//------------------------------//
// Pass Your Plate Around 
// Story: Odrsjot 
// by Imploding Colon 
//------------------------------//

	"What I've discovered from Floydien's maps is that the ravines located in this part of the continent are a great deal more erratic in configuration than the canyons to the west," Pilate said from where he sat at the middle of the table.

"Don't be ridiculous," Josho grunted as she shuffled up to an empy plate.  "Ravines can't have babies, much less get aroused."

"He said 'eratic,'" Ebon muttered as he dumped a steaming pile of daffodil alfredo upon the stallion's dish.

"I know what he said!"  Josho frowned as he levitated a pair of forks and tried to keep from drooling.  "Honestly, I'd rather the zebra not say anything.  This time should be for munching."

"His name is Pilate," Belle said with a glare, sitting down next to her beloved's side as Ebon poured them their share of the meal.  "And I don't see the problem with chatting it up while we're eating it up."

Eagle Eye levitated his plate towards Ebon with a polite nod.  "Somepony explain to me: what's so significant about the way canyons are shaped here versus the west..."

Pilate replied, "Well, it's commonly known that an ancient civilization of caribou dwelled within this continent.  Long before Ledomare or all of the previous incarnations of the same Confederacy, this land belonged to a race of beings who dwelled in harmony with nature."

"Heh..."  Rainbow Dash sat at one head of the table, her back to the kitchen door.  "Imagine that."

"And they were known for their versatile skills in irrigation," Pilate continued to explain.  "Records claim that they funneled so many canals into their local rivers that they carved the tributaries into the smooth, serpentine ravines that pockmark much of the Ledomaritan landscape today.  But here..."  Pilate gestured out the nearest porthole where the sunlight had already grown dim.  "The ravines are shallow, craggy, and considerably more unpredictable in their jagged patterns."

Props launched herself into her seat, causing the entire table to rattle.  "Which means they weren't irrigated by caribou bubblies!"

"Precisely," Pilate said with a nod as Kera crawled up to her chair beside him and Bellesmith.  "Albeit... with a little less poetic nuance."

"So this place wasn't inhabited by ancient caribou, huh?"  Ebon remarked as he finally sat down to his own plate.  "I don't rightly blame them.  It's kind of... ehm... thick out there."

Belle raised an eyebrow.  "Thick?"

"It's so dense and wild and woolly..."  Ebon shrugged as he grasped a fork in the crook of his hoof.  "I can't imagine anyone settling in this place, antlers or no antlers."

"You do realize I'm speaking about a margin that spans over a thousand years," Pilate remarked after swallowing a bite of daffodils.  "That's plenty of time for an entire landscape to be dramatically altered."

"Where I come from, all of our history was told in terms of thousands and tens of thousands of years," Rainbow Dash said.  "I guess that's what you get for having two immortals running the show from their high tower."

Ebon looked aside at her.  "Oh yeah?  How old is Equestria?"

"Uhhh..."  Rainbow Dash shrugged.  "Beats me..."

Ebon blinked.  "But I just thought you said that your history—"

"Look, I said we had a history; I never said I paid any attention in school."

"Ahhh..."  Ebon nodded.

Belle chuckled, meanwhile Kera picked at her plate with a scrunched-up expression.  "Ungh... Daffodils, again?"

Ebon almost fell into his own plate with a sigh.

"Eat up, Kera, darling," Bellesmith said.  "One way or another, you need your fill.  There's no telling when things might heat up the closer we get to the battlefront."

"But absolutely nothing has happened for three weeks!"  Kera's voice cracked as she folded her forelimbs.  "Nothing except for clouds, mountains, and daffodils."

"Look, I'm sorry, everypony," Ebon said in a droning tone.  "I'm doing my best to spice it up for you all..."

"Which is an achievement without the spice," Josho said between scarfing mouthfuls.

"And I'd love to get you guys more!  Believe you me!"  Ebon chuckled breathily.  "I have the skills to give you all a royal banquet!  Just... y'know... none of the resources!"

"Well, I think they're just daffodillydandy!"  Props said with a sparkling grin.  "I could eat these for the rest of my life!"

"You probably will be eating them for the rest of your life," Kera muttered, receiving a nudge from Belle.

"I'll scout ahead first thing in the morning," Rainbow Dash said with a cheery grin.  "I'll find us some oranges or potatoes or—hey!—even some apples!"

"By the Spark..."  Pilate managed a sigh.  "What I wouldn't give for a red delicious apple at this point..."

