//------------------------------// // With Her Best Friend Gone, Her Anger Soared // Story: Upon a Falling Feather // by ezra09 //------------------------------// The ring of steel echoed down the hall as the swords met again. Rainbow dashed to the side, whipping the cutlass through the air at Pinkie’s exposed flank. It whistled by uselessly as the pink pony skipped back effortlessly and returned a volley of blows that drove Dash back toward a wall. Dash ducked behind her own sword, muscles tensed, waiting for an opening. Finally, after a particularly wild swing, Pinkie drew back too far, and Dash pounced. She came down on an empty wooden floor. Pinkie giggled behind her. It seemed that no matter what Rainbow tried, Pinkie was always a step ahead and two to the left. She’d bounced off walls to counter attack, used her surroundings to block and interfere with Dash, and had even hit her with a pie pulled from Celestia knows where. Dash’s muscles ached and her hoof was sore from swinging the sword, but Pinkie didn’t seem so much as winded. “Can’t you just put the sword down and come quietly?” Pinkie asked, pouting. “It’ll be fun, I promise. I throw the best parties.” “No way. I don’t surrender.” “Awww,” Pinkie whined, bringer her sword up. Rainbow Dash frowned, glancing behind her. “Uh, of course, the great Captain Dash never runs from a fight, but she never leaves her crew behind either. So, as much as I hate to, I have to go now.” With a quick nod, Dash turned and ran. “Hey, wait!” Pinkie shouted, galloping after her. “I have to capture you! That’s not even the way out.” Dash was known for her speed in the air, but she wasn’t too bad on the ground either. Even so, the pink pony was able to keep right on her tail as she ducked and dodged between corridors. Finally, just as her already aching legs began to scream, she saw the outer hull, and a porthole. Night had fallen, and the black circle barely stood out against the dark brown wood. Dash reached beneath her wing, drawing the sword as she hopped awkwardly on three legs, and flung it at the porthole. The glass shattered, falling with the sword in a glittering rain. A second later, Dash dove headfirst through the hole, wings flaring out. “Hey, no fair!” Pinkie said, sticking her head through the window to pout at Dash. “Now I’ll only get to throw one party!” “Hehe, sorry. Like I said, my crew needs me, but next time we meet, we’ll definitely finish this. The brave and loyal captain Dash doesn’t run from anything.” With a nod, she turned and shot up into the darkening night. ***** The Falling Feather glided slowly, as though the ship itself had fallen to a sluggish depression. The crew worked soberly, checking lines and making repairs. Even Pinkie Pie was abnormally quiet as she took stock of her limited party supplies. In a single move, Rarity had lost her last chance at restoring her family’s name. It was only a matter of time before the crew removed her as captain or cut their losses and disbanded. Her best option was to set down in the next town, release Applejack, and leave the ship with Pinkie. Rarity tipped the cheap wine bottle and a few drops fell to the bottom of her glass. With a glower, she set the empty bottle down and rested her head on the wooden table. ***** “We have to go back!” “Not happening,” Rainbow said. “We can’t,” Shining said at the same moment. “But we just left Applejack there.” “Find your own ship and rescue her,” Dash said. “I did my job, and I am not going to put my ponies in any more danger. Unless of course,” she said, glancing at Shining Armor, “there’s something extra in it for us?” Twilight turned to Shining, hopeful. He fidgeted under the stares. “Twily, I promise we’ll come back for her, but not until you’re safe. If we tried to go now, while they’re still wary, they might threaten to hurt her.” Twilight’s ears flopped as she turned away, grinding a hoof angrily against the deck. “Alright, that’s settled,” Dash said. “Let’s get this thing moving. Fluttershy!” Nopony responded. They waited another few moments before Rainbow frowned and glanced quickly over the deck. “Fluttershy?” ***** “Captain Rarity!” Pinkie shouted as she bounced into Rarity’s quarters. Rarity barely lifted her head to look at the first mate. “The Rainbow Wake set sail!” “Oh?” she asked in a bored voice. “Yeah! Those liars! I bet their anchor wasn’t even broken.” Rarity closed her eyes, taking a breath to keep from snapping at Pinkie. “If that’s all, then you’re excused.” “Okie dokie,” Pinkie said with a salute. “Oh wait, there was more. They’re not flying to Canterlot. They’re flying right at us.” Rarity’s eyes snapped open. “What?” “Yeah. And they’re faster than us. Like, wooooosh, zoom!” “I can understand a rescue attempt for Sparkle, but it didn’t seem Applejack was very...” Rarity trailed off. The Rainbow Wake was a well known crew of bounty hunters, and they’d obviously been hired to rescue Twilight. If they were pursuing the Feather to rescue one of their own, a disagreement between Captain Dash and her contractor was likely. If they weren’t taking Twilight to safety immediately... “Full ahead! Keep them from making contact for as long as possible. Have the navigator plot a course for Las Pegasus. If we play this right, we may still have a chance.” ***** “Dash, this isn’t the way to go about it.” “Shut up, Shimmers. As long as you’re on my ship, you’re going to do what I say.” Dash stood at the helm, eyes focused on the Falling Feather. In the darkness, it would be easy to lose them, and she couldn’t be sure Shining Armor would help with a tracking spell. “Ah ponyfeathers, they’ve