Paging Rainbow Dash, Table For Seven
“Alright, I know we've been over most everythang,” Bard said as the group trotted swiftly—if not a bit hastily—through a metal corridor lined with aquakinetic arches. “But clear one thang up for me.”
“By all means,” Theanim Mane said, glancing about at the random ponies in the crowd. There was a nervous shudder to his steps; he wasn't alone.
Bard shifted the weight of Echo on his backside and glanced aside at the Doctor. “If the whole point is to make it so that we can reel yer bud here back in from the Southern Hoof with time to spare, than shouldn't Dubya-Cee and I get a head start? I mean, that way you and Rainbow Dash can be hittin' up the Makin' Apples House—”
“Marine Auction House.”
“Right. Y'all can be crashin' that place in just the right time for Dubya-Cee and I to grab our bits and haul keister right out of the Southern Hoof's HQ with Echo in tow. Cuz, the way I see it, only with the Syndicate feelin' the heat can we hope to slip anythang past their senses here in Shoggoth.”
Wildcard gestured something in mid-stride.
Bard nodded. “Right. And us Desperadoes have still got to make an exit. Should we wait for a signal from y'all or are either of ya gonna be joining us?”
“All very good points to bring up,” Theanim said as the group entered a narrower corridor that dipped through the sea rock before heading towards another domed structure. The scientist's goggles glinted in passing amber torches. “You're a very good stallion at devouring an individual's time, Mr. Bard. I suggest you play on the Southern Hoof's good side, much like you did at Rust.”
“Uh huh...”
“Our business at the Marine Auction House will likely take a while. But once we've presented our evidence and given a reasonable cause for the Syndicate to be dissected by the Muddredger Merchant Council for their alliance with the Corruptible Northern Hoof, then I suspect that the very headquarters of the Southern Hoof here will be forced to relinquish its otherwise impermeable barriers.”
“Uhhhhhhh...” Bard blinked heavily.
“You gotta speak in drawl-ese, Theams,” Echo grumbled.
Theanim sighed. “The moment Rainbow Dash and I expose the Syndicate for who they are, then the ones holding office here will crumble.” He glanced back at Bard. “Once you sense a veritable mob forming outside the Southern Hoof's headquarters, then you will know it's time to make a hasty exit! With my good friend too, Verlaxion-willing.”
“Y'all really think it's gonna work out that simply?” Bard remarked.
“I do believe the evidence we've gathered is more than damning,” Theanim replied.
Wildcard gestured again, his metal hoof rattling.
“I know it's all gettin' down to the wire, buddy,” Bard said in an exasperated tone. “But Rainbow done told us that we haven't much of a choice!”
“And just how does she know that, exactly?” Echo grumbled.
“Reckon that's a fine question.” Bard squinted the pegasus' way. “How do we know you got an honest-to-goddess message from the sea princess?”
Rainbow Dash stared left and right as the group navigated the tight, rocky corridor. Metal bulkheads protruded from the earthen material and obscured the lanternlight, giving the place an even greater sense of claustrophobia.
“Yoohoo. Underwater Magic Rodeo pagin' Rainbow Dash,” Bard cooed.
Rainbow looked over. “Huh?”
“Ya sure yer wakin' nightmare weren't just... y'know... a wakin' nightmare?”
“Dude, I saw Revan's face. I smelled his nasty breath n'stuff.”
“That's fascinating,” Echo muttered. “Considering she didn't meet Revan in person during our whole heist in Rust.”
Wildcard's goggles rattled at that.
“Hrmmm...” Bard's jaw tensed and untensed. “Not sure if that's a good 'fascinatin'' or a bad 'fascinatin'.'”
“Look, I'm sorry I can't explain it any better!” Rainbow Dash frowned. “But I've been getting messages this whole trip and I swear that it felt the same as all the ones before—” She froze in place, ears twitching.
Theanim scuffled to a stop. He, Wildcard, and Bard looked at the mare. “Miss Dash? Why did you stop?”
“Something's... wrong.” She gulped. “Or at least... different.” She looked up, muzzle quivering. “I feel as though we're not alone down here.”
Bard looked at all of the citizens casually trotting back and forth past them. “Well, that there's an understatement and a half, darlin'.”
