Author's Note

If anypony is wondering, from this chapter on I'll be referencing locations from this map from KeenKris "Map of Equestria...and Beyond"

Chapter Twenty Nine: The Rescue

After Red threatened to drown the changeling and especially after telling him that we had Chrysalis in our dungeon and didn't need him to get more information, he readily gave us all the information that he had. He told us that Chrysalis had dispatched two of them to capture Queen Novo and rule in her stead while gathering information. He also told us that Queen Novo and other high-profile captives were taken to a second location that was deep underneath a place called Klugetown by the southeastern coast of Equestria. With Queen Novo gone, Princess Skystar was officially in charge. However, she isn't ready for leadership and began to panic when we found out that the second changeling existed and had already left. But calmed down when we reminded her that whoever wanted to invade had to breathe underwater. Reminding her that even with the other orb missing and in the changelings' hooves, it was still only one orb that can't be duplicated. Which meant there still was no chance for a large-scale invasion deep into the sea. She was further relieved to hear that we would leave to rescue Queen Novo immediately after returning the other two guards to normal.

Which is what we did the next morning. Skystar, Silverstream, the captain of the guard, and our Sargeant were there to wave us farewell. Twilight was a little tired, magically wise, from renewing the two guards back to normal as we left. But she told us that she had plenty of magic left to steer the ship and guide us to Klugetown. While she was doing that, I conversed with Tia and Luna telepathically about what we found out.

Tia? Luna, my Nightmare? It was still early enough in the morning that Luna should still be up. I was sitting on the thick quilt on the deck of the ship in my fox form with Ember laying next to me. Come in you two, is this thing on? I smirked at my own silliness.

There was amusement in Tia's mental voice when she replied, Yes, dear, I am here.

We are here, too, our husband. Luna's, not so much.

Figured that I would check in with you two with what we found out. Has Twilight updated you since she asked for your help with the stone counterspell?

The ship was already in the air and already headed Northwest toward Klugetown. She stayed at the magical wheel while I conversed telepathically with Tia and Luna.

No, she hasn't, Tia replied.

Princess Skystar went to get transformation orbs for us so we could get our sea forms so we could go down to see Queen Novo. She wanted to thank us for saving Silverstar, which is Skystar's cousin. Your mother fused the orb to my chest permanently which angered Queen Novo. Enough to order the orb carved out of my chest and take the orbs from Twilight and Ember which would obviously kill them via drowning.

How could she do such a thing?

At ease, my Luna, my Nightmare. Your mother intervened and it turned out that Queen Novo was actually a changeling that was still loyal to Chrysalis. She dispatched a couple of infiltrator drones to take Novo's place and gather more information. The second one was already long gone by the time we found out there even was a second one. After your mother intervened and threatened to kill the drone, and especially after telling him that we have Chrysalis and really didn't need him, he was very forthcoming with information. Turned out they took Queen Novo, and other high-profile captures to a deep underground location at Klugetown, just Southeast of something called the Prancing Plains. Twilight knows where Klugetown is and we are headed there now to attempt to locate Queen Novo.

Be very careful in Klugetown, Tia replied and I could tell that she was worried. It may be part of Equestria technically, but because of the outlaws and such creatures that live there, it's difficult at best to enforce any Equestrian laws.

It's a place where anything and anypony can disappear, Luna told me.

Twilight apparently was done with steering the ship, for now, so she walked over to us and laid down on the large quilt blanket next to me on the other side from Ember.

Yes, it's a place of criminals, outlaws, and ruffians that is totally lawless.

In other words, LA or Chicago or New York at midnight. Got it. Which means as soon as we leave our ship, it'll be ransacked and torn down for parts and resources in a matter of seconds, if not minutes.

Very likely, Luna confirmed to me.

"Alright, we should be there sometime around dinnertime," Twilight said as she laid down next to me, scooting closer to snuggle up against me.

Thanks for the information. Twilight just said that we should be there by dinnertime tonight.

Be very careful, dear. Klugetown is not a nice place.

Indeed, take care, our husband. And come back to us.

I will. I promise.

"Are you done yet?" Ember asked with her voice carrying a slightly impatient tone to it. And to answer her question, I stood up, morphed into my naked human form, and laid on my back between them. "Finally," Ember complained, although not really seriously, but still rolled her eyes a little as she rolled herself over to lay herself against me. Placing one hand on my chest and a wing over me, she made herself comfortable.

"I take that as a yes," Twilight agreed then made herself comfortable as well with a hoof on my chest and a wing over Ember's. "What did Celestia and Luna say?"

"After updating them on everything, they told me about Klugetown," I told them as I put my arms around them both with my hand rubbing their backs. "That it's basically a criminal's paradise. Which means that we'll need another mode of transportation away from the town because this ship of ours will be ransacked and torn down for parts almost as soon as we leave it."

"That bad?" Twilight questioned as if she knew nothing about it.

"I thought you knew about it because you knew where it was," I looked over, curious as to why she would ask such a thing.

She ran her hoof against my chest in small light circles, now looking a little sheepish, "Well, I do know where it is because I remembered seeing it on a map once a while back."

"Oh. Well, as I said, it's basically a lawless criminal's paradise where things and creatures go to disappear."

"In other words, be prepared to fight at any second," Ember commented as she looked up at me.

"Basically, yes," I gave her a nod. "And don't trust anyone, anypony, or anything."

