Urohringr

by Imploding Colon

Something to be Watchful For

I haven't put much thought into what waits for me at the end of this journey. I don't know how many of the other Jurists have. I guess—for us—the voyage has always centered upon Rainbow Dash. She's been the one to inspire everypony on board, after all. Her goals have been our goals, and her conflicts have been our conflicts.

I'm certain that—by this point—we are determined to reach Val Roa. So long as we have full knowledge of Chrysalis and her presence there, we owe it to the rest of the world to put a stop to her infamy once and for all. How long it will take us to get to the kingdom she's nestled in, I'm not entirely certain. The skystone will undoubtedly get us there quickly—or, at least, quicker than the average air vessel. I don't even know if airships are common over this continent.

But what about that which lies beyond Val Roa? From the sound of things, the Grand Choke isn't exactly mana-friendly. There's no telling if the enchanted tome in Propsy's engine room—or the skystone for that matter—will survive the trip. But, then again, there's no telling if Rainbow Dash would either...

I can't be the only pony who worries about her. Surely Bellesmith and Pilate have their hearts full of dread whenever the topic comes up. Who's to know what Eagle Eye or Propsy think... or Josho or Floydien or Zaid for that matter. Or Roarke...

Rainbow may be courageous, stubborn, and mule-headed at times, but she's no idiot. She wouldn't have survived as long as she has and against as many obstacles as she's encountered if she didn't have a level head on her shoulder. Surely the questionable nature of the crew's future has crossed her mind. Her loyalty isn't exempt of thoughtfulness and empathy, one would think.

She's not a pony to go down fighting, Mother. That quality in and of itself has saved the whole lot of us on countless occasions. I just hope she takes the not-too-distant future into careful consideration. I hope she does what's best not just for herself... but for the ponies who love and care for her.

I think the time has come for Rainbow Dash to realize that everypony's journey can't go on forever. So, then, the choice is hers. Does she stay with the ones whom she's come to love? Or does she fade off into the eastern wasteland, preserving herself forever as merely an awesome memory? I honestly do not know which of the two is the better choice, and I certainly don't envy her position...

---

"Certainly you've all heard of the Churning Line," Josho said as he paced to a shuffling stop. He faced several other crew members across the Noble Jury's top deck under starlight. "Well, according to Boxer, it's the eastern extent of these jagged bluffs. Beyond, there's a steep series of mountain ranges—known to most Alafreons as the Sky Stabs. Most vessels aren't capable of scaling the altitude required to pass over them."

"But Nancy Jane isn't like most vessels," Floydien said, almost bitterly. Props giggled off to the side, causing the elk to grumble.

"Right." Josho nodded, then turned to face the others. "Because of the Sky Stabs, most airships don't even bother to venture into central Alafreo. They typically take the winding ravines to the south. But—according to Boxer—the quickest way to Val Roa means scaling the Sky Stabs directly."

"Does he know what's beyond these peaks?" Pilate asked. Kera lay against his striped coat, curled up and yawning from the throes of an exhausting day. "These turtles don't exactly strike me as avid pilots."

"Yeah, well, Boxer's lived long enough to catch word of mouth from everything that passes through Abinadi," Josho said. "Central Alafreo is apparently lush, not to mention heavily forested. Fir trees for days, from what I hear. There's a very large valley that stretches across most of the continent, before ending up in the Polish Mountains just west of Val Roa and the Grand Choke." He cleared his throat. "However..."

Eagle Eye blinked. "However what, old stallion?"

"There's an area in the northwest corner of the valley that's separated by a smaller mountain range east of the Sky Stabs. A curved mountain range. The landscape makes a perfect circle, according to most travelers, and it's vastly unexplored."

"What are we talking about?" Bellesmith remarked. "A plateau?"

"More like a crater," Josho said. "And a very large one at that. Over two centuries ago, a group of ponies and turtles tried scaling the southern heights to explore what lay beyond, but a blizzard struck the expedition. They lost several members of their party and had to cancel the journey. No one has tried venturing into the crater since, and most pilots east of the Sky Stabs simply avoid it altogether."

"Is it dangerous?" Eagle Eye asked.

"Meh. More like annoying," Josho said.

"Hmmmm..." Kera smiled deliriously, nuzzling Pilate's side as she yawned. "M-maybe it's full of pillllllowssss..."

Belle rolled her eyes with a smirked. "Somepony needs to hit the hay."

"Yeah!" Props snorted. "She can count tortoises hopping a fence!" Eagle Eye giggled.

