• Published 13th Oct 2015
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Utaan - Imploding Colon



Rainbow Dash endures many trials to reach the edge of the world.

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Birds of a Frantic Feather

"Does this mean you're both friends again?!" Rarity grinned wide, pressing her hooves to her plush cheeks as she floated after Rainbow. "Oh, that would be absolutely smashing!"

"Please, Rainbow!" Twilight Sparkle hovered closer. "Tell us! What have you been talking about?"

"Are you both catching up?" Fluttershy cooed.

Rainbow's eyes darted across her friend's faces as she softly strolled down a long, long corridor lined with massive wooden pillars.

"Reckon they're all awake now, huh?" Bard asked.

"Awake... and anxious," Rainbow said.

"Heh..." The stallion adjusted the weight of the guitar around his flank. "Bet that gets annoying."

"Mmmmm... sometimes." Rainbow bore a brief smirk. She winced, shifted her bandaged left wing, and continued trotting along. The inner heart of the wyvern palace stretched before them: a seemingly endless forest of wooden pillars built over a dark mahogany floorboard. Every few spaces, a large bronze brazier loomed, crackling with hot coals. Mountain breezes carried the heat of the braziers from one end of the palace to the other. Aside from the torches, the only other source of light was the massive open balconies to the east and west of the epic interior. "Sometimes I just shake the pendant just to watch them fight like beetles inside a glass jar."

"Hey!" Pinkie frowned. "We're less like beetles; more like pill bugs! Get it right!"

The other mares merely giggled in the moment.

"But really, though." Rainbow cleared her throat. "They're friggin' happy to see you... and talking to me no less."

"Good to know that somepony is."

Rainbow bit her tongue.

Bard sighed. "There are bigger fish to fry in this world. There's always been. Let's leave it at that."

"I... uhm... I'm sorry if... I've dragged you and Wildcard away from your bounty contracts or—"

"I said leave it."

Twilight and Rarity winced.

"Er... s-sure thing." Rainbow replied with a shudder. She heard the scraping of claws, and she looked to her left.

A cluster of wyverns had frozen in their tracks. Feathers dangled to a stop from their ears as the bat-like creatures gawked at Rainbow with gaping lion-maws. As she passed on by, they gestured briskly to one another with their claws, smiling in wonderment.

"So many of them wyvern-folk tried visitin' yer room overnight," Bard said as the two strolled on. "Figured they're so smitten, they wanted to get a single glance of the 'Austraeoh.'" Bard tilted the brim of his hat forward. "Almost had to shove 'em off with a stick. Like clearin' bats from a belfry."

"How... uh... h-how long was I out?"

"Pretty long."

Rainbow squinted at him. "You... really sat down and watched over me the whole time?"

The stallion merely grunted out the side of his muzzle. Staring ahead, he spoke: "Yer pretty big news in this place. Go figure."

"Yeah..."

"I mean, considerin' you was a virtual no-name between the Blight and Rust... until us Desperadoes found you, of course." Bard shrugged. "I dunno... it just strikes me funny."

"You're not the only one," Rainbow said. She glanced at Twilight. "I mean, it's nice to know I'm... crazy appreciated and all, but this whole journey since you and Wildcard redirected me at Steamfall has been completely out of my control."

"Does he know anything about Remna?" Twilight asked.

Rainbow turned towards Bard again. "You know what's up with Remna?"

Bard instantly frowned.

Rainbow blinked. "Oh... you too?"

"I've heard... stories..." His nostrils flared. "Let's just say it's a dayum miracle that Dubya-Cee ended up as awesome as he did."

"Heh... tell me about it..."

"Nearly had to headbutt the dreadlocked piece of muscle just to sit by yer side."

"Wait..." Rainbow's lips pursed. "You... fought over the right to stand guard over—?"

"Somethin' ain't right about that mare," Bard grumbled. "I know I ain't exactly Verlaxion's gift to bounty hunters, or a paragon of greatness by anypony's standards, but Dubya's got some explainin' to do once he gets back. I really... really wanna know how that psycho death valkyrie got a claim on bein' his mentor."

