“And then when he tried to flank you two, Kaji brought the canoe around so Sora could strike him broadside!” Flare grinned, her wingfeathers twitching. “That was bloody glorious!”
“Pfft!” Silver rolled his eyes, still dribbling with sea water as he stood along the shore with the others. “It barely scratched him! Four days ago, I very nearly wounded his eye!”
“Very nearly is not the same as bloody really,” Sora spat. “You've yet to spear Ultimo where it counts, brother!”
“I've come closer than you ever will!” Silver growled, his horn flickering. “Face it! Your whole shell's worth of bleeding comes from Kaji!”
“Yes, well, Kaji can't punch worth a damn,” Sora said.
“Huh?” Silver blinked, only to be dealt a massive hoof to the face. He fell to the sand with a grunt.
The Nealenders all around the scene chanted and whistled.
Silver sat up, rubbing his jaw. “Heh... that was a good one.”
“Was it?” Sora leaned forward, pointing at his chin. “Let's see you best it, brother!” Suddenly, an aura of magic tugged at his legs. “Ehhh?” He was dragged forward towards Silver—right as the unicorn reverse somersaulted with a massive kick. WHACK! Both legs uppercutted Sora, knocking him to the ground.
“Oh ho hoooooooo...” Kaji winced, his wet wings coiling. “Cheating as always, Silver?”
“Hah!” Flare laughed, shaking her shaved head. “It's Sora's fault for not expecting it!”
“Grfffkkt...” Sora spat blood onto the sand, smirking. “Care to try that again, Silver?”
“Anytime!” Silver galloped forward and tackled him. Both stallions went wrestling across the sand, exchanging violent blows amidst friendly laughter. Meanwhile, the other islanders gathered around, cheering and hollering.
All of this—Rainbow watched at a distance, hovering. Blinking.
Twilight Sparkle floated beside her. “Uhm...” She glanced aside at the pegasus. “What are you waiting for, Rainbow? Our friends are okay. Go and introduce yourself to these ponies.”
“I... uh...” Rainbow fidgeted. “I dunno whether to talk to them or headbutt them.”
“Statistically speaking...” Twilight arched an eyebrow, smiling mischievously. “...aren't you eventually going to do both?”
“Nnngh... Twilight...”
“Honestly, Rainbow, haven't you faced worse?”
“It's not that, Twilight.” Rainbow pointed at the rough crowd. “I mean... these guys are awesome n'all—”
Twilight giggled. “Isn't that the whole point?”
“But they're almost... too awesome, and that sorta freaks me out.” Rainbow's pupils shrank the instant she finished saying that. “Whoah. Never thought I'd hear myself saying that.”
“Shows how much you've grown, Rainbow,” Twilight said.
“Yeah...” Rainbow muttered, folding her forelimbs. “That—or how tightly I've learned to clench my sph—”
“Ho, there!” Kaji suddenly flew up, grinning into Rainbow Dash's face. “So you haven't drowned, have you?”
The fight below instantly stopped with both bloodied combatants glancing up, smirking. “Hey! You're right!”
“She's still alive!”
“Way to go, land walker!”
“Erm... h-how could I have drowned?” Rainbow smiled sheepishly. “I... uhhh... haven't spilled enough blood of Ultimo to properly sink in!”
“Hah hah!” Kaji slapped Rainbow's back, barking: “Not bad, sister! At least you're trying!”
Rainbow wheezed. “I... d-do my best...!” She glared aside at Twilight—who was giggling—then glanced back at the crowd. “So... like... what the buck, guys?”
“What the buck indeed.” Flare flew up, hovering alongside the other two pegasi. “Your mane's quite colorful for a land walker.” She smirked. “It'd almost be a shame to slice it!”
“But you'll wanna do it anyways,” Sora said, standing up and wiping blood from his muzzle. “If you have any hope of swimming past the jaws of Ultimo.”
“Erm...” Rainbow squinted at the group. “What makes you guys think that I'm staying?”
“Hahahaha!” Flare hugged herself as she flew backwards. “You crashed your boat here, didn't you? Of course you're staying!”
“Erm... actually that big 'Ultimo' thingy crashed my boat,” Rainbow said.
“Same difference!” Kaji shrugged. “While you're here, make the best of it! Most ponies have!”
“You mean...” Rainbow leaned forward, squinting. “There are other ponies from across the seas who are stuck here?” FLASH! Rainbow winced, covering her eyes. “Ow ow ow ow...”
