//------------------------------//
// Where Is That Confounded Bridge? 
// Story: Urohringr 
// by Imploding Colon 
//------------------------------//

	"You need help on the up and up?" Zaid asked, glancing occasionally over his shoulder at the crawlspace beneath the Noble Jury's cockpit.  "Want me to paint your nose red so you can fly up here or something?"

"Floydien's returned from a near-death experience," grunted the elk as he climbed up the last few remaining feet.  He emerged upon the cockpit, wincing.  "And even still, the boomer does not amuse him."

"Seriously, though.  You've just had your melon seriously fudged up."  Zaid smirked as he returned his attention to the debris and stormclouds ahead.  "The least I could do is let you chillax a bit longer while I improve on my flight skills—Whoah dayum!"  Zaid had just been thrown to rear of the cockpit by a massive cloven hoof.

"Boomer must have skills in the first place that stand improving!"  Floydien frowned, wincing as he climbed back into his own seat.  "Nnngh..."  He gritted his teeth, firing sporadic beams of mana into the consoles as he controlled the ship in his own unique way.  "Glimmer shimmer on ice!" he exclaimed.  "What has the boomer put Nancy through?!"

"So I've b-been testing her endurance!" Zaid sputtered, lying upside down against the sealed door to the outer deck.  He righted himself up and said, "Granted, I could have attempted deceleration or even a landing, but then we'd be kind of sort of dead, considering I know as much about piloting as I do about making love to a porcupine."

"Considering boomer's history in stupidity, that would not surprise Floydien."

"Buh?"

"Let Floydien bond with Nancy," the elk grunted.  "Floydien knows how to land his beloved somewhere safe so that the boomers can reunite."

"That's just the thing."  Zaid gulped and gestured.  "We don't exactly know where Rainbow Dash and the rest are all having their hurricane party, or else we'd be on them like vomit on crazy bread."

"Floydien says he will find the boomers and he will!"  The elk flashed a frown over his shoulder.   "The least you can do is check up on the cuddle cuddle."

"Huh?" Zaid blinked,then twitched.  "Ohhhhhh.  Right."  He trotted forward.  "I knew I was missing out on something warm and fuzzy—Gaaah!"  He tripped and tumbled down the stairwell.  A few seconds later.  "We're good!"

Floydien grumbled, decelerating the craft slightly as he repositioned her and flew perpendicular to the wind.  "Nancy will never be dirtied by an idiot's hooves again.  Floydien promises her..."





Meanwhile, Zaid was stumbling through the navigation room and approaching the door to the engine room.  "Hey!  Hey!"  He knocked several times with a shaking hoof.  "Eagle Eye!  Ebon!  Is everything cool in there?"

Silence.

Zaid bit his lip.  "Guys?  For real.  Are you both okay?  Can I have a look—or are you two being a pair of sticky stallions?"

At last, a muffled voice returned, "We're doing j-just fine, Zaid."

With a furrowed brow, the ex-cultist leaned forward and opened the door.  He peered into the engine room.

Under flickering lavender light, Eagle Eye could be seen cradling Ebon Mane's limp body.  A pair of glossy violet eyes glanced over.

"Everything's okay," Eagle Eye squeaked.

Zaid blinked.  "You... uh... you s-sure of that?"

Ebon stirred slightly, murmuring unintelligible words.  Eagle Eye immediately nuzzled him, planted a kiss on his forehead, and glanced over with a sniffling smile.  He slowly nodded.

Zaid bit his lip, smiled awkwardly, and backstepped out of the engine room.

As soon as he was gone, Eagle Eye exhaled through a grimacing expression.  He held Ebon tight, gently rocking the stallion's figure as he stared—worriedly—into the nearest bulkhead.  Around them, the compartment buckled as the Noble Jury flew into the thunderous depths of Stratopolis.





"It's still a bit far away," Bellesmith said, holding Elma's weight on her shoulders.  "How will we cross the gap?"

"How else?"  Seclorum threw a look over his shoulder.  "Arcshod?"

"Dreit."  The large stallion was already levitating a chunk of rusted metal over.  He positioned it until it was hovering at a tiny distance from the outer balcony of the large round structure.

Seclorum motioned a fellow Ledomaritan over.  The two of them timed themselves, then leapt over onto the levitating platform while Arcshod steadied it.  Then, with simultaneously glowing horns, they floated over another chunk of a battered zeppelin, floating it just another space over.  Seclorum hopped onto it while the other unicorn remained on the first platform.  One by one, a precariously floating bridge was formed between the balcony's edge and the temple that was looming just two dozen feet away.

"That's the trick, Secchy!" Josho exclaimed.  "We'll be crossing in no time!"

Shrieks lit the air, emanating from the corridor in the structure behind them.

Props gasped while Prowse spun about, teeth gritting.  "We aren't the only ones!"  The pale stallion cocked his prosthetic weapon and aimed at the exit behind them.  "Get a move on!  I'll hold the buggers back as much as I can!"

"You mean we will!"  Josho galloped up to his side and trained his shotgun at the same space.  A Xonan and a Ledomaritan formed up along the phalanx with their crossbolts.  "We'll take out the first freaks in the wave!" Josho exclaimed.  "You wait to blast the bulk of 'em with your boomstick.  Sound like a plan?"

"I can certainly dance to that tune!" Prowse spat.  "Propsicle!  Get yer arse a'movin', lassie!"

"Okay..."  Props nodded nervously, then turned around.  "Come on, Belle!" she exclaimed, scampering towards the bridge as the unicorns finished making the bridge.  Under the insistence of Arcshod, Lasairfion and her subjects were the first to cross.

"They'll be coming any moment now," Aatxe murmured, then gazed up into the swirling maelstrom of lightning and thunder.  "Just where is Rainbow Dash...?"