-Fluttershy-
Foal sitting Sugar and Snickers for Jade and Kuril wasn’t too hard. Sugar was such a little sweetie and Snickers was also just as sweet and snuggly, though the turtle was more prone to mischief given who her familiar bond was to.
I wonder how Jade’s museum heist will go? I know I shouldn’t be cheering for her, mostly because what she’s doing is a bad thing, but there’s something compelling about how hard Jade tries to be a charming rogue. She’s not doing it to be mean… I think? I think she’d doing it for the reason Rainbow Dash wants to be a Wonder Bolt, it’s both exciting and somewhat dangerous.
I sigh and put some more food before Sugar and watched as she started eating through it at an incredible speed, she was a really hungry magical bunny. I really didn’t want to be paid for this, but Kuril insisted so that I can eventually get my home set up.
I started thinking of my dream sanctuary, I was going to make it happen someday and I really shouldn’t deny their kindness when offered. They were my friends, they wanted to pay me and I wasn’t involved in this theft. Mostly because this theft wasn’t about outing a very bad pony by catching him red hoofed.
Celestia said it was okay for them to keep that gold they were allowed to have to help their thriving town and I doubt anyone would think Celestia was a bad pony. The theft Jade is doing now doesn’t seem like it has any more purpose than to get away with it and because it might be fun for her.
I wasn’t going to think too hard about what my friends were doing right this moment, I would just enjoy the company of all the animals in the area and not try to make it known that I knew about the impending robbery. If called on it I will testify that Jade planned something, but that’s not exactly concrete evidence.
Anyone can plan something, it’s actually doing the plan that it becomes a point where it is a bad thing. I can think of kissing Gilda’s beak, that doesn’t mean I’ll ever have the nerve to do it.
-Cheerilee-
Arizona was going to be busy talking to Velvet about their current feelings for one another, I was going to leave them to their privacy as it was none of my business.
Velvet’s cultural project was incredible and it would last for quite a while too. Now was there anyone else I needed to look over today? Oh… there was Jacky's cultural project, Dr. Bones was following her around to make sure Jacky’s luck didn’t get the best of her.
I believe she said she would be down by the wharf. Fizzle and Maries needed time to work out their cultural project, so they would do it the day after tomorrow. The Vibrant Vikings had their combat exhibition settled on tomorrow, I just hope they don’t hurt each other too much.
It was three hours past noon that I arrived at the wharf and saw Jacky with an entire bushel of bananas next to her, she seemed to be discussing something while waving a banana in Dr. Bones’ direction.
“So I learned that bananas are nutritious to anything that can and will eat them. Knowing my luck, I couldn’t have walked away from there without slipping on one personally unless I cover the surroundings around there in banana peels. The more there is, the less likely I’ll slip on one.” It sounded like Jacky had a loose leash on her luck today. As is always the case when Jacky was involved, something would soon happen around her as she started eating the banana. “Pirates spent most of the day sending my peels off the docks by slip sliding around. Then Captain, my cat sister, comes waltzing along on the dock after riding in on the backs of turtles and then slips on a banana peel I just threw. She then proceeds to lands right side up and didn’t drop her buddy Snickers, the rest is history from there. Nobody has ever been that lucky around me up until that point.”
“Ach, ye’ be a black cats best friend on a day full of walking under ladders and smashing mirrors to tempt fate with while tipping over every salt shaker within a mile radius of you. Well at least before you met Jaded, she may be the luckiest thing to ever happen to ye’ and it was by chance that you even met the wyvern teasing blithering dolt.” Normally Zen would have me saying something in defense of my students, I made an exception because it was Jade she was talking about. Jade did get pretty badly injured by actively teasing a wyvern. “So what are you going to do for a cultural project Ms. Chickadee? You’re the safest when you’re sitting still, but that doesn’t mean the world isn’t actively trying to take you out to pasture.”
