The trek inland took a great deal longer than Rainbow Dash expected, which was a testament to just how large the geographical formation was. While Nick and Theanim Mane chatted amicably, the pegasus ascended to just upon the fringes of earshot. From her position above the trees, she was able to make a humble scan of the surrounding environment.
That particular strip of land constituted the southwestern portion of the Nealend Atoll. Although it stretched for barely one third of a mile, it was evidently the thickest and most heavily vegetated of all the land strips. What's more, it was noticeably curved, forming a crystal blue inlet along its norther side. Even from afar, Rainbow could see splashing waves and swimming bodies: the tell-tale signs of a highly amphibious equine population.
As a matter of fact, Rainbow could observe the totality of the Atoll with very little difficulty. Unlike any of the islands she had been too previously, Nealend lacked any noticeable hills or mountains. If it weren't for the thick throngs of palm trees and tall grass, then she was certain she could see clear across the island formation without fail.
“That's because atolls are the result of naturally eroding coral formations,” Twilight Sparkle explained, her face plastered with a proud, intellectual smile. “Unlike most islands, which are the result of volcanic activity.”
“Right. Thanks, egghead,” Rainbow muttered, squinting her eyes hard.
Northwest of the landstrip they were on was another island, this one far thinner and longer, but with sandier shores. It was separated from the southwest island by the tiniest body of water imaginable. Even at full tide, Rainbow ventured, a fully-grown-pony could easily wade across it. It was far too shallow for a boat to cross, much less a gigantic sea serpent with a glowing set of jaws.
North of this strip, the Atoll broke into several tiny-tiny splotches of land, each peppered with a smattering of green foliage and palms. One or two islands—Rainbow estimated—were so small that they sported a single palm tree each. There, the bodies of water between the strips appeared deeper, thicker, allowing for more substantial access into the lagoon. Due north—straight across the lagoon—several longer strips of land appeared, and Rainbow could spot several wooden structures, docks, and a countless assortment of moored rafts. For all the pegasus knew, the entire atoll had been thoroughly populated in a complete clockwise circle.
Northeast, the islands broke up completely, allowing for the widest gap Rainbow had observed yet. At last, she had discovered a spot that ships could easily navigate through—among other large bodies. However, a thick coral formation southeast of this opening bled into a craggy cluster of rocks, and this led to a long, narrow strip of land running north and south in an awkward, serpentine fashion. Within the crooks of this winding land strip, several smaller islands were clustered, their canopies thickly populated by all manner of oceanic water fowl. There wasn't a moment when the air northeast of their location didn't have a constant flock of seagulls flitting about, or the shoreline occupied with the frenetic pitter-patter of sand pipers.
Due south of this, a series of spherical islands gathered about in a veritable sneeze of sand and sediment. Rainbow even spotted a long strip of shallow earth that—from her vantage point—looked like it could have been either above water or underneath... or maybe both. She assumed that it depended on the particular time of day, or else the mood of the ocean currents. Whatever the case, it eventually led to the thick northeast edge of the southwest land strip she was currently hovering over. The atoll in its entirety was hardly a perfect circle. If nothing else, it almost resembled the outline of a stout mushroom, with Rainbow Dash hovering at the base of the stalk and looking into an ever-ballooning body of water. What's more, it was—without a doubt—the deepest, bluest, and cleanest ocean water she had ever seen in her life.
“This place would certainly give Sinrar a field day,” Twilight murmured, gawking from their lofty height.
“Meh.” Rainbow shrugged. “Whatever keeps the cantankerous dude busy.” She glanced down just in time to realize that Nick and Theanim Mane were trotting into the edge of a Nealend settlement. On brisk wings, she descended, floating alongside the two stallions as they entered a village built several tree-lines away from the southern tip of the Atoll's central lagoon.
