//------------------------------// // Walk the Plank // Story: Over the Edge and Over Again // by Perpetual Motion //------------------------------// Over the Edge and Over Again: Chapter 12 Walk the Plank Wandering through the middle of Ponyville still made the captain less than comfortable, but given his recent circumstances, he had long since gotten used to the sight of multicoloured horses. They had apparently yet to get used to him though, with a good deal of the little things still trying to wander away as he approached. But not everyone seemed seemed desperate to escape him, given that more than a few often walked along at his side, trying to sneakily get a closer look or hear what he was talking about. Then again, he didn't know whether that was because they thought he was 'cool', or because the pony walking alongside him was actually a living legend. Barbossa was heading back to see Fluttershy today. And seeing as he’d done such a good job the day before, he thought he may as well get some more of his task over and done with. His main obstacle now was pleasing Rainbow Dash, so he chose to try and please the shyer one instead. Fluttershy would surely be a lot easier to help out, and seeing as he'd pleased more than one party the day before, he didn't really feel like putting the effort in with the cyan mare, nor did he think he really needed to; he was doing better than he assumed he would. But regardless of how great an impression he'd made helping the little filly receive her mark of honour, Twilight still wouldn't let him leave the house on his own, something which caused him more than a small ounce of irritation. He was a grown man, slightly past his prime, yet a woman, likely just out of her teens, insisted on being his escort. But knowing what he now knew, assuming it was true, he'd do better to avoid the purple pony altogether. According to the book the dragon had got for him, Twilight, as well as her five friends, had defeated an immortal enchantress, a nightmare, who even their revered and all-powerful princess couldn't handle. And she was the one who chose to raise the sun each morning and set it at night! Looking back down to the pony walking alongside him, he felt...beneath her. She held a power told of in legends, as did the other five, and they were famous for it. But while he could certainly see Twilight, and perhaps even Rainbow being almighty mistresses of immense power, how could Fluttershy be one? Or the farmer? Or even the pompous bitch? And how she represented generosity, he had no idea; she'd done nothing but harass him since the moment she'd met him. The only thing she'd been generous enough to give him was a sturdy hit to the back of the head, and when he thought of generosity, he certainly didn't think of being knocked senseless to the point of unconsciousness. And the pink one didn't even that seem useful to have in a battle. He could more or less guess why she was the being of laughter, but what use would that be in a battle? How would she even be able to aid her allies? Did she divert the enemy or distract them? Then again, maybe it was metaphorical, and she used her wit to talk herself out of situations, like Jack? But in the end, it didn't really matter. As powerful as they supposedly were, he'd be gone soon, and then he could rely on his own fists to do the fighting for him. As well as his crew, cannons, swords, pistol, and anything else his he happened to have at hand. But there was something else that bothered him about this world; it was idiotic. They let a defiled goddess back onto the throne. Why in God’s name would they do that? Surely if they simply killed her, they would not only resolve the problem, but stop it from happening again? And everyone was apparently privy to the story of the lunar maiden's rise and fall, so why would any of the common beggars trust such a thing? It had tried to destroy their world. And the legend had been told for hundreds of years, yet everybody was supposedly happy to welcome the evil enchantress back with open arms. But once again, it didn't matter. Once he was gone, they could sit in ignorance all they wanted. It was their world, and if they wanted to let it fall into the realms of hell and darkness, that was up to them. But it gave him a new appreciation for the creatures that had been so lenient with him. He had been living with legends, and he'd even sparked a confrontation with them, yet they hadn't sent him to the moon or bludgeoned him to death with rainbows. Then again, if they were so powerful, so respected and feared that they could take down a goddess of the moon and sky, then why did they struggle against him? He was hardly a god among men, and even when he took into account his practically unmatched skills with a sword, it didn't add up, not in his mind at least. He barely attempted to use his sword, and they still had to resort to hitting him in the head with a branch to make any sort of progress. There was only one attacking him at the time, but the point still held water. Or maybe they were like Blackbeard; perhaps they needed some form of weapon to make use of their powers? Or maybe it was something else entirely, like wishing or through some other magical feat of pony thinking he hadn't yet heard of? It was all rather complicated. The books would have done well to explain how they actually used their powers to defeat the nightmare. All it told of was their valiant teamwork and trust towards each other. As useful as that was in any situation, it didn't really explain what the power they used actually was. Looking back down the the purple pony at his side, he let out a disgruntled sigh and cracked his knuckles. As of late, the ponies had shown no sign of wanting to cause him harm, nor did it seem like they actually could. Of course, Twilight's magic was something in itself. It was something he would actually fear if used against him. Spike had even told him about her feat of levitating a creature a thousand times the pirate's size into the air, and how she could bring anything she desired to life through will power alone. Barbossa didn't know if the small dragon exaggerated the stories, but even if they were only partially true, she sounded like something he wouldn't hope to win against. He'd have a hell of time trying though, given the opportunity. And then there was the incident with the Aztec coin. He honestly didn't know what to make of that. The curse was powerful, placed upon the gold by the heathen gods themselves; some of the most powerful beings his world could imagine. Yet Twilight had tampered with the coin so easily. The curse had overcame her own powers, sure, but she had accomplished something no man or witch doctor had ever done before her. And if Twilight was capable of that, what were the princesses of the ponies capable of? They were supposedly even more powerful than most other beings alive. He had some doubts about that, due to the nightmare’s defeat at the hands of the purple unicorn and the other Elements, but it all still seemed somewhat...overwhelming. Taking a second glance at the alien world, looking behind all the colours, looking past all the creatures with wide eyes and smiling faces, he could see that it was something he didn't want to begin trifling with. Not on his own, at least. There were gods living in their royal palace, spreading word of friendship and unity, whereas he had a fat, delusional man ruling for the sake of greed. This world had common folk being able to move the very clouds themselves. They could command the rain, sleet, hail and snow to whatever schedule they deemed proper, yet humanity was left to die in the cold and fend for themselves against the stormy horizon. This world didn't even have a death penalty for the dark and villainous to fear, yet those that crossed the line