Severed Heart, United Hearts, and A Bottle of Cider

Isla Cruces- 1465

A lone ship approached the island. It was The Flying Dutchman, rumored to be cursed with the Plague and unable to make port because of it. In reality, it was a ship meant to ferry the souls of those who died at sea to the next life. At the helm was a unicorn stallion with a purple coat and a green mane and tail wearing a black coat held together by a large belt, black pants, a large black hat,, and black boots on his hind legs. This was Spike Jones.

At last... 10 years I've served my duties for her... and now, we can be together... me and my Calypso... me and my Zecora... thought Spike as the ship pulled onto the shore and he disembarked.

But, there was no one there.

What the...? thought Spike. "Calypso! I'm here! Where are you? Calypso? Zekora?" called Spike.

But, even thought he searched until sunset, Spike couldn't find Calypso...

A few months later...

"Argh!" cried Spike. Calypso had been imprisoned in her pony form by the Brethern Court using the Nine Pieces-Of-Whatever-We-Had-In-Our-Pockets-At-The-Time. Spike had suggested something better like Pieces of Eight, but the Brethern was happy with their name. Using his unicorn magic to manipulate an enchanted knife, Jones was in the process of cutting out his own heart. A few painful moments later, Spike held his heart in his hand... before he suddenly became overwhelmed by pain...

The shadow on the wall changed from that of a pony to one of a dragon.

300 years later...

It was raining at Port Royal. The tea cups were overflowing as sheet music blew around. Cadence Mi Amore, soon to be Cadence Sparkle, stood under the stone roof of the church...

Meanwhile...

Longboats were rowing to shore as soldiers from the East Equestria Trading Company stormed the shore, followed by their leader, a unicorn mare witha sky-blue coat and a white mane and tail wearing a black coat, black pants, black boots, a white-and-gold vest, and a dark blue three-pointed hat.

The soldiers broke down the door to the local blacksmith and arrested the white unicorn with a dark blue mane and tail wearing an old-fashioned baby blue suit and boots, before they brought him to the church.

Cadence ran up to her groom, Shining Armor. "Why is this happening?" she asked him.

"I don't know... you look beautiful," said Shining Armor.

"You know, it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding," said Cadence.

"Out of my way! Let me through!" yelled an older male voice. It belonged to a older red stallion who resembled Cadnece, but was blocked by the soldiers. "How dare you! Stand your soldiers down at once! Do you hear me!?" the stallion barked at the unicorn mare.

The mare turned around. "Governor Romeo Mi Amore, it's been far too long," she said.

"Trixie Lulamoon?" said Governor Mi Amore.

"Actually, it's 'Lady Trixie Lulamoon,'" said Trixie.

"Lady or not, you have no reason and no authority to arrest this stallion," said Governor Mi Amore, gesturing at Shinig Armor.

"Actually, I do. Mr. Mercer?" said Trixie.

An black earth pony stallion that was dressed in black gave Trixie a piece of parchment.

"The warrent for the arrest of one Shining Armor Sparkle," said Trixie, levitating the parchment over to Governor Mi Amore.

Reading the parchment, Governor Mi Amore's jaw dropped. "Th-this warrent is for Cadence Mi Amore!" he said.

"Really? Whoopsies, my bad, arrest her," said Trixie nonchalantly.

"On what charges?!" said Cadence as soldiers put shackles on her.

"No!" said Shining Armor.

"Aha! Here's the one for Shining Armor," said Trixie, giving the right one to Governor Mi Amore. "And I have another one for a Miss Lightning Dust, is she present?"

"What are the charges?!" demanded Cadence.

"Commodore Dust resigned her comission some time ago. Some kind of incident with a hurricane, I believe," said Governor Mi Amore.

"That's not the answer to the question I asked," said Trixie.

"Lady Lulamoon, while we're in the category of questions not answered..." said Shining Armor.

"We are under the jursitiction of Celestia's governor of Port Royal, and you will tell us what we are charged with," said Cadence.

"The charge... is 'conspiring to free a pony convicted of crimes against the crown and empire, and condemed to death, for which the...'" read Governor Mi Amore aloud, before a look of horror fell across his face.

"For which the punishment, unfortunately, is also death," said Trixie. She approached Cadnece and Shining Armor. "Perhaps you recall a certain pirate by the name of Rainbow Dash."

"Captain," said Shining Armor and Cadence.

"Captain Rainbow Dash," said Cadnece, fessing up.

"Captain Rainbow Dash. Yes, I figured you might," said Trixie.
~
Out on the waters near a Saddle Arabian prison floated a galleon with patched-up black sails. This was The Black Pearl. On the deck was an orange Earth Pony mare wearing a tan cowboy hat, a dark blue vest, dark blue pants, black bell-bottomed boots on her hind legs, and a flask around her neck. Her name was Applejack, and she was singing:

"Fifteen stallions on a Dead Stallion's Chest. Yo ho ho, and a bottle of cider. Drink, and Hades, had done for the rest. Yo ho ho, and a bottle of cider."

Applejack laughed as she took a swig from her flask.

A bell rang at the prison as guards dragged a new, frightened-out-of-his-mind, prisoner in while crows ate a few of the other prisoners alive. Meanwhile, a few guards were tossing wooden coffins into the ocean. A crow landed on one of the coffins.

I wonder if there's any meat in this thing, it thought as it pecked the coffin, right before the lid was blasted open.

A sky-blue hand holding a pistol poked out of the hole, before the rest of the pony, a Pegasus mare with a messy rainbow colored mane and tail wearing a black vest,a dark blue shirt, black pants, black bell-bottomed boots on her hind legs, a belt with a sword, a compass, and a pistol holster on it, and a necklace with a rusty lightning bolt pendant. Captain Rainbow Dash reached into the coffin and grabbed her dark brown, three-pointed hat.

"Sorry about this," said Rainbow before she ripped the leg off the pony skeleton inside the coffin and using it as an ore. "Say, you wouldn't mind if we made a little side trip, would you?" With a smirk she added, "I thought not."

Rainbow rowed the coffin over to The Black Pearl. She flew up to the deck and handed Applejack the leg.

"Not exactly according to plan," said Applejack.

"Problems came up, ensued, were resloved," said Rainbow as she put on a black overcoat.

"You got what you were after, then?" asked Applejack.

"Uh-huh," said Rainbow, showing Applejack an old piece of cloth. She was quickly greeted by her unhappy-looking crew.

"Captain, the crew, myself included, were expecting something a bit more... shiny. What with the Isla De Murta going pear-shaped, reclaimed by the sea and the treasure with it," said Applejack.

"And the Equestrian Navy chasing us all over the seas," said a dark brown Earth Pony stallion named Leech.

"And let's not forget the hurricane," said an orange Pegasus filly with a pink mane and tail named Scootaloo.

Most of the crew said "Aye" in agreement.

"Point is, it seems like it's been some time that we've done some honest pirating," said Applejack.

"'Shiny?'" said Rainbow.

"Aye, shiny," said Applejack.

"So, this is how you're feeling? Dear old Rainbow Dash isn't serving your best interest as captain?" said Rainbow.

"Brawk, walk the plank!" said a parrot that served as the voice of a mute Earth Pony stallion named Cotton Fluff.

Rainbow Dash pulled out her pistol. "What'd that bird just say?!" she snarled.

"Don't blame the bird. Show us what's on that piece of cloth there," said Leech.

Before Rainbow could respond, an undead monkey skeleton named Dash swiped the cloth. "Thanks a bunch!" said Dash.

Rainbow tried to shoot Dash with her pistol, but it was out of powder. So, she grabbed a crewpony's pistol and shot him.

"Ow!" said Dash as he dropped the cloth and scampered off.

"You know that doesn't do any good," said Applejack.

"It does me. Plus, it helps me keep my aim sharp," said Rainbow.

Scootaloo picked up the cloth. "It's a key!" she said.

"No, it's way better than that!" said Rainbow as she took the cloth from Scootaloo and showed it to the crew. "It's a drawing of a key."

The crew stared at the drawing.

"Fillies and Gentlecolts... what is it that keys do?" said Rainbow.

"Keys... unlock things?" said Leech.

"And whatever we need to unlock must have something valuable, so we're setting out to find whatever this key unlocks," said Applejack.

"No. If we don't have the key or what we need to unlock, then how are we going to unlock what we need to unlock?" said Rainbow.

"So, we're going after the key?" said Applejack.

Rainbow sighed. "All right, in plain Equestrian this time. We're going after both the key and what we need to unlock. Now, are there any more questions?" she said.

"So... do we have a heading?" asked Scootaloo.

"Ah, yes, a heading," said Rainbow, pulling out her compass. However, much to Rainbow's dismay, the needle spun around all over the place. "Set sail in a... thata-way direction," said Rainbow, pointing in a general direction in relation to the compass.

"Uh... Captain?" said Applejack.

"Come on, snap to and make sail you know how this works, out of my way," said Rainbow as she made her way to the Captain's Quarters.

Scootaloo and Applejack looked over the railing in the direction Rainbow had pointed.

"Applejack, have you by any chance noticed lately that Captain Rainbow Dash has been acting a bit strange...er," said Scootaloo.

"Yeah... setting sail without knowing her own heading. Something's got Rainbow vexed, and if it's one thing I know it's that what bodes ill for Rainbow Dash bodes ill for us all," said Applejack.

Time's Up

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A pair of East Equestria Trading Company soldiers flanked both sides of Shining Armor, as they led him into Trixie's office.

"Lady Lulamoon, the prisoner as ordered, ma'am," said a soldier.

"Those won't be nescessary," said Trixie, gesturing at the shackles and magic dampener on Shining Armor, which the soldiers removed.

Trixe then poured them both a glass of cider. "The East Equestria Trading Company has need of your services," she said, offering Shinng Armor a glass.

"No, thanks, I'm fine. But, what's the East Equestria Trading Company doing out here in the Mareibbean?" asked Shining Armor.

"That's none of your business. Anyways, we wish for you to act as our agent in a business deal with our mutual friend Captain Dash," said Trixie.

Shining Armor norrowed his eyes. "She's more of an aquaintance than a friend, how do you know her?" he asked Trixie.

Trixie walked over to the nearby fireplace. "Oh, we've had dealings in the past," said Trixie, levitating a superheated P brander with her magic. "And we've each left our mark... on the other."

This peaked Shining Armor's interest. So it was Trixie who branded Rainbow a pirate, he thought before asking, "And where's the mark that Rainbow left on you?"

"That, once again, is none of your business. Point is, it was by your efforts that Rainbow was set free. I would like you to her and recover a certain property in her possession," said Trixie, taking a swig of cider.

"By 'recover,' do you mean, 'threaten with a sword?'" asked Shining Armor.

Trixie smirked. "Try bargaining," she said as she walked over to her desk and opened a box on it. She used her magic to make a leather envelope hover. "These are letters of marque. Your bargain chip is what amounts to a full pardon. Rainbow will be free, a privateer in the employ of Equestria and the East Equestria Trading Company."

"Talking like that makes me think you don't know Rainbow very well. I somehow doubt that 'employment' and 'freedom' are the same to her," said Shining Armor.

Trixie smirked as she closed the box. "Freedom..." she whispered. "Come."

Trixie and Shining Armor walked out onto the balcony. Below, East Equestria Trading Company troops loaded a huge town clock onto a ship.

"Rainbow Dash is a dying breed. The world is shrinking as the blank edges of the map are filled in. In short, Dash must find her place in the New World or perish," said Trixie. "Not so much unlike yourself, Mr. Sparkle. You and your fiancee face the hangpony's noose."

"So, you get both Rainbow and The Black Pearl," said Shining Armor.

Trixie raised an eyebrow. "The Black Pearl?" she asked.

"The property you want that Rainbow possesses," said Shining Armor.

Trixie laughed. "A ship? In case you haven't noticed, I'm a Lady in Celestia's court. The item I want is considerably smaller and far more valuable. Something Rainbow Dash keeps with her at all times. A compass, if I'm not mistaken," she said. Seeing the look on Shining Armor's face, Trixie smiled. "Ah, you know of it. Bring me that compass, or there's no deal. Understand?"
~
Rainbow Dash was in her cabin on The Pearl, trying to chart a course using a chart since her compass still wasn't working right. She reached for a bottle of cider, only to find it empty.

"Why is the cider always gone?" muttered Rainbow. As she stood up, she staggered a bit. And that's probably why, thought Rainbow as she grabbed her coat and hat, before making her way below decks where her crew was sleeping.

"As you were," Rainbow told her crew with a lantern in her hand as she continued her decent until she came to a door, which Rainbow opened with a key. Inside her private cider storage, Rainbow found a bottle.

"Bingo," said Rainbow as she grabbed the bottle, only to find that it was full of sand, which poured out of the bottle like sand from an hourglass.

"Time's run out, Rainbow," said a female voice.

Rainbow gasped, dropping the bottle which shattered on the ground. In the dim light of the lantern, Rainbow could make out what seemed to be a unicorn mare with a lavender coat, a dark blue mane and tail with a pink highlight in both, and wearing a black coat and black pants.

"Dusky? Dusky Twilight Sparkle?" said Rainbow.

Twilight turned to face Rainbow. Part of her face and horn were covered in reptilian scales, and her left eye was similar to that of a snake.

"You look good, Rainbow," said Twilight.

Rainbow tilted her head. "Is this a dream?" she asked.

"No. I wish it were," said Twilight.

"Figures. If this were a dream, there'd be cider," said Rainbow.

Twilight used her weakened magic to open a bottle of cider and gave it to Rainbow.

"I see you got the Pearl back," said Twilight.

"I had some help retrieving the Pearl, actually, courtesy of your big brother," said Rainbow as she took a swig of cider.

Twilight's eyes grew wide. "Shining Armor?" she said in a whisper.

Rainbow nodded.

"He ended up a pirate after all," said Twilght, looking downcast.

"Ehh... given a liberal definition of the word 'pirate.' But, to what do I owe the pleasure of your carbuncle?" asked Rainbow Dash.

Twilight looked Rainbow in the eye, a serious look on her face. "He sent me as an envoy... Spike Jones," she said.

Rainbow Dash sat down next to Twilight. "So, it's you then... he duped you into joining his crew, huh?" said Rainbow.

"I chose it, actually. Look, I'm sorry for the part I played in the mutiny against you, Rainbow. I stood up for you... after that, everything went wrong. Gilda strapped me to a cannon, and I ended up on the bottom of the ocean. Unable to move or use my magic... Tartarus, I couldn't even die. I thought to myself, even the tiniest hope of escaping this fate, I'd take it, I'd trade anything for it," explained Twilght as she munched on a small crab she'd caught.

"Well, now, that's the kind of thinking bound to catch his attention," said Rainbow as she stood up. "Then again, isn't it funny what a pony will do to forstall their final judgement?"

Twilight stood up and got into Rainbow's face. "You made a deal with him, too, Rainbow. He raised the Pearl from the depths for you. 13 years you've been her captain," she said.

"Yeah, about that-" said Rainbow.

