"Hey!" Pinkie Pie chimed, floating alongside Rainbow Dash with a smile. "Wanna bet that the moment we get up there, Flynn will be shocking himself and cussing?"
"Huh?" Rainbow glanced aside at her.
Just then, she entered the lofty compartment that made up Darkreach's HQ.
Bzzzzt! "Gaah!" Flynn jolted backwards from an instrument panel he and Kepler were working on. "Goddess damn ass nuggets!"
"Heeheehee!" Pinkie giggle-snorted. "Soooooooo predictable!"
Rainbow shook her head. "Why can't you... like... hone in on that sense and make it more practical?"
"Make what morre prractical, Rrainbow One?" Kepler asked.
"Never mind." Rainbow cleared her throat and approached the two stallions. "Just talking to Pinkie Pie."
"Ah!" Kepler nodded, adjusting his spectacles. "That's the lavender one, yes?"
Rainbow glared at Kepler.
"Ahem!" Flynn butted into the conversation, suckling on the edge of his burnt fetlock. "Mmmfff..." He spat his limb out and stood beside the wyvern. "So nice of you to join us, Rainbow."
"Uh huh." Rainbow arched an eyebrow. "Am I too early for the funeral?"
"I wasn't trying to kill myself, honest!" Flynn frowned at the instrument panel where several frayed wires had been pulled out. "It's just this damnable old leyline array that's pissing me off to no end!"
"Say, guys..." Rainbow pointed at the loose wiring. "I thought the whole idea was to settle here in Darkreach for a bit... not pull it apart by the seams."
"I assurre you, ourr good brrotherr Flynn has no interrest in dismantling this wonderrful base," Kepler said.
"Then why is he dismantling this wonderful base?"
"I needed extra juice to power up the device you discovered yesterday."
"Device?" Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "What device?"
"What yesterday?" Pinkie chirped.
"I do believe he is rreferring to this!" Kepler raised a metal slab with several wires connected to it.
"Oh!" Rainbow smirked. "The briefcase! I remember that thing!"
"Uh huh..." Flynn's good eye narrowed accusatorily. "Probably because you kicked it halfway across Darkreach like a piece of junk."
"Because it is a piece of junk!" Rainbow roughly slapped the side of the metal slab. Clang! A blink. "... ... ...isn't it?"
Flynn sighed.
"Not... entirrely, Rrainbow One," Kepler said. "You see, it began a few hourrs ago when Flynn and I kept coming acrross these peculiarrly shaped crrystals that refused to channel enerrgy into the colony's centrral corre."
"Okay..."
Flynn continued for Kepler, "The material of these crystals were designed for permanent mana imprints. Within the inner structure are layers and layers of finely etched fissures—like microscopic runes—that either impede or allow the flow of magical energy."
"Yeesh..." Rainbow's ears folded. "That sounds complicated..."
"And cool!" Pinkie said.
Rainbow waved her off. "So... what... are these crystals meant to be some sort of... storage device?"
"Prrecisely what we thought!" Kepler said. He held one crystal up and displayed its triangular shape. "And so we starrted looking forr a housing unit that might storre these sharrds and allow forr mana-data trransferrence!"
"And one of us tripped over your damn briefcase thingy and that's when we noticed a perfectly-fitting chamber," Flynn said. "So... we stuck one of the crystals in and tried powering the thing up."
"Turrns out that it's enerrgy corre is badly corrroded."
"So we're using the mana-node here in the HQ as an external power supply. I was just now tweaking the powerflow so as not to overload this thing—"
"Wait wait wait wait..." Rainbow waved her hooves. "... ... ...so exactly what is this thing?"
"We... uh..." Flynn looked at Kepler, then back at Rainbow. "We believe that it might be a recorder of some sort."
"Recorder of what?" Rainbow's eyes narrowed. "... ... ...journals of the Emeraldinians?"
"That is what we're hoping."
"Okay, well..." Rainbow took a breath. "What are we waiting for?"
"You! Ha-hah!" Kepler smiled. He smiled some more.
"... ... ...soooooo." Rainbow fidgeted.
"Ahem..." Kepler cleared his throat. "A thousand apologies."
"Just needed to get it out of his system!" Pinkie said, giggling.
"Now, then..." Kepler fished around through a pile of crystals and found one. "Let us see..."
"Does it matter what order you put them in?" Rainbow asked, pointing.
"Forr a simple demo, I highly doubt it!" Kepler nodded aside. "Brrotherr Flynn! Prrovide a stable enerrgy flow!"
"On it!" Flynn cranked a lever attached to the open instrument panel. The walls of the HQ hummed as the lights above flickered.
Kepler placed a triangular crystal into the heart of the "briefcase." He then pressed two buttons with his claws and turned a dial.
Bzzzzt! Sparks flew from a nearby console.
"Whoah—!" Rainbow flinched.
"It's alright!" Flynn exclaimed, reaching in with a electrode of sorts to fix the power surge. "Bound to happen!"
"Well, could you make it bound less?!"
