Appledashery

by Just Essay


Pegashock (Infinite?)

Rainbow looked aside in mid-trot. "Better?"

"Mmmmm..." Caramel coughed once, twice. He dragged his tail—and nearly his chin—as he shuffled forward alongside the pegasus. "Better."

"Good. Now tilt your head up," Rainbow said with a wink.

Caramel did as he was told. Soon enough, the sickly glaze evaporated from his widening eyes. "Whoah..."

"Heh..." Rainbow grinned. "'Whoah' is right."

Before them stretched a bridge connecting to the outer rim of the lofty tower. It was connected to one of many floating platforms, suspended by a combination of balloons, propellers, and enchanted cloudstone. Tall, spiraling casinos and lavish hotels stood on these levitating foundations. Meanwhile, in the distance, a carefully controlled column of pegasus clouds rotated at a glacial pace—like a gigantic wind funnel moving in slow motions. Pegasus apartments and businesses lined the inner layer of this huge cloudstone structure. Above the solid platforms, numerous smaller clouds hovered, most of them spilling over with a rainbow deluge of decorative moisture that gave the inner atmosphere of the cloudstone hollow a prismatic aura. Every blink felt like looking into a kaleidoscope. Music carried magically along the winds, and a festive atmosphere of laughing voices and enthusiastic tourists filled the mute gaps in between.

"Holy smokes," Caramel chanted.

"More like controlled mists," Rainbow said. "I recognize good pegasus hoofwork when I see it. Doesn't have to be 'holy' just 'cuz it's snazzy to look at."

"Even still." The stallion gulped. "It's... it's a great deal prettier than in post cards."

"I suspect they have it built to be that way," Rainbow said. "It might seem enormous, but that's classic pegasus forced perspective for you. The floating rainbow clouds above us distract the eye with color. As a result, you never really pay enough attention to realize how little space there is on these platforms for non-pegasi to walk. They built similar things in Cloudsdale for when foreign dignitaries would visit... but nothing quite this elaborate. I'm telling you, Upper Las Pegasus is the bomb."

"I'm so glad I could see it with my own naked eyes," Caramel purred. Smiling, he glanced aside. "Aren't you happy?"

Before Rainbow could respond—

"There you girls are!" Bon Bon chanted.

The two looked ahead to see the other three hanging out at the bridge connecting to the floating platforms. A group of security ponies gave the mares a basic, rudimentary search.

"Took you long enough," Lyra grunted. "Yeesh, if Caramel was upchucking all this time, she probably turned inside out." A smirk. "Would have done the surgeons' job for them."

"Hardy har har," Caramel said. "Anyways, I'm feeling better. Where to first?"

"I was thinking the Pegasus History Museum!" Bon Bon chirped with a grin. "It's not that far from here!"

"There's a fabulous place to eat nearby as well," Vinyl said. "Consider it a surprise."

"You ever been here before, Vinyl?" Caramel asked. "I mean... up here here?"

The DJ nodded. "I performed at pegasus hotel overlooking the platforms."

"Really?"

"Mmmhmmm."

"How'd you not fall through the cloudstone?"

Vinyl smirked ever so slightly. "They built a canoe for me and my turntable and installed a flankload of balloons."

"Really...?"

"Nah. But the real truth is far... far more complicated."

"Oh."

"You must be living it up in a place like this, Rainbow," Lyra muttered. "Ever seen this sort of floaty-floaty stuff before?"

"Kinda sorta, yeah," Rainbow said with a nod.

"What, in Cloudsdale?"

Rainbow fidgeted slightly, her eyes wandering to the side. "It's... a long story."

"Pffft. Whatever... petite, blue, and mysterious." Lyra was given permission to trot past security. "Alright! Let's hit the money sucking machines!"

"The museum first, Lyra," Bon Bon said.

"Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww pigeon poop." Lyra blinked. "Wait... is that a slur up here?"

"What do you care?" Vinyl muttered.

"Heh... good friggin' point."

Rainbow stumbled.

Caramel blinked back at her. "You okay, Rainbow?"

"Hmmm?" Rainbow blinked, teetering slightly. "Oh! Totally! Heh... you're not the only one to get tipsy after a roller coaster, gal."

Caramel smirked. "You're silly." He trotted on. "Hey! Girls! Wait up! Wow... this place is amazing!"

Behind the group, Rainbow Dash took a deep breath. She tried standing up straight, but trembled. Biting her lip, she raised one forelimb and flexed it. She could scarcely feel the chilly winds blowing across her knee.

With a sigh, the mare switched from trotting to hovering... and swiftly closed the distance between herself and the rest of the group.