Sea of Misfits

by M48 Patton

Chapter 4

The pegasus lookouts circled above the giant iron ship, keeping a watchful eye for any passing freighter that might hold valuable supplies. One of them peeled off and dove towards the ship, pulling up at the last minute to land on the fore deck in front of the wheelhouse.

“Cap'n.” She called to the pegasus stallion lounging on top of the cannon box.

“Aye.” He acknowledged.

“Yew were right. Somet'in's brewin'. Equestri'n Navy's out in force. They've got an escort for ev'ry ship in sight.”

The captain sat up and rubbed his jaw with his hoof. “This poses a problem. Yer sure that it's all ships?”

The mare nodded. “Aye! Ah've counted at least five merchants an' they're all protected!”

“Which way?” He asked.

“Pardon Cap'n?”

“Which way was they headin'?” He asked again.

“Sou't, all five.”

The captain nodded. “I figured as much. Ther' protectin' the trade between Manehattan an' Baltimare. Don' worry, there'll be a ship comin' north soon enough.”

The mare smiled. “If'n yew says it'll happen, then a ship'll be comin' nor't!”

He leaned back down again and began to rest, watching the pegasus mare take to the air again. “Aye.” He muttered. “It'll be comin' north, but do I dares take it?”

After giving it some thought, he nodded. “I believe I will. I s'pect they'll have naught but a few guards waitin' for me. Nothin' that the crew can't 'andle.”

---

Twilight practically flung herself at her bed, embracing the little comfort that it had to offer. They had been at sea for three days and so far nothing had happened except for getting over sea sickness and having to deal with Rainbow Dash going stir crazy.

She slowly drifted off into a deep sleep, the ship gently rocking her dreams of home.

“Princess! Princess Twilight!”

Twilight slowly stirred, glancing at the clock on the wall to find it was close to nine o'clock. Judging by the lack of light in the cabin, it was nine o'clock at night.

“Princess Twilight!” The voice called again.

Twilight bolted upright, her adrenaline pumping. The captain had never woken her before. “Is it the pirates? Are we under attack?”

“We do not know as of yet.” Captain Tide Rider said timidly. “All we know is that the lookout sighted some strange lights on the horizon before they suddenly vanished.”

“Wake my friends! I'll be up on deck!” Twilight jumped out of bed and pushed past the captain. The ship creaked as it rose on an unfamiliar swell and the sounds of the usual bustle aboard the coastal freighter had all but stopped.

She pushed open the door to the deck with her magic and stepped out into the brisk night air. The ship's crew moved quickly and quietly, taking in sail and trying to keep the ship as hidden as possible.

“Which way were the lights sighted?” She asked a passing sailpony.

“About thirty degrees off the port bow, Ma'am. Disappeared right about when we saw them.” The sailpony said nervously. “Captain says it matches the reports of those pirates. You think it might be them?”

There was the thump of several hooves on wood as her five friends ran out on deck with her, Captain Rider close behind them.

Twilight smiled at the sailpony. “Don't worry, we'll take care of any pirates.”

“Yeah!” Pinkie jumped up and down. “And then I'll throw a party when we capture them!”

“Aw yeah! We finally get to kick some pirate booty!” Rainbow Dash hoof pumped.

Applejack rolled her eyes. “I told you she say soon enough.”

“No one doubts your foresight, darling.” Rarity said as she applied makeup, combat makeup to be precise. “It's just that I believe we all saw that coming from Rainbow Dash.”

“What do ya mean by that?” Rainbow Dash growled and lowered herself to Rarity's eye-level.

Rarity kept on applying the green bars beneath her eyes. “Oh nothing darling. It's just that you're so predictable.”

“I'm not predictable!” Rainbow spiraled into the air. “In fact, I'm so unpredictable that-”

“RAINBOW DASH!” Twilight's yell and subsequent yank with her magic brought the multicolored pegasus down to the deck. “Remember, the object of this mission is to surprise and capture the pirates. We can't very well surprise them if they know we're on board!”

Rainbow hung her head sullenly. “Yeah, alright.” She muttered.

Twilight nodded, satisfied with Rainbow's half-hearted answer. “Good, now that we're on the same page, let's get down to business. The crew tells me that the pirates' lights were sighted a good distance off, and with the relatively calm winds, I can predict that it should take the pirates a good half hour to reach us. With that in mind-”

'HNNNNNNNNNNNK!'

Twilight's monologue was rudely interrupted by the sound of an extremely loud and obnoxious horn. The sailing vessel that they stood on was suddenly lifted by a large wave and Twilight's eyes were all but burned in their sockets when an bright light was aimed right at her.

She lost her footing on the violently rocking ship and fell onto her muzzle. A deep and menacingly laugh echoed around the surrounding waters and Twilight's blood ran cold.

“Well, well, well. Looks as if we found a little lost freighter.” The deep voice said, accompanied by the sound of many other voices laughing at the statement. “Don't worry! We'll help you along, soon as, haha, we take a token fee for our services.”

Twilight stood back up, trying to see who was doing the talking, but the light from the pirates was so bright that she couldn't see anything. Deciding to give the pirates fair warning before blowing them away, Twilight cleared her throat and issued her ultimatum.

“Surrender now, and I promise you that your punishment will be light!” She ordered. Using a dimmer spell to shield her eyes, she was able to see a little bit past the light and found that the pirate ship's deck was considerably higher than the one she was on. She could not see much else though, the entire ship was shrouded in darkness making it nothing more than a black shape in dark waters. A horrible smell filled Twilight's nostrils and she wrinkled her nose.

