//------------------------------// // Navigator Delay // Story: My Little Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door // by Codex92 //------------------------------// Pinkie bounded down the road with the others following after her. She was starving, and needed some good eats, along with preparing for a voyage overseas to Keelhaul Key, a rumored spooky isle never explored by seafarers. Pinkie finally stopped in front of the inn, walking inside and stepping up to the bar, where an elderly man with a literal bean-shaped head manned the bar area. "Barkeep, you better have something to eat, because I'm as hungry as a griffon!" she announced. "But I am vegetarian, so some veggie options would be great, please and thank you." "...Uhh, miss, we don't have a kitchen," the bartender said. "...Oh. Well, poo," Pinkie grumbled. "I'll go see if Zess T.'s got some extra goodies to share, then." She hopped away, confusing the others as they walked inside the inn. "Pinkie, where are you going now?" Rarity asked. "I'm gonna visit Zess T. and try some of her recipes!" Pinkie said. "The inn doesn't have a kitchen!" "Of course it doesn't," Goombella grumbled. "Well, maybe we can see if a sailor might know a bit more about Keelhaul Key than Prof. Frankly," Starlight pondered. The bar had a couple of patrons, though one specific character stood out among them. Wearing a red uniform fit for a seafaring captain, a white plume feather sitting atop his hat, and yellow skin with a long nose and long, purple curls, he sat by himself at the far end of the bar, singing a song to himself, and on his table was a red crystal skull. Figuring he might have sailed past the island before, Starlight approached the table. "Hello. Are you by any chance a seafarer, sir?" "Hmm? Oh, you might say that," he said. "I'm more of a trader. The richest man in Rogueport. The name is Flavio." "Nice meeting you, Flavio," Starlight said. "I'm Starlight Glimmer, and I was wondering-" "My monetary wealth gives me freedom, yes, and the wealth of spirit!" Flavio continued, completely ignoring Starlight. "And yet...why is it that a man whose life is unchained must always long yet for more?" Starlight stammered, unsure what kind of tangent Flavio was going on. "What am I missing from my life? It tears me apart inside! Tell me, lass, I must know! What do I lack!?" "...Uhhhh...I don't know...The thrill of...adventure?" Starlight uttered. "Thrills, you say?" Flavio hummed in thought, his hand reaching out to the crystal skull on the table. "Yes. I suppose one does need some thrills every now and then. There is nothing like the feel of being alone on a mountain, shivering to death." "...Wait, what?" Starlight questioned. Realizing what he was saying, Flavio quickly shook his head. "Ah! No! Foolish Flavio! Not CHILLS, you silly man! What I need are THRILLS!" "And I regret starting a conversation with you," Starlight muttered to herself. She turned away to join back with her friends. "Pinkie Pie makes more sense than this guy." "Wait! Hold the horses!" Flavio stood up, snatching his skull and placing it in his coat before getting in front of the unicorn's path. "An idea has struck me. I once heard of the treasure of Cortez, the pirate king...Yes, that is the answer! A hunt for pirate treasure! Why, it just shrieks of romance, thrills, emotion, and money!" "Great. Glad I could help," she said sarcastically, using her magic to gently nudge the deranged sea captain out of her way. "Have you not heard the tale?" Flavio asked Starlight, but she began ignoring him. "About the pirate king's treasure? Hidden on Keelhaul Key?" The mention of the island made Starlight freeze, her ears perking up. She looked back at Flavio, getting her attention. "Tales say that the pirate king, Cortez, hid his hoard of pirate booty there. For years, treasure hunters and ruffians have gone there in search of the loot, but not a single one of them has ever returned. People around here whisper that the ghost of Cortez attacks all who seek his treasure." Flavio shuddered at the excitement of the horror story. "The frightening rumor makes my back tingle, but that will not stop Flavio from venturing to Keelhaul Key! I will find the treasure there, and I will prove it! For I am Flavio! Trader extraordinaire, millionaire, sailor of the seven seas!" "Treasure, huh?" Starlight asked. "Is one of those treasures something called a Crystal Star?" "A Crystal Star?" Flavio asked. "I've never heard of such a thing. Why?" He suddenly got a bit defensive, keeping his coat held tightly where he had placed his crystal skull. "Are you wanting to take my treasure out from under my nose!?" "No," Starlight groaned. "Look, my friends and I are trying to rescue a couple of our other friends who got kidnapped, and we're searching for these Crystal Stars. One of them happens to be on Keelhaul Key, and we need a ship to make it there. Do you have one, or are you going to waste my time being suspicious of me taking treasure that I'm not interested in?" "Hmmmm...I can have a ship prepared for us," Flavio said, deep in thought. "...Do you have a map to the island?" "We have a map that has the whole region, and Keelhaul Key is on there, but the exact location might not be accurate," Starlight said. Flavio rubbed his chin. "...Now that I think about it, there might be a star-shaped treasure in Cortez's hoard," he mumbled. After some thought, he nodded his head. "Very well! Fate must be on Flavio's side! I shall accompany you and your companions to Keelhaul Key! You can keep the Crystal Star, but the rest of the treasure is mine!" "Fine. Deal. Done," Starlight quickly said. "I will go and get preparations done immediately! Meet me down at the port whenever you are ready, and I shall meet your companions on the vessel!" Flavio took his leave, unaware of Starlight's "companions" here in the bar as he passed by them, some of them overhearing their awkward conversation. "Skull captain casts his gaze~! Red jewel shines and plays~! Boom-bassa-boom festival~!" As soon as the odd, rich adventurer left, Starlight let out an annoyed sigh. "What a narcissist. He's worse than Trixie on her bad