Rainbow and Pillage
"You must march behind me at all times," Roarke grumbled into her helmet as she marched swiftly through the broad, cacophonous hangar full of manaships, bounty hunters, and repair equipment. "If you have any questions, direct them to me, or else you might lose a limb... or worse."
"Uh, yeah... I-I have a question," Rainbow Dash muttered, stumbling to catch up in the loose, oversized plates of armor. "Why doesn't my helmet have a mouth piece to cover the lower muzzle?" Her exposed teeth winced. "I feel like a friggin' Wonderbolt initiate here."
"I've no clue what an insufferable 'Wonderbolt' is, but that's not too far from the truth."
"Huh?"
"You're a half-blade."
"I'm a wh-what now?"
"A metal mare in training," Roarke uttered, glaring ahead of the two of them through her red and black helmet visor. "It'll explain the noticeable lack of mana-plugs along your exposed coat."
"So how come I gotta be such a sucky thing as a jerk-in-training?"
"No two metal mares occupy the same ship," Roarke said. "And if you were my prisoner, you'd have been processed as soon as you stepped out of the ship."
"Aren't I your prisoner though?"
"Follow me," Roarke merely grunted. "Imre's station is this way, deeper into the mountain."
"For the love of parasprites!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, trying to tilt her helmet straight. "Why won't you just explain yourself?! What's all this about? Why are you trying to help me—"
"Shhh!" Roarke hissed. "Metal Mares approaching. Remember—Do not talk."
"Huh?" Rainbow Dash bumped into Roarke's flank.
Roarke was busy assuming a rigid posture, her armor glistening in the overhanging lights above. "Good hunting, sisters!" she shouted in a voice that resonated with metal and menace. "Spill much blood for Searo!"
"Blood for Searo!" Several of the ponies shouted, each wearing a uniquely different suit of armor, armed to the spikes with mana-powered weaponry. "Let all who resist her spirit tremble!" As soon as they trotted by Rainbow, however, they paused, and the first one slammed her hoof into Rainbow's chest.
"Daaah!" She collapsed to her front elbows. Wheezing, she grunted, "You jerk! What was that f—"
"Shhh!" Roarke hissed, then tilted her helmet towards the passing mares. "Forgive the half-blade. She is not exactly quick yet."
"Hah hah hah!" one mare's voice shouted metalically as she passed by the first. "Well, she will learn soon!"
"L-learn what?" Rainbow stammered, only to receive another heavy blow to her helmet. "Aaagh!"
As the mares marched off to their vessels, Roarke's hooves resumed trotting. "Let us continue."
"The frig was that all about?!" Rainbow Dash grunted, hobbling after her. "I mean, I'm not surprised that every pony here is as female doggish as you, but c-come on!"
"I guess I forgot to mention," Roarke said, stifling a chortling breath. "It's tradition that a half-blade and a metal mare exchange blows upon meeting, so as to teach the apprentice to be on her guard."
Rainbow turned to look at Roarke. "On her guard against what?"
"Blood for Searo!" another mare shouted, swiping Rainbow's hooves out from under her with a prehensile metal tail.
"Grrrkk!" Rainbow fell on her left side and stung all over. "Ow ow ow ow ow owwwww..."
"Get up. You're coming across as weak."
"Yeah?" Rainbow sputtered, remaining curled up on the floor. "And what of it?"
"The other huntresses may be tempted to roast you in your own armor and feed your congealed flesh paste to the quarray eels below."
"H'okay!" Rainbow sprung to her hooves and bounced after Roarke. "Where to... uh... m-mentor?"
"Hmmm..." Roarke hummed as the two passed through a sliding stone door and into a grand hallway lit by torches and levitating manaspheres. The air was hot and thick, filled with the reverberating cries of angry mares shouting at one another, punctuated every now and then by the sound of bodies being pile-driven into the concrete.
The sound of energy weapon fire echoed down the grand corridor. Rainbow Dash flinched, her armor rattling as she glanced every which way. She saw the heads of creatures—some of them once potentially sentient—erected on pikes in front of a leatherworker's hovel. A half-blade mare was being tossed violently out of a weapons shop, her body being subsequently pummeled by older equines, laughing at her plight. Finally, a grand tavern loomed, complete with mares toasting mugs of brew while engaging into various arguments, stories, and tales of the hunt with one another.
