Gatling Rain On a Steam Filled Morn

There is one thing that's important about owning a ship, especially one you built from scrap.

A crew.

Making head way to an Equestrian docking station, one further in the territory than the first they saw, they chose an empty spot nearest the market, and docked there, coming to a rough halt. The bow stuck far enough over the walkway that you had to duck under it.

As Sally and Stormy got off of the Eloise, several stallions engulfed them, each with either a question, offer to buy something, or something about the ship or money.

"Your captain must be rich."

"Since you seem to have good tastes, take a gander at my new wares..."

Sonny, you've gotten lucky. Who's your captain?"

"I am.", Stormy spoke seriously.

All fell silent, then a few chuckles arose.

"No...Seriously. I built the Eloise from scrap collected at the racing canyon on the boarder. Not even half a day's flight from here."

"Wow. that story would actually be believable if you weren't a kid."

"Shyeah right, and who's this young mare? You're first mate?"

"Kid,I would believe you, but..."

"No, really. I used a crane ship, and pieced her together from pieces of nearly every salvageable crash, even fixed half the stuff to work, and made a new engine in the process."

The stallions continued to bicker, not a single one able to believe the story of such a young stallion, especially half his own age.

"Hey, hey, hey!"

It was a mare. More than likely a more mature one, at that.

"Why don't you scabs go stick on another person, he doesn't need hassle from you guys."

The stallions all left, silently.

"Wow, thanks.", Stormy thanked.

"Don't mention it. So, You said that you built this sucker from scraps?"

"Nothing but. Engineering has been my favorite hobby since I was three - piecing together toys without instructions."

"Wow, smart. So, how old are you exactly?"

"Well, counting my latest birthday, I just recently turned sixteen."

"Well then, what about you, miss?"

"I'm only seventeen and a half."

"And you're the only two in the crew, so far?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Well then."

"We actually came here only to find anyone willing to join our crew."

"Hey, I can help you with that. In fact, I can get you a few good young people like yourself."

"Well, the max that can live aboard is eighty, so."

"A good start, I'll say. I began with a ship that was not even a fourth that size, and began working up from there. Now, I own a ship just as big as your ship, if not, bigger, and with a full crew. every spot filled."

"You must be a good captain, then. I'm Captain Stormy. My real name is Storm Wind."

"I'm Captain Yollossandra. My real name is actually Blue Cay."

"Well, it's been a pleasure meeting you."

"Likewise. So, I can really help you, but if you don't want me to, I could stay out of your hair."

"Well, it would be a big help if you could get me up to a crew of ten, at least."

"What? I could get you at least twenty with a single flier."

"really?"

"I'm well known here. Best flier, bounty hunter, pirate dropper, and, I've even met THE Twilight sparkle, inventor of the Mark 1 Twilight Victorian."

"Well, I don't like bragging much, but, my ship doesn't use a Twilight Victorian. I made my own engine. In fact, you don't find a ship that has enclosed turbines like she does."

"I thought they were cannons...", she peered up at the large masses hanging to the ship's side.

"Nope. Each has a turbine enclosed in a specially made engine compartment. Get's better acceleration and speed than the Twilight Victorian by at least six hundred kilometers."

"Impressive. Maybe later, once I get you a few, you can test your crew, and we can see just how well you've built your ship. I see at least a league of cannons up there, and there is this pest that has been refusing to move his ship for the past week.

"Who? A white flag, or red?"

"Red. Damned pirate hasn't moved from where he was, and that's not good in any tactic against us. Just, if I went alone, like I usually do, he'd shoot down the Golden Bullet."

"Well, I've not tested her in combat yet. I'm a bit afraid to."

"Well, you have to some time. Your guns do work, do they?"

"Manned and unmanned."

"Good. I'll get you your crew, and we can see what she can do."

Stormy nodded.

"Now, why don't you come with me. You have to get your title registered, and your ship registered as well. Don't want anyone else claiming her, her name, or anything else you own."

"Understood. And...Well, I'd have to say sorry for the rough docking."

"Oh, well, it's understandable. Just yesterday a fool rammed into the dock, crumpled it, and even knocked a house over the cliff edge into the clouds below."

"Oh, Celestia, I hope no one was in there."

