Rose passes another bottle of rum to Captain and goes back to leaning on the counter. “I really hated that bat thing, he reminded me too much of someone,” Captain says and downs the bottle. She looks around her tavern, it doesn’t take her long to find the members of his crew. Twigs and Smokey are playing a game of cards, Howler is sitting at the far end of the counter enjoying a bottle himself. Willow busies herself by trying to pickpocket the other patrons. Arrel and Starry sit at one of the tables enjoying each others company.
“Those two seem to be getting along,” Rose comments.
“If you ask me it’s a bit more than just getting along,” Ebony says.
“And what about you two, sweetie. Have you two been more than getting along?”
“Yeah sure, I guess,” Captain says. Ebony and Rose laugh at him.
“So, what do you two plan on doing?”
“Don’t know, go find a few merchants probably.”
“Too small for you, I heard that there’s a royal convoy coming through these waters soon.”
“Sounds interesting.”
“You better damn well not go after it,” says a hearty voice from behind them. They turn to find Flintlock standing there.
“Flintlock, come sit down, Rose give him a drink,” Captain says. Flintlock sits at the counter next to Captain. “How’s it been going?” Rose comes over and gives him a bottle of rum which he takes with a happy smile.
“Been well, though I have heard rumors of a pirate, quite similar to you, attacking two very wealthy stallions, I think their names were Gold and Silver. I also heard the same pirate has freed several slav-- uh… I mean deer, from a plantation. But it can’t possibly be you, could it?” They share a laugh.
“So, what brings you here? I’m guessing that you’re not here to arrest me.”
“While that does sound tempting, I’m afraid I’m not here for that. I need some help.”
“Tell me what it is, you know I’ll help you with anything.”
Flintlock smiles at his brother. “A small settlement has been taken by a group of griffons, they have also taken the villagers hostage.”
Captain gives him a confused look. “I know I just said I’d help with anything, but this sounds like a job for the military.”
“It is, but the don’t want to negotiate. They've decided to simply raze the town. I managed to let me have a shot at it before they kill everyone. So I figured there’s no one better than you.”
“Celestia wants to level the town?” Rose asks.
“Don’t know, but my superiors don’t want to waste time waiting for an answer. They decided it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.”
“Alright then, I’m in. So what’s the plan?”
“Me and you sneak into the town, find the hostages, send up a firework and start killing the griffons who don’t surrender.”
“Sounds good, let’s do this.”
A few hours later Nightmare’s Revenge is anchored just off the shore. Captain and his crew decided to take Flintlock’s ship. A small group of ponies stand before the two captains.
“Right here’s the plan,” Flintlock says to the crews. “Me and Captain will sneak into the town and find the hostages. You’ll all be waiting by the edge of the jungle, when we send up the firework you’ll come out and attack. Sandy, you’re leading the attack. If anyone spots you before the signal kill them... quietly.”
“Is it really a good idea for you two to go in alone?” says a member of Flintlock’s crew.
Sandstone shoots him a glare. “Flintlock alone is strong enough to hold his own against that many of them. If half of what I heard about the pirate is true, then they’ll be fine.”
“Good, now prep the rowboats. Sandy, can you go get my sword?”
“Right away, captain.” He runs off toward the captain’s quarter a second later he comes back with a large sword slung around back. It’s a large thick sword, the back of the blade seems to be rounded and there’s an opening at the tip. Holes have been cut into the sword, presumably to make it lighter. There is a small cylinder in the blade just above the hilt. The custom grip, which is made for hooves, has a lever sticking out of it.
Flint swings the sword onto his back, Smokey stares at it in awe. “Is that...”
“Yes it is.” He jumps into a rowboat followed by Captain. “Been awhile since we last had a chance to have fun,” he says as he grabs a paddle.
“That’s because you've been sitting your lazy ass in your ship. When most ponies see your ship they simply surrender,” Captain says and grabs the other paddle.
“Well then, it's a good thing that they won't see my ship.”
Captain and Flintlock look out through the foliage at the fleet of Celestial ships that have gathered out to sea, not far from the town. “How long do you think they’ll wait before the start firing?” Captain asks.
“Not sure, but let’s hurry. We should split up and try finding the townsfolk. We meet back here in a few minutes.”
The both nod and head in different directions. Captain runs out of the foliage presses himself next to the wall of a nearby house. He sticks his head around the corner and finds three griffons talking amongst themselves. “Those ships are starting to worry me,” says one of them.
“We have hostages they shouldn't attack.”
“What if they let off a few soldiers in the jungle? They could be coming here right now.”
“True, get a few more guards looking after the hostages. Increase the patrols while you’re at it.” One of them nods and flies away, the other two go back to their patrol. Captain goes after the first one. He runs behind the houses and through the shrubbery trying to keep up with him. He hears someone moaning and rolls into one of the bushes. He turns his ears slowly to try and figure out if they heard him. When he hears nothing he sticks his head out of the bush.
He quickly finds the source of the moan, a griffon is tied to a pole. He is a dull red, his feathers end with small white dots. The feathers from his neck up are white. His claws are tied up behind his back and it looks like he’s been declawed, painfully. Captain scans the area, nothing. He sneaks his way up to the griffon. The griffon lets out a grunt cranes his neck to see the pony. “Who are you?” he asks in a rough voice.
“Who are you?”
“You came here to free the townsfolk I guess. What’s stopping me from calling my comrades?”
“They don’t seem like your comrades with the way they left you here.”
"That would change if I tell them of your rescue mission."
"Won't change anything if they're all dead. If we don't go back to the fleet over there, they'll raze the town."
"But the hostages."
