“I'm not sure what bothers me more, old chap.” Theanim Mane leaned against a cold set of iron bars. His breath came out in a vaporous sigh, fading across the thin slits of gray light bleeding through Frostknife's stone prison. “The fact that she's so doggedly determined to eliminate all enemies to the Goddess Verlaxion.” He bit his lip. “...or that I recognize in her attitude the pony that I once was.”
“Mrmmfff...” Echo paused in doing upside-down curl-ups from a metal bar hanging off his cell's ceiling. “What do you mean once was?”
Theanim turned and glared over his shoulder. “Oh come now, even you have to admit that I've loosened up a bit.”
“Hrmmff...” Echo resumed his sweaty exercise. Fangs glinted from across the shadows. “If you say so. Grffff... I've been too busy reacquainting myself with the weight of this freaky world.”
“Well, granted, that's quite true.” Theanim brushed his brown bangs back and sighed. “Still, there's something in the Commander's attitude that... alarms me.” He gulped. “And the funny part is that it didn't used to alarm me before.”
“Correct me if I'm wrong, Theams...” Echo curled and breathed. “But destroying all heretical entities under the rule of Verlaxion is more or less the Right Talon's bag, is it not?”
“But to do so with such swiftness that it eliminates all sensibility and contemplation?”
“Isn't that... uhhh... the Council's job?”
“True. But both you and I know that they can only see so much from their lofty, frozen alcove.” Theanim folded his forelimbs and sighed out his nostrils.
Echo's fangs showed beneath a smirk. “I'd be thanking my lucky stars for such short-sightedness, if I were you.”
Theanim glanced aside. “Huh?”
“Well, you're on the other side of the bars, are you not?”
“Hrmmm...” Theanim adjusted his goggles over his mane. “I haven't considered worrying over that.”
“Grnngh... m-maybe you should, Theams.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Well, if it turns out that the Council and the Right Talon decide to bring the hammer down on Rainbow Dash, then you're likely to go crumbling into gravel along with her.”
“All things considered, my association with Rainbow Dash ended right before she made her way to the Quade.”
“Yes, but... guilt by association, right?” Echo paused, squinting sideways at the stallion. “I mean... sure, you're not in any trouble for having run underwater circles with me. But for all of the horrible shit I've ever done, trashing a holy monastery isn't on the list.”
“That remains to be thoroughly explored, old chap.”
“Is that the scientist talking or the friend to Rainbow Dash?”
“Hmmm?”
Echo resumed his upside-down curl-ups. “We both know you get a huge holy boner for truth, Theams. I think Rainbow Dash has done a lot of awesome stuff for you and me. But I'm also starting to think she's cut you down a notch. Maybe two. You're starting to get a bit... mmmm... biased.”
“Good Goddess...” Theanim winced. “Do you actually believe that's true?”
“Don't get me wrong. Grnnngh... I think it's an improvement... mrmfff...”
Theanim leaned forward, rubbing his chin with his hoof. “I've put into careful consideration the possibility that Rainbow Dash is guilty of all the things the Council suspects of her. Even still...” He shook his head. “I do not believe that sicking the Right Talon of Verlaxion after her is going to accomplish anything—justice wise.”
“Can you think of a better idea?”
“I can think of several.” Theanim gulped. “But... if Seraphimus is managing the extraction operation that gets ahold of Rainbow, then all is lost.” He turned and looked at the sarosian behind bars. “She won't allow our Equestrian friend to get a word in to defend herself. As far as the Council knows, Rainbow Dash is an enemy of the Goddess. That means—as far as Seraphimus is concerned—she's nothing more than heretical filth. And I am terribly... terribly concerned for what this means about the way in which our nation exercises Verlaxion's divine will.”
“Why?” Echo grunted. “You weren't so concerned about it before.”
“Yes, well, times have changed. I've changed.”
“Not sure how it's going to help Rainbow Dash any.”
Theanim leaned back, eyes thin. “Hmmmm...”
“Wuh oh. You're humming contemplatively,” Echo mused. With a flick of his tail, he dropped off the bar, flipped, and landed nimbly on all fours. His slitted eyes peered across the shadows. “What's the epiphany, Theams?”
