It was a beautiful sunny morning on the deck of the RES Polaris. Lightning Dust finished her scouting runs, Derpy had baked fresh raspberry muffins for breakfast, even Captain Blueblood was in good spirits sporting his new ruby broche. All seemed well on the Equestrian Seas.
“BARK!” Loose Screw the ship medic yelped after checking Lieutenant Encore Bravo’s temperature.
“*cough! *cough!* What? The feather-flu?!” Bravo said through coughs and wheezes.
“BARK! prrrrrr.” Loose Screw continued.
“Gotchyu, plenty of bed rest, and fluids.” Bravo mumbled drawing the covers back over him.
“Ribbit! WOOF!” Screw said, then packed her things and made for the door.
Alone, Lt. Bravo laid back in his bed for a few minutes until Derpy entered the room with a plate of muffins and a glass of juice. “I heard you weren’t feeling good Lieutenant Sir, but I brought you your breakfast, I hope you feel better.” Derpy said setting the tray next to Bravo.
“Thank you Miss Hooves, if you wouldn’t mind *cough*, could you bring this list of daily officer duties to Captain Blueblood, *COUGH* COUGH!* COUGH!*.....uhh.. since I’m not feeling good today, he’s gonna have to take care of my daily responsibilities.” Bravo moaned handing Derpy a sheet of paper with a list of duties that he normally performs on a daily basis.
“Yes sir, Mr. Lieutenant Encore Bravo Sir!” Derpy saluted, then left the room and headed for Captain Blueblood’s quarters.
Captain Blueblood was in his quarters, standing in front of a large elegantly crafted mirror in front of him admiring his shiny new uniform and the fine ruby broche he purchased before leaving Canterlot. “A fine accessory for a royal officer, hehehe.” Blueblood giggled to himself until he was interrupted by a knock at his door, “come in” he groaned.
Derpy entered the room and saluted, “Sir Captain Prince Blueblood sir, Lieutenant Bravo sir is sick sir, so he wanted me to give you this list sir.” Derpy said holding up the piece of paper.
Blueblood picked it up with his magic and read the note to himself. The list read as followed:
Number one: Assign the scouts to a specific direction and set distance.
Number two: instruct the cook on meal arrangements, and what to cook.
Number three: make sure the oars are polished and maintained
Number four: check current location on map
Number five: double check current location on the map
Number six: triple check current location on the map in case you missed anything when you double checked your position on the map
Number seven: DID YOU CHECK YOUR POSITION ON THE MAP YET!?!?!?
Number eight: poker game with Comet and Lucky after dinner.
Blueblood was puzzled by some of the tasks on the list, “poker? that’s absurd” he thought. But then he simply brushed it off as quickly as it came. “Well, easy enough to remember, Miss Hooves, send Miss Dust out on her usual scouting run, have the yeoponies check their oars and bring me my breakfast, I’m famished!” Blueblood said crumbling up the list.
“Yes sir, but um sir don’t you think sir that you should check the maps sir?” Derpy said in a timid and confused tone.
“That can be dealt with later, I can’t do this on an empty stomach. And as for meal arrangements for the rest of the day, make due with what you have, surprise me!”
Blueblood continued.
“Yes sir, right away sir.” Derpy said then left.
“This is too easy, if Bravo can do this everyday, I can do it in less than an hour.” Blueblood said confidently.
--three hours later--
Blueblood was in the center of his quarters doing yoga when suddenly First Mare Trixie Lulamoon stormed in with a look of terror and fear.
“Captain sir! We have a prob........uh...may Trixie ask what are you doing?”
“OH! Uhm, nothing, what’s the problem that caused you to intrude on my personal time?” Blueblood said, blushing in embarrassment as he quickly snapped to his normal posture.
“Sir, we have a problem, Lightning Dust has been gone for 3 hours, there’s some strange rattling noises coming from the kitchen, and......”
“And what?” Blueblood asserted.
“And we’re lost.” Trixie said shyly.
“Nonsense, with my guidance I’m sure we can........” Blueblood stepped out of his office seeing an incredibly thick fog over the ships deck.
“Ugh! This is dreadful I can hardly see my own hoof in front of my face! How can this get any worse?”
Suddenly Lightning Dust came hurdling onto the ships’s deck and crashed in front of Blueblood and Trixie. Moments later Comet Tail and Lucky Clover came to her aid and picked her up. Still somewhat dazed, Lightning looked to Blueblood and said, “there’s something out there! IT’S AFTER ME!! AHHHH!!” Lighting began to contort and flail around, knocking both Comet and Lucky unconscious and then flying around in crazy zig-zags around the ship.
“She’s gone mad” Trixie said in a sheepish tone.
“How can this get any worse?” Blueblood said.
