“Did you all see that just now?!” Eagle Eye's voice called from mid-deck.
Inside the cockpit of the Noble Jury, several ponies leaned forward.
The centermost battlecruiser of the Ledomaritan line was drifting sideways. Several escort ships were rushing in, densely swarming around the vessel in question.
“Seems like they have a problem,” Imre said.
“It's a huge battle!” Imre said. “On board their very own ship!”
“Only Rainbow Dash could cause a commotion of that sorts,” Pilate said with a nervous twitch.
“Nancy Jane is no longer safe here,” Floydien grumbled. “Away from the glimmer we must fly, swiftly!”
“I'm inclined to agree with the kindly elk,” Clark said. “Now's our chance.”
“But what about Rainbow Dash?!” Imre exclaimed. “She hasn't even given us a signal!”
“Look!” Eagle Eye shouted.
Everypony glanced in time to see a prismatic streaking lifting off the battlecruiser, weaving to the side, and literally flying through one of the escorts. The bodies of shrieking soldiers fell to the grasslands below as the multicolored pegasus darted around, avoiding cannonfire.
“Reckon that's a good enough signal for you?” Tweak remarked.
“Quite.” Clark gulped and turned towards Pilate. “If you would do the honors...”
Pilate spoke into his sound stone. “Everypony! Rainbow Dash has engaged the enemy! This is our one and only chance! Break out of formation and head towards safety! Put as much distance between yourself and Blue Nova as possible!”
“Fly, boomers! Fly!” Floydien shouted above the sound of cannonfire.
“Did they get the signal?!” Imre asked.
“They'd better,” Tweak grumbled. “Or those idiots have gravel in their ears.”
“I see them!” Eagle Eye called out. “They're moving out! All of the ponies!”
Imre and Tweak glanced over the deck in time to see several airships flying north, south, and west, breaking away completely from the thick cluster of vessels. As shells went off and exploded with shrapnel all around them, no errant cannonball flew purposefully towards any one of the many ships.
“The Ledomaritans aren't firing at them!” Eagle Eye shouted. “They're gonna be safe!”
“Heh...” Tweak folded his shiny forelimbs. “For now.”
“Time that we make like time and crumble!” Floydien's horns flickered as he steered the heavy skystone ship aside. “Yes yes yes...”
“But wait wait!” Imre waved a hoof, suddenly breathless. “What about Roarke?! Where is she?!”
“Never mind that metal murderer!” Eagle Eye squeaked. “Where's Crimson?!” He shrieked as a gray streak roared violently past the port side of the Noble Jury. Then, just as swiftly, three more ships burned by, shaking the air with furious turbulence.
“What in the sapphire-huffing heck was that?!” Tweak growled.
“Sounded like Searonese manaships,” Pilate remarked.
“That's because that's what they are!” Imre said, frowning. “Terra and her friggin' cronies are here! Damn it!” She stomped her hooves. “I thought we were nearly out of this!”
“I don't suppose there's any way we can help her...” Clark muttered.
“Not unless you got a spare Rainbow Dash in your pocket!” Eagle Eye exclaimed. “We're screwed as soon as one of those metal mares see us! They could blow us out of the sky in a blink!”
“Ungh, so many boomers and not enough muscle,” Floydien yanked Pilate towards him so he could growl into the gasping zebra's sound stone. “Blonde thing! How goes it in the womb of my beloved?!”
”Why, hey there! Glad you remembered us, handsome!”
”Propsy here thinks she's got the manaconduits cleared for energy transference.
”I don't think, silly Ebony! I know! Ready when you are, Captain! Just shove those antlers into Nancy cuz she's ready to pur!”
“Crawling ant martyrs,” Floydien uttered out the side of his muzzle. “Does their spit have to be so armpitty?”
“Y-you're asking the wrong stallion—Gah!” Pilate yelped as Floydien dropped him.
“Horses for hiccups!” The elk frowned as he gripped the dashboard and brought the ship into a steady climb. “If your boomer of the metal bits is so damnably worth the shimmering spits then let us give her room to bring forth the flame flame!” That said, the elk forced the Noble Jury into higher altitude, throwing most of the ponies off their hooves with gasping cries.
Meanwhile, Roarke's manaship streaked below, weaving its way once more through the spreading ocean of empty hovercraft. All the while, a nonstop barrage of mana blasts streaked after her.
“Nnnngh!” Sweating through the edges of her helmet, she jerked the controls to the side, whirling her ship into a spiral just as a pair of Searonese weapon discharges hit the hull. The vessel's cyclonic movement shook most the heat off, but the engines suffered for it, and the three pursuing aircraft pulled in closer.
Roarke flashed a look to her right. She slapped a button, and a rear facing mirror popped out the edge of her cockpit's windshield. Briefly, she saw all three metal mare ships in hideous clarity.
