"Steady, mates! Stea-dy..!" Everypony on the crew shifted uneasily, many sparing glances at their captain. Her coat was a pale green, mane and tale a much darker shade of the same hue, beads hanging from random braids and a gold ring through one ear. A gentle yellow tipped the feathers on her wings, matching the color of her hooves, and on her flank she bore a cutie mark resembling a map with a large black 'X' in one corner.
A heavy fog surrounded the ship, concealing their destination and slowing their progress. The helmspony double-checked their bearings on his compass, ensuring the currents hadn't pulled them off-course without their knowledge. Even a pegasus flying through the mists wouldn't be able to tell up from down, much less whether they were flying in circles.
The captain squared her shoulders, appearing strong for her crew, but her gut was tying itself into knots. Not even she knew where they were going, following whispers on the wind that compelled the pegasus to seek out the source. But that was the way it often was, wasn't it? They had found more treasure following her whimsical commands than they ever thought possible.
Whether minutes or hours had passed, nopony could be certain, but eventually the shadows of rocks jutting from the sea began to appear. Watchponies stood at the bow, unicorns using spells to help avoid severe damage to the hull, yelling back to the helmspony when they needed to alter course slightly.
"Lower th' anchor!" She yelled suddenly, breaking the silence, causing ponies to jump out of surprise before quickly following the order.
"Cap'n?" The quartermaster - a tall unicorn stallion, dark red with a silver mane - approached, the meaning behind his questioning address clear.
"Any further, we run th' risk of runnin' aground, or sinking on th' rocks."
"Shall we lower th' longboats, then?"
"Neigh, m' wings an’ I will scout ahead." The captain moved past the quartermaster, making for the bow of the ship. "Light a lantern and toll th' bell every half hour. If three hours pass... th' Jade Star is yers, Master Whiplash." He opened his mouth as though to argue, but Whiplash knew better. Though he had been selected by the rest of the crew - wary of a mare for a captain - she had earned his respect and loyalty. "To do with as ye wish."
"Aye, Cap'n Goldwing. May Aquarian guide ye back t' us." Nodding a thanks at the blessing, Goldwing lept from the ship, carefully making her way into the fog.
The bell had tolled twice by the time her hooves met solid ground, and Goldwing glanced back out over the ocean, only to see a wall of white. She made certain to memorize any landmarks she could to guide her in the right direction, and was sure to dig her hooves into the sand as she trotted up the beach, leaving a clear trail. The island seemed rather barren, nothing but sand, rocks, and a mountainous cliff towering above and around her, disappearing into the white void.
A cavern offered the only visible path off the beach, a whisper in the back of her mind urging her to explore. Not one to ignore her instincts, the pegasus picked up the pace, not wanting to waste more time than she had to. Whiplash would likely send out a search party if they got too worried... The chill of the ocean breeze faded as she wandered further in, noise from beyond the cave fading the deeper she went, though it wasn't completely dark. After hearing nothing but her own hooves on stone for several minutes, Goldwing's ears twitched as they picked up an unfamiliar sound.
It sounded as though there was a stream somewhere, but instead of water, it was what she thought liquid gems would sound like, and there was an ethereal-ness about it that struck the pegasus as both eerie and magical. Light began to dance off the walls, similar to how it would reflect off the ocean, and Goldwing began to trot. The calling was more urgent now, the desire to see and know what was waiting for her. Perhaps it was her imagination, but she could have sworn she heard a bell somewhere.
Around a bend and she came to a cavern. Pure water seemed to glow as it drifted in a circle around the area, stone bridges offering the only path to the center. Specks of light followed the current of the never ending stream, bobbing up and down in the air in a hypnotizing manner. Even the walls seemed to shine with magic, white gemstones shimmering without an obvious source.
