Monody Island (#12)

Chapters

Chapter 1: Pillagin' on the Beach
Chapter 2: Anchors Aweigh!
Chapter 3: The Mystery in Skull Caves
Chapter 4: The Blackjack Tavern

Chapter 1: Pillagin' on the Beach

E.Q.U.E.S.T.R.I.A Spies: Monody Island (#12)

Chapter 1: Pillagin' on the Beach

~Canterlot beach's sea laid down- calm and blue- though not far from the shore everything was shrouded in a bank of mist. It may not be the summer, but the sun sure was strong. In fact, it was so bright, it was like a yellow flame billowing out after everyone who was frolicking on the sand. Even the forest valley before the beach steamed in the hot afternoon sun, and the birds could be heard chirping in the trees. A seagull perched itself on the post of the jetty, only to immediately fly away after Stitch and Spike jumped beside it. The barked and growled after the bird and chased it through the kids' sandcastles and past where Lightning Star and Rarity were bathing on their swimming outfits.~

Rarity let out a relaxing sigh as she glossed over the sun. "A lady can get used to this."

"What? What can she get used to?" Lightning asked.

"Tanning," Rarity responded. "With my tanning mirror." She held up a mirror in her hands then slid back down in her deckchair.

Lightning chuckled. "I see that." She wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Whoo! The sun sure is pretty hot today. I'm gonna go get a drink. Try not to set that mirror over 'Well done', while I'm gone, Rarity. Otherwise, your white skin will turn golden brown."

~With that, Lightning got up from where she was lying and left Rarity in peace. Stitch and Spike bounded beside her, their paws covered in wet sand and white feathers. They joined her on her way towards a cooler filled with ice, colourful ice lollies and bottles of water. As Lightning picked up a bottle, she spotted Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy. They were watching an intense volleyball match between their friends, Rainbow Dash and Applejack. They each stood on the opposing side of the net, glaring at each other. Then, at Pinkie Pie's command, they began to play. Rainbow served first and smacked the ball as hard as she could over the net. Applejack leapt up and hit it back just on the palm of her hand. The Rainbooms watched the ball fly back and forth six more times before Rainbow yelped and shut her eyes in pain. The ball missed her hand and bounced on the sand behind her.~

"Annnnnd another point goes to Applejack!" Pinkie Pie cheered as she drew a line on a chalkboard under Applejack's name.

"Hey, that's not fair!" snapped Rainbow. "The sun got in my eyes, I couldn't see!"

Applejack let out a chuckle. "Ya just don't wanna admit defeat, Rainbow Dash. But I gotta say, it is gettin' hotter than an apple pie in an oven out here! I'm startin' to sweat!"

"Well, I'm afraid there's nothing we can really do about it," Lightning said, approaching them.

"She's right. According to my calculations, this heatwave should last another four days." Twilight clarified while looking through her notebook.

"Four days!?" Rainbow groaned, as her eyes widen. "Come on! It's not even summer vacation!"

"But that's a good thing, Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie said, jumping in between her and Applejack. "This means there will be more beach days! And the beach is fun! You can build sandcastles, swim in the sea, get ice cream, and enjoy the sun like it has never shone before!"

"Except when the sun shines too hard and we all begin melting like ice cream." panted Lightning.

"How about we find some shade for you, Rainbow Dash?" Sunset suggested. "Or we could take a swim? I'm sure the water will be cold."

"I took the water's temperature earlier today and right now it is approximately sixteen point three degrees." Twilight smiled.

"That's perfect."

"Sweet!" Rainbow cheered.

"I'll go get my snorkelling gear then." Lightning smiled.

"Me too," Fluttershy added. "I would like to see how the sea turtles and dolphins are doing down in the deep blue." she giggled quietly.

"Let's go then!"

~Just as she said this, Pinkie happened to glance up at the sea. She squinted. Something appeared to be large at the edge of the mist. She stopped playing and stared at it open-mouthed.~

"What's wrong, Pinkie Pie?" Applejack asked as she cracked open a bottle of apple cider.

~She pointed out to sea. Emerging from the mist was some kind of boat, but it was listing badly in the water and its timbers and sail were not raised. All the girls, except Rarity, rose to their feet and watched anxiously as the stricken craft drifted helplessly towards the shore. The shadow of the boat, however, came on the shore, and blocked the sun from shining down on them. Rarity frowned in annoyance as soon as the shadow came over her.~

"Excuse me? Can you please move? You're blocking my sun." The fashionista sighed. "I said, Can you please- " she suddenly opened her eyes and gasped.

Fluttershy also gasped. "Oh my…"

"Gosh!" Lightning exclaimed, finishing Fluttershy's sentence.

~By the time they reached the shoreline, the strange and ungainly boat was almost there too. It was barely afloat and ridged.~

"There are people on board," gasped Twilight as she laboured along the beach. "Look!"

~Even as she spoke, the craft ground onto the shallows and they saw four men clambering over the side and into the water. They waded onto the beach and once their faces and clothes showed in the sunlight, the girls couldn't believe their eyes.~

"Pirates!" gasped Rainbow.

"Again?" exclaimed Sunset.

"No way!" Lightning shouted.

~Lightning and Rainbow Dash's faces suddenly broke into smiles of amazement and thrill on seeing pirates so unexpectedly. They exchanged a look, both at the exact same level of excitement. However, the other girls were not so excited.~

"I can't believe it. Pirates! Here! On the beach! This is amazing!" cried Lightning.

Twilight suddenly placed her hand on her shoulder. "Wait, will they be friends or foes?"

~To answer Twilight's question, the four pirates let out a hardy 'Arrgh!' and wielded their pistols and cutlasses. No kindness was set in their eyes.~

"They're foes," Lightning said, rather glumly. "Darn it…"

~Before anybody could say anything else, the pirates scattered and began to cause mayhem. They began scaring away the children, and soon the adults, robbing people of their stuff and tearing up the sand, like they were in search of something beneath it, like treasure. The Rainbooms stood to their feet. They watched silently as the pirates of the sea ransacked the beach, then glared in infamy.~

"Come on, guys! Let's show these pirates what we've got!" Rainbow yelled.

~They all grinned and nodded. Lightning activated her geode then took to the air, hoping to fly above them. She swung her raccoon tail loudly, breaking the violent sounds of digging and shouting. Even the sound of the sea was dulled and it lapped feebly against the shore. The rest of the Rainbooms came face to face with the four startled brigands. Two of them glanced at each other. They felt like there was little they could do against these magical, flying pony girls, but flee. They drew in their breath sharply, then ran for their lives back to the ship.~

"What the hay?" Applejack exclaimed.

"Are they...scared of us?" asked Fluttershy.

'It looks like it," Lightning answered, fluttering down to join them.

"Well, that's a relief!" gasped Rarity. "I didn't fancy trying to fight off pirates. Especially with their bad smell and disgusting habits."

"Tsh! What are they, pirates, or cowardly dopes on holiday?" said Lightning.

"Who cares, they're getting away! We need to catch them!" said Rainbow in pursuit.

~Very quickly, Rainbow Dash sped past the running pirates and blocked their path. She looked ready to fight at any moment. The pirates slid on the sand then looked over their shoulders at the girls. Lightning stepped forwards and crossed her arms.~

"Pirates of the seas," she said as they came within range. "You will never pirate Canterlot on our watch. For we are its defenders. Rainbooms, to me!"

~The Rainbooms stood strongly beside Lightning. They all broke into a big smirk and posed into a fighting stance. Suddenly, the pirates' wariness disappeared and they pulled confused looks.~

"Who are ye, again?" one of them demanded. "Didn't quite catch that."

"The Rainbooms!" Lightning repeated.

"Also known as the E.Q.U.E.S.T.R.I.A Agents!" Pinkie added.

"Ye jusht a bunch-a kidsh!" another pirate shouted.

"Yea, an' we ain't takin' no orders from anyone except our cap'n." the third man snarled. "Hmm! I bet he'll know how to deal with yer!" He turned to the fourth and final pirate. "Go get 'im, Pip!"

"Aye, aye, Sail."

~The fourth crew member, whose name appeared to be Pip, nodded and marched off towards the boat. The third pirate, who was named Sail, leaned forwards and clasped his hands together in front of him as they waited. Rubbing them impatiently, he leered at the girls, wondering what his captain would think of them. Fluttershy grasped onto Applejack's arm anxiously. After a few more minutes, Pip finally returned with a tall middle-aged man with a thin stubble. Judging from his smart red uniform and standard manners, the Rainbooms figured he was the captain of the ship and this pirate crew. He stomped down from the ship, waded into the water, then continued stomping until he reached the shore. His hat was over his eyes, so nobody could see his face, but this doesn't stop Lightning from confronting him about the attack upon the beach.~

"So, who else dares to set foot in Canterlot?" she demanded.

The captain sniffed the salty air. "Arr! Did ye say Canterlot?" he then asked in a orotund voice.

"Yes. Canterlot." Lightning replied.

The pirate crew snickered and as they were about to continue the ongoing battle, the captain slumped his arms down. "Arr, we be in da wrong place," he groaned. "I be dah worst captain ever! And I be so sorry. So say we all. Say it, lads!"

"Sorry!" The crew chroused.

~With that, they turned back glumly to their ship. The Rainbooms reverted back to their normal selves, and didn't know what to say. These pirates weren't as hostile as they thought they would be. There was a silence for a moment and a chill gust blew from the sea. Finally, Rainbow Dash held out her hand.~

"Hey, wait a minute!" she called. "Why have you come here, if you're not here for our stuff?"

"We be in search of treasure," explained Sail, now in a more friendly way. "Aboard our good ship, Cloudy Parrot, with our cap'n, Alonzo."

"Alonzo?" Sunset repeated.

~Captain Alonzo titled his hat up before turning back around to look at the agents. His brown eyes were deep-set and gentle and made the girls feel strangely comfortable under his presence. A gold ring was pierced around his ear and he wore an eyepatch over his right eye, but he had no medical problems with his eye, he just liked wearing eye patches. He raised his head to look at them properly.~

"Yes, that's me," The captain answered.

Lightning nodded slowly. "Alright, well, at any rate, we accept your apolo..."

~The captain interrupted her. He drew out a red feather from his coat pocket and sighed groggily.~

"Are you feeling alright, Captain Alonzo?" Sunset asked, noticing his look.

"I'd...rather not get into it. It be personal." sobbed Alonzo. He noticed a group of people staring at him. "What ye be lookin' at?!" he shouted. The people yelped and ran away.

"Come, come, cap'n," Sail said, appearing behind him. "Let's take ye back to ye quarters an' move on."

"Alright, Sail." said the captain as he led the way. "Let's go, lads!"

The pirates answered their captain's call and joined him. Sail turned to the girls. "Sorry for the pillagin'. Won't happen again." he apologised once more.

~Lightning was glad that the strong light of high noon hid her flushed cheeks. All kinds of wild imaginings filled her mind as she stared at the pirates, and their glorious ship.~

"I want to go with them." she said at last.

"What?" The seven Rainbooms gasped.