“Hmmph...” Roarke's voice hissed through the breathing slits with a fountain of red mist. “You picked a terribly lame place to draw your last breath.”
She was answered with a manablast to her starboard side. The mirror flew off, and she grunted as sparks spilled loosely from the console. Hooking her right forelimb around a release lever, she pulled the ship into a left turn and skimmed over the hulls of three, four, five separate zeppelins. Once passing a sixth one, she yanked to the right, all the while pulling the lever.
The ship shook as the vessel's elastic cables shot out of the starboard side. They hooked into the hull of the nearest dirigible, anchoring Roarke into place. She sling-shotted swiftly around the vessel like a tetherball. As it came around, the three Searonese ships had already passed by.
“Hnngh!” Roarke grunted as she pulled against at the lever. The cables detached and retracted. Her ship angled out, and now she was immediately behind Terra's squadron. Her body leaned forward, and with an icy breath she triggered her forward facing cannons. “If you worship the Goddess so much, you can go service her personally...”
It took about six blasts, but at last she made the engines to the rightmost craft explode. The ship veered, wobbled, and ultimately fell into a grim descent.
From Terra's leading craft, the mares inside could see the wingponies' horrid fate.
“Our sisters!”
“Damn that Roarke!”
“She's killing her own flesh and muscle!”
“Silence!” Terra roared, motioning with her hoof for the pilots to bring the vessel around. “They are not defeated yet! We can still rescue them before they succumb to weakness!”
“Look!” A mare shouted from her station. “They are recovering!”
The damaged ship started pulling up again, its engines puttering back to life.
Terra grinned from ear to ear. “Searo be praised! There's still spirit in my cause yet—!”
Out of nowhere, Roarke's manaship flew over the ailing vessel, decelerated, and flew straight down. The rogue mare's aircraft slammed into the top of the Searonese craft, shaking the last bit of life out of its engines. The thing plummeted like a bag of dynamite, exploding into solid earth down below.
As Terra gasped, everypony inside flinched, for Roarke's vessel next pulled up, spun to the right, and cut clear across Terra's bow. The two ships nearly collided, causing time to slow down before Terra's twitching eyes.
During those few oozing seconds, Roarke's ship spun about so that the gaping door in its starboard side faced the cockpit, and Terra in turn. In perfect timing, Roarke had pivoted her seat to face Terra. Her helmet had opened, and she brought a hoof down to her crotch before blowing a kiss with the same forelimb. Terra made out the motion of Roarke's helmet closing before she could see nothing but engine exhaust.
Time resumed with a roar of thrusters, and Terra's entire ship shook from Roarke's vessel thundering back into the vehicular carnage beyond.
“Unngh!” Terra flew forward in her seat, jostled. Slowly, she tilted her frowning gaze up. The edges of her open helmet buckled from her heaving muscles as she spat, “Gut that bitch like an albatross!”
“Aye, bloodiest spear!”
“Blood for Searo—”
“Just bucking do it!” Terra's voice cracked as she slammed a hoof across the nearest console. A random zeppelin blew up from manablasters in front of them as they spun about to give chase.
And a chase, Roarke gave them. She bobbed and weaved her way through a swarm of airships, dodging cannonblasts with a hair's grace. As the seconds burned by, she found herself running out of cover, for the unmanned ships were spreading further and further apart. At last, as she attempted to accelerate down a solid stretch of air, one of the two metal mare ships hit her broadly across the port side.
“Aaaugh!” She flew against the cockpit, wincing. The alarm of her ship was blaring, and the entire hunk of metal was falling skyward with a hiss of pierced motors. She wrapped her hooves around the controls and pulled them back, stressing the instruments to the breaking point. She dipped low, grazed twenty serpentine feet of topsoil, and finally pulled up with a spray of earth.
Terra's and her partner's ships drew closer, firing denser and denser streams of mana. At this point, every other shot was grazing Roarke's hull, knocking away more and more plates of silver armor. The consoles around the mare flickered as one station after another lost power.
“For blood's sake, I was hoping this would suck just a little bit less...” She panted and panted. At one point, she froze in place. Time paused again, this time for her. She gazed out the edge of her cockpit window, spotting the battlecruisers and the Ledomaritan escorts dealing with a prismatic streak buzzing between them.
She breathed and breathed. A cold shudder ran through her body, a lasting shake.
Then, with steely poise, she grabbed the controls once more and yanked upwards harshly. Time resumed, dragging gravity along with it. Roarke's whole body pressed to her seat as she twirled her entire ship into a massive vertical loop.
The vessels belonging to Terra and wingponies split apart, swung opposite arcs, and came back together in time to meet Roarke as her ship leveled out. The three ships were now screaming towards each other at incalculable speeds, zooming along a clear strip of air between drifting zeppelins.
