Chapter 1: The Beginning of the Adventure Part 1
“Captain Dusk Fang, sir!” – Said a Pegasus pony of a grayish coat and a red hair being covered by a black bandanna, as he approached to his captain in a dash coming from town to the ports. – “All preparations are ready, as we are ready to sail to the open sea.”
A unicorn stallion took his saddlebag as he turned back to his sailor, wearing a leather outfit with a sturdy hat, by the looks you could tell that he was a true gentlecolt and not a pirate. His coat was a light brown, with a darker brown for hair. He smiled kindly to his new companion as he spoke in a soft manner. – “Thank you partner. So, are you excited of your first day as a pirate… forgive me, what was your name again?”
“The name’s Free Wind my Captain, sir!” – Answered the young colt, rather happily. – “And yes, of course I’m excited for this great adventure!”
Dusk Fang lifted his hoof to the colt’s head as he began to mess with his hair while he was laughing. – “Now, that’s good to hear Wind, now do me a favor and gather everyone from the pub to the ship please.”
“You got it Captain!”
At the end of his sentence, Free Wind turned as he set off to the town’s pub, while at that time Dusk Fang went immediately to his ship, checking every single corner. He gave a content sigh as he approaches the prow of the ship, leaving his saddlebag by his side; the gentle breeze that was running around was making waves on his hair as he looked over the scenery with great content. – “It’s been a while since the last time I smelled the scent of the sea…” – He said in a low tone, talking to himself. Indeed, the scent of the sea could be felt all around the small town. Dusk Fang closed his eyes only to hear the swift movements of the small waves around the ship as he, once again, allowed another sigh to escape his lips. Soon he gets lost in his thoughts and the memories from his past flashed to him in what seemed like seconds, very nice memories that he holds dear to himself.
His life did not started as the son of a recognized stallion, nor in a big city full of luxury, instead, he was living in a humble village where he was working along with his parents on a small farm. He was happy, yes, but he never felt that kind of life as his kind of style, he just wanted to travel far and wide, he even had dreams of greatness, at times, he imagined himself as a powerful wizard. In other times, he dreamed being a famous archeologist. But it was not until one day when he went to the village’s market from orders from his father to get some carrot seeds.
Obediently, he went to the market searching around the place for such seeds, but as soon as he got to the stand, his ears perked up by a certain sound, quickly turning his head to face the source of said sound. – “Hey, watch it!” – Said an old mare of a greenish coat while adjusting her headband upon her now silver-gray hair, while picking up a few apples that seemed to have fallen down, as others didn’t have the same luck, to a stallion that was wearing a cloth hood, hiding his face from the entire world.
“You just can’t come around and do damages just like that young rascal!” – Continued the mare. But in surprise, she got no answer more than the silence of this stallion; he only bowed down to her, and proceeded to collaborate and help her to pick up the good apples that were on the ground.
The young colt went to the situation, lending a helping hoof to the hooded stallion. – “Don’t worry Miss Greenleaf,” – Said the young colt – “no harm was done after all.”
The mare almost raised a hoof in protest, but desisted as she sighed looking at him. – “Oh well, you’re right Swift Trick, my apologies young sir.”
The stallion, on the other hoof, shaked his head in answer until he finally spoke. – “Don’t worry about it; I’m the one at fault for not seeing were I was running.”
During that moment, two town guards approached to the scene to check what was going on. The hooded stallion barely managed to spot the guards and, in a hurry, he adjusted his hood, hiding his face deeper inside of it. – “Excuse us but, what’s the matter here?” – Asked one of the guards.
Swift Trick turned to face the guards as he spoke. – “It was a small accident sir, not a big deal.”
It seemed like it, and everypony that was around looking at the scenario quickly went back to mind their own businesses. By the looks of it, everything looked normal, and the first guard was ready to retreat but, he was suddenly stopped by his companion which had a doubtful stare upon the stallion that seemed to be avoiding to face them.
The guard approached him, his stare turning quickly from doubt to a serious expression. – “Pardon me sir, could you please take off your hood?”
