The Pirate Prince

Rich smiled. He had little that would be useful in the tunnels and nothing of real value to trade with. "I think you meant to say 'we could use an extra hoof.'" He performed a little routine check over his new weapon. He hadn't held a gun for a long time, but it was all flooding back to him. Satisfied, he placed the rifle next to him and sat down next to the pony that looked like he hated his guts the least. "The name's Rich. I could do with some background info. I don't want have to be figuring out your names while being ordered about in the middle of a firefight." Rich spoke with a complete seriousness to his voice, hoping the sudden change from his joking introduction would put the pony off guard, giving him control of the conversation.

Rich walked over to the ponies readying their weaponry. "Hello gentlecolts. Looks like you're getting ready for a trip into the tunnels. Been meaning to head in there myself, heard they're lovely this time of year, I would offer my services to you, but I'm afraid I'm a bit lacking in firepower. Still, I doubt I would have been much use to you anyway, I've only been using rifles since I was a foal and I doubt you'll need any security systems hacked or anything." Rich felt a ripple of pleasure as he noticed the pony heading the expedition glance repeatedly at his horn. "Of course, if you're willing to lend me a weapon, I'd be happy to tag along with you."

Rich watched Red a while before walking off. He headed towards one of the better respected runners of the prison. "I need a weapon, a decent one. Since that fool, Red's supplies have completely dried up, I guess you're the biggest supplier in town now, huh?" Rich smiled. If Red didn't want to deal with him, then Rich will just have to surpass him. "Still, I understand you can't get nothing for free, except a shiv in the gut of course, so consider me a new assistant." Rich stopped smiling.

Rich was disappointed Red wasn't willing to humor him. "You're supposed to be the big supplier in town, and "'there's not much you can do about that'?" Rich smiled, happy to catch this slip up, once again proving his intelligence. "You must be in bigger trouble than you're letting on. I'm guessing you can't deal with this yourself without raising suspicion. If people suspect your supplies have run out, you're favor will mean nothing and your rivals will be quick to get rid of you before you can gain power again. So here's a plan. I subtly help you out, you get me a decent weapon and we become bestest friends forever." The last part was dripping with sarcasm.

"Well, that turned morbid quickly." His body relaxed, but his mind began racing. He could have ponies saying he's weak, saying he couldn't defend himself, but calling him just another "slow-witted convict" frustrated him. He could have just shut up and enjoyed his fleeting peace, but he was determined to demonstrate his intelligence. "Still, considering where we are, pointing out somepony's flaws is a kindness. Kinder that exploiting them anyway." Rich paused for a moment. "Still, I'm not looking for sympathy, Luna knows that's a waste of time in here. You say I need to protect myself? Well, as individuals go, you're in the top two for power in this place, so getting in your good books would go along way," He turned slightly, looking over the yard, Red just in his field of vision, waiting for the inevitable inquiry into the other "most powerful person."

"No sir." Replied Rich, giving a respectful nod. He was surprised by Red addressing him, so his mouth move faster than his mind. "Just trying to avoid any crazy pony looking to take the rest of it." He moved his eyes gestured to his horn. He'd learned quickly to use his condition to his advantage. It made him seem less of a threat and it was mildly disturbing, making ponies more inclined to leave him alone. He cleared his throat, "Just trying to get through the day. Figured nopony would come and start something with you around. That isn't a problem, is it?"

"Morning AI. Thanks for not killing me in my sleep or anything." Spotted Rich said, mostly to himself. He didn't know if the AI responded to politeness, or if it could even hear him, but It was the single power in this dump he actually respected and he'll snatch at any opportunity to win its favor. Lifting a hoof to his forehead, he felt the stump that had once been his horn. How long had it been since it was taken from him by the nut-job with the cutters. With his sleep magic he could have been a force to be reckoned with, now he was a joke. A unicorn who couldn't do magic without feeling pain, he'd only lived this long through use of his quick wit and silver tongue. Rich walked out his door, casually walking towards the other end of the yard, hoping that Red's presence would quieten any random bloodlust anypony could have developed during the "night."

Obviously the greatest catch phrase of all time is "Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast." :Arnold 'Ace' Rimmer What a guy!

Rich snapped out of his daze. "ENOUGH!" he shouted, coming down the stairs to defend Star. "You fail. You can not control children that way. You can't bully them or hurt them. YOU ARE WRONG!" Without really thinking, he pulled the knife out of his saddle bag and ran in through the ghost's chest with all his strength.

Expecting a collision, Spotted Rich braced himself. When he passed through the ghost, he stumbled and fell, skidding slightly. Lying on the floor, he turned and watched the brutality unfold. "Three." Rich repeated to himself. "It's over, we can't do anything anymore. We could have stopped it, we could of helped." He picked himself up and stepped towards his companion. "YOU DIDN'T EVEN TRY! You could have called out or something. That kid just got beaten to death and YOU STOOD THERE FIDDLING WITH THE DOOR!. You think they would have shown us that if you couldn't do anything to stop it? You think these things will play nice and let you go without you doing something for them?" He took some deep breaths and climbed the stairs. "The door's probably unlocked now. That's how these sort of things work." he said, coldly.

Rich turned around. "I'm sorry Star, but I'm not going to wait around for the ghosts to maybe let us out. Maybe I'm not thinking clearly, and maybe I'm scaring you. But I am not going to stand around and watch some kid's ghost relive the beating that probably killed him." Rich had to restrain himself from shouting, He had always had a soft spot for children. "You really think we'll be able to get out of here without interacting with these things? Well I promise you, I will not be killed by the incorporeal form of a long dead, CHILD BEATING COWARD!" As he yelled, Spotted Rich spun and galloped towards the spectral stallion, firing a sleep spell that caused nightmares at it.

