I am Captain Jack Sparrow, savvy?

A day passes by as Jack and Celestia try to come up with a disguise that will hide her appearance while in the presence of other ponies not on the Black Pearl, managing to agree to hide her wings and alter the rest of her body's looks to allow her to not stand out.

Celestia summons forth a tall mirror so she can examine her body while she focuses on making changes as Jack watches with fascination, and casts a spell to temporarily remove her wings. Moving on to her body, she looks at her flowing mane and tail and sighs while casting a weight spell to it and changing its color to a brilliant amber. Shifting her attention to her coat, she changes it to a light sapphire blue when she notices her magenta eyes. Thinking of the options, she casts a spell to make them look draconic with yellow eyes. As she turns to look herself over, she sees her cutie mark and sighs while trying to think of what to do change it to.

Jack looks at her cutie mark and then says, "Hmm...perhaps making it look like a long sword similar to a cutlass and a short sword that are crossed."

She then thinks of the image and uses a spell to mask her own and place the new image over her cutie mark asking, "Okay, so how does this look my love. What shall we say my name is?"

He then looks at her and twiddles his beard for a moment before raising up his finger saying, "Hmm...let's see here." while looking her over a little closer, trying to think of something when a name comes to his mind and says, "How about Rose Blade?"

Celestia then looks her new appearance over saying repeatedly, "Rose Blade..." to get herself used to it and then smiles, turning to Jack saying, "I like it. I really do, it sounds like a pony who grew up with a tough life."

Jack grins at her and says, "And could also be the name of a legendary pony pirate..."

A week later, just off the shore of the Dragon Lands

He stands near the side of the Pearl's aft deck on the starboard side, looking at the long trek that lays ahead of him and a few of his men saying, "Alright, I need ten of you fearsome lads to accompany me to where the dragon's hang out. Gibbs, you stay behind and keep the Pearl safe from any who might try to take it, I have business with the Dragons. Those of you who are coming with me be sure to arm yourself with muskets, extra shot and powder in case we are forced to prove our strength in a fight."

As a few of them start to lower the longboat, Celestia walks up the stairs to where Jack is standing at the wheel then asks, "May I go with you into the Dragon Lands, dear? I never had the opportunity to journey here before due to my duties and studies keeping me busy for so long."

Jack sighs and shakes his head saying, "Terribly sorry love, perhaps next time when you are not carrying our child? I do not want to risk something happening to you and cause you to lose it."

She caresses her abdomen affectionately and reluctantly agrees with a nod saying, "Very well my love, I don't want anything like that to happen. I shall stay here with the ship, do you mind if I take Philomena to the shore and let her have a little freedom from her cage?"

He nods his head saying, "Of course, just take a few of the crew with you for protection in these lands. I have no real idea what manner of beasts call these lands home so keep a wary eye on your surroundings."

Celestia smiles and returns to the cabin to go get Philomena from her cage, then makes her way to join them on the longboat. When she gets outside, she sees the men lowering the muskets into the boat and start to climb down into it.

Jack sees his love make her way towards the longboat and says, "Sorry love, you will have to wait for the boat to come back. I'll be leaving a man here to look after it, so don't worry about being stuck on the boat the entire time I'm gone."

She sighs and nods her head slightly disappointed, but understands and says, "Very well then dear, I wish everything goes well for you when you meet the dragons."

Several hours of walking later, just outside of the gathering place

As Jack and his men follow his compass as it leads them due east, they finally exit the forest that surrounds the large smoking volcano that can be seen from the sea saying, "I wonder why dragons like to hang around volcanoes, I'll have to ask them once we get there. Onwards and upwards men, our trek through these lands are nearly over."

Torch sits on the outer rim of the caldera that the dragons gather during the summer, watching the other young drakes as they wrestle each other in the lava pools. Utterly bored of the day-in-day-out squabbling over whose treasure hoard is bigger, he looks to the forest behind him and is surprised at seeing strange creatures approaching the top. Deciding to get in their way to make them turn around or become dragon food, he takes flight and heads towards them.

Jack stops as he hears a flapping of large wings and looks up to see a dragon with blue scales, orange eyes and spikes on his back matching his eyes and the color of the underside of the skin on his wings, with a pair of horns growing out from behind his skull that curl downward and hang below his jaw before curving forward and point up slightly. Wondering if the dragon can speak, he asks, "Pardon our intrusion, but are you capable of speaking?"

