Over the Edge and Over Again: Chapter 10
Wheel of Fortune
The honourable captain stood in front of the door, blankly staring back and forth between it and the purple pony standing at his side. It had been little over a couple of hours since the princess had left, and Twilight had finally decided to ask something of Hector.
“Ye can't be serious?”
“Hector, you stink; you're taking a bath. When was the last time you even had one?”
It had bothered her since his arrival, but until the princess pointed it out during their discussion, nopony saw fit to bring it up. In hindsight, it was one of the things he could have done before meeting Celestia in the first place.
“A month. Maybe two.”
Twilight moved back, scrunching up her muzzle for good measure. Spike did the same, holding his nose and waving a claw in the air for added emphasis.
“T...two months?!”
“Aye. And?”
“And?! That's disgusting!”
How could someone go a whole two months without bathing?! Twilight felt uncomfortable going even two days without taking a bath. Rarity would have had him hosed down there and then if she'd been present.
“I'm not made o' money. Besides, a quick plunge in te the sea be just as good as what any bath can offer.”
“N...no it isn't! You get salt in your mane and everything!”
Grumbling and pulling a strained face, the captain turned towards his purple landlord. Spike just stood back out off the way, raising his arms in the air to avoid getting sucked in to the argument.
“It's called hair. And ye really think I care about it getting' salty? I'm a pirate, Miss Sparkle, not a nobleman. Yer lucky I were the one that landed on yer doorstep; some men seldom wash at all.”
“I don't care. You're taking a bath if it kills me. Now take off your clothes.”
The pirate widened his eyes, before looking to Spike to assure he had heard her right. Shrugging his shoulders, the small purple dragon walked down the hall and back to the main room of the library. Rainbow was still there, seeing as she wished to watch over the pirate, although despite this, she refused to follow him to the bathroom.
Barbossa watched the small dragon walk away before turning back to Twilight.
“Excuse me?”
“Take off your clothes. You can't wear them in the bath, and they need to be washed too. I can have them done before you're even finished bathing.”
He wasn't one to shy away from being unclothed, but something about doing it in front of a purple unicorn didn't strike him as something he wanted to do. Or something he would ever do. Or something he would have deemed liable to actually happen.
“I'll pass 'em out te ye after I've emptied me pockets. I'm not trustin' ye wi' me things after what ye did last time.”
He wouldn't have given her any of his belongings anyway, but knowing how questionable she was, she would have likely wanted a reason. He also didn't want to lose the small knife he kept in his boot. He was doubtful it would even be used, or actually needed in this world, but he was thankful they hadn't found it while he was unconscious. He felt horribly unsafe without a proper weapon on his person.
Trudging into the bathroom, he took notice of how unbearably clean it was. All that was present were the basics; a sink, a bath and what appeared to be some sort of toilet. There wasn't a crate, hole or bucket under it, but it was the only thing he could compare it too. It was also too low for even a young human to use without difficulty.
There was also a small mirror above the sink, and a colourful selection of toiletries on the side. Some he recognised as perfume, but the others were labelled with things he'd never heard of. He certainly didn't want his hair bleached red and smelling of strawberries, and seeing as most of them were bright, garish colours, he chose to avoid using any of them.
“I'll just steer clear...”
He'd been to bath houses before, but he'd never been rich enough to own his own. Then again, Twilight was a student of the princess; she was either high enough in society already, or using her connections to her advantage. If he were of some relation to a lord or royal, he'd certainly make use of the power.
“Can you hurry up and give me your clothes. Why do you even wear them anyway?” Twilight yelled from beyond the door.
“Because it gets very cold when yer not.”
“So it's always cold where you're from?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
Great. She was still pestering him, even when he was readying for the bath she wanted him to have. Although, a free bath wasn't something he got everyday. Well, not in an actual bath, anyway.
“Your kind has fur, and mine does not. I can't see it bein' anythin' but simple logic, Miss Sparkle. Maybe yer not as smart as yer princess believes ye to be.”
Stamping her hoof against the floor, and once again on the bathroom door, she furrowed her eyes as she addressed him, despite knowing he wouldn't actually see her face.
“But I didn't know for definite if you had fur or not! And we have coats, not fur!”
Waiting for his reply, she was surprised when he simply threw his clothes out of the slightly opened door. Looking at the hefty pile of cloth now lying in her hallway, she noted the slightly sour smell it had with it. She was about to comment when she heard the door click shut. The running of water could also be heard from inside the bathroom.
“Is there any particular way I have to wash your clothes? Do they need to be dry cleaned?”
“Don't be bloody stupid. Ye have te wash 'em with water!”