seen us. They’re making a run for it. Fluttersh... you, Twilight!” “Huh? Uh, yes, Captain?” Twilight stammered, backing slightly away from the angry pegasus. “Go down to the core dock. Tell the brothers to give the ship all we’ve got, then find something to hold onto.” “Yes ma’am,” Twilight said, pushing past her brother. Below-decks was a maze of claustrophobic halls and identical doors, but she finally followed the steady magical hum to the ship's core. The core itself was a confusing mass of pipes and chambers, taking up a room the entire width of the ship. The pipes disappeared into every wall as well as the ceiling and floor. At the center of the room was a massive metal engine, rattling and steaming, with a pale purple glow coming from some of the crevices. Two tall beige ponies manned the core, looming over a panel full of gauges and levers. Twilight cleared her throat and one of them looked over. He had a full mustache to match his red and white mane. The other had the same colored mane, but no mustache, and they both had matching hats. “Well, look what we have here,” the mustachioed pony said. “The famous Twilight Sparkle, if the description is anything to go by.” “Yes,” Twilight said with a nod. “He’s Flim,” the pony with the mustache said. “And he’s Flam,” the other said. “And we run this glorious bit of magical machinery,” they said together. “Now, how can we help you, sister?” Flim asked. “Rainbow wants you to, how did she put it, give it everything the ship’s got.” “Giving chase, are we?” Flim asked, turning back to the gauges. “Or are we getting away now that our mission is complete?” Flam asked, putting a hoof on one of the levers. “Chasing. It sounds like somepony named Fluttershy was captured by the pirates.” The Flim Flam brothers sputtered and whipped their heads around. “Fluttershy?” “The first mate?” “Well what are we waiting for?” they asked together. “Ready, Flim?” Flam asked. “Ready, Flam,” Flim said. Together they flipped a series of levers, and the machinery all around began to groan. “Captain Dash seemed pretty upset,” Twilight said, winding a leg around a solid looking pipe. “I’d imagine so. They go way back,” Flim said. “Longer than anypony else has aboard has known them.” “I think the only one’s who’ve been together longer have been my brother and I,” Flam agreed. He looked around at Twilight. “You’ll want to hold on with both hooves,” he said, pushing one last lever. ***** Dear Princess Celestia, My name is Daring Do; I’m an archaeologist working out of the Baltimare University. You might remember me from the Summer Sun Celebration two years ago, when you had to drag your student away before she’d stop asking about my work. Lately I’ve come across a few pieces possibly related to one of our oldest pony tales: the story of the Flying Dutchmare. There have been a few odds and ends, most of them fake. A piece of supposedly haunted rope, a tricorn worn by the undead pirates aboard. It all seemed quite silly, except for this last piece. It’s an old map, easily outdating skyships, but detailing some of the paths we take. Following this map, I found an ancient cairn in an abandoned mining town just south of Appleoosa, where I’m staying now. Under the rough stones was a single coin. It looks like a piece of eight, but with markings I’ve never seen. On the reverse is a star surrounded by five smaller stars. I remember this being your student’s cutie mark, and I can’t help but think they’re related. If you would permit it, I’d like to come to Canterlot and show you everything I’ve found personally. I await your response in Appleoosa. Daring Do. Iron will rolled the scroll and gave it back to Gilda. “That’s it? That’s why you wanted to join Iron Will?” Gilda tucked the letter into the bag beneath her wing. “Think about it. Word gets around fast. Everypony and their uncle probably knows about this mare’s abduction by now.” “So?” “So, if this Daring Do hears about it, and really thinks this student is related to her work, she’ll be hanging around nearby. Maybe not in the middle of things, but she’s not going to pass up any chance to help it’ll put her on the princess’s good side.” “Iron Will still doesn’t see your point,” he said flatly. “The Flying Dutchmare is the most famous ship to ever sail the sky. According to legend, it’s pillaged ships from the southern griffon kingdoms, across Equestria, and as far East as Saddle Arabia. If it’s real, who knows how much treasure it has stocked up in these ancient karrins or whatever they’re called?” “So you want to come because this mare might be around, and you might be able to steal a map that might lead you to treasure?” Gilda shrugged. “Worst case scenario, we get the bounty for saving the student. It’s worth a shot. How much longer till we reach Las Pegasus?” ***** The Great and Powerful Trixie stepped back to admire her work. She had been sent ahead with a small group two weeks ago to prepare, while the rest of the crew took a more roundabout way. Rarity wanted to keep moving, giving the letters time to reach the princess without sitting in one spot. “With these great and powerful spells, our victory is assured!” “Eeyup,” came a slow drawl behind her. “These illusions of fog and fire will confuse any ships the princess sends to shoot us down.” “Eeyup.” “These gusts of winds will throw off their aim if they try to double cross us, and this, my greatest and most powerful spell, will let us slip into the night and disappear without a trace.” “Eeyup.” Trixie turned toward the red stallion. “Don’t you have anything more to say about the Great and Powerful Trixie?” “Nnope.”