'Finally, I get to go into action! It’s been far too long since my last victim, and he didn’t even put up a struggle: just a swift slash with a blade, and he collapsed. By the King, I hope he made it, I don’t want to actually kill anypony… that I know personally, anyways.

'I’m glad those idiotic lookouts are too busy watching those foals at the table to notice me, right up here. Now, if I can just act swiftly, and silently…

'Poor fools, that orange one’s neck snapped like a twig! I hope that wasn’t who I think it was. Wait, he’s still breathing? His pulse is fine, and his breathing is actually relaxed… how long did this guy have a stiff neck, if popping it causes him to relax this much?

'Ah, the other one looks afraid for his life, better milk this as much as I can…'

“H-halt, in the name of—“

'Knife dramatically lifted to the throat for silence, check! Now, wait for it...'

“Who… what are you?”

'Ah, he no doubt noticed my eyes. Come on dude, think of a cool one-liner…'

“I am the Shadow that flaps in the Night!”

'That’ll work. Bye-bye!

'Whee~! There he goes! I forgot how fun it is to throw somepony twice my size over the side of a railing, and I’m actually surprised he didn’t scream. Let me just make sure he fell in the lake, and I didn’t make another mess on the ground… good. He’ll live.

'Now, who were they watching? Is this airship hits an iceberg, I swear…

'Is that Rarity? And… who’s the dude? Well, my lord said to buy him some time, so let’s stop bothering about dumb crush number five twenty-three, and see what type of fun I can have in the engine room. I just have to sneak into the window when she’s not looking…'

“Stranger, what are you doing out here?”

'Aw, shit! Who’s? … Oh, right, that guy. Weird names-givers, those humans.

'Okay… just play it cool, as long as she doesn’t notice our eyes…'

“Just getting a breath of fresh air, Miss Rarity, I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

'When did my voice get so deep? Oh, right. Nervous reaction, it seems even under command my annoying habits won’t go away. I’m just glad she doesn’t seem to notice.'

“It’s alright, darling. Just please don’t be silent as the breeze next time, I thought I was looking at a ghost!”

'Well, that was unbelievably easy. She's gone back to talking with… whoever the heck that is. Was she always that naïve? Of course she was, this is Rarity we’re talking about: falling in love with anything wearing a mane and glasses.

'Okay, keep walking: and act casual, nopony’s noticed me yet. We just wait until we get to the engine r—'

“What in the hay?”

'Shit… not again. How many ponies are on this boat?'

“Stranger, Ah declare, you must be the fastest walker in Equestria!” Applejack chuckled after bumping into the stunned Pegasus. “Ah just left you talking with the others, and… why are you hanging your head like that?”

“I think I ate something a little… off.” The Stranger said, belching a little. “Is there a bathroom around here?”

Applejack tilted her head. 'Those breadsticks must have come in sooner than expected.' She mused. 'poor guy, dang hoity-toity cooks don’t even know how to bake anymore.'

“There’s a couple down in the engine room…” She shrugged, pointing down a hallway. “Ah just came from there myself.”

“Cool, thanks!” The Stranger said, walking past her in a rush.

“Poor fella, probably ate too many, if he took RD’s challenge…”

Applejack turned, shook her head, and stepped back into the dining room. “RD! Now look what you gone and did! Challeng'n him to an eating competition! and now the poor boy’s all…”

She drifted off when she noticed that Stranger was still seated at the table.

“… Sick?”

She glanced back at the doorway, and everypony else merely stared at her in confusion.

“Twilight,” she sighed, holding her hat over her eyes, and turning back to face the group: “incoming shitstorm…”

'Wow, that was unbelievably simple… how long have these ponies been complete idiots? No matter, I’ve gotten to the engine room.

'Oh, wow. That… is one big turbine. How much power does this thing need to move, again? Because that's just ridiculous.

'Bah, I'm getting distracted again: let me see what I can do with these pesky wires... Ah, here’s a wrench! This ought to take care of step one…'

“Applejack, what do you—?”

Before Twilight could finish, the lights went out in a single pop: encompassing the group in complete darkness. Twilight shivered nervously as she felt the intense bang of the motor breaking.