“No, I feel it too,” Echo said, his leafy ears twitching. He lifted his head from Bard's backside, then narrowed his slitted eyes. “I hear thunder. Coming towards us from all sides.”
“Huh?!” Theanim remarked, blinking.
To Rainbow's side, Rarity and Twilight phased through the rock.
“Rainbow!” Rarity exclaimed, voice squeaking. “There are over two dozen metal figures headed our way!”
“Metal... figures...?” Rainbow's muzzle twisted.
“Suits of armor, Rainbow!” Twilight's voice cracked. “She means suits of armor! Guards!”
Rainbow gnashed her teeth and spun about. “Guys, look out! We're about to be—”
Schiiiing! The first of several double-bladed polearms stretched towards the group.
Bard and Wildcard jolted, spinning flank-to-flank as a solid circle of armored stallions surrounded the group.
“Hold it right there!” The lead guard hollered. He wore a turquoise helm that hung off his muzzle tightly, covering his eyes in ominous shadow. His armor—like everypony else's—was etched from head to tail in what could best be described as shark and barracuda motifs. The ends of these designs flared off to form jutting spikes or “fins” at each moving joint of the armor. “Do not move another step! Any of you!”
Theanim exhaled. “The Muddredge Royal Guard...”
“Rainbow,” Twilight hissed, looking over Rarity's twitching figure. “Their spears. They're empowered by aquakinetic enchantment.”
Rainbow eyed the polearms in question, noticing a blue glow about each barbed weapon.
“What does that mean, Twilight?” Rarity exclaimed. “They can summon underwater geysers at command?”
“Or, perhaps, boil a pony's circulatory system by just pointing their lances,” Twilight said.
“Oh! Goodness...” Rarity quivered.
“I have been officially charged by the Muddredger Royal Council to escort you from these premises!” the lead guard loudly proclaimed.
“Aaaaaaaaaaand everypony present anuses,” Echo slurred.
Theanim stood up tall. “For what reason?”
“None of it good, I reckon,” Bard said. He turned to look over his shoulder.
Wildcard nodded back. He slipped a metal hoof towards his leather satchel, grasping a nightstick.
Bard reached beneath his guitar case for a metal rod.
“You will be properly briefed when and only when the Muddredger Council chooses,” the guard said. “Now, no more delay. Move!”
“Rainbow Dash—!” Rarity pointed at the Desperadoes.
Rainbow glanced at her two allies reaching for their weapons. She turned to look at the guards and their spears. With clenching teeth, she jerked forward, preparing to shout something—
“Rainbow Dash.”
The pegasus faltered, wincing slightly. “Unnngh...”
“Sorry for intruding so forcefully, but you must rein in your friends. These guards will not harm you or them, I promise.”
“Mnnfghh...” Rainbow rubbed her head, gazing weakly at the Desperadoes. “Dudes, hold up...”
Wildcard gripped Bard's shoulder, and the stallion blinked in curiosity. “Huh...?”
“Rainbow, what's happening now—?” Twilight asked.
“I can only communicate with one surface dweller at a time. These guards are under the pretense that your group is a security threat, but it is the only way I could get them to bring you to me.”
“Guys, it's... it's okay,” Rainbow wheezed. She looked up, her strength returning through her eyes. “These dudes... I... I-I think they're gonna bring us to Princess Camellia.”
Theanim's ears twitched. “...you're sure of this?”
“Is that even a good thang?!” Bard wheezed, shifting where he stood. “I dun rightly like them tunin' forks they're sportin'!”
“We will not tell you again...” The head guard aimed his spear. “Move! This way!”
“Just trust me!” Rainbow hissed. “We gotta follow them!” She leaned in, whispering. “Not like we'd make it out of a scrap this deep down anyways!”
“I'm with her on the 'staying alive longer' plan,” Echo stammered.
“To Hell with that!” Bard frowned, pulling half of his staff out. “I ain't aimin' to become mollusk food—”
Wildcard sheathed his nightsticks and stood right in front of Bard, shaking his feathery head.
Bard blinked, then frowned. “And since when did you become all pacifist?”
Wildcard frowned, pointing at Rainbow Dash.
“Euuughhh...” Bard rolled his eyes and stood down. “Fine then, Captain Trustin', but this had better not end with us on the gallows.”
