//------------------------------// // Chapter 28: The Pirates of Shadow // Story: A Little Girls Love // by darkmage1997 //------------------------------// Toby groaned as he woke up. His body ached all over. The whole room felt like it was rocking back and forth, as if he were in a cage, suspended several feet in the air. Opening his eyes, he saw that his suspicions were correct. He was being held in some kind of cage that was suspended in the air, inside what looked to be the storage part of a big boat. Looking around, he saw that Silver Spoon, Serenity, Charity, and Season were also in his cage. He looked around to see that the others were all in separate cages too. Looking down below, he saw that the Nymphs and Lila were also in a cage, "Where are we?" Toby wondered. His question was able to rouse the others. "Ugh, where are we?" Kelly wondered, looking around. Upon seeing they were all in cages, they instantly became distressed. Serenity squeaked, and latched onto Season, upon seeing she was so high up. "What happened, exactly?" Mariah pondered. "Well, let's see. I remember that we were all at the festival at Canterlot castle, when...." Josh began, as they went into a flashback. Flashback, Half an Hour ago, "And that was our performance! Thank you, Canterlot!" Nathan said, as he and his band mates bowed, before retreating backstage. "Phew, that was intense!" Mike commented. "I think we left a good impression on them," Conner stated. "Hey, what are those?" they heard someone say. Peeking out from behind the curtains, they saw something off in the sky. It looked to be a bunch of flying ships. "What could those be?" Wanda pondered. "It can't be the Storm King. We defeated him ages ago," Rainbow Dash commented. Raiden then pulled out some binoculars from his hat. He then looked towards the ships. "Hmm, they appear to be some kind of ships, nothing like what you see here in Equestria," Raiden commented, zooming in. It was then that he saw the pirates, "What the...? Pirates?" he questioned. Mavis dropped her cookie in horror, and dropped to her knees, holding her head. This incited worry amongst her friends and family. "Mavis, sweetie, what's wrong?" Marina asked. "It's happening again! It's them!" she said in a terrified, broken tone. Celestia was about to question her, when explosions caused major commotion, making ponies run for cover. The Nymphs all shuddered, upon sensing a familiar, dark presence on one of the boats. "Wanda, that magic.... you don't think," Kat began. "I wish it wasn't, but it is," the head Nymph replied, as the ships all docked, and several pirates leapt off, and proceeded to rob everyone, and take hostages in the form of the children, including Mavis, Lila, and the Nymphs. "Oh no! Toby! Serenity!" Fluttershy cried in anguish, as they were loaded into some cages. "Come on, we gotta help them!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, flying towards the ship, only for some black crystals to shoot up from the ground, stopping Rainbow in her tracks. Real time, "So... after that, we all got caged up, and were brought here," Sky stated. "The only question now is 'where is here'?" Conner pondered. His question was soon answered, as the cages felt like they were being risen up to an upper level, leaving the Nymphs and Lila in their cages. Once they all reached the surface, they saw a bunch of pirates, celebrating and singing, as the captain made his entrance. "So, you're the captain, Ah take it?" Nathan questioned. "Aye, that I am!" Markus replied, leaping down in front of the cages. "Well, if you're trying to recruit us, forget it!" Kelly spat. "Like any of us would ever join up with you guys! Especially after what you did to our little buddy!" Vibrant added. This made Luke bang on the cage with a beastly growl, making most of the kids cower.. "I assure, joining us would prove beneficial to you, as it has been to us," Markus said, in a suave tone. "Like we said, forget it! You guys have made Mavis' life a misery!" Mike stated. "Really? Is that what she told you? Then I should correct some things, for instance, is was she who did THIS to me!" Markus yelled, showing them his hook for a hand. "So ya have a hook for a hand, big whoop! That is so stereotypical for a pirate. What does that have ta do with Mavis?," Nathan asked. "Aye, maybe. But what ye may not know, is that