all rusted away...” Twilight sighed as the shield around the group dissipated, letting the unicorn relax, Rarity wrapping more bandages around Crabnasty as the two ponies carried him, Bubble Burst swimming in front. “At least we’ll have an easier way to get in now without having to worry about getting attacked...” The seapony remarked, looking around at the other remaining seaponies. “I still can’t believe they’re here...fighting alongside us...” “WHO SAID YOU COULD BUST OPEN MY SHIP LIKE THAT, YOU LUBBERS!?” Squirk’s voice roared out over them. “I’LL KEELHAUL THE LOT OF YA! AND THE ONES I DON’T WILL WORK THEMSELVES TO THE BONE FIXING WHAT THEY BROKE!” The seaponies cried out in fear as the water around them pushed them away, sending Rarity and Twilight back too as they carried Crabnasty. Bubble Burst’s armour moved much faster than it had before as she swam past the current and got up behind the three, pushing them forwards towards the large hole in the side of the massive pirate ship. The other seaponies fled as torrents of swirling water tried to pull them in to smash at them like tentacles. Bubble Burst however managed to get herself and her three compatriots into the ship, the group looking around. Before them was a lengthy wooden hallway leading to various rooms blow the deck. However, Pistolerro was nowehere to be found. “Ummm...” Rarity began. “Shouldn’t there be a pirate unconscious here?” “Well either she got better and got up without trying to attack us...” Crabnasty replied, wheezing softly. “Or Nancy picked her up to get her treated by Doc.” “Doc?” Twilight asked. The former pirate nodded. “No crew sails the seas without a doctor, and Doc is the best there is. We’re gonna have to take him out or else the others will just keep comin’ back up.” Bubble Burst growled in irritation as the moved down along the hallway. “Fantastic...” “Why would we be fighting EVERYONE, though?” Rarity said. “Arent at least some of them your friends...?” “Maybe...” Crabnasty admitted grimly. “However, none of them are gonna side against the Captain, especially not now he has the Moonstone...” “HALT!” The group froze, looking up at the large mass standing before them. It was a massive hermit crab, his ‘shell’ composed of metal and machinery, topped with several large, heavy cannons pointed at them. “You are not going anywhere!” The hermit crab stated. “You hurt my friends, broke our ship and made the cap’n angry! And for that you’ll pay!” Bubble Burst lifted her trident, ready for a fight, and Twilight steeled herself...but Rarity pushed Crabnasty in front instead, the crab gazing up at the hermit crab. “Helmut...” The smaller crab said pleadingly, tears in his eyes. The larger crab openly began crying. “B-big bro!? B-but the cap’n said you was dead! Th-that the seaponies k-k-k-k-k-KILT ya!” Crabnasty sighed and looked down. “He...he lied, Helmut. He...he was the one who tried to have me killed...” “W-why would he do that!?” “Because...because i turned against him...” Crabnasty sighed, suddenly coughing and groaning in pain. “And what you see before you...is the result of my attempted mutiny...” “B-but why would you mutiny!?” Helmut exclaimed, crying and confused. Rarity trotted over, extending a hoof. “Your Captain...is not a very nice person. Does he make you wear that heavy pile of scrap?” Helmut nodded. “Uh-huh, cap’n said I need to be able to fight and looks scary...” “But isn’t really heavy and painful?” He nodded again. “Yeah. Especially when it gets hot after I fire it a few times.” The unicorn smiled. “Crabnasty here is your friend right? Well I’m his friend too. If you help us you can take that thing off and no longer have to worry about fighting.” Helmut shook and shivered. “I..I dunno...the...the Cap’n...” Rarity held out her hoof, smiling. “It’s okay; I won’t force you to do anything you don’t wish to....though it may mean you’ll have to fight us.” The unicorn frowned softly. Helmut looked at Crabnasty, tears falling as the hermit crab moved aside. “I could never hurt my Bro! Fine I’ll help you if it means helping my Bro!” “Helmut.” A new voice said icily. “You traitor.” Helmut jumped aside as Pistolerro crawled into view from a door on the left wall beside everyone, covered in bandages and