Moments later Derpy bolted out of the kitchen door screaming “EVERYONE RUN FOR LIVES IT’S THE APPETIZER!! AHHH!!”
All of a sudden a large red and yellow scaled dragon named Garble smashed down the front portion of the kitchen cabin roaring and then flying around breathing fire.
“How can thi....”
“Sir, Trixie advises you to please shut up.” Trixie said plugging Captain Blueblood’s mouth with her hoof.
Pulling her hoof off his face, Blueblood was now in a state of panic seeing the chaos around him, “WHAT DO WE DO!?!? I’M A FAILURE WITHOUT THAT BLUE FEATHERHEAD HERE!! I need him, I NEED BRAVO.”
--half a minute later--
“Buck off! I’m tryin’ to sleep flank-hole!” Lieutenant Encore Bravo said as he heard knocking on his cabin door.
“PLEASE BRAVO! I’M A MESS WITHOUT YOU!” Blueblood said in a pathetic pleading tone from the other side of the door.
“errrrgghhhh. fine...*sniff* *cough*..uuuggghhhh. I’ll come.” Bravo said opening the door, but obviously still looking very weak from the feather-flu
“THANK YOU, I LOVE YOU!” Blueblood said embracing Lt. Bravo. After a few moments, he released Bravo, who then was on the ground barely responsive. “uh-oh, do not fear my blue-friend, I shall carry you!” Blueblood stated with pride.
With his magic Captain Blueblood dragged Bravo onto the deck by his tail, to see all the crew running around and screaming from the chaos.
-meanwhile somewhere outside of this fanfiction--
Discord is sitting back in a floating rainbow beach chair eating milk-duds, and watching the chaos from a TV screen in a cloud. He then turned to us and said, “this is better than cable.” xD
--meanwhile back in the actual story--
“What do we do lieutenant? This is anarchy!” Blueblood said in desperation.
Bravo cracked open his eyes and surveyed the chaos. Suddenly Garble swooped down and tried to grab him, but Blueblood somehow worked up the courage to get in the way and stop him.
“NNNOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!” Blueblood yelled as he followed his step by striking at Garble with all his might.
*SMACK*................ Blueblood lightly smacked at the dragon’s face. The two adversaries then stopped. Garble held his face while wearing an awkward expression, all the while Blueblood stood there frozen, wearing a look of pure fear.
“Uh, dude, did you just slap me?” Garble said rubbing his cheek.
“um, n-n-ye-ni-yes.” Blueblood stuttered.
“Lame dude, now it’s my turn” Garble said about to roast the poor unicorn alive.
“Hey Captain.” Bravo said inching towards Blueblood.
“what is it Bravo? Don’t you see I’m cowering in fear!?” Blueblood responded.
“Can I see that broache?”
“Nu-HEY!” Blueblood said as Bravo quickly snatched Blueblood’s new ruby broache and waved it in front of Garble knowing that gems were like candy to dragons.
“Look at the pretty ruby Ga-ga-bull!” Bravo said hypnotizing Garble with the dragon’s mindless hunger for gems. “See the pretty ruby?!”
Garble nodded with drool dripping from his teeth. “FETCH!” Bravo shouted as he threw the ruby as far as he could, prompting Garble to fly off into the fog to find it barking all the way. xP
“Easy, as hay-fries...urrgghhh” Bravo said as he passed out.
--three more hours later--
Lieutenant Encore Bravo awoke back in his cabin surrounded Captain Blueblood, First Mare Trixie, Doctor Screw Loose, and Chef Derpy Hooves.
“What’s going on?” Bravo said seeing his audience around him.
“Well the ship was roasted by a dragon” Trixie said
“You owe me a new broache” Blueblood huffed.
“RUFF! ARROOO!” Screw Loose added.
“OH! And Comet and Lucky are in a coma, Lighting Dust is flying around screaming in fear, and we’re still lost in the fog.” Derpy stated and concluded with a wacky smile.
Meanwhile outside, the ship was still buzzing with mayhem, until suddenly the ship crashed onto an island. Back inside Bravo’s cabin, the group inside looked out the window, “Well at least we’re not lost at sea anymore.” Bravo said casually, prompting Blueblood and Trixie to groan in frustration.
THE END.
The Crystal Island Part 1: Orders
It was a beautiful day on the high seas of Equestria, Celestia's sun was shining bright, the water was clear, and not a cloud could be seen for miles.
In the center of it all came a large white vessel cutting through the water at fair speeds. On its deck stood a young pegasus stallion, he was tall and thin with a blue coat and red and black spiky hair, his cutie mark was a red, white, and blue cockade, additionally he wore a grey coat and a white cap adorned with the sun and cross-oars, the symbol of the Equestrian Navy. His name was Lieutenant Encore Bravo, second in command of the Royal Equestrian Ship (RES) Polaris.