Josho glanced left and right. Clearing his throat, he leaned forward. "Has anypony seen the paint bucket around?"

"Rainbow's been speaking with Celestia all day," Belle said.

"It's night now," Josho droned.

The mare shrugged. "Perhaps she's gone to sleep. The Alafreons finished polishing up the observation room this afternoon."

"That's so neato keano of them," Props said with a warm smile. "Don't you agree?"

"Is something the matter, Josho?" Eagle Eye asked.

The obese stallion sighed, plopping back on his haunches. "All this Chrysalis business..." He narrowed his eyes at the group. "Just what are we even going to do to her once we get to Val Roa?"

"What else?" Floydien inhaled, eyes twitching. "March up to insect boomer's face and give her the hoof hoof."

Josho's brow furrowed. "I'm serious." He clenched his teeth. "We damn-near chopped off our heads and tails to get out of the trap that her broodlings set for us over the Wastes."

"Yeah, but she doesn't have her broodlinglinglings anymore!" Props exclaimed.

"Doesn't make her any less powerful," Josho said. "According to what Rainbow Dash has told us, she's old as sin and has connections with the dark side of the world." He gestured with a meaty fetlock as he spoke. "What's to say that she's not going to spring an even bigger trap for us when we arrive in the Val Roan Capital City?"

"It's okay to be worried, Josho," Eagle Eye said. "I'm not exactly thrilled about getting into a grunge match with Chrysalis either, but this group has been through crazier straits before." He smiled gently. "I have every bit of confidence that we'll figure something else! Besides, we've got Rainbow on our sides!"

"Yeah, but we're not gonna have her on our sides for long."

Pilate said, "She's proven to have greater fortitude than the rest of us combined—"

"But not forever," Josho firmly said. "Please. Let's be real here. You guys know this better than the rest of us."

Pilate opened his mouth, but he had nothing to say. He hung his head while Belle's hooves squirmed against the top deck.

Josho's gaze washed over the group, finally settling on Eagle Eye's melancholic expression. With a sigh, he closed his eyes and said, "Look, bad things are going to happen in this world. That's a given. We've all seen it for ourselves. But, we've also seen a lot of that bad stuff get kicked in the rear. Rainbow Dash has done a lot of good for almost every ass-backward place she's flow through. Plus, she made me sober." His eyes opened dully. "I know that I'm both the first and the last pony who should be saying this, but... I think it's high time she considered retiring."

"Her journey is an epic one, Josho," Belle said. "Not to mention a necessary one. It goes beyond what any of us can comprehend."

"And just where is that written in stone, huh?" Josho frowned. "As far as I'm concerned, all this Austraeoh prophecy stuff is a bunch of hooey. Never mind what an enchanted book and a bunch of freaky cultists think. Hell, just take one look at Zaid. Morons will believe in anything given enough idiocy and dedication. Or if somepony just promises them grilled cheese."

"The role of Austraeoh and Eljunbyro is quite clear," Pilate said. "My beloved and I have not only witnessed it—we have lived it. Embodied it."

"Won't make a damn difference once death and chaos catches up with Dash."

Belle exclaimed, "She's had every reason to die already! But with each peril she's faced, each beacon of the machine world she's touched—she's miraculously lived on!"

"And you think that'll make her go on forever?" Josho raised an eyebrow. "It didn't work for Hurricane. And from what I hear, they both had the whole 'Austraeoh' thing going for them... up until the end at least."

Belle bit her lip. Her eyes moistened slightly.

"Don't get me wrong. I care for the gal," Josho said. "She's changed my life in more ways than I can count. It freaks me out to think that I ever once tried hunting her down like she was a rabid winged dog in Foxtaur Forest." Her looked at the others. "But someday, her journey's going to end. She... is going to end. And I think we all owe it to her—I think the whole dayum world owes it to her to make it a good end. Good... relaxing... and p-peaceful." He swallowed.

The Noble Jury was silent.

Clearing his throat, Josho continued, "Or... y'know..." A sigh. "We just... play along with her until she can't go on any further. I dunno if that means beyond the Grand Choke or what... but if you can't retire the hero, then at least you can help warm up her blaze of glory. You feel me?"

"We... we f-feel you, old stallion," Eagle Eye said with a sniffle. "I just... d-don't really like what I'm feeling..."

---

This has been a happy week. A joyful and prosperous week. And yet, I can't shake this unsettling feeling that—at some point far from now—things will stop being this joyful. And, as silly as it sounds, I'd much rather have it happen tomorrow as opposed to constantly hanging over our heads for an insurmountable time.

