//------------------------------// // A Silly Thing Worth Saying // Story: Utaan // by Imploding Colon //------------------------------// “Do you understand your instructions?” Monket said in a deep voice. The pegasus slave's eyes were still glazed over with tears when she lifted her head up. Swallowing heavily, she nodded. “Then you had better start flying right away,” the stallion continued. A warm wind beat against their manes, carrying with it the ash and soot from multiple burning struts. “If I know Chandler, he'll be in harbor with his fleet, expecting a response from us.” He pointed east. “Go and make this final delivery.” His brow furrowed. “This is my solemn promise to you: no more blood from your clan shall be sold from Mudtop. With the payment from this exchange, I shall make it my first order to free all of your relatives. Is that understood?” “Yes... m-master...” “Be on your way.” The mare endured a deep, shuddering breath. Then, with heavy flaps of her wings, she took off from Monket's surviving ship, carrying the weight of herself and two thick saddlebags. She skirted around the remaining flames and fumes of Red Barge, then curved to the right, heading east towards the dim horizon. Sighing through his nostrils, Monket strolled down onto the northern struts where his ship was moored. He was met by Skagra and several other dredgers. “Is the payment en route?” Skagra droned. “So to speak,” Monket replied in an even duller tone. “Does a nasty mister miscreant like you intend to keep any promises given to that mare?” Monket glared back. “Do you intend to pay me back for all of the losses I've suffered while defending your burnt ass?!” “Mmmmmm...” Skagra shuffled over, wrapping a forelimb around Monket's neck. “Monket Monket monket...” He breathed. “When all of this is said and done, you'll be so rich you won't have a reason to sneeze at Mudtop, much less keep true to any mucking obligations.” “At this point, the only way that will be possible is if Chandler's erased from the ocean altogether.” “When we're done with him, he'll wish he was erased.” Monket raised an eyebrow at that. “It's rather simple, buddaroo...” Skagra paced across the strut, staring at the many-many dredgers putting out fires all across Red Barge. “Chandler sought to burn our very own home to dust. Little did he know that all of us are immolated upon being foaled.” He gulped, his jaw suddenly clenched tight. “Burnt by fear... seared by desperation... singed with misery.” He turned around, pulling at the flesh of his burnt face, forcing his lazy eye to open wider. “And some of us are even baptized by fire twice in one life... to come out on top. That's something the fat cat will never understand.” He nodded. “But now we're going to help him understand. And once the fires have settled all around him, Chandler will finally realize just who he's been dealing with.” Skagra exhaled with a shudder. “He'll turn overnight from a brazen asshole to a blubbering coward—just like he is underneath.” “Assuming you humble him...” Monket folded his forelimbs. “...how will the Rainbow Rogue exchange even take place at this point?” Skagra took a deep breath. He looked at Monket's battered ship moored up to the strut. “Wait six hours. Then send your last two messengers.” Monket blinked curiously. “Tell him to come to Red Barge. One ship. One tiny crew.” “You... still think we can make that happen?” Monket remarked. “After all he's launched our way—?” “Chandler's used to doing damage from afar. That's all going to change now.” Skagra turned to glare icily in Monket's direction. “If he wants to deal with filth, he must learn to get covered in it. And when he finally makes the dive...” His teeth showed. “We're going to drown him... and steal what's rightfully ours from his corpse.” “And what if this doesn't end?” “Chuu?” “This damned war that you've got us all embroiled in!” Monket remarked. “What if Chandler answers with something even more savage than what's happened today?” “There's nothing more savage left in him,” Skagra said. “For him to get more powerful, he'll have to become me.” His good ear twitched. “...and I think we both know that'll never happen.” “Heh...” “You gotta learn to roll with the punches, Monket,” Skagra said. He sighed, staring across the bloodied struts. “...so long as you make sure that everypony gets punched but you.” Monket stood alongside Skagra as both stallions observed the smoldering sights. A dull red sun set in the west, its crimson rays