Twilight shook her head. "Rainbow, you're not gonna be able to talk yourself out of this one. The terms that applied to me apply to you as well: One soul, bound to crew 100 years upon his ship," said Twilight.

"Yeah, but The Flying Dutchman already has a captain, so there's really no point-" said Rainbow.

"Then it's the locker for you!" said Twilight. "Spike's terrible leviathan will find you, and drag the Pearl back to the depths and you along with it!"

Rainbow leaned away from Twilight. "So... any idea when Jones will release this terrible beastie?" she asked.

Twilight shook her head. "I already told you, Rainbow. Your time is up," she said, Pressing her hand against Rainbow's. "It's coming now. Drawn with ravenous hunger to the pony that bears The Black Spot."

Rainbow looked at her hand in time to see a black spot appear on it. "Twilight," said Rainbow, only to find Twilight gone. She flew like a bullet up deck. "On deck, all hands! Move it!" she yelled, waking up her crew. "Movement, I want movement!"

The crew hurried onto the deck as Rainbow kept yelling, "Run! Keep running! Run as if Hades himself and itself is upon us!"

"Do we have a heading?" asked Applejack, wearing her nightgown.

Rainbow cried out. "Yikes! Run, land!" she said.

"Which port?" asked Applejack.

"I didn't say 'port!' I said 'land!' Any land!" said Rainbow.

Just then, Dash the monkey swung by and grabbed Rainbow's hat and dumped it in the water. "Whoopsie," said Dash.

"Rainbow's hat! Bring her about!" yelled Applejack.

"No, leave it!" said Rainbow, much to her crew's surprise."Run."

"Back to your stations, all of ya!" said Applejack. She then apporached Rainbow. "Rainbow, what in Luna's name is coming after us?"

Rainbow gave a weak false laugh. "Nothing... nothing is coming after us," she squeaked.

The next morning...

"Hey! Lookie here!" Exclaimed a brown coated unicorn stallion, riding in a Saddle Arabian fishing boat, levitating Rainbow's hat up to him and trying it on. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the boat jerked to a sudden stop, staying impossibly still in the rough waters.

"Eh? Whats going on!?" Another stallion shouted, right before the boat was violently pulled underwater, leaving no trace of it ever being there.

Search for Rainbow Dash

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Shining Armor, now garbed in a white shirt with a buckled strap across it, a navy blue overcoat, a belt with a sword and pistol hanging from it, dark blue pants, and black boots, entered the prison of Port Royal.

A prison guard moved to try to stop him. "Hey, you can't be here!" he said, quickly drawing his sword and pointing it towards the intruder.

However, he was quickly stopped in his tracks as Governor Mi Amore entered behind Shining Armor. "Actually, I think you'll find he can," he said in a clam tone to the guard.

"But, Mr. Mi Amore-" protested the guard, nervously looking between the governer and Shining Armor.

Mi Amore glared at the guard. "That's Governor Mi Amore to you, still, I thank you very much for your dedication to your job. Now be on your way." He said and he motioned towards the door, through which they had just entered, with his head.

"Yes, Governor," said the guard, placing his sword back in its scabbard and leaving Governer Mi Amore and Shining Armor alone.

Shining Armor quickly found Cadence and knelt in front of her. "Trixie wants to me to try and find Rainbow Dash and get her compass off of her," he told Cadence, inspecting her body for any forms of harm.

This greatly intrigued Cadence, who raised an eyebrow and asked "Rainbow's compass? What on Equestria does Trixie want with that?"

Shining Armor shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I'm to find Rainbow and convince her to return to Port Royal. In return, the charges against us will be dropped and we'll be free to go."

Governor Mi Amore shook his head. "No. We must find our own route to secure your freedom, we must not bend to the will of that repulsive mare." he said.

Shining Armor looked towards Governor Mi Amore. "Is that a lack of faith in Rainbow I hear? Or in me?" He growled.

"Just because you would risk your life to save Dash's, does not mean she would do the same for anypony else," said Governor Mi Amore. "Now, where's that dog with those blasted keys?"

"Well I for one have faith in you... both of you. So where will you find her?" asked Cadence.

Shining Armor thought about it for a moment, before answering. "Tortuga most likely. I'll start there and if I don't find her, I won't stop searching until I do! Then I intend to return here and marry you," said Shining Armor.

"Properly, this time?" asked Cadence.

"Eagerly, if you'll still have me," said Shining Armor.

"If it weren't for these bars, I'd have you already," said Cadence coyly, leaning towards the cell bars.

She and Shining Armor kissed. "Keep a weather eye on the horizon," he said, before getting up leaving her, beginning his search for the illustrious Captain Dash.

At the docks...

"Captain Rainbow Dash? She owes me 40 bits... I heard she was dead," said a middle-aged brown unicorn stallion with a gray mane and tail, whilst he unloaded his fishing boat.

On a beach...

"Lingapore, that's what I heard, drunk with a smile on her face. Sure as the tide, Rainbow Dash, turned up in Lingapore," a bearded pegasus fisherpony told Shining Armor as he finished off his bottle of cider.

At a bar in Tortuga...

"Ah, yes, Captain Rainbow Dash... I saw her down in South Equestria with a stallion half her age and twice her height. Sorry, I can't tell you anything more than that," said a young unicorn mare with a light amber coat and a red mane and tail with yellow stripes, who was wearing a black leather overcoat as she drank a glass of hard cider

That night...

"Rainbow Dash?" said a Pegasus stallion wearing a filthy business suit

"I haven't seen that crazy idiot in a month," said a unicorn stallion, also wearing a filthy business suit.

"If you find her, will you give her a message?" said the First stallion, just before punching Shining Armor in the face, giving him a black eye and swollen lip in the process.

The next morning...

"Okay, what are you talking about?" said Shinng Armor as he tried to talk to a gray pegasus mare with a blonde mane and tail, which was easier said than done, seeing as she was clearly cuckoo.

"You'll have to forgive Ditzy Doo, she hasn't been the same since she was hit in the head with two coconuts,after falling out of a tree of course, we're not really sure which caused the damage." said the unicorn mare from the day before. "But, I believe she said that Rainbow Dash was caught and ready to be hung at Port Royal, but escaped and fought off 100 soldiers, then she grabbed a couple of parrots and flew off a cliff... why she would need parrots when she has wings is beyond me. Oh, Sorry I never did tell you my name, did I? It's Sunset Shimmer, pleasure to meet your acquaintance," Sunset said, nodding her head in a stiff manner.

Down by the docks...

"Can't say anything about Rainbow Dash. But, there is an island just south of the straits where I trade spice for some delicious fruits and flowers. Now I'm not saying Rainbow Dash is there but, you'll find a ship there... a ship with black sails," a tan Earth Pony told Shining Armor.

"Can you take me there?" asked Shining Armor, finally getting a lead after hours of searching.

Currency of the Realm

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Shining Armor, having been made to swim all the way from the ship to shore for some unknown reasons, walked around The Black Pearl, which had run aground on the pale white beaches of the small island.

“Rainbow! Rainbow Dash!” called Shining Armor as he reached the bow of the ship. “Scootaloo! Cotton Fluff! Anypony?”

“They’re not here,” came a voice from above him. Shining Armor turned and searched for the voice. He found Dash, the monkey, climbing on the rigging of the ship.

“Well, where are they, then?” asked Shining Armor.

“Well… they went into the jungle a while ago and I haven’t seen them since. Something happened, though, I’ve seen the mute’s parrot flying around… minus the mute.” said Dash, nodding her head towards the great expanse of green behind Shining.

“Thank you, Dash,” said Shining Armor, before venturing towards the jungle. As he reached the very edge of the jungle, Cotton Fluff’s parrot landed on a nearby rock, looking terrified.

“Ah, another familiar face!” said Shining Armor, making his way towards the multicoloured bird.

“Don’t eat me!” begged the parrot, jumping back from Shining as he neared.

“Why would I eat you?” asked Shining Armor.

“Don’t eat me!” repeated the parrot.

“All right, look, if you see Rainbow Dash, Applejack, or anypony from the crew, tell them Shining Armor’s looking for them…aaand I’m talking to a pidgeon- er, parrot, great..” Muttered Shining Armor as he continued deeper into the jungle.

As he journeyed into the jungle, Shining soon came across a familiar-looking flask.

“Applejack…” whispered Shining Armor, noticing a cord of some kind attached to the neck of the flask. 'What’s this?' He thought as he followed the cord further into the jungle, before he came to its end.

'What the heck…?' thought Shining Armor, right before a ritualistic-looking changeling appeared out of nowhere, letting out a shrill sheriking sound.

“Yaaah!” yelled Shining Armor, jumping backwards… right onto an ankle rope trap, which hoisted him high into the air.
Out of the jungle came more Barbarian Changelings, each holding spears and other assorted tribal weapons. Each was aimed directly at Shining Armor, who started swinging his sword wildly around.

“Come on! Who wants some?! I can do this all day!” Yelled Shining Armor.

With a look from one of his fellows, a Barbarian Changeling shot a dart at Shining Armor, who lost consciousness almost instantly…

About an hour later…

Shining Armor woke up to find himself hog tied to a long pole that was being carried into what was, without a doubt, the Barbarian Changelings’ village. Sitting on a throne wearing a feathered tribal hat of some sort and with ritualistic paintings on her face was on all-too-familiar sky-blue pegasus mare with a rainbow-colored mane and tail.

“Rainbow? Ha ha! Rainbow Dash! I can honestly say I’m glad to see you!” said Shining Armor.

Rainbow got off her throne and walked around Shining Armor, glaring down at him with little interest.

“Rainbow! It’s me! Shining Armor!” said Shining Armor.

Rainbow then began chittering in the same language as the Barbarian Changelings. She walked towards Shining Armor’s private area and said what sounded like, “...unichy, snip, snip.”

“Ahh… Unichy,” said the Barbarian Changelings as one.

Shining Armor, not having a clue what was going, saw Rainbow’s compass hanging from her neck on a string. “Rainbow, the compass!
That’s all I need! Cadence is in danger! We were arrested for helping you! She faces the gallows!” said Shining Armor.

Rainbow stopped walking for a moment and seemed thoughtful. She then spoke to the Barbarian Changelings in their language, saying what sounded like, “...savvy? For licky licky.”

“For licky licky!” cried the Barbarian Changelings.

Before the Changelings started carrying Shining Armor off, Rainbow Dash whispered, “Save me! Please!”

“Rainbow! What did you just tell them!? Where are they taking me?! What about Cadence?! Rainbow! RAINBOOOOW!” Yelled Shining Armor as he was taken further and further away from Rainbow.

Meanwhile, at the Port Royal prison...

Cadence sat far away from the barred side of her cell, where several captured pirates were attempting to reach out and grab her, when her father opened her cell door.

"Come quickly," said Governor Mi Amore, unlocking her cell door, allowing Cadence to exit.
As they moved down the barren halls of the fort, Cadence asked, “What’s happening father?”
“Our name still has some standing with Celestia. I’ve arranged passage to Equestria, the captain is a friend of mine,” said Mi Amore.
“No! Shining Armor’s gone to find Rainbow-” said Cadence.
“We cannot count on Shining Armor Sparkle! Trixie has offered one pardon only. One and that is promised to Rainbow Dash,” said Mi Amore as they arrived at a carriage. “Even if Shining Armor succeeds, do not ask me to endure the sight of my only daughter walking to the gallows, Do. Not. Perhaps I can arrange a fair trial for Shining Armor if he returns.”
Cadence, now in the carriage, scowled at her father. “A fair trial for Shining Armor ends in a hanging,” she said.
“Then, I’m sorry, but there’s nothing left for you here,” said Mi Amore as he shut the door and got into the driver’s seat. After a short trip down to the harbor, Governor Mi Amore found his friend standing there, seemingly lost in thought
"Wait inside," he told Cadence before slowly approaching the pony in question. "Captain Hawkins?" he said.
The pony fell over, having been stabbed and propped up by Lieutenant Mercer, one of Trixie’s minions.
"Evening, Governor. Shame, that your friend here had to die but," said Mercer, before holding up an envelope. "He was carrying this. It's a letter to Celestia… and looky here, it's from you."
"No!" said Governor Mi Amore. He turned around just as soldiers began encircling the carriage.
“Cadence,” whispered Governor Mi Amore as he ran towards the carriage.
Mercer beat Governor Mi Amore to the door, knocking him to the ground. Mercer opened the door, only to find the carriage completely empty.
"Where is she?" demanded Mercer, turning towards Governor Mi Amore, who was in the process of standing back up.
"Uh...Who?" said Governor Mi Amore, before Mercer slammed his head into the carriage.

Meanwhile, at Trixie's manor...
Trixie entered her office with a lantern, having heard noises. She walked up to her desk, and found the box where she usually kept Letters of Marque empty...and she had a feeling as to who took them.
"No doubt you've discovered loyalty is no longer the currency of the realm as your father believes," said Trixie.
"Then what is?" said Cadence, emerging from her hiding place.
"I'm afraid currency is the currency of the realm," said Trixie, turning to face Cadence.
"Then, maybe you and I can come to an understanding. I'm here to negotiate," said Cadence.
"I'm listening," said Trixie. Cadence aimed a flintlock pistol at her head. "I'm listening intently."
"These Letters of Marque, they are signed by Celestia," said Cadence.
"Yes, and they're not valid until they bear my signature and my seal," said Trixie.
“Why do you think I’m still here? You sent Shining Armor to bring you the compass owned by Rainbow Dash. It will do you no good," said Cadence.
"Is that so? Do explain," said Trixie.
"I have been to the Isla De Murta, I have seen the treasure myself. There's something you need to know," said Cadence.
"Ah, you think the compass pertains only to the Isla De Murta and so you hope to save me from an evil fate. But, you mustn't worry," said Trixie, walking up to her partly completed map of the world. "I care not for cursed Everfree gold. My tastes are not so provincial." Turning to face Cadence, she added, "There's more than one chest of value in these waters." She then walked up to Cadence, their faces only inches apart. "So, perhaps you wish to enhance your offer."
Cadence placed the gun directly under Trixie's chin. "Consider into your calculations that you robbed me of my wedding night," she said, leading Trixie over to her desk.
"Ah, yes, I did do that, didn’t I?" said Trixie. "A marriage interrupted...or fate intervenes?" she muttered as she used her magic to sign and seal the Letters of Marque. "I must say you really are going to great lengths to ensure Miss Dash's freedom."
"These aren't going to Dash," said Cadence, snatching the Letters out of Trixie's magic and securing them within her wings.
"Oh? To ensure Mr. Sparkle's freedom then? I'll still want that compass. Consider that into your calculations," said Trixie.
Gun still aimed at the blue unicorns face, Cadence slowly backed away and left.

Escape!

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Out on the waters near Isla De Barbaria, we find a gray Earth Pony with a gray mane and tail and wearing a filthy gray suit without a tie rowing, a pink Earth Pony with a lavender and white and tail and a silver tiara on her head, wearing a filthy lavender suit without a tie. She was reading Faust’s Book. Also in the boat was a dog with prison keys in its mouth.

“Well, I say it was Divine Providence that got us out of jail,” said Diamond Tiara, looking up from her Faust’s Book.

