Swab and the Monster's Den
Swab's breaths returned to his lungs about five minutes later, as did the tingling waves of consciousness. The colt found himself being dragged past a series of cylindrical steam vents in glittery starlight. The air rippled with the malicious laughter of other foals, and he heard the tell-tale grunts of Whony opening one of the grates to the larger steam vents.
“Might wanna hold your breath, seafoam. After all, can't imagine what it's like to have your only ear pop.”
Swab's yellow eyes swam sickly to the side. The moment he recognized the smokestacks to the Red Barge's southern strut, he gasped... then struggled against Whony's dominating limbs. “No. No! Grnnngh!” He fought and squirmed, but there was no stopping the sway of the world as his little body was tilted into the gaping mouth of one of the vertical vents. The rancid smell of prison filth wafted up to his sobbing muzzle. “Don't do this! Whony, please!” He gasped and hyperventilated. “I... I-I'll do nibble duty for you all next week! I swear!”
“Fat lotta good that'll do me, coming from a corpse!” Then, with a final grunt, Whony tossed Swab's body over into the throat of the vent. “Send the monster our regards, sea foam! Maybe she'll shit you out into the same hole your parents are rotting in once she's done with you!”
“Mrmmff!” Swab yelped, hearing his own frantic echoes. “Whony! Don't!” His twitching eyes gazed down a deep, dark throat of metal. “Please!”
He was answered with a merciless kick to the flank. Thud! The rusted walls flew past him. The vicious laughter of the foals flew away. Swab tumbled... rolled. He tried flinging his forelimbs out to steady himself, but he only managed to ricochet off the narrow walls of the blurring pipe. After five long seconds, he finally rattled the rest of the way, plowed through a clog of grime and soot...
...and rolled out onto the dank floor of a cold, cold prison cell far below deck.
“Mmmfff...” He curled up, wincing and whimpering in pain.
Swab's vision flickered from red to yellow and then back to black. A cold ringing sound lingered in his ear, and once it cleared he was swept up in a monsoon of pungent odors. Squirming, he tilted his head up, struggling to look about.
All he saw was pure blackness. Then—against the middle of the floor—he saw multiple slivers of starlight. He realized that there was a barred window lingering close to the ceiling of the cell. It opened to a walkway that lingered above, slightly closer to the top deck. Cold sea air wafted through, giving the brig a misty, ethereal quality.
If Swab squinted hard enough, he could see the vapors shifting ever so slightly... rippling and then retreating.
Something on the far end of the cell was breathing... and it was facing him.
“Mmmm...!” With his jaw clenched shut, Swab spun to face the wall he had fallen out of. One of several vertical pipes lingered before him, busted open with a colt-sized hole. He scampered towards it, shuffling, scuffling, clambering all over with his tiny hooves. For the life of him, Swab couldn't figure out exactly how he exited the narrow slit. He tried shoving himself back through the fissure—initially skull-first and then next flank-first. But even if he somehow could re-enter the pipe, he wasn't certain how he might feasibly climb his way back up the shaft—
A snorting sound, accompanied by a whisper.
Swab gasped, freezing to a stop. He pivoted slowly until his one good ear faced the far end.
“... ... ...definitely something else in here with me.”
It was a feminine voice, raspy, surprisingly high-pitched for a beastly creature. The unexpected tone frightened Swab more than anything. He locked his muscles in place, shivering.
More silence.
And then...
“Mrmmff... how should I, know, Fluttershy? You're the one with the pony senses, not me.”
Swab's tiny nostrils flared as he shook... shivered... shook...
A sigh. The vapors shifted in the barred starlight. “Oh, alright...” And then hoofsteps. Light hoofsteps... growing closer... scraping. Swab looked over and immediately wished that he hadn't. Something glinted in the starlight... something like a blood-red ruby. “Hey, is anypony there...?”
“Nnnngh!” Swab galloped straight forward. Clang! He slammed face-first into a metal wall. “Mmmff!” He fell back on his flank, his little legs sticking up.
His twitching eyes refocused on the dark lengths of the cell.
Slowly, a fuzzy figure bled into focus: an upside down jaw followed by a petite frame and drooping wings. Loose bandages draped alongside her. Swab saw a tail flicking... with color. “Hello...?”
