Our new Friends, Our new Enemies

by The Potato Guy

Chapter 23: Ocean vacation

Rainbow Dash

Flying was a beautiful, liberating feeling.

Every time Rainbow Dash ascended into the clouds, her wings outstretched and open to the wind, she could only feel the bliss and weightless that came from flight. Quite literally so, the physical feeling of it was enough for Rainbow to instantly feel relaxed.

Now however, that was a feeling cruelly taken from her. Still, after a week in this equally cruel world, no function from her wings had been returned to her. They felt physically fine, but that benefit extended to only comfort alone. Right now, they were merely feathered appendages.

Until now, that limitation had weighed heavy upon her mind. Every moment cursing that she was removed of the ability of flying. Now though, even if only temporarily, such depressive thoughts were not on Rainbow’s mind. On the contrary, wonders had replaced restriction, and joy had eradicated sadness.

On the seas, Rainbow felt that same freedom again. That relaxing care free attitude. She wasn’t swimming of course, and being on a ship that wasn’t even hers, instead one owned by a gang of unfamiliar pirates. Still, they had not murdered her yet, and the sea breeze that so generously blew in her face was quite literally, a breath of fresh air.

Rainbow had prepared herself for the worst. It was her only option. Why would the oceans be any different to the degenerative state of the rest of the world? For a time being, shortly after boarding and setting sail, this was the case. A great, polluted looking sea whose watery grave was just as depressing and long gone as the land. Yet surprisingly, albeit after some time and sailing, that hell gave way to an almost clean landscape, or as it was now, just open ocean.

Although it was devoid of anything but water, Rainbow could not fault it. This was the open ocean after all. Quite ironically so, the part of the world so devoid of anything interesting and noteworthy was now the part of the world that had survived that best, and had been left a scene untouched by the horrors of civilisation, and the cruel touch of Humanity.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” came a voice behind Rainbow, revealing the pirate captain Rowan Edwards. In the day Rainbow and spent aboard this ship, from the very moment they first met in fact, this human had been nothing if not accommodating towards her. Navnløs, while somewhat more accepting of the fact they were even here, and not repaid this kindness with any such respect. He had, in fact, taken to remaining below deck, either taking unusual amounts of sleep, at least from what Rainbow knew him to take, or just sitting in silence, deep in though. At first, Rainbow thought him merely sulking that he hadn’t exactly got his way, but the more she noticed, either from study or his awkward reactions to others, Rainbow was reminded this was a man whose life was completely unlike any Rainbow had ever known. Stepping back, she could finally again witness a broken soul, and one whose complexity had only been scratched upon.

“It’s…peaceful I guess. Like flying” Rainbow then replied, turning to see the pirate Rowan still in his same garb, exquisite yet battle ready.

“Flying. I couldn’t say I know that feeling, but yes, it’s peaceful. It’s my home basically” in his sincerity, Rowan went to stand by Rainbow, the two situated at the bow of the ship, relatively alone given the calm conditions and lack of need for manpower currently.

“Dude….it’s amazing!” Rainbow began, a sense of excitement and even pride returning to her, all before promptly being humbled in her remembering of that lack of feeling. “…It’s like this…”

Rowan smiled a warm smile. His kindness seemingly not a novelty. “I believe you, and I’m glad my ship can replicate that feeling somewhat”

His arms resting forward on the wooden rail guards around the bow, Rowan was unaware that Rainbow had begun to once more scan the ship.

Kindness went a long way, a certain friend had taught Rainbow that, but an ego did not. Rowan had been quick to brag about his ship, that it was a majestic being of the sea. His pride was genuine, if over exaggerated, and while he had acted in a way that made Rainbow think the ship was a marvel of creation, she was disappointed to find it was but merely a simple sailing ship.

Simple was an understatement of course, but to a pony who was into all things cool, it was a shame this ship lacked this quality. The vessel was modest. A wooden construction of about 60 metres, not the terror of the sea that Rowan had seemed to suggest. Never the less, despite its old timey appearance, its three masts to give it admirable speed, and as Rowan had stated, in this apocalyptic world, ships of any size and shape were a rarity. This vessel could very well be the envy of the entire world, or it could just be a lonely floating hull, destined to live its life on the empty seas, completely and utterly alone.

For now, Rainbow could accept this was the best she could get, despite the arrogance and practical lies that Rowan had spouted.

“Hey…” Rainbow then began, feeling the awkward sting of the difficult topic she was not about to bring up. “Sorry about my friend. He’s, you know, difficult”. Rainbow didn’t sugar coat it. Navnløs wasn’t easy to deal with for sure, and the literal fight he and Rowan had before boarding surely wasn’t a way to make a good impression. Since he wasn’t here, Rainbow thought it her job to make amends. That was a pretty loyal thing to do for her friends.