streaming past the columns of rising smoke. “I just have one question, Skagra,” Monket remarked. “Hrmm?” “Is it all really worth fighting for?” Monket's eyes narrowed. “This... filthy derelict you call home?” Skagra swiftly replied, “For all of the slaves you've bought... the steamships you've burned through... and the drugs you smuggled...” He brushed at his bangs, glancing aside. “...can you recall ever truly owning something that you've earned?” Monket was silent. “Do you know anypony in these seas—beloved or forsaken by Verlaxion—who can make that claim?” With a sigh, Monket shook his head. Skagra stared at him. “I am that pony. And by muck... when all the cards have been dealt, I'll die as him.” Monket nodded his head towards the western struts. “I'm guessing your little steam problem has been fixed.” Skagra gulped suddenly. With a limp step, he trotted towards the decks in question, accompanied by fellow dredgers. “Yeah... about that...” Dredgers pulled and tugged at the tether. Swab watched, muzzle agape. Croche trembled among many grave-faced orphans. Whony was nowhere to be seen. At last—with dull grunts—the dredgers finished pulling the limp weight up and out of the maintenance corridor. A red-raw lump of flesh came out, dragging blood and steaming all over. The scrappy remains of a tool belt hung off the corpse's body. Croche stifled a squeak, lowering her sunken eyes to the water of the canal beneath her. Swab bit his lip. His one ear drooped. With dull hoofsteps, Nixkit shuffled to a stop above Quint's body. He exhaled, then bent down low to strip the tool bag from the scalded meat. He hoofed the item to Digiff—who took it with a deadpan expression. At the sound of limping hoofsteps, both dredgers looked up. Skagra came to a stop. He looked down at the body, then up at Nixkit and Digiff. “The cascade's averted?” Both stallions nodded. At the sound of wailing voices in the distance, Skagra glanced across the nearest struts. “What's that?” “Mourning, sir,” Nixkit exclaimed. “Lots of families were hit hard on this side of the Barge.” He cleared his throat. “Several dredgers... several fathers who worked here are completely bloated.” Skagra scratched his scruffy chin. “...about how many dredgers?” “Easily half of the work force.” Skagra continued scratching his neck, staring off in silent thought. “... ... ...mothball half of the struts until they can be fully repaired.” “And the families?” “Did the dredgers have wives?” “Most, yes.” “Healthy wives?” Nixkit blinked. “...the harvest chambers?” “Get them to work,” Skagra said, strolling across the deck. “Send the foals into the hold. Digiff, you know what to do.” “Yes, boss,” Digiff muttered, staring off. Croche shuddered quietly. “The steam vents on the east struts should do the trick,” Skagra said, stifling a yawn. He paused by Quint's body again, then glanced at Nixkit. “Cesspool.” “Aye, boss.” Swab gasped. As Skagra trotted off, he saw Nixkit reaching down and detaching the tether from Quint's charrged fetlock. “Wait! Wait!” He scampered across the deck. “No! You can't send him there!” “We all go there sometime, kid,” Nixkit grunted, wincing from the heat still radiating off the metal manacles. “Either that or the muck when we bloat—” “He deserves more than that!” Swab gnashed his teeth. “He actually did something good with his last breath! The colt deserves a proper burial at sea so that his soul can reach the Spring Havens!” Seething, Swab charged forward and shoved at Nixkit's forelimbs. “Nnnngh! Let him go! Quint deserves to be with Verlaxion—!” Nixkit growled, “Digiff, control your foals.” “That's enough, kid,” Digiff reached in, yanking Swab back. Swab fought back, yelping: “No! No! He can still be with Verlaxion—” “Rrrrgh!” Digiff slammed his hoof across Swab's forehead. Whack! “Oooof!” Swab rolled over twice across the platform, clutching his skull. “Nopony here can be with Verlaxion!” Digiff snarled back. “We are all seafoam!” He stood in place, fuming. “... ... ...we were bloat long before we were ever foaled.” At last, Nixkit freed Quint's corpse. A pair of stallions heaved the carcass up, carrying it off to the cesspools of the southern strut. Swab watched, lips quivering. A fresh trickle of blood ran down from underneath his bandage. “Come along, fellas,” Digiff muttered, already marching towards the source of the wailing cries. “Red Barge needs a new workload...” Multiple grave-faced stallions followed him dutifully. Swab sat in a slump, panting. As the