“Yes.” Theanim Mane lowered his camera, having emerged from the water-soaked forest with Nick. “And believe you me, they are quite thrilled to meet outsiders. Especially ones as fabulous as yourself.”
“Wuh oh.” Twilight twirled around Rainbow. “Watch out, Rainbow. He just called you 'fabulous.'”
“Guhhh... Nick?” Rainbow rubbed her eyes, eventually glaring down at the stallions. “Who's this guy? Did your boat suddenly transmogrify into the ponyrazzi?”
“Actually, he's... uhh—” Nick started.
Theanim trotted forward. “Mister Theanim Mane of the Ninety-Seventh Rohbredden Scientific Order. And I must say.” He smiled, lining up the camera again. “The moisture gives your mane a most resplendent shine. Er... would you mind removing that necklace from your throat, momentarily? It's causing an awfully bright glare.”
“Yes.” Rainbow frowned. “I do mind.”
“Psssst...” Twilight hovered closer. “Rainbow, be nice! He just said he's from Rohbredden.”
“Yeah, so?” Rainbow muttered aside.
“So...” Twilight smiled. “He might be able to shed some light on what's going on here. Seeing that the natives are... uhhhh...” She turned to look at the Nealenders, who were busy exchanging more punches and laughing. “...a bit preoccupied with themselves.”
“Hmmm...” Rainbow nodded. “Good point.”
Theanim squinted. “Madame, may I ask who you're talking to?”
“Uhhhh! Uhhhm...” Nick scrambled. “It's just sunstroke! Heheh... we've been sailing the high seas for days. You know how it's like.”
“Mmmm. Yes, I suppose I do. Although my own yacht is considerably more luxurious than your dinghy.” Theanim sighed. “At least it was before a certain sea serpent wrecked it and stranded me and my esteemed colleagues here.”
“So that's what it was, huh?” Rainbow glided down and landed before the stallion. “A sea serpent? For realsies?”
“Yes.” Theanim nodded, taking a deep breath. “They congregate around the Southern Jets, usually. But one appears to have made its habitat here. This... 'Ultimo' as the natives call it.”
“I've heard of sea serpents all my life,” Nick said. “But never have I come this close to one!”
“How about you, miss?” Theanim gestured towards Rainbow. “You seem a fit flier. Have you ever come across them before?”
“This is the first time for me as well,” Rainbow said.
“No it isn't, Rainbow,” Twilight whispered.
“Mmmf?”
“You remember, right?” Twilight arched an eyebrow. “When we first met? And we set off through the Everfree Forest to find the Elements? We came across that one lake monster with super high effeminate voice—”
“Nope.” Rainbow glared ahead. “Never ran into any sea serpent before. Uh uh.” Twilight folded her forelimbs, pouting.
“Well, consider yourself fortunate,” Theanim said. “In that you've survived.” With a sigh, he turned to face the treeline. “But consider yourselves unfortunate that you're now stranded here.”
“Well, honestly, this isn't that bad of a place to be,” Nick said. “Plenty of vegetation... land... shade.” He smiled. “The Nealenders seem to be doing just fine.”
“That's because they have a healthy dose of insanity, my good stallion,” Theanim muttered. “They obviously weened themselves on it from foalhood. You and I, however, are cut from a far more delicate cloth.”
“Hey...” Nick squirmed, glancing aside. “So what if I like satin...?”
“Okay, so we more or less sealed our fates by coming here,” Rainbow Dash said. “But believe me, it was for an important reason.”
“Was it, now?” Theanim asked.
“Maybe you could answer a few questions for me.” Rainbow pointed towards the center of the atoll. “For one, whatever happened... to...?” Her words trailed off.
The stallions gazed curiously at her.
“What is it, Rainbow?” Twilight swung around her. “Do you see something?”
“Yaerfaerda,” Rainbow muttered below her breath. “It's still there.”
“Where exactly?” Twilight asked.
“Right there.” Rainbow pointed into the deep blue waters surrounded by the ring of land. “In the lagoon.”
“Underwater, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Does that surprise you somehow?” Twilight remarked. “I figured we knew that coming in. I mean, the whirlpool's gone and all, but—”
“But just what does the monster have to do with it?” Rainbow hissed aside. “You said that you sensed it, right?”
“Erm... yes. I suppose I did.”