“Guh!” Swab rolled over. He scoot-scoot-scooted backwards on shivering haunches. When he reached the metal corner and couldn't slide any further, he curled up into a scrappy little ball, hugging himself tight. “Mmmmm... please... pl-please... stay back!”
His eyes were clenched shut, so there was no seeing the face of the monster as it lingered within meters... feet... inches of his shivering figure. “... ... ...it's just some friggin' kid.” Silence. Then the thing's voice cracked: “No, I didn't notice. Was there somepony in this cell when I first arrived, Flutters?” More silence. “Unnnngh... lemme give it a shot.” Not long after, an outstretched hoof brushed against Swab's good ear. “Uh... h-hey there. You okay—?”
“Aaaaaaaugh!” Swab wailed. He kicked his hooves in front of him, flailing all over. “No no no no no pleeeeease Verlaxion, nooooooo!” The colt sobbed, shaking his head left and right. “Don't let it eat me, Goddess! Please, Verlaxion! Forgive me! I-I'm so sorry for everything I've d-donnnne!”
Hooves scraped against metal. A blue figure darted back, its muzzle scrunched. “Hrmmmff... yeesh. I think he's worse off than I am.” More awkward silence. Then: “Pffft... like, how? Look at him, Fluttershy. He's a wilted little ball of lame!”
Swab shook and quivered. Against his better judgment, he lifted his head to steal a glance.
He caught the outline of a face along the penumbra of slitted starlight. A ruby set of jagged lines floated far below a pair of rolling eyes. “...oh please. Give it a rest, will ya? I don't even know how he got here.”
Swab blinked. For the first time since landing there, his panic gave way to a flicker of confusion.
“Yeah, well, Rarity's not around to help me figure that out. None of the girls are.” And the blue shape retreated into the corner with a deflating sigh. Swab heard the limp slumping of limbs. “So... mrmmmff... what's the point...?”
Dead silence.
“... ... ...” Swab sat in place, hugging himself. After a savage gulp, he lifted his head, craning his neck. He squinted as hard as he could, but he still couldn't make out anything on the other side of the barred patch of starlight. The far end of the cell was pitch black.
More silence.
Biting his lip, Swab fought shivers and crawled forward, one icy inch at a time. He hugged the north side of the cell, sliding beneath the metal wall with the window close to the ceiling. As he scuffled across the full length of the cell, shapes came into focus. He detected two round things lingering before the monster's corner—one a bucket and the other a tin meal plate. The faint scent of fish and rice tickled Swab's nose, and for a brief moment he lingered. Then, with a brave breath, he continued his shuffle. To his right, the faint outline of a door loomed. Swab noticed bars, dangling chains, and the faint flicker of candlelight from the rest of the brig beyond—
“Yeah, I see him,” the raspy voice grunted. “Wonder if he knows we're both locked in here.”
“...!!!” Swab clenched his teeth to the point of breaking. He shivered from head to tail, shook, then bolted forward with a burst of zeal. “Grnnnghhh...!” Desperately, he flung himself against the metal door. He grabbed the bars and shook... shook... shook the frame. The thing only rattled in place with a cacophonous clatter. “Mrmmmnngh! Open up! Open up! Please—!”
“Give it up, kid,” the monster's voice rippled from the corner. “The jerkfaces outside haven't been back in nearly two hours.”
Swab squeaked, spinning about. His eyes dragged across the food dish... the starlight... a ruby glint. Ultimately, he turned tail and galloped back for the corner from which he came. There, he huddled, hugging himself amidst shivering silence.
“You lost or something?” the voice rasped.
Swab didn't reply.
“...how in Celestia's name did you even get down here?”
Swab clenched his jaw shut. He stared straight ahead, or so he told himself. His eyes found the food dish again, and his body responded with a pained growl. He hugged himself, curling into a little ball in order to mask the noise of his insides.
And yet... a half-minute later.
“...oh he is, is he?” Silence. “Fluttershy, will you please stop gushing over the thing and just tell m—” The voice cut off. A bit of squirming, shuffling. “Oh? Oh... yeah. Sure. Whatever.” The ruby light lifted, and Swab heard the limbs of the beast shuffling straight towards him.
