Twilight's Pirate Adventures

by David Silver

3 - Bon Voyage

Adjusting the sails and ensuring all the rigging was in place, the ship quickly went from an active nest of activity to a more sedate monitoring. Ponyville passed out of sight, the familiar faces and sights receding quickly into the distance. With the wild greenery moving beneath them, seemingly slowly due to their altitude, there wasn't much needing to be done.

Twilight tapped a hoof softly. "I expected... That was silly of me. An airship's no better than a train; it'll still take time to get where you're going." She turned her head towards Spike as the rest of her aligned with the stairs heading down. "I'll be below deck, Spike. May as well read up on seacritters and their habits."

Spike waved, watching her go with a building tension. The moment her purple rump vanished from view, he did a quick turn to spy Mullet and dashed for him. Jumping over some ropes in the way and scaling over a small barrel, Spike perched on its edge, grinning at the larger seabird. "So..."

"Ye be that eager, are ye?" He continued as he was, knotting some rope together. "It isn't easy."

"What is?" asked Spike with a soft shrug, almost falling from the barrel. He turned the motion into a dismount, attempting to make it look like that was exactly what he had wanted. "I'm ready to swash all the buckles." He grabbed for his belt, lifting the buckle up importantly.

"That ain't the buckle we're talkin' 'bout, little sea swab." He set the rope aside, hooking it on a large knob of wood (a belaying pin to those that knew) before turning to Spike properly. "A sword's well and good, and it paints a mighty fine image for a pirate to just have one, but it ain't always practical." He waved a lone talon. "What happens when yer counterpart also has a sword?"

"Um, you outsword them?" ventured Spike in an unsure tone.

"Hopefully, but there are other ways." He broke into a smooth stride past Spike. "When we know the fighting's right, we have a secret weapon. Do ye know why we're called swashbucklers?"

"Awesome buckles?" Spike pointed to his belt, which did have an impressive buckle on it.

"Awesome bucklers," corrected Mullet as he stomped on the deck and popped open a hidden compartment. "Ye got two hands, may as well make use of both of the blasted things." He dropped to a knee and pulled up the cover to a box, revealing a selection of shields. His talon ran over them thoughtfully before pulling the smallest free from the collection and tossing it to Spike with the casual flick usually reserved for frisbees.

Spike grabbed the shield with a surprised squeak. Once the shock wore off, he turned it around in his hands, examining it curiously. "It's like a bowl, with a bar going across it?"

"Not a completely wrong summary." Mullet pushed the lid back down on the box, then kicked the whole compartment closed. "Ye won't be eatin' out of that though, no. It's for keeping all your vitals where ye want 'em." He grabbed for his sheath but did not draw his sword. He hefted the entire thing and swung it in Spike's direction in a quick jab.

With an 'eep' Spike hid behind his buckler and clenched his eyes shut, not seeing the scabbard thump against the shield, but he felt it. He dared open one eye, then the other. "Oh, uh, worked?"

"No thanks to you." Mullet smirked down at the little dragon. "Ye have to guide it, one hand, not both like it's your only weapon. Yer other hand be busy holdin' a sword proper, won't it?"

Spike soon had his claws wrapped around the cross-section of the buckler, forming a metal dome projecting from his hand. "Like this?"

"Exactly. Now, don't let me hit you." Before Spike could respond, he began to swing at his small trainee, sending him scuttling around when he wasn't making a quick block.

"Squawk!"

Mullet glanced aside at Squabble. "When'd ye get there? What's up?"

Squabble pointed with a wing towards the front of the ship, where the Captain stood, watching them with a hard look.

"No no," she said, making a shooing motion with her talons. "First mate clearly has a plan for when our client comes to rip out our feathers when we batter her precious assistant around."

Mullet looked ready to defend himself, but Spike reacted faster, "hey! I'm not being 'battered around'. I'm learning how to swash buckles."

Celeano cracked a deep smirk as she began to approach. "Ye can't swash any buckles until there's something in both of your hands." She extended her talons before, in a display of speed, she had her sword drawn, and a buckler covering her other hand. She brought the sword across and banged her shield with it, producing a loud ringing of steel on steel. "Now that's a swashed buckle."

Spike's eyes widened with understanding. "Ohhh."

Mullet crossed his arms, sword and sheath still held in his right hand. "I woulda got to that part later, Captain."