shaking, her larger claw pointing at Helmut. Twilight moved as best she could in the water filling the hull, slamming both her hooves down onto the pistol shrimp’s weaponised arm, and via utilising hitherto unseen strength, shattered the arm and rendering Pistolerro harmless. “Oh!” Twilight gasped, eyes wide. “I-I didn’t mean to do that!” “Die!” Pistolerro screeched, swinging her remaining pincer to slash at Twilight’s throat, only for a massive array of bandages to be tied around her in a massive cacoon, rendering her immobile and squirming futilely. From behind her a pink nurse shark waded into view. “See what happens when you don’t wait for the healing process, Pisty?” The shark tsked, looking at the group, eyes falling sadly upon Crabnasty. “So...I guess that makes me a mutineer too...” “The pirate life never suited you one bit, Pansy.” Crabnasty replied, smiling wryly. “Unlike the rest of us your were never onboard with the Captain’s orders...I should’ve listened to you sooner...” The shark sighed and smiled kindly. “You, Helmut, Jerry and I all stuck around for the same reasons, Crabby...” She gazed down at the ponies and seapony. “I see you made some new friends too...” Bubble Burst huffed, turning aside as she swam ahead of the group. “speak for yourselves, I’m not going to suddenly start treating you nicely just because you turned against your ‘captain’. You’re all pirates and even if indirectly helped attack us and steal our most prized treasure. You cannot expect for me to let go of that quickly.” The pirate mutineers looked down guiltily as Rarity frowned sadly but understandingly. “Of course, noone’s expecting you to either Bubble Burst, but you must understand all these guys helping us who know the layout best can help us find the Captain and end this faster.” Bubble Burst was silent for some time. “You’re still at fault here, too, unicorn, even if it was born of foolishness rather than malice as I initially assumed. None of this would have come about if it weren’t for your intervention, if you had just stayed out of it.” Twilight frowned in annoyance, rubbing her hoof idly. “yeah, but don’t forget we’re only here in the first place because of your paranoia. If you had learned the difference between a pirate and seafarer we wouldn’t have gotten involved.” “I think the point is,” Crabnasty said, “is that we ALL have a role in these turn of events; Pony, pirate, seapony. Our best bet at fixing things is setting aside our differences and working together. I am not asking for forgiveness, but you can’t let hatred and anger guide you. It will not help you in the long run, nor will it help you now.” The seapony shook under her armour, gripping her trident tightly. “...why? Why did you protect me from your crewmate’s attack out there? You wouldn’t be injured if you had simply let it hit me instead.” Crabnasty looked down. “I..I respected you for always fighting to protect your people, and I felt terrible for helping hurt them. I...I had assumed we would use the Moonstone to ask the princesses for help. Look at us, no matter how you slice it, we’re monsters, and Equestria is not forgiving towards non-ponies. But with the Moonstone, we could’ve gotten at least a chance...” He started crying. “But our Captain was not at all who I thought he was! He’s greedy and selfish and thoughtless! He stole and plundered because he ENJOYS it, not because he needs to! And fool as I was, I was too blind to see it till I was forced to! I DESERVE to punish myself in the name of a beautiful creature like you! You are worthy of being protected, that’s all there is to it!” Bubble Burst stared up at him, eyes wide behind her concealing visor, struggling to say something in the face of his earnestness. But before she could, an arm wrapped around her and pulled her through the wooden wall, tearing it to pieces. “Bubble Burst!” Rarity cried, turning to the others. “the rest of you go find that moonstone, I’ll help her! And don’t try to stop me, I’m the medic here, She’ll need me if she gets hurt!” Twilight frowned but nodded. “Be careful.” Rarity smirked and saluted. “Hey, don’t worry; I know plenty about being careful.” Pansy the shark tilted her head, frowning. “You have several bruises and I think your left hip