were given a fate worse than death to deal with. Behind everything he had laughed at, behind everything he had looked down upon, there were things far greater than he thought possible staring back down at him, laughing right back. A quick hoof to his right shin brought him out of his reverie. It didn't hurt, but it was enough to focus his attention on the creature that had initiated the attack. Looking down at Twilight, he waited for her to speak. “I said, do you know what you're going to do once you get there?” “Be there a need to?” he answered, “Surely she must have somethin' that needs doin'.” Twilight focused her eyes on the pirate before looking back to the route they were taking. They were close to Fluttershy's cottage, but it would take at least another five or ten minutes to get there. “You know, I get the feeling you're not learning anything from doing good deeds.” “And what de ye expect me te learn, Miss Sparkle? I've learned what needs te be learnt, and I make do with it. Can't be askin' for more than that.” “You could learn to be kinder, or more considerate of your actions.” “Aye, and a great advantage that'll give me when I get back te me own world. When the world's against ye, sayin' please and thank ye isn't goin' te go changin' their perception of what ye are.” “And what is their perception of you, exactly?” “Not the same one I have,” he said, tapping his forehead with a finger, “Every man has their own eyes, and each sees the world as a different world entirely. The beings inside it included.” Twilight looked back at him with her eyelids lowered, not overly pleased that he had side stepped her question. But then, she did enjoy it when she could talk to him on a more intellectual level. He seemed to enjoy it too, when he felt like it. “That's very philosophical, coming from you.” The pirate curtly laughed, not stopping his walk as Twilight continued to trot alongside him. “Yer lucky I'm takin' that as a compliment,” he said, not attempting to hide the malice in his voice, “I'm more than just a humble pirate, I think ye'll find.” “Really? I haven't seen much of your cultural side,” Twilight shot back, jokingly. The captain didn't take it lightly as she had though. Even if he was leaving this world forever, he didn't want his lasting impression to be completely controlled by power and fear. As good as they were, he wasn't simple minded monster. He had standards. “It may surprise ye, with yer world o' pretty colours and talkin' pets, but men in me own world seldom have the ability te read. I, however, do. More still haven't the ability te play an instrument, but I do, and no-” “You can play a musical instrument?” Twilight interjected,”Really? Which one?” Slightly taken back by her enthusiasm, Barbossa nodded in response, not sure whether to feel proud or annoyed that the unicorn was so surprised. “Aye, the violin,” he said, deliberately holding an air of arrogance as he smiled, before realising the purple mare likely had no knowledge of the instrument he was boasting about. “You play the violin?” Or...maybe she did? “Ain't touched one for nigh on fifteen years, but I'm not too disinclined te assume I can still play,” he said, before realising the contradiction in what was being discussed, “How de ye know about violins?” Twilight kept walking alongside him, giving him a queer look, not quite understanding where his question was leading. “Why wouldn't I know about violins?” “Ye have no fingers.” Widening her eyes in realisation, finally getting the feeling that she knew what he was thinking, she smiled before shaking her head. “No, we don't, but unicorns use their magic to play them. Some earth ponies can even play larger string instruments with the hooves. It isn't that hard.” The pirate sighed, clicking his tongue against his teeth. “Seems more like cheatin' if ye can use yer powers te play 'em,” he shot back. Barbossa was surprised it was a topic he was now talking so casually about. Unicorn magic sounded both utterly ridiculous, yet logically sound to him at the same time. Though, the second he left the pony lands, anything he quoted or repeated would likely be laughed at. Or, in a dire situation, have him dubbed unfit of the mind. “They're still hard to play. A unicorn can't just use their magic to do something and be great at it first time. Unless I learned beforehoof, I wouldn't be able to play the violin. I'd probably fail miserably if I tried right now.” Undecided on whether Twilight mentioned violins again to make him feel better, or to simply continue their conversation, Barbossa shrugged off her comment regardless, once again focusing on the walk to the cottage. “I should get one for you to try. It would be nice to hear you play,” Twilight chirped, not receiving any response other than a sarcastic smile that vanished from his face as quickly as it had appeared. Thinking she'd likely not get anything more out of the pirate, Twilight followed in Hector's footsteps and focused on getting to Fluttershy's. She didn't know if he was really improving, or if he even meant anything he said, but as long as he didn't cause any trouble, that was all that she could hope for at this point. He was cordial, and polite when he wanted to be, and if that was the best they could get out of him, she wasn't going to push the matter any further. He didn't seem overly kind, and he didn't seem very noble in his intentions and beliefs, but he was behaving. After walking for a few more minutes in the same silence the last leg of the trip had comprised of, the two finally arrived at the cottage. Unlike when Barbossa had last left the residence, the place was once again flourished with the presence of animals and brightly coloured creatures. One in particular seemed to take special notice as the pirate walked up the path. The little white rabbit once again stood in Barbossa's way, this time on the path itself, rather than the doorstep. While a good deal of the other animals also seemed to remember the pirate, they all appeared to go limp under his shadow, or simply scamper away before he reached them. But, much like before, the rabbit stood defiant in his path. “Hello again. Take it ye remember me?” The creature responded by crossing his arms and nodding his head. It also appeared to be scrunching it's nose and lowering it's ears. At least, he did until another creature made their way down the path he was guarding. “Now, now, Angel. Try and be nice.” Barbossa took a gander up from the bunny to see Fluttershy walking towards them. She paused when the pirate looked her way, but soon after, continued along the path towards them. The small rabbit kept his ground though, simply turning to face the yellow more instead of actually moving from his spot. “Hello, Twilight. Hello, Hector.” She smiled at her friend before doing the same to the pirate. But not the same kind of smile. The smile he received seemed more of a forced gesture, but he wasn't complaining. “Afternoon, Fluttershy. Hector says he wants to help you today.” “Oh...h-he does?” Straight to the point. The pirate reasoned it was better than attempting small talk for the next few minutes, and he did want to get his task over and done with. Fluttershy turned to face him, once again smiling. “Rarity told me what happened yesterday, with Sweetie Belle. I think that was very nice what you did.” Barbossa didn't reply, not quite sure how to. While he wasn't against doing what he did, it wasn’t like he had actively tried to be so kind. He simply sang the song to amuse the children. He wondered if they even realised he dropped out of the shanty he was meant to be singing only a few verses in. “So I've been told,” was all he ended up saying, hoping to sound, at least, uplifting rather than miserable. “They've been trying for so long, you see, and it's nice that at least one of them