The Prince of Ponyville

by Kavonde

The Prince Gets His Sea Legs

"He's gone," Cadance told the others solemnly.

"Gone?" asked Shining. He and the other ponies stood along the edge of the cliff, peering out into the quickly darkening swampland. Behind them, Zecora tended to the construction of a small campfire. "Like, he teleported away?"

"No... somepony else teleported him. I didn't really get a good look, but... " She turned to face her husband fully. "I think it was Twilight."

Everypony gaped at her.

"Twiley?!"

"Twi?!"

"Twilight?!"

She nodded. "I'm... not completely sure. I couldn't see the mare clearly, and her coloring looked a bit darker, but... "

Shining shook his head. "Why would Twiley help Blueblood escape?"

"More importantly," said Applejack, "what in tarnation would Twilight have been doin' here? She's s'posed to be a prisoner still, ain't she?"

"That's what Chrysalis said," Cadance agreed.

Rainbow Dash tapped a hoof against her chin. "Maybe it was a changeling? Like, sent here to capture Blueblood or something?"

"I... don't think so. Whoever that was prepared a runic circle and was waiting there, invisibly. That's pretty powerful magic, and I've never heard of a changeling with that kind of ability."

"Plus, the magic was purple, right?" added Pinkie Pie. "Chrysalis' magic was green, so other changelings are probably green, too. Purple's Twilight's color. Um, and Luna's. And Sparkler's. But mostly Twilight's."

Cadance's ears twitched. "Luna?"

"Well, okay, her magic is a lot darker than Twilight's, and you could even call it more of a midnight or navy blue than purple, or maybe you could call it indigo, but that's what I call Rarity's hair and it's not quite that color, and-"

Applejack put a hoof over Pinkie's mouth and turned to Cadance. "Whatcha thinkin', sugarcube?"

She studied the ground, gathering her thoughts. "Before he vanished, Blueblood mentioned that he needed his new power to defeat Nightmare Moon."

"Nightmare Moon?" asked Dash. "But we kicked her flank ages ago! That's how we got the Elements!"

"I know, Rainbow, but... he seemed... desperate." Cadance shook her head. "Maybe it's not actually Nightmare Moon, but something else calling itself Nightmare Moon. Or... "

Shining frowned. "Maybe Nightmare Moon is back."

"That can't be right!" Applejack protested. "We friendshipped the evil right outta Princess Luna! She's a peach now!"

"A scary peach that wears a cloak made of bats," noted Pinkie.

Shining shook his head. "I don't mean that Luna turned back into Nightmare Moon. What if she was never Luna, just some evil spirit influencing or possessing her?"

Dash's eyes widened. "And what if it's possessing Twilight now!"

"Let's not jump to conclusions," Applejack said, rolling her eyes. "Look, we don't know what that was that zapped Blueblood away. We don't know where they went, an' we don't know what they're up to. All we do know is that Chrysalis didn't have Twi, an' now Blueblood's gotten himself some bad magic an' gone a li'l off his rocker. So I reckon it's time t'get back to Equestria quick as we can an' tell Princess Celestia what's happened. Y'with me?"

The others looked at eachother and, after a moment, nodded. Shining, however, looked hesitant. "It's going to be more than a week's walk back. More, depending on how much trouble's still stirred up around the diamond dogs' home. Blueblood and his friend are going to have a huge head start; they might even be there already."

Cadance nodded. "We need to send word back to Aunt Celestia as soon as we possibly can."

All eyes turned to Rainbow Dash.

"Uh, sure, I can fly there," she said. "But can't you, like, send a scroll to her like Spike does?"

"Of course," Cadance deadpanned. "I'll just need a pen, ink, and some specially-created parchment that only a few papersmiths in all of Equestria can make."

Dash rolled her eyes. "Coulda just said 'no.'"

She smiled. "Sorry."

"Eh, whatever."

"No," Cadance said with a shake of her head. "I mean... I'm sorry. For the things I said earlier."

"Hey, it's cool! That was just Blueblood's curse, makin' us all act like jerks."

"It... makes us more irritable and argumentative. It doesn't put words in our mouths." She sighed. "I'm sorry that I mocked your passion. Your skill. The truth is, I was always a terrible flyer. I just never had a knack for it. And I was so embarrassed by my lack of ability that I started telling myself that it didn't matter, that flying wasn't important to me. That it wasn't important, period. But... now, where magic fails, your love of flying, your passion for it, is the only way we can warn Aunt Celestia about what's happened. It might even save Equestria."

"Oh." Dash blushed, rubbing the back of her head. "Well, you know, it's only flying. I mean, I'm awesome at it and everything, but you know, it's not like I can spread love or body slam changeling queens or whatever. I probably shouldn't have gotten all defensive about it. And, uh, I don't actually think you're fat or anything. Sorry."

Pinkie stepped up, her lip quivering as tears formed in her eyes. "I'm sorry I thought you were being a stupid, jerk meanie-face, Dashie."