"I want to go on with them on another adventure! Come on, girls. I'm getting bored on this beach. I'm tired, it's hot, I'm almost getting sunburned. I feel like I need this. And I want you all to come too. What do you say?" She held out her hand.

"I don't know, Lightning," Sunset Shimmer answered solemnly.

"Last time we came across pirates, they took us to an island, forced us to work, then tried to kill us!" Twilight exclaimed, recounting everything that happened in their previous adventure.

"But these pirates are different," replied Rainbow Dash in Lightning's defence. "They don't seem very…"

"Mean?" Fluttershy prompted.

"Yeah." answered Rainbow.

"Exactly!" cried Lightning, and she began running after the crew. "Hey, wait! Captain! Take us with you!"

The captain droned. "Ehh."

"We can help you find treasure and work under your favour!"

"Now, hold on a minute, Lightnin'," Applejack said, as she walked beside her. "We never said we were on board with this idea."

Rarity agreed. "Besides, I do not feel comfortable travelling onboard a disgusting pirate ship along with a bunch of ruffians!"

"Who are you callin' 'ruffians', eh, lass!?" Pip barked.

The second pirate jumped in. "Well, ye do have terrible teeth, Pip, an' ye face ish not pretty."

Pip scowled. "Oh, ye can fruitin' talk, you gnarled old fool! When was da last time ye looked in dah mirror? 'cause ye look like a drowned rat!"

~Offended by this, the second pirate lashed out with his fist, but Sail stepped in and grabbed him by the arm.~

"Mast, let's not pick fights with anybody," he said. "We already 'ave a lot to get on with."

"Alright, fine. Now let go of my arm." Mast demanded.

~Sail obliged and released him. Mast glared at Pip behind him and whispered something uncanny underneath his breath. Nobody heard it, except Fluttershy.~

She looked at him with horror. "Hey! That wasn't very nice!" she scolded.

Mast turned to her. "Ah, don't take it too sheriously, lass. We shay thin's like that to each other every day."

"Jan especially," said Pip as he pointed at the first pirate, revealing his name too. "He's a scallywag, a landlubber, and a scurvy seadog!"

Jan the pirate began to roar with laughter. "Got that right! Oh right, now I see why the lass called us ruffians."

Rarity folded her arms and tapped her foot. "Yes. And, another thing, since we're on the topic of you," she started to examine the pirates. "Your clothes look like a state, honestly. Oh! You smell like seafood too, when was the last time you all showered, last year?! You all could use a good clean with soap and water! And..."

As Rarity went on, Sail turned to the girls. "Does she 'ave an off switch?" he asked.

"Nope." said Lightning with a smile. "She just goes on and on. Get used to it."

~The pirates watched as Rarity examined their clothing, hair and manners in disgust. It wasn't long before they clamped their ears and wanted her to quit it. But she kept talking. The complaining would not stop. All the Rainbooms were holding back their laughter while the pirates' faces turned grim and they became irritable.~

At last, Pip had enough. "Alright, lass. If ye don't shut up in da next three seconds, I will use me cutlass and..."

Before he could finish, a loud voice spoke out. "Oi, Pip. Let's not get violent 'ere!"

~From where the ship floated on the shallow water, a slender woman clambered down silently from the ladder. She wore a purple leather jerkin over a white ruffled poet shirt with a leather sash tied diagonally around her torso. She also wore a dark miniskirt, white breeches, buckled boots and a white bandana on her head that stopped her blond hair from flowing in the wind. The girls were incredibly surprised when they saw her.~

"We do not commit those sort of actions on innocents anymore," she suddenly added as she stared at Pip incredulously.

"Sorry, Ma." he replied sarcastically.

"Whoa, who's that?" asked Rainbow.

"Caura Monody be her name," Sail answered. "The woman of our trusty crew, and me one true love." he got down on one knee and kissed her hand. "She's all the treasure I want in me life."

She blushed. "Sail, pleas! I admire you, but I would like to know what's goin' on. So, cap'n," she walked over to Alonzo. "This be the place we find treasure?"

"No," he said sadly, "Just some stuck up beach belongin' to these lovely ladies." He addressed the Rainbooms. Pinkie Pie waved in response.

Sail nodded. "They be called...excuse myself, lassies, but what be ye names again?"

Pinkie Pie jumped in and pointed at her friends by one. "This is Lightning Star, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Sunset Shimmer and Pinkie Pie!" she finished, pointing at herself.

"Or altogether, you can call us the Rainbooms." Sunset prompted.

"Rainbooms! Yes! Weird name, it may be, but they be da finest lookin' lassies a pirate has seen in a fortnight!"

"Umm, thank you?" Lightning said with an unsure look.

"Well, Pleased to meet ya, lassies." Caura piped up. "Name's Caura. I was once like you. A pretty girl enjoyin' life at its fullest. Now, I'm here! Enjoyin' the life of a pirate!"

"And how is it?" asked Lightning. "Awesome?"

"Pretty, pretty awesome."

"As if I couldn't have another reason to come along!" Lightning turned to the Rainbooms. "Come on girls, this is once in a lifetime for us! A real pirate adventure. For all of us. I promise, I will make sure we will all stay safe."

"I'm in!" Rainbow spoke up.

"Ooo! Ooo! Me too! Me too!" Pinkie waved.

"Ye want to come with us?" Sail asked, surprised. "I like dah idea! We do need more crew members to clean up."

"I'm still not sure about this," Twilight admitted.

"Me too," Sunset added. "Is the captain himself even okay with this?"

Caura turned to him. "What do ya say, cap'n?"

"I don't mind. As long as they help with da ship and findin' treasure, that is." he answered.

"We promise, captain, sir, captain!" Lightning saluted.

"Alright. I suppose this would be a good opportunity to see what pirates are in action." said Twilight, letting her study instincts kick in.

"That's what I like to hear!"

"I don't want to come," Rarity spoke up next. "If I do, I'm sure to break a nail, see rats, catch a disease of some kind, and have an icky pirate smell on me for weeks!"

Lightning frowned but then whispered something in Caura's ear. She smiled and walked up to the fashion girl. "Are ye sure? If we find treasure, it will be filled to the brim with trinkets, gold and gems beyond your wildest dreams!"

Rarity froze before her eyes bulged. "Like rubies...and sapphires and diamonds and emeralds!"

"Oh my!" Fluttershy gasped.

"Ye bet!" exclaimed Caura, giving her a wink.

Rarity straightened herself out. "Well, how can I say no to a prize like that!?" she smiled. And before everyone knew it, she had climbed on board the ship.

"Yep. Knew that'll get her onboard." said Lightning with a smug.

Applejack let out a sigh. "Well, I suppose havin' another adventure would brin' a smile to my face." she shrugged.

Fluttershy nodded. "And who knows if we'll see any beautiful parrots and frogs and snakes along the way."

"Oh no! No no no no! Not snakes!" Pip babbled. "I hate snakes."

The girls were confused. "Long story." Caura told them.

"Welp. I believe everyone is onboard with this adventure then?" Lightning asked. "Good," she said before anybody could give an answer. "Let's go prepare and tell the Chief about it. Don't go anywhere, pirates. We will be right back."

~Without another word, Lightning sped off and made in the direction of Canterlot High School. The others quickly followed. The pirates watched them leave, shading their eyes against the sunlight, and had a good feeling about these girls helping them. They felt as if they will discover something they will have never discovered before.~

Chapter 2: Anchors Aweigh!

~Far away from the beach, below Canterlot High School, in the Equestria Girls' Hideaway, Steven Secret shuffled through a bunch of files. He scratched his head. A nagging voice tugged in his mind. 'Go and talk to her,' it insisted. The Chief rose at once and made his way with haste outside his office, and to the colourful tables in the form of a pinwheel, opposite to where Karly Crystal's room was. He stared at it intently. Above the hideout and beside the school, Karly sat beside the wall, sketching in her book. Everywhere the trees were sporting their fresh green finery above thick carpets of bluebells and scattered daffodils. Birds were busily and noisily building their nests, and the woodland glades were a buzz of activity as the art girl took full advantage of the fine weather. In spite of this, all was not well. It was not long before she was interrupted by faint barking and she found herself gazing up at two familiar figures coming towards her.~

"Karly! Karly!" came a voice from one of them.

Karly dropped her book and reached out her hand. "Stitch? Spike? Wh-What's wrong, boys?"

"P-P-Pirates! Down at the beach!" Stitch panted as his head touched Karly's hand.

"Lightning and the others are fending them off, but I don't know how long they can keep it up." added Spike.

"Fluttershy sent us down here to get you and your uncle! We must hurry now or- "

"Okay, okay, slow down, you two!" Karly interrupted. "Did you say 'Pirates'? Pirates don't exist."

"That's what we thought!" babbled Stitch.

"But we thought wrong!"

"Just come see for yourself!"

~He began tugging at her arm sleeve with his teeth. Karly had no choice but to stand up and follow him as Spike raced into the school to alert her uncle Steven. But before she could ask anymore questions, a sudden Lightning dropped down from the sky and landed in front of her and Stitch. The Shiba was relieved to see her.~

"Lightning!" he barked, and he dropped Karly.

"Oof!" she grunted as she hit the ground.

"Oh, me so glad you're okay!" Stitch said, leaping into her arms. "Must've shown those pirates what for then, eh?"

"Actually no," said Lightning. "Instead, I've asked to join them!"

Karly picked herself up from the ground. "What? What do you mean, 'join them'?"

"I mean, join them! Okay, here's what happened…"

~Ten minutes later, after Steven had just arrived with Spike, Karly and the others were listening to the tale of the pirates' quest for the discovery of treasure. Lightning explained that they meant no harm as well as cause no serious damage on Canterlot beach's property, and were simply just having a little adventure and got lost. She then went on about joining them on their adventure, wanting to enliven herself and cool off from the hottest day of the year. The Rainbooms too. After she was finished, she gestured to them to hear about their opinions. Karly had no words; Stitch and Spike both felt their tails waggle, but felt no enthusiasm; and lastly, Steven was livid.~

"Have you lost your marbles, Agent Star?" he groaned. "Pirates are never good news!"

"I...would have to agree with my uncle here," Karly then spoke up. "Do you even know what pirates do?"

"Of course I do," Lightning replied, "We encountered them in our last adventure, remember? There's even an old song about them. They pillage, they plunder, they rifle and loot! They kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot!"

"Yes, that is exactly what they do!" Steven nodded impulsively.

"How can you be so sure that they are not tricking you, or something?" asked Karly. "Pirates are known for being untrustworthy."

Lightning gave a shrug. "Well, pirates are also known for being fearless, and threatening, but these ones at the beach don't seem that way."

"At first, they did begin to attack us and the beach, but then they stopped." Twilight explained.

"It's true," Rainbow spoke up. "Then they literally ran away from us when we showed off our rainbow lasers!"

"And when the captain of the crew came out, he realised that he made a mistake and apologised." Sunset finished.

Steven and Karly both glanced at each other with different confusing notions flowing in their heads. They didn't know where to start. So, Spike barked up. "Maybe we should go and see these pirates for ourselves then," he suggested.

Karly found herself stuttering. "G-go and s-see the pirates?"

"Yeah!"

