“And while we were attaching the support girders, Simon started chattering like crazy!” Props exclaimed in between massive bites of celery. The other crew members of the Noble Jury sat across the long table from her. Night had fallen, and the smell of food and merriment wafted through the mess hall. “Turns out he discovered a structural fracture within the walls of the place! I mentioned it to the dock workers, and they looked at me like I was insane! But then I showed them the fracture with an enchanted sub-structural analysis shard, and sure enough, it looks like the ponies who built this hangar way back in the day hadn’t done everything up to code. According to Article Twelve of the Statutes of the Upper Roast, the owners of this place were lied to when they bought it, and that entitles them to some financial assistance from the city treasury.”
“Well, that’s certainly fortunate for them,” Belle said. “The Council of Ledo provides for many ponies, but not to that degree.”
Props winked. “Wait till you see the price it takes to own a place like this, and then you might think twice.”
“Still.” Eagle Eye paused to nibble on his celery, swallow, and then speak. “It looks like you cut them a break.”
“Oh, totally!” Props grinned wide. “The silly-heads were blushing, they were so embarrassed and thankful. Embarrathankfulassed! Heehee!” She scarfed some vegetables down and smiled. “They’re letting us stay indefinitely! That should give me plenty of time to help them attach the rest of the support struts! Assuming Simon’s got the noggin to knock ‘em in place! Heehee!”
“Do you not wish to see your Uncle, Props?” Pilate asked. “You’ve been through quite an ordeal, and several hours have gone by already.”
“Yes!” Belle added with a nod. “You’ve done enough as it is for us, Props. Certainly you’re dying to see your loved ones.”
“Hmmmm…” Props rubbed her peach-colored chin. “The guys here are gonna have to take their sweet time in getting the next round of supplies.” She smiled, her blue eyes fluttering brightly. “Bouncy-bouncy my way home, I think I’ll go!” She giggled.
With a shudder, Rainbow Dash turned to look towards the other end of the table. “Maybe we can do it first thing in the morning.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Pilate said with a nod. “I certainly wouldn’t mind visiting a few more marketplaces.”
“Why?” Eagle Eye asked. “You looking for a sweet jacket or something?”
“Oh, no… no…”
“Because I could totally help you find--”
“Ahem.” Pilate cleared his throat. “I would like it if I can find some new maps of this place. All the ones that Floydien has in the navigation room are great and all. But…”
“Yes yes yesssss…” Floydien nodded over his bowl of greens. “Could use more brown and grass where the glimmer glimmer has parted over boomer years.”
“Er… Yeah…” Kera turned her slingshot over in her telekinetic grip, almost entirely ignoring her celery. “What he said.”
“Spitting of spit…” Floydien looked curiously at the rest of the table. “Where has the rotund one gone?”
“I was beginning to wonder that myself,” Rainbow Dash said, her brow furrowing. “I don’t suppose he fell through one of the streets and hit the earth, do ya?”
“If so, the mountains below us would have shattered,” Eagle Eye grumbled.
“That wasn’t very nice, now, was it?” Pilate remarked with a smirk.
“You’re right.” Eagle Eye grinned. “I’ll apologize to the mountains.”
“Heheheh…”
“Is everypony enjoying their vittles?” Ebon Mane asked from the kitchen door.
“Oh, it’s absolutely vittletastic!” Props chirped.
“It’s wonderful as always, Mr. Mane,” Belle said with a smile.
“Hey, aren’t you supposed to be leaving soon?” Kera asked. Belle and Pilate winced.
Ebon chuckled breathily. “I just want to make sure everyone here is taken care of.”
“Yes, thank for helping me with the dinner,” Eagle Eye said, his lavender coat turning into a sharp ruby color. “I don’t know how you do things so naturally.”
“You have the gift of a cook’s gene within ya.”
“I dunno. I mean, sure, I made soup and oatmeal for Crimson and the rest while we stayed in Foxtaur, but that was food for fugitives. Fugitives of war.”
“Boomers present are no different, yes yes?” Floydien remarked with his mouth full.
Eagle Eye’s ears folded back. “Eh heh… I guess.” He cleared his throat. “Still, with practice, I think I can make it more than edible.”
“You mean tasty?” Kera grunted.
“Er… yes…”
The filly chuckled.
“At least you’re good for more than one thing,” Roarke muttered, suddenly trotting into the room on heavy hooves.
“Miss Roarke. A pleasure to hear you as always,” Pilate said. He gestured a blind hoof towards the table. “Are you actually going to join us for once?”
“Not for eating.” She pulled a burlap bag off her side and placed it onto the table before Eagle Eye with a thud. “There you go.”
