Utaan

by Imploding Colon

Seven Years Before the Dash

The lightning in the sky was growing more and more visible as the Stardust cruised briskly eastward. Tapering stormclouds broiled overhead, interrupting the otherwise immaculate starshine. Each roll of thunder shook the hull to its very deckplates, and a distant, persistent roaring sound rose in intensity.

"It won't be very long now," Enix spoke loudly as she and her fellow warriors flew along the port side of the Stardust. "Look for a fine mist—like a cloud at sea level!"

Rainbow Dash glanced over at her. "Will that be the edge?"

"Negative..." Enix slowly shook her head. "...but rather, the first of many things beyond it."

"Is it just me...?" Rainbow Dash pointed at the rippling waves. "Or are the waters far less choppy for some reason?"

"We are not passing by the Waters of Forever Sinking," Enix explained. "Even so—those tempestuous waves no longer exist anymore, thanks to you."

Rainbow gulped. "So... in other words... this will be a smooth trip."

"So long as we don't venture too far beyond the wrecks."

"The wrecks?"

"You'll see," Enix said. "There is a point of no return for sea vessels. My warriors and I will indicate when and where your colleagues should anchor the ship."

"Or else...?"

"...you'll plummet over the falls... and all physical matter will be propelled outward into the chaotic storm clouds that form a barrier between us and the ether."

Rainbow Dash gulped, staring straight east past the bow. "Snazzy."

"The Edge of the World..." Twilight Sparkle hovered sideways, gazing towards the bleak horizon with a gaping expression. "Never in my whole life did I think I would see it with my own eyes..."

"Well, funny you should say that!" Pinkie Pie chirped. "Because you're kinda-sorta seeing it with dead eyes!"

"Pinkie..." Applejack sighed.

"Well, it's true!"

"I know, but do ya gotta make a big ol' stink about it?"

"Ghost ponies don't smell!" Pinkie Pie blinked, then flared her nostrils. "Well, except for Fluttershy." She pointed over her shoulder, giggling. "She'd smell like fresh flowers in any after life! Heehee!"

"Fluttershy..." Rainbow glanced aside. "Any luck sensing the Rohbreddenites that the messengers spoke of?"

Fluttershy shook her head. "No, Rainbow. Then again... we are moving pretty quickly away from where they were last reported."

Applejack gulped. "I sure hope they dun show up while we're off surveyin' the edge."

"I highly doubt it," Twilight Sparkle said. "From the nature of the report, it sounds like the attack force is pretty far off. Besides—even if they somehow did catch up before we returned, I'm certain Bleak's Plummet could submerge and escape their sight."

"Well, I sure hope so." Applejack rubbed her head beneath her ghostly hat. "I can't imagine that this part of the ocean runs all that deep."

"My stars..." Rarity cooed.

Applejack looked over. "Am I right? I mean, if there are sheets of water constantly fallin' over the side, then this part of the ocean's gotta be super shallow or somethin'—"

"It's not that..." Rarity's muzzle hung agape as her horn glowed. "I... I can sense it!"

"Sense what, Rare-Rare?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"What else?!" Rarity's eyes blinked hard. "To the east and beneath us! It's... it's like the whole world ends!" She gulped. "I'm... sensing this emptiness beyond an incalculably steep shelf! It's... like nothing else I've ever comprehended before." She shivered slightly. "Makes me feel... small..."

"Ohhhhh..." Fluttershy leaned over and hugged Rarity. "It'll be okay. Rainbow and her friends know how to keep themselves safe." She looked over, blinking. "Right?"

Rainbow took a deep breath. She turned to look up at Kepler. "How's she handling?"

"Like a drream, Rrainbow one!" Kepler exclaimed, gripping the rudder wheel. "Flynn's engines arre carrrying us trrue! I would—howeverr—advise slowing ourr momentum soon! Therre's no telling what kind of rrough waterrs we might rrun into! It would be best to prreserrve mana-powerr forr a full rreverrse, if the moment calls forr it!"

