Good Things Float To the Top
Rainbow Dash's tour into the heart of Rust did not end anytime soon. The canals stretched on for “block” after “block.” With each twist and turn of the artificial streams, it looked as though the city expanded, revealing more docksides and warehouses and catwalks and overstretching platforms. Gradually, Rainbow began to understand the basic construction of the city more and more. With Rarity's help, she took notice of rising layers of overlapping platforms—undoubtedly built on top of each other over several centuries of progressive enterprise. It wasn't exactly the most beautiful of architectural feats, but a certain degree of masterful intricacy couldn't be denied.
The complex array of looming structures allowed for a cooling shade, and Rainbow felt herself becoming relaxed—almost as much as Theanim Mane. She glanced left and right, observing ponies as they strolled from one section of the city to another. No single set of eyes took notice of the Midnight Dreary or its crew. Rainbow and her companions could very easily have been invisible. The residents were so used to passing visitors that the yacht was all-but-ignored, a sensation that was the polar opposite of the Nealenders' curious antics. Rainbow hadn't felt so insignificant since she last set hoof in a Ledomaritan city. It was an unexpectedly haunting sensation, and she almost longed for the days when every single pony on the K.M.C.A. campus eyeballed her with intense scrutiny.
“There's a special saying in Rust,” Theanim explained, casually gliding the ship into a larger body of water surrounded by drydocks. “'The only thing colder than money is no money.'” He glanced over his shoulder with a smile. “The ponies here honor Verlaxion as we do on the Continent, but it takes more than mere praises to keep a society thawed.”
“Lemme guess,” Rainbow murmured. “Verlaxion only helps ponies who help themselves.”
“Heh. That's a whimsical interpretation,” Theanim said. “It's more accurate to say that the Queen first ever united the Six Tribes in hopes that she'd kindle cooperation and progress.”
“So... Verlax laid an egg and capitalism popped out.”
“Is it so very different in Equestria, Miss Dash?”
“Eh...” Rainbow shrugged, glancing at Rarity and Twilight. “We had free enterprise back home. But it wasn't everything. After all, there's a lot of stuff more important in Equestrian than money.”
“Like what?”
“Harmony,” Rainbow said. “Bits are one thing. But when it comes to peace, tranquility, and survivability—ponies set aside everything else and work together for a common goal. Like in the spring, during Winter Wrap up: an entire village comes together to clean a city from the effects of winter and wake animals from hibernation. It brings us all together without... y'know... relying on pure bits and profit.”
“And every race of your civilization engages willfully in this?”
“Pretty much, yeah,” Rainbow Dash said with a nod. “I mean, most ponies have their rolls. Unicorns take care of the animals. Pegasi take care of the skies. Earth ponies take care of the... mrmm... earth.”
“So, in a way...” Theanim Mane thought out loud. “...you all perform a ritualistic Thawing every year.”
Twilight and Rarity exchanged glances.
“Well, sure...” Rainbow nodded. “I guess that's a way of saying it.”
“Fascinating,” Theanim remarked, aiming the yacht towards an open space along a marina's metal dock. Sunlight scattered through the blades of a windmill and a wall of windblown netting suspended above. “I'm intrigued as to what inspires such a society without the divine intervention of somepony like Verlaxion.”
“Well, we've got Princess Luna and Princess Celestia.”
“As you've told me.”
“But they're more inspiration to us than... er... caretakers. I mean, sure, eons ago they secured this plane and breathed life into it, but they've learned to leave well enough alone. And considering all of the complex societies I've seen, I don't rightly blame them.”
“And what would inspire a Divine to do otherwise, I wonder...?”
Rainbow's brow furrowed. “A Dragon Divine you mean?” She cocked her head aside. “But I thought 'Verlaxion' was a pony.”
Theanim bit his lip.
Rainbow stared at him, squirming slightly.
Just then, the pair hood pronounced hoofsteps. A group of dockworkers were trotting that way.
