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Post by Crescent on Jan 1, 2006 13:41:24 GMT -5
[[awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Jewel+Hollow ^-^]]
"Kail's on the other ship!" The pegasus blurted out amidst the dining ponies once she had snapped back to the present. Her expression was neither that of relief or encouragement.
Hollow jolted a little and looked at Jewel sharply. He read the signs on her expression well, and drew his ears back.
"In trouble?" he asked, though he could well guess what she was about to say.
Tiger, who had been quite happy with the situation so far, turned an annoyed eye toward Jewel. It took a moment for the information to sink in.
"What?" he then bellowed, when he realised what the pegasus had said. "Alone? What, are you Champions determined on doing away with yourselves before we even catch them? What the devil is she doing there anyway?" He furrowed his brows and then commanded, rather illogically as he did not know that there was in fact a telepathic way of communication between the Champions: "Call her back before she gets herself killed."
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Post by Jewel on Jan 1, 2006 15:04:24 GMT -5
"In trouble?"
"Perhaps not now, but soon," The pegasus replied, turning to look Hollow in the eyes. She carried an air of both excitement and gravity, being the only one to have seen the actual scene that was to unfold.
"Call her back before she gets herself killed."
"If I could, I would!" The pegasus looked at Tiger without an expression of fear, "But for one, that's not my power, and second, we seem to have misplaced the only one who CAN contact her from here. He's probably somewhere in the bowels of this ship."
Without even a glance around the table, Jewel concluded that she was the only other with wings (that any of them knew of at the time), and without Razz, might be the only one to try to get to Kail in time.
Not wanting to make a rash decision without the input of her fellow champions, the pegasus stood at her place at the table and addressed the others.
"I.. I volunteer to go retrieve Kail before anything has a chance to take a turn for the worst. If I had gone with her as I offered to before, there may have been a greater chance of both of us returning safely."
Jewel looked to the others for their opinions.
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Post by Crescent on Jan 1, 2006 15:59:26 GMT -5
Tiger harrumphed, not particularly pleased with the news that the Champions had lost one of their own. Inwardly he wondered grumpily how those seven were going to rescue the Locket if they couldn't even keep count of their own numbers. He said nothing as Jewel proceeded to ask the other Champions of their opinion on if she should go after Kail; instead, he motioned to Cutter.
"Cutter, my friend," he said with a rather low voice, as not to bother the Champions in their conversation, "I wager you know the bowels of this ship better than myself, even. Think you could try a hoof at finding that missing Champion of theirs?"
Hollow, for his part, was not interested in recovering Razz anymore, when Jewel made her suggestion. He bristled instantly at the thought of her going off to the pirate ship. No, no, no. Too dangerous. Much too dangerous.
A tug of something Yellow inside him nudged him toward seeing the possibility that Jewel might indeed help Kail, but for the first time in a long time, Hollow's logic was overridden by an emotion, though he did not realise this as he mouthed his opinion. The advice given by this emotion was, after all, much like the advice he had given earlier many times.
"No sense in risking two Champions instead of just one," he said firmly. "Who knows how many pirates there are on the other ship, and two is little better than one when up against much larger numbers. I say we let her handle it alone. She took the risk alone, after all, if she falls, at least we have lost only our healer, we haven't lost also our eyes." He looked at Jewel.
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Post by Jewel on Jan 1, 2006 16:32:22 GMT -5
Jewel turned to Hollow in a voice difficult to read, "But she is my friend. And despite the mission that speaks more strongly to me."
"Cutter, my friend," he said with a rather low voice, as not to bother the Champions in their conversation, "I wager you know the bowels of this ship better than myself, even. Think you could try a hoof at finding that missing Champion of theirs?"
"Aye Sir," The large stallion nodded gruffly, turning with a switch of his short black, partially leather-bound tail. Heavy thudding hoofbeats could be heard descending into the ship.
Cutter clopped heavily along the dark wooden hallways of the ship. Only a few candles had been lit as of yet, and overall the hull of the ship took on an almost eerie, haunted feel now that the sun had set below the horizon.
The red stallion was now in the cargo holds, the area of the ship he himself knew best. A glance here or there could verify that everything was in its right place, as he directed, and as he had put many there himself. One room caught his attention, as he heard a small 'tap' come from inside. Cutter always secured every bit of cargo, and such was his expertise and experience that nothing should sound below deck during such calm seas.
