Loyalty's Never Gone For Long
“Mrrrrnnnghh...” Rainbow Dash hunched down low against the metal floor, covering her skull with a pair of quivering forelimbs. She gnashed her teeth, her lungs rolling with a deep bass whine, like a feral cat. Her muscles rippled from shoulders to flank, the spine undulating until—at last—her tail lashed wildly. Her body flattened against the rust and grime of the cramped cell, then keeled over with sickly spasms. “Hrssskkkttt-mmfff-Thullsssstiaaaaaa...”
Keris slowly backed away from her, his heart beating hard, forcing his beak to rattle. Upon hearing casual hoofsteps, he looked left, hawkeyes wide.
Skagra was marching up the ramp leading out of the brig. Keris caught a glimpse of the ruby-and-gold pendant in his grasp, and then the top dredger was gone, followed closely by Nixkit and the others.
“What... uhm...” Nixkit cleared his throat, his voice struggling to echo louder than Rainbow's muffled groans. “What am I to do here... exactly, boss?”
“What else, Nixxy?” Skagra stifled a yawn. “Stick around long enough to make sure she gets the job done.”
“But... Skagra... all the horrible stuff she did to Monket's crew—”
“When it gets too hairy, head above deck,” Skagra said, trotting up to where Swab was.
Stifling a whimper, Swab scampered up the ramp and out of sight. The dredgers soon followed, their voices wafting through the barred window and towards Keris' shackled figure in the cell below.
“Seal the place up from above,” Skagra continued. “Put the bolts in place. Make it extra tight.” He trotted out of the brig...
...and out into the sunlight, both eyes squinting. With a muttering breath, Skagra slid the Loyalty Pendant into the chest pocket of his vest and paused to crack his neck muscles. “Hrmmff... whatever happens, make sure Lil' Miss Sunshine down there does not come above deck.”
“You know she's going to trash the brig apart, right?” Nixkit remarked, eyebrow raised. “If she's as wild as Monket claims.”
Skagra looked at him with a bored gaze. “Let her. I don't care if she redecorates... or coats the walls with birdo's blood... furnishes a nursery or whatshityou...”
From a nearby bulkhead overlooking the brig's entrance, Swab's face silently peeked out. His one ear twitched, being craned towards the group of dredgers as Skagra finished briefing Nixkit.
“Just make sure to seal the door to this place,” Skagra said, pointing. “I'll send some of my top stallions to the harvest chambers to grab some dredge dust.”
“You... you think that stuff will do the trick?” Nixkit remarked.
“Nixxy, you're cute. But that's no excuse to forget Muck 101.” He placed a hoof on the stallion's shoulder. “A can of dredge dust can paralyze a full-grown spermwhale.” He patted Nixkit's cheek and trotted off. “Once you're sure the griffon's eaten and dead, pump in four tanks of the stuff downstairs. I don't care how abominable the winged freak is at that point. That could put Verlaxion herself into a deep sleep.” Skagra coughed and spat onto the bulkheads as he broke into a full trot, heading north towards the central platform. “If something bleeds... then that means it can drool. Don't let me down, Nixxy.”
Nixkit blinked. He shared glances with the dredgers standing with him. After a shared nod, the group of stallions marched back down into the metal brig full of echoing growls and hisses.
Swab watched all of this unfold with a dropped jaw. The little colt shivered in place, his yellow eyes dancing anxiously from bulkhead to bulkhead. He took several deep breaths, his eyes eventually settling on Skagra's figure as the top dredger continued his casual stroll back to the central platform. The tell-tale glint of ruby and gold caught the foal's eyes from a distance.
Taking a deep breath, Swab clenched his jaws tight. His nostrils flared, and he exhaled in a squeak as he leapt off the bulkhead, landed half-a-story below, and scampered straight for the eastern struts.
Keris took deep, even breaths.
Slowly, his feathers bent back, he snuck towards Rainbow Dash. He approached the moaning pegasus until his bound talons rested just inches from her quivering forelimbs.
“Miss Dash...” He gulped, his hawkeyes narrowing. “Rainbow. Whatever you're going through right now, I... I-I'm sure you can control it. After all... we've talked with one another. We've discussed things most mortals couldn't even dream of. Regardless of what happened in the Quade, we both know that—deep down inside—you're a rational... thinking mare.”
At this moment, Nixkit and the other dredgers shuffled back into the corridor that sliced through the cells of the brig. They gazed through the bars, their lips pursed with morbid curiosity.
Keris, meanwhile, crouched until his beak was even with Rainbow's writhing skull.
“Keep your mind centered on that aspect of yourself, Rainbow Dash,” Keris said breathily. “Don't lose grasp of it. Surely, with enough meditation and focus, you'll realize that you're still you—”
“Hrkkkkkt! You... you don't get it...” Rainbow Dash sneered. Something pulsed a bright yellow from beneath her fetlocks. “With... snrkkktt... the pendant gone, I am no longer me...”
Keris blinked. Suddenly, his eyes widened, reflecting a vibrant crimson.
Rainbow raised her hooves, revealing twin rivers of blood trickling down from fixed points across her forehead. She glared up at him—red pupils swimming in luminescent yellow seas. “...I become him.” She sneered. “His blood... his... snrkkkt... lust.” Suddenly, those pupils thinned, turning into reptilian slits. “He's... I am... going to kill you, Keris...” She exhaled through a gargling sob. “...and then... scrkkkt... I'm going to... to killll everypony else!” She winced, whimpering. Saliva poured out of her muzzle while—in a flash of bone white—the right side of her front teeth stretched out into a knife-sharp fang. “Grkkkkt—Oh Goddess... Oh Goddess no no no no no!” She rolled over, clutching her skull again as the latest of several torturous moans escaped her quivering muzzle.
Keris' headcrest rolled back. “Verlaxion spare us...” With a gulp, he reached forward to touch her. “Rainbow Dash—”
A hoof swatted blindly at him. “Get away!” She shook and quivered. A pool of blood formed beneath her as her forehead began spouting. “Rrrrnghhh-youuuuuu mussssttkkkt... keep... away from me, Kerissss-snkkktk... Aaaaaaughhh!” A yellow aura beamed from her eyes, no matter how tight she clenched the lids shut. “Not again not again not again! Nnnnghh—Oh Celestia pleasssssssee-snrrkkkt!”
Keris panted and panted. His eyes locked on the mare's hoof—or what remained of it. The left limb was shedding its coat one inch per second, the very end of it splitting off into four hooked points, scaled like a bird's toes...
Swab huffed and puffed.
With liquid grace, the tiny foal hopped over bulkheads, slid under pipework, and vaulted over various lattices of rusted metal.
He threaded his way through the industrial mess of the southern strut, making a bee-line for the very edge of the welded decks.
When he reached the bridge spanning the canal between his location and the east strut, he jumped on a railing and slid the rest of the way.
Landing on the other side, he somersaulted, vaulted back to his tiny hooves, and continued galloping without losing a single millisecond of momentum.
He panted with tiny, fervent breaths.
The metal entrance to the orphanage reflected off his glossy eyes.
“Mmrmmmmffffff!” Rainbow Dash curled up into a little ball... a little ball that was morphing into seven completely unique segments of color and texture. Blue coat hairs gave way to gray fur, tan fuzz, green and brown and yellow scales. She slapped her right limb out—now a talon that scraped and ripped at the floor with such ferocity that it instantly drew thick lines through rusted metal. “Grrrrkkt-hrmmmkkkt!”
Keris slowly backed away from her. His beak clenched as he frowned. At last, he spun towards the center corridor of the brig.
Nixkit and the other dredgers blinked, their eyes locked on the pony's bloody transformation.
The lieutenant stole their attention by clasping his bound talons around the bars. “Let me out.”
They glanced at him.
“Hrmmmff...” Nixkit raised an eyebrow. “You for real?”
Keris kept his cool, speaking in a breathy tone. “Gentlecolts, if there's any shred of decency in you, then you will let me out of this cell at once.”
