The Traveler has just escaped the fog covering the Jagged Pillars and out onto the open sea, behind them the Dragon of the Depths emerged and was gaining on them. Though the Traveler had gained a good bit of distance, the Ponies aboard had a feeling that they wouldn't escape the Dragon for very long.
A high-pitched moaning filled the ears as twenty rockets were fired from the Dragon and arced towards the Traveler.
"INCOMIIIING!" One of the crew members shouted. Starlight cast a shield spell which block them but something from the rockets set her to the deck holding her horn.
Twilight rushed to her, "Starlight! Are you alright?"
"Do I LOOK alright!" She shouted, "Those rockets aren't normal ones, they must be fitted with some kind of enchanted warheads." She laid on her back while Cadance tended to her.
The moaning filled their ears again.
"Another barrage incoming!" A Stallion named Vellum Codex shouted, and this time there were more rockets.
"Unicorns! Hit as many as you can!" Shining ordered. The Unicorns fired magic bolts at the oncoming rockets hitting most of them in the air, but they couldn't stop them all. The Ponies dived for any peace of cover they could get to as the first rocket hit the deck with a big explosion, but instead of the normal fire, a ghostly green and black colored energy shot from the impact point, up the masts, and closed the sails encasing them in glowing chains of the same colors. The second one released a purple and black energy that went for the starboard anchor and dropped it, a few seconds later the ship clubhauled swinging it sharply to port, sending anyone and anything not tied down to the deck and rolling all over the place as some lucky ones manged to grab on to something.
As the Ponies recovered they saw the Dragon closing in on them fast, Twilight turned to Vapor Trail and Angel wings.
"Vapor, Angel, take the foals, the young six, and the school students below, find somewhere safe and stay there, we're about to have company!"
"Will do Princess!" Vapor said as she and Angel took the mentioned Ponies and creatures below deck. The Dragon pulled along side the Traveler and fired the cannons on the upper decks, the Ponies on deck dove for cover as the cannons fired but a few of the Traveler's crew members weren't fast enough. Eight Ponies were hit but weren't harmed, instead they found themselves encased in a red magic field that allowed them to breath, talk, see, and hear but they could not move an inch, the flyers were even frozen in midair*. The Dragon's drawbridges, which were two decks down from the Traveler's top deck, lowed and latched on to the sides with pirates of various species charging across. At the same time flyers of various species came from the Dragon's covered top deck and rigging.
The Traveler's crew who weren't frozen grabbed weapons of their own, spears, swords and even harpoons and daggers as they engaged the pirates. Just then a caw was heard and those on the Traveler saw a silver colored male phoenix with black and red highlights fly over before it released a blast of light, the pirates shielded their eyes but the Traveler's crew weren't so lucky. As they recoiled from the light the pirates charged with more of the Traveler's crew frozen when hit by either sword or firearm.
Shining Armor watched as the battle on deck turned against them, the Traveler's Captain ran up to him.
"Armor sir, we have below, their going after the cargo!"
Shining nodded and run down the stairs to the decks below. On deck Rainbow, Soarin, and Sky watched the battle from the bow. Some pirates saw them and charged, this first group were carrying two swords each, some the same while others had two different ones, another group of similar pirates not too far away were wielding polearms such as spears and halberds instead, while another even wielded boarding hooks. Their attire were in some ways uniform; made up from a hat or bandanna, a vest on some while others didn't have a one, a shirt, a scarf under a belt which came in many different designs with various items hanging from them though some didn't have the scarf and/or just wore ropes with metal rings or squares instead of a belt, striped pants with the stripes running length-wise, and boots of various designs, some did have peg legs however. A few even have bits of armor like a shoulder guard or gauntlet.
As the three Pegasi got ready to fight a voice suddenly said, "Hold up boys, these ones are mine."
From behind the pirates who had turned their heads to the voice, a Pegasus Mare emerged. She had a snow white coat, ice blue mane and tail with matching eye, and a cutie mark of a snowflake in the shape of a heart judging of the patches on her coat over her flanks. She wore a lightly tattered resplendent black and purple coat with a set of eleven medals, most of them being of Caribou make, hanging on the left side, a metal cuirass with a ribcage design over her chest over top a brown shirt and pants, around her waist was a red scarf with a leather belt over top, the belt had several small bones stuck through it and a buckle made completely of bone, covering her front hooves were a pair of dark brown gloves with red stitching and a piece of bone pined to the top and a metal gauntlet on her left hoof under the glove. Over her coat was a brown harness which held ten cap and ball revolvers.
