Daylight poured across the hardened dirt of the Shattered Waste and over the dusty pirate town Bladethief Run. Pirate landships were in the harbor area, laying somewhat haphazardly around the outside of the town itself while pirates walked around the streets, actually being very pleasent to each other, exchanging greetings and chatting about which taverns had the best rum and which of the mares of the night was the hottest and would do the kinkiest stuff. In one tavern, the Bloated Quail, a group of pirates were boasting. One stallion, Captain Greyhoof of the landship Cannon Fodder leaned into the group "listen hear lads, did ye know I had a run in with Captain Cider?" the rest of the group scoffed at him "I highly doubt that, as you would be dead!" Greyhoof shook his head "no no its true! I had a run in with Black Apple Cider and it got very steamy." the other captains leaned in "oh really?" "do tell!" "did you make her moan?" Greyhoof nods "oh yes, it started slowly, but i got that mare undressed and squirming in my arms, she was begging for more." laughter sounded from the table but it went silent, even as Greyhoof continued to brag. A voice from behind "so ye say yall was able ta make Black Apple Cider putty in her arms?" Greyhoof nods a little bit "Aye that I did. I could walk up to her now and make her just melt" he turns in his chair and stops, his voice catching in his throat as he saw Black Apple Cider standing there behind him, her sword casually resting on her shoulder. She cocked a eyebrow at him "Yall aint never seen me nekkid much less touched any part of me. So ye best be asking yerself right now "how can i be getting outta this situation without getting kilt." Greyhoof takes a few stammering gasps, eyes darting around the room and Cider leaned in close to him and whispered into his ear "yer times up mate." her sword came up and then stabbed right through his chest, pinning him to the chair and he gasped his last. Cider stands back up, pulling her sword free and tossing a coin to the barcolt "This is fer the mess." she looks around "ANY OF YALL THE FIRST MATE O THE CANNON FODDER?" a dary blue stallion steps forward "Aye Captain Cider, I be the first mate." Cider tips her hat to him "Congrats. yall done been promoted. yer the captain o that vessel now." she grabs a mug of rum and raises it up and then downs the whole thing, slamming the mug down "MOAR!" mugs of rum were poured and passed around, Cider draining a few more of them before slamming her mug down and heading into the streets. She made her way, staggering a little, to the Sword and Dagger Inn, where she and her crew were staying for a few days. Her first mate Bonecrusher was waiting by the door. He was a tall and well muscled unicorn, strong enough to do as his name implied, only occasionally using magic as he doubled as the Cutlass's chief mechanic. He took a look at Cider and grunted "ye been hittin the rum again Cap, and yer sword has blood. been killing off whole taverns again?" Cider turned her gaze on him "aye dont have ta answer ta ye Bonecrusher. BUt if ye must know, some jerkoff decided he was the one stallion that had "tamed" me an was boastin ta his mates. Had to set an example." Bonecrusher sighs "if ye had ta. Ye have a visitor by the way Cap. Up in yer room." he nods as Cider passes him, pulling out her gun "Somepony aint gonna like surprisin me with visits." She climbed up the well worn stairs, having been trod on by many hooves and makes her way to her third floor room. She opened the door, looking around but she could see nopony there. She slowly entered the room, gun out and ready to fire when aset of arms came around from behind and something pressed against her, a familiar voice in her ear "you are a cautious one, but then i always could get the upper hand." Cider let out a breath "Lotus ye rouge. Ye might be gettin shot one day ifin ye aint careful." Lotus Blade moved her hands up and cupped Ciders breasts, giving the pirate a fondle "mmm you say that Cider but i dont think you could ever shoot me, any more then i could ever kill you." Cider broke free of the hold and fondles and pressed Lotus against the wall of the room, looking her up and down. The pink mare was wearing a tight fitting leather outfit that seemed molded to her form, showing off her curves but mostly acting as a way to blend in with shadows and go unnoticed. Cider looked Lotus up and down and then dipped her head, her lips pressing against the pink mares. Lotus felt her