//------------------------------//
// Piracy 
// Story: Night Wing 
// by Gravity012 
//------------------------------//

The door in front of me shattered into a million pieces as I walked up to it. The ponies inside looked up in shock at my rather violent entrance. ‘Let’s go, we are leaving.’ I spun around and repeated the process with the other two buildings. A confused Batpony left the crowd and apprached me hesitantly.

“What happened Sir?” He looked over at the Deer guards glaring towards our group. “They seemed rather peaceful, aside from keeping us contained.”

‘They overstepped their bounds, and I corrected their actions.’ I faced forwards as we approached the medical hut. ‘Return to the ship with the others. I will be there shortly.’ The Batpony saluted, much to my annoyance, before running off and instructing the other to follow him. As he led the others away, I knocked on the door of the apothecary.

“Who is i-!” Greenhorn swung open the door, only to freeze when he saw me. “You!!” He yanked open the door and approached me angrily. “You think you can just throw me around in my own home!?” He poked me in the chest. I brushed him aside with my wing and forced my way into his home. Greenhorn spluttered by the door as I made my way to the tables that held Silver and Strawberry. I looked over their bandages for a second before laying my wings on them both. With a pulse of power, and a gasp from them both, they sat up and I took their bandages off. I was breathing deeply, I had used a lot of energy throughout the day.

“What happened?” Silver rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she tried to wake up fully. I just leaned forward and hugged her with my wings. “Night? What happened?”

‘We are going back to the ship. There is nothing for us here. I will explain more fully once we are back on the water.’ I pulled away and helped her off the table. Berry slid off his table and followed us to the exit, a confused look on his face. I merely glanced at the guards holding Greenhorn back outside. Silver and Berry stopped for a second before following me with worried looks. As we approached the village, Deer scattered ahead of us while we made our way around houses and toward the forest. Until a lone fawn stopped us.

“Mossy!” I heard a mother cry out somewhere, before another Deer, obviously the fawns mother, ran up and stood protectively over her child. While the mother was glaring at me, the child peaked out with a look of amazement on her face.

“Are you here to help us?” The small deer asked me innocently. “You must be here to help us from the pirates, you have a big ship like them, but you didn’t burn down our homes.”

“Come on honey, let’s leave them alone.” The mother pulled her daughter away into the crowd. I followed them with my head as the daughter looked back at me hopefully. My thoughts were in an uproar. On one hand, I was angry at the Deer. On the other, children and families were getting hurt. I was wronged by one of them, not all of them. I groaned out loud, attracting the attention of both batponies with me.

‘Get to the ship, I will be there soon. Get it in the water for when I return.’ Then I took off into the sky and headed in the direction of Greenhorn’s house. It was hard to spot underneath the sea of green that was the forest, but I managed to glimpse it in a small clearing. I dropped down below the leaves, trailing bits of greenery behind me as I descended. The guards were still there talking amongst themselves, though the leader wasn’t there thankfully. Several racks of antlers lit up with gold as I landed, though none fired at me.

“What is your business here bird? Begone, we have bigger problems to deal with here.” One of the soldiers said as he approached me.

‘Such as?’

“None of your concern, now leave before we reduce your ship to rubble.”

‘Do you have much practice with that? I’ve heard mention of pirates in this area.’ I raised an eyebrow. ‘How have you managed to survive their attacks on your people so well?’ The guard glared at me before sighing heavily and losing the sharp look in his eyes. It was, instead, replaced with a tired one.

“We haven’t. Hundreds have been killed by their raids. We simply don’t have the ability to stop them all. And our scouts have spotted one of their larger fleets headed this way.” He growled and kicked at the dirt.

‘Hmmm. I see.’ I looked toward the ship and prepared to take off. ‘I’ll see what I can do.’ I shot up and looked behind me to see an enraged guard on the ground.





Twisted Limb

“How dare he!” I spun around in rage. “GREENHORN! Get out here!” The medic rushed out to me. “That insufferable bird has taken it upon himself to try and take care of our problem. Go stop him from his foolishness. He has no reason to be dealing with our problems.”

“What!? I’m busy here! Send a guard!” Greenhorn looked offended at the request. Twisted sighed and rubbed his temple with a hoof.

