Sea of Misfits

by M48 Patton

Chapter 2

With one last shriek of a whistle, the Friendship Express rolled over the bridge and into Manehattan Central Station. The engineer applied the brakes and the train slammed to a halt fast enough to throw ponies who weren't expecting it out of their seats.

Fortunately for Twilight and her friends, they had ridden on the Express many times and were quite familiar with the sudden starts and stops that only the Friendship Express was capable of.

Rarity was first off the train with a glow in her eyes that only Manehattan could produce. “Oh isn't simply wonderful darlings? The sights, the sounds-”

“The smell.” Applejack groused as she passed her.

Twilight ignored the two bickering and continued on her way to the exits, Rainbow and Pinkie not far behind. The two of them had struck a truce and promised to not prank each other until the pirates were captured.

Meanwhile, Fluttershy finally managed to place herself in between the farm pony and fashion expert long enough to point at the door Twilight was currently using to exit the building. The trio quickly followed in order to not fall behind and end up subject to one of Twilight's tyrannical monologues about the importance of focusing on the mission.

They found Twilight standing on the sidewalk at the bottom of the steps leading up to Manehattan Central Station reading over her checklist. Once she noticed that all five of her friends were present, she cleared her throat and began.

“Right, since time is of the essence here, I've decided to split our forces in order to achieve our goals at a much faster pace. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, you will head to pier seventeen and interview the crew of the schooner that was attacked.”

“Got it!”

“You can count on us!” Applejack and Rainbow Dash took off at a run towards the docks.

Twilight didn't even look up from her checklist as she rattled off the next assignment. “Rarity, Pinkie Pie, you will be in charge of supplies. We'll need appropriate gear for blending in to the crew of a merchant ship, so nothing fancy. Pinkie, our food rations need to consist of something other than pure sugar.”

“I understand, dear, I will scour the second hand stores for the perfect fits.” Rarity stated and began to trot off at her own pace.

“I'm on it!” Pinkie saluted with one eye closed and her tongue sticking out before running off.

Twilight looked at Fluttershy and then down at the clipboard. “Fluttershy, you're with me. We're going to secure a ship.”

“Okay.” Fluttershy said.

Together, the two of them began walking down to the docks. After a little bit, Fluttershy had an idea. “Oh, Twilight! Why don't we just hire the ship that the pirates stole from? They're already familiar with the way that the pirates attack, so wouldn't it be better we hired somepony with experience?”

Twilight shook her head. “That would be a bad idea. Pirates hardly ever raid the same ship twice, and if they saw a ship that they had raided so recently loaded with so much cargo, they would know something is up.”

“Oh.” Fluttershy said, somewhat discouraged.

Twilight turned and smiled at her. “Don't worry, we'll know all we need to as soon as Rainbow Dash and Applejack learn what happened from the ship's crew.”

---

The earth pony and pegasus had run a good six blocks before both of them realized that the other didn't know the way to the docks.

“Why didn't you tell me you didn't know?” Rainbow Dash accused.

“Me?” Applejack said incredulously. “You were flying ahead! Ah thought you knew the way!”

“How would I know the way, I don't live here!” Rainbow Dash said. “I figured you knew and were running in the right direction!”

“How does that even make sense?” Applejack said, her voice rising.

“It makes perfect sense! Why would you be following me if I didn't know the way?”

“HOW WAS AH SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT?”

“Ahem!” A police pony interrupted them. “Is there a problem here?”

Applejack and Rainbow glared at each other for a moment before turning to the pony. “Pardon us, sir, but could you tell us which way to the docks?”

The pony smiled at them. “Of course, simply follow that road all the way to the waterfront. Any particular area you're looking for?”

“Pier seventeen.” Applejack said.

“Ah.” He said in recognition. “Then you'll want to take a right when you reach the waterfront. Anything else I can do for you?”

Applejack shook her head. “No sir, you've been more than enough help.”

“Just doing my duty.” The pony said, but by then Applejack and Rainbow Dash had run off.

Applejack was left behind again as Rainbow used her impressive speed to reach the docks in less than a minute, but there she stopped, hovering in midair until Applejack arrived.

The farm pony continued on past her pegasus friend, hollering out “This way!” as she did. Rainbow Dash promptly followed after, but instead of rushing ahead decided to simply follow Applejack's lead this time.