“Oh nothing to worry about. He’s a stubborn fellow, I’ll give him that, but nothing I haven’t seen in my travels. He’s from the deep, you know?” Rowan seemed proud of his discovery, almost to the point of wishing Rainbow didn’t know the exact same thing.

“The deep? You mean the tunnels he talked about?” Rainbow asked, remembering the one and sole time Navnløs had spoken of his past.

She remembered it well. The horrifying conditions he had described. The darkness and despair he spent his entire early years in. Rainbow was positive that he had left out the grizzly details too.

“Apologies. Those infernal tunnels are known the world over, or what’s left of it. Us sea goers just call it the deep because the deep of the sea is a dark, unforgiving place. A true hell on earth. It makes sense that if a place exists like that on land, it shouldn’t have to fight for its infamous reputation. All hell is hell”.

Rainbow couldn’t help but listen intently, even if the topic was a familiar one to her. Normally repeated information would bore her, but any mention of Navnløs usually perked her interested, whether she desired it or not.

“You ever been?” Rainbow inquired, mostly wanting to seem friendly, but really, all too interested in her new friend.

“To the deep? No. Nothing for me there. Nothing for anyone there.” His tone initially was a selfish one, and one shining no favourable light upon the pirate. Had Rowan finished his sentence there, Rainbow would have thought him nothing more than a selfish glory seeker. One interested in only riches. A true pirate. “To be fair, he deserves respect, your friend, and a bloody lot of it”.

“Huh?” replied, Rainbow.

“Anyone who manages to survive there, let alone thrive to force themselves out, deserves everyone’s damn respect. I may have bested him back in the cove using every but of surprise I could muster, but should the fight not be in favourable conditions, so basically me not using my swords, I’m sure your friend could have got me. I’ve heard stories from the deep, and I could almost salute the man.” Rowan finished, a laugh of almost disbelief ending with it.

“What are you two conniving about?” then came a voice, ending Rainbow’s attempts at curiously discovering more about the man of the hour, the very same now interpreting them. “I hope you’re not chatting shit about me”.

It was clear Navnløs wasn’t so clueless in that he believed Rainbow and Rowan were so innocent in their discussions, yet fortunately for the duo, and in a reversal of his usual bluntness, it seemed like he was allowing this talk about him.

“Oh totally!” beamed back Rainbow, a proud look upon her face. “Captain Rowan here was just complimenting you for your escape of those tunnels!” she was determined to play along, to not seem so jumped at Navnløs’ intervention, that she saw no need to hide the discussed topics. Navnløs would be tamed, head on.

“Were you now?” Navnløs replied slowly in response, drifting his dangerous gaze over to the pirate, who, in perhaps embarrassment in being called out, shifted a little. “What did you learn?”

The question was directed at Rainbow, but it was Rowan who felt the piercing nature of the words. This interrogation, to Rainbow, was a familiar one. Navnløs would act all calm yet dangerous in order to intimidate, and while Rowan wasn’t so easily intimidated, it surely wasn’t pleasant for any individual not yet used to the gruff nature of Navnløs .

“Well I-“Rainbow had honest questions for Navnløs, regarding his past. Legitimate, hopefully harmless questions so that Rainbow may better understood her new human friend. Rowan, however, had other plans.

“- nothing really!” he said, leaning in as if it was an emergency. “It was nothing! Just a bit of chatter explaining your accent!” Rowan really seemed defensive, as if the subject was taboo. Perhaps he worried about offending Navnløs, but in practically humiliating him back at the cove, it wasn’t he who had lost any dominance.

Still, Navnløs appeared hyper focused on the matter in front of him. He scanned Rainbow and Rowan with freakishly calm collective, as if the two were performing a test. Even Rainbow had to admit, he wasn’t exactly acting comforting.

“Hmm” Navnløs emitted, as if he was ready to crack any moment. Luckily, if he was under any stress, he didn’t show it, instead choosing to relax somewhat. This relaxation spread to Rainbow quite easily upon realising all was ok, but if Rowan thought he could share in that luxury, Navnløs then staring directly at him gave him his answer. “I didn’t realise I still had the accent.”

He was at least indulging the two, however tense he was making the situation. Rowan literally had to straighten up, preparing for some mental attack as if he was a child being disciplined.

“I have an ear for accents. All the travelling helps” the pirate captain replied, already unusually serious for him.

“Oh yeah? So explain yours” shot back Navnløs, almost accusing Rowan of something.

“Excuse me?” the pirate defended, confused as Rainbow was.

“Don’t hide it. You sound like you’re from the great isles, but nothing, no contact has even been whispered from that land in decades. So either you’re bullshitting me, or something very mysterious is up”.

The substance and meaning, maybe even the severity, of the situation now was lost upon Rainbow. These ‘great islands’ were obviously a place, and connecting together what she had learned so far here, Rainbow guessed that Navnløs was referring to a place long destroyed, forgotten even. It was all very sad lore to her, who was once again reminded that this world had literally been at war, had been literally killing itself, for too long now.

