//------------------------------// // Chapter One: The Map // Story: Daring Do and the Curse of Captain Keel // by ThePartyCannon //------------------------------// The flat grey sea stretched out eastward as far as the eye could see. Dark grey clouds covered the sky, creating a dreary disposition. Nothing marked the horizon for miles; the only sign of life among the expanse of water was the tiny, two-pony dinghy that floated almost aimlessly through the frigid sea. The two fishers were slumped over in their boat, downtrodden at the lack of fish to be caught. The two mares lived in the tiny village of Mistbay; a land once feared for its abundant fog. The older mare, Glimmer, looked almost identical to her sister, Glitter, save for a darker shade of pink in her mane. Their coats, both the same shade of sky-blue, were covered in bright yellow rain slickers. Fishing rods rest on the bottom of the dinghy, abandoned after hours of waiting without so much as a single nibble. Glimmer sighed sorrowfully, “That’s three days in a row…” she pouted, “Still no fish.” Glitter responded with a gentle pat on the shoulder, consoling her older sister, “It’s not all bad, sis.” She responded, with slightly more enthusiasm, “It’s just the weather is all. Once the clouds pull back, they’ll be biting again!” she reassured, though she herself didn’t quite believe the remark. Still, Glimmer huffed, “Sure… I just hope we can make ends meet until then.” Glitter, who was usually very comforting for her overworked sister, didn’t respond. Something had caught her eye in the water; a faint shimmer of silver under the tranquil waves. Prodding at her sister with a hoof, she exclaimed, “Did you see that? I think it’s a fish! Tuna, maybe?” she asked, hoping to pique her sister’s interests, and resume fishing. Glimmer sprung across the dinghy, leaning over the edge to peer at the shimmering. Sure enough, there was something under the water; something big. “Get the nets! I think there’s a whole school down there!” Glimmer commanded, her confidence restored. Obediently, Glitter procured a large net from the storage chest at the prow of their dinghy, and threw it overboard with practiced grace. It landed perfectly, and began to sink into the gray waters. She rubbed her hooves in anticipation, “Gee, sis, what our luck, huh?” “Quiet,” Glimmer shushed, “you might scare ‘em!” The two mares leaned over the edge of the dinghy together, their faces mere inches from the water. They watched the net slowly float downwards, until it impacted the shimmering. The net wrapped around the object and snagged onto something. No matter how hard the two mares pulled, the net wouldn’t budge. Finally, they let it rest, fearing it might break if they pulled too hard. “Geez, what did you do?” Glimmer bellowed, her rage increasing. Glitter shrugged sheepishly, “Nothing! I threw it just like you taught me. I dunno what we could’ve snagged on…” Glimmer was about to snap back at her sister, scolding her for her inexperience, but was interrupted. A slow, churning noise from aside the boat began to fill the air. The water bubbled, as if pockets of air were being released underneath the waves. Their dinghy began to rock as water displacement took effect; something was rising out of the water. Before either pony had time to brace themselves, an object exploded out of the water, shooting skyward. Water fell back to earth in a shower of freezing droplets. A second object, identical to the first, shot out of the water a split second later, reaching high into the sky. Being maritime ponies, they were instantly identified; masts. Before any theories could be conjured up, the mast’s owner surfaced. It hit the surface of the sea with such force that it nearly flew straight out of the water, and landed back down with a massive splash, creating towering waves in every direction. The dinghy was no match for the torrential water, and was capsized as if it were nothing but a piece of driftwood. The mares scrambled to get out of the cold ocean, and grasped onto their upside-downed boat. That’s when they got a good look at the newcomer. It was an old ship, but massive nonetheless. Triple decks towered above them and, judging by the cannon ports, it housed more than a hundred cannons. Tattered sails hung down from the masts. From stem to stern, it must have measured two-hundred feet or more. But what shocked the mares most was the crew. They stared down at the mares with soulless eyes. The skeletal and rotting remains of ponies was all that was left of them. Some had bits of flesh and sinew clinging to the otherwise white bone, and some were in the beginning stages of decomposition, but most were purely skeletal. They brandished