The Three Emissaries
The three Rainbooms looked at each other as they rode out the next morning, Soarin grouping them together so they could talk. AJ was grateful for that, though the air between them was still a bit tense; Platinum almost shook with nerves, while Fluttershy's gaze burned against AJ's skin, as if it was trying to tear it away and reveal her plainly, without any disguise or secret.
They ate a brief breakfast in the saddle, then fell into an anxious silence, frozen tension waiting for a question to shatter it.
That question came when AJ cleared her throat and asked, "So, Platinum, I gotta ask; why? Why go to all that trouble of callin' yourself Rainbow Dash?"
She bit her lip. Then, sighing, she grumbled to herself, "No, no more lies. She deserves to know." Then, looking at Morkhest's mane in embarrassment, she asked, "AJ, did you ever have to get a shot when you were a kid?"
AJ crinkled her nose. "Yeah," she replied, not particularly fond of the memories. "Why d'ya ask?"
"Well," Platinum replied, rubbing the back of her head. "when I was little, like littler than Scoots, I needed to get one, and I really didn't want to. You know how it is, those needles seem scary to a little kid. I was so scared I could barely sleep that night. At first I tried thinking of ways to get out of it, like faking being sick, but then I thought of something else; what if I made myself not afraid of it? What if I made myself brave enough to face it, like heroes in stories made themselves brave enough to face the monster? And one of those heroes, the one I knew the best?"
"Rainbow Dash," AJ murmured, furrowing her brow. "But that was when you were a lil'one. Why'd you keep it up after that?"
Platinum flinched. "Did you know I was nervous on my first day of school?" she asked. "My legs were shaking so bad, it's a wonder I managed to walk up to the schoolhouse. But then I realized that being nervous felt like being afraid, and what had helped me stop being afraid before? Acting like Rainbow Dash. When I started middle school, I was nervous, so out came the Rainbow Dash act again. When I went to CHS, it was the first time I'd left the state, and I was terrified; I'd never been so far from home before, and definitely not for as long. So Rainbow Dash came out again, and she just...never went away."
"I understand havin' a role model," AJ replied. "But why'd you change your name? Havin' Rainbow Dash as your role model doesn' change who you are."
"It wasn't just a role model," Fluttershy whispered. "It was much more."
Platinum nodded, then said, "You know how I like doing imitations, right? Like, here's Rainbow Fash," she demonstrated, quickly shaping her hair into a rough copy of Rarity's hairstyle and imitating the accent of the same. "Oh, darling, what are you wearing? It's autumn, darling, those are fall colors; do you wish to light your reputation on a pyre? Or how about Reading Rainboom?" Quickly, she became a crude replica of Twilight in both hair and voice. "I feel more intelligent already, only twelve point 113 seconds into the transformation! By the time we return home, I'll probably be smart enough to calculate how much time I'll need to dedicate to studying for the rest of the semester! And I'll be smart enough," she returned her hair to its usual wild appearance, her voice returning to normal as well. "to switch to Rainbow Dash when I need to be brave. Rainbow Dash wasn't just a role model, AJ, or at least she didn't just stay one; the more I grew up, the more often I became nervous, and the more often I put on my Rainbow Dash mask so I could fight off the fear. And the more I put it on, the more...complete it became, more defined. At first, she was just a hero, a role model who was brave and fought the monsters I was scared of; once I started school, she became a mentor, whispering encouragement into my ear whenever I felt nervous or scared; when I entered middle school she became a coach, telling me how to do stuff; by the time I got to CHS, I basically asked myself 'What would Rainbow Dash do?' about anything, and the mask of her I'd developed could usually give me an answer. That's why I seemed to shut down sometimes, like when I was really scared; that wasn't just me being scared, that was Rainbow Dash, the mask I'd created explicitly to be brave, being scared. I was literally scared so badly I didn't think I could get brave enough to face my fears. Rainbow Dash was my bravery; if she was scared, how could the rest of me get brave enough to overcome that?"
"You make it sound like she was a different person or some'n'," AJ frowned.