"Yeesh, Bard." Rainbow smirked, raising an eyebrow. "Jealous much?"

"I dun get jealous." Bard shrugged. "Only... anxious."

"You and me both, brother."

"Hrmmmfff... at least we'll have the Job Squad around," Bard said. "If ever that redhead gets testy, at least I know morons have got our backs."

"You know the Job Squad personally?"

"Eeyup. We've met a few times. Done some local raids together."

"Define 'local raids.'"

"Collectively kicked the keisters of pirates and privateers for the right loot," Bard said with a slight smirk. "Up and down the Rohbredden coast. Strolled in and cleared house—a five pony group, y'know. Classic shiet. Heh... made lots of wealthy friends... and a buttload of poor enemies."

"Is that why you two eventually flocked west into the colonies?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Because the heat got too much to bear?"

"You got that right. Plus... well..." Bard shuddered. "I'm not the only one with stormclouds at his back."

Rainbow raised a brow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

THWAP! A pale lion's head landed in her face. "AH! You'rre awake!" Kepler boomed. "A fine morning indeed, Rrainbow one!"

"Gaaaah!" Rainbow flinched backwards, shuddering all over. "Friggin'... Starswirl pulling a kite! Stop doing that!"

Kepler folded his wings and bowed. "A thousand parrdons, Austrraeoh. My brrotherrs and I werre simply worrried overr yourr well-being durring this bleak interrim." His spectacled eyes swam towards Bard as he bore a toothed smile. "But it is a blissful thing to find you in such rrich company!"

"Mrmmfff..." Bard exhaled.

"Grreetings, handsome fellow!" Kepler waved a claw. "I prresume you arre the brrave steed known as Barrd, Wildcarrd's sibling in spirrit?"

"And in coin and in woodshedding and in owning the seven seas," Bard said, tilting his hat. "Them's the Desperadoes for ya. Ain't no gettin' off this train we're on."

"Ha-HAH!" Kepler grinned wide, his spotted backhair bristling. "And so it is true! Rright down to everry catch phrrase! Good sirr, I shall have you know that our grriffon's brrotherr's exploits are celebrrated in grreat rreverrie up herre in these peaks! Even in the prresence of the Mountain Matrron herrself!"

"Are we ever going to meet this mysterious Mountain Matron?" Rarity remarked. "Oh goodness, now he has me doing alliteration..."

Rainbow cleared her throat. "Uhm... about this 'Matron of the Mountains...'"

"Ah, yes yes..." Kepler turned towards her. "Verrily, you must be brrimming with curriosity. While norrmally the Matrron only holds courrt with the brrethern of the wing and claw, she will most definitely seek audience with the fair and esteemed Austrraeoh." His spectacles twinkled. "It is why she nested herre to begin with, afterr all."

"Now I'm brimming with curiosity," Twilight exhaled. "Just what are these lofty monks planning?"

"Well, if Wildcard has had a talon in it, then it must be for the goody-good, right?" Pinkie remarked.

"Say... uh... 'Kepler,' is it?" Bard spoke.

"Aye! Fine and well met, Mr. Barrd!"

"Righto." Bard cleared his throat, stepping closer. "Have ya seen where Remna's trotted off to?"

"Ah! You mean our featherred brrother's crryptic mentorr?" Kepler smirked. "While I do not prride myself in being distrracted, I must admit that my senses have been rratherr currtailed by the prresence of the rrainbow one as of late! I must humbly confess that I have lost trrack of that marre. Grranted, she is rrather fond of taking long, contemplative walks."

"Fine by me," Bard muttered. "So long as she keeps her distance."

"Oh?" Kepler adjusted his bifocals while his tail swished. "You have me at a loss, pony frriend. Is there something amiss?"

"Not so long as that mare is around, sportin' her angry looks to glare in our faces."

"Uhm..." Fluttershy drifted in. "Bard may not want to say those things so glibly, especially considering the fact that Remna's trotting down from the higher level of the palace as we speak." She pointed past the group.