Cutter entered the room, stepping slow, ominously, looking around and breathing slow and deliberately, as a pony his size might. Each step broke the silence like a shot in the dark, until one large hoof pressed against the unconscious body of Razz. Cutter smirked, having found the lost champion. But logic didn't escape him for a minute, as an unconscious pony would not have caused a sound.
Standing perfectly still and making no sound as if to seem not in the room anymore, red ears swiveled and picked up the soft sound of breathing. In one quick and deliberate motion, the large stallion pushed aside the barrels hiding the two stowaways.
"What's this?" He asked rhetorically, with a chilling kind of voice, "Two rats on MY ship?" Cutter took another loud, heavy step forward.
"Though I do b'lieve ye'r ponies indeed... only RODENTS get on THIS ship unnoticed."
-
Moments later, the strong stallion resurfaced in the dining area, Razz draped over his tall back, and the two foals held by the scruff of their manes in his mouth. Cutter deposited them uncerimoniously on the floor at his feet.
"I've found your missin'," He said cooly to the other Champs, "And Cap'n, seems that wasn't all that were there."
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Post by Crescent on Jan 1, 2006 16:47:55 GMT -5
Jewel turned to Hollow in a voice difficult to read, "But she is my friend. And despite the mission that speaks more strongly to me."
Hollow met Jewel's eyes but for a moment, then turned his eyes away, a strange lump in his throat he did not understand. Somehow, the pegasus' words struck him deep, wounding a place that could not have been touched in a long, long time. In this moment of confusion, as he tried to sort out why he felt so hurt, he suddenly understood the reason. He understood why he didn't want Jewel to go. He understood - and it frightened him.
- - -
Rain had quite fallen asleep in the siblings' little hideaway. She wasn't aware of anything around her until a sudden thump woke her. She blinked and looked round searchingly, then heard another thump. Her eyes went very wide as she looked very slowly up, up, until her eyes caught a tall, dark shape of a pony's head over the barrel she hid behind. The breathing and the thumps of the large red stallion's hooves created an impression of an even larger stallion, and quickly Rain wrapped her hooves around Kenaz's mouth in order to stop him from making a sound in case he'd do something, though she couldn't be sure if he was even going to, being quite preoccupied by the threatening figure, coming closer.
"What's this?" He asked rhetorically, with a chilling kind of voice, "Two rats on MY ship?" Cutter took another loud, heavy step forward.
"Though I do b'lieve ye'r ponies indeed... only RODENTS get on THIS ship unnoticed."
Rain let out a little yelp of terror and tried to stumble up, though it was useless to try and escape this huge demon of a pony.
- - -
Rain squirmed and wiggled in the red stallion's grasp, twisting and turning and tossing his hooves this way and that, trying to hit Cutter on the nose, not succeeding very well, however. When he let them fall on the floor, she let a little yelp again, landing painfully on her side.
"You ruffian!" she said haughtily, staring up at Cutter with fire in her eyes. The fire died, however, when she realised again how HUGE the stallion really was. Her ears turned back and she crouched a little.
Tiger, for his part, was most aggravated. At first he had been pleased to see Cutter had found the missing Champion, but Rain's and Kenaz's appearance had the good mood disappear quickly.
He stood up from the table very slowly, his neck dangerously arched, his eyes afire, his nostrils flaring, and hot air blowing from his nostrils.
"What... are... you... doing... on... my... ship?!!!" he demanded with a slow, angry voice, one hoof thudding forcefully down on the floor with each word, until he stood right in front of the two little stowaways.
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Post by Orivy Assassin on Jan 1, 2006 19:03:08 GMT -5
Roxanne looked surprised about the whole thing. "Kail? Is she MAD? What is she doing?
"Go after her...? No, it's like in horror stories, we split up and each one of us succumbs to the monster. Hollow's right, in small numbers like ours there is no strength. We can't afford to lose both of our pegs, babe."
She gave a start at Cutter's entrance. "Roo! Whoa, what are you critters? Butterflies?"
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Post by Jewel on Jan 1, 2006 20:07:45 GMT -5
"Go after her...? No, it's like in horror stories, we split up and each one of us succumbs to the monster. Hollow's right, in small numbers like ours there is no strength. We can't afford to lose both of our pegs, babe."
The pegasus frowned, but did acknowledge what Roxy was saying. Jewel shifted her weight from side to side, feeling restless and feeling most of all like something had to be done. Kail had healed so many in her past, and now when she needed rescuing of sorts, am I supposed to just stand here idle because I'm the last one with wings?
There has to be something I can do.
"You ruffian!"
Jewel looked up as Cutter arrived with the two foals and Razz.
