Skagra's fight ended at a fateful moment in time. The reserve steam tanks in the bellies of so many welded hulls finally ran empty. Even as Rainbow Dash began dragging the top dredger's limp body out of the southern strut, the mists and fog behind her dissipated, thinning into a scarcely visible haze. This exposed the bruised and battered figures of multiple thugs, a scant few of whom were groaning, coming to, and rising up on wobbly legs from the dinted spots where a pegasus and a griffon had royally thrashed them against the rust.
Nixkit hobbled up out of the crumbling entrance to the brig. The pale stallion barely had enough energy to walk straight, much less pick up any of the broken weapons or unconscious companions around him. As soon as he breached sunlight, he collapsed to his chest, wincing. With a raspy breath, he opened his eyes to squint across the bulkheads. His vision caught Skagra's ragdoll figure in an angry mare's grasp and he froze in place.
Several decks away, Digiff clung to a bulkhead, shivering like a coward. When the fog lifted, he cussed under his breath, then—at last—poked his nervous head out to see where the fight had gone. He sucked his breath in sharply at the sight of Skagra. His bearded muzzle hung agape.
One by one, a limping procession of dredgers lurched north. They leaned against bulkheads and one another, watching dazedly as Rainbow Dash carried their shrieking leader towards the centralmost platform. Behind them—hidden beyond metal shelves and pipeworks—a dazed figure awoke, stirred, then disappeared in a conspicuous haze of gold light.
Swab blinked, his muzzle hanging wide open. He watched breathlessly—his little body pivoting as Rainbow Dash marched straight past him and the other colts. Skagra slid behind her, his body rattling painfully over every curve and bump in the deckwork. As Rainbow dragged him over the bridge spanning the canal, his broken leg grazed past Swab's fetlocks, nearly tripping the foal.
With a squeak, Swab teetered, nearly falling back. A pink hoof held him in place. He looked over his shoulder to see Croche supporting him. The two shared a soundless glance, then gazed forward—along with a thickening crowd of mute Red Barge onlookers.
Keris limped and limped, coming to a wincing stop beside the two foals. His hawkeyes narrowed on Rainbow Dash... trailing her as she approached the very center of a forest of vertical vents and steam grates. His beak clenched shut, his feathers fluttering in the dirty air.
Th-Thwump! Rainbow flung Skagra hard into the centermost vent.
“Aaaaa-aaaaugh!” Skagra arched his spine, hissing through clenched teeth. His scarred muzzle rubbed against blood-stained metal as he lay sprawled across the centermost platform, surrounded by starving eyes and tight muzzles. His eyes rolled back, catching a kaleidoscope of dazed, emotionless faces. Watching. Observing. Devouring. “Hrkkkt... friggin'... muck riders.” He clawed and clambered in futility against the rustwork. “Mrfffnnngh... come... come c-crashing against the barnacles for blood, have you?” He spat up bile from another wave of pain from his shattered leg. “Snkkkkkt—not gonna make it easy for any of ya sea foam. Hrkkkt—Hear me?!” The top dredger barked, rolling, “Get your kicks from smelling each other's farts! Aaaugh! Goddess!”
The citizens of Red Barge gathered tightly together.
Families and foals.
Stallions and mares.
Elders and workers.
Whony and several of his fellow colts wriggled their way to the edge of the crowd. They stared—gawking—at their once ominous leader, now a shattered waif of a stallion.
“I took us somewhere...” Skagra wheezed. “To a place the Continentalist snow huffers couldn't!” He seethed, gurgling. “All these years, they've used us. Snorted us. And when their mountains melt into their flankholes, who will float on top the muck?! Huh?! And who's thankful for it?!”
Swab gazed at the trop dredger. Panting, he looked to the left.
Rainbow Dash was marching icily towards an array of levers, valves, and switches flanking the platform.
Four spectral ponies phased through the bulkheads, orbiting her closely with colors and breaths.
“Rainbow...?” Pinkie cooed.
“Rainbow Dash...” Twilight took one cold glance at Skagra, then an even colder one at her anchor. “What are you doing?”
“Making poetry,” Rainbow grunted. She frowned and—THWAP!—slapped two levers to the side.
Hsssssssssssssssssssssssss! The pipes rattled as the central platform's steam reserves poured into the tanks directly below. The temperature in the air heated up. Vaporous ripples danced above each vent surrounding the scene.