“Ah. The dockmaster,” Theanim spoke up. He rolled the rudder wheel one last time, mooring the yacht into a stopping point along the metal platform. “Let me talk to him.” He pointed at a spool of rope. “In the meantime, you know what to do.”
Rainbow did. While Theanim discussed the price of docking, Rainbow tied the vessel into place, fastening it securely. With a flap of her wings, she perched atop the dock itself. To her mild surprise, it felt no different standing on a piece of Rust than it did sitting on board the Midnight Dreary. As large as the platform city was, it was still—for the most part—floating.
“What's the matter, Rainbow?” Rarity asked.
“No matter where I go, I'm still gonna be seasick,” Rainbow whispered back.
“I wish we could relate,” Twilight remarked. “Everything is... well... floaty for us.”
“Eh...” Rainbow shrugged. “If it bothers me too much, I'll just flap my wings the whole time.”
Soon, Theanim finished bargaining with the dockmaster. Rolling over a hoofful of bits, he secured forty-eight hours worth of docking time. Rather swiftly, he turned his attention to the other travellers who were just then disembarking from the yacht.
“Doctor Mane...” They each took turns shaking his hooves. Smiles a'plenty were shared between them. “You've been a blessing from the Queen herself. If ever we're to cross paths again in Robhredden, please, allow us to pay your room and board for months.”
He chuckled. “If I'm ever conducting a scientific survey in the lower highlands, I just might take you and your families up on that offer.” He bowed low. “On behalf of the Order, I wish you warm breezes and even warmer waters.”
“I do believe we've enjoyed enough of those,” Mrs. Cobbletrots said, eliciting a chuckle from the rest of the group. “Farewell, Doctor. Do be careful...” She nervously glanced at Rainbow. “...won't you?”
Theanim winked, adjusting his goggles. “I will be just fine. Take care, milady.”
At last, the group parted ways. For the first time in over a week, Rainbow and Theanim were alone—relatively speaking.
“Somehow, I don't think I will entirely miss them,” Rarity muttered.
“Yeah...” Rainbow nodded. “...why do I get this suddenly weightless feeling?”
Theanim Mane laughed. “I insisted more than once that you try socializing with them.”
“You'd have better luck asking me to remove their kidney stones with a straw.”
“Grotesque, but nonetheless charming.” Theanim motioned after Rainbow as he began ascending the nearest metal platform towards the higher levels. “You should try your unique brand of humor on the locals. It might provide us an even warmer reception.”
Rainbow gulped. “I'm not sure if that's an awesome thing or a scary thing.”
“Perhaps a bit of both?” Theanim shrugged as the two reached a higher level, bustling with tradesponies. “I'm not going to lie, Miss Dash. Rust is the perfect city for a brave soul like yours.”
“Don't worry, Doc.” Rainbow smirked. “If any shifty ponies give you a bad look, I'll kick their teeth in for you.”
“Rainbow...” Twilight quietly chided.
“Oh, I'll bag 'em afterwards, of course!” Rainbow mused. “But first comes the kicking.”
“Better make that second,” Theanim said. “The first agenda, actually, is finding an inn.”
“An inn?” Rainbow blinked crookedly. “As in we're gonna sleep in this junkheap overnight?”
“Shhhhh,” Theanim hissed, glancing about nervously in the thick of the crowd. “Mind what you call 'junk' in this place, Miss Dash.”
“Oh. Right. Don't wanna step on the Syndicate's fetlocks, do we?”
“Most assuredly. And as for the inn... well...” He exhaled calmly. “...I never said that finding Echo would be impossible. However, it may be time consuming.”
“Oh.” Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Great.”
“One thing at a time, Miss Dash.” Theanim caught his bearings and led them towards a line of buildings, at the end of which were several three story tall residences. “For now, we too—like this city—must find a way to stay afloat.”