“And I say it was me being clever,” said Silver Spoon, before casting a look at the prison dog. “Isn’t that right, poochie?”

“Well, how do you know it wasn’t Divine Providence that inspired you to be clever. Either way, I’m not stealing a ship,” said Diamond.

“Don’t think of it as stealing, think of it as salvaging. And since when did you care anyway?” said Silver.

“Since we’re not immortal anymore. We’ve gotta start taking care of our immortal souls,” said Diamond, tapping her Faust’s Book.

“You know you can’t read, right?” said Silver.

“It’s Faust’s Book, you get credit for trying,” said Diamond indignantly.

“Pretending to read Faust’s Book is a lie! That’s a mark against-” said Silver, jabbing her hoof in the air before she caught sight of The Black Pearl. “Look! There it is!”

The prison dog jumped out of the boat and swam to shore.

“What’s gotten into him?” asked Diamond.

“Probably saw a catfish or something,” said Silver.

The two pirates started to crack up at the joke, right before a huge wave flipped the boat over and washed them ashore.

Silver laughed gleefully as she and Diamond walked up to The Black Pearl. “It’s ours for the taking!” she said.

“Looks like the tide’s coming in, that oughta help… well, now that I think about it, salvaging is saving in a manner of speaking,” said Diamond.

“There’s the truth of it!” said Silver.

Abruptly, drums started to play in the distance in a ritualistic type of way.

“I think we’d better save it as soon as we can, what with our souls in such a vulnerable state and everything,” said Diamond Tiara.

“Amen to that,” said Silver, before she and her best friend got to work undoing the mooring ropes.

Meanwhile, over a cliff farther into the island…

We now find Shining Armor, Applejack, Scootaloo, Cotton Fluff, and some of the crew members in two separate cages made of bone that resembled hamster balls dangling over a cliff from a wooden bridge.

"How could she do this to us?" said Shining Armor. “I mean, if Rainbow's the chiefess-”

"Aye, the Barbarian Changelings made Rainbow their chiefess. But, she only remains chief as long as she acts like a chief," said Applejack.

"So, she had no choice. She's a prisoner as much as the rest of us," said Shining Armor.

"It’s much worse than that, I’m afraid. See, the Barbarian Changelings believe that Rainbow is a goddess in mortal form. And they intend to do her the honor of releasing her from her... fleshy prison," said Applejack, before Cotton Fluff kicked her. "Ow! Anyways, if we don’t get out of here and stop them, they'll roast Rainbow and eat her."

"Wait a second… where's the rest of the crew?" asked Shining Armor, looking for more familiar faces in the neighboring cage.

"You know these cages we're in... well, they weren't built until after we got here," said Applejack.

An involuntary shudder ran through Shining Armor.

"The feast is about to begin. Rainbow's life will end when the drums stop," said Applejack
.
“Well then, we can’t just sit here and wait then, can we?” said Shining Armor.
.
Meanwhile, at the Barbarian Changelings’ village...
"No! No, no! Hey! No, no! Big fire! Big fire! I am chiefess, want big fire!" said Rainbow. She then turned towards her throne and ordered the two Barbarians by it in the Changeling’s language, “More wood, tute suite! Hurry it up!” she said. With all the Barbarian Changelings distracted, Rainbow smirked. Later, suckers! she thought as she made a break for it.
In her desperation to escape, she found a Barbarian Changeling’s hut.
Maybe there’s something in there that can help me save the crew, thought Rainbow as she went inside and rummaged around a bit.

Rainbow grabbed some rope and began to leave, before something caught her eye. It was a can of paprika from the East Equestria Trading Company.

I'm starting to run out of options. Can't be out on the water because of Jones' terrible beastie, can't be on land because of the East Equestria Trading Company... that leaves only one option, thought Rainbow Dash as she left the hut... only to find the whole village waiting for her.

"Oh, bugger," said Rainbow Dash.
.
Thinking fast, Rainbow began putting paprika under her wings. "A little seasoning, eh?" she said.

Rainbow was promptly tied to a bamboo pole and placed over the firewood on roasting tongs, ready to be cooked.

"Well done," said Rainbow, sarcasm evident in her voice.

Meanwhile, back at the cliff…

Shining Armor and the crewponies of The Black Pearl swung their cages back and forth towards a vine-covered cliffside. As they did so, Shining Armor couldn’t help but imagine Merry-Go-Round music play as they did so. After a few tries, they managed to grab hold of some vines.
"Put your legs through, start to climb!" yelled Applejack.

As they climbed, Shining Armor yelled,"Come on! It'll take all of us to crew The Black Pearl!"

"Actually, you wouldn't need everyone...About six will do nicely," said Leech from the other cage.

Both cages stopped and looked at each other.

"Uh-oh," said Leech.

With a nod from Applejack, Shining Armor and the ponies in his cage yelled as they and the ponies in Leech’s cage began a race up the cliff.

“Come on! Is that all you got?!” taunted Scootaloo.
Just then, a teenage Barbarian Changeling walked by on the bridge overhead, forcing them to stop.

“Shh…” said Leech. He and his cage then began to sneak their way up the cliff.

“No, stop, what are you doing?” hissed Shining Armor.

Leech and the ponies in his cage simply snickered until Leech himself grabbed a poisonous snake.

“Snake! Snake!” yelled Leech, causing all the ponies in his cage to panic and lose their grip. The cage fell at such a fast rate that the rope snapped, sending Leech and his friends plummeting to their deaths.

Applejack winced when the cage hit the ground.

Unfortunately, the Barbarian Changeling saw the whole thing.

"Move!" yelled Shining Armor

The group then began to climb their way up once again.

Back in the village…

A Barbarian Changeling carrying a torch ran into the village and chittered something, which the rest repeated. Just as the Changeling with the torch was about to light the wood, the
Changeling from the bridge ran in and told everyone of the escape of Shining Armor and the crew. They all turned to Rainbow Dash for orders.

"Well, go on, go get them!" yelled Rainbow, before translating the order, which the Barbarian Changelings repeated before they left. However, the Changeling with the torch dropped his torch a little too close to the kindling as they left.

"Hey! Come back and let me down first! A thousand years bad luck if you don’t come back and let me down!” yelled Rainbow Dash, but the Changelings were too far away to hear her.

“Not good," said Rainbow, as she then tried to blow out the flames.

Back with the crew…

Shining Armor and the crew had just managed to get the cage up the cliff.

“Cut it loose! Find a rock!” yelled Shining Armor. He then saw the oncoming swarm of Changelings. "Roll the cage!" he yelled.

The crew began to roll the cage, only to find that they were at the top of a hill directly in front, down which the hamster ball-like cage rolled uncontrollably before it rolled up and tree and fell, somehow unbroken, with the Barbarian Changelings right behind them.

"Lift the cage!" yelled Shining Armor
Shining Armor and the crew lifted the cage, accidentally knocking Scootaloo off her hooves in the process, and ran with it, only to fall into a river, where the cage broke.

“This way! Hurry!” said Applejack.

The Changelings began shooting arrows at the crew as they tried to swim to safety.

Back with Rainbow Dash...

Rainbow Dash swung back and forth on the roasting tongs, before finally she managed to get the pole off of the tongs. Out of the fire and back into the frying pan, thought Rainbow.

As she ran back to the village, Rainbow began tugging at the ropes that held her to the pole, only to notice a Changeling child holding a fork and knife watching her. Rainbow grabbed the knife from the child, who then ran off.

As Rainbow began to try to cut through the ropes, she found two more Barbarian Changelings hold plates of fruit.

Rainbow screamed and ran head-first into a stack of coconuts, one of which was impaled upon the pole. She suddenly had an idea. Turning around, she hurled the coconut at one of the Changelings, who caught it. The look on its face could be summed up with three words: It is on.

Back with Shining Armor and the crew…
The Changelings kept shooting arrows at Shining Armor and the crew of The Black Pearl. They suddenly stopped when a young Changeling came and chittered something. Something that must’ve been important enough to get the Barbarian Changelings to abandon Shining Armor and the crew.

Rainbow must’ve escaped, thought Shining Armor.

“Now’s our chance! We need to get back to the ship!” said Applejack.

“Aye!” said the crew.
Back with Rainbow Dash…

Rainbow was in the middle of a food fight with the two Barbarian Changelings. Most of the food that they’d thrown got stuck on the pole Rainbow was tied to, making her look like a shish-ka-bob.

"Stop it!" yelled Rainbow.

The two Changelings stopped throwing food, bewildered looks on their faces.

Rainbow took the opportunity and ran at the cliff, somehow did a pole vault backflip, and landed safely on the other side of the cliff... but, the weight of the food on her pole caused her to fall off the cliff. Luckily, the pole got stuck and Rainbow’s ropes came unraveled, leaving her dangling by her wings.

A scraping sound meant that the pole was starting to slip.

"Bugger," said Rainbow.

The pole slipped and Rainbow, unable to fly due to her tied-up wings, began to fall to the ground, with several wooden bridges to help break her fall. When she landed, the breath as knocked out of her… and the pole was falling right at her.

“Ehh…” said Rainbow, right before the pole landed beside her head, quickly followed by pieces of fruit.

Meanwhile, at The Black Pearl…

"Haul loose the mooring line!" yelled Silver Spoon while Diamond Tiara chased Dash the monkey around the ship for her tiara.

“Nah nah nah, you can’t catch me,” taunted Dash as he leapt about the rigging, before gnawing on the tiara.

"No! Don't bite it!" said Diamond.

"Haul loose the mooring line!" yelled Silver.

Diamond looked down at Silver. "He's got my eye! He won't give it back!" said Diamond.

"Well, how'd you get it back last time?" asked Silver, just as Applejack, Shining Armor, and the rest of crew ran up.

"Excellent! Our work's half done!" said Applejack.

"Uh... heh heh heh...we did it for you! Knowing you'd be coming back!" said Silver.

“I thought we were salvaging the-” said Diamond, before a look from Silver shut her up.

"Make ready to sail, everypony!" said Applejack
.
"What about Rainbow? I won't leave without her!" said Shining Armor.

"Oi!" came Rainbow's voice in the distance.

Rainbow came into sight... and right behind her was the whole Barbarian Changeling tribe.

"Time to go," said Shining Armor.

"Cast off those lines!" yelled Applejack.

Rainbow Dash flutter-ran as fast as she could, passing the prison dog. “Good doggie,” said Rainbow. With one great leap, she grabbed onto the ladder that was on The Pearl and turned to face the Barbarian Changelings, who were complaining loudly.

"Alas, my children, this is the day that you will always remember as the day you almost-" said Rainbow, before a huge wave cut her off. "Captain Rainbow Dash."

Just then, the prison dog barked, attracting the highly unwanted attention of the Barbarian Changelings. The prison dog let out a whimper, as though it knew what was coming, before running as fast as it could away from them.

A Touch of Destiny

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"Let's put some distance between us and this island and head out to open sea," said Applejack as Rainbow climbed aboard The Black Pearl.

"Yes to the first, yes to the second but only if we keep to the shallows as much as possible," said Rainbow, as Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara put her trademark black overcoat on her shoulders before snapping to attention.

"Uh, captain, that seems a little bit contradictory," said Applejack.

"I have faith in your reconciliatory navigation skills, AJ. Now then, where is that monkey, I really need to shoot something," said Rainbow.

“All right! Fine, take the stupid tiara!” screeched Dash from overhead as the shiny tiara dropped onto the deck. Diamond picked it up, gave it a spit-shine, and stuck it back onto her head.

Shining Armor approached Rainbow as the mare took aim at the monkey with her pistol. "Rainbow, Cadence is in danger," he said.

"Good grief, she certainly has an issue with not being in danger, doesn’t she? Have you by any chance ever thought about keeping a more watchful eye on her, maybe just lock her up somewhere," said Rainbow as she holstered her pistol and made her way to the ships helm.

"She is locked up, in a prison, bound to hang for helping you," said Shining Armor, following Rainbow as he spoke.

"You know, Shiny, there comes a time in one's life where one must take responsibility for one's mistakes," said Rainbow.

Shining Armor grabbed a crewpony's sword and aimed it at Rainbow. "I need that compass of yours, Rainbow. I must trade it for her freedom," he threatened.

Rainbow swatted the sword aside and walked up to Applejack. "Miss Applejack, it seems we have a need to, ahem, travel upriver," said Rainbow.

A worried look crossed Applejack’s face. "Er… by 'need' do you mean a 'trifling need' as in, say, a passing fancy?" asked Applejack.

"No, I mean ‘a resolute and unyielding need,’" said Rainbow.

"What we need to do is set sail for Port Royal with all haste," said Shining Armor.

Rainbow sighed. "Shining Armor... I’ll give you the compass, if you will help me to find this," said Rainbow, pulling out an old piece of cloth. On it was a drawing of a key.

"You want me to find this?" asked Shining Armor.

"Actually, no. You want you to find this. Because the finding of this may lead to discovering and/or locating the detecting of a way to save your girl, ol' What's-her-face… savvy?" said Rainbow.

Shining Armor took the cloth. "This... is going to save Cadence?" he asked.

"Well, that depends. How much do you four know about Spike Jones?" asked Rainbow.

Shining Armor thought about it for a moment. "Not much," he admitted.

"Then, yeah, it's going to save Cadence," Rainbow smiled.

Meanwhile, back at Port Royal…

A merchant vessel, The Edinburgh Trader, is getting ready to set sail. On the ships deck, a crewpony was buisy swabbing the deck. He stops when something catches his eye: a beautiful dress.

A few moments later…

The crewpony who found the dress was in the middle of a tug-of-war with another crewpony over the dress when the captain came out.

“Look, if you both want the dress, you’ll just have to share and wear it one after the other,” said the captain, a smirk appearing on his face.

“It’s not like that, sir. This ship is haunted,” said one of the crewponies.

“Oh, is it, now? And what say you?” the captain asked the Quartermaster.

“There’s an otherworldly presence among us, sir. Everypony can feel it,” replied the Quartermaster.

As the crew debated what exactly the spirit’s story was, a disguised Cadence smirked. 'One word to describe this crew: gullible'. she thought.

“You’re a bunch of superstitious goats and it’s gotten the better of you!” said the captain, taking the dress. “It looks to me that there’s a stowaway on board, a young mare by the looks of it. I want you to search the ship and find her. Now!”

“Aye, captain!” said the crew, before they and the disguised Cadence started searching.

Meanwhile, back with Rainbow Dash…

Rainbow Dash, Shining Armor, Applejack, Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, Scootaloo, and Cotton Fluff were all in a longboat going up a swampy river. Something didn't sit right with Shining Armor about Rainbow being terrified of the open water.

Time for some answers, thought Shining Armor. "Why is Rainbow afraid of the open ocean?" he asked Applejack.

"Well, if you believe in old pony’s tales, there's a beast that does the bidding of Spike Jones. With tentacles that'll suck your face clean off, and drag an entire ship down to the crushing darkness," said Applejack, pausing to let it hang in the air a moment before continuing.

