Broad Side of an Eljunbyro
"Rainbow?" Bellesmith squinted into the morning sunlight from where she and Pilate stood on the Noble Jury's top deck. "What... what do you mean?"
"Just what it sounds like." Rainbow finished sliding the Sword of Solstice into her saddlebag. Fastening it tight, she turned to face her friends. "Tell Floydien to bring the ship close to the crater's southern edge. I want you guys to be ready to glide over the Sky Stabs at a moment's notice."
Belle gawked at Pilate, then leaned forward with an expression of disbelief. "Surely it isn't that dire of a situation!"
"I... I really don't know," Rainbow muttered. "Fawful's giving me plenty of good vibes, but most of these Gray Feather guys?" She shuddered. "They're so secretive, it's not even funny. Kind of gives me the willies, if you know what I mean."
"And because of that, you're expecting the worst?"
"I don't know what to expect, Belle," Rainbow said. "For all I know, maybe they'll all giggle with glee and demand that Sivrem and Kitsune fashion a whole bunch of Celestia plushies. I just... I just want you all to be safe, no matter what." Rainbow gulped. "It's the least I can do."
"What does that mean?"
"It means that... that I'm not exactly 'leader' material these days," Rainbow murmured. "I can't protect you guys so well anymore." She winced. "I can't even fly straight for too long before I just friggin' collapse. I found that out the hard way last night."
"Rainbow, all you've done for these Durandanans has been very noble," Pilate said. "But I'd hate to think that this entire time you've been neglecting your own health."
"Heh..." Rainbow smirked bitterly. "What's there to neglect, dude?" She inhaled softly. "We all know it was bound to get worse eventually. Might as well be now..." Her eyes scraped the orange mists above. "...in this place."
"Don't talk like that, Rainbow," Belle said. "I know your dizzy spells have been more frequent lately, but that's not to suggest that you're at the end of your rope!"
"Frankly, Ding Dong." Belle glanced up at her. "None of us know that for certain."
Belle chewed on the edge of her lips.
Rainbow sighed. She turned to face the east side of the ship... but stopped in her hooves. Her wings didn't even bother to flap.
Pilate tilted his head aside. "Is there something you're wishing to tell us, Rainbow?"
Belle craned her ears patiently.
Rainbow fidgeted. Ultimately, she muttered, "Last night... when I had my dizzy spell... I could have sworn that... that I saw her."
"Who, Rainbow?"
Rainbow clenched her teeth. "Axan."
"She's..." Belle blinked. "She's in Durandana?"
"Or above Durandana. Or outside Durandana. Pffft. Whatever. Goddess only knows how that freaky dragon queen manages to stalk me the way she does." Rainbow swiveled around. "I only caught a glimpse of her... and even then... mmmfff... g-guess it could have been my imagination."
"If she's actually flying overhead and watching you from afar in a place like this..." Pilate reached up and scratched his chin. "...I can only wonder what it means."
"Righto." Rainbow nodded. "That's why I asked her."
The pegasus' two friends froze in place.
"And..." Belle blinked. "Did she answer?"
Rainbow slowly, slowly shook her head.
Belle sighed. "Well, Rainbow, maybe she didn't have a reason to—"
"Doesn't she?" Rainbow squinted. "Hasn't she always?" She raised a forelimb, squinting at it while it trembled ever so slightly. "Why kill me... and then drop me off somewhere so I could come back?" She gulped. "Why take down Nevlamas when she was about to crush me to a pulp like Axan once did?"
"You told us yourself that she called you 'Austraeoh.'"
"Yeah, well, if she knows so flippin' much about who or what I am, she's not being that big of a help," Rainbow grumbled. "Unless, perhaps..."
"Perhaps what, Rainbow?" Belle asked.
Rainbow's eyes were thin, contemplative. "...she knows where I'm supposed to end, and how the next flame gets quenched." She gazed up at the platinum sky over the basin. "After all, the Divine's got a lotta years left. If another Austraeoh comes along, she could totally do the stalker thing with him or her in my place."