Swab blinked at Rainbow, then looked at Skagra. He began to wince...
“Rainbow...” Rarity floated in. “Darling. Far be it from me to preach to you—”
“Then don't.” Rainbow switched to a nearby valve and began spinning it.
“We've opened our eyes to the worst this world has to offer,” Rarity said. She pointed at Skagra's quivering figure. “And there it lies. Crippled. Powerless. What more needs to be proven?”
“Rarity, you don't know the 'worst,'” Rainbow snarled. She slapped a button, and the hissing vapors in the air magnified.
The valves heated up, their grates turning red. Skagra's neck made contact with the cylinder he was lying against, and he yelped from the scalding touch. His body rolled aside—only to be gripped by Rainbow Dash as she marched back.
“But I do,” she continued, glaring past Rarity as she dragged Skagra's body up, pivoting him around. “I made the mistake of being graceful before. And it cost me more than I can put into words.”
“Whatever you're talking about, Rainbow, it's not here,” Twilight said, her brow furrowed. She hovered across from the mare. “And here... we made a deal.”
Regardless, Rainbow slumped Skagra's grunting body against the top of the vent.
“Yes... th-that's it...” He wheezed in her grasp. “Just... flush all the muck away. That's right. Red Toilet. Red Toilet! Hahahahaha—snkkktt... cheese and crackers...”
Using her weight, Rainbow pressed his scarred face to the grate at the top of the cylinder. He lay against it, panting, sweating from the intense heat.
“Rainbow...” Fluttershy looked at her with sad eyes. “I might be able to handle the feel of more deaths...” She sniffled. “But from your hooves?”
Rainbow glared down at the stallion beneath her. She inhaled... exhaled. “He deserves to die...” Her teeth showed above a shaking jaw. “He needs to die.”
“We know, Dashie.” Pinkie nodded, her mane limp, like the deflated tone of her voice. “We know.” A gulp. “But he needs to do something even more.”
“And what's that?”
“Change.”
Rainbow clenched her eyes shut. After a deep breath, she grumbled, “Pinkie.. he won't change.” A snarling tone. “None of them ever do.”
Pinkie shook her head. “Who says it's gotta be for him?”
Rainbow's eyes opened, bleary... moist. In a blink, she saw Swab standing far across the platform from her. The little colt stood in the shadow of Keris. His one ear folded back as he stared back at Rainbow with a glint in his yellow eyes that she had never seen before.
“Yes... fear...” Skagra hissed.
“...?” Rainbow looked down at him.
“I... I get it now...” He gargled on his own sweat, his bangs curling from the heat bubbling deep in the vent beneath him. “Mrmmfff... I've lost it. The strength. The balls... heh... heheheheh...” It started as a chuckle, but limped off into a squeaky sob. “But you... you you you you... yesssss...” He hyperventilated, staring into the polluted ceiling of his pungent existence. “A beast from the west... the Rainbow Rogue.” His throat swallowed hard. “You can take the Barge where I couldn't... sailing high on a wave of muck...” His eyes squinted up at her, tearing. “Take it high... take it far...” Clicking teeth. “None of the sea foam her can... like we can... please...”
Rainbow fumed. Jaws tight.
Fluttershy leaned in close—nuzzling range. “Rainbow...” She whispered. “Our greatest... most loyal friend...” A calm smile. “The change... is you. It's always been you.”
Rainbow blinked, eyes fogging over.
Her hoof reached out, grasping a lever beside the vent.
Skagra held his breath.
Keris's headcrest folded back.
“We'll accept your decision, whatever it is,” Fluttershy said, drifting back. She looked at the other mares—but most especially Twilight. “Won't we, girls?”
The others nodded their head, including Twilight—her eyes clenched shut.
At last, Rainbow let loose a pent-up breath. “Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww frig.” Frowning, she yanked the lever.
Skagra gasped—
FWOOOOOOOOOOOOSH! Burning hot steam vomited up out of the vent.
...
I have a feeling that this is going to become relevant very soon.
He won't be dead, probably.
No! IC I know where this is going!! I just got this good feeling back! Don't take it away from me so soon!!
At least put him on trial before you execute him, Rainbow. Sheesh. I don't blame you for wanting to kill the mucker, but at least leave it up to Red Barge (not just dredgers, but the slaves, the foam, and the families) rather than putting yourself as judge, jury, and executioner. Plus, you did make a deal.
