Kera's scraping hooves echoed through the thin alleyway as he scampered to a stop. With a rustle of her cloak, she twirled, leaned her body up to a niche in the wall, and crawled inside the thin partition. Squatting low, she wormed her way up a concrete rain drain, scaled a segmented column of mortar, and evened out on a sharp ledge located just two and a half stories above the bottom floor of the alley.
"Whew..." She exhaled, lowering her hood so that her peach coat and hard lines were exposed to the dim light wafting down from the sunset beyond the Blue Nova spires above. "Oh, how I love killing two birds with one stone." Kera licked her lips as she fiddled through the deep pockets stitched into the insides of her cloak. "Let's she what she had on her. Yeesh, I could sure go for some bread right now—"
Two books slid loosely in her grip: one an album with green binding and the other a dusty old tome.
Kera's mouth hung open. She blinked several times, then grumbled. "A book?!" She pouted. "Nnnngh! I knew it was too heavy to be something edible!" She squatted with an indignant folding of her forelimbs. "Really! What kind of mare carries nothing but books around?! And in both sides of her saddlebag?!"
Several seconds limped by.
"Unnngh..." She sighed heavily, slumping down and hoofing through the dusty tome with bored eyes. "Whatever. I need something to make a fire with anyways." Her green eyes narrowed on the flicker of ancient runes. "Hmmmph... These words..." Her nostrils flared. "They're..."
Silence...
"Guh! Do any of these actually have pictures?" She kicked the tome aside and picked up the one with green binding. "Hey!" she beamed suddenly, her eyes filling with foalish delight as she stared at an array of colorful photographs. "This is more like it! Whew... this lady's got a bucket load of friends." Kera flipped and flipped. Her eyebrow raised. "What's the deal with the white one? Does she even know her head looks bald from an angle? Pfft... seen one unicorn you've seen..." Her voice stretched thinly. "...them all."
Kera leaned forward, her brow furrowed beneath a mess of green bangs.
In the center of one group shot, a peculiar pony stood, being nuzzled by the others. Her face was frozen in a look of disgust as she attempted in good humor to shove off the invasive reach of her companions. Her colorful mane and tail stood out like prismatic flames, but that wasn't the only thing that caught Kera's attention. Halfway between the pony's flanks and shoulders, twin wreathes of feathers shimmered in the flash photography.
"A... winged pony...?" Kera blinked several times. She leaned back from the book, as if the colors on the photograph might jump out at her. "Just like... j-just like..." She said no more words. Instead, she hummed a haunting tune to herself, something as old as she was, if not older. A chill ran through Kera; she flicked her ears, as if desperate to lose the melody that was suddenly stuck in her head.
Just then, the alleyway filled with clopping hooves.
Catching her breath, Kera slapped both books shut, slid them under her cloak, and layed down flat against the ledge's surface. Two green eyes stared down into the corridor like a parascope.
"...be anywhere by now! Oh, if I only had been more careful!"
"You can find the book even if you can't see it, r-right? Like... you have a connection?"
"It doesn't work that way, Mr. Phoenix! The book has a connection with Rainbow Dash. At least, I think so."
"Maybe we can still try to get inside the building even with it gone—"
"No!" A mare scurried into view, swiveling on her hooves with a flurry of her brown cloak. A face beneath the hood frowned at the similarly dressed stallion trotting alongside her. "I can't afford to lose that book! I've lost enough already!"
"Maybe we should consider putting the search on hold—"
"Mr. Phoenix!" the mare gasped.
"I'm just saying!" He shrugged away from her glare. "It's not gonna help us to run around with our heads cut off! I say we sit down, count our losses, and figure out a more realistic way of getting inside that building than relying completely on some magical manuscript!"
"Without that book..." Bellesmith lowered her hood, hanging her head with a sad breath. "I'm completely lost. It was... it was the closest thing I-I had to him." She bit her lip as a sorrowful spasm rose through her body. "I miss his wisdom so much. I feel so blind without him. He was able to make me see so much..."
"Hey... this is exactly what I'm talking about." Phoenix reached out to her. "The worst thing you can do right now is dwell on the bad stuff. We're here, we're alive, and we know where to go next. Book or no book, what matters is that we get our hoofing, gather enough resources, and proceed when the moment's right... and only when the moment's right."
Belle sighed, saying nothing.