For the rest of the trip, we enjoyed the peaceful cool breeze that blew across the deck of the overly large basket. While I enjoyed the feeling of their bodies against mine. Unfortunately, the peaceful day would end as soon as we landed just outside of Klugetown.

^_^

(Late afternoon, Klugetown)

We landed just outside of the town on the desert side of the city, not the port side. Not that it would make that much of a difference. Anthropomorphic creatures of all types, sizes, and colors were waiting just inside the city to rush over and pick our ship clean. After seeing that, I suggested taking everything that we could with us. It took us a bit, and some time for Twilight to make some saddlebags and a basic backpack out of the quilt, but after Twilight got done we loaded as much as we could into them. We had all of our food and water with us plus some bits as well as other things. Even if it was a lawless criminal paradise, these bits should go a long way for us if only for the wealth of the gold itself that the bits were made of. Once we were ready, we left our ship and headed toward the city.

"Wow! This place looks like something slapped together haphazardly and called it good enough," was my interpretation of the way the town looked. We walked side by side toward the town with me in the middle. Ember's scales were now closed together, returning to its armor state. My senses were on high alert as we approached the first haphazard adobe building and fabric tents on the edge of the city.

"Looks like some large structure used to be there at one point and that they made it where it used part of the natural rock formation," Twilight voiced her thoughts aloud as we approached the two large rock formations at the edge of the city. Each one was about four stories tall and two houses wide. With their position and spacing away from each other, they acted as a gateway into the city. Whoever was in charge also made two slim two-story adobe-style buildings up against each rock formation that had a wooden suspension bridge between them. Which to me looked like large guardhouses. "See part of what once a larger earthen building behind the rock formations?" I didn't answer as it was largely rhetorical, it was in her voice. "I wonder who built it and why?"

"I don't know," I shrugged at her largely rhetorical question. Then raised my voice toward the creatures in front of us, "And whoever touches the ship behind us...dies."

I was surprised to find a good number of anthropomorphic species living in this town. Species that ranged from land, sea, and air. One such example was the anthropomorphic female shark that was standing on our right not far from us. She was a tall one that looked to be equal in height to myself in human form. Naked and obviously female complete with plump breasts and pussy with nice legs and a long shark's tail. She looked down at me with a smirk, crossed her arms under her plump grey breasts, and chuckled, "You'll have to find them first, mate."

"He's not your mate," Ember growled at the shark girl.

"That's not what she meant when she said it," I said to Ember in hopes to calm her down while turning my head to look back at our ship. Because what she said and the amusing tone in her voice hinted that what I feared had already taken place. And my eyes widened at what I saw. "How the hell did you do that so quickly?"

After Twilight turned to look, she gasped in shock and wonderment, "There's almost nothing left. Barely the outer hull of the basket is left."

I sat my butt down and looked up at the shark girl with an amused smirk. "I knew that would happen down here but even I'll admit that is impressive. I never thought it could be done that quickly." Most of the rest of the crowd had disbursed while Twilight was still staring at what was left of our ship and Ember was glaring fire daggers at the shark girl. The only creature that remained was an anthropomorphic cat with blue hair, red trenchcoat, and a knowing smile on his face.

"If you think that's impressive," the shark girl continued while grinning down at me, exposing her sharp teeth, "come back with me and I'll turn your world upside down."

With a grin of my own up at her, I put a couple of tails around Ember and Twilight saying, "Sorry but I'm taken." While saying that, I squeezed my tails around Ember in an attempt to calm her down. She had her arms at her sides with her fingers curled just enough to look like she was fixing to gut her then and there. Her body was also tense as if she was about to pounce at any second. And the last thing that we needed right now was to announce our presence through a big fight.

The smirk on her face lessened some, "Pity. No creature in this town seems to be enough for me."

That's when the anthropomorphic cat spoke up for the first time, speaking to the shark girl. "You screamed for me." He was obviously trying to defend his malehood or manhood.

However, was quickly shot down as shark girl rolled her eyes at him with a dismissive scoff, "That was a scream of frustration over your lack of performance, Capper. You're lucky I let you live."

I had to wince at that. Capper's ego just took a nosedive with a crash and burn.

"It's just...gone," Twilight whispered as her mind finally started rebooting.

"If you're not interested in having sex with me, pretty boy, then why'd you come to this rough and tumble place?" The alluring look on shark girl's face was gone and was replaced with one of pure business.

"Royal business that you aren't permitted to know," I said, now looking at her with an all-business look of my own. Before smirking at her, "Besides, I'm sure that creatures come here to disappear. Not to have sex with you. I don't think you're that popular."

She wasn't pleased by the last part but there was also some amusement in her eyes as she said, "Oh, I might just get you for that."

I simply shrugged and used a paw to lightly dap Twilight's side to bring her out of her stupor. "Come back down to earth, Twilight. We expected our ship to be pillaged after we left it." Twilight shook her head as if to clear it and get her mind back into gear again before turning back around where I continued. "Think you find them by scanning for them?"

"Maybe," she said, looking up at me in thought, "but they would have to be using their magic during the scan. And that would reveal their location, not exactly how to get down to them."

"If you want something found, I'm just the cat for the job." He held both lapels, taking a step forward when he said it. As if he was in a movie and he was making a dramatic point. With a wide smile on his face that reminded me of a used car salesman. To have a trusting outer appearance while completely untrustworthy underneath.

