//------------------------------// // No Time for Brevity, Levity // Story: Utaan // by Imploding Colon //------------------------------// Raptr turned his helmeted head aside, blinking through the billowing clouds. “Would you mind repeating that, Lieutenant?” Keris winced. He flew east over the seas with a modicum of grace, but it was evident from his tense muscles that the flapping of his wings constantly jostled his injured arm. Nevertheless, he held the sling close to chest and maintained formation with the rest of the Talon. “She has four separate spirits bound to her essence,” Keris spoke above the whipping winds. “Each with a different name and personality. What's more, they grant her four categories of extra sensory perception.” He gulped beneath his beak. “Magical detection, spatial awareness, empathy, and... a Pinkie sense.” Starstorm blinked past Windstorm and Seraphimus. “A what sense?” “A randomly occurring, split-second and remarkably accurate prediction of spontaneous hazards.” Keris took a deep breath, squinting against the high atmosphere over the seven seas. “It's quite the long story, to say the least.” “And what about the pendant around her neck?” Starstorm asked, gesturing. “Several of the Barge citizens mentioned it.” “It's an artifact from her home,” Keris said. “From beyond the Blight, you mean,” Windstorm droned. “That's right.” Keris nodded. “Rainbow Dash identifies herself as Equestrian. Supposedly—several continents to the west—there lies a kingdom ruled by the 'Elements of Harmony.'” “Did you say several continents?” Starstorm exhaled, once again flabbergasted. Keris went on. “The pendant around her neck is supposedly one such Element—chiefly the Element of Loyalty.” “Heh...” Windburst smirked cynically. “That's rich.” “On one fateful day, a year and a half ago, Rainbow's friends perished tragically. They were the bearers of the other Elements. Only hers survived, and due to some... cataclysmic exposure to a diabolical source of chaos, she currently needs the Element of Loyalty to sustain her so-called 'Harmonic self.'” “And what happens if this... 'Element' comes off?” Raptr asked, blinking. “This...” Keris pointed at his sling. His body hit a turbulent pocket of air, and he grimaced. “Grnnghh... this is what happens.” A shuddering breath. “When the Rainbow Rogue was first captured by Monket, the Slaver of Waves stripped her of the pendant. She mutated into a horrific beast and immediately maimed several of his sea slaves.” “Verlaxion's sleet...” Raptr murmured. “Mind your tongue,” Seraphimus calmly chided, then gestured for Keris to continue. He did: “Days later, Skagra ordered the Rainbow Rogue's pendant removed again so that she would mutate once more and devour me while in a state of chaos. It was the top dredger's plan to hide any and all evidence of my having been in his brig—or the entirety of Red Barge for that matter.” “And after all you did for the stinkin' bastards too,” Windburst snorted, smirking. “Glad he got what was coming to him.” “How'd you even survive the encounter?” Starstorm asked. “It's as I've stated briefly before,” Keris said. “The divine intervention of our Goddess saved my life...” He glanced aside at the Commander. “...through the kind and selfless act of a little foal.” Seraphimus clenched her beak shut, leading the flock east, slicing through the clouds. “You make it sound as though the Rainbow Rogue never wanted to rip you apart to begin with,” Starstorm said. “She can't control herself without the pendant.” “Even though it makes her a hundred times fiercer and stronger?” Keris calmly shook his head. “She goes to extreme length to prevent herself from transforming,” he explained. “Even as the mutation took place before my eyes, she urged me to keep my distance—not that it would have helped once. She is... quite ferocious when her chaotic powers are unleashed.” “What kind of a monster are we talking about?” Windburst asked. “Larger than the average pony, but incredibly agile... nimble. Like a serpent... or a lizard... or a mountain ram... or... or a lion...” “That's quite a beak-full of clashing descriptions, Lieutenant.” Raptr's headcrest ruffled under his helmet. “You sure you weren't hallucinating?” “As sure as my body still aches.” “It was stronger than you?” Windburst asked. “Stronger than an elephant,” Keris said. “With unnaturally swift regenerative abilities. I could scarcely slice her mutated flesh without the wounds sealing up right before my eyes.” “Yeesh...” Raptr grimaced. “It's a divine miracle indeed that you made it out of Red Barge in one piece,” Starstorm murmured. “Even still.” Windburst snorted. “The beast can't be entirely invulnerable.” Keris glanced aside. “Sergeant?” “Well, its wing was still injured, right?” Windburst's armor rattled