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>rolls
roles
Rainbow, please no speakey the facepunchy.
Rainbow, dear, where else would you sleep?
I'd be more careful about mouthing off Verlaxion. Who knows when you'll run into the obligatory throng of religious zealots...
Like communism, comrade.
Such innocuous lines in this story... Yet the more you think about them, the more gross-tastic they become. It's like a time-bomb for your gag reflex!
Equestrian economics has been fascinating to me ever since season one. Is the weather team government-funded? Did Rainbow, as the leader of Ponyville's weather team, answer to Mayor Mare or Cloudsdale? Or Canterlot, perhaps? If Fluttershy was a caretaker, who paid those bills? Was that a government job too? There's clearly a free(ish?) market and room for businesses in Equestria, as Filthy Rich seems to be an example of a businesspone getting stuff done. But there's no real starvation or dilapidated buildings or any of those pesky things. Equestrianomics is like a blend of capitalism and communism if all of the latent corruption has been systematically weeded out.
Equestria desnt have capitalism, it has that far more sucessful model before it started to backslide, of puppet monarchy with slime of democracy undertones with capitalist leanings due to being partially defenestrated at the point of excessive armament.
Ponies really need to eat more grass. or at least hay. turns out its healthy for them.
this town eithe has racked vegetables on its upper levels, theres a lot of fish, crutacean and seaweed suprise on the menu, or things cost a fortune because everything has to be sjipped in accross large distances of hostile territory.
Berlin:Take my Breath Away.
which could lead to certain other occurances.
Negative Gold Leader, Pattern Is full.
6112103 orig06.deviantart.net/b71c/f/2013/196/f/d/soviet_ponies_by_war59-d5ewfl4.jpg
Who knows, maybe they will make it through the entire quest without getting in a single fight!
How's the plumbing in this place deal with high stress impacts?
Well, so begins Rainbow's brief, uneventful, straight-forward sojourn into Rust. Like the world's most oxidized vacation.
For some reason I couldn't stop thinking about Venice from Metro: Last Light.
vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/metro2033/images/2/21/Metro-ll_venice.png/revision/latest?cb=20130723085059
Popular stopping place which is ran by gangs and is essentially pretty corrupt, but people seem happy for the most part.
Bu the important question is: is there strip clubs in Rust too?
i.imgur.com/thKq1Ro.jpg
RD would approve.
6112134
Hey, don't knock abacususes.
I ship Luna and Abbey.
6112293 you know it will be uneventful because Colon is telling us it will take forever to find Echo. If in doubt to the direction of the plot, the answer is the opposite of what ):( suggests to us
And here I was thinking of corpses. What is wrong with me.
I guess a metal city on floatation devices in the water does count.
Nope.
-Spirit (Yeast and Treacle)
Every traveller knows, the best place to pick up rumors and quests is the local inn.
-Memories given light,ease a lonely flight.Ynanhluutr
6112055 something tells me that neither RD nor Theanim can take 10 on this gather information check.
6112447 or pub
6112068 I've called it earlier; I'll call it again. We're going to meet a foil to what Khao was in the "city of iron, soot, steam, and farts"
6112409 They've anchored the city to the seafloor. What's an extra pair or two of concrete boots? *grins cheekily*
6112205 Mind you it's not cannon to this story, but Cadence and Shining Armor did totally toss a bunch of changelings out of windows.
All this metal is making me miss Roarke
I wonder if this inn has apple cider, and if it does just how drunk Dash would get?
6112770
It doesn't affect her anymore, only her ghost companions
6112545
You got me thinking now: Khao said that their order was created my someone who had spread word of the Austraeoh and then continued on his/her/its own journey (I think?). Perhaps, the legends have reached these lands as well, and there is a sect of "Austraeoh cultists" here. Just not ones that believe themselves to be Eljunbyroh, or maybe they all believe themselves to be Austraeoh.
