Pirate Nights, Book One

Part III

The Age of Pirates

Chapter 13

Twilight Sparkle wasn’t sure how she was getting out of this. Captain Rainbow Dash seemed intent on fighting her and the young alicorn could only search her knowledge of books for information that might be helpful to her. Nothing came to mind.

But while she was thinking, the Red Reef began to lean forwards as the ship went down the side of a massive wave of water. Because the ship was sailing against the wind it stalled for a moment on top of the wave before it began plummeting downward.

The tilting of the Red Reef was so extreme everypony began standing one hoof against a wall or a mast; anything to keep them from slipping across the deck. But Rainbow Dash, standing not that far from Twilight, didn’t move an inch. Using just her wings, she made it look effortless as she stood in place while the whole rest of the ship was leaning forwards.

Twilight Sparkle was so distracted by Rainbow Dash’s appearance she didn’t even notice the tilt of the ship until she suddenly fell over the rail. Landing on the lower deck, Twilight recovered and looked up... just in time to see her necklace sliding across the floor.

When Twilight saw it she almost couldn’t believe her eyes. Quickly checking her blouse to make sure she wasn't just seeing things, sure enough, the Harmonious Gem wasn’t there. It had somehow slipped off her neck when she fell over and it was now sliding across the floor, away from her. Twilight Sparkle saw the gem skidding through crowds of fighting ponies, and wanted very badly to run through them and retrieve it. But before she even had the chance, the necklace and the gem together disappearing down a hole and she lost them.

“No, I can’t loose that!” Twilight exclaimed.

No pony else seemed to notice. After the Red Reef finally splashed against calm level water the ship began to straighten itself out and no pony needed to fear sliding across the deck. The fighting continued but it seemed the pirates had the upper hoof.

Rainbow Dash slowly stepped down from the ship’s stern and addressed her crew. “Already you maggots!” she yelled, trying to sound tough. “Get the ship secure and begin searching! I know it is here somewhere! Don’t leave until you’ve found it!”

Those instructions seemed difficult for the pirates to obey while there was still fighting. But, as the navy ponies realized they were outmatched they began surrendering one by one. It wasn’t long before the pirates could afford the time to start scouring the ship like Rainbow Dash commanded.

Meanwhile, Twilight Sparkle realized how hopeless she was against the boarding party and tried hiding from view. Retreating behind a stalk of barrels near the door to the captain’s quarters, she tried not to give herself away while she also kept watch. Captain Rainbow Dash was standing not that far from where she was hiding. No doubt, the captain of the pirates would find her if she didn’t think of something fast.

But amidst the confusion, there was something about the captain that made Twilight curious. “What exactly is she looking for?” she wondered to herself. “She was almost about to mention something important that she wanted.”

Suddenly, a voice caught the alicorn off guard. “Captain Rainbow Dash! I found her! I found the princess!”

Twilight looked to her side and was surprised to find it was a certain young pegasus pony with a gray coat, yellow mane, cross eyes and a bubbles cutie mark who was giving her away. When Rainbow Dash heard, she turned around and found Twilight Sparkle hiding behind the barrels she was using for cover. Rainbow Dash and the other pony stood there, looking down at Twilight with a triumphant look in their eyes.

“Derpy!” Twilight exclaimed. “I... I can’t believe it’s you! You were the traitor all along!?”

The young alicorn needed to pause for a moment as she tried to make sense of this. “But... I don’t understand! You’ve been apart of this crew since day one! Why did you drug the captain with one of your own muffin recipes!? You seemed like such a good friend!”

Derpy stood there a moment, looking rather confused like she always did. After a second, she pulled a book from one of her pockets that had the title ‘How to be a Pirate if You’re Not Really Good at It’.

After researching, Derpy closed the book and a smile crossed her face. “I’ve only been pretending to be one of the crew,” she giggled. “I really work for Rainbow Dash here. We were planning this since before the Red Reef set sail last week.” Twilight rolled her eyes as she found it hard to believe her treacherous crew mate needed time to research that.

“Alright, that’s enough Derpy!” Rainbow Dash told her underling. “I don’t want you slipping anymore information to the enemy... like you did the last time.”

“Oh... okay,” Derpy responded; clearly not realizing the fact that Rainbow Dash was embarrassed by her.

After Derpy turned and walked away, Rainbow Dash stepped closer to Twilight Sparkle and looked down at her with a very intense expression. “I just want to make it clear that escape is impossible!” the pirate captain told her. “Don’t think you can escape my awesomeness!”

“You can’t win!” Twilight answered, trying to sound brave. “The Red Reef has employed the very best soldiers in the whole navy! There’s no way you’ll get away with this!”

Rainbow Dash’s expression suddenly changed. Staring at Twilight for a moment, the rainbow colored pony suddenly leaned back and burst into laughter. After Rainbow Dash contained herself and wiped away a tear, she then looked at Twilight again with a smile. If something about this situation was amusing to her, Twilight obviously didn’t see it.

“Don’t you see?” Rainbow Dash eventually asked. “I’ve already won! The Red Reef is as good as mine!”

Twilight Sparkle almost didn’t want to believe it. As she stood up and peaked over the barrels she had been hiding behind, she was startled to find most of the crew surrendering. It was alarming that Rainbow Dash’s words happened to be true. The pirates had actually defeated the officers of the Red Reef. The only ponies still brave enough to fight were nearly about to surrender, but it was no question that the victor of this battle had already been determined.

When Twilight Sparkle looked away a feeling of dread overcame her. “Oh my gosh,” she mumbled to herself. “I was supposed to be acting captain... and I failed them...”

Rainbow Dash looked down at Twilight with an expression that seemed halfway between pity and boredom. Although Twilight seemed like a pathetic excuse for an acting captain, something compelled Rainbow Dash to keep that thought to herself. Instead, she looked up at the helm and gave instructions.

“Derpy, take the wheel and steer us out of this storm!” Rainbow Dash ordered.

“Okey Dokey,” the ditzy pegasus answered.

Chapter 14

Despite all Derpy’s clumsiness, it didn’t take the young pegasus long to navigate the ship out of the storm. The winds quickly died down and the Red Reef reached calmer waters that went easy on the ponies prone to sea sickness. On the way, the pirates secured the ship and beat up everypony who was still resisting. After most of the soldiers had been defeated the rest of the crew just surrendered there on the spot.

While the pirates began scouring the ship for treasure, Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle stood outside the captain’s cabin and didn’t say anything for a while. When the Red Reef passed into calm waters, the stars began to appear, as did the moon. It was already late into the evening and the pirates began lighting lanterns across the deck so they could have visibility.

After it seemed the pirates had made themselves at home, Rainbow Dash turned towards Twilight and confronted her. “I know there’s something valuable aboard this ship!” she stated. “Princess, I’m going to ask you this only once! Where is the Harmonious Gem?”

Twilight nearly jumped with surprise when she heard that question spoken to her. “But... how did you know!?” she gasped.

“Don’t interrupt me!” Rainbow Dash yelled. Quickly loosing patience, she drew her sword and rested it against Twilight’s shoulder to show the alicorn she was not joking around. “I don’t have time to play stupid with you! I know it’s around here somewhere! If you want to save yourself some trouble, tell me where I can find it!”

Twilight Sparkle didn’t know what to say. Naturally, she didn’t want to betray Princess Celestia by agreeing to such a demand. But more importantly, it was only a few minutes ago Twilight remembered dropping The Harmonious Gem and it could have been anywhere onboard the ship by now. The gem was as good as lost.

But just as Rainbow Dash was threatening to cut Twilight’s throat, a pirate suddenly appeared who approached the captain. “Ma’am, the ship is ours,” he told Rainbow Dash. “Orders?”

Rainbow Dash hated to be called away while she was still in the process of interrogation. But putting her sword down, she turned and gave her underling some quick instructions. “Search the ship!” she ordered. “Find us any treasure we can bring with us quickly. Don’t bother with any chests that are locked. I don’t think we have time to waste on those.”

