They rode out shortly, the shopkeeper staying almost silent for the rest of their transaction. Once the horses were equipped and in their care, they mounted up and, after a brief good-bye, led their steeds out of town at a slow trot.
A green plain opened before them, rolling away west towards the north-eastern corner of the Cloudsdale Mountains. To the north, south, and east it rolled unto the horizon, though above that horizon they could faintly see hints of what lay further along; cloudy skies to the north, the barest hint of the leaves of the White-tail to the south, the speckling of lights and shapes that marked the other villages they'd traveled through in the crownlands to the east.
"Come on," Rainbow said as she sat atop Morkhest. "Our way in's a while's away, and I don't think any of us want to risk riding at night. Let's go, we're burning daylight."
Applejack, atop Jordskred, looked up at the Sun, now approaching noon, and nodded; they'd wasted enough time here. Gently clicking her tongue, she spurred her steed on, and soon they were crossing the grass at a brisk trot.
They made good time, keeping a strong, steady pace and eating lunch in the saddle, though slowing their mounts down to do so. The mountains grew and grew before them, until they seemed to touch the roof of the world, while the plains rolled themselves up beneath. As the Sun passed the halfway point on its downward journey for the day, they reached the feet of the mountains, though to Applejack's confusion they skirted them to the right, to the north, away from the main road through the mountain chain.
"Uh, Rainbow?" she asked the lead rider. "I thought you said you had a way in?"
"I do," she called back over her shoulder. "It's this way."
"I thought you meant you had a way through the main door," AJ replied.
"If the Spear Gate's closed, I'm not going to be able to open it," she called back. "When that thing locks down, it locks down; it'd pretty much take an order from the governor to open it, and even that might not work."
"So what is your way in?" AJ asked. "Some kinda secret entrance?"
"Hardly a secret," she replied. "People've known about Flatmarch for thousands of years, the Spear Gate's just quicker, closer to Castellot and the South. Here's hoping Swift hasn't gotten the same idea as them."
"Swift?" AJ furrowed her brow. "What's that?"
"Not what," Fluttershy answered. "Who. House Swift is the family of the March-Warden, entrusted by Cloudsdale with keeping Flatmarch safe. They're kind of mayors, keeping Flatmarch safe and running smoothly, though the position is inherited instead of elected. If I recall correctly, the current head of House Swift is Lady Fleetfoot Swift, though I can't remember how she was described."
"What if she doesn' let us through?" AJ asked. "What then?"
"Then we try the Northern Gap," Rainbow replied. "If that doesn't work, Storm's Pass. If worst comes to worst, we can try the Whispering Marsh, though I don't think bringing the horses through there would be a good idea."
"There sure are a lotta holes in this fence," AJ jerked her head at the stony walls of the mountains.
"And a lot more people keeping eyes on those holes," Rainbow replied. "Houses Thunder and Hail keep watch on the Northern Gap, Storm's Pass goes right past House Rider, Houses Zap, Storm, and Mist guard Boulder Pass, and House Mist is the only group of people who know their way through the Marsh."
"You sure know a lot about this place, sugarcube," AJ whistled.
"It's our home, AJ," Fluttershy replied. "Every child in Cloudsdale grows up learning these things, about the different parts of the state and the twelve great houses. We were taught to be proud of our home, as well as what exactly we were to be proud of. Though," her face fell. "I'm not proud of all of it."
"Don't forget what you told that shopkeeper, Flutters," Rainbow called in uplift. "Cloudsdale needs Private Pansies as much as it needs Commander Hurricanes."
Fluttershy softly smiled back at her old friend, then turned back to Applejack. "Some of the kids at the schools I went to made fun of me for being gentle and not liking fighting. They called me 'the pansiest of pansies.'"
"Sorry, Shy," AJ tried to console her. "For what it's worth, I like that about you; sometimes that kindness of your's is just what I need to cool my head an' think things through."
"Thank you, Applejack," Fluttershy smiled back. "That's worth a lot to me."
They fell into silence for a few moments, until AJ cleared her throat and asked, "So, what house do you belong to, if you don' mind me askin'?"
"I don't," she shook her head. "My family's House Flutter, not one of the great houses but still impressive. Funnily enough," she giggled. "if we'd managed to get in through the Spear Gate we might've been able to see them. Our lands are in the Rainbow Vale, just a bit southwest of the gate."
"Huh," AJ chuckled. "Is that where your family lives, Rainbow?"
"Yep," she nodded. "Been there for generations."