“The kraken,” said Applejack. Rarity and Pinkie Pie gave each other a dark look at this as Applejack continued. “They say the smell of its breath is like...ooh… imagine: the last thing you’ll ever know on Faust’s green Earth is the roar of the kraken and the odor of a thousand rotting corpses… if you believe in old pony’s tales.”

"And the key will spare her this fate?" asked Shining Armor.

"Well, now that's the very question Rainbow wants answered. Badly enough to visit... her," said Applejack..

"Her?" said Shining Armor.

"Aye," said Applejack.

Later...

The longboat arrived at a small hut that seemed to be the sort of house that a voodoo sorceress would live in.

“No worries, everypony. Me and Zecora go way back, virtually inseparable we are… were… have been… before…” said Rainbow Dash.

“I’ll watch your back,” said Applejack.

“Actually, it’s my front that I’m worried about. Mind the boat,” said Rainbow.

“Mind the boat,” Applejack told Shining Armor.

“Mind the boat,” Shining Armor told Diamond Tiara.

“Mind the boat,” Diamond told Silver Spoon.

“Mind the boat,” Silver told Scootaloo.

“Mind the boat,” Scootaloo told Cotton Fluff.

“Brawk, mind the boat,” said Cotton Fluff’s parrot before flying off.

Inside the hut, a zebra sat at a table looking over something when a bell rang, announcing the arrival of Rainbow and her crew.

"Rainbow Dash," said the zebra at the table, looking up from her work.

"Zecora," said Rainbow.

"I had a feeling the wind would blow you back to me one day," said Zecora, before she saw Shining Armor. "You... you have a touch of... destiny about you... Shining...Armor."

"You know me?" asked Shining Armor, surprised.

"Ah... you want to know me," said Zecora.

"There will be no knowing here. We've come for help and we're not leaving without it. Besides, he’s engaged to another mare,” said Rainbow.

Zecora frowned. “Shame… I could’ve use some stallion companionship. Come,” said Zecora.

"Come," said Rainbow towards her crew.

Everyone sat down.

"So... what... service may I do you? You know I demand payment," said Zecora, switching from her mysterious persona to a harsher one.

"I happen to have brought payment! " said Rainbow. She whistled and a covered cage was brought forth.

Rainbow removed the covering to reveal Dash the monkey and pulled out her pistol. "Check it out," she said, shooting Dash the monkey, who had no apparent harm done to him. " An undead monkey! Beat that!"

Zecora took the cage and let the monkey out, who then made a bee-line directly into the back room.

“Freedom!” said Dash as he ran off.

Applejack winced. "Do you have any idea how long it took for us to catch him!?" she said.

"The payment is fair. So, what is it that you need?" said Zecora.

"We're looking for this," said Shining Armor, showing Zecora the cloth with the key on it. "And what it goes to."

Zecora looked at the cloth. "The compass you bartered from me. It cannot lead you to this?" she asked Rainbow.

Rainbow, who was examining a black feathered hat that she could’ve sworn she saw somewhere before. “Uh… no. Why do you ask?” said Rainbow.

Zecora smirked "Ahh... Rainbow Dash does not know what she wants! Or perhaps you do know, but are loath to claim it for your own? Your key go to a chest. And it's what lay inside the chest you seek... don't it?" said Zecora.

"What's in that chest?" asked Shining Armor, intrigued.

"You know of Spike Jones? A pony of the sea. A great sailor. Until, he ran afoul of that which vexes all stallions," said Zecora.

"What vexes all stallions?" asked Shining Armor.

Zecora gave him a coy smile. "What indeed?" she asked.

"The sea?" guessed Applejack.

"Sums?" guessed Silver.

"The dichotomy of Good and Evil," guessed Diamond.

Everyone looked at her.

"A mare," said Rainbow.

"A mare. He fell in love," said Zecora.

"No, the story I heard said it was the sea he fell in love with," said Applejack.

"Same story, different versions, and all are true. See, it was a mare. As harsh and untamable as the sea itself. Him never stopped loving her… and she never stopped loving him," said Zecora, a lonely look crossing her face for a moment.

"What... exactly did he put into the chest?" asked Shining Armor.

"Gold? Jewels? Unclaimed properties of valuable nature?" guessed Silver.

"Nothing... bad, I hope?" said Diamond.

"His heart," said Zecora.

"Literally, or figuratively?" asked Diamond.

"Don’t be stupid, DT, he couldn't literally put his heart in a chest... er… could he?” said Silver.

"It was not worth feeling what small, fleeting joy life brings. And so, he carved out his heart, locked it away in a chest, and hid the chest from the world. The key, he keep with him at all times," said Zecora.

Shining Armor stood up and glared at Rainbow Dash. "You knew this," he said.

"I did not. I didn't know where the key was. But, now we do. So, all that's left is to climb aboard The Flying Dutchman, grab the key, you return to Port Royal and save your bony lass, bada bing, bada boom," said Rainbow as she turned to leave.

Zecora stood up. "Let me see your hand," she said.

Very hesitantly, Rainbow Dash gave Zecora her hand. Zecora unwrapped the bandage on it to reveal a big, black spot.

Applejack gasped. "The Black Spot!" she said, before stamping her feet in a panic and spitting on the floor, before Silver and Diamond followed suit.

"Just for the record, my eyesight's just as good as ever," said Rainbow.

Zecora, meanwhile, was digging around in the back room.

"Keep it down, please," muttered a familiar female voice.

"Sorry," said Zecora.

Finally, Zecora came back out carrying a jar. "Spike Jones cannot make port, nor can he step on land but once every ten years. Land is where you are safe, Rainbow Dash. And so, you will carry land with you," she said, handing Rainbow the jar, which seemed to be full of dirt.

"Dirt. This is a jar of dirt," said Rainbow.

"Yes, and your point is?" said Zecora.

"Well, is the jar of dirt going to help?" asked Rainbow.

"If you don't want it, give it back," said Zecora.

"No," said Rainbow, holding the jar of dirt closer to her.

"Well, then it helps," said Zecora.

"It seems... we have a need to find The Flying Dutchman," said Shining Armor.

Zecora picked up bones of some kind. "A touch... of destiny," she said, spreading the bones.

Rainbow Dash pulled out her compass. It pointed in a direction and remained in that position, no matter which way she turn it. “Thank you. Come on, let’s go find The Flying Dutchman!” said Rainbow Dash.

As Rainbow Dash and her crew left, a loud yawn came from the back room. “What the-? Dash! You’re back!” said the female voice. Out of the back room came a female griffon. She wore black pants, black boots, a white shirt, a black overcoat with a buckled strap across it, and a belt that held a flintlock pistol and a sword. “So… who was just here?” asked Captain Gilda, putting her black feathered hat on.

“Rainbow Dash and some of her crew,” said Zecora.

“Why didn’t you wake me up? I would’ve loved to see her… and run her through with my sword,” said Gilda.

“Patience, Gilda… your time will come. After you fulfill your end of the bargain,” said Zecora.

“Right… the bargain…” said Gilda.

Spike Jones

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We now find The Black Pearl floating in a storm near some large rocks, where the wreckage of a ship could be seen, it's hull wrecked and rotted. Shining Armor looked out at the ship with curiosity.

“That’s The Flying Dutchman?” he asked skeptically.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack gave each other a look as they walked up beside Shining Armor.

“Well, she certainly doesn’t look like much,” said Shining Armor.

“Well, you don’t either. Don't underestimate her, or else you’ll be sorry,” said Rainbow, giving Applejack a nudge with her elbow.

“Must’ve had a bit of trouble with the reef,” she said, observing the massive hole in the ships hull.

“So, what’s your plan?” asked Rainbow.

“I row over there and search the ship until I find your stinking key,” said Shining Armor.

“And if there’s crewponies?” asked Rainbow.

Shining Armor thought about it for a moment. “Then I cut down anypony in my path,” he said, before walking off toward the longboat.

“I like that plan. It’s simple and easy to remember,” said Rainbow Dash as she followed behind Shining.

“Your chariot awaits you, sire!” said Diamond Tiara in a high class, dignified voice, before giving out into laughter.

As Shining Armor climbed into the longboat, Rainbow looked down at him. “Hey! If you do happen to get yourself caught, just say that Rainbow Dash sent you to settle her debt! It might just save your bacon,” she yelled over the storm ocean.

“Right… whatever,” said Shining Armor as Diamond gave the longboat a push.

“Douse the lamps,” Rainbow told Applejack.

As Shining Armor rowed towards the shipwreck, he noticed the lamps on The Black Pearl were going out. Why do I get the feeling Rainbow hasn’t told me the whole story… like always, he thought.

Shining Armor soon arrived at the shipwreck, where he found a panic-stricken Unicorn mare. “Sailor,” he said

“Hoist the jib, captain’s orders, hoisting the jib, bring up a round turn,” muttered the mare.
“It’s no good, you’ve run aground,” said Shining Armor.

The mare turned to face Shining Armor, her face pale as a ghost with fear “No… beneath us… terrible breath,” she whimpered.

“What…?” said Shining Armor.

Just then, another pony, an Earth Pony stallion, fell from what was left of the rigging. Drawing his sword, Shining Armor approached the pony, who wasn’t moving. He flipped the body over, and found that the pony’s face had apparently been sucked right off of his face.

At almost the same time, a huge ship rose from the depths, looking more like a huge sea monster than anything. This was the one true Flying Dutchman.

On the ruined ship, pony-lizard hybrids appeared, armed with things varying from chained cannonballs and swords.

“Down on your marrowbonessss and pray!” one of the lizard-ponies.

“Sorry, not familiar with that body part,” said Shining Armor, before striking at one of the creatures. Shining Armor held his own against the creatures for awhile, but they just kept coming in too large a number. Spotting a nearby lantern, Shining Armor struck it with his sword, setting the decking on fire. But it wasn’t enough, as one of the creatures hit him from behind, knocking him out cold…

On board the Dutchman…

Shining Armor, along with four other gravely injured ponies, stood in a line on board the deck of The Flying Dutchman. Coming up from the captain’s cabin was what seemed to be a purple and green dragon that was about a head taller than Shining Armor. He wore a faded light blue overcoat with thin golden brims on the cuffs and around the buttonholes, a light grey one-breasted waistcoat and dark grey breeches, leather boots, a dark red sash and a leather belt with a patinated buckle, and a large tricorn hat with a similar golden brim.

“Five sssstill alive, the rest have moved on,” a crewpony who heavily resembled a komodo dragon told his captain, Spike Jones.

Spike took out a pipe and knelt down in front of one of the surviving ponies, and lit it with a puff of flame before he spoke.

“Tell me something. Do you fear death? Do you fear that dark abyss? All of you deeds laid bare and all of your sins punished?” he asked the pony, who nodded vigorously. “What if I told you that I can offer you and escape?”

“Don’t listen to him!” said another survivor, an off white pegasus stallion.

Spike got up and walked over to to the pony who had spoken up and grabbed him by the throat. “Do you not fear death?” he asked the pony, before taking a puff on his pipe.

“I’ve led a good life, so I’ll take my chances, sir,” said the stallion.

“Very well then… to the depths,” said Spike.

One of the lizard-ponies quickly slit the stallion’s throat, before tossing his lifeless body overboard like a pile of garbage.

“Cruel blackguard!” said another one of the survivors, a cream earth pony mare.

Spike looked at the mare. “News flash: life is cruel,” he said, pointing at his face. “What makes you think the afterlife should be any different?” As he walked up the row, he continued, “I offer you a choice: join my crew. 100 years before the mast, and postpone the judgement… will ye serve?”

“I… will serve,” said the trembling pony from earlier.

“There you go,” said Spike as his crew laughed. He then saw Shining Armor. “You are neither dead nor are you dying. What is your purpose here?”

Seeing that he was between a rock and a hard place, there was only one thing Shining Armor could say, “Rainbow Dash sent me to settle her debt.”

Spike raised what would have been an eyebrow if he were a pony. “Excuse me, but what is your purpose here?” he asked.

“Rainbow Dash… sent me to settle her debt,” repeated Shining Armor cautiously.

Spike smirked. “Did she, now? I’m sorely tempted to accept that offer."

Back on the Pearl…

Rainbow Dash watched the whole ordeal through her spyglass. Spike turned and looked in her direction… right before he was right in front of her. His crew just as suddenly appearied and held their swords at the throats of Rainbow’s crew.

“Oh, boy,” said Rainbow.

“You have a debt to pay. You’ve been captain of The Black Pearl for 13 years, that was the deal!” snarled Spike.

“Well, technically, I was only captain for two years, then I was viciously mutinied upon,” said Rainbow.

“Then you were a lousy captain, but you were still a captain nonetheless! After all, haven’t you introduced yourself all these years as Captain Rainbow Dash,” said Spike as he strutted around Rainbow.

“Look, you have my payment, one soul to serve on your ship is already over there,” said Rainbow.

“One soul is not equal to another!” snarled Spike.

“Bingo! We’ve established my proposal is sound in principle, now we’re just haggling over the price,” said Rainbow.

Spike cocked his head. “What do you mean, ‘price?’” he said.

“Just how many souls do you think my soul is worth?” asked Rainbow.

Spike thought about it for a split-second. “100 souls. Three days,” he said.

“You’re a diamond, Jonesy. Just send me back the stallion and I’ll get started right away,” said Rainbow, walking away before two of Spike’s crewponies cut her off.

“I keep the stallion. A good-faith payment, which leaves you with only 99 more souls to go if my math is right,” said Spike.

Turning back towards Spike, Rainbow said, “Have you not met Shining Armor Sparkle? He’s noble, heroic, a terrific soprano. He’s gotta be worth at least four… maybe three-and-a-half. And did I happen to mention… he’s in love… with a mare.”

Rainbow began to circle around Spike, who started to develop the teary-eyed look of one who had their heart broken, as she continued. “He’s due to be married… betrothed… dividing him from her and her from him would only be half as cruel as actually allowing them to tie the knot, wouldn’t you say?”

Spike shook himself out of his heartache. “I keep the stallion, 99 souls,” he said, before turning to face Rainbow. “But, I have to wonder, Dash. Can you live with this? Can you condemn an innocent pony, a friend no less, to a lifetime of servitude in your name while you roam free?”

Rainbow thought about it for a fraction of a second. “Yep. That’s fine by me. So, shall we seal it in blood, then?” she said.

Spike grabbed Rainbow’s hand, the one with the Black Spot, and squeezed it very tightly. “Three days,” he said, before returning to The Flying Dutchman.

“Three daysssss,” echoed the crewponies, before following their captain back to The Dutchman.

Rainbow Dash looked at her hand just in time to see the Black Spot vanish. “Er, Miss Applejack,” she said.

“Captain,” said Applejack, trotting up beside Rainbow.

“I feel very weird and unusual,” said Rainbow.

“And just how exactly are you going to harvest these 99 souls in three days?” asked Applejack.

“Luckily for me, he didn’t say what condition these souls need to be in,” said Rainbow.

“Ahh… Tortuga,” said Applejack with a grin.

Rainbow returned the grin. “Tortuga,” she said.

