//------------------------------// // In All Things, Be Kind // Story: Utaan // by Imploding Colon //------------------------------// “Well, for the time being, the plan is for Shining Armor to wait until Princess Cadance receives word of your journey from these three nights' worth of conversation,” Spike's voice rippled through the moonlight. “Once the alicorns have communicated with one another, Shining will then captain the airship west to explore the landscapes beyond Ward. I mean, geographically speaking, they're not... too far away from the western edge. After all, it'd make sense to explore the landscape of that area in case that's where you end up returning from, Rainbow Dash.” Silence. More silence. “... ... ...Rainbow Dash?” “Ahem...” Rainbow suddenly trotted out into the open yet again. Standing between the spires of the Petrispines, she rubbed a hoof over her pendant and renewed the glow to the Element in the moonlight. “I'm here, Spike. S'all good.” “We lost you for a second there, child,” Luna spoke. “Are you certain that everything's alright?” “Totally.” Rainbow stared across the Eye of the Petrispines. A round patch of grass loomed under the full moon. Dozens upon dozens of tents had been pitched, along with miniature camps and circles of parked caravans. Reeds and Sweet slept soundly beneath the wooden lean-two of an antique fort. In the distance, Rainbow could see the waking bodies of Rohbreddenites trotting about on communal patrol. “I'm just... kind of in a tight spot,” she said. “Remember those ponies I told you about? The ones I joined in cross-country travel? Well, right now, I'm doing everything I friggin' can to keep them and others from noticing our magical little conversation. So if I go silent for a brief moment, I apologize in advance.” “We understand, Rainbow Dash,” Luna said. “Your safety is of our prime concern.” “But... please... could you have Spike repeat what he was going on about just now—?” Twilight Sparkle flew up, anxiously barking in Rainbow's ear. “Wh-what's this about Shining Armor?!?” Rainbow winced. “That... thingy about Shining...” She tried to brush Twilight away, only for her hoof to phase through her. “He's taking the airship somewhere?” “Yes, Rainbow,” Spike said. “For months, Princess Cadance and Twilight's brother have been the royal guests of the Dragon Matriarch Sturke in her kingdom of Ward.” “Right.” Rainbow nodded at Twilight and the other mares. “We remember that part.” “In fact, the Divine of the Equinox has established a permanent base for the entire crew there, beside her palace.” “It's something akin to an Equestrian embassy,” Luna clarified. “Right.” Spike continued: “Everypony serving on board Cadance's airship is now an honored citizen of Ward. They have full freedom to the Palace and all of its ammenities.” “Heh...” Rainbow Dash smirked. “Funny.” “What is?” Rarity asked. Rainbow shrugged in the moonlight, adjusting her hat. “Just that... what I wouldn't give to get that sort of lucky treatment on this side of the world, instead of... y'know... being hunted left and right.” “You had that in Val Roa, did you not?” Rarity mused. “Yeah, well, I couldn't stick around long.” “Why not?” “Pffft.” Rainbow rolled her eyes at Rarity. “Girl, do you want to become one with the Vanilla Zone?! Jeez...” Pinkie Pie giggled. “Could we please get back to Shining Armor and Cadance?” Twilight frowned. “Right. Ahem... sorry, egghead.” Rainbow pivoted and spoke straight into the moonlight. “So what's with Shining Armor taking off, Spike?” “Well, Princess Celestia, Luna, and Cadance have all communicated pretty intently about this over the past few months. They figure that Cadance is most useful acting as ambassador for Equestria at Ward. Meanwhile, with the airship at his command, Shining Armor will venture further west and explore the surrounding landscapes. Not only will he gain useful new geographical data for Equestria, but he just might be able to assist you.” “Assist me how?” “Well, Rainbow Dash,” Spike took a breath. “Have you put much thought into how you plan to return to the light side of the plane? “I'll...” Rainbow Dash blinked. “...fly?” “But you can't fly now, silly filly,” Pinkie Pie said. “Not the friggin' point,” Rainbow grumbled. “I'll get better, 'kay?” She shrugged her shoulders, wincing slightly from her left side. “I always get better... somehow...” “It's a very valid question, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight gently prodded. “Yeah... well... to be perfectly frank, Spike... and Your Majesty...” Rainbow bowed towards the moonlight. “...I'm kinda still scratching my head over just how I'll march through Rohbredden... much less approach the edge of the world... or even arrive at the Midnight Armory.” “We have full