Spike leaned in. “So… You didn’t find the Queen… The Wind Crystal is completely shattered… and the Crystals are in mortal danger… This is awesome how?”
“This is why!” Rainbow Dash said, launching into the air. She focused her energy into her wings, and they began to glow much like a unicorn’s horn - except with a flurry of rainbow colors. Eventually the glow of the wings settled on a deep red, and she flapped - a blast of fire launching towards the ground. She laughed, doing it once more with a yellow burst of lightning, and again with a blue icy wind.
She rubbed her hooves together as she landed. “I have freaking magic Spike! Magic! Powerful magic! And I didn’t have to sit in a stuffy schoolroom for decades like that old stallion said I’d need to! HA!”
Spike chuckled. “I’m glad - maybe we can actually spar again and be evenly matched.”
“It has been a while since I’ve been able to do anything to you.” Rainbow Dash admitted. “But that changes today!” She smirked, holding up a purple dragon scale.
Spike blinked, looking at his side. “When did you-“
“Stole it.” She said, twirling the scale in her hoof. “Apparently the other one made me a lot better at that. Pinkie still doesn’t know I took her party cannon.”
“WHERE IS MY PARTY CANNON????”
“Oh crap. Excuse me I gotta dash. Literally.” The pirate captain took off into the sky while a crazy Pink Mare leapt into the air she had just occupied.
“DASHIE I WILL GET YOU!” She roared. Then she turned to Spike. “Hey there buddy! What’s shaking?”
“Nothing much. Just waiting for everyone to get the ship back into… ship shape. What’s up with you?”
“Oh, working on my new powers. I’ve already mastered the martial art one - now I need to get someone to hit me with magic so I can use it too!”
Spike blinked. “You can do that?”
“Yep, Blue is the color of learning!” She proudly stated. “Now… I just need Dashie to hit me with a fire spell…” She bounced off.
Spike smiled. He liked that pink mare - even if she was really really weird. She had spirit. He looked across the beach at Amethyst - she was still limping, and Rarity was following her like a mother hen, but she was fine. Spike had to close his eyes and take deep breaths when he remembered, once again, that Seabreeze would not be coming back. This was hardly the first time the sea dragon had lost friends - but that didn’t mean there wasn’t yet another gaping hole inside him.
He sighed, turning his attention to the last member of the ‘Warriors of Light’ - Applejack. She was fencing with Thunder Lane - and she was winning. The orange mare had somehow developed a style where she stood on her two hind hooves and fought wielding her sword in her front. It seemed like a style of fighting designed for an upright creature, but she was doing excellent at it.
Thunder Lane found himself clipped by the practice sword and flat on his back. Applejack put one of her hind hooves on him, standing tall with her wooden blade slung over her shoulder. “And that’s what the power of the Crystal is, Thunder Lane.”
“Alright Alright I give.” Thunder Lane said, a bit of a sore loser.
“Spike’s Saddle is up and ready to go!” Amethyst said from the ship. “Everyone aboard!!”
Spike caught Rainbow Dash’s attention. “Where we headed?”
“Town of Moole.” She said. “We need to regroup and figure out how we’re going to get to Morphisis. I at least have some idea of how to get there… No clue how we’re going to get to Solamane though.”
“And what about the Earth Crystal?”
Rainbow Dash huffed. “Nopony knows where that is, so I can’t make any plans for it now can I?”
Spike nodded. “…How are you holding up?”
Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Fine.”
“Rainbow Dash, we’ve known each other most of our lives. And I know that whenever you lose a crew member, you aren’t fine. I’m not fine either.”
Rainbow Dash sighed. “I know big bro… But we’ve got a mission to do, and the world kinda hangs in the balance. So we need to chin up and get going. I’ll be fine Spike. EVERYONE ABOARD!”
Spike frowned. He did not believe she was even close to fine yet.