“Yes ma’am,” the pirate nodded.

After he left, Rainbow Dash looked at Twilight again and gave her a sigh of frustration. Although it seemed like only a moment ago she had been hostile, there was a hint of sympathy in the captain’s eyes. But just as Twilight thought she was seeing a hint of Rainbow Dash’s true self, the rainbow maned pony picked her sword back up and became her pirate-like self again.

“I really don’t have time to argue with you,” she said. “Princess Twilight Sparkle... if you give me the Harmonious Gem, I promise I will leave without harming anypony.”

“But you told me you took no prisoners,” Twilight pointed out. It didn’t take her long to realize her mistake.

“Do you want me to stand by that remark?” Rainbow Dash asked, holding her sword closer to Twilight’s neck.

Suddenly, they were both interrupted when the doors of the captain’s cabin swung open and Razor Sharp came out. The captain of the Red Reef seemed to be in a daze when he stepped out, but otherwise seemed alright. When Razor Sharp stumbled out, he yawned deeply and began mumbling the first thing that came to his mind.

“Geez, someone tried to drug me with Starlight petals again,” he said. “That’s the forth time this month. I must be growing an immunity to it... or... something.”

Razor Sharp paused as he studied the unusual situation he happened to stumble into. The captain of the Red Reef was very confused when he saw a pirate, Rainbow Dash, threatening Twilight Sparkle with a sword. After a moment, Razor Sharp turned his focus toward the rest of his crew further across the deck and almost thought he was dreaming when he found all his officers surrendering to a whole boarding party of pirates. After Razor Sharp realized he wasn’t dreaming it didn’t take him long to connect the dots. Realizing that this was an invasion, he slowly turned his sights back on Rainbow Dash and both of them stared at each other for a moment without either of them saying a word.

There was an awkward moment of silence for a few seconds. Twilight looked up at both ponies but couldn’t tell what either of them were thinking. The way they stared at each other didn’t betray any hint of emotion or expression, but there was definitely a certain tension that she felt in the air.

After nothing had been said for almost half a minute, Razor Sharp sprang into action and suddenly drew his sword to strike Rainbow Dash down. But just as his sword was being drawn, Rainbow Dash swung her own blade around and the swords of both captains collided together. Locking their blades, they pressed all their weight against each other and each captain struggled to overcome the other.

But while their swords were locked Razor Sharp knew this was the opportunity he was hoping for. Turning his eyes to Twilight he spoke to her through the sword in his mouth. “Princess, get out of here! Hide!” he yelled.

Rainbow Dash suddenly realized her mistake. “No!” she yelled.

Twilight Sparkle wasn’t entirely sure she understood the captain when she heard his instructions.

“Teleport or something! Just get out of here while I have this pirate distracted!” Razor Sharp told the princess again.

Rainbow Dash wasn’t about to loose Twilight or the Harmonious Gem, but at the same time, she knew she couldn’t let her guard down and give Razor Sharp the opportunity to stab her. The rainbow pegasus was trapped underneath his sword and couldn’t move a hoof to stop Twilight from escaping.

When Twilight realized she was being given the chance to flee she closed her eyes and focused all her concentration into her magic. Her horn began to glow as she conjured a teleportation spell to take her away from this place. When her horn was bright enough, there was a sudden flash and Twilight Sparkle was gone.

Watching from out the corner of her eye, Rainbow Dash suddenly gasped in horror. Never mind the soldiers and the treasure she and her pirate crew had already captured. Something about Twilight Sparkle and the Harmonious Gem meant more to the captain of the pirates than all the other prized she already had.

While all these thoughts were crossing her mind at the same time, Razor Sharp leaned over his enemy and stared Rainbow Dash in the eyes. “I’ll never let you get away with this,” he grinned. “I’ll see you hanged by a rope, you can guarantee that!”

Rainbow Dash slowly looked up at her nemesis and something suddenly changed about her. After realizing she had lost the most important thing she had come here to find, her eyes began to light up like fire and an uncontrollable rage overcame her. With a fierce battle cry, Rainbow Dash knocked Razor Sharp away and came at him with her sword. She didn’t care anymore to talk or make witty puns about her awesomeness. The only thing she cared about was getting back at the one pony who ruined everything she came here to find.

Razor Sharp was almost afraid when he saw the change in Rainbow Dash and raised his sword to defend himself.

Chapter 15

There was a great flash of light and Twilight suddenly found herself in a place she didn’t recognize. She was surrounded by crates that were tangled up in some fishing nets and sand bags. That was the only thing the young alicorn noticed before all the supplies that weren't secured suddenly came tumbling down on top of her. After teleporting, the last thing Twilight expected was to find herself buried under so much junk. After the supplies stopped falling onto of her, her first instinct was to untangle herself from the mess and Twilight began doing just that.

But just as she started untangling herself there were faint noises Twilight heard in the distance that made her stop. Unsure of who the voices belonged to, the princess didn’t want to risk making any sounds that would give her away.

“Alright everypony, get a move on!” she heard somepony say. “We don’t have all night!”

Twilight made her way forwards and peaked in between two of the crates to see what was happening. To the young alicorn’s surprise, her teleportation spell hadn’t even taken her off the ship’s deck. In fact, the spell had not sent her that much further than where she was standing before teleporting. At least no pony seemed to notice her.

From underneath the crates and the litter of supplies, Twilight had a clear view of the ship and everything the pirates were up to. With guns and swords drawn, the intruders began gathering the crew of the Red Reef to the top deck and made them get in line. There was very little resistance. It was apparent the pirates had taken all the crew captive and there was no way of escaping from them.

“What are you going to do with us!?” one of the younger ponies cried.

“Quiet, you!” a pirate shouted. “Don’t you dare make another sound! Captain’s orders!”

Twilight Sparkle suddenly wondered what had become of Razor Sharp since she last saw him. From where she was hiding she didn’t have a clear view of him, or the pirate captain, Rainbow Dash. Although she considered sneaking out to go and check on him, Twilight didn’t want to risk revealing herself, even if it was the only way she could figure out what had become of her captain.

But, Twilight didn’t have to wait long before she heard a noise that caught her attention. Peaking in between the crates again she looked just in time to see Razor Sharp coming into view. He looked beat up as the pirates stood him at the front of the line they made with his crew. A second later Rainbow Dash also came into view, looking tired as well.

Twilight didn’t have to be a smart egghead to realize Razor Sharp must have lost the fight against Rainbow Dash. She almost couldn’t believe it but the evidence was apparent. While Rainbow Dash stood a distance away from the navy crew, one of her pirate underlings stepped forwards and spoke to her.

“What shall we do with them?”

“We question them,” Rainbow Dash answered, trying to sound like the fight had not worn her out. Without hesitating for a moment, she went straight to Razor Sharp and pointed a hoof at him. Two other pirates quickly surrounded Razor Sharp on either side and placed their swords against his neck.

“I’ve got questions that I need answers to, and I need them fast!” Rainbow Dash stated, already very agitated and impatient. “I’m going to ask you these questions once and I want you to answer them immediately! Do you understand me?”

Razor Sharp was nervous that he was stripped of his weapons and being threatened in front of his own crew, but he still had his pride. “I’ll never betray my mission, if that answers your question!” he responded.

Rainbow Dash ignored that last comment and asked anyways. “Where did Princess Twilight Sparkle teleport to?” she asked, in a commanding tone of voice.

“I don’t know,” Razor Sharp answered, putting it bluntly. “What is your interest in the princess anyways?”

“I’m the one asking the questions!” Rainbow Dash yelled. After a pause, she continued. “I’ve heard the princess has something I want very badly! It’s called a Harmonious Gem! There’s only six of them in the whole Cascade Sea! As you can imagine, something like that must be pretty valuable, so I don’t really have to tell you how much I want it!”

