Love is a like a garden, Rarity had always known that. You had to take care of the garden that was love: water it with affection, weed out petty fears, nurture the timid intimacies. But the weeds that suffocate the flowers and feast on the trees can strike with little warning even when the utmost care is taken. The rot of despair can eat away at the green no matter how much love is poured into a relationship.
Rainbow deals with the possibility of a flightless future in the aftermath of a brush with death with help from Rarity. Many waters cannot quench love; perhaps not even crippled wings can dampen it for long.
(Sequel to Where the Sun is Silent. You do not really have to have read that story to enjoy this one. Know only that Rainbow and company were pawns in the sick games of an elder god of chaos and that she was seriously injured.)
and still in that nineteen of life when
still in that nineteen of life
in that nineteen of
that nineteen
nineteen
I see what you did there...
There's always room in this world for more RariDash
I can see this getting featured.
1622046
YES. There is room in this world for all pairings, known and unknown, but the universe holds a particular fondness for Raridash.
I wouldn't have ended it any other way. This was great, a tale of love, sorrow, and acceptance. I don't even want to know the outcome, which is weird, I ALWAYS want to know what happens next.
DON'T WORRY I'M HERE!
I need some sort of catchphrase for when I show up.
That said: Not a fan of Raridash(not a fan of shipping, personally), but this was well done.
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1621998 I was EXACTLY thinking about the introduction King put into the revised version of The Gunslinger. I like his introductions as much as I love his stories, sometimes. He's real life shortskirts. You just want him to keep writing his writing is so pretty *pets*
1622186 Thanks! Don't worry--no one I know in the world beyond the screen cares for shipping, or at least pony shipping. :P I'm glad you liked it anyhow though. (Regidar. lol. Good name. I like that. I think I have said that before....)
1622088 From yer lips to God's ears, pard. Heh. Not likely. :P But... I kind of hope so!
1622110 "and lo the gates of heaven opened up, the seventh seal was broken. And I, John, saw a flood of Raridash cascading down upon the Earth and it was very good." The Book of Raridash 19:99
or something
Heh. I like Raridash best of all the Mane 6 pairings, actually.
1622245 Regidar is best name.
Nice
Brilliant ending as well.
1622273 Thanks! I wasn't sure at ALL about that ending... but both my editors liked it. Goes to show that the eye of the creator is not always to be trusted. Sometimes you just need to ask for a second opinion!
1622301 ... NIC, if I made you cry or even think about life my goals as a writer are complete. I'm only partially kidding.
1622347
Not a problem. Sometimes the creator looks from the "wrong" angledl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/shrug_Queen_Chrysalis.png
1622245
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Glad you kept the ending. Nice, work Cynewulf! I did notice one typo, however. Near the beginning, where you mentioned the pre-readers, you accidentally referred to me as "most-learned."
I will get around to reading Where The Sun is Silent, I promise. It looks exciting.
1622685 pfffttt wow. Let me go find that.
1622689 This is somewhat surreal.
1622705 Your tears water the earth! Hurrah ecology.
1622726 heh, you're the one with the manual of style! :D
1622743 Nuh-uh! You're surreal!
1622779 BEST COMEBACK EVER
Very interesting. One on hand, I wish I knew if Rainbow ended up flying or not. On the other hand, I guess it doesn't matter really, because no matter what happens the two had accepted that either way, they were going to be happy and alright. On the other hand (HOLY SHIT I HAVE THREE HANDS), that's the absolute beauty of it, and if I were asked to write a different ending, I would smile and say "NOPE!!!"
You get my vote.
1623049 The real question I want to ask people is: What do you think? Can she fly or not? You kind of get to choose (for now)
If I could divorce myself from the story a bit and my opinion wasn't "Word of God" for this story... I'd be the first in there. lol That's just me though.
I will be returning to these two, but the next story is set much earlier, before Where the Sun is Silent... so who knows if I'll ever say?
1623143
These two?
Holy tits in a cookie jar this is a sequel! Gotta read that other one!
1623275 Ooops! heh
Yeah, it is. I meant for it to be that kind of sequel that you don't really need to have read the first story to get. (It looks like I succeeded!) The story this is a sequel to is much darker (the bits where she's remembering Rainbow's injury are from that story verbatim) but I'm kind of proud of it.
1623298
I'll have to read it in the near future then. Looks interesting. I don't typically do dark, but I can deal
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1623670 I am beyond intimidated by this.
Whatever you say yes ;_;
EXCUSE ME.
WHERE IS THE REST OF THIS? DOES SHE FLY OR NOT? shedlisagfkjugdsk;fgk;ds I wanna know...
Anyway, I loved it! Made me a bit emotional, actually. The worst part was that I have no idea what happened afterwards, but I suppose it's kind of like a "you can decide what happens" kind of story, right? I could be wrong, but I want a sequel, or a conclusion. Whichever one floats your boat.
So, good story! Have a favorite and a thumbs-up!
1624194 heh
What do you think? No, I'm serious. Do you think she flies? It's an honest question. Unless I return, it may never have a definite answer. But...
