A dozen managliders soared over the waving treetops of Foxtaur, flying parallel to the path of stampeding wildlife barreling through the flora. The pairs of unicorns atop each vehicle signaled to each other, veered left and right, and split into twin, winding arcs in order to cover all possible avenues of escape from the central path.
They circled about in opposite directions, sweeping over the forest landscape, occasionally dropping explosive charges that forced the wild stampede of creatures to stay bunched together.
Hundreds of meters to the west, closing in fast, was the Steel Wing. No longer discharging cannon fire, the battleship had increased speed and was presently looming over the patch of forest that—just minutes ago—had been burning ground zero.
"She'll show her head," Enforcer Shell said, pacing along the starboard deck of the huge zeppelin as two more sets of mana-powered gliders launched from the bow. "She'll have to. If not for the sake of her own protection, then for the sake of the two souls she's foolishly shown a weakness for."
"How do we even know she's even in there to begin with?" Josho remarked. He winced upon receiving Shell's neutral stare. "I-I mean, we know that at least one of her companions was sucking on pine cones down there, but the target?"
"If the zebra's alive, then she's with him," Shell coldly replied. "A blind equine such as him does not make it this far into Foxtaur alive, much less across a good chunk of the Queen's continent."
"If I may add a thought, since I've already added so much ordinance to this cause," Filta murmured. He cleared his throat and gazed the Prime Enforcer's way. "I highly doubt that she will have clung to the zebra's side, or your former colleague from Blue Shelf, for that matter. If I was a pony with wings, the first thing I would do in a situation such as this is flee as swiftly as my feathers would carry me."
"My dear Captain," Shell murmured as he turned to gaze coolly at him. "If I may be so bold..." He gestured towards the hulking body of the Steel Wing beneath him. "Are you or are you not a 'pony with wings?'"
Filta blinked at that. "Erhm..."
"And would anypony be right if they said you were the antithesis of loyalty?"
Filta took a deep breath, gazing off into the forest.
Shell's one eye narrowed. "Those with spectacular gifts are endowed with spectacular duty." He gazed towards the east. "Even if it is a foolish delusion. Alas..." He gestured towards the circling mana gliders as they dropped bombs, bombs, and more bombs. "It is our job to teach her a lesson, even if it takes the blood and entrails of her pulverized companions to wash away her idiocy with."
"And what if all we do is manage to tick this mare off?" Josho's brow furrowed. "I've fought her before. It wasn't exactly easy."
"For your information, I fought her as well," Shell said, lifting his metal cast for emphasis. "And the day I settle for 'easy' is the day I give up my head before my legs."
Josho had no reply.
Shell gazed once more at Filta. "Convey a message to your stallions. If there's no sign of the pegasus breaking the canopy in the next ten minutes..." His cold brow furrowed. "Order them to drop the gas bombs..."
Gas? This can't be good....
Especially if timberwolf breath disguises it.
That jerkoff is seriously going all-out on them. I can't wait till they stick it to him good.
He's like Uncle Ben, but an asshole.
Gas bombs? Oh that doesn't sound good. I'm guessing you'll get more push ups for this one.
Shell's gas bombs are legendary. I think it has something to do with his love of three-bean salad.
Everyone is on at all times apparently. I swear some day I will be first
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You become a "first" whore I will kick you in the Vagina.
Rooster - Alice In Chains
Also, any mention of "gliders" seems to equate to "Danger Zone" in my mind.
Not that it's really a bad thing.
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Most of these guys dedicate a small chunk of their soul to this story. I would advise against it.
Actually first-posting is directly against the rules of this site.
Shell shells with gas shells powered with gas from Shell.
Well, if we assume that site beta is some kind of underground complex, then poisonous gas bombs would be the perfect means of driving the whole crew down there. Then all you need is a small population of Minotaurs, and the fun would begin. . .
Gas bombs... I've got a bad feeling that this will mean the end for one of Dash's companions. They can only get so lucky, and they've already survived an artillery barrage. I just hope it's not Belle or Pilate. Or EE. Aw hell, I hope they all make it. But they won't... they just can't...
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Well. If that isn't a cliffhanger. AS BUCKIN' USUAL.
Ah well. Good chapter as always, Scolon.
2059248 He also set a record down in the mess for most bean burrito's consumed in an hour. That's why he's so angry, have you had to try and keep in that kind of gas for hours?
