The Festival of the Dead

Chapter 6: Life of a Pirate

The girls were heading down one of the many streets that was effectively transformed due to the festival. "Where are these special events that they keep talking about?" Moaned Rainbow Dash, not in the least placated by the hours of games and shows that they had seen that day.

"I'm sure that they'll let us know when something special is going to be taking place." Reasoned Twilight, already burdened with various prizes from some of the stands. The games were incredibly hard but the payoff was always huge for even a partial win.

Without warning, the girls all found themselves on the ground, unable to move or get up. "What's happening!" Yelled Rarity.

The girls found themselves in darkness and realized that they had been put into a single large sack. Twilight tried to open a hole in the side, only to have her magic fizzle upon contact with the fabric. Rainbow would have tried to fight her way out but found that the bag wasn't large enough for her to thrash-about without possibly smacking one of her friends almost immediately, not to say she didn't try a few times before Applejack had to make her settle down. "Where do you think we're going?" Asked Twilight, trying her hardest to stay calm.

"You're already here." Said a gruff voice from outside.

The sack loosened and dropped around the girls revealing Avnas wearing a fake beard and pirate hat. The rest of his outfit was exactly the same except for that his usual brown-and-white ensemble had been replaced with black-and-brown, giving him the distinct look of a normal homeless man wearing a pirate hat. "You look like a homeless guy that stole a hat." Remarked Rainbow Dash, tact remaining at an eternal zero.

"Good, then I really do look like a pirate." He smiled at them with a grin that was missing a fair number of teeth.

"Why are you dressed like that?" Asked Rarity, looking at him with mostly disgust.

"Because, my pretties, you have just been recruited onto my crew. Welcome! To the life of a pirate in a day!

"The special event entails you kidnapping us?" Asked an incredulous Twilight.

"Of course! You're living the life of a pirate in a day, after all! That's how we got everyone here!"

She looked around and noticed two things. First, the rest of the ponies that she could see looked just as confused as they were. Second, they were on an extremely large boat.

Boat

"HOW IN EQUESTRIA ARE WE ON A BOAT!"

"Arr we ain't in Equestria at all now! We be in international waters we be!" Yelled Avnas from the steering wheel which she seriously doubted he knew how to operate. At the very least, he seemed to be having fun with the captive crew, switching between barking threats and singing pirate songs to the passengers.

Twilight wasn't sure if she could explain this to the princess without her banishing Avnas to the moon. Kidnapping citizens for the purpose of an impromptu boat crew, we'll see how she takes that.

"Yarr, cabin-mare Twilight! What ye be doin! If you ain't workin' ya won't be eatin!."

That voice. "PRINCESS?"

Sure enough, princess Luna was sitting in the crows nest, eye patch on her left eye and bandana tying her hair up. "I see ya met me first-mate!" Yelled captain Avnas from his position at the wheel. "She wasn't too interested when I offered but she perked right up when I said she could be me first-mate!"

"Captain! The bilge-rat be yappin' 'stead a workin'!" Apparently while modern speech completely eluded her, Luna was well-versed in all aspects of pirate-lingo.

"We gonna need 'ta fix that rat up right then, won't we first-mate?"

"Aye captain!"

Luna glided down to the deck, evil smile on her face, slowly advancing on Twilight. She looked around desperately for her friends, only to see them cleaning, adjusting cargo, and otherwise working while humming along to one of the captain's many songs. Feeling completely thrown under the bus, she closed her eyes and prepared to meet her fate.