“Well maybe that’s because I AM from there. Born and raised there my old chum!” Rowan had now returned to his apparent cheery self, now realising Navnløs was only suspicious of him.

A dangerous enough thing, Rainbow realised. Rowan’s ignorance aside, while the pirate seemed delighted that the conversation was now heading in a direction he could orchestrate into an ego stroking one, Rainbow was keenly aware of Navnløs’ demeanour. His strange mood too had subsided, but only too because of Rowan’s same reason.

Rainbow was no fool, but mostly, she was no stranger to her human. Finally, she had begun to slowly understand him and in times like this, she knew him. Navnløs had begun to relax for the simple reason that he had successfully deviated the conversation away from his person, and in particular, his past.

Clearly, there was not only more to learn of his time in those tunnels, but also more pain. Pain that even could effect a titan like Navnløs.

“So take us there. Prove your home isn’t anything but a smouldering ruined mess.” This was apparently an important issue to Navnløs, to be right. The significance, if there was any at all, was lost on Rainbow however. Rowan could have been from anywhere, but it didn’t matter to her. Navnløs was letting this non-issue get to him and in doing so, serving as only further proof of his deformed mental state.

Ultimately, and very unfortunately, his desires were selfish, wanting whatever would satisfy him in the greedy short term.

“Oooorrrr, we could sail for home?” Rainbow said, joining the debate. Navnløs’ look towards her was nothing of note, but Rowan, who had curiously and strangely decided to ignore all indication that Rainbow wasn’t even human, shifted uncomfortably as he was reminded of such a thing.

“Don’t be stupid now” then replied Navnløs, before exchanging his bitter like attitude for one of increased thoughtfulness. “I’ve been trying to teach you better than this. Before we were rudely abducted!” with this, Navnløs shot Rowan a deathly glare, a warning clearly, one that would only unnecessarily create conflict.

Yet the only conflict ready to emerge, did not come from where Navnløs had anticipated it.

“No. Not Equestria” then Rainbow said, just as Navnløs seemed ready to argue further with Rowan.

“What now?” he proceeded to both reply and turn back to face her, with suspiciously dangerous mood. “You don’t seriously want to stay here, do you? It’s a shithole!”

He had a point. The physicality and the locale hadn’t been on Rainbow’s mind as she said this. It was not, and never would be a favourable reason behind her delay to getting back to Ponyville. Bar one possible point.

“You’re right. I don’t! But there’s good to be done here, good that you don’t care about. At least on this ship I can be around someone who doesn’t…shit on me for it!”

Rainbow had nearly surprised herself with her aggressive tone. However, in comparison to the very shocked look of Navnløs, it was clear that perhaps Rainbow had made her choices wisely.

“Y-yeah!” she reiterated, determined to carry the momentum. “If you don’t like it, scram!”

Navnløs had not been much help to her. Yes he had kept her alive, but at the same time, got them into situations in which she was very nearly shot, eaten, captured and just starved to death. That wasn’t normal, not even in this world surely. Furthermore, he showed no higher sense of morality, and would use what little twisted amount he had to serve himself, and only himself. Rainbow had been glad Navnløs had boarded the ship, but his constant mode of conflict and his controlling attitude wasn’t one Rainbow wanted to associate with.

In response to this, the human in question did not feel any empowerment or the liberating feeling of fighting back. In fact, Rainbow almost felt bad for him, with Navnløs looking between Rainbow and Rowan as if he was embarrassed, and keen to check if he was currently being mocked. When he discovered that the pirate was almost painfully trying to keep out the debacle, and only Rainbow’s eyes were on him, an assertive look to them, he was left an isolated mess, one devoid of allies…and of friends.

Was this loyalty?

Rainbow wasn’t sure snapping at Navnløs was the right way to go. Her reasoning had been sound, and no pony could blame her for doing so, but until now, Navnløs had been her only ‘friend’ in this wasteland. Recently also, his attitude had been improving so that surely didn’t warrant such an abandonment.

This apparently wasn’t a regret of Rainbows that Navnløs felt any sympathy for. He had quite enough being berated and denied by the pony, and without a word said, or an emotion conveyed, he simply left. Retreating straight to the over end of the ships deck to be alone in peaceful solitary.

“You seemed to have upset him” commented Rowan, who had indecisively stood on the side-lines here.

“I…I didn’t mean to…”

It was difficult to actually know if Navnløs was truly upset here. He defiantly wasn’t the crying type, so perhaps more dramatic and expressive reactions weren’t a given, but as of late he had been drawn more towards Rainbow, as if he was ready for a friendship with her. Yet now, when other opportunities had arisen, Rainbow had not seized that very opportunity she had been seeking, and now Navnløs most likely at least, felt somewhat betrayed. Or so was the thinking inside Rainbows head.