~~~
Spike’s Saddle was en-route to Moole - there everypony (and a dragon) would rest, regroup, and make plans for their next step. As Spike pulled them through the water, Rarity was looking wistfully out at the shoreline they were passing. She wasn’t really paying much attention to it - she was deep in thought. A pony had died in front of her just hours ago - the image of Seabreeze being flattened stuck in her mind. She immediately felt weak - Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and even Pinkie were more suited for this kind of adventuring than she was. She was just a fancy-pants princess who didn’t know how to hold her own… And that hadn’t changed with the new crystal power - her new spells seemed to be entirely defensive and recovery in nature. Which was good, she supposed - but she still couldn’t really protect herself…
She sighed, trying not to think too hard about her uselessness or Seabreeze. She failed.
“What’s on your mind?” Rainbow Dash asked, landing next to her.
“Oh…” She sighed. “Nothing…”
Rainbow Dash put leg on Rarity’s shoulder. “Hey.” She said. “It’s going to be okay, got it?”
“Are you sure?” She said, turning to the pirate captain and removing the comforting hoof. “Seabreeze is dead, Amethyst was minutes away from dying herself, and the very powers that hold our world together are shattering!”
Rainbow Dash winced. “…Ponies die all the time - it’s just the way the world is.” She sighed. “We have to get used to it…”
“How can you be used to it?” Rarity yelled.
“She’s not.” Applejack said, walking up. “No one is.”
“Oh and you would know.” Rainbow dash said, raising her eyebrows.
“Actually yes I would.” Applejack said, her face sad. “Both my parents died when I was young. And I’ve had traveling companions before. The world is a brutal place, and ponies die.” She sighed. “And you never get used to it.”
Rainbow Dash blinked, seeming like she wanted to argue the point. But she sighed. “You’re right… It’s never ok…”
Applejack nodded. “That’s why we need to stop whatever’s doing this. Whatever it is that’s destroying the crystals also made that wing raptor go crazy - we owe it to Seabreeze. We need to stop it for her sake.”
“And to save the world.” Rarity said.
Applejack nodded. Rainbow Dash frowned. “What happens when the crystals all shatter anyway? The Wind Crystal is gone but - I can still breathe.”
Rarity pondered this. “I’m not entirely sure… but from what Mother told me the waters would become stagnant and all sea life would die, fire would lose its energy and the world will slowly cool until it enters an ice age of sorts, and without earth…” She shuddered. “Let’s just say that without earth the entire world may just fall apart bit by bit. I think we could live if only the Earth Crystal remained - but without it, the world would not last long.”
Pinkie appeared behind them. “Well I suppose it’s lucky nobody knows where the Earth Crystal is then! Nobody can try to destroy it!”
“How do you know that?” Applejack asked. “Whatever the ‘great evil’ is could know a lot more than us!”
Pinkie shrugged. “I just have a feeling.” Suddenly, her ears perked up and she stared out at the shoreline. Rather prominently visible was a large forest with three large structures visible. Pinkie looked at it incredulously. “Something about that place seems familiar to me…”
“Of course it does darling, that’s Four Mound Forest.” Rarity waved her hoof. “It’s an important landmark in these parts. Everyone’s probably seen those giant mounds.”
“Yeah.” Applejack said. “Dad took me there a few times. Rather boring place, frankly.”
“Wait…” Pinkie said. “You said Four Mound Forest?”
“Um yes why?”
“Why are there only three?”
The four ponies fell silent at this question. An eerie feeling passed over them.
“Let’s just get to Moole…”
~~~
Spike’s Saddle docked, and Spike made sure to make himself scarce - never leave the water, and nobody asks any questions. The Pirate’s instantly cheered and galloped off the ship, chanting. “Grog! Grog! Grog! Grog! Grog!”
Applejack heard a mule scream. “NO! THE PUB WILL BE OVERRUN!”
Rainbow Dash landed right in front of said mule. “Yeah. So? We pay for grog, long as it’s good.”
“But… You always trash the place!”
“And I pay for damages too don’t I?” Rainbow Dash said, smirking.
“But… but…”
“You want me to stop being a nice pirate?”