This was news to Captain Razor Sharp. Though he himself wasn’t aware of all the details when he first agreed to be captain of this mission, he never knew anything about a Harmonious Gem being onboard. In fact, he didn’t actually know anything about the Harmonious Gems themselves, but if there were supposed to be only six it was no wonder why a pirate would be interested.

“I’m going to ask again, and I’m not going to repeat myself!” Rainbow Dash said. “Where. is. Twilight. Sparkle?”

Razor Sharp simply shook his head. “I can’t tell you,” he answered. “I can guarantee you one thing, however. You’ll never find her.”

Rainbow Dash looked very cross. There was a look in her eyes that caused even her own crew to back away in fear. It was odd, but it didn’t appear to be a look of frustration or anger. There was almost a hint of tragedy in the way Rainbow Dash looked up at the captain, but she did a pretty good job making herself intimidating by the way she expressed it.

“Alright...” Rainbow Dash sneered. “If you want to do this the hard way, then fine! We’ll do this the hard way!”

At that, Rainbow Dash drew a gun from her belt and fired it straight into Razor Sharp’s chest. There was a gasp from everypony, pirates and navy alike, the instant the shot was heard and Razor Sharp stumbled back. Right before his body touched the ground, the two pirates who stood beside him lifted his body and dumped it over the side of the ship.

Twilight Sparkle was paralyzed with shock at what she had just witnessed. “Rainbow Dash... she’s a cold blooded murderer!” she gasped.

Rainbow Dash, meanwhile, dropped her gun to the floor and turned away. Even after what she had done to Razor Sharp there was not a hint of remorse in her stone cold eyes. After a moment, she turned again and faced the next crew member standing in line.

“Your turn private!” she stated.

At that, the same two pirates from before came around, threatening the hostage with their swords. The small filly Rainbow Dash had picked was hardly even old enough to work on a ship. When Rainbow Dash looked down, all of the crew became afraid of what she might do to him.

“Alright worm, start talking!” the pegasus yelled. “Where is Princess Twilight Sparkle!”

The poor filly was drowning in tears when he responded. “I don’t know where she is!” he cried. “Honest! I’m not lying!”

Rainbow Dash simply stared, cold and emotionless. “Then I’m sorry I have to do this to you as well,” she decided. At that, she slowly reached for her next pistol and prepared to fire it.

“WAIT!”

Everypony turned, just in time to see Twilight as she came running out from behind her hiding spot. But while Twilight was trying to make a dramatic entrance, she stumbled suddenly when the fishing nets tangled around her. There was an awkward moment as everypony stared at her while she untangled herself. After Twilight freed herself from the netting she stood up and faced the pirates.

“I’m here!” she told them. “Rainbow Dash... you don’t need to hurt anypony else!”

Rainbow Dash seemed pleased as she gave the pirates permission to lower their swords. The life of the young filly was spared, but Twilight knew it meant sacrificing herself. It was a fair trade, she decided.

As the pirates came and surrounded her, Rainbow Dash faced Twilight and had a peculiar expression in her eyes. Whether it suggested smugness or relief, Twilight couldn’t be sure. There was something strange about Rainbow Dash she noticed since the moment they first met, but she couldn’t put her hoof on it.

“Alright princess,” the rainbow pony smiled. “Now that I’ve found you again, answer me this one simple question. Where is the Harmonious Gem?”

Twilight Sparkle wasn’t sure how to answer that question. It wasn’t just Rainbow Dash that made her nervous but also the half dozen other pirates standing over her. She wasn’t sure how to tell them the bad news as she swallowed. “I... don’t have it,” she eventually said.

There was a pause and a frown crossed Rainbow Dash’s face. “What!?” she asked.

“I don’t have it!” Twilight repeated. “I lost the gem! I don’t know where it is!”

“No! NO NO!” Rainbow Dash cried. She entered a fit of hysteria, which came as a surprise to the pirates who were looking up to her for guidance. After she got herself back under control, the pirate captain put her hoof down. “Search her!” she ordered.

The pirates began checking Twilight Sparkle. There wasn’t much to check, since she only had the under layer of her dress and there were only two pockets to search. Checking her mane, her tail and finally her neck for any necklaces, the pirates shrugged their shoulders. “She doesn’t have anything,” they said.

Rainbow Dash seemed too shocked for words to express. After all the trouble she went through to secure this ship, the one prize she wanted for herself wasn’t here to be found. It was more than just that. Something about the Harmonious Gem was important to Rainbow Dash besides its material value. Whatever it was she wanted from the gem, it couldn’t be her’s anymore.

Before long, another pirate came around and spoke to Rainbow Dash. “Ma’am, I suggest we secure the booty we’ve collected and get out of here!” she said. “We’re nearing navy controlled waters. If we stay much longer this small window of opportunity will close on us. We don’t have the resources to challenge the navy of Cretaceous.”

Rainbow Dash seemed distracted but somehow found a way to listen. After shaking herself back to her senses, she looked at the pirate and nodded her head. “Fine then,” she decided. “Let’s get everything else we came for and make our escape.”

The pirates understood and set to work. Giving themselves only a minute’s notice to get everything together, many of the pirates actually abandoned the navy crew they were supposed to be taking hostage and even allowed them to roam free. Even Twilight was not being guarded as the ponies went to secure their spoils of war.

Gathering together all the treasure and food they could find, the pirates regrouped on the deck of the ship as Rainbow Dash stood on the railing. Retrieving a whistle from her belt, Rainbow Dash blew into it and signaled for her ship to return.

Waiting only a minute after the whistle had been blown, the Dark Fortune suddenly appeared again and the pirates waited as their ship came their way. Coming alongside the Red Reef, the pirates quickly made their way back onboard the Dark Fortune and completely abandoned the hostages they were leaving behind. After the food and treasure was transported to their own ship, the pegasi began helping the earth ponies next who couldn’t jump the distance.

The navy crew stared in confusion for a while as the pirates cleared out. While everypony was leaving, Rainbow Dash stayed and was among the last to depart. It was the captain’s duty, after all, the ensure the safety of her crew. When everything was ready and most of the pirates were back onboard the Dark Fortune, Rainbow Dash perched herself on the railing of the ship and prepared to leave as well. But right before she flew away, the young pegasus paused for a moment and looked back into Twilight Sparkle’s eyes.

After the two ponies made eye contact, Twilight Sparkle suddenly got the most peculiar feeling. The princess couldn’t mistake what she felt, because it was a feeling of sentiment beyond any shadow of a doubt. Almost like a memory from her fillyhood, Twilight Sparkle had the feeling she and Rainbow Dash once knew each other. It was difficult to understand how they shared the same feeling for an instant when they should have been like enemies to each other right now.

The sentimental feeling between the two ponies came for only second before disappearing as suddenly as it came. When Rainbow Dash returned to her senses she looked away and then flew into the air. Twilight Sparkle also came back to her senses as well when she hurried to the rail to see what would become of the pirates, now that they were gone. When Rainbow Dash landing on the deck of the Dark Fortune, the pirates steered their ship away and began climbing higher into the sky as they made their departure. The pirates left, leaving nothing of their’s behind.

Climbing in altitude, the Dark Fortune became darker and darker against the night sky until the ship retreated behind a small cloud. Then, almost like it had never been there to begin with, the ship disappeared entirely. Twilight Sparkle and the rest of the crew stood there for a moment, unable to believe what had just happened. Just a moment ago they remembered being threatened and having swords pressed against their necks. Now, apparently, the Dark Fortune was gone and they were allowed to continue on their way with hardly any bloodshed.

Still... their lucky escape didn’t come without its price. A moment of silence befell everypony when they remembered the loss of their captain. A few of the ponies even went to the side of the ship where they remembered his body being dumped.

“Captain Razor Sharp!”