“Mrmmmff... no!” He flinched away, his every muscle tensing. “Don't come any close! Don't—”
Scraaaaaaaaape. A metal object slid up against his frail figure. “Here, kid. I saw you looking at it.”
“... ... ...?” Squinting one eye open, Swab looked down.
A full plate of rice and raw fish lingered in front of him. The very smell of it sent the colt's insides toppling over themselves.
“Seriously. Have at it.”
Lips pursed, Swab tilted his gaze up. He flinched.
A dull pair of ruby eyes gazed down at him. A scar lingered atop the right side of her brow, and a messy tangle of multicolored mane hairs hung in every direction.
“I can't tell where the rice ends and the fish begins, anyway.” Twirling about, the pegasus marched back into the shadows, crouching down beside her bucket. “Totally not my bag...”
“... ... ...” Swab looked at her, at the plate, at her, then at the plate again. “... ... ....!!!” He flew forward, shoving his muzzle deep into the edible mess. He chomped... he swallowed... he inhaled. With ravenous scarfing noises, the starving colt dug into every loose kernel... every stringy strip of meat... every bitter speck that presented itself. He filled his throat with bite after bite of cold morsels, losing himself in the frenzy.
“Yeesh... don't kill yourself over it, kid...” Some silence, and then: “Beats me, Flutters. You're the one here who can take a headcount. So what if there are others?”
Swab swallowed... then swallowed some more. At last, a full three minutes into his feast, he summoned the strength to look up. Almost immediately, his vision refocused, strengthening. The shadows no longer were an obstacle, and he was starting to feel the strongest he had ever been in days... weeks. He could make out every shape and contour of the pegasus seated across from him. For the briefest blinks in time, she didn't look very tough at all. And the bandages hanging off her left side—
“Your wing,” Swab spontaneously murmured.
With a jerk, two ruby eyes spun and glared at him. “What about it?”
He instantly winced. Hiding behind what was left of the food pile, he changed the subject, muttering: “Why... why did they give you so much f-food, anyways?”
To his surprise, the thing answered. “Mrmmff... why else? To keep me alive.”
Blinking, Swab nodded towards the other container. “And what's the bucket for?”
“Everything else,” she muttered.
“Oh.” He sat in place, fidgeting.
A deep sigh came from the creature. She sat down on folded limbs, hanging her head.
Swab continued staring. Eyes locked, he nevertheless dipped his muzzle down, took a few more liberal bites of the food, then wiped the crumbs off his chin. Shuffling forward on pensive hooves, he approached the fuzzy shadow.
The mare lingered in place... not even moving.
“... ... ...” Swab blinked, cocking his head to the side, squinting harder.
“... ... ...something you want?” she murmured without looking.
“Eep!” Swab darted back, shivering again. Clearing his throat, he muttered: “You... you really don't want to eat fish?”
“Mrmmmfff... no...”
“You... you don't want to eat me?”
The mare's head lifted again. She squinted sharply at him. “...the buck are you going on about?”
He withdrew again, quivering. “Nothing! N-nothing at all!”
She looked like she was going to say something else, but then her head suddenly jolted towards the shadows. “Huh?” She blinked, then sighed. “Well, sure, but I don't see how he or anypony else could be thinking that.”
Swab blinked. He followed her eyesight, but saw nothing but dark shadows.
The mare continued: “Mrmmfff... right. What's the use?” With a sigh, she deflated once more to the cold metal floor. “Yeah. Sure. Add it to the pile of my irredeemable buck-ups, why don't you?”
Swab's muzzle twisted in confusion.
“Dang it...” She suddenly growled, stirring. “Don't—Fluttershy. Ah jeez... don't cry. I'm not... I-I'm not mad at you! It's just... unnnnngh... Fluttershy...” She face-hoofed spontaneously. “...oh how I wish the other girls were here too...”
Swab gulped. “You mean there are other monsters here besides you—?”
“Rrrrghhh!” With stomping hooves, Rainbow suddenly leapt up—roaring. Four thudding hoofsteps later, she loomed angrily above the colt. “They are not monsters! Do you hear me?!”
“Gaaah!” Swab fell back on his flank, scooting away amidst a fresh salvo of panting breaths.