has finally gotten their cutie mark.” “Aye...right...” He honestly wasn't that bothered. He was somewhat pleased, if not outright proud, he had helped with such an important part in a child's life, but in the end, he didn't really care to hear their backstory or past endeavours. They weren't his children, and he'd only met them on common ground once, and even then it got off to a very chaotic start. Seeing that he was growing bored, Twilight gestured with her forehoof to get to the point. Fluttershy nodded, partially thankful they didn't have to continue the awkward conversation they were having. “So...what do you want to help me with?” “Anythin',” he said, moving his hands out to the world around him, trying to emphasise his point. "Except singin'.” “Anything?” Fluttershy took a moment to look at her guests, biting the tip of her bottom lip. After a few seconds, she raised her head and flew back into her house. Confused, the captain looked down at Twilight before she simply shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. Around a minute of waiting later, the yellow pegasus strolled out with a piece of paper between her teeth. Shaking it towards the pirate, he exhaled through his mouth and took it into his hand. It was a poster. “Please help save the animals. If ye have the time te spare, come help build some new homes for the poor, little creatures. They would be ever so happy to receive yer help...” Barbossa reluctantly recited, reading directly from the poster in his grasp. “You want him to help build some animal shelters?” “Well, I didn't know what else he could do for me. And...and only two other ponies were there last time I checked. I only came back because they said I could use a break.” Twilight frowned. It was true that not many ponies were overly charitable, but with the community living so near a forest, she thought there would be at least more than two willing to help. If she'd known about the event, and didn't have an alien pirate in her home and his problems to deal with, she would likely have helped out for a short while too. “I'm sure he could manage that, right Hector?” While he wanted to point out she was basically deciding his fate for him, physical labour was something he could actually do without a hassle. It was a task and goal he could aim to complete, and once it was done, that's what it was; done. Simple. “It sounds reasonable enough,” he said casually, glancing back over the poster, which also had a rather large image of an overly sad rabbit with its front paws held out, begging, emblazoned below the plead. If he did this for Fluttershy, his only obstacle left would be Rainbow. He also considered Twilight as part of his list, but given that she'd likely be pleased with a few colourful accounts of his life, as well as some common facts, she'd likely be easy to deal with. “Oh, then would you mind if we went now? The others are probably still on their own.” “If we must,” he said nonchalantly, nodding his head. It honestly didn't matter when they went, seeing as he'd came to do his duty. Maybe it would even be somewhat enjoyable. While he was far from gifted at the craft, woodwork was something he could handle. “Do you want to come, Twilight?” As much as she wanted to, she really couldn't. As much work as the princesses were apparently doing with research on their end, Twilight still needed to sort some things out on hers. The royal sisters had more material at the castle, but Twilight still had some books that her mentor didn't. There was also the issue of getting her regular duties sorted, as well as organising everything she had learned about her new lodger thus far. “Sorry, I've got some things to do today. I only really came to make sure Hector didn't cause trouble on the way here.” “Oh, that's okay. I know you have a lot of things to do,” Fluttershy agreed, looking knowingly at the pirate. Twilight smiled at her friend before turning to the human being in question. “And if you cause trouble for Fluttershy, you know what will happen to you. I'm trusting you to behave while I'm not around.” Nodding and waving a hand in the air, he used the other to pat the purple unicorn on the head, making sure to use slightly more force than needed. He inwardly laughed to himself as he looked down at the now slightly deformed look on her face, as she snorted and exhaled air slowly through her clenched teeth. “Aye, aye. I'll be on me best behaviour, mother,” he mockingly said, still wrinkling Twilight's coat and face as she he continued to pat her head. Forcefully moving away from his grip, and scrunching her eyes over and over to get rid of the feeling in her face, Twilight turned once again to Fluttershy. Despite her worries, the yellow mare nodded confidently, striking a stiff pose and a smile. Maybe she did undervalue Fluttershy too much? The pegasus had dealt with worse creatures than Barbossa. “Are you're sure you'll be okay?” “We'll be fine, Twilight. I'm sure he won't do anything too reckless.” It was him doing anything at all that worried her, but in the end, if Fluttershy said she could cope, then Twilight had to have faith in her. Nodding to her friend once again, and then giving a stern look to the pirate, Twilight said her farewells and trotted off, looking behind her back more than once before disappearing out of sight. As Fluttershy swiftly flew back into her woodland home, the captain patiently waited for his taskmaster to return. The rabbit once again continued to stare at him, pointing to his caretaker’s house before shaking his head from side to side. “If ye think yer threatenin' me, ye'd best start rethinkin' yer strategy. I've seen fiercer things than the likes of you on the underside o' me boots.” Despite his witty retort, Barbossa realised he was still actively trying to threaten a mute rabbit, something that, even in this strange world, seemed utterly ridiculous to him. Not willing to indulge in the one sided conversation any longer, he simply waited for Fluttershy to return, which only took around another few minutes of his time. The only difference was that, when she did appear, she sported a brown saddle bag at her sides, which had her mark stitched directly into he fabric. “A-are you ready?” She sounded nervous, too. Maybe with Twilight around him, she had less to worry about. Or perhaps Barbossa was just as imposing as he liked to think he was. “May as well be,” he answered, trying to sound less than threatening, if only to help the situation, “Where we doin' this?” “It's not far. It's near Everfree, actually.” Releasing a gruff sigh, he simply nodded and walked forward, leaving Fluttershy in his wake. Scurrying after him, she walked at his left hand side, occasionally looking up at him before moving her head away. After few minutes of walking, and Fluttershy still insisting on looking towards his head every now and then, the pirate rolled his head back before directing his gaze down at the squeamish mare. “There be somethin' ye want, or does the ground really interest ye as much as me face?” She jumped, hopping along the ground for a spell before tripping over her own hooves. Getting her balance back and refusing to fall, she looked back towards the ground, shaking her head. “N-no. I was just wondering about your monkey. He must miss you.” The captain was surprised. He didn't think any of them had given thought to what he'd left behind in his own world. Fluttershy had just earned herself an ounce of respect, whether Barbossa wanted to admit to it to her or not. “Jack's fine. He'll find his way back te me shoulder eventually.” It was true, of course. He always found a way back to his shoulder. He often wondered if it was some sort of symbolic link, or simply the monkey seeking out the cursed coin in his master's pocket. Either way, it proved useful. It proved disheartening