Although they called his name the crew did not honestly expect to hear a response. If his body was lost at sea it was unlikely the captain would ever be found again. All the rest of the crew, including Twilight, gathered around the ship’s rail and looked down at the place Razor Sharp’s body had fallen. But just as they were leaning over the rail and stared down into the water, something caught their attention that caused everypony to gasp in amazement.

“Somepony... help!”

“Ra... Razor Sharp!” Twilight stammered.

Much to everypony’s surprise, Razor Sharp was hanging their against the side of the ship, still alive. A rope was secured around one of his hoofs for some reason and was suspending him a safe height above the water. Although the captain seemed a little disoriented being hung upside down for so long he seemed alright, even though he should have taken a bullet through the chest.

“Hurry, let’s help him!” one of the crew yelled. Finding the rope Razor Sharp was tied to, everypony pulled and gently hoisted their captain back onto the ship’s deck.

After lifting him over the rail, the crew sat him down and Twilight was the first to rush to his side. “Captain... I don’t understand!” she exclaimed. “What happened! You were supposed to be dead!”

“I thought I was,” Razor Sharp breathed. “When I saw the gun fire straight into my chest I felt certain I was dead. They threw me over the side of my ship, but when the rope stopped me from hitting the water, that’s when I realized it. I wasn’t dead after all. There wasn’t even a bullet.”

Twilight checked and was surprised to find it was true. There wasn’t any bullet hole or anything to suggest Razor Sharp had been shot. “You mean... Rainbow Dash fired a blank round?” she wondered.

No pony answered. It was such a relief that Razor Sharp was alive, none of the crew bothered wondering how it was possible. They were glad just to have their captain back, and in one piece too.

But while they weren’t looking, Twilight turned away and tried to make sense of this. “So... Captain Rainbow Dash only pretended like she was killing ponies,” she thought to herself.

This whole idea was a real head scratcher to the princess. Twilight had done her studies on pirates but this was very peculiar behavior for the captain of any sort of pirate crew. It was even more puzzling that Rainbow Dash would go to such lengths to make herself look ruthless and terrible, when really she wasn’t.

Twilight Sparkle didn’t know what to make of this. For some reason, the young alicorn got the feeling there was a connection of some kind between her and Rainbow Dash. Maybe not a friendly connection or a relationship built around any sort of emotion, but she was curious to know why the Harmonious Gem had been so important to her; important enough to fake the killing of innocent ponies. Whatever the reason for doing this, Twilight couldn’t help get the feeling there was going to be more between her and Rainbow Dash in due time.

Chapter 16

“Applejack! Applejack! Are you in there!?”

Applejack lazily rolled over in her bed and hoped the noise would go away as she tried returning to sleep. But while the intruder was continuing to call her name there was also knocking on her bedroom door. The young earth pony was hardly in the mood to answer it this early in the morning. After the knocking continued for a few more seconds Applejack turned over again and tried hiding beneath her pillow but it hardly did any good.

“Lieutenant Applejack!” the visitor called. “I seriously think you won’t want to be missing this!”

Upon hearing those words Applejack awoke from her slumber, groaning in frustration. Still half asleep, she raised her tired head from her mattress and looked out her window. Much to her surprise, it wasn’t even light out. It was still a few minutes before sunrise and she couldn’t believe there was any excuse for bothering her this early.

The knocking at her door continued until Applejack finally couldn’t take it anymore. “What!? What the dangnabbit is all the ruckus about!?” she yelled.

The bedroom door swung open and a teal colored pony stepped through. Applejack recognized her as Ensign Upright, an upstanding and loyal pony who served under her in the navy. Although Upright wasn’t much of a fighter or a sailor Applejack appreciated her as a type of personal assistant. Whenever there was important news it was always Upright who was the first to inform her of it.

As her underling came around to meet with her, Applejack sat up in her bed. Her mane and her bedsheets were both in a mess, just like the whole rest of her house. Being a lieutenant in the navy was a hard, time consuming job that hardly gave Applejack time to manage her living space, but that was the price she paid for her career.

After rubbing some of the sleep out of her eyes, the earth pony stared at Upright and tried deciding if she was upset or concerned to be awoken so early. “What’s so important that you had to wake me up before it’s even daylight out?” she asked, still making up her mind.

“I’m sorry to wake you,” Upright said. “I thought you would have liked to know, the Red Reef is coming into port. We received word she’s less than a few minutes out.”

“If that’s the case, then why couldn’t I sleep in until they actually got here?” Applejack demanded to know.

Upright nervously bit her lip. “We got word that also... they were attacked by pirates.”

The moment Applejack heard those words she paused midway through a yawn and froze. The mention of pirates caused the lieutenant to worry. “Wait... say that again!” she said, still unable to believe what she heard.

Upright inhaled a breath and started from the beginning. “As you know, we have ships on patrol just outside the waters of Port Cretaceous,” she explained. “Just a week ago they received the instructions to escort the Red Reef into port once they reached the rendezvous point... just like you asked. When one of our ships made contact with the Red Reef, she was damaged and required assistance while making her way in. A pegasus messenger reached us a few minutes ago, giving us the news of what happened.”

Applejack sat there in bed for a moment, considered what she had just heard. “I cain’t believe it’s actually happened,” she thought aloud. “It was my responsibility to keep the waters safe for our important guests... and you’re telling me I failed them!”

“You mustn’t blame yourself,” Upright insisted. “The pirates chose their moment of attack very precisely. They managed to catch the Red Reef in that small gap between us and the Nation of the Sun where navy forces are thinnest.”

“No excuse!” Applejack declared. After a moment, she calmed down and pulled herself together. “How is the Red Reef faring now?”

“The Red Reef is fine. She’ll make it to port, no problem.”

“Then maybe the best we can do is wait and be patient on them.”

“But that’s exactly the reason I came! We can’t wait!” Upright exclaimed. “Lieutenant Blazing Trail is trying to take charge of the situation!”

Applejack needed a moment to realize the problem. “What!?” she exclaimed.

“Your career rival is already awake and on duty,” Upright explained. “He’s probably riling up the officers as we speak. I’m sure you and I both know what he’s up to. Lieutenant Blazing Trail has been hoping to undermine you since he arrived. He’s probably going to use this incident with the Red Reef as some kind of excuse to overthrow your authority.”

Applejack almost couldn’t believe it. Hurrying out of bed, she got herself dressed in uniform and rushed to the door; leaving herself just enough time to grab her hat. “Of all the times Blazing Trail could have picked to cook up a scheme to undermine me...” She couldn't finish her own thought.

As Applejack stormed out of her house, she knew that it didn’t really matter what she said out loud to herself. If she wanted to stop Blazing Trail she had to hurry fast and confront him directly. It was all she could do to save her career, as well as her reputation as the head of the authorities in Port Cretaceous.

Chapter 17

The Red Reef made its way slowly across the open water as it approached the island of Cretaceous. Its white sandy shores were just coming into view right as the morning sun was coming up. A virtual circle shape, the island was distinct by the earthquake that split it in half more than a century ago. In the Cascade Sea, where pirates and smugglers were rampant, Cretaceous was one of the few strongholds the Nation of the Sun kept in close contact with.

Another ship, the Goliath, graciously escorted the Red Reef as they made their way inland and provided the assistance the crew desperately required after the pirate attack. To Captain Razor Sharp, this was a relief. He accepted the help he was offered and the crew of the Goliath set to work, making temporary repairs and helping the ponies drain the water that was flooding the cargo hold.

After conditions aboard the ship were becoming manageable, Razor Sharp almost wanted to retire so he could catch up on some sleep he missed. But while his crew still needed his instruction he stayed awake and alert while he and the captain of the Goliath both supervised the repairs. As the labor of all the ponies continued the two captains stuck together and walked across the deck side by side as they talked and caught up with each other.

“I still can’t thank you enough,” Razor Sharp said after a minute.