"Don't you take our word for it, Karly?" Lightning asked.

"N-no! Of course I do! It's just that…"

"They. Are. Pirates!" Steven interrupted angrily.

"Pirates that are not like the ones you're on about! Come on, Chief. We'll show you."

~Putting on an exasperated brow, Steven reluctantly gave in and followed Lightning as she sped off. Karly ran after them as well, taking Stitch in her arms while Fluttershy took Spike.~

~A long hour passed, during which time the people at the beach remained huddled together on the waterfront talking quietly among themselves, while occasionally one or other of them broke into loud yells. The pirates waited patiently for their new companions' return. Just as they were beginning to grow impatient, they spotted Lightning speeding low across the sand. Everyone else was pursuing her, trying desperately to keep up.~

"Here we arrrrrrre!" Pinkie cried cheerfully at them.

~Seconds later, Lightning landed onto the sand, not a hundred centimetres from where Captain Alonzo and his pirates and the beach folk stood expectantly.~

"So, these are the so-called 'pirates' you speak of?" asked Steven.

"That's right!" Lightning nodded her head. "Chief, meet the captain."

The captain tipped his hat at him. "Captain Marq Alonzo at ye service," he said.

"Charmed." Was all Steven said in reply.

Karly stared at the men in astonishment. "What the blazes...? Actual live pirates!" she gasped.

"Yargh! Right you are, lassie!" Sail replied as he appeared behind her, making her jump. "These Rainbooms told us 'bout ye havin' no treasure or valuables! Or even pirates o' ye own!"

"...U-umm...Y-you're a pirate too?"

"Yarrr, yer right, kiddo. But not from 'ere."

"Ah, I see da gov'ner of this port is talkin' with the cap'n." exclaimed Pip. "Whatta ya say we plunder 'is pockets? Yar can be the new gov'ner!"

"Wh-what? Are you thinking about robbing my uncle?!" gasped Karly.

"If he has treasure, that is." laughed Pip. Sail joined him.

Karly immediately turned to Lightning and cowered behind her shoulders. "Lightning, I don't like this." she shuddered.

"Karly, relax," her best friend assured. "The pirates are just joking around. Right, boys?"

They nodded. "Arggg, just jokin' 'round. Don't be so serious, lass." Sail said to Karly.

"It's kinda hard to be when you're face to face with a ravaging horde of thieves like yourselves." she replied curtly.

"Ey, watch it, you," Pip scowled. "I have a cutlass 'ere an' I'm not hesitant to-"

"Anyways," Lightning interrupted. "Let's go and find the Rainbooms."

"Yes, and go and make sure my uncle is still alive..." added Karly.

~She called Stitch and Spike from a distance and escorted them and Lightning to where the Rainbooms stood. Sail and Pip followed. They were watching their Chief and Captain Alonzo talk with each other for minutes on end, but were too far away to clearly hear what they were saying. Lightning and Karly shielded their eyes from the sun as they came to a halt next to Twilight. The tech girl turned to them with a simple adjust of her glasses.~

"So, how's it going?" Lightning asked.

"They are working something out," she answered.

"We can't hear much, but I think they're talking about the dock." Rainbow explained.

"The dock?" Karly repeated.

"We also heard the chief say what is in it for the captain to take us along on his journey, but we didn't hear his answer."

"Hmm…"

~Before Karly could ask anything else, her uncle and the pirate captain came towards her and the girls. They both stood up proudly, but didn't show a smile, until Steven began to talk.~

"Alright, we've come up with a compromise."

"And?" the girls asked.

"I've offered the captain the dock," he explained. "He and his crew can come and visit whenever they like, and take you girls with them on their adventures, as long as they leave the people here alone, as well as protect us and them from future invasions that could happen on this beach."

Captain Alonzo nodded. "An' I said that be a fair deal I s'pose. But me crew an' I want some gold included..."

"You can have fifty pounds per visit."

"Fifty pounds?" Pip exclaimed. "Yar? That amount o' money ain't 'nough to buy me better boots!"

"Well, too bad." Steven said grimly.

"So, we can go with them?" asked Lightning, her face lit.

"Yes, as long as you don't get into any bad trouble."

"Or die." Alonzo added.

"Sounds good to me!" Lightning smiled. "I promise the eight of us will keep each other safe."

"Ten," Rainbow corrected. "Stitch and Spike want to come aboard too."

"You bet!" barked Stitch as he wagged his tail.

"Pirates are awesome, so of course we shouldn't miss out on this!" added Spike.

Captain Alonzo looked at the two dogs with sad eyes, but said nothing. "Alright. You two can be our seadogs." Lightning prompted with a wink. She turned to the captain again. "Alright, Captain! Give the Rainbooms, dogs and I ten minutes to pack and prepare, and we'll meet you at the dock."

Captain Alonzo looked into her eyes. "Yargh! Don't keep us waitin'..." he said, with a hint of strange sadness. And with that, all ten sped off.

~The beach people had watched all this with amazement and, in spite of their own worries, burst into ragged cheering. Steven had a brief word with them. Word about the deal spread like wildfire among the crowd. But no one knew whether the deal would remain true and loyal, and it was considerable anxiety that the people watched as, led by Alonzo, the pirates reached the jetty and where their ship was parked. Karly watched too, before she turned to her uncle.~

"Umm, I don't suppose I'm...allowed to go too?" she quired.

"No." Steven answered without a thought.

Karly gave a frown. "Didn't think so. I didn't want to anyway. Pirates are pirates, and they scare me."

~Twilight and Spike were the first to arrive on the jetty. The pirate's boat was already waiting for them, but Twilight felt best as if they waited for the others to arrive, just to be safe, so they could all climb onboard together. However, Twilight was still in doubt about everything. How strange it has now become that she and the Rainbooms are finding adventure instead of the adventures finding them, and how intense they are becoming. Lightning Star certainly has the flair for the dramatic when it comes to adventure, she thought. The previous two journeys they had already put Twilight on the edge, and it seems as if it would not stop for a long while. Spike noticed her worried look.~

"Hey, Twilight, are you alright?" Spike barked, snapping Twilight out of her thoughts.

"Huh?" she looked down at him. "Oh! Yes. Sorry, Spike, I'm just a little nervous."

"But, we've been on a boat before?"

"It's not the boat I'm worried about."

"Oh right. It's the pirates, isn't it?" Spike asked.

The tech girl gave a nod. "It's just like what Steven and Karly said. They're pirates. Thieves of the sea. I have every right to not trust them."

"You're not the only one." came a voice. The two looked over to see Sunset and Applejack approaching them. "These adventures are just…appearing out of thin air without question. And they are becoming a lot more dangerous every step too. Think about it. Witches, goblins, now pirates..."

"Yeah, but let's be honest, I'm pretty sure this adventure won't be as bad as the first two." Applejack laughed.

"No, I would agree with Sunset here," Twilight replied. "We don't know what this adventure would hold, but I fear it will be alot worse."

"How can y'all be so sure?"

"I'm not."

Sunset nodded. "We are boarding a ship that is full of potential villains that may have found Equestrian magic." she said. "The first two adventures we had were in another world other than this one and Equestria, so it didn't have its magic. But, now we are here. So, we need to be careful. Okay?"

"Okay." Twilight answered.

"Right, we'll keep an eye out then." Applejack answered too.

"Thanks." Sunset turned to the boat and saw Captain Alonzo. "Lightning may not see it, but I have a feeling that the captain is hiding something. And we're gonna find out what."

Twilight nodded with Sunset but before she could add on, Pinkie Pie chirped in, "Hi girls!"

"Sorry we took so long," Rarity apologised. "I couldn't decide whether to wear the purple or black hat." and she pointed at her head where both a black and purple hat sat upon.

"It took her the eight out of ten minutes we had to decide on that!" Rainbow fussed. "It probably would have been longer if we didn't eventually drag her out!"

Fluttershy giggled, then looked about for Lightning. Seeing no sign of her, she asked, "Hey, where's Lightning?"

"I don't know. We haven't seen her or Stitch yet." answered Twilight.

"Well, they better hurry, otherwise, they will miss out on the adventure they've been so stoked to go on..." said Sunset.

"Hey, look! The pirates are waiting for us!"

~Pinkie Pie pointed over at the pirates who stood on the prow of the boat with their hands in the air, waving. A feeble greeting rose from the seven girls back at them, then, assisted by each other, they began to clamber aboard the craft. The man that greeted them first was Jan Onslow. He was a sailor with a classical sailor look. A blue and white striped shirt with torn sleeves, a red bandana tied around his head and baggy black shorts to match his black buckled boots. He was a mischievous guy that liked to fool around alot. He will drive his fellow crewmates crazy with his naughty nature, and take pleasure out of it. Jan never does anything too seriously however, he just acts like a child, and most times his mates will call him foolish names or a manchild whenever he got in their way.~

~Next to him was Sail Ellistar. Sail was the quartermaster. He had an intimidating look in his eyes and skin that looked as tough as an elephant's hide, but Pinkie Pie could see through all that intimidation that he was friendly at heart. He wore a simple thin soiled blue captain's uniform, and always seemed to be holding a cutlass of some kind under his arm. Sail took charge of the ship ever since the captain felt sad. The girls could tell he takes his job very seriously, seeing the way he treats the other crew members and is always screaming at them to coil ropes, or swab the deck, or climb the ladders. He greeted the Rainbooms with a bow, and tried to kiss Rarity's hand but she backed away in disgust.~

~The third crew mate, Mast, was Sail's brother. He only looked a couple years younger than him, but he had the same eyes and skin as him. The only difference was that he had ginger hair and was short and stocky, while Sail had a lanky body, nutty-brown hair and a stubble. Mast spoke with a lisp. He cannot say certain words and gets sloppy when saying words that include the letter 's'. Jan makes fun of him and his lisp at any chance he gets, and everyone fears that one day Mast will cleave Jan to the brisket out of rage from the teasing. Mast wore a leather jerkin, torn shorts, a peg leg and nothing else. He doesn't like wearing a lot of clothes, he admitted eventually to the girls.~

~Finally, the fourth and final pirate of the crew to greet them was Pip Hunt. Pip was a scrawny little fella, and had a bit of a temper too. He looked like a child, but was actually a full grown man. He had a condition caused by a growth hormone deficiency. He stopped growing when he was only ten years old. He was technically a dwarf, but he had normal body proportions. He hates it when people mistake him for a small boy or dwarf or make fun of him however, and he will always blow up in their faces when they do, both figuratively and literally. Which is why Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash held in their breaths to keep them from snickering. Pip eyed them carefully as they climbed aboard. The Rainbooms clung to every part of the boat as Jan spoke to them with a smile.~

"Ah, lassies, welcome aboard our pirate ship! So glad ye could join us on our quest!"

"Thank you," said Sunset, her voice still sounding unsure. "It's a pleasure too..."

"Just drop ye luggage down below next to ta crates an' barrels." Sail ordered politely. "They'll be safe down there."

"No, that's okay, I think we'll keep an eye on them up here." Twilight insisted. "Hopefully they won't weigh down the boat."

"Alright. Suit ye 'self." The pirate began darting around the area. "Ey, where's ye energetic, animaniac friend?"

