Help, Rainbow, You're My Only Hope
“Uh huh.” The guard drew something on a clipboard and leaned back with a sigh. “And how many ponies in your group Mister... Bard?”
“Why, that'd be four, mister,” the mercenary said. “Or... well... four and a half if you count this here gift from Boss Revan.”
“Huh?” The guard looked up, squinting. “Are... are you in business with the Northern Hoof?”
“Dayum skippy!” Bard echoed musically. “And, as I understand it, the earth-trottin' folk around these parts... er... underparts have been itchin' to get their hooves on a certain scampy somepony.”
The guard pointed at Rust's body with his clipboard. “What's with the midnighter?”
“Ah! That's where the four and a half comes in! Ya see...” Bard shifted his weight, pointing at the sarosian with his right wing. “...this lil fella was owin' money to Revan big time. Thang is, he was owin' even more money to y'all Muddredge folks. So, Boss Revan, bein' the stand-up kind of a guy that he is, figured it was real economic-like to send him off to Shoggoth so that the Southern Hoof could begin pullin' threads and reel in all the loose ends that Mister Cheapskate here thought he could get away with chompin'.” Bard smiled. “After all, the Syndicate's not just separate hooves. In the end, ain't we all just parts of the same mud-stompin' thoroughbred?”
The guard squinted at Bard. “You work for the Syndicate?” His nostrils flared. “You smell like normal bounty hunting trash to me.”
“Pffft! Are y'all spittin' on my stirrups?!” Bard chuckled, grinning. “When I've delivered this here bounty and all is said and done, I'm fixin' to saddle up all nice and pretty with the Muddredgers! The way I figure it—if they can get everythang all squared away, then now's 'bout time that Dubya-Cee and I do the same!”
“And what's with the guitar case?”
“I'm a musician,” Bard huffed, chin up. “What about it?”
“Mrmmmfff...” The guard's eyes darted about. “On official business from Revan or not, your group is carrying an awful lot of heavy stuff.” He signaled towards another stallion. “I'm afraid we're going to have to search you.”
“Pffft. Please...” Bard rolled his eyes. “There's no need. After meetin' up with yer boss, my friends and I were hopin' to add our wares to the Auction House! After all, ain't nothin' like startin' a new life when you've got all the fixin's of the old life to sell away!”
“Even still, it's procedure. And a situation like this calls for a thorough examination.”
“Yeah... well... uh...” Bard began sweating. “Ahem... don't ya think that's... uh...” His tail flicked and flicked in Wildcard's direction. “...a lil' out of the ordinary?”
Wildcard's goggles reflected the motion. He pivoted and slapped Echo's head with his flesh talon.
“Ow!” Echo hissed, then frowned at the griffon. “You insufferable pisshole! What was that for—?”
Wildcard opened his beak wide and gestured “fangs.”
“Oh... uhm...” Echo's slitted eyes widened as he suddenly thrashed about in his bindings. “Skree-ee-ee-ee!” He shook and wriggled and drooled. “Skree-ee-ee-ee! Death to the daylight infidels... and sunshine! Skree-ee-ee-ee!”
“Oh jeebus!” Bard wheezed, bucking and jolting. “Oh lord have mercy! Now you gone and dun it!” He gnashed his teeth, looking helplessly at the guards. Everypony in line craned their necks to see. The sarosian's tantrum was drawing everyone's attention, passengers and thugs alike. “This little varmint's gone rabid! Any second now, he'll yodel his throat super hard and unleash the bat brain blaster!”
“Holy shit...” One guard stammered, his jaw dropping side.
“Can... c-can they do that?” murmured another.
“Oh yes!” Bard nod-nod-nodded, still struggling to contain Echo's thrashing motions. “Their shrieks can get so blasted high-pitched that it'll paint yer skulls with your brain noodle! Splooosh! Of course... yer prostates would have become sonic goo minutes beforehoof.”
“Ah jeez!” One guard spun towards another. “We gotta do something!”
“And quick!”
“Reckon I know a solution!” Bard gestured towards the undertrolleys. “Throw us in one of them thangs! The thick iron acoustics should be good enough to drown out his vibrations before he goes unconscious from all his strugglin'! We should all be safe by the time we reach Shoggoth proper and drop his sorry keister in a dungeon!”
“Hmmmf... still, this is a very dangerous situation,” one guard muttered, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Best to not take any chances.” Schiiiing! He pulled out a gleaming dagger. “I'd better slice out his voice box.”
“Skree-ee-ee-ee—...” Echo froze, blinking. “Wait... huh?”
