Chapter 131: Under The Sea
Part 1: Skystar
TIME: Unknown
DATE: Unknown
LOCATION: Unknown
THIS BULLSHIT AGAIN: Oh, yeah
I woke up flat on my back. In a cave. A damp, moist cave. I sat up, my vision blurred. My hand went to my face - no glasses. My hips and sides. Dager holstered. Sword gone.
That worried me more than my missing Glasses.
I checked myself over completely. Utility pouch with multitool. Dager pistol. Three spares. Bayonet. I fingered my neck area and realized I had the necklace that Leviathan gave me.
???: "OH! Y-You're awake!" I heard sloshing.
K: "I can't see very well. Did you find something with two gemstone lenses set in wire?" I asked, realizing she might not know what glasses were. "I need those to see."
???: "Oh.. oh, those. Oh. Oh, right. Wait here. I'll go back and get them." She instantly sloshed again, and I could tell I was alone.
That was.. disconcerting. If I was the only one..? I thought back to the last things I could remember. I didn't hear the incoming shell whistle, but I knew for certain the bridge had been hit. Whitecap and Northern Star were probably dead, along with the entire bridge crew of the Weather Rock.
I could feel the tears. Northern Star had started out as Mistress of one of our first ships.. I'd been there when she initially failed to act decisively. She'd proven herself since then. If she was dead, I was personally responsible.
As I was with all the others.
Whitecap, too. Bright mind on that one. A good, natural leader.
I wondered if the Weather Rock had been sunk? If any of the Task Force minus Zephyr and Mudbriar even survived? Thousands of ponies. But, we'd made a good account of ourselves, and even though Leviathan got most of the kills, we'd sunk a gigantic enemy fleet, at night, using probably the most desperate tactics imaginable.
Never mind my wife and my friends. I felt a cold pit in my stomach. If I was the only one that survived, Equestria was doomed. Without the Elements of Harmony to empower the Rainbow of Light, there was no 'clean' way to kill Tirek. I'd have to go with Project Dawnshatter - creating a one-way ultra long ranged aircraft loaded with Device X. Device X was Bright Eyes re-creating what amounted to the Tsar Bomba.. WITHOUT the limiters. Fifty megatons of fuck everything that exists.
I could erase Tirek with it. But it would be a one-way trip. If my wife and my friends were dead, I didn't see the point of doing anything else.
Sloshing again, and I could see a technicolor form close to me, leaning over, with something in its mouth.
I grasped for it, and realized they were my glasses. I put them on.
K: "That's bett-" I looked right at her.
A yellow-orange.. sea pony? No, not quite. Maybe an evolved form of one?
???: "Hiiiiii!" She made an apologetic face.
K: "I'm K----." I nodded, just.. accepting this. "Are you a SeaPony?"
Princess Skystar: "Princess Skystar." She bowed her head. "You have Leviathan's Amulet." She blushed a little. "If you have his favor, then you have my friendship."
K: "As you have mine." I nodded. "Was I the only survivor?"
Princess Skystar: "I-I'm not sure.. ah.. so many of those steel things were being destroyed almost right above our heads.." She trailed off. "..I don't know who's friend and who's foe. But I could smell the stink of Tirek on some of them." She rather coldly spat.
K: "Ahh. Any enemy of Tirek's is a good pally of mine." I somewhat imitated Sergeant O'Fang.
Princess Skystar: "Oh?! A-Are you enemies o-of.." She shuddered. "..the Storm King as well!?"
K: "Him again!" I scowled. "His monsters killed a couple of my friends and tried to murder a whole village of Griffons." I crossed my arms. "Enemy? Oh, yeah, he's on the Kill List."
Princess Skystar: "Ohhh..! Then! Y-You need to.. uhm.. meet my mother. Queen Novo." She looked very nervous. "I'm.. kinda.. trying to figure out how to get you there." She idly splashed some water on herself. "It's under the sea. In Marelantis."
K: "Huh." I smirked a bit. "Given that you're SeaPonies, I almost thought it'd be called SeaQuestria."
Princess Skystar: "Maybe it WOULD, if Celestia had helped us." She crossed her fin-arms.
[Also, fuck you, SeaQuestria is a terrible name, shut up Hazbruh writers. Marelantis is WAY more steeped in mystery and legend - and this is my story, so, snuff it]
K: "I can accept that." I nodded. "I know Celestia hasn't.. been perfect." I shrugged. "So, yeah, I can't breathe under water." I gestured. "What, am I supposed to get Magic Gills or something?"
The amulet glowed, and I felt my neck.. HURT. I actually yelled out in pain, as it felt like my neck was being pulled apart. Almost paralyzing pain. Almost suffocating. When it was over..?
K: "..do I have gills, now?" I blinked at Skystar.
Princess Skystar: "You have gills, now." She said rather offhandedly.
K: "I have gills now." I sighed, and noted the air only escaped my throat. "Well, they don't seem to make me unable to breathe air, so, I guess.." I shrugged. "They're magical? Lovely. I bet Leviathan is having himself a nice little 'kek' right now." I snorted, and chuckled.
Princess Skystar: "What's a 'kek'?" She tilted her head at me.
K: "Derisive laughter at someone's misfortune." Best explanation. "Now.. shall we go see your mother?" I shrugged. "Oh, and I need to.." I patted my hip. "..I'm missing the Sword of Rainbow's Light."
Princess Skystar: "We'll have to look for it, then!" She looked surprised (idly splashing herself with water - indicating her fishy scales/skin could be dried out and that was a bad thing). "That's a VERY important item if you're going to beat Tirek!"
I wasn't going to get into the Daybreaker Devices.
K: "Where ever it is, if it's under the sea, it's probably safe for now." I nodded. "Come on, let's go meet your mom." And.. uh.. kinda slid myself into the water a bit. "And I'd like to see if any of my friends made it."
Princess Skystar: "Oh! OH! Right, right. It's.. kiiiinda on the way? Come on!" She slid beneath the water in this air bubbled underwater cave, and I followed.
I should note: I'm not the best swimmer in the world, though, I can do it.
She easily out paced me. And when she realized that, she swam back and grabbed my hand in her fin-palm, and pulled me along.
We got to the battle site in about three minutes. I was surprised she managed to get me to the cave without drowning me.
I was.. very saddened by what I saw on the bottom of the ocean. HMS Weather Rock was sunk. She suffered an aft magazine explosion, and had some deep shell holes in her forecastle, showing penetration by Battleship-caliber guns. Her bridge was destroyed completely. "B" turret was blown open, and the #2 gun barrel was ruptured. She went down fighting.
I had to know. I just.. couldn't.. ignore it. I swam over to her as best I could. My first stop was the Bridge..
It's very hard to cry under water.
Northern Star. Whitecap. I lost both of them. I hugged their bodies. They were cold. Skystar came over, and saw me.. sobbing.. and kinda gave me a hug.
