Explosions Sucked Then; Explosions Suck Now
"Rnnngh... mmfnngh!" Roarke struggled and struggled, wriggling in the dead-weight of her armored suit. At last, with much struggle, she yanked her helmet off. "Duaaaaah!" the metal mare inhaled deeply, feeling a rush of blood to her sweat-soaked head as oxygen returned to her body. When her weak blue eyes came to focus, all she saw were the rattling bulkheads of the Noble Jury around her.
She looked straight up and saw the vertical crawlspace flickering with warning lights. High above, Pilate's striped legs dangled from the cockpit. A flash of green light illuminated the bounty hunter's peripheral. Twirling about, Roarke looked past the billowing curtains and into the observation room. Beyond the glass windows of Alafreon reconstruction, she saw the world spinning outside, strobing with a hint of the Val Roan magic shield just past the horizon.
"Searo's womb..." She sneered, then grunted as she fought to strip of the rest of her armor.
"Mr. Floydien?!" a voice hollered from above. "Mr. Floydien?!" Roarke saw Bellesmith's head poking into the crawlspace from the second floor. "Why are we plummeting?! Did s-something hit us?!"
"It's the shield!" Roarke yelled, startling Belle with a gasp. She pulled off various planks of metal while shouting above the groaning bulkheads. "Something in the Val Roan defense hit us! It disrupted our manabatteries—!"
"Then how come Floydien isn't—"
"It also knocked out magic!" Roarke hollered. "And magic users!"
"Oh no..." Belle's chestnut eyes instantly teared up. She tilted her head towards the cockpit. "Pilate?!" She shrieked. "Beloved!!!"
"Belle, quiet!" Roarke hissed, rolling out of her flank-braces. "I need to get up there and—"
The whole ship jolted. Roarke collapsed against a bulkhead, grunting. She heard a yelping voice from above, looked up, and flung her forelimbs outward in time to catch Belle's plummeting figure. Both mares rolled across the bottom floor, wincing—while the Jury dropped at a sharp angle.
"Wh-why's this happening?!" Belle squeaked. "Why would the Val Roans do th-this to us?!"
"I don't think it's just them," Roarke managed to say, teeth clenched. "But rather, somepony's empowered them."
Belle's eyes twitched. "Chrysalis...?!"
"I wouldn't doubt it."
"We're falling! We could hit the mountains at any rate!"
"Which is why I need to—" Roarke froze, looking over Belle's shoulder.
"What?!" Belle stammered. "What is it, Roarke?!"
The metal mare's blue eyes were locked on a sight just beyond the observation room's windows. As prophesied, a plateau of jagged earth loomed. Between the Jury and a crushing doom—however—was a petite blue shape. It flew up to the outer bulkheads, pressing against the careening airship with blurred wings.
"Rainbow...?!" Roarke sputtered.
"What?" Belle gasped. "What is she doing?!"
Roarke's eyes twitched, and for a brief moment they made contact with Rainbow's on the outside. The world flew up like a tidal wave of rocks, and though the nose of the vessel just barely started to tilt up, Rainbow's figure was still a tiny fragile thing stuck between both pulverizing bodies.
It didn't stop a tiny, devilish smirk from being tossed Roarke's way, just before the ship struck and gravel sprayed murderously in every direction.
Through the ship's intense jolting, Roarke could hear herself scream: "RAINBOW!"
"Roarke?"
"Uhm... R-Roarke?!"
"... ... ..." Roarke blinked. She glanced lethargically aside. "Hmmm?"
"A-aren't you going to pull up?"
"Pull up?"
Thwp-Thwp-Thwp-Thwp-Thwp! Whizball's cockpit echoed from the repeated slaps of treetops against the bottom edge of the Lounge sphere.
"Oh," was all Roarke said. Gently, she pulled back on the flight stick, raising the transport before it could fly smack-dab into one of several hulking tree trunks.
Ebon Mane and Eagle Eye stopped gripping their seats on either side of Roarke. They relaxed with identically slumping bodies, then exchanged nervous glances.
"My apologies," Roarke murmured. "I was in another place."