Squabble made their way off, their job done for the moment. Celeano directed her sword at Spike. "I'm certain ye would have, eventually. Well, go on and draw that little toy blade of yours." Spike and Mullet both looked quite guilty. "What? Go on." Celeano frowned at the both of them. "I'm losing me patience."

Spike went to put his buckler down, only to have a sword uncomfortably close to his face.

"You'll be wanting both," corrected Mullet, smirking. He wasn't the one holding a sword to Spike.

Spike bounced back a few steps, bumping into a bundle of rope. "Okay okay!" He lowered a hand to his sheath and drew it free, but it was an awkward motion. "It's in the wrong hand," he noted in a soft complaint.

Celeano shrugged. "Practice, and it'll stop being the wrong hand. If ye got the buckle in the right hand, feel free to focus on it." She advanced a menacing step. "It's a fine weapon as much as a defense. No one wants to be punched with one, and the edges work mighty fine too."

A wave of determination brimming within Spike, he suddenly charged at the more experienced fighter. The bold move was not what she was expecting, and he brought up his buckler-clad hand across the hilt of her blade. She swore at the impact and staggered back a step. "Nice shot there, sea swab," she complimented, her smile returning. "Hit a little harder and ye might've disarmed me."

She punched forward with her own buckler and Spike tried to block it with his own sword, crossing it in the way just in time to be struck. His grip with his left hand was not up to the task of stopping the motion and the blade was knocked free of his grip instantly. He went pale and clamped his mouth shut, shivering in place.

Mullet pushed off the side-rail he had been leaning against. "Blast it all."

Celeano didn't see what was wrong, at first, moving in to continue the sparring, but Spike wasn't trying to defend himself. "What's wrong?" Then she saw it. The sword had made a fine line along one of Spike's arms and he had a tear in his new outfit. "Oh... Come on, Spike. We'll get you dressed in no time."

He gave a shaking nod, keeping himself quiet despite the obvious pain of it.

Mullet reached him and knocked his buckler aside before lifting up the young dragon in his arms. "Congratulations. Yer blooded proper now, and by a captain no less." He walked off with Spike. "Many who could claim the same, aren't in the position t'be claiming anything at all, if you catch the drift."

Spike gave a weak laugh. "I-It's nothing..." He forced a smile with all the bravado he had remaining.

"Nothing at all," agreed Mullet. "We'll get it washed and your shirt mended. Ye'll be back to swashing in no time."

Celeano followed behind, looking a little awkward. "Just like old times, isn't it?"

Mullet glanced over his shoulders. "I did hear of it, Captain. Care t'tell the tale proper?"

"Nothing complicated." She descended into the hold with Mullet. "Just that I was a little devil when it came to training, back in the day."

"Ain't much changed, s'far I see, Captain." Mullet's eyes remained forward, striding quickly past the princess' room.

The sound of hooves made them all tense. She was approaching the door! Celeano shoved Mullet ahead and turned to lean up against the wall just beside the door. When it opened, she smiled brightly at Twilight. "How're ye enjoying the trip, Twilight?"

"Hello, Celeano," replied Twilight with a warm smile. "I heard talking out here." Her eyes swept the area. "Huh, was someone just out here, besides you?"

"Just giving orders," dismissed Celeano with a wave of a hand. "I have to keep these sea dogs pointed in the right direction, or the ship won't move right. 'Tis a captain's burden."

"Ah, I see." A book floated in from behind Twilight. "I'm reading a fascinating article on the differences of maritime traditions between cultures throughout the world. Did you know how many deep and rich traditions have formed around doing the same basic thing? It really is a riveting topic. Would you like to read some with me?" She smiled hard enough for her jaw to squeak under the adorable pressure of it.

Celeano glanced in the direction Mullet and Spike had gone. "Um... sure, let's have at these 'rich traditions' of yours." She stepped forward into Twilight's web, knowing she was sacrificing herself for the good of her crew. She wouldn't have had it any other way.

Mullet set Spike down on a stool and had his shirt off quickly. They were in the dining hall, beside the large table they shared meals at."It's alright to admit being cut with a sword hurts, matey. Ain't much that hurts worse." He started to produce gauze and other first aid supplies. "I'm damn proud, ar; keepin' that quiet."

Though paled, Spike still smiled at the compliment. "If Twilight finds out, she'd get angry at me."

