Flash Sentry, Defender of the Peace S7

by Banshee531


An Eye for an Eyepatch

Iron had done a lot of crazy things in his life. He'd fought in a city wide brawl, captured many heinous criminals, and had endured more wacky shenanigans then most ponies could dream of. (Mainly from crusaders, but that was despite the point.) But he never, ever, ever thought he would one day be taking orders from a table. However, he was now in the Castle of Friendship, looking down at his cutie mark as it floated above a large crystal table projecting an image of the entire kingdom.

"Manehatten?" Fluttershy asked as she also saw her mark circle above the city along with Iron's. "Why are we going there?"

"I'm not sure," Twilight replied, "Then again, when are we ever sure about why we need to go anyplace the map sends us? But it's really starting to branch out now. This is the fourth time it's called upon somepony other than the seven of us."

"But why is it sending me?" Iron huffed, "I'd hardly call myself the most friendliest of ponies."

Fluttershy placed a hoof on his shoulder. "Don't say that. You've really grown in that area. I'm sure the map must realize that, or it wouldn't have called you."

"She's right." Flash chimed in, "Besides, you might be just sent in to deal with some kind of threat whilst Fluttershy handles the friendship problem. I was when I went with Soul, as she handled the problem, and I had to take on a creepy giant...spider...thing..." Flash snapped his hooves at this, "Darn it! I just can't do any quips today!" But as he did that, he squinted at the area on the map, "Hey...don't we know this area?"

The rest all leaned in, now seeing that the marks were floating above a section of the harbor. "That's...where Tidal's ship is located," Iron pointed out, only to gulp, "Please tell me we don't have to get on board it. I hate boats."

"You'll find out when you get there," Twilight commented, "Though...you might wanna pay Zecora a visit and ask for a potion to combat seasickness."

Iron sighed, Fluttershy patting him on the shoulder again. It wasn't long till the duo got a potion from Zecora before the two travelled to Manehatten through a Rune Gate. Arriving just outside the city, they rolled up the paper Twilight had teleported to the location that they would use to get back home before heading into Manehatten.

The pair managed to call a cab and get a ride to the harbor, arriving just as the sun was getting ready to set. "Alright," Iron said as they climbed off the cab and paid him, "This is it." They looked up at the giant warehouse, which was completely rusted and looked ready to fall down at any moment.

"This place gives me the heebie-jeebies," Fluttershy shivered as they walked up to it.

"That just shows it's doing its job," Iron replied, "It looks like a dump to keep the tourists away and let Tidal's crew work without needing to worry about being swamped by fans and other ponies wanting to get a look at Equestria's best ship."

Before Fluttershy could say anything else, Iron opened the front door, the two glancing inside and found nothing but darkness. Sharing a glance, they slowly walked inside as Iron called out, "Hello? Anypony in here?"

"Tidal?" Fluttershy asked, "Can you hear us?"

"Huh," Iron hummed as they trotted into the room, "Maybe they're out at sea or something." A look of hope came upon him, "Why don't we come back later? Much later!" But before he could turn around, a bright flash of blue magic filled the dark room, making them see Tidal standing behind them.

"Amigos?" He asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Hello to you too?" Iron replied, only for Fluttershy to walk in front of him.

"It's nice to see you again Tidal." They hugged for a moment.

"And you," he responded before releasing the hug, "Disculpas. Normally, I'd be happy to welcome you and give any help you might have come for. But right now, my crew and I have a lot of work to do and can't stop for anything."

"We didn't come here for help," Fluttershy replied.

"Actually, I think we're meant to be the ones helping you." Iron added, Tidal raising an eyebrow, "We were sent by Twilight's magic table."

"Ah," Tidal nodded, "The table with a map of Equestria that can sense Friendship Problems and sends ponies to try and fix them." The couple nodded, "I see. Well, I see no razón why it sent you here. There are no friendship problems in my crew."

"That's probably why the table sent us," Fluttershy replied, "Sometimes, the only ones able to see a problem are those not directly connected to the problem. Can we look around? I promise we won't get in the way."

"Very well," Tidal responded, "But we'll be shipping off soon. I'm not sure it would ser a good idea for you to be on board when that happens."

Before they could ask about what he was talking about, the unicorn teleported the three out of the warehouse and into the ship's main hanger. There they saw the Mighty Leviathan, the two ponies watching as Tidal walked up the gangplank. Soon following, they saw the ponies on the ship were all hard at work, scrubbing the deck, tying ropes and other sailor-like jobs. Everypony was working in perfect sync, Iron and Fluttershy blinking at the sight.

"See anything Shy?" Iron whispered.

"No...but maybe-"

"What is this?!" Tidal's voice suddenly blared out, making them turn to the knight as he pointed at something. "Who did this halyard cleat?!" His face looked of both anger and disappointment as his eyes flickered from one crewpony to another. After a few moments, one pony stepped up.

"I did sir," he slowly said.

"Remind me sailor, what is the correct way to tie a halyard cleat?" The pony gulped.

"Under, over, under, over, under, under, under, under, under, over, over, under, under, under, under, around and then over before half hitch."

"Exactly," Tidal nodded. "So why is this one done over, under, over, under, over, under, under, over, over, over, over, over, over, over, under. over?" The pony glanced down at this, making Tidal sigh, "Do it again. And this time, do it right!"

The sailor nodded and Tidal strode off, leaving the sailor to redo the knot while the other ponies continued their work. "That...was different." Iron commented, "Never seen Tidal get that mad for no reason."

"I have," Fluttershy responded, Iron raising an eyebrow. She then explained about the time they went after Foggy Dreadbeard, Iron remembering the story they had told him when they got back, also telling him how Tidal's normally cheery personality had all but vanished during that time.

"Makes sense," Iron nodded. "Tidal hates pirates. But that doesn't mean anything to these sailors unless..." His words mumbled out before he walked up to a nearby crewmate, "Hey, are you all about to set sail for a pirate?"

They all glanced back at him, some wide-eyed before nodding. "Yes sir. We're not sure which one, but the captain's very interested in capturing him." He glanced away at this, "Ever since he told us about this pirate we're preparing to go after, his usual cheery self completely vanished."

As he said that, a higher ranking sailor walked up, "He's right. The captain's always been serious when it came to protecting Equestria's seas, especially when it comes to pirates, but never to this degree." Iron and Fluttershy frowned at this, only for the sailor to walk past them, "Please excuse us," the sailor gestured for the other one to get back to work. "We really need to get our jobs finished before Sir Tidal comes back." The couple nodded before walking away, the two going up to the door that Tidal had left through.

"So...just to be sure. You've all told me the stories about these map missions, and they usually sound like half the problem is figuring out who has the problem. My guess is Tidal, but that seems way too obvious."

"I know what you're thinking Iron." Fluttershy replied, "But if the map is going to give us an obvious answer to who has the problem-"

"The problem is gonna be complicated." Iron finished. "I can see that. Still doesn't make sense as to why I have to come along."

"I don't think we're seeing the whole picture here." Fluttershy glanced back at the crew, seeing that they all looked like they had been working for a week straight without any breaks. "There must be a reason why Tidal is pushing his ponies so hard."