Here, the southwest landstrip took on a whole new life of its own. The forest gave way to buildings and elongated shelters, but because most of the structures were over three stories tall and thicker at the top, they provided just about as much shade as the forest itself. As a matter of fact, both Rainbow and Twilight were surprised at the complexity of the Nealend architecture. Most buildings had second-story walkways connecting with one another, forming a complicated yet utilitarian network of habitats. Several of the buildings were even crafted out of thick stone masonry.
“This was not what I expected,” Nick stuttered.
“Well, what did you expect?” Theanim Mane glanced over his shoulder, adjusting the weight of his camera bag. “Wooden huts and mud bricks?”
“Well... y-yeah.” Nick gulped. “Honestly.”
“The Nealend Atoll rests right off a very busy trade route,” Theanim explained. “They've had visitors like you and me for generations and generations. So of course they're gonna be exposed to Continentalist techniques in masonry. Heh... just because they're a culture of ruffians doesn't mean they're complete idiots. Like anypony, they've learned to adapt.”
“Their fashion statement hasn't,” Nick grumbled.
Just then, a pair of shaved stallions shuffled by, pausing to bark, “Hey! Newcomers! Who should we cook first?!”
Nick paled instantly. “What... wh-what do you...?!”
“Hah hah hah!” One stallion slapped Nick's back as he and his buddy trotted off towards the lagoon. “Silly land walkers! Whoop!”
“Hahahahah!”
Nick could only grimace.
“Mrrmmmf...” Theanim glared ahead as they passed through the heart of the village. “As you can see, the Nealend sense of humor leaves something to be desired.”
“I dunno.” Rainbow shrugged, smirking slightly. “I thought it was funny.”
“You would,” Twilight muttered.
“Pffft.” Rainbow whispered aside. “Really, Twilight. This place just screams Durandana to me.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. Only... erm...” Rainbow fidgeted in mid-air, glancing around. “These guys obviously have a more practical method of getting wet.”
A series of bald fillies and colts scrambled past the group, chasing after a little red ball. Mothers and elders gathered around smoking kilns, chattering as they relished the constant scent of smoked fish. Even older ponies congregated in the shade of lofty balconies above the tiny courtyards. Despite their age and sun-bleached wrinkles, a distinct layer of contentment hung off their muzzles.
The air of the village was filled with mirth and chatter—and no small amount of booming laughter. There was something positively electric about the little cluster of Nealend culture, and Rainbow wasn't anywhere near running out of things to gawk at. Ponies with well-toned muscles gathered in tight clusters, engaging in sparring contests, lazy conversations, and a hazy mixture of the two. Every single native had their manes and tails completely shaved—no matter the species: earth pony, pegasus, or unicorn. With the addition of the fact that they were all so athletically built, Rainbow and Twilight were both having sudden difficulty telling the stallions apart from the mares, at least at first glance. It certainly didn't help that every Nealender spoke in a uniform accent of deep bass exhalations and euphoric guffaws. Several of the locals glanced at Rainbow and Nick, but didn't seem particularly distracted. Once Theanim had led the newcomers deeper into the heart of the village, the reason for this became quite clear.
“Aaaaaaand here we are,” Theanim said, gesturing dramatically at a particularly old building, constructed like a curved crescent—including its long shattered window frames of varying height. “Once upon a time, this was a Rohbredden trade outpost and visitor center. Now?” He gave a mixed sigh. “It's more or less the 'land walker ghetto.'”
“I think that much speaks for itself,” Nick said, grimacing at the moldy rooftop tangled with jungle vines. His head tilted down, and he spotted long shiny manes for the first time. “Hello hello.”
A group of mares and stallions looked up from a circle of moldy chairs where they sat about, fanning themselves and battling the tropical heat.
“Theanim! You're in one piece!” A stallion stood up, wiping his brow as he gazed across a stretch of bricklaid floor pockmarked with seedy grass. “We heard the hunters hollering and boasting in song. We feared the beast had attacked while you were out photographing.”
“Ultimo did return, but all I suffered was a veritable dousing from its wake.”
