"A m-murderer?" Ebon stammered.
Rainbow's tail thwacked the stallion's face from where she hovered in front of him. Keeping her eyes on the lead figure's mask, she hovered slightly forward and said, "I'm sorry to hear about your clients. That is most uncool. And if we could help you, we would. But, like I've said before, we're just trying to pass through the Flurries." She slowly shook her head. "We don't know anything about the stallion you're showing us."
Razzar, his mask laced with a red glow, stood stock-still. At last, after many seconds, he raised his hand up in a gnarled fist. The other six Lounge cohorts fell down on all fours and shuffled backwards. Slowly, Razzar stepped towards the edge of his ship, shuffling one rear foot at a time.
Rainbow fidgeted a bit, but eventually met his stride, hovering forward so that the two were face-to-face along the edges of their adjacent vessels. A cold gust of air flew through them, around them, obscuring their suddenly quiet conversation from the rest of those in attendance.
"I take it that you're the leader of this group of wandering, flying ponies," Razzar said, his voice calm and serene behind his emotionless mask. "If not evident in the possession of your wings, it's apparent in your resolve and bravado."
"Is that the business you 'Lounge' guys are in?" Rainbow asked with a raised eyebrow. "Drive by compliments?"
"I am only stating what I observe," Razzar said, his head nodding slightly. "Now let me state something else. We have been watching your vessel closely for the past week."
"What?" Rainbow frowned. "What the frig for?"
"It is our business to know who it is that decides to travel through these Wastes. We have learned to adapt to these frozen pockets of air in ways that no other group has. As a result, we have taken it upon ourselves to maintain the safe passage for everyone who is far less lucky than we. Right now, you and your group are a threat to others as well as to yourselves."
"What in the hay are you talking about?"
Razzar leaned forward with a glint to his silver mask. "We know that you were the last ones to leave that frozen seaship alive. We know that it was your battle with the Frost Wyrm that sank the vessel and the iceberg to the depths. Furthermore, we know who it is that you 'rescued' from the ship's hold, and whom you now hide in your possession."
Rainbow Dash said nothing, her jaw clenched tight.
"He is not as he seems. He is a deceiver of the highest order. What story did he concoct about how he was stranded to begin with? Pirates? Hijackers?" Razzar pointed a sharp, gloved finger. "It was him who stranded that vessel within the iceberg to begin with. All of the ponies on board lost their lives because he willed it, exploiting their trust and their weaknesses. He will do the very same to you if you are not careful."
"Tell me, bright eyes." Rainbow Dash leaned her scowling face closer. "If you're so good at following others around and seeing through everything, then how would you have let this supposed dude remain alive on such a frozen ship?"
"The Lounge are astute sentries of the Wastes, but we are far from perfect. We searched the ship all over in hopes of finding him after its crash. Alas, he somehow managed to escape our notice. His cunning is undeniably great. We believe that he only became visible once more when it came time to lure you and your companions into his trap. Little did we know that we'd be waiting in the wings, taking the opportunity to observe his foolish reappearance."
"If you ask me, I think you guys are paranoid," Rainbow Dash said. "If you're such a big help to the Frozen Sea, why don't you stop wasting your time on a pathetic wild goose chase and instead so something helpful?" She smirked briefly. "Like showing us a way through the Flurries? Because—I don't know if you've noticed—but the skies east of here aren't all that friendly, and we could certainly use a few good pointers."
Razzar slowly shook his head. "Not while that stallion remains unfettered. We owe it to the families and partners of those maligned to bring him back to justice."
"'Bring him back to justice?'" Rainbow Dash squinted. "Just what are you guys after?"
"Enough discourse," Razzar's voice took on a crackling edge as his cloak glowed brighter from within. The steam came out in rapid bursts now. "We must have him. It is imperative that you comply."
"I don't think you Lounge melon fudges are nearly as altruistic as you let on!" Rainbow Dash sneered. "You're just a bunch of bounty hunters, aren't you?"
Razzar said nothing.
"Feh..." Rainbow spat. "If there's anything I can't stand in this wide, wicked world, it's hypocritical bounty hunters. I've fought several, converted one, and butted heads with far more than I'd care to admit. I did not fly two weeks into Hearth's Warming buttocks just to deal with your kind again. You want to help us? Fine. Then buzz off." Rainbow flung a hoof through the windy air. "Make like a... a... wh-whatever you are and leaf!"
