“Rainbow Dash,” Ember Spark spoke in awe. She followed the pegasus down a narrow corridor lined with torches as the two marched deeper into Sanctuary. “Do you really expect to fly your way to the dragon Matriarch and try to negotiate for Silvadel?”
“No.” Rainbow Dash smiled without looking back. “I plan to knock on the Matriarch's door and let Princess Luna do all the talking.”
“Even at the risk of your life?”
“If the Matriarch is willing to risk boredom by chatting with a Princess, then sure!”
“But...” Ember galloped and caught up with Rainbow Dash. “No Silvadelian who's seen the Matriarch up close has ever survived the experience! What makes you think you'll do any better?”
“I think these will help a bit,” Rainbow exclaimed, waving her wings.
Ember's brow furrowed. “And what if those fail?”
Rainbow paused and shrugged. “I've got my swag.”
Ember blinked, then smirked bitterly. “If I didn't know better, I'd say you weren't taking yourself seriously.”
“Hey. What's going on here in this home of yours is the utter definition of serious,” Rainbow Dash said. “I don't take kindly to ponies being burned alive for simply wanting to protect their homes. Totally not cool, if you ask me.”
“It's none of your concern,” Ember said. “I mean, you're an outsider—!”
“When ponies suffer and stuff, I kind of think it's my business.”
“But why? Because you're a pegasus? You gotta be the winged steward of all things?”
“No...” Rainbow Dash looked directly at her. “It's because I'm alive.”
Ember Speak looked back. She exhaled and muttered, “You're going to get yourself killed.”
“I'll do anything I can to avoid it,” Rainbow Dash said. “Death sounds annoying. I hate annoying things.”
“Wouldn't your Queen think—”
“Princess.”
“Whatever. Wouldn't this 'Luna' character want you to stay out of danger? I mean, you're more than just a world-travelling pony, Rainbow Dash. You're the only piece of your homeland this far out to the east. Doesn't that mean something? Don't you owe it to her to keep yourself alive?”
“I owe myself a lot more.”
“In what way?”
“To be better.”
“Better than what?!”
Rainbow Dash smiled. “Exactly.”
Ember stared at her for a prolonged time. After a sigh, she stated, “So there's no way I can talk you out of this craziness?”
“Hey, if there's one thing I'm addicted to as of late in my life...” Rainbow Dash struck a proud pose, grinning. “It's craziness.”
“Heh. No kidding.” Ember squinted at her. “But do you at least know how to get to the Matriarch's whereabouts?”
“I'm was hoping to figure that out by nightfall—”
“I shouldn't have even bothered saving your life,” said a low voice from the far end of the corridor.
Ember immediately bowed.
Rainbow Dash sighed. “Look, before you start...” She turned around with bored eyes. “I got the Council's blessing—”
“And you would not have been around for the Council to bless...” Sam Rose remarked with hard, thin eyes as he marched towards her. “...if my team and I hadn't salvaged you from dragonflame in the first place.”
“Hah!” Rainbow Dash cackled. “So is this what happens when you don't get your way, your Royal Tantrumness? You resort to a guilt trip?”
“There is a reason why I risk the lives of myself and my fellow comrades to spite the dragons,” Sam Rose said. He icily strolled to a stop and firmly said, “It's to save the flesh of ponies for burning. Now tell me, Rainbow Dash, was bringing you safe and sound to Sanctuary worth your incineration in the end?”
“You're betting a lot on the Matriarch turning me into a colorful cinder, huh?”
“It is not a matter of luck,” Sam Rose practically hissed. “We're dealing with absolute fact. If you go to the Matriarch, you will die.”
“You've got ears beneath that bony helmet of yours, right?” Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. “I'm pretty sure you heard what I told the Council. Princess Luna of Equestria is gonna have a word with the dragon and talk some sense into her—”
“The Matriarch shows no grace or kindness to ponies,” Sam Rose said. “She's decimated an entire army of equines from the south. What makes you think that the words of a single alicorn will sway her any more?”
“Uhhhh... Cuz no alicorn has ever interceded on your burnt little civilization before?”
“Miss Dash—” Ember stammered nervously.
