Ultimate Equestria

by Leo Pachino

Chapter 031: Déjà Vu (Part 2)

“Who taught this pony how to drive?” Dash yelled out in anger and nausea.

“Himself, really.” Rarity answered.

“You doing okay up there, Rarity?!” Korsan called out.

“I’m fine! I’m just a bit distracted, Captain!” Rarity said.

“Very well then! Take it easy on yourself.”

Fluttershy softly shouted, “I need a barf bag!”

“I’m still trying to figure out if we’re allies with Korsan or not! I need an answer!” Dash angrily groaned.

“Where’s AJ and Applebloom?!” Scootaloo asked, completely scared.

“Loud noises!” Pinkie randomly shrieked. “Also I think I saw them go to the quarterdeck area.”

“Captain?!” Twilight loudly asked in surprise of Rarity’s statement.

“It’s complicated.” Rarity said to her friends above.

“That’s no understatement, I want answers, now! Are you now one of his?” Twilight asked.

“No-yes, I mean, I can’t exactly explain it now.” Rarity said.

“Why?”

“It’s not the best time if you haven’t noticed.”

“Oh really?” Twilight retorted, growing more forceful towards the peculiar pony. “A bit of tension always leaks the truth.”

“Do you even hear yourself? You’re talking to me like I’m the enemy.”

“I don’t know, are you?”

At that moment, Twilight stopped. She was immediatly dumbfounded at herself. She retraced her words. A great pain, even worse than impalement, sliced into her heart. She was, at this moment, walking the thin edge between friendship and enmity.

“Wait! I-I didn’t mean it!” Twilight exclaimed.

“Is that all that runs through your head? Black and white?” Rarity harshly asked.

Rarity brutishly snapped at Twilight, saying, “Maybe you shouldn’t jump to conclusions so quick with me and the captain.”

“Hey!” Spike yelled out from Lightning Rod’s gun deck. “What’s with the ‘captain’ stuff? Korsan! If you pulled some sort of mind control trick on them, I-”

“Save your words,” Korsan yelled out to Spike. “We’re about to do the impossible! Things might be getting tricky!”

Curious of what he meant, Spike, Rarity, Sweetie Belle, Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Scootaloo looked ahead. Their jaws instantly dropped farther than even before.

Ahead of The Perfection was a sharp curved drop with a sudden end to it several stories down a final vertical stretch. Another path formed on the other side of the drop with a mirrored incline. The sand current was split so far, it would be impossible for the ship to travel over it without going down the drop.

“We’re going to fall!” Twilight and the others screamed.

“Pipe down!” Korsan snapped. “Sheesh, you all sound like my cousin, nothing but screaming and chaos.”

He looked behind him and saw the sandworm bolting straight at them from behind.

“You again… Did you have enough?!”

Korsan then looked across the gap to the other sand current. He saw the blue star straight ahead at the end of it.

“Hmmm…”

The gears in his head spun rapidly. He had an idea, but had no clue how to would work, yet he had to follow through with it. It was his only option.

“We’ll talk about this later,” Rarity coldly said to Twilight.

She galloped to Korsan with Sweetie Belle behind her.

“Captain! What are we going to do?” She begged.

“I’m thinking, I’m thinking, I’m thinking,” Korsan rambled.

Rarity replied, “It’s a giant gap in our path, there’s no way we can get over-”

“I got it!”

“What? What is it?”

“…Double club hauling.”

“What in the-”

“No time to explain.” Korsan said.

He then yelled to the crew, “Prepare to drop both anchors at my command, lock at my second, and cut on my third!”

“_What?!_” The entire crew’s collective voices echoed back.

“Five…”

Clutching the wheel and floor tightly, Korsan’s mechanical suit entered Overdrive. It revved up with all of his gears and pistons accelerating rapidly in movement. A loud collection of grinding and screeching noises erupted from the whirring machines.

“How is something like that even going to work?” Rarity asked.

“Trust me, I’ll sound insane if I explain.” Korsan said. “Four…”

The Perfection reaches the downward slope. It began to sink into the darkness, accelerating rapidly.

“The sandworm’s going to hit us!”

“Great! Secure yourself and your sister to the life-lines, now! Three…”

The entire vessel jerked forward a bit at that moment. The beast was right on their tails. Korsan took a split-second glance behind him, taking note of the worm’s position.

“Are you sure we are going to make it?”

“No. No I don’t. Rarity, Sweetie Belle, Juliana, make peace with yourselves now, this may be your final moments in this world that has been all that you’ve known. What lies ahead is beyond me at this point. If we die, we die as explorers. If we fall forever, we fall as adventurers. If we make it, we make it as legends. Two…”

The Perfection was pushed forward once more. It entered free fall. Slowly disconnecting by the vertical sand falls. The sandworm continued to chase its target. It turned more and more vicious as it bumped into the galleon.

“Captain, Korsan, before whatever becomes of us, I want you to know this:” Rarity said. “You are the most fascinating and insane pony I know. And that is saying something.”