days," she grumbled. She looked at her friends, who were just as perturbed witnessing their conversation. "...I take it you heard some of the good news." "We have a way to get to Keelhaul Key, at least," Koops said. "We'd better get Pinkie Pie and gather up some supplies for the trip," Applejack said. Exiting the inn, they made their way to Zess T.' house next to the archway leading to the west side of the port town. Up on the balcony of the upper shop, however, a certain mouser's heart-curled tail tip flicked eagerly, watching the group passing by. "Well, if it isn't my hunk of cheese and his compatriots." Flinching, Mario looked up, spotting Ms. Mowz casually staring down at them. The rest of the group looked up, all but Vivian startled to see her again after seeing no sign of her back in Twilight Town. "Oh no. Not this floozy again," Goombella grumbled. "Who's the cute mouse?" Vivian asked. "Cute!?" Goombella and Flurrie exclaimed. Ms. Mowz chuckled, hopping down from her perch, and as she landed, snuck a kiss right on Mario's cheek when he wasn't expecting it. "Gotcha, handsome," she said with a flirtatious wink, making the Goomba and wind spirit fume bitterly. "I'd say we'd be surprised seeing you again, Ms. Mowz," Rarity said. "We thought you'd be in Twilight Town looking for a treasure in the Creepy Steeple," Fluttershy said. "Oh, sorry, darlings," Ms. Mowz apologized. "I may be a thief, but I also have a business to run. The badges I take aren't just for keeps. At least, most of them." "Ya own a shop here?" Applejack questioned. "Yes. Badges are all the rage," the mouser said matter-of-factly. "Although, I have gotten a little bored lately. And it's been ages since I've last had a run in with the famous hero." "I'm gonna headbonk her so hard," Goombella grumbled angrily. "And I couldn't help overhearing at the inn that you're off in search of a treasure on Keelhaul Key," Ms. Mowz mentioned. "I've heard the rumors, but I don't believe them." "Were you spying on us from the second floor?" Flurrie questioned. "I love snooping around, especially for a good haul," the mouse thief said. "But if there's a treasure to find, I can help sniff it out, and any traps that might be set for a pirate's cursed treasure. I can be a very helpful asset to your cause with the Crystal Stars, too." "Absolutely not!" Goombella and Flurrie shouted. "What is with you two?" Rainbow asked the angry Goomba and wind spirit. "We just...don't want her to get us into trouble!" Goombella reasoned. "Y-Yes!" Flurrie agreed. "And she would be a bad influence for Scrappy!" The Yoshi blinked, glancing at Ms. Mowz curiously before looking back at Flurrie. "Uhh, she doesn't seem bad. She even helped us find King K. and Bandy Andy when they went missing." Ms. Mowz tittered as she waltzed over to the two female fighters. "Oh, I think I know exactly why they don't like me; they're jealous I'm trying to steal the attention of their mustachioed hero." Goombella and Flurrie blanched, their cheeks turning red as they stammered for an excuse. It was obvious to everyone else, even when the two girls don't want to admit it, though Vivian was a bit confused by their reactions. "I can't help that I find a handsome devil of a man on my adventures and want to tease him. It's all in good fun. But if it bothers you that much, I won't steal a kiss from him...at least while you're watching." Goombella and Flurrie grumbled at the sneaky mouse's plan, but they remained silent. "Well, we could use a bit more assistance, assuming you can fight as well as you can steal," Starlight said. "I wouldn't search in dangerous locations if I weren't able to defend myself," Ms. Mowz said. "And I promise to behave myself." Despite given a several swift sneak kisses, Mario was willing to deal with Ms. Mowz if she doesn't wander off, or make things tense between Goombella and Flurrie and their jealous tendencies. The mouse looked around, noticing someone in the group was missing. "Say, where's the pink one? Did she get lost?" "Oh, right. She's at Zess T.'s looking for some grub," Rainbow said. "I hope she isn't giving her too much trouble," Fluttershy said. They hurried to the cook's home, and as they opened the door, they saw Pinkie and Zess T. going on a cooking spree in the Toad's kitchen. "Yeah, yeah! We'll add a bit of this to give it some more flavor!" Zess T. said, aggressively chopping some vegetables while Pinkie was swirling batter messily in a large bowl. "I need more flour!" Pinkie screeched. "Where's an evil Shy Guy carrying one around when you need one!?" The group blinked as they watched the kitchen carnage. There were several baked goods, pastries, and fried snacks Pinkie and Zess T. had piled on a table, fit enough to feed a large crew on a ship for a couple weeks. They had no idea what sparked this cook off or cooperative cooking spree, but it all looked and smelled good. "...Did we miss something?" Flurrie asked. "I...have no idea..." Starlight uttered. "At least we've got snacks..." After having to physically drag Pinkie away from Zess T. from their intense cooking and baking binge, they stored all the snacks for the trip, then went to the shop to gather some essential supplies for the ship ride to Keelhaul Key. With several bags in tow, the group headed down to the docks, spotting a ship that stood out from the slums of Rogueport. Coated with bright colors of yellow, green, and blue with stars lining the sides, it had two masts with white sails and was built to carry a sizable crew, along with the many passengers that would take part in the voyage. Flavio was seen on the deck, along with some other seafaring volunteers getting the ship ready. There were a few toads, a few in yellow overalls, one of them the shopkeepers from Rogueport's store, and one younger of the bunch in green overalls, who seemed pretty timid and nervous. There were a couple Bob-ombs as well, one blue with a blue and white striped bandanna on their head, and another who was slightly bigger with a purple body, a yellow and purple striped bandanna on top of theirs, an eyepatch over his left eye, and the windup key behind this one were crossbones instead