"And on top of that, there's news from Overseer Fatch!" Sir Ordo exclaimed, immediately receiving a bevy of cheers. "It would look like Fatch's leg of operations in the Industrial Sector have been running at one hundred and thirty-three percent efficiency! Thanks to him, Nightshade Industries will have at least another dozen zeppelins constructed by the end of this coming quarter! This should also increase trade with Gray Smoke and the lands beyond! It is nice to know that, in spite of all that the continuing war has cost us, Fatch is still intent on carrying forth the legacy of Nightshade's faithful brother, Novus."
The courtyard around Bellesmith and Phoenix filled with wild praise.
The stallion atop the balcony continued, "So, at last, this brings us to a letter written by Prime Enforcer Seclorum himself. These are his words written to his very own troops, and they might inspire the same unwavering confidence in us. Ahem. 'My beloved stallions in arms and mares of the nursing field, you have been forced to endure hardship after hardship. It may not seem so beyond the fog of war, but there is a candle burning at the end of this dimly-lit toll. More for the Queen's guile and more for our beloved's blessings must we persist in the face of great adversity. Now, more than ever, does our Confederacy stand to transform this continent into something that is once again mighty and pure...'"
Phoenix leaned in and muttered into Belle's ear. "I dunno about you, but I'm ready to leave this vomit fest..."
"Just a moment," Belle whispered back.
"Ms. Belle, there's no way we're getting inside that building from the front!" he retorted in a hoarse voice. "Even if there weren't so many damn onlookers around! If you think the security is tight out here, imagine it on the inside!"
"But that's the one place we have to go..." Belle bit her lip, gazing up, up, up at the looming skyscraper. "I just know it..."
"We... I dunno... we should leave and go strategize or something," Phoenix said, mumbling aloud. "I know you want very badly to infiltrate this place, but we have to go about it reasonably."
Belle sighed. "I know. Someway... somehow... things were a lot easier to accomplish when we had a flying, flank-kicking pegasus on our sides."
"Heh... I'll take your word for it. Now let's make like the wind—"
While they were speaking, they—as well as every other pony in that place—were blind to a panicked figure darting through the very rear of the crowd. Kera froze along the edge of the courtyard, glancing around breathlessly for a place to hide. Hooves clopped angrily behind her, followed by the angry voices of the other street foals. She cursed under her breath, clinging her hood tighter as she looked and looked and looked—
At last, she saw salvation: the one spot in open view where she could hide. Gritting her teeth, she scampered forward, darted between a dozen ponies' legs, and scurried her way directly beneath the folds of Bellesmith's brown cloak.
Belle gasped, jolting forward. She flung a glance down. "What on earth—"
"Shhh!" Phoenix looked over his shoulder. "Where did that come from?"
"Uh... Hello?" Belle parted the robe slightly and glanced down.
Kera looked up at her, shivering. Belle caught a glance of her shadowed face, of the little horn glowing at the tip. A breathy murmur escaped the timid filly, but otherwise she was still as stone, frightened out of her wits.
Belle was silent. Hear ears flicked on either side of her shaved mane. She heard the clamor of young foals scampering up from the sideline...
"Where is she?!"
"Let's murder her!"
"Rip her horn off and shove it in her eye socket!"
Belle glanced over her shoulder. After a few seconds, she leaned down and whispered, "Shhhhh..." Just like that, she closed her cloak and glanced straight ahead, pretending to be invested in the continuing oration of Sir Ordo.
Phoenix was slightly less convincing in his nonchalance. He shivered with a nervous tinge, trying not to look as the dirtied foals rushing up within a spit's distance from the two, looking around furiously for their target. The little ponies glanced at the crowd, their gaze wafting past the two "Mintians" standing in their midst. With a grumbling tone, they ran towards the far end of the courtyard, disappearing into the thin alleyways beyond.
After a few seconds, Phoenix glanced over his shoulder. He exhaled heavily through his nostrils and muttered, "Hmmm... What a quaint town, huh?"
"Are they still—?" Belle began.
Phoenix shook his head.
"Alright..." Quietly, with her voice ringing beneath the speech from the balcony, she parted her robe, looked down, and gave a soft smile. "It's okay," she said. "They're gone. You're safe—"
Without saying anything, Kera dashed straight for the opposite end of the courtyard. She fumbled once or twice to adjust the folds of her own cloak, but was swiftly out of sight, threading her way into the thin streets lying in the shadow of the skyscrapers above.
