Apparently the Crusaders didn't put much thought into the idea of cliff diving beyond jumping off a cliff and pretending to dive as they descend towards the ground. After explaining to them that cliff diving also involved diving into a body of water, at which they replied that the 'diving' part of cliff diving made more sense now (how could they not figure that out‽), it was revealed that that they didn't know of any nearby cliffs that a lake or anything for them to dive into. However, before I could let out a sigh of relief, they instead proposed constructing a mock cliff instead, to my horror.
So there we were, the Crusaders trying to build a mock cliff that so far only looked like a ramshackle wooden tower near some pond while I tried to stay off it after expressing my disbelief that this would help them get Cutie Marks in cliff diving. However, in the end I was roped into it by having to levitate the tools and materials they needed to them so they didn't have to go up and down the tower for them, which would only increase the risk of them falling off. Honestly, my complaining stopped as I pondered how they got all this stuff before I was interrupted by somepony shouting.
"What in tarnation are you fillies doing now‽" cried Applejack as she trotted over to us with a furious look on her face, her eyes staring at the tower that was already over fifteen feet tall.
"Umm... err... gettin' our Cutie Marks in cliff divin'?" Apple Bloom said as she meekly smiled at her sister from the tower.
Snapping her head at my direction, Applejack narrowed her eyes as she said in a low angry tone, "This is your id-"
"Not my idea," I said, cutting Applejack before she could get any further, causing her to look at me in confusion. "One of them had the idea, honest."
"Is that true? Who's idea was it to try cliff divin'?" Applejack asked as she gave the Crusaders a harsh stare. Instantly Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle pointed their hooves at Scootaloo, who gave the others an angry look in return. "You three get off that... thing now! And you Aether, you should know better to let them do stuff like this!"
"Like I could stop them in the first place," I deadpanned. Before Applejack could get any angrier due to my response, I continued to say, "Think about it, you think I could change their minds on this? All I can really do is make sure they do not do something too dangerous, like diving off a cliff that does not have a body of water at the bottom."
Applejack glared at me still as the Crusaders made their way down the tower, before she turned to look at us all as she said, "We'll be going to the farmhouse now, and I don't want to hear any complainin' from any of you!" Releasing a sigh, I joined the rest of the Crusaders as we made our way to the farmhouse with Applejack following right behind us.
I sat there calmly, awaiting Applejack's return, who left us under the watch of the eldest sibling, Big Macintosh, as she went to get our respective guardians. While the other three were fidgeting from the thought of the inevitable punishments that were coming to them, I on the other hoof was locked in a kind of staring contest with the eldest sibling, as we both just sat there, not moving a single muscle. It wasn't long before Applejack returned with Rarity, Pinkie, and some pegasus mare who I assumed was related to Scootaloo. As Applejack dragged Apple Bloom to her room via her tail with Big Macintosh following behind them, the other two were herded out by their guardians as Pinkie Pie fixed me with a sad look.
"Aether, you know better than to help your friends do... dangerous stunts," Pinkie said in a disappointed tone.
Cocking my head to the side, I said, "You and Applejack assumed quickly on my actions with my friends."
"Huh?" Pinkie said as she stared dumbfounded at me.
"No one knows the real story, so you both assumed it was my fault."
"But, didn't you help your friends?"
"Yes, I helped, but I made sure they didn't hurt themselves."
"What do you mean?" Pinkie said as she tilted her head in confusion. Seemed like everyone assumed that I only put the Crusaders into even more dangerous situations than they normally would try.
Groaning, I said, "They wanted to try cliff diving before I joined them, but they did not... know it well enough to do it right. They first thought it was just diving off a cliff only, I do not know why they did not think about how they would land. If I was not there... well, I do not want to think about what could happen."
"So you mean that you're not giving them dangerous... err... more dangerous ideas?"
Snorting, I replied, "No, just making sure they do not do something that will only end in pain," before I stopped myself from cringing from remembering the rappelling incident.
After staring at me for a short moment, Pinkie instantly hugged me, squeezing me tightly while lifting me into the air as she said, "Oh I'm so proud of you for being so responsible!" While she was hugging me, it felt more like a punishment as my ribs felt the strain of her constricting hug.
"What the hay‽" Applejack said by the sound of the voice, which caused Pinkie to end the hug, letting me go for me to drop onto my rump.
"Oh, hi, Applejack, done talking with Apple Bloom?" Pinkie asked with her ever-joyful smile.
"Yes, but when I came down, I wasn't expecting you to be huggin' the troublemaker!"
