Rainbow and the Snow Piercers
Rainbow Dash and the Herald trotted east.
The execution of this task did not match its simplicity. The snow layering the Frost Plateau was just deep enough to make every step an agonizingly laborious thing. Within a solid hour of trudging through the freezing cold powder, Rainbow's hooves ached intensely. The pain bit her through the numbness, and her right wing flapped every so often—as if subconsciously trying to lift her petite frame and relieve her from the persistent torture.
The flatness of the landscape was beyond daunting. The plateau stretched endlessly in every direction. Rainbow felt as though she learned twenty new variations of the color "white" simply by looking at it. Rarity couldn't stop wailing in despair from the relentless onslaught of nothingness.
"Be glad I didn't find you before the Grand Choke," Rainbow Dash said.
"Darling, even in its name, that deserves far greater recognition." The phantom unicorn pouted. "What I wouldn't give for a single mountain."
Rainbow Dash couldn't argue. Even though the jagged ridges of Rohbredden had proved nothing but problematic for her before, she'd die just to see a single granite peak or a hint of a hilltop. Instead, everything was flat, flat, flat. Mortuana's bandaged horn was literally the highest point for miles—not counting the figures that flew overhead.
Ariel's dark streaking figure was a welcome reprieve from the mediocre infinity. Even the clear blue sky—normally a welcoming sight—was improved every moment that the winged Heraldite sliced across its azure surfaces. Every time the mare passed by, she gave Rainbow a friendly wink, as if reminding her of her loyal promise.
Wildcard and Bard also took shifts performing reconnaissance, although they did so with a great deal less pizazz than Ariel. Nevertheless, Rainbow couldn't help but stare at Wildcard's silent and determined face, or Bard's thoughtful eyes as he scanned the wintery wasteland around them. Even after so much time... so many miles crossed... the Desperadoes were still determined to assist Rainbow with her endeavors. It was a humbling, heart-wrenching reality.
Rainbow attempted to distract herself by staring into the snow, or by listening to her ghostly friends' conversations. Usually, the collective presence of her companions would bring solace to her. At this point, however, the endlessely bleak canvas of the Frost Plateau had a hypnotic effect. Rainbow felt as though she was being displaced out of body for a brief moment. The cold winds blew her back, tossing her ragdoll body past continents, oceans, and machine world entrances. When she landed, she was in another place... a warmer place, basking in the baked scents of Sugarcube Corner, entranced by the sound of birdsong and old creaking Ponyvillean doorframes, pierced by happy giggles and strong, piercing, green eyes.
And then the orange light would flicker, and she would be yanked back to this moment, this painful lurch through fetlock-numbing snow, this heavy weight hanging from her neck and holding off the shivers, the fangs, the chaos.
And as night drew its purple veil over the landscape, the pulse of Yaerfaerda only grew brighter. Rainbow's eyes moistened, and it was a blissful thing when she heard Remna shout towards the darkening heavens, announcing the time to make camp and rest for the evening.
"It's a perfectly safe and logical question, Rainbow!" Twilight Sparkle said, her violet eyes dancing in the light of the camp fire. "Go on! Ask him!"
"But..." Rainbow grimaced. "It's so weird."
Flynn and Logan looked up from where they ate a humble meal from a roasted skillet. "What's so weird?" Flynn asked.
"Mrmmfff..." Logan chomped through oats and grits. "...wanna lay it on us, Awesomestraeoh?"
"Heeeey!" Ariel perked up. "I like that one!"
"Heh..." Logan stifled a belch. "I knew you would."
"Uhm..." Rainbow fidgeted atop the dry sleeping mat beside the fire. Darkness hung around the, save for the faint shimmer of skystone aura due north of the Frost Plateau. "Hey Kepler?"
The wyvern looked up from three opened scrolls laid out before him. "Hmmm?" He lowered his spectacles, blinking. "The rrainbow one beckons?"
"Well, not me, exactly." Rainbow rolled her eyes at Twilight's cheesy grin in her peripheral. "But... uhm... Twilight Sparkle—my eggheaded ghost friend—she wants to know... like... what exactly happened to the female wyverns."
"Pffft." Logan nearly spat out his meal. "Seriously?" Flynn's hoof swatted his skull. Whap! "Ow!" Ariel giggled.
"Ah!" Kepler folded his scrolls and propped himself upright with a proud smirk. "A fine question indeed, Austrraeoh, and one that has eluded the knowledge of the otherr Five Trribes for generrations!"
