To their credit, the Baltimare City Guard did everything they were supposed to. Having been summoned by the call of a citizen who had heard the commotion of the battle, the armored stallions and mares had rushed to the scene of the fight, secured the area, and taken Daring and the unconscious abductor into custody while they started taking witness statements.

A half hour later, Daring was in an office at the local precinct, pacing around and around in a circle. Her wings itched with the desire to act: she should be out there, looking for Phillip, following clues. Instead she was trapped by circumstance, forced to wait while the bureaucracy spun its wheels.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the door opening. A Guard pushed the door to the office open and leaned in. He was a steel gray, broad-shouldered unicorn with dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes. He had introduced himself earlier as Sergeant Ironsides.

“Ms. Alibi, some friends are here to see you,” Ironsides declared. He pushed the door open wider and Twilight, Flash, and Rainbow entered.

“Da—Irene,” Twilight caught herself just in time. “We heard what happened. Are you all right?”

“Yeah, I’m okay,” Daring sighed. “But Phil isn’t.”

“Tell us what happened,” Flash encouraged Daring.

Once again, Daring told her story, every detail still fresh in her mind. She described leaving Blue’s home, the two false delivery ponies, the ambush, and the pegasus who had decided to take his own life rather than be captured. Twilight, Flash, and Rainbow Dash listened with rapt attention, pausing her every so often with a clarifying question. When the story was finished, the four of them stood in silent reflection for a few seconds.

“They ambushed us,” Daring reflected. “They were watching us, and were waiting for us.”

“We’re going to find him,” Twilight reassured her.

“Have you identified either of the kidnappers?” Flash asked Ironsides.

“We’re working on identifying the dead one,” Ironsides reported. “The other one woke up, but he’s refusing to talk. We’re keeping watch on him so he doesn’t try to kill himself.”

“Maybe we can get something out of him,” Rainbow growled.

“Sergeant, as Princess of Equestria, I request permission to be involved in this investigation,” Twilight stated in a calm voice.

“Of course, Your Highness. He’s down this way,” Ironsides nodded, gesturing for them to follow. They started down the hallway, following close behind the Sergeant.

“All right, let’s review what we know,” Twilight declared.

“We know that they were watching and following us for a while,” Daring said. “That’s how they knew to ambush us.”

“We also know that they’re fanatics,” Flash added. “That one pony killed himself rather than be captured. That means that their leader is either adored or feared.” He paused, his face creasing into concern. “You don’t think...maybe they work for Zugzwang?”

Twilight shuddered a little at the mention of that name. “I hope not.”

“It’s going to be hard to get any information out of this suspect,” Flash commented, trying to push the horrifying thought away.

“Even harder than you think,” Ironsides commented, gesturing to a one-way mirror set in the wall. Through the window, they could see the dark blue unicorn sitting in a metal chair, his hooves cuffed to the sides. His head was lowered, but the defiant glare was evident even from underneath his bangs. Two City Guards sat stonily on the other side of the room, watching him.

For the first time, Daring was able to get a close look at the abductor she had knocked out. It struck her how young her attacker was: he was barely an adult. He was scrawny, but well-toned. His purple mane and tail were shaggy, but not unkempt. He had a cutie mark of a pair of red boxing gloves on a black oval. There was a tattoo on his shoulder of two hearts, one smaller and brighter than the other, joined together by a silken cord.

“What did you mean when you said it might be hard to get him to talk?” Twilight asked.

“Look closely at his neck,” Ironsides pointed. “See that little mark?”

They did see it: a tattoo of a silver claw. It looked like a blade made of moonlight branded into his skin.

“That’s the brand of the Silver Talon,” Ironsides explained in a low tone. “That pony and his friend are Whitestone’s pirates, and they’re fiercely loyal.” He looked at Daring. “Ms. Alibi, I’m afraid that if they’ve taken your friend, the chances of us getting him back are very, very slim.”

Daring barely heard him: her eyes were focused on the captured suspect, and all she could think was how many ways there were to break him, of all the must vulnerable parts of his body that she could use to inflict pain, of how much damage she could do without killing him, to leave him in agony and begging for death…

“Irene?”

It took Daring a couple of seconds to react to the assumed name and turn to Twilight. “Yeah?”

“Are you okay?” Twilight asked.

“I’m fine,” Daring grunted, turning back to the suspect.

“Why don’t we have Starlight use her magic to convince him to talk?” Rainbow suggested.

“Using hypnosis or mind control spells on a suspect is illegal,” Twilight chided her. “Haven’t you ever read about Map v. Fillydelphia?”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “You’re the one that memorizes Supreme Court cases, not me.”