"Y'know... all things considered, it's only half-bad," Rainbow Dash muttered.
As if on cue, a loud noise filled the room. She turned and gasped to see a bloodsoaked manticore charging directly down the corridor. Roarke stepped out of the way without saying a word. Blinking for a few seconds, Rainbow Dash witlessly followed suit. A herd of armored mares charged after the panicked beast's tail, shouting with adrenaline and bloodlust. One metal mare skidded to a stop, pivoted, and slammed Rainbow Dash upside the helmet.
"Aaaaugh!"
"Blood for Searo!" the mare pumped a hoof and tore after the manticore once again, shouting bloody murder.
"Nnnngh—Mmmf!" Rainbow Dash flung her helmet off and flashed Roarke a furious glare with a whip of her sweat-stained mane. "Okay, this is stupid! Gimme that rocket pack thingy of yours and I'll go see Imre myself."
"Put... the helmet... back on..." Roarke grunted.
"Why?! So these punks can play pedestrian polo with me some more?! I don't think so!"
"If you don't help me help you..." Roarke's helmet flickered red as she pivoted coldly to face her. "I will infiltrate the deepest facilities of the Confederacy. I will rummage through the most secret files of the Council of Ledo. After learning when and where they found you, I shall proceed—without fail—to retrace every step, stumble, flight, leap, and bound that brought you here. I will find your home, no matter how deeply nestled it may be in this Searo-forsaken earth. And then, when I have found everything or everyone you pretend to care for, I will grab each and every one their heads and bring them here and trade them for brothel money."
Rainbow Dash merely snorted at that. "Hah! As if! I've traveled thousands and thousands of miles, buckethead! Not even a pony as angry and grumpy as you could do such a thing!"
Roarke glared at Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash glared back.
Roarke glared...
Rainbow Dash blinked. She bit her lip.
Roarke's helmet tilted forward. "Put... it back... on..."
"Uh... goingbackonmyheadnow." Rainbow squeaked, slapping the article once more over her skull.
"You think wisely," Roarke droned, turning to trot down the corridor again.
"Nah..." Rainbow's body shuddered as she stumbled after the metal mare. "I'm just suddenly thinking about a chicken with its head cut off..."
"Of all the insufferable wastes of mana-cores!" a voice boomed across the epic hallway. "Roarke! You backstabbing daughter of a lone stud!"
"Unnghmmmmfff..." Roarke's bobbing head suggested a pair of lensed eyes that were rolling under her helmet. "Searo spare me," she grunted. "Terra..."
Rainbow's head leaned to the side. "Who's Terra?" A massive, cedar-trunk of a limb shoved her aside. "Waaaugh!"
As Rainbow's body crashed against a rattling torch, a gigantic equine loomed a good three feet above Roarke's helmet, staring down at her with wickedly bladed shoulders. "Did you or did you not owe five bounties since the last time I saw you, runt?!" The massive pony shouted, her voice deeper than any male whom Rainbow had heard in ages. "Huh?!"
Roarke bravely stared up at the behemoth. "Just one, Terra."
The blade-armored pony shook, raised a hoof... and slapped it amicably on Roarke's shoulder. "Bwa ha ha ha!" she bellowed. "That means I'm still ahead of you! Hah! Glory be to Searo!" Her helmet unfolded down the center, metallically framing a grinning face with heavy cheekbones and a bronze-plated monocle over the left eye. "I will reach Top Spear before you, worm! Just you wait and see!"
Roarke returned the gesture, exposing just her lensed eyes and crooked attempt at a grin. "Do not bite off more than you can chew, Terra. I have much meat to scrounge up in Confederate Country."
"Bah! The Queen's ponies are a bunch of sissy fillies who know nothing of honor! They hide behind their zeppelins and manacannons. You'll have to spend a century combing their wasteland for a single prey worthy of the hunt!"
"I like a challenge," Roarke said. She leaned forward and hissed, "Unlike some mares whose flanks are bigger than their brains."
"Rrggghhh!" Terra's entire left limb converted into a mana-sparkling mace. "Was that an insult, Roarke?!"
"Yes," Roarke returned. "And a great deal better than you've ever thought up, you big dumb ox."