And in the center of it all, a tall stallion was waiting for her. His coat was a deep navy blue, wings a gradient from the same hue to a paler shade. Constantly flowing as though there was a breeze in the cavern were his mane and tale, shimmering between white and gentle blues and greens, reminding her so easily of the sea. Silver jewelry adorned his forelegs and chest, and a sapphire-studded ring sat around his horn.
Goldwing dropped to one knee immediately in a deep bow, recognizing her patron alicorn. "M' Lord Aquarian..." She whispered, not daring to speak any louder in the sacred-feeling space. He chuckled, drawing her brown eyes upward to meet his own green ones.
"The pirate captain Goldwing. Come closer." Hesitantly, the captain crossed one of the stone bridges to join the stallion. Up-close, she could easily recognize the signs of exhaustion and fading hope - how many crew members had she seen look exactly the same?
"Why've ye summoned me ‘ere, My Lord..?"
"Simple, my little pony..." The alicorn gestured up at the dancing lights, and Goldwing realized that on that side, the lights shimmered as images. One flashed to show her ship, much of the crew nervously on look-out. Another, a distant forest, where warrior ponies were wearily patrolling a small camp - Goldwing recognized a pennant bearing the symbol of Terra being flown. "We fear this age is coming to an end, my brother and I." The next scene showed a white alicorn pacing in an elaborate room, her guards decorated in golden armor.
"Is that..?"
"That is the Princess Celestia. With the number of ponies pledging themselves to me and my brother growing, she fears yet another war. Her heart suffers still from the banishment of her own sister, and her subjects offer ours no mercy. You know this." Goldwing's ears drooped a little - the punishments for piracy were becoming more severe, anything from a monetary fine to red-hot horseshoes being nailed to one’s hooves to hanging. "Already does she prepare soldiers to reclaim her power, and to capture those that follow us."
"But M' Lord, thar's many a'pony that does no harm t' another that follow ye an’ Lord Terra..!" The alicorn nodded gravely, aware of the facts.
"Without the balance of her sister, the Princess Celestia struggles with her own desires and duties. There is some reasoning that has fallen beyond her range of vision."
"That... still doesn't explain why ye brought me ‘ere, M' Lord..." The images faded, as Goldwing looked back up to the alicorn.
"I brought you here... to sleep." His horn glowed for just a moment, magic wrapping around the pegasus. Sleep suddenly sounded rather nice, she decided, trusting Aquarian enough not to panic at the sudden exhaustion. As she dozed off, he leaned down and whispered in her ear.
"I'm counting on you to find us, Goldwing... if we can no longer find ourselves."
With that, time forgot the island shrouded in the mists.
A groan as she stretched, and Goldwing yawned, blinking the sleep from her eyes. The glowing had stopped, but the cavern was lit with sunlight coming in through a hole in the rocks. The circular stream had dried up, and the ethereal sounds faded. She looked to one side, a brief flick of panic helping her wake up when she realized Aquarian was no longer there.
Stumbling to her hooves, the pegasus flexed her muscles and wings, feeling surprisingly refreshed for having slept in a cave. To be honest, she was surprised Whiplash hadn’t come to get her - had he tried? The fear that her crew had run afoul on the rocks because of her nap had her galloping through the tunnel for the beach.
But outside, she was stunned. The fog had lifted, the sky was clear, and-
“Where in bloody Tartarus is m’ ship?!” Her forehooves slammed into the sand with a dull thud, before she angrily paced along the beach. They wouldn’t simply leave her there, would they?! True, she had told Whiplash that the ship was his to command if she didn’t return in time, but he was one of her most trusted comrades! There were no signs of other ponies, though, no wreckage on the island.
After several minutes, Goldwing sighed, plunking down on her rump. What if they had been found by Celestia’s Royal Navy? Attacked in the night? Her ears drooped at the possibility, guilt bubbling up. She should have been there, she should have returned instead of sleeping...
A breeze drew her attention, bringing her back to the present. Taking to her wings, the pegasus flitted around the island, only to find it truly was little more than a rock in the middle of the ocean. No vegetation grew there, so there were no sources of food or supplies. It looked like she had to try to fly to land, but a gaze around showed nothing but ocean in all directions.
