"They still haven't stopped," Eagle Eye exclaimed, breathlessly. He tilted his tired gaze towards the stalactites overhead. Thin curtains of dust fell from each thud of the exploding shells high above ground. "What are they hoping to accomplish?"
"It's like the Xonan bombardment of the Northeastern Campaign," Zenith grumbled, leading the pack through the narrow, winding tunnels. "They have all the ordinance they could ask for, so they wanna intimidate us until we run out like stupid idiots."
"Surely, they can't think that—"
"Even though we're stupid idiots for coming down here to begin with!" Zenith exclaimed.
"Hah!" Phoenix chuckled. "You'd rather us be up top still? Getting our flanks bombed to shreds?"
"I'd rather us be home and out of Foxtaur!" Zenith grumbled. "Everything was just fine until two days ago. We didn't have to worry about anything bombarding us but squirrels."
"What matters is that we're still alive to complain about it!" Eagle Eye meekly stabbed.
"Don't you get it?!" Zenith spun a frown over his shoulder. "We shouldn't have to be complaining about anything at all! This is stupid! We should have fled earlier when we had the chance—"
"Zenith, go scout ahead," Crimson said.
"I need to watch the floor for breaks in the stone so the rest of you don't trip—" Zenith began.
"Scout ahead and do that at a distance," Crimson droned. "I'm tired of listening to you gripe."
Zenith's nostrils flared. With a firm trot, he sped ahead of the group. "Doesn't matter what's on the other side. Once we get to the Sapphire Ravine, we'd might as well start digging our graves."
Crimson sighed.
Eagle Eye frowned and dashed forward to say something.
Crimson rested a hoof on his shoulder and steadied him. "Leave him be. Don't bother, EE."
"But nopony should talk to you that way, Captain!"
"He has plenty of reasons to be upset."
"Why?" Eagle Eye frowned. He glanced behind him at the other ponies and leaned in to the muscular stallion. "There's not a pony in this place that isn't dealing with something horrible or another. He's not the only one who's got it bad!"
"He's thinking of himself, and that's a normal thing." Crimson smiled exhaustedly as he gazed at the craggy walls drifting past him. "There are very few normal ponies among us."
"I know you will get us home, Captain," Eagle Eye said with a nervous smile. "In fact, I'm counting on it!"
"Are you, though, EE?"
"Erm..." Eagle Eye fidgeted in mid-trot.
"Who do you have to return to? Who is expecting you back in Franzington?"
"I..." Eagle Eye bit his lip. He gulped and avoided Crimson's gaze. "I'll be home because... b-because you will be there." He fidgeted. "You and y-your family and Phoenix's..."
"Then aren't you home now?"
Eagle Eye said nothing.
"EE... I wish the world had more ponies like you who could agree with anything," Crimson said softly. "You fight for the equines you care for, because they happen to be the ones you happen to meet. Everywhere you go, you're a hero. That's a wonderful quality to have, but a rare one."
Eagle Eye looked up at him with moist eyes and a fragile smile. "I-I only learned from the best, Captain..."
"No, EE. You learned from a pony trying to be his best," Crimson said. His tired eyes reflected an opening cavern as his voice turned into a dull echo. "It's what waiting for me at home that defines me, which is why I can't be as selfless as you. Though, Spark knows, I've tried. I think I've tried a little too hard." He gulped. "And Zenith is trying to remind me of that."
"Then..." Eagle Eye glanced nervously back at Rainbow and her two companions in their tiresome trot. "Then what are you g-going to do?"
"I don't know, EE." Crimson glanced up, his glowing horn showing more streams of dust falling from the distant shelling. "But one thing is for sure, the battle we're fighting right now? It's a losing one..."
Is it wrong that I'm kinda sympathizing with Zenith?
Poor Crimson. A family man can only be pushed so far before his morals will cave to his feelings for his family.
Twenty-five pushups, ):(. No reason, but hell, since when do you need a reason fro pushups!?
2204605
Not at all. This section shows you exactly why. These aren't just random soldiers out on the run, they are ponies with lives and families and priorities. You have the benefit of seeing both the importance of Rainbow's quest and the immeasurable skill and luck she's had to complete it. These four, however, do not. It is quite a risk and a leap of faith to simply drop what is most important to you for the sake of some outsiders you've never met. Crimson's chat with EE doubles as proof of this. EE has nothing to lose, and nothing to really return to. EE is already "home," and so he's willing to defend that. Zenith and Phoenix and Crimson want more than anything else to survive.
They may be fighting for the losing side, but I'm still not convinced it's the wrong one.
Poor EE...
