Pirates of The Equestrian

Chapter 6: 20,000 Hooves Under The Sea

"Oh...my...goddesses!" gasped Rainbow.

"There she is, ladies." Captain Nemo smiled. "Feast your eyes on the E.S. Barracuda!"

Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow stood at the Horsewater wharf the next morning admiring Nemo's prized secret; a diesel submarine from a bygone era. The sleek iron vessel floated beside the wharf with water lapping against its cigar shaped hull, complete with a conning tower full of periscopes and sensory antennae. It stretched about 300 feet long and featured a cramped beam of 16 feet wide. Rainbow gawked at the submersible war relic with amazement.

"You actually have a real submarine?! That is so cool!" she exclaimed with fascination.

"Land sakes," added Applejack. "Where did ya find this old tub, Captain Nemo?"

"She was salvaged about a week ago. I offered to restore her after she had been sunk by a whale with boundary issues. Now she's back in working condition. And since you ladies have given me the strength to start anew, we can take the Barracuda to search for that emerald."

"This is excellent!" said Rarity. "That jewel should be much easier to find underwater. But Captain, do you even remember where you dropped it?"

"It's all a blur to me now." Nemo admitted. "But after reading up on some pirate lore last night, I've charted out a general area based on the possible location of Blackmane's island. Since I lost the emerald a few miles away from the island, we should be able to find it in this area eventually."

"Shoot! Yer just as smart as our friend Twilight!" said Applejack.

"A captain has to know these things, ya know."

"Well what are we waiting for?" urged Rainbow. "Let's get down there and get naval on some pirates!"

"Aye! Let's cast off!" agreed Nemo.

"Uh, yeah, let's go in that...small metal deathtrap." Applejack gulped as she followed the others onboard.

Before long, the Barracuda was underway with Nemo and his new crew below inside. To avoid prying eyes, the submarine was submerged before it even left the harbor, slipping silently beneath the shroud of the water. The Barracuda cruised out the coast of Horsewater under the surface and into open ocean for the next few hours, following Nemo's predetermined heading. Inside, the ponies gathered in the cramped control bridge, surrounded by tangles of pipes and wiring and complex ship's readings. As Nemo took the tiller, Rainbow took interest in every square inch of the nautical marvel like a curious foal.

"Holy cow! This is so awesome! I can't believe I'm inside an actual submarine! This is just like that Daring Do novel when Daring Do snuck aboard a submarine when she was looking for..." she then noticed Rarity and Applejack staring at her oddly. Rainbow blushed and tried to regain her cool. "Ahem, I mean, uh, yeah it's an underwater boat. Whatever, that's kind of cool, I guess..."

"Aye, she still runs like new." Nemo said. "With her speed, we'll be able to traverse this area within a day or two."

"Applejack, are you okay?" asked Rarity. "You're shaking like a leaf, darling."

Applejack stood idly by a collection of pipes, breathing a bit heavily and darting her eyes. "Um, girls, I don't know if I ever told ya this, but I'm a bit claustrophobic."

"You have claustrophobia?" scoffed Rainbow. "Yeah right!"

"Well why do ya think I'm so comfortable livin' in a wide open farm?" Applejack shot back.

"So you pick now to tell us?!" added Rarity. "In a submarine?!"

"It's fine, it's fine!" she took deep breaths. "It's gonna take a lot more than tight spaces to scare me. Even though we are in a cramped metal tube, surrounded by nothin' but dark walls and only inches of knee room, knowin' that all there is outside is the crushin' depths of the deep sea!"

"Ya know, missy," sulked Nemo. "Yer makin' piloting a submarine a lot less fun." Just then, a bell was heard as a light blinked on the navigation map. "Aha, we've reached the search radius." Nemo showed the mares to the map. "All we have to do is comb the area until we come across the emerald. Unfortunately, the jewel is too small to be detected by the sub's sonar; plus the ocean floor is too soft to make out any shapes on the screen."

"So then how do ya expect to find it then?" queried Applejack. "Get out n' walk?"

"Well, that's kind of the point." Nemo explained. "Miss Rarity, judging by your cutie mark, I assume you're an expert at gems?"