“Applejack?” Fluttershy asked.

“He’s here…”

Rainbow tried to look Applejack in the eye through the blackness. “Who’s here?”

“… Mac…”

Just as she spoke, a light clicked on in the middle of the main corridor: illuminating them slightly in an eerie glow that only shone on half of their forms.

“Nine little friends, all trapped in a boat… shining in the darkness in multicolored coats.” A deep voice sang, its sound echoing through the rooms of the ship.

“Oh… my…”

There was a blur of wind to their left, and they all flinched as it passed: only for Twilight to run into a furry shape on their right.

She screamed as she let a burst of magic, only to lose track of the shadow. And they scattered across the room.

Fluttershy’s leg collided with a hoof, sending her sprawling into a table. The impact knocked a lamp off the top of the furniture, and into Twilight’s face. They were both rendered unconscious.

Rainbow, in the meantime, was head-butted in the ribs: throwing her out the window, and knocking her head on the sill on the way out. Halfway through her unscheduled flight, she took Pinkie Pie with her. At that moment, Rarity and Orion came bursting in through the door, standing beneath a lit spotlight.

“What’s going on in here?” Orion demanded. There was a grunt across the room, and the Stranger landed at his hooves, grunting in pain.

“Four little friends running ‘round in a craze… waiting to run their course in life's little maze…”

“SHUT UP!!”

Applejack roared as she sent a table flying across the room. Everypony heard it crash, but none could see what it landed on. Applejack ran to the spotlight with her friends, and they waited for the others.

“Where are Twilight, and the rest?” Orion asked. Mac stood to his hooves, and rubbed his eye.

“Four wonder where the other five are… troubling the dead will only leave a scar…”

Applejack and Rarity froze, and the Stranger looked ready to hurl. Orion stepped forward, and called out into the shadows:

“One lone shadow, standing against four… such deceiving flies should bother us no more!”

“The hunter in the stars tries to beat me in rhyme… such poor versing should be called a crime…”

Orion was about to offer a strict rebuttal, but he lurched forward, hitting the floor face-first as the ship grinded to a halt: knocking himself unconscious. The shadow had pitched the anchor over the side, snagging the forest below.

Myra came running under the light, tripping over a tendril that tried to grab her. She kicked it off, and jumped behind the Stranger.

“Is everypony here?” She squeaked.

“No.” Applejack snorted, “But never mind that now, we need to figure out how to—“

*CHUNK!*

Applejack rubbed her eyes at the sudden assault of light, and blinked a few times. She heard Myra gasp, and looked ahead to find the two Black Stallions face-to-face once again: illuminated perfectly in the dining room’s lighting. It was easy to tell which one was which, with one having blazing eyes, and the other a scar on his nose. The one with fiery eyes seemed nervous as he looked up at the lights.

“Impossible!” He snorted, “I—“

“—Need to work on your mechanical skills, kid.” The Captain said as he walked in, holding a bent wrench with his magic.

He was a tall, fit, cream-colored stallion. With a blonde mane that was combed to flow like gold, and a small, matching mustache decorating his lip. Several angry-looking crew members followed behind him, pounding their hooves together.

“Did you really think nopony would notice this after an engine failure?”

The shadowy stallion roared as black tendrils shot out from his shadow, and straight for the crew. They stopped short, and fell limply to the floor as a crack was heard, and the Shadow was seen flying out the window: landing on the deck in a pile of broken glass. A trickle of blood escaped his lips.

Applejack and Myra lowered their back legs from the synchronized kick, and the Stranget walked up with a smile on his face.

“That was impressive,” he complimented, nodding to the two mares, “now we just need to figure out a way to contain him.”

The Captain motioned for the crew to help with the unconscious ponies, and looked to Applejack. “We’ll have them up in enough time for you to interrogate him.”

“Don’t you want to question him, Warp?” Applejack asked, looking at him with a confused expression.

“I would love to," Captain Warp growled, "but my crew and I need to focus on untangling the anchor, and fixing the motor. That might take about a few days, and then we’ll resume our journey to the Old Palace.”

Applejack nodded, and walked over to help with her friends. Next Chapter: Chapter Thirteen: Capture. Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 50 Minutes