"Let's go talk to him and see if we can learn anything more." Iron added as they headed below deck, Iron navigating the corridors before knocking on a certain door, "It's Iron."

"Come in." They opened the door and glanced inside, spotting Tidal sitting at a desk that was covered in papers. He looked up at them, forcing a smile. "What can I do for you, mi amigos?"

"We heard about your mission to capture this pirate," Iron responded, Tidal's forced smile instantly vanishing. "We're coming with you." He raised an eyebrow. "The map sent us for a reason."

Fluttershy nodded. "If the problem's not on your ship, we might end up finding it wherever you're going."

"I doubt that," Tidal replied, "There is no friendship where I am going."

"Don't be so sure." Fluttershy responded, "We've seen this map lead us to helping others who are having to deal with criminals and monsters. Flash has done two of them."

Tidal just narrowed his eyes at her, showing a slight glare before he said, "No, mi amigo."

"Just tell us what you're after Tidal." Iron chimed in. Tidal opened his mouth, but Iron then added, "And don't tell us to leave. We're staying even if you say no."

The two knights began to glare at each other, only for Tidal to sigh as he pointed to a map behind him. "The pirate I'm going after is named Muerojo."

"Muerojo?" Fluttershy asked.

"It's from an old language that my family has wielded." They nodded back, knowing Tidal sometimes filled his sentences with words they didn't understand. "Roughly translated...it means Death Eye." They raised an eyebrow at this, "He's a monster that's caused much pain throughout the seas of Equestria. I intend to capture him once and for all, putting an end to his evil ways." He tapped an area of the map that had a triangle drawn on it. "But the problem is, he's taken up residence in the seas of doom."

"Doom?" Fluttershy shivered, "Please tell me they're called that because Lightning's father discovered them."

"I'm afraid not," Tidal shook his head. "They're called that because of how dangerous they are. There are foggy sections that have jagged rocks within, areas rumored to have whirlpools, and even a few sea creatures that would be happy to snack on us with a side of ensalada." He grit his teeth at this, "It would be suicide for anypony who attempts to head into it. But somehow, Muerojo has discovered how to navigate it safely. He's been using it as a base for years. If it wasn't for one of his crewmates who we captured two weeks ago, we never would have discovered this."

"So the only way to capture him is to go into this sea?" Iron asked, getting a nod from Tidal.

"I have no choice. The area around it's too big to patrol on our own, and the Mighty Leviathan is the only ship we have that stands a chance against him. Our only hope is to find his hideout and take him down."

"That does sound dangerous," Fluttershy shivered.

"Which is why I won't culpar you for not coming," Tidal responded, "This is no place for a civilian or a pony that's known for seasickness."

The ponies shared a glanced before nodding, Fluttershy speaking first, "We're coming."

"We can't leave you to do this on your own," Iron added, "The map sent us here, and we're not gonna leave until we've completed the mission. If that includes sailing into dangerous waters..." He hesitated for a moment before saying, "Then so be it."

Fluttershy nodded as Tidal glared at them, "I'm not gonna talk you two out of this, am I?" They nodded again, making him sigh, "Very well. But don't start crying when you get sick or grow so frightened you pass out."

"We won't," they replied in unison.

Tidal sighed again as he got out of his chair, "Then let's make sure we're in top ship shape before we ship out."

They followed him as he left the room, going to the deck as he told his ponies it was time to launch. The deck was suddenly a flurry of motion, the ponies preparing everything they needed. And soon enough, the ship's waterproof magic activated and raised a bubble around them before the room was filled with water. Once it was, the ship dropped into the underwater tunnel and spun around before being blasted down. Iron and Fluttershy ran to the front, now going wide-eyed as they saw the ship leave the tunnel and went into the sea, the many sea creatures now appearing.

The ship flew under the waves for almost an hour, which was much quicker than attempting to reach the sea of doom by sailing, only for the air supply to begin to run out, making the ship need to surface. "All hooves, preparing to surface!"

"Preparing to surface!" Another pony cried.

"Preparing to surface!" One hollered from up the mast.

Iron pulled out a bottle of anti-seasick potion, quickly gulping it down as the ship began to head upward. It then broke through the water, soon floating on the waves while rocking violently for a few seconds before levelling out. Iron groaned at all the movement, worrying that the potion wasn't working, only for the ship to stabilize...along with Iron's stomach. "I hate sailing..." he moaned, Fluttershy giggling before they turned to see the sailors working their flanks off to keep the ship going.

"Prepare for side maintenance!" Tidal barked, the ponies quickly running over to the mast and grabbing some rope coiled up in piles around it. "Rápida, rápida!" The ponies hurried up, doing their best to tie the ropes around their waists and then to the sides. "Come on!"

Fluttershy grimaced as the ponies finished tying things up and running over to the sides. "They're doing the best they can," she whispered as the ponies leapt over, she and Iron moving out of the way before seeing the crew slowly slid down and stare at the boat's wood and metal side.

"What are they doing?" Iron asked, another pony walking past them hearing this.

"Making sure the ship didn't get any small pieces of damage during the trip. One small scratch could easily evolve into something bigger." They nodded back, only to hear a loud snap. They turned to the mast and saw one of the ropes letting out an impressive twang as the knot undid itself and the rope unfurled. The pony it was tied to let out a cry, only for Iron to leap up and grab the end in his teeth before he hit the water.

The ponies around the rope all began pulling on it, hoisting the pony back over the side of the ship. Once he was on deck, Tidal walked up and yelled, "What happened here?!"

"I don't know sir," the sailor replied as he stood up at attention, "I guess...I mustn't have tied my rope correctly." Tidal glared at him at this, "It won't happen again sir!"

"Be sure that it doesn't!" Tidal barked, "This is no time for goofing around!" He headed back to the wheel. "We're after one of the most evilest beings in all of Equestria. If we mess around and cause easily preventable mistakes, we'll be in trouble and this pirate will get away!" He turned back to them, his face now screaming with anger, "I WON'T LET THAT HAPPEN! Understood?!"

"YES CAPTAIN!" The ponies all cried before continuing their work. Iron and Fluttershy shared a glance, both now showing grimaces on their faces.

"You go first." Iron said, Fluttershy nodding before flying up to the knight.

As she landed beside Tidal, she took a deep breath before speaking, "Tidal, don't you think you're being a little harsh?"

"Of course not," He responded without even glancing at her, just staring ahead as he added, "If he doesn't take his mistake seriously, he'll be doomed to repeat it."

"I understand that, but...don't you think maybe you were also the blame for that?"

He turned to her at this, now seeing the frown on her face, "What are you talking about?!"

"Well...I know if I had somepony yelling at me to do something faster and faster, I might mess up doing it too." Fluttershy tried to show a small smile at this, "Maybe you should...lay off them a little bit. Your usual firm but fair style of leading seems to work just fine normally."

"I can't afford to use my normal style of leading," he barked back, "Like I told you, we're going into the most dangerous seas in Equestria. One slip up could cause us all to end up at the bottom of the ocean." Fluttershy was about to reply, only to see Tidal stiffen. "We're here."

