When Rainbow Dash awoke, she was being gnawed at by an odd sensation. It wasn't the fact that she was continually lying on the squishy scales of an enormous fish creature, but rather it was a curious melody playing lazily against the fuzz of her ears.
“Mrmmmff... guh...” Rainbow Dash stirred, rolling over and rubbing her face. She squinted up at a starry scale, then lifted her head just long enough to make out Bard squatting a few spaces over, cradling a guitar in his hooves. “Grff... seriously?”
“Can't help it, darlin',” Bard muttered through a soft smile. He continued twanging away, his strings plinking against a constant rush of ocean waves and swishing fins in the background. “Couldn't sleep, so this helps me relax.”
“Relax?” Rainbow rubbed her eyes... then rubbed them again. “Gnngh... what for?”
“Jee...” Bard grunted, waving at the giant dorsal fin looming above them. “I wonder why.”
Rainbow craned her neck to see Wildcard hunched over, fast asleep. “He doesn't seem to be having any trouble.”
“Dubya-Cee could sleep through a freight train crash. I should know.” Bard winked. “I've done witnessed it first-hoof.”
Rainbow sighed.
“If it bothers you so terribly, I'll put the guitar away,” Bard muttered. “Just... gots lots ta think about and this is my best way of processin' it all methodical-like.”
Rainbow opened her muzzle to respond—
“Heehee! I, for one, think it's a colorful little ditty!”
Rainbow looked over. She exhaled through curved lips.
Pinkie Pie lay upside down, her legs propped up against the dorsal fin. She smiled stupidly in Rainbow's direction. “I think it's super laid back! So I'm laying back!” She giggled. “How 'bout it, Dashie? We've got ourselves a regular Whinnie Nelson!”
Rainbow rolled her eyes. “I bet he'd be flattered to hear that.”
“Oh boy...” Bard's lips curved. “Just which one of them ghosty-ghosts are ya gabbin' with this time?”
“Hehe! He's funny and down-home country!” Pinkie grinned. “We should go and fetch AJ from the ruby puff puff! I bet they'd be a perfect match!”
Rainbow's muzzle hung open... ultimately forming a grimace. She cleared her throat and looked aside. “One thing at a time, Pinkie...”
“Ah... yes... Pinkie Pie...” Bard smirked as he struck a few more cords. “I done made a bet with Dubya-Cee that she's actually got a red coat and y'all are just frontin' with her name.”
Rainbow sighed. “Trust me. She's pinker than cotton candy and giggles.”
“Where I come from, cotton candy is blue.”
“Well, where you come from is friggin' weird.”
Bard chuckled. “Well, one day we'll all find out, ya reckon?”
“Uhhhhhhh...” Rainbow Dash blinked. “What do you mean?”
“I mean when we finally get all them marefriends of yers back into the corporeal world!” Bard plucked and plucked, his eyes darting over to Rainbow. “Bet you ain't the only thing colorful 'bout this here voyage.”
“Bard... like... for real...” Rainbow squirmed in place. “Even after all I've told you and Wildcard, I... don't think you have any natural idea just how long—like—how honest-to-Celestia friggin' long my journey is—”
“Wuh oh!” Pinkie Pie suddenly quivered. She rolled upright and brushed at her own tummy. “My chest fluff is sticking on end!”
“What does that mean?” Rainbow moaned. “'Beware of silly cowboys?'”
“Nope!” Pinkie shook her head, smiling. “It means there's a full moon out tonight!” Her face lit up from a ruby light-source, and she gazed at Rainbow's neck. “OoOOooOOooOOooh!” she cooed. “Shiny!”
Rainbow Dash gasped. She took a look at her hot glowing pendant. She then flung her gaze skyward.
The full moon came out from behind a swath of clouds, shining brilliantly.
“Omigosh!” Rainbow Dash grinned wide. She flapped her wings, dropped her saddlebag, then flew staight up—unrestrained—until she perched on the very top of Ultimo's dorsal fin. “Omigosh Omigosh Omigosh!”
“What?!” Bard gasped, genuinely concerned. In scrambling to his feet, he awoke a dazed griffon beside him. “What's the matter?!”
“Nothing's the matter!” Rainbow cackled. She flung a hoof to her pendant and stroked circles across the ruby lightning bolt's surface. “Everything is wonderful! Hey! Your Majesty!” She bit her lip, aiming her pendant straight up at the brightly-lit beacon in the sky. “Come innnnnnnnnnnnnnnn, Luna!”
