Emperor's Territory

Chapters

1: Ashore
2: The Red Hair Pirates
3: Ashore pt II
Notice of Rebooting

1: Ashore

Waves came like monsters in the dark, rocking the mighty ship from side to side, forward and backward, carrying the daring souls aboard into adventure, into the blackness of night alleviated only by star shine. The captain laughed in his cabin and gulped down more sake as the crew outside endured the storm, not troubled by it, but eager for it to pass. Lightning flared on occasion, giving them a preview of the journey ahead; the sea mocked the pirates as it carried the Red Force into the unknown.

The Canterlot castle was quiet as the grave, save for the third floor meeting room where a collection of royal family members were speaking of the day to day operations of the land. The guards posted outside traded looks like playing cards, alert and ready to respond to anything in a moment's notice. It wasn't that anything was suspected to happen, but rather, the possibility that something could was drilled into their minds from basic training. Meetings where any Princess was gathered were days of vigilance and mild paranoia; meetings where all four rulers had comes together, even in the capitol city, were days of unending servitude that usually went for naught.

"I have the latest report from Tartarus, and I can confirm that the imprisoned are secure," Princess Luna reported, pulling away the scroll in front of her and moving it to the back of the stack in her hooves.

"What is the latest news from Yak-Yakistan?" The elder sibling Princess inquired, to which her niece replied with a smile:

"They have taken our advice and have decided that the issue has been resolved...for now, the North is calm."

"Well, with Discord still on 'vacation'...if I'm not mistaken, that concludes business for today then, correct?" Celestia asked, looking around the table, seeing complacency in Cadence, Luna, Shining Armor, Prince Blueblood (though his contributions tended to be yawns or coughs)...but not in Princess Twilight Sparkle.

"Actually," the lavender alicorn piped up, "we pushed back over fifteen of the topics I brought to the royal summit the last time we met and in the six months since then I've come up with over twenty more. I know we're tired but...I'm sure if we buckle down and focus, we can get through them all in no more than three hours."

Celestia was trying not to groan, succeeding more than Blueblood, who immediately threw his face into the table with a troubled utterance, "Twilight...I'm sure these are all worth discussing, but...perhaps this time we'll simply talk them over in letters."

The suggestion took a moment to register with Twilight, or rather, it took the Princess of Friendship a minute or two to contemplate the pros and cons to taking such action. She put up a half smile, half frown, looking more nervous than unsure, but the others got the unspoken message. She wanted to talk them over. This time, Celestia permitted herself a quick sigh, and let go her fancies on taking some time to relax in a bath that night.

"Very well, bring forward your first topic, Twilight."

"Great!" Twilight stood up, face shining with excitement. She lit up her horn and a projector and screen popped into existence behind her seat. She flicked on the projector and a map of Canterlot and Ponyville filled the white screen.

"As you can see," She said, gesturing to different areas of the map with the yardstick that came with the screen, "the mail routes that run from city to city vary in length, but the ones with the shortest distances from one to another are the area I want to focus on. Now, I'm not saying we don't all get out mail on time, the mail service is great, and I for one support it one hundred percent. However...we can't ignore their downfalls and short comings either. Based on research I've conducted, with the minor adjustments I suggest we make, efficiency for the mail system will go up at least nine percent and cost will go down by almost four percent. Honestly, I'm just as amazed that I saw it, but......."

Celestia was already losing focus on what her former pupil was saying. Twilight loved academics a bit too much for Celestia's taste. Not that she ever found her interests and talents in the field as a bad thing, far from it. In many areas, Celestia was sure by now her former student had surpassed her and the other royals by far. And yet...in things so simple as learning to pace herself and those around her, she dared to say that even Blueblood knew more...perhaps not much more, but more.

Wisdom came with time, she supposed. Twilight Sparkle was maturing every day, and deep inside, it was becoming all to apparent that she may be growing up too fast. No matter what all the rest of the world saw her as, Twilight Sparkle would always be the unsure filly in magical school, needing somepony to nurture her, give her a little push, help her move along. Perhaps it was wrong to think that though...

She was roused from her thoughts when Twilight began staring at her, as did the others. Celestia couldn't stop her blush as she tripped over a request to repeat the question.

"Well, I just wanted to know if we could go to a vote...about the mail issue and the reforms I went over," Twilight explained.

"Of course! All those in favor?"

The meeting was interrupted when an urgent message teleported in front of Celestia's face, blocking her view of Twilight and the others. The words made her numb, and with each passing line she was further shaken from the meeting around her. The other royals gave her time to read it over, silently waiting for their most experienced and wise fellow to take in the report. Celestia levitated a quill up to the scroll and scribbled in her reply. She sent it back from wherever it came and stood up with a stern expression.

"I'm sorry Twilight, but I must call this summit to adjournment; something very unexpected, and possibly very bad has happened. Tomorrow, take your friends and meet me at Horseshoe Bay first thing in the morning. I will go now and prepare for your visit. The rest of you may return to your posts and continue your duties as if this had not happened. Be wary for any messages I may send you, but until or unless that happens, keep watch over our nation. Farewell for now."

Her teleporting spell was so powerful that the flash blinded everypony just long enough so that none of them could question her about the matter. Twilight's stomach churned as she wondered what may have happened, and though her mind ached, she accepted the reality of the situation as she sent the projector and screen back to her magical pocket. Whatever tomorrow held, she would be ready for it by then...wouldn't she?

The sun was still rising as the flying chariots soared over the hills, emerald green and beaming in the morning's shine. The ocean was already in view, far off into the horizon, but the bay itself was still hidden between the countryside and the big blue expanse that led to lands beyond their borders.

"And she said nothing else about it? Oh...I don't know how I feel about this..." Rarity commented, holding her hoof to her forehead.

"We'll be fine. Doesn't look like anything's wrong right now," Applejack reasoned.

