Skyward Episode 4: Underground

Previously on Skyward

 

"A ledger. The last log recorded here was from a year ago." Amy holds up the book in front of her.

"Calm yourself, Officer Jones," Chief Celestia rests her elbows on her desk. "You know as well as I that sky pirates are under the jurisdiction of the Royal Air Force.

Axel shouts, "THEY DESERVE TO BE BROUGHT DOWN BY ME. FOR I AM THE LAW!"

Amy cracks the door open, "Let's go."

Sophie screaming, "GET ME OFF THIS CRAZY THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!"

 

[Opening]

 

Ｓａｉｎｔ＇ｓ　Ｂｒｏ

Ｔｈｅ　Ｐａｓｓａｇｅｗａｙ　Ｕｎｄｅｒ　ｔｈｅ　Ｒｕｉｎｓ

 

"Ugh, it stinks in here." Soren complains, their footsteps echoing loudly in the cramped passage.

"Considering that this connects to that town's sewers, I'm not surprised," Amy says, shining her flashlight down the corridor. "Up ahead."

She walks ahead, keeping her hand close to the wall. Her feet step on a loose stone, and the wall slides open and she falls through, screaming.

"AMY!" Nolan and Soren rush forward, but they can't seem to find a way to open the door.

"Amy, are you ok?!" Nolan calls out, pressing his ear against the wall.

 

Ｏｎ　ｔｈｅ　Ｏｔｈｅｒ　Ｓｉｄｅ

 

Amy coughs, and drops the flashlight. It rolls away from her.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine! Don't worry about me!"

She crawls towards the flashlight and picks it up, taking in her surrounding.

It's a room that looks like it hasn't been lived in for a while. Dust covers every surface and a thin layer of cobwebs has taken residence in the ceiling.

"What is this place...?"

She explores a bit further, and finds a bookshelf.

Amy sets the flashlight down on the closest table and begins inspecting the books. "Supernatural Remedies...Starswirl's Guide to the Universe..." she pulls a thick volume out, labelled "Harmony and the Elements of Magic."

She smiles to herself. "How silly to think magic exists." She placed it back and noticed another picture frame. "These people sure seem fond of taking pictures..."

She stares at it and her eyes widen in realization. The picture drops to the ground, it's glass frame shatters. "No..."

 

Ｊｕｄｇｅｍｅｎｔ

Ｓｏｍｅｗｈｅｒｅ　ｂｅｔｗｅｅｎ　Ｗａｌｅｓ　ａｎｄ　Ｉｒｅｌａｎｄ

 

"I think I'm going to be sick," Sophie says, leaning against the controls, her face greener than it should be.

"FEAR NOT, FELLOW LAW ABIDING CITIZEN, WE'LL REACH LAND SOON!" Axel shouts, spinning the wheel of his beloved Ｊｕｄｇｅｍｅｎｔ. He pulls a lever, setting the ship to auto pilot. "Do you fancy a drink?"

"Urk...please no. I'm fine thank you." Sophie tries to steady herself, but her hold weakens, sending her tumbling into Axel's arms. "Aaah!"

Axel awkwardly helps her sit down in a chair. "Perhaps bringing you along wasn't a good idea."

"You think?!"

 

Ｕｎｄｅｒｇｒｏｕｎｄ

 

"So what do you suggest we do, Soren?" Nolan says, leaning against the other wall. They both look exhausted. Soren is on the ground, glaring at the wall, a determined look on his face.

"I'm thinking about it. She's been awfully quiet in there too." He traces his hand on the wall, feeling for any loose stones. "There has to be switch somewhere..." He checks the floor again. Nothing. "Maybe the switch is inside now?" He gets close to the wall and yells "HEY AMY! ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A WAY OUT?!

 

Ｉｎｓｉｄｅ　ｔｈｅ　ｒｏｏｍ

 

Amy has swept up most of the broken glass, but her hand is bleeding. She looks irritated as she tears part of her skirt to bind her wound.

"HEY AMY! ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A WAY OUT?!"

"Oh. Right." She moves back to the wall. "YEAH, HAVEN'T FOUND ONE YET!"

She shines the flashlight around the room again, and notices that there is no other exit. "Well that's just great."

She crosses her arms and pouts. "Juuuuust GREAT."

Amy stays like this for a few more seconds then runs her hand through her hair. "Right then back to searching..."

She goes back to the bookshelf and quickly looks at the photo again. She stuffs it into her toolbelt's pocket. "...Will be needing this."

She walks back to the wall and starts patting it down. Her hand brushes against a light fixture. "What's this?" She pulls on it and a loud groaning noise is heard. "Oh *bleep* me."

 

 

Ｏｔｈｅｒ　Ｓｉｄｅ

 

Soren snaps his fingers, "Got it! We'll just blow the wall out!" Nolan stares at him like if he's crazy. "What? You have any other ideas?"

Nolan shakes his head. "No, but...how?"

"Easy! I'll get one of those detonators from the ship. Be right back!" Before Nolan can say anything, Soren runs off.

After Soren leaves, Nolan continues to glare at the wall. "This is getting ridiculous."

The walls begin to shake and suddenly Amy is launched right into him. "OW!" His head hits the opposite wall, knocking him out.

Amy stares in horror at what she's done, and in a panic, begins shaking her unconscious Captain. "Nolan! NOLAN!"

She cradles his head and looking both ways bends down to presumable kiss him.

"Oh. You're out."

Amy immediately pushes Nolan off her lap. "AAAH!"

"Jeez calm down it's just me." Soren says, looking away and scratching his cheek. "I sort of forgot that the ship is near town..." he looks at Nolan's unconscious body. "Uh...what happened?"

 

Ｊｕｄｇｅｍｅｎｔ

Ａｒｒｉｖｉｎｇ　ｉｎ　Ｉｒｅｌａｎｄ

 

"WE'VE ARRIVED!" Axel says, frowning as he spots the Ｓａｉｎｔ＇ｓ　Ｂｒｏ. "ONCE WE LAND WE MUST CONFISCATE THAT SHIP!"

Sophie has her eyes closed, and whispers. "I wanna go home."

They land, and Axel quickly exits the ship, slowly followed by Sophie.

Sophie gets on her knees and kisses the ground. She sobs quietly for a few moments, hugging herself.

"PARKED ILLEGALLY! PIRACY! EVADING THE LAW! THIS IS WARRANT FOR A LIFETIME IN PRISON!" Axel takes notes on a small notepad as he walks around the Ｓａｉｎｔ＇ｓ　Ｂｒｏ. "Yet...no sign of them?"

He taps his chin thoughtfully, and sees the town. "And that's my next stop. CADET! WE'RE GOING TO TOWN!"

"Why me..."

She stands up, wipes her tears and begins following Axel, looking back once at the two ships and narrowing her eyes.

 

Ｎｏｒｍａｎｄｉｅ

Ｏｎ　Ｓｔａｎｄｂｙ

 

"Norman?" Brad says, looking at his captain who is still in a sour mood.

"Hm?" Norman doesn't bother to look at his friend.

"It's been a year. I think it's time we returned." Brad's face is partially obscured, he looks sad.

"Do what you *bleep*-ing want, I need a drink." Norman up and leaves the cockpit.

Brad takes the wheel and addresses Applejack. "AJ, set course for Ireland. We're going home."

"Aye aye, sah."

 

[credits]