//------------------------------// // The Eternal Furnace XVIII // Story: Rainbow Dash's Unstoppable Ego // by MagicS //------------------------------// A bonfire burned in front of the great door that separated the lower and upper levels of the city. After some debate the ponies had agreed to start it for some heat, fearing the cold far more than they feared running out of air. Even then the heat from the fire couldn’t do everything and the cold surrounding the ponies down here was still encroaching on them. Despite being huddled up and the fire growing in size the more things were torn up and thrown on it from the buildings in the promenade, the cold coming in through the floor and the walls was overpowering. It was nothing more than a delaying tactic really. And it made their breathable air situation worse. Double Duty, Acid Rain, Frayed Wire, Nut, Soot Mane, Night Reader, and Brilliant Star were all sitting on the inner edge of the large bonfire circle. They watched the flames together and basked in its heat while others constantly shifted about or conversed around them. Silver Tooth and the rest of the Black Hoofs were stuck on the outer edge alone. The gang leaders had nothing to say or do anymore, they had done their part and attempted all they could when it came to comforting and supporting all the ponies down here. Everyone was pretty much out of ideas on what else they could do. This temporary fix was all they had. Night Reader and Brilliant Star were leaning into each other for extra warmth and comfort but they too didn’t have much in them when it came to hope or other ideas. And now everyone was starting to get a little hungry. “Does… does anyone have any good ideas for passing the time?” Soot Mane suddenly asked their group, the Diesel King unable to take the boredom anymore. “A game to play or any stories to tell?” “I want to go out and fly around or do something but I know we should be conserving energy,” Acid Rain grumbled. “I’m not in the mood for talking,” Double Duty said, frowning at the bonfire. “I wouldn’t mind something like that but I can’t think of anything myself,” Frayed Wire said. “Never really been into games or that kind of stuff but I guess we could use the fun right now.” “Suppose some of us could travel back to the casino and at least pick up a deck of cards or two?” Nut suggested. “Maybe,” Acid Rain nodded. “It’s not a bad idea or anything. Tables probably can’t be transported though.” “I just wish...” Brilliant Star suddenly said and all the gang ponies, and her husband, looked over at her. “I just wish that when things changed here and Resin took over that she didn’t make sure all our old books and everything weren’t taken away and thrown into the furnaces. We had cookbooks, and albums, and diaries, and storybooks too. But now it’s all gone.” There was a moment of silence between them all as they shared in the memories and remembered what had been taken from them. Night Reader grimaced awkwardly and hugged his wife closer after a minute. “We’ll get it all back someday, or at least be able to set the way for our children.” “If this door ever gets opened,” Double Duty pessimistically mused. “It will be,” Nut frowned and stated strongly to him. “There’s no way Rainbow Dash will let us down at this point after everything else. I think Frayed Wire and I know that best, right?” She looked at her comrade. He looked surprised but nodded after a second. “Um, well yes, of course. Not to say I don’t have doubts or worries of my own or anything but I know she’s definitely trying her best to help us. Even if she’s having trouble up there for whatever reason there’s no way she’d abandon us.” “I didn’t say she was either, but she could’ve easily been captured by Resin at this point or from the very beginning,” Double Duty said. “Well there’s no reason to get negative about it and make us all feel worse even if that’s the case,” Soot Mane frowned. “Fine, fine, I get it,” Double Duty waved his hoof around. “Weren’t we going to go get some cards or something?” Acid Rain nodded. “Yes, and I’ll go too, I really need to stretch my wings.” “The rest of us aren’t going anywhere,” Nut said and lied down on the metal floor, her chin pointed at the bonfire as she watched it. Acid Rain and Soot Mane both left soon after, grabbing a unicorn Diesel King and bringing her along with them for a light, and went back to the Black Hoof’s casino. It was going to be a cold and quiet trip but at least it would end up providing some fun and entertainment for everyone once they got back. Neither of them just wanted to sit around doing nothing either, if no one even had a story to tell or anecdote to pass the time then this was better even if they would be freezing in a moment. So while those three left to do their thing the remaining ponies on the inner circle of the fire did their best to keep their spirits up while they waited. Not an easy thing to do especially for ones who had already been broken for so long but they tried. “Do you remember what your favorite story was as a filly?” Night Reader asked his wife. “It was a picture book, the kind that popped up when you opened it,” Brilliant Star said. Night