Fluttershy awoke from her bed. Celestia's sun high over the land. It was going to be clear weather today. No chance of storms, and the winds were calm. Why she cared about the weather, she did not know. She doesn't fly as much, so why should she care? She pondered about this, as she got up from her bed. Fluttershy knew, it was now feeding time.
She grabbed a bag of feed, as she headed towards the chicken pen.
~~~
"Here you go." She softly spoke, carefully pouring out the food. All the poultry raced to the trough, gobbling the feed up. She watched them for a little, then headed for a certain chicken house in the corner. She got inside the house to check on her two most important residents.
She walked towards the nest of the two dodos, careful not to startle them.
"Oh. They're asleep." Fluttershy smiled, seeing the pair cuddling up with each other, in a peaceful slumber.
"I've always wondered why I can't find any more of you two." She whispered.
She then, slowly yet silently, poured the feed into their personal dishes.
Once the dishes were filled, she tiptoed away from them, leaving them to their sleep.
~~~
"Have a carrot Angel." Fluttershy said, giving the snack to the white rabbit.
The rabbit took the carrot and began munching on it. Fluttershy grinned at him, as she turned to sit on her couch.
She then, just sat there, thinking.
Thinking about why those dodos might be the only ones left.
"It's just doesn't make any sense." She thought.
"Where did they all go?"
Suddenly, a knock was heard on her door. Fluttershy walked towards her door and slowly opened it.
"Good morning Fluttershy!"
It was Twilight, one of her friends.
"Oh. Good morning Twilight. Please, come in!" She opened the door wider for Twilight to enter.
"Oh! Ok! Thanks!" She trotted into the living room.
"I just wanted to see how you were doing."
"Well, I'm doing quite fine, thank you for wondering."
"That's what friends are for!" Twilight smiled, as the two sat on the couch. They then started conversing about some things. Soon, however, Fluttershy asked a question that's been bugging her.
"Twilight,"
"Yes?"
"How come I can't find any more dodos like Pauline and Patrick?"
"Pauline and Patrick?"
"I named them that." Fluttershy clarified.
"Oh." Twilight began to think.
"Well, I'm sorry to have to say this to you Fluttershy, but dodos are..." Twilight then gave a sigh.
"Endangered." Fluttershy gasped at Twilight's statement.
"But....HOW?!"
"I'm not quite sure. It really doesn't say that much in my history books about dodos..."
They then paused for a short moment. Then Twilight gave Fluttershy a reassuring smile.
"Maybe I'll ask the princess about it in my letter."
"Ok." Fluttershy softly responded.
"Well, it was nice seeing you." Twilight said, as she got up to leave.
"It was nice to see you too Twilight." The mares then shared a short hug, as Twilight then departed. Fluttershy waved her a goodbye.
She then shut the door, finding her head with more questions than answers.
~~~~~
It was late in they afternoon. Fluttershy went out to the market to get some groceries. She bought some hay, oats, some apples. But what she really couldn't wait to buy was-
"Waffles! Mmmmm!" She soon approached Sugar Cube Corner, following the scent of freshly baked pastries.
She arrived, ready to make an order.
Suddenly, Pinkie appeared, startling Fluttershy a little bit.
"Hiya Fluttershy! Welcome to Sugar Cube Corner! What would you like to eat? We have some DEElicious bagels we baked. Ooh! How about some muffins?! Or maybe even-"
"Umm Pinkie, sorry for interrupting, that all sounds yummy," Fluttershy soothed.
"But, I'm really just here for the waffles."
Pinkie then nodded.
"Okee Dokee Loki! I'll be right back!" She then turned to start baking.
Fluttershy took a seat at a table. She then observed her surroundings.
Just as she predicted. Clear skies with a light breeze. She decided to gaze at the clouds while she waited for her waffles.
She was shocked by the sound of a familiar voice.
"Fluttershy, guess what!"
She jumped from the voice and fell to the ground. She looked up to see Twilight above her, with Spike holding what appeared to be a letter.
Fluttershy then got up.
"What is it Twilight?"
"I wrote to the princess, and she answered! Take a look!" She then signaled to Spike to hand over the letter. The letter reached Fluttershy's hooves, as she sat down to read.
My Faithful Student,
After reading about your friend's curiosity, I have decided to answer her question. She shall come to the castle at dawn to hear a much needed explanation.
Your teacher,
Princess Celestia
Fluttershy nearly fell out of her seat again.
"I-I-I get a meeting...with the Princess?" She asked, still shocked.
"Yep!" Twilight said. "Tonight at 6!"
"Oh my."
"Waffles are ready!" Pinkie yelled out.
Fluttershy looked at Pinkie, then at Twilight.
