Rainbow Dash lives an exciting life and is swiftly becoming the most daring, awesome pegasus in all of Equestria. She would gladly give it all up, though, just to confess her love to Applejack.
Despite the gloomy sky above—or lack thereof—Apple Jewell's freckles glinted with an ethereal light. Her mane cascaded around her dainty face in golden tresses. The mare's lips pursed, with the slightest hint of air wafting in and out of her closed mouth.
Rainbow Dash gazed at her. She took deep breaths. Gradually, her wings drooped and her shoulders buckled. A mistiness crossed her eyes, blurring Apple Jewell's figure. So Rainbow clenched them shut, leaning forward until her forehead brushed up against Apple Jewell's. In sweet silence, she fought the intense need to sob.
Apple Jewell was so delicate—a ghost of the mare Rainbow Dash knew in real life. Seeing her in such a decrepit form—no matter how beautiful—ripped her to the core. She didn't dare open her eyes for fear of seeing Apple Jewell still unconscious upon glancing again. So she rested there, the mare's dainty figure cradled in her forelimbs, with their soft-soft coats making the featheriest of contact.
At any moment, Rainbow Dash figured, Flim or Flam might come charging in and bucking the two mares apart. But she didn't hear any movement from the unicorn siblings. She didn't sense any movement at all, save for the sure trot of a figure just behind her. The smell of sugar-sweet mirth tickled Rainbow's nose, and she knew who she was speaking to without looking.
"Tell me, Epcot..." Rainbow's voice was weaker than she expected. She made little attempt to clear her throat. "Tell me... h-how bad is it?" At last she looked up, eyes brimming with tears. "Is she... is she gone?"
The air around what remained of the ampitheatre had grown tempestuous. Cyclonic winds ripped past the ponies' manes, making it hard for Rainbow Dash to hold Apple Jewell in place. Gustave, Mulia, and Donut Joe clung to one another, looking past the limp bodies of Flim and Flam. Despite the turbulence, Epcot stood her ground, unaffected by the collapse of Philanthropy.
"It's difficult to say, Rainbow Dash," the chaperone said. "All things considered, she wasn't even here to begin with."
Rainbow looked about to vomit. "What...?!"
"It's the dream self that they built around her, Rainbow," Epcot exclaimed. "The mortals known as Felix and Frederick used all of their energy and dreamweaving to build the shell of the 'Cider Princess' around your friend!" She slowly shook her head. "So long as that thought-construct stands solid around her, she'll remain part of the dream!"
"For how long?!"
Epcot shrugged. "It is difficult to say. I can tell you, though, that a mortal soul cannot withstand separation from its corporeal form for long. If she doesn't return to the real world soon, there's no telling what will be left of her."
Rainbow grimaced. She looked at the obsidian portal not far from them. "The door... did the door do this to her?"
"It likely stripped her of the ability to fight against her dream self."
"But... but I went through the door and came back—"
"You went through the door?!" Epcot blinked, looking genuinely surprised for the first time since Rainbow met her. "But... but that's inconceivable. How are you here?"
"I... I can't explain it... but..." Rainbow's voice cut off as she glanced at Shindig's figure twitching on the floor not far from Flim and Flam. "Shindig. Serenity's dream form has fallen apart!"
"Indeed."
"Then why isn't the same thing happening to Applejack?!"
"I can only guess that the dream woven around her is far stronger."
"But..." Rainbow squirmed, starting to hyperventilate. "B-but..."
"The soul of your friend cannot currently overpower the dream constructed around her, Rainbow Dash," Epcot said. "The only thing that can break the shell now is whatever the two mortal brothers arranged."
"Arranged...?"
"They drew the fantasy from within Applejack's subconscious, did they not?"
Rainbow Dash bit her lip. She looked down at the limp mare in her grasp. "The Cider Princess..." She shuddered. "Apple Jewell... Princess of Philanthropy... a fairy tale..." She stared off into disentegrating space, her ruby eyes focusing on a singularity beyond the veil. "A fairy tale..." Her facial muscles twitched. "A kiss from her knight in shining armor!"
"Rainbow Dash!" Donut Joe called over. "What's going on over there?!"
"Is Applejack okay or not?!" Mulia stammered.
"Mon dieu..." Gustave's feathers ruffled as he stared at the empty sky. "...we cannot stay here."
"She needs a kiss from her knight in shining armor to wake up!" Rainbow rambled out loud. "She... she's always secretly f-fantasized about being a princess, and being kissed awake by her... her..." Slowly, the mare's ears drooped. "...by her handsome special stallion to be..." She clenched her teeth, then shut her eyes tight. "...the Red Rook."
Epcot cocked her head to the side. "Huh?"
"It... it all makes sense..." Rainbow gulped a lump down her throat and shuddered where she sat. "Of course it does."
"Rainbow Dash, if you have a solution in mind, then now is the time to—"
"Stu!" Rainbow barked, then snarled. "Stu! Stu Leaves!"
A figure stirred from somewhere past Shindig and her sons.
Rainbow shuffled her grip of Apple Jewell, gazing across the windswept platform.
Stu fought to stand up, still bleeding from his front fetlock.
"Stu!" Rainbow's voice cracked. "Get over here! On the double!"
"Mmmfff... huh?" Stu looked over, eyes squinting through the turbulent air. "What?" Upon seeing Apple Jewell, he blanched. "Rainbow! Is Applejack okay?! She looks... she looks so—"
"Will you just shut up and get over here, please?!"