faith that you can accomplish these feats and then some, child,” Luna's voice said. “It certainly does not hope to think optimistically.” “Well, sure, but—” “If what Chrysalis said about the Trinary War is true,” Spike spoke. “Then it stands to reason that you... probably won't be wanting to hang around the Midnight Armory for long.” “Well... sure. I mean, I've seen war.” Rainbow gulped. “Ain't no song and dance, that's for sure.” “What's Spikey Wikey getting at?” Rarity asked. “What's your point, Spike?” “Only that you seem pretty good at doing stuff in a straight line, Rainbow Dash,” his voice said. Rainbow could almost imagine the moonlight flickering from the dragon's cross-continental shrug. “Maybe this will work for you on the dark side as it did on the light.” Rainbow squinted. “Going... straight?” She blinked. “Like through the Midnight Armory and beyond?” “Wowie zowie!” Pinkie gasped. “The East Train never stops!” “Well, what were you planning exactly, Rainbow?” Rarity remarked. “I dunno...” Rainbow shrugged, fidgeting with her hat. “Figured I'd boomerang it, y'know.” “You mean all this time you've intended to go to the Midnight Armory and fly back the same way you came?” Spike remarked, his tone more than a little bit flabbergasted. “I've not... really intended anything, Spike,” Rainbow said, growling slightly. “Up until I resurrected Twilight's... lavender fart spirit, I really... d-didn't believe I'd get to the Midnight Armory.” She gulped. “Much less the edge of the world. I mean... I uh...” She rubbed her forelimb with a shudder. “...I told Belle, Pilate, and the Noble Jury that I'd get there. But probably because... I-I needed to give them something to believe in.” A shudder. “Myself too.” “But now we know that the importance of your journey goes beyond you and even the constraints of Equestrian interests, Rainbow Dash,” Princess Luna said. “Need we convince you any differently.” “Yeah, no.” Rainbow grimaced. “You needn't.” “The beacons, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight breathed. “Eh?” Rainbow looked at her. “What's that, Twi?” Twilight stared at her with a look of epiphany. “You've lit all of the beacons of the machine world that you've flown past so far.” She gulped. “If you flew back the way you came, they'd still be lit.” “So what would Dashie use to keep away the chaos-sniffles?” Pinkie Pie murmured. A cold shudder ran through Rainbow Dash. “I... I-I guess I hadn't thought of that...” “Thought of what, Rainbow?” Spike asked. Rainbow lifted her head. “If I have any hope of making it back to the rift in Equestria after finding the Harmonic Prism, then I'm gonna have to swing by the rest of the unlit beacons to... y'know... to extend... t-to extend my life.” She cleared her throat. “That won't be possible if I fly back the path that brought me here.” “And would you really want to breeze over Rohbredden again, darling?” Rarity remarked. “Or that big nasty Choke!” Pinkie Pie's voice cracked. “I think Spike and Princess Luna are onto something,” Twilight said. “You may have to scale the dark side the hard way.” Rainbow blinked. “... ... ...the silly part is... I'm not sure it even is the 'hard way' anymore...” Rarity looked at Fluttershy, then back at Rainbow. “We, of course, would vote for whatever choice means you surviving, darling.” Fluttershy nodded. Rainbow took a deep breath, then stared into the moonlight again. “So... Spike... lemme guess... Cadance is sending Shining Armor to explore the lands along the west edge of the plane on my behalf?” “Exactly, Rainbow. Because if you do return from that edge, it would help most if somepony on your side had a knowlegeable grasp of what's there.” “They could also wait in advance for your return,” Luna added. “What for?” Rainbow blinked. “Are they planning to—like—escort me back to Equestria or something?” “Well, child, most certainly!” Princess Luna's voice rang. “That has been the general plan all along. Why else did you think we sent the Expedition all the way to Ward to begin with?” “Heeheehee!” Pinkie Pie pumped a hoof in the air. “I like it! Best traveling partners ever! Well...” She blushed, smiling pleasantly in the direction of the sleeping siblings. “Almost best.” “But... b-but...” Twilight squeaked. Rainbow sighed in the unicorn's direction. “What now, egghead?” she smiled. “It just... sounds so d-dangerous!” Twilight stammered. “My B.B.B.F.F. ... he could be flying into a dangerous dictatorship... or a cave full of monsters!” Twilight gawked at Rarity and Pinkie Pie. “Hasn't Rainbow Dash told us enough about caves and monsters?! For some inexplicable reason, this plane is absolutely full of them!” “Do calm down, darling,” Rarity said with a wink and a grin. “It's not like Shiny Shine-Shine is going