And the Wind Never Stops Blowing
“I guess I'm not exactly voicing the minority when I say that I'm not the biggest fan of this 'Jake' character,” Rainbow Dash said as she stood before the Jurists who had assembled overnight in the skystone ship's mess hall. “But I can see a loyal soul from a mile away. He's dedicated to doing whatever he can to serve the Duchess, and I respect that.”
“Yes, well...” Josho grumbled. “He didn't nearly sit on you.”
Eagle Eye smirked across the table. “So, for the first time in your life, somepony tried to return you the favor, old stallion?”
“Go shove it in your fuzzhole.”
Zaid and Props chuckled.
“Anyways...” Rainbow Dash glared, then continued. “What I'm getting at is that Jake left a certain situation hanging down south along the border between Val Roa and the Cartel.”
“What kind of a situation?” Bellesmith asked.
“He was investigating several bands of Green Bandits who were performing hit-and-run tactics along the tiny farmlands that bordered the mountains. For all of his destructability and bravado, Constable Jake couldn't round up every single imp. They weren't acting like normal terrorists of the Cartel, either.”
“You mean they weren't taking prisoners and causing explosions left and right?” Ebon remarked, blinking.
“It almost seemed like they were gathering reconnaissance for something,” Rainbow Dash murmured. “But Jake is more meat than brains. He couldn't find the time or energy to figure out their plot. He just squashed any imp he could find and then answered the Duchess' call as soon as he got it.”
“So... in other words... there's some sort of suspicious activity going on along the southern border,” Eagle Eye remarked.
“Yeah. And when it comes to goblins, it can't be very snazzy.”
“Well, what are we supposed to do about it?” Josho belched.
“I'll leave that to you guys,” Rainbow said. “For our mission in Val Roa to work, I'm going to need the Jury to fly in as soon as we figure out a way to disable the defensive line of these 'Soul Sentries.'”
“That is, of course, presuming the Noble Jury has a target it can immediately take out once we're in Val Roa proper,” Pilate said.
“Let me worry about figuring out who's who in the Chrysalis department,” Rainbow said. “In the meantime, there's no telling what the goblins are up to down south.”
“You wish us to go check it out?” Booster Spice asked.
“Above all, we have to remember that we're here to help out the ponies of this kingdom,” Rainbow said. “I don't think it'd hurt to give the place a look-see.”
Zaid and Props exchanged glances, then nodded in Rainbow's direction.
“Okay, Rainbow, we'll swing by,” Zaid said.
“And I'll keep an ear out for Uncky Prowsy!” Props chirped. “Oh... and for you as well! Super Maneguffin Sound Stone and all! Heeheehee!”
Rainbow smirked proudly. “Y'know... how fitting,” she said.
“What?” Booster Spice blinked.
“With Floydien gone, it's you two running the Jury's operations in his stead.”
“Just what is Mr. Floydien's situation?” Pilate asked.
Rainbow sighed. “I... it's h-hard to say.” She fidgeted. “The Duchess threw a lot of stuff on him all at once. At first, I figured it was something he deserved to be reacquainted with. But now?”
Belle shrugged. “Floydien has never struck me as one who's keen to adapt.”
“The poor bucker needs time to adjust to all the crap that's been shoveled his way,” Josho said. “If you ask me, I'd say let the elk have his time out. Ledo knows he's done cockpit duty nonstop for months and months.”
“Yeah! Handsome is home!” Props exclaimed. “Let him take a breather while we do the dirty work!”
“I doubt that he'd ever express his appreciation,” Bellesmith said. A subtle smile. “But I'm certain he's pleased to have our assistance.”
“Yeah, well, if anything... it's the Duchess we're relying on now,” Rainbow said. “She and Jake know how to get us beyond the West Gate. And it's thanks to them that we were able to use Kera as a front so I can investigate from the inside.”
“How is our little princess doing, anyway?” Zaid asked.
Everypony looked across the table. A tiny filly with curlers in her hair sat in Bellesmith's grasp, exhausted from a full day of beauty parloring. Belle shrugged with a shy smirk.
