//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Fluttershy and the Pirates at 'The Smuggle Inn' // Story: A Goblin's Greed (#11) // by LightningStar626 //------------------------------// Chapter 3: Fluttershy and the Pirates at 'The Smuggle Inn'. "Pinkie Pie, come on! Don't just stand there!" Rainbow snapped. "We've got to find the beach!" "And Fluttershy!" Applejack added. "The fog is too deep!" ~She would never admit it, but being stuck on the rocks in fog, and with the sea rising, made Rainbow Dash feel very edgy. The other Rainbooms said nothing but set off scrambling across the rocks, keeping as close to the cliff wall as they could. Applejack went in front. Suddenly, she gave a shout.~ "Hey, y'all! I think I've found it. Look!" ~The girls caught her up. They were expecting to see the beach but instead Applejack was pointing through the mist to a hole in the cliff face.~ "It's the tunnel," cried Rarity. "Thank goodness for that." "Are you sure?" quired Twilight. "I thought it was somewhere back there." "So did I." Rarity answered. "But, I suppose we just lost our direction in the fog, don't you?" "Maybe. Oh, well, At least we're safe now," Lightning replied. "It might not be so foggy when we reach the top of the cliff. Fluttershy could be up there as well. Go on then, Applejack, you found the tunnel." ~Led by Applejack, the Rainbooms sans Fluttershy reached the entrance and began to grope in single file along the tunnel. The mist was so dense that it was impossible to see the other end. In fact, it was billowing towards them like a cloud of white smoke. In a matter of seconds they had completely lost sight even of one another. It was very odd, rather like the beginning of a weird dream. Applejack stumbled blindly forwards. When she thought she should have reached the end of the tunnel, she began to feel for the steep path that would lead up through the round hole to the cliff top. She never found it. Instead, to her amazement, she discovered that now she was tramping across a pebbly beach, yet she knew for sure that the beach at Canterlot was sandy. Feeling thoroughly confused, she turned around to look for her friends. What she saw as they emerged from the fog gave her the shock of her life.~ "Hey, w-whats happened to your clothes?" she stammered. "Where are we?" ~Everyone stopped dead in their tracks. In the thinning mist, All seven stared first at each other then at their own selves. Lightning was now wearing a knitted grey beanie along with a dark green long-sleeved shirt under a black gilet. She had skinny black jeans plus brown fluffy boots. Sunset's outfit was a knitted black cap, a sandy-coloured shirt, a black jerkin, leather trousers and knee-high black boots. Rainbow Dash wore a small green parka and blue jeans with leather boots. Rarity had a coat and skirt combo with brown leather boots. The coat was red and fuzzy while the skirt was cobalt blue. The shirt underneath was black. Pinkie was dressed up in a long-sleeved white shirt. Her outerwear was a denim jacket with tucked sleeves, a pink snood, denim skirt and long socks, complete with boots. Twilight saw that she was wearing a black shirt, a small brown faux-fur coat and miniskirt combo along with knee-high boots. Finally, Applejack was fitted up with dark blue breeches and a leather jerkin over a buff coloured smock. She still had her cowgirl hat but it had a feather sticking out of it and a dark blue stripe around it. A pair of stout boots completed her attire. After everyone was looking at their clothes, they scanned their new surroundings.~ "What happened to us?" asked Rainbow. Lightning was about to attempt an answer to Rainbow's question, but, first, Rarity let out a scream. "Red?! RED?! Really?!" "I thought something odd was going on when the mist came in like that." Lightning said, nodding. "Red coat, high brown leather boots! I can't even! Red is so not my colour! What were they thinking?!" Sunset gave a frown. "At least it's not green, be thankful about that." she said. "Don't you think…? It's happening again!" Pinkie gasped. "Lets try and go back." Sunset said, turning around to retrace her steps. ~The others followed, but each of them knew it was useless. Everything had changed and there was no sign of where they had just come from.