The Family That Decays Together...
Hours later...
A sunken patch of earth shifted... then shifted some more. Rocks and pebbles rolled from side to side. At last, bursts of manalight seeped outward from underneath... followed by a warm patch of air.
Thwooosh!
A hole collapsed, opening wide. Flynn was the first to step out, followed by Kelly. The two unicorns stood at the exit, slowly waving their horns left and right, illuminating the nearby farmland. While Kelly grimaced, Flynn whistled down the hole.
Kepler and Ariel emerged, both holding flares. As soon as they got a look at the land, their muzzles dropped in shock. The group remained frozen in place as Bard, Nicole, Echo, and Marie trotted out. Soon the rest of the Herald emerged, along with Rainbow Dash and her ghostly friends.
"Oh..." Twilight Sparkle's ears drooped. "...wow."
"Holy moley!" Pinkie Pie squeaked.
"Goodness..." Rarity clasped her hooves together. "...it is just as I feared."
Rainbow's eyes squinted. Her ruby pupils reflected a wintry wasteland of collapsed barns, frozen windmills, and snow-blasted silos. Every standing structure was bathed in white frost with dagger-like icicles stretching in the direction that the windigoes had stampeded overhead. Local lakes and ponds had frozen over—their ice reflecting the cosmic starlight with an eerie sheen.
Ponies whimpered, their eyes tearing up. Farmers hugged one another as they gaped at the destruction.
Tim limped out with Blue's meager support. Marie let out an audible sob as the two stallions looked on in shock.
Snow fell in drifting currents, christening the desolation.
"The supply sheds look absolutely wrecked," Applejack muttered. "See how the grass is frozen stiff? Can't imagine what carnage this cold has wrought on the dang irrigation system they've got here."
"I'm not even sure their mushroomy crops could survive!" Pinkie squeaked.
"Oh gosh..." Fluttershy whimpered.
"What is it?" Twilight asked.
Fluttershy hung her head. "The livestock. All of those cattle with the beautiful, glowing horns."
Twilight gulped. "Dead?"
Fluttershy somberly nodded.
"What..." Rarity glanced aside. "What about the ponies on the nearby farms? The sharecroppers?"
"I... sense a few life signs to the north and east," Fluttershy said. "Huddled together about half-a-mile in either direction. I'm... not sure if they account for even a fraction of the ponies who once lived here."
Rainbow Dash looked aside. She spotted Bard standing next to Nicole and Wildcard. With a lump in her throat, Rainbow trotted over to the hatted Desperado and summoned a shuddering breath.
"Bard... I..." She sighed. "I'm so... so sorry. This... it just sucks so hard..."
Bard stared across the frozen farmland. His eyes spotted a lone gravestone in the distance. He opened his muzzle as if to say something—
"Hey!" Ariel suddenly called out from above. "Some buildings made it!" She pointed northwest from where she hovered up high. "I see two barns... and most of a farmhouse!"
"That's gotta be Mike's ranch!" Ray exclaimed, flapping his wings so that he hovered alongside her. "A standing structure is a place to start... That means we still have something to cling to!"
"We can rebuild..." Kelly gulped, then glanced aside at the others. "Can't we?"
Most of the other ponies simply stood in place, numb.
"Of course we can," Blue muttered. He pivoted about, trying to spot a part of the farm that wasn't frozen solid—but failing. "Our hard work has gotten us this far, hasn't it?"
"I would not be too fearrless, my frriend," Kepler spoke up. "This that you see beforre you is the worrk of only a tiny herrd of windigoes. Theirr trrue, unbrridled wrrath can scrrape civilization off Frrostknife's verry foundations. Rrohbrredden's capital may surrvive because of all theirr underrgrround facilities... but I doubt this farrm will endurre anotherr stampede like the last one..."
"We're all still standing, aren't we?" Blue rasped.
"Yeah, only because Rainbow Dash and her friends were able to warn us in time!" Ariel exclaimed. "And just how are you going to grow back enough of that fungal lubricant to warrant staying here another fivelight—"
"Ariel, darlin'," Bard quietly chided.