alone, silly!” Pinkie stuck her tongue out. “Rainbow, I think we've lost you again,” Spike's voice said. “No, it's not that, Spike,” Rainbow droned. “Twilight's freaking out about Shining Armor's safety.” “Fear not, Twilight Sparkle,” Princess Luna said. “The Captain of the Guard will have an entire company of expeditionary soldiers with him.” “Yeah, you heard her, Twilight,” Rainbow said. “He'll have a bunch of armored dudes with him. Including that one guy... Fences Amending.” “Flash Sentry,” Spike corrected. “Whatever.” “But now this means I'm going to have to go for a full month worrying over his well-being!” Twilight stammered. “Or... or even longer if we reach the dark side before we even have a chance to chat with Luna again!” “It's okay, Twilight,” Rarity said. “You can distract yourself with... worrying over how we will help Rainbow get to this edge of the world.” “Unnnnghhh...” Twilight Sparkle face-hoofed, her ears drooping. “Celestia help me...” “Is... is Twilight okay?” Spike asked. Rainbow took a breath. “Twilight is Twilight, Spike.” She looked up at the moon again. “Give our regards to Shining and his soldiers. We wish 'em good luck and all that jazz.” “Heh... consider it communicated.” “Now onto smexier stuff.” Rainbow smiled, her ears twitching. “Where're Fluttershy's folks? Can we get a real awesome chat going here or what?” “... ... ...uhhhhm...” “I know it was all last-second notice n'stuff, but I bet they're dying to hear from her! We're dying to hear from them!” “Super dying!” Pinkie Pie hopped in place. “Like... rolling over on gurneys with giggles!” Spike was silent. “... ... ...Spike?” Rainbow blinked. “It's... it's okay,” Fluttershy said. Her tone was dull, soft, and yet she conveyed it through a tranquil smile. “They're not there. I know they wouldn't be.” Rainbow flung her a glance. “Huh...?” “Why, whatever do you mean, darling?” Rarity remarked. “I... uhm... I-I'm sorry, Rainbow,” Spike reluctantly spoke. “Fluttershy's family couldn't be here tonight.” “What... are they—like—waiting until tomorrow night or something?” Rainbow arched an eyebrow. “That's kinda cutting it short.” “That's not it either.” “Did you not even come into contact with them?” “We... we did, Rainbow. I-I even went to Cloudsdale myself with Celestia's personal guard. They're... they're not coming.” Rainbow's brow furrowed. She and the rest of the girls turned to gawk at Fluttershy. Fluttershy exhaled, hanging her head. “I'm sorry.” “Did...” Rainbow blinked, squirming in place. “Did th-they give a friggin' reason or—” “They didn't say. Believe me... I... I've been stressing over it myself. But I c-couldn't spend all of yesterday trying to get them to show up or else I wouldn't h-have all of the resources gathered to talk to you about anything else—” “Well, buck it!” Rainbow frowned. “Have Luna teleport there or something!” “Rainbow—” “Their pegasus filly is alive, dang it! Doesn't that mean something?” “Of course it does, Rainbow,” Fluttershy said in a tone so firm that it shook the pegasus. Her gaze was a steely thing. “But there are far more important things to dicuss right now.” Her features softened, as did her voice. “Now, please... continue your conversation with Spike and Her Majesty. Let's... just be thankful over the miracles we're allowed.” Rainbow blinked, gaping at her. Eventually, she murmured out the side of her muzzle: “Scratch that, Spike.” She gulped. “Go... go ahead and say what you need to in order to bring me up to date.” Brief silence. “Erm... right.” Spike cleared his throat as his voice came into greater clarity. “Princess Celestia has vastly improved her meditative concentration on the rift in Ponyville. It's only a theory at this moment in time, but she and Luna think it may be possible to create a spell that will allow the alicorn sisters to switch shifts in staving off the chaos anomaly. That means that Celestia can potentially leave the sarcophagus for the first time in nearly two years. If they time it so that they spend a few weeks each exchanging sun, moon, and rift duties, then we can still time it so that Luna will be able to speak with you at every lunar cycle and—” Rainbow was only barely paying attention. All the while, her eyes rested on Fluttershy. Twilight, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie hovered close, nuzzling the mare with sad expressions. Fluttershy closed her eyes, reciprocating their warm gestures. Her breaths were calm, and there was no sign of a single tear beading her lashes... The following morning, Fluttershy hovered slowly with the same placid expression. Rainbow Dash trotted limply through the Petrispines. The blue siblings were several hoofsteps ahead, and the “stone forest” was thinning, with less and less stalagmites jutting out of