I don't know whether she does or not! If I'm sitting out there with you guys (which to some extent I am at the end) I'm gonna say... I hope she flies again. I want her to fly again. I want Rainbow to be happy.
But I kind of wanted to say that while it does matter, it doesn't destroy her. It's not that it doesn't matter, because it does. It's just that... either way, it won't take away who she is. My father's lung infection, that took his breath and his ability to run, didn't make him any less who he was! It mattered and it was sad, but he was always him.
Anyhow! Thanks for your comment. I am very, very glad you enjoyed it. I am also pleased that you have had feels. :3
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1624273 It's basically the Daring Doo equivalent of Michael Bay's take on Transformers, honestly... that's her real opinion on the book. :P muwhahahaha
1624276
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1623298
And here I was, planning to give you props for focusing on the shipping instead of the 'Discord's sire' thing.
1624220
I think Rainbow should get to fly and be happy again, too. Sure, not being able to fly wouldn't be the end of the world, but it's still not something you want to happen. It's not a good thing.
1624611 hey now, didn't I say I wanted it to be something you could read independent of the earlier story? Simply satisfying the curious.
You never wish sadness like that on characters! I certainly don't. The more I think about it, the more it's likely that I *won't* write what happens. I dunno.
Well now this is something different.
Ok, where to begin, Well First off thanks for a very suspenseful story (Slightly preturbd by the cliffhanger as one always is). Secondly, i ate popcorn while reading this but here at the end i can taste wine and i have only drank that once or twice in my life, so cudos on however the hell you did that with words. Third, i enjoy reading rarity's thoughts in fanfiction because they are almost foreign to me and i love not being able to see the coming possibilities with her actions, but this is something apart from most other stories i have read the flow worked just right so as i could hear Rarity speak the whole way through. I was getting lost as to where Rarity was in some points of the story because of how it seemed she was doing an inner monologue and flowing through that, i had to pay close attention to the quotation marks to keep up with actual conversation because of the state this places upon me. Finally well i have to state i dont know what to do now, i am not at a loss for words merely actions, this piece... i dont really know, it really drew me in and i think i must read it again another time to see if i can think of anything i can say to this other than stating the fact that you did a FANTASTIC job with this. So for now upvote and thanks for the strange happenings and a beautiful story.
1624901 First off--thank you, I'm glad you liked it.
I know exactly which part you're talkin' bout.The part where they're walking and Rarity's remembering, I assume. That was kind of an experiment. In real life, y'know (at least... I do this) while others are talking you can be deep, deep in thought. I always write in 3rd person but I try to write in a way that kind of is both right beside that character and yet distant enough to be objective on occasion. I'm not totally sold on exactly how I did that (it is confusing, you're right). I liked it here, but... we'll see what I do in the future. Fanfiction is all learning process for me.
1626250
That was the precise point, you are correct. I thought she was watching Dash and Sweetie from a vantage point and listening in watching for any turn in Dash's Mood.
You had me at the title! Beautifully written and characterized perfectly. I can take it as a standalone but I'm motivated to read the prequel, as well as half your back catalog, which speaks well of your style.
Does she fly in the sequel? I'd vote yes, but at reduced capacity: She'll never be a Wonderbolt and even the Rainboom might be out of reach. Will she be content to reach the sky again but never soar?
Masterful. I am amazed at the amount of character development you manage with so few words. And while the premise is founded in tragedy, I absolutely love how you work in the positive developments for... well, for everyone. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, it made me smile to see them happy and successful.
I think you hit Dash's character just right- you added maturity without making her un-Dash-like. Using Rarity as the primary viewpoint was a wonderful touch- she's the perfect character to give us the detail of emotion and feeling in scenes without it feeling contrived.
Honestly, I'm just sitting here shaking my head... I really love this. It's sad, but hopeful, and makes me feel... content.
I just want to say 'thank you' for writing this- we need more thoughtful works like yours.
Most excellent. I continue to adore your characterization. I actually really enjoyed Dash in this one. It was interesting to see her still be herself even during such troubled times and there was a really nice blend of emotions there.. She has obviously been a lot happier in the past than she is right now, but I like how the indomitable aspect of her personality has been preserved. You can throw her life into complete disarray and threaten to take away her greatest passion, but this Rainbow Dash, damn it. No matter what happens, she will continue to move forward. And who better to stand beside her in her refusal to back down and accept she won't amount to anything than Rarity?
Personally, I really did interpret the story as leading up to a scenario where Rainbow's flying has been seriously crippled. That's just me, though. You mentioned a potential sequel in the comments and to that I can only say: Yes please!
Oh, and I must say I loved Rarity's line about Dash ruining her own moments. Very amusing and fitting for Rainbow. And the part where you had her examine Rainbow's body was great as well. I always did like the idea that Rarity would enjoy Rainbow's body more than the average pony, so to speak, seeing how Rainbow basically strives for bodily perfection, which I believe is something Rarity could appreciate.
1626818 I'm glad you're wondering.
I'm not sure if I'll write a sequel or not. Certainly not for awhile.