“I’m sure your crew could have handled it on their own, but I’m happy to lend my assistance anyways,” the captain of the Goliath nodded. “As soon as we have your ship pulled into port the shipwrights can have a look at it immediately. I trust your mission was not jeopardized by that pirate attack you mentioned, right?”

Razor Sharp frowned. “That... I’m not sure of,” he answered.

“In any case, I must return to my own ship. Razor Sharp, if there’s anything else you require, don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Thank you,” Razor Sharp bowed.

At that, the captain of the Goliath opened his wings and flew into the air. He then retreated back to his own ship and trusted the crew he was leaving behind to manage the Red Reef while he was away. While the ship was still damaged, it seemed the ponies had everything under control as well as could be expected.

Captain Razor Sharp took a moment to look across the deck and appreciate the work the ponies were doing for him. Repairing a ship at sea was difficult. It wouldn’t be much longer before they were safe in a port with warm meals to look forward to when they docked. After everything that happened, the crew definitely deserved some rest.

After a moment, Razor Sharp suddenly remembered Twilight Sparkle. Nearly forgetting the most important pony onboard, he went downstairs below deck and found her personal quarters. It was rare anyone besides the captain should have personal quarters but there was no expense that was too much for royalty.

Raising his hoof, he knocked on the door and was a little surprised to hear an immediate response.

“Please just go away...”

It definitely sounded like the princess’s voice, but faint and not very happy sounding. “Princess Twilight!” Razor Sharp called. “Are you alright in there?”

Twilight seemed hesitant to answer. “No... I’m not alright,” she eventually answered. “But you can just leave me alone if it's not important. I don’t feel in the mood to talk right now.”

Razor Sharp frowned. “I just thought you’d like to know... we found the necklace you lost. Can I return it?”

There was silence for a minute before Twilight slowly turned the doorknob and let him inside. Razor Sharp stepped through and was a little startled by the surprisingly colorful decor inside princess’s cabin. Undoubtedly, it was the maidservants who decorated this place to be more comfortable for a pony of Twilight’s cast.

Razor Sharp kept his rather negative thoughts regarding the decor to himself as he instead turned and faced Twilight. When he looked at the young princess he suddenly felt a little disheartened to see a very subtle hint of depression in her eyes. Remembering the reason he came, Razor Sharp reached into his jacket and pulled out the necklace. At the very end was the Harmonious Gem, hanging like a decorative pendant.

When Twilight saw it she took it from Razor Sharp’s hoof with her magic and placed it around her neck where it was supposed to belong. “Thank you,” she said, as she looked up at him. “I was afraid I lost it for good.”

“You shouldn’t have to worry so much,” Razor Sharp told her. After a second, he took a moment to look around the cabin again and made an interesting observation. “I’m surprised. There doesn’t seem to be that much missing for your quarters, even though there’s an assortment of things I’m sure the pirates would have wanted to rob.”

“They were in a rush for some reason. They didn’t take the time to bother, I guess.” After commenting, Twilight turned away and went to the window. As she looked out at the open water it actually came as a surprise to the captain when he realized she was sulking with regret.

Captain Razor Sharp wasn’t sure what to make of this when he realized how upset Twilight seemed to be. Slowly, he stepped closer and wondered how he could help. “Princess... care to tell me what’s troubling you?” he asked.

“Nothing! Nothing at all!” Twilight said. “... Unless you count the fact that I failed everypony! When I voted myself acting captain of the whole ship I should have done more when the pirates attacked us and nearly killed all the crew!”

Razor Sharp was surprised how bluntly Twilight Sparkle seemed to state her answer; blaming herself very harshly for what she felt responsible for. The captain wasn’t quite sure how to answer her, now that he understood the problem. When it came to battle tactics and naval concerns he knew exactly what kind of advice to give, but not when it came to personal dilemmas. But when Razor Sharp looked again at the princess sulking in misery he sighed and tried speaking the first piece of advice that came to his mind.

“You shouldn’t be upset,” he said. “I wasn’t your place to lead these ponies.”

“Gee, thanks,” Twilight said with sarcasm.

“What I mean to say, is that nothing is your fault!” Razor Sharp insisted. “Maybe it was mine. I was foolish enough to eat those muffins when I should have smelled the Starlight petals somepony obviously sprinkled across the top.”

Twilight turned and faced him. “I was meaning to ask you why you didn’t notice them before. I could have smelled Starlight petals from a mile away.”

“Haven’t you ever been onboard a navy ship before?” Razor Sharp chuckled. “All of our food smells horrible.”

Although it was meant to be a joke, Twilight didn’t find it at all funny. She turned away again and looking out the window, remembering the way she had failed everypony. “ I should have been better prepared,” she said, partly to herself. “All that reading didn’t do me any good.”

Razor Sharp rubbed his forehead. There was no advice he had left to give, since he wasn’t good at this sort of thing. But without any other option, he gave Twilight the straight facts. “We’ll soon reach our destination,” he told her. “As soon as we dock, you can meet your correspondent and fulfill Princess Celestia’s mission. Although... there might be a report you’ll have to fill out regarding the pirate attack. I’m not sure what the navy will do concerning the pirates who attacked us, but I think you aught to know what you’re in for.”

Upon hearing that, Princess Twilight didn’t feel any better concerning her failure, but it reminded her that she had responsibilities to attend to. Standing upright, she tucked the Harmonious Gem away where nopony would see it and put her feeling aside as well. No doubt, there would be a lot for her to do once they pulled into Cretaceous and her assignment from Princess Celestia was going to become her chief concern. There was no longer going to be any time for regret.

Chapter 18

Slowly, the Red Reef made its way around the side of Cretaceous and found the long straight created by the earthquake that split the island in half over a hundred years ago. Cretaceous was a rather large island several miles across, covered in a thick forest that wrapped its way around the small mountain range. The straight going through the island cut right through those mountains, splitting some of them in half right down the middle.

The Red Reef sailed up the straight, falling underneath the shadow of the mountains as it passed. Although there was plenty of room to maneuver it was still claustrophobic to have cliff walls on either side. Interestingly enough, it was here that traffic became dense with both airships and normal ships sailing in and out of the island.

The Red Reef followed the ships going inside the island and Twilight was curious to see where they were all heading. No doubt, they had to be nearing the port that had to be somewhere on this island. It was after the Red Reef sailed around a bend in the path that it came into view. When Twilight Sparkle saw the town settled on the inside of the island, it nearly left her speechless.

Port Cretaceous was unlike anything the princess imagined it would be. The settlement was constructed on both sides of the narrow straight, standing against the sides of the two cliffs that were facing each other. For that reason, the buildings were constructed upwards rather than to the side like normal towns. There were different levels to the town going up the cliff face and nearly half the architecture was carved out of the mountain itself. The design of the port was so well conceived that there were even bridges connecting the two halves of the port with enough room for ships to sail underneath them. There were docks for both airships and normal ships, which the Red Reef pulled into as it made its way in.

Twilight Sparkle only read about Port Cretaceous but never imagined it being quite this impressive. It was not the biggest town she ever traveled to but it was amazing such a place could thrive when the Cascade Sea was supposed to be such a primitive and underdeveloped part of the world.

As the Red Reef pulled into port Twilight got the idea that maybe it was wrong of her to think that way of the ponies who lived in the Cascade Sea. When the ship was docked she and the crew were immediately greeted by navy officers. They came up the gangplank and confronted both Twilight Sparkle and Razor Sharp together. It was a bit awkward to be approached so suddenly after arriving but the navy officers didn’t waste a second of their time.

“Our lieutenants have requested to speak with you at the fort,” one of the officers said to Razor Sharp and Twilight. “Word has reached our ears regarding the pirate attack you experienced. Our commanding officers would appreciated handling this matter quickly, if it’s convenient with you.”

