"Gosh, we must have chatted for over two hours!" Rainbow Dash said with a grin. She floated before the closed doors of the Noble Jury's hangar. "He's a really swell dude. Not quite so boring and stuffy as you'd expect from a bunch of old ponies. In fact, while all these guys and gals were really nice n'stuff, there was some sort of... like... sincerity about them, y'know?" Rainbow Dash winced slightly as she said, "They didn't give me the creepily cheerful vibe as Collins' gaggle of grinning equines did back in Archer Point. Brrrrrr. But these Lerris ponies? I could totally chillax with them. Gray manes and all."
"Golden Happenstance..." Pilate smiled slightly into the dim manalight as the Jury swayed and wobbled. "Quite an articulate name."
"Are all the ponies super old?" Eagle Eye asked.
"Well... no." Rainbow Dash folded her forelimbs from where she hovered. "But a bunch of them are. There are still a few stallions and mares who are around my age if not a bit older. I'm guessing they're the sons, daughters, nephews and nieces of the older ponies."
"And it's a farming community?" Ebon Mane asked. "Lots of rice and wheat fields?"
"Look, the only type of farm I can recognize is one where red stuff grows from the branches." Rainbow shrugged. "When these ponies aren't scouring the crops or fishing in the lake, they're chatting it up like it's lunch time every hour in downtown. And I say 'downtown' lightly. The place is a sneeze away from being no more than a couple of wooden planks stacked up on one another."
"Sounds tranquil," Eagle said with a smile.
Kera hung her head, ears folded. "Sounds really really boring."
Belle patted Kera's shoulder. "Nothing wrong with saying what you feel, Kera. Though I might suggest a little bit of restraint around these villagers. Regardless of how long we stay here, it's probably not a good idea to offend them."
"But... like..." Kera rolled her green eyes. "Aren't I supposed to knowwwww them or something? All of this is sounding really weird and strange to me."
"It begs the question." Pilate tilted his head in her direction. "Do you at least recall a 'Golden Happenstance' in your younger foalhood?"
Kera's face scrunched up. She squinted against the bulkheads. "I... th-think I remember my foster parents mentioning an 'Uncle Hap' from time to time."
"Yeah!" Rainbow pointed with a nod. "That's it! He's a totally sweet dude!"
"He sounds really stale and whiskery..." Kera grunted.
"'Whiskery.'" Ebon turned and grinned at Eagle Eye. "I am so stealing that."
"Why are you even here?"
"Do you know the last time I sampled actual rice?"
"Do you know the last time I cared?"
Rainbow Dash cleared her throat. "But for real, this Uncle H—er... this Golden Happenstance dude seems A-okay. He knows a lot about this part of the world, Pilate, so I'm sure he's got a lot to teach you. And I bet he could give you plenty of cooking tips, Ebon." She turned and smiled at Kera. "And he's not as boring as you think, kiddo. Why, if Hap only had an extra layer of crust and cantankerousness to him, I'd say he'd even remind me of Col—" The pegasus winced suddenly, her wings going a bit limp. She salvaged the moment by clearing her throat and smiling gently. "...of an old st-stallion I once knew. Great guy. And so is Hap."
"I..." Kera bit her lip, trotting back and leaning close to Belle's legs. "I dunno about all of this..."
"Kera, look at me." Belle leaned low and caressed the filly's chin. "Nopony's asking you to talk to anypony, or to make any hasty decisions. You're perfectly free to stay by my sides at all times. In fact, I encourage it."
"Then why are we even doing this?" Kera trembled. "We all know the decision I'm going to make, right? So why fiddle around with this town?"
Belle bit her lip slightly.
Pilate cleared his throat and spoke up, "Coming to Lerris is about more than making a decision. Perhaps, with time, you'll understand how important this day is."
"Unnngh..." Kera rolled her eyes. "Fine. Let's get this over with. Anything to keep me from hearing crap like that again."
"I was simply trying to emphasize how—" Pilate was silenced by a golden hoof placed over his muzzle.
Belle smiled gently, then turned to press a mana-powered intercom by her side. "How is our approach, Mr. Floydien?"
"Scrkkk! Nancy has completed the approaching! Boomers get ready for the arrival of ground!"
