In the small town of Caballito, a young colt sat on the dock, singing an all too familiar tune, "In the name of ol' Celestia, Equestria's off to war, say..."
"Hey jiggy jiggy jiggy ya ya, Equestria's off to war." A middle aged stallion finished.
"You know the song, father?" The colt asked.
"Aye, that I do Mizzen." He sat down next to the colt.
"You know, some of the boys at school say you were a captain in the navy once." Mizzen asked, eyes wide with expectation.
"I was, once." He admitted.
"Wait, so you were THE Captain Topsail. We're THE Topsail family?" The colt hopped around his father, bursting with excitement.
"Yes we are." Gallant laughed at the boy's energy.
"I can't believe it. Here I thought you were always a privateer father, but to think, you're the legendary Captain Topsail. The one who single handedly sunk the entire Ciervan Navy!" Mizzen yelled out to no one in particular.
Gallant burst out laughing, "Now where did you hear that ridiculous story?"
"I heard it from uncle Flareluck." The colt answered.
"Now Mizzen, you know your uncle has always been one to blow things way out of proportion." The seasoned sailor chortled.
After a moment's pause, he remembered, "But auntie Celestia told me so too, and she doesn't lie."
"Oh, so she's auntie Celestia now is she?" He questioned.
"Well, she spends as much time around me as uncle Flareluck, so why not?" Mizzen asked innocently.
"Well when you put it that way," Gallant chuckled to himself, "I suppose you're right."
"Hey father..." Mizzen started.
"Yes Mizzen?" He asked.
"How come you never told me?" The colt asked. A genuine look of curiosity on his face.
"I wanted to wait until you were ready. There are some things you must do as a captain in the navy that you have to be older to understand." The stallion explained.
"Like what?" Mizzen asked.
"Like I said," Gallant placed a hoof on his son's shoulder, "I tell you when you're older."
"Well, it's just that," Mizzen started, "I wanted you to tell me some stories. You must have some stories that you can tell me, right?"
After a moment, Gallant answered, "Aye, I suppose I can..." He pondered for a moment, then an idea flickered into his head.
"I'll tell you the story about the time I fought the great sea serpent of the Eternal Strait!" Mizzen's face lit up with excitement as his father began to tell a story that he completely made up, because after all. That's all legends are, stories.