The mule sighed, walking away. Rainbow Dash chuckled. Applejack turned to her. “Do you do any pirating at all?”
“Town’s too poor to steal much from.” Rainbow Dash answered. “I’m heading to the pub with the crew - who’s coming with?”
Applejack and Pinkie Pie raised their hooves. Rarity rolled her eyes. “Have fun with your… uncivilized form of recreation, darlings.”
The three other mares laughed before trotting into the pub. Rarity winced as she heard the rigorous pirate singing once more. Huffing, she decided she was going to go shopping. There had to be some interesting services in this town.
Back in the bar, Pinkie was raising the roof. Literally. With some kind of foam finger. The pirates were having a jolly old time, and the barkeep was freaking out trying to keep up with all the orders and Pinkie’s antics.
“PARTY!!!!” She said, appearing on the stage with the three earth pony dancers, each wearing an identical ‘exotic’ outfit. She perfectly matched their motions, much to their surprise.
“Wow!” The one with a Lilly cutie mark said as they all did a perfect split. “You’re pretty good at this! Ever consider joining the group?”
“Aaaah, naaaah.” Pinkie said. “This kinda dancing is fun once in awhile but it is a bit too forward for me all the time.”
The girls giggled at this and began to dance faster and faster - Pinkie keeping up with their every move.
“DANCE OFF!” Rainbow Dash yelled, throwing her mug into the air. The three dancers grinned, switching off from ‘exotic’ dancing to some kind of tap-dancing routine. Pinkie Pie matched the routine - with just her front hooves. The three dancers grinned, doing a complex routine where they swirled around in a mesmerizing fashion.
Pinkie somehow managed to do the same routine at three times the speed. Then she gave the dancers a challenge - dance on the ceiling.
The dancers stared wide eyed at the physics-defying thing they were seeing. Then they threw their hooves into the air. “That’s it. You win. Where did you learn to dance?”
“I have no idea!” Pinkie said with complete honesty.
Minutes later Pinkie and the three dancers - whose names were Lilly, Daisy, and Rose - were very drunk and had become the best of friends.
“No way!” Pinkie said, grabbing her cheeks. “You say that you can dance as a fighting move?”
“Well…” Daisy said pensively. “Rose and Lilly can - I’m just not really suited for the fighting you know?”
“I know - my friend Rarity feels just like you girl.” Pinkie frowned. “She just got some fancy new healing powers but still feels pretty useless…”
“Oh my Luna!” Rose said. “You know the princess?”
“Yeah.” Pinkie said, nodding. “She’s traveling with us as we look for the Queen and try to save the Crystals!”
“To the Crystals!” Lilly cheered, and they downed another round of drinks. Then Daisy pointed at Applejack sauntering up to the piano.
Applejack was drunk. She was so drunk she didn’t remember coming to the Piano - but she was here now and everyone was staring at her expectant. She winced, not having any idea how to play the piano. But she tried anyway.
She hit a few keys randomly.
“Congratulations!” Thunder Lane yelled. “You are now officially worse than Zephyr at piano playing!”
“Hey!” The tall pirate pegasus yelled, indignant.
Applejack blushed and quickly got herself offstage. She walked up to Pinkie. “Soooooo.” She said, trying to think of something to say that didn’t involve how she had just failed at that piano. “Where’s Rainbow Dash?”
Pinkie blinked. “I saw her heading upstairs a few minutes ago.”
“Ah’ll go check on her.”
“I’m coming too!” She leapt up, grinning. “See you girls later!”
Lilly waved. “Pinkie, you are the best!”
“I know it!”
As they walked up the stairs, they passed Zephyr, who was moping. “Captain… I love you…”
Applejack pretended she didn’t hear that. The two mares trotted up the stairs, pausing as they heard the unmistakable noise of pirate snoring.
“Is she sleeping?” Applejack wondered.
“Only one way to find out!” Pinkie said, throwing the door to the room open. What they saw before them was a hardened pirate captain... curled up into a very cat-like position and hugging the pillow like it was some kind of fluffy animal. Her nose twitched in minor ways as she snored, and she rolled over.
