Twilight missed her old routine, back from when she was still in Canterlot. Wake up, eat breakfast, read some books, go to work, read some more books, eat lunch, read some more, lock up for the night, eat dinner, and then go back to sleep. All in all very simple, with enough free time allotted for something unexpected happening. Her friends would occasionally visit, as would her parents, and sometimes she would be invited to a small tea party with Celestia. All in all, nothing too drastic a change for one such as herself.

In the mayor’s mansion, though, there was very little of an enforced schedule. All three meals of the day were “around” this time or that time, she was informed, with each and every entire meal lasting well over an hour apiece. Books were available, as were several other forms of leisurely activity, but Twilight hated the smell of the library in which said books were kept. It was all... dusty, like nopony ever read or cleaned anything there, and it had an earthy undertone that she found out was caused by the cellar right beneath the library.

The servants were all right, though they seemed more keen on discussing gossip than on actually cleaning some parts of the mansion. Rarity had complained to her about a spider the size of Winona, Applejack’s dog, in her room, though when Twilight investigated, it was a mere one eighth of an inch in diameter: drama queen, indeed. The servants also had slightly damaged their luggage during the unloading phase, as in “everything had been thoroughly searched for possible contraband or weapons”, though Prince Blueblood had told them it was all standard procedure.

Still, there had been so much to listen about from the prince the night before about the situation, and though Twilight and her friends did not like him, they had to agree on one thing.

Prince Blueblood actually managed to make the situation even more perilous than they had thought. It was early that morning, during breakfast, when Blueblood brought up a startling revelation.

“-and the impressment into the navy has not been met with much enthusiasm in the outer towns and middle class citizens,” he said, slowly sipping his tea as they all sat at the large dining room table. “There have been petitions, boycotts, riots even, and-,”

“I’m sorry, but what is impressment?” Applejack asked, her confused look mirrored on the faces of all but one pony. They were not all majors in the language department, though the purple unicorn definitely was.

Blueblood bit back a retort, having almost called her out for so rudely interrupting him whilst he spoke. He turned to the lavender unicorn instead. “I believe Ms. Sparkle can more appropriately inform you of the term’s meaning,” he said. “It is a rather drastic one, to be sure, but it is necessary.”

“Well Twilight, what does this ‘impressment’ mean?” Rarity asked, her tone a bit frosty after seeing the prince so crudely delegate a simple duty onto a guest. Seriously, what a pompous ass: Celestia had said he had improved, but from the looks of things, his ass-ness had only become even more entrenched in his personality.

“It’s a naval term or at least, I think it originates as one,” the unicorn began. “It refers to the act of taking stallions into a navy by force and with or without notice. Navies since the beginning of time have been doing it, especially during times of war, but that was usually for the seizure of deserters. Rarely did it ever have anything to do with the populace of their own country.”

“Exactly,” Blueblood said. “It is a harsh term, certainly, but it is essential to our continued economic survival out here. Port Royal doesn’t have much more going for her besides her shipping industry, you see, and those fleets need sailors to keep them running smoothly. If we fall behind in anything, anything at all, we shall suffer as a whole.”

“But that is utterly horrid!” Rarity said, appalled that such a thing was happening in Equestria. “How in the world have things gotten to this point where this... practice is a logical measure for safety? I mean, can’t there be civil defense sign-up sheets, or perhaps a rally auctioning off jobs for the unemployed? Surely there are plenty of backwater or country ponies willing to sign up for such work. Does it not pay well?”

“We do pay very well, but that is besides the point. For starters, unlike our neighbors to the south, Equestria has a booming population and has virtually no unemployed in her major cities, save for a few stragglers,” the prince said, setting down his empty teacup. Geoffrey whisked it away, only to give it back again, filled with hot, fresh tea once more: the stallion was a master at his craft of butlery. “That, and unlike their services, we pay our impressed sailors in advance, with more on the way should they not desert their posts. Desertion is very high in those navies, and thus that is why their tactics of “recruitment” remain so comparatively barbaric.”