“Eh... yeah, well...” Zaid grinned at the rest of the room. “So long as she does the sleeping beauty thing before she spits drivel at the High Council.”
“I will look after her, Belle,” Ebon Mane said, his eyes firm and sincere. “No harm will come to her. I promise.”
“Why, thank you, Ebon,” Bellesmith said, gently stroking Kera's sleepy ears. “I'd much rather have you defend her in a tense situation than the moose.”
“You can be of more use than that, too, Ebon,” Rainbow said.
Ebon turned to blink at her. “I-I can?”
Rainbow nodded. “Once we're in the capital, there's no telling from where Chrysalis might show up. But you... you have an innate sensitivity to where your 'Mother' may be hiding.”
Ebon bit his lip, cowering with slumped shoulders. “I... uh... I-I wouldn't exactly call that sense 'reliable,'” he said. “I think you'll have better luck finding her on your own.”
“Nevertheless, be ready for anything,” Rainbow said. “Ever since Stratopolis, Chrysalis has been alone and on the run. We need to corner her now that she's most vulnerable and stop her before she has the chance to regain control over her hive and rejoin Tchern on the dark side.”
“And then what?” Josho asked.
Rainbow gave him a double-take. “Huh?”
“You heard me.” Josho's eyes narrowed. “What do we do once we've cornered the Queen of Nasties?”
Silence.
Booster Spice bit his lip, glancing worriedly at Rainbow and the others.
Rainbow took a deep breath. “Whatever it takes,” she said. “Ledomaritans... Xonans... I've had to kill more often than I'm proud of.” A lump formed in her throat, but she carried on with a frown. “If I can assure harmony the harmonious way, I would. But Chrysalis has shown that she doesn't leave us much of a choice. In my head, she's a monster... just like Nevlamas.” Her eyes narrowed. “And I have no qualms about taking monsters down.”
Josho clenched his jaw. Bellesmith and Pilate nodded silently. Ebon stared through the table while Eagle placed a gentle hoof on his shoulder.
“Well... uh...” Rainbow fidgeted with her green mane. “That about covers things. Tomorrow, Ebon, Kera, and I go on our journey with the Duchess. You guys check out the southern border, then wait for me to contact you. Best case scenario, we'll find a way to open the barrier and bring the Jury in to help eliminate Chrysalis once and for all. More than likely, though, I'm gonna need you guys to do some stuff on the outside while I work Val Roa from the inside out.”
“Like what kind of stuff?” Eagle Eye asked.
“It's a mystery to me too,” Rainbow said. “We'll all know when the time comes.” On shuffling hooves, she made her way towards the hallway. “As for now, I suggest we all get a good night's sleep... and prepare for tomorrow.”
With that, the Noble Jury stood up and went their separate ways. Props and Zaid trotted towards the engine room while Ebon and Eagle Eye lingered along the edge of the hallway, talking with one another.
By the doorway to the kitchen, Roarke stood in silence. Her blue eyes trailed Rainbow's retiring figure. Then, with a thoughtful sigh, she stared out the nearest porthole.
Rainbow Dash hung her “servant gown” from a railing inside the observation room. She stepped back, glancing at the plain brown dress. She shivered, sighed, and tossed her geen mane back. With tired hooves, she approached one of the hammocks.
A shuffling sound stole her attention.
Rainbow spun around. She blinked. “...I... f-for a moment there, I figured you wanted to be alone tonight.”
Roarke stood in the doorway. She gulped and said, “I was thinking the same thing about you.”
Rainbow bit her lip. “I... horseapples, I'm really sorry, Roarke.” She ran a hoof across her emerald-dyed bangs and sighed. “All of this Bountiful business... between communicating with the Duchess and trying to get a hoof on where Floydien's head is at and then preparing for the trip to the West Gate...”
“You do not have to explain, Rainbow Dash.”
“No. I think I do.” She frowned. “I've been distant, Roarke. Real distant.”
“You've been very busy.”
“Still, it's totally not fair to you.” Rainbow smiled faintly and took a step forward. “And all this time you've been—”
Roarke flinched, taking a step back.
Rainbow stopped in place, blinking. Her lips pursed.
