The Last Temptation of Mr. Bard
“I won't lie,” Revan said, pacing across the office. “The Syndicate has... floated in deeper bits before. But, we do have enough to brace any oncoming storm.”
“Are you expectin' such a storm?” Bard asked, casually glancing at his hoof.
“Isn't it rather obvious by now?” Revan paused and pointed at Echo. “We're dealing with threats and double-crossers from all sides.” An angry glint flickered across his eyes. “The Southern Hoof were once like brothers to us. And then they decided to stab us in the back.”
“Seems to be happenin' a whole heapin' lot these days,” Bard said with a smirk.
“Point is, things have grown hostile. Desperate.” Revan glared. “You can never truly trust anypony any further than you can toss him... or at least your bits to outfly him.” He gestured. “This isn't just the way of things in Rust, but all over Rohbredden and its surrounding seas. Are you an avid follower of the Queen, Mr. Bard?”
The mercenary cleared his throat and shifted where he sat. “When it fits...”
“Rumors abound from the Continent to the Colonies,” Revan said. “Her power... is slipping.”
“Slippin'?”
“The mountain's ice melts and the shore waters recede,” Revan said. “And now... just this week... there's testimony layered upon testimony that the great Blight to the west has fallen.”
“Heh... wouldn't that be somethin'.”
“I'm rather serious here, bounty hunter,” Revan said. “Times are changing. The Queen Verlaxion's influence is fading. And when it does... what will the Six Tribes do? How will we all function without the Goddess' glory to hold us together?”
“I figure we've got the gumption to carry on our lil' square dance for another century or so.”
“A charming thought, but an unnecessarily optimistic one,” Revan said. “What's happening here between Rust and Shoggoth is just a preview for the seas as a whole.” He paced to a stop, his face long and grave. “The Six Tribes were meant to turn on one another. Always. And when that happens, all that'll be left is the faction with the biggest bits... and the foundation they've built because of it.”
“And y'all truly believe this?”
Revan slapped a hoof over his own chest. “As sure as I am the Boss of these parts.”
Bard leaned back casually with a smirk. “Reckon it just... burns you deep inside.” A beat. “Or... burns other ponies, that is.”
“... … ...” Revan glared.
Echo nervously glanced between the two.
“Oh, I'm sorry.” Bard cocked his head aside. “Did I rub a sore spot?”
“Depends on how hard you blatantly punch it,” Revan droned, pacing back to his desk.
“Boss Revan, I must say—yer speech is mighty interestin', but it's so full of doom and gloom that I wonder how you even see yer own bits without a ray of sunshine for clarity.” He sat up straight, adjusting his guitar case. “As a mercenary, I'll tell ya.. it helps to be prepared in any and all eventuality. But what yer talkin' about is pure paranoia. I swear... all I'm fixin' to do is earn my bits for this creepy feller here and be gone. T'ain't no need for some dark alliance or nothin'... just a simple, honest-to-goddess payment of services so that my partner and I can be out of yer hair.”
“And if your companion in bounty hunting is so important, why isn't he even here?”
“Cuz... y'know...” Bard waved a hoof, shrugging. “...he's molting.” A weak smile
“Mr. Bard...” Revan stared firmly. “At some point or another, the pressure will get to him... as it will get to you. The seas around us will have grown so turbulent that neither of you can hold onto one another without breaking blood.”
As the Boss was talking, Bard's eyes darted briefly to the clock on the wall and back. Clearing his throat, the mercenary spoke: “Then just what are ya suggestin'?”
“Release him,” Revan said. “Before he releases you. One way or another, in this climate, it's bound to happen.” He leaned back, forelimbs crossed. “The question is... who's willing to make the hard decision first? You are the one ready to receive bits after all.”
Bard sat still, though his breaths were increasingly deep. He stared across the office with flaring nostrils.
Like a living shadow, Wildcard murked his way down the central stairwell of the Stronghold. He came to a soundless stop, spotting several Syndicate thugs gathered along a fourth floor hallway, facing out into the descending steps. They conversed and chuckled jovially. The griffon was just barely beyond eyeshot.
Wildcard took a deep breath. Twirling his nightsticks, he targeted the center pony of the thick group and prepared to strike—
Whump! Rainbow Dash suddenly pressed the griffon hard to the wall behind them.
Beak clattering, Wildcard raised a metal talon to shove Rainbow off—
—but the mare held a hoof before her muzzle, glaring at him wide-eyed. “Shhhhhh...” She leaned her mouth in beside his feathery head. “Remember... we gotta get down to the bottom floor, cause a flood, and sneak our way back up. That's gonna attract a whole bunch of baddies. Do we really want them spotting so many unconscious bodies on the way to the leak?
Wildcard's goggles rattled. He shifted where he stood.
Rainbow leaned off of him and the mercenary didn't protest. “Now I see why a dude like you needs Bard. Pure badflankery is great and all, but it could use a cool head from time to time. Really, though, take that as a compliment.”
Wildcard gestured wildly.
“I dunno what you're going on about, but don't freak out just yet...” Rainbow Dash snuck towards the edge of the shadows and peered off beyond the stairwell. “I'll get us a lay of the land.” She glanced briefly towards her right, then eyed the interior below.
Wildcard watched quietly... curiously from the darkness.
Rainbow's tail flicked. After a while, she spoke to the shadows: “You sure about that?” Silence. “And where does it lead to, Rarity?” More silence. “Wow... it's like they're making this easy for us. Twilight? You sense anything at the end of that passage?”
Wildcard's feathered brow furrowed.
“... … ...heh... yeah... it's worth a shot.” Rainbow suddenly spun to the left, felt around, and touched a metal grate. She gestured to Wildcard, then pointed at the vent.