Meanwhile, on The Edinburgh Trader…

“It’s an outrage! Port tariffs, berthing fees, wharf handling, and Elysium help us, pilotage! Are we all to work for the East Equestria Trading Company, then?” said the captain.

The two crewponies inside the captain’s cabin, a yellow earth pony mare and a light blue unicorn stallion, looked darkly at each other. “I’m afraid, sir, Tortuga is the only free port left in these waters,” the mare said.

“A pirate’s port is what it is. Well, sorry, but I’m an honest sailor. I make my living fair and I sleep well each night-” said the captain, before quickly being cut off by the unicorn stallion.

“Sir!” he shouted, pointing out the window.

All three ponies looked out the window, just as the supposedly haunted dress flew past again. The three ponies quickly ran out onto the deck, as the dress’s sleeve pointed to something far off of the ship's starboard bow.

“I think she wants us to do something,” whispered the captain.

The dress flew over their heads, knocking over a lantern as it flew by.

“Over there! Look for a sign of some sort!” Ordered the ship’s captain.

As the crew ran over to the side of the ship, Cadence slid down, having had used her magic to manipulate the dress like a marionette. 'Good grief, this crew certainly isn’t the brightest candle on the chandelier', she thought, before saying in a deep voice, “What’s that over there?”

The crew ran over to where Cadence was pointing. The lantern had ignited some oil, and the oil spelled out one word:

Tortuga.

Sparkle

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In a pub on the lawless island of Tortuga, Applejack sat recruiting new crew members to ultimately end up serving on Spike’s ship, while Rainbow Dash sat in the corner fiddling with her compass.

“So, what makes you think you’re worthy to crew The Black Pearl?” Applejack asked an elderly Earth Pony mare.

“Well, truth be told, I’ve never sailed a day in my life, so I figured I’d might as well get out and see the world while I’m still young,” said the mare.

“You’ll do. Next!” said Applejack.

“I know what I want, I know what I want, I know what I want,” muttered Rainbow as she opened her compass once again.

“My wife ran off with my dog and I’ve been drunk for a month, and I don’t give an ass rat’s if I live or die,” a filthy unicorn stallion told Applejack.

“Make your mark. Next!” said Applejack.

Another pony, this one a staggering Earth Pony stallion, approached Applejack. “Me have two bum legs,” he said.

“Well, then it’ll be the crow’s nest for you. Next!” said Applejack.

As the Earth Pony moved on, a pegasus stallion walked up. “Ever since I was a little colt, I’ve wanted to sail the seas… forever,” he told Applejack.

“Sooner than you think. Sign the roster,” said Applejack.

“So, how are we doing?” asked Rainbow, looking up briefly from her compass.

“Counting those four, that gives us exactly… four,” said Applejack, before she turned her attention to a pegasus mare with a light turquoise coat, a filthy amber mane and tail, both of which had yellow stripes in it, and was wearing a ragged dark blue overcoat, dark blue pants, black boots, a filthy white shirt, and a belt with a sword and pistol on it.

“So, what’s your story?” asked Applejack.

“My story…it's exactly the same as yours, just one chapter behind. I chased a pony across the Seven Seas. The pursuit cost me my crew, my commission, and my life," said the mare, before taking a swig from the bottle of cider that was on the table.

Uh-oh, thought Rainbow Dash as she grabbed a nearby palm tree leaf.

"Commodore?" said Applejack, recognizing the mare.

"No, not anymore, weren't you listening?!” snarled Lightning Dust. She then got into Applejack’s face. “ I nearly had you all of Tripony… and I would’ve, too… if not for the hurricane.”

“Holy Faust. You didn’t try to sail through it, did you?” said Applejack.

“So, do I make your crew, or not?” said Lightning.

Applejack moved the sign-up sheet in front of Lightning Dust.

“Hold on, you haven’t said anything about where you’re going. Somewhere nice?!” said Lightning, flipping the table over in a fit of rage.

“So, am I worthy to serve under Captain Rainbow Dash? Or should I just kill you now?” continued Lightning, drawing her pistol and aiming it Rainbow Dash, who had been sneaking away behind the palm tree leaf.

“You’re hired,” said Rainbow.

“Sorry. Old habits die hard and all of that,” said Lightning, cocking her pistol.

Two of Rainbow’s crewponies tackled Lightning Dust. Her pistol went off, the bullet bouncing off the chandelier and shattering the mug of a random pony, who then punched a nearby pony, thus prompting a full scale bar room brawl while the band played a merry jig.

“Time to go,” said Rainbow Dash.

“Aye,” said Applejack.

As Rainbow Dash and Applejack made their way out of the pub, Rainbow tried on the hats of several of the fighting patrons, while down below, Lightning Dust sword fought several angry patrons while drinking cider, and was soon joined by the disguised Cadence Mi Amore.

“Come on! Who wants some?! Form a nice and orderly line and I’ll have you all one by one!” said Lightning.

Cadence used her magic to take the bottle of cider from Lightning and hit her over the head with it, rendering the drunk mare unconscious. Everyone present looked at her. “I just wanted the pleasure of doing that myself,” she said.

The patrons cheered as they put their swords away. They then proceeded to toss Lightning Dust into a peg pen before departing. Save for Cadence, who woke Lightning up.

“Lightning Dust, my old friend… what has the world done to you?” asked Cadence.

“Nothing I didn’t deserve, my old friend… nothing I didn’t deserve,” said Lightning Dust.

Meanwhile, aboard The Flying Dutchman…

Spike Jones was in his cabin, playing his organ with vigorous fevor while outside a storm raged on as the crew, including Shining Armor, lifted what looked like a cannon.

“Sparkle! Secure the mast tackle!” yelled the bosun, a unicorn stallion named Jimmy Legs. “Get to it!”

Shining Armor and a unicorn mare, this one being a pony-lizard cross with a lavender coat, a dark blue mane and tail with a pink stripe in both, wearing dark blue pants, a black leather overcoat, and black boots, ran to secure the mast tackle and began struggling over it.

“Hey! Step aside!” said Shining Armor.

“Let go!” said the mare, before looking at Shining Armor. “No…” she whispered, before letting go of the rope, sending the cannon crashing through the deck.

Jimmy, whip held in his flickering magic, walked up to the two of them. “Haul that weevil to his hooves!” he said.

The two crewponies with Jimmy pulled Shining Armor, none too gently, to his feet and held him so that his back was unblocked.

“Five lashes oughta remind you to stay on ‘em!” said Jimmy, raising his whip.

The unicorn mare stopped him. “No,” she said.

“Impeding me in my duties, are we? You’ll share the punishment, then,” said Jimmy.

“I’ll take it all,” said the mare.

“Oh, will you, now?” said Spike, coming up onto the deck. “And what, may I ask, would prompt such an act of charity?”

“My big brother…” said Twilight Sparkle, turning to look at Shining Armor. “He’s my big brother.”

Shining Armor turned his head to look at Twilight. Twilight?! he thought.

Spike stood between Twilight and Shining Armor, looking back and forth between them until he saw the resemblence. “Ha ha! What fortuitous circumstance be this?! Five lashes are owed, correct?” he said, taking the whip from Jimmy and holding it out to Twilight.

“No… no, I won’t do it!” said Twilight.

“The cat’s out of the bag in more ways than one, Miss Sparkle! Your sibling will feel its sting be it by the bosun's hoof, or yours,” said Spike.

“No,” said Twilight.

“Bosun!” said Spike, holding the whip out to Jimmy.

“No!” said Twilight, taking the whip in her own flickering magic.

The two crewponies tore the back of Shining Armor’s shirt as Twilight, tears running down her face, whipped him five times while Spike watched, smiling his devilish smile.

Shining Armor was then tossed down to the lower deck, his back severely lashed from the whipping.

“You had it easy, boy!” said Jimmy Legs.

Twilight climbed down to the lower deck. “Shining Armor, are you okay?” she asked.

“I don’t need your help!” said Shining Armor, getting up and staggering away.

“Look, the bosun prides himself and cleaving flesh from bone with every swing,” said Twilight.

“So, I’m to understand what you did was an act of compassion?” said Shining Armor.

“Yes… come on, BBBFF, we’ve got some catching up to do,” said Twilight.

Shining Armor couldn’t help but smile at the old nickname his sister had given him over a decade ago…

Later…

“And that’s what I’ve been up to,” said Shining Armor. He and his sister walked beneath decks as Shining Armor told Twilight what had happen since their parting 11 years ago.

“So, you’re getting married, huh? Congratulations,” said Twilight.

“So, what’s the deal with this ship? Why is everypony all… lizardy?” asked Shining Armor.

“A hundred years before the mast is why. Over that century, you’ll start to lose who you were, bit by bit, until you end up like poor Wyvern here… or worse,” said Twilight, indicating a stallion who was now part of the wall. “Fact is, once you’ve sworn an oath to The Dutchman, there’s no leaving it. Not until your debt is paid, and most likely not even then.”

“Lucky for me that I haven’t sworn any oath, then,” said Shining Armor.

Twilight looked her brother in the eye with deadly seriousness. “Then, you must get away before it’s too late,” she said.

“Not until I find this,” said Shining Armor, pulling the drawing of the key out of his pocket. “The key.”

Wyvern gasped as he tried to pull himself away from the wall. “The Dead Stallion’s Chest,” he wheezed.

“What do you know of this?” demanded Shining Armor.

“Open the chest with the key… and stab the heart… no, don’t stab the heart… The Dutchman needs a living heart… or else there’ll be no captain… and if there’s no captain… there’s nopony to have the key…” wheezed Wyvern.

“So, the captain has the key. Where exactly is the key?” asked Shining Armor.

“Hidden,” said Wyvern, who was starting to rejoin the wall.

“Where is the chest?” asked Shining Armor.

“Hidden,” said Wyvern, who clamped his eyes shut as he finished rejoinning the wall.

Hide The Cider

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Back at Tortuga, Cadence and a hungover Lightning Dust followed Rainbow Dash and Applejack to The Black Pearl.

“Captain Dash,” said Cadence.

“Ah, come to join my crew, have you? Welcome aboard,” said Rainbow without turning around.

“I’m here to find the stallion I love,” said Cadence as Lightning threw up behind her.

“Well, then you probably came to the wrong ship,” said Rainbow.

“Meaning Shining Armor Sparkle, Captain Dash,” said Cadence.

Rainbow turned around and smiled at Cadence. “Ah, Cadence,” she said, before telling Applejack in an undertone, “Hide the cider.”

“Aye, Captain,” whispered Applejack before she left.

“Look, Rainbow, I know Shining Armor went to find you, where is he?” demanded Cadence.

Rainbow sighed as she walked up to Cadence. “Cadence, I’m truly unhappy to be the one to have to tell you this, but… through unfortunate and entirely unforeseeable circumstances that had absolutely nothing whatsoever to with me… poor Shining Armor has been pressed-ganged into Spike Jones’s crew,” she said.

“Spike Jones? Who’s that?” asked Cadence as Lightning threw up again.

“Oh, please… the captain of The Flying Dutchman?” said Lightning.

“You look terrible, what are you doing here?” said Rainbow.

“You hired me. It’s not my fault if your standards are lax,” said Lightning.

“Well, you smell funny,” said Rainbow.

“Rainbow. All I want is to find Shining Armor,” said Cadence.

Rainbow Dash scoffed before she had an idea. “Are you sure? Is that really what you want most?” she said.

“Of course,” said Cadence, puzzled.

“Because, I’d think you’d want to find a way to save Shining Armor most,” said Rainbow.
“And, you’d have a way of doing that?” asked Cadence.

“Well…” said Rainbow, putting her hoof on Cadence’s shoulder. “It just so happens that there’s a chest.”

“Oh, boy,” said Lightning Dust, before she puked again.

“A chest of unknown size and origin,” continued Rainbow.

“Which contains the still-beating heart of Spike Jones,” said Silver Spoon as she passed by with Diamond Tiara.

“Yeah,” said Diamond, making heartbeat sounds as she passed. Cadence gave the two mares a sour look.

“Anyways, whomsoever gets their hooves on that chest possesses the leverage to get Spike to do whatever he or she wants. Which, includes saving Shining Armor from his grim fate,” said Rainbow.

“You don’t actually believe her, do you?” asked Lightning Dust.

Cadence sighed. “How would we find it?” she asked.

Rainbow held the compass that was around her neck in her hoof. “With this. My compass…” said Rainbow, opening and closing the compass. “Is unique.”

“‘Unique’ in this case meaning ‘broken,’” said Lightning, before she walked away to throw up again.

“Well, I suppose that’s true enough. My compass doesn’t point north,” said Rainbow.

“Well, then where does it point?” asked Cadence.

“Nothing more or less than what you want the most in this world. Now, what you want the most is to find the lost chest of Spike Jones,” said Rainbow, placing the compass in Cadence’s hoof.

“To save Shining Armor?” said Cadence.

“Stay with my program, lady. You want to save Shining Armor by finding the lost chest of Spike Jones,” said Rainbow, slightly annoyed as she opened the compass and backed away.

The compass arrow spun in a few different directions, before finally settling in one direction.

Rainbow Dash looked at the compass and smiled. “Miss Applejack,” she said.

“Captain?” said Applejack, walking up to Rainbow.

“We have our heading,” said Rainbow.

“About time. Weigh anchor and crowd that canvas!” Applejack yelled at the crew.

“Miss Mi Amore,” said Rainbow, motioning for Cadence to board first.

As Lightning followed, Silver and Diamond came off the ship with a goat, which they set on Lightning Dust.

“Welcome to the crew, former Commodore,” said Silver.

Meanwhile, at Trixie’s Manor…

Trixie levitated a beautiful sword in her magic as Governor Mi Amore stood in her office, bound in shackles.

“It’s a curious thing, isn’t it, to know the shape of the world and one’s place in it,” said Trixie.

“I can assure you, these are not necessary,” said Mi Amore.

“I had you brought here because I thought you’d be interested in the whereabouts of your daughter,” said Trixie, aiming the point of the sword, now in her hand, at Mi Amore.

“Y-you have news of her?” said Mi Amore.

“She was recently seen on the island of Tortuga and left in the company of known pirate Rainbow Dash, and other fugitives from justice,” said Mercer, who was examining a chart.

“‘Justice’? Hardly,” said Mi Amore.

“Including the former owner of this sword, if what I’ve heard is correct,” said Trixie, placing the sword in its scabbard and putting the whole thing back in its case. “Our ships are in pursuit. Justice will be dispensed by cannonade and cutlass and all other remorseless pieces of metal. Personally, I find it highly distasteful to even picture the horror facing all those on board The Pearl.”

“What do you want from me?” asked Mi Amore.

“Oh, nothing much, just your influence in Canterlot, your authority as governor, and your loyalty to the East Equestria Trading Company,” said Trixie.

“To you, you mean,” said Mi Amore.

Trixie walked up to Mi Amore. “Shall I remove these shackles?” she asked.

Very, very, very recluctantly, Mi Amore sighed and said, “Just… do what you can for my daughter.”

Trixie nodded at Mercer, who walked up and unlocked Mi Amore’s shackles.

“And so, you see Mr. Mercer, everypony has a price they will willingly accept… even for what they hoped never to sell,” said Trixie.