Suddenly, Rarity and Twilight Sparkle materialized in thin-air. They stared bleary eyed at the scene.
“Huh... Rainbow...?” Twilight squinted at Pinkie Pie. “Pinkie Pie, what's g-going on?”
Rarity stifled a yawn. “We were simply 'resting,' but then something must have enchanted the Element of Loyalty—”
“Heehee!” Pinkie pointed. “It's just Dashie worshiping the moon in the middle of the night! No biggie!”
“Ah, I see—” Rarity nodded, then did a double-take. “Wait.”
“The moon!” Twilight gasped, then zipped up to float beside Rainbow Dash. “Oh my! Rainbow Dash! Princess Luna—!”
“I know, girl!” Rainbow nodded vehemently. “I'm on it!”
“I... I dun get it,” Bard muttered as Wildcard stood awkwardly by his side. The Desperadoes exchanged glances. “I thought Camellia was completely out of bounds by now—”
“Not Camellia ya friggin' hay-huffer! Luna! The excellence of execution! The best there is, the best there was—”
Suddenly, Rainbow's pendant glowed with silver luminescence. A familiar voice floated between them and the heavens: “Rainbow Dash? Is that you, child?”
Rainbow grinned wide. “...and the best there ever will be! Hey there, Princess Luna!” She stifled a giggled and pumped her hoof in the air. “Wooohooo! How ya doin', Yer Highness?!”
“Rainbow Dash! We were... I-I mean I was quite concerned for a while there...”
“Heeheehee!” Rainbow giggled, her cheeks flushed. “I can tell!”
“You hadn't answered my previous attempts at contact, and—yet again—I could not help but fear the worse—”
“Huh?” Rainbow blinked, then she winced viciously. “Oh jeez! Ah jeez ah jeez ah jeez!” Glancing nervously at her friends, she jittered and stammered: “How long has it been?”
“Rest easy, my little pony. You have only missed one of our three regular evenings of available communication.”
“Oh... Ohhhhhhhh...” Rainbow's body deflated from where she dangled off the dorsal fin. “Oh thank goddess! Hahaha... whewwwwwww...”
“I did not mean to frighten you, Rainbow Dash. Nevertheless, it is... indescribably relieving to hear your voice.”
“Yeah, my bad, Your Highness.” Rainbow Dash smiled drunkenly. “I was k-kinda sorta at the bottom of the ocean over the last few days.”
“I... see... and you have survived?”
“Hehe! Yup!”
“And have you experienced good fortune in your travels?”
“Yup yup!” Rainbow bore a wild grin. “I'm riding the back of a giant sea serpent!”
“I beg your pardon?”
“You won't believe the kind of crud I've been through as of late!”
“Have you... by chance... encountered more of your loved ones?”
“Oh Luna...” Rainbow giggled, practically swinging off the fin as her right forelimb dangled. “Wooooo! We're here! Half of us is all here!”
“Some elaboration is in order—”
“I'm talking Rarity and Pinkie Pie!”
“Truly?”
“Fo 'sho!”
“You... have salvaged them from the depths?”
“Rarity is with me right now! Pinkie Pie is with me right now!” Rainbow smiled down at her gawking friends. “Twilight's as alive and eggheady as ever! I mean, sure, they're still all ghosty and invisible to everypony except me, but—woooohooo! We're doin' this, Luna!” Rainbow fought another wave of giggles. “We're doin' this thing and it rocks!”
“That is an utterly fantastic development, Rainbow Dash.”
“I'd say! Pinkie Pie's hopping up and down! Rarity's about ready to friggin' cry. How 'bout that, Rares?”
“Mmmmmmmm!” Rarity held her forelimbs over her muzzle, tears welling up in her eyes. “Oh, Your Most Esteemed Royal Highness, it is an absolute pleasure to hear—”
“Ah... jeez...” Rainbow winced. “Rarity, so sorry. I... k-kinda forgot that only she can hear me, girl.”
“It's... it's quite alright...” Rarity wiped her cheeks, smiling painfully. “Just hearing her is blissful enough.”
“It's like a little piece of h-home,” Twilight said, shuddering.
“Weeee!” Pinkie hopped around in a ghostly circle. “Moon party on the back of big fish! Moon party on the back of big fish!”
“They're super crazy happy to hear you, Luna,” Rainbow said, gazing up at the sky. “It's like you've brought Ponyville to them.”
