Preach It Loud, Rainbow Dash
"Uhhhhhhhhh..." Rainbow Dash shifted in place, ears twitching. "Well... erm... I mean... eheh..." She waved a hoof. "Didn't... like... Squenix here explain the whole thing?"
"Psssst!" Twilight hissed aside. "It's Enix."
Before Rainbow could reply—
"I trust my Nightblooded child," Xarchellus's hoarse voice flooded the chamber. The blue shard hanging from her neck twinkled in the enchanted light. "What she has witnessed is unprecedented. However... she is young. Her power is in her muscle... not in her mind. I... on the other hoof..." She reached a hoof up, cradling the fragile necklace. "...I have spent nearly nine decades bearing the weight and wisdom of the Moonglass... just like all fifteen generations of Maria Matriarchs before me."
Rainbow and her friends listened in tense silence. Remna and Bard watched with squinting eyes, cautious of the thick line of warriors gathered behind them.
Xarchellus continued: "In the beginning of our Exodus... this treasure was given us by the Mother of Nightmares herself... as a sign of trust—when the Solar Betrayer consumed the hearts and minds of those deceived by the blinding light." Her fangs glinted. "Several wayward waifs have drifted our way... carried by cold currents to the edge of the world—and the crest of our turbulent vigil." She wheezed, shuddering a bit with brief coughs and spasms. The Nightbloods at her side leaned in to support her shifting weight. Eventually, she carried on: "Many have claimed to bear divine intuition gifted by the Mother of Nightmares herself... and all have been proven false. Strong, courageous Enix was not alive for the last time a cretinous individual came to Bleak's Plummet, claiming to have heard silent deliberations from the spirit of our Mother. Ponies have tried to convince us... to convince me that the Mother had returned... that it was time for a new phase in the Solar War."
Slowly, gravely, the Maria Matriarch shook her head.
"All were false prophets... products of a paranoid continent that had polluted their minds with Seven Seas of poison and bitterness. When we executed these malevolent messengers—it was an act of mercy. And we children of the Mother of Nightmares do not grant mercy flippantly." Her one good eye glinted. "You... my little pony... are the first non-sarosian to come to this hollowed chamber and make such a claim. So... tell me... why should I believe your heretical claims?"
Twilight gave Rainbow Dash a cautious look.
Rainbow took a breath and leaned forward. "Miss... uh... Xarchellus... ma'am..." She gulped. "You're obviously super old and super wise. And that's an awesome thing. But... even still... a thousand years is a long friggin' time... for any of us to contemplate."
Xarchellus leaned back, listening with a thoughtful—albeit dubious—expression across her wrinkled face.
"There's... uh... some old words of prophecy," Rainbow Dash stated. "Maybe it's in your Book of Saros... or maybe it's not. But anyways... it says that 'on the longest night of the thousandth year moon, the stirrups will aid in her escape—'"
"The stars," Twilight hissed.
Rainbow winced. "Stars, I mean. Not stirrups. Whatever. Basically..." She waved a hoof. "After a thousand years of being nothing more than the Mare in the Moon, Nightmare Moon would be released. Well... that happened, ma'am. Nightmare Moon was freed from the moon. She then tried to finish what she started so very long ago. She attempted to manifest nighttime eternal." Rainbow Dash gulped. "But... uhhh... she was stopped. Six ponies—myself included—confronted her with the Elements of Harmony. Y'know... the same Elements of Harmony that were used to banish her in the Moon in the first place. Only... like... this time the evil possession of Nightmare Moon was cleansed from the alicorn's body... and she once again became Princess Luna... Celestia's loyal and trusted sister. She's been on good terms with her older sister ever since."
The underwater chamber filled with tense murmurs.
Nicole glanced around, biting her lip.
Xarchellus' wrinkled muzzle moved: "You mean to suggest that you were instrumental in defeating our Mother of Nightmares? The reason for our existence? The being whom we've all pledged our lives in this Bleak Vigil?"
"She wasn't d-defeated!" Rainbow's voice cracked. "She was saved. You see... uhm..." She winced as she said, "The whole 'Nightmare Moon' thing was a terrible accident that... never should have happened." More murmurs filled the room as she continued: "Princess Luna's reformed now... and she's extending her hoof of... uhm... peace and love and stuff to you guys."
