Over the Edge and Over Again

by Perpetual Motion

And Over Again

Over the Edge and Over Again: Chapter 25
And Over Again

Homeward bound, yet again.

More or less. With time flowing differently between Equestria and the Locker, there was now a chance to breathe. Time to take everything in. Accept the wins and losses that had occurred during that intense, final battle.

Time to gather as many jewels as he could. If even one made it to a vendor in London, Barbossa would be set for many months to come. Years, even.

The same could have been said for everyone else, assuming they had been told about the extreme time difference in great detail. Or assuming they were not in such a desperate rush to leave this magical place.

“Such a shame,” Barbossa sighed, eyeing a particularly clean emerald. A much finer cut than the stones he had received from Spike’s larder, too. “More for me.” He passed one to Jack the monkey. “And you, ‘course.”

In fairness, he could not blame them. The battle with Discord had been a sordid ordeal, all things told. After Discord was secured by Celestia and Luna, everyone wished to return to whence they came. They did not wish to mingle. They did not wish to see what else was hiding behind the pretty colours and talking animals. They did not wish to miss their ship.

Ultimately, they didn’t want to miss their chance at getting home.

As an unwillingly occupant of Equestria for a week, however, Barbossa had more than a little faith in his ability to stay a few more. The others could have stayed for days, collecting gold and jewels to their hearts content. He had stayed for a couple of days doing exactly that.

Again, such a shame.

A choice few of his crew had stayed behind, however. Pintel and Ragetti were behaving much in the same manner as he was; filling their coffers with anything small enough to fit in their pockets. As little as he sometimes thought of them, they had more than proved their worth in the ponylands. Why not let them have their reward?

Then there was Calypso.

“And they cannot be damaged?” Luna asked, levitating a singular piece of eight into the air; a purple pair of spectacles.

“Not by mortal hands,” Calypso replied. There was a slight grate to her voice, as if she had more to add on the subject. But she didn’t. “Or hooves. Only a loved one may free his powers, if he should ever find such a thing.”

Luna nodded in understanding. “We shall keep them safe. Though if only a loved one can return Discord’s power, I do not see much of the need.”

Watching the conversation drift horridly close to home, Barbossa cleared his throat. He returned his new gemstone to his pocket to join all of the others. He would likely lose a few, he was sure. Who knew what would happen between now and his next port.

That was the best reason to take as much as he could carry.

“On that topic, I do believe we have a deity of our own to set free,” he said with a too-eager smile.

Calypso stared into him, perhaps further than he could hope to imagine before she let the moment go. He was glad of it. To tell her that the same monster she loves is the very one who betrayed her… it would break. She might then decide to break him.

Barbossa would not be the one to tell her. He very much valued his life and that reveal would make him heavier than the thin ice upon which he skated.

In the previous days, the room that held the portal to Davy Jones’ Locker had been cleared of debris and refuse, cleaned to the sheen that Barbossa expected of a scientist. Or, at the very least, the sort of scientist Luna described herself to be.

There were no more monsters. No more dangers hiding away.

No more need to stay in Equestria.

“You’re still sure you definitely want to leave, Barby?” Pinkie asked him, for umpteenth time. “We’ve only just become besties.”

“Aye. Pretty sure,” Barbossa replied.

Pinkie Pie would soon enough be braiding his hair if he stayed.

“We thought as much,” Rarity added.

Barbossa peered back towards the door of the portal room, seeing the last of his ‘team’ entering the laboratory. Along with the princesses and Spike, now even the infamous Elements of Harmony were here to see him off.

As well as three very excitable young fillies.

The previous few days had been relaxed, for lack of a better term. Cleaning up loose ends and dealing with personal matters that paled in comparison to dealing with Discord. Ponies had returned home to check on friends and families. Repairs country-wide were on the rise, or so Barbossa was told. The land was setting itself up for recovery.

But now that too was over. All that remained was the final curtain call.

Fluttershy nodded in agreement with her friends, sporting a rather uncanny wig over her sheered mane. Seemingly, it was a hassle using magic to regrow their manes, which seemed utterly simple compared to the other modes of magic had at their disposal. Yet another oddity he could leave behind. “We really do appreciate everything you have done for us.”

“Indeed,” Celestia added. “Your name will be written in our history books. You may not be here to see the words written but know that many generations will be taught your name in school.”

As much as he had put down the suggestion of being remembered whilst under Discord’s control… the idea hit an often-forgotten place in his heart. To know that children in the future would speak of his name, it was an experience he would hold close to him.

If only just to boost his own ego. If anything, it would do good to know that his name would live beyond his body.

In a land of pretty ponies, but still.

It was then that, at Rarity’s insistence, Sweetie Belle stepped forward with a small package wrapped in gaudy paper. It featured a poorly tied bow made from string. Scootaloo and Applebloom were, as ever, at her side.