“Heh...” Another dredger leaned on his shark prod with a smirk. “Wouldn't you know it? Friggin' 'Right Talon of Verlaxion' my ass.”
A third belched, “Throw him into the lion's den and he shows his yellow feathers.”
“How just like a Rohbreddenite,” Nixkit added.
“Listen...” Keris snarled, pressing his beak up to the bars. “This is about more than my life. It's about the lives of everypony on this Barge. What we have here is beyond serious, a dangerous relic originating from west of the Blight. I doubt your leader knows precisely what he's unleashed. I doubt anypony properly understands.”
“Well, you're about to, birdie,” Nixkit said. “Live and first-hoof.”
Keris closed his eyes. He took a deep breath, struggling to speak above the pegasus' beastly moans behind him. “... ... ...let me out of here, and then let us reason things out with Skagra.”
“Boss already gave his orders, Lieutenant,” Nixkit said. “And besides, it stands to reason that the Right Talon is on there way here by now.” He shook his head. “Gotta get rid of all traces of you before your Commander suspects anything.”
“My good stallion, I am the spirit of reason that stays the Right Talon's claws,” Keris said, his voice taking on a growling tone. “You do not know Commander Seraphimus. You do not want to know Commander Seraphimus.” He slowly shook his head. “At least not without my presence to offset her fury with wisdom and dignity.” He pointed both talons at the dredgers. “If she arrives at Red Barge and I'm gone, you will rue the day you were ever foaled.” He continued speaking... even as a dark shadow rose up behind him. “That I can promise you...”
Suddenly, Nixkit's eyes widened. He and the other dredgers backtrotted away from the bars, their gaze locked on the figure behind Keris.
Blinking, the griffon turned around. His beak parted, for something strange stood in Rainbow Dash's place, something with bristled fur, a bumpy forehead, and the scant remains of a tail... still dripping hairs and clumps of horse meat with every twitch and shake.
“Hrssshkkkkktttt...”
Keris weathered a deep breath. He took one look at the metal cuffs situated around his talons, then back at the beast standing in the shadows before him. He grinded his beak together, muscles tensing.
All was silent in the orphanage's bunk room...
...until a tiny colt's thudding hoofsteps reverberated off the rusted walls.
Wheezing for breath, Swab skidded to a stop. He stared exhaustively into the dim space full of blinking faces and barrel fires.
“Rainbow... Dash...” He gnashed his teeth, inhaled tightly, and tried again: “The Rainbow Rogue! Skagra's set her loose! I...” He gulped hard. “You gotta help me!”
Dozens upon dozens of emaciated children simply gawked at him.
“I'm not k-kidding!” Swab stammered, limping sweatily into the room. His panting face hovered in the light of flickering flames. “Skagra's grabbed her pendant! The one thing keeping her normal!” His teeth glinted beneath flaring nostrils. “Now she's gonna get all beastly and wreck the place! It'll be just like what happened to Monket's crew when they nabbed her! Only worse!”
The orphans stared and stared and said nothing.
“For Goddess' sake!” Swab stomped his hooves, frowning. “The griffon! The Lieutenant from Rohbredden that Skagra's got imprisoned down there! She's going to eat him alive if we don't do something!”
The foals blinked at one another. With sullen, melancholic breaths, they hung their little heads and returned to lounging on their grimy beds and mattresses.
Swab panted and panted, his muzzle stuck in a perpetual grimace. He looked to the left, catching the sight of a familiar colt slumped at his table. “Whony!” He dashed over in an instant, hooves scuffling over the rusted floor as he approached the older foal. “Whony! Please! This is crazy important!”
“Mrmmmfff...” Whony stirred, glaring into the rusted bulkheads beside his table. “What do you want?”
“You're the only pony here that anyone will still listen to!” Swab's voice cracked. “Please! You gotta tell them! Tell them to help Rainbow Dash!”
“Mrmmfff...” Whony hugged himself, shuddering. “Why should anyone give a crap about that monster? She's half the reason this place nearly blew up—”
“Because!” Swab reached over, shaking Whony's shoulder. “Skagra's gonna get away with killing more and more ponies off and he's about to use her to do it! You think it'll end with the griffon?”
“I don't care—”
“But you have to! You're the oldest now!” Swab shook his shoulder harder, frowning. “It's what Quint would have done—”
“Rrrrrrraaaugh!” Whony spun about, slamming his hoof across Swab's chest.
“Oomf!” Swab fell hard on his flank.
Whony loomed above the smaller colt, sneering. “Do not bring up Quint! Do not even say his name, you mucking shitheap!” The foal spat, eyes on fire. “You know what? I'm glad the Rainbow Rogue's going nuts! I hope she dies along with every thing you pretend to care about... friggin' coward.” He sniffled, leaning back into his seat with his forelimbs folded. “You ask me, Skagra shoulda fed you to her instead of the griffon.”
“So...” Swab sat up, fuming. “You're not going to help?”
“What's to help?” Whony muttered. Sighing, he cradled his head in his hooves. “Doesn't matter what happens to the Rogue... or to anypony. We're all bloat... we're all bloat and nothing's gonna change that...”
Swab inhaled... exhaled... then clenched his teeth. He tightened his muscles, preparing to shout something back, when—
“Skagra took her pendant, Swab?”
The colt spun around, blinking.
Croche's sunken eyes stared at him with twitching shock. She stood next to several of the newcomer foals beside a stack of mattresses.
Holding his breath, Swab scampered over to her and came to a rough stop, nodding. “Yes.” He gulped. “And I-I think he's headed back to the Skag Hole!” His eyes widened. “We gotta go and get it back before he locks the necklace away or... or—”
“What do you mean we?” Croche breathed.
“Croche, there's nopony on this Barge who's as good a pickpocketer as you,” Swab exclaimed.
“Swab...” Croche sighed, grimacing slightly. “I... I've never stolen from a top dredger before—”
“Will you help me?!”
“It... it's just—”
“There's no time! The friendly griffon who defended us is gonna die!” Swab leaned forward. “Will you help me?!”
Croche stared back. She gulped, then muttered, “We'll need more than just two of us.”
Swab looked around... and around and around. He spun a jittery circle before his gaze fell upon the frightened faces of the newcomers. Eyes brightening, he exhaled, “Croche has been teaching you guys how to get by, huh? How to work and earn nibbles?”
The young foals nervously nodded.
Swab took a deep breath. “... I'll give you a full week of my nibbles if you help us get the Rainbow Rogue's necklace back!”
The children exchanged glances.
Swab was about to say something else when Croche stepped in. “And I'll give you my nibbles for the second and third week!” She leaned in. “...deal?”
Swab blinked at her.
The children looked at one another, then nodded fervently at Croche and Swab.
“Uhm... Croche?” Swab gulped. “That's... that's, uh—”
“You said Skagra's heading to his office?” she exclaimed.
He nodded.
“Then let's go! There's no time, right?”
Swab was already galloping up and out of the hold. Croche and half-a-dozen little foals dashed after him, rushing up into the sunlight.
As they passed Whony, the older colt glanced over. He grumbled under his breath, then lay on his mattress, facing the far wall in dull silence.
Eight little figures galloped out of the hold in the middle of the eastern strut. Forming a straight line, Swab and the others dashed northwest, heading straight for the central platform of Red Barge. With nimble ease, they hopped over pipes and slid under metal barriers, navigating the wild, random metalscape as swiftly as their tiny legs could carry them. Within seconds, they slid into the dense clusters of pipework, vanishing completely...
...but not without being spotted by a vigilant pair of eyes.
Digiff stood in a guard tower, his brow furrowed. The dredger scratched his beard. His gaze fell on the towering structures and smokestacks of the central platform... and then traced its way back to where the eight orphans had disappeared in full-gallop.
He exhaled heavily, blinking. Then, with silent grace, he climbed out of the tower and slid down towards the bulkheads below.
“Hrssss-sssshktttlttt...” A disjointed, barely-furry thing squared off against Keris, slowly creeping towards him on two talons, a hoof, and a paw pad.
The griffon strafed to the side, keeping a fair distance. Keris held his shackled talons out, speaking through a tight beak.