“None of them deserve to be here with me! Least of all her!” She snarled in his face. “You wanna know what a monster is?! You're looking at it! The one and only!”
Swab whimpered, covering his face.
The pegasus' breath suddenly roared to the side. “So what if I'm scaring him, Fluttershy?! Or you for that matter?! Or the girls?!” Despite her fury, the mare's voice took on a squeaky tone. “Everypony's so concerned about being scared about this or that—well look where we are! This is as real as it gets! They can hide all they want from me, but they can't escape this!” Silence. “No you tell them that! You're the only damn thing they'll even pretend to listen to at this point!”
To Swab's mixed joy, he heard heaving hoofsteps thudding outside, followed by a familiar growling voice: “What in Verlaxion's sleet is going on down there?! Better keep it down, Rogue, or next time I juice up the shark prod it's going straight up your—” Digiff's face dipped down, peering through the barred window at the ceiling. He took one look at the cell, saw Swab, and the bearded dredger did a double-take. “What... what in the Hell?!” He sped out of sight, his hoofsteps ricocheting off the walls, descending, leading to the cell's thick iron door.
Swab blinked. His breath shuddered as he heard the rattle of keys inside a lock.
Creeeeak! Candlelight flooded the cell. Digiff's frame loomed in the doorway, and he pointed a hoof straight at the colt. “You! Little seafoam turd! Get the buck out of there!”
“Mmmm...!” Swab lurched forward. He nervously trotted past the mare. “Please d-don't be mad, Digiff.” He gulped. “Whony and the others... th-they tossed me down the pipework and—”
“Wait...” The pegasus' voice cracked. “You mean some ponies dropped you down here?”
“Rrrrrgh!” Digiff reached in and yanked Swab forward by his ear. “I don't care how you got here, shitstain! If I catch you down here again, I'm leaving you to become this monster's litter box!”
“Owowowow—” Swab cried.
“Hey!” Scraping hooves. A pair of ruby eyes flashed in Digiff's direction. “Butthead! Ease up on the ear-mangling—” Bzzzzt! “Aaaaugh!” She flinched from a flash of electricity.
Digiff gripped a flickering staff in his other forelimb. “Shut up or you're bloat, freak!” He threw Swab out of the cell behind him. “Red Barge business!”
Two more guards rushed down, breathless. “What's going on?”
“Is she acting up?”
“See for yourself!”
“Mrmmmff...” She sat up, wincing. “Grnnngh—”
“Damned monster!” The two guards rushed in, striking and shocking her with their lengthy tasers. With flashes of spectral pain, the mare writhed and spasmed across the floor. When the electricity had once again neutralized her, the dredgers took turns kicking and bucking her ragdoll body into the corner.
Swab gasped, his yellow eyes twitching. Before he could so much as flinch, he felt Digiff yanking him towards the stairs.
“Get out of here! Back to your bunk!” Digiff growled, blocking Swab's view of the carnage. “You're Goddess-damn lucky I don't toss you into the muck!”
Panting, Swab scampered up the stairs, away from the lower deck's cells. The stairwell curved to the right, leading towards an upper corridor. The colt passed by a familiar barred window, and his one good ear caught the sounds of meaty impacts, followed by pained yelps. Fidgeting, he squatted low, peering down into the cell.
Digiff and the other two guards kicked and punched the prisoner a few more times... ending with a spit or two to add insult to injury. Then, when they were done, they retracted their tasers, turned tail, and shuffled out of the cell. THUD! The door closed, leaving the pegasus a sputtering... quivering mess.
Swab bit his lip. A cold chill ran over him, ending in a sniffle across his tiny muzzle. Hoofsteps rolled up behind the colt, and he scampered out onto the upper strut before Digiff could catch up once again.
“Scram!”
And Swab was awash in starlight and shivers.
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Now, to plan the perfect jailbreak
Rainbow's psyche is about as good as can be expected - thanks to Fluttershy. Nice to see her try to stick up for Swab, despite the abuse it got her.
OH, BLESS YOUR BUTTERY YELLOW SOUL, FLUTTERSHY, YOU'RE STILL WITH HER.
...Huh...
