Our new Friends, Our new Enemies

by The Potato Guy


Chapter 21: A pirates life for me!

Rainbow Dash

This could have been Rainbows chance of a proper reversal of fortunes.

Navnløs had answers, however crude they might have been. His ideas were of a more unrefined nature, a prominently savage yet admittedly straight to the point feel to them.

It reflected him and his personality rather well, Rainbow thought, a trait once thought too untrustworthy and dangerous. Now however, Rainbow had refused to see this Human as an utter monster whose plans and desires came nothing short of cruel for cruelties sake. It was, in all honesty, a light in itself, and one sorely needed in this dark world. Now lessons had been learned, and Navnløs had been regulated to a level of tragic individuality, a description as far from perfect as Maud was from her sister Pinkie Pie, in terms of hyper activity. Navnløs was in doubt as imperfect and sour as his ideas, but that had not cast him as a lost cause, and it had not allowed Rainbow to break her new loyalty with him.

Navnløs cared little on conceding anything to Rainbow and in return, Rainbow had shown precious little acceptance on his actions. Until now.

It may have been mere numbness to the world, but now Rainbow thought comparatively little to his audacious ideas, even to the point of accepting them.

From here on, it was just what happened.

Perhaps that was why shock and loss felt so prominent now. That, finally in the moment of acceptance, the world had to throw another curveball her way, just to test her. Or perhaps it was that Rainbow had remained true to her life and ideals from Ponyville, and in this moments sudden circumstance, that full return felt so much further.

Whatever it was, perhaps it was nothing to the real concern of just living. Where the group of Humans once stood, the very group Navnløs was about to cohort with, now but remained dust and rock.

Although that was all Rainbow got to really see before she was tackled into the ground by her partner.

Whether it was throw concern for her, or merely himself, Navnløs threw himself into Rainbow, bringing the Human and Pony duo crashing to the ground. A fortunate thing too, as within those dramatic few seconds, Rainbow’s ear drums seemed to break about as the immediate trailing explosions made its presence known to the world with frenzied and uncontrollable thunder.

“STAY DOWN IDIOT!” came the equally thunderous boom that was Navnløs’ voice. Rainbow had focused too much on the immediate and visible possibilities of these Humans that now suddenly seeing them blow apart in a volley of fire and rubble, it hardly seemed to register.

Until it did.

“ARGHHHHH!” screamed the Pony as shock and adrenaline fuelled her desire to simply live.

Uncomfortable was too weak a word. But uncomfortable was the feeling felt as Rainbow pitifully tried to escape the lifesaving grasp of Navnløs, her wings failing her once again, serving nothing but to panic her further.

Rainbow was sure she didn’t even have bodily control as her head instinctively rose to view the situation in perhaps some desperate attempt to find an escape. It was another frightening, horrifying situation she now found herself in, the Human world truly giving her little reprieve, but the worst thing of all wasn’t the pounding ground the shook her very core quite literally, nor was it the deafening bangs that ruptured any ability to hear in the future. The worst thing for Rainbow was now that she desired to watch the traumatising occur with her own eyes.

Pain was something she wished to keep well always from, but what was happening now, the ground being flung high up into the air, it spawned thoughts of wonder, of opportunity. Of course she may see nothing but broken bodies and craters, but an obvious pragmatic force began to take over her, and despite the fear, despite the panic, Rainbow now wanted to examine the situation, as if it was an experiment of Twilights concoction.

Curiosity. Planning ahead. Whatever it was, Rainbow knew for sure she wouldn’t have put herself in harm’s way to this degree back home.

She was changing.

“DAMN IT ARE YOU MAD?!”

Even Navnløs had thought her insane, completely illogical. In fact, sense wouldn’t have even have returned to her, had the explosions and pounding of the earth not concluded. Rainbow was sure if they hadn’t, and had she prematurely stood back up in the middle of it all, from either explosive itself or flying rock, there wouldn’t have even been an opportunity for the adrenaline to leave her, and for her to be a husk of fear and disbelief.

“WHATS YOUR PROBLEM?! YOU GOT A DEATH WISH HUH?!” came the raging confusion of Navnløs, who for once, placed himself below Rainbow Dash. Were she not so much in absolute disbelief that she nearly killed herself, this reversal of physical fortunes would have been delicious to her.

Alas, that never came, for Navnløs wasn’t the only one to notice Rainbow had pulled herself up, and lived to tell the tale.

“Bastards! You set us up!” came the voice that had initially called out to them, as they were first surrounded.

Any survivors that could still stand up had retreated to any rock they could, including the voice that had called out to her. He, along with a couple others, cautiously rose from behind a nearby look, only he to look upon the mess that had beholden the most of his group.

His reaction was Rainbow’s own. Disgusted awe at the remains of both land and body. Craters more than two feet deep, their contents now liberally scattered throughout the cove. A fresh take on the wastes of the world. Sickeningly, this was nothing compared to its more prominent feature. Bodies, or what was left of them.

Again Rainbow couldn’t help herself but to look, even if it meant near bile rising up. From those who had not survived, whatever the cause of this horror was had ensured the dead had not died in beautiful dignity. As was the case with dirt and rock, generously yet violently ripped apart and taken elsewhere, so was the bodies of the Humans.

If Rainbow needed any more evidence of her callousness of the world ever more forming, this was it. Bodies were no longer bodies, and if Rainbow had ever wondered what lay inside a Human, she needn’t anymore, such was the devastating extent of the mess. The ground was painted red, but Rainbow was more, albeit shockingly, amazed at that could possibly do all this.