"Not that far," Platinum bit her lip. "but it felt like she was--is--close. It's like...you know how people sometimes say that, if they didn't sleep well, it's like they're a different person? It's like that for me and her; whenever I want to be brave, I put on my Rainbow Dash mask, and it's like I become a totally different person. Sometimes it's good, sometimes, like before Sunset called us out at the Battle of the Bands, not so good. The point is, I change when I put on a mask, and I've put on Rainbow Dash so many times that..." She put a finger to her lips in thought. "You know how clothes fit better if you wear them more? It's like that for my masks, and I've worn Rainbow Dash so much that she fits over a lot more of me than, like, Reading Rainboom does." She swallowed. "AJ, I'm not going to lie; I'm not sure who's more developed, Platinum Brilliance or Rainbow Dash. Platinum Brilliance...AJ, this is the first time in years that I've worn her, and there are some areas she doesn't cover that Rainbow Dash does. Rainbow Dash likes wearing sporty stuff, like this," she tugged gently at her dark blue jacket. "It's been so long since Platinum Brilliance shopped for herself that she can't remember what she likes wearing. Rainbow Dash knows her name, responds to it, and isn't afraid to let others know it; the last time Platinum Brilliance heard her name spoken was when Sunset came to power and was digging up dirt on her." She sadly chuckled. "Did you notice how most of my other masks' names are puns on Rainbow Dash's? That's because I'm used to putting them on over her's. Let me rephrase that; I'm more comfortable imitating someone while I'm trying to be someone who only exists in my head than I am while being myself. Rainbow Dash isn't me, she's a mask, a-an act, and I'm more comfortable being her than being the actress underneath. You want to know why I've been Rainbow Dash for so long, AJ?" She looked tearfully at her stunned friend. "I've forgotten how to be Platinum Brilliance. I've been lying so long I've forgotten the truth."
"I," AJ stammered. "I-I-"
She couldn't think of anything more to say; who would be able to, when faced with something as shocking as that? She'd thought that Platinum had bad memories of her original name, or a bad relationship with her parents, not a crisis of identity. From the way she described it, it wasn't that Platinum didn't like her true self, she'd flat-out forgotten that true self. Rainbow Dash had basically taken over her life, replacing Platinum like the aliens in one of those sci-fi movies her sister'd dragged her to. Platinum Brilliance wasn't a secret AJ was trying to uncover; she was a dead girl she needed to bring back to life.
Rainbow evidently misunderstood her silence, tearing up, whimpering, "I need some air," and riding away from the others. AJ futilely reached after her as she left, while Fluttershy merely shook her head sadly.
"That's why she wanted to keep this secret," the shy girl sighed. "It's not just that she likes being Rainbow Dash, she doesn't know how to be Platinum Brilliance. Without that mask, she doesn't have her true self brought to light; there's not enough to see. She can imitate a thousand people, but not herself. She's a rainbow of people, every possible mask and color. All, except for Platinum."
"But that's silly!" AJ sputtered. "If she can do some'n' while actin' like someone else, doesn' that mean she can do it when she ain't? I mean, she can' put anythin' in her actin' she don' have herself, right?"
"Yes," Fluttershy nodded sadly. "The problem is she only seems to find those qualities when she puts the mask on." She sighed again. "It's hard," she confessed. "It's so hard to see her tear herself up like this. I want her to be able to take off the mask as much as you do, Applejack, and I've tried to help her do so before, and I know she can; like you said, she doesn't put anything that isn't part of her into them, there's nothing that belongs to them that doesn't belong to Platinum. But it's like she can't realize that, like there's some mental block preventing her from seeing that. It's like she's dying of thirst, and she thinks the glass of water I'm showing her is a mirage. But what's this?" she frowned suddenly.
Turning to follow her gaze, AJ saw Soarin riding over to them. He pulled up alongside, then asked, "Is everything okay? I saw your friend ride off."
"I just took too long thinkin' 'bout what to say," AJ scowled at herself. "Poor thing must've thought I was tryna figure out how to go back on my promise. The things she told me, Mr. Skies...Even I can see why she hid'm."
"Again, call me Soarin," he frowned. "Is she still able to help you with your mission?"
"She gave her word that she would, Lord Skies," Fluttershy sternly replied. "Her word is as strong as steel. She will be there, whatever state she's in." Her face fell. "I just hope it's a better one than the one she left here in," she murmured.
"I hope so, too," Soarin nodded in sympathy. "The others say she looked quite distressed."
AJ clenched her reins tighter as she remembered the loss in Platinum's eyes. "She has every right to be," she grumbled.
Soarin hesitated. "Dare I ask why you say that?"
"Personal problems," AJ replied, a sick feeling in her stomach as she remembered Platinum's struggle with identity. "Really personal problems. If you wanna know more, I'm gonna have to ask you to ask Flutters; I'd rather not talk 'bout it, if you please."
"Then I'll trust that I don't need to know any more," Soarin nodded, before leaving them with a wave goodbye.