Even Twilight rolled her eyes at him. "Tell you what, find out what we are looking for, find out how to get down there, and then we'll reward you in a good number of bits for your trouble." Then she looked at the shark girl with a look of curiosity, "And shouldn't you be wearing some clothes or something?"

The shark girl shook her head with a smirk, "No. Wearing clothes makes others here feel like you are hiding something valuable underneath. And besides, if someone wants to pay me for sex then this is the best way to show off my...assets." She winked down at me while raising her claw-like hands to her breasts and giving them a good alluring squeeze. "Besides, I practically live in the water. If I don't wear clothes, I don't have to wash them."

"And we need to get going," I said while urging them into the city. Especially using my tail to gently tug Ember's waist as we started walking, "Come on, Ember. Stop trying to burn the shark with your eyes." I finally got Ember and Twilight walking away from them and into the city. Even as we walked in, I felt like every single eye was watching us like a cat waiting for the mouse to make a mistake. Even though all the murmuring and deal-making around us, at the various shops, my ears picked up words about us. What actual buildings were there looked like they were falling apart. Whoever was in charge tried to repair them but in a haphazard way that looked like it was hastily put together. The rest of the structures were nothing more than shop tents. Not far from the town's entrance was some anthropomorphic lizard creature selling some wares on a blanket. Looking rather ragged in health, he didn't look too good. And what he was selling looked like it was plucked from the seafloor and cleaned up to sell. A lot of what was being sold was of the same quality from what we could see.

"One thing we have to figure out is where we are going to sleep tonight and who's going to take the first watch, so we don't get robbed during the night?" I asked them while my head was on a swivel as I looked out for danger and pickpockets.

Suddenly, the same cat that we met at the entrance, came out of an alleyway on our right to address us. Still with the same smile. "If you are looking for a place to stay for the night, I've got just the place for you."

"You're persistent, I'll give you that," was my comment to him with annoyance filling my voice. My tails gripped Ember a little tighter because of how tense she was at the moment, not that I blamed her any.

"In a place like this, persistence pays off."

"That's probably the first honest thing you've said yet," Ember told him, her voice pretty much flat and unfeeling.

After Ember said that, he actually looked a little dejected. His ears even laid flat against his head as he stepped up to us and started to whisper, "Look, I'll be honest with you, which is dangerous in this place. I owe Verko some money, he's the crime boss that runs this town. And if I don't pay him off by tonight, then it's my life. If you will help me out, then I'll do my honest best to help you with whatever you need."

"I don't trust him," Ember said quietly while glaring at the cat.

"I don't either," I echoed her while judging the look on his face to see how honest he was being. "In a place like this, trusting any creature here is almost suicidal."

"However, I think he was being honest when he said that," Twilight put in just as her horn dimmed from magic use. "I just used a truth detecting spell on him and it came back positive," she finished telling us as she looked up at me with a nod of her head. "And we do have to start somewhere." While she said that, I contemplated how far we could trust him. After about a minute, or so, of thought, I had come to a decision. But he needed to answer a question first.

"Before I answer, answer me this then: Do you want to leave this place?" I asked him while gauging his reactions. "Because I think that you're stuck here because of your debt, am I right?"

"You're right," he said with dejection but gave us a nod. As he spoke, I took a quick look around and it wasn't surprising that almost every creature was paying attention to us. "A cat that I considered a friend betrayed me and put me in debt to Verko. I used to be an aristocrat in my home town but now I'm reduced to a life in this town. Help me with my debt and I'll help you find whatever it is you're looking for. Deal?"

Ember and Twilight were both looking at me to make a final decision. One look at Twilight told me that she thought he was truthful when she gave me a single nod of her head. "Alright, then the deal is that we take care of your debt and you'll help us and once that is taken care of you'll leave with us, right?" I asked and held out a paw for him to shake.

"That's the deal," he agreed with a wide thankful smile before shaking my paw.

I hope you know what you're doing, Twilight messaged me.

"The name's Capper," he said as he motioned for us to follow him, "and Verko's place is this way." So, we started following him down what I loosely would call a road toward the center of the town. The residents eyed us as we followed Capper.

"My name's Emmit," I told him with my eyes continuously scanning the crowd for danger. "The purple pony here is Twilight and the dragon is Ember." Twilight? Don't mention that you are a princess around here, alright? It just might put a price on your head or invite trouble, I telepathically warned her. "We'll explain more after we are alone."

He looked back at us for a second with a small smile, "Believe me, I understand completely. The less you say openly the better in this place."

After that, there was no need for talking until we reached Verko's place. That was fine because I would have been too busy paying attention to everything else around me to talk anyway. We were headed directly into the center of the town, walking by rundown vendor after rundown vendor along the way. Among the adobe ruins and makeshift add-ons were creatures of every type peeking their heads out of their windows to take a look at us. The wares that were being sold were getting better and better the closer we got to the center of town. And believe me, they were selling anything and everything for a bit. One anthropomorphic female pig-like creature called out to pay handsomely for my coat and tails. That it would make a beautiful fur coat. Others were making some similar offers. Therefore, I stopped just long enough to let out one loud ethereal howl. And with a glare at the pig-like female creature, I produced one clone that snarled, growled, and snapped jaws at her as my clone approached her. That not only shut her up but every creature there as well.

