//------------------------------// // Chapter 6. Captain Long-Beard and the Sky Pirates // Story: Pip's new home // by Delitor //------------------------------// Captain Long-Beard stood behind the wheel of his ship, steering it toward the newfound chain of islands now known as the “Papaiian Islands.” His ship was vast despite its small crew, large and wooden, with a mere-pony at its front. The masts were large; the sails were deep blue and spread. Golden inlay was crafted into the rails, and His flag was a jolly roger crossed by a crescent moon and sword. The Captain himself was a small pony, a pinto, with an incredibly long white beard, dressed in his finest clothes with his trusty sword and blunderbuss beside him. “Ohoai Captain!” Called out navigator and first mate Luna. She was a larger thin alicorn with a dark blue coat similar to the sails; her mane was a depiction of the night sky. She was dressed with a brimmed hat and a fluffy White blouse with a deep green skirt. She was staring into the distance with a rather ornate black and golden spy-glass. “Aye?” replied the captain. “LAND HOOO!” Cried Navigator Luna. Closing her spy-glass and flying down to the Captain. “If we stay on this course then we should reach the first of the Papaiian Islands, the island of Sarsaparilla, by nightfall.” “That is great news Luna, once we land we shall make merry and begin out search for the lost treasure of Cheerliee the Queen of Pirates!” Announced Captain Long-Beard to the crew, which was slightly off considering he and his navigator were the only crew. The captain blushed a little and followed. “Get some rest; I shall wake you when we make land.” And at that Luna went to her chambers to rest, with a smile on her face, mumbling where the Captain couldn’t hear her. “So even in here he never changes” ************************************************************************************** It felt like it took no time at all to make land, no sooner had Navigator Luna had gone to rest in her quarters the island came into view and they were docked. Captain Long-Beard went down the stairs to try to get his navigator, or at least tried too, half-way down them he tripped and started falling down the stairs. “Omph”,” eph”, and “erch!” escaped his mouth as he bounced down the short stairwell. All to land finally at the hooves of his navigator. “Oh my captain, you really must be more careful,” said Navigator Luna levitating him up to his hooves with her magic and dusting him off. “Now, off to the bustling trading post of Sarsaparilla!” exclaimed Luna, almost looking more excited than Captain Long-beard… almost. The captain ran over the gangplank and into the hustle and bustle of the bazaar closest to the docks. He quickly ran out of sight and by the time Luna herself disembarked she had no idea where he could have gone. Luna soared overhead and once she found where the captain had went she floated down by his side. “Captain, shouldn’t we head for the tavern?” “One second, Navigator Luna," Captain Long-Beard went into the tent of a trades-pony. Luna see's him pick up something but she cant seem to make it out, the clinking of bits falling into a hoof and the captain is out of the tent. "Now, off we go." “What was that captain?” Navigator Luna asked, curious of what item the Captain had bought. “That would be a surprise for later,” smiled the captain, his new knick-knack in his saddlebag. Luna frowned but showed her captain the way to the tavern she had scouted, a small opening slid open and a gruff voice asked, “how much is the fun?” “The fun has been doubled,” Captain Long-Beard replied. Chuckling to herself, Luna mumbled, “How in my sister’s name did he remember THAT?” The door opened, revealing the incredibly buff white Pegasus pony with a blonde mane and dumb-bell cutie mark. He waved his hoof to an open seat and Captain Long-Beard tripped when he walked through the door, noticing that he, yet again, stepped on his own beard. The tavern was a dimly lit with a bar at the side and the bartenders appeared to be twin cream colored unicorns in striped shirts, the only way to tell them apart being one had a mustache, were to be throwing out mugs of cider. The walls were a light brown and appeared to be carved out of one large stone. Ponies with hooks for hooves and peg-legs sat everywhere. Navigator Luna and Captain Long-Beard sat at the table and a waitress came by. “What would you two have to drink today?” “Sarsaparilla Sunday Special,” Replied the captain, clearly trying, yet failing to act suave. “I am terribly sorry sir, but, uhm… somepony else has ordered that tonight…” said the waitress, waiting on what she knew was