first of multiple panicked shrieks lit the air, he hung his shuddering head. The rest of the orphans spread apart, gradually shuffling their way east. Croche found a shadowed place to hide from the last rays of the setting sun. Then—as the shrieks of separating families lit the air—she cowered in a metal niche and covered her ears, quietly sobbing to herself. Whony sat alone on a lofty bulkhead to the south, overlooking the smoke wafting across the damaged Barge. A glazed expression hung off his muzzle... a muzzle that barely twitched—even as the sobbing yelps of foals increased by tenfold. The cries were accompanied by hissing bursts of steam as—one by one—Digiff and his associates scalded the children's cutie marks to raw red blemishes. With a sigh, Whony clenched his eyes shut. It failed to dam the tears leaking across his bruised face. Within an hour... Panicked, twitching foals were thrown down into the hold deep within the east strut. Some of them protested—only to be stared down by Digiff and his associates. In swift order, the new additions to the orphanage galloped off into distant corners. There, they huddled in pain-stricken clusters. Fresh blood and puss trickled from the spots on their flank where steam exposure had just recently branded them. The rest of the orphans sat slumped on their bunks and mattresses, refusing to look at the newcomers. An eerie silence hung between the rusted bulkheads. It was far from the first time. One by one, the fresh meat clenched their teary eyes shut. With persistent shivers, they fought the urge to sob, even as they heard the frightened echoes of their mothers and families being carted below deck... and into a deep, mechanical purgatory. Chandler raised a cup of tea to his muzzle, sipping from the warm liquid. He leaned back in his chair and relaxed. “Hmmmm...” A tiny smile crossed his face as he relished in the herbal flavor. “An ocean full of bastards, liars, murderers...” He swirled the cup, glancing across the luxurious cabin of his personal ship. “And it hasn't been until now that the shores of Rohbredden can finally enjoy Kihutajan Jasmine Brew.” Longaze stared down at him, levitating a clipboard in her magical grasp. “Then I take it you approve of the latest shipment?” “Consider it signed and stamped,” Chandler droned. He took another sip. “Mmmm!” Swallowing, he raised a hoof and added: “Also... be sure to assign the next trade ships to the northern currents.” He smirked. “I want them sailing by within eyeshot of White Barge. Those stuck-up flankholes need to see what they're missing. Within six months—I promise you—they'll be crawling back to me and begging to ship their dredge coal through the Consortium once more.” “Mmmmhmmm...” The well-dressed mare scribble across the clipboard. “And assuming they do just that?” Chandler smriked. “...we'll let them sit on it for another six months before we agree to salvage their failing enterprise” “And what of reserve dredge coal between now and then?” “Nothing to fear,” Chandler said, stifling a yawn. “It's only a matter of time before Skagra gets over his mutated self and learns to fly right.” He took another sip of the tea. “Assuming he's still alive, that is. Hrmmmff... I'm sure Monket will have survived the whole ordeal. As Verlaxion is my witness—if anypony's going to be willing to listen to reason now—it'll be him. A slaver listens to bits, after all.” “I'm quite sure...” “The Rainbow Rogue will be ours in no time,” Chandler said. “If nothing else, this little... setback has allowed us time to spread the bounty and arouse attention from the populace.” He exhaled calmly. “'Rainbow Dash' will be a household name across the western prefectures by the time I carry her sorry flank in to the Council. Then we'll see which magistrate truly holds sway over Verlaxion's chosen continent.” Before Longaze could even reply, a series of voices shouted from the deck outside: “Messenger!” “Pegasus inbound!” “Ah!” Chandler placed the teacup down and stood up, adjusting his bejeweled robe. “Speak of the devil! See?” He winked at Longaze as he strolled with her to the door. “It was only a matter of time before the Red Bargers caved in.” “That's... rather swift for a response,” Longaze muttered. “Wouldn't you agree, sir?” “Punctuality is the name of business,” Chandler said. “Watch and observe, Ms. Longaze. You might learn something.” He nodded at a pair of servants who opened the door. Chandler squinted into a brisk salty sea breeze as he stepped