“AHAHA!” Came the laugh. There was flapping and a pegasus shape detached itself from the pirate ship. “Oh, such big words from a little filly such as yerself! Tell me, how do you plan on punishing us? Hurtful words? 'Cause that's about all you've got!”

There was more laughing from the pirate ship as the pegasus got closer. Twilight could barely distinguish the dirty yellow fur and the pirate's mane was hidden under a tricorn hat. A curved bladed was held in the stallion's right hoof.

Twilight cleared her throat and gave the pirate her best smile. “I leave the punishment up to the courts of Princess Celestia. It is merely my job to apprehend you.”

There was more raucous laughter from the pegasus as he circled Twilight. “Oh, and how will ye be doing that lassy? Batting your pretty eyes and sayin' please?”

“With my friends.” She calmly replied. That was the prearranged signal for the rest of the Bearers of the Elements to make a show of themselves.

According to Twilight's description, pirates were all cowards. The mere fact that the Elements of Harmony were facing them should be enough to subdue any pirate.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy shot off of the deck and took up orbit above the merchant ship while Rarity levitated some objects near her, Pinkie readied her party cannon which until this moment, Twilight had not even realized was on board, and Applejack. . . looked intimidating? The hat wasn't helping.

However, contrary to Twilight's original plan, the pirate did not instantly surrender, instead he laughed, a mocking and demeaning laugh. “Oh, so that's yer plan? A couple of pegasi, two earth ponies and two unicorns to stop an entire shipload o' pirates! Haha, that's rich, that is!”

Twilight chose this moment to pull off her jacket and reveal her wings, taking to the air. “I'm an alicorn, my name is Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship. And these are the bearers of the Elements of Harmony.” She announced.

“. . . Beg yer pardon?”

“You were just trapped by the Elements of Harmony! Now surrender!”

There was a heavy silence between the two parties, broken first by the pirate with a nervous chuckle. “Eheh, our mistake, yer worship, we'll be going now.”

Faster than Twilight had thought possible for a pegasus to move (except for Rainbow Dash), the pirate was back on his ship with a yell: “ALL AHEAD FULL! GET OUT OF HERE!”

There was a deep rumbling and the black shape of the pirate ship practically lept forward. The light turned off and night once again covered them.

“After them!” Twilight called. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were right there with her as she dive bombed the rear deck where she had seen the captain run to. It was uncharacteristically low to the water. She landed hard, trying to make an impression, but to her surprise the deck of the pirate ship was entirely metal. Her legs buckled for a moment from the hard impact. Five thumps followed almost immediately.

She looked around and saw the rest of her friends, Rarity, Applejack and Pinkie Pie having jumped from the freighter to the pirate ship just in time to catch the rear deck as it passed by.

There was no time for a reunion though as a crossbow bolt shot past Twilight's left ear and bounced off of the metal deck. She quickly identified the pony who had tried to end her life on the deck above and ahead and shot a stun spell at it.

The pony ducked and the spell ricocheted off the metal.

“What?” Twilight asked nopony. “My spell is supposed to go through materials, it can't bounce!”

There was a clank of metal and the same pirate as that Twilight had been chasing stepped out onto the same deck as them. “Leave now!” He yelled. “Or I'll not be responsible for your fates. If'n ye surrender peacefully, we'll take ye back to yer ship and be done with ya!”

“Fat chance slimeball!” Rainbow Dash yelled as she charged towards him. The pirate turned and was back through the door before Rainbow even got near him. She flew through the open doorway with the rest of the Element Bearers hot on her heels.

As soon as they were through, the door slammed shut behind them, leaving the six in darkness.

“Ah gave ye fair warning, now look what ye've forced me into.” The pirate's voice echoed from in front of them.

Twilight lit her horn, illuminating the darkened space. There wasn't much save for a pegasus wearing a tricorn hat standing by the far bulkhead. He held his cutlass out in front of him, wavering in fear.

“Give up!” Rainbow shouted.

“Nay, I'll not be doing that today.” The pirate said.

“Order your crew to surrender, or else we'll take the ship by force.” Twilight said as she menacingly approached him.

He lowered his sword. “I'm afraid that you'll not be takin' anypony pris'ner today.”

Twilight scowled. “Pretty brave of you to take all six of us on by yourself.”

The pirate's expression of fear faded and he gave a slight chuckle, and then coughed. “Eheh, 'cough' aye, but sometimes, a cap'n has to put his ship 'cough' above himself. And if'n that means takin' the plunge 'cough', then that is what I'm prepared to do.”

Twilight was about to ask what he was talking about and establish that she was only there to capture him when he collapsed onto the floor.

“What?” She asked groggily as the room began to swim. “Guys?” She called out, stumbling to one side. There was a thud, then another and another. Twilight looked back to see Pinke, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy on the deck unconscious. Behind them, in a corner, sat several open containers that leaked fluid.

“No.” She muttered as Applejack and Rarity fell to the deck.

“No.” She said again as her legs gave out and she crashed down on top of them.

“No.” She whispered as her eyes slowly began to close.

“No. . .”

Author's Note:

Sorry to leave you guys here, but I may not be able to post for a few days. I don't like to write when I'm sick. As always, feedback is appreciated.

Comments

[StarzGecko]

Sleeping potion always work