“I've sworn my fealty to Verlaxion since day one, old chap,” Theanim said. “However, as a scientist, there's one thing I've committed to with even greater dedication... or else my service to the Goddess would null and void.” He stood up, peering through the bars. “Truth. Above all things... truth reigns supreme. And I fear I've been avoiding it for far too long.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“There may come a time when Rainbow Dash is accosted and brought in to the Council,” Theanim said. “I mean... it's the Right Talon of Verlaxion, Echo. It's only a matter of time before they catch up with her.” He gulped. “I need to be prepared for when that happens... so that I may defend her.”
“But... you said it yourself. Seraphimus and her team are on the case.” Echo blinked. “Just what flexibility will the Council even give you?”
“That depends on what kind of a grasp we can get on the situation. And I won't find out by lingering here in Frostknife, waiting for the Council's good graces to run out.” He took a deep breath. “There are ponies now in our midst who can tell me exactly what happened in the Quade. I think it's high time I went and spoke with them myself.”
“Theams...”
“Stay in good health, Echo,” Theanim said, trotting off. “I'll speak with you again shortly—”
“Theanim!” Echo's fuzzy face pressed against the bars.
Theanim turned to glance at him.
Echo's fangs showed. “If you're talking about who I think you are... well...” His leafy ears folded back. “Be careful, okay? It took a lot of questionable characters to get those monks here. And... and I don't think it would do well to step on any of their fetlocks.”
Theanim smiled. “Your concern for me is endearing, Echo.”
“Hrmmmff...” Echo backtrotted, frowning. “Concern for you? Shieeeet... just making sure you don't blow it or else Rainbow Dash's goose is cooked.”
“Uh huh.” And Theanim called the guard to make his exit.
“So what's he doing?” Whony asked.
Quint and several other colts paused in mopping the decks. They stared... squinted up at a cluster of dark clouds hovering just north of Red Barge.
“It's like he's just sitting there!” another colt remarked, sweating in the hot sun. “Doing... bird things.”
“I swear...” Whony grunted, mopping up more of the bulkheads. “If he messes up the northern struts...”
“He's not all bird.”
“Still. Seems like just the kind of thing a mainlander would do.”
“What I want to know is how can he sit on a cloud?”
“Don't be stupid. All griffons and pegasi can interact with clouds.”
“None of our pegasi do!”
“Because Top Dredger Skagra would have Saxon and the others spear 'em in a blink!”
“Ha! True that! Hahaha!”
“Hrmmm...” Quint's jaw clenched. “He's a big problem. That's what.”
“In what way?”
“Isn't it obvious?” Quint grumbled as he mopped. “He's here for the Rainbow Rogue. If the Right Talon snatches the monster up, then Top Dredger Skagra loses his chance at profit.”
“Yeah, so?”
“So, dipshit...” Quint frowned at the colts beside him. “...our dredge coal harvest has been sucking as of late. Skagra already gave the trinkets from the dead drifts to Monket... who still isn't back yet. Even if the slaver of waves hasn't robbed us blind, we're still in the red. Which means...
“...Skagra's gonna start sending some of us into the machine pits to make up for our losses,” Whony grumbled. “Or start selling us to Mudtop. Whichever strikes his fancy first.”
“But... we're seafoam!” Another colt stammered. “What would Mudtop want with us?”
“Whatever our flesh can offer,” Quint grunted. “At least here, in Red Barge, we can get our nibbles.”
“I-I don't like this at all,” a colt whimpered.
“Hush!” Quint hissed. “Skagra's not going to let it come to that.”
“For our sake?”
“Don't be stupid.” Quint stared skyward. “The first opportunity he gets, the top dredger will off the griffon.”
“But... b-but he's a guardian!” a colt stammered. “From the continent!”
“Skagra will find a way,” Quint said. “The griffon just has to make the first stupid move, and then we'll be one problem short of putting Red Barge back on track. Even higher.”
“Wow, Quint...” Whony smirked. “You really believe in Skagra, don't you?”
Quint clenched his jaw shut.