"Yeah, and besides that, why does this mean something bad happened?" Rainbow questioned, "maybe this is actually a good thing."

"I like the enthusiasm Rainbow, but...I doubt that's the case," Twilight lamented.

"Ummm...guys? Are you all neglecting the fact that we're going to the beach!? Nothing could ruin that!" Pinkie exclaimed.

"Let's hope so," Rarity muttered to Spike, who was content to be flying in the same chariot as the white unicorn.

"Beach trip! Beach trip! Beach trip!" Pinkie chanted, swinging her hooves around with a shovel and pale in one and a plastic starfish to mold sand in the other.

On the ground below, Twilight could not help but notice small caravans of ponies riding away from the shore. Now and then a platoon of Equestrian guards would be stationed at check points to direct the fleeing citizens and inspect their belongings. Rainbow's theory was looking more and more incorrect with every mile they drew nearer to the mystery on the beach.

At last, the coast came into view. The town was no more impressive than Ponyville, an old settlement of stone and concrete houses on the earth bordering a collection of wooden shacks on the edge of the sand. In the far distance, at the Southeastern tip of the bay, an old castle stood, abandoned and falling apart, but a clear and stunning sign of how time had passed. A sizeable collective of soldiers had been posted in the town square, all of them going about various orders. The town was emptying out of civilians, and being repopulated with guards and state officials. It wasn't hard to take this beautiful setting and imagine it as a militarized zone in response to threat.

And speaking of threats, it was neither the town itself or the castle watching over it caught their attention for long. Sitting beached in the bay, surrounded by a few elite guards and strange creatures even Twilight did not recognize, was a massive pirate ship. Solid brown wood with red highlights, the ship looked as though it was taken right out of a book, with an ornate crimson dragon decorating the bow. The girls all gasped and watched with mouths agape as they flew in closer. Spike was the only one able to mutter his amazement.

"No way..."

The chariot fliers dove down towards the town, spiraling into the town square until they were corrected by Twilight, who ordered them to fly straight to the beach. As they neared the sand, it was evident that Princess Celestia herself was waiting with the guards, while the odd looking creatures, all tall and threatening, yet seemingly relaxed, stood on and around the ship. One of them stepped forward as the girls landed and quickly thanking the pegasi guards who flew them and running to meet with Celestia. The guards attempted to stop them, but the Solar Princess bade them stand down, gesturing for Twilight and the other Element bearers to join her. Spike opted to stay within the safety of a guard's shadow, but watched with awe as the supposed pirate stepped forward.

"Who're these creatures?" He asked, voice deep and strong, gaze comparable to even Fluttershy's stare, if not one that exceeded it.

"They are friends, my former student, now Princess Twilight Sparkle, and her company. They are here to partake in the negotiations with us," Celestia vouched, leaving a moment of awkward silence as the pirate judged the validity of her words. The Element bearers stood petrified under his gaze, but at last he cracked a small smile, turning to rejoin the crew.

"If I may ask..." Twilight spoke up, rather boldly she thought, "What is your name?"

The pirate turned back, smirked and watched Twilight intently, making her soul stiffen, "...Vice Captain of the Red Hair Pirates...Benn Beckman."

"Cool..." Spike uttered with shining eyes from the distance.

"Where is your Captain?" Twilight inquired as the pirate began to walk back to the ship.

"He'll be along soon enough," Beckman replied, not bothering to face the Princesses again.

"They arrived yesterday afternoon, and since then I have not been able to persuade their leader to come out. This standoff has existed since I arrived after the summit," Celestia explained quietly to the Mane Six.

"They haven't made any demands have they?" Rarity asked, obviously beginning to give in to the panic, "Oh this is terrible! Pirates in Equestria! And just as the Fall line was being conceived!"

"Maybe they aren't here to pick a fight?" Applejack suggested, her optimistic outlook sounding far from genuine.

"We can't assume anything until we hear from their leader...but who knows when that will be? If we don't make progress soon, I'm afraid I'll have to take matters into my own hooves," Celestia commented, moving away to speak with the guard of highest rank on the beach.

"Oh...I'm with Rarity, this doesn't look good...pirates are so terrible," Fluttershy cringed.

"I say we go find their leader if he's too lazy to show himself!" Rainbow told her friends, hovering in the air and watching the pirates, especially Benn Beckman, who either didn't hear her, or didn't care enough to respond in the slightest.

"Are you mad? Why would you do a thing like that?" Rarity exclaimed in a hushed tone, doing her best not to draw attention to their conversation.

"Rainbow, please, try and have some tact," Twilight added, looking over to the ship and swallowing the lump in her throat.

"I'm not worried; we've got the Elements of Harmony, and besides, Princess Celestia and all these guards are with us, we can take some old sea dogs any day!" Rainbow bragged.

"Perhaps we could keep such self-confidence under control," Princess Celestia suggested as she rejoined Twilight and her friends, "We don't need them mad at us."

Rainbow stuttered, then blushed and faced the other way quickly, clearing her throat and whistling objectively. The guards remained focused on the pirates, each one a statue to mirror the more menacing and larger sea thieves. Yet, it suddenly dawned on Twilight that the guards at the beach were barely half the number of the pirates present, and having no idea their level of power or the possible threat of their captain, her nerves at last came back with full force. The same pit in her stomach from yesterday, no matter how she assured herself that things wouldn't turn out so badly, was burning again.

She motioned for Spike to join her, and the baby dragon slowly stepped forward, eyes widening ever larger as he drew closer to the pirate ship and the wolves of the sea who journeyed with her. Twilight's inner big sister was racing like her heartbeat, and she quickly began walking him back towards the town.

"Maybe you should go check out the city a little, maybe find us some food, huh Spike? I'm sure there are still some citizens who haven't left...and boy, nothing soothes a tense moment like a good snack, right?"

"Huh? Oh...yeah, sure thing Twilight..." Her ever loyal assistant answered, very slowly turning and walking away, much to Twilight's disbelief, but satisfaction none the less. Pirates and baby dragons did not mix well.