Capper led us to the most complete adobe-style building that this town had to offer. The building appeared to have been two-story at one point but part of the second story was gone. Or was gone until it was repaired with reclaimed wood from who knows where. Tent vendors were all around the building that looked to be selling the best stuff in town. At higher prices with massive cuts to Verko more than likely. Every creature around the front of the building must have seen what I did earlier because it was all quiet. Except for some voices in the distance, the wind, rustling of loose fabrics, and other sounds of dilapidated half-put-together buildings that creaked when the wind blew.

And in front of the building we were going to go into were two anthropomorphic lizard creatures that would look perfect in the Australian desert. They were as tall as me in my human form and looked as fit as human bouncers. And they eyed Capper as we approached the front door. "We are here to see Verko," Capper said to him with his voice laying on the charm with a wide disarming smile, "and it's about my debt. So, if you would let us in because we all know how he gets if a money-making opportunity is lost. Especially by a couple of guards." Almost immediately after hearing that, the guard on our right reached out and opened the door for us. "Thank you so much, I'll be sure to put in a good word when we see Verko."

Twilight walked in after Capper, then Ember, and me last. The inside was supposed to be the most lavish place in town. There was supposed to be a lush carpet on the adobe floor but it was patched up. Even with similar colors, the patches were still very visible. A type of glass chandelier hung from the ceiling again looked patched up with polished glass that didn't really fit. The front part of the building appeared to once be a living room. Sofas, tables, and chairs were around the room that was once really nice. But now patched up so much in similar colors just looked laughable. The wood table and chairs were also patched up, rather badly I might add. "Verko will be in his penthouse on the upper floor," Capper told us and headed to some makeshift stairs at the far end of the room.

Verko's penthouse was supposed to be even more lavish and was designed to be all business. A desk was at the far end of the room with two wood office chairs in front. A window was on the wall behind the desk with bookshelves lining the walls and another glass chandelier completed the room. But as is was below, everything in here was patched up with similar colors that someone would have to be blind...

And everything made sense after seeing Verko sitting behind his desk. Verko was an anthropomorphic mole rat that had on a pair of binocular-type glasses with lenses so thick it was a wonder if anypony would be able to see through them. He was wearing patched black pants, a white shirt with a red vest, and a red bowtie. And standing on either side of the desk were two anthropomorphic beavers. Glaring eyes and arms crossed over their chests were obviously two more bouncers.

Capper's voice told me that he must be smiling as he walked up to the desk with open arms. "Verko! Tonight is your lucky night."

"And why is that Capper?" Verko asked with a wide toothy smile as he sat back in his chair.

"Because my debt to you is about to be paid in full."

Emmit, I think I've got something. I've been passively scanning ever since we walked into this town. It's definitely changeling magic. I just need to isolate it.

Good work, Twilight. Keep trying and let me know.

Capper turned around and waved in our direction which was obviously my cue to step forward. Which I did. Slowly, I stepped forward to stand beside him. "I have the money to pay off his debt to you."

Verko just smiled at me for a second before tilting his head to the side with a toothy grin. "Is that right? What's in it for you?"

I've got it and it's...., she paused for a second before finishing with confusion in her mental voice, below us?
About ten or so levels below us.

"That is none of your concern," I simply told him with a firm business-like tone. "I am simply here to pay off a debt, do you accept or not?"

After further scanning, I found out that the way down is under the rug downstairs.

Which means that he in on it, I messaged her. And now with that information, my tactics just changed.

"And what's to stop me from ordering these two to kill you three and just do as I please?" His toothy grin persisted as he now leaned forward and interlocked his hands together on the desk.

"You're under the mistaken impression that we are weak and easily killed," I told him with a smirk of my own with my narrowed eyes locked onto his. "Twilight here, for example, can turn you to stone. Her special talent is magic itself and knows a lot of ways to kill you if forced to." Twilight tried to look menacing but it didn't work. "Ember here is a dragon that can rip your guts out very easily and I think she's itching for a fight." Ember blew some fire out of her mouth while curling her claws to show off her sharp talons. "I, meanwhile, have enough power in me to collapse a mountain. So, either one of us is capable of easily defending ourselves against you and burning this place down as we leave." Verko started frowning as I spoke, even leaning back in his chair with a contemplative look on his face. "That's still an option if you continue to threaten us. My offer to pay off Capper's debt was genuine."

"Was?" Capper questioned softly as he looked over at me now with a worried look.

"However because of your threats and with new information that you are harboring, and working with, changelings that have ponynapped the hippogriff queen..." I paused for dramatic effect while glaring at him. "We, plus Capper, are going to go downstairs, pull the rug off of the trapdoor, and go rescue the hippogriff queen as this is now an international incident. And you are now an accessory to ponynapping a queen. If Queen Novo wishes you to be extradited for your crimes, then we will gladly give you to her." After another pause, I looked up at Capper that was now looking very nervous. "Capper? Do you still wish to leave this town?"

"Yeah, I do..." he said while looking between Verko and me very nervously.

"Them come with us," I told him, and without another word, I turned around and addressed Twilight and Ember. "Twilight? Thanks to your efforts we are going to go right down, right now." She remained silent giving me a firm nod. "Ember? It goes without saying but lethal force is authorized." Her grin was wide and almost maniacal. "We are going to rescue Queen Novo and whoever else they have down there." And started walking away.