“…Thank you. And to you, Miss Rarity. You are as well, and much more, excluding the ‘crazy’ bit… One…”

Both The Perfection and the monstrous worm reached the vertical drop. Rarity and Sweetie are secured on the life-lines. Juliana is tightly clutching in Korsan’s metal shoulder piece. Korsan’s claws are deep into the woodwork of his pride and joy.

As the great boat entered free fall, the anchors lifted up to deck level.

This was it.

“Drop!”

The anchors were immediately released from their locks. They rose alongside the length of the ship and towards the incoming beast. The quarterdeck railing disintegrated on contact with the anchors. The anchors rose and snagged in the sandworm’s giant teeth.

“Lock!”

The weights’ massive chains immediately stiffened. At that moment, Korsan let go of the wheel and ran back to the sandworm. He ran up the side of the erect deck, digging his claws into the floor to climb. With his metal armour at full power, Korsan swung a clutched fist into the tip of the monster’s jaw. The punch sent shockwaves across the entire scaly mass, blowing the sand right off of it.

The worm roared and pulled back from the ship. With the anchors still inside it and the chains still attached, the ship’s bow is pulled back down into the vertical sand current. Thanks the momentum of the fall, the back was flung forward over the gap, turning upside down. Lightning Rod fell from the deck, but was caught in the masts, sails, and rigging.

“Cut!”

The chains were immediately released. They slip out of the ship and fall into the abyss.

The front of the ship, now free, followed the rest of its body across the massive gap. The ship landed perfectly on the opposing sand current and was quickly picked up by its gravity-defying forward flow. However, the ship began to slip downwards.

“Come on, come on, come on!” Korsan begged to his ship.

He punched his hooves into the floor, attempting to force friction between The Perfection and the loose sand flying upward. Just as the entire boat was about to fall, the keel got caught on a sand cluster and was pulled with it. The galleon jolted upwards and slowly made its way up the vertical incline. It climbed the slope to the flat sand current. Finally, after what felt like forever, the ship returned to regular sand, having crossed the gap.

Everypony on board cheered as the ship was now on a straight shot path to the blue star in the distance.

“We, we did it! We made it!” They hoorayed.

“We made it Rarity!” Sweetie Belle squealed, slipping out from her life-line. “I’m going to tell the others!”

As the filly ran down to the main deck and towards the now suspended boat, Rarity silently watched, still upset at how her friend just acted towards her.

Korsan, still zealous over his victory, ran up to Rarity and gave her a hug.

“Whoo! I had no idea it was going to work that well. Ha ha!” Korsan bragged. “Ha, ha, now to sort this Twilight issue out,”

“…” Rarity remained silent.

“Rarity? Are you okay?”

“I don’t know.”

“What’s the matter?”

“I know who you are. You’re an adventurous, joyous, intelligent stallion.”

“I am indeed-”

“But you’re also a murderous psychopath, and this is making you one step closer to wiping out all Earth ponies and pegasi, including my friends.”

“…”

“After seeing, hearing, and experiencing what you’ve been through to be here at this moment, and a recent discussion with Twilight, I’m not sure who’s side I should be on. I’m not even sure if I should be talking to you of all ponies about this, I’ve been your captive for weeks.” Rarity said.

“Huh. It’s a cruel and bizarre world isn’t it? Can’t tell the line of what’s good or bad, that’s my problem as well. I know I’m insane, I know what I’ve done and will do is strip the living from most. However, whatever my choice is, I’m doing what I feel I and what everypony else deserves, a chance to actually do things equal to all others in this wretched and twisted world. I can fix it. Whatever you choose, I’m fine with. Just, keep your distance from me if you choose to be with them, I don’t want to hurt you, nor your sister. From what I’ve seen from you twos on my boat, you two have been some of the best crew members, no, friends, I could ever have.” Korsan said.

“Thanks for your mercy… I guess.”

Rarity looked at the tangled boat and thought about her friends inside. Her mind raced with memories, thoughts, and impacts the souls on that boat have made for her. She remembered her recent two weeks on The Perfection, volunteering as a tailor. She recalled the nightly spars during dinner in the galley and how each time Korsan sparred with her, she’d always come one step closer to beating him. She recalled the teachings Korsan gave her from his books and tales of his adventures. Each time he told a story, it was more interesting than the last.

She recalled the subtle nods of generosity given by the captain, always giving her and her sister small gifts. He always used kinder words while still holding command of his other members. She remembered her and Sweetie Belle’s cabin that they were given. They had add decorations and were even visited by the other crew members.

Most importantly, she recalled about how much she, her sister, Korsan, and the others had slowly changed over time. From hating the captain and desiring to escape at any chance, Rarity now respected Korsan and treated him like a friend. From jumping at the presence of every pirate, Sweetie Belle now enjoyed cooking for and alongside them, excluding Chopin, who is still creepy. From being a cold, mean, and savage hermit, Captain Korsan now was an upbeat, intellectual, childlike friend, now actually trying to gain her heart. From suspicious and reclusive from Rarity and Sweetie Belle, the crew now loved them, and treats them like one of their own.

“Well, with your friends here, it would be in bad taste that I would be the sole authority. What would you do with your friends here?” Korsan asked.