Fluttershy looked ahead at this, now seeing a large dark cloud on the horizon. And as they drew closer, the cloud didn't get any higher. It was as if the cloud was sitting atop the water.

"Wow..." Iron whispered as they stared at the giant gray fog. "It's huge."

"And it covers the entire sea of doom," Tidal growled, "We don't know why, but this area is constant expelling of dark vapor that makes seeing almost impossible."

"And we have to go into it?" Fluttershy asked with a small gulp.

Tidal turned to her. "You can take the Mini Leviathan and returned to Equestria if you want. I can't turn around now." But the two immediately shook their heads, making him sigh, "Alright then." He looked down at this crew, "Prepare to enter the fog!" The sailors nodded and began tying themselves down to the ship, Fluttershy and Iron being given rope to do the same.

The Mighty Leviathan began to sail forward at this, the sea-monster head soon disappearing into the fog. The rest of the ship soon followed, Fluttershy staring down at the deck and seeing the ponies on board vanish as the cloud consumed them. She took one final gulp of fresh air before they entered, nothing but gray now filling their eyes.

The whole ship slowly floated through the cloud, Tidal in total control of it as the sailors all looked around. "This place gives me the creeps," Iron shivered while holding his spear. "Anypony else getting the sensation that something's gonna come flying out at us?"

Many nodded, but Tidal just stared ahead as he said, "Just be ready for if something-WHOA!" He spun the wheel to the left, the ship swerving just in time to avoid a large jagged rock that had appeared out of the fog. It passed only inches form the side, Tidal sighing in relief. "That was a close one."

Fluttershy gulped at this, "This fog is so thick that by the time you see a rock, it's almost too late to avoid it."

"Luckily," Tidal hit a button on a control console, "We have a way around that." A computer screen then appeared from out of the floor. "Sonar scan, fire!" He hit another button and the screen let out a large beep. A minute later, the screen showed several shapes appear around the dot in the center. "There. Now we know where everything is. We should be able to avoid any obstacle that comes our way."

He started sailing to the right as one of the shapes in front of the dot moved to the left, a large rock appearing off that side of the ship. He then did a large left before a claw shaped rock appeared on the right side and threatened to tear a hole in the side. Everypony watched as Tidal continued to zigzag through the rocks, some missing them by meters while others by only inches. It wasn't until almost half an hour later that the fog around them started to thin out, giving them more room to see the oncoming rocks.

"I think we're almost out of it," Fluttershy commented as they dodged another rock.

"Don't be so sure," Tidal replied, "The fog may weaken, but the entire thing is like a gigante dome. We'll never by completely out of the fog until we get out of the sea of doom. However," he looked down at the screen, "I think we just passed the last rock."

"So we're in the clear?" Iron asked, his hoof slightly in his mouth to push back any puke thanks to the zigzags.

"Don't relax yet," Tidal responded, "That was just the first obstacle we'll need to pass."

"Just the first?!" Iron yelped, "How the heck does this Muerojo pony use this place as a hideout if he has to navigate through all this dangerous water?!"

"I do not know." Tidal replied in a deep, uncaring voice, "All I know is that according to the pirate we captured, Muerojo's base is located on an island in the very center of the seas of doom."

"So we just keep heading forward?" Iron asked, getting a nod back.

"Exactly. And we don't stop until we get there. Even if the ship is torn apart by then."

Iron and Fluttershy went wide-eyed at these words, both thinking the same thing: Tidal loved the Mighty Leviathan. What was he thinking saying that?

The ship continued through the dark fog, no longer having problems with rocks. But as it did this, new sounds began to fill the air. Sometimes they heard the sounds of waves crashing while others being the loud squawking of birds. They even heard the sounds of creaking, like the ship was straining, only for them to check the Mighty Leviathan...which seemed to be fine.

"This place is starting to mess with our heads," Iron groaned, only for another squawk to come out from overhead, one of the sailors crying out as he couldn't see it.

"Get it together!" Tidal roared as he saw the pony shiver, "That was nothing!"

"But what if it wasn't?!" The sailor asked, "What if it was a giant bird of prey hiding in the fog?! What if it's gonna swoop down and take us to its nest to feed to its babies?!"

Before he could continue, Tidal teleported over and slapped him with his tail. "Get a hold of yourself! You're an insult to the ship!" He pointed at the other ponies, "We don't need you terrifying the crew with your wild theories!"

"Tidal!" Fluttershy ran over, "That's not helping!" She placed a wing around the pony, "It's okay. I know it's scary out here. We're all scared. But if we all start freaking out about what might happen, we won't be ready for when something does happen."

The pony stared at her at this, only to take a few deep breaths as Fluttershy hugged him with her wing. "Thank you..." he told her a few seconds later, "I'm sorry for freaking out."

"It's okay. Being scared is a natural thing. My friend Flash told me that. It helps us remember that we need to be careful. Just don't let your fear control you."

Tidal rolled his eyes at this, only for the entire ship to suddenly jolt. The ponies all staggered at this, Tidal teleporting back to the wheel as Iron asked, "What was that?"

"I don't know," Tidal yelled, only for the ship to suddenly lurch around so the rear spun clockwise. "Something's beginning to drag us someplace!"

It was here that he heard a loud whirling sound, coming from the direction the ship's back. Iron ran to the edge and went wide-eyed, now seeing a large whirlpool that the ship was on the edge of. "That wasn't there a moment ago."

"It must have just started!" Tidal cried, "Which means it'll probably start getting bigger and bigger!" And as he said that, the swirling vortex of water quickly grew...and started to surround the entire ship. "We gotta get out of here!" He reached for the lever controlling the thruster and pulled it back, the rocket part coming to life and unleashing a powerful burst of air that pushed the ship forward. Everypony could feel the force of the rocket and the whirlpool fighting against each another, the ship creaking at it. And as this happened, the ship reached the top of the whirlpool and managed to drag itself over the edge. The Might Leviathan violently rocked, throwing everypony around as it raced to escape the whirlpool. It kept growing larger behind them, but the ship managed to stay ahead of it...only for something new soon to appear on the edge of the fog's range.

"Look out!" A sailor screamed, Tidal now seeing what he meant. It was another whirlpool right in front of them.

"Oh, you gotta be kidding me." Tidal swung the ship, spinning it seconds before the ship hit the front facing whirlpool. The maelstrom tried to pull them in, but they managed to skirt around the edge as the first whirlpool reached them. The two vortexes spun side by side, with only a small stretch of stable water in the middle that the Mighty Leviathan could sail through. He began to spin the wheel, pushing the ship out of the swirls.

And as he got out, the ship began to rock, "Oh no you don't!" Tidal yelled as they regained course, only for Tidal to go wide-eyed at the next sight in front of him. More whirlpools, more than he could count. The entire area around them was full of the ship crushing spirals.

There was only a small section of water that wasn't being affected by the horrible currents, and when the Mighty Leviathan sailed into it, Tidal could hear the booster begin to make burn. He killed the engine at this, the rocket now letting out a terrible puff of smoke.

