Luck Be A
Twin guards in metal armor slapped their spears against the ground. A humongous door to the innermost chamber of Searo's Hold opened, casting torchlight over Roarke's helmet. A grand throneroom stretched before her, flanked by flickering lamps and several feasting tables where the most honorable of mares sat in muttering conversation.
Not wasting time, Roarke shuffled forward, one black horseshoe at a time. The light of the hall glinted off her polished helmet. There was a wheezing, sputtering noise. Roarke glanced to her left.
Two guards were carrying a stretcher in the opposite direction. As they shuffled past her, Roarke apatheticaly observed the spasming body of a frail stallion. His shaved scalp was covered in lesions, and several toxic puddles of green mucuous dribbled out of his orifices as he fitfully died along the way to the throne room's entrance.
Taking a deep breath, Roarke steeled herself for what lay ahead. An even louder wheezing noise greeted her as she came to a stop before a series of steps.
Sitting—more like sprawled out—atop the throne was a lanky, emaciated mare. Her limbs were bone thin, covered in pale, leprotic flesh with sparse patches of hair. The bony joints were hinged together with metal ribs that made her look far longer and slender than the average equine. When Roarke's hoofsteps echoed across the end of the room, the mare raised her head. Her gangly limbs shifted, like a giant wolf spider crawling out of a tight crevice. Seated on the steps on either side of the throne were no less than three stallions in progressive states of diseased health. They trembled at the end of their chained leashes.
"Hchhhhhtt—A schhhhild of sssssShearo returnsssssh to the womb," said the voice of the once-pony thing. Her skull had lost all of its mane, save for a symmetrical pair of locks that dangled from a bald cap of flaking flesh. A mask of dull black metal covered her entire muzzle, and her cranium seemed to dip and sway from the weight of the breathing apparatus as she struggled to talk with the authority that the room gave her. "Roarke. A full blade and a kkkkkcapable ssssshhpear. Hchhhhtt—Have you kkkkkcome to sssssshpill blood or replassssche it?"
Roarke bowed low. "Lady Pestiferous, honorable, bloodiest Top Spear of Goddess Searo..." She stood back up and exposed her face through the outer plates of her helmet. "I come to spill, not to replace."
"Hchhhhtttt..." Pestiferous nodded slowly. She gestured forward with a hoof latched onto the many chained stallions. "Then sssssssshhpill it, blood daughter."
A guard was already by her side. With a metal ringing noise, she presented a ceremonial blade lying across a shallow granite basin.
Roarke tooke one look at it. Her nostrils flared, but nevertheless she swiftly grabbed the dagger in the crook of her hoof. With a single mana-spark, she exposed the armor of her left forelarm, exposing countless horizontal scars. In a single swipe, she added a fresh cut to the skin marks, barely flinching as she dropped a liberal amount of crimson life fluid into the basin.
Once she was done, the guard retrieved the dagger. She sat back on her haunches and lifted the stained blade in one hoof and the basin in the other.
"Blood for Searo!" shouted many of the equines in the room. They raised their drinks, indulged, and returned to their various, casual conversations.
Roarke stood before the throne once more. As she covered her forelimb back up, she spoke, "I was summoned, Top Spear?"
"We are all ssssssshummoned," Postiferous hissed to say, her frail skull bobbing as she gestured with a metal-braced limb. "Sssssshome for ten yearssssssssh..." She pointed at herself. "Othersssssh for two hundred—Hckkkshhttt..." She coughed, wheezed, but nonetheless maintained a dignified pose. "Sssssshearo knowssssh no bottom to the basssssshin."
"But not all become the bloodiest, my Lady," Roarke said. "I, for one, have been busy getting rich."
"Isssssssh thisssssh an admissssssshion of backsssssshliding?"
Roarke gaze steadily at her. "I admit to doing nothing but letting my mind speark first and my spear second. Unlike other daughters of blood..." She glared at the elder mares seated at the various tables. "...my aim is true with both weapons."
Several Searonese ponies glared at her. A few others gave lewd gestures in her direction.
"Ahhhh... Hckkktt—Roarke, the Mosssssht Rare. That issssssh what they call you thessssshe dayssssssh, daughter..."