Rarity tossed aside her mane and fluttered her lashes vainly. "You guessed correct, Captain. I just adore the sparkling luster of fine jewels! I even spend time using my gem-find spell to dig up only the best ones to accessorize my dresses."

"I figured ya might." Nemo smiled. "That is why you'll be walking outside the submarine to find the gem."

"Excuse moi?!"

"All ya have to do is put on my diving suit and guide the submarine using the gem-find spell until you come across the emerald."

"Pardon my Prench, but there is no way in heck I am doing that!" protested Rarity. "Why do I have to be stuffed into diving suit just to find the gem?"

"The submarine would interfere with the spell if you tried it inside." Nemo explained. "Besides, we need a way to dig the emerald up when we find it."

"I beg your pardon, Captain, but I am not anypony's digging dog!"

"Oh come on, Rarity," said Applejack. "How bad could it be?"

"Well why don't you do it then, Applejack?!"

"Um, hello? Claustrophobia?"

"You think you're claustrophobic?" snorted Rainbow. "I'm the one who's wings are still tied up in this stupid chain!"

"How did that happen, anyway?" asked Nemo.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Now look here," continued Rarity. "I already had to play sexy bait for those disgusting pirates. And I still never got those pearls Shelly promised! I will not subject myself to a heavy diving suit, being herded across the filthy sea bottom sixty feet under! Have all of you forgotten that I'm a lady?!"

"Tell you what," Rainbow rolled her eyes. "If you find any other fancy rocks down there, they're yours to keep."

"You're not going to convince me with that." Rarity turned away.

"Actually, I've heard of a galleon that sank somewhere in these waters." Nemo recalled. "It was said to have carried about half a million bits worth of pure jade."

"...Jade?" perked up Rarity. "That would be the perfect new addition to my accessories! Jade necklaces? Jade bracelets? Jade encrusted headdresses? Oh I have got to get my hooves on it!"

"Well, maybe you'll find some of it if you go look." Applejack persuaded her.

Rarity thought for a moment, weighing the fear and danger of being stuck in the crushing depths of the ocean floor versus the luster and beauty of jade. "...It's worth a shot!"

After putting aside her better judgement, Rarity prepared for her salvaging trip. Nemo equipped her with an old fashioned heavy diving suit with a bronze helmet. The others helped her into an airlock in the bottom of the sub and began filling the tight room with sea water. The airlock opened and the weight of the suit pulled Rarity down to the sandy sea floor about ten feet below the vessel. With a nervous gulp, she slowly trudged forward with an air hose tethered to the Barracuda which followed her carefully. She grumbled as she moved along.

"Oh dear, what was I thinking? This is absolutely nerve-racking! I feel like this rusty old suit will spring a leak any moment!"

Nemo's voice came over a com-link in her helmet. "Just stay calm, Rarity, don't waste any oxygen. Now just use that gem-find spell and sweep the area."

"Hey Rarity," came Rainbow's voice in a taunting manner. "That suit kind of makes you look a little round in the hips!"

"Really, Rainbow?" snapped Rarity. "I was about to say the same about that chain of yours!"

Concentrating on her magic, Rarity activated the gem-find spell and spread her aura across the sand in front of her. She prepared herself for a long and monotonous search as she looked for any sign of a priceless gem. But really, she was more focused on coming across the pale green allure of jade. For about an hour or two, she scoured the area leading the Barracuda along, but to no avail yet.

"Ugh, my hooves are getting tired from this hideous suit." Rarity whined. "And there hasn't been a single sign of jade anywhere."

"Uh, you do remember we're lookin' fer the emerald, right?" came Applejack's voice.

"Right, yes, I remember."

Just then, she spotted a large dark figure up ahead which piqued her interest; Rarity hoped it was the sunken galleon. But as she moved closer, she found that it was no more than a large boulder dotted with species of coral.

"Anything yet, Rarity?" requested Nemo.

"I'm not quite sure" She reported. "But perhaps this rock might hold something valuable."

"We don't have time, Rarity." Applejack said. "Forget the rock and keep movin'."