"Raaahhh!" He roared, hitting the wheel before turning to a crew member. "Get the booster fixed within the hour!"

The sailor's eyes went wide, only for another to speak up, "Sir, this area is way to dangerous to sail! Going forward and not back is suicide. You always say that the safety of the ship and her crew is the most important thing." The others nodded at this, "Maybe we should let this one go and find another way to capture Muerojo." The sailors nodded again, all letting out murmurs of agreement.

But as they did, Tidal's face twisted as he screeched, "SILENCIO!" Instantly, everypony shut up. "We're going to keep going, and anypony that attempts to say otherwise will be thrown overboard and forced to swim home!" They all went wide-eyed at this, "Now get to work. You just wasted two minutes of your hour's time limit!" With that, he stomped down the stairway before heading below deck.

The ponies remained where they stood, some unable to respond due to how Tidal was acting. But as they all began to move, Iron turned to Fluttershy with the biggest frown she had seen on his face in a long time. "I think I know why I was brought here."

"Why?"

"Cuz I've seen this before." He pointed to the wheel of the ship, "That was a pony that only cares about capturing another no matter what the cost, and getting angry with anypony that tries to reason with him." He pointed to himself, "It's just like when I went after Longhorn."

Fluttershy's eyes went wide, "He's after revenge."

Iron nodded back, "Yeah...and I think I have an idea of what it is."

The ponies headed under deck and made their way to Tidal's quarters, going inside without knocking. There they saw Tidal on his bed, currently sharpening his trident. He looked up from Wavefang, the angry look not having left his face. "What?!"

"There's more to this than just going after a pirate, isn't there?" Tidal didn't respond as the pair shut the door, "This pirate did something to you, didn't he?"

"It's none of you business," Tidal spat before glanced back down at his weapon, "Just...leave me be."

"We can't do that," Fluttershy replied as she sat down beside him. "We know now that we were sent here to help you. You've been pushing your crew away because you're trying to capture this pirate. Putting them in danger when usually, that's the last thing you would do." Tidal twitched at this, not showing them his face as he stared down at Wavefang, only for Fluttershy to add, "And it's because this Muerojo hurt you, isn't it?"

Tidal's face twisted at this, a deep lifeless look appearing in his eyes. And as he stared at Wavefang, Iron let out a sigh, "I've seen that look on your face before. It's the look of somepony willing to take another down, no matter the cost." Tidal said nothing, making Iron walk up and lean down in front of Tidal's face, "Skybreaker once said that you were attacked by a pirate as a colt, and that your father went down with your ship because of it." Tidal slowly looked up at him, the two staring at each other in the eye, "What was that pirate's name?"

Tidal stayed silent, the pair now refusing to blink as they continued their staredown. Fluttershy just watched, her eyes darting between the two, only to see Tidal close his eyes and sigh, "Muerojo...that was his name." He turned his head away, hiding a tear trying to form, "He...was the one who took my father from me. He destroyed everything I loved, all for some metal that ended up at the bottom of the ocean."

Fluttershy gasped at this, putting her hooves to her mouth as Iron sighed again and shook his head. The mare then put her wing of Tidal's shoulder, "I'm so sorry. I know that must be a painful memory for you..."

"I know it is," Iron added, "For the longest time, I couldn't think of my parents without remembering how they died. Its not easy."

"It is not." Tidal growled, "I...I thought I had gotten over it, but when I learned where Muerojo was hiding..."

"It came back, didn't it?" Iron finished, "The anger...the hatred. Its like its the only thing you can think about, isn't it?"

"Aye." Tidal sighed as he turned to them, "I can't let him stay free. Between now and when he sank my padre's ship, he's probably done a thousand terrible things and laughed about every single one of them." His eyes went back down to Wavefang, the pony now seeing his reflection in the metal. "I know he has...and I refuse to allow him to go unpunished."

"We understand," Fluttershy nodded. "But that doesn't mean you should be pushing your crew or putting them in danger. I'm sure if they knew, they would want to help more than ever. But they also don't want you to lose your life trying to stop this pony."

"She's right." Iron chimed in, "This pony took everything you cared about from you once. Don't let him do it again." He turned to walk away, Fluttershy giving him one final hug before following Iron out. And when the door closed, Tidal stared at the door before slumping down in his bed.

"Don't let him do it again..." Tidal repeated in a whisper, only to glance up at a wall to his side. On it was multiple framed pictures, all showing Tidal with different members of the crew. Some who were still around, others that had left to run their own ships, and others that left the service but were still able to use the skills learned from working under him to make a great life.

Tidal smiled at the happy faces in the pictures, memories of everything he and his crew had been through flowing through his mind. The same crew he had been yelling at, and had put in danger to settle his vendetta. He let out a long sigh at this, only for another memory to appear: That night. His father in the distance on a burning ship sinking into the depths...and the little colt that could do nothing.

"Muerojo..." Tidal whispered as he glanced back down at the floor. He then looked at his hooves, seeing them now shake before he stood up. He walked over to the wall, staring at the pictures again as he felt his mind muddle between the memories.

That is, till a knock sounded at his door. "Ingresar." The door opened and a pony stepped inside.

"Captain, the engine's ready. We can't guarantee it'll hold, but it should be enough to get us out of a whirlpool if we're not in one too long."

"Gracias," he nodded before leaving the room. The two ponies walked onto the deck, where everypony else was waiting. The whirlpools were still spiraling away, Tidal wondering how long a cycle they had. He stepped up to the flight deck and took to the wheel, only to slowly take his hooves away.

"Captain?" a sailor asked as he saw the lifelessness in Tidal's face, "Is something wrong?"

Tidal opened his mouth to respond, only to sigh, "Si...there is something wrong."

"What is it captain?"

"Me." Tidal replied before turning to the rest of the crew, "Everypony...I'm sorry." The sailors all went wide-eyed at this, only for Tidal to add, "I know I've put you through a lot recently and...I let my personal feeling impair my judgement."

"Wha-what do you mean sir?"

"The pony we're after...is the one who killed my father." Rounds of gasps and shocked expressions filled the air, his crew now staring at him with wide eyes as he continued, "I allowed my hatred for him to cloud my mind and put you all at risk in a vain attempt to capture him. I'm sorry." He turned back to the field of whirlpools blocking their path before glancing at the two whirlpools they had escaped. It would be easier to go back despite this, knowing there would only be rocks to contend with. He stared back at his crew, "if anypony still wants to turn back, then I'll do so. I won't make you do something you don't want to...not anymore."

The sailor ponies all shared glances, a silent conversation now going throughout the crew. Then, one of Tidal's lowest ranking crew-mates stepped up. It was the one that he had slapped earlier. "We're with you captain! No matter what, we'll stand by you and help bring this murderer to justice!" The rest of the crew all cheered in agreement, not a single pony saying otherwise.

Tidal smiled at this, only to chuckle, "I am blessed." He then glared at them, "Then let's get going! All hooves to stations!" The ponies ran around the deck at this, Fluttershy and Iron joining Tidal at the helm. "Gracias, you two."

"No problem," Iron responded, "Though don't go thanking us just yet. We're not done here, and I am coming with you when you face this monster."