Platinum fell back in with them a while later, AJ's attempted apology waved away with a sniffle. The almost broken look on her face discouraged further conversation, and they rode the next hours in silence. A patrol from Mountainboss caught up with them around ten, but they stayed too far away from the conversation to hear any of what was said. After that brief meeting, they continued on their way southwest, the sloping grasses of the plain rolling beneath them.
Every so often, they passed by evidence of civilization, whether that meant isolated homesteads, shepherds and their flocks, or the occasional small village. Most of the time these encounters were from a distance, but every so often they came closer, whether that meant offering a quick helping hand with a repair job on a farm or surfing around the edge of a great wave of sheep. They never stayed for long, though, despite the countless offers they received; it appeared that hospitality was greatly admired in this section of Cloudsdale, what Fluttershy said was called the Hurricane Vale. They slowed for lunch at about noon, shortly before crossing a bridge over a churning river.
"Careful," Soarin warned as they crossed the simple wooden structure. "Even this far south, Snowfall's still cold. Rumor says Whispering Marsh is full of those who've fallen in, frozen solid before being carried south and buried in the muck."
"We're not goin' there, are we?" AJ asked, wrinkling her nose. Just because she wasn't Rarity didn't mean she found the idea of trudging through a swamp attractive.
"No," Soarin shook his head, pointing west at a slowly-rising peak. "Our destination lies that way, about three hours away."
AJ nodded, then asked, "So, what's the governor like?"
Soarin's face fell. "Wine, mainly," he answered. "Both spellings, if you catch my drift."
"That good, huh?" AJ winced. "How's anythin' get done?"
"His secretary's talented," Soarin replied. "And where she can't work, the great houses and local lairds, like your friend's House Flutter, step in."
"Then why don' you replace him?" AJ asked. "Get some fresh blood in power. Sounds like this secretary of his could do pretty well there."
"It's," Soarin hesitated. "complicated. You'll understand after you meet him." Before she could ask him what he meant, he rode away.
She scowled as she saw him return to the front of their patrol. An uncomplicated answer that didn't give her twenty more questions; was that too much for her to ask of the world this day? Soarin said that she'd understand why Cloudsdale didn't just remove the governor after she met him. She hoped she did; if she didn't, she was going to scream.
Windy Hill, capitol of Cloudsdale state, appeared before them, though it wasn't as impressive as AJ'd expected; a few small houses and other assorted buildings atop a low hill, surrounding an eight-sided building made of light-colored wood and deep green shingles. Clearly the capitol building itself, it seemed small and fragile; she half-expected it to simply blow away before their eyes, borne on the constant, steady wind that blew through the area.
They rode closer, the town--AJ couldn't call it a proper city--staying silent as they approached. A few grooms popped up as they arrived to stable their horses (a fair few of the buildings she'd first thought were houses turned out to be stables), but other than that it was like the town was deserted.
"Where is everyone?" she asked Soarin in a hush, some instinct urging her to be quiet. "This is like a ghost town."
"You remember when I told you about who stands in for the governor?" Soarin answered, the same instinct apparently afflicting him, too. "I got it a bit backwards; problems usually go through mayors or thains or elected officials like that, then on to the local lairds, then to the great houses, and only then do they go to the governor. Basically two or three things come up here in a year, and the great houses basically decide whether those two or three things actually are resolved the way Windy Hill wanted."
"Then what's the point of the governor?" AJ asked. "If these great houses take care of everythin', why do you even need a governor?"
"Makes it easier to deal with the other states," Soarin replied. "Governors might not be comfortable talking with nobles, but they are comfortable talking with other governors."
"But why have a whiny drunk governor then?" AJ asked, confused. "Who'd be comfortable talkin' to them?"
Soarin sighed. "You'll see," he sadly replied.
All now dismounted and their steeds seen to, the party approached the capitol building, meeting two other inhabitants as they arrived. Door guards, barring the door with their crossed long spears, protected by grey mail and deep green plate. White enamel wind traced the flowing pattern of a horse on their breastplates.
Soarin walked up to them and raised his hand in greeting. "Soarin Skies has arrived," he announced. "He has visitors for the governor."
"Are they armed?" one of the guards asked.
Nervously, unsure whether they'd count it as a weapon or not, AJ clutched her geode, a movement that did not go unnoticed. "What've you got there?" the other guard asked warily.
"Nothin'," AJ desperately, and badly, lied.
"Nothing doesn't make you nervous," the guard retorted, lifting their spear away from the door. "Lord Skies, what is she hiding?"
"Some sort of necklace, I think," he replied, clearly--even to AJ's ears--trying to make himself sound casual.