"What most ponies call a 'rarity,' I call 'skill.'" Roarke's eye-lenses pistoned outward as her jaw grew tight. "Searo rules the bloodspace, but the world speaks in bits. There are kingdoms out there who won't understand the spear as much as they'll understand the profit of the bounty that's claimed by it."
"Issssssh that why you have been in Ledo'ssssh bastardlandssssh for shhhhho long?"
"The Confederacy promises large hunting grounds," Roarke said. "Where most metal mares see vastness and emptiness, I see chances to bloody my spear."
"She means chances to prove her lunacy!" shouted a mare in the background.
"Another wild goose chase for Roarke the Most Rare!" Another guffawed. "Caught any feathers in your search for winged monsters, dull-blade?! Hah hah hah!"
The chamber filled with heavy laughter.
Roarke tilted back, her lenses retracting. After a deep breath, she lisped towards the Lady. "With your permission, Top Spear...?"
"Sssssschhhertainly..."
A side panel in Roarke's armor flew open. With a muffled shout, she spun about and lashed a chain of metal towards the tables. The cord spun around the neck of the last mare who spoke, ensnaring her. With a single yank, she was thrown from the table of crashing drinks and helmets and dragged to Roarke's side. Roarke gripped her skull in two hooves and slammed the sputtering mare's face repeatedly against the base of Lady Pestiferous' stairs until blood and teeth dribbled down the bottom step.
The stallions squirmed above the violent display, their chains rattling.
After the twelfth concussion-inducing pummel, Roarke hissed into the ear of the twitching victim. "You insult me one more time in the presence of Lady Pestiferous, and I'll gut you deep and turn you inside out. Then they'll have to chain you like the proper stallion you'll have become!" With a snarl, she bucked the mare hard in the ribs, forcing her to roll away in her armor until she formed a coughing, wheezing pile across the floor.
"Hmmmm..." Lady Pestiferous slapped her hoofrest several times in a meager show of applaused. The room was quiet, save for her labored words, "There isssssh sssshtill a beassssht inssssshide you when the moment callsssssh. High Sshhhhhpear Terra issssssh wisssshe to hold you in sssssshuch high regard..."
"High Spear Terra is a waste of muscle and teeth who should have been fed to the eagles when she was still a fetus," Roarke grunted, though there was a programmed nonchalance to the metallic ring in her voice. She attempted to mask it with a deeper voice a she said, "If the blood of Searo called for it, I could impale her in an instant. Searo knows there are droves of Xonans who would give ample bounty for such a dumb mountain of a pony."
"Sssssshe would be pleasssshed to hear sssssshuch insulthhhh..." Pestiferous wheezed, hacked, and ultimately said, "But sssshadly shhhhhe isssssssh away on a grand hunt."
"Yes." Roarke nodded. "To Aurum, crystal pony country, where Aeterna scrapes the land for meat."
"There isssssh more than what mere shhhhcraping will yield," Pestiferous said. "There issssssh shhhhhomething brighter and deeper than blood..."
Roarke's head twitched. She glanced at the several silent drinking tables, then back at the throne. "Lady Pestiferous, are you feeling well?"
"You would do well to lend an ear, Top Shhhhhhpear..."
"Lady, do forgive me for saying so, but you are mistaken. I am just a High Blade. You and you alone are Top Spear."
"Hchkkkkt..." Pestiferous shook her head slowly. "No, Roarke Mosssssht Rare.... Not for long."
Roarke tilted her head at an angle. She gulped and muttered, "Why do I get the feeling you wouldn't have asked for this meeting if Terra was around...?"
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Tera's not going to be around for quite some time me thinks.
Calling Roarke "generous" is still somewhat of a twist on the meaning of the world. That said, her balance and wit apparently make her a candidate for rule, and how else does one justify her actions with Imre and Dash if not a seeming selfless act of generosity? I suppose using the word "rarity" helps solidify that, provided it's not some red herring. Consider, however, how much this part of the tale hearkens back to Austraeoh, and how the properties of the elements came into play there. These are subtle traits, twisted traits, but they are the six traits none-the-less.
Roarke is getting a promotion?