too. He hadn't thought much about what he'd left behind, partially due to his belief he would soon be back amongst his own kind. But he did miss Jack. He liked having a pet by his side, and the little monkey was certainly one of a kind. Expecting her to ask more of his pet, Barbossa blinked as she suddenly jumped up in the air and glided away. Following her form, he saw her heading towards two other creatures in the distance before landing in between them. There also appeared to be a few tables scattered around the grass, from what he could see. Continuing his walk towards the construction area, which was up a small incline, he watched as two strangers looked towards him before turning back to Fluttershy. One looked nervous, he had to admit, but the other one didn't seem to care all that much, simply nodding and moving back to his, or her, work station. Finally arriving a good minute behind the yellow mare, he trundled up to where she stood, somewhat tired. He could easily run further distances, or even up the hill itself, but walking it just seemed to tire him out quicker. The other two walked up to him, standing next to Fluttershy, seemingly interested in his presence. Why the hell not, everybody bloody else seemed to be. “Oh, hello! You're the thing staying with Twilight Sparkle? The one from far away?” The first to approach him was a stallion, the first one he'd properly had the chance to meet since arriving in Ponyville. Compared to most of his peers, he was a rather sensible set of colours, having a light brown coat and a darker shade of brown colouring his mane. He had light blue eyes too, something else that seemed oddly out of place in this absurd world. The mark on his arse was an hourglass, and a rather fine time piece it was too, having what appeared to be a set of gold holds at each end. “Ye could go about sayin' that. Captain Barbossa,” he said, momentarily raising his eyebrows and tilting his head forward before pushing his hands into his pockets. The little pony didn't reply, and instead just chose to stare at the captain as he stood there. “Yeah, that's...that's kind of weird,” he replied, waving a hoof half heartedly in the air, “Anyway, I'm Time Turner.” Barbossa paused at the stallion's name, trying to hold back the smirk sneaking on to his lips. While the resemblance to young William's name was somewhat amusing, he found it more interesting still that the name sounded reasonably...sane, at least compared to Pinkie Pie or Fluttershy. Feeling he had greeted the brown horse with a decent amount of respect, he turned to the other one. This one was a female pegasus, and she had a light grey coat and a blonde mane. In context, she also seemed much less flamboyant compared to the rest of the beings Barbossa had met. Her eyes were slightly out of joint, pointing in different directions, but at least they were both her own. Her mark appeared to be a batch of blue...balls? Marbles? “I-I'm Ditzy Doo,” was all she said, seemingly attempting to avoid eye contact, even though her right eye was looking right at him. Rather than awkwardly reintroduce himself, the human instead nodded and turned to face Fluttershy. Whether his company was decent or not, he still had to complete his charity work, and the sooner it was done, the sooner he could leave. He didn't know what he would do once he actually did finish, but there was surely something, somewhere out there that would amuse him. “All we need to do is cut the wood into smaller pieces, and use them to construct the habitats.” The pirate looked towards the pile of timber she was pointing towards. Needless to say, there was quite a bit of it. At least ten or so individual pieces, and each of them were around two metres long, piled up in stacks. “And...I have te do...all of it?” “I know it seems like a lot, but the wood isn't that hard to cut, and if you did this, then we could get busy doing the actual constructing.” He looked at the other two, who simply nodded at him, agreeing with the yellow mare's point. But the pirate liked to know what he was up against, and while he could simply take their word for it, he did want some inclination of how long it would take. “And ye've made how many?” “We've made eleven, soon to be twelve,” answered Turner with a smile, motioning towards a half built structures on his table. “In how long? And usin' how many timbers?” Ditzy looked towards her friend before scrunching her eyes together and tapping her hooves on the ground. “We used up three timbers in about two hours. B-but not all the things are the same size.” Barbossa let his hands find their way to his face, before he rubbed his forehead and eyes. Two hours to use up three timbers? That would amount to at least seven or eight hours work. How could building hutches take so long? Seeing Barbossa's thought process played out by his actions, Fluttershy worriedly shook her head, tapping her forehooves on the ground in front of him. “B-but with your help, I'm sure we'll get done twice as fast. Right guys?” Time Turner merely shrugged his shoulders. “We'll have to see what he can do then. Come on then, Mr. Barbossa, chop chop,” he said before laughing to himself, “Get it? Because it's...it's, it's chopping?” Ditzy shook her head, half closing her eyes before moving to his side. Watching the two ponies walk towards the table with the half built structure on top, Barbossa took a deep breath before begrudgingly turning back to Fluttershy. The brown one was going to annoy him. He was sure of it. “Just show me what I'm doin'.” Lowering her eyes, Fluttershy sighed before leading Barbossa to a second table, positioned next to the piles of wood, as well as a small set of tools that were sat on the grass. There were only a few saws, but along with their smaller size, the human also saw the handles were very different from what he was used to. They were cupped at the end, and had straps attached to the sides. He had a a fairly good idea of why they were there. “How am I meant te use these bloody things? There's no handle!” he said, trying to keep his rant from reaching the ears from the other two. “Oh...um...” Fluttershy looked at the saws, picking one up and examining it before checking the pirate's hands. Looking back down at the tool, she put it back onto the ground before going over to the other table. After talking to the grey mare, she came back with what appeared to be an axe. “This isn't as safe, but...I-I guess you could use this...” She lowered it into his grasp before pulling it away, apparently look down the road they'd came before staring back at the pirate. “I-if you promise not to hurt...anypony.” Grumbling under his breath, wondering why she thought he'd suddenly go on a equine killing spree with an axe, he nodded his head and held out his hand. “Aye, aye, cross me 'eart and hope te bloody fly, just give me the damn tool,” he replied, sounding more sarcastic than actually threatening. The mare obliged, despite his poor rendition of Pinkie's promise, and taking it into his grasp, he noted that, once again, the axe was much like any axe from his world. The head was made of stone rather than iron, but from what he could tell, it was sharpened enough to cut through tree bark, though he doubted it would last very long. The only other oddity was the teeth and bite marks at the base of the wooden handle. “Ye chop wood with yer teeth?” “Well, yes, we have strong enough teeth, but some ponies just prefer doing it the old fashioned way. No one turned up to use it though.” Despite how the situation was going, Barbossa could at least see the creature in front of him was thoughtful, going as far as to bring different tools for the sake of a complete stranger. Despite he himself being the number one charity he supported, there had to be something said for those who helped the poor. He could