A morbid, concerning attempt at a post mortem by Rainbow, who in her stunned silence, could did little to counter any surviving Humans regrouping, ready to take revenge on those they believed were ultimately responsible.

“I’m not staying out here a minute longer! Get rid of the deceivers!” cried out the Human, desperate for justice for his fallen comrades.

Armed only with spears, Rainbow worried herself little. Either another set of explosives would finish them off, or Navnløs would once again triumph.

The very same Human who now had apparently switched personalities with Rainbow, or at least the Rainbow that had been her when in her first day in this world.

There he stood, completely unalike his usual self. His face plastered with worry as Rainbow was all too familiar with herself. The very fact that Navnløs seemed more worried than her was very telling of perhaps just how wrong things may be getting within her, and that her assessment that this would be an easy fight, was complete foolishness.

“Oh buck!” came out Rainbow’s total realisation.

Navnløs, at least, wasn’t alone in his worry anymore. Rainbow was back to being herself.

“Stand behind me. This is all fucked up…but we’ll survive.”

Rainbow took her time retreating behind the Human. She wasn’t paralyzed with fear, nor frozen in hopeless despair. On the contrary, now she wasn’t that fearful alone Pony she had been on her entry into this world.

Right now, Rainbow definitely wasn’t alone.

She wasn’t going to let Navnløs think he was either.

Rainbow removed herself from in front of Navnløs, for the battle that was to come, her Human could not afford to have obstacles. Yet instead of cowering behind him, Rainbow stood, disregarding actual height, shoulder to shoulder with the Human.

This had been a divergence to his instructions, but if he wanted them followed to the letter, nothing was said. Weapons in hand, his muscles surely aching from today’s trials and tribulations, Navnløs stood ready, apprehensive as Rainbow was, but a simple look shared, not lasting more than a quick second, told Rainbow all she needed to know.

Maybe, just maybe, I have a frie-

A thought too quick by the standards of the world. Even simple assessments and conclusions went worthy of a chance.

Before Rainbow could even finish hers, a Pony whom many had often criticized for thinking too quickly and too soon, came and went the next abnormally swift storm of shock that had so plagued Rainbow Dash recently.

Granted this time, it wasn’t as indiscriminately violent and disruptive as the quite literally explosive show from a moment ago.

Smoke rose, and crackling sounds echoed into the heavens, but the aftermath didn’t resort in her nearly dying. On the contrary, the only death was those belonging to the aggressive Human’s that had just surrounded her.

Almost instantaneously they all fell, sudden and quick. A well-practiced parade of collapsing it seemed, and one planned to seemingly help her.

Navnløs seemed as surprised as she was, seeing all their enemies so effortlessly fall before them. He however, cynical as ever, blew no sigh of relief.

The ambushers that then stood up, high atop the rocky cove cliffs, were not Rainbow enemies. They had made no attempt to kill her, and had made every attempt to avoid that. Their aim was deadly and true, and their now smoking long weapons, possible of a variety used by other Humans to shoot and kill, harmlessly aimed anywhere that wasn’t in the direction of the Pony.

These Humans were tall and slim. Clad lightly in both armour and clothing. Compared to other hulking monsters that Rainbow had faced prior to here, and in contrast to the relatively ornately clad Humans that now lay on and across the ground, these dark saviours were dressed simply and loosely, not meant for battle but rather for travel. Simple fabric covering most of their bodies in various fashions, from simple shirt and pants combined with additional cloth to wrap around their faces, to loose fitting jackets with hoods. These Humans appeared exactly as they had arose and made their loud presence known.

Quietly, quickly and mysteriously.

Saviours as they might have been, they too now surrounded Navnløs and Rainbow, this time with the added high ground and this time, with more than just some spears.

Navnløs looked up to Navnløs upon realising this, as if to inquire of a plan. If there was one however, he said nothing. In fact, for the second time in just a couple minutes, Navnløs seemed stumped.

This was all prior to the arrival of yet another Human. Almost sliding down the rock cliff face with ease, came the obvious leader of the group. Compared to the rest, this Human was clad far from drab. He bore a long grey coat, more ornate and ceremonial nearly than any overcoat, but in a condition nowhere near befitting actual ceremony. Attached to this was various pieces of hardened leather, protecting his arms and shoulders. Additionally, various straps and holsters were found on his chest, containing items not yet demonstrated to the curious Rainbow Dash. On his feet were hardy yet seemingly well-constructed boots suited for both work and show.

In fact, the only similarity he shared with his group was an ominous hood covering his head, and a piece of fabric performing the same to his face.

“Stay behind me this time” came Navnløs’ warning, sure in his assessment that now was no time for bravery and loyalty. The Human was armed well with various blades and weapons that did not come across as amateurish. This new character was not one to be scoffed at.

Then the figure stopped, looking upon the duo with curious blue eyes.

For Navnløs, perhaps the assessment was obvious. There stood, now in front of this new threat, a Human scarred and claimed by the wastes. His suspicion was clear and his readiness even more so. This new Human made no mistake. He judged Navnløs as a clear threat, and rightly so.

For Rainbow however, perhaps that was quite obvious too. She was no human, and defiantly didn’t look like one. In fact, with the gloomy and dustied quality to all Human’s Rainbow had seen thus far, not even a dirtied Rainbow mane and blue coat could align themselves in any league close to the appearance of a surviving Human. Hence the reaction now shown, even if it was only done so throw wide eyes.

