Urohringr

by Imploding Colon

Rainbow Dash Flies In Circles

The stars broke out overhead. Even through the misty haze of the Durandanan Basin, Rainbow Dash could see them—not for very long, though, for she was frequently closing her eyes.

Rainbow glided at a perpetual curve, angling her left wings along the bend in the basin. As the crater ran in a circle, so did she, pivoting at a snail's pace while otherwise majestically soaring over the dense jungle and foliage below. When the wind blew at her feathers, she didn't fight it, allowing herself to drift up and down with whatever whim the weather exhibited. She relished in the chorus of countless crickets alone, in the rustle and dance of trees.

It had been a long time since Rainbow Dash had flown in a circle. In a lot of ways, it almost felt like flying in a straight line. The beginning of the flight mattered little, and there was seemingly no end. So long as she maintained a consistent pace and mastered the wind currents, then she could seemingly fly on forever.

However, Rainbow Dash knew that she couldn't. At any given moment, the flight would end. It could have been in her next breath. It could have been several months later. Ultimately, it mattered little. Despite the immortal strength of her will, the elements would hold sway when all was said and done.

She had always imagined a glorious death. In fact, she had earned herself one. But that wasn't enough, and destiny evidently wouldn't settle for what Rainbow Dash deemed "acceptable." For a moment, Rainbow contemplated that she had never been flying in a straight line at all, but instead several spiraling circles that just got smaller and smaller over time, dragging in various innocent lives into the cyclone until the revolutions eventually ended. Would it culminate in a gentle release or a calamitous implosion? Rainbow couldn't even pretend to guess.

When Rainbow Dash began her journey, she received the blessings of Luna and Celestia. She never expected to experience such grace when her flight ended. But here—in Durandana—Fawful and the other pegasi were extending a blessing of their own. What was the need to fight anymore? She had lost friends and gained some more. She had lived more than one life in a single gust. Despite all of the pain and fighting and struggle, Rainbow began to wonder—perhaps she had a lot to be thankful for? Perhaps she had everything to be thankful for—

The world inexplicably spun.

Rainbow's eyes flashed open, red on yellow. She hissed in pain, clutching her skull as she flew straight towards spiraling trees. "Nnnngh—L-Luna!" A sea of branches hurled towards her from beyond the mist. "Guhh... f-for buck's sake!" Gritting her teeth, Rainbow reached through the numbness and flapped her wings hard. She couldn't feel it, but her eyes told her that she was evening out. She angled her feathers in such a way to pull her vision up and over the rustling tree canopy. There was a flash of stars, then scattering leeves.

Rainbow's body impacted off a tree branch.

"Augh!" She spun twice. She couldn't register enough pain to tell how much damage had been done. She could trust her body to be tough enough, even if she couldn't trust gravity at the moment.

Her head turned to the side. She saw another branch slicing its way towards her.

"Hrghhh!" Rainbow hooked a hoof out, catching the branch with her forelimb. The resulting jolt broke through the dizziness, sending her blood surging through her petite frame. She awakened to enough senses to toss herself upwards. Leaping from the branch, she spread her wings again, slowing her descent with enough grace to come gliding lazily towards a pair of outstretched tree limbs. Once above them, she coiled her feathers, and fell down hard. "Ooomf!"

The tree branches caught her. She nestled her weight against them, relishing in the cold touch of the bark as her body slowly, slowly spun to a stop. She clutched her head, her pained eyes returning to their vibrant ruby hue.

"Mmmnngh... just... pull yourself together..." Rainbow clenched her teeth and squeezed her eyes tight. "You've got m-more left in you than this! Focus... focus, Rainbow! For the love of all that's awesome, focus!"

She wasn't aware of it at first, but her breaths were growing more and more evenly spaced. A slick curtain of sweat ran down her neck and chin. Her eyes were shut so tight that tiny lines of color started playing tricks against her retinae. As she felt the blood pumping in her ears, she thought—however fleetingly—that all of the lines morphed together, coalescing to become something. A face? A name? A word?

