From far away, a length of metal glinted, its strobing light piercing the snow fall.
Keris nodded. With his good talon, he raised a gauntlet, catching the sunlight so that it glinted back over the rooftops and turf houses of Braum. He looked aside at the Commander hovering next to him.
"That's Sergeant Windburst's signal," he said. "He and Starstorm have checked all the ponies leaving Braum. None of them have Rainbow Dash."
"Then that settles it," Seraphimus said with a grim nod. "The Rogue is here."
"We've established a perimeter," Keris said. "We've had our rest. Sergeant Raptr confirms no outgoing travelers to the west of the village." He gestured. "Now is the time to conduct an interior search, Commander."
"I agree, Lieutenant," Seraphimus spoke. "Signal Starstorm to join us at street level. In the meantime..." She began her descent. "...I shall announce our presence to the townsfolk."
Keris gazed down at her, fidgeting slightly. "Commander... are you sure... that... erm..."
Seraphimus paused. She looked up at him. "...you feel that you should be speaking on behalf of the Talon instead of me?"
Keris cleared his throat. "Merely a suggestion, Commander. Given... our previous experiences."
Seraphimus nodded. "I understand. However... I do believe here in Braum—this far removed from the central prefectures—a decidedly more authoritative voice is required."
"But—"
"And I promise, Lieutenant," she spoke firmly. "I will not repeat the psychological tactics that I employed in Seed Prefecture."
Keris clenched his beak shut. He nodded.
"All of our attempts to capture the Rainbow Rogue have failed so far. She's tested the Talon like no other prey ever has." She sighed. "Even I know when it is time to change methods."
"Aye, Commander. I shall signal Starstorm."
"Much appreciated, Lieutenant." She glided down towards the snowy heart of the village. "Join me as soon as you can."
"Will do."
"I don't know where you come from," Sarda said, sitting beside Rainbow's cot. "And no doubt you're capable of strange... powerful magic." His brow furrowed. "But if you're as dangerous as you claim to be, then you're much... much better off in the hooves of the Consortium." He bore a slight frown. "They can deal with whatever you're frightened about."
"I never said I was frightened," Rainbow droned. "And if experience has taught me anything in Rohbredden and the seven seas surrounding, then you shouldn't even attempt trusting these Consortium guys. They'll backstab you... it seems to be the fad in this part of the world."
"Which is precisely why I must backstab them first," Sarda said. "After all these years of them chokeholding us... bullying us..." He exhaled. "I'm tired of playing the nice guy."
"Careful with switching the nature of the game," Rainbow said. "It's very... very hard to turn face again."
"That's a risk I'm willing to take... for my village's sake." Sarda grunted, "Believe me."
"Sadly..." Rainbow sighed, gazing aside. "...I kinda do."
"Pssst!" Fluttershy leaned in. "Sorry to interrupt, Rainbow, but the Talon are descending onto Braum."
Rainbow did a double-take. "Already?"
"Huh?" Sarda squinted. "'Already' what?"
"Aaaaaaand..." Pinkie pointed down the earthen tunnel. "Sarda's buddy is coming."
"Don't look now," Rainbow said with a nod. "But here comes Kayman."
Sarda blinked at her.
"Uhm... boss?" Kayman spoke.
"...!" Sarda jolted hard. He knocked the crate out from underneath him from the force of his leap.
Kayman twitched in place, startled. "Wh-what's wrong?"
Sarda gaped at him, then stared at Rainbow Dash. "Uhhhmm..."
"Is everything okay? You weren't taking the freak's pendant off again, were you?"
"No, I was... was..." Sarda ran a hoof over his face, shuddering. "Never mind. What is it, Kayman?"
"The Talon, Sarda. They're here."
"Very well." Sarda nodded, marching away from the cot. "That just plays into our hoof. I'll keep their boss distracted while you take the hidden north passage to the wilderness."
"But Sarda—"
"Get back to Steamfall. Talk to their head hauncho. Tell them we're willing to do an exchange—at the north tunnel exit, if we have to."
"Sarda, the Talon's Commander..."
"What about him?"
"Not him. Her. It's Commander Seraphimus."
Sarda scuffled to a stop. He turned to gawk at his companion. "...you're sure of this?"
Kayman trembled slightly. "Sure as I live and die." He gestured with a hoof. "A bunch of elders who've seen her can confirm, if you doubt."
