Guns of Pegasus

...Aaah. This feels good. Thought a certain Pony, after completing the obligatory, fisiological needs, and of course, carefully getting rid of whatever was left about them. Though he was also impressed that the Bucket was still unusually clean after being... Used. Thus, placing the Bucket back in place, and after cleaning himelf, Tin happily trotted off, unlocked the door, and...

Bam. His nose met a Wrench.

Letting out a loud squeak of pure pain, Tin's head recoiled by the impact, his body soon following, falling on his back. His hooves, quickly moved to cover his snout, that was now stained with a tone of red, coming from the area that met the hard Steel of the Wrench. His hindlegs started wraggling out to 'flee' from the pain, but of course, it's hard to escape from pain located in the nose.

"O-Oh! Sorry, Tin!" Said a certain Mare, wriggling out of the cartoonish cloud of conflict that broke between the three Mares. The voice, also came from Cloud, the one who seemed to have nicked the Wrench from Rusty, and of course, ended smacking an innocent Pony with it. Collateral damages, as one would usually say. "Are you okay? Need some ice? Bandages? A kiss to the snout to be A-OK?" Cloud muttered, taking a carefull step at the side of the wraggling Tin.

After a few extra seconds of struggle, Tin slowly opened his deep Amber eyes, and rose his right hoof, stained with the red of his own blood. His pupil dilatated, as he moved the hoof back to his snout. "Hurts..." He simply muttered, closing both his eyes. That is, untill the loud stomp of a hoof he well-knew interrupted his childish attitude.

"You'd better get up from the ground, kid. We don't have a slot for a Whimp in the Charger. Now get your flank up, and to position! We are setting course to the Fjorlands. We happen to have a lovely payload of Wool... And guess what the Fjords need?" Owl cheekidly said next, rubbing his hooves together in pure greed. Cloud proceeded to step aside, and then nudged Tin on the leg.

"C'mon, I'll patch you up. If I covered my own eye without loosing it completely, then I can patch that pretty little nose of yours!" She said, offering a little reassuring smile. Meanwhile, the other two Mares had stopped figthing since Tin squeaked in pain, and now held an interesting posture, where Rusty's hoof was about to meet Pepper's snout, the one whose left Hindleg was about to hit Rusty, in a very... Private area. Even if she had no such parts.

Thus, Tin slowly nodded, and sniffed. This wasn't the first time he's smelled his own blood. He's gotten into Bar brawls before (Though usually never left victorous), though this time, the scent of his own blood, without Alcohol, was... Strange. Very strange. Thus, after getting up -And stumbling to not faceplant, Tin proceeded to follow Cloud upstairs, to the Helm, and to the Map. Cloud pulled out a little Bandage, and as Tin sitted, his snout was covered with it in record-time. "Good as new!" Cloud so happily stated, proudly tapping her chest. "Do give me a call if you loose a limb!" She teased next, before ruffling Tin's mane, and taking flight to her post under the Ship, near the Guns.

And, before Tin could say 'Thanks', Von-Owl just happened to step into the Helm, sparing a look to Tin. "Well, since you are our Carthographer, you are in charge of telling me, the cap'n, where to go. So! Plot the safest, quickest and most exciting course to the Fjorlands!" He said, waving to the unnamed Colt, to lift the Anchor. With a nod, the little one ran to the edge of the ship, and pressed a button. That's it.

Tin, on the other hoof, placed himself near the Map, and after a very quick run via eyesight, he imagined three different routes they could take. One, was a suicide. The other would let them without food... And the last one, would take too long. "Well... I can suggest three routes, sir. We can go straight up north and face the Sky Pirates... Or we can circle via Nalm, and take a month to reach the Fjorlands... Or we can evade the Pirates via the the edge of the Firnfields, with no promise of having a stop to restock our food. Captain?" Tin asked, his sight raising to Baron. The one, who stared dumbfoundly at Tin.

"Uh- We'll take the route straight! We have a Galleon, a few Pirates ain't taking my ship down! Har har!" He so proudly stated, wriggling his eyebrows, as his hoof met the Steering wheel, and with a rather violent turn, and a few hits to the speed regulator, the Changeling Charger was taking flight off-port. "Off we go! TO THE ADVENTURE!" Owl so happily shouted out, as everypony ran to their posts. Everypony but the Colt, and Tin. Mostly because Tin was already on his post, and the Colt, had nothing to do there, since the boarding platform was automatic, and the Galleon got the green light to leave the Pier.

Thus, with the loud roar of all three heavy Engines sounding in unisone, the Galleon's Balloons receiving a good load of hot, highly-combustible gas, and the Steering Wheel making worringly cracking noises, the Charger was off to adventure. To complete the great quest, of delivering Wool to the cold North.