Belle blinked. "You're... welcome?"
"She didn't say a single word, did she?" Phoenix asked.
Bellesmith shook her head, her chestnut eyes fixated on the far end of the courtyard. "No. I guess she must be really traumatized." She gulped. "Or illiterate."
Phoenix glanced at Belle's cloaked figure. "Or maybe something else..."
Belle looked at him. "Huh?"
Phoenix chewed the end of his lip before eventually murmuring, "Ms. Belle, that was awfully nice what you just did for the street urchin and all, but maybe you should check your bag..."
"What?!" Bellesmith cracked an awkward smile. "Phoenix, I just saved that poor little foal's skin!"
"Still, my experiences with Ledomaritan outposts were never that pleasant..."
"Ungh, will you get over it already?!" Belle frowned as she fidgeted beneath her cloak. "I know that this place isn't Franzington, but that doesn't mean you have to condemn the entire continent north of your home as—" She froze in place, her eyes wide. "By the Spark!" She parted the folds of her cloak and gawked at Luna's Saddlebag. Both satchels were hanging wide open, large enough for a large hoof to fit into, much less two tiny ones. "She pickpocketed me!"
"I knew it..." Phoenix grumbled. "What did you lose—?"
"Guhh!" Belle hissed, her hooves dancing anxiously as she shifted left and right. "No no o no no no no!"
"What?"
"She got the books!"
"Wait, what books?!"
"Both books!" Belle sneered. "The one important to me and the one important to Rainbow—"
"Shhh!" Phoenix exclaimed. He caught sight of several neaby ponies glancing suspiciously their way. "Okay, yeah, that sucks. But let's be calm. Where'd she run off to?"
"Nnngh! I can't believe how stupid I—"
"Ms. Belle, let's work together on this."
"Uhm..." The mare shivered, turning to point. "Over there..."
"Okay, let's go. Quietly." Phoenix ushered her along through the crowd. "Together..."
Bellesmith breathed nervously. Moisture welled up in her eyes as a lump of mixed confusion and pity formed in her throat.
Bad Kera. You don't hide from danger in somepony's cloak, then swipe her books. That's just low.
I think Kera could use a lesson in honesty.
Maybe this will all work out in the end. After they get the books back from Kera, they could always make her guide them safely into the building as punishment.
Unexpected, but it'll work out. For a start it's got Belle out of that courtyard.
Progress!
Kera's gonna look in the book, isn't she? A tear-stained book full of Rainbow's friends.
That's sure to cheer her up after pickpocketing a monk who sheltered her from a malicious gang planning to utterly eviscerate her in horriffic ways.
Oh, what a dick. I get the feeling that Kera isn't going to be easy to catch, seeing as she's managed to find the layout of the city so well.
2548265
Owch... That's. Good point.
Obviously, Kera is meant to read the book and break into the big bad's lair.
Also... I'm an overseer for the company that the book points to, and am responsible for that much increased production? I'm not entirely sure if I'm okay with the implications of this... :/
I believe we all realize that Kera will be of great importance.
Poor Bellesmith. Try to help a kid out...
2548206
I think you may be onto something. And between her green eyes and that whole bit with the apple in the first chapter (foreshadowing much?), there seems to be a parallel being drawn with AJ. It also seems like we have a generosity in Roarke, magic in EE, and kindness in Belle.
Well hot damn. She must be pretty good if Belle couldn't feel two BOOKS coming out of her saddlebags.
25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4iphl29px1r8k5p5o1_r1_500.gif
Hoho, what a twist! Nice work, Scolon.
One thing that caught my eye:
Illiterate is being unable to read or write. I'd substitute "mute" in its stead.
2548658
Very much so. The elements have been, and remain to be, a constant theme throughout the series. It is as if Dash attracts those ponies with the right qualities as the spark, in much the same way Twilight did.
There is something more to Dash, more than just fierce loyalty. Making some friends really brought it out in her.
Kera baby its not nice to steal! i just hope they catch up with her sn
I WANT MOAR DASH!
2548206
Come on, that guy's face was totally ugly!
why did she take the books?
Tee hee naughty Kera.
