Somewhere...
In a low-lying prefecture bordering mountains and bubbling springs...
An angry mare fought against a line of uniformed stallions who stood guard beside a set of warehouses.
“Dammit! I wanna speak to somepony in charge!” She bit and bucked at the stallions pushing her back. “Your boss owes me! He owes me big time!”
“Lady, I've no friggin' clue what you're talking about,” a stallion stood with two clerks beside a stack of wooden delivery crates. “You came here claiming to know whereabouts of the Rainbow Rogue, but now you're nothing more than a raving lunatic.”
“And you're just an ignorant motherbucker!” She spat. “Just how much do your higher-ups tell you, huh?!”
The stallion glared at her. “The Shoreline Trade Consortium does not associate with riff-raff. We are a legitimate distributor of dredge coal.”
“Ohhhhhhh ho ho ho how little that you know, buddy boy!” She gnashed her teeth. “I'd watch myself tonight while sleeping, if I were you!”
“Ma'am, is that a threat?!”
“Sir, is that a brain?!”
“That's it.” The stallion pointed at several of his uniformed associates. “Toss her outside the compound! She can scream and holler at the rice fields, for all I care.”
“Verlaxion dammit!” The mare kicked and fought as the ponies attempted to drag her away. “I did not hoof it all the way from Stone Prefecture to be treated like garbage!”
“Madame, garbage is as garbage does. Now, for the last time—” His words were interrupted by a shrill whistling sound, followed by three more in swift order. He froze in place upon hearing the signal. “... … ...an arriving executive?”
“Huh?!” The mare suddenly gasped, eyes flicking to the sky. “Is... is that him?” She gulped. “Is that your big cheese Chandler?”
“Shut it!” The stallion spun and barked at his clerks. “Places! Prepare for an impromptu inspection!”
A column of steam rose from the south. Chugging along a set of iron rails was an onyx black, streamlined locomotive, dragging three thick metal supply cars. Workers of the Consortium galloped up and stood at the ready, looking prim and proper. Within minutes, the locomotive came to an icy stop alongside the loading docks. Steam vented as a pair of doors behind the engine slid open. A blonde unicorn hopped out, flanked by security guards.
The lead stallion at the platform blinked in surprise. “Miss... Miss Longaze?”
“She's out of dredge coal,” Longaze droned, marching up to the pony. “I need a refill, pronto. Chandler's orders.”
“But... b-but...” The stallion fidgeted in place. “All of our dredge coal here is bound for Frostknife and parts b-beyond.” He gulped. “They've already been signed for and... and...” He squinted at the cars trailing behind the locomotive. “Did you actually use up two cars worth of fuel to get here? Verlaxion's sleet, ma'am, you must be in a hurry!”
“I am.” Longaze tugged a specially-sealed scroll out of her suit's vest. “Chandler's orders. I must head north as soon as possible—to cut off the Rainbow Rogue.”
“Rainbow Rogue?!” Sputtered the mad mare from beneath the platforms. “You wanna find her?! I've got the guts to spill for ya, lady!”
Longaze squinted down at the frazzled equine. “Who is this... creature?”
The stallion before her sighed. “One of the local waifs, Miss Longaze.” He gulped. “She claims to be from Stone Prefecture, having seen the Rainbow Rogue—”
“Blue coated mare?! Scar on her brow?!” The mare rambled. “Rainbow stubble?!”
Longaze raised an eyebrow. “Stubble?”
“Well, is that her or isn't it?!” The mare smirked. “It didn't occur to me until hours after she ran me and all of my buddies out of the Petrispines. She found us out, blew up our hideout, and made off with a bunch of punk ponies to Kunmane!”
The stallion grumbled. “She's an absolute mad mare. I was just about to expel her from the compound, ma'am—”
Longaze silenced him with a raised hoof. She descended the platform until she stood before the once-thug. “Did you say the Petrispines?”
“Hah!” The mare's dirty teeth showed beneath her smile. “I figured one of the higher brass would know a thing or two about that shiny nugget.” She then frowned. “Why's Chandler been holding back, huh?! Something in the seven seas must be really distracting him if he's cut off all our explosives!”
“Explosives?!” the stallion stammered.
“Shhhh...” Longaze stared at the mare. “Chandler has been... very preoccupied as of late.”
