//------------------------------// // #YouAreAPirate - A Pirate's Life For Me // Story: Scattered Tales - App Stories from Ponyville Ciderfest! // by MidnightConcerto //------------------------------// A Pirate's Life For Me CodeWord: #YouAreAPirate “Bring down the sail!” Captain Celaeno shouted from the helm of the flying ship. “We’re landing at the port soon!” With a yell of confirmation, you quickly cross the deck to carry out the order. You had regularly been apprenticed to her ship as a young child, growing up among the captain and her fine crew of misfits. You had originally planned to leave upon turning twenty-one, but due to a weird quirk of fate your birthday fell on the twenty-ninth during a leap year. This meant your birthday only came once every four years, and thus despite your age you were still under her command. These days you didn’t do a whole lot of pirating, though. Ever since the Storm King had taken over, the lot of you had been run down and given a choice: join the Storm King and help deliver his cargo, or have the ship destroyed and the entire crew thrown in the dungeon. To keep her crew safe, Captain Celaeno had agreed to the terms. Now, far from the pirate life, you were essentially glorified couriers of whatever goods needed to be shipped across the land. As the sails were slowly furled, the ship angled downward towards the ground and the docks situated there. You wouldn’t be landing on the ground itself, just hovering several meters above it to off-load the cargo into the waiting carts. As soon as the captain steered into dock, you and the crew quickly threw ropes over to waiting hands below, who in turn quickly tied them tightly around pylons and railings to keep the ship steady. Content, Celaeno hopped down from the helm and onto the deck of the ship. “Off-load the goods, and bring me the manifest!” Quick salutes were followed by equally quick movements as the hold was opened. None of you enjoyed being docked, particularly near the foot of the Storm King’s castle, so everyone was motivated to complete the process as quickly as possible. As each crate is lifted from the cargo hold, the markings were relayed to Celaeno who would mark it the container delivered, before you and the crew moved it to a waiting platform connected to a crane. The whole unload took nearly an hour, but soon enough the last box was ticked, the entire manifest signed for by the dockmaster. As he leaves the ship, one of the other crew gathers you all. “One more crate in the hold.” He says softly. With a quirked brow, Celaeno looks over the manifest again. “Says here we got ‘em all. Numbers on the crates matched and everything. Any idea what it is?” “Haven’t opened her. Figured it was best t’ leave it alone, decide what to do with it.” Pacing slightly, the captain took a moment to think. “Well, they certainly won’t miss the crate if it isn’t on the manifest. But then again, if we get searched later and they discover it… you all know how the Storm King deals with theft.” As she continues to ponder, you feel a nudge from one of your crewmates. Nodding his head in the captain’s direction, it’s clear they want you to offer up an opinion. What do you say? [CHOICE] What do you suggest to do with the crate? > Give it to the Storm King, just to be safe. (Villain) > Finder’s keepers, it’s the pirate way! (Chaos) [ENDING A: VILLAIN] Clearing your throat, you decide to speak up. “Captain, if I may be so bold. The crew is small enough as it is already, we shouldn’t risk anyone else to the Storm King’s wrath. Let him have his box, so we can keep our family.” Stopping her pacing, Celaeno nodded. “You’re right, [USERNAME]. I hate helping the Storm King, but a captain’s duty is to her crew.” Hopping onto the railing, she yelled down and the creatures below. “Oi! We got one more for you lot, not on the manifest it seems!” It takes a few minutes to sort out, but eventually the crate is offloaded onto the dock and taken away. You have no idea what was inside, and you hope it wasn’t anything too powerful. But at the end of the day, crew is family, and family comes first. Clearing the box out of your mind, you turn and await the captain. Back up at the helm, she shouts down. “Cast us off, scallywags! The day is ours now, and the sky’s calling my name!” With a unified shout of “Aye aye, Captain!” you and the crew set sail once more into the clear blue skies. (+1 page for Villains) [ENDING B: CHAOS] “Captain,” you say softly, “if I may be so bold. They won’t miss what isn’t on the manifest, and it’s been a long while since we’ve done anything… piratey.” With a smirk, Celaeno glances over at the dock. “What they don’t know won’t hurt them. Even if it’s full of junk, it’ll feel nice to pull one over on the Storm King after everything he’s put us through. Best be off before they decide to inspect the hold out of boredom.” Turning around, she strides towards the helm of the ship. “Come on then ya scurvy scallywags, cast us off from the dock! Let’s put some wind in these sails and hit the blue skies!” With a unified cry of “Aye, Captain!” you and the crew quickly untie the ship from the dock, unfurling the sail to allow the magic within to start pulling you up and away from the Storm King’s castle. Her smirk still visible, Celaeno salutes the crew. “A fine job, men. Feels good to get a little of the ol’ pirate going again.” (+1 page for Chaos)