"heh, it was his house that went down, and the only place he lost was a place to bring a few mares."

Stormy chuckled.

"Well, come on, let's get you situated."

Having registered at the local post office, and gotten fliers out, by Captain Yollossandra's word, and immediately, they were swarmed by at least seven or eight people.

Having gotten that done, there really wasn't much to do, and, so, turning back to the ship, there was much more than just a small crowd hanging around.

Above that, the ship had been moved to make way. Easily done by towing, but, it was still moved. It made Stormy feel a bit edgy.

"Ah, Stormy!", captain Yollossandra called him over.

"I see you got quite a crowd here. It's been only about fifteen minutes"

"Yes. To tell the truth, maybe only about twenty of them are as young an age that would even listen to you. Half just want to be on a ship, as part of the crew, no experience, no goal, the other half, they actually want a specific spot. So, I brought them here, you choose. I'll give my best word to you about those I know, and those I don't, but, of coruse, I'm not choosing, so, if you want one on board, they will be, but if not, I have nos ay, I won't argue."

"I appreciate the help but...It's a bit too easy."

"You own a big ship that you took months to build, alone, I assume, by what you've told me. It's too big for just two to handle it alone. You need to have at least a crew of eight to help manage the guns, and below deck."

"True. I guess we should find the best of them all."

Captain Yollossandra nodded, and led him to the bickering crowd.

"Alright!", she silenced them, "This here's the captain of the ship you see docked right here: The Eloise."

"Uhm, hey.", Stormy said, unsure.

Immediately three young stallions took the head, gibbering about something cool, and each were pushed away by Captain Yollossandra.

"Calm down. Treat him like you would me, a little more respect.", she calmed them all.

"Gotcha, Mrs. Yollossandra."

"That's my captain name, buddy."

"Alright.", Stormy began, confident once more, "I've got several spots that need to be filled. First test fight is to take place in the next hour, I'm guessing, so, let's take our time, just to get everyone situated on the Eloise. Let's start with the sharp shooters. Whoever can handle a heavily caliber cannon, step forward please."

Immediately, four stallions and two mares stepped forward.

"Hateful!", one mare said to the stallions that pushed ahead.

"Hey, guys, seriously, let them through, that was a bit mean."

The three stallions which had blocked the two, let the mares passed, and each stood in the ring they had made.

"Hi, I'm Eva, and this is Ellen. We're sisters."

"Cool. So, you obviously don't look like sharpshooters, but I've seen the impossible happen, so, what makes you a good gunner?"

"We prefer working on large guns.", Ellen began.

"I aim and shoot.", Eva admitted.

"And I reload for her."

"What if I were to pit the two of you on opposite sides, needing them to both be covered, as two airships flank us?"

"We work our best when together, but that doesn't mean we can't rack out the best shots.", Ellen said with a smug look.

"I have better accuracy, she has better reload time. It stacks up, and makes do for the lower skill."

"Well said.", Stormy nodded, "We can test that in the battle coming up. Now, you four.", he looked to the stallions.

"We're a group of friends. The Young Gunners Clan.", the largest spoke first, "I'm the leader, but that doesn't make me any better. Each of us can dish out the best we can on a gun. We've had a lot of practice, training with a few of the ships that pass through here."

"Hmm. I'm not really sure I can trust that, but, prove me wrong. You're in."

The stallions each high fived, then stood behind Stormy, next to the two mares.

"Alright. Now, I need deck hands, three engineers, and, those who just wish to join, unsure of what to do, come on, I'll set you up where you seem to belong the most. For now, you are still being judged, except for the two gunner mares here. I want you two to dedicate ourselves, both, to great gunners, even if you two are horrible at first."

"He's doing it just for the mares...", one stallion muttered to another.

Stormy chuckled, stepping up the ladder.

"Come on!"

Once on deck, he waited for all who were coming aboard, and held them all in one spot.

"Get to where you would like to start. There are eight manned guns on deck, a heavy artillery cannon below deck. The gear that needs to be managed by engineers, it's all at the back, below middle deck. Right now, everything is fine, and doesn't need to be messed with. I've pieced this ship together myself, even tested cannon fire on the hull. If we get into a heavy fight, they'll be shooting for a long time before we go down. Any questions?"