She was good pony.
I did my best to get the bodies of the bridge crew (what was left) arranged on the deck by the ship's wheel. I detached the ship's bell and wrapped it in life jackets. I hoped she could be found. Weather Rock was a young ship, but she died valiantly.
I shoved the now-buoyant bell out the blown-off roof of the superstructure and let it rise. I hoped someone was looking for me. For us. That they'd find it and realize only human hands could tie those knots and know that I was alive somewhere.
My next stop was to go down several decks and get to the CAG Command Staff Area.
On my way down.. I noted.. that unless I was near a shell hole or damage, I wasn't finding any bodies! That was a VERY good sign. All the life rafts on C-Deck were gone, too. Another good sign.
Swimming into my quarters, I immediately saw there was a HUGE air bubble at the ceiling!
UP WE GO!
K: "Ahhh! Fresh air!" I looked at the faces that were looking back at me. "Hi, honey. I'm alive."
[End of Part 1]
Part 2: Floundering
TIME: 07:56 GMT
DATE: War Day 1006/4 Primaus, 1005 C.S.
LOCATION: Wreckage of HMS Weather Rock, Under the Mareterranian Sea
Applejack: "HONEYBUN!!!!" She dove into the water and hugged me tightly, squeezing the very life out of me.
K: "BREATHE! BREATHE!" I tapped her back. "Honey, hold up!"
Applejack: "Ah.. ahh.." *Sobbing* "AH THOUGHT YOU WAS REALLY GONE THIS TIME!" She cried into my shoulder.
Dusty was right next to me, and crying as well.
Broken: "K! OH, PRAISE CELESTIA!"
Trixie: "Ohhh..! YOU SURVIVED!"
Dusk: "I.." He blushed.. BLUSHED! "I.. thought you were dead, too, K." He cleared his throat and got all professional. "You got me, AJ, Dusty, Trixie, Broken.. and.."
From behind me, someone else splashed to the surface.
Rainbow McSherbet: "HEY-HEY! The boss isn't dead after all!" He chuckled a bit. "I didn't think he was - I told you there was no body!"
I swirled around to face him. Okay, this wasn't going to be the first time a Newbie came along on a big adventure.. and he had confidence in me. It made me smile a bit, and give him a nod.
K: "Glad to see you made it, too." I looked back at Dusk. "Report."
Dusk: "We were in the middle of abandoning ship when water started to flow in from a shell hole. We retreated into the CAG section.. it's slowly filling up, but.." He shrugged. "Trixie-"
Trixie: "I can cast an Air Bubble Spell to give us enough air to get somewhere. Buutt.. it'll only last a few minutes." She shrugged.
Princess Skystar: "AH!" She breached the surface. "Who's this? Your friends?" She smiled.
K: "Everyone, this is Princess Skystar." I nodded. "Of the Sea Ponies of Marelantis."
Applejack: "Ah'm Applejack." She scooted over to her. "Ah.. Ah cain't.. ever thank'ya enough... fer savin'.. my husband." She sniffled, and hugged her. "Ah means it."
Princess Skystar: "Awwww!" She hugged back.
Dusk: "..anyway. Everyone but us got on a life raft. We won, by the way. Barely. Only the Michigami, Starswirl City, and Briareus survived the battle. The Okemos was sunk after exchanging fire with one of the remaining battleships, to try and give us some time to get command of the ship back. Ozarka exploded and sank once the fire got to her magazines. Braeburn rammed one of the remaining cruisers after she lost her guns. Michigami was hit several times by cruiser gun fire and was making 15 knots. Starswirl City lost her aft gunnery director and aft 5-inchers. Las Pegasus and Baleston were both worked over hard and sunk." He shrugged. "I know a lot of ponies got off those ships, though."
K: "Yeah." I nodded, looking at Applejack. "We lost 'Cap and Northern." I shrugged. "I'm sorry, honey."
Applejack: "Ah see.." She sighed and hugged me. "They wuz good friends."
Princess Skystar: "Hmm.. I think if K---- talks to my mom, she might.. uhm.." She made fin-gestures. "I can't get into everything. I'm supposed to keep it a secret. BUT! There's an underwater cave a short swim from here. It's got plenty of air."
K: "Alright. Let me see if I can find the Sword. I didn't think anyone was here, or I'd've gone on to meet her mom. But, let me see if I can find the sword and use that to power up Trixie's spell." I nodded, looking at Rainbow. "Let me guess - you can hold your breath a long time?"
Rainbow McSherbet: "Up to four minutes!" He smiled.
K: "Dusk, gather anything you can get. Don't worry so much about guns. They won't help us down here." I nodded.
Dusk: "You got it." He nodded back.
K: "Alright, Princess-"
Princess Skystar: "Just Sky. Or 'Star maybe!? I don't know - it's been a REALLY.. REALLY.. long time since I had friends!" She beamed a grin.
K: "..Sky, it is, then." I nodded. Oohh.. she seemed.. desperate. AJ just gave me a kiss on the ear for that, and a very gentle whisper.
Applejack: *Very Silent Whisper* "If yew gotta fuck her to git us outta this, y'all owe me, that's all."
I didn't react to this, just in case I needed to do as instructed.
Marital permission!? Well, at least AJ is being practical about this. She knows, of course, that I can't seed any offspring, so I think that partially helps matters.
K: "SO! Sky. Alright. Let's go look around the Bridge again." I nodded to her.
And off we went.
Getting back to the bridge, I scrounged around, standing where I remember standing.. and thinking about the sword. I would have been ejected to the port side, so.. I swam out that way, and looked for disturbances in the sea bed. Spotting a glint, I swam to it.. nope, just a timing watch. Probably.. oh.. there's the body of good ol' Oarbis. I retrieved him and put him on the bridge with the others. He was a good stallion. I'd miss him.
Back out into the open water, and back towards where I found Oarbis. I felt around in the sea 'dirt' and.. I could almost feel the sword call to me. I reached out, and grabbed into the mud, feeling the sheath. I pulled, and out it came. "Standing" in the water, I used some spare strapping in my belt pouch to fix the sword back to me.
It struck me how silly I must look, in a combat uniform, under the water like this. I may as well be naked, for all it mattered.
Oh, well. I showed Skystar that I had the sword, and swam over to her. She seemed to be contemplating the bodies. Like, she knew she should be very sad, but she didn't quite understand it. Like she'd never experienced loss before.
Sword in hand, I swam back to the air bubble in the CAG quarters.
K: "Okay, Trixie." I nodded to her.
Trixie: "Ohh.." *Grumble* "My hat and cape are going to be soaked!" She frowned.
Dusk: "..I'll get you new ones." He slid over and put a hoof on her shoulder. "I mean.. it's pretty clear Rarity's just fine.. you know.." He blushed a bit.