of a normal key. The last of the crew they could see from the distance was someone different, wearing a black suit underneath a pair of yellow overalls, black boots, white gloves, a blue and white striped bandanna over his head with a pair of horns sticking out, though one seemed a bit bent downward, a pair of goggles, and a red scarf that obscured the rest of his face. "Wow. That's a fancy boat," Vivian said. "Why do we need to take a boat to the island?" Rainbow questioned. "Can't we just borrow that Cheep Cheep blimp to get there?" "I doubt Keelhaul Key is a big enough island to land a hot air balloon, let alone a blimp," Goombella stated. "It's an uninhabited island. All the jungle foliage would make it hard to attempt a safe landing by air." "How long will it take to get there by ship?" the pegasus dreadfully asked. "A few days, depending on how far the island actually is from Rogueport," Goombella guessed. Rainbow whined, having no patience to wait that long just to start exploring an island with booby traps and treasure. "Can't I just fly on ahead and find the Crystal Star myself?" "And f-f-face the pirate king's g-g-ghost?" Koops shuddered. "He's probably just a made up pony tale," Rainbow scoffed. "And yet Boos are ghosts, and they are very real," Rarity muttered. "I don't doubt this Captain Cortez and his lingering spirit might still be around after learning about some ghosts with Bow." "Let's just climb aboard and get to sailing," Starlight said. Mario nodded and led the group down to the ship. They could hear some of the sailors talk among themselves as they prepped the ship for launch. Flavio spotted them, surprised by the number of friends Starlight had accompanying her after seeing them before at the inn. "Ah, Miss Glimmer! I assume this is your...entourage?" Flavio asked. "Yes, these are my friends," Starlight said. "This is Mario, and-" "Yes, yes, nice to meet you lot," Flavio interrupted, making the unicorn groan in annoyance. "But feast your eyes on this vessel I have acquired! She is the S.S. Flavion, the queen of the countless ships of my personal fleet." Ms. Mowz quirked a brow at the flamboyant ship captain, then the ship they were going to take. "If this is the queen of your fleet, I dread to know what the king looks like." "This ship is a masterpiece," Flavio gloated, completely ignorant of his passengers not caring how great of a ship it is as long as it got them to their destination. "The raw majesty of her hull. The elegant curve of her prow! She tops any and all sailboats ever built by a master craftsman's hands! She can cut past even the harshest of-!" "OY! They get it! Yer ship's fancy!" exclaimed the Bob-omb with the eyepatch. "You've been talkin' about it nonstop with us, and I'm sick of hearin' it for the hundreth time!" Flavio leered at the Bob-omb, sticking his long nose up in the air with a huff. "Well, I never. I expected better of you, Pa-Patch." Pa-Patch rolled his eye with a groan, ignoring his "captain" and focused on the passengers. "I would say climb aboard and prepare to shove off, but we've got a big issue. We don't have a navigator to help guide the ship across the waters, especially with Keelhaul Key's dangerous waves." "No navigator?" Vivian asked. "What's a navigator?" "Navigators steer the ship in the right direction from port to port, or to different islands," Goombella explained. "Some use different navigating instruments, but most expert sailors at night use the stars in the constellations to help them get from place to place." "Yes, that was quite the conundrum I WAS going to explain to our guests, Pa-Patch, until you had ruined my detailed description of the S.S. Flavion's features," Flavio stated, which made Pa-Patch groan irritably. "At least I'm not the only one getting sick of his attitude," Starlight muttered to herself. "I do have someone in mind who might be perfect for the job," Pa-Patch said. "Word is, there's a legendary sailor livin' here in Rogueport. I think his name is Admiral Bobbery. A salty sea dog, by all accounts, but he's said to have the Helmsman's Touch; he can make any ship bow to his will." "Bassa-boom, Pa-Patch! Why didn't you say something sooner!?" Flavio exclaimed. "We would have been shipshape months ago!" "...There's a problem with that, Flavio; there ain't a soul wot's seen him on the seas for years," Pa-Patch added, giving a deadpanned leer at Flavio for interrupting him. "You think he might be somewhere in Rogueport?" Starlight asked. "If he is, as captain of this vessel, I hereby appoint Miss Starlight Glimmer to settle the negotiations with this Admiral Bobbery to guide the S.S. Flavion on our journey to romance, thrills, emotion, and money!" Flavio announced. Everyone on the ship looked at Flavio, then to Starlight as she blinked in confusion. "...Me?" she asked. "I don't even know where he lives! Or if he's still alive!" "Does anyone know what he looks like?" Fluttershy asked. "Maybe he's a Bob-omb?" Pinkie pondered. "Bobbery sounds very close to a bomb name pun. Like Bombette!" "That narrows the search down, but we still have a whole town to search," Flurrie said. "Might as well get to searchin', y'all," Applejack said. The group left their belongings on the ship, the crew helping take their snacks down to the hold for safekeeping. They headed back into town and split up in two groups to search the east and west sides of Rogueport. Mario took Rainbow, Rarity, Applejack, Goombella, Koops, and Flurrie to the west side, while Starlight, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Scrappy, Vivian, and Ms. Mowz checked the east. The group searching on the east side probably wouldn't find many residents on that side, considering it was the more run down slums of the port town, but it couldn't hurt to check. "Where do you think this Admiral Bobbery would live?" Starlight questioned. "If he's a well-renowned sailor, he would have probably picked a much better place than Rogueport to settle down in." "You get all kinds of shady characters living here, or just average, everyday people making a living to keep a roof over their heads," Ms. Mowz said. "Or an expert thief who has a