“That's incredible, Nick!” a mare cooed, her eyes aglow from his purple aura. “When did you start being able to do this?”
“Just minutes ago!” the unicorn said. He stood across the table from her in the middle of a first floor library, surrounded by shelves, books, and tittering alumni. He spoke while levitating a book around in the air before her. “You'll never believe it! This mare—this pegasus mare with the most amazing mane just lands out of nowhere, and she's flying! Like... without flapping her wings off or crashing into stuff or making herself look like an idiot! Suddenly, every other pegasus on campus can fly no problem! As if the blight isn't even around us!”
“You're right,” the mare exclaimed, nodding. “I can't believe it...” She gulped. “And every unicorn...?”
The stallion nodded. “From what I can tell, I was the first one to give it a try.” He gave his levitating book a tap, then playfully twirled it about in midair, smirking. “I haven't given my horn this much of a workout in months. Could you imagine how much better my penmanship would have been if I could do this months ago?”
“Heheh...” The mare smiled sheepishly, brushing a hoof over her hornless brow. “I'm afraid I can't. But I'm happy for you.”
“This doesn't freak you out at all?” Nick asked.
“Uh... not really, no. Why?” She squinted. “Should I be? I mean, with the Blight gone, what does that mean, exactly? You're the nautical expert.”
“I... I don't think it's in my place to guess,” Nick said, gazing intently at his floating book. “But... but do you know what I think?”
“Hmmm?”
“I think that pegasus totally had something to do with it,” he said, smirking. “I mean... there was just something magical about her. She had this vague, mysterious look about her face, and... and this amazing gold pendant around her neck!”
A commotion built up in the library, issuing from above everyone's heads.
Nick continued: “And that saddlebag she was wearing! I swear, not even the Six Tribes have sewn stuff that refined!”
The mare tilted her head up, pointing above and past Nick's horn. “You mean like that?”
Nick and several other ponies spun around. His jaw dropped. “Holy cow! It totally is her!”
Rainbow Dash was shuffling across a lofty balcony overlooking the lower library. She wasn't alone. Several pony students followed her at a distance, murmuring in curiosity and wonderment. A certain unicorn stumbled to catch up, phasing through several equine bodies, although Nick's eyes never once centered on her.
Rainbow Dash took one glance down at the library—then froze in place. She squinted at the crowd, and at last she caught sight of Nick. Or—much rather—she caught sight of the book that Nick was levitating in front of him.
“Uh... h-hey there!” Nick waved from afar while several ponies looked on. “You... uh... you shove any handsome colts lately? Eheheh...”
Rainbow's eyes narrowed.
“Oh... oh my gosh...!” Twilight suddenly cooed, a hoof over her palpitating chest. “So... so many books!” She grinned wide. “Why, I-I don't think I've ever seen any of these bindings before! Or these titles! Rainbow, where in Equestria could we possibly b—?”
FWOOSH! Rainbow dove clear over the side with blue wings spread. Several ponies instantly gasped.
“Gaah!” Twilight flailed, sinking through the floor and floating after Rainbow.
Everyone gawked in surprise as the mare hovered to a stop, then landed on the floor across the table from Nick. She stared squarely at the unicorn.
He looked back, shivering slightly. “So... uhm... are you gonna tell me... us?” He gulped, then tried harder to keep his smile straight. “Where you're from, I mean?”
“… … …”
“Cuz... I have a theory,” Nick said.
“Yeah, he has a theory—” The mare seated next to him nodded.
He rested a hoof on her shoulder. “I think you came from the Blighted Sea. Like... way out there... where the lights flicker. Is it true?” He leaned forward. “Are you from the Blighted Sea by chan—”
Rainbow's hoof flung forward.
“Ghhh!” Nick recoiled, wincing. Rainbow's hoof stopped an inch from his muzzle, grasping the book he was levitating. He squinted an eye open, watching as Rainbow yanked the tome out from his magic field and lowered it to the table.