Trixie: "Is this a marriage proposal?!" She gave him a look of indignant disbelief.
Dusk: "You know what? Yes, it is." He nodded firmly. "I'm an Alpha Stallion - K just reminded me of it, is all. I need to act like one. And if THAT means proposing marriage here in the wreck of a sunken battleship, in the middle of a war that's going to define our whole species for generations to come.. so be it." He slid his right foreleg around her neck, and kissed her.
Applejack: "OooO! HOO-HOO!" She cheered.
Rainbow McSherbet: "AWRIGHT! I dig it! I totally dig it!" He pumped his right foreleg.
Broken: "Good on you, Dusk." He smiled.
Dusty: "I love it." She beamed a grin. "It's about time."
Princess Skystar: "Okay! We all ready?" She smiled.
Trixie: *Moaning noises*
Dusk: *Dominant grunts*
K: "HEY! Heeeyyy! ENOUGH!" I laughed, and it sounded funny with my Magic Gills. "We do not need a porn show, you guys!"
They suddenly realized how bad they were getting, and disengaged.
Dusk: "Ah, well.." *Throat clearing* "I think.. some of your.. charms.. wore off on me." He blushed, smirked, and nodded.
K: "Eh, you had it all along." I shrugged back at him. "As you said - I only reminded you how awesome you were. Now, let's get going." I nodded.
Trixie cast her air bubble spell, and I used the Harmony Stone to link it to myself, through the Sword of Rainbow's Light. We swam back to that little cave, and breached the surface in the little opening.
Dusk: "Alright." He slid the watertight container onto the rocks. "We have SOME gear - we never really planned for something like this." He shrugged.
K: "I know. I wish Sea Swirl and Deep Blue were here - they had genuine experience deep sea diving." I nodded.
Dusk: "Well.. it'll have to do, I guess." He shrugged.
Applejack: "Whut's'a plan, hun?" She nodded to me.
Princess Skystar: "Wellll... I'm going to go borrow something from the Palace that'll work better than that spell. Theeenn.. you all need to meet my family!" She beamed a grin. "Especially my mom!"
K: "No problem." I nodded. "We can wait here until you get back." I shrugged. "I've learned from experience, my presence tends to freak people out."
Princess Skystar: "Oh, you mean the whole 'Destroy or Save the World' Human of Legend thing!?" She slid up to me. "W-We know about it, too. Ohh! I'll be back!" She dove down, and swam back out.
Applejack: "Gal's wound tighter'n a seven day clock." She made a face.
Broken: "I don't think she gets out much." He sighed a bit.
K: "Probably." I nodded.
I had no idea what we'd just gotten ourselves into, or how this was ALSO going to change the future.
But, I'd soon find out at least part of it.
[End of Part 2]
Part 3: "The Children of Leviathan"
TIME: 08:19 GMT
DATE: War Day 1006/4 Primaus, 1005 C.S.
LOCATION: Under the Mareterranian Sea, Kingdom of Marelantis
Princess Skystar of Marelantis was back, and she handed each of the Ponies a little conch to attach to their noses. This would allow them to breathe water for a little while. And, more importantly, talk under water.
She was now leading us to the main settlement of Marelantis. We were getting some looks from the residents, that was for sure. I also noticed we picked up an escort - loosely, behind us, not trying to hide the fact they were following us. Marelantian Royal Guards.
We were met at the entrance to the palace by a larger Sea Pony with purple.. scales? No matter.
Admiral Seaspray: "Ah. You must be the Human of Legend." He swam up to me. "I am Seaspray. Admiral of the Underocean Navy of Marelantis." He bowed his head a bit.
K: "I am indeed. I'm General-Field Marshal K---- K---." I gestured to the others. "This is Senior Altern Dusk Seeker of the Equestrian Royal Guard, Cornet Broken Dawn of Ambleon, Gendarmes Sergeant Dusty Dunes of Las Pegasus, my wife Applejack, Trixie Lulamoon, and Rainbow McSherbet."
Admiral Seaspray: "I see." He nodded. "We noted.." He pointed to a sunken Tirek destroyer that had.. impaled a building in the city, not far from the palace. "..you were in combat recently."
K: "OH! Oh, I am SO sorry!" I was immediately apologetic. "I had no idea you were under here, or.." I sighed. "..I'm not going to lie and say I wouldn't have done exactly what I did, but I would have tried to be more careful."
Admiral Seaspray: "Hm. Honesty." He nodded. "Princess." She nodded to Skystar. "Her Majesty noted the Conch Clips were missing."
Princess Skystar: "Y-Yeah. Well.. I met.. new friends and.. well.." She stammered. "I want them to meet my mom!" She nodded firmly. "YOU know what the legends say! It's only right."
K: "The Storm King and Tirek are our enemies, too." I nodded.
Admiral Seaspray: "Well.." He made a face. "..alright. Come along. And behave yourselves." He motioned for us to follow her.
Note, it's very cute trying to see Trixie - who can't swim at all - try to waggle her legs and get 'traction' in the water. Dusk was helping her as best he could. AJ was okay with this. Dusty was.. surprisingly doing okay. Rainbow McSherbet was swimming like a fish.
We entered the Royal Chamber, and there, on the throne, sat Queen Novo.
Queen Novo: "Daughter? What.. are THESE doing here?" She glared at me. "Outsiders, and moreover.. SURFACE DWELLERS.. are not normally permitted to even SEE our city, much less, the Palace."
Uh oh.
Admiral Seaspray: "My Queen, this is the Human of Legend." He gestured to me.
Queen Novo: "Ohoh?" She blinked.. and tilted her head. "Bear you the Sword?"
K: "I bear something better." I held up Leviathan's Amulet.
EVERYONE bowed to it - even the Queen.
Okay, situation under control.
K: "May I approach Her Royal Highness?" I bowed respectfully.
Queen Novo: "..y-yes." She blinked.
I swam over close to her, and 'knelt' before her as best I could. I'm still rather somewhat buoyant, remember?
K: "Your Highness. War is in the air. We have fought Tirek for almost five years, now. And The Storm King has appeared as well - though, far from here." I shook my head. "Princess Skystar said he was your enemy, and Leviathan said you were his children. I am eager to know how all this came to be?" I held my hand to my chest, in a mark of humbleness.
Queen Novo: "..yes, well." She blinked.. and swam over to a flat rock. "I could sing this, but I think the message is best delivered directly. One day, long ago, we lived in a city connected to this underwater realm, Mount Airs. Then, The Storm King arrived, and.." She held herself a bit, the rock panels lighting up to tell their tale of misery and woe. "..many suffered. He sought out our treasure - the Pearl." She frowned a bit. "It's also something that can possibly destroy him, if used right." She shook her head. "I prayed to the Seas to take us with mercy - we were not as you see us, now. We were Hippogriffs. Creatures of the Air. We.. I was praying for a MERCIFUL DEATH, K----." She slid over to her daughter and hugged her. "Instead, Leviathan emerged from the waves, and took pity on us. Leviathan promised that so long as we worshipped him, he would take us beneath the sea where the Storm King could not harm us." She shook her head a bit.