"It's cool, Pinkie. Sorry I said you were jealous of me, AJ."

Applejack tipped her hat slightly. "No pardons needed. Sorry I called ya both a coupla nitwits."

Shining put a hoof on Cadance's shoulder with a small, apologetic smile. "I'm sorry for what I said, too."

She looked at him for a long moment. Finally, she nodded, but said nothing.

Rainbow Dash cleared her throat. "Well, uh. I should probably get going. Y'know, gotta warn the princesses and everything."

She squeaked in surprise as Pinkie wrapped her in a crushing hug. "Dashie, please please please be safe and watch where you're flying and don't ever talk to anypony while you're flying because you always run into something when you do and if you get hurt out there we might not find you and-"

Dash managed to disentangle herself from the pink pony's vice-like grip, put a hoof on her forehead, and gently pushed her away. "Got it, Pinkie, I'll be careful." She turned to Applejack and extended a hoof; the farmer bumped it with her own. "Later, AJ. Later, Princess Cadance, Shining Armor. Later, Zec... uh."

Everypony blinked and looked around. The zebra mystic was gone.

"Oh no," cried Pinkie, "Nightmare Moon got her, too!"

"No, my friend, she did not," a reassuring voice called from the darkness. "Something in the setting sun did I spot. I went to investigate, and though I don't wish to gloat: we may more quickly return with a boat."

Zecora stepped back into the light cast by fire, smiling broadly. Shining blinked at her. "What? A boat?"

"A schooner, I think, would a sailor call her. She's docked at the mouth of a torpid river."

Applejack scratched her head. "Why'n the hay would there be a boat all the way out here?"

"I could not tell more; it was a long way to the shore. Perhaps in the morning, we can better see. If seaworthy, it may return us home with great speed."

"Excellent!" Shining cheered. "If we can just follow the coastline south, we should reach Manehattan in a few days. From there, we just take a train to Canterlot... "

"That's still gonna take awhile," Dash pointed out. "I'll stick with the plan and fly there. Maybe I can even have a personal passenger car waitin' for you guys when ya get there!"

"Good luck, my friend," Zecora said, nodding up at the pegasus. "Until we meet again."

"Take it easy, Zecora." She turned to the rest of her companions, her mouth slightly open, obviously trying to find something worthwhile to say. "Later!" She flashed a cocky grin, and with a burst of air pressure and a rainbow trail that glowed in the darkened sky, she was gone.

---

"The E.S. Wilting Lily," Shining read sourly. "That inspires confidence."

The ship Zecora had spotted glistened in the morning sun, bobbing gently as the waves rolled placidly beneath it. It was clearly some rich pony's pleasure yacht, a dozen or so lengths long, its hull gleaming white and its deck a rich, warm honey. Gold paint or gilding covered every bit of exposed metal, from the ladder running up its side to the rails enclosing its fore and aft decks. A single mast rose above the deck, mounted on a pivot with a long crossbar, and a wooden wheel was mounted on an elevated deck to the ship's rear.

A hatch in the center of the deck banged open, and Applejack's face appeared above him. "Ain't got much in the way of provisions, I'm afraid. Some clean water an' some old biscuits. Don't see any leaks or real obvious patch-jobs, though. I grant ya that I ain't been on a boat since my auntie an' uncle took me sailin' as a foal, but it seems ship-shape. Heh, if you'll pardon the pun."

"AVAST, ME HEARTIES!" bellowed a rough voice that made the ponies jump in surprise. "Crew the foresails! Rig the mainmast! Swab the decks!"

With a dramatic flourish, Pinkie Pie burst out of the rear cabin in a tumbling roll and came up on two hooves. She was wearing an oversized, black tricorn hat with a skull and crossbones stitched on the brim, an eyepatch, a blue vest covered by twin bandoleers, and had attached a hook to her left forehoof. "We be settin' sail fer adventure, jim lads, an' I'll be keelhaulin' any of ye that says otherwise!"

Applejack and Shining shared a flat look.

Cadance and Zecora approached, burdened down with as many edible fruits and roots as they'd been able to scavenge on short notice. The princess stared at Pinkie and arched an eyebrow. "Where did she even find... "

"Stop yer gabbin' an' stow that lot below decks!" Pinkie cried, banging her hook against the ship's railing. "We've places ta be an' treasure ta plunder!"

"Pinkie... " Applejack began.

"Watch yer tongue, ye orange-coated bilge rat!" the piratical pony shouted back. "Tha name's Cap'n Pinkbeard, of the E.S... uh... " She paused, breaking character, and looked questioningly down at Shining.

"Wilting Lily," he offered.

"Wilting Lily!" she roared. "An' ye be the fiercest crew o' pirates I could press inta service on short notice, so ye'll be actin' like it!"

Her shipmates looked at eachother, then back at her. "No," they said in unison.

Pinkie's shoulders slumped. Her eyes went wide as saucers. Her lip trembled. "Please?"

There was a long, awkward pause. Cadance sighed. "Aye, cap'n."