Rainbow pointed in the same direction. "You do know that she's trotting towards us, right?"

"Indeed," Remna's voice echoed past the wooden pillars. Her heavy hoofsteps shook the cold air, rattling the ashes in the nearby braziers. "And I would very much appreciate any and all unpleasant words being told to my face."

"Well, suits me fine!" Bard swiveled to face her. He tilted his hat back and folded his forelimbs. "Hell, I'll even write a polka song and yodel 'em straight into yer muzzle!"

"Eeep!" Fluttershy shrank.

"A curious proposition." Remna raised a thick red eyebrow. "And just how many lyrics do you intend to produce before your head flies free of your neck?"

"Oh my..." Rarity grimaced.

Pinkie pumped a hoof in the air. "Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!"

Twilight yanked her down. "Pinkie...!"

"Now, now, good frriends!" Kepler leapt in between the glaring ponies. "Most undeniably have ourr emotions been strrained as of late, what with the tense situation in Rrohbrreden prroperr!" He smiled amicably. "But let us not turrn against one anotherr, especially since the hour of prroperr flight is upon us!"

"I'm amazed we've reached anything at all, or that Rainbow is in one piece." Bard glared over Kepler's mane. "Considering how many times she's nearly lost her skull from the crazy climb to get here! What's this rumor I keep hearin' about the two of you nearly plungin' off a mountainside?"

"I wouldn't speak much of mountainsides, Mr. Bard," Remna grumbled back. "Considering she nearly blew up one with that infernal train you both convinced her to hijack."

"We didn't tell her to explode nothin'!" Bard cackled. "We just gave her the keys to an easy westward hike! If you hadn't been so bogged down in Goddess-knows-what, then maybe she wouldn't have to be riskin' her neck on her own for so long in the first place!"

"So... much... yelling..." Fluttershy whimpered.

Before Remna could retort, Rainbow barked: "Alright... alright!" Rainbow stretched her hooves out. "If you can't listen to Kepler here, then listen to me when I say knock it off!" She frowned at Remna. "Bard and Wildcard did everything they could to send me safely on my way. It was my stupidity that brought me to blows with the Talon to begin with, or else no train would have exploded anywhere." She swiveled to glare at Bard. "And... yeah... while Remna's no friggin' saint, she did save my butt from freezing to death. Like it or not, I owe her as much as I owe you. So can we all just... get along for a little bit?"

"Aye!" Kepler nodded. "Comrraderrie, dearr frriends!" He smiled. "For the seven..." He winked at Bard. "...and those quite ardently attached."

Twilight and Rarity exchanged blinking expressions. "What was that supposed to mean?" Rarity asked.

"I... think Bard is not one of 'the seven.'"

"Huh..."

"Hrmmmff... fine." Bard folded his hooves. "Yer off the hook, Remna... for now." His brow furrowed. "But mark my words; I've got my eye on you."

"My life's ambition, most certainly," Remna droned, rolling her eyes. She turned towards Kepler. "I just spoke with the Matron. She's still awaiting Rainbow's appearance."

"Ah! Brrilliant!" Kepler nodded, rubbing his claws together. "Most brrilliant!"

"Wait..." Bard's lips pursed. "How come you get to speak to this high-and-mighty Matron so willy-nilly?"

"Concern yourself with the Austraeoh if you care about her so much," Remna grumbled. "You can't choose to be in two places at once."

"The Hell I can't!" Bard stomped a hoof. "She ain't the only one wantin' answers!"

"You want answers?" Remna's green eyes narrowed. "Ask your 'Desperado' friend."

"I've got news for ya, red," Bard muttered. "Dubya-Cee ain't particularly talkative about yer frumpy flanks."

"I most certainly wouldn't blame my protege," Remna calmly said. "If anyone called me by such an inane nickname, I'd leave him in the dark as well."

"Grrrrrrr..."

"Oh!" Kepler's ears twitched as he waved a claw in the air. "Speaking of which! Ha HAH! He motioned after himself as he scampered briskly towards a nearby balcony. "I do believe my earrs pick a weighted shift in the winds! Forrsooth! Ourr companions in courrage arrrive!"

