Pirates of Equestria

Chapters

2: Wanted
3: Flight
4: Recruits
5: Jack
6: Hunt
7: Captain
8: Arrival
9: Terror
10: Devastation
11: Decisions
12: Determination
13: Secrets
14: Motives
15: Assault
16: Aftermath
17: Devotion
18: Loss
19: Love
20: Mourning
21: Truth
22: Message
23: Confrontation
24: Preparation
25: War
26: Legend
1: Accusations

2: Wanted

2: Wanted

Shining Armor, newly crowned prince of the Crystal Empire, wanders the halls of the crystal palace. The long day of performing his royal duties has left its toll and he wishes for relaxation. He walks halfway in a daze until he finally makes it to the throne room. Though not a place of rest it would at least give him some solitude so he could recuperate. He sits on the crystal throne and rubs his aching head.

“Long day was it dear?”

Shining raises his head to find out who had interrupted his rest. His mood is lightened and stamina restored when he sees his wife. He struggles a moment to figure out how he did not hear her enter before answering.

“I’m glad to see you Cadence. I don’t think I could take any more questions on the state of things here.”

Cadence giggles as she comes close. “Well maybe you and I could discuss some more personal matters instead.” Shining smiles, anxious for such a ‘discussion.’

The two royals start to make their way out of the throne room when the doors fly open and a messenger pony charges in. Frustration begins to overtake Shining Armor, anxious to be done with royal duties.

“What is it?” he asks.

The messenger catches his breath before reporting. “Urgent news my lord and lady. Terrible news.”

“Well…” Shining begins as his patience wears thin.

“Darling please,” Cadence interjects. “Please continue.”

Relieved to hear kindness from the princess, the messenger continues. “There was an attempt made on Princess Celestia’s life.”

“What?” Both royals gasp at the news and were now very anxious to hear more.

“A few days ago, one of the officers of the Canterlot Royal Guard was arrested for attempting to assassinate the princess. During the event, two guards were lost but the assassination was thwarted.” The prince and princess sigh in relief to hear that Celestia was alright. “However,” the messenger continues, “the pony responsible escaped while being lead to his execution. Eight guards were killed during the escape and he has not been seen since.”

“Who was the pony that attempted the assassination?” Shining asks.

The messenger holds out a wanted poster. “A pegasus named Sky Runner.”

Shining Armor can hardly believe what he is hearing and hangs is head in sorrow and Cadence begins to worry. “What is it dear?” The prince looks to the messenger. “Thank you.” The pony bows and leaves the two alone. Once the doors are closed, Shining tells his wife about Sky Runner.

“I knew Sky Runner back when I first joined the Royal Guard. Both of us rose quickly through the ranks, helping each other out and pushing each other to do better. Eventually, I was named Captain of the Royal Guard while Sky Runner was made my second in command.

“After I married you and we came here, Sky Runner became the next in line to become Captain of the Royal Guard. He was ambitious, having always wanted to be Captain, but I can’t imagine him doing anything rash. He was very proud and loyal. He would never betray the crown.”

Shining Armor hangs his head, still unable to believe his old friend would commit such a heinous act. Cadence puts a wing around him and holds him tight to try and comfort him.

After a moment, Shining raises his head in determination. “I will lead the pursuit to find Sky Runner.”

“What?” Cadence says in shock. “But why?”

“I need to find out if Sky is truly responsible or not.”

“What if he is?”

“Then as the former Captain of the Royal Guard and Prince of the Crystal Empire, I will bring him to justice.”

“If he is not?”

“Then I will help him to clear his name and find the true culprit.”

“You know that this will be dangerous. Not only has he already killed several guards but if he is responsible, then that makes him potentially even more dangerous.”

“I know. But I must do something.”

Cadence holds her husband close, unwilling to release him. “I can’t let you go. I can’t risk losing you.”

Shining returns her embrace and kisses her on the forehead. “I won’t let that happen. I will come back.”

Tears flow down the princess’s face as her love slips out of her grasp. She follows him to the very edge of the Crystal Empire feeling chained to the land. She watches her husband disappear beyond the tundra alone. The tears never stop flowing even as she stands for what feels like an eternity, hoping and praying that he would return safely to her.

Recalling his training as a Royal Guard, Shining Armor makes his way to an outpost waypoint where the pursuing guards were camped. The outpost had been established in the event of an enemy going well beyond Canterlot and needed to be pursued. As this was a tactic of the highest urgency, the outposts where rarely used and the state of disrepair pointed to its scarce use.

As Shining Armor enters the camp all of the guards snap to attention, partially confused as to why the prince of the Crystal Empire would be here. The guards report the situation to the prince and question why he has arrived.

“I will be leading the pursuit. As the former Captain and a close friend of the target, I know better than any pony else how to deal with Sky Runner. Also you are currently lacking the ranking officers since you have yet to name the next captain. With Sky being the only candidate and now on the run, you are out of leaders. So I will be taking charge.”

The guards agree with his position and Shining Armor prepares a letter to Princess Celestia to inform her of the updated situation.

Shining looks around at the camp to evaluate his troops. There are ten guards, all of which are unicorns. The prince is not surprised. The low numbers speak to the fact that so many were afraid of Sky Runner and the desperation to protect the princess. The use of only unicorns shows that they fear Sky’s skill at fighting and want to keep their distance. Given the lack of leadership and the chaos brought on by the fear of a single pony eliminating so many guards, it is easy to understand how such a group is formed to pursue such a dangerous pony. In order to effectively find and stop Sky Runner, Shining Armor is going to need a tracker to help find Sky and pegasi if he is to stand a chance in bringing him down if the need arose. That being the case, the prince knows where to start looking for help.

3: Flight

3: Flight

Having flown all night and not eaten anything for two days, Sky Runner is tired and famished. The port town below is unsightly but there is little choice. The benefit of such a town, despite it being a haven for low-life scoundrels, is the access to information. An event such as the attempt on Princess Celestia’s life would likely cause a great stir meaning possible information on who was responsible. Sky lands and makes his way to a nearby tavern, a place to restore his strength and filled with information galore.

The pegasus sits down at corner table which provides him with the best view and greatest spot to eavesdrop on nearby conversations. A maid brings him his food and he finds himself now significantly lacking in finances. But such a thing can wait till later. Sky keeps focused and his body in control as he eats slowly, savoring the food and drink to give himself time to hear as much as possible. But the conversations are meaningless. Little is discussed that is about royalty save for the locals’ distain. This meant that the Royal Guard must be keeping the matter under tight wraps. This would make finding the culprit difficult, though Sky does not expect the would-be assassin to announce a failed attempt even when drunk.

After a few minutes, one of the pony patrons, a dull yellow Earth Pony with green hair, stumbles his way next to Sky’s table. He swings his tankard as he sings, rather off-key, a drinking song as he attempts to pass by. His efforts fail as he nearly falls into Sky’s table, but Sky aids him by putting up a wing and righting him. However, the drunk simply falls the other direction into another table, knocking it over and spilling its contents everywhere.

“H-hey you!” the drunk stammers as he attempts to stand up. “You pushed me!” He swaggers as he vainly tries to maintain his balance.

“I tried to keep you from falling into my table. Sadly, you fell over into the other one.” Sky maintains his calm, continuing to eat.

“Well…now you’re gonna get it.”

The drunk swings his tankard wildly which Sky easily catches. Sky takes it from the pony’s grip and tosses it aside. The drunk attempts a blow to Sky’s face but the pegasus easily catches the hoof. With a swift twist followed by a sweep from the other wing, the drunk is thrown to the ground. He struggles to get up but the drunken stupor overtakes him and he passes out.

Seeing the pony go down, four other patrons rise from their seats to join in the brawl. Not wanting to fight Sky attempts to get them to back down, standing to face them.

“If you do this I cannot guarantee your health.”

The ponies laugh and lunge at him. Sky sidesteps and uses his wings to push one into the others. They tumble into a table spilling food and drink across the floor. They stand to face Sky again and try a new strategy. Two lunge first to distract him while the other two move in after to finish him. But Sky skillfully pushes the first two aside with his wings and kicks the others in the face knocking them to the ground.

The first two return, attacking from both sides, but again Sky is prepared. He grabs each with a wing and slams their heads into one another knocking them out. The second two stand, mouths bleeding and teeth missing, and attack again. Sky grabs them by their throats with his wings and hurl them aside into the wall.

With the four out of commission, several others try their luck only to be tossed aside or into one another. As the fight continues, Sky begins using tankards and chairs to fight off the increasing numbers. Eventually the entire tavern in caught up in a huge drunken brawl with little focus on any pony in particular. The only goal is to fight.

Sky fends off any that come near him, tossing ponies and beating lone fighters to a pulp. Though he takes several blows of his own, he falls back on his training to keep from becoming like the losers that are scattered across the floor. Bones break and blood is spattered across the floor and tables as the brawl continues. The sight of the violence and smell of the blood mixing with the spilled drinks excite Sky. His adrenaline rushes as he is drawn into the fighting. He thrills in it.

In the heat of the brawl, Sky is grabbed from behind. He struggles to free himself but his attacker is cunning enough to secure his wings. Sky twists and squirms, anxious to free himself and return to the fight. His attacker drags him out the door despite his struggle then finally releases him once outside. Sky spins to strike with a wing but the other ducks and slips behind him. Blinded by rage and fueled by adrenaline, Sky strikes again but again the other evades.

Sky turns again but the other shouts. “Stop!”

It was not so much the command but who was giving it. Sky stares in disbelief as he looks upon himself. His mind is flooded with confusion, mixing with his adrenaline rush giving him a pounding headache.

“Who are you?” he asks, struggling to comprehend what was happening.

“Follow me if you want to know,” the other says.

“And why should I go with you?” Sky demands.

“Because I am can help you achieve what you want.”

The other begins walking away leaving Sky to ponder his next step. He gives in to curiosity and follows, trying to calm himself in order to think clearly and focus in case of a trap.

The imposter Sky leads the real one to an alleyway. Sky readies himself for whatever may happen next. Instead of springing a trap, light flashes around the other revealing a changeling. Sky readies to strike, knowing full well the enmity between the ponies and the changelings but the changeling puts up a hoof to stop him.

“I’m not here to fight but to help,” he says with a slight hiss to his voice.

“Why should I believe you?”

“Because, like you, I am an outcast. I know of what happened in Canterlot and how you are being hunted.”

“How would you know about that and why would you want to help me?” Sky asks, still apprehensive.

"My sources are my business. As for why I would help you, revenge and redemption. It’s possible that whoever attempted the assassination on Celestia and framed you and who I am after are one and the same.”

Sky thinks for a moment, still unsure if he can trust the shape shifter. “Besides,” the changeling continues, “I can help you learn how to survive out here and together we can uncover the plot that has caused us to be cast out.”

“How can I trust you?” Sky was sure that the changeling was working an angle but wasn’t sure what that angle was.

“You can trust that I am after my own goals which does involve you and me working together.”

“Who are you?”

The changeling offers a hoof as he answers. “You may call me Jack.”

Sky responds to the offered hoof in kind, smiling. He remains apprehensive but somehow excited about the newfound alliance. Things are becoming very interesting very quickly.

4: Recruits

4: Recruits

Shining Armor stands amidst the apple orchard of Sweet Apple Acres in Ponyville. It is a wonderful site, one that the prince has yet to be able to see. Close by is Big Macintosh, bucking away at apple trees. Shining keeps his distance for now, hoping to talk to Big Mac in secret. The rest of the Apple family is nowhere to be seen and the other Royal Guards are still at the outpost while the prince gathers aid. The only two around are Shining Armor and Big Macintosh.

Big Mac walks over to the area where Shining is hiding and gives a nearby tree an almost bored kick, knocking all the apples off into the baskets below.

“As strong as ever my old friend,” Shining says as he walks out from behind a tree.

“Eeyup,” the work horse replies. “It’s good ta see you again Shinin’ Armor.”

“And you as well. Tell me, is the rest of the family out?”

Big Mac gathers up the baskets of apples onto a cart as he answers. “Eeyup. Granny is in the house takin’ a nap. Applejack is with her friends on a break. And Applebloom is at school. Why the secrecy?”

“Still as perceptive as before.” Shining helps Big Mac gather apples as they talk.

“Do you remember Sky Runner?” Shining asks.

“Eeyup. What about him?”

“Well he has been accused of attempting to assassinate Princess Celestia and is now on the run.”

“Nope, not Sky Runner. He is far too loyal for that and would never do such a thing.”

“That is what I thought. So I plan to find him and find out if it is true. If he is not responsible then I will help clear his name.”

“So where do I fit in in all this?” The work horse stops, almost demanding an answer.

“I need your help in finding him and possibly bringing him down if it is true that he did attempt to assassinate the princess.”

Big Mac sighs, leaving a long pause before answering. He turns to the cart of apples, his demeanor changed. “I can’t help ya.”

“But Mac, I need you. What about everything we’ve been through?”

“All in the past!” Big Mac answers, nearly cutting off Shining. He hangs his head before continuing. “I know what we’ve been through. It was great for a while. But after that night...”

His voice trails off. He winces slightly at the memories that flooded his mind. “I don’t want ta go through any more loss. I don’t ever want ta see ‘that’ happen again.”

Shining goes to comfort his friend. “What happened then was not your fault. Plus, if you don’t help me, it could very well happen again. So please, I need your help. I don’t want anything like that to happen again either.”

The work horse hefts another basket onto the cart. “Sorry. But I’m a farmer now.”

“But-”

“I said no!” Big Mac cuts of Shining’s plea, slamming his hoof into the ground. “I’m really sorry, but I can’t. I don’t want to be reminded any more than I already am.”

Shining turns to leave his old friend in peace. “I understand.”

As Shining Armor begins to leave a nearby voices causes him to stop. “I’ll help ya.” Both he and Big Mac turn to see the Apple’s cousin Braeburn step out. The two old friends are shocked that some pony else was around. Big Mac puts a hoof to his face.

“I can’t believe I forgot about Braeburn’s visit.”

The prince starts to respond but Braeburn interrupts. “I overheard the whole thing about an assassin and such, and, well, I want to help. Any friend of my cousin is a friend of mine.”

Shining goes over to the settler pony. “Look, I appreciate the help but this is beyond you.”

“But-” Braeburn starts but is interrupted by his cousin.

“But nothin’ Braeburn. This ain’t your problem and is far too dangerous for you.”

Shining watches the younger Apple start to cower before his cousin. Though harsh, Big Mac knew full well what Sky Runner was capable of and is only trying to keep the settler pony safe. If Sky truly was responsible for the assassination attempt, then he would likely deal with any pony that got in his way in the same manner as the guards he had already killed. Braeburn wouldn’t stand a chance against Sky if it came to a fight.

Despite the lack of approval, Braeburn stood his ground. “I am gonna help. This is something that has a huge impact and if you won’t help then I will.”

Big Mac readies to respond but the settler pony continues his argument. “I know how to track and I know how to fight if it comes to it.”

“Do you even know what you’d be going up against?” the work horse demands.

“What does it matter? It’s gonna be dangerous anyways, right?”

“You don’t even know anything about Sky Runner.”

“He was a friend of yours and now we need to either help him or stop him. I know enough Big Macintosh. I’m gonna help and that’s that.”

While Big Mac fumes, Shining can’t help but admire Braeburn’s courage, and his foolishness. Although he is brave, he has little idea what he was getting himself into. But he does want to help, even if it means putting his own life at risk.

“Fine.”

“What?!” Big Mac shouts, almost attacking Shining.

“He’s made up his mind and it’s obvious that nothing we say or do will change that.”

The work horse hangs his head. “Alright.” He looks up at his cousin. “But you listen to everything that Shinin’ Armor says and do what he says without question. Ya understand?”

“Right. I won’t let ya down.”

“If you see Sky Runner let me deal with him. Stay away from him.”

“No problem Prince Sir.”

“Are you sure you won’t reconsider Big Mac? The kid is just going to get in the way.”

Shining looks to the sky for the source of the new voice. Despite another surprise visitor, this one is a welcome sight. “He’s not much younger than you Soarin.”

The Wonderbolt flutters down flanked by two other Wonderbolts. “So? He’ll still get in the way.”

“So tell me,” Shining asks, “what brings you here?”

“I heard about what happened to the princess. Spitfire started to organize the Wonderbolts to lend aid in loyalty to the crown and all, but when I heard you were leading the expedition I volunteered to go in her place.”

“And I accept your aid.”

Hearing this, Braeburn became frustrated. “How come you accept him so readily and not me?”

“Because,” the pegasus says, “we were all friends once.”

The settler pony relaxes, realizing that he was meeting another friend of Big Mac’s. Soarin looks around at Shining and Big Mac.

“It’s almost like we’re getting the old group back together.”

The prince hangs his head. “Except that Sky is now our target and then there’s…” His voice trails off as he recalls the final two friends, now long gone.

The prince raises his head, determined not to let the past haunt the present. “Now that we have our unit formed we can begin searching for Sky Runner and find out the truth behind his actions.”

Hidden behind his bold determination, however, doubt holds a firm grip. He still doesn't know what he is going to do when he actually finds Sky Runner. His biggest fear is that his old friend is truly responsible for the actions against Celestia. Only Big Macintosh sees through the façade of Shining Armor’s bold statement. A gut feeling overcomes the work horse that when he sees these ponies again, nothing will be the same.

5: Jack

5: Jack

Sky Runner follows Jack through the town towards the docks. To avoid drawing attention, Jack has taken the form of a random, ordinary earth pony, brown with a dark grey mane. The pegasus keeps a close eye on the changeling, still unsure if he can be fully trusted.

“The sea is wonderful, miraculous, and even terrifying,” Jack says as they near the docks. “It is full of mystery and danger. Both of which draw many to it seeking fortune, adventure, and many more such things. It favors none, dooming those with little or no respect for its might and power.”

The strangely philosophical statement catches Sky off-guard. He never once thought that a changeling could think in such a way. This changeling, Jack, is turning out to be more and more intriguing.

The two arrive at the docks and stare out at the line of ships moored in the harbor. Jack continues speaking but this time he speaks more practical.

“The sea acts as a highway of trade with each coastal town being a crossroad of information. The vastness of the seas and its many dangers make it a perfect place to hide for those who understand and respect the waters. Coastal towns teem with information from faraway places and others who want to remain hidden. Then there is the access to great fortune.”

Sky carefully considers everything Jack says, soaking it all in. The ability to hide and access to information would help him uncover the truth behind the assassination while keeping away from his pursuers. He pushes aside the part about riches. Such things would not help restore his position and he does not care for fortune for himself.

“I care little for riches, only to find the truth and restore my position,” Sky says aloud.

“You may find that more difficult than you imagine. But nonetheless, the riches are an important part so listen carefully. The first step is to acquire a ship and crew.”

Sky listens intently, hoping to gain as much knowledge as he can about life on the run and life at sea. Though he still does not trust the changeling, Jack still possesses far more experience in both regards.

“The ship,” Jack says, “needs to possess a few key aspects. First, it needs to be sturdy enough to withstand the harsh seas and potential, or perhaps inevitable, battle. It must be small enough to outrun pursuers or overtake prey and big enough to fight and survive battle. Also, it needs to be capable of holding a decent amount of cargo. The cargo will be used to make a profit for which to hire and pay your crew as well as buy information.”

Sky thinks for a moment, now understanding the role of gold in his plans. “And what of the crew?”

“The crew should be loyal. Either through respect, fear, or greed. You need to keep in mind that there are a few types of loyalty. First are those loyal to a point. These are the ones loyal through greed. Gold gains loyalty. If you stop paying them or if someone else pays more, they will leave you either by walking out or betraying you. Regardless, they will obey commands until the money is no longer worth the risk.

“Second are those loyal to character. These are the ones loyal out of fear or respect. They will stay with you and follow your orders without question despite how much they are paid. Either they are too afraid to challenge you or they believe in you. But if you don’t or can’t maintain this appearance, they will find their courage or forsake you. No amount of gold or promise of riches and glory will make them return or keep from usurping you. These are probably the best to have but it is up to you to maintain your reputation with them.

“Finally are those loyal to a fault. You may find some who will follow you to the very depths of hell and beyond. They care not for gold or how you treat them. Pay them a king’s ransom or nothing and they will follow. Treat them like royalty or as little more than a speck of dust and they are yours to command. They are the most loyal but the most foolish. They follow you blindly.”