By this time, the stallion exhaled sharply, thinking in an excuse to avoid the situation, a gulping sound could be heard from his throat giving a few steps back as the guard approached. When everything seemed lost to him, he finally muttered some words. – “I-I… I cannot sir, you see, I’m kind of… allergic to… to the sun.”
“Is that so? Then, shall we go to somewhere else, where the sun doesn’t hit us?”
Silence. That’s what the guard got as an answer from the stallion, it was clearly obvious that something was going on indeed; the tension could be felt that the mare quickly retreated from there going to no direction at all. Only four remained: the two guards, the hooded stallion and Swift Trick.
“Shall we do this the easy way,” – Said one of the guards, slowly approaching him, ready to defend himself as he stepped forward. – “or the hard way?”
The stallion raised his hoof as a sign for them to wait. He proceeded to take off his hood now, slowly lifting it, but stopped for a moment. – “Let’s do this…” – He made a short pause before throwing his hood at both guards, dashing away as fast as he could. – “My own way!”
The guards were so surprised that when they tried to take a quick note on what happened, they realized that they were trapped. Only Swift Trick was remaining now. He doubted for a second, thinking if he should free the guards first of chase down the stallion. There was no time to lose now, that was certain. The young colt turned away from the guards as he gave chase to the fleeing stallion. While running, Swift’s thoughts came to questions that almost costed his will to continue. Will I be able to track him down? What if I fail? Or, what if he harms me?
He slowed down as those thoughts echoed his mind, he faced forward seeing that the stallion was in a far distance now, but he was still visible. In middle of his doubt he tried to find calm. After a while thinking, moving aside his negative thoughts, he finally found the thought that he needed. No, I’ll achieve it!
Once again, he gave chase forward, faster than before as he was by time, approaching the stallion, being just a few meters away from him.
“Stop at this very moment!” – Shouted Swift Trick, galloping faster to reach the stallion, which didn’t care for stopping, but hurry away from him.
They were soon out of town, running on an open field that remained untouched by working hooves. Frustrated, Swift Trick soon gave longer steps, now a few inches away from the stallion and took the chance to tackle him down. After such hit, the two ponies began to roll downhill, both receiving several hits while going down. A loud thud could be heard, telling them both that they hit the very end of the hill. The first one to stand was the stallion, rubbing his head from the pain as he groaned while standing up. He began to scan the zone and doing so, he found the youngster, just lying there, unconscious. For a moment, he thought that this was his best chance to escape and as soon as he was ready to take off, he glanced to the colt, feeling unsure to leave him behind. He shaked his head rapidly, looking forward, he was ready to take off anytime but, when he wanted to give the step, he hesitated constantly.
The stallion sighed deeply, turning back to the young one. – “I’ll end up regretting this…” – After finishing his sentence, he picked up Swift Trick, carefully placing him upon his back as he began to walk slowly, walking far away from the town he was now escaping from at all costs.
Chapter 2: The Beginning of the Adventure Part 2
Night has fallen upon the fields and towns, the darkness that the night brought was subdued by the faint light of the moon and the stars present on the sky that weren’t blocked by the passing clouds. Few torches on the towns were shining lightly for the town guards, the word of an outlaw spreaded quickly to all towns in the surroundings. The night was silent for far too long and only a few hours were left until the sunrise.
By that time, the silence was broken, as a low groan could be heard and the figure of a colt emerged.
“Uh… What happened…?” – He rubbed his head and he noticed that there was something wrapped on his head. – “What’s this? A… bandage?”
As soon as he made acknowledgement of said bandage, a voice came out of nowhere. – “About time you woke up kid. I was getting worried.”
“Wha-?” – He made a sudden turn to see the source of that voice. To his surprise, there was a white coated earth pony stallion with a grayish mane and tail, who was sitting by a campfire. It took him a while to recognize the stallion’s face, and when he remembered, he shouted at him. – “You! You are the one who was fleeing from the guards back in the town, weren’t you?!”