"Yeah, when do we get back?", one mare asked It's a test run, in teh battlefield. It could take from fifteen minutes, to two hours. We apparently need to take a pirate ship down for good. Understood? Now, let's go."

"Wait!", Sally stopped him.

"Yes, Sally?"

"For good luck!"

Sally grabbed him by his old coat and pulled him into a quick kiss, making stormy blush a deep red.

"Now, let's go."

"Heh. alright, let's go. She moves fast, so, you might want to hold onto a rail or something."

Everyone took their place, may they have wanted to, or not, the spot taken by someone faster. Nonetheless, the ship's needed spots were filled quickly.

"Hey, Stormy!", Captain Yollossandra called from her ship.

"Ready to go!", he signaled back with a wave.

Shortly after, the whir and hum of large propellers sounded off from Captain Yollossandra's ship, followed by the kick up of The Eloise's own engines. A constant hum, then a loud whir that gained in pitch, until the ship moved from the dock, and began to turn, following after the slowly escaping ship.

The next controls were simple, pushing levers that just put more gears on gears, and eventually, began turning the turbines faster, the Eloise taking off towards the opposite ship, the Golden Bullet.

As they gained to be parallel with the Golden Bullet, Stormy saluted to Captain Yollossandra, and she, back.

The next step was to be prepared, and quick.

A dot seemed to grow only larger and larger as they both sped forth.

Going below deck with a few of his own crew, stormy helped pull the ammo cases out as Sally held the wheel. After a few minutes, every gunner was ready, and Stormy's own firepower was ready for a pass each.

The ship they had targeted was not far away, either, having only a few kilometer's distance from them.

It was moving. Away.

"He's trying to escape.", Stormy pointed out, "Wait until Captain Yollossandra opens fire first. If she does, target the lower back of the ship first, blow their engines.", he commanded.

As he had predicted, the Mare Captain made her command, and deafening explosions rang next to the Eloise, followed by the firepower of the very ship, blasting off nearly the entire lower bottom half of the pirate airship.

Stormy looked to Captain Yollossandra and she nodded, a silent message passing between them.

Turning the wheel, and a few navigations later, Stormy pulled a lever, the starboard side cannons protruded out, ringing a loud explosion, followed by The golden Bullet's own port side cannons.

The pirate ship's hull was mostly a metal chassis, but the wood that was there splintered like glass, torn by pellet balls, twenty pound cannonballs, and even an airborne torpedo that ripped through half the hull before detonating.

The results, the main mast fell within a few seconds, the above fell in, and the back left rigging holding the air balloon in place was snapped, forcing the ship to dip back to the left.

Then it hit him like a stone against glass.

Really, it's a common mistake when you want to be cool looking on the first expression but, even if it was to someone that was an enemy to his own nation, it was still like...bullying, being a tool, acting cool.

At that moment he felt the awkward feeling of foolishness set in.

Retracting the cannons, Stormy took place at a single cannon, and aimed it, firing one more shot that happened to grapple the pirate ship, and pull it closer to the Eloise. Once it was close enough, Stormy dropped down on the enemy ship alone, telling even Sally to wait.

Calmly, and carefully, walking to the captain's cabin, he opened the door and met a scared stallion. Overweight, and sweating heavily, even breathing heavy, that very stallion laughed.

"I was attacked by a child?"

"No, I'm pretty sure I'm no longer a colt, but better known as a young stallion. Is there anyone else aboard this ship?"

"My engineer, but, I'm not sure she made it. She was below deck, managing the engines trying to get them to go faster, that is...until you blew the entire thing off....", he deadpanned.

"Hmm..."

"Stormy!", Captain Yollossandra barged in, sword at ready.

"Calm down, he's just a single stallion, and a single engineer. I have to go search below deck, so I'll go fetch Sally and a deck hand. for now, make sure he doesn't pull anything off that might kill us all."

"Can do, but...what are you searching for?"

"Every pirate has a treasure. and, to tell the truth, I'm not after money."

"Kid, you're already playing like a righteous stallion."

"I'm not a kid, and I certainly will make sure to do what I wish to. If I want to play hero, I will. But that's not what I'm doing. I'm making up for what is called a misdeed."

Captain Yollossandra shook her head, and grabbed the large stallion by the gruff of his neck, leading him out.