"YAY! I mean, YE'RE BLOODY WELL RIGHT, 'AYE, CAP'N!' Now weigh the anchor, trim the sails, an' let's be off!"

While Captain Pinkbeard busied herself shouting vaguely sensical orders, Shining and the other clambered aboard. Once everypony was on, he used his magic to untie the rope holding it to the crude, makeshift dock and turned his attention to what he hoped was the anchor mechanism and started winding the thick chain up and out of the water.

"You know how to, uh, work a ship?" Applejack asked, watching him curiously.

"I've... read books." He rubbed the back of his head. "Not, you know, Twiley books, like The Complete Mariner's Guide to Basic Ship Maintenance or whatever, but you read enough Tom Prancy and you sort of get the idea. I hope."

"Well, how can I help?"

"There should be a crank to raise the sail on the mainmast. Once that's up and the anchor's stowed, we just need to keep that turned to it catches the wind. Then we'll be good to go."

She nodded. "Aye-aye, cap'n."

"MUTINY!" shouted Pinkie Pie from the helm. When Applejack and Shining turned to her in surprise, she smiled brightly and waved. "Um, Shining, when you're done, could you show me how to work this thing?"

"Sure, Pinkie, but unless the wheel has a lock on it, you should be able to just spin it... "

"Ooh, like this?"

"No-"

Too late, Pinkie gave the wheel an energetic spin. The mainmast began to turn, the long rear pole sweeping across the deck, just as the hold hatch opened and Zecora began to emerge.

Just before the zebra suffered massive cranial injury, the mast came to a sudden, creaking halt. She stopped, turned to look at the metal bar hovering inches behind her, and blinked.

"Um, sorry," Pinkie said sheepishly, ducking low behind the wheel.

"Okay, so the ship has a safety mechanism in case the wheel is spinning uncontrollably," Shining observed. "Good to know."

"Not to be rude, for no harm is meant," Zecora asked calmly, "but should Pinkie Pie really be steering the ship?"

The knight rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, no offense, Pinkie, but... maybe somepony a little less, uh, enthusiastic would be better at the helm."

"But I wanted to be the captain!" Pinkie protested. "I've got this great pirate costume and everything! And I borrowed this book about pirates from Twilight and learned all their piratey pirate slang!"

"Well... how'd you like to be the lookout? You can keep an eye out for anything interesting, and shout pirate things when you do."

She considered this. "I don't know... "

"I'll let you sing a sea shanty."

Pinkie gasped in pure delight, then snapped Shining a smart salute before firmly stuffing her tricorn hat onto his head. "Aye-aye, cap'n!"

"You do realize what you just did, don'tcha?" Applejack asked morosely as Pinkie clambered up the mainmast and began scouting the horizon with a hoof shading her eyes.

He gave her a small smile. "Hey, it's been a rough few days. A few songs might pick everypony's mood up. Celestia knows we could use it."

"Maybe," the farmer said doubtfully. "But I'll see about riggin' up a plank so we can make her walk it if need be."

Shining laughed and trotted up to the wheel. He started to concentrate, willing his magic to take control of the device, but stopped himself. No, this sort of thing calls for hooves, he thought. He placed his hooves firmly on the wooden spokes and looked down at his companions. Zecora had untied the mooring rope and was piling it neatly off to one side. Applejack had figured out the mainmast's rigging, and the sail was beginning to unfurl. Pinkie Pie was still perched enthusiastically at the top of the mast, hardly bothered by her friend's work below. And Cadance was still below decks, doing... something.

His spirits darkened a bit. She hadn't said a word to him since his attempt at an apology last night. Celestia, he hadn't really meant what he said. He wasn't that insecure. Sure, she was out of his league. She always had been: gorgeous, kind, compassionate, and, of course, royalty. But he'd dealt with that. She loved him, and he loved her. All the doubts in the world couldn't stand up to that simple truth.

But... well, maybe, if he was being truly honest, things had changed since... she'd become what she was now. Since she'd become a Princess, capital P. Sure, she still loved him, and he still loved her. But now they couldn't hide from the truth. Cadance was going to live forever, and he wasn't. And maybe, knowing that, they'd... begun to pull apart. To protect eachother.

And maybe, seeing how she'd somehow forgiven Blueblood, even after all the things he'd done, how she'd even sided with him...

Okay. Maybe he had meant some of what he'd said.

"Ready to sail, Shining!" Applejack called, shaking him out of his reverie. He nodded at her and began turning the wheel, trying to catch the mild breeze stirring the morning air. Slowly, the schooner began to drift away from the dock and onto the open sea. Zecora, Applejack, and Pinkie moved to the front of the ship, staring out over the endless water with eager expressions. Shining watched them and listened to their chatter as he carefully steered the schooner away from the Everfree's swampy shore, happy to have something to distract him from his thoughts.

We'll talk when this is over, he promised himself. We'll sit down, we'll get all of this out in the open, and we'll deal with it. We can get through this. I love her. And she loves me.

