Out in the tropical sea, as waves crashed and Ships sailed. A lone galleon was out at sea, headed to the Capital of the Equestrian colony Mamajia. This galleon was named the ERN Trottington. It was one of the normal standard class brigs of the Equestrian Royal Navy, but was certainly nothing like the navy’s huge flagships, the ERN Princesses Pride and the ERN Shining Armour. But the brig was carrying far more important cargo than any other ship in the sea.
The Brig had passengers on board. Very special passengers, since it was none other than three princesses of Equestria, the former bearers of the elements of harmony, and to have more pressure, three sisters of the Bearers also came along for the ride. That’s some pretty important people to protect, especially with threats from not only the Gryphon’s Navy and their colonies; even though the two have finally come to a truce. But diseases, rats, horrible ship food and sleeping conditions. And worst of all, Pirates.
Yes, Pirates stroke fear in the heart of any sailor of any navy of any species. Whether they be Pony, Gryphon, or any other in the two rivalling naval powers. These bands of species would attack any ship for ether gold or merchandise to sell to fulfil their desire for alcohol and coitus. Showing no mercy to those who opposed them, and where the lowest form of scum on the planet. That’s what the Ponies and Gryphons in power thought of anyway.
But Celestia herself did fear they would be attacked by pirates but as they were soon to arrive in Port, she felt that the cruellest of the cruel wouldn’t be able to hurt her or her little ponies.
She was on deck right now, along With Princess Luna, Princess Twilight, the former bearers and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. “Have you enjoyed the trip so far?”
“Eeyup, nice to get off of tha farm from time ta time.” Applejack said.
“Of c-c-coarse I’ve h-had a wonderful-“Rarity was cut off as she placed a hoof on her mouth and her cheeks turned green. She quickly ran to the side and threw up over the sick.
“Sorry Princess, My sister’s not used to the ocean.” Sweetie Belle said. Now seven years had gone by since the Cutie Mark crusaders were the little fillies that always got into trouble. Although they still do, they were nearing adulthood. Sweetie Belle’s mane and tail had gotten longer but stayed the same style. She had gotten her cutie mark in singing, which was a clef note surrounded with a ribbon of music bars. She was nearing the height of her sister.
Rarity groggily came back, hiccupping little.
“I must apologise your majesty. P-please forgive me.” Rarity bowed.
“It is quite alright. I know how the sea can affect others. On many trips like this there is always at least one who cannot take the motions.” Celestia said.
“Hey Princess. I’m just curious but why do you have to go to Mamajia?” Scootaloo asked. Like Sweetie Belle, she had also grown, and surprisingly at the same height. She still kept her purple mane messy and ruff, her wings had grown out a lot better, no longer the little wing she had seven years ago. She had also earned her cutie mark. It was a red scooter wheel that was on fire.
“The governor of Princesston wanted to talk to me and Luna about more Guards for the colony, and possibly more Money in the budget.” Princess Celestia told her.
“Is that all? Then we won’t be there for long will we?” Applebloom asked. She has also aged and gotten taller. She was Also taller than her older sister, although she no longer was wearing her pink bow. Her mane did still seem to be in the same style, and had gotten her Cutie mark. It was a picture of a hammer and a spanner crossed over a red apple.
“Yes, but this is manly for business. But you still get to see another land, and what life is like in Mamajia.” Princess Celestia replied.
“Don’t ‘cha worry Applebloom. We’ll be back in Ponyville before ya know it.” Applejack said. Applebloom smiled, knowing her sister was right.
“Ship off the Port bow!” the group looked up to see the sailor in the crow’s nest shouting down to the crew. Princess Celestia was the first was to walk over to see what it was, the rest soon following. They gasped as they saw what seemed to be a frigate slowly approaching them. The frigate then turned sideways, its starboard cannons aiming at the Equestrian brig. Celestia herself gasped as the Gryphon flag could be seen flying over the masts. The captain of the brig soon came up to the group with a worried expression.
“Princess, I ask of you to seek shelter in my quarters. Please! Before one of their cannons hits one of you." The group didn’t need any more persuasion, as they bolted for the cabin. Scootaloo and Applebloom closed the doors but not before seeing the deck get blown to pieces and the shrapnel hitting some of the panicking sailors.
Now all the group could here was gunfire, cannons, screaming, yelling and explosions. They were shaken left and right as the brig was torn apart. All were cowering as they fear one of the cannonballs might hit them.
“Rarity, I’m scared.” Sweetie Belle said as she held onto her big sister.
“So am I Sweetie Belle.” Rarity said as the two siblings hugged each other tight.
Soon the gunfire stopped and the boat stopped getting shocked with cannon fire. The group could hear cheers coming from outside, and the double doors opened to reveal the captain standing there with his head down. The group slowly got up thinking that the enemy ship had been taken care of.
“Well done Cap-“
Princess Celestia stopped talking there and then when the captain fell to the floor, blood slowly flowing onto the floor. A hole in his spine. Behind him was a gruff looking Gryphon holding a sword, with a whole bunch of other gryphons cheering on deck. But none of the ERN sailors were standing or breathing.