"You mean Lightning? No idea. I figured she would be here earlier than all of u…"

"YO HO HO AND A BOTTLE OF BLINKEROOTS!"

~A scurvy but familiar-sounding voice suddenly screamed from the top of the crow's nest. Then, Lightning's head peeked out from above the barrel hood, and smiled at the little dots of her friends from down below. Stitch was perched on her shoulders. The Rainbooms looked up at her confusingly, while the pirates were shocked by her spirit as well as attire. She was decked in a complete pirate set, along with an eyepatch and hook. She clambered down from the mast with relative ease, and dropped onto the deck before striking a pose.~

"Annnnnd she sticks the landing!" she said to herself proudly.

"Oh-ho! Wow!" All the pirates laughed.

"We're just as surprised as you are." said Sunset briskly.

"Nice attire, lassie!" Jan spoke up again. "Where'd ya get it?"

"It's my cousin's old Halloween costume actually." answered Lightning. "He liked zombies and pirates so he dressed up as...a zombie pirate. So, now I'm wearing it! Without the zombie part of course."

The pirate burst into laughter. "That's great! I love it!"

"An' I love that we have more crew members comin' on this voyage an' adventure." Caura laughed. "We're gonna 'ave so much fun, right lassies?"

"You bet!" Pinkie smiled while Rainbow nodded and the others nervously laughed at their unsure excitement.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Lightning asked. "Let's go!"

~With that, the Rainbooms got settled into their positions on the boat. After securing their luggage by hiding it under the stairs that led up to the wheel, they stood onto the deck where Sail asked them to for the moment. Lightning couldn't stop shaking with excitement.~

"Alright, lassies." Sail started. "This ain't no joyride, so make ye 'selves useful. Weigh the anchor an' hoist the mizzen!"

~He tossed them a strand of five hundred and fifty cord, and the girls nodded at his command. All but Lightning. As the seven swung round the mast, with it's huge silver-blue sail billowing forth, cast all off the lines and tied knots around the hooks, Lightning stood there, dumbfounded.~

"Oh, darn it…" she mumbled.

"What's wrong, Lightning?" Fluttershy asked, noticing her look.

"I don't know how to sail!" she exclaimed. "Ugh, I should have thought of that before I asked to join the crew. Before any self-respecting captain will take us aboard, we've got to make ourselves seaworthy!"

"Well, because of our yachting experience during last spring break, we can quickly teach you a crash course." Twilight offered.

"Really? Oh, that would be helpful. I don't want to be seen as useless among these pirates."

"No problem!" said Rainbow. "Just do what we do, and you'll get the hang of it."

~Lightning smiled and prepared herself. Firstly, she stripped herself of her pirate outfit and got back into her original clothes, since the waistband was sorta chafing her waist, and was handed a notebook that Fluttershy conveniently brought with her. In a short while, she sat down onto the decking, and began to listen.~

"I know that the front of the boat is called the 'bow', and the back is the 'stern'." she noted first of all.

"That's right, darling!" said Rarity.

"And movin' towards the bow of the boat, is 'fore' or forward. Towards the back is going 'aft'." Applejack explained.

"Fore is forwards, aft is backwards…" Lightning repeated, jotting it down in the notebook. "...Okay."

"Now, how about if someone tells you to go 'starboard'?" asked Twilight.

"Oh, I know that too! Starboard is the…right side! And port is left!"

"Correct!"

~Lightning had made good progress. The Rainbooms had explained all the words that a sailor/pirate should know to her, so the next task was to show her how the objects work. They started with the most important object of the ship, which was the steering wheel. The eight gathered around it as Twilight began to explain.~

"Now, the next important thing to learn is how to turn the ship."

"Don't you just turn the steering wheel?" asked Lightning.

"Well, on a sailboat or ship, it's not that simple. We've also got to change the position of the sails, so they'll still catch the wind. Here, I'll show you."

"Wait, are we even allowed to touch the steering wheel, let alone steer it?" asked Rainbow.

"Ask the captain." answered Sunset, who pointed at him sitting glumly on the stairs, lost in thought.

Lightning did just that. "Hmm...Hey, Captain! Is it alright if we steer the ship?"

Alonzo turned to the girls but said nothing. "...I don't care." he then mumbled after a while.

"Huh. Welp, sounded like a yes to me." Lightning said with an oblivious shrug.

~Sunset's mind felt uneasy as the captain settled down to rest again, and she whispered something unwholesome, but nobody heard her. Twilight, meanwhile, continued to educate Lightning.~

"So, Lightning, when I shout 'come about', we'll turn the boat starboard, and secure all the sails port side."

"Got it!"

"Hey, Applejack! Make sure the boom of the mainsail doesn't hit you in the head when it swings past!" Rainbow laughed.

"Sure thin'!"

Everyone got into position as Twilight began to count down. "Three...two...one...COME ABOUT!"

~Twilight grasped onto the wheel with both hands and spun it to the right. Lightning and Applejack immediately zipped down the stairs to where the mainsail was billowing in the wind, and caught the rope securing the boom. They pulled it as hard as they could to the left, causing the sail to pick up more air and begin speeding on the water, out of the dockside. Pinkie Pie shot her hands in the air and cheered excitedly. Minutes later, the air began to slow, so it was safe to let go and let the sail blow its own course. Lightning was buzzing with joy.~

"Hey, I did it!"

"Nice job, Lightnin'!" Applejack complimented. "I think we're ready to actually leave now."

Twilight approached them. "I agree. You did well, Lightning. Let's get Sail to steer, then we'll be off!"

"Awesome!"

~Lightning and Pinkie began climbing all over the craft as they finished securing the mast and sail in position. They showed what they could do and impressed Sail well enough for him to approve of them and welcome them warmly. He had a good feeling. After they were done, the girls dropped from the boom.~

"Ahhhh, this is so exciting, Lightning!" Pinkie shrieked. "We succeeded in joining Captain Alonzo's crew aboard the Cloudy Parrot!"

"I know! Soon enough, we'll be on our way to seek adventure, find treasure and discover more land beyond our wildest dreams!"

"But we've still got to stay alert and be careful." Sunset piped up in between them. "What if we run into even more pirates?"

"Then we'll blow them down an' send them to Davy Jones' Locker! Arrrgh!" Pinkie Pie answered in a pirate voice.

"Pinkie Pie, I'm serious. It's one thing to fight our way past Cropers and Zards...but now pirates?!"

"Sunset, Captain Alonzo and his crew seem pretty capable. Not to mention, we aren't new to the danger game, ourselves. We'll be fine." Rainbow assured.

~They eyed Jan working nearby, and saw that he had large salmon in his hands. Suddenly and randomly, he smacked the shark around his face and laughed until he got a red fish-shaped mark on his face. He then went screaming towards his crewmates and told them he was almost 'krilled' by the fish. The Rainbooms were unamusingly disturbed.~

"Well, they are sorta capable." Rainbow sighed.

"Hmm. I hope you're right." sighed Rarity.

Applejack gave a smile. "Let's just relax an' follow the captain's orders. An' have an apple or somethin'. You don't want to get scurvy!" she gave a wink, and Rarity laughed.

Lightning stood upon the bow and peered at the deep blue water ahead. "Alright, girls, let's cut ourselves an apple then and settle in. We're on our way to adventure!"

~Lightning's listening ears seemed to speak of free skies and open seas, of salt-laden air and space-scented islands, of endless sunlight and fish dancing in the silvery spray off far-distant shores. Lightning felt she might at this moment fly forever. Under the power of the pirates, the ship sped off westwards, and they were on their way to begin an exciting adventure.~

Author's Note

I apologise for being very slow again, people. But, I am working on a new project with somebody. Coming to YouTube 2022...

Chapter 3: The Mystery in Skull Caves

"Oh yeah, feel that wind!" Rainbow hollered over the strong winds as the boat began speeding across the water.

"Refreshing, right?!" Lightning yelled.

"Yeah! And we haven't even sailed far from the beach!" Pinkie added.

~The party girl turned, and revealed that they had indeed not gone far from Canterlot beach's shore. Nonetheless, she brought up both of her hands and waved them in the air again. She looked rather silly, so Lightning gave a small giggle, before turning to the nearest Rainboom next to her, being Applejack. Her face was green with seasick and she scrunched up her mouth in an attempt to not chunder anywhere on the boat. Lightning stopped in surprise before offering her a seat.~

"Umm, Applejack? Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm as sick as a dog, Lightnin'." she groaned. "It's definitely not a pirate's life for me."

"You're seasick? Oh, I never knew that."

"Ah, where's ye sense of adventure, lass?" Jan the pirate spoke up. "Did ye ever imagine ye'd be swashbucklin' on the open waves?"

The cowgirl suddenly retched. "Please, stop talkin' 'bout waves!"

~She jerked her head over the prow and aimed below to the ocean, ready in case the sickness came up at any moment. Lightning patted her back in support.~

"I don't get it though. In Merrdom, when we were on the King's Wolf, you seemed just fine."

"Yeah, I don't know why I didn't feel seasick then," Applejack groaned.

"It must have been the magic there," Sunset replied. "Merrdom certainly has its strange ways, as Tad would say."

~Hours dragged by, and poor Applejack never felt any better. She was still suffering from her seasickness and spent most of the journey laying down on the decking, trying to keep her head as still as possible. Her stomach too, as that was the only thing that was throbbing and causing her sickness to extend to its limits. Fluttershy and Rarity did their best to nurse her, though they wished they brought medicine. Lightning watched them, then back towards the sea when Sail approached her.~

"So, what kind of treasure are we searching for, exactly?" she asked the pirate, feeling his presence.

"That depends on what we discover," he answered. "We need to search for a treasure map first afore we can officially begin the quest."

"You don't have a map? Oh. So, what, are there just treasure maps lying around the entire cove, or something?" asked Lightning.

"Precisely," Sail answered. "It's that simple. We explore, we find-a map, we explore again, we find-a location, we find the booty, we keep da booty!"

Pinkie Pie snickered. "Booty… HA HAH!"

"That's what we call treasure."

"Okay, I think I get it now," said Lightning. "In that case, I'm ready to roll!"

"Hmph! Glad ya are, kiddo."

~Sail wrapped his arm around Lightning's shoulder and pulled her in for a friendly, sibling-like fight. Meanwhile, Sunset Shimmer was standing on the bow. With one hand over her forehead, she stared at the glimmering blue oceans on every side that went on for miles, eager to see what was lurking here. Although, she was still shocked to actually hear there is more to this world than she anticipated. She just needed to see it for herself to believe if it was true. Though, she kept her wits about when it came to the pirates. As much as Lightning loved them, she feared that they were bringing her and them into a trap, where there would be more pirates to wreak havoc and bring harm to them. They would have no chance of escape. Twilight appeared behind her.~

"Sooo, figured out if they're planning anything?" she asked.

"Not yet." Sunset sighed in response. "But I gotta say. Captain Alonzo is playing his act very well."