Bravo looked out to the sea then smiled and began to trot about the ship greeting each of his crew members as he passed by them.
“Good Morning Trixie I hope everything’s in ship-shape!” He said joyfully as he passed his first mare.
"Very good sir, the crew is working, nowhere near as good as Trixie, but still." she replied.
Bravo nodded and continued onward.
"Good morning Lightning Dust! I assume we have clear waters and skies for today’s voyage!” He said to Lightning Dust as she returned from her morning scouting mission.
"It's all good lieutenant, not a cloud for miles." she said.
Then Bravo came to Captain Blueblood,
“Good morning Captain Blueblood sir, you’re looking elegantly royal today.” Bravo said with a smile.
“uhh well thank you Lieutenant, by the way I need to tell you something Bravo...Bravo?....BRAVO!!!”
“HUH?!?!! WHO DAT?!” Lt. Bravo woke up to find himself at a large round table in Canterlot Castle, he looked around and noticed that he was at an Equestrian military meeting surrounded by many of the top ranking leaders of the other major Equestrian military branches.
“I hope you had a nice rest Lieutenant, now please try to pay attention!” commanded Admiral Fancy Pants, the main financier and lead commander of the Canterlot-fleet.
“OH! Uh.. yes sir, sorry sir.” Bravo said wiping the drool from his face and saluting.
About an hour later the meeting was adjourned and Lieutenant Bravo left with Captain Blueblood the nephew of Princess Celestia and his superior officer onboard the RES Polaris. Though a bit snobbish at first, Blueblood eventually found his robust-side serving in the navy and managed to loosen up a bit around Bravo. Bravo respected his captain's title and command, and Blueblood would attempt to treat Bravo as "something sort of resembling a friend" as Blueblood would put it.
As they left the meeting room Bravo held his head down shamefully then looked up towards Captain Blueblood and spoke “ugh, what happened back there?”
“You got drunk before the meeting and fell asleep is all.” Blueblood said calmly.
“Oh yeah, why do I drink so much cider before these meetings?” Bravo groaned.
“I believe you drink because of these meetings, and the fact that they’re always so tedious and boring.” Blueblood stated in a smug tone.
“Darn it, I should probably stop, and try to start paying more attention at these meetings.”
“Please don’t, one, you have every right to be bored at these tedious meetings, and two, it keeps me from falling asleep.” Blueblood joked.
“Heheh, you’re okay Captain.” Bravo said patting his officer on the shoulder while both of them giggled.
“And you my dear oddball are......tolerable.” Blueblood responded further expanding their laughter.
Later on the two ponies were about to make their way out of the castle when they were stopped by a unicorn stallion. He was tall and bulky similar to Blueblood but with a blue mane, and his purple and gold armor, and serious composure made him much more intimidating then Blueblood.
“Hello cuz, and hello to you too Lieutenant Encore Bravo, name's Shining Armor, Prince of the Crystal Empire.” Shining Armor said first addressing his cousin-in-law Blueblood casually and then going over to shake Bravo’s hoof.
“I know this Navy is a new branch to the Equestrian Armed Forces, but I need your help.” His tone now somewhat urgent.
Blueblood and Bravo looked to each other then back to Shining Armor. “For months now we’ve been getting some strange reports of dark activities around an island just off the coast of the Crystal Empire, so about 2 weeks ago I sent my trusted Lieutenant Flash Sentry and a platoon of Crystal Guards to investigate, but they haven’t been heard from since. I would like to request the aide of your ship and crew to help locate my missing guards and to find out what’s happening on that island.”
As Shining Armor finished, Blueblood and Bravo looked to each other again, Bravo seemed intrigued but Blueblood looked slightly fearful until he surprisingly stepped forward and spoke, “And may I ask dear cousin what would be in it for us?”
Shining Armor looked annoyed but then responded, “Well I suppose I give you both medals or something.”
“What kind of medals” Blueblood said ecstatically, eyes wide open and focused.
“What kind of somethings?” Bravo blurted out.
“uhhh, I don’t know uhhh, OH! ‘Heroes of the Crystal Guard, or something whatever.’” Shining Armor was already getting annoyed by this conversation that he brought forward, but his aggravation turned into relief once both Blueblood and Bravo said, “DEAL!”
“Great, Sweet Celestia what’a relief. Ok, I must return to the Crystal Empire now, meet me in two days at the port of the Crystal Empire and we'll be on our way. Good luck cuz, you too Bravo” Shining said before turning around and running off in a flash.
Bravo and Blueblood stood there for a brief moment pondering, they would be embarking on their next big mission and if they succeed they will be made “Heroes of the Crystal Guard or Something Whatever!”
“Well let’s get back to the ship sir, this mission ain’t gonna embark on itself.” Bravo said to Blueblood as they both made there way back to the docks ready for whatever this new adventure would bring them.
to be continued.
