//------------------------------// // "Destiny is Destiny," Quoth the Rainbow // Story: Ynanhluutr // by Imploding Colon //------------------------------// “The good news is...” Nick paced around the lopsided body of the trimaran in the morning light. “...the Swan Song can be salvaged. Mr. Theanim Mane says that his friends' ships have been smashed to bits months ago. Only, they still... more or less have those bits. Long story short, I've got the material I need to weld together the missing parts of the Swan Song's hull. I can make her totally seaworthy again!” “Get on to the bad news, enfant!” Sinrar frowned. “Every minute I stand here without a cane is agony.” “Well, maybe I should take my sweet time, then,” Nick said with a smile. “If I'm to be buried from pain and atrophy, then I'm taking you withme,” Sinrar snarled. “Right, then!” Nick swiveled around. “The bad news is...” He pointed out at the ocean. “That freakin' sea serpent is still out there! I can get the Swan Song fixed up, but I doubt she'll be as fast as she used to be. I'd have to have a lot more professional tools at my disposal in order to bring the trimaran back to top speed. So, in other words, we're even worse off than we were before in terms of wanting to outrun Ultimo.” “So, we're in the same spot as we were in last night,” Sinrar said. “We're stranded.” “Looks like it,” Nick remarked. “Unless Rainbow has come up with an awesome plan.” He turned about, eyes bright. “Rainbow...?” The mare hovered alongside Twilight, her eyes scanning the edge of the southernmost island where the Swan Song had been stranded. “The Nealenders used to have a fully intact Shard of Verlaxion in the very heart of the lagoon.” “Hrmmmf!” Sinrar rolled his eyes. “More like a giant turd of arrogance!” “Call it what you want,” Rainbow muttered. “It's real and it's glowy and it's there.” She gulped. “Most of it, at least. A sizable chunk has been bitten out by Ultimo. If it's returned, then I'm willing to guess that the shard will return to its former glory. Energy will return, magic will be restored, and the whirlpool that was once centered in this lagoon will appear again.” “Yes, but to what purpose?” Nick said. “Doesn't look like this lagoon needs a whirlpool.” “The way I see it, if there's a whirlpool... then that means that there'd be access to what's underneath the shard... and what's underneath the lagoon in turn,” Rainbow said. “That could finally get me access to the First Seed... the very reason we came here to begin with.” “Yes, but that dastardly leviathan out there has the shard in its jaws,” Sinrar said. “How do you intend to bring Verlaxion's poisoned gift back to full functionality?” “It's... uh... rather simple,” Rainbow said. “I get the shard back.” “... … … from the beast.” “Right.” Silence. Nick cleared his throat. “I wonder if your friend Twilight has a plan, Rainbow?” Rainbow sighed, rubbing a hoof over her face. Twilight spoke. “Admittedly, they could use a bit more motivation, Rainbow.” Rainbow muttered aside, “More like a mallet to the skull.” Sinrar and Nick arched their eyebrows simultaneously. “Rainbow...” Twilight chided. “It's not like either of them can really help me with the matter. The trimaran's busted, and even if Nick can get it fixed, it won't be fast enough to match Ultimo. The kid even said so himself.” “The two of them never signed up for this. You're used to adventure, so you have to find a way to make this worth their while.” “... … ...” Rainbow rubbed her chin. At last, she spoke to the pair: “There's more to the shard in the lagoon than the power of Verlaxion.” “I'd say,” Sinrar huffed. “Let me finish.” Rainbow raised a hoof. “The magical substance is filled with something else. Something I recognized.” Her jaw went tight. “Chaos metal.” Nick squinted. “Chaos metal?” “There's a reason why you've never heard of it,” Rainbow said. “And I suspect it's because Verlaxion—with her grand resources—has scoured Rohbredden and the seas for the stuff. Why she's chosen to imbue her special ice shards with the material? I've no clue. But...” She pointed out into the ocean. “...anything that's continuously exposed to the substance, no matter how small, eventually goes batpoop crazy... and freaky.” “You mean the Ultimo of the Nealend seas can get... even more monstrous?” Nick asked, his voice cracking. “I think the only reason the dang sea serpent hangs out around here is because it knows—deep down inside—that there's a connection between