Sky contemplates for a moment. “And what of you? Where do you fit in?”

Jack looks at Sky a smiles. “I am disloyal. Loyal only to myself. Like you.”

The answer confuses Sky making him wonder even more if the changeling can be trusted.

“That being said,” Jack continues, “I am the only one you can truly trust.”

Jack’s answer only serves to maintain Sky’s wariness. Given his explanation of loyalty, the changeling was likely right. Perhaps, in time, Sky would understand why Jack was the only one to be trusted.

Jack looks out at the ships docked in the harbor. “So tell me, have you thought about the kind of ship you want?”

Since mentioning the requirements for a good vessel, Sky had quickly selected his choice ship. “A prison ship.”

The changeling looks at Sky with intrigue. “And why that one?”

“Cargo ships are too big and too slow. A warship would be too difficult to balance cargo space, fire power, and speed. A brig would have the proper space for cargo and are designed to move quickly. A little modification and the fire power and hull strength can be easily addressed without sacrificing too much of the other qualifications. Plus the freed prisoners will likely repay the favor.”

Jack smiles once again. “You have a knack for this kind of thing. You’ll make a fine captain in no time.”

The two make their way to the docks towards to a prison ship ready to leave. They move quickly and stealthily until they arrive at their target. The ship is lightly guarded allowing the two to slip onto the side.

“One last thing,” Jack says, “your crew doesn’t need to know your true goal. They only need to do what you tell them to help you achieve it.”

“I know that already,” Sky replies.

They wait until the ship sets off before climbing aboard and hiding amongst several crates at the rear of the top deck. As the ship sails out into the ocean, the two stowaways settle in until nightfall. While they wait until most of the crew settles in for the night, Jack shifts back to his changeling state and hands Sky a cutlass.

“You’ll need a weapon.”

Sky takes it with one wing and stands ready. Several hours later, Jack give a signal to move out. The two slink across the deck towards the night watch. Jack grabs a guard’s head with his hooves and swiftly snaps it. Sky flies up to the top mast and drops down on the lookout, plunging the sword through the pony’s heart. Sky then flies down and helps Jack clean up the rest of the helpless guards on deck. Each guard falls before they realize they are being attacked.

After the deck is cleared they move to the lower deck and commence slitting throats of sleeping guards. Jack continues the slaughter as Sky begins freeing the prisoners and arming them. With their reinforcements, Sky and Jack slay the rest of the crew. The entire slaughter lasts but mere minutes. Sky begins issuing commands to dump the bodies and man the ship while he takes the helm. The newly freed prisoners make their way to the various stations, willing to ignore the changeling aiding them given their newfound freedom.

After sailing for a few hours, the sun begins to rise on the horizon. The beautiful sight gives Sky a bit of satisfaction. He now has a ship and a crew with which to use to gain is retribution. His internal celebration is cut short when two of the former prisoners approach him dragging another pony.

“Sir,” one says, giving Sky his respect for saving him, “we found this one sneaking about. Shall we kill her?”

“Her?” Sky asks with curiosity.

He takes a close look at the stowaway held between the two pony brutes. She is a white unicorn with a blue tail with streaks of turquoise. She is wearing a black robe to cover her features. Sky pushes the hood back letting her blue and turquoise mane drop to the side. She looks up at him revealing her violet colored eyes.

“Vinyl Scratch?”

6: Hunt

6: Hunt

Shining Armor enters the guard outpost which is now beginning to look like a fully functional base of operations. Several Wonderbolts as well as some new pegasi Royal Guards fly in. Soarin flies ahead to meet with the Wonderbolts and make preparations for the coming operation. Though Wonderbolts are normally an aerial acrobatics group, their skills in the air have made them a key asset to the Royal Guard. The group that Soarin brought with him are all a part of a classified section of the Wonderbolts that operate as an elite aerial strike force. With nearly double the speed and agility as the pegasi from the Royal Guard, the Wonderbolt strike team is an enormous asset for the prince.

Shining looks over the newly arrived unicorn officers to see that the request he made was fulfilled in full. As he makes a head count of his troops, he notes the air of distain from the guards as he walks through the base. Though the troops give all respect to the crown prince, their looks of despise are directed to the settler pony who keeps close. Braeburn hardly notices the looks from his new fellow soldiers and gives each a naïve smile and greeting. Shining tries to ignore the attitude of his troops, trying to attribute it to their unwillingness to work with a new, untrained pony such as Braeburn.

“They’ll warm up to him eventually,” Shining says to himself. “I hope.”

Shining contemplates his next step. He needs to inform his troops about the situation and how they will be going about accomplishing the task of bringing Sky Runner to justice. He signals Soarin to join him a moment.

“Gather the troops together in the center of the base. I have some important things to discuss.”

“You got it boss.” Soarin salutes and flies off, making his way around the outpost.

Shining heads to the center with Braeburn in tow. He gathers together several crates to form a makeshift stand. He waits for several minutes as the guards and Wonderbolts gather together for the prince’s briefing. Once the troops are gathered Shining climbs to the top of his stand and looks the crowd over. Many of them are anxious for action while a few are still reeling from the assassination event. The prince pushes his own worry aside and begins.

“As you all know, an assassination attempt was made on Princess Celestia. The prime suspect is a former member of the Canterlot Royal Guard named Sky Runner. He was captured during the event but has since escaped. It is known that he killed eight guards during his escape and currently remains at large.”

The crowd starts to murmur hearing the reminder of the assassination attempt. Some scowl while others are filled with dread. Shining recognizes some of the guards from his first arrival. Fear and worry cover their faces at the simple fact that one pony was able to out match several squads of elite guards and even kill eight members all alone. Despite that, each seems more confident now that they have help and the leadership of the prince of the Crystal Empire.

Shining continues his speech. “Whether he acted alone during the assassination attempt or not still remains unknown. Currently, Sky Runner is believed to be alone but he is to be considered highly dangerous. His recent actions aside, he is a former member of the Elite Royal Guard and was next in line to receive promotion to Captain of the Royal Guard.”

Shining notices several scowls when he mentions the last piece of information. Some belong to the same ponies that scowled at Braeburn earlier. They are also the same who scowled earlier in the speech. The prince once again pushes his worry aside. He has no time to deal with the personal thoughts or grudges of these ponies.

“As a former member of the royal guard,” the prince continues, “Sky Runner is highly trained in combat and has always had an extraordinary skill in fighting. He has adapted himself to be able to utilize all parts of his body in a fight. As such he is highly skilled in using his wings during combat, making him far more lethal and unpredictable. He also possesses a keen strategic mindset, allowing him to outsmart even several opponents as he has demonstrated. He is not to be taken lightly.

“Our primary objective is to find and capture Sky Runner. The unit will divided up into small pursuit squads with unicorns searching by land and pegasi searching by air. The current mission is to find Sky Runner. Given his skill and lethality, all squads are advised to keep a distance and not to engage unless absolutely necessary. Once he has been located, you will relay the information so that all squads may converge and work together to bring him down. The task will be to capture. Elimination of the target is a last resort only.

“There is still a great deal we don’t know about the attempt on Princess Celestia’s life and information is necessary. Once Sky Runner has been captured, he will be interrogated regarding the assassination attempt and brought to trial for his actions. You will all now report to Lieutenant Soarin for your squad assignments. DISMISSED!”

The unit breaks off and heads over to Soarin while Shining climbs down from his stage. Braeburn wanders over with a confused look.

“Uh, Mister Prince Shinin’ Armor sir?”

“Yes?”

“What group am I supposed ta be with?”

Shining smiles at the settler pony. “Actually, you will be with me. You and I will be a squad.”

“Are you sure that is a good idea?” Shining looks over to see Soarin making his way over. “I mean it will just be you and him and, frankly, he’s not much of a fighter. You know that.”

Shining looks out at the rest of the troops as they search for their squad mates. “I have a better chance of handling Sky than three of these squads put together. Not only because of my skill but because I know him.” He looks at Braeburn, “As long as you make sure to stay with me at all times unless we have to fight Sky. Keep your distance from him you’ll be fine.”

Braeburn smiles and gives the best military salute he can. “You can count on me Mister Prince Shinin’ Armor, Sir!”

The prince smiles at the settler pony, reminded of Soarin back in the day. While Braeburn possesses the heart and courage to meet the challenge, he still lacked the skill. No level of determination will grant him the physical needs. Plus he is far more naïve than Soarin ever was. Worry sets in as Shining starts thinking that he didn’t push Big Macintosh hard enough to join. He could use the work horse’s guidance right now. Big Mac had always been wise beyond his years.

Once each of the squads had finally gathered, Soarin gives the signal to move out and takes off with his squad. Shining watches each squad move out, waiting until everyone had left before leaving himself. With Braeburn in tow, the prince heads off to begin his search. He hopes he can find his old friend before any other squad does. It will be the only way to settle things right and find the truth behind his actions.

7: Captain

7: Captain

Sky Runner paces back and forth at the ship’s wheel. His mind races as he struggles to figure out what to do with his uninvited crew member. He pauses a moment to look down at the deck where Vinyl Scratch is scrubbing. He thinks back to what she had said regarding why she was here.

“I came here to keep an eye on you and make sure you stay safe,” she said. “Octavia has been worried sick about you since she hasn’t heard from you since your escape.”

While it was likely true that Vinyl had come on behalf of Octavia, Sky did notice something odd when she had told him her reason for being here. He sees it more now as she scurries across the deck furiously scrubbing. There had been no hesitation when he had her start cleaning. He had always seen the way she had looked at him before, but he is only now beginning to understand.

“Whatever you seek,” he says to himself, “I doubt I can offer in return.”

Sky pushes aside his thoughts over Vinyl for a moment and heads to the port side rail. The ship was anchored off shore from an island far out at sea and Jack had gone ashore for an “errand.” That was a full day ago now and Sky is becoming increasingly impatient. He grits his teeth in anger and slams the rail with his hoof.

“Where is he?” he seethes.

“Dingy off the port side!” the lookout cries.

Sky looks out to see the small boat Jack had taken making its way back to the ship. Relieved that the changeling had not abandoned them, Sky makes his way to where Jack will board, ready to give him a piece of his mind. Jack climbs onto the deck as Sky marches up and readies to plow a hoof across the changeling’s jaw. The pegasus stops short when he sees two more changelings climb aboard, each dragging a crate. Sky’s anger only flares more seeing more changelings.

“What is the meaning of making me wait a full day?! And who are these two? Are you planning to bring your own crew on board?”

The two new changelings ignore Sky and begin securing the boat to the side of the ship while Jack begins his explanation.

“There were several things I needed to do and get. Such things take time to accomplish. I’m sorry if I took longer than you had hoped.”

“Oh please, don’t give me that! And those two?”

“These are the only two changelings loyal to me. Remember how I said I was ostracized by the other changelings? Well these two remained loyal to me regardless of the reason for me being cast out.”

“So tell me,” Sky demands, growing ever more irritated at the changeling’s secrets, “what reason is that exactly?”

Jack gives a devious smile and turns to the crates, ignoring the pegasus’ question. The two other changelings open the crates, revealing weapons and other gear. They begin to pass them out to the crew while Jack grabs a few select items. He motions Sky to him and lays out the gear on the deck. There is a black coat and hat, each trimmed with gold color. Along with the clothing are two swords sheathed in decorative scabbards and attached to what appears to be a specially made belt.

“These are for you, Captain,” Jack says, giving special emphasis on the title.

“Captain?” Sky repeats, enjoying the ring, as he eyes the gear.

Sky picks up the coat and puts it on, noting the balance of flare and practicality. He then girds his waist with the sword belt, shocked now at the positioning of the swords. They hang high on his sides and are far out of reach of his mouth. However, his wings have easy access to the twin blades. Sky draws out the blades and tests their weight. The hilts easily accommodate the grasp of his wings and the swords are light.

“Everything was custom made for you,” Jack says as Sky makes a few practice swings. “The coat is tailored to allow easy movement as well as room for your wings. The belt is design to give you the proper access to the swords with your wings while the swords are designed to be held in the wings of a pegasus.”

Sky sheathes the swords and looks at Jack. “Why would you do all of this for me?”

“I noted your dexterity with your wings since we first met and thought this would allow for a fighting style perfectly suited for you?”

“I mean why did you go out of your way to custom make all of this instead of retailoring a coat or just giving me some random pair of swords. Why did you go above and beyond for me? I know you are using this partnership to further your own goals.”

The changeling smiles. “I can take it all back if you’d like.”

Sky picks up the hat, putting it on as he walks off. The changeling was irritating him more and more. Jack follows leaving the other changelings to continue to distribute the new supplies. The two walk into the captain’s quarters and Sky takes a seat at the desk while Jack stands opposite.

“We need to talk about the roles of the crew,” Jack says without wasting any time. Sky eyes the changeling and lets him continue. “Obviously you will be the captain.”

“Why me and not you?” Sky asks, bound to figure out what Jack’s game was.

“Despite what I have done for them, the crew won’t listen to a changeling. This entire quest is for revenge for you and me so you are the only other logical choice. You have a talent for leadership and more skill in fighting than any of the others anyways.”

Sky thinks for a moment before responding. “So what role should you take? My second-in-command perhaps?”

“Close. Again, the crew won’t listen so well to me. So I’ll be your quartermaster, playing more the role of advisor rather than officer.”

The role was perfect in Sky’s eyes. Jack was too important for any mundane role or too much freedom or authority. In Sky’s eyes, they were on his ship and not the changeling’s. Jack was useful, but ultimately expendable. “And the rest of the crew?”

“For now, I believe the only one we need to discuss is the stowaway unicorn. Why not make her your lieutenant, your second-in-command.”

“Give a stowaway that much authority? The crew would never allow it.”

“She’s just as new as the rest of them. Besides, you and she have some history and I personally think you need to be able to keep an eye on her. Giving her this authority would help with that.”

Sky sat back and thought. Jack was right in the end. “Very well. As for the rest of the positions, you know them better than I do. Assign who you will to those posts. I think we need to test them before making final decisions.”

“Very well,” Jack says. “I suggest we begin by setting out to prey on ships for supplies and practice. The crew seems pretty green and you need to learn how to sail and command a ship.”

“Agreed.”

The changeling turns to leave, stopping a moment at the door. “By the way. Have you thought about what you want to name your new ship?”

Sky thinks for just a second before answering. “The Sparrow Hawk.”

Jack remains silent and exits, closing the door softly behind him. Sky smiles, anticipation and excitement boiling inside. He is ready to begin his reign as a pirate captain.

8: Arrival

8: Arrival

Shining Armor examines the port town he and Braeburn are now entering. It is rather unsightly and run down but it is part of the only lead he had on Sky Runner’s whereabouts. He had been searching for four weeks straight without a single lead or sign of Sky and he is becoming discouraged. The current lead is that there is increased pirate activity in the local waters, which started when a prison ship belonging the Royal Coast Guard went missing, and a new pirate captain who matches Sky’s description. Shining holds onto hope that this new captain is only similar to Sky and not Sky himself. What reason could Sky have for engaging in piracy?

Shining and Braeburn wander through the run down town talking to resident after resident for any information about Sky. Unfortunately, no pony has seen the pegasus. Shining begins to become more depressed until he is directed to the local tavern.

“Any pony that comes through here goes there,” the local says. “That would be the best place to go.”

Shining thanks the local and heads off. Once at the tavern he reminds Braeburn to stick close before entering. Inside, the place is packed with ponies eating and drinking to their hearts content. A few stumble around drunk while several sing lively tunes, some way off key. Several others simply eat and enjoy the company of their fellows. Shining heads to the bar to talk with the owner, a white unicorn with a brown mane and mustache.

“I am looking for a pony, a pegasus to be more precise,” Shining says and hands the owner a picture of Sky. “He may have come here and I was wondering if you’ve seen him?”

The owner looks over the picture then at the prince. “I remember him. He came here about four weeks ago. I do make it a point to remember all the customers I’ve had. He came in half-starved and dying of thirst. He had no money so I gave him a meal on the house seeing as I can’t have any pony die of hunger and thirst on my watch.”

Relief takes hold of the prince before depression reenters. He now has a lead to Sky, except that it is four weeks old. It is highly likely that Sky is long gone leaving the trail as cold as before. He starts to leave when the owner continues.

“He ended up in a fight with a few of the patrons. Not really his fault, they attacked him. He beat them down without even breaking a sweat. ‘Course that started an all-out brawl. He vanished during the whole thing and I haven’t seen him since.”

“Thanks for your help,” Shining says as he a Braeburn leave.

The prince and settler pony wander through the town heading towards the docks as Shining contemplates the information he has. Sky does have a rather hot head and does get rather excited about fighting so the bar fight scene is not that farfetched. There is no question now that he came through town. As for the new pirate, the description is vague enough that Sky can be ruled out as being him, though not entirely. More than that, Sky is far too noble and loyal to the crown to turn to piracy as a means of escape, despite what he has done or has been accused of doing.

Shining thinks even more as he nears the docks. Was Sky really capable of becoming a pirate? The prince had only known Sky since their time in the Royal Guard, but they built a rather strong bond during that time. They had been comrades, even brothers. Shining shook his head to dispel the negative thoughts. There was no way that Sky would become a pirate, let alone attempt an assassination on Princess Celestia. Right?

As the prince mulls over everything, Braeburn takes a look around at the docks. The settler pony had never seen ships before, much less any as large and magnificent as the ones here. Ponies load and unload cargo and passengers from each ship as others scurry around the market-like stalls that dot the harbor. After a bit, one pony in particular catches his eye.

“Uh, Mister Prince Shinin’ Armor, Sir?”

“What is it?” the prince asks, slightly annoyed that his thought process is being impeded.

“What was that new pirate pony suppose ta look like?”

“A red or orange pegasus wearing a black coat and hat,” Shining answers as he looks up in curiosity. “Why do you ask?”

“I think I see him down there.”

Braeburn points down towards one of the ships. Shining sees several rough looking ponies loading cargo onto a ship as a pegasus in a black coat barks out orders. Shining moves in for a closer look trying to hurry before the crew finishes loading their cargo. The pony in the coat looks his way giving the prince a clearer look at his dull orange face. The distance makes a positive identification near impossible but it is enough to make the prince stumble a bit. Even at this distance it is strikingly similar to Sky.

Shining hurries faster as the pony follows the last load of cargo onto the ship. The ship itself bears a striking resemblance to the lost prison ship, if not an identical match. Shining continues to tell himself that he is imagining things as he gallops faster. The crowded market area slows him down forcing him to go around and barge through ponies. When he finally reaches the pier, the ship is already sailing off. He watches the ship as it sets off to sea taking with it his first chance in weeks to discover the truth.

“There’s no positive proof yet,” the prince says to himself. “That may not have been Sky. There was not flag flying which means it possibly wasn’t a pirate ship.”

Braeburn finally catches up to Shining, out of breath and breathing heavy. “Was that…him? Whew.”

“I don’t know yet,” Shining says. “But there is only one way to know for sure.”

Though he still denies that Sky has turned pirate, the prince manages to calm himself and realize the reality of the situation. He needs to find Sky and clear up this situation with the assassination attempt and the only lead he had is a ship that bears either Sky or a pony that looks like him. Either way, Shining needs to find that ship. But how?

Shining plans his next move carefully. He could send out pegasi, especially the Wonderbolts, to search for the ship by air. But given the vastness of the ocean, such a search could take weeks even months. Even when they found the ship, Shining would need at least one more ship himself to transport his troops to intercept it. Waiting for the ship to dock again could still take too long, and may result in the ship docking somewhere he could not get to without a ship of his own such as an isolated island out in the middle of the ocean. All options require a ship to track and catch this ship.

“Braeburn,” he says, “we need a ship. I’m going out to sea.”

“Alright. Let’s go!” the settler pony says full of excitement.

“No, you will stay back at the base where it’s safe.”

“Where ever you go, I go,” Braeburn said in protest. “Besides, you said that I need to stay close to you no matter what.”

“This is going to put you in harm’s way far easier than before.”

“That doesn’t matter!” Shining is taken aback at Braeburn’s response. “I want to do whatever I can to help you and that’s final!”

Once again, Shining had to admire the settler pony’s determination. He certainly has the same sense of honor and courage that his cousin has.

“Fine, but you make sure you get some place safe if things turn for the worst.”