knack for finding really valuable stuff," Scrappy said. "I bet you find lots of great treasures." "Hmhmhm, oh, I do indeed, little Yoshi," Ms. Mowz chuckled. "But, my prizes are badges. Coins are a necessity, but rare badges that any collector would want, they bring them in by the boatload." As they walked past Frankly's building and through the archway, they spotted a familiar looking Craw who swindled money from passersby. He winced when he saw Starlight, but as he turned around to walk away, the unicorn quickly grabbed him in her magic aura and dragged him over to them. "Hey, what do you know? It's ol' fish bait!" Starlight sarcastically greeted. "How've you been? Not taking civilians' money unfairly as a toll both, are you?" "Hehehehehe, n-no! No! I swear!" the Craw said sheepishly with a nervous gulp. "Just...walking? For my health?" "Good. Good. Just what I want to hear," Starlight said. "I just have a little question for you." "Y-Yeah, sure. W-What is it, m-miss?" he asked. "We're looking for someone named Admiral Bobbery, and we need him to guide our ship to Keelhaul Key," Starlight said. The Craw's fear of Starlight quickly turned to confusion. "...Keelhaul Key? You're going there? Why?" Pinkie suddenly got in the Craw's face, wearing her fake mustache as she poked his chest. "Listen here, Birdy! If you don't wanna be sleeping with the fishies, you tell us where Bobbery is hiding!" The Craw backed away slightly, unsure if Pinkie was really being threatening with the goofy mustache or not. "Uhh, never heard of the guy," he said, being sincerely honest by his tone. Pinkie suddenly shone a flashlight over his head, bringing Vivian and Fluttershy over to "surround" him. "A wise bird, eh? Well, we can play good cop, bad cop until we get the answers we seek! Spill the beans! And not the actual beans! I want the scoop! But not ice cream! We want dirt! Not literal soil!" The Craw looked baffled as his eyes crossed, unable to get what Pinkie was demanding anymore. Starlight dragged Pinkie away, leaving Fluttershy and Vivian with him while Scrappy and Ms. Mowz watched in amusement. "We're not trying to be intimidating this time, Pinkie," Starlight said, ripping off Pinkie's mustache. "And where do you keep finding these weird mustaches?" "I got emergency mustaches stashed around Rogueport in case of mustache emergencies," Pinkie said. Starlight wanted to question how when they barely explored every single section of Rogueport during their time here over the last few weeks, but she shook her head. "Whatever. Just...stop with the mustaches." Vivian looked at Fluttershy, still a bit confused. "Umm...Am I the bad cop now?" she asked. "I want to be the good cop." Fluttershy shook her head in response. "I don't think so. Pinkie's just being Pinkie," she said, then faced the confused Craw. "Sorry about our friend, Mr. Craw. We're just looking for Admiral Bobbery. We think he's a Bob-omb sailor who lives in this town. Have you noticed any Bob-ombs living around here who look like an experienced sailor?" "Hmmm...Maybe you can try this old codger who lives right here?" The Craw pointed to a house nearby, the leftmost building where the tight alleyway led to his and his group's "secret" hideout. "I've seen an old Bob-omb go in and out of there while I did my...former guard post. I didn't mess with him, because...well, he's a Bob-omb." "We'll check it out," Fluttershy said. "Thank you for the help." The Craw nodded, then slipped through the buildings that led to the Robbo Thieves' hideout. The group approached the door and tried to open it, but the door was locked. Starlight knocked on the door, hoping to hear a response, but there came none. "Hello!? Is anypony home!?" she called out. "We're looking for Admiral Bobbery!" No response. "You think he might be out doing errands?" "Or maybe he's hiding because he's shy," Fluttershy said. "Then how do we get in if he's hiding?" Scrappy asked curiously. "I can try to pick the lock on the door," Ms. Mowz suggested. "We're not breaking and entering into somepony's home," Starlight said, shooting down the horrible idea. "Especially if it's a Bob-omb. He could get mad and literally explode in our faces." "Hey, guys! He has a chimney!" Hearing Pinkie's cheerful voice above them, the group looked up, blanching in surprise as she waved at them from the roof of the house. "I'm gonna take a looksee and see if he's home!" "P-Pinkie! I just said we aren't breaking and entering his house!" Starlight exclaimed. "But I'm not going to break anything, silly! I'm gonna slide down the chimney and see if anypony's home!" Pinkie bounced away from the edge, making Starlight facehoof at her insane idea of "not" breaking and entering by climbing down the chimney. Pinkie flopped down on her belly and crawled like a lizard, or her pet alligator, Gummy. She managed to squeeze herself into the slat of the chimney stack, her flanks getting caught for a brief moment before wriggling through. She then let out a yelp and fell down, crashing down into the fireplace, covered in soot. Inside the house, a door to a room in the back opened up as the inhabitant came out to check on the noise. "Don't worry! I'm ok! Just a little dirty!" "What are you doing crawling around my chimney!?" Pinkie crawled out of the fireplace, shaking off the soot coating her fur. Standing in front of her was an old Bob-omb, like the Craw mentioned. His body was a dark brown color with blue feet, wearing an old, worn out white navy cap with his fuse sticking out from the top, a ship wheel that spun around as his windup key, and sported a long, bushy gray mustache. He was clearly upset that someone broke into his home, and through the chimney of all places. "How did you even get up there!?" "Well, I don't think the others noticed, but there were a stack of boxes by the house at the end of the road, so I hopped the fence, climbed up to the roof, leapt over to the other houses, and told my friends waiting by your front door that you had a chimney," Pinkie explained. "And now I'm talking to you!" "...Terrific. NOW GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" he shouted angrily. "Oh, wait! We're