Afterward, every crew member who wasn't necessary at the moment went below decks. Not just for safety, but for conservation of strength and resources. Some were resting, some were eating, others were polishing weapons, playing cards, or doing whatever they could to pass the time.

In the infirmary, a couple of officers watched over Kydd's worsening condition, along with the ponies. In the past few hours, his legs had fully become equine, to the point that even if he were conscious he'd be unable to get around with any ease. Twilight and Starlight were trying to use whatever spells and enchantments they could to ease the process.

"Improved Stamina..."

"Greater Regeneration... Eagle's Splendor..."

"Greater irongut..."

"Irongut? Why?" Starlight interupted.

"The changes seem to be hurting him quite a bit. This will lessen the pain and increase his constitution." Twilight answered in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Fair point. Continue."

Rainbow Dash looked on with an expression of extreme consternation. "Is he gonna be okay?" she asked anxiously.

"Don't worry, Dash." Twilight said. "When he wakes up, he'll be fine. A bit disoriented, maybe. A bit shaken, definitely. But fine."

"By the time he wakes up he'll be a perfectly healthy pony. How he takes that is up to him." Starlight added.

"I hope so. If anything bad were to happen to him, because of me..." She left the sentence unfinished, but she'd gotten her point across.

Fluttershy and Rarity were talking to Ensign Tysoe and Commander Bryant, respectively. They were just as worried about Kydd's well-being, but the conversation... lessened the time they thought about it, if nothing else.

Bryant had realized that he'd been too hard on Kydd, almost inadvertently hazing him. However, Kydd had passed every test he'd been given. Bryant made a note to promote him at some point, as well as be less hard on him. Also to commend Kydd for his courage and integrity under stress.

Tysoe, for his part, was scratching his arm with anxiety. He'd been working under Kydd for the whole time he'd signed on, and there was nobody else aboard that he'd rather call 'friend'. Tysoe was fiercely loyal, to a fault. Almost like he was this time's version of Rainbow Dash. He would stay by his superior's side as long as he could, especially now. He'd heard what had happened to Kydd and asked Rainbow Dash to give him much the same. When asked why he'd want that, he replied, "I work under the man and look up to him. I don't want to look down on him." At this point he was just waiting for the effects to kick in. Already his hair was lightening and his eyes had changed to a cerulean blue.

Applejack and Pinkie Pie were getting their rest while they could. Having worked on farms themselves, they knew the value of rest when one could get it.

Pinkie Pie, for whatever reason, was having visions of sugarplums. You could tell because there was a thought bubble floating just above her displaying such.

Why? Who knows?

The rest were just glad that they had a berth of any kind.

Minutes passed. Hours passed.

On the morrow, Kydd startled awake.

"STORM BLADE!(1)" he exclaimed, startling everyone else as well.

"Well, well. Look who's awake!" Houghton teased. "Ye left 'sall quite anxious, I'll have ye know, mister Kydd." he faux-admonished.

Kydd looked down at himself. He was much shorter than before. Standing, he'd be about 4 feet from head to hoof. he was covered in blue -not quite black- fuzz. His mane was now a sea-green fauxhawk, his tail done in a loose style, somewhat like that of Rainbow Dash, but more wavy. On his flank was a picture of a stormcloud with wickedly sharp-looking bolts of lightning coming out of it. Looking in a mirror, he saw that his eyes were an electric blue. Seeing all this, his wings reflexively fanned out. Those were black with sea green at the tips.

"Well... this is different." he said, nonchalantly. This encouraged laughs from most of the room's population, and a sudden hug from the prismatic Pegasus.

Just then, one crew member burst into the room. "Cap'n!" he exclaimed, "Ye're gonna want to see this!" he finished, running back up the stairs.

When everyone -and every pony- reached the top deck, they saw something in the distance.

A large tornado was coming.

"Blast it! 'Sif we needed more trouble!"

The ordeal wasn't nearly over.

Author's Note

1: Not stealing this from anyone. I just came up with that name randomly. Originally it was going to be Storm Bolt, but that was taken.