respect them for being fair, if nothing else. “And ye just want these chopped?” “Yes. And each piece should be about...this big,” she said, pointing to an already clean cut piece of wood, “and after you've cut them by length a few times, you then do the same by width. Then one of us will sand it or cut it to the needed size before we use the rest to make a little house.” “So just cut 'em in te bits, an' then those bits in te two?” If she'd asked him to do that, he could have simply got on with it, rather than have to stand and listen to the whole process of making an over zealous birdhouse. “Yes, basically. Is that okay?” Unsure why she was asking if his punishment was okay or not, he merely nodded and cracked his shoulders, took off his hat and large jacket, and tossed them onto a nearby tree stump. Flinching at the crunching of his bones, Fluttershy let herself shiver before trotting away. She wandered back to the other bench before apparently doing her own task. Picking up the axe with both hands, spinning it around in his grasp, Barbossa smiled and launched the head of the tool into on of the timbers, which had already been partially cut into segments, forcing a loud grunt out from his mouth. Letting his arms follow the weight of the stone, the tool suddenly stopped, wedging itself in between the layers of the wood. Pulling the axe free, after a few moments of struggling, he did the same again, this time cutting the log in two. Balancing the cut piece on its side, he then did the same again, falling forward as the wood split apart into two halves, rather easier than he expected it to. They weren't perfect halves, but there wasn't anything obviously uneven on either side. Deciding it wouldn't take him as long as he thought it would, he cracked his neck before once again launching at the wood, showing his teeth as he smiled a toothy grin. He mindlessly continued with the task for a little over two hours, finding some cuts of wood much harder to cut than others. Looking over at all the wood he'd successfully cut, the pirate wiped his brow before looking at what was left. Only two. He wondered how it could have possibly taken them so long to simply get through three, but after noticing that barely any of the wood he'd spent so long cutting had left the new pile, he gathered building took up more of their time. That, and he wagered cutting wood was probably easier for him; he was taller, and likely had an easier time grabbing hold of the tool itself. Ready to begin once again, rather tired and growing somewhat bored of his task, Barbossa stopped when he noticed a shadow appearing on the ground next to him. Not really in the mood to humour the horses, he attempted to push his frustration down, not wanting to raise his voice if he could avoid it. He slowly turned to see Turner stood next to the pile of cut logs, smiling. “Aye?” Barbossa asked, widening his eyes slightly at the stallion. “Can I see your teeth?” The captain allowed himself a few seconds to grasp what he'd been asked before responding. Maybe the heat of hard labour after doing nothing for the past few days was finally getting to him. “What?” “Your teeth. You know, your gnashers, your bridgework, chompers, pearly...uh, whites. Your teeth.” Unsure of what to make of the question, the pirate complied, bearing his teeth in a less that kind manner to the stallion. Rather too happily, Time then waltzed up to the pirate, closing one eye as he used the other to peer into his face. “Oh, this is...surprising, I guess. Never knew Ditzy was this observant. She does have her little moments though; she's nice like that.” Closing his mouth, forcefully pulling himself out of the pony's glare, Barbossa picked up the axe and held it back over his shoulder with one hand. “And what be so surprising?” The brown stallion, seemingly coming out of his daydream, worriedly looked up at the captain, trying his best to put on a reassuring smile. “Oh...nothing. Nothing at all. Sorry to take up your time.” Cantering away from the pirate, coming away with the small pieces of wood he'd originally went for, Time Turner left the grumbling creature on his own, letting the man get on with the job he'd been assigned. Sitting himself back down next to his bubbly friend, Time endured as Ditzy continuously poked at his side, whispering his name over and over again. He merely smiled, letting her continue before she lost patience and moved her head in front of his. “Well?” “Yes, he has got some pointed teeth, so yes, he likely does eat some meat. I'm surprised you even noticed his teeth, actually.” “I just thought they looked weird. And black.” “Yeah, they weren't black, but they were pretty vile. His skin wasn't too nice to look at either. Full of little holes and scars. Doesn't matter all that much though.” “What do you mean? He eats meat. He might be dangerous,” Ditzy delicately whispered, shifting her good eye towards the tall creature holding an axe within his grasp. Turner followed he gaze, silently agreeing with her. At least to some extent. “Yes, but Fluttershy said she could vouch for him. And if he actually ate ponies, I doubt he'd last long living with Twilight. I don't know her that well, but something tells me she might not be the kind of pony to let others get eaten, especially while the being doing the eating slept in her house.” Ditzy looked at her friend, frowning ever so slightly as she pondered what he was saying. “So...you're not worried? At all?” “Maybe a little,” he admitted, “I mean, I wouldn't trust him any more than any other stranger, but he doesn't seem that bad.” The grey mare once again tilted her head to face the pirate, pulling her bottom lips over her top one as she sat there, staring at him. He was just cutting the wood, like he'd been doing for the past few hours. “I mean, you've talked to Miles quite a bit. You've met him at work well over fifty times, and he hasn't once tried to eat you.” “Griffins are different.” “How so?” he kindly shot back, smiling, knowing that he'd won the argument, “If Mr. Lanky Limbs over there lived solely on meat, all his teeth would have been pointy.” “But you said they weren't.” “Exactly,” he said, hold the first letter of the word as long as he could, “which means he eats other foods as well. Which also means he has a similar diet to a griffin. Which also means, he has just as low a chance of eating you as a griffin does.” “Not really. I mean, you can't just assume he has the same diet as a griffin because he has some spiky teeth,” she answered back, teasing the stallion with an impression of his own voice, when relevant. Ready to answer back, Time stopped when he realised he didn't have much else to say, seeing as he, actually, knew next to nothing about the creature apart from his name and status as an omnivore. “Well, yeah, I suppose...” “And I know I'm not the smartest pony,” she said, rubbing a fetlock with her hoof, “but I haven't heard of anything like him. He might have different beliefs and stuff wherever he's from.” Time sat there once again, not quite sure how to respond to his friend's, unusually, logical thought pattern. Then again, she wasn't as dimwitted as a lot of other ponies seemed to think she was, and he felt privileged in knowing he got to see more of her than anypony else did. “He...he might, but I'm willing to give him a chance. I mean, if Fluttershy has faith in him, I can't see the harm in giving him the same benefit of the doubt.” Ditzy had to agree there. As weird and, frankly, scary as Captain Barbossa seemed, Fluttershy seemed okay with him, or as fine as she would be with anypony else she didn't know that well. “And he didn't stare at my eyes...” Most ponies or griffins did, but the captain didn't. She was painfully aware it was an obvious trait that most ponies could name her by, but Barbossa didn't even