Flicking her wings to test them, she hesitated. Could she? Did she have a choice? Maybe she would find a ship along the way, or at least rest on a cloud when she got tired. Climbing higher in the sky, Goldwing set off, using the wind to her advantage to cover more distance.
Hours passed, the sun had fallen, and Goldwing had pushed herself as far as she could go. Despite her earlier energy from sleeping so well, now she was exhausted. Dropping to a cloud, the captain collapsed there, watching the ocean beneath her. Was she even going in the right direction? She didn’t know. Another sigh as the cloud drifted along, and before she knew it, the pegasus passed out.
When the sun rose, her stomach rumbled, waking her up and reminding Goldwing of her predicament. Even though clouds allowed her to rest, they weren’t sources of food, and she couldn’t exactly dive deep enough to get vegetation from the ocean. The pony closed her eyes, wondering why her patron lord had summoned her, only to get her in such a situation. Without food, she wouldn’t be able to fly as far, and she could easily starve or drown before reaching land.
No. She couldn’t afford to think like that. Getting back on her hooves, she focused. Land... that was what she wanted - no, needed - to find to survive. Her ears flicked as the wind tickled them, beads on her earring jingling, and in her heart, tried to find the way. Determined, she leapt from the cloud, continuing her journey, following her instincts.
Pure will could only get a pony so far. She had lost track of the days, her wings were failing, and tired eyes desperately sought for the next cloud to rest on, to obtain a few drops of water from. So focused on the sky, Goldwing didn’t see the ship in the distance as she struggled to stay aloft. But she was falling, and with a splash, suddenly, there was darkness.
“I'm counting on you...”
“Haul ‘em up!” One uniformed stallion called, the crew pulling on ropes to hoist the longboat into the air to be re-secured with the others. But before that, two soaked ponies gently lay a third on the deck, backing off for the medical officer to examine the exhausted pegasus. When the watchpony had spotted the mare falling into the sea, the captain had been quick to order a rescue.
Her appearance struck them as odd, really. The decorations in her mane weren’t exactly the current style in Equestria, and the hat that seemed magically stuck to her head? The battered old tricorne was only popular among foals and fillies as part of costumes. What in the name of Celestia was she doing out in the middle of the ocean looking like a pirate from a children’s story?
“Get her below deck and treat her.” The captain stated after a moment. Pirates didn’t exist. She must have gone sailing and dressed up for the fun of it, he found himself thinking. Some storm must have caused an accident, which is why she was flying. A reasonable explanation - now all he needed was to know whether or not it was true. “Let me know when she wakes up, Azure.”
“Yes sir!” The blue unicorn levitated his bag of medical supplies as an earth pony helped move her. He was with her for some time, but found other than starvation and dehydration, as well as overexertion of her wings, she was fine. Easy enough to fix with rest and nourishment. What he didn’t expect was her reaction when she finally came around.
Goldwing blinked groggily, head pounding and throat dry. It was dim and cool, the area rocking with the gentle movement of the ship. The setting was familiar and comforting, really. How had she gotten there?
“Ah, there we are. How are you feeling?”
“Thirsty...” Her voice cracked as she turned to see who had addressed her, hoping beyond hope it was somepony she recognized. Azure Wind was levitating a glass of water, but was soon as she recognized his uniform - and the emblem on the chest - his patient bucked away suddenly, jerking out of the bunk and tumbling to the floor. Goldwing backed away slowly, eyes darting around for the exit. Once she spotted the stairwell leading to the deck, the pegasus ran. Pure adrenaline was the only thing keeping her on her hooves.
“Wait..!” Not expecting her sudden burst of energy, the unicorn chased after her. On deck, she found herself surrounded by ponies wearing the same uniform, and they were all staring at her. The pegasus spread her wings slightly, her posture defensive as she sought an escape route, backing towards the railing. There was no way her wings would support another flight so soon. “Miss, wait!”
