The earth ponies faced a daunting challenge as they endeavored to rebuild the tribe's village. For sixty long days their efforts had been relentless, yet the end seemed as distant as ever. Each day brought a new wave of exhaustion but the spirit of cooperation fueled their determination. The stallions toiled tirelessly, lifting heavy logs and constructing new homes, while the mares devoted their energy to nurturing the fillies and foals. Ensuring that the next generation was cared for amidst the chaos. Despite their fatigue, they found solace in their shared purpose, knowing that their hard work would eventually lead to a stronger, more vibrant community.
Astral and his children also lend a hoof in helping repair. With the use of his production magic skill, he managed to build more than forty huts for the villager earth ponies. He originally wanted to craft an apartment for the villagers, like the ones he and his children lived in. But he quickly realized that the living conditions of the villagers would be better suited to their own dwellings. He also deduced that the kind of house he and his family lived in would be alien in the eyes of these ponies. So Astral decided it was best to give them only the most basic of homes.
Ray was in charge of teaching the modern language to the pony tribe. She had become quite popular, since she was the only one who was able to speak the earth pony tribe's language fluently. Said language that she had learned back in her previous life. This was shocking news to Astral, and when he asked when she learned this, she told him she learned it back in high school. She remained patient with her students no matter how many mistakes they made. Always encouraging them to try again.
Duke helped in re-supplying the food supply. Whether it is collecting berries or potato plants, Duke always brought the fresh produce. The same went for making new batches of bread from scratch each morning. Sometimes he would be collecting sticks by request from some of the villagers, to be used as kindling for their fire. Other times he would collect herbs and other vegetables outside of their village. Unbeknownst to him however, his handsomeness has caught the attention of some of the young mares of the village.
Windy spent her time in the chieftain's wife's care. Whenever Astral was busy constructing huts for the villagers, he would trust the chieftain's wife to watch over Windy. The wife, who Astral learned was named Aura, was the sweetest mare he had ever met. She treated Windy as if she was her own child, and always kept her strapped on her back wherever she went. Every now and then Astral would always find Windy sleeping in Aura's arms as she stares down at the young foal with a warm smile.
It was on day seventy-six when the village was fully restored. After the completion of rebuilding, Astral and his family, along with all the earth pony villagers celebrated their success with dance and songs. Dinner was made from fresh fruits that the villagers harvested themselves, as well as cooked bread prepared by the village mares. All around the bonfire they danced together to a song about hope, happiness, and dreams. Even Ray joined in the dancing, while Astral and Duke watched on from across the fire. It was a night that the alicorn family will remember forever.
The next day Astral began scouting out the ocean for any pirate boats that may have passed by. The first day of search was unfortunately uneventful; nothing but flocks of birds flying nearby, pods of whales swimming together, but there wasn't even a sign of any pirates. On the second day he saw a small boat far away in the distance, but only found two ponies on board the wooden vessel. Luckily the pair hadn't noticed him but Astral quickly hid under some bushes out of precaution.
The next twenty days remained equally uneventful. He continued to check out the ocean for any signs of pirate ships, and sometimes flew over to other islands to inspect any possible secret bases. Sometimes he would find nothing. Other times he would find ancient architecture deep within the jungle; ruins of abandoned villages or old temples from equestrian prehistory. It reminded him of the ancient pyramids in the lands of Egypt back in his previous life.
Today on the twenty-first Astral hovered over the mass expanse of ocean before him. His hooves were folded, his wings giving a good flap to keep him steady, and his gaze fixed on the horizon. Sunshine basked the water's surface, bringing in the afternoon from the sunny morning. Breeze gently rocked his mane and he breathed through his nostrils. From far away he noticed shadowy fragments of birds flying forward above the waves.
Astral hung his head and sighed. He wished that he still had his watch; it would've helped him to see what time it is. That was a con he learned when it comes to being reincarnated in another world. When a person dies and their souls transfers to another world, none of their personal belongings goes with them. At least that was something his son told him from the many mangas he read.
Astral lifted his head. He spread his wings wide before thrusting forward, propelling himself through the sky. Wind soothingly whipped past his ears and kissed his face. His mane blew back slightly with the force of his flight. Big and small islands rushed past him in a blur, as did the distant coastline and the hills. Pods of dolphins leapt out of the water from far below and into the open air before diving back in the water with a splash.
Astral halted his flight and snapped to his left.
A silhouette of a large ship sailed through the sea far away from his position.
Astral blinked. He didn't know why, but something in his gut told him that this could finally be the one he was looking for. But he won't know unless he checks it out. Astral's eyes narrowed with determination set on them. He fully turned his body and propelled himself with a powerful flap. Flying fast towards the sailing ship.
