Twilight's Pirate Adventures

by David Silver

8 - Greybeard

They didn't have to wait long, making the smallest of talks with the pirates of the new ship.

Henry came jogging back up the stairs and waved at them without even fully ascending. "This way! He said to come."

Twilight turned, Spike still on her back. She did not normally carry him when they weren't trying to get somewhere, and even then, only when speed was a concern or Spike was especially tired. Spike didn't complain, gently holding Twilight from above as she walked to join Henry.

Celaeno moved to accompany them, but Henry put up a hand. "No offense, Celly. Ye know we're pals, but ole' Grey said he'd see her." He jabbed a thumb at Twilight as she walked past. "Not you. We'll take care of them, promise it."

Mullet shrugged from where he leaned against the railing of the deck. "Figured."

She snarled softly. "See that you do. It'd be terribly... impolite if we don't get her with every feather still attached."

Twilight descended the stairs in a rapid clip-clop. It was a touch gloomier, light provided by spaced out flickering lanterns. She could hear the gentle sway of the boat beneath them and the little groans of the wood as it was rocked by the lapping motions of the sea.

Ahead of her, she could see two sets of doors on either side of the hallway, and one last door at the end of the hallway. Henry came charging up behind them, moving right past with surprising grace for his lumbering motions. The dog was at the second door to the right in a moment and waved at the closed door. "He's right in here, ye ladyship."

Spike leaned in closer to one of Twilight's fuzzy ears. "Do you think he'll be a big thing, or a little thing?"

Twilight advanced at an easy walk, an ear turned back towards Spike. "My bit's on a bipedal Granny Smith, stallion edition of course."

Spike mused on that and snorted softly. "Whoever they are, they kept this island going. We should, uh, you know, show respect?"

"I will conduct myself properly," said Twilight with a hint of defensiveness. "It wouldn't do for a princess to misbehave in front of a foreign power." She had arrived at the door and reached up a hoof. "Should we knock?" that last question was directed at Henry, who still stood beside the door.

"It's polite," he agreed. "Have a good chat."

With two firm clops, Twilight tapped at the door. From within, a voice grunted, "I'zat the princess? If it's anyone else, go fly a kite!"

Twilight glanced over at Henry before she grasped with her magic at the doorknob and turned it, pushing the door inwards. "Hello," she called with a smile. "I'm Princess T--"

A figure dropped from the rafters, a rapier clutched in a gnarled old hand. With a quick forward stab, its metal shoved at Twilight's snout, her eyes wide with surprise. It missed her, sliding along close enough to clip off a line of her fur and leave a mild forming welt.

Twilight fell backwards in shock, flopping to her haunches. Spike slid back in a heap from the sudden moved position of his mount, flopping out across the ground with a clatter as his still-sheathed blade struck the floor.

The figure stepped forward, rapier still held up and ready. "You think just because I have more years, I'm not ready for a surprise?" He looked like a chipmunk, his bushy tail twitching behind him as he fixed his black eyes on Twilight. "Mmm, if you're a princess, where's your crown?"

Henry reached around the corner, his hand going through the doorway and grabbing the rapier right in the center of its length. "These are your guests," he cautioned, mostly hidden as he was.

Twilight scrambled up to her hooves awkwardly. "I didn't mean to surprise you, mister... greybeard?"

Spike was up just as quickly, but his eyes were on Henry's clenched hand. "Um... that has to... hurt?"

Greybeard pulled his weapon free in a smooth motion, though blood ran along a good potion of his rapier. "The big idiot knows what he gets when he grabs a sword like that." He gave the rapier a firm shake, dislodging some of the mess as his tail flicked agitatedly. "Still, I don't know him for lying, he's too simple for that. Princess Twilight Sparkle, come in."

Henry withdrew his bleeding paw with only a low grumbling of his pain. Twilight glanced at him before her eyes returned to Greybeard. "We come as peaceful representatives of Equestria. There's no need for swords."

"I'll give up me blade about when they pry it from me, dead and cold as the sea we sail." He sheathed the blade in a quick motion and turned away, almost striking Twilight with the great fluffy mass of his tail. "Now then, what's on your pretty little mind?"

Twilight and Spike both advanced into the room with unsure steps. Twilight took the lead. "Nice place..." It wasn't really a very nice place. There was a hanging cot to sleep from, a painting of some great sea beast up on the right wall, and a few books on a desk that looked bolted to the floor and wall. "Do you greet all of your guests so..."

"Violently," finished Spike with an awkward grin.

Greybeard hopped up onto his cot and sprawled across it, facing his guests. "Ye don't get to be in charge this long if you ain't careful. Henry! Close the blasted door." He nodded towards the door as it closed. "As I was sayin'... Welcome to me island. You come all the way here just to find me?"

Spike raised a finger. "Um, excuse me, but quick question. They call you Greybeard... but I see no beard."

The chipmunk raised a hand to his furry chin. "Ye can't see I'm going grey down here? No matter. It's the name they gave me, and I'm stuck with it."

Twilight took another timid step forward. "It's nice to meet you. I heard there was a nation of pirates, and thought it would be prudent for Equestria to establish friendly relations."

He hiked a fuzzy brow high. "Ye heard there were pirates, and the first thing in your head was 'I better make friends with those?' Ha, well, guess that's how a princess of friendship would work."

Spike nervously laughed out, "Well, yeah, that is--"

"--That's enough, Spike." Twilight rolled her eyes as she sat down. "I hear there's a bit of... trouble."