“There's gotta be a connection of some sort...” Rainbow shook her head. “All of this is just too weird to be a coincidence.”
Theanim leaned in towards Nick, his eyes glued to Rainbow Dash. “Is... your friend quite alright?”
Nick gulped. “Sometimes I wonder.”
Theanim cleared his throat. “Perhaps... uhhh... you have some questions regarding the Whirlpool and other rumored attributes of the Nealend Atoll.”
“That's putting it lightly,” Rainbow said, twirling to look at him. “You think you can help us out?”
“I can do better than that.” Theanim winked, gesturing at the two as he strolled further inland. “I can show you what this Atoll has become.”
“Why does that freak me out, somewhat?”
“Please, don't be alarmed.” Theanim nevertheless sighed as he trotted briskly towards the treeline. “Just... make sure you stay outside of headbutt distance from the shaved manes...”
There are more Ultimo's out there! Hoo crud...
So, these Nealanders are batshit island Vikings? Meh. Some goddamn discipline is what they need, and I got just the tool...
Thirty pushups, ):(. Knock 'em out!
Ooh, looks like Theanim can shed some light on what happened to the beacon. Also, at the current rate we're going--50 chapters a beacon at least--the Seeds should go carry over into the next book. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that this whole Robheddren thing will take two whole books. We're running out of space here.
Not that I'm complaining.
-Spirit (Yeast and Treacle)
At some point or another...
Awww, you ruined it Twi'! It's more fun when you're shocked by random violence.
Not a fan of Steven Magnet, Dash?
Yes. Yes she will.
Never thought I would ever see Rainbow say such a thing....
ever.
So, we now have a picture of Rainbow Dash. Let's see if Twilight appears on film. (The coin I just flipped says no, but my heart says yes, and my stomach just wants some ice cream)
Oh my, this was great for a giggle.
Seems to be a running gag with ponies wanting Dash's pendant removed. Hopefully she doesn't dizzy spell out and have someone like Nick try to take it off out of some attempt at helping her breathe easier while she's out cold.
Actually.. if Twi is...'stored' in the pendant...would whoever's wearing it see her, or would it just suck her back into limbo until it's put back on Dash?
-Memories given light, ease a lonely flight. Ynanhluutr.
Yup, Stratopolis 2.0.
5951636
It has been a while since her last dizzy spell, but then again, she did just get a recharge.I'm guessing Twilight would go back into the pendant, what with it being separated from Harmony and everything. She will need to tell her companions to not take it off at some point, and explain to Twilight the exact reason. That is going to be an interesting conversation:
RD: I'm dying
TS: *laughs*
RD:...
TS... oh
RD... yeah.
TS: sorry:
RD: I'm in love with a cyborg whose pastime is pulling ponies' intestines out of their noses with a fishing hook.
Next up: they build a submarine
5951701
And live in it.
That's nasty and you know it, RD.
5951672 That seems a bit.. cruel for Twi to treat it like a joke.
She'd probably be more like "I'm sure it's bad Rainbow but you're not dying."
Then cue the explanation.
5951672
Maybe its twilight getting dizzy now. Didn't she mention some sort of shenanigans last chapter?
Also, is it just me, or are the 'primary' characters trending more to the intellectual side of things? College student, professor, researcher...and everyone's favorite bookworm.
Also, instead of sex crater, its fight crater.
Rainbow Dash just looks more and more crazy the more ponies she runs into. Good thing we know she's not
The suspense!
Pfft, asking Rainbow not to headbutt things is like asking Shell to stop coming back from the dead.
5951880 Just wait, at the Midnight Armory, we'll see Shell, Nevlamas, and Nightshade sitting around playing Spades or something.
5951806
I was thinking the same thing. Its good, cause now Rainbow can focus on more important things. Like headbutting and flying east.
Bad: cause now she's going to be worried about Twilight potentially dieing... again.
5951767
I am not what one could call a good writer/story teller.
I do find it funny that whenever I sit down at my computer to write, is usually also the time my phone beeps with an email about this updating.
5951880
Too soon
Twi's been really happy lately. Like, constantly smiling. It's kinda weird considering the situation she's in. Not that I'm complaining, cuz happy Twilight is adorable Twilight
Well, it seems like the only solution is to get to the Beacon, recovering Navity(Navi+Rarity? Geddit?) and giving Twilight corporeal form once more. This, of course, will once more give her access to magic, allowing her to crush Ultimo like a bug beneath her hooves and begin her bloody ascension to Alicorndom on a path paved with the skulls of her enemies.