"Oh, Aether wasn't making any trouble. She was trying to stop trouble!"
"What are you talkin' about, Pinkie?" Applejack asked as she gave me a skeptical look, which I returned with my classic deadpan look.
"Aether told me that she was trying to stop the fillies from getting hurt," Pinkie explained.
"She could be fibbin' to you though. She didn't stop the fillies from buildin' that there tower of theirs."
"You think they would listen to me if I told them not to do it?" I asked, folding my hooves across my chest.
"...I reckon you have a point there, but I don't see how yo-"
"Remember what I said about the diving off the cliff part? It was no... trick. I told them to make sure there was water at the bottom."
Applejack stared at me for a moment before she facehoofed and said, "I can't believe they would do such a foolish thing." Dragging her hoof down her face, she continued, "Sorry for accusin' you there, just with your..." before she stopped, not wanting to say anything else that may offend me further.
"With my... past problem of giving them ideas that you think are dangerous," I said causing Applejack rear back in surprise. As she was about to open her mouth to counter my statement, I continued, "I know I can be... a problem due to that, but at least I know how to do some of those things, and I will do my best to make sure they will not hurt themselves while trying them, if they came up with the idea of course."
After blinking for a moment, Applejack smiled at me as she said, "Well, I reckon it is about time the Crusaders have somepony that has a lick of common sense with them. Why, I think I should reward you for lookin' out for them. Would you want a slice of some freshly baked apple pie?"
"No thanks, I already have enough pie here," I absently said as I waved a hoof at Pinkie's direction, causing the two mares to laugh at my little joke.
"Heh, that was a mighty fine joke there, sugarcube. Seems like Pinkie is startin' to rub off you," Applejack said before she head into the kitchen. I let out a small laugh in response until I froze as her words fully registered in my head.
I'm... becoming like... Pinkie Pie? I thought as my eyes widened at the horror of me becoming a reality-defying manic pony.
After my little mental panic attack (I'm so glad that I didn't show it; it would have been a nightmare to cover that up) and a snack of apple pie, Pinkie Pie and I headed home since it was getting late. After dinner with the Cakes, where Pinkie revealed to them about my little joke to my dismay, I went to my room for a bit of practice with my light spell before turning it in for the night. However, instead of blissful darkness, my sleeping mind returned to the dream world.
Looking around, I see that I was once again in an empty version of Ponyville, the world once again colorful. Releasing a sigh, I sat on my rump, this time content to just wait out the dream until dawn, for I feared if I explored again, I would end up with another horrible nightmare instead. Time passed as I dug at the ground with a hoof, until after what felt like hours the ground began to shake. Releasing a sigh, I watched as the ground shattered once more, turning into floating islands as they drifted away from one another.
I looked around as I awaited the arrival of the monstrous tentacle, or for the Venanite creature to come at me again, only to be greeted with silence. Shrugging, I simply lowered the rest of my body to the ground as I pondered what else my mind had in store for me. It wasn't long till I received my answer, as I heard an old familiar sound from above me. Looking upward, I saw a massive dimensional rift opening miles above me before I felt some kind suction force coming from it, as the islands around me were drawn into it. Oddly enough, my island was the only one not falling into the rift, leaving me to stare at it as I pondered its meaning until the sound of wings flapping broke me out of my trance.
Looking around, I spotted a familiar dark alicorn flying towards my lonely island, a bewildered look on her face as she observed my dream world. Standing up, I gave a bow as she landed on my island, to which she said, "There is no need to bow, as we hath told thou before."
Raising my head, I tilted it to the side as I asked, "You remembered me?"
"Indeed, for we remember all our meetings with our subjects. But pray tell, what is happening in thy dream?"
Sitting down on my rear again, I gave her a shrug with my forelegs as I said, "No idea, princess. I have no control over my dreams."
Looking up at the rift, Luna asked, "Art thou sure? For we hath never seen the likes of... that before," as she pointed a hoof at the rift.
"Sorry, princess. I just have no control, though I wish I do... this is getting boring, fast," I said as I looked around, only to see islands being sucked into the rift still.
Turning her attention back towards me, she said, "Boring? Thou are't frighten by what thou see?"
"Unless something changes to make it... scary, this is all just... boring for me," I replied.
"Hmm... we see. We hath come to thee dream for it appeared that thou were having a nightmare."
"Oh... heh... sorry for wasting your time, princess," I said as I rubbed a hoof against the back of my head.