Almost on cue, the engines of the Noble Jury could be heard roaring its lower thrusters. The hangar shook once, jostled a second time, and then rattled as the entire ship made contact with the ground. Th-Thump! The engines cut off with a prolonged hiss, and all was still.
Belle looked across the way. "Ebon?"
The stallion nodded back, then pulled a lever along the bulkhead next to him. With a loud clatter of metal joints, the rear doors to the hangar started grinding open. A cold gust of frosty air flew in, along with a gray splash of bright sunlight.
Everypony instantly shivered. Everypony but Kera. She noticed, and it caused her to stare thoughtfully at her stone-still hooves.
"Do they know that we're even landing?" Eagle Eye asked.
"I certainly gave Hap enough foresight," Rainbow Dash said. "He should be showing up here towards the west of the village to greet us."
"Him and who else?" Eagle Eye asked.
"Pffft. I dunno. I talked to just him for the most part."
"Uhm..." Eagle Eye pointed towards the bright world outside. "You're sure you didn't make more friends than that?"
"Huh?" Rainbow turned around, and her eyes widened.
The doors to the hangar had opened all the way, and no less than thirty ponies were gathered outside. Most of them were old, but a few young couples and bright faces stood out among the crowd. They stood tightly together, craning their necks in quiet and concerned wonderment as the metal ramp of the hangar slid out through the open doors, hissing with deaffening hydraulics. At last, the ramp came to a stop, and one stallion trotted forward from the crowd, his blue eyes glistening in the sunlight.
"Welcome, ponies of the Noble Jury." Hap smiled, though his face beheld a twinge of nervousness. "You're certainly a fine looking group of equines."
Belle smiled and did a little curtsey. "Why, thank you, Mister..."
"Happenstance. Golden Happenstance, at your service." He tried bowing back, but his legs wobbled. Rainbow almost glided down to help him, but a middle-aged stallion had already steadied the elder. Golden Happenstance stood up, exhaling away the pain and putting on a weary smile. "A very fine ship you have, too. I almost couldn't believe it—but seeing it now with my very own eyes, it amazes me that skystone can still be put to good use."
"Assuming we can once more," Pilate said, nodding in the villagers' general direction. "Our engineer is currently in the process of rewiring the skystone to our... well... our energy source, to put it lightly." He shuffled down the ramp, followed loosely by Ebon Mane and Eagle Eye. "My name is Pilate. The lovely mare behind me is Bellesmith, my beloved."
"Beloved?" Golden Happenstance smiled. "Ledomaritans, I take it."
"Why, yes. Yes we are." Pilate nodded. "You already know our heroic pegasus friend, Rainbow Dash. And the rest..." Pilate loosely gestured, then fidgeted. "Uhm... EE?"
"Right, I'll take it from here." Eagle Eye smiled as he helped Pilate down the rest of the ramp. He looked up and smiled. "Greetings, sir. My name is Eagle Eye, from Franzington."
"A mercenary..." The old stallion muttered with a nod. "No doubt a veteran of many battles if you've ended up this far east."
"Erm... 'former-mercenary' is the better way to put it." Eagle Eye cleared his throat and turned towards Ebon. "And this is Ebon Mane. Our cook and all around friendly stallion."
Ebon smiled and waved nervously. "Hello. I'm from... from..." He winced slightly, and—after receiving a glance from Eagle—blurted. "From roundabouts."
"Parts unknown, I take it," the old stallion said, causing a few villagers around him to chuckle.
"Eheh... yeah..." Ebon gulped. "I would absolutely love to see how you fine ponies grow rice out in this place."
"We'd be happy to give you a tour. Although, I must admit..." Hap craned his neck. "I'm at a loss to see where...?"
Belle took a side step, revealing the suddenly-shy filly cowering behind her. "Kera, it's alright. Just stick close to me. These ponies would like to say hi."
"Uhhhhhh..." Kera gulped and waved a tender little hoof. "'H-hi...?'"
Golden Happenstance stood still, staring with lips pursed, thoughtfully.
As soon as Kera's tattooed coat kissed the daylight, at least a dozen elders from the crowd stirred and murmured.
"By the Spark..."
"Kera Tin Mehjj..."
"It is Moony's and Blue's child!"
