• Published 27th Mar 2015
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Ynanhluutr - Imploding Colon



A newly transformed Rainbow Dash continues her flight east.

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To Sleep, Perchance to Dash (Rub!)

Rainbow Dash's eyes flew open.

A bitter cold wind blew into her face.

She looked left and right, shivering.

“Twilight...?”

She glided over a rippling ocean.

The sun was setting in two horizons.

Or perhaps it was rising.

The world was a dark plain of water growing dim on both ends.

“Rarity...?”

There was no answer.

There was no movement.

Save for Rainbow Dash's slow lurch forward...

A glide that grew swifter and swifter with each heart-pounding second...

The mare hyperventilated, unable to move her legs... her wings.

“Guys... wh-where are you?!” her voice cracked. “I can't... I can't control it!”

“Or perhaps that's what she wants you to believe,” boomed a feminine voice, haunting yet soft.

“Wh-what...?” Rainbow stammered, sweating.

Her eyes darted left and right.

The ocean rolled with the voice, like thunder.

“She has her eyes on you. It must be for a reason. What do you bring here, Rainbow Dash?

“Have... have I...” Rainbow shuddered, flying over the ocean like a bullet. “...have I heard you before?”

The voice carried on: “Do you bring peace and harmony?”

Directly in front of her, the ocean exploded.

The water took the shape of a long neck, a snout, and a thick fibrous mane.

The head surged towards her on a tidal wave of rumbling noise.

“Or is it something else?!

The churning waters formed a mouth and swallowed Rainbow Dash's screaming body whole.


“Aaa-aaaugh!” Rainbow shot up like a bullet, tossing the bed covers off. She sat in place, awash in sweat.

Twilight Sparkle and Rarity looked over.

“Rainbow!” Rarity flew to her side. “Darling!” She tried nuzzling the mare, only to phase through her. “Oh, it is so heavenly seeing you awake again!”

“I... I...”

“You were unconscious for several hours,” Twilight said in a far calmer tone. “And your... sleep was fitful for the last few minutes.”

“Oh! You were tossing and turning and whimpering in your sleep like Sweetie Belle having night terrors!” Rarity sniffled, fanning herself. “I swear to Celestia, I've never felt so helpless in my life! Just watching you!”

“Are... are you alright, Rainbow?” Twilight leaned forward.

Rainbow Dash's face was still pale. Instinctively, her hooves reached up, touching her ruby pendant. “Water... horse...” she murmured.

“I beg your pardon?” Rarity remarked, cocking her head aside. “It's okay, Rainbow. You're safe. You're with friends.”

“Mrmmfff...” Rainbow rubbed her muzzle, then leaned back in bed. “That... that voice...” She grimaced, staring up at the ceiling. “Haven't felt anything like that in my head since... since...”

“Since what?” Twilight asked.

Rainbow gulped. “Whitemane.” Her brow furrowed. “But I don't get it. Just who...?” She paused, blinking. Her hooves fiddled with a comfy duvet, then a cluster of bedsheets. She looked around at the tiny, claustrophobic cabin she was in. “...where in the buck are we?”

“Do you like it?” Rarity smiled wide. “It's not exactly Canterlot Five Star material, but they make do with their confined space, don't you agree?”

“I'm serious...” Rainbow Dash kicked the last lengths of covers off and sat on the edge of the bed. Her saddlebag was gone. All she wore was her pendant. “How... just how did I get here?”

“As we said,” Twilight spoke, her voice firm and sterile. “You were unconscious for a long time.”

Rainbow blinked at the glaring unicorn. “Twilight, the... the chaos that's inside me. It's just—”

“—a good thing it didn't paralyze you while you were performing the hiest!” Twilight's folded back and her voice took on a sensitive shudder. “Rainbow, you have a problem! And if weren't for these companions of yours—”

“Where am I?!?”

“She's right, you know,” Rarity said, her eyes moist. “You poor darling. I was beside myself in panic the very moment I saw you suffering from an inexplicable seiz—”

“Will somepony just tell me where I am?!?” Rainbow Dash growled. “Please?!?”

Hoofsteps.

Jumping, Rainbow looked aside. At the edge of the cabin was a metal door with padded velvet. A pony marched up from the other side, opened it, and peered in. Rainbow's heart slowed the moment she saw the stubbled face of Bard, followed by his smile.

“Well! Mornin' to ya, sunshine!” He opened the door all the way and leaned against its frame. Behind him, Rainbow could see another cabin three times as large as the bunkroom, complete with chairs, tables, and a sofa. From afar, Rainbow could make out a sarosian lump on the couch, covered in a blanket. “'Bout time you opened them ruby peepers of yours!”

“... … ...” Rainbow glanced left and right. “...we're still aboard the Mark Two.”

“Dayum skippy,” Bard said with a nod. “And boy if it isn't good to see you sittin' and chatterin' in one piece. Here...” He trotted forward and reached for her skull. “...lemme feel yer forehead.”

Rainbow Dash batted his forelimb away. “I'm fine. Where's my stuff?”

“Huh? Oh! Uh... yer saddlebag's over by the starboard side windows. Nopony's gone through it. I swear.”

“Starboard... side windows?” Rainbow stammered, glancing briefly at her two marefriends. “We're on the other side of the ship?”

“Eeyup.”

“But... I don't get it...” Rainbow rubbed her face, groaning. “We... we didn't buy a suite for the trip.”

“Well, we got one now,” Bard said. “As soon as you kerplunked like a sack of potatoes—well—what else were we gonna do? Let you freeze to death in spasms? Heh... hell no, lil' missy!”

“Wait... don't tell me...” Rainbow's face grew long. “Theanim... used the last of his bits from the Midnight Dreary?”

“Nawwww... dun be ridiculous.” Bard rolled his eyes. “Dubya-Cee and I...” He coughed. “...used some of ours.”

Rarity and Twilight smiled at Rainbow.

The pegasus' jaw dropped. “But... but... your guys' cut from the heist—”

“Pffft. We've still got plenty of platinum bars to spare. And we're fixin' to have plenty more once we tear down the house in Shoggoth's... Maritime Auction Hut? Er, whatever. Mr. Mane ain't exactly simple in his explanations of things.”

“I hear ya...” Rainbow nodded. She shuddered, brushing her mane back. “I... I don't know how to thank you, Bard.”

“I can think of one way.” He nodded, then smiled coyly, his eyes rolling towards the far end of the cabin. “Buttttttttt reckon I'm too much of a gentlecolt to entertain nothin'. So just consider it our way of sayin' thank you for keepin' Dubya-Cee's goose from gettin' cooked... or drowned. Eheh.”

“Seriously, though, thanks,” Rainbow said. “But... most of all...” She gulped, reaching up and grasping her pendant. “Thanks for not taking this off.”

“Well, wouldn't want to free the ghost girls that are hauntin' you, now would we?”

“No, we definitely don't want to—wait.” Rainbow shot up, glaring. “What... what did you just—?”

“Hah hah hah!” Bard slapped his knee, nodding. “I know! Plum ridiculous, ain't it?! But hey... yer Doc's the scientist, not me! Ain't no point arguin' with him, no matter how much nonsense he spits.” Chuckling, the stallion shuffled off. “'Invisible marefriends'... Hah!

“... … ….” Rainbow slowly trotted out of the room, followed by the two spectres. “Bard, where exactly... is Theanim right now, anyways...?”

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