"Eeee!" Pinkie pointed. "Follow the bouncing Wyvern!"

"I certainly have no objection." Rarity turned towards Fluttershy. "Especially if this means the return of Wildcard..."

Fluttershy nodded. "Yes." She smiled. "And he's joined by three others."

"Squee." Rarity curled her forelimbs to her chest. "Then what are we waiting for?"

"I, for one, wanna check this out," Rainbow said, trotting after Kepler.

"Aye..." Bard nodded, shuffling after her. "Reckon it'll be mighty sobering havin' Dubya around as a feathershield to present company."

"Mrmmmff..." Remna grunted, taking up the rear.


A bright blue sky hung over the outstretched wooden balcony along the east end of the sanctuary. Kepler perched on the palace's edge, waving his winged limbs.

"Overr here, pony frriends! Hah! What a find day for a landing!"

"Shucks... I dun even see them." Bard trotted up beside Kepler, squinting into the heavens. "Where in the hell is Dubya?"

"Ah! I do believe yourr brreath-stolen companion is dirrectly behind the larrge equine mass strrapped to steam-powered mechanizations, musical one!"

"Large... equine... mass?" Bard blinked. Then his ears drooped. "Aww hell... I thought he was gonna go on a dayum diet."

"Huh?" Rainbow Dash moved in. "Who was? What are you talking about?"

Just then, she heard an outrageous hissing sound, growing louder and higher in pitch, followed by a cacophonous wave of angry grunts and shouts.

"No! No, dammit! You're coming in too fast!"

"I know what I'm doing..."

"Clearly you don't, seeing how it took me seventy-two minutes and thirty-six seconds to recalibrate the thrusters to your flank chassis!"

"Well if you didn't pack it so hard with melted snow, then maybe we wouldn't be in this mess!"

"Right! We'd be stuck back in Lichen District, scooping you out of that cheap-ass brothel—"

"How many times do I gotta keep telling ya?! It was a convent!"

"Yeah, and since when did pious sisters of the Verlaxion Order dress in Snow Blood lace—?!"

"Will you two stop bickering?! Wildcard's doing all the steering for your fat asses and—oh great."

"Oh great what?!"

"Oh, nothing... save for the big hulking wyvern sanctuary you're about to smash into—"

"Damnation!"

"Holy shit!"

Three tangled figures embroiled in gusting steam flew into view.

"Luna Poop!" Rainbow's voice cracked.

"Whoah dayum!" Bard spun, diving for Rainbow. "Get down—"

"Look out!" Remna simultaneously lunged for the mare—only to collide with Bard. "Augh!"

"Ooof!"

Both "protectors" fell to a meaty heap before the mare. Meanwhile, the bodies sailed inward with violent force.

"To the right!" Pinkie hollered, eyebrow twitching.

"Grnngh!" Rainbow rolled sideways, narrowly avoiding the weighted figures.

Th-Th-Thud! Two stallions and a griffon collapsed, somersaulted, and slammed into a wooden pillard. Wh-Whump! Wildcard landed upside down, breathless and twitching. A series of steam thrusters attached to the two stallions sputtered to a standstill, filling the air with hot fog.

"Hrmmmff..." A pegasus mare hovered above the hectic scene. She folded her forelimbs with a huff. "You guys are bunch of friggin' idiots. I swear..."

"Hah hah hah!" Kepler picked himself up, straightening his mane and spetacles. "A most glorrious landing! Verrily, it is yesterrday again!"

"Heya, Kepler." The mare smiled from above. "Super nice seeing you again."

"And a blessed day to be grraced with yourr beauty once again, fairr one!" Kepler bowed. "I trrust that yourr frriends arren't too terrribly injurred?"

"Only my big fat pride," slurred the larger of the two stallions.

"You meat-headed imbecile!" The smaller stallion stood up. From afar, Rainbow spotted a petite unicorn with a light brown coat. He wore a metal apparatus around his flank, equipped with steam thrusters. Wirey brown mane hair spilled out of a black visor strapped to his head. "How many times do I have to go over it?! I control the power source... you control the thrusters!"

