The breeze biting at my flank was a full bodied one, one that could easily threaten to blow a weaker pony than myself over. But I was stronger than that. I lived for the bite at my flank, the billowing hair in my eyes and the taste of salt in my mouth. It made me feel alive, more alive than any of the scallywags who made their living by land could ever dream to be.
For I am the Pirate Dinky, quartermaster on the dread ship Crescent Moon.
I turn from my position at the bow of the legendary ship, my hair whipping free of its ponytail that kept it confined, and turned to face my crew. Well, I suppose not my crew, but at this hour of the day they served me, looked to me and any orders I gave they would promptly follow through with. For now they were mine alone. That’s the way it always was during the celestial hours, when the orb of our rival graced the sky. Our fearless leader showed no desire to show hide nor hair of his muzzle until the sun was safely tucked away and the moon, representative of our lady’s grace, showed itself on the horizon.
Already the time though grew near when our captain would arise and leave his chambers to take command. The skies grew pink with the fading goodbye of the sun, casting an orange glow. It was a sight to behold and despite my loyalty to the moon, I must admit it was beautiful. I let out a sigh as I viewed its wonders.
“Oi! Dinks!”
The guttural voice calling me from below could only mean one thing. The captain was awake early.
Leaving my post at the deck with a swish of my finely braided tail I trotted down the steps. And then the next set of stairs. I let out a snort at the unnecessary space, it was wasted really on our crew. But our ship was a blessing from the Goddess-Ruler Luna and Pip would never say no to her, no matter how frivolous this silly thing was.
“Dinky!”
“I’m coming, you impatient lout!”
I sped up my steps, arriving in front of the captain’s quarters in short order. The ebony door typically demanded the respect of others, the way it swallowed the light around it felt imposing to the lesser ponies. But I knew what was on the other side and for me there was no illusion of grandeur. There was only Pip. Same foalish colt he was as when I first met him all those years ago. I pushed open that door with little care and even less respect.
“There ya are! What took ya so long?” He looked up, mane shaggy and clearly yet unbrushed as I entered.
“Same thing as always, doing your job.”
My hoof nudge a discarded bandana on the floor as I drew closer to him.
“Really, you laze about all day, and you can’t even clean up your own mess? Pip, do I have to do everything for you?”
“Mmm, I’m sure there are some things I can do for myself,” Pip threw a hoof over my whither, “I can fix one mean apple turnover and I can find myself a,” This time it was his cheek nuzzling mine “special somepony.”
“You forget that I am your special some pony, you need me for that too.”
I broke into a smile as Pip’s velvety soft lips and bristly fur brushed against my lips.
“Less talk, too early for that…”
I pushed Pip’s hooves off of me, and walked over to the ornate desk in the corner. It was the one space in the whole room that was spared the torturous mess that encompassed everything else in the enclosed space. That wasn’t necessarily a good thing though for our crew. This emptiness including the lack of any maps.
“Pip, have you heard from Luna at all lately? The crew is running low on rations you know, there have been complaints that already we haverun out of certain things. Namely the rum.”
That seemed to do the trick to hold Pip’s attention as his eyes suddenly shot open, the fading light catching in the brown pools.
“What did you say?!”
“The rum, we’ve run out.”
“Where has all the rum gone?”
I blink slowly and my hoof gestures in a sweeping motion.
“Have you tried looking around you lately, Pip? Your room could put a pig’s sty to shame. I’m surprised I didn’t trip over any discarded bottles of rum when I came in.”
The shock in Pip’s eyes died down and the wideness returned to his normal half-lidded, half asleep. But as I saw his hoof run through his unruly mane I knew I saw a slight quiver there and I knew Pip well enough to see that flicker of worry as his eyes turned fleetingly to the door. And then he sighs.
“There haven’t been any messages from Luna, not for a fortnight now. But we’re getting close, I know we are, Dinks.”
"Pip..." There's a pleading tone in my voice, so many questions behind it, I couldn't help it.
The light hearted tone is back in my captain's voice as he answers me, "Dinky, my lass, have I ever lead us astray? We'll be fine,just you watch."
His bellowing laugh does nothing but make me roll my eyes. He's trying to convince himself as much as he is trying to cheer me up. Picking his way carefully over to me, he nudges a hoof against my ribs.
"I would never let anything happen to my crew, you know that.You know that more than anypony on this ship. Now come, put a smile on that muzzle, we got a crew to lead!"
