//------------------------------// // Chapter 11: A window to the Past // Story: Our new Friends, Our new Enemies // by The Potato Guy //------------------------------// Rainbow’s now cracked hooves almost sorely pressed against the dry, rocky ground and she now struggled to keep up to the human Navnløs. He really wasn’t kidding when he said he wouldn’t be the one dying in the hellish world. The consistent strength and speed he had shown, despite the blazing heat that blanketed the dead earth, was nothing short of amazing.  Weapon clad, a heavy looking jacket and a back pack with an untold number of items within, the human was an absolute juggernaut of a being, long steady strides creating further and further distance between he and Rainbow. She was not yet losing sight of him, but the soreness and pain that began to fester in her joints and muscles was a battle in which she was losing. Every hoof she took, hiding as best as she could to hide the wince that came with putting pressure on a chipped hoofs, was one more hoof step closer to being unable to continue. Looking around, even in an attempt to distract herself from her aches, didn’t help either. Not because what she saw somehow made her situation worse, but because there was literally nothing to see, nothing to distract her. The land that expanded before her was just as flat and expansive as it was back at the hut, as well as being just as depressing. A dessert of the most sickening and dull variety, not even a large beautiful sky to accompany it, something that always enticed Rainbow, being a Pegasus. All there was an ill monotonous sky with the perishing sun having freedom to dry and crack the land below, the never ending barren earth and two races, walking to a destination that Rainbow thought would never come. “Hold it together Rainbow. You’ve been in tougher competitions” Rainbow Dash quietly said to herself in an attempt to carry on, hoping that her both physical and mental strength would be suffice to keep her from giving up. While Rainbow was indeed a fighter at heart, a pony to never give up and always give it her all, she was, above all, a competitor, and seeing an unstoppable force of nature that was Navnløs striding further ahead, she couldn’t help but feeling like she was the competitor losing the race, the one at the back of the pack. Such a feeling burned at her mood, if not her entire self, like the sun scorched the ground here. Losing was a foreign feeling to her, and losing while knowing such a loss had consequences of the most serious nature, that being probably death, it set in panic and fear into Rainbows heart. She was a strong, determined pony, but seeing Navnløs move into the distance at a rate even she was unfamiliar with in such harsh conditions, combined with his demonstration of skill beating the Forgotten back at the hut, it truly showed her this was a world she was unfamiliar with, and one that, should she not learn to understand and adapt in, she would certainly fall victim too. She would lose the greatest competition she participated in. Life. So here she now stood, feeling delirious under the suns relentless rays. Parched with a mouth as dry as the earth and aching hoofs and muscles which felt raw to the touch. Long term thoughts and solutions were of precious use to her right now, taking too much time and effort to be worthy. Only the immediate and most basic of necessities were important right now and the most pressing of these crucial necessities was the demand for water she currently felt. She hadn’t drunk any since Ponyville and the continuous march under the deadly sun was proving to be too taxing for her without any water. Navnløs surely had some in that bag of his, yet he was many feet ahead of her. Sure, she could probably easily catch up to him if she wanted, but experience from hundreds of races had taught her to not instantly waste energy going for the quick sprint while in the middle of the race. It would sap her too greatly leaving only an increasingly tired and weak pony to try and continue until the end. However right now was different. Any longer without the building block of life, water, and she wouldn’t get a chance to even make it to the end. A corpse doesn’t win races. “Argh buck it!” So Rainbow now found herself tapping into what energy remained so that she could close the gap between her and Navnløs. Her body begging her to stop, and her breath panting under the heat, Rainbow did luckily make it to the Human, only to find him surprised and shocked at such an action. “The fuck do you think you’re doing?” he asked, his voice confused and filled and disgust. Rainbow had to allow her a chance to recover and even when she did, she found her dry throat having difficulty allowing words to escape it. “I-I need something to drink. I’m like, nearly dying here” she managed to say, unpleasant as it was to speak. “Nearly?” Navnløs replied curiously. “That’s better than most people in this world. They find themselves almost certainly about to die. You’re a luck bitch” If this was a joke Rainbow found no humour in it. Nor time for that matter. Navnløs