“Like Hell he's been!” the mare spat. “You see the bastard a lot, don't ya?! Well, you tell him that if he wants to keep the Talon busy in the granite mountains, he's gonna have to step up his game and stop chasing rainbow phantoms!” She leaned back. “And, confidentially, if he really needs to get that blue fuzzy bitch, then I'm the mare who can help you do it!” Her nostrils flared. “But I want my pay in advance!”
“Your pay...”
“Seven hundred thousand bits ain't nothin' to sneeze at, sister! A girl can retire early on that shit! And once I've got the mare Chandler wants in your hooves, I expect nothing less!”
“Indeed.” Longaze trotted close to her, leaning an ear in. “You say that the Rainbow Rogue headed to Kunmane?”
“That's right. Rumor is, the Talon's hot on her tail, too!”
“How long ago was this?”
“Pfft! I tangled with her in the Petrispines yesterday! What's it to you?”
“Thank you for the information, my little pony,” Longaze droned, her horn glowing. “You've been most helpful.”
The bandit leader blinked, her body twinkling all over with magic. “Eh?” WHOOOOOSH! “Aaaaaaaa—” She shrieked as she was flung back into a series of wooden crates. WHAM! WHUD! TH-THWACK! Her bloody, battered body rattled with each impact. At last, Longaze tossed her into the cold dirty with a THWUMP! “Unnnnnghhh...” She twitched, spasmed, and fell unconscious.
The workers of the Consortium stood at a distance, muzzles dropped in shock.
Adjusting her mane and the collar of her suit, Longaze calmly turned towards the lead stallion. “If you and your subordinates wish to keep your jobs and feed your families through the Month of Thawing, you will swiftly forget everything you've seen and heard just now.”
“Uhhhhhh...” The stallion jolted in place. “Huh?”
Longaze's brown eyes narrowed as her horn glowed even brighter. “Is that clear...?”
“Ahem.” The stallion stood straight and tall. “Ma'am! Yes, m-ma'am!”
“Good pony. Now, do refill this train's supply of dredge coal as requested. Do not worry about our shipment to Frostknife. Chandler shall reimburse the central prefectures in due time. If not...” She glanced down at the beaten body of the bandit. “...there are plenty of parties to blame the shortage on.” She waved a hoof.
Nodding, a pair of stallions swiftly dragged the mare's body away, leaving a trail of blood.
“Erm... where are you headed, Ma'am?” The stallion asked, still jittery. “To pursue the Rainbow Rogue?”
“If she's truly headed to Kunmane, then she's out of my grasp... for now.” Longaze took a deep breath. “I'll be heading to Steamfall.”
“Steamfall?”
“From there, I'll be able to pursue her to all corners of Rohbredden, wherever she chooses to go.” Longaze made to trot away, but paused. “By the way...” She turned towards the workers. “The bounty for her has increased. The southern Consortium stations know, but now I'm telling you.” Her brow furrowed. “The reward for catching her is now one million four hundred thousand bits.”
“What... what...?”
“You heard me. Adjust the posters accordingly.” Longaze marched back to the locomotive. “And tell the artist to make an adjustment. Apparently the mare has shaved her mane now. Cute... but futile.”
Lesson of the day: don't fuck with Longaze.
Something tells me that Rainbow would be mildy "excited" by this display.
Well, now everypony will know that the Rainbow Rogue doesn't have hair anymore. She'll be the Cyan Rogue.
Wow, Longaze doesn't mince words. Just ponies.
The next Longaze/Dasgie battle shall be epic.
Reckon I been gone for a while. Reckon I aughta fix that. Twenty burpies. Knock 'em out!
Hey, Rainbow! Longaze thinks you're cute!
well, Longaze appears to get the role of 'femme fatale' and since Rainbow seems to be hopelessly attracted to most thing mare, the eventual fight will be...hopefully interesting and not mostly her drooling over Longaze.
Also: I will never fall to this 'Longbow' ship. There can only be one True Pairing, and that will always be Rainboarke for me.
6770903 Sir! Yes sir!
(Also, good to have you back.)
Look at you, gliding across the grass like a gentle mist....dragging an anchor.
Well Dash... you're safe from one of two threats.. for now.
But the noose is tightening.
Prepare yourself.