Rainbow didn't have any chance to concentrate on anything, for a loud rustling sound broke through the numbness, awaking her. Her eyes flashed open, seeing sparks melting against the misty canvas all around. Once more, she heard the sound... the beating sound... like leather wings against the darkness.

"H-huh?!" She tilted her head up, reeling slightly.

The stars broke continuously in a straight line, then shone unimpeded. The beating grew more and more distant.

Rainbow blinked. Rainbow frowned. Rainbow fumed. With a single flap of her wings, she shot skyward like a bullet, piercing the night's sky. Dizziness still clung to her wings, but she fought against the fainting trails of her spell, ascending as rapidly as she could. Her eyes darted everywhere. Out of the corner of her vision, she thougth she made out a black shape against the stars, and she rocketed straight towards it.

Rainbow climbed and climbed and climbed through the air. She ascended so high that she flew beyond the reach of Durandana's weather currents. Here, the air was a turbulent, tempestuous mess, blowing at her with wild winds that rivaled the blizzard gusts of the Wastes.

Nevertheless, Rainbow hovered firmly against the gales, sneering into the howling winds. "Nnnnngh—What is it?!" she hollered, she screamed. "What do you want from me?!" She flung her forelimbs out. "Come back and spill it out, you scaley creep!"

Nothing but darkness and noise.

Rainbow snarled at it all. "Why are you still watching me?! I have n-nothing left for you!" She panted and panted between loud outbursts. "I have nothing left for anypony! So just what in the buck did you see in me, huh?!" She wheezed and yelled, "What does Urohringr want from me?!"

The world grew hazier and hazier. Rainbow's vision was fogging.

"Gnnnghhh!" Rainbow pulled at her hair. "What?! Do I need to kill another one of your sisters to get you to talk to me?! I'm at the end of my rope! Where do I go?!" Shivering. Hyperventilating. "Why am I going th-there?!"

There was no answer. There was never an answer.

Rainbow seethed and seethed. Moisture formed along the edges of her eyes, all too quickly blown away by the slicing wind currents. She hung her head as her wings flapped with looser and looser motions. Her hooves grasped the pendant rattling around her neck.

"So much..." She gulped, her voice wavering. "It j-just... weighs so m-much. It always has. I'm tired. I'm just... s-so tired..."

There was a sniffling sound that was deaffened by the wind, and Rainbow slowly, slowly drifted back down into the welcoming heart of the lost basin.

---

Eagle Eye lay curled up in his cot, the same fetal position he had been in for hours. There was no sleeping; his moist eyes stared intently into the nearest bulkhead while his lavender ears occasionally flickered. Every so often, a sad breath would escape his nostrils, and his eyes would grow wetter.

Sniffling, the stallion buried his face into his pillow. A tiny whimpering noise escaped his throat, silenced by the shadows around him.

So it was with a curious stirring that Eagle Eye ultimately lifted his head to the repeated sound of a hoof knocking at his cabin door. His eyes blinked blearily across the darkness.

The knocking persisted, louder and more earnest this time.

With stiff legs, Eagle Eye rolled out of bed, stood up, and shuffled towards the door, sighing the whole way. At last, he grabbed the hatch and opened it with a squeaky turn. As soon as he opened the thing to the hallway, his breath left him.

"... ... ...Ebon?!"

The stallion avoided Eagle's gaze, staring down at the floor with folded ears. He was dead silent, though his trembles were more than noticeable.

"I... uhm..." Eagle gulped. "I-I don't know... what..."

"May I step inside, Eagle, please?" It was the gentlest of whispers.

Eagle gawked. He nod-nod-nodded and stepped aside, giving Ebon room to shuffle on in. He very slowly, very gently closed the door behind them both.