could come out with the king of all jokes and it wouldn’t matter to Rainbow right now, such was her immediate desire for water. Her pained expression said it all. Unable to speak, Rainbow could only manage a pleading face for water. Navnløs rolled his eyes as the two kept on walking, allowing a great annoyed sigh. Never the less, he retrieved a large water canteen and handed it to an increasingly desperate pony. Rainbow seized the bottle with her trademark speed, gulping it down quickly even though she knew this to be a foolish motion. “How…?” Navnløs began, looking at Rainbows hooves clenching the canteen, no obvious finger like grips to hold the canteen in place. “Whatever” he concluded choosing to ignore such a thing. Within in a few seconds Rainbow had downed nearly half the large canteen, feeling instantly better already. Holding back the feeling the almost throw the liquid up, her body being somewhat unfamiliar with water after this long without it, she handed the container back to Navnløs. “Thanks” rainbow said, her throat moist once more. “Hey, I didn’t think you’d actually give me any “she said, looking up at Navnløs with a cheeky smile, thinking she could see a glimpse of kindness breaking through in the Human. Navnløs stopped at this, ensuring Rainbow did too. “That’s your canteen you idiot” replied Navnløs bitterly, bordering on cruelly. “I allowed you the generosity and effort in bringing you one, so once it’s gone, it gone. I won’t have you act like a parasite on me and take my water. I too wish to live.” Rainbow instantly realised her mistake. She knew it was silly to drink all that water so quickly, but she had mistakenly believed Navnløs, grumpy as he was would at least share, to show kindness and generosity like her friends did. This was a foalish belief apparently. “What the hay dude?!” Rainbow scolded. “What kind of jerk are you?” Navnløs seemed very nonchalant at this accusation, perhaps too much so. Shrugging uncaringly, he returned to unfriendly and callous look that Rainbow had witnessed earlier, a look that she guessed was usual for him. “Eh, you do what you need to do survive, and the water is for me. No point wasting it on some weird, technicolour animal thing who won’t make it through the night” Rainbow gasped at this cruel attitude. She was the element of loyalty and see already saw not a drop of such a quality in this Human, choosing only to focus on himself. “And ‘what the hay’. What kind of shit is that.” Navnløs concluded, picking up Rainbow’s pony wordings. Rainbow, remembering how today had been the days in which annoying, uncaring guys seemed to be common, decided to have none of it. “Buck you dude!” she said strongly, thrusting an accusing hood his way. “You don’t know me. I’m one of the best flyers back in Equestria. I’m a top athlete. I’m surviving this place. Navnløs seemed unconvinced. “Pfff, I’ve seen men as strong as a mountain fall prey to the wastes. Men who could kill you with their hands tied behind their back” Navnløs looked Rainbow over, becoming increasingly unimpressed. “You’ll soon be just another feast for the crows, like countless others. Make it or not, I care not. I won’t let you tag with me forever” Rainbow felt anger rise, her eyes squinting in frustration at the Human. Yet she suppressed such feeling, hard as it may be. Like it or not, Navnløs seemed to know what it took to survive here, seemingly having knowledge of the place. She needed him, as much as it pained her to admit. ….And perhaps deep down, maybe only a tiny bit, she was at least somewhat interested in these Humans… “Well until then, I guess we’ll just have to wait and find out” Rainbow said with a shrug of her own. Navnløs responded with little enthusiasm, choosing to restart their journey into the horizon, an act Rainbow emulated. After a moment, Rainbow’s anger had dispersed and she, for the first real time, felt herself replaced with curiosity only. “So, where we going?” Rainbow chirped. Navnløs groaned at such a question, but Rainbow cheered at the fact in was only a groan and not an act of callous anger like he had shown before. “What does it matter?  You aint coming with me” he said dismissively. “I am for now, you can’t stop me” Rainbow replied, continuing her degree of positivity in this horribly negative world. “Yes, I can” simply said Navnløs, moving his hand to his rifle, reminding Rainbow of its destructive potential. Point taken Rainbow chose to allow a few moments silence to see if it helped to soften Navnløs’s attitude. Such a quiet interaction proved too difficult for a usually energetic Rainbow. A pony who now almost was fuelled with a great many questions. “So, um…I know all your world is in a bit of a mess…” Rainbow began, looking at what remained of this world, or rather what little remained. “…but I was wondering there must be some places left, you can’t be just walking for the sake of it” Rainbow saw Navnløs’s eyes glance over to her, narrowing at this question. “What if I am. I’ve managed this far alone, loyalty only to myself. No stupid fucking power desire and quest holding me down. I don’t need no city to be in” Navnløs seemed almost annoyed as he spoke, but not at Rainbow, just in general, almost as if he knew others who did do such a thing.  