Airport Halls and Waterfalls
The sprawling concourse of the airport was twice as large as it needed to be. It just existed to fill space, but beyond that, Rainbow Dash really didn’t feel like there was a reason it needed to be this big. Small shops lined the sides, filled with overpriced gimmicks and souvenirs mostly purchased by those who forgot to buy a gift before departing.
Paintings of skylines and storefronts dotted the walls around her. They invited her to take a shot at the moon and land amongst the stars. Rainbow came across a mural of a large, empty highway, painted by some unknown artist, and paused. It was very detailed and pretty, although the colors were all dull and faded. After some speculation, she shrugged and moved on.
Signs hung over the halls, with arrows pointing in every single direction. The hallways sprawled on and on, the rough carpet beneath her hooves leading the way to eternity. Every now and then a luggage trolley would come into view, parked by the side of the path and watching her curiously.
And through the halls she heard whispers. Ancient ones, talking of lonely creatures and lighthouse keepers, and above all, hope. She wished she could find comfort in them like she used to.
The signs told her she was currently at Gates D-1 and D-2, and a sea of chairs and benches surrounded her. Through the large glass window facing the runway, Rainbow could see a large jetliner parked at the terminal, waiting for the chance to take to the skies again. It was a bit like her, she supposed.
She trailed off the path and over to a coffee house established within the terminal. Chairs and tables littered the floor, arranged in an orderly manner. A menu hung from the ceiling, advertising drinks and foods for far too much.
Below that was a slick black countertop, polished to perfection and holding a cash register, tip jar, and a basket of napkins. The cheap brown kinds that were recyclable, even if the coffee shop itself didn’t have a recycling bin.
The rich aroma of coffee enveloped her, and for a second she was reminded of early mornings and very long days. She saw oak wood tables and cinnamon toast cereals, all through the gaze of a mind addled from not enough coffee. For a second, it felt like the cup was even watching her.
The nostalgia bothered her, so she shook it off and left. Rainbow trotted back into the terminal and crossed to the other side, where the large window was.
She went over to the glass and put her hoof against it, staring longingly at the skies outside. Clouds dotted the air like sea dragons in the sky, swimming in a sea of neptune dreams. She squinted and made out the thin line where the sky met the land, and watched as the two seemed to blur and melt together in a seamless transition.
She stood there for a few seconds more, scoping out the horizon. It reminded of a day so many years ago, when she was so sure of what was going on and where she was going. She’d give anything now to feel that again.
Because home was still far away. And despite everything she had said, she was still a bit scared to return. She’d almost rather just fly east forever. But deep in her heart, she knew that wasn’t the path for her.
Rainbow moved over to the flight attendant’s desk, the area where boarding passes were checked one final time as passengers boarded the plane. A small business card for the Nazhulian Hotel stared back at her. She poked around at some of the papers before quickly losing interest.
She collapsed in one of the seats and sighed, her eyes drifting upwards to the ceiling. Rainbow sank into her thoughts like a shipwreck at sea, frowning as she fell adrift. Things weren’t quite making sense to her. Nothing was where she expected it to be.
And for a second she was afraid. Afraid that she’d fade away like an obscure music record, lost in the rush of life and slain by the hand of time. It made her heart race and her breath hitch. But through her panic she heard the ding of an elevator, and she looked up to see the source.
From the staff elevator stepped an ever familiar yellow pegasus, who smiled at Rainbow and spoke softer than an early morning snowfall. “Hello, Rainbow.”
“Hey Flutters,” Rainbow replied with a warmth she hadn’t felt in awhile. She stood, and the two met halfway. Fluttershy gave her a quick hug, which Rainbow returned. “Didn’t think I’d find you here,” she said.
Fluttershy nodded, running a hoof through her mane. “I know. But that’s just the way things are sometimes,” she said.
Rainbow sighed, biting her lip and glancing out the window. Half of her expected an airplane to come barreling down the runway any second, before heading up and away into the sleepy skies above. “Yeah. Wish it wasn’t, though.”
“Well, what’s bothering you, Rainbow?” asked her friend.
Her eyes drifted to some of the digital schedule boards mounted on the walls, telling her of cancelled and delayed flights. “I’m just… Fluttershy, are ponies going to remember me?”