5951977
memecrunch.com/meme/3TDR7/no-chill-over-here/image.png?w=500&c=1
Jesus christ dude.
5951562 You WOULD try and turn vikings into rank and file... I would pay to see that.
That's what I said.
Gilligan's Island theme song reference.
Ultimo is Stephen Magnets big cousin?
Looks like somone wanted some new transport, and maybe got it for a song. Laborian Riding Snake?
Nick:Dash, you wanna go down? Down there? Go down there?
Yes Dave.
I'm loving this place already. But the islanders are too ridiculous, man. They're like a whole bunch of Rainbow Dash's high on lavender light or something. Reminds me of Ether Point . . .
*shudder*
Man, these islanders need to chillax. Maybe take a page out of Durandana's book and find more... I dunno, productive ways of relieving stress.
Welcome to Nealand Atoll. The first rule of Nealand Atoll is you do not talk about Nealand Atoll.
5951720 and it shall be yellow.
5951934
Don't worry, they'll fix you.
5951806
Welcome to NEALEND.
On the picturesque Nealend atoll, you will have the opportunity to:
Meet the locals.
The local population is very friendly, cheerful and enjoy competition at games of skill and wit. Visitors are welcome, even encouraged, to join in.
Make new friends!
The nealend atoll has recently become a very popular tourist destination. Visitors will have PLENTY of time to meet and have STIMULATING conversations with others from all walks of life and nearby continents.
Vieuw the local wildlife
The nealend atoll is home to some truly unique fauna that will find it DELECTABLE to make your acquantance. The local population is very proud of the diversity of the Nealend ecosystem, and greatly delight in taking their canoes out to witness the more impressive specimens. Visitors are more than welcome to join in the fun.
In short,
Welcome to Nealend. We hope you like fish, shaves, coconuts, and have a head hard enough to crack them with.
5951701
5951720
5952755
i.imgur.com/a0VUwu0.png
I think I found a new hobby.
5953072
Great, you can make the background pics for Swan's billboards.
Into the drink we go!
What do you think, peanut gallery?
Scuba or submarine?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rRXanRuGYLE
Hey! Them's fashion words!
I'm curious about other strandees we shall meet. They could make for quite a mix.
I wonder how Theanim is going to react when he finds out that Rainbow Dash isn't exactly planning on becoming BFFs with Verlaxion.
Twilight gets it!
Thunker Meat doesn't get it.
5951806
Well, she met Nick and Sinrar at a college, so it's not entirely coincidence. That theme probably won't carry very much further.
5950523
Agreed. Plus, Theanim seems like a nice guy in general.
I like the avatar, by the way. I actually just finished Ghost Trick yesterday
(well, technically it was today).5953072 oh heavens, what have we done!? (that's pretty cool though)
5953148 https://youtu.be/qLgKQ43CShY?t=25
I'm going to be reading Theanim in a regular British voice, because it makes his dialogue with Sinrar traditional French/British rivalry.
-Discord's Riddle
If memory serves me, that is the only thing that Discord's 'essence' has said ever since becoming a part of Rainbow Dash. (with the exception of the sequencing between Belle and Nightshade.)
I've been thinking...what if this is referring to IC's 'master plan'? His plan for the series. There have been several twists in this series thus far, with the most recent (and possibly the most important aside from Axan declaring Rainbow the 'Austraeoh') being that the mane 6 aren't dead. Wouldn't it just be the biggest twist of all if 'Austraeoh' destroyed Urohringer?
Thinking this through a bit, wouldn't it be strange that, whenever Rainbow's life has been in massive danger of ending, Discord and his chaos energy work through the Loyalty pendant? After all, she was the one that killed him, yet at times, such as in the desert after Cold Canter's Outpost where she would've been killed by the sandstorm, he saved her. If the pendant represses the chaotic energy, how then would he have managed to erect a barrier to save Dash? Also, why would he save her? He seems to be actively trying to destroy her, wouldn't saving her be counter-productive?
He apparently possesses powerful regenerative abilities, so her body being mangled would be a poor excuse for saving her.