2204617
eeyup. it's quite sad. =(
also, I was starting to worry about this fic not having a new chapter.
but here it is, though late, but I don't care.
a new chapter of Eljunbyro always make my day. ^^
Sadface...
2204606
You know, I think I just might start doing the pushups you post in every chapter comment. It'll probably do me some good.
It's interesting how Crimson's description of EE is really also a description of Dash. The parallel is uncanny, and intended. Neither of them have a home to return to (not really) and in a way it frees them to be their best. As Crimson said:
"You fight for the equines you care for, because they happen to be the ones you happen to meet. Everywhere you go, you're a hero. That's a wonderful quality to have, but a rare one."
Good stuff.
I wonder if Rainbow Dash will ever figure out that agitating the magical leylines with a rainboom might be able to overload the Steel Wing's mana circuits...
Come on, RD. Think with rainbooms!
The underdogs always come out on top.(I hope.)
This chapter was good, Scolon. I like how you portrayed Crimson as not being perfect, but rather striving to perfection. Everyone has a fault, and you showed Crimson's nicely. It makes his character, as a whole, seem easier to relate to and more dynamic.
Well done.
Against The World - Accept
2204535Haven't started yet, sadly. But perhaps in the future...
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
So we get a bit more character development here. I suppose, with the way Crimson puts it, Zenith is just thinking of himself. He might be a bit like Dash before she met Belle and Pilate - he puts on a mask of false annoyance to hide the fact that he's scared. In that case, I guess I can sympathize with him...only a bit, though. And Crimson was right - our familiies play a big part in making us who we are. EE's made him selfless, and...well...I forget what Crimson's family was all about, but it defined him in some way. These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
P.S. With four minutes to spare, I made it!
2204910
You sir are a genius. Have a moustache
You've earned it.
Man, looks like I'm not the only one getting tired of Zenith.
Nice to have a little break in all the action, hmmm?
zenith- imprisonment
Crimson- death
Pilate- horrid injury to which he dies from in ch 199
You really cant blame Zenith for acting like he is. I mean he just doesn't want to die. I think that what this chapter is showing is that hes just a soldier, not a hero
I can just picture Crimson with Liam Neeson's voice.
2207361
Oh god, I can't unhear it. Crimson will now permanently sound like Liam Neeson.
I'm deciding that's a good thing.
Eagle Eye might be the only thing keeping the group going as a group. Pilate, Belle, and Dash would stick together, but it's looking more and more like the mercs are questioning their decision to tag along, save for EE. As 2204910 said, he's got a lot in common with Dash, but the thing he's fighting for is right in front of him. He realizes the value in the dysfunctional little gang they've created, and he's willing to stick his neck out to keep it together. Zenith clearly intimidates him, but he's willing to speak up despite that. Outward appearances aside, he's a courageous little fluffball, and he just may be the saving grace of the whole operation.
2207361
That is almost TOO perfect. New headcanon.
2207361 Argh. Now I'm rereading the entire thing with his voice...
What have you done to me?!
Aw, c'mon Crimson, have a little faith! Its not like Dash has ever gotten into trouble she couldn't get out of before...unless it involved a dragon. And Its not like a giant, flying, flame-spewing zeppelin is anywhere close to that!
Seriously, though, loving the subtle character development between all of the mayhem. Its stuff like this that makes this story so entertaining. Also, I very badly want a happy ending for EE. He deserves the best, darnit! Onward!
It isn't a losing battle, you have Dash!
And I'm starting to feel a little bit... Sorry... For Zenith. He just wants to go home, be back with his family... Maybe if he stops with his terribleness, then I'll- Hey look Terribleness is a word- Stop hating him.
-Spirit
Well, Zenith has always had a point.
2243076 Don't forget that Reptillian creature that half-ate her untill she took her pendant off again. IF not for that, she wouldve lost that battle...
Fuck
it's that damn feel again
Started Disc one of 8 on The Rainbow Tapes. Only got a little bit of time tonight, but I'm gonna make it count, dammit!
Zenith, Crimson only wants what's best for you. You dense hornhead.
I am getting some serious Battlefield 1 :Through Mud and Blood vibes, but this fiction did it first.
05/07/2017 03:45 UTC
Calling it now the metal mare is gonna save them with the ship
Again, I just really like Crimson here. He’s complimenting 2E in the best of ways. Because 2E has been through the wringer, he sees his family as those who spend the most time with him, or these 3 here. I feel like there’s a lesson here in finding comfort with your friends, but I don’t know. Analysis isn’t my job here.
When all goes wrong, then you know
That friends will be there as your home
(I actually wanted to quote a song I thought I remembered, but I couldn’t find it, so I just invented these.)