//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: Round 2, fight! // Story: Ponies, cannons, and war // by Fashionably Late //------------------------------// I stared boredly at the griffons, and a pair of diamond dogs and a minotaur, being led one by one below deck where they would be imprisoned till both ships returned to Equestria. The first griffon glared at me until Snowstorm pointed out that I was the one who nearly shot them out of the water. After that, the pirates couldn’t look at me without shuddering in place. After the Griffon's surrender, the crew of Clearwave had been working on a number of tasks. A tow between the Clearwave and the pirate ship so that they could house the many captured ponies within without having to squeeze every creature on board just one ship. Cataloging all the contraband on board the ship. Treating the injured ponies that had been taken, and finally to get the pirates stowed away in the brig. Due to the amount of work needed to be done and the unexpected passengers, the Clearwave was going to sail to nearby Manehattan instead of Fillydelphia. The new route would take the rest of the day to traverse and we likely wouldn’t make it back till tomorrow. I offered up my help, but I was refused by Summer Rain and the rest of the crew. Everyone had claimed I’d done more than enough and they’d be failing their oaths, or something along those lines. In fact, I could feel them staring at me everywhere and everytime I passed them or they passed me they would stop and salute me like I was their commanding officer and we’d go off on our way. Heck, I even mentioned I could go for a drink and a unicorn galloped below deck for a glass of water so fast that I’d swear he teleported. And asking if there was apple juice saw a repeat performance with even more crashing sounds below. The liberated ponies were actually divided. Like the pirates some of them were shuddering everytime I looked their way. The others looked at me with awestruck expressions. A few had approached at one time or another, bowing their heads so low that their muzzles were pressed into the floor, and thanked me for my help. Some were even weeping as they did so, their weeping worrying me out. All in all, the new levels of respect and awe were weirding me out. So, until things calmed down a bit, I decided to relax by the railing till everything was sorted out. Unfortunately for me, life had other ideas as a quintet of ponies approached me. The first was the pegasus who alerted us to the pirate attack. He was still looking exhausted, but relieved at the same time. The second was a cream colored pegasus mare that stood slightly shorter than the ponies next to her. The third was a literal cream puff of a pegasus filly holding a blue doll standing behind the mare who had to be either an older sibling or the mother. “How are you doing ma’am?” Snowstorm asked as Orange Drop gave her a look. “Well enough, just waiting for dinner.” I shrugged. “Oh, hehe, I believe that.” She chuckled with a far off expresion. No doubt remembering lunch. “Ma’am allow me to introduce Mr. Balance Account, Mrs. Vanilla Cream and their daughter Cream Cheese.” Orange Drop introduced the trio, who bowed deeply. Of course their names are Vanilla Cream and Cream Cheese. Because why wouldn’t life be tempting me with food after a quick cruise and a disappointing pirate encounter. “A pleasure to meet you all.” I said dully. “Likewise, Ma’am. I apologize if we interrupted you, but my husband had something he wished to say to you.” Vanilla Cream replied ignoring the tone of my voice, a grateful smile on her face as she turned towards said stallion. “…Ma’am, while I'm sure other ponies from my crew have said something similar already, I wished to thank you for your actions today.” Balance Account said as he once again bowed his head. “I do not know how much you heard about what happened before you showed up, but I managed to break free from my bonds after the griffons captured us and tried to go and find help, but a part of me couldn’t help but think that I might never see my wife and filly ever again.” Balance Account looked up, his eyes shining with emotion. “And everypony I have spoken to about our rescue has said that it was because of you and your efforts that I, my crew, and my family are standing here today. So, thank you, Ma’am, thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you should ever require the aid of me or my family, you only have to ask, and I will do everything in my power to help.” He finished, Vanilla Cream nodding along with his words. “Thank you Princess Royal, it was really nice for you to come help us! Even if you sounded mean and terrifying.” Cream Cheese added sweetly, her parents looking mortified at her comment. But I could only snicker at the thought of being mistaken for HMS Princess Royal. Although I’d probably never see what I would have looked like as a ship, the cage masts and superimposed turrets would very clearly set me apart from the Splendid Cats. The Lion class had tripod masts and a Q turret mounted amidships, for some god damn reason. “Mean and terrifying eh? I could work with that, but my name isn’t Princess Royal.” I said, getting everyone’s attention. “And I’ll…try and remember your offer Balance Account. Though I would have helped regardless. Commerce protection is a part of my job description.” “Does