Far east, under a nonstop rain of tree and leaves, several chunks of wood had collapsed across a simple clearing. From within a dense cluster of emerald foliage, a lavender head poked its head out. Eagle Eye panted, glancing every which way, wincing as another shell landed not far from him.
"Captain!" He shouted, disentangling himself from several branches before hobbling out on all fours. "Crimson! Zenith! Where are you guys?"
There was a muffled noise from behind him.
Eagle gasped, spun about, and telekinetically parted a sea of leaves. From within, a mustached stallion spat several twigs out and crawled forth, wincing from bruises.
"Phoenix!" Eagle stammered. "Have you seen the others?"
"Love ya too, princess..."
"Now's hardly the time for—"
"Gang way!" A voice cracked from overhead.
Phoenix and Eagle Eye looked up. They jumped in opposite directions just in time to avoid the crash landing of a blue pegasus.
"Ooof!" Rainbow Dash grunted, collapsing with the bodies of Pilate, Bellesmith, and Zenith clinging to her.
"Holy crap-a-doodles!" Zenith wheezed, struggling with his polearm to regain balance. A shell went off, bathing his flinching body in shell and mulch. "That was too close!"
"Nnngh... Yeah, well..." Rainbow Dash got up and managed a nervous smirk. "I've had closer." Another shell went off, and a sharp chunk of wood embedded into the ground between her legs. She blinked, then blurted, "We should probably get out of here."
"I don't get it!" Belle exclaimed. "What do they think to accomplish?"
"They're doing a good job with the 'intimidation' part of their plan," Pilate exclaimed. He supported Belle as he turned his head towards the other ponies. "We might be fine so long as we get out of this immediate area!"
"Jee, thanks!" Zenith barked, helping Phoenix up to his hooves. "Did you earn those stripes by being a friggin' genius?!"
"Our camp's screwed!" Phoenix shouted above the noise. "What should we do?"
"I'd say head east to Site Beta!"
"What?!" Phoenix's eyes bugged. "The ruins?! You remember what was there last time—!"
"Do either I or the shelling look like we care?!" Zenith hissed back.
"If you know of a safe place, let's just go there!" Rainbow Dash swooped down and placed a hoof on both Belle and Pilate. "I wanna get my friends out of here before we end up everywhere!"
"Wait!" Eagle Eye shrieked. "The Captain! Just where is Crimson?"
"Right here!" A voice shuddered from above.
Everypony swiveled to look.
"Captain?" Phoenix made a face. "You're upside down..."
"Site B is the best idea right now," Crimson calmly said, dangling from where his rear legs were caught in the crook of a half-collapsed tree. "You all go ahead!"
"Captain! No!" Eagle Eye squeaked. "Not without you!"
Another shell landed nearby, splashing twigs and pebbles hotly across the scene.
Crimson spat, "Just go!" His horn glowed as he struggled with the branch he was stuck on. "I'll be right behind you—"
"Yeah, screw that." Rainbow Dash flew up to him and started pulling hard on the cracking branch. "You've risked your neck for us all. Nnnngh!" She pulled and she tugged. "We're all getting out of here together!"
"Will you just go already?!" Crimson shouted. "There's no telling when one of those shells is gonna split this whole camp in two!"
"Uhhh..." Pilate gulped, his ears drooping. "I believe we have something more imminent to deal with..."
"What are you going on about now, dude—" Phoenix froze as soon as he felt his knees rattling.
The entire earth was shaking. A deep rumble permeated the noise and chaos, hailing from the west. Rainbow Dash craned her neck, watching forlornly as the forest behind them parted ways with a multitude of stampeding bodies. Boars, rabbits, birds, and several large mammals burst out of the foliage. Soon, the air filled with a musky green mist, and the rumbling intensified. Several trees snapped apart, followed by a line of glowing eyes.
"Timberwolves!" Phoenix shouted, already breaking into an eastward gallop.
Zenith gnashed his teeth, yanked on Belle and Pilate, and forced the three of them into a brisk run. "Move! Move! Move! To Site Beta!"
Eagle Eye stood, frozen in place, his violet eyes reflecting the wave of living brambles that was charging the group's way.
"Uhmmm..." Crimson glanced at Rainbow Dash. "You may wish to hurry."
"Grrrr!" Rainbow Dash's muscles twitched as she yanked hard at the branch. The thing snapped suddenly, and both ponies fell—flailing—into the jaws of the beasts that had been forced out of their den.
Did he says ruins? I wonder if there's another entrance into the machine and another flame....
Timberwolves, eh?
Well I'm pretty sure Dash isn't going to be stopped by a few of those. Crimson neither, though he probably isn't in the best state of mind with all the blood in his head from being upside-down, the unexpected nature of their imminent attack, and the way he had his arse handed to him not long before.
