"I think I've gotten through to them," Ebon Mane said with a nervous smile. "I didn't think it would be that simple to appeal to their feelings, but they were very willing to listen to me! They're all so... gentle and receptive... moldable. Like children, in a way."
"Unnngh..." Eagle Eye shivered on the mountain's edge. "Please don't say that. I feel like a creeper now."
Ebon giggled and playfully shoved Eagle's shoulder. "I-I'm serious, though!" He smiled at Rainbow, Eagle, Josho, and Roarke in dark of evening. "Chrysalis' influence over them is practically nil. There's no telling what a horrible fiasco it would have been if a far meaner, more desperate group would have gotten to them first. They're that trusting."
"Yeesh..." Rainbow winced. "There's a scary thought."
"I didn't even think about that," Josho said. He turned and glanced at the others. "If we were two weeks late at arriving here, they would have all begun spitting, twitching, and joking about eating pony flesh."
"Yeah..." Eagle grimaced. "C-can we get off the llama dome, now?"
"Not so fast." Rainbow turned to Ebon. "You must need more time with them. Hearing that you gotten through to the hatchlings is great and all, but how do we know they're ready to move on?"
"Where would they even move on to?" Roarke remarked.
"That's just the thing..." Ebon glanced down at his squirming hooves. "I kinda sorta... l-let slip that we've got some of their 'siblings' in Amulek."
"The three surviving changelings?" Eagle asked.
"I've talked with that trio on several occasions," Ebon said. "I like to think I know them a bit... at least enough to have formed a good bond between us. These changelings here..." Ebon's gaze turned to Rainbow. "They need to connect with other shape-shifters who can guide them and mold them. Considering my responsibilities to the Noble Jury, I really don't think I can guide them every step of the way. They need more guidance than I can provide."
"You think the changelings in Amulek are up to the task?" Josho asked.
"I know it," Ebon said. "And, if not, I would be more than happy to bridge the gap between them... to help them click together."
"To play 'changeling ambassador!'" Eagle grinned. "Spark be blessed! I knew there was a reason I fell in love with you!"
Ebon blushed. "And h-here I thought it was my wicked skills at making a skillet lunch."
"I said I fell in love with you. Not Josho."
"Heeheehee!"
"I feel as though we're forgetting one key thing," Roarke said.
The others looked at her.
"What's that?" Rainbow asked.
"What would the ponies of Amulek think?" the mare asked, her helmet flickering. "The non-changeling ponies?"
"She has a point," Josho muttered. "I mean—are these changeling moving into that place permanently? Do they get their own zipcode?"
"The mountains out there are vast!" Ebon exclaimed. "Not to mention the forests! I'm sure these changelings would have no problem—"
"That is beyond question," Roarke said. "But what of the miners? Perhaps they might feel unease with so many shape-shifters looming invisibly over them."
"It'll be fine," Rainbow said. "Let's go on with this plan. Let's bring the changelings to Amulek."
"No offense, Rainbow..." Josho squinted at her. "But how in the frig do you know that? They were liable to lynch the poor suckers just two months ago!"
"I've see first-hoof their intense respect for the changelings," Rainbow said. "I've even got dragged into a humbling conversation with Drakshaa." She smiled calmly. "Believe me, it will work out. Merigold's fold will be cool with it."
"If you say so," Eagle remarked. "So... then... are we backtracking?"
"Hmmm?"
"Well, we just came from Amulek... now we're going back to Amulek!" Eagle shuddered as he glanced at the frosted buildings of Ether Point. "Not that I prefer it here, but..."
"...we're never getting our flanks down to the House of Selhp at this point," Josho said. "Are we changing the plan this quickly?"
Rainbow opened her mouth—
"Actually, I-I had an idea about that," Ebon said. "We've got Whizzball, right?"
"And how."
"Well, the changelings are super fast! I mean, they impersonated Rainbow Dash for a super-long time! Why not send some of us back to Amulek in Whizzbal while the rest of us continue to explore this possible path into Val Roa?"
"Darn it..." Rainbow smirked. "Aren't you supposed to be good at making waffles? Stop being smarter than the rest of us!"
"Uhm..." Ebon fidgeted. "Sorry?"
"You cool with this idea, Rainbow?" Josho asked.
"Well, we could fit three in Whizzball," Rainbow said. "Seems like a no-brainer for Ebon to go."
"In that case, I volunteer!" Ebon slapped his hoof down.
"So do I..." Eagle wrapped his hoof around Ebon's shoulder. "No offense, Rainbow. I wanna know more about Val Roa and all... but..."
"Hey..." Rainbow shrugged with a smirk. "You two never did get your honeymoon."
Ebon and Eagle blushed.