“Just go! You're the only Deer I can spare. I need all the soldiers here, preparing for battle.”

“Dang it Limb, I’m a Potion Maker! Not a diplomat!” He turned around and started muttering to himself as he walked into the woods. I rolled my eyes as I turned around and started planning our strategy with the other Guards.





Greenhorn

I muttered angrily to myself while stomping through the woods towards the beach. I was close to the shore by now, and I could hear the shouts and hollers of a ship getting ready to sail. All the animals had surely been scared from the area by these interlopers.

My job is to make potions, not settle arguments between different creatures. My hooves crushed plants angrily as I worked out my frustrations while I walked. My potion making was known well among the Deer, and while I wasn’t the best, I certainly wasn’t the worst. I had chosen to pursue potion making for a reason. I preferred the solitude of working with plants and other ingredients, rather than the nervousness of working with other Deer.

The dirt transitioned into sand as the trees thinned out suddenly. I paused and took a deep breath when their ship came into view. The sight of so many creatures, combined with the familiar sight of a large wooden ship forced me to stop dead in my tracks.

Here we go... My legs jerkily moves forward for a moment before smoothing out as I approached the vessel. I almost jumped back when several bat winged ponies landed in front of me.

“What is your business Deer?” One of the ponies had shining blades on his wings and a stern glare fixated on me.

“I-“ I had to clear my throat and find my voice again before continuing. “I have come with a message from Twisted Limb, second in command of our Warriors.”

“Let’s hear it then.” The Batponies listened expectantly.

“Well it’s-it’s for Night Wing.” My composure was slowly breaking. I hate talking to Deer...Ponies....whatever. 

“One second.” The Batpony raised his head and let out a high pitched squeal. A moment later a female Batpony landed beside them.

“What’s happening here?” She was in full armor, with a serious expression on her face.

“Officer Silver, Deer has a message for Captain Night Wing.” The Batpony quickly answered and saluted Silver.

“I see. And why should I allow you to see Captain Night? Your people almost destroyed something precious to him.” Silver approached me and pushed her hoof against my chest trying to make me stumble. I may be shy, but I certainly wasn’t a pushover.

“I’m just doing what I was commanded to do.” I answered angrily. “I don’t particularly like your Captain, he choked me in my own home! Yet here I am, trying to convince him not to risk his life.” Silver snorted at my tone.

“You don’t know Night like I do. He won’t stop because you ask him. He sees someone in trouble and does his best to help, even if they hurt him.” She looked over her shoulder at the ship. “Grab him, we’ll take him onboard. He can give his message and leave.”

“Excuse me? What do you me-AAH!” I panicked as the ground fell away from me. “Let go of me!”

“Are you sure?” One of the ponies lifting me up laughed. “It’s a long drop.” They all shared a laugh at my expense before gently setting me on the deck of the ship. Ponies with wings, horns, and neither of those, rushed around pulling ropes and moving barrels. I had never been on a ship before, so all the sounds and sights were new to me.

“Caw!” I turned around only to come face to face with Night. ‘Why are you on my ship?” The large bird clearly wasn’t happy with me.

“I have a message from Twisted Limb, second in command of our Warriors. He does not want you to attack the pirates. This is our fight not yours.” I stood straight and confident, even though I was trembling on the inside. It didn’t help that every single pony had stopped to stare at me. After a moment, the noise resumed as Ponies resumed working.

‘No.’ He turned away from me and resumed walking around the deck. I was about to say something when his back filled with letters. ‘Obviously you need help with these pirates, and while some of your people wronged me....not all of them did.’

“But you have no right to meddle in our affairs for no reason!”

‘You meddled in my affairs. There you go, I have a reason.’ He dismissed me casually while looking at the cannons on the deck. I seethed as I tried to contemplate how to best go about my assignment. I didn’t have much time to consider it.

“Captain! Ships approaching!” A feathered Pony flew by quickly. Night spun around and I followed his gaze to the horizon. There, several ships could be seen. It looked like about six of them. They most likely had several hundred bloodthirsty pirates on board, just waiting to spill blood.

“KEEEAR!!!” Night Wing called out. Silver called out right after.

