//------------------------------//
// A Daring Escape 
// Story: Along came a Pirate 
// by SkyeSilverwing 
//------------------------------//

Along Came a Pirate
By Skye Silverwing
Chapter 2: A Daring Escape.
Princess Twilight Sparkle and her Ponyville friends solemnly attended the funeral of Prince Blue Blood at the request of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Princess Cadence and her husband, Twilight’s brother Shining Armor, were in attendance, as well as Mayor Mare of Ponyville and a dozen other civic leaders from all across Equestria. 
It was quickly made apparent that, while the Prince had been appreciated as a connection among Canterlot’s high society, he had never been well liked as a person. Fancy Pants and Hoity Toity appeared only briefly to be seen and offer their condolences to the Princesses, and offer their support for the efforts to capture the criminals responsible. Photo Finish appeared just long enough to take a few shots for the Magazines.
Other than that, there were not a lot of Ponies in attendance. 
Spike had told Twilight that the word on the street was that Blueblood had been overstepping himself a great deal with the upscale Canterlot crowd, constantly bullying and maligning the other members of the upper crust using his connection to the princesses as carte blanche to do whatever he pleased. 
There was even rumor that he had taken to stealing from the other Princesses to line his own coin purse. Cadence still had members of her guard investigating a significant amount of wine that vanished from the Cellars of the Chrystal palace, not that this was the time or place for such accusations.
The mood, as it should be at such occasions, was somber and solemn. Rarity cried, because though he was probably the biggest jerk in Equestria, he was still the only Stallion that she had ever attempted to have a romance with in her life. Applejack and Fluttershy bowed their heads in respect of the event, and even Pinkie Pie was quietly observing the need to mourn. Of all of Twilight’s friends, only Rainbow Dash was absent. Clearly the Pegasus Pony was late. 
Twilight had an entire admonishing speech in mind for when she finally arrived, but as Princess Celestia began to read the Eulogy, she could not help but wonder what was holding the that Pony up.
.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.
Rainbow smiled, knowing that she had more than twenty minutes to spare before the funeral was set to start. Being late to a funeral was just fine with her- she hated funerals, and would just as soon have skipped this one entirely- but Twilight would be angry with her if she was late.
She was passing over the walls of Canterlot when a sound reached her ears. It was very low and distant to begin with, but as she began to look around for its source, she heard it again.
“Help!”
Flying in the direction of the sound, she found herself staring at a large, puffy cloud.
“Umm… Hello?” Rainbow asked, “Is somepony there?”
A Pony with grey-blue fur and a blue mane streaked with pink and green stuck her head out of the cloud. “Oh, thank Celestia, I thought I was going to be trapped up here forever!” she said, “Could you please help me down?”
Rainbow cocked her head. “How are you even up there?” she said, noting the pony’s lack of wings, “Earth Ponies can’t walk on clouds.”
The pony sighed. “Would you believe a pair of my so-called friends stuck me up here as a prank?” she said, “Flotsy is a unicorn and Flicker is a Pegasus. They fed me some cider that must have been hard cider, because I got all dizzy and then Flotsy cast a cloud walking spell on me and Flicker flew me up onto the cloud. I am sober again now, and I am scared that they might not come back before my train back to Vanhoofer leaves… or worse, before the spell runs out… Could you get me down please?”
Rainbow rolled her eyes angrily. “What featherheads.” She said, taking hold of the edge of the cloud and pulling it downward, “A prank is only good if it is fun for everypony involved. Trapping an Earth pony on a cloud is dangerous.”
The pony nodded as the cloud lowered to just above the ground, where she could jump down safely. “Yeah, I don’t know what I would have done if you had not come along when you did.” She said, “I can’t thank you enough.”
Rainbow nodded, and shot the mare a smile. “No problem.” She said, “Though if I were you, I would look into finding more trust-worthy friends.”
The pony smiled back, with a slightly thoughtful look in her eyes, before chuckling. “I certainly will.” She said, turning and heading off down the street toward the gates. “Thanks again!”
Rainbow cocked her head for a long moment and then raise her voice. “Wait!” she called as the pony vanished around the corner. “The train is… that… way…”
Rainbow stared at the corner the Nameless pony had disappeared around for a long moment before coming back to herself and glancing at a nearby clock tower. “I’m late!” she cried, forgetting the pony and flying for the palace as quickly as she could.
.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.