~The two looked behind themselves towards the captain, wallowing in despair on the stairs. His face was turned away and it looked as if he was dead on the boards. Fluttershy, meanwhile, had an opposite feeling towards him. She felt his pain, and sorrows that were welled up inside of him, and wondered why he felt this way. That was when she began to question Sunset and Twilight's accusations.~

"Act?" she started.

"I don't think he's really depressed." Sunset answered. "He's just faking it to get attention so he can become closer to us."

"How do you know?"

"I don't." Sunset replied. She noticed Fluttershy's shy look. "I'm sorry, Fluttershy, but I don't trust those pirates. I think they're going to steal something from us."

"Most likely our geodes," said Twilight.

"Well, Lightning seems to trust them, so, I think we should too." The shy guy tried to reason. "On the bright side, the pirates seem really sweet, and really I do think Alonzo is depressed."

"What gave you the first hint? The black curves below his eyes or the constant frown he keeps pulling?" Rainbow Dash asked, as she approached them.

"I just wonder why he is always so sad."

"He did seem pretty sad when he saw that Stitch and Spike were coming with us." Twilight said, recounting his look back on the docks.

"Do you think he hates dogs then?" Fluttershy asked before feeling a little sad if it was true.

"No, I'm pretty sure he was sad before then," said Sunset.

"Do you remember that gorgeous red feather he had in his coat down at the beach?" asked Rarity.

"Oh, yes! I do!" exclaimed Sunset. "I wonder what it means…"

~But before any of the girls could answer, Sail stood next to them on the prow. He was the first to spot something in the distance. What he saw was a glistening smooth-sided island with high grey mountain peaks resting on the yellow sand below. Twilight notice it secondly, but before she could point it out to the girls, Pinkie did it for her, as she jumped up beside her from underneath out of the blue and pointed towards the distance.~

"Yo ho land ho, lads!" she cried.

"Argh!" Two or three of them responded.

Sail cleared his throat. "Pardon me, lassies, but we're gonna to dock over on that island an' stock up on supplies, if that's okay."

"Oh! Um, aye, aye, Sail!" Sunset saluted. "Looks like you'll get to stretch your sea legs, Applejack."

"And I think we'd enjoy a few moments on dry land." added Twilight.

Applejack raised her head and attempted a smile. "Ya don't 'ave to ask me twice. C'mon, y'all, let's get to port!"

~At Sail's powerful command, the girls ringed around the mast. The billowing sail drooped around and the craft began to slow on down. The leftover wind carried them over to the island. Once they got close enough, it was safe to drop the anchor and rest on shore. Unsurprisingly, Applejack was the first to get off. Leaping with joy, she almost literally buried her face deep on the sand of the beach.~

"Ahhh! Sweet mother nature's dry land!" she shouted happily. "I gotta tell ya y'all, this is more like it! If it wasn't so grungy, I'd kiss the ground!"

"And hug it to which you will never let go." laughed Lightning.

Sail clapped his hands to get their attention. "Right then, lads, and lassies! Lets get ta stockin'!"

~Apparently, this island was the crew's base, and that all the loot they've stolen and traded, was kept here for safe keeping. The pirates simply wanted to pick up some essentials. So, with that, the crew began stocking up their crates and barrels. The ship creaked, groaned and jumped as they hopped on and off, bringing weight, and lightening it over and over again. The girls that stayed on had to cling on the side again so the world didn't turn too giddy for their eyes. Lightning began to enjoy herself and look around with interest on the strange land that they were in. Of course, now that they were much closer, more colour appeared. Green-coloured jungles covered up a large part of the surface, after it broke the lower yellow flat sands the more inland it was. The hills ran up clearly above the greenness to spiked rocks. All were strangely-shaped, and the tallest, that stood at three-hundred metres, looked like an old pencil top. Lightning couldn't help but smile at the wonderful sight. Suddenly, she felt Sunset next to her, breathing in an air full of fresh oxygen from the jungle trees. She smiled again.~

"So, is this what you would call a life-threatening, dangerous experience?"

The fiery girl turned to her friend submissively. "Okay, I will admit, maybe this isn't too bad. I love faraway adventures, it's just that…not the kinds that are dangerous and life-threatening."

"I'm afraid that's just one of the flaws of being a spy. I know. It's a lot to take in, and while it's difficult, remember that you're not alone. I'll help you through it. I promise. Now, come on, try to have some little fun on these adventures."

Sunset sighed. "Alright."

~She took Lightning's hand, and together they darted to the nearby crates of loot and began to help Sail. Meanwhile, Captain Alonzo had just joined them on the island to help. He eyed a specific crate and barrel from the piles on the sand, and shortly began carrying it back towards his ship. Not a single look of happiness escaped him as he walked, but that was soon interrupted by Rarity, who happened to be nearby the captain. She accompanied him back to the boat, and as he finally noticed her beside him, she spoke.~

"May I ask you something, Captain Alonzo," Rarity started. "Why do you wear that eyepatch, despite there being nothing wrong with your eye?"

"It's because it makes me feel like me dear old grand-papa, Captain Tico Alonzo," he answered. "He lost an eye in battle fifty years ago on account of searchin' for treasure. He truly was the greatest one of all."

~He held up a locket that hung around his neck and opened it up to reveal an old brown picture of the man with similar features towards him.~

Rarity looked at it with curiosity before Pinkie Pie barged in behind her. "Hey! He looks just like you!" she said, beaming.

"Arrr- I suppose he does." said the captain, and he suddenly gave a small yet noticeable smile. It changed quickly however and he snapped the locket shut again. "Ahh- but I will never be like him."

"Whaat?!"

"How can you say that?" gasped Rarity.

"Because nothin' in me life has happened that is worthy of a title! Some sea dogs are just meant to wash away to the shore, an' let the better, more skilled professional sea thieves take the lead... It's never gonna be me." he put his head down in shame.

~Captain Alonzo packed up what was scattered around him and left back onto the boat, galumphing. Pinkie and Rarity saw the sad lining, but they did not have the option follow him, as suddenly, Sail gave out a hardy yell of irritation.~

"Jan! Stop ittt!"

~The girls, Stitch and Spike all gathered together and wondered what Sail was so upset about. That is, until they heard the air filling with the damaging harmonic sounds of a concertina.~

"What in heaven's name is that?!" Rarity cried.

"It sounds like the dying cat parade." said Lightning, covering her ears.

~Suddenly, they saw who exactly was playing the music so horribly. Jan, the sailor, had a concertina in his hands, and he was pressing all its buttons on it like a madman. It wasn't even music at that point, it was just noise. And Sail, out of all the pirates, was getting the most irritated by the stupid sailor's playing, and he knew it. So he just keep playing, more specifically around Sail.~

He looked like he was about to blow his top off. "Why did the captain have to have the most annoyin' musical instrument known to man?!"

"What? What do yer mean?!" Jan asked, laughing.

"A concertina."

~The pirates plugged their fingers in their ears, but all Jan did was play louder and more out of tune. The rest of the girls were just unamused, but after seeing Stitch and Spike howling in distraught, they wandered off with Sail.~

"Ugh, sailors." Lightning grumbled.

"Temme 'bout it." laughed Sail. He suddenly began glancing around a few times. "Hmm…"

"What?" Sunset said, noticing his looks.

"It seems as if we're missin' a few crates from our stowage. Must be further into the island. Do ya lassies think ye can guard the boat while we go an' find 'em?"

"Sure thing." Lightning said, along with the Rainbooms nodding slowly.

"Mighty kind o' ye. Won't be but a moment then! Don't move anywhere."

~Like that, Sail grabbed his brother, Jan, Pip, Caura, and their captain, and they all set off into the green part of the island to search for more of their loot. The Rainbooms settled down on what was left to be taken aboard the ship and messed around for the next dozen of minutes.~

"This is boring," Rainbow complained as she and Pinkie Pie began playing catch with a seashell. "I'm getting fed up! Can we do something?"

"The first mate told us not to move." Sunset reminded her.

"An' to guard the boat." added Applejack.

"I know. But, can't we at least check out the island, or something?" she insisted, waving her arms in exasperation.

"I suppose you can if you want," Sunset replied.

"Yeah, I'm with Rainbow here. I came here to have an adventure, not to continue to sunbathe and get a sunburn." said Lightning.

Fluttershy fished around in her pocket. She brought out a small ball of wool. "How about you play fetch with Stitch?" she offered brightly.

~Stitch actually wasn't really interested, so Spike played instead and soon enough, the dog had scampered down the beach searching out the ball of wool with his nose. As is often the case with such games, Lightning, Rainbow and Spike gradually began to move further and further away as Rainbow threw the ball harder each time. Soon they were almost out of sight in the blistering sun of the beaches.~

"Don't go too far," Twilight called. "Come back a little."

"It's all right!" called Lightning.

~Rainbow gave the ball one last throw as hard as she could and laughed as Spike shot off to retrieve it. However, instead of racing back with the ball between his teeth as he had been doing, Spike began to snuffle about in the sand and the entrance to the caves nearby. Lightning could hear him.~

"Come back here, you goofball!" she yelled.

"Wait!" he replied by barking loudly.

Rainbow cocked her head. "What is it, Spike?" she called.

"I think he's found something." Lightning cried.

~Rainbow called for the others and they came running with their backpacks and spare torches. Together, they chased after Spike. They found him sniffing and pawing at an old, creaky, sign next to the cave entrance that read in blood red writing Skull Caves. It was written rather hurriedly and covered in sand, which seemed suspicious towards the girls. Sunset Shimmer peered closer. Then, to her amazement, she could see a faint glow of light coming from inside the darkness of the tunnel.~

"What do you think is in there?" whispered Fluttershy.

"Why don't we go and see?" Lightning insisted. "I mean, what's stopping us?"

"It's probably too dangerous…" began Fluttershy. She shut her mouth when she saw the others' looks. "Oh, alright,"

"Come on, then."

~So, lighting a torch, the eight girls and two dogs sneaked off down the mysterious tunnel. Lightning led the way. The orange light flickered on the walls as they went in deeper. Nothing but blackness was lying ahead and it felt as if they weren't even moving at all with the walls being exactly the same. The air was ominous, yet thick, and now smokey from the torch. Sunset Shimmer felt an uncomfortable tingle in her stomach. Along they crept ever so carefully without making a sound. Only faint whispers were heard every minute, and that's what scared them. Finally, Lightning stopped. She peered at the walls next to her, on her left. They were covered in old white chalk that looked like drawings of people, ships, and animals. They seemed to tell a story, along with a riddle, written in an unknown language.~

"What do all these strange markings mean?" Lightning quired. She put her hand against the wall to examine it more closely. "Never seen anything like it before."

"Those are cave paintings," answered Twilight. "Most likely crafted onto these walls over forty-four hundred years ago."

They heard Pinkie Pie giggling. "Hey! Look at this one! This one looks like a mammoth!"

"And the ones next to him look like a sloth and a sabre-toothed tiger!" Rainbow added, pointing at a few more.

"A very round sloth…" added Rarity.

"What about the other ones?" asked Sunset.

~They gazed deeper and deeper into the wallings, even though at that point they were becoming quite difficult to read because it turned so black. There seemed to be no more drawings on the walls after another few steps, but Spike pushed up on his forepaws and placed them on the wall to get a better look. Then, by the light of the torch, he glanced upwards at a large picture.~

"What's this one?" he asked.

