Pirates of Equestria

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.