Stormy hurried to the edge of the deck and called Sally down, a stallion in tow.

"Alright. there were only two people on board, the captain, and an engineer. We should see if the engineer is still alive. If she is, bring her on board, I will have a chat with Captain Yollossandra afterwards if she fusses. Understood?"

"Why are we trying to find an engineer?", Sally asked.

"Because I'm not a heartless brute. If you didn't notice like I did, for about the entire gunfight, they didn't fire at us, and above that, they were trying to get away. And there was even something behind THAT reason as well. I accepted an offer to test my guns, and measured firepower of two to one. I don't even see guns on this ship, and to top it all off, I did it because of the moment. I wasn't thinking."

Sally shrugged, and followed him below deck, jumping down the misshapen stairs.

No machinery running, and the smell of a magic leakage in the air, it wasn't really healthy, but not like breathing in large amounts of smog. It just gave an unpleasant feeling in the lungs.

Truth of it all, it looked more like someone went through, and twisted, cut, and bent every metal every which way without actually destroying the ship. It's what they did. Only with cannons. And explosions.

Walking further along the remains of the ship, Sally was the first to notice something in contrast to the metal and wood. A white blouse, and regular Victorian-wear.

"There she is.", Stromy said, approaching the fallen mare.

He looked at teh dripping blood first, of which slid down the bent metal floor, and out the bottom of the ship. Rolling her onto her back, he found where she had been hurt. A gash that looked like it tore deep into her side.

Stormy turned to the stallion that was with them, "What's your name?"

"Maxim."

"You think you can pick her up?"

"Yeah. Pretty easy, should she not wake up and freak out."

"Good enough. Help me pick her up, we need to get her out of here. If there is a fire somewhere in here, and it touches that magic...boom."

"Understood."

Picking up the mare, she woke up, hands immediately grabbing her side, hissing in pain.

She took a few heavy breaths, then began pushing at Maxim, trying to get away.

"Let me go!"

"Calm down, you and your captain are coming with me.", Stormy admitted.

"No! I'm not going to jail!"

"I never said I was going to take you to jail, and, to tell the truth, never thought of it till now."

"So, you're just going to kill me? Is that it?"

"Uhm...No. I'm pretty sure I came down here to help you. Maxim, Sally, we found what we came for, let's get above deck, quickly."

They both nodded and followed him out quickly, slowing at the misshapen stairs to push the engineer up slowly.

Up on deck, Several other crew members from the golden Bullet had ventured onto the ship, making a small crowd around the Pirate Captain, and to Stormy's disapproval, some of his own crew members.

the mare coughed, taking her first breath of fresh, non-magic tainted air, "You're with that witch?"

"Yes, but as I may have, or may not have said before, I'm not a brute. You won't go to her, neither will your captain. Captain Yollossandra!", Stormy called.

"Stormy!", the mare captain made her way to him, "I see you've got the engineer.", she smiled.

"Yes, now, do you plan on arresting the captain?"

"Yes. The original idea was to just drop this ship out of the sky."

"But has he done anything worth arresting him for?"

"Listen, Stormy. I was given orders to drop this ship, by the mayor. If he says drop a ship, I have to drop a ship. If there is a casualty, then it's his own fault."

"No. It's not his, it's yours. You make the decision whether to obey him, you can make the decision of whether or not you kill innocent people."

Captain Yollossandra's smile faded.

"Kid, you're getting to be a bit smart there, maybe you should watch what you say before you get smacked."

"...I've not once had a single worry. If I want to save these two innocent pirates, then yes, I'm allowed to, you can drop the ship, grab your pay, but, I will still have saved two lives that you wouldn't have cared for."

The mare captain opened her mouth to speak, but turned away with a growl.

"Exactly. Now, sir,", Stormy approached the pirate captain.

"What is your name?", Stormy approached the pirate captain.

"Captain Red Coat.", he responded.

"Well, Captain Red Coat, you are coming aboard my ship, with me. If Captain Yollossandra says anything, she has to answer to me, whether or not it's arrest."

"Th...thank you..."

"Hey!", The mare captain exclaimed, "You can't just take an arrest from me!"

"Maxim. Bring his engineer on board, Captain red, you can get on board yourself, can you not?"