"Nagu'n Below..."
Kera bit her lip. As she and Belle trotted down, she clung closely to the mare's side. When at last she brushed her hooves across the grass of the field, she felt something skittering by. She looked down to see a grasshopper and a mantis hopping in opposite directions. For a brief moment, the filly's eyes sparkled. Then a gray shadow wafted across the ground. She looked up, pensively.
"Hello, Kera," Golden Happenstance said with a soft smile. "My name is Golden Happenstance. I knew your foster parents." He took a cautious breath. "I... am your godfather."
Kera squinted at him, her eyes darting left and right, studying every shiny centimeter of his mane and eyes. At last, a breath squeaked out, breathy and honest. "Uncle H-Hap...?"
The old stallion leaned back, legitimately surprised by how swiftly she produced that. "Why, yes. Yes, I do believe that's what you were told to call me at one point." He chuckled raspily. "Uncanny, yes?"
Kera's eyes wandered across the villagers. "And... And..." She almost winced with the natural breaths that came out of her. "Aunt Frost. Miss Crystal. Mister Jayce. Cousin Gleam."
The villagers murmured more and more, many of them smiling with mixed emotion and glossy eyes.
"Kera!" one middle-aged mare exclaimed. She trotted briskly forward with a flounce of golden hair. "I can't believe it! Kera Tin Mehjj, it's really you!" She extended a forelimb. "I used to babysit you when you were just a—"
Kera shrunk back, biting her lip. She practically hid underneath Belle's legs.
The mare leaned back, blinking in confusion.
Hap glanced back and forth. He cleared his voice loudly and waved a forelimb before the crowd. "How about we all head back into town?! Our lovely cook, Sapphire Summers, has prepared a tasty fish filet for our guests. It would be a shame for that to go to waste, yes?"
The villagers nodded, trotting back towards the heart of town—though several of them glanced back with worried expressions, all of them locked on Kera.
"Kera..." Belle leaned down. "Are you okay? We don't have to go into the village yet if you're not ready—"
"No. I'm... I-I'm fine..." Kera took a shuddering breath. "Just... y'know... could you stick around me? Pl-please?"
"Of course, darling," Belle said in a warm tone.
"Do you recognize any of the ponies, Kera?" Pilate asked.
Kera's ears drooped. "Yeah," she muttered, eyes staring into the grass. "I recognize all of them."
Belle glanced at Pilate. The zebra had nothing to say.
"Fish filet?" Ebon Mane trotted briskly ahead. "This I gotta sample."
"Hey!" Eagle Eye frowned. "Not so fast! Furl your sail, why don'tcha?" He rolled his eyes and smirked towards the others. "We'll just be... uh... 'scouting ahead.'"
"But I already did that!" Rainbow's voice cracked.
"Well, consider this getting a second opinion!" And Eagle galloped after the other stallion.
Rainbow, Pilate, Belle, and Kera trotted slowly up the rear, growing further and further away from the rear doors to the Jury.
Inside the hangar, leaning against the railings of the upper level, a lone figure stood, watching them. Her eye-lenses pistoned out thoughtfully. As a cold wind rushed in, blowing against her braids, she said nothing.
I half expected Kera to respond to this with a Skywalker-esque "NO!", but I suppose a reaction of eerie familiarity works too.
Goddammit, Belle and Pilate, you better not do it. You know exactly what I'm talking about, so don't you fucking dare...
As someone who suffers terrible memory loss, I am somewhat envious and partly glad I don't have Kera's memory. She even subconsciously remembered what the freakin' wind was like. She totally belongs here. Which is what makes this such a nasty situation.
It's so obvious she doesn't want to stay. But it's also obvious that she doesn't want to leave.
3892958
Unless you mean "dump the kid" I kinda have to disagree there.
Much as I've grown to love Pilate and Belle (and partly because of it), I'm kinda hoping for the three of them to settle here.
Things are probably going to get more and more dangerous after all.
Oh boy, I didn't realize how much Kera remembered about her old place. It doesn't matter about whomever she decides to part with at the end, either way its going to give feels.
Roarke most reserved.
Anyone know who the Col- stallion that rainbow remembered is?
I wonder what Roarke's planning?...