as he flew over a gust of wind, maintaining speed with the group. “If this Rogue can regenerate while in its chaotic state, then what explanation do you have for why its wing was still as flightless when leaving the Barges as it was when it left the Quade?” Keris shuddered, gazing down at the distant waves. “I have none...” “Well, there you have it.” Windburst gestured with his talon. “If the thing can break, then that means we can shatter it. Snap its spine in two so it won't pray on any children of Verlaxion ever again.” “Calm thoughts, Sergeant,” Seraphimus insisted. “Our task is to apprehend the Rainbow Rogue and deliver her to the Council of Verlaxion so that she may be judged righteously.” “You want to bring a beast like that to Frostknife?!” Windburst grimaced. “That pendant of hers is filled with black magic! She'll corrupt the steps to the throne of our Goddess!” “It could be like the Quade,” Raptr said, gulping. “Or even worse.” “The tragedy at the Quade stands to happen again if we don't use our Goddess-given talents to restrain the Rogue,” Seraphimus said. “I will not rule out lethal action. But—for the Council's sake—it must remain a last resort.” “As if we could really do much against that... thing!” Starstorm's voice snarled. “If she can turn into a chaotic abomination at any moment—” “And I am telling you...” Keris' eyes narrowed. “Rainbow Dash will do anything to keep that from happening.” “Then it's the Rogue's fault that it's stupid enough to let us wrangle it without contest,” Windburst said. Keris shook his head. “I don't believe it will be quite that simple, Sergeant.” “Mmmmmyeahhhh...” Windburst groaned. “It rarely ever friggin' is.” “Rainbow's companions—albeit invisible—are far from useless,” Keris explained. “I've no doubt that they will sense the Talon's arrival from kilometers away. If worse comes to worst, they will do whatever is in their power to conceal their living friend and make her desperate trip east even stealthier.” “Why is she so Hell-bent on making her way east, anyways?” Starstorm blinked. “All she'll find is the end of the world!” “Don't matter how much teeth you put on a beast,” Windburst grunted. “A monster's a monster.” “And here's an even better question!” Starstorm leaned in while flying. “Does she actually have invisible pony spirits galloping alongside her at all times?” Before Keris could respond— “Of course not,” Seraphimus droned. “Any spirits dwelling on this plane would be headed towards perdition, or else granted swift passage to the Spring Havens via the Dead Drifts, by Verlaxion's grace.” “And we are all in accordance with that, Commander,” Keris said. His beak clenched. “Even still, there is a force at play around Rainbow Dash. Her keen senses are unnaturally gifted. I've witnessed her strategize around an army that she couldn't even see or hear through a suffocating steam fog. Because of her abilities, the two of us were able to overpower all of Skagra's forces with little to not contest.” “No doubt.” Seraphimus nodded. A charcoal eye darted towards him. “But I can also tell that suffering and malnourishment has had its effect on you.” “Commander, I—” “You spent an awful long time sitting and conversing with the company of our target, Lieutenant,” Seraphimus said. “I'm afraid such anguish tainted your judgment with the illusion of trust and companionship. Need I remind you that this same wonder from 'Equestria' performed more atrocious acts with the pendant on than with it off?” Keris took a deep breath. “No, Commander. You needn't.” “These... 'invisible friends' of hers are no doubt the disassociative personalities of her psyche that she's ascribed to the separate facets of black magic that the pendant has imbued her with. They are curious anomalies at best—I am convinced—and we should be grateful that she lacks control over the totality of her beastly faculties. It means she has a glaring weakness that we can aim to exploit.” “Exactly!” Windburst said with a nod. “Hit her where it hurts!” He squinted and cocked an invisible crossbow. “Pow! The Council has their trophy.” “But let us not assume that a creature as destitute as the Rainbow Rogue won't resort to desperation when the Talon catches up to her,” Seraphimus calmly warned. “Where she's headed, the true foals of Verlaxion lie in wait. So long as this beast is on the loose, she's a threat to all the innocent lives we've sworn to protect. We must not fail in apprehending her, no matter her magical abilities. After all, the Month of Thawing is upon us. There won't be a more key moment in time to honor Verlaxion with our swift might.” “And you have my sincere support with every step we take in this mission,” Keris said. “But—if I may speak freely, Commander.” Seraphimus sighed. She smiled tiredly beneath her