Cutter laughed briefly. "Aye, little ones, you've yet t'know the meanin' of 'ruffian'." He then looked up completely unafraid at the approaching Captain.
"What... are... you... doing... on... my... ship?!!!"
"Roo! Whoa, what are you critters? Butterflies?"
"Flutter pony, by the looks of it," The pegasus offered, looking at Rain with an unreadable face. She didn't want to be kind to them just yet, at least until this mess was figured out.
Razz. Razz was unconscious, and thus would be of no benefit to Kail. Jewel looked at him from where she was, and saw that he was at the very least breathing, which was a good sign. But what if he couldn't wake without Kail's healing touch? The whole team could fall apart.
"I'm going."
Jewel stepped back from the table, eyeing her companions. "I won't get caught--I won't go close enough to get caught. But we do need to at least be sure of their direction."
Her gaze, for some strange reason, turned to Hollow. She added more quietly, uneasily meeting his eyes, "I won't be long, and I will come back."
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Post by Crescent on Jan 2, 2006 3:29:37 GMT -5
Rain kept her ears back, a little cowed by Sea Tiger's threatening approach as well as Cutter's ominous presence. She quickly reminded herself, however, that she was a Princess. A Princess ought never let herself be cowed, least of all by this rubble.
Getting herself together, she straightened up and did her best to ignore Cutter as she turned to Sea Tiger.
"From that crude introduction I assume you are the Captain of this vessel," she said as regally as she could, nodding her head. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Princess Rain, daughter of Queen Sunrunner. This is my brother Kenaz. And we are not," she glanced at Cutter behind her acidly, "little ones. I am sixteen, and been through many dangers and travelled far and wide, and I would appreciate it, sir, if you would sheath your sabre."
The last remark was induced by Tiger's sabre blade, which he had drawn and placed directly at Rain's throat. The Captain's lips turned to a crude smile.
"Oh, a Princess, huh?" he asked. "Well, I have not made a bargain of a princess on this ship. Nor of a prince." His eyes went over Kenaz, then returned on to Rain, assuming she was in lead between the two. "So, princess, I am afraid you are trespassing. And for trespassing, rules of the sea are clear. You are at my mercy."
This made the Princess's confidence waver a little, but she never let her regal air crumble. She had not lied when she had said she had been through many dangers; the main thing upsetting her now was that she realised she had left her "knight in shining armour" behind in Dream Valley. That impossible Skydancer! Where had he got himself into anyway since their arrival?
"Champions of the Rainbow of Light!" Rain spoke out louder, turning her eyes away from the ruffian of a captain. "I demand that you defend me and my brother against these savages! We came here to help and bestow upon you the blessings of the Queen of Dream Valley!"
She was, of course, making it all up as she went, but she had always been clever.
Tiger's confidence wavered just a little, and he turned an eye backward to the Champions.
"I'm going."
Jewel stepped back from the table, eyeing her companions. "I won't get caught--I won't go close enough to get caught. But we do need to at least be sure of their direction."
Her gaze, for some strange reason, turned to Hollow. She added more quietly, uneasily meeting his eyes, "I won't be long, and I will come back."
Hollow's eyes were anxious as he met hers, and though he would have liked to demand that she should not go, he found himself out of words. There was no logic he could use to defend his view now, or at least the weight of logic obviously could not sway Jewel from her chosen path. Hollow wished with every inch of his body that he could have sprouted wings, and followed her. As it were, however, he swallowed and reached out his muzzle, touching Jewel's briefly.
"I suppose you must," he said quietly, worry clear in his eyes.
But when Princess Rain's demand caught his ears in the middle of all this, he turned to look at the flutter pony with a sharp eye. A sudden flicker of hope rose in him. While the young ponies could hardly be of any great use, they were at least something.
"Captain," he spoke out to Tiger, making sure to keep his voice calm and respectful this time, "far be it from me to tell you how to run your ship, but these two are royalty, and members of the family that hired you in the first place. I ask you, sir, would it not be wiser to allow them to accompany Jewel to the other ship, rather than take them prisoner here? They could... prove themselves," he turned to look at Jewel with an affectionate expression, "and help the Champions."
But what he truly tried to say was "keep her safe".
Tiger was not sure what to think about Hollow's suggestion, and shifted a little, then directed his eyes away from the corn-coloured stallion and to Jewel instead. There was an unspoken question in his eyes.
Rain, for her part, grasped the opportunity at once.
"Yes! Yes!" she said quickly, nodding. "We brought weapons." She turned to show the sword strapped onto her body and raised her hoof to show the dagger tied to her foot. "I can fight. I have experience. I could be of use."
