Eagle Eye sat, slumped against the dimly lit wooden boards that formed the foundation of the Steel Wing's brig. As the zeppelin veered along its course, his violet hair swayed across his lavender head.
There was a shuffling sound, like a badly coordinated dancer stumbling through the darkness. After a few seconds, a canteen rolled through the bars of the brig and rested against one of Eagle's splayed hooves. He glanced unemotionally at it, then tilted his lethargic gaze to the figure beyond the bars.
"There, kid..." Josho grunted, leaning against the bars. "It took some shoving ponies around with my horseshoes up their nostrils, but I was able to get you some decent spring water." He shrugged. "And not, y'know, the crud they usually dog bowl prisoners in this place. Figured you might wanna pour something down your throat that isn't whiskey, for a change. Especially considering how much the latter tears about your insides something fierce."
Eagle Eye looked back down at the floor. His shoulders slumped.
Josho grumbled. "Look, will you just take the friggin' canteen? All things considered, there really aren't a lot of ponies on board this ship who'll do you a favor. The least you can do is remain hydrated."
At last, the lavender unicorn muttered, "It doesn't matter."
"Don't start leaking on me again, fruit salad," Josho uttered. He glared through the bars as he said, "It's not half as sucky as you might think. You're a potential witness here—and that means you can still be of use to Ledo. There's no reason the enforcers have to lay a single hoof on you. Why, if you play your cards right, you might even be able to return home."
"You mean if I somehow do all I can to betray my friends," Eagle droned. "Like Zenith did."
Josho blinked. "Like who?"
Eagle flashed him a frown. "See?! You don't even know who is who! You don't even care!"
"I know that you got a chance for freedom so long as I can put in a good word for ya," Josho retorted. "Face it, kid. You were never much of a fighter to begin with. What have you got to defend? All your family is far away, down south, and—"
"Josho, all my family would rather have me dead. The only ponies I ever cared about were scattered like leaves the very moment you and your precious enforcer buddies decided to dispense justice in the middle of Foxtaur."
Josho's nostrils flared. "Look, kid. You saved my neck quite a few times back there. Heck, on board the train? You could have spilled my oily, greasy guts, and yet you didn't. Don't you see?" He sighed and slumped against the bars. "I'm trying to give you a second chance too."
"A second chance at what? You call this grace?" Eagle's eyes grew misty as he snarled a the walls of the brig. "Somewhere... up north... Belle and Pilate are on the run. Shell and Filta and every pony with something to prove to Ledo are chomping at the bit to nab them." He looked up, a tear or two trickling down his bright cheeks. "And when they do, Josho, they're going to shackle them, interrogate them, torture them, and kill them. And th-there is nothing I can do about it..."
Josho was silent.
Choking on a sob, Eagle bowed his head and curled his manacled hooves to his face. "If all I have to look forward to is knowing that for the rest of my life... then I-I think d-death is the best thing I can p-possibly look forward to..."
Josho opened his mouth, but lingered. He lingered for too long, and in a weighty shuffle he lurched away from the brig, trotting his lonesome way up the steps and onto the main deck of the Steel Wing. A brisk wind kicked at his graying mane as crew ponies dashed left and right, minding their various stations.
As Josho approached a cabin on the far end, he passed under the shadow of Captain Filta and a pair of officers looking over a map from an upper platform.
"Enforcer Josho..." Filta said from above. "Getting some of that rest I suggested? Good. We will need all the help we can get in tracking down these vile enemies of the state."
"Right..." Josho grumbled without looking. "Better hang 'em up by their kidneys."
"Hmmph..." Filta's lips curved as he gazed at a map floating before him. "The Council will decide, whatever the case." The officers beside him chuckled.
Josho said nothing. He opened his quarters and lurched inside. The wooden framework of the zeppelin creaked and groaned all around him. He marched past his bed and made for a cabinet. Opening it, he produced a tall bottle with sloshing tan liquid. He trotted over and sat on the edge of the bed. His horn glowed as he fumbled and fumbled with the cork.
Then, suddenly, his horn lost its glow. He blinked, and his hooves went slack. The bottle fell to the floor, rattled, and rolled towards the far wall as the Steel Wing made a veering turn.
Josho's breaths came heavier and heavier. He gnashed his teeth and ran a hoof over his face, hissing through tight lips.
"Friggin' bleeding heart, I swear..."