"Do not apologize, for we are glad that thou art fine. Now we must take our leave, for we hath other dreams to attend to," Luna said before she spread her wings and took off, flying to the outskirts of my dream before disappearing.
Left to my own thoughts, I simply chose to observe my dream, as I pondered one thought that I spoke aloud. "Luna has a point... why am I dreaming this of all things?"
Because you are
FORESHADOWING!
.........................................................
Aether deadpans a lot. Perhaps it would be easier to specify when she's not deadpanning?
Maybe is a prophetic dream?
Aether uses Logic.
Flawless Victory.
I am not sure if i would like Pinkie to stay somethin g like her mother, which would make more sense, or if i would like the Cakes to really adopt her, but for that the Cakes would get a bit more importand for the story i guess.
For now i am fine with how the things are, and i would prefer it if Aether doesn´t change to much, even if she should accept Pinkie a bit more.
edit: i forgot to say that i liked that chapter.
I don´t need this to be a romance, but maybe it would funny to have a Colt like Rumble, or maybe even that dolt Snails, to have a little crush on her (i mean that the Colts should feel something like love for the first time, with Snails it would be funny, and Cute, but if it should be a serious relationship then i guess i would prefer Rumble.
i don´t remember the right word, can i say "crush", if i mean that they like each other a little bit, or is it really another word?
hmm I think its a portrayal of doom if Twilight keeps messing with the crystals. Either that or some mysterious organization outside or in Equestria is gonna open up a portal for dubious intentions maybe mess it up as well.
Nice chapter. Good job.
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That would certainly keep the word count down.
As I see that this is, from my current point of time, as far as I can get reading the story in one session, I have to wonder about one thing:
As Æther (yep, I'm writing it this way, don't mind me) said before she took a bunch of these crystals away so that they couldn't rebuild a core that would lead to dimensional traveling. But since Twilight destroyed one of them by accident in one of her first experiments, wouldn't that mean that it is now impossible to rebuild the core?
Just realized the floating island thing that gets sucked into a rift reminds me of Kingdom Hearts.
5987756 Pinkie pie uses Pinkie pie, FUN! FUN! FUN! FUN! FUN! FUN! FUN! FUN! FUN! FUN! FUN!
5988241 if i remember correctly Aether also said that you could still use those smaller shards and fit them back together. It'd be a nightmare to do and i doubt even twilight would think to do that
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Oh, I reached the end of the currently available chapters. In the same day? I really should get more sleep.
I suspect those metal shards are having a bad reaction to magic, ebcause a magic realm is dimentionally rotated relative to the origional space the metal came from, As in not so much turned a quarter to the right, but a fish to the orange etc.
Discord is going to have so much fun.
You are great! I love this Fic so far Btw I loved it when Discord appeared btw I just made an acount to comment here
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Especially since she already broke some of the shards into even smaller pieces.
I still see the occasional mistake, such as...
So there we were, the Crusaders trying to build a mock cliff that so far only looked like a ramshackle wooden tower near some pond while I tried to stay of it after expressing my disbelief that this would help them get Cutie Marks in cliff diving.
This seems like a run on and you used the word of improperly. I'd write it like. So there we were, the Crusaders trying to build a mock cliff. So far it only looked like a ramshackle wooden tower, perched near a pond. Meanwhile, I was trying to stay off it after expressing my disbelief for their current idea of obtaining a cutie mark.
I'm not always perfect at grammar, though.
Well... reality-defying would be cool. And once Aether is manic, she won't know she is manic. It all works out in the end.
Then Twilight would be rubbing off on her.
I guess that last thing that appeared is not even worth mentioning cause it is SOOOOO common.
That moment when you realize that you accidentally hit the thumbs down while trying to hit then next chapter button at some point. I was like, why is that so vividly red? Then was horrified! The horror! The Horror!
Hopefully those 29 others who made then same mistake realize and fix it too!
6200821 nope.It seems more cannot see ginus
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Or maybe they honestly disliked the story for whatever reason. Some people don't like HiE/AiE stories. Some people don't like OC-focused stories. Several people like myself are trying to enjoy the story, only to deal with jarring, out-of-character moments.
Not saying I thumbed down, though. The story has its moments, and the writing is getting better as I go, and I tend to withhold my judgement until I'm done reading something.
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6200821 I do that all the time when i'm on mobile, good thing i'm not though.
Something just isn't right with these dreams....
This is a first sign at her destiny - that her talent will be that of defending from interdimmensional threats
I'm baffled that Luna would not further question a dimensional rift...
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Oh yeah, that must be some gooood pie~