A Game of Deception

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On board The Flying Dutchman, three lizard-ponies slammed barnacle-encrusted cups, each holding five dice, onto the deck of the ship as Shining Armor watched.

“I wager… ten yearssss,” said one of the lizard-ponies, who resembled a Komodo Dragon.

“I’ll match ten yearssss,” said Jimmy Legs.

“Agreed,” said the third.

“Wondering how it’s played?” asked Twilight, walking up beside Shining Armor.

“No, I get it,” said Shining Armor asthe lizard-ponies continued playing. “It’s a game of deception, but the bids include all the dice, not just yours. What are they wagering?”

“Pretty much the only thing we have: years of service,” said Twilight as the Komodo Dragon-like pony lost the game.

“So, any crew member can be challenged?” asked Shining Armor.

“Aye, anyone,” said Twilight.

“Well, then… I challenge Spike Jones,” said Shining Armor.

Everyone turned to look at him. As Twilight was about to say something, a loud thumping came from overhead as Spike came down the wooden steps to where they were at.

“I accept, mate,” said Spike.

Two crewponies brought a small table and two cups, complete with two sets of five dice, to the deck.

“The stakes?” asked Spike.

“My soul. An eternity of servitude,” said Shining Armor, causing the crew to snicker.

“No!” said Twilight, realizing there was only one thing she could do.

“Against?” asked Spike.

Shining Armor pulled the old cloth out of his pocket. “I want this,” he said, putting the cloth on the table.

Spike picked up the cloth and stared at the drawing of the key in horror, his purple scales turning slightly paler. “How do you know of the key?” asked Spike.

“That’s not part of the game, is it?” said Shining Armor as he sat down. “You can still walk away.”

“Never,” said Spike, who then pulled out an old key that was hidden behind his shirt and was hanging from a necklace, before putting it back and sitting down.

Both Spike and Shining Armor grabbed their cups and slammed them to the table, only to be join by a third player.

“What’s this?!” snarled Spike.

“I’m in, too, matching his wager,” said Twilight as she sat down.

“No! Don’t do this,” said Shining Armor.

“It’s too late, BBBFF. The die’s been cast. I bid three twos. It’s your bid, Captain,” said Twilight.

“Four fours,” said Spike, causing the crew to snicker again.

“Four fives,” said Shining Armor.

“Six threes,” said Twilight.

Spike looked under his cup to find that he had four fives. “Seven fives,” he said as the crew snickered once again.

Shining Armor looked under his cup and found that he had three fives as Twilight looked under her cup to find that she had no fives at all.

“Eight fives,” said Shining Armor.

Spike chuckled. “Welcome to the crew, buddy boy-” he said.

“Twelve fives,” said Twilight.

Spike and Shining Armor looked at Twilight in shock.

“You heard me. Twelve fives. Call me a liar, or up the bid,” said Twilight.

“And be called a liar myself for my trouble?!” said Spike, before he yanked the cup off of Twilight’s dice.

“Twilight Sparkle, you’re a liar, and you will spend an eternity on this ship!” Spike snarled before he turned to Shining Armor. “Young Master Sparkle, feel free to go ashore… the very next time we make port!” Spike said, before he walked off with the crew, leaving Twilight and Shining Armor behind.

“You fool! Why did you do that?” said Shining Armor.

“I couldn’t let you lose,” said Twilight.

“Twilie, it was never about winning or losing,” said Shining Armor.

A look of dawning realization crossed Twilight’s face. “The key… you only wanted to know where it was,” she said.

That night…
Twilight made her way to the helm and approached the lizard-pony steering the ship. “Captain says I’m to relieve you,” she said.

When the lizard-pony gave her a puzzled look, Twilight simply repeated, “Captain’s orders.”

In Spike’s Cabin…

Shining Armor silently opened the door and found Spike asleep. Very cautiously, Shining Armor crept over to Spike.

Now, how am I going to get the key? thought Shining Armor. He then saw a pair of quills in a ink jar on the organ. Using his magic, Shining Armor levitated the quills out of the jar, but knocked over the jar, which fell on an organ key.

“Huh? Whasat?” muttered Spike, before a music box locket made from a fire ruby started to play. “Oh… mmm… Calypso,” muttered Spike before falling back asleep.

After a few heart-pounding minutes, Shining Armor snagged the key by using the quills as chop-sticks. He then slipped the drawing of the key in its place.

On deck…

Twilight got a longboat ready as Shining Armor walked up to her, slinging the key’s necklace around his neck.

“Here, take this too,” said Twilight, giving Shining Armor a knife.

As Shining Armor looked at the knife, he saw that one side of the hilt was black, and the other was white.

“Now, get to land and stay there. To be honest, it was always in the blood of me and Mom to die at sea… but, neither of us wanted that fate for you or Dad,” said Twilight.

Shining Armor nodded. SilverSpoon had told him that he and Twilight’s mom had been killed in a skirmish with the Equestrian Navy about a month before Gilda’s mutiny. “You know, it wasn’t a fate you had to choose for yourself either,” he told Twilight.

“Aye, I could say that me and Mom did what we had to when we left to go pirating… but, it’d be a lie to say it was what I wanted,” said Twilight.

Shining Armor looked firmly into Twilight’s purple eyes. “I take this knife with a promise. I’ll find a way to break Spike’s hold on you and I will not rest until this blade pierces his heart. I will not abandon you. I promise,” he told Twilight before he got in the longboat, which Twilight lowered into the sea.

The Kraken

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On board The Black Pearl, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Cadence were each looking at the Letters of Marque Cadence had stolen from Trixie, whilst Lightning Dust busied herself with scrubbing the deck of the ship.

“Trixie?” asked Applejack.

“Yes, they’re signed by 'Lady' Trixie Lulamoon of the East Equestria Trading Company,” said Cadence, an ounce of discust in her tone as she mentioned Trixie's name.

“Blaugh,” said Rainbow, sticking her tongue out in disgust.

“Shining Armor was working for Trixie and never said a word about it… but, if Trixie wants the compass, that can only mean one thing,” said Applejack.

“Of course… she wants the chest,” said Rainbow, turning to face Applejack and Cadence.

“You know, now that you mention it, she did say something about a chest,” said Cadence.

“Cadence, do you realize that if the Company gets their hooves on that chest, they’ll control the entire sea?” asked Applejack.

“And that is a very worrying thing to think about, my dear,” said Rainbow.

“Not to mention bad. Bad for every mare’s foal who calls themselves a pirate. Way I see it, there’s a bit more speed to be coaxed from these sails. Brace the foreyard!” yelled Applejack as she walked off, leaving Rainbow Dash and Cadence alone.

“Now that we’re alone, care to tell me how you came by these?” said Rainbow, pointing her hoof towards the stack of letters.

“Persuasion,” said Cadence, a sly smirk making its way upon her Snout.

“Friendly, by any chance?” asked Rainbow, a grin also beginning to form on her face.

“Decidedly not,” replied Cadence with a small giggle.

Rainbow took the Letters from Cadence. “Shining Armor strikes a deal for these and upholds it with his usual honor, yet some how you’re the one holding the prize,” said Rainbow as she began to read the letters, unaware of catching Lightning Dust’s attention.

“‘Full pardon, commission as a privateer in the employ of Equestria, and the East Equestria Trading Company.’ Like I could be bought for such a low price,” said Rainbow as she put the Letters in a pocket of her overcoat.

“Rainbow, the Letters, give them back!” said Cadence.

“No… persuade me,” said Rainbow, turning and walking away from Cadence.

Cadence walked up behind Rainbow. “You do know that Shining Armor taught me how to handle a sword,” she said.

'Probably what they’ve been doing for the past year for three hours a day' thought Rainbow, before turning to face Cadence. “Like I said,” she said, hand wandering near her sword, “Persuade me.”

Cadence scowled at Rainbow before she walked off. Lightning Dust, having just finished with scrubbing the deck, approached her.

“I still can’t believe you actually believe her… I don’t trust her as far as I could throw her,” said Lightning.

“Oh, what’s it to you if I trust her?” asked Cadence.

Lightning smiled. “Did it ever occur to you exactly how your fiance ended up on The Flying Dutchman in the first place?” she asked before she walked away.

Cadence scowled at Lightning Dust. She then pulled out Rainbow’s compass and opened it. The needle turned and pointed in a new direction. Cadence looked and saw that it was pointing right at Rainbow Dash.

'What the-?' thought Cadence. She looked at the compass again and saw that it was pointing away from Rainbow. With another scowl, Cadence closed the compass.

Meanwhile, on The Edinburgh Trader…

“Such a strange thing to come across a longboat so far out in open water,” the captain told Shining Armor, who was wrapped in a blanket and drinking some hot tea.

“Just put as many leagues behind us as possible, as fast as you can,” said Shining Armor.

“And what exactly are we running from?” asked the captain.

Before Shining Armor could reply, something a caught his eye: a beautiful dress. He got up and walked over to it.

“This dress… where did you get it?” Shining Armor asked the captain.

“It was found aboard the ship,” said the captain, before chuckling. “The crew thought it was a spirit bringing some omen of ill fate.”

“That’s foolish,” said Shining Armor, examining the dress.

“Oh, yes, exceedingly foolish. It brought good fortune,” said a crewpony who was also in the room.

“The spirit said, ‘pull in at Tortuga,’ and we made a nice bit of profit there, off the books, of course,” said the captain.

Shining Armor looked thoughtful for a moment. “And… I’m guessing some of the crew jumped ship there, yes?” he said.

The Captain and the crewpony glanced at each other.

“Why do you ask?” asked the captain.

Before Shining Armor could reply a crewpony came down from abovedecks. “Captain, a ship’s been spotted!” he said.

“Colors?” The captain asked.

“She isn’t flying any!" said the crewpony.

“Pirates!” said the captain.

“Or worse,” muttered Shining Armor, before following the captain and the two crewponies onto the deck.

On board The Flying Dutchman…

Spike crushed the drawing of the key in his claws as he strode up to Twilight, who was held back by a sword at her throat, and grabbed her roughly, holding her still.

“You will watch this!” he snarled.

On the main deck, Jimmy Legs whipped several crewponies as they turned the wheel on a large centerpiece that had the carving of a large squid on the top. This part seemed to rise as the crewponies turned the wheel.

“Let no joyful voice be heard! Let no pony look up at the sky with hope! And let this day be cursed by we who ready to wake… THE KRAKEN!!!” yelled Spike.

“NO!” yelled Twilight as the centerpiece fell, creating a large shockwave from the hull of The Dutchman…

Back on The Trader…

The crewponies looked at The Dutchman through spyglasses and whatnot, unable to deduce wether it was a pirate ship or not. Shining Armor, however, recognized it right away from his perch on the sails.

“Oh, no… I’ve doomed us all. It’s The Flying Dutchman!” he called down towards the confused crew.

Suddenly, the ship jerked to a stop, as if someone had slammed hard on some kind of emergency break, nearly sending everyone sprawling to the deck.

“Oh, Celestia’s chickens, what just happened?” asked a crewpony.

The captain looked over the railing and saw that the ship had stopped. “We must’ve hit a reef! Free the rudder! Hard to port, then hard to starboard!” he yelled, before something yanked him off the ship.

“Free the rudder!” yelled a crewpony, unaware that the captain was gone.

“Hard to port!” yelled another crewpony.

A third crewpony, with a horrified look on her face, raised a hoof in terror off the ship. “L-look!” she said.

The other two ponies looked off the ship and saw the captain, held in the air by a giant tentacle, before he was pulled underwater.

“KRAKEN!!!” yelled the crew as they ran about ringing bells and grabbing spears to try to fend off the tentacles that were now smashing the ship. One crewpony, however, held the dress as a talisman.

“Here it is! Take it! Take it!” he yelled before a tentacle yanked him off the ship.

Shining Armor, meanwhile, was swinging his sword to try to fend of the tentacles, only to lose his sword and get knocked off the sails. Thinking fast, Shining Armor pulled out Twilight’s knife and stuck it in the sail to slow his fall.

The kraken, meanwhile, raised it’s largest tentacles, and brought them down with authority, breaking The Edinburgh Trader clean in half, forcing Shining Armor to jump off.

While underwater, Shining Armor saw the kraken, nothing more or less than a giant squid, as it brought the ship to the depths of the ocean. Shining Armor quickly grabbed onto a floating piece of wood as it drifted towards The Flying Dutchman.

Onboard The Dutchman…

Spike gazed at the dress, which had floated to the surface.

“The stallion’s not here. He must’ve been claimed by the sea,” said the Komodo Dragon-like pony.

“I am the sea,” said Spike. He then walked up to the horror-struck Twilight. “I think you need some alone time with your thoughts. Brig!”

“What of the survivors?” a crewpony asked Spike.

Spike looked once at the survivors and said, “Dead ponies tell no tales.”

Shining Armor hissed as the survivors were killed, which Spike heard.

Spike walked over to the side of the ship and looked over the edge, finding no one. “The chest is no longer safe. Chart a course to Isla Cruces, get me there first or there’ll be Hades to pay!” said Spike.

“Uh… first?” asked a crewpony.

“Who sent that thieving charlton onto my ship? Who told him of the key?” said Spike, turning away. “Rainbow Dash.” He growled.

Can't Let You Do That

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On The Black Pearl, Cadence was sitting on the steps to the helm, thinking about Shining Armor when Rainbow Dash came up to her with a bottle of cider.

“Something tells me that you are troubled,” said Rainbow.

“I just thought I’d be married by now… I’m so ready to be married,” said Cadence.

Rainbow gave Cadence her bottle of cider, from which she drank. “You know something Cadence? I love marriage. It’s like a bet to see who will fall out of love first. My money’s on you, personally. And if that should happen, well, there happens to be an available slot on my crew,” said Rainbow.

“No, thank you,” said Cadence, giving Rainbow the cider back as she got up.

“Oh, come on, we’re very much alike, you and I,” said Rainbow.

“Oh, yeah, sure, except for our sense of decency, honor, and… personal hygiene,” said Cadence.

Rainbow took a whiff of her underwing. “That aside, you’ll come over to my side, I know it,” she said as she walked up beside Cadence.

“And what makes you so certain?” asked Cadence.

“One word: curiosity,” said Rainbow. “You long to do what you want to do because you want to do it. One day, you won’t be able to resist. You’re going to want to know what it feels like,”

“Why doesn’t your compass work?” asked Cadence.

Rainbow was taken aback by this question. “My compass works fine,” she said.

“Because you and I are alike. And there will come a moment when you have a chance to show it,” said Cadence.

“I love those moments. I like to wave at them as they pass by,” said Rainbow as she walked away.

Cadence followed Rainbow Dash. “You’ll have the chance to do something courageous. And when you do, you’ll discover something: you’re a good pony,” said Cadence.

“All evidence to the contrary, my dear,” said Rainbow.

“You wanna know how I know?” asked Cadence.
“Do tell,” said Rainbow.

“Curiosity. You’ll want the chance to be admired. And gain the rewards that follow. One day, you won’t be able to resist. You’re going to want to know what it… tastes like,” said Cadence.