“Easy... easy there...”
Nixkit and the others watched from beyond the bars, stupified.
“Hrssssssss—” The beast spontaneously lunged two feet—“Hraauckkt!”—then retracted. It hunched low with fangs glimmering from beyond the shadows. “Hrssss-ssskkkttt...”
Keris kept his distance. He spoke, shuddering. “Rainbow Dash...” With a grimace, he shook his feathery head, then proceeded in a deeper voice. “Fluttershy... if you're in there...” He gulped. “...and right now I sorely hope that you are... then help your friend. Help Rainbow Dash stay focused.” He shook his head. “You don't want her turning any more than—”
“Hraaauccckt!” The thing lunged again.
“—th-than I do!” Keris sneered, hopping back once more out of reach of the creature's jaws. He shuffled in a tight circle, constantly facing the undulating, patchwork beast. “Maybe you c-couldn't talk her out of it in the Quade. But right here?” He shuddered. “Work with me. Just work with me. Same goes for the rest of you...” He blinked. “...Pinkie Sparkle... mmm... Twilight Rareshy...”
The monster hissed... trilled. Glowing yellow eyes remained locked on Keris as it walked sideways across the floor... up the prison cell's wall... then casually across the ceiling with the frigid grace of a spider.
The lieutenant's magenta eyes tilted upwards. He hissed through his beak. “If there's anything... any semblance of her home inside this creature... reach out to her. Tell her to stop before—”
“Hrkkk!” The monster suddenly lurched in place. It shook its head left and right, groaning inwardly. Then, after momentary spurts of hot red juices, two hardened knobs protruded from the thing's forehead, dripping with blood. It exhaled, its back bristling with a fresh layer of coarse gray fur. “Hrskkkkktttt-ttt-ttt...”
Keris gulped. “...I'm guessing she doesn't hear you anymore.”
“Hresshaaaaukkt!” It leapt off the ceiling with a flash of fangs, twirling violently towards the griffon.
High above, along the top balcony to the central platform's structure, Skagra swung the door to his office wide open and casually trotted in. “Monket! What a surprise to still see your skull tentacles oozing all over my décor!”
“We're not done talking, Skagra. I need to know how the exchange is going to fall through.”
“Wowsers. They really breed your skulls thick below Mudtop, huh? For the gazillionth time, Monkey Mister Nastikins, this is how it's going to go down...” The door swung shut, muffling the conversation inside the Skag Hole.
Meanwhile, three stories directly below...
Eight foals approached the edge of the structure. Clumping up in a tight group, Swab, Croche, and the six foals hid behind a stack of crates.
“Okay...” Swab took a deep breath, inching out from where he hid. “We just gotta run up the ramps and—”
Croche grabbed his shoulder with a tight hoof. “No.” She shook her head, gulping. “Skagra will have his top dredgers on patrol if Monket's there to chat.”
Swab blinked at her, then looked straight up. Several jagged bulkheads and ledges formed an uneven wall against the south side of the central structure. “Well, then, the only way there is...” He motioned over his head.
Croche took a deep breath, then spun to face the smaller foals. “You've only been down in the hold for a few days. How're your muscles?”
The children flexed their limbs before her.
A tiny smile formed beneath her sunken eyes. “Good thing your parents fed you regularly.” Fighting off a shudder, she motioned above. “We're gonna help you little ones climb up, and then the whole bunch of you are going to help me and Swab up. Think you can do that?”
The foals nodded.
“Let's work as a team, okay?” Croche remarked. “That's how we get stuff done around the Barge. By working together. Alright? Now... you guys go first.” She stood in place, the motioned to Swab. “Swab...?”
The colt rushed over to her side. They squatted side by side, flattening their spines and flanks.
Two foals clambered up to their backs.
Once they were on top, Swab and Croche stood up straight, hoisting the foals higher. The foals leapt up, grabbing the nearest ledges. Once they found even hoofing, Swab and Croche hoisted up the next two foals... and then the last pair after them. Within seconds, all of the children had ascended half-a-story above the two. Then they reached down and—with their combined strength—pulled Croche up after them. Then Croche reached down, adding to their muscle-power. This lifted Swab up. The group collectively caught their breaths, and then Croche and Swab stood in place on the ledge so that they could repeat the entire process.
All the while, a brief break in the clouds formed, allowing sunlight to glint off the rusted lengths of the central structure...
“Htttt!” Keris rolled nimbly across the cell room floor. He was barely standing when the monster lunged at him again, slashing at his unguarded flank.
“Hraaaauckt!” A left talon full of razor sharp claws sang through the air.
Keris ducked, then jumped to the side. The monster dove again, swinging the same limb. “Grnngh!” Keris flung both talons up. Cl-Clank! Sparks spat out from the contact the monster's claws made with his bindings. Before the griffon could recover, the beast suddenly swung a left paw, contacting hard with the Lieutenant's beak. “Oooomf!” The blow was stronger than he expected, and it sent him rolling across the floor until he landed with his back against the bars.
“Rrkkkkkttt!” Thud-Thud-Thud-Thud! The beast scurried towards him on all fours, dragging blood and loose clumps of blue fur. “RAAAUCKKT!” It dove at full force.
With a grunt, Keris dove once more out of the way.
CLANGGG! The beast's skull rammed hard into the door to the jail cell. Three whole bars were beant savagely.
Nixkit and the dredgers jumped back, catching their breaths. The Bargers looked at one another, nodding.
“Show's over, boys.”
“Right. After you, sir.”
Nixkit trotted briskly up the ramp and towards the top deck. A few dredgers lagged behind, blinking at the gruesome struggle inside the cell. At last, all the dredgers left, and the entire brig echoed from the groan of metal hinges as the door to the place was sealed above.
“Ooomf!” Sweating, heaving, Keris placed his feline back to the rusted wall of the tight room. THUDDD! He jolted, looking straight up at the light as it dimmed through the barred window high above. His ears ached from the sounds of thick iron bolts being locked in place. “Mrmmmfff... godless blood sporters...”
Just then, a pained howl came from the other side of the cell.
Keris spun to look, his hawkeyes blinking.
A thick length of blue feathers slumped to the ground between him and his foe... like a limp wreath. Keris' eyes traveled up the lengths of the quivering creature's backside to see that its pegasus wings had been replaced with leathery appendages, dripping with blood and pus.
“Verlaxion, I entreat you—” Keris started, though he barely had time to finish.
“Hrrrkkkkt—” The beast came charging towards him, both paw and talon swiping. “HRESKKKKT!”
With tiny grunts and panting breaths, the eight foals hoisted each other up and up the southern wall of the central tower. They worked as a team, scaling the rusted surface like tiny ants, pausing only when a dredger passed by a nearby balcony's ledge.
Once the coast was clear, Swab dashed out, followed by Croche. Not wasting a second, they hoisted the other six up... and the other six helped them higher in turn. They ascended to the next level before a patrolling stallion could catch them.
There was no time to breathe—much less sweat. Croche coached the six foals with tiny, whispered words, but that was it. With the grace of rising smoke, they approached the Skag hole—looming just meters above their windblown manes...
“Hraaauckkkt!” The beast swung its claws at Keris. Swissssh!
Keris dashed to the right.
“Raaaaakkkkcct!” Sl-Slassssh!
Keris swung to the left. As the beast attacked a third time, he bravely slid forward on his knees, lifting the manacles straight up—talons apart.
CR-CRACKKK! This time, the beast's claws were just sharp enough to snap Keris' manacles in two.
Without wasting another breath, Keris duck the thing's next lunge, punched the beast in the chest, then slammed both of his hind legs into the monster's knees. “Hrnnnttt!”
“Hraaaashaaaucktt!” The creature stumbled. Within a blink, Keris climbed up its back and mounted the beast's shoulders.
“Htttt!” The griffon slapped the palms of his talons over the monster's yellow eyes, blinding it. His limbs tightened like a vice as he snarled through his beak. “Stand down! Don't make me blind you or—”
Blood oozed out of the beast's skull and against Keris' chest.