"I can't see how that's an actual strategy," Belle remarked.
"Why not?" Rainbow turned to look at the mare. "If Axan wanted me to get to the Midnight Armory, wouldn't she have just flown my flank to the world's edge on her bigass wings?"
"Then, it seems to me, that she expects you to do something else, Rainbow," Pilate said. "Something more than just reaching the dark side of the world."
Rainbow slowly shook her head, nostrils flaring. "There are times when I think I would have better off if she just left me dead back in Silvadel."
Belle sighed, ears folded. "Rainbow..."
"I... I-I don't mean that I'd rather not have met you guys," Rainbow said, gazing thoughtfully at them. "You and Kera and EE and the rest are the best things I could have asked for." She gulped. "And yet the worse. Because—some way or another—I'm going to have to leave you." She fidgeted. "I just... I just didn't think it would happen so soon. I sorta figured that I would have t-time to think it over."
Belle and Pilate leaned against each other. Pilate whispered something in a low breath. Clearing her throat, Belle the spoke up, "Rainbow, Pilate and I... well... we were talking..."
"Talking?" Rainbow smirked goofily, her eyes soft. "That's new."
"You've done so much for us," Belle said. "But, aside from saving our lives and giving us all a new future, you've taught us so much as well. And between what we've learned... and what the likes of Josho and Roarke have to lend..."
"Hmmm?" Rainbow blinked, curious. "What are you getting at?"
Belle bit her lip, so Pilate spoke up. "Whatever we encounter in Val Roa will inevitably involve a great deal of drama and conflict. It could be quite... stressful."
"Yeah? So?" Rainbow chuckled. "I'm used to stress. It's my bread and butter, next to cider and and a cracking voice."
"The Rainbow we met in Blue Shelf could undoubtedly handle it," Pilate said. "Same with the Rainbow who fought Nevlamas... and the mare I adventured with in Stratopolis..."
"But now..." Belle sighed. "Well... d-do we need to rub it in anymore?"
Rainbow's eyes darted between them. "... you don't think I have what it takes to make it to Val Roa."
"You could make it to Val Roa, Rainbow," Pilate said. "For all we know, you could even see the Grand Choke. But..." He clenched and unclenched his jaw. "Should you?"
Rainbow gulped. "Wh-what are you guys saying?" Rainbow asked in a raspy tone.
"You asked a question of Axan," Pilate said. "And she never answered you. But... for all of her guile and miraculous intervention, Axan is not your friend, Rainbow." His ears folded. "We are. We wish that we could somehow repay you for all of the things you've done for us, but all of us know that it isn't quite possible. The least we can do is make sure that... that your last days aren't fraught with pain and stress."
"And you think that not being around you guys is somehow gonna assure that?"
Pilate opened his mouth to reply, but he had no words. He hung his head.
Belle hiccuped on a sob.
Rainbow turned to look at her.
"We..." Belle covered her muzzle with a forelimb, shivering. "We j-just want you to be happy, Rainbow. And... and if we dr-drag you into another escapade... if you're finding yourself having to risk your already fragile neck for us wh-when you should just be at peace—"
"Hey... hey." Rainbow trotted up close, pressing her head against Belle's. "Shhhh... look at me, girl."
Belle quivered, her eyes clenched shut.
Rainbow tilted the mare's chin up. "Look at me."
Belle forced her teary eyes open.
Rainbow smiled warmly. "I am happy." A giggle. "I'm awesome." She leaned in and nuzzled the mare. "And so are you." She exhaled, staring painfully over the mare's shoulder. "Who needs peace, anyways?"
"You d-do, Rainbow Dash..."
"Yeah, well, I'm not alone." Rainbow leaned back, shaking the weight of the Sword of Solstice in her bag. "I gotta make sure these Durandanans get a healthy helping of it too."
"But Rainbow—"
"I brought Harmony to Darkstine, Silvadel, and Chrysalis's brood." Rainbow tossed her mane. "Heck, if you wanna get super technical about it, I guess you could say I brought Harmony to Luxmare as well.." A devilish smirk. "Now... I gotta bring it to these guys. Austraeoh or not, this is what I'm here to do. And I'm not gonna let any stupid dizzy spells stop me from doing what comes natural. And as for Val Roa..." Her smirk dissolved.