K: "You had no way to resist him. The Storm King." I nodded. "I've seen his foot soldiers - they are formidable, but we CAN kill them." I affirmed. "He tried to destroy a Griffon city named Grylan some time ago, and we repelled his forces. Not easily, but we did it. And we have learned many lessons since then." I gestured wide. "Not here under the water, but up there, on land, I can offer you the means to fight back. To kill him."
Queen Novo: "HOW?!" She seemed distraught. "I.. I've lost so many of my people.. when he first appeared." She was very sad. "I don't think I could.. I can't lead my people to slaughter."
I swam over and hugged her. Tightly. She could feel the warmth of my heart, I could tell, because she hugged me back.
And cried.
The tears of a Queen that fears for her people.
The tears of a mother that feels anguish at loss.
K: "I have the means." I stated in a softer voice. "This whole world is at war. We need every friend we can get, if we intend to even survive. The Storm King might not be able to get here, but Tirek can. Leviathan can't protect you against his Rainbow of Darkness." I gently slid her back, to look her in the eye. "I can give your people the means to fight for their own survival. And I can train them. Teach them all that we've learned. And, together, we can take your home back." I pointed upwards. "The Storm King rules up there, does he not?"
Queen Novo: "Yes." She nodded, gathering herself.
K: "Then we'll just have to go up there and kick his ass." I smirked.
She smiled. She could feel my confidence. I was sure, Leviathan's Amulet bought me the political capital to get her to agree to this.
Now, to figure out the details.
Queen Novo: "What.. tell me everything that's been happening." She shrugged.
Dusk: "Ma'am. Senior Altern Dusk Seeker, Royal Guard. Until recently, I was part of its command staff." He shrugged a bit. "I think I can walk you and the Admiral through the basics." He flicked me a glance like 'I am NOT cut out for diplomacy!' and I just shrugged a bit.
Dusk would have been trained to be respectful as a Guard, AND because I was sure Brindle taught him good manners.
Me? Well, it's pretty well established by now that I have political leanings. That I can fast talk with the best of them, and I understand Pony nature. Combine that with my upbringing?
Dusk and I would compliment each other nicely.
K: "I'll come with." I nodded
Princess Skystar: "Sooooooo... MOM! Can I take the rest of my new friends out shopping!? CAN I?! CAN I!?" She zipped up and down in the water.
Queen Novo: "..oh, alright." She nodded with a small smile. "Take your sisters."
Princess Skystar: "YAAAAAAAAAAAY!" She did three loop-de-loops in the water, and grabbed Dusty by the hooves.
Queen Novo: "Oh, just.. one thing. I think for now, you'd all be better off.. looking like one of us." She gestured and the Pearl of Form slid down from its chamber above her throne.
Her activating it.. well.. the spell enveloped everyone. Myself included. For me? It did nothing. The rest of my crew turned into Sea Ponies.
Dusk: "Ohh.. hey, nice." He stretched his fins. "A little disconcerting, but.." He shrugged. "When in Roam, I suppose?"
Rainbow McSherbet: "OOoooo! Cool beans!" He swished his tail. "I have a FISH TAIL!" He beamed a grin.
Princess Skystar grabbed Dusty again, and kinda.. herded them out, and towards the city.
K: "You're likely in trouble." I nodded to Trixie as she left.
Dusk: "I likely am." He smiled just a tiny bit.
TIME: 09:01 GMT
The conference room was.. interesting. I noted that no drinks were provided. This made perfect sense. They're fish. They "drink" the air. It would be like offering a cup of fresh spring breeze, up on the surface.
There were snack cakes brought in, though. Interesting looking, too. All different shapes, but they seemed to be made of the same ingredients.
Queen Novo: "I.. before I commit to anything, before.. I.. I take the risk." She shook her head. "I need to know everything."
I picked up one of the snack cakes idly, and nibbled it. And immediately regretted it. It was unprocessed, minced sea vegetation. I set it back down, and moved on.
K: "Tirek first attacked us at a place called Lone Hoof Ridge almost five years ago. I'd been here several months, by that point. A few months after that, he bombed Canterlot for.. what wouldn't be the last time." I shrugged. "Many ponies were killed in that attack."
Dusk: "Before that, K had started training the Royal Guard in how to use firearms, and the advanced tactics they called for. They're useless under water, but up in the air? Deadly. At ranges approaching a kilometer." He nodded to me.
K: "We have some tricks for under water fighting, too, don't get me wrong." I shrugged. "We just didn't.. well, to be perfectly honest, I had no idea we'd be coming here at this point. So.." I shrugged. "We didn't get to bring any of it with us."
Queen Novo: "We saw.. metal tubes.. huge ones.. moving under the water." She nodded.
K: "Submarines. That's ours." I nodded back. "They slip beneath the waves to ambush surface vessels. Very handy." I gave a small gesture.
Queen Novo: "Yes, that.. that battle was quite destructive. A few buildings downtown were destroyed.." I cut her off.
K: "Please tell me no one died." I lowered my head.
Queen Novo: "As far as I know..?" She looked to Seaspray. "Admiral?"
Adm. Seaspray: "None as far as we are aware, Your Majesty. Several injured, though. The building that suffered the worst was under construction at the time. It was to be.." He shrugged a bit. "..a-a home for the aged."
K: "I'm very sorry. If there's anything Equestria or NEIGHTO can do to help.." I shrugged.
Queen Novo: "What.. IS.. Neigh-tow?" She tilted her head at us.
Dusk: "North Equus Independent Group of Herds Treaty Organization. The formal alliance founded on K's insistence, to fight Tirek, and now, the Storm King. Its objective is to secure the safety and security of the citizens of each signatory nation. We are a shield, Your Highness." He nodded to her.
Queen Novo: "A shield?" She nodded, questioningly.
K: "Yes. A shield. NEIGHTO is there to protect. We do not, under any circumstances, allow NEIGHTO to be used for internal matters within signatory nations." I nodded.
Queen Novo: "And.. non-signatories?" She gestured with a fin.
K: "That would depend on the situation at hand. Only in the most extreme of situations would NEIGHTO even consider intervention in an internal matter in a sovereign nation - and it would be a diplomatic intervention, first. I can't imagine a situation where NEIGHTO would intervene militarily in an internal matter within a sovereign non-signatory nation, short of one side or the other engaging in active genocide. And even then, it would be very strictly limited to potentially protecting the victims - say, by setting up a safe zone along an international border with a signatory nation. Not invading." I shrugged. "It's something that would have to be debated among the representatives of each nation. And nothing at all would even take place unless NEIGHTO was approached first - we don't engage, and have no intention to engage, in military adventurism. If something happened in a nation bordering a NEIGHTO Member, we might mobilize defensive forces to prevent the violence from affecting said member nation, but that's about it." I nodded to her.