"I can."

"Good. Captain Yollossandra, you're clearly not a police officer. Just a hired gun. If you wish to take him from me then you answer to my ship's guns. I have no trouble dropping anyone out of these skies. And, to top it all off, I've got enough fire power to win a two on one ship, odds opposite my favor. Easily."

"Boasting will only get you in trouble, kid", she said angrily.

"I'm pretty sure I have the firepower to back myself up. Really. I can even prove it by saying this one thing. I built her from scrap. I own her, she obeys me. I pull a lever, your ship drops like a stone."

"Look kid, it's my job to rank new pilots. This is a pirate ship, we give no care for pirates, he was basically a sitting duck waiting to be shot."

A moment of silence fell between the two.

Stormy took a breath, breathing through his nose, "When we get back, I'll depart for another dock. I thank you for helping me get a crew started, but, I refuse any more help. I can take it from here, on my own."

"Your welcome.", she walked off, climbing aboard her own vessel.

As Stormy returned to his own, he was stopped by Sally.

"I guess that kiss was for nothing...", she said, not even making eye contact.

"Hey. You didn't bring luck to me. But you brought luck to them..", he motioned to teh two pirates on board.

She huffed, "That was nice of you, bringing them aboard, saving them."

"Well. I'd not be a good captain, now would I? If someone deserves the right to live, then I will very much give them that right first."

"What would take away that right?", Sally asked, looking up.

"Depends. I don't know yet. I'm not a pacifist, but I'm not  a doormat, either. We need to start dropping ships in battles of our own. We need money too. So, once we get to the port, we get a job."

"Understood. Are we going to get there quickly, or no?"

"Let's stop by a neutral dock first. There should be one nearby."

Sally nodded her head.

The trip was silent from then on. Stormy just guessed that everyone on board knew what they had done. It's one thing to kill someone innocent. But, tricked by an ally...That's something harsh.

Leisurely pulling into the docks, Stormy helped his passengers off, Bringing the engineer to the hospital that was positioned there, and without another word, returned to his ship.

The voyage back was quick, bringing a not so familiar sight to his eyes. The docks. But, they were a bit empty, save for Captain Yollossandra's ship.

Stormy picked out a few mares and stallions. Six. All who had changed their mind about being on an airship or couldn't handle the job, and led them off, then got off himself, Sally in tow.

"Sally, I'm not going to be long. Right now, I'm only looking for a small job to begin with."

"You don't know, Captain Yollossandra is not so easily trusted, so, I'm not letting you go alone. She's lied once, don't want to take any chances of her tricking you, or worse."

"I can respect that."

The message board was filled mostly with bounties, and a few for cargo shipping. Picking up one that gave out a full ten thousand bits, Stormy nodded at the wanted poster, agreeing with it.

"Found one. Your old fashioned pirate. Been dropping other ships, stealing their cargo, twelve ships downed, totaled, or raided."

"Sounds like he's been busy. Does it show the ship?", Sally asked.

"Yeah, that's the picture on the front. They want it to be dropped like a stone. True test for firepower."

Sally nodded in agreement, and turned to go.

"Let's go drop a pirate, and collect a bounty. Wait, how would we prove that we dropped the ship?", Sally asked.

"I guess they go and check for themselves."

"Alright then."

Returning to the ship, Stormy once again took the wheel, and steered the Eloise out of the port, and off in some random Direction.

The second day of searching, a hot lead was found out. The old mare said that they always come from a nearby mountain. It may not be a perfect lead, but it was a good lead.

The cave was, to their luck, occupied by a rather large ship. To be exact, this ship was nearly half the size of the Eloise bigger, and sported a bit more firepower, including a large cannon where the mast would be placed.

Stormy cut the engines, and with the remaining forward momentum, got the Eloise to turn with her port side to the cave opening.

"Sally."

"Yes, Captain?", she replied, turning from the opposite rail to view what he was looking at.

"I want you to tell Eva and Ellen to ready up the sniper cannon, and aim directly at that large cannon. Have it ready to fire, but don't fire yet."

Sally nodded, "Aye, Captain."