“My luck isn’t trying to kill me, but it is definitely trying to make my life miserable.” In effort to show what she meant, Jacky quickly ducked and a flaming barrel shot over her head. As soon as the barrel hit the water it exploded almost making Jacky fall into the water when it destroyed a portions of the dock. “Take that for instance, the barrel wouldn’t have exploded if it had actually hit me physically. Instead it would have set me on fire, this would require me to either jump in the water getting all my feathers and clothes wet or I would roll around until the flames are smothered. The first thing would lead to a combo of something being the in the water immediately gunning for me, the second would combo into someone of a heavyset disposition accidentally stepping on me because they couldn’t see me for some reason. Since it did miss the barrel exploded harmlessly in the water and still tried to carry out combo one.”
“Ye’ have it down to a science huh?” The diamond dog didn’t seem to believe that Jacky could predict her horrible luck.
“This flaming barrel thing has happened to me more than once, I wonder what caused it to be lit it on fire this time? It could be anything as simple as matches, to as bizarrely inexplicable as atmospheric friction from moving too fast through the air and only just slowing down just before it reached me.” There were a few reasons Jacky would not see my approach, because I was refusing to approach any closer than I already was. I was a true believer of Jacky’s cursed luck. “My next action will then be to step to the left.”
A swordfish shot out of the water from the waters where the destroyed portion of the docks happened to be. If Jacky hadn’t moved, its nose would have speared her through the leg.
What was chasing the swordfish was not something Jacky could avoid, as it was a kraken that had knocked her down while grabbing her with its tentacles and screeching scarily. It had landed on top of her and was even starting to painfully choke her.
I didn’t know what to do and I was starting to panic. Even Bones looked about ready to begin slapping the kraken off of her, well at least until Jacky said something in a friendly tone.
“Oh… hello there Escargot… fancy seeing you here.” It was like a switch was flipped as soon as Jacky said a name while she was being choked by one of the monsters tentacles. The kraken seemed to look more closely at Jacky and then released her. It waved it’s tentacles in an indecipherable pattern. “Yeah, Jade’s around and she’s doing something else today. So what brings you out this way? A little far from home aren’t you?”
More incomprehensible gesturing.
“That explains a lot, he felt something like a familiar bond tugging him this way and an annoying swordfish stuck you with its nose. Oh right, this is an old friend of ours Dr. Bones, his name is Escargot and he’s a pretty good masseuse. Escargot, Dr. Bones.” The disbelief at Jacky introducing the kraken to the diamond dog had me dropping my jaw. The kraken held out a tentacle and seemed to bow in a gentle stallion manner, it shook Dr. Bones paw and didn’t overstay its welcome. “I Did not expect to be landed on by a kraken today, but it’s a good thing I know this one. This could have gone much worse.”
“I am afraid to ask how. So you be some big friendly tentacle beasty eh?” Dr. Bones received a majestic bow from the kraken. After a moment of staring at one another, Bones continued while smiling. “Quite the gentle one ye’ are, keep the head of yours and you’ll be my friend as well. Speaking of, how quickly do you think that barmy cat can get together a transportation method and an aquarium built at Airship Mauled?”
“That wouldn’t be too hard, just don’t let me deal with the glass.” This is about the time Jacky notices me and she waves me over, I sighed and approached the beaked jinx. “Hey teach, here to hear a pirate shanty or two? I’m going to be singing about how I’m a pirate!”
“That sounds perfectly fine, just as long as you don’t do anything too bad.” A few of the beings at the dock came over to watch us when they heard Jacky’s declaration.
“I do what I want, cause I am free~. I am a pirate~!” Jacky started off singing, then the just beginning song with a drum tune to it was interrupted by a female griffon.
“Oh ho, I really don’t quite see, that there is actually a pirate before me~.” The female griffon sang with a more guitar like tune to Jacky’s plodding drums. She had green highlighted feathers, fiery red fur and was wearing a blue bandana with pony skull and crossed bones. “Can you honestly say that you really can be, a real live pirate~?”
“I am a pirate~.” Jacky narrowed her eyes at the griffon as her tune took over and she moved closer to the griffon. “I’ve got quite a knack, for piloting all kinds of ships you hack~. No matter the docks, I can put into port and adventure the day away~. Air, sea or land, I explore~! For treasures, gold, diamonds and more~. There’s no stopping me from surviving in every way, for I have a Captain deep in my heart buried away~!”
