High above Shoggoth... the sea ponies... and the ocean water...
A bright sun rose over the eastern horizon. It cast glinting rays across the jutting rock bluffs and metal platforms of upper Shoggoth. Several stallions rushed back and forth between their stations while the door to the Mark Two closed shut.
“That's the last of the supplies,” muttered one stallion to another. He pivoted about, faced a control tower, and swung his hoof out over the edge of the platform. “All clear!” he shouted.
“All clear!” His exclamation was echoed again and again across the platforms. Stallions gave the docks a wide berth. Meanwhile, the mana engines of the Mark Two grew brighter and brighter with heated intensity.
“Good work, fellas,” spoke the foreman, trotting down the line of stallions. “Keep this up, and the Southern Hoof will increase all our pay.”
“About friggin' time,” muttered one stallion, out of line.
The foreman swiveled to glare at him. “What was that?”
The pony bit his lip. “N-nothing, sir.”
“That's what I thought.” He turned to give a signal to the Mark Two... when he froze, his features slack. He craned his neck, lips pursing.
Several of the other workers turned to look.
A metal image was glinting along the northern horizon, occupying the exact path that the Mark Two would otherwise be using to disembark.
“...the Hell?!” The foreman slurred while a loud commotion rang around him. He signaled the control tower. “Abort! Abort! There's another Arrowfish in the way!”
Several ponies exchanged confused glances.
“Huh?!”
“The Mark One?!”
“What's it do back so soon?!”
“Maybe it has engine trouble...?”
Around this time, the signal had reached the still-docked Mark Two. The blue engines cut off. Several disgruntled sailors and unicorns emerged from the ship's hatches, clamoring for an explanation.
Meanwhile, a speedboat roared out from the bluffs of Upper Shoggoth and met up with the incoming Arrowfish. The Mark One had already slowed down, and it pivoted broadside to meet the tiny craft. The starboard hatch swung open midway down the ship's hull.
“What's the meaning of this?!” One of the workers in the speedboat shouted, frowning. “You should be in Rust right now—” Suddenly, his pupils shrank. “Verlaxion's Sleet! ...Revan?” He gulped. “Boss Revan?!”
The stallion in question leaned out the door, snarling: “Get me down into Shoggoth, now!”
“What's wrong?! Why are you here?!”
Revan spat: “I'm here to win back the Northern Hoof's fortune!” His eyes narrowed. “...and collect the heads of the flankholes who stole it from me!”
FLASH!
Rainbow's eyes pulsed with a bright green light. She shot up in bed, gasping. Sweat ran down her brow as she looked back and forth across the hotel bedroom.
Rarity and Twilight stopped in mid-conversation to turn and smile at her.
“Oh! Rainbow, darling!”
“Good morning!” Twilight giggled. “At least we think it's morning. Looks like you had a good long sleep...” She paused, then blinked. “Whoah... is something the matter?”
“You look troubled, dear,” Rarity added.
Rainbow gnashed her teeth. Without saying a word to them, she leapt off the back, galloped towards the door, and burst into the main room of the suite.
There, Theanim Mane was already going over a series of photographs with Bard and Wildcard.
“...so if we take the subterranean bridge, we'll attract less attention, allowing you to approach the headquarters unimpeded...”
Wildcard stood up straight, his goggles reflecting the mare's panicked face. He tapped Bard's shoulder.
“Whoah whoah whoah... hold up, Doc.” Bard stood while Theanim turned around. “Howdy, Rainbow Dash. I see ya sweatin'. Should we be sweatin' too?”
“It's Revan!” Rainbow wheezed, trotting forward with urgency. “He's here!”
Dead silence.
“What...?” Bard blinked. “Ya mean in this room?” A metal talon slapped him upside the head. “Ow!”
“He's just arrived! Above us in Upper Shoggoth!” Rainbow's voice cracked. “Somehow... h-he commandeered the Mark One and made it return to the docks!”
Wildcard cocked his head to the side with a confused look.
“Revan's been stripped of all his power and authority!” Bard said, chuckling. “How could he possibly chase us this far?!”
Wildcard gestured.
“Right.” Bard nodded, then looked at Rainbow again. “And how in tarnation would you even know any of this?”
Rainbow bit her lip. While Rarity and Twilight floated next to her, she turned to look at Theanim.
The scientist blinked, staring back at her. His ears twitched. “Princess Camellia...”
Rainbow nodded.
With flaring nostrils, Theanim stood up tall. “I'll go wake Echo.” He turned towards the Desperadoes. “Gentlecolts, there's no more time for lounging about. Whatever we're going to do, we have to do it now.”
He's heeeereee...
Also, Princess Camilla probably makes a better princess than an alarm clock. Oi...