Quickly getting set up, Stormy pulled the red lever which he had marked specifically to open the upper deck floor up. Cargo ships used this to put cargo in through the top, but he had other plans when building the Eloise. A few seconds later, gears kicked into place with clangs that rang throughout the ship, raising a large cannon that took up a whole third of the ship's deck, and had a large slender barrel to put the muzzle just over the ship's port side.

Walking to the cannon, and the two readying mares, Stormy smiled as Ellen did her job very efficiently, and Eva doing her job as fast as she could. But, then again, the wheels that moved the cannon only worked at very slow paces, and considering that the Eloise was still moving, albeit slowly, it was like trying to keep a speeding target in her scopes.

"Eva!", Stormy took her side next to the seat, "Are you able to keep those crosshairs lined up with that large cannon?"

"Nothing I can't handle. We have a chance to miss if the ship is hit with a large gust, but we should wait till she stops moving before I prime this sniper cannon. This cannon looks like it's a very high caliber."

"It's a five-point-seven caliber. I had to make the barrel wider, and switched the enire loading system. Though, now it is currently a bolt action cannon, which is more like saying it's an artillery cannon than a sniper cannon, but it makes up for it's incredibly accurate shots."

"...How accurate?", Eva asked.

"I saw the ship this was on, take to the top of a mountain that was easily the entire length of the Grand Prix away. you do know the Grand Prix on the boarder, right?"

"Yes. I've seen it, but not really been there."

"Needless to say, that's about a fifty kilometer distance. this cannon downed a ship that had made it to first first place, in one shot, and, ended up toppling the ship it was on. The idiot bought a gun too big for his ship."

"...This gun won't flip this ship, too, will it?"

"I have no idea, fire."

pulling the latch which loaded the cannon, Eva lined up the cross hairs one last time, and kept them steady as she slowly squeezed the trigger. Not even reacting a nanosecond later, the hammer slingshot into place, activating the gunpowder through the casing and the heavy caliber bullet shot forth, not only blasting through the pirate's cannon's barrel, and out the back, but it also activated the loaded round in that cannon, creating an explosion that left a small fire on the ship.

A few seconds later, bow chasers began rounding to the front of the ship, and Ellen and Eva were at it. As fast as Ellen could get those heavy shells in, and out, Eva was blasting one cannon off after another, soon, leaving the ship defenseless from the front.

"They can't shoot unless they come out, and if I'm right, they come out, and you drop them.", Eva devised.

"Half correct, but, I want you to aim at the starboard and port sides, and fire a round about a full two meters into the hull, counting from each side, in, just below the front-most bow chasers by at least half a meter."

"Got it."

A few seconds later, she fired one shot, and began lining up another, which, as soon as it was loaded, tore through the ship once again.

"Now, the remaining cannons they have left should be the stern port and starboard cannons, leaving them as sitting ducks. Ellen."

"Yes, Captain?", Ellen answered, holding a large, unfired shell up.

"Put that down. Grab that shell that says: Handle with care."

Ellen set the shell down, and looked through the large ammo crate again, pulling out a rather slim shell, and looked it over.

"Is this it?"

"That's the one. Load it up, and Eva, this time, aim for the roof of that cave, and fire."

"I'm guessing we're about to give them a real artillery shell.", Eva smiled as she watched her aim.

"I wouldn't exactly say that. It's a much bigger explosion. Should cause the entire roof to collapse in, raining about five hundred tons of rock onto their ship. They'll be crushed."

"What about the stolen cargo?"

"They sold it all."

"So, not much to do. Alright."

Locking the shell into place one last time, Eva fired the artillery round, and it hit it's mark, only cracking the roof of the cave, heavily.

"It didn't cave in?", Stormy asked.

"Wait...", Eva said, hopping down off the cannon.

As she said, he did, and a few seconds later, was satisfied, once the roof gave out, and did what he had expected it too. The ship was chrushed, and the bow was even cut off, falling over the edge into the clouds below.

"Wow. I'll say, Eva, that was fine marksmanship. As you had promised me...well, as you and your sister promised, you two dished out the best sniping I've ever seen."

"Aw, it was nothing.", Eva blushed.

"Heh, thanks!", Ellen smiled.

"Captain Stormy?", one stallion approached. He was one of the Young gunners.

"Ah, Maxim. Is there anything you need?"