"Heh..." Bard reclined against Kepler's wagon, lazily strumming his guitar. "Here we go," He said with a smirk.
"You see, the wyverrn gene pool is a most convoluted thing," Kepler said, his eyes glittering with starlight. "All things considerred, it's quite the god-given mirracle that my brrotherrs and I have surrvived through the epochs of time! Now, the key to underrstanding ourr rreprroduction title is ascerrtaining the historrical meaning behind the terrm 'Mountain Matrron.'"
"Wait... you mean..." Rainbow squinted at a tent erected in the center of the camp. A bony, winged silhouette stood in royal repose beyond the fabric. "...you need Mortuana to breed?"
"Of courrse not! But, beforre she arrrived in Wyverrn point to bless us with herr prresence, the wyverrn monks utilized the grracious, life bearring womb of the one trrue mountain matrron who came beforre herr!"
"Who... wh-who was that?"
"Mmmmmm... a most darrling damsel of many names, and of such rresplendent beauty." Kepler smiled sweetly into the heavens as his wing-claws tickled the air. "She was the last surrviving sisterr of a terrrible warr that happened many yearrs ago, long beforre Verrlaxion's so-called 'Unification.' To prreserrve the wyverrn rrace, she agrreed to meditate upon the capturred soul of a windigo until herr entirre body was frrozen in ice! Then, thrrough sheerr willpowerr, the orriginal mountain matrron would thaw herrself once everry fifty yearrs! It was then that—thrrough a carreful selective prrocess on behalf of the wyverrn brrethrren committee—a single lucky male was chosen to spelunk his way into the hearrt of the mountain and perrforrm sacrred copulation with herr. Then, she would frreeze herrself again forr anotherr fifty yearrs. Upon thawing, she would give birrth to new wyverrn citizens, and the cycle would rrepeat, therreby prreserrving our noble, ancient rrace."
Twilight Sparkle gawked, her muzzle agape.
Fluttershy and Rarity stared with wide eyes.
"Whoah..." Rainbow Dash gulped. "Really?"
"Pffft—Brah hah hah hah hah hah!" Kepler's booming voice echoed across the Frost Plateau. The flames of the campfire flickered from his breath.
Twilight blinked in confusion.
Flynn, Logan, and Ariel collectively chuckled while Bard smirked and plinked away at his guitar.
"Heeheeheehee!" Pinkie Pie hugged herself, teetering backwards and phasing through her anchor with hoofy-kicks.
"Grnnngh..." Rainbow ultimately face-hoofed.
"I swearr to the gods!" Kepler smirked, wiping the fog of happy tears from his spectacles. "It neverr gets old! Outsiderrs always... always ask 'what happened to the wyverrn females.' Did they everr stop to think that they werre forreverr hiding behind our jocularr humorr? Eh?! Hah hah!"
"Problem is," Flynn muttered, stoking the fire. "You tell the same joke so many times in a row..."
"Eh..." Bard shrugged. "I find myself liking it every time."
"Yeah, but you're a penniless musician," Flynn grunted. "You're used to repetition."
"Dayum proud of it too."
Ariel giggled again.
"Hmmmm..." Kepler sat up straight again. "In all fairrness to you, Austrraeoh, and to yourr charrmingly inquisitive Twilight Sparrkle." He smiled. "My brrotherrs and I arre of the asexual varriety. We always have been and always will be."
"Asexual? What's that mean, exactly?" Rainbow shrugged. "You... hang out with books at a coffee shop and just... sorta stare at the floor whenever anypony enters?"
"Heheh..." Rarity smirked, pointing. "Now that is funny."
"Quite simply, with enough maturrity and nourrishment, a wyverrn's body rratherr... spontaneously decides to lay an egg."
"Spontaneously?"
"As decided by naturre, is what I mean to imply."
"Yeesh..." Rainbow Dash's muzzle scrunched. "How does that happen?"
"Not without a cerrtain degrree of mild discomforrt," Kepler said with a chuckle. "I assure you."
"Have... uh... you laid any eggs, pal?"
"Indeed." Kepler nodded. "Twenty."
"... ... ...wow."
"Only fourr of them have hatched, mind you. Such handsome brrotherrs, and highly rrespectful to trradition. Hah!" A toothed grin. "I cerrtainly wouldn't have it any otherr way."
"I... I had no idea, Kepler," Rainbow remarked. "It must have been terribly hard to leave them behind."