"A necklace doesn't inspire a lord to lie," the guard scowled. Turning to AJ, they pointed their spear threateningly. "Tell me the truth; what is-"
"A special necklace that allows her to use magic," Platinum blurted out, breaking her hours-long silence.
"Magic?" the guard frowned, letting their spear dip. "What kind of magic?"
"Super-strength," AJ sighed, not wanting to try putting the cat back in the bag now that Platinum'd let it out.
"Any tool that gives deadly strength is forbidden to pass," the second guard said, thumping their spear. "The stone stays out here, with its bearer if she doesn't wish to part with it."
"Those of us Lord Skies wishes to show the governor all have similar stones," Fluttershy replied, lifting up her own. "Our magic is not the same as her's, but super-speed and the ability to speak with animals may prove as deadly as brute force. As for taking them off, we don't know what would happen if we left them together, or if someone else, possibly tempted by some power of their's, were to put them on. They're too dangerous to leave alone, and our mission requires us to see the governor."
"Then your mission must fail," the second guard answered. "The stones will not pass this threshold. We will not risk the governor's safety."
"If we were a threat to his safety," Platinum asked. "do you think you'd be able to stop us? Applejack can lift a boulder with her bare hands, and I," she raced over to stand between the guards, then returned to her previous position before they even noticed she was there. "could get past you no trouble. Besides, if we were a threat to the governor's safety, wouldn't we have found a different, less guarded way in? Why go up to the guards if you're trying to sneak in, right?"
While the second guard pointed their spear at Platinum in shock, the first thumped their's on the ground and moved it aside. "The swift girl is right," he told his comrade. "If they were a threat, either we wouldn't know it or wouldn't be around to stop them." He turned his gaze on Applejack. "I don't know why they tried to keep the stones secret, but I know it's not for ill intent."
The second guard hesitated, then haltingly echoed the movements of their comrade. "Very well," she grudgingly said. "They may pass. Their comrades' weapons, however, as well as any other weapons they have, remain out here."
An assortment of knives, staffs, and swords were given to the guards for safekeeping. When AJ gave them her hunting knife, however, the second guard's hand fell on her shoulder and she hissed in her ear, "I'm trusting Quarter's judgement of your actions. Betray that trust, and we'll see just what I'm able to do to stop you."
AJ nodded, then brushed her hand off and followed the others to the wooden doors of the capitol building, the doors which opened at the prodding of the guards. As they passed inside, onto scuffed wooden floors, AJ found Platinum, nudged her with her elbow, and whispered, "Great job, Platinum."
Unexpectedly, her friend's face fell at that. "It was Rainbow Dash who said that stuff," she sadly replied. "Platinum didn't know what to say, so she asked Rainbow to speak instead."
AJ frowned, but before she could argue with her friend's bleak assessment of her abilities Soarin said, "Follow me. The sooner we speak with the governor, the better."
He led them through the faintly-rattling halls, eventually coming to the door of an office. Soarin motioned for the others to wait, knocked on the door, then poked his head in and mumbled inaudible words. After a few moments, he came back out and said, "It'll just take a few moments for them to get ready."
After a few seconds' wait, during which AJ was sadly unable to confront Platinum, the door clicked open and a soft pink hand ushered them in. They obeyed, Soarin leading the way, emerging in an office of middling size. A window in the back wall looked out on the windswept hill, the side walls stood decorated with trophies, awards, and flags, and in the center of the room stood a desk with two seats behind it. In the smaller seat, to AJ's right, the bearer of the pink hand sat, a professionally dressed woman who looked like she could give Rarity a run for her money in the looks department. She smiled maternally at the group as they entered, filling almost half the office, then cleared her throat and said, "Greetings, everyone. My name is Clear Sky, and this," she gestured to the other seat behind the desk. "is the governor of Cloudsdale, Lord Wind of the Great House Rider, Lord of Storm's Deep, Defender of the West."
The governor looked out at them with a glazed expression, red eyes looking dully out from an old face surrounded by a well-kept crown of grey hair, while a downward sloping mouth lay surrounded by an unkempt beard. He looked almost dead, and for a moment AJ thought he was, until he moved his gnarled hands to brush his wrinkled shirt.
"Your lordship," Soarin bowed. "I've found some people who I think can help us." He motioned for AJ and the others to come forward, and then gave the governor their names.
Lord Wind looked at them wearily, then dismissively waved. "Bah," he mumbled. "Only two'f'm are Cloudsdale stock, and those two're Pansies. Unless flower-crowns can save us, they won't be able to help."
"I wouldn't be so sure, your lordship," Soarin replied. Turning to AJ, he said, "Applejack, lift me."