has a minor fracture.” “Had. It got better. Eventually.” Rarity chuckled and swam off, ignoring any further arguement. Crabnasty silently fllowed after her, moving quickly. “Wait come back!” Twilight cried out, only to sigh. “And then there were three...” “You know, I’m know a fair bit about medical skills too..” Pansy said quietly. “It’ll be okay!” Helmut piped up cheerfully. “Big Bro’s strong! He’ll make sure the pretty seapony’s safe!” “...How do you know she’s pretty?” Twilight asked. “She sounded like she was!” ------------------------------ Bubble Burst struggled, flailing her trident around as multiple leathery limbs wrapped around her. The dome-shaped head of Murry pressed against the side of her helmet as her held her arms and tail in place with all four of his limbs. “The Captain is VERY annoyed, right now! As his personal musician, I will make sure you’re properly punished!” “Your skin’s getting caught up in the gears of my armour, you idiot!” Bubble Burst argued. “You’re as stuck as me!” “Hah! I did it on purpose, to immobilise you and leave you vulnerable to my next attack!” She rolled her eyes, spinning her tail rotor and tearing the weird creature’s legs apart...who surprisingly didn’t even scream in pain. “Hah! It’ll take more than that to dislodge me!” The pirate taunted. “GET OFF OF HER!” Crabnasty shouted angrily, slashing at Murray’s arms with his lone claw, tearing enough to free the seapony. The strange creature laughed as his torn and tattered drifted in front of the pair, Bubble Burst backing away quickly to put some distance between her and the pirate who laughed mockingly. “You fools! You have fallen into my trap! I have sacrificed my suit’s limbs to bring you both close so I can finish you both!” Crabnasty rolled his eyes. “Don’t listen to him! He’s an idiot who refuses to admit even the smallest mistake or problem! I don’t know WHAT he is, exactly, but I do know no matter as injured as he is he cannot possibly fight us both!” “Injured!?” Murrary laughed. “Do I look injured to you, you fools!? I am the most noble pirate on this ship, careful to ensure no one other than the captain and Angle Glow know my identity! You know nothing!” Bubble Burst charge, spearing her trident through the creatures chest, twisting and pulling back to tear its body in half, its round head falling off from the force. “I know enough to make sure you’re dead” However, rather than falling silent, Murray’s laugh instead grew louder as his head drifted towards Crabnasty, a long, serpentine tail wrapping around the reformed crustacean’s neck, squeezing tighter and tighter as the crab choked and struggled, more of the appendage’s absurd length wrapping around Crabnasty’s uninjured arm and pulling it close to his body. Finally, the round opening of the helmet sprung open, revealing a sneering moray eel. “You fools, you fools! I told you, I told you! That suit was perfect! With it I fooled EVERYONE into thinking I was a biped, making it easy to dodge your attacks! Sure I had to sacrifice it in the end, but I’m sure Doc can patch it up or maybe we’ll find a brand new one!” Bubble Burst glared, drawing her trident to attack. “Uh-uh-uuhhhh!” Murrary taunted, moving himself behind Crabnasty deftly. “If you want to hurt me, you’ll need to go through my former comrade!” naturally, he had ensured to fight them both in a narrow enough hallway that Bubble Burst simply couldn’t get behind him. “Like I care!” Bubble Burst retorted, getting into a striking stance. “A pirate’s a pirate, no matter what! I’ll kill the both of you if I have to!” “Go ahead!” Murrary challenged. “Show me how tough you are, seapony!” Crabnasty merely bowed his head and closed his eyes in calm acceptance as Bubble Burst charged forward, screaming in rage. Only to freeze, her trident’s points inches from Crabnasty’s face. The crab opened his eyes, gasping in surprise at seeing the mare stall her attack, her suit’s arm’s shaking. “Why...” The seapony muttered, sounding on the verge of tears. “why...why can’t you just let me hate you!?” “Oh look crabnasty!” Murrary cackled as he rapidly wrapped himself around the pair, pulling them close together as he started tighten around them both, his head still behind his former friend’s back. “Seems