“ALL HANDS ON DECK!! LET’S GET THIS SHIP IN THE WATER!!!” The few ponies not on the boat flew, or were flown, up off the beach. Then, somehow, the ship fell through the sand and dropped into the water.

“How...” I looked around, and saw no one else was surprised by this. Then the situation caught up with me. “Wait! Take me back to shore!” I had no interest in being in this battle. One ship versus six, it was suicide.

‘Too late now Greenhorn. I need all ponies here.’ Several of the flying ponies gathered behind the sails and started flapping air into them. The ponies with neither wings or horns pushed cannons into place and lifted heavy metal balls into them. The few with horns were levitating ropes around, making sure the rigging was functioning properly.

“What!? But I-“

“Hush!” Silver yelled at me. “I can’t focus with your complaining. Go below deck if you're scared!”





Night Wing

I glanced over as Silver yelled at the Deer, but quickly refocused on the ship rapidly approaching us. Wood clacked under my claws as I made my way up to the Helm. ‘When we are within range, face our cannons to them. I want to hit them from as far off as possible.’ The helmspony nodded and tensed up. I couldn’t help but feel nervous about the upcoming battle. I had never fought ship to ship. I cast my worried gaze over the deck, hoping we wouldn’t lose too many.

The ship creaked in the breeze as we drew closer. The deck was silent enough to hear the flaps of the Pegasi and Batponies above us. Then, with a jerk, the wheel spun around. Things slowed down as cannons were brought to bear upon distant wood, Unicorns lit fuses, and Earthponies braced to hold the cannons from slinging back. Then, time resumed with a BOOOOOM! The cannons spit fire and metal across the water at high speeds, just as the pirates were spinning their ships around to return fire. A distant crack signaled metal hitting wood, but I didn’t see any damage. Then the return fire came.

Now it’s my turn. As their cannons fired I raised a shield between us and listened to the satisfying clangs of the cannon balls being blocked.

“FIRE!” A Unicron lit the fuses once more and another BOOM echoed across the waves. Then a second. And a third. The other ships had begun firing now, all aimed for us.

‘Angle us to get closer!’ The wheel turned slightly and it seems the other ships had the same idea. We were all slowly closing in on each other. Another round of cannonballs hit my shield when suddenly a Griffin dropped from the sky.

“HAHA!! DIE!!” He swung his sword at a surprised Earthpony braced against a cannon. A gurgle rang out as his sword slit the Pony’s throat, then he moved on to the swing at another. Until a Pegasus swung behind him and removed his head with a bladed wing. I snapped my head up as more black specks dropped from the clouds. 

“KKEEEEEEAR!!!” I saw a few specks swerve when I cried out, but they quickly corrected their course.

“Boarders!!!” Silver cried out and rushed up into the air alongside the other flyers to neutralize the threat before it reached the ship. The ships grew closer and they still didn’t show much damage. I was getting angry. Our ship loosed another volley of hot metal at them. Wood splintered under metal, but it wasn’t enough. Even if we sunk one, we would have five more to sink.

The overwhelming odds just fueled my rage more. Why can’t anything go good for once!? Dead Griffins and a few ponies fell onto the deck, and I couldn’t take it anymore. I pushed my magic out and into one of the cannon balls. I pushed magic into it until I couldn't fit any more.

“FIRE!!” This time, when the cannons went off, one had a bright blue trail of magic and frost behind it. And when it hit...the damage was immediately obvious. Wood froze and shattered instantly as ice spread up the side rapidly. I heard panicked screams as icy spears grew from their deck. The other ships paused their firing, and the Griffins in the air paused for a second, before both began again. Several Griffins approached the deck, sword drawn. I grabbed them in a black aura and smashed them into paste as my anger grew.

Wouldn't even be here if it wasn’t for those stupid Deer! I charged a whole volley of cannon shots with magic this time. When they were fired, the other ship finally went down. Ice spread across the whole thing as loud snaps filled the air. Anyone standing on the ship was frozen, before shattering with the ship.

Wouldn't be even be with the Deer if Luna was still here!! I took off from the deck and raced toward the second pirate ship. Frost followed me as I raced through the air. I landed on the deck with a thud.