“Oh ha, that’s something I’d like to see… especially from a fake like ye’~.” Please don’t let this come to blows, because now Jacky looked angry and I wondered how she’d handle this. The griffon poked Jacky in the chest. “You’re, not, a pirate~!”
“Says the skank bird~!” Jacky sang that clearly enunciated, but it was almost a curse. She agreed to keep this civilized, but could she actually do that? The griffon look quite insulted. “Oh now, did that sting~? You don’t know even about the trouble that you’ll bring~. Just try to come at me as we do try to sing~. For I am a pirate~!”
“Oh, do you think you can take me you blow hard~?” The griffon followed along with the two tunes battling each other, she pulled a sword on Jacky who seemed entirely unconcerned about it. Please don’t let this end brutally, I don’t think my heart could take it.
“I already did and here’s your bit pouch you dumb bard~.” Jacky tossed the surprised griffons bit pouch back to her. There were a lot of cheers suddenly directed at Jacky, she must be learning how to do sleight of claw from Jade. I didn’t even see her steal the bit pouch off of the griffon. “Come back when you have more than just talk and your sass. For I am a pirate~!”
The song ended when Jacky pulled out the pirate sword Fizzle practiced magic with, it glowed ominously and sparked with energy. Something tells me Jacky’s smile had to do with what was currently wrong with the sword.
“Insult battle, let’s see if you got what it takes to take me down!” Jacky took a stance held the sword out defensively.
“Gladly, I bet ye’ fight like a farmer!” The griffon swung forward and Jacky met the sword, deflected it into the docks and the griffon, who had been convulsing due to a sudden large amount of lighting surging through her body, was kicked in the chest knocking her on her back.
“Better the farmer that can take care of themselves in a fight with years of practice, then a bilge swallowing, deck swabbing, lily livered, no name pirate who thinks she can take on a legendarily luck challenged pirate that is called ‘Blackcap’! My sword be slightly cursed with the power of a unicorn that got a bit stuck up in the blade. Said unicorn still lives to this day and she’s one of my sisters.” She held the sword to griffon’s throat, the griffon shivered and stared wide eyed at Jacky’s boasting. “So… do you yield? My Captain is way worse than me at using a sword like this, so imagine what that says about me that I’d follow her to the ends of the world. My crazy cat sister is such in all but our very blood, may my loyalty never be bought by any other than my great Captain!”
“You… you are pirate.” The sword pulled away from the griffon’s throat and she rubbed it while staring at Jacky.
“You darn well better remember that if we ever meet again, I’m likely to run you through in that event should you think of crossing me!” Jacky stepped back, sheathed her sword and turned around to take a banana from the bunch and peeled it. She carelessly threw the peel over her shoulder with a smirk and started to lazily eat banana. “Remember this day everyone, for I am Jacky ‘Blackcap’ Chickadee. I’m unlucky in life, but I’m never lacking for an adventure to go on no matter where I am!”
“If you are really so unlucky then di-aaaiiiiiii!” The griffon leapt forward preparing to thrust the sword into Jacky’s back. The griffon hit the banana peel, the sword flew out of her talons and she flipped over Jacky landing on her back in front of her.
Jacky simply caught the sword in her left hand, while munching on the banana with the other.
“Saw that coming. I may be unlucky, but that doesn’t mean everyone around me isn’t just as unlucky when I’m around.” Jacky commented idly as she finished her banana and stabbed the sword into the dock next to her, this unfortunately caused the wood to break beneath her and the griffon.
Both Jacky and the assailing griffon fell into the sea, with their skulls colliding painfully with one another knocking them out cold.
“You be a helpful beasty yeah?” Dr. Bones asked of Escargot the kraken, the tentacle monster nodded. “Then get them out of the sop and help me get them sandy!”
Following the Doctor Zen Bones orders, the Kraken dove into the water and went to rescue the two unconscious birds.
I sighed and just held my head with my hooves, that was all definitely befitting of pirate culture and Jacky’s thrice cursed luck.