//------------------------------// // By Order of Princess Twilight Sparkle // Story: Twilight's Pirate School // by Lets Do This //------------------------------// The representatives of the other nations had gone their separate ways. Tempest had escorted the students back to the skiff they'd used to follow Twilight to Canterlot. So Twilight finally had her private audience, alone with the Princesses. Celestia had even ordered the guards out of the Audience Chamber so they might speak freely with one another. "I see, Twilight." Celestia nodded. "We'll look forward to reading your detailed report, of course. But I believe we have the general picture." Twilight, standing on the carpet before the twin thrones, gritted her teeth nervously. Both Celestia and Luna, seated side-by-side on the throne platform, had remained sitting tall and proud, their expressions calmly unreadable, throughout Twilight's hurried summary of the Friendship's recruitment tour and initial classes. "Thank you, Princesses," Twilight said. "And my apologies for having to go ahead with this without approval from the EEA... and without consulting the two of you. It just... seemed like something had to be done. And there was no other way to do it." Celestia looked surprised. "Twilight! You're acting as if you're here to be punished!" "You... mean I'm not?" "As you said, you did what had to be done. Luna and I are both quite impressed with your success in recruiting your initial class, and with their evident progress in so short a time." "Indeed!" Luna nodded. "No princess of Equestria has ever convinced so many of our allies to participate in an international diplomatic function so quickly!" "Nor recruited and managed such a diverse class of students and teachers," Celestia said, "with so few issues, even during the field-trip you mentioned. And I was most interested to hear about Vanhoover University! Though do I understand your reluctance to bring the subject up, Twilight. We will be careful with that information, trust me. As you said, the students don't deserve to have their studies interrupted." "Thank you, Princesses!" Twilight said, gratefully. "Then... you're okay if I go ahead with my plans?" Celestia and Luna exchanged a glance. "Officially, Twilight," Celestia said, "we of course cannot approve of the School. But by the same token, neither must we officially disapprove of it. And nothing prevents us from making the existence of such an institution known to other nations, as well as the merits of the very capable pony who operates it." And now Celestia smiled warmly. "Off the record, Twilight? Luna and I are most proud of you for following your instincts on this. You're really learning what being a Princess is all about!" "I'm also as good as breaking Equestrian law. That's not very Princess-like, is it?" "It is true," Luna observed, "that a Princess should normally abide within the law, when it is fair and just and established by legitimate means. It represents a compact of trust with those whom she governs." "Yet, every now and then," Celestia said, "there comes a time when a Princess has to act on her own judgment. And in so doing, expand the boundary of the law to where the law needs to be." Celestia smiled reassuringly. "In short, Twilight, as long as you always act in the best interests of your students, and of Equestria in general, we have no problem with your School. And Princess Luna and I will be most interested to see where this takes you!" "Thank you, Princesses! Then, if you'll excuse me? I think I'll return to my students. I want to see how they're getting on with their homework assignments." "Of course, Princess Twilight!" The three of them exchanged regal nods. And then Twilight turned and trotted out of the chamber. The returning guards saluted to her and then shut the doors behind her. "She's progressing so quickly," Celestia said, proudly and a little sadly. "Indeed she is," Luna agreed. "And yet she remains the most unconventional of all of us." "That is something I hope will never change." Celestia nodded. "She will need that, in the years ahead." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - In the Friendship Castle's library, the other professors had returned and been apprised of the situation. They were gamely providing advice and guidance to the waiting students, helping to keep their spirits up. But there was an inescapable tension in the air. And then Princess Twilight returned, swinging the library doors open with her magic. When the students saw the serious look on her face, they automatically assumed the worst. "Uh oh." Gallus said. "Did something go wrong after we left? Should we get packed to go home?" "How can we?" Smolder complained. "All our stuff is still onboard the Friendship!" "You won't have to unpack," Twilight said. "Because we're still reopening the School. Will you all come with me, please?" She led the way out of the castle and around to the Friendship. Ascending the ramp partway, she turned to face the students and teachers. "I want you all to understand, I'm not doing this arbitrarily. I've given it a great deal of thought. I always wanted to operate the Friendship School in accord with the EEA's guidelines, with their approval. I wanted us to be an educational institution like any other. But we're not going to be able to do that, because what we're teaching here is too new. The School will require an entire new rulebook of its own. And I can't wait to get started on it..." She glanced around her friends. "Er... with input from all of you, of course. We're just going to have to continue to operate the School outside the bounds of Equestrian law, until the law is able to catch up with us. And therefore..." She turned to face the spectral seal and chains barring the door. "The Friendship School is hereby back in session! By order of Princess Twilight Sparkle!" She fired up her horn and blasted the seal with a dissolution spell... ... which had no apparent effect. Twilight blinked, and looked around, worried. Starlight coughed politely, and trotted forward. "Let me give you a hoof with that!" Twilight nodded thankfully. Starlight's horn lit up, and she remote-projected her own