The two reached the designated pier quickly and indeed, the Wave Runner was tied up at dock. Applejack spied a sailpony lounging around the gangplank and decided to start asking the questions with him.

“'Scuse me sir, but can you tell me what happened with the pirates?” Applejack asked, approaching with a smile.

The sailpony looked her up and down, then turned away. “Don't know what you're talking about.” He said gruffly.

Rainbow Dash instantly grabbed the pony and made ready to punch him. “Listen thickhead! We're here to help so if you don't spill the beans-”

Quickly, Applejack pulled her friend back and apologized. “Ah'm sorry 'bout that! Ah guess that the Royal Guard done told you to keep a tight lip about it?”

The sailpony nodded, his eyes dancing from Applejack to Rainbow Dash in fear.

Applejack gave the stallion her best smile and tried to explain the situation to him. “That's what Ah figured. Don't worry, we have special clearance from Princess Celestia herself, so any information about the event you can share would be extremely helpful to me an' mah friend here.”

The pony nodded his head more fiercely. “Yeah, yeah. Talk to Captain Wave Tumble, he's in his cabin. He can tell you all about it.”

Applejack thanked him and began climbing the gangplank. Rainbow Dash landed on the deck and looked around, but her attention was focused on the pegasus that was climbing out of the cargo hold. “Yo, where's the captain's cabin?”

The pegasus looked at her and Applejack and scowled. “I already told the Royal Guard and those stupid reporters what happened! Get off!”

Applejack pushed Rainbow aside before she could say anything further. “Ah'm sorry for my friend's rudeness. We have a few special questions we need to ask your captain.”

“He's busy!” The pegasus snapped. “And besides, hasn't he gone through enough without ponies asking him questions every hour of the day?”

Applejack frowned, this pony was getting them nowhere. “Ah apologize, but we need to talk to your captain. This can't wait.”

“Get off!” The pony yelled, advancing on them.

“Swift!” A stallion's voice called out from the stern. Slowly, a worn down looking earth pony climbed out of a cabin on the aft deck. “Leave them alone!”

The pegasus merely hung her head and turned to the bow. She took off and vanished over the mast of another ship anchored nearby. The earth pony stepped towards Applejack and Rainbow Dash and gave them a tired smile. “I must apologize for Swift Wind. She's my second in command and I'm afraid that those pirates may have sunk her pride a small bit.”

Applejack smiled and shook her head. “Ah can understand why she's upset. Mah name's Applejack and his here is Rainbow Dash. We're-”

“Two of the Elements of Harmony.” The captain finished. “How can I be of service?”

Applejack stepped back in surprise. “How did you know we was the Elements?”

The captain chuckled slightly. “Please, just because I'm out at sea most of my life doesn't mean I don't read the newspapers.”

Applejack laughed with him. “Well, Ah guess it's my fault for assuming less of you an' I apologize for any notions I might've had before meeting you.”

The captain looked up at Rainbow Dash then back at Applejack before turning and looking out over the harbor. “I assume you've come because of the pirates?”

“That's right.” Applejack affirmed. “We'd appreciate the whole story from your words rather than reading a report about it.”

The captain nodded and then stepped up to the starboard side, the side facing the harbor. “It was sometime around midnight. The moon was shining down and it was peaceful, the kind of peaceful that is too perfect. I was restless, couldn't sleep, so I was walking the deck. That's when we saw the lights.”

“Lights?” Rainbow asked.

“Aye, lots of them. They were a fair distance off, looked like a big ship, but there was no flicker. It tweren't lanterns that made those lights, something else.” The captain said, lost in thought.

“Magic, ya figure?” Applejack asked.

“Maybe.” The captain nodded. “It would explain why they vanished as one soon after we saw them. That scared me, so I ordered all the lights on my ship to be put out to try and hide. Then the moon was covered by thick clouds, and you couldn't see your hoof in front of your eyes. I thought that we'd made it and were in the clear, but I my jubilation was too soon.”

“They found you even without lights?” Rainbow interrupted, by this time having settled on the deck to rest her wings.

“Aye.” The captain continued. “Came upon us like ghosts. There was a strange sound, maybe a rumble as it were. It got louder and louder until a bright light shone down on us, like a mirrored lantern, but so much more powerful. Then the pirates boarded. Swift Wind wanted to fight but I held her back, that may be why she harbors some resentment to the occasion. The captain of the pirate ship made it clear that he didn't want a fight, nearly shot Swift with a crossbow bolt. The Guards took it when we arrived in port. After I surrendered, a metal boom was swung out over my ship with a rope and pulley on the end. The pirates were quick about unloading the cargo, took them but five, ten minutes to clear out half my hold.”