A curiosity no doubt, but as sure as she was in wonder to the Human’s so was so sure of their potential danger. Navnløs was ready to fight, and that meant she had to be too.

“My oh my!” came the voice from behind the cloth. It was a strange one, given the surroundings and circumstances. Behind the fabric was a voice and accent heard usually in a place with a bit more silk and gold, and not dust and rock. It was sophisticated, polite and defiantly not meant for the nothingness of here.

“Be on your way, pirate!” came the warning from Navnløs. A simple, stern piece of advice, suitable given the predicament. Yet it was one lost on Rainbow Dash, who in her sudden excited curiosity of her own, could not help herself in gasping in practical amazement.

She could barely even care when both Human’s looked down upon her suddenly, shock and confusion plastered on both descending faces. Curious to them who, regardless of being surrounded and surrounding, in the case of the new Human, did not expect the now massive grin that proved impossible to remove by Rainbow.

“A-A pirate?!” Rainbow was aware of her immaturity. Even saying such a thing out loud with no restraint would be silly in the best of times. Shouting out like a filly at a fair, but in a world full of death, misery and destruction, while being surrounded being dangerous strangers and being told to stay put and ready by her gruff travelling companion, that was pure stupid. That and she wasn’t even a filly anymore. What Rainbow was doing, smiling at a pirate who could very possible attack her, not even Celestia knew.

Perhaps it was all these reasons that made Navnløs’ horrified face of anger quite understandable.

“Well I like this one!” came the unusually proper voice of the pirate. “You need to smile more friend” he finished, forcing his view upon Navnløs.

Agreeable as Rainbow was to his point, quite predictably, this was taken too well from Navnløs himself. Feeling personally assaulted on all sides, from Rainbow’s disobedient stupidity, to the pirate’s insult, these were not ingredients brewed to make a happy Navnløs. His resolution hardened with this shame.

“I said….Back…..off!”

Four words. Four simple words to crank up the tension to the top.

Both parties were well aware of the consequences, the terms even. Whoever was so foolish enough to strike first, or let the other strike first in anger, that would only result in bloodshed.

Now even Rainbow felt this danger. She knew Navnløs and what he could do, hence her comfortable confidence in his victory, but there was no winning against possible dozens of other Human’s each armed with long distance weaponry. Essentially, Rainbow was no screwed because of her little excitable outburst.

She blamed her upbringing. All the admiration of adventure and the like.

“Well then, a duel it is! You first, grumpy?”

The pirate had committed. A mortal gambit when Navnløs was around. Through either cockiness or sheer arrogance, he just stood there, literally letting Navnløs take the first swing, who quite gladly obliged.

Navnløs clearly had shown himself to be unfortunately free of humour or the ability to take a joke. Anything at his expense was an attack on his person and while Rainbow had been lucky to make it this far with him, this heavily armed Human, so unable to even introduce himself, had automatically decided to provoke the sleeping bear, and now he would reap his award.

Navnløs was fast. Performing a similar almost stunning move like he had performed earlier, he quickly withdrew his hatchet, determined for its long and sharp head to find flesh. Rainbow could only watch in admiring horror as she witnessed how it had been before.

Navnløs was quick….

But the pirate was quicker.

With swift retaliation, the pirate seemed to usher a small curved blade out of almost nowhere, such was the speed and accuracy of his draw. With instant results, it met Navnløs’ swing, catching it and almost disarming Rainbow’s Human.

Navnløs was fortunately experienced enough to not feel that deadly humiliation, but suffer he did. The parry ruined his flow, disrupted his move and reset his balance. For any normal, meagre combatant this may have been the end. Speed had been met with quicker speed, an accompanying surprise trailing shortly behind. Navnløs was surely surprised, but in a fight like this, he could not afford to show it. With equal skill and precision Navnløs withdrew a blade of his own, still confident his second attack with his second hand would finish what he started.

But the pirate was quicker.

It was a fascinating sight, to see Navnløs mirror himself in the form of the pirate. If he had underperformed intentionally, in some display of overconfidence, that was a crucial and stupid mistake, and one that had betrayed the imagine his unstoppable and unbeatable nature. Yet as soon as one second blade had been brought into the field of battle, so again did the dominating reflection from the pirate do the same, with victorious results.

Attempting to disembowel the pirate with a reverse grip attack with his new blade, Navnløs was all but certain in his old tried and true survival doctrine. The odds were low, the challenges high, but this time, there was no eventual triumph. As soon as he thrust the knife towards his opponent, so came the final insult in this shockingly one sided affair.

The pirate had assumed something of a telepathic ability to predict any oncoming attack. Practically predicting Navnløs’ second assault, the pirate once more dispatched his swing with effortless results.

Now all that remained was an open, defenceless Navnløs. Rainbow’s human couldn’t even bring his arm down before his exposed throat was closely traced by the pirates first blade.

With that, the fight came to an end.

Navnløs had lost.

Rainbow didn’t attempt to fool herself however. She feared for his life. There was no escape from this humiliation, no redemption of emotion or skill. He had been bested, and any attempt to not accept that result would end in nothing but a probably swift swipe along his neck.

“Wait!” cried out Rainbow, in a desperate attempt to save the life of the one she hadn’t even considered worth it at one point.

Such pleas seem to fall on death ears however, both those of the pirate and Navnløs. The two seemed so entrenched into the fight, so much in confrontation with each other, that anything but the fight was white noise.