looking for a navigator!" Pinkie said. "And he's an old Bob-omb like you! Maybe you've heard of him? His name is Admiral Bobbery!" "Never heard of him, and I HATE the sea!" The Bob-omb went over to Pinkie Pie and began pushing her across his floor, though she was left a bit baffled. "Now leave! This instant!" "Huh? But how come you're wearing a-?" The elder Bob-omb went around Pinkie and unlocked his door, opening it wide, only to freeze at the unexpected guests his breaking and entering delinquent mentioned. Startled after hearing the commotion, Starlight grinned sheepishly at the disturbed resident. "Hi. I'm so very sorry about my friend, sir. I promise she won't try anything that dumb again," Starlight apologized. "Next time I see any of you on my property, I'll blow you all up myself instead of waiting on the lazy authorities!" he promised, ramming Pinkie out of his house. Pinkie squeaked as she flopped on the ground, followed by the Bob-omb slamming his door shut. "Well, he was home, at least," Fluttershy said. "And we should probably leave before we get arrested for trespassing," Starlight mentioned, picking up Pinkie Pie and dragged her away from the angry resident's home before they got into more trouble. "Define 'arrest' with the only law abiding officers are the Piantas in this town," Ms. Mowz said. "Although, Mario would be a much more alluring slice of gouda in uniform." Starlight's group returned to the central area of Rogueport, meeting back up with the rest of their companions as they already finished their search. "You guys find this Bobbery guy?" Rainbow asked. "Just an old Bob-omb who got really mad at Pinkie PIe for climbing down his chimney," Vivian said. The others gaped in shock at what Pinkie Pie did. "Pinkie, that's breaking and entering!" Rarity exclaimed. "It's not like back home where everypony knows you pop in and out of weird places at the strangest times!" "But I didn't break anything! I swear!" Pinkie whined. "Ya barged into somepony's house without their permission," Applejack explained. "You don't even know if that Bob-omb was going to blow up in self defense if he thought you were trying to rob him!" Goombella said. "And in Rogueport, I doubt he wouldn't give it a second thought with all the thieves around here!" Mario shook his head at Pinkie's antics. They were back to square one and had no leads to where Admiral Bobbery might be, and there was probably a much slimmer chance of finding another experienced navigator to help them. Looking around, they were close to the inn. Knowing how reliable some places like inns or bars can be for information, he figured the bartender might know who Bobbery is and where he lives. The others agreed with his idea and decided to give it a try, making sure Pinkie didn't do anything else crazy or illegal to wind them up in hot water. With the bar area more empty than earlier, the group approached the bartender. "Oh, back again? Did your pink friend find herself some food?" "Yes, and wound up cooking like mad with Zess T.," Rarity said. "Ah, yes. Zess T.'s got a temper as hot as her oven. Maybe more so," the bartender said with a chuckle. "Anything I can get for you all? We got a variety of Chuckola Cola flavors." "Actually, we're not here to have a drink of...whatever Chuckola Cola is," Starlight said. "It's obviously a very funny soda pop," Pinkie chimed in. "...Anyways, we're trying to search for a navigator to help us sail out to a certain island," Starlight continued. ignoring Pinkie's description of the oddly named beverage. "His name is Admiral Bobbery, and being a bartender, you might have heard of him. Or maybe seen him come in from time to time." The bartender suddenly wore a sad frown, looking down at the bar as he wiped it down. "...Yeah. I've heard of him," he said. "Seen him, too. He lives in a house to the east side of town." Mario asked what Bobbery looked like. "Well, he is a Bob-omb. The only unique part of him is that his key is in the shape of a ship's steering wheel, and he's got a long, bushy mustache." Starlight, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Scrappy, Vivian, and Ms. Mowz stared at the bartender in shock. "Wait, you mean that old Bob-omb WAS Admiral Bobbery!?" Scrappy exclaimed. "You guys found him and didn't realize?" Koops asked. "He never gave us a name," Ms. Mowz said. "That, and Pinkie broke into the old bomb's house. Much more clumsily than I would have done." "I knew he had to be a sailor!" Pinkie said. "It was obviously his sailor's hat. I should have known!" "Great! We found the old coot! So let's drag him down and get sailing!" Rainbow said. "I don't think you'll be getting ol' Bobbery to head out to sea anytime soon," the bartender said. Everyone looked at him, wondering what he meant. "Where do you all intend on sailing to?" "Keelhaul Key," Starlight said. "...I see...An isle with deadly waves would leave any sailor to turn tail or meet their ends trying. But not Bobbery." Putting away his towel, the bartender glanced at his curious patrons. "Do you really want Bobbery to get back out at sea?" "We need him to help us get there and find something important to help locate our missing friends," Starlight said. "Not sure if you ever noticed them, but they're both princesses. One's human like Mario, but the other's a pony like me and my friends, only she has wings and a horn, and purple fur." The bartender nodded his head. "Yes, I have seen them before. Only once when someone offered to buy them a very expensive brand of Chuckola Cola, and I last saw them heading upstairs to go to bed." The ponies were a bit disappointed that he didn't see Twilight or Peach after that, but at least he saw them, and the X-Nauts must have kidnapped them during the night while they were asleep. "As for Bobbery...the reason for him refusing to go back out at sea is...quite a sad tale. Depressing, rather." Everyone looked at each other in silence. They wanted to know what happened to Bobbery and why he dislikes going out to sea despite being a legendary sailor to many seafarers. "...Can ya tell us what happened?" Applejack asked. "Very well." The bartender let out a sigh, placing