And yet, her comfort did not last long.

Princess Celestia stepped forward once again, backed by Twilight's friends, and the lavender Princess quickly rushed to join them. Benn Beckman raised his eyebrow at their presence, and the pirates traded looks, mostly smiles of anticipation, Twilight thought. The lavender Alicorn gulped, sweating profusely as the situation got all too real all to quickly.

"Can I help you?" Beckman inquired as the Equestrian guards raced forward to join the Princesses and the Element Bearers.

This was it, time to shine or utterly fail. The pirates realized this better than Twilight, and began to reach for their weapons. Princess Celestia spoke on behalf of the nation as she addressed the Vice Captain dauntlessly.

"With all due respect, this has gone on long enough. This town has been in emotional panic since you arrived, and many of my subjects have fled in terror. Pirates have not been in these waters for centuries, and frankly, the time has come for us to meet and discuss your presence here, or for you to leave. I've been more than patient, but my discontent has grown too large. Send out your captain, if you please."

Benn Beckman took one step forward and drew a wooden staff of some kind from behind his back, imbued with metal, mostly at one end, and towered over Celestia with a look of amusement on his face.

"He'll be out when he's good and ready," Beckman answered, not in mockery or rudeness, but in firm belief that he was justified to allow his captain more time.

Twilight's eyes widened as the guards charged forward and the pirates followed suite, drawing their sabers and wooden-metal staffs; her friends looked at one another and nodded, and she prepared to bring out the elements. In one fated minute, the whole situation had collapsed.

Then, she froze in place as something awful rocked her core and made her swoon, and almost fall over. Her friends looked just as horrid, and even Princess Celestia seemed a little dazed by this overwhelming force. The guards all fell on their faces, Fluttershy fainted outright, and Twilight struggled to regain focus and comprehension over what was happening as a deep, calm, oddly soothing voice filled the air.

"Sorry about the wait..."

A tall creature, flaming red hair adorning his head, stepped onto the gangplank and completely overshadowed the entire standoff. Twilight wasn't completely sure, but she felt that if anything was causing this spirit crushing wave to crash over her friends and allies, it was this pirate. He was different than the others, and that probably wasn't a good thing for them.

"...I'm Captain of the Red Haired Pirates...call me Shanks."

Author's Note

I don't know when exactly I'll find the time to do this, especially just now having gotten a job, lol, but I really like where this is going, and unlike previous One Piece crossovers I've tried to construct, this one seems to be coming out well. With any luck, I'll have more out soon. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this, and if you like it, consider checking out my other works. I'd appreciate it. Until next you read my Author's Notes, enjoy!

-TBK

2: The Red Hair Pirates

Twilight dropped to her knees as the captain of the pirates descended from his ship and onto the beach. Princess Celestia was the only one who had fully recovered, and she was far from amused. The pirates laughed and chortled among themselves. The pirate captain called Shanks was taking his time, slowly walking towards the Princesses as their allies faded deeper into unconsciousness or struggled to avoid it.

"Beckman...put away the gun."

The Vice Captain obeyed and stepped to the side so that Shanks and the Princesses of the Sun and of Friendship could face each other. The order was not dipped in threat, nor painted with devilish humor or anything that suggested foul play. It was no request, but it was brimming with sincerity, just as the fulfillment of the command had been.

"Sorry about that, didn't see the point in letting my men get beat up."

Did he just make a joke? Twilight was still fighting nausea and the urge to fall down and let go of her senses, but she swore the pirates laughed. Celestia was still far from laughing at anything, but she seemed to be more calm now than a minute ago.

"Oi! You don't mean that, Captain!" One of the pirates called out, freezing the tension of the encounter. It was then shattered when Shanks looked back and laughed heartily with a wide smile.

"I'd put my money on the Princess 100-1!"

The sea dogs all got a good laugh out of that one, smiling and joining together as though nothing had happened that even suggested conflict. Shanks laughed harder and smiled wider than any of them. Twilight was breathing in and out slowly, and regaining her bearings, while her friends were still fighting the effects of the Captain's presence. She looked to her teacher, and they waited for the next shock to come; it would be hard to surprise Twilight at this point.

"Captain!..." Celestia called hastily, making the last few seconds of Twilight's weakened state pop as she came back into her right state of mind.

Shanks turned suddenly and smiled at Celestia, not with humor in his heart, but with fondness and warmth.

"Shanks will do," The pirate corrected.

"...Shanks...why have you come to Equestria?"

He gave her a thoughtful look for a moment, rubbing his chin with his hand and looking her in the eyes. It was then Twilight noticed that he had but one arm, and the scars over his left eye were really beginning to stand out. He paid Twilight no mind for the moment, but eventually declined to give answer to Celestia's question.

"We'll come to that soon enough. It's been a long and rough journey for us," Shanks announced, "Why don't you come with us aboard the ship and we can settle down with some refreshments? A party never hurt."

"A...party?"

Celestia's question held genuine disbelief, and if she hadn't parroted the suggestion back, Twilight would have. The audacity to try and sit down with them when a fight nearly broke out...Shanks didn't come off as cruel or vile, but she found him troublesome in his own regard. This was the opposite of what she had been expecting.

"Sure, a party! As long as we don't run out of liquor it'll be fine!" Shanks confirmed, smiling again and turning towards his crew, who were already preparing for the festivities.

"With all due respect to you and your crew, a party is hardly called for at this moment," Celestia objected.

"I'd be honored to have a Princess be a guest of honor aboard my ship," Shanks insisted, then spotting Twilight and realizing the pair of wings to match her horn, corrected himself, "no...two Princesses."

The questions and emotions were too much for Twilight to bottle up any longer; she had to inquire about his uncanny knowledge, "How can you know that we are Princesses? I haven't seen or heard anything about pirates that look remotely like you...this doesn't make sense!"

