Ofolrodi

by Imploding Colon

That's the Pink Stuff

"Stratopolis???" Logan belched.

Rainbow Dash nodded. She and the Herald stood on a rocky outcropping overlooking the vast magenta ocean. Beneath them, chunks of former Dihmer buildings had long crumbled and fallen into the steep shoreline, mixing with an estuary filled with brittle broken bones.

"The place was filled with this stuff," Rainbow Dash said. She spoke in between the rhythmic bellows of the otherworldly liquid mass, all the while gazing into the stained Curve. "Hundreds if not thousands of pegasi were trapped in it... reduced to berserk undead." Her brow furrowed as she studied the daunting ocean from afar. "A lot of them were once soldiers to Commander Hurricane. Others—I'm pretty sure—were members of the Angels."

"You mean the verry firrst prroto pegasi of Urrohrringrr," Kepler remarked.

Rainbow nodded. "I didn't have the luxury of telling the two apart. The Noble Jury and the prisoners of Chrysalis had to band together to try and outrun the living goop. It chased us all throughout the abandoned floating city." Her nostrils flared. "I always assumed that—whatever the Angels had done, whatever evil or chaotic magic they had dabbled in—they unleased this crud in the very heart of the Sentinel. Miraculously, though, Commander Hurricane had managed to contain it. Or so I thought."

Ariel stared into the pink ocean, grimacing. "Sooooo..." She fidgeted in mid-air. "...was there any indication by Hurricane and company that there was more of this stuff to be found?" A gulp. "Like... a lot more?"

Rainbow shook her head. "No. You must remember—she never even made it close to the Dark Side. And after she died, the rest of her followers crash landed in modern-day Durandana." She turned at last to look at the rest of the Herald. "I ever would have imagined such a thing like this was possible?"

"Just... what is this material, anyways?" Flynn remarked, rotating his eye-lens in order to get a proper reading of the fluctuating basin of slime. "Is it corrosive? Biorganic? Even cognizant?"

"The way the gunk chased after my friends and I back in Stratopolis, it definitely seemed like it was intelligent," Rainbow said. "As intelligent as any animal might hunt for its prey. And... and the undead ponies who emerged from it..." She gestured. "They all attacked us as one. Almost as if they had a hive mind."

"So..." Ariel looked over. "They were changelings?"

"No. Just ponies." Rainbow sighed. "All pegasi, too."

"Did you see any pegasi here?" Logan asked. "Along the shore?"

"I've... seen all sorts of bodies," Rainbow said. "Well... skeletons... which makes the creatures waaaaaay far gone than the ones trapped in Stratopolis' supply." She cleared her throat. "Not all of them are ponies, as you can see."

"You're not kidding," Flynn murmured, scanning the shoreline. "I'm detecting at least thirty different kinds of species. Some of them huge like leviathans." He rotated his lens inward and leaned back. "Whatever's filled this basin... it's been here for a longggggg time."

"Enough time to collect an ocean full of dead shit," Logan said.

"Precisely."

"How verry rremarrkable..." Kepler squinted into the twilight. "I do trruly wish I could see this phenonemon forr myself."

"No Keps," Ariel stammered, trying not to lose her lunch. "You don't."

Wildcard walked up until he was face to face with Rainbow Dash on the cliff's edge. "Did any creatures from the ocean try to attack you when you discovered it?"

"Uh... no." Rainbow shook her head. "Although... I-I think the goblins put warning signs out along the boneyards of the shore. Something tells me it's just as dangerous as Stratopolis."

Wildcard frowned. His talons moved: "You should not have gone out here alone. You could have gotten hurt."

Rainbow smiled crookedly. "Love you too, big brother."

"I prresume ourr rresident Desperrado is scolding you on yourr darring seaside strroll," Kepler said.

Rainbow coughed. "Eeyup."

"A valid concerrn, to be cerrtain." Kepler faced the direction of the rest of the Herald. "While it is noble to prrotect Rrainbow frrom the ample chaos metals that we have discoverred in this city, I suggest that we no longerr split up in such a fashion that any single one of us rremains alone. Therre is still so much that we do not underrstand about the Darrk Side, and the vacuum of knowledge is inevitably filled with countless perrils."

"We get it, Kepler," Ariel said. "Some of us have got to stick to Rainbow like glue."

"Yeah, that shouldn't be hard for some of us," Flynn droned.

"Hardy har har."

"In the meantime..." Rainbow turned to face the group at large. "What did you all learn from the implettes?"