Razor Sharp wasn’t sure what to tell them at first. “I can’t afford the time right this minute!” he exclaimed. “I’ve got wounded crew mates here! I need to make sure they’re taken care of!”

It was at that moment Twilight stepped forwards to volunteer herself. “Don’t worry about that,” she told him. “I’ll go and cover for you.”

The officer sighed. “Fine. As long as at least one of you is coming...”

Chapter 19

After Twilight agreed to go with the officers to the fort, they didn’t stop for anything as they escorted her. After walking a considerable distance through the town’s market and rural district they arrived at the fort soon enough. The fort was constructed high against the cliff wall where it had a clear view of the entire harbor. The bridges around town were arranged specially to give the cannons clear shots of any ships that might appear to be hostile. It was heavily fortified, though, the rest of the town was fortified almost just as much, being carved out of the same stone.

Another pony, Applejack, arrived at the fort just as Twilight was. Meeting close to the entrance, they didn’t pay any mind to each other as they were both escorted to the same meeting room. After they arrived, both Twilight Sparkle and Applejack had mixed feelings when they saw a meeting that had started without them. Gathered around a long table, they saw an assembly of navy officers all listening to a black pegasus at the far end of the room.

“It’s just as we feared!” the pegasus told all his listeners. “The threat of piracy is becoming a problem we can’t afford to ignore anymore! It’s even worse when you realize we can’t protect ships on important missions handed down to us from Princess Celestia herself! There must be something done to stop traitors like Rainbow Dash!”

The black pegasus, who Applejack remembered as Blazing Trail, really took charge of the meeting as a few of the ponies noticed. Applejack, herself, couldn’t believe her rival would take a liberty such as calling a meeting without her consent. But when Blazing Trail noticed Applejack had arrived, he stopped and allowed her to come forwards. The orange earth pony waited a moment before storming up to him.

Applejack walked passed Blazing Trail, and without saying a word, she signaled for him to follow her. Walking together, the two hated enemies retreated to the far corner of the meeting room where nopony else could hear them.

As soon as Applejack was sure she could speak freely without being overheard, she faced Blazing Trail and didn’t hesitate to give him a piece of her mind. “What in tarnation are you doing!?” she whispered.

“My job... as well as yours, apparently,” Blazing Trail grinned. “Where were you Applejack when the report came in? Did you sleep in, or was walking from your home on the other side of town too long for your earth pony legs?”

Applejack tried not to loose control of herself, even thought she couldn’t stand to be in Blazing Trail’s presence. The only thing the black pegasus needed was just one screwup to pin on his rival in order to destroy her reputation, which was the very reason Applejack was cautious when speaking with him. For many months, both Blazing Trail and Applejack had shared the authority of Port Cretaceous, but it was regrettable to some that they spent the majority of that time being enemies to each other. It was no secret to either of them what their intentions were. Applejack worked hard to have a reputable career in the navy. Blazing Trail, on the other hoof, saw Applejack as an inferior with influence he hoped to steal from her. Deep inside, tormenting Applejack actually amused him; which was the one thing the orange earth pony couldn’t tolerate.

But while the two of them were still lieutenants there was no greater authority in Port Cretaceous to separate them. The rivalry between them had been allowed to go back and forth with nopony to stop it. It persisted simply because nopony outranked them.

While the rest of the ponies were waiting at the meeting table, Applejack stared her opponent down and quickly got to the point she wanted to make clear. “We have an understandin’ from Princess Celestia herself!” she stated. “Blazing Trail, your authority is squarely airships! Anything that swims below the air is my concern!”

“Oh, I wish you told me that before I convened this meeting,” Blazing Trail answered, in a mocking sort of tone. “You see, I’ve already gathered our captains and they are eager for me to take charge of this case. What am I going to say when I surrender this case to you? Don’t you think they’ll be suspicious of the reasons you were late?”

Applejack scoffed. She knew better than to fall for Blazing Trail’s trickery. Although he was pretending to sound concerned for the greater good, it was not a secret to the earth pony that he had staged this meeting as a way to embarrass her. But, Applejack was not going to let that bother her.

With a determined look, he pushed her hoof into Blazing Trail’s chest and gave him a stern warning. “If the Red Reef is a water faring ship, I will take this case off your hoofs and ask you to leave, Blazing! Don’t let me catch ya doing this again!”

Blazing Trail only smiled. Whether it was overconfidence or the sign of a true mastermind, the pegasus clearly did no consider his opponent a threat to him. But after getting the message, he stepped aside and allowed Applejack assume control.

Applejack gave her rival a sharp look before approaching the table and addressing all the ponies present. She stood at the end of the table where Blazing Trail had been a moment ago and everypony including Twilight Sparkle stared up at her. Since it was no secret what Applejack and Blazing Trail had been arguing about, nopony was sure what to say at first.

“Uh... do you have instructions for us ma’am?” one of the officers eventually asked.

Applejack hated that she had to give them a less than satisfactory answer. Looking across the table, she sighed before addressing them all. “I don’t know what purpose Blazing Trail summoned yall here for but I appreciate your readiness. I’m adjournin’ this meeting until I investigate the incident with the Red Reef a little further. I apologize that yall had to be awoken so early for nothing, but I assure you, I will do everything I can to set things right.”

There was an odd silence inside the room as everypony made sense of Applejack’s instructions. Blazing Trail’s plan to humiliate her was clearly working. Everypony seemed frustrated to dismiss a meeting before anypony actually got the chance to talk, but they knew it wasn’t their place to question the lieutenant. While the officers got up to leave, only Applejack and Twilight Sparkle remained.

Once everypony else had left, Applejack looked up after a minute and noticed Twilight still there in the opposite corner of the meeting room. The earth pony was a little confused at first regarding the reason the alicorn princess was hear. After giving it some consideration, Applejack came around the table and stopped a distance away. “Your highness,” she bowed.

“Um... no need to bow,” Twilight insisted. “It sounds to me like you’ve had it pretty rough.”

“Tell me about it.” Applejack chuckled. After a second, the earth pony suddenly realized her mistake and quickly silenced herself. It wasn’t her place to express opinion like that in front of royalty.

But, Twilight didn’t find herself offended at all by Applejack’s remark. As a matter of fact, the princess didn’t mind socializing at all with another pony. Forgetting about her status of royalty and her superiority to Applejack, Twilight became curious of the problem that seemed so apparent.

“So, what was happening between you and that pegasus?” she asked.

Applejack hated explaining it to a pony she had only just met, but she couldn’t resist letting out just some of her pent up anger. “Me and Blazing Trail are both the authorities in these parts,” she began. “Every since that pegasus showed his ugly face, he’s been trying to squeeze me out of my place... and dare I say it... it’s working!”

Twilight Sparkle was almost alarmed to hear the news. “Why don’t you trying reporting it?” she wondered.

“To who!?” Applejack exclaimed. “Me and Blazing Trail are the authorities, and no pony else cares. Blazin’ Trail is a pegasus after all. If any scandal unfolds, I will be the one ta take the blame. I’m only a mere earth pony, after all.”

There was something in that remark that made Twilight concerned. “I’m afraid I don’t understand,” she frowned. “Why would it make a difference whether you’re an earth pony or a pegasus?”

Applejack laughed with amusement. “I might have guessed you wouldn’t understand,” she commented. “You might not know it, princess, but earth ponies are not a very respected race of pony. The alicorns and unicorns are the highest and most privileged cast, I’m sure you understand that much. The Pegasi, on the other hoof, are the warriors who believe themselves to be the best for being brave in the face of danger. But if you ask about earth ponies, we are the working class; hardly more than slaves to the other two casts. I have great authority in these parts as a lieutenant, but that's as much as an earth pony like myself can ever hope for. I’ll tell you, it is hard making your way in the world when you have to work for everything you rightfully deserve.”