“Kill that piece of Trash!” The Griffin I assumed to be the Captain called out as his crew rushed at me. I blocked a sword with my wing blade then used my other wing to remove the limb holding it. Then I headbutted another Griffin who rushed at me. A Minotaur swung a big axe at me, but I opened a portal in front of it. He looked up confused as the head of his battleaxe disappeared. Then, with a SHINK, he fell forward with the axe in his back. I threw my right wing back and froze a Griffin as it hit his head. Then I grabbed him and shattered him, pelting the others with the dagger like pieces of their frozen friend. I let my anger out, dodging and weaving through the weapons, wreaking havoc on the crew. I slowly made my way up to the helm, where the Captain was. As I dispatched his last crew member, he stared at me in horror. I was covered in blood and ice, with black magic leaking from my eyes.

“Wha-What are you!?” The Griffin fell down as he backed away from me. What disturbed him the most was my smile.

‘Your end.’ Then I grabbed his sword and ran it through him, into the wood below. I felt amazing, letting out my anger. And I had so much more to give...

Ice began spreading out around me, engulfing the ship. Wood cracked and shattered as water began rushing in. I took to the air just as it collapsed in on itself. I cast my gaze on the next ship. This time I didn’t land on the deck, I simply launched myself towards the cabin on the back. I covered myself in a shield and burst through the wood. Then I continued on through the other wall. As I smashed onto the deck, wood pelted the crew. I saw that they were about to fire their cannons, so I plugged them all with portals. With a deafening BOOOOOM hunks of metal flew up through the floor at random angles, obliterating half the crew. Icicles erupted from the deck and stabbed the ones left alive. One more down.





Silver Wing

I grappled with a Griffin in the air as we both fell, before slicing his wings off and pushing him away from me. Another one quickly tried to take his place, but I dodged to the side and he hit blade instead of flesh. The cries of battle echoed all around me. Cannons fired, creatures screamed, and lives were ended. Yet something out of place caught my ear. Laughter.

Laughter echoed around the battlefield, cold and insane. I spun around and saw something I never thought I would see. Three ships were now nothing but debris, and soon to be a fourth. Night Wing was on the fourth ship, and the laughter was coming from him. I watched as he destroyed the crew, using their own weapons to pin them to the decks and masts, not always killing them. Some of them simply hung screaming there as ice consumed them. Then, the hull started collapsing under some unseen pressure. Ice shot away from the hull and pierced into the hull of the fifth ship. For a second nothing happened. Then spears of ice exploded out from below the deck, obliterating both ships. All the while, Night laughed at the destruction.

Panicked shrieks signaled all the remaining Griffins being seized midair and dragged back down toward our ship. I raced down and touched the deck just as Night did. The Griffins were being held midair in front of Night as he looked at them like a predator eyeing meat.

“Night!” I shouted. I ran up to him, trying to stop him from doing whatever he was planning on doing. He glanced at me for a moment, but went back to watching the Griffins. Then they started to lower towards the water. By now, the blood had attracted sharks, and fins were circling in the water. The Griffins’ screams grew louder as they realized what was going to happen.

“Night Wing!” I looked to the descending avians. They had done bad things, but they didn’t deserve this. “Captain!!”

A shark jumped up and grabbed one of the Griffins close to the water. His screams were cut short as he was dragged under. “NIGHT WING!!” Nothing.

CRUNCH......then silence, aside from the Griffins still floating. They had stopped descending at least.

‘Did you just break my beak Silver?......’ I stared in shock at Night’s cracked mouth. Then he looked around like he was seeing things for the first time. ‘I’m sorry you all had to see that.’ He shook his head. Then, with a resounding CRACK, the remaining Griffins fell dead in the water. ‘They don’t deserve that kind of death, even if they have done horrible things.’

“Caw!” ‘Let’s get back to shore! We need to drop this Deer off at his home.’ No one moved, all eye were focused on him. ‘MOVE!’ That got them moving as nervous chatter filled the ship.

I didn’t know what to think. The Night I knew would never act so......uncaring. Even if they were just pirates, and his actions were justified, it still worried me. I could see the same worry in the other former guards and slight fear among the rest of the crew. I wasn’t sure what to do. I wasn’t sure if there was anything I could do. I just had to keep a close eye on him and make sure he didn’t do anything he would regret. Night was one of the only friends I had left, and I didn’t want to lose him too.