We were almost to the door when I heard a loud thud behind me and Verko's upset voice, "You don't walk away from Verko!" Then a snap of fingers later, I stopped to watch the two burly bouncers start walking toward us. Because Capper was behind us and in the most danger, Twilight lifted him up in her magic and over in front of us. Capper let out a very cat-like meow as his body went stiff as he was moved to the front. After Capper was out of the way, Ember made her move. With a yell that sounded like a battle cry, she bull-rushed the bouncer on the right. The bouncer didn't stand a chance against Ember's sharp talons. And to say that the bouncer was shocked was an understatement. In one quick swipe of Ember's claws, she gouged out a deep enough cut across his stomach that blood oozed from the wound. And she didn't stop moving either, but immediately turned toward the other one. As she did, the first bouncer stood there looking down at his gut in shock with his breath coming out in quick short bursts. He tried stemming the flow by holding his hands to his gut but it didn't work as he fell to the floor.

Twilight didn't turn around to look as she didn't have the stomach for it. To try and comfort her, I wrapped a couple of tails around her, pull her to me, and rubbed her with them. Seeing her face wasn't necessary to know there was a sickening look on her face.

The second bouncer turned and rushed at Ember but Ember was too fast for him. Anything he wanted to do was stopped instantly when, with a battle cry, Ember used the talons on her other hand to slit his throat. Now that the two bouncers weren't a threat anymore, Ember calmly walked away as their blood dripped onto the floor from her sharp talons. Meanwhile, Verko was looking on scared shitless with wide eyes filled with shock and horror as Ember declared calmly, "Not my mate you don't."

With a somber tone in my voice and while the two, now dead, bouncers bled out onto the floor in front of his desk, I quietly told him, "If you want to live, please don't interfere." And we left Verko there at his desk, looking at us in total disbelief in his eyes with his mouth hanging open in shock. He wasn't the only one either, I had to levitate Capper down the stairs with us because he too was too shocked to move.

After we got downstairs, Ember took a moment to head off to what would loosely be called a bathroom to wash off the blood from her hands and claws. At the same time, Twilight walked over to the center of the room and used her magic to pull the rug from over the trap door. Once revealed, she opened it for us just as Ember walked out with clean claws again. "Just who are you guys?" Capper asked, now looking nervous again as Twilight opened up the trap door to reveal seemingly unending stairs. As Ember walked back up to us, Twilight decided to go first, so I motioned for Capper to go ahead of me.

As Capper walked down the stairs in front of me, with Ember following behind, I answered Capper's question. "That is Princess Twilight Sparkle from Equestria. As I said before, her talent is magic itself. And other than my wives Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, probably knows more magic than anypony. I, myself, am Emmit and this isn't my original body and not from this world. That's a long story. And Ember here is the Dragon Lord's daughter and my mate. And Twilights is also in my herd. What I said to Verko is true. We are here to rescue Queen Novo of the hippogriffs which, more than likely, she's down below." When he didn't say anything but continued walking, as if absorbing the information, it was time that he gives some information of his own. "So, what is your story? How did you wind up living here?"

Because we had about ten stories or so to walk down, getting his story was a good way to pass the time. For Capper, it all started when the Storm King invaded his hometown of Panthera in Abyssinia that's Northeast of here beyond Black Skull Island. During the attack, Storm King's forces were attacked by some parrot pirates. They were able to escape by hiding in one of the Storm King's ships. After it was attacked by the pirates, Captain Celaeno invited them to join her crew which he and his friend Chummer did join for a short time. Until the pirates were attacked by the Storm King and they were able to hijack one of the empty airships. Not really knowing what they were doing, they landed in the desert where they came across Klugetown. Because they didn't have anything, they had to resort to the pickpocket and con-artist life. Until they ran across Verko and decided to sell him their airship in exchange for another one that they could use to leave town. Unknow to both Capper and Verko, Chummer decided to try and leave with both ships. In an attempt to stop his friend, Verko's ship gets set on fire. That event put Capper in debt with Verko. He started wearing the red cape to signify that Chummer isn't his friend anymore. After hearing his story, we realized that there was no way we could pay off his debt anyway. We weren't carrying enough to pay for a whole ship.

We were almost at the bottom of the stairs by the time Capper got done with his tale. And because we didn't know the layout or how many changelings were around, I whispered for them to be silent. Especially considering we were hearing voices as we reached the bottom of the stairs.

"We better hurry and move Novo here to another location now that our infiltrator has been caught," we heard a voice from below as Capper froze up, stiff as a board, immediately after hearing it. Silently, I gently pushed passed Capper to take a peek around the corner. Two changelings were walking down the short, and wide, hallway in our direction with Queen Novo hovering between them in their magic. Bad news was, there were two of them. Good news is that it would be easy to take them out because both of them were using their magic at the moment, so they would be unprepared for an attack.

A second later, that's just what I did. After producing two clones, I didn't waste any time barrelling down the hallway directly at them in one quick dash. Neither of them saw it coming as my clones hit both of them like a ton of bricks. And instantly knocking them out, sending them back down the hallway a few yards away, with Queen Novo landing on the stone ground with a soft thud. After a second pause to make sure they were really knocked out, I motioned everyone quietly forward.

I went first down the hallway and stopped next to an unconscious Novo. "Can you make sure the two changelings stay knocked out, please?" I asked Twilight quietly as she tried her best to quietly trot up on the other side of me. She gave me one nod of her head before trotting down the hallway toward the two unconscious changelings. I looked at Ember as she walked up, looking down at Novo. "Ember, could you take a look around and see if there are any other changelings around? I don't think there are but be careful anyway." Without a word from her, she gave me a nod of her head and started walking down the hallway to the other rooms.