“But... forcibly taking them away, with or without notice? Tearing apart friends, family and loved ones, just to serve on a dirty ship in the middle of the ocean? That’s just... just... I don’t even know what to say, I am so appalled,” Rarity said, looking into her tea as though it might give her the answers she was looking for. It just stared back at her, the dark liquid like a pool of tranquility compared to her turbulent emotions.

“We have never had a problem such as this before, Ms. Rarity,” Blueblood said without looking in her direction. “Pirates have always existed in these waters, ever since the first ships sailed through them, but they never were this organized or deadly. Sure, every once in a while an upstart would become a legend, but he would either be caught or retire to a life of ill-gotten luxury. These... fiends, since that is what they truly are, cannot seem to be caught, hence the need for additional labor on ships. This impressment program has only recently started, and we always give the notice beforehand: we never spring it on some poor commoner while he’s going to the market or anything.”

“But why is impressment needed anyway?” Pinkie Pie asked. “I mean, there’s lots and lots and lots of sailors along the coastline anyway, right? Why not just have some go from one ship onto another, and leave that one ship in port until they get back?”

“Indeed, but they are needed for several important reasons, Ms. Pie,” Geoffrey said, the prince throwing him a small look of thanks. He shouldn’t have to explain everything to these mares, now should he?

“What are those?” the pink mare asked after she swallowed the last bits of a breakfast muffin. Off in the distance, a cross-eyed mare howled in delight at the consumption of the delicious baked goods.

“Our defensive ships are being readily destroyed or heavily damaged, thus the need for new ships and crews to run them,” the butler said as he re-poured everypony else’s tea. “The second reason is similar: the cargo and transport ships need ponies to run them, and with so many ships being captured or ransacked, then the reasoning is very much the same as the first. Besides, to leave a cargo ship in port, collecting dust and barnacles, is a surefire way to go bankrupt, from the fees and loss of business. Ships in port and not collecting and selling cargo are a liability, not an asset.”

“But does their training differ?” Rainbow Dash asked, lazily looking around the room, as the talks of building and recruitment bored her. “That between those on defensive ships and cargo ships, I mean?”

“Yes: those in the navy learn the skills of not only repelling boarders and operating cannons, but they also learn how to board an enemy ship,” Blueblood said, nodding another small thank-you as Geoffrey walked off to refill the tea pot. “Those on cargo ships merely learn how to repel boarders: otherwise, all they need to be able to do is take care of themselves and move goods around once in port. Not much training required for that last part, to be honest.”

“But, wouldn’t they be more effective if they too learned what those entering the defensive naval ships learned as well?” Twilight asked, seeing a problem in this solution. Why waste time training just those going into the defensive fleet to do everything pertinent to fending off pirates, and instead train everypony who works on a ship? Surely it would cost much more, and in the long run it would much more likely save the city money, right?

Prince Blueblood opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the sound of the door to the room swinging open suddenly. Turning to face it, all seven ponies found themselves face-to-face with a rather disheveled mayor. One could tell he was mayor by his rotund belly, shorter stature, and a suit on him that screamed “I AM THE MAYOR”.

“Your grace: and ladies,” he added, tipping his hat in the direction of the six mares. “Sir, we have a situation on our hands: a very, very problematic situation.”

“Yes?” the prince asked, rising to his hooves and setting his tea down in a rather panicked matter. The mayor never arrived unless it was urgent news, like when Blueblood’s ship carrying exotic throw pillows had arrived or when somepony in town claimed her colt or filly had inherited the prince’s eyes.

“He is here,” the mayor said, removing his hat and running a hand over his balding mane, as though to stop himself from shivering. He was also sweating: not perspiring, but sweating as if he had just ran clear across the water from Port Royale and had skipped the rest of the way up to the mansion he once called his own.

“He? Who is he?” Applejack asked, looking confused as she sat up a bit straighter. Funny, how much a conversation could throw off one’s train of thought, leaving one stupefied. She had been thinking about buying an apple orchard near the city when the bumbling mayor appeared!