Sighing at his answer, she guessed he simply didn't care and levitated his clothes down the hall and into a large bucket. Filling it with water, she cast her spell, hoping the self washing water wouldn't do anything to the otherworldly fabrics. Stepping over to his boots, she readied to do a similar spell to them when her eyes began to water.
“Oh dear Luna...”
They stank. More so than she thought they would. Somewhat envious that Spike and Rainbow were in a different room, she gagged before giving the shoes a similar treatment to his clothes. She didn't know how to wash his boots, seeing as she had never had to wash a similar style of shoe before, but Twilight guessed it couldn't be too different to washing clothes. And if he did indeed spend a good deal of his time at sea, adding some more water to them could hardly make much of a difference.
Moving back to the clothes, and pleased they weren't as dirty as they smelled, she removed them from the basin before drying the soggy pile of fabrics in the air. Waiting until everything was dry, she used another spell to flatten any creases. Rarity had taught her it a while ago, and while she rarely wore clothes, it did help when pulling out an outfit at the last minute. Or washing clothes for alien pirates, apparently.
“He better be happy with them.”
Not that she cared. She wasn't being mean, but as long as he no longer smelled, it was fine by her. After she was sure everything was adequately cleaned and steamed, she folded them into a neat pile at her side. Drying the boots and steaming them for good measure, just in case, she placed them on top of the neat stack of clothes before levitating the whole ensemble down the corridor back to the bathroom.
Once again finding herself at the bathroom door, she knocked before waiting for his response. Seeing his arm reach out of the door, she instead floated everything through into the bathroom herself. Waiting for him to dress and savour having actual clean pieces of clothing, Twilight put a frown on her face when he finally opened the door.
“Your clothes were putrid. They practically left marks on my wash basin.”
“Aye well, so did I.”
As she watched Barbossa walk merrily down the hall, Twilight curiously poked her head into the bathroom. Along with most of the towels being strewn across the floor, there was also a dark mark of grime lining the edge of the bathtub. She could also see the odd grain of dirt and sand sitting at the bottom of the tub.
“Ugh...”
She would make him clean it if she could, but at the very least he had washed himself. Or so she hoped anyway. Reluctantly deciding to leave the bathtub for the time being, she put the towels into the wash basket and resolved to join the rest of the creatures in the main part of the library. Hoping to talk to Barbossa some more, Twilight went straight for the captain.
“Hector, can I ask you something?”
Looking up from the book he had already took hold of, Barbossa groaned and nodded, holding up one of his digits to signify that he would indeed only answer one.
“You remember the machine from the basement, right?”
“Aye. Bloody miserable thing too. Don't see how ye could analyse anythin' wi' that noise goin' on around ye.”
“Well, do you not have anything like that where you're from?”
“That be two questions ye've asked now,” he said, smiling cockily “but no.”
“What's the most advanced thing you have in your world?”
Rubbing his forehead and once again groaning, he clenched his fingers before remembering he couldn't exactly do anything to upset her. Her line of questioning did pique his interest though.
“Advanced...advanced? Like ships or telescopes?”
“I mean like machines.”
“We have cannons; they're made of metal like yer contraption downstairs. Or pistols.”
Unsure how to explain to him what she meant, Twilight decided that his response in itself answered her question. If he didn't know what she rightly meant by machines, then he didn't have a concept of them.
“So you've never seen anything like my analysis machine? How about Trains?”
The captain gave a slight shake of his head before lowering his brow.
“Trains?”
“Locomotive forms of transport. On rails.”
The man merely shook his head again, rather curious as to what she was talking about. Maybe the ponies weren't a complete waste of time to be spending time with.
Jumping off to the shelves around the library, Twilight soon came back with a book floating beside her. It was lime green, and she opened it to a page with a rather large machination pictured in colour.
“This is a train.”
The captain pulled the book from the air and brought it towards his face. He still couldn't get over how crisp the pictures in this worlds books were. Even mappers couldn't afford to have images printed this clearly. He didn't even know if they possibly could. The machine was somewhat less impressive, with it basically being a large metal barrel fused onto a set of wheels
“And what's it do again?”
“It moves along a rail. If you use the correct engine and coal, it can even move on it's own.”
“Engines? They're for minin' Miss Sparkle. Not travel.”
Deciding it was clear he hadn't heard of trains, she instead found a book on early steam engines, seeing as he apparently had some knowledge of them. It confused her as to how he knew about engines, but didn't know about machines, but in the end chose to take paradoxical answer as an answer in itself; he either genuinely didn't know, or didn't really care.
Focusing her attention back on the pirate, she watched as he looked at the pictures with the same look of intrigue as he had done with the previous one.
