Ghost in the shell: Equestrian architecture

The clouds rested heavily over Blue Solace. Towers pierced through the blanket like sharp, grey-brown, metallic needles. The soft morning light painted the clouds in a warm orange light. Rainbow Dash was reminded of the feeling of gliding through the air with her wings as they hovered over the city. Though the helicopter had a big space that they could move around she still felt cornered and would constantly adjust her seat and keep her gaze locked at the shapes beneath them.

“Strange isn´t it?” Osborn said. He sat in his seat looking down at the city with one elbow on the arms rest and his head resting in his hand. “Teen years ago this city was the fastest growing market for augmentations and digital technology.”

“And then came the collapse caused by the tightened laws around augmentation and suddenly every piece of unchecked cyber tech became illegal and every major buyer withdrew.” Rainbow Dash filled in. “The local economy collapsed overnight.”

“You know your history.” Osborn remarked.

“I remember because I had some friends who lived here. The moment those laws were passed their families suddenly had no income and were forced to leave. And now the once great floating city in the sea is only big floating artificial island.”

“Not entirely.” Osborn looked at seagulls outside the window. “Since the economy collapsed everything became so cheap in this city that the big corporations started coming in and buying materials and starting up cheap factories. The city is still alive even though it´s nowhere near what it once was.”

“Somehow I doubt that those who invested time, money and effort into this place would look at it the same way, Osborn.”

“Probably not.” He shrugged.

“We´re closing in for landing now.” The pilots voice said from the speakers. “We´ll be setting down in about one minute.”

“Finally.” Osborn adjusted in his seat.

The chopper rounded a massive tower and Rainbow Dash could briefly spot the landing zone beneath them. The tower was ornamented with gargoyles looking down on the cloud covered city while seagulls rested on the edges of the roof.

“Setting down now.”

It took Rainbow Dash and Osborn a few minutes before they could get out of the helicopter and enter the city. They walked along platforms guarded by railings. Over the edges the sea ran in thick rivers. The black, murky water hid any possible bottom and boats filled with cargo slowly passed them by.

The faint sound of music started jumping between the buildings. At first Rainbow Dash couldn´t tell what it was but the faint tones where quickly drowned out by the beat of massive drums.

Booom! Booom! They echoed.

As they rounded a corner Rainbow Dash saw what produced the sound. A collection of boats all traveling in the same column after one another. On the first one she saw a man dressed in some kind of armor wielding a shield in his left hand and a curved sword in the right, he wasn´t facing forward or towards the crowds that were watching on the bridges and platforms sprouting of the buildings. Instead he was facing an animatronic dragon, or at least that is what Rainbow Dash assumed he was facing. The dragon had an elongated body like a snake with four short limps and shimmering red scales. The mustache on its upper lip reached out into two long whiskers that almost touched the platform it and the warrior were standing on.

The two of them danced around each other. Despite the heavy and clumsy looking armor, the warrior was wearing he still moved with ease and grace. Every movement was made in rhythm with the score and every attack in sync with the drums. For a long time, the warrior danced around the dragon and the dragon avoided every one of his attack. Bits of white confetti flew out towards the edges each time he struck. Rainbow Dash forgot herself for a moment. It wasn´t until the boat passed and she managed to get a peek into the platform from an angle and saw a woman sitting beneath the platform the dragon and the warrior was on. She had a small controller in her hands with brightly lit monitors surrounding her.

Rainbow Dash chuckled before hurrying after Osborn.

He stood leaning against a wall, watching over the passing convoy.

“Waiting for someone?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Yes, but right now I´m just enjoying the show.”

Rainbow Dash walked up next to him and watched along with him. A giant animatronic horse soon appeared, decorated with colorful lights around the joints and painted in shining silver. After that a collection of white lions roaring towards the sky and after that a dancer with a burning staff. None of the following boats caught Rainbow Dashes eyes quit like the first one.

“Time to get going.” Osborn said.

He walked up a staircase running along the building they were standing in front of and Rainbow Dash followed him closely. They soon found themselves out on a thin bridge that reached from the building they came from, over the narrow bit of ocean beneath them and too the building on the other side. Beneath them Rainbow Dash saw that the parade had passed. Now there was only the black ocean, still shifting and waving from the passing boats.
Osborn stopped when they were halfway across, he squatted down and looked to his left.

“What now?” Rainbow Dash stopped next to him. He looked a little funny has he rested his hands between his thighs and leaned his back against the barrier but Rainbow Dash withheld her laughter.

“Just wait.”

Rainbow Dash leaned against the railing and took a piece of gum from the pack she bought the day before. The sugary sweet had strawberry taste. “Want one?” She held the pack to Osborn.

“Thanks.” He helped himself to a piece and chewed with an open mouth. Rainbow Dash was about to tell when he rose and walked silently across the rest of the bridge. It took Rainbow Dash a few moments to catch up with him. When she did he turned to his right down an alleyway. Besides Osborn, Rainbow Dash could only see one figure in the alleyway. The person slowly turned to face them. It was a man who was a head shorter than Osborn with golden brown hair and green eyes. When those eyes saw Osborn they widened.

“Osborn?” He gasped.

“Hello, Braeburn.” Osborn walked up to him. “I´ve got some questions i want you to answer.”

“Hey, hey” He stuttered and staggered backwards. “I don´t know nothing.”

“So you´re saying that you´re useless to me?” Osborn crossed his arms and raised his brow.

Braeburn grew pale. “No, no that’s not what I´m saying.”

“So you´re lying to me?” He raised a brow and took a steep towards him. “Well were you?”

“Look, Osborn you know me. You know I don´t like being a snitch.” He shrugged and Osborn grabbed his shirt with both his hands and lifted him up. Rainbow Dash chewed on the gum.

“I know you don´t.” His voice was hard and deep. “But I know that there are things that scare you. Things you outright care about. Things I could take away from you.”

Droops of sweat started forming on Braeburn´s forehead. He swallowed. “You wouldn’t.”

Osborn slammed Braeburn into the wall next to them, his feat still hovered above the ground. “Try me. And see how much I care about your problems.” A bit of gravel fell down from the wall as Osborn pressed him.