The Wicker Hoofbasket was now miles behind us, completely plundered of the treasure she had been hauling and utterly deprived of any sense of safety, but otherwise unharmed. The hatches of the main deck now lay open as Gab and Rosepetal tallied up all that we'd stolen and piled on the lower deck.

"We're gonna need an appraiser for most of this, Captain," Rosepetal called, scratching her head as she carefully rotated a strange-looking crystal figurine of a unicorn dancing. Amazingly, as it turned in the light, it seemed to shift and animate through a small dance routine. The sight urged a hum of interest from the crew as we all gathered at the edge of each hatch, watching the pair work with interest. I however could only furrow my brow with curiosity at the horde of crystaline bits and bobs they'd been hauling—For quite literally everything we'd stolen was made of crystal.

Ben stepped up beside me and examined the lower deck for a moment before nodding. "Considering the princesses' recent conflict with the Crystal Empire, they must've taken all these from Sombra's outposts and forts," he hummed, drawing a similar noise of understanding from me. He rubbed his chin and beat the back of his paw against my shoulder. "If I were leading this voyage, I might've asked where this cargo was heading, but that aside, not a bad haul for your first outing, Captain." He fixed me with a warm and genuine smile that I couldn't help but mirror.

"Thank you, Commodore," I replied as he returned to his table, looking down with some pride at what we'd taken. Then, something caught my eye. I whistled to Gab and gestured to the items, and as he collected and moved to bring them up I searched the crew for our musical trio. "Happy, you and the other two wanted to be musicians, right?" All three perked up and shared a look before I waved them closer.

"I'm more of a singer, myself," he said with a curious tone once they were all beside me. I reached down and took the two items Gab had grabbed for me.

"Fine, but look here," I urged, holding them up for the other two to see. "You two know how to play?" A wild change overtook the pair.

"A trumpet!" Sour squealed scooping the crystal trumpet up and hugging it desperately.

"That's a nice violin," Jingle mused in wonder as I handed it to him.

"I'll take that as a yes," I said with a chuckle, before waving my hand at the pair. "They're yours." They gave me a unified and utterly grateful pair of smiles as Holiday cleared his throat, drawing our attention to him as he drew his pipe and began smoking.

"Give us a victory tune, you three," he urged, at which the rest of the crew called out in agreement. The three flinched and shared a nervous look before Happy slowly nodded with a breath. As the three prepared for their first genuine performance, I stood up and walked over to Ben who had begun dealing a deck of cards between himself and Blood Orange. As I took a seat, he began dealing my way as well.

Briefly looking at my hand, I leaned over and pointed at him. "You said targeting griffin ships wouldn't cause issues, right?"

"In moderation, Captain Cutter, in moderation," he replied, setting the full deck down and examining his hand. "But the griffins are hardier than ponies. You will have to consider more abrasive methods for compelling them to surrender."

"Got any threes?" Orange chirped.

"We're playing poker, y'idiot," he grumbled.

"Aw," she murmured, hanging her head. Ben sighed and rolled his eyes before drawing two cards and sliding them to her, causing her to perk up and drum her hooves on the table with a squeal. I nodded as I considered Happy's trio who had begun their performance.

"Appreciate the advice, Commodore," I said, at which he reached over and patted my shoulder.

"Surely! Your success is now our success!" He said with a smile before jabbing his claw eastward. "Best of luck to you, Captain! Now, get us back to Naysow so you can hand me my share!"

Once again, the whole crew was gathered on the larboard rail, observing the ship in the distance. It was a sloop and armed with eight guns, four on each side. Even with its armaments, everyone had a much more confident expression, and everyone had some little bit of jewelry or other finery they'd earned during our recent successes. I for instance how had some nice shoes and a red coat with black buttons, currently sitting on my shoulders like a cape due to the midday sun, as I leaned on the rail with one hand to my chin.

Happy trotted up beside me with his harness already on and fixed me with a smile before Gab grunted and lowered his spyglass. "Those're griffin's alright," he said, turning to me and then Happy. "I don't think our trick with Happy will work on them." My unicorn assistant frowned and considered the ship with a hum.

"Ben said something similar a few weeks back," I murmured, drumming my fingers on my cheek. Hatch reared up on the rail, adjusting his yellow Equestrian officer's coat that he'd made a point of stealing.

