Twilight's Pirate Adventures

by David Silver

6 - Friendly Harbor

Captain Celaeno led the way, with Mullet, Spike, Twilight, and their newest, old, friend, Henry Mastiff. As they wove through the crowded street, Spike looked up at the larger biped canine curiously. "So, uh, are you a captain?"

"Once." Henry's shoulders lifted in a ponderous motion. He didn't duck left or right much, mostly moving as if the other people weren't there. He had the mass to make that work, and most seemed to avoid wanting to collide with him. "Lost that right when the blasted Storm King made a mess of things."

The mere mention of the Storm King was enough to get a chorus of dark utterances to rise in the crowd. Some unknown soul cried out, "May he rot!"

Twilight tilted her head slightly. "That's unlikely. Tell me, if you're not captaining, what is your current profession?"

"Mmm? Ye be dressed the part, but your words are far from familiar, pretty little lubber." Henry grinned at Twilight. "If'n you're asking what I be doing to earn my keep, I still sail. I just ain't the captain no more." He lifted a hand to point in the direction they were already going. "Ye might be able to meet her. Moll ain't a bad captain, and she didn't lose her ship, so that counts fer somethin'."

Celaeno arched a furry brow. "Moll?! You're working for Moll? Crazy unicorn's one of the few pirates that decided fighting the Storm King up front was a good idea, and survived to boast about it after the fact."

Henry grunted at that. "So, ye didn't then? Just rolled over and let him have his way?"

Celaeno wheeled towards her old frenemy and grabbed him by the collar in an iron grip. "I'll have you know I was with the group that saw him crumble to little bits of rock. Don't you give me sass, pup."

Henry brushed off one of her hands with a great sweet of one of his hands. "Ye were there? I'm sure Moll'd like to hear that story. She hated him extra powerful."

Twilight followed the conversation, her head moving with each person that spoke. "This Moll person sounds interesting, but I'm more interested in the old Pirate Lord right now."

Spike shrugged softly. "If she's on the way, no reason to be impolite. Did you say she's a unicorn?"

Celeano nodded. "Just like Twilight, minus the wings. Pony swashies aren't an unknown, though they ain't the majority either." She approached the swinging doors that looked familiar. They were the same doors that someone had been roughly hurled through before. "Now watch your manners. Being insulted while drinking is more than reason enough for a good brawl, and ain't not a person that'll try to stop it."

As they entered, the sound changed from the bustle of the port to a rowdy gathering of variably drunk sailors. Some were hunched over tables, deeply engrossed in games of cards or dice, others were singing sea shanties along with a piano being played by a shapely Abyssinian.

There were a few ponies scattered about, standing out by being the shorter members of the motley assortment of salty sorts. One of them was looking at them directly. She had purple fur with a black mane and tail. "Henry, what're ye dragging in here?" She called. "Did they wash up on shore?"

"Nah, Captain." He waved towards Celaeno. "Ye know Celly, her crewmate, Mullet, and two cute lubbers." He laughed at the last word, as if it were good enough to be a joke all by itself. "They were eager to meet ye."

Twilight advanced on three legs, one already raised towards the fellow pony. "Hello, it's nice to meet you. I'm--"

"Princess Twilight Sparkle," finished Captain Moll, waving a hoof at her idly. "Give up on royalty and come to sail the seas and airs? I know the feeling." As Twilight faltered and came to an uneasy stop, Moll laughed. "Or, perhaps not? What can I be doing for ye, little royal lass?"

Spike pressed a hand to his face as if to direct his voice. "Ex-nay on the Incess-Pray," he harshly whispered.

The room went quiet, as if his poorly whispered pig latin were far more obvious than Moll's original clear statement. All eyes were gravitating towards Twilight.

Celaeno's hand came down on Twilight's head. "She's already mine. Find your own," she warned them in firm tone.

Moll erupted into laughter. "Oh that is just too good. Celly here playing your nanny?" She hopped down from the seat she was perched on. "Ye coming to make friends? This is an odd place for it. Now, what can Moll do fer ye?"

Henry directed a thumb at Twilight. "She was looking fer the Pirate Lord."

"No beating around the bush, I see." Moll nodded as she approached Twilight, her eyes cast upwards. "They don't make a princess in less than 'large' size, do they?"

Twilight raised a hoof to her chest. "It's nice to meet you, Moll...?"

Moll did not provide her last name, instead poking Twilight in the side. "So what're ye looking fer out of that old bag of bones that is the Pirate Lord?"

"I was hoping to have a conversation." Twilight turned to keep Moll in sight, her wings fidgeting. "So... you're a captain, I gather? Have you had good... plundering?"

Moll snorted, a smile growing on her face. "She's as cute as the rumors say. I'd feel bad trying to ransom her off." Her eyes darted past to Celaeno. "Besides, no reason to make enemies over a little thing... Besides that, I bet Celestia'd just send your friends after you, and not a single bit. Then I'd have to deal with a load of nonsense, I would, and what would I have to show for it? Nothing, not a thing." She reared up just to spread her forehooves. "Doesn't sound like a logical thing to try, really. On the other hoof..." Her smile turned sly. "I happen to know something ye don't, my little lost lass. I could just ask for a few coins, the polite way, if you want to see a Pirate Lord so bad."

Whether it was meant to or not, many other pirates accepted the outspoken logic of why snatching Twilight up that very moment may have been a poor idea, and the noise of their activities lifted as games continued and other conversations slid away from pondering the princess among them.

Spike put his hands on his hips. "You don't fool me. If you were such a tough pirate, why weren't you the one that took down the Storm King."