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Post by Jewel on Jan 2, 2006 3:59:48 GMT -5
The golden pegasus watched with a slightly raised brow as the small princess defended herself with such vigor. She had to give the filly props for her courage. Not only to steal away on a ship, but to improvise such a response to their capture.
"I suppose you must,"
Purple eyes looked to Hollow's own gold ones, and something during that moment caused the peg's toughened appearance to soften, and her breath caught in her throat. She didn't realize it at first, and refused to think about it after.
The peg leaned closer to Hollow and spoke softly, but with confidence, "If I have come this far not to take risk for the sake of everything we have.. then why am I here?" Jewel smiled briefly, almost affectionately at Hollow's growing compassion and concern. She nudged him back in similar fashion, "All will be well."
"...I ask you, sir, would it not be wiser to allow them to accompany Jewel to the other ship, rather than take them prisoner here? They could... prove themselves," he turned to look at Jewel with an affectionate expression, "and help the Champions."
Jewel looked slightly surprised,What? A time like this and you want me to babysit?!
"Yes! Yes!" she said quickly, nodding. "We brought weapons." She turned to show the sword strapped onto her body and raised her hoof to show the dagger tied to her foot. "I can fight. I have experience. I could be of use." The peg looked hard at the young pair, who in reality, weren't so much younger than herself. She, like Rain, had been taught and trained in much the royal fashion of combat and survival. Though that seemed so, so long ago now. She honestly couldn't doubt Rain's capability. After a moment, she spoke.
"I won't object to their company," She said, arching her neck slightly. It was as if with every grave passing moment, she became in appearance more the champion she had been chosen to be. "But I hold no responsibility for them if they choose to go."
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Post by Crescent on Jan 2, 2006 4:20:11 GMT -5
The peg leaned closer to Hollow and spoke softly, but with confidence, "If I have come this far not to take risk for the sake of everything we have.. then why am I here?" Jewel smiled briefly, almost affectionately at Hollow's growing compassion and concern. She nudged him back in similar fashion, "All will be well."
Hollow had no answer to that. He hoped it would be. And at that moment he didn't even realise that the unwanted thing called emotion was creeping into his heart.
Tiger had to be impressed now. The corn-coloured stallion was behaving well, and Jewel's display of regal confidence produced a professional air, much needed in Tiger's opinion. He, therefore, nodded slowly at Jewel's decision, lowering his sabre from Rain's throat.
"All right," he said, nodding slowly, respectfully. "Let it be the Princess' decision, then." He looked at Rain, then included Kenaz into his stare as well. "But any trouble from you two," he said ominously, "and you'll be scrubbing the decks for the rest of the journey."
A smile lighted Rain's face as Jewel gave her consent. As she met the eyes of the indigo Champion, she was certain she was meeting those of her equal. Yes, this was all turning out well indeed. She was even getting straight into action right away!
"Thank you," she said, inclining her head to Jewel regally. "And do not worry. I am well aware of the dangers."
Her only real concern was, in fact, her brother. She wasn't sure if he was quite up to this.
"We will come with you."
It was as if with every grave passing moment, she became in appearance more the champion she had been chosen to be.
This was not left unnoticed by Hollow, who at that moment saw something that sent his heart aflutter. His morbid vision had always wavered with Jewel, and the stronger the Stripe was in her, the clearer he could see... her, instead of the promise of death that surrounded her. He stared in wonder. Like the sight of Kail soothed his mind with its timelessness brought on by her healing power, so the touch of the ageless Rainbow, and likely, this Hollow suspected, the narrow escape from death she had experienced, gave Jewel's form a radiance that let Hollow Heart see beyond mortality. For the briefest of moments, he thought that perhaps, with the right mare, he could indeed yet find happiness.
You fool, he reprimanded himself within his mind. She could never be for you.
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Post by Jewel on Jan 2, 2006 4:36:21 GMT -5
"Thank you," she said, inclining her head to Jewel regally. "And do not worry. I am well aware of the dangers."
Jewel inclined her head slightly, then nodded briefly to the younger pony, showing respect for the Princess but also authority in the situation. Though Jewel was by no means a princess, she had spent her foal years in the royal court, the customs and courtesies of which could be summoned again from her memory at a moment's notice.
"We shouldn't waste time, then," She said, turning and moving with purposeful steps toward the stairs up out of the dining hall. "If you're ready, Princess, then we better get going." The peg's wingtips twitched with anticipation, and she didn't for a minute doubt the strength and durability of a flutter pony's wings in comparison to her own feathered ones.
