//------------------------------// // Time's Up // Story: Pirates of Equestria: Dead Stallion's Chest // by The Phantom Joker //------------------------------// A pair of East Equestria Trading Company soldiers flanked both sides of Shining Armor, as they led him into Trixie's office. "Lady Lulamoon, the prisoner as ordered, ma'am," said a soldier. "Those won't be nescessary," said Trixie, gesturing at the shackles and magic dampener on Shining Armor, which the soldiers removed. Trixe then poured them both a glass of cider. "The East Equestria Trading Company has need of your services," she said, offering Shinng Armor a glass. "No, thanks, I'm fine. But, what's the East Equestria Trading Company doing out here in the Mareibbean?" asked Shining Armor. "That's none of your business. Anyways, we wish for you to act as our agent in a business deal with our mutual friend Captain Dash," said Trixie. Shining Armor norrowed his eyes. "She's more of an aquaintance than a friend, how do you know her?" he asked Trixie. Trixie walked over to the nearby fireplace. "Oh, we've had dealings in the past," said Trixie, levitating a superheated P brander with her magic. "And we've each left our mark... on the other." This peaked Shining Armor's interest. So it was Trixie who branded Rainbow a pirate, he thought before asking, "And where's the mark that Rainbow left on you?" "That, once again, is none of your business. Point is, it was by your efforts that Rainbow was set free. I would like you to her and recover a certain property in her possession," said Trixie, taking a swig of cider. "By 'recover,' do you mean, 'threaten with a sword?'" asked Shining Armor. Trixie smirked. "Try bargaining," she said as she walked over to her desk and opened a box on it. She used her magic to make a leather envelope hover. "These are letters of marque. Your bargain chip is what amounts to a full pardon. Rainbow will be free, a privateer in the employ of Equestria and the East Equestria Trading Company." "Talking like that makes me think you don't know Rainbow very well. I somehow doubt that 'employment' and 'freedom' are the same to her," said Shining Armor. Trixie smirked as she closed the box. "Freedom..." she whispered. "Come." Trixie and Shining Armor walked out onto the balcony. Below, East Equestria Trading Company troops loaded a huge town clock onto a ship. "Rainbow Dash is a dying breed. The world is shrinking as the blank edges of the map are filled in. In short, Dash must find her place in the New World or perish," said Trixie. "Not so much unlike yourself, Mr. Sparkle. You and your fiancee face the hangpony's noose." "So, you get both Rainbow and The Black Pearl," said Shining Armor. Trixie raised an eyebrow. "The Black Pearl?" she asked. "The property you want that Rainbow possesses," said Shining Armor. Trixie laughed. "A ship? In case you haven't noticed, I'm a Lady in Celestia's court. The item I want is considerably smaller and far more valuable. Something Rainbow Dash keeps with her at all times. A compass, if I'm not mistaken," she said. Seeing the look on Shining Armor's face, Trixie smiled. "Ah, you know of it. Bring me that compass, or there's no deal. Understand?" ~ Rainbow Dash was in her cabin on The Pearl, trying to chart a course using a chart since her compass still wasn't working right. She reached for a bottle of cider, only to find it empty. "Why is the cider always gone?" muttered Rainbow. As she stood up, she staggered a bit. And that's probably why, thought Rainbow as she grabbed her coat and hat, before making her way below decks where her crew was sleeping. "As you were," Rainbow told her crew with a lantern in her hand as she continued her decent until she came to a door, which Rainbow opened with a key. Inside her private cider storage, Rainbow found a bottle. "Bingo," said Rainbow as she grabbed the bottle, only to find that it was full of sand, which poured out of the bottle like sand from an hourglass. "Time's run out, Rainbow," said a female voice. Rainbow gasped, dropping the bottle which shattered on the ground. In the dim light of the lantern, Rainbow could make out what seemed to be a unicorn mare with a lavender coat, a dark blue mane and tail with a pink highlight in both, and wearing a black