"And I'm telling you..." The bigger stallion stood up with a frown. "The thrusters you calibrated for this stinkin' tin can of a pack ain't enough!" He was a hulking round specimen of an earth pony, with a stone blue coat and a dull red mane—almost rusted. He fussed with the straps around his shoulders before ultimately peeling the apparatus off entirely. "I can barely stay aloft for a friggin' minute, you genius insect!"

"Well if you didn't shove so many glacier cakes down your fatass since the last time we kicked flank together—"

"Oh here we go." The earth pony rolled his sleepy eyes. "You're supposed to be the brains of this outfit! Not the guilt."

"Will you two cut it out?" grumbled the mare, floating in a different spot above them. "Look at what you did to poor Wildcard!" She pointed at the dizzy, breathless griffon in question. "He was the one working his wings off to get our lame butts up here all this time!"

"And we would have gotten here a lot faster if we had taken my calculations seriously!" the unicorn spat, shaking an abicus.

"Yeah yeah..." The earth pony stifled a yawn. "Why don't you sleep with that calculator if you love it so much?"

"I'd still be getting more action than you've gotten in years, ya lumbering walrus prick."

"Grrrrrr—!"

"Uhhhhhhh..." Rainbow Dash grimaced, gawking along with her ghostly companions. "I have... questions..."

Upon hearing her voice, all three strangers spun to face her. Wildcard stopped reeling in time to look straight. His headcrest lifted, and a smile graced his beak.

"Grnnngh..." Bard slowly sat up, brushing the dust off his limbs. "Yyyyyyyeah... like old times for sure."

"Bard, is..." The unicorn shifted, his black visor rattling. "Is this her? Like... really her?"

"Hell, Dubya can answer that question." Bard stepped over Remna as the bounty hunter was still getting up. "Or maybe yer 'Mountain Matron,' I reckon. But as far as I know, she's that crazy flank-kickin' mare from beyond the Blight."

"Holy Hell, dude." The large stallion shook his head with a smirk. "That shit that went down in Rust sounded epic. What I wouldn't give to have been a part of that raid."

"Looks like yer about to be part of somethin' even bigger," Bard said with a smirk. He reached out and hoof-bumped both stallions, one after another. "So keep yer chin up."

"Aren't... aren't you coming with us?" the unicorn asked.

"Ehhhhh... let's take it one step at a time, ya hear?" Bard pivoted to face Wildcard. "Dubya? You doin' okay?"

The griffon shuddered, but nevertheless offered a metal salute.

"Guess ya deserve some shuteye, what with pushin' these fat asses around."

"Hey!" The earth pony frowned.

"Hah hah hah!" The unicorn slapped his knee. "Tell it like it is, Bard!"

"I wasn't bein' exclusive. With you in the picture, that's a fatass and a half."

"Oh..."

"Sure hope Dubya wasn't talkin' yer ears off somethin' awful along the way here."

"Naw..." The mare's voice echoed from another spot overhead. "...we're cool."

"Good." Bard glanced at Remna, Kepler, then back at Rainbow. "Whelp... reckon some introductions are in order!"

"Yes." Rarity nodded as the stallion trotted between them and Rainbow. "That would be most fortuitous."

"Rainbow..." Bard gestured the mare over. "I want ya to meet some good 'ol friends of mine... but even older friends to Dubya. This here's the slightly sexier half of the Job Squad."

"Mrmmfff..." Remna folded her forelimbs. "A fitting name."

"Nopony's talkin' to you," Bard grumbled without looking.

"Ha Hah!" Kepler laughed.

"This..." Bard patted the unicorn's shoulder. "...is Flynn. The smartest dang pony I've ever seen. Aside from yer gal pal Twilight of course, but—well—none of us exactly see her, do we?"

Pinkie and Fluttershy giggled while Twilight blushed.

"Uhm..." Rainbow Dash held a hoof out. "...hiya, Flynn." She glanced at the steampack on the petite stallion's backside. "Dig the swell... jet pack."

