The damage to the Rainbow Wake was severe, but not irreparable. The crew had kept the dark pegasi from reaching the core, so it still had power. The sails had taken the most damage, and without them they could only move forward at a crawl. Several injured ponies were being cared for by the ship’s doctor, Redheart.
“Our best bet is to commandeer the Feather,” Rainbow said to Shining after receiving the damage report. “Iron Will’s crew is making its way to Las Pegasus on foot. With the Feather, we can tow the Wake before nightfall. Take the captain, send the rest of the crew on their way.”
“Whatever gets us back to Canterlot the fastest,” Shining agreed.
“Gilda!” Dash shouted as she turned to ready a smaller vessel. “You’re in charge. If Shining sends up a signal, it means the pirates are trying something. Be ready to board if that happens.”
“Aye,” Gilda called back.
Dash gestured with a hoof, inviting Shining to climb aboard the vessel, and they made their way back to the Falling Feather.
*****
Twilight Sparkle was back in her cell. Well, not her cell, exactly. That one was still missing its door, but her new cell was almost identical. The only difference was the iron band wrapped around one of the hinges to keep it together.
“And then once my brother was out of the way, Captain Rarity had us all taken prisoner.”
“Ya shouldn’t have come back to this ship,” Applejack said.
“I told you I’d come back for you,” Twilight said. “I, uh, just didn’t think it’d be like this.”
“I just can’t believe we’ve been taken prisoner,” Flim said somewhere to Twilight’s right.
“It’s an outrage,” his brother said.
“A scandal!”
“Do those two ever stop?” Spike asked from the cot behind Twilight.
“No,” an unfamiliar voice, almost too soft to be heard, said from a few cells over. “They really don’t.”
“Just how many cells do they have on this ship?” Spike muttered under his breath.
“Is that the first mate?” Flim asked.
“Fluttershy!” Flam said.
“Oh, um, hi. I, uh, didn’t want to interrupt while everyone else was talking.”
The door squeaked open and one of the earth ponies that had detained them entered. Twilight leaned her head against the bars to get a good view. “What happened? Did we win? Is everypony safe?”
“Eeyup,” he answered slowly.
“Hold on a second,” Applejack said from Twilights right as her hooves clopped against the deck. “Big MacIntosh, is that you?”
A moment passed as the large red stallion glanced around, a confused frown forming. “Uh... nnope?”
“Big Mac,” Applejack said calmly. “You aren’t from the bounty hunter’s ship, are you?”
“Nnope. Applejack, Ah had no idea you were in here. Ah only got back on the ship today.”
“Big Mac, go get the keys, and let all of us out. Now.”
“Ah, uh...” Big Mac nervously licked his lips. “Ah can’t do that.”
Applejack blinked. “What?”
“Ah was told not to let anypo—”
“Ah don’t give a flyin’ feather what that prissy little pirate told you! You grab the keys and let us out right now, or so help me, I’ll buck ya into next week!”
“Sorry, Applejack, no can do. It’s not Miss Rarity I’m worried about, neither. I’ll explain everything soon as Ah can, but until then, ya’ll are jus’ gonna have to wait.”
Applejack stared in shock as he turned to leave. “Big MacIntosh! You get yer flank back here! BIG MAC!”
*****
Shining stood on the deck of the Falling Feather. His every muscle was tensed as he glared at the pirate captain.
“I believe we’ve reached an impasse,” Rarity concluded. “Without more time to prepare, our unicorn won’t be of much help, and half our crew is still aboard the feather, so we can’t just cut our losses and run again. On the other hoof, you can’t take Twilight Sparkle back by force. Having her back in our custody gives us quite a bit of leverage.”
“But not enough,” Dash said. “You’re not in a good enough position to start making demands.”
“Yes, that’s why I called it an impasse. A stalemate,” Rarity said. “I believe in this case, negotiations are in order. Each side gives in, makes demands, and we all walk away feeling cheated.”
Shining sighed. “I want to see the crew members first, to make sure they’re alright. After that we’ll talk about the ransom. And we need to keep moving before more of those pegasi show up. Tow the Wake behind you.”
“Very well,” Rarity agreed. “Pinkie Pie, see to it. Start a course for Windy Gorge, to the Northeast.” Together they made their way below decks, through the twisting passageways and into the brig. Six small cells lined the room, three on either side. To their left were Twilight and Spike, Applejack, and an empty cell with the door missing. On their left were the Flim Flam brothers, Fluttershy, and Pipsqueak.
“Shining Armor!” Twilight said when they entered. “What happened? The only thing we’ve been told is that everypony is okay.”
“Yeah,” Shining said. “Once the confusion faded, we were able to drive them back. They must have counting on bringing down at least two ships in the initial attack.”
“Any clue why they attacked us in the first place?”
Shining shook his head.