Pilate and Belle stared her way.
Rainbow exhaled. "Yeah, well, one wing flap at a time." She gulped. "That's how I've always looked at it. Guess it's not worth ditching now." That said, she turned around, spread her feathers, and glided off the Noble Jury's bow without another word.
Belle and Pilate leaned against each other, watching as their friend tore off for the Central Tower. The golden beam of First Light pierced the high mists, and Rainbow flew along it, heading east, against the wind.
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Where's the flame though? With 7 stories to go, she's got to find a flame, right?
So, the others are also inkling to the fact that maybe Dashie should take a rest. Will she?
Eh, probably not. Wouldn't be awesome enough. Fucking loyalty...
Fifty four-count side-straddle hops, ):(. Knock 'em out!
One wing flap at a time...
4856412 The last flame was the Xonan front, so the next one is probably in Durandana, just covered up someplace. It has at least one piece of the machine world (I think) anyways.
Speculation TIme! I'm gonna theorize that The Grand Choke is the edge of the light side of the plane. Why?
Well, Val Roa is only going to take up half of Y(insert gibberish here) because no storyline has taken an entire 200 chapters, and we know that the Grand Choke is beyond that. So the Grand Choke is going to be the second half. And after the sixth story, things start going backwards till she reaches the Midnight Armory. Meaning that she is heading back to where she began (twists and turns and all that) on the dark side of the plane. And that will presumably take another six books.
Sidenote: the Grand Choke has been referenced since Windthrow all the way back in Austraeoh, so it makes sense that it's the farthest point anyone has traveled. However, back then it could have also meant the Silvadel desert. But I think it's the same Grand Choke that everyone from Fulltrot to Hap have been talking about.
It also makes sense because it would mean Axan isn't shadowing her so closely now because she's about to die, but because Axan will have to take her over the edge of the plane. Or it means Sturke (ice dragon queen) is close by, because I seriously want to see her.
And yet another speculation: At the end of A(insert gibberish here), I bet there'll be a ton of chapters that just go back all the way to Austraeoh and cover what happened with every single village she touched going all the way back to Ponyville. Because that would be ridiculously epic. Like seriously, ridiculously epic.
But of course, who knows what'll happen? Maybe Dash will die and pop out a baby that continues her quest (highly unlikely though). But if she has a chaos baby, that'll be
amazingAWESOME.End speculation of the day.
Could Hurricanes helmet hold the flames power? There HAS to a flame near by. Im hating this rainbow can't make talk. WHAT IS THIS SAGA WITHOUT RAINBOW!?
I wouldn't be surprised if RD ends up wearing the helmet to keep her dizzy spells at bay.
Rampant speculation:
Yrvassir
Yokolivan
Yhravel
Yahama
Yugoslavia
I really hope Rainbow doesn't die or gets left behind. It just wouldn't be the same without her.
The whole Durandana saga has been an emotional roller coaster.
Unida - Last Day
4856531 You forgot the rather obvious Yggdrasil.
Cool new icon by the way ^.^
4856531
I....I didn't think of that......
This would be AWESOME!
But how would she convince the Duradanans to give it over?
4856677
Yes, but Yggdrasil is an actual thing.
As far as I know, Nobody uses the words "Austraeoh, Eljunbryo, Innavedr, Ordsjot, or Urohringr" in common speech. Except for us dorks.
Regarding the icon: The character is from a fic I'm working on, may be published when I get off my lazy ass and edit it. He doesn't exist anywhere else. So, I make my own pics.
http://apple-tank.deviantart.com/gallery/
4856761 Yes, but it's totally possible that Yggdrasil actually exists on the edge of the world. Like, I can totally imagine them coming upon it and using it to reach the other side of the plane. Or it's one of the sources of light on the dark side of the plane.