“How do you get the pictures so clear?”
“The picture? Don't you care about the engines?”
“Not really. Being a blacksmith was never me forte. And they're useless things. Noisy too.”
“Well...we just take a photo and print it in the book. Oh, do you have cameras?”
Seeing him once again shake his head, this time with a audible grumble and wave of his hand, she chose to drop her line of questioning. He'd answered her questions without knowing anyway. Moving to leave, she suddenly raised her head before turning back to face him, much to his displeasure.
“If you have engines, why were you scared of my machine?”
“There was bloody lightin' comin' from it! Ye think that's normal?! Have ye any idea what that can do te a man?!”
Slowly backing away, and somewhat regretting she had asked, Twilight left the pirate to his lion book and joined her friends on the other side of the room. She could still hear him talking and complaining as she wandered away.
“What was he saying? Did he insult you again?”
“No he didn't. Actually, I think I've learned more about where he came from.”
Rainbow pursed her lips and rested her head against her cast.
“I thought he came from another world full of pirates and stuff.”
“But I think it's more than that; his world is basically ours, but a good few hundred years behind. I mean, I know his species rules the world instead of ours, and he doesn't use magic, but it's kind of the same.”
“So...like an alien time traveller?” Rainbow asked.
“Kind of. Picture 'The Hay Day of Pony Piracy', and then picture Hector as a pony; he would fit right in. More or less.”
Rainbow and Spike looked at the pirate from across the room before squinting their eyes. The rainbow maned mare tilted her head slightly to the side before quietly giggling to herself. Letting them finish their little moment of picturing Hector as a pony, Twilight continued.
“He couldn't even grasp why the pictures in the books were so clear, let alone anything in them, and he thought cannons and old mining engines were the most advanced thing in terms of technology his world had to offer. He also said pistols, but they're basically smaller cannons anyway.”
“Then why don't we have them?” Rainbow asked, “If we're ahead of him, shouldn't we have anything he has?”
Twilight shook her head.
“Not necessarily. From what he said, they use their cla...hands to operate them. We haven't got any, so they never got invented. And even if they did, only unicorns could use them, and because we have magic anyway, they're not very useful. Anything that involves the need for his extra appendages won't exist in our society.”
Spike and Rainbow looked at each other before looking towards the pirate. He was still reading the book, and if he could hear them, made no indication of it.
“At the very least, we know his world is less advanced than ours. I don't know if it will help or anything, but if we want to understand more about his world, we could try and compare it to our past. The princess did ask me to find out more about him while she researched for ways to get him home, so I may as well start there.”
Grabbing yet another book from the shelves, Twilight wandered off to begin her research, leaving Spike and Rainbow to watch over the pirate captain. Barbossa had since taken up writing, pilfering a piece of parchment left on the floor and a quill from a nearby desk. As time passed on, and as nothing of any particular interest happened, Spike and Rainbow took to talking to occupy themselves.
Barbossa, on the other hand, still continued to look into the piece of paper he had within his grasp. The day was getting on, and while it was still early in the afternoon, the pirate at least wanted to get some of his sentence over and done with. He would have preferred an actual punishment, however. At least then he wouldn’t have to think of something charitable to do.
The most he’d done over the last half hour minutes was note down the ponies he believed needed repayment. Or at least the ones he believed the others thought needed repayment. He was also bored. There was a distinct lack of excitement in the library, especially since books weren’t his first choice for entertainment. He certainly took to a few during the longer voyages, but he was more partial to the adventure and the fight. But here he was stuck under the metaphorical thumb of multi-coloured ponies and fairy tale creatures.
Cracking his fingers, the pirate got to his feet and started making his way towards the front door. Widening her eyes, Rainbow quickly nudged Twilight on the shoulder before rapidly motioning towards the human.
“And where do you think you’re going?” Twilight questioned, tapping her hoof rapidly against the floor.
“I’m goin’ outside.”
“Hector, you can’t just go wandering around outside.”
“On the contrary, Miss Sparkle, I believe I can. There were no orders from yer royal mistress confining me te yer home, nor were there any sayin’ I couldn’t venture outside. Furthermore, she said herself I would be hard laboured to find meat in yer land, and as such would need te find somethin’ else to fend of starvation. Both lines o’ thought lead me te leavin’ yer library.”
Twilight stood there, stunned. Her hoof was half raised in the air, attempting to object to his reasoning. But she couldn’t. Rather annoyingly, his reasoning was rather sound. Finding it hard to launch a complaint, Rainbow interjected with her own line of logical thinking.
“But you might hurt somepony else. That’s reason enough.”
