Pirates of Equestria

With both Sweetie Belle and Scoot shut up in their rooms and prepping for sleep, Apple Bloom holds the old, little brown book that mare gave her back at the campsite. She lays in her hammock with the book in her hooves, debating on whether or not she should even waste her time opening it up. Her curiosity soon takes over, and she opens the book to its first page. Just by the first sentence, she can tell that this must’ve been somepony’s journal.

‘I would have never dreamt that I would have to bear a secret like this. I cannot take it any longer. Hopefully, by pouring these memories onto these pages, I can put my mind at ease. Those ponies think they know the truth because of the lies she tells them, and what am I to do? I am weak; nothing more than a simple-minded pony forced to keep quiet. As long as she keeps me prisoner, she’ll take advantage of what she’s hidden from everyone else for her own gain. I need to write this down, so that this history can exist outside of my head. . .’

Intrigued, Apple Bloom reads on. Inside of Scoot’s quarters, her night is restless. She tries to keep her eyes shut, but to no avail as she instead stares up at the ceiling. She feels the desire to redirect her anger towards Apple Bloom, but instead it turns to butterflies that flutter in her stomach as her anger turns to guilt. Tossing and turning in her hammock, she is overwhelmed with thoughts of how she could’ve convinced Apple Bloom otherwise. She covers her face with her hooves while taking a heavy sigh. Her heart starts to race until it becomes unbearable. She hops out of her hammock and digs through her bag of belongings for a rolled up sheet of paper and writing utensil. She scribbles a quick note that reads: ‘Gone back to the island,’ and folds the paper before laying it in her hammock. Afterwards, she throws on her black vest as she leaves her room. She quietly closes her door, and sneaks by Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle’s rooms. She reaches the deck, gazing out at the sea for the island. With it nowhere in sight, she decides to take flight in the opposite direction the ship is travelling. Flapping her wings as fast as she can, fighting the wind as she finds herself racing towards the moon. Within moments, the island comes up into the horizon.

She flutters down to the sands of the beach, out of breath and her wings now sore. Regardless, she scans the island for any scenery that looks familiar. However, everything looks the same until she glances down to the ground. She finds hoof tracks that lead further into the island, and is immediately drawn to follow them. Galloping across the sand, she enters the mass of palm trees with her eyes darting in every which direction. Finally, she spots him.

The stallion struggles to free himself from the rope, and simply gives up as it proves pointless. Apple Bloom’s ship is nowhere in sight, and without the energy to continue wriggling, he exhaustedly lowers his head. Scoot, ready to call out and hurry to him, stops herself as another figure comes into view. It doesn’t appear to be the mare from earlier, so she hides herself behind the brush whilst watching from afar.

“Don’t look so sad,” a gentle, mare’s voice erupts from behind the stallion. He fearfully lifts his head back up as the voice giggles. “Everything will be just fine.” A pony dressed in a dull-red, long coat walks around the tree he’s tied to and stands before him. Her head hangs low with the brim of her hat blocking everything except the smile on her face. She raises her head, revealing her striking, violet eyes and pink streak that runs through her royal-purple mane. “Dear me, you look awful. Who could’ve done this to you?” At the sight of her, the stallion whimpers behind the cloth tied around his mouth, and turns his head away. “Now, now, don’t be afraid. Look at me.” The stallion refuses, trembling with fear. “I said, look at me.” Her voice grows more stern and sinister, forcing him to reluctantly look her in the eyes. “That’s better.” She smiles as she draws her cutlass. The sound of the blade scraping the edges of its sheathe sends shivers up the stallion’s spine as well as Scoot’s. She brings the tip of the blade near his chin, and his mind runs crazily with dreadful thoughts. She slides the blade behind the cloth, and tears it clean with one tug of the sword.

“W-What do you want from me? How did you find me?” The stallion stammers.

“Shh, just relax. You’re safe now.” She strokes his cheek with her hoof, only causing him to shudder even more so. “Yes, it’s alright now.”

“Stay away from me!” The stallion tries to lean as far away as the restraints will allow him, sending a saddened expression across the mare’s face.

“There’s no reason to be scared, I’m here with you. You know who I am, don’t you?” The stallion shuts his eyes, and mutters not a single word. “You poor thing. You don’t even remember who I am. Surely you must remember my name. Go on, say it.” He keeps his lips sealed, brimming with anxiety as she awaits his answer. “Say it!” She yells.

“Sparkle!”

“What else?”

“Captain! Captain Sparkle!”

“There,” her voice now calm again. “I knew you could do it. You know, I thought you were left out at sea. How did you get free? Surely somepony helped you. Although, it looks like they weren’t that much help after all. Such a shame . . . you were hoping you’d never see me again. Yet, here we are.” Captain Sparkle pulls her sword away from the stallion’s face, and turns her back to him to gaze out at the sea. “I know about the thoughts that cross your mind even at this very moment. You despise me, you fear me, you even wish to hurt me. Such terrible thoughts they are, and the treachery you brought upon my ship is simply inexcusable. I’ve done no wrong to you, so why must you cause me so much pain?” The stallion listens, baffled by her words coupled with the sudden sounds of weeping. “However, I believe in forgiveness; and I’m willing to forget all of this for just one thing in return.”