Rich breathed deeply. "You think you're scared? Try being a kid on the receiving end of that for the rest of eternity." Rich slowly walked down the stairs, trying to channel his fear into anger. When he reached the bottom, he used magic to light up his horn, calling out, "Are we interrupting something? I hope so."

RIch face-hoofed and sighed. "Listen Blue, I don't think we'll be getting through that door. There's something going on in this house, and I doubt it'll be happy in being ignored. You three should see if you can get out or at least send a message to get help. There's something else down here, and I'll doubt we'll be able to leave until it's sorted."

Thank you very much. Pipsqueak is my new Avatar. It took a moment for me to figure out the spinning top. I like it, I guess I'm going to edit the info.

I'm torn between happiness that you chose my idea and sadness that you chose my silly idea over my complex one. I'll pretend you found my silly idea funny because of the contrast to the previous idea. Anywho, my request... I'm torn between asking for a kickass picture of pirate pipsqueak and my roleplay OC. For Pipsqueak, can you have him swinging from a rope, sword in mouth, flintlock in hand, a couple of cannonballs flying past. For my OC. http://mlpforums.com...tted-rich-r1401 Can he have a bowler hat? Also, in front of him should be a spilled bowl of pudding. He should be shouting "Curse you, Pinkie Pie1" with a small Pinkie in the background saying "What did I do?" Do whichever you'd prefer. Sorry if they're too complicated, I've haven't requested art before.

When Shooting Star was visible in the gloom, he gave him a quick nod and stood next to the door. "Blue?" He said though the stuck door, "It's me. I'm not sure, but I think that thing is gone, at least for the time being." He explained that he told the ghost off, making it 'disappear in a puff of logic' and how the mare's voice has been speaking in his mind.

He forced himself to calm down. This, thing, whatever it was, seemed to be pacified for now. He picked up the knife and placed it in his saddle bag. He wasn't going to leave it laying around for his supernatural stalker use. "Sorry." he whispered to the darkness. He turned and walked back to the stairs, taking in what had just happened. Had the other ponies ran past him and the ghost? Perhaps the ghost had made it so they were hidden from them. He couldn't help but feel a little bit flattered that the mare had singled him out. Spotted Rich shock his head, trying clear his mind from the post "victory" high, he was still in a creepy house, filled with scared ponies and possibly more hostile spirits, with one of said hostile spirits was currently operating as his personal countdown clock. He cleared his throat, "It's me everyone. Nice of you to run past while I was cornered by the scary mare," he called out from the bottom of the stairs.

Simple answer: Bat ponies are not real ponies, they are brought into being by Luna's magic, similar to The Shadowbolts. Creative answer: Bat ponies are not real ponies, they are spirits. Unlike alicorns, who are essentially gods who embody characteristics of the world (the day, the night, love), lesser spirits have little purpose than self preservation. Long before the founding of Equestria, the batwings roamed the land, feasting on wildlife and other lesser spirits. These dark creatures worshiped Luna, as the day's sun caused them to painfully lose their corporeality, eventually killing them. When the sisters came to defend the pony tribes from attack, the Batwings surrendered to Luna. She brought them back to the castle, deep in the Everfree forest. Luna made them her personal guards and allowed them to hunt the monsters that plagued the Everfree forest. After Discord was defeated and the sisters moved to Canterlot, the Batwings stayed at their mistress' side. When Luna succumbed to her insane jealousy of her sister, they could no longer recognize the gentle princess that had tempered their brutal nature. Nightmare Moon declared that their love for her did not matter, all she cared about were the ponies that slept during her night. When Nightmare Moon was imprisoned, the batwings were devastated. They understood it was necessary, but the love for their goddess was undying. Celestia allowed them to stay as part of the royal guard, but they declined. Instead, they returned to deep in the Everfree Forest, waiting for a time where their goddess would return to them, sane and whole. Silly answer: Discord did it. Luna thought they looked cool and signed them up before her sister could.

"No, isn't it obvious? You've got half your bloody face missing!" Rich shouted at the mare. "It's not my fault! You're a ghost, aren't you? You can bloody teleport but you can't fix yourself up?" He concentrated as well as his panicked mind would allow and fired a spell at the spirit. Rich didn't know in ghosts slept, but sleep spells were his forte and it was all he could think of doing.

"I never said you were in the first place." the unicorn replied. His face still frozen, let slip a single nervous laugh, "heh." His mind suddenly clearing, he threw the camera at the bloody form and ran from the room, screaming "LEG IT, BLUE!"

When he'd walked into the room he was so sure what would happen. At the producer's cue, shaking furnishings, and few loud noises; things to provoke reactions in his fearful companions, while he was fearless in his absolute knowledge that it was just pretend. But looking at this mare made his mind freeze. It was subtle, no monster limbs or unpleasant smells or scary noises. There was nothing interesting to film. There was nothing interesting to film! He was convinced he was face to face with a real, 'live' ghost, and he damned himself because all that rose into his consciousness was his usual snarky comments. "Well," He replied, his usual grin frozen on his face, only his eyes betraying his fear, "for a ghost you seem pretty corporeal, so that's a plus, no blood flowing out your eyes, et cetera. Only, with that mask hiding your face, It's kinda hard to call you pretty." He knew he was talking right into a trap, saying exactly what he shouldn't, but what else could he do?

Spotted Rich decided he wasn't going to let 'Blue' act brave without cracking wise. "Wait up. Don't even think about of getting eaten by ghosts without someone there to film it." He turned to give Asteria a quick wink and followed Lapis Lazuli into the room, camera in front of him.