"Look, I know it may not seem like much, but at least you have me." The stallion's face could be seen smiling at her from beneath his own hood. "I made you a promise, and I'm sticking to it. But you gotta be willing to stick to it yourself, alright?"
"I know, it's just..." She sighed again, shaking her head. "It's so hard. So terribly hard..."
"What is it you keep repeating and repeating? 'What would Rainbow Dash do?'"
"You're right, Mr. Phoenix. You're right."
He guided her with a hoof towards the far end of the alleyway. "Let's go. This kid's long gone. We've searched everywhere, now we gotta move on."
"I know it sounds strange... but I still feel bad for her..."
"She's a thug, Ms. Belle," the stallion grunted. "That's all she's gonna grow up to be."
"I know... and suppose that's why it's sad..."
All the while, Kera was staring at one thing and one thing alone. It was only after the two were out of earshot that she finally afforded herself the chance to murmur: "Her horn..."
A breath of wonderment escaped her lips.
"Did... did she somehow get out before the rest?"
She blinked... then smiled.
Licking her lips with devilish zeal, the filly slid the books back under her cloak, forward-flipped off the ledge, landed expertly, and scurried on silent cat feet down the avenue, trailing the two figures.
HOLY SHIT.
Okay, okay... sorry, the plot just thickened so much in just one chapter that I couldn't react any other way.
Hmm, I wonder what Kera's up to. I figure she'll probably be a big help later down the road, but for now, I wonder if she's going to do anything else that ends up screwing over Belle and Phoenix.
I just noticed that this series has surpassed EoP in word count.
So Kera knows about the experiments that Belle was put through...
Interesting...
2553582
I get the distinct impression that she knows quite a bit about the sequencing based on her reactions to seeing Rainbow and her sudden interest in Belle's broken horn, either from Nightshade or the Enforcers. Either that, or it's a Xona thing she's aware of, especially based on what I perceive as her recognition of certain words in the tome (and not an inability to read them). A Xona foal doesn't just show up in Ledo's biggest city, she was brought there and maybe learned a thing or two on the way.
I've alway found it weird that she had no horn with no explaination for where it went. I always figured it was just a random detail that was there to make her weaker and more needy.
It wouldn't be the first time that more was happening than we origanily realized.
Kera knows something...
I was right about a prediction in Innavedr! YES! YES! I only wish that I could make accurate predictions on characters who weren't somewhat wankers, though.
I wasn't expecting it to quite work out like that, either. And Kera ain't your normal street urchin hoodlum thug, Señor Phoenix, oh no. I get the feeling she knows exactly what's going on in our mystery building of opaqueness while the sun is absent.
Aye, there's a lot more going on under the surface of this fic, than is immediately apparent.
*gasp*
Kera is Belle's Scootaloo!!!!!
2553772wat?
Wings are awsome...
My my, Kera certainly had an interesting reaction to the old book. She seems to have some knowledge of pegasi ("just like..." what?), recognized some of the words (they were in another language, right?), and then there's the whole thing with the song. It seems cultural, which makes me wonder if Xona has knowledge of the pegasus culture that sent the book's owner into the cavern. We know that Xona is a very religious society, which might suggest a knowledge of ancient lore and myth. On top of that, Kera seems to have some knowledge of whatever it was that happened to Belle's horn, whether it be sequencing or something to do with Nightshade Industries (my earlier prediction). As Pilate said, a Xonan foal doesn't just randomly show up in Ledomare's capital. Curioser and curioser.
Who the heck is Kera? I know she's some filly off the streets with tattoos, who has to steal stuff to eat. But who the hell is she?
Kid seems to know something about the others. This could get interesting...
What did she mean about the horn? Maybe she knows something about Belle...
Kera needs to give those damn books back.
hmmmmmm, I think kera knows something.....
also for some reason ever since I read the last chapter, I thought that this chapter was going to be named Urchins and Streets
Dangit we want to find out more about us!
2553806 Kera and Scootaloo have very similar attitudes and Kera is a unicorn like Belle. Maybe Belle will take Kera under her "wing" like Dash did to Scoots?
KERA MY BABBU WHY ARE YOU SO PRECIOUS?! gahh i love this story to pieces i cant wait till the next update!
Hmm, is it just me or did Kera seem to not be bothered by that ancient tome more than it lacking pictures? Maybe it was written in xonan...?
2554005
Xonan foal, presumably brought to Blue Nova by Nightshade Industries or the Enforcers to be experimented on.