Roarke pushed the throttles forward all the way. Her ship rattled straight through the bulkheads as the engines spat out the last of their fuel. Then, with a single jerk, she hooked both forelimbs around opposite release levers and shot every single elastic cord out at once. Metal threads exploded from Roarke's ship like an onyx spiderweb. At least half of them embedded into the hulls of dirigibles all around. Roarke's vessel was flying so furiously fast that it actually dragged the tiny aircraft along. Soon, the manaship was hurling towards the two Searonese bogies, carrying a dense cluster of weighted metal and wood along with it.
On board Terra's ship, the would-be Top Spear drew back in her seat, sweating. “What in the Hell does she think she's doing?”
“Terra, she's coming in fast!”
“We can't shoot all of that junk down as well!”
“That crazy maniac—” Terra turned and shouted to her subordinates. “Evasive maneuvers!”
Inside her cockpit, Roarke let out the mother of all screams. “Rrrrrghh-Haaaaugh!” She spun the ship completely around. Panels flew off and chunks of the hull were ripped off of their frames. The weight of the multiple, tethered vessels was too much, and they all flew off in a dense spray, like a swarm of angry missiles, reducing what was left of Roarke's ship to a wireframe mess of exploding consoles and burning metal.
The two rogue ships tried veering off, but the cluster of projectiles was just too dense. Terra's ship was pelted all over before pinballing off two wooden zeppelins, tearing them to shreds as it flew—burning and smoldering—in a random, skyward direction. The other ship smashed through a tossed vessel, rendering itself to a burning husk. The mangled bodies of armored mares fell like spilled entrails as the ship began a nightmarish plunge into the Ledomaritan countryside.
As for Roarke's ship...
Imre gasped. Her moist eyes reflected something that resembled a burning comet, spiraling into the dust of the crashing airships far below. She leaned back from where she sat on the edge of the Noble Jury's deck, holding a pair of hooves over her mouth.
Tweak clenched his jaw, his eyes darting left and right as he contemplated the violent scene.
Biting his lip, Eagle Eye trotted over to Imre's side. He fidgeted at the last second, but ultimately rested a hoof on her shoulder—only to have it brushed off.
In a cold trot, Imre shuffled towards the ship's stern. She lingered there, alone, hugging herself amidst the high winds of the airship's ascent.
Eagle Eye turned and gazed helplessly towards the open cockpit.
Clark hung his head while Floydien continued flying the ship. Pilate's metal brow stretched over a woesome expression. He tilted his head up with a flicker of O.A.S.I.S.
The sounds of battle resumed, and Eagle aimed his twitching eyes towards the three battlecruisers. “Wh-what about Rainbow Dash?”
BATTLE MUSIC ENGAGED.
Yeah...considering the twists that have happened recently, I'm notquiteready to write off Roarke as dead yet...Okay, I take it back....I am a bit worried...
But I'm waiting for another twist.
...Any second now...
Roarke had a suit though! With fuel! Right!?
RIGHT?!
denver.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/rsz/mlfw3069_large.jpg
She's fine.
...Right?
...If not, still a suitably epicly badass way to go.
Wow Roarke. Way to go out in style!
3080680
You don't know how pleased I am to see this as your music of choice for the scene.
Roarke?
She's Roarke. She'll get better.
She ain't dead.
I figured Roarke would sacrifice herself sooner or later... Too bad she will be able to do it again...
That's only if IC is nice enough to not let out of the story just yet...
Roarke's fate is anyone's call. Personally, I'm betting it'll be something similar to how EE rejoined the party, but that might be a little bit cliche at this point.
Oh shit... Roarke.
3080717
if not, then a deus ex Dash might be in order...
Things are starting to go to extreme levels of climax.Also just how I predicted eagle eye wasn't dead,I'm gonna say that roarke isn't either.
3080743
A friend of mine recently got me into Ace Combat by giving me a music pack mod for World of Tanks. I cannot get these songs out of my head.
Speaking of which, I just pointed aforementioned friend towards your stories because 1) They are awesome, and 2) I am just now seeing/getting those references.
Huh... I was expecting her tow cables to grab hold of the other Searonese ships and pull them into the ground with her.
Or for her to try and jack one of them.
This is probably one of the better-written aerial combat sequences I've ever read. Intense, visual, and mostly fluid. I'm not sure I buy Roarke being dead, though. Even if her ship is screwed, it's not like her not to have some contingency for just that kind of scenario. Or maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part. If she is dead, that was a pretty bitchin' way to go. I also like how getting a glimpse of Dash wrung out that last bit of awesome in Roarke. Dash does have that effect on ponies, I suppose.
media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9bthlAlqG1qck55p.gif
I need to learn how to animate just for that.
3080786
I am perfectly fine dealing with cliches if it keeps Roarke alive.
