Luck Be a Stardust Tonight
Ariel floated off to the side, smiling pleasantly.
The members of the Herald stood in line, heads tilted upwards.
Rainbow hovered in center view with her pendant aimed towards the stars. As the enchanted light emanating from her Element flickered, Princess Celestia's voice resonated with full clarity:
"It is with a heavy heart that I mourn the loss of our beloved sister, Mortuana, an alicorn protector of great honor, integrity, and respect for all living things. To preserve harmony, she sacrificed her own peace of mind, acting as a self-appointed steward for the living and the dead. Even though she never expected to make it as far as her fellow companions in the righteously reborn Herald, I've been informed that it was her full intent to extend her harmonic blessings to the ship that is about to cast off, carrying the hope and promises for a future of prosperity and restoration—not just for this plane but for all of the worlds lost to us, waiting to be reunited."
As Celestia kept speaking, Rainbow's ghostly friends huddled tightly together. Twilight Sparkle clasped her front hooves together, listening intently with proud tears.
"As the Elder Ruler of Equestria, Loyal Sentry of the Sun and a stalwart alicorn Vanquisher of Chaos, I give my harmonic blessing to the Princess Stardust. May this ship meet smooth waters, make more friends in its wake than enemies, and accomplish great things for both the living and the missing. May those on board achieve their heroic aspirations with as few casualties as possible. I bless this vessel, and—most of all—I bless this mission. May it continue to serve as a beacon for harmony, in everything that it and its crew accomplishes, much like Rainbow Dash has served in the totality of her eastward journey of hope and inspiration."
Rainbow Dash sucked her breath in. She fought to contain the lump in her throat.
"Mortuana may have left us and this plane, but her spirit endures. So long as there are ponies who maintain the equilibrium of harmony, there is hope—not just for alicorns—but for all living things. To sustain and support each other is the essence of existence, in this world and the ones beyond. So be it."
Once her words had culminated, the Herald murmured and applauded lightly.
Ariel sighed, wiping her eyes dry with a smile. "Th-thank you, Your Highness."
Pinkie Pie whistled shrilly, causing Fluttershy and Rarity to wince. "Wooohooo!" She pumped a hoof in the air. "You go, Princess! Yeah!"
Bard finally placed his hat back on. "Reckon that'll give us some fuel for the leagues ahead."
Nicole leaned over, smiling. "Stole the words right out from my mouth."
"Ehhhhh..." Bard waved a hoof. "I ain't got the fangs for it."
"Heehee."
"I do hope that is more than sufficient," Princess Celestia's voice spoke just loud enough for Rainbow Dash to hear. "I fear that I am a poor substitute for these ponies' 'Mountain Matron.'"
"Never sell yourself short, Your Majesty," Rainbow Dash murmured back, winking into the enchanted light. "If I did—I'd never have made it past Windthrow."
"Hmmm... perhaps."
Wildcard stepped forward and hand-signed.
"Yes." Remna nodded. "We should be going now."
Ariel blinked at the violet mare. "Since when could you read his talon-signs?"
"I can't," Remna growled. "We're simply on the same page. We have been for hours." She turned to glare at Flynn. "Let us carry on."
Flynn looked at Kepler, then shrugged. "Waiting on word for the one and true captain."
Fwooosh! Rainbow Dash touched down, took a breath, and nodded. "Kepler? Flynn?" Her ruby eyes narrowed. "... ... ...make it awesome."
"Hell yeah!" Logan blurted.
"Alright!" Flynn galloped down into the cabin. "Priming the manacrystals! Kepler? Got the wheel?"
"Affirrmative, my bald brrotherr!" Kepler grasped the wheel. "Big Show. Carre to employ yourr imprressive lungs in facilitating communication between the helm and engineerring?"
Logan leaned against the open, yawning doorframe at the stern. "I'm not just standing here to look sexy, Tuskawilla!"
"How... uh..." Nicole fidgeted slightly. "How do we know where we're going?"
"Hmmm?" Bard looked over.
"I mean... we're trying to find a place called the 'Sixth Seed,'" the sarosian continued. "Is that on a map somewhere? Don't we need a navigator?"
Echo pointed at Rainbow Dash. "Look no further. She's the one with magical fart senses. Between her and her friends, we'll find the next point, I'm guessing."
"Austraeoh?" Remna looked over. "Are you up for the task?"
"Totally," Rainbow said with a nod. She trotted across the deck. "Kepler, I'll tell you where to steer us. Logan? When I give the word, have Flynn juice us up so we can accelerate towards our destination."
"Aye, Rrainbow one!"
Rainbow looked at the others. "Jury? The rest of you keep an eye out for—" Rainbow scuffled to a stop, grimacing.
Twilight glanced at Rainbow Dash. The rest of her friends fidgeted slightly.
Ariel lowered to the deck, glancing at Rainbow. "Is... is everything okay?"
Rainbow gave a shuddering sigh. "Sorry..." She gazed down at the deckplates. "Just... this kind of a setting... well..." She gulped. "Guess I got my wires crossed."
Wildcard walked across the deck. He tilted Rainbow's gaze up with a metal talon.
Rainbow looked at him, eyes moist.
He smiled under his beak. Goggles rattling, the griffon hand-signed.
"Ahem..." Bard smirked, interpreting: "'We'll just take it as a compliment.'"