2553598
That proves I like this series's pacing much better. I got tired reading EoP, even though it was well written.
My theory is that Kera thought Belle was another escapee from Nightshade Industries or something, which may be what she believed she saw when she saw the shortened horn.
Heyyyy..... If that filly has a shortened horn, and uses tattoos to help channel her magic, does that mean that the team might figure out a way to give Belle her magic back?
[pleasedon'tjinxherpleasedon'tjinxherpleasedon'tjinxhershereallydeservestohavehermagicbackdoyouknowhowharditistotypewithoutspaces?]
what does kera know?
pegasus genocide?
blue shelf incident?
Xonan advance?
it is just so god damn interesting!
2553650 She does have a story behind it, back in the last book. She tried to charge a zebra's ball with some magic and fried her horn
Intriguing.
Still can't picture ponies flipping and back-flipping and the likes. Curse my general lack of imagination.
2555448
EoP? Do elaborate, I've been spending the last few weeks just staring at my inbox. Read all the good ones, out of material. I need MORE.
2556257
"End of Ponies", it's one of short skirt's stories, and a mighty long one at that. PM me of you want a basic summary of the first half.
Buuuttt, if you want something to read, I can guarantee a good number of fics inmy fav page are all good reads.
2556452
Been looking through, nothing new, thanks anyway.
Oh yes, End of Ponies, I forgot about that one. Took a look a few months ago, but this is just when Background Pony was finishing up, and I couldn't stand to touch any more of ss&e's stuff. I think I've got the guts to try it now.
Onwards!
for more info!
Kera's gonna have to spill it eventually. She knows way too much about something we haven't even heard of before, but it's clearly important. Hopefully she realizes what a non-threat Phoenix and Belle are and just returns the books so we can figure out what's going on.
2556033
Did she have to, like, I don't know, chop it off after the accident?
2553629 Nightshade got her own hooves dirty here. I don't think this is connected to sequencing - especially since Belle's broken horn was one of the reasons why she was picked for sequencing in the first place, whereas it appears to be a symptom of earlier involvement with Nightshade. Probably some kind of experiment on its own - one that Kera was involved in, too. Maybe something related to the use of magic, since it included breaking a unicorn's horn and experimenting on a Xonan, whose tattoos are largely relevant to the subject after all.
I am furthermore intriuged by Kera'a reaction to seeing a pegasus. She was aghast, so she certainly never saw a real one before. The words "Just like", coupled with a melody - maybe a lullaby - sound like remembering a fairy tale to me. Remembering the depiction of that pegasus in the ruins back in the woods, I now dare to theorize: yes, there has indeed been an Austraeoh before, another pegasus. Maybe the corpse beside the ancient book was just another one, one that failed, and there never really was an entire culture of pegasi in the east.
Now if we put the two of them together, where does that lead us? The Austraeoh, the book, the tales and myths of the eastern lands and maybe the entire pegasus race are all linked together. I am now absolutely positive that the lavender light is more than just the Element of Magic.
Where does the book lead them? What magic truly powers it? I still feel like the answers to those questions might just be the answer to everything else.
Ceterum censeo Searinem delendam esse, and this hasn't decreased in the process.
2557354
The Xonan tattoos are said to function, if I recall correctly, in a similar fashion to the runes on the skull plate that power O.A.S.I.S. I have no doubt that Nightshade was/is running experiments in that vein. The idea that Nightshade is working hoof in horn with the Council (and by extent, the Enforcers) comes to us by way of the Council's demand for results and their demonstrated tactic of using more than just the military to achieve their goals. Nightshade Industries is clearly participating in propaganda, and that sort of bolstering of government does not come without a quite cozy relationship, mutual interests, and money.
As for Kera, I am wondering if perhaps there is, as you say, a myth, legend, or fairy tale surrounding "winged ponies" of old. That said, I am no longer convinced of a previous Austraeoh, but rather an exploration of ancient civilizations by a pegasus adventurer sans world-saving destiny. There is no evidence that the skeletal pegasus was doing anything more than study, and said pegasus certainly met an untimely demise in the process. Counter to that, Rainbow has had a fair bit more destiny on her side to keep her both on track and alive.
The lavender light is literal manifest destiny. It is the manifestation of loyalty's power; to wit, it is a homing beacon for the Harmonic Prisim. Recall, too, that dash is Austraeoh, she is the spark. The light may be more than just a single Element, but it is most definitely rooted in Harmony.