Queen Novo: "So.. say.. something were to happen here." She trailed in. "Say.. we.. chose to become Hippogriffs again.. and not everyone wanted to. And it started internal fighting.."
K: "You're not a NEIGHTO Partner. And from what I can tell, this place is pretty isolated. We wouldn't do a thing." I shrugged.
Queen Novo: "And if we were?" She nodded to me.
K: "We still wouldn't do anything." I nodded. "I might go in personally - not as a representative of NEIGHTO, but as K the Human - and try to get both sides to sit down and talk. But, NEIGHTO would not act." I shrugged a bit. "It's not NEIGHTO's place to intervene in internal security matters. As I said, even in the most extreme of situations involving internal matters in non-member nations, we wouldn't even consider sending a diplomatic mission in, unless NEIGHTO was approached and asked. And even in THE most extreme situations, we would not send troops into a non-member nation. This, of course, assuming, that the whole situation is taking place after the war with Tirek and the Storm King is settled." I gestured to her.
Queen Novo: "What if Tirek or the Storm King were involved?" She blinked a bit, leaning in.
Dusk: "It would depend on the situation. If Tirek or the Storm King are using the nation to attack others, or have made an alliance with them, then they are now our enemy, and some response within the scope of the war, would be necessary. If they're engaging in acts of terror, we would ask the non-member nation for permission to enter and engage the enemy. We would not violate the sovereign borders of another nation unless we knew a world-ending weapon threat was there, and actively being chased after by the enemy, or being set up by them, or so on. Within the scope of the War, NEIGHTO has granted a very liberal definition of what it means to stop these enemies. As we are very aware that both of them intend to kill the majority of us, and enslave the rest. More or less. Still. Each situation would be approached individually, with the most key officers and officials fully advised of what's going on, and deciding how best to respond. In general, we trust K to make these decisions, but I will tell you, he does not speak from a vacuum. He actively asks us for solutions, ideas, and input. He uses every talent he can find in the best possible ways. He conducts battle in such a way as to minimize casualties as best as possible. While he has some equally talented subordinates, K is one of NEIGHTO's leaders, and generally the one we go to." He shrugged, and leaned in. "Your Majesty, I've been a soldier - and I like to think, a good one - for over twenty years. K is.." He looked at me, then looked down. "..not only is he my friend, I actively sought to be at his side, because I know, what he does is right and just. He cares about all of us on a level few people understand. I saw you shed tears, earlier. He sheds them, too. Every face of every fallen soldier and civilian in this war, is in his head. He weeps for them. He keeps their memories alive in his mind. He's.. if the Legend is true, he's going to save us. I have zero doubt of that - even if this war costs him his life. He's actively tried to trade his life for Tirek's before, knowing that would end things. WE matter more than HIS own life. And he leads.. from the front." He nodded firmly.
Queen Novo: "...that is.." She blinked, growing quiet. "..the Human of Legend." She nodded. "Alright." And shrugged. "I want to see what you can do. You can claim many things, but actions speak louder. In the city of Hippogriffia, some treasures were left behind when we escaped. I want to reclaim the Feather of Icarus." She nodded. "It's a feather from an ancient bird. About.. yay long." She measured out 12 inches/305mm. "It's one of our cultural treasures." She nodded to me. "Help me get it back, and I will speak to my people about joining NEIGHTO."
I.. blinked. I looked over at Dusk, and nodded.
K: "Well, I have a decent team with me right now." I shrugged. "Sure. Show us where we need to get to, and we'll get it back. I'm to assume the city is swarming with the Storm King's Guards?"
Queen Novo: "It is." She nodded. "I will say, though, that the Feather is in the Royal Repository, where we kept many relics. I expect it to have been looted of anything of value, but you never know." She shrugged.
K: "We should do this as soon as possible." I nodded.. and gently prodded the vegetable cake. "No offense, Your Majesty, but.. I don't think I can eat your foods." I shrugged. "I would need to return to the surface and eat something, sooner or later."
Queen Novo: "OH! I didn't even consider that!" She blinked. "I'm so sorry. When we were Hippogriffs, we.. we did eat a lot of meat, but.. down here.. well, we have fish and things.. but mostly vegetation." She shrugged. "Can you eat octopus?"
K: "We ah.. we have a dish for that, called Calamari." I smiled a bit. "Cooked, yes, I can."
Queen Novo: "I'll have you brought something." She nodded to me. "When your friends return with my daughter, we'll go to where the underwater leads to the surface."
K: "Sounds good to me." I nodded.
A new friend for NEIGHTO, and all I had to do was get back a feather to prove my valiant heart and skill? I'd take it. I could, even, liberate her homeland in the process, once I could communicate with the NEIGHTO fleet.
I just needed.. a bit of time.
[End of Part 3]
Part 4: Mare of the Sea
TIME: 11:49 GMT
DATE: War Day 1006/4 Primaus, 1005 C.S.
LOCATION: Path to Hippogriffia, Under the Mareterranian Sea, Kingdom of Marelantis
The rest of them didn't have an issue with any of the foods down here. I found eating underwater.. difficult. It was like taking a slosh of seawater in with my food. I had to actively spit the water out, chew, and swallow. Queen Novo did apologize, but the Calamari was.. ehh.. acceptable? It was totally unseasoned, but cooked just right. Anyway, it was food, and far from the worst thing I'd ever eaten.
Oh, and they ALL went shopping. When everyone came back, I noticed a satchel full of goods. And a snowglobe (sandglobe). I knew a special little filly that'd be thrilled with it.
We were arranged and organized. Dusk brought the watertight container with him, and the Queen had turned them all back into Ponies. We were swimming towards the transition point between Hippogriffia and Marelantis.
What I found extra neat was seeing Rainbow McSherbet pop a lil' propeller out from his artificial leg and zoom along like a motorboat.
As we got to the breaching point, I took one side of the container, and helped Dusk get it on shore. He pushed, I pulled. Getting out of the water, and feeling Gravity on me for the first time in hours was a bit of a system shock, too. I flopped over and heaved a bit, as the water cleared from my lungs. Coughing hard, spitting it all out, hacking like a cat, the whole bit.
Dusk: "Ugh!" He spat water out as well. "Gahh.. now I don't taste that salty water any more."
Admiral Seaspray: "Continue up this cave and you'll get to the surface." He nodded.
K: "Alright." I said, pulling Trixie up.
Rainbow McSherbet: "HA! That was fun!" He made a 'fountain' pose and spit the water from his lungs like he'd done this a million times.
K: "Okay, Dusk, crack the container - what've we got?" I asked as Jackie took her turn getting the water from her lungs.