"Wha?" she blinked in confusion.
"Show him that you can help," he explained. "I'm in almost full armor, if you can lift me that'll show how strong you are."
She looked at him, then the vaguely bored governor, and set her face. "Okay," she grunted, rolling up her sleeves. "Time to show this fella what an Apple can do." Bending down, she grabbed Soarin by the ankles and, with a heave of effort, lifted him into the air.
Soarin smiled down at the stunned Clear Sky and Lord Wind from his perch over AJ's head. "Do you still think she can't help us, your lordship?" he asked.
Lord Wind laughed at that, a raspy, broken laugh. "Yes, Lord Skies," he replied. "Your monkey's circus tricks won't be enough to help us."
"Monkey?" AJ snorted, dropping Soarin to the ground as she marched up to the governor's desk. "I ain't no monkey, and this," she thrust her geode at him. "ain't no circus trick."
"No," Lord Wind snorted. "But neither is it enough to save Cloudsdale. Fight, if you want, I give you leave or whatever you came here for; try to fight or help or save the day. You won't be able to. Nobody will. Soarin brought you here on a fool's errand, one with as much hope as I have."
"What're you talkin' 'bout?" AJ asked. "What's got you so glum?"
"That's right," Lord Wind grunted, tapping his temple. "I told the others not to tell anyone they didn't trust. Well, if he brought you here all the way from Skyspear, he must trust you, and even if he's wrong to," he darkly chuckled. "it won't matter soon. Clear Sky," he ordered his secretary. "bring Thunderlane here, and tell him to bring it."
"Yes, my lord," she nodded, quickly squeezing out of the office.
Lord Wind sighed as she left. "I need to send her away soon," he mumbled softly. "Her and the kid. This isn't their fight."
"Fight?" Fluttershy frowned. "With who?"
"You're right," Lord Wind sighed, tapping his temple again. "Fight's the wrong word. Slaughter, that's the one I'm thinking of. Bloodbath. Massacre. Butchering. Fight implies a chance at victory, something not even your shiny magic rocks give us."
"Who're you fightin' 'gainst?" AJ asked in horror. "Who would do a thing like this?"
"Not who," a new voice, Thunderlane she assumed, grunted as he opened the door.
"Not who?" AJ furrowed her brow, turning around to look at him. "What d'ya mean not--what in the world is that?"
Thunderlane grunted as he heaved the thing he was carrying onto the floor of the office, the others present clearing the way by unspoken command. It landed with a thud and a faint squelch, and then fell still.
It was big, easily a good three heads taller than her and wider than Big Mac. It was vaguely Man-shaped, but only in the most generous sense of the word; its arms were long, thing, and wiry, ending in a hand with fingers like short ropes. Its head was wedge-shaped, with some kind of frill along the top and a thick pair of lips on the front, its closed eyes, as large as bowling balls, bulging out from the sides. Its back was arched like it was bent over, though the bulging belly which oozed out over the floor made her think it walked like that normally. Its legs, stout, toned, and thick, ended in frog-like feet.
Feet that were almost three times as big as her's.
"What."
AJ blinked; Thunderlane's voice had dragged her out of her thoughts. "Er, come again?" she asked.
"It's not a 'who' we're fighting," he panted, wiping the sweat from his brow. "It's a 'what.' And this," he kicked the thing on the floor. "is that 'what.'"
"But," Fluttershy murmured, peeking over his shoulder. "what is it?"
"The enemy," Lord Wind replied, a dark laugh in his voice. "The enemy, and the end of Cloudsdale. Thunderlane," he ordered, the youth snapping to attention as he spoke. "tell them your story. Tell them about the brave deed of Thunderlane that will be sung of as long as Cloudsdale stands." His face darkened. "Then let them know why nobody will sing of it by the time Hearth's Warming rolls around."
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You know, for someone that’s scared of her own shadow she’s trying a little too hard to act intimidating.
She better be joking.
I can’t.
I will, too.
Applejack, if you were gonna lie, you shouldn’t have showed them the geode.
I’m never telling these fools a secret.
Well, at least she’s starting to tell the truth.
Fluttershy why?
Why?
I can answer that question. Not a damn thing.
Is this girl gonna ever make up her mind?
Are they gonna tell the entire world about those geodes?
Is it wrong that I laughed at that?
What the hell is that?
10851507
She's scared of a lot of things, yes, but she also cares about her friends, and as she showed the dragon in Dragonshy (S1E7) and the cockatrice in Stare Master (S1E17), you threaten her friends, and that fear won't be enough to stop her. There's steel beneath her veneer of shyness and anxiety.