After she was done talking, Twilight Sparkle just stood there for a moment. The rant Applejack ushered came as a surprise to her because it was the last thing the princess expected to hear when she was summoned to this place. After the orange colored pony realized what she must have put the princess through, she bowed her head in regret.

“Beggin’ your pardon princess,” she sighed. “I won’t hold it against you if yall are angry with me. Sometimes, taking out my frustration on others the only way I know I’m still in charge of this place.”

Twilight stared. “I’m not angry with you,” she said after a moment. “Tell you the truth, I’m surprised this is happening to you. Is this really what it’s like in the Cascade Sea?”

“I’m afraid the real world ain’t pretty when you look at it properly,” Applejack sighed. She paused for a moment and then began to chuckled. “But, I know yall didn’t come here to listen ta my ranting. We gotta problem with a pirate, as I understand it. Wanna fill me in on the details while we walk?”

Twilight Sparkle wasn’t sure. She wasn’t sure of a lot of things. Applejack was clearly a pony with a lot of issues related to her job, but handled it surprisingly well for the stress it seemed to cause her. But since Twilight understood the real reason she was here, concerning the pirate attack from last night, she agreed to walk with Applejack and answer her questions. The sooner Twilight had all of this out of the way, the sooner she knew she’d be freed. She had greater responsibilities she couldn’t wait to get to as soon as this was all over with.

Chapter 20

As Twilight Sparkle and Applejack walked through the fort, the two of them discussed a number of important matters. Although they talked about each other’s problems it was interesting that neither of their responsibilities seemed that big a concern to the other. Twilight was the one who noticed it quite quickly.

It was Applejack’s responsibility to hunt down pirates and the only reason Twilight cared was because she had been attacked by one just last night. Meanwhile, it was supposed to be Twilight’s responsibility to arrange a meeting between Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, and the only reason Applejack cared was because it would cost her her career if anything went wrong; security wise.

But although the relationship between their two problems seemed awkward, Twilight noticed the two of them seemed to get along very well as they talked. Maybe they were naturally good company to each other, but it still felt strange being an upperclass alicorn standing next to an earth pony struggling to make her way in the world. They were given tons of respect by everypony they passed, but it was apparent that Twilight was the one they respected. Applejack knew in her heart that she didn’t really have the respect of her soldiers.

“I really cain’t stand it,” Applejack mumbled. After sighing, she changed the subject to help her forget. “But, I definitely cain’t stand the pirates even more,” she thought aloud. “While they roam the waters freely, it’s all the navy can do to keep the people safe. I especially hate Rainbow Dash in particular. I wish I was there last night with you ta give her a piece of my mind.”

“I imagine you would have made a better captain than I did,” Twilight sighed, speaking partly to herself. She paused for a moment and then asked a question that had been on her mind. “By the way, where are we walking to?”

“The detention level,” Applejack answered. “There’s somepony down there I want you ta talk with.”

Twilight was curious who could possibly be down there that she’d want to talk with. Still, following out of curiosity, the lieutenant and the princess made their way down to the lower dungeons where they passed the armory and the barracks. At the far end of a long corridor, they passed through an iron gate that stood before a row of prison cells. Standing at the door was just one guard who let them pass after he recognized Applejack.

“This won’t take up too much of your time, if you don’t mind,” Applejack said.

“No, I don’t mind at all,” Twilight answered.

Applejack turned and guided Twilight to one of the prison cells at the far end of the dungeon. It made the princess nervous to be down here; a very low and grimy place she thought she’d never have to visit. In the very last cell, Applejack and Twilight stopped and inside they found just one single pony who was sitting there alone. Twilight could not recall ever seeing such a pathetic looking pony in all her life.

The prisoner only continued to sit there in the corner of her cell when they arrived, sulking in the worst depression imaginable. She didn’t even notice she had visitors. Nopony else was there in the whole detention level to keep her company except a few empty soda bottles and cupcake wrappers littering the floor. Although the pony was awake it was apparent she was having a sugar high from all the sweets she had been given to guzzle down.

“Up and at ‘em Ms. Pie!” Applejack called after a moment.

Upon hearing her name, prisoner slowly stood up on her wobbly legs and looked through the bars of her cell. When Twilight looked into the prisoner’s eyes, she almost couldn’t believe the emptiness she saw in them. It was a type of cruelty she never imagined. “Who are you?” she asked out of sympathy.

“Pinkamena Diane Pie, at your service,” answered the pony.

Pink was right, since her coat was exactly that color, except for a few sprinkles and frosting smudges. Her hair was also a shade of pink that was almost red, which hung flat down one side of her head. Her coat, unfortunately, was not a very bright shade of pink like others would have expected, and it only seemed to exaggerate the sadness Pinkamena seemed to contain.

When Twilight realized the cruelty of this prison it nearly tore her up inside. She quickly turned and faced Applejack to demand an explanation. “What has this pony been locked up for?” she wanted to know.

Applejack smiled with amusement. “Funny you should ask,” she began. “We caught Pinkamena not that long ago. She was just as much a wreck back then as she is now. She was an out-of-work pirate. I captured her with the intent of hanging her sorry neck from a rope... but the judge decided otherwise. She was so bad with her line of work it was impossible to pin any specific crimes on her head, so the judge decided life imprisonment instead.”

Pinkamena sighed. “It’s not that bad, really,” she moaned. “It’s not any worse than the place I used to stay at.”

Twilight still couldn’t accept this. It seemed so cruel... but who was she to question the system. Still, she paused for a moment when something in her mind distracted her for a moment. “I’m certain I’ve heard the name Pinkamena before,” she said aloud. “But where did I hear it... I can’t quite put my hoof on it.”

Applejack suddenly interrupted and got them back on topic. “Pinkamena sits here all day eating candy and sweets to help her forget her failures as a pirate,” she said, in a taunting sort of tone. “She’s been insistin’ on paying us back with information on pirates, but, much of what she knows is starting to get dated. She’s been here six months.”

“Hey!” Pinkamena exclaimed. “I’m not the one who voted for life imprisonment!”

“Go ahead Pinkamena,” Applejack grinned. “Tell us a little somethin’ about the attack last night. The princess here was ambushed by a certain pony I know you can tell us somethin’ about. Does the name Rainbow Dash sound at all familiar?”

“Rainbow Dash!” Pinkamena exclaimed. She seemed to have trouble remembering because of her sugar high but began recalling just a few things.

“Give us some details,” Applejack insisted. “Why would that scalawag attack the ship carrying Ms. Twilight Sparkle?

Twilight stepped forwards and tried using a kinder approach. “Please, anything you know might be of great help,” she said.

Pinkamena shook her head. “Beats me,” she shrugged. “Ever since Rainbow Dash abandoned the Nation of the Moon, I’ve had no clue what she’s been up to.”

Twilight paused. “What was that again?” she asked. “Something about the Nation of the Moon?”

“You mean you don’t know?” Applejack wondered.

Pinkamena shook her head. She knew it was going to be her job to tell the story to Twilight Sparkle, so didn’t wait for permission to start explaining. Clearing her throat, she started at the very beginning. “Captain Rainbow Dash is a very tricky and very clever pony,” she started. “She’s been working on pirate ships since she was just a little filly. She has a natural talent for that sort of thing.”

“Anyways,” she continued, “Rainbow Dash was destined to be a pirate. When she was still very little, she approached Princess Luna at great risk and asked for Letters of Marque. With it, she would become a privateer; a pirate working under the permission of her native country. After being given the Letters of Marque like she was asked, Rainbow Dash’s name quickly became like legend all across the Cascade Sea. She was feared by the Nation of the Sun; the country she was commissioned to attack.”

Applejack made a face. No doubt, it was because she was loyal to the Nation of the Sun that made her resentful of a pirate like Rainbow Dash. Regardless, she and Twilight listened as Pinkamena continued.