"Are they one'o them great houses Flutters mentioned?" AJ smiled, before smirking. "Has Rarity been missin' out on schmoozin' with Lady Rainbow Dash?"
A stark silence fell, along with a chill.
"No," came the quiet reply. "We're middle-class, nothing more."
"Dash?" AJ frowned. "Are you okay?"
"Yes," she blatantly lied. "Come on, I want us to get a little farther before we stop for the night." Digging her heels into Morkhest's side, she drove him into a gallop, pulling away from the others.
"What wassat?" AJ asked her down-faced companion. "Shy, do you know what's wrong with her?"
"Yes," she sadly murmured in reply. "But it's not my place to tell. Come," she clicked her tongue, causing Klartake to speed up a bit. "Rainbow's right, we should keep going while there's still light. Not as fast as she's going, though; she needs some time alone."
Frowning, AJ nodded, then spurred her own steed on, driving her at a canter towards the light of the dying sun.
As the last rays of the Sun bled away, they stopped, coming to a rest where the mountain nearest them began curving back in, a curve that Fluttershy said would lead them to Flatmarch the next day. While Fluttershy saw to the horses' grazing before convincing them not to run away in the night (they had nothing to hitch them to), AJ prepared dinner, if she could call it that, and Rainbow silently made camp. She laid out their sleeping bags closer together than usual; they lacked the materials for a fire, and might need more than the fall air to keep them warm.
They ate in silence, Fluttershy looking sadly at her old friend who seemed intent to focus only on her dinner, or at least to give the appearance of doing so. Eventually, they finished, and sat silent in the autumn air.
"I'm sorry, sugarcube," AJ sighed as the silence became unbearable. "I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable, askin' about your family. Just curious, was all."
"It's okay," she murmured in reply. "If it's alright, though, I'd prefer it if you didn't ask about them again. Also," she shifted uncomfortably. "I'm going to have to ask you two not to call me Rainbow Dash once we're in Cloudsdale. Don't want to attract too much attention."
AJ nodded, her frown deepening as she saw the ease with which Fluttershy agreed; just what was it that was troubling Dash? What was so bad that she didn't want others to know she was back home?
"If you have to name me," she continued. "call me Platinum-" (AJ noticed Flutters' eyes widen at the name choice) "-and hope that that's enough. And, AJ, before you start worrying that I'm making you lie, don't worry, I'm not; my parents call me Platinum, sometimes. It is a name for me, just...not one I use that much."
"Like a nickname," she nodded. "I gotcha. I'll," she flashed a glance again at the somber-faced Shy. "try to remember."
Rainbow nodded, then laid back, as if the strings holding her up had been slackened. Her face, smiling so confidently back at the shopkeeper's, became morose, and, more worryingly, full of doubt. AJ frowned; what could be troubling her friend? Rainbow Dash never doubted herself, though that was sometimes more of a weakness than a strength. What was causing her to do so now?
She was pulled away from her concerns by the sound of Fluttershy humming, wordlessly singing a tune AJ'd never heard before. As she sang, her fingers twitched, almost imperceptibly, as if they were plucking an unseen instrument. After a few moments of the wordless, haunting music, Fluttershy began reciting the lyrics of the tune, chanting:
Beneath the mountain snowy, giant,
Lies the still Commander quiet,
Girt in armor black and golden
And bright cloak that hearts emboldened.
But breathless beats not wrinkled gorget,
Nor stir lips that once ordered it;
Still and shrunken lies his snow-beard,
Cold stony hands clutch his cold spear.
Joins his kinsman, burned and scattered
On the wind, no more to gather
Again as one until world's end;
Soon shall he likewise ride the wind.
By the bier her station keeping
Sits the Vingols' mother weeping,
Clad in black plate with silver marked,
A spear of grief piercing her heart.
Commander's bane, commander's hand,
Craven coward, bravest in land,
A sheep in war, a bull saving,
The last the Three Parents remaining.
Gives a nod, eyes full with sadness,
The dead's pyre the torch rammeth;
Hurricane flies in a storm of ash,
Private leal staying to the last.
"The funeral of Hurricane," Rainbow murmured sadly. "The passing of the father of five great houses, and the greatest leader Cloudsdale's ever seen. Lion had died years before, and Private Pansy quickly followed Hurricane, dying of a broken heart. Thus did the Vingols learn to do great deeds, that they might not be forgotten, and to do them soon, because no one knows when they will die."