"They don't really care it would seem."
The griffon looks away. “I’m here because they caught me trying to free a few of the hostages, the children and mares.”
"You were trying to free some of the hostages, why?"
"Because they don't deserve to die."
There is a small pause as Captain studies the griffon. “What if I free you?”
“What do you mean.”
“Would you join my crew if I free you?”
“Why would you want me, I’m a griffon, enemy of Equestria.”
“Because I’m a pirate, king of the seas.”
The griffon looks back at him and studies him. “And why would a pirate want me?”
“Because I still have a few more spaces in my crew and you know where to find the hostages.”
The griffon sighs with a bit of a wince. “So, you free me, I join your crew, I tell you where to find the hostages and then we free them.” Captain nods. “My name is Craven, newest member of your crew.” There is the sounds of metal striking wood and then the ropes fall to the ground. Craven flexes his claws. “The townsfolk should be in the barn.”
“Alright.” He heads off in the opposite direction.
“The barn’s the oth--”
“I know, but I need to tell my brother.” Craven follows Captain. They arrive at the spot a few moments later Flintlock comes through the foliage.
“Let me guess…”
“New member,” Captain says.
“Oh... uh... you recruited a griffon?”
"Yes."
"Uh... well does he know where the townsfolk are?"
A few minutes later they’re outside the barn watching the three guards stand in front of the door. “There might be another three on the other side,” Flintlock says. He looks at Craven. “Don’t suppose you could trick them to leave.”
“No, I think they’d try and kill me.”
“Of course… Captain, you have any ideas?” They hear something hit the ground, Captain stands above the three bodies. "You have no subtlety, do you?" Flintlock asks walking out of the bush. Craven follows quickly behind Flintlock. Craven picks up a lance from the ground. They push open the door, one guard sits in the middle of the room. Before anyone else could move Captain throws his cutlass, the blade sinks into the griffons chest. The three go into the barn.
“I don’t see anyone,” Captain states.
“They’re in the cellar, they used this building as storage as well.” They locate a hatch in the floor near a corner of the barn. Opening it, several sets of eyes stare back at them.
“We’re saved!” one declares.
“Wait, you’re not free yet. There are still griffons out there, you’ll all have to stay down here for now.”
“What, no let us out, we can help. I’m not abou--” Flintlock closes the hatch and Captain pushes a crate onto it.
“They’re safer down there,” Flintlock says. He looks over at Captain and nods. "Well, looks like it's time to start." He takes a firework with a long fuse out of his saddlebag. He aims it at a window and lights the fuse. He then opens a stall door and lay the back of his sword against it aiming the tip of his sword at one of the doors, he moves his hoof to the lever. Captain takes a spot at the opposite door.
“Craven, watch the windows, kill anyone who comes in,” Captain says. The griffon flies into the rafters just as the flame reaches the end of the fuse. The firework shoots into the sky leaving a small trail of smoke behind it. It explodes into a ball of multicolored sparkles and it all goes silent. Flintlock levels his sword at the door and applies a little pressure to the lever. The door bursts open and the three other guard come rushing in. Flintlocks grins and squeezes the lever.
The sound of something along the lines of a cannon rips through the air, flames shoot out of the end of Flintlock’s sword. A bullet tears into a griffon sending him back out the door. The cylinder in the blade rotates with a metallic clunk. He fires again, the bullet roars through the air and into another griffon. The last griffon looks at him with a mix of fear and confusion. Flintlock fires once more and kills the last griffon, the stall door breaks apart. “The bucking Tartarus was that? How many time can you shoot with that thing?”
“Four, I have one more shot left.”
A griffon falls to the ground. “You two going to gawk about that thing or are you going to use it?” They turn around as more griffons come into the barn.
Flintlock charges the three coming from his door. He swings his sword at the nearest one which blocks, but is still sent skidding across the floor. He quickly brings his sword back around and strikes at the next one. The griffon fails to block it and the sword slashes across the griffon’s shoulder and chest. The last one swigs at him, Flintlock brings his sword around and blocks with the wide blade. He spots the other charging at him, he squeezes the trigger and fires at him. The griffon dies from the bullet and the recoil sends the back of the blade into the last griffon’s face. He stumbles back a few steps and finds Flintlock’s sword/gun leveled at his face. The griffon drops his weapon.
Captain deflects a strike from a griffon and punches him back into the others. He jumps onto the griffon and sinks his cutlass into his heart. The griffons regain their footing and strike at Captain. He slides under their swords and kicks the leg on one of them earning a loud snap. He gets to his hooves and slashes at the last griffon, which manages to block. Captain begins an onslaught of strikes, the griffon loses grip on his sword and it’s sent flying into the wall. Captain kills the defenceless griffon. He turns and looks down at the griffon he broke the leg of. He sighs and walks over to Flintlock and Craven.
“Looks like we did it.”
“Good job, let’s get the survivors to the ship and let the them out of the cellar.”
Nightmare’s Revenge comes to a slow stop at the Neighsau docks. Captain and Flintlock lean on the rail as the crew sing a shanty. “It was nice to see you again,” Captain says.
“That it was, I hope to see you again soon. Oh, and stay away from the convoy, I’m escorting it through here.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t go after it.” The ramp is lowered and his crew start walking onto the dock. “Until next time.”
“Captain,” Flintlock says with a slight tone of concern.
“Yeah?”
“Be careful out there, Gale has gone silent. I think he’s heard that you’re back and now he’s looking for you or hiding from you.”
Captain narrows his eyes at the mention of his old friend. He turns and starts walking up the dock. “So what? I’ll crush him if he finds me or I’ll crush him when I find him.”