The next morning, Rainbow Dash was effortlessly lifting the toppiece of a slab of wooden framework. Several ropes were tugging on the opposite end as she raised the buildingside in place. Holding it in place with two hooves, she pivoted and shouted down below.
“Okay! It's set! Your turn!”
Beneath Rainbow Dash, three dozen Ridgeside villagers were gathered for the massive building construction. Using an advanced pulley system, they hoisted several wooden beams into place, bracing them against the length of siding. As they held the pylons into position, Rainbow Dash blurred down, grabbed a satchel of tools, and soared back up. In swift order, she fastened the beams to the framework in several adjoining places. Soon, there was a thin but impressive framework for a brand new structure in the center of the Emeraldine village. At least a hundred ponies were watching, and the villagers clapped their hooves against the ground in joy and triumph.
Once Rainbow Dash was finished with the basic attachments, she touched down to the ground and wiped the sweat from her brow. In the meantime, several ponies erected ladders and began work on applying the walls and roof panels to the growing structure.
“Way to go, Rainbow Dash!” Grassy Fields exclaimed as he scurried his way up. “We're gonna build this thing in record time!”
“We may actually beat the rain front!” another exclaimed. “Thanks a bunch!”
“Hey...” Rainbow exhaled, sitting on her haunches as she detached the stachel from her body. “Don't mention it. What's this place gonna be anyways? A factory for awesomeness?”
“What does this look like?” Cherrymane made a face. “Darkstine?”
“I think the elders said something about a gathering place of sorts,” Brisk Run added.
“A public dance hall,” Mayor Evergreen said, suddenly there. She trotted up with a pair of advisors and smiled at the gathering. “Our community's been wanting one for a long time. I figured now was the best time to commission its construction finally.”
“No kidding?” Rainbow Dash ran a hoof through her mane, smirking. “You ponies seem so carefree. It boggles my mind that you never danced around before.”
“We'd just do it anywhere in the streets,” Brisk Run said.
Cherrymane giggled. “Now we'll have no excuse to be so crazy!”
“I'd beg to differ.” Evergreen smiled. “Now you'll just have a place to channel the craziness.”
“I wouldn't mind seeing you get down with your bad self, Ms. Evergreen.”
“I wouldn't want to ruin the hooves I write with,” she replied.
Several nearby ponies chuckled.
“Wow, it's like everypony in the village is out here today,” Rainbow Dash uttered with a nervous smile.
“Just about,” Evergreen remarked. “I've never seen the neighborhood this excited since the last time we had Queen Whitemane visit.”
“Oh?” Rainbow Dash blinked. “So, what, is she stopping by soon?”
“No, dummy!” Cherrymane stuck her tongue out. “It's cuz you are here!”
“Me?”
“We were thanking, Rainbow Dash,” Evergreen spoke, “Of naming this meeting place 'Dash Hall' once the final construction is complete. Would that be okay by you?”
Rainbow Dash's cheeks turned a rosier shade as her ears drooped. “Jee. You're pulling my tail.”
“Hardly.”
“That's... uhm... That's pretty swell.” She scratched the back of her neck, smiling sheepishly. “I always figured I would have something named after me. But a dance hall...?”
“Would you rather not?” Brisk Run said.
“Oh! I'm totally cool with it and all!” She winked. “Just be sure you play plenty of Journeigh songs.”
Cherrymane giggled.
“I don't get it,” Brisk Run remarked.
“Don't worry. One day, it will find you.”
“You should stay long enough to see opening night!” Cherrymane remarked. “You'd be the life of the party! I know it!”
“Heh. As much as I'd love to be part of something so cool...” Rainbow Dash dug nervously at the ground. “I... well...” She bit her lip and glanced at the Mayor. “Did you tell them?”
Evergreen smiled softly the younger ponies' way. “Miss Dash will be early tomorrow evening.”
“What?” Brisk Run gasped.
“Awwww...” Cherrymane's face fell in a sad slump. “Must you really? So soon?”
“I've got places to go. And apparently Verdestone is next on my list,” Rainbow said, winking the Mayor's way.
“But it feels like you just got here!” Brisk Run exclaimed, his ears drooping in a melancholic fashion. “Why are you in such a hurry to fly away?”
“Well...” She stood up straight and fiddled with her pendant. “It's not that I'm in a hurry, exactly...”
“You're so awesome and so carefree about everything. It's like you have all the time in the world.”
Rainbow Dash stared blankly back at the group. “Heh...” Her lips curved, but only slightly. “Let's just say that the world's not gonna explore itself.”
It's kinda sad that my gut reaction to these guys is kind of melding into suspicion what with their little slice of paradise and niceness. xD
I wonder what Verdestone ponies will be like...
Journeigh!?! AWESOME! dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_rainbowkiss_flip.png Probably the best pony band out there
Also,
You forgot the verb, good sir.