out onto the open deck of his steamship. Several more ships drifted in the waters of a busy harbor to the north and south of where he was positioned. Starlight cascaded across the bay, and the nebulous aura outlined the hunched silhouette of a still, breathless pegasus. “Ahhh...” Chandler stood in place, spreading his forelimbs out. “...back so soon! Splendid! Tell me, child...” He grinned. “...what are Skagra's terms? Surely, by now, he knows who he's dealing with and the resources at my disposal.” The pegasus simply stood there, wings drooped. A few crew members glanced curiously at one another, then at Chandler. “Uhm... hello?” Chandler raised an eyebrow, frowning. “I do believe I asked you a question, messenger.” Curious, Longaze illuminated the horn in the center of her tight blonde mane. The soot-stained face of a mare looked up. A tear trickled down the slave's muzzle as she stammered: “My brother is dead...” She inhaled sharply, shaking her head. “...no more bloating.” “What in Goddess' name are you babbling about—?” Chandler's voice cut off the very moment he heard a hissing sound. His green eyes darted towards a sparkling fuse hanging out of the the pegasus' bulging saddlebags. “Dredge coal!” a crew member shouted. “She's loaded!” The pegasus sneered through her teeth. “Skagra sends his regards—” Two stallions tackled her, but it was too late. The fuse burned into her saddlebags. “Oh goddess—!” Chandler whimpered. “Sir!” Longaze jumped directly in front of him, conjuring a bright golded shield around the two. “Get down—!” POWWWW! Flames and entrails bathed Chandler and his bodyguard instantly— —while taking out half of the ship with it. A booming concussion rippled across the bay, rocking the other steam vessels. With shrieks and gasps of surprise, the various workers of the Consortium spun about, gawking from their rolling decks. Everypony watched as Chandler's ship went up in a plume of flame, lighting up the night. The vessel split completely in two before sinking slowly into the depths of the harbor. Keris' crest feathers fluttered in an invisible breeze. The unconscious griffon lay slumped against the wall of his cell, his beak hanging agape. Across the brig—gazing through a partially demolished space—Rainbow Dash sat in her cell. She leaned against the bars with a sigh, her ruby eyes plastered to the Lieutenant. “So... uh... you're sure he's okay?” Silence. “I only ask because... like... looks like he took one heck of a beating.” Up above, a tiny figure descended from the top deck of Red Barge's southern struts. Swab shuffled up to the barred window looking down into Rainbow's cell. He lingered there, sitting cold and quiet in the pale starlight that shrouded his bandaged head. After a few more seconds, Rainbow spoke: “Well, that's good to know, Flutters.” She sighed. “I mean... I know the guy obviously came here to bag me or... whatcrap. But I... I-I don't think he's all that bad of a bird... cat. Cat bird.” She gulped. “I'm not so sure about the guys and gals in charge of sending him out here, but... he seems alright at least.” More silence. “Yeah... he really did try his best up there, didn't he?” Rainbow shuddered slightly. “I can't help but admire anyone who fights super hard to get the impossible done. I mean...” A half-hearted chuckle. “I am me, after all.” A beat. She smirked. “Well, that's their loss. Sounds like it was one heck of a show. That is... when this guy was kicking butt, at least.” She sighed. “... ... ...gotta focus on the nifty stuff when all else is garbage and misery, y'know?” Swab stared at her, his little face pressed to the bars. “... ... ...huh?” Rainbow blinked. “Oh he is, is he?” At last, she turned and glanced up at the star-lit window. A few seconds passed, and she exhaled. “Good to know you're in one piece, kid,” she spoke in a louder tone. “That scrappy lil' friend of yours: she's awfully good at bandage wrapping. She should... uh... look into doing doctor stuff when she grows up. For realsies. Real bang up job.” Swab sat in complete silence. Rainbow shivered slightly. “Well don't everypony agree with me at once.” She turned to gaze at Keris in his cell once more. “You're a tough little pony, Swab. Tougher than you look. I think you'll make it out of this mess just fine.” She sighed. “At least better than I will... at this rate.” Swab exhaled. At last he parted his lips, speaking softly. “Can I tell you something?” he asked. “Even if it might sound really weird... stupid, even?” “Mrmmmf.” Rainbow's