"Hmmm..." The wyvern stared off across the shadowed plains. "...it's been a taxing thing indeed to leave all of my brrethrren behind. But they know the necessity of my cause, just as I rrespect the imporrtance of theirr staying behind. They shall prrotect the legacy of all ourr brrottherrs, both big and small. In the end, we arre all tiny specks beforre the gods." He waved a claw at the sky. "Like starrs! Yet no less precious." He smiled. "I am morre than happy to make surre that yourr spark shines the brrightest, Austrraeoh, for what a constellation that will leave behind... surrely something forr my brrethrren to smile upon. Hah hah! Yes indeed..."
"Dude..." Logan glared across the campfire. "...you could have just gone with 'we all spring up from the ground!'"
"Just because it worrked on you doesn't mean it will worrk on the Austrraeoh."
"Hahaha!" Flynn grinned aside. "More oats, Big Show? Or are you too busy chomping on your own hoof?"
"Meh..." Logan stood up and shuffled off for his tent. "You guys suck. I'm hitting the sack early."
"Just be sure to clearly mark in the snow where you decide to make your toilet!" Flynn called after him.
"It's okay! The smell will warn you!"
"Ugh..." Ariel dropped her plate and rested her chin on folded forelimbs. "...and there goes my appetite."
"Save it for breakfast, girl," Flynn said, poking at his own skillet. "You're going to have to get warmed up for the trip ahead of us tomorrow."
"Mmmmm..." Ariel rested her blue eyes shut. "Don't I know it?"
As Rainbow's gaze followed Logan, she caught sight of a violet figure in the distance, pacing just beyond the penumbra of the firelight.
"I swear," Rarity murmured. "Does that mare ever eat?"
"Who. Remna?"
"Yes, Remna." Rarity shuddered. "The more and more I observe her, it... fills me with this unsettling feeling."
"I'm not part of her fan club either, Rare-Rare," Pinkie Pie said. "But, you gotta admit." She bore a nervous smile. "It feels super safe having her nastiness around and on our side." Her grin twitched. "R-right?"
"Depends on just how nasty she gets," Fluttershy remarked, gulping.
"Let's not get too worried," Twilight said. "The Herald's here. If anyone can rein Remna in, it's them. Especially Mortuana."
"But..." Pinkie's face grew long. "Morty's dying. She may not last long enough to... 'rein Remna in.'"
"Even if that's the case," Fluttershy said. "Wildcard's here."
"Wildcard?" Rarity remarked.
"He's out there now," the pegasus said, nodding into the darkness. "Circling the camp. Just beyond the darkness."
"I wonder why Remna's so close and he's so far," Pinkie mused.
"Because Remna is afraid. Think about it." Fluttershy blinked at the others. "Her concern over Austraeoh is... frightening. She's willing to do anything to protect Rainbow Dash. We've witnessed that first-hoof."
"Meanwhile, Wildcard is keeping his distance. Staying cool. Doing his job." Twilight nodded. "That's the same kind of confidence that he's been exercising on Rainbow's behalf ever since the Quade."
"We truly are blessed, if you think about it," Fluttershy said. "To have so many souls willing to support us when we need it the most."
"In spite of what's happened in the past," Rarity added, gulping.
Rainbow kneaded the sleeping mat beneath her. "But one pony's blessing is another's curse."
"Huh?" Rarity looked over.
Rainbow sighed. "Never mind. Got a full night of sleep ahead of me." She rolled over, gazing limply at an orange spot in the far distance. "And by that, I mean... a full night of bad dreams."
"We'll be right here, Rainbow Dash," Twilight said with a smile. "We'll stay up all night with you."
"Yeah! We'll Vanilla-Zone-It in the morning!" Pinkie winked. "You can wake up to our happy, sunny faces!"
"Heh..." Rainbow bore a tired smile. "...scratch 'Heraldic Seven.' Make it 'Eleven."
"Heehee!" Pinkie smirked. "Don't you mean 'Twelve?'"
Rainbow sighed. The orange glow pierced past her eyelids. "Yeah..."
The next day, Rainbow stared down at her hooves as she trudged across the bright, sun-lit expanse of Frost Plateau. The creaking of Kepler's wagon wheels persistently tickled her ears. Meanwhile, Bard and Logan carried on a mild argument concerning how to ration their supplies for the rest of the trip to Starkiss.
"I'm rather proud of him," Ariel said, hovering overhead.