3893096 Likely the grouchy soldier out in the remote outpost from Darkstine - old C-squared aka Cold Canter - we came across sound-stones there, if you recall.
Lovely.
Just lovely.
And I hope Kera hits it off with the Lerrisians.
At least until she decides to stay with the Jury anyway
I get the feeling Kera doesn't like home... but maybe thats just me
and Col- ... what? who? who is this pony!?
I'm... getting some bad vibes. What does Kera know? Does it have anything to do with her connection to the book, or just her own past? Changelings? Bad fish?
Speaking of fish, where there's fish and rice, there MUST be sushi. Come on Zaid, you'll like it better than grilled cheese. I'll even teach you how to make it yourself.
I hope they don't just LEAVE Kera there. I mean, I know there are family members and all that care about her but family is more than blood and more than where you grew up. I know that some characters part in the story needs to end but there has to be a better way.
I'm pretty sure Kera can'i stay behind at this point. Maybe I'm wrong, but I feel like we've just gotten started on some character development-y stuff with her.
At least, I really hope so. I like the party we have going here.
For this chapter?
Vangelis. Ill find my way home ? or am I a thousand chapters too early.
The longer the lull, the greater the wind up on the paranoid, yet still alive readers.
3893361 Ebon and EE stay here... Hap comes on board for his knowledge of the local area and the edge, and his connection to Kera... and his mad sushi skills... everypony is happy (except Josho, who needs EE as much as EE needs him... I don't want to see this father/son duo split up )
3893192
Why yes, thank you. Honestly I'd totally forgotten about that guy. I obviously need to refresh on my Ausreoh knowledge.
So the question is, who did she see who wasn't supposed to be there?
What an unenviable position to be in. I really think that it would be best if Kera, Pilate, and Belle were to stay. I can see them having a decent in such a small community, but, after what they've all been through, I can't see them thriving in one. And if Belle and Pilate just leave Kera, I will lose quite a bit of respect for both of them. The poor child already has enough abandonment issues.
It's a little unfair of them to have forced this on her. It's a lot to take in at once, they really could have asked her. I still see where Belle and Pilate are coming from; she could never get another chance. But it should be her choice whether or not to take it; Part of growing up is making decisions you regret, and if she regrets never seeing Lerris, that's on her.
Or something. Mumblemumble.
3893011 To the way Kera reacted to the foalsitter, i'm kind of suspicious here on what went on between them, if anything went on between them in fact.
So, this is where something bad finally happens?
~Basso
3893515 I dunno. I'm betting on Ebon being a "reformed" Changling. Like an advance scout that likes being a pony and GOOD as well. I'm just worried that Kera and Pilate and Belle will stay and Shell will catch up and find them and then...horrible things Hap, horrible things...I'm just thinking it would be best for Kera to use this time to bring her feelings on the past to the surface so she can move on with a clearer slate. It can be all the difference between running away and walking away.
3894144 True. I am inclined to agree with the possibility of changeling-Ebon, but I'm of the opinion that he lost his memory of being a changeling, like Seclorum... only he isn't evil, because of the magic of friendship. That doesn't mean that he and EE can't stay in Lerris and be happy, even after discovering his true nature.
Lerris is necessary for Kera, closure is a necessary component of emotional development. I can't see her possibly deciding to stay, and I can't see Belle or Pilate ever abandoning her - the possibility that Kera might choose to stay is the single most terrifying thing on their minds right now (with Shell out of the picture, however temporarily). But Mister Colon has a talent of making the impossible event happen and, in retrospect, seem like the only way things could have turned out. So I have my theories, but I have no illusions that things will go the way I expect.
I think that Kera doesn't like Lerris for some bigger reason, but I have no idea what.
3894228 I dunno if Ebon doesn't know. He seems to actively avoid talking about it...though I suppose that WOULD be perfect cover. I can imagine him not knowing and continuing to write to his "mother" and that's how Chrysalis knows about Dash without ever meeting her in this timeline. But yeah I don't think he's like, evil and all that. Still I can't see him and EE staying either. not this late in the story and without coming across the Changlings. That sounds like a hurtle for the next book to me and well beyond Lerris' boarders.