“You can count on me Mister Shinin’ Armor, Sir!”

Shining smiles at Braeburn, happy now to have the settler pony with him. He is going to need an optimistic attitude like that to keep him going. Especially, if Sky turns out to be the new pirate captain. Such a thing will make helping his old friend that much harder.

9: Terror

9: Terror

Sky Runner stares out at the horizon of the vast ocean as the Sparrow Hawk hits a wave splashing water on the deck. A smile forms on his face as he thrills in the freedom of the ocean. He looks down from the helm at his crew as they scurry about pulling rigging and performing a variety of other tasks. He keeps his ears open for the cries of the lookouts for word of any ships nearby to prey on. To his right is Jack who keeps a watchful eye on the ship and crew, ensuring all goes well.

As Sky glances over his crew he spots Vinyl Scratch making her way around the deck, barking orders and keeping the ponies on task. Although it is unnecessary for her to do so, since Jack is the quartermaster and is more than capable of doing so, it does keep her busy and make her feel needed. The crew seems to not care who gives the orders and continue with their tasks.

A wind blows past causing Vinyl’s hair and simple coat to flutter as a spray of ocean water mists by. An odd feeling slams Sky in his gut, the feeling of attachment and longing, and he struggles to ignore it. He had felt this way before when he used to look at Octavia and had always had trouble ignoring it. He shakes his head a tries to dismiss these feelings trying to remind himself that he is in love with Octavia not Vinyl. But the past few weeks with the unicorn have caused a shift in his feelings. It is hard to keep Octavia in mind with her being so far away for so long.

Sky manages to get his head back on task at the sound of a lookout reporting sails on the horizon. He looks through the spyglass and sees that the ship is a schooner belonging to the Royal Coast Guard. It is likely a scouting ship but a prize nonetheless.

“Prepare the cannons and stand ready!” he shouts.

“You heard the captain!” Jack relays. “Move!”

The crews takes their positions as Vinyl pushes them to move faster. “Quickly you mules! Load those guns!”

Sky eases the ship closer and holds out a wing. As he closes in he raises his wing, signaling all hands to battle. One pony quickly raises the flag while the rest move the cannons forward to firing position. The flag flying on the Sparrow Hawk has a pony skull, representing death, with a bone and spear crossed behind, representing decay and war respectively. To one side is a pegasus wing, representing swiftness, while the other side displays a bleeding heart, representing no mercy and bloodshed. Sky looks over at the other ship and sees the shocked faces of the guards on board. They never saw it coming.

“FIRE!!!”

The cannons flash, hurling the cannonballs at the opposing ship tearing across the deck and blow holes in the side. The fore mast splinters as one cannonball tears a chunk out of it causing it to come crashing down. Three ponies are caught underneath, one of whom is crushed and killed almost instantly. As the Sparrow Hawk passes by Sky barks out more orders and starts to bring the ship about for another pass.

“Reload! Pull in all but main sails!”

“Quickly now! Half sail!” Jack relays.

Sky straightens up once the ship is fully about and calls out again. “Drop those sheets! All sail!”

Jack and Vinyl continue to relay as Sky brings the ship in for the second pass. With the damage from the last attack the schooner is limping at near half speed. The Sparrow Hawk easily catches up and comes alongside.

“FIRE!!!”

Cannons flash again as cannonballs tear apart more of the ship. Rigging snaps, the wheel is blown apart, and several more holes are blown open in the sides. With the second volley, the schooner loses all momentum and drifts in the water. Sky repeats his previous orders and comes about once more. Once he settles up next to the ship he barks his next order.

“Grapples away! Bring her in and take them!”

The crew shouts and cheers as they hurl grappling hooks and begin pulling in the ship. Sky lets loose of the wheel and heads to the side. He leaps over, spreading his wings, and glides over with his crew. He pulls in his wings and draws his swords, pointing them down and plunging them into one of the guards below. He draws them out and charges another, slashing his side open with one sword and nearly cutting off his head with the other. Two charge form either side but Sky twists out of the way causing them to collide. The pegasus then impales both and proceeds to kill another coming up from behind. Blood spills across the deck as the guards are slaughtered.

The fighting quickly resolves when more than half of the guard crew lay dead on the deck or floating to the bottom of the ocean. The remainder surrender in a desperate attempt to save their lives. Sky’s crew gathers the survivors in the center of the deck and begin plundering the ship. The pegasus captain walks over to the survivors, stepping over bodies and through pools of blood. The guards cower in fear at the sight of the pegasus. Vinyl stands watch and gives a simple salute as he passes by.

Jack walks up next to Sky. “What are your orders, Captain?”

The pegasus captain eyes the guards with distain and turns to head back to his ship. As he leaves he gives an order to the ponies holding the guards.

“Take any resources we can use and anything of value then sink the ship. Kill the living.”

“Aye, Captain!” the changeling answers and proceeds to kill the guards.

Vinyl watches in horror as the first guard is run through. As the guard slumps to the deck, blood spilling from the fresh wound, she quickly turns to catch up to Sky while the others are massacred. She leaps over the rails and moves to intercept him before he gets back to the helm.

“Why did you have those guards killed?” she demanded. “They were unarmed and helpless!”

Sky stares at the unicorn in anger. All the feelings he had earlier resurface despite his fury and he struggles to suppress them.

“For four and a half weeks we have done the same thing to ship after ship and you never said a thing. Why?”

Vinyl’s face of outrage is replaced by a face of remorse. “I couldn’t bring myself to question you. I promised I would stay with you no matter what so I said nothing. But I can’t stand by any longer if you continue to slaughter like this.”

Sky stares her down and lowers his tone. “Why are you here?”

Vinyl looks down at the deck, almost asking herself the same question.

“Why are you here?” Sky repeats.

The unicorn looks up, struggling to hold back her tears. “Why are you here?” she asks. “Why are you killing those who are part of what you used to be a part of?”

“Do you even know why I am on the run in the first place?” Vinyl stays silent. “I was accused of attempting to assassinate Princess Celestia, one of the ruling ponies of Equestria. I was betrayed by ‘her highness’ as well as the entire Canterlot Royal Guard as I was put on trial for a crime I tried to prevent. I was sentenced to death for something I never did. I am sending a message to those backstabbers and that ‘greater-than-thou’ princess.”

Vinyl simply remains silent as Sky rants. Each word is filled not only with hatred and malice but with sorrow and regret. She can hear in his voice and see in his face the betrayal he had witnessed. He cries out for justice along with his revenge. She wants to despise him for his current actions but only sympathizes with his cause. Through all this, her heart beats ever more fervently for him.

Sky turns to take the wheel as the cannons roar once more. The enemy schooner creaks and buckles as it breaks apart and begins to sink, taking all hooves with it. Sky stares straight ahead and signals to drop the sails.

“All sail! All sail!” Jack commands.

Sky continues to speak, now with a lower voice. “I will find out the truth of that assassination attempt and exact my revenge on whoever is responsible. Justice must be served.”

The pegasus goes quiet and Vinyl is left to ponder his words. Her mind and heart are split in two, causing a pain in her head and chest. She desperately struggles to find the right path but it always leads back to the dull orange pegasus standing before her. She has watched him eye her for some time now, struggling to keep his heart open only for Octavia. The white unicorn turns and walks down the steps to leave the captain to his sailing. She stops at the edge of the steps and turns to look at Sky. She whispers softly to herself.

“I will never leave you or abandon you. I will never let you be alone ever again.”

Author's Note

In regards to the images on Sky Runner flag: Pirates of the 17th and 18th century did decorate their flag with similar symbols, each representing things like death, battle, etc. rather than just the iconic skull and crossbones.
In regards to the tactic used by Sky Runner: The tactic of not displaying colors or displaying the colors of a friendly ship was often used by pirates to get close to their victim before launching their attack. A similar tactic was to raise the white flag then strike.

10: Devastation

10: Devastation

Shining Armor walks about the deck of the schooner known as the Guardian Dove. It is a fine ship, clean and pristine, with glowing white sails. The sides are painted purple and blue with gold color trim. It is truly a beautiful ship, one worthy of royalty from the Crystal Empire. The prince still could not believe he has a ship such as this, but the Royal Coast Guard had insisted when he requested a ship for his mission.

“This ship will serve you well, sire. It is sleek and agile, perfect for scouting the oceans,” the Coast Guard had said. “She will serve you well. But be wary, pirates lurk these waters and such ships have fallen victim. The current feared pirate has been called the Demon Captain. He strikes quickly and leaves no survivors. Ships like this have little to no chance of survival should you encounter him.”

At the time, Shining had wondered why they had not given him a larger, more powerful ship. The Coast Guard had explained that their current force is spread thin due to the increased piracy and the new captain’s brutality. Lone ships are easy targets and are told to flee at all costs should they encounter the Demon Captain.

The prince looks about the deck at the ponies at work. Several Coast Guard ponies were about performing several tasks. The guards are on loan given the lack of naval experience on Shining’s part as well as his troops. Shining’s ponies would provide battle assistance in the event of boarding or being boarded, as was the method of combat used on the seas by the pirates who preferred to capture ships rather than outright destroy them.

Over the past two days, Shining had sailed the waters in search of the mysterious brig while Soarin and the other pegasi had searched by air. So far, there was no sign of any pirates, let alone the target ship and no report from the pegasus scouts. Perhaps they are laying low or they simply have not crossed paths yet. The seas are mighty vast with plenty of space to sail without seeing a soul.

Finally, the lookout cries out from the crow’s nest. “Ship ahoy, Sire! It appears to be a brig!”

Shining quickly takes a spyglass and scanned the horizon. He spots the ship, confirming that it is indeed a brig and searches for any colors to identify it. The masts bear dark colored sails but no flag is seen. Is it lost, abandoned, or something else?

The price shouts to the helmspony, “Head for that ship! We will see who they are and ask if they have seen the ship we seek.”

“Aye, Sir!”

The guard ship heads for the unknown vessel as Shining takes the spyglass again. He looks over the ship once more and begins to recognize some of its features. It bears a striking resemblance to a Coast Guard prison ship as well as the ship he saw at the port town. Worry takes hold as the lookout cries out again.

“It appears to be a prison vessel but there are no colors flying!”

“Proceed with caution!” Shining orders. “Stand ready and prepare for the worst.”

The ship closes in with surprising speed giving Shining little time to decide the best course of action. He takes another look through the spyglass to see the ponies aboard the other ship. None are Royal Coast Guard. He looks towards the top to see a black flag being raised. With a final look at the side of the ship the prince sees cannons roll out, giving him his only course of action.

“BRACE FOR IMPACT!” he shouts, seconds before the cannons roar.

Cannonballs tear across the deck and slam against the side. One poor pony is hit dead on and vanishes in a splatter of blood. The ship passes by as two smaller cannons take pot shots across the deck and side. The guard crew scrambles to positions, shaken by the sudden attack. Shining desperately tries to rally the ponies for a counterattack.

“Load all cannons! Bring us about and line up for a volley!”

The crew struggles to cope with the recent carnage and as such are slow to react. Shining watches the other ship circle around and line up for another barrage.

“BRACE!!!” Shining shouts, but his cry is drowned out by the roar of cannon fire.

Rigging snaps and sails are torn to shreds as the volley sails high. With the sails rendered useless, the Guardian Dove is dead in the water. The other vessel continues with pot shots as it comes about for a third volley. Once again Shining is unable to rally his crew. The other ponies run about in a vain attempt to save their lives. A few ponies begin jumping overboard to escape the coming onslaught.

With the other ship in line once more, it lets loose its third volley. The deck is torn apart and masts are snapped. The main mast tips and drops to the deck crushing one pony underneath. Shining looks over and sees one guard with a massive sliver of wood impaled in his side.

“Sire…help me!” the pony cries as he gasps for air and hacks up blood.

Shining rushes over, barely dodging the pot shots from the small cannons of the attacker. He lifts the pony up and drags him over to a small boat on board shouting a final order to the crew.

“Abandon ship! All hooves, ABANDON SHIP!”

After placing the impaled pony in the boat and climbing aboard, Shining uses his magic to hurl the boat into the water. The boat hit the water sending a shock through the prince, rattling his teeth. He searches around to see ponies scattered about the water amidst debris. He looks back at the Guardian Dove to watch the assaulting ship fire one last volley. Wood flies everywhere as a powder keg explodes, tearing a massive hole in the middle of the ship. With so much destruction, the schooner is unable to hold together and snaps in half before sinking to the bottom of the ocean.

The other ship passes by, giving Shining the chance to see the captain, his attacker. The pony captain stares down at the small boat from the helm. He wears a black coat and hat, each trimmed with gold color. His face is a dull orange and each one stares the other in the eyes. The prince instantly recognizes him. Sky Runner.

Shining watches in horror and disbelief as Sky sails about and commands a final volley at the field of debris before sailing off. The shots barely miss Shining’s small boat, yet he hardly notices them at all. When the adrenaline finally wears off, the prince notices he is sitting in something wet. He looks down expecting the boat to be leaking or flooding but finds a pool of blood from the impaled pony who now lies dead from his injuries. The prince stares off in disbelief into the distance even as Braeburn reappears. The settler pony had been lost during the chaos and fortunately only sustained minor injuries.

“Mister Prince Shinin’ Armor, Sir!” the settler pony shouts with no reaction.

Braeburn stays with the prince and the three other survivors until Soarin and his group arrive on the scene and rescue them. The settler pony briefs the Wonderbolt about what happened. Shining remains silent the entire trip back to the base, unable to contemplate the event that just took place. His old friend was now his enemy, and a ruthless one at that.

11: Decisions

11: Decisions

The Sparrow Hawk cuts through the open sea, rising and dipping with the waves. Sky Runner keeps his eyes forward as he steers the ship, maintaining a steady course towards their current base of operations. Despite his deep focus, his mind continuously drifts back to the sight of Shining Armor staring in disbelief from a small rowboat. Sky still cannot understand what the prince of the Crystal Empire was doing out in the ocean on a ship belonging to the Royal Coast Guard.

“Bring us to half sail!” Jack shouts from Sky’s right.

Anger peaks in the pegasus captain who responds to the defiant order. “Belay that!”

“Half sail now!” Jack repeats and turns to talk to the captain before a counter order can be given. “We need to talk.”

Sky stares at the changeling filled with rage. “All stop! Haul in all sails!”

The crew furiously scramble to respond to the changing orders confused at exactly was going on. Sky releases the wheel and walks past Jack on his way to the steps.

“My quarters, now,” he demands, whispering low.

Sky sits at the desk in his quarters as Jack closes the door, giving the two privacy to talk. For several moments the two sit quiet, each giving the other time to prepare for the argument to come. Jack is the first to break the silence.

“I want to know why we sunk that last ship. We lost valuable resources from that.”

Sky puts his hooves together and leans forward as he answers.

“Last time I checked, I was the captain of this ship. Besides, the lost resources can be gained later. Plus the crew seemed rather thrilled to watch that ship get obliterated.”

Jack remains quiet for a moment as the pegasus leans back.

“What else is on your mind,” Sky asks.

“Before you ordered the barrage on the debris, you saw some pony amongst the survivors that I think you knew. Who was it?”

“Why should I answer that question?”

“Who did you see? Was it someone you wanted dead or someone you want to forget?”

Anger takes over Sky’s face as he quickly gets up and walks over to the changeling. Jack’s ability to read Sky is uncanny and threatening. He hesitates for a fraction of a second before answering, debating what he should do about the changeling should he become too difficult to control.

“What difference does it make?”

Jack stands his ground. “That one pony you saw changed your mind on what the next command was. Who did you see?”

Seeing that the changeling would continue to pester him about this, Sky relents and tells him. He maintains his angered disposition and walks back to the desk and sits before answering.

“It was Shining Armor.”

“The crown prince of the Crystal Empire!” Jack exclaims, momentarily losing his self-control. “What reason did you have for attacking his ship?”

“That was a Royal Coast Guard ship. Besides, I didn’t know he was on board until we sank it.”

“But now the Crystal Empire-”

“The Crystal Empire will do nothing.”

Jack stands silent for a moment at Sky’s response. The two maintain the silence for another minute before Sky explains.

“Killing him or not, the empire will still be upset simply because we attacked him regardless of intention. Besides, the crew would not have taken so kindly to withdrawing from a battle that we were winning.”

Jack sighs. “So what now? Things are easy now with Canterlot’s inable to respond due to the distance. The Royal Coast Guard is scurrying about like scared mice. If the Royal Navy or the Crystal Empire, as it is now, were to get involved things become difficult.”

“The navy we can handle,” Sky says. “As for the Crystal Empire, we won’t have to worry about them.”

“How can you be sure?” Jack demands.

“Now that Shining knows that I am the ‘Demon Captain’ that everyone is talking about, he will make it his personal mission to deal with me. He will try to capture me to discover the truth behind the assassination plot and my actions as a pirate. The Crystal Empire will stay out of his way. That is, if he is alive.”

“And if he is not?” Jack asks

Sky relaxes in his chair. “I’ll come up with a plan to deal with them.”

Satisfied with the answers, Jack turns to leave. He stops at the door before opening, turning his head slightly to say one last thing.

“Don’t forget the real mission here. The plan to gather information about that assassination plot and your revenge on Canterlot.”

With that the changeling leaves. Sky waits for a few minutes before leaving himself. As he exits his quarters he passes Vinyl who is standing right outside the door. The white unicorn had followed him, as she has done for some time now, and waited the entire time. She follows him to the helm as he commands to release the sails.

“I overheard a bit of the conversation,” she says after a moment. “How is it you know Shining Armor?”

Sky waits nearly half a minute before answering.

“We used to be friends when we were in the Canterlot Royal Guard.”

Vinyl stands shocked that the pegasus would attack an old friend, even one with so much power as the prince of the Crystal Empire. She holds her next thought seeing that Sky was in no mood to continue talking to any pony at the moment and leaves him to his sailing. Despite several other questions, she decides to wait till later at a better time. On his face is sorrow and regret cleverly hidden behind his anger. She vows to herself never to be the cause of such a mix of emotions. She will be the one to bring joy and bliss to one so tormented in life. This is but a renewal of the vow she made long ago when she first met him and the pain she saw in his eyes. The pain of loss.

12: Determination

12: Determination

Shining Armor stares out at the ocean from the edge of the new outpost trying to wrap his head around the recent onslaught at sea. The base of operations had been relocated to allow easier access to the ocean and aid with cooperation with the Royal Coast Guard. For now, the only the prince can think of is the sight of his old friend commanding a ship that tried to kill him. He replays the event over and over again in his head hoping to find some reason that Sky would attack him. Perhaps he did not know that Shining was on board until they locked eyes. But then, why did he order a coup-de-gras volley on the debris of a sinking ship and a lone lifeboat?

Shining looks down at himself still surprised he survived the encounter with such minor injuries. The rest of the crew had not fared so well. Images of the mangled bodies floating in the water continue to flash in Shining’s head. Of the twenty-five members on board, only two besides the prince and Braeburn had survived. Even worse, one of the two other survivors died from his wounds shortly after arriving at the outpost leaving a total of three out of twenty-five still alive from that attack. Sky is truly living up to his nickname as the “Demon Captain.”

Shining continues to try to understand his old friend’s motives until he hears the soft sound of hoof steps behind him. He turns to see Braeburn who walks over and sits beside the prince. The two sit quietly for a full minute before Shining finally draws the courage to speak.

“How are Soarin’s efforts doing?”

“They managed to recover as many bodies as possible, meanin’ eleven are still unaccounted for. They are busy buryin’ the bodies right now.”

Shining stares out onto the ocean again and both sit quietly for another two minutes before Braeburn summons the courage to ask the prince a burning question.

“How’d you and Sky Runner become friends? I mean, if you and he were friends then he couldn’t have always been like this.”

The prince looks at the settler pony with an inquisitive look then smiles. He looks back out at the ocean before answering.

“Sky Runner and I met when we joined the Canterlot Royal Guard. Shortly after your cousin Big Macintosh joined, one of the few earth ponies to join the Royal Guard. Soarin came in sometime later. The three of us were put together in a squad where we quickly became friends, forming a formidable trio.

“Our superiors took note of each of our skills as well as our cohesion with each other. Sky was one of the greatest fighters I had ever seen and Big Mac was an excellent strategist, as well as wise beyond his years. I was said to be a born leader, but I only noticed it myself later. We continued to prove ourselves and were granted a great honor, joining the Elite Guard.”