"Journeigh" sounds like it could be some European pony band. If it wasn't just a horse-related pun.
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No, he meant it. Dash is the early evening.
*cue batman voice*
"I am the early evening."
Gunna fly until the day she dies... And then she will keep flying.
So, way back in one of the early chapters (before the first chapter with dialog), I (belatedly) guessed that the reason the lonesome chapters referred to RD by her full name exclusively was her reminding herself of who she is constantly, due to amnesia.
Well, (part of) that theory obviously went out the window a few chapters later. I still think she's reminding herself of who she is during the lonesome stretches, only now I think it's as a method of keeping a certain chaotic individual and his influence 'at bay', rather than because of some tendency to forget.
Even though I think it would screw up the style of the story, I long for an expository passage. Then the structure of my mental images would have something solid in them, as opposed to the jury-rigged mess of guesswork tied together with theories that they're currently made of.
Also, I'm looking forward to a happy ending. My gut tells me there's one coming, eventually. and I'd rather look forward to that then an ending of unknown provenance
Journeigh, eh?
...
I'm trying to come up with a pony band name that would be the complete opposite of Journeigh, but I don't usually make that kind of comparison. Some part of my brain keeps saying "Barelynaked Mares!" but I'm pretty sure that's not what I want. oh well.
You must construct additional pylons.
1072218 But I...I just built some over there. Why you no let me make more chapters
You Must construct additional pylons.
Why!?
Hehe, I think that I better start rationing my chapters, I read 100 yesterday, 12 today, and now there are currently only 18 left. Afterall, I don't want to run out of Awesome-Dash being awesome
Something she's not telling them.
Or us, for that matter.
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I would thumbs-up this comment
IIIIIt's Dashie's Fourth Marathon Evaluation Time!
So in this chapter, we get something that even I'm having trouble making sense of. Dash openly says that she's not on a time limit. I guess I should've realized it sooner, though, seeing as how she was able to stop at Windthrow for so long. Perhaps something bad will happen to her when she kills Discord...assuming that's her ultimate goal. Discord is in her body, after all. Perhaps a ritual sacrifice will be in order...
I am a normal pony.
And as such,
I desire a normal explanation,
in detail,
on the ritual sacrifice of children.
...
I'm sorry, I couldn't resist...
These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
P.S. Four left! I can do this!
Day 4: Come on man! Keep going!
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If you haven't found it out already, look up "Rainbow Dash Presents" on YouTube.
Love the Journeigh reference, also,
I see what you did there.
“Oh! I'm totally cool with it and all!” She winked. “Just be sure you play plenty of Journeigh songs.”
I am completely ok with this.
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Rainbow should go with these ponies. There are more of them.
I want to be an Oompa Loompa! Take me to them so the deed may be done.
'Dash Hall'. Now the awesomeness will live forever. I'm a little sad to be leaving Ridgeside so soon, but at least we'll get to see more of Emeraldine.
She's just a small town girl! Living in a lonely world! She took the midnight train going anywhere!
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Ah, yes. Journeigh. Excellent stuff.
So Darkstine is industrial. And Dash is getting a building named after her in this civilisation already! I imagine that they'll do it in Verdestone too
EDIT: WAITWAITWAIT. She's not on a time limit? That crushes the disease and Discord slowly taking over her body theories. Hmm...
Going your Separate Way on your Journey, eh Dash?
That reference and the song it's from are just perfect for the situation.
Ha! IC's version of Dash, carefree? I wish. It seems in every story by this guy I read, Dash is the epitome of a broken soul trying to mend itself. I love it!
Ohhh, you're good. You're really good.
Why is Dash repeatedly winking? Is there something in her eyes?
Favorite journey song. Lol.
be leaving
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I still don't get it :/
Clever.
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man, it was you, you jinxed it!
Figures Rainbow would be a classic rock fan. Fast paced and loud, just like her. Though I doubt the locals here know of any equestrian music beyond (maybe) several hundred year old classical. Maybe that will change some day.
02/26/2017 00:43 UTC
Aww. I had hoped it would be a barn. Oh well,
♫ "Raise this, dance hall! Raise this, dance hall! 1, 2, 3, 4!" ♫
Damn, these ponies are nice! They're almost... Too nice. DUN DUN DUUUUN
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I know it's been five years since you wrote this, and you've probably long since stopped caring, or maybe you don't even visit FimFiction anymore... but two things... 1. I've been reading your Dashie Evaluation Times every chapter, and I love them. Great work, and awesome dedication... and also, with these marathons, you seem to be a bit of a glutton for punishment.
The other thing I wish to tell you... is that what you wrote here... isn't exactly true... she is on a time limit... of sorts... last time she spoke with Luna, Luna said "Time is of the essense". So I think that while there's no set date Dash must complete the journey by... I definately believe the sooner the better.
Not a bad outlook to have.
I don't think she does...