“...huh?” The Lieutenant looked straight down.
Sch-Schlunnnnnk! A horn and an antler spontaneously grew the rest of their lengths, shooting out of the beast's crown like a cannon. They grazed Keris' flesh, spilling blood.
“Aaaaugh!” He yelped, leaning back from the sharp mutations, teetering.
There was another grotesque sound—slimy and fowl. Out of the corners of his eyes, Keris spotted a serpentine tail protruding from the once-pegasus' hindquarters. It snaked up, wrapped around Keris' torso three times, then flung him like a slingshot against the far wall of the cell. Thwooosh!
“Ooomf!” Keris landed hard, then collapsed on the floor.
“Hrssssskkkt...” The beast spun around, then sprung into action with twice as many muscles as it had a minute ago. The thing bounced off the wall, the ceiling, then pounced mercilessly down onto the griffon. “HRESSHKKKT!”
“...and he'll bring the platinum bars just like we asked him to,” Skagra's voice drifted out of his office in eerie clarity. “The terms of this exchange means that he'll have the hold of his ship chock-full of the glittery shit. If you doubt that, Monket, you can send some of your trusted pegasus messengers to go check Chandler's cargo with their naked eyes.”
Grunting, Swab pulled himself over the final ledge of the topmost balcony. He squinted upwards through a sweat-stained brow. His eyes locked on the porthole to Skagra's office.
Monket's voice rolled through. “Obviously he'll want to check your payment first, Skagra. What guarantee do we have that the Rainbow Rogue will be... pacified by the time he gets here? Chandler is expected to arrive any minute now...”
“Praise Verlaxion...” Swab breathily squeaked.
“Hrmmmf...” Croche dangled beneath him, wincing. “What is it?”
Swab spun, reached downward, and hoisted her up. “The porthole's still open!” He uttered hoarsely. “We don't have to try and get through the front door!”
“No more 'we,' Swab,” Croche grunted.
He blinked at her. “Huh?”
She spoke as she reached down to hoist two of the foals up. “It's too dangerous for more than one of us to sneak into the Skag Hole.”
“Yeah...” He reached down, helping two more up. “But—”
“No 'buts,'” Croche insisted, helping one more onto the balcony. “You brought me because of my skills in stealing, right?”
Swab pulled up the last foal. “Well, yes—”
“Then let me do this,” Croche said. “For Rainbow Dash.” She gulped, approaching the wall. The porthole loomed above her, reverberating with the two stallions' voices. “In the meantime...”
Swab nodded. “I'll be here to help you back down.” He looked at the others. “And you guys will act as a look out, won't you?”
The foals replied, some even saluting.
“I'll need to get up there—” Croche began.
“Right. Come on, guys.” Swab squatted below the porthole, bracing himself. The other foals climbed on top of him. Together, they formed a living pyramid.
Croche wasted no time in climbing it. When she reached the porthole—however—she paused. Gazing down at the group beneath her, she waved a hoof gently while mouthing: “Be. Still.”
Swab and the others nodded. They locked their limbs in place—nevertheless trembling from Croche's weight.
Holding her breath, Croche slowly... slowly peeked her sunken eyes over the lid of the open porthole. She gazed at two tall figures pacing around each other in the room.
“Dredge Dust?!” Monket stammered. “That's your answer, Skagra?!”
“Don't unsexify the plan with that mucking tone of yours, Monket.” Skagra twirled and twirled a golden necklace around his scarred fetlock. “That shit's priceless fuel for the drill turbines down below.”
“And you think that just... pumping that material into the brig is going to bring the monster down???”
“Pffft! How hard can it be?”
“Hraaaaaaaaaa-aaauckkkt!” The beast's fanged jaws fought against the griffon's talons.
“Nnnnnghhh-snkkkt!” Keris struggled and sweated, holding the mutated mouth back. Pungent saliva dribbled across his feathers and beak as he wrestled with the monstrosity—which had tripled in size and girth. “Goddess... g-grant me strength!” In desperation, he threw his head forward, stabbing his beak into the creature's neck.
Blood splattered across the rusted metal floor.
The beast threw its head back, shrieking.
“Grrrgh!” Keris slashed with his left talon, then his right. He followed both flesh wounds with a savage kick from his legs. “Haaaugh!”
The monster stumbled off of him, teetering.
Keris hopped back on all fours, panting. Squinting.
The Lieutenant watched in dumb silence as the deep lacerations in the monster's flesh sealed themselves up within seconds of being inflicted. The beast tilted his elongated muzzle down, hissing with a surly growl.
Keris gulped. “Oh bother...”
Stomp stomp stomp stomp! The hulking abomination charged at full force, ramming hard into Keris. The griffon was entangled with the thing's antlers, and he couldn't get loose in time. CLANGGG! The weight of the charge sent the both of them smashing through the door of their cell, littering the brig's corridor with clattering metal bars.
Monket rubbed his forehead, groaning. “Even if you manage to conk out the Rainbow Rogue, Skagra, Chandler's gonna think that you've damaged the goods.”
Croche saw Monket's line of sight broken. With Skagra's back to her, she took the opportunity to slither in and through the porthole. She dropped down to the carpeted floor with feline grace, then slinked her way beneath a dusty table.
“If you ask me, the fat cat should count his blessings that she's still in one piece at all.” Skagra's hooves shuffled immediately past her. Golden bands rippled across the room from torchlight reflecting off the necklace being twirled around Skagra's fetlock. “After all, it was his meddling that nearly saw her burnt to a crisp by Mudtop's finest. Erm... no offense.”
Monket folded his forelimbs with a frown. “I think you're putting too much stock into his desperation.”
Skagra's legs shuffled past Croche again. “And you're not putting enough into it.” Clink. The Loyalty Pendant rested on the hoofrest of Skagra's recliner. “Remember, Monket. Chandler's not smart...”
Croche blinked. Licking her lips, the filly inched forward, stretching a hoof out from underneath the table as she reached for the pendant—
“He's just rich.” Skagra's hooves came to a scuffling stop, nearly brushing with her fetlock.
Croche jerked back beneath the table, wincing. She heard the loud pop of a whiskey bottle directly above her.
“It ain't wise to mistake wealth for intelligence in this world,” Skagra said.
“Hrmmf...” Monket grunted. “And here we are, getting hard-ons over a big shipment of platinum bars.”
“Heh...” Skagra's voice rasped over the trickle of his pouring a drink. “Very cute.”
Croche bit her lip, eyes locked on the pendant dangling from the hoof-rest.
Swab winced, knees wobbling as he supported the weight of the foals above him. He looked up, whispering hoarsely. “Does she have it yet?”
The topmost foal peeked through the porthole, then glanced down at him. She shook her head.
Swab gulped. Just then, he heard heavy hoofsteps. He wheezed. “Scatter... Scatter!”
The living pyramid disassembled. The seven foals dashed off into opposite directions. Some hid behind crates, others under loose bundles of equipment. Swab—in the meantime—heaved himself over the balcony and hung off the side, holding his breath.
With dull, even steps, Digiff came trudging up the ramp. He scuffled to a stop just outside Skagra's office.
“... ... ...”
His brow furrowed as he glanced left, then right. The bearded stallion strolled a few more steps, gazing off the side of the balcony.
Swab dangled just beneath him. The tips of his fetlocks felt the dredger's heated breaths. Stifling a squeak, the colt hung there, glancing nervously south towards the distant entrance of the brig where Nixkit and several other stallions stood in a tight cluster.
Down below, Keris rolled painfully across the central corridor of the brig amidst a sea of loose bars.
The monster thrashed and hissed beside him—all fur and antlers and fangs.
Panting, Keris scampered away—tripping multiple times on the metal debris all around him.
Getting up, the beast slashed and clawed at the griffon's tail, creating fresh potholes in the metal floor.
Keris grunted under his breath. He picked up speed, jerked to the side, then flung himself through the first doorframe he could find. He rolled into an empty cell, jumped up, then sealed the door swiftly from within. Clanggg!
