Author's Note

I stopped spell checking after last chapter. If you read this before I finish spell checking, then the remaining three chapters are not spell checked.

Captain White Rose

The dream itself were a break from reality. The slow movements, the aimless moving, the incomprehensible images, events, and actions take place. In all honesty, Rose would rather incomprehensible nonsense at this point...

Cold water were thrown on her, shocking her awake as shivers ran up and down her body. She gasped, breathing heaviyl as her heart kicked up it's pace, startling her completely awake.

"Hahah! Whore. Today is the day, you slut! Today, you hang!"

As the stallion continued laughing, Rose looked up at him with a grimace, then hung her head in defeat. It is the last day of her life, and she is spending it in a cell until they take her out by force. Her lover god didn't help her, her son she'd never met never came, her crew...never made it into port. Every card she could play was used already, her magic was onyl as strong as her condition, and she hasn't had a moment to meditate, or food, or water, for weeks now. She's week and can't fight back anymore. Nothing she could do.

So she slept. With nothing else left, what could she do?"

The door opened again loudly. A terrible noise she grew to hate maliciously. If she had the chance, she would destroy this entire cell she were being held in. This hell in a bucket. Several stallions walked in, all dressed as deckhands, but they filed into the room in suit, marchign to their places and standing at attention as their captain stepped in. He was a tall stallion, not so burly, bore really great looking clothes for any kind of captain, heavily decorated in his outfit, and in one hand...a whip.

Rose didn't look at it. She knew it was there. She knew he was going to use it. She just hoped that if she didn't look at it, it would make the passage that much less painful. Yet, her hopes were shattered as he letall but the handle go, dropping the coil to the ground. He drew his arm back expertly, and lashed that whip out with precision, wrapping it around her neck and jerking her to the ground, bringing her to his feet.

"We're going to be extra ruthless. Just for you. We will whip you. Burn you. And then. Then we will hang you. Every bit of your death is going to be torture.", he gingerly unwrapped the whip from around her neck, then walked out. One stallion picked her up, carrying her fraila nd weak body out of the cell.

The dungeon were small, but it were still a dungeon. Dark, musty, unclean. As Rose stepped into the sunlight filtering into the cavernous rift, she cringed. It burned her eyes more than her coat. She didn't know sunligth coudl be so painful and so beautiful at the same time.

The sight before her were grim and terrible. No matter what she saw, her hopes were diminished. The green grass was as beautiful as it had ever been. the dull red of the Rift were an awe-striking sight. And then the gallows. Her heart sank that much lower as she laid eyes on them.

Not but a few minutes passed, and she were brought onto the deck of the gallows itself. Her cuffs were tied to a rop that was slung over the gallows beam, and she was forced to stand up straight. The sight before her now was a sea of people. Every pirate who got word that the murderer of the pirate king, Jolly Roger hismelf, were being executed on this day, they flocked here like mad. Pirates of different kinds. Assassins, Easterners, Gryphons, Sphinxes, even machines.

That first crack of the whip struck her back without warning, and she cried out in pain, clamping her mouth shut as the second struck her back. The captain her executioner...he didn't waste time. Twenty lashings, all dealt within a amtter of but maybe a few minutes. She made only one noise of agony adn pain. That first scream, and bore the pain like the pirate captain she were.

A barrel of red hot coals were brought to her. In it weren't a brand, but instead a chain. One mare with a coat pattern of glyphs and amgic rings grabbed the chain with her bare hands while it still glowed hot, grabbed all of it, and turned to Rose. She took a leap back, swung the chain in one hand, then threw it, wrapped it around Rose's neck and shoulder, then, as they lfited her up, coiled it around her body. The sizzle of searing flesh was very much so audible. She didn't scream, btu she struggled. Slowly, the chains fell away, and the only thing she let out was a single tear.

The rope holding her up relented, and she fell to her knees.

"I've got to hand it to you.", the executioner sighed. "I'm impressed."

No sooner had he said that did his skull split into a gorey paste, sending his body to the ground, punctuated by a loud crack of a rifle. Rose immediately looked up from where she were, spotting a very familiar glare. That of the scope of a rifle. A sniper rifle. And ti sat on the edge of the Rift.

"Sniper...", sh emuttered. The next moment, she stood up, then yanked her chains apart, magic exploding from her form as she used what she had left to give herself but onyl a few boosts. Stamina, healing, and strength. The guards to her sides immediately attacked her, but the first met her fist, lost his spear, and she impaled the second one. the first guard met his end directly after byty eh pistol fot he second, and rose took that moment to vault off the gallows backwards.