She's not.
Fear, possibly, or maybe a desire not to burden others. Or maybe she just didn't want people to think she was mad, or had something like dissociative identity disorder. The acting ability she describes sounds like a lot more than just method acting, after all.
Understandable.
She didn't mean to show them. Ironically, if she hadn't tried to hide it they probably wouldn't have noticed, making her actions literally counterproductive.
I wouldn't call them 'fools' so much as 'people being forced to decide between bad choices.' In addition, there was a spear pointed at AJ; lying or refusing to answer might risk that spear striking.
Just like Platinum did.
She was trying to prevent them from being forced to part with their geodes or split up. Plus, what would've happened if she'd kept quiet and the guards saw her and Platinum's geodes, geodes that AJ admitted gave her potentially deadly capabilities? Laying her cards out on the table like that was the best of her options.
For why they're letting them pass, their comrade agreed to, and she probably can't keep them out alone; as for why they were forced to give up their weapons, like the guard said, safety concerns.
Do they know that? Does AJ know that? Do we know that, for certain? Magic doesn't grant invulnerability, after all.
We shall have to see. At the moment, though, keep in mind, she's just started giving up a role she's played for years in order to take up one she last consistently used in middle-school, if not earlier. It's only natural that there will be some difficulties in the transition.
At least the people in it who need to know, like the governor Lord Wind of House Rider. (Trivia: Clear Sky would introduce Soarin as Lord Soarin of House Skies.)
Depends on why.
Hopefully Thunderlane can shed some light on this mystery.
10851565
I wouldn’t call it steel. More like a metal alloy.
I was hoping you’d say yes.
Too late for that. She has some sort of disorder.
So what’s the reason they haven’t replaced the governor?
I’m not saying she has to hide it, but don’t shove the geode in their faces when they ask if you have weapons.
Just take the spear and snap it.
Yeah, they’re just doing it at bad times.
But that’s why aj shouldn’t have opened her mouth. Plus, why would fluttershy tell them EXACTLY what they do?
Well, aj has super strength which would require being at close range and as far as we know they don’t have guns.
So she’s basically having an identity crisis?
I think the reason I laughed was because he said it so casually. So is that bad?
Which mystery?
10851588
The part about rainbow dash being clever.
I actually asked that awhile ago.
So she told them because she had no other option?
I know she answers it later, now.
My bad. I meant neutral.
Ok, I actually laughed at that, but don’t look so guilty.
So what determines the difference between a lie and a secret is if that person has the right to know?
Amen.
Yeah, something tells me if this is the world’s last hope, then we might as well tell our love ones we love them one last time.
Ohh. I thought she meant the size.
10851604
Some of her pranks indicate at least a certain low kind of cunning, though I understand where you're coming from.
Yeah, my bad. Doing point-by-point replies like this takes more effort than I thought. Sorry for the delay.
And because the lie grated on her after keeping it up for so long. But, yes, mainly because she couldn't see any other options.
Towards magic, yes.
Glad to hear I could help!
Also, yeah, AJ (whether pony or human) needs to get a better poker face than this.
According to my philosophy, yes. It is quite the tricky question, though.
I'd do that regardless of hope regarding the outcome, but yeah, I get you. Why does the mystical Selector of Heroes, across worlds, seem to love picking the last people you'd trust with the position?
Ah. I see. Easy mistake; I'll try to clear that up.
10851591
Perhaps. My point is that there is something strong underneath her, not just a reed.
Perhaps. She might just be a strong method actor, though. If she does end up having a mental disorder, though, I hope I'll be able to do justice to those who suffer it in the real world in my portrayal. At the moment, my plan is for her not to, but we'll see if my writing agrees with that plan...
I'll elaborate more on why later, but for now let me just say that a big part of it is because he's the head of a great house, and ticking off the head of a great house (even by removing them from a thankless, almost powerless position) is not a wise move.
Once again, the ironic thing is AJ basically shoved it in their face by trying to hide it from them.
That would confirm hostility (the guard is simply acting defensive in case AJ turns out to be, as she suspects, a threat), causing a fight which the Rainbooms have no wish to fight (and, should Soarin help the guards, one they are unsure about winning).
Perhaps. They have their reasons, though they are still teenagers so those reasons may not stand up to scrutiny.
So much annoyance could have been avoided if AJ had been a bit more subtle about reaching for her geode. As for Fluttershy's explanation, partially it was to give a more credible threat, partially to tell the truth, and partially just because she chose to.