Ebon stared dead at the wall, his tail hanging limply behind him. With a slight turn of the head, he murmured over his shoulder, "I was t-told that you would be here."

"Uhm..." Eagle Eye gulped the biggest lump ever down his throat. "Yeah. I mean... sure. I guess..."

"I... I was also told that you've been absolutely miserable." Ebon's dry throat cleared. "And from the way he described it, I... st-started to get concerned..."

"Huh?" Eagle blinked. "Who?"

"I know how dramatic you c-can sometimes be, Eagle." Ebon twirled, eyes glossy as they finally found their mark, shaking Eagle to his core. "The l-last thing I'd ever want for you is to hurt yourself!"

"But... b-but I wouldn't! I mean..." Eagle's muzzle scrunched. "Who gave you that idea—?!"

"He loves you very much, you know," Ebon says. "I... I don't blame him."

Eagle blinked. At last, he rolled his eyes and groaned inwardly. "You dirty, dirty old stallion..."

"Eagle Eye, please hear me out—"

"Look." Eagle sighed, trotting forward and waving a forelimb. "Whatever Josho said, I'm sure it's just him trying to—"

"No." Ebon's bergundy hooves gently clasped either side of Eagle's leg and squeezed tight. He gazed up into the other stallion's eyes. "This is about me and you." He gulped. "It's always about me and you."

"Ebon...?"

Ebon sniffled, his eyes tearing up. "You've been so good to me... so loving... so... adoring." Ebon gritted his teeth. "Everything in my being is telling me not to do this. But... b-but I can't help it, Eagle. I have to tell you..."

Eagle took a deep, deep breath. "Tell me what, Ebon?"

"The tr-truth, Eagle," Ebon whimpered, his lips quivering. "The truth about me."

Eagle Eye nodded. He smiled gently, a tear running down his muzzle. He raised his other hoof and clasped it with Ebon's. "I'm all ears..."

Comments

[Jake The Army Guy]

I really hope Dash can stay. Pass the Austreoh mantle onto someone else. No one can say she hasn't done her part and has earned a rest... but can she rest? Could Dashie really just... stay put?

Also, friggin' finally, Ebon!

No pushups this round, ):(. We all got some thinking to do...

[ForestFeather]

It's always so heartbreaking to see Dash falling into the well of self-despair and loss and hopelessness at what has lain behind her, what darkness lies before her, and what scars will forever be borne inside her heart and soul.

I don't think, when she crosses sides, that she will die. I simply think the chaos in her will take over, to a degree, with flashbacks to harmony... but she will live, and think, and suffer on until there's a balance in the harmony and the chaos.

[ForestFeather]

4840311 It is not our bodies, but our hearts, that get a workout now don't you think?

[Zaid ValRoa]

Honest communication aboard the Jury?
Hold on, how do we know they're not change-- Oh, right.

[IceKitsune]

I had forgotten about Axan, Dash really can't stay without killing her or getting rid of her somehow. Its pretty likely she would just burn the place to the ground to get her move again.

Finally time for Ebon and Eagle to talk this stuff out, this will be good.

[RoboRed]

There hasn't been much leading up to what seems like a major conflict before this book ends.
But now, I'm starting to think it might end not with a major conflict, but with Rainbow Dash.

For right now, though, some answers from Ebon.

[youtube=www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZP_kxcTgKk]

[aduck]

I do enjoy how fragile you make RD. Cause let's face it, she had a lot of willpower just to continue as far as she has.

[VNilla]

Yup, Ebon knows what he is. Called it.

Also, all y'all are talking about how the book is winding down, but we've got 35 chapters to go. 35! I'll remind you that the entire Lerris incident took 10 chapters; anything could happen in 35. Multiple anythings, even.

[Booster Spice]

Dash is haunted once more by the Pack of the Back Dog, no matter how many new freinds she finds, she is still just a Party Of One.