Logan blinked at her. His eyes darted towards the magenta ocean then back to the mare. "You really think anything we've got can compare to the cosmic shit bucket you've chanced upon?"

"Try me."

"Well..." Logan leaned back with a thoughtful breath. "We finally got the little buggers to open up about how the trade system works here."

"Yeah...?"

"The Fur-Blooders and other goblins in the pelt and butchery trade receive slaughtered animals from the Dihmers. The Dihmers receive metal strips that they immediately pay to a goblin metal-works guild in charge of the big-ass forge along the north... er... Omega side of town."

Rainbow pivoted to point at the ginormous metal docks on black stilts. "I saw that platform leading up to the thing."

"Right. The goblins built it. And the forge." Logan nodded. "Pretty much, if something in this town is made of metal, the imps are responsible."

"Gotcha." Rainbow blinked. "So what do the metalwork goblins do with the strips that the Dihmers give them from turning in their skin and meat?"

"Get this..." Logan folded his forelimbs. "They make metal slabs and bulkheads that they hand back out to the Dihmers." His eyes narrowed. "And the Dihmers use this to make some sort of Boat."

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "Boat?"

"That's right?"

"What kind of Boat?"

"The Boat," Logan said. "According to Campo, most of the locals refer to it as 'It Collects.' Someway... somehow... the shaved freakazoids here have actually constructed a naval vessel that can cross the Blob." He pointed at the docks. "That's why the goblins built the platform for them."

"Wait..." Rainbow grimaced. "The Blob? That's what they call the Ocean? Seriously?"

"Hey..." Logan shrugged. "It's what the goblins call it."

"But isn't that crazy, though?" Ariel remarked, looking at Rainbow. "The Dihmers have somehow found a way to actually sail across that... that... that thing!"

"And get this." Flynn smirked. "The Bloodwings won't cross it."

"Why?" Rainbow remarked. "Because they don't have a boat?"

"You're missing the point." Flynn gestured. "They won't fly over it. Not even Lexxic's crew."

"Apparently it's super friggin' dangerous to go anywhere above that ocean," Logan said. "Even at a high altitude. I figured you of all ponies would know... what with this Cloud City nonsense."

"Stratopolis."

"Whatever."

"And what about the goblins?" Rainbow asked. "Can they cross the ocean too?"

"Ach..." Kepler nodded. "They hinted that they could. Something tells me that they've stolen the trrade secrret frrom the Dihmerrs, somehow." He flexed his scorpion tail. "This—among otherr things—gives both the imps and the locals an edge overr the Bloodwings. It might possibly be the rreason why Lexxic hasn't rraided this city. This boat—"It Collects"—holds the secrret to crrossing this otherrwise insurrmountable obstacle between herre and Petrra. If someone like Lexxic could similarrly navigate it, then it might allow them to perrforrm a surrprrise attack on the otherr two factions gatherred arround the Midnight Arrmorry."

Wildcard nodded.

"That... seems like a bit of a stretch," Rainbow Dash exhaled. She took a forlorn look at the undulating ocean of noise towards the Curve. "But I really can't rule any friggin' thing out at this point."

"What bothers me is the obvious monopoly happening here," Flynn said. "I mean—the goblins dominate the Dihmer economy on all fronts. Their currency—strips—only exist for the Dihmers to give them an ample food supply and leather resource before coughing up the money immediately for metal boat construction material."

"I'm not cerrtain if that's a monopoly, my frriend," Kepler replied. "It would seem that the Dihmerrs have theirr minds on things that arre farr morre imporrtant to them than goblin currrency."

"Yeah... but..." Flynn frowned. "Where the Hell do these poor yokels get their food? I mean, if they're giving it all up to the goblins for this boat thingy of theirs..."

Rainbow looked at Logan. "Did Campo and Company say where the Dihmers sail this boat to?"

"Nope." Logan shook his head. "That was all the information he was going to give us."

Rainbow gulped. "What'd you give away for it?"

Logan exhaled through his nostrils. "Abaddon's bow and arrows."

"Stilllllll not a fan of that decision," Ariel murmured.

Rainbow looked around at the soot-stained environment. "All things considered... it was probably the best thing we could have coughed up for info."

"We can get more information," Logan said.

"Yeah? How do you propose?"

"Campo referred us to a contact he has among the Smelt-Blooders," Logan said. "Supposedly he's a high-ranking member of the goblin guild that runs the Forge."

"Seems a bit inclusive."