Maybe Discord's chaos energy is passively killing her, he doesn't intend to, but the energy simply can't reside in a harmonious being. If Discord has been wanting Rainbow dead, there have been many opportunities for him to kill her. Come to think of it, Rainbow never felt the urge to fly east(or west) until after she was infected with chaos, and maybe Discord has been leading her on and I think it's possible, due to the fact that he is/was a chaotic being, that he could tell that Rainbow was the Austraeoh the moment he saw her. Chaotic things thus far in the story seem to be more attracted to her than to other ponies in general and so if Discord was a chaos lord, wouldn't he be more sensitive to whatever signals she puts out?
But back to 'why would he save her if he's been supposedly killing her?'. The only reason that I can think of, is that it benefits him somehow. I say that it's possible that Austraeoh destroys Urohringer, because what would be better for a Lord of Chaos than to end all things harmonic? He can't be trying to get his body back; he can just take over and transform Rainbow's.
It could be that he's not saying that Rainbow will be finding the elements, but himself. And where did the elements begin? The Plains of Harmony. The alicorns' birth place and home. It could be that the Plains of Harmony exist in a place unknown to chaos, and the Midnight Armory could be a way to trace a path back to the plains and thus open a way for chaos.
The Armory can only be accessed by one wielding alicorn magic, and Rainbow is the only pony currently in possession of alicorn magic that isn't an alicorn herself. It's possible that any one of the mane 6 could've survived and this would've been the outcome (a non-alicorn with alicorn magic), but calling back to when I said that Discord possibly knew Rainbow is the Austraeoh, I'd also wager that Discord gave Dash a more powerful dose of disharmonic magic to get her far enough away (and for a long enough time)that the other five elements wouldn't be willing or able to go after her and would resort to using the elements without her, thus causing the magical feedback that 'killed' them. It said that Discord was surprised by the turn of events as much as Rainbow was, but possibly, he planned it. Since he's a chaotic being, wouldn't he be able to see a flaw in the elements? Or perhaps a way to turn the harmonic tools against their bearers?
Discord masterfully manipulated the mane 6, and was able to get into their heads and change them for the worse. Who's to say he couldn't have guessed Rainbow's reaction to what happened? Maybe he anticipated that he would be defeated and destroyed.
If I recall correctly, alicorn magic seems to be a mix of both chaos and harmony, despite alicorns themselves being of harmony. Also if I remember right, only a being of both chaos and harmony can make the journey across the plane.
So Discord allowed Rainbow to defeat him, knowing that her anger over the loss of her friends (thus making her the only non-alicorn with alicorn magic) would drive her to 'kill' him, thus allowing him to contaminate her and create the only non-alicorn capable of crossing the plane and allowing him the opportunity to access the Midnight Armory, which he could potentially use to destroy Urohringer and furthermore the Plains of Harmony.
TL;DR: Discord planned it all from the beginning and plans on using Austraeoh as a catalyst to end harmony.
Maybe I'm just stretching/reaching/grasping at straws....anyone else think this theory is possible?
I apologize for anything that seems incoherent or otherwise unintelligible.
5951641 Startopolis was the smooze infested flying fortress, I am fairly sure this is not like that, or at least, I would hope so.
5955013
Interesting theory.
I was always under the impression that the chaos that infected Rainbow wanted to kill her, but at the same time gave her healing abilities as it wanted to preserve the body, and use it as its own once she was gone. This is why it contorts and reforms her body when it takes over, including how she begins to blackout/die/cease to exist.
Eljunbyro; ch 68 "Midnight Armory"
Looking back it appears that Rainbow might very well become the new Goddess of this plane. If she can decide how long she lives, she could realistically have enough time to ensure Harmony is restored to all sides; thus "undoing" what the "angels" had done when they destroyed Urohringr.
I have also come across this quote that gives Sinrar another purpose as a member of the current team:
Chp 69; "Packing Things"
Thus, I leave you with one final quote quote that sums Dash and her journey up perfectly:
5955654
True enough, but I'm going to hold onto the possibility of my theory being correct, no matter how much I hope it isn't.
Why does rainbow not want to remember Steven Magnet?
I feel there is a whole other story there.
5955013
That makes far more sense than it has any right to.
5965051 It may be situational, I mean, Stevens Not exactly a Typical sea monster, and if she Mentioned him, They'd ask questions, and she'd sound MORE crazy.
Nope, the shaved manes want to make sure to stay out of headbutt distance from Dash.
Steven is a RIVER monster, not a see monster.