There they stood, the pirate with a soft but noticeable smirk on his face, and Navnløs without one. This form of defeat couldn’t have been common in his life, given the fact he was still here, living it. The only way his shock, his shame, would be replicated in the past was if he hadn’t possibly done the same thing to other unfortunate souls. Navnløs just wasn’t used to being on this side of the blade, and although his face was seemingly neutral in appearance, behind those now piercingly distraught eyes were feelings of pain and utter embarrassment.

“Have we done?” gently asked the pirate, his blade still steady, ready to perform if needs be.

That was the question though. Navnløs was still standing for a reason. His defeat had been a warning. Of course in ignoring this would surely mean the obvious result, but for now, humiliation seemed to be the sole negative, luckily.

And not just for Navnløs, thought Rainbow, a little flustered from her relief.

“I hope we can play nice, least of all for the benefit of the ladies present.” The pirate’s words were unusually casual given the devastation present around him, and the fact he had just fought with Navnløs. To Rainbow, it seemed he was hardly bothered by it all.

Yet he was not uninterested in the world. He did not appear bored of disconnected from it all, as Navnløs so often did. If she had to guess, Rainbow thought that all this was just another, albeit easy, task to accomplish, and now he had, what did it matter?

Navnløs did not speak in reply though. Either from shock and horror at his defeat, or just to hold on to what strength he might appear to have, he remained still and resolute, admittedly hiding any fear he might have had, regardless of the unfriendly looking blade pressed to his throat.

“Oh come now! Let’s not be so gloomy about it all!” with that, shocking both Navnløs and Rainbow, the pirate lowered his blades, sheathing them once more, and returning to his pre-fight state. Looking between Navnløs and Rainbow, the pirate returned to each stern and emotionally drained face, obviously dismayed at the odd fact they weren’t enjoying this as much as he was.

That was what confused Rainbow. It was more than mere casualness that this Human practiced. It was near fun for him! Not in any sadistic form in seemed, for enjoyment nor satisfaction was seen to be found from all the dead bodies scatted around. No, it was a look that Rainbow knew all too well.

Excitement.

Not the same excitement found in Pinkie Pie. This pirate wasn’t jumping around with a marching band just because he had met new individuals. Pinkie didn’t slay a whole group prior to that anyway. This was the excitement Rainbow knew, because she often felt it. The thrill of adventure, the joy of journey. Dangerous as they may be, Rainbow had felt excitable in precarious situations, and had enjoyed the continued travel of an off beaten track.

The Human world had not allowed such feelings for her, but it had no issue in allowing the pirate this. Because Navnløs had elected to fight first, and probably not even ask questions after, this had put a damper on the pirate’s mood, one he was now trying to fix.

“Oh I see what it is. Just because one blows up a gang of thieves and smugglers in front of you, surrounds you with guns and proceeds to beat you in a fight…just because of that you don’t trust me!”

The pirate seemed insulted, but not angrily so. Navnløs paid him no reprieve from this disappointment, and Rainbow could do nothing but stand there, seeing Human eyes stare at her in wonder while she tried to figure out their leader.

It would have proved to be hard to decide if he was a threat or not, had he continued in his disarmament and peaceful tactics.

As he appeared to be turning around, forgetting his new sparring partner, he suddenly sped back around, speed once again on his side. From the many straps across his chest, he withdrew a new weapon. Short compared to the ones of his group, but a weapon nonetheless. He held it in one hand, and he aimed.

At Navnløs.

Rainbow’s companion had been fast in the past, but even had she given him the speed she had been used to back home to him, it wouldn’t be enough to remove himself from the sights of the one who, yet again, proved to be too fast for either of them.

A blinding flash came. A fracturing bang with it.

His aim was true.

And so came to the floor, a body crashing down.

Yet it wasn’t Navnløs’.

Rainbow couldn’t hide her bewildered alarm as, just a foot away from Navnløs, feel the now dead body of a surviving member of the original group. In perhaps a last ditch attempt at revenge, he had sneaked up on Navnløs, spear in hand, ready to exact revenge on the one he falsely presumed of selling them out.

But he couldn’t. He didn’t. And it was the pirate who ensured that.

From beating him in combat, from having him at his very mercy, the pirate then proceeded to save his life, under no obligation from he or anyone else. Reasons may be unknown or even non-existent right now, but Rainbow was under no illusion, Navnløs had just been spared by his better.

“There! Now shall we?”

Again the pirate showed no sign of contempt towards anyone. He simply wanted all this fighting to be over. Confusing to be sure, but it was perhaps in foolish admiration that Rainbow found herself not only appreciating this fact, but enjoying it.

And who could blame her? He was the only other Human alive that didn’t hold such devious and sinister motives towards her, and unlike Navnløs, he didn’t seem to be so grumpy all the time. It was quite endearing.

“Wait!”

This time, the Pegasus wasn’t so ignored. Quite unlike last time, a silent and seemingly more angered by the minute Navnløs, and a pirate who wanted Celestia knows what, both shot their gaze towards her and suddenly, the pressure was on.

Or so it should have been, given the situation. Rainbow didn’t feel the impending doom that came with having to say the right thing. She felt no worry approaching the dangerous stranger who had just murdered dozens of others, and she felt or saw none of the concern that Navnløs just barely showed, as she practically threw herself towards the man who had beaten even him.

“Ah yes, anything I can help you with, little lady?”

Rainbow nearly tripped up over her own confusion for a moment. This Human seemed to be hardly aware of who was actually talking to him. A pirate was a byword for adventure, for travelling across the world, and with it the sights and sounds of new exciting experiences. Rainbow didn’t doubt this pirates own experiences and in all honesty, wished to know them all, but it was quite impossible for him to meet anything as out of place as a multi coloured Pony, surely.