“Verlaxion's Sleet!” A mare shook her head, frowning. “This is why you should stay inland, Mr. Mane! The worst you'll ever have to worry about here is a slap on the shoulder!”
“I'd say it was more than worth it,” Theanim said, turning towards the two newcomers. “Look who I found?”
“Ah... what a blessing and a curse all at once...” An old unicorn stood up, hobbling towards the group while telekinetically fanning himself. “A blessing that you're alive. A curse that you have to endure the heat along with the rest of us.” He smiled. “Nevertheless, welcome. You needn't worry about the locals. The Nealenders can be a rowdy bunch, but unless you're a fish that stands to be gutted, they're perfectly harmless.”
“I'm... kinda getting that vibe,” Rainbow Dash said, nodding. “I'm Rainbow Dash, freelance awesomeneer.”
Twilight giggled.
Rainbow smirked, then pointed aside. “This purple-eyed dudical here is called Nick.”
“Hello hello.” Nick reached a hoof forward, smiling bashfully. “A pleasure to meet you all. Is everypony really stuck here?”
“Erm... yes.” The old stallion hesitated slightly before shaking the youngster's hoof. “All because of that blasted monster.” He squinted. “Quite the western accent you have, my little pony.” He arched a graying eyebrow. “Colonialist?”
“Erm...” Nick gulped. “Yes?”
A mare chuckled from the group of sitting foreigners. “No reason to feel bad. We're all ponies here.”
“I-I would hope as much,” Nick said with a nervous smile.
“Yes, besides...” Theanim grumbled. “The truly Colonialist soul is back by the shoreline, minding their crashed trimaran.”
“Wuh oh.” A pegasus stood up, smirking Theanim's way. “Who'd you get into an argument with this time, Mr. Mane?”
“Mrmmfff... Kihutajan, born and raised. I can even smell the soulless Academy pouring out of his chapped lips.”
“Hahahahahah... but of course.”
“Hey...” Nick blushed, trying in futility to summon an angry frown. “What's wrong with the K.M.C.A?”
“Don't let Theanim Mane's passion upset you, gentlecolt,” another stallion said. “There are, in fact, several Colonialists stranded on this island as well.” He squirmed slightly. “Though they don't... particularly enjoy hanging out here in the village.”
“Also due to Theanim Mane.”
“Hahahaha!”
“Hoo boy...” Nick rolled his eyes. “This will be fun.”
Rainbow rested a hoof on the stallion's shoulder, then glanced at the others. “I... uh... have a lot of questions about this place, and I don't really think the Nealenders are willing to chat as much as you guys.”
“Well, we very well may have a bunch of answers for you,” the old unicorn said. He glanced curiously at the pegasus' mane, and then her pendant. “Though... we could use a few answers of our own.”
“If you must know, I'm not exactly from around here,” Rainbow said.
“We could have guessed that!” one mare exclaimed. “I must say, darling, I love what you've done with your mane.”
“Heh...” Rainbow smirked. “You can thank nature for that.”
“Surely, you jest.”
“Where's this mare from, Theanim?”
“Erm...” Theanim slid his goggles further over his brown mane. “I... haven't had the grace to find out.”
“I bet you're an easterner!” One pegasus said. “With wings that thick, I bet you'd be good for island hopping along the Falls!”
“The... Falls...?” Rainbow blinked.
“Why... yes!” He blinked back. “At the Edge, my dear.”
“The Edge of what?”
“...the Edge of Everything, of course.”
Rainbow's lips pursed. She and Twilight exchanged gawking glances. “Uhhhh...” She looked at the group again. “You've actually been to the Edge of the World?”
The group as a whole looked at each other funny, Theanim Mane included.
“Why, naturally,” one mare said. “A good few of us have. It's customary for every pony born in Rohbredden to make the pilgrimage.”
“Pilgrimage?”
A stallion smiled. “So we can witness first-hoof the oblivion that Verlaxion—in all of her infinite wisdom—has preserved the Six Tribes from.”