Hurray!

Three days.

"It has been three days since we last saw... Anything, Captain. Are you sure that you took the correct route?" Tin asked, after having checked the Map. Trice. There wasn't anything he could use to pinpoint their location. All the clouds were exactly the same, and said clouds also blocked any sight from the Stars. At least they knew they were going North. The Sun still shined across the dense Fog that had formed the day prior.

"Of course tis' the route, Tin! Why else would I navigate through it! I have an Eagle eye, you kno-" Von-Owl was about to harshly reply, untill the voice of the Colt, ringed through his ears.

"TREE AHEAD! TUUURN!" Shouted the squeaky voice of the little one, as he bounced from the fore deck, to the Engine room. Blinking at this sudden realization, Von-Owl couldn't do much but to spin the Wheel the most his hooves left him, and attempt to hit the 'Shut down engines' command within his reach. But none of these things were enough to stop a huge ship, mid-air, as altough the Engines stopped, Aerodynamics and physics simply made the ship gently slide to a side, and have its entire left port harshly meet the sturdy Oak. Oak? In the middle of nowhere? Ooooh.

After the impact, wich gladly didn't killed anypony, Tin proceeded to bounce towards the impacted area, as his eyes stared at the Tree they just mutilated. "Sir, I... Do believe we're in a forest-"

"Of course we are in one, cap'n obvious!" Snapped out the pretty irritiated Owl. He didn't liked ramming his ship! It broke the paintjob!

"...And that means we are above land." Continued Tin, walking back to the Map, as Rusty rushed out of the Engine room, and stared down at the large splinters of Wood on Metal. She grumbled loudly, and turned around, and said certain obscenities at Owl, questioning his capabilities to keep the Ship intact. But well, back to Tin. "And if we are above Land, it means we can find out where we are!"

If Owl had fingers, he'd have flipped one to Rusty in return, but he had none. So, a simple tongue-stickup would do. But Tin had a point there. "Oh. Hey, maybe you're right, kiddo! For once. I mean! Yes, good idea! BLOODWING!" The Cap'n shouted at the top of his lungs, and in a matter of three seconds dot five, Bloodwing was already hovering above the Captain.

"Yessire?" The oddly calm Mare said, offering him a little, childish salute.

"I need ye' at ground-level. Bring Tin with, we must know where we just... Made another splinter on my ship. Tata!" Commanded Owl, gesturing to Tin.

After a nod, and a grin, Bloodwing quickly swooped down for Tin -The one who panicked-, and picked him up. She was getting pretty skilled at that. "D-Don't drop me! Who knows how high we are above ground!" Tin suddently squealed, now clinching to Bloodwing like if it was the last time of his life.

With a grin, she proceeded to fly off-board, and slowly approached the... Ground. If there was, as she only had the tall, tall Tree to guide her down. "Reeee-Laaax! I'm not going to drop you, silly thing! I wouldn't ever drop something as cute as yoooou~!" She teased, gently chuckling. That's what happens after three days straight without being able to do much, while having to sleep, uncomfortably close to somepony else. Thus, after Tin going oddly silent, and having his cheeks fluster three tones redder due to what he's been seeing, but being unable to touch, tease him once again.

After a few seconds of carefull flight, Tin's hindlegs met grass. "Okay, we are at ground level, Bloodwing. Mind... Releasing me? I believe that we already have enough... Contact at night." He said, looking up, his nose suddently meeting one of her white, slightly curly hairs. He couldn't hold but to subtedly sniff that. It smelled like... Cinnamon. Oddly enough, considering where they slept, and all the Rust they had to face.

"Awww, I was having fun tossing you around!" Bloodwing teased, her snout turning onto a little grin, as she spread both her Forehooves, thus releasing Tin from her evil grapple. Soon, she landed besides him, and spared a look to him, and the dense Fog surrounding them. "It's a bit cold and humid here. Where do you think we are?" She asked now, sliding her right hoof to toy with a nearby rock. A rock, that just happend to splur out Wings, and flew away. Damn rock-Bugs and their disguise.

"Rockbugs... Dense Fog, Oak... I believe we are located... At least, two-Hundred Aerial miles West from the old Neighara Falls. Wich makes us be, possibly just a day or two away from our-" And as he was about to raise his hoof to gesture, almost with milimetric presition where the Falls where at, his mouth met a hoof. Bloodwing's hoof.

"Shhhh! Do you hear that?" She asked, her tactician vein tingling there. Her ears perking at the fog surrounding them, the Mare felt silent, as Tin was forced onto silence too. Slowly, Bloodwing released his mouth, and soon rubbed that hoof onto his jacket. Ew. "It sounded like... A Flare gun." She whispered next, violently nudging Tin. "We must return the Charger!"