"I guess Booster's going to be working overtime," Rainbow said.
"Huh?"
"Well, seems like the obvious choice to me," she said. "He'll fly you guys in Whizzball. Think of it as a fun road trip—plus shape-shifters. Boom. Bam. Changeling ambassador time at Booster's hometown! I'm sure he can't complain."
"Except that Booster Spice was essential to getting us this intel on the Duchess of Sehlp," Roarke said. "His skills would be of greater use helping us get into Val Roa."
"Well, darn it!" Rainbow shrugged her wings. "Who in the hay is going to fly Eagle and Ebon back to Amulek? You?"
"Precisely."
Rainbow blinked. "Wat."
"I am the most qualified pilot," Roarke said. "Plus, in the event that there's some unforeseen circumstance—"
"And there almost always is," Josho muttered, summoning a chuckle from Eagle.
"—I will be right there to administer my services," Roarke said. Her helmet flickered. "And by services I mean 'death missiles.'"
"Butttttttt of course," Ebon said.
"You certain you're up for it, Roarke?" Eagle asked. "It'll be you squished in between two coltfriends for several hours."
Josho opened his mouth.
"Don't." Eagle pointed at him.
Josho simply sat back, smirking.
"I don't see what the great challenge is," Roarke remarked. "I've certainly endured the company of breeders before."
"Yeah, but, not in chains?"
"... life is full of surprises, I'm sure."
"Roarke..." Rainbow sighed. "This is nice of you to offer, but, we could totally use you in our search for the Duchess. Heck, probably more than we need Booster."
"You will do well on your own. Besides, if these changelings are to be properly cared for, then they need a mare such as myself to escort them safely to where Ebon intends to assist them."
"Yeah, but... w-we won't see each other for days and—!"
"Rainbow..." Roarke leaned forward. "You're always asking me to be loyal. Let me be that which you wish me to be. Let me love you."
Rainbow stared at her. Her cheeks turned rosy. "So!" She turned, grinning stupidly at the rest of the ponies. "It's decided! You three get the Whizzball!"
"Uhm..." Ebon blinked. "Yay?"
"Helllllo!" Winree slid over on skating metal braces. "So... uh... what's the game plan, non-woolies? How're you guys doing?"
"Oh... I'm just chillaxing over here," Josho said in the center of the group. "Being straight."
"Good! Now... uhm... not to sound demanding or anything, because it's not as though we did anything—heheheheh—to help you round up these bug buddies aside from opening the door to them with our llama hooves, but..." Winree squirmed, his grin twitching. "About the matter of munchies... pr-provided they might... uh... exist somewhere on your floating barge of giggles and coos?"
"That depends," Ebon said with a smile. "How do you like grilled cheese—?"
"I'LL TAKE IT!" Winree's voice cracked. "We'll take anything that's grilled! Nnnngh... I mean..." He grinned, shivering. "In exchange f-for some beautiful borealis pictures?"
Over to the side, Rainbow stepped closer to Roarke. "You know, this is pretty boss of you... volunteering to escort the changelings back to their brethren and all."
"It's simply a matter of practicality. We can't all be in two places at once. And you needn't worry about me, Rainbow," Roarke said. "We'll rendezvous again shortly, I'm sure."
"I'm not worried... I just..." Rainbow bit her tip. "Guess I'm a bit selfish."
"Do tell."
"These past two months..." The pegasus fidgeted. "I-I suppose I kinda sorta got used to being around you everyday. That's all."
"Yes, well, it'll give you something to dream pleasantly about over the next few nights."
"Meh."
"Hmmm?"
"You're cruel."
"In all the best ways, I'm sure."
Rainbow Dash leaned forward, rubbing her cheek against the cold helmet. She shivered with a giggle. "Nuzzling you is weird with this new helmet thing."
"Very well, then." Cl-Clakka! The metal mare retracted the helm, exposing a fuzzy brown smile. "One for the road...?"
Well this chapter was just adorable as heck!
Seriously, that llama is creeping me out.
5057314 you can say that again.
5057321 LOL ikr?
5057321
I think he's got Cabin Fever
If we leave the llamas now, I will treat it as a missed opportunity.
Misery detector: Suspects that Roarke and Dash will be separated for a bit longer than planned.
These llamas have to play some bigger part in the story. I'll be disappointed otherwise.
Cute chapter is cute. Though, I can't help but think that something's gonna happen and Rainbow and Roarke aren't gonna see each other for a while.
It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it.
Josho, you fucking rule. Josho's one liners are my favorite. Beyond the main characters(+Kera, who is so adoracutebadass that she doesn't count) he's my favorite Juror.
Oh they won't be seeing each other for a long while knowing how things always go when the jury separates.