AJ stared in shock at her friend's melancholy face. "Wow," she breathed out after a few moments. "That's-I've never heard you talk like that before, sugarcube. Never knew you could be so-so deep."
"There's a lot you don't know about me," she mumbled back.
AJ scowled. "I'd be glad to learn."
Silence. Then, "We should get some sleep. We have a long day tomorrow."
Reluctantly, Applejack obeyed, clambering into her sleeping bag with a thoughtful frown on her face. It would be a long day tomorrow, and it would be longer for her than Rainbow expected; somehow, some way, she was getting answers tomorrow.
She fell asleep to thoughts of discovery in her mind and Rainbow's pensive face taking first watch.
She woke up with the dawn, finding her friends' sleeping bags both empty. Warily, she climbed out of her own as quietly as she could, then looked around to see if she could find the others. Thankfully, she quickly found them, standing a short ways away on a small hill, watching the rising Sun.
"Rainbow," Fluttershy whispered, quiet to the point where AJ had to strain to hear her. "you know she won't abandon you over this."
"It's not just her, Flutters," Rainbow sighed in reply. "It's pretty much everyone I've ever met, aside from you and our parents. How many people would be willing to stand beside a fraud like me?"
"You're not a fraud," Fluttershy retorted as AJ froze in shock. "This is just a different aspect of your personality, no different than the way you care about Tank."
"Sure feels like I am," she grumbled.
Before she could explain why, AJ brushed over the grass, a movement Fluttershy's quick ears picked up. She turned around and smiled at the last member of their party. "Good morning, Applejack," she greeted. "Did you sleep well?"
"Just fine," she replied, rising to her full height. "You two?"
"I slept well," Fluttershy nodded.
Rainbow looked down at the ground. "I got enough," she blatantly lied. "Now that you're up, though, let's grab some breakfast, then get this party started."
They ate quietly and quickly, AJ glaring at Rainbow as if the sheer weight of her gaze would cause her to explain why she felt like a fraud. It didn't, and then they were in the saddle again, proceeding at a brisk trot. They were following the curve of the mountain to their left, Firehall Fluttershy called it, though they were still a good distance from its feet; aside from being rockier and steeper than the grasses and downs of the March, they were also more secluded, making travelers who rode through them more suspect: what reason would a law-abiding citizen have for trying to stay hidden, after all.
After about two hours of riding, Rainbow's caution (two words AJ'd never expected to use together, even in thought) proved wise; more hooves, distant for the moment but rapidly approaching, beat on the grass. She could faintly see the other riders, galloping out of the south, though she couldn't count how many of them there were at this distance.
"Flatmarch patrol," Rainbow grunted, slowing her steed to a halt. "We'll wait here for them; they've almost certainly spotted us, we can't outride them, and charging an auxiliary Guard force isn't the best idea."
"Any idea what they'll do to us?" AJ asked as Jordskred whinnied to a stop.
"Hopefully nothing," Rainbow replied. "They're peacekeepers, so as long as we're not disturbing the peace we should be good. If they've closed the border here, though, they'll probably show us off."
Fluttershy pulled up alongside them, and they waited and watched as the patrol drew nearer. Applejack could count them now, a little over two-dozen, all armed and mounted. Sunlight faintly glinted off of their staffs, and she shivered at the thought of them switching to their spears; Homestrian killing Homestrian was wrong, a relic of the past, something she had no desire to think of as tradition. Hopefully, even the famously-militant Cloudsdalers felt the same way.
Time passed. The patrol was within shouting distance now, a fact Rainbow took advantage of. Cupping her free hand to her mouth, she called out, "What news from the west, riders of Flatmarch?"
I like your songs/poems for the most part, but the meter is a bit inconsistent and it's throwing me off. Speaking of which:
Was this an intentional reference to the hymn Stabat Mater Dolorosa?
I'll take "Obvious Tolkien References" for $200, Alex.
10841526
That's right, rhyme scheme and beats per line aren't the only important qualities of a song/poem. Excuse me while I find a pillow to scream into.
As was the ending. Glad to see you caught it!
* + $200 to Eroraf86's bank account *
Why?
Castellot?
Those are a lot of houses.
What parts is she not proud of?
Did she say that?
Why is she lying?
What?
Platinum? Why?
What does that mean?
How the f*ck are you gonna drop that bomb and then give no context?
You suck at sneaking, AJ.
You’re gonna have to give up on that sooner or later.
Why?
Cloudsdale's Artax Memorial Airport would agree.
(Also, add air travel to the list of viable alternatives to horses.)