"But I'm sensing something rather curious coming from behind it. I must get closer."

Rarity approached the lone rock and put her hooves against it for further inspection. Suddenly, a shadow loomed over her that couldn't have been the Barracuda. She looked up and gawked as a long noodle-like object stretched out above her and clung onto the rock. Startled, Rarity backed away from the boulder and watched in shock as three more wiggly appendages grappled around the rock and an amorphous shape loomed out from behind it. That's when she realized that these spindly objects were tentacles as the rock was dwarfed by a terrifying giant squid.

"Oh sweet Celestia, Luna, and Cadence! A sea monster!" she cried out.

"Rarity! Get out of there!" ordered Nemo.

But the poor unicorn froze with fright. The humongous squid stared at her with two giant bulbous eyes and and clacked its parrot-like beak. Then, the forty foot sea monster extended one of its ten tentacles and scooped up Rarity, clutching her in its sticky grasp.

"Ah! Help! Please help!"

"Don't worry, Rarity, we're a comin'!"

Applejack, Rainbow and Nemo all exited the submarine's airlock in diving suits and rushed over to rescue the damsel in distress. The giant squid grappled onto the hovering Barracuda as the ponies began to attack it.

"You won't getting your slimy tentacles on my ship, you kraken!" Nemo clung to the tentacle holding Rarity and began stabbing at it with a knife.

Meanwhile, Applejack tried mule kicking at the back of the beast's mantle. "Put 'er down ya big ol' piece of calamari!"

Rainbow punched between the squid's eyes. "Yeah! Ya like that?! I don't need to fly to take you down!"

The fight continued to free Rarity from the giant squid's death grip. But nothing they could do had any effect on the monster. Three more tentacles snaked around and gripped the others tightly. Now all four ponies were trapped in the squid's suction cups and it seemed all hope was lost. Nemo continued to stab at the tentacle holding him as he was pulled closer and closer to the monster's gaping beak.

"I knew it! I knew it would end like this!" he grumbled. "But I'm not going down without a fight!"

Rarity thrashed and writhed, trying to escape the lung crushing grip, but she knew she was doomed. She couldn't help but notice that her spell was still indicating something strange, and it was coming from the squid itself. That's when she saw it; a glimmer on the squid's mantle. Rarity squinted at the top of the pointy head and was shocked to see a baseball sized dark green gem embedded in the squid's flesh. That's when she realized that it must have been Blackmane's emerald. Summoning all her might, she focused her magic and attempted to pull the jewel out of the mantle. The emerald finally popped out and the squid's pupils shrunk to the size of peas.

The creature immediately released its grip on the ponies and pushed off to swim away with relief, leaving a trail of ink behind. As the ink cloud covered their suits, Nemo, Applejack and Rainbow saw what Rarity had pulled from the beast.

"Well bite my tail!" smiled Applejack. "That's gotta be the emerald!"

"Aye, I recognize it exactly!" said Nemo. "This is the very gem!"

"How did it get stuck in the head of a giant squid anyhow?" asked Rainbow.

"Who cares? We finally got the key to stop Blackmane!" cheered Applejack. "Nice job, Rarity. Ya really pulled through!"

"Agh! Get this black mess off of me!" Rarity shrieked as she frantically tried to shake off the squid ink. "It's absolutely disgusting! Black is not my color! Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!"

After recovering from their ordeal, the ponies raised the Barracuda to the surface to get some fresh air. Applejack burst out of the hatch on top of the conning tower, shaking off her confinement.

"Oh thank Celestia! Outside at last!"

"Out of my way!" barged Rarity pushing her out. "I'm the one who needs fresh air after what I've been through!"

"Pfff, pansies." Rainbow strolled out onto the deck. Then she noticed the two staring out into the sea with shock. "What the heck is the matter with you guys?" That's when she saw the ship and stared in horror.

Approaching the Barracuda from afar was a lumbering sailing vessel that was all too familiar. There was no mistaking the grimy rotten wood and the torn withered sails. They were caught within range of the Queen Chrysalis's Revenge. The mares could not believe their eyes; they could even see a smiling Blackmane perched on the bowsprit, staring them down with lust in his eyes.