Ariel looked like she was going to protest, but one solid look from Wildcard silenced her. She hung her head with a sigh.
Bard turned to face his extended family. In a grave voice, he spoke: "Ain't no future for this place. All thangs considered... there was never much of a past. All you've ever been usin' as fertilizer here was lies... his lies. Now, I've given you the truth." He gestured. "Y'all could make like good farmers and search for some better soil... or you could keep tryin' to make water bleed from a stone. But trust me... even if you make that kind of a miracle work... the water will only poison ya." Bard took a deep breath. "Now, y'all are my brothers and sisters and I lurve ya... but I can't stay here anymore than I could decades ago. From the look of things, neither can any of you. So... I'm askin' ya... are y'all ready to do the right thing and move on? Or will this place someday earn unmarked graves for the whole lotta ya as well?"
Silence.
Bard's brow furrowed. "...Well?"
James, Mike, and Kelly avoided his gaze. Nevertheless, they squirmed and fidgeted where they stood.
Bard turned and looked up. "Ray?"
The griffon winced. "Johnny, it's..." He sighed. "...this place is our home. We've spent all our lives trying to make this into something to be proud of. And if we just turn our back on what's left of it now...?"
"We'll dig a deeper cellar," Marie said. "We survived one stampede. What makes us think we can survive another?"
"There... is... nothing... here," Bard said. "The only thang you'll be raisin' here is filth! And you trust him or Tim to somehow make it all work?!"
"Old Blue has... made mistakes," Kelly muttered, still avoiding Bard's gaze. "We all have. But... let's face it." She glanced at Mike, James, and the others. "...how much better will we do without each other?"
"I'm not sayin' y'all should go it alone!" Bard exclaimed. "Just not do it here! Dammit! Why won't you open yer eyes?"
"Our eyes are open, Bard," James said. "And all I see is a home... needing to be rebuilt." He looked sadly at the Desperado. "Home is everything. I... wish you understood that."
Bard's muzzle hung open incredulously. With a frustrated breath, he folded his forelimbs and looked away.
Nicole glanced between the Desperado and her other siblings. Finally—with a fanged frown—she slapped Echo on the shoulder. "Come on, Echo. Follow me." She stomped angrily back down into the hole.
"Uhhhh... okay." Echo gulped, fumbling after her. "Whatever you say, Babe."
Tim, Blue, and Marie watched in curious silence.
Over the next few minutes, Marie and Echo reemerged, carrying thick crates full of supplies.
Blue gently helped Tim down into a sitting position. Hobbling, the old stallion stumbled over to the pair of sarosians. "What in the Hell do ya think yer doin', girl?"
"What does it look like?" Nicole huffed, slapping more crates on top of one another. "I'm giving the Herald their supplies."
"You're what?"
"Don't worry," Nicole muttered, making a second trip and coming back. "I'll leave more than enough for the rest of the family. If you all are smart, you'll take what you need and head west—out of the Twilight Lands—and into a place that has better shelter against the stampedes."
"You c-can't do this, girl!" Blue spat, shaking from bony head to bony tail. "We need all of those to rebuild!"
"You can't rebuild something that never stood in the first place," Nicole grumbled.
"They're a lyin' bunch of murderers!" Blue sneered. "They'll just take them supplies and waste 'em in a night!"
"No they won't. Besides, I'll make sure they put the stuff to good use." She turned to glare at Blue. "Because I'm going with them."
Bard blinked.
Applejack and Twilight glanced at one another.
"Hmmm..." Remna folded her forelimbs, watching from a distance.
"You're... you're... what?" Blue exhaled.
"Johnny's done all he can for this family. He deserves a lot more for opening my eyes," Nicole said. "Helping him and his friends on this journey is the least I can do."
"But... but..." At last, Blue clenched his teeth and grabbed Nicole by the shoulder. "You can't do this! I forbid it!"