what it's bitten and the glowing stuff in its jaws.” Rainbow gazed at the two stallions. “The big friggin' thing is tethered to this place. And until the pieces of the Shard are restored, it will forever remain here.” “Bah!” Sinrar grinned. “You'd have much better luck killing the damnable thing!” “Either way, if I can get the Shard restored, then Ultimo will have no reason to stick around.” Rainbow gestured. “And the seas will be clear once again, as they should be. The Swan Song can make its leave!” Nick grinned. “Now that's a happy thought.” Rainbow turned towards Sinrar. “And you can get away from Theanim and all of his Continentalist buddies.” “Mon dieu!” Sinrar pointed. “There's an even happier one!” “And what do you get out of all this, Rainbow?” Nick asked. “What about you and Twilight?” Rainbow gulped then said, “We get to Yaerfaerda, the beacon that brought us to this Point of Interest to begin with.” “And after that?” Twilight gazed sideways at Rainbow. The pegasus sighed. “I've always dealt with this stuff one wing-flap at a time.” “Fair enough,” Nick said with a smile. “Are you and Twilight sure that this is the way to go about doing things?” “As sure as we'll ever be,” Rainbow said. “There's only one problem,” Sinrar droned. “What's that, Dr. Dude?” Sinrar's eyes narrowed. “These primeval islanders are in love with chasing and spearing this massive beast. What you propose would bring and end to that. So what makes you think the Nealenders would be on board with this whole endeavor?” “So what?” Nick remarked. “It'll be for everypony's good in the long run!” “That's more than obvious to us, larva, but these imbeciles?! They live in the now! And surely Rainbow won't be chasing any sea serpents down on her lonesome. She'd need all the help she could get! But will they be willing to give it?” “He's got a point, Rainbow,” Twilight said. “If the ponies of the Nealend Atoll aren't on board, then how will we get anywhere?” Rainbow rubbed her chin. “Hmmmm...” “Hah!” Kaji spun from his fishing boat with a grin. “Would you mind repeating that, landwalker?!” “I want to bring an end to Ultimo's prowl,” Rainbow said. Nick and Sinrar stood in the background. Theanim Mane hung out along the fringes of the beach's treeline, observing curiously. “The beast has bitten onto a piece of Verlaxion's Shard. If I restore that, then everything will be as it should. What's more, Ultimo will go away.” “Pffft!” Sora hobbled over, dragging a bunch of fish nets. “And why would that be 'as it should?' Don't you get it?!” “Verlaxion has blessed us!” Kaji exclaimed. “She's given us something to enrich our blood!” “The hunt!” Silver said. “The hunt!” “Yeah! Hah hah!” “Whoop!” Rainbow flew forward, frowning. “Don't you think that you have it all wrong?! A hunt—by definition—is something that has to end! And there's nothing saying that you can't find more sport in other pursuits!” “Other pursuits?” Flare smirked, hovering down to the scene. “Better than Ultimo?” She shook her head. “You've been with the Westerners for too long, landwalker. You've no grasp of Verlaxion's divine plan.” She turned towards the treeline. “Tell her, Thunker Meat!” Theanim Mane winced, but nevertheless spoke: “It may be hard to grasp, Miss Dash. I've spent many a restless night pondering it myself. But, for one reason or another, Queen Verlaxion chose for Ultimo to grace this archipelago. And... behold!” He pointed. “The locals relish in the hunt that she has granted them. It's sad to think that the Shard has been defaced in the way it has been, but obviously there was a purpose to it. It all falls within Verlaxion's will.” Nick and Sinrar exchanged expressions. The Nealenders prepared to shove out into the lagoon and resume their fishing. Rainbow stared dead ahead, her eyes twitching slightly. Twilight sighed. “Rainbow, maybe we should just try and come up with another way to—” “You're right,” Rainbow blurted. “You're all right.” She gazed at the Nealenders. “It was Verlaxion's plan to summon Ultimo. And it's because of her power that he remains here, stalking your island. And it has been great... awesome sport. But there's something even more awesome.” The Nealenders shuffled to a stop, standing in the wet sand. They turned to gawk at her. “And what might that be, landwalker?” “Bringing the hunt to an end,” Rainbow said. “And living to boast about it to the end of your years.” She placed a hoof over her chest. “And I will make that possible for each