"Captain, if that's the case, why don't we keep focusing on Equestrian ships?" He asked, with an uneasy smile, nodding his head in the opposite direction of the griffins. "The last one gave up the second they saw our guns and flag, and the two before that yielded to that wonderful trick of yours!"

"I've got plans for returning to Equestrian society one day, Mr. Hatch," I retorted, my eyes still locked on the ship. Even still, I could see him wilt through the corner of my eye. "I think most of us do." I tilted my head in consideration of their course, as they were currently heading north while we rolled west. I stood up and turned to the crew as a thought occurred to me.

"Proving we're willing to harass the griffins is a good starting point," I declared, thrusting my hand out. "Ms. Powder!"

"Aye?" She replied, giving me her full attention.

"You said you wanted to give the griffins the business, right?" I asked, folding my arms and leaning back on the rail.

"Aye," she confirmed, and I tilted my head.

"Think you could put a few holes in their hull?" I asked, at which she furrowed her brow and looked at the distant ship.

"Sure, but they'd be able to do the same to us," she replied with a shrug.

"Well, we aren't going to open fire yet," I pointed out, looking at the ship as well. "They haven't noticed us." I made a whirling motion with my hand.

"Do you think you could blow their rudder off?" I pressed, causing her to blink and turn to Gab.

"Can I borrow that glass?" When he handed it to her she spied on the griffins for a few seconds. She leaned to her right seemingly to get a better look at their back and wound up leaning on the rail while balancing on the tip of one hoof. "We'd have to get within point-blank range by-" She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes.

"Ten meters, then yeah," she declared, handing Gab his glass and fixing me with a critical leer. "But like I said, they'd be able-"

"Not if we shoot at their back," I declared with a wink before turning to our helmsmare. "Ms. Rosepetal, sixteen notches to larboard! Drop the tarps to hide your guns, Sergeant." I rolled my arm at Powder who blinked and then nodded at her assistants as they scooped the furled tarps we kept by each rail and tossed them over. They were painted on one side to match our hull, letting us hide the fact our gun ports were open. Gave the ponies we'd ambushed an awful scare at least, as if my and Happy's act wasn't enough.

"Ah, I see what you're after!" Gab chortled before scowling and jabbing a hoof at Rosepetal. "Belay that! Go for twenty until we're turned around!" Rosepetal nodded firmly and did as he instructed.

"My mistake," I mused before pointing at the gun crew. "Ms. Powder, please ready the larboard guns to make the shot we've just discussed. Everyone else, trim the sails to half and brace against the larboard rail in case they begin shooting bolts or hurling spears." I paced toward the quarterdeck as everyone galloped to do as instructed. While Holiday trotted down to my old cabin, which was now his operating bay, I signaled to Zama before she could follow.

"Ms. Zamaradi, please be ready to repel sudden boarders, seeing as they can fly," I ordered, gesturing to the enemy ship as we began turning around. "Just in case."

She balked with a huff, shaking her head in bemusement. "On my own! Your faith is kind, Captain, but let's be practical!"

"I'm being perfectly practical," I said, hanging my coat on the quarterdeck's banister and rattling the sword on my hip. "I'll be joining you, since you and I are the only ones who won't be otherwise preoccupied and can keep our eyes skyward." I motioned for her to follow me up the stairs, drawing a defeated huff from the zebra. Once we were up top, I signaled to Gab.

"Mr. Gabber please be ready to make our demands," I declared, earning a nod as he drew his speaking trumpet.

"Aye, aye, Sir," he replied with a salute, whirling about to shout at the rigging crew. "You heard him! Haul to!"

"Don't raise our flag until after we've shot them!" I called up to Early as he fluttered back to the crow's nest.

He balked in midair at me. "Captain, ain't that kind of dishonest?" He asked. A pause fell across the crew before I snorted and everyone laughed, including our lookout. Not too long after, we were turned back east and rolling at half speed. Everyone scrambled to the positions I'd ordered, with Gab and Zamaradi on the quarterdeck behind me. I drew my spyglass and watched the enemy ship for a few moments when I spied the enemy captain focusing on me through his own spyglass. He wore a perplexed expression that only worsened when I waved.

As we drew closer, it became apparent they had a small crew and a casual demeanor—Civilians, possibly couriers making a delivery or returning from one. We'd find out soon enough.

