Episode 21: Shipmaster

By Ma252

Most Likely Assisted by DFatman

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“Ugh, why don't you ever knock storm.” i say as I hold the door closed from my seated position on the toilet. Yes, i was taking a shit, but since Twilight only got the plumbing working and not the power, there was no indication that i was in the bathroom, which caused my new roommate to open the door whilst i was on the toilet.

“This is the first time this has happened, you can't ask me why i never knock.” he said from the other side of the door sounding frustrated. “Fine fine fine, just don't interrupt me whilst taking a shit, its an ancient human pastime of sorts, that must not be interrupted lest the residence is on fire.” i say flapping my hands about. i hear the clopping of hooves moving away from the door as i continue my bowel movement.

I lean back and let my pants fall to my ankles. I relaxed and let my head hit the wall that the toilet was built against. Surprisingly, the toilet in my fathers old house was still as comfortable as i remembered that it was.

“Hi-ya Maxie!” I hear to my right, which surprises me and makes my bowel movement screech to a stop. I clench my fists and hold my hands next to my head. ‘Why cant i take a shit in peace?’ i think to myself as i look to my right and pull my pants to my knees. “Um, Pinks” I say as i look at her. D’aww shes tilt- No i need to tell her this is my personal space. “Maxie i need your help with some stuff for the party, could you help me?” she asks me with a tilted head. I squint my eyes and look at her. “Pinks, i would be more than happy to help.” I say looking at her with a smile. “But right now, i'm using the bathroom and i need a bit of privacy, okay?” i ask smiling at her. She seems to notice where she is and something clicks in her head. Her cheeks turn a certain shade of red and she starts stammering “M-m-maxie, im sorry i interrupted you she said as she struggled to turn the knob of the door. Yeah, the knobs in equestria had a bit of grip on them so earth ponies and pegasia wouldn’t have trouble opening the door. But human door knobs are sleek, and made of that horrid aluminum or silver or whatever. I Lean over, but make sure not to leave the warm comfortable seat of the toilet and turn the knob. “I need to install new knobs, seeing as you'll be coming around here more often.” i say with a smile as Pinkie leaves the room.

A few minutes and a bowel movement later, I'm talking to pinkie about some zebra in the forest, and how she needs me to go get some sort of potions from her.

“Now Maxie, i know you have a bad memory. so im gonna have you repeat what I told you to do.” Pinkie says as she looks at me in the eyes with a determined look.

I look at her back in the eyes. “Alright, so when i get to the edge of the forest, i should walk straight ahead until i see a hut, then ask the zebra inside for a potion called a fog potion.” I say with a determined look. She nods and bops the top of my head with a hoof as i walk in the direction of the forest, which isn't too far away from my house.

I start off into the forest before i hear a voice behind me. “Wait, im not letting you go alone.” ‘Damn, its Firestorm’ i think to myself as the said unicorn catches up to me. “Why cant i go into the dangerous forest in which i've almost died several times alone?” I ask sarcastically. He looks at me with an angry look. “Thats kind of EXACTLY WHY!” he yells as he hits me on the side of the knee with a hoof causing me to stammer a bit. “Dont worry, i got this you can go back to the house. Make me a sandwich or something.” i say with a bit of a smile. I Sling a black duffle bag i got from my house on the way to the forest over my shoulder and start walking a bit faster. “Woah woah woah.” Storm says jumping in front of me and stopping me with a hoof. “What the hell is in the bag, and where did you get it?” he asks me with extreme suspicion.

I continue walking and let him wonder.