His metal-laced hoof shook as it graced her. "Yes... f-far more streamlined than my previous prototypes, I assure you." With a jerk of his neck, he flipped the visor up, revealing a metal left eye.

Rainbow flinched slightly.

"Great burning gases..." Flynn cooed. Mechanical lenses rotated within each other as his vision "zoomed in" on the mare in front of her. "Are... are you truly the Austraeoh?" His jaw hung agape. "For a mare named Rainbow, there's... not much of a rainbow."

"Yeah, well, not all things stay put." Her eyes traveled to the stallion's round, brown bald spot behind his horn. "I'm sure you understand..."

"Most egregiously!"

"A fine pleasurre to have you back in these mountains, fellow frriend Flynn!" Kepler stepped up with a grin. "I would verry much enjoy exchanging inforrmation concerrning Rrohbrredden's rrecent technological exploits!"

"Heh... sure thing, Kep." Flynn knelt low, training his mechanical eye on Rainbow's pendant. "For what it's worth. I mean... we're not exactly staying in this continent, are we?"

"Ha HAH! Well said!"

"Hmmmm..." A feminine voice purred from directly behind Rainbow Dash. "She's even smaller than Wildcard described."

"...!" Rainbow spun about, staring face to fuzzy face with the gray-coated pegasus. "Yeesh..." She blinked. "You're f-fast."

"Mmmmm... definitely." The mare nodded. Ocean blue eyes shone beneath a flowing, raven-black mane. "Bet you're even faster." She smiled.

Rainbow blinked. "Uhm..."

"Nice cutie mark, by the way." The mare sauntered past her, her outstretched wings brushing barely above Rainbow's head. "Many of us would die to be gifted with something half-as-awesome."

Rainbow blinked after her. "Yeah..." She bore a dumb smile. "Totally."

"And this little darlin'..." Bard gestured as the pegasus stood calmly at his side. "...is Ariel."

"Pfft... please, Bard." The mare rolled her eyes. "I'm not exactly the 'littlest one' anymore, am I?"

Bard continued: "The five of us would be nowhere if it weren't for her ability to spin heads back east."

"And don't you forget it." FWOOOOSH! In a blink, Ariel floated above the outer edge of the balcony. "Sometimes I even spin them clean off."

"Pfffft... please." Flynn rolled his one good eye. "You couldn't be that merciless if you tried."

"Hmmmm..." Ariel pouted. "I guess he's right. Besides..." She tossed her black mane with a wink. "From what I hear, that's Remna's job."

The violet bounty hunter merely grunted.

"Last but not least—" Bard turned to the earth pony—

"Logan the Magnificent!" The hulking stallion marched over to Rainbow, brushing Bard and Kepler aside. "Smasher of pirate skulls!" he spat. Every thudding hoofstep made the balcony beneath them shake and wobble. "Destroyer of dirty dames' hearts!" He winked, bowing as low as his flabby girth could manage. "Which means I'd never harm yours while it still beats, milady."

"Ugh..." Ariel rolled her eyes. "Please, Logan..."

"How... uhm..." Rarity fidgeted.

"Charming?" Fluttershy attempted.

"To each her own," Rarity inhaled.

Bard cleared his throat. "We like to call him 'Big Show.'"

"Jee, I wonder why." Rainbow smirked.

"I'll tell you why!" Logan boomed, turning to glare at the others. "It's because I've made a big show of raiding the hidden hovels of terrorists between here and the Twilight Plains!"

Flynn and Ariel laughed.

"What?! I really have!" Logan's nostrils flared. "Sent them smoldering sky high with flames and smoke and—"

"Quit while yer ahead, chief." Bard patted his shoulder. "Say, do us all a favor, Big Show. Would ya kindly mind standin' between Rainbow and Remna at all times from here on out?"

"Huh? What for?"

"Grnnngh..." Remna shook her head, glaring into the mountains.

"So... there ya have it." Bard shrugged, posing alongside Wildcard's companions as the group of five stared her away, along with Kepler and the braided bounty hunter. "The Job Squad... and then some."