"Me too," Fluttershy added, the two turning to her. She then shrunk down as she said, "I won't fight. But I'll be there, hiding and ready to help if you need it." They chuckled as Tidal pulled the lever and the rocket unleashed the air blast, Tidal going easy so as to not overexert the rocket, the ship beginning to pull towards the closest whirlpool.

Every vortex had a stretch of water between them that the ship could narrowly get through, and Tidal knew it. They reached the first whirlpool and skirted around it, soon sailing between it and another maelstrom. Everypony was on edge, each worrying that the ship would fall into the cyclone, but the Mighty Leviathan managed to stay the course, even at the very tips of the whirlpools where the safest water was at its smallest. They pushed through, soon getting past the many whirlpools around them.

But as they did this, not a soul saw a certain brown pegasus pony flying above them. He had a pair of goggles on that allowed him to see through the mist, only for the pony to fly away at speeds that could rival a Wonderbolt before arriving at the very center of the seas of doom.

The fog was clearest in this area, and sitting in the center of the ocean was a small island that was actually a dormant volcano. Sitting on the side was a beat-up old pirate ship, with tattered sails and broken panels. To an outside, it would be hard to believe such a ship could have sunk many others. On it were multiple ponies carrying their loot to shore. The pegasus flew past them and onto a path from the ship to a hole in the side of the mountain, soon going into a tunnel leading up to a set of wooden doors.

He pushed the doors open and flew into a chamber in the very center of the island. The place was about the size of Canterlot's throne room, though the ceiling wasn't as high. It was well lit, and full of many different forms of treasure, from chests of maps, to barrels of gold and piles upon piles of different gemstones. And at the back of the chamber, a large throne could be seen...complete with the pegasi's captain.

He was a bulky red pegasus with a blue mane and tail, wearing a black overcoat with red trim and a large black hat with a super long red feather coming off the top. His left eye was covered by an eye patch made entirely out of gold, and had an eye shape engraved on the front of it that had a red ruby in the center. Leaning against the throne, a cutlass and crossbow sat patiently.

The pony's right eyes slowly opened as his head lifted up, "Why do you disturb me?"

"Captain Muerojo," the pegasi bowed, "I was out scouting and I spotted a ship. It appears to be...the Mighty Leviathan."

The pirate smirked. "So, the Royal Knights have finally located me. I'm impressed they had the guts to come into a place only I can navigate safely."

"What should we do captain?" He asked, the pony picking himself up.

"Mobilize the ship. Take them down. I will remain here and protect our plunder, should the ponies attempt to use the battle as a distraction. If they try," he picked up his sword as his ruby eye glowed. "They'll see what happens when they cross a pirate that can see all things."


The Mighty Leviathan continued to struggle through the whirlpools, having almost fallen into three while trying to get through. But the ship's crew managed to stay calm even though Tidal could tell their nerves were shot. The engine was also dying, the booster trying to get through the many whirlpools. He was forced to cut them before they exploded, the air blasts fading as the ship began to drift.

"If we get hit by a stray current, we're gonna be in trouble." Tidal sighed as he looked down at several unicorns that were using a wind spell on the sails. "Keep it up. You're doing great." They nodded and kept firing. "We must be nearing the edge of it. If we're not, we'll be in trouble."

"Relax," Iron chimed in, "I'm sure we won't have any more problems." But as he said that, the ship suddenly lurched, a stray current smacking the ship and pushing them close to a whirlpool. "The universe just loves proving me wrong."

"You make it too easy for it," Tidal growled as he pulled against the wheel. "So...heavy." The ship grew closer to the edge at this, threatening to go all the way over. 'I have to do something.' He reached for the lever, preparing to fire the engines. 'This might strand us here for a while, but I need to go full power.'

He was about to pull the lever, only for the boat to surge forward. Everypony cried out as the ship rocked, the sounds of whirlpool's spiraling crashing water began to weaken.

"What's going on?" Fluttershy asked.

Tidal ran over to the side and went wide-eyed as he saw the whirlpool begin to shrink...along with the rest. "We must have reached the end of their cycle," Tidal commented, "These whirlpools must have a natural life span. The currents shift, causing them to appear and disappear at intervals."

Everypony sighed in relief as the waters began to calm and eventually became still. Tidal went back to the wheel, telling the crew they need to get going before the whirlpools return. The unicorns began to push the sails again, the ship drifting through the fog...only for it get thinner. And then something appeared on the shrouded horizon: An island.

"Is that it?"

"I think so," Tidal replied, "Muerojo's hideout." He looked down at his crew, "Be ready. I've no doubt they know we're coming. They'll either flee or use the fog to attack and sink us before we can fight back."

They all nodded as the ship moved closer to the island. The crew armed themselves with shields and swords, soon getting to fifty fifty meters of the island until-

From out of the fog, a large boulder flew at them, "LOOK OUT!" Tidal screamed as he swung his ship around, managing to dodge the rock, hitting on the side of the under-boat. They glanced back at the island, now seeing a ship sailing towards them, a pirate vessel nowhere near as big as the Mighty Leviathan.

"Attack!" They heard someone on the boat cry as it sailed, several pegasi leaping off the boat and flying for the ship.

"Prepare yourselves!" Tidal yelled, the ponies taking out their weapons while Fluttershy shrank down and jumped onto Iron's back.

The pegasi flew down, but the unicorns fired a barrage of magical blasts. Some were knocked down, falling into the water as the rest landed, Tidal and Iron taking out their Celestic Gears. Tidal then had another pony take over the wheel as he leaped onto the deck, smacking two ponies away with a single strike. What followed was a mess of fighting, sailors swinging swords, shields clanging and several kicks to the face.

And as this began, Tidal saw two pegasi fly for the ships wheel, the knight firing a water blast to knock them away. "Get us closer!" He yelled to the one at the wheel, "Their catapults only work at close range."

The crew-pony nodded and swung the boat around, pulling the lever and pushing them towards the other ship. And as they got close, Iron spotted the catapults on the deck. "Iron Lance Fury!" He roared, launching several spikes that shot through the air and embedded themselves into the ship's deck. They then struck the catapults, ripping the ropes tying them together.

Seeing this, Tidal's crew began to push back the pirates on the deck, Tidal grabbing one and slamming him into a ship's wall, "You! Where's Muerojo?!" The pirate cried out at this, only for Tidal to push him into the wall's paint, "Tell me!"

"He's on the island!" The pirate screamed, "He's protecting our loot." Tidal growled at this, only for the pirate to add, "But you'll never be able to beat him. He knows all and sees all." He raised an eyebrow at this, "Nothing surprises him. It's like he can see into the future."

"We'll see about that," Tidal replied before punching the pirate in the face, spirals appearing in the pony's eyes as he slumped down. "You two ready?" He asked Iron and Fluttershy, both nodding before he turned to his second in command, "Take them down and if you can, sink that ship. We can't risk any of them getting away."