Fluttershy let out a low hum as she considered her question.
“I mean… geez, how long has it been? Haven’t they… moved on or something?”
Fluttershy guided her over to the uncomfortable seats again, and sat down next to her. “Rainbow, you’ve done so much with your life. Why are you afraid that you’ll be forgotten?”
Rainbow rubbed a foreleg absently, her eyes falling to the carpet faster than a waterfall. “Yeah, but it’s like… was it enough?”
The word left her mouth and flew lazily through the air, like a folded paper airplane. It looped and drifted throughout the empty halls and around the postcards racks. It fell past the metal detectors and over the tables before coming to rest on the floor.
“Of course it was, Rainbow.” Fluttershy sighed and stroked her friend’s back. “I know you’re scared, Rainbow, and it’s okay to be scared. Change is a scary thing.”
“I know,” Rainbow said. “I know. But I shouldn’t be scared of it, right?”
Fluttershy chuckled, light as a feather. “I think deep down we’re all scared of change, Rainbow.” A second of silence passed between them like a freight train soaring through the night.
Rainbow studied the back of her hoof intently, as if one blue fur patch would suddenly detach itself and fall away. At that moment she wanted to cry. She felt like a roundabout recluse, crying out that her hoof was on fire.
And she looked up and Fluttershy smiled at her. Her eyes shone with as much determination as an alpha wolf, yet she sat attentive as a fennec fox. “Rainbow, we’re still here for you. You know that, right?”
Rainbow nodded, and she glanced up at the screen again, flinching as Flight 6545 to Acadia switched from ‘delayed’ to ‘canceled.’ She scratched her head and sighed. “Yeah, but… I don’t want you to wait for me, you know?”
“We’ll wait however long it takes,” Fluttershy remarked with confidence. She draped a wing over Rainbow’s shoulder. “We believe in you. I believe in you.”
Rainbow closed her eyes and leaned her head against Fluttershy’s shoulder. “Thanks, Flutters. I… thanks.”
Fluttershy didn’t respond, but Rainbow smiled. There was the indistinct chime of a public address system, announcing that flight 2017 out to Arthor was departing. To Rainbow it read like a poem, talking of distant lands and fading dreams.
When she opened her eyes she was alone. Rainbow sat up and stretched her wings, before hopping out of her seat. As she glanced out the window, she noticed that the airplane she had seen was gone.
Rainbow shook her head and laughed. She trotted out of the lobby, but as she neared the exit she hesitated and looked back. For a second, Rainbow tried to imagine it full of ponies. After a few minutes she gave up and kept walking, but for a moment it did feel like they were there, watching and waiting.
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What a time for me to lose power!! I can't be quite as meticulous as I could have hoped since I'm working from mobile, but obviously there were several mentions of some new commenters and followers (coffee, cinnamon toast cereal, and the fennec fox were ones that stuck out to me). I'll be compiling a list of mentions once my power comes back lmao.
Here's a few quotes that stood out to me as being meaningful:
A few had guessed that this was the work of implodingcolon/ssae as part of the Austraeoh continuum, or perhaps a connected fanwork. Those who've seen the work around the site probably recognize it for its description, "Rainbow Dash flies east". This little moment here seems to me like an acknowledgement of that theory. Yeah, the series may share some similarities (especially in the way they're presented), but they are in no way connected.
Ooh, more numbers! This seems to be another angel number, with a very particular meaning. Mobile is giving me grief about copy-pasting from other sites, but the gist of angel number 6545 is that it relates to personality and development. Seeing this number means that you're forward development is somehow halted, a message that is further enforced by the switch from delayed to cancelled. As for the place, Acadia... This word often refers to an idyllic or perfect place. I think maybe we were right about this relating to death-- perhaps Rainbow is dead and trapped in purgatory, whereas all of her friends have moved on to heaven (Acadia) already.
Ah, here's where it gets good: angel number 2017 refers to a positive approach of personal and spiritual growth. It also signifies the need to ask angels for help... Reinforcing our "mane six angels, Rainbow dead" interpretation. I unfortunately can't find anything useful related to the place name "Arthor" however... Hm.
What are your guys' thoughts! Notice anything else??
