When Gold Plate marched out of the treeline, he trotted directly into a cloud of grumbling voices and angry grunts. Blinking, he glanced up and lowered his brown hood down with a hoof. He saw the entire front end of the caravan stalled at a deep stretch of rippling water. Gold Plate had hardly paid attention, but he suddenly realized that the caravan had met the river at a spot that they weren't accustomed to crossing. The brook indeed looked too terribly deep, stretching over thirty feet to the other side of the valley that led towards Windthrow. What was more, he wasn't the only one who observed this.
“Look at this!” Ironhoof growled, shaking an incredulous hoof. “She led us to an impasse!”
“You've gotta be kidding me,” added Red Turnip.
“Why did we follow this blue pegasus?” another stallion uttered.
“Fulltrot, was this your idea?”
“It's going to take hours to head south and find a passable spot!”
“By the Sun Goddess! We'll never make it to Windthrow on time!”
“We were late enough as it was...”
Gold Plate bit his lip. As a shadow blurred overhead, he gazed up into the sky.
In spite of everypony's griping, Rainbow Dash was flying tranquil loops about the scene. She whistled to herself and scanned the location with calm, ruby eyes.
Fulltrot, in the meantime, was clearing his throat and marching up to the top of a smooth boulder beside the lake. Closer to the ears of Rainbow Dash, he cast the caravan a tired glance and murmured to the winds, “Traveller, I do hope you have an explanation for this. My stallions have grown restless. I was not the only one to have put my trust in you, it seems.”
“Oh ye of little pizazz...” Rainbow Dash smirked. Stifling a giggle, she hovered directly above the deep river just south of churning rapids. “The best part is yet to come. When I give you the signal, you and your ponies should go on ahead and cross.”
“And just how do you expect us to do that?!” Ironhoof barked, frowning viciously as several stallions behind him voiced their mutual disapproval. “Unless you've got a couple of seaponies stowed away in your saddlebag, I don't see how a single pegasus is gonna get us to the other side!”
“Well, it's a good thing I'm a single pegasus. Why would you need a whole squadron of me?” Rainbow Dash remarked. “We're not trying to cross an ocean, now are we?”
“Uhhh...”
“What is she going on about?”
“Shhh!” Fulltrot hissed at his workers. He turned and gazed up at Rainbow once more. “We could surely use with some miraculous Equestrian magic right about now.”
“How many times do I have to tell you?” Rainbow Dash slipped her goggles over her eyes, magnifying a winking expression through the noonday light. “I'm awesome. Leave 'miraculous' for your early arrival in Windthrow tonight!”
Gold Plate did a double-take, not so much because of that statement but for the fact that he could have sworn the wink was aimed at him. He stood in the shadows of Red Turnip in the others, watching nervously.
“Traveller, if you would care to explain yourself—” Fulltrot began.
But Rainbow Dash was already flying high in the air. She lifted up in a backflip, let her wings go limp, stalled, and plummeted straight back down. As she fell earthward, she spun her body into a vicious corkscrew. At the last second, she pulled up, skimmed the waters, and lifted in a curved arch. Slowly at first, then faster and faster with each revolution, she spun a counter-clock-wise cyclone above the river. Her body soon became a sapphire blur. Wind picked up, kicking the leather hoods and cowls off the delivery stallions trying their best to watch by riverside. Then, when the unnatural gales were just starting to become unbearable, the rippling noises of the river died out.
Upon a second glance, the ponies realized—to their breathless amazement—that the brook had died out before them, and a moist but decidedly clean path had been formed across the body of water. They murmured in shock and looked up to see the cyclone building into a mesmerizing water spout. From the center of this tantalizing phenomenon, Rainbow Dash's raspy voice shouted.
“Now! Move it! Move it! Move it!”
Fulltrot was already smiling. The wrinkles in his facial features smoothed as he spun and shouted at his cohorts. “You heard her, stallions! Make for the other side! Don't give her any longer to wear herself out!”
Ironhoof and Red Turnip exchanged surprised glances. When Fulltrot shouted a second time, they kicked dirt up and galloped across the muddy expanse, dragging equipment with them. In quick order, all two dozen-plus ponies ran one after the other until they were safely on the east side, and undeniably dry. Gold Plate took up the rear, panting for fear that the river would close up on him at any second. He briefly stumbled, only to be helped by the guiding hoof of Fulltrot. Both young and old ponies were across, and they were greeted by a loud series of ecstatic cheers.
That was the signal that Rainbow Dash needed, and she began slowing her spin of the cyclone. In a swift cascade, the crystal blue waters refilled the expanse, and the river gradually became whole once again.
“Whew! That was incredible!”
“Did you see that?! That's pegasus miracle-work right there!”
“Hah! You heard her! 'Awesome' is the most appropriate word I've ever heard!”
“My stars! Windthrow is just beyond the last ridge! We'll make record time!”
“Heheh!” Red Turnip laughed loudly, slapping Ironhoof in the side and grinning. “What do you say to that, ya cantering fool? How's that for an impasse?”
“Pfft... So?” Ironhoof frowned at the others. “So she knows one really nifty trick.”
Just as he uttered that, Rainbow Dash finished her cyclonic flight. All of the last bits of water fell to the earth, all except for one. She donated it to Ironhoof with a flyby, her wings blowing at his incredibly soaked mane.