My guess? EE is going to do something noteworthy.
Dammit~
This is not going to end as Dash wants it to! Now would be a good time for someone unexpected to jump into action!
2048961
Perhaps, either way, ruins are always a great source of information. Particularly true in light of the fact that this journey may be much older. What "was there last time," I wonder.
See? My prediction that one of them would die is starting to come to fruition.
Also, Site Beta reminds me eerily of Half-Life. I'm probably thinking of Prospekt Nova, in that regard. Which makes sense, given the fact that they're both ruined and both part of some omnipresent, overarching government conspiracy.
Great flamin' whoreballs!
35 push-ups for that damn cliffhanger, ):(! Knock 'em out!
NOOO THE MEMORIES IT'S COMING BACK.
I don't want to remember that feel-filled scene
MUFASA NOOOOOOO!!!
2049039
Blue Shelf as Black Mesa; Site Beta as Lambda Lab... or something.
2049096
You're either thinking of Gamma Lab or Sector F Lambda Complex..
I'm listening
What is it with you and devastating cliffhangers? Seriously, Scolon.
That being said, nice job on both chapters. I have a feeling EE is going to be captured, though...
Ruins, eh? You never know what sort of interesting things you might find in ruins...
East, east, always east. Not even while retreating does Dash go west.
Ride With Death - Speedwolf
Good thing they don't use blue shells, those are a bitch to dodge.
Any bets on whether or not the ruins are highlighted lavender for Dash? I mean, that's the smart money, but the payout's pretty big if I'm wrong.
You know, Dashie and Crimson would make a really good sky cavalry/infantry combo. I think they got this.
2049064 Why'd you have to remind me of that!? And I was listening to Viva La Vida ...
This is Australia...
2049339
well, as a rule they always have monsters...
that and plot advancement
YES!!!!! I did it. I caught up and kept my promise(refer to chapters 26-29). and.....Hi.
im very rare in this story, am i a place or a legend? oh buck it, i want more chapters to read!
Do these chapters usually feel so quick after you've caught up?
2050216...Yes
Hot damn I love Shell. He's such a badass.
I think it's about time we get some boss action going here. We need to bring out the RD guns and return fire with a sonic rainboom or two...
Now it's time to trouble those pesky Ledos with a nice, big Timberwolf...
And most definitely NOT get torn to ribbons!
Nopony gets left behind, right, Dash?
2050549
all bad-asses meet their end, Shell's is right around the corner.
2049790
Indeed.
I believe ....
things will happen.
Things...
like stuff.
Stuff...
like the aforementioned things...
The shitstorm intensifies...
Timberwolf stampede, oh man.
I took a journey today. It is usually a journey I travel alone, but this time I went with family. It was a journey southeast. Thought of RD 'n co and smiled.
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
So even though everyone could die here, Imploding keeps it relatively humorous. As for the cliffhanger, I get the feeling that EE is going to do something big here to earn his keep. Also, we get a line from Dash saying that she wants to escape Shell not for herself but so that her friends can be safe. Imploding is referencing their friendship all over the place, which just makes me think something bad is going to happen. These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
Hmmmmmm. Ruins, Shell's shells and a pack of angry timberwolves. Well, we'll have to see what happens from now...
Onwards!
I'd be more worried about the artillery than the wildlife. The wolves will be much to frightened to do anything other than run.
Pfft, Timberwolves. They're like skeletons - kick their pieces apart and you're good to go. Granted, they do reform, but once their parts get caught up in a blast... I'm sure everything'll be just fine.
...
...
...
Now lets see just how loaded those words were. Onward!
I want to cum inside Eagle Eye
3687991 oh you.
2049447 2049447 Not to be confused with the similarly themed Stephenwolf's "Born to Be Wild".
3969735
Oh no. Cliffhangers everywhere... But somepony will save them! Maybe... Um... Somepony.
3687991
Ür gæ
To site beta! And hurry!
4751608 lel i kno reit
4751608
I don't know much about IPA, but I do know that this: æ is the vowel sound in bat. You should be looking for the ay sound, which looks like a 3 or an E, depending on your brain.
5141023 A recent comment! I must be nearing civilization!
An old comment. Hmm, there are signs of ancient civilization
Ah, good old Dashie. She may be a numbskull who can't help but screw herself over, but god damn, is she living up to her element.
5227545
5435918 sings of life in such desolate ruins?
are my sleep addled eyes playing devious tricks upon me?
5523238 nay, for even now I see signs of previous habitation.
I'm getting lion king vibes from dash & crimson.
Never ask Rainbow Dash to leave a pony behind in danger, Crimson, she's just going to stick around and share the danger.
"Just... hanging around," Crimson responded calmly.
9788819
Sorry but that line...
08/30/2019
01:08 UTC