I love these ponies. They are like family to me. I adore Propsy and I cherish Eagle Eye. But, without a shadow of a doubt, Rainbow Dash is at the center of it all. And once she goes away—be it to a grave or to the east beyond—I fear for what will happen to this family. I fear the idea of being ungrounded... of being lost.

For I have been lost before. And it was not a pleasant feeling. It still haunts me... tears at me in the dark of night. And for all of the warm comfort of the Jurists' companionship... for all the loving things that Eagle Eye says to me...

I'm still scared, Mother. I'm scared that I'll forever be lost, searching... searching for you... searching for myself.

But, who knows? If Elma Boreal's found herself, then maybe there's hope for me.

Maybe there's hope for all of us...

---

Rainbow Dash finished attaching a knotted rope-end to a bulkhead. With a satisfied sigh, she leaned back and blinked blearily at her hoofwork.

A newly knitted hammock hung neatly across the port side of the Noble Jury's refurbished observation room. The metal framework of the bubbled window had been repaired completely. The room looked like it had never been trashed by zombie pegasi to begin with. Even new glass panels filled up the webbed frame, peering out into mountain mist and starlight.

Stifling a yawn, Rainbow Dash trotted across the room and braced the Sword of Solstice against the corner. Dimming the lights, she spread her wings and prepared to leap into the hammock. On the final heave, however—

"Uhm... Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow tripped, pratfalling onto her chest. "Ooof!"

"Gah!" Elma winced, biting her bottom lip with a pair of fangs. "S-sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"Nnnngh..." Rainbow Dash stood back up, teetering slightly. "Naw, it's alright..." She brushed herself off. "The day isn't complete until I've crashed into something or another."

"Still, please forgive me. I didn't mean to startle you—"

"Elma, it's alright." Rainbow turned to smile tiredly at her. She slapped a nearby lantern with her prismatic tail, brightening the observation room slightly. "What's up?"

"I haven't seen you around that much lately."

"Well, that's to be understood. You've been catching up with your family." Rainbow winced. "Erm... Elma's family, I mean. Ungh..." She face-hoofed. "I'll never get over that, I swear."

"Eheh..." The changeling gulped and nodded. "You're not alone..." She paced about. "I spent all afternoon with the Tundras."

"The whats?"

"Distant relatives of the Boreals," Elma said with a smile. "I used to fish with two of their elders when I was a hatchling—er... I-I mean Elma..." The shapeshifter sighed. "You understand."

"If you insist."

"So many memories..." Elma shook her head, gazing into the bulkhead in thought. "And so many turtles to catch up with. And that's not even the half of it." She looked up, bearing a perky smile. "I keep remembering all of these... these projects that Elma left in limbo..."

"Projects?"

"She was a cartographer and an enviromentalist," the changeling said. "She had all of these expeditions and operations set in motion. They've all been cut off because of her untimely demise, of course. And yet... it's like... it's like they haven't." She looked at her own porous forelimbs. "They're right within reach of my hooves. And I remember everything about the parts where I—I m-mean where Elma left off at. There are hundreds if not thousands of turtles waiting on these expeditions to go underway. Lots of money is just floating around... turtles' livelihoods. And... and..."

"Hmmm?" Rainbow squinted. "And what?"

"Just... just seeing my—I mean Elma's hatchlings again..." She gulped. "There're so many things I want to learn about... to know about. Cousins and nephews I haven't seen in ages. Promises that were made to them and to their children and their children's children..."

"I'm guessing it's a lot to take in."

"You have no idea." Elma slowly shook her head. "And... and all this time, the Boreals have been extremely welcoming. The Tundras as well. But that's not all. I think... no, I'm pretty sure that this is helping them as well." Elma nodded at her own words. "I think something about me being here is helping them come to terms with the fact that the matriarch of the Boreal family is gone."

"And she is gone, right?" Rainbow Dash asked.

Elma looked at her.

"Who you were and who you are?" The pegasus shook her head. "Two completely different things, girl."

The shape-shifter gulped. "How do you even know that I'm a girl?"

Rainbow stared blankly.

"How do you know that this is my real form?" She flexed her dragonfly wings. "Or that it's the real form of any broodling hatched from Chrysalis?" She stared at her own hooves. "Or that this is what I truly should be beneath it all..."

"I... I guess I don't know."