"Grnnngh!" Nicole shook and yelped, "Let me go!"
"After all I did to save ya from the sins of yer own filthy kind!" Blue hollered. "This is how you repay me?! Yer alive and in one piece thanks to me!" A velvety hoof tapped him on his shoulder. The elder turned around.
"Hey there." Echo smiled, eyelashes batting. "I never did thank you for the supper you gave us the other day." WHAM! And he punched Blue straight in his wrinkly face.
"Ooomf!" Blue fell hard.
"Blue!" Marie shouted, rushing over.
Echo brushed his hooves off. "And, between you and me, it tasted like shit." His slitted eyes narrowed as he helped Nicole away. "So... sorry if that was overly generous of me just now..."
Marie panted, examining Blue's bloody chin. She gawked at Tim. "Tim! What are ya sittin' around for?! Do somethin'!"
Tim did nothing. He sat, frowning... staring off into space.
Nicole stacked up one more crate and looked at Logan and Flynn. "I... I hope this will be enough."
The stallions exchanged glances... then nodded at the sarosian with a smirk.
"It's more than enough," Flynn exclaimed.
"Screw the supplies, girl," Logan belched. "Can you be our new Ariel?"
"Hey!" pouted a voice from up above.
"Hah HAH!" Kepler laughed.
Rainbow Dash sensed something strange in her perspective. She looked aside at Remna. "...?"
Remna cleared her throat and looked at the mare. "Yes, Austraeoh?"
"Axan... I felt a seismic disturbance in the visual spectrum..." Rainbow's eyes narrowed. "Is it just my imagination... but were you smiling?"
"You must still be suffering the effects of your chaotic half," the violet mare droned. She marched off to search the wintry wasteland for the remnants of the Herald's wagon. "Your hallucinations are returning."
"Hallucinations and dizzy spells are two different things!" Rainbow Dash frowned after her. "... ... ...friggin' snapdragon!"
"Wait, are we actually leaving?" Twilight Sparkle remarked.
"With these ponies having to deal with..." Fluttershy reluctantly gestured at the destruction. "... all of this?"
Rainbow sighed. "I don't think that's up to me, girls." She looked in Bard's direction.
Wildcard must have been thinking the same thing. He stepped up to the other Desperado, gesturing.
"Yeah... yeah, you friggin' chatterbox, I'm sure of it," Bard muttered. Tipping his hat towards the frozen mess, he turned around... facing east. "Now let's get the Hell out of here."
Wildcard nodded... faithfully joining his side.
As the Desperadoes marched off, Remna whistled loudly and spoke from a distance: "Let's move out, Herald! The moment we have a wagon, let's load it up with the supplies and venture forth to find Flynn's vessel!"
"Rright away, drragon one!"
"Gawd..." Logan muttered. "...I hope he doesn't keep calling her that."
"Hush up, fatty," Flynn said, levitating the first of many crates. "The less chatter now, the better."
"Mmmmhmmm."
Rainbow watched as Echo and Nicole helped the two Heraldites with the materials. Across the way, Blue stood up, leaning painfully against a icicle-covered fencepost.
"Thieves... th-thieves...!" He gulped. "They can't get away with this too! Tim... be useful, will ya? Make them stop!"
Tim continued staring off in fuming silence.
Blue looked over. "Are you deaf, boy?! I said I need yer help!"
At last—after a grumbling sigh—Tim looked up to glare at Blue. "You shoulda told me, ya old fart..."
"Huh? Told you what?!"
"You always made it sound like Johnny's wife had no hope," Tim grumbled. "That she brought all them bad thangs upon herself."
"Well, of c-course she did!" Blue spat. "She was as filthy as all the other cheaters and whores who come from the sunlit mountains! If you ask me, it was fate that diseased her! But Johnny?" Blue shook his head. "He didn't deserve to go crooked. I only wanted to bring him back. I'm awful sorry for what happened to his young'n, but if he had never strayed away from the farm to begin with—"
Tim stood up. With a pained groan, he began trotting away.