Twilight Sparkle trotted up, blinking curiously.
Rainbow glanced silently at the book. Taking a deep breath, she tilted her chin up, then swiveled the book around until its pages were facing away from her. With flaring nostrils, she grunted: “Read.”
Nick blinked. He glanced at the book, then back at Rainbow Dash. “Very well, then, if you ins—”
“Not you.”
Nick flinched again, as did a few other ponies.
Several seconds of uncomfortable silence dripped by.
At last, with a pensive shuffle, Twilight Sparkle squeezed her way between Nick and the Mare. “Uhhhh...” She tilted her head over his shoulder, squinting at the pages. “Ahem...” She read aloud. “'Dean stands in the back, saying, 'Goddess! Yes!'—and clasping his hooves in prayer and sweating. 'Sal, Slim knows time, he knows time.' Slim sits down at the piano and hits two notes, two C's, then two more, the—'”
Before Twilight even finished, Rainbow Dash repeated what she said several words late, all the while her eyes were plastered to the ceiling: “'Slim sits down at the piano and hits two notes, two C's, then two more, then one, then two, and suddenly the big burly bass-player wakes up from a reverie and realizes Slim is playing 'C-Jam Blues' and he slugs in his big forelimb on the string and the big booming beat begins and everypony starts rocking and Slim looks just as sad as ever...'” Rainbow Dash's voice trailed off... but only because Twilight's had. She glanced forward.
Twilight stared calmly... patiently at her.
Rainbow wrenched her gaze off, next glaring at Nick. “...well?!”
“Uh... Huh?”
“Is that what's on the page?!” Rainbow asked.
“Why... y-yes!” Nick nodded while the ponies around him murmured in awe. “Absolutely! To the exact word! But... h-how did you do that?” He cocked his head to the side. “This is the only print of the book in Kihutaja! I brought it with me from the Central Archipelagos!” He gaped. “You couldn't possibly have memorized it... could you?”
“... … ...” Rainbow Dash leaned forward. “...I hate books.”
Nick and the other ponies blinked, exchanging glances. “Erm... I... which—?”
“ALL of the books!” Rainbow spat, eyes twitching. “All of them!” She barked, “I hate reading!”
The students could only flinch and stared.
Rainbow panted and panted. Her head tilted slightly towards a lavender shade next to her.
Twilight's ears perked up and her lips pursed.
“...!” Rainbow spun away from her, seething. She clenched her head, shivered a bit, then lurhced towards the nearest exit, her limp hooves clopping against the cold, pallid floor.
While the murmurs of the students arose, Twilight Sparkle bit her lip, moved her legs, and briskly shuffled after the lone mare. She phased directly through the closed door behind Rainbow with a flicker of lavender light.
l.wigflip.com/QrNxoIgm/roflbot.jpg
Come on, you're telling me you don't already know this?
Silly ponies.
Wonders if its a real chapter.. I mean it follows on like one.. although Nick's choice of reading matter.... *snerk*
Rainbow is sailing briskly down a river in Egypt.
It's very simple, she put a mirror in the back of the room. Wake up sheeple.
Oi...
Oi, Rainbow...for pete's sake...plz...just stahp.
s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/df/9d/60/df9d60ab062430094bd41c19bbf185e0.jpg
5804124
Upper end HD is 1920x1080.
You just went approximately 1656 1/2 times that.
WHY DID YOU GO FULL OVERACHIEVER!? NEVER GO FULL OVERACHIEVER!!!
It only leads to flames...
Hooray, more RD going insane, but not enough Twilight realizing that she's not in Equestria anymore.
7.8 / 10 too much nautical blight
Still in denial, I see. However, I'm glad she's been relatively subtle about the whole ordeal-
Ynanhluutr - Chapter 5: College Life In A Nutshell.
Forget what I said.
CRAAAAAWLING IN MY SKIIIIIIN!
I feel like Nick's book is a reference to something.
So, who wants to write the book-within-the-book?