“Eh, I’m sure he’ll get over it. Anyone who’s survived the deep can handle themselves.” Rowan in truth just seemed relieved that his awkward moment was over, and it was just him and Rainbow once more. This time however, Rainbow wasn’t about to let herself rely on Navnløs for answers. Rowan wasn’t about to get off that easy again.

“Hey so why was Navnløs so like, unbelieving of where you’re from?” she enquired, rather innocently as if to seem conversable with.

Rowan had been investigating the rigging of his ship while Rainbow talked, as any good sailor would, but upon hearing the question, it was as if his work had become menial, and he was only doing it in order to do anything but answer questions.

“Unbelieving? Well that’s simple as in my island hasn’t really ventured forth since the bombs fell, safety and all that”.

His answer seemed trustworthy, at least in comparison to his suspicious domineer. The obvious answer here was that this wasn’t the sticking point in his current awkwardness.

Rainbow wasn’t Navnløs however. She would not rage and fight in sole order to get what she wanted. That wasn’t her way, and as much as it had begun to, it wasn’t the way that this world would make her.

“Yet here you are. What’s your story? Maybe that’ll help Navnløs a bit, you know?”

Be nice Rainbow. Let’s show these humans how it’s done!

At first, Rainbow wasn’t sure this tactic was the correct one. Rowan still seemed interested in anything but her, and there was no sign that a polite offer of ego stroking would help.

Rainbow was left at a loss. In one short moment she had either pushed away or uninterested the only two humans who didn’t want to kill her. In this defeat, she two wished to just walk off and surround herself with the passing ocean, completely alone.

It was a lonely few seconds, and a time in which Rainbow didn’t even allow herself thought of home. Without any such anchor, without any happy memories to dwell on, feelings on her own abandonment and loneliness intensified.

Rainbow was sure she was about to find herself just running off, to anywhere that anyone wasn’t. Yet she didn’t, and as irony became stronger, Rainbow found it was those lonely thoughts that compelled her to new heights.

The detachment from Equestria had somewhat benefitted her thus far. It had toughened her up and had enabled her to survive in a better state. At the same time though, Rainbow had felt a part of her ‘go’. She felt this wasn’t the pony she was back in Ponyville. These two realisations, these two conflicting parts of her, these were now the sole reason she hadn’t cracked and ran off.

Playing it purely nice, like she would back home, wasn’t an option here. The inhabitants simply didn’t understand such a strange and foreign concept. Yet in total contrast, trying to replicate them and push away any help would too be the wrong course of action. While Navnløs had benefitted from this method thus far, Rainbow simply wasn’t him, and trying to copy him was not only pathetically embarrassing, but a dangerous, slippery slope.

Now, Rainbow needed to be different.

“Ok fine.” Rainbow said, playing a new game. “Keep your secrets, but you better start coughing up and telling me why you literally aren’t even bothered about me being a pony! Like, hello? Cyan, rainbow maned freak talking!” Rainbow reminded herself to thank Navnløs and his constant insult later, for the confrontation seemed to have worked.

Rowan shifted as uncomfortably as he had, if not more so, while Navnløs and Rainbow argued. This time however, he wasn’t on the side lines receiving the ripply effect, he was dead centre, taking the full waves now.

“Well? Even Navnløs admitted he hasn’t seen anything like me before, and he says he’s seen all sorts of stuff” Rainbow eventually demanded, as it became clear Rowan was trying to either ignore the question, or try and kick it into the long grass.

The pirate could hardly even look Rainbow in the eye, even as he readied himself to speak. To him, the vast emptiness of the sea was preferable. “I imagine he also has seen his fair share of disbeliefs too. Even the tales that come from those tunnels seem wild”.

Rainbow at least felt relief that, despite apparently being a disbelief, it was somewhat of a confirmation that Rowan in fact was aware of the oddity that was Rainbow. Now all that remained was the reason he wasn’t showing it.

“Yeah, but even he didn’t know what I was, and he likes to remind me of that…” Rainbow said, trying to legitimately count how many times she had been called a freak. “…so quit pretending I’m normal or something. What gives?”

Navnløs would have been proud. Here she was, finally admitting, and passionately so, that she was essentially a freak here, and everything about her wasn’t the norm in this world.

Here also now stood Rowan, and he was fighting a losing battle, one he knew to be soon lost. He looked upon Rainbow with almost regretful eyes, as he most likely deliberated telling Rainbow his reasoning behind all this. It was not something Rainbow would let go however, and as she stared, waiting for an answer, Rowan could only shift and twitch as his composure fell, and his honesty opened up.

