//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2: Present 
// Story: Bronies Beyond the Stars: Pirate's Plunder 
// by Digital Spark 
//------------------------------//

The sun continues to fall on the horizon. The distant rocks continue to rise above the far reaches of sight. The lone pony's cheeks flush. Sweat beads, condenses, then falls to the lifeless ground. Faint traces of dull gray smoke are visible on the horizon. One of the planets moons is faint in the sky. The wreckage is no longer smoking. Dann's remaining wing twitches with each step. His hooves are shaking from exhaustion. His forehead is creased in determination.
BOOM
Startled, he turns his head toward the sky. A metallic cylinder streaks toward the ground at an incredible speed. The front glows red hot due to the tremendous stress of reentry. Within seconds, it is within normal view.
BOOM
The ground shakes. Dust flies into the air. Covering his face with his hoof, he coughs violently. Water starts to stream out of his eyes as dust seeps through his eyelids. Then, the dust clears. The sky returns to view. The metallic object is half visible above the ground. He can see it more clearly. Thrusters dot the top. What looks like a hatch is just visible above the ground. Realization hits him hard.
An escape pod! Energy returns as he gallops toward the pod. His wing screams in protest. A faint, synthesized, voice can be heard coming from the vehicle. It sounds very familiar. Arriving at the vehicle, he yells.
"Hey! Fish Face! Is that you?!"
A faint voice comes from the other side.
"Is that you? Thank heavens! Can you get the hatch open?"
Dann's horn glows. The door is surrounded by a magical veil. With a creak, and a groan, the metal snaps, torques, and crashes to the ground beside the pod. Inside, the fish sits scrunched against the far wall, trident propped beside him.
"I'd like to say i'm glad to see you. But, from what we saw of the planet, I won't fare much better than it appears you have."
Dann grunts. With another magical exertion, the fish and trident are lifted out of the pod and onto his back, cradled by his remaining wing.
"Thank you" He comments. His face moves subtly as his mind tries to find a piece of information. "I don't believe I know your name."
He starts walking past the pod and toward the mountains.
"Dann. You?"
The fish grips the trident in both fins, looking for signs of life, hostile or not.
"To my people I am known as glubglubglubglubburbleglub. But, to outsiders, I am known as Alex."