“Things were going well for little Dashie for about a year. But then... something terrible happened that made everything change. One day, during a mission I think, Rainbow Dash was accused of murder. That’s how it happened. The Nation of the Moon accused her of killing somepony very important and Rainbow Dash became the most hunted fugitive in all the Cascade Sea. I don’t know what she does with herself nowadays. She’s always either running from the pirate hunters or stealing instead from anypony she can catch off guard. A few came close to catching her but always she evades them.”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, heard it all before,” she mumbled. “What I’m guessing, then, is you don’t actually know anything that might help us track that pony down, right Pinkamena?”

“You can stand to be a little nicer!” Twilight suddenly interrupted. “Pinkamena’s been very cooperative, don’t you think?”

Applejack shrugged. “It’s not like anythin’ she’s said is going to get us any closer to Rainbow Dash or the Dark Fortune before it’s too late.”

Suddenly, Pinkamena’s ears perked up and her expression changed. The once sad and lonely eyes were now open and alert. “Did you say... Dark Fortune?” she repeated.

Twilight was the first to notice the name of the Dark Fortune sounded familiar to Pinkamena. Approaching the bars of the cell, she put her hoof against the door and Applejack stepped closer as well. “What do you know about the Dark Fortune?” the young princess asked.

For a while, Pinkamena only stared. The pink pony didn’t say anything as her visitors waited for a response. After giving it some thought, Pinkamena shook her head and turned away. “I don’t know anything,” she pouted. “Don’t worry. You can go. I’m sure that’s just as useless to you as everything else I’ve said.”

Applejack rolled her eyes and suddenly felt like leaving. “Come on sugar cube,” she told Twilight. “Pinkamena’s right. No sense graspin’ at straws.”

Twilight Sparkle didn’t want to go. Seeing the way Pinkamena reacted when they mentioned the Dark Fortune had to have meant something, she knew. But still, if Pinkamena didn’t want to talk and Applejack was insisting on leaving, Twilight was forced to turn around and go with her.

“It’s for the best,” Applejack told her as they left. “Pinkamena’s gonna start slippin’ away from us when all that sugar gets to that memory of hers. No pony can last forever in a cell like that.”

Twilight Sparkle was alarmed that maybe Applejack was right. It shocked her even more that Applejack seemed content to just leave Pinkamena in such a state. Looking back at the prisoner and her cell, Twilight felt sorrow like she never felt for anypony before. But, she had no time to stop and consider it when Applejack pulled her away and began showing her the way back out.

Chapter 21

“You can stand to be a little more considerate of Pinkamena, you know that?”

“That is not included in my job description,” Applejack answered as she and Twilight Sparkle walked back into broad daylight. “Princess Twiligh’, there’s something you have to understand when you’re taking care of yourself in a place like the Cascade Sea. When Rainbow Dash attacked your ship, do you think she was being considerate of your feelings?”

Twilight stopped when she realized maybe Applejack had a point. However, it was also curious to her why Rainbow Dash had allowed the Red Reef to go free at all, and with hardly any casualties too. But whatever her reasons for doing that, it would never be enough to convince Applejack because that was how much she hated pirates.

After making their way through the fort, they arrived at the front gate and stopped there. Just outside was the whole rest of Port Cretaceous. Applejack knew that this was where the two of them would say good bye and go their separate ways. Although she couldn’t say her experience with Twilight was a pleasant one, at least it wasn’t bad.

The earth pony tipped her hat to give Twilight a happy fair well. “Do you need an escort to help you find your way back?” she asked. “Yall can get lost pretty easily in a port as large as Cretaceous.”

“I’m sure I can manage,” Twilight nodded.

“Then take care your majesty,” Applejack bowed. After a moment, she turned back towards the fort and was about to forget Twilight as she walked away. But after walking just a few steps away from her new friend, Applejack suddenly felt the urge to turn and say one last thing.

“Princess... I doubt I’ll see yall again,” she said. “Just... rest assured, no harm will come to yall while your enjoying your stay. Just thought you’d like to know.”

Twilight nodded with gratitude when she saw there was genuine concern in Applejack’s tone. But just as Applejack was beginning to feel a certain connection to the princess, she turned and walked away. As the orange earth pony left to start her work day, Twilight thought it was a good idea to turn away and do the same herself.

But just as Twilight took her first few steps away from the fort something made her turn around and look back. Although it probably wasn’t her concern, Twilight felt compelled to go back and talk with Pinkamena again. Whether it was fate or just curiosity that made her consider it, Twilight knew there had to be more to this that she just had to figure out.

Staying carefully out of view of the guards, Twilight decided to sneak back into the fort and found her way down into the lower dungeons. Retracing her path from her memory of this place, it took her a minute but Twilight arrived back at the cell block she and Applejack had visited just a minute ago. After passing through the iron gate, the guard Twilight remembered from before was alarmed to find she had returned. “Wait, I can’t allowed you to be in here!” he stated.

“Please, if you don’t mind!” Twilight insisted.

The guard paused for a moment. Seeing Twilight’s horn and wings, he knew he was speaking to a princess but he was still unsure. “Applejack will get me in trouble if I were to let visitors come and go as they please.”

“No one has to know,” Twilight grinned. Seeing as the guard was still unsure, she tried her very best to convince him. “Please, there is still something I need to know,” she begged him. “You saw how impatient Applejack was being with Pinkamena. Couldn’t I please have a few minutes to learn just a little bit more?”

The guard lowered his head and sighed. “Alright, just a few minutes,” he agreed.

Twilight Sparkle didn’t know how to express her gratitude when she thanked him. Feeling hopeful this trip wasn’t going to be for nothing, she turned around and hurried to the cell she knew Pinkamena was kept in. Upon arriving, she found the pink earth pony in the same position she was in the first time they were introduced.

When Pinkamena saw that Twilight had returned she was genuinely surprised to see her again. “Does Applejack know you’re here?” she wondered.

“No. I was hoping to speak to you alone,” Twilight smiled. “I wanted to learn more about the Dark Fortune. You know something about it, don’t you?”

Pinkamena stared. “But I told you, I know nothing.”

“I... have this strange feeling you’re not telling me the truth,” Twilight responded. “It doesn’t take a genius to see you were obviously trying to avoid the subject. Why?”

Pinkamena groaned. She began shoving cupcakes into her mouth to help cheer her up but it didn’t seem to be working. If anything, it was only making her more miserable than she was before. When Twilight saw the way she was stuffing her face, it made her feel upset to see anypony doing this to themselves.

“Is there anything I can do to help you, Pinkamena?” she eventually asked. “Since I am a princess, do you think I could maybe get you a cell that’s a little more comfortable?”

“It wouldn’t make a difference,” Pinkamena groaned. “You can hear the story of the Dark Fortune if you want, but I doubt you’ll find it useful.”

Twilight smiled. “So you DO know something!”

Pinkamena stood up and looked away. Staring out the window of her cell for a moment, she seemed to be considering whether or not it was worth it to tell Twilight Sparkle the truth. There seemed no way the alicorn was leaving without knowing it. With a sign, she mumbled a few words.

“It’s not a very long story,” Pinkamena explained. “I can, however, guarantee that it will be unlike any other story you’ve ever heard. It’s a story from long ago I promise you won’t believe after you hear it.”

Twilight chuckled with amusement when she heard those words. All her life, she always thought of herself as an open minded individual, although that wasn’t always true. But no matter how far fetched the story might be, she felt opened minded enough to believe whatever Pinkamena had to say.

Pinkamena slowly turned and looked at Twilight out the corner of her eye. “Are you sure you want to hear the story?” she asked.

Twilight Sparkle nodded. She felt ready. Whatever the backstory, no matter how crazy or far fetched it would appear, she simply had to hear it. She didn’t come down here to not hear it.

After Pinkamena understood that Twilight was on leaving without hearing the true tale of the Dark Fortune, the pink earth pony stepped towards the bars of her cell and stared her visitor in the eyes. “Then I guess I’ll start from the beginning...”