seem bothered by it. If anything, that was a nice change to have when meeting something new, even if he didn't mean to do it. The pair continued to chat idly about the human for a while longer, still awkwardly trying to recreate the design of the hutches with their forehooves. However, Fluttershy, Time and Ditzy all turned to face the pirate, hearing an audible thud, as well as a content sigh, emanating from his direction. He was making his way over, carrying his jacket in one of his arms and wearing his hat on the top of his head. “There. Done. All the wood's been cut.” Looking behind him to the pile of freshly chopped wood, Fluttershy blinked before looking up at him. “You did all of it. Already?” “Aye, and as that's all ye required, I'm goin',” he proclaimed, jovially sauntering off the way he'd came, putting on his jacket on at the same time, flexing each hand as they made it through the long sleeves. Widening her eyes and shaking her head, the yellow mare flew up in the air and landed in front of him, standing her ground once she was safely on it. “But we haven't finished yet. You could help build the homes. I'm sure the animals would appreciate it.” “I'd rather not, if I'm talkin' from honesty'.” He'd arrived, and done his work on the belief that was all he had to do. She hadn't mentioned he would actually be building the houses. She had even said herself that he'd cut while they built. As far as he was concerned, he was done. They just had some serious catching up to do. Fluttershy watched a cocky smile creep on to his face as he moved around her, heading back down towards her cottage. Not quite sure what to do, she once again flew up into the air, landing at his feet. This time she landed with a harder force, spreading a tiny cloud of dirt and dust into the air. “And if you stay, we're going to have a picnic,” she happily said, regaining her usual calm composure,”You'll get some sandwiches and a cake from Pinkie and...” Once again walking around the mare, he waved a hand in the air before putting the other in his pocket. While he'd enjoyed the chopping to some extent, it wasn't something he'd choose to do. He knew he'd likely get in trouble with Twilight for leaving and going against the yellow mare's wishes, but he had done the work he was asked to do. It wasn't like singing; this actually involved a certain amount of effort, and it was obvious none of the ponies living nearby wanted to do what he had done. And he could have left at any point during his task, but he didn't. He finished the chopping, and even told the mare he was leaving, despite the fact that he could have easily snuck off while she was embroiled in her own work. “I'll tell the princess.” Stopping in his tracks, he slowly clenched his hand into a fist, letting it fall from the air and down to his side. Letting the whites of his knuckle show, he quietly growled to himself and turned around, sighing, before making his way back up the incline he'd just walked down. Twilight was one thing, but Celestia didn't seem like a pushover. Not after what he'd read. The meat she'd promised him still hadn't arrived either, nor had Twilight confirmed that the princess had even sent him any. He didn't honestly know if it was fear or gluttony that compelled him to walk back towards Fluttershy, but his pride wouldn't accept it being anything except the latter. As he walked back towards the work site, both hands now shoved into his trouser pockets, he passed the yellow mare that had been calling out to him. She had a stern look on her face, much unlike the smiles or shy expressions he'd seen before. “It seems yer not as big a pushover as I first thought ye te be, little Fluttershy,” he said, smiling as he marched passed, “Pity.” Unsure of whether to take what he said as a compliment or not, she instead chose to go fetch the saddlebag filled with food that she'd brought along with her. Perhaps if he had something to eat, he'd be in a better mood. She hadn’t intended to sound mean, but there was barely anypony to help as it was, and if he left, it would take the rest of them longer before they could go home. Barbossa was supposed to be being nice to her too, so saying she'd tell the princess wasn't completely uncalled for. She hoped. Unrolling a blanket and placing it on the ground, she ushered the volunteers and Barbossa over, and after each of them sat down, she pushed a small, wicker box in front of each of them. While the others simply opened the small boxes and ate their food, the captain looked at his, holding the box in both of his hands. Eyeing with a curious gaze, he laid out on the grass before carefully opening it. He clicked at his teeth with his tongue, seeing that there was nothing but two sandwiches and a rather sizable, swirling pastry with icing, raisins and a cherry on top resting inside. Frowning at his meal, he picked out the sandwiches and checked in between the slices, only to find his filling was a red jam in one, and nothing but butter in the other. Looking at the others, he felt somewhat cheated, as they appeared to have some sort of salad, as well as what could possibly have been cheese. “Why did ye give me a child's fillin'?” Sitting on her haunches, Fluttershy moved a hoof across the dirt, drawing little circles while the Time and Ditzy sat there, silently comparing their sandwiches to the pirate's. “Well...I didn't know what you'd like to eat and I don't have any....any meat, so I used what I could. Twilight never said you ate flowers or many vegetables, and Pinkie made you a much bigger cake though...” “Flowers?” Once again looking at their sandwiches, and seeing that the filling was actually more flora than actual salad, he sighed and settled to eat his childish meal. It was better than nothing anyway. Taking a slice from each sandwich, he swapped the two around so that both were now filled with a mixture of fruit and butter; it was more interesting than the two apart. After eating his two sandwiches in less than four bites, he moved onto the cake, which also seemed rather childish, despite its size. But then again, he'd never had cakes all that often, so he was pleased to be having it as a treat, if he was honest. They went out of taste that much quicker than most other foods, and if they got wet, they were less than pleasant to eat. Biting into in to the cake, he savoured the first bite for a few moments. It was moist, sweet, and, actually, a rather a fine thing to eat. But still more or less happy to eat it in as few bites as possible, he was soon done with his small, yet somewhat filling meal. Although he was slightly surprised to see that the others had barely even eaten their sandwiches. “You've finished? Already?” the grey mare asked. “Aye, what of it?” Barbossa knew he wasn't acting as pleasant as he had been, but the revelation that even Fluttershy had sway over him rattled in his mind. He'd get over it soon, just like everything else that had happened, but it didn't stop him being annoyed for the time being. “N-nothing. Just thought I'd start a conversation.” Barbossa eyed the mare opposite him, still gnawing away at one of her sandwiches. He waited for Ditzy to try again before Turner spoke up in her steed. “Would you have preferred something else? Fish?” The brown stallion didn't know as much about animals as Fluttershy did, but he knew, at the very least, a lot of omnivorous creatures used fish as a mean source of meat in their diet. They ate most other meats, but seeing as Ditzy seemed a little anxious, he didn't fancy bringing up red or white meats. The yellow mare sat next to Turner looked up from her food with a slight look of worry, letting her pupils switch between the brown pony and the human. “Would have been preferable te jam.” “Any particular kind?” Barbossa took a second to think, rather curious himself about