Always On the Edge of Something
A door opened to a narrow, curved hallway inside the High Council building. Josho and Eagle Eye rushed through, checking every corner. At last, they stumbled upon two figures and jerked to a halt, raising their weapons.
“At ease, my little ponies,” Midnite Bastion said, waving a hoof from where she stood next to Saikano and Constable Jake.
“'Little?'” Josho raised an eyebrow. “Sister, have you eaten more than a bowl of crackers lately?”
“I think she was talking to me, old stallion,” Eagle Eye said.
“Pfft! Since when were you jealous of a mare's attention?”
“Oh for the love of—”
“Penises!” Jake barked, drooling. “Make way for the King and Queen already, ya butt sponges!'
“Er, right...” Eagle Eye blushed adorably. “That.”
“Shuffling...” Josho stepped to the right while Eagle Eye stepped to the left. King Lunarius and Queen Azira marched on through.
Upon coming face-to-face with Saikano, Lunarius scuffled to a stop, his eyes narrowing.
Saikano stared back, his good eye calm and unflinching.
Lunarius squinted. “Saikano...”
“My King.”
“So you say.” The monarch's nostrils flared as his brow furrowed beneath his antlers. “Sharp Quill?”
Saikano stepped aside and pointed at an unconscious figure lying on the floor beside the nearest doorframe, twitching. “Practically harmless at this point.”
“Indeed.” Lunarius tilted his head slightly. “And what makes me so sure that you won't betray us once again before all is said and done?”
“Because I have nothing to gain from it.” Saikano took a deep breath. “We've never had anything to gain from her will.” He sighed. “It took me a long time to break through the veil and understand that.”
“Are you so sure of that?”
Saikano looked over at Midnite. The mare avoided his gaze, shuddering. The General looked back at the King. “Quite certain.”
Lunarius stared at the elk before gradually nodding. As he stepped aside, Queen Azira trotted forward, lips pursed. “General, if I'm to understand everything about what's going to happen, then that means—”
“My life is to serve the Royal House,” Saikano said, bowing slightly. “Nothing more.”
Azira smiled softly. “I just want you to know that... I am in awe of what's being done here today. And, for what it's worth, I understand the need to do anything for one's own child.”
Midnite bit her lip.
Saikano looked at the Queen—and past her—as he gently spoke: “An honor, Your Majesty. You will be seeing your Princely Fawn again soon.”
She exhaled quietly, then leaned in to give the General the lightest of nuzzles... before trotting past him.
Saikano's gaze lowered. With a slight shudder, he glanced aside at Jake... then nodded.
Jake nodded back. He kicked the door behind him with three taps of his massive hoof. The panel open, and there Floydien stood on the other side, lowering his hood.
“Time for the shimmer reveal, boomers?”
“You bet your handsome ass,” the moose said. “Let's roll.”
Eagle Eye whipped out a sound stone and spoke into it. “Rainbow Dash! This is EE! The King and Queen are in place!”
Constable Jake once more heaved Sharp Quill's body over his shoulder while Midnite Bastion opened a door to an adjacent hallway for him.
“They'll be in good hooves with Arcanista and Floydien!” Eagle followed Josho as the group made a rush for the ascending corridors beyond. “We're en route to trap Fishberry!”
“Good work, EE. Crimson says he and Seclorum and the gang are in position outside the High Council Building.”
“All according to plan?”
“Yeah! Crazy, huh?”
“Have... h-have you heard from the Jury?”
“Not a word since they engaged the Cartel.”
Eagle winced in mid gallop. “Rainbow... Rainbow, d-don't you think we—?”
“We need to keep our heads in the game, Eagle Eye.”
“B-but—”
“EE... it's gonna work. Okay? Why else would we be on this continent if not to save the day?”
Eagle Eye sighed, smiling weakly. “That's stupid, Rainbow.”
“Yup. Proceed with the plans. Standing by. Scrkkk!”
As Chancellor Fishberry reached another leg of her controversial speech, Arcanista and Floydien trotted out towards the edge of the balcony located a few floors beneath her lofty seat.
Eine's ears twitched. “Look!” He pointed. “Arcanista and her brother!” He glanced back at Kera. “They're finally showing their heads! What do you suppose that means?”
Kera took a deep breath. “It means it's about to begin.” Slowly, she smirked. “Rainbow's plan is finally in motion.”
“You know...” Eine frowned. “As Prince of Val Roa, I would have greatly appreciated it if you had informed me exactly what this 'plan' is.”