Yet despite Rainbow wincing at his desire to be only loyal to himself, something which Rainbow knew was using that quality selfishly and wrongly, being the element of loyalty, she picked up on his final words. “City huh? So, you’re saying there is some places left?” A smile emerged on her lips as she saw that Navnløs realised his error. “Come on dude, spill the beans already” Again the Human glanced over at her, probably thinking how he wished he could just end her like he did to the raiders. Though for whatever reason, he didn’t, and it only helped Rainbows smile increase. “Well no shit there are some places where people live” he said, trying to disguise his slip of the tongue with acting uncaring, an obvious defence mechanism. “But why would I need to go to one. They are all lowly scum filled places. Dirty, shitting hellholes just as dangerous as the waste” He wasn’t exactly selling his world to her, but the thought of a dangerous environment, a place in which you’d have to always be on your guard, it actually intrigued and excited her. “Wow, it’s just like the places Daring Do finds herself in.” Rainbow beamed out energetically, remember how her real-life idol always found herself in such places. “Daring who? What the fucks a Daring Do?” Navnløs replied confused and with boarder disgust. Obviously it was a reply Rainbow didn’t appreciate. “She’s my friend dummy! A pony who could probably take you on easily” She didn’t really know if that was possible, but it was fun getting annoyed at his words, allowing teasing to follow them. “Sure she could. I’m sure a twat like her would be shitting herself just as the bullet mushes up her brain” Rainbow blink in disgust and annoyance at Navnløs’s crude words, yet it was quickly becoming clear and obvious this was just his character. “Whatever, but my point is that why don’t you just go there? You seemed ok being with Mex, even if you only knew her for a little bit” In saying this, Rainbow found herself with another question. “Hey, saying that, why were you with her anyway?” Navnløs wasted no time in continuing his crass behaviour. “You know your voice is so ducking raspy I forget that you aint a boy? Fucking stupid strange pony thing!” He said rather unnecessarily, obviously just putting crude words together so that he may insult Rainbow. Of course, such a juvenile attempt effected Rainbow very Little. Her raspy, voice cracking voice was almost a staple of her at this point, and he wasn’t the first to try and insult it. “But the reason I was with Mex was because she had a place to live. Once I determined she wasn’t going to kill, something I’m very good at by the way, I’m an excellent judge of character…” Navnløs seemed almost proud of this fact, acting just like Rainbow when she self-inflated her ego. “…but yeah, she had food, shelter and water. Why not stay there. I’m not stupid” “But why stay there I mean?” Rainbow shot back. “Had you just been wandering around like this before?” “Are you seriously that stupid?” Navnløs accused instantly, almost causing Rainbow to jump. “Who, in their right mind, would chose to stay out here any longer than necessary?” Got ya! “Well, if what you’re saying is true, then you” Rainbow replied triumphantly, once more catching Navnløs out. “like you said ‘what if I am’ “ Rainbow studied the Humans face closely, waiting for his reaction. If he had one, he kept it well hidden, no doubt not wishing to seem embarrassed as this pony catching him out on his words again. “The reason I was there was because of a battle. One if which I found myself on the losing side” Navnløs quickly and plainly admitted. The admission, while satisfying to see this crude Human have to do, actually served better to further fuel Rainbow’s interest and curiosity. Hearing of a battle really to prick her ears up. “A battle? Between who? What happened?” Her words shot out faster than all the confetti shot out of Pinkies party cannon, almost to the point of overwhelming Navnløs, who quite clearly didn’t appreciate such a needle like questioning. “A battle in an army I was hired in.” He replied, obviously tired of all the questions. “It doesn’t matter, its already happened so the sooner you forget about it like a I have, the sooner we can have some peace from your persistent bothersome screeching that is your fucking voice!” Again with the voice insults. That the best you got? Rainbow suppressed her desires to teach Navnløs a lesson not to resolve to using terrible immature insults of her voice, instead focusing on the matter at hoof. “So, you’re like a mercenary? You only do it for the money?” Navnløs shrugged, focusing forward as he dismissed Rainbow’s accusation. “When it suits me. I’m not one to greedily hoarder money, nor one to always do what they can for it. Like I told you, I don’t have any ulterior motive. No power desire, no shitty intrigue or whatever. No loyalty to some bastard ruling a so called country. It’s just me” Rainbow had been listening carefully