"Fire when ready, Sergeant," I called down to Powder as she and her team worked in secret. The enemy captain was nudged by one of his crew and he jumped before nodding and scanning the rest of our ship. He then lowered his glass just in time for us to roll up behind him from a safe distance. He said something to his crew and I could just barely see the wheel of their ship beginning to spin as he doubtlessly ordered their ship to line up for a broadside. Then, his crewmate handed him a speaking trumpet.

"Attention! Strange creature!" He yelled out to us as I lowered my spyglass. "I cannot see your colors and do not care for your crew nor how you just came about! Where are you coming from and where are you going?" I considered Powder just as she nodded and lit the fuse of her cannon. I gestured for Gab to hand me our trumpet and took a breath.

"I'm going aboard of you!" I yelled out to him. A half second later, our cannon blasted a burning hole through our tarp and sent a heavy ball of iron screaming through the air. I held my breath as the griffins all jumped just as the ball tore through the water's surface, skimming it like a skipping stone for a moment before vanishing.

A heavily muted boom filled the air as the water just around their rudder burst up before a few bits of splintered wood were thrown in the air. I raised my eyebrows and gripped the quarterdeck rail as our crew cheered. The enemy captain leered down at the water for a moment before someone flew up beside him and began frantically yelling something.

"Aw!" The captain yelled loud enough for us to hear. I finally sighed in relief, looking through my spyglass to see that, though a few griffins were scrambling by the helm, their ship was no longer turning. They could sure as hell move forward, but that was the limit of their maneuverability. The captain scowled at me before raising his trumpet again. "Terribly unsporting, Chap." I smirked as my crew cheered and hollered before raising my trumpet to call back.

"Surrender now, or we'll show you just how unsporting we can be!"

The crew of griffins could only scowl and grumble at us as Zamaradi and a few armed ponies kept them rounded up in a corner of their quarterdeck. The griffin captain however paced patiently at my side as our crew hauled up their cannons, gunpowder, and a few boxes they were transporting.

"So, what exactly were you up to, may I ask?" I pressed, making sure to keep my hand on the hilt of my sword.

"Commissioned prisoner transport, Sir, delivering a few criminals from Griffinstone to a labor colony near Abyssinia," he replied in an unbothered tone as he watched us loot his cargo. "We were also transporting a few gifts from the colony governor to His Excellency."

"Well, I'm no Excellency, but I definitely appreciate the gesture," I hummed in response, leaning on his starboard rail with my arms folded.

"Oh, very clever," he mused, resting one foreleg on the rail beside me. "I hope your wit doesn't fail you when you're facing a noose, Old Top."

"Oh, I'm shaking," I mused, shaking my head. For once, his composure wavered and he raised an eyebrow.

"You're very lucky those Crystal Barges have called our admiralty's full attention north," he offered, causing me to tilt my head.

"Crystal Barges?" I asked, causing him to bark a laugh and shake his head.

"And you call yourself a sea captain? No wonder you turned pirate!" He jabbed with a snort and a smirk. I frowned and huffed at him.

"Alright, jackass, never mind," I turned away and searched for Gab, waving to him once I spotted him. "Let's get moving. Do they have a toilet at their bow, too?"

"Sure do!" He called back, at which I nodded.

"Yeah, go ahead and break that," I said, pushing off the rail and striding back to our ship, leaving the shocked griffin behind. "Smash it apart with a few spare cannonballs or something."

"I'll do it!" Powder Monkey chirped, scrambling to do as requested. As I strode up the gangplank back onto our ship, Gab suddenly called from near one of our hatches.

"Oy, Captain! Come take a gander at this!" He yelled. When I arrived at his side he held up a velvet-covered box with an open lid on a hinge. My eyebrows shot up at what was nestled inside.

"Whoa," I gasped as I carefully drew out the device. It had a flat, wooden stock at one end of a long metal tube that ended in a broad taper. Turning the whole thing in my hands, I spotted a spring-activated lever that snapped down into a small pan on the side of the device. The lever had a little clamp on it which I presumed could be used to hold a lit piece of cord or something. Gab examined the ship's cargo log we'd stolen as I looked over the weapon.

"'Abyssinian Small Gun. Invented two months ago and requisitioned one week later,' according to their log," he mused, looking up at me and the gun. "You seem to know how to hold it. Any clue what it is?"