coat and black pants. "Dusky? Dusky Twilight Sparkle?" said Rainbow. Twilight turned to face Rainbow. Part of her face and horn were covered in reptilian scales, and her left eye was similar to that of a snake. "You look good, Rainbow," said Twilight. Rainbow tilted her head. "Is this a dream?" she asked. "No. I wish it were," said Twilight. "Figures. If this were a dream, there'd be cider," said Rainbow. Twilight used her weakened magic to open a bottle of cider and gave it to Rainbow. "I see you got the Pearl back," said Twilight. "I had some help retrieving the Pearl, actually, courtesy of your big brother," said Rainbow as she took a swig of cider. Twilight's eyes grew wide. "Shining Armor?" she said in a whisper. Rainbow nodded. "He ended up a pirate after all," said Twilght, looking downcast. "Ehh... given a liberal definition of the word 'pirate.' But, to what do I owe the pleasure of your carbuncle?" asked Rainbow Dash. Twilight looked Rainbow in the eye, a serious look on her face. "He sent me as an envoy... Spike Jones," she said. Rainbow Dash sat down next to Twilight. "So, it's you then... he duped you into joining his crew, huh?" said Rainbow. "I chose it, actually. Look, I'm sorry for the part I played in the mutiny against you, Rainbow. I stood up for you... after that, everything went wrong. Gilda strapped me to a cannon, and I ended up on the bottom of the ocean. Unable to move or use my magic... Tartarus, I couldn't even die. I thought to myself, even the tiniest hope of escaping this fate, I'd take it, I'd trade anything for it," explained Twilght as she munched on a small crab she'd caught. "Well, now, that's the kind of thinking bound to catch his attention," said Rainbow as she stood up. "Then again, isn't it funny what a pony will do to forstall their final judgement?" Twilight stood up and got into Rainbow's face. "You made a deal with him, too, Rainbow. He raised the Pearl from the depths for you. 13 years you've been her captain," she said. "Yeah, about that-" said Rainbow. Twilight shook her head. "Rainbow, you're not gonna be able to talk yourself out of this one. The terms that applied to me apply to you as well: One soul, bound to crew 100 years upon his ship," said Twilight. "Yeah, but The Flying Dutchman already has a captain, so there's really no point-" said Rainbow. "Then it's the locker for you!" said Twilight. "Spike's terrible leviathan will find you, and drag the Pearl back to the depths and you along with it!" Rainbow leaned away from Twilight. "So... any idea when Jones will release this terrible beastie?" she asked. Twilight shook her head. "I already told you, Rainbow. Your time is up," she said, Pressing her hand against Rainbow's. "It's coming now. Drawn with ravenous hunger to the pony that bears The Black Spot." Rainbow looked at her hand in time to see a black spot appear on it. "Twilight," said Rainbow, only to find Twilight gone. She flew like a bullet up deck. "On deck, all hands! Move it!" she yelled, waking up her crew. "Movement, I want movement!" The crew hurried onto the deck as Rainbow kept yelling, "Run! Keep running! Run as if Hades himself and itself is upon us!" "Do we have a heading?" asked Applejack, wearing her nightgown. Rainbow cried out. "Yikes! Run, land!" she said. "Which port?" asked Applejack. "I didn't say 'port!' I said 'land!' Any land!" said Rainbow. Just then, Dash the monkey swung by and grabbed Rainbow's hat and dumped it in the water. "Whoopsie," said Dash. "Rainbow's hat! Bring her about!" yelled Applejack. "No, leave it!" said Rainbow, much to her crew's surprise."Run." "Back to your stations, all of ya!" said Applejack. She then apporached Rainbow. "Rainbow, what in Luna's name is coming after us?" Rainbow gave a weak false laugh. "Nothing... nothing is coming after us," she squeaked. The next morning... "Hey! Lookie here!" Exclaimed a brown coated unicorn stallion, riding in a Saddle Arabian fishing boat, levitating Rainbow's hat up to him and trying it on. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the boat jerked to a sudden stop, staying impossibly still in the rough waters. "Eh? Whats going on!?" Another stallion shouted, right before the boat was violently pulled underwater, leaving no trace of it ever being there.