Shining sits quietly for a moment staring out at the ocean. He smiles as the memories fill his head. Despite these happy memories, his face hides a deeper sadness. Braeburn listens, waiting for the part that is bringing so much sadness to the prince.

“When we joined the Elite Guard,” Shining continues, “we remained together as a squad, joined by Soarin and two mares. Soarin had been added because of his speed and scouting skills while the mares had exceptional skills of their own.”

Braeburn nearly asks about the two unnamed mares but keeps quiet. The mere mention of the two brings about more sadness in the prince prompting the settler pony to wait until a later time.

“After a while, the time came to choose the next Captain of the Royal Guard. As much as I wanted the position, I was sure that Sky would get it. His tactical skills rivaled that of Big Mac, who he always challenged to games of strategy, and he was a better leader than me. But Sky was turned down because his tactics always took high risks and he was always hot-headed, unable to stay calm.

“Big Mac had left the Royal Guard by this point, having left when our group disbanded. And Soarin had transferred to the combat wing of the Wonderbolts. He was still too young anyways. The other two…well…they were gone.”

Again, sadness overcomes the prince as he mentions the two mares. Braeburn keeps quiet and allows the prince to continue.

“In the end, I was chosen to be the next Captain, a decision that Sky resented for a while. He tried to hide it but I saw it. Even so, he still followed my lead. I decided that he would be my successor when I left. It was the only thing I could do for him.”

Shining stands and takes a few steps towards the coast. He picks up a rock and sends it sailing out into the water were it vanishes amongst the incoming waves. Frustration paints the face of the prince as he watches the waves climb the shore before retreating.

“I still can’t understand how, why, he would end up like this,” he says. “I have known him to enjoy fighting and have his moments of violent outbursts, but this…this is beyond anything I’ve ever seen in him.”

Braeburn snaps to attention and gives a salute, smiling as big as he can. “Well then Mister Shinin’ Armor Sir! What is our next step?”

Shining turns to the settler pony and can only smile back. Braeburn definitely has a way of lifting one’s spirit. The prince smiles and returns the salute.

“We need to acquire a new ship and find Sky Runner again.” His salute drops slightly as his emotions weigh on him once more. “If at all possible, I need to talk with him and figure out what is going on with him. I want to know why he turned against the crown and to a life of piracy instead of coming to me for help. I would have done anything to right the wrong against him.”

The somber moment is broken as Soarin flies over with a member of the Royal Coast Guard in tow. The pegasus salutes and begins his report once the other pony catches up.

“We finished burying the bodies and are ready to move out.”

“Thank you,” Shining replies, his mind still not quite at ease at the loss of so many.

“I hear you need a new ship my lord,” the other guard says.

“Unfortunately yes. I am sorry about the other one. Can you help us?”

“As a matter of fact, we just finished construction on a new ship. Given your recent encounter and the fact that you still wish to pursue the Demon Captain, it is only fitting that you receive it as your own.”

“I am very grateful. I will take great care of this one.”

The guard bows and leaves the three alone. Determination builds inside of the prince. Now he is ready to face Sky again. This time, he will be ready.

13: Secrets

13: Secrets

Sky Runner navigates across the tossing waves of the ocean. To his right, Jack eyes the crew, ensuring that they stay on task. To his left is Vinyl Scratch. While Vinyl normally had wandered the deck barking orders, she now opts to stay be Sky’s side. It has been that way since the argument with Jack regarding the attack on Shining Armor. Since then, she had been less inclined to question his actions when taking ships, almost as if she felt her opinion did not matter, only his. Sky had considered asking the unicorn why she stuck so close to him, but he enjoyed her being around. With his life the way it is, it does give him some semblance of normalcy.

Off in the distance, Sky spots a white spot on the horizon. He takes his spyglass and peers out to see a ship just as the lookout calls out the sighting. As he closes he notices that the ship is a brig design like his, one outfitted for combat. The Royal Coast Guard are definitely stepping up in firepower to combat the infamous “Demon Captain.” Despite that, it is still a lone ship, and a perfect target to test out a new set of weapons.

“Make ready for battle!” Sky barks.

“You heard the captain! Move it!” Jack shouts, reinforcing the order.

“Load up my new toy!” Sky says with a sinister smile, referring to the newly installed mortar cannons.

Ponies scurry about, loading cannons and taking their positions. Sky eases the Sparrow Hawk towards his victim and begins calculating the distance and angle for the mortars. To ensure an early decisive blow, he waits until the ship is within range of his forward guns. By now the other ship has no doubt already noticed that they were being targeted and were beginning preparations for their own strike, but they are still too slow. Sky smiles as he gives the order.

“FIRE!!!”

The two mortar cannons roar as they lob heavy shot onto the enemy deck. At the same time, the forward cannons cry out, sending chain shot into the masts and rigging. The mortar shot pummels the opposing deck while the chain shot snap and twist rigging as well as break through the fore mast. After the initial onslaught the two ships glide forward, lining up for broadside fire. The victim crew is disoriented and slowed granting Sky the first strike.

“FIRE!!!”

The port side lights up as though breathing fire sending cannonballs crashing into the opposing ship’s side. With such a heavy barrage in the first strike, the guard ship fails to launch a strike. The two ships slide passed each other, the guard brig burning from the heavy assault. Sky calls for half sail and comes about for another strike. As the ship turns, he calls for another mortar barrage.

Mortar shot rains down on the guard brig while the Sparrow Hawk lines up for another broadside barrage. A call for fire and the port side once again breathes its deadly flames. Cannon shot tears into the opposing vessel and brings down the rear mast and nearly causes the main mast to collapse. The small swivel guns fire repeatedly at the vulnerable sections of the ship causing more destruction. Seconds later, Sky calls for all fire to stop. It is time to board.

Sky eases the Sparrow Hawk alongside the opposing brig to allow the grapples to grab hold. Once locked on, he releases the wheel and charges to the side with Vinyl close to his side. The pegasus leaps and glides across to the other deck. He draws his swords and bears down on two guards standing on the side waiting to repel the boarders. Sky plunges his blades into the guards bringing his hooves down on their heads killing them instantly. Vinyl materializes beside him and the two split off to cut down more of the crew. Sky tackles another guard and impales him with his blades. He pulls out his swords and cuts down two more guards before they bring down their own blades on him. He charges again and hacks off the head of the ship captain before cutting down two more guards. Seconds later the overrun guards surrender.

Sky walks over to the center of the ship where his crew are gathering the prisoners. He puts away one sword as he walks up and down the line of guards huddled together. Fear is on the face of every pony as the "Demon Captain" licks the bloodied blade. He stops for a moment and examines his sword.

“I wonder if there are any among you who know about the assassination attempt on Princess Celestia not too long ago. If such a pony were to speak up, I may be inclined to show mercy on the others.”

The guards stare at the pegasus in fear, afraid to speak. A couple begin to murmur, prompting Sky to turn to them.

“Well?” he asks. “Anyone?”

The guards keep quiet out of sheer terror causing Sky’s patience to wear thin. Finally, one pony speaks up.

“Why should we tell you anything?” he demands.

Sky remains silent, anger in his eyes. He reels back and plunges his sword into the closest guard’s abdomen.

“That’s why,” he replies.

He pulls out the blade letting the lifeless guard slump to the deck as blood pools underneath him. The others stare in fear knowing they would be next if the pegasus did not get the answers he was looking for. With the others still silent, Sky draws his other sword and moves to execute two more. Another guard yells out as the Demon Captain beheads the ponies.

“Wait!”

Sky looks over to the outspoken pony as the two heads roll across the deck. “I’m sorry. You were saying?”

The guard stands up, determined to end the slaughter. “I know about the assassination attempt.”

“I’m sure you do,” Sky says with demented sarcasm. “But the real question is, what do you know that I don’t?”

The pony swallows hard before answering. “I was part of a coup d'état trying to overthrow Princess Celestia.”

Sky lowers his swords and stares with intrigue. That would explain the activity leading to the incident.

“The coup failed,” the pony continues, “and we moved on to our fall back plan, the assassination of one of the princesses.”

“But of course that failed as well and I took the blame for attempting to assassinate Celestia.” Sky moves closer, bringing his swords to bear. “Was that part of your plan as well?”

The guard drops to his knees and begins pleading. “I blended back in with the Royal Guard before the assassination attempt. I didn’t know anything about you being blamed until the trial.”

Sky pins the guard down and crosses his swords across the pony’s neck. “Who else was involved? How many? What started this whole thing in the first place?”

“I don’t know, I swear. Please don’t kill me!” The guard whimpers as he begs for his life.

Sky lets up and takes a few steps back. “Vinyl!”

The unicorn uses her magic to pull the pony in towards her and holds her own sword to his neck. Sky turns and signals to the rest of his crew.

“Slay them all and set the ship adrift.” He turns to the whining pony. “Leave him for now.”

“Please don’t!” the guard pleads as the others are slaughtered. “They aren’t involved! Let them go!”

Sky quickly moves in close. “This is all your fault. If the coup had not even been attempted, I would have a good life and you would never have gotten into this position. Now they will suffer for your actions. The mercy they receive is being killed now and not made to suffer.”

Sky begins walking off when Vinyl speaks up. “What do we do with him?”

Sky is silent for a moment then turns back. “I have something special in mind for our traitorous friend here.”

The pegasus smiles sinisterly. It is time to send another message.

14: Motives

14: Motives

Shining Armor walks the deck of his new frigate as it sails across the churning ocean. It is a magnificent vessel, a significant improvement from the small schooner destroyed by Sky. Like the Guardian Dove that he sailed before, this one is painted with the same purple and blue pattern with the gold trim. It is outfitted with thirty cannons on the sides with an additional two on the bow and four on the stern. Shining had made sure to thank the Royal Coast Guard for providing such a ship for his search. As the ship was now his to command, the prince had been given the honor of naming the mighty vessel. He instantly knew the perfect name, the Crystal Princess.

Walking besides Shining is Braeburn who gawks at the massive ship as they walk the deck. Even now the settler pony struggles to overcome the culture shock of life at sea. Soarin sits up at the helm issuing orders for the helms pony. After the attack by Sky the Wonderbolt had insisted that he stay with the prince for the remainder of the journey. Shining had eagerly accepted the pegasus’ invitation.

Shining walks up to the bow of the ship and peers out at the vast ocean. They had been sailing for the past day with no sighting so far. Despite Sky’s standing reputation, he is rather difficult to find. It seems he chooses when he is found with now not being one of those times. Hope and fear both flash through Shining’s mind when the lookout calls out. A ship has been spotted, a brig.

Shining takes a spyglass and looks out in the direction of the sighting to see the ship floating in the water. He commands the helms pony to head towards it and keeps a close eye out. As the Crystal Princess closes in, Shining takes notice of the severe damage to the drifting ship. The few sails that are still attached to the masts are tattered and torn to small pieces. The main mast is the only one of the three still standing and gaping holes dot the side. It was not Sky’s ship but the fact that this one is so heavily damaged does not ease the prince’s worry.

Shining heads to the starboard side as the ship eases in close. The crew throw grappling hooks and pull the brig in close. Shining and Braeburn head over to the wounded brig along with several guards to investigate while Soarin takes command of the Crystal Princess. What the prince finds is a gruesome sight.

“What happened here?” the prince asks out loud as Braeburn vomits on the bloodied deck.

Bodies lie all about with a small pile of mangled bodies in the center of the deck providing a pungent smell. Dried blood covers the deck like a coat of paint. There are three total ponies that had been decapitated, one being the captain. The other two are amongst the pile in the center. The heads are nowhere to be found, likely having fallen over as the ship tossed from the waves. Amongst the bodies, none are found that do not belong to the guard crew. Either none of the attackers were killed or their bodies are already on the bottom of the ocean. Finally, Shining notices a single pony hanging by his neck from the main mast.

“This doesn’t make sense,” the prince says.

“What do ya mean?” Braeburn asks, struggling to hold back the urge to vomit again.

“Why is this ship still floating and why is this one pony amongst all the others hung?”

None of it made sense. Up to now, Sky’s tactics consisted of him attacking ships, slaying the entire crew, and sinking the damaged vessel. Why leave this one adrift and why is one pony hanging from the mast? First things first though.

“Gather the bodies!” he commands. “We are giving these ponies a burial at sea.”

These ponies did not deserve to be left here to rot, plus Shining cannot afford to lug around the more than two and a half dozen bodies to bury on land. As for the one hanging, he calls for a closer look.

“Cut that one down,” the prince says indicating the hanging pony. “I want to take a close look at him.”

A pair of pegasi cut the pony down and bring him to the prince. Shining looks over the pony for anything that would explain why he was hung instead of being slain like the rest. The pony bears some marks of injury, but nothing serious. Likely, he was injured during battle then hung until dead. Surprisingly, the pony was really no one special. He was not the captain nor any officer for that matter. There is nothing about him that Shining can find to cause Sky to single him out from the rest. Was he the lone survivor or just one that rubbed Sky the wrong way? Judging from the body pile in the center of the deck, there were other survivors. Those others had likely been killed by the sword after they surrendered but only this one was killed by hanging. Why?

“Uh, Mister Shinin’ Armor Sir?”

Shining looks over at the sickly looking settler pony.

“Why are you so interested in this one pony? What’s so different about this attack?”

Shining hangs his head as he thinks about his old friend then looks back at Braeburn. “Sky doesn’t do anything without a reason.”

Braeburn looks at the prince, more confused than before.

“Up until now, Sky has always sunk a ship, leaving few if any survivors.”

“But there are no survivors this time.”

“True, but he didn’t sink the ship. The fact that one pony out of forty was hung and the ship is still afloat means that Sky wanted the ship, and that pony, to be found.”

Braeburn tilts his head, still unconvinced. “What makes ya so sure about that?”

Shining is quite for a moment as he stares at the body on the deck. “I’ve known Sky for a long time and he doesn’t do anything without a reason. He would not change his tactics unless there was a reason.

“This here,” he indicates the horrific scene around them, “is Sky’s way of leaving a clue to what’s going on in his head. Remember how I told you he loved playing games of strategy with Big Mac. Well this is him changing his tactics, something he often did to confuse his opponent. This time, he is after something and is leading us using clues like this. There is a hidden message here. He has used this method to communicate with allies in secret back in the day.”

“So what will be the next clue?” Braeburn asks, struggling to wrap his head around this talk of strategies and mystery codes.

“I can’t be sure,” Shining says. “But given the way Sky is acting now, it will likely be another gruesome one like this. All we can do is follow the clues until we figure out the ultimate motive. Or better yet, find Sky and end this before things get any worse than they already are.”

A pair of guards come over and take the hung pony’s body for burial. Shining looks over the scene once more. What is Sky after? For all his talk, Shining is just as confused as Braeburn. He knows how Sky likes to operate, but this is something he never thought would happen. This new Sky Runner, the “Demon Captain,” is someone he does not know. He had never been able to outsmart Sky before, even in simple games. This clue to his plans, is going to be the first in a line of clues and Shining cannot even figure out what “game” the pegasus is playing. The Sky he once knew has become something he can hardly comprehend. Hopefully, he is not beyond saving, even with his mass killing spree.

15: Assault

15: Assault

Sky Runner pulls his swords out of the side of a Royal Guard pony, a sentry for the outpost ahead, and looks around for any others. The forest is dense which, along with the dead of night, provides perfect cover. Sky looks over at Jack who shifts back to his changeling form from that of a guard. He signals and twenty of his crew move up with two cannons from the Sparrow Hawk in tow, each manned by two extra ponies. As they reach the edge of the forest Sky looks down and surveys what they will be up against.

The outpost is large enough to hold two platoons of guards with six foot high walls and twelve watchtowers surrounding it. The pegasus captain will have to be sure to thank the two changelings under Jack’s command for finding this. According to the reconnaissance provided, this is where Shining Armor has set up camp while he searches the ocean for Sky. At the moment the prince is at sea with approximately forty guards with him. Even with that, Sky and his crew are outnumbered. But that is where the cannons come in.

Vinyl Scratch waits on the ship, anchored just offshore. It is far enough out to avoid being spotted and close enough to be in range of the base. As Sky was still unable to fully trust his changeling quartermaster, he wanted Jack close at hand to keep an eye on him. Vinyl was the next in line to take control of the ship. Despite not being able to remain by the captain’s side, the unicorn was more than happy to command the Sparrow Hawk in his stead.

The plan is to station the two cannons on the hill they are on and bombard the outpost from the side. At the same time, the Sparrow Hawk will fire from sea. The two sided fire will cause confusion and help to even the odds. Sky’s other advantage is the element of surprise. With the cannons in place, the pegasus signals Jack who fires a magic flare into the sky. Sky waits for half a second before commanding the two cannons to fire.

The fire from the hill slams into the two nearest towers while the first volley from the Sparrow Hawk rains down on the unsuspecting base. The cannon crew reload and fire again, this time at the gate. The gate is blown open just as alarm bells start to ring out. A second later, the second volley from sea rains down more cannon shot. Sky raises a sword and calls for the attack.

“Charge!”

Sky and his crew charge down the hill towards the smashed gate. Four guards look out at the charging pirates and scramble to stand ready. Two bodies lie on the ground and three of the standing guards are already injured from the cannon fire. The survivors are quickly hacked down by the pirates. Sky enters the outpost as another volley erupts around him and his crew. They hold only long enough for sky to issue on last command.

“Avoid the cannon fire! If you get caught by it, you’re out of luck!”

The assault force breaks up into group of four with Sky and Jack as a group of their own. Sky and Jack charge ahead and cut down four guards headed their way and move on to the barracks. With the sudden attack, most of the guards are dazed and confused still struggling to don their armor or take up arms. Sky finds six ponies grasping for weapons and hacks down three while Jack slays the others. Jack fires a beam of magic at the barracks, setting it to flame.

Another cannon volley rocks the ground ask Sky searches for more guards. A squad moves in from the left and Jack moves in to eliminate them. Sky is stopped short by a cry for help. He turns to find one of his crew members, an earth pony, dragging himself on the ground with a trail of blood behind him. He has several gashes from swords and spears and his back left leg has been blown off by the cannon fire.

“Cap…tain!” the pony gasps in pain. “Help…me! Please!”

Sky stares at the poor soul hacking up blood. “I told you it was your fault if you got caught in the cannon fire.”

Without a second’s hesitation he runs the pony through, killing him instantly. Sky thinks for a mere moment about Jack’s talk about loyalty when the two first met. The lifeless body before him was one that was loyal to character. He believed in Sky enough to beg for help even though he would have died regardless of Sky’s actions. A magic blast sends a guard flying in front of the pegasus prompting him to turn. He stares at Jack who has eight bodies lying at his feet. Is the changeling still as disloyal as ever or do ponies change? Even now, Sky wondered where Jack’s loyalty lies.

Sky snaps out of his thoughts and heads back to the fight. Fire rages all about, engulfing the entire base in a roaring inferno. The cannon fire continues to rain down taking on the appearance of fire from the sky as the flames illuminate the cannonballs. The whole scene looks like the end of the world and Sky is the bringer of doom. Guards begin to flee for their lives or drop and cower in fear at the mere sight of the Demon Captain.

After several more minutes of fighting, Sky signals Jack to send the cease fire signal. The changeling fires a green magic flare into the sky. Seconds later, the last cannonball hits the base and all is quiet save for the fire that still rages. Buildings begin to collapse, some with occupants still inside. Sky’s crew gathers the survivors who have surrendered into the center of the outpost in the fashion that the pegasus has grown fond of.

Sky takes a quick head count of his group to find that nine had been killed, including the one that he himself had ended. A decent survival rate given that they had just gone up against more than eighty ponies from the Royal Guard and the Wonderbolt combat wing. Before him now sits twenty prisoners. Sky walks up to the cowering ponies as fire ravages the outpost. It truly gave him the appearance of a demon.

“Greetings gentlecolts,” he says as he sheathes his swords. “I wonder if I could ask you a few questions. Answering promptly and truthfully will ensure that this whole situation ends quickly and with as little pain as possible.”

The guards remain quiet. A few stare around in horror at the burning building and blood covered bodies that line the ground. Some stare at the “Demon Captain” unable to speak out of sheer terror. Others still stare in defiance, knowing that they still outnumbered the pirates nearly two to one, despite the Demon Captain’s reputation and recent actions.

