“And there was a bunch of talk about the foundation of the world and some other boring fluff,” Rainbow Dash said with a yawn, reclining back in her seat within the steam-powered plane. At least two hours had passed, and Steelteeth was still piloting the vehicle hurriedly east towards the darkening horizons beyond the plains of Emeraldine. “Quite frankly, it was all dull as nails until she gave me the magical shield thingy.”
“And yet she remained vague about your purpose in Darkstine.”
“Yeah, pretty much.” Rainbow Dash stretched a hoof out, smiling as she danced it up and down through the rippling air currents surging past them. “I guess Her Majesty is like me: a pony who likes to wing it. Erm... I don't mean to poke fun at the disability of her wings. They look good on her, if nothing else.”
“Mmmhmmm...”
Rainbow Dash's goggled eyes glanced over towards the trenchcoated stallion. She spoke above the whistling winds around the aircraft, “You're remaining pretty calm for a constable who's been coerced into guiding a featherbrained pegasus elbow-deep into unicornville.”
“Nopony's been coerced,” Steelteeth muttered. “I am honored to be doing the will of my Queen.”
“Even when—like—she's totally ambiguous about the crap she forces you to do?”
“There is very little magic in the realm of Emeraldine,” Steelteeth said. “And there are even fewer souls wise and powerful enough to practice it. Whatever Whitemane's will may be, I shall follow it completely.”
“Hrm...” Rainbow Dash grunted. “That's kind of uncool, don't you think?”
“What is, pray tell?”
“Following an alicorn blindly? No matter what she says?”
“It is not blindness,” he argued calmly. “Much rather, it is righteous subservience. She overlooks the safety of Verdestone, and I protect her interests with equal vigor.”
“Still...” Rainbow Dash muttered as her ruby eyes scanned the horizon with a sudden lethargy. “There's no telling when the day may come when a alicorn goddess screws you royally...”
Steelteeth's aquamarine eyes shifted under his goggles. He said nothing.
Rainbow Dash smirked his way. “Seriously, though, has she ever done the horn-thing with you?”
“What horn thing?”
“Y'know! The... the thing!” Rainbow Dash gestured a fake spike at the base of her forehead, grinning. “Where she waltzes magically into your head and plays croquet with your memories and crud.”
“I have experienced a telepathic connection once or twice with Her Majesty,” Steelteeth said with a nod.
Rainbow Dash blinked at the pilot. “Yeah... and?”
“There is nothing more to add. We've shared a mental connect.”
“She didn't—like—go snooping around in the private filing cabinets of your noggin?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“You make it sound as though I have things worth hiding.”
“Well, don'tcha?”
Steelteeth grunted. “Not in the least.”
“Oh come on!” Rainbow Dash grinned wickedly. “No childhood fears? No sincere love for fudge?”
“Negatory.”
“Nooooooo...” Rainbow Dash leaned towards him with a wag of her eyebrows. “....clandestine escapades with Evergreen behind the curtains of Darkstine's red light stables?”
“I believe your opinions of Evergreen and I are unfounded.”
“Oh come now, Steely! You and her were the only earth ponies around each other for ages in that city! Don't tell me that there was no hankying of the pankying!”
“None at all.”
“Why? Because your metal teeth scared her off?”
“No,” he droned. “Because Evergreen does not take a liking to stallions.”
Rainbow Dash blinked. “Oh.” She blinked again. “Really?” Her face paled as a sad twitch pulsed through her ruby eyes. “Dear Luna, just how bad did I need a bath back in Ridgeside...?”
“We are making swift time,” Steelteeth unemotionally uttered. “We will be in Darkstine airspace in minutes.”
“Already?” Rainbow Dash remarked, sitting up straight. “Yeesh, that was quick!”
“Not used to travel this swift?”
“Huh?” Rainbow Dash balked at him. “Hey! I can make lightning bolts look like snails! Pffft! Like this bucket of bolts even comes close to impressing me!”