"Neither do I, Rainbow," Elma murmured. "All I know is what Chrysalis made me into... what she robbed the Boreals of. And, yet, it's like they've never been robbed at all. Because... she's still here. She's not alive... she's not even a soul... but she's a gift now... and a talent." She clenched her jaws. "Something that I'm not about to take for granted."

"Elma..." Rainbow Dash chuckled. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were almost wanting to—"

Elma looked pointedly at her.

Rainbow Dash stopped in mid-speech. She blinked.

Elma stared at her. She exhaled and smiled weakly.

Rainbow's ears folded. She glanced down at the floor, then gulped. "Oh."

Elma slowly, slowly nodded.

"Have you... uhm..." Rainbow ran a hoof through her mane. "...have you told anypony?"

"I'm telling you," Elma said.

Rainbow glanced up at her. "Why me?"

"Because you're the reason I'm here, Rainbow Dash. You're the reason I'm alive... why I still believe in myself..."

"Pffft... bite your tongue..." Rainbow chuckled awkwardly. "It was Pilate who showed you compassion in Stratopolis. And then Belle single-hoofedly carried you to safety—"

"But it was you who saved me through them, Rainbow..." Elma stepped quietly towards the pegasus. "It was you who whisked them away from their troubles. It was you who inspired them to be courageous and to show compassion and to never give up." She stopped and rested a hoof on the mare's shoulder. "It was you who brought the Noble Jury together... who led them my way... who helped them bless my life when I didn't know I had one to call my own."

Rainbow gulped and murmured, "And is it your own, Elma?"

"It will be," the shape-shifter said. "Thanks to you... and thanks to Elma." She smiled, her green eyes tearing. "You've both been foundations... stepping stones toward where I need to be."

"I..." Rainbow Dash shuddered, forcing a smile across her muzzle. "I wish I could take you there faster, Elma. I really... really do."

"I know that," Elma said with a nod. "But for some of us, the quickest way to finish a journey is to stop moving."

Rainbow Dash blinked at that. Eventually her voice cracked, "I don't know if I can even understand that." A weak smile. "But I have full faith that you can."

"Good..." Elma nodded, sniffling. "I'll take that as a blessing."

"Sure." Rainbow leaned forward, smirking devilishly. "Just promise me one thing, at least."

"What's that?"

"You darn well better pick yourself a name," she said with a wink.

Elma did a double-take, then broke into giggles. She leaned forward as Rainbow Dash hugged her gently in the starlight.

Comments

[whizzball1]

Woo! Feature again!
Ebon's words really strike on something there. What will happen when Rainbow is gone? We haven't even thought that far! And Ebon's right. We're here just waiting for something bad to happen; we can't enjoy the happiness while it lasts.
This is why IC is such a good writer.

-Spirit

[Swan Song]

Goodbye, Elma. We'll miss you.

And then Alafreo exploded.

[Sivrem]

"There's an area in the northwest corner of the valley that's separated by a smaller mountain range east of the Sky Stabs. A curved mountain range. The landscape makes a perfect circle, according to most travelers, and it's vastly unexplored."

"More like a crater,"

What the hell can make a crater THAT big, so big it left mountains? Ah well, it'll be explained eventually. And good bye Elma, may you be in happiness...hopefully

[Arcanist Ascendant]

That was really really cute. I'm so glad we still haven't had a Le-
You know what I'm going to say, I'm not finishing that sentance.

[Moonlit Oasis]

Aww....
So cute. Now someone will die.

[mrjerrio]

And then everything worked out great for everyone. Please?

[AppleTank]

4636833
Don't even think about it.

[Tchernobog]

4636768
I get the sneaking suspicion that the jury will go on, without rainbow, to the dark side of the world... since the series is a planned 12 fics, Rainbow might not make it through all of them.

[whizzball1]

4636997

[aduck]

A very interesting scene. Oddly enough, this is one of my favorites, and I can't for the life of me figure out why.

It's odd...but this makes me wonder if Rainbow Dash will always be around in the series.

Maybe she will die. And it will continue on.

She's flying east...to remake the elements of harmony in the midnight armory, so that she may life a natural lifespan, and to return them to Equestria. That was the stated goal when she set out, the unstated being this was a suicide mission for redemption.

The elements are the goal...except perhaps they are not.

People always say that it is not the destination the matters, but the journey. Perhaps the Elements don't matter. Perhaps they never need to be remade, but are always to be that elusive goal that one strides for.

Maybe Rainbow Dash needs to die, and light the way for the Noble Jury.