and every one of you.” “Hah! You?! How?!” “Because Verlaxion wills it.” A murmur ran through the natives. Theanim and his companions leaned forward, genuinely interested. “That's right!” Rainbow spoke, her tone louder. Twilight looked on with a nervous expression as the pegasus said, “I was sent here by the divine will of Verlaxion! Just as Ultimo was! The attacks of the beast... the disappearance of the whirlpool—they were all precursors to my arrival! To the destiny I've been made to restore!” “That's a bold claim,” Sora remarked, his brow furrowed. “But how can we risk exacerbating the ire of Verlaxion by humoring you?” “How can you not risk it?” Rainbow smirked. “You've no idea how many miles I have traveled—both land and sea—how many continents and cultures and wars I've endured to come to this single spot... this one dot of wonder in all of Verlaxion's seas.” She flew higher, her forelimbs outstretched. “I am unlike any other pony here! I am no islander... no Colonialist... no Continentalist! I am an outsider... the outsider. And the reason for that is because I was summoned by Verlaxion herself to forge a new destiny here!” She touched down, her hooves kicking up sand. Her eyes narrowed as she spoke in a breathy tone: “And the future I bring this island will be a blessed thing, no less willed by Verlaxion. Tell me... are you willing to risk angering her by ignoring a blessed gift that's right in front of you?” Silence. “Hmmmff...” Kaji smiled. “We would be poor subjects if we didn't embrace the tests given to us by the Queen of all things.” “Yes!” Theanim called out. He and his companions were grinning. “Give her a chance! Why not?” “Yes, Thunker Meat! Why not!” Flare flew over and slapped Rainbow's shoulder. “And if she's simply full of hot dirt, then at least it would have made for some great sport!” “Hahah hah! Whoop!” “Ha ha ha ha!” “Eat a fine breakfast, Rainbow,” Silver said as he and his group shoved out into the lagoon. “You'll need plenty of meat inside and out of you for strength.” “Ultimo does not entertain small gnats. Eh?” “Heeheehee!” “Heheh... for Verlaxion!” As the Nealenders paddled away, Rainbow stood on the shore, watching. Twilight hovered down and stood in front of the pegasus. “Rainbow...!” she hissed in an unnecessarily whispery tone. “What are you thinking? It isn't right to entertain their spiritual beliefs like that!” “Sinrar was right,” Rainbow said. “I can't even get close to Ultimo without the locals help.” “Yeah, but now they're gonna think that the reason for you being here is some... s-some destined plan of Verlax!” “I know a thing or two about fate,” Rainbow muttered. “This isn't so different.” “Isn't it?” Twilight frowned. “And what happens if you succeed—” “When we succeed.” “Rainbow, that's not the point!” Twilight grumbled. “The point is that they think the Divine Verlax is a goddess! And what you'll have done here will solidify that hollow faith for generations and generations afterwards!” “Twilight, think about it,” Rainbow said, making eye contact with the phantom. “Verlax has been running the show here in this ocean for centuries before you and I even arrived.” “Yes! But—” “Do these ponies really seem that bad off? Are they suffering? Are they killing each other like the Ledomaritans and the Xonans did?” “... … ...” Rainbow's nostrils flared. She looked out onto the lagoon where the Nealenders went about their fishing. “The world is dying, Twilight. And all that matters right now is that we visit these Five Seeds—that we find the Yaerfaerda beacons in the machine world and restore our friends. After that, what matters if the dark side and the Harmonic Prism. If we can save bits and pieces of the world along the way, then that's fantastic. But the whole world?” Rainbow took a deep breath. “That's endgame stuff, Twi. But between now and then... everything else can wait. Verlax and her weirdo frost religion can wait.” Silence. Twilight sighed. “You've changed, Rainbow. I... I don't know any other way to say it, but the brash and impulsive pegasus I once knew wouldn't have stood for—” “Does this mean you disagree with my plan?” “I didn't say that!” Twilight exclaimed. Her face grew long. “It just... it j-just boggles my mind...” She gulped. “All of the horrible, epic things you had to have gone through to get to this place.” “But it's not that bad a place, eh?” Rainbow smiled. “I'm still awesome, you know.” Twilight bore a bittersweet smile. “Awesome and a half...”