"Well, you see, the guys and I are worried, now. Seeing as you took out a ship with just a sniper cannon, it doesn't really seem fair...or fun..."

"Maxim, I really don't see anyone here as a better priority for every fight. the sniper cannon here took a full half minute to deploy, and another minute for Ellen and Eva to get it ready to fire. Really, I only wanted to test it, see if it even worked, because, really, that barrel you see there was bent in more ways than I thought possible, until I salvaged it. It's the first actual fight we've had in the skies. Don't worry, there will be more."

"Well, I didn't really think of that. Well, I also have a concern. Your ship has barely any heavy artillery aboard. I see three mounted machine guns, a gauss cannon, and the remaining are flak."

"The argument here, is that you want quality over quantity. While it may be a good moral code, it doesn't apply here. You can try to put five explosive shots into the hull of another ship within half a minute, but with a gatling gun, you could put in five hundred. The reload time usually depends on who is using the gun, or cannon, but, I prefer to get something done, and be more precise, than be erratic, brutish, and slow. We're all amateurs here, even me. I'm an amateur captain, you're an amateur gunner, all of us. Except for Ellen and Eva. They're pros."

Eva and ellen each smiled with pride.

"Now, girls, later on, I want to know where you two trained in weaponry like you had. But, right now, let's check to see if anyone is still alive over there."

Needless to say, the trip to the mountain cave, which had recently been turned into a pille of rubble, was short, and a good short.

Docking on the wooden dock that had been set up, Stormy got off first, only a cutlass at his aid. Then came Maxim and another stallion named Tree Bark.

Following the dock along the mountainside, it lead in, even passed the rubble, and, sure enough, not the entire ship had been crushed, leaving a few stallions to crawl out of the wreckage.

Aproaching the only Pirate wearing a hat, Stormy rolled him onto his back, and put a foot on his chest.

"Are you the captain?", he asked.

He coughed, "You took us down!? A *cough* chi-ild?"

"Uhm. I'm pretty sure I'm not a child, but I am sure that I've got guts for even taking up as a captain. Now, answer me."

"Yes, I am you halfwit..."

Stormy bent down, and took the cutlass from the captain's hip, and then picked him up, shoving him into Maxim, who reacted perfectly, grabbing a hold of the pirate with enough force to hold him.

"Well, aren't you a strong boy.", the captain remarked as he was hoisted up like cargo.

"Throw him against the wall, Tree Bark, toss me the rope."

Bark waited until after the captain was thrown before tossing the rope, and Stormy got to work, tying up the older stallion with ease.

"This seems a bit too easy."

"I'm not resisting, you dumb ass."

"Well, that would explain it. I don't know why."

"Because it's one against three, I'm not stupid, kid."

"Fair enough. I just assumed all of you were senile, or idiots, or something much less than that."

The captain rolled his eyes at the taunt, and stormy stood him up.

"Let's go throw this guy to the authorities. Bounty should pay for the much needed supplies."

Having returned the captain of the very ship that had plagued a fraction of the neutral and Equestrian sides, he was given the bounty on the spot. But one thing he didn't brush off, was how the captain kept smiling at Sally the whole trip back. She even requested that someone take him away, put him in the brig, out of sight, and the stallion laughed as he was dragged away.

Though, dismissing it as, more than likely, some deranged pirate, he didn't worry about it any more, and returned to the ship with the three members of his crew.

After passing by a bakery, his stomach growled loudest out of the group.

"Oh, by the way, Captain.", Maxim spoke up, "We kinda need to eat. You're not one of those weird people that refuses food, are you?"

"Of course not! I mean, It may be just because I've been in the moment. Once we get back to the ship, we'll make a pass by the sky market, and grab some food for the whole week. Sound good?"

"Alright. I'm up for helping with groceries."

"Heh. Well, we're going to need someone strong to carry the barrels of water and whatever else we choose to drink."

"Let's not get any tea. I hate tea."

"But I love it. I'll get a keg for myself then."

"Alright. Sounds good to me. I think it would be great to talk it over with the guys and galls over what we should get besides water."

"Eh, I can deal with it. Nothing that's outrageously expensive. Remember, we all need this money to pay for food and other supplies. Like twenty wrenches."

"Wrenches?"

"So I can throw em!", Stormy smiled.

"...What?"