//------------------------------// // Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash Takes Point // Story: Urohringr // by Imploding Colon //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash poked her head out of the outermost corridor and squinted her eyes at the gray malaise swirling thickly around the center of Stratopolis. Beyond the marble columns and airship wreckage, she spotted the remaining chunks of temple ruins floating through the rainswept clouds. However, her immediate concern involved the cityscape directly around her. She glanced left and right, but spot no sign of a moving shape or shadow. As well as she could guess, the coast was clear. Taking a deep breath, she pivoted about on flapping wings and motioned towards herself. With cat-like stealth, Razzar and two other Lounge members slithered out of the corridor, aiming vibrant yellow manarifles in every direction. They covered various points along the balcony, training their sights on every marble column and rusted bit of metal. After a minute passed, Razzar held his gloved hand up and motioned along. Arcshod, Aatxe, and Seclorum trotted out, along with several Xonan and Ledomaritan equines. Mares and stallions alike carried or levitated crossbows by their sides. Far more emaciated and frazzled than their Lounge companions, they shivered from the cold wind and pelting rain, nervously eying the obscure temple ruins around them as they clung to their weapons. At last, Props, Josho and the three remaining Lounge members came out, covering the rear. The group numbered no less than two dozen, and they formed a tight line that shuffled counter-clockwise around the broad temple exterior. "If I recall, the wall with the big ol' Urohringr symbol is on the far side," Rainbow Dash's voice cracked against the rumble of thunder. "Right past—" "—a hollowed out manaship with rusted steam thrusters?" Aatxe said. Rainbow did a double-take towards the center of the line. "Why... yeah. Dude, do you take walks on a consistent basis or something?" The stallion sighed out his nostrils. "You'd do stupid, bored things too if this place became your home for seventeen years." "I'm ready to make it a distant memory," Seclorum grumbled. He cocked a crossbolt in his weapon and dashed forward. "Let's get this over with—" Razzar blocked him with an oustretched hand. "We will take lead." "Excuse me?" Razzar didn't bother to look at him, instead strolling forward with courageous speed while accompanied by his two masked brothers. "We are a great deal experienced in dispensing with shape-shifters. For the safety of you and your comrades, I suggest you leave this in the hands of professionals." "In the hands of—?!" Seclorum's eyes crossed, and he shook his muzzle with a frown. "Look, buddy, we're the ones who've been stuck here for eternity! I think if anyone knows a thing or two about these green-blooded freakjobs, it's us!" "And to what extent has that undying self-confidence aided you in the escape from this prison?" Razzar signaled to his brothers, and they rushed forward, examining every piece of rubble and debris with hot-glowing manarifles. "It seems to me that no progress was had until Rainbow Dash and my own ship arrived." "Why you—" Snarling, Seclorum's magic twitched and his crossbow raised until it was suspiciously aimed at the masked speaker in question. "At ease, gray whiskers," Josho grumbled, physically lowering Seclorum's weapon with his heavy fetlock. "Let the creep do his job. He may be ugly as sin beneath that mask for all we know—but he seems to know what he's doing." "Since when were you so docile, old friend?" Seclorum frowned at him. "You and I never stood for this kind of insult back in Ledomare!" "When I gave up the bottle, I also gave up a lot of the bullcrap that came packed with it." Josho cocked his shotgun and marched on ahead. "And in case you haven't noticed, old friend, we're not in Ledomare anymore." Seclorum slumped in place, his glare so sharp it could cut through the wind. "Hrmmm..." Arcshod trotted past him with a wry smirk. "Bleem'ulien trenna sien thriul. Dreit?" "Meh..." Seclorum trudged along. "Easy for you to say." "Come on! Cheer up, Secchy!" Props sing-songed. "Soon enough, you'll be off this floating wreckie!" Seclorum's glaring eyes swiveled towards her. Props bit her lip. Her ears folded and she swiftly slinked ahead in a bouncing crouch. "Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm-moving right along!" She galloped until she was trotting "safely" underneath Rainbow Dash's shadow. Rainbow rolled her eyes, suppressing a smirk as she then squinted towards the far end of the temple. Her ears twitched, and for a moment she turned around, glancing somewhere past the rear where Razzar's comrades were protecting the line with their weapons. "You see something, Dashie?" "No, Props," Rainbow muttered. "Not a darn thing, which is what worries me." "It's okay! We've got a bunch of intimidating guys in cloaks protecting us with their super violent laser weapons! That's a good thing, r-right?" Rainbow Dash sighed out her nostrils. "To be honest... that's worrying me a lot more." She looked head. "I can't stop wondering..." "About what?" Props asked, blinking through her goggles in mid-trot. "Assuming Commander Hurricane could move the temples around from the top room like I could, as well as move Stratopolis itself, then couldn't she also open the door that was sealed when I got here?" "Well, sure! I mean... I guess. Why?" "Then..." Rainbow Dash chewed on her bottom lip as she flapped along. "Maybe she kept the door shut for a reason..." Props fidgeted slightly. "Oh Props..." Rainbow grumbled aloud. "I have a very bad feeling about this." "Yeah..." Props nodded. "It was hard for me to keep the faith after the prequels too." "...the hay are you even talking about?!" "You're assuming I understand half the time myself." Props let loose a melodic moan and trotted ahead. "I really, really miss Ebony right about now." Rainbow Dash watched her trot along. Her body slumped as she exhaled, "I miss everypony." And she glided forward, scouting ahead of Razzar and the group.