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Prologue: Moonlight Docking793 words
Chapter 1: Attack from the Sea3,823 words
Chapter 2: Setting Sail5,255 words
Chapter 3:Hook Line and Sinker5,321 words
Chapter 4: Revelation5,109 words
Chapter 5: The Challenge4,806 words
Chapter 6: New Friendships6,386 words
Chapter 7: Trouble below Deck5,481 words
Chapter 8: Disaster above Deck8,085 words
Chapter 9: Into the Fog4,866 words
Chapter 10: A Drop of Kindness6,531 words
Chapter 11: An Honest Answer5,342 words
Chapter 12: Giggles and Gifts4,112 words
Chapter 13: Friendship is Magic4,493 words
Chapter 14: Marooned5,779 words
Chapter 15: Hope Lives on4,956 words
Chapter 16: The End of Evil5,261 words
Epilogue: Goodbye3,142 words

Epilogue: Goodbye

Three weeks passed since the invasion of Ponyville from Blackhorn and his crew and already the town was beginning to mend quite quickly. With the insistent help of Jack Silver's crew every pony managed to make decent repairs, while they were nervous at first every pony had to admit that Jack Silver and his crew weren't as vicious as they first thought, in fact overtime they came to call them friends, some even idolised them, even going as far as to wear fake eye patches like Slash and dying their manes to resemble the skunk effect Gem La Stone had, even the Diamond Dogs were welcomed into the pony’s lives despite their species. As for whatever remained of Blackhorn's dark crew, as it turns out those who served on the Black Death were so consumed to its darkness that they were reduced to dust the second it was destroyed, thus ending the curse forever. Finally the town was repaired and everything went back to normal, as normal as life in Ponyville could get at least. Spending the nights in the local Ponyville hotel Jack and his crew found themselves quite comfortable there, those who were injured were healed quite rapidly thanks to the efforts at the Ponyville hospital and needless to say felt ten times better than they had in weeks. However while Jack was happy to see his crew finally seen as ponies rather than monsters, he knew that they couldn't stay for long. One day Spike received a letter from Princess Celestia intended for Jack, she was summoning him to Canterlot, while hesitant at first and despite the objections from Shimmer and the rest of his crew Jack agreed to go. Leaving his crew in Ponyville and only taking Twilight with him, Jack boarded the train to Canterlot, upon arriving at the castle he couldn't help but feel nervous.

"Are you okay Jack?" Twilight asked.

"Hmm? Oh yeah I'm fine," Jack answered as they came to the doors of the throne room. "I just hope whatever happens in there doesn't end up with me getting thrown in prison."

"Don't be ridiculous," Twilight said with a slight smile. "You and your crew saved the whole of Ponyville, if anything Celestia will want to thank you. Are you sure you don't want me to go in with you?"

"No it's okay," Jack said. "Just wait outside,"

At those words word pushed forward on the throne room doors and entered, there he saw Princess Celestia standing alone staring out of the now repaired stain glass windows.

"I knew you'd come," she said with a smile, not even turning her head to look at him.

"Almost didn't," Jack answered her nervously.

"It's been a long time Jack Silver," Celestia continued.

"Indeed it has," Jack said in agreement.

"You need not fear me Jack," Celestia explained. "Princess Twilight has already explained everything to me in her report, she told me about your reputation and what you have done in recent times."

"She… she did?" Jack said with a raised eyebrow.

At those words Celestia simply laughed and turned towards him.

"Don't think I've forgotten about the feisty young colt who once studied at my school," he said. "You may have aged quite a bit Jack Silver but I still remember what you looked like, and I never believed those rumours about you for one minute, there was no doubt that you wouldn’t commit such horrible things."

"Oh Really?" Jack said with a raised eyebrow. "Is that why you tried to trap me in crystal fifty years ago?"

"So I had to make a few things look convincing in order for you to escape," Celestia's giggled. "Sue me."

At those words Jack couldn't help but burst out laughing alongside Princess Celestia as she made her way to the throne.

"I must say I've missed you Jack," Celestia said as she took as seat. "You have certainly aged well after all these years.”

“Why thank you your grace,” Jack said as he tipped his hat to her. “And might I say you are looking devilishly beautiful yourself.”

At those words, Celestia couldn’t help but blush, after all these years Jack silver had never lost his charm.

“I take it you found what you were looking for?" she asked.

"Indeed I have," Jack said as he levitated the Element of Hope off his hoof and towards Celestia. "And I believe it is high time I put it where it belongs."

But Celestia simply levitated the Element back towards Jack with a gentle smile on her face.

"It belongs with you Jack," she said. "You are its bearer, thus it shall stay with you."

At those words Jack simply smiled and placed the Element of Hope back on his hoof.

"I still can't believe it though," Celestia continued. "After all this time not only have you finally found the seventh Element of Harmony, but you've also used it to save many ponies' lives, it is a deed that shall always be remembered."