the grassy earth on either side of the gravel path. After yet another sullen breath, Rainbow glanced aside at her ghostly pegasus friend. Fluttershy's eyes traced the floor as she allowed Rainbow's presence to carry her along. The other three marefriends were quiet, squirmy—stealing nervous glances at Rainbow ever since sunrise. At last, with a coughing breath, Rainbow strafed sideways until she was trotting closer to Fluttershy. “Hey... uhm... Flutters...” “Yes, Rainbow Dash?” Rainbow bit her lip. “Uhhhh... I-I mean...” She shrugged in mid-step. “How do I even start?” “You can say anything you like. Ask anything you like,” Fluttershy breathed. “It's hardly taboo.” “What's hardly taboo? I mean... what is 'it?'” Rainbow grimaced. “I mean... I only ever got tiny glimpses of your Mom and Dad when we were foals hanging out together. Sure, they struck me as a couple of living popsicles... but friggin' A.” She struggled to keep her incredulous voice low so as not to attract attention from Reeds and Sweet. “They learn that their daughter's alive after so many months and... and they just ditch her at the first chance of being able to communicate?” “I come from a typical, large pegasus family, Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy murmured. “You know this.” “What's that got to do with anything?!” “More than you know.” Fluttershy shrugged. “When you have twelve brothers and sisters ahead of you, Mom and Dad get tired of good night kisses... until eventually they never make their way to you at all.” “Fluttershy, honey, that's grotesque!” Rarity wheezed. “No, that's family,” Fluttershy breathily retorted. “I'm thankful for many things. But—most of all—I'm thankful for the friends I've chosen to make.” She looked over with a calm smile. “And the surrogate relations I've been fortunate enough to find in all of my animal friends... and neighbors.” “Flutters...” Pinkie sniffled, eyes watery. “Please, don't defend such cruel, cruel ponies.” Fluttershy slowly shook her head. “I'm not defending,” she said. “I know my parents well enough... about the emptiness they've spread to my siblings.” She gulped. “And when I touched the ground in Ponyville... it was just the excuse they needed to drop me whatsoever. One less mouth for them to feed... and fourteen less souls for me to worry about on a daily basis.” “Oh Fluttershy...” Rarity sniffled. “It's okay. Really, it is.” Fluttershy smiled, hovering closer to the others. “Right now, I'm where I am happiest.” She nuzzled Pinkie Pie, and then Rarity. “With my real 'family.' The only family that's ever mattered to me.” Twilight choked on a sob, then reached in to give Fluttershy a full-body hug. “You're the best sister any of us could ask for.” “Bestiest best,” Pinkie Pie stammered. “We're only here because of you, darling,” Rarity said, nuzzling the mare close. “If you h-hadn't talked us back to our senses, poor Rainbow here would be... sh-she would be...” “I know.” Fluttershy nodded, finally growing misty-eyed in their midst. “All of my life, I've only ever endeavored to be nice and kind.” A rosy warmth washed across her cheeks. “I do believe it has paid off. Wouldn't you agree?” The other mares giggled, continuing to hug her. “Yeah, but... but...” Rainbow Dash nevertheless gnashed her teeth. “None of it is fair, Fluttershy! You deserve to have—” “Scootabelle!” Sweet chirped, dashing back to her. “Scootabelle, look!” “Huh?!” Rainbow jolted, holding her conical hat in place. “Wh-what?!” “There she is!” Reeds' voice cracked. He flung a hoof outward, rejoicing. “Just as beautiful as the day we left it!” “Wooohooo!” Sweet bounced in circles. “Home sweet home!” Rainbow squinted her eyes. The Petrispines faded entirely. An emerald hill crested down into a final valley—a last niche nestled in the bosom of two steep mountains forming the southwest edge of the immense spires of Stone Prefecture. There—in the shadow of a granite sky—was a town full of rolling turf houses and stave structures in the center. A thick crowd of ponies had gathered inside the village as well as along the outskirts, numbering in the thousands—far too many than the township was naturally made to house. “We'd better hurry!” Reeds scampered on ahead, followed by Sweet. “Or else we might miss the fireworks!” “Unnnff...” Fluttershy rubbed her head. Pinkie gasped. “You okay, Fluttershy?” “Mmmm... yes...” She smiled bashfully. “Just... a bit of an overload.” She gulped. “I'll be fine.” “Twilight?” Rainbow asked. “I'm... detecting lots of unicorns and... magic ingredients enchanted for flammability,” Twilight said. “I'm guessing they were right about the fireworks. Eheh...” “Well then...” Rainbow tilted her hat forward and trotted over the crest of the hill. “When in Kunmane... do as the Kunmaniacs do.”