Kera opened her mouth, but hesitated. Her soft green eyes fell on the fawn. At last, after a dry gulp, she said, “Just sit back and enjoy the show, kid.”
“Huh...?”
“Trust me,” she said, smiling.
Confused, blinking, the Prince nevertheless tilted his head up, eyes glued on the two balconies in question.
The southern neighborhoods of Val Roa were far from the riotous commotion in the Sandstone District. Still, a anxious hum hung over the crowd. Deer and ponies and other creatures gathered on apartment balconies and rooftops, chattering wild rumors with one another. Every other word was about “Fishberry” or “Prince Eine” or “the Council.” Many frowning faces were had, and no small amount of gnashing teeth.
Just then, a dark shadow loomed over the edge of the apartments. Several deer pivoted about, gazing south. Their heads tilted up, and a heavy shudder rippled through the urban crowd.
High above, a hulking battleship hovered on six beating propellers. Amber light streamed through the metal bulkhead seams, and several enormous cannons pointed straight down and over the edge of the deathly decks, locking rigidly in place. The murderous barrels glowed with fiery energy.
One by one, the citizens of Val Roa shrieked and bellowed in terror. They galloped off in random directions, sprawling for cover as the shadow grew larger and larger.
The imps lowered the Gamma ship so that the cannons were within range of the helpless apartments.
“Good to go, Boss!” a goblin hollered across the deck of grinning cohorts. “And, as promised, the capital's guard is putting up no resistance!”
“Of course they aren't.” Haman took a sip from the steamy straw and exhaled smoke. “They've already embraced their end.” Cracking his neck joints, he pointed a few dirty fingers forward. “What are you waiting for? Fire.”
“Firing!” The subordinate signaled to the frontmost cannon.
The gunners nodded, pivoted, aimed, and—
POWWW!
A rocket-propelled explosive shot out, then plummeted towards the rooftops below, zeroing on screaming, flinching families.
P-POWW! It exploded a hundred harmless meters above the target, lighting up the urbanscape while cascading thunder in every direction.
The Val Roans glanced up, shivering, surprised to still be alive.
Haman's filmy eyes twitched. While the goblins around him muttered, he leaned forward in his mech suit. “Wh-what...?!”
P-P-POW! A stream of manablasts ripped across the Gamma ship's top deck, incinerating two goblins instantly and sending chunks of metal flying into the air. The other deckhands flinched, shrieking in horror as—
SHOOOOOOOM! A slender green skystone ship roared past them, coming around for another turn, cannons firing at the goblin dreadnought.
K-Kapow! A propeller blew out while Haman and the others flinched from the blow. He stared up at the swerving vessel, hissing in anger.
“Nice shot, Mr. Basso!” Booster Spice cheered, wincing slightly from his bandaged wounds. “I especially like how you were able to hit their ship in the same pass too!”
Basso glanced over his shoulder from the portside gun controls. “I... d-didn't really mean to blow up so many of them in one hit.”
Booster's jaw dropped. “Are you kidding...?”
Basso shrugged, accidentally knocking a metal instrument panel loose with his massive shoulder. “Sometimes I wonder myself.”
“Brother, why didn't you stay home and stick to—I dunno—gardening or something?”
“Hey! Four eyes!” Prowse hollered from the cockpit. “Enough gabbin' and get yer bloody arse on the other cannon!”
“Er...” Booster Spice coughed and limped over to the portside controls. “Right on it!”
Zetta craned her neck from the station where she was sitting. “Prowse! They're coming about to face us!”
“Why, of course they are!” The gangly stallion slapped the accelerator with his prosthetic leg, decelerating so that the goblin battleship came into focus. “Now they've got somethin' else to shoot at, by all.”
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So that happened.
Honestly, the predominant question in my mind is how Eine is going to react to seeing dear old Daddy and Mummy again. Should make for some fun times.
Ok that picture at the end is just perfect. I have to admit its kind of taking quite a while for us to find out who Chrysalis really is, its kind of starting to have me a bit worried.
Ah, good. The Jury bought enough time. Now they just need to get out alive.
It would be sweet if Ebon ordered the Soul Sentries to adjust their shield to protect the palace and the city: not a vertical wall, but a horizontal one.
mmm, nice save
also, this plan seems too
organized
i don't like it
it feels off
5514500 Feh. This is just par for the course.
5514604
Yeah I guess it kind of is.