Twilight shook to where he was looking and hummed. "It looks like a…"

"A treasure map!"

~Sunset gasped and pointed towards the other parts, clearly angled in directions and white dotted lines leading around parts of islands, sea beasts, volcanos, and other ships until finally towards an X on an island, covered in red. Written in Old English, it told another riddle, along with the title to which no one could understand properly.~

"Yeah, look at this!" Lightning said, dusting off the walls and somehow making out the wording of what it said. "'The Treasure of Crossbone Island''." she read. "The stolen treasures from all the lands, are currently hidden from thievin' hands. Once ye past the mutineer bay, crossing the volcano is the only way. Finding this map is all ye need, then soon enough yer 'll be filled with greed'."

"Welp. Seems as if we have found our objective." Rainbow smiled.

"And it doesn't look like it's that far from here! If we're in Skull Caves here, and the island is over here, I say it'll take approximately three days to make it there." Twilight calculated.

"Then what are we waiting for!?"

~Pinkie bounced up and snapped a picture of the map and riddle on her phone. Then, when they were about to have a look and make their way out, Applejack, who was bringing up the rear, heard a sound.~

"Hold on, y'all," she called. "There's something down this tunnel, I think. I've just heard a noise."

"What did you hear, darling?" asked Rarity.

"I'm not sure…" Applejack began.

"Well, there's always odd noises in tunnels," Twilight interrupted. "Probably a rat or something."

"A rat?!" exclaimed Rarity.

"No, it was...listen, there it goes again," said Applejack.

~All eight girls heard it this time- a wheezing noise as though someone was out of breath or asthmatic.~

"It sounds like a person to me," said Sunset.

"Maybe we should investigate. They might be in trouble." Fluttershy added.

~After a brief discussion, and more noises coming from the tunnel, they agreed to take a look. Led by Applejack, who took the torch from Lightning, they started down the tunnel, calling as they went.~

"Hello? Is there anyone there?"

~No one answered, but the wheezing sound was growing louder. Taking turning after turning, their path took them deeper into the bowels of the earth. Fluttershy began to get worried.~

"I'm not sure that this is a good idea," she said. "I think we should go back."

~Applejack was about to answer when they heard a deep rumble far beneath them. The ground trembled under their feet and the sound echoed and boomed like a great bass drum all around them.~

"What on earth was that?" exclaimed Rarity.

"It sounds like a bomb is about to go off," said Lightning.

~They all stood stock still. Then in the silence, they heard a faint hissing sound. It grew louder and louder.~

"Look!" cried Rainbow. "There's some kind of mist coming towards us."

~The others peered through the flickering gloom. Sure enough, a white cloud was billowing down the tunnel towards them and reflecting the flickering light of their torch. In spite of the anxious cries of her companions, Lightning ran forward to have a look.~

"It's not mist," she shouted. "It's steam. There's sparks as well, and...and it's boiling!"

"Then let's getta outta 'ere, quick!" barked Stitch.

~The Rainbooms raced back the way they had come as fast as their legs could carry them. The hissing sound was growing very loud indeed and the earth trembled again under the impact of an underground explosion. Steam began to billow from all different directions.~

"Come on! This way!" cried Rainbow.

~She sped across with her super speed, before rushing headlong into a boulder blocking the entrance.~

"OWW!" she cried.

"Rainbow Dash!" cried Fluttershy.

Lightning looked at the boulder blockage. "Hey! What the…?"

"The entrance is blocked!" Sunset exclaimed.

"We're trapped!" Twilight cried.

~No matter how much banging and pounding they did, the walls just would not move. A dull crimson light was now accompanying the steam, looking as if it was ready to blow up at any second.~

"Oh, help, we're going to be boiled alive!" wailed Fluttershy.

"Not if I can help it," Applejack panted.

~She plunged through the steam, scarcely able to see where she was going. Suddenly, she came flying back and hurled her whole weight into the rock, crashing it down and letting them out before the caves exploded inside. Pouring out like ants from a crevice, they at once began to scramble outside and away from the side of the cave before the steam escaped too. They looked around helplessly, and as Lightning was about to begin something, at that moment, she was interrupted by the yell of a man.~

"Lassies!"

"It's Sail!" Pinkie shouted exultantly.

~A minute later, they ran into the quartermaster and the whole crew that had returned from their island search. Sail was beyond surprise when he saw the girls, sweating bullets and wrinkly skin.~

"Zooterkins!" he exclaimed. "What happened to you?"

Lightning quickly explained what had happened, but then went on about their discovery. "You would not believe what we found in there!"

"We found a map!" Rainbow said. "Written on the cave walls leading to a treasure on an island not far from here!"

"The Treasure of Crossbone Island." Sunset revealed.

"The Treasure of Crossbone Island!?" the pirates gasped, rather scared.

"Yeah. It says here that it's…"

"We know what it is!" Sail interrupted angrily.

"Yo-You do?"

"Arrr, yes, we do! And we arrr never goin' back there ever again! It's too dangerous!"

Fluttershy glanced down nervously before noticing the captain. "A-Alonzo, are you okay?"

~Captain Alonzo looked grim. Then, without a word, just a snuffle, he wildly turned his back and hurried onto the ship and into his quarters, slamming the door, leaving the girls confused.~

"What's up with him?" Rainbow asked.

Sail gave a frustrated sigh. "I think it's 'bout time we show ya lassies somethin' that we've been keepin' from ya. Come. Follow me."

~He led them into the captain's quarters where an old-fashioned cabinet was laid at the side of the left wall. It was filled with all sorts of ancient trinkets, containing a compass, a sextant, a tin canikin, several sticks of tobacco, two brace of very fancy pistols, an old Spanish watch, and some other trinkets that held such little value. In the meantime, Sail and Caura were too busy handling all the silver and trinkets, in search of something specific. Finally, they found it. Underneath an old black chest, bundled up with red string, was a coffee stained rolled up piece of parchment. Sail pulled it up with impatience then, undoing the string, he unrolled the parchment on the table to reveal…~

"The map of Crossbone Island!" Lightning gasped. "Like, the real deal!"

"What?! You mean to say that you've been looking for a map in order to find treasure, yet you've had one all this time?!" yelled Rainbow.

Caura began to tell the tale. "Well. You see, Cap'n Alonzo's grandfather, Cap'n Tico Alonzo, got the map a long, long time ago," she answered. "It belonged to 'is greatest enemy, Cap'n Igadolf Crossbone. They fought wars. Great an' terrible wars on the sea that would last for nights. Our Cap'n Alonzo was a young scuff back then, an' 'e never knew much 'bout the story until 'e got older an' more invested innit."

Pinkie shifted to get herself more comfortable. "Hey, didn't he mention something about his grandfather losing an eye?" she winked to imitate him.

"Oh, yes. 'E stood single-handed before the evil Cap'n Crossbone- an incredibly brave thin' to do if ya ask me- and accordin' to Alonzo, 'e said that 'is grandfather took a blazin' pellet straight in the eye as 'e went up against his foe for the very last time."

"Whoa…" the girls marvelled.

"So, who won the war?" Rainbow asked.

"In the end, Tico did. It was not easy but in the aftermath that came was, or course, 'is eye, but also, the map ye see before your very eyes."

~The Rainbooms took another good look at the large parchment before them on the table, mesmerised by its colours and glory. Caura continued to speak.~

"'E began to search for the treasure immediately, as any old pirate would, hungry to get his greedy, grubby hands on the fortunes that lie within. But, unfortunately, 'e never found it, and 'e got too old to continue. That was when he passed it down to 'is grandson. An', for us, we were determined ta find it. We 'ad made good progress. We were fightin' off other ships, learnin' more mysteries, makin'...friends?" she paused for a moment. "More-or-less. But what we didn't know 'bout the island and its treasure was that there were traps. Hundreds o' 'em. An' as we got to ta island, there was a shot...and we...we lost a valuable member o' our crew."

"Ohh." Twilight said sadly. "Oh, I'm really sorry to hear that."

"Who were they?" Rainbow asked.

"Featherbeard." Sail cried the name. "The Cap'n's parrot. 'e was a fine matey, 'e was. Bringin' the cap'n good company, sittin' upon his shoulder, havin' all the hardtack sea biscuits 'e wanted. His death was a tragic day for all o' us, but it never hit anybody else, other than our beloved Cap'n. Rest his poor soul."

"Oh, that's so sad…" whispered Fluttershy.

Lightning's face gave sympathy. "Ohhh. So, that's why Alonzo is so depressed. He lost his pet."

"Featherbeard was more than just a pet!" Pip spat. "He was a loyal member ta our crew!"

"R-right. Of course he was. Sorry, that was a bit insensitive."

"What would ya call ya seadogs over there!? Huh!?" he continued to snap. "Just...pets?!"

"N-No, no, there are friends! Spike and Stitch are l-loyal companions like Featherbeard." stuttered Lightning.

"Hmph! Me point stands clear!" he snapped, and with that he stormed off outdoors.

Sail shrugged and carried on. "Ignore 'im. 'E's just as upset about it as the cap'n is."

"Well," Sunset began. "This certainly explains a few things, especially the feather he keeps in his pocket, but what I don't understand is why the captain is still depressed, if this happened a long time ago."

"Alot of people can be very attracted to their pets, Sunset," Fluttershy explained. "Even if they have departed…"

"Exactly. After Featherbeard's loss, we made an oath to never return to that island ever again." Caura said.

"Arrgh. We cannot afford to lose another member o' ours. This map can go an' burn in a thousand fires, for all I care!" Sail growled fiercely.

~With that, he threw the map down to the ground and would have stomped on it to emphasise his anger, but he rejected after a moment. The Rainbooms looked down upon it, and as Lightning picked it up again, she felt a sense of courage.~

"Maybe this is why we've come along on your quest then."

"Huhh? What are talkin' about?" Sail quired.

"I'm talking about Crossbone's treasure. Sometimes, you just gotta face your fear and move on. I understand that your captain is still going through the loss, but it's what Featherbeard would have wanted. At least get it done so you don't have to worry about it again. 'Avenge 'im!' as you would all say."

"Ya make a fair point, lassie, but- ahh, we've lost our way 'round the seas."

"But weren't you just searching for treasure before you came to our beach?" Rarity asked.

"The only reason we wanted to find treasure was for Alonzo, so he could cherish it and let his spirits be rejoiced at the wonders of being a pirate again! It hasn't gone very well, as ye can see." Caura sighed.

"Well, if you ask me, the only thin' that will make Alonzo feel great again is by overcomin' his fear and gettin' that Crossbone treasure!" Applejack encouraged.

"And we're gonna help you do that!" added Lightning.

"Really? Ye do that for us?" Sail said.

"Of course. It's kinda what we do." Rainbow shrugged.

"Well, blow me ship down, then bury me bones- ya lassies have got ye selves anotha deal!"

~Slapping his hand into Lightning's, they shook on it greatly before he patted each on the girls' shoulders.~

"Right, let's getcha some quarters to sleep in then, ehh? Night's comin' quick."