However, I will be writing more in what I am looking-for-a-name-to-call-verse (Foxverse? ha) I have some ideas solidifying and I like them
(Also yay someone liked the title! I love that title--I love the verse and the book and wow it is all just so good. There are actually quotes from the Song of Solomon in the story, as well as that whole massage thing which was heavily inspired by chapter 3 (i think that's the right one)
1627266 Thank you for the kind words. Contentment--that's kind of the mood I shoot for with a lot of my stories. I want that catharsis to happen.
Rarity is also really really fun to write as. I do better with more cerebral characters, so I have a bit to hold on to in Rarity but also stretch myself.
1628788 I really liked writing their dialogue. :3 I also really enjoyed the whole massage scene. It was fun to write and I just... I worked on it fast. Razed watched me write most of it in GoogleDocs at lightning speed. I borrowed a lot of the language and imagery from reading that passage in SoS where I got the title. (Weird inspirations are weird.)
1630528
Forgot to mention earlier - the wine / vinyard theme running throughout, which includes the title (and the passage in question) was brilliantly done. That "heady wine" scene was a breathtaker, and shows precisely what expertly-crafted prose can do without resorting to clop.
Also used SoS in my own wedding, so it's long since been a favorite.
1630599 Yay! I'm glad you liked it. It's my favorite part, honestly.
1622186 Everywhere...
1641208 ERRYWHERE
I find this difficult to read, perhaps because it is so long and I prefer shorter chapters. Perhaps because Raridash, but I do love them together... just seems hard for me to read about it... Perhaps because you didn't give Big Macintosh to Fluttershy HOW DARE YOU!
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This was a wonderful bit of Rarebow shipping. i really enjoyed this. it almost moved me to tears at some parts.
Well, this was wonderful. I loved your characterization of not only Dash and Rarity, but Sweetie Belle and Scoots as well. I love how realistic the conversations are, too. The dialogue just kinda flowed, if that makes sense. Actually, this reminds me of Gardez's Salvation a bit - which can only be a good thing. An excellent take on the whole Rainbow could lose her ability to fly/wings scenario - and with Raridash! Keep up the awesome work
1667134 It should--I Love love love love Salvaton. The original version of this story was me accidentally following part of the plot of Salvation. ;_; It does feel a little like it! (Only not as good and not as beautiful. :P )
Guh, there's that familiar warmth and stupid happy smile that normally follows one hell of a story.
Just... my word, I'm glad I decided to read this before I slunk into bed, because this -- this was worth the momentary deprivation. Oh so very worth it. Sadly, though, I kind of doubt I'll be able to sleep at all now. Why? Well, for one thing, this:
Really? I had to sit and admire that little line for a bit, it's just so perfect. This story is going to be floating around my head for a good while now, and prose like that--of which there are many in this story--stick with me, especially the emotions they unravel and let flit about. And hey! This was a RariDash, something I've never honestly stopped to give the time of day.
Oh how terribly awful I had limited myself, and how wonderful this has been for a first. Well done sir (or madam), well done indeed.
Post edit: Darn, I forgot to mention the ending (which was spectacularly open and emotional). I like to think Rainbow gets her flight back, that she's happy, but you know what? The thought of her loosing the gift of flight--or, more preferably, having it significantly limited--isn't all that terrible if you think about it. Actually, I think it would give their relationship just a little bit more meaning, more depth. The fact that she can live life happily without something so dear, because she has Rarity, who she no doubt loves unconditionally, speaks a great many things about her. Plus, it's just so sweet ^-^
So yeah, flight is all well and good, but I'd be just as content if she lost it, because I know she'd be happy no matter what.
She has them Rarity snuggles, after all =3
1717817 What a delightful comment to come back into after having to rake leaves. :P
Thank you! I'm glad that you enjoy my prose, and I'm really glad you liked this story. This one is prooobably one of my favorite things that I've ever written period, believe it or not. The list fluctuates, but this one is consistently in the race for first place.
The line that you like is actually me messing around with a quote! I twisted it a bit and added a bit of cheek into Song of Songs 8:7, which is:
Which is one of my favorites. Fun fact: a lot of this story comes from me thinking about the Song and playing with my favorite lines. :3 (There's a reason why they restricted it to boys who had become men, goodness, such a poem) I'm also glad you liked the ending. :3
If you like Raridash, I have a somewhat happier story in "A Lady Does Everything With Feeling" and am working on one entitled "Lilies of the Field" that should be out before the winter break! But if you want the big-name fic from this ship and can stomach a little bit of mature content, Gardez's Salvation is an amazing, heartbreaking, beautiful read.
Darling, in my opinion, that ending was perfect. It doesn't matter what the answer is, the important thing is that Rarity and Rainbow Dash are there for each other.
Thank you for a wonderful story dear, ciao
1624631
A crazy thought occured to me....wait, HEAR ME OUT!
What if, as a writer, you can't decide which ending to choose for the fate of these two.
Still with me? okay, so what if you wrote an ending for BOTH scenarios! then there would be two separate endings to the same story, and people would lose their minds over which one should be the right one!
That sounded better in my head, where most of my thoughts should stay.