his hands on the bar while silently pondering where to begin. "Bobbery was once a married Bob-omb. He had a wife of enduring beauty named Scarlette. They were madly in love with each other, almost straight out of a fairy tale with how much they're devoted to each other. As a renowned sailor, Bobbery was away from home for long periods of time, but Scarlette never complained. She would always wait faithfully for his return. Even while he was elsewhere, his eye never drifted on any other girl; Scarlette was the only love of his life, truly and deeply. So they lived, and found happiness where they could. All was good...until one terrible, icy winter. "During one of the harshest, bone-chilling winters in Rogueport's history, Scarlette fell ill." While being engrossed with the story, the moment Bobbery's wife had gotten sick, most of the group had a sinking feeling they knew where this tragedy was going to end. "None of us knew if it was a virus or a passing cold, but it got worse as time passed. Bobbery was on a long, lonely voyage at the time, and he didn't know anything about her illness. When he did return...Scarlette had succumbed to her illness; she was long gone days before he learned the hard, depressing news." "Oh no," Fluttershy whimpered, hugging Scrappy as she and most of the girls had tears in their eyes. "That's...that's horrible," Rarity uttered. "Of course, Bobbery had blamed himself for losing her," the elder bean bartender continued. "'My loving wife perished because of me.' 'If I were not at sea, I could have nursed her to health.' He was overcome with such grief, it tore him up inside, haunting him in his sleep. Since Scarlette's passing, he has never been out to sea." "...That's...the saddest story I've ever heard," Pinkie whimpered, then began bawling as her tears flowed from her eyes like waterfalls, splashing Koops and Mario with her powerful tear ducts. "Yes. It was horrible," the bartender said. "I knew Bobbery well, more than just his status as a Bob-omb on the high seas. I was very close friends with them back in the day...before Scarlette's passing." As he took a moment to compose himself from retelling such a sorrowful tale of the heartbroken Bob-omb, he walked over to the far end of the bar and kneeled down, looking for something. He came back up a few seconds later, returning to his guests, holding an envelope, slightly worn by time, but was still in decent condition. "On her deathbed, Scarlette wrote Bobbery a final letter. I haven't opened it. I feel this is something only Bobbery himself needs to read. Her last request from her to me was, 'If I should succumb to this plague, and if my love should blame himself for my death...Then give this letter to him, so he may hear my voice.' But, seeing how distraught he was...I couldn't bear to give him this letter and depress him further." He then placed the letter on the bartop, sliding it over to the adventurers. "I don't know if he'll be able to change his mind, but if he reads her last words...you might be able to get to where you want to go, even if it's a horrible, dangerous idea." Mario approached the bar after drying out his hat from Pinkie's tears. He took the envelope, willing to give it to Bobbery so he can have some closure with his loss, even if the hope of gathering him as their navigator would be fruitless. Leaving the inn, everyone followed Starlight back to the east side of Rogueport to Bobbery's residence. She did worry a little bit about him finding them at his door again, but she felt bad for the old bomb. Starlight gave a few knocks on the door, but there was no response. "Hello!?" Starlight called out. "Admiral Bobbery, I know you're still inside!" "Nobody's home!" the Bob-omb exclaimed. "But...isn't he still here?" Vivian asked, scratching her head in confusion. "You don't get out much, do you, dear?" Ms. Mowz asked the shadow girl. "More like a former enemy whose sisters treated her like garbage," Goombella said. "Ah. I see," the mouse uttered. "Bobbery, we just want to talk," Starlight said. She waited for another shouting response, only to be surprised when the door swung open, revealing the old Bob-omb glaring angrily at the intruders. "Why can't you take the hint and leave me alone!?" he shouted. "Whatever you want with this Bobbery, you're talkin' to the wrong Bob-omb! Now beat it before I blast the lot of ya in the ocean!" He was about to slam the door, but Starlight quickly kept the door from closing and locked up tight with her magic. "Wait, please, just hear us out!" she begged. She could hear Bobbery's fuse lighting up as he growled. She didn't know how strong a Bob-omb's explosion would be, but she had her magic ready to cast a spell before he blew up. "We know why you don't want to go out at sea! We know about Scarlette!" The hissing sound fizzed out, an eerie silence filling the air. Starlight let go of the door, letting Bobbery slowly open it up while giving the interlopers a dirty look. "How do you know about her?" he questioned. "An old friend of yours. He works at the inn," Starlight said. Bobbery grumbled to himself. "Podley, you numbskull..." He turned away and walked back inside, leaving the door open. Unsure if it was an invitation to come in to avoid causing more of a scene than he already had, everyone followed him inside. He sighed, clearly not intending for them to walk right in his home, but he kept his back to them. "I don't want to be bothered. Whatever you heard from him, just drop it. I'm not going anywhere." "But we need your help," Flurrie said. "We need to get to Keelhaul Key," Goombella added. "We're looking for the Crystal Stars so we can try to keep the Thousand-Year Door from being opened. And...hopefully not stop a demon who created them and keep it from destroying the world after a thousand years being sealed behind that door underneath Rogueport." "I don't care if you're looking for a death wish for a stupid star," Bobbery said. He turned around, staring down everyone, then approached Starlight, bumping the mare's leg with his face. "Now you listen, and you listen good. What Podley told you was personal. I want nothing to do with