your girlfriend isn’t as cold as she acts! Shame that just means you’ll BOTH die together! JUST AS I PLANNED!” That was when Rarity grabbed the large helmet and headbutted it, hard enough to make a dent and slam hard into Murrary’s head as he was distracted. The eel groaned in pain, his seven foot long body falling limp as he fell unconscious, his coils loosening and freeing the seapony and the crab. Rarity grinned at the pair as they turned to look at her. “I spent years hitting the ground, of course the first thing to harden was my head!” She laughed cockily. Bubble Burst glared in disbelief. “I don’t think bones work like that...” “Sure they do!” Rarity beamed, patting the pair of them on the shoulder with her hooves. “But we really gotta rejoin the others! We’ll be able to beat these pirates easily if we work together!” Bubble Burst sighed and swam past the pony. “Very well...at the very least, it seems the pirates aren’t ready to deal with ALL of us, and I am willing to accept your help...but once this is over, we will discuss what happens after...” “Aye aye!” Rarity saluted, with a grin. “I’m sure everything will be smooth sailing from here on!” ------------------------ Doc the jellyfish swam above deck, carrying a bag of his medical supplies. “Zis is getting far too dangerous!” He muttered to himself. “Ze ship’s getting wrecked, half ze crew is down und out, ze ozer half is turning traitor and ze captain’s losing it more zan he has before! Time to put zis behind me and find somewhere else to put my skills to use...perhaps with ze master...” “Where are YOU going, Doc?” A voice growled. Doc froze and turned, seeing his Captain slither out of the shadows, moving slowly towards him. “G-going?” Doc shook, sweating. “I-I’m not going anyvhere! I-I’m just...helping make sure you’re all patched up! I-It’s time to abandon ship Captain! B-Better to r-run and live anozer day...” “Abandon ship? Abandon MY ship!?” Squirk snarled, moving closer and closer. “You lily livered coward, what’s mine is mine! My crew, my ship, EVERYTHING! That includes you...but if my crew turn coward and try to abandon me, then they lose their worth. DO YOU UNDERSTAND!?“ “V-VAIT! VAIT! CAPTAIN! H-He made us for a purpose! Captain, be reasonable!” “REASON WITH THIS!” Squirk shouted. Doc’s screams were silenced as the water around him sliced him to tiny pieces, boiling around him under his remains dissolved and disintergrated. Jerry, the ship’s cook, watched this unfold with terrified eyes before diving back below deck. ----------------------- Pansy, Twilight and Helmut moved along the hallway of the ship’s surprisingly large hull, looking for an exit or better yet the Captain’s Quarters. “I hope the other three are alright...” Pansy said in concern. Twilight smiled reassuringly at the shark. “I’m sure they’re fine. Bubble Burst is a very strong...seapony, and that ‘Crabnasty’ fella seems pretty tough too and Rarity is...resourceful.” Helmut looked ahead, blinking. “Hey there’s someone coming over!” The other two looked ahead to where Helmut was looking as a large Jellysifh wearing a chef’s hat came swimming towards them at a rapid pace. “H-H-Helmut! P-P-Pansy!” He froze suddenly, seeing the unicorn. “O-Oh no a-a-an intruder!” Pansy glided over to the jellyfish, tenderly placing a comforting fin on top of his head. “It’s okay Jerry, she’s a friend. Now calm down, tell us what’s wrong.” Jerry shivered and shook, his blue face pale. “Th-the captain...THE CAPTAIN KILLED DOC! I SAW I RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY EYES!” Pansy and Helmut both stared, paling, while Twilight looked between them, puzzled. “Doc?” She asked. Pansy bit her lip. “He was our crew’s doctor, and my teacher. He...he did not have the best bedside manner but still...” She started crying. “Why would the Captain...?” “D-Doc...Doc was scared. H-He was trying to run, t-told me to come with him before things got dire.” Jerry shivered. “I-I couldn’t decide, s-so I just hid out of sight...b-but then the Captain saw him and got r-real mad a-and then...” Twilight waded over, looking grim but focused. “I know this may be asking too much of you, especially after what happened to your friend, but I think you can agree you can’t stay here, you’re