[youtube=bvG_KTa780g]

[CasualMarshmallow]

That's a rather ominous title. The description and style here is reminiscent of Austraeoh.

It's hard to think that Dash would stay, even with all this 'Austraeoh' stuff. I think the spirit of adventure and exploration from Austraeoh is still in there. And passing the torch doesn't seem likely at this point. Her friends are still just looking for a better life, they may be turned off by the finality of venturing into the Grand Choke.

And that kiss is almost here...

[North Bound]

4840326 I can't tell you how many times I've had that same thought. To live under layers of chaos.... Whooo

[Slip Kid]

Well, looks like no matter how far RD flies, she can't outrun her destiny .

The vessel known as EE&E seems to be deploying life boats, the ship may yet be saved!

[Zeno]

I liked this chapter a lot. The insight into Rainbow's mind, the solitude, the weight of the unknown; reminds me of the beautiful simplicity early on in Austraeoh. Rocketing across Ledomare with the Noble Jury has been fantastic, but RD's been long overdue to chill the fuck out for a minute and have an honest heart-to-heart with herself.

4840628
Not to mention we have a proposed 7 more books ahead of us. This one will probably leave off at the threshold of Val Roa, but if the past 5 parts have proved anything, we'll be into book 6 the next day!

I can only hope all these death flags turn out to be false, in the end. You can't continue the story without her, can you?...

[AppleTank]

"I'm a Changeling."
-"Oh, that? I knew that for weeks. Anything else?"

[dafiltafish]

Axan the stalker!

[Moonlit Oasis]

Rainbow's dizzy spells went from hardly ever to once or twice a day in four stories. My guess is that something will happen to 'cure' her somewhat, but not fully.

[alamais]

Her eyes were shut so tight that tiny lines of color started playing tricks against her retinae. As she felt the blood pumping in her ears, she thought—however fleetingly—that all of the lines morphed together, coalescing to become something. A face? A name? A word?

inb4 detente

[Lightning Bearer]

Poor Rainbow. I mean, what else is there to say, really?

Well, maybe this: I stand by what I said. Unless she dies (and this seems like an odd, uneven place for her to do so, structurally speaking) I don't see her staying behind. Even if she wants to. Perhaps this is her... I dunno, final test, before confronting Chrysalis and then passing over to the Dark Side of the world. The Last Temptation of Austraeoh, as t'were. I'm a little rusty on my Joseph Campbell, but doesn't the Hero usually face a "way out" at some point, but decides to continue on, for one reason or another?

Also, I have a feeling that whatever Ebon's truth is, it's not that he's a changeling. It's hard to imagine that he's known all this time. Unless, of course, he found out on his own recently and we simply weren't privy to it. Methinks Eagle has just as much truth to lay down as Ebon.

[Tillion]

for overdue ship patching!

4841165

I can only hope all these death flags turn out to be false, in the end. You can't continue the story without her, can you?...

i can. i mean, it wouldn't be impossible, would it?
it's been discussed before in the comments that she could "pass the torch" as they say. how exactly i have no idea, but why not?
4841999

inb4 detente

????

[Phoenix Kitten]

She died once and came back stronger than ever. maybe they should have nicked one of those stasis coffins like the one she was in in Blue Shelf,something she can lay in and sleep without the element pendant on,give the chaos energy a chance to burn itself out a bit.

[Relevant Heavy Metal]

And she was spooked by a flying cow. Or maybe it was Axan. Or maybe it was Shell resurrected as a demon! Or one of those wierdo Xonan flying snake things!

The possibilities are endless.

Tool - 10,000 Days (Part 2)

[alamais]

4842281
Oh, I've had a pet theory for quite a while that at some point, as Dash's condition deteriorates, the 'spirit' of Discord is going to start talking to her. And now she's seeing things during a bad spell... What I meant by detente was that I could see this leading to her to continuing onward, but also cutting down on the bad spells, if she and the chaos within can come to an agreement.