“Let’s begin shall we,” Sky says as he begins to pace up and down the huddled group. “What do you know about a coup d'état against Canterlot?”

The prisoners keep their silence, either out of fear or defiance. One poor soul begins to moan and whimper causing the other to try and silence him. Sky gives a signal and three of his pirates drag out the whimpering pony in front of the captain. Sky bends over and speaks in a false calming tone.

“I know you’re scared but think. If you tell me what I want to know, all of this will go away.”

“LIAR!!!” one of the defiant guards shouts.

One of the pirates moves over and bucks him across the head, knocking him unconscious. Sky ignores the scene focusing on the coward he had. He holds his wings around the trembling guard, nearly caressing him.

“So tell me. What do you know?”

The guard spasms violently and slumps to the ground. Sky checks him to find he is simply passed out from the overstimulation of fear from such a terrifying event.

“Oh my,” he says with little concern before stomping on the guard’s head, crushing it underhoof.

He looks back at the group. Anger fills his eyes as the rage and fear fill the defiant guards. Sky looks back at the body before him and wipes his bloody hoof on the uniform. He looks back again at the huddle mass and repeats his earlier query.

“Are there any among you who know about a coup d'état against Canterlot?”

Again, the guards remain silent. Sky begins to circle the prisoners, his still bloody hoof leaving a trail behind him. He draws a sword and examines it in the glow of the hellish flames.

“Any pony?”

His question is once again met with silence. Sky stops in front of the group. He stands there examining his sword as a nearby building begins to collapse. He will have his answers.

“Torture it is then.”

One way or another, he will find out the truth behind that assassination. No more is it about clearing his name or even helping Canterlot. It is about revenge. Nothing will stop him from weeding out those responsible and exacting his revenge on them.

16: Aftermath

16: Aftermath

Shining Armor steps off the deck of the Crystal Princess and into a hellish nightmare. His current outpost is little more than a charred remnant of what it once was. Crumbled wall sections and small craters give a clear indication of the cannon fire that recently ravaged the base. Buildings lie on the ground in heaps of ash and soot with dozens of charred bodies buried under beams of charcoal. Bodies line the ground, covered in blood and soot. The smell of burnt flesh fills the air along with the lingering smell of the flames that ravaged the former outpost.

Shining immediately begins a search and rescue operation to recover any pony that is still alive and gather together those already gone. Soarin heads the recovery team while Braeburn stays near the ship, unable to maintain his constitution. Shining explores the base for any evidence as to what had happened and who was responsible, though he has his suspicions. Those suspicions are confirmed at the sight of twelve guards lying in a pile in a large pool of blood at the center of the base. Surrounding the center are eight makeshift gallows with ponies strung up by their necks.

“Sky Runner.”

Shining can hardly believe that Sky would be capable of destruction on this scale. Did he have assistance or is he truly a demon? Sky was well known for his skill in combat and tactical prowess but there is no way that he could have pulled off an attack of this scale. The prince wonders how much he is underestimating his old friend. His thoughts are interrupted momentarily when one of the guards on recovery detail reports a finding.

“Sire, we found nine bodies that do not belong to the Royal Guard or Wonderbolts. We suspect they may have been pirates and were part of the attack.”

“Thank you. Please continue your efforts.”

The guard gives a short bow and returns to the rubble, leaving the prince to ponder. Nine dead from Sky’s group compared to nearly eighty highly trained Royal Guards and Wonderbolts. Saying that he underestimated Sky is the understatement of a lifetime. Shining wonders how many ponies were with Sky during the attack. Given the kill to death ratio, however, it gives him little ease. The fewer ponies that there were with Sky, the more unfathomable this attack seems. This would have to explain the evidence of cannon fire. Only a sudden strike with overwhelming fire power could have evened the odds. But one question still remains unanswered. Why is Sky hanging ponies?

Shining watches as several guards lay the scattered and piled bodies in rows in an effort to keep an accurate count of the dead. They cut down the hung guards and begin to place them with the rest until Shining interjects.

“Place those ponies over here for now,” he says, indicating a space off to the side. “I wish to make my own examination first.”

“As you wish sire.”

The guards place the bodies down before returning to their previous work. Shining looks over the dead for any indication at all as to why these ponies would be singled out amongst so many to hang rather than be executed in the same manner as the rest. There is nothing overly remarkable about them save for that one was an officer. Aside for that the only connection they have is that all eight are unicorns from the Royal Guard. This, however, is unremarkable as well as the majority of the Royal Guards are unicorns. Each is of a variety of ranks, colors, likely other characteristics. One pony is even a rare female guard.

Shining nearly gives up in his futile attempt to solve Sky’s mystery clue until a realization hits him. He recognizes each of the guards that lay before him. He thinks back to when he arrived back at the first outpost with Braeburn and the ponies that gave the settler the foul looks. The eight ponies before the prince were included in that group. Despite this realization, Shining still is at a loss as to why these ponies among all the others were hung.

“What are you after Sky?” he says aloud.

His examines the ponies over and over again, working his brain until it hurt. But for all his efforts, he cannot come up with even one reason why Sky would do this. Sky does not act on a whim. Was he sending a message to the other prisoners before he executed them? Was this some sort of interrogation method? If so, what was he interrogating them about? Was he sending a message to the Royal Guard as a whole? Does any of this happen to have any ties to the assassination attempt on Celestia? Is he investigating it in some cruel, harsh way or seeking revenge for being accused of such an act? Is the old Sky Runner even inside this new “Demon Captain?”

“If the dead do talk, then these only ask questions and give no answers.”

The prince signals to the recovery team to place the hung guards with the rest of the dead. He watches for several minutes as more bodies fill the center of the ruined outpost. Some are charred so bad that their bones are brittle and breaking. Some leave a trail of blood as they are carried to the sorting area. The prince turns and gags, finally recalling the pungent stench of the death, blood, and burned corpses. The shock of the event had dulled his senses earlier keeping him from hardly even hearing anything save for the echo of the ponies as they cried out before dying.

Shining heads to the edge of the base in an effort to escape the horrific stench and the terrifying scene. As he reaches the walls he looks back, realizing yet another question. Why attack this base? Did Sky know that Shining had established his base of operations here? Did he know Shining was out at sea? Was Sky after the prince at all or did he believe that Shining had died in their first encounter at sea?

Shining hurries to the dock to clear his head of the storm of questions whipping about in his mind. For every question he has, a swarm of others follows. What is Sky after? What does he hope to achieve through his actions? Nothing seems to make sense anymore. Shining’s thoughts are given a moment’s reprise when Soarin arrives with the report on the search and recovery operation.

“We managed to recover nearly forty ponies so far with the rest either buried under rubble or missing from the scene. So far, no survivors have been recovered, but we believe it highly unlikely that all were killed in the attack. We expect to find some pony still alive soon.”

Shining gives a deep sigh of depression. “When we find survivors, we will be able to get a better idea on what happened here. I would like to know how Sky managed to overpower so many at a fortified location like this.” He sighs again, trying to keep his mind on the task at hand rather than solving the puzzle that is Sky. “How much longer do you anticipate the recovery will take?”

“Probably another day or two to recover all of the bodies. After that I anticipate about a week to a week and a half for clean up until a properly equipped crew can arrive. Finally another four days or more to relocate to another base and a day to set up. That is if we don’t wait for reinforcements which could add another week.”

Shining gives the idea a moment’s thought. With nearly eighty ponies killed in this attack, their force is now reduced by half. Given the fact that Sky had just succeed in such a large scale attack, having more troops on hand puts more ponies at risk for being slaughtered by the “Demon Captain.” In order to keep casualties to a minimum, the best option would be to keep his numbers limited to the crew of the Crystal Princess and a small reserve unit in the event of casualties at sea. That is so long as the entire crew is not slaughtered as easily as the unit at the base.

“Focus on the recovery effort for now. We’ll deal with the other things once we have recovered all of the dead and given them a proper burial.”

“On it.”

Shining watches Soarin return to his tasks and contemplates the next step. Whatever Sky’s motives, he must be stopped before anything like this base attack can happen again.

17: Devotion

17: Devotion

Sky Runner walks the streets of the rundown port town with Vinyl Scratch by his side. While he still does not fully trust his changeling quartermaster, he has left Jack in charge or acquiring supplies for upgrades and ammunition as well as recruits to make up for the losses sustained during the attack on the guard outpost. Assuming that the changeling was not likely to leave with the ship and crew he decided to give him a bit of trust.

The pegasus captain wanders through the streets of the town curious as to what, if any, information he can gather regarding the assassination attempt and the coup. The shape of a pony in a back alley catches his eye. The pony turns and quickly heads into the alley prompting Sky to follow with Vinyl close behind. He follows the pony through the twists and turns of the rundown town until he ends up in an opening behind the houses. In the center is a well and the pony who is wearing a hooded cloak.

Sky approaches cautiously with a wing resting on a sword hilt as the mysterious pony simply stares into the well. Sky’s eyes dart back and forth, searching for an ambush until the pony at the well speaks.

“I’ve waited so long for you.”

The familiar voice stops Sky dead. Even Vinyl cannot seem to move. The pony turns to look up at Sky and pushes back the hood, revealing her true identity.

“I’ve missed you my love.”

Sky stares in disbelief, releasing the hilt of his sword. Standing before him is Octavia. She is robed in the same enchanting beauty that he knew before with her soft, dark grey hair resting on her shoulder. Her smile is filled with love and care, but something is off. Hidden behind the veil of love is a tinge of fear.

“Please my love,” she says, taking a careful step forward. “Please come back to me. Throw away your hatred and revenge and return to me.”

Octavia takes a few more small cautious steps towards Sky before Vinyl moves to intercede. She begins to speak but Sky places a wing on her shoulder.

“And what do I get in return for leaving with you?”

Octavia is taken aback at the response. Her love was…bargaining with her.

“What do you mean?” she asks. Her smile fades as she is unable to maintain her loving tone. “You would be free from this life of hatred and violence. I don’t want to see you do any of this. And Vinyl-”

“Liar!” cries the unicorn pushing forward and causing Octavia to back step into the wall of the well. Sky is silent for a moment before turning to leave without a word.

“Sky Runner!” Octavia cries as she steps forward only to be blocked by Vinyl.

“You’re a traitor Octy.”

“What? Vinyl, what are you talking about? Sky, come back!”

Octavia can only watch as her former lover leaves her with her now former friend.

“You claim you love him but you left him alone!” Vinyl continues.

“He left me!”

Octavia stops short of continuing her retort as she realizes what she had just said, and how. Regret floods her head and she stumbles into the wall of the well, trying to support herself.

“He left me,” she repeats, tears beginning to build in her eyes.

“I’ve always loved him not because of my own reasons but because I could see the empty hole in his heart. The sadness that he hid from so many even you. I wanted to heal that hole and I have vowed never to leave him alone.”

Octavia can scarcely believe what she is hearing, but Vinyl is right. She did love Sky out of her own reasons never truly thinking about him. Vinyl continues her rant.

“I have witnessed the things he has done first hand. I have begged him to stop those horrendous acts. But still I follow him. I know why he does what he does and I will help him to achieve his goals! I will always stand beside him unlike you!”

Octavia stares in disbelief at her friend and her mad eyes. The unicorn she once called her best friend is gone, replaced by some pony as bloodthirsty as the one she once loved. What has happened to make these two change so much?

“You’re perfect for him.”

Vinyl is taken aback at the statement, unsure how to react.

“You’re perfect for him,” Octavia repeats as she turns her head in disgust. “You’ve fallen into madness and a lust for vengeance just like him. What happened to you Vinyl?”

Vinyl remains quiet. Each statement hits her like a physical blow. She looks into the sorrowful eyes of her friend, unable to respond.

“Vengeance is not the answer,” Octavia continues, looking back at those mad eyes. “Violence only breeds violence. Death only brings more death. Why can’t you see this? You’re not tainted like he is. Your eyes should be clearer than his. Stop this mad quest for his revenge!”

“YOU DON’T KNOW ANYTHING!!!”

Vinyl screams and leaps at Octavia, pinning her to the ground. She draws her sword and holds it close to her former friend’s neck ready to slice her throat. Rage fumes as she prepares to take the life of the one who was once her best friend. Seconds pass and Vinyl simply holds her pose. She stares into Octavia’s eyes which are filled with sorrow and regret, almost begging the unicorn to make the final blow.

Vinyl screams once more before rising and sheathing her sword. She steps back, staring in rage at the grey pony on the ground, crying in pain. No words are spoken. No words can be spoken. The message has been sent. The actions have spoken for themselves. Vinyl walks out of the alley, leaving Octavia to mourn the loss of her best friend and her lover.

Vinyl walks through the town in search of Sky. She needs to know she loves him, know that she is right about the path she has chosen. It is the right path if made out of love, right? She hears the scream of a pony and rushes to investigate. She turns into another alleyway to find Sky standing above four members of the Canterlot Royal Guard, each hacked to death. Blood covers the ground and the walls of the buildings. She looks at Sky as he releases another, drawing his sword out of the pony’s abdomen and allowing him to drop to the ground.

“What is this? What happened?” Vinyl asks.

“An ambush for me. They were lying in wait and Octavia was likely the bait, willingly or not.”

Sky’s tone is cold and unfeeling, despite having recently seen his former lover and having spoken her name just now. He wipes his blade on one of the guard’s uniform before returning it to its sheathe. Sky walks over the bodies and past Vinyl as he leaves the bloody alley. Vinyl simply stares for a moment, questioning her devotion to him. Was she right in following him, helping him? She puts her thoughts aside and follows after the pegasus. She has to be right. It has to be right to follow your heart even if the path is paved with blood.

18: Loss

18: Loss

Shining Armor looks out at the open sea over the rail of the Crystal Princess. His mind continues to drift back to the death and destruction witnessed at the ruined outpost and the numerous questions as to why Sky would attack the base. With so many unanswered questions regarding Sky’s motives, the prince had decided to continue his search for the pegasus. Soarin was back at the remains of the outpost, heading the recovery effort while Braeburn remained at Shining’s side. The prince looks over at the settler pony. A strange feeling stirs within him that this was a mistake.

Perhaps I should have left Braeburn back with Soarin.

Shining’s thoughts are quickly shoved aside when the lookout calls out a ship sighting. Shining takes out a spyglass and looks towards the sighting. A mix of emotions causes his heart to sink and his anger to boil as he spies Sky Runner’s ship. The brig style ship now sports a set of black sails, adding to the demonic persona that the pegasus has adopted. Given Sky’s action in their last encounter, it is doubtful that he will be willing to simply talk.

“Prepare for battle! Load cannons and-”

Shining cuts his order short at the sound of a distant roar. He looks over to see smoke pluming from Sky’s brig. A second later, cannonballs rain down on the Crystal Princess as the deck explodes. Shining looks around to see that several guards are already injured. But there is no time to worry for the wounded.

“Head towards that ship! Stand ready to-” Another roar interrupts. “BRACE!!!”

Fire rains down as ponies scramble for cover. The cannonballs splinter wood and send shards flying in all directions. Shining feels a small splatter on his back and turns to see one of the guards missing his bottom half, blood pooling on the deck. The two ships close the gap between them, each side preparing for broadside fire. Sky’s ship lets loose a small volley of fire from its bow. Several cannonballs chained together in pairs fly in tangling rigging and snapping pieces of the masts. One of the chained pairs hits just below the crow’s nest, snapping the wooden beam and causing the pony to fall to his death on the deck below. His scream is drowned out by the battle cries of the pirates onboard Sky’s ship. Time seems to slow as the two ships come alongside each other. Darkness hangs over the battlefield as storm clouds quickly roll in.

“FIRE!!!”

Shining’s command is a fraction of a second behind Sky’s, giving the pegasus a slight advantage in the volley. Fire erupts from both sides, filling the gap between each ship. Cannon shot tears away at each ship sending wood and metal flying in all directions. Several cannonballs tear across the decks taking a few poor souls with them as they fly towards the opposite end. The prince even hears a bizarre ring as a couple of cannonballs crash into one another in midflight. One such cannonball sails onto Sky’s ship, crushing a pony underneath.

Sky’s assault never lets up even as the ships glide past each other. Several shots from small deck guns pelt the Crystal Princess in vulnerable spots along the side. Powder kegs explode in fire, increasing the heavy devastation. Despite being a frigate, the Crystal Princess is out matched. Sky’s vessel is more versatile and Sky himself is far more adept at sea warfare than the prince. As Sky circles around behind, Shining cries out to continue the attack.

“Fire rear guns!”

The four stern cannons cry out like a dying animal, desperate to preserve its own life only to be drowned out by the roar of Sky’s broadside guns. Cannon shot tears into the back of the ship followed by the screams of the small deck guns, taking the helms pony with it. Without a pony at the wheel, Shining is forced to await the final volley. While the port side has taken severe damage from the initial volley the starboard side is relatively intact. But the damage has already been done. Before Shining can call for fire Sky breaths his flames for the last time. The deck and side erupt as cannon shot tears a gaping wound into the mighty vessel. The small guns are silent this time as Sky circles around like a predator waiting for the moment to go in for the kill.

Shining looks to his side to see Braeburn still present. Miraculously neither are injured, save for minor cuts from flying debris. Sky settles along the wounded port side as grappling hooks fly in. Shining draws his sword, holding it high with his magic. Braeburn takes a sword from a nearby dead guard, shaking but prepared to fight. Thunder crashes overhead as rain begins to fall mixing with the small fires across the deck making for a terrifying battlefield. It is time to end this terror.

Shining lets off several magic shots, knocking two swinging pirates to the ocean. Moments later, the deck of the Crystal Princess is swarmed by the invaders. Shining parries several swords, cutting down two pirates while Braeburn struggles to fend off another. Shining runs the pirate through and begins searching for another. All around him, ponies battle one another, swords flashing in the lightning as blood splashes across the deck, mixing with the sea water. Then, he appears.

Shining watches as the dull orange pegasus soars overhead. He draws two swords using his wings and dives into a helpless guard below, plunging one sword through the abdomen and the other through the neck. Blood spills as the black coat wearing pegasus slowly draws the swords out and turns to face the prince. A look of bloodlust covers his face.

“Braeburn, stay back!” Shining yells as he lunges forward.

Sky easily parries the blow with his twin swords. He spins left, slashing at Shining who rolls to avoid getting cut down. Shining lunges again with a flurry of blows only to be held back by the superior fighter. Sky sidesteps right and sweeps high with one sword and low with the other. Shining gives as small hop and blocks the high blow, the blade still cutting his cheek. When Shining lands, a heavy kick sends him tumbling across the deck and into the side rail. Sky bears down on him, swinging over and over again. Shining struggles to keep from taking a vital strike.

Just before Sky can land a decisive blow, a pony blurs in from the right, slamming into Sky and sending him sprawling across the deck. Shining looks up to see Braeburn standing defiantly before the pegasus. Sky gets to his feet and wipes a small trickle of blood from his lip. He looks at the settler pony in frustration and anger, unwilling to accept the interference. Braeburn grips the sword in his mouth tighter and prepares another charge.

“Braeburn! DON’T!!!”

But the call comes too late. The settler pony charges again. Sky swiftly plunges one sword into the deck and grabs Braeburn by the neck using the free wing before driving the other sword through his heart. Blood spills down Braeburn’s rain soaked body as the sword is withdrawn. Sky nonchalantly tosses the settler pony aside and recovers his second sword. The pegasus takes a few steps towards the prince to finish the fight, spilled blood splattered across his face and black coat. Shining cries out and charges.

“SKY RUNNER!!!”

Before the two can finish their duel, the ship lurches as a large wave rolls across the water, slamming the Crystal Princess into Sky’s ship. Both Sky and Shining stumble as the ship rocks in the torrential storm. A changeling appears from out of the chaos next to Sky, sword held by his changeling magic.

“Captain, the storm is too great we must fall back or we will all be pulled to the bottom!”

Sky stands for a moment on the rocking ship staring at Shining. He takes another step forward in a vain attempt to finish the fight but is stopped as the ship rocks from another wave. He maintains his balance, continuing to stare down at Shining. He huffs in anger and orders his crew to fall back.

“BACK TO THE SHIP YOU DOGS!!!”