little mermaid friend of yours is also half gorgon! When she turned me into stone, her wretched father broke off me hand!" Markus explained. This caused confusion amongst the children. They knew Mavis was part Mermaid and part Nymph, but part Gorgon? "And what proof do you have that Mavis is part gorgon? We can't just take your word for it," Nyx commented. "Arg, maybe we can't convince ye with words, but mark me words, that little girl will be guiding us to our biggest booty haul ever!" Aoi stated. "Man, who knew pirates were such pervs?" Crystal commented. it took a moment for the pirates to figure out what she meant. "N-No-no-no-no! Not that kind of booty!" Markus stated defensively. "Yeah right. Mavis told us you wanted to, and I quote, 'trade her booty for big booty'," Melody countered. "Whatever! Take them to separate ships. The same goes with the big boobed fairies and the snakes monster below deck! I will deal with them later," Markus ordered the higher up captains. "Aye-aye, sir!" Aoi said, taking them all back down below. "What do you guys even want with Mavis, or us?" Kelly questioned. "Well, if ye must know, we be using your little friend to help us find the city of the mermaids, the lost City of Atlantis. As for ye little barnacles, you're all our hostages! As long as ye be in our brigs, yer family's won't be coming to save ye, not unless they value your lives," the chef pirate explained. "We've been in situations like this more times than we can count! They always find a way!" Josh proclaimed. "Aye, maybe so, but with our partner back in yer kingdom, they may never get the chance," Luke growled. Back in Canterlot, "Man, this is the easiest battle we've ever gotten into!" Silver commented, dressed as a salsa dancer, as the Alicorn's Wish Guild's elite, the Mane 6, the Royal Sisters, the Crystal Couple, Discord, and Eris, all of whom were being unbelievably random, while effortlessly laying the smack down on Sombra, who was looking more than a little mangled. "How can they be this powerful?! And they're all using such ridiculous attacks!" Sombra was struggling to stay standing. "Just give up Sombra, your attempts to take over Equestria are more pitiful than that ridiculous haircut," Discord commented. "Why you...…! Leave my hair out of this!" Sombra demanded. "But what if I want to get involved?" a black hare asked. "QUIT JOKING AROUND!" Eris yelled, ramming into Sombra like a torpedo. "But I didn't say anything!" Sombra yelled, falling to the ground. "Now that this pest is dealt with, we need to go and save the others!" Cassidy commented. "But we're going up against an entire fleet of pirates. We're going to need a lot of fire power to fight back," Heiru commented. "That's why I have this," Raiden commented, pressing a button on a remote control. A rumbling could be heard from outside. When they all went outside, they saw that the earth on the outskirts of Ponyville was splitting apart. "No way! Ponyville has a split personality!" Pinkie Pie yelled, her eyes bulging comically. When the smoke cleared, a large ship was revealed. "How long has that been there?!" Twilight exclaimed, her eyes bulging the same way. "I've been working on it for a few months as a hobby, but now we can actually use it!" Raiden proclaimed. "Well, since we're going to be on water, it makes sense. Plus, if we're bringing the other kids back, we're going to need as much space to bring them back with," Celestia commented. Sombra was then heard cackling. "What's so funny? We just laid the smack down on you," Rainbow Dash stated. "True, I've been defeated, but I will eventually get the last laugh, thanks to my inside agent!" Sombra laughed boisterously. "Eris, could you take him to Tartarus?" Discord asked. "Sure thing Dad," Eris said, snapping her eagle talon, teleporting away with the disgraced king. "In the mean time, we should get going. We need to save Mavis and the others as quickly as possible," Chris suggested. "Good call. Then let's hurry. Round up the guild, and bring them to the ship," Discord told his sons. "Right away," Stealth said, as the eight brothers went to round up everyone in the guild. All the while, Celestia couldn't help but think about what Sombra had said before being taken to Tartarus. 'What did he mean by an inside agent?' Celestia wondered, as she and her friends all went to ship themselves.