to his words, picking up on two important things. Things in which further showed to Rainbow what sort of Human he was. Firstly, it seemed he believed in independence, a quality in which he could be self-sufficient and capable being alone. Secondly, it further showed he bore no loyalty to anything. Like he was the opposite of her. Additionally, judging from the fact he mentioned countries, perhaps the world had recovered enough to form nations again? Rainbow didn’t really know, right now she was only focused on him, and politics was never really her thing. “Alright, sure thing dude, no need to get mad about it” Rainbow said, holding up a hoof defensively. Of course it didn’t calm his mood, but at least he didn’t sure further anger. Still, Rainbow was left with dozens more questions she wanted answering. Eventually she decided on a basic one first. “Oh yeah, so what does your name mean? I know Humans have different names to us ponies, but I was just wondering if it had a meaning or something?” Immediately trailing the question came the act of Navnløs once more stopping abruptly, as if his thoughts on her question were strong. To Rainbow it was just a simply personal question? Was he seriously so touchy about such things? “What? Why have we stooped” she questioned, admittedly a little worried if he did react angrily at her question. Deeply personal questions often provoked the strongest of responses. Yet the Human showed no anger, no annoyance, no frustration. Nothing, His eyes fixed straight ahead. True enough, there was something to see, although what it was wasn’t yet clear enough, it seemed to be a weird dead tree perhaps. No, it was too big. “That is that?” Rainbow asked. Navnløs didn’t reply, not yet anyway. His face changed little while he observed the object, only brightening if in the smallest amounts upon realising what it was. “The past” he said eventually, picking up speed to the distant thing, to which Rainbow copied. “What is this thing” Rainbow asked, now standing beside what was obviously a wreck of some sort. What remained of this wreck was pretty much in a post decayed state by now. What metal remained was twisted a rusted, revealing a very large tube-like frame of something, a thing big enough for hundreds of Navnløs sized Humans. Scattered around, and in limited form, still attacked to the frame, lay dirty, heavily damaged and also partially rusted plates of some sort. None of the wreckage she saw made any sense to her, leaving Navnløs to proclaim what it was. That was of course, until Rainbow managed to spy what was attached to the frame on the other side. Protruding many feet away from the wreck, revealing more frame with barely any plate left attached, was a large diagonally placed object. It looks just like…..A wing Rainbow prepared her guessed, and went through with it. “Um, Navnløs, did this thing….fly?” Rainbow Dash expected nothing but a flat out denial of answer at first, rage or annoyance thrown all too liberally at her, all purely because Navnløs held some hidden disapproval of her. Such an expected reaction never occurred, nor did any other reaction in what would be the norm for the Human. Instead, Navnløs remained quiet, tracing his head across the age-old metal, feeling what remained of the immense decayed metallic skeleton, taking in the strange majesty that came with the ruins of whatever it once was. Rainbow at first wanted to repeat her question, such was her curiosity and impatience, but quickly decided against such a motion. Of course, she didn’t wish to agitate Navnløs who seemed quite transfixed with the object. However, the more she gazed upon what lay before her, the more she became pulled in. Whatever it was, it was most definitely Human, a contraption made by them and now here alone and in ruins.  Looking upon it was like looking upon centuries old ruins. An old castle or structure, its purpose and use lost to the ages, now only existing in the physical realm only, forgotten by all who weren’t in its presence. Despite is lonely reclusion, the sad yet fascinating remains truly intrigued Rainbow.  Whatever it was used for, it was now just a static creation, a monument to what once was, a true window to the past. It was also strangely beautiful, in a certain way. A statement of what Humanity could create, and also what had become of them.  She had only scraped the surface on who the Humans were, but already Rainbow had learned the horrifically sad tragedy of their society and world, and these remains symbolised that in all of its full, grim remnants. Navnløs too looked upon the remains with curious sadness, a look Rainbow was yet to see of him. His eyes darted across the behemoth in front of him, fascinated and fully absorbed into it. “Fly? Yes, once” he said calmly, no anger within his words anymore. “Long ago of course, it seems most of it has either rotted away or been scavenged. Quite surprising considering the remoteness of it”. “Its…Human right?” Rainbow asked, choosing the tone of her words carefully so that she may not offend Navnløs in any way, who for the first time, seemed completely unlike