The pirate crew retreat to their ship cutting the grappling lines as they leave. With the ship free, the sails drop and Sky steers towards the Crystal Princess. He slams into the side, causing minor damage before sailing out. As he sails off, several flaming barrels fall from the stern and into the water. The small deck guns fire away at the fiery barrels, each exploding and rocking the Crystal Princess more. Shining watches as the ship disappears into the darkness of the storm.

The prince crawls over to the bleeding Braeburn, hoping and praying that the settler pony would live. The storm continues to rage but all seems quite to the prince as he reaches Braeburn, lying in a pool of bloody water. He scoops the pony up and holds him close.

“Braeburn? Braeburn, speak to me!”

Braeburn turns his weary head towards the prince. “I’m…sorry.”

“It’s alright Braeburn. You’re going to be okay, just stay with me.”

The settler pony struggles to raise his hoof in an attempt to salute the prince. “It was…an honor…to fight…by your side…Mister Shinin’ Arm…or, Sir…”

Braeburn’s eyes slowly close as death clothes him. The prince grasps at the limp hoof.

“Braeburn? Stay with me! Braeburn!”

The settler pony’s head hangs as his body goes slack. His gives a final breath and is still. Pain and regret fill the prince who holds the brave soul close. All around him, the sea rages as though it too is crying. Yet one more lost under the command of Shining Armor.

19: Love

19: Love

Sky Runner sits at the desk of his cabin examining one of his twin swords. The blade gleams in the light of several candles reflecting his face in the cold steel. His thoughts drift back to the recent encounter with Shining Armor more than a day ago. He dwells on the moment he nearly killed the pony who had been amongst his friends before that other pony interfered. Could he really have killed Shining? During the first encounter it had been easy to simply fire on the debris field. At that time the death would not have been personal. Shining would have died as a casualty along with all the others. But this time they had been face to face. In the heat of the moment Sky could very well have killed his old friend but now that he has time to reflect on it he begins to question that possibility. And that other pony. The mere thought dredges up old forgotten memories, memories of the two that died so long ago.

Sky slams his hoof on the desk in frustration and anger. He is the dreaded “Demon Captain,” the scourge of the sea. He is the one accused of attempting to assassinate Princess Celestia of Canterlot. And yet his attachments to the things of the past still haunt him, causing him to question his actions. If only Shining had not gotten involved. What reason did that fool have for hunting him? There are no politics involved, only personal feelings. Why can he not let the past die as Sky had done?

A knock at the door interrupts his raging thoughts. “Enter.”

Sky stands and sheathes his sword as the door opens, revealing Vinyl. A look of worry and concern is on her face as she cautiously steps in. Her voice is soft and full of care.

“I was just checking to see if you were alright.”

“I’m fine. Now-”

“No you’re not!”

The words are sharp but still full of care. Her emotions betray her look of calm as she steps forward. The shock of her statement holds Sky in place as the unicorn comes close and nuzzles his neck. Her blue and turquoise hair brushes against his face. Even her horn provides comfort as it rubs against his dull orange body.

“I know what happened to you during that storm,” she says softly. “I watched the whole thing. I don’t know exactly how you are feeling but I…I know what it’s like to face down some pony you used to call your friend.”

Sky simply stares at Vinyl for a moment contemplating the meaning of the last statement. His mind is sent back to the town where he met Octavia. What had happened between the mares after he left the alley? Before he gets a chance to ask, Vinyl steps back and asks a question of her own.

“What happened between you and Shining Armor to make you hate him so much?”

Suppressed memories resurface as Sky recalls that haunted day. A mix of anger and sorrow fills his heart as his mind wanders back to the days of old. Despite wishing to keep the past buried, he tells his story.

“Shining and I joined the Canterlot Royal Guard around the same time many years ago. Because of our prowess and skill, we were moved to the Elite Guard along with four other ponies. One of those ponies was a mare who I fell in love with. Shining was said to be a natural leader and as such was made leader of our squad. But he always has been and still is a fool. He was always slow to act and had a tendency to make tactical errors.”

Sky stops for a moment and turns to his desk, staring in the light of one of the flickering candles. He stands there for a full minute staring into the burning light before continuing his story.

“Then one day…Our squad was on a routine patrol when we were ambushed by a pack of barbarian Diamond Dogs. Shining’s inability to react in time resulted in two of our squad members being killed. One of whom was the mare I fell in love with. After the fight I actually held her in my wings and hooves as she died.”

Anger and sadness arouses in the pegasus as he tells his story as though he is there at the scene once again, holding her as she dies.

“I will never forget the words she said to me that day.”

Vinyl listens carefully but the pegasus is silent, keeping the sacred words to himself.

“At the time, each of us blamed ourselves for the result, but I soon realized that Shining was to blame. It was his inability to react and his pitiful leadership skills that got her killed!”

Sky boils with anger as he speaks, grinding his hoof against the cabin floor. Vinyl starts to take a step forward to comfort him but holds back.

“He is the reason I lost my first love! And after that failure he was still granted the position of Captain of the Royal Guard!”

Sky raises his hoof, ready to smash it against the desk. But a gentle touch stops him. He looks to see Vinyl’s hoof holding his. He looks into her violet eyes and the sorrow they hold. A gentle smile sits on her face as she speaks softly to him.

“Enough,” she says moving close and nuzzling him once more. “I am here now and I will never leave you. I cannot replace the one you lost but perhaps I can heal the hole within your heart.”

Sky is silent. Feeling her gentle touch eases his raging emotions. He wraps his wings around her to take in all the warmth that she willing gives to him. She looks up at him with a final request.

“Dance with me.”

“Wha-”

The pegasus can hardly react as Vinyl pulls on his wings with her magic, dragging him out onto the deck. The crew turn and watch with curiosity. Even Jack cannot divert his attention.

“Play some music!” Vinyl commands and draws close to the one she loves. “Dance with me right here and now. Leave the past behind and focus only on me.”

Sky can hardly complain or object as several crew members begin playing a lively tune. Vinyl begins to move and he falls into step, the two gliding across the deck as the sun sets on the horizon. When the sun finally sets, Vinyl whispers into her love’s ear. Sky eagerly accepts the hidden desire as the pair glides back towards the cabin door and lock themselves within.

20: Mourning

20: Mourning

Crowned Prince of the Crystal Empire. A title of honor and prestige granted to a pony who hardly deserved such an honor. The thought is forefront in Shining Armor’s mind as he steps off the funeral train into Appleoosa. He looks to his left and watches the funeral detail carry the coffin bearing Braeburn’s body off the train. Notifications of the death had been sent out to the entire Apple family two days ago meaning that the extended family would be arriving within the day. The prince can only worry as to how he would explain this to Big Macintosh.

For the rest of the day, Shining can only think about Braeburn’s death. Constantly replaying the moment for any idea of how it could have been prevented only to realize that it could never change. Guilt hangs over him, pressing down on him. The thought of all the other dead under his command since this whole thing started haunts him. Sky had been right those years ago, he was a horrible excuse for a leader.

When the time of the funeral arrives, more than forty members of the Apple family are present. Shining maintains his distance from Big Mac, still unable to confront his friend. The body is carried out with a full Guard squad in tow. Braeburn would be buried with full military honors, it is the least that the prince can do. Laying on top of the coffin is the flag of the Crystal Empire. The coffin passes under an archway of spears as it makes its way to the burial spot before being set down for last words.

“Though he was not a soldier, Braeburn died in a manner befitting a soldier. Had it not been for him, I would be the one dead right now. I owe my life to him and my only regret is that I cannot repay him for his heroics. Though we are sad to see him go, we should be proud to have known such a pony. His heart was the largest I have ever known and he was the kindest that I had known. He thrust himself into the heart of danger for the sake of others and died protecting another.”

All around, Shining can hear the sorrowful cries of the family. Mares weep openly while the stallions fight to hold back their tears. Several small foals cry in response to the adults or stare in curiosity and confusion. Across from Shining, Big Mac simply stares at the coffin, unable to raise his head.

The guards that bore the coffin begin to fold the flag laid on top while Shining steps around, heading towards Braeburn’s immediate family. Braeburn’s father holds his mother close as she cries, unable to contain his own tears. A young mare, Braeburn’s wife, grips a small child close as the tears flow down her face. Shining speaks softly to her.

“Braeburn was one of the bravest ponies I have had a chance to know. He faced down terror and fear always putting others before him. For that, I am proud to present him with the Crystal Empire’s Medal of Valor as well as the Canterlot Royal Guard Medal of Bravery. Please accept them in his stead.”

The flag and medals are presented to the mare who can only throw herself onto Shining, unable to contain any emotion whatsoever. Braeburn’s parents accept the flag and medals in the mare’s stead, allowing the young widow to release the floodgate of tears for her lost husband. A somber tune is played as the coffin is lowered into the ground and buried.

When the funeral is over, Shining quickly leaves as the family goes to condole the new widow and the rest of the family. His guilt is a heavy enough burden as it is. As he makes his way to the train he is stopped by a set of heavy hoof steps. He turns to see Big Mac whose head hangs low in a mix of sorrow and anger.

“I should have gone instead.”

“Then it would be you we just buried.”

“It would have been better if I had died instead of him!”

Realization hits Shining along with the statement. “Is that why you are so quiet my friend? Because of those two who died on that day? I know you loved one and Sky the other but…Sky was right. That day and this one were both my fault. Don’t blame yourself.”

The two friends are silent for a moment. Anger boils within them both. Shining turns to leave but is stopped by Big Mac’s next demand.

“I’m going with you.”

“No,” Shining says without even looking back.

“I will avenge Braebun-”

“And what will vengeance do? Bring Braeburn back to life?” The stinging words silence the work horse. “You’re not involved in any of this as it is. Braeburn chose his path and you chose yours. You can’t change your path just because he died. I’ve seen too many die already at the hooves of one we used to call our friend. I won’t have you go and risk your life so I can watch you die too!”

Big Mac stands in silence, trying to come up with anything to say. But words fail him as they always do. Shining is right.

“I will find Sky and I will bring him down. I know what you’re thinking. This won’t bring Braeburn back just like I said, but I’m already in too deep to just let this go. I will avenge Braebun and redeem myself.”

Without another word Shining steps onto the train with the rest of the funeral detail. Big Mac watches the train leave before meeting back up with Applejack and Granny Smith.

“Everything alrigh’ big brother?” Applejack asks.

The work horse’s response is simple as his responses always are. There is no explanation just an answer to the question. “Nope.”

Shining arrives at the shipyard where the Crystal Princess sits, nearing the completion of the repairs. He looks over to see Soarin waiting with the crew as well as several new ponies, those that will make up for the losses sustained during the encounter with Sky.

“What’s the situation so far?” Shining asks, hardly showing any emotion.

“The recovery is completed. We did manage to find five survivors from the attack.”

“I’ll take their report later. What else?”

Soarin is taken aback by Shining’s attitude but says nothing given the recent events. “The clean-up crew is at the base now and we are in the process of relocating to the next base.”

“Good.”

Shining walks over towards the Crystal Princess. He looks over the mighty vessel and the scars she bears from the devastation. A mix of emotions floods the prince ranging from blind rage to deep sorrow, confusion to determination. Each emotion conflicts with the other leaving Shining lost in his own mind. Regardless of what happens to him, he will end this. Sky must pay for his actions.

“Inform me when the repairs are complete. We sail immediately following the repairs.”

This will end, even if Shining must sacrifice his own life to end it. He must atone for the mistakes of his past.

21: Truth

21: Truth

Sky Runner navigates the churning waters of the ocean like a shark in search of prey. The Sparrow Hawk cuts through the water as it glides between waves. To Sky’s right stands Jack, the ruthless changeling quartermaster, eyeing the crew and ensuring they remain on task. To his left stands his lieutenant, Vinyl Scratch, the image of beauty. Her bi-colored mane moves with the wind making her appear as a goddess of the seas. Sky looks about his mighty vessel and the crew that scurries about it. It had only been a few months since he took to the sea but it feels like a lifetime. And what a life it has been so far. Two weeks have passed since the last encounter with Shining Armor, but now all seems right with the world.

The pegasus captain looks out at the vast ocean through his spyglass, spotting the lone brig as the lookout calls the sighting. The set of red colored sails mark the vessel as belonging to a crew of seafaring bounty hunters, pirate hunters. Sky smiles at the sight.

“So, the Navy is that afraid of us that they resort to bounty hunters to catch us rather than go themselves,” he says to Jack. “I’m almost disappointed.”

“Be glad it’s not a full naval warship,” the changeling replies.

“Still. Any who think they can cross me are sorely mistaken. Besides, we’re still a few ponies short since that last battle with Shining Armor. Perhaps we can persuade a few to join our merry band.” Sky guides the Sparrow Hawk towards the lone victim. “LOAD ‘UM UP LADS!!!”

Sky closes in on the hunter ship, cutting through the water at top speed. The two vessels charge one another as Sky lobs a volley from the mortars. As fire rains down on the hunter, each ship fires their forward guns. Sky’s chain shot grapples with the rigging, tangling and snapping lines. The hunter’s fire is limited to standard cannon shot which causes superficial damage to the Sparrow Hawk.

Despite the quick series of fire, the hunter barrels towards the Sparrow Hawk with full intent on ramming as they pass. Sky meets the challenge and steers towards the oncoming ship. He smiles with glee as Jack cries out.

“BRACE FOR IMPACT!!!”

The two vessels slam into one another as the rams tear away at the opposing hull. Unfortunately for the hunter, the reinforced hull of the Sparrow Hawk maintains integrity while Sky’s ram tears a gash into his prey. As the ships slide alongside each other, Sky calls for a broadside. The point-blank volley tears apart the side of the hunter sending wood, metal, and bodies flying in all directions. When the pass is complete, the hunter’s port side is mutilated with a gaping wound stretching from bow to stern. There is little hope for fighting now as the hunter begins to take on water from the brutal gash. Sky comes about as the crew prepares for boarding.

“Make it quick lads, the poor fish won’t last long!”

Grappling hooks fly across to the dying vessel as the Sparrow Hawk settles along the starboard side. The crew gives several battle cries and begin pulling the ships closer together. Sky leans over to Vinyl who waits for her love, sword drawn.

“My dear would you like to lead the raid?”

The unicorn looks at him with wonder and smiles as she leans in close, giving Sky a quick peck on the cheek. “Anything for you my love,” she says before turning back and shifting her tone. “MOVE IT YOU MULES!!!”

Sky watches Vinyl charge and leap across to the opposing vessel as the rest of the crew follows suit. The white pony gracefully parries and dodges swords as she cuts down several ponies in the fight. A minute later, the remaining hunter crew surrenders.

With the ship filled with a dangerous amount of seawater, the crew brings the prisoners over to the Sparrow Hawk along with any other resources or goods they could get before they are claimed by the sea. With the crew back on board, the grapple lines are cut and the hunter ship allowed to sink to the bottom of the ocean. Sky walks down from the helm to meet with his prisoners.

“I want to make something very clear before we begin,” he says to the frightened ponies, “I would very much prefer to not bloody my own ship so let’s try not to have any violence here. Now, who…”

The sight of two familiar faces stops the pegasus from continuing his speech. Before him sits a white unicorn with blonde hair and a yellow earth pony with green hair. The unicorn is, or perhaps was, one of the guards that went with Sky to check on the princess during the assassination attempt. The other is the slobbering drunk that Sky encountered in the tavern in the port town he arrived in after his escape from Canterlot. Sky gives a demonic smile as he looks at the two ponies.

“Well this is quite a surprise. Two blasts from the past, one of whom should be dead.”

The earth pony stares at Sky with flaming anger while the unicorn takes on a sickly look out of sheer terror. The pegasus signals the unicorn to be brought forward and draws close.

“I have a few questions for you the answers to which will determine your fate. What do you know about the coup d'état against Princess Celestia? I assume you would know as you were supposed to have died during the incident.”

The unicorn sits quietly in fear, eyes darting back and forth as he contemplates his answer. But before he can respond, the yellow earth pony kicks a knife into his mouth and charges Sky. The pegasus stares in admiration for the second that passes as the pony charges. With a swift movement, he knocks the pony’s knife bearing mouth upwards with a wing before giving him a swift kick with his forelegs. The pony flies and slams his back against the main mast, dropping the knife as the wind is knocked out of his lungs. He begins to fall forward but is pushed back up as Sky plunges his twin blades into the pony’s abdomen, pinning him to the mast.

“For a pony who was slobbering drunk when I first met him, you had some skill. Such a shame to lose it.”

The pony can only cough up blood as a response before Sky gives a sharp twist of each blade before violently ripping them out. He drops to the deck as blood spills from his open wounds, pooling on the deck. Sky wipes the blades on the pony’s body then turns back to the unicorn allowing the other to lie on the deck and bleed out. Sky takes a few steps forward, licking the remaining blood from one of his blades.

“I’ll ask again. What do you know about the coup d'état?”

The unicorn’s eyes dart between the pegasus bearing down on him and the knife lying on the deck behind him. His mind races as he tries to avoid death.

“The coup was part of a conspiracy against Celestia,” the pony says as he stalls for time.

“For what reason?” Sky asks, still stepping forward.

“Some said Celestia was weak. Others blamed her for doing nothing during catastrophes like Nightmare Moon and Discord.” The unicorn’s eyes continue to dart back and forth between the pegasus captain and the knife.

“Who organized the conspiracy?” Sky asks, now within a few feet from the unicorn.

The pony doesn’t answer. Instead he charges his magic to levitate the knife in an attempt to throw it at his attacker. The effort is in vain as Sky twists and avoids the knife and plunges a blade into the unicorn’s right foreleg, thwarting his concentration. The pony screams in pain as Sky moves in front of his victim and crosses both swords at his neck.

“Who organized the conspiracy?” Sky repeats.

“Changelings.”

The word is his last as Sky scissor cuts his head off. The head rolls as the body slumps to the deck, blood spilling from each. Sky wipes his blades on the headless body before sheathing the twin swords. He stares at the body before him and gives his next command.

“Slay the rest and toss the bodies over. Leave these two.”

The prisoners cry out in a collective scream as they are slaughtered. Sky continues to stare at the headless body and calls out.

“Jack! You and I are going to speak in private.”

Sky turns and enters his cabin as Jack descends the steps from the helm to talk. Inside the captain’s cabin, Jack closes the door while Sky simply stands in front of his desk, watching a flickering candle. There is a full minute of silence before the captain speaks.

“No more secrets. For what reason were you ostracized from your kingdom?”

Jack sighs and collects his thoughts before answering.

“After the failed attack on Canterlot, I formed a splinter cell to redeem that failure. The plan was to topple the government from the inside. Using our powers, we posed as ponies to spread rumors and spawned a conspiracy against the princesses. Unfortunately, the ponies initiated the coup d'état too early and it failed. I was, however, able to attempt an assassination of Princess Celestia using your appearance before killing any who knew that we were involved. Upon my return to the kingdom, I was branded a traitor as my actions were my own. More so because of my failure to accomplish anything. Besides the other two changelings on deck, I was the only one to escape execution.”

Several seconds of silence pass before Sky draws a sword, spins, and stops short of cleaving off Jack’s neck. The changeling stands firm as the blade draws a small trickle of blood. He stares at Sky who looks at the floor in a mix of rage and amusement. The pegasus gives a low laugh but holds his sword at the changeling’s neck.

“I’m not sure if I should kill you or thank you. You are the reason that I lost so much. But at the same time I have gained so much more because of you. I don’t know if I hate you or love you. You are my enemy,” he slides the sword back and returns it to it sheathe before looking up, “and a valued member of this crew.”

Sky’s shifts to his captain demeanor and steps next to his quartermaster. The two stand side by side as Sky continues.

“None of this leaves this room. Your loyalty is deeply in question so your actions in the near future should be chosen with great care. I want a full list of the conspirators and those involved in the coup d'état.”

Sky steps forward and opens the door before Jack speaks, never once looking back.

“What about the two ponies you just killed?”

“I have another message to send,” Sky answers in kind before closing the door, leaving the changeling alone to ponder his future.

22: Message

22: Message

The responsibility for avenging Braeburn weighs heavy on Shining Armor as he steps off the deck of the Crystal Princess and onto the dock of the current base of operations. Two weeks have passed since Braeburn died with a week and a half of which being used to search for Sky Runner. Sky’s activity had continued since their encounter and yet he is always a step ahead. The chase is beginning to look like a wild goose chase making the prince feel like he is grasping for the wind.