“So... uh...” Another colt fidgeted where he stood. “What can we do to help?”
“Nothing,” Quint said.
“Well, that's useful,” Whony rolled his eyes.
Quint slapped him upside the head. “I mean it.” He turned to glare at the others. “We mustn't speak a word of the Rainbow Rogue to this feathery joker. The first moment he so much as hears that we've got the monster in our hold, then all is lost!” Quint pointed. “So you better not let me catch any of you shitbags talking within earshot of the griffon! Do I make myself clear?
“Yes, Quint.”
“Yes, Quint...”
“S-sure thing, boss.”
Quint sighed. “Just... play it cool. Do your labor. Get your nibbles. And everything will be... f-fine.”
Whony stared off across the struts. A tiny, one-eared figure shuffled across the welded decks and made his way towards the southern end of the Barge. “Maybe it's not us you should be concerned about, Quint...”
Quint squinted. As he spotted Swab's figure, a frown crossed his muzzle.
The little brown speck of a colt scampered across the lattices and pipework. Ultimately, he disappeared inside a small stairwell located in the heart of the Barge's southern strut.
All of this was observed by a pair of hawkeyes from afar.
Keris blinked. He craned his neck to the side, staring across the lengths of the Southern Strut.
A smoggy wind blew at his feathers. Perched atop the cluster of dark clouds, he exhaled, rubbing his chin in contemplation.
Something glinted in his peripheral.
“... … …?” Twirling around, the Lieutenant glanced due north.
He caught sight of one... two... three tiny skiffs sailing south across the waves, powered by steam. Their hulls had a noticeably pale quality to the metal.
Keris blinked, folding his arms as a curious smile lingered beneath his beak. “Hmmm...”
Kid's putting himself in a lot of danger right now...
"Hmmm" indeed. I wonder what those could be?
Oh shit the pirates are already here. And Swab is gonna get beat up by Quint or Whony again if he keeps trying to visit Rainbow. And it looks like Keris is already starting to put the pieces together.
Fight happenin' soon. This gon' be good.
Also I don't know how you plan on defending RD, Theanim. I think the evidence points pretty strongly to her being the one to destroy the Quade, and she's going to be the first to admit it.
Looks like Pirates
Theanim's reaction of horror to the idea that he might be getting biased is hilariously accurate to my head-canon of him.
I wonder who the skiffs could be. The pirates from Mud Top maybe? The wording made me think of White Barge, but that seems unlikely. They seemed to get a reaction out of Keris.
Well, at least Keris noticed Swab, too. Here's hoping he gets curious enough to investigate.
Theams on the case!
All I can hear is the
Phoenix WrightTheanim Mane: Ace Attorney soundtrack.Okay.. whenever Keris has been around of late, one song has been getting stuck in my head.
Because it seems to be following him, waiting for the right moment to strike.
Looks like what Swift Song said to Quint is starting to make him crack.
-In the end isolation, hunted by a nation. Utaan.
6595917 But Verlaxion literally told her to do it!
Next, Verlaxion will tell her to lie about it in order to get near the element of honesty?
The pieces of the puzzle are converging.
But it looks like the noose is drawing itself around austraeoh's neck.
What will happen, I wonder?
Will our hero fight her way free, or will Theanim find something to free her from this without bloodshed?
31.media.tumblr.com/e2ff51bc06bd2d568ef4f96ea5fa77f9/tumblr_ncow7kOlOE1smr45to1_500.gif
This won't end well.
This might.
Theams was never as zealous as Seraph in the story, not even close.
Looks like Theamin's investigating! Let's hope he finds something to help Rainbow, she'll really need all the help she can get. Speaking of that, what I really want to know is where Wildcard and Bard are. Surely we haven't seen the last of them! ...right?
Also, is it weird that I keep thinking Keris is female? Cause the pony on Keris' (the user, that is) profile pic looks distinctly feminine, so I still have to remind myself every once in a while that Keris (the character) is male. And the opposite goes for Seraphimus, too. I dunno, maybe it's just me.
6595991 Well, yes, actually, Verlax did tell Dash that she'd have to, and I quote, 'do some very disharmonious... very dishonest... very unkind things'. I'm guessing that Dash'll need to lie to clear her name, by saying she's the Prophet of Verlax or something.