No sooner was he stepping back when—
SMASSSH! The beast plowed straight through the closed entrance to the cell, spilling bars all across the floor. It perched several feet across from Keris, hissing, its extra-lengthy spine bristling with coarse gray hairs and a raggedy black mane.
Keris panted. He looked down, grabbed one of the bars, then swung it hard. “Grgnnngh!”
Wham! The monster's face jerked left.
Keris swung again. “Htttt!”
Wh-Whack! The monster's face jerked right. It slowly pivoted to sneer at Keris, and upon the griffon's third swing—CLAMP!—it bit down the middle of the metal bar and—CRACK!—snapped it in two.
Keris blinked. Grimacing, his bound wings instinctively flexed as he dove sideways.
“Hrssssstkkkk—HRAAUKT!” The beast lunged, claws swinging.
Sliiiiink! “Aaaaaugh!” Keris howled in pain as blood flew from his shoulder.
“Eeeugh...” Skagra slumped back into his recliner, swirling a glass of whiskey in his left hoof. “You can't be blamed for being paranoid about... well... everything, Monketboi.” He took a sip, fussed with his glossy red bangs, then rested his right hoof just inches away from where the ruby pendant dangled. “Hell, if I was raised as a slave and then grew up to horsehandle other slaves, I'd question everything about the seven seas too.” He took another sip, swallowed, and pointed with his whiskey glass. “But you're missing one key thing.”
“Mrrmmmff...” Monket paced back and forth, eyes tracing the furthest walls of the office. “Another one of your psychotic lectures, Skagra?”
“Dayum straight.”
Croche held her breath. Now was her chance. She snuck out from beneath the table and slithered forward across the carpet, one icy hoof after another. Her gaze locked on the ruby lightning bolt wobbling just centimeters from where Skagra's right forelimb rested.
Nervously, Swab peered his eyes over the edge of the balcony.
Digiff was staring suddenly at the open porthole. The dredger scratched his beard... fidgeted... then glanced at the front door to the Skag Hole.
Swab gulped, readjusting his grip of the ledge.
Slowly, Digiff shuffled over to the office's entrance. He brought his hoof up to knock on it.
Swab grimaced.
“HraaAAAaaauckt!” The beast's swung its claws again.
And Keris—again—was too slow to properly dodge. A vicious scar instantly formed across his lower left leg.
“Gaaaaaghh!” The griffon rolled across the floor, doused in his own blood. “Mrmmmgghh...” He squinted through pained eyes. “Goddess—!”
GRIP! A tight paw clenched around his throat.
“Grkkk—ssnkkkt!” Keris' vision teared up as he clutched the beast's arm. He dangled, struggling to breath within the creature's grasp. His lower legs kicked and swatted the monster in desperation until one well-timed kick struck the middle of the thing's neck.
“Hsnkkkktt!” The creature dropped him, stumbling.
Keris rolled backwards. He tried standing up, but his bloodied leg throbbed in pain. “Aaagh-haaaugh!” He stumbled, kneeling.
With a hiss, the creature charged once more.
Holding his breath, Keris readied his body with both talons crossed in front of him.
WHUMP! The creature tackled him. Keris bit hard onto its shoulder, leaking blood and forcing the monster to shriek—although it only ran faster. Soon, both of them went bursting through the wall of the next cell behind them. POWWW! Metal shards flew everywhere in a cloud of dust, bathing the beast and its prey.
Croche crept and crept towards Skagra's chair.
From her vantage point, she saw a flounce of red mane hair, then the swirl of a whiskey glass.
“Being born from the muck... living on it... it makes us adaptable. Like liquid,” the top dredger said.
The ruby pendant was so close that the filly could see her sunken eyes reflected in its golden surface.
Swab held his breath.
Digiff blinked. His ears folded suddenly... and he brought his hoof back from the front door.
The dangling colt quietly exhaled.
With a frown, Digiff snorted... then trotted briskly down the ramp and away from the uppermost balcony.
Swab watched the dredger depart. Once the bearded stallion was gone from sight, he hoisted himself over the balcony's edge and hissed into the shadows. The other six foals came scampering out of hiding, and they regrouped just beneath the porthole.
“But then there's me,” Skagra exhaled. He raised his right hoof, clasping the other side of the whiskey glass as he twirled it in both limbs. “Born a second time... through steam.” He slowly shook his head. “You think I'm crazy? Mrmmmfff... I'm just evolved... evolved beyond the dull herd of penitent zealots who would otherwise let the waves and frost wash over them.” He sighed, his breath fogging the lid of the glass, before it once again cleared to reflect both halves of his scarred face. “And you know what the awful part is? It sucks to know that you're the worst this world has to offer... and yet the most enlightened. Be glad you can just... grab your platinum bars and run with them, Monket, instead of having to smell what you are underneath. Cuz after so many long years... it still smolders... right through the flesh...”
Croche locked her rear limbs in place. She leaned forward... stretching... stretching... until her little hoof made contact with the pendant.
And just like that, a reflection jerked in the gold surface of the necklace. It wasn't hers.
Croche looked up... and a pair of cold red eyes stared right back down at her. She paled instantly, sunken eyes wide.
Monket looked squarely at the filly, standing dead-still.
Croche was breathless.
“Monket?” Skagra stifled a belch. He shifted, leaning forward in his chair. “Something... something you see?”
The slaver of the waves took a deep, deep breath. “Yes...” He nodded, lips curving. “Yes, Skagra. I do see.” He turned to face the top dredger. “I see that I was wrong to doubt you. Clearly you are the better choice over Chandler.”
“Hrmmmfff...” Skagra leaned back, taking another sip. “You can sure as Hell say that again.”
Croche blinked.
Monket trotted slowly to Skagra's left, causing the Red Barger's head to turn towards him. “I see that... beyond your wanton bloodlust... your psychotic penchant for destruction... and your ugly-as-sin mane, you really are the eccentric genius the seven seas deserve. And this plan of yours? This wild... bold... daring vision you've got cooked up?” He smiled again. His eyes darted to the right, contacting Croche's once more. “You should run with it. Run very far. Seal the deal... make the ones in charge suck on their own muck.”
Croche clenched her teeth hard. She snatched the pendant off the hoofrest, spun in a circle, and scurried up the wall and through the porthole.
At last, Skagra hummed. “Hmmm... glad you could come around to your senses, Monket, but yeesh...” He took a final sip of his glass and tossed the thing into the corner of the room, shattering it. “Ease up a bit. I thought I'd partnered up with the Slaver of the Waves... not the Fluffer of Mudtop.”
“Heh... what can I say?” Monket shrugged with a flounce of his dreads. “I'm new to oceanwide domination. Now... if you'll excuse me...” He bowed slightly. “...I think I need to go and... check up on my goods.”
“Grnnfff... mmff...” Croche squirmed, slithered, shimmied—and finally threaded her panicked way through the porthole. Sooner than she expected, she fell out the other side like a tiny anvil. “Gaaie!”
Swab and the other foals caught her.
“Gotcha!” Swab exhaled, setting her down. “Did you—?”
“R-right here!” Croche held the pendant up with a victorious exhale. “Now what?”
“We gotta get it back to the brig!” Swab was already climbing over the balcony's edge, dropping down to the next ledge below. “Then I'll put it back over Rainbow's neck so she'll be herself again!”
“Wait, what?!” Croche stammered. The door to Skagra's office opened wide, and she heard Monket's heavy hoofsteps. Gnashing her teeth, she vaulted over the balcony's edge, shimmying down the ledges along with the other six foals.
Trembling...
Bleeding...
Keris crawled achingly across the corridor of the brig, covered in dust and debris.
Deep, dull thuds echoed menacingly behind him, drawing closer.
He felt the shadow of the beast creeping over him like a shroud.
With a deep breath, Keris composed himself. He locked his body up, pained muscles coiled.
He waited and waited...
At last, the talon of the beast grabbed tightly around the griffon's ankle.
Sneering, Keris uncoiled his body. He sprung back onto the monster's grip and raked both of his claws across the creature's wrist, making sure to cut deep.