Shining’s mind dwells on all of the events over the past few months as he struggles to figure out the thoughts of his former friend. In truth, he never could figure the pegasus out but recent events have left him more confused than ever. The assassination attempt itself, the event that triggered it all, was the most enigmatic. If Sky truly was guilty then why would he do such a thing? If Sky was not the perpetrator, then who was really responsible and why commit such an act in the first place?

“SHINING!!!”

The shout from Soarin shakes the prince out of his ponderings and back into the bloody reality he has come to live in. Hanging from the entry way of the base are two bodies, each having experience a different method of death. One is a yellow earth pony with green hair hanging by his neck with two stab wounds in his abdomen. The other is a headless white pony hanging by his forelegs in a crucifixion style. The headless pony’s chest had been sliced open and his ribs pulled back which now hang behind him like a set of bony wings. Blood drips from the carcasses, more so from the headless one. The mere sight alone is enough to make Shining turn and vomit while the smell is suffocating.

“Cut them down…hurk…quickly! And cover the bodies!”

Shining looks up once more to see the headless pony’s disembodied head resting on the head of a blood soaked spear. The prince vomits again and quickly turns to leave. He heads to the edge of the water to soak his head in an attempt to restore his constitution. He looks out at the water struggling to figure out what had happened here. Since neither of the executed were members of the Royal Guard, then why were they being hung at a Guard base?

“Shining Armor?”

The prince never looks back as he knows who is there. “What’s the report Soarin?”

“It seems that both were hung after they died and there is no blood trail. We’re still not sure how they were hung here without any pony seeing. Also, there was a note attached to the headless pony. You may want to look at it. It’s from Sky.”

Shining continues to stare out at the ocean. The gentle waves wash up the sandy shore before retreating back. The ocean breeze blows through his mane as he watches the sun set on the horizon. Such a peaceful sight for such a horrendous day. The prince continues to stare out at the ocean without responding.

“Shining?” Soarin says after a half minute of silence before being cut off.

“I was never able to beat him,” the prince says, never taking his eyes of the ocean.

“I’m sorry?”

“Sky. I was never able to beat him in any kind of fight. Sparring, verbal arguments, and apparently high seas warfare. I think I know why now.”

Soarin sits and listens to the prince, unsure what to say or do.

“He was always more confident in himself than I was of myself. After that day, he never wanted to experience loss like that again and went through great pains to make sure of that.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Soarin exclaims.

“I know how he felt that day now!” Shining says as he slams a hoof into the sand. “On that day I watched him hold her close as she died. When Braeburn died, the same thing happened to me.”

“I’ll repeat my question. What dos that have to do with anything?”

The prince is silent for a moment then finally answers. “I…I don’t…It doesn’t. It’s just been on my mind since the funeral. I guess I just needed to get that off my chest.” He shakes his head to clear his mind then turns to the pegasus. “Let me see the note.”

Shining takes the note from Soarin and looks it over. The paper is ragged and damp from the blood but still readable. Its contents identify the headless pony as a former member of the Royal Guard who was supposed to have died during the assassination attempt as well as a list of several other guards involved in a supposed conspiracy against the crown, some of whom are among those with Shining. A final message is written at the bottom.

‘I advise you to find the conspirators before I do. The two ponies you see are an example of what shall befall any who get in my way. That does include you my old friend.’

As Shining looks over the note and the list of names, he thinks back to the ponies found hung prior to now. Were they possibly conspirators against the crown or hung as a message? There is one way to find out.

“Soarin,” he commands, “I want a list of all of the guards that have been under my command since we began this operation. Once that is done, send a secret letter to Princess Celestia informing her of the possibility of a conspiracy against her and her sister.”

“Right!” the pegasus responds as he starts to leave only to stop short for a last question. “What about any of these supposed conspirators with us now?”

“We need to keep the information about the conspiracy to ourselves. If we told any pony, they would be tipped off and either flee or fight their way out. Either way, we can’t afford to fight or lose as many as the note suggests we have. Besides, there is no solid proof of a conspiracy. Given Sky’s recent life choice, no pony will trust his word alone. When you tell Celestia of the conspiracy do not reveal the source otherwise she may dismiss the possibility.”

Soarin sighs. “Alright. For the sake of Canterlot, I hope you’re right about this.”

Shining stares out at the ocean again as the pegasus flies off. With the possibility of a conspiracy, there is a chance to clear Sky’s name as an assassin. Sadly, it would not change the actions he took following that night. He looks at the note once more and the message at the end. Words on paper could only say what was written. He needs to talk to Sky face to face about this and discover the truth. If the conspiracy was real, Sky is the only one with the truth right now. With Sky’s pirate activities on the line still, perhaps things could be ended with such a face to face encounter. Though such an encounter could prove fatal.

23: Confrontation

23: Confrontation

The sun slowly sinks towards the ground as the rundown port town below begins shifting from the open daytime activities to the secretive activities of the night. Wandering through the filthy cobblestone streets is the prince of the Crystal Empire, Shining Armor, wearing a grey colored cloak to try and hide his identity. His secret does not go unnoticed as a second pony walks across the ragged rooftops. The second pony stalks the prince as he wanders through the thinning crowds until he comes to an open back alley.

Shining listens to the clicking hooves on the roof tops and watches as a pony gallops from roof to roof before gliding down on vulture like wings. Before him stands Sky Runner in his black, gold trimmed coat. His black hat is tipped down, partially covering his face as the pegasus looks up and tucks in his wings. The tips of his wings rest on the hilts of his swords while Shining throws off his cloak and takes a ready stance.

“You didn’t come here to kill me did you my old friend?” Sky says, adding sarcastic emphasis to the last two words.

“And what about you Sky?” Shining asks, still holding his ready stance. “Will you talk to me or would you rather just kill me now?”

Sky begins a slow circle around the prince as he speaks. “I suppose since you came out all this way to see me, I’ll listen. I take it you still have questions.”

Shining keeps a close eye on the pegasus circling him like a shark. “Why didn’t you come to me for help after the assassination attempt? Why did you have to handle things by yourself, do the things you did during your escape?”

“You’ll have to forgive me for not trusting any pony,” Sky replies, anger beginning to build in his voice. “I was betrayed by the Royal Guard and even the high-and-mighty Princess Celestia herself. They were going to kill me for something I was not involved in and I wasn’t overly fond of that idea.”

“I still would have helped you. You could trust me.”

“Trust you?!” Sky stops for a moment and stares at Shining with burning hatred. “Trust you? The last time I trusted you, two ponies died! You caused their deaths as though you had killed them yourself!”

“Is that what this is about?”

“No Shining this is about revenge! This is about getting what I deserve!” Sky continues his circling, moving quicker than before. “I gave you the truth about the conspiracy so go do something with it! I could care less if they try again and go so far as to kill you and Cadence next time! I have lost so much because you were favored more than me and then because of some pony who didn’t like who was in charge! I didn’t deserve any of that and now I have everything I was owed in life!”

“What’s happened to you? This is not the Sky who was my friend!”

“My eyes were opened, that’s what happened! I realized that life only takes things from you. You can never earn anything, you can only take it. Now you see that as well. You came after me trying to restore what was lost only to lose much more than you were willing to give. For everything you ‘earned’ life has now taken away.”

Sky stops once again in front of Shining, staring away from the prince. His wings slowly grip the hilts of his twin blades as Shining readies his own sword. Sky speaks once more just loud enough for Shining to hear. His voice is filled with rage and hatred, though with only the slightest hint of sorrow. “And now you will lose everything else.”

Shining draws his sword as Sky draws his twin blades and performs a spinning slash. The prince brings his blade to bear with but a split second to spare, blocking Sky’s blow before it cleaves his head off. With the blades locked, Sky throws out his front hooves, kicking Shining in the face and sending him stumbling back. Shining recovers just in time to block another slash and duck the one following. He leaps to the side to add a bit of distance as Sky gives a shout of rage before charging.

Shining meets Sky’s advance, clashing with the twin blades. Each fighter parries and dodges blow after blow as they kick at one another with their front hooves. Move for move, the fighters stand as equals as Shining’s magic compensates for Sky’s duel wielding. The clashing blades ring out a song of hatred which echoes in the alley.

Sky blocks a blow with both swords and twists, wrenching Shining’s blade from his magical grasp sending the blade clanging across the cobblestone. The prince ducks his head to fire a magic blast as Sky continues his turn. The pegasus gives the prince a sharp buck in the jaw just as he fires. The shot goes wild, illuminating the night sky. Shining sprawls back and lands on his back as Sky pounces bringing his blades down to run the prince though. Shining kicks out all four legs sending Sky flying back into a wall and knocking the wind out of him.

Shining stands and calls back his sword with his magic and charges the stunned pegasus. Sky blocks and kicks Shining in the face once again with his forelegs. As the prince is sent sprawling once more, Sky sheathes his blades and ascends to the rooftops to catch his breath. Blood drips down Shining’s mouth as he watches his opponent circle around and fires a magic blast. The blast strikes in front of Sky, just short of his legs, stopping him.

Sky leaps down, drawing his blades in midflight. He knocks Shining’s sword away again and pins the prince to the ground, crossing his blades before his neck. Shining waits for the final blow that never comes. He looks up to see Sky staring in rage and hatred but unmoved. The blades grind against one another drawing dangerously close to the prince’s neck. Yet Sky does not kill his former friend.

“Aren’t you going to kill me? Take away everything from me?” Shining mocks.

“Shut up!” Sky shouts, still unable to make the finishing blow.

“You don’t want to kill me do you?” Shining’s voice is now soft, almost caring. He eases and lets the look of rage slip from his face and stares in compassion. “Life has not been kind to you, I get it. Every time something good happened, it only took a turn for the worst. But revenge and slaughter won’t change anything. Sky-”

“JUST SHUT UP!!!” Sky shouts as confusion and inner conflict mixes with his rage and hatred as a single tear marks his eye. “What do you know about what I’ve gone through?! Nothing! You got everything! I worked so hard, struggled through so much and still lost it all! Now I have everything I could ever dream of. Power, riches, respect, love. Who cares if I had to pave the way with blood? I took everything I deserved and gained more!”

“But are you trying you regain what was lost or replace it and forget the past?”

Sky continues to stare at Shining, rage boiling over. He moves closer to cut off the prince’s head only to gently slide the blades across his neck and draw a small amount of blood. Sky fights with himself, struggling with the choice to kill his former friend or let him live. Finally, Sky stands and turns as he returns his twin blades to their place.

“I gave you the information about the coup so do something with it,” he says, never looking back. “Save your precious kingdom and never pursue me again. If we ever meet again, it will be the last time. Nevermore shall we meet after that, in this world or the next. Mark my words.”

“Sky!” Shining calls out, but the pegasus spreads his wings and takes to the sky. The prince watches as his former friend soars behind the ragged buildings and disappears. “Are you so sure of that my friend.”

24: Preparation

24: Preparation

The Sparrow Hawk drifts across the calm, quiet ocean. Despite being at full sail, the waters and wind are all but dead. Not a wave to be seen as far as the eye can see, not a breeze to be felt. Sky Runner sits at the helm, guiding the slow moving vessel through the calm open waters.

“An eerie sight for such a bright day,” Jack says. “Something foul is amiss.”

“It’s the calm before the storm,” Sky says, never taking his eyes off the ocean.

Jack looks at the sky only to see clear blue and a bright sun. “No clouds, no wind, nothing. Are you sure there is a storm brewing.”

“I never said what kind of storm,” Sky says before releasing the wheel. “Take the helm. I need to walk.”

The changeling grabs hold of the wheel as Sky heads down the stairs of the helm with Vinyl Scratch following close. Jack watches as Sky heads to the bow to stare out at the calm ocean with his love standing close by. Something is bothering the captain, that much is obvious. Yet, he seems to be preparing for something inevitable. Jack can only guess at what that may be.

Shining Armor peers out at the still ocean waters from the bow of the Crystal Princess as ominous storm clouds slowly follow behind. His mind can only think of his latest encounter with Sky. For all the rage, anger, and hatred that the pegasus carries, he stayed his blades instead of killing the prince. Why? Despite whatever bloodlust drives him forward, he still cannot kill his old friend. Or can he? During their first encounter Sky nearly killed Shining, yet the final volley only struck water. Did he really try to kill the prince or just scare him off? Their second encounter saw Sky brutally kill Braeburn and nearly kill Shining again. But that time the rough seas had intervened. Or did Sky hesitate once again, regardless of the state of the waters?

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

Shining turned to see Soarin walking up the deck and stand beside him. The pegasus stares out across the eerie calm ocean without a word. The two sit in silence for a moment watching the calm waters.

“He needs to be stopped,” Shining finally says, “one way or another. The only thing I’m not sure of is my own reasons for stopping him. As much as I may want revenge for Braeburn, killing Sky won’t change anything. We’ve known each other for so long, I wonder if either of us can kill the other.”

Soarin looks back at the grey mass of clouds following the ship like a scavenger following a doomed animal. He looks ahead again as he speaks.

“There’s a mighty storm brewing. Looks pretty bad.”

Shining continues to stare out at the ocean. “That may be, but the storm I see coming is far worse.”

Soarin looks over as the prince who continues his staring contest with the vast ocean unsure of his meaning. What other storm could be worse than the one he sees coming? He thinks for a moment before the realization strikes him. Worry takes over as he looks out at the ocean once more. The end of this long and arduous journey is fast approaching.

Sky stares out at the eerie calm sea while Vinyl stands only a few feet away. Though he does not show it outwardly, his mind can only think back to his latest encounter with Shining. He had a moment, a chance to kill his old friend. But he did not, could not, make the final strike. Why did he hesitate only to back down in the end? He had personally killed dozens of ponies since this whole ordeal began. And yet, he could not kill Shining Armor. Why?

Over the past several months he had developed a new persona, one of bloodlust and revenge. He thought he had put the past away, killed and burned it. But had he really? He thinks back to each encounter. Each time he had attempted to kill his former friend, only to fail in his attempts. Was it destiny that he should kill Shining at a set time and place, or not at all? Or was it all on him? Were his failures a result of the attachments of the past that he desperately holds on to? Or was he just weak?

As the thoughts swirled in his head, he hardly hears the hoof steps of Vinyl as she steps forward. Without a word, she nuzzles close in an effort to ease her love. The two sit in silence for several minutes, staring out at the calm sea. A bizarre feeling overcomes the pegasus. Building behind his ship is a mass of storm clouds which grow darker by the second. In the distance ahead he can feel the change in the atmosphere, another set of storm clouds. Beyond the atmospheric changes, another sensation sends a chill down his spine. This storm could be the last he sees.

Vinyl feels Sky shiver and shifts closer to him. “Whatever happens, I will be there by your side.”

Determination and anticipation begin to flow through the pirate captain as excitement starts to build. It is strange that he went from depressed to excited in such a short time but he will need that desire for battle if he wants to fight, even kill, Shining Armor. He moves quickly back to the helm as the winds begin to pick up and the dark clouds roll over the ship. He embraces the foul winds and ominous clouds as he takes the wheel.

“Lads!” he cries out to his crew. Each pony stops their task to listen to their captain in muted anticipation. “We are about to face off against the Prince of the Crystal Empire and those ponies loyal to him. You know that Canterlot has all but ignored us out of fear but not Shining Armor. He desires to stop us. Will we take that?” The crew shouts their disapproval. “Then what say ye to killing him and ridding us of the scourge? Who wants to help me kill a prince? It’s time we took our rightful place as rulers of the seas!”

The crew gives a mighty cheer before readying for battle. The cannons are loaded and loose rigging tied tight. Sky can feel the fury and bloodlust from each pony as they scurry about the deck. Vinyl stands to his left giving an approving, and seductive, smile. Jack, on the other hoof, is not so sure.

“A rousing speech but how much do you believe yourself?”

Sky changes his demeanor from excitement to one of mixed anger and worry. “Not a bit. But Shining is out seeking me and I need to end this one way or another. He, like I, won’t let this rest until one of us is dead.”

“Is he that intent on killing you?”

“I doubt it, but given recent events he will likely be more willing and able than ever before. I will need the crew in a frenzy if I wish to end this.”

Shining watches as the seas begin a shift for the worse. He looks behind at the dark clouds following them to see them build and darken. Ahead he sees another storm front closing in from out in the distance. He takes his spyglass and peers through at the edge of the now churning waters. Moving with the opposing storm is another ship, Sky’s ship. The prince puts his spyglass away and turns to his crew.

“Gentlecolts! Since this ordeal began, we have seen many a pony fall at the hooves of Sky Runner. Some were young and inexperienced like the earth pony Braeburn who was viciously killed not long ago. We have but one opportunity to end this once and for all. We fight for Braeburn and the many others who have died!”

The crew gives a mighty shout as Shining and Soarin head for the helm. The pegasus voices concern for the oncoming fight. “The clash of the storm fronts will cause a tremendous storm. One I do not believe either ship will survive. This battle is a suicide mission, you do know that right?”

“I know,” Shining replies, never losing focus of what was to come. “But this needs to end. If I must kill Sky with my own hooves then so be it, even if it costs me my life as well.”

Soarin grabs Shining and turns him so the two are looking eye to eye. “I’m not just talking about you, I’m talking about the rest of us!”

“Then what would you do? Wait for another time which may not come and give him more time to kill?” Soarin stares in disbelief and realization, unsure of how to answer. “This may be the last chance we get to end this. I cannot let this opportunity slip by. I have to avenge Braeburn.”

The pegasus releases Shining and hangs his head as he makes his way to his post. “You’ve become just like him. You’re just as blind as he is to see how far you’ve fallen in such a short time.”

The prince stands for a moment before realizing that Soarin was right. He had become just like Sky. But still, what other choice did he have?

Sky peers through the spyglass at the approaching storm and ship. It was Shining’s ship that he encountered last time they met at sea, though repaired from the fight. He puts the spy glass away and steers towards the oncoming vessel. This is the beginning of the end for at least one of them.

25: War

25: War

The Sparrow Hawk and the Crystal Princess sail headlong into one another. A dark storm front follows each ship like a vulture following a dying animal, waiting to pick at the soon to be carcass. As the distance between each vessel shrinks the storms shift to a more aggressive appearance, as though they have grown tired of waiting and move ahead to clash with one another. The two vessels ready their weapons as the crew of each cries for blood.

The Sparrow Hawk makes the first move, firing a volley of mortar shot followed in quick succession by a volley of chain shot from its bow. The Crystal Princess is slower to react but still fires its own bow volley. At the exact moment each ship roars its battle cry the storms clash. Lightning flashes and thunder cries out as the Sparrow Hawk’s mortar fire rains down on its opponent. The Royal Guard crew takes cover from the raining fire as the chain shot grapples and snaps rigging. The pirate crew ducks to avoid the smaller volley from their prey. The damage is minor and each ship pushes forward, intent on ramming the other.

Just before impact, the Crystal Princess veers to port prompting the Sparrow Hawk to follow suit. The warring ships spew fire as the roar of the cannon fire drowns out the sound of the thunder. Cannon shot tears apart the ships, sending wood and metal flying in all directions. A few ponies from both sides are killed in the volley. The ships continue their turn but the Sparrow Hawk drops four flaming barrels into the sea. Shots ring out as small deck guns fire at the barrels, causing them to explode. The explosions rock the Crystal Princess, throwing off its volley from its stern guns.

The ships continue to come about to bring their undamaged sides to bear, yet the Sparrow Hawk continues its relentless assault. Another spray of fire come from the deck as another mortar volley rains fire down on the Crystal Princess. With the turn nearly complete, the small deck guns of the Sparrow Hawk screech and fire on a few vulnerable sections and cause several small explosions. The ships complete their turn and fire their next broadside. Fire spews from the ships as cannon shot slams into the sides of each ship. The small guns of the Sparrow Hawk cry out again as they fire on several more vulnerable sections of the Crystal Princess. Fire begins to spread on the damaged vessel, making for a horrific sight in the stormy waters. A final spray of fire from the Sparrow Hawk rains down more fire, sealing the Crystal Princess’s fate. The mighty frigate rocks in the raging waters waiting the coup de grâce, one which never comes.

Sky Runner brings the Sparrow Hawk around and makes his way to Shining Armor’s dying vessel. “Ready the grapples and prepare to board!” he cries over the storm.

“Are you sure Captain?” Jack shouts. “This storm could easily sink them! They’re finished! We should escape before it claims us as well!”