"Still... it's a possible avenue for more knowledge," Logan said. "I suggest we pay the place a visit."

Wildcard gestured in agreement.

"Sure thing!" Ariel shuddered. "Anywhere so we don't have to gaze at this freaky ocean any longer."

"Something tells me we're gonna be gazing at it quite intently real soon," Flynn said.

"How do you figurre?" Kepler asked.

Flynn snorted. "Well, we're not going to go anywhere the Bloodwings will find us, huh?"

Wildcard looked stealthily in Rainbow's direction.

Rainbow felt his goggled gaze. "Let's..." A breath. "....just see what the Smelt-Blooders have to say."

"Works for me." Logan picked up his things and marched downhill. "Maybe—for once—the noise of the Forge will drown out the damnable drumbeat."

"I do not know," Wildcard gestured. He smiled under his beak. "I am starting to get used to it."

"You would. Ya friggin' ostrich."

"Ha-Hah!" Kepler pronounced, following closely along a low-hovering Ariel.

After Flynn left, Rainbow made her way down the sloped stone into the streets of the Dihmer city. She paused—suddenly—and looked back over her shoulder.

Seraphimus remained hovering in mid-air, gazing loftily—and silently—into the vastness of the beating ocean.

After a breath or two, Rainbow flapped her wings and ascended to join her. "Everything cool in the land of angst and feathers?"

Seraphimus gulped. "A huge abyss... filled with half-dead abominations... corrosive to the flesh and soul..."

Rainbow nodded. "All of the nightmare but none of the pizza."

"Just..." Seraphimus' headcrest drooped. "...how many more fantastical things have you witnessed in your travels that you have not told me?"

"It wasn't until recently that you had the capacity to believe any of it."

Seraphimus looked at her.

Rainbow shrugged. "How badly was I gonna beat your disbelief into a pulp before I could have won you over."

Seraphimus frowned. "I am no trophy."

"Nah. Guess not. Even still." Rainbow smiled. "You're the only good thing I've done in the whole Dark Side so far."

Seraphimus blinked. "I..." She looked back out onto the ocean. "...I do not know how to respond to that."

"You can start by not brooding so much." Rainbow tugged on her shoulder. "Come. Join us. Stay safe and stay alive."

Seraphimus sighed, eventually gliding after the mare as they flew after the others. "That's asking for a lot more than you can ever expect."

"Perhaps. Best not to dwell on it and just continue breaking expectations."

"Indeed."

Comments

[geb]

Indeed.

[MattReverse]

That dialogue at the end was masterful.

Their best dialogue until now, in my opinion.

[Shaiden]

Poor Sera,

For a zealot, having to radically alter her beliefs in the face of harsh reality, only to encounter what could only be described as a truely hellish visage, and having to rely on the pony she both blames, and owes. I really hope she gets a “win” from both her, and the heralds perspective (as opposed to one or the other, where the arguable gains are up for debate). Who knows, a last goodbye with her family may be where the night shard step in.

Excellent story. First comment on the series, as I don’t do them often, but considering I’ve read the series over twice, it was about time I’d said something! :)

[Labyrinthine]

"Perhaps. Best not to dwell on it and just continue breaking expectations."

I like looking at Rainbow’s dialogue sometimes. The wording in this quote is unlike anything she would have used in the first six books, and maybe even the seventh or eighth. Changing the words characters use is an excellent way to show development — these in particular show Rainbow’s jadedness, but also the calm she’s really just found in this book. It’s well done.

[Tim the Planes-pony]

I can understand the Bloodwings not wanting to cross the smooze ocean, because the thing that is always in one's head when crossing a thing like that should be 'what if you have to come DOWN?' That side, nice to know Rainbow is still developing as an individual, including realizing just how small she and her actions are.

[Merula]

Yeah, Dark Side is getting really fucking Lovecraftian now, isn't it?

[Campo]

Are the Dihmers using the chaos metal strips they get from the goblins to build their boat? If so, then that might be a problem for Dash.

[cosmofur]

With this much smooze around, we need to find a sh+tload of flutter ponies to clean up that mess.

[5plus5seconds]

Sooo, wait. I'm guessing "The Blob" wasn't there with the Bloodwings initially came to the dark side? We know through the story that they have been to and fought at the Midnight Armory...but now they won't cross "The Blob" even by air. Hmmm

[IceKitsune]

That really was a good exchange between Seraphimus and RD at the end. Crossing the Smooze is not going to be easy that's for sure. Rainbow will figure out something though.