The sun glinted off the waves as it cast a shimmering light on the deck below. Astral hovered above the majestic sailing ship. His wings beat rhythmically, allowing him to maintain his position while surveying the bustling crew of anthropomorphic cats. There were a hundred of them, each uniquely adorned with vibrant fur—some resembling the elegant balinese with their striking blue eyes, while others showcased the wild patterns of bengals and the distinctive curls of american curls. The atmosphere was alive with the sound of laughter and shouts as the cats went about their duties.
Their attire reflected their rugged lifestyle: a motley assortment of tattered shirts, frayed trousers, and colorful tattoos that told tales of their adventures. One particularly bold cat, donning a weathered eyepatch, stood at the helm, exuding an air of authority and charisma that commanded respect among the crew. Astral deduced that he must be the captain.
Astral proceeded to observe the crew mates' work. One skinny cat stood on the crow's nest, scouting out the horizon with one paw raised to block the glaring sunlight. Other members of the crew were sitting together across a circular table. Laughing and chewing on their morning breakfast out of their bowls, while a few of them eat in silence. One female cat stood close to the crow's thick pillar with her back pressed against, sharpening her sword with a small whetstone.
Astral folded his hooves. He was beginning to wonder how he should approach this. He could just fly down there and apprehend both the captain and the crew mates with his magic, but he quickly dismissed that idea for two reasons. First and foremost, he doesn't want his existence to become known to these cats. Second, he doesn't want to risk them spreading news of a living and breathing male alicorn amongst equestria. That would bring unwanted attention; not only on himself, but his children as well.
Astral took a deep breath. His horn flared up with magic and a soft hum sounded from it. In a flash, Astral teleported from the air—to inside the gun deck. He stood near the ladder leading to the upper deck, surveying the room around him; each and every hammock was empty of any sleeping cats. Meaning all the crewmates were at the upper deck. This was perfect.
Astral closed his eyes and once again flared up his horn. Magical aura slowly shrouded his body, illuminating his figure brightly in blue. The light exploded in a brief flash before dispersing into wisps of color that drifted away from him like smoke. Once the light had cleared, he appeared no longer as an alicorn but a dark grayish cat with yellow eyes. He wore a black jacket as his only clothing but this was enough of a disguise for him.
Astral stared down at his paws. He was glad that the system had granted him the skill to change his appearance at will. He had earned said skill after completing the main quest, and he was grateful that this came in handy today in this situation. His tail twitched behind him as he walked toward a chair close to a table.
Astral sat down with his head lowered and interlocked his claws together. This alternative solution worked better than his previous method. With his appearance concealed within an illusion spell, he didn't have to worry about the others finding out about his true nature. He also would blend into the crowd so easily; allowing him to go undetected. He only hoped this will last until he can find all the missing kids and bring them back home to their families.
"Hey!"
Astral faced forward and bolted upright. He saw a female cat standing near the ladder. She had her paws on her hips, staring at him with narrowed eyes. She was a slender cat with olive furr, dark brown highlights on some parts of her furr, brown eyes, and dark purple circles around her eyes.
She dresses a black paisley vest with gold designs on it. A white off-the-shoulder peasant shirt with long sleeves, a busty black corset with a gold trim, and both matching pants and knee-high boots with heels. The female cat also wore a black belt with a gold designed buckle. A matching hat with band, thick gold square outlined buckle, and large fluffy beige feather on it, and a silver heart necklace.
"I didn't see you step on our ship," she continued. The accent of her voice was Spanish and deep, and a little bit seductive too. "Who are you?"
Astral blinked at the female cat. His presence has been discovered, now what to do..? He has rehearsed enough plays during his childhood that he knew how to act and immerse himself into a character. So with his acting skills, he had confidence that he could pull this off.
"My name is Ash, and I'm your new carpenter," Astral replied in a confident tone.
She arched a brow at him.
"New carpenter, huh?" She repeated dubiously.
She walked towards Astral as her tail swished side to side. She stopped directly before him, which made him feel a little bit nervous. She slowly circled him, studying his form as she did so. Her eyes were piercing and seemed to analyze every inch of his form.
"Hmm, you don't look like a carpenter," she mused thoughtfully.
Astral chuckled a little.
"I've been called that a lot," Astral commented.
"So you say," the female cat said. "Well, know this - Ash. Do not take me for a fool. I know every stinking crew member on this ship. Therefore, I don't know you. So you can explain yourself not to me, but to my captain. Come."
The female cat rolled her body around with a swish of her tail. She started towards the ladder leading to the upper deck. Astral took a deep breath, exhaled softly, then followed. After a few minutes he found himself standing in front of every crewman. The captain stood in the middle with their arms crossed, staring at Astral with a cigar clenched between his teeth.
"So let me get this straight," the Captain started, stalking towards Astral. "You snuck onto my ship, to ask to be a part of my crew?"
Astral nodded his head.
"That is correct," Astral replied.
The Captain stared at Astral skeptically. He slowly circled him, studying his form. His eyes analyzed every inch of his form while holding his cigar.