“You seemed incredibly awestruck until I just now implied that it outmatches your speed.”
“Yeah, well... erm... a pegasus doesn't rust!” Rainbow Dash raspberried before squinting at the east horizon. A solid line of blackness obscured the horizon. “Hmmmm... Uhh, Steely?”
“I do wish you would not call me that,” he growled menacingly.
“So sue me. Ahem. I think we ought to gain some altitude. There're some nasty stormclouds lingering ahead.”
“Those aren't stormclouds,” Steelteeth said in a dull tone.
“Huh?” Rainbow Dash gave him a bizarre look. “Then just what in the hay are there?”
Suddenly, three glowing orbs of sparkling magic flew up and orbited the aircraft in mid-flight. One of them shot directly in front of Rainbow Dash and pulsed a bright blue.
“Whoah jeez!” Rainbow Dash squeaked, scrunching back in her seat.
A crackling voice echoed from the core of the floating sphere in front of Rainbow. “Sincere inquisition: Who trespasses Darksitian airspace?!”
“Ah,” Steely nodded without so much as glancing at the orbiting trio of spheres. “The border patrol. We're almost there.”
A panting Rainbow Dash pointed her trembling hoof at the object before her muzzle. “You mean THIS is the Darkstinian border patrol?!”
The magical voice crackled once more, “Repeated demand with bolder emphasis: Identify yourselves or we will be forced to neutralize this vehcile.”
“Uhhhh... uhmmm... Ehehhhh...” Rainbow Dash stammered.
Steelteeth spoke towards the sphere. “I am Constable Steelteeth, former ambassador of Emeraldine-Darkstine relations. This is Rainbow Dash, honorable guest to Her Majesty, Queen Whitemare.” He calmly tilted the controls forward, coasting the plane lower over a ridge of hills as the smoggy atmosphere of the bordering province lingered darkly just beyond the bouldery peaks. “In accordance with Article Twelve of the Three Hundred and Seventh-Second Industrial Amendment, I am granted freedom to enter Darkstinian territory. If you don't believe me, check clearance with the representatives of Governor Mintelle, whom should be expecting me after such a long visit.”
“Neutral response: Please wait while representatives of the Governor are contacted.” The glowing sphere sparkled and strobed through several shades of blue. Finally, it settled for a bright hue and flickered with affirmation. “Permission obtained: Proceed directly to the Governor's Facility in East New Ring. Governor Mintelle awaits your arrival. Abide by the rules of Darkstine, outtrotters.”
The three spheres spun around the plane one last time before darting off towards the dark clouds overhead like reverse meteors.
Rainbow Dash gulped and slumped further into her seat with a sigh. “That's the first time I've ever been outflown by a plane and three glowing turds in one afternoon.”
“Hmmmm...” Steelteeth muttered below his breath. His grimacing teeth glittered in the permeating gray light that suddenly assaulted the airscape. “'East New Ring.' I'm not sure I like the sound of that.”
“Oh yeah? Why not?”
“It suggests a sudden and dramatic power shift, the political kind,” he uttered as he lowered the craft's altitude, piercing the thick smog. “If nothing else, my incidental trip here may prove useful in gaining knowledge on the inner turmoil of Darkstine.”
“And—nngh!” Rainbow Dash coughed and hacked before waving a hoof to clear the billowing fumes all around them. “J-just... ugh... wh-who's this 'Montel' guy?”
“Mintelle,” Steelteeth emphasized. “And SHE is the head of Darkstinian industrial affairs in the capital city of Ridge Side. At least, she was last time I checked. She had barely won an election against her supreme rival, Duke Zaap Nator of the Western Districts.”
“If these unicorns are half as goofy as their titles, then I think I'll be flying away from this place pretty darn quick.”
“I wouldn't be too hasty, Miss Dash,” Steelteeth remarked. “After all, you are here per the Queen's request just as much as I am. Besides...” He gestured over the edge of the vehicle with a free hoof. “There is no telling if you might enjoy the sights or not.”