His call caused her to jump as he approached, and she lowered her head, glaring straight at him as though about to charge.
“Get away from me ye bilge-suckin’ ass!” Her accent and insult startled him into stepping back, and the unicorn gaped. “Where’s yer cap’n?!”
“Here.” The stallion in charge of the ship drew her attention, and he could see her grind her teeth together. “There’s no need for such harsh words, miss. Especially when we fished you out of the ocean with good intentions.” He spoke as he made his way through the parted crew.
“‘Good intentions’? Th’ Royal Navy? Bah!” She stomped one hoof in anger, confusing them further. “Bet ye jest want th’ satisfaction t’ see me hang!” His brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of her accusation.
“Miss, the death penalty is illegal. Please, calm down.” Her odd actions were making the crew uneasy, and as the captain, he had to take control of the situation. His eyes flicked away from her for a brief second, nodding to somepony behind her.
“Neigh! I’d rather drown than-” Before she could finish, a blow from behind dropped the pegasus. The unicorn medic stood there, a heavy book being levitated over her unconscious form.
“Perhaps the brig for her this time, until we reach port. For her own safety.” The captain mumbled, his crew not arguing the suggestion. Normally the brig was only used for sailors that smuggled alcohol on board and had a touch too much to drink, but in the current situation, it was necessary. Especially considering he had no doubt she had been about to jump overboard.
When Goldwing came around again, she scowled when she realized where she was. Her head was pounding, her stomach ached, and she was a captive of Celestia’s Royal Navy. Taking in her surroundings, she saw that the unicorn was sitting there. Upon seeing him, the pegasus backed up until she was pressed against the ship’s hull, eyeing him warily. He tried to offer a friendly smile, but it faded at her harsh glare.
“W-would you like some food?” He offered, levitating a bowl of greens next to him. Her stomach growled loud enough for him to hear, but she refused to budge. “Water?” No response. “Well... do you have a name? I’m Azure Wind, by the way.”
“Goldwing. Cap’n Goldwing.” She grumbled, and she fully expected some sort of negative reaction from him. But he simply seemed pleased with himself to have gotten an answer.
“Nice to meet you!” His cheerfulness caused her ears to drop back in annoyance as she watched him. Anypony that sailed had heard of Goldwing and the Jade Star. Hadn’t they? Perhaps he was just new. “You really should have something to drink, you-”
“Death is preferable t’ bein’ yer captive.” Goldwing snapped, causing him to frown.
“Captive? Oh, this, yeah... well, the bars really are your fault, threatening to drown yourself and everything...”
“‘Tis better t’ die at sea than t’ die at th’ noose.”
“Noose..?” Oh, right, the hanging thing. “No pony has been has ever been hanged, that only happens in stories. Princess Celestia frowns upon such violent punishments.” He was surprised to see her expression darken at the mention of the princess, and no matter what he tried, he couldn’t get her to speak again. Azure left the food and drink for her, before going to report to the captain what he had observed, hoping she would be more willing to eat without the company.
And she was. Without Azure there to remind her of the situation, the meal taunted her before she couldn’t take it anymore. The bowl and glass were soon empty, and Goldwing tried to rest and formulate a plan to get out of there. “M’ Lord Aquarian, help me...” But her whispered prayer went unanswered, an unexplained fear gripping at her heart.
The days passed uneventfully, as they often did on a ship, and Azure found himself pleased that she at least wouldn’t let herself starve. Goldwing had made plans to escape once they were in port, but her jaw dropped at the unfamiliar location that greeted her.
“I thought ye said this was Broncston..!” Azure raised an eyebrow at her exclamation.
“It is - the biggest port in all of Equestria.” He stated, leading her along. Other sailors followed, more to make sure she didn’t bolt before they reached the naval station, but she was too distracted trying to make sense of the chaos.
