Fire, Air, Water, Earth
Months have passed since the Return began. Humans are slowly becoming a more common sight in Equestria. The newly crowned Princess Twilight Sparkle prepares to begin her reign. All looks peaceful for firebender Lanternlight, well as peaceful as life in Ponyville gets at least.
When an entire human city Returns in the northwestern area of the nation, however, Lanternlight travels with the Elements of Harmony to make contact with the city's rulers. What they discover is a fearful, isolationist city-state still reeling from its magical relocation. With intrigue, suspicion, and mystery surrounding them on all sides, can Lanternlight keep everyone safe?
Or is it possible that he is being a little too protective of them?
Chapters (2)
It seems from your story and explanations that Lanternlight already knew pretty well about martial arts. But who teached Karol? Lantern? Some other human, who was brought in Equestria by the Return? Or someone else? Just being curious.
Also, what happened to that great big human library/teaching place thingy near the Cloudsdale? Was all of the knowledge taken from there? Did the Princesses sent somepony or somebody to watch after the place, or is it effectively abandoned as of now? Another thing that got me curious.
Also also, where was Lanternlight during the Trixie's Tyranny? Was he away of the town during the whole thing? How about Crystal Empire's return? Should you at least mention it in some upcoming chapter, with the outward similarities between what happened to the Crystal Empire and this Human City? Have you thought of these, can you tell of these, or are you going to touch these subjects in the coming chapters? Curiouser and Curiouser...
And all that was rambled without a drop of rum, booze, coffee, or any drugs.
FINALLY!!! You have no idea how long I have been waititng to read more about Lanternlight and his adventures in Equestria!
This Returned city brings to me a concept of the Revolution City from Legend of Korra, a sequel to the Avatar animated serie (I recommend to watch it, has many good stuff in there
), or at least it sounds somewhat similiar.
This Jetstream that teaches Karol, is he a pony or a human airbender?
Can't wait for more!
2685764>>2685942
To answer one of the above questions, Jetstream is an airbender who currently lives in Manehattan. He is Uplift's sifu, from Brazil pre-Return, and a hardcore practitioner of capeoira. And a bit of a hardass.
I'm really hoping we get to see humans that aren't fitting in, and aren't acclimating. Humans that are actually angry about the whole situation.
That is my new favorite quote
2686493
I thought that sifu is a title of chinese teacher, like japanese sensei. Wouldn't someone practicing capeoira and coming from Brazil, be called a master or something more latin sounding? Especially since capeoira isn't a chinese martial art.
2688406 The title is given according to the origin of the martial art. If a Brazillian is a master f a Chinese art, they are a 'Sifu'. An Australian master of a Japanese art is a 'Sensei'. This also applies to break-away forms and sub-groups, for example, a master of the Spanish variant to karate would still be a Sensei, even though it's only BASED on the Japanese.
2688547
I get it with the titles of teachers, but tell me this, just where capoeira is anywhere close to being a chinese martial art? I've read about it and it was created by african slaves brought to Brazil in 16th century, and the natives. There isn't any mention of capoeira being classified as chinese martial art, hence my confusion at the title of Uplift's sifu.
2688573 I never said it was. I was just sharing a piece of unusual knowledge.
Maybe it was inspired by one of the chinese arts?
2688599
That's just it, capoeira was inspired but from tribal african and brazilian dances. Taking into consideration that Africa and Brazil are on the completely different sides of the planet, there is practically no way for chinese martial arts crossing paths with capoeira this early (we're talking about 16th to 19th century). Here you can read about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capoeira
If anything, taking into consideration that Lanternlight is most definietly the first in re-discovering the way of human magic and bending, as well as that the Avatar truly refers to actual chinese fighting styles, I wouldn't be surprised if the title of sifu was a way to honor the fact that all bendings were originally from chinese martial arts. Despite mastering a different fighting style, the masters of karate, capoeira, sambo or muay thai take the title of sifu to acknowledge and respect the roots of bending arts. Or maybe Lanternlight found a word for master in his Babel notes, maybe even from those Air Mystics' temple, and it sounded similiar to the chinese title.
Truthfuly I more care on reading next chapter and what happens between Equestrians and the Human city. There is no doubt that if they were anything other than ready then Ignus' spell wouldn't work, but if something went wrong with the spell? Why did a whole city appear? Maybe a few bad apples managed to slip through, or maybe the whole situation will shake the ponies' believe in humans' good nature.
2685764
He's watched Avatar the Last Airbender :P
2688382
I actually find it somehow disturbing
2686493
This looks good so far. I've spotted a few typos here and there, but the structure has the same quality as the Chronicle. I'll keep an eye on these.
Also, Will Ironsides and/or Tabitha be making an appearance?
2698608
Maybe... 
FINALLY
IT IS HERE
Pinkie:Violate the laws of physics so hard they cry in a corner?
I'm dying of laughter
your stories are the bomb!
Also, I don't like these "City Representatives" a little bit, specially the leader, he gives me this Long Feng-kind of vibe
.
2714243
They wouldn't be politicians if they didn't come across as a little bit shady.
Hey, I just realized that in The Chronicle it's never stated that Tabitha or Karol were having problems sleeping. How come that they didn't have the same problem as Patrick and "Ironsides"?
2867055
Short answer: they got lucky. The princesses made sure Tabitha's orphanage was in a geomantically active area. Also the upper-middle class neighborhood that Jet Set and Upper Crust live in is in one of Canterlot's geomantic centers.
Sorry it took me so long to answer, I've had a weird couple of months.
3054285
! So Tabitha is in fact a (water)bender if she needs to sleep in a geomantically active area... *le gasp* I just had an idea: what if she joins the Cutie Mark Crusaders
? That would be hilarious.
Gotcha
Good chapter.
Update?
YAY!
This was a great chapter, the sparring session was interesting and: Cabbage Cart? Oh, I see what you did there
However, there's something that keeps bugging me about the series: So human magic is basically the same as the bending arts from The Last Airbender (cartoon, not movie. Movie sux), with all the same philosophies and all that jazz. I'm okay with that though, but I don't understand why Double L and the other humans see it as a totally original concept. Patrick even aknowledges having watched the show, and practically copy-pasted the explenation for firebending from it
.
, I hate being "that guy", but I had to point that out.
I'm sorry
Also, the first interaction with Ironsides was kinda confusing: Patrick was trying to point out where'd he knew that voice and when it's revealed who he is... nothing
? Talking about supension of disbelief (at least I think that's what the term means
)
3091209
Part of the magic problem is that my own idea of what human magic is hasn't become fully formed yet. As of right now a good part of the middle (mid act one to late act 2) of this fic will be dedicated to exploring other methods of accessing and applying these forces, within the rules I've already established. I'm hoping this will encourage me to develop the Magic of the Elements further beyond copy-and-pasteing bending disciplines and philosophies.
As for that other thing with Ironsides' reintroduction, I don't know what more I could have done beyond Double-L narrating 'I knew it!' and moving on. It wasn't really a major drama point, but I plan on developing what happened to get Ironsides from the banquet to captaining his own division of the Guard.
Oh, now the ideas are flowing. To quote this pony,
I must create!
3091681
Oh, I see... I'm okay with that
Iiiit's baaaaack :D
Complete with some action too :)
So Lanternlight has his own creepy fanboi. Awesome?
Heh, so far so good though.
Didn't even realize until today that this sequel existed. Glad I found it!
please revive this story from the dead. PLEASEEEE
I'm working on it. As we speak actually.
Good....now give me more please.
Yo Draco, are you still alive?
More good