Eh, probably nothing.
oh look a way out how convenient
Interesting, I was under the assumption that Rainbow was not on speaking terms with her friends, least of all Fluttershy. I wonder if her friends know how much she is suffering for them, and her need their support. The ensuing clash of ideals of between Swab and Dash will definitely be interesting.
6578447
Either that or dash is hallucinating.
6578492
I was thinking that at first, but if there were anypony to return to being on speaking terms with Rainbow first, it makes sense that it would be Fluttershy. I think that she's not hallucinating.
6578447
6578444
Thank everything for Fluttershy. Rainbow's all bravado, apathy, and nihilism here, Fluttershy's presence is . . . well, we've underestimated Rainbow before, but her mental state is fragile enough. Let's just leave it at that.
6578492
Seems unlikely, given that Fluttershy was able to relay accurate information about Swab to Rainbow, and, seemingly, wake her up.
Moonlight through the window is good news. Pinkie and Rarity will be critical to any escape attempt, especially if her wing, as implied, is still hurt. Here's hoping Luna dishes out some hard truth in the coming days.
Sounds like her wing wasn't healed?
6577671
I'm not quite ready to count out Swift Song yet. Skirts has done pitiable, weak characters before and made them awesome. Your guys' discussion literally just reminded me of one, and I think that it's very possible that's where this is headed.
We just need to wait for the harmonic rainbow magic to be applied.
Remember kiddies, be careful with preparing raw fish, or else parasites. Don't need anything else damaging your health kid, you've got enough of that as is.
So we're measuring time with an Egyptian god as the unit now huh? I'm good with that.
Those must be seriously powerful electric prods for Lightning Master Dash to be affected by them. Then again, they were backed up by physical abuse.
Poor Swab, as far as wannabe Dredger Who there says, he is so useless that even the Monster couldnt be bothered with him, thereby turning his greatest triumph, into an even worse fail.
Wonder if that bucket is the right size and shape, and strong enough to force that rust hole just that little extra open. Or how is it going to be repaired if they noitice?
well, at least Rainbow has someone.
Ambassador Fluttershy.
Also: it occurs to me, what about Rainbow? The others are scared/mad/whatever, but what about Rainbow? I'm willing to bet she's scared or at least has been at more than a point or two (not by the same things, mind) but she turns her fear into action. Not always the best action, but still.
Well, at least RD has Flutters with her.
Glorious interactions with Rainbow again! And it seems that she isn't totally alone. Fluttershy, of course, is still with her. She didn't see all the madness in the Quade, after all, only the after effects. And she's apparently some sort of moderator between RD and the other girls. I can't believe they're still being this childish, especially after everything I'm sure Fluttershy has told them has been going on with Rainbow, but maybe we'll get some response from them yet.
I can't wait until the PoV shifts back to Rainbow. Then we can really get to see the damage that Twilight, Rarity, and Pinkie leaving has done to her mental health, and just how much of it has been saved by Fluttershy. I still think the sort-of-antagonist Dash idea that was tossed around a bit in the last chapter or two would be an awesome change of pace; maybe we can still get some of that.
6578447
Considering that a little malnourished colt couldn't get back up it, I don't think an -- admittedly petite -- adult pegasus is going to make her escape up it.
Also, the guards are useless. A kid shows up in the cell of a dangerous creature, ignore him when he tries to tell you how he got in and let him leave. That's just irresponsible.
So Dash is locked up and only Fluttershy will talk with her? Wow, they are being crummy friends, to paraphrase a certain book: Hate the mistake, love the friend. They're not doing much convincing her to be more Harmonious by not speaking to her.
I'm starting to think that Verlax meant to start this whole panic to deal with groups like the Barges and certain fat-cats.
Or maybe the whole civilization has served its purpose in her eyes and can be thrown away now that East-horse is here.
I wonder... Hate to rain on everyponies parade but is Dash really talking to Fluttershade? Or is she talking to herself while the other girls scowl away the days in Vanilla Space?
6578526
At this point, I think they all already have parasites. Twenty more isn't going to affect their already drastically shortened lifespans.
Aw. Looks like we only get our favorite east horse back temporarily.
Thank goodness for Fluttershy! She's the only one who hasn't abandoned Rainbow, and I'm quite peeved at the other girls for still doing so, especially at a time like this.