On her right shoulder was a Caribou skull with the anthers removed and a leather strap holding it to a shoulder guard, she also had armor on her left shoulder, belly, back, lower back legs, and wings.
Over her right eye which had a large, deep scar running from her maneline down over to her chin was a black eyepatch with an diamond engagement ring at the top, a gold coin on the right corner, and a curved bone on the left side of it, atop her head was a dark green bandanna wrapped around it, her mane and tail were braided with small bones woven in and what looked like the braided tail of a Stallion hanging from the bandanna behind her left ear, and a large, battle damaged black tricorne hat with small spines with five inch rib bones at the top of the brims, a set of Caribou anthers at the base of the brims, and a small animal skull on the front. Under her hat were lit cannon fuses tied into her mane and the braided tail with smoke coiling around her hat.
At her left side under her left wing as a bone decorated scabbard with held a cutlass.
Accompanying her were a group of pirates wearing similar coats to the one she wore, along with black uniforms with white highlights, black and white bricorne hats, cross belts in a lighter shade with a silver disk-shaped buckle in the center of where the belts crossed, and white skull masks, white bones decorated their outfits.
They were armed with a rifle that was bolt-action instead of flintlock and had the blade of an ax under the front of the barrel and a two-pronged spike above it. Swords were seen at their sides and the weapon, just like their attire, was decorated with bone.
One thing that stood out was that at least 60% of them were females.
As the Mare approached she drew her sword; a cutlass as black as night with a straight, serrated blade, a gold unicorn were the hilt and blade met with green gems as eyes and a long horn that traveled 70% the length of the blade. A basket hilt the color of bone studded with green gems, wrapped around the handle was a length of red cloth and a small animal skull at the end. The blade itself was also covered in lightly glowing blue runes.
She lifted her sword and rested the blade sideways on her gauntlet point it at the three Wonderbolts, specifically at Dash, a smile on her face.
"Rainbow Dash, bearer of the Element of Loyalty, the only know Pegasus known to pull off not one but many Sonic Rainblooms, one of the saviors of Equestia, and now Wonderbolt. It's an honor to finally meet you."
Said Pegasus' jaw dropped, how in the world did this mare know her? It was Soarin who asked that question.
"How do you know her and who are you?!" He demanded moving protectively in front of Rainbow with Sky, the Mare laughed, her smile growing bigger.
"Soarin my dear, unlike those pathetic skeptics who forced Rainbow to move to Ponyville, I. Saw. That very same Rainbloom with my own eyes all those years ago! That sight helped me escape my personal Taratarus I had live in for years. As for who I am, the Caribou call me a few names; angel of vengeance, angel of death, agent of death, death's herald, and even death itself, but most others know me as Snowheart, Snowy or just Snow by my friends."
The two Stallions glanced warily at the bones she and her companions wore, if those were real...
"It just the Caribou, other species don't deserve to suffer the pain the Caribou deserve. This braided tail belong to the Stallon who took my family away from me."
Soarin moved a little more in front of Rainbow, who was still in shock, and said, "And how do you know me!?"
"Your one of the most well known Wounderbolts Soarin, and I heard a rumor that you and Dash here are dating."
Soarin flinched, it was true. He and Rainbow had been dating since some time before Rainbow joined the Wonderbolts, having first met through a mutual friend, and had even been seriously thinking about marriage.
Rainbow finally recovered from her shock, shaking her head she glared at Snow.
"Well if it's a fight you want, it a fight you will get! Bring it!"
The pirates behind Snow stepped forward, only of Snow to raise a wing.
"As I said, these three are mine."
"It's three on one, you can't win." Sky added cockily.
Snow just smiled bigger, "Oh no Sky Stinger, now it's fun."
A creepy laugh left her mouth, causing the three Wonderbolts to shutter.
"Careful you two," Soarin said cautiously. "Serrated blade wounds are harder to heal, and I don't think this Mare is quite right in the head."
"You wouldn't be either if you spent seven years as a Caribou slave my dear." Snow said grimly.
The three Ponies flinched, then attacked.
But Snow was ready, as Dash came at her she punched Rainbow in the face with her cutlass basket hilt followed by a punch to the chest with her other forehoof and a kick to the stomach which send Dash backwards slamming into Soarin, knocking them both down. Sky took a blow to the chest from the hilt then a kick to the stomach, sending him into the other two Pegasi.
As the three got up Snow pointed her sword and made a 'come at me bro' gesture with a challenging smile. The three groaned, this was not going to be easy.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Traveler
Below Deck
A number of pirates had gotten their limbs on some loot but before they could move it some random objects flew at them making them take cover. Three Ponies; two Unicorns and one Earth Pony came running, one was Rarity entering dramatically, the second Unicorn was a taller mare named Sassy Saddles, Rarity's manger of the Canterlot Boutique, the Earth Pony was a Mare named Coco Pommel, a Bridleway dressmaker and a good friend of Rarity's.