"... ... ..." Sarda stared up at the earth and soil forming a roof to the tunnel. "What's she doing right now?"
"Entreating the crowd," Kayman said. "Asking for the village leader to show. Sarda, she's not going to wait forever."
Sarda gulped. "And neither will we." He pointed. "Get your flank to Steamfall. On the double. No time to waste."
"But—"
"I mean it!" Sarda scampered off to the nearest ladder. "Go! I'll take care of this!"
"You think you can actually pull the rug out from under Seraphimus? That griffon has horror stories written about her!"
"Let me worry about me," Sarda said climbing up to the surface. "We have more riding on this than even the Talon can imagine."
Kayman stood alone, shuddering. Gnashing his teeth, he galloped off and called into a few branching alcoves, summoning a pair of stallions to join him. Not long after, they made their way into the northern passages.
"With the authority granted me by the Council of Verlaxion—empowered by the Goddess herself—I, Commander Seraphimus, and the rest of the Talon have arrived to conduct a search of these premises!" Seraphimus pivoted about, her vaporous breaths coming out in loud salvos, chasing the falling snowflakes away. "We have reason to believe that the national enemy to Rohbredden interests—the Rainbow Rogue—is hiding here within Braum! Evidence shows that she was carried away from her last known location and brought here to this township!"
One by one, ponies poured up out of the turf houses sunk in the snowy earth.
Nervous young couples clung to one another, their eyes glued on the Commander in her silver armor.
Elders lingered at the front stoops to taverns, smoking their pipes and squinting inquisitively.
Rosy-nosed traders paused in their snowy huddles, turning to gawk at the griffon.
Families and foals peered up from the windows of their houses, shivering slightly in anxious confusion.
"As loyal citizens of Ivory Prefecture... as Tribal members of Rohbredden... you are bound by your oath to Goddess Verlaxion's sanctity and the defense of Her blessed lands! This town must be searched, and all those who live and do business here are charged with assissting the Talon with complete cooperation!" Seraphimus charcoal eyes scraped across the breathless crowd. "I ask this one more time! Allow me an audience with your village leader, so that we may properly establish a way that we can undergo this process as swiftly and painlessly as possible for every citizen present!"
The villagers gazed at one another, murmuring worriedly.
Seraphimus observed them with scrutinous hawkeyes.
Sw-Swooosh! Keris and Starstorm touched down beside her.
"Well, Commander?" Keris leaned in, following her line of sight until it made contact with the equine faces. "How does it look? Do they know?"
"Hard to say..." Seraphimus took a deep breath as she murmured aside. "...they're not pleased to see us. That's for certain."
"Can't imagine they're pleased to see anything," Starstorm remarked, shivering slightly. "Living here is almost as masochistic as living in the Quade."
"Think again, Sergeant," Keris droned. His eyes darted to the right, and he pointed. "There, Commander."
Seraphimus followed his claw. She watched as Sarda marched up from the center of town. "The village leader...?"
"By my estimation." Keris nodded. "Yes."
"He's so..." Starstorm blinked. "...young."
"Survival is tougher this far north," Keris murmured. "Those who dwell here make their exoduses to the Spring Havens at an unpredictable pace."
"Are you attempting to win sympathy for those who've harbored the Rainbow Rogue, Lieutenant?" Seraphimus muttered.
"No, Commander." Keris shook his head. "But it does help to get in their headspace." He glanced briefly at her. "Unlike the ponies in Steamfall, these villagers aren't directly connected to Frostknife by a corporate chain. I'd say they're more in touch with desperation than the Council of Verlaxion."
"There've been no terrorist attacks this deep in Ivory Prefecture," Seraphimus muttered.
"Not that we know of," Keris said. His words quickened the closer that Sarda approached. "You don't have to live on a Barge in order to deal with the uglier shades of this world."
Seraphimus sighed out her beak nostrils. "...this is going to be inordinately delicate."
"Glad you understand, Commander." Keris cleared his throat and leaned away from her.
At last, Sarda stood before the three griffons. His speech was just as deliberately slow as his arrival. "I'm Sarda, head community organizer of Braum." He squinted at the guardians. "You wish to see me?"
"Are you familiar with the Rainbow Rogue, Mr. Sarda?" Seraphimus spoke. "An enemy of the state, wanted for atrocities committed in the Quade and beyond?"