It was a question for another time. Now, only one thing was on her mind. Regardless of all the prior chaos.

“Um, so…. are you actually a pirate?”

Rainbow was sure no one had been anticipating such a lax, casual tone to wash over her. It shouldn’t have, she was sure of that. Her future was uncertain in this literal blood stained landscape, the very place her companion had come so close to death in, by the hands of a mysterious and dangerous total stranger , the very one she was trying to initiate small talk with.

Yet like an irresistible treat however, Rainbow could not resist. A filly like attitude had taken her, and knowing the pirate wasn’t out to straight up murder Navnløs put her heart at ease. Right now, despite her best efforts to compose herself, it was like some Daring Do novel had come to life, with rogues, pirates and adventures happening right in front of her very eyes.

With a little more gruesome violence of course, but Rainbow wasn’t too picky.

Further filling the air with surprise, the pirate did not banish her from his sight. He did not laugh at her fillyish curiosity.

Quite the opposite in fact, showing a warm smile as he lowered the fabric covering his face.

“Call me a bragger if you wish, but yes, I am.”

His face was smooth, a delicate youth like look to him. His rich sea like eyes landed gently upon an increasingly happy Rainbow Dash, who saw not a face of death, damage and danger, as Navnløs did, but one of a suave and roguish charm. For a Human, his features seemed relatively familiar to Rainbow who now could only see the boyish and fun like quality to a Human that had long expelled any presumption of dourness.

Rainbow was, by most definitions, left in awe of a Human that finally was not one with the broken landscape. Navnløs had what it took to survive, and had done it well, Rainbow could not deny this. It was respectable that Humanity had adapted to the sickness of the world, with some, horribly unfortunately too it seemed. Rainbow could not blame Navnløs and his ilk for being the way they were, even to the extremes on occasion, but change was always welcome, and suddenly seeing this cavalier standing right in front of her, it made for an all too welcome change from her time her, and the surroundings that she found herself in, right to this very moment.

“Soooo…you’ve got a ship? Treasure?”

Rainbow was fully aware just how immature she might have sounded. Her priorities were clearly screwed up, with concern and thought probably best suited to the condition of her companion and failing that even, actual worry. As little as it would do to help her, worrying would probably be the understandable default condition in a time like this.

But no. Rainbow was instead finessing over the details of an unusually kind swashbuckling pirate.

And she wouldn’t have had it any other way.

“A ship? Yes, yes I do!” he said he a polite laugh. The question had seemed to through him off somewhat, worrying Rainbow a little that see had said something wrong.

“Woah, that’s awesome!”

That was it. That was all Rainbow could muster in her defence. It wasn’t even that she was so incredibly infatuated with the idea the man in front of her was who he was. That was a factor in her lack lustre replies, even during a moment of worry, but the real reason behind such terrible responses, even during concern that she had upset the Human somehow, was an unusually sappy one.

Rainbow wasn’t so shallow. She had an ego, that much had been painfully learned with the help of her loyal friends. Yet simple attention seeking, the desire to be liked by those she didn’t even know, that wasn’t her. Yes, she wished to be admired for her talents, for her real qualities, but seeking the admiration of others for talents of their own, with no real purpose bar its flashy appearance, that wasn’t her. Not anymore.

The real reason was almost a sad one. This pirate, the Human who had, for whatever reason, practically butchered the group of Human who Navnløs had insinuated would help them, he seemed a beacon of light in this dark world. A faint light of course. Rainbow wasn’t so foolish to believe he was some hero when she hardly knew him, but compared to Navnløs, compared to every Human since the kind Mex, the Human girl who had shown care towards Rainbow before her untimely death, the pirate was the only individual in which Rainbow believed she could actually talk to.

Navnløs was a lost soul, and the more Rainbow thought about it, the more she felt for him. However, he was stuck in his dark ways and unlike the pirate, he didn’t even make an effort to be nice.

This was the gruelling reality of the Human world. Her standards had been set so low now, her spirit grounded down to such a shell of its former self, that the mere sight of a Human resembling just a fraction of a Pony back home was so liberating, so much a relief to see, that Rainbow nearly forgot of his danger, his unfamiliarity, and saw instead an individual who could very easily for summed up in one word.

Cool.

“Indeed it is. If you like that, I’m quite sure you would just adore tales of the amazing places I’ve been! The adventures I’ve had! The pirating I’ve committed!” Now the Human was speaking her language. It was as if he had entered Rainbow mind and found just the cool and action packed life she loved. Sure Navnløs’ life was too filled with adventure and action, but like the opposite sides of just one bit coin, these time lives of the Humans beside her were similar yet different. Navnløs’ life was a sad, lonely and cruel one, and that could do nothing but depress Rainbow.

“Oh yeah? Like what?” Probably terribly, Rainbow still committed to seeming relaxed about the whole situation. Her aim, on the outside, was to seem calm and collected, the exact opposite to what she felt like inside. Whether this was effective, that wasn’t something she was too calm about.

“Oh, prepare to be amazed, little lady! If you believe you’ve seen it all, think again!” The pirate said, stroking his pencil thin moustache with a finger, a soft smile seemingly plastered upon his friendly face.

Rainbow felt like just sitting down there and then. Replicating her filly attitude with appeasing stories. Right now, she wasn’t in some dead wasteland. She wasn’t surrounded by dead bodies. She was home.

That was until Navnløs barged in, determined to ruin her fun.