*sweats*
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Not places, but off a hunch, I did a quick search and I found a pair of users on this site named Acadians6545 and Arthor2017. The accounts were created in 2018 and 2017, respectively, and don't appear to be directly affiliated with this fic—for all I know, Fiddlesticks might've just pulled their names out of a hat or something. Think I might ask them about it.
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AH they're more followers of Fiddlesticks'. Nice detective work, and good on these two for selecting outrageously relevant usernames. If y'all are reading this, you're part of this now!! What did you notice while you were reading?
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While we're on the subject of commenter references, here's the big one for me personally:
You know how last time I mentioned the author appeared to be aware of where I got my profile pic from? This proves it—this entire paragraph is a reference to that album's tracklist. Unlike last time, they would've had to go out of their way to search up that information.
I'm still trying to determine the exact significance of this whole "referencing the commenters" thing. Could it be supporting the themes of Rainbow trying to accept whatever change her friends have undergone? (Also of potential note: the Pony Life spin-off comes out in a few weeks. Could that be the "change"?)
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Ooh, very interesting... it seems to me like the author is making an effort to keep us hooked. I never would have gone out of my way to analyze the finer details of these pieces if I hadn't been so shocked to see myself referenced in them, after all. I had read the first two installments as essentially interesting character pieces.
I'm waiting on another adjustment to the bio and text box on their user page. So far, it's the same as it was for the previous release. EDIT: We have an update! "if you'd stay, would you show me the way" are Fiddlesticks' new messages.
Also, I'm definitely going to be listening to this album now lol (Around the Universe in 80 Days is great)
This is so puzzling, on so many levels. I don’t know what else to say.
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Not only that, but did you also pick up that Rainbow Dash doesn’t want to fade away like some obscure music record?
So, I’m a little late because I wanted the comments to fill out first, but there’s so many interesting ones.
In the story, Rainbow Dash brings up a couple things of note, firstly, the flying East thing, which again implies that the author has read Austereoh. However, I don’t think that this an ss&e alt. Fiddlesticks is following too many groups for it to be the case.
Also, at this point it’s hard to distinguish coincidence from intention with how this author writes. Like for example, Rainbow Dash brings up that a jet airliner is like her, waiting to take off again, and I brung up that the discount store in the last story was a lot like Rainbow.
Also, here’s where I think coincidence comes into play, my goal in life is to be remembered. I don’t recall sharing it on here, but I have shared it on the Wings of Fire Wikia several times, but, if you Google my name, guess what comes up? My Wings of Fire Wikia blogs. Again, it’s probably a coincidence. So, don’t take it seriously.
Also, ‘To Rainbow, it read like a poem’, again probably a coincidence, but I’ve also brought that up.
Otherwise, continuing on an analysis from last story, someone noted that you don’t expect to find these ponies here. Just like the other times, in the hustling, bustling airport, you don’t expect to find the quietest of ponies there. Fluttershy also brings up that they’ve moved on, as to where, perhaps it’s like Mushroom said. Maybe they’re in Heaven, but Dashie’s in purgatory.
Also, Dashie seems to reinforce the idea of home here, talking about how life was so carefree, while discussing a couple more followers’ names.
I was expecting this to harken back to an airport I heard about once that contains some demonic and creepy imagery, but it wasn’t so.
Whatever the case, if it’s true and there is one more installment, I’m eagerly awaiting it.
Next installment!! And though I’m a tad bit late to the party, I’M READY!
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I did suspect the “flying east” thing was a reference to Austraeoh, but, like Mush and Dashite said, I don’t think they’re linked. Ah ha! Figured those numbers held some significance, and I think we might be onto something with rest of the gang playing the role of angels. The whole series has a sort of dream like feel to it, like with the way each of the girls disappear after their interaction with Rainbow. It does seem like she’s stuck in limbo, and her friends are guiding her to heaven. Or, perhaps, they’re alive and guiding her out of limbo back to the real world. Aw man, now I, even more excited to see how this ends! I have no idea how Fiddlesticks is gonna wrap this up with a neat little bow, but I trust that it’ll be a rewarding conclusion!
Oh, and I’ve noticed that these are posted every three days, as I’m sure some of you have figured out.
:: see everyone in the next installment!
