Canterlot Academy Trials

Meanwhile, deeper within the island…

Pollux, alongside Eastman, and bushwacked their way into a small clearing in the midst of the jungle where a series of small shacks and sheds made of wood were hidden from view under the overgrowth of the surrounding area.

“Alrighty,” the rodent captain muttered as she looked up at the series of buildings. They matched the exact location of the map scroll she was holding. “This is exactly where we need to be. Apparently some griffons are here hoarding a copious amount of stolen goods. It’s on us to make sure they don’t use them for selfish means.”

“Aye,” Eastman replied with a nod as he sharpened his claws, “Though…I do recall the pony man talking about griffons when we met him. Do you think these situations could be related?”

Pollux scoffed and rolled her eyes behind her mask, “Hmph. That scallywag lacks the stones to properly deal with them. I’ve made the decision to take control of this situation myself.”

Eastman raised a brow. It would seem that Pollux was actually fully aware of the looming griffon threat that was present in the nearby area. However, she simply ignored Nebula’s earlier concerns regarding them so that she could handle it herself.

The badger man, while skeptical at first, didn’t wish to defy his captain’s wishes. “...are you sure this is a good idea? Maybe we should’ve asked them for help and help them with their objective in exchange.”

The mouse woman narrowed her eyes and flicked her tail. “Are ye questioning me judgement? This situation is best handled by experienced raiders. Not some green landlubbers.”

“...”

Eastman paused for a moment, and reconsidered his perspective. Pollux had never led him astray before and there wasn’t any reason for her to start doing so now, right? Against his better judgement, he decided to go along with her.

“...sorry. You’re right, Madam Captain. It’s probably best if we go about it as swiftly as possible then.”

Satisfied, Pollux would squeak affectionately. “That’s better. Come now, Eastman. We’ve been on the sea together for at least 20-odd years or so. Tweren’t nothin’ that could stop us then, and ain’t nothin’ gonna stop us now.”

Her words reinvigorated his confidence. The badger would flex his claws with a proud snarl, “Let’s take care of this together then.”

Meanwhile, not too far behind…

Marrow had scampered up to some bushes where he peeked out and could see Pollux enter the series of shacks. The rat man chittered to himself as he sniffed the air.

“...what the--what is she doing? If there’s griffons in there, they’re gonna tear her apart!”

With haste, and his harmonica at the ready, the bard-rat scurried on through the clearing and into those buildings where he heard fighting had already begun! They were in a small room which appeared to be an run-down, bar with nothing left on its shelves and filled with rotting old stools and tables. Within, Pollux and Eastman were already engaged in active combat.

The captain mouse was engaged in a fierce swordfight against a griffoness, standing on the bar’s countertop to match her height, while the badger was busy fighting off the others with his bare claws.

“...I guess ye aren’t willing to compromise are ye?!” Pollux squealed as she dodged a sideways slash from the griffon’s broadsword.

“You come in my place and try to make an offer like that?! No way! I don’t even know who you work for!” the griffon hissed back as their swords clashed with a CLING!--the mouse lady’s cutlass causing sparks to fly against the griffon’s broadsword as they pushed against each other by force. “Grrgh…how is this possible…?”

Behind her mask, Pollux smirked, as she figured that the griffon must have underestimated her strength for a rodent beastwoman. “Didn’t expect me to be this strong, did ye?!” With a swift twirl, she took advantage of the griffon’s lapse of weakness and knocked her sword out of her claw before punching her dead in the neck which caused her to soar across the room, and hit the nearest wall with a thud!

“Oof!”

And as soon as she landed, Pollux was standing there with her cutlass pointed at the griffon’s neck.

“Now if ye could do me a favor…Gaea, was it? Would ya mind givin’ up all yer shite? That would be rather dandy.”

Gaea blinked, and glanced over Pollux’s shoulder. There, she could see several of her fellow griffons still fighting Eastman, but one of them had slipped behind Pollux where the rodent woman couldn’t see him. She used this opportunity to fake a surrender.

“...fine,” she raised her claws, “...what do you want?”

“First, I’ll need--”

THUD!

With a quick leap, the griffon behind Pollux used the nature of his lion-half in order to pounce upon her without being noticed. After a quick tussle, and a thud consisting of lots of squeaking and squawking between the two, Pollux had been pinned beneath the griffon’s claw and into the wooden floor.

“...Nghh! Bugger it…!”

Gaea snickered with a confident grin as she stood up. “Looks like your plan failed this time, Paula. You won’t be getting shit from us. But me?” She leaned over and ripped the mask off of Pollux’s face, earning an angry glare from the rodent. “...I think some nutria would do nicely.”

“Ye wouldn’t dare!” Pollux yelped out of desperation, “Ye’ll catch scurvy from me, so don’t even try it!”

“Pfft. Shaddap--I’m not gonna do that. I’ve got plenty of other things to eat. Nah…nah, you’ll…” She paused to light up a cigarette and held it up to her beak. “...I think you’ll be a good info source.”

Just then, a muscular purple dragon man with icy blue horns would step into the building. Standing at about seven feet tall, this dragon was clearly an adult-aged one.

“Well it looks like things are finally done around here…” he spoke with a rather cryptic, yet friendly tone. As if you could read into what he said with extra meaning, yet still come out unsure… “So this is the famous Captain Pollux, huh?” he commented as he squatted down to look at the enraged rodent woman.

“Aye! Don’t count me out yet. Ye never know what I may have up me sleeves,” she spoke confidently to hide how afraid she actually was.

“...Huh. Funny. Looks to me like you’re the one trapped here. Oh and your first mate has already been dealt with,” he snapped his fingers, and watched as the badger man was tossed across the room with a thud, while bound by rope. “Aaaand there he goes. Like a sack of rocks.”

“Grrrg….” Defeated, Pollux chittered to herself, unable to speak against the dragon. Was this the one whom Nebula’s crew was after this whole time?

“What’s next, boss?” Gaea called out as she blew smoke from her beak. “If she’s here, there’s likely gonna be more of them.”

The purple dragon shrugged his shoulders, “Meh, let ‘em come to us. I don’t wanna waste my energy. They’re gonna know who I am once they realize how badly they screwed up by detaining Hooktail.” He then snickered, “Then we’ll all have a laugh over a cup of some of your finest tea.”