“Well Rainbow Dash…the Pegasus pony….” It was weird hearing another say this, Rainbow realised. Back home, with its multicultural lifestyle, Rainbow was used to seeing creatures of all shapes and sizes. Even seeing exclusively Pegasi reminded her of the variety there, what with their colours and varied cutie marks. Here, in a land of complete desolation, inhabited solely by humans, or so it seemed thus far, Rainbow was left in the mind-set that she wasn’t some pony or distant traveller, she was just another survivor, like the humans. Sure Navnløs liked to remind her of her differences, but they were insults for insults sake, not a self-reflecting opportunity. Now combined with Rowan’s near refusal to acknowledge what she even was, until now, left Rainbow in a state that she was now surprised to hear what she was herself, something different.

More importantly, it reminded her that she wasn’t just a survivor. She wasn’t the ruined soul that this world all too easily produced.

“….I think it fair now to admit I, perhaps, have been not very forthcoming about your appearance…”

“You think?” Rainbow replied, raising an eyebrow as she listened to Rowan’s unimpressive explanation.

Laughing awkwardly, the pirate seemed determined not to lose his cool. In this world, it seemed ego wasn’t exactly discouraged.

“I think the reason is, and the reasoning behind my equal treating of you…”

Rainbow could have rolled her eyes. The never ending stroking of ego was relentlessly tiresome. It simply just was never his fault. This would be the least of Rainbows problems however.

“…It might have been the case, many years mind you, that I …may have seen another one of you. Another pony…”

Rainbow simply blinked.

Had she heard this correctly? Was this actually a dream?

“Huh? Another….pony?” The question was meant just as much for her as it was for Rowan, perhaps even more so. This revelation gave birth to too many questions, questions that began to nag and tear at the progress she had made here. “You mean…there are other ponies here? There’s a way home?”

The implications, if true, could potentially allow her a method of returning home, or at the very least, have equine company. Loneliness, the more Rainbow thought about it, had been her longest travelled companion her, and nothing, absolutely no one had been able to fix that.

An explanation of this sudden and unexpected discovery had yet to be even said, but even if it had, Rainbow wouldn’t have noticed. She was numb now, completely still and unaware of her surroundings. Her time here had been overstayed, and she had paid the price for it with her increasingly human like attitude, but it had still barely been a fortnight, let alone some lost lifetime spent here. Yet despite this relatively short time , the potential of an escape, be it literal or just into the company of one of her own kind, was so seemingly surreal, it now presented Rainbow with a new test of loyalty, one loyal to the suffering of this broken world.

“Well, I’m not sure about that. Not anymore at least. It was a while ago.” Then came Rowan’s detailing.

Deflating was too weak a word. Rainbow could feel the very real fear that came with the increasingly likely possibility that what she was about to learn , it would disappoint her, and leave her a lonely mess, but one who’s loyalty to the misfortunate could only tug violently on her desire to help.

“Then when? Please, tell me everything!” Rainbow couldn’t afford seeming anything but serious. It may make her seem desperate, but in regards to this sudden temptation of going home, being lazy on the details would be a fatal error.

“Like when I was a kid! And not even in person…it was a sketch.” Rowan’s final piece of the puzzle struck hard. As it should.

“So…just a stupid drawing?!” Rainbow didn’t know if her reaction should be sad or angry. The resulting tone that emerged seemed to be a mixture of such things as she realised this apparent ticket home was basically little more than hear say. A drawing of a pony that Rowan had seen all those years ago.

It was nothing really. She was to be left here with nothing but broken hopes.

“I mean yeah, but it was unmistakably one of you guys, but with a horn instead”.

Rowan certainly seemed sincere, and Rainbow couldn’t think of many reasons he would lie about something so insignificant. Still, she questioned on, perhaps in one last ditched attempt at holding on to what little hope remained.

“So a unicorn? What was it like?” Rainbow asked, to which Rowan almost seemed stressed in receiving.

“I don’t know, it was so many years ago” that was almost that, but Rainbows face, one of still, somehow, so much desperation, stopped that from coming to pass. “Ok from what I remember it was…colourful, like you. Some very eye catching shade of purple, I believe. Which is why I was pretty sure you were one of them”.

It was true. Ponies weren’t exactly subtle when it came to appearances, Rainbow least of all. He had a point there.

“So you kept quiet to what? Draw me too?” Rainbow was becoming increasingly demanding in her words, as if her body was finding for this last chance. The pirate could only stand there and take this onslaught,

“What? No!” he defended, as if doing such a thing was greatly taboo. “I just wanted to be sure”.

“Sure of what?” Rainbow shot back, wasting no time.

A heavy sigh then came from Rowan as he rest against the rail, and breathed in a deep breath of sea air.