"AYE, CAPTAIN!" He and several others roared before Iron and Fluttershy grabbed onto Tidal, his horn glowing as he teleported the three. In a flash, they appeared on the island's bank as the sounds of the ocean fight filled the air. They stared at the mountain and spotted a nearby path, the three running up it till they found the hole leading into the mountain.

"He's in here," Tidal whispered, his trident shaking in his hooves.

But as he reached for the door, Fluttershy placed a hoof on his shoulder. "It'll be alright. We're here."

"And we won't let him get away," Iron added, Tidal showing them a small smile before they headed inside. The three travelled through the tunnel, finding nothing a note before seeing the doors to the main chamber.

"He must be through these doors," Tidal commented, the knight taking a deep breath before pushing them open with his magic, half expecting them to blow up. But when they opened without any issue, they then saw hordes of treasure and other stolen valuables, being reminded of Dreadbeard's throne room back when he captured him. "I guess pirates like the idea of acting like kings."

"No kidding." Iron chuckled as they gripped their weapons. And as they walked in, from atop one of the gem piles, a crossbow bolt shot at them at blinding speed. Iron quickly swing his spear, blocking the bolt from going into Fluttershy's side. They gasped and looked up at where it came from, now getting a look at the pony that had killed Tidal's father.

"Muerojo..." Tidal growled.

Iron turned to Fluttershy, "Go hide." She nodded and shrank down before flying off. Iron then glanced back to Muerojo and pointed his spear at him. "By the laws of Equestria, you are under arrest for the multiple crimes you have committed against its citizens."

The pirate raised an eyebrow and simply laughed. "Is that so?" he spoke in a gravely voice. "No, I don't think I am." He pointed his crossbow at them, the pair now seeing it had somehow been reset and a new bolt was loaded. "In fact, I think I'll be staying free for a good long while."

"Not if we have anything to say about it!" Tidal barked, his eyes narrowed, "I won't let you get away with anything else!" He pointed his trident at him, "Tidal Shot!" The weapon fired the blast of water, only for the gem on Muerojo's eye-patch began to glow.

He leapt into the air before the water even got close, dodging it as Iron pointed his spear at him. "Iron Lance Fury!" He fired several pointed spikes, only for the pirate to just side-step each one. "What?!" He yelped before Muerojo flew straight down and slashed at him, Iron quickly blocking it with his spear.

The two ponies glared at one another, their heads inches away. But before Iron could say anything, Muerojo ducked at Tidal's trident swung overhead. Iron's reaction made him pull back, Muerojo rolling away before Tidal turned to him, "Tidal Wave!" Tidal swung the trident into the ground, the weapon unleashing a burst of water that turned into a wave. The water went right into several piles of gems and chests, but Muerojo simply took to the air, easily avoiding the attack.

Muerojo landed a second later, only for Iron to charge in as he changed his spear into a saber. But as he swung it at the pirate, he blocked before ducking under a second slash. And as he avoided a third attack, Muerojo lifted his crossbow to fire at Iron, only to flare his wing and flew up just as a water blast slammed under the pirate.

"What the heck?! How is he doing that?!" Iron barked as they saw the pirate, chuckling at the duo.

"It's like he can see our attacks coming before we even fire them," Tidal whispered, "It's just like his crewpony said. He can look into the future and foretell any danger that's coming his way."

Fluttershy was watching from a small ledge near the ceiling, staring at Muerojo as she saw his eye-patch glow as Tidal fired another water blast, only for the pirate to side-step it. Blinking at the sight, she took a deep breath and yelled, "It's his eye-patch!"

They all glanced in her direction, Iron and Tidal then looking at the object in question and seeing the glow coming from the crystal. "So that's it." Iron added, "That thing's more than just a nice accessory, I'm guessing?"

Muerojo let out a cackle at this, "You caught me. But it won't do you much good." He charged at this, swinging his sword at Tidal, but the knight caught it in the prongs of his trident. But before he could try to disarm him, Muerojo pulled back and leapt in the air before spinning around and kicking the trident with his back hoof.

Tidal felt his hooves skid on the floor, Iron charging in next as he thrust his spear at Muerojo. But every try was met with the pirate dancing around him, only for Iron to block a kick from the pegasi.

"Grrr....where'd you get that?"

Muerojo pointed to his eyepatch, "In one of my very fist battles in my pirate career." He pulled out his crossbow and fired, Iron leaping back. "I ended up losing my real eye in the process, so I put it on with plans to sell it once I had a less...decorative patch to wear. But imagine my surprise when the very next day, I found myself being attacked and stabbed by another pirate wanting this patch. But before I could cry out, I was suddenly one minute in the past. The pirate attacked just like before...but I knew what was coming. Death...was now avoidable for me, unlike him." He began to rub the patch with his hoof, "I quickly realized what had happened. This relic had to power to allow its wearer to see the future. So I never took if off again. With it, the future was mine for the taking."

"I won't allow that." Tidal yelled as he pointed his trident at the pirate. "You've done far too much damage to the world already. Sank countless ships, harmed Celestia knows how many ponies, ripped apart families..." Upon that last statement, his mind flashed back to his father and he let out a roar, "I'll make you pay for everything!"

Muerojo raised an eyebrow at this, "Oh? I've seen that look before. The look of a pony out for revenge. So...who was it that I took from you? And be specific. I've done so many terrible things it's sometimes tricky to remember them all."

Tidal's eyes went wide at this and his mind went blank, rage coursing through him. "RAAAAAHHHHH!" He charged as Iron yelled out at him to stop. But as he thrust his trident at the pirate, the pegasi easily dodged the blow. This was followed by several more thrusts, Muerojo blocking each with his blade. And when he blocked the tenth blow, Tidal leapt back and screeched, "This is for my father, the stallion you killed in cold blood!" He pointed the trident at him, "Tidal Vortex!"

The spiral of water exploded out of his trident, Muerojo quickly side-stepping away from the attack. But as he did this, he suddenly let out a yelp as his hooves slipped on something: A puddle from Tidal's wave attack. He cried out as he fell over, knocking over one of the nearby gem piles while his weapons slid away from him. Tidal then thrust his spear at him again, but Muerojo just spun around on the floor, dodging the trident. He then wrapped his hoof around the weapon and thrust it back, pushing the unicorn in the chest. "Augh!" Tidal yelped as he knocked back, Iron then slashing at him with Iron Saber. But as this happened, Muerojo used Wavefang to block it, only for both to push against each other.

And as this happened, Iron then switched to only one hoof holding his blade as he tried to punch him, but the pirate caught it and tried to twist his arm. Iron leapt back next, Muerojo quickly running away as well to grab his sword from before.

"Come on!" Tidal yelled as he fired a water blast at the pirate, only for Muerojo to flare his wings and take to the air. He then pulled out his crossbow and fired it, Iron and Tidal leaping back and behind a pile of gems.

"This isn't working." Iron growled.

"We have no choice. We can't let him get away." Tidal replied.

"Well, if you can think of a way to do that while he has that eye-patch on, I'd love to hear it." Tidal bit his lip at this, only for his hooves to shake. His mind only told him one thing, to take down Muerojo at any cost. The thought made him snarl as he tried to respond, only for Iron to say, "I think the first thing we should do is get him to keep firing his crossbow." Tidal turned to him with a raised eyebrow, "He'll run out of bolts eventually."