the answer he would give. He had fish that often, it wasn't really something he adored to eat any more. It wasn't anything special, especially after over thirty years at sea. “I be a man o' the ocean, Mr...Turner,” the pirate finished, struggling to keep a stern face as he pictured young William as a horse, “All fish taste the same after it's the only food open te ye.'” Not quite sure of what else to ask, the two ponies looked to Fluttershy for guidance, but when she merely shook her head, the three ponies continued with their picnic. They talked amongst themselves occasionally, taking their time with their food, leaving their guest to his own devices. He just sat there, watching the world around him, before eventually choosing to lie down on the grass. But when the ponies, after a little under an hour of eating and talking, finally finishing their food, the captain pushed himself off the ground as Fluttershy stood over him, motioning her head towards his next working location. “You're eager,” Time shouted over. It wasn't so much being eager, but more wanting to have his work finished. He knew it wouldn't be hard, and it likely wouldn't be too arduous, so going about it with a more positive attitude couldn't hurt. Besides, after an hour of sitting around, simply looking at the sky, he didn't have much to complain about. Not yet, anyway. “Aye. Very.” Bringing Barbossa over to the same table the others were on, Fluttershy began pointing and showing him how to sand the wood and make the homes. She made use of her teeth to tie and pull the rope, but the pirate couldn't help but think she wasn't bred for this kind of work. It all seemed rather basic to him, yet overly difficult for her. “You take the rope, and tie it around two pieced like that. Then once you've made two of them, you put another pieces at the top, bottom and behind. Got that?” The captain raised an eyebrow at her explanation. It seemed quite simple once he'd been shown what to do. Almost easy, in fact. The way she described made it sound overly complicated though, so he ignored most of it. “What'll be the animals livin' in 'em?” he asked, curious, seeing as he'd never been told how big the things inside were going to be. “Oh, this isn't the only kind we're making, these are just the kind I want you to build. We're making nests and ten larger homes too. And tomorrow I'm going to help dig some new burrows for those who don't want a home built for them.” “Yer goin' very far for some mindless, woodland creatures.” “They're not mindless. They need care and love just like anypony else. I'm just giving them a little help.” The pirate nodded before sitting on the ground, facing the table he was about to begin working on. She put too much work in to helping others, but that was hardly something he couldn't respect, even if just a little. She was apparently the bearer of kindness, after all. She was like a relaxed nun or priest. She wasn't a complete push over, he'd discovered, but he couldn't see Fluttershy taking charge of anything for herself. If she did, there'd be more helpers here already. If anything that made her strength her weakness as well. Letting her trot away, and after having fetched enough wood for himself, he got to work creating the homes. It took him considerably less time to make one than it did the ponies, but he put that down to his fingers more than anything else. In the time that it took her to make one, and show him the ropes, he had almost made three. Not of very high quality, but he believed the tighter knots more than made up for it. Looking at the pile of wood to his side, he pushed the newest home across the table, picking up the next lot of wood. It was going to be a while. Eventually, two or three hours had passed, or so he assumed, and he was in the middle of the final wooden home. He had gotten better, but only during the last dozen or so. It didn't really matter how good they were, but the fact he'd almost finished made him feel rather proud of himself. Tying the last knot and chipping a splinter of with his nail, he tossed it on to the pile with the rest, standing up as soon as it left his hands. The sun was still in the sky, but given how long he'd been there, he guessed it would be no more than a few hours before it set. But then again, who knew? The princess could leave it there all night if she wanted too. Then again, the lunar princess would probably begin another rebellion if she did. But the air was cool, and the slight breeze in the air all but confirmed the day was getting on, even if the sun wasn't. Noticing the others were also near completion of their projects, he once again walked up to Fluttershy, ready to leave. However, this time, he played the game with a less arrogant look on his face, assuming it would play better in is favour. “There. I've done yer houses. As many as the wood would allow, and to a desirable standard, I'm sure.” Realising what he was getting at, she shook her head. “We have to wait until the animals move in. What if there's something wrong with a home and the poor dear can't fix it?” The pirate sneered, turning around as he brought up his palms to rub his cheeks and forehead. Struggling to fight the enticing voice at the back of his head, the one eagerly informing him to just bugger off, he twisted his neck and turned back to Fluttershy, attempting to muster, what very few would consider, a smile. “Can't ye handle that with the other two,” he struggled to mumble in the kindest voice he could manage, “I'm sure they'd be more than willin' te help.” “But they're going in a minute; they've already stayed much longer than I originally asked. And I'd really appreciate it if you stayed. I'm sure Twilight and the princess would be proud of you too.” He couldn't tell if she was blackmailing him or genuinely trying to make him stay out of goodwill. But given the princess wanted him to choose his punishment, he doubted leaving would impress her. Plus, he still wanted something decadent and meaty to eat, and she was supplying it. “How long?” “Only forty minutes or so at the very most. After that you can go. I promise.” He nodded in return, begrudging accepting her terms, seeing as he now had a definite time to set his mind too. Still standing next to Fluttershy, he turned around as he heard the brown stallion clearing his throat. “Well, it was nice meeting you Mr. Barbossa, but we have to be off. Places to be and all that,” he chirped, looking up to the pirate with a cheeky grin on his face. “Yeah, it...it was nice meeting you,” Ditzy agreed, shining a weak smile as she looked down towards the ground. Exchanging nothing more than a nod and a sociable wave, Barbossa watched the ponies leave the work site. He would have likely smiled at their leave, had he been in a better state of mind, but that couldn't be changed now. Looking around the barren work area, apart from his own work table, the others had been put away, stacked up near where Barbossa had cut the timbers, as had most of the tools. Fluttershy was tending to the rest. Deciding he had nothing better to be getting on with, Barbossa sat down on the grass and stretched his legs. The day had been long, and somewhat laborious, but at least he was free of the work now. Something could go wrong, but if it would only take forty minutes at the most, he didn't really care. He'd been there all day, and a little under an hour more wasn't going to kill him. In retrospect, he'd made the day of crafting out to be much worse than it actually was. While it was far from what he'd call enjoyable, it was good to get his old muscles moving again. But everyone could say that about something they'd completed; hindsight was a wonderful thing like that. It was still a bloody pain while he was doing it. Moving his focus back up to Fluttershy, the good captain looked around the