Pirates of Equestria

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scoot breathe in the smoke from the charred remains of what used to be a village. The ground is covered in ashes, and the wind carries the flickering lights of embers into the sky. “How could this have happened?” Sweetie Belle asks as they spread apart and investigate the ruins.

“Maybe it was an accident,” Scoot proposes. “Maybe a fire spread, and they all left before it got to them.”

“What makes you think they all escaped alive?” Apple Bloom asks.

“. . . Well, there doesn’t seem to be any bodies anywhere.”

“Then you’re not looking hard enough.” Apple Bloom beckons them to one of the remains of a hut. Sweetie Belle and Scoot notice something nestled on the opposite side of the hut. A pony-shaped figure lies, barely recognizable from the severe burns. Both Sweetie Belle and Scoot turn their attention away in disgust as their stomachs churn. Sweetie Belle leaves nearly gagging, while Apple Bloom looks on without any noticeable emotion.

“H-How can you just look at this?” Scoot asks.

“Once ya see what happens to somepony right before they turn into this, seein’ what happens after don’t really effect ya anymore.”

“Guys!” Sweetie Belle calls. “You need to come see this!” Apple Bloom and Scoot rejoin her as she stares down to the ground at a pile of ashes.

“What’s the matter?” Apple Bloom asks. Sweetie Belle kneels down, and grabs hold of some red cloth poking out from the ashes. Upon revealing the entire thing, they find it’s a red bandana with the same white, six-pointed star just like the stallion’s.

“Th-They were here,” says Sweetie Belle.

“Oh, you bet they were,” a completely new voice startles the three of them. Two stallions, one tall and thin, the other short and chunky approach. “And I can guarantee you they left no survivors.”

“Not one,” the taller stallion adds.

“Who are you two?” Apple Bloom asks. “An’ what’re ya doin’ here?”

“We could ask you the same question, lassie,” says the shorter stallion.

“Yeah,” the taller stallion adds once again. “The same question.”

“Will you quit repeatin’ me, Snails?!”

“Yeah, Snails, quit repeatin’ . . . oh, wait. Oh! Now I got ya, Snips! You mean stop saying what you’re saying.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’ve been saying.”

“Wait, are you saying I just said what you said?”

“. . . What?”

“I think it’d be best if you two goons leave before you hurt yourselves,” says Scoot.

“On the contrary. . .” Snips draws his cutlass from its sheathe. “You’re the one who’s going to get hurt.” Snails then draws his cutlass as well.

“Ha! Right. There’s three of us, and two of you.” Scoot and Sweetie Belle draw their daggers. “The odds really aren’t in your favor.”

“Actually, it seems pretty even to me. Because it looks like one of you forgot something ‘pretty’ important.” Scoot and Sweetie Belle turn to Apple Bloom, who is searching all over for her dagger.

“Apple Bloom! Where’s your knife?”

“I don’t know!” says Apple Bloom. “I think I left it on the ship!”

“Now, about those odds,” says Snips with a dastardly grin cast over both him and his partner’s face. They both hunch over, staring down the trio as they walk towards them.

“Apple Bloom,” Sweetie Belle mutters. “I need to get us out of this.”

“You can’t,” Apple Bloom whispers. “You can’t give yerself away. Especially not to these two. If they find out, an’ they escape, everyone will know. Soon, every pirate across the sea will be huntin’ for ya.”

“Then, should we just retreat back to the ship?”

“We can’t just give this up. We’re short on food, an’ we can’t afford to hope we find another island very soon.”

“Think about if we win,” Scoot whispers. “Not only would we get to explore the rest of this island, but we would also get anything these guys got. Who knows? They might have something valuable.”

“See? We’ve got too much to gain to just run away.”

“. . . I guess you two are right,” says Sweetie Belle.

“I mean, come on, we can take these two meat-heads,” says Scoot.

“Well, then what are we waiting for?” Apple Bloom bends down to grab a burnt stick of bamboo. “Let’s show ‘em why ya don’t pick a fight with The Crusaders.” Snips and Snails charge forward as Apple Bloom and the rest stand their ground. Snails takes on both Sweetie Belle and Scoot as they dodge and block the swipes of his cutlass with their daggers. Snips takes on Apple Bloom, as he swings his sword wildly and without recourse. Apple Bloom struggles to keep up and must guard against every attack towards her legs, but his cutlass can’t seem to cut through the bamboo.

Sweetie Belle and Scoot attempt to overtake Snails, but since they are armed with daggers, they aren’t able to get close enough to land a hit. Surprisingly, he’s swift enough to block each and every attempt they make. Because of his relentless attacks, Sweetie Belle and Scoot are pushed back far from Apple Bloom and Snips. With one hard swipe, he manages to break Sweetie Belle’s dagger. With only half the blade she had, she is left stunned and unsure what to do. Snails turns and gives her a swift buck to the chest, sending her down to the ground. “Belle!” Scoot shouts. Feeling confident, Snails approaches Scoot who is now on full defense.

