“Well, there's the grand city of Verdestone, of course,” Cherrymane said that evening in the Ridgeside town courtyard. Starry night had fallen over the plains of Emeraldine, and only a select few equines were left hanging around Rainbow Dash. Many of the rest—exhausted by the sheer charisma of their guest—had already retired for the night, hopeful to wake up early the next morning and hear even more stories from the colorful traveler. “It's the capital city of Emeraldine,” Cherrymane continued. “Then, east of that, you have the kingdom of Darkstine, our province's biggest trade partner.”
“Whaddya trade?” Rainbow Dash said in between mouthfuls of delicious fruit. “These scrumptious peaches? Mmmfff... Good stuff...”
Brisk Run chuckled as he leaned against a nearby fence. “Emeraldine is primarily agricultural, as is the Moonshade peninsula to the south. Darkstine is home to unicorns who are all about industry and engineering marvels of machinery. They depend on us for bountiful harvests, and we depend on them for... for...” Brisk Run made a face and gazed aside. “Just what the heck do we need them for?”
“A laugh, from time to time,” Grassy Fields said.
Cherrymane giggled. “Yes. Darkstinians are always so serious. It's like their horns are nailing a huge weight of self-importance to their skulls. I don't suppose you know what that's like, Miss Dash.”
“Oh... I can imagine...” Rainbow Dash said with a wink, swallowed the rest of the peach whole, and gulped it down her equine throat. “Hmmpfh... And just what's beyond that? Darkstine, that is?”
“Well...” Cherrymane ran a hoof through her hair in the cool night breeze. “It's hard to say. You see, most of us live here all our lives. I could tell you what's way south of us or what lies to the north, but the lands beyond Darkstine just don't concern us that much.”
“How convenient,” Rainbow Dash said with a smirk. “Well, if you could share your delicious fruit with the rest of the world, you'd have ponies from every continent coming here just to have a bite.”
“Heheh... It's worth it just to see more incredible pegasi like you!” Grassy said.
“Grassy...” Cherrymane grumbled.
“What? I'm just being honest! So shoot me!”
“Invite some Darkstinians over for target practice and we just might arrange that,” Brisk Run said.
Rainbow Dash shuddered. “Okaaaaay... I'll... uh... keep that in mind?”
“Are you really planning on travelling there?” Cherrymane asked.
“Yup.”
“Past the capital city? Past Darkstine? Past the lands beyond?”
“Yup.”
“Why such a long journey?” Cherrymane asked. “I mean, you're far enough from home as it is. Sooner than later, you'll reach the edge of the world!”
“Then it'll be the world's fault for giving up beneath me.” Rainbow Dash said, cracking her joints and blinking a pair of tired eyes. “Whew. Seriously, though, none of you guys know about any places east of Darkstine?”
“Well...” Grassy Fields scratched his chin in thought.
Brisk Run spoke up. “There's the Grand Choke, of course.” He blinked nervously. “Everypony knows that.”
“Lemme guess...” Rainbow Dash gazed at him. “And the 'Great Sea' rests just beyond it?”
“Why... Yes!” Brisk Run grinned. “You've talked to other ponies about it, I imagine?”
“Let's just say that when I show up, ponies can't help but talk about the end of all things.”
“Heheheheh...”
“Haha!”
“Heeheehee...”
Grassy Fields smiled wide. “You're gonna be here for a few days? Please say you will be!”
“We must introduce you to the mayor!” Cherrymane said with a wide grin. “She's always wanted to play diplomat with other pony species!”
“Hey, hey... I know I'm practically glittering with awesome—but one thing at a time, huh?” Rainbow Dash winked at them. “Isn't there a roof somewhere I should be painting?”
Emeraldine and Moonshade? Sounds quite a lot like Crystal Pony lands to me.
Also, is there a map you made for this whole world, or is it more or less "I think of it when she gets there"?
Yes. Started reading this last week, finnally caught up today. Loving every second of it!