At first Jack was unclear of what Celestia was referring to but once he noticed that she was gesturing towards one of the stain glass windows, he was met with a majestic sight. While most of the windows featured wonderful events featuring the Mane Six and Princess Celestia with her sister Luna, there was one new window that took Jack's fancy the most, a window that featured the Mane Six and… him, him and his crew with the Mane Six discovering the seventh Element of Harmony and using it to save Blackhorn. As Jack stared at the multi-coloured glass of the window he couldn't help smile in awe, suddenly another thought popped into his mind.

"But what about the other things I've done," he asked nervously. "Me and my crew may have helped rebuild the town after recent events but we also were the one who robbed it, Canterlot too. Plus there's also the other places me and my crew have robbed… the ships we plundered… the list goes on, even if we were heroes in THIS country we'd be arrested for piracy in any other one. If any pony else found out that we were here they'd never trust you Equestrians again."

Hearing this a look of concern spread across Princess Celestia's face for this was indeed true, if any pony from any other country found out that if pirates stayed in Equestria and no pony did a thing about it, there would be mistrust among any neighbouring kingdom.

"So what will you do now?" she asked.

"The only thing I can do at this point," Jack answered with a slight smile. "When Princess Luna brings the moon to its full and the tide is at its highest, me and my crew shall be setting sail."

While it was clear that Celestia was concerned with this decision but none the less she respected it.

"Then so be it," she said with a gentle smile. "But know that you will always be welcome in Equestria, you will always have friends here."

It was those words that touched Jack's heart, he has not felt this at home in Equestria for a long time.

"Aye," he said. "That be true."

As the full moon began to set and the sun began to creep above the horizon three days later, the Mane Six and the Cutie Mark Crusaders gathered at the docks to bid Jack and his crew farewell, even a few citizens of Ponyville, Princess Luna and Princess Celestia came to say their goodbyes, needless to say a few tears were shed that morning.

"Are you sure about this?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Do you all really have to go?"

"I'm afraid so lass," T-Cog answered giving her a hug. "A pirate's life is just too much trouble for us to stay in one place for too long."

"You don't mean that," Sweetie Belle sobbed. "You can't leave."

"I'm sorry but we must," Gem said with tear filled eyes.

"Aye, we have to," Slash added. "Although you can rest assured that we'll be back… I still have to have a rematch with Pipsqueak here,"

"HEY!!!" Spike snapped.

"I'm just kidding!" Slash smirked as he pulled Spike into a small tear filled squeeze. "Boy am I gonna miss you."

And thus the cycle of goodbyes and tears continued, Pinkie Pie literally cried waterfalls of tears, Big Rummy and Fluttershy both shared one final tender moment of loving embraces and one last tear filled kiss, presents were even exchanged as Dripfang took off his bandana, tore it in three and gave it to Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, saying that they would always be shipmates no matter where they were, Slash was even given a new guitar made by Apple Bloom's fine carpentry skills. Even Marina felt sad as a group of ponies begged her not to go. The cycle then continued moving on from the Mane six to other bystanders who wanted to see their heroes one last time, even Princess Luna couldn't help but ask for their autographs. Finally Shimmer turned her attention towards the Mane Six.

"You know the offer is still on the table," she said with a smile. "You can always come with us."

"Sorry Shimmer but our place is here," Twilight answered. "We talked about it and thought it would be best."

"Well needless to say I'm a little disappointed," Shimmer answered, still keeping her smile. "But at least we'll always have that adventure right?"

"Always," Twilight said giving Shimmer another tight hug.

Once every pony said their goodbyes, the crew walked up the gangplank and prepared to set sail, the only pony left standing on the dock now was Jack, who simply looked at every pony with a small smile and choked back tears.

"Well I suppose this is it," Rarity said.

"Aye so it is," Jack answered. "We certainly have had some interesting times haven't we?"

"We sailed the seas," Apple Bloom said with a smile.

"Found adventure," Scootaloo smirked.

"And Romance," Fluttershy added.

"The grand life that any pirate could want," Twilight smirked. "Any ideas where you'll be going?"

"Not yet," Jack said with a smile. "Probably wherever the wind takes us next, oh and before we go there are still a few things left… first off Applejack will be wanting this back,"

Jack then pulled out a brown hat from behind his back, a hat that Applejack lost while she was hanging onto the side of the White Pearl, needless to say she was baffled when he levitated towards her.

"But… but how?" she stuttered.

But Jack simply chuckled and put his hoof to his nose, not deciding to press the matter further, Applejack simply smiled and put her hat on. Finally Jack took something else out of his pocket, the contract every pony signed when they first came aboard the Alicorn.

"The deal is complete," Jack said as the contract suddenly burst into flames and dissolved into dust. "You are all officially relieved of duty."

At those words every pony couldn't help but laugh a little.

"I guess now there is only one thing left to say," Jack continued. "We've had some laughs, we had tragedy but now it's over, so now I say goodbye to all of you and I hope we will all meet again, until then... may you all keep Hope alive."