"All in good time," Shanks assured, turning and walking back aboard the vessel called the Red Force, motioning with his hand for the Princesses to follow.

"We have ponies laying unconscious in the sand, we can't go to a party now!" Twilight protested, unable to comprehend the nature of the pirate captain Shanks. She turned to Celestia for support, but the Solar Princess was too engrossed in her own private thoughts to notice.

Shanks looked down on the damage he'd caused and addressed it at once, "Oh...that's right. Yasopp, see to it that when the ponies wake up they're invited to join us!"

Twilight's jaw fell open and she stuttered in another futile protest, but accepted defeat when Celestia silently followed Shanks aboard. She bit her tongue and rushed to her friends as they began to come around.

"Oh.....Twilight?" Rainbow muttered as she fell back into focus with reality, "What...what happened?"

Twilight lifted the pegasus up and supported her as she regained her balance, "I don't...exactly know."

"What happened to the pirates?"

"They...invited us to a party," Twilight admitted, sighing and looking down in confusion. How could things have turned out this badly?

"Party!?" Pinkie was the next to regain focus, and hearing talk of a party wasted no time in rushing aboard and introducing herself to the pirates. At least with Princess Celestia close by she couldn't do too much wrong.

Spike was laying in a dazed state not far away, the poor dragon having been caught in whatever trap the pirate had ensnared the ponies in. Twilight picked him up and slung him over her back, carrying him with her as she went to help the others. One by one the guards began to stir and awaken, each one as confused and stunned as Rainbow had been, and for good reason; such an ability was a Princess level feat, and Twilight had never experienced anything quite like it. Shanks was a dangerous creature...more dangerous than the other pirates with him.

Applejack and Rarity were picked up not long afterwards, and Fluttershy awoke a time after that. The yellow pegasus in particular was wary of the pirates, which alleviated Twilight's annoyance to some degree; the world still made a little sense, at least. The pirate called Yasopp helped the remaining guards in after they woke, and the party was in full swing hours before noon, not that Twilight enjoyed any of it.

As the sun progressed high overhead and eventually dipped over to the Western sky, Celestia and Twilight grew increasingly impatient. The pirates danced, drank their beverages (which Twilight refused to allow anypony to drink, though she was sure Rainbow and at least a few guards helped themselves when she wasn't looking), and more than anything, they laughed. They joked so much Twilight was legitimately beginning to compile a mental list of all the cons of comedy. The Princesses were looking for answers, not a good time. They approached the subject of why the pirates had come and what they intended to do several times, but Shanks or Benn Beckman continually shot such talk down.

However, as the drinks became scarcer and the music began to repeat, the sobering realization that life was not one big party seemed to dawn on the Captain, and soon Shanks requested the guards and most of his men meet on the beach a ways away and leave the ship to himself, his most trusted nakama, and the Princesses. Twilight managed to get her friends in on the meeting, and by the time the winds blew into the bay in the cool afternoon, the serious business had begun.

Shanks sat at a wooden table, sticky and full of knife holes, and Twilight and Celestia took their places opposite him. Benn Beckman, Yasopp, Lucky Roo, and Rockstar listened from various places on the deck, and Twilight's Ponyville friends and fellow Elements of Harmony bearers huddled together behind the Princesses. Gulls began to sing as the stage was set for a serious discussion.

Whether he was suffering from an immense hangover, or simply dismayed that the party did finally end, Twilight could not be sure. But the smile she was accustomed to seeing on Shanks' face disappeared quickly. He did not become sad, if anything, it seemed he was mystified and nostalgic, recounting the tale of a fond dream of his to the ponies and his closest crew members. As it turned out, that wasn't so far from the truth of the matter, and as the pirate captain went on with what he had to say, Twilight found herself oddly drawn in by his tale.

"Well...where to begin? I suppose the first thing to say is that you look as lovely as ever, Princess...I know you don't remember me, but I could never forget coming here."

One sentence into the talks, and already several jaws opened, those of ponies and of pirates.

"So it's true..." Celestia replied, equally mystified and numb as she spoke, "You knew how to get here because you've been here before."

"I was a cabin boy then, snuck into the lifeboat with Buggy....heh heh," He smirked and paused for a moment, enjoying the memory, "Captain Roger wasn't happy when he found us out. We had to stay in the boat the whole day, but I remember seeing you clear as day. You were younger then of course, as I was...pink hair and a body that was barely half that size. I can almost see you in the distance, speaking with Captain Roger and Rayleigh-san."

"Roger made a pact that day, he swore to the best of his ability that no pirates would ever find their way here."

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but who is Roger?" Twilight asked, her need to know every detail possible kicking in.

Celestia sighed and explained with the same countenance as a cheating spouse her past meeting with the strange pirates, "When I was very young and had just inherited the throne, I was confounded to see strange beings whom I had never seen or heard anything of before on our shores. As newly christened Princess of the Sun, I spoke with them, and learned that they had come in the middle of a great journey. Roger was the captain of the pirates, and he revealed something to me that day...something which I dare not repeat, nor try to think of. He promised me though, that he would do his best to make sure others of his kind never found their way here...and until yesterday, his promise was kept."

"And I'm sorry to say that the reason I've come is that Captain Roger is long dead. I'm here to uphold that pact in his stead," Shanks interrupted with a stern expression, "And I bring a declaration of war..."

An extreme unease hit the meeting like an anvil falling from the sky, and Twilight was almost sure a nasty surprise was on the horizon. Celestia's eyes, and likely her very soul, did not stir, but stared intently into those of the red haired pirate captain. Her friends behind her shared concerned glances, but as usual, the pirates were calm and likely ready for anything. It made Twilight's face go as red as Shanks' hair, but the tension was relieved thereafter.

"...War is coming to this land, and I cannot stop it. All I can do is uphold what my Captain would have me uphold, and fight where he cannot. I will follow his wishes."