"Hmmm... who?"
"Pffft... certainly not Big Show." Ariel stifled a giggle. "It's Bard. He may not be a member of the Herald, but he acts like it. And no matter how much he might say it's because of Wildcard, I'm sure it's more than that." She sighed, flapping her wings as she gazed across the snow. "He cares. He really, really does."
"You should tell him that in person," Rainbow muttered. "Pegasi of a feather, y'know? I bet a humble stallion like that could use some good o'l flattery."
"Heh... that wouldn't really go anywhere."
"Why not?"
"Let's say the Austraeoh isn't the only soul that knows what it means to carry a heavy burden around." Ariel cleared her throat. "Besides, he's simply not my type."
Rainbow said nothing.
"You, uh..." Ariel smiled. "You didn't wake up screaming this morning."
"The nightmares weren't so bad," Rainbow muttered. "Besides, I knew I had my gal pals watching over me."
"That's really sweet." Ariel smiled, then looked over Rainbow's shoulder. "Really, girls. That's very sweet of you."
"They're... uh... they're all 'asleep' right now."
"Oh?" Ariel blinked. "They've retreated to... what do you call it again?"
"The Vanilla Zone."
"Heeheehee..."
"Hey... laugh all you want." Rainbow smirked tiredly. "I didn't make it up."
"Who did?"
"Guh... I kinda forget all of the sudden." Rainbow gulped. "Let's just say Pinkie Pie. She makes the best of them up."
"Could you summon any of them if you needed to?"
"Yeah, but I don't want to at the moment."
"Need some time alone?"
"Nah. Just want them to have a chance to rest. You think this whole trip's been hard on me?" Rainbow winced. "I mean... well, yeah... it has... but it's been even harder on them. Suddenly being undead... ghosts of what they once were? And not being able to do anything about it or affect the world around them? Yeesh... pretty sucky if you ask me."
"I bet they couldn't have picked a better pony to be attached to," Ariel said. "A loyalty like yours goes a long way."
"Heh..." Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Literally."
"Could... erm..." Ariel floated low until she touched down and trotted at Rainbow's side. "Would it be too much if I asked a... slightly personal question?"
"Shoot."
"Well, maybe not so much 'slightly' as 'majorly.'"
"You'd make a lousy gunslinger. Shoot already."
"Eheh..." Ariel gulped. "How... exactly did they... y'know..." She waved a hoof in mid-trot. "...pass?"
Rainbow sighed. "Right in front of me."
Ariel's ears drooped. "Oh... that's so terrible."
"No, wait..." Rainbow fidgeted. "That's a lie. I mean... a half lie... I-I mean..." She sighed and glanced at Ariel. "I saw it in a vision. It was like I was there... right in front of them."
"Oh?"
"I think it had something to do with the Elements," Rainbow said. "Even though Discord had gotten his grubby, chaotic paws on them... hid them and corrupted us through them... we were still connected, y'know? And when Twilight..." She gritted her teeth for a moment. "... ... ...when the Elements of Harmony were used against Discord without me... the feedback was so heavy that I was brought out of my own body and shown what happened... almost as if I was seeing through the Element of Loyalty in Spike's grip." She gulped hard. "Whatever the case, it was enough to jolt me out of Discord's spell. I flew straight to Ponyville, put on the pendant... and the rest..." A sigh. "...is history."
"Still, that's so... so uncool," Ariel said. "I... almost wonder if... if—"
"What?" Rainbow squinted. "If destiny meant for me to become the Austraeoh? And that's why the Elements—y'know—blew my friends up?"
"I... can't possibly believe that the Angels meant to cause that much harm just for Urohringr to be reformed in the end," Ariel said.
"Well, why not? For all of the Herald's history, there's still so much that's unknown. Like... did the Angels mean for the Sundering to take place, or didn't they?" Rainbow shrugged. "Or maybe it doesn't matter who did it in the beginning. What matters is that somepony somewhere thought it would be a darn good idea to make this piece of the cylinder reboot itself through a living pony." Rainbow stared firmly ahead. "It took Commander Hurricane's life away... sacrificed all of her legion. And still she didn't make it as far as I did."
"Yes, but..." Ariel cocked her head to the side. "Didn't you once tell us—or Bard and Wildcard at least—that the descendants of this 'Commander Hurricane' survived?"
"Yeah. And my friends aren't actually dead," Rainbow said with a nod. "They're only half dead." She bore a tired smirk. "Seems as if though a lot of bad comes with the good and vice versa."