Rarity face-hoofed.
"You defeated Nightmare Moon," Xarchellus repeated. "And yet... somehow... you are now here... on the far side of the world... countless miles from the Palace of the Solar Betrayer?" Her good eye darted towards Enix. "Nightblooded One... were you told this?"
Enix gulped. "She... made no mention of these details," the scarred warrior said. "But—I swear on my charge—I heard the words of the Mother of Nightmares myself. I felt her presence in my blood. This day-lit mare who stands before us is truly the avatar of our Maiden of the Moon."
"I trust your sincerity, Enix," Xarchellus said. "But not your perception." She stifled a cough and exhaled, "This is clearly the work of solar deception. All it takes is a simple spell, and the wicked sister could convince you of anything. Perhaps—in the absence of your elders—it was easy to fall prey to such an elaborate ruse. But I assure you—as bearer of the Moonglass—that the Mother of Nightmares would not reach out to us unless it was a call for vengeance. But this mare... this 'Austraeoh' Rainbow Dash speaks of a pathetic, submissive end to the Lunar Legacy. It is beyond insulting."
Shrieks and squeaks filled the air behind them.
Bard fidgeted. "Uhmmm... they're gettin' a mite bit rowdy..."
"Think fast, Dashie!" Pinkie Pie stammered. "You're losing them!"
"She ain't wrong," Applejack said, gulping. "This here old coot dun believe a single word comin' from yer muzzle."
"Miss Maria Matriarch lady!" Rainbow called out, frowning. "This is not a ruse! I know it's hard to believe, but I really did come all the way out here with Princess Luna's blessing! And your 'Maiden of the Moon' is no less cool for having peacefully ended the war with her sister! In fact, she's done more awesome things in the past year than you can possibly imagine—!"
"Listen to her, Xarchellus," Remna suddenly spoke in an authoritarian tone. "I happen to personally remember the first nightblooded mortals foaled from a dream." Her draconian eyes narrowed. "They were the pride and joy of the Alicorn of the Moon... known for their great wisdom and tenacity. This thickheaded, dogmatic blindness does not suit your kind and you know it."
"Remna..." Rainbow growled aside.
"You come to my hollowed chamber—daylit flesh incarnate—and expect me to believe your words like any other nightblooded soul?" Xarchellus fumed. "The truth will show its colors in the blood we've spilled from your putrid shells." She gestured a hoof in the direction of the warriors.
The air filled with shrieks.
"Awwww Hell..." Bard reached for his staff while Remna flinched. "...I know a slobberknocker when I smell one—"
Just then, Echo's voice rose in pitch, growling: "Alright, you pisstained wrinkly douchetards..." He stood up, shrugging off all pretense with an iron frown. "You don't believe? Tough shit. Watch and take notes." And he spun towards Rainbow, swinging a violent hoof.
"Dude! What are you—" Rainbow jolted.
Too late. Echo's fetlock sailed straight towards her pendant. But milliseconds before it could make contact—
FLASSSSH! An enchanted burst of lunar light exploded between Rainbow and Echo. The stallion flew back.
"Eeeek!" Nicole yelped, flailing against Bard.
The lunar light splashed and rippled outward in every direction. As soon as the glowing aura made contact with a sarosian body, the bat pony in question was propelled back a few feet. The entire pack of warriors collapsed. Elders and Nightbloods reeled atop the stage. Even Enix took a tumble, gasping raspily.
"...!!!" Xarchellus fell into the embrace of her servants. Her one good eye widened, strobing in time with the pulsating aura from Rainbow's pendant.
At last, the silver light dimmed. The only bodies unaffected were Rainbow, Remna, and Bard. Twilight and the rest of Rainbow's friends gaped in wonder.
"Uhhhh..." Rainbow blinked, bringing a hoof to her glowing pendant. "What just happened?"
"Princess Luna's enchantment," Twilight Sparkle murmured. "She wasn't kidding!" The unicorn spectre bore a lavender grin. "Even out of line of sight with the moon, it's carried her essence down here to Bleak's Plummet!"