Eagle Eye blinked. “Uhm… I give up. Is it a cook book?” He gulped. “Made out of dragon bones?”
“Simply unwrap the parcel and discover for yourself, breeder.”
“Mmfff… fiiiiine.” Eagle Eye levitated the bag up and unraveled it.
Roarke looked over his shoulder. “I do believe you possessed something of similar nature when you first attempted to face me in combat. You remember that occasion? I completely defeated every other pony in your company except for Rainbow Dash.”
“Jee… your memory is impeccable.” Eagle Eye finally slid the bag off and his lips parted. “Whoah…” He levitated a gladius and a heavy shield. Both were made of steel with gold bands swirling from hilt to tip. “Now this is… is…”
“Acceptable, yes?” Roarke raised an eyebrow over one of her brows. “You fought under the traditional form of Franzington sword and shield, if I’m not mistaken.”
“The… the weight is absolutely perfect…” Breathless, Eagle Eye stepped back from the table, levitating the two items in front of him. With perfect mental precision, he began twirling the sword and stabbing it into the open air above the table.
“Oooh! Shiny!” Props cooed.
“Yeesh!” Belle winced. “EE, must you? We have food and fillies present.”
“Har har,” Kera muttered.
“It’s… it’s absolutely fantastic!” Eagle Eye stammered with sparkly eyes. He turned to gawk at the Searonese pony. “Thank you! Wherever did you find them?”
“You are not the only pony who engages in shopping.” Roarke then trotted over to Belle and Pilate and slapped a pair of heavy metal pieces onto the table, rattling their plates. “And you two. Rainbow Dash is constantly having to save your flanks from one situation or another.”
“Eh heh heh…” Belle smiled nervously. “You noticed?”
“Indeed.” Roarke pointed at the helmets. “These were designed for unicorns, but you’ll find that they will fit a zebra or a mare without a horn just the same.”
“Wow, Roarke. They’re… uhm…” Belle’s smile was a flimsy one as she tilted the helmet left and right. “They’re certainly…”
“Sturdy,” Pilate said. O.A.S.I.S. flickered as he pivoted his head towards his beloved. “Mulesteel, if I’m not mistaken.”
“Nopony’s been using it.” Roarke pointed towards the general area of the unseen hangar. “I have matching armor for it. Next time that we’re in a pinch, you can be better protected.”
“For once, a smart boomer,” Floydien said matter-of-factly. “Floydien approves.”
“I also bought some weaponcraft for Josho,” Roarke said as she shuffled around the table. “But Goddess only knows where the fat breeder went to.”
“I’ll give you a hint,” a tired voice said as the stallion in question suddenly strolled into the mess hall with a weary expression. “It wasn’t to breed.”
“Josho!” Eagle Eye spun to grin at him, brandishing the sword and shield. “You’re back! And look it! Aren’t they shiny!”
“Very pretty, kid. Now go sew yourself a sweater.”
“Hmmph!” Eagle Eye frowned as he galloped through the kitchen and up the stairwell. “I’m gonna practice my form!” His voice called back. “I’m getting rusty!”
“Welcome back, Josho,” Pilate remarked. “Good to know you’re in one piece.”
“For the time being.” The obese stallion made his way straight for Rainbow. “I think we should have a chat.”
“Oh?” Rainbow Dash blinked at him. “Don’t you want to eat first?”
“No.”
Everypony was silent.
“Yowsers…” Rainbow leaned back, gaping at him. “This must be serious.”
“Can we go above deck somewhere, sparky?” Josho said in a tired tone. His eyes were cold, cutting. “We need to talk about what waits for us east of this flying turd.”
Oh hell. Bringer of bad news Josho.
Ominous Josho is ominous. Also, armor can come in handy... hoofy... whatever.
~bass
Everything in Gray Smoke was feeling a little too easy. I mean, Dash makes a bag of bits from street performances, they get free board because of their psychokinetic squirrel, Roarke straight-up robs a weapon supplier with no repercussions, everyone goes shopping...
Looking forward to what lies on the horizon, then.
Hmm. It's odd that Josho would rather pick Rainbow out of the group than discuss the situation in front of everypony. Especially Floydien, since he, you know, owns the ship. Maybe Shell somehow got ahead of them?
This word makes me grin like an idiot and I don't know why.
Generous Roarke most rare...
Damn...if Josho is foregoing food, then what he found out must be damn serious...
Y'know, all things considered, Roarke giving the others weapons and armor is a really sweet gesture. It's like, in her own, synthetic-hearted way, she really cares.
Josho? Abstaining from food?
There be a shitstorm on the horizon.
inb4 Shell pops up raining cannonballs onto Grey Smoke. Screw neutral territory, they got pegasus in there!