“It fills me with great pleasure to do just that, Rainbow Dash,” Luna's voice said. “I trust you didn't accomplish this miracle on your own?”
“Pffft! You kiddin'? I had some pretty awesome help along the way! Courtesy of more ponies than you can count! Heck, two of them are with me right now! Lemme introduce you to—” Rainbow spun about, but froze upon seeing the Desperadoes.
Bard and Wildcard stood side by side, shoulders slumped and muzzle/beak agape. They jolted nervously upon Rainbow making eye contact with them.
“Whoops... eheheheh...” Rainbow smiled nervously. “Guess not everypony's prepared for a lunatic conversation.” She cleared her throat. “What's the matter, boys? Did things get just a bit to real for you?”
“H-huh?” Bard jolted in place. “No! No, I'm... j-just...” He gulped. “...is... is that the alicorn you was talkin' about?” The stallion squinted. “The one in charge of the moon?”
“No,” Rainbow droned, sticking her tongue out. “It's the Princess in charge of Twilight's brother's loins. Who do you think?”
Twilight blinked suddenly. “Hey.” She raised a hoof. “Wait—”
“It's Princess Luna, ya dipshuckers!” Rainbow's voice cracked. “Come on! Say something! Don't be shy!”
“Uhhhh... I-I might need a bit of time to put together somethin' worth sayin', eheheh...” Bard nervously fanned himself with his hat. “But Dubya-Cee here... I bet he'd lurve to say somethin' to the Magical Moon Goddess of a Faraway Land!”
“... … ...” Wildcard turned and simply glared at Bard.
“What?”
Dangit...Echo literally just missed his chance...
pfft, yeah cuz she can totally hear hand signs. Also: woo! 'nother moon talk
LOL
Conjecture: Pinkie knows more than Dash about the whole Austraeoh business but keeps mum. Sometimes, though, she slips up and lets out something she shouldn't have known or makes prescient remarks.
Crashing this
planetrain... withnotwo survivors.Looked at title of chapter and just knew it was going to be Luna filled. Good thing, because it's been a while since last time.
Oh, don't you tease us, IC. Bard and Wildcard won't get to stay long enough for that...
I wonder if Rare's family is nearby, I thought Luna was going to contact the families about recent spiritual developments?
Tearful reunions HOOOO!
Pinkie's a walking calendar!
Whooo.. more moonbutt talky times.
Ooh ooh... are we gonna get Rarity and Pinkie's families tomorow?
Rarity would be ecstatic to hear Sweetie's voice again I bet!
-Memories given light, ease a lonely flight. Ynanhluutr.
"Presenting:
Celestia, the Princess of the Sun!
Luna, the Princess of the Moon!
Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship!
and
Mi Amore Cadenza, the Princess in charge of Twilight's brother's loins!!"
''Uh, your Highness?
''Yes Rainbow Dash? What is it in your mind?''
''Is there any way you could assume a visible shape of some kind? I kinda sorta need to spit in the general direction of your ear.''
''...''
''But whyever would you do that?''
''Courtesy of a salty, coral-huffing Sarosian.''
Brett Hart was really good at what he did, yes.
When the moon hits your eye
like a big pizza pie
that's... amore
Dat ain't yer catchphrase
Time for Morse Code
Was wondering when we'd get another Luna MoonSkype chat.
It occurs to me that by now Luna and Celestia could have used the intervening time between now and the last talk with Dash to also send work via the Sword of Solstice to the Durandanan pegasi of Dash successfully crossing the Grand Choke, and they in turn could get word to the Jurists to at least update them that everyone's favorite prismatic pegasus is still alive and kicking.
6432459
I sure hope not. Pinkie Pie being given freaking omniscient abilities for no fucking reason whatsoever always gets on my nerves. Probably my biggest fanfic pet-peeve (and yet another reason to dislike the first Equestria Girls movie, eugh).
Yay, more moon talks. I wonder how Pinkie is going to react to hearing her family, as I doubt even Pinkie can be completely cheerful in such a situation. Heck even Maud may break her stoic facade in such a situation. Speaking of which Rainbow still needs to ask if Pinkie has any missing relatives.
D'aw. Luna chats always make me happy.
6432459
Hey! I already called that like a hundred chapters ago.
Well, somepony's gotta keep Shining's junk under control.
Too bad they are out of range of Camilla... Heck, Verlax would have had an interesting conv. Then of course Echo. I guess they just have W-C to talk to... Gonna break your silence big guy?