"No, he won't." The stallions yelped at the voice, only to see a small Fluttershy fly down to them, "I was watching and saw how his crossbow works. A minute or so after firing, the bolt he shot magically returns to his weapon."

"Really?!" Tidal asked, Fluttershy nodding. Wanting to test this theory, Tidal jumped out and fired several water shots at Muerojo. But the pirate easily dodged them before shooting his bolt, Tidal leaping back behind the pile before the bolt flew past him and hit a nearby chest. They watched it for a moment and after about a minute, the bolt faded out of existence.

"So he can only fire that thing every minute or so?" Iron asked before smirking, "We can work with that."

"But we can't get near him with that eye-patch showing him everything that's gonna happen," Tidal growled, "Tan molesto."

"I don't think he can see everything that's gonna happen," Fluttershy chimed in, only for Muerojo to call out to them.

"Get out here and face your end like stallions! Or are the Royal Knights this cowardly?" They heard him chuckling, "I wonder if your father was this much of a coward? I remember many ponies I've killed who spent their final moments groveling in fear and pleading for their lives." Tidal's body began to shake, "I bet he was just as weak and pathetic."

Tidal's hooves began to move, only for Iron to grab him and hold him in place. "Calm down."

"But-"

"Calm. Down." Iron hissed, tensing his grip on Tidal, "You can't beat him if you fight in a rage. He'll predict everything you try."

"He's right," Fluttershy nodded, "We need to get that eye-patch off him. And I know how."


Back at the Mighty Leviathan...

Tidal's crew continued to fend off the pirates, the pirate's simple way of fighting being no match for years of military training. Though a few sailors got hurt, almost all the losing ponies were Muerojo's crew. Many were now knocked out or thrown overboard, while others chose to retreat and regroup back on the pirate ship.

But as Tidal's first mate threw another pony off the side of the ship, he turned to the pirate ship and frowned before remembering Tidal's instructions. "Sink it if you can. Do not give them the opportunity to flee." He went over to the wheel and spun it around, causing the Mighty Leviathan to pull away from the pirate ship.

Once they were a good distance away and the last of the pirates were knocked out or thrown overboard, he spun the ship back around so the sea-monster head was pointing towards its side. "Activate Might Leviathan's Mega Buster!" The figure head's mouth opened up as a large cannon folded out of it and began to let out a whirling sound, the cannon's front beginning to glow. The sailor pointed his sword as the opposing ship, as he called out, "Fire Mighty Leviathan's Mega Buster!"

With that, the cannon unleashed a powerful beam of energy. It struck the pirate ship, ripping through it like it was made out of tissue paper. The ship's old hull was ripped apart and exploded, sending the remaining ponies on board flying into the air before they crashed into the water.

Tidal's crew cheered as they watched the ship sink beneath the waves, then looked over the edge at the ponies trying to swim to their ship. Their weapons had all been lost, sunk to the bottom of the ocean as they did their best to stay floating above it.

The sailors smirked at this, "You may come aboard, but only if you surrender. It's either that...or be forever marooned on that volcano you call a hideout." The pirates all frowned at this, only to sigh and one by one surrender. The sailors smiled as they began to lift their captives up on deck, some also looking back at the island.

"Captain..." Tidal's first mate whispered, "Please be careful."


Muerojo was tapping his hoof, sighing until he saw Tidal step out from around the gems. "It's about time." He then saw Iron walk out from the other direction. "So, finally decided to accept your death like a couple of stallions?"

"No," Tidal replied, "We're taking you down, one way or another." Iron nodded and slammed his spear into the ground.

"Armorize!" In a flash, Iron's Celestic Gear morphed into the armored suit and he charged along with Tidal. "Iron Lance Fury!" The spikes on his shoulders began to fire out projectiles, Muerojo spinning his sword as he deflected every blade. But as the blades fell, Tidal thrust his trident at the pirate.

"Who cares if you can see the future?!" Tidal roared as Muerojo side-stepped him, "There's only so much you can react too!" Iron stabbed his blade-tipped tail into the ground and seconds later, blades shot out of several nearby gem piles. But Muerojo leapt into the air, dodging each one. "Tidal Force!" The unicorn yelled as he launched a blast of water, hitting the ground and dampening it.

Muerojo landed at this, now feeling himself about to trip on the slippery rocks, the pegasus taking to the air again as Iron continued to fire spikes at him. But he easily dodged each one, slowly going higher...just as Fluttershy appeared on a ledge right behind him.


Minutes ago...

"He can only see danger?" Iron asked, his girlfriend nodding.

"Don't you remember? He slipped on the ground before. If he saw that coming, wouldn't he have stopped himself?" They nodded back, "I think the eye-patch only lets him see immanent threats. Things that could hurt him."

"But...we can't just attack him and not intend to hurt him." Iron replied, "If that patch lets him see us even trying to scratch him, it won't do us any good."

"You said you had an idea to win this fight," Tidal added.

"I do," Fluttershy nodded again, "I just need you to distract him. Catch his attention while I get into place behind him, then keep him focused on you without attempting to hurt him. If you do that, he won't be able to see into the future and be too distracted to see me coming."

The stallions both frowned, Iron then saying, "I don't know about this."

"Agreed. You'd be taking a big risk."

"I know," Fluttershy responded before taking a deep breath, "But we've come too far to be stopped now. We have to beat him and stop him from hurting anypony else." The stallions shared a glance, then nodded. "Tidal," he turned back to her, "This won't work if you start attacking him wildly like before."

"She's right," Iron added, "I know you're angry, but you can't let that anger control you. You'll get your revenge, but you can't let your desire for it cloud your mind."

Tidal grimaced at the two, only to sigh, "Alright. I'll...try and stay calm. But...please hurry." He glared at the gem pile, "Just looking at him makes me furious!"


"It's time," Iron told Tidal, "Remember, you gotta stay calm."

"I know," Tidal nodded before pointing his trident at Muerojo and firing several water blasts. But Muerojo simply smiled and stood still, the water blasts shooting past him without even leaving a scratch.

"Seriously?! Were you even aiming that time?" He pointed his crossbow and fired, Iron quickly jumping in front of Tidal and making a shield on his tail that blocked the attack. He then swung the tail, unleashing a spinning disk of metal in the pirate's direction. But the disk fell short and hit the ground in front of Muerojo. "Pathetic!" He laughed, "It's like you're not even trying to hit me!" He pointed his cutlass at Tidal, "No wonder your father died so easily! If this is the best his son could come up with, it's a good thing I squashed him out of existence!"

Tidal's eyes shrunk at this, his hooves shaking as they gripped his weapon. But as this happened, Muerojo let out another laugh, "Don't you realize all your efforts are nothing but a waste of time?!" He fired his crossbow again, the stallions leaping back, "As long as I have this eye-patch...nothing can stop me!"

But as he exclaimed this, he saw the smiles to two were now wearing. "Our thoughts exactly," Iron replied, Muerojo raising an eyebrow at this. And before he could ask what he meant, he suddenly felt something grab the sides of his eye-patch and pull.