“Is he here? In the city?” Blueblood asked, some of the color having drained from his face, whilst the remaining darkened in anger. Oh no, if he was in the city, then he was likely coming for him! He had to get out of there, he was so important! He-

“No, he is in the harbor,” the mayor said, the words “in” and “harbor” imploding the prince’s initial panic attack, only to replace it with a different, and yet relatively similar one.

“Well, the why hasn’t the fort opened fire on him like I instructed them to?” the prince asked, his voice almost rising to a shout. “Are they asleep out there? Is the captain of the guard off gallivanting with those two whores again? Because if he is, so help me, I will cut-,”

“He... he sent this, with a young pony named Jeremy Hoofer,” the mayor replied, handing Blueblood a letter with his trembling hand. "Young Mr. Hoofer was an Ensign aboard the TMS Sunstrider, sir."

The prince snatched it up, too panicked to be miffed by the mayor cutting him off mid-rant. Smotthing his mane back in an effort to look prim and proper once more, he quickly read through the letter: he then let loose a snarl and threw it on the table behind him, a few errant bits of his mane sticking out again from his movements. “Confound that stallion and his piratical, devilish ways! How does he always know to do things like this?”

“Do what?” Applejack asked, standing up in indignation at her being ignored by both the prince and the mayor. “Who is he?!” She, and indeed the others gathered, were growing rather impatient at the lack of explanation from the mayor and prince.

“Read the letter for yourself,” the prince spat, turning to Geoffrey, who had just arrived with more tea. “Fetch me my finest suit and my sword: we are meeting our pirate guest in a half hour, by the steps of the fort.” He turned to face the mares. “If you wish, you may come along as well: no doubt you will wish to see an example of the lunacy I have had to deal with for so long. Perhaps then you will finally begin to understand my plight, and why I have to do what I do.”

With that, the prince stalked out of the room, with the mayor and Geoffrey following close behind. The six mares looked at each other, some still struggling to grasp just what the hay had happened in so short a span of time. Sobering up quicker than the others, as was her natural talent after being confused, Twilight magically retrieved the letter and read it aloud.

“Dear Prince Blueblood, or Overseer Blueblood, or High Lord Blueblood, or whatever you might call yourself now. It is, the captain of the Sea Wraith, terror of the seas and plunderer of the properties of little rich colts such as yourself. The subject of countless wet dreams of young mares up and down the coast, and the shadow that strikes fear into the hearts of every sailor who passes through these waters! Have you been having trouble finding where I hide? Of course you have: nopony finds me unless I let them. Your ships may be expertly crewed, but I know them like the back of my hand: you hold no surprises for me, good sir.

Anyways, I write this to inform you I have a very special offer for you: limited time, no cash back, limited refinancing, see back for details, etc. A few weeks back, some of your local “peacekeeping” troops came across a few of my crew in a tavern, on shore-leave and telling wondrous tales of my deeds to the local whores. Naturally, they were arrested on charges of piracy and aiding and abetting a known pirate, charges that I do not wish them to hang for, as it is hard to find such a loyal bunch of scallywags along this stretch of the country. Instead, in exchange for their lives, I will personally hand over the crews of both the TMS Moonskimmer and TMS Sunstrider. They recently came into my possession, and I would hate to strand them on some island far removed from civilization. A fair bargain, I must say: twenty pirates for, what were they as of now, eighty members of Their Majesty’s Navy? I know how much the princesses value a good deal when they see one: perhaps Celestia herself could come visit me sometime, eh?

I will be waiting for your response for half an hour: raising a blue flag over the fort would be the best indicator you have “succumbed” to my demands. Worry not: if you decide to go through with this, you shall have both crews in your possession, safe and sound.

Yours in everlasting piracy, the captain of the Sea Wraith.

PS. I will send you a case of my finest rum should you prove to be civil.”

The six mares looked at one another, astounded at both the formality and sheer lack of tact on the part of the captain. Here he was, in the middle of a hostile harbor, knowing full well there was a bounty on his head, and yet... he played everypony into his hands like they were mere puppets. Afraid of the fort’s guns: hold prisoners for ransom within the very hull they could fire upon. Worry about possible capture after the deal is done: subtly express his doubts of their honor, making the mayor and the prince “enforce” their own appearance of honor by not doing so.