I hate to say it--especially considering how paranoid I've been this installment--but I agree that something seems off. The strangest thing to me is how persistently off-screen Rainbow has been lately. Are we... positively sure that it's actually Rainbow talking to them and co-ordinating them? I remember saying a long time ago that it would be a stroke of brilliance on Chrysalis' part to actually use the Jury as the hammer-blow that shattered Val Roa. I dunno.
5514500 Imploding Colon is Chrysalis.
5514494
I sure hope someone told Kera they aren't changelings....
Otherwise, BOOM.
The fan has filed a restraining order against the shit after a domestic dispute last night.
5514614 he feeds off our love for the series. It all makes sense!
Inb4 plan gets shot down and shit really hits the fan
Everyone is Changeling.
Pony no exist.
The linked picture at the end is supposed to stand for Prowse. He's wearing red.
Please Prowse, don't die.
And like that, I suddenly have faith in this plan.
Very well done
I'm curious as to what role the Lounge ships will play. Maybe saving the Noble Jury from the second Goblin ship? I'm almost certain they'll play a bigger part; the Lounge joining to fight Chrysalis is probably going to be one of the more "harmonious" actions of the story.
5514910
Don't worry, in that generation the hapless security drones wore beige.
Rainbow Dash has been un-awesomely captured by Chrissy who's impersonating her whilst speaking to EE via soundstone.
''IC would never resort to such platitudes, you git!''
Ah, aeronautical combat. Always an amazing thing.
I believe the battle for Val Roa has begun.
Please don't tell me that means he's going to sacrifice himself...
5514678
Not to mention our misery...
Also, how does he fit a hood over his antlers?
Chrysalis is actually random background deer #6557.
If Ebon Mane is in control of the Soul Sexies why aren't they kicking Goblin butt?
Zaid gets the Flash Gordon award for flashiest and most improbable flight manouver whilst in the pilots seat of a burning ship?
We only have one gun left. Thats ok, theres two of us, so we can fire twice as fast.
Goblins up top are saying, Heeres Johnny. Hey, who turned the axe into candyfloss?
Basso doesnt like shooting living things? Well, he has plenty of Dead Metal to accurately target instead. Like all those lift props, drive engines, cannons etc.
What IS fishbury waiting for. Chrysalis control over them is so great that they are at Ground Zero as a martyr to the glorious new thousand year reign?
As Dr. Evil says.. Reich.
And all the shrapnel just evaporated.
Something foreboding this way sneaks.
5514829 then who was phone?!?!?!?
5515628
You are phone.
I think that IC has been watching Star Trek VI recently with all these references.
Inb4 Hamam quotes Shakespeare as a rocket flies towards the bridge
i.imgur.com/x7GI7PN.gif
Ah, the game's afoot, hmm?
Ewww, that's gross but totally hilarious.
Still have a bad feeling about Lunarius....
5515525 Well, if it's some sort of energy weapon, then the energy, after not hitting anything would dissipate into the atmosphere, and since it missed, nothing got blown up and therefore there was no shrapnel.
5514494 He would have greatly appreciated it if someone had informed him his parents were still alive and on their way back.
5516484
It's the Austraeoh universe, Sharpie.
Nobody ever shares crucial information or talks about their feelings until the last possible second.
5514494
Still banking on Eine being Chrysalis. Hasn't been disproven yet.
5515525
Ssh you.
Just sit back and enjoy the show, kid.
5518168 Maybe that's why he's being kept in the dark.
OT: I'm about to update my story for the first time in two and a half months, and I'm just a teensy bit worried that you're gonna update right after I do and completely knock me out of the featured box.
I'm watching you...
5520377 It's so much less stressful updating when you've never made the featured box in the first place
5520391 You see that face on the left? That face Sweetie Belle is making?
I'm making that face at you right now.
5520377 What is this featured box you speak of?
i.imgur.com/KX2RCeK.png
Well, uh. I'm off the front page now. You can post. Please post. I'm excite.
Please?
Do you demand tribute?
I volunteer as tribute!
What penance must I pay to get my fix?
I need my fix
my hunger burns
save us Scolon
you are the writer we need right now
...
So anyways where the fuck did the name "Scolon" come from anyways. Like, there's no S in Imploding. Or in Colon, for that matter.
It takes a great deal to persuade me to read unfinished stories these days, and even more to favourite one.
5521262 But this is Australia. One does not simply NOT favorite it.
The deer queen is the bug queen.
Face it, it makes sense.
5521216 No, you're technically on the front page, just not on the Featured Box. You're still in the Popular Stories box.
5521391 Stag beetles are not hive insects.
5515014 It's true. Security guards are colorless and dull without me.
where's Roarke and her Lounge buddies?