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Learning the ropes2,250 words
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Learning the ropes

Spike was walking next to Twilight with Peewee on his shoulder. They were walking through the town on their way to meet the rest of the bearers. It seemed like a normal walk for Spike, ponies saying hello to the two, but mainly saying hi to Twilight. Innocent acts or going about their business, the population of Ponyville was peaceful.

Spike looked around to see if there was anything really interesting to look at. But it just seemed like a normal, not crazy day in the little town. As he started to just look at his feet and count his steps in his head. He looked up and saw something which immediately drew his attention. He walked over to the building and looked up.

It was a poster, one that had the picture of a Stallion on it. He seemed to be wearing a vest and had a giant hat, his grin symbolising all evil in Equestria. Below his picture it said wanted and 10,000 bits under it.

“Spike! What are you looking at!?” Twilight asked as she walked over before noticing the poster. She gasped as Spike asked Twilight a question.

“Who is he?”

“…He’s no one Spike. No one important. Now come on, we have to get to Fluttershy’s.” Twilight said as she dragged Spike away. Although Spike still had the picture of the stallion in his mind.

Scootaloo flapped her wings past the sails and crew that were tending to the ropes. The sea breeze passing through her feathers and fur, her messy mane shaking on her head as she got higher and higher.

She didn’t know what to think of the situation. She was relieved that she would no longer be in chains, but the group she was with now didn’t make that much of a good impression. She didn’t fully trust Spike since from what she had heard. But he didn’t kill or shot them so there was something that gave a good impression. Spike was much mature and awesome looking, as Rainbow Dash would say, then when she last saw him. But she still wasn’t sure about the rest of his crew, and what seemed to be his new group of friends hadn’t really split themselves from the rest to her.

She soon found herself above the ship, and looked around to see nearly nothing but ocean. She could only faintly see the smoke from the ship wreckage that she was glad was sinking to Tartarus. But the faint image became fully black as the moon raised into position.

Scootaloo could still see the crow’s nest as the Changeling lit a lantern. Scootaloo saw Princess Luna and the Changeling nod to each other before Luna descended to the deck of the ship. Scootaloo remembered that her name was Viva and slowly flapped down to the Changeling.

“Hey, Spike sent me up here to help you.” Scootaloo said as she landed down in front of Viva. Viva smiled at Scootaloo as she landed.

“Well nice to see you. You know how to tie rope?” Viva asked her.

“Umm, I know a couple of knots. They only taught us the basics in school.” Scootaloo said.

“Well then. Let me show you how to do a few more,” Viva said as she grabbed a spare piece of rope.

“K…thanks.” Scootaloo said. She felt really arkward right now. She had only met Changelings all those years ago during the Changeling invasion of Canterlot. She knew nearly nothing about Changelings like the majority of ponies in Equestria.

“What is your name?”

“Huh?” Scootaloo asked, knocked back into reality.

“I asked what your name was.” Viva asked.

“OH. It’s Scootaloo.” She said.

“Scootaloo...You must be a fast flyer with that name.” Viva pointed out at her wings.

“Yeah, I’m second best in Ponyville.” Scootaloo said proudly

“Who is the fastest?”

“Rainbow Dash.”

“Ah. The captain has only mentioned few ponies from his past. I believe he said something about a Rainbow once but I’m not sure he went into much detail. Now pay attention.” Viva spoke as she begun to tie the rope in her hooves. Scootaloo paid attention as Viva tied the first knot.

Viva went on for a while until she had taught all the basics. Scootaloo practised the knots, usually messing up on the first go but then nailing it on the second attempt. Viva placed the rope down and flapped her insect wings up into the air.

“Okay, our first job is to light the lanterns so we can see what exactly we’re doing. I can see fine in this dark sky, but you on the other hand...” Viva said.

Scootaloo was about to argue back but she realised that she actually could only see the mast’s outlines and the deck below her light up by its own lanterns.

“Yeah, your right.” Scootaloo said as she also took to the skies.

The two flied above the ship together, although it was really Viva guiding Scootaloo through the darkness as Viva lit the lanterns. The ship looking much more orange then black now to Scootaloo.

“Can you see now?” Viva asked.

“Yeah, I can see fine.” Scootaloo said.

“Good. Then follow me.” Viva said as she flew to the mast closest to the Stern, Scootaloo followed.

“We’ve got to tie up the masts so there at half sail!” Viva yelled to Scootaloo as she landed on the mast and began to tie the sail still. The crew below were pulling on ropes so the sail would stay in place. Scootaloo landed on the other side of the mast and tied her end of the sail.

Scootaloo and Viva were quick to tie the sails and secure them into place for the night. The Ship ready for the smooth sailing it would do for the night. Scootaloo and Viva retreated to the crow’s nest to rest.

“Not bad for a newbie.” Viva said.

“Thanks…So, Changelings have night vision?” Scootaloo asked, remembering Viva’s statement from earlier.

“Yeah, it’s one of our many talents.” Viva said.

“What else can you do?” Scootaloo asked.

“That’s for me to know and you to never know.” Viva said.

“Really?” Scootaloo asked.

“Yep, even the Captain doesn’t know.” Viva said.

Scootaloo kept silent; the situation very awkward for the pony. The only time she had meet Changelings was in the Canterlot Invasion, back then she was only a filly.

“What do you do Scootaloo?”

“Huh?”

“At you home. What is your hobby?” Viva asked.

“Oh, I usually do tricks on my scooter or test my flying skills.”

“Are you good?”

“Are you kidding? I’m the best in all of Ponyville, no one can beat me on the Scooter!” Scootaloo said proudly. Viva chuckled.

“You proud of your title?” She asked.

“Yep.” Scootaloo said. She was about to say something else but she was cut off by a yawn.