“Listen, I’ve travelled all over the world. I’ve seen, been in, and experienced all sorts of dangers. Things that would kill you just like that, and events that helped shape the world, but when I was a kid, just a wee sailor boy, my old Captain had this drawing, of the pony. I found it, and I asked him about it…”

Rainbow didn’t relent. She didn’t relax unlike Rowan. She stood her ground as still as Discord in statue form. If the seas were more unforgiving, she would surely be complemented for her sea legs.

“I swear if you don’t start giving me good answers soon….” From seeing Rowan dominate the duel with Navnløs, to now being threatened by a small clue pony, it would have done Rainbow’s own ego wonders back home. For now, all she could do was a mental note of the irony.

“I fear you may be overestimating the importance of all this” A true enough fact, given the substance of it was literally nothing but memories of a drawing, but the determined, almost forceful, look from Rainbow told Rowan this answer was not good enough. Not at all. “Ok! Well let me at least give you the full run down…”

Rainbow finally sat, loosening and relaxing her muscles even as she felt herself rock to and throw as the ship sailed across endless ocean. Her body may have settled, but her attentive gaze did not, almost waiting for Rowan to slip up so she could raise her temper once more. This was not by choice, but the, albeit vague, teasing of home set off something inside her. Something made only primal by her time spent here.

“You see, when I was just a lad, looking for my true vocation, my fortunes looked good. I was a novice naval recruit but I had potential, apparently. I’ve served about naval vessels designed to keep the isles safe, defended, and hidden…and given your friends doubts into the mere existence of my home land, I’d say they are doing a damn fine job!” As soon as Rowan began to venture off the topic, Rainbow simply gave a displeased scowl, and back on track he went.

“Anyway, then my life changed massively, so listen up, so you don’t miss this opportunity…”

Rainbow had thought this was meant to be a story about this supposed drawing, not a lesson. In fact, if she could have guessed, Rainbow presumed Rowan was about to burst into song any moment. This was the real world however.

“Our ship ran aground. A small vessel, only a few crew. Days went by as we tried to survive on some forsaken island in the middle of nowhere, with no help coming. That was until, one morning, sails were seen, and low and behold….take a guess actually, Rainbow.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes, more than she would have liked. Still, whatever this was, she was in no mood for it. Yet for the sake of still hoping actual information was coming soon, she entrained the pirate.

“I don’t know…rescue?”

Rowan either couldn’t or refused to notice the sarcasm, choosing instead to carry on with his cheery façade. “Wrong! Yet not fully. You see, the ship that found us wasn’t an Isle navy ship, it was a dastardly crew of evil pirates! They gave us a simple choice, join their crew, or be left and allowed to starve to death!”

Rowan clearly was enjoying himself too much here. A shame really, since were this to happen back home, Rainbow probably would have enjoyed it. Perhaps Navnløs had drilled into her head the need for plain, instant facts, not some lecture.

“Many sailors thought these guys too evil and that it would be dishonourable to join. Needless to say, I wasn’t one of those left behind…” A morbid memory if there ever was one, and one telling of the general attitude in humanity. “…So there and then, I left my so called ‘honourable’ life behind, and began to new, exciting life on the seas!”

Of course Rainbow wasn’t impressed. Pirates, despite what Navnløs had said, carried a certain degree of handsome ruggedness to them, so naturally Rainbow was still interested, but the lack of loyalty to a past, however boring life didn’t do much to inspire Rainbow to also join.

“To be honest, at that point I did it only to survive, hoping the pirates would just get caught sooner or later and id be free to go home. Yet their Captain, the very one to have that drawing, told me, yes, there might be some violence here and there. Sometimes you’d have to make difficult choices, but his grew were in fact, honest, good folk. They would never stab you in the back, never lie or cheat. They would be the ultimate family.”

It was perhaps with intended consequence that Rowan so keenly looked upon Rainbow during his speech. He had taken well to her, despite her differences. Once those differences had been fully and confidently addressed, Rainbow was becoming surer that Rowan might even begin some sort of piracy lessons, whatever form they may take.

Either fortunately, or very possibly, not at all, Rainbow did cast her mind on such a thing. Be it the coolest adventure in her life, or a path of such destruction that she would never be welcome back into Equestria. Instead of planning ahead, the only plan that mattered now was the great home coming, as if it was such an old recurring friend.

“Yeah sure!” Rainbow finally said, tiring of the tale. “You became a pirate, I get it. The picture please!”

Impatience, during such an apparently prideful story, wasn’t something Rowan wished to hear. He looked upon Rainbow with an almost sad, disappointed appearance, not because Rainbow had cut him off, but because she had wanted to. Little Rainbow could realise, the pirate really did seem to accept Rainbow as already part of his crew.

“It all had meaning, Rainbow Dash the pony” Rowan replied diplomatically. “During my hesitation to commit to piracy, I began to search for any clue aboard that ship which could help me make an informed decision, since clearly, my idea of morality was very different back then. So then, after searching whenever I could, that was when I found said drawing…in a private drawer of the Captains, mind you.”