I've never been able to find a good pony-pun for "Kerouac". It vexes me.
Also, if the next chapter is "It's Always Good to Triple Check", I'm gonna have a cow.
Okay, so now Rainbow, and we, are sure that Twilight is real and not a hallucination.
This is good.
The love of books never wavers, even in death and undeath!
AHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. . .
Do you know how sane you sound right now?
. . .
I really shouldn't be talking.
5808397
Looks like Zaid ValRoa just volunteered himself!
So... TwiNick, anyone?
Nicklight? TwiNick? Twick? I don't even know.
STRIKE TWO.
"I am
commanderRainbow Dash, and I will never have a favoritestoreanything on thiscitadelisland."So the local textile industry isn't as high end as others. Interesting. I have to wonder who Nick is to have access to the only copy of a book in the region, unless it's the only copy because no one else would be seen with it?
Who is Nick. Secret agent, or... tacky novel collector?
I do hope Dash and Twilight get on speaking terms before the book is over.
5808397
Looks at Swan Song.
5808442
Well, don't I look like a fool now.
5808428
But Swannie's too busy not writing TGoM
5808366 5808396 5808428 5808413 5808397
http://www.litkicks.com/Texts/RoadJazz.html
Tomorrow is the day. I'm scared. . .
Tell me why?!?!?!
5808407 Wait, who are you shipping Kera with now?
5808420 I'm actually leaning more towards NickDash. He totally has a crush on her.
i mean, you know, so would i5808454
But you had a crush on the naughty!ing HATCHET for Celestia's sake, who wouldn't you sh-
that was a stupid question, never mind me.
5808441 Oh, I know. After all, I am so busy not editing her latest chapter.
Chapter 200: Okay, Now We Are Done Checking
A charmer, isn't he?
How can you hate ALL books and ALL math?! Impossible!
You're doing it wrong!
5808454 True. RaiNick shall have to do for now. *nods*
Rainbow could totally earn cash by being a fake psychic now.
Though psychic book readings don't sound like they'd be much of a draw.
-Memories given light, ease a lonely flight. Ynanhluutr.
5808368
A river in Egypt? At this rate, she is gonna be shipping through Paris.
Rainbow sure is drawing a lot of attention to herself...
Spookle is reading books again.
Other than the part of everybody being able to perform their repressed individual talents, this seems like something that could happen at college. At least from the point of view of the studens.
5808379
but they are pretty, pretty flames!
watch as they burn in total, overachieving perfection, burning up your computer.
And ALL THE BOOKS contained within.
5809637 No! Not the books! Quick douse the fire with my whiskey!
How many times do you need to confirm it, Rainbow? You shouldn't deny it any more. You have to talk to her.
-Spirit (Yeast and Treacle)
She is perhaps taking this a bit far at this point she really needs to talk to Twilight
5808454
5809249 Mhm. I can't help but feel that this is going to bite her in the ass so hard once she settles down and starts having to socialize again.
5812511 are we talking about the same mare here
mental breakdown in 3.. 2... 1....
I just realized that Rainbow can't hug Twilight because she's a ghostie goo. This is very sad.
5882375 -9047!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Definitely not a hallucination. I am guessing acceptance is next.
Part of her knows, but she's refusing to believe.
6273484 i think so too....brace....
Hey, if RD fixed the blight here, what are the odds she's also fixed the entire Grand Choke? In related news, return of passionate Roarkbow when?
That it's a changeling
A dancing changeling
No something isn't right here.
And I appreciate how scientific RD is being about this. Having confirmed for herself that Twi knows things she doesn't, she now needs to prove her existence to the other ponies.
Chapter 6: I hate math
Chapter 7: I hate books
Chatper 8: I hate... history?
5812511
I agree with Sarda here. We're talking about RD.
Ultra awkward, cracky voiced monster slaying extraordinaire.
So then, in chapter 6, we know that the ghost is most definitely Twilight and in chapter 7, we know that she is actually there in a corporeal sense and not a hallucination.
What next?