Rainbow Dash pushed her aside to glare harder at Sam Rose. “You know, I think you just don't like change, do you? As a matter of fact, I think you enjoy being miserable and struggling against pain and ash all your life!”
“All my life and all the lives of Silvadelian royalty before me have had their existences defined by pain and suffering!” Sam gnashed his teeth. “And there's a reason for that! The Matriarch's will is stubborn and malicious! She will not budge for anyone or anything, regardless of the divinity behind it!”
“How do you know that?!”
“There is a saying in Silvadel,” Sam Rose said. “'Those who think they can find the sky find a grave!'”
“And there's a saying in Equestria!” Rainbow Dash retorted. “'You're full of crap!'”
“Your guile is admirable, but foolhardy! The Grand Project is enough! You need not sacrifice yourself—”
“Oh, because you're sooooo worried about my well-being!” Rainbow Dash grumbled.
“Please!” Ember once again tried to interject. “Cand we just—”
“That's a comforting excuse, isn't it? To say that you're concerned?” Rainbow Dash smiled wickedly. “Face it, prince. All you wanna do is go out there and slit dragon necks! Spilling blood is like drinking coffee to you! You can't start your day unless you've run laps around intestines! Well, I'm sorry, but all war is good for is more suffering. It's gotta come to an end! And I'm in the right place and the right time to do something about it!”
Sam frowned viciously. “If you think that you somehow have it within you to single-hoofedly change centuries upon centuries of strife... If you actually think that you have the faculty to bring peace—”
“You don't know peace.”
Sam suddenly held Rainbow Dash in a vice grip. “And you know nothing!” He sneered into her face. “Not even yourself. I've seen the look in your eyes, outsider. I know the look of a pony who's taken a life!”
Rainbow Dash's jaw drop. She did not protest; she did not retort. Her ears drooped, as did her wings.
Ember Speak's eyes traveled nervously between the two. She shivered in the sudden silence.
“You preach to me about violence and about doing horrible things...” Sam Rose hissed, “What are you really flying away from, Miss Dash? Do you really, truly think that so much distance and so much daring can fix something so broken?”
Rainbow Dash was silent. She gulped and gazed off towards the torchlight with a pale face.
Sam Rose stared at her. The anger left his face, replaced instead by cold lethargy. With flaring nostrils, he relinquished his grip of the pegasus. “Go to the Matriarch if you must. I've done all I could to protect you.” He marched off towards the dark beyond the narrow corridor. “Just don't expect a prince like me to put your pieces back together. Heaven knows, the Matriarch certainly won't.”
Still as a stone, Rainbow Dash fell to her haunches, as if the pendant around her neck weighed several new tons. She ran a hoof across it, shuddering.
Ember Speak watched as Sam Rose trotted off. Gently, she turned to the visitor. “He gets very passionate about everypony in Sanctuary. He sees us all as brothers and sisters, including you. So, please, don't take what he says too ser—”
“If it's okay with you, Ember... uhm...” Rainbow's voice cracked. She swallowed a lump down her throat and stammered, “I kinda... k-kinda wanna be alone right now...”
Ember almost protested, but bit her lip. Her ears twitched as if from the echoes of Sam's words, and she quietly gave Rainbow her wish. She walked away, leaving the pegasus alone with the dancing shadows.
Rainbow closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, but none of them had the power to relax her.
A little convenient she puts on all sorts of airs right when the story calls for her motives to be challenged. I suppose it could be justified by getting that confidence boost from Luna.
I'm really enjoying the interactions between Sam and Dash, and, as I'm sure everyone will be, quite intrigued at this darker turn of events in regards to the home front.
So, what kind of implications can be drawn? Well, for certain Dash hit a nerve with Sam; there is no denying that there is a part of him that knows only the conflict. Equally, Sam hit quite the nerve with Dash by throwing his experience back in her face. That said, I'm not sure the choices Dash had to make are as malevolent as Sam seems to make them out as, perhaps something more akin to making a Sophie's choice or otherwise being under the influence. I get the impression Dash would have lashed back more quickly has she felt justified; I would wager that "taking a life" for Dash was more about having to pick a side.