I know my boss has attempted to kill us like that... God, I remember that month... burrito's 3 times a day. Although to be fair it was a fart war in the company van and he just ended it... Oxygen was a precious thing, I had my face pressed to the open window... stupid old van windows that only have that small opening at the bottom.
good times
Oh no, not the gas bombs! Anything but the gas bombs!
Can RD conjur up a blast of wind? She made a tornado before.
Forzare!
Chemical warfare was ended (mostly) among humans for good reason.
Apparently the Ledomaritans like watching ponies suffer painfully.
so axis power psychology with weapons from ww1... interesting...
"Deploy the robotic Richard Simmons"
I always assumed gas bombs were Josho's specialty.
People, calm yourselves. I don't do the first thing, I was just saying Id like to beat the people who comment instantly for once (not that I have an issue with them). No need to be a dick about it.
SURPRISE!
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Oh gosh, chemical weapons! This won't end well!
DEPLOY THE STINK!
-DEAL WITH IT
I think that Q/Discord should show up and explode shell and his ships.
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
So we get some more evil talk from Shell here. I really love to hate this guy...I also thought that it was a nice touch that he referred to friendship as one showing weakness for another. Good writing. These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
P.S. There hasn't been much to evaluate lately...
Gas....
Well it certainly seems like a sound plan. Using the shells to upset a bunch of angry creatures, then sending in airborne units to survey the destruction for the target, and then use the same units to drop gas in the area. But what does this gas do? I would at first assume that it is designed to be either lethal, or to knock the ponies unconscious. Either way, wouldn't it just make it a pain in the arse for Shell and his enforcers to find the unconscious bodies?
Hmmmm, well, no matter what Shell does, I'm looking forward to the chapter that he's finally disposed of. Courtesy of whoever the buck wants to.
Whew Ledomare isn't a nice place.
Onwards!
Gas bombs... that is never good. Let's hope it's just tear glass or some kind of tear gas, tranquilizers not something closer to nerve gas.
So I'm guessing these bombs are a bit more oomphy than canisters of concentrated cow farts, huh? I swear, Shell's douchebaggery knows no bounds - which makes him a lovely villain. Lovely in the sense that I love to hate him. C'mon, Dash, go boot him in the face already. Falling off an airship and into a forest fire would do him wonders!
Well, time to see just how badly the shit's gonna hit the fan - onward!
LITERALLY HITLER
ughhh, tired and and hungry... must keep reading!
...
Run! I mean, gallop! Before Shell gets you!
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Heil!
Gas? It's always the gas.
Gas bombs?!?!
Am I the only concerned about the environmental damage the forest is sustaining?
Damn you, Shell, you're destroying acres of age old forests!
I feel like I'm making my way through ancient ruins, both literally and metaphorically. I can't believe how much further I have yet to go. It will take me months, and yet, I'm good with that. I prefer long stories over short, epic scale and immense character development over slice of life, and rich lore over quick jokes. This is a series grander than any I have read before it, and I will meet the challenge head on.
I know this is a strange chapter to leave my thoughts in, but hey, not every comment has to be monumental.
6057135 I agree whole heartedly with you FallenGlory.
Great, so if the explosions don't do the trick, they'll break the Geneva conventions. That or make it really smelly down there.
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Dude(tte), they've broken the Geneva Convetion a million times over before now. I don't think a few more crimes against nature, equinity, or common sense is going to deter them none. Heck, we've gotten attempted genocide, slavery, mass murder of non-combatants, torture, and unethical weapons testing to Ledo's list of dirty laundry already. And from the sounds of it, it's common place.
why are they called 'managliders' i mean gliders don't have engines so why do they need magic. The only logical reason would be to power systems such as maybe lighting or the control surfaces (like power steering) and these gliders use magic to do so and not electricity.
What the feather is a gas bomb? I’m very concerned for our entourage here.
At least they don’t have nuclear warfare, right...?
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A glider is defined by the ability to stay aloft without thrust. There are totally motor gliders that have engines - what makes them gliders is that they don’t plummet if the engine is off.
I suspect these are basically the same - with magitech it would probably be fairly easy to create an engine that can be rapidly powered on or off, which would make it much more efficient to create intermittently-powered gliders than constant-thrust planes.
LET'S GOOOO
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