coming with us, we’ll help you find a new home away from this...craziness.” Jerry nodded, still pale. “But you need to tell me something.” Twilight said firmly. “Do you know where the moonstone is? I think we can all agree that it should not be in his...clutches, right?” Jerry looked up at him. “Th-The Captain hasn’t let the Moonstone ut of his sight since h-he...u-um...got rid of Crabnasty...” He wrapped his tentacles around himself in fear. “I-it’s in his eyepatch...i-it’s how he’s able to control the water.” Twilight frowned. “That’s...not good. That means we’ll have to fight him...” “F-Fight him!?” Jerry screeched. “F-Fight the C-Captain...!?” Pansy gasped, shocked. “ARE YOU CRAZY!?” Helmut wailed. “H-He’s our Captain! N-No matter what he did o-or does, h-he’s still Captain! He took us in, a-a bunch of dumb, scared, lonely freaks and gave us a home a-and a family! I-I wouldn’t have known bro if not for the Captain!” Twilight nodded. “It’s admirable you still care about him...but you heard what Jerry said, he killed one of you already and tried to kill your bro. He doesn’t care one bit about you...you’re just...THINGS to him.” Her hoof shook with anger. “He’s...he’s a MONSTER and doesn’t deserve you...how could...how could someone who kills you at the slightest moment EVER claim to be your friend, let alone your family!? He’s a murderer!” “E-even so...” Jerry looked away from the unicorn as he spoke. “Even so...even if we tried to fight him, there’s no way! H-he’s too strong, and that was BEFORE he had the Moonstone!” Twilight shook her head. “There’s plenty of us and only one of him. As long as we fight smart and work together, we can beat him, no matter what magic he has.” She smiled reassuringly. “Besides, I’ll protect you, all of you, even if I have to give my all.” The three pirates gazed down at her, wide eyed. “Y-you...you would do that...f-for us?” Jerry asked, confused. “B-But why...?” Twilight smiled. “I strive to give what I can. If all I can give you is a promise and my life, then that’s what I’ll do. But most of all, you deserve a chance and a future, and I’d be happy to fight to make sure you had one.” The three stared down at her in awe, each one crying at the generosity she offered them. “Y-You...” Pansy said softly. “You really are different from the Captain...” She calmed herself with a sigh and then nodded. “You’re...you’re right. This madness must end now. I’ll...I’ll do what I can.” “M-me t-t-too!” Jerry saluted. “I-I’m just the cook b-but I couldn’t live with myself if I let you sacrifice so much for us without doing anything in r-r-return!” “Y-You’re so nice to us, purple lady! Just like Bro!” Helmut cried, pulling Twilight in a crushing hug. “Big Sis! Big Sis!” “O-Okay!” Twilight gasped out, struggling against the large creature. “I-I appreciate it! You can let go!” “Oh no, do go on.” A voice said icily from above them. “I’d love to hear more talk about how you intend to betray me just cause some pony said nice things to you.” The four of them gasped, Helmut letting go of Twilight as they all gazed upwards, seeing the furious look on the face of Captain Squirk peering down from them from a hole in the ceiling. “Oh, but where are my manners?” Squirk sneered. “Do come up where we can discuss this manner like civilised folk.” They group cried out as the water around them pulled them upwards and threw them onto the deck of the ship. The water dissipated, leaving Jerry and Pansy helplessly flopping on the deck unable to move properly. Twilight ran to look them over to make sure the pair were okay, while Helmut stood and stared at his Captain in fear. Squirk chuckled, gazing down at Twilight as a seagull landed on the cephalopod’s shoulder. “Oh don’t worry, the magic that made them what they are made them able to survive on both land and sea, though it could’ve at least given them some legs to make them more useful.” His tentacles coiled and squirmed as he pulled himself closer to the group, his beak pulled into a cold grin. “Now I already killed one of you already, though to be fair it should’ve been two, but let’s not fuss with the details, the POINT is I don’t want to lose more of my property. I own ALL of you, you are all MINE to do with, and if I say you stay with me for