5057437 Aww, someone caught the reference and posted this before I got a chance. Well, I suppose it's appropriate for someone named Super Trampoline to post classic rock.
Something bad is gonna happen to either Roarke or RD and they wont see each other till halfway through/the end of this book/the next book(if its really bad)
Owner of a lonely heart. First thought is the song.. annnd, someones already posted it. Thank You.
Yaay, lets split the party. Roarkes off to enjoy herself in WizzBang. Sorry, Wizball. Wel, unless Death Missiles are required. then It gets all Ebony and EEy and metal ropes and sharp pointy teeth.
Rourkes retractable helmet is the one from the SG1 Gaould guards? or is my memory that bad that I forgot I asked a book ago?
So, if Rourke is out of the Jury for a week or so, who is going to stop a bored, psychotic and insane genius engineer from doing experiemtns? or are they relying on Zaid to stay off the cheese long enough to keep Props occupied? After all, its not like Booster will be doing anything like trying to find out why the flame thrower blew up by placing skystone shards inside the fuel tank to boil, pressurise the system, only for the gas to exit the failed nozzel at hypersonic velocity, combusting instantly and leaving a trail of flame as it pinballs wildly around the Juries hanger deck like a flaming hyper squirrel on an energy drink rush?
5057362
Be glad. It could be disco fever.
I get the feeling that something is about to unexpectedly explode or something.
This is probably the best subfandom I've stumbled into.
Death missiles solve everything,and points to Josho for trying to reverse jinx things.
Funny and cute chapter! I'm loving it!
5057698
What, was the fact that the jury is splitting not enough to give you dem heebie-jeebies?
I forgot how awesome Josho is! Current favorite character in this series.
See you at the end of the book.
Awwww.
... I would like to cuddle with a big fuzzy blue pile of Rainbow Dash changelings.
I'm more than happy to accept substitutes. They could say 'awesome' all they like.
... And then they never saw each other again, the end.
5057321 Best llama. I love that guy. No seriously, he seems like someone worth cuddling. Also, he has wool.
Let's go for changeling mountin town a few miles away. Not a suburb.
So, will they take the Lorenzo llamas to the Jury now? Or will they come back with food later?
publimetro.cl/nota/anadieleimporta/el-lanza-llamas/xIQlfy!Df1Ht7oijcp4g/El-lanza-llamas.jpg
Oh god, my heart can't take all of the adorableness.
5057988 Other side of the Grand Choke you mean.
awww
5057988
They won't see each other again. Booster will die and Eagle/Ebon will leave to start a new life. Just because they jinxed it by saying they'd meet up again shortly.
Also, thank god we're leaving creepy llama-ville. I HATED this place.
Winree is great.
I'm a little worried... Llamas are fun though.
The party is splitting. Nothing good can come from this
This kills that one guy.
Well, when all you have is a hammer...
I love Winree. Comedy gold right there.
-Spirit
D'aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwww~!!!!!
Rainboarke is still going strong, and it's fuzzy in all the right places! But I'm awfully happy that we're getting away from those llamas. I've had my fill of insanity of their rank and file.
Nnnngh, The Cute is painful. Like seriously how is ROARKE of all ponies so FRIGGIN DOORBELL. Like Jesus She's so cute with rainbow and yest still so goddamned BADASS at the same time it's amazing.
Easy, double E. Creepers only explode once!
6069274 this. Yes.
Neither... neither of them are breeders. I think being butt buddies sort of excludes breeding.
6720718
Nah! To a Searonese anything with a dick is a breeder. Even if they don't do the whole breeding thing is besides the point. They got the bits, they get the name.
Okay, so I found this series by reading the first, like, 30 chapters of Ynanhluutr, so I obviously know the MOTHER OF ALL SPOILERS in regards to how this one ends, but I've read the previous books up to this point like I should and I need to keep going in chronological order to finish Yaerfaerda before I can read the rest of Ynanhluutr.
...But OH MY GOD I WANT TO SKIP TO THE LAST FEW CHAPTERS OF THIS BOOK SO BAAAAAAD ;A;
Roarke being adorable and fuzzy instead of constantly threatening to murder your extended family is still kind of new.
I've been loving the past few chapters. The llamas are... horrifically funny. Rainbow's supremacy is always fun to see.
I'm glad Roarke and Rainbow are parting ways for a bit. As adorable as it has been to see them like this, I'm looking forward to less lovey-dovey and more awesome-possum.
poor Josho.
8688621
He really is just about the only straight dude there.
There's the Pilatesmith duo, of course, and Kira, but she don't count because she's too young to have any preferences or love interests
8852814
Don't forget Props & Zaid, I mean I'm p sure Props is bi, but still