beak. “When did you ever stop, Lieutenant?” “I am convinced... truly convinced that there is far more happening here than even our hawkeyes can see,” Keris said. “I insist that we approach this beast with caution.” “I humbly suggest the opposite,” Windburst uttered bluntly. “Commander, we should strike quickly and strike hard. If it's Verlaxion's will—via the Council—then we must throttle this Rogue and knock her unconscious before she has a chance to employ any of her abominable abilities.” “We won't get anywhere if we go about this impulsively, Sergeant,” Keris retorted. “Unrighteous or not, Rainbow Dash has gifts... gifts that can and will greatly complicate all efforts to capture her swiftly.” “I echo the Lieutenant's sentiments,” Seraphimus said. “Insomuch that we musn't make the mistake of underestimating the Rainbow Rogue's wit and tenacity. But mark my words—we can and will subdued this creature, and we will do so quickly, professionally, and without mercy.” “Commander.” Keris bowed in mid-flight. “Yes, Commander.” “Today is a very delicate, fragile day for the Six Tribes,” Seraphimus spoke as the barest hint of land rolled over the watery horizon, growing larger, darker. “The blessed continent of Robhredden has become the unwitting host to a parasite of the most versatile kind.” She took a deep breath. “Even without the gift of flight, there's no doubt that our target has reached dry land.” “Do you think she's already harmed any more citizens like did with the Luminards, Commander?” Raptr asked. “That is a question that we will all have to live with until we confront the beast,” Seraphimus said. She glared forward, beak muscles clenched. “There's simply no telling what horrible, godless crimes she's committing right now...even as we speak...” “Mrmmmmfff... nommfff... nommm!” Rainbow Dash nibbled and nibbled on a breaded cluster of rice. “Mmmmm...” Her fuzzy blue muzzle wriggled like a squirrel's as she squat her petite self on the side of the road. “Mmmf! This stuff is...” A burp. She slapped her chest, causing her pendant to rattle. “...pretty dang delicious, actually.” “I suspect anything is an upgrade from the despicable slop you were forced to consume on the Barge, darling,” Rarity said, floating overhead. “Even... mmmmm... rice.” “I'm telling you—this stuff is friggin' amazing!” Rainbow Dash said. Several white and brown kernels stuck to her nose. “It's like they spiced it with... with...” Twilight Sparkle arched an eyebrow. “Spice?” “How would you know?” Twilight smirked. “Lucky guess.” Rainbow took a deep... deep breath, then gobbled up the last of the rice cluster, along with the crumbly bread holding it in place. Swallowing, she sighed, then leaned back against the trunk of a wind-blown lotus tree. Before her, a long, winding road curved east, arching up through a craggy canyon where two mountainous slabs of porous limestone met—draped with moss, vines, and lichen. Slowly lurching caravans of Rohbredden traders—both young and old—trotted the lengths of the path, seemingly ambivalent to the majestic sights of nature lingering on all sides. “It's different than the seven seas,” Rainbow muttered. “Heh... in what way?” Twilight gestured. “The complete lack of ocean?” “The fact that everypony around you isn't suffering or inflicting wanton misery?” Rarity added. “Just... everypony here is so... slow. I-I mean chillaxed, y'know?” She pointed at a passing caravan. “I mean, just look at them! Unification Day is coming around the bend, and yet they're acting like they can finish their delivery—I dunno—the next decade, from the pace they're trotting at.” “Don't point, Rainbow,” Twilight muttered. “You'll attract attention to yourself.” “Pffft. Please,” Rainbow smirked, tilting back the brim of her conical hat. “Like these wrinkly old rice geezers give a darn.” “Well, somepony gives a darn, Dashie!” Pinkie said. “Pinkie's right.” Rarity nodded. “As much as I'd love to sit here with you and the munchies, we've gotta get skedaddlies.” Pinkie smiled. “See? That's in the spirit of—” “Applejack. Gotcha.” Rainbow rolled her eyes. A sigh, and she folded her foodstuffs back up, sliding them into her saddlebag. “Alright. Intermission's over. Time to hoof it.” “Awwwwwww...” Fluttershy pouted, ears folding back. “I was starting to enjoy how... peaceful it all was.” “You can enjoy it on the road.” “Really?” “Sure.” Rainbow shrugged. “Why not?” Pinkie squinted at the steep ravine up ahead. “Just how long does this path go for anyways?” “There's only one way to find out.” With a grunt, Rainbow fought her injured wing and stood up. “There's always... always a way to find out.” She smiled, her eyes briefly glittering from the orange glow of Yaerfaerda from afar—until the front of the hat fell over her face again. “Augh! Darn it!”