Reader smiled. “What was it called?” “The Rambunctious Little Furnace. It was a story about a living furnace that wanted to gobble up more and more wood and coal and anything really so it could burn as hot and strongly as possible. It ran all over the city looking for and stealing anything it could get in its mouth, burning it up and sending smoke everywhere,” Brilliant Star said, a small smile tugging at her lips. “I remember my father reading it to me and showing off the pictures.” “I… I had that book too as a foal,” Double Duty suddenly said while trying to conceal a blush on his cheeks. “My mother was the one who read it to me though...” Brilliant Star smiled warmly and sat up straighter. “I know the whole story by heart, does anyone mind if I recite it?” “I don’t think anyone will have a problem with that. In fact it should calm everyone’s nerves,” Double Duty said as he looked over at the others. “This coming from the one who was making everyone else nervous the most?” Frayed Wire said, though there was a grin in his voice. “I’m well aware...” Double Duty frowned. “Don’t let him tease you like that,” Nut said and playfully bopped Frayed Wire on the shoulder. She then looked over at Brilliant Star and smiled. “I’d love to hear you tell the story too.” By the time Brilliant Star started telling the story more ponies had gathered around to listen to it. Everyone was silent and listening in intently as one of their childhood stories was related back to them, even if they didn’t remember it or read it when young. It was such a simple thing to take comfort in, it almost carried with it the nostalgic joy of a parent helping them to sleep soundly, making them feel happy and warm after a long day. She started fairly quiet at first but her voice grew in confidence the longer she went on until she was really getting into the story, using voices and inflection and even moving around and waving her hooves as she told it. Much to the delight of everyone. They all needed this sort of happy distraction while the cold, stale air, and hunger settled around them and the bonfire. All of that was forgotten as Brilliant Star got more and more into her story. She had been telling it so long and so vividly that no one even noticed when Acid Rain, Soot Mane, and their dragged along unicorn came back with a couple decks of playing cards. Those three ended up getting caught up in the story as well. By the time Brilliant Star was done she was actually sweating a little and fairly tired, but she had a big smile on her face and was being cheered at by everyone for helping to brighten things up. “That was a great job,” Night Reader said as he affectionately nuzzled and hugged his wife. “Thank you,” she responded with a blush. “I’m surprised how much I got into it… and everyone else too.” “Well it was a good story, can’t blame us,” Double Duty grumbled in an effort to not show any embarrassment. It was kind of a failure. Soot Mane suddenly pushed back between them. “Er, we’re back too. Made it in the middle of the story. We have some cards if anyone wants to play… or if everyone wants to listen to another story, I’m fine with that too.” It was clear from the crowd that they wanted stories right now. “Um, okay...” Brilliant Star somewhat hesitantly acquiesced. “There are some more I know that I can tell to pass the time. I hope I can tell them all just as good.” “I don’t think you need to worry about that,” Night Reader reassured her. “Yeah, bring on the story!” Nut cheered. “Alright, alright, settle down everyone and get quiet so she can actually tell another one,” Frayed Wire said with a genuine grin on his face. “What he said,” Double Duty couldn’t hold back a chuckle at it all. “Missed the beginning of the first story after all, don’t want to miss the next one,” Acid Rain said. After catching her breath, Brilliant Star got ready to tell the next story. She stood in front of the bonfire as if all the other ponies were a real audience who had come to see a show. It made her feel good—it made them all feel good. This was something the ponies down here could enjoy together and by golly were they going to enjoy it. Even if the worst happened they could at least go happily. Luckily for them all, things were finally looking up. A heavy metal sound came from the gargantuan door as if huge gears were turning inside and around it. The entire assembly of ponies turned to face it as the airtight seal of the door broke and it began to rise from the floor. Light, warmth, air, it all started to rush in from the crack of the open door and more and more came in as it rose higher. The ponies from the lower levels had to turn away thanks to the light almost blinding them after they adjusted to the near darkness for hours previously. But they could still feel the return of warmth and how comforting it was, still breathe in air so much easier now. When the eyes of the gang leaders and other leaders of the group adjusted they looked beyond the rising door to see a figure standing there. She was standing straight and proud, managing to look strong and in control despite the dirt and grime on her body and the ragged state she was in. Piercing