deep reserves of magic, making it available to Twilight. With it, Twilight re-cast her spell on the seal... which shimmered... fractured... then shattered utterly. The spectral chains dissolved into a wispy blue glow, which faded away into the air itself. "Yee haw!" Applejack cried, waving her hat. "Now that's gettin' her done!" The other professors cheered and stamped approvingly. "Thanks, Starlight!" Twilight said. "Not a problem, Your Highness," Starlight replied cheerfully. "Just one of the perks of being seriously overpowered and a bit of a loose cannon with my magic." The students were cheering as well, in particular the Odd Squad. "Woah, seriously radical move!" Sandbar said. "Yeah," Gallus agreed. "I never realized our teachers were this awesome!" "Oh! Does this mean we're dangerous outlaws now?" Silverstream asked excitedly. "Only if they'll give us a degree in it," Smolder said, grinning. "Well, if we're going to a pirate school," Ocellus said reasonably, "we must be pirate students!" "Yona will be best pirate yak!" Yona smiled proudly. "Make Yakyakistan very proud!" The students cheered excitedly. And then they all fell silent again, as Princess Twilight turned to face them. "Commander Tempest!" she called. "Your Highness?" Tempest stepped forward. "I think it would be a good idea to cut this visit short. The students can complete their homework enroute. Are we ready to set sail again?" "Of course," Tempest replied smoothly. But then her expression turned cold. She frowned darkly. "But I am seriously disappointed in you, Your Highness!" "What?" Tempest lowered her head, scowling, and stalked closer. The students quickly moved to get out of her way. "I really wanted to teach that Neighsay a lesson... a personal lesson in just how far the borders of Equestria actually extend! You denied me the opportunity!" She scowled, her horn sparking. "You're too reasonable, Princess. Too reasonable by half! And one day, trust me... that's going to backfire on you!" Twilight stared at her, wide-eyed and affronted. "Tempest!" Tempest held the look for a moment longer. Then she came to attention, horn silent, her expression smug. She sniggered gently. "Well! That time I got you going, didn't I, Princess?" "You... I... uh... urrrhh!" Twilight fell silent, looking aggrieved. Then she shook her head. Rather than say anything further she turned and headed up the ramp to reopen the entry doors. The other teachers and the students quickly followed along, up the ramp and into the ship. As the Odd Squad walked and flew up the ramp at the rear of the group, Gallus nodded back at Tempest, who was still standing at the base of the ramp discussing something with Starlight. "You know... I really think I'm getting to like her," he whispered. The other students agreed readily. "The Pony who Fights Like a Dragon!" Smolder said, nodding approval. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - It was late in the evening, long after midnight. Tempest trotted unhurriedly along the admin-level corridor, having just finished an inspection of the students' level. The students were all safely in bed and for the most part quiet... or at least not drawing attention to themselves. Which was even better, since it made the game more interesting. The professors were mostly asleep as well, except for those who by nature were night-owls, finishing up a last grading session or a lesson plan. Tempest was just passing the red doors of the royal suite, when from inside she heard a soft thump. Glancing both ways along the corridor to be sure she was unobserved, she pressed an armored shoe against the door's lock, then gently rotated it. The disbarring gem built into her shoe invisibly engaged the lock's tumblers. The lock snicked open, the door swung ajar. Pushing it open, she peered inside. Twilight was seated at the desk, face-down in a copy of her own rulebook for the School, gently snoring. And Spike was collapsed on his back on the desk, pen still gripped in one claw, mumbling incoherently to himself and surrounded by scrolls filled with editorial notes for the next edition. Tempest nodded. About time, she thought. Turning, she stepped away from the door into the corridor. Her horn came alight, gently crackling. She lightly tapped an armored hoof on the floor twice. Instantly, two scarlet-furred soldiers materialized in the corridor to either side of her. A few seconds later, Grubber came hustling up the corridor from his room, rubbing his eyes. Tempest looked from each of them to the next, a stern expression on her face. "Gentlemen," she said calmly, "the first one that makes a sound I shall turn into carpeting. Do we have an understanding?" They nodded. Then they followed her as she stepped quietly into the suite and crossed to the desk. At her swift gesture, one of the soldiers collected Spike and brought him over to the small adjoining bedroom on the left, where Grubber helped tuck him in. And the other soldier gently gathered up Twilight, and carried her over to the loft bed, which Tempest had already turned down for her. Getting her settled, Tempest inexpertly tucked in the covers around her. And then she stood looking down at the slumbering alicorn, an unreadable expression on her face. "Sleep well, Princess," she finally said, softly. "Dream a few pleasant dreams... for those of us who have to live in the real world." Then she turned and crossed back to the doors, where Grubber and the soldiers stood waiting. They all stepped out into the hallway, and Grubber gently shut the doors again. He breathed a sigh of relief, then looked up at Tempest. "Geez, boss. How come you're always bright-eyed and on the go? You were never like this under the Storm King!" "I've turned the catnap into an artform," she replied. "You can go on back to bed now." "Thanks! What about you, Tempest?" "I'm... just going to make another sweep of the students' level." She smirked. "After all, a truant officer's work is never done..." The End My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, its characters and indicia are the property of Hasbro. No infringement is intended. This story is a work of fan fiction, written by fans for fans of the series.