"This is who you were looking for?" Capper asked quietly as he tip-toed up to the unconscious Novo.

"Yes," I responded while leaning my head down to double check that Novo was relatively alright, just unconscious. "A changeling can change into anything. They also feed off of love, yes the emotion. They kidnapped Queen Novo and took her place in the hippogriff kingdom and brought her here to feed off of her." After filling him in, I turned an ear to Novo and listened. She was breathing well with a strong heartbeat, so she was apparently just unconscious. She's a little malnourished due to her time in the changeling's cocoon. But at least we had some food with us.

Because Ember was checking out the rest of the rooms that branched off from the hallway, Twilight came back first. "The two changelings won't wake up until morning at least. I put a powerful sleep spell on them." She paused long enough to look down at Queen Novo, a somber crestfallen expression on her face. "How is she?"

"You'll have to tell me that," I told her. "She breathing, got a good heartbeat, so it appears that she's just unconscious and looks a little malnourished."

Twilight hummed in thought then ignited her horn before lowering it toward Queen Novo. A few seconds later, she raised her head giving me a nod. "You're right, she is malnourished and just unconscious. She should wake up by morning."

"The rest of this place is clear of changelings, but there were two unconscious ponies in the back room," Ember said to us as she walked up carrying an unconscious pony in her arms.

"And we just found Daring Do." As I said that, Ember laid the unconscious Daring Do on the ground after Twilight moved out of the way.

"I'll go get the other pony," Twilight said as she began trotting down the hallway.

As Twilight walked away, I leaned down to check Daring Do. Just like Queen Novo, she seemed just asleep while being a little malnourished. While I was doing that, Ember asked a question that's been in the back of my mind since coming down here. "So, what now? What's your plan? I don't like being this far underground with those stairs being the only way out."

"Good question," I muttered softly in agreement with her. "And I agree," I said, lifting my head up to look up at her. "I'm not worried about getting up and out. That'll be easy even with our three passengers. My concern is where we are going to find a safe and secure place to sleep tonight and finding a way out of here back to Mount Aris."

"I can help you with that," Capper said with a knowing smile on his face. "Remember me telling you that I was on Captain Celaeno's ship?" I nodded at him. I also noticed that he had a little bit of a sheepish look on his face as he told us, "Turns out that the Storm King was so mad at her for interfering with him that he forced her to work for him."

"As what?" Twilight asked as she trotted back up to us with another pony floating in her magic. "Found your missing maid," she said as she gently lowered the mare to the floor.

"The Storm King forced her to carry his merchandise for him throughout his realm," he said, sheepishly chuckling softly. "She stops by here fairly regularly to restock her ship with food and supplies. And to look for me because she's not too happy with me."

"Because you were part of her crew, she thinks that you abandoned her and the rest of the crew doesn't she?" I asked him. I didn't have to wait for him to say his answer because the sheepish look on his face told me his answer.

He chuckled softly and sheepishly anyway with a soft, "Yeah," a second later. "She should be here tomorrow morning as she shows up fairly regularly."

"There you go," I grinned up at Ember, "that's our way out." Then looked up at Capper again, "Which means we are going to meet your former pirate captain again tomorrow morning."

"And just how's that going to work?" Twilight asked, now curious as to my plan.

With a smile, I looked over at her, saying, "Easy. We'll give her and her crew a better offer than the Storm King and have her work for Equestria as its first paid pirates."

^_^

Now that we had a way out, I voiced the option of spending the night down below instead of up above. Capper wondered just how will we know when morning came if we were so far down in the ground? He understood after reminding him that both Luna and Celestia were my wives and I had a direct mental link to them. I'd simply let them wake me up in the morning. It might have been the best accommodations but it was safe and secure at least. And passing the time was easy. With my ability to produce pictures in the air, as I've done in the past, it was time for a dinner and a show. The first movie I put up was Princess Bride, a true classic. And then Eragon because of Ember, which she appreciated. Then before Twilight put everypony to sleep, she also put up an alarm system that would wake us up in case of intruders. Luckily for us, we rested peacefully if only wishing for beds instead of the hard rock floor. And after waking up in the morning came the issue then was making our way upstairs, outside, and to the airdock without trouble.

"Well, that was easier than I thought," Capper said as we all walked out of Verko's front door unchallenged. Novo, Daring Do, and my maid were still out cold. I was carrying Queen Novo on my back, secured there with four tails, while using my telekinesis to hover Daring Do and my maid on either side of me.

"More than likely didn't want to risk anything because of Ember's performance last night," I said a little somberly as we walked down the main thoroughfare toward the airdock at the edge of town.

"Was it really necessary to kill them?" Twilight questioned as she walked in front of me as she took a second to look back at me. "I could have easily knocked them out like I did the changelings we left behind."

"And in the morning we would have to fight our way out as they would want a fight," I told her. "Not only that but we would also be fighting in the street right now. By showing force up front, we save us potential danger later."

"I don't like it," Twilight grumbled as my eyes would be enjoying watching her butt right now if they weren't looking everywhere else for danger.

"I know, Twilight but I truly think that it was the better option," my voice was a sober one when I said it. "Because as you can see, we are being left alone."