“Wait, huh?” Bard did a double-take. “But... but he's my bounty! That'll kill him!”
“Maybe, maybe not.” The guard wandered forward with the blade, aiming for the nape of Echo's neck. “But if he's as dangerous as you say, then we can't risk the livelihood of Shoggoth's citizenry.”
“B-b-but we're deliverin' him as a gift from Boss Revan—”
“—and I'm quite familiar with the bounty,” the lead guard said. “In death, he should still bring in a handsome price. Handsome enough for the likes of you to live on.”
“Okay, buck this...” Echo rolled off Bard and tried worming away. “I'll be voiceless in hell, ya seagull huffers!”
“Hold still...” The guard snarled, squatting low and reaching for the bat pony.
“Now wait just a minute!” Bard gnashed his teeth, shoving his way in. “Let's talk about this! Uhh...” He turned and stared at Wildcard with flaring eyes. “Uhhhhhhhhhh...!” He nodded.
Wildcard nodded back. Schiing! He produced his nightsticks.
One guard saw it out the corner of his eyes. “Wait! You there—”
“Mr. Wildcard!” Theanim reached over and grasped the griffon's arm. All around, the crowd was stirring and surging in panic. “We... we must find another solution or else they'll never let us into the—”
“Dammit!” Echo kicked and thrashed at the guards. “Let... go!”
“I said hold still.” The guard pressed the blade to Echo's neck, frowning. “You're nothing but midnight filth anyways—”
Echo spat. “Buck you, guy! I mean it—”
“Rainbow!” Twilight squeaked. She and Rarity were a trembling mess at this point. “We have to do something!”
“It's... there's no chance of us making it to Shoggoth at this point!” Rainbow's voice cracked. “Pinkie Pie...” Just then, the world around her lit up with sea foam green light, and she reeled.
“Be at ease, Rainbow Dash. It has been taken care of.”
Just as soon as the light pulsed, the world returned to its gray haze, and Rainbow fell back on her haunches.
“Ungh...”
“Rainbow?” Rarity looked over. “Are you okay, darling?”
Before Rainbow could respond, she saw the sea foam green light again—only this time it was somewhere far ahead, shimmering from two fixed points beyond the crowd. She looked to see the light emanating from behind the lead guard's eyes. He suddenly lowered his dagger from Echo's throat, and his lips slurred: “It has been taken care of.”
The other guards standing around performed double-takes. “Huh?”
Echo blinked. “...Huh?”
The lead guard stood up, clearing his throat. “It has been taken care of.” He calmly looked at the others with a glazed expression. “I remember now. The Boss is expecting Revan's gift. This is all according to plan.”
“Since when?” Another guard frowned. “I don't remember being briefed on—”
“Do you wanna be on seagull poop duty for a week that badly?!” growled the leader, poking the stallion in the chest with his dagger. “Well?!”
“Uhhhhh...” The other guard shook his head, gulping. “N-no, sir!”
“Do not challenge my authority ever again.” Schiiing! The guard sheathed his blade, then turned towards Bard and the others. “You are free to pass.” He gestured towards the undertrolleys in wait. “Sorry for all the trouble.”
“... ... ...” Bard blinked. “So... that means no inspection, right?” A metal talon whapped him in the back of his head. “Ow! Er... I mean, r-right!” He put on a nervous smile, scooped Echo back onto his flank, and tipped his hat. “Pleasure chewin' the fat with y'all!”
Bard shuffled on, followed by Wildcard—who shared no small amount of glares with the peering guards. At last, Theanim and Rainbow took up the rear, trotting across the platform in awkward silence. Below, sea waves crashed thunderously against the bluffs of upper Shoggoth.
“How in blazes did you manage to intimidate that fellow?” Theanim wheezed.
“I didn't!” Bard whispered back. “Or else, if I did, I dun even know my own tongue's strength! Eheh...”
“You're all a bunch of jackasses,” Echo grumbled.
“Glad you're in one piece too, old chap,” Theanim said.
Rainbow was the last to enter the thick open doorframe of the undertrolley. Just as she passed through, the world burned once again with sea foam green.
“I am waiting for you, but I am not the only one. We must remain cautious.”
“Eunngh...” Rainbow teetered, then leaned limply against the frame. She brought a hoof to her fuzzy forehead, gritting her teeth.
“Rainbow...?” Rarity and Twilight flew up close. “Are you quite alright?”
“Do you feel another fainting spell coming on?” Twilight asked.
“You...” Rainbow's eyes opened, thin and weak. “You mean you guys didn't hear that?”
Twilight and Rarity exchanged awkward glances. “Hear what?”