Rainbow sniffled. She swallowed and said, "Thanks... y'know..." She gazed at the group, including Remna. "For... for just being here. I really don't know where I... where my friends and I would be if it weren't for you guys. And..." She winced slightly. "I... I-I feel as though I haven't been fair, y'know... to you? To all of you for all you're sacrificing—"
"Dearrest Austrraeoh," Kepler spoke, his face straight. "This is ourr lives... much as yourr jourrney is yourr life. We do this with prride. And do underrstand that we take no offense at any distance you might requirre. A herro who has underrgone so many trrials deserrves no less."
Rainbow sighed. "But distance is the problem." Her brow furrowed. "The gaps between us... between ponies... between planes..."
"Then allow us to fix it. Together." Remna stared firmly at the mare. "At this point, after all that we've overcome, is it so strange to go beyond?"
Bard and Wildcard smirked.
Rainbow's friends exchanged glances.
Rainbow nodded firmly. Before she could formulate a response—
—the entire ship shifted as the manabatteries deep in the bowels of the Stardust erupted with unbridled power.
A voice could be heard shouting from below.
"He's done it!" Logan bellowed. "We're good to go!"
"Kepler... you heard him." Rainbow Dash trotted to the edge of the ship's deck. "Take us out."
"Hold onto something, dearr frriends!" Kepler spun the wheel, twirling the rudder.
Water bubbled from the hot mana output. The liquid soon turned to steam as the ship coasted northward and out of the sandy estuary where it had been moored for nearly a decade. The black metal vessel knifed a path across the calm waters. Soon, it cleared the line of limestone formations... and made a rippling charge for the eastern horizon.
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ONWARDS TO ADVENTURE
AND BATPONIES
AND OTHER BAD SHIT
Here we go again~
Magical fartsense gps activated
Over the sea, let's go men
We're shovin' right off, we're shovin' right off again
And nopony knows where or when
We're shovin' right off, we're shovin' right off again.
Yeah I will freely admit I teared up for a second after this line.
Time to move forward to our next destination
This is a pretty nifty group Rainbow's got, but the Jury will always be special.
In my humble opinion, the main difference between the Jury and the Harald, is that the latter was a group that had existed before Rainbow Dash arrived. They all knew each other already, and were united in a single goal.
Whereas the Jury was built up as the story progressed, one member at a time. We got to know them as people, as they got to know each other.
We were there when Eagle Eye found a second father in Josho, and the love of his life in Ebon. For when Kera learned that there is a chance at happiness after tragedy and loss. For when Roarke found a purpose beyond battle and bloodshed. We were all there to watch as, little by little, Rainbow found the people in her life that made her remember what it's all for. What it's all worth fighting for in the end.
For me, the part that made it clear that they were more then just a group of people, but indeed were a family, was a line that RD said in an almost delirious state of mind.
Apart from the Desperados and perhaps Echo, the Harald is a group in and of itself, emotionally apart from Rainbow Dash, and in extension, us as readers.
Perhaps this will changes as time goes on, or perhaps it won't. Only time will tell.
Let's set sail one more time, saying farewell to the world!
GODDAMNIT I THOUGHT THE TEARS STOPPED A YEAR AGO
Oh harrow
7432065 Very well put.
7432332
7431502 Yeah, man, Batpone r best pone.
Nyoom~
Nyoom~
The Jury is gone
But us souls toil on
Ever eastward we head
And when all is done and said
We band together to go
Beyond, the sun's warming glow.
I still miss the Jury
Yes, well, Rainbow, never forget your friends still are alive and around. Look to the stars, maybe you'll see Floyd pass you by one day.
Once more unto the breach.
A good blessing for our ship. Well done, Celestia.
Make it so, number one.
That was lovely, to have Celestia do that. Made me tear up just a little...
I like how this is a thing we explicitly need a blessing for now.
7431966 That. That was a treat to listen to. Thanks for linking that video! That whole crowd nailed it.
But now it's stuck in my head.
7432065
So say we all!
oh, my heart.
I needed that heart.
What have you done?
I'M NOT CRYING!
YOU'RE CRYING!
7432473 I legitimately still tear up sometimes when People at work say things like "jury's still out on that one" And I always have to hide it because Nobody will ever understand why that word evokes that emotion from me.
Damn, the feels in this chapter!
7449269 No, you're crying! I'm f-fine!
Every cast off is always an emotional one. May this leg of the journey begin! I hope that we'll make it to the other side with everyone on board.
Maps? Where we're going we don't need maps.
Jury reference.
Also, where on Earth are Chandler, Seraphimus and the rest of the Dashiekiller brigade? Chekhov says they have to catch up for plot reasons, but how are they going to keep hunting when Rainbow is already on the ocean?
It's going to suck for Seraphimus and Chandler, boats don't leave tracks.
You didn't.
You did not!
You...
5:27 p.m. MST 12/7/2017
A blessing of a ship for good luck, and a farewell to those who have passed on. That Rainbow was able to confuse this bunch for the Jury says many good things about them
I think this is the first time I have heard Axan give a non backhanded compliment.
08/31/2017
00:46 UTC
Engage.
We won't be spending nearly as long on the Princess Stardust as we did on the Nibble Joint, so let's enjoy it while it lasts!
Onward to the Great Unknown!
Once more unto the breach. Adventure awaits!
That was lovely, Tia. And good on you for making a request like that, Ariel.
Time to head out. Ever eastward.
LET'S GOOOOOO
Oops, that's not the right crew...But I'm glad they know that Rainbow means it in the nicest way possible.
7449269
Yes. Also some travel music.