But I agree with Mushroom, I think all the little details, and the our usernames popping up, has really made this whole thing so exciting! Everyone’s theories and discoveries were great, and I love reading them. Haha, pretty sure this whole experience has made all of us into amateur detectives
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We might also be over analyzing it as those are just names, but the 1375 seems to be completely intentional.
I found another reference.
I believe this:
Might be referencing their follower Prime Sea Dragon.
Was the flight's similarities to my name coincidence or on purpose? I'm curious.
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On purpose!! Check our some of the older comments on this and previous installments for more info on the references
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Ok but why though? Is it because I'm a follower?
I'm pretty sure this series is about the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Yes.
And we're back at it once more.
I definitely don't expect an airport, though.
As is my thoughts on the last story, that theory is out of the window.
Some quotes from the story that catches my eye, and the reason behind it:
Reference: the second story.
Reference: the first and third story.
Reference: Me? Maybe? Not sure.
Reference: Not Enough Coffee is a follower.
Reference: The Austraeoh universe (Rainbow Dash flies east.)
Reference: Nazhulian is a follower.
Reference: I think... TheAncientPolitzanian, since their pfp is apparently an album.
This is, I feel, confirmation of the "Rainbow Dash died" theory, as "move on" can be used to implicate that someone has died.
Reference: Roundabout Recluse is a follower.
Reference: neptunedreams is a follower.
Reference: Da Fennec is a follower.
Reference: Acadians6545 is a follower.
Reference: Arthor2017 is a follower.
That's all the references I can find, but I'm sure there can be many more.
Profile: "if you'd stay, would you show me the way"
Blog: "like satellites across my starry night"
Signing off for now,
SL251
ScopingLandscape
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They're not the only ones she knows
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They speak again.
So, what I gather from this is that there may be more stories on the way than just the next one.
Only time will tell how well those will turn out.
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and I’m...really happy about that!:
Oh man. GUYS. WE MAY BE ON THIS CASE LONGER THAN WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT
Did anypony else think this was gonna finish with Twilight’s chapter? Cause I sure did.
Hold onto your deerstalker hats and keep your magnifying glasses close guys. This...potentially just got way more intense.
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WOOO good news gang!!! We have plenty of mystery left to unravel
I've only just come across this series, and haven't read all of the comments and theories, so apologies if this was already considered:
I've noticed that Dash's journey so far has alternated between, for a lack of a better term, passive and active locations? The mall is a stationary locale, a place to stop, if only for a while. Passive. A highway, however, is a place where constant forward motion is expected; no one stops at a highway willingly. Active. The store is another stop. The airport, another forward motion.
Dash may be due for another pause.
Either way, I'm intrigued. Looking forward to seeing where she goes next!
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Nobody has mentioned that, so we can add that to the pile.
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That’s an excellent observation!! I didn’t see that before. Well, if you choose to follow along we’d be glad to have another theorist on the team
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Whoops, sorry for the delayed response. Internet troubles abound. Glad to have added to the theory pile! I'll be happy to follow along as best I can. (Actually, I'm off to read the next installment, now!) Thanks!
This has turned into a story examining a fear of death.
I’m not sure if Rainbow is terminally ill, but there’s that ominous footnote,”Just like her life”. Regardless if Dashie is talking about Fluttershy, Spitfire, or herself, someone has definitely died, and Rainbow Dash now fears it.
It’s like that story that was featured somewhere a while back called fallin’, this has the same idea.
Also, Rainbow Dash has left home, and notably she regrets it. That once again brings around the question of why she left home in the first place. I appreciate any help on that question.
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(wonderful job there, fiddlesticks! *clap clap clap
)
I agree, and I wondered too what she was talking about, and if she was referring to Spitfire. It seems like to me that they’re going home, which is exciting, but this was still a sad one
Also, Rainbow said ”With everything that’s happening...” (or something to that effect at least
) which makes me wonder what exactly she meant by that. Is she talking about the supposed death that’s taken place, the emotional journey she’s been on, orrr what? 
and it’s still not finished! Each of these extra, 500 word chapters keep getting better and better, and they’re all pieces of the puzzle. 
Guys this has been a crazy ride
Is anyone else still wondering if the original chapters were dreams, illusion/vision type things, or something else entirely? Because I am!
I honestly wouldn’t expect fluttershy to be here.