Back on the SS Rainbow Parrot, Rainbow and Celaeno clashed a couple of swords causing a clang. The two then lowered their swords as they shared a laugh while most of the others cheered on. Just as they finished, Murdock then started to squawk and ring a bell. Everyone turned to see Tempest’s ship heading towards them, “Storm guards! Looks like they found you!” Celaeno exclaimed as everything dawned on everyone.
Twilight went closer to the side, “Not just any storm guards, if that what’s their name, that’s Tempest Shadow’s ship!” she explained.
Celaeno nodded before she turned to the crew, “Secure the rigging! Lock down the cargo! Everyone, prepare to be boarded!” she ordered as Boyle opened a hatch to the cargo hold as he prompted the seven to get down into the ship’s cargo hold.
As Boyle shut the hatch, Rainbow looked at the others, “Ya think she saw my sonic rainboom?” she asked weakly. Twilight walked up to her and just glared at the elementalist. Everyone saw Twilight’s shaking left hand as it was clear that she wanted to slap Rainbow across the face. Rainbow was spared because the haul was then penetrated with a couple of boarding cable hooks. The girls screamed and Spike gave a ‘whoa’ as they lost their balance.
After almost two minutes, a boarding plank was lowered on Celaeno’s ship only for Tempest to walk across it with her hands crossed behind her back. Following her was Grubber, Capper and a handful of Storm guards, with the rest on still on Tempest’s ship. Tempest looked at Celaeno and her crew, “Why are you out of uniform?” she asked flatly.
Grubber pulled out a calendar, “Well it ith Cauthual Friday.” Grubber pointed out.
Tempest nodded, “Fair enough,” she mused. “A couple hours ago, back in Klugetown, six Mysticans, of that group a Demigoddess Princess, two Earthborns, two Skyborns, a Magicborn, all accompanied with a dragon was spotted and managed to get passage on a ship. Your ship was one of the few of ships that took off at that time.” Tempest said as she walked on the ship as if she was the owner. “So I am going to ask this once if you are truthful you can go about your business, if not.” Tempest’s forehead began to spark lightning, “Well, I’ll that to your imagination.” Tempest smirked as all but Celaeno took a step back. “Where is the Mystican Princess?”
Celaeno gave a ‘hum’, “Princess?” she asked before she walked over to a copy of the ship’s cargo inventory. “Let’s see, ‘Prin-Cess, Prin-Cess…’ she muttered as she read the log. After a couple seconds of going through the whole thing, “Nope. All we're hauling is Storm King merchandise.” Murdock then squawked as if he was saying something.
Tempest looked down to her right and her eyes met Grubber’s. There was a slight frown on Grubber’s face. The frown was much like the one when Capper said that her quarry was heading to Black Skull Island. Tempest turned her attention back to Celaeno. “It seems that I haven’t made myself clear.” Tempest mused as she walked up to Celaeno, “Because, you do realize that if you were to shelter fugitives, the Storm King would be quiet…” she paused as lightning crackled from the embedded broken focus gem in her forehead down her left arm and exploded the crate right next to her. “explosive.”
“Captain!” Capper said as he finally recognized Celaeno and her crew.
“Hey, kid, long time no see,” Celaeno said with some cheer as she spied the cat. “So what have you been up to?” she asked.
All the while in the cargo haul, Twilight was looking around as she was trying to find a way to escape. “We have to get off this ship before they tell Tempest we're here!” she whispered so that only her friends could hear.
“We helped them get their mojo back!” Rainbow countered as she hovered over to Twilight. “They're not gonna give us up!” she compounded believing in the parrots.
“Capper tried to sell us after Rarity and you call trusted him.” Twilight pointed out. She then saw a flag rendering the Storm King, ropes, and a basket large enough to fit everyone. Twilight smiled, “I've got this!”
Back on deck, “How sweet,” Tempest cut the reunion short. She looked at each of the ship’s crew, “Now, I'm gonna count to three, and if you don't tell me where the princess is, your ship is going down.” she declared. She then raised her right hand, “One…” she started as she raised her index finger.
Below deck, Twilight gave Applejack a rope. She didn’t need to say anything as Applejack wouldn’t question her.
Back on deck, Tempest slowly began to raise her middle finger, “...two…” Tempest paused as she looked around. She didn’t miss Celaeno reach for her sword with her left hand. Tempest then slowly raised her ring finger, “Three!” But before she could anything the was a sudden lever pull and door open. “What?” Tempest asked as she rushed over to the hatch to the cargo haul and saw that the trap door was open. Celaeno gave s slight sigh of relief.
After the trapdoor was open as the seven fell, “Oh, for Celestia's sake!!!” Rarity shouted, all the while Fluttershy screamed, and Pinkie seemed to be laughing like she was having the time of her life. After what seemed to be a few seconds, everyone and everything reach the velocity that Twilight was looking for. She then opened her wings and began levitating the basket, the flag, and rope to form a hot air balloon. Once that was constructed she levitated Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie, and Spike into while forcing Fluttershy’s wings to start flapping and sent her towards the balloon and nodded Rainbow to fly with her. Once everyone was there she jumped into the balloon and forced Spike to breathe fire into the air that was caught by the sail actually making it a balloon. And just in the nick of time as they were only a handful of meters from the water’s surface. Everyone cheered as Twilight gave a sigh of relief. “Can we do that again?” Pinkie asked with a big ‘please-oh-please’ grin on her face.
“Maybe next month,” Applejack said as she patted Pinkie on the shoulder. Applejack turned to everyone else, “Next stop, Mount Aris!” she said as she pointed to the island a few miles to their south.
Back among the skyboats, the Storm guards gathered the crew and Capper into the center of the ship, all the while the guards grunted. Once the parrots and cat were mostly circled, Grubber walked up to Tempest and hand her the map that Twilight had made, “I found thith.” Grubber said as Tempest accepted it.
After a second of looking it over, “Capper, was it?” she asked as she raised her head and turned the map so that Capper could see it, “Last I checked Mount Aris was nowhere near Black Skull Island.”
Capper pulled at his jacket’s collar, “Really?” he asked before he started to stammer and give a nervous laugh before he could articulate again, “Mou- Mount Aris? I... Well, that's my mis— I didn't know that... Mount Ari... My bad, I didn't... That's my…” he continued to stutter and stammer. As he saw that Tempest’s expression was as bemused as ever. “I'm sorry, I'm very very sorry,” he said as he stepped back and ended up right next to Celaeno.
Tempest gave the map to Grubber and beckoned the hedgehog to go back to her ship’s steering wheel. “Now, about your betrayal…” she started as lightning crackled from her forehead down both her arms before shooting forward. As Tempest prepared to cast her spell, Celaeno and Capper as if by instinct looked at each other. No words were spoken. Just a silent nod before the took each other’s hands and closed their eyes.
Back on Twilight’s sky boat, miles to the north, all that everyone could see was that the skyboat with the rainbow-colored feather-like sails had lost some cargo a minute or two ago. As if by instinct Flash left the wheel and flew to the bow as if he was desperate to fly to the ships himself. Before he could get off the boat he was tackled by Gilda and Pharynx. “LET ME GO!!!” Flash ordered.
They said nothing as the sudden explosion of the ship that was at the center of the Sonic Rainboom was blown to little more than blanks and sheets. “NO!!!!” he screamed before he dropped to his knees, unable to let out his rage knowing that it would accomplish little good at best and more likely a lot of ill.