Maybe they take up her cause, and continue on a journey that never ends. That they search for the way to remake the elements of harmony, while always spreading it around the world. That the Noble Jury becomes a group...an organization...a permanent force for hope.

Maybe when the next Austraeoh appears, the new form of the Jurists will be the new Eljunbyro. And the cycle continues.

Until one day it doesn't. One day they finish the impossible journey. The elements are remade, and the quest ends.

Except the elements are no longer needed.

Because maybe they have brought so much harmony, and helped the new Austreaeoh, and fix the world, that the elements are no longer needed.

And so the last of the jurists rest, knowing that their work is done.

Maybe their work becomes that of myth and legends, told to young ones around this world.

Maybe they remain a guide to future generations, even after they are long gone.

Maybe. Just maybe...

[RoboRed]

Yeah, I figured she'd end up staying.

Good luck out there, Elma.

[Jake Edgegleamer]

4637174

[YoshiFawful64]

This is up earlier than usual.
It'll be sad to see Elma go...

[Lightning Bearer]

Godspeed, Elma. You were a pretty cool not-quite-turtle.

I guess that crater place is the next destination, huh? Perhaps for the finale of this installment? Some connection to the machine world seems obvious, and it's been a while since that's come up. It's anyone's guess, though.

Also, Tchernobog raises an interesting possibility. What if Rainbow doesn't survive the journey, and the others continue it for her, carrying on the spark like an Olympic flame and saving the world in honor of her awesomeness? Dunno if that's likely, but it has a certain poetic ring to it, doesn't it?

[VNilla]

This has been a happy week. A joyful and prosperous week. And yet, I can't shake this unsettling feeling that—at some point far from now—things will stop being this joyful. And, as silly as it sounds, I'd much rather have it happen tomorrow as opposed to constantly hanging over our heads for an insurmountable time.

EBON NO YOU'LL JINX IT

4636801 NO

[Starlit Skies]

4637421 The only problem with that is Rainbow would have to have a suitable death scene that embodies her epicness and actually die to something. Once you kill a giant, mutated and corrupted dragon that has lived for thousands of years and is one of the five most powerful dragons in existence (not to mention having the protection of another), what can kill you?

Goodbye Elma. You will be well missed.

[SilentBird93]

Well goodbye Elma.

I hope Rainbow doesn't end up dying before they finish the journey.

I bet that crater is going to be important or something later on.

[Arcanist Ascendant]

4636997
I'm getting a feeling like in Book Six Rainbow's going to get a magical mystery cure to either tone down the curse in a big way or eliminate it entirely. I think there's going to be some neat magician or some sort of magic in Val Roa to fix her up once Rainbow Dash and co. fix whatever's wrong with Val Roa.

[Tchernobog]

4637421
4637498
4637567

I'd laugh if due to the, well, harmony-feedback that flowed through Chrissy's hive... She has become a force of good - and after so long being evil, knows a thing or two about it... and is the one to remove a huge portion of Dash's chaos.

[Lightning Bearer]

4637577

You mean, like Elma did for Kera, except on a much larger, almost existential level?

... I'm intrigued, sir.

[Tchernobog]

4637585
I hadn't even thought of that comparison, but yes.

Also I'm totally calling that the sword is going to be used to let Celestia talk to Chrissy. I can't really picture any other reason for it to stick around for so long.

[IceKitsune]

Hmmm that crater is rather intriguing, they are going to go there for sure either by accident or on purpose. Glad to see Elma is going to stay, not that I really expected anything different.

4637577
This is a rather interesting idea, even if the feed back didn't do it maybe a talk with Celestia will do it or at least finish the job.

[Arcanist Ascendant]

4637577

Well, given how IC loves his numbers, the resolution to the question of RD's life or death will be decided...

IN THE NEXT INSTALLMENT!

[Booster Spice]

From the way it was said, I though the impassable range itself was the walls of an impact crater, never mind the smaller crater they look like theyre going to try. Maybe it was the entrance to the Machine World that someone tried to open up the had way hundreds of millenia ago, and instead bent the world a little bit, or maybe the crater to the north, is a leftover of the world bending crater in front of them?

Ringworld Engineers, here we come.

I wonder if anyones left a world length of monofilament line laying around somewhere?

[Jex]

Elma is staying behind? That's your cue, Ghost of Shell!

[Cynderfall]

Farewell Elma. We will never forget you. Live long a prosper. ^-^

[Phoenix Kitten]

4638454 "Boxer" is gonna have something to do with it I bet.

