“Look at me, Rarity. It's okay. You've got this.” Twilight Sparkle said, smiling sweetly. Her lavender hooves clasped with a pair of pale white fetlocks. “Center yourself on my voice. Concentrate. Simply... imagine your hooves making contact with the boat and they will. Trust me.”
“Alright... this is me...” Rarity nevertheless bit her lip, trembling in Twilight's grasp. “...trusting you.” The tiniest of dainty whimpers escaped her lips as her left rear leg touched down on the Swan Song's aluminum hull, and then her right. The mare exhaled with a breath of relief, and soon she was standing right next to Twilight along the tip of the ship's bow. “It... it isn't going through me!”
“I know! Isn't that great?” Twilight smiled. “You're doing a lot better than I was when I first emerged!”
“Surely you jest.” Rarity gulped and glanced aside at the mare. “A smart, healthy-minded, 'together' filly like you?”
“You've always had an exceptional imagination, Rarity,” Twilight said. “That's really the best way to make your incorporeal form act as though it's solid—”
“Gaaaie!” Rarity instantly slipped, forcing Twilight to grip her. She held on tightly, shivering. “I... do wish you h-hadn't said that...”
“Erm... it takes practice from the best of us,” Twilight said. “It's okay.”
“That remains to be seen,” Rarity said, standing once again on the hull with wobbly legs. “This... this is all so very much to take in.” She brushed her purple mane back and gaped at the Lagoon, the tower, the Nealenders, and beyond. “Are we actually... truly on the far side of the world?”
“Yes, Rarity,” Twilight said, nodding. “Thousands of miles away from Equestria. Close to the very edge.”
“My goodness...” Rarity blinked. She craned her neck and waved a hoof dramatically. “And in this state that Discord put us in, neither of us can be seen by anypony?”
“Or heard.” Twilight chewed on her bottom lip. “And... uhm... Discord didn't do this to us. Not exactly...”
Rarity turned to look at the heart of the group. “But... but our dear Rainbow Dash... is not affected?”
“... ... ...” Rainbow stared at Rarity's painted eyelids, the white sheen of her coat, and the elegant swirl of her mane.
“Rainbow, darling?”
“I... it...” Rainbow gulped hard. “Sorry. I just... uhm...” She glanced aside at Twilight.
Twilight smiled aside at Rainbow. She leaned in to place a hoof on Rarity's shoulder. “Rainbow's fine. That is to say... she's not affected in the same way you and I are. Ponies can see and hear her and she can touch things.”
“And... and...” Rainbow fumbled for words. At last, she exhaled through a bittersweet smile. “It's... super... super awesome seeing you again, Rares.” She struggled to keep her voice from cracking. “And hearing your voice.”
Rarity laughed, then laughed some more. “Oh, Rainbow, darling—you say that as if you haven't seen me in years!”
Rainbow's ears folded back. Twilight grimaced, fidgeting awkwardly.
Rarity blinked at them both. “We... were just zapped here by Discord, weren't we?”
“Rarity...”
“I... I remember it so vividly! Just a moment ago, we were attempting to use the Elements on him.” She cooed, her body squirming. “Our beautiful... gorgeous elements. Why, I had so many precious gemstones that I was going to... share with... Tom...” Rarity's eyes narrowed as she gazed at some nebulous point along the horizon. “That's... funny.” She gulped dryly. “I was... carrying on so much about stones and diamonds and pendants. But now... it's like c-coming out of a gray, gray cloud.” She gulped. “I don't understand how I could ever have... have...” The mare clenched her teeth, wincing. “The Royal Hedge Maze. How...?” She looked up at Twilight, lips trembling. “How on earth did we ever get out of that predicament?”
“You don't remember, do you?” Twilight remarked. “It must be because of the spell.”
“You mean like the same one that was cast on me?” Rainbow remarked. “Where I went nuts over Cloudsdale?”
“Discord caused you to turn your loyalty inside-out,” Twilight said. “And with Rarity... he removed her generosity and turned her into a hoarder! Of course!” Twilight tapped her chin. “It all makes sense now why my friends were acting so strangely! Fluttershy was bewitched to be cruel. Pinkie Pie was turned into a grump. And Applejack—”
“What was Discord even trying to do?” Rainbow asked.
“If... I could venture to guess...” Twilight shuddered. “He was trying to get to me.”
“To you?”
Twilight looked up at Rainbow. “My talents have always been magic, but it wasn't until I gained friends like you and Rarity and the rest that I was finally able to utilize my gifts. That's how I came to believe that I was the Element of Magic.”
“And aren't you?”
