Like sheets of rain, rolling on into the night, Pilate sensed the walls, platforms, bridges, and balconies of the building around him. The source of these sensory pulses was constantly shifting, as Simon couldn't find a single spot to stay seated for too long a period of time.
"You may want to settle down," the zebra calmly said, feeling the fluff of the squirrel's bushy tail brush past his legs as the thing scampered across the floor of the cramped closet. "They obviously don't know where we are. Moving around is only going to make it easier for them to find us."
Tiny claws scraped across the floor. Pilate sensed the creature facing him; he heard its angry chatters as it purposefully aimed its head towards sealed entrance of the closet. When O.A.S.I.S.'s charge was next summoned, if flowered out of the squirrel's skull, realing equine bodies scavenging through the fallen intestines of a battered zeppelin several stories below, their frames illuminated like monochromatic bars in a field a mist.
"See? They're preoccupied with that mess that your buddy Floydien made." With a sigh, Pilate tilted his muzzle towards the ceiling. "Now, if only I knew what the whole point of this craziness was from the get go..."
As Pilate meditated, he felt tendrils of energy coalescing around the sphere of O.A.S.I.S. For the first time since being tossed from the Steel Wing, he was starting to regain control of his mana-powered crutch. He fould feel the contours of the room stretching around him, as well as the several bits of clutter tossed about by shifty hooves. Every now and then, a bunch of unicorns carrying weighted containers would trot past the entrance to the closet. Where they were headed, Pilate had no clue. Only Simon's magically imbued skull provided the necessary buffer to "see" any further.
"He must have known that Nancy Jane would be in here somewhere," Pilate said aloud. "Why else would he fly all the way to Blue Nova... to this building in particular?"
Simon barked and barked indecipherably.
Pilate sighed. "This is obviously not a factory building. It's an office complex of sorts. Nightshade Industries' hall of clerks and central management, undoubtedly. What kind of a place is that to hold somepony's beloved?" He gulped. "Or whatever Floydien is..."
Just then, Simon ran up Pilate's forelimbs and perched on the zebra's muzzle.
"Unngh... Seriously, Simon. You've been very helpful and all but—skkkt—I really wish you wouldn't constantly do that—"
But the squirredl tugged on Pilate's ears and forced him to face the direction opposite from the closet door.
"Huh? What? What is it?"
The squirrel chirped and pointed.
Pilate took a deep breath. He opened a channel of runic energy through his skull plate, allowing it to flow into the O.A.S.I.S. sphere. Simon then passed the field along through the wall, branching out into a part of the building that Pilate hadn't "explored" before.
"Huh? Are you... are you 'getting this' too—Augh!" Pilate winced, for a sudden spark was surging through him. "Easy! Easy, Simon! I don't have the same sparklers plugged into my skull that... you... do..."
Pilate blinked, something he hadn't done in a long time, for he felt as if he had actually got his sight back. This latest ribboning of mana was revealing just so much to him. With Simon's help, he sensed a connecting bridge to a factory building. And inside that building, about two levels up, there was a series of large compartments. The only moving bodies inside them were loneseome equines, hobbling around various equipment, and their hooves were bound in separate pieces of iron.
"What... is that...?" Pilate murmured aloud as everything returned once more to utter darkness. His metal brow furrowed. "A brig? A prison compartment? But why—" He cut himself off with a gasp. "Nancy Jane!"
Simon barked and tugged at his ears.
Pilate shook him off. "I don't care if it's dangerous! Floydien brought us here for a reason. If we free his beloved, then maybe he will actually repay me and help me find Bellesmith!" He winced suddenly. "If he's still alive. Oh, who am I kidding..."
Simon perched on Pilate's front left hoof and waited patiently.
After a deep breath, Pilate said, "Neither of us have any answers, but those ponies in the next building might. Besides..." He bit his lip. "I don't think there's another soul with the power to free them like we do... er... well... like you do, Simon."
The creature's little tail shook.
Pilate squatted low and spoke towards the rodent's sparkling head. "I'm going to need you to be my ears and ears, fella. When we get to the ponies over there, I'll do the talking. I think this is what Floydien would have us do. Wouldn't you think?"
The squirrel shrugged its shoulders.
Pilate sensed it, then nodded. "Right, well... unless we plan on living the rest of our lives out as brooms, we're serving no purpose here. Let's move."
Carefully, very carefully, Pilate used Simon's senses to peer beyond the door. When the upper floors were empty, he peeled his way out of the closet, clung to the wall, and scurried over towards the far end of the building, accompanied by a bushy-tailed comrade in arms.
I don't recall DareDevil ever facing Borris and Natasha, but it would have been pretty cool.
I thought Nancy Jane's true nature had dawned by now, too. Guess it hasn't happened yet.
Am I the only one that really wants to know Floydien's species?
2607400
I was under the impression that he was a reindeer, but I can't remember why...
2607400
Cyborg.