He lands a few feet away on their path, blocking the way past and crosses his arms while narrowing his eyes rudely saying, "Of course I can speak, I am a dragon. What exactly are you, besides an idiot?"

The captain fights the urge to grab a musket and rests his hands on his sword and pistol to look intimidating and says back, "I am a human pirate and my men and I have traveled here to trade with you. Will you hear us out or will you prove to be just an unintelligent, fire-breathing dragon dumber than the ponies are?"

Torch huffs out black smoke in aggravation and shouts, "How dare you insult a dragon that breathes fire! I could sneeze and you would turn to ash..." He lets his last statement hang in the air and narrows his eyes as the human does not flinch at the threat, mildly impressed at his foolish bravery and cocks his head saying, "What could you possibly have to offer us dragons, we have vast treasure hoards? I might permit you to leave here unharmed if you 'donate' to my hoard..."

Jack grins as the dragon warms up to him and says, "Well, I originally came here to see if you dragons have a leader. Unfortunately, not much is known about your kind other than being ruthless and greedy. As I am a pirate, I too share that trait...making me somewhat like you all, with being hated and despised by the world just for being who I want to be."

He smirks back and relaxes a little bit answering his question and asking his own, "We do have a leader, Grayscale, who is the current Dragon Lord. What really brought you to our lair, pirate?"

The captain quickly thinks something up and says, "Knowledge mostly, how do you all decide the next Dragon Lord, Fire-breath?"

Torch chuckles at the name and says, "Through a challenge to the death, making the victor the new Dragon Lord. What else brings you to this place?"

Jack sighs and chuckles saying, "Can't sneak anything by you, can I. Very well then, how would you fancy a more enjoyable, peaceful way to decide the new Dragon Lord, Scaly?"

He chuckles again, reaches up to his cheek, and scratches it with his claw, saying, "I might be interested, but it depends on if I think it sounds entertaining. My name is Torch, what is your name, Pirate?"

The captain smiles and says, "My name is Jack Sparrow, and I am the captain of the Black Pearl, which is my greatest treasure. What I have in mind to decide the new Dragon Lord is a different kind of challenge...using a variety of dangerous obstacles along a path through deadly areas among this volcano."

Torch is intrigued by the idea and says, "If you somehow find a way to get an audience with the Dragon Lord, he would never agree to your proposal."

Jack grins and says, "Allow me to pass, and I will show you what a pirate such as I can accomplish mate."

He stands there as his curiosity and loyalty to the Dragon Lord battle for victory as he reluctantly steps aside when his curiosity wins and takes off into the air saying, "I need to go look after my hoard."

The pirate smiles and continues up the path thinking, 'This is going to be quite interesting if I can figure out what exactly I am going to do about the current Dragon Lord.'

Grayscale lays atop his plateau with his arms hanging over the edge as he slumbers when a commotion wakes him up, causing him to growl angrily at whoever caused it and uses his title and magic as Dragon Lord to raise his voice shouting, "WHO'S SCALY HIDE AM I GOING TO HANG IN MY CAVE FOR DISTURBING MY SLUMBER!"

Jack watches all the dragons instantly stop talking and look fearfully at the large grey dragon on a plateau at the center of the volcano with ivory spikes along its back, and two horns growing out the sides of its head, one of which is broken. He looks back to his men and grabs one of their muskets, then turns to the big dragon and starts walking towards him shouting, "OI, YOU BIG UGLY LIZARD UP THERE! I WANT TO FIGHT YOU, SO DRAG YOUR SMELLY POSTERIOR DOWN HERE!"

He glares down at the creature that has challenged him and roars angrily, then says, "HOW DARE YOU COME TO OUR LANDS, THINKING THAT YOU ARE OUR EQUAL AND CHALLENGE ME! I DO NOT ACCEPT YOUR CHALLENGE, BUT I WILL COME DOWN TO YOU ALL THE SAME AND TURN YOU INTO A PILE OF DRAGON EXCREMENT!"

Torch watches from his cave opening with wide eyes as his jaw drops open in shock, along with many other dragons as they clear a large circle with the pirate at one end thinking, 'Is that pirate insane or just stupid?'