you, or whatever stupid ideas you have at going out to the most dangerous isle south of this rundown port town. Now, get out of my house, and don't bother me again." There wasn't going to be any way of convincing Bobbery normally. Starlight looked at her friends, then back to the Bob-omb, letting out a defeated sigh. "...Ok. We'll leave you alone," she said. Bobbery grunted, satisfied to be left alone after the break in from Pinkie and getting the group out of his hair. Mario pulled out Scarlette's letter, walking up to the grumpy Bob-omb, and held the letter out to him. "What is that?" Bobbery asked. Mario said nothing, letting him figure it out if the way his name was written on the envelope felt familiar to him. Bobbery took the envelope and stared at it, his leer quickly turning to shock at his name, and who wrote his name on it. "...T-This...This is Scarlette's handwriting...W-Where...Where did you get this?" "Your friend had it," Starlight answered, mentioning the bartender, Podley. "Your wife asked him to give this to you on her deathbed, but he didn't know how to if it would upset you more." Bobbery's eyes shook, switching between his unwanted guests and the very last letter of his late wife. Shakily, he began to open the envelope, slowly and carefully, afraid to tear up the last few words that Scarlette wanted to say to him. Once he freed the letter, he opened it up and read what was written to him to himself. My love, If you're reading this letter, then I am no longer by your side. Because fate had stepped between us, I have decided to write you this letter. If you're reading this, I must have passed away while you were out to sea...I can only assume that you will blame yourself for it, my sweet Bobbery. Although my life was short, you gave me more than a lifetime's worth of joy. Though you will mourn, I beg that you remember that time, like love, is a tide. You are one with the sea, as you were one with me. Do not lose both your life's loves. With all my love, your devoted wife, Scarlette Everyone silently watched Bobbery, his eyes glued to the letter. Whatever was written out to him, the Bob-omb's breath hitched several times, tears beginning to form in his softened gaze. After several long minutes, Bobbery finally lowered the letter, staring off into space, though he was still aware of his guests standing before him. "...A-A thousand pardons...I...I need...I need a moment..." Slowly, Bobbery turned around, walking off to the back room of his house. "Bobbery?" Pinkie called out, but he tuned her out, closing the door behind him. She desperately wanted to hug the poor Bob-omb from how sad he seemed, a broken bomb living alone as he blamed himself for leaving his wife to suffer and succumb to her illness. They didn't know if they should leave Bobbery alone and try to find someone else to navigate the ship, but it could take them weeks to find the perfect sailor to do the job, and they don't have much time to waste. Inside Bobbery's back room, the old Bob-omb had an old bed and a small desk hidden from the main room. The desk had several different mementos, all of them reminding him of his love, Scarlette. The dam finally broke as his tears rolled down his cheeks, keeping her final words away from his face so his tears didn't stain the paper. He placed it gently on the desk, next to an old photo in black in white. The picture in the frame had two Bob-ombs posing together, a perfect happy couple. A young Bobbery with a much shorter mustache and his hat kept in pristine condition nuzzled up to a female Bob-omb, a small tint of a blush on her cheeks from the loving pose of her husband during the picture. Her fuse was long and braided while a normal windup key connected to her, though the brown colors of the photo made it hard to distinguish what color her body and fuse was. The Bob-omb silently wept, letting all the pent up sorrow he held back for so long go when he heard Scarlett's voice speak out to him through her final letter. "Scarlette...My sweet, sweet Scarlette...How did you stay with me for so long while I was mostly gone at sea?" he asked himself, feeling unworthy to have met, fallen for, and marry someone who stayed that devoted to a sailor who's away at port for weeks or months at a time. "I was happy with you...and I was happy being on the ocean, sailing the seas...exploring new worlds..." He grabbed the picture frame, staring at the Bob-omb he happily married. "You were my greatest adventure...I wished I didn't leave that day...I could have been there for you." Fresh tears rolled down his eyes as he held the photo close to him. Through his tears, he looked at her last words to him. If she were to see him this broken, she would never forgive him for letting her death eat away at his heart and turn him into a bitter, old bomb. Her final wish for him was to not let losing her take away his passion for sailing, and he knew her well enough to know she would tell him to go on an adventure, and she would be waiting for him when he returns. "...I didn't deserve you...I would do anything for you, Scarlette...And if you want me to go back out to sea...I will honor your final wish." For the first time since he lost Scarlette, Bobbery smiled. He looked at the photo again, the memory of that picture always fresh on his mind. He gave the frozen image of his late wife in the old photo a kiss, then gently placed the frame back on the desk. He gave all the mementos of Scarlette and their happiness before her passing a glance, wiping away his tears as he took a long, deep, calming breath. His steely gaze returned, but it wasn't as harsh and bitter as it had been; he was ready to embark on another adventure, and the dangerous waters of Keelhaul Key called him to take on the challenge. The heroes were debating if they should leave, hearing Bobbery talking to himself for a while, but the door to his room opened, and he walked over to them. "You said you were going to Keelhaul Key, correct?" Bobbery asked. "...Y-Yes," Starlight said after the group were puzzled by Bobbery's sudden change in demeanor. "Well, what are we waiting for!?" he exclaimed. "Take me to your ship and let's