The griffon slinked over. Following where Rainbow pointed, he shoved his metal talons between the vent and the door, prying the thing open as silently as he could. The aluminum grate bent to accommodate his force, and soon there was enough room for two bodies to creep through.
“Okay... this should take us straight to the corridor where the Vault's being held. I think our unicorn in question is waiting there. If you ask me, we should go there first, do a little recon, secure the Vault-keeper, and then send one of us down to the lower level to start the flood.”
Wildcard merely gawked at her, beak wide open.
“Dude... come on...” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “By now, you should totally trust me. Besides...” She jumped up and began crawling through the shaft. “...I've trusted you morons up to this point.”
The griffon took one last glance at the thugs gathered before them, then dove in after Rainbow Dash.
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Ok... seems like he's not changing hearts, since the Boss is just a fun bundle of paranoia.
Plus, this guy is also way too invested into the glory of Verlaxion bullcrap. Not gonna be fun when RD starts breaking things.
Rainbow, you really have come a long way, being able to say that.
Did anyone else think that the story had been cancelled after an entire day without any chapters just to remember that most stories take months to update? Just kept refreshing and refreshing...
It is just fantastic how much she is screwing with WC here. He honestly thinks she is crazy now....and he'd be right
The idea of Wildcard gawking at Dash is amusing to me. Like he's some unflappable badass and this seemingly crazy looking pegasus is talking to her own shadow and suddenly she knows her way perfectly around a place she's never been to before.
Come on Bard...don't you turn up down at the vault with Revan with a shrug and a smile saying "he made me an offer I couldn't refuse."
Don't you do it.
-Memories given light, ease a lonely flight. Ynanhluutr.
I'm sure this is a reference to something, but I'm not quite sure what.
Verlaxion takes credit for creating and maintaining the Blight?
6210541 It did post yesterday, just immediately after midnight Florida time.
Poor WC. He must think he's been stuck with a mare completely off her rocker. I have a sneaking suspicion RD is deliberately screwing with him though
Wildcard now understands the value Bard brings to their partnership, but shall Bard resist Revan's malign influence and retain a positive perspective on his partnership with Wildcard?
I did not expect Bard's faith in his partner to be so easily shaken.
I would
...
Ahemm...
Twenty-five count Swiss ball pushups and fifty-meters kettle-barbell bear crawl.
Knock 'em out!
6210577 According to Google,
it's "The last temptation of Christ."
6210620 That occurred to me, but it didn't seem appropriate. Bard is no Christ figure, after all. Still, I guess it's possible.
Verlaxion's power is weakening, eh? Interesting.
Also, Rainbow and WC make for a strangely entertaining pair. The mute, badass griffon and the flying paint-bucket who talks to shadows.
I can believe what Revan is thinking, I'm sure he knows what's going on better than pretty much everyone else in the area.
A little much?
I'm finding Wildcard to be more than a little... Riddickulous.
static.comicvine.com/uploads/scale_medium/2/29968/1780715-chronicles_riddick.jpg
6210575 Though, I think it could be pretty interesting if Bard ends up doing a triple-cross to get more from Revan, and then drops him for trying to get Bard to cheat WC of his cut...
Hmmm Rainbow might not have that much of an Issue with Verlaxion. This is a good thing with her power likely waning it might cause her to just leave her alone assuming Rainbow doesn't cross her.
I'm surprised Bard would even entertain the notion that WC be cut out after as much as they seem to have gone through together.
So the deal would be to hand over Echo to a life of imprisonnent or slavery, screw over his best friend, and he would most likely have to turn in Dash all to ingratiate himself with a guy who fire bombs his own citizens. If he takes the offer he might as well throw his monologue a few chapters back about being able to live with himself out the window
6210605
Has Jake been taking a break from East Horse or something? That's the only explanation I can find for him not pulling a nerve over this and telling you to do a hundred push-ups or something.
a few chapters back, i predicted RD would be betrayed.... I'm hoping I'm wrong, but at the same time, things would get a lot more tense and interesting if Bard takes him up on the deal.
6210945 That came to my mind, a couple chapters ago, when a commenter asked how WC can see so well in the dark and with dark googles.
Nice to see that we're not charging headfirst into every thug along the way. While I do love me some good ol' Dash kicking ass, being smart always means you have a larger chance of survival and accomplishment.
Of course, "accomplishment" hinges on Bard not being taken over by the dark side. But I have a feeling he's made up his mind.
6210979
Considering the plan is to rob their entire vault (and get evidence that the Syndicate is up to good). Additional deception to gain more cash Revan would no longer have seems unlikely.
BARD! No! Bad pony! Bad! *Swats with a newspaper.*
Oh, did he just offer him to stab his old buddy in the back? Damn that boss is a fool.
6210626
Making up six words is hard
It's funny how fateful this all is--everything, everywhere has come to a head as Rainbow Dash prepares to fulfil her destiny.
Rohbeddren is falling apart. Ledomare and Xona were about to destroy each other. Silvadel was in its last throes. Darkstine was getting worse by the day. And Rainbow Dash came just in time to save each and every one of them.
...
[divine purpose intensifies]
-Spirit (Yeast and Treacle)
Guessing Rainbow learned that one the hard way, though even as far back as Darkstine she had some head for stealth, though it wasn't until later that she saw it as anything but a last resort.
the catchupening part 4
I see Bard has burning questions...
I love Stealth Playthroughs.
!!!
This is pertinent information. Wonder why nobody has told RD before - I can see why Theanim wouldn't, but Sinrar and Nick almost certainly would. Maybe they hadn't heard yet.
So he did notice.
They’re all gonna do their jobs but Bard is not going to get the most important part of the plan completed....
...is it now?...
Team Wild Rainbow is actually pretty good. Two stealth minded flank kickers will come in handy.