cutlasses, scimitars, khopeshes, and axes, each glowing with a sickly purple light. Their empty eye sockets shone with a bright red glow. The sisters were petrified at the sight. A literal ghost ship. Glimmer attempted to swim away; they were only a mile offshore, and it wouldn’t take her long. But Glitter couldn’t move. The boat had transfixed her, and began to draw her in. Her eyes had begun to glaze over as she stared at the magnificent rotting ship. There was no time for words. The second Glimmer looked back to find her sister, it was too late. A figure had appeared on the deck, covered in dull red cloaks and coats. It reached down, and shot a harpoon-like weapon at the dusky water, striking Glitter in the torso. With uncanny, almost supernatural strength, the figure yanked the mare aboard deck. She flew through the air, uninjured, but not fully conscious, and landed roughly on the deck, out of sight of her sister. Glimmer swam faster towards Mistbay. It wasn’t until she was a few hundred yards from shore that she realized the ship had completely disappeared. ***** “So can anyone tell me what caused the turning point in the War of Three Seas?” Not a single hoof rose in the crowded lecture hall. The professor, annoyed with the constant lack of attention, sighed softly, though inaudibly. Rolling his eyes, he continued, “The ship HMS Concord was commissioned by Princess Celestia to be positioned outside of Horseshoe Bay. Now, despite being outnumbered three to one by zebra carracks, the Concord, along with the little remnants of the Equestrian navy, fought back. Using a secret weapon, still not entirely known to this day, the Concord broke the carrack line and destroyed their blockade.” The professor looked back over his students, most of whom were disinterested or asleep. “This, of course, led to-“ The clanging bell was harsh, but welcome against his ears. As a student, he relished the dismissal bell. His feelings towards it hadn’t diminished as a teacher. He ignored the students as they quickly shuffled out of the lecture hall onto the campus grounds. Slinking away to the corner of the hall, the professor sunk into his desk. His workspace was cluttered, consisting of reports, assignments, and textbooks. But one item in particular drew his attention more than anything else. A dull, worn old parchment, faded beyond belief rest in the middle of his desk. It was a map, seemingly innocent enough, showing the south-east coast of Equestria, from Horseshoe Bay to the southern tip of the Hayseed Swamps. Charts and coordinates had been scrawled across the ancient map. The seemingly disorganized lines and markings created a map of their own, almost indecipherable to those without keen knowledge in the nautical field. Fortunately, the professor knew enough to figure everything out. Two months was all it took to decipher the secrets of the map, with everything leading to one single point. The fabled lost wreck of the HMS Concord. The professor was so drawn into his map that he didn’t hear the lecture hall’s door creak open. From the doorway, his guest watched him silently. Finally, after nearly five minutes of watching, the figure spoke up, “Still looking at that map, Jack?” The professor’s heart leapt into his throat, and he sprung up from his desk, knocking over a small stack of books. Catching his breath, he looked up at his guest, “Daring Do…” he started, “I see you’re still sneaking up on ponies.” Daring Do stood at the top of the small staircase leading to the lecture hall’s exit. Her gold-orange coat was dulled by the dim lights, and her grayscale mane appeared more gray than usual. Her freshly ironed shirt ruffled slightly as she descended the staircase, “Well, you know me. How’s the new job, professor?” she asked sarcastically. In all her time knowing Jack, she had never thought of him as a professor; especially in a field as obscure as ancient Equestrian seafaring. Jack was an archaeologist, not a sailor. “I hate it,” he responded, “I don’t see why you constantly insist this is the best university in Equestria… The students here don’t even care!” Jack exclaimed, waving a blue hoof in the air to emphasize his point. “Maybe it’s because you’re teaching a worthless subject? I bet most of your students are here for an easy credit.” Daring answered, beginning to investigate the knick knacks and prizes that lined one wall of the lecture hall. She recognized most of them, considering she had acquired them herself. “Well, they’re gonna be in for some sore luck. I gave my replacement explicit orders to make their final as difficult as possible!” Jack explained, almost sinisterly, as he began to throw things into his saddlebags. Daring was caught off-guard for a moment, “Replacement?