As the sun began to rise, Twilight, Mordecai and Rigby took refuge under an oak tree. The blue jay was sitting at the base of it, wracked with guilt.

"Oh god…Maleficent….I hated her, but…" Mordechai groaned as he shook his head in remorse. "I didn't mean…I didn't want her to…."

"What happened last night wasn't your fault Mordechai," Twilight assured him gently. "Maleficent chose her death years ago. It was the fate she wanted."

"Besides, Twilight was the one who let that damn gargoyle out in the first place," Rigby added. "So, it's really her fault."

The alicorn glared at Rigby, but said nothing.

"And you? You have no regrets, as I do?" Mordecai asked the purple pony.

Twilight shook her head. "I can never regret. I can feel sorrow, but it's not the same thing, is it?"

"So what now? Will you go home?"

"No, not yet. I left my forest to find other ponies like me. Have you seen them, magician?"

Mordecai looked at her somberly. "No, I've never seen a pony in my entire life. My master Merlin used to tell me, that when he was a kid, he learnt everything he knew about magic from an alicorn pony name Princess Celestia. I never really believed him…until I saw you."

"Why the sudden interest in finding them? Class reunion or something?" Rigby asked Twilight.

"A wandering bat named Batty told me of a dragon named Predaking, who pushed all the ponies to the ends of the earth. And then Maleficent talked about a Count Dooku, who might be his master. So that is where I must go. To learn what I can," Twilight explained.

As she began to walk away, Mordecai shot up. "Take us with you. For luck, for laughs, for the unknown."

"Besides, we've got nothing better to do," Rigby piped in.

"You may both join me if you wish," Twilight said. "But I wish you'd think of another reward for freeing me."

"Well, I did think about, but it's not something that your magic could ever grant," Mordecai said.

Twilight nodded sadly. "That's true…I cannot turn you into something you're not. I cannot turn into a real magician."

"That alright, don't worry about it."

"And you Rigby? What is your wish?"

"I'm already living my dream. As life-long slacker," the raccoon said proudly.

"Tell me he's kidding…."

The blue jay wizard shook his head. "Nope."

Much later, our intrepid trio our walking across pastoral lands filled with sheep. Except for Rigby, who was riding on Twilight's back.

"Say, Mordecai?"

"Yes, Twilight?"

"Can you tell me what you know about Count Dooku?"

The young magician scratched his head as he tried to recall the stories he had been told. "I've heard that the Count is an old man who rules a small fiefdom near the sea. It was said that the lands surrounding his castle were as green and lush as the one's we're in now. But it all died as soon as he arrived."

"And what about of the dragon, Predaking?"

"Predaking? Where do I begin? I've heard way too many tales, to be honest. I've heard that the Iron Dragon is real, that he's a ghost. Some sort of magical construct. A demon that the Count sold his soul to possess. That he protects Count Dooku or keeps him a prisoner in his own castle…there are so many stories to tell you the truth…."

Twilight then heard the words Batty told her in the back of her head. "They passed down all the roads long ago, and the dragon Predaking ran close behind them and covered their tracks…."

Later, they arrive in a forest. Out of boredom, Mordecai picks up an apple from his bag. He juggles it around and it multiplies into several apples.

"Want one?" the magician offered one to the alicorn.

When Twilight shook her head he shrugged and put the apple back into his bag, making the others disappear.

"Man, the reception around here is lousy," Rigby said, trying to get a single on his phone.

"Are we any closer to Count Dooku's fortress?" Twilight asked.

"This is the very edge of Dooku's territory," Mordechai explained. "It's very dangerous country here. Maleficent never went in miles of it."

Then he heard the sounds of horse hooves on the wind. "Guys, listen…"

He then saw a group of what looked like a group of pirates on horseback, charging towards them. "Crap! I was afraid of this."

"What is it?" Rigby asked.

"Outlaws! Go, run! We'll met up later!"

Twilight galloped into some nearby bushes with Rigby on her back, while Mordecai climbed up a tree. But the pirates stop directly under his tree and spotted his hat in the leaves.

"Ho, what do we have here, matey's?" a big pirate asked in good humor. He pulled on a bit of the blue jays cloak and made him land on his horse. "Watch you heads, lads. It's raining ninnies!"

Twilight and Rigby watched helplessly as they ride off with Mordecai.

Later that evening, we see a camp filled with rough and tough pirates, sitting miserably around a camp fire, drinking something out of their mugs.

One pirate took a swig and spat out the liquid in disgust.

"Rat soup! Again rat soup!" he exclaimed.

"At least she could try a different rat third night in a row," another pirate added. "Or order us a pizza."

Suddenly the horse-mounted pirates arrived at camp, led by a portly, older pirate named Mr. Smee (Disney's Peter Pan).

"Greetings, Captain! We've found something!" Mr. Smee called out.

"Put me down!" Mordecai shouted.

"Aye, lad, quiet there. You're for Captain Hook himself, you are," his Pirate captor snapped.

Then a richly dressed pirate, with a hook replacing his hand, named Captain Hook (Peter Pan) marched forward to meet them.

"Well, who's this landlubber? Comrade or captive?" Hook asked.

"We're not sure, Captain," Mr. Smee said. "We were looking for travelers to rob, and we found him instead. I think he's a magician, judging by his outfit."

"Put some more water in the soup, Ms. Margret. It seems we have company," Hook said in jovial tone.

A female red jay similar to Mordecai pushed her way through the pirates. "Oh no you don't! I'm not cooking for anyone else tonight! The soup is already thick as sweat as it is!"