“Hraaa-aaaaussnkkkt!!!” The beast stumbled backwards, bleeding profusely.
Panting, Keris clawed and scampered up the ramp of the brig, putting distance between himself and his foe before the chaotic flesh had time to heal.
Still, within seconds, he heard hissing and the pounding of feet clamoring after him. He rushed his way towards the top deck in a cold sweat.
“Swab! Swab!” Croche flung the pendant around her own neck so she could finish climbing down to the bottom of the platform. “You can't be serious! Putting this back around her neck?!?”
Swab reached the floor first. One by one, he helped the six foals down and shoved them in random directions. “Scatter! Take different paths back to the hold!” he exclaimed. “Get out of sight and stay safe!”
“Swab! Listen to me!” Croche jumped down next to him, panting. “If Rainbow Dash is all monstery right now, then she could rip you apart—”
“Do you have the pendant?”
“Of course—”
“Then let's go!” Swab immediately began galloping towards the canals bordering the southern strut. “If we get there quickly enough, there may still be time to save the Lieutenant—”
“Swab, how do you even plan to get down there? I heard Skagra say something about the place being sealed off!”
“The same way I got thrown down there the first time!” Swab exclaimed, panting through a smiling muzzle. He dashed over and under bulkheads. “Through the loose steam pipe above the cell!”
“Loose steam pipe?”
“Come on! Hurry!”
Hyperventilating, Keris reached the top of the ramp...
...only to run straight into the metal grate sealing the entrance to the brig off completely.
He hissed through his beak, then grabbed the grate with both talons. Growling, he shook and rattled the obstruction—but there was no chance of jostling it loose from its foundation.
“Rnnnngh! Come onnnn!” His hawkeyes traced the edges of the thick metal bars locked horizontally in place. “Let me out!” His voice cracked. He spotted the vague, emotionless shadows of Nixkit and his fellow dredgers standing directly above him. “For Goddess' sake!” He shouted above the dull reverberations of hellish claw-steps, growing closer, exploding in his ears. “You have to let me out of—”
A serpentine tail wrapped around his torso.
The equine shadows above flinched.
Keris struggled to even gasp as his body was flung backwards—and over a pair of antlers. He toppeled twice in midair before—WHAM!—colliding hard with a metal wall. “Ooomf!” He fell down—and almost instantly a thick brown hoof came slamming down over the middle of his forelimb. CRACK! His ears rang with the snapping of bone. “Aaaa-aaaaaaaugh!” Keris wailed as his talon dangled at a hard right angle.
“Hrssskkkt!” The beast crouched and rammed the maimed griffon's side, its antlers spraying blood across the bulkheads.
Keris rolled limply down the full length of the ramp like a slab of meat. The chaotic abomination slinked after him, stalking ravenously...
“Swab... please...” Croche panted and wheezed. “...can you... just...” Her gallop lurched to an uneven trot behind him. “...slow down... a l-little...?”
“There's no time!” Swab stammered, already several spaces ahead of her. He spanned the bridge and sped over the decks of the southern strut. “If we stop for even a breather, it could be too late to stop—”
Just then, a blaring fog-horn lit the air.
Swab scuffled to a stop.
Croche did too.
Swab spun around, muzzle agape. He lost visual contact with Croche—due to the bridge lifting between them. “Oh no...”
Croche spun a look to the east. A motorboat was waiting to navigate the canals. Swab's section of the southern strut was drifting away from the central platform. “Swab! There's a boat coming!”
“Do you still have the pendant?!”
“Well, yes, but—”
Swab galloped up to the edge, holding his hooves out. “Throw it!”
“What?!”
The colt hollered over the bubbling water and muck. “We're only going to drift further apart! You gotta toss it to me now!” His teeth showed. “Now, Croche!”
“I... I...” Croche fidgeted, hugging the pendant to her chest. “B-but what if I can't throw it far enough—?”
“I wouldn't have asked for your help unless I believed in you! Now toss it!”
Croche jolted. Biting her lip, she took a few steps back, galloped forward, and flung her forelimb with all her might. “Nnngh!”
The necklace flew high, spinning.
Swab tilted his head up. Limbs outstretched, he breathlessly reached for it.
Clank! The pendant ricocheted off a guard tower and fell into the drink.
“Mmmm!” Croche flung her hooves over her muzzle. “Goddess—!”
“Gnngh!” Swab lunged over the strut's edge, anchoring himself to a pipe with his tail. Th-Thap! He caught the pendant with the barest edge of his fetlock. “Whew...” He leaned back, holding the thing up and smiling. “See, Croche? If you just dare to cling onto hope—”
“Get going, you stupid mucking bastard!” Croche spat, waving her forelimbs frantically. “Go! Save Rainbow!”
Wincing, Swab spun around and dashed off in a little brown blur. He huffed and puffed, rushing straight for the brig.
Croche stood in place, hugging herself as her breaths came and went in frantic bursts.
Keris panted and panted, his breaths seeping in and out in tiny, whimpering bursts. He clawed at the rubble-strewn floor with his one good talon, dragging his haggard body across the length of the corridor.
“Hrssskkkt!” The beast charged up, bucking his thick brown hoof into the griffon's side.
“Mrrrnnghh!” Keris barely had the consciousness left to feel pain. He continued shambling forward, inching over the floor like an injured snake. His eyes were locked on a thick slab of debris that had collapsed from the ceiling supports during the pirate raid. The rubble formed a right angle against the far wall with a tiny, shadowed space underneath. In wheezing desperation, Keris slithered and shimmied towards it, dragging his broken arm alongside...
“Hrraaaaukkkt!” The discordant thing rushed again, this time slapping Keris' ribcage with his paw.
“Unnngh!” Keris rolled across the floor and away from his destination. He winced, clinging desperately to a set of bars as the lumbering beast stomped towards him yet again...
Swab's hooves were practically numb as he rounded a final cluster of pipework.
He strafed left and right around random heaps of battle-strewn junk. At last, he came upon a straightaway. The brig lingered dead ahead... and above it he saw the raised platform full of vertical steampipes.
“Oh please... yes, please...” Swab stammered, his lips curving as he tossed his mane back in mid-sprint. “Oh Verlaxion, thank you—”
A thick leg stuck out from behind a random bulkhead, tripping him.
“...!!” Swab face-planted. Hard. “Ooomf!” The Loyalty Pendant flew from his grasp and slid to a stop several rusted feet in front of him. Wincing, he stretched his legs to get back up.
That's when the stallion emerged, kicking the colt hard in the side. “Rrrgh!” Whap!
“Aaaugh!” Swab yelped, rolling over. A dirty, bearded face blurred across his flashing vision.
“Hah!” Digiff spat. “Caught you, ya little seafoam shit!” He stomped over, sneering. “By Verlaxion's balls, I knew you were up to something!” He reached down, grabbing the foal by his one scrappy ear.
“Owwww!” Swab hissed, his muzzle scrunched in pain. “Ow ow ow ow—”
“What were you doing up by the Skag Hole? Huh?!” Digiff hollered in his face. “Answer me!”
Swab merely dangled, his eyes weakly squinting at the glittering pendant.
“Rrrrrghh...” Digiff snorted. “I've had it up to here with you!” And he flung the colt hard to the ground before kicking him again. “Raugh!”
Thwap!
“Unnfff!” Swab rolled again, clutching his side in pain. He panted and wheezed. The polluted world spun.
WHAM!
The beast pummeled Keris yet again.
The griffon winced all over, spitting up blood. His vision went foggy... then refocused. He found himself staring at the chunk of debris yet again.
“Hraaaaaauckt!” The monster swung his paw down yet again.
Clenching his beak shut, the Lieutenant expertly pivoted his body towards the incoming blow. CRACK! Just as he hoped, the strike was powerful enough to break the bands around his wings. He stretched his feathers out, took a deep breath, and flapped as hard as he could.
His body bolted forward, bounced twice across the floor, then rolled against the far wall.
The monster howled in frustration, then charged towards him on bounding talons.
Grunting, Keris rolled to the side, ducking underneath the slab of debris.