himself. The Human in return stopped his movement, stopped tracing the remains, and turned his head slowly to Rainbow, surprising her with a face that showed none of his previous annoyance. “Was. It’s just another ruin claimed by the Wastes now. A grave to the old world.” The Human studied Rainbow with deep stares, who in response became a little uncomfortable at her ignorance of all this. Finally Navnløs spoke once more, his look still deep in thought. “This was a plane. A giant machine that transported Humans from one place to another, carrying them high in the sky.” Rainbow’s eyes widened at this news, confirming her original thoughts. “This thing carried your people?” The realisation that Humanity had the capacity of flight peaked her interest like nothing before, ripping her from the sombre mood that preceded it. “How many? How fast did it go? Was it agile? “Questions flooded her mind, Rainbow dreaming of what the Humans could have made if such a large object such as this could fly. “You ask things of little importance. All we need to know this thing was a transport for hundreds of people, back when people flew across the world just to look around a new place.” Hundreds?! Equestria had its airships, capable of carrying a fair few ponies, but knowing this thing carried hundreds of Navnløs sized beings, that truly amazed Rainbow. She was never told at how fast it was in its prime, but from the look of its still fairly aero dynamic remains, she presumed it was quite fast indeed. “That was another time and we couldn’t be further from that world. It is why this thing is almost as alien as you” Navnløs then returned to his observation of the Plane remains, his silent, calm interest obvious to all His look had been so ever since they had arrived her, his true thoughts unknown to Rainbow but still plain enough to see this was actually something he cared about. “So you were curious about me? If I’m distant from your life and world as this…plane is, then the fact I’m a pony from a different world did at least interest you?” Rainbow had first asked this almost in an attempt to fuel her ego, to show her that her uniqueness here wasn’t ignored and unappreciated. Yet it became swiftly obvious to her that it was a far deeper, even personal question. Navnløs’s eyes raised unexpectedly, his reaction a genuine and emotional look, despite appearing as plain and stern as ever. His eyes fixed to Rainbow in a look that was the most attentive that she had received from him. For the first time, it seemed the Human was truly aware of her, and what she was. He paused for a moment then, seemingly unable to answer. “You ask a lot of questions” he finally said, striking Rainbow it was sounded like question evading. “Hey, I’m just interested is all.  If you took the time and effort to remember, I was taken from my world, and I don’t know how to get back. I’m lost and I don’t have a clue of what this place is like!” Speaking of her situation reminded Rainbow, as painful as it was, that she could be stuck here for the time being. It was dangerous and her friends wouldn’t know where she was. Their worry was more than enough to ensure Rainbow became far more passionate in her words. “So yeah, I ask a lot of questions dude. Maybe you would too if actually cared about somepony other than yourself.!” This last proclamation created a sharp return of Navnløs’s eyes on her, who, while she had been speaking, seemed to drift away in disinterest. Rainbow prepared herself for an onslaught of rage and anger, as if she could even have the audacity to speak of him and get away with it. Such a thing never came, but Navnløs’s face was far from a smile right now. “You’re probably going to die here you know. Not sure worrying about your home is much use now” The negativity and defeatism was surely meant to provoke her in some way, to entice some sort of backlash to satisfy some cruel desire. Rainbow rose above that however, countering it with the only thing that could work. Stroking her ego. “Wow geez! No need to be such a downer. I’m way too awesome to die so soon!” Rainbow puffed out her chest in pride, not caring for the shaking of Navnløs’s head, who probably wanted to groan loudly at such a display of ego fuelling. “Sure you are.” Navnløs said, returning his look to the Plane, as he basked in its jagged shadow. “Looked to me that, back there, any longer without water and you’d be another victim of the Wasteland. You’re neither knowledgeable nor strong enough to survive a day here, that’s all the evidence I need to know you’re a lost cause.” “Hey! Shut up dude! “Rainbow retaliated, stomping over to the Human in annoyance of her own. “Or what? You’ll hit me with those tiny wittle hooves of yours? “Navnløs never smiled at his insults, but Rainbow could tell, with only greater anger, that the Human seemed to take pleasure in this cruel teasing. “I bet you’ve never done a bit of fighting in your life. Living your childhood all cuddled up with mommy” Rainbow grinded her teeth audibly in restraint she had never know before. How would he know how she was in a fight? How could he have any idea of