Rainbow thought about it for a moment. “You know,” she said, putting an arm over Cadence’s shoulder as she spoke. “I kinda do want to know what it tastes like… so how would I…” Rainbow stopped short as she saw a cery unwelcome sight on her hand: the Black Spot.

“Land, ho!” yelled Applejack.

As the crew and Cadence ran around getting ready to head to the island, Rainbow whimpered and said, “I want my jar of dirt!”

Later…

Rainbow Dash, who had her jar of dirt with her, Cadence, Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, and Lightning Dust were in a longboat headed for Isla Cruces.

“You’re pulling too hard!” said Silver.

“You’re not pulling hard enough. We don’t want the kraken to catch us,” said Diamond.

“I’m saving my strength for when it comes,” said Silver.

At Isla Cruces…

“Guard the boat, mind the tide, and do not touch my dirt,” Rainbow told Silver and Diamond as she, Cadence, and Lightning Dust made their way further into the island. Eventually, the compass started to indicate that the chest was very close by. As Cadence followed it in a circle, it eventually pointed to Rainbow.

“This doesn’t work. And it certainly doesn’t show what you want most,” said Cadence, sitting down.

Rainbow Dash walked up to the compass. “Yes, it does. You’re sitting on the thing,” she told Cadence.

“Excuse me?” said Cadence, confused.

“Move,” said Rainbow. Once Cadence had gotten up, Lightning started to dig.

Meanwhile, on The Flying Dutchman…
Spike watched Silver and Diamond on the beach through a spyglass. “They’re here. And I cannot set foot on land for almost a decade,” said Spike.

“You’ll trust us to act in your stead, then?” asked Komodo.

“I’ll trust you to know what awaits you should you fail! Down, then!” said Spike.

“Down! Down!” said the crew as The Flying Dutchman sank below the surface, which caught the attention of Silver and Diamond.

“Guys!” they cried, running towards Rainbow and her party.

Back with Rainbow Dash…

Rainbow and Cadence were sitting around while Lightning dug, until they heard a loud thunk.
The trio looked down the hole and brushed the sand off of a large metal crate. Cadence used her magic to lift the crate out of the hole and Lightning broke the lock with the shovel.

Inside the crate were lots of love letters from someone named “Calypso.” And a smaller, elegant-looking chest. The three ponies put their ears to the chest, where they heard the unmistakable thump-thump. Thump-thump of a still-beating heart.

“It’s real,” said Cadence.

“Well, I’ll be damned. You actually were telling the truth,” said Lightning.

“I actually do that a lot, yet some how ponies are always surprised,” said Rainbow.

“Gee, I wonder why that is,” said a voice from behind them.

The ponies turned around to find a soaking wet Shining Armor standing behind them.

“Shining Armor! Thank Faust!” said Cadence as she ran up to her fiance. “I came to find you!”

Shining Armor and Cadence kissed, which made Lightning Dust look down. She had always thought of Cadence as a sister, but now that she was engaged to Shining Armor, it felt as though she’d abandoned her.

“How did you get here?” asked Rainbow.

“Sea turtles. A pair of them, latched onto my feet,” said Shining Armor.

“Not as easy as it looks, is it?” said Rainbow with a smirk.

“But, I do owe you thanks, Rainbow,” said Shining Armor.

“You do?” asked Rainbow, confused.

“Well, after you tricked me onto that ship to square your debt with Spike-” said Shining Armor.

“What?!” said Cadence.

“What?!” said Rainbow, accidentally mimicking Cadence.

“I was reunited with my baby sister,” finished Shining Armor.

“Oh… well, then you’re welcome,” said Rainbow.

“Everything you said to me… every word was a lie!” said Cadence, storming up to Rainbow.

“Eh, pretty much. Time and tide, Cadence, first rule of the sea,” said Rainbow. She then saw Shining Armor kneeling before the chest, key and knife in hoof. “Hey! What are you doing?!”

“I’m gonna kill Spike,” said Shining Armor.

Rainbow Dash drew her sword. “I’m afraid I can’t let you do that, Shining Armor. Because, if Spike is dead, who’s to call his terrible bestie off the hunt?”

Shining Armor slowly stood up.

“Now, then, if you please… the key,” said Rainbow, holding out her hand.

Shining Armor then grabbed Cadence’s sword and aimed the point at Rainbow. “I keep the promises I make, Dash. I intend to free my sister, and I truly hope you’re here to see it,” said Shining Armor.

Lightning Dust then pulled out her sword and aimed it at Shining Armor. “Actually, I can’t let you do that either. So sorry,” said Lightning.

“I knew you’d warm up to me eventually,” said Rainbow, before Lightning pointed her sword at her.

“Lady Lulamoon desires the contents of that chest. I bring it to her, then I get my life back,” said Lightning.

“Ahh… the dark side of ambition,” said Rainbow.

“Actually, I prefer to see it as the promise of redemption,” said Lightning Dust, before she struck at Shining Armor, who deflected the attack. And with that, a three-way battle for the key and the chest was underway.

“This is barbaric!” yelled Cadence as the three swashbucklers did battle.

Lightning Dust kicked Shining Armor to the ground before going after Rainbow.

“Guard the chest,” Shining Armor told Cadence before he got back up and went after Lightning and Rainbow.

“No! This is no way for grown ponies to- oh, all right then, let’s just haul out our swords and start banging away at each other, that’ll fix everything! Well, I’ve had it! I’ve had it with wobbly-legged, cider-soaked pirates!!!” yelled Cadence at the top of her lungs as Rainbow Dash, Shining Armor, and Lightning Dust continued to do battle.

Meanwhile, as Cadence started throwing rocks at the three battling ponies to try to get their attention, Silver Spoon and Daimond Tiara watched.

“Now, how’d this go all wonky?” asked Silver.

“Well, each of them wants the chest for themselves, don’t they? Lightning Dust, I think she’s trying to regain a bit of honor, old Rainbow is looking to trade it and save her own neck, and Shining Armor over there, well I think he’s trying to settle some unresolved business between him and his twice-cursed pirate baby sister,” said Diamond.

“And… how do you know all of this?” asked Silver.

“Eh, just a hunch,” said Diamond.

“You know, that chest must be worth more than a shiny penny,” said Silver.

“Mmm-hmm, terrible temptation,” said Diamond.

“You know, if we were any kind of decent, we’d remove temptation from their path,” said Silver with a wicked grin.

Diamond returned the grin and the two pirates snuck off to nab the chest.

Cadence, meanwhile, had only one trick left up her sleeve. “Oh… oh… the heat!” she said, before pretending to faint. She opened one eye to find that Rainbow Dash, Lightning Dust, and even her dearly beloved Shining Armor were still fighting.

Cadence then sat up cross-legged… just in time to see Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara hauling tail into the jungle.

Now, where do they think they’re going? thought Cadence as she took off after them.

Not Enough Swords

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As Rainbow Dash, Lightning Dust, and Shining Armor kept fighting, Rainbow managed to get the key from Shining Armor before running off into the jungle, while Shining Armor and Lightning fought each other to go after her. Lightning knocked Shining Armor to the ground, before she kicked some sand into his face.

“By your leave, Mr. Sparkle,” said Lightning, before she ran off after Rainbow.

Meanwhile, at the shoreline…

Several lizard-ponies from Spike’s crew crawled up onto the shore and found the metal crate to be empty.

Back at the three-way sword fight…

Rainbow Dash had found her way to a crumbling church, with Lightning Dust right behind her. Rainbow and Lightning sword-fought their way to the top of the bell tower, where Lightning managed to snag the key. Rainbow grabbed onto the bell’s rope, but was unexpectedly pulled downwards as Shining Armor was hoisted up, snagging the key as he passed Lightning.

“By your leave, Miss Dust,” said Shining Armor.

Lightning took off after Shining Armor, and the two sword-fought on the crumbling walls. Rainbow, having made her way back to the top, looked off the balcony and saw them. As the two ponies continued fighting, Rainbow tried to pluck the key from Shining Armor. After a few tries, she succeeded, but not without catching Shining Armor and Lightning Dust’s attention. Briefly uniting, the two managed to disarm Rainbow.

“Please excuse me while I kill the pony who ruined my life,” said Lightning.

“Knock yourself out,” said Shining Armor.

“Hold up a minute, former commodore. I was nothing more than an...almost innocent bystander. Need I remind you who it was that when you had a notorious pirate safely behind bars, saw fit to free said pirate, and take your best friend all to himself. So, whose fault is it really that you’ve ended up a total wreck that takes orders from pirates?” said Rainbow.

“Enough!” said Lightning, striking at Rainbow, who managed to jump off the church and avoid getting impaled. She then turned to Shining Armor. “Unfortunately, Mr. Sparkle… she’s right!”

Shining Armor and Lightning Dust then began fighting again as Rainbow reclaimed her sword and put the key around her neck.

“Still rooting for you, mate!” Rainbow called out to Lightning before walking off… and falling into an open grave.

“Oh,” she said as she stood up. As she climbed out of the grave, Rainbow got stuck in a waterwheel that had come loose while Lightning and Shining Armor were fighting. When she got unstuck and landed inside the wheel, she ran inside of it, trying to get the key, which had gotten stuck on a nail, only to be hit in the face by a bar and knocked out for a moment.

Meanwhile, with Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara…

“We got it! We got it!” snickered Silver and Diamond as they ran through the jungle, before Cadence cut off their escape. As she reached for her sword, she remembered that Shining Armor was using it. She chuckled nervously as Silver and Diamond dropped the chest and drew their swords.

“Hello, poppet,” said Silver as she and Diamond advanced on Cadence. They only stopped as the waterwheel that Shining Armor and Lightning Dust were fighting rolled past, with Rainbow Dash flying right behind it. Silver and Diamond simply looked at each other and shrugged before continuing to advance on Cadence.

Just then, an ax flew by and stuck in a tree. From out of the jungle came Spike’s crew, weapons ready and looking for a fight. Silver and Diamond ran for it and handed their swords to Cadence as they grabbed the chest. Cadence was right behind them, screaming like a little girl. However, before they could get away, the chest smacked into a tree, sending Silver and Diamond to the ground.

“We’ll have to make a stand!” said Cadence as she blocked an attack from one of Spike’s crew members.

With everyone distracted, one of the lizard-ponies grabbed the chest and made a run for it

Meanwhile…
Rainbow managed to get back inside the waterwheel and was soon joined by Shining Armor, who snagged the key, and Lightning Dust. The three of them fought as the wheel rolled around and around. Until, finally, Rainbow snagged the key from Shining Armor, got out of the wheel, and snagged a coconut tree before the waterwheel rolled down a steep hill.

Coming down from the tree, Rainbow saw the crewpony who had the chest run past. Picking up a fallen coconut, Rainbow hurled said coconut at the lizard-pony and hit him in the head, causing him to drop the chest and wonder around in a dazed state.

“I used to have a little kitty once… his name was Sugar Foots, because his feet were as white as sugar,” slurred the lizard-pony.

“Oh, shut up,” said Rainbow. She stuck the key into the chest’s lock, which seemed to resemble a heart when shut, but a claw when it opened. As Rainbow opened the chest, she laid eyes on it: the still-beating heart of Spike Jones. Rainbow picked up the heart and slipped it into her vest pocket and closed the chest for she had heard the oncoming swarm of Spike’s crewmembers, and made a beeline for the shore.

Moments later…
Rainbow Dash ran over to the longboat. “Jar of dirt!” she said, grabbing the jar of dirt, opening it, emptying some of the dirt, and putting the heart inside. She was in the process of putting the dirt back when one of Spike’s crew members attacked her. Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara, who had the empty chest, along with Cadence who had their swords, soon appeared along with the rest of Spike’s crew.

Mere seconds later, the waterwheel rolled in, running over some of Spike crew in the process before falling over. A very, very dizzy Shining Armor and a very, very, dizzy Lightning Dust climbed out.

“Right…” slurred Shining Armor, flopping his way towards the fight.

Lightning Dust meanwhile, made her way towards the longboat. There, she dug around in Rainbow’s overcoat until she found the Letters of Marque. Then, noticing there was a bit of dirt in the boat, realized where the heart was…

Meanwhile, the others were doing their best to hold off Spike’s crew. Except for Silver and Diamond, who put the chest in the longboat and began to push it out to sea… only to be cut off by Shining Armor. When they reached for their swords and found them missing, Silver and Diamond grabbed a net and an ore.

“Bring it, Sparkle!” yelled Silver, before she and Diamond were attacked.

Shining Armor then examined the chest, before Rainbow, who had the other ore, hit him in the head, knocking him out.

As Cadence came to Shining Armor’s aid, Rainbow said, “Leave him be! Unless, of course, you plan on using him to hit something with.”

As Spike’s crew closed in on them, Cadence said, “There’s no way we’re getting out of this alive.”

“Not with the chest, we’re not,” said Lightning, grabbing the chest.

“You’re crazy!” said Cadence.

“Don’t wait for me!” yelled Lightning as she ran into the jungle, Spike’s crew hot on her tail.

“Uh, I say we respect her final wish,” said Rainbow.

“Aye!” said Silver.

Everyone got in the longboat, Cadence using her magic to get Shining Armor in, as Rarity pushed it out to sea.

Meanwhile…
Lightning ran as fast as she could from Spike’s crew. Unfortunately, she tripped and fell flat on her face… which soon had the sword of the crewpony that Rainbow had hit in the head in it.

“Your bravery is wasted,” said the crewpony as Lightning got up. “I shall pry the chest away from your cold… dead… hooves.”

“Here you go!” said Lightning, throwing the chest into the lizard-pony’s face before running off.

“Company Dismissed!” yelled the crewpony before passing out.

I Got A Jar Of Dirt

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Shining Armor groaned as he woke up on the deck of The Black Pearl. Cadence looked down at him and smiled. Shining Armor returned the smile.

“What happened to the chest?” he asked Cadence as he got up.

“Lightning Dust took it to draw them off,” said Cadence.

Elsewhere on the ship, Rainbow Dash, jar of dirt tucked under her wing, walked alongside Applejack.

“Where’s the commodore?” asked Applejack.

“Oh, she fell behind,” said Rainbow, walking to the helm.

“My prayers be with her… but, it’s best not to wallow in our grief. The good news is, you got off and made it back free and clear,” said Applejack, joining Rainbow at the helm.

As if on cue, The Flying Dutchman burst from the water, right beside The Black Pearl. On board, the crew of lizard-ponies growled and snarled at the crew of the neighboring ship.

“Faust on high, deliver us,” whimpered Applejack.

“Don’t worry yourself, AJ. I’ll handle this,” said Rainbow. She lifted the jar of dirt over her head. “Hey, lizard lips!” she yelled.

Spike Jones glared down out Rainbow. What the Tartarus is she doing? was the thought that came to his mind.

“We wouldn’t have lost something, now would we?” said Rainbow, before falling down the stairs of the ship, which made the whole crew groan. Rainbow lifted the intact jar of dirt. “It’s okay! I’ve got it!”