The three Mares stopped as the pirates quickly recovered and faced them.
"You ruffians aren't taking that which isn't yours." Rarity declared, Sassy nodding readily while Coco more meekly. The pirates growled. Besides the type Rainbow, Soarin, and Sky had seen, there was a few groups with a different uniform; most wore a bandanna of different colors but some wore worn hats of different kinds held together with stitching, the ones who had hair had it heavily braided or deadlocked with beads, waistcoats over what looked like some kind of leather armor and cloth shirts, leather baldric with large but simple buckles and holders for their weapons, gloves with leather wrapping up half the forelimbs, sashes under double belts attached to large buckles like their baldrics, weather worn pants with rope or strips of cloth or leather or both at various spots, and and simple leather boots with rope and cloth straps along with laces.
The were armed with dual swords, axes, maces, claw shaped short swords, and boarding hooks. The three Mares could also see that each of them had a small green bottle filled with some sort of liquid on their belts.
Coco leaned over to the Unicorns, "I don't mean to be a party pooper but, we're out numbered." she said nervously.
Before either Rarity or Sassy could response, a crossbow bolt zoomed past their heads and impacted the wall behind them, a half-second later it violently detonated, taking a good chunk of the wall with it. The three Mares, who had jumped and let out squeals of fright as their heads swing to look were the bolt had come from.
Reloading their magic heavy crossbow was a Changeling Hive Guard who still wore the armor along with a pirate themed outfit, from among the group of Hive Guards a Changeling Queen emerged.
She stood a half head taller then Chrysalis and had a royal purple mane and tail, wings shaped like that of an Atlas Moth, and royal purple eyes. She wore a wine red bicorne hat with gold edging, a gold ribbon flower, silver fur along the edges, and a number of large blue ostrich feathers protruding opposite of the flower. Around her neck as a choker necklace made of silver coins studded with various gems with a gold scarf under it, a resplendent rose red and gold coat with silver buttons and bell-shaped cuffs, two leather baldrics; a smaller one with a gem studded buckle and a larger and thicker one with a buckle like the one on her belt with a claymore strung across her back, a white silk shirt with a a black vest with wine red strip where the button holes were and gold buttons, leather gloves with a belt of red leather held by a silver ring one the right and a gold and silver hoof ring studded with diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, and rubies on the left, a leather belt over a red sash pined with several trinkets with a large silver buckle studded with gems, pants normally worn by royalty, and leather boots with gold edging and metal studs.
Four cap and ball revolvers were stuffed through her belt.
The Queen's mane and tail were done in seven braids that were tied at the middle with a red bow like the on Applebloom wore and a large barrel bead just above the tip, her mane was quite long and hung over her left right shoulder and down to the upper half of her forelegs. Both the mane and tail had many small diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, and rubies clips woven throughout the hair.
She walked forward with an air of vanity and elegance, the Hive Guards flanking her. She stopped a few feet from the front of Rarity and started at her with an air of interest, after a few uneasy minutes for the three Ponies, the Queen give a soft smile and spoke.
"Miss Rarity, Sassy Saddles, and Coco Pommel, we finally meet."
The three don't know know how to react, finally Rarity spoke up.
"Ahhhh... who are you and how do you know of us?"
The Changeling smiled, "Name's Atlas Moth and as for how I know of you, I know quite well of the bearer of the element of Generosity, her manger of the boutique, and the aspiring dressmaker she helped. Seriously Coco, I'm glad you stopped working under that hag you had as a manger."
Sassy blinked while Coco rubbed her hoof on her foreleg, Rarity then asked, "How do you know Sassy is my manger in Canterlot, and how do you know what happened with Suri?"
"I've been in Canterlot a few times for my hubby," Atlas rolled her eyes with a heavy sigh. "That place is filled with stuck-up idiots, seriously, I've met ruthless blackguard pirates who have far more class and respect then those so called "Nobles". I am not kidding."
Sassy spoke up next, "You where in Canterlot? How did you get pass the anti-Changeling lamps?" Atlas chuckled.
"Those are only attuned to Chrysalis' hive which is now ruled by Thorax, and Dragonfly's as well." The three Ponies looked flabbergasted.
"What do you mean by "only attuned to Chrysalis' and Dragonfly's hive"?!" Rarity asked.
