//------------------------------// // Any Way But West // Story: Odrsjot // by Imploding Colon //------------------------------// "It wasn't just Seclorum," Josho said, his bruised face staring into the wind. Noon sunlight glinted across his scruffy features as he spoke towards the ponies gathered on deck. "But there were tons of other ponies—on both sides: Ledomaritan and Xonan. As soon as color wheel here did her fireworks act, they all lost their disguise and took off." "Towards the east, r-right?" Rainbow asked. "Hell if I know. Eagle got a good look at 'em. Didn't ya, princess?" Eagle Eye nodded, shuddering. "I saw at least two dozen of them, maybe more. They took off from the trenches where the ground battles was the messiest and flew towards the horizon." He gulped. "They all had dark coats—like Seclorum. Only... they weren't coats per se..." "It was glossier...?" Rainbow Dash thought aloud. "Like... almost a shell?" Eagle Eye bit his lip. "Like a big frickin' beatle with features," Josho growled. "As soon as we lopped his forelimbs off, we saw all this green slime coming out of 'em. Poor bastard didn't know what he was too. I could see the look of pain and confusion in Seclorum's eyes—" Josho winced. "Er, I mean..." His voice trailed off. Silence hung beneath the warm, windy gusts. Belle leaned close to Pilate, all the while draping a protective hoof over Kera's shoulder as the filly sat beside her. After a nervous breath, the mares asked, "And the ponies inside the ravine that you found..." She squinted. "They were replacements?" "Sure as crap sounded like it," Josho said. "Even before we saw the monsters take wing, I knew that we were dealing with something big here. Bigger than this whole war!" He frowned. "And then I learned that the Xonans had been split, all thanks to that Lasairfion bimbo." Belle glanced over at Rainbow. "She was one of those creatures too, right? Didn't you say you saw her change?" Rainbow fidgeted. "She was more than that. Crazier than what you guys are describing." "How so?" Eagle asked. "I dunno. She..." Rainbow sighed. "She... like... was bigger? And... like... she had this crooked horn that zapped me with some really powerful stuff. I'm pretty dang lucky I didn't have my neck snapped in two." "Yeepsies!" Props gasped. "Who could do that to Rainbow Dash?" "The list is pretty long, actually," Rainbow droned with a brief smirk. "But this mare-thingy? She packed quite the whallop. And then she..." She bit her lip. "What, Rainbow?" "Well, she changed into something else. Poof! Green flame and all that jazz—and she's gone. But... but that wasn't all. She... uh... she knew something about me." "Knew something?" Ebon asked, squinting. "Like what?" Rainbow Dash's eyes twitched. She inhaled deeply, gazing across the Jury until her eyes fell on Pilate and Belle. The couple were silent. "She... she just knew stuff, okay?" Rainbow's lips went tight. "Friggin' mind reader or whatcrap. I dunno." Her head hung low. "Lasairfion—or whatever she was—flew away super friggin' fast and I was too dazed by the blast to catch up." "What do you mean?!" Ebon gawked. "You're the fastest pony alive! Surely you could have—" Eagle's hoof rested over Ebon's muzzle. The unicorn looked over. "After all you've done, Rainbow, nopony can blame you for losing your breath." He smiled sympathetically. "For a second there, it seemed like every unicorn's skull was going to explode." "Don't forget what was happening to Handsome's ship!" Props exclaimed, motioning towards the cockpit with her head. "We were about twenty seconds from Kablooey before your explosion powers saved the day!" "Yes, well, it's nothing to write home about..." Rainbow Dash teetered dizzily. "Rainbow!" Belle leaned in just in time to catch the pegasus. "Are you okay?" "Awwwwwww..." Props cooed. "Poor filly-willy must be poop-tired!" "Eew. Yeah. No more of that talk. Thank you." Rainbow's eyes drifted Ebon's way. "Where's Roarke?" "I... uh... dragged her down to the infirmary," Ebon said with a nervous smile. "I'm at about twenty-one death threats to my name right about now." "Don't worry," Rainbow grunted, shuffling towards the stairwell at the stern in a zig-zagged motion. "I'm pretty sure we can find a bunch of gold loot somewhere to pay your bounty off." She wheezed. "Maybe." Ebon's face paled. "Buh?" "Right now..." Rainbow slurred, almost diving down the stairwell. "I got someplace to be." "Like where, exactly?" Josho grumbled. "Not here." "You mind giving us a clue, paintbrush?!" Josho cackled. "Cuz I'm really super flankhurt about this whole shape-shifting monster crap!" He stomped a hoof. "What the heck did they do with Seclorum?! He wasn't down in the ravine! So where is he?" "And for that matter..." Ebon gestured towards the skinny stallion standing amongst them. "What do we do with this dude?" "Yeah!" Zaid nodded. "What do we do with me? And does it involve something edible?" "Isn't he—y'know—part of the evil cultist lady's group?" "You mean the mare who gave her life to save us when all was super crazy metal?" Rainbow hollered back. "Erm..." "Meh... Zaid's mostly harmless. Give him food, belly rubs, and cider and he'll sing for you. Speaking of which, a lullaby would be g-good right about now..." And Rainbow Dash disappeared down the stairwell. "We ain't finished talking, y'know!" Josho growled. "Will you let her be?!" Kera's voice cracked. "She's been through enough, y'know!" "And just who hasn't, huh?" Josho remarked. "Knock it off, old stallion," Eagle Eye muttered. "Yeah, or what?" Eagle gave him a glare of glinting violet. "How would you like to eat your own belly fat." Josho blinked, then chuckled raspily. "Look at you. Tilling the balls farm." "I mean it, Josho." "Sure ya do." Josho slapped his hoof over the unicorn's back. "There's hope for you yet, kiddo." "Gaaaaie!" Eagle plummeted to the deck. Josho sighed, rolling his eyes. "Then again..." "Pilate, if you don't mind..." Belle quietly nudged him. He kissed her forehead and let go of her hoof. "Go check on her, beloved. I'll join you shortly." Belle hurried down the stairwell, followed shortly by Kera on scampering hooves. In the meantime, Pilate tilted his head so that his ear faced the distant cockpit. "What course did you take us on, Mr. Floydien?!" "Any spit-forsaken direction but west!" the elk shouted back. "Unless striped boomer protests!" "Not at all!" Pilate took a deep breath and faced the other ponies on board. "You know..." Josho thought aloud in a dull tone. "If those creatures went east..." "Right..." Pilate breathed deeply. Silence. Props leaned forward. "Insect horse dance party?" Ebon and Eagle Eye simultaneously face-hoofed. "At the risk of sounding like a total noob, is it okay to like her?" Zaid pointed at the blonde, smirking. "'Cuz I like her."