Well that was unexpected.
I find it hard to believe that a society that lets its high-ranking members maim each other so nonchalantly somehow still exists.
I guess it keeps Imre busy, though.
Roarke is the new successor? Hmm and I bet Terra's gonna be on a rampage when she finds out what happened to Aeterna.
https://www.google.com/search?q="crimson+life+fluid"
It seems you're in good company.
This chapter felt a great deal more spottily-written than usual. Lots of awkward phrasing, slang that doesn't make sense, and a new character with a hideous lisp. I've been mostly happy with the writing so far but this one felt like you banged it out with even less care than usual.
Well this was interesting. I cant say i didn't expect a promotion of some sort from this meeting, but the way it went was quite nice. We got a look into Searo's politics i suppose and now Roarke will ascend to ruler. In another note, the using of the word Rarity may imply the thoughts of us all that these ponies are going to reform the elements. Here is my thoughts:
Rainbow Dash - Loyalty (obviously)
Roarke - Generosity
Eagle Eye - Magic
Crimson - Honesty
Belle - Kindness
? - Laughter
I cant figure out who could be the funny one in all this. Maybe Phoenix but i'm not sure. What do you guys think?
2397155
interesting opinion. Never even thought of that. As for laughter, its probably a character we haven't seen yet.
2397155 Psh. It's quite obviously Floydien. At least, that's my opinion.
2397155maybe taser squirrel is laughter.
2396795
and a very big one at that...
Jesus, that description of the guy on the way out is haunting.
LADY TONIGHT
Frank Sinatra is the best. He really is.
Oh, and I guess that whole promotion thing was to be expected. Does this mean that Roarke will have the ability to grant RD amnesty from Searo? Or is Top Spear just a sorta title that everybody fears but that can't really do a whole lot without going out and spilling guts all over the place? I'm not sure which one I want more.
2397155
I really, really like this theory. It ties together everything in a nice package that explains the otherwise motley crew Dash managed to gather over the course of Eljunbyro. It also leaves a spot open for another OC, which I always like. Or maybe the filly Kera will fill that role? A child as the source of laughter is a well-established trope. Kera would fit in nicely by not fitting in at all - another oddball addition to the patchwork quilt of a party following RD east.
On a different note, is anyone else getting the feeling that there may be a fourth book after this? I know it sounds odd, but 165 chapters doesn't seem enough to resolve all of the character arcs that have been opened and still get Dash to the Midnight Armory. Wouldn't it be fitting if there was a plane of symmetry between Eljunbyro and Innavedr in which Dash's interactions slowly dropped off until she was solo again, like in Austraeoh? Innavedr ends with Dash crossing the boundary to the chaos side of the world, and the fourth book is her journey to the Armory. I'm not sure how the above theory would fit, but it's a feeling I've been starting to get.
Roarke is next in line! Move over lady Pestiferous.
2398566
Yes, I'm sure the homeless foal who was subject to government-sponsored experimentation from a very young age is going to be a real hoot.
2398868
Takin' shots in the dark, man. Trying to tie some character arcs together.
2398994
Well, I just get the feeling that they're going to be there for a while.
A long while. With nothing to do.
So The God-Empress of Searo sits upon her Golden Throne, which requires a sacrifice to keep going.
Brushing up on your Warhammer 40K lore, Scolon?
All That Remains - Bolt Thrower
2398566
I'd like to point out:
Austraeoh
Eljunbryo
Innavedr
O---
U----
And maybe a thing starting with Y that only updates every other day.
Roarke's going to be the next queen. won't that be fun.
2398566
Yes.
That's going to be one crazy book.
2398877
Honestly, I think Josho would be the most likely Element of Laughter at this point.
2397769 That's what she said.
I'm so sorry, I couldn't resist.
2398566
I'm going to comment about another book.
I think, yes, there's going to be another one, and another.
Me thinks there's going to be at least five book, since I'm thinking that there's going to be a chapter one day with the title “Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie, Fluttershy, (and?) Rarity” or whatever it'll be arrange.
Of course, that's just me hoping something will happen in the far far future. But still, it makes me go excited about this fic.