Razzar's red-tinted vapors coalesced around his bobbing head. "I am telling you this absolute truth now, winged pony. If you keep this stallion on board your ship, you will not make it to the other side of the Flurries alive." His fingers clenched into gloved fists. "Of this I can assure you."
Rainbow's mouth hung agape. "Is that some sort of threat?"
"Just a matter of fact." Razzar took a deep breath, his mask's speaker crackling. "We are giving you and your comrades five minutes to deliberate. Once time is up, and you have relinquished the stallion to us, then we shall guide you through the Flurries... or leave you be. Whichever you prefer." He made to turn around, but paused. His mask tilted up towards her again. "Oh, and if it helps you to know, we have endured not only the harshness of the Frozen Wastes, but the wrath of the Warring Continent as well. We know the lands behind and beyond the Flurries with utmost clarity. It would behoove you to not attempt anything foolish right now. Think of your crew. That is all."
With that said, the leader marched away and joined the other six of the Lounge.
Rainbow, shuddering ever so slightly, pivoted and flew back to the rest of the Jury.
And thus began the first of five minutes...
x4.fjcdn.com/thumbnails/comments/Say+hi+to+your+mom+for+me+_caea9b8ab82aeef2ace2f9ee98805d60.jpg
Freakin' trees.
Even if I wasn't sure these guys were slave traders I would still seriously dislike them already.
Man, going by its name alone, the Lounge seems entirely misleading. These guys do not mess around.
Goddamn bounty hunters...
Fifty four-count flutterkicks, ):(. Make it hurt so good. Knock 'em out!
Why do I get the feeling that there will be violence?
I wonder which one of them is Roarke.
4134132
good ol' 'back to the future', eh?
Wonder what would happen if Dash got out and Pushed. Through the obstacle?
One one hand. They seem dubious and shifty as hell.
On the other, they may be the only ones capable of helping them cross the Flurry.
Still, I don't see them turning over Prowse anytime soon.
4134172
There must always be conflict.
Thinking of their species, I'm hypothesizing lizard-folk of some type. Must need to keep themselves real warm to venture around. And I think Prowse may actually be a danger to some of the crew and Elma knows why. Props may have been the saving grace since they encountered him. It helps to keep an open mind sometimes.
Just not to be totally antagonistic to groups and not individual members all the time. They might just be a group of enforcers and not just a bunch of bounty hunters. Who knows? Only IC.
Hmm. I don't like these guys. They're not being very forthcoming about what Prowse did, and now they're threatening the Jury. At least they're not storming the ship...
So glad I'm finally caught up!
Hmmm. Regardless of whether Prowse is in the wrong or not, he has some explaining to do. It doesn't sound like these guys just pick on random ponies for kicks and giggles.
Prowse, you bucked up good. Didn't you?
Interesting. These Lounge guys if they were THAT bad could have just have easily dome something like...oh I dunno, attacked and boarded rather than give any information. Maybe they don't have the firepower to back it and are instead using their mystique to make it SEEM they are more dangerous but I dunno. Their actions lend more to their credibility than anything else. That could also be a ruse though. Hard to say.
I have no idea who to trust. The Lounge may be right, but they may be doing things for the wrong reasons, Prowse could be a murderer, but the fact that Elma is still alive makes that less of a possibility... I just don't know.
AAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA
I wanted it to be otherwise, but somehow, I knew it to be true... nobody can have THAT thick of an Irish accent without it turning out to be a pirate accent.
...Somepony better start spilling out some answers. Pronto.
Aww... I dont want Prowse to be a baddy... *Wimpers*
Ah, I want to like these Lounge guys. They talk in italics, after all. And that whole "guiding people" and "avenging murders" sounds awful familiar. Such a shame we have to butt heads.
Who wants to bet that Prowse isn't guilty of whatever he's being accused of, and the Lounge are actually pretty cool guys? It's entirely possible that this is all a huge misunderstanding. Not likely, but possible.
Also, I just noticed that Razzar's name is a palindrome. Heh.
With all this talk of Prowse being a deciever by the Lounge, I'm starting to wonder if it could have anything to do with the changelings?
Somebody said they MIGHT be lizard creatures. I can see that since we already kno lizard/reptiles exist in ICs pony universe. Only time will tell though.
So, will there be five chapters, each covering one minute of activity? That'd be kinda could, actually.