"...In that case...I can only thank you...Shanks."

"So...that means more pirates are on their way!?" Rarity exclaimed from the background, unabashed in the face of such news.

"That's right, but it's only one crew. I've managed to have some allies of mine stall them, to give us a few days at least to prepare," Shanks explained, sipping from the last of the drink in his bottle.

"Well, if that's the case, why even come to Equestria? Why not fight them at sea?" Applejack wondered.

"We have our reasons," Benn Beckman answered while Shanks sucked out the last of the alcohol and discarded the bottle.

"I can appreciate secrecy, but we need to know as much as possible if what you say is true," Celestia pleaded, "I know why they have come...but how will we stop them? How can we help?"

"I believe you already know how. With any luck, you won't have to do much, but I'd like to know I can count on you to have my back, Princess,
the red haired pirate answered.

"I will."

"Then rest assured that I will have yours. Our enemy will not face an easy fight when he arrives."

"And who is our enemy?" Rainbow asked, watching as Shanks' face grew darker.

"A man I have faced more than once, and a man I know must be stopped sooner or later. Here, in the privacy of your world, one of us will die..."

A pause ensued, the gravity of the Emperor's statement weighing down on the ponies and pirates all the same. Twilight was hesitant to take her eyes off of the pirate as he stared through the table, into his past to visualize the enemy as he spoke his name.

"...Blackbeard."

The wind picked up greatly, and inside Shanks smiled, once more confirming to himself that the world he knew and this one were indeed very similar.

"Shanks...can I ask you something, between just the two of us?" Celestia inquired.

"Sure," The captain affirmed, standing and stretching before he began walking with Celestia onto the beach, towards the old castle in the far off distance.

"In the meantime, we need to start going over our battle tactics," Benn Beckman stated, sitting down into the same chair his captain had occupied a moment prior.

"Battle tactics huh? Well...maybe you sea dogs aren't as bad as I thought, 'cause now you're talking my language," Rainbow snickered, moving closer to the table with the other ponies.

"We need to know your limitations and capabilities if we are going to have to fight this...Blackbeard," Twilight noted, summoning a pen and pad to take data in.

"Heh, don't worry about us," Rockstar gloated, "we're more than capable of holding our own."

Twilight tried to convert her miffed response into something more cooperative and tangibly useful, but Benn Beckman interrupted her before she could say much, "We'll find out exactly what we can do when we begin physical training. Trust between our groups is key, and to fight Teach, that is, Blackbeard, we will have to trust each other."

An awkwardness set over Twilight, for she certainly didn't trust these pirates...not yet, anyways. Princess Celestia may have a history with these creatures, but Twilight found it hard to be fond of a criminal, not to mention one who hurt her friends, on purpose or not. Still...if what they said was true, and a threat was coming, then she might have to ditch those feelings and cooperate, her life and the existence of Equestria could very well depend on it.

"For now, let's cover how the enemy thinks..."

As the sun was lowered ever closer to the horizon and the orange-pink hue filled the sky and reflected on the sea, the two groups began to separate back into their own routines. The guards would be stationed in the town, and in the next few days, many reinforcements were due to arrive and back them up. The pirate called Blackbeard would be arriving the only known way, the same way the Red Force entered Equestria's waterways.

Princess Celestia, however, was due to go back to Canterlot and send word to the other royals of this new development. This meant that Twilight, Spike, and their friends would be staying with a few guards on the pirates' ship. Shanks welcomed them each aboard (and immediately began socializing with Pinkie and talking about the best parties they'd ever been to). The others prepared their quarters as directed by the crew, and Twilight was left watching as Celestia teleported halfway across the nation, back to her home to see her sister and work the upcoming issue out in the capitol.

The first thing she fixated on as she turned and saw the crew go about their nightly routine was the captain, sitting with his smile back on and a drink back in his hands. Actually, Shanks amazed Twilight. How could any single creature go from such a carefree, laughable, and she dared say ignorant person, into the serious and almost compelling leader she'd seen him be earlier? Everything about this captain was an enigma, complex and unclear to Twilight, even as she tried to dig past his surface. Then again, she hardly knew him, how could she dig past his surface? And furthermore, how was she expected to trust him?

She decided that regardless of her own feelings, her main priority would be putting her thoughts of the Red Hair pirates to bed and attempting to work out the issue of trust amongst herself and the strangers, before it was too late.

"Twilight," She heard Spike call, catching her attention suddenly and startling her, "have you seen what they've got below deck? This pirate ship is amazing!"

The antics of her favorite assistant brought a smile to her face and a peace to her soul, and for a split second, she felt oddly complacent on the ship, almost as if she belonged.

"Coming!" She called, trotting to join the baby dragon and descend below the deck to find her friends in the quarters they'd been assigned.

The interior of the ship was equally as beautiful, and just as well used, based off the smell and wear and tear that the table and so many other facets of the deck above shared. The pirates were nowhere near civilized, and rowdy was a word that immediately came to Twilight's mind after spending a few minutes inside. Still, she found the quarters easily accessible and satisfactory to the needs of herself and her friends. With every negative came a positive, or so she hoped.

"Twilight! Guess I wasn't so wrong after all, huh?" Rainbow called as the Princess of Friendship joined the girls in the room, plain but quaint, "These pirates aren't bad at all!"

"I gotta admit, I doubted it at first myself, but I reckon these guys are a hoot and a half," Applejack added with a smile as she laid down on the bunk she claimed for her own.

"They're certainly ruffians...can't say I admire their hygiene in the slightest...but they could be worse," Rarity spoke her mind, examining the cot she'd chosen.

"There's the proof right there, if Fluttershy's word isn't enough," Rainbow explained.

"Fluttershy? You're okay with these pirates?" Twilight exclaimed.

"Well...um...not exactly, but...they could be a lot worse, just like Rarity said...and the captain seems really nice...at least Pinkie thinks so," Fluttershy explained in her own usual fashion.