Well, it's House Flutter's land at the moment. Darn place has a tendency to change hands.
Fascinating look at Cloudsdale culture. It really does feel like these three have ridden into an entirely different genre... which, again, isn't doing the best job of meshing with the urban fantasy "Americanada" feel one gets from the source material. I'm still enjoying this, don't get me wrong, but this particular world building marks a sharp pivot from my expectations.
10842555
Thank you for your vigilance and advice. I'll try to
hand-wave awayexplain why this wasn't an option later on.Yeah, to be honest I pretty sharply diverge from canon a lot of the time; Genericanada isn't that interesting to me, while worldbuilding is a bit of an
obsessioninterest of mine. Genericanadan trappings might be helpful for giving at least some readers a point of reference (high school, the economic structure, some governmental functions), but I like to include something more creative underneath those trappings. I simply hope that, even when I part from the source material, I still manage to capture some part of its magic.Heh. Now I really want to include a reference to this in House Flutter's history.
10842108
Because the houses guarding the Spear Gate have at least 2800 soldiers between them, and it's an open question whether their numbers will stand with them or the governor. A monopoly on force is a critical part of government, one that Cloudsdale's governor lacks.
The capitol.
Indeed. There are twelve in total, and that's just the great houses. The nobility is not diminished in Cloudsdale as it has been in our world.
The militarism, for one.
Not exactly, but she did point out how Private Pansy wasn't a coward for avoiding battle when she could. Rainbow simply made a reasonable deduction based off of that.
We shall have to see what answers she gives.
Apologies, what part did I write unclearly?
Just like that, apparently.
She really does.
Does she, though?
Like she said, they'd already been seen, and doing this might give them quicker access to what they seek, information.
10842624
What points did he miss?
Hopefully she does.
It sounds like a compliment, but I keep imagining rarity fainting if mud gets on her.
Not bad of a quote.
What misunderstandings?
Wow, I may have to check YouTube for that.
And that’s a bad thing, right?
I guess that makes sense.
Are they going to stir up trouble?
10842739
Namely that, just because he's tired of how outsiders treat him, his hostile behavior towards AJ remains unexcused. He's livid at others for treating him wrongly, but treats AJ wrongly in turn. His personal grudges have almost blinded him in terms of empathy, something Fluttershy pointed out in her question regarding the elite (her questioning revealed that he was having trouble imagining how people other than him might view a situation, demonstrating a lack of empathy in the sense of not understanding other's perspectives).
Oh, don't worry, she does. And, even if something gets to be too much for her, she has her friends to help! And Mr. Magpie can call in his friends, too! (My, he has a lot of them!) Did you know that some of her bird friends are film enthusiasts? They especially like the works of Alfred Hitchup; namely, The Birds. And, what's this? Someone's bullying Fluttershy, the Carer, the giver of bread and toast? This shall not stand...and neither shall the bully, once Fluttershy's bird friends are done with their reenactment.
She also selflessly cut off her tail to help Stephen Magnet in the pilot. She can be dainty a lot of the time, but when the chips are down there's a streak of steel through her. Think of Merry from the Lord of the Rings; worried about creature comforts near the start of the journey, when the stakes were lower, but when it came down to the wire he helped slay one of the greatest terrors Middle-Earth had ever known.
Indeed. Faramir provides some wonderful anti-war commentary.
Has Starlight actually managed to provide definitive proof of malicious oppression on the part of the elite? Has the shopkeeper? While he may rail against visitors (read: outsiders) and have some valid points, the fact is most of his complaints are explainable by stupidity or ignorance, not malice. He's creating a conspiracy and enemies where there's just ignorance, imperfection, and stupidity.
Yes, their stuff is amazing.
Starlight effectively has the power to define any group of people as 'the elite' due to the nebulousness of the phrase, making her able to declare anyone an 'enemy of the people' and give the accusation at least a shred of credibility. This is extremely bad; if she gains power, she can define any political opponents as 'the elite,' forcing the entire political establishment to make a choice; support her or face the wrath of the revolution.
Are they going to stir up trouble? Perhaps. Even if they don't, though, trouble has a history of stirring itself up around them.
10843587
I guess that might be true.
Was that meant to be a reference to something? Because, I didn’t understand most of it.
Wasn’t that pony rarity? Also, I don’t know much about lord of the rings, sorry.
Really?
And that’s the misunderstanding?
Really? What stuff do they do?
But, wouldn’t some some see her as an elite?
Ok, that i can probably agree with.