Huh, I kinda liked Josho from the start but I've really gotten to like him recently. I wonder what he's found out about the front line of the war. It's gotta be pretty bad.
Smart thinking with Roarke too. They'll probably need that gear unfortunately.
"Ok Zap-ass, we have a serious problem. It appears that there is a very large risk of us running out of liquor as we near the front, I suggest we resupply immediately before it becomes an emergency."
"Buh?" Rainbow Dash buh'ed.
Good work, Roarke, you're making momma proud.
Well damn... Josho's gone serious-face.
This can only mean bad things.
that was very..generous of roarke. hmm..
garrywilliamsblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/mooseseal1.png
Can you imagine Belle or Pilate in armour? Because I can't. That's like Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Academics just don't do that stuff. It boggles the mind.
Death, mayhem, and destruction, oh my!
This will be good.
Wow Legend of Zelda majora's mask is supper addicting
I started playing and puff it is 4 hours later, Im so tired that I don't think I can read a chapter tonight
Josho doesn't want to eat first? What the hell are they heading into, a nuclear war?
The zebras are supposed to have mega spells, and every time we have seen the machine world in mining, noones even managed to make the barest scratch on the surface. Yet, on this occasion, the surface has been ruptured enough to allow physical access, and it hasnt reformed. This implies a magic concentration at least in the tactical range. However, Id have expected the machine world to be able to handle that kind of power level, merely because its workings run far higher, so needing vastly higher power. thing is, at fusion class levels, the town thats only 50 miles away would really know something had occured, due to the stratospheric mushroom cloud and earthquake.
Id say that the best method for generating such an immense energy releasy is an exectly timed disruption of a teleportation spell through the death of the caster by explosive impact, leading to the total release of the casters body energy.
You dont want to know what my notes contain whilst worked on at University.
Will Belle and Pilate even be able to move around in armour? Not to doubt them or anything, but most normal non-war-fighting-ish people wouldn't be able to. And they seem pretty indestructible in their natural state, considering all of the crap they've already gone through.
Definitely liking the whole upgrade thing, though. Instead of flying by the seat of their pants, they'll at least be a little prepared. Until Josho spills the beans and reveals that their easterly foe is some evil demon monster-mc-whatsit resistant to swords, missiles and magic or something, of course.
Well, better get the bad news over with - onward!
3235759
Indestructible plot armor is best armor
3226369 Damn, I completely forgot about Shell. That's the problem with one chapter a day.
Yikes Josho skipping out on grub? It seems like Rainbow and Co. will soon have their hooves completely full avoiding becoming the fixings between the death sandwich that is Shell and the war front.
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
Nothing really new here, but next chapter we'll learn about the next conflict that will face our heroes. Awesome! These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
3226190 I think ):( is channeling Pinkie's "Nervouscited" from the EQG movie!
Ooh, could this be an actual, intentional Ship Tease? I'm hoping so much for them to hook up that if they do, I'll do whatever exercise Jake tells us to do on that chapter, and that's a promise. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.
3227239
But Floydien is an elk...
Lots o' weapons! I wonder if Roarke has any for Kera... Now, let's hear what Josho has to say.
-Spirit
What did she get Rainbow? A bouquet of flowers?
Naw, not yet.
Beneath the metal, muscle, attitude and general personality - Roarke's really a big softie. Cute.
Aw, poor Eagle, getting shut down left and right
But it's a good job Josho decided to check out shit for them before they continue east; sounds like if they had flown blind into the warfront, they would have been blow to smithereens
Yup. Roarke is totally New Rarity.
Roarke nominated best group protector.
It looks like Santa Roarke came early this year! Nice chapter with a slightly foreboding end to it. I kinda figured that bad things would be coming when they got to Xonan territory and stuff, but Josho is making it sound worse.
~SolidFire
If EE sews himself a green stocking cap to go with his weapons, he'll be all set.
6811556
But green would clash with his coat.
He needs to summon his inner Rarity if he's going to make him something fabulous.
Roarke seems to want all of them armed up just in case, I am surprised that she didn't get Rainbow some armor or something similar, especially given how well she used the last set she had. But I guess there isn't much of a market for Pegasus armor, given that until Rainbow came along they were thought to be a myth. Josho is also carrying his not inconsiderable weight through gathering humint, or rather ponint (pony intelligence) from the other soldiers there. I bet Roarke would approve, even if she doesn't say it out loud.
05/20/2017 14:26 UTC
The end of the world!
It amuses me when Roarke calls Stallions __breeders__.
But nothing makes me smirk more than when she calls Eagle Eye a Breeder lmao