“Well… as soon as we reach open water, I would let them out onto the sea. There, we’d give them a choice, either follow us and resist, in which we’ll fight back, or stay put, and wait until we’ve finished business on Alicorn Island and let them join us back to the surface.” Rarity suggest.

“And if the latter happens, will you join them?”

“…I haven’t figured that out yet. Just please, don’t hurt them, they’re still my friends.”

“…Very well then.”

“Missy, please keep ‘er straight till I return.” Korsan said to Juliana.

He gently set the ice phoenix onto the wheel and walked to Lightning Rod with Rarity trailing behind. Upon reaching the center mast, they are met by Isyan, even more furious than before.

“You lunatic! You daft, insensitive, lunatic!” Isyan screamed.

“Oh boy,” Korsan groaned.

“Do you know how much damage you caused?!” Isyan brutally asked.

“I’m starting to sense a pattern in you whenever I do something.” The captain crudely remarked in a deadpan tone.

“We have lost two anchors,”

“We have spares,”

“Incalculable damage to the hull on all sides,”

“Mostly just sandblasting,”

“A nearly non-existent keel, an absolute terror of tangled rigging, twelve ripped sails, a leak in the anti-magic storage tank, a demolished restroom,”

“I told them to seal it-”

“And heaven knows what else!”

“Super interesting, dear cousin, you can manage all that, right? And don’t be all whiny with me, I saw you kissing the main deck after I landed that double club haul like a champ.” Korsan bragged.

“Of course I would, just like everypony else who’s happily they got lucky. We wouldn’t even have to fear death if you didn’t go on this insane venture. Heck, things would be better off if I was captain.” Isyan hissed.

“Well you aren’t, boo-hoo. Now get to fixing all of the ‘critical’ problems while I deal with the stowaways.”

“No, I’m not going to let you just talk me off and-”

“Do you want to reenact last year?”

Korsan reached behind him and tapped on one of his cutlasses. Isyan instantly backed up a step.

“Do you?” Korsan asked again.

Isyan hesitated before answering. “No.”

Korsan removed his claw from the sword and clapped his metal hands together.

“Very well then, back to your place,” Korsan said.

“…Fine.”

Frustrated, Isyan walked back from his captain and into the quarterdeck.

“Sheesh, drama queen,”

As Lightning Rod was lowered onto the deck by the crew, Korsan and Rarity walked in front of the long hull. At the other side, Sweetie Belle was hopping up and down and shouting to her friends above.

“Captain,” Horus yelled out under the bow of Lightning Rod. “Want us to, nicely, detain them still?”

“No, I have a different idea this time.” Korsan said.

“Okay then.” Horus nodded.

“Twilight Sparkle and company!” Korsan yelled out to the ship.

At first, no response was given from the boat. Eventually though, Korsan and Rarity saw Twilight’s face peering over the edge of her boat.

“What?” Twilight sternly asked, attempting to avoid eye contact with Rarity.

“Instead of capturing you, I have decided to give you a choice.” Korsan said.

“We don’t negotiate with pirates. You especially,”

“Upon reaching open waters, we’ll set your fine little boat off free. Now, you can chase us, in which you will be met with strict resistance. Or, you can simply wait until return and give yous all a lift back up. How does that sound?”

“What about Rarity? And Sweetie Belle?”

“That is to be decided later. But be rest assured, no harm will come to them. What matters now is whether or not you want to put your and your friends’ lives on the line.”

“…”

“You have a few minutes, choose wisely.”

“Is it that Korsan jerk?” Spike’s voice hollered from inside. “If he hasn’t backed off of Rarity, I’m gonna-”

“Sir,” a voice beckoned from the bow of The Perfection. “We’re about to reach the end.”

Korsan replied, “Alright then.”

He and Rarity then rushed around Lightning Rod and headed for the edge of the bow. There, the two saw the blue star now less than hundred metres ahead of them, encompassing their whole vision beyond the boat with light.

“Here we go.” Korsan muttered to himself.

As The Perfection pierced into the blue star at the end of the sandy current, the intense light instantly bathed across the entire vessel, blinding everypony with pure white light.

“Keep her straight!” Korsan commanded.

A few seconds later, the light died as soon as it appears, revealing The Perfection now sailing on normal water. The surrounding sky, once a celestial darkness had turned into a completely blank night blue shade. Only a bright blue moon hung in the center of the blank sky. The endless sea the galleon rode on was a completely still body of black water, being only disrupted by the gentle ripples of the gliding giant. Behind the great ship was the blue star, floating on the still ocean. As the boat continued forward, the hull began to glow its faint tint of green once more. The crew realized they can use magic again.

“Hey! We got our magic back! Where are we?” Rarity asked.

Recalling the poem, Korsan replied, “The second pulse of the dark heart of the Breach... This means…”

“Spyglass,” Korsan commanded.

Near immediately, Juliana flew up to her master with a telescope in her talons. Korsan swiftly grabbed the looking glass and looked through, seeing a small grey dot on the far horizon.

“Means what?” Some of the other pirates asked out loud, having eavesdropped on their captain.

“Alicorn Island, right ahead.”