Eagle smiled at him.  "What would you care whether it's red or golden?"

"Believe me," Pilate said with a nod.  "I can tell."

"Yeah..."  Rainbow Dash took a sip out of a goblet of water.  "The golden ones taste like Belle."

Belle thrusted forward, spitting out a stalk and beating her chest.

"You okay, Belle?" Kera asked.

"Ahem..."  Belle caught her breath and threw a glare in Rainbow's direction.  "Yes.  Just thinking what kind of dessert to give Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow Dash stuck her tongue out.  Ignoring her forks, she dunked her head into her plate and gobbled down a mouthful.

"I appreciate the offer, Rainbow, but I don't think it's up to me," Ebon said.  "You'd better bring it up to the elk who's running this ship, cuz so far he hasn't budged a single centimeter off course."

"All for the better," Pilate said.  "If we wish to make it to Gray Smoke before our food runs out, we'd best keep flying at a steady pace.  Now that we've got Rainbow Dash on board, we can afford to accelerate some."

"Well, if we can afford to go faster, then what's stopping us from taking a rest, stretching our hooves, and refilling our food reserves?!"  Ebon exclaimed.  "That's what I keep trying to convince Floydien about!"

"Don't look now, but here comes handsomenesssss!" Props sang.

"What spit is this about the Floydien and the coming?"  He trotted in, hornless, and stood at the far end of the table.

"I already served you your plate, Mr. Floydien."  Ebon pointed at the plate in question, then took another bite.  As Floydien sat, he grumbled, "Though you could be eating something much finer if you just let us stop to forage a bit."

"There is nothing wrong with daffodils," Floydien muttered as he sat his big brown self down in the middle of the mess hall.  "They are most filling to the gullet gullet.  Nancy Jane flies good and proper with or without the flower food."

"No offense intended, Mr. Floydien, but ponies can't live on flowers and flowers alone."  Ebon pointed beyond the darkening portholes.  "We need variety or else we'll go mad."

"Yeah, besides..."  Eagle Eye squinted curiously at his plate of food.  "Is it just me, or is daffodil a source of toxic material when consumed in large quantities?"

"Where in the heck did you learn drivel like that?" Josho asked.

Eagle shrugged.  "The Confederate Field Manual."

"Ugh... that thing..."  Josho groaned as he picked at the last of his meal.  "Those books were only meant to incite fear and get stallions to march in line.  Otherwise, it's written with the factual knowledge belonging to a tube worm.  Read far enough into one of those pamphlets and they spout out bullcrap about using trout to scrape out berries from a riverbed."

"Heehee..."  Kera covered her grinning muzzle.  "Fish berries..."

"Kera, honey..."

"Alright, alright..."  Kera rolled her eyes and picked a fork up.  "I'm eating..."

"Paint bucket," Floydien called forth.

Rainbow Dash gulped some flowers down and replied, "Brown muzzler."

"The wings are reacquainted with sky glimmer?"

"I can now fly around the Noble Jury without fainting like a blushing bride, yeah, if that's what you're asking."

"Perhaps the boomer's talent in flitting would be fitting in examining the Nancy Jane's belly."

"I thought that was Props' job," Rainbow Dash said while pointing.

"Mmmmf!  Mmmmf!"  Props shook her head and waved a hoof.  "I work in the womb!  He's talking about her navel!"

Rainbow frowned.  "Why do I gotta check out a flying airship's belly fat?!"

"Nancy Jane flew through a lightning storm four days ago.  Much scrapes both dastardly and dire need to be examined."

"Yeah, but I'm not exactly qualified for that, don't you think?"  Rainbow Dash pointed at the blonde mare again.  "Why not land the ship and let cheerleader here check it out?"

"Would be most cloud-friendly to remain earth-unfriendly, yes yes?"

"I don't think so.  Check it, Floyd..."  Rainbow leaned forward and waved her hooves for emphasis.  "We've got an opportunity to do two things here.  Killing two birds with one stone."

"Oooh!"  Kera gasped.  "I'd love to see that!"

Rainbow rolled her eyes.  "Being figurative, kid."

"Awwww..."

"Ahem..."  Rainbow narrowed her eyes on Floydien from afar.  "We can park your beloved Nancy Jane, let Props take a look at the hull, and then send Ebon and a team out to fetch some food!"

"She has a point, Mr. Floydien," Pilate said as O.A.S.I.S. flickered between him and his meal.  "Once we take off again, we can pick up the pace, and we won't lose any time in the end."