"A fucking blunderbuss, I'm pretty sure," I replied to his bewilderment. I leveled the weapon and aimed down its barrel with a chuckle. "Have to see about getting some grapeshot or ball bearings for this."

As the ship rolled into Naysow's harbor we were met with a few cheers as greetings from some of the locals and other privateers working for the Flying Gang. I noted the presence of a sloop with furled crimson sails and a unique flag billowing in the wind toward the furthest end of the harbor.

"Captain Catarina's in today, Captain," Gab said, having also noticed the personal ship of one of the Gang's leaders, or 'Merits' as they preferred to be called. "Wonder if Ben'll finally introduce you?" I hummed in response and considered the rest of the town.

Unsurprisingly, Apricot and a few of her friends were waiting where the main road met the docks and began calling out after me, waving their hooves to get my attention. The actual surprise came from the sight of Burigold, standing on the docks with a severe look and then striding down to meet me where we anchored.

"I think the commodore wants to talk," I declared, drawing Gab's attention to the dog. He laughed in response and nudged me.

"Hey! Maybe I was on to something? Go ahead, I'll get the loot settled," he said, earning a nod from me as I made my way off the ship. "Catch up with you after." By the time I reached the end of our gangplank, Ben was already waiting.

"Cutter, walk with me," he urged before turning and making his way inland. Following along, I waved at Apricot as she and her friends came trotting up. However, as soon as they saw the look on Burigold's face, they murmured and grumbled before stepping out of our way. Burigold considered me over his shoulder as we walked. "You heard any news of the north?" I raised an eyebrow at his question.

"The prize we just took mentioned something keeping the griffin's attention up that way," I replied, tilting my head back as I tried to recall the word the griffin had used. "Crystal Barges, I think it was."

"Damn," he hissed, folding his arms. "That makes you the sixth to report as such." He moaned grumpily.

"What's a Crystal Barge?" I asked, causing him to offer me a raised eyebrow.

"You know Sombra?" He asked.

"Yeah," I replied, earning a nod.

"Right, well they're big hunks of crystal from that kingdom he conquered. His cronies used magic to sculpt and turn them into ships moved by magic instead of the wind," he explained with no small amount of annoyance in his voice as we approached the inn I'd lived in for most of my time in Naysow. My usual table on the patio already had a few kirins cleaning it before one came out with a pair of steaming mugs in her magic.

"Before I left, Celestia had mentioned something about Sombra's followers causing trouble again," I offered as we both took a seat. Grabbing my mug, I found to my delight that the kirin inn-keep had set us up with hot chocolate. Ben however merely slouched in his chair and drummed his claws on the table.

"Aye, and it sounds like secured some berth or other from which to launch those damned nuisances," he murmured.

"Is that a problem?" I asked after taking a sip. He threw his arms up with a gasping growl.

"Seven Hells and Tambelon Bells! Is it a problem, he says!" He snorted in a mocking tone before jabbing a claw at me. "So long as they're mucking about, we can expect merchant ships to become thinner and thinner this far south. The prize you took was on a return voyage, wasn't it?" When I nodded he sighed and slapped the table a few times.

"Aye, expect more and more of that," he grumbled, throwing his head back. "Until all their ships are returned and no more are sailing out save them that can actually fight back."

"Is that any different from what you were expecting from the war?" I pressed, tilting my head.

"Very. The war means that they send military where they believe the other side's military will be," he said, knitting his paws behind his head as he reclined. "Sombra's fools sinking everything they come across means they send the military everywhere until they're dealt with."

"They're just in the north right now," I pointed out, causing him to sit up.

"Right now! But if they manage to gain some headway, who knows how far south they'll bring their nonsense!" He retorted, throwing his paws up before sinking back with a mournful sigh. "I set this whole operation up to corral all the looters and pillagers in this sea, and here these half-wits come to spoil the whole plan." He dragged his paws over his eyes with a groan before scooting his chair back and stepping away.

"I have to get back to the fort. The other Merits of the Flying Gang are trying to hurry out here and see what we can do to defend our money-making scheme," he explained, offering me a weak wave as he departed. I hummed in consideration of his words before grabbing his untouched mug. When Gab finally arrived and I'd explained everything to him, he shuddered with a snort.