~He was right. A full moon was beginning to rise and it peered redly through the upper edges of the sudden frosty fog. So, like that, the girls were finally let down under the decking and inside the boat itself. There was a strong, rich, oaky smell of the waxed walls as they descended, and since the downstairs and upper decking were quite narrow among each other, they had to watch their heads. Finally, they were trailed towards their corners, with cells lined up on either side of the hull. Only four hammocks were in one cell, but more bedding was scattered around for them. Sunset, however, was a little miffed that this is where they will be staying.~

"The brig?" she quired.

"Argh. It's the only place we got that has beds. No hard feelin's, alright?" Sail said, before ushering them inside and slamming the barred door. "Goodnight, lassies, don't let the bed rats bite!"

~Sunset turned back to ask him a question, but he left before she could say a word.~

Lightning, instead, got to business. "Uhh, so! Who wants a hammock, and who wants to sleep on the floor?"

"I will take a hammock." Rarity dibbed.

~But, as she prepared to climb on, the hammock swung upside down, and she fell off, face first and laid sprawled out on the damp, musty, wooden floor. Stitch rubbed his head against her.~

"I will take the floor."

"And I'll take the one next to the porthole. Just in case I- urk! Throw up…" Applejack retched, and winced as she tried to adjust her position.

Everyone else settled finely. "Let's just hope that these next few days go forth,... greatly." Lightning said.

"Okay." Sunset nodded, but in her head, she still had doubts.

Chapter 4: The Blackjack Tavern

~The girls laid and slept as comfortably as they could in their sleeping quarters. Suddenly, there was a loud ring that bristled through their ears and vibrated harshly. They awoke at once, screaming. Sail then came down with a triangle instrument, still ringing from impact.~

"Wake up, lazy bones'! We're 'ere~!" he sang, seemingly in a weird, jolly mood.

The girls groaned, unable to comprehend what was going on, until Rainbow spoke groggily. "We're here? At Crossbone Island? But you said the journey would take at least a few days!"

"How long were we asleep for?" asked Fluttershy.

Sail roared with laughter. "BWA HA HA HA! No! Of course we 'aven't arrived on da island yet. Ya crazy?!" he gestures at the door. "We arr stoppin' by for-a drink!"

"A drink?" repeated Sunset.

"Yar! At the best pub in all of the seven seas!" Pip said, also happy.

~The eight Rainbooms gave each other blank stares. Soon enough, the ship was tied off at the docks to an island safely, and the crew, including the Rainbooms, ventured off and scattered. There, they got to see where they were at. It seemed to be a pleasant little fishing village, bursting with life as fishermen hauled in their catches, and merchants peddled their wares. Never before had the girls seen such a vibrant village, and honestly, they felt ecstatic. As they walked towards an open-air market, Rarity was just fascinated by all the various, colourful fruit stands and vendors, including a tailors shop she casted a glance upon on the other side. She desperately wanted to explore, but realised she could easily get lost, as well as that, she did not have the right kind of currency that was used here. Finally, they came after a while to an unsavoury-looking inn called the Blackjack Tavern.~

Lightning now understood. "Ohhh. What? Why are we collecting alcohol and rum for you guys?"

"Yes, I have the same question," said Rarity. "Because one; It is a vile drink that turns even the most respectable men into complete scoundrels, and two; there really is no point! None of us drink! We're too young!"

"Who said it was gonna be for just you? We're all heavy drinkers 'round 'ere! It's what bein' a pirate is all about!" Sail replied, still giddy with excitement.

"I thought it was buried treasure." Pinkie Pie stated.

"It's both! Besides, it's grog. We not know how to fight without it. It's energy!"

"What? Back up for a second. Are you saying that one actually needs alcohol on the ship in order for them to cooperate?!" Lightning asked. "How does that make sense?"

"Best if we don't question it anymore, Lightning." Twilight shrugged.

~But as Sail was about to enter, he stopped and flashed back to his serious self for a millisecond.~

"No use us all goin' in," he advised. "That'll raise too many suspicions."

"Agreed, some should stay out," said Pip.

Jan turned to the Rainbooms. "Sooo, do you girls mind…?"

Lightning immediately responded with commitment. "Oh nooo! Not at all! Go, get your rum!"

"Yes, yes, we will just be here, checking out the market!~" Rarity sang, before heading off towards the tailors.

~Everyone else had to follow her, as they did not want her to be left alone. Like that, Rarity led everyone into the clothing shop with shelves full of fine ruffles, habits, and breeches. The young, purple, fashionista marvelled at the quality. They were exploring the vendor's place for hours. At first, Lightning got worried and thought that they were the ones taking forever with the exploring, and holding up the pirates with their adventures, but she still saw the Cloudy Parrot at the dock with nobody on board. Surely the crew couldn't still be in the tavern drinking? Even Sunset noticed the ship and Lightning's worried looks.~

"I think we should probably go and find them," the fiery girl said to her.

"I agree. What if something happened?" Lightning asked. She flashed a look to Stitch and Spike. "Stitch, Spike. We're gonna need you two to stay here. Take care while we go searching. Okay?"

"You can count on us, master," Stitch barked, puffing out his chest.

"We'll be careful," said Spike.

~Like that, they alerted the other girls and they made it back towards the outside of the tavern.~

Twilight breathed in and out. "Alright, girls, keep in sight of one another," she cautioned. "Don't bunch together. Try to look as though you're just going about your daily business. Glance at drinks and stalls but avoid eye contact and keep moving."

~So, with Lightning leading, the party slipped through the threshold of the door and into the tavern, almost immediately avoiding the bands of rowdy, rough-looking seafaring men and merchants alike as they chattered, laughed and drank busily and noisily at their tables. Like The Smuggle Inn in Merrdom, the pub was gloomy and smoke-laden. The floors and walls were made of a darkwood with an oily smell, and the shelves were coated with colourful alcoholic beverages. Baskets of fresh fruit were also sitting on top of the bar tables, and Pinkie couldn't help but snag a few apples, bananas and oranges, and tuck them safely into her poofy pink hair. Applejack and Rarity stood side by side as they glanced around.~

"Goodness me, this place is filthy!" said Rarity, and she eyed a pirate chugging down a massive pint of rum. He let out a loud belch. Rarity frowned. "And the pirates here are not so good themselves."

"Which is why we should find our crew then get outta here." Applejack replied firmly.

~They went to join Lightning, Twilight and Sunset. They were staring at the menu at the front of the tables and shelves, and Lightning was intrigued by all the foods they served. The main one was mostly fish. From behind the bar, a tall dark-skinned man looked up from cleaning the mugs and spotted them wandering around. He was sporting a bald look with a large visible X-shaped scar on his large forehead. He was also sporting a grey goatee, and wore a blue leather jerkin over an undone ruffled white poet shirt, like all the other pirates in the bar. He threw the cloth he was using to clean over his shoulder before addressing the girls loudly.~

"Ahoy there! Welcome to the Blackjack Tavern! What's your poison? A bottle of rum? A clap of thunder? Just remember, bad tippers walk the plank."

"Umm, no thank you," Twilight politely declined.

"Are you the owner of this place?" asked Sunset.

"Aye. Alhana is me name. An' the Blackjack 'ere be me best tavern, see." he answered. "I pour the drinks, swab the floors, an' make sure no landlubber 'ere starts a fight!"

Lightning gave him a small smile. "Well, nice to meet you, Alhana. I'm Lightning Star. And this is Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie."

~For the next few minutes, the Rainbooms and Alhana began talking. He offered them a drink but the eight refused since they were not parched or over the legal drinking age. It was obvious that he liked the girls very much, but he never wanted to admit it. He just kept cleaning the mugs that were handed back to him by the other pirates and continued talking.~

"Ye lassies sure are pretty," he complemented. "But, I watch ye backs if I were ye, see. Lots of creeps comin' 'round these parts."

"We can see that." Rarity replied.

"Honestly, they're givin' me the creeps already." said Applejack.

"So, what brings ye 'ere to me tavern if ye not lookin' for any rum?" Alhana asked.

"Oh, right, sorry, it's just that, we were looking for our crew. They came in here sometime ago and haven't come back out." answered Lightning.

"Have you, by any chance, seen them?" Fluttershy asked. "One of them wears a blue captain's uniform, and a thin, wavy poet shirt."

"An' another one is a wee little guy with a scar on the side of his forehead." Applejack described.

Alhana shrugged his shoulders. "There be so many pirates in here, makin' a fuss an' a scuffle, I be seein' nothin'. Sorry."

Sunset sighed. "Alright, well, If you do see them, give us a holler. Thanks anyway, Mr. Alhana."

"My pleasure. Have a good one!"

The Rainbooms waved goodbye, but just as they were far enough away from him, Rainbow turned to Lightning inconspicuously. "I don't trust him."

"Ehh, I say he seemed okay-ish. But don't worry, we'll keep an eye out." she assured her.

"Hey, girls. Look at this!"

~Applejack lifted her finger and pointed at the nearby wall. A group of black and brown painted posters of pirates covered the whole thing. Lightning and Rainbow went to her side in an instant. All three stared at them with curiosity. Applejack was the first to speak and identify.~

"It's a wall of wanted posters."

"Wanted posters of the most fearsome pirates of these seas." Rainbow said, while trying hard not to grin.

"Probably just as fearsome as Blackbeard, Calico Jack and Mary Read." Lightning added.

"Look at that one!" Fluttershy gasped as she joined them. Everyone turned to her finger, and also gasped. "Is that...Caura?"

~Moving a few posters out of the way, they stared at the one with the picture of the pirate that looked exactly like Caura. It was partly ripped, burned and had a few punctured holes in it, possibly from a knife, but the girls could still make out the picture, and could confirm that it was her. Fluttershy gasped so loudly that a heavily cloaked man, who was drinking at a nearby table, heard it and looked over to see the Rainbooms staring at it. He paused before giving himself a cocky smirk. As Lightning removed the poster from the wall, the seven girls gathered around her to get a better look at it.~

"Wow. 'Wanted. One million gold. Dead or Alive'." Lightning read.

"That's uncanny!" exclaimed Fluttershy.

"Hmm...Maybe there's more to Caura than what she said to us." Twilight murmured. "We should ask her about this once we find her."

"If she's willing, that is. We better take the poster as well."

~So with that, Lightning scrolled up the poster neatly and held it firmly in her hand. She and the others turned to leave, but as they began to walk towards the exit, they were met by the cloaked man, who scowled at them suspiciously. The girls knew instantly that he was trouble. This is exactly what Alhana warned them about. The man pulled back in his hood to reveal his sickly face, but also to show an unthreatening look upon it. Nobody was convinced he was friendly however. More men appeared by his side.~

"Ello," he greeted in a musky voice. "What're a bunch of beautiful lassies like you doing out here?"

The girls looked between one another anxiously. "We, um...are privateers. Travelling to the eastern coast of J…Ja…Jamaica?" Lightning started babbling unconvincingly.

"Privateers, you say?" The man asked.

"But you're young. And girls." a nearby crewmate pointed out.

"Pretty girls, to be precise." another one said as he moved closely to Rarity and sneered at her neck.