"Darling," Atlas said with a light laugh, "did you really think that there was only one hive after she took out the others? Those were only the ones in that region! There are many hives through out the world, each with their own culture and identity. Chrysalis broke an ancient law with that attack and the other hives are looking for her. Even if she had won, the other hives would have come down on her like Timberwolves on prey. Dragonfly now, now that's a lad who I have great respect for and would love to meet one day."
"What about Thorax's hive? his Changelings look far different from yours." Sassy said. Atlas just shrugged.
"To each their own, the other hives consider his Changelings a race of the species." Coco then spoke up.
"You.. said you were in Canterlot for you hubby, your married? I like what you did with you mane and tail by the way, it looks nice."
"Why thank you Coco, as for my hubby," Atlas lifted the hoof holding the ring to show the Ponies. "My husband crafted this and my sword for me as a wedding gift."
Her magic lit up as she pulled out her claymore and showed it; it was shaped like a normal Northern Mountain Claymore, it's handle was wrapped in red leather, the end opposite of the blade was a large glowing Changeling crystal, the hand guard was gold and studded with emeralds with smaller crystals at the tips and a large ruby in the center, the blade itself was normal but was covered with green glowing runes.
The Ponies stared at the sword and then at Atlas, The three didn't really know what to do next.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Traveler
Galley
A lot of pirates had attacked the galley with the intent to clear the stores of food and drink, only to run into the Apple family, who were in the pirates own words; putting up a hay of a fight.
Granny Smith, armed with a frying pan, was dueling with a group like the ones Rarity had encountered, and actually driving them back. She may be old, but she was as tough as a barn full nails.
Applejack, along with her cousin Apple Fitter, used their applebucking kicks to send pirates left and right flying in a tangle of limbs and a clatter of dropped weapons.
"Oi! These lasses mean business!" One pirate called out recovering from being thrown across the room.
"Ya varmints bet yer tails we do! Charge them Big Mac!" Granny Smith ordered her grandson.
"EEYUP!!" With that, the large hulk of a Stallion charged and slammed into the wall of pirates like a one-Pony cavalry with the clatter of dropped weapons and yelps of pirates.
This continued for a few minutes, the pirates out numbered the four Ponies, but the four fought like demons, slowly but surely pushing the pirates back, then the four Apples got reinforcements of four more.
But then...
Several bangs were heard with many shots whizzing past the eight Ponies, just missing them. Looking up they saw that three more groups of pirates, a new type, had joined the fray.
They wore bandannas but none of them had hats, cloth shirts with leather vests over top, leather baldrics over the right shoulder to over the left ribs with simple metal buckles and a strap of leather running from the buckle down to the waist and to the back, leather gauntlets, what looked like a wide leather sash around the waist with two simple belts over top of it, a length of rope atop the sash, a leather sash hung from the bottom belt down to the thigh and looped back to the bottom belt on the back, under the leather sash was a cloth one that was tattered with the longest piece ending at the side of the left knee, striped pants with leather knee pads, and boots.
The baldrics and belts had been modified to hold ammo and held bags and pouches. For armament the group that had fired carried duel cap and ball revolvers with several more in holsters on harnesses, the group after them were armed with blunderbusses, these weapons were not flintlocks however; in place of of the flintlock was a lever and tube like that of a lever-action rifle, one pirate reloaded his by first holding it by the barrel, pointing it towards the ceiling, dropping a round sphere slightly smaller then the diameter of the barrel allowing it to slide down with ease, then grabbed the lever under the gun and moved it downward, ejecting a spent primer then moving the lever back.
The last group was carrying bolt-action rifles that were slung on their backs, like because they were in close quarters. All three groups had short swords.
The Apples eyes wide. "GET TO COVER!!" Granny ordered, she and the rest of the Apples dove behind some flipped tables, and not a moment to soon as the pirates opened fire. Red colored projectiles slammed into the table tops, it was the same energy that had trapped some of the Traveler's crew easier. Clearly, these pirates didn't want to kill any one on board.
The Apples were shouting to each other of the din of guns firing.
"Under cover, but no exit!"
"WE'RE UNDER HEAVY FIRE!!"
"We're pinned down!
"We're boxed in! WE'RE BOXED IN!!"
One thing the pirates weapons had was the ability to reload fast and keep the Apples pinned down as the ones they had been fighting before went beak to looting. The Apples however weren't having any of that. Before the Pirates could react, the tables the Apples were using as cover came flying at them, with a yelp the pirates and tables went down in a cluster of limbs, weapons, and other objects.