Twilight looked at Rainbow.

Rainbow could only gawk at the gathered group. "It... this... this is... I mean..." She cleared her throat. "You gotta understand... I've been on the run for so long... ever since... well..." She grimaced. "...mistakes that I made in the Quade..."

"Right..." Ariel nodded. "We heard."

"And we're here to make things right," Flynn said.

"Onwarrds and into the brrink!" Kepler grinned. "Even beyond!"

"Yeah... and I get that now. Problem is..." Rainbow shifted. "I don't quite understand why. I mean..." She tilted her gaze to the side. "Wildcard? I heard this was all your idea."

The griffon calmly nodded back, his goggles reflecting the mare's petite figure.

"But... why put this together? I mean, it's obvious that you and your friends have been through a whole heck of a lot together. But after what happened before... I mean... after the th-things that I said back in Luminar..."

"If you recall, Rainbow," Twilight spoke, "Wildcard was acting very... very protective over you back when we were guests of Elder Kyron."

"She's right, you know." Rarity nodded. "Even when you... parted ways, I recall our handsome feathered friend being very reluctant to follow Bard in leaving."

Rainbow glanced at her ghostly friends, then back at the group assembled before her. "Just... just what's going on here? I mean... for real. After all the things that I've done, what... what's convinced you to come back and help me?"

Bard sighed. He glanced over at his partner. "Dubya...?"

"Yes, Wildcarrd, brrotherr," Kepler spoke in a calm tone. He smiled. "I do suppose that now is as opporrtune a time as any."

Wildcard nodded. Bard stepped aside as the griffon marched up. He came to a stop, standing directly in front of Rainbow Dash. Slowly, he lifted his metal left talon.

Rainbow blinked.

Making goggled eye contact with the mare, Wildcard flicked a claw across a metal panel. Schlunk! A slitted layer rolled back, exposing a paper band situated within the prosthetic. The band had an emblem on it, etched with every color of the rainbow.

Behind Wildcard's feline flanks, Flynn, Ariel, Logan, Kepler, and even Remna mimicked the gesture. The four ponies and wyvern raised their left forelimbs, revealing hoofbands bearing the same rainbow colored rune.

Rainbow blinked, her jaw dropping.

"What... what is it, Rainbow?" Rarity asked.

"They... they're all wearing the same symbol," Fluttershy said.

"Huh..." Pinkie squinted. "Looks like a bunch of seagull wings chasing an arrowhead."

"Odrsjot..." Rainbow murmured.

Twilight snapped a glance at her. "Odrsjot?"

"They're all wearing the symbol of Odrsjot. But... but that means..." Rainbow's ruby eyes twitched, finally settling on Wildcard. "The Herald." She stared, her muzzle agape. "You're the Herald of Angels..."

Wildcard smiled.

"But... but h-how? I mean..." Rainbow gulped. "Khao, Lead Wing of the Herald, was guiding her flock continents west of the Grand Choke! And—"

"Khao?" Flynn blinked. He glanced over at Big Show and Ariel. "You ever heard of a 'Khao?'"

"How the Hell should I know?" Logan blinked back. "Is there an eighth of us?"

"Don't be silly," Ariel grunted. "There's seven. There's always seven. Just ask the Matron."

Rainbow's eyes twitched. "Of course..." She gulped dryly. "Of course you wouldn't have heard of Khao. That was... tens of thousands of miles away... not to mention years of separation... centuries."

"I think this is a different Herald, Rainbow," Twilight said. "Didn't you once tell me that they were pretty much spread all over the Light Side?"

"Well, right. I always figured. But just never thought that... that I'd run into..." Rainbow glanced at Bard.

Bard stood near the back, forelimbs folded. He glanced back at Rainbow, expressionless.

Remna quietly observe the eye contact between them.

Rainbow's vision darted towards Wildcard again. A soft smile graced her lips. "Awesome..." She exhaled gently, her right wingtips fluttering. "...yeah... I can definitely roll with this." Glistening teeth.

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