"Yeah, Shanks is officially awesome in my book, no wonder Pinkie likes him, I mean, who wouldn't?" Rainbow said, going back up the deck after prepping her bunk.

"Yeah..." Twilight repeated, looking thoughtfully down into the wooden floor, "who wouldn't?"

Author's Note

I worked hard to get this out to you as soon as possible, and I hope to start work on chapter 3 soon. I'm amazed at how quickly this story is catching on, and I'm glad to see there are plenty of Shanks lovers out there. If you enjoyed what I've done so far, leave a comment and let me know, it really helps motivate me. Thanks for checking out my story, I'll see you in the next A.N.

-TBK

3: Ashore pt II

Author's Note

Welcome back to Emperor's Territory! Sorry this update has taken so long, but I got a job literally a day or two after I posted the first two chapters, and I've been having less and less time to devote to my stories since. Fear not however, this story is planned to go on until its finish, however long it takes. (Those of you who read my Snape in Equestria fic know that I was bad enough with updates when I was in school, so don't expect too much, ha ha)

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy everything I have planned for this chapter and for the upcoming ones! :pinkiehappy:

-TBK

3: Ashore pt II

Worries of pirates, battles, and other looming dangers seemed to fade from Twilight's mind as she fell asleep and was greeted by Luna's magic, giving her dreams beyond her own imagination's scope, revitalizing her and renewing her spirit. It had been a long while since she had slept so well. Though she did not yet know it, this period of rest was a final blessing.

Twilight awoke roughly as the entire vessel tipped to one side, pirates and ponies alike running around wildly. Her friends were missing, and the light of dawn had not quite come. Yelling and panic ruled the early morning as the tremors continued to come, each one waiting a little less before erupting and moving the Red Force about like a great wind.

"The Blackbeard Pirates!"

The lavender Princess practically flew out the door and rushed to the deck, where the fog drifting slowly over the sea blocked their view of what was headed their way. Twilight tried to get the attention of several sailors, but none of them seemed to be minding much on their own ship. They were all focused on what was yet unseen, but surely marching undaunted through the dark waters. For the first time Twilight saw the quaking waves rush from the covered unknown and rush towards the ship, practically throwing it over its side. Even the shore moved and stirred as the steady voyage of eruptions continued, stronger and faster each time.

Twilight summoned an eyeglass, looking as best she could for any sign of the enemy, but all she found was fog, a white mask that concealed the incoming pirates perfectly. Beginning to panic at the situation at hand and the lack of contact with her friends, Twilight found herself fixed upon the darkness approaching, unable to look away despite the need for her to be a leader in the absence of Princess Celestia.

The crewman in the crow's nest hollered again, shaking as though he had seen ghosts; Twilight wasn't sure he hadn't.

"The Blackbeard Pirates are coming! They're here!"

"So much for being delayed," Yasopp grimly commented, suddenly standing on the deck beside Twilight with the other senior pirates of the Red Hair crew.

"Maybe they blew past the Old Man? He isn't what he used to be..." Rockstar replied with just as much a grim disposition.

"Even Teach would suffer some sort of loss if he and the Dark King went at it," Benn Beckman stated firmly. He appeared to be the most fearless member of the crew, and Twilight was amazed that she too was beginning to feel calmer in his presence.

But that peace was quickly shattered by another quake, which would have surely toppled the ship if not for the senior members; the air around them shifted, as if they were stronger than matter itself, bending the reality of the situation to their wills. It almost felt something like the time Shanks had knocked out the entire force of guards on the beach just by showing up. It was no less a fearsome power coming from them, and Twilight slowly realized that like them, she had to dictate the terms of this confrontation, not only react to them.

Then, like a knife running through the fog, the sea, the air itself, a loud and proud laughter erupted along with the largest quake yet, "ZEHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

The pirates and few guards aboard the ship whispered to one another as something evil poked out the fog. A strange creature, much like the Red Hair pirates but distinct all on his own emerged aboard an even more fearsome ship than the Red Force. It came into full view as the last quake, which split tremors and opened fault lines on the sand and the grass, was averted to some degree by Benn Beckman and the other seniors. It was a warship of immense size, easily dwarfing Shanks' vessel and looking something like a giant bunk bed, two massive levels with two decks and two hulls, one pair atop the other. There were enough cannons to blow Canterlot to ashes. Standing atop the higher deck surrounded by fearsome pirates of all sizes, was the man Twilight knew to be Blackbeard.

True to his name, his beard was blacker than shadows and he was missing several teeth. Far more than Shanks and any of his crew, Blackbeard repulsed Twilight and embodied the stereotype for the scum of the sea; he was large, proud, and laughed maniacally at his emergence upon Equestria's shores.

"Ahoy! Land called Equestria! Bow before your new ruler!"

His audacity was as overwhelming as his vile nature. In his declaration of antagonism, Twilight sensed a great history. A conflict and air of legend that surrounded this pirate, but it was tainted. He was so far from being anything like Shanks that Twilight saw the entire Red Hair crew in a new light after gazing upon this tyrant's darkness. This pirate called Blackbeard had seen and done amazing things, but Twilight was now more determined than ever to stop him. Her home and happiness depended on it.

The pirates all seemed quiet, nobody in particular wanted to give answer-except Twilight, and she was glad to see it. She inhaled deeply and watched the sun as it poked over the horizon, beginning to spill an orange glow over the bleak scene. Flying up into the air and making herself a target, Princess Twilight Sparkle yelled back in unshaken defiance.

"Equestria bows to no pirate!"

She felt Benn Beckman smile, and the Red Hair pirates and Equestrian guards applauded her, but Blackbeard looked taken aback.

"What's this? A...pony? Roger's second closely guarded secret....what's going on!?"

"I am Princess Twilight Sparkle of Equestria, a proud and sovereign nation that requests you turn back at once or face our wrath!" The words seemed to come to life all on their own and shout themselves at the tyrannical sea dog, but he smiled at them and laughed heartily again.

