“No, child,” Queen Whitemane spoke with a gentle smile. “It most certainly will not let you fly through the burning heart of a volcano.”
“Awwww...” Rainbow Dash nevertheless smirked at the fluctuating sphere of ivory light billowing around her. She levitated before the Queen on the balcony beneath Verdestone night. “Still, this is pretty sweet. Heaven knows I could have used this sort of a thing a dozen times over the last few weeks.”
“You do strike me as a pony who's well acquainted with danger,” Whitemane said. “Though, I imagine you could learn a thing or two about danger's consequences.”
“Eh. Too boring. It's a lot harder and cooler to survive.” Rainbow Dash winked. “Thanks, a bunch. Just what do I owe you?”
“Not a thing, my child,” Whitemane said. “However, I would like to advise you to do something: not in return for the favor I have bestowed you, but rather as a means of bringing prosperity to yourself and even other ponies.”
“Uhhhhh... Yeah, sure.” Rainbow Dash touched down and looked up at her. “Name it.”
“The province of Darkstine to the east of Emeraldine...”
“Yeah? I hear it's full of unicorns who dabble in industry. And, like, there's a deep ravine lying on the other side. Uhm... What about it?”
“I would like you to pay the capital city a visit.”
“Oh? What for?”
“The country that belongs to the Darkstinians is experiencing a degree of turmoil as of late. Very few members of the Verdestone Chamber of Representatives know what the real problem is.”
“Do you?”
“Bits and pieces,” Whitemane said with a gentle nod. “There's been a clash between two major factions, seemingly stemming from an energy crisis in the center of the province's largest city.”
“Heh... That sounds kind of lame, actually.” Rainbow Dash gulped. “Look, your Highness, you're right when you say that I'm at my best around danger. I'd skim over volcanoes or butt heads with demon chaos bats anyday. But when it comes to ponies getting ticked off at other ponies and coming to blows, I really don't think that's my area of expertise. I mean, I'm no diplomatic or nothing. Unless performing an airshow to wow both sides of the capital is what you have in mind, I'm not sure what help I'm going to be.”
“I think you'll discover that you're the one and only mare to make a difference in that capital,” Whitemane said. “You are important there as you've been important here, as a guest of my very own chambers.”
“I... I just don't get it...” Rainbow Dash sat on her haunches, making a face. “What good could I do a bunch of ponies with their heads full of gears? And—like—what does any of this have to do with my trip to the Midnight Armory?”
“I think you'll find that I'm not the one to illuminate your path entirely, Rainbow Dash,” she said. “I can only point you in the right direction, and soon you'll find that all of the whole world is spread before you as a means of assisting in your travels.”
“Unnngh...” Rainbow Dash facehoofed hard. “Talk to one alicorn, and you've talked to them all.”
“For once, a generality has its merit,” Whitemane said with a wink.
“Yeah, and I bet you're proud of that,” Rainbow Dash muttered.
Whitemane chuckled delicately. “I will be sure to provide you a guide. I think Constable Steelteeth will be most exceptional in escorting you across the less-than-friendly borders of our east neighbors.”
“He's not gonna be very thrilled about that.”
“Unlike you, he doesn't have a choice.”
“Heh...” Rainbow Dash stood up, smirking. “I'll be sure to rub that in his angry face. By the way, think you can do one more favor for me, your Highness?”
“What is that, child?”
Rainbow Dash twirled around and shook her mane. “Could you use your royal magic to get rid of these frickin' annoying braids?” She sighed exasperatingly. “All of the chambermaids are gone and I've got nopony left to impress.”
“I am here, am I not?”
“Yeah. Uhm. Don't even go there.”
Whitemane smiled and trotted over. “Do not fret, child. I have many blessings left to give.” And, with a concentrated burst, she shot a beam of telekinetic energy into Rainbow Dash's mane. The balcony flashed with a bright sheen of light.
Heh. Hair problems.
She can't fly into the heart of a volcano? Awww...
New quest added: Power for the people
Achievement Unlocked: Not Quite Impervious
Title obtained: N/A
SALVATION! GLORIUS SALVATION! I HAVE AT LONG LAST ARRIVED AT THE CURRENT CHAPTER! PRAISE THE CURRENT MOST POPULAR GOD!
i would read; but im a little behind on the chapters. maybe ill start later
So many possible ways to tie this to a game... *foams at mouth*
On a completely unrelated note, is it ever explained anywhere ever what "Austraeoh" means? I'd like to know.
1133714
I originally thought that it would be an Anagram. I've actually looked into it twice, but there are so many possibilities...
Looking at the list, my first thought is that it somehow involves "East," but that's a bust; no sensible string of words can be made from Austraeoh that involve "East." A East Hour is the closest you come to something that makes literal sense.
Other notables are:
Area South
Sea Author
Aura Ethos
Soar At Hue
A Oath Rues
So when that dried up, I thought maybe it was Latin. Y'know, since Latin is the "cool dead language" everyone uses to name things.
However, as far as I can tell, Austraeoh has no meaning in Latin. Coincidentally, however, "Austr" is the Latin word for "South." Not really relevant, I just thought it amusing that part of the title refers to another of the cardinal directions.
There are a number of other decoding options available, but for some reason I get the feeling that they will all fail. The word certainly looks like it has meaning, but we may just have to wait and find out.
Well now that the braids are out of the way lets get going
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
Alrighty, so we do get some input as to what Darkstine's deal is with all of the mystery as of late. I'm not too sure as to what this energy crisis thing is...perhaps something related to a chaos rift. Other than that, someone may have stolen the neccessary energy for the city. These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
A week an a half ago... Soon I'll happen upon the others...
heh. Slightly flame retardant. Slightly
and thats how rainbow dash went bald
Awwww she got rid of her braids. I thought "Rainbow Dash always dresses in style."
But she looks good in braids.
But why does removing simple braids have to be so... Big? Lighting up the whole balcony just to fix the hair?
4040720 because she can. because shes a fucking queen, peasant. (all said in good fun lol)
4905781
Exactly. What's the point of being royalty if you don't do over the top stuff for mundane activities? I know if I was alicorn royalty I'd have servants telekinetically shoot chocolate raisins in my mouth from the opposite side of castle. Like food snipers ^_^. Or have a chariot outfitted with massive party cannons as my main form of transportation.
So here're my thoughts right now; if the friction at the edge of the world will fry Dash to a crisp, then can't she just find a tunnel or something going through the world from one side to the other?
I mean, if you can go from one side to the other by going over the edge, surely you could also go through it?
Like going over a mountain as opposed to going through it. (Both of which Dash has done.)
Let's find out later on in the story!
Whitemane seems both childish and wise here.
3/20/2017 17:06 UTC
8037882 Channeling her inner Celestia
1132615 Yeah, okay, Duke Zaap Nator. You're one to talk.
7270596
I would imagine, though obviously don't have any real in story facts to back this up, that it's similar to the reason we can't just drill as deep as we want into the Earth. First a limitation of technology. Second, the deeper you drill the more difficult it is to have any stability in what you're drilling.
Now, I could throw around my own possible ideas about the "machine" or whatever Dash found previously in the story but instead, I'm just going to keep reading. :)
Heh "many blessings left to give." Somepony got some before she left.
Heh, rereading this part, knowing what I know now
07/16/2019
23:44 UTC
Girl just needs to get some to curve the intense sexual frustration that's clearly been building over weeks. Gonna collapse into a coma next time she...
You know what, why am I talking about this?
9908556
Good question.
1144798
Ah, the critically acclaimed MLPFIM fanfiction by Imploding Colon
Arouse Hat