“We made you something. W-well, Applebloom made you something. But it’s from all of us! I wanted to thank you for helping with my cutie mark.”

“And fer gettin’ Discord,” Applebloom added.

Then Scootaloo. “And saving the world. Everyone gets a present the first time they save the world.”

The first of many times, surely.

Taking the package, Barbossa pulled away the string and tore at the paper. Inside a piece of green cloth, not unlike the one he wore on his own head.

This one however, came with three patches sewn onto the fabric; two were identical blue shields with a yellow pony in the middle whilst the third was an exact copy of the cutie mark that Sweetie Belle had obtained during their shanty session.

“It’s a new bandanna!” Scootaloo cheered, waving her hooves in the air. “For your head.”

The green tone was similar to the one he owned, but the patches were also just as muted. Not quite as bright as they should have been.

“With my cutie mark,” Sweetie added. “And our logo. From our club.”

“Me ‘n Scoots don’t have our cutie marks yet, so it was the next best thing. And we know you don’t like bright colours none, so we made it all dark and pirate.”

They looked at him expectantly, watching between the cloth in his hands and the top of his head. His own, grubby excuse for a bandana sat proudly tied under the newest hat he’d acquired. Freshly. From the corpse of a copy.

He sighed. “What the Hell.”

With little provoking, Jack jumped down from his shoulder. Barbossa tossed his new hat to the fillies, letting them catch it as he removed his bandanna. Staring at it briefly, feeling little else for it than ownership, he took his gift and tied it over is hair. Patches side down, of course.

He had a reputation.

Grabbing his hat back from the fillies, he rested it back atop his head and straightened himself. Returning Jack too his rightful place too, of course. “Fits like a glove.” You said your tanks in these sorts of situations, he mused. Especially when children were involved. “Thank ye.”

Applebloom eyed him briefly. “Yer not just gonna toss it away when yer back home, are ye?”

His boot kicked at his old bandanna, now sitting sad and alone on the floor. “Cross me heart and hope te fly,” he smirked back. “Keep the old one. A gift from me to you.”

After a brief exchange in which no single member of the small party wished to pick up the cloth in their mouth, Sweetie Belle shakily grasped it within her magic. “Uh, thanks,” was mumbled before it seemed to dawn on her that, yes, she now owned something previously own by a pirate. “We’ll look after it for you!”

“Likewise.”

From elsewhere, Pinkie blew her noise into a very sad handkerchief. “I think I’m going to cry,” she cried.

“I think I’m going to barf,” Rainbow added with what could be a fake gag. In the most recent days, even Rainbow had calmed down from everything had occurred. Despite a notable wound on her hind leg. Magic could not heal that so quickly either, he was told. He hadn’t quite been listening at the time. The leg he himself injured might not be helping matters “I thought you were meant to be a pirate?”

“Ye thought right. Maybe we could have another fight te truly decide?”

She simply rolled her eyes. “I think I’ll pass. Wouldn’t want to break your face even more than it already is.”

“Strong words from the mare that’s twice had legs damaged by little ol’ friendly pirate.”

“Let’s just keep things friendly, alright?” Applejack interjected. She needn’t have bothered; Barbossa doubted that he or Rainbow were eager for a repeat of any past altercation. Especially not this close to a resolution. “Ain’t nobody who wants a nasty goodbye.”

“Which is why we should totally get a picture!”

It was then that Barbossa noted Pinkie playing with a small device off to his side, aiming it towards him and never seemingly content with just how it stood. It was a small wooden box on three legs, with a glass pane at the front.

“What’s that?” he wearily asked.

“This is a camera, silly. It takes pictures.”

“I don’t have any pictures.”

“No no, it makes a picture.”

Barbossa was confused.

Celestia appeared at his side to give her own take at an explanation. “It’s a device that captures images. Rather than panting a painting, a camera can capture a scene perfectly in only a second.”

Right. Because of course it did. Very magical.

Barbossa would be glad to be rid of magic. It wouldn’t do to have a device sitting around his own word that could catch you in an instant of immorality.

“Stay there!” Pinkie squealed. “You’re perfect. Everypony, get in! We have five second.”

The next few seconds were as mad as any Barbossa had experienced with Pinkie Pie. She moved ponies around, plopping a very unamused dash next to him and ushering Celestia as best as such a small pony could manage. The world was a blur of pink fur and fluff and tail until Pinkie herself leapt out in front of the group and posed.

“Everypony say cheese!”

“I’m not a pony.”

Well, if this device created a painting then he would give them a painting. As Barbossa pulled the most dignified pose could when surrounded by so many bright colours, there was an all-consuming flash of light. It lasted for only a second. Less than a tenth of a second, even.

It left burns in his sight, like the sun if you stared too long. He blinked away the specks in sight and moved away from the group.

“Wait!” Pinkie yelled, moving back to the camera. “We need to do one with funny faces. And the Crusaders!”