"There's nothing to be concerned about—"
"Shhhhh!" Kepler hissed. "Please, frriends!" He leaned forward, staring into the dim shadows of the room. "I am getting audio!"
Everypony froze in place, including Pinkie Pie.
A whining sound came from the slab propped against Kepler's figure. The triangular crystal strobed and fluctuated.
"Uhm..." Rainbow bit her bottom lip. "Should I put some tinfoil on my skull and do ballet?"
Pinkie giggle.
"I do believe..." Kepler pricked his hairy earlobes towards the ceiling. "...I am getting some inforrmation..."
"It sounds... like singing," Flynn murmured.
"It's the playback," Rainbow remarked. "It's at too fast a speed!"
"A noble obserrvation, Rrainbow One!" Kepler adjusted his glasses and studied the dials and buttons on the metal slab in his grasp. "Let's see, now... ... ...something to adjust tempo..."
"I see what looks like a slider," Rainbow said.
"Good catch," Flynn said, smiling. "You certainly know your way around advanced technology!"
"Forever and a day in Ledomare will do that," Rainbow droned. "I can't count how many managliders I struggled to outfly."
"Mana... gliders...?" Flynn rolled his good eye. "Pffft. Sounds stupid." Bzzzt! "Ow! Dammit!"
"I have something!" Kepler triumphantly boomed.
"Bbbbbbbbbbb-crkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk-ttttttttttttt—" the speakers of the slab crackled.
"Can you get it to... unbuck itself?" Rainbow muttered.
"Adjusting..." Kepler licked at his tusks.
At last, the "briefcase" made a far more discernible sound: "Pppppppppppp-p-p-p-p-please-please-please-please input requiredddddddd command into that which woulddddddddd be the Crystalline Auditoryyyyyyyyyyy Informational Neural Emitterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr—"
"Crystalline... Auditory..." Rainbow grimaced. "...what-now?"
"Holy crud..." Flynn nearly danced in place. "I live for this shit!" He swatted Kepler with his tail. "Quick, Keps! Adjust that lateral knob!"
"What forr?"
"Just do it!"
"Ach!" Kepler's claws went to work. "Discoverry is a brrothel and you arre the most impatient virrgin!"
"Damn proud, too."
Meanwhile, the briefcase: "Bbbbbbbbbbbbbb-bringing more supplies frommmmmmmmmm Heaven's Landinggggggg—" Static. "Cccccccccccc-coming backkkkkkk from Omega with the expeditionnnnnnnnn of he who wouldddddddddddddd be Lieutenant Warholllllllllll—" Static. "Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-required to avoiddddddddd the lunar sights of the Bloodwinggggggggggggggggg colonyyyyyyyyyyy—"
"Uh... guys?" Rainbow fidgeted.
"I cannot seem to find a stationarry point in the inforrmational feed!" Kepler said. "The leylines have no focus!"
"Could it be interference from the rest of Darkreach?" Flynn asked.
"Unlikely," Kepler muttered, still fiddling with the device. "It was built inside this place, yes?"
"Well, as far as we know."
"I think that the innerr worrkings arre jostled."
"So... unjostle them!" Rainbow said.
Kepler gulped. "I do not know how."
"It's simple!" Rainbow looked at Flynn. "Just smack it around like I did in the first place!"
"Yes—" Flynn flinched. "No—!"
"Zoop!" Rainbow gave the device one heavy swat of her fetlock. WHAP!
Bzzzzt! The crystal stopped fluctuating. It took on a steady glow as the speakers smoothely poured forth: "Achievement unlocked: successful startup of the Crystalline Auditory Informational Neural Emitter. Imperative introduction: this is the voice of he who would be Chief Engineer Ranort of that which would be Cylindrimane. You, who would be the listening audience, shall bear witness to the audio log of the Verdestonian Expedition that would be called Darkreach."
Flynn and Kepler listened, dumbstruck.
"Woo! Achievements!" Pinkie pumped a hoof. "What kind of trophies do we get?!"
Quest Completed: AV Club
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...Well...um...that was rather unexpected. 'Cheevoes, tho...
Also, three cheers for ye olde percussive maintenance.
A journal from the Chief Engineer. This should come in handy.
Annnnnd swing and a miss.
Ah yes, percussive maintenance. A classic standby of those who know how to handle tech, Twilight would probably freak out if she saw that.
Seems like Dash and friends really need to avoid those Bloodwings. Sounds like they were harassing that engineering team with the briefcase thing.
...now I'm trying to imagining Pinkie with glasses on and reading a book. It is really hard.
And how many Shells were shot at her!
....I'm not sorry
*Insert Xbox acheivement noise here*
God, talk about a throwback.
...And now I miss Mintelle and the titles.
racprops.com/trekmovies/tff/film_captains_log.jpg
Cryptic information of dubious value, Pinkie.
Goal Added: Do not draw the ire of those
who would be the Bloodwings.
Um no..