10843625
Sorry for the strange metaphors. Basically, I meant that Fluttershy can defend herself, and, even if something gets to be too much for her to handle alone, she has her friends, including her animals. If you hurt her, her animal friends, including all the birds she feeds (and all the birds they know), will make you regret it, possibly in the style of Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds.
Yes it was pony Rarity, but I don't doubt that human Rarity would be willing to do the same. Also, it's okay that you don't know that much about the Lord of the Rings; your interests are your own, you have the right to choose what they are (though I would highly recommend giving the books a try).
Oh, yes. Boromir may be the more famous (and memed) brother, but Faramir IMO is the better one; he recognizes that war needs to be viewed as a means, not an end, and a dangerous thing, not simply a method of gaining glory. The quote "War will make corpses of us all" appears to be an invention of the movies, but thematically it fits very well with Faramir's character. More importantly, he doesn't just say "No" to war, he gives a reason to say "Yes" to peace, demonstrating that peace is constructive, not simply the absence of war.
Yes.
A lot of narrative songs, as well as covers of songs from The Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion. Personally, although it is a tragic tale, I love their cover of the greatest rap battle in Middle-Earth's history, and would recommend watching it to get a taste of their style.
Perhaps, right before she calls them an elite and unleashes the revolution on them. So long as she keeps her revolutionaries happy with her rule, she'll basically be able to rule like a tyrant, winning acceptance either through genuine support or brute force.
10842595
How bad is it’s militarism?
I think nearly everything was unclear.
Yeah, because if she doesn’t kill them, then they might kill her.
Then, why were they sneaking?
10844080
Oh ok.
I guess that may make sense. And I honestly might think about it.
I honestly don’t know what some of that means.
I may have to check that out.
But, wouldn’t some fight back?
10844116
Excellent. Hope you enjoy them, should you decide to!
War is not the default state of society, with peace simply occurring whenever war exhausts; peace is its own thing, as worthy of desire as other things like food or good company or love. Faramir's anti-war message is rooted in more than just saying "No" to war, it's rooted in recognizing the good things that occur in peace, in recognizing that peace is just as meaningful as the war too many think it's simply the lack of. Or, as Twilight might say, he recognizes that friendship is magic, not simply a lack of conflict with others.
Some of them might fight back, yes, and promptly be crushed by those behind Starlight. So long as Starlight manages to keep her core of revolutionaries satisfied and supportive of her, she will be able to threaten her opponents in the way I've described.
10844114
Pretty bad. It's a very strong warrior culture, for good (it will be able to respond to threats better than the likes of Crystal City) and for ill (treating Fluttershy with disdain).
Apologies. Let me try and break it down:
The song Fluttershy just recited is about the funeral of Commander Hurricane's EG counterpart, who founded five of the great houses of Cloudsdale and was the state's greatest leader.
I'll get more into Lion later, but for now let it suffice that he was another one of Cloudsdale's founders, as was Private Pansy.
The lesson the song taught the Vingols (the main ethnic group in Cloudsdale) is that they should do great deeds, that they might be remembered in song like Hurricane, Lion, and Pansy, and not wait to do them, because death can strike anyone at any time. Basically, YOLO.
But does that mean she has to kill them? Might she be able to subdue them in other ways?
They weren't trying to sneak (avoid detection), they were trying to keep a low profile (avoid unnecessary attention). Sorry if that was unclear.
10844277
Wow. He basically represented mlp before mlp was even created.
So even with magic on their side there’s no way to stop starlight?
10844280
Yikes.
Ohh.
But, how long would subduing them work?
Oh ok. Because, it seemed like they were avoiding people.
10844320
Just great, now I want to try to figure out which LotR characters would work for which Elements of Harmony.
Sorry, I was working under the assumption that it would be other Unmarked or government officials (i.e.; Blue Chip) who fought her. Even without magic, though, there would still be hope to beat her; it just wouldn't be as easy as it might seem.
10844394
So faramir is a LOTR character?
Who’s blue chip?
10844450
Yes.
The economy minister from The Sun in Flight.
10844484
Ohh. So that’s her full name?
10844495
Yep.
10844589
And you said that beating starlight is harder then it seems?
10844601
Harder than it would seem if one viewed her just as a run-of-the-mill political nutcase. The key to beating her is not playing her game; if you treat her as just another political actor, she stands a good chance of winning.
10844681
And what exactly is her game? And how should you treat her?
10844735
We shall have to see.
10844770
Oh ok.