Blue squinted. "Where in the Hell do ya thank yer goin'?"
"To do some thinkin'..." Tim shuffled, hobbled. "...'bout time I did some of that around here. Never thought I had to before... but... startin' to think I need to now..."
"Will ya stop mullin' over nothin' and help me out here?!" Blue frowned. "Just because yer older brother whallops ya, ya think he's right about the damned world?!" The old stallion shook in place. "Rnnnngh... fine! I see yer just as diseased as the rest of 'em! Have it yer way! But I'm gonna save this here farm, ya hear me?!" He fell down on his knees and started scraping and scratching at the snow, clawing his way to the dead grass and frozen soil underneath. "Rnnngh... somepony's gotta do it! This here's my land! Ain't no windigoes or murderers gonna take it from me!"
Marie sat on the sidelines, bowing her head as she quietly sobbed.
Meanwhile, Blue kept tearing and clawing away, panting through aged lungs. "Buried... buried enough d-damned souls in th-this here earth... I'm n-not gonna leave it for nothin'! Nothin' in this whole stinkin'... rotten world... do ya hear me?!" He stammered and hyperventilated. "Well?! Do ya?!"
As the minutes wore on into hours—cold and numb under the starlight—Blue found less and less ponies around him to provide an answer.
Stats
Page generated in 0.039 seconds
Total duration
831 users online
599,920 hits today, 2,004,447 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Double-mwap
...You did all you could, Bard. At least you got Nicole out of there.
But, perhaps things still can change.
The rest all look up to Tim. If he ends up thinking in the right direction, perhaps he can get the rest of them out of there.
GOODGODDAMNRIDDANCE.
Hopefully they still can make it to the Sarosians with plenty of time to talk to Luna.
Hmph, if you ask me, Blue deserves that!
At first I was confused. He knew Tim when he was a kid? How old did that make Bard? They always struck me as being about the same age. Maybe Tim was a little older, even. But now this makes a lot more sense. Bard is possibly decades older than we know, huh.
Interesting. I wanna guess he spent maybe ten or so years in that cube.
From a writing perspective, I find it fascinating how you set up the existence of the Frosted Shelves through Seraphimus, something we didn't learn anything about until a full book after we met Bard in Ynan. I wonder… how long Bard's full storyline been percolating in your head, IC?
Also: That remorse I hear, Blue?
Blue deserves it. The rest don't. I hope they find a home, and some kind of happiness. Even if it means starting over here. But they're right, and Bard is wrong to expect them to leave. This is their home, and even if Blue's been the worst kind of asshole towards Bard and Nicole, he's done a lot of good for the rest of them by taking them in.
Even if they stay, at least they'll no longer see Blue in the same light. Maybe they can help him change. Or maybe he'll just wither away, while Tim and the rest take the reigns and carry on his job and legacy.
All that being said, this has been wonderfully cathartic. It's nice to finally get the truth from Bard.
Though I wonder how Swift Song/Swab plays into all this...
Cheers, Nicole. Welcome to the Herald. Do be sure to flirt with Rainbow on your way in. The Prismatic Harem could always use more heads.
Even with what Blue did, I still feel a little pity for him. But the don't think he's willing to change so you can't do much for him.
Remna/Axan adorableness levels rising.
This is why I love you, Echo.
39
7367478 Tsundere Remna is best Remna.
Catharsis.
Heh... look at what happened you old shitstain.
Now that your foundation of lies has eroded, you're left alone. you're going to die, alone. And that's what you feared would happen isn't it, why you kept adopting orphans, so you would have creatures to surround you on your deathbed.
In a way, it's pitiable, and with any other creature, perhaps it might be. But not you, Blue. You're as bad Jeryn. Infanticide is not something to be dismissed easily.
Welcome to the Herald Nicole, shrug off the hooks of the old prick, feel what it means to be free.
-Companions are abound, frozen spectres hound. Utaan.
7367478
Finally reached level 1!!
