Barnacle's Adventure: Pony Pirates on the High Seas

by Paradise Oasis

Farewell to Abyssina!

After the girls returned from the haunted mine, Barnacle went to the royal throne room to report what they had discovered. Needless to say, The Abyssinian emperor was not amused...

"What!? You dare to betray your own country?! Your own tribe?!" The emperor growled at the terrified Katrina in anger, slamming his fist on the arm rest of his throne. "For this crime, you shall be banished from our island altogether!" He pointed a claw at the feline sorceress. "Guards, remove this traitor from my sight, and get her on a boat off of my island!"

"You old fool, I was doing what was necessary for our kingdom!" Katrina cussed, as two leopard knights dragged her away. "You can't fight the storm king, no one can! Abyssinia needs a ruler like me, not your backwards, benevolent rule! You're weak bloodline will destroy the feline kingdom, MROWR!"

After the guards had carted Katrina away, the emperor turned to barnacle apologetically. "Good captain, I must thank your two crew members for traveling into the mine, and learning the truth about Katrina's treachery." The emperor shook his head sadly. "I am only sorry the poor mare in your crew, paid the price with her intellect."

"Nyarrr, don't worry about it, your highness." Barnacle replied, bowing to the emperor of Abyssinia. "She actually seems happier, without all of that troubling intelligence bothering her." He looked up at the monarch. "But there is still the matter of the storm king, who me crew and I intend to take down." He looked up at the feline ruler. "So, about that key ye be holdin'..."

"Here, take it with our royal blessing." The grateful emperor replied, handing over the keys. "And good luck in taking him down, all of the nations of the great sea are counting on you, and your valiant crew!"

There was a great feast and celebration in the crew's honor that night, and the crew was loading the ship down with provisions the next day. Katrina's brother was there to see them off, and was slaying his goodbyes to North Star and Fizzy.

"Thank you, ladies, for everything you've done for us." The tomcat replied, bowing to the two mares. "I hope you will all be okay in your dangerous journey through the rough seas ahead of you!"

"Wheeee, bubbles!" Fizzy giggled, playing with the bubbles she had made. "This is soooo much fun!"

"Uh oh, seems that curse has affected Miss Fizzy permanently." Katrina brother sighed. "I don't think she'll ever return to normal, now!"

"Blimey, don't worry about Fizzy 'ere, she seems to enjoy being an airhead!" North Star laughed nervously. "At least we made it out of that dreadful cave alive!"

"Well, good luck to you both!" The tomcat replied, departing the ship down the gangplank. "I hope fortune brings all of you to our island again someday!"

The ship set sail, and the ponies found themselves upon the open ocean once more. As Barnacle stood at the helm, Wave Runner approached him, an angry look on her face.

"Well, cap'n? What do oyu have to say for yourself!?" She snapped angrily. "Look at what your obsessed treasure hunt has done to poor miss Fizzy?"

The two ponies looked down at Fizzy, who was bonking her head into the mast repeatedly

"Wheeee, this is so much fun!" The jewel-eyed filly giggled. "And it doesn't hurt at all, 'cause I don't have a brain at all!"

"The lass will be all right, I wouldn't worry too much about it." Barnacle replied, checking his compass as he steered the ship. "I didn't get anyone killed, now did I? Don't worry, lass. I won't let anything else happen ta ye, or any of the other ponies in me crew, I promise ye."

"Oh, really? I'm sure Fizzy would argue with that... if she could still argue anything, at all." Wave Runner snapped. "What's next, Salty in a wheel chair? Or maybe North Star with broken wings?"

"I'd never let ether of those things happen!" Barnacle snapped back, losing his cool... a rarity for the rugged sea captain. "I've never let a crew die under me leadership."

"You've never led a crew before, Captain Barnacle." She sneered at the earth pony stallion. "I've head the scuttlebutt about you around the port. You may be a brilliant bosun, and a decent first mate, but you're an untested captain. For all we know, you might sail all of off the ends of the earth!"

"For yer information, lassie, there is no ends of the earth! This world is round!" Barnacle growled back, stating the obvious. "And I promise you, I won't let anything like that happen to me crew again! Not fer the rest of this voyage, not ever!"

"Uh huh, we'll just see about that, cap'n." Wave Runner snapped, flapping her way back up to the crow's nest. "I'll remember you said those words, and hold you to them for the rest of this journey. I don't want to see my new friends fall victims to your recklessness!"

After she was gone, Captain Barnacle turned his attention back to the open ocean. Okay, he had made a mistake, he told himself, but everyone made it out alive. Besides, Fizzy was much nicer to everybody now,. even if her brains had degenerated into tapioca pudding. But they were after a treasure, damn it! They had to take risks, if they wanted to collect the keys, and retrieve the pearl. Then, all of the crew would be fabulously wealthy, and that should easily make up for a loss of intellect to poor Fizzy!

Still, he promised himself, he would be more careful with his crew from now on. If there was a risk to be taken, then by B'zekre, we would be right there with the others, taking that risk! If all five ponies would share in the treasure, then all five ponies would equally share in the danger! One pony for all, and all ponies for one!

Those thoughts went through the pony captains head, as dark storm clouds again began to form on the horizon ahead of the ship....

Comments

[FleetlordAvatar]

Finally had a moment to read this. Looking forward to more.