"Van Auger...let's commit regicide!"

A tall pirate stepped forward, a weapon much like Beckman's in his arms. He held it out and fired a metal pellet at Twilight in a matter of seconds, and Twilight had barely enough time to erect a shield that stopped the attack. Had it hit, she would have been seriously hurt, if not killed. The sniper took aim again, but before he got off a second shot another attack broke his weapon, shattering it to pieces. Twilight saw Yasopp smiling as the enemy pirate dropped the broken weapon.

Blackbeard did not seem deterred. Rather, at the interference of Shanks' men, he laughed a third time.

"Look at that...the Red Hair pirates have come to die to protect these pitiful creatures!"

The armies behind him laughed and he cracked his neck looking with bloodlust at the Red Force, Twilight prepared herself, magic glowing in her eyes and lighting her horn ablaze. Blackbeard's hand curled inwards, he looked lustfully at his fist and then at Twilight and the pirate ship with hatred. He moved his hand behind his back and smiled wildly. It was coming. His attack was imminent. He paused and let the tension build before slamming his fist forward, and to Twilight's shock, it shattered the air.

A shockwave raced towards the shore and as Twilight tried to take in the fact that all these odd pirates seemed to be able to bend reality (a fact which scared Twilight more than she cared to admit) she hardly managed to create a shield, large and thick, she focused everything in it, making sure it would withstand the force thrown against it.

It did not.

Purple magic shards shattered like the very air itself had a moment ago, and as it evaporated Twilight panicked to erect more shields, each one being crushed and shattered with ease. She hoped the pirates on the ship could stop it, because she was sinking in despair as she quickly realized that she could not. Tears began to well up and her heart stopped as the shockwave flew faster and began to implode, knowing that it would surely destroy the ship and all the pirates and ponies aboard.

Blackbeard was smiling wickedly until he gasped at what Twilight could not see. There was was indeed a pirate capable of stopping the attack, and Twilight formed a platform beneath Shanks as the captain jumped out towards the shockwave, dispelling it with a swipe of his blade and landing safely on the purple stand Twilight formed for him.

"Shanks!" Twilight cried out with joy, landing beside him on the purple platform and smiling at his success. He gave her an acknowledging nod, but was far more serious than he had been last night.

"Blackbeard...." the crimson haired Emperor addressed his fellow as the pirates on both ships grew quiet and still, "Not one secret....will be stolen from this land."

"Shanks..." Blackbeard acknowledged with a small chuckle, "I almost thought things weren't going to be fun."

The sea began to stir and the waves began agitated. The skies grew dark and the still rising sun was hidden behind ominous clouds. Twilight knew that this was the work of the rivaled wills of Blackbeard and Shanks. In truth, she was beginning to realize how dependent she was going to be on the pirates. And as she thought of how she might best support the pirate captain beside her, he suddenly turned to her and smiled, not goofily or with total light heartedness as the day before.

"Princess....don't hold back...and follow me."

"Fire!" Blackbeard screamed, and a stream of cannonballs were shot out over the storming waters below.

Twilight crushed the incoming projectiles as best she could, and Shanks sent flying power soaring at the incoming cannonballs like spells, but their combined efforts were not enough to stop every cannon, and those that were not stopped by Yasopp, Beckman, and the Red Hair range fighters exploded in the raging waters or tore up the hull of the ship; the first volley did not cause much damage, but it was clear that the cannons were the first objective.

Twilight conjured platform after platform, giving them a path right up to Blackbeard's warship, and the pirate took the same form, flexing his arm and throwing his hand over his shoulder and behind it, and this time Twilight noticed a white sphere of power forming around his fist. If it went off, she would be blown away.

Shanks leaped forward again, his sword colliding with Blackbeard's fist, and Twilight expected him to be blown away, but amazingly, it was Blackbeard who was shoved back, falling on his back and relying on his allies to save him from Shanks' next attack. Though they tried, Yasopp and Ben Beckman gave support and fired their weapons at Blackbeard's pirates, and Shanks was more than capable of protecting himself. Twilight flew up and began tearing the cannons from the deck, flinging them into the roaring waters.

Although Shanks was a fearsome opponent, Blackbeard did not seem to mind him as much as Twilight disarming his ship, and quickly drew his pistol. The shot tore past Twilight's mane and burned it slightly, putting her on guard. The pirate cursed as his men threw themselves at Shanks, and prepared to fire again.

Twilight charged a spell in her horn and shot it off, giving it enough power to destroy rocks and turns trees into splinters. Blackbeard closed his eyes and shocked Twilight as an immense darkness began swirling around him, like shadows turned into guardian spirits. Her blast was absorbed and Blackbeard opened his eyes with some personal revelation that lit up his face. He had regained his confidence and more.

Her next effort involved a dome of magic that erupted with her as the center, but Twilight was dismayed to see that Blackbeard's darkness absorbed it with ease, and seemed to grow larger around him. He looked upon the Friendship Princess with murderous intent, but his attention was quickly drawn away from pained cries as Shanks continued to mop the deck with the fodder swarming around him.

"Captain! We need help!"

Blackbeard looked over both Shanks and Twilight, and decided that Twilight could be dealt with later, perhaps when he had more time to enjoy the act, but whatever the case, he set his sights on Shanks, and fired the next shot at the captain of the Red Force. Shanks seemed to repel it as though it was a negative thought, sending it flying back to Blackbeard with his sword. The malicious pirate absorbed it with his darkness and laughed yet again, enjoying the odds presenting themselves to him.

Twilight allowed dread to enter her heart as she felt an odd force drawing her towards Blackbeard. Her wings would not carry her where her mind wished to go and her magic seemed to be faint at the moment, and she was slowly being edged towards the pirate, who continued to stare down Shanks.