The captain sets the musket on his shoulder with the barrel pointing up as he cocks it back saying, "I WOULD ADVISE AGAINST THAT, MATE. YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HANDLE HOW I SMELL AND TASTE, BESIDES...YOU WOULD CHOKE ON MY BONES IF YOU TRIED." He watches the grey dragon leap off the plateau and land inside the cleared area, cracking the ground under his weight and insults him further saying, "I THINK YOU SHOULD LOSE SOME WEIGHT, EVEN THE GROUND YOU WALK ON IS CALLING YOU FAT!"

Grayscale huffs fire from his nose as he roars out in anger, "I AM GOING TO ENJOY EATING YOU!" then starts running towards the creature faster.

Jack grins as the dragon makes a beeline for him, keeping his head relatively still to present a target. He raises the musket to his shoulder, aiming for his right eye and waits for the perfect moment to fire.

Torch watches with shock as the stick in the pirate's hands spew smoke and fire as it makes a loud boom, making him and several other dragons jump in surprise at the sudden sound when he hears a wet squishing sound followed by a roar of pain. He turns to look at the Dragon Lord, seeing him holding both claws against his eye while roaring in pain.

Not missing an opportunity to attack his distracted foe, Jack drops the musket and draws his sword, then charges toward him. Seeing his tail lying on the ground, offering a way up to his head, he jumps onto it and starts to climb his way up as Greyscale swings his back to and fro in an attempt to throw him off.

Greyscale growls and forces himself to ignore the pain as his right eye is gone, learning that swinging his back isn't working as he feels something climbing up his back. He then pulls his claws away from his useless eye as blood slowly oozes from the destroyed eye, using them to begin grasping at whatever is climbing up his spines.

Jack manages to avoid his wildly grasping claws as they attempt to grab him and then stands up and runs up to his head, grasping his sword with both hands holding the blade downward saying, "It's over for you now, beastie." then raises the sword into the air and begins to drive it down when he is grabbed in a firm grip and pulled from where he was standing.

The Dragon Lord scowls and glares at the creature that took his eye and says, "You are mistaken, little snack...it is over for you." then opens his mouth wide and then hurls the creature towards his mouth.

The captain looks at the wide open mouth of the dragon managing to say, "Oh bugger..." as he passes by the sharp teeth thinking, 'It's funny how I'm having a sense of deja vu right now, I wonder what could be the cause of that. Oh right, when we were swallowed by the Kraken and taken to the locker. This time, though, I will fight until my life leaves my body. At least this beastie is on the ground.'

Torch sighs as his head drops down and rests on his forearms, saddened by having a brief moment of hope that the pirate would defeat Greyscale and slightly improve the lives of dragons. A few moments later though, he hears Greyscale grunt with discomfort and start coughing, drawing his attention back to him as he wonders what is going on.

The dragons watch curiously as Greyscale claws at his stomach, seeming to be attempting to scratch a deep itch when he starts to yelp in pain. They watch as he uses his sharp claws to tear at his scales for some reason, drawing blood in some places as he then starts roaring out in absolute agony as he falls to the ground while continuing to try to dig his insides out madly.

Greyscale roars out in a bloodcurdling roaring scream of agony as he starts tearing holes into his thick skin, attempting to remove the pain that started from his stomach. His left eye's vision fades away as he suddenly loses the strength to move his arms when his scream ceases suddenly and his head and body become limp and fall to the ground.

Torch flies out of his cave and lands at the edge of the circle, watching with great curiosity at what is going on when he looks at the Dragon Lord's body and sees his stomach twitching. He watches the twitching intensely when something long, thin, narrow, and pointy erupts out of the dead Dragon Lord's stomach, then moves back and forth while slowly making it's way further down. The object stops and goes to the center of the gash it made when a blood-coated claw suddenly appears from it as more of its body follows it through.

Some dragons gasp in horror at what is happening as the creature their Dragon Lord ate, pulls itself free with blood dripping from it's body while leaving a trail of bloody claw prints leading away from the dead dragon.

