//------------------------------// // Some Morning Wood- In a Different Sense // Story: The Pirates of Manehattan // by Tower of 0 //------------------------------// That Very Next Morning Derpy and Vinyl both woke up to disappointment as the apartment bed was still missing their third. Ponies always said that three was a crowd, but they couldn't help agree that Justin made their three, in his own words, 'one hell of a crowd.' So as Vinyl promised, the two mares left into the city to go look for their lost human. Just have the hope that he was still within city limits. A stallion stood in an alleyway, dressed as a typical city goer. He looked head to the harbor, just past the large Manehattennite statue to a wooden ship anchored just off to the massive mare made of metal. Then, as is his job, he continued to look around at the sidewalks for any pony or ponies that seemed to be in a bit of a worry, searching for something that they lost. Back to the Ship Celestia's sun was high above the ship. Justin, being the bored man that he was, was counting the clouds as the ship deck was busy yet again. He back in his binds, yet again, without a clue to anypony that he had slipped from them last night. There was washing, mooring, tying, and, of course, curious ponies stopping by to watch the human. They seemed to be fascinated that he, well, was doing nothing unusual and didn't seem to be trying to find a way to escape or bargain with them. He just sat there, smiling, and nodding to any nearby ponies. "He did what?!" He hear a female voice yell from behind the upper door. Well... here possibly goes my cover. Scarlet stopped out of her cabin, down the steps and up to her captive. Standing on her hinds legs as she pushed her snout up against his nose and glared into his eyes. "Can I.. help you?" Justin asked Scarlet, not even a tad bit uncomfortable. Scarlet stepped down and cleared her throat. "One of me crew says that you were loose last night." She then looked him over to see that he, indeed, still was tied to the mast. "As it appears... this accusation is false." "Now how would poor wittle me eve be able to get out from such tight ropes?" Justin struggled weakly against the ropes as he played a bit. "B-but! He attacked me last night just to ask me where the bathroom was!" The stallion blurted out as he stumbled over the two sleeping guards. "Why.. he even knocked out these two!" "Are you sure it was me? Those two were playing cards when they just fell over and started snoozing. It was preeeeeety dark last night, I should know, I was out here all night." Justin sort of lied with a grin. Scarlet turned toward the stallion. He seem sleep-deprived and was forming bags under his eyes rather quickly. She just kept eyeing him, staring him down as he started to sweat a bit a shiver. "Maybe somepony should get some sleep." Justin piped up from behind the stallion, causing the poor guy to shriek like a filly and jump. "What the..." Scarlet looked at the human, then back to the mast to see... him still there. Then back to where the human was standing to find it vacant. Alright wiseguy.." Scarlet turned and started to jab a hoof into his chest, covered by the ropes. "..just what kinda magic you pullin' here?" "Magic? Me?" Justin asked sweetly. "Humans can't simply pull, perform, do, execute, or activate magic. It isn't in our DNA." "what.. then how'd you-" "It's easy, like one.. two.... thr- HEY LOOK A DISTRACTION!" Everypony on deck fell for Justin's trick. They all looked back to the mast to find him missing yet again. The ropes on the ground as they started to look around the ship for a bit. Before their attention was caught by random 'Arrs' and 'Yo hos' coming from the helm of the ship. All eyes turned to the source and jaws dropped to the floor. There they saw Justin turning the wheel to and fro like some madpony trying to get a horseless carriage to run. "~Yo ho! yo ho! A pirate's life fer me!~" He sang out in a swashbuckling tone like no other. "Arrrr! All hooves on deck! Pony the sails! Swab thy poopdeck!" Scarlet then took notice of what he had on his head then reached a hoof for her mane. She felt no hat. Quickly gritting her, Scarlet started to stomp in an attempt to catch the human's attention, but only causing the ship to start rocking. "Arr! Tha ship be under attack! Kraken must be a hoof!" Justin called out in response, causing the crew to start running around in a panic and leaving Scarlet unamused. Then the voice of the human rang out again. "Morning Wood!" The crew just stopped and looked over at the human, who was now on the wheel and leaning off to the side. Somehow in near perfect balance on the wheel without it turning and falling off. Most of the crew went over to the edge of the boat to see just what he was talking about: A lone piece of wood steadily floating by with the word 'Morning!' written on it. Scarlet just gritted her teeth and stomped her way up to the human. Justin was sent flying off the wheel with a powerful kick, his back slamming against the top deck as ponies slowly started to circle him. Most with wide eyes to see just what he'd do next/ All Justin did was groan out a bit at the pain as he sat up. His vision suddenly being filled with red, white green, and black, as Scarlet just shoved her snout against his nose with one angry stare. "It's normally hard for any pony to get under my fur. You? You're something else beyond that." Scarlet snarled as she then stepped back, snatching her hat and turning her flank to him as she started to walk away. "Pirates. Throw this thing in the brig." Orders set, only a few ponies actually were need to carry Justin to the bowels of the ship, the small unicorn prancing along as she just watched them carry the human down and down, eventually just coming to the bottom of the ship. Shackling him up seemed to prove quite useless as the restraints were meant for anything as big as a pony. The team quickly left Justin down there, but the small one lingered around for a bit longer, just staring him down with curious eyes. The human just smiled away despite his situation, even so as to wave at her. The unicorn gave a small smile and scampered off to the top decks. Evening at Manehattan Streets Vinyl and Derpy fell into a small panic. The two of them having split up and combed the city early in the morning only to get done halfway. Their odds seemed dwindle more as they searched today. Nopony knew who Justin was, most hadn't even seen him before he disappeared. Bad news seemed to just swirl around them about their beloved human. Derpy looked to the window as night was slowly beginning to fall over the harbor. Vinyl's apartment was still a ways away from the water, but they could still see it. The calm waters only making small waves crashing against the island base of an iconic Equestrian landmark. And the silhouette of a ship in the distance.