I know she does.

---

"Sails off the port bow, Cap'n Shiny!" Pinkie cried. "And they're yellow! Who has yellow sails? That's silly."

Shining shook his head to clear it and tried to follow his lookout's gaze, but all he could see to the east were gently rolling waves and a clear, blue sky, pretty much the same view he'd been seeing in that direction every time he'd looked over the last two days. It had been an uneventful voyage thus far; in fact, one might even call it "dull." Or "tedious." Or "mind-obliteratingly, soul-crushingly, despair-inducingly boring." He kind of liked the latter.

In fact, if it weren't for the constant presence of the rocky shoreline to starboard, he wouldn't have been sure they were even moving. He'd hoped they'd make better time, but it turned out that navigating a ship with a completely inexperienced crew and a captain who'd learned sailing from reading political thrillers did not make for an efficiently-run boat. Without a map, or knowing any landmarks, or even one of those periscope-ruler-slidey things sailors used to navigate by the stars, they had no way of knowing how far they had left to go before they reached Manehattan. (Though Applejack grumpily suggested that they'd be able to smell the perfume long before they saw the city.)

This was the first thing of any real interest that Lookout Pinkie had noted, and it quickly drew the others' attention, and they were soon leaning over the railing and trying to see for themselves. "All I see is the sea," Zecora announced.

"Wait, I reckon I might see somethin' yellow." Applejack tilted the brim of her hat down, shading her eyes, and nodded. "Yep, yellow sails. Few sets. Looks like they're headed south, too."

"Where d'ya they're coming from?" Pinkie asked.

"From Camelon, I'd imagine," answered Cadance. "They're probably merchants, headed to Manehattan or Fillydelphia."

"Hey, maybe we could get a ride!"

"Why would we do that?" Shining asked, a bit offended at the suggestion. He was learning, dammit.

"Well, if they've got a lot of sails, they probably have a big boat. And if they've got a big boat with a lot of sails, they've probably got a crew that knows what they're doing. And if they've got a big boat with a lot of sails and a crew that knows what they're doing, they're probably going a lot faster than us."

"Makes sense," Applejack said with an approving nod.

"Except... well... " Cadance frowned, searching for the most delicate way to phrase what she was about to say. "Camels stink."

The farmer arched an eyebrow. "Sugarcube, we ain't showered in more'n a week. Don't reckon we smell so fresh ourselves."

"She does not disparage the camels' hygeine," Zecora explained, putting a hoof on Applejack's shoulder. "Ponies react to their odor poorly. For this reason, relations have always been tense. Wars have been fought, and been rather intense."

"Right," Cadance agreed. "There's some history between Equestria and Camelon, though we've been at peace for over a century now. They're certainly not evil or malicious; through some strange, biological quirk, we just sort of set eachother on edge. Nowadays, the only contact we really have with them is through their merchants and the occasional diplomat."

Applejack frowned. "Sorta sounds like Blueblood's curse."

"I suppose, in a way. All the more reason we shouldn't bother them."

"Well, I think they're gonna bother us," Pinkie called from above. "Looks like they're heading towards us now!"

A moment later, a thin streak of reddish light streaked up into the sky above the distant ship and exploded into a starburst that contrasted starkly against the azure sky. The ponies looked at eachother in surprise.

"I think that was a signal flare," Shining said.

"Maybe they need help?" asked Pinkie.

Applejack nodded. "Mayhap they're lost or somethin'."

"Could be," Shining agreed. "What do you think? Should we help them?"

"You're the captain," Cadance told him, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"Fine, then we'll go see what they need. Uh, trim the sails or whatever, we're changing course."

---

Three hours later, they were still closing the distance.

The other ship was clearly visible now. It was a galleon, Shining thought, though with a strangely curved design that left the fore and aft decks much higher than the center. Three masts rose from the central deck, the middle one highest, and the sails were all a vivid shade of yellow that stood out brightly against the afternoon sky. A flag flew from the central mast, a mishmash of green and yellow and white, its details obscured by the distance. Two rows of small hatches lined the sides, their purpose unknown.

Standing at the prow of the ship were two huge, misshapen creatures. They stood on four legs, like a pony, but their hunched backs formed huge, uncomfortable-looking lumps, and their faces were long and, for lack of a better word, droopy. One wore a loose, white tunic and a scarf wrapped around his head, and had a single, large hump. The other was rather skinny, despite having two humps, and wore an unadorned brown robe and a fine, blue scarf that danced behind him in the wind. He (or perhaps she) held a spyglass to his eye, his gaze fixed on the pony ship.

Shining looked at his companions. They watched the approaching ship with growing anxiety, Pinkie still clinging to the mainmast, the others gathered at the railings. The galleon utterly dwarfed the Wilting Lily, and seemed to be moving a good deal faster, as well.

"Let me do the speaking," Cadance said quietly as the ship approached.

Shining frowned. "They'll expect the captain to speak for us, Cade."