"Take that ya varmints!" Applejack shouted in triumph, it didn't last. The door exploded in a shower of broken peaces as a large double-headed war hammer went through them, and carrying the war hammer as the Biggest Minotaur the Ponies had ever seen entered. He was easily bigger then Iron Will in both height and mass, he wore a large helmet instead of a hat, the helmet was gold in color and had two strips of wrapped around it with various teeth of creatures attached and a set of very large feathers sticking up on the left side, a black coat with armor plates that went down to just above his ankles, heavy armor over his shoulders, torso, arms and legs, heavily padded gloves with metal studs on the knuckles, a large gold nose ring, three thick leather belts held by a wide strip of leather and a very large buckle, brown pants with armor plates, and thick, heavy leather boots with metal caps. On his head were a set of some of the most impressive horns that would make any Bull or Minotaur green with envy, the horns had several metal bands on them.
Across his chest were two thick leather baldrics, one held five cap and ball revolvers while the other and his belt held items related to trapping.
In his hands was a war hammer as tall as he was; it had a thick metal handle with bands fitted with blunt studs one inch apart for better grip, at the end opposite of the head was a spike that looked like it could pierce the skull of a hydra wit ease, the square heads were big, thick, and looked powerful enough and thick to crush a dragon skull easily, just under the heads were four metal skulls of a sea serpent. Around the heads were glowing runes.
"Hey boys! You lot having fun without me!?" He boomed cheerfully in a voice that would have made Luna proud.
"Steel Mass! Glad you could join us. We would have brought the loot up but these Ponies manged to push us back."
"Really? Well we can't be havin' that!"
Big Mac stomped his hoof. "I'll take on the big guy!" Steel let out a bellowing laugh.
"Finally a challenge! BRING IT ON!!!"
Both charged, locking heads and staring each other in the eye.
"Hold it!" Pinkie Pie then dropped in out of no were with her party cannon. "Surrender our treats back, or I'll blow ya all down with me party cannon!"
"Then you should watch yer flank lass," A voice said from behind Pinkie. Before she could respond, an explosion hit her right on the rump sending her flying over the Apples heads with a shriek and into the cabinets with a loud cash. Behind were Pinkie had been standing was a Zebra mare with gold eyes and five deep scars on the right side of her face.
"Watch yer flank lass, yer don't watch yer flank you get it blown off."
On her head was a gold bandanna, a bicorne hat with the front side taller then the back silver edging, crossed silver muskets, metal bars on the bottom and corners, and a large black feather attached to the back, a piece of shoulder armor on her left shoulder with two steel chains across her chest, leather armor on her torso, leather armor shoulder pad on her right shoulder, a faded red coat, leather gloves, a leather belt held by a metal ring with a small piece with a metal stud hanging from it and metal studs, a white sash with silver coins hanging from it under the belt, armored pants, and black leather boots.
She, like all Zebras, wore several gold rings and a black leather baldric resembling her belt holding a jian sword.
Besides the sword, she had four cap and ball revolvers, a bunderbuss and a holster for a hand cannon on her back.
The latter of which she was reloading.
"Hey Zenith! Glad you joined the party!" Steel Mass said from his fight with Big Mac.
"Like I'd let you have all the fun."
Pinkie came out of the debris pile, and she was not happy if her smoking rear was anything to go by.
"Shot me in the RUMP!! THAT HURT!!!"
"Just be thankful it was just the power and not the shot!"
Applejack walked next to Pinkie who was rubbing her rear.
"Yer still got the rest of us to deal with!"
A small smile slowly spread across Zenith's face.
"It's not just us in here lass."
The Apples and Pinkie looked confused for a second, than heard something behind them. Turning around they as a large and long creature rear up like a cobra and roar at them.
The creature was a light dark blue with a large five-arm head crest with red stripes on the arms, dark yellow eyes, a mouth filled with razor sharp needle-like teeth, and several fins traveling down it's body which was at least twenty feet long and as thick as one of Sweet Apple Acres apple tree trunks. Accompanying it were ten similar creatures but were ten feet long, thinner, light blue, and lacked the head crests, another difference was the large one had thick scales and plates covering it's body, which the smaller ones lacked.
"What in tarnation are THOSE?!" Applejack shouted. It was Steel who answered, still in the lock with Big Mac.
"Those lass are Sea Serpents, and the crested is an Alpha, dangerous creatures of the Sea of Legends. Nasty tempers and mouths full of teeth, they make great attack animals."
The Apples and Pinkie looked at each other, things just got harder.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Traveler
Library
A small group of pirates were searching the library for something apparently held in one of the books, so far they hadn't found whatever they were looking for as they read the books then put them back if they didn't have what they were looking for.