Dusk: "Navy-spec long arms. Two Bradleys, a Chaffee, and two Ridgways." He nodded to me.
Navy-spec weapons had anti-corrosion coatings and chromed bolts and things. It was to allow them to operate in harsh environments better, and it worked. The only downside was, they were more expensive and a bit more time-consuming to fully clean.
K: "Okay. You, me, AJ, Trixie, Broken." I nodded, and looked to Rainbow. "No offense, but you have less than a day of training with firearms."
Rainbow McSherbet: "No worries!" He smiled.
Broken: "GAH!" He coughed violently several times. "Ah.. K.. if it'll be possible.. k'n we NOT go back under water?!" He looked at Admiral Seaspray. "Beggin' the Admiral's pardon, but.. tha' whole experience made me very.. anxious. Even wi' the transformation, I kept feelin' like I was gonna drown." He shrugged.
Admiral Seaspray: "HAHAHA! No, no, you're fine. It took me years to come to grips with being underwater." He smiled.
K: "Her Highness didn't say how long it's been." I nodded to him.
Admiral Seaspray: "I was a nestling when it happened. 11 years old. I'm 41, now." He nodded to me.
Applejack: "Thirty years!" She frowned.
Admiral Seaspray: "Yeah.. I.." He shrugged. "I'm a practical 'Griff, General. I know there's going to be quite a few of us that were born down there, that'll never want to return to the skies." He looked down, and shook his head. "I should never have done this.."
He reached into a sack on his side and pulled out an ornate necklace. Sliding his fishy form up on to shore, he put the necklace on, and let the magic of it, transform him into a Hippogriff.
That's when I saw what they really looked like, for the first time. They had hands. AND FINGERS. And.. wow. Impressive wings.
K: "I take it that necklace shouldn't be in your claws?" I cocked a brow.
Dusk: "..oh, hey, your Type-34 is in here, K.." He said, offhandedly, getting the stuff unpacked.
Admiral Seaspray: "Not by a long shot. It's a piece of the Pearl. Her Highness had a few of these made for emergencies." He shrugged. "The Princess.. ahh.. kinda insisted I take it."
K: "Hand me my Type-34." I said, looking at the Admiral, still.
Dusk: "Sure, K." He hadn't caught on to what was going through my mind - he was distracted handing out fresh water and some granola to the team.
K: "Admiral?" I held it out to him, with the full thigh rig and the eight spare mags.
Admiral Seaspray: "I place myself under your command, General K of Equestria." He took the weapon from my hands, and with a bit of work, got it strapped to his torso (by lengthening the straps and lashing it around him - remember, he's still only about 3/4ths human scale). "You'll have to show me how to use this."
K: "I will." I nodded. "Broken?" I looked to Broken.
Broken: "Yeah, K?" He handed me a full canteen and a granola bar.
K: "Show him how to use a gun." I nodded. "The basics." I looked at the Admiral. "You stay behind Broken. Fire only when told, move when told." I looked to Broken. "You're in charge of him."
Broken: "M-Me!?" He blinked, fixing his glasses after cleaning them.
K: "Yep." I nodded. "You're an Officer, now. Part of that is learning to lead, too. You have veterancy, now. You'll be fine." I looked at the Admiral. "He'll be okay."
Broken: "Sure, K!" He was VERY anxious, though.
Admiral Seaspray: "Hahah! We'll be fine. Broken, is it?" He held out a claw.
Broken: "Aye. Broken Dawn." He shook his hoof with Seaspray's claw.
I ate the granola bar, and took the chance to rinse out my clothes in a natural watery basin that contained fresh water. Admiral Seaspray.. well.. just Seaspray now.. warned me the mineral content was too high for drinking. He was right - it tasted kinda like stone. But, it was good enough to get the sea salt out of my clothes and out of our hair and manes. This explained why Seaspray sat on the shore to transform - he had come out completely dry.
We ate the granola and some pork jerky (and Dusk handed me a small can of Canidan Bacon that'd come from my personal snack closet), and made sure to get plenty of fresh water.
TIME: 12:44 GMT
Dusk: "What's the over all plan?" He nodded to me.
K: "Plan one. Get the feather as requested. Plan two.. recon." I cocked a brow.
Dusk: "Recon?" He tilted his head at me. "To retake the city?"
K: "All we've seen from the Storm King is infantry troops. If that's all he's got, I'm going to ask the Admiral to volunteer me a couple platoons of Hippogriffs from the Guard, we'll take a week to train them, then we attack with whatever we have." I shrugged. "Our fleet got sunk - but we're right by Prance, Roam, and Ambleon. A couple battalions of Marines should do the trick."
Dusk: "Good point. The enemy doesn't have firearms, that we know of, and is only dangerous in close combat." He nodded. "We could wrap this up in.. a week? Maybe?"
K: "Yep." I nodded to him. "That's what I'm thinking."
Dusk: "Makes sense." He nodded back. "How're we going to get out of HERE, though?"
K: "Did you stick a radio pack in the watertight container?" I tilted my head to the side.
Dusk: "There wasn't one that wasn't already soaked with water or damaged - so, no." He shrugged.
K: "I think.." I looked at Seaspray. "..if we're successful in our mission, we could ask the Hippogriffs to fly somewhere to get help."
Seaspray: "I'd volunteer." He said, racking the bolt on my Type-34. "Roam is about 400 miles from here."
K: "Excuse me - miles?" I cocked a brow. "You use Miles, Feet, and Yards?"
Seaspray: "Yeah, doesn't everyone?" He shrugged.
Applejack: "Oooohh... integratin' them's gun' be fun." She slid up next to me, still wet, and kissed my cheek. "Ah'll take th' Chaffee."
Dusk: "We.. use the metric system." He shrugged. "Meters, kilometers, and so on."
Seaspray: "Oh, boy." He chuckled a bit. "Yeah, this is going to be real interesting."
K: "Alright, we ready?" I nodded. "Hand me a Bradley. Dusk, you're our best shot, you take the other one. Trixie, Broken, you get the Ridgways." I nodded.
Trixie: "No argument here." She grabbed it, and loaded it. "Don't forget, K, you also have one GREAT and POWERFUL mage.. and one of passable quality.. with you." She cocked a brow, and flicked her tail in Dusk's face. She was also.. not.. so.. egotistical with her statement.
She was getting more casual by the day. It was great to see.
Dusk: "Y-Yes, of course." He nodded, but he was blushing a bit.
K: "Alright. Rainbow, hang back. Advance when I say so. We stick together." I nodded.
And out of the cave we went.
[End of Part 4]
Part 5: Feathers in the Wind
TIME: 12:57 GMT
DATE: War Day 1006/4 Primaus, 1005 C.S.