They might as well have held a giant neon sign above their heads saying, WE'RE GUILT TRIPPING YOU INTO BRINGING THE BOOKS BACK
2557452 The connections are indeed legit. You are correct, the Council is most probably involved in this.
But remember the wall painting in the ruins directly before Roarke's appearance. It does link a pegasus directly to the Austraeoh, the Spark - the nature of the entire thing made me think of prophecy, but the sheer impact the Spark has had on every culture past Ledomare makes me think that it has to be more. A simple prophecy surely could'nt cause dozens of (once) independent nations to worship it like a deity.
For the light, I consider it to be an absolute mystery. If I recall correctly, it has thus far only surfaced in context with the Austraeoh or the world machine. Bear in mind that the machine and the Spark that powers it both preceed the reformation of the world. They are forces unrelated to the powers of Harmony. Let us also keep in mind that Rainbow Dash currently serves as vessel to three greater forces: the dormant Discord, the Elements of Harmony with Loyalty in particular and the Austraeoh itself. The light does brim with destiny and it does lead her onwards - but is it pointing her at the Prism or the reignition of the world?
This is also why I continuously disagreed with the ongoing theory of linking characters to harmonious Elements: I am convinced that the forces playing the role of destiny here are not the powers of Harmony, but something more ancient, elusive and completely genuine to the canon of this saga.
2558074
Regarding the spark: recall that the world was discovered and then lit by the ancient alicorns. The explanation for the similarity in the threads of theism are due to the common nature of the world's founding. A spark of harmony and/or light brings life to the world, and the spark is then revered throughout. It is a spark, for example, that brought the Elements of Harmony together, and it is a spark in Rainbow that effects great change in the places she visits. The spark is harmony, Rainbow is the spark, the spark is Austraeoh.
I am not convinced "Austraeoh" is separate from harmony. Austraeoh is the embodiment of the spark of harmony.
Another example where I would suggest that these are one in the same. The Prism, if you'll recall from Belle sequencing Dash's memory of talking to Luna, was the first spark that brought light to the world. It was and is harmony. For Rainbow the Prism is a long-shot key to salvation, a possible tool to remove the chaos from her body. We have come to discover, however, that it might also be able to act as a cure for a prophesied apocalypse. It is important to remember that Celesita and Axan disagree her, and it's not until Axan really takes a look at Rainbow that she does not end her. On this tangent I would argue that Axan believes Rainbow to be the harbinger of salvation whereas Celestia and Luna believe the world is already on the mend. Regardless, they have reached the same conclusions regarding the outcome.
So this Harmonic (there's that word again) Prism started as a distant hope for Rainbow to cling to in the last months of her life, but has become more than a simple escapist MacGuffin. The Spark, Rainbow, reaching the Prism, Harmony, is akin to the Spark, Twilight, having her epiphany.
I find it hard to untangle the basic tenets of the elements from the characters, their actions are far too steeped in them to be anything else. The constant shoutouts, "Roarke is a Rarity," for example, bolster this case. Though extolling on the meta elements to the story add an entirely new layer to this conversation, one that might be worth taking into account in the future. Furthermore, some other, whole-from-the-cloth destiny seems highly unlikely considering how much "harmonic" vernacular keeps getting used. This entire saga is diverged from a harmony event. Rainbow's sole companion for the entire first segment was her element.
2557168
No... I swear it was alluded that she needed to have her horn 'crippled' like that in order to use that sequencing thing: that had her seeing Dash's memories.
Reading this conversation between 2558279 and 2558074 is interesting, I must admit. I've been thinking along the same lines as you, Pilate, in that the characters exhibit the qualities of the elements far too well and too often for it to be simple coincidence... Although, to be honest, I was starting to think that Loyalty might end up with a new bearer as well.
I'm not so sure that the lavender light is anything other than the Element of Magic. Keep in mind, If I remember correctly, Dash saw other colors that helped her in the past, but none nearly as often as the lavender (In fact, I think the last time there was another color was around the time of her first exposure to the machine world).
So letsee: I'm gonna go ahead and predict out of my ass, now. Kera escaped from Nightshade Industries, who are responsible for creating the Sequencer technology.
The Xoan magic tattoo channeling is more powerful than standard Unicorn magic, however, it requires the debilitating horn damage in order to use. The horn bits are then added to the ink for said tattoos.