"Like harmony and chaos."
Rainbow blinked.
"That's the nature of Austraeoh," Ariel remarked. "You are the vessel that holds the Spark... and there's a lot of empty darkness that surrounds that light." She shrugged. "I figure... it's just the task of Eljunbyro and Odrsjot to fill in the grooves." She smiled. "And don't forget Yaerfaerda."
"Believe me," Rainbow muttered, staring ahead at the orange glow. After so many hours, it was scarcely a sneeze closer. "I haven't."
"Well... for what it's worth..." Ariel flapped her wings, taking off. "Austraeoh or not... I think you're a pretty sweet pony." She smiled. "And someday, when all of this craziness is said and done, you're going to get exactly the kind of rest and comfort you deserve." Her teeth showed. "And there'll be no shortage of friends for someone as loyal as you."
"Heh... there you go again." Rainbow smiled rosily. "Filling me with happy thoughts."
"Girl." Ariel winked. "I'm a friggin' well of 'em."
Before Rainbow could say something—
"Wuh oh..." Flynn's voice muttered. He stopped dead in his tracks, squinting at the horizon. "That's not good."
"What?" Remna stopped, forcing the entire train of hooves and limbs to halt. "What's not so good?"
"Stand by." Flynn held a hoof up to his balding head. His left eye whirred, the lenses rotating in and around themselves. "I thought I felt something in the air, but let me confirm..."
"What?!" Remna rasped, swiveling around with a frown. "Confirm what?!"
"Patience, Remna," Mortuana calmly chided. "Let our fellow Heraldite conduct his observation."
"Yeah, hold yer horses," Bard said.
"I think she just did," Logan mused.
Bard frowned. "Now ain't the time, Big Show." He glanced at the unicorn. "Flynn?"
"Yup... there she blows." Flynn's lenses settled in place. He pointed with a light brown hoof. "A blizzard. Due east and sweeping our way."
From up high, Wildcard gestured with glinting claws.
"Dubya sees it too!" Bard exclaimed. "He says it's occupyin' the entire dayum horizon!" He kicked at the snow. "Shiet!"
"Well... uh... m-maybe we can clear it!" Ariel suggested. "If Bard and I take to the skies and cut a path, maybe it'll blow on either side of us!"
"A blizzarrd of that magnitude is no laughing matterr, my frriends!" Kepler hollered from the rear. The winds were briskly picking up, filling the plateau with whistling howls. "The sanctuarry has rrecorrded historry of snowstorrms lasting forr weeks along the westerrn slopes of the Starrkiss! We must find a way to endurre the onslaught, forr therre is no waverring frrom this path!"
"But our tents cannot survive a persistent gale, the likes of which you're describing!" Remna exclaimed. "Perhaps if we were to dig a burrow into the ground? A protective trench of some sort?"
"No way in Hell!" Logan spat. "We'd freeze our assholes inside out!"
"Either contribute with your brain or I'll be sorely tempted to better utilize your coat," the violet bounty hunter snarled.
"Right back at ya, toots."
"Calm down, everypony," Mortuana's voice coolly pierced the increasing winds. "I do not believe that our solution lies in making a shelter, but rather executing a spell."
Remna marched firmly towards the alicorn. "I will not have you consuming that last vial!" Her brow furrowed. "You are far too important to this journey, Mortuana. Please..." She gulped. "You must persist a little bit longer."
"Of course. I know that, my little pony." Mortuana calmly clasped the dangling necklace in question. "Be at peace. I do not speak of my magical capabilties." She glanced aside. "Flynn?"
"Already on it, Mountain Matron!" The unicorn was kneeling, unpacking the bulk of his inventory. "I've brought an extra stash of Frost Rods just for this kind of situation. Hey Wildcard! Come down and lend me a claw, will ya?"
Fwooosh! The griffon gladly descended, extending both his palms to catch the gray clinders being tossed his way.
"We should just have enough to make a wide circumference!" Flynn exclaimed, setting out across the snow. "Kepler, bring the wagon in!"
"Verry well, shiny frriend!"
"'Wide circumference?'" Rainbow mouthed.
"He's going to perform a shield spell," Ariel explained from above. "I saw him do this when we were under attack by cave spiders during a raid in Pine Prefecture. Saved all our butts."
"Eeyup. Including mine." Bard rushed over to Wildcard's side. "Here, Dubya. Lemme help." He assisted the griffon in hammering various frost rods at equadistant spots.