As she got up, she continued to mock Spike. “So, you’ve come to negotiate, have you, you scaley punk? Lookie what I’ve got. I’ve got a jar of dirt, I’ve got a jar of dirt, and guess what’s inside it?” sang Rainbow, much to Spike’s irritation and both crews’ confusion.

“Enough!” snarled Spike.

The Dutchman’s mouth-like portholes opened up and the cannons appeared, aimed right at The Pearl.

“Hard to starboard,” said Rainbow through a wide-eyed grimace.

“Hard to starboard!” yelled Cadence.

“Brace up the foreyard!” yelled Shining Armor.

As The Black Pearl turned sharply to starboard, Spike yelled, “Hard to starboard! Send that pathetic little pony’s beloved Pearl back to the depths!”

“Fire!” yelled Komodo.

Cannonballs tore through the back of The Pearl as Silver and Diamond saw that The Dutchman was right on their tail. “She’s on us! She’s on us!” yelled Silver.

“Let them taste the triple guns,” said Spike.

“Aye, Captain,” said a crewpony.

On The Dutchman’s bow, two triple-barreled cannons stuck their business ends through their port holes.

As Applejack tried desperately to get The Black Pearl out of range, Rainbow Dash took the helm.

“Come on, my darling! Show us what you’ve got! Come on!” said Silver as she patted The Pearl’s railing.

Within an hour, The Black Pearl was almost out of the range of the triple guns.

“She’s falling behind!” said Cadence, looking behind at The Dutchman.

“Aye, we’ve got her now!” said Applejack, joining Cadence and Shining Armor at the railing.

“Wait a minute, we’re the faster?” asked Shining Armor.

“Aye, if we were against the wind, The Dutchman would beat us, that’s how she takes her prey, but with the wind-” said Applejack.

“We rob her power advantage,” said Shining Armor.

“Aye!” said Applejack.

Shining Armor thought for a moment. If The Pearl can outrun The Dutchman, then maybe I can use it to rescue Twilight!

On board The Dutchman…
“They’re out of range!” said a crewpony.

“Break off pursuit, run her light and douse canvas!” ordered Spike.

Komodo approached his Captain. “We’re giving up, sir?” he asked.

Spike said nothing. He merely smiled...

Load The Cider

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“They’re giving up!” yelled Scootaloo. She and the rest of the crew cheered for their apparent victory as Shining Armor approached Rainbow Dash.

“My baby sister is on that ship! If we can outrun The Dutchman, then we can take her. We should turn and fight!” Shining Armor told Rainbow.

“Shining, why should one fight when one can negotiate?” said Rainbow with a smirk, tapping the lid of the jar of dirt, which was sitting on the helm’s railing in front of her. “All one really needs is the proper leverage.”

Suddenly, The Black Pearl came to a jolting stop, sending the jar of dirt sailing through the air and smash open on the deck, revealing it was full of nothing but dirt.

“Uh-oh!” said Rainbow as she ran down to the shattered jar and started digging through the dirt. “Where is it? Where’s the thump-thump?!” she muttered in a panic.

“We must have hit a reef!” said a crewpony.

Shining Armor’s face turned paler than usual. How could he have forgotten Spike’s secret weapon? “No… it’s not a reef!” he yelled, running over to Cadence, who was looking over the side of the ship and dragging her back. “Get away from the railing!”

“What is it?” asked Cadence.

“The Kraken,” muttered Shining Armor in a low voice.

Rainbow jerked up from her digging, terror clearly evident on her face.

“Defend the mast!” yelled Applejack.

“It’ll attack from the Starboard side, I’ve seen it before! Load the guns and hold for my signal!” yelled Shining Armor.

As everypony ran about getting the guns ready, Rainbow Dash snuck over to the longboats as the Kraken’s tentacles began creeping their way up the ships hull.

Shining Armor went belowdecks once everypony on the deck had their spears and whatnot at the ready. “Easy, everypony!” he said.

As the Kraken’s tentacles steadily rose up further, Cadence couldn’t help but start to get nervous. “Shining Armor?” she said, backing slowly away from the tentacles.

“Steady! Steady…” said Shining Armor.

“Shining Armor?” said Cadence, now visibly worried.

“Hold… hold…” muttered Shining Armor.

“I think we’ve held fire long enough!” yelled Silver from her cannon.

“Shining Armor!” squealed Cadence, now looking at him through the entrance to belowdecks.

“FIRE!!!” yelled Shining Armor.

The cannons blasted the Kraken’s tentacles, which did enough damage to send it into a hasty retreat, but not before it smashed the longboats.

As the crew cheered, Shining Armor returned to above decks. “It’ll be back. We need to get off the ship before it’s too late,” he told Cadence.

“Shining, there’s a problem with that: the Kraken destroyed the boats,” said Cadence, staring at the rubble that used to be their longboats.

Shining Armor turned and saw the wreckage of the boats… and a barrel of gunpowder rolling past. A plan beginning to formulate in his head.

“Open the grates! Get all the gunpowder onto the net in the cargo hold!” he said, before grabbing a nearby, loaded rifle and giving it to Cadence. “Whatever you do, do not miss.”

Cadence nodded. “The instant you’re clear."

As the crew set about doing as Shining Armor asked, a problem came up very quickly.

“We’re short stocked on gunpowder, there’s only six barrels left!” a crewpony told Applejack.

Applejack ran into Shining Armor on her way back abovedecks. “There’s only half a dozen kegs of powder left!” she urgently told him.

“Well then, load the cider,” said Shining Armor as he went about his way.

A horrified Applejack looked at Shining Armor as he left. Finally, with a groan, Applejack said, “Aye, load the cider too!”

The crew, of course, wasn’t happy.

“Is nothing sacred?!” yelled Diamond Tiara.

Meanwhile, out in open waters…

Rainbow Dash was hastilly rowing her longboat away from The Black Pearl.

'Just keep rowing, just keep rowing,' she thought to herself as she went.

Back on The Pearl…

“Step to,” said Cadence, before looking off the side of the ship to see Rainbow’s boat trying to make a break for it. “Oh, you miserable coward!”

No sooner had she said, the ship jolted to a stop again.

“Not good,” said Scootaloo.

The Kraken’s tentacles smashed through The Pearl’s portholes, ensuring the crew couldn’t use the cannon trick again.

“Haul away!” called Shining Armor, who was on the cargo net.

“Heave! Heave like you’re being paid for it!” yelled Applejack.

“Put your backs into it!” yelled Scootaloo as some of the crew turned the wheel, which lifted the net.

Belowdecks, everything was chaos as the Kraken grabbed ponies and pulled them out through the portholes.

Back with Rainbow…

Rainbow kept rowing her boat as fast as she could away from The Pearl. As she looked foward at her ship, and suddenly felt a longing for it. She then looked behind her at the wonderfully safe land. Torn apart by her internal conflict, she pulled out her compass.

It pointed directly toward The Black Pearl.

Abandon Ship

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Back on The Pearl, all was chaos as the Kraken tore apart the ship and grabbed crew members, all while Shining Armor and the net full of cider and gunpowder was lifted higher and higher.

“Clear?!” called Cadence.

“Higher!” yelled Shining Armor.

The Kraken seemed to have been listening, as it sent one of its larger tentacles down upon the pulling mechanism, which caused the net to drop a little bit and causing Shining Armor to get one his hoof stuck in the net.

Shining Armor grabbed Twilight’s knife and began to cut the ropes so he could get his hoof out.

There’s no time! thought Shining Armor. “Cadence! Shoot! Do it now!” he yelled.

As Cadence took aim at the net, a tentacle grabbed one of her hind legs and began to drag her.

Diamond, however, had an ax and managed to free Cadence.

As another crewpony took aim at the net, the Kraken grabbed him and hauled the poor pony off the ship, sending the rifle flying onto the helm. As Cadence went to grab it, someone put their hoof on it.

“Get off, you idiot!” growled Cadence.

“I think I’d better do it,” said a wonderfully familiar voice.

Cadence looked up to see Rainbow Dash, who grabbed the rifle and took aim at the net, just as the Kraken grabbed the net and Shining Armor fell out.

The resulting explosion made several hunks of the Kraken fly off, and damaged part of the ship.

Applejack, Scootaloo, Cotton Fluff, Silver, and Diamond poked their heads out of the rubble.

“Did we kill it?” asked Scootaloo as she looked over the side of the ship.

“No… we just made it really angry. We’re not out of this yet! Captain! Orders!” said Applejack.

Making her way down the the stairs, Rainbow said, “Abandon ship, into the the longboat.”

Applejack couldn’t help but express her shock. Rainbow loved The Black Pearl, almost as if it were her foal. “But, Rainbow… what about The Pearl?” said Applejack.

“It’s only a ship, mate… just a ship,” muttered Rainbow.

“Rainbow’s right, we have to head for land,” said Cadence.

“That’s a lot of open water,” said Silver.

“Yeah, it’s a lot of water,” said Diamond.

“What choice do we have? We can get away as it takes down The Pearl,” said Shining Armor.

Applejack nodded. “Abandon ship. Abandon ship, or abandon hope,” she said.

And with that, everyone went to the longboat… except Rainbow and Cadence.

“You came back,” said Cadence.

Rainbow, who had been running her hoof along the railing, turned to face Cadence. “We’re not free yet, Cadence,” she said.

“I always knew you were a good mare,” said Cadence, her horn glowing.

Rainbow saw Cadence’s horn glowing, but wasn’t sure why she was using her magic. Until, that is, she heard the clink of a cuff on her right arm.

“Rainbow, it’s after you not the ship. It’s not us… this is the only way any of us are going to make, you do see, don’t you? I’m not sorry, by the way,” said Cadence.

Rainbow smirked. “Pirate,” she said as Cadence went to the longboat.

As Cadence climbed into the longboat, Shining Armor looked Cadence in the eye. “Where’s Rainbow?” he asked.

“She… elected to stay behind and give us a chance,” said Cadence. With a meaningful look at Scootaloo, she added, “Go.”

Their hearts heavy, the survivors of The Black Pearl left the ship and their beloved captain…

Back with Rainbow…

“Bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger,” Rainbow growled, before she caught sight of a lantern. Drawing her sword, Rainbow grabbed the lantern and smashed it over her cuffed arm. With a little more effort, she managed to pull it free.

It was then she noticed a really bad smell.

Rainbow turned around and faced the Kraken, which let out an almighty roar, spitting out Rainbow’s hat and covering its owner in slime in the process.

Rainbow wiped the slime off of her. “Well, that wasn’t so bad,” she said, before noticing her hat, which she picked up, shook the slime off it, and put on her head. “Hello, beastie,” said Rainbow, drawing her sword.

The longboat a safe distance away, the surviving crew members watched as the Kraken pulled the ship beneath the surface.

Meanwhile, on The Flying Dutchman…

Spike Jones watched through a spyglass as the last sails of The Black Pearl sank beneath the waves.

“Rainbow Dash… our debt is settled,” said Spike.

“Captain goes down with the ship,” said a lizard-pony.

“What do you know? Not even Rainbow Dash can beat Hades,” said Komodo.

“Open the chest,” said Spike.

The crew looked at each other, confused.

“Open the chest, I need to see it!” yelled Spike.

As it turned out, although Rainbow didn’t beat Hades, Hades certainly didn’t make it look like Spike had won.

“Damn you, Rainbow Dash!!!!” yelled Spike, a jet of green flame issuing from his mouth as the crew backed away from him and the empty chest.

Epilogue: What's Become of My Ship?

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Lady Trixie Lulamoon sat in her office as Mercer came in.

“The last of our ships have returned,” said Mercer.

“Is there any news on the chest?” asked Trixie.

“No, ma’am. But, one of the ships picked up a pony adrift at sea,” said Mercer. “She had these.”

Mecer placed a leather-bound envelope on Trixie’s desk. It was the Letters of Marque Cadence had stolen from Trixie.

“I took the liberty of filling in my name,” said Lightning Dust from the doorway, where two soldiers held onto her.

Trixie motioned for Lightning to come forward. “If you plan on claiming these, then I assume you have something to trade. Do you have the compass?” asked Trixie.

“Oh, I’ve got something better than that broken old thing,” said Lightning Dust, placing her hat on the table.

Trixie’s jaw dropped when she heard the unmistakable sound of a heartbeat.

“Is that the-?” said Trixie.

“Yes… it is the heart of Spike Jones,” said Lightning.

“Well done… Admiral Lightning Dust,” said Trixie with a smirk.

Meanwhile, at Zecora’s Hut…

The Black Pearl’s crew sat in the hut as Zecora passed out drinks. Shining Armor kept sticking Twilight’s knife into the table.

Zecora approached Cadence and offered her a drink. “Against the cold… and the sorrow,” Zecora told Cadence as she took a drink.

Zecora made her way over to Shining Armor. “It’s a shame… I know you’re thinking that with The Pearl, you could’ve captured Spike and set free your little sister’s soul,” said Zecora.

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” said Shining Armor as he took a drink. “The Black Pearl’s gone… along with its captain.”

“Aye… and already the world seems a bit less bright,” said Applejack as she looked at the stars, before entering the shack. “She fooled us all right until the end… but, I guess that honest streak finally won out. To Rainbow Dash!” said Applejack, lifting her cup.

“Never another like Captain Dash,” said Diamond Tiara, raising her cup and taking a drink.

“A true filly of fortune, she was,” said Silver Spoon, raising her cup and drinking as well.

“She was a good mare,” said Cadence, raising her cup, but not drinking.

Shining Armor lifted his cup, but didn’t say anything. He looked at Cadence, who looked guilty somehow. “If only we could do something to bring her back… Cadence, what-” said Shining Armor.

“Would you do it?” asked Zecora walking in front of Shining Armor. “What would you do, hmm? What would any of you be willing to do? Hmm? Would you sail the ends of the Earth, and beyond, to fetch back witty Rainbow Dash and her precious Pearl?”

Applejack walked further into the shack. “Aye,” she said.

Silver stood up. “Aye,” she said.

Diamond also stood. “Aye,” she said.

“Brawk, aye,” said Cotton Fluff’s parrot as its owner.

“Yes,” said Cadence, who remained seated.

“Aye,” said Shining Armor.

“All right… but, if you go and brave the weird and haunted shores at World’s End… then you’ll need a captain who knows those waters,” said Zecora.

Down a staircase came a face no one in the room thought they’d see again. It was a female griffon wearing a black pair of pants, black boots, a white shirt, a black overcoat with a buckled strap across it, a belt that held a flintlock pistol and a sword, and a black feathered hat. On her shoulder was Dash the monkey.

“So, tell me… what’s become of my ship?” asked Captain Gilda, before taking a bite of a fresh green apple. She and Dash the monkey let out a laugh.

Pirates of Equestria: Dead Stallion's Chest

by The Phantom Joker

Severed Heart, United Hearts, and A Bottle of Cider

Time's Up

Search for Rainbow Dash

Currency of the Realm

Escape!

A Touch of Destiny

Spike Jones

Sparkle

Hide The Cider

A Game of Deception

The Kraken

Can't Let You Do That

Not Enough Swords

I Got A Jar Of Dirt

Load The Cider

Abandon Ship

Epilogue: What's Become of My Ship?