4856479
Didn't Rainbow Dash and Co. kicked around Ledomare for Eljunbyro, Innavedr and part of Odrsjot?
As always, Rainbow Dash. As always.
Guys... I think I figured out where the story's going, and how Rainbow's gonna live.
We're rebuilding the Elements of Harmony. Once they're together and reactivated, they might purge all the Chaos from RD's body.
From my observations, we've already got at least 5:
- RD is still Loyalty
- Belle is Kindness
- Roarke is Honesty (can't tell a lie to save her hide)
- Zaid (or maybe Props?) is Laughter
- Kera is Magic
All we're missing is Generosity, and I'm sure a case can be made for some of the current crew being Generosity. (My money would be on Eagle Eye if I had to choose.)
The only thorn in my side with this theory is that if we have them all, why haven't they already activated? Maybe the Element-bearers have to realize or accept their roles? IDK.
Also, if we don't need to go to the Midnight Armory to recreate the Elements, what are we gonna spend 7 more books doing? (Maybe Axan's mysterious mission? Reuniting the Divines would require a trip to the Dark Side...)
Rainbow Dash had a hard life.
metalgearinformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/MGS4-Old-Snake-Briefing.jpg
There is one way to take the remains of Equs, the flat section of Ringworld, with a light side and a dark side, and stabilise it for all time against chaos, by halving immediately its action on the world.
There can be no dark side, if it is also the light side, if the machine world is distorted violently in order to bring the dark side to the light side, to make Equs one whole, one side, one edge.
Moebius.
You want speculation?
The next book involves disputes and quarrels that may become feuds and RD abandoning the Noble Jury to push her decaying self through the Grand Choke... or fish.
4857021
I discount RD being Loyalty anymore. That would go to Eagle Eye imho. Generosity is Floydien. Or maybe vice versa? Tough one there.
4856531
Yfirgefinn
Ýfingar
Ýlda
Ýtinn
Yfirvaraskegg
Will another Austraeoh come along if Dash dies? How exactly would that work? Does Dashie have to sire an heir? Would she pass the mantle to someone else on the crew?
4857021 Well, we've seen a lot of ships being fulfilled this chapter. Maybe the Elements will reignite through couples.
Rainbow and Roarke become Loyalty
Ebon and EE become Generosity
Zaid and Props become Laughter
Belle and Pilate become Kindness
That leaves Honesty and Magic without a couple. But if romance and exclusivity aren't a necessity...
Josho has always been straight with the crew when he feels they need to wise the fuck up; maybe his relationship with EE will ignite Honesty.
Perhaps the mother/daughter relationship forming between Kera and Roarke will blossom into Magic.
Hell, maybe Floydien's love for his ship will count for something.
We still have one more book left before we hit the dark side, so it's entirely possible that new ships will form for Kera, Josho or Floydien In Val Roa or beyond, but this book has been creating way too many of them in such a short period of time that I can't help but think there's some kind of narrative significance to it that will be revealed to us by Uroh's end.
4857392 I could definitely see EE as Loyalty, but... hmmm. I assumed that the Elements wouldn't move on to new bearers until their previous bearer died, but RD mentioned this chapter that she died in Silvadel and somehow came back. (Unless she just thinks she died.)
How is Floydien Generosity, though? The other assignments I made were very clear-cut and obvious to me, and I don't see a lot of Generosity in our ever-grumpy elk pilot.
4857422
Like I said earlier concerning this...she could pretend Eagle Eye is Twilight and get it on. I'm sure EExEbon wouldn't mind having a bizarre family dynamic going for them. RD's kid turns out to be a colt and grows up with Kera.
4857435
Well, the Element RD has isn't just Loyalty and it's there to suppress her now chaotic spirit.
As for Floydien, he's pretty much giving his all to get the group where they need to go. Nancy Jane is his all since Simon gave his life to protect them. He's grumpy, but that's probably because of all the obstacles. He might just figure he can rest and be with Simon once they reach the destination. I can't say for sure since he feels the least developed on the Jury, yet he literally is the Jury.