“No, we don’t,” Barbossa replied, rubbing at his eyes.

Celestia took his side with that one. “I’m afraid he’s right. For as long as we could have him stay, it only staves off the inevitable. And I hear there are more adventures to be had by you and your crew. It would not do well to grow complacent.”

“I quite agree.” Though, as he turned to leave, one thing did pull at his mind. “The refugee, from Jones’ crew. What happens te him?”

“The same as we plan to do with Discord. Before you arrived, we had plans to free Discord ourselves under stable conditions. To see if his power could be used for good.” Her smile grew solemn, but still determined. “With his power now drained and a better understanding of the Torment’s past, we are free to deal with both in the matter than best befits them.”

“And that is?” Love and kisses, no doubt. Either way, without his godlike powers, Discord would be in utter misery for a time to come. Barbossa had no doubt about that.

“Don’t you worry: Discord will be punished. And the Torment will be cared for.”

Barbossa was not quite so fussed what happened to the crewman; they were strangers to each other and unlikely to ever meet again. But he supposed it was a grand thing to think that the man would be looked after. Even out of Jones’ curse, if such a thing was to ever be lifted, he would likely have more luck with ponies and dragons than people.

Coming back to his own present, and future, all ponies faced him and smiled along with Celestia. Rainbow Dash seemed pleased he was leaving, but it was an eager smile all the same.

Celestia was the first to speak, bowing her head. “Goodbye, Captain Hector Barbossa.” Her eyes lingered before her attention turned to the others. “And to you, Pintel. Ragetti. Calypso. We owe you a great debt.”

“S’alright,” Ragetti replied with an unabashed smile.

“We will not forget you any time soon,” Luna added.

It was much the same from all the others. Goodbyes and hearty farewells. Far too many ears from Pinkie Pie and rampant waving from the children.

“Remember, avoid the sharp end of the sword,” Rainbow teased.

He wished to say that both heads could be horrifically painful settled with, “I’ll try.”

Barbossa turned to face the portal. With Pintel and Ragetti by his side, the future seemed definite for the first time in a long while. The shimmering light it emanated felt like everything a light implied; warm and bright.

They were going home.

“Good luck with your adventure,” Twilight said. “I know you’ll be fine.”

“Aye,” Barbossa replied, smiling and turning his head back so that they could see “Same te ye.”

With Calypso at their backs, they pushed through.

☠

“Slap me thrice and hand me to me mama,” Gibbs exclaimed. “It’s Jack!”

So it was.

The Black pearl, the truest Black Pearl the world would ever know sailed effortlessly through the sand of the beach before finally coming to a gentle rest in the still water of the sea.

As if said sight was not to be argued at all, Captain Jack Sparrow promptly stepped down onto said beach. In front of a good deal of others, Gibbs was among the very first to greet him.

“Mr. Gibbs.”

“Aye Cap’n?”

“I thought so,” Jack replied back, cryptically as ever. “I expect you’re able to account for your actions, then?”

Cryptic or not, Gibbs now found himself genuinely confused. Did Jack know about the pink horses?

“Sir?”

“There’s been a perpetual and virulent lack of discipline upon my vessel. Why?” he asked. His voice grew sharp. “Why is that, sir?”

Gibbs wasn’t so sure. There hadn’t been much of an occurrence before Barbossa returned. Even then, a great deal of the commotion had been the cause of the horses, but no pirate.

Maybe it was madness.

If within the space of two hours, various men had borne witness to horses and devils and demons flying through the sky on pirate ships… what possibly could Jack have seen in all the months since his death?

In the awkward lack of the joyous reunion he had accepted, Gibbs lowered his voice “You’re in Davy Jones’ Locker, Cap’n.”

As if told fire was not something to be touched after burning his finger, Jack simply replied “I know that.” If only to reassure himself, he then repeated the sentiment. “I know where I am. And don’t think I don’t.”

“Jack Sparrow,” a familiar voice rumbled from behind them all.

Barbossa was back.

Finally! Gibbs released a sigh. The minutes since everyone else had returned had felt longer still than the ones before everyone had left. No more toing and froing. Hopefully this would mark the beginning of an end to this infernal voyage.

Backing up this hope was the lack of any horses, pink or otherwise.

Before Barbossa, his merry cohorts and Tia Dalma could join with the rest of the party, Jack sparrow took his chance to speak at them first.

“Ah, Hector!” Jack called. Quite the child. “It’s been too long. Hasn’t it?”

As Captain Hector Barbossa stood opposite Captain Jack Sparrow, it took the former of the two all the will in the world not to pull out his pistol then and there.

“Aye, Jack.” Far too long. “Isla de Muerta, remember? Ye shot me.”

Author's Note:

Almost there! Just the epilogue to go. And a wee surprise at the end that I made years ago for when I originally planned an ending to the story.