LOCATION: Mount Airs, Occupied Nation of Hippogriffia/Marelantis
We advanced in column formation, initially, just looking for targets. Unlike fighting Tirek's troops, we knew we couldn't get weapons from our enemy that would do us much good. So, we'd have to carefully nurse our ammo supply, and pick our battles.
Seaspray: "The Repository is that building over there." He pointed.
The structure he indicated had clearly seen some fighting. There were blast marks along the walls, and clear signs of damage. Part of one wall had collapsed from combat damage. Between us and that building was a rather jagged terrain of broken buildings that had suffered 30 years of weathering, and combat besides.
What disturbed me, though, the most, was that as we advanced, I was seeing Hippogriff Skeletons. And not just a few. A rather disturbing pile at the corner of one street was clearly hatchlings and two adults.
K: "The Storm King is an absolute butcher." I scowled.
Trixie: "..these were CHILDREN, K!" She hissed.
Dusk: "We know, Trixie." He put a hoof on her shoulder. "It's.. you just have to put it out of your mind for now." He looked down. "We cry for them when the mission's over."
Applejack: "Heads up, everypony.." She whispered, and pointed up and over the wall we were next to.
I peeked over just a bit, and there was a patrol here. Minding its own business, and very robotic. It struck me that the Storm King's guards were so very mindless. Like, without him directly controlling them, or them responding to stimuli, they had no other mark of intelligence.
They might not even be fully sentient.
The Patrol kept moving, as though we didn't exist, or more that, they hadn't spotted us, and had no reason to react. Everyone froze in place, completely.
Once I was sure they were gone, we started moving again. I realized that the streets of the city were carefully gridded out with patrol patterns, but ANYONE with any semblance of military training and bearing could defeat such simplistic measures with ease.
Basically, it just took a brain and some thinking, combined with some daring and careful stealth.
Once we got past the main part of the city, we were in a large park-like area that surrounded the Repository. The gardens had once been splendid, but were now horribly overgrown. I could see and feel the loss of beauty here.
K: "Alright. They don't seem to have any patrols, here." I nodded. "Look.. down by the beach." I pointed to the far side of the city, now that we were on an elevated terrace, and could look down towards it.
Applejack: "That's a.." She squinted. "..that's one'a the Orghuzian ships!" She hissed. "The Tartarus they doin' so far north!?"
Dusk: "Orghuz." He nodded. "We don't have much contact with them - I'm aware their ambassador virtually declared war on us." He shrugged. "We couldn't meet their merchants directly, ever. My dad would get some goods through middleponies, though. They make excellent camel hair rugs." He nodded.
K: "Ever met one?" I smirked.
Dusk: "Nope." He shrugged.
Applejack: "They IS Camels, Dusk." She giggled a bit. "Y'all're rollin' around on their barbershop trimmin's!"
Dusk: "Hah. Unbelievable." He shook his head, grinning like he just realized he'd been 'had.'
K: "You know, this does answer a question or few." I nodded.
Dusk: "What's that, K?" He looked to me.
K: "Why send such a massive fleet? And no landing troops? I don't think our Task Force was the goal. I think Tirek was aiming to take over Hippogriffia, and we just stumbled on his operation by mistake. The fleet commander would've been able to intercept enough of our radio traffic to know I was aboard, and they decided to shoot their shot." I gestured. "We sank almost everything. What if he had an Orghuzian fleet coming in to do the actual landing? Not risk his own troops, but those of his erstwhile ally?" I shrugged.
Dusk: "Makes sense. He had some exposure to the Storm King's forces in Grylan, didn't he?" He nodded to me.
Broken: "If thass'a case? Ohh." He shook his head. "There's more'a them Orghuzian ships out there. Guaranteed. Invasion was prolly called off. So, I betcha, they're sneakin' in some forces to get the tastiest bits, an' half-inch 'em."
Rainbow McSherbet: "Yeah. A piracy raid makes a lot of sense if you don't have plenty of ship's guns to take on whatever the enemy has." He shrugged. "It's what I'd do. Take the long boats, get to shore, rob whatever I can lay my hooves on, and get away before reinforcements arrive."
K: "Hmmm." I smirked at Rainbow's assessment. "You. I like you. Good thinking." I pat his head. He about squee'd. I then remembered that noise was an almost universal signal of happiness from a Pony.
Dusk: "I think we should try to get in through the breach in the wall, K." He nodded to it.
K: "I agree." I nodded back. "Tactical File." I pointed. "Stay low."
We moved, and slunk down in the bushes and low trees to keep under cover. With how overgrown everything was, it wasn't hard. If we'd had our proper camouflage combat uniforms, this would have worked even better.
As it was, we were partly clothed at best. I was the only one fully dressed. Dusk was nude save his tactical rigging. So was AJ, though, she had Sidewinder's hat on as well. Broken had his black Class-A pants on, and white Class-A shirt, with tactical rigging over it - no shoes, he'd taken those off so he could swim better. Trixie had her cape and hat, but she'd tied down the peak to the brim, and reversed the cape to show the darker under side. Rainbow was buck ass naked, save a pistol belt. Seaspray was the same.
We slid up along the wall, and I carefully peeked in.
Show time. There was a very large, purple-robed Raptorian in here, guarded by several Camels. The whole repository was lousy with Camels - most of them sailors, some of them clearly "marines" of some kind. Several officers. One flag officer, who was over at the side, sitting and relaxing.
Whatever this operation was, it was purely up to Tirek's representative. They were after something.
The shelves and displays hid us well from sight, at the large wall breach.
Dusk: *Silent Whisper* "How'ya wanna play this?" He nodded towards the open hole.
K: "Carefully. Take Trixie. Skirt to the right." I looked back at AJ. "Take Rainbow, go left." I nodded, then looked to Broken. "You, me, Seaspray, up the center."
Rainbow McSherbet: "No problem!" He said in low, but excited tones.
K: "Our objective is to neutralize the enemy. Kill them all. Do it as silent as possible. When the shooting starts - and it will - get to cover, and engage as precisely as possible. If you knock off a few Camels, get their guns." I nodded, and pointed.
See, now, we had an enemy force on the field that we could get stuff from. That was handy.
We advanced inwards.. carefully. I drew the Sword of Rainbow's Light, and held it firmly.. as I got up behind a yawning Camel sailor with an Ersin sniper rifle.. and grabbed him over the mouth as he finished his yawn, and JERKED him hard, back against the tip of the sword, shanking him all the way through. Broken got under his legs, and we pulled him back, with Seaspray grabbing the rifle.
K: "That's a precision, bolt-action rifle. Jerk the bolt handle up, straight back all the way, straight forward firmly, then down, after each shot." I nodded to him.
I noted the weapon had a very oversized trigger guard fit for a camel's "toe/finger." So, the Ersins may have been intended for the Gizmonks, but the Camels could use them as well? Made sense.
I moved back up, Bradley at my shoulder, eyes down the sights, towards the next row of displays.