I feel no pity for Blue, he's a classic abuser, well versed in rationalising his actions, he believes his own bullshit and has done so for so long that no narrative other than his own will have any meaning for him.
Whatever sequence of events brought him to this place lies so far in his past that there is no redeeming him now. He will destroy all around him, if they permit it, and his own self-destruction is inevitable.
He is nothing more at this point than a machine, whose only purpose is to exploit all those around it, until in the absence of any fuel it consumes itself.
EDIT: Skirts, if it's not already implied, I think you wrote him very well indeed.
The power of indoctrination and the lure of home are powerful forces there Bard, an inspired speech may rattle the cage but it won't set them free.
For all Tim's faults, he at least seems to realize he was wrong.
Glad to see Nichole join the party, hopefully her and Echo will continue to get some character development love as the group progresses.
Well... I was wrong. Blue really is an asshole with everyone outside the farm, it wasn't only with Amber.
I think being left alone for a time will probably do him a lot of good. Sadly, Chandler and his group will probably prevent that from happening, seeing an old stallion alone in a desolate farm and blaming the rainbow rogue and his group will probably only reinforce their resolves...
Good, I'm glad it ended the way it did.
That's some grade A drama.
No army or fighting skills can solve it and talking it over is also not a real solution, its like a burst balloon you can't un-popp it.
That's why Bard lied in the first place, he wasn't sure if this is better than what they had before.
The question is, if the lesson learned here will eventually affect the future of Rohbredden, will it matter if Rainbow tells her new pursuers the truth ? Certainly not for all of them but as at the farm this truth holds the power to polarize.
Chandler and most likely Seraphimus will not easily stop for the truth because both have different personal reasons to fight rainbow but what about everyone that follows them ? In the end Chandler is kinda like Blue and Seraphimus might get the Tim role when the farmers drama will be re performed with more special effects and fight scenes.
Or even worse, if rainbow needs to hold on to the lie for the well being of Rohbredden, she could get the blue role and Seraphimus might play Bard.
In any way, this wasn't just a filler, i am pretty sure it will have an impact soon.
Daaaaaaamn good chapter...
Well now that was something, wasn't it? Wonder how this is going to tie into Chandler and Seraphimus' pursuit.
Welp, this is a damn classic tragedy.
Weird to see chapters that are "Only" 2k or 3k again.
Blue, this isn't Harvest Moon, you're gonna need a little bit more than a single hoe and a barrel of crazy to make anything useful out of that land.
Wonder if Chandler's pursuit force is going to drop by here and still find Blue ranting, or if its going to go full-on The Shining and it'll just be a Bluecicle?
At any rate, onward and eastward. I'll reiterate that the Herald really needs to work on some kind of anti-windigo tactics and weapons because seriously, every singe time those things show up, all they can do is run, and it's getting frustrating. You see, Dash, this is just one of many situations where having a powerful sun sword would have been useful, perhaps beyond the ability for a bunch of sex obsessed cult pegasi being able to make long distance calls to Celestia.
Its basically as I said in the last chapter, Blue is in reality a selfish asshole who uses the pretense of adoption to delude himself into thinking hes not a selfish asshole. I hope the others leave (which it looks like they will) and realize they can be a family to each other even without the farm.
Well. What a ride there. The truth is out, and Blue is scorned; I suppose that's all we can ask for.
And, new party member get! That's something. Maybe two Saurosians can sway the ones at the edge of the world better than just one.
tribzap2it.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/game-of-thrones-stannis-fewer.gif?w=500&h=277
this final line was perfect, i can really visualize blue just sitting there madly ranting to himself and tearing at the ground
and it sets the perfect frame for blues entire character, the abusive manipulator deprived of his masses to control, with his charade struck down
pity he probably won't be alive to tell the guard anything, but his corpse will hopefully point them in the right direction
Time for another episode of good news/bad news.
Good News: The Herald have their supplies, Bard has cleaned the skeletons out of his closet, and we've doubled our batpone allotment.