A short unicorn Guard bustled up to Ironsides. “Sir, we identified both of the suspects,” she reported. “The one who killed himself was Calico Gold. This one is named Bantamweight. Both of them have several outstanding warrants, but haven’t been seen in years. No known associates or family.”

“Maybe we can figure out a way to sway him to our side,” Flash suggested. “Was he carrying anything when you captured him?”

“We’ve got all the items he had in his saddlebag over here,” Ironsides said, gesturing to a table behind them. The old, brown saddlebag that Bantamweight had been wearing was laying on the surface, along with all of the items that he had been carrying within. Flash studied each of them in turn.

“Hmm,” he murmured as he weighed a small bag of bits and jewels in his hoof. He passed his gaze over the other items: a small bundle of tissue paper, a few rose petals, and a small plastic figurine of a pegasus sailor. Flash turned his attention to the tissue paper.

“This is the kind of paper used in packaging gifts,” he noted, peering closely at the bundle. “I can see fragments of some kind of colored glass in there.”

“Let me take a look,” Twilight offered, lighting up her horn. She cast her magic over the tissue, causing the small colored fragments embedded within to glow shades of green and bluish-white. Twilight studied these auras carefully.

“It’s not glass,” she concluded. “It’s emerald with bits of silver in it.”

Flash turned and stared thoughtfully at Bantam for several seconds, studying the tattoo of the two hearts, then turned to Ironsides. “Ask him if his wife liked the earrings, and if his son enjoyed the new figures.”

Ironsides blinked, then entered the interrogation room, slamming the door behind him. Bantamweight barely looked up at his entry. The friends watched through the window.

“Your wife like the new earrings?” Ironsides asked Bantamweight. “How about your kid? He enjoy those new figures you got him?”

Bantam looked up slightly, his body tensing slightly.

“Do they know what you are?” Ironsides pressed, seeing an opening. “What do you think they’re going to think if I show up on their doorstep and tell them that you killed yourself because you’re a pirate?”

“Buck you,” Bantam snarled. His voice was quiet, but rough as sandpaper. His accent indicated an upbringing from the lower classes.

“Here’s a chance to do right by them, Bantamweight,” Ironsides continued in a softer tone. “You don’t have that many charges against you. Just talk to us, and maybe we can petition for a lighter sentence. You’ll be able to see them again.”

Bantamweight didn’t answer, still refusing to fully look up. “Come on, Bantam, do right by your family,” Ironsides pressed. “You don’t have to leave your kid without a father.”

Bantam sat silently for a few seconds, his body trembling with breath. “Come on,” Flash muttered. “Come on…”

“I’ll talk,” Bantam grunted.

“Okay,” Ironsides nodded, leaning in. “Where—?”

“Not to you,” Bantam interrupted. “To Daring Do.”

Watching through the window, Daring stiffened in shock momentarily, then started for the door. “Daring, wait!” Rainbow started after her, but it was too late to stop her.

The three Guards in the room blinked in surprise. “Daring Do?” Ironsides questioned. “But she’s—”

“Right here,” Daring declared, entering the interrogation room with a bold step. She pulled off her long jacket, revealing her compass rose cutie mark and undid the bun at the back of her head, allowing her grayscale mane to tumble down to her shoulders.

The three City Guards stared in utter disbelief. Bantamweight fully lifted up his gaze, revealing his hazelnut eyes and small smirk.

“Gotta say, Do, you’re not that much to look at up close,” he grunted.

“You wanted to talk to me. I’m here,” Daring snarled, stepping up to Bantam’s face. Everypony else just stared in bewilderment. “How do you know who I am?”

Bantam let out a low exhalation that might have been a chuckle. “You’re not as good at keeping secrets as you think, Do. One of our spies spotted you and Finder at the train station and we followed you around.” He smirked at Daring. “Yeah, we know who you both are: Charlie Silvertongue’s an old friend, he told us about you both.”

“So why kidnap us?” Daring asked.

“Not you,” Bantam explained. “The journal. Bushwacker’s journal. We overheard you talking about it.”

Daring’s face remained impassive, though she internally cursed herself for being so foolish as to make so many rookie mistakes. Being with him, in a familiar city, on what was meant to be merely a social visit...all of it had conspired to make her drop her guard.

“Whitestone knows the legends; all the pirates in these waters do,” Bantam continued. “So when she heard that you had found a lead, we jumped on it; just needed a local to help guide us around.”

Daring’s glare intensified, burning into the captured pirate like twin suns. “Where is he?” she demanded in a voice like a snake’s hiss.

“Ms. Alibi…!” Ironsides said warningly.

“It’s too late,” Bantam shook his head. “Whitestone said we were to cast off as soon as your friend was on board. They’re already on their way to Aushaylia.”