Rainbow Dash nodded. "Good idea. Just communicate with Enix so that you'll have a good idea when exactly to cut the engines and recharge."

"Aye, Austrraeoh!"

Rainbow tilted her head up. "Princess Luna? Are you there?"

"Indeed we are, Rainbow Dash. Albeit—not for much longer."

Princess Celestia's voice broke through. "Are you situated?"

"We've got a course set, Your Highnesses." Rainbow squinted east. The bow of the Stardust was aligned with the hazy golden path leading towards the horizon. "We're following my... uh... newly-gifted 'senses.'"

"Very well. Then we have some important things to discuss."

"Fire away, Your Majesties." Rainbow Dash plopped down on her haunches. "Better late than never." She glanced aside—but was curious at the absence of several figures. "Er... wait just one second." She glanced at Remna. "Where's Bard? Wildcard? The others?"

Remna glanced over from where she calmly sat along the starboard side. "Down below." The mare's emerald eyeslits narrowed. "Discussing the future."

"Whose future?"

"Who else?"

Rainbow Dash blinked. A cold shudder. "Oh yeah..."

Comments

[IceKitsune]

Oh man we are sooo close, can't wait till we see it, should be spectacular.

[Czar_Yoshi]

Applejack gulped. "I sure hope they dun show up while we're off surveyin' the edge."

As do I, Applejack. As do I.

[RoboRed]

IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING.

[Merula]

Oh boy, the moment we have all been waiting for is closing in fast!

[Cynderfall]

Everypony is so nervous. What will go wrong!

[Revan]

The edge beckons.

[The 24th Pegasus]

The edge of the world... we're finally here...

[Hap]

She shivered slightly. "Makes me feel... small..."

Indeed.

[General Lemarc]

7569333 Now let's see how Seraphimus f's it up

[Super Trampoline]

See I was thinking ocean got deeper as the land dropped out from beneath the water but I guess that wouldn't make much sense. Then again having an edge of the world doesn't really make sense regardless.

[Nevlamas]

7568733 Well, after we go back one more time for some reason, that is.

[Hazard]

Wow, this story got edgy really fast.

I'm not sorry.

[CasualMarshmallow]

"Makes me feel... small..."

I think I feel small...

[AppleTank]

It's the edge of the world as we know it.

[JustAnotherTimeLord]

Welp, it's almost time. We're soooooo close, I can almost taste it.

[arancaytar]

"Like a drream, Rrainbow one!" Kepler exclaimed, gripping the rudder wheel. "Flynn's engines arre carrrying us trrue! I would—howeverr—advise slowing ourr momentum soon! Therre's no telling what kind of rrough waterrs we might rrun into! It would be best to prreserrve mana-powerr forr a full rreverrse, if the moment calls forr it!"

Like traveling toward a Black Hole. You don't really know when you pass the point of no return...

[Tim the Planes-pony]

"What else?!" Rarity's eyes blinked hard. "To the east and beneath us! It's... it's like the whole world ends!" She gulped. "I'm... sensing this emptiness beyond an incalculably steep shelf! It's... like nothing else I've ever comprehended before." She shivered slightly. "Makes me feel... small..."

I think Neil Armstrong put it best by far:

It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn't feel like a giant. I felt very, very small.
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/n/neilarmstr101138.html

09/13/2017
00:39 UTC

[M M]

We're so close to the edge of the world I can taste it.

[hypervelocity]

"What else?!" Rarity's eyes blinked hard. "To the east and beneath us! It's... it's like the whole world ends ! " She gulped. "I'm... sensing this emptiness beyond an incalculably steep shelf! It's... like nothing else I've ever comprehended before." She shivered slightly. "Makes me feel... small ..."

Ugh, that feeling of being a speck to the universe is always kinda vomit inducing.

"Indeed we are, Rainbow Dash. Albeit—not for much longer."

Holy crap, this is the last time we probably get to talk with Equestria.