that mean you remember your name?” Snowstorm asked, intrigued. “Nope, just enough to know I’m not Princess Royal.” I said with a shake of my head. “How about y'all join in watching the waves? It’s quite soothing.” I offered. “We would be delighted, Ma’am.” Replied Vanilla Cream. Time passed shortly afterwards with Cream Cheese curling up onto her mother’s back. Turns out school was on break and Vanilla Cream was a stay at home mother while Balance Account was a profitable merchantman. He’d be gone for weeks on end trading foodstuff that were abundant in Equestria with the local griffon population in the Griffish Isles in exchange for finished products that were difficult to produce without a unicorn’s telekinesis or a particularly dexterous pegasus’ wings. Thumbs man. As such the family had thought it was a good time for a family vacation. Good idea, terrible execution. Needless to say his business attracted the attention of Griffonstone’s less reputable entrepreneurs. Yeah, big shocker considering the damn place was literally falling apart…I was tempted to mention the library’s state to Twilight if/when we ever met and watch those fireworks. Balance Account had been receiving threats over his goods for years, but it was only now that somebody had gotten the jump on him. And because of some selfish assholes, Balance Account wasn’t going to be delivering food anytime soon, at least till purchase or commission a replacement ship. Vanilla Cream tried to change the subject by mentioning that she and Cream Cheese had a window seat when I and Clearwave showed up. Apparently, despite how mean and terrifying I sounded, Cream Cheese had this to say about me. “So pretty.” Vanilla Cream revealed with Cream Cheese nodding her head in confirmation. I’ll take their word for it since I haven’t had a good look in a mirror recently. Closest to one I had was the water and I was more concerned about having hooves instead of hands and feet, followed by how to walk and shoot my guns and the overall goal of finding land. “I also like your cutie mark.” Cream Cheese said while looking at my flank. Cutie mark? Oh yeah, the but tattoos that showed off a pony's talents and personality to an extent. Summer Rain’s was a rain cloud hovering below the sun, Snowstorm’s was a snowstorm, of course, and Orange Drop’s was an orange dropping orange juice, how that led him to being a sailor I’d never know. Balance Account had sheets of paper as his cutie mark, Vanilla Cream’s cutie mark was a bowl full of vanilla cream and…I’m sorry, what? I had a cutie mark? …what? How? I mean, I just got here and I hadn’t had an epiphany, right? If the Cutie Mark Crusaders were anything to go by I should have noticed being lifted into the air and a light show. It’s not like I’d gotten one in my past life if I was a pony. I was a NEET, I dropped…walked out of college without a degree to my name and I barely left the house outside of grocery shopping and the occasional volunteer work for a “free” lunch and whatever foodstuffs I could walk away with. Turning over my head to look at my flank I saw it. I had a cutie mark and it was me. I mean, I’d need a better look, but it had to be a design of a warship and considering what I was, it had to be a battlecruiser. “I’ve never seen a cutie mark like that.” I look over my opposite shoulder to see Snowstorm taking a closer look at… Wah! She was looking at my ass! I backed up quickly, tripping over my own legs to do so and stumbled onto my ass. “Could you not!?” “What? I was just looking at your cutie mark.” She looked confused. “At least ask me first to take a look at my but or buy me dinner or lunch at least!” “Lunch…dinner? Like a date?” Gah! That was even worse! I’m losing control of the situation, someone help! Thud. Surprised, we all turned towards the noise to find a pony sprawled out on the deck. What? Thud. That was another one. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. “Snowstorm, Orange Drop, guys? What’s going on?” I asked as my group fell to the floor. “I don’t…” Snowstorm started weakly trying to regain her strength. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Why is this happening!? Why’s everyone falling to the floor dazed? And when did this mist roll in? “Somebody is always watching, always.” That…that… [That wasn’t us.] My captain spoke up for the first time since…last…night… With that growing realization I bolted towards the stern of the ship and froze. Morgana cruisers. Two heavy with four guns in a pair of superimposed turrets and three light cruisers with the same number of guns. About twenty kilometers, and considering the gun flashes they were well within range of us. “What…what are they?” I looked to my left and saw Summer Rain stare in object horror. “Morgana.” I automatically said gaining her attention. “...morgana?” “...beings that will kill us all if they’re not stopped. I’m going to stop them, or at least slow them down so you can escape. I need you to get to Equestria and warn everyone of a threat from the sea.” With my piece said and without waiting for a response I jumped over the railing and summoned my rigging. Just as I landed, splashes started raining down on us, pushing the towed pirate ship off to the side. With no time to lose I shot towards the Morgana sending 6 inch shells downrange while my main battery loaded. “Remember me assholes!” I hollered from my PA system