“Well, looks like we found the jackpot.” The Gryphon said as he laughed, the group shivered, and chattered their teeth with fright. Not knowing what these gryphons planned to do to them.
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Soon the group of ponies were forced onto the ship, and watched as the ERN Trottingham was finally sunk before them. As they were forced into the Gryphons quarters, which had a strangely fancy desk and a huge Gryphon navy flag behind it. The group soon saw the gryphon captain walk back in, now wearing very formal clothing and sitting down at his desk. He rang a bell and a gryphon waiter then came in carrying a tray of tea and a meal that any of the ponies would love to have.
“Who are you?” Twilight spoke up.
“Well, that really doesn’t concern you does it? You my captives and have to do what I want.” The Gryphon said smugly, trying to knock them back down.
“Why do you have a Gryhpon Navy flag hanging up if your pirates?” Twilight asked again. He again laughed.
“Pirates? Those rats? No, no, no, we are buccaneers. Working for our country but under the disguise of pirates.” He responded. Celestia herself had heard of stories of these tactics but had never actually seen it written down in the Royal archives or the Equestrian Royal Navy’s tactics.
“…What do you plan to do with me and my little ponies?” Celestia asked.
“It’s quite simple your ‘majesty’. The truce between both of us agreed to stop trying to fight for control of this sea. But if I bring the rulers of Equestria, we Gryphons could make any deal we wanted.” He said as he temptingly took a bit out of his meal, but since it was meat, most of the ponies nearly gagged, fainted or threw up. The Captain then called for some of his crew to take them to their cells.
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The next week was living Tartarus. The food they were given was crust, black bread and weak ale. They were cramped into two
different cells just outside of the captain’s quarters. These cells there were for the captain’s delicate and special prisoners, but the group were taking turns as to who would sleep on the wood bench and who would sleep on the floor. The bars had been sprayed with a potion to make it anti-magic, so the princesses and unicorns couldn’t escape. But the captain understood the importance of the day and night, so every morning and evening, the Gryphons took ether Luna or Celestia, put them in magic and wing restraints. And took them on the deck so they could change the day and night. Each of the group having a different experience.
Rarity herself was about to break, her fur was dirty, she had barely gotten any beauty sleep, and her normal clean, curly mane was messy and tattered. She was just about ready to break the cages down to get a hair brush.
Rainbow Dash tried all her might to fight against the Gryphons from since they were captured, but ultimately failed. She was also dealing with a more personal matter. She hadn’t stretched her wings and had a good flight in days, and it was starting to worry her. What if by the time she got out of here, her wings would be nothing but limp bones?
Fluttershy was so scared of what the gryphons would do to her and her friends. But she was more concerned about her animals back home. She had asked ponies to look after her animals, but if she goes, they might wonder where she’s gone and go loose onto the citizens of Ponyville. But there has also angel, he was a handful and the other ponies might decide to get rid of him if she doesn’t come back in time.
Applejack herself put up a fight, but the slow energy in the food they were given was slowly picking away at her. She thought that if she was save, at all, then she wouldn’t be able to help on the farm anymore because her legs would be down to the bone.
Pinkie Pie’s mane had gone to the straight hair when she thought her friends were sending her away, she had a thousand thoughts going through her at once. Would she see the Cakes again? Would she see her family again? Would she be trapped in the ship forever? Would she ever see the two Cake twins grow up? And the most important one. Would she be able to through a party for anypony ever again?
Princess Luna was trying as hard to not look beaten, but on the inside, she was slightly scared. She knew the relationships between the two species and nations hadn’t been the strongest. But she didn’t know what the gryphons would do if they were able to get their way.
Scootaloo looked at her wings regularly, thinking that at the rate they were going and the food they were receiving. Her wings would get smaller again. Which reminded her of all the years of bullying and teasing from ponies. She had started to have nightmares again, at first it wasn’t as often but they slowly became frequent.
Sweetie Belle’s main fear wasn’t the food, or the conditions of the cell. But the captain had been eyeing her a lot. And feared that he might have his way with her.
Applebloom was usually thinking of how she may never be able to live her life like she wanted. Open up a workshop, make a decent job, and maybe meet someone and get married. But the marriage was for later in her life. She mainly wanted to do what she wanted to do. But something else dragged her down. Ever since she was a filly, she wanted to get her cutie mark. And now she finally got it, it would go to nothing if the gryphons would take her and the ponies away.
Princess Celestia constantly thought about her kingdom and her subjects. If she and her sister and former student were forced into handing over their kingdom, what would the gryphons do to her little ponies? And how long would they have to suffer because of this.
And finally, Twilight Sparkle. She herself was the most scared. She thought the gryphons would do horrid, terrible things to the ponies around her. And also all the other ponies in Equestria, thinking of all the horror and destruction that would be caused. She also thought that these Gryphons would also try to…get them in bed. She tried her hardest to fight against these thoughts but they all came back, torturing her.