-Companions have returned, inner darkness spurned. Utaan.
So even if Rainbow gets out of this mess with the Talon, there'll still be no reprieve. That's good for us readers, but poor Rainbow.
I like how they only now know that Rainbow had a mane shave, while the Talon figured it out days ago, despite starting later in the race (only actually started the hunt in full after linking up with Keris, versus immediately after the destruction of the Quade for Chandler). Shows how one intelligence gathering method produces results faster, even if it may seem slower initially. The problem is that it requires a much more thorough investing of time, something the Consortium does not have.
The Consortium is also trying to keep things at arms length, and as a result are getting hamstrung. Combine that with the fact that the consortium is restricted to steam locomotive to travel fast it looks like, versus basically helicopter for the Talon, and you have a very uneven race, despite the resource disparity. The Talon at this rate is definitely going to get to her first. Now is that a good thing or a bad thing in this case?
Doubling 750000 produces 1 million FIVE hundred thousand bits. Sounds Like Longaze is skimming off the top, adding to her own paycheck.
6770963 No, she's just subtracting her delivery/finders fee.
And the gambits pile up higher...
.... Hooking up thugs with cash and explosives.
PFC 168
LONGAZE VS DASHIE
Well, if we can't have Rainboarke, then I guess Raingaze (Longbow?) will have to do just fine.
Hey, Rainbow, you're finally the million dollar (and change) mare! The people want to know, just what will you do next?
Conjunction Junction, What's Your Function
God damnit Skirts, It's stuck in my head now.
6770889
What you say:
What Rainbow hears:
Well then. I guess Longaze is my new favorite. I probably should have seen this coming.
She seems a little mad...
Heh the low tier badguys never get their money.
Longaze is really setting of my shipping radar for some reason... I can just picture her fighting Dash again, and she's going all googly eyes at the unicorn
Glad to she Longaze is not a complete pushover. I was beginning to worry after her loss to Keris.
That bandit was fast.
derpicdn.net/img/view/2015/8/16/959139.gif
i.imgur.com/HiKYXSm.png
Rainbow will be delighted to hear that!
...about the bounty, I mean. Not Longaze being a bitch.
Wow, Longaze... I wonder what your backstory is? Why do you let money dictate your life and make you heartless? What could be so important?
Also, I was just thinking that it has been a while since we have heard of the goggles that Scootaloo made for RD. Austraeoh Fact Checker, can you tell me what happened to the goggles?
Schoolhouse Rock reference: Conjunction Junction, What's Your Function?
[youtube=RPoBE-E8VOc]
I see what you did there!
6771673
The last we saw of them was on the maelstrom beyond the Grand Choke. There hasn't been any indication that they were lost or stolen by Monket or anything, so I assume they are still in the saddlebag.
i have to agree with 6772741 here, matching up Longaze and Dash doesn't make the most sense
Roarke at least had redeeming qualities and noble-ish goals and was, aside from some societally ground in issues, a decent mare
Longaze has been frustrated by Chandlers idiocy, sure, but other than that has proven to have no qualms with hurting other ponies for her own personal gain, and unlike roarke, has had no showing of kindness or mercy toward anyone
maybe it's too early, but i feel like if anything, she's going to be the hot-but-evil character
like poison ivy, or some other comic book character (iunno, i'm tired gimme a break here)
She mincesandbashes, slices and dices, and is a killer in the kistchen, heeeeres Longgaze.
6770903 glad you're back to have us work off the holiday packed calories.
Well now everyone knows Dash shaved her mane.
Excuse me while I lament the unnecessary sacrifice.
Here's a thought. Rainbow Dash brings out the extremes in everybeing she comes across. The best in the best, the worst in the worst...
Back on board.
Sprint time. Ready... GO!!!
There are no brakes on the Longaze train. Metaphorically.
That poor bandit got schoolhouse rocked.
This is going to be a very interesting final confrontation. The question is who will get to Rainbow first?
I was actually worried whether or not she killed that mare, and then remembered that mare literally massacred random travelers for profit. Good riddance.
1.4 million bits? Now I KNOW the desperados are on their way.
*reads chapter title*
*Conjunction Junction immediately starts playing in my head*
... I'm ok with this.
You guys are like 3 steps behind thankfully. I can only hope it stays that way.