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Post by Crescent on Jan 2, 2006 15:31:07 GMT -5
Hollow watched Jewel go with an anxious heart, but said nothing.
Rain followed Jewel out onto the main deck eagerly, spreading her own wings as well.
"I have never been readier!" she announced as she fluttered her wings a little. For the slightest of moments she paused and looked uncertain. "Uh... I... forgot to ask... where are we going, exactly?"
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Post by Jewel on Jan 2, 2006 21:26:07 GMT -5
As they neared the upper deck, Jewel called back down below, "Keep a light lit for us!" After all, being lost at sea in the dark could easily prove fatal.
...For the slightest of moments she paused and looked uncertain. "Uh... I... forgot to ask... where are we going, exactly?"
Up on the top deck, Jewel stopped a moment, pushing away thoughts consisting of how young ponies and foals shouldn't be put through so many dangers at such young ages. She felt a distant though similar bond to Rain upon these thoughts. Purple eyes looked back to the gray flutter pony, a small, sad smile crept briefly onto the peg's face.
"Into the lion's den."
And with that, the gold pegasus took a few cantering steps, leapt, sprung off the railing and into the night sky.
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Post by Crescent on Jan 3, 2006 3:38:52 GMT -5
As they neared the upper deck, Jewel called back down below, "Keep a light lit for us!"
Hollow couldn't hold himself back any longer, his body started moving before he even realised it was doing so, and he galloped after the two mares up onto the main deck, grabbing on his way a lantern and taking it up with him. He stopped a few feet away from the pegasus and flutter and put the lantern down on the deck, gulping.
"The light won't go out," he promised, unsure if Jewel would even hear him, so choked he found his voice to be.
Rain glanced back at the stallion who had followed them, lifting a brow, then smiled and tossed her tail. My, now, her flying companion seemed to have a worried suitor staying behind. Rain was quick to make romantic conclusions - she was in that age, after all, and her head was usually full of plots and twists fit for a romance novel.
Purple eyes looked back to the gray flutter pony, a small, sad smile crept briefly onto the peg's face.
"Into the lion's den."
And with that, the gold pegasus took a few cantering steps, leapt, sprung off the railing and into the night sky.
Rain's sky blue eyes grew serious as Jewel's purple ones met hers, and she had to swallow a little nervously at her answer. It took her a short moment to recover before she was able to take off herself. She glanced back once more, as though in second thoughts again, but the pause was a short one.
Rain drew in a deep breath, leaped forth, took a couple of light, graceful strides across the deck and landed into the wind, her delicate but strong wings catching currents of air at once. She was a good flier, and though the vast sea around them made her gulp, she kept her head cool.
Her silvery body glimmered in the moonlight as she floated in the air like a ghost through darkness.
Hollow was left on the deck, staring behind the two winged ponies silently. Anxious look in the golden eyes, the stallion dipped his head down, grabbed the lantern into his teeth again and started walking toward the bow of the ship. Once there, he tied the lantern in place and checked the flame. Then he sat down, staring into the night. He would keep watch, until he saw a golden speck returning.
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Post by Jewel on Jan 3, 2006 15:20:38 GMT -5
[awww Hollow.. <3]
"The light won't go out," he promised, unsure if Jewel would even hear him, so choked he found his voice to be.
The peg's churning legs rested in mid air a moment, wings catching a gust for long enough for her to look back at him a moment and smile her gratitude. Then, almost in an instant, with a beat of her large golden wings, Jewel swiftly climbed up into the dark sky.
Once the two ponies were high enough in the air to no longer have to beat their wings so often, Jewel looked down to the ship, slightly aglow with lights from inside, and Hollow's bright beaming light on the deck, which shone much brighter than the rest.
The pegasus then aligned her body with the ship's direction, since they had been in pursuit of the other pirates, and that which she assumed was the best way to try. Upon instinct, the pegasus looked around the area to get her bearings, but all she had to work with was the pale moon and a few sparkling stars, and the endless, endless sea.
"If we stay with the moon on our right.." She muttered to herself, "And keep it on the left upon our return, we shouldn't get too far out of our way." Inwardly, she wondered how good a sense of direction the young flutter had.
The pegasus looked to her silver companion, glad to see that she kept up with ease. Jewel knew that there was little reason to question the quality of the training that ponies raised in royal settings were given.
As the miles began to fade behind them, Jewel realized that silence would make this trip even more interminable.
"Rain, is it?" The pegasus asked, in lack of anything else to really start a conversation with.
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