Roarke avoided her gaze. She gulped and said, “I'm the one who hasn't been fair to you, Rainbow...”
“Roarke...?” Rainbow blinked.
With a sigh, the metal mare stepped forward, closing the gap between them. “The last two days, I've been... keeping everypony and everything at a distance, most especially you.”
“It...” Rainbow blinked again. “Is it my m-mane...?”
Roarke's lips curved ever so slightly. “No, it is not your mane.” She reached a hoof forward, caressing the mare's cheek, then her shoulder. With a distant look in her thin blue eyes, Roarke murmured, “I've been distracted ever since our trip to Ether Point, and during the subsequent trip with Eagle and Ebon to Amulek...” She sighed. “I f-feel as though I have been keeping something from you.”
“Does this have anything to do with the changelings?”
“Somewhat. Rainbow...” Roarke fidgeted, then blurted, “Who is the orange pony with the freckles?”
Rainbow stared steadily at her. Her lips parted, but she took a while to mutter: “One of the changelings...?”
Roarke nodded. “Everytime I came in contact with one of them, she would appear.”
Rainbow's ears drooped. She sat back on her haunches, her gaze falling to the metal bulkheads.
“Rainbow, please understand, I am not angry or jealous, I am simply—”
“She's dead, Roarke,” Rainbow droned in a dull voice. “They're all dead.”
Roarke leaned her head to the side. “But you still love her, don't you?”
Rainbow squinted. “I thought you just said you weren't 'jealous.'”
“Rainbow, there's a piece of you that still resonates with something indefinable,” Roarke said. “Something so grand and all-encompassing that even a changeling with the faintest exposure to you knows of it. And I...” Roarke shuddered. She sat down across from Rainbow, staring at her with soft eyes. “I need to know if what you and I have is something that belongs to us... to you and me, not you and them.”
“And if you had never known Imre, would you have opened your heart up to me?” Rainbow slurred.
Roarke's brow furrowed. “Imre didn't beat me up in the middle of a forest. Imre didn't turn my life upside down and show me the folly of my ways. Imre didn't introduce me to a better calling and virtuous warriors-at-heart to share it with—”
“Okay... okay...” Rainbow waved her forelimbs. “I get it.” She sighed, hugging herself. “I... I-I'm sorry for getting all defensive. It w-wasn't right of me to bring Imre into this conversation...”
“It's a question of who you're defending.” Roarke leaned her head aside. “It's been nearly two years since their deaths... but you're still loyal to them. You still act as if they're standing in the room with you.”
“Look, I can't friggin' help it, okay?!” Rainbow suddenly snarled. “They made me who I am! They gave me purpose! Before my friends, I was just a punk with a big mouth trying to be awesome! But afterwards...” Her voice trailed off.
Roarke stared quietly.
Rainbow sighed. She sniffled once. “Applejack,” she murmured. “Her name was 'Applejack.' And since you're dying to know...” She looked up with a sad gaze. “Yes... I loved her and... I always shall.”
Roarke was silent.
“But that's... something that I can never change, Roarke...” Rainbow seethed. “Until the day I die, she will be a part of me, even if I was never a part of her. And... you know what? It's nearly killed me dozens upon hundreds of times before! Every cave that I flew into... every chaos monster that I threw myself against... every minotaur that I locked horns with... all before ever meeting you... or even Bellesmith or Pilate for that matter!”
Rainbow stood up and began pacing.
“I let my pain and heartsickness get the better part of me! So what if the Midnight Armory is a gazillion miles away on the other side of the world?! I may never get there! I knew that from the beginning! It didn't matter then! And even after all the crazy east-horse stuff I've learned from Luna and Whitemane and Chrysalis, I'm still clueless as to what the whole point is! Except for one thing!”
She spun, gnashing her teeth.
“I had always preferred death in action than just sitting in one place and wallowing in my own heartache! And for the longest time, I stuck to this sort of... suicidal soaring. I never thought I could have the joy of friendship and love again. But then I met Belle and Pilate...” She gulped. “And... and then I met you.”
Roarke bit her lip.