This appeasement of sorts quietened Rainbow somewhat, the Pegasus finally getting to the point she wanted. Suspicious of Rowan’s seemingly futile ability to not stop himself from talking about himself, her eyes narrowed as if to tell him to mind his words. An action either ignored or just unseen through arrogance, with the latter being the most probable.

“Obviously I was caught as I was sneaking through my Captains private quarters, but after some angry, perhaps justifiable, choice words from him, I did manage to ask him about this strange drawing of a beast I have never before seen.” The word beast was almost instantly regretted as Rainbow perked up her ears in annoyed attentiveness and whose eyes narrowed even further to the point of anger. “Ok sorry! But from what I remember, it was a drawing of his own making, from his own childhood…from when he apparently saw one…”

Maybe. Apparently. Childhood. These were all words Rainbow didn’t greet with much kindness, since these were words of imprecision and unreliability. Since these things only apparently happened many years ago, they would not serve her well with her plans.

“Ugh, that’s not much to go on” Rainbow complained, her hope subsiding a little now.

“I understand” replied Rowan almost sympathetically. “But he did say the circumstances of the sight were rather…strange, even for the world of today. He mentioned this…Unicorn, you say? Was found in such an inconsequential bit of land that no one would ever have need of. He said that after some flash of light, a rumble in the sky and earth, this being appeared from thin air. Entering the location with mystery and…otherworldly delivery.”

Rainbow was listening of course, very carefully so in fact. This was, however basically hearsay it was, very important to her to say the least. Every words was hung onto and evaluated. Every moment thoughts went through her head regarding the topic. Yet the last few descriptions and experiences, that Rowan had told, seemed to put Rainbow into an almost drugged like state of hyper awareness and reaction. It was no coincidence that a pony had been seen, especially under those very specific circumstances.

“Wait?! Light? Was it like, magical in any way?”

Rainbow made no effort in hiding her immediate and very strong desire to learn the truth. To Rowan, she seemed like she could have jumped into his arms with her closing distance.

“I wasn’t there so I can’t say for sure, and while I have no experience of…magic, my old Captain did mention some sense of eerily unnaturalness to it all, and those memories he did share with me, even I cannot explain.”

It provoked thoughtfulness with the human. He fingers pinching his moustache in wonder. For the Pegasus however, a look of total shock claimed her, and for good reason. Rainbow could scarcely remember the terms of her arrival here, but from flying angrily out of Ponyville after her encounter with a rude pony, to her groggy and painful awakening in a human shack, Rainbow could remember a sudden burst of light, deafening sounds and after a short feeling of uncontrolled motion, a black out. At this point in her life, Rainbow could conclude she had been sent, by whatever means, into the Human world, that much was clear. Yet now, upon hearing a similar set of affairs, though this time, through the perspective of the receiving end, Rainbow could piece together that not only had she been teleported through some sort of , perhaps, portal magic, but it had been more than some chance sole accident. If this had happened before, resulting up in the pony being thrown into the middle of nowhere, who was to say it hadn’t happened countless times? The wasteland could be scattered with the remains of poor helpless ponies who had no idea where they were, and were left scared in a world that would kill them.

At least Rainbow had made it this far, if nothing else.

“And that’s all you know? Seriously, tell me if you have anything else?” Rainbow was impatient, if not just for her, but for any doomed soul who could yet be taken. For their sake, she must find, perhaps not just a way home, but reasoning behind it all.

“You’re trying to get back through it? I’m guessing that’s where you came from?” inquired Rowan, acting too curiously in what was basically discussion about a death sentence. “Interesting. So other worlds are actually a thing”.

Rainbow didn’t like the look on his face right now. Apart from being disrespectful with his tone, the fact he had learned about Equestria existing essentially, sent a chill down Rainbow’s spine. It wasn’t necessary because of Rowan specifically, but in learning about her peaceful home by various humans now, Rainbow began to fear what would happen were they ever to discover it in person.

If humanity ever reached Equestria, if they came to her beautiful land, Rainbow feared for its entire safety. All the humans would bring was death, despair and total destruction. For the sakes of all those back home, for the sake of every peace and friendship loving being, Rainbow practically prayed that humans would never ever end up there.

“Well it’s nice you’re learning dude, but if your old captain hasn’t got anything else to say, who might? Is there any place we are going by that can help?”

However small it may be, Rainbow now had a full set goal. As she had learned before, her time here would be continuing for the foreseeable future, but no longer would she have to trail others just to survive. Now, she had something to really fight for.

“Now that really is a vague question. I’m familiar with the extent of the world, but what lies within it? I could live for centuries and only scratch the surface of its broken shell. Even as a wasteland, the planet still holds its secrets well” Rowan could unmistakably see the effect this answer had on Rainbow. Shot down again, Rainbow, how more determined she now was, still suffered under the punishment of disappointment. “I am sorry, but I barely have anything to tell you as it is. There are too many rumours and stories told that could or could not be true, and too many people telling them.”