“And how do you suppose I’ll go about maimin’ a horse without a sword or pistol? If there were more than one of ye surroundin’ me, I’d stand little te no chance at comin’ out unscathed. There’d be no point in attackin’ anyone in the middle o’ a busy town either.”
He chose to leave out the fact he had a knife, seeing as it would do nothing to further his argument. He was still being truthful though, seeing as a small knife wouldn't do him any favours against three or four horses.
Clenching her teeth and looking towards the purple mare for backup, Rainbow watched as she continued to stare unblinkingly at the pirate. Looking towards the floor and pursing her lips, Twilight finally widened her eyes and addressed him.
“That may be, but I doubt letting you wander around Ponyville would be deemed a good idea by the princess. If you must leave, we're coming with you.”
If she couldn’t keep him inside, she would at the very least keep him within her sights. She didn’t think he’d try and pull something in public anyway, but she wasn't willing to take that risk. Shrugging his shoulders and closing his eyes, he continued his walk towards the door.
“If ye feel ye must, then by all means, Miss Sparkle. I’ll be needin’ acceptable currency for food anyway.”
Realising he’d actually now left the building, Twilight quickly grabbed Rainbow’s wheelchair and ushered Spike to follow her outside, grabbing her saddlebag on the way out. Exiting the door, they came out to see the pirate looking around himself, spinning on the spot in a slow circle.
Finally looking back at his temporary home, he raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth, as if to speak, although nothing ever left his mouth. But after a moment of composure, he did eventually ask his question.
“Ye live in a tree? A livin’ tree? With leaves?”
“Yes. Your point being?”
Twilight turned around to look at her home, rather perturbed at what had him so confused. The pirate eventually sighed and rubbed his eyes.
“Nothin’. Nothin’ worth tryin’ te argue with ye about.”
Walking off in a random direction, hands buried deep inside his pockets, Twilight and Rainbow exchanged worried looks as they followed. He soon stopped to look around before once again talking to his escorts.
“Which way is the market?”
Rather annoyed that she did indeed have to take him to a very public area, she motioned to her right and he began to follow.
“Couldn't I just fetch you some food myself?”
“Now how ye goin' te go about doin' that when ye don't know what I like?” he said mockingly, “I might even feel the urge te try somethin' new, and seein' as yer world may have different foods altogether, not takin' me with ye seems altogether illogical.”
Grumbling at the pirate, Twilight nodded and continued to walk through town. There weren't very many ponies around the library, but as they got closer to the market, she could see and hear others reacting to the strange creature wandering the streets.
Some were just staring at him, trying to assure if he was actually real, while some of the shyer residence cowered as he walked passed. Many of the ponies wandering around town were whispering too, while other didn't bother to lower their voice.
“What is that?”
“Does Twilight even know it's there?”
“It looks so freaky...”
Twilight looked at Rainbow and Spike before comparing worried glances back at the human following them. Maybe they should have tried to disguise him. Or make him shorter.
“You see what you've started? Now everypony's going to want to ask questions.”
“Now ye know how I feel. And ye didn't really think I'd stay inside durin' the whole duration o' me stay, did ye? I'd be leavin' yer home eventually.”
About to reply, Twilight stopped when she saw somepony walk towards them. It took the purple pony a few seconds to realised the mint green pony coming towards her was Lyra.
“Hey guys,” she said, looking towards the group, “Who's...your...er...”
Lyra looked behind her back towards a purple and pink maned mare before motioning towards the captain with her forehoof. Seeing that somepony had actually started talking to the group, more ponies stepped forward. Not all of them wandered right up to them, but those who did moved closer to Barbossa than anypony else.
The pirate was no stranger to large crowds, but he still found it unnerving to see pretty much all the creatures in the nearby vicinity simply staring at him. It was more disturbing still that everyone was a unrealistic, brightly coloured, talking horse.
Twilight just stood there, rather unsure of what to say. Should she tell them? Looking to Rainbow and Spike for assistance, both returned an equally unsure expression. Her call for help was answered when Barbossa himself suddenly started talking.
“What's yer name?”
“L-Lyra,” she managed to stutter.
“Well, ain't that a fine name. Lyra. It be a pleasure te meet another of Miss Sparkle’s gracious friends.”
Lyra flinched back as he spoke, lowering her head and looking towards the crowd for reassurance. The cream coloured mare she was looking towards before nudged her hooves forward, before moving her head in the direction of the pirate. The mint green pony smiled in response, and with nothing better to do, did the same to Barbossa.
“I guess. I like it anyway.”
Grinning towards Twilight, Barbossa let his teeth show before elegantly removing his hat from his head with his left hand.
“Captain Hector Barbossa, at yer service.”