“But, it be not Broncston...! Where’s th’ pubs an’ th’ brothels?” It was much more... artsy than she recalled, and she had been there no longer than three months before. Her question received a few stares, and she was answered by Azure, who seemed embarrassed.
“Well, I suppose downtown...” He stumbled over the answer, not sure himself. But the mare was unsatisfied, turning this way and that to take in the sights. Familiar landmarks weren’t there, they must have tricked her and taken her to another port, one she would have avoided if there was the presence of the Royal Navy.
“Ye be lyin’ t’ me..! ” Goldwing accused, snorting at them. “Nothin’ but tricky bastards, th’ lot of ye!” One of them nudged her to get her to keep walking, and she bucked at him to get him to back off. She would humor them... for now.
They were almost there... but as soon as Goldwing saw the banner of the royal sisters, she dug her hooves in and refused to budge. An earth pony attempted to push her, and after a moment, she seemed to give in, only to leap away with a flick of her wings. But another pegasus tacked her to the ground quickly, a brawl erupting between the two ponies. The fight had gained the attention of a few passersby, who paused to watch the struggle for some sort of amusement.
Other sailors jumped in, and soon Goldwing was pinned. “Maybe we should tie her up?” One of them suggested, getting chuckles from his crewmates, but the pegasus squirmed loose enough to kick him for the comment.
“‘m not goin’ in thar, ye’ll just lock me up again..!”
It took a spell from Azure and the muscle of two other ponies, but they finally got Goldwing into the station, forcing her past the reception desk and through hallways towards an office in particular. There, the captain was waiting for them. He scowled at their disheveled uniforms, and he received a glare from the pirate.
“She shall be here shortly, try to make yourselves presentable.” He ordered, another unicorn helping lift the dirt from their jackets with a spell. Azure and the other ponies set Goldwing down gently, standing between her and the door to avoid another escape attempt. She considered the massive window in front of her, seemingly foolishly left open, but a flash quickly dismissed that idea when she saw who was coming through it.
Guards in golden armor entered first, regarding her warily. And beyond them... Princess Celestia. Every other pony in the room knelt before their princess, but Goldwing remained stubbornly upright, glaring at the white alicorn. The guards scowled, as though daring the pegasus to make a move, while the sailors watched uneasily. Celestia was confused and hurt by the apparently unwarranted hatred, watching the smaller pony to try to understand.
“What is your name, my little pony..?” The princess’s question was gentle, but rewarded with a stomp of a hoof.
“Cap’n Goldwing of th’ Jade Star.” At that, a flicker of confusion crossed the alicorn’s face before being replaced with a calm smile. The pegasus was obviously not who she claimed, perhaps a victim of an unusual spell that muddled the memory.
“Alright, Captain, where is your ship..?” Celestia asked to humor her, horn glowing gently with magic, aiming to detect any spells around the pony.
“I... I don’t bloody know! An’ even if I did, d’ye think I’d be tellin’ ye?” The magic in the room faded as Goldwing spoke, not finding any spells in the first place, save for an enchantment on her hat to keep it in place. There did seem to be residual magic around the pirate, a spell recently broken and still falling away. Concern tugged at the princess’s mind - the captain that had found the pegasus had sent her a letter, asking her assistance with the unusual pony. He wrote that she had spoke of hangings, and of her threat to drown herself rather be a prisoner.
“Peace, Goldwing. There’s no need for hosti-”
“No need?! With what ye do t’ me kin?!” Neither the accent nor the persona were the result of a spell, and those coupled with her harsh words hinted at an era Equestria had long ago forgotten. If Goldwing did have such knowledge... No. Before the situation could spiral out of hoof, Princess Celestia spread her wings, magic being summoned once more.
“We shall speak more of this in Canterlot.” And with that, the alicorn and pegasus vanished in the spell, teleporting them to the castle. The guards jumped, surprised at being left behind, quickly taking off, while the sailors stared at one another, unsure of what was going on. Goldwing scowled, her own wings spreading in a threat of escaping, unhappy with the sudden shift, while the princess tried to calm her. “Now, explain, please.”