I don't know what to make of this. Are they telling the truth, and Prowse is some kind of villain? If so, what would that mean for Props? Would she side with her uncle through thick and through thin? Or are they lying? It's not hard to imagine that they would have a motive for doing so.
Also, if these guys turn out to be lemurs, I swear to fucking god...
Well shit, I guess it's time to figure out what's up with Prowse and get some sort of story out of him. I don't like these Lounge fellows, but I still can't shake the feeling that they know what they're talking about.
24
They're wrong. They aren't after Prose, who they really want is the turtle!
My guess would be on the typical big misunderstanding: it might just be that the Lounge are actually sincere (which would probably put them further in the lawful good corner than any other non-alicorn character we've met so far) and that Prowse is... perhaps a bit rash and careless and whatnot (he's already proven to be) so the Lounge got the impression he's downright evil when he's actually just a wrecking ball kind of guy. I mean, especially to someone as calm and cold as the Lounge, he'd appear loud, aggressive and unpredictably dangerous alright. Of course it could also be that either of them is just a villain. Who knows.
4134146 If I wasn't I'd love them more than Nightshade. Actually, I still do. They'd be almost too perfect and good if they were honest - but just almost. As it is, they'll make for awesome villains.
4134209 That would actually just about explain my attraction to them. Everywhere they show up, lizard folk are almost always depicted with those few core traits associated with cold blood - traits that I always love in a character. Because you know, cold is just the next thing after cool. It has to be subtle of course, level-headed, polite, reasonable and careful - the opposite of Searo - and lizard folk(s) almost always pull that off. And you're right, the Lounge fit in there perfectly. I officially support your theory. Boy do I wish you are right.
4137277
Lounge Lizards.
That live under the wastelands. The underground machinery already pretty accessible.
...Slave traders would make sense at that point. Plot device to get them there.
Or an archeological deal that went south.
I'm down with the Prowse-is-a-changeling theory. It makes sense, a changeling was bound to get on board sooner than later. Prowse, unlike all other additions to the jury, an existing member already knew him. Props is overjoyed to see him. Seems changeling enough to me.
I actually kinda hope that Prowse is just a straight-up bad dude. Like, he's lost it in his quest for the Zabadabbadingdong, and he really did just murderize a bunch of fools. That'd be a fun subversion of the old "falsely accused hero" trope or whatever it's called.
Also, I'm finally caught up. Yay!
Roarke, now would be a good time to show up
Ah yes, ultimatums. I just can't believe that Prowse would be a bad guy from what we've learned so far, unless the changeling theory is correct.
So the Lounge doesn't actually want to hurt them... They just want Prowse? Hmm...
-Spirit
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
Oh, boy. Five minutes to save the world. While I don't think that Prowse is truly evil, it's entirely possible that he didn't tell us his full story. These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
Prowse is not prowse. The lounge is right. Calling it now because IC is a bastard
4804335 i agree.
4137277 basso was a wrecking ball kind of guy, if this reinforces your point. :P
I don't like this. I don't like this one bit.
So these Lounge have hands, fingers, apparently don't like the cold(Steam billows from their ship), and they can walk on both 2 and 4 legs. I assume they are amphibians (or reptiles. I can never remember if both are cold-blooded.) Regardless, these guys are literally cold-blooded if their ship is any indication.
Maybe Prowse got replaced by a changeling?
6012359 maybe you got replaced by a changeling!
I can tell already that he is gonna be right, but not in the way he intends.
5897610 also, Lizards lounge.
Oh dang, so I was partially right. What really concerns me is that Prowse may just be inserting himself into memories like some sort of thoughtleech...
but what are the odds of that?
Finished Towering Above The Rest disk 10
6371685
Oh wow.
Leather Suit Rainbow in the Land of the Lounge Lizards?
That's a name I haven't heard in a long time.
I'm picturing the Lounge as Sleestaks and the translator voice as sounding like that mask Leia used in her bounty hunter disguise.
Hmmm, what kinda creatures are the Lounge? I'm thinking either mammals or possibly dragons.
Either way, this dude doesn't seem to be lying, but who knows. Prowse is still suspicious as hell though.
Nopony was rejected. (Skipped)
1 Imposter remains.
6012359
As I am rereading this, does not feel right for me to point this out.
Remember the state of the Radio U.P. was using?
I really do wonder why they chose the name 'Lounge'.