“Hey, Fluttershy,” Dash said quietly as the siblings talked. “Sorry I haven’t gotten you out of here yet.”
“Oh, don’t be sorry, Captain,” Fluttershy said quickly. “It’s not bad here. The pirate captain has been very nice.”
Dash shook her head, “That’s not the point. It’s my fault you’re in here. What kind of captain lets her first mate get captured? And it’s been days. I should have rescued you sooner.” Dash put a hoof on the metal bars, and Fluttershy touched it with her own.
“I know you’re doing your best. The great Captain Dash doesn’t leave anypony behind, right?”
Dash smiled slightly. “Right.”
Rarity cleared her throat. “As you can see, they are all in perfect health, and will remain that way so long as we all get along. Right now, our biggest concern is getting to safety, and negotiating the exchange.”
“She’s still hoping for the ransom?” Applejack asked. “This mare jus’ don’t quit.”
“Never,” Rarity agreed. “Now, finding safety before any more of those pegasi attack will probably be our biggest challenge. We can’t just pull into any port. A quick message and we’d be surrounded by royal guards.”
“Doesn’t sound like a problem to me,” Dash muttered.
“We have to find a neutral port or easily defended location, and there’s no telling how much time we have.”
“What about the Crystal Empire?” Twilight asked. Everypony turned their gazes to her. She smiled nervously under the sudden attention. “It’s not part of Equestria, so it’ll be neutral to both our parties. The city closest to the border is Emerald Hollow. It’s a trading city, with a skyport and plenty of places to buy supplies. You should be able to get materials to fix any damage from the fight.”
“Ain’t that—”
“The city I was telling you about?” Twilight cut Applejack off. “Yeah. I’ve always wanted to see it, I just never figured I’d have the chance.”
Rarity pursed her lips. “It’s true that the Crystal Empire is a sovereign nation, but relations between them and Equestria are peaceful. How do we know they will remain neutral?”
Twilight shrugged. “Even if they don’t, you should have a few days before they can coordinate with Princess Celestia, assuming Shining can even get a letter to her.”
Rarity thought about it for another moment before nodding. “I suppose that’s the best we can hope for. To the Crystal Empire then.”
*****
The witch lived in a small swampy area called Froggy Bottom Bogg. The Flying Dutchmare flew the group as close as possible and lowered them down in a small clearing.
Daring Do let the rope swing away as the crew pulled it back up. The ground in the clearing was mostly dry, but she could see patches of slick mud in every direction beyond the line of trees. Mosquitoes buzzed in angry clouds, joined by a choir of bullfrogs and screaming birds.
“Pleasant place, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Gives me the creeps,” Braeburn answered, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
“Everypony stay close,” Time Turner said. “There’s all kinds of monsters in here. Giant multi-headed hydras, timberwolves, maybe even ursas. Even if we avoid those, mud pits and quicksand can kill you just as easily.”
“And don’t forget the P-O-U-Ses,” Derpy added.
“Parasprites of unusual size? I don’t think they exist.”
Everypony paused, turning to each other expectantly. A moment passed and nothing happened. With a shrug, Time Turner started ahead, and the small group turned to make their way through the swamp.
Traveling through the wilderness wasn’t new to Daring, but she still prefered not to. The mud sucked at her hooves, making each step a work-out. Her tail whipped back and forth, smacking away mosquitoes that tried to find a perch in her coat. The steady hissing and screeching, the crying and caterwauling of unseen predators stood her mane on end and grated on her nerves.
Braeburn seemed to be in even worse shape. He was used to hard work on the farm, but simply walking through a swamp was a different workout altogether. The poor stallion was probably using muscles he didn’t even know he had.
Finally, after over an hour of hiking, they arrived at a small hut. Surrounding the hut were ugly masks almost as tall as a pony. A rhythmic chanting came from inside. Time Turner led them around to the front of the hut and raised his hoof to knock. Before he could, the chanting stopped and a voice floated through the beaded curtain over the front door.
“Come in, come in my pony friends. The time we have will soon end. Don’t sit and dawdle there, with you hoof hanging in the air.”
Time Turner lowered his hoof and pushed his way through the curtain. Daring and the others followed.
The room was simple enough, dominated by a large black cauldron. Masks decorated the walls, and bottles littered the shelves. In the back was a simple cot. Standing at the pot, back turned to them, was a zebra.
Daring Do only recognized her as one from books she’d read. She’d never seen a real one before. The mare was striped white and black, and wore an assortment of gold loops.
“Uh, hello. My name is—”
“Yes, yes, Time Turner. I know you. Your friends are Derpy, Braeburn, and Daring Do. I know of what you come to speak, and I have seen the answers you desperately seek. But Zecora doesn’t work for free, for each question there is a fee.”
“Oh. Well, Miss Zecora, we didn’t bring money with us. It didn’t seem practical to carry heavy coins through the swamp,” Time Turner said.