what her childhood was like? Not to mention brining her mom into this. “I said shut up dude!” Rainbow cried, her voice raising, even cracking a little. She planted a hood with a decent amount of force into Navnløs’s boots a place where she guessed wouldn’t hurt too much. Navnløs realised this almost generosity, and it was because of this Rainbow guessed he didn’t return with his own strike. Rainbow however, used this talk of the past to her advantage. To ask more questions. That and it distracted Navnløs from hitting her. “What was your life when you were a kid like then, huh?” Rainbow said, annoyance still in her voice. “You wouldn’t believe me even if you wanted to” The Human said, rolling his eyes. “Try me, believe it or not, we have magic and crazy big monster back home. I think I can handle whatever you’ve got” Rainbow felt a spot of pride for Equestria at this. It was truly and unique and crazily good place to live. Navnløs shifted on his makeshift seat in an agitated and unsure way, but perhaps accepting of Rainbows request. “Huh, the few I’ve told about my past just snort in disbelief, so if you’re going to do the same, might as well do it now.” Navnløs awaited his predication from Rainbow which never came, the pony feeling proud that she was so far unique from all other recipients of this tale. “Well when the nukes hit, people tried to get to whatever shelter they could to save themselves from being irradiated. You know, places deep down into the ground. Shelters, basements, caves…Tunnels” Navnløs tone now became far more sombre, but retaining some of the genuine calmness had had shown for the plane. “In some city far away, there were tunnels for transport. Underground trains to take people around the city. They made for a good protection from the fire on the surface, so people retreated there and as they realised the world above ground was now toxic and dead, many remained underground, attempting to make a life, or whatever they could create that resembled one. So that’s why I was born there Whoever birthed me presumingly had made a life for themselves in those forsaken tunnels.” “Whoever birthed you?” Rainbow asked, picking up on his words. “Obviously I didn’t know my parents, idiot! You think a kid who received discipline from their parents would end up like me? No, I never knew them. It’s always just been me” Rainbow, as much as she could find faults a plenty in Navnløs, could only feel pity for this horribly unfortunate turn of events. She considered herself truly lucky to have such a loving and supportive family. “So anyway, I was raised in decaying, ruined, dirty and black tunnels thinking the surface world was all gone. A sure death sentence to visit. So, I stayed in those tunnels, travelling constantly. Now, before you think that better than being out here, let me stop you there. Those tunnels aren’t good to live in. Living your life almost completely in total fucking darkness. A world a black with not a bit of fresh air. Underground ruins in the shape of tunnels. “ So far, despite the grimness of it all, Navnløs’s words were all believable. “Those damn tunnels, practical mazes and labyrinths that they were, are literally hell. Water is scarce, food is a luxury and any comfort is a complete unknown. Only the strongest survive down there, and if you refuse to do the horrific and shitty methods of survival, you die. Quickly. I had to eat bugs and things I still haven’t a clue what they are! It’s a survival speciality down there, such is the difference between here and there. Humans aren’t meant to live in such conditions, and that’s without everything else down there” “Everything….else?” Rainbow said with a gulp, becoming more fixated in this story as Navnløs went on. “Yep. I’ve heard stories all from around the world from people who believe all sorts of shit. That creatures exist which any sane child could realise were bullshit. Stories of mutants made from the radiation. It’s all crap, but in those tunnels, and it’s something no one believes, there’s something.” Navnløs paused. His face scrunched up as he tried to explain what he meant. “I’ve heard theories from when I lived down there, but all turn out false. Yet, still, there are things….in those tunnels. Things that frighten any man, no matter how brave he is. Things that no warrior could survive.  Things that no man of intelligence can explain. “With a sigh, one of possible bad memories, Navnløs continued as best as he could. “ I gave up trying to figure it all out down there. Many had tried and many had failed. Life in the tunnels is only for the strongest, and however your life develops down there, whatever happens, you just have to accept, and try to survive. Navnløs’s sharp grey eyes buried themselves into Rainbow’s rich magenta ones. His look as serious yet open as they came. Was he actually opening up to here? “The tunnels are an unexplained phenomenon.  