Maybe she's just burning the other half of his face?
Cheese and Crackers!
Wow, so soon after making a promise to her friends I didn't expect to see her that close to breaking it.
Hung, Drawn, And Quartered - Accept
She's losing it. Even if she doesn't kill him, she still wants to.
6693253 It means LongBow will prevail one way or another.
Well I doubt she killed him, I'm assuming she will end up injuring him enough that he will be severely crippled for life leaving him unable to easily hurt anyone anymore.
Interesting, very interesting. Can't wait to see where that goes
6693253 Hmm? Oh. Nah, That was just Longaze Teleporting. She's probably working on getting Chandler out of there invisibly. How they Plan to hide an entire boat is beyond me, but that seems to be the direction this is going in.
Also, been some time since I've had a reminder to read EoP, so thanks for that.
6693310
Hay
Hay
You should read the Good Book of EoP.
6693314 Sadly, I'm at work right now, and if I stop for too long, I shant accomplish anything. And that's a hell of a read.
...Try again Friday.
6693276 the very first rainbow spa treatment!
6693272 Probably residual memories from Shell and Lerris. She spared him multiple times; looking at how that turned out, can we really blame her for making this choice? Can we tell her she's wrong for trying to rid the battered peoples of the Barge of this evil?The Barge isn't going to heal if people like Skagra, Nixkit, and Digiff are still hanging around. The old guard must pass, some way, somehow, and they need to take their old ideas with them -- to a cell, or to a grave, it matters not. But their deaths wouldn't be for revenge. Instead, it would serve as a deterrent -- to ensure that they will no longer be capable of committing evil. This is what punishment is MEANT to do.
Though I would be satisfied (and I hope the girls would be too) if she at least left the Barge brass's fates to the people. That way, if they do get executed in the end, it's at least as a unified consensus rather than her sole discretion.
Im more curious to Keris's fate. Maybe Dash leaves Keris behind to maintain control of the Barge, ensure things don't fall to ruin, in time for the rest of the Talon to arrive? Maybe he stays there indefinitely? Because honestly, somehow, I don't know if he will be a member of the Talon for much longer. Seraphimus is clearly a bit of a zealot, and I doubt she'd be too happy about him letting Dash go and throwing the mission. Plus, it sounds like the Talon has been concerned with his approach in general.
Maybe that's the Harmony that Dash will leave behind in this continent. Splitting up the Talon so that they can serve as bastions of order to the parts of Rohbredden that need it most?
Verlax or Longaze? If Verlax, who was she masquerading as? Croche, Whony, Nixkit and Digiff are accounted for. Not sure who else of mildly suspicious nature that leaves. Longaze, Monket and Chandler? A character we haven't met yet, perhaps.
6693367 Nah. Longaze.
Heh. Maybe she's named for how long ponies stare at her.
6693272 Sounds like she did it so that the Barge doesn't have to, so they can stay more innocent, while Rainbow takes disharmony of crime. Of course, Elements tell her that's bad.
Skagra lives. If she had killed him, it wouldn't end in a cliffhanger like this.
Though I can't tell which side Keris is on, Skagra dying or living.
6693380 By that logic, Her special talent is being eye-candy.
Ugh, don't do it. Not even Skagra deserves death, Rainbow, despite everything.
Shell? Shell was a shell of a stallion (), too psychotically broken to consider that even murder. It was more akin to a mercy killing, like putting down a mortally wounded animal. Skagra's not even close to that.
Ho hum. If this is a redemptive arc, this is the first chapter I've ever felt Rainbow's gone too far. Ever. And while the ghosts cried wolf in the Quade, which is seriously hurting their authority over Rainbow here, this time I'm actually hoping for a firmer stance from them.
Let's see how this plays out...
Then don't become that Dash. Be better.
I'm hoping she's using that steam cloud to take Skagra up into the air.
I feel.. like I should be commending the others for opening their eyes to the filth the eastern continent is full of...
But this is different to Shell, Dash.
You're not doing this because you have no other options, you're doing this because you want to.
You want to make an example, a threat, a statement. "This is what happens to those who cross the Rainbow Rogue."
And.. I think it speaks a lot about what the others think about you that they expected you to break your word about no killing.