He was a genius: at least, in Twilight’s mind, he was. A foolish, arrogant, gaudy genius: what a bizarre combination for a pirate, never mind a pirate captain who was feared throughout the area.

“Do we have to go?” Fluttershy asked, speaking up for the first time. “I mean, he i-is a pirate, after all.”

“Yes, I think so,” Twilight replied, rising to her hooves. “We are going to be dealing with pirates, and the best way to learn is by example. Come now, it can’t be that bad, can it?”

Meanwhile...

“I still don’t like this idea, sir,” Grund said from aboard the Sea Wraith. “I mean, what about all of us? We aren’t exactly cut out to manage operations like yours on our own, after all.”

“You will be fine, as I have ways to still be in contact with you all should things go... awry,” the captain said. “Are the prisoners ready for their freedom? The deal is no doubt going through as we speak.”

“Yes, of course,” the first mate replied. “It’s starting to smell down there from their sweat and waste: we’ll have to get some crew to scrub it down again.” He didn’t envy the poor sea dogs who had to do that: drawing straws was the only fair way one would be assigned such a grueling and nasty task.

“And of the ‘special’ prisoner: how is he faring?” the captain asked, looking over at the one standing next to the first mate.

“He is ready as well, sir,” Grund said. “We will not fail you, sir. We will follow your orders until our passing from these waters.” Ah, even for a pirate, Grund had a special knack for flair and extravagance in speech: maybe, in another life, he had gone on to be in theater, instead of a pirate.

“Thank you, Grund, but I do not think you will die anytime soon,” the captain said with a slight chuckle. “If anything, we will all eventually retire and live long, happy lives: at least, that is my sincerest hope. Ah yes, there it is.”

He was looking out at the fort, and true to his letter, the mayor, or Prince Blueblood, he didn’t care which, had raised a blue flag high over the ramparts. Through a quick peek of his spyglass, he saw nopony standing near the guns of the fort, a sign they had all been ordered to stay away from their posts. He turned to the special prisoner, and then to Grund.

“Well now, time to get started,” the captain said, clapping his hands together in mock glee. “Bring up the prisoners and start loading them into the rowboats. My prisoner and I will be in the lead one: for the time being, the ship is in your hands, Grund.”

“Thank you sir, but you will be back with us soon enough,” the first mate replied, saluting his captain before walking off to get the prisoners.

The captain looked out over the clear waters of the inlet, knowing full well what lay before him. In fact, he’d better get ready himself: he did want to look his best, after all. He walked into his cabin and shut the door behind him, changing quickly into something a bit more “formal”.

Later...

Prince Blueblood stood in his formal best, sewn together by the finest seamstresses in the entire city. His coat, his boots, his hat: all adorned with the various medals and symbols of his authority. Every buckle and button polished, every hair in his mane in perfect order: he was the epitome of both authority and fashion.

Behind him stood the Elements of Harmony, all dressed in the best dresses they had managed to bring with them. They all carried with them personal umbrellas: for shade, of course. Far off in the distance, the flag of the Sea Wraith was clearly visible as it flapped gently in the breeze. From the side of the ship, and to the small dock by the fort, came several sets of rowboats, with the one in front containing only two passengers.

“I wonder what he will be like, this pirate captain,” Rarity said, trying to stimulate a conversation between her friends. “I mean, he has impeccable penmanship, and seems rather reasonable, but... are those his only redeeming qualities?”

“Whoever he is, that sure is a fine lookin’ ship,” Applejack said, nodding in its direction. “Ah mean, look at the polish on that there wooden hull: that has to be some high quality oaken planks right there.”

“And that mainmast: it seems... it seems to just go on forever,” Fluttershy whispered in awe, looking up and down the massive piece of timber as though it were the world’s largest tree.

“I bet he’ll be a scoundrel,” Rainbow Dash said, not liking the fact that she had to dress up in so fine a dress.
“I bet he likes parties!” Pinkie Pie said in a near-shout. “Everypony likes parties! I mean, even pirates have to have parties at some time, and then it has to be fun, since parties are fun, and-,”

Applejack shoved an apple she pulled out of her small lunch basket right into Pinkie’s mouth, thankfully silencing her rambling about fun and parties.

