“Wow-wee, if we had more flying ponies around here like you, we could get a lot more done!” Brisk Run exclaimed as he raised another bucket of red paint up. “I don't think I've ever seen a roof get touched up this quickly!”
Rainbow Dash dropped an empty bucket, grabbed his, and lifted it in the morning sunrise. Half a rooftop's shingles were glistening in wet crimson colors while the other half of them lingered in a dismal gray. “Hey, to be honest, this is the first time I painted a roof.”
“Well, you're doing a mighty fine job, Miss Dash!”
“I'll let you be the judge later.”
“I'm afraid I can't see all the roof from here. I'd have to fetch the ladder.”
“Ladder, shmadder. I'll give you a lift, dude.”
“Uhm...”
“Don't tell me you're allergic to altitude.”
“Perhaps I'm a bit too scared to find out?”
“Heh...” Rainbow Dash smirked. “And if I was too afraid to paint stuff, would this roof get anywhere near done? Hey, check this out.” She gripped the handle of the brush in her teeth, dipped it into the bucket, and practically blurred over the rooftop in blazing loopty-loops.
Brisk Run and a few other ponies watched in amazement as Rainbow Dash covered a quarter of the remaining rooftop in wet paint within mere seconds.
“By the Goddess! That's incredible!”
Rainbow Dash finished her treatment, spat the brush into the bucket again, and gasped for breath. “I'm starting to think it's beyond incredible, but I think the fumes are starting to get to me.”
“Do you need a break?”
“Screw breaks!” Rainbow Dash hovered down to his side and grasped another bucket and brush. “I'll get two more roofs done in the process!”
“That would be making phenomenal time!”
“That's time you can spend telling me more about what's east of Darkstine.”
“Uhm...” Brisk Run ran a hoof through his mane, shuddering. “I'm pretty sure we were all sober last night when we told you that we didn't know what lay beyond it, Miss Dash.”
“Oh come on. Seriously you've gotta have an idea,” Rainbow Dash blurred once more over the rooftop, covering the last bit of shingles in red before going back over to touch-up. “Some myths? Some old mare's tails?”
“Uhhhh...”
“The thing about myths is that they can't exist without an ounce of truth. An egghead once told me something like that.”
“Well, Queen Whitemane of Verdestone has once spoken about a canyon—”
“Wait... your capital city has a queen?”
“Yeah...?”
“Heh. That's interesting.” Rainbow Dash looked over the rooftop as she hovered. “I thought everything was all princesses and goddesses.”
“What ever gave you that idea?”
She sighed. “Never mind. So what's this canal that your Queen has spoken of?”
“She came back from a visit to the east several years ago and said that there was a steep canyon somewhere to the east. It was so deep and vast that nopony has ever crossed it for years, maybe even centuries.”
“So you're telling me that all travel east of this canyon is blocked?”
“Well, only in the north, I suppose. I'm sure the Darkstinians have been capable of traversing it with their unicorn magic and all, but none of them have bothered to speak of such a journey. I'm thinking that many of them just don't care.”
“Do any of you Emeraldine guys ever think about traveling the world?” Rainbow Dash touched down with the latest empty bucket. “Like, this village is a bunch of smiles and laughs...”
“I'd say,” Brisk Run replied with a smirk. His companions chuckled.
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “But, seriously.” She smiled. “Do Ridgeside ponies ever dream of going on long adventures or something?”
He shrugged. “I never really thought of it that much. I guess, so long as I'm content with being here, so long as I have all of my friends, I'd never want to move an inch, you know?”
Rainbow Dash slowly nodded. “Friends, right...” She shifted the weight of her saddlebag and smiled. “So. What chore's next?”
That comment about friends makes me worried about the rest of the Mane 6...
1065950 You and me both.
I'm starting to like this new town. It's so friendly and calm with no signs of trouble (knock on wood). Hopefully, Rainbow will be able to get plenty of rest here.
Its just like ponyville...things are about to get bad fast
IIIIIt's Dashie's Fourth Marathon Evaluation Time!
So in this chapter, we get hints to the next part of Dash's journey - an enormous, almost impassable canyon. The description of it actually reminds me of Tanen Gard from Bone. Regardless, we keep getting events where Dash is bitterly reminded of her missing friends. Other than that, I guess I'm glad that Dash is getting some R&R. But I just hope something interesting happens soon. These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
P.S. Wow, I've already got three done. This is easier than I remember it being.
911 views on this chapter. Conspiracy.
***
Day 4: And I shall press on!
what i can piece together is that rarity and twilight are still alive to an extent, applejack is likely dead, insane, or in a coma. the other 2 are a mystery.
Maybe they should buck her and make more pegasi
“The thing about myths is that they can't exist without an ounce of truth. An egghead once told me something like that.”
Very true.
But seriously, Short Skirts you are a god among men when it comes to world building.
Emeraldine is to the Shire as Rainbow Dash is to Gandalf.
3369353
WHA-
HOW-
Okay.
I guess that makes Spike Saruman.
Wow, Dash has some mad roof-painting skill. They should just keep her hostage to do all their chores for them.
Trying to forget the past.
Such fast Dash. ALso, huge impassable canyon FTW. Dash'll breeze through that (hopefully).
3500334 nope spike is SMAUG or however you spell it...
I'm pretty sure that's abuse. Ripping off poor old mares' tails from their bums. Pretty dark of Rainbow to suggest...
We gonna crawl out of rainbows ass soon?
Again, hinting something tragic has happened to Rainbow's friends. Dead, or petrified, I wonder
Rainbow Dash, your grief is showing.
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*gasp* Where?!
Everyone's happy, so no one leaves...
I know it sounds nice, but it also sounds...off.
Maybe I should be more trusting.
Maybe
Man, it's a good thing that Rainbow is in such good shape so she can carry all that trauma!