Even one lucky hit from a sword or spear would be enough to kill her, and it is possible to use spears from a distance. The fight isn't one-sided, on either side, despite the Rainboom's magic.
Basically.
Nah. Nothing to worry about.
What in the world that thing he dragged in is.
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It’s ok, I know how you feel.
Wow, that’s a little messed up now that I think about it.
Ok, that is amazing.
Ohh. So it’s just your philosophy? I thought it was the actual definitions.
Maybe to cause suspense?
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Reed?
So she doesn’t have it yet?
Ohh. So he’s basically rich?
She shoved it in their faces to hide it?
We must have two definitions of defensive.
Oh yeah. I forgot they were teenagers. That explains all the drama.
But why not only tell them what her OWN geode could do? If I was rainbow dash I would have been upset at her.
Key word being ‘lucky’ which based on what’s going on in cloudsdale they don’t seem to have.
Thank god.
Ohh. So what about the mystery of the storm and what’s going on in cloudsdale?
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Just an example weak material I thought of.
I don't know if she has it yet; it won't be a matter of her obtaining it, it'll be a matter of me deciding whether or not she had it to begin with.
Not necessarily rich, but highly influential. Think someone like the mayor of New York City or Paris or London, only to an increased degree; the heads of the great houses have vast political power in the areas around their estates, partially due to the number of loyalties they directly command. I'll see about making a blog post on this sometime, because it looks like I might not have indicated how powerful they are in the main story.
She was trying to hide it, but the way she did it caught the guard's notice. They asked her what it was, her and Soarin's futile attempts at waving it away as just a necklace or trinket failed, and eventually she ended up shoving it in their face. She didn't plan to shove it in their faces, but her and the others' reactions to the guards ended up leading her to.
To me, the guard was being defensive because 1) they were reacting to Applejack 2) they were waiting for provocation before attacking 3) they were only behaving in such a way in order to defend the governor. The key isn't just what they were doing (pointing a danger-stick at AJ), it's why they were doing it (she was a potential threat to the governor who was refusing to divulge what may or may not have been a weapon).
Not all of it, but a good portion, yes.
If she's going to tell them what two of the geodes do, what use is there in keeping what the third does secret? If she hadn't, might'n't the guards have asked what Platinum's did anyway?
The point is that there's a chance of a disastrous outcome resulting from a fight, a chance that, no matter how low it is, isn't worth risking. If worst comes to worst, AJ could probably fight through a good few people, but that's a last resort; it's too risky otherwise.
Glad I could help. Advice for in future, though; don't put undue weight on the opinions of random people on the internet. I'm not saying you did, just that it might seem like you did.
Regarding what's going on in Cloudsdale, Thunderlane will tell us soon; as for the storm, one of the key points of this series is that magic's coming back everywhere, not just in isolated places like it has so far in the show. Cloudsdale's weather's getting its magic back, as are a lot of other things. The return of magic isn't the only reason the weather's going wonky, though; there are other reasons, ones we'll learn about in future.
Wow. I've seen the discussions of Rainbow Dash's self-esteem, especially after "Parental Glideance," but this version is on a whole other level. This girl has some serious unresolved mental health issues. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that one of two things will happen: either she'll manage to reconnect with her long-neglected "true self" and find a balance between the mask and the face beneath; or she'll turn out to actually be the legit reincarnation of the OG Rainbow Dash in some sort of climactic epiphany that significantly shifts the balance of the narrative.
Either way, she needs a hug.
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So both her and soarin suck at lying?
So someone being a potential threat despite not doing anything hostile is an excuse to shove a sharp weapon at someone.”?
She could have lied and said rainbow or platinum’s allow her to teleport.
Well that possibly shows they’re more mature than me, because that would have possibly been my first option.
I don’t think I did, but I could check.
Wait, you’re making it sound like the human has magic before sunset shimmer came to the human world.
Speaking of sunset, what is this about her calling out the rainbooms before the battle of the bands?
Yes, we get it.
... "We" apparently doesn't include Applejack.
I can definitely understand Platinum. My sister was terribly shy growing up. Only after drama camp did she really come into her own; she'd learned how to literally act like a more confident version of herself. And therein lies the trick. You don't have to assign an alternate identity to the mask. That way, it's less you becoming the mask than it is learning to behave that way sincerely, sans dramaturgy.
(That said, Platinum is probably amazing at role-playing games.)
... Okay, at least tell me the guards have guns somewhere on their person. Or tasers. Or something that wasn't developed in the Bronze Age. I can appreciate ceremonial guards, but come on.