eyes widen a little and then she pushed back into the kiss, passion flaring between the two mares as their lips were locked and their tongues wrestled each other for dominance. The kiss was broken and the two mares atared at each other and then Lotus spoke up "you have the taste of rum on your lips." Cider chuckled a little "aye mahte have been drinkin a little" Lotus leads Cider over to the bed and pushes the piratess down, moving to start undressing her "well then you need to sleep it off my captain. And your Lotus is here to help." She took off her own clothes and moved into the bed next to Cider, pulling the orange mares back against her chest and belly, smirking a little as she placed her head into the crook of ciders neck "usually you are in the back, but this time I am." Cider chuckles a little at that "aye." Lotus wraps her arms around her lover and cups her breasts, pulling the captain close. Cider places her hands on Lotus's and the two drift off into a bit of a slumber. Hours later a rukus awoke the two and they scrambled up, the Sword and Dagger was quaking a little and rumbles came from the outside. Bonecrusher kicked in the door, earning him a glare but he returned the look "ye both can think o killin me later! Bladethief Run is under attack! we need ta get ta the Cutlass NOW!" Cider and Lotus scrambled, getting dressed rather quickly and darting outside, where Imperial airships and landships, bearing the mark of Empress Twilight could be seen decending on the town. Pirates scrambled to their landships, cannons armed and ready. Cider grabbed Bonecrusher and yanked him down as a cannonball whizzed overhead "yall aint gettin kilt fer yer intrusion. Yer insticts were good. aint safe here!" the three made their way to the left port, where a large imperial landship steamed right up, smashing into docks and a voice called out "BY ORDER OF HER MAJESTY EMPRESS TWILIGHT YOU ARE ALL UNDER ARREST! SURRENDER IMMEDIAT......OH FUCK!" dozens of cannons fired, warping and twisting the landship. Cider made it to the Cutlass, which was rather puny compared to the massive landship towering over it and yelled "FIRE ALL CANNONS!" the dark magic cannons boomed, blasting into the sides of the Imperial Landship, shredding metal and treads. Bonecrusher helped Lotus up and then hauled himself up, slamming the side gate shut as the Cutlass lurched into full reverse, the gattling guns on top of the control cabin rattling as they spat bullets at the Imperial forces. Bladethief Run was getting overrun, but it was not the first time. The various pirate towns were often raided by Imperial Forces, but they would leave the town mostly intact and those that lived there would rebuild and the pirates would return. It was a cycle that seemed to repeat more often then naught. Lotus moved to stand beside Cider and put a hand on her shoulder "Cider....is it possible for us to head East, to the Lotus Empire?" Cider turned to look at her marefriend "Aye. we could. Ye still be after revenge?" Lotus narrowed her eyes and made a fist "my thrist for vengence burns hotter then the sun Cider. you know this well." Cider nodded a little "well ah think we can make a little side trip. We got the fuel and firepower." She stepped outside "AHOY MATES! LISTEN UP AND LISTEN WELL! WE BE HEADIN EAST TA THE LOTUS EMPIRE! YE BEST KEEP A WEATHER EYE AND KEEP YER TRAPS SHUT." Bonecrusher looked up at Cider "Why we be headin that far outta our way cap?" Cider turned to look at him and narrowed her eyes "Ah have mah reasons Crusher. but they are good. We be after revenge." the crews eyes sparked, all of them had a reason to get revenge on someone. as a crew of former slaves, despots and those thrown out from false accusations they knew the desire for revenge, and all were willing to help one member get it. Bonecrusher stood up, Whos revenge we be gettin captain? Whos been affected by them of the east?" Lotus stepped out onto the deck "I have. we are getting revenge on my mother Empress Lotus Blossom and my sister Lotus Petal. They are the ones who sold me into slavery and killed my former teacher." The crew looked a bit stunned at the revelation but Bonecrusher placed a hand on Lotus's shoulder, a act that had gotten many killed before, but in this case, none would die and spoke a simple phrase "we all have felt the sting of the lash at one point Lotus. We will aid you in your revenge." a cheer rose up from the landship as it charged toward the east, leaving only a dust cloud in its wake.