going to happen as the captain laid his sword upon the table. “Tell the others that we are willing to share…” said the captain menacingly, or what he hoped was menacing, to Luna it looked more silly. The waitress got the message and led the captain and his navigator to the back room. ************************************************************************* The room was hazily lit with candles; a table was in the middle with four chairs, one closest to the wall on the other side, three setting close to the door. In the chair at the far end of the table sat an older griffon, snacking on what could only be called rocks. Two of the chairs closest to the door were empty; in the third however sat a captain’s hat. “Oey! I thought you said somepony else ordered the special,” cried Captain Long-Beard to the waitress. “I did sir, she is sitting right there.” Replied the waitress, motioning with her hoof toward the hat. As if on cue the hat tipped back to reveal a small orange pegasus with a purple mane. “I ordered the special,” she cried out. “Well stick me in a bunny suit and call me buggy,” came Captain Long-Beard. Garnering a chuckle from his navigator. “Alrighty ‘en Buggy, you can call me Rainbow-Beard Captain of the Sky Pirates!” announced the orange pegasus. Captain Long-Beard’s cheeks grew red, “I aint no Captain Buggy, stop clowinin’ you don’t even have a beard!” Noticing herself, the pegasus reached into her hat and pulled out a rainbow colored wig with a string around it and placed I over her head, the wig hanging just above her chin. “woops.” The two captains then began to stroke their beards almost in a contest, the likes of which Luna could barely hold in her laughter to watch. “Ahem!” Suddenly all attention was on the elderly griffon who just spoke, his basket of rocks now empty. He held out a map from under his long cloak. “I see 3 guests have come but I only have one map, you must answer my riddle to see who shall obtain such a trea-“ at that Captain Rainbow-Beard grabbed the map and ran out of the room. “Hey! That aint fair! You gotta follow the rules.” Yelled Captain Long-Beard. “You snooze you lose,” came the reply, from the other room, followed by a loud BANG! The griffon, The Captain, and the navigator all looked outside the room to see that Captain Rainbow-Beard’s hat had fallen in front of her eyes and had smacked her head against a table. “OUCH!” and then she got up, and ran out the door. “After the SCALLY-WAG!!!” cried Captain Long-Beard as he and Navigator Luna ran out after her only to see a ship literally rise out of the harbor with giant wings, the ship began to fly! Navigator Luna knelt down, “Come my captain, we must give chase!” Captain Long-Beard gave a confused look. “Get on my back and we will fly after it.” As the realization donned on Captain Long-Beard be gave himself a quick bonk on the head and hopped on his navigator’s back. ************************************************************************* “HAHAHAHAHA!” cried Captain Rainbow-Beard, her laugh only stopping when her hat yet again fell completely on top of her. The Sky Pirate captain was behind the ships wheel, steering it out to sea. “Faster! We must get away before they can chase us!” The captain yelled at the two ponies at either side of her, they were peddling on stationary bikes with the bike chains leading down into the floor, presumably to the wings. “This is a nightmare!” Cried a pink pony with a tiara as her cutie mark. “What is going on?” asked the other pony, a light grey one with a silver spoon as her cutie mark. “FASTER I SAID!” Yelled Captain Rainbow-Beard again and the two ponies complied each peddling faster. Just then, out of the corner of her eye Captain Rainbow-Beard spotted a winged dark blue pegasus. She pulled out her trusty spy glass to take a closer look and now it was clear that it wasn’t a pegasus but an alicorn, and on her back was none other than Captain Long-Beard! “Deck swabs!” A pair of young Unicorns immediately showed up beside Captain Rainbow-Beard. One was short and blue, the other taller and orange. “Yes Great and Powerful Captain?” cried the blue one “Ready the Cannons!” Announced the Captain. And the duo was off. ************************************************************************* “Okay here are the cannons but where are the cannon balls?” asked the blue unicorn. “I don’t know Snips, but try some of this delicious cabbage.” The larger orange unicorn handed a head of half eaten cabbage to Snips. “Uh, Snails, I think these are the cannon balls,” replied Snips. “Don’t be silly, these are cabbages, not cannon balls.” As he said that he pointed his hoof over to the large stack