Rainbow trotted up. With a sniffling breath, she leaned her face up against Roarke's chest. “And for the first time in ages, it was okay to let my guard down... and t-to be cherished by another pony.” She gazed up, her ruby eyes glossy. “I didn't tell you about Applejack because I didn't have to... and I shouldn't have to. She's a chapter of my life that's come and gone. For months, I've needed to move on, drawn towards something besides just the next dawn. And you, Roarke... you've been that new horizon. I wish you could... understand just how much you mean to me.” She gulped. “How much you've given me to live for...”
Roarke's next breath was a long once. As soon as the color was flushed from her cheeks, she muttered in a neutral tone. “You may think you're dying, Rainbow, but I for one have witnessed your tenacity. I suspect that you have many 'chapters' left.”
Rainbow's muzzle hung slightly. “What... wh-what are you saying, Roarke?”
“I know what you're doing is important, Rainbow,” Roarke said. “I wish I could follow you, but we both know that I can't.”
Rainbow gulped. “It's okay, Roarke. Kera won't be 'Princess' forever. I-I'll snoop out Chrysalis and get this Val Roa thing over with before you can blink.”
Roarke stared. “I wasn't talking about Val Roa.”
Rainbow's face instantly paled.
Roarke caressed her mane. “You know that I would trace your footsteps until the end of the world and beyond. But... I'm not all that certain that I could.”
“Roarke, I... I-I mean you... and the Jury—”
“Not all of us are bound by death,” Roarke said. “Nor can we all spring up once more from it. You've done a very good job of leading us, but I think it's afforded you blindness.”
“Blindness?”
“Much like how you refused to look into the past at the start of your journey, I think you're currently hesitant to look into the future.” Roarke took a deep breath. “And it's an immediate future, Rainbow.”
Rainbow's jaw tightened. She gazed down at the floor. “I... I don't know how to bring any of you beyond the Choke, Roarke,” she muttered. “I don't th-think even I can survive it.”
“You can't bring any of us past it, Rainbow,” Roarke said. She nevertheless reached forward and caressed the mare's chin. “Just as you couldn't bring any of your friends with you beyond Equestria. But you had to keep flying. And as their love and friendship gave you the fuel to surpass that chapter of your life...” Roarke smiled gently. “I am certain that our love will carry you past the next.”
Rainbow's nostrils flared. She glared off past the windows. “I... I could stop...”
“You can't,” Roarke said.
Sniffling, Rainbow rubbed her tearing eyes. “I... I'll even clip my wings.” Her voice cracked, “Rip the damn things off and stay here... right here.”
“You won't.” Roarke closed the distance and hugged her. “The world is dying, Rainbow. There are bigger things than us at play, and I know you enough... love you enough to understand that such a thing doesn't sit right with you.”
“Stop... j-just stop talking...” Rainbow squeaked, burying her face in Roarke's shoulder. “If you know me so well, then you h-have to hate me.”
“Not even if Searo came back to life and paid me.” Roarke nuzzled the top of Rainbow's head, holding her close. “You're the greatest thing to have ever happened to me, Rainbow. But even with all of my love and devotion, I cannot be the one mare in this world who is loyal to everything all at once. I can only hope to follow in your hoofsteps, so that if the time should come that destiny calls on me as it has you, I can perhaps make as big of a sacrifice.”
“Everything I-I've ever done is sacrifice,” Rainbow quietly wept. “First my friends... Applejack... now Belle and Pilate... now you?”
“And would you rather have never cherished any of us at all?”
Rainbow whimpered. “No...” She shivered in Roarke's grasp. “Not for a moment...”
Roarke held her close and kissed the top of her head. “Then let's enjoy every moment we have left.” She shut her eyes while stroking Rainbow's back. “The last wingpony you deserve is regret.”
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Guh, I think I may vomit...
Fifty pushups for the ham 'n cheese, ):(. Knock 'em out!
I'm sorry, I've come down with a sudden case of the feels.
Damn...incoming feels. You can't break up the jury after all they have been through....you are just punking us. They are all going to the midnight armoury.
And now I have just realised I have entered the denial stage of the 5 stages of grief.