life, then you STAY with me! Now, howsabout you RETHINK your position, step away from the mare, and maybe, JUST MAYBE, I’ll forgive you.” Twilight stood in front of the helpless nurse shark and jellyfish, horn glowing. “I won’t let you hurt them! You killed their friend!” Squirk shrugged. “I don’t need cowards in my crew, and I can ALWAYS get another doctor somewhere down the line. Plus all this talk about masters this and purpose that just really...IRRITATED me. He should’ve remembered who owned him.” Twilight snarled, shaking in rage. “You don’tOWN them! They’re living people, they’re not things!” “I OWN EVERYTHING!” Squirk roared.”I was born knowing this one truth! I own This SHIP! I own my CREW! I own the Moonstone! I own the ocean! AND I OWN YOU!” He grinned giddily, madly, the moonstone glowing in the eyepatch covering his right eyesocket, pointing his large hook upwards. “Now, quick question, what do you suppose I DID with all that water around you?” Twilight blinked and looked up, eyes widening as she saw dozens of thin, sharp spears made of water, hovering in the air above her. “And there’s the punchline.” Squirked swung his hook down and the water flew down towards Twilight. However, before they struck, Helmut jumped in front of her, back facing upwards as it took the brunt of the attack, clumps metal falling from his back. “HELMUT!” Twilight cried out, along with Jerry and Pansy. Helmut cried out in pain but stood firm over the unicorn. “Y-you said...you’d give your life for us...b-but you never said we couldn’t do the same for you, Big Sis!” He turned and fired the cannons on his back upon his captain, only for Squirk to strike at him with his hook and shatter the hermit crab’s weapon and push him hard into ship’s mast, causing it to splinter a little as hunks of metal scattered across the deck. Twilight stared at the battered form of Helmut as the crab struggled to his feet, step by step trying to approach the cephalopod. “I see you need some more disciplining, Helmut.” Squirk snarled and lifted a tentacle that ended in a large cannon, firing upon Helmut’s unprotected stomach and knocking him down. Twilight shouted fired a blast of magic at the pirate captain, but Squirk easily blocked it by pulling a wall of water in front of his body. “You don’t get it, do you!?” Squirk mocked, grinning wide. “As long as I have the Moonstone, I own the entire ocean itself! No! I own all the water in the ENTIRE WORLD! And as such, I OWN THE ENTIRE WORLD ITSELF!” Pansy leapt as best she could, biting at her former Captain’s limb. “G-get away from her!” Jerry struck at another tentacle with his stingining tentacles. “t-t-t-take th-th-that...!” Squirk merely glared at them and summoned two pillars of water that pushed the pair in far opposite directions from him, the pirate barely even inconvenienced. “A jellyfish who lacks any venom to harm prey with and a toothless little medic in training think they can stop their owner...that Crabnasty really made a MESS of things.” Twilight frowned, ready to fight, using her magic to pull some of the trashed metal that was from Helmut’s weapon to use as potential weapons. However, before the unicorn could do much else, a voice called out. “SQUIRK!” Bubble Burst and Crabnasty shouted together as they both tore a hole in the deck, causing Twilight and Squirk to fall down to the room below, Rarity catching the unicorn n her hooves, water flooding the room around them, the metal scraps falling around them. “Squirk!” Bubble Burst shouted angrily. “For YEARS you have tormented my people, and for what!? Just so you can claim to own the ocean itself!? Return the moonstone back at once!” She started charging through the water, trident in hand. Squirk sneered wickedly, draining around them and causing Bubble Burst to collapse to the floor. She gasps, dropping her trident as she reached for her helmet, struggling in sudden discomfort. “You REALLY underestimate me, Seapony, AND the Moonstone.” The cephalopod chuckled grimly. “Right now that water helping you breathe is boiling all around you...now, let see water happens when I make it evaporate all at once...” “NO!” Crabnasty shouted, leaping forth to attack, grunting in pain and gritting his ‘teeth’ as Squirk’s hook grazed