Overseer Me managed to harness the tattoo magic in the form of the 'failed' sequencers (before Belle) in order to increase his production. The Mintean Monks practice tattoo magic as well (hence the cloaks) and are responsible for training Nightshade Industries in exchange for... Um... Whatever they would get out of it.
2557168 I don't remember the exact details, but I think it burned off or something, I can't remember
2558279 But that's just the thing, the spark is connected to the machine world whereas the Elements are the predominant force of creation on the surface - and still much younger. We know that the Harmonic Prism is not the Elements themselves but a 'gateway' to the home world of the Alicorns and the true harmonic forces present there - for our purpose it makes no difference. The Prism is an elemental entity, no doubt.
That doesn't have to mean that the Spark is one too, though. The world existed long before the Alicorns came, and it is quite safe to assume that it wasn't always dormant before. After all, it is an abandoned machine. The Alicorns brought Harmony to the surface, but if my memory does not betray me, they did not trifle with the clockwork below. Recall the flames in their chambers deep down. It was only after being touched by those that Rainbow's presence caused the machine to stir again - then again, it was not after the contact with any force of Harmony, much less the Prism.
But there is yet other differences: the Spark is a power linked to the machine, the Elements a power linked to the people above. Remember how the destruction of five of the six harmonious Elements and their Spirits at once is only a trivial matter on a global scale, as the true essence of Harmony has already bled into the rest of the population, thus holding them a life. Never have the Elements been linked to the world's survival. Their disappearance just happens to be conjoined with the world machine stopping - it requires reignition and that is the true tragedy. The Prism is relevant to Dash and the Alicorns for obvious reason, but the rest of the world won't even notice should she fail in her quest to get it. Should she fail in her role as Spark, however...
TL;DR: The Spark is a primeval force that must have been in the world since the very beginning, whereas the Elements have been brought into it only later. The Elements shed their light only over the surface and its living, breathing inhabitants, while the Spark is linked to its very heart. The Elements have brought Harmony and light to the world, but the Spark is what enables it to exist in the first place. So to speak, the difference is Brahma and Vishnu: one creates, the other preserves.
I am quite convinced that we are overestimating the importance of the Elements. They are no inherent part of that world, they were never used to create or maintain it, but only to alter it to good. The Spark is more than that. More ancient, more basic and probably more powerful.
(Got those on the wrong chapter by accident, hope it didn't cause any problems.)
2559005
Be careful with that particular statement. People see what they wish to see, and the human brain is in love with grids, systems and things in order. All it would take is one side character tohat fits an Element, and we'd be stretching and twisting the others to fit into the rest - I feel that this is what we have been doing. Five of the six Elements represent the most basic social virtues. They are everywhere, in everyone, always. A character that doesn't fit them in some way would be a complete douchebag.
(Got those on the wrong chapter by accident, hope it didn't cause any problems.)
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
So there're a few things in this chapter. First off, when Kera says that Belle must have "gotten out before the others," I think that she must be talking about the Blue Shelf fiasco. I didn't think too much about it, but I guess that it must be all over the country by now. And Kera has seen pegasi before? This is truly strange. It seems like a long shot, but could Whitemane have sent her a vision? These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
Le what? Well, it seems like Kera knows a little more than she's letting on. I'm kind of excited, really. Some of the best parts of these stories are the mystery elements, and now they're back! Also, I forgave Kera for stealing the books because she thought they were food, but now she's being a bit of a turd by not handing them back, especially after hearing how important they were to Belle. Still, growing up as a street urchin's gotta give you sharp instincts, and they probably say never to let go of an advantage if you've got it. Why are pegasi so rare? Why is Kera interested in Belle's horn? Is she a Xonan spy of some sort? Or maybe she was a child victim of similar experiments? Now that school's out I'm completely fine with stretching my brain over these questions - onward!
Kera knows something important.
-SPirit
I have a feeling that pegasus Dash found wasn't dead as long as they thought.
Kera, youre a scrounger..and you have my sympathies...but i swear to god...if you tear ONE page out of that fucking book...
What does Kera know?
Rarity would go ballistic if she heard that one. Anyone have a fainting couch?
In a purely technical sense Rainbow's picture book is less valuable than the ancient tome, but in an emotional context it is of far far greater worth, as Kera just showed us.
Something tells me Kera knows a way into Nightshade Industries, because she was a captive of them once.