~ It was Twilight who said what they were all thinking: "We must be back in Merrdom." "The Land Beyond the Far Places." Sunset whispered. "Yes! I knew it! Brilliant!" exclaimed Rainbow. "No, not brilliant," Rarity wailed. "Please don't say we're going to meet another Hexia. I couldn't stand that! Why have we been sent this time? I don't think I want to be here!" "Oh, don't start, Rarity." said Applejack. "It was fine last time...in the end, that is. Maybe we'll meet all our old friends." "There's only one way to find out," Lightning decided, "And that's to take a look around. Come on, let's get off this beach for starters. Maybe if we're lucky, Flutters took the turn down here too. So, keep your eyes open for her, and trouble." "Hello? Girls?" Fluttershy called. "Where am I? Why have I got different clothes?" ~Fluttershy looked down to see her wet suit gone and replaced with a drab, coarse tunic and light brown breeches, complete with knee-high brown leather boots. Her head swirled and she suddenly felt faint. She leaned onto a rock for support, and until she felt better, she began to tramp up the beach. Eventually, she could make out the dim outline of trees through the mist. She made for them, thinking that it might mark the edge of a forest, where she knew she had friends. But instead, she came across an old inn whose faded, creaky sign proclaimed it to be The Smuggle Inn. She decided to check it out. Creeping around the side of the low stone building, she found herself beneath an open window. Cautiously, she peered into the gloomy, smoke-laden bar room. What made Fluttershy duck down smartly was the fact that two pirates were sitting deep in conversation right by the open window. She could hear every word they were saying.~ "So, ye've got the princess, ave yer, Ged?" "Aye, Cap'n Sirt sir, that I 'ave. Locked in the outhouse she is. Pretty little thing she be. But got a temper, too." The other man gave a coarse laugh. "Never mind that, me lad." he said. "Long as ye've got 'er, 'is Eminence'll be right pleased. He'll soon sort 'er temper out an' no mistake!" "Aye, sir, that 'e will. Tell truth, 'e scares me summat awful." The captain grunted. "But 'e pays well, Ged. That's what matters. So, soon as I've supped me ale, we'll be off with 'er. Round up the crew, lad. Were in fer a fine reward for today's work." ~Fluttershy had heard enough. Was this why she and the others were transported here? She gasped and turned away from the building to wander a short distance down one of the paths before she was spotted. She didn't notice that the mist quickly thickened behind her. A few moments later she stopped to turn back and realised that she was surrounded. Just then she heard the fluttering of wings and the next moment, a bird landed on her left shoulder, causing her to yelp with surprise. Its plumage was unmistakable, as was it's call, urrr-turrr-turrr.~ "Oh. Why, hello bird." Fluttershy breathed, not wishing to frighten it away. "You're a turtle dove, aren't you?" ~She held out the back of a crooked finger and the bird hopped onto it, but the next instant it began to topple and she had to reach out with her other hand to steady it.~ "Poor thing, are you hurt?" she asked. "Look at you, all bedraggled and...you are hurt! There's blood on your feathers!" "Turrr it would be a long story turrr." It suddenly spoke. "I was attacked by a hawk. I just about escaped with my life- saved by the mist turrr. I cannot deliver my message." Only then did Fluttershy notice the scroll fixed to the bird's leg. "What shall I do?" she asked. "Turrr take it. You must help." ~Fluttershy carefully lowered the dove to the ground and then removed the tiny scroll from the bird's leg. It read: 'The princess has vanished. She has the Sodal Marble. Go west. Suspect the Island of Trekle.'~ "This...is incredible." Fluttershy breathed. "I just heard about a girl being taken. Maybe it's the same person." "Urrr-turrr pluck three of my tail feathers. They are all I can spare but they will help you when you need them, but you may use each one only once." "Won't it hurt you?" Fluttershy whispered. "Urrr- turrr not if you believe. I have come from Queen Teris." ~At the mention of Dalton's mother, Fluttershy's heart leapt. Carefully, she plucks three fine feathers from the turtle dove's tail. To her immense relief they came away easily and the dove seemed to not be harmed.