"Rnnnngh!" Logan used his thick forelimbs to help Flynn. Soon, the Job Squad had formed a full circle with the enchanted material. "Why so surprised, Remna?! Haven't you done this sort of shiet back in your day?"
Remna shuddered slightly as she trotted into the center of the circle along with Mortuana. "It has... been a while. Plus, my health hasn't been... altogether courteous to my memory."
"It's quite alright, Remna," Mortuana said. "Let's all gather in the center now and prepare a shelter for the duration." The alicorn looked over, beckoning. "Come, Rainbow Dash."
The mare gulped, galloping over. "You don't have to tell me twice."
"Almost... got it..." Flynn and Logan hammered another pole into the ground. "There! How're things on your end, Bard?"
"They're all planted!" Bard and Wildcard rushed into the center. Despite their best efforts, it was still remarkably clamped inside the spot. "Let her rip!"
"The blizzard's coming in fast!" Ariel remarked, hovering just above Mortuana and Rainbow. "Better make it quick, Flynn!"
"Yeesh... no pressure, eh?" Flynn spread his legs apart, braced himself, and took a meditative breath. His one natural eye rolled back slightly as his horn pulsated brighter and brighter.
"Goddess..." Logan blanched. "...always creeps me out with the wirey bugger does that."
"Shhh!" Ariel insisted.
Not long after, a floating orb of light levitated above Flynn's horn. By now, the blizzard was obscuring the ground just east of them. Snow picked up, flurrying their way, growing thicker... colder. Seconds into the noise and chaos, Flynn exhaled and shot a narrow beam of light at the orb. The orb split up into multiple bolts of mana-filled lightning that then surged into the surrounding rods. With a brilliant flash, all of the cylinders burned hot, and a translucent orb of rosy red light formed around the site like a dome.
"Whoah..." Rainbow's muzzle hung open. "Cool!"
"Heehee..." Ariel smirked aside. "I know, right?"
"Very well done, Flynn," Mortuana said.
"Ghhh..." Flynn teetered, leaning against Logan's side for support. "Don't th-thank me yet." Panting, the unicorn weakly glanced up, wiping the sweat from his bald spot. "It's tough finding good frost rods these days. Here's hoping it holds out."
Remna clenched her jaw, glaring forlornly at the incoming storm.
Bard gripped his guitar case.
Wildcard silently stared... stared...
At last, the bulk of the snow flurry hit the shield and—
FLAAASH!
The shield fluctuated all over...
...but it didn't break.
The rosy dome maintained itself. After a minor bit of quivering, it stayed solid, resisting every stab of ice and snow that the blizzard had to throw at it. As the minutes wore on, the Frost Plateau disappeared around the group, replaced entirely by thick, opaque weather. With an exception of a noticeable drop in temperature, that one circular site was virtually unfazed by the wintery tempest beyond.
"Hah!" Kepler grinned wide. "A fine show of magic indeed! Well met!"
"Heh..." Flynn grinned, his body limp as a noodle. "I knew it would work."
Logan rolled his eyes. "You're full of shit, y'know that?" He draped Flynn over his flank and carried him towards the side of the glowing dome. "Come on, ya lucky sissy. Let's find you a place to rest..."
"Logan is right," Mortuana said. "Let us take this opportunity to regain our strength." She turned towards the bounty hunter to her side. "Remna?"
Remna flinched, startled. She looked up.
The alicorn's eyes narrowed. "This means you too."
Remna sighed. Nodding, she spoke in a calm breath, "As you wish, Mountain Matron."
"Indeed." Mortuana stood in place, gazing out into the maddening blizzard. With meditative grace, she pivoted around, her eyes eventually resting on Rainbow.
Rainbow blinked.
Ariel leaned in. "If Remna's allowed to rest... then what have you got to be worried about?"
Rainbow glanced listlessly at the surrounding blizzard. "Who s-said I was worried?"
"I know!" Kepler's voice reverberated across the claustrophobic, magic shelter. "Who's forr a song to pass the time?!"
"Darn tootin'!" Bard hollered.
Rainbow rubbed a hoof over her face. "Then again..."
Ariel giggled and Rainbow smiled.
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Man all this stuff that's been done in the last few chapters. I feel like a big train wreck is coming only this time I'm not sure when it's going to hit or who is going to survive it.