Does this mean we'll get to hear from Sweetie and Maud soon?
6432417 Probably for the best. I doubt that he'd listen to anything she would tell him, and I doubt anything she could say would help him any further than he already has been or is being helped.
That aside, Now Luna gets to hear all about THE ADVENTURES OF PAINT BUCKET AND THUNKER MEAT! Whoop!
If only Echo...much laughter to be had if he was part of the conversation...then again, he'd probably just spit at the Element, then Dash, then in the general direction of the moon, before flying off into the night.
Well, that's probably about how I'd react if the moon suddenly started talking with me.
6432726
Hope so. I totally want to hear what maud has to say.
Oh boy did I miss Luna! Finally time for Bard and WC to meet her and for more news from back home for the girls. I'm sure Sweetie Belle, the Cakes and Pinkie's Family will show up for this one.
6432717 Stop making me laugh about that line! I do not want to have to explain this joke to present company! Ooooooooomg!
Whats the matter Bard? Never discussed with a Diarch in the pale moonlight?
Looks like I'm hoping for a couple of family reunions along with everybody else, hopefully there's enough time to set one up in only one night. I'm also curious to see what Luna's thoughts are about everything that has happened with Verlax. Hopefully having personally known her at one time, Luna can shed some insight into the whole ordeal.
6432868 The only way that bat would do any flying would be if Dash decided to throw him off of the super shark for acting like that. =P
It's kind of funny imagining Rainbow sitting on the tip of the back fin of a huge-ass sea serpent in the middle of nowhere, waving and shouting at the moon like she's an old lady that just spotted a long-time friend in a random crowd.
6432592 you mean "that's the princess of Twilight's brother's loins"
Nice to see someone else notice the music reference,
Rollin, rollin rollin, keep that ocean rollin, keep that ocean rollin, rainbow.
I wonder if WC is permitted to acoustically communicate by anothers intervention?
So Bard, its a grunt due to a stomach punch for no , short cry due to kidney punch for a yes, and for I dont want to talk about it any more is a double kick to the family jewels?
Oh wow! I can't believe I forgot about Luna every month. Plus she made Bard of all people speechless.
Now, I know Twilight's parents had their chance, and now it's the turn of the families of Rarity and Pinkie, but there is no reason for Twilight's parents to not just show up anyways. Since the communication ended last time, Luna must have told them it only works during full moon, and so they must have already freed their agenda for today and went to the castle. They must have been there the first day of full moon, and got worried about Dash not answering Luna. They must still be there.
That was fast. I didn't think we were due for a couple more days. Ah well, celebratory drinks are in order!
Wait... It's been 28 days already? Wow time flies when you're Easthorsing.
Speaking of princesses, who thinks that when Twilight returns to the corporeal, that she'll be an Alicorn?
Something tells me that tidal waves of joyful tears are going to be in our futures.
*puts hoof up on the top of the mountain and struggles up* I-i-i ... I made it! Woo! Finally caught up for the first time in forever!(I didn't mean to make that reference.) YAY!
Random YT vid time.
6433878 Welcome to the Lunar Ninth mate, glad you could make it.
6434012
Thank you very much.
6432620 You and me both want this plot hole addressed. Considering the Durandanans could telephone-tag messages to the whole Noble Jury Crew, especially Roarke and Belle.
So, apparently, Twilight hasn't heard that her brother got married.
Also, Bard and WC are uncomfortable talking to Luna because... they are Verlax. Afraid to get found out.
I'm calling it now. I'm sure I'm totally wrong, like always. But I'm calling it.
Pinkie Sprite!
I totally forgot Twilight doesn't know that her brother married Cadance in this story so this just became twenty times funnier
Also, I'm really going to freaking miss Bard when he finally does leave or can't follow Rainbow, the guy is really growing on me
6435241 I'm fairly sure either her parents or Celestia mentioned it to her last full moon back at Kihutaja.
From Chapter 25: It's never too late for exposition
Annnd chapter 32: Long distance is the hardest distance
6435526 Huh. I completely forgot that.
If they were still skeptical about Dash and her journey, well . . . hard to be that way now. It's been way too long since we've had a talk with Luna.
Does Twilight not know that Cadence and Shining married? But oh, how wonderful it is to hear Luna again. Maybe tomorrow she'll bring in Rarity's and Pinkie's family?
-Spirit (Yeast and Treacle)
6433878 welcome!