"Hmmmf... It seems as if all the boomers are set in their mind against Floydien," the elk grumbled.

"Hardly anything of the sort!" Bellesmith exclaimed.  "We're doing this as a team!"

"Yeah!"  Eagle gulped some flowers down and said, "We're all in this together!"

"Don't be redundant, fruit basket," Josho muttered, stifling a legitimate belch.

"Well, I don't hear you contributing anything to this conversation."

Josho belched again.  "Crotchboobs."

Eagle facehoofed.  "Nnngh... That's it.  I'm moving my bunk a space down."

"You love it, girl."

"Go stuff your face."

"I already did."

"Fine," Floydien grumbled.  "Enough spit.  The boomers have won.  Down to the earth with Nancy Jane, lightly, Floydien shall allow."

"Let's set a schedule!" Ebon exclaimed, almost hopping out of his chair with excitement.  "Tomorrow morning!  Ten o'clock sharp!"

"Why do you gotta make it sharp, sailboat?" Josho grumbled.

"Ten o'clock sounds good!"  Kera hummed.  "That's when all the grasshoppers are about!"

"Not sure if you want the grasshoppers from this side of the world, kid," Rainbow Dash said while munching.  "You'd get a case of Maretezuma's revenge."  She gulped.  "With legs."

"I'll manage!"

"We'll see, Kera," Belle said.  "Not all of us are keen on eating meat..."  She squirmed and gave Rainbow a nervous glance.

The pegasus sighed.  "Look, I know I'm the outsider around these parts.  I'm not about to trounce on what you guys believe is or isn't cool.  I just..."  She grimaced slightly.  "...don't wanna be around for the spearing and gutting, okay?"

"Well, that's a shame," Josho said.  "With your flying skills, you'd be perfect for helping us nab a rabbit or a wild boar."

"I wouldn't push it, old stallion," Eagle Eye said with a nervous titter.  "Asking Rainbow Dash to hunt is like asking Mintians to grow their manes out."

"Or like asking you to not shampoon yours!" Josho grinned.

Eagle seethed.  "Who was making the analogy here, anyways?"

"Well, what about Roarke?" Ebon asked.

"Yeah!"  Props grinned.  "Now there's a pony who would love to sock it to-y with her rockitooey!"

"Eh... I dunno, guys..."  Rainbow Dash sighed.  "I don't think Roarke is up to doing much of anything lately."

"A hunt?"  Roarke's metallic voice rang out as she trotted into the room from the kitchen.  "Absolutely.  When and where and what do I kill?"

Rainbow spun and gawked at her.  "You... came to dinner."

"Nonsense.  I came to position myself in the place of social gathering, but all of that may be changing—dependent on the revelation of this bloodshedding."  She kicked a table and sat reverse on it, her eye-lenses pistoning out.  "So, out with it.  What needs to be blown up?"

"Well, nothing needs to be blown up, per se," Pilate exclaimed.

"The less glimmer the better," Floydien muttered between mouthfuls.

Pilate continued.  "It's just that we were discussing how and where to go about getting new food, and only some of us are vegetarians, you know..."

"I understand completely."  Roarke's jaw went tight.  "And the only solution is cattle."

"Awwwww... cows?"  Rainbow Dash winced.  "Really?"

"I know that they do not make for challenging game, but if you want your plates full—"

"It's not that!"  Rainbow shuddered.  "It's just that, where I came from, they... y'know..."

"No, I do not know," Roarke said, her lenses reflecting Rainbow Dash.

"Well, they talked, okay?"  She frowned.  "They talked and they lived in barns and they... well... do you need anything more?  They were sentient."

"Are you sure they were sentient?"

"Pfftchyaa.  They voted."

"For what?"  Josho gestured.  "For what to hang around their necks?"

Rainbow Dash frowned at the rest.  "You seriously never grew up with talking cows?!"

"In Gray Smoke, my Uncle Prowse used to have a dead bull that talked!"  Props exclaimed.  "But that's because he used its stomachs as a recessive steam ventilator and the when the exhaust escaped the metal grill that was placed within the stuffed thing's jaws—"

"Yeah..."  Rainbow Dash pushed her half-eaten plate away.  "I'm done.  Anyone want seconds?"

"Mine!"  Josho levitated it over to his side immediately while Eagle Eye rolled his eyes.

"Well, alright then..."  Ebon spoke while nodding.  "Let's make a rule for tomorrow.  Roarke?"