"Sombra, eh?" He grumbled before spitting off to the side. "Guess even in death he's causin' trouble."

"It sure has Ben upset," I replied as a kirin delivered a mug to Gab.

"Those barges are a powerful pain in the rear, Captain," he huffed as he sipped from his drink. I drummed my fingers on the table with a slow nod.

"Sure. But they could be useful," I offered. Gab paused as he drank before slowly setting the mug down.

"Hey?" He asked, clearing his throat and earning a smile from me.

"If we could find where they're hiding and setting sail from, not only would that make Ben happy, but I reckon it'd make the princess happy too," I explained, wagging my eyebrows. "Especially if that wound up helping put a stop to them." He considered me evenly for a moment before narrowing his eyes with a wide, sarcastic smile.

"Mayhaps, but finding them's the trick, ain't it?" He retorted. I pursed my lips and drew the chart he'd made for me from my coat. Rolling it out on the table, I searched it for a moment and then tapped on the north-most portion labeled 'Don't.'

"They're coming from the north and they're followers of an old dark wizard, right?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as Gab recoiled with a groan. "What's up here?"

"That's where they believe old Tambelon used to be," he grumbled in response before fixing me with a hard glare. "Grogar's kingdom."

"Those words don't mean anything to me, I'm sorry," I said, considering the map and drumming my fingers on it. "But that sounds like dark magic, now, doesn't it?" He audibly shuddered.

"Ancient and terrible dark magic, Captain. Grogar used a magic bell to create most of the foulest monsters roaming the world today," he said in a hushed tone, leaning on the table at me. "In fact, most sailors are certain he also constructed at least six of the more famous ghost ships lurking out there."

"Ghost ships, huh?" I hummed.

"Aye, like the Bell-bound," he continued. "Captured innocent folk and tortured 'em so their souls would be miserable and angry, then used his bell to bind them to the rotted planks of the ship. Set 'em loose to patrol the waters around his lair." I slowly nodded before rolling up my chart.

"Guess we'll keep an eye out for it," I declare, stamping the chart's end against the table before slipping it into my coat. Gab's jaw dropped.

"You're not serious?" He groused.

"I'm seriously considering it," I replied, reclining in my chair. "We just need to search around up there, not get stuck in a fight." He sat with his jaw hanging for another second before readopting his narrow-eyed smile.

"Alright, supposing we convinced the crew to sail up there and even supposing we prepared for the frigid cold waiting up that way, and even supposing we didn't run afoul of anything," he paused and grimaced. "Unnatural, you do realize we'd be sailing right through the place those barges are haunting, right? Not to mention, possibly, the Equestrian and Griffinstone navies, at the same time, because I'd like to point out that the area you're describing is on the opposite end of a fairly narrow strait!" He took a heavy breath and hissed it out. I tilted my head back in thought.

"What if we sailed back west to the Lunar Sea and then cut around the top of the Equestrian continent?" I offered, gesturing in a circular motion. He huffed and rolled his eyes hard.

"I don't think you get how far north that continent stretches!" He spat, shaking his hoof further east. "It'd be faster to slip up the Stampede River past Ho Chi Mane and then wrap north to-" He paused with his hoof outstretched as a smile worked its way onto my face. His hoof swung forward and pounded the table as he hopped out of his seat.

"We'll put it to a damned vote," he grumbled, trotting off to the docks.

"My thanks, Quartermaster," I called after him.

"Hope Apricot snaps your hands off," he called back.

Galley eagerly zipped from one side of the ship to the other and from bow to stern, her pink mane swishing back and forth as she scanned the chilly waters around us. She'd been the only crewmate who needed no convincing to take up the journey out here. For the rest, I'd simply conveyed what Ben had told me and added my thinking, that if this situation wasn't handled it could start to eat into our operation and the fact that this could earn us a solid reputation on all accounts.

The assurance that we were going to run the very instant we spotted trouble had definitely helped, as an aside.

If I wasn't so preoccupied scanning our surroundings with my spyglass, I might've asked Galley what she was so excited about. Instead, I wound up adding to her excitement when I spied land to our southwest.

"Mr. Gabber, what might that be?" I asked. The grumpy pegasus reared upon the rail, crinkling his winter coat as he did before he drew his spyglass and examined the landmass as well. Galley was the first to snap to attention at my discovery, but the rest of the crew also trotted up to the rail.