Off to my left, I watched a blade pop out of a Camel's chest, and Rainbow smile as he hobble-dragged him backwards with AJ's help. His prosthesis contained a short sword blade, too!? WHAT WAS THIS GUY? PONY BATMAN!?
It made me grin like a loon - we had someone else with SERIOUS SHENANIGANS on our team.
On the right, I saw a Camel get smoked by Trixie's magic. She levitated a heavy piece of a something behind him, and when he bent down, she telekinetically beat him over the head with it. The object was metal, and so heavy, two 'taps' of it was enough to completely cave in his skull.
Our luck was not destined to last, however...
Orghuz Marine: "Anja! Dashman dard miayd!"
Gunfire erupted from the catwalk above us. It was aimed down towards Dusk and Trixie's side. Without thinking, Seaspray raised the rifle to his shoulder, and fired, hitting the camel dead center in his chest, and dropping him. I looked to him as Broken raised his Ridgway and peppered the area ahead of us.
Seaspray: "..I've never.. taken a life before. Like that." He looked at the rifle, and to our enemies, and racked the bolt - a bit shakily, but he did it.
K: "Cover us." I nodded. "BROKEN, ON ME!" I called, pivoted on the balls of my feet, raised my rifle, and started shooting at any target I could see. Precise shots. "DUSK, TRIXIE, ADVANCE!" I called out, ducking behind a display, and ejecting my spent magazine.
Broken hosed down the area immediately ahead, slid on his knees up next to me, and flicked the empty magazine out of his weapon.
Broken: "Is it bad, me gettin' used to this?" He asked, slapping a fresh one in, and running the bolt with his teeth like an expert.
K: "Maybe. Ask me later." I smirked, and raised up at the same time he did. "COVERING FIRE! AJ, RAINBOW!" And engaged the five Orghuz Marines ahead of me. Two fell to my precise shooting. Broken tagged two himself. Seaspray, behind us, felled the last one.
Seaspray moved up with us, and got to a kneel next to me, having taken the enemy's ammo supply and stuffed it into his bag. He popped up, and took out two more targets (missing once), then opened the bolt all the way. He picked out one of the stripper clips, looked at it, slipped the stripper clip into the bridge of the receiver, and jiggled it a bit.
I leaned over around him, took his hand in mine, placed his index finger under the top round, tilted it up, placed his thumb on the middle of the top round and showed him how to push it straight down into the magazine. It reminded me, a bit, of the Mosin-Nagant, and how you had to 'guide' the rounds similarly.
He nodded, slammed the bolt shut, and got back to shooting.
AJ and Rainbow advanced until they were ahead of us. Then, AJ opened up with her loaded magazine of Sabot Slugs (we expected to engage Storm Guard, not Camels), and I watched as a Camel had the core of his body scored out by one of the slugs, blowing out his entire back hump in a HUGE mess. Then another had his head explode. Two were hit with the same shot, and had their entrails scattered and mixed together - not dead, but fatally wounded. One of them took cover behind a thick stone slab, only to have that "cover" reduced to "concealment" and his chest blown out.
I raised, and advanced with my team, precisely engaging ground targets. Two more Camels were smoked. The advance party of VIPs had scattered for the back of the building.
We gave chase.
K: "DUSK, AJ, COVER US! TAKE CARE OF THESE GUYS!" I ordered, reloading quickly. "Broken, Spray, on me. Move NOW!" I ordered, and we charged forwards.
I didn't fire, I let the others support our push. We got past the main battle area, and rolled into the next section of the building.
Orghuz Flag Officer: "POONINPANA INJA CHIKAR MIKONAN?!" He screamed.
Raptorian: *BRAWK!* "I not speak useless sand words!" The Raptorian replied.
Orghuz Flag Officer: "WHY ARE PONIES HERE!? YOU SAY YOU SINK WHOLE PONY FLEET - NONE LIVE! MY CAMELS ARE BEING SLAIN IN HUGE NUMBERS! I SAW THE HUMAN! YOU LIE TO US!" He screamed back.
Raptorian: "WAR IS RISK, CAMEL!" The Raptorian reminded him. "NOT ALL DIE! SOME LIVE! MAYBE HUMAN WASH ASHORE! Human has Tartarus own luck! HE IS DEVIL! YOU KNOW THIS!" He retorted. "MUST GET FEATHER! We get feather, we get out!"
Orghuz Flag Officer: "What of my Camels?!" He snorted.
Raptorian: "..we pay you extra gold." The Raptorian said, dismissively.
Porcina Commander: "Hey. Bird breath. We close to feather now."
Raptorian: "Good. Tear room apart. FIND IT!"
Porcina Commander: "Yes, Exalted One." There was a pause. "Pig and Camel work together. Fight Enemies of Tirek. Some die. So what? Is war."
Orghuz Flag Officer: "YOUR SOLDIERS MAGICAL CONSTRUCTS! Mine are not!" He audibly snorted. "Just because they STREET RATS? Pah! MY soldiers worth MORE than YOU!"
Porcina Commander: "Why not bring monkeys?" He snorted back, annoyed. "They lesser than all of us."
Orghuz Flag Officer: "We not HAVE any more Mercenary! All gone! ALL DEAD IN JUNGLE ISLANDS!"
I motioned for Seaspray and Broken to get into position. As they did, I aimed my rifle at the Porcina commander - I knew from experience, the Orghuzian would be someone I could talk to, if I could get him alone.
There was one Porcine and one Camel guard each, with them. I pointed to Seaspray and the Porcine, then Broken, and the Camel. I'd take the Porcina Commander. We raised up, and fired. Once the Raptorian and the Orghuzian were the only two left...
K: "THROW YOUR GUN DOWN, AMIR!" I aimed at him.
Orghuz Flag Officer: "FINE!" He tossed his pistol away. "I am Amir al-Bahr, Fezzik Buyid! I demand Prisoner of War status!"
K: "You'll have it." I turned my weapon to the Raptorian, who was trying to back-walk away from me.
Raptorian: "YOU NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE DEVIL HYOOMAN!" He took flight! Broken missed him with a burst, and as he flew back towards the main chamber, I saw Rainbow McSherbet coming to reinforce us. As he caught sight of the flying Raptorian, he smiled, punched a panel on his leg, and pulled out a Bolas Snare. Two quick flicks of his fetlock, and he threw it, entwining the offending bird brain, and sending him crashing into a statue!
Rainbow McSherbet: "BINGO!" He laughed. "Oh, by the way, Boss! We got the rest of 'em!" He smiled.
K: "Nah. No 'boss' stuff, man. Call me K." I nodded. "All my other friends do."
Well, that was THAT situation handled! Now.. now what? We had to find the feather and escape.. I was thinking, though.. perhaps 'escape' might mean something else.
{End of Chapter 131}