Moll put a hoof on Spike's chin. "Aw, that's too cute. The both of ye are a real pair. I lost several dozen good ponies fighting the good fight against that rotten barnacle, so I'll not take any cries of my not pulling my weight." She gave Spike a light shove, forcing him back a step. "Asides, yer sailing with a pirate that flew under his banner for no small time. Yer in no place to be talkin' at all!"

Celaeno nodded softly. "Too true, but I was also the pirate that raided a castle with him in it, and it ended with him dashed to pieces on the rocks below."

Mullet gave a rough cry. "I was there to see it, and it was a handsome sight. He never looked better than that moment."

"Mmm, I'd love to see it." Moll sat on her haunches, regarding the group. "Henry, go back to the ship, they need your big hands for some loading work." He sharply saluted and ambled off and she looked to Spike, then Twilight. "So, what're you paying?"

Celaeno pulled Twilight back by the head she still held, threatening the poor princess' balance. "I think we can find Graybeard ourselves, thanks."

"Ye be saying that, but he's become much harder to put eyes on, these days." Moll wobbled a hoof to and fro. "Half the island wants to keel haul him from their ship, and that doesn't make anypony want to lounge in the open." She walked past them towards the door. "I'll be around. Find me when ye give up."

Celaeno watched the mare captain go before letting out a little breath. "Right then, let's get ourselves a room."

Twilight pointed a hoof upwards. "You can let go now."

Celaeno released Twilight with an apologetic smile. "Right, sorry. I never trusted them further than I could toss 'em, and she isn't a light pony."

While they talked, Mullet approached the front counter and said a few words to the barkeep, getting a key slid across the counter to him. "Thanks, matey." Mullet turned back to the others and returned with his booty. "Got us a suite up on the top floor." He hiked a thumb upwards. "He says it's the 'royal fittings'."

Celaeno grunted at that. "Right, no more secret about that, I see... That just means you're not leaving my sight, Princess."

Spike rolled a hand in place. "Right, so where to first, Captain?"

Celaeno considered it a moment before nodding. "Let's try the usual places, even if he ain't likely there. May turn up something." She led the group from the tavern, or tried.

Two burly dogs stood in the way, their scimitars already out, though resting against their boots. "Where you think you're going," asked the female one, the larger of the two. Her sharp ears were pointed at them, large nose quivering. "Moll may be too big a coward to make a move, but she don't speak for the rest of us."

The male swung his blade up suddenly. "Just put the princess down and nobody gets hurt, right?"

"Nobody?" echoed Twilight with a confused tone.

"Nopony," whispered Mullet.

"Ohhhh."

Celaeno had her own blade free in a flash. "I think not. Are we settling this the hard way, or are you getting out of our damned way?"

Mullet and Spike had their weapons out on the prompting, Spike taking considerably longer to finish the motion that Mullet had long practiced.

Twilight reared up to thrust her hooves forward. "Woah woah! There's no need for a fight."

The bitch's lips peeled back, revealing her jagged teeth. "I think there's plenty of need. What there ain't is a need for more talking. Grab her!" She kicked up her sword into readiness even as her other hand pointed at Twilight.

The room exploded in cheers. Though none of the others rushed to join in the foalnapping attempt, they were more than happy to watch it unfold and place bets on which side would emerge the victor.

With the sound of an empty gourd being struck and splintering wood, the male dog keeled over forward under a broken chair. Behind him stood Moll, spitting out the bit of chair that remained in her teeth. "A little scuffle? Don't mind if I do."

The bitch captain kicked her down comrade, getting him back into motion even as she advanced on Twilight. She parried Celaeno's thrust and knocked the blade aside. With an outstretched paw, she went for the prize, only for a short blade to ward her away, Spike putting himself between the angry captain and Twilight.

The downed dog scrambled to his feet, his sword still clenched in his right paw. "Dirty trick," he grunted as he swung at Moll, but the pirate captain ducked and bobbed around each swing, laughing at him all the while. He put both paws on the hilt and brought it down, but Moll ducked under a table. The sword pierced through it, the tip just an inch from her snout.

"Enough!" came a loud voice, driving all others to quiet. The barkeep stood up, a mace in one hand, patting the head of it against the other. "Now look what ye did, damaging my bar. That's my limit and ye know it! Get out, all of ya!"

Surprisingly, at least for Twilight and Spike, the two canines obeyed, leaving with loud grumbling all the way.

Author's Note:

Poor fight scene, banished like a typo. It may return, also like a typo.

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Comments

[Ciber]

And then twi apologised and fixed the bar with magic.

[Dimensional Librarian]

Behind him stood Moll, spitting out the bit of chair that remained in her teeth. "A little scuffle? Don't mind if I do."

I'm going to like this Moll character

[zimmerwald1915]

"Mmm, I'd love to see it."

"Oh, I recorded the whole thing on my horn! It's a bit shaky, I was being tossed around by a tempest half the time, but you can still see him shatter into a million pieces."

[tsaukpaetra]

Twilight's been to EQG, why did she question "nobody"?
Anyways, her presence is officially announced, no more pussyfooting. That didn't take long at all...
We wonder if Moll will let down her mask once in private? Her declarations certainly seemed to be calculated in more ways than one...
Spike takes the stand and foolishly (or bravely) moves to protect his adoptive mother. Let's see just how freaked out he gets when it calms down...
Keep going! ;)

[Daremo]

She gave Spike a light shove, forcing him back a step. "Asides, yer sailing with a pirate that flew under his banner for no small time. Yer in no place to be talkin' at all!"

Spike: Oh yeah? Well I got to be a living flamethrower and burned several of the Storm King's minions to death, top that!

Twilight:

[Crystal Treasure]

Whoo, fight! Some typos slipped by in the scuffle.

Molly'd

Moll

spike

Spike