“Whatever he is like or where he is from, I don’t think it matters,” Twilight said. “In fact, I think it’d be best if we were silent, to be honest. We need to learn from Blueblood, however painful that might be, about how to negotiate with pirates. They are nick-named cutthroats, after all, so they must have plans that go beyond the here and now.”

So the rest of them fell back into silence, off in their own little worlds as a veritable train of ponies made their way up from the docked rowboats. In front, leading one particular prisoner by a length of chain, was the pirate captain. As soon as he was within several feet of Blueblood and the others, he stopped, his prisoner stopping beside him. The prisoner himself was completely hidden under a bunch of clothes, though they were by no means ratty or ill-kept. Curiously, he too wore a mask, just like the pirate captain.

“Greetings, your highness,” the captain said, giving a bow and a flourish of his hat, which he then settled back on his head. “I have come to honor the agreement we both know of. Where are my crewmates?”

“Over there, safe, healthy and unharmed,” the prince said, his eyes flickering over to a small group of bedraggled-looking prisoners, some of whom waved when they saw the captain.

“From the looks of things, two of those statements would be correct,” the captain said, noticing their rather unkempt appearances. “Shall we begin the formal negotiations?”

“Indeed,” the prince replied, his scribe at his side and ready to write. So they began, each peppering their sentences with large, meaningless words that served no purpose other than to try and confuse the other.

Meanwhile, the Mane Six looked on with the proceedings, with Twilight making her own notes on a small pad of paper. “Well, he is at least polite,” she muttered, noticing how the captain never interrupted the prince, who often cut off the pirate at several junctures in the conversation. The pirate was a tall stallion, taller than all of them by only a few inches, with the prisoner being of the same height.

Fluttershy turned and whispered to Applejack. “Why is he wearing a mask?”

“Ah don’t know, but somethin’ tells me he’s hidin’ something he don’t want nopony else to see,” the mare replied. “Besides, have you been lookin’ at that prisoner feller? Why does that one seem... ah don’t know, unusual?”

“Maybe it’s because all we can see of him is his clothes and mask, Applejack,” Rarity said, her eyes roaming over both the pirate and the prisoner. “Honestly, one would think these pirates had a better sense of fashion for their prisoners. I mean, the captain is just dressed gorgeously, but the prisoner looks like his clothes were hand-me-downs from his grandfather.”

“Rarity, I doubt pirates care much about the fashion senses of others when it comes to dressing their prisoners,” Rainbow Dash whispered with a smirk. “Besides, have you noticed how similar in build they are?”

“Yes, I did, Dash my dear: I thought pirates were supposed to be either very short and robust or tall and lanky, myself,” Rarity replied. “He almost seems to be somewhere in the middle: tall, but not rail-thin. He obviously eats well, and has had a higher education than I think every other pony in his profession.”

“Those are excellent observational and deductive skills, you all, but I am trying to take notes,” Twilight whispered back, her magic-laced quill furiously re-dipping itself so she could continue to take notes. Her hand had started to cramp, so magic had been needed instead.

Then, without warning, the ponies who were crew to the pirate lurched forward, behind jostled along by several of the city’s police officers. The pirate captain raised his arm, and far behind him, the prisoners from the sister ships Moonskimmer and Sunstrider were lead along towards the fort.

“You’ll find that these keys,” the captain said, holding up a pair on a string, “will be useful in freeing them from their chains. If there is nothing else, I will leave you now.”

“Before you go, I do have two things to ask of you,” Prince Blueblood said, his air of formality gone as he stared down the stallion who had been causing him so much grief. He was tempted to signal to the fort to open fire on the ship, but that would be a hollow victory. What kind of a pony fires on a target when there are peaceful procedures, not to mention ceasefire agreements, in progress? No, any other time he would signal for a bombardment, but today, his duty to honor and standing amongst other nobles held his temper in check.

“Yes?” the captain asked, his prisoner shuffling his hidden feet slightly: likely fatigue from standing in one place for so long.