"Don't," she replied firmly. "Let me do this, Shining."

He sighed and raised his hooves in submission.

Finally, the massive hulk had cruised close enough, and an order went up in the camels' language to trim the galleon's sails. Shining nodded at Applejack, who did likewise.

"Greetings to you, allies," the larger camel called. "We greet you in the name of Vizier Addawser!"

"Who?" Shining asked his wife quietly.

She shook her head slightly. "I don't know. Likely some important aristocrat." She raised her voice, turning to look up at the camel. "Greetings to you, as well. I am Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, of Equestria. We saw your signal; can we help you?"

The camel laughed. "There is no need for these games, dear friend! I am Gilad, captain of this vessel. This is my first mate, Al Gasreed. You are welcome aboard, as our honored guest."

A slight breeze brought the stench of the camels down to the Wilting Lily, and it was all Shining could do not to gag. Celestia, it's like a skunk choked to death on a rotten egg. The captain didn't seem to notice the ponies' reaction, though Shining saw his companion's eyes narrow.

"We're... flattered by the invitation," Cadance assured him, "but we're fine on our own. So, if you don't need anything from us... "

Gilad laughed again. "Please, do not be shy! We are all comrades in arms here, my dear princess... or should I say, queen?"

Cadance's eyes widened. She looked at Shining. A cold shiver of realization went down his spine, and he saw that same understanding reflected in his wife's eyes. He nodded.

"I'm, ah, I'm afraid I'm not in much condition to fight," Cadance managed after a moment. Her voice deepened a bit and took on a slight rasp. "I was attacked recently, and barely escaped. My power is nearly drained."

"We were prepared for just this eventuality!" Gilad laughed. "Aboard my ship are two young lovers, sold separately into slavery and soon to be reunited. I think they will make you an excellent feast!"

Cadance and Shining looked at eachother again. Crap.

"Most... excellent," she said, as smoothly as she could manage. "You certainly are well-prepared! What were you doing out here, simply waiting for me?"

Al Gasreed's eyes narrowed further. His captain simply smiled. "Of course not, my lovely queen! The invasion is beginning!"

"Invasion?!"

Cadance clapped a hoof over her mouth a moment later, but too late. Even the cheerful captain was frowning at her suspiciously now. "You are not Queen Chrysalis."

"They are ponies," his first mate affirmed. "They cringe like rats at our scent."

"Applejack, raise the sail," Shining said quietly.

"Then, I suspect, you really are this... 'Princess Mi Amore Cadenza,'" Gilad mused, turning back to Cadance. "Would you like to surrender?"

She scowled. "Not particularly."

"Very well, then," the captain said with a firm nod. "It honors me to spill the first blood of this war. Cannons!"

"Applejack!" Shining shouted.

"Workin' on it!" she called back, turning the crank as quickly as she could.

"Ohh, this is really not good," Pinkie moaned from above.

The rows of hatches along the side of the camel ship began to open. Cannons were pushed into place and secured as the galleon began to turn broadside to the little schooner, its sails rising to catch the wind.

"We've no hope to escape!" Zecora called. "That ship can beat our pace!"

"Well, we've gotta try!" Applejack snapped back.

"Um, Applejack, the sail's not going up... " Pinkie called.

"Somethin's jammed in the rigging! Help me clear it out!"

"GET DOWN!" Shining roared. A moment later, thunder split the sky as the first volley of cannonfire tore into the ship. Shining raised the largest barrier he could, protecting the mainmast and his fellow ponies, but the ship shuddered beneath them as lead smashed through the hull in a dozen places. A cloud of acrid black smoke descended over them a moment later, blinding them and making it hard to breath.

Shining, meanwhile, staggered back to his feet and willed as much strength as he could into his horn. The last volley had nearly been more than he could handle. He might be able to protect his companions from another one, but after that...

"Cadance!" he called. "We need more time! Can you slow them down?"

"I've got an idea!" The heavy pall of smoke began to stir under a strong breeze, propelled upwards and back towards the larger ship. Cadance, her horn glowing brightly, directed the cloud against the side of the galleon, where it snaked its way into the hull through the dozens of opened cannon hatches. Surprised shouts and fits of coughing rose from the ship's bowels.

"Clever!" Gilad called, still watching calmly from his deck. "But how to you propose to escape, your highness?"

"I could always obliterate your little boat," Cadance snapped in annoyance.

"Perhaps, but think of all of those who would die. Myself, my crew... those two, star-crossed young slaves... "

Shining put a hoof on his wife's shoulder and leaned close, whispering. "Do you think you can destroy their masts?"

"Maybe, but they look really sturdy. Couldn't I just burn their sails?"

"They'll have replacements. I mean, even we do. It would keep them from chasing us for awhile, but they'd still catch up eventually."

"Then I'll need time." She closed her eyes and began focusing her energy, he mane beginning again to billow about her.

He nodded. "Applejack, is the rigging fixed?"

Applejack gave the gear a quick crank, and the sail filled out a bit more. "Reckon so."