Skagra...
i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz159/Thatlittleskitty/didja%20redo%20stuff/Shitgularity_zpsmhtblffq.png
-In the end isolation, hunted by a nation. Utaan.
Well, Rainbow Dent, heads or tails?
dejareviewer.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/harvey-dent-becomes-the-villain-by-the-end-of-the-film.jpg
6693466
the moral quandary here is, would killing the murderer save more lives? We've well established that shell was irredeemable, but if you had the power would youhave killed him to prevent more damage?
Here Rainbow has no idea the lengths Skagra would, could, go to get revenge. Just like when she had no idea that Shell would lose himself to that same idea. But, her contact with Shell has coloured her decisions. Would killing a self admitted murderer be wrong? Or should she chance that this same monster, that steals foals from their families and sends widows to the harvesters to die, can change?
Just let Keris do it. He represents the Talon here. The Talon represents the Goddess. Nobody will complain.
6693276 Well symmetry is a form of order and harmony!
Yikes, that's gonna leave a mark!
Longaze woke up for snuggle time?
Ok, maybe I'm too obsessed with this...
She didn't toast him. Dashie wouldn't toast him. Not anymore.
Don't kill him, Rainbow. He's a bastard, yes, but change can happen in even the hardest of hearts.
Anyone else hear handsome jack in that rage
6694615
Maybe something like Sombra? Sombra liked fear and slavery
Wrong lever!
If any of her previous misadventures have taught her anything, those who are mentally unstable are the ones you kill simply because they will stop at nothing to kill you.
I think it's about time Dashie sat the girls down for the Lerris talk.
here
____________________
Going to say, for a second there I thought she might actually do it.
STEAM SHOW
STEAM SHOW
STEAM SHOW
STEAM SHOW
8197289
DIdnt she just do it though?
8348661
STEAM SHOW
STEAM SHOW
Shhhhit. She can teleport too.
She if officially the most talented and dangerous non-offensive villain to date.
6694514
No. He wont change. She was doing the right thing. If he continues to live all he'll do is continue to spread misery and pain everywhere he can. That's all he knows how to do, that's all he can do.
I love this series and I'll keep reading it, but I'm really sad every time I get to a point like this in a story, because it only ever goes one way. I can count on one hand the amount of good tales I've read where, in a situation like this, the hero actually kills the menace. It's usually fairytale goody-two-shoes nonsense like this. Taking the "moral highground" of not killing simply because it would "bring you down to their level". That's a load of bullshit because letting any Shells or Skagras go means that they have the chance to keep spewing their pain and misery down the road. Fat lot of good your moral highground is when every action they take when you could have stopped them then and there is YOUR FAULT. Anything they do from that point forward that you could have prevented, you have a responsibility for. Not to mention it would take a LOT more to take anyone down to their level. Is Rainbow going around slaving people, keeping them on strict food rations that are always barely enough? Is she employing forced child labor in extremely harsh conditions that kill them on top of a lack of food? Is she literally working people she doesn't like to death for a profit? No. Of course not. And killing someone who does all this to keep anyone else from having to suffer it would not make anyone a bad person. It would make them a protector of innocents.
RD already knows that letting people like this go is bad because it's bit her in the ass with Shell. I'll be extremely dissapointed if it doesnt bite her in the ass this time so she relearns the lesson she should already fucking know, and is being mislead into re-deciding on it by those WHO WERE NOT THERE and have NO RIGHT to judge her choices when they themselves have never had to go through the things she's had to out of regret of making the wrong choices for in the past. I've been superbly dissapointed in these versions of the Mane 5 ever since they started popping up. RD is right when she says that have no idea how the world works. And then when they abandoned her after what happened with the monks, when she literally did everything she could to do it another way, I was downright furious. If it was me I wouldn't have forgiven them for a long time. Work with them still? Yes. Forgiven? No.
9069543
In this case I don't think it was so much the morality of killing that caused her to hold back, but what it would do to red barge citizens who needed to change as well. Killing is how the top dredger always changed positions by killing him it be showing everypony that things don't change.
I feel like he was spared for their sake, and not for his own.
Seriously, just one conversation about all the horrible shit Shell put the Jury though should explain well enough why Rainbow won't be merciful to ponies like these anymore. And really, I don't know how the other girls can't see that.
Gosh darn it Fluttershy. Some times Kindness won't always work.