Wasn't expecting that. They better hurry before she sells them!
okay, that little filly annoyed me. >:(
2548200
You're just mad because you've got a Xonan hiding from you in your own city. All three of you.
greeaat. but why would Kera take the books? i don't think they would have any value for her.
It may be low, but I'm going to be on Kera's side here. Having little to nothing to live on, it was immoral but extremely intelligent for her to bite the hand that feeds her, considering she thought they were monks who would not, and could not retaliate.
2550196 Of course we're mad that we've got a Xonan in our city that we don't know about! It's still not nice to steal things of high sentimental and low monetary and practical value.
On an unrelated note, we're going to try refering to ourself in the plural for a bit.
Damnit Kera.
Treasure Hunter Kera. Locke would be so proud.
I knew it. Go out of your way for a street urchin, and they rob you blind.
A Sonic Rainboom once made 6 friends find their calling. Perhaps it will happen again.
Well, at least this got belle out of the courtyard.
Damn. Kera's smarter than we thought...
Lol, little scamp. I think she"ll be alright.
*hmph* Ungrateful little whelp...
2548200
Not any lower than rifling through garbage cans for thrown-out noodles, really.
I feel ya, brother. I react the same way to most speeches.
Kera is lucky that Rainbow is not around. I wouldn't vouch for her survival after stealing that album. Damnit filly, only life can pay for life. You steal the dead, you join the dead.
Ceterum censeo Searinem delendam esse.
2550302
I'm on board with this idea. Maybe also use THE ROYAL CANTERLOT VOICE?
...eh, maybe just the plural thing.
Hmm, A magic artefact with glowing symbols, and a Xonan filly with glowing ley-line tattoos. Wonder if any funky effects will rear their heads?
2551580 No Royal Canterlot Voice, we're just refering to ourself in the plural because there's three of us.
2552160
Hahaha, was wondering if someone would catch the reference. You know that hitting the Ursa's uvula makes it's mouth open back up right, so that you don't have to even freeze time.
Pssh I taught Kera those moves.
2552774
Freeze time is sooooo much easier. Just go "boop" and then calmly homerun 'dem molars. You don't even need to consider whether you should hit the uvula one more time.
2550202
The difficulties in mass pickpocketing usually mean you grab everything, sort later.
You know what would be funny? Kera accidentally rubs her hooves against the books, then Twilight's spirit (or heck, the entire EoH) floats out and shakes her head disapprovingly.
Liking this Kera character more and more. She's got more guts than an abattoir and more guile than a...sneaky, cunning thing.
...Yeah. Anywho, guess these two story threads have intertwined - now to watch the results.
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
Oh. Well then. Dash's scrapbook and the book from the pegasus skeleton - both stolen? Huh...I suppose I can't judge, though. You've got to do what you have to to survive. But Belle had still better get that stuff back...These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
Don't you mean in a "horse" voice?
Yeah, yeah, I'll escort myself out.
Geeze, you have a thing for eye trauma, don't you? Or maybe it just squicks me out more than most stuff, so I notice it more. Either one.
And c'mon, Kera - you can't eat a book. That was just rude, especially because its Belle, and those two things are basically all she has left of her Beloved and PBFF (pegasus best friend forever). But it does make sure that Belle and Firebird go after Kera and secure a second encounter with the little rapscallion. Plot progression trumps social niceties, I suppose
I know we're supposed to be sympathetic to Kera's plight, what with her being Xonan and all, but seriously? Am I the only one that wants to string her up by her mane and tail and splash scalding water on her hooves while someone puts a couple handfuls of maggots into her clothes?
2826181
Yeah, I think you are. Living on the raw edge like that, I imagine the reaction (food in reach, grab food; money in reach, grab money; valuable stuff in reach, grab stuff) is kinda automatic, and the difference between life and death by starvation (or worse). You want her to be honest and full of gratitude, put her in a position where those traits get her something in return, like at least basic respect for her right to live. Morality's a two-way street.
On an unrelated note, I'd really like to know exactly what Imploding Colon thinks "guile" means. Because it almost never seems to be used to mean anything like "cunning" or "deceptiveness". This has been bugging me for three whole novel-length stories now.
...
...
...
-Spirit
We've been bamboozled!
Damn, fak u Kera
you resourceful little bitch
Kera....