“What's going on, Rainbow?”
“I... I don't know...” Rainbow wheezed. “But... but I think somepony just helped us back there.” She gulped. “And she wants me to know it.”
As her vision came back into full focus, she saw her reflection in a worried griffon's lenses.
Rainbow cleared her throat. “I'm... I'm fine...” She shuffled past Wildcard. “Just dealing with... uhhhh... girl stuff. Yeah.”
Wildcard stared after her, eyecrest raised. With a ruffle of his feathers, he icily followed the group to the furthest corner of the undertrolley's dimly-lit interior, where they took up plush seats and sat in nervous silence.
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...Yeeaahhhh...I think that all but confirms it was Princess Camelia earlier.
Sigh… if no one else will do it…
Super obvious Star Wars reference.
Who else thought it was another one of Chrysalis's hidden changelings at first? Only me? Ok then. Hopefully it really was Camelia and not Verlax.
6280398
Its so obvious it doesn't really need to be pointed out. Except for kids....
That's quite a swing from suspicious/hostile to secret helper, and that's quite a display of power. If that's really the local princess, I take it whoever she's warning about has similar abilities or a way to counter them.
That or it's all a show put on for Rainbow. Everyone is Verlax and this whole adventure is a secret test of character!
6280398
made even more super obvious with the effective Jedi Mind Trick used in this chapter.
Up Next: Mysterious Voice person gives Dashie a lightsaber!
Apparently Rainbow has allies in... um... low places.
Wildcard's and Echo's idea went from really good to really shit remakably fast. Classic plan sequence. And how exactly does one huff a seagull? Sounds extraordinarily painful.
Princess Camelia apparently having mind-control powers seems ominous.
6280452
Here Rainbow. A weapon for a most harmonious mare.
*gives RD a rainbow-colored lightning blade.
(complains about lack of pics with RD and rainbow blades)
6280537 Well, to be fair, someone caring the fragmented soul of a chaos beast in them, a bounty hunter who cut off most of her own body to gain greater power, and a changeling feeding off the love of another also sound pretty bad, but all turned out to be fairly cool people when you get to know them.
6280564 A few chapters down the road, RD confronts a reincarnated Shell with a storm of
lightsabersnon-trademarked light swords. They fight, Shell uses his telekineses to gain the upper hoof, then cuts off Dashies hoof and reveals himself to be her father....and then the universe breaks and the whole story explodes into a glorious rainbow colored fireball. F'naaa.
Ooookay then.
Whatever you say Her Imperious Condescension.
If it has been taken care of, then who am I to argue with the Condesce? A Witch of Heart, that's who I am motherbucker!
Seriously though, good day for reading today. 2 of this and Sweetie Chronicles.
-Memories given light, ease a lonely flight. Ynanhluutr.
6280638
6280615
Touche. It's just... overriding another's freewill or invading their thought-space seems like a whole other level of iffy-ness. I dunno.
You're a city now,
HarryEchoRust.Batpone's performance the past few chapters has elevated him to Pone of the Week. Way to milk those racist undertones!
6280678 Telepathic suggestion isn't that bad.
It's a bit how ya goin', yeah. But it's better than her making his head explode with just sheer psychic force.
Plus the fact that she spared Echo and got them through is pretty much indicative of her being a good guy.
...I hope.
Hopefully it's not a case of trading one villain for another.
... Chrissy...?
No wait, that can't be. She lost her magic and all...
Why do I get the feeling that Wildcard has a thing for Rainbow Dash? He's basically a robot around everyone else.
31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lywm1wPKIP1ql4h20o6_250.gif
Argh, cute stuff! Stahp!
Bard is terrible at being convincing.
I'm also curious how Camellia knew Dash's name.
6280678 Having the ability to do great evil doesn't directly mean that they commit great evil. So far the only time we have seen her use her mind altering ability to change someones actions it was to convince them to not slice open the throat of a helpless prisoner for convenience sake. Might be evil, but we just don't know yet, and I feel it is still far to early to make a real call. Also, I just realized that it might be this power that allowed the changelings trying to cross this continent to be found and exterminated so easily. If you can get into someones head, them changing their body will not count for much.
6280678 We already knew she was a siren. Mind control is sort of their thing.
Alternate title for this chapter: "The Bard Critically Fails His Roll"
Man I hate it when my party members screw up a bluff check and the DM has to intervene with some NPC help out of nowhere.
Use the Forc- Uh, 'Girl Stuff', Dashie.
6280444 Considering that Chrissy has confirmed that her changelings couldn't actually stay hidden with Verlax around that would be extremely unlikely
The closer we get to the edge the more supernatural it gets.