"Good." He turned to Pinkie. "How would you like to board an enemy vessel?"

The pink pony's eyes went wide. "You mean, like a real pirate?"

"Yep. Just long enough to keep them distracted."

A tear glistened at the corner of Pinkie's eye and rolled down her cheek. "This is the best day of my entire life."

Shining grinned. "Glad to hear it. Zecora, crew the helm. As soon as Cadance takes down their mainmast, get us turned around."

"As you command, mon capitan," the zebra said, snapping off a salute.

"I hope you have come up with a good plan!" called Gilad, still leaning patiently on the rail of his ship. "The smoke has almost cleared, and we will soon be sinking your little vessel and leaving you to the sea's merciless embrace."

"Okay, Cadance," Shining said, turning back to his wife. "Now, I need you to throw Pinkie and I at their ship."

She blinked. "What?"

"Aim for one of the cannon hatches. We'll keep 'em occupied."

"Shining, that's insane!"

"Probably."

"Shining... "

He turned and looked fully into her beautiful eyes. For just a moment, all of the hurt, all of the anxiety and uncertainty disappeared. He loved her. She loved him. Everything else...

He brushed her cheek with his hoof. "Cadance, I know... things haven't been right between us. Not since Tyranny. I know I wasn't there for you. I know I let myself get so wrapped up in my work mostly to avoid what we both knew was going wrong. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I got scared, I'm sorry I got jealous. I'm sorry I let anything get in the way of my love for you."

"I'm sorry, too," she said simply. "I... "

He stopped her with a quick, fierce kiss. She blinked at him in surprise as he broke away, and he grinned. "We'll talk when I get back, okay? About everything."

"O-okay. Right." She blinked away tears and glanced up at the massive camel ship, where Gilad still watched them with an amused expression. She narrowed her eyes and nodded. "Ready?"

"Ready."

"YARRR!" bellowed Pinkie, dressed again in her pirate costume with the addition of a wooden cutlass.

"Then prepare for boarding, ye sand-suckin' bilge rats!" Cadance roared at the enemy ship. Shining and Pinkie lurched as they found themselves surrounded by a blue glow and suddenly fired like a rocket towards the larger vessel. One camel sailor had just enough time to look out his hatch in confusion before a pair of ponies smashed into him and sent him spinning away through the hold.

Cadance's field dissipated the moment their hooves touched wood, and Pinkie immediately launched herself at the nearest cannoneer, striking him about the head and legs with her wooden weapon. Shining went for the nearest cannon, bucking it with all his strength to tip it over onto the hooves of its surprised operator. At the same time, he hefted a cannon ball and hurled it down the length of the deck with all the strength he had; camels dove for cover as the lead orb careened past their heads.

"We just have to keep them from firing!" Shining shouted over his shoulder.

"Aye-aye, cap'n!" Pinkie called in reply, smacking her victim in the temple hard enough to send him crumpling to the floor.

Unfortunately, the camels had more discipline than he'd hoped. Knives and wooden clubs appeared clutched in mouths and fetlocks as a dozen or so of the sailors began to organize and advance against them. Behind the main group, others resumed loading their cannons, peering down at the Wilted Lily with malicious smiles.

"Pinkie, they're going to fire!"

"We'll see about that, jim lad!"

Shining turned back to see Pinkie abandon her latest unfortunate opponent and leap through the nearest cannon hatch. Hooves pounded against wood as she leapt from cover to cover, and she suddenly appeared behind the large group and struck the nearest gunner over the head so hard that her sword broke. The mob stopped and looked behind them in surprise, giving Shining an excellent opportunity to create a long, angled shield in front of them. When the leading camels turned back, they struck their heads against the barrier and reeled back in surprise.

"That is enough of this," a calm voice announced. Shining turned to find the two-humped camel from before, Al Gasreed, staring at him calmly. "Surrender."

"No."

"Good."

The camel reached into his robe and produced a small hooffull of sand. He tossed it towards the unicorn with little effort, watching mildly as it hit the deck far short of him and scattered apart. "Uh, you missed."

Al Gasreed smiled. "No, I did not."

The sand began to roll together into a single pile, and then into a more distinct shape. A pair of wickedly sharp pincers rose from the mass. A long, segmented tail, tipped with a razor-sharp blade, followed. And then the whole thing rose on eight spiky legs and began scuttling towards him, somehow growing larger with every step. Shining barely managed to raise a second shield in time to stop the little beast as it sprang up to strike at his face.

"You see, pony, there is much more magic in this world than you know," the camel explained calmly as Shining barely blocked another strike. "You think that you are the only ones who have it. But for those who are willing to seek out such knowledge and power, who are willing to make the sacrifices necessary to obtain it, it is always readily available."

He reached into his robe again, producing another pile of sand. A moment later, this one had taken the form of a buzzing wasp.

"Pinkie, can you see Cadance?!"

"Sorry, cap'n!" she called back, dashing between the legs of one of the gunners and jabbing him in the rear with her hook. "Little busy!"