In the blink of an eye, Daring drew back her front hoof and launched it forward, sending it at Bantamweight’s face. He flinched from the blow, a small whimper escaping his throat, but she pulled the strike short at the last second. With a snarl, she turned and stormed back out of the room, leaving the three astonished City Guards behind. She slammed the door shut behind her and began to trot quickly back down the hallway, her gaze fixed straight ahead.

“Hey, wait up!” Rainbow Dash called after her, flying to catch up. “Where are you going?”

“To Aushaylia,” Daring replied curtly. “I have to rescue Phillip.”

“Well, we’re coming with you,” Rainbow said firmly, flying in front of Daring. “Phil’s our friend, and so are you, and we stand by our friends.”

Daring looked at Rainbow, then at Twilight and Flash, and saw the same determination carved into each of their faces. “I—” she started to say, but stopped herself. “Thank you,” she nodded.

“Of course,” Twilight said. “Come on, the others are waiting.”

The group exited the precinct, into the sun-kissed but still chilly air of the city. Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie and Starlight were waiting on the front steps; all of them looked up at their arrival.

“Okay, girls, listen,” Twilight called them in and quickly explained the situation. “We need to find a ship and a crew to take us down to Aushaylia.”

“Shouldn’t be too hard in this city,” Applejack commented.

“Let’s hope not,” Twilight said grimly. “We’ll meet back at the Flying Dutchpony. Good luck, everypony.”

Hours later, back at the Flying Dutchpony, the group of nine friends gathered around of the tables, all of them looking morose.

“Did anypony have any luck?” Daring asked.

“No,” Rainbow Dash groaned. “Everypony I asked wasn’t interested in taking us to Aushaylia. They all said that the waters that far down south are too dangerous.” She scoffed. “Chicken.”

“As soon as I said ‘pirates’ or ‘Whitestone,’ they lost all interest,” Flash said.

Daring growled. “We can’t just fly down to Aushaylia! We need a ship, and somepony to pilot it!”

“Daring, calm down,” Twilight said reassuringly. “We’ll find a way.”

“Um, excuse me,” said a voice. Everypony looked up to see a stallion timidly approaching their table. Daring recognized him at once: the scrawny blue unicorn with the yellow-white hair that she had suspected of watching them yesterday.

“You’re Phillip Finder’s friends, right? I overheard you were looking for a ship to hire,” the unicorn said.

“Who are you?” Applejack asked suspiciously.

“Um…” the unicorn mumbled, shuffling his hooves. “My name is Straight Flush. Some of you in Ponyville…may have heard of me.”

“Yeah, Phil told me about you,” Flash said in a cold voice. “About how you got in deep with the Canter Nostra and pulled an innocent family into it.”

Straight Flush cringed. “That...that was a long time ago. I’ve changed since then; truth is, Phillip Finder opened my eyes to just how much trouble I was getting myself into.” He sighed and rubbed a hoof through his mane. “I moved down here, got an honest job here at the Dutchpony. I kicked my gambling habit. I’ve been living a good life.” He looked down at the floor, seemingly too ashamed to look up at them.

The friends huddled in close. “Do you think we should trust him?” Daring whispered.

“He made mistakes in his past,” Applejack stated. “But he admitted them, and he does seem sorry about them.”

“And he came up to us on his own with an offer to help,” Fluttershy added. “I think we can at least give him a chance.”

“So do I,” Applejack nodded.

Twilight looked around the group, each of whom was silently nodding assent. Flash hesitated for a moment, then nodded as well. Daring did not react save for a small shrug.

“All right,” Twilight said and looked up at Straight Flush. “Did you say you had a ship we can use?”

“Well, not me,” Straight said, looking up. “But I know an old, retired sailor with his own ship. His name’s Trim Mainsail. You’ll find him on his ship, the Over There, down at the closest marina.”

“Thank you,” Twilight said, rising. “Come on, everypony.”

The group exited the restaurant and started to hurry down to the docks, racing down the declining streets towards the marina. A short iron gate separated the marina from the rest of the city. A tall metal flagpole stood next to the entrance, the flags fluttering and ropes clattering in the wind that was blowing in from the sea. Dozens of ships, enough for an armada, stood up on wooden cradles on the shore: dozens more sat in the water, tied to the docks and bobbing up and down in the water.

“Remember, we’re looking for the Over There,” Twilight reported as they spread out to search.

“Over there!” Pinkie Pie suddenly yelled.

“Yes, that’s the name of the ship, Pinkie,” Starlight sighed, looking around.

“No, the Over There’s over there!” Pinkie shouted again, pointing.