~ "What about you?" she asked. "Urrr I must rest. Put the message back on my leg and leave me in the hands of heaven. We will see urrr-turrr-turrr…" ~Fluttershy knew now what she had to do. She began to replace the message on the turtle dove's leg.~ "Fluttershy!" She could hear Lightning calling her. "Fluttershy!" Then Applejack's voice. "I'm over here!" She called back. ~Quickly, she tucked the feathers into her rose pink jerkin. Then she found her way to where her friends stood, looking lost. They hugged her when they saw her.~ "Fluttershy, you're okay! Where did you go?" Lightning demanded. "We think we are back in Merrdom and- " "I'll explain later," Fluttershy interrupted. "There's not much time now. We've got to catch up with those pirates." ~She pointed to the left and started off at once, leaving her companions to exchange bemused glances before following her.~ "Oh...okay." ~The E.Q.U.E.S.T.R.I.A. Team hurried to catch up with Fluttershy and while running, she quickly recounted what she had overheard.~ "So that's it!" exclaimed Pinkie. "We're meant to rescue this princess and- " "So, is this like a fairy tale or Disney movie? If so, I'm perfectly okay with this!" Lightning interrupted. "Yeah! Let's get on with it then! Where's this outhouse or whatever it is?" Rainbow prompted. ~The mist was thickening again, and it took the girls some time to find their way around, but at last, they spotted the dim outline of a small building. They were just about to creep up to it when a shrill scream pierced the mist, followed by some muffled bangings and scrapings.~ "Over there!" Applejack cried. "Come on!" ~The eight girls raced across to the outhouse, but they were too late. The door hung open and the place was empty.~ "Which way did they go, do you think?" Rarity panted. Sunset thought for a moment as she looked around. "I suppose it must be towards the sea." She could make out a narrow track through the grass. "We'd better follow that path. It might lead down to the beach." They stumbled along the track, until they came to a point where three paths crossed. "Now what do we do?" groaned Rainbow Dash. "They could have gone anywhere!" Lightning shrugged her shoulders. "Haven't a clue," she said looking around. Fluttershy began to think. Then she got it. "It's that path. Follow me." ~She turned left, then she pointed to the beach where the mist was more patchy. They could see a longship floating close to land with sailors at the ready. Two men on the shore were holding someone who, in spite of her clothes, the girls guessed must be the princess. A number of barrels and boxes stood nearby awaiting stowage. The Rainbooms took their chance. Hoping that nobody would see them, they crept through the mist until they were hiding right behind a pile of cargo.~ "Yeah, okay, I'm ninety-five percent sure that's her." Lightning said firmly, pointing at the princess. "Me too." Sunset replied. "Okay, Let's be careful, girls." whispered Twilight. "The men that Fluttershy described will be trouble, and we wouldn't want to get caught by them ourselves." "Of course. Just how are we going to tackle this?" asked Lightning. "Maybe we should create a diversion or something." Fluttershy shrugged. "Well, Whatever we do, we'll have to do it quick. Look, the boat's landing." Sunset noted. "They'll have her aboard next in no time." ~The girls' decision was made for them sooner than they expected. Without any warning, eight pairs of rough hands seized them from behind and dragged them to their feet. Fluttershy and Rarity screamed and the rest yelled with surprise. Each one struggled to break free, but it was no good. They were well and truly caught.~ "Hey!" Sunset shouted. "Hey, what are you...?! Let go of us!" Lightning grunted. ~From where she stood in the grip of her own captors, Princess Renesmee turned her head to see what the rumpus was about. To her surprise, she saw eight girls being dragged across the beach and she wondered whether they were from royal families as well. However, before she could think further, a man came swaggering out of the patchy mist, dressed in a dilapidated captain's uniform and carrying a walking stick. He strode up to the princess.~ "Well, well! What 'ave we 'ere?" he addressed the princess with mock politeness. "A princess! Allow me to introduce m'self, yer majesty. Cap'n Sirt's the name, an' I be at your service, ma'am. I request the pleasure of your company aboard me ship."