As unfamiliar and foreign to the world of men as the heavens are, but as real, as dangerous and as indiscriminate to us as fire is. Its evil and cruel if you think it to be. Certain death and misery ready to take you as soon as you let it, but the tunnels and what they hold in its dark void is as evil as fire is, as any natural disaster is. The tunnels are hell yes, and I hope never to step foot in them for as long as I live, but they are a chaotic neutrality of the world that will never be explained, and that is the environment that made me who I am today” More silence followed, almost deafening to Rainbow in this empty land. Navnløs had told a story Rainbow found cryptic. It was obvious that that part of his past was a difficult one, one in which he understood and felt vulnerable in the terrible situation he said he found himself in. Yet it was also obvious that he was not explaining the full picture, hiding something even. Rainbow understood whatever his upbringing was like, it was tough to say the least, perhaps telling why he was the way he was, but still, it showed Rainbow this Human may not be all that he seemed and for whatever reason, it looked to be humbling him right now. “Um…Well…I believe you, you know” Rainbow spoke up, taking care to sound genuine as she could. It was the least she could do in response to Navnløs’s relative openness, however bitter he may be overall. “What?” the Human replied, ripping out of his deep thoughts he entered when he started his story. “About whatever you say or whatever it was like back then.” Rainbow confirmed, slowly making her way to Navnløs. “Back in Equestria, Magic exists everywhere. Hay, me and my friends have fought against real evil jerks who want to enslave the world and take it over or whatever. So, what I’m trying to say is, you’re not crazy I guess, I’ve got your back on that one” Rainbow then began to shuffle on her hooves uncomfortably, realising she had actually shown some genuine support to the Human who openly admitted he’d let her die. That and she wanted to gag on the fact she was having to be like this in the first place. All the cozy and soft help with hugs offered was more of a Fluttershy thing. A slap on the back and some cheering was far more familiar to her. “I’m know I’m not fucking crazy!” Navnløs spat back, taking Rainbow off guard a little. “Magic doesn’t even exist here, and the only real monsters are the ones we become. So I couldn’t give two shits what it’s like in pretty little Equestria. I know what I saw and what I lived through, and I’m ok with only me knowing that. I don’t care what other think or believe” It was a fight back which Rainbow really didn’t like. Uncomfortable as it was to act caring, even a little, to somepony she didn’t really know, to have all that thrown back at her, the supportive words she have spat on, that was an insult practically. “Listen here dude! I don’t care either what you went through” Rainbow shot back, raising her voice just enough to sound serious, but not enough to yell. “I’m sorry your life sucked, and I’m sorry all this sucks, but you gotta put it aside and focus on other stuff!” Navnløs’s eyes widened at this, his face becoming stern and bitter again. “You can’t let that all get to you anymore! Trust me, when you’re facing something tough, like a race, you focus just on that, not whatever can bring you down” “Can’t let it get to me?” reiterated Navnløs, as Rainbow saw him becoming more and more fired up at her words, his fists curling up, ready to show his response.  Yet this pony wasn’t going to allow that just yet. “You heard me! Believe it or not, I’ve had to actually fight real buck heads who only wanted to hurt other ponies and destroy stuff. Though I didn’t just ignore it all and look after myself, to only have loyalty to myself. When things start going down, when things really suck, you aim for whatever helps it stop sucking, and not just for you!” Rainbow stood as strong and as high as she could, regardless of the fact her full height only reached just below Navnløs’s chest. He dug her hooves into the ground, creating a statue like strength in her posture as she awaited a fury of firsts and anger from the Human. Initially Rainbow could tell Navnløs was having difficulty being spoke of this way, being told what to do and how to feel. It seriously caused a feeling of somewhat worry in Rainbow, once more feeling she was on the receiving end of something bad. No punishment came, and no extreme feelings were expressed her way. Navnløs studied Rainbow with eyes that would make a young foal cry, yet he remained as still as ever. The extraordinary happened. From a dangerous, almost murderous look, his face evolved, or rather devolved to a, at first, a looser and calmer one, to then a passive and gentle look. It was far from kind. Rainbow still didn’t feel quite right as she just sat there, staring at her, but she no longer feared for her life, which was progress she presumed. This was also a look that seemed to go on forever. That the duo were just staring at each other for hours on end. That was until, with what sounded like a snort of laughter, Navnløs shook his head and returned to his apparent deep fascination with the plane wreckage. “You ponies are fucking odd. I hope that they aren’t all like you” The Human said, his eyes now on the plane. “Oh