"I've... heard that the Council is chasing after some fruity-looking pegasus. Yeah. What of it?"
"What of it?!" Starstorm scoffed. She waved a clawed gauntlet. "You have posters of her sticking to half of your buildings—"
"Sergeant," Keris chided, silencing her.
"No doubt you saw them from your univited circling of our township," Sarda said, frowning. "I don't know what your business is here in Braum, griffons, and I frankly don't care." He adjusted his coat and exhaled. "But we are all miners... traders... and farmers here. None of which even remotely qualify as 'criminal.'"
Seraphimus nodded. "That may be so, but we have evidence that our prey is being held here in your village."
"What kind of evidence?"
Keris took a step forward. "About a mile and a half southwest of here, along the northern fringe of Stone Prefecture, the body of the Rainbow Rogue ended up at a camp... a camp that was swiftly abandoned within hours of the Talon's arrival. Tracks show that a group of twenty or so ponies led her directly to this town. It's more than likely that she's hiding within one of your structures."
"Well, you may wish to go back to griffon academy or wherever you earned your medals." Sarda waved a hoof. "Because obviously you're mistaken. There is no strange pegasus being held here."
"We never said she was being held here," Keris remarked. "Nevertheless, the evidence that brought us to this town necesitates that we search the premises in order to ascertain her true location."
"And I'm telling you, she's not here." Sarda tried to glare, but swiftly found himself overshadowed. He couldn't help but take a jittery step back.
"... ... ..." Seraphimus' charcoal eyes peered out from the shade of her helmet as she stood above him. "That... will be up to us to determine. As it will be up to you to decide whether the actions of you and your fellow villagers remain either 'cooperative' or 'treasonous' in the wise scrutiny of the Council."
Keris' eyes darted over to Seraphimus.
Starstorm watched quietly.
Sarda took a deep breath, glaring back at her. "We're all on the same side, aren't we, guardian?"
Seraphimus nodded. "Indeed we are... or so I would hope."
Sarda took a breath. "Very well. You may conduct your search."
"That is very much appreciated—"
"But..." Sarda raised a hoof. "I wish to be present in all instances."
Seraphimus sighed. She looked back at Keris.
Keris cleared his throat, then smiled. "That can certainly be arranged."
"Very well." Sarda turned and shouted towards the crowd. "Everypony! Return to your homes! Stay there and obey every command given to you by the Talon! There is a fugitive about and they need our cooperation in making sure she's not hiding in our midst!"
Keris shuffled closer to Seraphimus. Eyes on Sarda, he leaned in and murmured: "Commander, I could have sworn that a few minutes ago you gave me your word—"
"And I apologize, Lieutenant, but my patience was running thin."
"Something tells me we aren't the only ones suffering from that," Keris said, eyes on the crowd. "Do you believe anyone in this town for one second?"
"Not even remotely."
"We'll have to play this safe. Let's allow him to think he's still in charge."
"Agreed. And Lieutenant?"
"Yes, Commander?"
"... ... ...please do the speaking from here on out."
Keris smiled slightly. "As you wish, Seraphimus."
10,000 Witnesses - Clutch
The dynamic between Sera and Keris is swiftly improving. I'm very much enjoying the dynamic between the various members of the Talon.
Glad to see Keris take the lead.
Not because I think he's secretly in love with DashieIt's good for Seraphimus to see that there are other ways of dealing with a problem.That's a lovely team dynamic you've got there. It would be a shame if someone came along and broke all of your newly re-forming bonds.
Like, a long lost team mate or something...
Might want to get your ears checked Keris...
Because Seraph said exactly that.
Seraph's aura is very scary.
-Companions have returned, inner darkness spurned. Utaan.
I feel sorry for Braum. It's likely going to get caught in a three-way between Rainbow, Longaze, and Seraphimus.
And not the good kind of three-way.
Time for Keris to put on the charm
6839904 I'll get the pop corns ready.
Seraphimus is making a good decision here, she just isn't good with other ponies/griffons/whatever. I hope they can be distracted until Rainbow gets away though.
Implying that Seraphimus is inflexible as a commander. It'd be a good weakness to exploit, if Dash could get her attention onto something other than herself. That's the problem though, isn't it?
Also noteworthy is her lack of patience, and the forceful, headstrong way she pursues her targets. Again, it'd be nice if she was tunnel visioned on something other than Dash right now.