Pinkie was squeeing. “She’s so adorable!” Applejack found herself agreeing with that assessment.
Rainbow Dash’s eyes flew open. “Did you two just call me adorable?”
Pinkie and Applejack jumped, startled.
“Uh… No?” Pinkie said. Rainbow Dash turned to Applejack.
Applejack sighed. “Yes.”
“Thought so.” She grabbed one of her cutlasses from the nightstand and lit in on fire. “Now let me make one thing clear.” She spread her wings and got into their faces. “I. AM. NOT. CUTE!”
Applejack nodded vigorously, but Pinkie didn’t know how to keep her mouth shut. “Well, I mean, we won’t call you cute anymore but that doesn’t change the fact that you are really really cute when you cuddle up in bed like that I mean it was just adorable you even made little noises and-“
Pinkie and Applejack found themselves bucked out the second floor window onto the rosebushes outside. Rose happened to be out there was well, and she instantly began to laugh her head off.
“Har-de-har.” Applejack muttered.
~~~
Rarity was perusing the weapon’s shop, looking for something appropriate for a Princess like her. Most of the weapons were large, ugly things, not fit for a princess. But her eyes eventually settled on a small dagger encrusted in some kind of shiny blue finish. Her eyes sparkled. “Shopkeep! What is this?”
“Lapis dagger.” The storekeeper said, not looking up from his book. “Three hundred bits.”
“I’ll take it!” She said, hoofing over the money. Sometimes it paid to be stinking rich. The stallion took the money and let her take the dagger. She twirled it with her magic, smiling. “This will do nicely…”
“Hey…” A mare said, walking up to her. Rarity frowned - she smelled of alcohol. “Name’s Lilly - friend of yours said you felt like you weren’t able to defend yourself.”
Rarity frowned. “What business is it of yours? Besides, I just purchased this dagger - I shall be fine now.”
Lilly shook her head. “Simply having a dagger does not mean you’ll be able to defend yourself out there in the world. Come, there’s a little adventurer’s hangout to the west of town. I can show you some of the basics.”
Rarity blinked. “Really?”
“It wouldn’t be very nice of me to let a mare like you just get killed out there now would it?”
“I suppose not.”
The two trotted over to the Guild. In most cities there would be a Guild for warriors, wizards, and other forms of adventurers - Moole was so small they all had to share one building. Lilly brought Rarity into one of the bigger rooms used for sparring.
“Now, we have a white mage on standby.” Lilly said, gesturing towards a stallion in a white robe. “So we can feel free to use damaging techniques - but no trying to stab me in the heart okay?”
Rarity backed away. “Damaging techniques? Why-“
“Nobody out there in the wilderness is going to pull any punches, princess.” Lilly said matter of factly. “We have an opportunity to practice here without any inhibitions.”
Rarity tried to shake herself out of it. “O-okay.”
“Good. My fighting technique requires no weapon - but you can use your dagger however you wish.”
“Aren’t you going to train me first?”
“Nope.” Lilly said, grinning. “Come at me.”
Rarity inched forward, waving the dagger around with her magic. She rushed forward to stab Lilly in the leg - somewhere it wouldn’t do much damage of course. She winced as she felt it impact something. Lilly sighed. “Open your eyes Rarity - I just deflected it.”
“Oh.” Rarity blushed. “Right. Sorry.” She tried again, this time keeping her eyes open. Lilly leapt right over the dagger, performing a graceful spin in midair, and landed on the ground with a powerful sweep that knocked Rarity to the ground.
“WAUGH!” Rarity yelled, holding her leg in pain. “Why.. why did that hurt so much?”
Lilly smirked. “I’m a master of dance-fighting - I know exactly where to hit you to do the most damage. I can also make you really dizzy, but that’d just make it harder for you to learn anything.”
“Ow…” Rarity muttered, lighting her horn and casting some healing magic on herself.
Lilly raised an eyebrow. “You know white magic?”
