The Solar Flare

On the Equestrian Sea

Captains Log: The Solar Flare. We picked up 50 boxes of experimental dirt bound for Canterlot. We set sail into a storm that seemed to come out of nowhere and carried us out to sea.

Nothing good could come of this. Lightning Dust was an experienced enough sailor to know that a random storm yielded bad results. It was a bad omen. Things had been fine when they'd picked up their cargo of dirt in Trotsylvania, but as soon as they began on their journey, a freak storm appeared. Now, they were blown out to sea off course and trying to regain their route.

"Tighten the mainsails! We'll use the winds to our advantage! Batten down the hatches and fully unfurl the sheets!" Lightning Dust ordered to the ponies on the deck of the Solar Flare. With effort, the pegasi, unicorns and earth ponies did as ordered and the Solar Flare rolled with the waves, the winds pushing it further. Lightning Dust ran to the helm and grabbed the wheel, steadying the Flare as a lightning bolt flashed on the water.

"CAPTAIN! The brig's become waterlogged, Ma'am!" a pink pegasus with a blue mane yelled. Lightning Dust glared.

"Get a few ponies down there and have them bail, then patch up the hole!" she yelled over the winds and rain. The pegasus saluted, as another pegasus, a white one with a curly mane and a blue earth pony ran down to the brig. Setting her brow, Lightning Dust spun the wheel, trying to sail them into the calmer part of the storm. She wasn't sure how long this was going to go, she just hoped it'd clear up before they reached Canterlot.

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Three days out on the journey and the rain hadn't let up. Second mate Night Glider was below decks in the cargo hold taking stock.

"Okay. 50 boxes of..dirt from Trotsylvania, one box of fine clothes from Trotsylvania, one box of random valuables from Trotsylvania. Seriously? I mean, we've hauled some weird things before but DIRT? Really?" she said to herself, shaking her head and checking off the items on the checklist. Suddenly, a thud made her head snap up. "What the? Who's there?" she asked, walking toward the sound. Grabbing a lantern that was hanging from one of the pillars, Night Glider carried it to follow the sound, finding a pile of dead rats gutted on the floor. "What in the name of the World Goddess?" she asked, when a growl came from above her. Too late, the form of a pony was revealed in the light of the lantern, but it was a twisted, unnatural form. Shining red eyes, covered in fur, and muzzle curled up revealing sharp white teeth. Before she could scream, the form leapt from the ceiling, and bit into her neck, spraying her blood all over the walls. Gasping and clutching at the air, the lantern falling out of her grip and breaking, Night Glider fell in the darkness. The last thing she felt were the hooves of the form clutching the sides of her head and then, in one move, ripped it off her body. Her blood spilling around the floor, the form began to drain the remains of Night Glider. She'd dispose of the body later.

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Captain's Log: The Solar Flare

Second mate has gone missing. Storm continues. Crew uneasy. Feel as if somepony or someTHING is here onboard the ship with us.

It'd been days since Night Glider had gone missing. Nopony had found ANY trace of her. Normally, Lightning Dust wouldn't encourage the crew's superstitions, but even she'd started feeling SOMETHING was on the ship besides them. What it could be, she didn't know, but she felt it had something to do with that dirt they picked up.

"FIREFLY!" she called to her first mate. The pink pegasus flew up, issuing a salute. "Go down to the cargo hold. I want you to inspect the boxes, and tell me if you notice anything unusual!" she ordered over the sound of the rain. Firefly nodded, heading down to the hold. "MISS SURPRISE!" Lightning Dust yelled. The yellow pegasus with the curly mane flew up and saluted her captain. "You have the helm. Find us a way out of this Goddess-damned storm," she said, flying down to her cabin. Surprise nodded, grabbing the wheel and steering as hard as she could. This wasn't a natural storm. Surprise had spent enough time on a ship to recognize a natural storm. This was the most unnatural storm that Surprise had ever experienced in all her years as a sailor. This trip had been cursed since they'd set out for Trotsylvania, she gathered that now. First this storm that wouldn't end, then Night Glider going missing, and now an eerie feeling that they weren't alone on the ship. Something inside of her was telling Surprise that this would be the final voyage for the crew of the Solar Flare.

Night Glider had sustained her more than she'd thought. The pegasus had quite filling blood, but she needed more. She couldn't arrive at Canterlot without enough blood in her body. So, climbing out of the cargo hold from one of the port holes, avoiding Firefly, she climbed up to the main deck and surveyed her prey. Normally, she would rip all of them apart without any thought, but she needed to go about this carefully. She still had need of these ponies to get her and her earth boxes to Canterlot. There were a few ponies up on the deck tightening the ropes, and a few more were below the helm, trying to keep the deck from getting too waterlogged. There was one, however, that was all alone, and coincidentally, they were leaning over the side of the ship. She grinned. This would be too easy. Just a quick snap of the neck and then she could take them back to the cargo hold.

"DOUBLE DIAMOND! Come away from the edge! The other's need your help with the mainsail!" Surprise yelled. The pony saluted and left the side of the ship. The Countess scowled. She'd have to deal with that pegasus first.

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A few more days passed, as the Solar Flare neared it's destination. It was clear to Lightning Dust now that there was SOMETHING on the ship with them. Almost all the crew was missing and probably dead, with only her first and second mates still alright, but she knew that wouldn't last.

"Firefly! Surprise! On deck!" Lightning Dust said, her eyes grimly set. The two pegasi flew up to the helm, saluting with their wings.

"Orders, Captain?" they asked.

"At ease, mates. I'm sure you both are aware that there's SOMETHING on the ship with us, and that we haven't FOUND it. We're nearing Canterlot, and as Captain, I must stay on the ship, no matter the cost. But, you two are the last of the crew, and I will not hold it against you if you decide to abandon ship. I know that you two are together, and so if you want to stay together and jump ship, then all I can say is, it's been an honor," Lightning Dust said. Firefly and Surprise looked at each other and set their gaze on their captain.

"With all do respect, Captain, we're not going anywhere. If that thing wants to kill us, then it'll kill us together. But, we won't abandon you," Firefly said. Lightning Dust smiled.

"Then back to your posts, ladies," she said. The two pegasi nodded, as they flew to the lower decks, leaving Lightning Dust alone at the helm. With a sigh, the captain lashed herself to the wheel, her eyes coming upon the sight of Canterlot in the distance. If this creature wanted to kill her, it'd have to pry her dead body from the wheel.

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The wreck of the Solar Flare was found run aground on the shore of Canterlot by a few police ponies. In the lower decks the crew was found in pieces, body parts strewn everywhere, the most fresh bodies in an embrace. They found the captain dead, lashed to the wheel. Her cause of death, however, was exhaustion and starvation. The cargo below deck was still in tact, however. Being careful with them, the police ponies levitated the boxes out of the ship and at the shore for the delivery ponies. Had she looked back at that point, they would have seen a dark, hairy shape leap off of the ship and disappear deep into the city.

Author's Note

This chapter really shouldn't have taken as long as it did, but a lot of things got in the way. The next chapter is gonna be the first meeting of Pinkie and Twilight! FINALLY! I promise that one will come out quicker.