"Sailboat?"

"If anything you hunt tomorrow pleads for its life, then don't kill it.  Cuz then it would be sentient."

Roarke's head cocked to the side.  "Does screaming count?"

"Unnngh..."  Rainbow Dash facehoofed.  "Can't we just—like—go to a river and fish like sane ponies?"

"What?"  Kera glanced over.  "Fish don't talk where you come from?"

"I never got a chance to find out, on account of all the bubbles."

"I still think we should settle for grasshoppers."

"They would not make for a very heroic hunt," Roarke said.  She turned back towards Rainbow Dash.  "I'll see about finding something that has plentiful meat and yet will not count as possessing a 'soul,' at least by Equestrian standards."

"Nnnngh... fine..."

"If you would rather judge for yourself, then you're welcome to join me."  Roarke's brow furrowed above her lenses.  "Although, you would have to participate in the hunt."

"I trust your judgment..."

"Are you sure?"

"Hold on a tick..."  Josho scarfed a few more daffodils and pointed.  "Why's she running everything by Rainbow and not the deer?"

"Duh!"  Kera rolled her green eyes.  "Rainbow Dash is our leader, stupid!"

The table froze.

Rainbow Dash fidgeted.

Everypony slowly exchanged glances.

"Isn't she?" Kera chirped.

"Uhm..."  Ebon squirmed.

"I... I thought that was the case too," Eagle Eye said.

"Fine with meeeeee!" Propsy sang between bites.

"I, for one, support Rainbow Dash's authority in our travels," Pilate said.  "I'm simply acting as navigator to facilitate for our trip as a whole."

"I know... it's terrific," Josho mumbled.  "The blind leaving the blunt."

"Look, I'm more or less the reason that we're all taking this journey," Rainbow Dash said.  "I mean, face it, none of you would be taking this option to get the heck out of Ledo's dodge unless I hadn't gotten tangled up with your lives to begin with."  She cleared her throat with a rattle of the loyalty pendant and said, "But I'm not exactly leader material.  If you want me to call the shots about stuff, then I'll do what I can.  Experience and all that jazz, y'know?  But, hey, to be fair... this isn't my ship, and I think it's best that we toss the issue over to the one elk who knows this thing inside and out—"

"Fine.  Whatever.  Spit away," Floydien grumbled, his red eyes boring into his meal as he ate.  "Just keep all boomerthings outside of beloved's head.  Nancy Jane's brain is a nook for Floydien and Floydien alone."

Props giggled.

Eagle Eye shrugged with a smirk.  "Well, okay then!  I suppose that settles it!"

"Though, I doubt very much that it was a matter of questioning it to begin with," Belle said.

"Well, I wanted to know!" Kera said with a pout.

Belle sighed and smiled.  "Consider it a learning experience."

"So, in that case, I'd say we do it!" Rainbow Dash said with a proud grin.

Belle blinked.  "Do what?"

Rainbow Dash's ears drooped.  "Uhm... what we j-just talked about.  Y'know... with the rest stop for food and examining the ship's hull."

"Where's a good place for Nancy Jane to plop down?" Floydien asked.

"Might I suggest an open field besides a treeline?"  Pilate asked.  "Preferably besides a body of water?"  He tapped the manasphere as he said, "I mapped out four such locations that should be within reach after sunup.  It should give us the space, the lighting, and the ground we need to search for food, fruit, and more."

"A river or lake would be a good place to drive stupid unsuspecting creatures to their deaths," Roarke said.  After a few seconds, she glanced dully at Rainbow Dash.  "For food."

"R-right..."

"And then it's off to Gray Smoke again!"  Props pumped her hoof.  "Woohoo!"

Eagle Eye giggled.  "Wow, you're excited."  He leaned forward on folded forelimbs.  "I bet your Uncle Prowse must miss you a great deal."

"Oh, you bet!  He couldn't throw wrenches at my forehead across half the continent!"

Eagle Eye grimaced.  "Er..."

"And, besides, the stuff that I could stuff his head with from being part of a Nightshade think tank and... stuff!  Mmmm!  That's gonna get greasy!"

"It's a shame," Belle said.  "You seem to have gotten attached to the Noble Jury's engine room."

For once, the blonde mare looked sad.  "Mmmm... I know.  And such wonderful sparkly magic stuff being channeled into the womb too.  I wish I could spend more time studying it... tinkering with it..."