At least Swab finally got food.
Like some of the others, apparently, I'm not sure what to think.
On one hand, it makes sense that Fluttershy, of all ponies, would be the first to reach out to Rainbow, and if so, I'm glad that Rainbow has someone. On the other, it could be that Rainbow, unable to stand the loneliness resulting from alienating her friends, conjured the very friend whose resurrection caused said alienation subconsciously. And the beauty of telling all of this from Swab's point of view is that it could go either way. Adds an interesting angle.
Also, it looks like the seeds have been planted in Swab's mind that might grow into a rescue plan, or some manner of assistance for our beleaguered heroine.
Hooray! Her condition isn't as bad as expected!
And she now has a way out
All is going according to plan...
Verlaxion is now saying
You know, Fluttershy has always been my least favorite of the mane six ponies.
... But right now, I fucking love her. If there's one thing Rainbow needs right now, is friendly help. The others are just being fucking selfish.
I wonder if anyone (either Rainbow or the others) actually told Fluttershy what's going on, though. And I'm really hoping that they did, cause hiding so much shit is one of the biggest reasons they're in this situation in the first place.
6578518 Stu Leaves?
Oh thank the stars. Fluttershy girl... I knew you of all of them would have an ounce of decency.
Pretend to listen to? Jeez, is it any wonder Shy wants to spend time with somepony less toxic that Twi and Rar?
I hope Dash has been telling Shy about her adventures, in full detail. Something tells me a sympathetic and understanding ear has done a lot more for her sanity than she realizes.
-In the end isolation, hunted by a nation. Utaan.
And so it begins.
Rainbow is holding up much better than predicted, good on her.
Ah good, I was hoping that Fluttershy would talk to Rainbow. As shy as she might seem, she always struck me as the bravest of them all because she is so dedicated to being kind - which is not easy.
I hope Swab uses the hole he fell through to send food down to Rainbow, and ultimately helps break her out.
Also, it seems Fluttershy has "pony sense" or in other words the ability to ascertain the number of living creatures around, and probably their physical condition.
Huzzah, my hopes
and dreamsof Fluttershy being Rainbow's only companion for a while came true! It was a little disheartening to see Rainbow act like that toward her, but I think that Flutters is exactly what she needs right now.6578677
I don't think he had much pity going for him in the beginning, but he did turn out kind of cool in the end. Not who I was thinking of, though. Actually, this character is from one of Skirts's "Short Scraps and Explosions" stories.
Ok Fluttershy talking to her is expected, I'm guessing the others haven't come out since the Quade. I wonder how long it took Fluttershy to come out and talk to her though? I imagine Swab will be using the pipe to talk to Rainbow and give her stuff from now on as it seems unlikely he will be able to regularly sneak to her cell.
6578594
Verlaxion has clearly only set this stuff up to be some kind of test for Rainbow and once that test is over I really doubt she cares for what happens to anything and anypony there.
Rainbow seems much better off psychologically than I thought, but I guess that is what happens when you have a friend sticking by you to heal. By the way, how did they figure out Fluttershy had a pony sense when Rainbow was alone on the ocean? Or is it able to sense all living things? Speaking of which this is definitely not Swift Song's last visit to Rainbow. Maybe they can help each other.
Man, talk about stress and pent-up frustrations. I hope that if Rainbow and Fluttershy can't convince their friends that surviving on this side of the world takes a lot of nasty moral sacrifices, then Swab--someone who actually lives here--can.
Oh c'mon, don'cha know? That's her kink. You'd be doing her a favor.
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Nopony can replace Kera.
Nopony.
Swift Song never stood a chance.
Though I will admit that his parents have great taste in names
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Honestly, the M6's alienation of Twilight doesn't shock me at all. They're naive and innocent, and they've lived their entire lives in a land of eternal peace and prosperity. Equestrian culture has probably made the concept of murder/death/killing so morally reprehensible that it's almost impossible for them to even begin to imagine a reality where it might be necessary, much less something that their friend does.
I think they're staying away from Dash more out of fear than out of hatred or anger. She's shown them a world that absolutely, positively terrifies them, and they're struggling to mentally cope with a reality that conflicts with their super-limited worldview in ways that are incredibly painful for them to resolve in their mind.
