Sea of Misfits

by M48 Patton

Chapter 25

Trade Breaker was awoken by several loud knocks on his door. Slowly, he rose to his hooves, careful of his damaged wing.

“Enter.” He barked.

Big Sail stuck his head inside and looked at him.

“Begging your pardon, Captain, but the crew would like to have a word with you.” The unicorn said.

“This had better not be about me orders.” Breaker grumbled.

“Captain, I think you better come see for yourself.” Big Sail said cautiously.

The pegasus captain grabbed his hat and pushed past Big Sail and into the corridor. He resolutely made his way to the door and slammed it open into the afternoon breeze. On the deck and facing him was the entirety of the crew, regardless of their injuries.

“I gave ye orders to board the Bloodhound!” Breaker said angrily. “What are ye all doin' here?”

Storm Stalker stepped forward.

“Cap'n, we ain' leavin'.” She said with steel in her voice.

“An' I say ye are!” Breaker shot back.

“And if we refuse?” A voice from the back asked.

That was a good question, and one that Trade Breaker did not have an answer for. Not one of the crew moved as he stood there, staring at him with the same determination that Storm possessed. Breaker felt the color drain from his face as he realized just how little control he had over his crew.

Still, he was not going to give up that easily. He might not have any control over them as a captain, but he could still try to convince them to leave of their own volition.

“Listen! Equestria's goin' to have our heads when we show up, an' I want all of ye gone when that happens!” He yelled.

“And why do you have to stay aboard?” Night Watch yelled back. “Why isn't it one of us?”

“'Cause yer not responsible fer this mess!” Breaker said desperately. “I was the one who ordered the attacks!”

Storm barked a laugh. “Cap'n, yew're aboot as'guilty as a fish fer swimmin'! Yew know how many ships Ah've raided wit' mah fadder?”

The stallion was silenced by her words for a moment, but he didn't back down. “Aye, an' that be another reason I want ye off, an' weren't ye the one tellin' me that yer sure the princess saw ye when ye shot her? I don't think she'll be offerin' ye tea an' biscuits when she arrives.”

“Ah'd rather it be me fightin' her than yew!” Storm shot right back.

“I'm not fightin' her!” Breaker yelled. “I'm takin' her the six mares an' leavin' my fate in her hooves!”

Big Sail stepped forward in front of the group. “Then the fate of the crew will rest upon her as well!”

“No it won't!” He all but screamed. “I refuse to let yew throw yer lives away fer mine!”

“Cap'n, yew-” Storm started.

“I'M NOT YER CAPTAIN!” Breaker yelled as he threw his hat onto the deck in helpless fury.

For a few moments, the only sound was that of the waves gently hitting the side of the ship and Trade Breaker's heavy breathing as the red slowly drained from his face.

“A true captain can sail a steady course.” He said quietly. “He can step on a ship without fear of it sinkin' from beneath him. He can lower a sail without gettin' himself tangled in the rigging. He can look at the night sky an' know right where he is in the sea. A real captain leads a crew that respects him fer bein' a master o' the seas.”

Trade Breaker hung his head in shame. “I cannot do any of these things, an' it be disgraceful fer me ta pass the burden of my curse to a crew who deserves far better than what I can offer.”

The silence that followed could have rivaled a library. Finally, one of Storm's crewmembers spoke up.

“That's it?” He asked.

“Captain, do we look like we care about you being able to sail a stupid sailing ship?” Night Watch laughed. “We've got the Marblehead! She's not only immune to magic but to your bad luck as well!”

Trade Breaker shook his head. “But those around me aren't! What about Longhorn an' all that happened? There ain't one o' ye that came out o' that cave without bein' injured!”

“Cap'n, ya cannnae blame yewrself fer that.” Storm pleaded. “Tha' was the work o' a mad beast an' beyond yewr control!”

“Aye! And don't forget who it was that took on the entire Equestrian fleet and Princess Celestia herself!” Another pirate shouted. “I wager even Miss Stalker couldn't have handled it as well as you did!”

Ordinarily Storm wouldn't have stood for such insubordination from her own crew, however now was not the time to let pride interfere with the task ahead of them.

“We got lucky!” Trade Breaker said angrily.

“So which is it?” Dead Fire called from the back. “Are you cursed or lucky?”

“I'm cursed! Yer lucky! End of discussion!” Trade Breaker shot back.

The sound of a body being dragged across the deck grew as a diminutive blue seapony pulled himself up. He resolutely marched up to Storm Stalker, although the determined look on his face wass somewhat ruined by the fact he was squinting so hard.

“Captain, I just want to say-” He started before Storm put a hoof on his head and turned him towards Trade Breaker.

Four resolute steps later, he was practically nose to nose with the captain.

“Captain, I just want to say that when I was first brought aboard this ship, I was scared, lost, and alone, but you helped me get through the worst time of my life.” Four Eyes said. “The rest of the crew have accepted me as one of their own, but without you, they wouldn't have even bothered to learn my name. I'm grateful for everything you've done, and I'm staying by your side.”

The blue seapony turned away and began walking.

“Four Eyes, that's the-” Big Sail yelled.

*SPLASH!*

“-railing. . .” He finished.

Storm Stalker heaved a sigh. “Ah'll go get 'im.”

As the first mate flapped over the side of the railing and picked the soggy seapony up, Sun Flowers, Drip and Water Rose stepped forward.