“It’s a recent thing dear - something the Wind Crystal gave me.”
Lilly smiled. “Ah - maybe you aren’t destined to be a fighter at all. But you can use your powers to defend yourself and help your allies.”
“Really?” Rarity said, standing up. “What can I do? I thought it was just healing…”
Lilly frowned. “Well, usually people have to spend months just to learn a single spell… but since this whole healing thing is ‘recent’ I expect the power is just within you. Try making a barrier around yourself. I’ve seen Flitty over there do it dozens of times.”
Rarity nodded, focusing on her inner self… she found the essence of the Wind Crystal inside of her, and felt it open up. She smiled, and instantly a green and an orange field of magic surrounded her. “My heavens! I just.. I just looked into myself and found them!”
Lilly smiled, then she punched Rarity with all her might. Rarity went sliding, annoyed. “What did you do that for?”
Lilly grinned. “I hit you as hard as I possibly could Rarity - you barely flinched.”
Rarity blinked, then joined Lilly in the grin. “My stars yes! This is excellent!”
Lilly nodded. “And if I recall correctly, you should be able to cast those on your friends as well. You may not be a fighter on your own Rarity - but you are the backbone of your friends. Your powers will hold them together.”
Rarity squee’d. “Wait until I tell everyone!”
At that point, an orange bearded unicorn that had been watching in awe spoke up. “Rarity?”
Rarity turned. “Yes?” Then she recognized who she was talking too. “Oh Sunburst! It’s been too long! How’s it been?”
Sunburst smiled sadly. “Well… my canal has been infested with monsters so I had to close it.”
Rarity blinked. “The canal to Morphisis? Oh my… But we need to go that way!”
Sunburst shook his head. “It’s far too dangerous for you…” Lilly shot him a look. “A-and plus, I’ve lost the key. I couldn’t open it even if I wanted too.”
Rarity frowned. “Great. How are we going to get there now?”
Sunburst shrugged. “I don’t know… but I can let you and whoever your companions are stay in my house for tonight. It is the least I can do for you.”
“Oh aren’t you a gentleman! Very well, I accept, though I should warn you that we are traveling with the pirates.”
Sunburst shuddered. “Figured as much since you were talking about the canal… What on earth happened to get you involved with those pirates?”
“Well you see, it’s a funny story…” Rarity began.
~~~
That night, Rarity, Pinkie, and Applejack were sleeping in Sunburst’s guest room. Well, Pinkie and Rarity were - Applejack couldn’t sleep. She huffed in annoyance, walking out of the house. She stood over the river, contemplating life.
She thought back to long ago… Back when she was just a filly… Her parents thought she wasn’t listening.
“We must protect the Crystals…” Mom was saying.
Dad sighed. “But we’ve got a farm to worry ‘bout… And what about our kids?”
“The burden is not theirs.” Mom replied. “Just ours - they do not need to know. But one of us has to go check soon - and Big Mac is old enough to start asking questions.”
“Well just tell ‘em the truth - that you’re a bit of an adventurer and you need to get out and stretch your legs from time to time.”
Mom laughed. “I suppose that’ll work…” She sighed. “I hope nothing will ever happen… and that we can just enjoy our life together.”
Dad nodded, and the two embraced.
Applejack sighed, casting a rock into a river. “Well, something’s happened Mom. Sorry, but it’s now my problem…”
Sunburst walked up to her. “Can’t sleep either?”
“Nope.” Applejack said.
“Yeah…” Sunburst sighed. “I just… I just want Princess Rarity to be safe but…”
“But what?”
“She’s… she’s tossing and turning in her sleep. She keeps promising the Queen she’ll protect the Crystals…”
There was silence for a few moments. “You have the key don’t you?” Applejack eventually asked.
Sunburst sighed. “I do…” He took it out of his cloak pocket, frowning. “But there are horrid creatures in that canal… and even with your impossible windless boat and a crew of pirates and Crystal bestowed powers you cannot promise me she’ll be safe.”