“Heh, yeah right...” Rainbow Dash cast a dull glance over the edge of the cockpit. “What's to enjoy about a bunch of stuffy, magic-sucking eggheads—holy snap!” Her ruby eyes bulged as her jaw dropped.
Row after row of cylindrical buildings brimmed with glinting brass gears and cogwheels. Forests of smokestacks billowed flame and smoke into the air while hovering spheres darted between flickering magical portals. Tesla coils brimming with electricity fueled elevated tracks where blue-glowing trains glided hissingly from one portion of the densely packed urbanscape to the other. In the center of the metal-laced streets, several towers stretched with their rhythmically gyrating skeletons exposed, pendulums swingings and conveyor belts transferring objects of magical importance from one district to another in clockwork precision. Throughout the streets, Darkstinian ponies marched in droves, clothed in thin layers of steam-powered copper armor. The smoggy air above sang with crackling embers of magically-imbued sparks, and in the middle of the capital—as wide as a gaping lake—a dark and unfathomably deep pit loomed, its sharp brass edges flickering with etheral pulses of crimson flame.
“Uhmmm...” Rainbow Dash gazed at the spectacle below, her wings twitching. She turned around to witness Steelteeth gazing at her expectantly. In response, she smirked. “Yeah, okay. Where's the gift shop?”
New Map Marker Added: Darkstine, City of Industry
New objective added: Talk to Mintelle
P.S.
I like the sound of this Zaap Nator fellow.
Holy steampunk ponies, Batman!
I'm currently imagining the theme for Darkstine to be a cross between the Terminator trailer theme and Rainbow Factory.
1135797
Yeah, yeah. That was my first choice.
It's just confusing as to how in Equestria Australia has to do with anything.
Well this seems to be a completely innocent and not at all ominous thing to say.
1133714
It's an anagram of, among other things, urea oaths
Currently waiting for a Johnny Fiveaces cameo. Or at least big steam-powered trains driving around carrying big boxes labeled "STEAM"
Also:
"Arouse hat"
"Shout area"
"A sour heat"
"Has a route"
"A hour east"
Something tells me Mintelle no longer has power. Well, at least not over all of Darkstine.
1136678
That last one looks pretty solid. She is going east, after all.
check clearance with the representatives of Governor Mintelle.
Governor Mintelle.
Mintelle.
Title Obtained: Wooooooooooooah.
-Mintelle
(Dunno, that just really freaked me out.)
Congratulations, you have been promoted to OC
Read all 126 chapters over 3 days. Utterly fascinated with everything so far. The world you've cooked up is just amazing. Also impressed that you've gone over 110,000 words and I'm still perfectly happy to continue reading without a clue as to what's really going on. Usually, I'd have given up by now, but I can't wait for the next update!
Keep your speed high and your bearing true, RD.
Knowingly: Someones been playing Mass Effect
Steam punk time. To the max!
Steampunk? Or Clockwork-punk? (is that a thing?) Just when I thought this story couldn't get any cooler. I'm sensing some ominous-ness here. Political squabbles are usually gritty, time consuming things that are completely counterproductive to epic, time sensitive quests, and I'm guessing that Rainbow's witty quips and buck-stuff-in-the-face(or the groin) first, ask questions later attitude will be more of a hindrance than a help. But that's just me. The whole foray into Darkstine could flow perfectly smoothly, for all I know. Kay, no. Stuff's about to get serious. Onward!
Here we go! Nazi Germaneigh! It's scary scary fascist pony time!
A message from MASH -
I actually am very sorry, but I can't do an evaluation time tonight. I'm sorry, I'll explain tomorrow.
Big fiery pit = chaos rift?