“HRASSHAAAAUCKT!” Angrily, the beast perched right on top of the rubble and began pounding... clawing... pummeling away. Almost instantly, the thing snapped, forming a thick crack down the center.
Keris compensated by bracing the underside of the slab with two wings his three good limbs. The very act sent ripples of agonizing pain shooting all through his muscles. Nevertheless, he pushed against the weight of the beast as best as he could, even as shrapnel and flakes of rusted metal littered his feathery head in droves. He swung his beak left and right, desperate for a clean breath. His skull throbbed from the deaffening roars of the beast looming just a flimsy layer of buckling metal above him.
“Always snooping around...” Digiff rambled, stalking the wilted colt with thudding hoofsteps. “...throwing your nibbles away, left and right. Don't pretend that I didn't see you, ya little sea foam waste of sperm. You think you're a real smartass, huh? Thought you could shove it in my face? Like all the others?”
Swab shook, trembled. Tears welled up in his eyes as he pulled, clambered, and tugged at the bulkheads. His eyes were locked on the pendant as he crawled icily towards it, one glacial inch at a time.
“The worst part is...” Digiff stood over the colt, growling. “...you cost me the hardest worker of the bunch. Just what did Quint see in you, huh? Well, muck-for-brains?! What did you infect that punk with so that he'd throw his flesh away and bloat?! Did you really want to make my life that much harder?! As if the poor dredge harvest wasn't cruddy enough?!”
Swab wheezed, reaching out for the pendant. His hoof almost grazed it.
Suddenly, the necklace drew away—for Swab was dangling from the bearded stallion's grasp.
“I think it's high time you got yourself a healthy dose of humility, boy,” Digiff breathed in his face. Th-Thwkkk! He unfolded a switchblade and held it up to the little colt's skull. “And I think...” He smirked. “...an exchange is in order. Huh? Let's see you keep a lesson shut in that dense head of yours once your last ear is gone—”
Th-Th-Th-Th-Thap! A lithe body rushed up out of nowhere and—WHAM!—speared Digiff in the gut.
“Ooof!” The stallion fell back, entangled with another pony.
“Guh!” Swab fell down, collapsing atop the pendant. He looked over, his amber eyes twitching. “Whony?!”
“What are you waiting for?!” The older colt flashed a look back, panting. “Grab the thing and run!”
“I...” Swab stammered, wincing from fresh bruises. “I-I...”
“Get going, idiot!” Whony snarled. “I'm not going to tell you twice—”
“You!” Digiff sat up, hissing. “I'm going to make you bloat for this—”
Whony spun on his flank and bucked both of his legs straight into Digiff's groin. “Grnngh!”
“Gahhhhhh!” Digiff curled into a fetal position, hissing in pain.
“Get the buck up there! We've got his ass!” As Whony said this, several colts rushed in from the metalwork around the scene. They all piled on top of the twitching dredger, kicking and beating him with a motley assortment of bludgeons and clubs.
“Augh! Gaaakt!” Digiff flailed and punched at them in vain. “Get off me, seafoam little buggers—Aaaugh!”
Swab nervously grabbed the pendant. Two pairs of strong forelimbs hoisted him up with a gasp.
“You heard Whony!” one colt said, rushing with Swab towards the topmost bulkhead above the brig. “It's now or never!”
“Right!” Swab clenched his teeth and climbed the rest of the way with both foals at his side.
Thud! Thud! Th-Thuddd!
“Hraaa-aaaulllkkt!” The monster slammed and pounded Keris' makeshift shield with both forelimbs. At last, it gripped the far corners of the metal slab and then rammed its horns straight through it. CRACKKK!
Keris gasped as the rubble crumbled into a hundred pieces all around him. He slumped flat on the floor beneath the beast, clutching a narrow strip of rebar. With a grunt, he flung the thing desperately at the creature's snout.
The monster effortlessly batted the shard away, then gripped Keris again by the throat.
Keris wheezed, eyes rolling back as—Thwooooosh!—he was tossed clear across the corridor.
He ricocheted off a loose length of bars, then slumped up against a wall.
Limp, bleeding, the griffon looked up, squinting out one bruised eye as the shadow of antlers crossed over him once more...
One of Whony's lackeys was the first to reach the topmost bulkhead above the brig. He reached down, dragging Swab up and over the edge. The other colt climbed up behind the youngest foal, and all three rushed towards the centermost vertical vent.
“Here...!” One colt flung the grated lid open.
“Good luck...!” The other one hoisted Swab up.
“Thanks,” was all Swab said. Holding his breath, he dropped...
...and slid his way down the tiny vertical crawlspace.
Rusted metal blurred past him.
He hugged the ruby pendant to his chest, shivering the entire way.
At last, he struck bottom...
...and somersaulted out through the opening in the cell room floor.
The colt looked around, panting. His eyes scanned mounds of debris and shattered prison bars.
“Hraaaaaulkkkt!” An unearthly voice shrieked just outside the shattered remains of Rainbow's cell.
Gritting his teeth, Swab dashed for the nearest hole. He spotted bristled gray fur and antlers... a flash of red and brown feathers...
The chaotic beast raised a pair of talons over the crumpled, bleeding figure of Keris.
Swab scampered through the smashed hole. He tripped and fell. Picking himself back up, he clasped the pendant in both hooves and dove forward.
“Hresshaaaullkk—!” The thing's claws swung towards Keris' neck.
The griffon winced, only to have a tiny, one-eared colt slide to a stop directly between him and the beast. “Rainbow!” A ruby lightning bolt pulsed directly in the monster's face.
With a high-pitched shriek, the monster reared back. It raised its meaty forelimbs up, shading its yellow eyeslits. A deep, gurgling noise ran through its neck as it glared down at the colt.
Swab panted... panted... then held the pendant up further. “This... is not... you!” He clenched his teeth, taking a daring step forward. “Are you listening? It's me! Swab! Remember?”
“Hrsssssssnkkkkttt...” The monster's backhair stood up on end. A serpent's tail lashed left and right, scraping the walls and floor of the battle-scarred place.
“You...” Swab gulped, taking another step. “You are not the monster that everypony says you are. Do you hear me?”
“Mrmmfff...” Keris struggled to keep both eyes open. He squinted through a trickle of red blood cascading across his crown. “Grnngghh... child...” He fought down the bile rising from his throat, then reached out with his good talon. “Swab. You shouldn't... mmmm... sh-shouldn't be here...”
Swab kept staring boldly at the towering behemoth, his yellow eyes laced with tears. “Deep beneath all of this lies a good mare... a kind mare...” He gulped. “A mare who was kind to me... who g-gave me something to hope for...”
“Hrskkkk-ssnnkkkkt...” Long ears twitched on either side of the beast's antlers. Its talons curled and uncurled as it leaned forward, its shadow crossing over the colt's tiny figure. The thing's eyes remained locked on the pendant.
“Get out of here...” Keris stammered, shaking his head. “There's nothing of Rainbow Dash left, Swab. G-get out while you still can! I-I...” He scooted and shuffled over, wincing. “I c-can still distract it! Now go!”
Swab shook his head. “I'm not giving up...” A tear trickled down his face. “Do you hear that, Rainbow Dash?” He took another step, holding the pendant out further. “I'm not giving up on you. You did something kind for me. Now... let me do something k-kind for you.” He gulped. “Let me put the pendant back on. Let me bring you back to the pegasus you were meant to be.”
The beast hissed inwardly. Its legs scuffled across the floor, then locked tight. Muscles coiled.
Keris saw it. He gasped. “Child—!”
“Help me bring back the pony that your friends love—”
“HRAAAAULKKKT!” The beast slapped its talon across Swab's skull.
He flew down the corridor, landing into the opposite wall from Keris. “Ooof!” He slumped back, clutching the pendant to his chest. Panting, he flung his yellow eyes up.
With a banshee cry, the beast dove across the hall.
“No!” Keris sat up, eyes wide.
Swab clenched his eyes shut... and held out the pendant.