"Well, we're going to have to- look out!"

A knife whipped past Pinkie's head, taking a lock of poofy pink hair with it. She stared at the missing patch in surprise, then looked up to find that several of the armed camels, held at bay by Shining's first shield, had turned their attention to her. "Uh-oh."

Al Gasreed threw another pile of sand out, his calm expression never changing. This one became a strange, hooded snake and began slithering towards Shining's hooves. "Pinkie, we don't have any more time! Run!"

"There is no running, little pony," the camel assured him. "You will die here, or you will die on your ship, or you will die upon the shores of your homeland. Long has my master plotted this day. The Eclipse is here."

"Eclipse this," Shining snarled. Willing everything he could into his shields, he released their energy in a concussive blast. Wood splintered and camels screamed as the side of the massive galleon suddenly buckled outward. Al Gasreed was thrown from his hooves, his pets dissipating again into harmless dust. He snarled something in a spidery language and reached into his robes again, but Shining didn't wait for him to finish. He dove out the hole he'd created and into the churning water below.

About halfway there, vertigo and nausea overtook him. By the time he hit the waves, he'd lost all sense of direction. His body felt numb and didn't seem to be responding to his commands. And in his sudden confusion, he'd forgotten to take a breath.

He began to panic. He couldn't control himself. He couldn't make sense of anything he was seeing, feeling, or hearing. Thoughts were having trouble forming. Some distant pain told him that his lungs were beginning to burn, but he couldn't quite figure out what that meant or why it might be important.

And then the world turned a bright, violent shade of blue. There was a shockwave, hard enough that Shining felt it even through his stupor. Cadance, he thought dimly. She'd... done something? And that was good.

Yes. Cadance. He liked her. It was good that she'd done something.

His lungs were really starting to hurt now. He realized that he should probably breathe.

His mouth opened.

Air filled his lungs.

With a ragged gasp, Shining sucked it in, as much as he possibly could. Then he did it again, and again, until the pain began to recede and he could begin making sense of the world around him.

He was back on the Wilting Lily. Pinkie Pie, soaked to the bone and half her pirate gear gone, lay beside him on the deck, watching him with concern. "Um, you alright, Shiny?"

"Yeah," he panted hoarsely. "You saved me?"

"Aye-aye."

"Thanks. My burst spells always take a lot out of me. I think that camel might have done something, too."

"No worries," Pinkie assured him, laying her head back down to stare up at the sky.

Applejack appeared over them, frowning. "Uh, I know y'all are like as a bit worn out, but we're kinda tryin' to escape here, so y'mind lendin' a hoof?"

"Aw, but Princess Cadance totally wrecked their ship!" Pinkie protested. "She made all three of the masts just kaboom! They won't be chasin' us any time soon."

"No, I don't think they will," called Zecora. "But their friends may wish us ill."

Pinkie and Shining sat up, and their eyes went wide. On the horizon, clearly visible now as they angled towards the stranded galleon, were more yellow sails. Dozens of them. Perhaps hundreds.

Shining shook his head in disbelief. "They're bringing a whole army."

"They are," agreed Cadance, stepping beside him. "They must have been preparing for this for years. Building ships, building weapons, training soldiers... "

"But why?" Applejack asked. "Do they hate us that bad? Do they want our land?"

"I don't know."

"I think I do," Shining said quietly. "The first mate, Al Gasreed. He was some sort of mystic. And he told me that this invasion was 'the Eclipse.'"

"Eclipse?" asked Cadance.

"That sounds ominous," Applejack observed.

"Dun dun dunnn," Pinkie added softly.

Cadance frowned. "Do you think it has something to do with Nightmare Moon, Shining?"

"Maybe. Sounds like it, at least."

"Then... maybe Blueblood was right."

"Huh?"

She bowed her head. "Remember what Aunt Celestia said? That there's more going on than we realized? I mean, why would camels care about Nightmare Moon? Why would they want to help her?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "So you think they're the 'allies' Chrysalis mentioned?"

"Maybe. Or maybe they'e just some of her allies. There are a lot of species who resent us, Shining. The griffons, the minotaurs, the changelings... Maybe even more that we don't really know about. What if they're all working together? What if that's what Chrysalis' big plan was?"

"That's insane. What would they have to gain from splitting Equestria four ways? Or more?"

"I don't know. But... if they are... "

She shook her head and slowly raised her eyes to his. "If they are, then Blueblood was right. We're going to need all the power we can get our hooves on to even stand a chance of survival. We need to get him back."

Comments

[TheMyth]

Hmmm... I hope Blueblood ends up happy at the end of all this

[djthomp]

Pinkie Pie the pirate is nothing but wonderful.

[Crimson Dawn]

I agree pirate Pinkie is always a treat though I tend to associate that with a pirate like Jack Sparrow as to me they fit right together.

Also it may not be the intent but Pinkie is so cute with Dash in this story.

[Evilpresident]

Well buck, Equestria's screwed...
Didn't expect to see camels though and especially not camels on boats.