"And it repels sarosian contact?" Fluttershy stammered.
"Apparently! Or... at least when uninvited!"
"Smashing...!" Rarity grinned stupidly.
"Grnnngh..." Echo, in the meantime, stood up... brushed himself off... and snarled towards the stage: "You feel that coursing through your veings?!" His slitted eyes pulsed as he said this. "That's the breath of the real Mother of Nightmares, you salty spongejobs! Yes, she sent Rainbow Dash. Yes, she's changed from her evil, warring ways. And yes, you're all a bunch of dumbasses! So how about wisening the buck up and giving Rainbow here a friggin' chance?!"
Nicole panted, leaning against her older brother with pulsating eyes.
One by one, the sarosians regained their hoofing, exchanging surprised expressions.
Xarchellus clammed up, timid and speechless.
"Uhhhh..." Rainbow Dash leaned aside, eyes locked on the matriarch. "...AJ?"
Applejack smiled. "I reckon you've got a convert now, Rainbow."
Rainbow cleared her throat. "Amen."
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Awww...and I was expecting a beatdown...
Echo sure is all about taking the path of least resistance.
What the hell is this even supposed to be about?
I half expected a pre-recorded message. Poor Nicole is so adorable.
You know, Luna probably should have told Dash how to bust out energy from that pendant enchantment, because without Echo just taking a swing in the dark (literally) that that would work, things would've gone south quite quickly.
Sooo... now what? You've made your introductions to the bat pony brigade, and you're on the clock, Dash. Going to mosey on to the Sixth Seed post haste before Chandler and company come crashing the party? Not sure if you actually have a reason to stick around with the sarosians other than just getting permission to move along your merry way. I mean, I guess Luna's enchantment still has to do... something. Something moon related.
...Wow, Luna isn't good at taking the time to explain her plans, is she? Is Dash just supposed to guess at what she's supposed to do with that pendant or what? Is she just supposed to go around rubbing the pendant on every bat pony she meets until they feel Luna's magical love juice washing away their sins, or something?
The enchantment repels bat ponies? Why does that sound familiar?
cdn70.picsart.com/193402623004202.jpg
7490497
Rainbow Dash flies east.
Seriously though, start on the first book.
7490516
The Sarosians have got submersible technology, right? Maybe RD can convince them to let her borrow one of their seaweed U-boats and head to the Sixth Seed underwater, where Chandler won't be able to find them.
are they going to rise to try using the moon, and then the evil guests come and everything goes sour?..
7490458 We're foregoing a slobberknocker now in favor of a full scale military incursion in the immediately foreseeable future. That said, I am so ready to see an army of adorably deadly batpones obliterating the legions of recruits under Chandler's command.
If this follows the same pattern from before, this can only end badly.
The blight made magic unusable/castable. Revived the Element of Magic.
Taking the hunt from those ponies with the shaved heads (I forgot what they were called), revived the Element of Generosity.
Dragging the syndicate into the ground leaving many ponies miserable and without jobs. Revived the Element of Laughter.
Destroying the Quade's entire livelihood. Revived the Element of Kindness.
Lying throughout the majority of her journey to get an edge. Revived the Element of Honesty.
I can only imagine what IC has planned for these next chapters. But it certainly can't be very loyal.
- Prism
Did I miss something in previous chapters? How did Echo know that would work and why didn't RD just initially do that?
Since when did AppleDashery Dash switch places with Austraeoh Dash? I don't remember Austraeoh Dash being this... bad at talking - especially when it mattered (like it does here). This is just... terrible and going about convincing the sarosians in the most round about way possible. I suppose this was to stave off the whole 'start another phase of the Solar War' bit, but that could have come after establishing her credibility.
It is curious how everyone was going on about sarosians being able to feel the effects of the enchantment and thus be the source of Rainbow Dash's proof, yet it took direct intervention from Echo to produce the effect. I was half expecting Dash to try and convince them to take a trip up to the surface as that would be the best proof possible.
7490516
This would actually be the best time for Chandler and Co. to crash the party as they'd have to deal with the full might of the sarosians, some of which are already loyal to Dash.
I hope Enix drags Chandler underwater and uses her Rune speak to lock his armour so he can't take it off.