“A totally pointless waste of money and resources,” Nick muttered under his breath, eye rolling.
“You would think that,” Theanim grumbled.
“Now now, settle down, everypony,” the old unicorn said. “We're going to be living with these new ponies here for a while. There's no point in not making them feel welcome.”
“I wouldn't mind getting to know this place as much as I can,” Rainbow said. “First thing's first...” She lowered down to her hooves at last. “...can you all tell me about the whirlpool that was once here?”
Exposition time!
So.
The edge
Seems pretty close.
How edgy.
Oh man, she's almost there.
So, now that the Pinkie Pie expy is gone, we get Rarity 2.0?
No mention of Rainbow dash ghost friends?
Well, either she's getting better at being discrete with her crazy, or Theanim just takes it in stride.
5956601
She didn't even get a name. Pretty sure Rarity 2.0 will be one of the shortest lived characters in the series, and will never be mentioned again.
Until IC reads this and gives her a name, backstory and makes her join the Jury, just cause.
5956614
>Shortest lived
>Proceeds to have a heart attack.
5956614
...
You're mean.
I didn't think I was going to like it here as much as I am. I wonder what this old gentle
mancolt's name is?5956587
i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/666/360/9ba.jpg
Related and required.
5956617
The cause of the heart attack was apparently some form of awesomeness overdose.
And then we'll get the tragic backstory about her and her negligent and dedicated navy admiral father. Upon hearing news of his daughters death, he snaps and goes on an increasingly demented quest to destroy rainbow dash, and everything she holds dear.
5956620
This group isn't exactly noble, is it?
Swiss Family Robinson, by Johann Wyss.
Etymology related to Disney imagineer?
About frigging time.
Soooo... about these "Falls" to the east? Is it the edge of the world, or just the edge of these ponies' "known world". I would not be surprised to find out that Verlax has such a hold on these ponies that they can't even escape their borders; but, because of a weird "so enslaved they think they're free" thing, they wouldn't even question if there was anything beyond their borders.
I bet it's too much to ask for the Nealand Atoll to be comprised of twelve different islands in a circle.
Finally, the actual edge of the plane.
But Rainbow, your way of getting wet is much more fun.
Also, I'm sure I'm not the only one who thought of the book (in Eljunbyro) that had a description of the edge of the world.
5956652
wallpoper.com/images/00/17/29/95/abstract-fractal_00172995.jpg
Any commenters part of the Austraeoh Skype Group?
The whirlpool. It was wet, spinny, noisy and round. Now it's gone.
5956620
Also, I have no idea what to call this group. Suggestions are welcome.
5956678
I liked The Lunar Ninth, someone came up with it as an anagram of Inanhluutr.
I'm with Dash, I like the Nealanders. They seem awesome. Hopefully they don't have some dark secret.
-Memories given light, ease a lonely flight. Ynanhluutr.
Even just off a trade route, those masonry structures must have been expensive to build out here. That's a long way to haul stone & brick when you could be hauling a more valuable cargo.
I suppose if ships were traveling in ballast to the Nealand Atoll and taking on cargo there, they could turn a profit on the outward trip if they hauled or brick suitable for construction. I can't think of anything the island would produce in sufficient volume that wouldn't be cheaper to get elsewhere, though.
5956687
The lurkers support you in upvotes.
... maybe we need a poll?
5956687
5956709
Hmm, a poll implies that there are other candidates.
In honor of the Swan Song, how about "Ship Co."
They ship it.
Hmmm...I wonder about Ultimo, now that she brings up the glowing fangs/jaw/whatever again. I can't help but think of the Disney Atlantis film, in particular, the Leviathan. In that movie, it seemed to be a sea creature, shaped like a great big lobster, but it was actually a war machine, one that would destroy any vessel that came near to the entrance to Atlantis. Mayhaps Ultimo is the same thing? A defense system of sorts for an exposed piece of the Machine Realm?