"There shouldn't be." Greybears waved a hand dismissively. "I told them how to find a new lord. It ain't me problem that none of them are doing it."

Twilight tilted her head slightly, glancing at where a window should have been, but wasn't. A lantern hung in its place, dispelling the darkness partially. "What way is that?"

He rolled up, legs dangling off the side of his cot. "They just have to find me hat. I hid it. Someone finds it, brings it to me, done deal! The fact that I hid it on a pile of gold to get them started should make it all the sweeter. You'd think an island full of pirates would be scouring the place lookin' for it, but are they? Nope. They're ready to throw me overboard for demandin' they show a little effort."

Spike raised a hand high, waving at the world at large. "That doesn't make any sense! Why are they acting like you're supposed to just pick someone?"

"Well, I will." Greybeard nodded slowly. "Once they bring me my hat."

Twilight leaned forward, an idea burning in her eyes. "Sir, have you actually told anyone that your hat is hidden?"

"What? No! That's half the challenge." He crossed his arms over his chest, looking put out. "They should remember the hat. It was quite large and kinda part of my whole image. Not a single soul's noticed! It hurts..." He gave a sullen kick at the air. "You think people know you..."

Spike pointed at where a hat should be. "How can anyone know your hat is missing if you're hiding?"

Greybeard waved the observation away. "That's their problem, not mine. Now then, it's been a while since I had a princess over." He smiled at Twilight. "Long overdue I got myself a knighthood for all my adventures."

Twilight's right ear went flat. "I would have to consult with Princess Celestia before I gave away a title."

"But did--"

Twilight stepped casually on Spike's foot to silence him. "Still, it is nice to meet you, Sir Greybeard. You're welcome to visit Equestria, if you ever get the urge."

"May take you up on that." He flopped back onto his cot. "Lousy ingrates, I give them a fine place for years and this is the thanks they offer."

Twilight took a step back, gesturing towards the exit with tosses of her head. "Hopefully they'll come around and realize how much you've done for them."

"I can hope," grunted out Greybeard, arms folded on his belly and looking ready to take a nap.

Spike and Twilight made good their escape into the hallway. Henry wasn't there. Spike hiked a thumb at the closed door they had just fled through. "Can you believe that?"

Twilight did not reply with words, instead gesturing with a toss towards her back. Spike got the idea and clambered up just in time for her to trot away energetically towards the exit. They ascended into the light of day, where Celaeno and Mullet were discussing something in hushed words. The other pirates looked busy doing what they usually did.

She went directly for the ones they knew. "Captain, Mullet. We've finished our meeting."

Celaeno's expression turned to a grin, but fell just as quickly. "What'd they do to you?" She leveled a finger with Twilight's new mark. "I'll rip them apart!"

Twilight quickly raised a hoof. "No, no... we should... go."

"No one treats a guest of mine like this," she fumed with building anger. "Where'd Moll run off to?!" Moll was nowhere in sight.

Twilight lifted into the air on her wings. "We can discuss this somewhere else," she hissed out. "We really should go..."

"I don't think so," came a new voice. A heavy-set earth pony trotted into view. "Captain says the plank stays up until she gives other commands."

Spike hiked a thumb at the dock with a cocky smile. "Well, alright. We're still leaving."

Twilight surged ahead, forcing Spike to grab on for dear life with her abrupt motion. The lack of a plank could do little to prevent the winged princess from landing gently on the dock below.

The pony fixed Celaeno and Mullet with a hard look. "Neither of you have wings... that work." He added the second bit as he remembered that they were parrots.

Mullet shrugged his shoulders with a bored expression. "Funny thing about that. These wings work just fine. Watch." He tipped over backwards and fell from the ship into the embrace of the sea below, Celaeno hitting it just a moment later with a mighty splash.

Neither got to swim for long as Twilight grabbed them with great heaves, her body tense and shaking under the load of lifting the both of them with her magic. They wobbled as they moved, but were pulled to shore and relative safety. The moment she could let them go safely, she did, and let out a might gasp of air.

She had been holding water with them, and it splashed out across the docks where they landed. Celaeno was on her feet quickly. "Thanks for the assist, Princess. I think you've got the right of it. Let's get out of here. Mullet, let's go."

"Aye aye." He saluted sharple and got to walking, wetly, back towards where they had left their ship in the first place.

As they went Celaeno glanced aside at Twilight and Spike. "I gather you've both got some news to share, as soon as it's safe to do so."

Author's Note:

The quest! It took this long to get the quest, but we have it now! There was a typo or two in Greybeard's plan, I think.

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Comments

[badninja]

Well I think he should have told them about the challenge. Hopefully they will like the challenge when they find it.

[Ciber]

Why would it take any effort for twilight to lift them?

[Booster Spice]

For some reason Im humming the Ken Dodd tune, Wheres Me Shirt.

[Twilight_Shimmer]

Now we wait for twilight or spike to find the hat XD

[David Silver]

8799972
Two grown parrot sailors and a bunch of water with them in a hasty effort.

[tsaukpaetra]

Ya hafta remember, you're not just transporting the whale, you're taking the sea with it!
Greybeard sounds just like a few people we known. Unfortunately it seems he didn't ever keep enough guys close enough to interpret his eccentricities, else random peon would have come back "pardon, sir, but you seem to have misplaced this..."
Keep going! ;)

[Crystal Treasure]

Crazy old pirate. He had a typo hiding in his room.

spike

Spike