The Nights Dagger.

Darkness fades from my vision as I blearily open my eyes, only to quickly shut them as I find a bright light shinning onto my face.

“wa- what happened? I was just...” memory of recent events that lead to me to be in my current state race through my mind, accompanied by a slight pain on the back of my head.

“P-Pirates! What should I do? What should I do? Do I wait for master to save me? Or should I escape? But what then? If I’m still on an airship, how will I get down the ground? What if we`re over the ocean right now? Oh Celestia help me!” I cry out, not caring if anyone hears me. My heart rate increases as I start to find it hard to breathe.

I stay still, curled up into the smallest ball I can, hoping to all hope that I’m not discovered. Hours seem to pass, days even. Then, out of nowhere, a hoof gently rests onto my shoulder and rubs in a calming motion.

“hey, kid. Calm down. You’re alright. Nothing is going to hurt you. I promise.” A soothing female voice says.

“what about master? he doesn’t like me talking to other ponies. He said that at most, I should be seen not heard!” I whimper out. I expect some sort of scolding, but when I don’t get one I open my eyes and realise they had been closed the entire time.

With a quick glance round, I find myself in small wooden room with a couple of storage boxes to the side and an open door which lets light into the room.  The mare next to me has a navy blue coat and a pure white mane. She has a pair of leathery wings on her sides marking her as a bat pony. She has a cutie mark of cannon decorating her flank.

“You do not have to worry about him anymore. No one will ever again, not when word gets out about his demise.” She says in a very serious voice. I then notice her cat like pupils and yellow eyes, seemingly glowing when the light reflects off of them.

“my name is loose cannon, what’s yours?” she asks, extending a hoof towards me.

“Long Shot, ma`am. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” I reply, calmer than I was expecting. I reach my hoof out and shake hers.

The sound of a throat being cleared comes from the back of the room, causing me to turn, fear churning in my gut as a large Pegasus comes into view. He is shrouded in the shadows in the room which makes details nearly impossible to make out. I can just make out a small smile on his muzzle as he looks at us, though his focus seems to be on me and me alone.

“Captain! It isn’t what it looks like! I, I was er, I was...” loose cannon stumbles across her words, trying desperately trying to come up with an excuse.

“Calm down, Cannon. You were trying, successfully, to calm down Long Shot and stop a possible panic attack. And how many times have I told you that you don’t need an excuse to help or talk to someone?” His voice is soft with a joyful undertone to it.

“Clearly not enough Sir. Is there something you need me to do?” loose cannon asks.

“I want you to be on the lookout for any nearby ships. You know what to do if you do.” The Captain said. Getting a nod in response, he turns to me as she leaves. “Now, Long Shot. Do you know why you were taken along on your, mastersairship?” as he says this, he seems to look into my soul, sending shivers down my spine.

“we were supposed to trade goods with a noble house. I can’t remember who though...” I say, scrunching my face up in thought.

“You were going to be sold to them as labour to pay off a debt.” He says. All the cheer gone from his voice. Replaced with a serious yet sympathetic tone.

“that explains why I wasn’t allowed to see the paper work... but” I’m cut off by the sound of loose cannon shouting orders to the crew.

She enters the room, a serious look on her face and says “Sir, a small merchant vessel is approaching fast. They appear to be preparing to board us.”

“stay here and hide Long Shot. It is about to get very loud. I will come and get you when it is safe.” As he starts to walk away, I start to feel as though I need to help them. Like it is the only way to thank them properly for stopping me from being sold like some sort of product.

“W- Wait! I, I want to help. Please?” I call out before they reach the door.

The Captain turns towards me, eyebrows raised in a manner that says “if you’re sure. I am not going to stop you.”

Climbing too my hooves, I trot out after them and see a large wooden deck being suspended in the air by huge cables attached to 2 enormous oval balloons. All across the deck pegasi, unicorns, griffins and minotaur hide behind railings, boxes and occasionally, each other. All of them wielding a weapon of some sort. The minotaur are mainly carrying large axes and hammers while griffins and unicorns have either a long barrelled gun of some sort, or a pair if pistols. Te pegasi have some sort of blades attached to their wings and swords in their mouths.

In the distance, I see a small circular vessel with a single balloon and 3 propellers at its back. Black smoke pours out of a steam engine near its centre. 10 or so creatures are moving around erratically, but are too far away to identify their race.

Suddenly, a loud *crack!* noise comes from the ships direction and a griffon collapses to the floor, blood soaking the floor as the now lifeless corpses gun, a long barrelled rifle hits the floor at my feet.

Tacking the gun into my hooves, I use my magic to lift the gun to eye level and take aim at the offending vessel.