of Cabbages with a sign beside them that clearly read “AMMO”… “OOOOOOH” was all Snails could say as he and snips began to load the cannon-cabbage. ************************************************************************* “Ahoy! Captain Rainbow-Beard, we have come for the map!” yelled out Captain Long-Beard as they came upon the flying ship. “You will never have it BUGGY!” replied Rainbow-Beard. As she said those words cannons fired at the alicorn. “Cabbages?” asked Navigator Luna. “Neigh, giant BRUSSLE SPROUTS!” replied Long-Beard. Luna dodged the incoming vegetables with few close calls and headed straight for the deck of the ship. The duo landed on the sky-ship after dodging the ill-willed salad. Captain Long-Beard drew his sword and Captain Rainbow-Beard pulled her own out of her giant hat. The two immediately crossed blades, both of them bending a little and Luna again couldn’t help but giggle when she finally noticed that both of the “Captains” blades were plastic. The two ponies went back and forth with their blades in mouth, just as Captain Long-Beard thought he had the upper hand, Rainbow-Beard parried his sword out of his mouth. “Do you give up?” asked Rainbow-Beard. “Never!” came the reply as Captain Long-Beard retrieved his blunderbuss from its holster on his back and pointed it directly at Captain Rainbow-Beard. “Give me the map.” The response was obvious when Rainbow-Beard threw the map into the Milky Sea and charged Captain Long-Beard. Long-Beard then fired his blunderbuss, rich banana pudding erupting from the muzzle, not only trapping Captain Rainbow-Beard but also gumming up the two stationary bikes behind her. “Uh-Oh,” came Rainbow-Beard “ABANDON SHIP!!!!” Almost on cue the ship began to lose altitude and began plummeting to the sea. “Everyone to the Life preservers!” cried Captain Long-Beard as he helped his defeated foe out of the banana pudding. Rainbow-Beard led the way to a set of giant doughnuts and grabbed one for herself then handed the rest out to her crew as well as Captain Long-Beard and Navigator Luna. They all bailed out to quickly find out that the “Milky Sea” was very adeptly named considering it was entirely fresh warm milk, which made the doughnut life-preservers seem very delectable. It was a lucky strike that another ship just happened upon them when it did because everyone had almost completely eaten their “life-preservers.” ************************************************************************* “Sorry I tossed the map, I guess I got a little out of hoof,” said Captain Rainbow-Beard to Long-Beard. “And I am sorry that I made your ship sink,” Replied Long-Beard With those simple apologies the two pirate captains called it a day. Long-Beard and Navigator Luna went back to their ship. ************************************************************************* “That was an adventure and a half” smiled Luna “Yeah, it’s a shame we lost the map though.” Replied Long-Beard. “Don’t worry too much, there has to be another way we can find the lost treasure.” Said Luna, patting the captain’s back. “Sure, thanks for giving me a ride to the sky-ship though, it was SO awesome!” laughed Long-Beard. “I have something as a little thank you, I hope you like it.” “Oh, what is it? Is it what you bought at the market in Sarsaparilla?” asked Luna, her interest piqued. “Yeah, every good navigator ought to have a compass.” With that, Captain Long-Beard pulled out the knick-knack he bought earlier, a necklace with a box as its centerpiece, a large ruby in the center. When Luna opened it up it was indeed a working compass. “Thank you so much!” Luna had never gotten many presents, and she immediately hugged the captain. “It’s nothing, you’re very welcome, go and take a rest.” And Luna did, she walked into her chambers and went to sleep, a smile on her face. ************************************************************************* Pipsqueak woke up, still in the princess’ bed after having such a nice dream, such an adventure. He smiled to himself and pulled the feather cover over a little, not ready to wake up… Feathery cover? Pip’s eyes opened wide as he realized that he was under the princess’ wing! Trying not to freak out, he looked up at the princess, she had clearly gone to sleep, a deep slumber with a smile on her face. He slowly got out from under the cover of her wing, careful not to wake her. Pip looked outside; it looked like it was nearly noon! How long had he slept? Before he could get an answer his stomach growled and he got up to go down and get him some breakfast, or possibly lunch. On his way out he could have sworn he heard Luna mumble in her sleep. “Oh, Captain my Captain.”