"We had many that wanted to be a part of the pirate's crew," the Captain said, halting his pace as he stood in front of him. "Most of them don't last a day or even an hour. Which leaves me to wonder: what makes you so different from the rest?"
Astral smiled and folded his arms.
"Simple, I work hard," Astral replied. "I do my best to get things done when I'm given a task. Whether it's carpeting, cooking, or tidying things up properly."
"Hmm, yes. Jude told me about you being a carpenter," the Captain mused.
There was silence for a moment.
"Well, I still can't just let you be a part of my crew just willy nilly," the Captain said, pointing at him. "If you want to be a part of my crew—REALLY be a part of my crew? Then you should know the golden question that every pirate in the sea knows to heart."
The Captain drew closer to Astral as their noses touched each other by the tip. The former narrowing his eyes at the nervous latter.
"What's your soul purpose on this ship?" The Captain asked.
Astral felt like holding his breath. Suspended in a moment that stretched like an eternity. The Captain's piercing gaze bore into him, flanked by the crew's expecting expressions, each face reflecting a mix of curiosity and anticipation. His heart pounded violently against his rib cage, each beat echoing the weight of the silence that enveloped them. Thoughts raced through his mind, a chaotic swirl of potential responses, yet none seemed adequate to meet the Captain's expectations. The tension became almost palpable as the seconds dragged on and Astral could feel the pressure mounting.
Finally, with a resolve born from desperation, he drew in a deep breath, ready to confront whatever challenge lay ahead.
"To do whatever you tell me, Captain," Astral finally replied.
Silence erodes through the whole ship. After a moment of silence, the Captain threw his head back and bellowed a hearty laugh. He straightened his head back in place when he finished, then threw his arm around Astral's shoulder. Pulling the surprise (disguise) cat close to him.
"Well done, kid! You've passed your first test," the Captain congratulated, tapping Astral's shoulder.
Astral glanced at the Captain.
"First test?" Astral echoed.
The Captain nodded his head.
"You thought that was your only one? No, you still have a long way to go, Greenie," the Captain said, turning his gaze back at his crew. "You hear that everyone? For now on you will only refer to him as Greenie! Understood?!"
"Aye, aye, Captain!" The crew shouted in unison, their voices booming with enthusiasm across the deck.
The Captain nodded his head in approval.
"Mmhm, darn right," he mumbled, before releasing Astral from his grip. "Greenie's got spirit, and we need that on our crew. Now, get back to work the lot of you!"
The crew nodded their heads and scattered across the deck. Each returning to their tasks with renewed energy. The Captain snapped his gaze towards the female cat, (the one Astral spoke to earlier) he beckoned her to come closer. She padded softly towards him, her eyes curious yet wary. He then rolled his body around to face Astral again.
"Allow me to introduce myself, Greenie. My name is Gaggin, and I'm the Captain of this ship," the Captain named Gaggin introduced himself, then jabbed his thumb toward the female cat. "This beautiful kitten here is Jude. She'll be showing you the ropes of how things work here."
The female cat named Jude glanced at her Captain with an arched brow.
"What? Why me?" Jude protested, her tail twitching with mild annoyance. "Why can't one of your guys could—"
"Ah, ah, ah, no objections!" Captain Gaggin interrupted, raising a finger. Jude turned away with folded arms and clicked her tongue in annoyance. "You listen and respect her the same way you do for me. Stay alive long enough and you can learn a lot from her. Understood?"
Astral gave the Captain a two finger salute.
"You got it, Captain," Astral replied.
Captain Gaggin nodded his head before turning away back to the wheel. Astral shifted his gaze towards Jude, the latter glancing at the floor with annoyance washing over her countenance. She straightened her head and looked back at Astral. Astral flashed her with a friendly smile.
"Come on, Greenie," Jude said, jerking her head.
Jude turned away with a swish of her tail. Astral watches her walk away before his smile falls to a frown. He sighed sadly and looked forward.
"Sorry kids. It seems you'll have to eat dinner without me tonight," Astral said under his breath.
Astral took a step forward and followed his feline instructor.
A/N: Hope you all enjoyed the fourth chapter. Astral is now a new member of the pirate's crew so it'll be a bit challenging for him to stay undercover, while at the same trying to find the missing fillies in their secret home base. We'll see how this will play out once more chapters are published. Now I know what you guys are wondering: I thought you said you weren't gonna come back until March 30 or March 31? Yeah that still is the plan.
But then I decided, why not bless all my dear shimmering's day with the fourth chapter that I have finished today. Yeah, as you all can see, while I was busy with life I have been working behind the scenes. Even now I'm working on chapter five as we speak. (If God wills), I'll be sure to get back into publishing more chapters for this story as soon as I return. With all of that said I'll be going now. I hope you all have a wonderful day or night wherever you are!
See you all in the next chapter, my little shimmerings!