Yes, I feel the same as well. I want these characters to bow out of the story on a GOOD and happy note if they're going to leave...to me though I am of the mind that I want to see them all take Dash as far as they can before they HAVE to go their separate ways. They can always turn back once Dash and Shell are long gone to places they were safest.
Well, the town seems like a right nice place for Kera to settle down in - there're relatives, lots of fresh air and open spaces, grasshoppers aplenty. Which is exactly why I'm disinclined to think she will settle there. Whether it's through Shell ex machina, some other unforeseen ills, or simple volition on Kera's part, I think she'll be sticking around a bit longer. As someone else pointed out, it still feels like her arc isn't quite done yet.
I have to admit, I'm a little bummed I'm not the only one who considered the "Ebon is a changeling" theory. I thought I was pretty clever there for a moment. There are a few things I'd had to double check - especially that diary chapter, where he wrote to his "mother" - but a lot of things seem to add up to that conclusion. It would have been a simple matter for him to say, "I'm from Gray Smoke", but instead, he hesitated and fumbled around. Something is definitely rotten in the state of Denmark, even if there's healthy, well-meaning flesh beneath the decay. Hell, if I wanted to get super-conspiratorial, I could mention that "Ebon" refers to something that is black in color (and yes, I know he's named after a real person on this site), or that being a cook would be an ironically appropriate disguise for a reformed changeling.
But then, this story has a way of proving my theories wrong and disillusioning me of my cleverness. Oh, well... I guess we'll see.
3890662 im not counting out shell out I'm just saying I don't think he's near.
What is Roarke playing at? There is so much to her character we have yet to find out.
Hmm, interesting. Roarke's playing something with Kera behind the other Noble Jurists' backs. Only time will tell exactly what that is.
And damn, I'm actually unsure whether or not Kera will want to stay. I feel like sometimes I get a feel for how this story is going to go, and then other times it completely wraps me in its mystery. This is one of those times.
24
wonder what's on roarkes mind. I think this whole thing with kera right now could be for some kind of closure and she will be stronger for it in the end. I (hope) don't think she will stay here. I could be wrong, just thinking out loud.
Odds that everypony in town has been replaced by Changelings?
3893308 I'm pretty sure she's referring to Cold Canter. He was an old stallion as well from Austreaoh, remember?
3896521
maybe...? but whatever, too lazy to check for him
Not enough chapters to pull something bigger than the last battle, so I hope no enemies appear now, and the rest of this story is just personal stuff. Or Rainbow making out with Roarke, Props and Belle (Pilate can watch, with some help from OASIS).
Maybe a B-plot about Zaid going on a quest for milk.
3897136 I don't think Pilate would appreciate that, and Props would probably be in a threesome with Floydien and Nancy Jane.
~Basso
3897136
I honestly want to see Zaid going on some big adventure, just for the sake of milk.
3893735 Good thinking. I had been wondering what might be the reason for her being so scared of her babysitter. I would've guessed she's just shy and nervous and unsure of herself, but it would fit the general direction of the story if she saw a few faces that are supposed to be gone already...
3894228 That would of course open up the question where the real Ebon would have been all this time. Changelings can only impersonate actually existing people, after all.
Colcanter is the most under rated austraeoh character. He had too little time allotted to his many arc I think. Anyway, good to see he was remembered
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
Huh...Kera's reaction was interesting. I actually think that I want to see how the rest of the trip plays out with her. These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
Huh...Kera's reaction was interesting. I actually think that I want to see how the rest of the trip plays out with her. These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
-Spirit
Ebon, I swear . . . I need to know what he's hiding.
Okay, I swear... this place is going to have the dark twist that Archer's Point didn't get. I know it, I know it!
It's all coming back to her...
Awww.
That's so adorably sad; she's scared of losing ponies she cares about again.
I hate to admit it, but I'm drawing a blank here.
Who's this cantankerous Col?
Maybe it's just that I took like a year long hiatus from reading this series, but I actually had to go to the comments to figure out who Col- was. Maybe I need to brush up on my previous east horse knowledge more than I thought.
7341356
Cold Canter. Ya know? The cool old dude back from the edge of Darkstine?
Kera: This place has GRASSHOPPERS!!! So cool! I gotta stay now.
Hmmmmmm... I wonder if there's some sort of adjective we can use to describe this new pony...