She backed away. "Uh-hum!~ Excuse me?"

"Girls can also be privateers, I'm sure." Rainbow said.

"Yes. They can. And, we are very busy, so if you don't mind..."

~Lightning turned a corner around the cloaked man to get past, but he blocked her again by catching his arm over her neck.~

"What's the hurry?" he said. "You not gonna stay an' have a drink with us? Splice the mainbrace for our guests here, will you, mateys?"

~Without any warning, the surrounding pirates grabbed the Rainbooms and slammed them into a chair each. The men then brought the table closer to them and turned them into the corner so they wouldn't get away. Lightning was already beginning to see that this man with the cloak wanted something and wasn't gonna let them go easily until he got it. So, continuing to act oblivious, Lightning got comfortable. She motioned the others to do the same, despite Sunset and Fluttershy giving her concerned looks and shaking their heads. Eight wooden mugs and chalices were filled to the brim with rum and handed to them on a silver platter causally.~

"Enjoy." The cloaked man smirked.

"Yeaaah, we really don't drink." Sunset said nervously.

"We shouldn't be drinking any of it anyway. We're too young." added Fluttershy.

"Everybody needs a little something." he assured, "C'mon."

"N-No," Sunset refused. "Listen, we are not falling for your false flattery, so, what do you want from us?"

The man sneered and put down his drink. "Oh, how rude of me. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Johnny Garett, the head of this here crew of merchants. We're very curious about that...pirate on the poster you got from the wall. Do you know her?"

"Oh! No- We were just curious about her ourselves." Lightning replied as she sheepishly slid the wanted poster behind her back.

"Really? 'Cause I do believe I heard you just said that her name was Caura a second ago."

"No we didn't!" Pinkie spoke up. "We said coral. As in, the reef. At the bottom of the ocean."

"Pfft! Likely story." the pirate standing behind her snapped.

"Well, what do you know about our story?" Rainbow snapped back.

~The pirate glanced sharply, and was about to lash out at the rainbow girl, when Garett raised his hand. He slowly put it back down, then stood up and began to walk in a circle around the girls.~

"Okay, I'm gonna share a secret with you youngsters," he began, "We are not merchants. We're pirate hunters. And Caura here has the biggest bounty than we ever could've ever imagined." He reached behind Lightning and snatched the poster from her hands. "But of course, I don't wanna fight with anyone for the reward."

Lightning scoffed. "Pffft! Like we're interested in any reward for our friend's capture! We are not- and...that's that!"

Garett's eyes gleamed. "So, you are friends of hers, ye say? Well, I think we've just got our ticket to catching her now, eh, boys?"

~The pirate hunters snickered in reply as they towered over the girls. They reached below their belts and began to draw their weapons. The Rainbooms turned concernedly to Lightning and that was when she realised that she had spilled the beans. She took a quick glance up at the hunters, before raising her fists, ready to fight. It would not be an easy one, though.~

~Meanwhile, back outside the wooden and stone building, Jan and Mast were rolling barrels of rum towards their ship. Their lips were yellow and drippy, as they had just drunk from a few of these barrels themselves. Jan could not even stand up straight as he rolled his over to the ship. He kept almost falling over and rocking back and forth in a swaying motion, he was so squiffy. Soon enough, he began seeing stars in his eyes. Mast turned to him, disappointed, as he fell onto his barrel and rolled it.~

"Jannn~! Walk in a shtraight linne~!" he droned.

"I can't...I'm too...hic...d-drunk…"

"Honeshtly, I can't take ye anywhere. I take ye to my...mother'sha weddin' and yer'll get shmashhed!"

"Hic...oh, yer ma's getting married, is she? Thanks for the invite!"

"Jan is not comin' to my weddin'...drunk!" Pip yelled from the side of the boat.

There was a silence for a moment, then laughter overcame Jan when he got the joke. "Oh, I see what yer did tere! Ha-ha! That was good!"

As Caura was counting the barrels, she noticed the girls missing. "Hey, boys? Where are the Rainbooms?"

"Oh, Who in da flyin' fish knows," Pip answered, not taking his eyes off the compass he was holding. "The lassies are probably still explorin'. Curious bunch, they are, ye know."

"I know but I don't think it's like 'em to wander far off alone. Especially where there are untrustworthy pirates roamin' afoot."

"True that. Those kids are curious but paranoid." Pip replied.

Caura stood up sternly. "I'm gonna go look for 'em."

"Ye do that." Sail replied, approaching. "I'm gonna treat me self ta some more tasty rum down at da tavern."

"The tavern?"

~Caura stared back in the direction of the tavern. Sounds of booming could be heard from over there and crowds began to form.~

Caura got worried. "Do ya think they're…?"

~But the pirates were not listening to her. They were too busy hauling their own onto the ship still. This is why they were taking hours. The barrels were too heavy and they were too wasted to focus. If anything, it made them look stupid towards onlookers and merchants walking by. Jan, Mast, and Pip all began yelling and gambling over on top of one another with commands and insults.~

"Nooo! Jan! Move forwards! Forwards!"

"No! No no no!"

"Oww! Me foot!"

"Sorry!"

"Move forwards, you idiot!"

"Why don't you do it then, shrimpy!"

~The three jumped on top of each other and began effortlessly, playfully wrestling. Caura groaned and Sail shrugged his shoulders at her.~

~Meanwhile, back at the Blackjack Tavern, the Rainbooms tried to step back as the hunters tightened the circle of chairs and tables around them.~

"Stay away from us!" Rarity yelled.

"Relax, girls, I'm not gonna hurt you." Johnny assured.

"Yeah, that's what they all say." Rainbow said.

"I just need information. C'mon! Is this really the thanks we get from opening up ourselves? So, if there's more, we have the right to know."

Lightning shook her head. "Forget it. We're not gonna say a word to you idiots!"

"Idiots!?" the crew chorused.

"My crew may be a little rough at times and sometimes they have no idea what they are doing, but they are not a bunch o' idiots!"

~Lightning put this to the test. With a sharp eye, she looked at one of the crew members next to her, and cuffed him on the back of his bald head. He turned to her incredulously while rubbing his head.~

"Hey!"

"He did it."

~She pointed at a coat rack with a lantern and hat hanging on it. Naturally, the hunter tackled the inanimate object and wrestled with it on the ground, believing that it did, in fact, smack him in the back of the head. With that pirate hunter distracted, Lightning winded up and swiftly dropped onto the other one and slammed his head on the table. Then, she punched the next one right in the face. His nose crumpled beneath her fist with a satisfying crunch.~

"Girls, run!" she then cried out, and gave them the opening they needed to escape.

~The Rainbooms immediately rushed through the gap between the hunters and ducked under the tables, with Lightning not too far behind. Garett was furious and pulled out his pistol and made aim at the fleeing girls. But, before he could squeeze the trigger, something viciously grasped his wrist and twisted hard.~

"Not so fast!"

~He cried out in pain. His face was then pressed up against the table as he struggled to stare at his assailant. The Rainbooms turned back, and they saw that it was Caura holding the man down.~

"C-C-C-Caura Monody! What are ya doing here?" he demanded, stammering.

Caura was undaunted. She looked at Garett straight in the eye and smirked. "Makin' sure you stay in ye place and leave these lassies be."

Garett lowered his pistol and fell to one knee. Stammering with fear, he said, "Alright. But, I wasn't gonna harm them, just scare them enough so they'll tell us about you. Honest!"

"I don't care what ye were tryna do, but whatever it was, it's not how you should treat others. Now, get outta 'ere!"

~Without another moment of reconsideration, Garett and his crew fled outside the door like frightened birds.~

Sunset Shimmer approached her. "Thanks, Caura." she panted.

"It was my pleasure. Glad I did not fight in vain for ye dearies. Are you really all right?"

"As right as rain, darling," Rarity replied, giving herself a thorough looking over. "Although I began to think we were done for when those thugs attacked us."

"Hovering over our chairs, they were, too." said Lightning.

"Good thin' I came just in time then," Caura answered. "Come on, let's getcha outta here now."

~A warm feeling followed the moment the girls exited through the door. They deeply inhaled the cool, salty scent of the afternoon's air, and met with Stitch and Spike sitting by the fruit market stand. As they made their way back to the ship, Lightning turned to Caura.~

"Where are the others?" she asked her.

"The cap'n is in his quarters, sulkin'." Caura replied, and the Rainbooms sadly stared at the ground from not surprised. "As for Jan, Pip an' Mast, they be…finishin' loadin' barrels o' rum on the boat."

"What about Sail?" asked Fluttershy.

"Oh, 'e just went for 'nother drink in the tavern. 'e'll come out soon."

"Alright. Let's just get back onto the boat and see which way we have to go next." said Lightning.

"And while we do, we need to ask you something, Caura…" Sunset said slowly.

~The female pirate flashed a curious look on hearing those words, but couldn't guess what the Rainbooms wanted to ask her, that was until she saw the wanted poster of her flying behind Lightning's pocket. She stifled a gasp. The Rainbooms and their dogs were happy to be back outside safely. But, before they could get down on topic with Caura, she spoke loudly.~

"H-how about we discuss it when we're back on the waves again, okay?! Let's just look at the map." she said, clearly hiding something, much to Sunset's grave suspicions. But she couldn't say anything.

They all turned to Pinkie. "Okay. Pinkie, the map, if you please." Rainbow gestured, holding out her hand.

"Uh-huh! The map! Okey dokey! It's...uh...uh…"

~Pinkie dug her hand into her hair and began to feel around for the map. She pulled out an umbrella, a horseshoe, an apple and a pair of drumsticks, but no map.~

"Uh oh."

Rainbow stopped smiling. "Uh oh? What do you mean, 'Uh oh'?"

"Pinkie, what did ya do with the map?" Applejack quired.

"Well…" Pinkie began, "I remember putting it down to grab some fruit from the baskets in the tavern, then we looked at the wanted posters and fought off the hunters, then Caura said we should get going, so I grabbed some more fruit and left- " suddenly, it dawned on her, "I left the map at the tavern!" she gasped.

"You what?!" Everyone chorused.

"Pinkie Pie!" exclaimed Lightning.

"It- It- It's okay! Don't worry! I know exactly where I left it! I'll just go back and get it! Be right back!"

"Wait, Pinkie!- "

~But before Sunset could finish, Pinkie vanished in a puff of pink smoke, and they saw her make for the tavern.~

Rainbow sighed. "I should go with her. You know, to make sure she gets the map!"

"Dash, wait!" Sunset called.

"Don't worry, we'll be back before you know it!"

~With that, Rainbow trailed off after Pinkie. The reminder of the party crouched as the two girls entered the tavern again.~

"Of all times for Pinkie to mess up, it had to be now." Applejack grumbled.

"Is she like that most o' the time, then?" asked Caura, laying her hand gently upon the wall.

"I don't know, she's never done something like this when I'm around," Lightning answered. "I know she can be pretty energetic, and that can sometimes cause clumsiness, but not once has this happened."

"Oh, trust us, Pinkie Pie is like this most of the time." answered Sunset. "But, she gets lucky in the end, so we can only hope."