Is it bad that I was kind of looking forward to a fight that would only end when the Moonglass came out and resonated with the pendant?
-Companions are abound, frozen spectres hound. Utaan.
7490708
Thing is, Dash should want to avoid a bloodbath for either side. Nothing but death and tragedy would come of Chandler and the Central Guard showing up in Bleak's Plummet. Not that Dash has a lot of ways to prevent that from happening. She'd need to get quick control and command of these bat ponies and basically beat the notion into their heads to try and capture as much of Chandler's forces alive as possible. That, or just get her blue butt to the Sixth Seed asap.
Then again I keep thinking the sarosians would make a solid anti-wendigo army to send back to Rohbredden, so maybe its better just to confront Chandler's force now and get the confrontation over with while Dash actually has some cards to play. If the saraosians are a formidable enough force it might be able to intimidate Chanlder's group into some kind of compromise (trial by combat or some nutty thing like that) to resolve the conflict with minimal bloodshed.
Either way, Dash needs to act decisively and fast, and maybe actually think of a plan at the same time.
7490766
Dash may want to avoid bloodshed, and we all know the ghost five are hounding on her to do just that. However, I think everyone here reading and the characters who are corporeal beings know full well that there is no backing out of the confrontation once it happens. Chandler and especially Seraphimus want Rainbow's head on a pike and they will not stop for anything except true defeat.
However, what you say has some merit. I think it would be quite the plot twist for IC to have this epic confrontation that has had this much build up go away with some heartfelt words or a compromise. I won't lie, I'd be quite surprised if that ends up happening especially if Chandler catches her here. Perhaps Keris and the rest of the Talon can intervene at the right time and incapacitate the leaders of the army? Then peace might be achievable when the source of hatred and drive is gone and the rest of the army is facing the sarosians.
I don't think that getting to the next seed with do anything to stop Chandler and Co. They will just continue to track her and find her until she reaches the other side, that is the only true place that she could lose them. While we've seen Dash pull of some pretty long term planning before, I haven't caught wind of her doing anything of the sort this time around beyond acknowledging that it could be a problem. I have a feeling that Dash is going to do what she does best and improvise when she runs into an army.
7490497 Rainbow Dash flies east.
Today's lesson:
Smacking ancient harmonic artifacts who contain the right energies can convert ponies to team blue.
Loyalty amulet has gained a new level: Wololo
7490793
I agree that bloodshed would be damn tough to avoid, but at the same time it'd be a refreshing change of pace if it did turn out to work out in some kind of diplomatic fashion. More likely we'll have an out and out mini-war, but even then I wouldn't mind seeing Dash at least trying to minimize the damage by leading the sarosians in as non-lethal a combat as is possible in what I fully recognize as a highly lethal situation. With Luna's clout and disposition now towards harmony I think Dash could at least make an argument to convince the bat ponies to take prisoners where possible.
That said I could also see a confrontation with Chandler's forces leaning towards some sort of one-on-one trial by combat with Seraphimus. Mainly because even Chandler might not be so delusional that leading an exhausted and outnumbered force against Bleak's Plummet would seem like a good idea. That and Keris and co. are around to possibly mitigate things. Keris could quote some obscure laws that'd make some trial by combat feasible, I suppose.
Getting to the Sixth Seed fast just logically facilitates getting to the dark side fast, which as you said is the only logical spot Dash could lose pursuit since I don't imagine that anyone's going to be able to follow her across (though if a pathway is permanetly opened up that others could use that'd be interesting for future... Noble pursuits, let's say.)
I don't know if Echo is smart or just stupid and lucky, also Luna's plan really wasn't explained well or Dash didn't listen very good (which, let's face it, wouldn't be surprising). Glad the enchantment worked and they believe her now though.
That's pretty nifty, but it still might've been helpful if Luna could've, like, left a voicemail in the pendant, so Rainbow could play it for them. Something a little more concrete than a satellite-transmitted bitchslap.
*Snickers.* Oh Echo...
Its like a mini version of the Hamony shiled when faced with a demon onslaught, except Echo just saved the Gladiators and Aincients of MuMu from getting creamed. After all, it usually takes a couple seconds for all out unrestricted combat to cease on All sides.
