After Harmony and Jim were forced to give Captain Smollett the treasure map, everything on the ship seemed normal for the next few weeks-- chores were being done, the ship was still right on course… and the Mane 6 were actually beginning to enjoy the sailing trip, now that the pirates who tortured Gonzo, Rizzo and Misty were locked away.

They couldn't wait to get to the island, get the star shard and be one step closer to defeating Allura once and for all.

But of course... no sailing trip would be a sailing trip without some... bumps along the way.

And you'll soon find out what that means.

XXXXXXXX

The Hispaniola sat in the middle of the ocean at a stand-still, and the crew onboard were... pretty much board out of their minds.

Without the wind, they couldn't move, so they were pretty much stuck in that particular spot for the time being.

Finally, after a long while of silence, one of the sailors, named Easy Pete, finally spoke. “It's been six weeks since we left England.”

“Five days since we had a breeze…” another sailor named Calico Jack, droned on. “Oh, I don’t think it’s honestly that bad,” Izzy said as she worked on some friendship bracelets. “It gave me a lot of time to finish these friendship bracelets for the crew!”

However, this didn’t seem to brighten anyone’s spirits. Instead, it only seemed to make Calico Jack that much more antsy. “Oh, no. I got the madness!” he said, standing up and shaking violently. “I got cabin fever!”

“I got it too!!” Easy Pete shrieked, much to the Mane 6’s alarm. “CABIN FEVER!!!” two more crew members shrieked in panic before darting off… just before a very peppy song began.

Pirate 1: I got cabin fever
It’s burning in my brain

Mudwell the Mudbunny: I got cabin fever
It’s driving me insane

Pirates: We got cabin fever
We're flipping our bandanas
Been stuck at sea so long that we
Have simply gone bananas!

Then, before the Mane 6's eyes, the ship was transformed with tropical-themed party decorations with the sky darkening, and most everyone, even the Mane 6 themselves, got dressed up in Cuban-&-Mexican-style costumes and danced around the ship.

Vocalists: Ariba!

Chica chica boom
A chica chica boom boom chic
Chica chica boom
A chica chica boom boom chic

Fortunately, the Mane 6 seemed to not mind this strange behavior, and simply got into the dance and song with their friends.

Pirates: We, we
We got cabin fever, we lost what sense we had
We got cabin fever, we're all going mad!

Cowboy Pirate: Grab your partner by the ears
Latch him to the wheel

Hitch: Yeeeeeeeee-haaaaw!!!

Cowboy Pirate: Do-si-do step on his toe
Listen to him squeal

Allemande left, allemande right
It's time to sail or sink
Swing your partner over the side
Drop him in the drink

Posh Pirate 1: We got cabin fever

Posh Pirate 2: No ifs, ands or buts

Posh Pirate 1: We're disoriented

Posh Pirate 2: And demented

Posh Pirates: And a little nuts!

German Pirates: Ach du lieber Volkswagen car (Yodel-lay-ee-hoo)
Sauerbraten, wienerschnitzel
Und wunderbar (Yodel-lay-ee-hoo)

Men: We were sailing, sailing, the wind was on our side

Dead Tom: And then it died

Spotted Dick: I've got cabin fever
I think I've lost my grip

Pipp yelped and ducked in order to avoid a flying maraca.

Pipp: I'd like to get my hands on
Whoever wrote this script!

But that wasn't even the weirdest part of the experience-- the next thing the ponies knew, Angel Marie passed by, playing a ukelele and wearing a dress.

Angel Marie: I was floating 'neath a tropic moon
And dreaming of a blue lagoon
Now I'm crazy as a loon
Ha ha ha!

All: Cabin fever has ravaged all aboard
This once proud vessel has become a floating psycho ward
We were sailing, sailing, headed who knows where
And now though we're all here
We're not all there

Cabin fever! Ah...!

But at that moment, when the song ended, the wind finally returned. “Guys, look!” Lotus cried. “The wind is back!”

Fortunately, as they went back to their ship-bound duties, no one except the Mane 6, Persephone and Lotus had any idea of what just occurred… or so they thought.

