Captain Skyheart in: Race to the Riches of Baleful Bay – Chapter 01
Treasure! Gold, jewels, rarities that pony kind hadn’t laid eyes on in centuries. And if the scuttlebutt and rumors proved true, a pirate could live out the rest of their lives without having to plunder so much as a bit.
Not that the likes of Skyheart, captain of the Wind Runner, would give up said life so easily.
Captain Skyheart steered the airship deftly through the clear skies one sunny afternoon, focused on a distant island. The Wind Runner looked like any other pirate ship. A modernized wood and metal skeleton and structure shaped it. Magitech engines propelled it through the skies. Those engines were powered by magic solar sails, working tirelessly to collect the sun’s energy and hung out wide, strung up the mast. Purple flame spewed from the engine’s exhaust, obeying every whim of the plump copper-colored pegasus captain steering the airship. A fierce grin blossomed on Skyheart’s muzzle as the island, Baleful Bay, grew closer: After weeks of dodging Equestrian Royal Guard scouts and keeping ahead of a rival griffon pirate gang, she and her crew had found the island rumored to be bursting with riches first.
The same couldn’t be said, however, for the captain’s crew. Skyheart was notorious for feasting on the bulk of rations, stowaways, disobedient crew… Anything or anypony she could get her hooves on. This left the crew surviving on just enough to keep going each day, performing the grueling task of keeping the airship up and running while their fat captain swayed her hips and idly steered the Wind Runner along. Even the proclamation that Baleful Bay was in sight did nothing to lift their spirits. If the rumors were true, Skyheart would hog the riches. If they weren’t, all their strife would have been for nothing.
The grumbling pirates gathered on deck at the sighting of the bay, muttering to one-another and fed up with Captain Skyheart. One particular crew member flicked her tufted tail about impatiently, declaring that when they reached the island, it would be time for them to take Skyheart out. Quick glances up towards the ship’s wheel found Skyheart’s senses focused on the island, her plump rear swaying along with her black tail in eagerness. She was paying her crew no heed whatsoever. All they had to do was bide their time until the ship was parked above the island, then they would go about their mutinous business.
Skyheart expertly guided the Wind Runner to an easing stop, engines idling down and expelling just enough juice to keep the airship aloft. Skyheart nodded in satisfaction and licked her lips: She could practically taste the treasure. “Alright, crew!” she hollered while turning around. “Prepare to disembark! We’ve arrived at B–”
Skyheart’s words died on her lips when a strong buck to her chest struck. Two hind hooves plowed into the pegasus and knocked the wind out of her, sending her tumbling onto the deck with a thud. Skyheart growled as her captain’s outfit was strongly gripped by several pairs of hooves. All worked in concert to throw her across the deck, cracking her head against the starboard railing. The mare saw stars as she was summarily disarmed, disrobed, and left prone. With her legs askew and chin to the deck, all she could see were legs milling around her, a set of tan ones right in front of her face, tufted tail dangling behind them. The purple tuft grazed the deck with the tail swaying slightly, one hoof reaching under Skyheart’s chin to lift it up. A grinning face met a dizzy, stubborn one. “Captain Skyheart,” her voice purred, “we accept your resignation.”
Skyheart jerked her head away and spat. “My ass! What the fuck do you think you’re up to Seras?” She tried raising onto all fours, but rough hooves pressed into her back and kept her to the deck. Skyheart tried thrashing about, but even her bulk and strength couldn’t compete with awkward angles and several ponies keeping her to the ground. She resorted to staring daggers up at the lead mutineer. “Let me up this instant!”
“Fuck you, Skyheart,” Seras shot back, punctuating the words with a slap to the doughy pegasus’ face. “Did you really think you could slave-drive us like you’ve been doing?” The half griffon, half pony strode back and forth in front of the downed pegasus, tufted tail never stopping, wings flicking. “Stuffing your fat face with all our rations even though we’re running dry on ‘em. Chasing a rumor of a treasure trove with griffons and the Royal Guard on our asses for weeks? Hoarding the bulk of our booty Celestia-knows-where without telling a soul of the location?”
“I told the navigator,” Skyheart grumbled.
“You ate the navigator!” Seras shouted with another slap. Skyheart glowered, cheek pinking up from the blows. “Remember? How you bragged about getting him all drunk, fucking him senseless, then having a ‘midnight snack’? He could’ve gotten us to the bay days faster than you!” Pirates all around Seras muttered in agreement. “All because you had to power trip extra hard that night and were horny. No more, Skyheart. You’ve starved your crew for the last time. Given your last order. We’re going to dispose of you. Or, to be more precise, I am.” Seras licked her lips and ogled over their former captain's fat form, Skyheart’s eyes narrowing further. “The crew will have their fair share of the rations. I get you. And after you’re a forgotten mess in the ocean, we will have the treasure for ourselves!”
“You bitch,” Skyheart grumbled, looking up at all her crew. She didn’t meet one friendly eye in the bunch. The pegasus swore internally, knowing that things didn’t look good. Oh, she would whip these ponies into shape… But could she do so right this instant? She fitfully struggled just a little more, concluding for sure that she wasn’t getting up unless she made a move. Her ears flicked when Seras’ belly rumbled, the larger equine even starting to drool in front of her eyes! Skyheart knew she was short on time and options. What was she going to do? Stand fast and fight Seras and any who got in her way? Her cutlass was held by a crew member, easy to take. Or should she live to fight another day, taking wing and leaving the ship to the traitorous crew for the time being?