“Captain Trade Breaker, I am forever in your debt.” The earth pony mother said. “I did not come to you, you approached me. I was a dirty, homeless, tramp but even when you were dead drunk, you were still kind to me and viewed me as a mare, not some piece of meat. When you offered me and my daughter a chance at a new life aboard the Sea Treader, I never could have imagined that this is what would become of me, but even after all we've been through, I still wouldn't change a single thing.”

She leaned into Drip slightly when she said this, and when she finished, the drooling changeling quickly wiped his venom away and spoke up.

“Captain, when you discovered who I was, you would have been perfectly within your rights to dump my worthless carcass overboard, but instead you trusted me. Remember what we discussed when I was able to walk again?”

Trade Breaker shook his head. Drip only smiled as he recounted the conversation. “You told me that I was welcome to stay aboard as long as I earned my keep and never brought harm to anybody else on the ship, and I told you that I owed you my life and would never let harm be brought to the crew. Captain, that promise still stands, and as long as I live, I will give my life for this crew, and that includes the captain.”

He finished speaking and looked down at Water Rose who was standing next to her mother.

“Water Rose, did you want to say something to the captain?” Drip asked.

The little filly only stood there for a moment before lunging forwards and burying her face in Trade Breaker's leg. The pegasus was taken aback by the move, and could only stand still while this happened. Rose stayed like that, her hooves wrapped around his for a little while until Drip and Sun Flowers moved away at which point she let go and rushed to join them.

As the three left Trade Breaker, he was suddenly faced by another three familiar faces as Dead Fire, Culinary Beak and Poisoned Beaker approached him.

“Cap'n, if'n ye surren'ner ta the 'Questrians, Ah'm goin' wit' ya.” Culinary said simply.

“Same here.” Poisoned Beaker nodded in affirmation.

“Captain, you're not alone in this.” Dead Fire said angrily. “I may not be able to breath fire, but I can take it for you.”

“I-” Trade Breaker tried to say something, but was interrupted when the trio was abruptly replaced by the threstral twins.

“Captain, you know what will happen to us if Equestria ever finds me and my sister.” Night Watch said.

“But we're sticking with you to the end regardless.” Dusk Maiden finished.

The two left before Trade Breaker had a chance to tell them that they were being too stubborn for their own good. The deck suddenly grew cold as the hulking figure of Henry rose from the back of the pack and stomped forward, ice freezing everywhere his hooves came down. He stopped right in front of Trade Breaker and looked down at him, his breath causing the yellow pegasus to shiver slightly.

“The title of captain is an honor bestowed to those who earn it.” The wendigo seemed to whisper, although it was loud enough for all present to hear. “There are few that I would award such a title to, and even fewer that I would actually obey should they give me a command.”

A flurry of ice suddenly brought the tricorn hat from its place on the deck and set it gently on Trade Breaker's head. “Captain, I will obey your orders, but you will not leave me behind.”

“H-Henry. . .” Trade Breaker said hesitantly.

The wendigo bowed his head, still towering over the captain but far less imposing than before.

“By your leave, Captain.” Henry's harsh tone left no room for argument as he before turned away and walked back to the rest of the crew.

Big Sail let the wendigo pass before taking his turn to step up to Trade Breaker.

“Captain, I have served under eight different pirates, two that became legends of the seas, but never did I serve under a captain like you. For thirty years, I tried to fill my life with a bunch of gold and mares, and it wasn't until I met you that I realized how much I've missed having a family. You've done more for me and the boys than you realize, so shut up about trying to save us because you already have.” The big unicorn said with an even tone, but then he lowered voice and moved in closer.

“Besides, you've got something a lot scarier that the Equestrian fleet chasing you right now.” He whispered slyly.

“What?” Trade Breaker asked uncertainly.

A dark blue hoof suddenly grabbed Trade Breaker's neck and he felt himself hauled roughly to one side so that he was facing a rather determined Storm Stalker.

“Cap'n, listen up 'cause Ah'm only goin' tae say this once.” She said with a dangerous tone in her voice. “Ah love yew, an' there ain't nae way Ah'm up an' leaving yew tae fend fer yewrself agin' the entire 'Questrian fleet. Ah'm here fer better or worse.”

It took all of Trade Breaker's considerable will not to give in right then and there to the demands of his crew, however his mind was still made up and he would not be deterred. Gently, he pushed Storm Stalker away and faced the entirety of the crew, alone and defiant.

“I'm grateful fer yer kind words, but they only serve to convince me of my choice even further.” He stated. “I'm not goin' to let this crew throw their lives away fer my mistakes. Ye'll take the Bloodhound and that's the end of it.”

Rather than the outburst he had been expecting, the crew was silent as they regarded him. Finally, Storm broke the quiet.

“ZABRAMN!” She bellowed towards the stern. “BLOW IT!”

Before Trade Breaker realized what was happening, there was an explosion from behind the Marblehead. As he looked to the source, he saw the tips of the Bloodhound's masts fall over shortly before smoke poured upwards. The sound of cracking wood could be heard as the once fearsome pirate vessel was unceremoniously dragged down into the depths.

“NO!” Trade Breaker shouted as he ran to the railing and stared at the wreckage. “Ye fools! What have ye done?”

Storm Stalker walked past him without even sparing him a glance. “Yew're stuck wit' us Cap'n, fer better or worse.”

Trade Breaker couldn't even answer her as his plan for saving the crew slowly turned bow up and slipped from view.

Author's Note:

When an unstoppable force meets an immovable object, something needs to explode. Now we're going to see what happens when both of them meet one pissed off princess. Feedback is always appreciated.

Comments

[GamePlayer64]

A crew is loyal, not by power or wealth but the act of compassion by one who gives it without a cost. This is a heart touching chapter.