Twilight shot Rainbow a glare as she entered the audience chamber. The funeral itself was over, the Pegasus Pony having missed the entire thing. To her credit, the Rainbow-maned Pony had the good grace to look a little embarrassed and ashamed of her tardiness. She looked like she thought she had a good reason, so Twilight decided to wait and hear her out before chastising her for it.
Princess Celestia was now moved on to the official meeting concerning the hunt for the Pirates and their leader, Misty Vale. She passed around a bunch of files with the relevant data on the Criminals. “We are going to be stepping up security all over Equestria until the Pirate threat is eliminated.” The Sun Princess said staunchly. “In the files before you are all of the known relevant data on Misty Vale and her band of Villainous Miscreants. Memorize those pictures and see to it that copies are distributed in each of your cities.”
Twilight opened her file, and the others did the same. The drawing of the Earth Pony in a black coat was on the top of the papers within.
Rainbow Dash gasped. “That’s Misty Vale?!” she looked up at Princess Celestia in Shock. “I just saw that pony here in Canterlot less than five minutes ago! She was stuck on a cloud, claiming it to have been a prank gone wrong.” Rainbow hit herself in the head with her hoof. “And I helped her get down!”
Celestia immediately began shouting orders to lock down the whole City. “Rainbow Dash, where was she when you last saw her and which way was she going?” she demanded. 
Rainbow thought for a moment. “She was in the South Quarter, heading East toward the gates, though she said she needed to catch the train.” She replied.
Celestia looked to Shining Armor. “Shining Armor, can you make a shield that will reach that far?” she asked.
The former Captain of the Royal Guard nodded. “Yes, I should be able to do that. I will need a few minutes to prepare the spell, though.” He said. “It will have to be impenetrable, though. Nopony in, nopony out.”
Celestia nodded. “Do it.” She said, “Twilight, take your friends and head for the South East gate. Find her and if you cannot capture her, at least slow her down long enough for Shining Armor to complete his spell.”
Twilight and her friends nodded, with a serious look. Murder was rare in Equestria, and anypony that would do something like that was a serious threat. Even Discord, for all his bad deeds, had never resorted to killing somepony. He claimed that life is as essential to Chaos as it is to Harmony. 
Twilight looked at Rainbow Dash. “Alright Rainbow, lead the way.”
.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. 
In spite of the increased guard, it was a simple matter for the black cloaked pirate to reach the city gate. She even managed to get through it. 
Unfortunately, as she prepared for the final run that would let her disappear into the forest at the bottom of the long ramp, there was a three-part rustle of wings that told her she had not escaped as cleanly as she had hoped.
The Rainbow-Maned Pegasus from earlier clopped down at the top of the ramp behind her. “Hold it right there, Misty Vale!” she shouted as a Yellow Pegasus with a pink mane landed at her side. 
Their other companion landed sporting both wings and a horn. A Princess! 
Misty cursed inwardly as she realized the she would never be able to make the woods if the Alicorn seized her with her magic. She stopped and turned, facing her pursuers. “So you learned my name, I take it?” she asked, smirking, “Let me guess, I am the newest public enemy number 1?”
The Princess, her purple mane naming her Twilight Sparkle, took a step forward. “You cannot escape.” She said, “You should surrender now. My brother will be raising the city’s shield in moments.”
True to Twilight’s word, a brilliant purple light shot up from the center of the City, spreading out into a translucent purple dome meant to protect the City from invaders.
Misty Smiled. “Maybe so, little princess,” she said lightly, taking a few steps back, “But you three will never catch me.”
The Rainbow one, probably Ponyville’s infamous Rainbow Dash, narrowed her eyes at her defiance. “What makes you say that?” she asked.
Misty grinned victoriously. “Because you stopped.” She said, taking a sudden leap backwards as the shield closed, placing her outside and her pursuers within. 
Twilight and the others dashed up to the shield, the young Princess screamed in frustration as the magical construct prevented their further pursuit.
Misty laughed. Even a Princess’s Magic could not punch through that shield without authorization from Celestia herself. “Bye, Girl’s.” she said, as she pranced the rest of the way down the ramp, “Thanks again for saving me from that cloud, Rainbow! And Twilight, tell your brother thanks for the timing!” 
With that, she vanished into the trees and was gone.
.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.
A.N. Yes, I did kind of retcon the last bit of the previous chapter. Misty’s escape from the City is much more fun this way. As always, I appreaciate any constructive criticism.