So we straight up have Théoden,
kinggovernor of the riders. I'm keeping an eye on his secretary.And no, Soarin, it isn't immediately apparent how he's staying in office just by looking at him.
This was a fascinating exploration of both Cloudsdale and one of its daughters, but I can't believe you're cutting off the story there. There's still a lot left to tell for this one. I can understand wanting to contain the journey to the capital as its own arc, but "Hey, tell them how screwed we are" isn't the most satisfying ending to a story. Still, you definitely have me looking forward to further developments.
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Sorry. Just felt it bore repeating.
Apparently.
First off, dramaturgy is an awesome word. Second, yes, this is exactly the point Platinum's missing; her masks aren't different people, they're simply extensions of her, extensions which she can incorporate into her own identity. She is the master of her masks, not the other way around. Also, yes, she is amazing at RPGs, though Big Mac's group banned her from DMing after she almost killed their party in the Tower. ("No fair! Villains shouldn't be allowed to use effective design in their dungeons!")
They do have electric bolt-casters, don't worry, and the rest of their arms are more advanced than simple Bronze Age relics. The problem is, most Homestrian military technology is focused on preventing casualties, like advanced armor (plate that actually works against brute force) and stun-weapons, not inflicting them. The thought of Homestrian killing Homestrian is almost unthinkable outside of Cloudsdale, and even in there it's seen as a last resort. While this does mean that violence is limited across the kingdom, it also means that when people come bearing violence it's more difficult to respond.
I will neither confirm nor deny Wind Rider's inspiration.
Yeah, it seems like I didn't make it clear enough; basically, Wind Rider's the head of a great house, and ticking him off by removing him from a position (even a mostly ceremonial/useless one like Cloudsdale's governor) isn't the best idea. I'll try to rewrite it to be clearer.
Oh, don't worry, this story is nowhere near done. This section of the story, the initiation into the core conflicts (Platinum's search for identity, the political situation in Cloudsdale, the fight against the thing Thunderlane lugged in), is done, but there is still much to explore. Like AJ said earlier, this isn't an end, it's a beginning. Glad to hear you liked it so far, and hope to fulfill your expectations in future.
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Also, I just realized that the description mentions their parents.
Okay, first I would like to say that I really like what you've done with Platinum/"Rainbow" here. It's a brilliant twist that I absolutely did not see coming, but that nevertheless explains a lot about "Rainbow Dash"'s characterization and personality. Not to mention that I love stories that do interesting things with identity, and the trope of living within a false identity for so long that it becomes who you truly are is one I find particularly resonant.
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I'm sorry, but I just find this impossible to believe. In the first place, I find it very hard to believe that a culture could have a modern industrial base and knowledge of chemistry (which we know Homestria must have to make things like plastics and automobiles) and not discover gunpowder or other gunpowder-adjacent propellants at some point. And (as history shows us) gunpowder weaponry represents such a quantumn leap in military power that any state which does not possess it will be essentially helpless against those who do. So once Homestria discovered the existence of gunpowder, they would have to arm themselves with it (or something of equivalent power) if only to ensure that other, more aggressive nations didn't perceive them as defenseless prey. As the Romans put it, "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum".
I could understand the Guards not carrying lethal weapons day-to-day, that they stick to the bolt-casters for peacekeeping duty, but they should at the very least have guns or similar weapons in the armories for exactly such contingencies as these trogs.
Which kind of ties into my other point: I don't believe that civil violence can be made as unthinkable as you seem to be suggesting this side of heaven. History makes it clear that the only way to stop fallen human beings from killing and attacking their fellows is either for all to be armed and prepared to defend themselves, or for there to be some kind of central authority which has greater firepower to hand than any individual or small gang and which can enforce the laws and punish those who break them. (Of course, humans being sinners, that central authority will itself become corrupt and tyrannical without the grace of God, the general populace keeping it in check, or ideally both, but that's a bit of a tangent).
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I understand, and, to be honest, I agree. The only counterargument I can think of is this; Homestria is not on this side of heaven, or the other side: it's fictional. It's not realistic, and not fully meant to be; it's an alternate, more idealized reality, a world where humans aren't as prone to murder as they are here. To go back to this point of your's,
our world is one where humans looked at the havoc gunpowder could wreak and said, "We could make good use of this;" Homestria is a world designed around the question, "What if, instead, we went 'We have to protect our people from this?'" I tried to take the kid-friendly atmosphere of the show and design a world around it, a world where it makes sense that the Royal Guard don't seem that effective in a straight-up fight. Whether I succeed in doing so or not is up to the reader, but that was my intent; not to create a fully realistic world, but rather one that answers that question.