Capper was leading us because he knew the way to the airdock and because we started out in the middle of the city it didn't take long to get there. Turned out there were three airdocks at the edge of town. Each dock looked like someone took a single piece of wooden plank from a pirate ship and enlarged it ten times then attached it to the side of a short cliff. The docks were attached to the side of a very large small mountain that angled down toward the city. A rough road was gouged out of the rock in order to get to the docks at the top. And wouldn't you know there was a ship that was already docked. And we knew that it was Celaeno's ship because Capper got really nervous as we approached the dock. Because it was so early in the morning almost nopony was up and about which included the dock and Celaeno's ship.

That didn't stop Capper from stopping dead in his tracks right when he saw the ship. Right when he stopped walking, we all knew why. He was nervous about meeting the captain after so long. So, I did the right thing and threatened to leave him here. "Look, Capper, do you want to leave or not? Because I can tell you right now, that's the only way for now."

"You'll protect me...right?" he asked and only started walking again after we told him we would. And another minute later we approached the quiet ship. The lower part of the ship looked like a typical pirate ship from back home. The top part was an airship balloon with an outward frame that looked like a huge parrot decided to take a nap on top. Wooden framework attached the balloon to the ship itself to complete it. Looked nice.

Capper nearly jumped out of his skin and probably lost a few lives when I suddenly shouted out, "AHOY SHIP!"

While I had no idea what these parrot pirates were supposed to look like, I was not expecting to see what popped up over the short deck wall. The parrot appeared to have lost most of its feathers as there was little left on his slim body and anthropomorphic. He also didn't look completely sane either but at least a little derpy because of his lazy eyes and the way his tongue hung out of his open beak. That was another thing, part of his upper beak was artificial. He definitely was a character though and all he did was squawk lazily as if he just woke up. Was probably laying down on the deck and asleep when I woke him up. He also wore some type of dark gray uniform.

"I need to speak with Captain Celaeno," I announced while walking up the dock toward him. "There's a business proposition, I wish to offer." He looked lazily at me for a couple of seconds either not really interested or still waking up. But he appeared to wake up after his eyes saw Capper. After a squawk at Capper, he stood up and darted back to the Captain's cabin in the back of the ship underneath the wheel on the upper deck.

After a couple of minutes, a female anthropomorphic parrot came walking out of the captain's cabin to the side of the ship where we stood on the dock. For an anthropomorphic parrot, she looked pretty. She also either had a limp or a peg leg because I heard the click-clack of talons against wood and heard the thud of something solid hitting wood. So, the former pirate captain had a cliche peg leg? The loony-looking parrot walked behind her as Captain Celaeno leaned against the wooden railing at me first. That was before she spotted Capper. "Capper! If I was still a pirate, I'd either keelhaul you or have you walk the plank." By the look in her eyes, and the way Capper was now trying to hide behind me, she meant it too.

I got her attention again when I asked her, "What would you say to the proposition of you and your crew becoming pirates again?"

Dismissing her beef with Capper for the moment, she straightened up and looked back down at me again. But the look on her face was a forlorn one. "If there was a chance at that being true, I'd jump on it in a heartbeat."

With a grin on my face, I asked, "Then why don't you invite me aboard, so we can talk about it? Because with my help, your dreams of becoming a pirate again can come true."

She kept her eyes locked onto mine as she rolled around what I said in her head. Then without turning toward him, she commanded, "Squabble?" The loony-looking one straightened up with a sharp squawk and a goofy-looking salute. "Lower the gangplank for our guests and wake up the rest of our crew." Another squawk later and Squabble did as he was commanded. And after the gangplank was lowered, I stood aside for the others to walk up first before I did.

"Thank you, Captain Celaeno," I said to her with a respectful nod. "Would you mind if these three be laid down while we talk?"

"You can put them below in the general quarters," was all Captain Celaeno said and motioned toward the back of the ship.

"If you would please, Twilight? Would you stay with them while we talk, please?" I asked her and with a simple nod, Twilight took the two unconscious ponies and an unconscious Novo off of me and followed Squabble toward the back of the ship. While Twilight carried our three rescuees to the bottom sleeping quarters, the rest of the crew came walking up and out. Without saying anything Captain Celaeno started walking toward her cabin again.

"Captain?" a big burly green parrot asked in a sharp salute.

"A meeting in my cabin," she told them as she walked past them with me, Ember, and Capper following behind her.

The captain's cabin was convertible between her bedroom and a meeting slash command room with the bathroom off to the left of the door. At the very back of the cabin, was the king-sized bed that converted into a table with three benches around it. Kind of like how RVs did it with the table portion being able to lower to be a bed and raise up as a table. Right now it was raised up as a table with a bench underneath the back windows and a bench on either side. The right side of the room was for navigation with a large map covering the wall over a small table that folded up against the wall. On the left wall was a large gray banner with two bright blue horn-looking things on it. I assumed that was the Storm King's banner because it was the same colors and design on their uniform. The banner was also covering up something behind it as well as some shelves.

Captain Celaeno was quick to take her place behind the table underneath the center window with the green big burly one on her left and the skinnier fit-looking one on her right. There was a shorter pink parrot that sat on the right bench that appeared to be the cook. I say that because of the way she was dressed in cook's attire. Squabble sat on the left bench. "This is Mullet, my first mate," she was still looking at me, studying me really, as she motioned to the skinnier one on her right. "This is Boyle, he's the muscle," she motioned to the burly one, which looked more than cable with his size, weight, and sharp talons. "Our cook is Lix Spittle." Figured that one. "And you've met Squabble." She waited a beat before asking, "So, just how are you going to fulfill our dreams of becoming pirates again?"

