//------------------------------//
// Chapter 34: Sea Dog's Warning 
// Story: Harmony's Creed 
// by Gapeagle 
//------------------------------//

	"Aye, that was it, that Gryphon Man O' War had no idea where we was. The Ragnarok was quieter than a hare and we used the fog to cover our sails. Got away untouched with the gold."

"Wow Caramel, that must have been exciting!" Pinkie commented on the old captain's tale.

Caramel leaned back in his chair and folded his arms. "One of the most exciting moments of me life. Lass, I tell ya, if that monster of a ship saw us, well, I wouldn't be here."

Pinkie awed at the old man. I rolled my eyes at his boasting, all of his boasting. As we ate breakfast, it was all that I heard. Sunk a Templar ship here and outran that Imperial and chased down that Assassin Corvette. It was starting to grind on my mind. Were the stories interesting? Well, the first five were, but the six that followed were nothing more than irritating. I can't believe I kept track of how many tales he told us, I guess there was nothing else to do but listen to him. The old captain took a sip from his breakfast stew and sighed.

"Ah, this reminds me of ol' Zecora's fish stew. The Zebran could make a grand meal with anything my boys would catch in the ocean. I mean anything."

"You never compliment my meals." Sassaflash complained.

"I just did. Well, fine, this is lovely dear. Lovely." He emphasized the last word by carefully pronouncing the syllables.

"Hmph!"

Fluttershy stirred a spoon in her stew. "Do you ever miss it? I mean, the sea and all?"

Caramel nodded. "Aye, I miss it everyday. That's why I paint so much now. I mean, I painted during my career, but not this much. It's the way I live the memories again. But know this, I don't want to go back to it. My time out there is done. I'm content with me lot and me wife. Sometimes I wish I settled down sooner and not so late in my fourth decade on this world."

I considered this as it actually reminded me of myself. I had been an Assassin for a while, almost my twelfth year to be exact. Was I going to do this forever? Til my death? I never had a lover or even had any thoughts of creating a family. The Brotherhood had been my family for so long now, the idea of settling down was foreign. Most Assassins stay in the Brotherhood until they can no longer fight. Very few leave early, well, leave alive. Was that my fate? To fight until a demise like Vinyl? The idea was depressing to say the least and I started to envy the captain before me. He had been through it all and lived, lived to have a fine resolution to his adventurous life. The same captain looked dotingly at me.

"Cheer up lass, it's only morning and no need of heavy thoughts yet. Like I tell me crew, don't think until ya goin' to sleep, because you'll forget the thoughts by morning."

"Sounds like you prefer ignorance." I replied.

"No, that's not what I meant. Life is supposed to be wrangled like a bull. If ya keep thinking about the bull and why it's there, you won't go wrangle it. You end up doin' nothing but thinking, and thinking doesn't get you anywhere. Especially thoughts that discourage ya from living. I've been through many rough times in my life and I pulled through with one sayin' my father told me. 'Cheers for that.' If there was anything good or special in that day, that chance meeting, that fallen brother, well, let's have a bloody good cheer for it. It tells ya to look on the brighter things of life, even when there seems like there is none."

Pinkie nodded at all of this. I could tell that she agreed with what he said. I stirred my stew in a reluctant manner. I no longer felt like talking. I would and will admit that I may seem like a solemn and serious individual, never trying to find the good in anything. Was there any good in Vinyl's death? I certainly couldn't find anything. But, that could be what he had been talking about. Maybe I only was seeking the sad things in life and never sought any happiness for myself. Was I going to Baltimare for happiness? No, I was going there to kill the one that killed my friend. I can only hope that will give me some happiness.

"Here lasses, let me show you around. I'm sure you couldn't see the place in the dark. It's plenty better in the daylight."

Caramel slowly stood up. He grunted and stretched out his back. Pinkie jumped out of her seat and Fluttershy hesitantly rose. I finished the last bit of my stew and stood up. The old captain headed for the door. Pinkie skipped behind closely behind him. Fluttershy looked at me expectantly. I gestured for her to go first, but she silently shook her head. I rolled my eyes and walked past her. The captain ahead of me opened the front door and left it open. Pinkie and I followed. I heard the Bearer of Kindness's footsteps behind me, but they we're not following me.

I walked out into the morning sun. The forest that surrounded the homestead appeared much livelier than the previous night. In the daylight, I could see that the man's lot was even more covered in random objects than what I had thought. The old man stood next to the half steering wheel that I saw before. The sunlight reflected on the golden handles and the center sun symbol. It was indeed Celestia's Sun. The man patting the thing affectionately.

"This was the wheel of my first ship, Sun's Pearl. She was an Equestrian frigate. 40 guns on her. Well, she wasn't fast, even for a frigate and well, this is all that's left of her."

"Is she sunk?" I asked.

He chuckled. "Yeah, very, very sunk."

He then walked over to the gryphon statue. The statue was wooden and smoothly carved.

"This be the Ragnarok's gryphon that hung over the Captain's Quarters. This is a replica of course, as I couldn't haul such a thing this far. I made it from me memory."

"Why would your ship have such a thing?" Fluttershy asked from the doorway.