Two Thestral pirates, one Horned with lighter colors and one Cave with regular colors, were reading a stack of books next to them. The Horned one had a cream coat with light brown webbed mane, tail and wings and gold eyes. He was wearing a red tricorn with silver edging and a set of blue feathers, a red coat, a black shirt and pants, orange waistcoat, brown belt with silver buckle and black sash under it, and brown boots with silver buckles. His cutie mark was a lantern surrounded by a black fog judging from the patches on his coat.
The Cave had an ash grey coat with navy blue webbed mane, tail and wings and yellow eyes. He wore a grey bicorne, a navy blue coat, red waistcoat, light gray shirt, black belt, light blue pants, and black boots. His cutie mark was a chuck of obsidian from his coat patches.
Both had axes with runes on the blades and two cap and ball revolvers each. The Horned let out a frustrated snort and he let the book he'd been reading fall to the table.
"Still nothing on what we're looking for," he turn to the rest of the pirates, "Anything?"
"No" was the answer. The Horned turned to the Cave, who was looking through his own book. The Horned facehoofed.
"Dark, you knew you can't read." The Cave looked up.
"Just because I can't read doesn't mean I can't help out Night."
"And how are you going to help find what we're looking for when you need to read to find it?!"
"Then what's this?" Dark turned his book around to show what was on it, it was a picture of a disk of some sort with one diamond in the center and six crystals around it with the points pointing towards the diamond. Night's jaw hit the table.
"How did you find that and how long were you waiting?!"
"I can't read but I'm not blind, and about twenty or so minutes." Dark said with what could only be described as a trollish smile.
"We've been here for twenty-five minutes and you had the book we've been looking for THE WHOLE TIME!!!!!!!"
Dark's smile just grew.
"Problem Bro."
Night's right eye twitched.
My brother can be such a troll at times, remember the promise you made Night, don't beat his face in as much as you what to.
Night just double facehoofed, "Just pack up the book and let's go."
The pirates walked out of the library, only to stop as an Alicorn literally appeared in front of them with a flash of magic. With her were two Pegasi and a baby Dragon.
"Hooves off those books!" Twilight shouted.
"What would pirates want with raiding a library?" The pirates looked at Spike with looks that said 'seriously'.
"Books can hold a lot of knowledge, and that's just as valuable as any treasure." Flare said getting into a combat pose.
"But either way we won't let them take any." Flash said also getting into a combat pose.
"You do know we're standing right here, and we only took one book." Night said rolling his eyes.
Dark smiled, "Okay men, to action!"
Some of the pirates behind them, who happened to be former Prench sailors, stuck their hooves in the air.
"We surrender!" The look on Night's, Dark's, and the other pirates faces could never be described by words.
"NO, Not. That. ONE! You morons! The sword dueling thing!" Night shouted facehoofing.
"Ooohhhh...."
The pirates quickly pulled out their weapons, Twilight looked a little startled but lit her horn while her company got ready. Then Flash felt something lightly bump his left back leg, looking down he saw a sphere the size of a Pony's eye, and a white hoof twice as big as his reach down and grab it. With a yelp flash jumped to the side, his yell alerting the others. Behind the was a Thestral twice as big as a full grown Stallion; he was white in color and wore armor that was used by Luna's Night Guard, with it he wore a black coat with gold trim and red cuffs, a blue waistcoat, and a yellow belt with a black buckle and sash. Hooked to his belt was a large spiked club coated with runes and six cap and ball revolvers.
He held the sphere in his left hoof as he walked into the light, causing Twilight and her group to flinch. He only had one pink eye, the sphere was his right eye, which he popped back into its socket.
"White, good to see you." Dark said smiling.
"You know me, hang back then strike." Twilight looked a bit shocked to see the armor.
"Your a NIGHT GUARD?! What is a night guard doing with these pirates?"
"Former night guard Princess Twilight."
"How do you know my name?"
White rolled his eyes, "Oh please, your more well know then you think Princess, and I left the night guard after killing loan sharks who killed my and my brother's parents and took my eye!" He said tapping his fake eye, then threw a small glass vial at the floor under them. Next thing Twilight and her group knew, they were trapped in a magic field unable to move.
As the pirates rushed past them White walked up to Twilight, "Sorry about the field, don't worry, it fades after a few minutes, you grace." He saw doing a mock bow lifting his helmet off before turning and running into the darkness. The trapped Ponies and Dragon tired to move but could not no matter how much they tried.
"How are these pirates so well equipped?" Flare asked.
"I don't know Flare, but this is not good at all." Flash answered.
"I can't move at all." Spike said.
"I'll try to cast a counter spell to free us but it might take a minute." Twilight said.