"A mask of dull black metal covered her entire muzzle, and her cranium seemed to dip and sway from the weight of the breathing apparatus as she struggled to talk with the authority that the room gave her."
Man, I got strong Darth Vader vibes here. Anyone else feeling it?
I have to revise a statement I made earlier about Roarke representing the average strength level for Searo. While she may not be the most violent and blood-thirsty Spear out there, she strikes me as the smartest.
If Dash was able to top her, Dash's relative bad-assery in comparison to the rest of the world is impressive. . . and Shell is about on par with Dash combat-wise, and a damn sight smarter. . . and Crimson managed to go one-for-one with Shell despite being injured. . .
How many god-tier fighters exist in this world?! I swear that one-third of the cast count as this.
2396832 This is Sparta. Swift selection works when combined with swift reproduction.
2397155 Thinking too far. I'd say forcing the Elements onto specific characters is too simple a system for this story.
Also, we have a nefarious cross of the God Emperor, King Leonidas, Darth Vader and Grandfather Nurgle sitting on a throne - and people wonder why I don't like the Searonese.
Side note: ceterum censeo Searinem delendam esse. Furthermore, I consider that Searo must be destroyed.
2397155 I'd say it was Josho, in a twisted sense. All he really does is spew jokes or people tell jokes at his expense.
Of course, his loyalty to Rainbow's cause is questionable at best.
2397155
Could be Josho.
What about Kera, though? We still have yet to see more of her.
2397587>>2397697
It could well be Floydien, i forgot about him. But i will say we have to see where Kera goes first. I like 2398566's idea as well.
Also, there will be five books and Zadubadabu will be featured more in one of them.
Promotion time! I can't tell if that's a good thing or a bad thing for Roarke, seeing as she seems rather ambivalent to advancement. I'm guessing it'll either turn into a conflict with Terra or let her help Dash more effectively. Unless she tries to get Dash to stay in Searonese society...hmmm...well, got a lot of words to get caught up on - onward!
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
Huh. This chapter was...rather dark. We got to see more insight on the Searonese culture. It's a nice wake-up call from Imploding to tell us that, although Roarke is accepted by us to Dash's friend, she is still a part of a very dark nation that I think most of us can agree is barbaric and misled. And if Roarke does become the "Top Spear" - how will that affect the future? These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
P.S. I'm back, everybody! Let me tell you, D.C. has got monuments for everything you cam think of. Lincoln's monument, my favorite, was absolutely massive.
2458725 the Lincoln monument was pretty cool but I gotta ask, last time I was there they were building, I think it was the world war 2 monument. Was it complete?
>letting my mind speark first
Speak and spark at the same time, eh?
-Spirit
Roarke is terrifying when she wants to be.
2399025 lol
Oh
I personally enjoy the abject apathy towards the stallions that is finally displayed instead of referenced. Makes the culture more real.
It intrigues me so.
Pestiferous, um, yuck
So Terra is off hunting something Pefisterous wouldn't trust Aeterna to hunt, but Pefisterous is also using it as a chance to maneuver Roarke...But into power, or death?
Yay, intrigue!
Roarke the most rare? That's an intriguing title.
But, for all her differences, she's still a pretty damn scary metal mare.
Roarke is a rarity, you say?
What an amazingly creepy character you've just added to the mix.
I like how, back when this chapter first came out, commenters had no idea how many books there were gonna be.
Well Searo sure is...disturbing
Shit, man! This had be OLD as dust!
How does a pony make a lewd gesture?
That's both an honor and terrifying at the same time.
Think about it, she is intelligent and efficient, but lacks the sheer want to become"Top Spear" that most impulsive clubheads do.
In other words, shes qualified (apparently) and is being promoted, but she most likely doesn't want it. What's more, she has a secret they would most definitely perceive as weakness, or even an insult to their nation!
Pestiferous may be old as the Grande Swallow, but she certainly ain't stupid.
2397155
I think you are pointing in the wrong direction here. I, for one, have not at all been looking for the elements in passerby. Otherwise, on of the piror characters would ahve done been one
Such as petals, Ember, Lime, Flower gears or some other
I had a bad case of the chills when reading Lady Pestiferous and hearing her voice in my head.