yeah? Can’t handle me huh?” Rainbow asked, an eyebrow raised at his distaste for her kind. “Worried you can’t deal with others like me? Dude, I thought you were tough” Rainbow allowed herself a small smirk, even as Navnløs momentarily turned his head to her. It was meant as both a challenge to his stiff exterior but also a joke. Such a thing couldn’t hurt if she was stuck here, and with him. It was, if a little disappointingly, met with another, perhaps sarcastic, snort of laughter. “Weren’t you pestering me with annoying questions?” Navnløs asked, totally changing the subject but with a notable, and positive, change in mood that become instantly recognised by Rainbow. “You asked about my name.” Oh my gosh oh my gosh. Is he actually being reasonable? “I don’t really see what so interesting about it. Like I said back when we were with Mex, it’s a name I don’t like and don’t want.  I don’t call myself it and neither do most people, but if you really want to know, fine I guess.” Sweet Celestia he is! Yes! “Ever since I left those tunnels, I’ve travelled around, all over this broken world, seeing all sorts of shit. Fighting battles for people in every possible situation. So you can see I probably got known by various people, and of course they like to give their own titles and names to me. ‘Navnløs’ is just one of them. Some tribe of people decided to name me in their language while I spent time with them. I let it stick for a while and that’s that really” Rainbow was cheering inside. For all the difficulties she had with him already, this was the first actually normal like conversation they have had. “So…I’m guessing because…you know…you didn’t know your parents, they never gave you a name?” Rainbow said, treading carefully, just in case. “Don’t pussy foot around it. You’re right, and I don’t care. Like I said, I didn’t know them, so it doesn’t matter. But that’s not strictly why I never had an official name. People around here have weird naming procedures, but from what it seems like, you ponies have weirder ones. What kind of name is Rainbow Dash?” Rainbow shot back an annoyed look at him, one he caught. As if it isn’t obvious dummy. Wait until you see me fly too, then you’ll see why I’m called ‘Dash’ “Whatever. Like I was saying. Many people don’t really have names, for whatever reason. Some people’s names are titles for what they do in their life, and what they’ve done. You get some people, mostly the privileged ones in the settlements who have actual family names. They’re all crazy shits though.” Rainbow listened intently at Navnløs’s telling of Human culture, taking it all in with great fascination as he spoke. She began to compare it all to the written lore within Daring Do books. “So does Navnløs mean anything?” Rainbow asked, lapping all this real life lore up. “Yeah, it does” Navnløs said with a laugh. “It means ‘nameless’ in the language of the people who gave it me”. Rainbows eyes widened at this knowledge. Smiling a little even. “Heh, nameless huh? Makes sense, who knows who you really are” she joked, nudging the Humans leg with her hoof a little. “I’m the most basic person you’ll come across. As plain as they come. I just survive” Rainbow shared a look with Navnløs which she could now confidently and proudly proclaim this was the best, as in least confrontational moment, the two had ever shared, and she couldn’t help but shine out a beaming smile at the Human. Not that it was returned though. Navnløs remained as stoic as ever, but for this moment, Rainbow let that slip. So deeply she was absorbed into the relative bliss of the moment, that she never heard the approaching rumble that sliced through the silence of this dead world. Navnløs shot up from his sitting position, immediately retrieving his rifle from his back, loading it with the brass like metal piece the thing had shot out earlier. “Fuck! You fucking idiot, distracting me!” Navnløs shouted out in anger, retreating back to his usual self. Rainbow turned to face what approached them. The ground vibrating, the dust shooting into the air, Rainbow spotted three rapidly approaching objects. As they got closer, Rainbow spied other Humans riding them. Hanging off the sides of these moving things. She went out on a whim to conclude these Humans, like her previous encounters with them, that they weren’t friendly. “Um, Navnløs? Who are these guys?” Rainbow asked, preparing herself for a fight, for realising legitimate worry was developing within her. Navnløs didn’t reply at first, taking a moment to observe the approaching Humans who now ere close enough to show their primitive but terrifying appearance. Bone and some terrifying looking clothing which, as much as it made her to want to gag, she knew was Human skin, such as the same colour and consistency of it. The Humans themselves seemed aggressive. Covered in primal scars and mutilations, obviously self-inflicted. They were warriors through and through. Barbaric as they were. “Navnløs?” rainbow again asked, hurryingly wishing for direction. Even a plan. “We….” Navnløs began, his eyes fixated on what was coming. “….We’re fucked….”