“Actually, Shoggothian executions involve fish tanks and the liberal use of starving sharks—”
“Not helpin'!” Bard grunted as he and Wildcard were shoved along by the armored stallions. “We're a'movin'! We're a'movin'! Dayum.”
Theanim and Rainbow trotted along, keeping close to the circle of guards tightly escorting them. Groups of ponies looked on, gawking in curiosity.
Theanim gulped. “I do hope you're right about this whole situation, Miss Dash,” the scientist said. “Because the timing couldn't possibly be more awkward.”
Rainbow watched as the guards led them down a series of jagged steps, descending even further into the torchlit rocky corridors beneath Shoggoth proper.
“I hope I'm right about this too,” she murmured.
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Well, this could be good or bad, depending on what the Siren Princess wants, she could have had guards ready to escort them to see her as soon as they got off the ship, or told Dash to see her when Revan arrived.
If I had telepathic powers I'd tell people to walk into traps to get rid of them if I needed to, until we meet the Princess I am distrustful.
Also, those sound like some bad-ass weapons and armor.
I'd expect somecreature of royal blood to have more power than that quite honestly.
Isn't that usually how it goes? When a species shares a common power then the leaders are the ones with the greatest command of said power?
I guess at the start it might, but over time it'd fade as they'd have to use it less and less.
Still, it's nice to know she's more Feferi than Meenah. As far as we can tell anyway.
-Memories given light, ease a lonely flight. Ynanhluutr.
Dun dun duuunnn...
It's a bit odd that Princess Camellia is resorting to these subterfuges. It implies her position is not secure.
Ngghh... Not ready! Midnight is so not ready for when we have to say goodbye to Bard and Dubya-Cee...
“Actually, Shoggothian executions involve fish tanks and the liberal use of starving sharks—”
We'll, in the real world, I can't imagine there would be too many criminals around if being eaten alive is the death penalty...
So she couldn't simply just... tell the guards to bring them to her? I know, straight up telling them in the middle of a crowd that Princess wants to see them is bound to cause some fuss, but then again, so is brandishing a spear at them for no apparent reason.
Wildcard totes luvs Rainbow Dash.
6313126 Something tells me guards escorting ne'er do wells is gonna draw less attention from the syndicate than guards escorting guests of the princess.
Less commoner gossip too.
6313140
Could've just told the guards to pretend to be escorting prisoners. Like a wink.
6313169 The best way to make it look convincing is to make it real.
A wink or a whisper of "play along" might have brought on some bad acting.
Well, hope that Camellia has good intentions. Though Whitemane did something similar if I recall, though the only reason that Rainbow had an easier time there was because she met a friend who vouched for her. Surprised Rainbow doesn't remember that. Or maybe she DOES remember and that is why she is going along with this.
Pretty much what Sharp Quill said.
6313092 If I recall correctly, it has been stated once or twice that Camellia's power is limited due to the presence of the Syndicate. Her title doesn't carry as much weight in Shoggoth as it would elsewhere.
6313092 Well, she does have half of a criminal syndicate basically running her town. The enemy is at the gates as t'were.
6313092
That's a good observation, actually. Her problems probably have something to do with the Southern Hoof (which would also explain why she wants to help Dash and the others).
6313092
I mean we knew her power was limited but it seems to me to be basically non existent at this point.
That other, less comfortable kind of hot-bloodedness.
6313564
If she's in it to help Dash, then perhaps setting up both ends of the syndicate to take each other out somehow may not be out of the question. That could also prove to be the distraction her and the gang need if they're allowed access to the Party Flame.
OP plz nerf
Those spears have insta kill buttons. Probably should take one or two of those along for the journey.
That's pretty cool but these guys still got nothin' on the Searonese.
At least they don't resort to using ill-tempered sea bass
Hm, yes, quite fascinating, old chap
Very intresting layout for the city there. All that advanced singing domes holding the water back, but the interconnections between domes are buried, with material metal sealing doors, which can be used to isolate the living quarters beneath the surface from the sea above, assuming the magic fails, or didnt exist from teh start. Multiple bulkheads allow th use of small chambers to allow easier transitions from air based to water based regions.
If you want the fastest water, air type airlock, consider altering the Falkirk wheel. Where you have one airlock container attached to the outer door, and a second identical sized airlock chamber thats merely used for swapping liquid, gas. The Wheel bit? instead of trying to pump liquid, you lift the second chamber up and down and let the water pour back in, before represurisng to be able to topen the outer door. the miniscule difference in volume due to the pressure difference can be overcome through a much smaller, cheap and easy to aquire diesel pump. Designed for salt water use.