6839904 Not with that attitude.
Uhhhhhh...
Need to work on your observational skills there Keris...
Keris used Confusion. Its Super Effective.
Wheres a trained monkey when you need one to undo the bindings or use a pair of snippers to cut through them.
Another person that Dashie will piss off simply by escaping.
Why do I find Sara acknowledging her inability to communicate effectively in situations like this somewhat... cute?
One
VonBraum crater, coming up.uhhhh
6840187
6840336
I would have italicised "was" instead of "held" in that exchange. The Talon said they have sufficient evidence, but never flat out claimed she was being held captive.
I can see this ending well. heh... heh...
6840358 quite right, italics on this word versus that makes the sentence mean something completely different
in this case mildy confusing, bordering on incorrect
6839887 It's almost like the hunt for RD has infected them with a bit more harmony. Now if there's enough time until Dash gets to the the capital, the 'infection' will continue to incubate and grow...
6839902 6840187 6840336 Intensional misdirection and conflicting queries add to the qualities that make Keris a stronger good-cop to Seraphimus's bad-cop.
Brash, Headstrong, very good at what she does, Seraphimus is very much like Rainbow was before her eastward journey. I kind of hope she learns to be more like Rainbow is now, without the horrible experiences. I am also wondering why I get the feeling that they have some past history with Sarda.
6840569 I agree, but you can't argue with her military record....
I just feel bad for these Ponies in Braum. I kinda hope that, in the end, Sarda will realize his mistakes and release Rainbow before the Consortium or Talon get ahold of her.
Cat and mouse games.
In before it happens:
Thanks for the heads-up that you have tunnels that need searching.
6840853
This is perhaps the longest of shots, but yet, still possible. Sarda does seem to be one who can be swayed to do the right thing, given time or sufficient reason. Perhaps when the talon and consortium begin duking it out (an inevitability, I would believe) he might see fit to help Rainbow escape.
6840569
I would tend to doubt that someone that fanatical to the cause would be easily shown that they can change for the better without some horrible experiences or a righteous beat down and monologue to open her eyes.
OK chapters
Yeah, this isn't gonna be pretty.
static.fjcdn.com/pictures/Braum_549448_5557353.jpg
(I sincerely hope I don't run out of pictures before this arc is over)
6836581 You forgot the mountain near that mining town in the end of Uroringr and the Nealand Atoll lagoon.
6842105 what is this from?
6842902 That is Braum, a champion in the League of Legends.
He wields a door as a weapon.
6842882
My point however stands
Trying to stare down a griffon? Sarda sure is trying to (•_•) ... ( •_•)>⌐■-■ ... (⌐■_■) wing it
I'm not sorry for that horrible pun
6839894 Ooo, I do love what I think your suggesting. Stirs the pot a little more it would.
6841358 Huh, nice catch. Didn't notice that.
6842856 Don't forget Shoggoth, when she went into the royal tomb under the city to get Pinkie. Probably the deepest she was underground to boot.
Let's hope the situation remains calm...not likely though.
6844550 No.
Well if it keeps going like this, Rainbow will actually be in a better spot than before, what with all her hunters killing each other trying to get to her first.
6842105 Me too. Braum's always fit to lift the spirits.
You can only delay things for so long. I do feel, however, that Rainbow will end up getting away before the Talon figure out she isn't in town.
I believe I doth protest too much
Oh good, we have our exit strategy. Now just need to escape from these dudes...
Keris...
Goddess Verlaxion, tonight I pray that Seraphimus die a horrific death, amen.
This will be the best time for Rainbow to slip away. They'll spend hours searching this village. and longer if they find the tunnels and catacombs.
Out of the 5, i’d say that Seraphimus is the aggressive militant while Keris is the conserved diplomat. The rest seem to be along for the ride.
Okay, Windburst is the Hawkeye, Starstorm is the “Tifa” of the group (probably not even close, but i’m too sleepy to come up with a better comparison) and Raptr is the cadet, but still a skillful asset to the group.
Anyway, Seraphimus needs a chill pill or else she’s going to go berserk (especially as the chase wanders on).
Oh yeah, this is gonna go badly for Braum.
No kidding. These are ponies that live in the middle of mountains. They aren't gonna behave the way you think they are.
Sigh...this is gonna be a visit.