A few moments later we find ourselves trekking through the dense, dark forest.  “I would say that were lost, but i think i'd much rather call you a dumbass for going off of the path.” Firestorm says from behind me. I throw my hands over my head and look back at him “I told you this is a fucking shortcut.” I say as i stop and look around. I squint my eyes to see through the thick foliage but see nothing but trees. “Yeah I’ve just now realized the terrible decision that i made and im pretty comfortable saying that were fucked.” i say as i turn around and throw my bag on the ground and start to unzip it. “What the hell is in that bag anyway?” The orange pony beside me asks as i look through the contents. “Nope, nope nope.” I say as i ruffle through the metal and plastic contents of the bag. I run my hands through my hair and yell “Where the hell is a machete when you need one!” Firestorm steps back a little, surprised by my outburst. “Max, why are you asking where a machete is, there’s one in your hand.” he said to me. to my surprise, there actually was one in my left hand, and it was glowing a slight blue. “Huh?”, I say looking up and down the strange machete. I ran my hand up and down the sleek metal as i look at it with wide eyes. The blue light seems to drop off of it like liquid and seep down into my arm. I freeze and grasp the machete in my hand and get a smirk on my face. “How did you do that?” Firestorm questions me as he grabs the machete out of my hand with his magic and observes it. “I literally saw this appear out of nowhere into your hand.” He squinted and ran a scan over the machete. His eyes grew wide and he looked at me. “Max, do you know what this is?” he says with an excited expression. I kneel down to his level and look at it back and forth, up and down then look at him in the eyes. “No i have no fuckin’ idea what it is.” i say with a shrug. “Its a regular machete, but its not at the same time.” he says with an intrigued look, but i'm just confused as fuck. “What the fuck does that mean?” I ask as he continues to scan the cutting tool. “It means, that this is a regular machete, but it was created….entirely out of magic?” he sort of asks himself. I look down at my hands and then say “Fuckin’ sweet!” then pump a fist in the air. I grab the machete out of his grasp and zip my dufflebag up, then continue walking in the same direction i remember the path being in.

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30 Minutes Later

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“How long has this been happening?” Storm asks me as he walks through the dense forest. I on the other hand am slicing through through vines and thorns like a major badass. “Why” Slash “Won't” Slice “These” Thwack “Fucking” Slice “Vines” Slash “DIE!” As i sliced and slashed through the last few vines i revealed a clearing with a small pond in the middle. Purple and Red flowers bloomed around the pond which gave it a slightly purplish reddish glow. “Max, lets take a tiny break here, I feel like we've been walking for hours.” Storm complains from behind me. I shrug and approach the small pond, and sat besides it. I peered into it, and saw that it was really deep, and for some reason, i needed to. “Touch...it” i think out loud as my hand went closer and closer to the now glowing pond. “Max, what are you doing.” Firestorm question from behind me. “Trust me man….i think….i need to touch…..the pond…” as my hand drew closer and closer i felt like time was slowing down around me, which was not an unfamiliar feeling, but it was strange all the same. Like the pond was beckoning to me. “Max, dont touch it, i have a really bad feeling about tha-” Before i could hear what storm was saying, i was sucked into its purplish embrace. As soon as i was inside of it, i was thrown out of it by force, and incidentally i was thrown directly on my face. I laid there for a while, processing in my head what exactly just happened. “Ugh, i feel like highschool again.” i say rubbing the back of my head as i sat up. I look around to see storm on his haunches staring at me. “Max…” he says looking at me as he starts to walk up to me. I raise an eyebrow and get to my feet “What, do i have something in my hair?” I ask while running my hands through my hair multiple times. “No.” he says stopping, his horn flares with a magical aura, probably scan- WHACK!

“GAH, FUCK WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT FOR?” i yell holding the back of my head, he apparently took a branch from a bush and whacked me with it.

“I told you not to touch it, and you were gone for 30 minutes. What the hell happened in there?” he asks me, circling me with a look of curiosity.

I look myself over and come to the conclusion that nothing has happened to me.

“Nothing really, i guess its some weird pool that definitely isnt used in this stories plot at all.” i say sticking my hands in my pockets.

“What was that?” Storm asks me with a raised eyebrow

I turn around to go pick up the machete that i dropped but cant find it. “Guess it ran out of durability.” I giggle at my joke and start walking on the path we were on before.

Firestorm trotted up beside me and looked at me with squinted eyes. “So, can i ask you a quick question?” Firestorm asks as we walk through the thick foliage. I look down at him and half smile.

“Sure buddy, ask away.” i say as i shuffle my hands around in my pockets.

“So….what exactly is your relationship with Pinkie?” he asks me. Im a little staggered by the question, but ill bite.

“What do you mean?” I inquire.

Storm seems to look down, then back up at me. “Like, what does she mean to you. I know you guys haven't been together for long, but you act like you're completely in love with her.” he says with a sigh.

I look up and then back at him. “Well, i think i get it from my Mom.” i say scratching my chin. He looks at me with a raised eyebrow as i struggle to move some vines out of the way with my hands. “What do you mean by that? also, why don't you just conjure another machete.”