Jack slowly stands up from his hands and knees after crawling free from the Dragon Lord's stomach and then looks at all the dragons staring at him and says, "You really should be careful of what you eat, for it might just claw its way back out as I just did." He then swings his sword in a large arc, slinging the blood off of it and accidentally splattering some on a slender white-scaled dragon saying, "Oh, sorry bout that." He looks at his cutlass, still having some blood on it and returns it to his sheath before feeling for his hat. Learning that his hat is not on his head anymore, he turns back to the dead dragon saying, "Oi, you ain't keeping my hat, I want it back." and starts to dig around inside for his hat, finding it after having to come out to take a couple of breaths before succeeding and then swings it down towards the ground in an arc before returning it to his head saying, "Hmm...I will have to get a good scrubbing later to get all this blood off of me, I must look like something right out of a nightmare." He then looks around at the deathly silent dragons and reaches inside his frock for the staff he brought to trade them saying, "I came here to offer you all something if you could refrain from hunting ponies and other sapient beings, now where did I put it..."

The dragons back up a bit further in fear as he searches for something when Torch steps forth and says, "We will do as you command us, Dragon Lord. LONG LIVE DRAGON LORD CAPTAIN JACK SPARROW!"

The captain freezes and looks nervously at Torch as the other dragons follow suit, finding himself in an unexpected position saying, "EH?!" He then pulls out the staff he was looking for when he notices the large diamond at the top start to brightly glow and start to absorb the blood that soaks his entire body.

Torch watches with fascination as the object he holds starts to glow brightly after absorbing the blood covering the new Dragon Lord's body, then transforms into a reddish-purple crystal staff holding a large bright red crystal with a faint glow to it as the brightness fades away.

Jack looks his body over and sees that all the blood on him is gone now and that the stone staff with a large diamond has transformed into a crystal staff with a large, blood-red gem at the top between two claw-like points. Not sure what to do next, he then holds it with his left hand and raises it into the air and shouts, "All of you listen up! As your Dragon Lord, I hereby decree that all further challenges to the death to be Dragon Lord are no more! I will think of a new way to decide who will be the next Dragon Lord, which I shall inform you all when I decide what it will be!"

He looks around at the other dragons as they all smile and cheer, joining them as they chant, "DRAGON LORD JACK SPARROW! DRAGON LORD JACK SPARROW! DRAGON LORD JACK SPARROW! DRAGON LORD JACK SPARROW!"

Several frustrating hours later, Jack explores the caverns when he looks to the north and sees a strangely formed volcano. Curiously, he pulls out his spyglass and looks it over. Wanting to get a closer look at it, he looks around for Torch and calls out, "OI, TORCH, COME HERE A MOMENT!"

Torch answers the Dragon Lord's call and bows his head saying, "I am here at your service, Dragon Lord. What can I do for you?"

Jack looks at the large dragon and says, "I need you to lend me your wings and take me to that strange volcano over there."

He looks at the volcano and says, "Very well Dragon Lord, hop on my shoulders and hold on tight."

As they fly over the water towards the volcano, Torch bobs and weaves around water spouts that are created by a few large water serpents that live under the water saying, "Just so you know Dragon Lord Jack Sparrow, the volcano where we are going is called a Flamecano, it is a place that has many dangers inside of it."

Jack watches curiously as Torch makes his way through the maze inside the flamecano, eventually making it towards the top where he sees a group of crystals at the top of a pillar connected to the wall by a jagged path. An idea forms in his mind as he then looks at Torch and says, "Alright, I've seen what I wanted to see here. Take me back now Torch, I have an idea of what I'm going to do now."

Torch makes his way back through the maze, wondering what the Dragon Lord plans on doing with this place. He dodges around various obstacles in his way as he heads out of the flamecano's entrance and dodges the water spouts once more.

The captain looks at the plateau that the previous Dragon Lord was on and says, "Land on the plateau and listen to what I say."

The dragon makes his way towards the plateau saying, "Yes Dragon Lord." then prepares to land on it as he gets closer. As they reach it, he glides in and lands on the ground smoothly, then waits for the Dragon Lord to get off and speak to them all.

Jack walks to the edge of the plateau and holds the staff in his hand and shouts, "ALL DRAGONS QUIET DOWN AND LISTEN! I HAVE DECIDED ON HOW THE NEXT DRAGON LORD WILL BE CHOSEN. IT SHALL BE THE DRAGON THAT BRAVES THE DANGERS AND BRINGS THIS BLOODSTONE SCEPTER BACK TO THIS PLATEAU FROM THE PEAK INSIDE OF THE FLAMECANO. I DO NOT DESIRE TO BE YOUR LEADER, FOR I HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES ELSEWHERE, SO A NEW DRAGON LORD WILL BE CHOSEN TODAY!" He then looks back at Torch saying, "Torch, carry me to the top of the flamecano so I can put the scepter there, and return me here then join the others."