“I have no need for such a pretty thing. There is no use for it out here, among all that bite and sting. Daring Do, your work takes you far and wide. What I seek from you is a guide.”
“A guide?” Daring asked.
“It has been long since I’ve seen my home, not since the fleeting spirit of youth called me to roam. I ask that you guide a letter to the East, so that my family might know I’m well at least. Who better for such a task, than somepony with colleagues that they might ask, to see this message on it’s way, and be sure it will not stray.
“That’s it? You want me to get a letter to your family?” Daring asked. Zecora nodded. “Okay.” Zecora reached for a scroll sitting on one of the shelves and gave it to her. She tucked it carefully into her saddlebags.
“To find the mare who’s cutie mark is on the coin you hold, travel north to the arctic cold. In the Crystal Kingdom, the main road you will follow, until you reach a city called Emerald Hollow.”
Zecora turned to Captain Derpy. “You are on the right path to find who you chase, keep on this course, steady your pace. Zecora can show you where to find him and how, to stand before him just three days from now.”
Derpy’s face hardened and she nodded. “What’s the price?”
“A memory for the info and the deal is done, nothing much, just a small one.”
“A memory?” Derpy asked, focusing an eye on Zecora as the other stared intently at a particularly ugly mask.
“Something near to your heart, a keepsake, one might say. That is my price, if you are willing to pay.”
Derpy reached a hoof to her chest, touching above the heart. Daring shook her head, realizing she wasn’t touch her heart exactly. Her hoof was too far left, directly over one of her vest’s pockets. After a moment, Derpy frowned, eyes, narrowing angrily. She shook her head.
Zecora smiled approvingly. “I did not think you would agree, and happier to be proven right I couldn’t be. You must never let your final goal, twist your mind and steal your soul.” Zecora turned to Braeburn as Derpy stepped back, a small smile replacing the frown.
“Braeburn, you first joined this quest because for your family you wish the best. Times are hard and the pay was good, have I correctly understood?” Braeburn nodded and Zecora continued, “Now you would ask, what can you do, to keep your home safe as this storm begins to brew?”
“Yeah,” Braeburn said. “If Nightmare Moon is real, I don’t want anypony back home ta be hurt by her return.”
“For every month of the coming year, I ask a dozen apples be delivered here.”
“Is that all? Sure thing.”
“Go with Daring to find her mare, for six others will be waiting there.”
“Others?” Daring asked.
“One for each coin you must find, and not one may be left behind.” Zecora turned and took two quick steps to one of the shelves. She knocked a few bottles aside and turned back, a piece of paper in her mouth. She stepped back and set it in front of Braeburn. On the paper were two sketches. A trio of diamonds and a trio of balloons.
“These two mares will be the hardest found, for when you arrive they’ll be tightly bound. Break them free on the night of stormy weather, and together you’ll flee upon a Falling Feather.”
“On a feather? What the hay does that mean?”
Braeburn’s question was ignored as Zecora turned finally to Time Turner. “As surely as I rhyme, I know your payment will come in due time. You of course want to know how to stop the evil queen.”
“Ha!” Time Turner said, smiling. “You missed one. I was going to ask why she wants the coins.”
“The question is your’s to ask, but be careful the question you give is the one that you mean.”
Time Turner’s smile faded as he thought about it. After a moment, his ears drooped and he sighed. “How do we beat Nightmare Moon?”
“To stop the queen and avoid this fate, you must seek out the pieces of eight.”
“We kind of figured that much out already, funny enough,” Time Turner said, rolling his eyes.
“The pieces are hidden each beneath an invisible tower, a rift in space created by great power. Only when moved will their magic flow free, singing across the sky as a beacon for all to see.”
“So the shadowbolts can’t find them unless somepony moves them?” Time Turner asked.
“Are you daft? That’s what I said. Open your ears and use your head.”
“Right, right, sorry,” he said.
“To find the pieces, you must ask the one who hid them. The problem first lies in getting to him. Even if you do, he may be hard to please, but if you wish to try, you will find him in the Western seas.”
“Western... wait, you don’t mean around the Amaranthine Tempest, do you?”
“Not around, I am afraid. You must go deeper to seek his aid. To the eye of the storm you must fight, or else get used to the idea of eternal night.”
“That’s not possible. Nopony can get through the Tempest,” Time Turner said, eyes darkening. “You’re crazy for even suggesting it.”
“Do not give up hope. It can be done. But first you must ask the mare who gives us the sun. She raised the tempest long ago. She just may tell you which way to go.” Zecora nodded and turned away from them. “The hour grows late and you have much to do. I myself must finish this brew. Go with care, and no delays. I wish you luck in the coming days.”
The ponies filed out of the hut, a little surprised at the sudden dismissal. Derpy was the last one out, turning back at the door and giving a lopsided smile. “Thank you.”