Ponies of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

by Razor Blade the Unicron

Sailing Away

Amid the thunder of cannon fire, a longboat slipped through the fog. Fluttershy sat nervously at the prow, with the two pirates she had said parlay to rowing. Columns of water from the cannon balls sprayed up around the boat. Fluttershy looked up to see a tall galleon in front of her, with black sails looming high above her. At the bow was an ornately carved figurehead of a beautiful mare, her forehoof head high, and something she couldn't identify flying out of her hoof.

The longboat was attached to several lines dangling from a winch, and was raised up to the deck. The pirates on board stared at Fluttershy as she nervously stepped on to the deck, and one of them spoke to the two pirates that had brought Fluttershy aboard.

"I didn't know we was taking captives." he said gruffly.

"She's invoked the right of parlay," replied one of the pirates who had brought Fluttershy, "With Captain Sparkle."

A figure by the wheel turned their head at the mention of their name, and strided down the steps and on to the main deck. Fluttershy could tell that this was none other than Captain Sparkle himself.

"Hello, sweet miss," said Captain Sparkle, "Now tell me: what do you want to have done a parlay onto me ship?

"C-Captain Sparkle," said Fluttershy, standing tall so her shaking wouldn't be noticed, "I-I have come to negotiate the cessation of hostilities against Port Royal."

"There was a lot of long words in there, miss, and we're not but humble pirates. What is it you want?"

"I-I want you leave. A-and never come back."

The pirates all laughed, but Fluttershy refrained from having a nervous breakdown.

"I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request," said Sparkle, to which Fluttershy blinked in confusion, "Means 'no'."

"F-fine then!" said Fluttershy, strolling over to the side of the ship.

She quickly slipped the gold-and-silver medallion off, and held it over the edge of the ship. The pirates fell silent, and stared at the medallion.

"I'll drop it." said FLuttershy, surprised at her own willingness.

"...Why?" asked Sparkle.

"Because it's what you're been attacking the town for. You've been searching for it. I recognize this ship. I saw it eight years ago, when we made the crossing from England."

"Did you, now?"

"But I suppose if it is this worthless, there's no reason to keep it."

Fluttershy casually tossed the medallion into the air, and all of the pirates moved towards it. Fluttershy caught it before it could slip away, and looked at Sparkle.

"You have a name, missy?" asked Sparkle.

"Fluttershy," she said, before hesitating slightly, "Dash."

"That's one ironic name." said Sparkle.

"One doesn't argue about their family name."

"And where did you get that there trinket? A family heirloom?"

"Why, yes it is."

"Very well then. You hand over that medallion and we will never come back to this town again."

"Can I trust you?"

"It's you who invoked the parlay! Believe me, Miss, you'd best hand it over, now... Or these be the last friendly words you'll hear!"

Her courage spent, Fluttershy held out the medallion and Sparkle eagerly grabbed it from her.

"Or deal?" asked Fluttershy, barely able to say the words.

"But of course." Sparkle nodded towards one of the other pirates, who called out to the others.

"Still the guns, and stow 'em! Signal the men, set the flags, and make good to clear port!"

Fluttershy took in a deep breath, and then realized that Sparkle had started to walk away.

"W-wait!" she called, "You must return me to shore! It says so in the code-"

Sparkle turned around and glared at Fluttershy, "First. Your return to shore was not part of our negotiations nor our agreement, and so I 'must' do nothing. Secondly: you must be a pirate for the pirate's code to apply. And you're not. And thirdly... The code is more what you'd call guidelines than actual rules," Fluttershy's eyes widened, "Welcome aboard the Black Pearl, Miss Dash."

---

Rainbow groaned as he came to, and slowly got to his hooves. He paused for a second, before running of towards the Governor's mansion. He zipped upstairs to Fluttershy's room, but she wasn't there. His eyes widened in realization: the pirates had taken Fluttershy! Rainbow exited the mansion before anypony could see him, and thought of what he could do. Sure, the Royal Navy would be looking for Fluttershy, but they were no match for pirates. The only real match for pirates were other pirates. Rainbow's eyes widened.

"Pinkie Pie..." he whispered, before sprinting off towards where the prisoners were kept.

---

Pinkie casually toyed with the straw that was his bed, when the sound of the door latch opening caught his attention. He quickly jumped up and stood waiting at the bars of his cell as Rainbow ran up to him.

"They took Fluttershy," said Rainbow, "Where did they take her?"

"Took ya long enough to come here," said Pinkie, "I know where the pirates took her, but I don't really need to tell you, do I?"

"I can get you out of here."

"The keys ran off."

"I helped build these cells. Those are hook-and-ring hinges. The proper application of strength, the door'll lift free. Just calls for the right lever and fulcrum..." Rainbow quickly grabbed a nearby chair, and wedged into the bars.

Rainbow pushed down on the chair, and the bars snapped off the wall. Pinkie smile, and stepped over to Rainbow.

