While events were unfolding down in Seaquestria, Captain Celeano, Capper, and the pirates finally landed on a beach not far from Mount Aris. There was not a bruise, scrape, or sign of injury on the small ragtag group of rebels. But it was clear the long flight from the now destroyed ship had winded them ever so slightly.
"Thanks for the save," Capper spoke to Celeano. "If you hadn't snatched me up when you did, I get the feeling all nine of my lives would've been flashing before my eyes if you know what I mean."
Celeano merely replied. "Anything for a friend in deed."
"Whoa, whoa, hold on now!" Capper protested. "I've pulled this trick way too many times, I know how this is gonna go. You're just claiming to be my friend to lure me into a false sense of security. Then you're gonna stab me in the back the first chance you get."
"What in the world would ever you give that idea, Capper?" Celeano questioned. "I'm being sincere."
Capper only shook his head in protest. "You're a pirate, a pirate captain no less. It's in your very nature to be underhanded and willing to betray others."
"Maybe you haven't heard, pussy cat, but my crew and I aren't like most pirates," Celeano growled, sharpening her sword and pointing it at the cat. "But if you insist on testing my patience, you'd best be willing to back it up with a duel."
Capper reluctantly backed down. "Okay, okay. So maybe you're telling the truth after all. But why would you ever wanna stick your neck out for a guy like me? I'm nothing but trouble."
Celeano just grinned. "Because I sense we have a mutual enemy in the Storm King. And a mutual friend in those ponies and their little dragon."
"And because we stuck our necks out for 'em, our ship got blown out of the sky and into pieces," Gus complained. "Face it, Captain, our pirating days are over now. Reckon it's only a matter of time until Tempest returns to finish the job."
"We all knew there'd be risks involved when we chose to stop working for the Storm King," Celeano protested with a shake of her head. "And it's not like we can turn back the clock and undo what's been done. What's most important is that we were able to keep those ponies out of the Storm King's clutches. And now, hopefully, they've met with this Queen Novo and have enlisted her help."
Capper wasn't so sure. "That's assuming they survived the long fall from the cargo hold. Something tells me ponies don't land on their feet."
But Celeano happened to glance out towards Mount Aris, and her eyes caught sight of what appeared to be a hot air balloon, sitting lonely and unoccupied. "Those ponies are more clever than you'll give them credit for, Capper. If they were able to make a hot air balloon in mid air, I've no doubt they survived."
"Think maybe we oughta head to Mount Aris ourselves, Captain?" Gus suggested.
"You guys can do whatever you want, but I won't be much help in that regard," Capper nervously commented as his paws twitched. "I may not mind the occasional bath, but no way am I swimming all the way out to Mount Aris. For me, I'm just gonna head on back to Klugetown and settle some old accounts."
"Then I'll go with you!" Celeano declared as she wrapped a wing around the cat. "We're friends now, that means we gotta look out for each other."
Capper found himself at a loss for words. "So this is what it's like to have friends who care. I could get used to this." He thought to himself.
The parrot pirate captain then turned to her crewmates. "But what about you, ya scallywags?" She questioned them all. "As your captain, I would never ask you to do something you don't want to do. If you all want to strike out on your own, feel free to do so. I understand that we don't have our ship anymore, but ship or no ship and crew or no crew, I'm going back to Klugetown with my new friend."
But one by one all the pirates raised their swords and shouted. "We're with you, Captain Celeano!"
Gus even added. "After all we've been through together, what kind of pirates would we be if we split up just 'cause the going's getting rough?" Adjusting his eyepatch he added. "Weren't you always fond of saying 'When the going gets tough, the tough get going!'?"
Celeano nodded. "I sure did, matey. And those are the words I'll live by til my dying day. So, are you all with me?!"
"Yeah!" The pirates all cheered at once!
"Good," Celeano declared and made her way over to the wreckage of the ship. "Now then, let's see what we can salvage from this air worthy vessel. We probably can't put her back together, but we should be able to build something on a smaller scale. Otherwise, we're walking all the way to Klugetown."
"And regardless of how we get there, when we arrive I'm finally giving old Verto a piece of my mind!" Capper firmly declared. "I've had with some higher power telling me how to live my life. I think it's about time this cat became his own boss!"