“What be thar t’ explain?! We both know full bloody well what ye be doin’ t’ M’ Lord’s followers!”
“No, I need you to explain yourself. Are you truly Goldwing, of the Jade Star?” At Celestia’s sad expression, Goldwing frowned out of confusion and her ears went back.
“Aye, that be me!”
“How?” The encounter wasn’t going anything like the pirate had imagined - her enemy was too... peaceful. While the princess really did seem to be trying to help and understand Goldwing's situation, the questions she asked were somewhat unnerving.
“What ye mean, ‘how’? I just am, always have been.” Another stomp of a hoof, the silly questions were bothering the pegasus. “Where ye goin’ with this?” Celestia paused, closing her eyes as she thought carefully.
“The year is 1003 A.N, Goldwing. The Jade Star disappeared in 594-”
“Impossible!” Goldwing’s reaction was understandable - four hundred and nine years had passed without her knowing. “Ye be lying t’ me, Celesia!” But the princess’s regret-filled expression remained, the pegasus’s thoughts were chaotic. She wanted nothing more than to ignore the words from her foe, but somewhere deep down, it felt as though it was the truth. Though she hadn’t consciously been aware of the passage of time, part of her had.
“I’m sorry-”
“Why?!” Through her denial, Goldwing couldn’t make sense of the situation. “Why’re ye sorry?! Because ye’re th’ cause of this?!” She began to pace, needing to be doing something rather than simply standing there, watching the princess. “M’ Lord Aquarian summoned me... did ye ever wage war with ‘em, hm?”
“No... The Lords vanished before a fight broke out between our followers.”
“Well, where be they now?! I must speak with M’ Lord!”
“They never returned, my little pony. That era of time has been lost - there are only stories of pirates, and the Lords Aquarian and Terran themselves have been forgotten by time, to avoid unrest in Equestria.” Perhaps it wasn’t the complete truth, but a truth nonetheless.
“An’ ye jest let them be forgotten?!” Frustration overtook Goldwing, and she suddenly stood up taller, firm as she glared at the princess once more. “I don’ recall ye lettin’ ponies forget yer sister! ‘Nightmare Night’ an’ all that!”
“These were different circumstances - to avoid war.”
“A war ye were goin’ t’ start! Ye forced their hooves!”
“Goldwing, there’s nothing that can be done-”
“Neigh!” Goldwing felt dizzy trying to process all the information she had been given, though there was the ghost of a whisper in her mind cutting through her thoughts. Her obvious goal helped her focus. “I will find M’ Lord, and his brother!”
Celestia regarded the pirate before her. Four hundred years ago, the mare would have been punished for even suggesting Aquarian and Terran had existed. But Equestria had changed, and Luna had been restored. Perhaps it was time for the other alicorns to return as well.
“I will not stop you from attempting to find them. On one condition.” That got Goldwing’s attention, and her ears dropped back again warily.
“What be yer condition..?”
“You committed crimes as a pirate, even if it was four hundred years ago. As punishment, you will live in a town of my choosing for one year, or until I deem your punishment complete, before going on your quest.” The pegasus raised an eyebrow, watching the alicorn for any sign of a trick.
“And if I be refusin’ t’ cooperate with that..?”
“Equestria may be peaceful in this age, but this castle still has its dungeons.” The threat was obvious, and she felt backed into a corner. What choice did Goldwing have if she wanted a chance? Though she hated Celestia, the pirate knew a good opportunity when it presented itself.
“Fine. We be havin’ us a deal...”
“Splendid.” Celestia’s tone was calm, but something gave Goldwing the feeling that the alicorn was rather unhappy with the situation. “There is a student of mine in Ponyville, she will report to me your actions while you’re there.”
“Ugh...” A student to watch her? It was going to be a very long year... if she didn’t manage to slip away before then.
How hard could it be?