Rainbow understood. She had literally an entire planet to now investigate and it wasn’t going to be easy even venturing forth in it. Rowan had given her more than she could dream of, and for now, she had to be grateful.

“Yeah…I get ya’.” Rainbow affirmed, sadness not hidden within her voice.

Today however, was nothing but unpredictable. For a pirate, a buccaneer of dangerous enterprise, Rowan had showed himself to be quite compassionate in a way, as long as it wasn’t currently getting in the way of his narcissism. In seeing Rainbow defeated now, a being of despair and hopelessness, this seemed troublesome for the human. Rainbow had no delusions he was a friendly, carting individual. He was obviously no Fluttershy, but either through a more selfish desire to keep the mood light enough so he may brag about something, or through actual compassion, Rowan couldn’t stand by and let this little lost pony give up so easily.

“Look…I can’t give you anything concrete now, but there’s some quite urbanised ports on our current trend, given the winds are favourable. We will, naturally, stop there for supplies and….perhaps I can inquire around. Send some seekers out. See what we can find about this anomaly you so seek.”

Scepticism immediately followed. Rainbow’s head filled with what if’s and questions of varied defeatism. It was neither healthy nor wanted, but after having so much taken from her already, and so much beat downs given by this world, there would be no surprise if this offer not only went nowhere, but was a total lie anyway created to pacify her temporarily, until she could be sold off or something.

That wasn’t her though.

Rainbow Dash was made of stronger stuff, she knew it. She and her friends had literally saved her world from countless apocalypse, despite the odds being so heavy against her. Sure, right now she wasn’t in the most advantageous position. Right now, the odds were against her.

Perhaps it was time to prove them wrong again.

“Yeah! Sure! That’s seems a good idea, when do we, you know, see land again though?” Rainbow had successfully perked herself back up again, determined to seem a force of positivity. Determined to beat this challenge, and be as strong and stubbornly strong willed as she had been in her victorious past.

“Hm…providing conditions are stable I’d say a couple of days. We are extraordinarily lucky in the fact that Salutis may be the only place left remaining with actual functioning costal infrastructure. Anywhere else in the world, the shorelines belong to nothing but the waves.”

Another small, yet comforting piece of information. It would serve well as a small stepping stone towards her goal. Rainbow felt warm and fuzzy in knowing hope was not lost, as long as she was breathing, but it seemed that she wasn’t the only one interested in this knowledge.

“Salutis?” Navnløs interjected, infiltrating himself into the conversation once more, despite his sulking at a distance. His hearing must have been decent to say the least, as he was already back among Rainbow and Rowan, his face now inquisitive into the nature of Rowan’s plan. “How long will we be on land? What’s the nearest other point of I habitation? We’ve been heading north for a while now”

Navnløs honestly seemed rushed, as if sea sickness was hurrying and enhancing his desire to meet land again. To Rowan however, this was not a reality he was fully sold on.

“You have an intention to be caught, Hm?” Then the unrelenting state began between the two humans again, as if a rematch of earliers duel was about to be repeated. “I have, for your sake, chosen to omit discussion of those who hunt you”.

Rainbow had tried to put disturbing thoughts of that pursuit to the back of her mind. The feeling of never being safe, that just a short time behind her were being hell-bent on doing whatever to Navnløs, and most likely her too, were incredibly disturbing. It was just another reason she felt relieved and happier to be on this ship.

“Not at all” coldly replied Navnløs, refusing to loosen his hooked gaze on the pirate. “Won’t need to be there for long. Definitely not long enough to be taken to that scientific freak who sent those hunters to piss me off.”

His words did remind Rainbow that the very reason their lives were so in danger, the very reason they had to trek panickly through the wasteland was because, apparently, they wanted Navnløs for some reason, and a reason Rainbow didn’t yet know. It was interesting that Navnløs knew who sent them, and probably, why.

“And what would you be doing there?” asked Rowan. His voice was full of professional concern, almost bordering on suspicion.

The shared look between the two certainly demonstrated that mistrust was rife, and while it could have been nothing but testosterone filled collision, Rainbow couldn’t help but think that these two humans knew something she didn’t.

“Nothing much. Perhaps a bit of bartering. I’ve heard these places are good buying…and selling…”

As Rainbow rolled her eyes at this little confrontation that never seemed to end, she neglected her one chance to see , with Navnløs finishing his explanation, the curious look that Rowan offered her, and with it, perhaps his realisation.

Author's Note:

Fair bit of foreshadowing here, some obvious, some not so much. Basically, ever Since Rainbow arrived in the world, things have been going on around her, and not coincidentally. See if you can match any goings on with the story back in Equestria.

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