The Ballad Of The Righteous Sun

Many years had passed since the Great Division. Lightsail had since grown up and the land of Equestria was a much different place. There were factions of Lunar rebels hidden throughout the various islands that dotted the Unchained Ocean. A great war had broken out in the years following Princess Luna's banishment. The various groups of "Lunatics" as the Equestria Military called them, came out of the woodwork. It first started out as protests and riots in the capital, then moved on to attacks, terrorism and eventually an all out rebellion. The dissenters were pushed out of the major cities and town in Equestria and forced in to hiding.

The fallout of this conflict heavilly influenced the life of Lightsail. Her father and his crew was dispatched as a sort of hunter-killer team with the help of the neighboring Griffon Kingdom. Though no one refered to them as "killers". This was mostly because of a strict gag order by Princess Celestia to keep the population at large in the dark about her operations in the north. Not that anypony would blame her if they knew the truth. The Lunatics in the north were extremely violent. They believed Princess Luna to be the one and only true princess. They worshipped her as a god and saw Celestia as a false prophet and sought to crucify her as one.

When Gladius' ship landed on the shore of Rickter, an island sitting a few dozen miles off the shore of Pasadeneigh, they were ambushed by a score of Lunatics armed with Flintlock rifles, bows, and cannons that they had placed in the hillside that overlooked the beach. A member of Gladius' crew had sold information to the leader of the LORE or, Lunatics of Rickter Equestria. The crew fought bravely and managed to retreat to their ship with over half of their brethern slain on the beach. Gladius had volunteered to stay on the beach to hold off the advancing horde to give the crew more time to escape. He relinquished command of the crew to 1st Liutenant Cutlass, several ponies stayed behind with him.

The only passage to the beach was a narrow gap in the rocks. Gladius and his fellow Guardsponies stood at the end of the opening and held off the LORE for an hour while the remnants of his crew made their way back to the boat. He was cut down by an arrow through his throat. The crew of the Iron Maiden escaped the battle and were able to make it to a nearby Equestrian Naval port off the island of Civolt. Word of the slaughter had made it's way back to the mainland and spread before Princess Celestia had a chance to control it.

Lightsail and her mother, Quill, received the news of Gladius' death from now Captain Cutlass several days later. Aid and comfort was offered to the family by the remaining crewmembers of the Iron Maiden. The funeral was held on the beach, no body was recovered. In a counter attack by the Equestrian Navy they had found the bodies of the crew, they were all burned to mostly ashes with a message carved in a wooden board.

"No Peace Until Nightfall"

As the years passed, Lightsail had joined the Equestrian Naval academy with much protest from her mother. At the age of 18 she was hoof chosen by Admiral Cutlass to attend the Captain's Course. This mostly due to her aptitude for sailing. Her cutiemark ended up being an image of a Ship of the Line.

Rumors spread that she had received the recommendation for the course because of her close relationship with Admiral Cutlass. These rumors were silenced after Lightsail graduated top of her class 2 years later...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Fillies and Gentlecolts, it is with great honor that I present the graduating class of the Equestrian Naval Captain's Academy!"

Applause filled the air in the courtyard of the Naval Academy.It echoed off of the stone walls of the school. Cheers came from the crowd as they all stood on their hind hooves in reverence to the class. The 14 students stood at attention on the stage in front of the crowd. A breeze blew softly through the arches of the structure, it carried a salty smell off of the ocean. The grass of the courtyard swayed slightly and the students could almost swear that the sun was shining brighter just for them.

The Pony of Ceremonies, Admiral Hailstorm, stepped away from his hoof crafted wood podium on the stage and trotted over to the students. He stood several paces in front of them facing the crowd. Executing an about-face he looked over the students. 2 rows, 7 ponies to each row. He smiled.

"Welcome to the ranks of the elite." He said with a gruff voice and a crooked smile that reached all the way up to his white eyepatch that covered his left eye. "Remember now. the lives of your crew are in your hooves. One mistake, and hundreds can die." He said in a low tone, almost a whisper, just barely loud enough to be heard over the clapping and cheering of the audience of the student's family and friends.

"CLASS!" Hailstorm yelled. The students lifted their right forehoof and placed it over their chest, they all responded with booming voices in unison.

"WE ARE THE ELITE! WE ARE CAPTAINS! LEAD, FIGHT, WIN!"

Hailstorm chuckled. "Dis-MISSED!" he made a right face and walked off while the students took one step to the rear and sounded off with a loud and thunderous. "CAPTAINS LEAD THE WAY!" They all turned to eachother and commenced with the hugs, pats on the back and laughs.

The students removed their white 3 point caps and stepped off the stage in to the crowd of awaiting family members and friends. Lightsail trotted off towards her mother who was sitting in the front row.

Quill stood up from her chair and made her way over to her daughter. "My dear, i'm so proud of you!" she wrapped her hooves around Lightsail and hugged her tightly. "Your father would be so proud to see you now." A tear trickled from her eye. Lightsail pulled away from her mom and wiped her own tears away before helping her mother. "I know he would. I just wish he was here to see me today." Lightsail brushed some tears off of her white jacket.