"Angry at you?" Mullet hiked a brow as he worked on the slice carefully. "She'd tear us apart first. It's perhaps best for th' both of us that we keep this to ourselves, aye?"

"Yea..." Spike flexed the fingers of his injured arm. "It's... not so bad..." As soon as he had a bandage wrapped around the arm, he pulled it back and let out a slow breath. "What'll we do about the shirt?" He hiked the opposing thumb at the cut and stained shirt.

"We stitch it, then we clean it. What else?" Mullet grabbed the shirt and sat down with it. "Being a swashbuckler means knowin' how to tend to what's yours. Come here, sewing's not half as dangerous, but jus' as important, really."

"You know how to sew?" Spike sat down beside Mullet, watching him as he threaded a needle. "I mean, I thought... that was more of a mare's thing."

Mullet frowned at him. "What be givin' ye that idea?"

Spike lifted his shoulders. "Most of the stallions I know don't care much about clothes, the mares do, and the one tailor I know is a mare. So, uh... yeah?"

Mullet dropped the needle and gave Spike a shove across the noggin, making the poor dragon wobble dangerously. "Out at sea, or up in the air, there ain't some lovey dovey shop to stop by. Ye know how to handle your own things, or you don't have things. Personally, I like me clothes, so knowing how to patch a cut or a hole seems like a good idea, get me?"

"Aye aye, sir." Spike shot a smart salute. "Um, sorry. I wasn't trying to..."

"I get it." He picked up the needle and returned to slowly mending the cut. "Yer a lubber. Maybe we'll work some of that out of you, by the time this trip's over."

Author's Note:

The first wound of the journey, and we haven't even run into any opposition yet. Does this bode well?

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Comments

[zimmerwald1915]

So, erm, why is Twilight's name in the title if the story is about Spike? Purely to garner attention?

[Twilight_Shimmer]

Ironically even IF Twilight does not find out about Spike's training initially , if he gains the skills in "Swashbuckling" and later helps in a fight, and Twilight sees said skills she will instantly learn what Spike had been up to, and he will STILL get in trouble.

[David Silver]

8725296
Because Spike exists and is doing a thing? Because focusing on Twilight as she idles the time during the journey would be quite unamusing? Because it was her idea to be there? Because one chapter does not a story's purpose dictate?

I'm really lost on this argument.

[Booster Spice]

Tailors?

How have times changed.

Spikes not the swim in lava diamond hard scaled dragon in this story? Even far softre sapphire, ruby gem hardness turns hardend steel without a scratch, or it going with moving up from hand to shoulder gets under the scales overlapping in the other direction?

[David Silver]

8725807
I'm not sure Spike has ever been proven to be slash-resistant?

[Booster Spice]

8726066

Nod. Rarity did use him as a pin cushion, and depends on the pins if they are sword, arrow class tempered and hardened steels?

[David Silver]

8726139
People can serve as pin cushions, especially with practice. It doesn't make them any more slash resistant.

[Daremo]

hooking it on a large knob of wood - hooking it on a large belaying pin -or- hooking it on a large cleat

She wouldn't have had it any other way.

---

Mullet set Spike down

---

This is really shaping up like a continuation of the movie in the scene imagery and pacing. I like what you're doing with it!

[FanOfMostEverything]

I too admit some surprise at that sword going through dragon scales deep enough to hurt. Thick scales mean you have to go deep to hit nerves; on anything else, that cut would be well into the muscle.

Still, the adventure begins. Hopefully Spike will handle himself a bit better in the future. And Celaeno may want to take the time now to guide Twilight through proper piratical parley.

[David Silver]

8730091
That's not how nerves usually work. What hurts more, a deep wound, or a shallow cut? The latter. Spike also has no canon-shown resistance to being cut open that I'm aware of? Am I missing something severe here?

[howard035]

I love seeing your Spike as a precocious child. I would think he's already pretty skilled at sewing, helping Rarity out and all.

8726144 The little guy has fire immunity perhaps DR 5/Slashing. We've seen him take some blunt hits and ignore needles in his back, but not ignore slashing damage. Timberwolf bites certainly scare him.

[tsaukpaetra]

Spike gets a small taste of battle, and maybe a small mark of requirement. Interesting that his dragon scaling is not quite tough enough to brave blades...