shove off!" Taken aback, everyone looked at each other, thinking they must be talking to the wrong Bob-omb. "What, do you all not have your sea legs!? Let's get a move on! I ain't gettin' any younger!" Bobbery then began to nudge everyone out of his house, having much more energy than Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Scrappy combined as he rushed them all to the docks. "Uhh, Admiral Bobbery, are you feeling ok?" Goombella asked curiously, and a bit worried that something snapped in him. "Better than better! I ain't gonna let no water scare me!" Bobbery said. "I need to inspect that ship and make sure it's perfect for Keelhaul Key!" "I think the grump finally went senile," Rainbow muttered. "Hey, I ain't that old, ya blue bird!" Bobbery exclaimed. "I'm still in my prime!" "We're ponies, actually," Fluttershy corrected. "But I bet Rainbow would be a pretty blue jay." "And you wanted to be a tree," Rainbow grumbled. "But Fluttershy isn't a tree," Vivian said. "I'm sure there's some inside joke neither of us non-quadrupeds will understand," Ms. Mowz said. "Don't think too hard on it, dear." With Bobbery's haste, they all returned to the docks. Some of the dock workers and sailors spotted them, staring in awe as they were looking at the famous Bob-omb sailor in the flesh. Even the hired crew on Flavio's ship spotted Admiral Bobbery with the group who were with the flamboyant captain on this expedition to the most dangerous isle in the middle of the ocean. As they climbed up the ramp and onto the ship, Bobbery took a look around to gauge the quality of the ship while Flavio approached them. "Ah, you have returned!" Flavio greeted. "And this must be Admiral Bobbery! I knew enlisting you as our navigator was one of my greatest ideas." "Oy! The idea was mine, Flavio!" Pa-Patch exclaimed. Flavio rolled his eyes, blowing off the hired hand's claim. Ignoring the annoying captain, the eyepatch-wearing Bob-omb walked up to the admiral. "Admiral Bobbery, an honor to meet you in person, it is. I've heard many stories of your navigational skills. I'll bet you had sailed through a typhoon and got naught a single scratch on the vessel ya commanded." "Yes, yes. I know my name is well known throughout many a port," Bobbery said. "And speaking of, I've yet to have a typhoon deter me from my course, let alone scratch so much as the paint off a ship." "Ahem, yes. That is all well and good, but...I'm sure Miss Starlight, as the negotiator to your acceptance into my crew, she has mentioned some monetary value for your famed work," Flavio said, making Starlight and her friends balk. "What? Payment? You'd better be paying if you're the captain," Starlight said. Bobber just shook his head at the offer. "No need. I may have been out of the game for a while, but I'm satisfied with traveling the high seas and exploring what the ocean has lying in store for us." "Are you certain?" Flavio asked. "We're going to be acquiring a hidden treasure trove of the pirate captain, Cortez. You'll be compensated greatly for your duty to keep the S.S. Flavion safe." "Keep whatever you find. I'm ready to begin sailing again," Bobbery said. Flavio shrugged his shoulders. "Very well. Your loss," he said. "Alright, men! Preparations are all set! Let's get ready to raise anchor!" "Ugh. Aye aye, 'Captain Flavio'," Pa-Patch grumbled. As the crew for the voyage began to get ready to shove off, the party waited on deck to watch them sail out of the port. "This is gonna be a long journey," Starlight grumbled. "Flavio really expected me to barter with Bobbery and pay him." "At least we're finally getting a move on," Goombella said. "We're running on a strict time limit before the Thousand-Year Door's seal disappears." "You know, your little adventures sound pretty interesting after all our run-ins in the past," Ms. Mowz said. "You should catch me up on everything on the ride to Keelhaul Key since I'll be joining your entourage." "Just don't try anything funny," Flurrie warned. Ms. Mowz tittered, giving Mario a small glance before giving him a wink. At Flavio's word, the crew was ready to shove off. They raised the anchor, lowered the sails, and with Bobbery at the helm, they sailed off from the port and out into open waters. Bobbery missed this: the salty sea air blowing in his face, the sound of the gulls cries as they flew overhead, the waves splashing against the vessel. Since he was a young bomb, the ocean had called him, and he never wanted to stop sailing, until he met Scarlette. He still missed his love, wishing things had been different, but it couldn't be helped. Sighing, the Bob-omb glanced back at Rogueport. As he looked back, he thought his mind was playing tricks on him when he saw something at the edge of the dock the S.S. Flavion. Leaving the wheel for a moment to get a closer look, as much as he could from the stern's railing. Squinting his eyes, he thought he could see a familiar Bob-omb standing there, watching the ship leave; his beloved Scarlette. Bobbery rubbed his eyes, believing he was already hallucinating seeing his late wife seeing him off. When he blinked and looked at the dock again, there was no one there. Whether it was his imagination playing tricks on him, Bobbery saw it as a sign that Scarlette would always wait for him, always being patient until the day he returns. He would one day be reunited with her when his time comes, but only when the sea would dare to part with him. He turned around and went back to his place at the wheel, turning it to steer them on their course to Keelhaul Key. Back on the docks, however, someone had been spying on them from behind some cargo, watching the ship disappear on the horizon with a pair of binoculars. Lowering them, the X-Naut soldier pulled out a radio, turning it on with a slight crackling sound. "This is X-Naut One here, come back, dude? I repeat, X-Naut One here, over," he said over the radio. He got a response, then clicked the radio's button again to communicate with the other member of the evil group. "Roger, reading you five-by. Infiltration is successful. X-Naut Black aboard vessel. Repeat: X-Naut Black is on board the vessel..."