Everyone's having their walls torn down, yay!
So, what have we really learned? 1) Sam doesn't know peace, 2) Dash is trying her best to fix everything she can on her way east because she's feeling extreme guilt from whatever happened in Equestria. She's looking for validation wherever she can, but she can't help but still feel hollow every time.
"I shouldn't have even bothered saving your life"
Such a cheery fellow.
...
The next update had better come at the speed of light.
Sam Cruelty +10.
This reminds me of the star trek movie 6.
Sam's motivations are coming across as less and less pure with every passing moment.
1414445
I know, right? How dare she try to save the lives of dragon and pony alike?
I kinda thought Sam was an alright guy, before. But no--Sam is a Dickbelt. Sam is a Dickbelt in the 7th degree.
1414501
I think he's just unused to being really challenged. I'm not sure Dash's point about him thriving off fighting is the whole story, though it is certainly part of it. Rather, Sam is extremely devoted to his people to the point where he's trying to shoulder every burden. Having Dash come into to play the Deus ex Machina hero isn't something he's really mentally prepared for. He feels like he needs to protect her, and he also feels that it's his duty and his alone to save the day. Pay attention to what he says in the chapter:
And then what Ember says:
It's not that Sam is going for any sort real glory, more that he can't stand someone else risking themselves for him and his people, he cannot fathom anyone else trying to take up a role. Moreover, Sam's true motivations here are to try and guilt Dash from going out there to save her life. He's being cold because he believes with absolute conviction that she's going to fly off to her death. That strikes at the very core of his values, namely that Silvadel's problems are Silvadel's and for anyone else to die helping them is a travesty. And, yeah, Sam is scared.
We're back to their being awfully similar, both trying to shoulder the responsibilities of everyone by themselves, both trying to go as solo as possible, both refusing help, both trying to do right by others in order to do right by themselves.
The more and more I think about it, the more I'm convinced what Dash said about fighting isn't true at all; Sam knows only the battle, but because of that he wants to spare anyone the hardships that come with it.
Inventory Item Acquired:
1 Swag
181 Chapters?!?!?!?!?!?! This story is longer than 50 Bibles put together!
Well, Luna did say she knew all the Dragon Matriarchs personally.
I still have faith in Rainbow's plan.
Rainbow...killed someone?
I think everypony is being a bit too hard on Sam Rose. Deep inside, he really cares about Rainbow, and really admires her spirit and loyalty. He's just angry that she's literally flying into the jaws of death to try and solve a problem that was never hers to begin with. Now, that doesn't excuse his words; whatever he said clearly hit home for Rainbow.
But still, would any of you done any less? If you thought it could save someone you cared about?
1414613>>1414501
Selfless motives get in the way of things more often than selfish ones. You can always count on people (or ponies) to look out for themselves. It's when they start making the irrational decision to put others first that they become unpredictable, and unpredictability leads to snags. I have no doubt that Sam really is vehemently opposed to Dash putting herself in danger. His concern for others is exactly the problem. I doubt he's actually done here - his good intentions will be back to mess things up some more.
THAT SWAG COMMENT.
So how many chapters do you guys think this fic will ultimately have? I'm guessing somewhere along the lines of 750 at this pace. Not that I'm complaining at all.
Sam comes off as an arrogant SOB. He seems to be driven by the desire to kill and murder. If someone disagrees with them then they aren't worth his time. Anything that doesn't involve death on a massive scale.
I can't help shake the feeling that Sam is actually right, and that Rainbow Dash will fail.
Have to say, I too am confused at all the hate-dumb being thrown at Sam Rose. I thought it was pretty obvious that the reasons he was being a "dickbelt" were simply because of his frustration at being unable to save Dash from a terrible, self inflicted death. Hell, I'd sure be pretty bitchy if Dash decided to go out and get herself killed for my sake; it has nothing to do with dickish-ness.
I wish these chapters were longer.
Or that they came out every 5 minutes.
Seriously, I have to wait another 18 hrs! THAT is just straight dickery.
1415177 No she won't. Because Dashie has Swag. And the Element of Loyalty.
Jeez, Sam. You really did a number on Rainbow to get her all introspective like that.