Also, we finally meet someone who has been to the edge! Capital! I do hope we get to have some exposition of the Falls area.
Finally, I am curious about these Falls. If the water is constantly falling off the edge, would the sea of Urohringr not eventually fall tremendously? That is, unless it is recycling this falling water somehow.
5956655
And to think it only took two million words to get there...
or, rather, close to it. Not there yet.
Answers, as well as the first direct, tangible evidence of the imminent edge of the world.
Achievement Unlocked: Lord of the Fillies - Meet the locals of the Nealand Atoll
Snerk.
Well, at least there is something that passes for civilization all the way out to the edge
5956754
This has always been my problem with "Flat Earthers". Yep, not that fact that we've seen the Earth from friggin' space, but "Where does the water go?"
5956666
There's a skype group?
5956676
May it now find peace and tranquility
Ouch.
I'm wondering if IC is getting the idea for this part of the world from playing Civ 5, and just using a randomly generated archipelago map.
5956666 I don't think they've been commenting much since early Urohringr late ordsjot. (that's when I stopped reading comments for the most part due to lack of any deep insight)
Twilight's fun facts. That Rainbow doesn't particularly care for.
And we meet the group. Okay, a group. Mr. Mane seems to be an effective deterrent.
So, they think Rainbow is a pegasus who lives on the edge? How right they are, unfortunately in a completely different meaning than what they meant
5956778 Supposedly there is one. But no one I've talked to is part of it.
5956806 Pilate founded it, and I know he's still reading the story.
5956778
cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/59412824.jpg
But more seriously, they never said anything about which way the water was falling.
Maybe it works like an ocean current, and cycles water back into the bottom of the ocean.
oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/facts/currents.jpg
5956778
5956823
https://www.fimfiction.net/group/1477/austraeoh/thread/5168/group-skype-chat
5956778
5956754
The water that falls from the other side fills the space of the one that fell first. Obviously.
5956831
That's still a thing?
5956855
In that it still exists in cyberspace, yes.
Ooh, that's the most tangible mention of the edge (or, the Edge) we've had so far. This is definitely going to be interesting, if they talk about it.
-Spirit (Yeast and Treacle)
True. But not as fun.
5956687 *raises hand* That was me.
5956855 And I did it in the Skype group, because yes, that is a thing. You should join.
I'm still shocked that Rainbow knows the word cantankerous and that she used it correctly. She must have been training and leveling up her vocabulary skills with Twilight.
5957097 There was that one time several chapters ago where Dashie was confirmed for secret Brit.
5956676
i.imgur.com/8uhzOx2.png
Going over the charts, I just realised that there are over eight hundred little scootangels spread over the comment section of the Austraeoh Saga.
5957036
Yeah... I should.
I'll look into that, at some point.
5957133 We'd love to have you there. That some point must be a soon point!
That was so horrible it wasn't even a pun. I'm sorry.
Here Rainbow Dash goes through sweat, blood, tears, countless near-death experiences, and a heartache to get to the Edge of the World, only to find out later that there are ponies who make traditional trips to the damn place and act very casual about it.
Come to think of it, isn't RD's journey to east basically a pilgrimage? Kinda, sort of?
5957133 I've stopped commenting 100 chapters ago. Are you telling me I could be the official #1 if I didn't?
....that's it, no matter if I actually have anything to say, from now on it's personal.
i.ytimg.com/vi/u1HGdWUn838/hqdefault.jpg
5957347
Oh, Nevy! I thought you were dead.
Well, you are, technically, but you know what I mean.
That used to be serious trading if they can bring enough ballast cobbles and blocks to build stone walls of Eddystone Lighthouse ability to withstand waves 8 foot higher than the island and screaming typhoon winds for so many years withut maintenance.
Best reason everyne lives on the second floor, the first floor is water.
Ultimo arrived, whirlpol vanished.
It ate the key?
So close...