“Whoops!” She chuckled as she darted once more into the air.
Ironhoof blinked, drenched from mane to tail. “Okay. So make that two tricks.”
“Snkkkt-Hah hah hah hah!” Red Turnip guffawed.
Several more ponies rolled and bellowed with joy. One of the wagons nearly teetered over as the entire caravan shook with hilarity. Even Fulltrot managed a smirk as he patted Ironhoof's soaked shoulder and trotted towards the front of the group to reform ranks.
In the meantime, Gold Plate was blinking. Just as his lips started to curve, he looked up and saw Rainbow Dash flying low. Rainbow was glittering all over from a myriad of water droplets clinging to her coat and hair. She gave her prismatic mane a wild toss, flapped her wings majestically in the sun, and soared towards the horizon to scout ahead of the group. As she flew over the tree tops, her toned muscles stood out against the green haze of fluttering leaves.
Gold Plate took a deep breath. As the caravan regrouped and resumed its unimpeded march east, he raised his hood over his head in time to shadow a slight blush to his orange cheeks.
random inexplicable shipping for the plot!
So Rainbow delayed the stream, or did she redirect it?
Actually, I suppose that's not so important. If they could use that info somehow and make a bridge, it might work well. My question is if there's streams and other water there, why drag it to that town from far away?
Do I sense that Gold Plate has a crush? Also, lol, Ironhoof, you silly pony
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
I like this chapter for a few different reasons. First off, I like the way that Rainbow Dash showed up Ironhoof and the overall lightheartedness of this chapter. I also like the hints we get that Gold Plate has a crush on Dash. Just what we need on top of all of this mystery...romance! These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
Dude. You are using "Gold Plate" so much instead of "Sun Plate" even your readers are using it.
Ooh, romance! Great!
Cute! :3
No, seriously... Those kinds of crushes are always cute.
I just realized that soon there will be...
666 LIKES!!!
That was awesome. I always love a good romance, and, while I'm not usually into shipping with an OC, Gold Plate's hints of a crush on Rainbow Dash are cute. I can't wait to see what will become of it. Also, Ironhoof (I think it was him, at least) getting showed up by Dash was pretty funny as well. Overall, this chapter was great, and I look forwards to reading some more after I force myself to work on my own story.
Well, well, well, what do we have here? Austraeho romance? Surely not, guffaw. Don't really get how she drained the stream, because it seems like water would just keep coming. Ah well. Also, comedy as well as romance, so spoiler alert, its only a matter of time before Vince Vaughn OC shows up. So how bout it, in the mood for a link? Yeah, I thought you would be.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApWQsetgOZc
I think this works as cliché ''hot chicl at the beach music'', how about you?
I ship this ship.
HUH-YEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAHHH
Gold Plate had better get some.
A future between gold plate and rainbow dash? :D:D
Almost wonder if this chapter was called Whoops to make us think Rainbow Dash was gonna screw it up somehow.
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Ship it like FedEx.
Hmmm, perhaps Dash got flirty from her unknown period of solitude. She just doesn't appear to be that type of character.
... I SHIP RAINBOWPLATE! Nah, not really. :P That was quite the feat, the cyclone. I'm seeing a more alive pegasus once again. Now then, back to wondering why exactly she is away from home and about her feelings before. *shrug* Oh well, we shall find out in due time, Sir Colon.
Rainbow shows off, life goes on.
...Last chapter I was thinking that Rainbow's confidence and easy friendliness/flirtiness here was a false front, but maybe not...?
To ship or not to ship, that is the question.
6459140 Or, she just thinks he's cute. maybe she got a thing for orange? I guess the future chapters will tell me... so avast!
Started to worry at the name of the chapter. I should've expected it to be a mislead. :)
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Nah. Shipping Gold Plate would be a horrible mistake. He's got less personality than Flash Sentry, and he's practically next to useless.
Is Gold Plate an assumed name or did ):( just switch to Gold Petals later?
heheheheheheh foreshadowing
1202744 It's funny in retrospect because later on you were like "ew lesbians".
Austraeohaiku
22. Whoops
Channeling Moses,
Mare parts river with cyclone
Flirting with Gold Plate
This could go several ways, and some of them I couldn't care less for. Only time will tell, I suppose.
A little showing of what thinking outside the box with weather skills like Rainbow's can do. Really should have moments like this more often in the actual show.
02/14/2017 19:05 GMT
Oh yeah, we're definitely going there.
With these wings... You... Shall do... My wonders!
My shipping sense is tingeling!
Oh my, I'm detecting some hetero here.
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My IC sense is tingling. Having read another of his grand epics, I feel safe in stating, when things are looking bright, happy or pleasant is exactly when you need to be worried. My guard is up, and the feels shields are fully charged. Do your worst, Skirts!
You like Rainbow Dash, don't you Gold Plate~🙃
That title actually made me fear the worst for Dash. Good to see she had a trick up her sleeve.
This chapter makes me smile, mainly because hey, Rainbow Dash being generally awesome! She followed through for them, yay!
I love this pony.
Gold Plate's developing a little crush on her.
Orange coat and a blonde mane? Gold Plate appears to be quite similar in appearance to a certain apple themed friend who is not with us on this journey...