“Enough of this!”

Rainbow had nearly forgotten he was there, in all honesty. Shaken so much apparently, that he had sunken into the background, with not a word to say.

“Enough of your games, thief!” Navnløs spat bitterly. “What in the hell do you want? “

On the surface, his demands seemed reasonable. An end to the chatter and focus onto what was actually happening here.

“And for fucks sake! Don’t call her ‘little lady’ again!”.

This was when an easily understandable demand evolved into so much more. Rainbow hadn’t expected herself to be part of this conversation, even part of an afterthought as soon as Navnløs barged in. His desires are clearly selfish and while he had softened up in regards to Rainbow, he had not given up on his lonely and self-serving lifestyle. In having him suddenly almost try to defend her in a way, as if he was guarding her honour or something, that was a strange, if slightly uncomfortable feeling. One that begged the question of what exactly Navnløs was after.

“I think she is quite alright with a nickname” defended the pirate, a calm and collected tone to his person. Quite different to the now seemingly angry Navnløs.

“I’m sure some scummy sea thief like you would think that! Since it’s all about you!”

Rainbow nearly cringed. Navnløs was completely unlike himself now. From nearly showing genuine care when she was surrounded, to speaking for her and now pretending he despised self-serving attitudes. All coming from the master of it.

“Well I’m betting you know all about thievery, oh great and power warrior of Salutis! Has Vanquisher’s vengeance come for me? Has his lackey caught me?” the pirate proclaimed mockingly, an exaggerated bow accompanying his words.

As obnoxious as it was, Navnløs had been beaten down with such a point. The pirate had picked up on what Navnløs had told Rainbow, regarding his jacket. From what she could sadly remember, he took from a soldier belonging to the nation Salutis, a place she was headed to prior to this cove. As disgusted as she was before, picturing Navnløs betray an innocent tribe of Human’s for personal gain was a sickening thought, and Rainbow was honestly just relieved that decent part of her hadn’t been taken from her yet. The Pirate’s mocking was warranted. Navnløs could not accuse someone of thievery when he was well practiced in the art.

“Whatever” he spat back. “Don’t expect to handle us like some prize you’ve captured and presume to call her what you wish! She may be other worldly in appearance, but she’s not yours to play with!”

Now Rainbow really was uncomfortable. Being fought other by two dangerous Human’s was such an odd feeling, as if Rainbow felt obliged to pick a side. On one hoof Navnløs was her companion, as gruff as he was, but he was faking this concern for her now, surely. He wasn’t himself and that wasn’t an attractive thought. On the other hoof, she barely knew this pirate, and while his charm eclipsed Navnløs’ by a mile, he was still a foggy concern.

“Captured?” then replied the pirate, genuinely confused. “The little lady may be an exciting treat to the eye, but don’t you presume either I’m some scoundrel who traffics in life.” His defence was passionate and full of life, despite remaining far more composed then Navnløs. If Rainbow had to guess, she would believe the pirate was being truthful.

Navnløs too seemed to consider that this may indeed by the case. Fearing being the fool here, Rainbow saw him nearly trip up on this point, as if he had very well not anticipated this to be.

“Then what the fuck you doing here? We had business here, until you blow it all up! What else does a pirate nowadays do but deal in petty slavery?”

It was a good point. Rainbow had thus far focused on the highly romanticised version of piracy. The travel, the dangerous adventures. A Daring Do like figure but against the law. This world was cruel and savage, so why wouldn’t its rogues be akin to that dark reality?

Yet again though, this Pirate just couldn’t help but seem the victor in this now verbal fight against Navnløs.

“Oh you’d be surprised! Sea trade or travel has been nothing but useless stories ever since the bombs fell. While I would love to see the oceans and its vessels before the time of war, I neither live on the see for fun, not the trade of people. There are juicy targets out there, and I always know where to find them!”

The pirate seemed proud of his statement. Again, Rainbow was no expert on this world. From what she could gather, it seemed that Navnløs had not experienced wide spread ocean life. Rainbow trusted him when he said that nothing but the slave trade really occurred on the seas, and judging from the state of the world, who could blame him for stating such a thing. The oceans were probably emptier and more desolate than the land.

Still, this intrigued Rainbow.

“Then um, what is out there, Mr pirate?”

Rainbow sudden intervention seemed to remind the two humans there was a small rainbow maned pony beneath them. The two reactions that came from them, respectively, could not be so different.

Navnløs seemed shocked that Rainbow would speak up, as if it was his duty to do so for her. This was either his old attitude of him being in charge coming back, or it was this new, potentially fake, show of seeming protective. The pirate however, seemed all too happy for Rainbow to be speaking again.

“Oh little lady...” he began, speaking as if he was telling a story. “Riches and glory! True freedom! That’s what’s out there. “

Rainbow eyes widened. This was the almost filly like image of a pirate appearing to her again. She couldn’t dent it, but she liked it.

Yet at the back of her mind, she could not deny something else. She had chastised Navnløs for his selfish, disloyal attitude. His failure to help others or show loyalty to even any cause. This pirate, while not doing it in such a violent way as Navnløs, had just openly stated to doing the exact same thing. It would have frustrated Rainbow, had it been not for one thing. That she honestly just loved being in the presence of a pirate.

“Bullshit!” chimed in Navnløs, who now apparently didn’t believe him once again. “Neither Salutis nor the Union uses the sea bar for some costal patrol and transportation.”

Again Rainbow didn’t really understand the references states. Salutis was a nation of sorts, so maybe this “Union” was too? She made a mental note to enquire further later.