Started reading chapter-
images-cdn.9gag.com/photo/apqY14p_700b_v1.jpg
and then I was like
31.media.tumblr.com/aa9c3859663d19d863fe56d6800f942f/tumblr_inline_ndodr2Ix2U1ro6s6m.gif
I
hopethink Rainbow and Roarke will find a way beyond the Grand Choke together.I'm really hoping to learn more about the Val Roan deity in Val Roa proper. We know literally nothing about their religion other than that it's monotheistic. I'm psyched.
If next chapter begins our journey to the West Gate, I'll finally be able to use a .gif i've been waiting a LONG time to use at the beginning of the Val Roa arc.
Well that talk finally happened. I still say that its unlikely that we will be leaving everyone behind at the Choke simply because that would mean either the next 6 books would be Rainbow Dash alone; or she would have to build up yet another group of friends on the other side, which to me would seem like nothing more then a retread of everything that already happened.
.... ):
I'm really hoping that the Jury stays together... I guess it would be fitting that they parted ways at the end of this story, exactly halfway through the overall epic. But still, I don't want to say goodbye to these characters that have been built up over hundreds upon hundreds of chapters.
Damnit skirts y u do dis.
I see what you did there!
1363 chapters left, by my calculations.
Seems like Roarke and I have the same grim predictions. But this is just the start of a long talk, I suspect there will be a much heavier focus on this in the second half.
And I say, Appledash and RoarkexDash can coexist.
So, the Grand Choke is looking more andmore like a lesser strength field effect like the Skystone fields, but over a Much larger distance?
Wheres those books on Warhammer 40k. I have some Chaos shielding to design that doesnt require psykers or navigators.
I think Ill call it DAN.
ALL MY ROARKE
Roarke's made her peace with the inevitable, but Dash hasn't.
on another topic, I wonder what Dash's alias is going to be for the trip into Val Roa?
Was it ever confirmed if Ebon was part of Chrysalis's hive or not? Because if she gains enough strength there could be some loyalty issues there. Unless I'm forgetting some obvious plot details.
More importantly, Roarke is so smooth with her words now.
5169834
Hush, you.
But yeah, not my favorite chapter either. I'm watching you, though... Just what the hell are you planning, Skirts? Usually, I have a reasonably good handle on where you're going to go with something if I think you're going one place then think the opposite. But here... I don't know what you're up to.
Why has Applejack not stopped being a part of this? What is her power-play amidst all this chaos? She's been in every single book so far, or at least been mentioned. She's important somehow, and with how much more screentime she's been getting the past couple books, even in her supposed "death", I'm guessing we're working closer towards that important purpose all the time.
I'm just hoping that it doesn't burn out too soon. You've kept her in play since the very early beginning. It'd feel like an awful waste for you to just burn out all that potential halfway through the series. Is her Element going to start whispering to her in friends' voices when we reach the other side of the world? Will there be so little Harmony on the Dark Side that her pendant will sing loudly to her?
All this... and six more frickin' books. U Crazy, y'know that?
-TUC
The meta is strong with this one.
Long live Austraeoh. Long live the awesome.
Son of a biscuit eater, WHY??????
Ahem. Now that that's out.
wow. She had her heart torn out at the start, but this time she has to tear it out herself.
Someone mentioned about a 1 day delay on a previous chapter, and the thought suddenly crossed my mind that here we are nearly half way through. What am I going to do when we reach the end of book 12?
I just hope the opposite is not true.
I still call bullshit. Unless and until Rainbow actually says farewell and soars off into the horizon, leaving the others--sad but accepting--behind, I still stand by my assertion that there's something else--something bigger--in the works. If nothing else, it seems anticlimactic, from a narrative standpoint, to just toss aside these characters have been built up and developed halfway through the saga, even if it's for some hoity-toity message about sacrifice.
That being said, things like this:
Certainly raise more ominous possibilities as to how this could play out.
5170077
GreenBow Walk.
Nice to see a callback to Queen Whitemane. She's one of my favorite Oneshot characters in the series.
Also, I need to form a punk band so that "Suicidal Soaring" can be our first single.