"I knew I could count on you breaking me out of here," said Pinkie, "Now I'll help you get your mare, and you'll help me get back my ship."

"What ship?"

"The Black Pearl. The ship that was here last night."

"The Black Pearl isn't a real ship."

"It's as real as me, boy. Now let's move it. We don't want to get caught in the prison of all places."

Pinkie quickly grabbed his hat and belt, and the two ponies ran outside. Near the docks, in a hiding place, Pinkie quickly checked the shot in his pistol.

"Why are you bothering with that?" whispered Rainbow.

"My business, Rainbow," said Pinkie, placing his gun back in his belt, "As for your business, one question, or there's no use going. This girl, what does she mean to you? How far are you willing to go to save her?"

"I'd die for her." said Rainbow with no hesitation.

"Well, that makes it much easier!" said Pinkie, pointing at the HMS Dauntless out on the water, "Okay, now we're heading out to that ship."

"We're going to steal a ship?"

"Commandeer. We're going to commandeer a ship. Nautical term.

"It's still against the law!"

"So is breaking a man out of jail. Listen, you said you'd do anything to get your little Fluttershy back, so we're going to commandeer a ship!"

"Fine."

"Good. Now let's go get one of those longboats. I've got a plan."

Rainbow and Pinke quickly sneaked out to one of the longboats lying on the sand. Pinkie flipped it over, and grabbed the front end. He signaled to Rainbow, who grabbed the back end. Pinkie ducked his head under the boat, and Rainbow followed. The two walked into the water, but there was still airspace under the boat for them to breath.

"This is either crazy or brilliant." said Rainbow.

"Why can't it be both?" asked Pinkie, "Uh, you can swim, right?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Now as soon as we get to the Dauntless, we're going to swim up, and take over the ship. Don't say anything stupid."

Rainbow nodded, and they made it to the ship with some air left. They quickly swam to the surface, and climbed up the ship's ropes on to the deck, where the Navy sailors were playing dice.

"Everybody stay calm," said Pinkie, "We're taking over the ship!"

"Um, aye?" said Rainbow uncertainly.

The sailors all looked at the two ponies, and burst into laughter. However, they stopped when Pinkie pulled out his pistol and cocked it.

"Get off the ship." he said.

---

Back on shore, Commodore Rarity was examining a map, and Governor Sky was watching. They were trying to make a plan to find Fluttershy.

"Commodore," said the Governor, "Those men on that longboat seem to be calling for your attention."

Rarity looked up from the map, and pulled out a telescope. The Royal Navy sailors on the longboat were waving and pointing at the Dauntless. Rarity looked over at the Dauntless, and saw Rainbow and Pinkie standing on it.

"Rash, Dash," he said, "Too rash. That is, without doubt, the worst pirate I've ever seen. That ship cannot be readied by only two stallions. Everypony to the Interceptor before they make away!"

---

"They're coming!" said Rainbow as the Interceptor approached the Dauntless.

"Perfect," said Pinkie, "You know the plan?"

"Yes."

"Even more perfect."

The Interceptor came alongside the Dauntless, the decks empty. Grappling hooks were throw onto the Dauntless, and sails swarmed across onto it.

"Search every cabin, every hold, down to the bilges!" called Rarity, "Find them!"

As the ponies serached the Dauntless, Rainbow and Pinkie swung across onto the Interceptor high above their heads. Pinkie quickly sliced away the grappling hook's with his sword, and Rainbow steered the Interceptor away from the Dauntless. Rarity looked up from the Dauntless as he saw his ship sail away, and realized what was going on.

"Back to the Interceptor!" he cried.

One sailor tried to swing across to the Interceptor, but fell into the water because the ship was too far away.

"Thank you, Commodore for getting our ship ready to make way!" called Pinkie gleefully, "We would've had a hard time of it by ourselves!"

Rarity glared at Pinkie with anger.

"Raise the sails." he ordered.

"The wind is quarter from astern..." said one of the sailors, "By the time we're underway, we'll never catch them."

"We need only to come about, to put them in range of the long nines."

"We are to fire on our own ship?"

"Better to see it at the bottom of the sea than in the hands of a pirate."

"Captain, there's a problem!" called the sailor at the wheel, "He's disabled the rudder chain!"

Rarity witheld a groan as the Interceptor sailed farther away. The sailor next to Rarity watched with some degree of admiration.

"He's got to be the best best pirate I've ever seen." he said.

"So it would seem," said Rarity, his eyes narrowing, "So it would seem..."

Comments

[Ze1a7in]

"He's got to be the best best pirate I've ever seen." he said.
"So it would seem," said Rarity, his eyes narrowing, "So it would seem..."

...Or the luckiest. Seriously, I'm not sure if I should chock up most of Jack Sparrow's wins in the movies to his erratic nature, or his ungodly amount of amazing luck.

Nice chapter!