landscape, searching for anything close to a small animal that would live in what he'd built. Needless to say, there weren't many. “They know when to arrive? Ye train the animals te come at yer call?” “I just sent a little bird of to get them. They'll all be here soon.” Unsure of whether to take the animals, or the ponies themselves, in this world seriously or not, he nodded in response and continued to sit there on the grass. He took many things with a pinch of salt these days. It made the things he read and saw easier to accept. After a few minutes of lounging on the green grass, Fluttershy came and sat next to him. “Can I ask about Jack?” The captain rolled his eyes, turning his head back towards the sky, before realising she likely meant his pet monkey rather than petty hate. “If ye must.” “Have you had him long?” “Over a decade at least. He were wi' me before we took the gold.” “Gold?” Right, she wasn't there for Twilight's little episode. He found it surprising that the others hadn't told her about the curse, yet had chose to mention that he'd gave the unicorn a tattoo. Maybe they weren't going to tell her? He appreciated that, to an extent. “Ask Miss Sparkle; I'm sure she'd tell ye if ye care enough te listen.” Not wanting to stop talking about something she thought she had in common with the pirate, Fluttershy tapped her hoof on the ground, trying to think of anything to keep him speaking with her. “Does he do any tricks?” Tilting his head in her direction, he let a curt smile rest on his lips, holding back a raspy chuckle as he stroked at his beard and chin. At least she was talking about something he liked for a change. “He can't die. Rather fine trick if ye ask me.” Fluttershy didn't respond right away. Barbossa wondered if she'd even heard his response, but that thought was soon laid to rest. “He...he can't die?” she reluctantly enquired, hesitantly looking into his eyes “Really?” She clearly didn't believe him, but he continued to talk about it none the less. She'd believe him after talking to Twilight, or so he assumed. “Aye. Cursed by the gods themselves. Mighty useful trait te have in a pet, 'specially when yer a man o' the open ocean.” “How so?” “He don't need feedin', nor does he die if harmed in a crossfire. Plus he'll live as long as yer days, and longer still if he takes te ye properly.” “That must be nice.” “Havin' a faithful pet?” “No, having a pet that can't die. It must be...nice.” Even Barbossa could tell the yellow pegasus at his side sounded sad. He was hardly sure, but with as many animals as she seemed accustomed too, more than one must have died in the past. Maybe even more than a few, if they were all wild. “'Tis a fine thing, to be sure, but not without consequence. Eternal youth don't come without a shortage o' somethin' else, and the gold sacrifices feelin' te the one under it.” “Doesn't he mind?” “He were the one who chose te take the curse after losin' it. I'd say he doesn't care.” “Is he a cute monkey?” The captain raised an eyebrow, unsure of how to answer. Even if he did describe things as cute, he didn't know if Jack would still be considered so in this world, especially after everything he'd seen in it. Then again, both monkeys he'd owned had a charm to them. Polly would have to be classed as the cuter one though. “He's a fair thing, but I wouldn't go callin' 'im cute, 'specially not when he's bein' seen durin' the night. Keeps me company though.” Wanting to follow up on Jack, somewhat intrigued to see a more pony side to the alien, Fluttershy was instead occupied by the small number of creatures coming through the various trees and up the hill. Watching the mare fly off to meet them, Barbossa stood up and slipped his hands into his pockets. As the pegasus guided the animals into the different wooden structures they'd built, the captain watched from further back, somewhat melancholic about his situation. He did miss the little monkey. He'd never admit to how sad he actually felt, but he did miss the wee thing. Jack was grand company, and enjoyable to have around. He missed a lot, now that he thought about it. Meat for one, as well as not being bound to so many rules and regulations. And animals that didn't talk back at him. And animals that weren't every colour under and over the rainbow. But Jack was always here, at the back of his mind, reminding him that he was, once again, in a place the little monkey couldn't reach him. But he'd get back soon. The pirate was sure of it. He could feel it in his bones. And as for the other problems, as bad as they were, he still had the meat to look forward too. Not that he expected a lot of it, but it was something to look forward to, all the same. He liked having something to strive for, to look forward too. Even in his own world, it made the days feel better than they actually were. Still absent-mindedly watching Fluttershy guide the animals into their respected hutched and pens, the man hesitated to smile as he saw that the mare was now trotting towards him with a smile on her own face. “Not all the animals are happy to be in a new home, but the ones that are say they are very thankful. Especially the shrews.” “So I can go? Yer pleased with me now?” He didn't expect a 'no' as the answer, but he still wanted to ask. Even if she said no, there wasn't anything he could do about it. Hurting the most diffident being he'd met, in any world, likely wouldn't go down well for him. “I know you didn't want to be here, and I know I said I'd tell the princess on you, but you could still have gone. I'm sure the princess wouldn't have put you in jail for not helping me here, but you still stayed. So...thank you for helping today.” Barbossa had some doubts as to whether Celestia would be as forgiving as the mare implied, but he'd only met the royal sister once, and Fluttershy did know her better than him. He still wanted to stay wary though, both based on his stomach and the books he'd been reading. Watching as Fluttershy packed away the final table, somehow folding it away and placing it in a pile with the others, Barbossa made his way back down the incline he'd came up earlier that day, rather pleased to be going down it for the final time. He still had to walk back to his temporary home, but it wasn't that long of a walk. If he walked at his normal pace, it wouldn't take much longer than twenty minutes. Seeing Fluttershy flying towards him, Barbossa looked over his shoulder as the pegasus landed, quite shakily, at his side, cantering along the ground rather quickly before slowing to a walk. “Ye leavin' the tables and tools?” In his world, they'd likely be gone by now, becoming the thief's own possession or the lining to their pockets. But it would take two men to lift the table, so he didn't really think a pony could manage a whole one on their own, let alone three or four. Though there was the big one from the farm. Or the unicorns. “I only borrowed them. They'll get picked up later tonight.” Probably the unicorns. It would be awkward, at best, for two or three ponies to carry them down the hill and back to town. “Thank you again for helping me today,” Fluttershy said out of the blue, “I really do appreciate it.” “I were only doin' what I were told. It's best te learn when obeyin' an' order is the best course o' action, especially when yer in a situation the likes of mine.” Fluttershy smiled at him, hoping for a moment he hadn't seen her. Hector was greedy, mean, and eager to be insulting when could. He'd sent Rainbow to hospital, broke Twilight's ribs, and...revealed her own preferences to her unicorn friend as well, simply for the sake of doing so. But he wasn't completely horrible at making up for it. So far, at the very least. She'd need time, but he wasn't a horrible soul. Far from it. “If you say so, Hector,” Fluttershy nodded, “If you say so.”