[The 24th Pegasus]

It Collects? Interesting turn of phrase for a boat. I would've thought something more like "It Floats" or "It Swims", if it's a submersible. But I guess the chaos metal keeps the smooze away in some form.

[Nevlamas]

You smooze, you lose. I bet nothing bad is going to happen while they cross that pond in a dingy boat grafted together from metal refuse.

[Boersencrash]

Okay, I got it. No flying and no submarines.

[Azanny]

The Land of Angst and Feathers, my favorite planet. Is Sera the Knight of Rage?

[arancaytar]

"Nah. Guess not. Even still." Rainbow smiled. "You're the only good thing I've done in the whole Dark Side so far."

Um, when did you do Sera?

[Feigned Ignorance]

Hey.
Sera.
Found your Blight.

8880121
8879821
Better hope the boat's not chaos metal, otherwise dash can't use it and, by extension, the herald.

[thatguyvex]

Weirder. How does crossing that "ocean" on a "Boat" count as doable, but flying over it by air isn't? If The Blob can disgorge flying undead to attack, then couldn't it attack anything sailing on it much easier than flying high above it? An if the "Boat" is some kind of submersible, how does it not get destroyed by the "much larger" undead residing in The Blob?

And where did it come from? I couldn't have been there in the early days of the Trinary War, that's for sure, otherwise the armies couldn't have reached the Midnight Armory. Did somebody screw with another Sentinel and either make it crash in the ocean, or otherwise unleash the Smooze later on? Seems like it'd be the only thing that would make sense.

Now if only someone could borrow the Bloodwing's giant Death Moon Laser to just, uh, clean that puddle of crud up, that would be greeeeat.

Serphimus x Logan Ship Confirmation Chapter Counter: 52

[Hazard]

We need a boat for the purple drink.

[Alicorn Capony]

In case somebody else hasn't mentioned it yet.

Smooze wasn't the only inspiration for this thing.

[Aatxe360]

Oh. This stuff. Again.

[Cold Bolt]

Wildcard frowned. His talons moved: "You should not have gone out here alone. You could have gotten hurt."

Rainbow smiled crookedly. "Love you too, big brother."

n'aww

"The Boat," Logan said. "According to Campo, most of the locals refer to it as 'It Collects.' Someway... somehow... the shaved freakazoids here have actually constructed a naval vessel that can cross the Blob." He pointed at the docks. "That's why the goblins built the platform for them."

That phrase makes me think of It Lives...

[berrytone]

[quote ] Rainbow nodded. "All of the nightmare but none of the pizza." i.ytimg.com/vi/qp12171rpnY/hqdefault.jpg

[Cynderfall]

Smoozy smooze~

[star1wars3]

I ever would have imagined such

Never instead of ever?

[Swan Song]

"Just..." Seraphimus' headcrest drooped. "...how many morefantastical things have you witnessed in your travels that you have not told me?"

"It wasn't until recently that you had the capacity to believe any of it."

Am I the only one here who thinks Rainbow really really really needs to give it a fucking rest? Sera’s been redeemed. Browbeating her with her pre-redemption attitudes is not how you ensure she stays that way. Being on the receiving end of a losing argument long after you’ve lost it only makes you more resentful of the winner. Why would you want to stay nice if they keep rubbing it in?

[RoboRed]

So I think it goes without saying that we're going to be seeing this Boat. I hope it's made of something other than chaos metal, or things are going to become extremely complicated.

"Campo referred us to a contact he has among the Smelt-Blooders," Logan said. "Supposedly he's a high-ranking member of the goblin guild that runs the Forge."

I also have a feeling that this contact is going to be a familiar name. Outside of the context of this story, at least.

[Prism Break]

Ladies and Gentlemen, behold........the Blob.

[Prism Break]

Rainbow smiled crookedly. "Love you too, big brother."

That’s adorable.

[Tim the Planes-pony]

"Nah. Guess not. Even still." Rainbow smiled. "You're the only good thing I've done in the whole Dark Side so far."

She helped the Spindlers learn their efforts were not in vain, gave them hope. I could call that a good thing. But yes, helping Seraphimus was definitely the stand out moment on the dark side, even if the moment she spared her was technically not on the dark side

11/20/2019
03:45 UTC

[hypervelocity]

Rainbow smiled crookedly. "Love you too, big brother."

"Nah. Guess not. Even still." Rainbow smiled. "You're the only good thing I've done in the whole Dark Side so far."