"Yeah, alright." Eagle Eye gulped, slicking his mane back. "Would you mind being in this place for the time being?"
"Yes..." Roarke glanced to the far edge of the windshield. Several changelings glanced nervously at the ship, but nevertheless maintained formation. "I suppose I can do that."
"Are you alright, Roarke?" Ebon asked. "You're rather silent." He blinked "I-I mean... m-more than usual, eheheh..."
"Would you rather I be screaming?"
"Th-that's not what I meant!"
"In Searo, it was custom for mares to gather together in a room, soaked themselves in the blood of their victims, and scream all night or until their voices became hoarse."
Both stallions were dead quiet.
"I wonder if I'm capable of singing," the mare droned.
Whizzball soared along, allowing for a hint of whistling winds to resonate against the manaconsoles.
"Well!" Ebon grinned pleasantly. "How about... uh... checking up with the Noble Jury?!"
"I was going to suggest a bathroom break," Eagle muttered. He smirked. "But I like that idea better."
"So do I," Roarke droned.
Ebon was already pulling out the microphone from the console and crackling it to life. "Ahem... Whizzball to Jury. Whizzball to Jury. Hello?"
"Scrkkkkkkkk..."
"Yoohoo! Whizzball to Jury. You there, Propsy?"
"Scrkkkk-crkkkk—friggin' little melon fudges. HELLO?!"
Roarke's blue eyes darted from the windshield.
"Uhhhh..." Ebon's brow furrowed. "Rainbow? Is that you?!"
"Oh. It's Whizzball. Uhhh... Hi guys!"
"How come you're not Propsy?"
"Because I hate wearing double ponytails. Makes me feel like I'm back in flight school."
"Oh, I-I'm not complaining! Just—"
Roarke spoke up. "Are you using the communications array for something?"
"Is that Roarke?"
"I would certainly hope so."
"Hey, Roarke! Nice weather, huh?!" Grunting and struggling sounds. "Anyway, uh, I-I guess you caught my sound stone signal! No biggie! Super glad to hear from you! Luna says hello!"
"Uhm... Rainbow?" Eagle Eye leaned in. "Why do you sound so breathless?"
"Uhhhhhhhhhh..."
"Is this a bad time?" Ebon asked.
"Heh heh heh... Scrkkkkt... You kidding?!"
Rainbow panted against the biting winds. "I'm always in the mood for a good chat!" She yelled into the stone wrapped around her fetlock. "Just getting my morning exercise! Whoopsies! Just one second!"
Then, hissing under her teeth, she ducked low in time to dodge a giant metal claw that sliced at the air above her, lopping off the branches of several trees as they blurred by. The thunderous noise of collapsing vegetation cracked through the morning air. Below Rainbow, a giant metal truck roared downhill on eighteen wheels. The thing was armored from front to back in spiked goblin armor, and several imps operated an enormous, multi-jointed deforesting crane in the center top rigging. Shouting at one another, they switched the claw out with a vicious buzz saw and swung it higher to cleave Rainbow Dash in two.
"Httt!" Rainbow zig-zagged through the air, all the while chasing the rampaging truck as it smashed through trees, mounds of dirt, and underbrush. The wind filled with mulch and powdery clouds of debris. "Oomfa!" She ducked another swing of the buzz saw and glided low so that she flew parallel to the rolling, churning wheels. "On s-second thought, maybe I should call you guys back!" Rainbow sputtered. "Morning exercise just grew some teeth." Grunting, she slapped the soundstone several times until it flickered a different color. "H-hey! Jury! You still there?"
"Scrkkkk! Dashie! What h-happened?"
"Sorry, Props. That was Ebon calling to remind us that sometimes we live a sane lifestyle. I briefly lost our frequency."
"Well, I'm glad you're back! Where the hay are you?!"
"About a hundred clicks south of Helaman!"
"Do they still have the foals?!"
"I bet my life on it!" Rainbow shouted, then gasped as she dodged another swing of the crane's spinning blade. Three trees snapped at their foundations, exploding in splintery chunks behind Rainbow. "Whew!" Rainbow barrel-rolled through the spray of debris and lifted up in the air, pursuing her vehicular target. "At this rate, they'll get to the House of Sehlp before we will!"