Terra snarled, growled—and then that growl turned into a long, wheezing laugh. "Haaaa ha ha ha! You are best and the worst all at once, runt! I almost wished you had joined us on the Aurum hunt!"
"Aurum?!" Roarke spat on the ground. "Who would waste their valuable resources on a bunch of living, jaded gemstones?"
"Not all of them are jaded, little worm!" Terra replied with a smirk. "Why, that province holds many treasures. Why, just last week, Aeterna returned with ample bounty! Thanks to her, Searo's Hold has seen light for another decade!"
"This, I have to learn more about. Where is Aeterna?"
"On another hunt. She's so impatient, she neglected to upgrade her ship. Bah!" Terra spat on the ground. "I don't know how she ever became full blade!"
"Perhaps the spirit of Searo propels her heart."
"But not her mind!"
"And how are you a judge of that?"
"Haah haah haah! Oh! That reminds me..." Terra leaned forward, squinting. "While you were in Ledomare, did you hear of this most peculiar bounty involving a winged horse?"
Roarke gazed blankly. "A winged horse?" She heard the stirring sounds of Rainbow Dash getting up beside her. With nostrils flaring, Roarke didn't break her gaze. "Now you are truly full of wasted grime, Terra."
"I kid you not!" Terra grinned. "The bounty is said to be quite exceptional! Even if it's a fanciful wild goose chase, it begs the question: is that why you've been gone all this time, runt? Chasing phantoms in Ledomare?"
Rainbow Dash shook the cobwebs out of her head. While the two metal mares spoke, she heard a gasping—almost whimpering sound to her left. She glanced over and spotted several frail bodies besides a torchlit bazaar. At first, she thought that she was looking at shorn sheep. Then, upon further squinting, she realized that they were ponies—stallions, and all of them with their coats cut noticeably short. There manes were completely shaven, right down to the stubble, and they shivered on the end of several lengths of rattling chain.
As Rainbow watched, a fully armored metal mare marched up to the scene and hoofed a cluster of bits over to a vendor. After a few words were exchanged, the bounty hunter pointed at a stallion off to the far right. A rope of chain was unlatched from a pole and hoofed to her. She fastened it to her armor and trotted off. The one stallion stumbled to get up on weak knees. He glanced over, his soft brown eyes reflecting Rainbow's figure in a glossy shine—and then he yelped as he was forced to trot after the mare along the way towards an adjacent corridor.
Rainbow Dash bit her exposed lips. She didn't realize that she was backtrotting from the sight until she heard the voices of Roarke and Terra exploding behind her.
"Well, be on the look out, runt!" Terra turned on massive limbs, smiling. "You never know just what you might run into! Here's hoping I run into it first! Hahah! I need the bounty!" She stumbled directly into Rainbow Dash. Tilting her exposed face down, she growled, "Watch where you stand, paltry half-blade—"
"Ohnoyoudon't—" Without thinking, Rainbow Dash spun around and slammed both hooves across Terra's face. "Nnnngh!" She followed this with a left jab, a right, and then a full-on head-butt. "Raaaugh! Hah! How's that for... tr-training..." She shrunk back, gulping.
Terra stood above her, massive, muscular, and unfazed. Her eyes narrowed. With one hoof, she yanked Rainbow up until she dangled in her grasp. "You better watch where you spot to crap, half-blade, or else I'll be waiting with a grenade to blow your mana-core out!" Terra blinked. She yanked Rainbow's muzzle forward and kissed her savagely on the lips. "Mmmmm—!!"
"Snkkktt—" Rainbow hissed and sputtered.
"Muah!" Terra dropped Rainbow Dash on her hooves like a toy soldier. "Hah! Tastes like starlight! Think I'm ready to spill blood!" She closed her helmet and galloped away, knocking over a plate of armor and nearly setting fire to one of the torch-lit columns.
"Hmmph..." Roarke stood besides a dazed Rainbow Dash. "Well, that was certainly close. Quick thinking on your end, if you ask me."
Rainbow Dash merely stared after the thundering equine. Suddenly, she winced, clutching at her left side. "Ow! Dang it! Ow ow ow owwww..."
"What?" Roarke flinched, almost showing concern. "What is it now?"
"Ughh... Nothing..." Rainbow Dash hissed throuch clenched teeth as she gazed Roarke's way. "Can we pleeeeease go see this 'Imre' pony so I can get my wings fixed, already?"