Yeah, she has some very high-tier help. Good.
We can only HOPE it's Head Siren In Charge. Because if it is, this is already wrapped up. ^^
6280728 saving his life might have something to do with it.
Also, assuming that this is Camelia, her brand of mind magic seems to be invasive (duh) and causes pain or at least headaches (if Dash is anyone to go by). Maybe Camelia's magic and Discord's are reacting to each other.
But what does Dash really bring? Peace? Harmony? She brings change. Just like when Nightmare Moon came and promised Eternal Stagnation, Dash and her friends defeated her. Then Dash had to fight Change itself, and she beat it and she became Change. And she's spreading it around the world.
So, did anyone else imagine that Camellias voice was the same as Angel from Borderlands?
Maybe the Southern Hoof has some sort of leverage over Camellia and she sees RD as a way to get out from under them.
...or maybe it's Axan?
6280471 Also very unhygienic.
So I think that Chrysalis and Camellia are both alicorns of a sort. One went full changeling; one went full Siren then?
Quick, Bluff.
Bluff? I got about as much bluff as a tropical beach.
Oh look, remote mind control. That falls off with distance, and so therefore gets stronger with closeness.
Wonder how many of Shoggoths council she can control with ease at the same time.
Well, it saves wildcard having to drop the guards family jewels and try not to stun themselves.
Move along.
More freaky mindpowers... As if Dash didn't have enough issues already
-Spirit (Yeast and Treacle)
This is an underwater city, c'mon. We need Bioshock references, not Star Wars
6281937 No, we need Manaan references. (From Kotor 1).
Siren Queen Scrying, Casts Suggestion.
What level caster is that? Not too shabby, I think, but not god-tier either, I think.
*digs up 3.5 books*
Looking at it from 3.5, Camelia's at least a 15th level wizard or 16th level Sorcerer unless she's filled to the butt with magical items.
6281772 It feels damn good to be back! So much has happened since I stopped reading. It was like one day I decided to take a break and the next thing I knew, I was 200 chapters behind.
Camelia already on their side is pretty useful. Means the only thing they still have to do is actual steal the stuff! Inb4 Zombie Shell, teams up with Zombie Razzar, and crash lands zabadubadub into Shoggoth.
6283125 Rai and Jiri at Lungha
I think it's Pinkie, using her fourth wall breaking powers to break the walls between the element and the real world. Ithink her ability will be to influence people, like in this chapter.
Curious, who else is waiting for Rainbow? Boss Revan's still far behind in tailing Rainbow and co. so he couldn't have gotten the word out yet.
6280909
Wasn't it hinted in a previous chapter that Camellia is a mind reader? Such a power would probably give her the name of the pony she reads.
6280444
The way the control of the guard worked, with his eyes going green did have me thinking it could be changeling shenanigans. But Camellia makes much more sense given where Rainbow is and what we know of her so far.
6283351 Yeah, I was just wondering if her power was more passive, like reading somebody's thoughts or more active by ripping the information directly from the targets head. It seems to be the latter with the way she was able to directly intervene with the gaurds.
Well that was a nice turn of events, I had a feeling Bard would start to over do it on the story time. Camelia way of helping is a bit concerning, but to bring up the movie referenced in the title, Jedi have that same power so it doesn't mean much.
Now who this other pony is that is waiting for RD is really worrying me. I really doubt its Veralax yet as its unlikely she is in the city and it sounds like that pony likely is already here for her.
6282917 Welcome back, you little munchkin of a goblin, you.
...
It feels odd saying 'welcome back' when I only caught up in the time you were gone.
6281443 Change. Something between discord and harmony. Something the whole plane needs, apparently. That's as good an answer as any I've thought up. The one thing Dash is certain to do anywhere she goes is upset the status quo.
6280909 You're right he's terrible at being convincing, Bards schtick is playing dumb and talking until people get annoyed enough to let him through anyways because they'd rather him go away and suffer the consequences than deal with his inane rambling... And to be fair to him it seems to work petty well for him.
6284846 Sad thing is, I decided to go on my little hiatus without even bothering to see how the character named after me turned out. In the end, he was a crappy, second rate villain, and completely useless sidekick once redeemed. Just how I would have wanted him! Hurrah for mediocrity!
Damn, Roarke, Roarke most rare, Roarke most radical and Roarke most awesome are all used names in warframe.
I wanted to use them.
That guards Biology was Shocked. Commands were Spliced into his mind then he went Big Daddy on his underlings. Dash you better watch yourself. You have a Little Sister waiting back home.
How long till the next full moon?