"I'm trying to triangulate on your frequency! They can't be faster than the Jury!"
"Never mind that!" Rainbow shouted, eyes glancing up at a cluster of treetops sticking out above the rest of the forest canopy. "Tell Floydien to look for a group of tall pines! Head southwest of that! I bet we're nearing the edge of the ravine!"
"Okie dokie lokie!"
"And follow the line of shattered trees!" Rainbow hollered as shadows overtook her. "Things are about to get dense."
The air thundered with trees exploding right in front of the rampaging vehicle. Ignoring, Rainbow, the imps suddenly swung the buzz saw forward, lopping several of the larger trees to instant shreds in front of the speeding truck.
Inside the red-lit interior, eight foals clung to each other, shivering and sobbing their heads off.
"Shut up!" Jex hollered, his green ears flouncing as he yelled above the truck's rattling interior. "Just shut up! God!" The imp tossed his stubby arms. "You just can't grab yourselves slaves like you used to!"
"How'd she find us?!" one imp yelped, gripping the truck's controls as they smashed through tree after tree. "We're a hundred miles away from where she tossed us in the drink! Literally hundreds of miles!"
"Idiot!" Jex slapped the back of the driver's skull. "Just shut your crudhole and drive! I'll be damned if I leave this last village empty-handed!"
"You're damned either way, Jex!" another imp yelled from across the way. "Once the Boss finds out how badly you screwed up in that giraffe town—"
Cl-Click! Jex aimed a pistol down the imp's nose. "You mean how badly we messed up! Remember, gobshite, this is your last chance as well as mine!" He pointed at the sobbing foals. "If we can't win back the Boss' favor with these mongrels, we're done for!"
"Why's the boss so desperate for foal and calf slaves anyways?"
"The hell do I care?! Just get us out of this damn forest and onto a straightaway so we can lose these 'Jurists' before—"
FWOOOOOSH! Outside, the collapsing trees lit up with a crimson glow.
"... ... ..." Jex's ears drooped. "Awwww poo..."
Stats
Page generated in 0.047 seconds
Total duration
969 users online
2,271,354 hits today, 2,561,572 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Hmm, so it seems that Sehlp is hiring the Goblins to kidnap foals? But why?
Thirty crunches, ):(. Knock 'em out!
Learn something for goodness sake you imp! -_-
Veal.
Back to the flashbacks with the Val Roan shield.
Jeez, Rainbow, why do you have to be the big damn hero and scare everyone so badly?
She scared Roarke so badly, she ended up being distracted from flying. That's pretty bad.
Speaking of hero business, it's back to kicking goblin butt. I hope we find out more about the goblins soon. And really, why are they so damn interested in child slaves?
This means that Roarke can sing, and it will be beautiful.
Does everyone have nightmares now?
hopefully they'll start getting paranoid about the 'Jury' now.
5066358
If Roarke does end up singing, that would be awesome.
5066351
That's so horrible yet so hilarious.
5066358 I seriously wanna hear her sing now.
Rainbow doing her usual rock and hard place salad dressing. Its a good thing her magic that reinforces her for Rainboom, also helps wit her more, uncontrolled, landings.
I was so hoping that the steam vents woldve held enough stored thrust to help ajust, then again, involves someone concious at the controls. Need to work on the emergancy RATO units. Id look up the photo for the football field landing and take off C-130, but that was insane.
Now things are getting weird, its like a cross between Humungous from Mad Max, and Jayce And The Wheeled Warriors.
Yaay. Booster got the Flamethrower working. At least just by thowing the fuel tank overboard.
I love the smell of fireball in the morning.
GOOOOD MORNING JEX GOBLIN.
I really hope Jex doesn't become the new Team Rocket, except without redeeming qualities.
I mean, well, without the redeeming qualities of being persistent and competent. That would make him a bit more... shelly.
Also, Roarke POV is nice because it reminds us that she has feelings as well, besides what we see normally. She hides so hard to pretend that she doesn't that Roarke POV has become best POV. More plz?