"Hmmph..." Roarked motioned with her helmeted head and trotted towards a stairwell at the end of the grand hall. "Follow me. And remember, stay close."
"Feh. I think you girls have a different definition of 'close.'"
"Don't push it."
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Soooo, in this chapter, not only was Dashie intimidated.... she was also out-lesbianed...
o_O
30:60's today, ):(. 6 reps. Get to runnin'!
Oh my. XD
Also, I now feel the need to walk into Searo whilst fully armed. My gender demands it...
Pretty much what I was expecting of Searo.
And Rainbow is totally cringeworthy in her incompetence at simple tasks such as reading between the lines, following some pretty obvious hints and just staying silent. But hey, if she was good at everything, this would have been a pretty boring chapter. The lesbian action was considerably amusing.
I haven't the slightest freakin' clue who Imre's gonna be, but if she's (assuming it's a she) anything like any of Roarke's other acquaintances she is gonna totally flip her shit when she notices Roarke's new personality.
Beating up on all the noobs? Interesting tradition, though I can't say I'm surprised...
2289875
She's not exactly in the know, here. I'd say she's doing an alright enough job of it.
This is Searo, Imre is a she.
You are right, though, Roarke is in the midst of quite an interesting personality change. I am curious as to her motivation—I doubt it is completely altruistic—but even more so at her apparent concern for Rainbow's well being. It strikes me that she wants something from Rainbow, but is perhaps on the precipice of forming an actual relationship with her.
The Matriarchy stuff is pretty straight forward, here, and fits with the theme of increasing darkness the further "east" we go. The nations of this region have been without true harmony for a long time, each Equestrian theme twisted into something sinister.
Hoboy, more slavery!
I'm sensing a running theme.
2289901
Well, she was asked to stay silent, and she commented on every single other thing she came across. I mean, it's gotta be pretty irritating being smashed in the face while someone yells "Blood for Searo!" every three seconds, but it's pretty clear she has no intention of following Roarke's instructions, despite the pretty clear logic behind them. She's most likely disobeying out of petty rebellion in an attempt to not seem completely helpless, but she kind of is. All it's really going to do is irritate Roarke, who is the only reason she is not dead, captured by Ledomaritans or currently experiencing an agonizing and painful death.
Doesn't seem logical to me in her situation, but I can't really complain about Rainbow being in character.
...I like this place...
(minus the male slavery bit, of course...)
Well that happened.
Dash doesn't seem to stand out too much in this society, but my earlier prediction that she would be unable to keep her mouth shut seems to be true. I'm still wondering what Roarke's motivation is for helping her.
did... did my name just get used for two separate OCs?
ugh. Lag. Rainbow factory playing really loud. spaghetti. Honeytiger had to reboot tablet and comment late. Anyways good chapter. Lots of face smashing.
Double meanings, ho!
2290083 Yes. Yes it has.
Although, I thought "Aeterna" might've been a play on one of Aviators' newer tracks, "Aeterno".
Anyway....
HAVING NAMES THAT DON'T WORK AS NEW OC'S, GO!
2289849 We must free our brothers! Seriously dude that whole bit with the stallions was degrading.
this is a weird yet funny chapter :3
Tastes like starlight!
Uh... what exactly did I just read?
Good chapter, Scolon, even though my thoughts are spinning right now...
Woah. I know that one guy told me the searonese were pricks but wow and Dash hasn't even been in searo for one day and she's already made out with another mare.(poor stallions).
I like this place. Kinda makes me want to live there (assuming I was a mare) so I could have all the badass frenemies. I would so rock in that armor, now give me a gun so I can steal some.
I have returned!!
Well, time for one well needed Rainbow Dash inventory check.
1 High powered Searonese bounty hunting suit.
2 Injured wings.
1 Agitated Searonese accomplice.
1 Butchered tail.
1 Smooch
2289849
Agreed.
I'll get my truck.
1.bp.blogspot.com/_xKjMaPDYs_s/SwrAqdqj-AI/AAAAAAAAAFg/thY6iReN-o8/s1600/El+Camino+4X4.jpg
Wow... So Dash is not top dog anymore by any means of the word. She has never been in this type of situation before and very much out of her element.