The beast pounced on him, bringing the full weight of its body through a pair of jaws that sunk deep into the colt's neck.
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Oh god...please don't sacrifice Swab to bring Rainbow back. Please...
Holy crap, I knew Rainbow's transformation wasn't a happy experience, to say the least, but damn that was visceral. She all but got ripped apart from the inside-out.
"dripping hairs and clumps of horse meat with every twitch and shake"? "Wings replaced with leathery appendages, dripping with blood and pus"? Geez.
Well, if there was any doubt of Rainbow's story hanging around in Keris' mind, I'm sure most, if not all of it, is gone. (and currently replaced with searing pain)
You know, I was predicting a crotch kick to Digiff's jewels, but I was expecting it to be from Swab "stallioning-up" and delivering it to him, not Deus ex Whony.
Hope Swift Song is okay. I also think that Skagra's plan to knock Rainbow out would be like throwing
, eh, I ain't complaining.
gasolineNitroglycerin on a fire if dredge dust is what I think it is. And 10000 wordsUM
UM
UM
No! Swab!
Swift Song you magnificent bastard.
Whoops
6655116
UM
That sounds painful.
Have I mentioned I hate you?
Oh bother and a half.
Kudos to Convenient Whony nevertheless.
Oh... That happened...
Have I mentioned before that Swift Song reminds me of Fievel Mousekewitz?
Skagra has 'Weweased ze secwet weapon!!!!!" Just roll with it.
Jeepers. IC knows how to make my skin crawl. 10,000 words, and I'm on the edge of my seat for every single one of them.
And NMM gives me a distinctly Pirates of the Caribbean feel. Such an ingenious story device here, and used to great effect.
Maybe once the pendant is back on (Swab got it on... right?), Twilight and co. will be traumatized out of their trauma.
Have I mentioned how montage scenes like this really bring out your writing talent, IC?
this chapter had too many good lines, let's begin!
three reactions possible for this:
-it calm chaos rainbow
-chaos frenzy, now with two times the chaos
-nothing
it's the thief Queen! (why does this title soud better in french? : "reine des voleurs")
NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
oh, wait. there's only one 't'
jinxed it
what is your plan dear namesake?
cheesy, but so worth it!
yes!
yes!
yes!
or... not.
or yes?
you bearded bad guy!
know I don't know if I'm proud of you for trapping swab with the most clever of plan or if I hate you for getting back to him at the worst possible time!
that... must have hurt... a lot
revolution! (also : ponypile!)
the magic of friendship!
swab's gonna put back that collar I know it!
maybe I should stop making assumptions while reading IC's books
Maaaaan, I'm really glad you didn't separate this chapter into parts. I've been pulling at my hair almost the entire time!
And oh gosh, no! Not Swab!
Also, that was one heck of a transformation...
Croche, Monket, Whony... you magnificent bastards...
Digiff...I am disappoint. I had you pinned as the one dredger who would actually help Swift song help Rainbow...
Not so much a fight between Dashcord and Keris as it is a one sided ass whomping.
-In the end isolation, hunted by a nation. Utaan.
Well uh, this is really bad infact I don't think anything has been worse in this series. At the very least it ranks up there for the worst possible thing.
Monologue: Denied.
And after all of that setup, we finally get the payoff. This chapter was amazing.
Well, been a long while since the last boss battle, but this was definitely more of a 'Keris, don't fuck up; Survive for 120 seconds until help arrives because you literally cannot win against Dashcord. 10/10 would die'
What's even scarier is that realistically, Dashcord isn't even using ...its?... full strength since its intelligence isn't apparent.
It's like Littlepip stealth mission in Shattered Hoof, against Dead Eyes.
NOBODY TAKES DASHIE'S BONG AWAY FROM HER AND GETS AWAY WITH IT.
NOBODY.
Wow, Keris sure does get beat up pretty darn often. Poor guy's gotten no rest since getting on the Red Barge.
Yay, go, Monket!
Loved how he had those words for Croche, there.
Yay, go, Whony!
Rebellious youth ftw! Rise above the muck, don't be a part of it!
Well on the bright side, someone finally shut up Digiff.
Holy shit, this chapter :o
God, I hope Swab is ok
......................................................... Yeah.
We're doomed.
Nasty Mister Monket and Whony for the win.
Wow what a chapter
Oh damn. I hope Swab is alright.
I have to wonder, though, about what would happen if Rainbow Dash transformed completely. Would Discord's intelligence return as his powers do?
That pendant needs to get back around her neck, now. It's probably the only thing that can save Swab and Keris.
6704222 she's explained before that only his form and powers manifest. It's chaos without direction.
It's a 1 v 1 situation, everyone. Can he come in with the clutch?
So much awesome in this chapter. Please, please let Swab be okay!
What a God-danm exhilarating chapter!!
1. Who knew Dash's transformation would be so.. squshy...
2. Keris is awarded brownie points for not being dead yet. Cesspool will have to wait another day for feathers.
3. Swab is WAY more of a badass than expected. 8/10 for nearly getting caught by Digiff.
Now we just need the rest of the crew to arrive and the jade covered blowhole to get there so he can taste either steam of steel.
R,
Sonder
MOTHERBUCKER
Don't you dare
I wonder about Monket. Did he guess the plan and help because he thinks it's the best way to contain RD, or does he just approve of fucking with Skagra on general principles?
https://youtu.be/VUgsvd3ZjvA
^Please dont let it come to this......
Well this chapter sure was a rollercoaster.
And brownie points to Monket. I know he’s a slaver but I am thankful he let Croche steal the pendant.
And BONUS brownie points to Whony. Way to come through in the end!
The set-up for this chapter was incredible.
Huge recap of events below:
-Meet swab who's life sucks.
-Swab likes croche
-swab sees her steal
-swab imprints on Rainbow after being thrown in by Whony
-swab helps her get gold from the bloaters
-friendship sealed- they steal the pendant from skagra and swab enters the cell through the pipe.
-Quint is the boss of the seafoam
-firm belief of sacrifice few for the many when he let's the filly die.
-he sacrifices himself for good of the whole
Whony
-backseat to quint, doesn't fully understand the responsibility.
-throws swab down the whole. (Swab meets Rainbow for the first time)
-loses quint and is suddenly in a true position of power
-uses that power to help swab
A whole bunch of other set-up with rainbow destroying monkey's crew; keris is only serving so fat because of his experience and skills; skagra iniating the terrible plan.
All in all though, if Swab can pull this off, the Seafoam will be the heroes of this arc.
It was very rewarding to read this chapter. Everything made sense and happened for a reason. This arc has been wonderfully done.
My oh my, that was very intense. The scene cuts in this chapter were played really well with the pacing,
Music for this chapter.
Damn. Saw some of this coming, didn't see some of it coming, I think I know what's coming...
All I can say is... kudos to all of you who did something good and/or right. You know you you are.
Ooooh that's a baaaaaad...
UUUHHHHH WASN'T ME.
My God, he's so dumb he can't see that he's basically saying he's the smartest man in the world. Are we gonna get a "M'Lady" somehow too?
YOU GOT THIS SWAB!
I think Utaan is my favorite book of this entire series, and this chapter is my favorite of both Utaan and the series as a whole, mainly because I'm a real sucker for a good character turning into a monstrous beast. Mwahahaha! And Rainbow Dash is my favorite character in all things at the moment. The transformation's kinda gross, but I forgive it since I still like the idea of Rainbow Dash being a powerful, vicious monster.
Keris is also one of my favorite OCs in this story so props to him for a lot. I appreciated that he tried to talk and reason with Rainbow, not really knowing it wouldn't work but trying nonetheless. And hey, he survived this fight despite being very restrained and beaten down already.
Monket seeing Croche and using the situation to his advantage is also a cool part.
This chapter was very exciting and good! Again I say, it is my favorite.
I did a reading of this chapter because, as noted in my comment before, it is my top favorite.
https://youtu.be/SExVgj6rbYc
This is my favorite chapter so far in the book, this is amazing! I am glad they beat up Digiff, hopefully Swab and Rainbow made it....