To his shock as he tried to glance over at the patch, he saw the yellow pegasus mare from before suddenly grow as she pulled on the eye-patch. "What?!" He tried to slash at her, but she pulled away as the strap of his eye-patch ripped apart, taking the golden artifact away. "NOOOOO!" His left eye was revealed to the whole world, everypony seeing the eye was closed with no fur around it. Instead, there was just a white patch of skin that looked like it had been damaged by a fire long ago.

He lifted his crossbow and prepared to fire, only to suddenly feel something hard slam into the side of his face. "AUGH!" He cried as he was knocked into the wall, only to fall off it and into one of the treasure piles. "BLUGH!" His one working eye rolled as he tried to get up, only to see that it had been Iron that had punched him before he could attack Fluttershy. "How?" He asked, "How is this possible?! I should have seen-"

"Without that eye-patch, you can't see jack!" Iron growled while Tidal walked up to him.

As he moved closer, Tidal could see a look of absolute terror on the pony's face. "Not so confident without your precious fashion statement, are you?" He raised his trident as Muerojo staggered to his hooves. His crossbow had been knocked away, but he still had his sword and pointed it at Tidal.

"Stay away from me!" he whimpered, only for Tidal to thrust his trident, stabbing the pirate's shoulder, "Augh!" He cried before Tidal spun his weapon and knocked the sword flying out of Muerojo's hooves. Tidal spun himself around next, smacking the pirate with the blunt end of his weapon, knocking the pirate flying into a gem pile.

And as Muerojo tried to get out of the pile, Tidal slashed at him with his weapon, creating a trio of scar's in the pegasi's coat, "Aaaah!"

"You're pathetic," Tidal growled, "You act tough when you can see what's coming, but make the future unknown to you and you turn into a crying foal!" Muerojo grabbed a chest of bits and threw it at him, but he fired a blast of water that knocked it away. "To think my father was killed by such a weak pony."

Muerojo's one eye went wide at this, only to let out a yell, "I'm...NOT WEAK!" He pushed himself up and leapt at the knight, only for Tidal to simply fire a blast of water at him. "Gyah!" He gargled as the water drenched him, throwing him into his throne in the back of the room.

He continued to remain pinned to the seat as the water continued to buffet him, bruises covering his entire body as he was relentlessly smashed by the high pressure liquid. And after a full minute, Tidal relented, the water stopping as Muerojo slumped down in his chair.

But before he could attempt to even move, the tip of Tidal's trident was under his chin. He looked up at the knight, barely glaring as he muttered out, "Go on...do it. Just...get it over with." The trident's tip began to push itself in at this, every nerve in Tidal's body telling him to do it. But as he began to push it, a voice called out to him.

"Tidal!" Iron yelled, Tidal not responding as he continued, "Don't do this. Trust me, I know what you're feeling. But if you cross this line, you can't go back."

"You're a Royal Knight," Fluttershy added, "And Royal Knights do the right thing, even if they don't want to." Tidal continued to stare at Muerojo, the knight's hooves now shaking, "Think about your crew." Tidal's head shot up at this, "They look up to you because of who you are. The firm, fair and happy go lucky pony that makes the seas sound fun. If you do this, you'll never be able to look at them the same way again."

Images of all the ponies that had stood by his side race into his mind at this, the ones who had sailed into these treacherous waters for him, who had risked everything to get him this far. "You...you took everything from me once," Tidal pulled the trident away from Muerojo. "You won't do it again. I will see you face justice for what you have done." Muerojo let out a sigh of relief, only to see Tidal pull his hoof back. "But that doesn't mean I can't do this."

And with that, a hoof slammed into his face before everything went black.


The crew of the Mighty Leviathan had just finished tying up the last of the pirates and throwing them in the holding cells. There was room inside for just one more, and while they waited, the crew was busy checking the ship for damages done by either the attack or their insane voyage there. Luckily, the ship had only taken a few scratches from its trouble. And as the first mate continued to watch the shoreline, he smiled as he spotted a flash of light through his telescope.

When it faded, Tidal, Iron and Fluttershy were on the shore with an unconscious pony over Iron's back. When his captain saw the ship's location, another flash occurred. "Captain on deck!" The sailors all stood to attention as the light appeared and the four ponies materialized. Tidal smiled at them and nodded while Iron threw the unconscious pony to the floor.

"Lock him up."

"Aye captain!" The sailors replied before using some rope to tie up the pirate and took him down to the brig.

Once Muerojo disappeared below deck, Tidal turned to his first mate, "Did anypony get hurt during the battle?"

"A few bumps, bruises and a dislocated wing, but nothing permanent." Tidal nodded back, only for the sailor to add, "But we're not out of the woods yet," he gestured to the thicker section of cloud, "We still have to get back out of these seas, and we barely managed to make it through the first time."

"Don't worry. We managed to get our hooves on something that'll make our journey más fácil." He held up the eye-patch Muerojo had been wearing, the crew all raising an eyebrow at this.


As the sun began to set on the horizon, the Mighty Leviathan sailed out of the dense cloud of fog. At the helm, Tidal was wearing the eye-patch, allowing him to easily sail through the Seas of Doom without incident, arriving at the exit in no time at all. And as they cleared the fog, Tidal took it off as his crew cheered.

As he did this, Fluttershy and Iron walked up to him. "Hey...you feeling okay?" Fluttershy asked, Tidal turning to her with a raised eyebrow.

"She means has bringing that monster in finally made you feel better?" Iron added, Fluttershy nodding as Tidal turned back to the open ocean. He stared at the endless sea, only to nod.

"Si. It does feel good not to have that nagging sensation in my heart anymore." He spun the wheel at this, "My entire life since the day he sank my father's ship, I've...I've hated the fact the one responsible was still out there. But now...I can rest peacefully." He looked down at his crew, all showing smiles as they worked before turning to the duo, "And I'm thankful. Thankful that nopony got hurt in my quest to take him down...and thankful to you, who helped me realize I didn't want vengeance. I wanted justice."

The ponies both smiled before hearing a familiar sound, turning to see a light coming from behind them. They saw their cutie marks now glowing, signaling that they had completed their mission. "Awesome," Iron chuckled.

Fluttershy nodded in agreement, "We were right. Our mission was to save Tidal from making a mistake he would have regretted. One which could have ruined his friendship with his crew."

"Well, I'm glad the map sent you." Tidal laughed, "Such a strange thing to say..." He then saw Equestria coming into view. "What's say I treat you both to dinner at the best restaurant in Manehatten when we get back?" Iron and Fluttershy both happily accepted, only for Iron to go to the side and throw up. Zecora's medicine had run out, making Tidal chuckle as Fluttershy walked over and patted Iron's back.

"I still hate boats..." Iron moaned.

"Don't worry Iron. We'll get to Manehatten soon." Fluttershy said as she rubbed his back.

They were glad they had came. Not only were they able to help Tidal make the right choice, they also helped him get closure on a terrible history he had. Now it was homeward bound, where no doubt another incredible adventure was awaiting them. But only time would tell what that adventure was.