Torch is shocked at hearing this and nods his head saying, "At once Dragon Lord, please get onto my shoulders once more and we will be on our way there and back."

The captain and Torch return several minutes later without the scepter as Jack gets off Torch's back and heads to the edge of the plateau, seeing the dragon that carried him there join the others down below. He then draws his pistol and looks out over the gathering dragons and shouts, "LET THE GAUNTLET BEGIN, AND MAY THE BEST DRAGON WIN!" while raising his pistol into the air, cocking it then pulling the trigger to start the competition.

He watches as all of the dragons take off towards the flamecano, wondering who the next Dragon Lord will be, then begins reloading his pistol while he waits for the victor to return with the scepter.

Several minutes pass by when Jack hears the labored breathing and flapping of a dragon returning, looking in the direction the sound is coming from when he recognizes the returning dragon as Torch. A grin crosses his face as he looks at him saying, "Congratulations on your victory to the prize, let us wait for the others to return before announcing your succession."

As the other dragons return, Jack looks at the dragons and shouts, "ALL DRAGONS HEAR ME! I NOW PRESENT TO YOU, THE NEW DRAGON LORD...TORCH!"

Dragon Lord Torch looks at Jack with a gentle smile quietly saying, "Thank you for helping us move forward, Captain Jack Sparrow." He then adopts a serious look and says, "NOW FORMER DRAGON LORD JACK SPARROW, YOU MAY LEAVE THE DRAGON LANDS. SHOULD YOU EVER RETURN, BE SURE TO BRING TRIBUTE!"

The captain nods and removes his hand and bows with a flourish saying, "All went according to my plan, be sure to hold another competition after a while, savvy?" then turns and walks away from the new leader of the dragons thinking, 'I'm on my way home, my love.'

Sometime later that evening, at the shore of the Dragon Lands

Celestia watches Philomena as she flies around happily, free of her cage on the ship when she sees Jack and his crew return unharmed. As tears fill her eyes, she rushes up to him and gives him a big hug crying out, "I was so worried that something happened to you! I heard a roar so loud that the crew on the ship heard it, I have been so worried that you might have died!"

Jack hugs her back gently, and says, "Come now love, my enemies will have to try really hard to actually kill me. That roar you heard was just me chopping my way out of the previous Dragon Lord's stomach after he swallowed me alive for destroying his right eye with a shot from a musket."

She pulls back and stares at him with horror all over her face as she squeaks out, "YOU WERE SWALLOWED WHOLE AND SURVIVED!?! IS THE DRAGON LORD ALRIGHT?!?"

He chuckles and places his hands on her shoulders saying, "No love, it is as I said...the previous Dragon Lord named Grayscale. I was named the next Dragon Lord after they saw me standing there soaked in his blood head to toe after crawling out of his insides, even had to go back in and search for my hat. Anyways, there is a new Dragon Lord now and his name is Torch. Shall we be on our way to posing as merchant sailors until our child is born, love?"

Celestia sighs with relief that he is okay and gives him another big hug as she nuzzles into his shoulder nodding her head saying, "Yes my dear, let's return to my vacation on the sea. I expect to hear all about your 'exciting trading journey to the Dragon Lands after I raise the moon and set the sun. Just so you know, I think you need to bathe because you stink."

Jack smiles and walks towards the longboat with her as Philomena lands on his shoulder saying, "As you wish, love. This smell is not near as horrid as the Kraken's was when I was taken to Davy Jones's locker, I assure you. Try if you might, imagine the last thing you see, hear, and smell is the Kraken's mouth facing you when it opens it wide. Roaring directly into your face and covering your whole body with slimy drool, revealing dozens upon dozens of circular rows of sharp teeth. After it stops roaring and breathes normally, you smell the stench of a thousand rotting corpses when it then swallows you whole and takes you to the locker for eternal punishment."

Her mind conjures up an image of what that could be like, making her gag and shudder as she holds him tighter saying, "EWWW! That must have been so awful for you to experience, I am very glad that you came back to me intact and unharmed."

He smiles and helps Celestia into the boat as the crew start to push it out to sea saying, "Of course it was love, I was given the sense of deja vu when I was sliding down the Dragon Lord's throat. Today was the day that he almost ate...Captain Jack Sparrow."