“Remind me, who’s the sailor here?”

Oof

Even Navnløs knew he couldn’t argue that point.

“Exactly” stated the pirate triumphantly. “But I promise you, for whatever reasons, reasons I won’t pretend to know, there’s a lot more activity on the seas recently. Salutis activity, carrying precious cargo. Fuel, machinery. Expensive bits of kit. Don’t know where they are taking them. Don’t care. I just get them and get rich doing so!”

Bragging so crudely didn’t suit this pirate. His image had been based on high class almost, and so freely admitting his desires were only to get rich only served to confuse Rainbow in her assessment of him.

Navnløs grunted in response. His doubt still stemming from pure belief still. In that silence, Rainbow snuck in with another question.

“So hey! What’s your name?”

It was a breath of fresh air in a murky and tense situation. These two Humans had been butting heads for far too long for Rainbow’s taste. If she could remind Navnløs to not spend any time idling, she would do so gladly.

“My name?” it seemed true again that Rainbow’s sudden casual intervention that caused surprise. The pirate seemed taken back at this almost friendly question, at first. Until he realised, as Rainbow knew all too well, that it was a chance to brag.

Again attempting a mock bow, he opened his arms wide open, an act mimicked on his face. His wide, large smile showing glistening teeth.

“Allow me to introduce…..me! Rowan Edwards! Pirate extraordinaire and loveable adventurer!” he said, Rainbow questioning if he really did just wink at her.

“We don’t care” again interrupted Navnløs, who obviously couldn’t care for the over the top antics of the pirate now known as Rowan. “We will be leaving now anyway. No need to get comfortable with us”.

Navnløs’ conviction was real and strong, so strong in fact that his tight grip, that now placed itself upon Rainbow, left little opportunity for the Pony to escape or protest. His wish to leave Rowan the pirate was forcibly extended to Rainbow, uncomfortable so.

“Hey! What gives dude?” Again Navnløs was acting odd. It was strange enough that he refused to leave without her, previously showing no remorse in leaving her for dead. It was stranger however, and highly unpleasant that he was imposing his selfish well upon her, as if she was his property. While Rainbow was the first to admit she wasn’t the expert around these parts, Navnløs was an idiot if he thought he controlled her, and that she would merely sit around and take it.

“We’re not staying a minute longer here! We are going!” his voice was genuinely aggressive now. Rainbow blinked in shock, determined not to show fear to such an ignorant numb skull. If he was being this stubborn, than so would she.

“Oh so we can get hunted and starve in the wasteland again? Huh?!” now it was Rainbow’s turn to yell, her anger rising as she was effectively the lightning rod to Navnløs’ own anger and frustration. That wasn’t fair however, not in the slightest, and even if it meant for threats, for retorts of how little how apparently cared, Rainbow would fight back, and not give in to this bully.

“Hunted?” quickly inquired Rowan, somewhat awkwardly standing there, while Pony and Human fought.

“Doesn’t matter!” shouted back Navnløs defensively, before Rainbow even had a chance to think. “Come on Rainbow! We. Are. Going!”

Oddly enough, Navnløs had called Rainbow by her name, a thing occurred in an amount Rainbow could count on her hoof. Adding to the unusual behaviour even further was that in a fit of rude rage, Navnløs had intended to silence discussion with Rowan, as if he jealously guarding Rainbow and the fact she was an oddity in this world. Rainbow however, had never felt as less lost, in this world, as she did now. Rowan was not cruel, at least to her. He seemed normal and fun, but not lacking any lust for adventure. Furthermore, he hadn’t even seem to, or at least shown it, notice that Rainbow was a Pony. Maybe he was just being polite, but the lack of excessive staring, questions and disgust was thoroughly appreciated by Rainbow.

“NO!” then cried back Rainbow, who with all her strength, pulled herself from Navnløs’ solid grip. “If you want to go through all that crap out there again, be my guest! But guess what dude? Before this, you were the only Human not out to get me, but now that’s changed!”

Rainbow was serious about her intention, her feelings. Navnløs’ reaction all but knew that too. Rowan may be a pirate and Rainbow wasn’t going to just forgive the fact he had murdered dozens of Human’s, but between the choice of the murderous Rowan, a relatively kind and fun individual, and the murderous Navnløs, an individual of none of those qualities, the decision would be an easy one.

Navnløs knew this too. Rainbow half expected him to just shrug and leave her, a burden no longer his. That would have been his usual attitude. He had stated it many times. Yet he wasn’t acting his usual self-right now, and when he didn’t leave or even try, Rainbow knew something was up.

“Like hell you’d want to stay with these guys! They wouldn’t even want us to leave anyway!”

Rainbow didn’t really understand his point. Was he pulling back with his threat to leave? Had he actually given in? Believing the pirates wouldn’t let them go so technically he had to stay? If so, that was a pale, even weak imitation of himself. Excuses weren’t him.

“Oh I would” suddenly but almost uncaringly said Rowan. “The little lady is interesting for sure, but curiosities are not for today. We have a busy day ahead of us, don’t we boys?”

A chorus of cheers then erupted from the other pirates, still atop the cove. This only served to further fill Rainbow with adventurous joy, as Rowan inspired such loyalty and dedication in his crew.

“Then you’d let me come with you?”

That was Rainbow’s final decision. Joining the pirate crew.

Her only hold back was again, the matter of Navnløs. Was it truly loyal to leave him behind? He hadn’t been a friend to Rainbow in any form. He showed even less promise of being one, despite somewhat softening up.