I'm sure the new Bearers are already part of the group("couples" non-withstanding) and will be needed when Rainbow Discord restores the Elements. Her journey topside is more about her being Austraeoh. The fact that the new Bearers are also her companions as East-Horse is a matter of convenience. I doubt harmonic individuals can be found on the chaos-pitted side.
4857507 ...I can see where you're coming from.
Hurry up Rainbow Dash! Val Roa needs you! Harmony and all that.
At some point she is going to need to be healed so I'm assuming its going to be either by the end here or in Val Roa. I like the whole rebuilding the Elements idea people have brought up. I mean the parallels to the elements in some of the characters is rather obvious.
I've mentioned before that there would be a sort of narrative logic to Rainbow passing on, especially at the half-way point in the series, only for her friends to continue her quest for her, essentially carrying her torch. And I stand by my assertion that it would make sense. But the more I think about it, the more the idea of that rubs me the wrong way. And not just because I like Rainbow, but it just... doesn't feel right, somehow. I can't elucidate my feelings very well at the moment. I'll have to give it some thought.
4857392
You speculate that Rainbow might abandon the Noble Jury and go into the Grand Choke on her own. If that happens - and it's certainly feasible, considering Rainbow's tightly-held assumption that she'll have to leave her friends - I would not at all be surprised if the Jury went after her. That might actually make for an interesting installment somewhere down the line.
The dragon knows more than she seems to.
Dashie needs a rest.
Metaphor? Metaphor.
Can you all stop talking about Rainbow like her corpse is already cold?
if rainbow dies in a non-awesome way, I quit
Rainbow Dash, you have to keep going.
Just hold on a bit longer.
-SPirit
Hmm . . . I really have to wonder what exactly is up with this place. After they arrived, so many things started to happen, things that aren't exactly wanted and some that are. A lot of it deal with emotion, such as Props and Zaid or Ebon and EE. Kera soothed her problems through an emotional outburst, and Roarke began to show emotion. Josho and Floydien are the only two that haven't showed a significant emotional event.
I swear, man, something's in the air or water in this crater, and it's throwing everyone through a loop.
5849327 My theory is that it's honestly just the peaceful nature of the place. For the first time since they got together, They're not going anywhere, They're not fighting for survival, they're not stopping an evil overlord or ooze monster, They're not worrying about some member of their family leaving or worse, They're just all Hanging out, Relaxing, so they can finally get all the emotional blockage out of the way, because when you are constantly running for your life that stuff tends to be put on the back burner.
Definitely a different focus to the Durandana arc.
Bleh, they're always talking about ditching Rainbow Dash at the current stop. Nothing's gonna keep that pegasus away from the Noble Jury.
Wait, if they ditch Rainbow, then where do the rest of them actually go? Would they try to actually continue her mission without her? This would be like leaving Frodo in Rivendell.
4866020
Who's to say she'll stay dead anyway?
I hear the book AFTER the next one says she undergoes some radical transformation. I look forward to whether that's literal or metaphorical.
4856479
4857392
I speculate... After the grand choke there's an ocean, beyond the ocean is the end of the world and another sentinel. I'm clueless as to conflict, who knows maybe they get a new ship or Floydein dies. Magic woring differently past the grand choke is hecka disconcerting, is it one of the results of the wored dying? Did Chrysalis and her brood suck it dry? Is it some kind of spell?
Whatever the case I think that Rainbow abandoning her friends or vise versa goes against the established themes. I very much dout it will happen.
Also, has what's causing the constant storm around Durandana been explained yet? I still don't get the weather patterns, did the ponies cause it? Was it there in the first place? Is it closer to the equator than the rest of the Sky Stabs or are the light beams the ponies make making it warm? Is it magic? Probably. I guess it would be more logical to assume that the crater had everything it has now --possibly more that didn't adapt well-- but a lot less biomass and when the ponies came along the stuff that does well in the climate they cteated flourished. Maybe the remnants of stratopolis are influencing the climate, I don't know. I probably missed something.
Guys, Loyalty doesn't mean splitting the party.
That's, like, the worst way to do that.