“Nope.” Applejack said. “But I can say we’ll be getting to Morphisis one way or another - and I fully expect we will be going to places much more dangerous than that canal of yours.”
Sunburst sighed. “I… I know.” He handed the key to Applejack. “Don’t tell her I had this. Try to keep her safe, will you?”
“I’ll do my best.”
“That’s all I can really ask.” He said, walking back into the house.
~~~
The next morning, the pirates were at the pub again. Rarity even decided to join them. Rainbow Dash was leading them in song.
She was a grand mare, ready for all
She was a proud mare, standing tall
Plundering, laughing, singing long
Sure, she was sometimes a little wrong
She would always stand, never bend
She was a good pirate to the end
“TO SEABREEZE!” Rainbow Dash yelled, holding a mug high.
“TO SEABREEZE!” Everyone else yelled - including Rarity, though she didn’t down her drink.
“Now.” Rainbow Dash said. “We’ve got the key to the canal - courtesy of Applejack’s mad finding skills - let’s head back to the Cove. We’re ready to set sail.”
“YAR!” The pirates yelled.
~~~
Within the day, the Spike’s Saddle was back at the pirates’ secret cove hideout. The pirates who’d stayed behind welcomed everyone back, and stories were swapped. Seabreeze’s death hit them all hard, but this was hardly the first time something like this had happened. They understood.
“Hey…” A pirate said, walking up to Applejack. “You wouldn’t happen to know a chocobo would you?”
Applejack’s eyes widened. “Winona! Where is she?”
The pirate led her to a back area of the cave where the large yellow bird was sleeping on two mattresses. Her wing was obviously very broken. Applejack winced. “Winona? What happened?”
“Kwek.” Was all Winona said, obviously in pain.
“Don’t you worry none.” A unicorn pirate said. “We’ll take good care of her - though our potions aren’t doing much, she should recover on her own shortly.”
Applejack nodded. “Winona?”
“Caw?”
“Be a good girl and show these pirates who’s boss.” The two of them chuckled. “Ah gotta go again girl, you’ll be fine? It might be a long time before I’m back.”
Winona nodded. Applejack smiled sadly. “Well then - until next time Winona.”
“Kwa!”
Applejack walked back out into the cove, and Rainbow Dash was giving a speech. “Alright - here’s what we’re going to do. The four of us have been chosen by the Crystals and Queen Luna herself to go save the world.”
The pirates cheered. “AWESOME!” They yelled.
Rainbow Dash grinned. “Yeah, I know. But, the rest of you..” She sighed “As much as I hate to admit this the journey would probably be too dangerous for the rest of you. And I can’t handle losing more of you.” The pirates fell silent. “I’m taking Spike and the Saddle, and leaving you lot here.”
“But.. but Captain!” Zephyr blurted out. “We need you!”
“Zephyr, I’m going to say this once. Stop crushing on me or I will crack your freakin’ skull in. Now to actually respond to what he said - you do not need me. Amethyst will make a good captain for you all.”
Amethyst nodded. “I am honored Captain-“
Rainbow Dash laughed. “We are both Captain, Amethyst. You can just call me Rainbow now.”
Amethyst smiled. “Rainbow, I am honored. But - we have no ship. How can we still be pirates?”
Rainbow Dash shrugged. “I’m sure you’ll figure something out with magic and pegasus wings.”
Amethyst looked like she already had an idea. A great idea. The other pirates backed away from her, already feeling the crazy.
Rainbow Dash and Amethyst hoofbumbed. “Take good care of them Amethyst. The bird too.”
Amethyst smiled. “Wouldn’t dream of doing anything else.”
Rainbow Dash flapped into the air. “Applejack! Pinkie! Spike! Miss Fancy Pants!”
“Hey!”
“We’re off! To Morphisis!”
“TO MORPHISIS!”
~~~
Rainbow Dash electrocuted a squid. “You know, I was expecting a lot worse inside this canal. Not just pathetic squid monsters.”
Pinkie grabbed another squid and threw it overboard. “Crystals are OP. Plz Nerf.”