"Aye. I do to. Look at you! you've gotten so tall!" Quill now had to look up to make eye contact with her daughter. "Still got that same old red mane and them same 3 freckles though." She sighed. "You look so much like your grandmother!"

Lightsail laughed. "I hope that means I look mature and not like an old alcoholic!" this made Quill chuckle. "Yes, yes, she did like to drink didn't she. And i'm sure she'd be very proud of you right now as well."

Quill hugged her daughter again. "I hope you don't mind if I intrude." a voice came from behind Lightsail. Quill looked up and her eyes went wide. "P-Princess!" Lightsail turned around and they both bowed.

"Oh, stop, stop." Princess Celestia giggled. "Please don't let me interrupt this touching moment." The princess' multi-colored mane waved in the breeze. "I simply wished to congratulate Ms. Lightsail on her graduation. Admiral Cutlass told me much about you. Your father was a fantastic sailor and we all miss him dearly." Lightsail nodded her head.

"Thank you princess. That means a lot to us coming from you."

"Dear, I hope you don't mind if I borrow your daughter for a short minute. I wish to speak with her regarding the next step in her career." Celestia smiled at Quill.

"N-no not at all Princess! Please do, i'll be waiting out by the garden with the rest of the guests when you're finished." Quill hugged her daughter one more time before turning around and trotting off towards the garden where tables of refreshment had been set out.

"Just like your father, can't resist a free meal." Celestia said, turning to Lightsail. "Follow me. I have something very important to discuss with you."

Lightsail followed the princess as she turned away and walked in to the school. The inside of the school was made of grey stone bricks from floor to ceiling, their hooves echoed throughout the hallways. Celestia used her magic to open the door to a classroom. Inside, the desks were lined up in even rows of 5. Lightsail entered and looked around. "This is where my navigation class was hel-"

"Lightsail, listen." Celestia's voice had changed to a commanding and serious tone. "One of the former dutied of my sister was to manifest herself in the dreams of troubled ponies to help them with important life decisions. Since her banishment I have taken that responsibility upon myself. Unlike her, however, I do not interfere in my subject's dreams." Celestia walked over to the window and looked out on the ocean. Lightsail followed and stood behind her. "In the last few weeks I detected something strange. About you."

"Me? Princess I assure you i'm just as normal as any of the other ponies in my class."

Princess Celestia waved her hoof. "Yes, so you think. I have seen your dreams Lightsail. You can stop lying to me now." the princess turned and towered over Lightsail. She made direct eye contact. Lightsail wanted to look away but was unable. "You dreams of avenging the death of your father. They are unnaceptable. I have seen the great evils you are capable of. I know of your past and your interaction with the ocean. Lightsail, you are a catalyst. You know not what you are capable of starting. My advisors believe I should not allow you to captain a ship in my fleet."

Celestia turned away. Lightsail's mouth hung open and tears began to form in her eyes. "Princess! No! This is my dream! Since I was a filly I wanted to be just like my father, I wanted to serve under you as a captain. you CAN'T do this to me!"

Celestia stomped her hoof. "Enough!" She closed her eyes and breathed one heavy breath through her nose. "Lightsail, I disagree with my advisors. I will allow you to captain a ship. You will become captain of the Alestorm. Your crew is a fine one. Their captain recently retired and none of the crewmembers are of the right rank to take over the ship." Celestia turned to face Lightsail again. "This ship is armed with 16 cannons in 2 rows of 8 on both sides. Every pony in the crew is well trained in ship defense, but not offense. This is why i'm allowing you to captain her. You will be an escort ship for the Iron Maiden II."

Lightsail beamed. "Thank you princess! This is the best news. I won't let you down I swear!"

"Lightsail." Celestia silenced her once again. "Understand this. You will be nought but an escprt ship for the first part of your career. I wish to monitor your behavior. The last thing this land needs is another catastrophe in my campaign in the north." The princess sighed then smiled. "Congratulations Lightsail." She extended a leg, and shook Lightsail's hoof.

"Remember Lightsail. Before setting upon a path of revenge you must first dig two graves. One for your enemy and one for yourself. You are a good pony. I do not want to see you corrupted, you are better than that. Serve under me with honor. Be the best captain you can be, live your life happy and fulfilled. That is the best revenge." Celestia dropped her hoof. She turned away from Lightsail and vanished in a flash of light and smoke.

Lightsail shielded her eyes from the flash. Once the light had subsided she dropped her hoof and looked around the room. "Princess?" She questioned. "I... I won't let you down!" She shouted, hoping that the princess was still listening. " I promise, no, I swear to you on my honor as a captain! I will NOT let you down!"

Lightsail made her way out of the room and down the hallway of the school. Her mind raced over the conversation she just had. She thought to herself. "She knew... she knew about my dreams and my desires. But I can't let her down. I have to be the best. I have to prove to her i'm worthy of serving under her." Lightsail stopped at the door that lead to the courtyard and looked out the window that lead to the ocean. She saw a dark shadow move under the waves and out to sea. Shaking her head, and rubbing her eyes she looked again and it was gone. "I- I'm seeing things." She reassured herself before making her way outside and over to the garden. Joining her classmates and her mother in the celebration. It would be good to get her mind off of things for a while.