In the Captain's Quarters (Ratskull's ship)

[Orivy Assassin]

[[Y'all mind if I start a new thread?]]

"I saw it in your life line, I see the ends of things."

Orivy's mind reeled from the golden pegasus' words. How could she ever see Fille de la Journee again, the mare who had broken her heart and who she had left far behind? How could this pony, whose coat was the same color, have any right to presume to predict what would happen in the future?

But how did she know Fille's name?

Orivy was badly shaken. She dodged the other crewmember as he fell, and she slumped to the ground as the strange ponies disappeared into the sky.

Her hoof absentmindedly found one of the long golden feathers. Her world was blurred out at the edges, and she was barely aware of the other pirates in the room with her, or even the deep ache in her shoulder.

[Bella]

Growling deep in his throat, and wishing for not the first or second time on the trip that Jack was still with them, Ratskull rubbed the small of his back where he had been thrown into the table. At least he still had the locket, but it seemed Pone's daughter and her friends were going to be a menace in his side for the rest of the trip. It would be wise then to dispose of the locket as soon as possible. When they got to Course he would go immediately to the Queen for protection, and then to the King for money. While Luna didn't trust her husband overmuch, she really couldn't deny him access to their very large bank account.

"Out of my sight, the both of you!" He roared at the crew-mates and threw the large crystal he had been looking at the green one with across the room to accentuate his point.

[Crescent]

Surge had taken quite a blow from Jewel's hoof, but he had taken worse. He shook his head and would have dashed again after the escaping mares, but by the time he had got on his feet they were already gone. He remained standing where he was, staring at the now empty window, cursing. After spewing out a long line of curses and other rude words, he shook his mane and started to pick up the golden feathers he had dropped as Jewel had kicked him.

"To hell with all mares," he grumbled, then realised there was one present, and tossed her a rugged grin. "Well, at least all mares with wings." He grinned some more as he held out the golden feathers. "At least I got a little memento. I sure think I'll hang these babies on me tail."

At Ratskull's angry shout, however, he winced back.

"Aye aye, Cap'n," he said and made his way to the door as quickly as he could.

[Orivy Assassin]

Orivy gritted her teeth as the other crewmember began picking up the feathers, and she, almost without thinking, stashed the one she had a hoof on in a pocket of her trenchcoat. She wasn't satisfied with what she had heard. Come hell or high water she would find that pegasus again, corner her, and make her talk.

She jerked her head around at the crewmember's words, and spat sullenly. "No. To hell with ALL of them." As he held out the feathers she was suddenly aware of the gold pinfeather in her pocket. It seemed to glow with a strange heat.

She started and shouldered past the stallion, speaking more than her usual. "Memento if you like, but we'll be seeing her again, and after I speak to her, you can hide in her whole bloody hide."

'Ivy dodged the crystal with fluid skill and swept, trenchcoat flapping, out of the room.

[Crescent]

Orivy's intense feelings toward the gold pegasus were not left unnoticed by Surge. He slowed his pace a little after getting out of the cabin, looking at the assassin with a wary eye. He had known Orivy was dangerous when she had set foot on board, and the look in her eyes now promised that his initial instinct had been right. Surge smiled as his eyes went after the mare. She sure was a mare to his taste, and he respected her already.

He paused on the corridor outside Ratskull's room, looking at the mare. He was a little curious as to Orivy's reply to his remark on mares. He had quite missed the interaction between her and the gold pegasus, but it seemed clear enough that she bore a hatred toward her now. But he felt he had nothing to say to the assassin at that moment. He glanced behind him to the door and frowned, unsure of what he wanted to do. After a moment's hesitation, he sought out a comfortable corner near by and took out a piece of leather strap from one of the multitude of pouches he carried and started to braid the feathers into the strap.

As he thus calmed his nerves, he started to wonder in his mind if he had chosen the right side on this journey. He decided he needed to re-evaluate the situation.

[[gah sorry, not a very quality post...]]

[Orivy Assassin]

Ivy caught the smile from the corner of her eye. Something stranged twitched inside her. Was that a real smile?

This journey was shaking her up too much already.

But against her better solitary judgement, she couldn't help but turn to the crewmember. "Your name again?"

[Crescent]

Surge certainly did not mind the mare's attention. He was not of the most social type himself, but liked to make useful acquaintances whenever possible. At this moment it seeme most possible, and most profitable, to make Orivy's acquaintance. He looked up from the strap and put it down, sizing the mare up with a smile - the kind speaking of respect, not of sexual interest; even if he did have that toward Orivy as well. He had no idea of her not being especially interested in stallions, after all.