“It... it's really unsettling.” Twilight's coat paled slightly. “To think that Discord preyed upon us the whole time just... to deconstruct me?”
“I do hope somepony wouldn't mind slowing down a bit,” Rarity droned. “This is all well over my head, which I shudder to admit.”
“I'm sorry, Rarity,” Twilight said with a nod. “I'm sure you have a lot of questions.”
“Yes. Although I'm terribly afraid to have them answered,” Rarity said, her shifty eyes bouncing between the other two.
“Rarity...” Twilight waved her hooves with an earnest smile. “It's... it's okay. The long and short of it is that we're going to find the other girls and bring us all back—”
“Find the other girls?!” Rarity's brow furrowed. “Why... wherever would they have gone?”
“Uhm...”
“I... I don't get it.” Rarity waved a dainty hoof. “If Discord didn't scatter us all abroad, then who did? And why render everypony to phantoms but Rainbow?”
“Rarity, it... if you would just give us time to—”
“Rarity, your body's been destroyed,” Rainbow firmly said, making Twilight shudder. “Same with Twilight's, Fluttershy's, and all the rest.” Her ruby eyes narrowed on the gawking mare. “Basically, when you guys tried using the Elements of Harmony on Discord without, the magic backfired. Your bodies are gone, and so's Discord... because I showed up and smoked his dumb flank.”
“Rainbow, please—” Twilight meagerly began.
Rainbow continued: “But, as it turns out, the spirits of you, Twilight, and the rest are still kicking—but you're connected to me and the last element—the Element of Loyalty.” She pointed bluntly at the Eastern horizon. “The only hope we've got of bringing you guys back is for me to fly my butt to the dark side of the plane, fetch the Harmonic Prism out of the Midnight Armory, and make it back to Equestria Central so that one of the alicorn sisters can bring your bodies back.”
Twilight stood frozen-still and silent. Her eyes darted from Rainbow to Rarity.
“... ... ...” Rarity's muzzle hung open. “So... so Discord didn't zap you to this part of the world after all?”
“No.” Rainbow shook her head.
“Then... then how...?”
“I flew,” Rainbow said.
“You flew?!”
“Yes.” Rainbow nodded, then shrugged. “Well... flew... rode... trotted... sailed... crawled... swam...” She shrugged again. “That's not counting the explosions and dragons in between.”
“It's... a lot to take in, I know,” Twilight said. “But basically the two of us owe our very existence to Rainbow Dash here, Rarity. After all, it was she who discovered how to bring you and I back to—”
“Wait just one moment,” Rarity slurred, raising a hoof. “Rainbow Dash flew all the way here? For thousands and thousands of miles?”
Rainbow nodded. “At least three continents.”
“Oh my Celestia...” Rarity's gawking expression pivoted towards Twilight. “How... how much time...?”
“Rarity, please...”
“How long has it been?!”
“Just be calm—”
“Twilight, I must know!” Rarity exclaimed, teeth clenched. “How many years have passed?! Are our families alive?! Did Equestria ever recover from Discord?!”
“Rarity, it's not been years!”
“Well—” Rainbow started.
Twilight snapped at her. “Over one year at least!” She spun back towards Rarity. “But everything's fine! Equestria is in one piece—”
“But... but...” Rarity hugged herself as a hair or two sprung loose from her well-kempt mane. “My dresses! The Boutique! After a year of inactivity, then surely my entire catalogue would have been sold by now! I had so many designs locked up in safe-keeping! And if Mother and Father felt it in their hearts to reappropriate them—” Her eyes bulged. “Oh my goodness!” She gripped Twilight's shoulders, shrieking. “My family! They must think I'm dead!”
“Rarity—”
“Mother! Father!” Rarity started hyperventilating. “Father has a terrible heart condition! The news of my false demise would surely wreck him! And Sweetie Belle... oh poor Sweetie Belle!” Rarity tilted backwards, holding a limp hoof over a faint forehead. “Did she ever get her cutie mark?! Oh, I wanted to design her the most radiant gown for her cute—” She froze in place, blinking. Her wide eyes darted Rainbow's way.
Rainbow blinked back.
“All this time... all these months...” Rarity gulped. “You... you were flying... alone?”
Rainbow cleared her throat. “I... uh...” She managed a nervous smile. “I managed.”
“You were alone! All this time!”
“Not exactly, Rarity. I-I made friends. Believe me—”
“But they weren't us!” Rarity squeaked, her eyes moistening. “Your true B.F.F.s!” She sniffled, the tears welling up. “Oh how dreadful! Rainbow, you poor thing!” She stumbled forward, forelimbs outstretched. “A mare as loyal as yourself—”
“Rarity, don't—I can't!” Rainbow winced as Rarity's forelimbs flew through her.