ears twitched. “It wouldn't be the first time kid.” Swab blinked, gazing down at her. “... ... ...I love you.” Rainbow's muzzle scrunched. She turned and squinted up at him. “...kid?” He shook his head with a soft smile. “I know it sounds silly... and you probably think I'm nuts. But I love you, Rainbow Dash. I love you and your sweet friend Fluttershy and your other gal pals... even if you're not on speaking terms with them right now.” Rainbow opened her mouth, lingered, then eventually gulped. “I've... done horrible horrible things, Swab,” she said. “I don't know how many times I have to tell you that. But it's the reason why my 'pals' won't even show their faces around me, among other things—” “I know,” he nodded, smiling even more warmly. “And I don't care. Of all the ponies I've ever met in this horrible... miserable world, you're the only one who had every reason to hurt me... every reason to eat me alive... every reason to tear me to shreds...” He gulped, and then his voice wavered: “And yet you didn't.” A squeak came out of his quivering lips, followed by a murmuring voice: “You've been kind to me... and I think you've been kind to many... many more ponies. You just choose not to see it right now. But I see it. And I love it. I love you.” Rainbow's face stretched in confusion and concern. She slowly shook her head. “Swab... Swab, I-I don't think—” “Please...” He whimpered. “Please, let me just say it. For once in my life... I need to say it. I need to tell somepony that I love them...” He sniffled. “I need to know that I've said it at least one time to another soul in this awful world... and that I meant it.” He hiccuped on a sob. “I love you, Rainbow Dash. I love you and I-I hope that wherever you go, Verlaxion blesses you... and th-that you accomplish everything y-you put your heart and m-mind to...” With that said, Swab's face melted. He dropped his bandaged head into his forelimbs, weeping quietly in the starlight. Rainbow stared up at him, muzzle agape. Swab clenched his teeth, tears flowing. At last he sputtered past his sobs. “My parents are d-dead.” He shook, shivered. “It happened... h-happened long ago. A few years, I-I think. When I was just old enough t-to know what I was crying about.” His lips quivered. “Skagra sent a boat out t-to survey for harvest shelves. Pirates attacked. There were ten ponies on the boat when th-they set off. There were t-ten corpses when it dr-drifted back. My parents... Mom and Dad... they were on th-that ship.” He whimpered. “They threw their bodies into a cesspool and then they threw me below deck. I d-don't even remember the pain from when they burned my flanks with steam. Just that... that it was all too soon. I d-didn't even have my cutie mark. Who burns a cutie m-mark that isn't there? So... s-so...” He squinted up at the starlight, his eyes flowing with tears. “I-I told m-myself that it was all a m-mistake. I st-still had to find my talent. And that talent was reaching out to Verlaxion. If... if I-I wrote to her enough... prayed to her enough... th-then maybe she would listen to me. Maybe there'd be hope for bringing them back. She's p-powerful after all. She works miracles. But... but...” The foal gripped the bars tightly, shaking. “There was t-too much filth. Too much sin. All this time... I was struggling to bring back Mom and Dad... b-but they were gone for good. They are gone for g-good. And all the moments I-I could have given nibbles to other ponies... h-helped other sea foam...” He wiped his muzzle. “...instead of j-just clinging to Verlaxion... clinging to hope...” Rainbow gulped. “We all need something to keep us going, kid...” “But d-don't you see?” Swab sobbed, staring down at her with flaring yellow eyes. “There was n-nothing to cling to! I wasted so m-much! I wasn't k-kind at all!” He buried his muzzle in his forelimbs. “I'm as bad as everypony else here. I... I-I deserve to be seafoam.” “Kid... Swab. You didn't deserve... anything that happened...” “Quint was right... and now he's gone because of me...” Swab whimpered, turning around and limping up the ramp. “The best we can become here is the absolute worst Red Barge has to offer...” “Swab... Swab!” It was too late. Sobbing, the colt scampered the rest of the way up to the top deck, disappearing into starlight. Rainbow Dash stared up at the window. She slumped back against the cold, cold bars, sunken into the deepest shadows of her cell. “...you won't get anywhere by just blaming yourself...”