589787
I feel like I could use this comment to teach the meaning of irony "imploding colon... beautiful simplicity"
I like that Dash is willing to do all this work.
1046827
Bwahaha, that made me crack up
And that is totally an innuendo I didn't catch the first time through. Intentioned or not, it still fits!
IIIIIt's Dashie's Fourth Marathon Evaluation Time!
So in this chapter, we get another Grand Choke reference. What with Dash talking about stuff from back in the Windthrow Arc, I've started wondering what these Ridgeside ponies know about Wintergate. Windthrow was closed off from the world, so they wouldn't know about that, but I wonder if there are ponies like Astral here who know about things like the Elements or other things from Dash's past. These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
P.S. Okay, two done. Only eight left until overtime.
WISH YOU WERE HERE...
1046694 I need to make a map of these journeys.
If even a fraction of the world you've built here made it into the actual Friendship is Magic canon, the ponies' world would suddenly become a lot more interesting place. It's just... astonishing, the expanse of the world you've gone to lengths to create. In truth, it reminds me of back when I first started playing World of Warcraft. Seeing new lands, meeting new people, and never knowing where it'll stop. And I must say, I'm very glad that you gave me a chance to relive that feeling.
1625163 always good to hear the Pink Floyd (Pony Floyd?) references from you.
1046694 Impoding Colon (SSExplosions) doesn't seem to be the talkative type, so I doubt that will get answered.
More references to this 'Grand Choke', first heard of during the Windthrow arc. With the second time hearing it, we know it's just got to be important. Whether as a good thing or a bad thing, we don't know. But to get there, she gonna have to cross this Darkstine. A society of unicorns, I wonder what they'll be like? But more importantly, this seems to be leaning more towards GrassDash than CherryDash.
More ships abound.
Oh My God, I found it.
This is the original peach-fic.
So there are unicorns here! Just, no pegasi. Okay then. And they're vegetarians! Rejoice!
And what's this about shooting Unless you mean with magic
3975300
I KNOW! Think of the scandal it will cause in TSEP group! They'll be at their pits end!
On the bright side we also found the peach motherlands!
To the East, to Ridgeside of Emeraldine.
Darkstine. That name doesn't sound sinister at all. Nor do the unicorns sound like bigots.
I foresee dasteredly plans being dashed and egos clashing in the future.
Also I have a feeling that the unicorns will think Dash might somehow hold the secrets to giving themselves wings and "ascending" to alicorn/god(dess) hood. Just seems like something a few unicorns would do if they've already segregated themselves from Earth ponys into a city.
1046694 Future here! Has it really been that long since we were introduced to the crystal ponies? Wow! This story is so big and... I dunno, primal... and being a fan so comparatively fresh that it seems impossible that this chapter came out around the same time as the first new episodes I watched (or, judging by the publication date, previews thereof). Even with the overarching epic only half-done, this first entry is like one of the massive ancient ruins we've already seen -- if it weren't for allusions to Discord, I might think that it went to the very foundations of the Earth itself, like Season One.
The Grand Choke and the Great Sea? Didn't the ponies of Windthrow say that those were to the west??
The Grand Choke?
Sounds oddly familiar to a rereader...
5793432 I'm gaining!
That has to be one of the best lines I've ever read.
This line is the distilled essence of Rainbow Dash.
Apparently Rainbow Dash likes to wink a lot. That, or winking somehow developed into a strange habit she has.
Grand Choke... Great Sea...
Man all these places are stressing me out. How much more can Rainbow take with all these flying? And my journey reading through all these? I'm beat!
Strange, another instance of Unicorns being common, but not Pegasi. I wonder what it is about their race that would make them so scarce.
It kind of reminds me of the G3 movie where I think Sweetie Belle discovers the land of flying ponies.
... Yes, I've watched G3. No, I don't recommend it.
EEEEEYYYYYYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
It's really interesting how ponies as far west as Emeraldine or even Wintergate have heard of the Grand Choke, but know nothing about all the lands that lie between them... Silvadel, Ledomare, Xona, Val Roa...