XXXXXXXX

Down below deck, Polly, Clueless Morgan, Shivers (Twitch in disguise) and Mad Monty yelled out for help, begging to be released from the bars of their prison cell, since they had been in there for what felt like weeks.

As they continued to yell out and plead, the door to the room opened, and in the doorway stood Long John Silver and Uliana (Allura in disguise), looking irritated and peeved. “Hey, Uliana! Long John!” Polly cried, waving his claws around. “Hey! Get us outta here!”

“Hey, Polly?” Clueless Morgan tapped the lobster’s shoulder after looking around a bit. “What was that song that just happened?”

“What are you talking about?!” Polly cried out as Shiver chattered in confusion. “You know… ‘Cabin fever, ah’...” Clueless Morgan repeated the last line of the song. “That.”

Shiver slapped his face with his paw, utterly confused and irritated with Clueless' behavior. “You see, John? Uliana?” Polly begged. “You gotta get us outta here now! Clueless is startin' to go crackers!”

Long John and Uliana continued to glare at the imprisoned bunch, when Jim and Harmony came in with a rationed plate of bread and a wooden jug water. “Here you go. Your bread and water for today,” Jim set the plate on a barrel. “And make sure you guys shared it,” Harmony advised. “It's all that you've got.”

“But, I ordered shrimp scampi,” Bad Monty pouted. “It's more than you deserve, ya villainous dogs!” Long John snapped, pressing his face against the bars. The four backed away in fear, even Uliana was a little taken aback from the cook's abrasive tongue-lashing. “Oh, Jim. Harmony...” Silver put on arm around the boy's shoulder. “By, rights, I should be locked up too for lettin' thieves like them aboard this ship.”

“Quite right. We're not any better than those scoundrels for even letting step foot on this humble abode,” Uliana played along. “Oh, it chills me to think that they almost killed your little friends...looking for some daft treasure map,” Silver said. “I know,” Harmony nodded sadly. “It's horrible what they tried to do to Misty, Gonzo, and Rizzo.”

“None of this would've happened if I'd have Captain Smollet the m--” Jim then stopped himself, realizing he was saying too much. “I mean...”

He tried to backtrack, but the fated damage had already been done. Harmony winced as Long John slowly turned to the two with a beguiled look. Uliana's ears perked up upon Jim accidental confession. “You mean... there truly IS a treasure map?”

“Well...” Harmony fidgeted a bit. “It's kinda... confidential.”

“I'm not really sure I should be talking about this with you or anyone,” Jim said, unease painted in his expression. “You mean, you've really got a treasure map?” Long John asked in surprise. “Not anymore,” Jim responded. “Mr. Arrow took it and locked it up in the captain's cabin.”

“Ever since the incident with those four,” Harmony pointed to the prisoners, “the Captain that it was best he kept the map.”

“You must promise to keep it a secret,” Jim implored.

“Oh, don't worry your heads about that. You've only told old Long John, and his good friend, Uliana,” Long John said with a smile. “Now, you both run along and do your chores. Go on. Go on.”

Harmony and Jim stepped through the door. Jim turned back to Sliver, who gave him a thumbs up and chuckled. The two left with that, thinking their little secret was well kept. And with the pony and boy gone, John and Uliana exchanged wicked, scheming grins. “Well, our plans have just gotten much easier for us,” Uliana said slyly. “That it be, lass,” Long John grinned. “Though that still leaves us with how we gonna get our hands on that map.”

Uliana stroked her chin, deep in thought. He eyes widened and she grinned evilly. "I believe I have an idea."

XXXXXXXX

Night had once again fallen upon the voyagers, and, along with it, came a thick, blanket of fog. Almost everyone had gone to sleep, the exception being the helsman, Mr. Arrow and a few others. An unnerving wail seemed to carry with the ship. Meanwhile, Mr. Arrow was carefully looking over the ship. "Safely now. Safely."

He came to the current helmsman, who was imitating a foghorn. “Steady as she goes.”

That's when Long John and Uliana came up to the eagle. “Mr. Silver. Ms. Uliana. Good evening.”