The stallion sighed deeply and nodded to Swift. – “That’s right… but more importantly, how is your head?”
“M-my head…? I don’t feel any pain but, the bandage is kind of tight…”
“Is that so? I’m glad to hear that then… you had quite the hit when we fell down hill you know.”
“You’ve been taking care of me since then…?”
The stallion first nodded to confirm Swift’s question. – “I couldn’t leave you behind, could I?”
“Thank you…”
The stallion looked away from him, as he stared to the fire and an awkward silence fell upon both of them. Then Swift, calmed now, decided to ask him. – “Say, who are you and why are you escaping from the law?”
“The name’s Dusk Howl. And I’m escaping because I’m now known as a pirate.”
“And why you became one? Do you want to become rich with other ponies goods and riches?”
“I won’t deny that I stole some ships, without to mention some food, but that’s about it. I never made vandalism, nor stole any personal belongings.” – Dusk Howl stared to the moon now, and continued to say with a lower yet firm tone. – “What I am looking for is nothing more than the Golden Heart.”
Swift tilted his head to the side, confused by not hearing about such a thing before. – “The Golden what now?”
“Are you telling me that you’ve never heard of such magnificent treasure as the Golden Heart?”
A quick side-by-side movement with the head was enough answer coming from Swift.
“Boy oh boy… well, you see, the Golden Heart is nothing more than the most important treasure of all times in these lands! It is said that it’s full of good riches, as it is said that you can get any wish out of it.”
“There really is such a great treasure like that?!”
“Of course. The pony that gets his or her hooves upon such a treasure will most likely to be feared!”
Swift couldn’t believe that something like that could ever exist, a sudden sparkle came to his eyes, he thought: If I get my hooves on that treasure, maybe my family will be more recognized! But then, an important question crossed through Swift’s mind. – “So, Dusk Howl, why are you searching for such treasure?”
But Dusk Howl remained silent, he never expected that a colt would ask him his most important desires, he opened his mouth constantly to talk, to form at least one sound, but he always hesitated. The silence remain for several minutes until Swift Trick decided that it was time to break it. – “I’m sorry; I asked something rather personal, right?”
Dusk Howl looked at the colt with such impression that managed to make him say a few words. – “Don’t worry, it’s alright kiddo.”
By the end of that sentence, the moon was already fading in the far horizon, as the first rays of light began to appear from the east. Dusk Howl glanced to the sun’s direction giving a sharp sigh. – “Well kid, seems to be that it’s the beginning of a new day… what are you going to do now? Will you send me to jail by the next town?”
Now it was Swift who remained in silence, that was the plan from the beginning after all, but somehow he felt unsure. It took him several minutes for him to come up with an answer. – “I… I won’t send you to the law Dusk Howl.”
“A-Are you sure of that? His may be your only chance you know.”
“Yes, I’m sure of that. I owe you for taking care of me when I was hurt back there. I thank you for that.” – A gentle smile formed upon his lips once he finished this sentence, as he bowed down to the stallion with certain respect.
That was more than enough to make Dusk Howl chuckle nervously, as a faint blush of appreciation crossed just below his eyelids. – “You shouldn’t be thanking a pirate you know…” – He forced himself to calm down as he stared seriously to Swift Trick. – “OK, now that you let me free, what are you going to do? For my fault, you’re now lost here, and I can’t send you back so easily, I don’t want more bad luck in my life.”
“You make it sound as it happens often.”
“You’ll be surprised.”
“Well… I guess I could go with you to the next town and you can drop me off at an inn, I can send a letter to my parents there too.”
“Sounds good to me, alright, let’s go… sorry, what was your name?”
“Oh right! I’m Swift Trick.”
“Swift Trick, huh? Is it fine if I call you Dusk Fang?”
“Um, sure, I guess?”
“Alright then, let us go Dusk Fang. The next town is just two hours away.”
Dusk Howl began to walk forward as Swift, now being called Dusk Fang, followed behind him, but the words of the treasure, the Golden Heart, were still echoing on his head constantly.
