Lost at Sea: A Nautical MLP CYOA

>ding-ding...
>ding-ding...
>ding-ding...
>six bells.
>time for another watch change.
>you pace the deck of your ship, examining the sailors as they shuffle past, heading in and out of the companionway
"G'morning, sir"
>they all say, putting their knuckles to their caps in salute as they hurry out into the cold morning fog or down below to the relative warmth of their hammocks
>it's been a long two weeks, and you're exhausting
>you've always loved your ship, the Aurora, but never before have you felt like you have relied on her, needed her more than you do now
>its been two weeks since you took on your six unusual (to say the least) passengers, and you are still no closer to finding this fabled Equestria they long to return to
>the crew bicker about whether its real or not
>a few more weeks and you know there'll be grumblings of a mutiny on board
>suddenly, a faint flash catches your eye up ahead, through the fog
>it's gone by the time you focus on the spot where it was, but all the same you pull out your spyglass and press your eye to the lens
>at first you see only fog up ahead, but then...


***

>suddenly there is another orange flash, then a yellow light coming rapidly closer
>you hear a faint hissing sound, growing louder and louder
"Down! All hands, DOWN!"
>you roar the order and the foretopmen hit the deck
>a rocket whizzes out of the fog and whistles over your heads, passing astern and splashing harmlessly into the ocean
"RPG! RPG!"
>suddenly the roar of a boat motor and the chattering of a strange African dialect fills your ears
>a small speedboat filled with armed, dark-skinned men materializes out of the thinking fog
"All hands, beat to quarters! Prepare to repel boarders!"
>the deckhands race below as the boatswain's whistle and ship's bell rouse everyone, passengers and crew, from their slumber
>the weapons locker is opened, rifles and pistols and blades passed around
>you have another idea, of course
>you look to the two-pounder line gun mounted on the rail, near the bow
>normally you use it to fire cables over to other vessels if you want to come alongside, or blanks for ceremonies
>there are some live shells on board, though
>locating the box, you grab some shells and race forward to the gun
>the crackle of the pirates' AKs fills the air
"Return fire! Return fire!"
>your crew fire from behind companionway doors and from crows nests, defending the ship valiantly
>you scramble to chamber a shell in the big gun as the boat draws nearer
>you know that if they grapple on and board you, they will easily take the ship
>you load in the shell and take aim...