“A wicked fog tonight, sir,” Uliana said, looking out at the dense fog around them. “Reminds me of the night we ran ground off the pampas. Half the crew drowned in leaky lifeboats,” Long John falsely reminisced. “Ah, it were a terrible shame.”

“Leaky lifeboats?” Mr. Arrow repeated out of surprise. “Oh, yes. It was a tragedy,” Uliana said dramatically. “Oh, a common occurence, too, sir,” Long John added. “A little-used piece of equipment falls into disrepair and becomes, uh, shall we say...”

"Unsafe?" Mr. Arrow gawked. “Oh, I'm not sayin' our lifeboats our unsafe, sir,” The scheming cook said.

“But, we're also not saying the lifeboats are not unsafe,” Uliana hinted. “But, um...”

"Still...” the eagle began making his way to one of the lifeboats, causing Long John Silver and Uliana both to smirk at one another.

XXXXXXXX

Mr. Arrow carefully checked over the lifeboat he was in, while John held the rope to keep it from floating away. Uliana watched with hidden anticipation.

“Hmm. Hmm. The caulking appears tight. No dampness under the gunwale,” the first mate said. “This one seems seaworthy.”

“Oh, well, sir, they do, of course, until you get them out in the open ocean,” Long John said. “That's what happened to the other crew members we worked with... when they drowned in the middle of the ocean,” Uliana filled in on the rest of the fake story. Mr. Arrow surveyed the lifeboat, as if he was weighing his options. Then, he looked up to the pair. "Cast me off, Mr. Silver."

“Oh, yes, sir,” Long John said. Now came the final part of the plan. “Oh, sir, is there anything we can hold for you for safekeeping? Your hat? Your coat? Um... your keys?”

“Hmm? My keys! Of course!” Mr. Arrow said as he placed his keys in his hat before turning them over to Uliana and Long John. “If they we to fall overboard, it would be disastrous.”

“Oh, that it would, sir,” Uliana purred, hiding an equally wicked grin just as the eagle sat back down on the lifeboat. “Cast me off, Mr. Silver!”

“Aye aye, sir!” Long John threw the end of the rope unto the lifeboat as it began drifting away from the ship. “Thank you, Mr. Silver!” Mr. Arrow said as he rowed away, and Long John saluted a bit. “Just doin' my duty, sir.”

Mr. Arrow's lifeboat soon disappeared into the thick fog, far away from the ship. Long John pulled the keys out from Mr. Arrow's hat, and he and Uliana let out a sinister chuckle. “Soon, that treasure will be ours, and we and we alone will be running the whole show...” Uliana began to chuckled which quickly turned into a full-blown evil laugh. “Oh, I can just taste it.”

“Now you just milkin' it,” Long John deadpanned, which earned a glare from the fake pony.

XXXXXXXX

Morning came along quicker than most would think it would. The fog had long since past and the bright, early sun peeked through the hazy cloud cover. However, things were not so cheery on the ship.

“MAN OVERBOARD!!!!”

XXXXXXXX

Another member knocked on the captain's cabin. Captain Smollett opened it, with Persephone by his side, both of them wearing their pajamas. “Uh, yes?” Captain Smollett asked. “Oh, uh, I'm sorry, sir...” the crewmate handed the captain Mr. Arrow's hat, causing Captain Smollett and Persephone to gasp, the former trying to find the words to speak. “Wha...”

“Mr. Arrow's gone overboard, and...” the crewmate couldn't contain his sobs. “...all we found was his hat!”

Smollett just held the hat in shock. “Oh, no...”

“H-He's... Mr. Arrow's... gone...?” Persephone said between choked sobs. “But... but, why? How?”

The poor unicorn began to sob, devastated tears flowing down her cheeks. Even if Mr. Arrow was on the stricter side, she still saw him as a good friend. And to lose him so suddenly... she didn't want to believe it.

Captain Smollett kneeled down and put a hand on Persephone's back to comfort her. “There's only one thing we can do for him now. Wake the others, Persephone... we must organize a funeral for Mr. Arrow, effective immediately.”

Author's Note

Once again, I had the help of Indywriter Productions to write some of these chapters-- show them your love!