“Why do you do this? Plunder our ships, attack convoys, steal that which does not belong to you?”

The captain was silent for a few moments, the wheels in his head turning at a rapid pace: only a good answer would do. “I... have my own reasons, ones you would not understand,” he said finally.

“Granted, but here is my second question,” the prince continued. “Why did you bring this prisoner with you, by yourself? He is certainly not among the crew, as I can plainly count how many others you have heading this way, bound in chains. He is not from any other crew, as you always return crews alive and whole. He is not a slave of the far south lands, and he is not listed under any missing ponies associated with your ship. So, I ask you this: who is he?”

The captain turned to the prisoner and shrugged his shoulders. “I only know his name, and where he is from: the rest, I can assure you, is locked somewhere in his brain. I don't want to tell you: I am sure you can figure it out for yourself.” He stepped up to the prisoner, so that what he said would be heard by him as well. “He is in your hands now: do with him what you see fit. Other than that, I ask a small favor.”

“Which would be?” the prince asked.

“Do not remove the mask from his face until my ship has left the harbor,” the captain said, taking a step back. “I will know if you honor this agreement: I have my first mate looking at us right now through his spyglass.”

The captain waved towards the ship, and in response, a small gold light flashed from across the water.

“See?” he said, walking away while still facing the group. “Now, sir, and ladies,” he added, tipping his hat towards the Mane Six. “I bid thee farewell.”

With that the pirate walked off, passing by the prisoners he had held in his ship for a few uneventful days. A messenger rushed past him, stopping and bowing before the prince.

“Sir, I bring you good news,” he said, pausing after that little speech to catch his breath.

“Yes?” the prince asked.

“The TMS Moonskimmer and Sunstrider: they have been found, sir.”

“Where?” That was indeed an odd, if not good, bit of news.

“A small cove, not far from here: they are damaged, but some locals say they are still seaworthy,” the messenger said, standing up straight.

“Excellent: send word to the TMS Skua and Lancer to tow the ships back to the drydock here in Port Royal,” Prince Blueblood said, turning to face the Elements of Harmony. “I trust this... meeting, was informative as to what you’ll likely be dealing with?”

Twilight put away her little notebook, the pages containing all she needed to know. “Indeed, Prince Blueblood.”

Far off in the distance, the Sea Wraith hoisted its anchor just as the captain, his rescued crew and the little rowboat they had all piled in were hoisted up. Unfurling their sails, the pirates blew a loud whistle as they departed the harbor, disappearing behind the cliffs soon enough.

“Strange, that they should not think I would not send a ship after them immediately,” Blueblood said.

“That would not be wise, sir,” a voice said. Looking around, Blueblood saw it came from the still-masked prisoner, who was technically no longer a prisoner, but free.

“Remove that mask,” the prince said, not wanting to touch it himself.

In response to that, the prisoner stood up straight and looked at everypony assembled. With still-chained wrists, he raised his gloved hands to his face, gripped the sides of the mask, and pulled it off.

Everypony there gasped in astonishment: Twilight, perhaps, most of all.

“Spike?!”

Meanwhile...

The seas were indeed a treacherous place, especially for those ships that did not heed the warnings of locals. The Sea Wraith knew that no ships of the Royal Navy would be sent her way for some time, but far off in the distance, another kind of ship spied on her every move. It was rival, and her friend: her enemy and lover all rolled into one, a ship from which the captain had gone to and returned many, many times. A ship that patrolled the seas with a fury like no other, sending countless ships and crews to the murky depths like a sea monster spawned from Tartarus.

The Phantom was her name, and piracy was her game.

Author's Note

Good God, I cannot ever set a limit for myself when it comes to writing. As of now, and unless I add more chapters (which seems highly likely), this story could run 25 chapters. 25! Just from an idea springing forth as I listened to a song by Alestrom.

It was "Wolves of the Sea", by the way. (insert shameless plug)

Also, A Dragon's Journey is not going on hiatus: I just had a burst of inspiration and decided to write this at the time instead of the next chapter. It will be up soon: I promise!