Ugh, Twilight. I could really use your help right now.

“What?!” then came the reaction. Born from both Navnløs and Rowan.

“I wana join. I’ve seen what it’s like out there, in the wastes. Even if the sea is just as bad, I’d be a nice change I guess”.

Not a very compelling argument, but true nonetheless. Not matter where she went, it wouldn’t be home, so until she found a way back, what did it matter.

Then it really did turn strange, ad with it, solidifying Rainbow’s choice.

“No! Absolutely not! With these shit heads?” cried out Navnløs, almost furious at this point, his gaze staring accusingly towards Rowan. “Maybe the worst and stupidest decision you’ve made! This guy even has two names! He can’t be trusted!”

That last bit confused Rainbow somewhat. Was this about those strange Human naming customs? If so, it was quite the pathetic argument from Navnløs, doing nothing for his cause.

“Your friend is very untrustworthy. In my experience only dishonest people think this way” then shot back Rowan, a half smile directed towards Rainbow.

You got it there dude!

“But I see little reason to send you away to die. We plenty of food to share, so I say why not!”

And just like that, Rowan had eclipsed Navnløs who once more, seemed to blend into the background again, left with nothing but his failed arguments.

“Wait, really? Awesome!” Rainbow couldn’t be happier to be accepted by a stranger. It may have seemed foolish and dangerous to many back home, but for now, she was free of the wasteland, of being alone. Perhaps this was a reversal in fortunes for her?

“What of your bashful friend though?” Then asked Rowan.

It was a good point. Navnløs hadn’t even reacted to this development. Vowing to just stand there, plainly and still.

Rainbow entertained the idea though. She could be free of him. To let him be somewhat happier without her. Isn’t that what he wanted?

Rainbow honestly didn’t know. He was an enigma, but he always seemed to indicate, nastily so, that he would be better off without her.

So why didn’t she feel like she would?

The trouble came down to loyalty. Again, what example of loyalty would she be if she let Navnløs go off, alone. Not only would he be abandoned in the wastes, even if he thought he preferred that, but he would be left alone to be himself most worryingly. With that, Rainbow shuddered at what horrible things he could get up to.

“Fine!”

Again, the same reaction.

“What?”

Rainbow shook her head, wondering if she was hearing this correctly

“I said fine! Not like I have a lot to do here anyway. At least a ship will be quicker to anywhere else than foot” Navnløs grumbled, clearly uncomfortable.

“Promise not to kick off again with some fight? We are pirates but I like to think we are at least one cut above the rest” Rowan replied deliciously. Navnløs had won precious little today, and by conceding himself to join Rainbow, he won nothing more.

Yet Rowan provoked no reaction. He walked over to stand besides Rainbow, staring intently down to her. She felt no pressure though, no threat. Maybe it was that this time, he wasn’t leading. Maybe Navnløs knew that he couldn’t act so mighty when he had embarrassed himself so much.

Whatever it was, it was a quick change of heart, adding to the already well developed suspicion that things were astray in Navnløs, yet Rainbow did not reply in thought with great fuel to this dark fire. She did not entertain thoughts of mistrust and spiteful victory.

No. Seeing Navnløs stand beside her once more, even with his less than willing attitude and even with Rowan existing, that ensured only one thought within Rainbow.

I’m glad you stayed

That was loyalty. She was sure of it.

“Well then, my new crew…best get you aboard then. Might get some disease or something staying here” Rowan then said, cutting Rainbow’s actually positive thoughts off, as he looked upon his handiwork all around him. “Getting a little hungry too!”

Rainbow was positive that was a joke. An audacious attempt of humour that mirrored Rainbow and her changing persona, as she felt her own fun become ever more so black as she spent time here.

“Ugh…” growled Navnløs, who was clearly couldn’t be less enthusiastic from his relinquishment of control. Still, he committed to his decision, following Rowan’s armed crew leave the cove, following the beach to, presumingly, a ship.

This left just Rainbow and Rowan.

“Ready to set sail, little lady?” he asked happily, at least confirming his positivity wasn’t put on in front of Navnløs or his crew.

“Definitely!” yapped back Rainbow.

However, being alone finally did allow some clarity to return to her. She was happy and excited for the change in fortune. For actual company too. But in reflection, Navnløs hadn’t been the only one to act differently. True as it was, in her enthusiasm, Rainbow had abandoned a degree of her loyalty. To Navnløs. To home. To herself. In her excitement, she had nearly forgotten her desires to leave this world in even a tiny better state than she found it in. Eagerness to piracy was fun, but this was no Daring Do book she was reading. She couldn’t afford to lose herself in the thrill and buzz of adventure, otherwise, what sort of source of light and friendship was she?

“But um…” Rainbow then said, speaking up as Rowan too began to follow his crew, before stopping.

“Don’t call me little lady again. I’m no lady”

Rowan smiled, though probably not for the same reason Rainbow suddenly felt so liberated. This was her clawing back at her real self. Not leaving the corpse of her Ponyville self, dead in the wasteland.

“Ha! Of course you’re not!” the pirate said with a hearty laugh. “That’s fair though. I’ll call you whatever you like, it’s your choice.”

Rainbow nodded in thanks as she began walking.

Rowan had other plans though. Searching for something hidden within his jacket.

“Rainbow, was it? Welcome to freedom in this world free of soul and happiness. Do what you want cause a pirate is free and you…you are a pirate now!” he said, placing a hand crafted tricorne hat upon Rainbows head.