The two Ponies and Dragon groaned.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Traveler
Dinning Area
The Dinning Area was a battlefield with the Traveler's Marines and the pirates refusing to back down, while the passengers were doing their best to say out of it. And the pirates had manged to get a lot of loot to their ship.
"Think we're just about finished?" A random pirate, a Unicorn, asked one next to him.
"We should be, the Archduke should have found what he came for." The pirate, a Crystal Quartz Pony** answered.
"At least most of the passengers are tying to stay out of it, expect for the blue Unicorn, who's give are guys one heck of a fight." The first one said.
"Isn't that General Night Light? One of Equestria's best military leaders." The second one asked.
"It is! But... I thought he retired decades ago."
"He did, to help his wife rise their foals."
"Indeed, but even retired he is one to respect." A third voice said from behind the two pirates. Turning around they saw a Griffin and a Dracony Wyvern. The Griffin had the front of a Horned Owl and wore a large tricorne with gold trim, a black and gold coat normally worn by Griffin Nobles, a steel breastplate, white shirt, black belt with purple sash under it, black pants and boots, and a red baldric with a buckle made from melted down silver.
On his back was a scabbard holding a greatsword and stuffed through his belt were seven cap and ball revolvers.
The Dracony was purple in color, had red eyes, a gold and silver mane and tail tip which were braided with beads, and wore a large aged bicorne with small feathers held by a metal clip, a navy medal with a red ribbon around his neck, a red frock coat with an embroidered faded gold and silver floral design, a dark blue waistcoat, red, green, and blue striped sash under a leather belt with gold diamond shaped buckle, black pants, brown boots, and a black baldric with a gold buckle like the one on his belt and holsters for his pistols.
His sword was a basket-hilt and resting on his baldric were seven cap and ball revolvers.
"Oh, Apollo, Fire Gem, Didn't hear you come over." The Unicorn said with respect.
Apollo walked forward, watching Night Light.
"That Unicorn is one you must respect, for he is very powerful and very skilled in both combat and magic. His son was Captain of Canterlot's Royal Guard and is now Prince of the Crystal Empire after all,"
The Crystal Pony pirate lightly smiled, through the Empire had vanished to Sombra's curse and only reappeared a few years, not all of the Crystal Ponies had been enslaved before it disappeared, a large number had been able to escape, somehow eventually reaching the Sea of Legends, were they and their descendants had lived before joining the Outcasts when the former Royal's wars became too much.
"his daughter is now an Alicorn and was the personal student of the Princess of the sun herself," Apollo continued, "best to trend with care around him lads."
Fire Gem walked up up nodding his agreement.
At the same time, Fluttershy was hiding among a stack of crates, too scared to leave. She had seen the two pirates who she believed were officers, and she was scared what the pirates might do to her if they found her.
"Oh... what do I do what do I do," She was whispering to herself in worry, "maybe if I stay here they wouldn't notice me.
"Sorry lass, but we noticed you."
Letting out a quiet (and rather adorable) sequel of fright, Fluttershy spun around. Behind her were two Dragons; a Quadruped and a Longma. The Quadruped had bronze scales with lighter underbelly plates, brass eyes, and rust colored spines. He wore a wine red bicorne with bronze crossed sabers on the front, midnight black coat with rust facings, a wine red waistcoat, Brass gloves, black belt with brass buckle and wine red and bronze striped sash under it, black pants, tan boots, and a tan baldric with brass buckle.
A mace with a spiked head and wine red runes hung from his belt along side six cap and ball revolvers stuffed through his belt.
The Longma had black scales, silver horns and underbelly plates, grey eyes, and black and silver striped hair on his head, back of his neck, and top of his tail. He wore a white tricorne with red edging and bronze gears on the brims, a light bronze coat with wine red highlights, a silver and black vest with grey gears line the bottom, silver belt with with red buckle and white and gold striped sash under it and, bronze pants, black boots and a silver baldric with gold buckle and small bronze gears running along its length.
Attached to his belt was a scabbrad holding a dao sword and a large tome; the tome was bronze with wine red highlights, silver gears along the edges, white runes on the spine, and a black cog with crossed hammer and monkey wrench behind it on the cover. On his back were a bolt-action rifle and a lever-action blunderbuss.
"Who... who are you? Pirates looking to chop me to bits?" Fluttershy squeaked with fear. Both pirates looked a bit surpised at that.
"Okay first miss, no we're not going to chop you to bits." The Quadruped said.
"And second, our leader ordered us to not kill anyone, and even if he didn't, it's very clear to us you have no desire to join in on the fight." The Longma said tilting his head to the left.
"Besides," the Longma continued, "we're engineers, we only attack if need to. We just hanging back..."