Remember, it took Rainbow Dash herself several hundred chapters in order to be comfortable with killing, and even then she was damn near adamant in avoiding it. She had to be utterly broken and reborn again.
Give the others time.
6578950
Maybe, but they didn't exactly leave Rainbow on a good note the last time we saw them, and according to the next chapter, all of them except for Fluttershy have been purposely hiding away since the Quade incident.
What's worse is they are completely aware that unlike them, Rainbow is the one having to physically face all of this and deal with it head on without being killed. She's suffering in more ways than one right now, and none of the other three are doing anything to help or at least console. Instead, they think they can get away from it all by turning their backs and giving the cold shoulder.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not entirely shocked by their reactions either. They can take all the time they want as far as newly-world comprehensions go, but that's no excuse for acting like a bad friend.
At least Fluttershy checked up on her friend to make sure she isn't dead from the wounds she has while drifting in an ocean. Good thing, Rainbow needs a shoulder to lean on.
6578698 Yes, I gave up on Josho after Dash left his town, and then all the great things he did after being reintroduced surprised me a great deal.
Well, at least Rainbow's in a much better place mentally. She even seems remorseful about what happened in the Quade.
"Do I look like that to you, friend? Do I look like a human!?"
For the record, that's not a realistic account at all. He'd be toppling over with weakness and pain, actually after such a ravenous feeding on an empty somtach. Just sayin'.
So, Rainbow completely creeps Swab out.
Makes sense that Fluttershy is sticking by Rainbow Dash; she is kindness, after all.
Glad that Rainbow isn't completely alone.
stardestroyer.net/Empire/Tech/Ground/Walker3.jpg
Truly, they are the real monsters.
Aww, we finally had little Swab meet his soon to be saviour... shame this shithole is still filled with depression and all kind of nasty stuff
I know I'm a little behind, but I'm surprised more people aren't surprised that Dash is still injured.
Maybe Monket made the whole chaos-mode Dash thing up. Can't imagine why he would, though.
/confused
Rainbow is branded a monster, and she believes it herself. I think that the true crime here is leaving her alone. Without her friends, I fear for her mental state. I mean, Fluttershy is there, and that's fantastic, but one out of four? And with one more to go?
One becomes very lonely, very fast.
I think swab's going to visit the cell again... voluntarily.
Fluttershy now deserves that loyalty pendant.
6902787
And all of the worlds supply of cookies.
6589002
And we've seen that Dashie doesn't handle loneliness all that well. Something her 'friends' would know about. But yeah, at least she has Flutters.
Holy shit this story is taking a sad, dark turn. Dash is more alone than she has any right to be; three of the girls are being total stuck-up cunts, she's been labeled a monster and she's pretty much believing it entirely, and now she's imprisoned and being beaten by a bunch of asswipes. Seriously, I feel like Twi, Rarara, and Pinkie are even bigger antagonists right now than Monket, Chandler, or these dredger dicks are. So... when is Keris gonna show up? Bard and Wildcard too, because I'm missing them. I need some good events to offset all this depressing crap.
~SolidFire
Ah, makes sense that Fluttershy would be the first to talk to Dash again. I hope the others stop being jerks soon.
Good on you Fluttershy! At least Rainbow has you to talk to.
Her friends are talking to her again?
(Unless she's hallucinating...)
Well, one friend.
No he isn't. A monster does not feel regret or remorse for the things they do, she does, and likely will for the rest of her life.
08/11/2017
20:05 UTC
Y'know, some characters had a conversation a while back in which they speculated that the other m5 wouldn't have survived this adventure as long as Dash has. I think that's bull. Dash was changed by her adventure into someone that can survive it, and I see no reason to believe the same wouldn't be true for the other girls. They're all smart, resourceful ponies. The only thing that separates them from Dash is the year(s?) of experience she's had on the road. They may have taken different paths, but they'd reach their destination.
Disappointing that the other girls aren't experiencing this hardship first hand, but dang if Fluttershy isn't the bravest and most loyal among them all. Especially given she's had less time than all the others to acclimate to this shitshow of a world. Massive respect and also a big lol at the other four that thought she was a delicate flower who wouldn't be able to take it.