1414422 1414613
Well, that's a pretty darn thorough analysis of Sam and I'm not sure there is much left to add . Well, much of any significance. We could look at how he seeks to accomplish these goals, whether his actions are morally soound or not, but you've pretty much covered Sam for this chapter.
On some levels, I'd have to agree with Sam, because as much as I dislike seeing RD having her spirits dashed straight after getting her mojo back, her plan was pretty foolhardy. She would need to fly to the Mesa without getting eaten, then activate Whitemane's shield and navigate her way to the Matriach. While the shield would be very helpful in the 'not dying' part, it still has a limited lifespan, and doesn't prevent her from being knocked back and losing ground. However, knowing Dash, it could be possible if she was very lucky. VERY lucky.
Having ended on such a hard and depressing note for Dash (she killed someone?!), I'll be interested to see where this takes us.
Oh and,
"Ember almost protested, but bit her lip. Her wings twitched as if from the echoes of Sam's words, and she quietly gave Rainbow her wish. She walked away, leaving the pegasus alone with the dancing shadows."
Ember has wings now?
1416048
If I may quote myself,
I'm not sure she killed someone so much as she is responsible, or feels responsible, for whatever happened in Ponyville. She IS running, and she is running from that event. Remember, Dash told that unicorn scholar she was "the last element." How dead "dead" is remains to be seen, especially considering the "lavender light" of Dash's pendant. It would be too benign if that just happened to be the color it gives off and did not have some greater significance in relation to the other Elements, the Element of Magic and/or Twilight.
Hmm...that is certainly ominous...
1415134 True, but I would like to see each of the mane 6 go through this same sort of epic character development. They all deserve epic stories
Ooh, I really like how Sam and Dash are challenging each other. No one else has really made her stop and think so much, though its hard to say if this is a good or bad thing. Its like she keeps repairing her confidence only to have him lay into it again, but who knows if this'll make it stronger in the long run, or so cracked that it becomes too difficult to maintain. In a way this whole journey has been a test that slowly chips away at her worldview and personality, and so far she's been able to hold up fairly well, even as the challenges get tougher and the solutions less cut and dry. As for Sam, I think his personality is pretty straight up - he's trying to protect his people, and if Stu died in part so that Rainbow could live (lots of other extenuating factors were also involved, but her unexpected presence was still one of them) then I can see him being kinda peeved that she'd risk her hard won life so quickly. Then again, he does have to learn that, ruler or not, he can't control everybody and he's not the only one aloud to make sacrifices. Anywho, loving the character development and looking forward to seeing what comes of Dash's and Luna's little peace mission, and what sacrifices might have to be made if the matriarch is willing to bargain. Obviously she won't just peace out, if the intentional pony/stake burning is anything to go by, and a simple co-existence pact also seems out of the question. Right, speculation over, have a happy Pinkie until next chapter
1414913
I can easily see atleast 300 chapters. Anything past 400 would probably be pushing it.
You know, didn't Rainbow kill a few of the minotaurs? She didn't seem to make such a big deal out of that.
1416996
Wow, good point, I hadn't even remembered that . Although, I guess it could be argued that she didn't kill them so much as cause their deaths, if that makes any sense. She kind of just. . . blew up their mining base - that probably killed a few, but she never had to see first hand the negative consequences of her actions. She pretty much just blew the place up, saved a bunch of ponies, got hailed as a hero, then left. Whatever happened in Ponyville would have been a lot more personal, involved and, as Pilate pointed out, left her with a lot of emotional trauma.
1417027 I actually just started reading this story last week, so it's a lot fresher for me.
1417053
Fair enough then. I should probably go back over it when I have some more free-time
woah Emebers a Pegasus
“And there's a saying in Equestria!” Rainbow Dash retorted. “'You're full of crap!'”
Excellent chapter, lots of snappy comebacks...
and also feels.
Well, that was a dark twist. likely a reason as to why rainbow left. It's easier to forget about having taken a life, if you're surrounded by strangers who don't know a thing about your story.
MOAR!!!! no seriously
pls?