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At the beginning of the new week, the day started out like it would on the ship. The group sat in their cells. The captain watched on deck as his crew slaved over the ship, heading for their destination. The captain was thinking all morning if to finally…unstress himself. He finally decided enough was enough and began to walk to the cells with his two guards. A yell was screamed from the crow nest.
“Ship off the Stern!”
“Someone get me a spyglass!” The captain yelled. A sailor soon came up and held the spyglass in front of the captain. He quickly swiped the spyglass out of the sailor’s talons and quickly zoomed on the ship. He saw what looked like a brig of some sort, and was waving the gryphon navy’s flag. He turned towards the sailor and hit him on the head with a spyglass.
“You idiots! That’s one of our own!” The captain yelled. He groaned and continued on his path to the cells.
Meanwhile on the other ship, a tall figure wearing a shirt and a leather robe, with leather pants and boots. Wielding a sharp sword, two pistols, and a rifle slung on his back, looked through his spyglass and watched as the Captain yelled at his crew and walked on. The figure grinned and put his spyglass away, before looking down at the crew.
“It’s working! Full sail! We need to get close fast!”
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Meanwhile the ponies all tried to stretch in the limited room they had, before the captain barged the double doors open. The ponies covered their eyes from the blinding light, slowly adjusting to finally seeing the sun’s rays after a day without it.
The Captain pointed to Sweetie Belle and whistled, the two guards opening the cell door and grabbed Sweetie Belle. She immediately struggled against the grip, with the ponies getting up to grab her back, but the guards had already locked the cell door on them. All the ponies got up and looked in worry as to what the captain would do to her.
“What are you doing!?” Sweetie Belle asked, still struggling.
“Well, when a male like me is out at sea for a long time. He needs to fulfil certain…desires.” He said with a grin. Sweetie Belle screamed and kicked rapidly. The guards now having troubles to even hold her straight.
“Oh shush, when you’re on my ship, you follow my orders. So save your enegy for the bed, because-“.
A large boom went off as the ship was pummelled from the Port bow, causing the ponies and gryphons to all fall down. Gunshots and screaming could be head outside. The captain quickly got up and shouted.
“You two! Put her back in the cell. And you, I’ll be back for you so don’t think this is over.” The captain pointed at Sweetie Belle. The guards quickly opened the cell and threw her in before quickly closing.
The captain and the two guards barged out to see his crew being overtaken by ponies, Gryphons, and many other races in tattered and normal clothes. The Captain heard two thuds and a shot, he turned to see his top two guards dead on the deck while a sailor was looking worried.
“They have scouts!” the sailor yelled.
The captain then saw a gryphon swing on a rope and landed on two of his sailors. The gryphon then pulled out a pistol with two barrels and shot the two. As some sailors surrounded him. He quickly out two swords and slashed them all. Not without breaking a sweat.
The captain started to worry, and was even more scared when a huge Zebra crashed onto his deck, shaking some of his sailors off of their feet. The zebra pulled out a huge hammer, and smiled and the sailors surrounded him. He laughed and started to pulverise them with his hammer cracking bones and skulls.
The captain slowly started to walk back, scared that he might be next. Soon explosions rocked the boat as a mare with googles came onto the deck, pulling out three pistols and killing the three sailors around her. She then pulled out a sword and charged at more of the sailors.
Two sailors walked up and grabbed the captain’s shoulder. The captain snapping out of his trance and looked behind him.
“Sir! Let’s get you onto the rescue boat!”
But before anything, a sailor went up and stabbed one sailor, before pulling out a pistol and shooting the other in the head. The captain jumped back as the sailor was engulfed in a green flame to reveal a changeling.
“You slimy-“The captain was about to reach for his pistol until he heard a voice behind him.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
He turned to see the gryphon, pony and Zebra standing there all smiling. The gryphon swinging his swords, the mare aiming both her pistols, and the zebra spinning the hammer in its hooves. He soon found himself surrounded by the four different creatures.
He then saw his ship and almost fainted. His masts on fire, his crew either dead or on their knees while the pirates cheered, smoke emiting from a gap the four creatures had made. He was praying to get back to his country.
But he saw something he had never seen, a phoenix literally flew past his face and back into the air. He looked at it with aw as it flew around a burning mast before finally swooping down towards him. He saw the bird fly over and go over the smoke.
The last thing he ever saw was a figure and a purple sword right between his eyes.
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The group of ponies heard the cries of victory, thinking the gryphons had beaten whatever had attacked them. Sweetie Belle grabbed the nearest pony next to her. Which was Rainbow Dash.
“No. please, don’t come in.” She whispered quietly.
Rainbow soon wrapped her hooves around the teen, clenching her tight. But the group heard a different voice outside this time.
“Alright, be ready for anything behind those doors. And fire only when I say or if they fire back.”
The voice seemed familiar, but it also had gotten more deeper.
The double doors flunge open as they saw a group of different species holding pistols. But one stood out from the rest. In the middle, was the figure that had been on the pirate boat earlier. Slowly lowering his rifle.
“Holy Hell.” The figure said.
The group of ponies stood shocked, total silence fell, before Twilight slowly jittered out the words.
“S-S-Spike.”