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
So in this chapter, we reach Darkstine. It's description reminds me of the movie Hugo (which, although having great special effects, I found to be rather bland) and I imagine the whole city to be something of a city - sized factory. We get hints of a grudge Dash possesses against an alicorn, presumably Celestia. My theory may be correct! These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
P.S. Okay, so I'm really sorry about yesterday. I came down with a terrible cold (that I still have, by the way) and practically fell asleep at the keyboard. Seriously. I read about half of the chapter and then it took all of my willpower to not fall asleep while notifying you guys of the absence of evaluation yesterday. (Oooh! Catchy!) So I'm very sorry about that. Like I said, I'm still sick, but I'll still try to do the second evaluation later tonight.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
1138643 Good job!
A sincere love of fudge is a thing of Beauty!
I shall not abide a thing of such splendor to remain hidden!
Sooo... it's a steampunk enthusiast Brony's dream-city? Aside from the politics? Neat!
1134969
...The ending of the words is AMSIVI.
This reminds me a lot of the steampunk world of Howl's moving castle.
Steampunk?
Welcome to America in the steampunk future.
1135283
Sounds awfully like Zap Brannigan. I wonder, how close they will compare?
Welcome to Steampunk Darkstine, the first place in Equestria so far to have non-word names.
3326076 I wasnt expecting the Tesla coils. or any electricity at all. purely steam. BUT the tesla coils definitely work well
Dashie uses a big word. Huh. Maybe Queen Whitemane rubbed off on her somewhat during her brief stay.
And now we've entered the wonderful land of steampunk. Grab your monocles and top hats folks; this is about to be awesome.
I honestly don't see how the scenery would appeal to Rainbow, if anything it sounds like the complete opposite
It sounded more to me like Rainbow was not impressed by the speed of the plane (thing can't even go supersonic, RD can likely hit Mach 10 in this fanfic doing rainbooms) but by how short the trip is, with her having to take days to get anywhere.
*catches self almost drooling* DAMN IT! WHY'D YOU HAVE TO MAKE A STEAMPUNK/TESLAPUNK CITY!!!
Speculative suspicion; why do these guys seem like steam punk unicorn Elcor?
Amused observation: those spheres remind me of a certain robot from a certain Star Wars game. They also appear to harbor a similar distrust of meatbags.
Rainbow Dash tries to challenge what her guide tells her again and again and yet fails miserably every time... I wonder why she even keeps trying at this point, it is clear the dude knows his job better than her.
Also, it is curious how RD's top speed has been nerfed tremendously to make her less overpowered and prevent her from simply being able to fly away from any danger or complete her journey faster... Well, that or this chapter has been written before the Sonic Rainboom / Young Fliers Competition episode as there is literally no way a steam powered propellor plane and a magic orb can fly at supersonic speeds, nor can the bats... I wonder if Dash will ever get back her signature Sonic Rainboom ability in this story...
I love that darkstinian landscape description :D
There was a great disturbance in the force as though a certain prismatic pegasus pony just sighed in regret at missed opportunities.
Darkstine has flying magical robots? Robots with guns?
This feels like a very different setting suddenly.
Funny-talking robots even.
I don't think I would like Darkstine all that much, I prefer wide open spaces, though I do see the necessity of cities and such.
03/20/2017 17:11 UTC
wow, what a silly line!
Since we've just learned that the world is a flat rectangle, could Rainbow Dash theoretically make it to the dark plane of the world by just going down into the earth and come out the other side? The Darkstinians seem to be industrious enough to at least consider trying to dig such a hole.
8906287
They'll probably be killed by all the resultant chaos energy that will go through the hole if they attempted such a thing.
This has been bugging me. Was the name of the capital intentionally mixed up or not?
Whitemane suddenly got a name change - Whitemare. Also vehicle got a typo - vehcile.
I love that on this very serious journey to God knows where to do who knows what, Rainbow's just sitting there doing the dolphin-thing with her hoof that we all did as children during long car rides. Don't pretend you don't know what I mean.
... I knew she was flirting with Rainbow back in Ridgeside
1135283 Oh god, it begins. Have we encountered any of the comment section characters before this point or are you technically first on the honor roll?