Bad News: Blue's still angry, and Chandler's still coming.
Apart from that just one small detail:
REALITY IS FALLING APART!
You think you're so very clever.
So with that, Blues' world comes crashing down like a house of cards.
7367716 To build off the reference...
The monsoon came and smashed the greenhouse, the only lifeblood of their farm. Blue want to pools resources and time into repairing it while the next storm's brewing over the horizon. It's a pity he doesn't know when to cut his losses, but doing that would be out-of-character. Kudos IC for solidifying another character we've come to dislike and even despise.
My word... could it be? After a year of falling behind I have finally reached it! The end of the rainbow!
I finally am...
caught up.
I'm willing to bet we haven't heard the last from ol' Blue. I'd wager anything he sells Rainbow and company down the river when Seraphimus arrives with the military.
I've also got a bad feeling about Nicole joining up with the crew. This whole thing is set up too perfectly for a "sins of the father" type scenario with Blue doing something stupid and Nicole winding up paying the price.
I know a bit about what it's like to be there. One of the adults in my life, when I was growing up, was abusive. He never hit any of us (my siblings, my mother, our dogs, or me), but he sure as hell yelled at us. A lot. Screaming and swearing and telling us about how we're complete fuck-ups. He'd always lie to suit his own ends, and he never let any of us try to get our points across. And God save you if you try to tell him that he's wrong. It always felt like there wasn't really anything we could do, either. Looking back, it was just toxic.
Now that I've moved out, he's gotten a lot better about things, but he still has his moments. He always has to be right. He still compulsively lies. But they've gotten better. And I understand why he got angry at us, but it doesn't change the fact that he overreacted.
Just wanted to vent that, and say that this chapter was just... satisfying. Cathartic in a way.
Thank you, IC.
First time we've heard real proof of cryo-suspension aiding a patient down the line? Kinda relieved it wasn't merely a chamber set up for families or friends to foster false hopes of seeing their kin or comrades beat whatever ailed them... soz Sera.
...
False expectations.
Super happy that Nicole is joining the party.
And a bit of a sad ending for Blue, even if he deserved it.
Now that the world built on lies has been shattered we can get as far away from the feels as possible
NicolEcho?
NicEcho?
NicHo?
I tried...
I can't decide which felt more satisfying; Blue getting decked or Tim finally pulling his head out of his ass.
Lines are being drawn, as ponies decide where there loyalties should lay, but there will likely be no confrontation in the future. Axan can be quite adorable in her interactions, something I never thought I would say about her.
7368468 I will school you in the proper way of doing things: Ecole
7368575
I feel stupid now.
Oh how small the heart that can be caged by a spot of soil.
7368575 Schooled indeed.
...
...
(You know, because ecole is French for... no? Okay, nevermind...)
7368468 How about Echole?
Success the supplies have been acquired and the douche has been ditched!
Sad to say I've known people like Blue--poisonous people who hate the world and think anyone who's different is wicked. In my experience, little to nothing will change such people's minds. They believe what they want to believe, and will ignore any evidence to the contrary. But at least the rest of the family's gotten out from under his thumb. That, if nothing else, should ease Bard's conscience.
7367469
I'm pretty sure the Frosted Shelves, a prison, is a separate location from the Frost Chambers.
7367927
http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/519/092/e4d.gif
There is pain here... but there is also room for healing.
7368093 Welcome to the strange train.
7368093 Welcome to the Noble Jury/Lunar Ninth.
your cabin is on the 4th floor, make sure you're well stocked with status cures.
7369928 Soon to be strange boat?
7369998 Oh believe me, I will.
I always love a good emotional chapter. Although some of that was lost every time I read the word "Lurve" and all I could think of was this.
cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/54749517.jpg
7370660 Glad I want the only one to trip over that word. It just doesn't feel serious.
7368093 Welcome back my friend, to the show that never ends...
It wasn't me Bard, it was meh evil twin!
Also, Remna/Axan
It's the little things with her that I love.