He grandly bowed before his audience, one hand behind his back and the other at his front. The closer ponies, Lyra included, moved back as his body moved in a downward motion. Standing back up to full height, and replacing his hat, he watched as the crowd slowly but surely moved back into their previous position.
“And it be such a privilege to be amidst such fine company. In such a splendid town too!” he yelled, raising his hands into the air and holding them out at his sides.
Shaking her head at the captain, Rainbow readied to speak up when Twilight hushed her. She didn't mind Rainbow speaking her piece to everypony, just as long as they got past his awkward introduction first. Besides, she'd much rather he hammed up the situation than cause the town to revolt against him. Everypony seemed to be pleased with him so far, at least.
As Barbossa stood there, in the midst of the few dozen ponies forming his audience, he waited for something to happen. He hardly knew what he was going to say, but given the crowd and his presence in a town solely populated by ponies, he knew one of them would speak up eventually.
“Um...”
And he was right. A mare moved forward. It was a white mare with a light pink mane. At least she wasn't as garish as Pinkie or Rainbow.
“Wha-”
She stopped to turn around and face another pony. She was shaking her head and mouthing something to the white mare. From what Barbossa could gather, the pink maned pony was about to speak to him with the wrong terminology.
“Who are you?”
The pirate once again raised his arms in the air. The ponies didn't flinch this time, and he saw it as the perfect opportunity to raise his standing in society. Twilight and her friends may not be too trusting towards him, but that didn't mean he couldn't build bridges with the beings who hadn't had the pleasure to meet him yet.
“I'm a seafarin' pioneer from a far off land, and I'm stayin' with the kind Miss Sparkle until I'm fit and ready te leave.”
Most of the ponies whispered among themselves, glaring at him with varying degrees of disbelief. The pirate, on the other hand, failed to let his smile drop. Twilight moved to speak her part, now that ponies knew he was peaceful, but another pony got in there first.
“I've never seen or heard of anything like you, Mr Barbarossa, and I'm a school teacher. Where is it you came from? And what are you?”
Annoyed his name had been mispronounced, he continued to hold his smile. He couldn't ruin this chance. He couldn't ruin this at all, for that matter. He took in a long, deep breath before addressing the dark pink pony.
“Me name is Captain Hector Barbossa, and I assure ye, me story is the honest truth, little pony. I'm an acquaintance of yer noble Princess Celestia, an' I'm more than sure she'd be able to wither away any doubt ye'd be havin' about me authenticity.”
The teacher didn't seem to pleased with the answer she had received, but before she could talk about it, another pony cropped up from the crowd instead. This one didn't even bother to moved forward from the crowd, instead choosing to jump and shout from the crowd.
“Are...you! Hey! Over here!”
The, apparently, small pony kept jumping up and down, failing to actually get out what he wanted to say. The crowd eventually let him walk forward by standing to the side, creating a path of sorts for him to walk through. The little colt then awkwardly meandered forward, seemingly very happy.
“Are...are you a pirate?”
He was mostly white in colour, with darker brown blotches covering him and various pointS on his body. Barbossa thought he looked more like a dog than a pony.
“What's makes ye say that?”
The little colt continued to breath heavily, obviously tired from jumping around.
“Because you have a cool coat and a bandanna! An-and a cool pirate hat!”
Barbossa wasn't too sure if cool was an insult or a compliment, but given the invigorated way the little horse had addressed him, he assumed it was more likely to be the latter.
“And you talk piratey too! And if you came here in ship, that means you have to be a pirate!”
Barbossa furrowed his brow and looked towards the crowd for any sort of guide on how to respond. None of the ponies looked angry, nor did any of them seem aggravated at the child’s talk of pirates. He also realised that, while Twilight's friends hardly liked him, none of them disliked him for being a pirate. Pinkie even seemed quite pleased with the idea. She had also said Rainbow thought the same.
And Twilight had also told him pirates no longer existed in this world. Remembering she had mentioned it yesterday, he had asked the purple mare about pirates after Celestia left their presence.
“So...are you a pirate or not?”
Pirates were apparently, for the most part, fondly remembered within this world. He had been shown a book, and while the pony pirates were nowhere near as ruthless as anyone he knew, they were hardly decent members of society. However, Twilight said they were mostly known for their adventures and stories rather than their misgivings and crimes.
Deciding he would test the waters, he looked down at the little colt before finally answering his question.
“Aye...if ye think I am.”
He watched as the little pony began to smile, once again mouthing the word 'cool'. Not quite sure what to say next, he looked around to the other ponies. He wasn't too sure if what he said had been well received, but he was sure more than one gleeful sound came from within the group of equines surrounding him.