This all ties into the overarching theory that some or all of what's happened may be a Xanatos Gambit on Discord's part.

[Acceleron]

Eventually Rainbow Dash has to be cured in this book or the next. Otherwise the rest of the Jurists are going to carry on with her corpse.

[xXshaydXx]

Everyone else on the jury is mostly ok except for rainbow..I absolutely hate these thoughts she's having...honestly ive never thought for a second through out this whole saga rainbow would falter in anyway..I still believe she will make it through anything and come out stronger for it..hopefully.

[Tillion]

4842798 oOo, Xanatos Gambit.... i could see that for this incarnation of discord.....
coming to an agreement though? unlikely, seeing as in this universe Discord is almost Hitler:
i.e. death to all. if you recall the alicorn lore, the space outside the ring is pure chaos, from which spawned Dissy (on the darkside). The chaos as a whole wanted nothig but destruction (which is both weird and not, but that aligns with my definition of chaos vs. order....), and Dissy would be no different.

[Aatxe360]

"Death lighter than a feather, duty heavier than a mountain." ~Emperor Meiji

[YoshiFawful64]

As she felt the blood pumping in her ears, she thought—however fleetingly—that all of the lines morphed together, coalescing to become something. A face? A name? A word?

I wonder who that is. Applejack? Discord? Gold Petals? Axan? Roarke?
Finally, it's time EE and Ebon talk things through. I'm 99,9% certain that it'll end well. Adorably, in fact.

[alamais]

4843443
Hmm I think you're reading a lot into the very little that's been said. Discord certainly seems more destructive than on the show (vis-a-vis the pile of corpses outside the chaos coffin), but he didn't seem to expect or plan the deaths of the other Elements. The pure chaos outside the world may be mindless destruction (ala Nevlamas), but the dark side of the world hasn't been shown to be that far into chaos. There's no proof that the darksiders desire the end of the world-plate--Discord certainly seemed to enjoy having a playground. Generally I'd say there's plenty of chaos on the 'light side', so why wouldn't there be a fair bit of order on the other?

Anyway, I could see some sort of agreement working towards the common goal of not having everything blow up. I'm probably wrong and something entirely different will happen, but it's fun to ponder.

[not_a_rainbow]

I really thought that she would actually catch Axan, but nope :(

[Cynderfall]

This chapter had drama. Poor Dash and poor Ebon and poor sweet Eagle.

[Arcanist Ascendant]

Bloody Easthorse soap opera.

[Nevlamas]

Cursed with an epochal destiny or cursed with love - what's the difference?

[Vandratha]

Well, at least one issue is going to get cleared up.

[Zecoro]

4840772 Nopony can truely replace her old elemental friends. period.

[Zecoro]

SPIT IT OUT BURGANDY BOOMER!

[whizzball1]

Seriously, Axan? Not even humouring her with an answer? Hopefully you'll at least keep her from falling to her death.

-Spirit

[Truth_Seeker]

5144163

stupid sailboat boomer can't even spit to save himself

[JustAnotherTimeLord]

Hmm . . . Dash doesn't even know if that was Axan, even if it might be. I do seem to recall one other creature that fits that description. But I hope that Ebon doesn't bring anything new to the table. That would change the game a bit.

[Tim the Planes-pony]

Rainbow really needs a hug

[Hazard]

He already knows, ebon...well, at least some of it.

[Regidar]

Hm, time to see just how much Ebon knows about himself...

[arancaytar]

Does Ebon know he's a changeling, after all?

[Prism Break]

Huh, I guess he does know he’s a changeling. I figured Eagle knew but Ebon just didn’t

[hypervelocity]

Eagle Eye nodded. He smiled gently, a tear running down his muzzle. He raised his other hoof and clasped it with Ebon's. "I'm all ears..."

Will Ebon Mane explain himself? Will him and Eagle Eye be happy together? Will Rainbow Dash find the wind beneath her wings to carry on?