I look at my hands and then go back to tearing the vines down. “Well, for your first question.” I tear a bit of vines down. “My mom had a habit of falling completely in love given the correct time, and when she does, she falls hard.” I finally get all the vines down and we continue our trek. I continue to answer his first question. “When i saw Pinkie, i kinda just.” I look up and smile, then look at storm. “Fell.”

Storm looks at me with an inquisitive look, than gives me the not bad face. “I guess i understand that.”

I look down at my hands again “As for your second question, I don’t actually know. My magic kinda manifests itself as a random form of wish fulfillment i guess.” Storm looks at me with a frustrated look then stops me with his magic. “Wait wait wait, since when did you have any magic besides your music?”

My eyes grow wide and I exhale softly. I spot a hollowed out tree in the distance that matched Pinkies Description of Zecoras Hut. “Ugh, no time to explain, were here.”

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3 Potions and a Trek through the forest later

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“Finally, out of that God-Damn forest.” i grab the sack over my shoulder filled with potions and hold it in my left hand.

“You can say that again, i'm gonna go home and take a nap, give me the key.” Firestorm says before stopping in front of me. I dig through one of my pockets with my right hand and fish the key out, then throw it to storm. He proceeds to catch it with his magic and walk off. “Ill see you later then, remember were having something good for din-din tonight.”

“I won't forget.” he says as he walks to our house in the distance.

I walk towards towards town with a skip in my step as the potions i held in my left hand jingle and clank together.

“Good work Maxy, i knew you could do it.” Pinkie said as she gave me a kiss on the cheek and a pat on the head, which promptly made me blush. “Nah, it was nothing big Pinkie.” i say as i run my hand through her mane and give her a scratch behind the ear. “So whats next?” i inquire as i kneel so i can look her in the eyes. “Nothing really Maxy, i just have a cake in the oven, the rest of the day is yours.” she says batting her eyelashes at me. I sigh and wipe the sweat falling from my brow.

“Well, i ain't got nuthin-” i feel a shudder go through my body in an eastward direction. “N-n-n-n-nevermind, my senses are tingling.” I Stand up and give Pinkie a quick kiss on the forehead. “I gotta run, i'll see you later.”

Pinkie seems to accept my odd behavior and says “Okie Dokie Lokie, be careful out there.”

I burst out of Sugarcube Corner as my left hand Shoots out in front of me and carries me eastward. It starts glowing purple as my pace accelerates. “WHY CANT I GO ONE DAY WITHOUT SOMETHING WEIRD HAPPENING!” i yell as my feet drag me towards what looks to be Sweet Apple Acres.

I start to hear voices in the distance as my feet come to a slow.

Shipmaster

A voice says in my head as i come to a halt. I see Applejack and Rainbowdash talking in the

middle of some Apple trees. My hand glows purple and lifts toward the two Ponies.

Two conflicted souls must become one in order to restore the balance.

I squint my eyes and walk towards the two ponies, i begin to hear their conversation as i get closer.

“Why do ya take naps in my trees when you can take naps on the clouds.” Applejack says as she points up to the clouds above.

Rainbowdash seems a bit flustered and she shuffles her forehooves into the ground. “I-its different Applejack, besides what does it matter to you?”

Applejack and the Rainbow Pegasus continued to go back and forth whilst I listened from behind a tree, which i understand is kinda stalkerish, but every time i tried to leave the area my arm kept bringing me closer to the two ponies and repeating the whole two conflicted souls thing.

As the argument began to get heated, i could see a purple glow around Rainbow dash that came from the center of her….chest….area, that lead to applejacks chest area, but there was something blocking the middle where the two glowing thingies. Very descriptive i know, but use your imagination.

“Hmmmm, do i need to romance these two?” I ask myself as i reveal myself.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash freeze at the sight of me.

“Hey Max, what are you doing here?” Rainbow Dash says, staying frozen.

I wave my purple arm and say “I was just uh….passing through, and i heard you guys bickering like an old married couple.”

Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked at each other and blush, then proceed to look away from each other. “A-ah don't know what you mean by that, but its good to see ya Max.” Applejack says. I feel a twinge of pain in my balls as she approaches me.

“Ah was just telling Rainbow here that she can't sleep in mah trees.”