[PhycoKrusk]

1280345
The end of "Strange Destiny" implies this to the case.

[Thadius]

I see what you did there! Hehehe.

"Islam is a revival of the ancient Moon-god cult. It has taken the symbols, the rites, the ceremonies, and even the name of its god from the ancient pagan religion of the Moon-god."

If not, its a funny coincidence :)

[Browncoat Spike]

Wow, I hope Equestria has a pack with the dragons, cause not even three immortal princesses and the elements can stand against several armies.

Ever since Blueblood's transformation last chapter, he reminds me of Arthas, one of the major villains of the Warcraft series of video games. Have you ever played them, Kavonde? Cause this fic is getting as epic as the Alliance vs. The Horde! :

[Seether00]

Well yeah, pony's control the sun and the moon. Of course other nations are going to resent it and want to bring you down. What did you believe was going to happen?

[Kavonde]

1280451
True, Pinkie as a Jack Sparrow-like pirate would work pretty well. But I'm a big fan of shouting at people in a growly pirate voice, and Pinkie is my avatar for such things.

1280527
Nobody expects camels on boats. That's the beauty of it

1280820
Yes. I totally considered this, and will take full credit for coming up with such an intelligent idea.

1280847
Yep! Was a pretty big fan of the Warcraft lore, at least until... well, around the time that Activision bought Blizzard and the whole thing started going kinda off the rails. Loved Wrath of the Lich King's overarching story. Absolutely hated the one in Cataclysm. Not to mention the ridiculously awful art style on all the new armor. And the fact that this huge, world-threatening army just kinda sprang up out of nowhere because C'thulhu f'taghn! or something. Sigh.

Anyway. Yeah, there's comparisons to be made between Arthas and Blueblood. A lot of 'em, especially considering how Strange Destiny had him being conned by an undead lich (except not) in a frozen, mountain castle. One big difference is, according to the official novelization, Arthas ultimately fell into darkness and turned evil because he was sad about his horse. I'd like to think that Blueblood's story is a little less, well, stupid than that.

[Citpo]

1280527

Two camels in a tiny car is though.

[ryzon]

This is getting better and better each chapter

Can't wait for the next one!

[Tay the Chemist]

Is it just me, or do some of Zecora's lines not rhyme? Like this one: ""Not to be rude, for no harm is meant," Zecora asked calmly, "but should Pinkie Pie really be steering the ship?"

[Kavonde]

1282123
It's a really, really soft rhyme. She's had a long week, man.

[Tay the Chemist]

1282461 Fair enough.

[Crypter]

Pinkbeard the Pirate and her ship the Black Licorice. A ship made out of candy and is fabled to be so sweet that it rots your teeth by the mere mention of it's name.

Pinkie is best pirate ever, ever, ever, EVER!! That's like four-evers.

[Xerzes]

Um. The camel first officer's name changes from Al Gasreed to Al Jarweed toward the end.

[Kavonde]

1283913
Ack! Fixed, and thank ya

[BlueYoyoYoyo]

So, now everyone agrees that Blueblood should use his dark powers in service of Equestria?

Blueblood (to Nightmare Moon): I'm gonna own this curse... and I'm gonna use it against you. Whenever innocent blood is spilt, it'll be my father's blood... and you'll find me there. A spirit of vengeance... fighting fire with fire.

And then Blueblood was Ghost Rider:
4.bp.blogspot.com/-q0YXErQ_jf4/TgY5IsjN2WI/AAAAAAAAADo/8N38_nBR3rk/s320/ghostrider_web_1_i7fm.jpg

[Psykosis]

Well, crud. This looks like it's gonna turn out well.

[JAG]

Dude. Every time I think this can't get more awesome, it freaking does. Pinkbeard was the funniest thing I've read in days, and we got camel pirates. With magic dust-scorpions. Pure win, sir.

So Equestria has multiple armies closing in on it. The Ponyville Militia is going to be busy in the near future, methinks...

[Ultimate Punch]

I hope so badly that the ending turns out to be either tragic or bitter-sweet.

[Comma-Kazie]

Flight of the Alicorn references?

Do go on....

[JuankiMan]

Okay, I just gotta ask: Taking into account the maps of Equestria, how were they planning to reach Manehattan from within the Everfree, especially while heading south, or how did they reach open sea without reaching a major population center first?

[Nekonyancer]

"We were prepared for just this eventuality!" Gilad laughed.

This is the third time Gilad laughed. It's getting annoying and repetitive now D:

blinding them and making it hard to breath.

breathe

"But how to you propose to escape, your highness?"

Your Highness. Capitalized.

"Then I'll need time." She closed her eyes and began focusing her energy, he mane beginning again to billow about her.

her mane.

"Uh, I know y'all are like as a bit worn out, but we're kinda tryin' to escape here, so y'mind lendin' a hoof?"

"like as a bit worn out? wat? Is this an attempt at a countryism? Dunno what to make of this...