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at her friend. Jack nodded, “Yeah.” He answered simply and nonchalantly, “I think I’m ready for a vacation.” Daring Do rolled her eyes. She’d heard his stories before; all his ramblings about the Concord and its lost wreck. “If you want the university to fund you, you’re going to need a lot more than a dusty map. I didn’t get you that map to fuel your crazy ideas.” Jack scoffed, throwing his saddlebags across his back, “I don’t need their funding; I’ve got an idea! It might just be the best I’ve ever had!” Jack left the building, out into the sunny streets of Canterlot. Daring Do brought a hoof to her face, “Dear Celestia…” ***** Canterlot University, the largest school in Equestria, housed over a hundred-thousand students. Every subject imaginable took part in the educational experience of the university. Students from all over the world came to Canterlot University to establish the beginning of their careers. It was the thing of dreams for many students. Except for one. Sunny Borealis, former navigator and crewmember of the airship Onyx Wind, just wasn’t cut out for college. Ever since her ‘retirement’ from flying, she had tried to find something to occupy her time. Thinking an education was the way to go, she had applied to an aeronautics class and an Equestrian military history class. Neither of which turned out to be interesting at all. As she walked slowly across the campus, admiring the divine architecture, she looked through the other students. They ranged from nervous ponies, swamped with papers and textbooks, to indifferent stallions, who were either too tired or too fed up to care about school anymore. There were drama queens, jocks; everything she never wanted to deal with. The unicorn had never been to a school before; she was raised and taught the fundamentals of life on the Onyx Wind. Dealing with other ponies wasn’t her strong point, and as such, friends were scarce. Still, it didn’t bother Sunny. She always had one friend she could count on. After having saved her life (on more than one occasion) Sunny had taken to sticking very close to Daring Do. Ever since she met her, almost a year ago, she had been involved in her life and her adventures, despite the protest of Jack. In a way, she was part mother and part sister. But above all else, she was a friend, and that’s how Sunny kept it. From across the campus, Sunny spotted Jack, busily trotting across the courtyard. Though she had a class to be in ten minutes ago, she galloped over to her longtime friend, a grin spreading across her face. “Jack!” she called out, flailing her hoof in the air to get his attention. The professor’s attention, however, was focused elsewhere, probably worlds away. He unknowingly ignored the filly and continued on his way, making a beeline for his tiny apartment on the edge of the school’s grounds. Rolling her eyes, the unicorn rushed over, catching up to her pal and trotting alongside him. His longer legs made for a faster pace than Sunny, forcing her to go into a light canter. “Hey, Jack. What’s up?” she asked, hiding the fact that she was tiring at her pace. “Hmm?” the stallion sounded, shaking his head slightly almost as if he were snapping out of sleep, “Oh, Sunny?” “That’s me!” she piped, “You alright? You look pretty worn out.” Jack nodded his head, and with a quick look over his shoulder, he asked, “Can you keep a secret from someone?” Sunny raised an eyebrow, “Daring?” Again, Jack nodded, with a hint of secrecy in his eyes, “Promise not to tell?” “Promise.” She answered slyly, with no concrete intent to keep her word. “Good. I’m going after the wreck! Probably tonight.” Jack answered calmly, as if it were nothing more than a stroll in the park, or walking around the corner. Sunny stopped in her tracks, befuddled. “You sure you’re alright? That’s a big step, Jack…” she remarked worriedly. Her thoughts flashed back to Jack’s other ‘adventures’. The usually timid pony never had the greatest luck dealing with situations that didn’t involve a pen and paper. When it came to more physical work, like fighting bandits and clambering over traps, Jack usually failed. “It’ll be fine!” Jack said, with only the slightest underlying tone of doubt. He finished his sentence as he got to his apartment, and fiddled with the door handle. Sunny knew the place all too well; she had practically grown up between Jack’s and Daring’s apartments, and had memorized them inside and out. Jack’s door swung open, revealing the tiny two-room living quarters. One wall was completely covered in a towering bookcase, even blocking the room’s one window. It was overflowing with books, scrolls, parchments, and everything in between. The