At last the second volley of cannons burst and cannonballs flew out at the allied pirates again. Twilight attempted to stop them, but was still being drawn mysteriously towards Blackbeard, who was still paying her no mind at the moment. Shanks relented and sheathed his sword, holding out his outstretched palm to his ship, signaling them to stay put. Twilight was confused, and immediately relieved to discover what Shanks had predicted.

Princess Celestia teleported in the air with a blinding flash and suspended the motion of every cannonball and projectile, holding them firmly in place and preventing any damage from being done. Her stern expression was usually scarier than any look Twilight knew, but at the moment it was a great relief to see the Solar Princess stare like that.

"Forgive my lateness, Shanks, Twilight...I am here now, to end this conflict and protect these lands."

Blackbeard looked intrigued; certainly his idea of a fight went along the lines of the more the merrier, at least as long as he could conceivably win. But surely he knew this situation was hopeless for him. He had to. Twilight wasn't much of a match for him, but Princess Celestia was much more powerful, and it seemed that Blackbeard outright feared Shanks...so why did he look so thrilled.

The Princess of the Sun flung every cannonball back, aiming right for Blackbeard himself. Shanks and Twilight put space between themselves and the attacking captain, who hunched over and roared.

"Black Hole!"

That same twisted darkness that had once surrounded Blackbeard but since vanished returned, swarming out like an infection and absorbing every cannonball and projectile sent flying at him. The darkness formed into a funnel, throwing back everything it had absorbed, raining down projectiles on the Red Force and the shore, even sending a few cannonballs to the outskirts of the town in the distance.

"ZEHAHAHAHA!! Recognize me as the World's Strongest Man! ZEHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

Shanks lunged faster than Twilight's eye could track and swung his sword violently at Blackbeard, who caught it with his still looming darkness. Shanks did not seem deterred, despite the effortless block.

"You'll never be half the man either Whitebeard or Roger were, Teach, not in a million years."

"I'm already twice the man they were! Useless figments of an ancient era! This is my age, Shanks!"

They separated at once, and as the winds grew colder and the clouds darker, Celestia ignited herself with flaming armor, taking measures Twilight had only heard about indirectly before now. As the flames coated the Solar Princess and made her a beacon of light, Blackbeard took interest in her at last.

"I am surrounded by allies, Teach. I cannot fail because I am part of something much bigger than any one person can be; this is your end, one way or another."

Celestia continued to ignite her new armor and was soon almost completely enveloped in the yellow and red dance of fire. Twilight lost herself in the awe and spectacle of the moment, drifting slowly back as Shanks and her mentor took opposite sides and caught Blackbeard between them. He did not seem surprised or threatened, once more showing a striking disregard for the threat before him, or a secret edge that would save him from defeat.

"You think you're the only one with a trump card, Shanks? I've grown more powerful than since we last met, and I too have nakama to watch over me!"

There was a temporary silence and uneasy atmosphere flowing from the scene, and without another word, Celestia summoned her power while Blackbeard lowered his, leaving himself open to attack. Shanks hesitated, analyzing the situation, but Celestia hurled her might at him without a second thought, a spiraling flame that was said to be as hot as the flames on the sun's surface. Blackbeard refused to flinch as an as-of-yet unheard voice called out over the scene.

"Arara...so hot tempered..."

A sudden and lightning-quick blast of ice shot off from the lower deck and intercepted Celestia's blast of flame, canceling out without much apparent effort.

Shanks looked mortified, if only for a second. The rumors were true after all.

"For instance," Blackbeard taunted, "I have Kuzan here with me...former Marine Admiral Aokiji!"

Twilight did not recognize the name, nor had she ever seen a man like this one, tall and more relaxed than seemed normal, even for the likes of these pirates, but the way in which Blackbeard announced his ally, the way in which he showed himself...

"Princesses!" Shanks called out, "Make a retreat! Now!"

Kuzan slowly leaned forward and fell over the side of the ship, diving into the water below. He looked as though he was staring at an old painting, showing no signs of fear of worry at all.

"Retreat?" Twilight called out in question.

"Protect the town! Save the city!"

As Kuzan landed in the water below he seemed to become ice itself, and then he stood and froze the water beneath him whole once more. He spread his hands out over the water; Celestia and Twilight wasted no time in erecting shields over the Red Force and the town, hoping that it would be enough.

Kuzan breathed in and exhaled with chilled sigh, "...ICE AGE!"

Notice of Rebooting

Hello readers, welcome one and all to the end of this story....well, this version of it.

In truth, I've had the next three chapters worked out into various forms of completion for some time now, but I've long felt it a struggle to keep coming back to this story. I kept thinking of where it was going and how I was taking it there, more precisely, how badly I was guiding it to where I wanted it to go. Rather than just edit the heck out of it, I decided to redo it entirely, and thus far, things are coming in much better. To that end, I have officially rebooted this story and renamed it: Pony Piece: Yonko Journey

The general premise is still the same and it will still be Shanks-centric (after the first chapter or two), so don't fret. The biggest difference, as you will find out from clicking that link, is the order of crossover. Rather than have Shanks and the other pirates going to Equestria, I've decided to take the ponies and go into the One Piece world. Mmmm....much more fun this way, if I do say so myself.

Chapter 1 is, as of right now, up and ready to read, as is the second. All we're waiting on is the story to be approved. I'm still not finished with planning, but I intend to make something of this reboot. I hope if you were enjoying this you'll look into what I've put out. If you're starting to have concerns that things will play out in too similar a fashion, don't worry, I'm definitely keeping elements from this version, but putting the ponies in One Piece's world gives me a LOT more freedom to bring in characters and elements from the anime. So, please, respect this for what it was and transfer with me to the reboot of Emperor's Territory: Pony Piece: Yonko Journey! :twilightsmile:

(Oh, and for all the love and attention this version got, I am extremely grateful. Especially with how inconsistent I was; I aim to change that with the reboot)

-TBK