eyes gazed out over everyone and they all couldn’t help but look right back at her. Everyone was in a state of shock until the door finally opened all the way and freedom and salvation had been brought to the ponies of below. Rainbow Dash smirked as she saw them all, her eyes picking out ponies like Double Duty, Night Reader, Soot Mane, and the others she knew. “You guys doing alright?” Frayed Wire couldn’t help but laugh. “I think—I think we are now.” “You really did it, huh?” Acid Rain asked, an almost unbelieving smile on his face. “Sort of,” Rainbow Dash rubbed the back of her head. “Things aren’t finished with Resin, not by a longshot, but you guys are all at least okay now. In fact, you should all really come over to this side now.” “You heard her!” Double Duty shouted. “Everyone, go to the other side of the door! But do it calmly! We don’t need any stampeding or trampling going on.” “Anyone who’s part of one of the gangs stick with your leader and come over to me after everyone else is safely through!” Dash called out as well. Thankfully despite the intense fear so many had been feeling earlier they had been calmed enough where it didn’t become a madhouse as soon as the door was opened. The civilian ponies made their way calmly out of the promenade and into the rooms leading out of it, it was cramped since there was such a huge sea of them but the deeper they went the more room they’d have to spread out. Once they were in and it was just the gang ponies and leaders left Rainbow Dash could tell them the situation and what the plan was. On their way by her, Night Reader and Brilliant Star both gave a brief smile and thank you. Rainbow Dash was already feeling really good now. Double Duty, Frayed Wire, Acid Rain, Nut, Soot Mane, and Cast Iron now too all stood in front of Rainbow Dash with the assorted minions and lower-ranking members of the gangs behind them. Silver Tooth and the Black Hoofs were “politely” nudged to go along with the other ponies. Rainbow Dash took a moment to look everyone over before she started pacing in front of them. “So to put things bluntly—we just need to get to the top of the city and change where the power is going.” Rainbow Dash told them. “The only problem is the whole security force is going to be against us and Resin has a bunch of these metal monsters that she can sic on us too.” “So Resin really did completely shut off power to the lower levels? She’s trying to kill us?” Frayed Wire asked. Rainbow Dash nodded glumly. “Yeah, I’m sorry to say but that was her plan and it’s kind of my fault that it went like this.” “I think something terrible like this was going to happen at some point anyways,” Double Duty shrugged. “That’s not all though,” Rainbow said. “What?” Nut asked while the others looked on at Rainbow for elaboration. “She’s had the security team use the fail-safe system on all the nonessential parts of the city and been jettisoning them off the mountain. Crush was doing that until just recently,” she told them. “Wait, what? How much of the city has been lost?” Double Duty asked, shocked. “I’m not totally sure but probably everywhere that isn’t super important on the top few levels,” Rainbow Dash shook her head. “But there’s some good new about that in a way. Crush is… dead. Don’t ask me about it but he’s dead, and he was the only one who had the keys and everything to jettison the parts of the city. So at least that’s going to stop.” Frayed Wire snorted. “Good riddance if you ask me.” Rainbow Dash winced but she wasn’t going to make an issue of it. They didn’t know, and they didn’t have the time to talk about it anyways. “Our city is going to be irrevocably changed from all this though,” Acid Rain muttered. “It’ll still be our city though. We should focus on taking it back from Resin now,” Nut said. “Nut’s right,” Rainbow Dash nodded. “So here’s what we’re going to do. It’s gonna sound simple, straight-forward, and maybe even kind of stupid but that’s just how I do things. I’m not some genius strategist you know? We’re going to storm to the very top of this city where the command center and ceremonial flame are, Resin would never abandon it, and we’re going to take it over. I don’t know how much we’re going to have to get through but I’m planning to go and try and destroy the flame, that should distract Resin and force her to use some of her strength to defend it. Meanwhile you guys can shut off the fuel line to the flame and redistribute power equally everywhere. Careful though, those metal animal monster things she has are really dangerous. But just leave Resin to me.” Rainbow Dash had other reasons for wanting to handle Resin herself. She wanted to do it for Crush, to make sure Resin wasn’t hurt or treated too badly whether or not she deserved it. Things had been bad here enough. Resin didn’t need to be made to suffer too, but Dash knew the other ponies here wouldn’t think twice about doing that. “Then let’s get to it already! We can’t just stand around like this anymore!” Double Duty said. “Yeah!” Acid Rain and Frayed Wire both yelled. “Good,” Rainbow Dash grinned, things were fine for now. “Then let’s get up there and take this city back together!”