But just before she could take hold of tin once again, the Charger was enveloped with two Beacons. Little orbs, that stop mid-air, and burst into a glorious green light, that mark Metal to be seen across fog, and dense clouds. A magical way to spot Airships hiding in clouds or dense Fog... Like the one currently enveloping the Charger. The question of 'who would use these?', quickly crossed through Tin's mind... Untill the realization struck him.

The very next second, the roaring of engines could be heard. Two, triplets of engines to be more exact. Two Airships, coming from left and right of the Galleon. And only a very trained Engineer could tell what kind of Airship has that specific kind of Engines. And Tin, knew them. He's been onboard the only Airship that used such kind... And he was now scared. Scared of what would happen to the Galleon.

The Ship in question, was usually mentioned as the Frontline Assaulter, due to its capability of resisting a lot of damage up front... And deal trice the ammount upon its enemies. The Pyramidion, a Ship, designed solely for the purpose of breaking havoc in the frontlines, charging head-first. Literally. Afterall, it had a ramming head equipped on the front, designed to pierce, both Hull and Balloons with deadly strenght.

But that wasn't what had Tin worried. It was the fact that two Pyramidions, against one sole Galleon, meant an easy feast. One Pyramidion, in the hooves of a good Captain, could wipe up to three Ships by itself. Two, with coordination, could end very badly. A coordination, that was apparent, just by the sight of the Beacons telling where the Charger was. "B-Bloodwing! Pyramidions!" Tin suddently exclaimed, looking up onto the fog, only to see the shadow of a Triangle-Shaped Airship. And from that shadow, the sound of a Gatling gun, gently starting, was heard... Followed by the chain gunshots of rapid Greased rounds. Rounds, that dealt less damage, but shot twice as fast, thanks to the special Oil used to load and shoot them. Plus, the Oil made reloading them easier, thus assuring a constant, almost endless barrage of bullets onto one direction. And all of those bullets, were leaving dents upon the Galleon's hull.

The Charger soon had to pump more Air onto the Balloons -It was too close to the surface to propperly fight. Having to leave two of its crewmembers in the ground was already bad -But worse was not being able to fight back. The Galleon soon slowly turned -Its heavy Flak cannons starting to take aim against the Gatling... untill another Gatling started to spin. Tin's ear didn't lied to him. Two Pyramidions, enveloping one single Galleon. Even Bloodwing could tell that this wasn't going to end well.

With a squeal of worry, Bloodwing attempted to take flight -Only to be stopped by Tin. "No, don't!" He shouted, as both his hooves took hold of her tail, "You'll get harmed!"

"B-But we have to help! Our Captain! Our ship!" She said, looking down to Tin, resisting the need to lay a kick upon his snout, to be able to take flight and board the flying Galleon...

But it was already too late. Within a matter of seconds, the Galleon's magnetic Hull-Shield broke, letting out a loud 'Zap', thus letting the Pyramidions know when to switch to their second weapon. The gentle, yet notice-able sound of Mortar shells, being clicked out from the barrel of a Gun was heard -Followed by the whizzing of its drop. As Bloodwing's sight rose, barely being able to see due to the Fog, the loud blast of a Mortar shell, hitting the Hull of the Charger rang through the air, alongside the sight of the ship, lighting up in fire. Incediary Mortar rounds. Only Pirates, with the sole desire of destruction used such. And what kind of Pirates only wish destruction? The Sky Pirates of Graybeard "The great". They are known not for seeking treasure and loot, but for their darefull, highly-coordinated attacks just to bring down larger targets. Why they do such, is unknown for the world.

But one thing is known. that the Charger, was burning. Shell after shell, the explosions and fire quickly spread across the entire hull. And soon... The charger, felt. The Fire made the Balloons explode, releasing the Gas inside into a massive blast of glorious fire and death; the metal that it was holding, falling down like a rock. Thankfully, it had moved away from Tin and Bloodwing, as the several tonnes of Steel, Scraps... And Wool, slammed hard onto the grassy land, with yet another explosion, due to the ammunition of Flak rounds stored within the guns, and the supply room.

Horrorized by such a sight across Fog, Bloodwing stopped flapping her wings, and felt down onto the grass, just how the Charger did. Her eyes, watering quickly upon the loss of her job, her friends, and possibly even her home, the Mare quickly bursted into tears of sadness, pain... And anger. Finally releasing Bloodwing's tail, Tin backed off a bit, and stumbled back, his eyes, also equally horrorized by such a sight. He knew that the Pyramidions were strong ships... But this... Was too extreme. Even for him. He had no words for what just happened, as he simply sat there, even letting the Rockbug land on his muzzle.

This... Was a very big loss.