Rarity jerked back, her tears streaming. She looked at her forelimbs, at Rainbow, then at her forelimbs again. Her frantic breaths increased, and at last she burst: “Hug! I need to hug somepony!”
Twilight swooped in to the rescue, wrapping here forelimbs around Rarity's waist.
Rarity nuzzled her, quietly sobbing. She looked up at Rainbow with glistening eyes.
“Hey... it's going to be okay, girl,” Rainbow said as calmly as she could. “I know it's all a little nuts... well... more than a little but nuts... but I'm gonna get you and Twilight and the others out of this mess! I promise!” She smiled, waving a hoof. “I can't promise a miracle overnight, but... don't you worry. I've got this.”
“But... but you shouldn't have to have this,” Rarity whimpered, sniffling between sentences. “Nopony, no matter how brave or dashing deserves this burden.”
Rainbow leaned back. Her lungs felt weak all of the sudden. After the wave of contemplation had rolled through her, she found the strength to mutter: “Yeah, well... the universe isn't nearly as generous as you, Rarity.” She nevertheless smirked. “But... who cares, y'know? You're back... and that makes me super crazy thankful. So... perk up, okay?” She leaned in, eyes bright. “That's how I've gotten by all this time. Only now... I think it's gonna be a heck of a lot easier, cuz I've got my B.F.F.s by my side.” She punctuated all of that with a wink.
Rarity finally bore a tear-stained smile. She reached a hoof out.
Rainbow mimicked the gesture. Their limbs stopped within a hair's breadth, and they allowed the warmth of the tropical winds to act as a necessary substitute.
“So brave,” Rarity squeaked, her sad voice nevertheless melodic. “So very brave, darling.”
“So very sappy,” Rainbow returned.
And then the mares giggled—Twilight included.
I think this sentence is missing words. Oops.
Also, Marshmallow!
-Spirit (Yeast and Treacle)
Ah, there it is.
She took that a lot differently than I thought she would. Still, tears were shed in the end, and some truly touching and heartfelt moments were shared.
Rarity, you silly marshmallow.
i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/815/603/4c4.jpg
..i'm sorry
Okay. I know we got the whole "Unrequited Lurve" thing, but that is going to get really annoying really quick. Every time someone tries to say Applejack, Rainbow goes all obsessed and avoidy.
Forty crunches, ):(. Knock 'em out!
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6064584
Eeeeeyup. That PSA of yours ain't sticking.
Ah yes, this is the chapter I was hoping for yesterday, now just to wait and see how Rarity takes the full story...
6064584 Sweet shivering Celestia, are you still on about that?
6064583 She did it about Roark too, since she dodged the topic of mentioning her in favor of talking about shell when she was telling Twilight the full story. I think Dash might have some issues with such topics in general.
6064611 Of course I am, for Celestia's sake!
Well, I suppose that went slightly better than I expected. Though the full journey's story is probably gonna break her.
Fluttershy is probably going to get destroyed by this.
And all of the ponies on the island, watching the dangerously insane prismatic pony talk to the voices only she can see and hear.
. . .Well that was a bit more blunt than I thought it would be.
Ah all thats well ends well. . .
A hug!
Now I see why Twilight needed to be summoned first...
Nothing of note in this chapter.
Not that I don't appreciate a good marshmallow conversation or anything but....
I just want to know if Yaerfaeda has changed color. And to what.
Rarity has her priorities straight, and on the bright side, she'll never have to worry about her appearance as a spirit.
Blunt Dash, but she took it well enough. Good idea though, like a band aid, the faster you rip it off, the less painful it is.
-Memories given light,ease a lonely flight. Ynanhluutr
6064752 Is that so?
RARITY IS BACK
Bust seriously, this is a big chapter, just as big as as the tower's rise. We're seeing the actual Mane Six for the first time in this story that isn't a flash back. I think we're doing fine, and this chapter is still noteworthy. Because it's a reunion, one of many.
IC handled it like I thought he would, keeping characters in character. Even and especially the one that's been through so much.
After many long weeks and/or months worth of reading, I'm only one more fic away from reading this one, the most recent of them all, and being able to actually comment and feel as though Im contributing something.
Will I survive long enough to understand what this one might be about?
Will my worries about there being no Jury mention in this be unfounded?
Stay tuned. Im always here.
Love Rarity's characterization here. It's nice having her aboard. Though, I find myself worried for Fluttershy; I can only imagine how she'll handle all this.
Also, I'm dying to see what color the beacon is next.