"The Ragnarok is a Gryphonian brig. She had served in the Gryphon Kingdom's navy before I won her. Unlike most Equestrian captains, I decided not to give her a Equestrian name and let her keep her Gryphonian one. That's because of what ragnarok means. It's Gryphonian for "Gods' Fate." Sounds much nicer now, doesn't it?"

"Sounds quite intimidating." I remarked.

"Aye, and my crew rose up to her name. We fought like animals, everyone one of us. That was due to some aid from you Assassins, though, not intentionally."

Pinkie rubbed her chin. "Really? Cause if I remember right, we went after your crew a lot. Especially in Baltimare."

"Aye. Here, I'll show you."

The captain went to the side of his house. The smell of farm animals rose as we neared the pigs and chickens. Fluttershy became distracted by the critters and joined them in their respective pens. I was disgusted by her casual petting of the pigs. I guess that I had been with Rarity in Canterlot for too long. 

Caramel opened a cellar door that went underneath his home. As it was on the side that the sun shone on, the cellar was well illuminated. He walked down a short flight of wooden stairs. Pinkie and I followed. The cellar was one large square room. The walls were lined with wooden shelves of small weapons and even more paintings. In the center of the spacious room was a hanger displaying white Assassin robes. The robes were old and torn. They were heavily modified for sea wear and use. The robes had a long white jacket with blue buttons that hung over the rest of the robes. The hood was placed on the top of the hanger. A very faint Assassin insignia was visible on it. I walked over and inspected it.

"I thought you weren't an Assassin?" I said.

"I wasn't Octavia. I took these off an Assassin that talked shite to me. Well, that was before I knew of the Brotherhood's existence. I liked the robes and kept them. I always felt safer on land when I wore the hood."

I only now realized that this man killed Assassins in his prime. It felt so odd being in his presence, him telling me his adventures and giving me meals and a bed to rest in. He was a killer and marauder for a living. Yet here he was now, an old man with a wife and his own place to call home. If this wasn't the definition of change, then I am completely ignorant of the word. Maybe there was still hope for me? Although, he had fortune on his side, to disappear in a false demise, something that I wouldn't dare risk.

"Wow, that's so cool!" Pinkie cheered. "You must have more stories to tell!"

"No!" I yelled and then recovered to a more dignified manner. "I mean....We have to get to Baltimare soon. I...We have someone we need to reach."

The captain chuckled. He clearly saw through my attempt at being polite. He gestured at the cellar door. Pinkie slumped her shoulders and sighed.

"Awww I wanted to hear more." She complained.

"Maybe another time, lass." Caramel patted her on the back.

The Bearer of Laughter kept hunched over as she made her way up the stairs. I followed her outside. The Bearer of Kindness was still socializing with the animals. Her sweet talk to them was delightful to watch, but odd as I knew the frightful side to the Bearer. This thought made me notice that she was carrying her bow. A weapon fit for hunting, yet in the hands of one who will never harm a creature of nature. 

Caramel appeared from the cellar and locked the doors behind him. He then silently walked to the stables behind the house to retrieve our steeds. I patiently awaited his return. The good wife of the homestead came from the front of the house. She gave us her usual friendly smile. It was a smile that made me feel ashamed of leaving behind. 

"Leaving so soon?" She asked.

"Yes." I replied. "We Assassins are always busy. I do thank you for the hospitality you have shown all of us."

"Yup." Pinkie nodded.

"Yes, it was lovely here." Fluttershy remarked.

"Well, that's mighty kind of you gals to say. Safe travels."

Caramel returned with three horses behind him. Mine was the least packed of the three, as the Bearers clearly brought tents. We wasted no time in mounting them. Caramel walked over to his wife, placing her in a warm embrace. 

"Oh, I can't wait to see Rainbow Dash again. It's been so long. I really wonder if she's changed." Pinkie said.

Caramel chuckled. "Ha, I bet she's still the same as when I met her."

"I hope not..." I muttered under my breath.

I urged the stallion to move. I might as well lead, I thought, it was my still my journey. Fluttershy's horse followed behind me with a meekness similar to its rider. As I headed towards the trail, I looked back to the waving couple. The voice of the old captain called out to me.

"Stay sharp Octavia. The world is a queer one. Don't be shocked by anything you see out there. Ever."

I did not respond to this. The way he said it was serious and foreboding. I assumed it was because of the Crystal Heart and its shards. The shards were an oddity I had yet to discover. As the shards reminded me of the Bearers' secrets, I turned to Pinkie who had ridden her horse next to mine. The Bearer of Laughter did not listen to the sea dog and hummed to a song in her head. Caramel still looked at me gravely. His wife contrasted with his solemn face as she had a bright smile on her lips. 

The day was well on its way as Fluttershy, Pinkie, and I arrived at the main road. We turned and headed east with the sun high above us. Caramel and Sassaflash walked up to where their walkway and the road met. I waved at them. When they were out of sight, I reached into my saddlebag and pulled out Vinyl's mask. I quickly slipped it on. The world became a faint purple through the lenses of the mask. 

"Any idea of what he meant?" I asked the Bearers.

"I have no idea." Pinkie answered

My jaw tightened. "Yes, you do." 


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