Canterlot Academy Trials

Everyone followed the captain’s orders and followed her onto the deck of her ship where the anchor was retrieved by one of the hog men as the other hog trimmed the sail and set it down. A large, black sail with a piece of cheese depicted upon it.

“Everyone, welcome to the SS Apodemus!” the mouse woman called out from atop the crow’s nest before sliding down to meet with Nebula’s team, “Me humble crew shall meet with ye and discuss our plans.”

Just then, a few other assorted beastmen from Klugetown would appear. In addition to hogs, there would also be a few capybaras, beavers, and porcupines among them. The tallest of which was a badger man who stood at around 6ft. They all wore tank tops of red and white horizontal stripes and red headbands with white polka dots.

“I am Captain Pollux! But ye can call me Paulie fer short,” she pointed to the honey badger man, “This here’s me First Mate. Eastman.”

The badger man simply tilted his head upwards and gave a neutral, “Yo.”

“You need anything, ye come to us. Our first stop’s the Scalebound Wildwood just South of here. Any questions?”

The entire group gazed at the captain and hew crew. Taking in the fact that they were now in the care of rugged-looking Klugetown beastmen as they sailed away from the port and out into the open water.

“...think we can trust them?” Blue muttered.

“I think so,” Mei added, then looked at Nebula, “But it’s your choice, leader.”

“Agreed,” Grimrose spoke up, “You should have the first word here.”

Nebula nodded and stepped forward. “Alright, then. First I’d like to--”

“Ah-bup-bup--wait a moment,” Pollux interrupted him with a chuckle, “...do ye really think I’m gonna listen to some lily-livered bard? Ye’ve got barnacles in your ears if you think that’s what’s about to happen.”

Nebula narrowed his eyes, took a deep breath, then continued, “I understand that we have…creative differences regarding how we choose to fight our battles, but I’d appreciate it if we could put that aside for now and not let that come between us if you would be so kind.”

Pollux looked over Nebula’s shoulder at the dragon, kirin, and demonic pegasus. Of which, the dragon was looking at her with his left fist balled into his opposing palm. “Hmph. I suppose I have no choice given that ye be the leader of this crew.” With a sigh, she rolled her eyes, “Go on then. State yer piece, boy.”

Nebula’s expression changed with his ears turning upwards, “Thank you. First of all, I’m grateful that you’ve decided to accommodate us. This mission is important as it could determine the outcome of the safety of your trade routes among many other things in this world. Gloomtail and Bonetail are making things worse, as does whoever this griffon is…of which I have a pretty good idea as to who they are.”

“Oh ya do, do ye, matey?” she continued with her body language still conveying a sense of apathy, “Then enlighten me whydon’tcha?”

“I have a feeling that it’s Gaea who’s in charge. She’s a griffon who opposed me in the past, and it’s likely that we’ll run into her again.”

“Uh-huh…I see,” she rolled her eyes yet again with a bored chitter, “Very well. You can take the first strike and deal with her if ye spot her.” She then turned and started walking off. “...and if ye die playing music, that’ll be ye own fault,” she muttered under her breath.

Blue was the first to comment as soon as the rodent beastwoman left their sight. “...what mousetrap crawled up her ass?”

“Don’t mind her,” Eastman called out in a gravely voice, “Just make sure your friend here stays out of trouble with the captain,” the badger man commented before walking off to join the captain below deck.

“Well that’s just great,” Mei let out a bit of snark as she adjusted her glasses, “Is everyone on this boat completely judgemental?”

“...I don’t know,” Grimrose commented with a flick of her tail, “But I’ve got some curses I’ve been looking to test and I’ve just found some--”

Nebula cut her off. “Nah. None of that, please. We’re here on a mission first and foremost. Don’t let your emotions get in the way over disagreements, guys.”

“...he’s right, yeah,” Blue admitted with a shake of his head, “Just gotta tough it out and focus on the dragon guy we’re after and keep a lookout for the griffon guy.”

“What should we do for now, leader?” Mei asked, looking at Nebula.

The unicorn stallion looked around the deck of the ship where various members of Pollux’s crew were hard at work either moving supplies or navigating at the helm. In order to make things go smoothly between groups, he decided it was time for a bit of socializing.

“Why don’t we split up and talk to the members of her crew?” he suggested, “It’ll help us get to know them better and hopefully put us on better footing with them.”

“Good idea,” Mei replied, “The rest of them seem to be fairly reasonable. Let’s give it a try.”

Grimrose rolled her eyes at the idea of talking to others so quickly. “Ugh…well, it’s an order from you, Atomic. I can’t refuse that.”

Blue cracked his knuckles and rolled his neck. “Any of them give you trouble, lemme know.”

“I don’t think it’ll be that serious,” Nebula gave a casual chuckle as he patted his friend on the shoulder, then started trotting off in a direction. Soon after, everyone else started walking around the deck to chat up some of the ship’s crew members.

Mei had managed to strike up a conversation with a porcupine beastwoman who had similar issues regarding her temperament not unlike a kirin.

Blue had managed to speak with a rather slow-talking capybara beastman who took his time with every word, causing the impatient dragon’s eye to twitch.

Grimrose had managed to speak with a beaver beastwoman who was into wood carving, and asked her about her creations.

But most notably, unlike his friends, Nebula was actually approached by one of the crew members first.

“...Hello, matey. I…I would like to speak with ye.”

Nebula paused as he glanced down at a young rat beastman with brown fur and a pink tail. “Oh, sure. What’s your name, bud?”

“Ye may call me--oh forget this crap,” he dropped the pirate accent with a squeak, and started to speak with a southern accent instead, “Ya’ll can call me Marrow. Nice’ta meetcha. I’m…actually kinda glad ya showed up. See…I like makin’ music too.”

“...oh, do you?” Nebula tilted his head, “What do you play, Marrow?”

“Fiddle and harmonica. They’s two’a mah favorites,” the rat squealed with happiness before sighing, “...but she don’t let me do nothin’--my cap’n. She thinks I’m useless just ‘cuz I like’ta play.”

So it turned out that some of Pollux’s crew didn’t agree with her sentiment after all. Maybe this could be a chance for Nebula to prove her wrong alongside tackling their main mission?

The stallion gave an encouraging smile, "...I see. Marrow, man, take me to your stuff. I wanna hear what you’ve got.”

“...R-really?”

Nebula replied with a nod, and the mouse-man squealed before scampering off.