I bet roarke's singing is like Stoick the Vast's in How to Train Your Dragon 2. Hopefully she doesn't die like him.
Didn't they just split up? And Rainbow's already gotten into a high-speed chase with a buzz-saw swinging big rig filled with foalnapping goblins? Even for Rainbow, that's fast work. Now I'm just wondering who the hell their boss is and what connection they have to the House of Sehlp.
5066358 I wonder if it will be nice and romantic for Rianbow or heavy metal screaming.
Anywho, this was a good chapter. The goblins are on something's payroll, and they want the little ones for some reason. Maybe to do what Nightshade did, that's if they have magic users. Or perhaps children are just easier to get pain and suffering from.
I have desperate need for this information!
5066506
Personally I think she'll sound like a J-Pop singer, if only because I've been listening to too many anime themes recently.
A bit like that, except Equestrian, then translated into English.
Hmmm interesting development, can't wait to see what they want the foals for. Good to see another part of that flashback in this chapter I wonder when we are going to see the whole thing.
5066640
On the contrary, I like explosions.
Explosions comes with fire.
5066542
So, if your example is what you'd define as J-pop, she'll be singing in Japaneighse, accompanied by a cheesy-sounding, synthesized orchestra?
I can't wait.
Jex seems like a decent guy in the wrong line of work and just isn't smart enough to get out of it.
5067996
... That was sarcasm, right?
Yup. He's doomed.
The goblins are actually Christians.
Then how in the heck is your heart still working.
Uh oh, secret bad-guy plans that need slave workers are never good
These flashbacks are starting to make me think there maybe a meta story going on here....
Just to throw out a wild theory,
The majority of the juries 'robin hood adventures' are not really happening but they are trapped or captured by some sort of metal booby trap that is part of the van roans defenses. Taking it to a dark place, some or maybe even all but a critical core of the jurist didn't survive the attack, and this Robin Hood fantasy is one of the survivors (rainbow?) coping mechanism.
At this point, I think she might be making stuff up to mess with them.
5071887
Probably not, though it would be funny if someone else did... and found out later it was true.
5067996 Imagine him joining the Jury! He and Roarke could chat about brutally murdering people :D
I know I should be thinking about how Sehlp is running the goblins/imps, but all I can think about is how that run-in with changeling-jack seems to be screwing with Roarke's head.
heeeeeeeeeeres
JURY!
Jex is back... for another whooping.
-Spirit
Don't you just love bluetooth?
5066258 You know, every time I see one of your posts, I wonder if you are some huge exercise buff in real life, or if it's Just part of "Jake the army guy". Just curious really, Good for you either way...
Dunno why I finally decided to comment on this here but Hey, Y'know, whatever.
Team Rocket's blasting off agaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaain. *ding*
Just some thoughts , what if chrysalis does not lay eggs or something but 'infects' creatures to become changeling's like she tried with rd in the last book.
And since all changelings call her mother and have rather child like minds outside of the hive, maybe she reproduces by transforming children into changelings and those foal abducting creeps are somehow tied to her.
6407948 beat me to saying that by three weeks.
Foreign cultures are so fascinating.
6069300
Probably part of his form persona. Although I'd be interested in finding out as well.
I mean 30 isn't that bad, military wise. Hell first day of basic me and my platoon did 100 push ups and sit ups [5 reps of 20 alternating between the two]. Of course my platoon had the biggest group of Bravo Foxtrots ever made sure we got our daily allotment of grueling workouts. Mostly thanks to Hurricane Heinemann, or the attack of the Chinese Carpet Ninjas [as Drill Sergeant Heinemann called it.]
A lot of hoarse horses
Jex is definitely not having his best day ever.
Jex is that kind of guy that Murphy goes WAAAY out of his way to completely screw over
06/17/2017
14:00 UTC
Ah. The bug god. That explains the green.
8238524
Oh my, Jex, are you having a good day?
No you're not.
Oh dang, Jex, you nabbed yourself s real hail this time didn't you?
No you didn't Jex.
You're gonna make it out of this A-okay.
...I'm kidding, Jex. You're gonna die a horribad fate.
Shoulda just given up ya butthole.