6112846
Luna (or celestia i forget which) said that she had last flown from end to end of the world about 55,000 years ago, meaning the Grand Choke was not yet existent until the Blighted Sea beacon ran out of ruby flame sometime between Luna's trip and the present era.
The prophet of the Austraeoh could definitely have reached this area, but it is doubtful that such an old prophecy escaped the Purge of Verlaxion's Harmony.
6112658 Yeah. Personally, it's reminding me a lot of the ever smexy Propsicle.
Onwards to finding Echo
3 chapters remaining till Dash is dangling from a cage...
6112205
Do you have any idea what you just said?
Interesting... a false herald perhaps? I couldn't help but wonder from the start if Verlax and Verlaxion were the same being. A powerful pony pretending to play god? Did this Verlaxion perhaps earn Verlax's favor somehow and become blessed with power?
Or are they actually one in the same thing, and I just would like to be right in my prediction for a change?
6113323
Nah, as far as we've been led to believe, they're one in the same. Remember when Rainbow was giving Theanim shit back at the atoll, because neither he nor 99% of Rohbredden's population has ever contacted her, let alone seen her? As far as we can tell, they only believe she's a pony because religious doctrine says so - "ponies were created in her image" and so forth.
However, I'm keeping the "false herald" theory in the back of my mind... very interesting possible plot device.
Meh. They're going to bump into Syndicate anyways. Then, things will get interesting. I just wonder if it will be kickflank-interesting...
I've finally made it! It took nearly two weeks, but I've caught up on this frigging AWESOME story! ^-^
I haven't read this hard since FoE/PH. Now I can sleep at night...
So if Verlaxion isn't a pony, and isn't a dragon, what form has she taken? Do the theists even KNOW what she looks like?
6113404 With how much IC is emphasising The Syndicate, there is just no way they're getting out of Rust easily.
That and my SS13 experience has taught me that the Syndicate is never to be trusted. :P
So much seasickness... Urk!
6113426 Wow, that's fast. I caught up yesterday and it took me 7 weeks and 4 days
hood -> heard
That typo threw me for a loop the first time I read it.
6113426 Welcome to the Lunar Ninth! Congratulations on catching up.
6113481 What can I say? I'm a fast reader. :P
It's been a long, hectic, emotional journey full of tears and joy, I look forward to another 1113 chapters of the same. ^-^
6113538 Thanks! ^-^
Uh, just one question. What's the Lunar Ninth? :P I haven't read all the comments along the way. please don't hurt me
6113564 The comment section has been called Noble Jury since Eljunbyro--it was an anagram. Now that we're on the seventh book, Innanhlutr (the original Norse) has been anagrammed to Lunar Ninth.
6112770
If she wants apple cider, then she should look for an inn with an apple on their sign. Something like an Apple Inn.
Then she could finally get what she really wants. And, as we all know, what she really wants is some Apple Inn Cider.
It seems that we'll be sticking around for a while. This might end up with them coming in contact with the Syndicate, though. I'm not sure if things will be so easy after that.
6113952 Oh my god.
6113874 Ah, ok. Thanks for clearing that up.
Inb4cult attack
You know it really makes me think about how the Jury would have taken in this place.
There is something about the dark, watery landscape being painted here. It all being unstable, constantly moving, filthy and claustrophobic - Dishonored, I think.
6113426 BEES!
media.giphy.com/media/dcubXtnbck0RG/giphy.gif
...she's a swarm of bees.
6113426 Congratulations and welcome, comrade!
6122026 In Skywriter's webcomic "Skin Horse", The characters' leader is actually a sapient swarm of bees.
6128020 But are they in their eyes?
6113952 Hoboy
This place is pretty metal.
6113952 after seeing the responses to your comment, I looked for it. I found it, and I laughed.
I wonder if applejack likes skittles...This place seems to have an aura of metal and thus we arrive at the closest thing to my name being in the story. I can now rest peacefully.