Canterlot Academy Trials

Nebula followed the rat man to his quarters--a small, basic wooden room on the ship with a single window to look outside, a bed, and a desk where some books were located. The chair next to the desk is where Marrow would have his fiddle and harmonica hooked up to a one-man-band system. Marrow grabbed it up and started playing a few notes while reciting a little poem…

“O there was once a pony from out West…”
“Whose deeds would ring out among best…”
“Cold as ice…”
“Adventure was his vice…”
“For nothing would surpass his…er….”

Nebula tapped his hooves along to the tune, but once the rat man stopped, he offered some assistance with the rhyme. “...How about ‘nothing will stop his quest’ maybe? But it’s a good one!”

“Thanks, Neb,” Marrow replied with a happy chitter, “I’m glad ya like it. Still working on ways I can improve mahself so Cap’n Paula will take me seriously.”

“...she really doesn’t want music to be played at all, huh?”

“Nah. She only wants us to play when she specifically asks,” Marrow replied with an annoyed flick of his tail, “Which is fine I guess, but that means we can’t play during raids to help with morale.”

‘We’ and ‘us’ meant there were more of them than just Marrow. Naturally, Nebula was curious and asked, “...I see. Hang on, are there more of you who are bards among the crew?”

“Oh yeah, there’s a couple others,” Marrow added with a nod, “But I won’t name anyone. I don’t want the cap’n to get an idea that you tryin’a start stuff.”

Given that her reception towards him was already fairly lukewarm to begin with, Nebula figured it’d make sense if he kept his distance at least for now.

“...yeah, I understand,” he replied with a sense of understanding, then sighed, “But it doesn’t sound like much fun. Being a part of a crew whose captain doesn’t allow you to enjoy yourselves when you aren’t harming anyone.”

“Have you considered joining someone else if it’s that bad?”

But such a thing never crossed Marrow’s mind for one simple reason. “Oh naw, man. We can’t just up and do that. In spite of her…rigid tendencies, Cap’n Pollux is good to us. I mean she kinda saved us…all of us.”

“...tell me more,” Nebula asked as he took a seat on his haunches, eager to know more about the history of this crew.

“Long story short, it was durin’ Klugetown’s era of chaos where we beastfolk were just killin’ each other thanks to the previous Abyssinian King’s ways before Mau came in and fixed things. Testin’ shit on us and lettin’ us rot. Pollux saved us by gettin’ us outta there around 20 years ago. And we’ve been on the open sea ever since…”

“And that’s why you won’t go against her word, huh…” Nebula muttered with a sigh as he was now starting to understand just why they valued her so much, “She saved you from a life of being guinea pigs so you could be free.”

“...yeah, that’s about the long and short of it.”

Nebula nodded. “I see…though this doesn’t quite explain why she hates music so much.”

“From what I gather, she don’t hate music as a whole,” Marrow went on, “Just when when we try’ta play to hype each other up. She only allows us to play after missions and raids are completed. Not before or during.” He threw his little hands into the air with a confused shrug, “As for way, ya got me on that one. I ain’t got no clue why she’s so anal about this.”

Even if it wasn’t all the info he needed, Nebula still had more info now than he did five minutes ago which put a grateful smile on his face. “Don’t worry yourself, Marrow. At the very least, I’ve managed to figure out a bit more about her, and all of you guys. I think I’m gonna like working with all of you.”

“Really?” Marrow squeaked which caused his little nose to twitch happily, “...I’m super glad’ta hear you say that, sir!”

Moments later, there would be a knock at the door of Marrow’s quarters before it was opened up by Pollux. “I hope ye aren’t goading him into playing in a band,” she chittered in Nebula’s direction as the stallion got up and turned to look at her.

“Hm? Oh no, we’re just having a chat,” Nebula replied with a smile to keep things mellow, “Marrow was just telling me about the interesting history of the SS Apodemus and how you guys all ended up here.” He looked at the rat-man and nudged him with a hoof, “Isn’t that right?”

Since it wasn’t technically a lie, Marrow went right along with it. “Oh! Uh…yes! Yes we were, Madam Paula!”

Pollux eyed Nebula with suspicion and a small, judgemental squeak before continuing, “Hmpm. Landlubber…anyway, get ye arses in gear. We’re about to make port on the Fragmentation Islands where the Scalebound Wildwood is located.” She glanced at Marrow, “Go on and man the cannons just for good measure will ye, matey?”

“Aye-aye, cap’n!” Marrow saulted before scurrying out of his room.

“Guess I’ll go get ready too,” Nebula spoke up as he started to trot out of the room…but not before, he was interrupted by the mouse woman.

“Oi. Look at me, lad,” she snapped her fingers, demanding his attention.

Nebula took a brief moment to mentally exhale, as he knew this was about to become stressful, but did his best to stay calm as he looked directly at her. “...hm? Yes, Captain?”

“If ye deliberately sabotage me raid with music, I’ll throw ye overboard. Don’t test me boy. Savvy?” she squeaked in his face, glaring at him with a scowl. “I don’t need lily-livered sissies like that in me crew.”

Nebula grit his teeth behind his lips, and forced a smile on his face. It was one thing if she kept her stance neutral, but to go out of her way to insult musicians directly is what ground his gears. But in order to keep things civil, as they were allies here, he obliged without question.

“...yes, captain. Savvy,” he uttered through frustration as he pranced past her and out towards the main deck.

Immediately, Blue could tell something was off by how forced Nebula’s expression was behind a fake smile and closed eyes. The dragon flew over and asked, “...ey bud? You okay? You look a bit…too happy.”

“...I’m fine. Juuuuust fine,” Nebula replied with as much ‘happiness’ as he could muster, but it only came across as passive-aggression as the vein on his neck bulged. “Don’t worry about me. We have a mission. Let’s go, Blue.”

As Nebula pranced on towards the bow of the ship, Blue grit his teeth with a worried, taken aback expression, “...yikes. Yeah nah, you look like you’re about to explode, dude…”