//------------------------------// // Every Piece of You Matters // Story: Utaan // by Imploding Colon //------------------------------// "If I may interrject, fairr prrincesses," Kepler spoke boldly over the thunder as he guided the Stardust along. "Ahem..." Rainbow smirked mildly into the air. "The Royal Court recognizes the most esteemed Sir Kepler of Wyvern Point." The Heraldite adjusted his bifocals and mused out loud: "One cannot deny that therre is a state of chaos situated within the essence of Rrainbow Dash, the Austrraeoh. Howeverr, be that as it may, one could easily conclude from prresent cirrcumstances that it is herr indomitable spirrit of harrmony—everr incrreasing with each leg of herr jourrney—that is herr prredominant trrait." Pinkie Pie smiled at the other ghostly mares. "I wonder if her rolls R's when he burps." "A fine compliment indeed, Mr. Kepler, and one that my sister and I whole-heartedly agree with," Princess Celestia's voice echoed over the waves. "Might I ask what you are attempting to suggest by it?" "Simply that it does not seem charracterristic of the nebulous devices currently at play to drraw the sparrk of Urohringr all the way to the Midnight Armory—only to bang herr head against an immovable doorr in the end." Kepler's tusks glinted from the distant lightning. "The Mountain Matrron—blessed Morrtuana—had boundless faith in the Rrainbow One. This was no byprroduct of alicorrn senility; Morrtuana had studied the ancient texts concerrning the Angels forr generrations beforre rrealizing the necessity of harrmonic enerrgies in guiding the Austrraeoh to theirr destined task." "I think we're all in agreement, Kepler, dude," Rainbow Dash said, nodding towards the splashing waves off the bow. "Thanks to all of the Yaerfaerda beacons, I'll actually be able to do something when I reach the doors of the Armory." "It's farr morre spectacularr than that, dearr frriend." Kepler smiled calmly. "The harrmonic enerrgy is imporrtant, yes. Howeverr, you would not have had the opporrtunity to acquirre all of the essences of the alicorrns' prrecious Elements had you not been polluted by chaos to begin with." "Huh?" Rainbow blinked. "I think I get what he's saying, Rainbow," Twilight Sparkle remarked. "Think about it." Rainbow looked aside. "Think about what?" "Well... Discord was the Lord of Chaos, right? So... he reawakens... turns Equestria upside down... attempts to make Ponyville the capital of Chaos... then flat-out robs each of us of the Elements of Harmony." She held a hoof over her chest. "I find the Elements, attempt the use them, they... er... b-backfire..." She gulped hard. "...you show up. Put on the last remaining Element. Destroy Discord... and absorb his essence." "Is there a reason for this depressing exposition that we all already know about?" "Put it into a grand perspective, darling!" Rarity floated closer. "Your absorption of chaos and your unassuming quest for harmony are both one in the same!" "Seems to me you'd never would left Ponyville to begin with if ya hadn't smashed Discord to bits," Applejack said. "Yeah. But only because he destroyed you guys." Twilight looked guiltily aside. "Well..." "He destroyed you guys," Rainbow said, frowning. "And I could never forgive him for that. There was no way in heck that I'd settle for his statue standing around in one piece." "But we know now that becoming the sole bearer of the surviving Element of Loyalty meant something, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy remarked. "It meant that you would be a vessel for harmony as well as chaos." "In fact..." Pinkie Pie hopped in mid-air. "...you'd be six times more full of Harmony than you'd be of chaos! Six versus one! That's almost like the last time the hoofball players from Germane took on Brayzil!" Rainbow Dash exhaled. "Yeah... well... the chaos is still there..." "True. But... it would appear to be killing you far slower now," Rarity said, smiling nervously. "R-right...?" "Care to include us in your conversation with Twilight and the others, Rainbow?" Celestia coyly inquired. "Ahem..." Rainbow looked towards the heavens. "The chaos from Discord that I absorbed will always be a part of me... won't it?" There was no reply at first. Then Luna spoke: "Presumably, yes. However... it is quite possible that the sheer power of the Harmonic Prism—once in your possession—could overpower the element of chaos by such an overwhelming degree that it would render its influence over you moot." "Then what? I could... like... take off my pendant without fear of mutating into a murderous freak'n'stuff?" "Difficult to say, my child. If I was to postulate, then I suspect that the only true way to completely rid yourself of the disease of chaos is to bring the power of the Elements back where everything began." "By that... you mean carrying the Harmonic Prism back to Ponyville." "Precisely. And by restoring the Elements..." "...I'd be restoring my friends." Rainbow Dash gulped. "And... hopefully... myself." "Such is an arduous task. No doubt you are—on some level—ambitiously enthused by it." "Heh..." Rainbow Dash smirked devilishly. "You know me too well, Your Majesty." "Believe you me, Rainbow," Spike's voice said. "It's something we're all super-looking-forward-to." "Yeah... well..." Rainbow took a shuddering breath. "...let's not count our rubies before they're eaten." A pause... and then Twilight's former assistant muttered: "Wouldn't it hurt to have some faith in yourself?" "I'm just a tad bit freaked out over this whole 'trials of the Midnight Armory' thing." Rainbow Dash made a face. "If the only way to get the Harmonic Prism is to pass through a crazy brain barrier that's only accessible by immortal alicorn minds, then what hope does a chaos-infected pegasus got?" "You've got the other Element Bearers with you, Rainbow! Even in spirit form, your harmonic possession is—" "Yeah, but the chaos crud is still there. How will I know it won't... like... choke-slam me the moment I pass through the open doors of the Armory? Assuming I can pass through." Kepler interjected from the uppermost deck. "You hold much faith in the alicorrns and theirr magics—as you should. Howeverr..." He cocked his hairy head to the side. "...do not forrget that you arre purrposed as much by the powerrs of Austrraeoh." "Yeah? And what's that mean in this scenario?" "I suspect that it means—Rrainbow One—that you arre meant to possess such a minute element of chaos. In fact... you werre likely always meant to possess it... through a mechanism that is olderr and farr morre complicated than any of the devices wielded by the flock of alicorrns who firrst landed on this plane." Kepler bowed to the heavens. "No offense, Rroyal Ones..." "No offense taken," Princess Celestia said. "And I do see where your friend is coming from, Rainbow Dash. And if there is truth to the theory, I am afraid that Princess Luna and I cannot help you." "Oh?" "Because they're not the experts on Urohringr, Rainbow," Twilight whispered. "This is not our Princesses' world. In fact... it never was." Rainbow nodded, her ruby eyes scanning the golden haze pointing them east. "I guess the only pony who's gonna figure it all out... is me..." She gulped. "When I get to the Midnight Armory." "I do wish we could be of better assistance to you in this matter," Princess Luna said. "Hey. It's all good." Rainbow took a breath and glanced skyward. "In the meantime, there's something else you could maybe help me with." "And what is that, Rainbow Dash?" Rainbow's eyes narrowed. "How in the heck am I going to survive the sarosians on the Dark Side?"