"and watching events unfold." The Quadruped finished.
Fluttershy blinked, "So... your not going to hurt me?" She asked from behind her mane.
Both Dragons shook their heads.
"Perhaps we should keep an eye on you, so to prevent anything nasty happening to you." The Longma said, the Quadruped nodding his head in agreement. Fluttershy wasn't sure how to react, on one hoof they were pirates, but on the other, she could tell from their posture and eyes the didn't mean her any harm.
After a bit of thinking, she nodded her head.
"Okay..." She said quietly, but she kept her guard a bit up, just in case.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Traveler
Treasure Room
Not surprisingly, the Nobles on broad had run to were their riches had been stored. They arrived, only to find the room seemly untouched, the treasure laying in a neat pile in the center of the room.
"Well, guess those pirates couldn't find this room with the commoners in their way." One, named Upper Crust, said with a smug smile. Two Nobles, Fancy Pants and Fleur de lis, frowned at this. They were among the few decent Nobles, and weren't disdainful of the common Pony.
But then the lamps went out, and darkness overtook the room, the Unicorns tried to light their horns, only to find they couldn't. Upper Crust had temped fate, and it played another hand.
Thump
The Nobles jumped at the sound, as fog began to form around the edges of the room.
Thump
That sounded closer, the Nobles looked around the room.
Thump
It sounded like it was coming from the way they came.
Thump
Check that, now it was all around them.
Thump
One of the Nobles, by the name of Jet Set, couldn't take it anymore.
"Where and who are you?! Show yourself coward!!"
Silence, then... a short, but dark, laugh filled the air.
"Coward... that's rich, coming the likes of you."
"What are you talking about?! SHOW YOURSELF!!"
"While my companions fight the battle above, I went after the real targets, you."
The doors leading into the room suddenly slammed shut, trapping the Nobles.
"I not tapped in a room full of so-called 'Nobles', your trapped in here with... me.
The Unicorns tired to light their horns again, only to get the same result as before.
"Did you think I wasn't ready for you, you wouldn't be the first magic users I've faced, nor the first Nobles I have sent to the abyss."
Now the Nobles were staring to panic, they had no idea where the voice was coming from.
"What's the matter? Are you scared? Feeling helpless with out you magic? Good. You should be."
The Nobles were now really beginning to panic.
"You've always believed that because you were born in to Nobility that it made you better then the commoners, you are still the same species. I was born into Nobility, yet I was denied what was rightfully mine. I suffered in a tiny cell for seven long years, I escaped. And then, ten years later, after building something more, I took what was mine to begin with. You believe you of higher status then those you see below you. But there is one thing about you..."
One of the Stallion Nobles suddenly cried out in pain as a dark shape shot past him. He held a hoof to the left side of his face, only to pull it back and see a small amount of blood.
"You still bleed, you are still mortal, you can still die."
One of the Nobles shouted, "You can't hurt us! We'll use our money and connections to ruin your life!"
The laugh sounded off again, longer and louder this time.
"Always with the 'money and connections', You're not in Equestria anymore, you're in the Sea of Legends. Your on my turf now. Your threats mean nothing to me, other Nobles said the same thing, right before they died."
The Nobles paled.
"That's right, your wreath is no good to you when you are dead."
The Nobles were now huddled together.
"You always step on others to move up the social ladder, while Equestria's newest Princess earned her way, as it should be. I too earned my power before I took back what was mine. You always caused so many others pain to get ahead, and speaking of pain."
All of a sudden, all but two of the Nobles dropped to the ground screaming in extreme pain while the two standing; Fancy and Fleur, watched in shock. Though they felt some pain, it was no where near what the others feel. To them, they felt their very skin burning with both fire and acid, their bones breaking, salt and vinegar poring by the tub loads onto their open wounds, and many other things that causes pain, and the most horrable thing of all, it was happening before their very eyes. But to the two standing all of them looked fine, just on the ground in pain.
"Feel that? That's what the ones you hurt felt, all of them, all at once."
Finally, after what seemed like a thousand years when it was only a few minutes, the pain stopped. The downed Nobles laid on the floor crying as the pain faded.
"Those tears, they are not yours, but the ones of the creatures you hurt."
"What... what are you?" One of them asked quietly.
"I?... I am a monument to all your sins."
With that, the fog coiled away from a dark shape as it emerged, and clutched in it's claws was a very large, rune covered halberd. The Nobles eyes went wide at the figure, who stood at least a half-head taller then Celestia, but the hat it was wearing made it look even bigger.
"Yo ho ho, Motherbuckers." The figure said with a predatory smile.