She failed. She didn't fail miserably, but she couldn't get back up after she landed. She hurt so much that ti killed what strength she had left, and she simply fell. Immediately any and every pirate watching converged on her, only to be met with chain gun fire, dropping them all like flies. Out of any ballistic weapon that ever existed, Rose knew the sound of her own chain gusn the most, and that gave her the extra will to stand. slowly. She hurt herself getting off the gallows. but the next moment were tons easier. She dropped the weapons she had and took off running opposite the gallows, headed for the edge of the cliff they sat atop. A longboat leveled itself with the edge, and she picked up pace, making it halfway before gunfire began cracking the air aroudn them, different from the already constant hell and rain of her ship's chain guns. She ducked after the first shot, then continued on ehr way, taking a bullet straigth through the left of her chest as she was jsut about to leap for the longboat.

The three stallions on board each left the longboat, one deployed a magical shield, and the other two helped her into the boat.

"We got rose!", the unicorn of th egroup announced.

"Book it here ASAP!", came a response from the Longboat's coms equipment.

"Roger, Captain Cloud!!"

Rose picked up her head at the name. cloud? Her hopes were now not for survival, or relief from the pain. No, it were hopes that her son had really come to save her.

Once the third stallion boarded the Longboat, he dropped that first spell which kept them protected, and the Longboat vaulted upwards and away from danger, just as he put his hands on her bleeding chest, pulsing healing magic through her body from the most devastating injury. The bullet wound closed, her ribs snapped back into place properl, her aches and pains ebbed away, and lastly, the burns faded, replaced with relief and warmth.

"Finally...", Rose whispered before passing out...

The dreams she had were a lot more docile. impler, no pain, no suffering, nothing engative. Not much positivity, but hell, dreams are nto specific. This one seemed devoid of everything. She woke up from it without any recollection of what happened, or a care to remember. She were in a bed. She didn't car eabout anything other than pullign the covers closer and curling into a ball in the comfortable confines of...her own quarters. Oh how she missed this magnificent bed.

A stirring just in front of her brought her to open her eyes, laying eyes on a grey pegasus stallion, bearing the biggest wings she'd seen in quite some time. He didn't budge too much, and didn't speak, only watched closely.

Rose hmphed, smiling a small smile. "Hey son...What're you doing in my bedroom?", she closed ehr eyes again.

No response. She opened one eye, then both. the sight before her was the most relaxed anyone could ever look. Completely devoid of any look of strife or stress.

"Waltz, I know it's you. You've got your father's wings. I would figure you would have something to say. Whether it be angry or happy. I don't care, I jsut want to hear my son's voice..."

"And ye can't."

Rose sat halfway up, turning her gaze to Eldritch, whom were standing in the corner of the room. "Sniper...", she whispered.

"Indeed that glare was me, lass."

Rose laid back down with a smile. "I see you've made some friends."

"I be his adoptive father.", Eldritch admitted. "And yer son be a mute."

"That's...", Rose sighed. She then checked under the covers to find that her outfit was indeed modest, and crawled further upt he bed to rest her back against the head board. "Well, to whom do I owe the pleasure? All I know you as is the Legendary Sniper of the Far Skies."

"Eldritch Stone. Call me whatever ye like."

"Thank you, Waltz. For saving me.", she smiled.

"He would nay 'ave saved ye if'n it weren't fer me. This young stallion d'nay know how ta cpatain a ship, much less recruit a crew. Seems like ye're old crew knew where ye ship be the moment we docked, though, so luck would ahve it, a crew were waitin'."

Rose nodded. "I...almost died."

"Ye did!", Eldritch chuckled. "Had ta zap ya back ta life. Anyways. Here, Waltz. Say somethin' ta yer mother...", Eldritch tossed the collar to Waltz. He hesitated before clamping it around his neck, sighing as he did so.

"But he can't. Does that collar speak for him?"

"It gives me speech.", Waltz spoke. It sounded like a beautiful melody to Rose. Eldritch left the quarters, leaving the two alone.

"That's amazing. A mute son. that explained why you didn't cry when you were born. I hope my son is doing well.", she hinted.

"I've got my own triumphs to speak of, but they mean more to me than anyone else. Simply fights I won with a sword, none of them mentionable."

"Personal goals achieved."

"Yeah. Aside from that, I met my father day before yesterday, found out I was a god, and found out you were in danger. I was desperately hoping that you were still alive, and hated my father so much for not saving you himself."

"Thanks for rescuing me, son. I cannot ever pay you back for what you've done for me."

"Well, you can stick around with me. At least for a while."

"I would hope so. I finally get to meet my son. And you've already met your father."

"My wings are bigger."

"Really?!"

"Yeah."

"Are you good at flying?"

"Heh...Not as good as fighting.", he smiled. "Best kill yet is a machino golem. Solo. Used a claymore to fight it."

"that's impressive. What kind? Dragon? Centurion? Gryphon? Man. If you can fight back against those things, then we migth be able to survived an attack."

"Uhm...there is more than one kind?"