I really hope this last seed has a dues ex machina healing factor for Dash, its really been crudy that she is still grounded...and seeing how awesome Aerial is just highlights her disability.
I wonder which way Ariel's barn door swings.
As for deaths, I put my money on Flynn dying first. He's too squishy.
...Something tells me that blizzard might be related to the Windego party...On the other hand, though, I'd have expected the icy beasties to show themselves by now if it was.
So does anyone else have a feeling that Ariel is going to be the first to die?
She's the nicest, most friendly of the bunch, Desperadoes notwithstanding, and she's genuinely concerned for Dash, not out of professional duty, but as a friend.
She's going to be the first to die...and frankly, I think it's going to be at Remna's hooves.
She is scary dedicated to the cause, not the pony, the cause.
-Companions have returned, inner darkness spurned. Utaan.
This is getting more and more interesting by the second...
Kepler mirrors me perfectly. The sarcastic quips are the kicker.
story of rainbow's life
and soon we'll have a fifty shades of white
it's determination!
amnesiac or changeling ?
At least it is a time out of combat. All one has to worry about is frostbite, they should be fine. For now
7063685
Directed by Rarity, and coming to a theater near you!
Well we know that Verlax has a spy in the Mountain strong hold. And that she's been kidnapping and storing Changelings.
So I'm betting either Ling, or a sleeper agent for Verlax's will.
7063674
He's my favorite non-ghost of the Heraldic 12.
I'm seriously just waiting for the moment when Seraphamis and Wildcard are face to face.
7063627
Why use Wendigos when you can mobilize an entire nation's armed forces? I'm sure Verlax would use resources that don't deplete her own first. I do believe she sent the blizzard to slow them down.
Ariel gonna be making the moves on Dash soon, methinks.
Kepler is confirmed for Gimli.
So either these wyverns have a tiny gene diversity or Magic. Or both.
7063685
or, you know, that sickness that Mortuana used a vial to heal her really threw her for a loop
If the blizzard can last for extended periods of time, and theyve anchored themselves down where Verlax can just keep sending blizzards, does Chandler even have to do anything, or are they going to be stuck there for a week, where the only time they even get to look out of the shield is when one blizzard moves over to make room for the next?
Causing the population to fragment in questioning the wisdom of their leaders just makes the Windigo horde that much more powerful? going to lead to a real mess when that last control spire triggers.
The Austraeoh Saga, summarized.
7063839 A fell voice is in the air...
This feels more like the Pass of Caradrhas each chapter.
This storm is only going to give all of Rohdebreddon time to be informed of Verlaxion's wishes and prepare for Rainbow's group. When the storm passes and they are in desperate need for supplies, they are not going to find the town a welcome place for an Alicorn, wyvern, and a Rainbow maned pegasus. It is going to be a nasty shock.
How many times have ponies blinked in the lastest two chapters?
I smell Windigoes.
Also, as much as Remna chaps my ass, I find her more and more intriguing.
So everyone of the Herald shall die before they reach the Midnight Armory, except for Bard and Wildcard. Bard will somehow die in the final raid, in which Wildcard breaks his vow of silence to mourn for his friend's death, and proceeds to proclaim his love. Bard then dies, Wildcard goes crazy and kills pretty much everything before Tchern finishes him off, and then Rainbow slays Tchern, and promptly dies staring at the Harmonic Prism just out of her reach.
Or they all live a happy life and Ariel x Rainbow becomes real. Really hoping for the latter.
I just realized that the word count for Utaan here at Chapter 166 is about as big as the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy. And we still have 34 chapters to go!
Six chapters with over 5k words in a row?
That's an academy record!
This merry band won't be so merry soon...
7063772 wait, what? Kidnapping and storing changelings?
7064308 Think they're referring to Chrysalis mentioning that the changelings she had in Verlax' turf started vanishing, and she watched through one as it was captured and brought to Starkiss where Chryssy cut the connection to avoid being found, but not before experiencing an immense pain and stabbing cold.
So more likely the found changelings were frozen to death as a message to Chrysalis.
I'm curious as to how they are preventing snow blindness, I know that Dashies had help with this before but now it's a white nothingness everywhere and I don't remember any mention of discomfort or goggles... Unless I'm mistaken?
Ariel's quickly moving up on my list of favorite ponies. Guess I should have expected it with a name like that.
Wonder what's coming next. The Herald has really grown on me.
Aww, they're really growing on me. Conversely, aww, they're really growing on me.
Shining Armor would be proud.