“Sorry, I’m probably more tired than I thought.” Scootaloo said.

“You should rest. You and your group have had a tough time.” Viva said.

“Okay; what are you going to do?”

“I’ll stay up here. I usually stay up here on night duty anyway.” Viva said.

“Alright…see ya.” Scootaloo said as she flied down to the deck while Viva scanned the beautiful night sky.

Meanwhile, as this scene was happening.

Applebloom walked through the ship, trying not to lose her balance as the ship slightly wobbled on the sea. She looked around to see the crew being what she expected a crew to do. Poker, drinking, sleeping or just chatting, Applebloom tried to ignore the looks some of the male crew were giving her as she saw the zebra on the ship and she had to tell Big Mac he wasn’t the largest pony she had seen.

She soon found a door were noise emitted from behind it and it had a wrench nailed on the door. She walked up and knocked on the door. She was greeted by the mare from before called Gear Wrench who had a light brown coat with a darker mane and tail.

“Howdy, Spike sent me down here ta help ya.” Applebloom told the mare.

“You know how to use a tool?” Gear Wrench asked.

“Eeyup, all the time.” Applebloom answered.

“Right, come on in then.”

Gear Wrench stepped aside for Applebloom to walk into her workshop, which had a benches all around and a main table in the middle. The room filled with weapons, metal, tools, wood and numerous other pieces of technology.

“Welcome to my little cove.” Gear Wrench said as she closed the door.

“Wow, ya sure got alotta neat stuff here.” Applebloom said.

“Thanks, made all of it myself.” Gear Wrench said back.

“So what can ah help ya with?”

“You can first help me by grabbing that bag over there and bringing it to me.” Gear Wrench said pointing to a small bag in the corner.

Applebloom gladly grabbed the bag with her mouth and walked over to Gear wrench who was holding on a ranged blunderbuss. Applebloom placed the bag on the counter and Gear wrench reached in with a hoof to pull out hoof full of purple powder before throwing it in the barrel, she then grabbed a huge cartridge and loaded the blunderbuss. She then placed it in a container in the back which had a lot of other guns and swords inside.

“Ya make the guns?” Applebloom asked.

“Special ones, not the ones the crew uses, there standard muskets.” Gear Wrench answered.

“So ya make anything else?” Applebloom asked again.

“Yeah, gadgets and such to use. In fact you can help me with a project I’ve been working on. “Gear wrench said.

“Sure, what is it?”

“Well before that I’m going to teach you how to use some of this stuff.” Gear wrench reached for a wrench and held it in front of Applebloom.

“You know how to use this?”

“Yeah, ya just twist tha bolts to screw ‘n’ unscrew” Applebloom said.

“But do you know how to use it with different bolts?”

“Sure.”
“Prove it to me then.” Gear Wrench said and pulled out a piece of wood with and some bolts.

“Screw all these bolts tight and I’ll trust you with a wrench.”

“Alright, this’ll be easy.” Applebloom said and got to work.

It took her three minutes to screw all the bolts in; Gear wrench checked each individual one and smiled.

“I’ll be damned, you did good kid. You might just help me finish the project.”

“What is tha project?” Applebloom asked.

“Ah, ah, ah. I’ve got to make sure your familiar with ALL the tools.” Gear Wrench said with a smile.

“Ok, how many are there?” Applebloom asked.

Gear wrench smiled and pulled out a giant tool box, filled with hundreds of tools and equipment. Applebloom jaw just dropped.

“How many tools do ya have!?”

“Lost count after hundred and fifty, so you’ll have to wait some time until you can help with the project.” Gear wrench said.

“Why do ya need so many tools?” Applebloom said still amazed.

“I’m the ships engineer, never know when you’ll need the right tool. Some I’ve bought, some I’ve stolen, and others I’ve made myself. Now come on, you’ve got some training to do.” Gear Wrench said and began to search for a tool, Applebloom sighed and looked at the tool box.

“Hopefully this doesn’t take too long.”

By the end of the night, she had gotten used to seventy five tools. Some familiar, others new and generally draining on her mental state slowly.

Sweetie Belle walked down the stairs to below the decks, she said goodbye to Spike before going to bed herself. She walked the halls before stumbling on a drowsy Applebloom.

“Hey Applebloom, you get along with that mare?”

“Ya, Gear Wrench made me use and remember how to use seventy five tools.” Applebloom said holding her head.

“Seventy-five? How many tools does she have?”

“Ah don’t know and don’t care right now, I’m more beat then Applebucking before cider season.”

“What’s with Applebloom?”

Sweetie Belle and Applebloom looked to see Scootaloo join them.

“She’s had to remember how to use seventy five tools a once.” Sweetie Belle said.

“Oh, you okay Applebloom?” Scootaloo asked.

“Defiantly not, let’s just get some sleep.” Applebloom said as she opened the door to their rooms.

“Applebloom! Where tha heck have you been!?”

Applebloom cringed from her sisters yell, her mind already deprived.

“We were just helping ‘round the ship AJ, no biggie.” Applebloom said as the three walked in and closed the door behind them.

“Why were you helping them out? Their pirates!” Rainbow Dash said from her hammock.

“But its Spike, and unlike the last ship we were on, none of them locked us up.” Sweeite Belle said.

“Yeah but-“

“Girls, just leave them alone. And get some sleep yourselves, I really don’t want to deal with this right now.”

Applejack and Rainbow looked to see Twilight looking at them with baggy eyes and an irritated look. The two mares grumbled before they and the Cutie Mark Crusaders all jumped into the spare beds and hammocks. Twilight lied back down to sleep, trying to ignore recent events for some good rest.

Author's Note:

Sorry for those waiting, but i finally delivered. Hope you guys enjoy.

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