"I take it you haven't seen more than those you've fought, then."

"I've seen three."

"I've seen countless. In fact, I've seen an entire flock of flying tank birds, well over fifty. It's astounding you ahve yet to see something other than, what, a centurion?"

"Well, this is news to me."

"Heh. Real world problems for this planet right now. Get this. Somewhere int eh sands, one of Celestia's flying machino factories gained magical sentiency, dropped itself out of the sky. Narrowed it down to a hit or miss location, but there are so many golems swarming the place, it's dangerous. Can't even get above them. They have golems that will always be above you, and always be below you. Even in the sands."

"Sounds like an adventure for another time."

"Yeah.", Rose smiled. "You see a sweet mare now, but that's because I'm in a bed, and weak. Waltz, as your mother, and having finally found you, I want you to know what I am. I am ruthless. Heartless. I am Captain White rose. Ruthless Rose. I care for no one but my crew and me. I've stolen, plundered, killed, murdered, but never raped anyone, like some pirates."

Waltz hummed in thought.

"Although, thanks to your father, I'm immortal now, and it's taught me quite a lesson. Especially since I was locked up in the rift."

"You killed the pirate king, I here."

"Jolly Roger lies dead by my hand. Blew his brains out with a revolver. Satisfaction in a single shell."

"Did he wrong you?"

"He raped me."

"Good riddance, no argument."

"Mhmm. First person who ever held me down more than five seconds. Oh, it was so great to put that bullet in his skull. Watched the entire bulb of his head shatter. All was left was the front of his skull, and his bottom jaw. The entire wall behind him were coated in bloody, visceral grey matter."

"Calm down, mother."

"It's great to finally hear someone call me mother. Mom or mommy would have sufficed.", she chuckled. "Even if we met on better terms, and you decided to make a laugh out of it...I wouldn't be mad. So. Let's talk about you. Where are you in this world, right now?"

"Back home. Small sky island int he sands, really nice restaurant high above it. I live in a clock tower. Clock doesn't work. Eldritch owns the inn beneath."

"Interesting. You should show me sometime."

"My trophy room? It's but a short fligth away. We're docked at the very sky island I call home."

Rose nodded. "If only your father were here, right now."

"I last saw him in Gaochang. Slaughtered a group of criminals, left right after. Bolted to the rift once I read that letter. Which...reminds me. I have no idea where Night is..."

"Where? Or who?", Rose asked.

"Her name is Nightmares and Sweet Dreams. Young little bat mare, she's a thief. We met, hit the friendship off real easily. There could be something there, but I'm patiently waiting."

"I don't like flying rats."

"Mother.", Waltz gave her the "seriously?" look.

"Nope. I don't want to hear it. I hate all thestrals, and those undead horses can eat dirt for all I give a care."

Waltz pursed his lips with a sigh.

"I don't care if you work with her, or be friends, but I will disown you if you marry her."

Waltz looked to his left as Night herself crossed her arms in the doorway. She kicked one boot up on it's heel and rested against the door frame.

"I take it you're Sweet Dreams."

"Don't call me Sweet Dreams.", Night responded emotionlessly.

"I will call you whatever I damnw ell please, rat."

Night stared rose down for a moment before turnign to Waltz. "I tried to ge there in time to help you, but the Flying Dutchman wasn't fast enough."

"Of course. Leave it to a thestral to make a deal with that demon and his cursed ship."

"I hate your mother.", Night continued.

"If I had a-"

"Enough!", Waltz stood up. "Night. Out.", he shooed the bat mare away.

"Thank you, son."

Waltz only glanced at her as he stepped out as well. "Night, I'm not gonna sugar coat my mother's responses or mood, she is very racist, and I found that out probably the same time you did."

"Yes you most definitely did. I was just...hesitant to meet your mother. I know who White Rose is. I just didn't expect her to be your mother..."

"Can't be helped. Now what's this about the dutchman giving you passage to the rift? Because I don't like what I heard."

"Dutchman came for me twice already. I wanted to chase you, help you, be there for you, so I called upon the dutchman. Tied someone up, brought him to Jones as payment. I amde him smile, and brought him three crew members, so apparently Jones likes me, now. That stallion was payment for safe passage to the rift."

"I see."

"Well. Here I am, hero.", Night smiled.

Rose called otu frm her own bedroom. "Oh, that's right, I own this ship. Get her off immediately!"

Waltz took a deep breath. "Alright, lets go. Not letting this stew anymore than it has. I jsut met my mother, I don't want you ruining it."

"Hey!"

"Don't see it as a bad thing. It's not like she's going to be the end of our friendship."

Night smirked. "Alright. I'll head off, then.", she turned to make her exit.

Waltz immediately noticed her wings. Before, they were dwarfed, now, they're full size, and they only added that much more to her beautiful image. Night winked back to him as she rounded the next corner.