"Would you.... like some waffles?"
"No thanks. I just ate. You go on ahead though. Bye!" She trotted off, leaving Fluttershy alone.
Fluttershy then got up and headed to the counter. She was hungry for some waffles, and she's was going to feed that hunger.
~~~~~~
Storytime with Princess Celestia
Fluttershy arrived at the huge gates in front of her. The castle loomed over her, regal and fine. She stopped walking and stood in front of the gates.
"Halt!" A guard yelled. "Who goes there?"
Fluttershy instantly became incredibly nervous. The guards stopped in front of her.
"State your name and business."
"Oh! Oh my. Well, I-I'm just here to see the.....the..... Fluttershy gulped.
"the princess."
"What? I can't hear you." The guard said.
"It's okay guards. She's with me." Princess Celestia appeared behind the surprised guards. They quickly turned around and did a hasty bow.
"Yes, your majesty!" They then signaled for the gates to open.
The entrance split, showing the princess behind it. Fluttershy trembled in anxiety.
The princess then stood over her.
"Come with me. We have much to discuss."
Fluttershy nervously nodded, as she followed the princess inside.
~~~
"So," the princess took a sip from her teacup. "You want to know why you own the last possible pair of dodos in Equestria?"
Fluttershy softly nodded.
"If, its all right with you that is." Fluttershy shyly asked.
The princess put her teacup down. She then stood up. "Its no problem at all, my little pony." She then headed towards her bookcase. "Just let me find the book here somewhere....." she looked at the books in the shelves.
"Paleontology for Foals.......Passing the Cinnamon Challenge.." she then looked strangely at a certain book.
"Finishing the Race to Prestige?" She stared at the book. "What's THAT doing here?" She then shrugged.
"Ah! Here it is!" She levitated a book in front of her. "The Tale of the Pirate Captain." She then walked back to her spot, flipping open the old dusty book.
"The story starts a long, long time ago." The princess smiled, then looked at Fluttershy.
"How much do you know of your ancestry, Fluttershy?"
Fluttershy took the time to think.
"Umm, not much."
"Well Fluttershy," The princess said, turning the page. "This is the story of your great ancestor, The Pirate Captain."
"PIRATE Captain?" Fluttershy gasped.
"Oh my."
"A long time ago, before the return of Nightmare Moon...."
~~~
Griffon Empire: 173 years before the Return of Nightmare Moon
"Your Majesty! General Grant!" The griffon yelled out. Another griffon dressed in military fashion entered the room. He had two privates pull out a map of military conquests.
The General bowed in front of an old, regal griffon monarch across the table.
"Your majesty, we have FINALLY driven the Pony Empire back. We have also defeated the Zebras, the Giraffes, and the Diamond Dogs." He said, using the pointer to show the victories.
The Queen took a bite of her meal.
"Then our navy, now rules the ocean."
The General then began to shiver from nervousness.
"Ummm, well you see, your majesty, umm, we almost rule the ocean...."
"Almost?" The queen angrily questioned.
"W-We still have a problem with," he then anxiously pointed at a group of boats. "P-p-p-pirates."
The queen strangely calmed.
"What does it say on my Royal Crest General Grant?" She said, pointing to the top of her chair.
"Ummmmm, "I hate pirates".......ma'am?" He responded.
"That's right...." she said, grabbing the chicken bone. She then snapped it in half.
"Hate them!" She then grabbed her knife.
"With their, plundering and their, barbaric shanties! I hate them! HATE THEM!" She raged. The griffons were slowly retreating from the Queen's Table.
"I want them sunk! Smothered! Blown out of the sea!" She then raised her fork.
"I HATE PIRATES!!!!" She yelled, throwing her knife in a stabbing position to the table.
~~~
The knife dug into the table. The zebra then growled.
"Its the looting."
An old grimy green Earth pony with a ginger mane snarled back at him.
"Its the cutlasses."
"LOOTING!"
"CUTLASSES!"
The argument got generally louder, as the ship rocked in the waves.
"LOOTING!!!!"
"CUTLASSES!!!!"
Finally, the tension broke, as the first punch was thrown, resulting in a full out roughhouse. Bottles were broken, chairs demolished, and bruises appeared.
Suddenly, the door burst open.
Everypony got quiet, and stared in awe, as the figure walked in.
It was a yellow pegasus stallion, with a brown mane and a large brown beard. He had a red jacket on, musty black boots, and a worn black hat. His Mark was what appeared to be a black butterfly with crossbones behind it.
"Oh hello Captain! Top of the mornin'!" The zebra nervously rhymed.
"We were just discussing about what the best part, about being a pirate is." Said the green stallion.