"Surge," he replied calmly, inclining his head. "You're the new mare, yes?" He decided to offer friendship in the form of a compliment and nodded toward the cabin. "Good moves back there."

[Orivy Assassin]

"Orivy," she replied shortly, suspicious of the almost nice look in the stallion's eye. "New to the crew but not to the game." Her plain gold dagger flashed briefly as she stashed it in her coat. One hoof found the feather, and her heart skipped unpleasantly.

She tipped one ear towards the captain's quarters. "Who were they?"

She didn't reply to his compliment; she knew she was good.

[Crescent]

Surge did not doubt the mare's experience for a second. He had to wonder what she really was. Pirate.... murderer? Definitely not a common rogue.

As of her question, he could only glance back toward the captain's quarters with a frown on his face. His eyes were of a deep sea green colour, signifying thoughtfulness.

"'m not sure," he replied, his hooves still working with the strap. "But they definitely had somethin' t'do with that locket." His voice grew a little more shushed. "I've heard of these ponies... ponies who're given special powers by the Rainbows. Champions, I've heard the word." He looked at Orivy again intently. "I think we just met two of 'em. 'm not sure of the third. She didn't glow at first, but maybe that's got to do with 'er powers. Any case, the word is they've got strange powers that no one don't want to go up against." He leaned back, a little amused expession on his face. "Though from that performance, I wouldn't put so much weight on their dangerousness. Sheer luck they got away at all."

Something tugged at the back of his mind. Some little detail of the whole event that he should have remembered. Something he had heard. Something important... what was it?

[Orivy Assassin]

Ivy frowned slightly. She had crossed hooves with magic once or twice; but generally, in the slums she frequented, magic was of little import. The really gifted ponies rose above those situations quickly, and what was left was mere tricks. This, however, sounded like it could go either way.

"What is the locket?" So they were glowing, it hadn't just been her imagination.

"Strange powers of slipping through hooves. Not of fighting." She was interested, not intimidated. She met Surge's gaze steadily, but without a spark in her eyes. He was just another pirate.

But, then again - "Luck yes. How many firebugs in all?" Orivy's riddling ways of speech weren't always understandable to others, but she liked it that way. Fewer words were better.

[Crescent]

"What is the locket?"

Surge shrugged.

"Some magic talisman, I gather. It seems to be of great value to both courts of Course and Dream Valley. I don't know much about it, except that many would kill to have their hooves on it."

"Strange powers of slipping through hooves. Not of fighting."

Surge chuckled. He couldn't agree more.

"Luck yes. How many firebugs in all?"

Surge shook his head.

"I'm not sure. More than three, anyway. Less than ten. There was some logic to it, I think. A set number of colours, or something." Surge shrugged. His mind was still working on the problem of having heard something that...

...was...

..important...

"Princess," he whispered quietly, almost too quietly to be audible. Just the slightest dark glint went through his eyes, which changed hues to deeper blue. Yes... the green one had called the little light show princess...

Princess... of what?

[Orivy Assassin]

Orivy remembered stealing the locket, but she was still unsure of its true power. She frowned slightly and blinked. "I knew such."

"Rainbow - seven shades.

"Princess?" This was unlucky. They had stolen from the royalty already, now bringing the house physically into it... "From whence we came?" She assumed so.

[Crescent]

Surge shrugged his shoulders uncomfortably. He didn't like the idea of royalty coming after them. But even less did he like the idea that he'd let a princess slip through his hooves. Princesses made good bargaining tools, after all.

"Dream Valley?" he suggested, rubbing his horn with one hoof thoughtfully. Then he looked at Orivy. "Well, that'd be logical anyway. d**n that she slipped off. We could've used 'er." Then it registered what she'd said. "Seven, eh? Yeah, sounds reasonable. Think she was one of 'em?" He shrugged his shoulders a little uncomfortably. "There's only one ship following, though. At least they've not brought the whole fleet."

Not that he was sure if Dream Valley even had a fleet.

[[err...odd post... lol]]

[Orivy Assassin]

Orivy decided no more interesting information could be had from this conversation.

"One ship and we'll see them soon," she finished, and stepped away. Her shoulder was hurting and she wanted to find her berth and have a lie down.

[Crescent]

Surge felt mostly the same way - save for the shoulder pain. He nodded to Orivy and turned his attention back to the feathers and the leather strap.

"Aye," he agreed. "We best be ready, and get some rest. I reckon there be bad sailing a-comin'."

Then he turned his eyes back to the feathers and the leather. He'd sleep later. He never took more than a few winks per night anyway.