6309708 Well... He hasn't hit Shell levels of dedication yet.
Time for the chaos to ensue. Better go get my popcorn and 3D glasses.
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img.4plebs.org/boards/tv/image/1437/11/1437110878913.jpg
It seems Camellia's not a huge fan of Revan. Dunno why else she would warn Rainbow Dash.
Or maybe she just likes action.
Well, the early warning system is nice, I wonder just how this rushed plan will go horribly wrong.
Nice of Camellia to give her a heads up. Seems she's not a fan of the Syndicate either.
Well crap.
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You've jinxed it. Just watch.
Well, Revan still can't be any worse than Shell.
At least the gang were given a royal heads up.
And I thought reven would fail, silly me.
Well that was extremely nice of Camellia. This is going to get very ugly very quick I think.
So much for relaxing an sightseeing, was wondering when things were going to hit the fan. I figured they'd be able to at least meet with Princess Camilla before Revan showed up. This means the team will have to throw their carefully made plans out the window and wing it, which usually works best so perhaps it won't be that bad.
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Give him time. He does have the setup to be the 'next Shell'.
So uh.... anyone else notice the startling similarity between that and Chrysalis' mind control side effect?
-Memories given light, ease a lonely flight. Ynanhluutr.
Dun-dun-dunnnnnnnnnn!
It seems odd to me that the Southern Hoof would just let an armed group of gaurds from a rival faction waltz into their base of operations. I was expecting them to try to collect the platinum for themselves once they found out about it.
I just hope Rainbow and the gang give a lasting beat down to Revan this time.
Ooh, ooh, it's the thing, it's the thing! It's the part where the fecal matter physically abuses the fan.
So this is the power of
the MonadoPrincess Camellia.Not forcing her guards to turn surprise!Revan away, the Princess waits patiently for the harmonic showdown she's always hankered for.
Is she a betting aquine? Find out shortly!
Looks like Dash has a problem. whenever her plans go well, so does the enemies. When her plans go down, so does the enemy.
All we can hope for is that the coming beat em up doesnt disrupt th magical shileds the same way it would definitely disrupt a physical barrier.
Important question. What is the effect of a rainboom against aquacoustic shielding, and can Dash go fast enough hypersonically to supercavitate the ocean as well.
Revan: Worker!
Worker: (screaming) REVAN!!
Revan: There's something you should know.
Worker: (still screaming) WHAT IS IT, BOSS REVAN?!
Revan: I came...
Worker: (screaming and suprised) WHAT!?
Revan: ...to this city...
Worker: (constantly screaming) OH.
Revan: To give you a message...
Card games on motorcycles!
Less than a thousand words!?
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proto-SeaShell confirmed.
No flying underwater, acoustic magic...
What happens if Rainbooms?
Tune in next time to find out
Perhaps she should tell the guard to check for his voice box. You know, since soon he won't need it anyway.
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It's also curious how we didn't get Dash's point of view on this conversation with Camellia (if it's her at all). Maybe whoever that was has taken over her body?
6312358 Yeah. I was thinking, "is that really Dash? or is Camellia using her as a puppet?"
Are they going to reach the throne room only to have Dash gallop to her side and start talking in sync with her?
Like Mewtwo did with Nurse Joy?
Eh, Makeshift-Shell is makeshift.
Hold on, wasn't his whole plan based around the idea nopony in Shoggoth knows he's now poorer than the proverbial monk?
I'd love it if we're being made to think this is the beginning of Shell 2.0, and next chapter it's the Southern Hoof going "oh, you lost all the Northern Hoofs money? Well nopony will care what happens to you then, will they?" to set an example of what happens when you fuck up as big as he has.
Guess who's back, back again.
ShellShadyRevan's back, tell a friendRevan is gonna end up in pain or on fire. Probably both.
Whelp. And here I thought we were going to be fine.
not really
-Spirit (Yeast and Treacle)
Time to win over a princess!
And trouble follows them...
I just realized. How the hell has Twilight not felt the magic that's been sent to Dash? I guess telepathy isn't magic? Psionics sounds pretty magical to me.
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Magic uses internal reserves of magical energy and uses psychosomatic / ritualistic components to achieve an end.
Psionics, uses mental energy to achieve an end.
So yeah ... technically it does have somethings in similar to magic, but how it achieves it's end as well as the things it can achieve are different [Like Luna's Dream Walking], so it makes sense that it's different enough that Twilight can't sense it.
About the time I expected him to arrive.
This won't bode well for the group
Not fair when the game has an invisible time limit.
Nice of the princess to give Rainbow a message, ey Theanim?
GO AWAY SHITTIER SHELL.
Uh well alright then. Heist Part 2: Trash the Southern Hoof is a go!
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No one can or should replace Shell. He really left quite the impact on us. Also when ever we get a repeat villain, the comment section ask "is the the new Shell?"