“Really? A real pirate?” a blue pony asked, raising their voice towards the end of the question.
“Aye, one o' the nice ones.”
He thought it best to clarify just in case. But the blue pony with the pink mane nodded and started smiling towards some of the others. She appeared quite young as well.
“And do you have a ship?”
Barbossa turned his head to look behind him, trying to focus on who was talking. He was pleasantly surprised how happy they seemed to be, even if it did mean everyone was trying to talk to him. He would have been better of saying he was a pirate from the start! At least they had wandered away from asking what he was and where he came from.
But hoping to gather his food and have a gander around the town instead of answering to his adoring public, he stood there, actively trying to work out how to get away from the crowd without being suspicious, before Twilight began shouting out towards everyone.
“I know you all have a lot of questions, but we're very busy! You can ask me anything you want to know later, but just give him some space for now! He's finding it a little hard to get settled,” she said, addressing the crowd and eyeing Barbossa, hoping he'd get the message.
Nodding towards Twilight, smiling sarcastically at her, he gave a glance towards the crowd, as if to say sorry. Not that he meant it. For once he was actually glad Twilight got involved with his life.
After moments more of chatter, most of the ponies left the captain, going back to their mundane duties. A few gave him glares as they left, but overall, most seemed pleased with themselves. It didn't stop a few pestering him, but in the light of his punishment, he sadly saw it fit to humour them, telling them equally kind and distorted truths he had told everyone else. After the rest of the rabble had left, Rainbow turned in her chair to face him.
“Now you're lying to the rest of town? Yeah, I can see why the princess trusts you,” Rainbow said sarcastically.
“What part of what I said were a lie exactly? I see it more as a kinder reflection of the truth. It keeps the town folk off me back, and gives Miss Sparkle and yer solemnly, cyan self less of a dilemma. I wouldn't go lookin' gift horse in the mouth when he goes givin' me somethin' like that.”
“But...but that doesn't really...You can't lie to everypony when you’re what you are.”
“Fair enough, Rainbow. Ye have yer good morals. I'll just go and gather them up, tell them I'm a plundering, pillagin' pirate bent on maimin' me fellow man and anythin' in the pursuit of what gains me, and then we'll see what they think of me.”
Eerily smiling, knowing full well he'd won the argument, he and the others silently continued their walk towards the market. While the rest of town still seemed unsure of him, apart from the odd wanderer, everyone left them well alone. He even found his new-found sense of being a celebrity quite good, to an extent, seeing as he was famous for something good rather than bad for a change.
Eventually arriving at their destination, Barbossa paused to look around at the stalls surrounding him. They were all fairly small, but most were painted with bright, vibrant colours. Buyers and sellers were all shouting and haggling amongst themselves, much like he had heard the day before. It really was like any market he had been to before.
The number of colours on the ponies themselves was what he found most striking, however. Some were the most strange combinations of colour, vibrant yellows and eerie greens, a few rare ones even had spots and stripes in their manes and wings. He couldn't help but think whether this was a conscious decision; having the most colourful pony selling wares to attract attention.
“So, what do you eat?”
Looking down at Twilight, he struggled to find an answer. He wasn't quite sure if any, or all the food, was actually edible; some of it was so unnaturally bright.
“Fruits I guess. Breads, dairy foods. Vegetables if ye had a way of cookin' 'em. Caviar! Do ye have caviar?”
“Not here. This is just a small market. You'd need to head to Canterlot or another big city if you wanted to buy it. I can't see why you'd want fish eggs though.”
Sighing at the lack of one of his favourite foods, he trotted along with the others and requested a few of anything that he deemed pleasing. A few of the stall holders gave him curious, even fearful looks as he approached, but most seemed to forget he was there once Twilight approached. He didn't know if it was for safety, or because they were getting money, but he was somewhat glad she was there. He'd have nothing to eat otherwise.
After he had been around the market stalls, choosing various fruits, cheeses and breads from the various sellers and merchants, he asked Twilight for one last thing. There was one piece of food he demanded to have, and soon the quartet of animals found themselves heading over to the Apple's cart and stall.
“Howdy there Twilight, Rainbow! Hey Spike!” greeted Applejack.
Looking to the pirate, she scrunched her nose and looked behind her back. Turning back a moment later, she addressed Barbossa with a less than pleasing tone.
“Hector. What can I do ya for?”
Curious as to what she was looking at, Barbossa stood as high as he could and peered over her shoulder. Sitting on the ground behind the cart full of apples was the little yellow filly from the forest and the farm. Her head was down, and she looked up at him with wide eyes as she nudged herself along the ground to hide behind the older mare. She looked scared, but there was no crying, nor was their any sniffling, so he thought that it was as good a start than any.