Best marshmallow is back! Sweetie and friends will be so happy! Now when's the next moon cycle...
6064616 Isn't Rainbow in the closet to her friends? I don't she's ever mentioned what's happened along the journey or her orientation to Twilight, and I'm not sure if anyone of her friends knew before they "died". Like, this makes it pretty believable to me that she's regressed a bit in her ability to discuss or even mention romance or sex because the old problems she dealt with and buried just got brought back with her old friends. I wonder if this will shock any of the Harmony Horses.
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6064822 I'm betting my money on yellow quite.
6064811 Oh, you're going to love it! I wish you luck, my friend!
We all know Applejack will be last. Unless IC screws with us. Fluttershy would be the next most impactful on Rainbow, as she has been her friend the longest. Meaning Pinkie is probably the next up before Dash gets double hit with her two closest friendships.
6064850 That is a good point I had forgotten about. I wonder how that will play out when it comes up... also I still hold out hope that Applejack one day meets Roarke, just so we can have Rainbow trying to handle being in the same room as both of them.
6064879 Honestly, I would prefer Fluttershy to be last in that order. Why? Because as much as the potential for some Appledashery would be impactful at the end of the line, Flutters NEEDS to wake up last, because she's gonna need a lot of comforting. If Rarity is an indicator of what's going to happen, then she's going to wake up not knowing anything about what is going on, and her last memories are going to be how cruel she was under Discord's hypnosis. She is going to learn that she died, that she can't interact with anything in the outside world other than her five best friends. And it is going to crush her, hard.
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We look forward to having you here!
6064670 Seriously. I was hoping the last paragraph of this chapter would pan over to Nick and Sinrar, gawking quizzicaly at the third of the conversation they could hear.
I imagined it anyway. Many lulz were had.
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But she'll never be able to wear clothes again!
Then Thenim Mane takes lots of pics and the many islanders find out she's not so nuts afterall.
Given Rarities definition of a hat in the Crystal empire, I wonder how long before she tries making bracelets, necklaces, bangles and bows etc from her and Twilights main and tail hair, decorated with bits of fur fluff.
I wonder just what Rarity will be able to make when Pinkie turns up, and will Hammerspace be useable due to being transreal? So for Rarities sanity, I propose Pinkie Pie.
For the same reason that Rimmer was brought back to keep Lister sane in Red Dwarf.
that, and Pinkie should b able to leave little presents behind. Which is strange, because given Twilights Magic, couldnt she use her possesion spells to puch even small amounts of unicorn levitation through Dashs air control magic structures in her wings?
That was so sweet! I have to say Rarity took it better then I thought.
Whee! The band is getting back together!
6065013 but she wouldn't be because it wouldn't lose the chance to crush our feelings with a break the cutie moment.
6065545 we're getting the band back together‽
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And at this most auspicious of moments, I most certainly want to dedicate this newly released little thing to the Austraeoh series, for it has never been more fitting.
6064570 I read this as:
Basically, when you guys tried using the Elements of Harmony on Discord without [the Elements of Harmony], the magic backfired.
That seemed to make sense to me at the time.
6064564 your profile picture goes with this scene's emotions perfectly.
6065617 Obligatory We're on a Mission of Harmony:
6064616 6064850
Considering this small arc has had Dash acting extra generous for the Nealanders, I suspect two things to be issues for RD to talk about (in regards to Honesty):
1.) She has skirted around telling Spookle (and now Scarity) that she's dying of chaos poison, and only continuing on keeps her going.
2.) She must not have mentioned the magnitude of intimacy that she had with Roarke. Though, this may be in part that RD had come to terms that The Five died, and could finally move a bit past AJ. And now since The Five aren't quite dead, Dash may have a feeling of disloyalty to AJ pushing her to avoid the topic altogether.
6065013 Since when has skirts ever been nice to characters?
6066017 Well, he did give the Jury happy endings at least. but you're right, she's next.
6065362
Actually, using her imagination, I wonder if she could inspire herself up any outfit she wanted.
BGHFF's
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Ah, I remember my first Austraeoh binge.
i.imgur.com/LHI9Q9Y.png
6064811
Keep on moving! It was an amazing experience finally being caught.
I love this story. Sappy little perfect moments like this are so welcome after all the hardship.
That was definitely better than Twilight. But now I'm ready to see what the next color is. My bet is on . . . Pinkie. Oh please let it be Pinkie! I need the original Props, the Props before the Props. I guess you could also call Pinkie the Good Props, seeing as she'll have all the Equestrian mannerisms and pacifism.
Don't you guys agree Rarity is best pony? Even this version of her that hasn't grown since season 1 shows some of that.