A tall, two-masted, white schooner was sitting up on a cradle not far from them, the sails rolled up into the masts and the rigging clattering in the wind. The words “Over There” were painted in gold across the stern of the ship, over the rudder. A tattered Equestrian flag was miserably hanging from a flagpole fastened atop the cabin in the stern.

“Good eyes, Pinkie,” Twilight praised her as they ran up to the ship, pausing underneath the cabin porthole.

“Ahoy!” Daring called up. “Ahoy on board!”

The cabin porthole swung open and a pony stuck their head out. He had a coat the color of the rising sun and a sleek, jet black mane and beard. He squinted down at the group with wrinkled, dark blue eyes. “What is it?” he called down.

“Trim Mainsail?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah, what is it?” the pony repeated.

“We want to hire your ship,” Twilight called up. “Permission to come on board?”

Mainsail squinted at them for a moment, then nodded. “All right, come on up. I’ll lower the ladder for you.”

“No need,” Starlight said with a grin, lighting up her horn. With a flash of blue magic, the entire group disappeared from the ground and reappeared on the main deck of the ship.

“Gah!” Daring shouted, stumbling back in shock. “Warn me before you do something like that!”

“Sorry,” Starlight apologized sheepishly.

The cabin door opened and Trim Mainsail trotted out, placing a Captain’s hat upon his head. He was an earth pony, his body lean and well-built, his muscles built up from hard years at sea. His cutie mark was a mast and a white sail with the silhouette of a pony rearing up on their hind legs painted on it.

“How can I help you?” he greeted them gruffly.

“Our friend—” Twilight started to say.

“—our explorer friend,” Starlight cut in, giving Twilight a meaningful look. “Has put us on a quest to find Captain Bushwacker’s treasure. We need to go down to Aushaylia.”

“Aushaylia?” Mainsail sputtered, taken aback. “It’s been ages since anypony has gone down there, and for good reason; the waters down there are treacherous. Why would you want to go there?”

“We...know it’s dangerous,” Flash was saying. “Could you hold on a second?” He quickly signalled a huddle with the rest of the group.

“What are you doing?” he hissed to Starlight. “Why aren’t you telling him the whole truth?”

“Because the truth wouldn’t help,” Starlight replied. “You think he would help us if he knew we would be getting into trouble with pirates?”

“He deserves to know,” Applejack pointed out fiercely. “Keeping the truth from him isn’t going to help any.”

“But we need his help,” Starlight pointed out. “And if we tell him that Whitestone is after us, he’s sure to say no.” She looked around at the others. “This may be our last chance to find Phillip.”

The group looked at one another, their faces swimming with uncertainty. “I don’t know…” Applejack whispered.

“Every moment we waste is time that Whitestone can be using to hurt Phillip,” Daring declared. “We need to hurry.”

Twilight sighed. “I don’t like it, but, Starlight and Daring do have a point.” She looked up at Mainsail, who was staring at them in confusion. “But how can we convince him to help?”

“Allow me,” Rarity declared, running a hoof through her mane. She walked back over to Mainsail, fluttering her eyelashes.

“I realize that it may be a dangerous trip,” she said. “But I’m sure you’ve been on many voyages before.”

“Of course I have,” Mainsail said slowly, transfixed by her gaze.

“Then a short, three-day voyage should be no problem for you,” Rarity continued, giving him a flattering gaze. “A hardened, brave sea dog such as yourself surely isn’t afraid of whatever we might encounter along the way…”

Mainsail swallowed. “Well, I’d need to hire a crew…”

“How many ponies would you need?” Twilight asked.

“For a ship this size and a trip this long…” Mainsail hummed to himself thoughtfully. “Maybe nine would be a good, round number.”

“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine!” Pinkie counted off herself and her friends. “Nine ponies right here, ready to go, Captain!” She saluted smartly, giving a smile.

Mainsail raised an eyebrow. “Can you sail?”

Twilight smirked and lit up her horn, casting her magic over the masts. With a great fluttering of fabric, the mainsail and jib unfurled, the attached ropes tightly securing themselves to the deck.

“I learned that from ‘The Art of Seafaring and Sailing,’” she announced with a proud head tilt.

Mainsail nodded approvingly. “Not bad. But we’ll still need enough supplies.”

“Just leave that to us, darling,” Rarity reassured him. “You just get your lovely schooner shipshape and ready for the voyage.”

Mainsail considered the ragtag group of ponies before him. “You sure you’re all up to this?”

Daring glanced around at the others, and saw the same hard conviction in each of their faces and postures. Even Fluttershy had a determined gaze, despite the slight nervous trembling of her wingtips.

“Let’s do this,” she declared.

Author's Notes:

We're headed out to the open seas, me hearties, hot on the trail of the Silver Talon!

But if Whitestone's crew is this fanatic and dangerous, what is she like? Find out soon...