"I'd wager that's Mount Metazoa, so we're about halfway to the north-most ice fields," he explained with a nod my way. "That's where the strait we made this whole trip to avoid sailing up lets out."

"Anything of note at that mountain?" I asked, with a hum as I continued scanning the land.

"Reindeer," he replied, drawing a curious hum from the crew. "They're supposedly friendly." I rolled my head thoughtfully at this news before turning to the crew.

"Maybe they'd be willing to treat with us," I offered before raising my hand. "Who feels like going on a reindeer hunt?"

"Aye," they almost all agreed. The only one who hadn't voted was Stitches, who sat with her eyes shut and her mouth opening more and more until-

"Achoo!" She sniffed. "'Scuse me." I gave her a nod.

"Reindeer it is," I declared, looking up at the rigging and then gesturing across the deck. "Let's get-"

"Captain?" Gab pressed when he saw my expression.

"Well, shit," I huffed, as I walked to the starboard rail. The crew looked that way as I marched and an unhappy and uneasy silence fell over us all.

For north of us, a huge wall of green fog had suddenly popped up, spreading so far that it threatened to blot out the early morning sun. Once I reached the rail, followed closely by the crew, I scanned the fog with my spyglass.

"What are those lights?" Rosepetal murmured, drawing attention to the clusters of faint yellow globes hanging all throughout the fog. As I scanned the general area where the lights were, I tsked as the outline of a ship began to take shape.

"It's the Bell-bound!" Gab cried, drawing a wail from a few crewmates.

"Probably!" I declared, watching the ship become more defined as if it was forming from the fog itself. "All the more reason to get us moving to land, right?"

"Right!" They all yelled before scrambling to get the ship moving away from the possible ghost ship. For my part, I found myself compelled to keep watching the unnatural thing as it approached. Some small part of me suspected it was a trick, possibly conjured by Sombra's followers.

All of the rest of me, however, didn't really care.

As Gab barked orders to the rigging crew, I was finally able to see the ship itself—From its unknown number of gunports more of the eerie fog spilled out before rising up and framing the vessel. Its hull was an ugly charcoal black and seemed to crumble in places as if it had actually been set on fire. The rail was, of course, made of bones and the three masts had only tatters for sails that drifted worthlessly on the breeze.

But I gave little consideration to how the thing managed to propel itself when I saw the origins of all the little lights.

Griffins, hippogriffs, and ponies of all tribes gathered on the main deck and peering out through holes along the ship's hull. The lights were in fact their eyes, as none of the ghostly creatures had properly defined bodies, merely being clusters of fog in the general shape of the species I recognized.

Along the yard arm of the masts, there were hanging chains collared to dozens and dozens of spectral pegasi and griffins who were hanging in the air on ghostly wings.

In the sea just before the ship's bow, more lights suddenly bobbed out of the water, revealing the ghostly heads of dozens and dozens of ponies and hippogriffs. These too were collared and chained to the bow of the ship.

As the spectral crew leered horribly at us, suddenly a figure appeared at the bow. It was a skeletal unicorn with a coat of that same green fog and a sickly yellow bulb of light pulsing in its chest. The skeleton seemed to stare right at me specifically before its horn began to glow.

"Huh," I huffed, realizing I hadn't heard Gab yell in a minute or two. Looking over my shoulder, I saw the crew had all stopped their work to look in horror at our foe.

Then a crackling noise split the air.

Turning back, I blinked and then caught my breath as from beneath the hull of the ghost ship a vast sheet of ice suddenly shot out in all directions. The Quicksilver groaned and lurched and we were all thrown off balance as the ice reached and overtook us in an instant.

"Captain?" Happy squeaked as we all lay toppled over. Considering him for a moment, I pulled myself up by the rail and looked off our larboard side. The ice had carried on and seemed to reach all the way to shore.

Looking back and raising my spyglass, I saw the skeleton leaning forward with one hoof over its eyes. It seemed to perk up and then did a strange hacking motion, pointing its hoof at me, as if it were laughing.

Then it stamped its hoof and a dull boom roared out. In that instant, all the chained ghosts shot forward and began dragging the entire ship our way, ignoring the ice that they just phased through as the ship picked up speed.

"Abandon ship," I declared.

Author's Note