Theams is on the case! He's going to be our very own Phoenix Wright. I just hope that Keris can get to Swab before the Pirates get here or whoever that is.
I'm a bit worried that I might've been enslaved after I testified to the council...
And did the pirates already overtake Monket?
Action scene coming from the horizon.
Good luck Theams. Hopefully nothing bad happens to him.
Oh, what to choose. Catch up with Sonikah and possibly discover some things to make the Fat Cat look bad, or fight scene on the barge? I thought the situation would ferment a little more before hitting the fan but depending on who's on those ships things maight get dangerous. Half starved slaves, Monket's or Skagra's, aren't the best fighters.
I hope you're not doing what I think you're doing, Keris...
When your enemies are divided and conflicted, do nothing to let them go abut making your job easier of finishing them off afterwards.
When your enemies are not divided and conflicted, make them so.
When your enemies remain cooperative and strengthened, become as the ghost that spreads fear and destruction in the dark.
Ssays much that Swabs safest place is between the Sawnado and the Monster.
Pirates inbound! Will Keris save Swab from a beating or fight the slavers?
...arise! Everything's in motion. I'm rather intrigued.
The pieces are in motion. Now when does the train-wreck hit is my question.
Poor Theanim will be so sad when he hears Rainbow really did do the bad stuff, even if it was somewhat of an accident
6596744 No, not an accident: because his Goddess did everything in Her power to force Dash to do it.
I like where this is going...
I honestly don't see Swab getting out of this with all his limbs intact, he's up to his ear in shit
I guess we could really use a rainbow dash pov soon, it would be really nice to know where truthpony tower lies because by now everyone starts to talk about truth.
6596036
Nehh you get used to the (totally awesome) madness.
Each time i look into the comments and see my name i think for a moment that someone is talking to me.
And even though they are not, it is still totally AWESOME !
By the way I actually confused you with Sharp Quill, i just read "Quill" and was like yep, must be sharp quill.. but nope...
We have Quills now, soon there will be sofas too.
I worry for Theanim. I don't think he's taking the potential threat to his life seriously, as if he doesn't quite believe that dudes like Chandler probably wouldn't think twice of arranging the assassination of a scientist who's snooping into the truth a little too much. Watch your back Theanim, and don't get careless.
6597490
I sense much confusion in the not-so-distant future. Actually, if IC ever decides to use my name in the story, things are gonna get a whole lot more confusing.
6597537 100% agree, he is walking a fine line
I suddenly recall that plotline about Theanim wanting to be a hero. With all the goings on in Shoggoth, it sort of fell by the wayside. Looks like he may still get his chance.
As I read the final act of this chapter, I found myself imagining how this is going to go.
Pirates attack! Monket arrives to save the day.
Monket attacks! Keris arrives to save the day.
Keris attacks! ... Rainbow Dash already got away under the cover of the pirate attack after Swab found a way to break her out.
Noone is left to save the day, but that's fine, because Rainbow Dash got away.
And then I go back and realize how foolish that is, because Dash wouldn't be able to leave a situation where the muck foals would be left helpless.
Looking forward to seeing what happens next!
Dare I say that Revan has returned?
The next chapter will tell me whether I have truly returned, or if this is someone else and I'm still biding my time.
It's about to get loud inside the Red Barge.
Quint and whony are going to catch Swab just as he gets to Rainbow, Then Keris and/or the mudtoppers are going to interrupt... I hope.
6597490 An RD pov? But she's a monster. She is incapable of feeling so her perspective would be bland /s
Wonder if RD knows about Keris yet. It sounds like she has Fluttershy going on scouting missions on the ship, and her range is probably pretty substantial: 6m -> 30m -> 100m implies that the radius should be hundreds of meters by now.
It appears me and Mr. Mane can agree on the Right Talon.
So you're saying it's inevitable that Dash is gonna get a court marshall. Ah yes, nothing will go wrong there.
MENACINGLY! (I've done that joke already, I think.)
Pirates off the...I forgot what side. But they're incoming, I bet.