//------------------------------// // Shiver My Timbers, Shiver My Sword // Story: Upon a Falling Feather // by ezra09 //------------------------------// Iron Will stood on the deck of the Juggernaut. The massive ship was ready to sail from Canterlot as soon as he gave the word. All they needed was a destination. The moon had risen high above the mountain city before anything happened. Two dark shapes streaked through the sky, circling his ship a half dozen times in as many seconds before diving right at him. Iron Will didn’t flinch as the dark shapes flared their winds and pulled up, tugging at his horns as the passed. The two griffons set down behind him. He turned to study them. The closer was a sleek male with heavy, mechanical wings protruding from a scarred back. The further was an angry female. “Iron Will,” she said in greeting. “Gilda.” Iron Will tossed her a small bag of bits. She swiped it out of the air with a quick motion and weighed it in her talons before tucking it into a bag beneath her wing. “There’s nothing from the Rainbow Wake yet, but one of my gals delivered an unmarked letter to the Princess. She didn’t get much time with it, but it seems to be from your pirate friends. They want to meet a small ship just north of Las Pegasus.” Iron Will nodded, smiling. “That’s exactly what Iron Will needed.” He turned his head and shouted, “Prepare to launch!” “What exactly is this about?” Gilda asked. “Pirates kidnapped somepony with lots of clout. The Princess’s personal student or something. There’s a big reward for saving her.” “Oh really? Just how big a reward are we talking?” Gilda asked, head perking up. Iron Will snorted. “Don’t think about it. You don’t even have your own ship.” “Eh, I guess you’re right, but it’s still interesting. I wasn’t gonna mention this, but maybe we can work out a deal.” “No way, Iron Will doesn’t... wait, mention what?” Gilda turned to her partner. “Go pack my stuff, and grab the letter from Appleoosa.” ***** Twilight held her breath as the pink pony raced past her hiding spot. She’d probably found the empty cell and was on her way to tell the captain. Twilight only had another three minutes or so before the entire crew was looking for her. She took a breath, ready to come out of her hiding spot when another set of hoofsteps came from down the hall. “What do you think that was about?” a mare asked. “I don’t know, but it’s probably not good.” Twilight’s heart jumped at the sound of a stallion’s voice, and she came out from behind the barrel without thinking. “Shining Armor?” The two ponies stopped, blinking in unison. “Twily?” Without hesitation Twilight flung herself at the white unicorn, wrapping her hooves around him in a tight hug. “You came for me!” “Of course,” Shining said, hugging her back. “Uh,” the rainbow-maned mare said, “not to break up the touching reunion, but we still need to get away.” “Right,” Shining said, pulling away. “Come on.” “Wait, we need to go back,” Twilight said, nodding back toward the cells. “Not happening,” the mare said, pushing Twilight forward. “They’re bringing the longboat around any second now to pick us up, and more than one pass would look suspicious.” “But it’ll only take a few seconds,” Twilight said, turning to run. “We don’t have a few seconds,” she said, snorting in frustration. “Shining, grab her.” “Huh?” “Do it! I’m not getting caught just so she can grab her teddy bear. You can apologize after we’ve saved her life.” Shining Armor frowned, but his horn glowed with reddish energy and Twilight’s feet swept out from under her. She let out a surprised gasp as she was hoisted into the air and pulled back toward her brother. “Sorry, Twilight, we don’t have time to argue.” Twilight’s heart jumped as she realized he was serious. She struggled against the light enveloping her, a desperate plea caught in her throat. If they would just listen, they could save Applejack too. She drew in a breath, reaching for her magic and imagining the structure of a spell that would release her. A shock of pain raced through her brain as her horn burned white hot. Her eyes crossed as the feedback from the inhibitor ring shattered her thoughts, and everything went dark. ***** Dash winced as Twilight jerked once and went limp. Pale smoke trailed from the ring around her horn. “I guess she forgot she was wearing the inhibitor.” Shining Armor sputtered incoherently. “She’ll be fine,” Dash promised, “but only if we get her away from here. Now let’s move before—” “Hey! Hold it right there!” Rainbow Dash smacked her hoof to her forehead without turning. “Get to a porthole on the starboard side and keep a light going. The boat will pick you up and take you to the Wake.” “What about you?” Dash fluttered her wings. “I’ll catch up.” Shining Armor nodded, glancing once at the pair of pirates closing in before turning to run, Twilight floating beside him. “Hey, stop!” one of the pirates, a unicorn stallion, shouted. He tried to chase, but Rainbow put herself between them and the fleeing Shining, wings spread aggressively. The other, an earth pony mare, tried to duck around, but met with a hoof to the face. “You want to reach them, you’ll have to deal with me first,” Dash said. The pirates backed away, squaring their shoulders to her. “Oh, there is one other thing.” She reached back slowly, a confident smile on her face. She found the thick band of metal belted to her side, sized perfectly to fit around her hoof. She drew the sword and lunged forward with a shout. The pony pirates flinched as the steel arced over their heads, making a complete circle before coming to rest at Dash’s side. Glancing quickly at each other, they turned and fled down the passageway. “Oh, that was neat!” a bubbly voice said behind her. “Gah!” She flinched, swinging the sword wildly as she turned. Nopony was behind her, and for a moment she thought she was alone. “I know unicorns who use swords,” the voice said from her left this time, “but hardly any pegasuseses or earth ponies.” Dash turned to see a bright pink earth pony smiling at her. “I did meet one who tried learning once, but had trouble spinning it on his hoof and chopped off his own tail. He looked so silly, because his mane was really long.” She held out a hoof in greeting. “Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie.” “Uh, hi, Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash. Well, it was nice meeting you, but I have to go now.” Pinkie Pie didn’t seem to be listening. Her hoof was tapping the floor as she thought deeply. “I know I’ve heard that name before. Rainbow Dash. Raaaainbow. Oh!” She looked up sharply. “Rarity mentioned you a few seconds ago. You’re the captain of the Rainbow Wake, right?” “Uh, yeah?” “Great! That means I get to throw you a party.” “A party?” Rainbow asked, head tilted in confusion. “Yep. The captain said I could throw one for any prisoners we capture.” Pinkie punctuated the sentence with a flourish of her sword. “Wait, when did you get that?” “Oh, this is gonna be so fun!”