"Well, you know what they say," Eagle Eye remarked.  "'Every pony's gotta leave the nest.'  Or, in this case, the 'womb.'"

"But it's so warm and comfy in therrrrre!"

"Yeah..."  Josho grunted.  "Let's stear the conversation away from this, please..."

"What about you, Mr. Mane?" Bellesmith remarked.  "You must have friends and family that you're looking forward to as well."

Ebon was hoofing through his plate of daffodils.

Belle blinked.  "Mr. Mane—"

"Hmmm?"  Ebon jumped, then smiled nervously.  "Oh, right.  Well..."  He chuckled breathily.  "I got this one killer restaurant that's been lacking a skilled cook since I was abducted.  I do hope they haven't gone under while I was away.  I swear, they made a living off of my biscuits alone."

"Is there cheddar involved?" Josho asked.

"Pffft... Like I'm going to tell you," Ebon mumbled.  "You'd eat us right out of the clouds."

Eagle Eye giggled.  "He would, too."

"Mmmf... fat boomers gonna fat," Floydien grunted.

"If worse comes to worse, I'll find a place to use my culinary skills," Ebon said with a fragile smile.  "Whatever the case, at least I won't be locked up by Nightshade meatheads against my will."

"I really don't know how we're going to survive without you two," Pilate said with a sad expression.  "Aside from your skills, we're going to miss your pleasant company."

"Oh, don't your fret your stripes over us!"  Props tossed a hoof as she said, "Ebony and I have been through thick and thin!  We know how to survive!  And besides!  We'll pass on the best we have to you!  I'm sure Uncle Prowse has a Third Tier Rapid Mana Conversion Generator to lend to Nancy Jane's womb!  He'll even give it a spitshine!"

Josho droned, "What, the generator or the womb?"

"Both, if you pay him well enough!"  Props winked.  "But I'll make it a discount!  Heck, he needs me to breathe!"

"Then..."  Eagle Eye winced.  "How do you know he's gonna be alive by the time you get there?"

"That's a blue, blue stallion!" Props slapped the tabletop and giggled madly.

"Heheheheheh..."  Ebon chuckled.  "Hehhhh... I only ever get half her jokes."

"Now I'm worried," Bellesmith remarked in a sad tone.  "Just how are we gonna manage it without both our star cook and our star engineer?"

"I suppose we'll come up with a solution when the time arrives," Pilate said.  "Best not to dwell on it."

"But it's also best to plan ahead, beloved."

"And I have been.  Trust me.  With the aid of O.A.S.I.S, I've been studying every manual about the Noble Jury's engine there is.  I think we'll have enough knowledge to go on, at least."

"Just better make sure the zebra doesn't lose his sense of hearing or smell in the meantime."

"Ungh!"  Belle rolled her eyes and frowned.  "For crying out loud!  His name is Pilate!"

"At least he's not living up to it in the cockpit."

"Heheheh..."  Pilate smirked.  He felt the heat of Belle's glare, then shrugged.  "What?  I actually found that quite amusing..."

Belle rested a hoof against her forehead.  "There are too many stallions aboard this ship."

"You sure?"  Josho smirked.  "I thought Eagle Eye here tipped it in your favor."

"Yeah, he thought that I—hey!" Eagle frowned at Josho and slapped him in the shoulder.

"Next time, try me with your purse.  It might actually tingle."

"Grrrr..."

Roarke leaned in before Rainbow could interject.  "Actually, if you need help in managing the engine room, I'm certain my experience with manaships could be of service to you all, once we've left Gray Smoke."

Rainbow gave the mare a double-take.  "Wow.  That's... quite selfless and generous of you."

"Is it?"  Roarke glanced back, deadpan.  "I didn't notice."

"Good.  Don't notice it."  Rainbow smirked.  "It's a good direction."

"Meh.  If you say so."

Rainbow sighed, then glanced out the porthole.  Her eyes lit up as she saw a pale sheen to the clouds.

"What are you thinking about, Rainbow Dash?" Eagle Eye asked.

"I'm thinking..."  Her smirk grew wider, and she swiveled her head about to toss it at the group.  "I'm thinking that there's a friend of mine I'd like to introduce you guys too."

Bellesmith and Pilate smiled.

Kera scratched her bushy green mane.  "A friend?  Like who?"

"Oh, I get it!"  Props spontaneously gasped.  "Because the apple would be gold, like Belle!"  She keeled over, slapping the tabletop and laughing.  "Ha ha ha ha ha!"