Still, Dash is not only underground, but underwater, so still should have at least one Guardian or Gladiator to take down to show her sincerity. Also, so just as the deciding blow is about to be struck, Chandlers army strikes Bleaks Plummet?
Well, that happened
7491250
Oh boy, now you're giving IC ideas!
7490893
I need this on a shirt
7491250
That'd be hilarious!!!
7490497 That's hard to explain because... well... there is no way to explain what the story is about without spoilers. This story is the 8th part of an ongoing epic 12 part series that starts with a story called Austraeoh. Expect fight scenes, complex lore, prophecy, continental wars, globetrotting, a stupidly long word count, and heaps of awesome stuff I can't tell you about because, once again, there are spoilers. Trust me when I say that there is a damn good reason why the premise is always depicted as "Rainbow Dash flies east", it's because the first book throws you into the thick of it and then reveals parts of the mystery as you read. In any case the story is very much worth it.
7490497 After a disaster in ponyville Rainbow starts flying east in an attempt to outrun her guilt. But as she fly's she discovers a lot more is out there than she planned, and what she is doing may have far greater consequences than anyone could possibly anticipate.
7491343 Damn, that cleared that up.
Dash got a convertible bat mobile.
7491258
What can I say, the speed stat is my favourite in any game that has it.
[waiting for next Tuesday intensifies]
7490668
I am not certain the Sixth Seed is about Loyalty. Loyalty doesn't need to be revived; Rainbow has been carrying her Element all this time, and it works. And what Rainbow's been seeing hasn't been the color of her own Element, but a chaotic, ever-shifting mixture of colors.
And the Mane 5 weren't the only ones who died, and a catastrophe was caused that occupies all of Princess Celestia's efforts to contain, and if that's to be undone, logically Rainbow has to resurrect the one individual she'd least want to.
In which case, if you activate a Seed through an action that is the antithesis of what the being within represents... Rainbow would logically broker a peace between the Rohrbeddenites and the Sarosians, and undo the chaos she threw Rohrbedden into by inadvertently killing Verlax.
Rainbow should have let Echo do the talking from the start, he's way better at it !
Our little Echo is always such a fantastic diplomat.
Man Echo is surprisingly intelligent when you look past the bad attitude and everything
Echo's one intelligent jerk.
7494494 Their bat wings probably have claw endings like regular bats do.
7492186 Verlax's test for the sixth seed is about the deconstuction of loyalty according to her before she died.
"Magic... the absence of which gives you clarity. Generosity... and yet avarice wins you more pieces of the hidden flame. Laughter... all given up for an extension of life..."
"Kindness... f-forsaken in an act of necessary cruelty. Mrmmmmff... honesty... thrown to the fire for the sake of an edge... an edge that, for some foolish reason, you've yet to fully comprehend..."
"I wonder..."
"H-how will you choose to suffer the sting of loyalty's deconstruction? The time is coming, Rainbow. Sooner than you know..."
"Soon, loyalty will f-force an even stronger decision than you will make today,"
"What will you be willing to sacrifice then?"
"The destination? Or the journey?"
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/290208/183/utaan/the-final-trial-of-verlax
7496406
Mm, good point.
Rainbow once again shows her diplomatic skills. She really needs to practice those.
I think the only reason the batponies didn't know right away is the presence of so much 'background' lunar magic in their vicinity.
7490458 if you go to the rec room on the second deck, I'm sure Roarke can oblige.
Well, it took some convincing, but they seem to understand now that Rainbow is the real deal, and that they have sorely mistaken their entire existence.
I really hope the later part doesn't cause some bad things to happen. Durandana was lucky. This may not be.
Rainbow, stop talking
8240709
I read this part and was like no you idiot shut up!
Awwwwww. I kinda wish she had to fight someone.
7654179
Durandana didn't have a biological "your religion is wrong and your creator is upon you" beacon
Echo took the simplest way to prove their claims faster than the others could. That’s instinctive simplicity right there. Echo may be blunt, but he’s not stupid.
Well, ok. I was expecting a quick pendant rub, not a half-baked recap on Rainbow's part. Good thing Echo was dragged along.
Just took a light show!