8342092
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View on Derpibooru (Original source unknown at time of posting)
This makes me think that the Bloodwing are the Bat-ponies that came over to the dark side. If they made a base near Darkreach, that could explain why that Changeling thought that's what they were. It could have been put here incase they came this way.
I will always struggle to not laugh at the way Cylindrimane/Darkstine ponies talk. I am still very glad to have them back in the story for at least a little bit anyway, even if I find the way they talk way to hard to take seriously. Also hitting things is the best way to make them work.
Achievement unlocked: Get ready for a nostalgia trip from who knows how long along.
Percussive Maintenance, never fails, much to Flynn's chagrin.
Diss the idea of managliders all you want Flynn, if you survive long enough to see Urohringr reformed, you might want to take a trip to Luxmare and get your mind blown.
-Through the path long forgotten, into the darkness long begotten. Ofolrodi.
Oh come on Rainbow that's not gonna...
Work.
IC is not a merciful god. Flynn should know this better than most.
So they talked that way even before Darkstine
Crystal tape recorder with a fancy name
Tbat which would be the Darkstinian lingo has returned! :D
You didn't just...
...
You did.
8342168
It would fit the whole vampire mythos they have going on. Blood-Wings could be referring to them as spooky pegasi. So Sarosians.
8342087
Achievement unlocked: Mile Deep Club
Survive your first encounter with a dark-side changeling
Yay, they got it working!
You'd think the pony with pink in her name would be, well, pink.
Wow, lol, Achievements! And titles! That brings me way back.
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Right? What a fun little easter egg.
Rainbow isn't getting any sleep, is she?
Good morning Dr Kepler. My name is C.A.I.N. Im ready for our first interface.
Valuable tech lesson of the day: When your hard drive acts up, just kick it around for a little while.
She used to turn all the dials, press all the buttons and slide all the sliders on this gear
vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/austraeoh/images/8/8b/Roarke.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20141021153550
10 out of 1759 complete
I demand more Seraphimus interaction.
Stunned inquiry: That which would be this ridiculous form of speech is still relevant?
Not literal statement: You are killing me, he who would be Colon old boy.
Extended statement: It is surprisingly difficult to use that which would be this ridiculous form of speech, but I am compelled to emulate that which would be this ridiculous form of speech whenever I witness that which would be this ridiculous form of speech.
Achievement unlocked: Make he who would be Nasty Mister Monket have a somewhat unpleasant time.
Wistful statement: Considering that which would be this ridiculous form of speech has been around for thousands of years, as evidenced by they who would be the ancient Cylindrimaneans using it as well as they who would be the modern Darkstinians using it, it is slightly upsetting that those taught and tormented by he who would be Duke Zaap Nator have forsaken this tradition and abandoned that which whould be this ridiculous form of speech, such as she who would be Flower Gears.
New objective added: Breathe.
Embarassed admission: Yes, I have re-read that which would be the Darkstinian arc of that which would be Austraeoh to re-acquaint myself with that which would be this ridiculous form of speech.
Your skill in Percussive Repair has increased! (42)
8342090
I do believe Kepler made a funny there, actually. Bonus if they start calling her Ponka Poe, Pinkie Pronk, etc...
Beep Boop Bzzt
//Error//
Splosion Not Found
I am disappoint.
8342662
I'm probably way off but she seems to have 5 legs.
Achievement Unlocked: The Hoofengineer
Fix a malfunctioning piece of equipment using just your hoof.
8340330 Welcome aboard, kid. You've got a long flight ahead of you, but it'll be totally worth it. Looking forward to seeing you on the front lines.
8342899
It would appear Roarke has a secret "fifth leg".
media.tenor.com/images/131b6a1bd5af2bc2393231fa9e9f3e1f/tenor.gif
It's just an empty sleeve bro
8342662
At first I was wondering what piece of "Advanced technology " you were intimating That Rainbow Dash had such extensive knowledge of. Then I clicked the picture.
media.giphy.com/media/7rj2ZgttvgomY/giphy.gif
Wait, the Cylindrimanians already talked like that before the machine cultists took over?
Achievement unlocked: Make me laugh out loud.
Edit: The acronym seems almost deliberate; is there a Jurist named "Caine"?
The Frequency Is Wrong - Try Moving The Slider!
Edit: https://youtu.be/CaVUcuoPQoA
Hmm. Lots of humor here. And a checkov's not-gun. What does it have to say?
umm, Kepler is a wyvern.
I think this is my new favorite line from Kepler.
Fuckdammit, Kepler.
*snerk*
*snerk*
Pinkie do giggle.
Oh hey, achievements are back! Git hype!
Hey, I know that name
In an epic story chock full of great quotes, this is definitely one of the best.
Kepler's surprisingly quick to draw brothel analogies for someone who doesn't even have the necessary parts.
Also, I had almost forgotten how incredibly verbose Darkstine speech was.
How convenient. I don't really know if I miss their ridiculous way of speaking, but I am glad that we can get some information from the horse's mouth about this place. Hopefully it will tell us about the Bloodwings too.