along his stomach, the crustacean barely dodging. Crabnasty gasped as water wrapped around his damaged midsection, crushing upon him like a weight. Rarity watched the battle, beginning to trot over and help, only to stop when Twilight grabbed her shoulder. “He can’t make use of the stone’s power fully, see? He can’t focus on them both at the same time.” She frowned in shame and determination. “As much as I don’t want to take advantage, I have an idea. Help me while he’s distracted...trust me.” Rarity nodded, smiling confidently and trustingly. Squirk, meanwhile, grinned widely and menacingly at Crabnasty. “Your weaksauce can’t do SQUAT against me, neither of you, not while I have the Moonstone!” “Then we simply have to remove the stone from the equation.” Bubble Burst stated grimly. The seapony pressed a button within her suit, turning its lower half into a pair of bipedal legs before getting up and running up, slashing at squirk with her trident. The pirate captain laughed responded with a strong swipe of his hook, cutting the trident in half and tearing a hole in the seapony’s suit, water spilling out from the opening. Under her suit, through the crack revealing her face, Bubble Burst smirked as, due to the distraction, the water around Crabnasty dissipated, the crab quickly grabbing the prongs of the broken trident in his claw and striking true, shattering the Moonstone with and leaving a nasty trio of cuts down along Squirk’s face. “You idiots!” The cephalopod screamed out. “What have you done!? Now NOONE can use it!!” “Better it be destroyed than in your clutches.” Bubble Burst said, panting while water begin to flood back into the room. “As much good as it could’ve done in the future, here and now it was a danger that had to be removed...by our own hooves and claws.” “It’s over Captain.” Crabnasty added, glaring at his former leader. “Give up now, there’s no reason to fight anymore.” Squirk’s eye glared at the pair, fully focused upon them in bloodshot fury. “you...you STUPID SACKS OF GARBAGE!” he snarled, wrapping them both in his tentacles, choking them both as he squeezed tightly to choke the life out of them both. “You cost me my one chance at fighting back against Celestia! You cost me EVERYTHING!” he sneered as he tightened further, opening his mouth wide to reveal an active cannon aimed squarely at their faces, ready to end them both. “Hey Squirk, over here!” “Huh?” The pirate blinked and turned, seeing Twilight and Rarity smirking at him, a strange machine armed with a propeller and a pair of old rockets on its side held under them...and aimed directly at him. “Up, up and away!” Rarity shouted with a grin, pulling a cord and sending the device flying at the pirate, slamming hard into his gut, not only making him release his grip on their friends, but also making him spill out various valuables and random objects out of his mouth. He screamed as the machine sent him flying up, tearing through the deck of his ship and through his mast, his ship starting to sink as it split in half from the sheer damage the battle had brought upon. The pirate’s face was frozen in pure horror and disbelief as the machine went further and higher, sending up through the water...and past it. He gazed upwards as he was sent closer and closer to the sun that shone high in the sky. “No! No!” He pleaded desperately. “Not again! Not again! Not the blasted sun! What about my dream!? What about my treasure!? What about ME!?” As the machine reached the peak of its ascent, close enough to the sun to make Squirk believe he was going to be burned alive....it exploded, sending his flaming body far into the distance, screaming bloody murder all the while. Down below, the pirate ship and the stolen buildings of the seapony city drifted back down slowly, crumbling under their own weight as the seaponies watched in awe, many clad in their suits still. And swimming towards them from above were Crabnasty and Bubble Burst, holding onto Twilight and Rarity while Jerry, Helmut and Pansy followed from behind. “Bubble Burst!” A seapony cried out. “The ponies!” Another added. “And some other weirdos!” Cheered a third. The entire crowd cheered in jubilation, thinking the battle was over. And they were right, for the most part.