Always remember. Things will go wrong, you need a manual backup. So, wat does this big red lever marked Do Not Pull do again?
We can't forget there are other forces after Dash in this city.
You know, from an outsider perspective, it would seem like RD is using the Force. Guess if she gets a light saber she'll be a full on Jedi.
Tropewise, telepaths are typically either benevolent and empathetic, or vicious and incredibly cunning.
Can't wait to see where Camellia falls.
She could either be truly trying to help Rainbow, having seen into her soul or harminy or someshit, or she could be putting on a farce to get a valuable pawn.
*popcorn munching intensifies*
Ouch those are some nasty weapons...
6314227 Does the sun sword count?
6314016
It took a while to visualize this, but that's actually quite a clever airlock design.
6313886
BlizzardSkirts Nerf Pls. Protoss OP6314016 Having seen the Falkirk wheel, I find your idea interesting.
You have on the edge of my seat EC, I am very excited for what is to come.
6315467
Airlocks have annoyed me for years, due to losses, complexities etc. The first I think was the scifi book, Lucky Star and the Oceans Of Venus, where a gateway could be opened with a huge pressure difference accross it, then theres Space stations and loss of oxygen etc, and finally there was I think was a Clive Cussler story, maybe Vixen 03, about a deep abyss resesarch station, and that they used a nuclear reactor generated high pressure steam to force the water out, but the pressure was s high, when the steam was condensed, the airlock chamber was still half full of water. So I thought, if the chamber is sealed, the outer door closed, then openeing a pressure release valve will let the pressure drop until its the same as air pressure, then you can open the inner door and allow the water to flood into the station, giving you an emergancy means of escape at least. then I thought, dont let the water into the station, let it into a chamber, then the air from that can go in the first., then came theres always that pressure relief leackage, so thats where the small high pressure pump ccame in, like a bilge, drainage pump. the Wheel trick is for several generations down the line where you dont want pumps, just simple monolithic moving masses that can last centuaries, millenia withougt maintenance etc.
Apparently, when using water to flush the air out of an airlock on a spaceship, if you freeze it with liquid nitrogen, it doesnt boil off when in contact with a vaccuum. Or 175K approx from the astronomy programs. Still trying to work out how to get liquid water or equiv to do that. Anything to reduce losses.
...I know that Theanim is addressing the guard and not Echo, but it makes me grin like an idiot to think he's actually asking that of Echo.
Those lances are one of those plot devices that make you feel like they would totally spiral out of control in a real situation.
6313092 Well there is the Southern Hoof. She would have to counteract them with intrigue, after all they're official allies.
Hmm . . . this whole thing is getting sketchier by the minute. I wonder why things are so desperate. I also wonder why she couldn't simply have the guards retrieve the group on less aggressive terms. How very peculiar . . .
This just got more complicated. Now the Northern Hoof has more time.
-Spirit (Yeast and Treacle)
6313232 I'm pretty sure Bard is the element hammyness in the elements of Bad Acting.
It's not a trap.
His what now?
I wouldn't be surprised if the Southern Hoof was under the princess's control. It would kind of make sense with the Southern Hoof betraying the Northern Hoof. She was trying to undermine them from the inside out. BRILLIANT!
Also it's funny cause the easiest way out for Echo probably was to get caught by Bard and Wildcard and delivered to Southern Hoof. The high bounty might just be a ruse, they value Echo a lot and wanted him back enough to pay more.
claw
________________
While i didnt suspect this to go bad, i cant help but worry that Shoggoth will not go as well as Rust /:
This is extra funny because Theanim got compared to Doctor Whooves a while ago
... Criminal scum!
Of course they do.
7044710
Wildcard is actually a changeling, that metal limb keeps morphing into a hoof and back
That's worse than hangin;'!!!
Now that I think about it, Sharp Quill’s got a point. She’s could be losing her influence due to the syndicate, but it might be something else. We’ll see.
Uh...well...that's simultaneously awesome as all hell and terrifying as all hell.
.....Shoggoth is metal as fuck.
I got an OC who can do that do to having powers based on my full real world name.