Rainbow blushed a bit and then looked in the opposite direction. I scratch my chin and look over to the Polychrome pony before me. “I don't really see the problem either. I mean, she obviously does it because she wants to see you, Applejack.” Rainbow Dash’s expression changes to that of an embarrassed one, as her ears splayed backwards and her cheeks turned a bright red. Applejack looked at me and blushed. “W-what makes ya say that?”

I raise my left hand and look at it, then give myself a little smile.

You understand where you are needed.

“Because as far as i've see, you guys have something that you need to work out. Some unquenched tensions, that need to be quenched.” I walk over to Rainbow Dash and pick her up by the stomach and carry her like i would a barrel.

“Hey, let go of me!” Rainbow Dash yells as she thrashes around in my grip. I walk over to Applejack and did the same to her.

“I know where i'm needed.” i say as i carry them to an opening in the orchard and put them down next to each other.

“Now, I know you guys have this problem almost every day, arguing and bickering. Pinkie tells me about it, and i know that there is something wrong with the both of you, people dont just argue about simple things like that.” I look at Rainbow Dash and Applejack, they were looking away from each other and blushing furiously. Rainbow Dash looks at Applejack and then looks away again.

‘These Ponies will be the death of me.’ i think to myself as i kneel down to them.

“Listen you guys, you’re not doing either of you, any good to hold anything back.” I put my hands on both of their shoulders. “Im not going anywhere, and i'm not going to let either of you leave until this is settled, i care about both of you too much to see you guys argue and bicker and get into these stupid ass little arguments.”  I get up and put my hands back in my pockets.

Rainbow Dash turns toward Applejack, the glowing in her chest gets a tad bit brighter. “Actually AJ….there was something that i've been meaning to say….i guess i never really found the time or the courage to say it.” Yes, this is what i'm looking for.

The bond must be complete.

AJ stops her there. “Wait, Rainbow. There is something that i wanna say first.” Oh come on, don't make this longer than i want it to be. I clear my throat interrupting Applejack and Rainbow Dash to look at me. I Tapped my wrist and looked at them with a raised eyebrow “I Gots places to be people, you guys better hurry.” I don't have anywhere to be, i just want to get this over with.

Do not make haste, Love takes time.

“Heh, time i don't have.” i say to myself as my left hand glows a bit brighter. I tune back in to Applejack and Rainbow Dash’s Conversation. “NO, IM GONNA SAY IT FIRST!” Yep, they're bickering like children again.

I walk up to them and clap three time between them. “HEY, I WANNA GO HOME, AND FUCKING EAT A NICE DINNER.” I yell in between them. “NOW, THE RAINBOW ONE IS GOING TO GO FIRST, OR IM GOING TO MAKE SURE NEITHER OF YOU HAVE A RESTFUL SLEEP TONIGHT.” Fully knowing how inappropriate my words sounded, i looked at both of them and they looked back at me with frightful faces.

“Applejack…” Rainbow Started getting a bit closer to Applejack. “I’ve been meaning to-” Rainbowdash’s front forehoof slips from under her and sends her flying forwards. Which closed the distance between the two mares.

My eyes grew wide as i saw the two mares kiss. “Well that took off better than i thought it might have.” I said as Applejacks eyes grew wide when she noticed what was happening. When Rainbow Dash noticed, her head flew back and she bolted in the other direction.

Love is a mysterious thing, though it looks like you failed you have actually succeeded without magic, to my surprise. Allow me to introduce myself, for we are going to be telepathically linked.

My Name is Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, I know not how we became connected but i sense a strong bond to the type of magic i posses inside of you.

“Can you hear me?” i ask the voice in my head.

Yes, i can hear you. But there is no need to speak out loud, you can use your thoughts to communicate with me.

“C'mon, its not fun unless someone thinks you're crazy.” i say snapping my fingers and leaving Sweet Apple Acres. “I feel like i did good today.” i say to the ethereal voice in my head.

You did okay for your first time.

I cross my arms as i walk. “I did better than i expected myself to. I'm not exactly the Shipmaster you take me to be.”

Shipmaster is what i read as your title.

I dodge a few ponies in the park by weaving through the trees. “What the fuck does that mean?”

Its what your type of love magic is called, I didnt choose it.

“So...you give me an A+?” I say with a smile and a raised eyebrow.

More like a D+

I throw my arms in the air “YES!”

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END OF EPISODE

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