"Oh crud, it's Blackmane!" blurted Rainbow.

"How could he have found us?!" worried Rarity.

"Ladies!" Nemo poked out of the hatch. "All of you get below deck. I have a submersible you take to get out of here. Take the emerald with you." He then placed the flawless gem in Rarity's hoof.

"But we can't just leave you, Captain." Rarity said. "Why don't we just go under and run away?"

"Not even a submarine could outrun a ghost ship. Besides, I want to get revenge on that murderer for sinking my crew! Now please, come with me. Hurry!" He lead the mares back down below deck through the submarine until they reached the aft airlock, which contained his submersible. It was a spherical vessel about the size of a small carriage, with a large panoramic glass dome. "You girls will have to take this to escape. I have it set on autopilot."

Rarity and Applejack spoke in unison. "Not more cramped spaces!"

"There's no time to argue." Nemo said. "I'm trusting you three to find Blackmane's island and return the emerald back to his treasure. I'll hold him off so you can get away undetected."

"Captain Nemo, are you sure you'll be alright?" frowned Rarity.

"You can't sink a good sailor, missy." Nemo gave a wink. "Now get inside, quickly."

Without any more sign of protest, and putting aside their discomfort, Rarity and Applejack gulped and entered the tiny submersible. However, Rainbow remained standing behind Nemo in the airlock with a stoic expression.

"Rainbow Dash, you must get in the sub!" ordered Nemo.

"No way, Cap'n!" she held firm. "I'm done with running from that undead maniac. If you're not going down without a fight, then neither am I. I'm staying and there's no telling me otherwise!"

Nemo knew better than to let her life remain in danger; but he was compelled by the gutsy pegasus's tenacity. He grin slightly. "Very well, Ms. Dash, it's a pleasure to have you aboard!"

"Rainbow, what are ya doin'?!" blurted Applejack.

"Don't be a fool!" added Rarity.

But then Nemo slammed the hatch shut on the submersible and pulled a lever to open the airlock. The tiny bathysphere was lowered into the swelling water bellow, and its autopilot was activated, sending it puttering away through the deep blue. After making sure the two mares were underway and closing the airlock, Nemo walked down the gangway with fortitude.

"You'll have to stay below deck for now, Rainbow," he said. "If any of those mongrels make their way down here, I trust you to protect this ship."

"Aye aye, Cap'n!" she saluted. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to show that scoundrel that Captain Nemo still stands."

With Rainbow hidden underneath, Nemo exited out onto the top deck of his sub, with his navy saber in sheath. Sure enough, the Revenge floated parallel to the hull of the Barracuda as Blackmane himself swooped down onto the idle submarine. The dreaded pirate eyed the old captain with suspicion.

"Argh, I remember you." He grumbled. "You were the captain of the first ship I sank after my triumphant return. I recall blowin' it to smithereens!"

"Ya can't keep a good sailor down, Blackmane." Nemo said boldly. "Your reign of destruction is over!"

"Har har har har! Mighty tough talk, navy sailor, from somepony too cowardly to go down with his own ship. I don't mind sinkin' yer giant sardine can here neither. All I have to do is give the signal and my cannons will send it to Discord's locker!"

"Why sink an entire ship, Blackmane?" taunted Nemo. "There's only me onboard. Why not just fight me pony to pony and be done with it? Unless of course you're not as fierce as legend tells!"

Blackmane growled with rage and unsheathed his cutlass. "Fine! You'll rue the day you crossed swords with the dread pirate Blackmane, sailor! I'll finish what I started when I sent yer crew beggin' for air!"

"Enough talk," Nemo drew his sword as well. "It's time I redeemed myself. I will have revenge!"

With that, the pirate and the navy veteran clashed blades in a vengeful duel on the topside of the Barracuda. Blackmane's crew cheered him as he slashed wildly to shred his enemy to bits. Nemo defended himself, his ship, and of course Rainbow swiftly and honorably. He knew that the key to saving the seas rested with Rarity and Applejack slipping away through the sea. And somewhere, Twilight, Fluttershy, and Pinkie were on the same mission.