as my main battery finished loading and I sent a hastily aimed shot at the heavy cruisers. BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! Like last time I just straddled the heavy cruiser. And either they did remember me or they just didn’t like 14 inch shells being sent their way since their turrets began tracking me. “Does that make you feel better? It shouldn’t.” Gah! I will shove a 14 inch shell up her right up her stern! We had closed down to fifteen kilometers before the heavy cruisers began to split from the light cruisers. During the exchange I had shells bounce off my belt and turret armor or explode atop my deck and catch fire. It was brutal. The bouncing shells stung and the fires were messing with my concentration. All the while I managed to let loose another salvo or two that, in the evening light, dealt visible damage to the lead heavy cruiser’s superstructure. The heavy cruisers turned to port, my port, to unshadow their rear turrets while the light cruisers charged at me. My main battery tracked the heavy cruisers while my starboard secondaries traded shots at the light cruisers and the portside secondaries tried to do the same to the heavies. At ten kilometers I barely caught sight of torpedoes on the light cruisers launching into the water. Shit! I barely had enough time to let loose my own torpedo before turning hard to port. Missing most of the torpedoes. BOOM! Gah! I said most. One managed to clip my underwater belt, but it was holding…barely. After that mistake I turned towards the light cruisers and happily noted that the lead light cruiser was sinking by the bow. I let loose a salvo at the second light cruiser, and at ten kilometers? I couldn’t miss. BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! It was beautiful. The second light cruiser was on fire and had holes by the waterline. She was floundering in the water, guns silent. The third light cruiser? It was charging the Clearwave. Oh no. I charged at it, secondaries roaring all the while. BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! And that’ll teach ya to ignore me! Turning to face the heavy cruisers I got a face full of 8 inch shells. … “Ah, if only it would last.” I’m not sure how long I was out, but the heavy cruisers were off to my port side and sailing past me. Straight towards Clearwave. “Bite me.” I said from my speakers. BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! Scratch one heavy cruiser. The last heavy cruiser heaved heavily to port, trying to swing out of the way of its sinking comrade. I slowly stood up. When did I fall down? Ignoring the blindly firing cruiser, my gun crews loaded another round and plotted out my firing angles. BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! And then…only I was left. Summer Rain was glad she hadn’t had dinner yet. She had been watching the mystery mare fight against ships far larger than Clearwave, far larger than any ship she had ever seen. It was all she could do considering how weak she, her crew and her passengers felt. No pony could stand, no pony could move at all and it was taking everything she had to remain conscious. All she could do was watch the mare and ships charge each other while shooting cannons that out ranged anything Equestria had. The sound of thunder echoing across the sea. When one of the ships began sinking she could feel some strength return to her as the mist weakened. It became easier to stand when another caught fire and became silent while the third ship sent to the bottom had Summer Rain unsteadily grab her telescope. She managed to look through it when the mare was hit by about eight cannons. Summer Rain’s heart dropped just as the mystery mare did and the remaining ships sailed past her and towards the Clearwater. “Ah, if only it would last.” She had thought it was all over. To her surprise, the mare shot the lead ship. The mare stood up and finished off the last ship and finally the mist was lifted. Everypony was up and Summer Rain turned to her crew. “Snowstorm! Orange Drop! Get a bucket of water and head east towards the mystery mare! Medic! We need a medic right now!” … “Ma’am!” Splash. “Huh?” “Are you alright?! There’s…there’s so much blood! I don’t…I don’t know what…” Snowstorm stammered. Why were Orange Drop and Snowstorm flying around me with buckets? … …buckets? “Where’s…Clearwave?” “Huh?” “Where’s Clearwave? “The Clearwave is right over there.” Orange Drop pointed and I saw Clearwave in the direction of his hoof. I started limping. Limping? “Where are you going?” “I’m…I’m walking to Clearwave.” “Ma’am! You can’t just walk back to the ship, that’s crazy!” Did Orange Drop just yell at me? “I will because…because I must. Also, I’m going to need a bath…when I get there.” “What?” Orange Drop uttered while Snowstorm, who’d been silent during the exchange suddenly zoomed off towards Clearwave. “Ma’am! By the princesses, please don't tell me that you intend to take a bath at a time like this? This will aggravate your wounds!” A stallion wearing a doctor’s coat shouted. Didn’t I…already go through this? “I do…because it’s the only way I…I can repair myself.” I stepped into the bath and laid down completely. In a few moments the water glowed green and the timer appeared. “26,32,16? What does that mean?” The doctor questioned, as I felt my consciousness fading. “Hours, minutes and seconds till I’m repaired.”