“What?” Rarity said, her magical barriers keeping her completely unaware that another squid was trying to eat her tail.
“Neeeeevermind!” Pinkie said.
Applejack gutted a squid and tossed it towards Spike’s head, where he ate it whole. “Thanks!”
“No problem. Just keep pulling this ship.”
“DASHIE!” Pinkie yelled. “This strange flying manta ray just hit me with magic!!”
“Oh, so what?”
Pinkie clapped her hooves together and a blast of air shot out and knocked Rainbow Dash to the ground. Rainbow Dash twitched.
“So Daaaaaashie! Willing to hit me with your magic yet so I can learn it?”
“Nope.” Rainbow Dash said, dusting herself off. “We don’t need you hurling fireballs everywhere.”
Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Darling, you’ve lit the ship on fire five times.”
“Yeah? So? There’s a squid on your butt.”
“There is not a - AIEEEEEE!”
Applejack facehooved and cut the squid right off Rarity. “Thank you dear.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Pinkie blew a dozen other squid off the ship - with her breath. “Woohoo!”
“We’re almost through the canal.” Spike called from ahead. “We should be in open sea shortly.”
As if on cue, the sea began to churn. Spike dove beneath the waves and grabbed onto the ship tighter as a whirlpool began to form and pull them in. Rarity screamed as the ship began to rotate uncontrollably.
Then things got worse. A tremendous red shape rose out of the waves - easily as big as Spike - that somewhat resembled a giant lobster. It had many tentacle-like appendages, and a fire in its eyes that screamed murder. It roared.
Rarity’s jaw dropped. “KRAKEN? WHAT IN THE NAME OF THE CRYSTALS IS A KRAKEN DOING HERE?”
“Doesn’t matter.” Rainbow Dash said, taking off into the sky, wings alit with yellow energy. She flapped, launching a tremendous lightning bolt at the kraken - causing it to roar in pain. While it was distracted, Spike rose out of the water and belched green fire at the creature. Pinkie took a breath and blew as hard as she could. When she figured out this wasn’t working she leapt onto the kraken and began to beat it around the head and shoulders with her own two hooves - and somehow this was doing some actual damage. “Power of the Mooooonk!” She yelled.
Rarity cast some barrier spells around Applejack as the leapt into the air, driving her sword into the Kraken’s eyes. It roared in pain, linking Applejack and Pinkie off with a simple rolling motion, and kicking Spike away in the process. Pinkie landed back on the ship with a thud. “I DIDN’T MEAN IT!!!” She yelled.
Applejack charged back at the kraken while Rainbow Dash and Spike continued to launch electricity and fire at the offending sea creature. It roared in pain as a lightning bolt blew a chunk out of its chest. It realized with anger that it was about to die.
In a mindless rage, the kraken charged Spike with reckless abandon, pulling him beneath the water. Spike yelled out in pain, but fought back. However, he was smaller than the kraken, and the kraken had lost all sense of reason. Spike was dragged beneath the waves.
“Spike!’ Rainbow Dash yelled, flying into the water. She had long ago mastered the art of swimming with wings, and rushed as fast as she could towards Spike and the kraken. They were going out to sea, but she didn’t care - she was not letting this sea lobster take her brother away.
Then a strong side current caught her and knocked her sideways, making her lose all sense of direction. It took her a few moments to get her bearings, and she looked around in a panic for Spike.
She saw nothing but the shimmering of the sun from above and blue water in all directions. And she was running out of breath. She swam to the surface and flew into the sky - the water in her feathers held her down but she was used to it. She didn’t really care anyway.
“SPIKE!” She yelled.
She heard his roar in response - but she got no direction from it.
“SPIKE!!!”
There was no roar this time. Rainbow Dash flew off to sea, calling his name.
“Rainbow!” Applejack called out, trying to get her attention. She didn’t not succeed - the pegasus soon disappeared into the distance.
And the Spike’s Saddle was now adrift without the guidance of Spike it had known for so long… A ship with no direction.