I'm getting really worried... not about this particular plot arc, because this story is 90% done... and at this rate I don't know if we'll ever get to the end of Rainbow's journey, I don't want it to just end without any sort of resolution!!
For all my comments earlier on leadership and legacies, I do think Dash brings up a good point here. Sam does seem to enjoy killing the dragons. He actively seeks out situations where he'll be able to kill more dragons. Though, Ember's comment at the end also makes sense. I find that both are right. Sam does seem to take enjoyment in killing the dragons, but his motivations are not bloodlust. Rather, he is incredibly determined to protect his people, and killing dragons is the only way he knows how.
Oh snap.
i.imgur.com/ZVtgd.png
IIIIIt's Dashie's Seventh Marathon Evaluation Time!
After reading this chapter, I'm starting to think that some of the other readers here might be being just a little too hard on Sam. First off, Dash had that comment about how Sam seemed to relish in the prospect of killing dragons. What we've got to remember here is that every encounter that Sam has ever had in his whole life with dragons has been negative, startlingly often ending in the death of a friend of Sam's. He has hated dragons all his life while Dash has lived in peace and harmony with them for most of her's. I don't like to think of out heroine as inconsiderate, but Dash may be looking over this contrast here. Also, Sam understands war and battle in very different ways then Dash does, if at all. I would be wrong to say that Dash doesn't know a thing or two about fighting, but Sam has, once again, grown up with it all his life. He knows it's pain, its hardships, it's sacrifice, and it's strife. The main reason that I think is why he doesn't want her going out on this Luna diplomatic mission is because, not only does he not believe the dragons will ever come to a peaceful resolution, but because he doesn't want anyone else to have to make sacrifices for him and his people, becoming part of the horror known as war for his own sake. Honestly, looking over this entire conversation...Dash may be a little ways out if her league. Also, we hear something about Dash having killed somebody. She reacted extremely out of character to this, which worries me greatly. I would have just believed that this was referring to something like killing the chaos bats or the minotaurs, but after seeing her reaction, I'm not sure what to think. These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
P.S. Only...four...left...heef...huff...
1691517 Actually, I think Sam does not seem concerned for Dash's safety because he cares about her existence, but because it might possibly result in peace with the dragons, and he cannot live with that, given how much he hates them. He might not realize this himself and is just giving rationalizations that he doesn't really believe in.
Also, I do not like Sam, because anypony who can single-handedly kill 4 dragons out of 9 with some swords and not suffer any serious injuries is obviously unrealistic and overpowered.
>“Cand we just—”
Do you mean "Can"?
>Rainbow Dash's jaw drop.
Do you mean "dropped"?
Rainbow killed someone. This is immense.
You're missing the "Rainbow Snow" on the end
She killed somepony? What is she really running from now? So many new questions!
That Sam-Rose! That Sam-Rose! I do not like that Sam-Rose!
I do not like him and his band!
I do not like him on this land!
I do not like him underground!
I do not like him sneaking around!
I do not like him as a prince!
I do not like him ever since!
I do not like him with his plans!
I do not like him while he stands!
I do not like him with his sword!
I do not like him as a lord!
I do not like him above ground!
I do not like him with his crown!
I do not like him in Silvadel!
I do not like him in this hell!!!
...
I do not like him here or there...
...And I do not like him anywhere.
4074064 oh come on, the whole applejack thing, and then the ashpile dream? that didn't kinda give it away?
hes got an interesting point. but the taken a life part confuses me. Who did Rainbow Kill? or does he imply to how she indirectly killed her friends by leaving them for cloudsdale?
The 'sacrifice for the greater good' doesn't work Sam. Nothing changes, and eventually you run out of ponies to sacrifice. Try Rainbow's method, she literally has nothing to lose at this point, so no sacrifice needed. Also Rainbow has killed? Who, and more importantly, Why?
I like the Equestrian saying more, it's useful in far more circumstances.
6132050
It feels either literally or metaphorically, the rest of the mane 6, whether she did or is just blaming herself suppose we'll have to read and see
Heaven knows, the Matriarch certainly won't.
If you only knew, Sam...
there's a reason for the spoiler tags, don't hover over them if you don't know what's next