“. . . W-What do you want?”

“First, answer me this. . . The punishment for mutiny is death, is it not?” The stallion’s mouth quivers, not wanting to answer. “Is it not?”

“. . . Yes, y-yes it is.”

“Then when my order was for you to be dead. . .” Captain Sparkle whips back around with her face barely an inch away from the stallion’s as she glares into his eyes. “You should’ve stayed dead.” Her cutlass is thrust into the stallion’s shoulder as his eyes widen and jaw drops from the searing pain. Scoot gasps, but covers her mouth too late as Captain Sparkle turns her head in Scoot’s direction. “I think somepony is listening in on our little private time. Why don’t I go and take care of them? Don’t worry, I’ll be right back so we can continue our fun.” She rips the sword out from his shoulder, causing him to scream in agony. Scoot’s pulsing heart sends her dashing back towards the beach as her attention is constantly drawn behind her to see if she’s being followed. Due to her frequent glancing, she carelessly rams into a tree and falls to the ground. Once she comes to her senses, she finds that what she thought was simply a palm tree in the middle of her path is instead Captain Sparkle ominously looming over her. “I hope you enjoyed the show.” Captain Sparkle smiles. “But you know, it’s rude to eavesdrop on other ponies’ conversations.”

“Y-You stay away from me!” Scoot orders as she crawls backward.

“Stay still!” Captain Sparkle stomps her hoof down onto Scoot’s chest, causing her to spread her wings and gasp for breath. “My, you’re a little far from the nest, aren’t you? What’s a little birdie like you doing down here?”

“L-Let me go! My crew will be here soon!”

“Oh, more guests. Sounds wonderful.” Scoot notices a bandana just like the stallion’s tied around her neck, and immediately realizes who she is.

“It’s . . . you! You monster!”

“Well, that’s not very nice. How dare you judge me on my appearance?” Scoot’s face brims with fury as her body trembles, and Captain Sparkle leans closer whilst holding a deceivingly compassionate smile on her face. “For all you know, I could be the most loving pony you’ll ever meet in your life.”

“I doubt it. You’re a murderer!”

“Hmm, perhaps we should spend some quality time together, all four of us.”

“F-Four?”

“That’s right. I think we could really learn a lot about each other. I know you’ll find it in your heart that I’m none of those terrible things, and we can all become friends.”

“No! Let me go!” Scoot thrashes about, desperately attempting to free herself. However, Captain Sparkle’s foreleg seems impossibly strong as it holds her in place.

“Shh . . . Don’t fret my dear, because soon you’ll see. . .” Captian Sparkle’s voice has shifted to a pleasing melody, disturbing Scoot to her core. “That I am here, to set your heart free. . .”

“You’re insane!”

“So take my hoof. . .” Captain Sparkle raises her sword, striking fear in Scoot.

“What’re you doing? No! Don’t!”

“And live this dream with me.” She thrusts her sword downward as Scoot’s screams fill the night.

Apple Bloom jolts awake with the book laying on her chest and her forehead coated in sweat. Instantly, she climbs out of her hammock and bursts through her door and into the hall. “Belle! Wake up!” She shouts as she pounds on Sweetie Belle’s door.

“What. . ?” Sweetie Belle asks drowsily as she opens her door. “What is it?”

“I think Scoot’s gone.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just come with me to check.” Both she and Sweetie Belle hurry to Scoot’s room, and upon a moment’s inspection, they find it to be empty. “You see? I knew it!” Apple Bloom exclaims as she storms off to the stairs leading up to the deck.

“Wait! It looks like there’s a note—!”

“It says she went back to the island! Come on!” As Apple Bloom opens the hatch and heads above deck, Sweetie Belle stays behind in a state of confusion. She walks over to Scoot’s hammock to check the note, and is stunned to find Apple Bloom’s exact words scribbled onto the page. As she drops the note back into the hammock, she dashes out of the room to join Apple Bloom who is waiting by the wheel.

“Hey! How did you know Scoot was missing?”

“It was just a feelin’. Now, come on an’ help me turn this ship around!”

“Well, then how could you have possibly known what was on that note?” Apple Bloom pauses as she is stricken with a sudden realization. Due to the heat of the situation, it hadn’t dawned on her until now that there is in fact no way she could’ve known either of those things. The only explanation she can come up with is that her nightmare was truly real, but she shakes her head in disbelief before the thought has any time to sink in.

“I don’t know . . . an’ it doesn’t matter! We gotta go back fer Scoot! I’m willin’ to bet I know exactly what she went back fer. I just hope she’s not in any danger.”