Also, I hope Super Trampoline is one of the first friends rainbow makes on the dark side.
Have a great day every pony!
5170583
Or perhaps just Tramp, a hermit on the Dark Side of the world.
all RIIIIIIIGHT!!!!!
for many a month, ive been thinking about how i make a great speech, or a funny pun, on this moment...but now that its here...i guess ill just be straightforward about it.
after these long months of reading what is one of the best stories ive read in my life so far, today, is the day, that i FINALLY caught up...now i too must deal with the extended cliffhangers that come with awaiting the next chapter...Colon, dont ever stop writing this story untill it is finished...please....i HATE running into stories that have been stopped half way through...but compared to this saga, theyve all been so short. so simple. short and sweet. it isnt so bad that they cease half way.
But heaven forBID that such a fate should ever befall this story.
unlike the others, so much has happened in this story. so much character and story development. so many characters have come and gone. so much bonding...
to have to lose all of that in ONE moment of realizing that this will never be allowed to run its course...i will never be able to live it down...
5170632
Welcome to the party, diligent one.
Oh, the feels are strong in this one...
5170632 That is some impressive work, my friend. Glad you could make it.
I still stand by my suspicion Chrysalis will somehow show them all a way through the Grand Choke.
5170632
Zecoro will be a good name for a Darksider.
Welcome to the micro-fandumb.
So cute... but so sad.
I don't really want to guess what is going to happen at this rate. Just the feels...
5170609 a bat pony tramp. Because, you know, we haven't seen bat ponies. But they'd be right at home on the dark side of the world. And I think they've been mentioned.
5170632 welcome noble juror!
Approximately 1363, actually!
What do you know, Roarke actually talked to Rainbow instead of just bottling it up for 150 chapters.
Also, I suspect Tchern will be very happy with this chapter.
5170632
Congratulations and welcome!
Wow... Really powerful chapter.
5170922
Really if she plans on conducting a war on the other side with a whole army she would have to have a way to get though it with tons of troops.
5170305
Cry bitter, bitter tears.
Right in the feels. So glad roarke finally said something and glad the applejack thing is resolved. I honestly believe Rainbow and Roarke will be the only ones to go beyond the choke.
5170632
Welcome to the Jury!
And so Rainbow was Cloud, Roarke was Tifa, and Applejack was the memory of Aerisththssth.
s3.amazonaws.com/rapgenius/mordecai_and_rigby_by_kellcandido-d59ri26.jpg
I know you don't think I'm kind
And that's no fault of my own
But I will give up my wings
Before I leave you alone
5172401
I know where that's from.
5171414 Remember, the last time she confessed her feelings, she got laid.
5172548
5172548 Whoops, that was the wrong link. And Fimfiction won't let me edit comments for some reason.
It is rather fitting though, now that I think about it.
The sads... Too much sads...
NO! No no no no no! Roarke has to go beyond the Choke with Rainbow! The power of fanfiction shipping has decreed it. The Rainoarke is too strong. Unless something tragic happens in Val Roa... I don't even want to think of that :(
5171380 Oh Celestia that's a big freaking number XD
5169834 Be careful mentioning cheese, you might summon Zaid!
Ow. These feels.
Whatever, I an still set that the Duchess is Chrissy, she took bountiful, manipulated Floydian into fleeing, and is now posing and posturing until rainbow can give her a way into Val Roa.
Also Duchess wasn't in this chapter: Half-Life 3, illuminati, Steam: RTS game, and Duchess being dead are confirmed.
Liquid priiiiiiiiide...
fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/068/9/7/mlp__sad_pony_by_inferno111-d4s9ckf.jpg
Uuuuuuhuuuuhuuhuuhuuhuu...
5170305
It occurs to me, after reading your words, that Rainbow's epic will be a fragmented and lost one. One incomplete due to the lonely parts of her journey, certainly, but also due to how little any one pony knows about the rest of it; lost because who will record it? Her fate beyond death is worse than anything: who will remember her when those who truly knew her are dead? Will there be an empty grave in Ponyville? A headstone with her story? If so, its story would pale to her reality.
i need to stop reading sad things.....