“I'll be wantin' granny smiths. As many as Miss Sparkle will afford me.”
“You...you want to spend the rest of your food money on apples? The same kind? There are lots of different ones.”
“Aye, I can see that, though they ain't me favourite.”
Silently agreeing with the difficult alien, Twilight nodded and paid her bits. Applejack took them and tossed them into a pouch around her neck, but started talking while she filled the barrel.
“Are ya sure I can't interest y'all in some zap apple jam?” she said, tapping her hoof against a small wooden sign on the side of her apple cart.
Barbossa rolled his eyes, knowing full well she was trying to haggle him into buying more of her wares, before realising he had no idea what she was actually talking about.
“Zap apples?”
Applejack then moved around to a small crate at the back of the cart before prying of the lid, revealing three little jars, all of which had a rainbow coloured jelly resting inside them.
“And...” Barbossa struggled to say anything, picking one of the jars out of the large wooden box, “ye can actually eat this?”
“Yes. Tastes mighty fine too. Don't get apple jam like that anywhere else.”
She was right. He didn't know what was more bizarre; that the striped, rainbow jam was actually from an apple, or that it was actually still striped, rather than a multicoloured mess. Though, he did like apples, and it was certainly something he wouldn't get to eat anywhere else. And it was technically free; he wasn't the one paying for it.
“How much?” he asked out of habit more than anything else.
Applejack looked towards Twilight before containing her smile, putting on a serious face before looking up at the pirate.
“Three bits a jar.”
Bits?
“I gave ye me bits before. Ye said they weren't proper.”
“They ain't, not 'round here.”
Assuming his bits and their bits simply shared the same name, Barbossa groaned before deciding what to do about the jam.
“And how many smiths would I be gettin' with the jam?”
“Ye'd still get thirteen apples.”
Seeing Twilight’s eyes widen at the number, Barbossa nodded and motioned for her to add the jam to his stock pile. If he didn't like it, he still had the princess' order of meat to come in. And everything was free.
“You're carrying the barrel home.” Twilight sighed, looking at the container and then to Barbossa.
Looking at the size, he wondered what the hassle was before realising it would be easier for him than it would be for a mammal with no hands. Then again, as long as he got some food, he would have carried it all back to the tree house on his own. No need to tell them that though.
“And what of ye, Applejack? Didn't fancy stayin' near the scary pirate? Ye were pretty fast te leave after the princess did.”
Frowning her brow and tipping her head forward, the farmer with the nice hat looked back at the small foal behind her before replying.
“I had to prepare for the market and buck some trees, seein' as somepony decided ta bruise a barrel worth a' apples we were plannin' on sellin'.”
“I'm not a pony.”
“And then I had ta help ma sister cause y'all made her too frazzled ta stay home alone or come outside.”
Once again looking down at the small pony, he nodded to himself before speaking back. The princess wanted him to repay those he harmed, and where better a place to start rebuilding his reputation than helping little children.
“Well how about we make an agreement of sorts. I need te keep me head clear for yer royal majesty, and yer surely wantin' payment fer me ruinin' yer stock and scarin' the child?”
“...I guess.”
“Well, I'll be more than pleased te begin me recuperation by helpin' yer sister and the children from the forest.”
“Y...y'all are gonna make it up to 'em? How exactly?”
“Does it matter? There must be somethin' of worth for me te offer them.”
Looking towards Twilight with a worried look on her face, the purple unicorn simply shrugged, unsure of how to take what he just said. Rainbow did the same, somewhat unsure if he could help anypony at all. He just seemed to be acting...unnaturally kind.
“Well...the princess did tell him to help ponies,” Twilight said, “And it is kind of nice that he wants to help the Crusaders first.”
“There ye have it. It's nice of me te offer me services te them first.”
Waving his hands towards the small filly, putting a faux smile on his face, Applejack looked back with uncertainty. Applebloom was now standing, looking towards the pirate rather than hiding under his shadow.
“What do ya say, Applebloom? You wanna let him apologise?”
Warily stepping out of her sisters protection, the small filly looked up towards her Applejack before directing her gaze at the pirate.
“If...if the others come...a-ah don't mind nothin'.”
Twilight smiled.
“Don't worry. We wouldn't leave you alone with him. But the princess wants him to apologise to some ponies, so he'll be more than friendly, right Hector?”
“Aye, on me best behaviour. Cross me heart and hope te die.”