[CraftAids]

"Ah—Spark!" Pilate winced, nervously slash-slashing the golden weapon left and right. Thanks to the way Rainbow positioned him, he successfully evaporated the muck before it could cascade over them.
"Good job! But the icky part is coming up next!"

There was a sudden gust of wind. If she was any other pegasus, she would have been tossed wildly into the ether, but Rainbow Dash swiftly countered for the gale attacking her wings. She leveled out and hovered up, getting a good view of the landscape beneath her as the misty clouds parted.
She spotted a sudden dip in the mountains. A deep ravine had formed suddenly, and a heavy current of cold wind was billowing down to fill the canyon.

Not gonna say worse or better, but this story sure has evolved over time.

[Aatxe360]

Elma should hook back up with Uncle Prowsy.

...

[Ms_Fruit_Bat]

4637174 As interesting as that would be, I still think of this series as Rainbow's journey, and her's alone. She may have the Jurists as friends and companions, but I believe when she has to go back to being on her own is when the journey will really pick up and start moving along.

[Hap]

4637421 Only to find out that the entire dark side is where ponies go when they die. The Noble Jury flies into hell itself, finding the recently-deceased Rainbow Dash and the rest of the elements...

[CasualMarshmallow]

Definitely a chapter to bookmark for later.

The fate of the Noble Jury could go anywhere, but I cannot imagine how Rainbow Dash would be able to take her friends with her to the dark side of the world, though we know almost nothing about it so it's possible. After the events in Val Roa, the crew might realize the danger in front of them and leave Dash to finish the journey how it started: alone. Belle and Pilate are sticking for Rainbow Dash the most, but they will want to be with Kera as well.

And I'd think Josho would know by now that the point of Rainbow's journey is to live life in a heroic blaze of glory, rather than to finish the Austraeoh job.

As for the crater? Best I can think of is an alicorn Saruman.

[Khao]

4636812

i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae147/Flashpenny/MTS2_missMSBplayer_911452_300639-the_majora_s_mask_moon_large.jpg

[Jonathon Smythe]

Fare thee well, Elma.

4637174 Well now that is an interesting theory.

[Fishberry]

Ahhh, back on the Jury. Which means Roarke has likely disgorged her orafice-obfuscated ordnance.

Somepony should inform her that the phrase 'rocket pocket' is not an endorsement to utilize that part of a filly's anatomy as a holster.

If Roarke ever produces a weapon from Hammerspace, I'm REALLY going to be wondering just where it came from.

And um, yeah, there goes Elma. Not sure what to say. I guess it's a sensible decision.

[Nevlamas]

Plant a seed in the richest soil, then. It will do little to further cleanse the ground, but it will grow and prosper like nowhere else for sure.

[Wild Zontars]

4638454
Ghost my ass. We never did see the body.

[axxuy]

4638454
Please. Don't even joke about that.

[not_a_rainbow]

[Future Regret]

Can't wait for the Grand Choke

[_00500005_]

Seen as no one else mentioned it...

grunge match ?

[Vandratha]

With all the talk of staying behind, I'm very interested to see who will stay with Rainbow at the end of this book.

[Zecoro]

4639817 good point but itd have to had flipped around and landed its ass first. otherwise, the land would have the imprint of a face lol

[Silver Flare]

4637174 I well and truly hope you're wrong, aduck. Because that would be tragic and heroic and awesome. But it would also be beautiful. I had tears in my eyes reading your theory for the future here. Legit tears. Of course, only time will tell.

[JustAnotherTimeLord]

Elma was a pretty awesome character while she lasted. I'll honestly miss her, which makes me wish that the real Elma will suddenly pop out of nowhere and allow her to stick around for a bit.

[aRestlessCreativeGamer]

I'm thinkin that Josho's suggesting that they follow Rainbow to the bitter end. Even if she tells them to stay behind they will follow. She may, at first, be understandably upset, but she wouldn't leave them hanging and the journey would go on.

[ElderJones]

They're in a peaceful, safe location, and somebody has decided to stay behind.

There are 75 chapters left.

This won't end well.

[Hazard]

5908664 or maybe it will, because ic isn't one to repeat something like that, particularly so soon.

[Regidar]

So she's finally made her decision. The decision to stay will be much more peaceful now, I think; this time, the only shell is the one on her back.

[DuskPhoenix]

She wouldn't have survived as long as she has and against as many obstacles as she's encountered if she didn't have a level head on her shoulder.

Just the one shoulder, though.

This was a really heartwarming but also heartbreaking chapter. Both Rainbow and The Jury have some heavy choices to be weighing.