“Looks like it’s just you and me now,” Snails taunts. “Any last words, girly?”

“Just two.” Scoot spreads out her wings from under her vest, as Snails’ eyes widen with shock. “Back off.” With one, strong flap of her wings, a gust of air sends Snails flying backwards into the trunk of a palm tree. Sweetie Belle leans up from the ground in pain, and notices Snails against the tree. He appears to have the wind knocked out of him, but is trying to get back to his hooves. Granted the perfect opportunity, Sweetie Belle focuses on a charred log of wood. Using her magic, she lifts it up out of the sand and hurdles it towards Snails. The log of wood collides with his head, sending him unconscious.

Apple Bloom and Snips are running out of energy, but Snips still angrily presses his attack. He tries to land a blow by putting all of his strength into one swing at her throat, but she ducks and counters with a thrust of the bamboo into his stomach. He staggers back, rendering him vulnerable to a series of whacks to the head with her bamboo. He bruises and bleeds, but uses his foreleg to block her next swing. Now wide open, Snips swings his sword creating a gash across Apple Bloom’s leg. She is overcome by a sharp pain, but refuses to look at her wound. Watching Snips wind up for a chop, she tries to block it with her bamboo, but her weapon shatters from his attack. Thrown off balance, she lands on the ground as sand and ash dirty up her wound. Out of breath, Snips points the tip of his blade towards Apple Bloom as her blood begins to run cold.

As Scoot is trying to get Sweetie Belle back to her hooves, she catches Apple Bloom out of the corner of her eye. Realizing the danger she’s in, Scoot uses her wings to project herself towards her. Until something causes her to skid across the sand to a stop. She watches as the stallion, whom she thought was still locked up back at their ship, has Apple Bloom’s dagger pressed against Snips’ throat. “Oh, come on,” says Snips breathing heavily from the fight. “How many more of you are there?”

“Lower your sword,” the stallion demands. Snips lowers his weapon, allowing Apple Bloom to get back up as she grips her cut.

“You,” says Apple Bloom. “You’re supposed to be locked up.”

“You think you’ve won, huh?” says Snips. “How about you let me go, and we can have a real fight?”

“What is the matter with you two?” Somepony asks. Everyone’s eyes turn to a pony shrouded in dark, tattered clothing. A black cape drapes behind this pony, and the voice is clearly feminine. Due to a large hat with a wide brim her facial features are difficult to see.

“Captain! It’s a good thing you showed up!”

“I know. It’s clear you two cannot control yourselves, and feel the need to impulsively pick a fight with anypony you meet.”

“These scum belong to you?” Apple Bloom asks.

“Unfortunately, yes. Would you please release him? I didn’t mean for this to happen. These two are just . . . a bit absent minded.” The stallion takes the blade away from Snips’ throat, and shoves him in the direction of the mare. He joins her as Sweetie Belle and Scoot join up with Apple Bloom. The mare notices the red bandana around the stallion’s neck, and immediately grows curious. “Say, why would somepony like you be protecting another sailor? I thought pirates such as you were a bit more . . . violent.”

“Do my eyes deceive me?!” Snips asks noticing his bandana. “He’s one of them! A White Star!”

“Look,” the stallion begins. “I am ‘not’ a White Star.” He emphasizes. “Nor would I ever consider myself one to begin with.”

“Then why would you join their crew?” Apple Bloom asks accusingly.

“You don’t understand how it works. Some choose to become a White Star, others are instead chosen. I was one of those who was forced to join.”

“You liar!”

“Actually, he speaks the truth,” says the mare.

“And how would you know?”

“Why don’t we discuss this over a meal, hmm? Perhaps, ease all this tension between us.”

“No, we have better things to do than waste our time with all of you.”

“Apple Bloom,” says Sweetie Belle.

“Belle, I know what yer gonna say. You can forget it.” Apple Bloom turns to walk back to the ship, but Scoot grabs her and holds her back.

“Apple Bloom, we shouldn’t just leave,” says Scoot.

“Why not? I’m not gonna sit down an’ eat with that mare an' her two meat-heads, an' I’m definitely not gonna even be near that filth.” Apple Bloom points directly at the stallion.

“Look, you even said we’re short on food. If they’re offering, why not take it? And have you ever considered that stallion isn’t what you think he is?”

“No I haven’t, because I ‘know’ what all White Stars are. They destroy, steal and kill.”

“Then why would he save you?” Apple Bloom pauses, thinking of how to retort. She glances to the stallion, to the mare, then back to Scoot.

“Apple Bloom, let’s just give this a chance,” says Sweetie Belle. Apple Bloom takes a few deep breaths to calm herself. Then after another moment of pondering, she gives in.

“Fine,” says Apple Bloom.

“Wonderful,” says the mare. “Snips, go wake Snails and retrieve some food from the ship. I’ll go and get a fire started for us.”

“Aye aye, captain,” says Snips as he goes to smack Snails awake.

“We should go find somewhere else to set up camp. Too much pain surrounds this place.”