He pulled at his mane and groaned.
"Bleeding heart. Nothing to it. Nothing to it. Nothing..."
Heh, big lug's funny when he has a conscience.
Oopsie.
Oh dear. A bleeding heart, huh? That's everything to it, Josho!
Oh, and I think you misspelled 'canteen'. Twice.
Heart attack? Also, am I the only one thinking Filta's gonna pull something on Josho in his sleep?
Huh, maybe I've just never noticed it before, but I think this was the first time you changed POV in the middle of a chapter.
Of course, it would have to be between Josho and EE. Those two might just have the best relationship out of all the characters in this story.
"You can tell yourself that you don't care. You can tell yourself that it's the world that's messed up, not you, never you. You can go and drown your sorrows day after day - but lemme tell ya something: they won't die. Never. And then, one day, you will wake up and find that your disgust has gotten stronger than your bitterness. You will look back and wonder how the fuck you ended up there. And you're gonna hate yourself for what you've turned into. And on that day, son, no beer and no booze is gonna save your ass."
I do believe that Josho has reached that state. His friendship with Eagle Eye was the straw to break the camel's back - I guess now he's just sick of himself.
And Eagle Eye, don't be sad! I could hug you if I found a way round this damnable screen. Or pet you. Or.
2791732 What was that one chapter that had "Meanwhile, on the other side of the door" in the middle of the narrative?
Come on, do that heel face turn and boot Filta over the edge.
Wait, then we can't personally see his corpse. If we can't see it, they ain't dead. Booze bottle (Full, this is important) to the head, though doing it without witnesses will be tricky.
Poor EE.
And poor Josho, growing some moral fiber.
24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_me5c0uDD9Q1rubz4io1_250.gif
2791732 Now all we need to know is, are they friends or are they friends, darling
2791720
The stuff he was fed/drank earlier was poisoned.
Haven't caught up for a while and there is STILL no explosions =(
2790650 sweet cant wait to read it
2791800
I think that it was one the chapters during belles sequencing with the xonan foals, but that's as close as I can guess.
I retract my comments.
Josho is going to be killed in an attempt to save at least 2 of the main characters, one will be EE.
Now let's see those two bring down the entire zeppelin!
Damnit IC.
Oh. Dang. Josho is probably as screwed as EE is outside of this series.
In other words, often, and in the butt.
2794331. I have been very upset by this fact!
2796450
That or he finally gets his big damn hero moment.
And then dies.
Aw, I think somebody needs a hug. Or two somebodies. Although, it'd probably be hard for them to snuggle through the bars.
The two of these guys have escaped dastardly dogs, fiery foxes and raging rivers, I'm pretty sure they can handle some gormless goons thrown into the mix. So long as Josho listens to his bleeding heart and does the right thing, of course.
2794331Honeytiger is sad that there are no explosions.
A Message From MASH-
I'm home early...and late...zzz...
A Message from MASH-
Must...play...Ocarina...of...Time...
Heart condition?
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
Okay, now this is interesting. Anything emotional enough to stop Josho from drinking is quite a doozy. I think that this experience has humbled him - whereas he has family and friends to fall back on, there is almost nothing left for EE in this world. Also, Josho drank away his troubles while EE had to face them. It's really great writing and I'm still waiting to see Josho's next move. These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
P.S. Okay, now I'm back on the regular schedule. I swear.
Josho would be better off helping the others and BEING SOMEONE rather than going back to what he was...nothing...well, MOSTLY nothing.
Josho faces the trials and tribulations of character development. Poor bastard.
2868313
Epic game and so many puzzles, so AWSOME
Josho is gaining emotion.
-Spirit
And his heart grew three sizes that day.
Or he had a heart attack
Ah, Josho! Don't quit on us now, you fat lump, you're one of the strongest characters this series has to offer!
Finished the wall isn't this where
Something tells me he's going to do something rash.
A huge part of me wants to see EE get reconciled with his family. I know his particular backstory gets used in a ton of fics, but he's been through so much that it'd be cool for his family to at least make him...un-exiled, I guess. All too often the family gets vilified or used as a straw man/pony, so it'd be kinda nice to change it up. It's a long series, so it could happen, right?
Josho remembers that he grew a conscience recently. Still hurts.
Some lies you cannot believe no matter how many times you tell yourself they are true.
05/15/2017 21:22 UTC