Something I can't see but only hear is off...
2607478 I vaguely remember this as well.
2607491 Floydien is pleased with this development.
I wonder if that's the aforementioned Xonan foals that Pilate spotted. If so, it's the same place Belle is headed.
2607478
That's the implication I got, too. I think it was from the chapter "Nose So Bright". And we know he has antlers too, of course. I can't remember if anything more definite was said.
I wonder if all of the ponies in irons are stumped unicorns, failed experiments of the past.
2607400
I'm pretty sure it's because when they stole the airship, IC mentioned something about Floydien having horns? Maybe? I can't remember too well either...
2607478 Possibly because of the chapter By Invasion Only
"What did he just launch from his friggin' antlers?!"
Still antlers is kinda vague (deer, impala, moose (would make sense with Simon there, old cartoons are delightful))
Hopefully we will *see* him at some point. Come on Colon, be a bro, dont leave us hangin.
Double edit: Answered my own question, i have the dumb today and cannot brain.
2607400 Floydien is an animatronic reindeer from a Christmas village display who was actually pulled into Equestria and developed intelligence by mistake. This explains his confused vocabulary and electric antlers.
"Nancy Jane" is actually the mall Santa, who just happened to land in the worst possible location of one of the worst possible AUs in which to be a Human in Equestria.
very good chapter.
2607400
I'm still holding onto my belief that Floydien is not an antlered creature at all.
Huh, ultimate sonar vision it seems. Neat if not a little...sad in a way...I mean what they had to do to Simon was pretty cruel but, I suppose he's making the best of it...
2608490 He's been mentioned as antlered often and I'm pretty sure in one of his early appearances he was described as a deer
2607391
We're gonna find out just how cool, aren't we? Good stuff coming up.
2609319
But what if he's only antlered and deer-like at this point because it suits his purpose?
Floydien hangs out with a squirrel, therefore he is obviously a moose.
2607962 Floydien thinks that Arcshod is full of spit.
Go cyber squirrel!
simon is best pony squirrel.
Oh, how exciting! Perhaps Pilate and Belle will meet again. I can see how tearless that is from here.
Well. They're screwed.
But probably not.
But the squirredl tugged on Pilate's ears and force
Squirrdel?
Will Enforcer comrades stop moose and squirrel?
Will blind zebra find Upsadaisium?
Stay tuned next time, for:
A cell with a view,
Or;
Prison Break: Ledomare.
Glory be to Ledo.
He's dead, Jim.
2607478>>2607400 We know he has antlers and cloven hooves as well. And yes indeed, the chapter title 'Nose So Bright' is quite graphic. Kill me and don't destroy Searo if he isn't a Reindeer.
Ceterum censeo Searinem delendam esse, 'cause if that doesn't happen Christmas will have to be postponed indefinitely.
2607400
I think he's a deer.
Why am I slightly afraid of what else they might find in this building? Oh yeah, because its been alluded to that all sorts of experiments of questionable moral fiber take place there.
I still feel like Nancy Jane might already be dead. If she isn't I'm not exactly sure how sane she's going to be, considering she's shacked up with Floydien, the nonsensical reindeer. What are the odds of a happy reuniting scene for everyone taking place in the next few chapters? And where exactly did Simon come from? We've had references to metal mares and Xonans way before any ever showed up, but so far no info on a cyborg squirrel nation. No complaints or anything - Pilate certainly needs a seeing-eye
lemursquirrel to get through the rest of this.IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
I have to say, I enjoy the feel that this chapter gives me. You'd think that a "dialogue" between a character that's mute and a character that's blind wouldn't be interesting, but this is. Props to you, Imploding! These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
Time to save... Whatever Nancy Jane is.
-Spirit
This word comes up a lot and I'm at a complete loss at how to pronounce it! Is it "sn-KUH-t" or "sn-KUKUKU-t" or something completely different?
2660027
Hurray! A review where you like the story a little bit.
Entry VIII:
Thankfully I was right, and the trackers have left me as I have left their lands. I shudder to think what would have happened if we had collided.
I've been forced to head north, though I try to shift at least somewhat eastward when possible.
The sun is about to vanish completely, and with it my chance to write. Wait...
I see light on the distant horizon. A settlement perhaps, or just another fortress?
Hopefully I can find out soon.
Saving Nancy Jane already? I was hoping for bit more of a tease...
I know that this must be ancient history in this story's terms, but by God if I am not having a good time.
For somebody who can't see, Pilate's got some awesome 'vision' through Simon. Sensing all the way into another building, being able to pick out individuals, and being able to ascertain the exact nature of their bonds? I mean, jeeze.
Simon is best tesla-squirrel.
New side quest!
6204684
That one freaky squirel, but he's the best freaky squirel I've vever seen in a story!
Now I wanna see him meet Angel!
Two super intelligent rodents.
One with anger management issues. The other with Tesla coils.
....I think Angel would win, regardless