Crossing his fingers over his heart, he then raised a hand in the air. He didn't know if they'd get the gesture, but it seemed simple enough all the same. All he had to do was please the children. Then the others would think he was kind hearted, and it would be easier to help the rest of them. Especially Rarity. He'd need to seriously impress her somehow if he wanted anything from her.
However, upon arriving at her store, which was, very aptly, a dress makers, Rarity was just as displeased as Barbossa thought she would be.
“You want to leave Sweetie Belle alone with him?!”
Both sighing at her remark, the captain pinching his nose and Twilight releasing a held breath, the purple pony attempted to smooth out the ordeal.
“No, she wouldn't be alone with him. You can come too. It's only so he can make peace with them and start making it up to everypony else.”
“You mean the ponies he has to help to avoid being thrown in a cell?” she dead panned back.
“Think what ye will, but yer surely not pleased wi' me actions. I'm simply tryin' te make amends for them.”
Looking over her back towards a small door, and what Barbossa assumed was the little fillies present location, Rarity reluctantly nodded her head.
“All right, Fine. I said I'd give you one chance, and that's what you'll get. But ruin this, Mr Barbossa, and you can expect nothing more from me.”
“If ye say so. But for now, we have an accord?”
“Yes. Twilight can arrange a time for everypony to meet. Until then, I hope every one of my friends has a very pleasant day. Maybe if you're lucky, somepony will wish you the same, Mr Barbossa?”
Not all that bothered by the mare’s comment, the pirate raised an eyebrow as she wandered around to the back of the shop.
After Rarity had left the pony and human alone in the main room of the shop, Twilight and Barbossa left to rejoin the dragon and wheelchair-bound Rainbow outside. Today hadn’t been a complete waste of time, but at least tomorrow he could get something done.
“Did you upset Rarity yet?”
Staring down at the pony in the wheelchair, Barbossa raised his hand casually in the air and mouthed with his fingers.
“Aye, as a matter o' fact," he announced rather proudly, "She seems te talk too much too”
Rainbow smiled and snorted in response.
“Yeah, tell me about it.”
Briefly staring at each other for a time, Rainbow held herself back before letting a small, fleeting laugh escape her lips. Barbossa cracked a slight smile too, before he took hold of the apple barrel and gruffly hauled it along the road, trudging it back along side Twilight towards his temporary home.
- - - -
“Tia Dalma!”
William wandered back across to the mystic’s position on the beach, growing bored of their time spent on the shores of the damned.
“We've been here for an hour, and there's still no sign of Jack or Barbossa.”
“And? You have a point to make?”
“Well...I thought we had to be gone by the setting of the sun. It's reaching mid-day.”
“Time can go as fast as it pleases. Witty Jack will be here soon enough.”
“And Barbossa? You still haven't told us where he is.”
Will was growing impatient, as were most of the men around him. Tia Dalma had merely sat on a rock for the entirety of their stay, throwing her stones onto the ground and chanting to herself. Placing the ones she held into her dress, she turned her head to address the man complaining to her.
“He has been taken, if you really want to know.”
Some of the other men began to crowd around, yearning for anything new to guide them. Or even entertain them.
“Taken by who? And to where? You said we would all reach the Locker one way or another.”
She smiled, standing from her rock and walking out towards the young Englishmen. He promptly stepped back.
“That I did. And we do. Fate just doesn't account for worlds beyond our borders. Not even this one.”
More of the men gathered around where Tia Dalma sat, and those who were already there listened with greater interest. Most of the Chinese sauntered off to the side, letting those who actually knew English listen instead.
“You mean another world besides our own and this one?”
“There be more to the living than us, William Turner. And there be more worlds than can be counted on any hand. Barbossa has merely taken a longer path to reach the Locker than the rest of us.”
Pintel crawled forward, moving from his lying position on the sandy beach.
“Why?”
“I do not know. Fate has many things in store for many men. Perhaps Barbossa has a hand to give in a world beyond our own.”
“Can we get him back?”
Will honestly felt bad for the man. Not that Barbossa hadn't caused him pain, but at the very least he had saved his life back at Singapore. Not only that, but he had been perfectly cordial during their voyage to the Locker, despite their past, although Will still found it hard to bear his personality.
Tia shook her head.
“I cannot say. But that is not my concern.”
“Then what is?” he asked, growing tired of her riddles and poetic explanations.
Walking over to a piece of wood lying on the beach, she bent down and picked up a small stone that was laying on top, stroking it gently with her finger.
“If there is a way for Barbossa to traverse the worlds beyond what we know...”
Putting the stone down, she picked up a larger, dark rock and threw it with ease onto the piece of driftwood, Hitting it with a force, the wood splintered when the rock made contact, almost snapping in two.
“...what is stopping another creature from doing the same?”