"Why Miss Margret, where's your sense of hospitality?" Hook asked.

"I was hired to cook for you ungrateful louts, not to act as a dinner host," Margret snapped. "And anyway, who's this? I don't like the looks of him. Slit his gizzard I'd say!"

Mordecai then got off the horse he was on. "I wouldn't do that, because I am

Mordecai the Magician! And you, sir, you must be the famous Captain Hook, boldest of the bold and freest of the free!"

"That I am," Captain Hook said proudly. Truth be told, Mordecai never heard of him until tonight, but he figured a little flattery would help in this situation.

"He's just guessing, Hook," Margret snapped. "He's trying con you like that last one!"

"Don't pay her any mind, she gets cranky on some nights," Hook told Mordecai. He then whispered, "I'd make her walk the plank if we had one, but she's union."

"And don't tell me, this lovely young woman is member of you band; brave as she beautiful," Mordecai added loudly.

Margret stopped to look at him. "Huh, maybe he does know," she said, feeling a little flattered.

"You are welcome here, sorcerer," Hook said as he lead Mordecai to a place to sit. "Come to the fire and tell me what you've heard of dashing Captain Hook and his band of freemen. Have something to eat. It's Taco Tuesday!"

MEANWHILE:

"Mordecai!" Rigby yelled out.

"Mordecai," Twilight called. "Oh, where could he be?"

"Well, he can't have gone far," the raccoon said. "We just got to keep looking."

"We might have found him by now if we stopped to ask for directions," the purple pony said.

"I don't need directions!"

"Oh, typical male thinking! Just wander around aimlessly until you bump into something; that's such a brilliant idea!"

"Well, if you're so magical, why don't you teleport us to Mordecai? Oh, wait. You can't, because you don't know where he is!"

"Listen you little…"

"Yub nub."

Twilight and Rigby turned to face the source of that sound.

They then saw a small bear like creature named Wicket W. Warrick (Star Wars) standing nearby, holding a spear.

"Aww, he's so cute!" Twilight cooed.

"Hey, little guy," Rigby greeted. "You lost?"

"I think I've read about his species," Twilight said. "I think they're called…Ewoks."

"Wonder what he's doing out here all alone?" Rigby wondered.

Several other Ewoks appeared out of nowhere. All of them were holding spears or other primitive weapons.

"Gosh, there sure are a lot of you," Twilight observed.

Rigby then saw something that made gasp.

"Uh…Twilight…I think you may want to see this," he said worriedly.

He then pointed to a large iron pot with a fire blazing beneath it…and several more very hungry Ewoks.

"If you don't mind me asking, but what are a bunch of pirates doing so far inland?" Mordecai queried.

"Our ship got termites," one pirate explained. "We've been robbing random merchants and door-to-door salesmen in order raise funds for a new one."

"How long have you done that for?"

"About three years."

"You're a lucky guest this evening, magician," Captain Hook said. "My minstrel, Billy Bluebottle, here, was just about to inspire us by singing one of the adventures of bold Captain Hook and his hearty crew."

This caused some general groans and complaints from the pirates.

"Nay, Billy! Not that thing again!" One of the pirates said.

"Billy! Sing us a true song! Sing us one about Captain Jack Sparrow!" Margret called out.

"There is no Jack Sparrow!" Captain Hook said in a huff. "Jack Sparrow is a myth!"

This gave Mordecai an idea. "A myth, huh?"

He then got up and began muttering, "Magic, do as you will. Magic do as you will…."

As he casted the spell, the wind began to pick up.

"Well, now that's out of the way…"Hook began to say, before Margret saw something behind them.

"Look!" Margret pointed. Out of the woods came several figures (basically the cast from the POTC movies).

Captain Hook quickly rushed over to greet them. "Ah, welcome, landlubbers, to my domain. I am Captain Hoo-"

Captain Jack Sparrow just walked through him. Literally, since he was a semi-transparent illusion. Close behind him the rest of the cast followed.

"Oh, look! It's Elizabeth Swann! And Will Turner!" Margret said excitedly.

"Look! It's Mr. Gibbs!" one of the pirates exclaimed. "I'm sure it's him!"

"And there's Marty and Mr. Cotton!" another one added.

Hook looked bamboozled. "This can't be happening! Jack Sparrow is a myth! We are the reality."

The pirates watched silently, spellbound, as Jack Sparrow and his crew walked through the fire, out of the camp, and into the woods.

"Magic is magic," Hook said to his crew. "But the truth is us. Right?"

The pirates (except Mr. Smee) glanced at each other before making their decision.

"Captain!" one of them called out. "Captain Sparrow! Wait for me!"

He then dashed off to follow him.

"Mr. Gibbs, sir. Sign me up!" another pirate shouted, following his comrade.

Soon the rest of them followed, along with Margret, chasing phantoms and childhood dreams.

Mordecai laughed in undisguised joy and disbelief. It actually worked!

"I did it. I actually did it! I said 'magic do as you will', and it worked!" But then Hook clubbed him on the head, knocking him out cold.

"That was a very dangerous diversion, young sorcerer," Hook said, as he and Mr. Smee dragged him off to a nearby tree rooted on the edge of a cliff.

"Well, he's no ordinary hedge wizard, that's for sure, Captain," Mr. Smee said as they tied him to the tree, his face in its trunk. "Perhaps we can sell him to a third world dictator. He might be worth something!"

"What a splendid idea, Mr. Smee. We'll sell him!" Hook said while laughing. "We'll both be gentlemen of leisure in a month's time!"

Hook and Mr. Smee cackled together as they walked off back to the forest.

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