"By that question alone I'm guessing that you're not working for the Storm King as merchants by choice?" It was largely a rhetorical one but she acknowledged it anyway with a shake of her head while continuing to study me closely. "Then let me tell you how we came to be here first and I'll tell you my proposition. As I mentioned, I am married to Princess Celestia and Luna of Equestria. Celestia is friends with the hippogriff, now sleeping below, Queen Novo. For about a year and a half, or so, she's hasn't been receiving any letters. So she sent us to check up on her. I wasn't expecting Mount Aris to look like it went through a battle or find out that Queen Novo we spoke to was a changeling. I haven't even heard of this Storm King until a couple of days ago. We found out from that changeling that Queen Novo, the real one, was being held in this town, and here we are." Capper and Ember were standing beside me as I continued to speak. "From everything that I've heard about this Storm King so far tells me that he is expanding his empire and will probably have his eyes set on Equestria very soon. Which means I'll need to prepare for him. That's where you, your crew, and your ship comes in Captain. You want to be pirates again and Equestria needs a crew to teach our airship crews how to operate airships during a time of war. Which, unfortunately, I think will come to Equestrian shores soon."

Celaeno had an amused look on her face as she chuckled before motioning to her crew, "Do we look like teachers, to you?"

With a smirk, I tilted my head in my own amusement. "You weren't merchants either and yet here you are. Unhappily, I might add. I haven't told you how you'll be teaching." She raised an eyebrow at me, now getting her curious. "Your classroom will be your ship and the ones you'll be teaching will be part of your crew before they get a ship of their own very similar to yours. After you are confident in their abilities to fly their own airship, you will then test them as pirates. You will be yourselves, while working for Equestria, in preparing them for war considering you do have some experience in it. It's what humans call 'War Games' and will use something from my homeworld to use as simulated weapons."

"Homeworld?" Boyle asked as he leaned forward, curiosity on his face.

I gave him a nod, "I'm not from this world and this isn't my original body. If you agree to my proposal Captain Celaeno, then not only will I arm my new ships but I'll also arm yours with weapons that you haven't seen before. The weapons we'll use for the simulation will be water-based paint inside small easily breakable balls. But I'll explain that more in detail if you agree. If you do then I ask if you would take us to Mount Aris first to drop off Queen Novo."

Captain Celaeno's face showed contemplation as she leaned back on the bench. "We aren't armed." Even though it was just a statement, I understood the question behind it.

I showed my sharp teeth with a grin, "Fear not, Captain. Twilight, Ember, and I are more than capable of protecting your ship if we meet any of the Storm King's forces."

"Tell you what," Celaeno's voice held cautious optimism in it as she eyed me with reservation, "if you can prove that you three can protect my ship and crew until you arm us, then I'll talk with my crew about going with you."

"In other words, you want a demonstration." She gave me one small smirk as a confirmation. "Alright," I looked at her with a smirk of my own, "there are a bunch of large boulders and rock formations outside."

"You think you can destroy a boulder the size of a small building?"

Turning to Ember, I looked up to her with a grin, "I think first mate Mister Mullet needs convincing."

She rolled her eyes before she blew a short stream of fire from her mouth, "About time I get to destroy something."

^_^

(Celaeno's POV)

"What do you think, Captain?" my first mate asked me as we all leaned against the bow railing. The dragon took flight right after we walked onto the main deck. While this fox creature had just jumped off the ship a second ago.

"I'd be surprised if this fox creature survives the fall," I told him with a chuckle. But was surprised when the fox let out a howl that sent a shiver through me, curled up into a ball, and shot himself toward the rocky ground with his body glowing the same color as his coat. Not only did we see him hit the ground but we heard him the hit ground with enough force to leave a small creator that we all felt the shockwave from. The low rumble echoed throughout the area like a small explosion. And that was just the beginning. "Alright, I'm surprised."

The dragon came next as she flew way above the large boulder, hovered there for a second, before letting out a stream of fire that fully engulfed the boulder. The only one of us that said anything was Squabble, although he didn't say anything just let out a soft surprised squawk. About a minute later when she stopped the entire boulder was glowing with heat. But that wasn't all she did. After she yelled out what seemed like a battle cry she flew toward the glowing boulder. Our jaws dropped after seeing this dragon literally punch the boulder in two halves. And if that wasn't enough to convince me, I watched the fox let out another howl and shoot duplicates of himself at each half of the boulder at the same time in rapid succession. His duplicates were literally on fire and hit each half with enough power of a small explosion. In a matter of a minute or so, there was almost nothing left of the large boulder.

Standing up from the railing, I was still in awe at their demonstration, that my jaw had dropped. I was convinced and watched the dragon fly her way back to the deck. The fox's body was nothing but a blur up through the air as he came up to the deck and landed softly on it behind us. The dragon landed beside him a second later. They didn't say anything, just looked at us with knowing smirks.

I didn't need to see anything else and he knew it, too. "Captain? I think you're wearing the wrong uniform."

With one short quick nod from me and a grateful wide smile on my face, I heard my crew shout in joy and "Arrr" their way back to my cabin. Because he was right. I was wearing the wrong uniform.