Still waiting for a bar fight. Though there's different story arcs going on everywhere, so... looking forward to the new characters.
Dash just became a small fish in a big pond. As unfortunate as the situation is for the male slaves of Searo, I hope Dash doesn't try to free them. She's outgunned by about 30 orders of magnitude, and that's just on the one street. She needs to let this one go. You can't help 'em all, Dashie.
2290771
Throw a Ma Deuce on the back and you'll start to approach adequate for this assault.
Searo sounds vicious. It's an entire country of armoured Amazons, essentially.
Also, I have no clue what the heck Roarke is doing. She seems to be helping, but I have no clue what she's doing nor where she's going.
2289891
Coulda been worse. Could be dead and have your corpse teabagged.
Halo multiplayer was harsh, man.
I need to break out the industrial metal for this it seems.
You Know What You Are -Ministry
2290083
Welcome to the club.
2290083 I wonder if I'm the only person in this series to have their real name used. One of these days I'll re-read the story from scratch and actually pay attention to names.
Wow, I feel sorry for those half-blades. Always getting beat up. That kiss... I did not see that coming. Oh, and it appears I'm full of treasures.
Well Dash, you've just stumbled into a land where everyone is like the most aggressive aspects of your character turned up to 11 - how do you feel?
I'm thinking Roarke has a wee crush on Dashie, considering her usual gruff demeanor has softened towards her so much. Plus, she didn't seem all that psyched about Terra's surprise!makeout session with her. Unless Roarke is just doing all of this to secretly turn Dash in and collect the bounty without interference, but somehow that doesn't seem right. Can't wait until the next chapter - you've managed to weave like half a dozen interesting plots together and I have no idea how any of them are going to turn out. Until tomorrow!
Nice to have this to come home to everyday. Work sucks.
Hm, does Roarke have feelings for Dashie like you guys suspect?
Nah, Roarke doesn't have romantic feelings for Dash, her motivation is from honor and the respect Rainbow earned during their fight.
By Roarke's estimation, Dash fought too hard and too well to be beaten by things so mundane as a broken wing, luck, or the confederacy. After all, Roarke wasn't the one who bested Rainbow Dash--she just stole her from the Ledomaritian troops. The honor in bringing her in like that is paltry compared to defeating a fully healed Rainbow by herself.
Then again, who could resist Dashie's unintentional charm? After all, she tastes like starlight.
2290861
You have all the bitches?
No, in Searo, all the bitches have you!
Pretty cool Amazonian culture you got going on. I think it'll be interesting seeing Dash in a place that she can't simply fight her way out of. Everyone here is at least on par or better than her, if you assume that Roarke is about average skill-wise, so maybe she will learn to keep her cool and use her head to get out of a tight situation. . . . Or, y'know, she will just keep being herself and get wing-deep in trouble before the day is out
Holy shit, they're all insane. If it weren't for the gratuitous slave-rape, I'd say they were my favorite faction yet.
2291155
Your username always reminds me of a radio station for some reason.
2293644 It could work. On KMCA you call in to give money not win it.
Reminds me of Viking halls
Rampage would make a great metal mare.
Whenever someone insists a matriarchal society would be more peaceful, I will be directing them here.
Energy.
So this is why the Searonese care about the Diamond Dogs. And they're living from hand to mouth too, good... a little sabotage, a clever manipulation and the world will be rid of one cradle of evil at least.
i4.ytimg.com/vi/kEOpr2jai9c/mqdefault.jpg
A message from MASH-
I'm about to pass out just writing this...yeah, no evaluations tonight...
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
So we get a few things here - first, now we know that the living gemstones, the crystal ponies like the ones that took in Crimson, are called Aurum. We also have a bit more of Searo's culture, which reminds me of ancient Sparta. This training system based off of blades (with one being a "half blade" and progressing to a "full blade) is reminiscent of Sparta's agoge system. Also, I think Terra will find out the truth about Dash later and fight a battle with her. These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
That was rather funny, except for that kissing part. What.
Quick thinking, Dash, as always. 
-Spirit
Aurum. Gold. Crystal ponies. Am I seeing a link here?
So . . . Rainbow is in a country of psychotic, super lesbian mares that have sex with stallions if only to breed. Amazing.
that was weird
Basically to summarize this chapter , 4763958 what he said