"We will sir," Rarity said giving a salute.

"Aye-aye," Rainbow Dash added, doing the same.

Seeing every pony gave him a salute Jack now felt the time come, with one final smile he turned and walked up the gangplank onto the Golden Alicorn. As the grand ship sailed away into the sunrise and every pony waved goodbye from both the dock and the ship, every pony couldn't help but feel sorrow in their hearts and yet as the Mane Six watched it disappear on the horizon and the other ponies slowly began to leave, they couldn't help but feel… hopeful, hopeful that they WILL see their friends again.

Jack looked back to Equestria with joy as the Golden Alicorn sailed away from it, joy that finally there was a place where he and his crew can stop running for a while, a place where there were ponies that would consider him a friend, suddenly Shimmer walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Do we have a heading?" she asked.

"Just keep going straight," Jack answered. "I just want to keep my on Equestria for as long as I can before it disappears on the horizon."

"Do you think we'll ever see them again?" Shimmer asked.

"Perhaps…" Jack said with a smile. "… one day"

"So what do we do now?" T- Cog asked from the lower deck.

At those words Jack's smile spread even wider, as he looked down from the upper deck at his crew with joy, he felt like he knew the right words to say.

"What we've always done my friend…" he said happily as he turned to the helm. "We go wherever the wind takes us and we sail for adventure but first... I think we need to do some recruiting don't you? Set sail for Trottuga!!! "

Hearing this everyone couldn't help but smile with their Captain as they proudly set the course, before anyone knew it Jack was singing.

"When I was just a colt looking for my true vocation
My father said 'Now son, this choice deserves deliberation
Though you could be a doctor or perhaps a financier
My boy, why not consider a more challenging career."

Suddenly following their Captain every pirate began to sing.

All: Hey ho ho, "We'll cruise to foreign shores,
And we'll keep our mind and bodies sound by working out of doors,"
Jack: "True friendship and adventure are what we can't live without,"
All: "And when you're a professional pirate…"
Shimmer: "That's what the job's about!"

Jack: Now take dear Gem La Stone, the Prance girls all despise her,
But in Ponyville she's a hero and they idolize her,
It's how you look at buccaneers that make them bad or good,
And I see us as members of a noble brotherhood,"

All: "Hey ho ho, We're honorable friends,
And before we lose our tempers we will always count to ten,"
Jack: "On occasion there are rumours that we will meet our end,"
All: "But when you're a professional pirate…"
Marina: "You can always count on friends!"

T-Cog: "I could have been a surgeon, I like taking things apart,"
Slash: "I could have been a lawyer but I just had too much heart,"
Big Rummy: "I could have been in politics cause I've always been a big spender,"
Dripfang: "And me...I could have been a contender,"

Jack: "Some say that pirates steal and should be feared and hated,
I say we're victims of bad press, it's all exaggerated,
We'd never stab you in the back, we'd never lie or cheat,
We're just about the nicest guys you'd ever want to meet,"

As Twilight and her friends stood there on the dock watching the Golden Alicorn sail into the distance, each and every one of them couldn't help but smile in awe, finally Twilight spoke.

"Spike, take a letter," she said.

Instantly reacting, Spike pulled out a parchment and quill.

Dear Princess Celestia
While in the past I may have learnt not judge a book by its cover in the past I must admit to overlooking that lesson in recent months. But while I may have forgotten that lesson for a moment, me and my friends were taught perhaps some of the best lessons we ever learnt while we sailed on the sea. While we sailed on the high seas we learned that friends can always come in all shapes and sizes, some even might be a creature you wouldn't even expect to be a friend, we also learnt that while a friend can be tainted by something terrible you shouldn't give up on them despite what they have done. Finally and perhaps the most important of all, we learnt that friendship does not necessarily mean just ponies that you can talk to when you're feeling down because if any friends become close enough they will be more like family than anything.
Your Faithful Student Twilight Sparkle

P.S. Although sometimes friends have to leave and certain memories are forgotten, it will be a guarantee that this will be a memory we never will forget… we will never forget our grand adventure with the Pirates of the Alicorn.

And back on the Golden Alicorn their friends were sailing on the horizon, ending this story in their song.

All: "Hey ho ho, It's one for all for one,
And we'll laugh and sing alike with you cause the adventure's just begun,
We're gentlecolts of fortune and that's what we're proud to be,
And when you're a professional pirate…"

Jack: "You'll be honest brave and free!
The soul of decency!
You'll be loyal and fair and on the square!
And most importantly…"

All: "When you're a professional pirate…
You're always in the best of company!!!!!!!!!!"

The End.

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Tatsurou

Tatsurou #1 · Sep 5th, 2013 · · ·

I don't think this story works as Random, since it has a definitive plot structure. Comedy and Romance would be much more appropriate, even if the Romance is a minor plot point.

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