His laughter is, as always, infectious. It was always the same laugh, straight from the heart and still filled with a child's delight in the world. Even after all we've been through. I think that's part of what makes him a good captain for a crew such as ours, even on the days that seem the most bleak , he could brighten the most downtrodden of ponies' day.
My eyes lowered to the floor with a smile faint with memories.
It all started with the ship of course, that's what I would say. But honestly the ship would have never existed for us at all if it were not for Pip's undying passion for a certain lunar Princess.
Luna...Even I could not rival Pip's love for her.
I remember that childhood night that first lit my Pip's passion in her. At the time we lived in a small village, one that was primarily populated by those who choose the celestial princess over our own princess. This of course meant ponies like Pip and I, along with a few others, were left mainly friendless. We stuck close to each of course and we were together, just him and I, that night we went out to sleep by ancient statue of Luna's old form. We felt closer to her whenever we were there and that night...that night we felt as if we had to be dreaming.
There we were, two foals with flanks blank, faced with the Princess of the Night. The whole event seemed mind baffling to us and it left an impression on us that will never leave and never be rivaled.
I felt a shiver go down my spine and a faint grin echoed in my eyes and I recalled this and with that the memory was broken. I found myself back in reality, staring into those chocolate-y brown that wore both a smile and the betrayal of concern in their depths.
"Dinky, I want you to take care of yourself...I don't want to lose you..."
My legs momentarily felt weak as Pipsqueak, feared pirate by many, ran a tender hoof over the soft fur of my sides. Feeling more sensitive than usual I imagine I could feel the individual bristles as they sprung free. He couldn't possibly know, I knew that. I had yet to tell him. But that gesture made me wonder...
I forced my momentary moment of weakness down with abruptness, knowing that is not a luxury I should be allowing myself. With a casual shrug I brush his brown hoof off of me.
"I always do. You should worry more about yourself. Drinking as you do you'll find yourself with the sea ponies one of these days."
Bellowing laughter met my curt response and my ears splayed back with annoyance.
"Don't you worry about that! The only pony I plan to sleep with is you."
My face reddens for no reason at his words and like a child's spring loaded toy my ears spring back up. I truly hated those days when I didn't even have the command over my own body's reactions.
I had no time to correct my own body's response as another noise was caught by the pricked up radar my ears formed. Hooves that while they could not be described as thundering were certainly heading towards the captain's quarters with speed. Both Pip and I subtlety shifted apart with the pretense of turning to face whoever this newcomer might be. A lock of golden hair dipped into my eyes as the hooves come to a stop and knocking begins.
"Enter."
The playfulness that I see in Pip is gone now and he is back to being the captain the crew knows as a serious tone enters his voice. This is the demeanor of a leader. This is the captain that can inspire other to follow him with pride. This is a Pipsqueak to be feared.
A tousled grey mane appears first as the door cracks open, barely showing the purple eyes beneath it. Rumble. Another pony from our original village and directly under me in the chain of command. A good pony and a loyal pirate he truly was.
His head bowed respectfully at both of us before he looked for permission to speak. An unnecessary gesture that spoke of respect, as he well knew.
"Captain, land has just been sighted."
Pip's serious demeanor shatters at these words and with the grin he gave me as he turned his head I knew he was trying hard to resist sticking his tongue out like a foal.
"What did I tell you, everything would turn out just fine!"
I grumble and face Rumble, my business like posture not dropping even if our captain deemed it fit for himself to do so. There is something lacking from Rumble's information and that fact, or lack therefor, seems to have slipped from Pip's coltish mind.
"How far off is the land?" Is my simple inquiry, nose twitching slightly as Pip's playful manner does not dissipate.
Rumble hesitates for a mere second and I can see the gears in his head calculating that which he has seen.
"At our current speed the land is not too far off. I can't say for certain when we will land on its shores, with night falling the breeze is sure to shift or die down," He turns his attentions now to Pip, "Captain, do you think this is the place Luna has been leading us to?"
"Rumble..."Pip's eyes turn to the wooden blankets on the ceiling, eyelids drooping close, "I would bet my name as Captain upon that fact. And even if it isn't, does it matter? Luna's ship always leads us where we are needed." Though still jovial his tone has become a shade more serious now.
All three of us stand there in silence for a few brief minutes as our captain lowers his head to make eye contact with the two of us. The light is fading from the cabin swiftly. Candles lit previously to my entrance become the predominant source of light now and the flickering shadows racing across our faces leaves for a serious scene indeed.
"If we're lucky that island will fix our dire rum problem Miss Dinky has just informed me of. How is a captain to work in such conditions, my lass?"
And of course a mood made serious never lasts long around our dear captain.