Applejack shook her head. “They just took the fruit? Nopony took the bits?”

The captain shook his head. “Not a one. They took the fruit and then climbed back aboard their ship, turned out that light and were gone without a trace. It's strange how professional they about it, no orders were given, they just jumped onboard and went to it.”

“Huh.” Rainbow considered the news. “Almost like they were trained to handle cargo rather than being pirates.”

Applejack stared at Rainbow with her mouth open. Rainbow looked back and threw her front legs in the air. “What?”

“That's the first intelligent thing I've heard you say all week!” Applejack said with a sly grin.

“What's that supposed to mean?” Rainbow said as she took to the air and leveled her gaze at Applejack's head.

“Nothing. Anyways, Captain, is there anything else you can tell us?” Applejack said, brushing off Rainbow Dash as if nothing had happened.

The captain shook his head. “I'm sorry, but that's all I remember. It happened so fast, there was no time to even look at their ship, although from the height of the deck, I can only imagine that it's big.”

“Well, Ah guess that'll have to do for now. Thank you for your time, you have no idea how much this means to us.”

The captain bowed. “Anything for the Elements.”

Applejack turned to Rainbow. “Come on, let's meet up with Twilight and tell her what we found out!”

The earth pony jumped the entire length of the gangplank and hit the dock running while the pegasus shot off leaving a rainbow streak behind. Captain Wave Tumble shook his head and chuckled. “Heh, with the Elements of Harmony coming after them, I fear more for the safety of the pirates than the merchants!”

---

As Fluttershy and Twilight entered the office of Short Hop Shipping, a little bell above the door signaled their presence. The clerk behind the desk looked up for only a moment before returning to his paperwork, but then did a double take when he realized that a princess had just stepped through the front door.

“Your highness!” He stuttered, trying to bow but somehow finding that a desk was in the way of his head. “How may I assist you?”

“I wish to talk to the owner of this company.” Twilight said.

“Yes, yes, of course! Follow me!” He said as he maneuvered his way around the desk and led them upstairs. There were two apartments, and the clerk knocked on the second one.

“Enter!” The stallion inside bellowed. The clerk stepped in for a moment and exchanged some hushed sentences with his employer before stepping back out into the hallway.

“Mister Deal will see you now.” The clerk said while holding the door open.

Twilight and Fluttershy stepped into the office to find a unicorn stallion behind a large desk. “Your highness.” He said smoothly. “I am honored by your presence. My name is Fair Deal. Tell me, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”

Twilight ignored the stallion's flattery and walked straight up to the desk. “I wish to enlist the service of one of your ships.”

“Of course, of course, we have recently acquired the luxury yacht Pleasure. She can get you anywhere on the coast in comfort and speed.”

“I need a merchant ship.” Twilight said brusquely. “Not too fast, not too large, but loaded with plenty of cargo and northbound.”

Fair Deal was slightly confused. “Of. . . Course, that can be arranged. Will you be transporting cargo then?”

“No.” Twilight shook her head. “What I am about to tell you does not leave this office.” She said, placing a sound proof spell over the door to stop the clerk from listening in. “Your ship is to be bait for a specific band of pirates. I and five others will be aboard to ambush the pirates. That's all you need to know.”

The unicorn nodded. “I see. In that case then, I'm afraid I'm going to have to charge extra then. I cannot in good conscience send my ship out with the specific purpose of being attacked without being rightfully compensated for the task.”

“Of course.” Twilight said flatly. “Talk to the Royal Guard of the city, they will work out any payments that are required.”

“I will, you can be sure of that.” Fair Deal said while smiling broadly.

“Well then, I think our business here is done.”

“Yes it is. My clerk will fill out the necessary forms and direct you to a suitable ship. Now if you will excuse me, I have to attend to business.”

Twilight turned and walked back towards the door, but before she opened it she looked back and froze Fair Deal with an icy glare. “Oh, by the way, if word of this trip is leaked to anypony and the press gets a hold of it, you will be held responsible and will be tried for treason. Just a reminder.”

And on that note, Twilight and Fluttershy left the office, leaving Fair Deal to imagine what kind of horrors the crown could inflict upon him.

Author's Note:

Feedback is always appreciated.