books that wouldn’t fit were stacked neatly in piles off to the sides of the room, some more worn than others. A majority of the books were stacked around the low lying cot nestled in the furthest corner of the room. Jack rushed inside, flinging his saddlebags onto his cot. As they impacted the surface, their contents were thrown about haphazardly, landing wherever they pleased. Books, quills, and a map overflowed from the bags, catching Sunny’s eye. Quietly entering the room, she investigated the parchment. Her eyes rolled over its surface, drinking in every detail. “Cripes, Jack, where’d you get this map?” Sunny gawked, amazed at the level of detail. Being a navigator, her levels of cartography were off the chart, as it were. Jack snatched the map away swiftly, but gingerly, “Daring Do got it for me, from some burial tomb, I don’t know where.” “And that’s the…?” “Map to the Concord, yes. I did some of the tracing myself. I think I’ve got it pinned down close enough.” He stated, admiring his work with a cheap grin. Something stirred inside Sunny. A feeling she hadn’t felt in a while; adventure. As she stared at the map over Jack’s shoulder, she couldn’t help but to imagine herself on those waters, searching tirelessly for a lost shipwreck, with treasure and glory abound. She was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn’t realized Jack had moved away, and had begun throwing essentials into his bag. “You know…” Sunny started demurely, “Maps can be tricky.” Jack’s pace of packing slowed down, but only to indicate a mild interest in what Sunny was saying. “And… you might need something like, I dunno… a-“ “Navigator?” Jack finished for Sunny, looking at her from over his shoulder. “Please?” Sunny pleaded, “I can’t take it here anymore. I wanna go back to the way things used to be, on the airship. You know?” Slowly, Jack nodded, “Fine. Just don’t let Daring know!” ***** Daring Do took to the skies that evening as the sun was beginning to set. After Jack raced out on her, she had spent the remainder of her day flying between professors and curators, relishing what time she had to spend in Canterlot between adventures. It was a taxing process though, and left her exhausted at the end of the day. Her mind always related the situations to her own adventures, whether it was running away from native warriors, or dodging collapsing walls and hidden trapdoors. Except that now she dodged over-appreciative patrons, and running from the occasional overly attached fan. Being a treasure hunter attracted a lot of attention. But at the end of the day, it was all said and done. She could retire to her apartment, conveniently located just above Jack’s. There, hidden away from prying eyes, she could spend her time with her own interests; planning new adventures, and reliving the experiences of her old ones. In a way, it was more rejuvenating than sleep. Just calling the memories of her adventures back produced long forgotten adrenaline within the mare, refueling her and leaving her longing for another exciting escapade. By the time she got to her apartment the sun was nearly down. Deciding it wasn’t too late, Daring flew down to the first floor apartment, hoping Jack was open for more discussion. It wasn’t that she was against the idea of searching for the lost ship; she just preferred a bit more planning and less running off on a whim. She knocked on his door, but no sounds could be heard from within. There were no lights from the other side of the windows. Groaning, Daring Do opened the door and stepped inside. It was cleaned spotless, with everything stacked up neatly and professionally; the opposite of Daring’s apartment. Having known Jack for a long time, Daring knew exactly what this meant, and her blood began to boil slightly. “Of all the stupid decisions…” she grumbled to herself, kicking the side of Jack’s cot. She’d find him, and give him what for. First, she had to know where exactly he’d set off to. She flew outside and to the second story, entering her apartment through the ever-open window. Her eyes immediately landed upon the makeshift bed, built solely from a pile of blankets in the corner. It was empty. “Of course…” she sighed. There was nothing she could do; if both Jack and Sunny were gone, she was practically forced to take matters into her own hooves. “First things first.” She said to herself, moving to her workspace. In the middle, practically taking up any available space to work was the sole item she wouldn’t leave without. Her identity as a treasure hunter; her iconic pith helmet. “Time for an adventure…” she muttered, taking to the skies once more, setting her courses south-east, towards the location of the fabled wreck of the HMS Concord.