“Okay, if I can just ask one key question…” Ebon Mane fidgeted near the stern of the Noble Jury. “How the heck are you both getting back once you’ve saved Kera’s precious head?”
“The same way I was able to save the zebra’s precious head,” Roarke muttered. “I’ll keep a reading on his manasphere’s frequency from a distance.”
“Can the onboard manaconduits of your suit do that? I thought that was something only your old ship did.”
“I got an upgrade in the Rust District.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, sure, whatever…” Roarke finished attaching the last of many surplus fuel cannisters to the middle of her suit. It was late at night inside Gray Smoke, and the ship was hovering several spaces away from where dockworkers were busy attempting to salvage what was left of the hangar’s burnt mooring platforms. “In the meantime, we’ll keep in contact over soundstones and find a way to coordinate a rendezvous. Preferably someplace east of here.”
“Crazy metal boomer will get no argument from Floydien,” the elk grumbled. “As soon as blonde blonde rigs the steam up to Nancy Jane’s room, Floydien is throwing this city away with yesterday’s spit.”
“I wouldn’t fly too close to the Eastern Front if I were you,” Rainbow Dash said. “But, someplace where there aren’t a bunch of noisy, psychotic, dogmatic ponies wanting to tear this group to shreds would be nice.”
“I’ll try to find a good spot on the map, Rainbow Dash,” Pilate said.
“And I’ll guide us away from most of the heat,” Josho said. “I found out enough to know where the most bombs are going off.”
“Right…” Rainbow Dash nodded firmly. “I believe in you guys. I really do. Keep the ship in one piece, and I promise I will bring Kera back in one piece.”
Props waved her hoof. “But, you’re totally gonna do that for the itty bitty filly, either way, right?”
Before Rainbow Dash could answer, Roarke stuck her helmet in. “I’m still new to working without being paid, but we’ll do our best.”
Rainbow Dash glared aside at her. “By the way, I’m pretty sure it was me who saved Pilate yesterday.”
“Whatever.” Roarke shrugged. “You’re writing the history books. Not me.”
“Do you really have to have an attitude about it?”
“I’m not the pony with a murderous fan club.”
“Grkkk! They are not a fan club! For the love of Celestia, don’t you ever friggin’--” Rainbow Dash jerked to face the others with a plastic grin. “Is there anything else we should cover, you guys?”
“You’d better get a move on,” Pilate said. “At the rate at which they’re flying with that triple skystone supply, they could be a week’s distance at normal wingpower.”
“Don’t worry…” Roarke trotted towards the very edge of the ship. “I’ll drag her faster west with my rockets if I have to.”
Rainbow hung her head with a sigh. Quietly, she trotted over to her best friends. “I’m gonna get her back, and then--I swear--we’re gonna burn our way through the clouds and leave this goddess-forsaken continent in the dust, once and for all. Okay?”
Belle nodded quietly.
“Hey…” Rainbow Dash reached forward and tilted the mare’s chin up. “It’s gonna be okay. Ya hear me?”
Belle blinked at her. The mare’s lips pursed, and her eyes watered. “Yeah…” She sniffled and nodded with a weak smile. “Yeah, Rainbow. Everything’s gonna b-be okay…”
Rainbow smirked, then pivoted to punch Pilate in the shoulder. “You’d better give her lots of tender zebra loving while I’m gone.”
“Derrrr…”
“Props!” Rainbow trotted past the blonde in question. “Thanks for sticking with us. I know that you still need to find your uncle and all, but we can use all the help we can get.”
“Aye, pegasus my pegasus!” The mare saluted with a bright smile. “I’ll get Nancy a steam powered diaphgragm! Just you see!”
“Er… yeah…”
“And don’t you fret, Rainbow Dash,” Props cooed, leaning in to give the mare a close, fragrant, friendly nuzzle. “We love you to bits, girl,” she purred. “Even if you get smashed to a bloody pulp against a big granite mountainside, we’ll always remember your charm, your niftiness, your beauty--”
“Okaaaaaaaaaay!” Rainbow Dash blindly shoved the mare away, her cheeks burning red. “Thank you, Propsyyyy… ahem.” She nodded to Floydien and Josho as she trotted by. “Gentlecolts.” She came upon Ebon and froze, fidgeting.
Eagle Eye blinked at Rainbow Dash, looked at Ebon, then back at her. Simon chirped randomly in the background.
“Ahem…” Rainbow bit the corner of her mouth before uttering, “Guess you’ll be sticking around too, huh, Ebon?”
Before Ebon could open his mouth, Eagle Eye suddenly stepped between the two. “Yes, Rainbow, he is.”
Rainbow’s blue brow furrowed.
Eagle’s eyes remained firm, resolute.
At last, Rainbow blinked, her ears drooping slightly. She closed her eyes, sighed… and then smiled. “That sounds great.” She reached forward and flicked the edge of his violet mane. “You should consider adding a streak to that.” With a swivel of her hooves, she joined Roarke on the ship’s stern.
Eagle Eye, meanwhile, blinked, fluffing his mane as he glanced curiously at a few of the silken strands. He gave Ebon a glance, and the fellow stallion shrugged with an innocent smile.
“Whelp, Gray Smoke isn’t getting any brighter,” Rainbow said as she perched besides Roarke. “Ready to shove off?”
“You got a bearing?”
Rainbow Dash squinted out the hangar’s exit. She saw the lavender glow like a sliver of dim light in the distance. “Yup.”
“Then shove away,” Roarke muttered. “You’re the expert on this cross-country long distance winging. I’ll just follow you in my missile sight and pretend not to have a violent flashback to one of Pestiferous’ notorious clan battles.”
Rainbow sighed. “At this rate, we’re gonna paint the mountains red instead of purple…” With a grunt she kicked off the stern and glided out the hangar exit. Roarke followed with a burst of her thrusters. Together, the mares made for the starlight horizon, bending around so that they were gliding due west.
The crew lonesomely waved them on. Belle exhaled heavily and leaned her head on Pilate’s shoulder. She closed her eyes and murmured, “Blessed Spark, imbuer of harmony, please keep Kera at peace, wherever she is.”