Sky ignores the changeling and continues to navigate the foul ocean. The waves double the time it takes to cross the short distance and lightning threatens to strike the high masts. Several ponies scurry about the deck putting out small fires from the previous barrages and begin throwing over the dead.

A massive swell hoists the Sparrow Hawk high, giving Sky a clear view of Shining’s ship. Below, an explosion from a powder magazine blasts away the base of the rear mast bringing the heavy timber down on the wounded ship. Sky takes a quick note of the ferocity of the raging storm and shouts out a change of tactics.

“Forget the grapples!” he cries, angling towards the rear starboard side.

“What?!” Jack cries. “Then how…” His voice trails off at the realization. “BRACE FOR IMPACT!!!”

Shining looks around the burning vessel. All around flames lick the soaking timbers and scorch pony hides.

“Sire!” one of the ponies cries.

Shining spins around to the stern and watches as Sky bears down from a large swell aimed straight as the side. “BRACE FOR IMPACT!!!” he cries as he grabs hold of the main mast as best he can. Moments later the brig slams into the Crystal Princess, its ram tearing away at the lower side as it slides across. Rigging lines and standing masts catch and tangle locking the two ships together.

“Repel boarders!” the prince commands, drawing his sword.

Sky steadies himself from the impact and shouts to Jack and Vinyl. “Focus on the guards, keep them off me! Shining is mine and mine alone!”

Before Jack can argue, Sky charges and leaps from the helm taking to the sky. A pegasus flies towards him to intercept with a sword in his mouth. For the half second that passes, Sky recognizes the Wonderbolt uniform and black mane of Soarin. Without hesitation, Sky grapples with Soarin. He kicks the younger pegasus in the jaw with his right hoof and flips forward before bringing down his rear hooves on Soarin’s back. The Wonderbolt sails towards the deck of the frigate and slams into a guard below. Sky then soars towards the center where Shining waits.

Shining watches as Sky rockets down and draws his twin blades. He points the blades forward and spins like a drill, intending to skewer the prince. Shining side-steps and blocks the spinning blades then turns to kick the pegasus in the side. Sky hits the deck on all fours and rolls to avoid the buck then charges again. The prince blocks one blade, ducks the other, then rolls away and grabs the sword of a fallen guard pony with his magic. He bears down on Sky with both swords making slow, deliberate cuts and lunges. But his unfamiliarity with duel wielding puts him at the disadvantage.

Sky easily parries the clumsy blows of Shining then moves in. He slashes right and left, knocking the two swords to the side and kicks the prince in the face. Shining flies back, hitting the deck, and rolls in an attempt to recover but Sky continues his flurry of attacks. The prince barely manages to fend of the pegasus, receiving several minor lacerations. Sky backs Shining into the fore mast and lunges again. The prince side-steps again causing Sky’s swords to stab the timber. He pulls out the twin blades and spins to meet his opponent but not before receiving a double slash across his chest. The pegasus holds his bleeding chest with one hoof and glares at Shining before shouting in rage and lunging again.

Shining parries Sky’s rage attack and bucks him into the portside rail. The force of the impact causes the pegasus to drop his twin blades on the deck and gasp for air as the X-shaped wound on his chest threatens to rip apart. Blood spills from the wound, mixing with the rain, forcing Sky to grab hold of his chest once more. Shining levels his swords at Sky’s neck and gives his ultimatum.

“Give up now! It’s over Sky.”

“So many years. So many fights. You never were able to defeat me until now. Bravo.” The pegasus gives a guttural laugh before grunting in pain and pressing harder on his chest. “Go on then, what are you waiting for? Kill me. Kill me!”

“I’m taking you in to face judgment for the things you have done.”

Sky gives another laugh and grunt of pain. “Judgment? Ha! Even now, when you have a perfect opportunity you can’t kill me.”

“And you couldn’t kill me! Could you?”

Sky narrows his eyes and grips his bleeding chest tighter. “Even if you had the guts to kill me now,” he says in a low tone, just barely loud enough to be heard of the storm and sounds of the battle, “I won’t let you. I won’t go back.”

Sky lifts himself onto the rail and teeters as the ship rocks in the heavy waves. “Sky, don’t do this!” Shining shouts.

“I’m going to make you regret everything that’s happened. You won’t get the chance to end me here. You won’t get to take me back to face my crimes. You will be haunted for the rest of your life because of your actions.”

“SKY, DON’T!!!” Shining drops his swords and reaches out with his magic only to grab the belt which held the twin swords. Sky falls to the ocean as thunder crashes in the sky. Shining peers over the rail only to see foul waves crash against the damaged side.

Across the deck Vinyl and Jack struggle to fight the now recovered Soarin and several guards. The two changelings loyal to Jack lie dead on the burning deck along with several other pirates.

“SKY, DON’T!!!”

Vinyl looks over to the portside to watch Sky teeter over the side. Tears fill her eyes as rage fills her being. Time seems to slow to a near halt as she watches her love fall and vanish behind the wooden deck.

“SKY!!!”

The unicorn screams in rage and begins firing beam after beam of magic. Guards back away as four are shot. Jack grabs hold of her, managing to stop her for a second.

“We need to retreat! The storm is too great, we are losing this fight, and Sky is now dead! It’s over!”

Vinyl screams again and charges her magic once more. A blue glow envelops the side of the Sparrow Hawk before the cannons give off a deafening roar. The point blank shot blasts a massive hole in the side of the frigate and wrenches the two ships free of one another. Jack calls the remains of the pirate crew to retreat and grabs the grieving unicorn before jumping ship. Vinyl sits near the wheel, screaming her rage and sorrow as Jack takes the wheel.

Shining grabs the rail as the ship lurches and watches the portside burst apart as several cannonballs fly out. He turns to see Sky’s ship, now freed, veer to starboard and begin sailing away. The damage and storm slow it but there is no point to pursuing. With Sky dead and the Crystal Princess in shambles, there is no reason or way to pursue.

“Get to the lifeboats! Abandon ship!” he cries.

The crew hoist lifeboats over the sides and drag wounded comrades in. Once in the water Shining watches as the Crystal Princess, the ship named for his loving wife, is claimed by the raging sea. All the better. No need for any more reminders of this disastrous campaign. Half an hour later, the storm subsides. Shining Armor and his crew begin rowing for shore. Only one last thing before this entire nightmare is over.

26: Legend

26: Legend

“SKY, DON’T!!!”

Shining Armor wakes from his sleep shouting at the top of his lungs.

“Dear, are you alright?”

The prince looks around to see his bedroom back at the Crystal Empire. To his side is Cadence, caressing his back and placing a soft wing around him. The door to the room bursts open and two Crystal Guards barge in.

“My lord and lady. Are you alright?” one of the guards asks.

Shining puts a hoof to his head to calm the throbbing pain. “We’re alright. You may return to your post.”

The two guards bow and leave the room, closing the door behind them. Cadence continues to caress her husband as Shining struggles to recall all that happened. The dream, or rather nightmare, was real. Sky was dead. Following the violent storm, the prince and the remains of his crew had rowed for several hours after abandoning the Crystal Princess before being rescued by a passing frigate from the Royal Navy. Sadly, two lifeboats did not survive the storm, claiming nine more lives. After arriving back on shore, they aided Celestia in identifying and capturing all those involved in the conspiracy against Canterlot. Those that had been under Shining’s command had been granted lighter sentences for their actions at sea. Soarin had rejoined the Wonderbolts and Shining had returned to the Empire. Since then, the prince has had terrible nightmares, reliving the events of the ordeal.

Shining turns to his wife and grabs her in a tight embrace. “I’ve missed you so much.”

Cadence returns the embrace and continues her caressing. “I know. It’s all over now.”

Vinyl Scratch looks out at the ocean from the helm of the Sparrow Hawk. The brig’s hull and deck still bear the cracks and gouges from the battle which took Sky’s life. Even the sails are dotted with rips and tears along with patchwork. For the past three weeks, Vinyl and Jack had hid out on a small island with the remains of the crew to recover from the battle and avoid the increased patrols of the Royal Navy. They had made a few trips out to the battle site, where the remains of Shining Armor’s ship lay on the ocean floor, in an effort to find Sky Runner, or whatever was left of him. They had recovered his twin blades during the last trip and Vinyl was determined to find her love.

“We’ve been here five times now and still no sign of him,” Jack says from the wheel. “He’s dead Vinyl. You have to move on.”

“He can’t be dead,” she responds in anger. “I can’t believe that he would die that easily.”

“He was badly wounded and caught in the middle of a raging storm. There is now way he could have survived.”

Vinyl starts to object but holds her peace. The changeling was right. As much as she wishes to see her love again, not even Sky could have survived the event. It was time to move on. Before she can give the order to leave, one of the lookouts calls out a sighting. Vinyl rushes to the starboard side and pulls out a spyglass to look at what had been found. Floating in the water was Sky’s gold-trimmed, black coat. Vinyl charges her magic and levitates the coat onto the deck. It still bears the tears from when Sky was cut by Shining and likely blood stains as well but was still intact. A gleam of hope shines in the unicorn’s eyes.

“Jack!” she shouts as she races to the helm carrying the soaked coat. “It’s his coat. He could still-”

“Vinyl!” Jack interrupts. He places a hoof on her shoulder and hangs his head in sorrow. “It doesn’t mean anything. It’s not proof that he’s still alive. It…doesn’t mean anything.”

“Fine,” she says as determination builds within. She wrings out the coat and dries it as best she can with her magic before throwing it across her shoulders. The cool dampness chills her body but the coat surrounds her like a warm embrace. Though tailored for Sky, it sits across her shoulders and down her back as though her love were holding her himself.

“From now on, I am the captain.” Vinyl stares down the small crew for any challengers before looking to Jack. A smile crosses the face of the changeling.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Vinyl turns to the crew once more. “SET SAIL YOU MULES!!!” she commands as Jack takes the wheel once more. Now begins the reign of Vinyl Scratch, the new Demon Captain.

One week later

Two earth ponies sit at the table of the rundown tavern drinking large mugs of ale in dismal silence. A moment later the two are joined by a green pegasus with a yellow mane who plops down in the seat and begins chugging a mug of his own. With the mug half gone, he slams it on the table and give a mighty breath.

“This sucks,” he says, hardly caring how loud he is. “With the navy all over the waters, I can’t seem to get anything done.”

“It doesn’t help none that the demon’s gone,” says one of the earth ponies, a brown pony with a solid black mane.

“Aye,” agrees the other earth pony who is white with a brown mane. “That demon kept that lot away out of fear and now look. Might as well haul in and stay on shore.”

The pegasus gives a sigh as he and the brown pony agree. The three knock their mugs together in a toast to the pirate life and down the remains of their ale.

“Barkeep!” shouts the white pony. “Another round here. We’re gonna need it.”

“You know,” says a pony sitting at a nearby corner table, “I hear the Sparrow Hawk isn’t done yet.”

“What do you mean?” asks the brown pony turning to the shadowed newcomer. “They say the Hawk was taken by the sea tryin’ ta battle that Crystal Prince, Shine whatshisname.”

“Aye,” the shadowed pony says. “But I hear the Hawk’s returned. No pony knows who the captain is now, but the crew is made up of ghosts. They scour the seas preying on ships in search of their lost captain. No survivors and any witnesses only get to see the ship vanish into fog.”

“I heard that too,” the pegasus says. “Course I heard some pony say that Sky Runner is a ghost now and sailin’ the Hawk.”

“Ah, Sky Runner,” the shadowed pony continues. “That’s not what I’ve seen of him. They do say he’s returned, but he’s truly become a demon now.”

“What do ya mean?” the white pony asks. The three incline to hear the new story of the former Demon Captain.

“I saw it three days ago. We were sailing about seeking our prey when a heavy fog rolled in. As we tried to navigate the fog, we came across a brig floating dead in the water. We saw no pony aboard and went to investigate. We found the deck covered in blood and all hooves missing. The ship was undamaged but a battle had been fought. I felt a strange presence and peered over the starboard side to see him.”

The three drunkards leaned closer, nearly falling out of their chairs. The pony continued.

“There, out on the water was Sky Runner himself. His body was bright red and his eyes glowed a demonic yellow. He stood upon the water staring back at me with a look that I feared would take my very soul. Then, just as quickly as he appeared, he vanished within the fog.”

The brown pony toppled and fell to floor as the others leaned back.

“Y-Your daft,” the white pony says. “You saying that the Demon Captain is now a real demon?”

“I’ve heard my share of stories mate and that one is the worst yet,” the pegasus says, struggling to control his shaking hooves.

“Believe what you wish,” the shadowed pony says as he stands, “but I saw it with my own eyes.”

The three other ponies turn as the barmaid brings them another round of ale which they gladly take and begin chugging. With their attention diverted, the mysterious pony walks past and makes his way to the door. No pony notices him vanish as he passes through the doorframe.

Author's Note

It's finally done. After so long and so much effort, I have finally completed my first story. Big thanks to everyone who read, liked, added to favorites, and commented. I would love to hear anything about things that could have been changed or improved or anything else to help me do better. Again, thanks you guys.

1: Accusations

1: Accusations

The moon sits high in the sky, watching over all things that lay below. It shines its light, illuminating the events below as five pegasi fly passed. On the ground a pegasus races across the streets of Canterlot with six Royal Guards in tow. The lone pegasus leaps over and around all obstacles in his way while the guards simply knock over anything that will move. The pegasus turns a corner to find himself caught in a dead-end alleyway. He turns to see the guards blocking the exit, spears lowered, while the five flyers circle above.

“You’re surrounded! Give up and we’ll make this quick and painless!” one of the guards demands.

The pegasus stays quiet and looks around at his surroundings. To his right are three sacks of flour which gives him an idea. He bites down on one and flings it at the guards on the ground. The bag bursts, sending a cloud of white smoke everywhere. While the guards on the ground cough and try to regain their composure, the flyers swoop in. But the pegasus is prepared and kicks a second sack into the air slamming it into the leader, causing another cloud of white to form. A second later the third bag is ripped thickening the smoke.

When the smoke settles, three of the ground guards and two flyers lay on the ground, spears thrust through them while blood runs through the cobblestone street. The others survey the area to find that their target is nowhere to be found. The remaining flyers take to the sky while the remaining guards begin collecting the dead.

Two days earlier

Sky Runner, officer of the Canterlot Royal Guard enters his private quarters. As an officer he is allowed such privileges, this being but one that he thoroughly enjoys. Lying on the bed is a particular guest of his, the lovely Octavia. A cellist in the Canterlot orchestra, she is an earth pony with beautiful light grey and dark grey hair. She sits up, an inviting smile on her face, and signals him to sit next to him. Sky Runner begins removing his guard armor, revealing his dull orange body and brick red mane. His mane is medium length, styled in a kind of mohawk, while his tail is cut short. He stretches his wings as he walks over to the bed a sits next to Octavia, placing a wing around her. The tuft of reddish-orange feathers that stretch along each wing brushes against her cheek.

“So tell me,” she says, “what are the plans for today?”

“I don’t know. You tell me.”

She moves in close to whisper into his ear. “Well, I have a few ideas.”

Sky smiles, thinking of what could be on her mind. Before anything else can happen, there is a knock at the door. Octavia hangs her head in disgust. “What now?”

“Now, now,” Sky reassures her and answers. “What is it?”

“Urgent report! Suspicious activity is being reported across the city! All guards are requested to report at once!”

Sky sighs and gets up. “I’ll be there shortly.”

“But, what about-” Octavia begins.

“I’m sorry but duty calls. I’ll be back and we can continue this.” He kisses her on the cheek and proceeds to don his armor. “It’s probably nothing anyways. No need to worry.” He smiles at his love before leaving but her worrying has only just begun.

Sky Runner arrives at the palace and meets up with one of the squads. They salute and begin their report.

“Sir! The immediate area has been cleared and the perimeter is secured. There is no sign of any intruders.”

“Continue the sweeps and expand the search area outside the palace.”

The guards salute and move out while Sky is left alone. He thinks about the activity and what purpose or goal there might be while considering that the target may not even be in the palace. He passes by two other guards on patrol and decides to investigate an unlikely hunch.

“You two with me. We’re going to check on the princess.”

The two acknowledge and follow. Princess Celestia would been a prime target and normally heavily guarded. But the current situation would have left her personal guard somewhat dwindled leaving her vulnerable.

The three wander the darkened hallways, making their way to Celestia’s private quarters. Things are quiet and Sky starts becoming very anxious. There is a soft noise to his right. When Sky looks, the guard that was there is gone. Another soft noise and the other is gone. He readies his spear and charges to the princess’s quarters, desperate to protect the princess before the assailant can reach her. He flings the door open and is swarmed by other guards. Sky struggles to free himself but to no avail.

“Let me go! I need to know if the princess is alright!”

“I am alright, but you have much explaining to do.” He looks up to see Princess Celestia flanked by two guards.

“You are under arrest for the attempted assassination of her highness, Princess Celestia,” one of the guards says before placing Sky in chains and leading him off.

The next day, Sky is tried in court for the assassination attempt. Though he pleads innocence, naming Octavia as a witness to corroborate where he was until he went off to join the other guards in investigating the activity, it is to no avail. Several other guards and even Celestia herself identify him as the assassin. Ultimately, he is found guilty and sentenced to death for the act.

He sits in his cell a day later awaiting his escort to the execution hall thinking of what he will do. When his escort arrives he follows them until they reach a location with no witnesses. Here Sky puts his plan into motion. He slams into the guard on his right, knocking his head against the stone wall. As the pony reels in pain Sky gets around the other and wraps his chains around the guard’s neck, strangling him. When the pony stops breathing, Sky lets go and focuses on the other guard who has now recovered but still dazed, blood running down his face. Sky grabs the pony’s spear, twists and rends it from its owner then runs it through the pony’s chest, spilling blood across the hall floor.

After the fight, Sky unlocks his chains and dons one of the guard’s armor as a disguise.

He runs out yelling. “The prisoner has escaped!”

Five guards arrive and begin questioning him. “What happened? Where is the prisoner?”

Sky fakes injury as he tells his tale. “We were escorting the prisoner to the execution hall when he jumped us. I’ve never seen any pony move like that.”

“Where did he go?”

“I don’t know. I took a nasty blow to the head and didn’t see where he ran off to.”

“Hurry! We can’t let him escape!” The guards run off but one stays behind.

“Weren’t both guards unicorns?” he asks as Sky feels his plan begin to fall apart. “So why do you have wings?”

The guard lowers his spear and begins to advance on Sky. In a split second, Sky grabs the spear in his mouth and the guard with his wings. He tosses him against a wall, splattering blood on the wall. He yanks the spear away then runs him through. Blood begins to form a puddle in front of the fallen pony. After dispatching the guard Sky makes his way out. The first thing to do is get out of Canterlot and figure out who framed him for this assassination attempt.

Sky flies low across the streets of Canterlot and makes his way to Octavia’s home. The need to tell his love that he was alright weighs on him. He enters the window of her bedroom, waking her from a light sleep. She jumps at the sight of the intruder but Sky moves into the light and removes the stolen helmet to reveal himself before she screams.

“Sky my love!” Octavia rushes over and embraces him, sobbing. “I feared the worst. What happened?”

“There was an assassination attempt on Princess Celestia and I was made a scapegoat for the crime,” he replies as he she lets go.

Octavia hugs him again but recoils after taking a close look at his borrowed uniform. “Is that blood?” She indicates the blood stains that now covers the chest plate.

“It’s not mine but its origin is of no concern,” he says trying to avoid telling her about the guards he has killed.

“What did you do?” she insists.

“I was forced to fight for my freedom. They falsely accused me of the deed and intended to execute me. I couldn’t let that happen.” While he explains his situation to her he is mostly trying to justify the deaths.

“What will you do now?” his love asks, embracing him once again. Sky brushes her soft mane with a wing to try and calm her.

“I have to find somewhere to lay low for a while. After this storm has died down I will begin investigating who was truly behind this heinous act and clear my name.”

“I will go with you-” Octavia begins before Sky cuts her off.

“I’m afraid it is too dangerous.” He strokes her again. “You must stay here where it is safe. I promise we will be able to be together again one day. But for now, you must wait for me.” He escapes her embrace and takes off silently into the night. Tears roll down Octavia’s face as she watches her love from her window.

“I must know that you are safe,” she whispers.