The Captain had a disappointed look on his face.
"Oh you were, were you?" He asked, unamused.
"Umm, yes my captain that be true! It's the looting I like to do!" The zebra stallion said.
"And I suggested the cutlasses." The green pony spoke.
"And I said it was the exotic diseases!" An albino male unicorn chimed in.
The Pirate Captain thought for a moment.
"Well your all wrong." He said, walking down the area.
"Its not the looting, nor the cutlasses," he glared at the two, then continued onward.
"It isn't the grob, nor the scurvy." He then stopped at the end of the room.
"Or even the scantily-clad Meremares....no. The BEST part, of being a pirate...." he then turned around.
"Is WAFFLE NIGHT!!!" He sung out. He grabbed his cutlass and sliced a rope, revealing a banner for Waffle Night.
Everypony cheered, as they all set up the table. Once everypony found their seats, the waffles were then brought out by a grey Earth pony with a blonde mane. He was more finely dressed (pirate-wise that is) than the others. Except for the Captain, of course.
Once the waffles were brought out, the captain grabbed them all and tossed each and every single one of them to each pirate's plate. He then started "Lunawalking" in front of everypony. They cheered, as he did a spin. He then performed a perfect split with ease. The zebra pirate groaned softly at the splits, worried about the Captain. The Captain then finished with a hoof pump, and turned, smiling at the crew. They all cheered, as the Captain took it all in. He then leaned towards the grey stallion with a blonde mane.
"How did I do Number Two?" He asked.
"You've still got it sir." Number Two chuckled.
"Good." He then went back to receiving praise.
"I would take a jellyfish to the face for that stallion." Said the Surprisingly Curvaceous, light red, pink maned, bearded Pirate.
"Now now, everypony calm down! This isn't all about me!" The pirates yelled in adulation.
"No really! It isn't! Behind every Captain, and his luxurious beard," He said, stroking his beard. "There's a crew, of briny rogues! Which is all of you!" They all cheered, as the Captain made his speech. "True some of you are as ugly as crusty old sea cucumbers," he said, pointing at the green Pirate with Gout.
"Aw, go on now, would ya?" The pirate responded with pride.
"And some of you are more of coat racks and umbrella holders than pirates." The Captain said, pointing at the Pirate with only one real leg.
"Aaaand some of you are just fish I've dressed up in a hat." The Captain said, with less excitement. A fish popped his mouth in response.
"But still," he cheered up. "You are all, the BEST crew a Captain could wish for!"
The crew roused.
"To Waffle Night! And to the Pirate Captain!" The Pirate with the Gout toasted.
They all began drinking to the festivity and to the Captain.
"Pause all this folly! Don't forget Polly!" The zebra pirate yelled.
"Ah! Never forget! Never forgetting!" The Captain replied.
The zebra pirate brought up a plump, flightless fowl, with a strangely shaped beak.
"POLLY! The finest parrot to sail the Seven Seas!" The dodo hobbled across the table towards the Pirate Captain. He then grabbed Polly and began to nuzzle her.
"Who's a good parrot? You are! Yes you are! Yes you are!" He continued to nuzzle her, until he realized what he was doing. He found himself being given confused stares by his crew. He then coughed, embarrassed by what he was doing.
"Heh heh. Anyway! We've got news from the Pirate King!" He then began to take out a newspaper.
Immediately, a drum roll was heard, as the paper slid across the table, revealing the announcement for the annual Pirate of the Year Awards.
Everypony stared at the paper in awe.
The Pirate Captain dropped Polly down to the table, where the Albino Pirate grabbed her and started petting her.
"Are you going to try-" The Surprisingly Curvaceous Pirate coughed, almost blowing her cover.
"Are you going to try out for Pirate of the Year again Captain?" She said, in a deeper voice.
"Why, yes I am, Surprisingly Curvaceous Pirate!" The Captain replied.
She then went back to her dreamy state, looking at the Pirate Captain.
"Now, we have done the maths, and we've figured out that THIS YEAR," The Pirate Captain declared, pointing at the chart Number Two brought out.
"I shall be crowned, PIRATE of the YEAR!!!"
"Yes! Maybe this year you'll win!" The albino pony said.
"Yea. Its been 20 years...."
"Yes yes, I am aware of the span of years Pirate with Gout." The Pirate Captain said, sounding annoyed.
"Maybe 21, or 22...."
"Lets just leave it at 20. ANYWAYS!" The Pirate Captain said, changing the subject.
"We're setting a course, for BLOOD ISLAND!" The Captain said, pointing his cutlass outwardly.
The crew were all in high spirits, as they began their night of Waffle Deliciousness.
~~~~