Roarke? Now would be great if you hit eject and land on Belle's ship now. Do eject functions need power, or is it just an explosion of chemicals?
On the other hand, if Terra is still alive and Roarke isn't, I'm gonna be pissed.
Roarke. If this is the end, then...
fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/196/6/2/big_boss__s_salute___mgs3_by_rainedrebellion-d57boh0.gif
I salute you.
Dash, her possible death better not be in vain, or I will find a way to kick your ass.
3080680 This is now the music I will write all my action scenes to.
It is my opinion that at this point, saving Roarke would actually be too kind. I will keep saying it: to restore your ancient and glorious levels of cruelty, someone has to die.
And no, I'm not only saying that because Roarke had it coming. Perhaps a little bit.
Ace Combat has some of the best music I've ever heard in video games. Beautiful, and nothing more fitting for this scene.
I know I said many times about how many of you are too quick to expect death but that was badass and I wouldn't mind her dying like that.
Roake's little maneuver I take to be a classic case of "Kiss my ass, bitch!"
Roake, if this is the end, it has been an honor. May the boomiest of boomers be awaiting you for your eternal fight.
3081244
Yeah, that'd be the IC thing to do. Belle is too far away, so that's a bit of a stretch but ejecting and landing on the noble jury? We just might see this in the first sentence of the next chapter
You don't make enemies like Terra and live to get away with it. My guess is that we might get one more chapter of Roarke, watching from her perspective as Dash & party escape before she dies.
3082423
Terra was a sniveling rat to the very end, and you offer her far too much credit.
But I'm worried. I shouldn't be, because I feel so many tacit implications that Roarke's character arc has barely begun. If it were any other writer, I'd be sure she'd either already made it out, or was simply going to walk from the wreckage with her armor dripping fire. But this is IC, and I don't think I can expect that.
So I'll ask it. Bring her back in one piece, boss. She's got a lot more to do here.
Noooo! Roarke Most Badass can't be dead... Right?
Roarke will probably live. If not, FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUU!
Roarke, I salute you.
Of all the Searonese, you held great respect in my mind.
You stuck to your personal guns and moral code, even in a society that valued blood and death over all else. That is something very few can do.
May you rest in peace.
Blood for Rainbow.
After a stunt like that, there's no way IC's gonna just kill her off. She needs to continue her reign of badass to rival Rainbow Dash!
IIIIIt's Dashie's First Get-Backing Adventure!
Die gloriously with honor, Roarke! I think...yeah, I think. But this is Imploding, after all, so she may not be quite dead yet...These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
P.S. I...ugh, I have to do this...htt...
I was predicting that Roarke wouldn't survive this battle once the remainder of Searo joined the fray, but she sure did go out in style.
The lead up was ominous, but I was hoping...
It feels like Roarke still had more to do, more interaction with Dash and the others, before something like this happened. If this is indeed the end for our favourite metal mare (and if she's not someone's favourite, they should go sit in a corner and contemplate their life and how they have been led astray) then at least she went out with a bang.
Er...
She will be remembered brightly? Was a shining star in her field? Had an explosive personality?
Eulogy writing will not be a career choice I ever pursue.
Well, off to see just how permanent this death will be and how bad I should feel for making crappy jokes - onward!
I leave for a week, and this is what I see.
Roarke, you'd better live through this! An ass that bad dropping on Blue Nova may well destroy whatever's left!
Now excuse me, I have about 15 chapters to catch up on, and strange comments to make.
Roarke survived RD. A fall from the sky in a burning ship? Bitch, please.
If Roarke could survive a five chapter fight with rainbow dash she sher as hell can survive a small little crash Evan though it was totally AWSOME!!!!
But yah Roarke's not dead( I hope)
Didn't see her explicitly die, probably ain't dead. That said, if she is, a suitably badass way to go. Good job, Roarke.
Aw Roarke where've you gone...
Roarke...
Wait. IC never kills main ponies if we don't see them die.
-Spirit
Spartans never die, George. They're just missing in action.
”I don't think, silly Ebony! I know! Ready when you are, Captain! Just shove those antlers into Nancy cuz she's ready to pur!”
huehuehuehue
3080680 Phenomenal music...im glad youre familiar with it.
\m/RAZGRIS\m/
Also, i agree. All was described of Roarkes ship fighting itself to a crumbled dead hulk. Not a thing was said of Roarke. So I dont think shes dead either.
INTO THE FLAME! INTO THE FIRE!
"What the heck?!"
And here I was hoping Roarke could keep her ship.
6234211 whizzes do come true.
It is not over yet, Roarke won't let death take her without a world shaking fight, which this is not.
05/17/2017 17:35 UTC
I fucking love you, Roarke
That was perfect!
Gawd, that sounded so dirty
Oh man, don't you just love vulgar social customs?
Roarke is the best