7064308
Kind of what 7064321 said. Although Chrysalis assumed that it was killed. And it was a good assumption, after all Chrysalis said that Verlax was able to hack into wavelengths, and knew where her children where even when hid. Then all of the sudden they vanished, hunted down one by one. Then silence.
But as was pointed out Renma doesn't eat. And there've been plenty of times in this story where a pony had a flash of blue eyes. Including inside the mountain hold prior to the Windigoes, and we know that Lings have blue eyes. So it makes sense that just like Verlax altering, and using Windigoes for her own ends. That she'd capture Lings, and have a hivemind of willful followers that act as the perfect spies to spread her will / senses.
7063924
so she's feeling loopy and needs an anchor in her life ?
I'm starting to belive Remna is a Remnant of somepony who either fell or was held by Verlax. She could be a golem or a Changeling.
Across the white immensity of an eternal winter, from one end of the frozen continent to the other, there travels a group that never stops... except when the weather is extra sucky.
7064088
Nineteen. Larger-than-average chapters these two, mind.
How many blinks since 'Map' should be the real question.
7064517
Cue Dash randomly inquiring about her thoughts on sea ponies.
The Windegos are coming for sure soon, this is just the beginning I'm sure. So they are going to have to get though at least an army of ponies and the Windegos and what ever defenses Verlax has in her stronghold. This is going to be a heck of a fight.
7064746 inb4 we have an "Above The Snow" musical interlude.
I don't know why so much of you are so quick to assume that the heralds are going to die.
It is a possibility and it could be dramatic and interesting, but, it's not something usual in the Autraeoah saga.
Along the series, a lot of secondary characters died (specially in Silvadel) but, real, main, companions of Rainbow Dash?
I think that only Simon (what was Simon by the way, a squirrel?) and the daughter of Shell which name I can't remember, and maybe, maybe, we can count the manipulative and traitor companion of Eagle Eye and Crimsons which was killed by Shell, (but he really wasn't a real Dash friend and he was stablished like kind a jerk).
Aside that all of the Noble Jury survived all kind of terrible dangers like the ledomare's war, stratopolis, etc. And, yes, Verlax is a formidable enemy, but Chrysalys was as well, she orcrhested the ledomare's war and the valryosas crisis almost as well as verlax, and still all of Dash companions survived. Even, the most tragic moments of this saga (Lerris and the Quade) didn't include any main character dying.
I'm not denying that it could happen, but I wouldn't jump so quick to that conclusion, underestimating Rainbow's awesomeness.
Also, pfff, comeeee ooon, I want Ariel and Rainbow to make out, and that just then the girls came out of the Vainilla Zone.
7064799 Simon was indeed a Squirrel... Shell's daughter was Imre.
7064844 pfff I was sure it was something with i, thanks. It feels like a universe ago. Sometimes I found hard to remember that this is the same story...
I might've mentioned this before, but Ariel's rapidly becoming one of my favourite characters. Now if we could just get the ship between her and Rainbow going, too...
The true A-word.
7063633
Don't you start.
Made a review of the series so far.
If any of y'all want to read it as well. There's the link ^_^.
7064885 Not going to happen, but what about that Kepler and Kepler ship? I dig it.
7064660
Remna feeling a little Loopy? ....Nahhhhh
7064131 No. Rainboarke forever!
And yeah. This is getting to that unique level of paranoia that we all know and love. Paraustraeohnoia. Where we are reluctant to fall in love with characters, lest they be killed off in front of us.
I like Ariel, but I get the feeling that her feelings toward Rainbow aren't the shippy kind. It looks like Bard and Wildcard have something deeper, but I am thinking it's more of a Sam/Frodo thing than romantic.
Remna, I thought, had eaten some jerky back when she first rescued Rainbow. Maybe she just pulled it out, though.
Very metaphorical here. Ariel tells rainbow she's the spark surrounded by darkness, then a blizzard arrives and darkens everything around them save for the light of the shield.
I, for one, think Rainbow and Ariel will become very good friends, but nothing more.
7065106 Kill Verlax, you mean? That does sound like her kind of rationale. Although I think it would be neat if Verlax took over Axan's role over on the dark side, protecting Rainbow. She does want Austraeoh to succeed, after all.
7063935
Verlax's dragon body is lying right on the spike of the submerged beacon JUST to make it look like she was murdered by the Austreaoh when it rises!
Shipping intensifies. Oh and Remna=remnants of Axan?