"Rainbow," Epcot spoke below the bedlam. "I honestly don't think that—"
"Stu!" Rainbow hollered, her heart pounding. "Please. I... I need... Applejack needs you to—"
A thunderous crack rolled across the heavens. The outer half of the platform broke off... carrying everypony with it. Everypony but Rainbow Dash, Apple Jewell, and the chaperone. Shindig and her sons disappeared in the tumult. Mulia, Joe, and Gustave went sailing off—filling the air with screams. There was the flicker of Stu's horrified eyes, and then he was gone, toppling off through non-space.
"STU!" Rainbow hollered, holding Applejack tight. Tears flew into the blurry dreamscape, and she yelped: "Epcot! Quick! Go catch them!"
"Rainbow—" The chaperone waved a forelimb.
"You gotta get Stu! Bring him back before—"
"It's too late for them!" Epcot retorted. "They've left the dream!"
"Are they... a-are they—?!"
"They will return to the conscious surface world," Epcot calmly, firmly explained. "They do not belong in this dream. I could go and try to catch them, but I'd rather be here for Applejack. I need to be here for you."
"But... but Stu..." Rainbow panted and panted, clinging to Apple Jewell on the last remaining chunk of concrete. "The Red Rook... I-I-I mean..."
"Rainbow Dash." Epcot smiled, a very soft thing in the heart of the maelstrom. "Perhaps in the mortal realm you can run from it. But right now, Applejack can't afford it."
Rainbow gazed at her, shivering. Sweat poured down from her brow.
Epcot said, "For the dream around Applejack to collapse, an even stronger dream must come true." Epcot grazed Rainbow's shoulder. "You have saved her... and you will save her again. If that doesn't deserve the distinction of 'shining,' then I don't know what does." She ended the speech with a smile.
Rainbow leaned back, heaving. She hugged Apple Jewell close, then gazed down at her soft face and even softer freckles. "It... it's never been that simple. She's... she's so awesome. And I... I mean she deserves... she deserves so much..."
"Then why exactly are you here?"
Rainbow Dash sniffled, pressing her forehead once again to Apple Jewell's. "Like he told me..." She choked on a sob. "...to win."
Epcot stepped back.
And it was in good time too.
Rainbow Dash leaned in, holding her breath. When she finally spoke, it was with six soft words, squeaked more than uttered. And then her lips were busy brushing against Apple Jewell's. The moment was far softer than she expected. Something collapsed inside her as she tasted the mare's breath. She wanted to cry. She did cry.
But just as Rainbow brought two hooves up to cradle Apple Jewell's face for an even deeper kiss, the floor gave out from beneath her.
She shrieked, feeling Apple Jewell's body slip away. Now she was falling backwards, plummeting, rocketing through the layers of subconscious thought. Cider Space sped past her, and the former location of Philanthropy shrank into a pinprick, as did Apple Jewell's figure.
"No... nooo!" Rainbow hollered, wailed. She flapped her wings, but they were disappearing rapidly around her, melting into sudsy bubbles and cider foam. She tried shrieking, but liquid poured out of her lungs. At last, when nothing was left but her torso, she reached out in vain for the speck that Apple Jewell's body had become.
A pale hoof grasped her.
Rainbow yelped, her eyes affixed to Epcot's. "Epcot!" She sputtered as her body ribboned off into the space between consciousnesses. "Epcot... help me! Please...!"
"Shhhhh..." Epcot whispered.
"But... b-but..."
Epcot smiled. With warm cheeks, she said, "Don't worry." And after nuzzling the edge of Rainbow's hoof, the chaperone let go.
"Epcot—!" Then Rainbow Dash dissipated.
Epcot floated off into the ether, watching the realm of Cider Spice undulate and swell around her, until once again she was a ghostly blight upon the expanse.
And the rest was swallowed up in blackness.
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How is this possible?
How can this be so similar to the vibe of the new episode even though it was foreshadowed so long?
And this chapter was everything I (and I bet many others) have waited for so long...
You creepy crazy awesome wizard!
Also farewell, Epcot. Only sad thing about this arc finally reaching its dramatic conclusion is Epcot leaving, probably for good...
I still expect we'll somehow hear back from her, even though it might not be more than a glimpse.
Damn, I'm gonna miss Epcot.
Also, this chapter was definitely worth the struggle to get here.
Epcot is an interesting character, because she's so damn lovable and entertaining, but also so... temporary? Eh, not the best word for it.
The point is that she was always going to leave, forever. For all intents and purposes, Epcot is dead. And we all knew this would happen from the moment we met her, yet we ignored it and enjoyed every moment of screentime she had nonetheless.
I'm gonna miss best pony, but I guess I wouldn't have it any other way.
My reaction to this chapter?
Oh, come on!
Yeah, she finally kissed her, but.........
You ended it like this?! With everypony going back to Cider Space (AKA the Real World), and Dash not knowing what's going to happen between her and AJ once they wake up?!
And then there's poor Epcot.
Skirts, I absolutely hate you sometimes. I really do.*grumbles*
Definitely for the win. You would do that. Finally kiss her... and then leave us with ANOTHER cliffhanger!
Epcot...!
There was about 3 or 4 moments where I wanted to say "fuck you".
*sigh* but... Epcot....
Ha, fuckin called it. bitches. Seriously though, I have a feeling it worked, OR there going deeper, into unconstructed dreamspace!!!
On one hand:
On the other:
I'm still holding onto hope that someway, somehow, someday soon or not-so-soon, Epcot will return. She's too delightful a character to toss aside as the denouement to a pivotal story moment. I mean, she's still tucked away in Cider Space, right? If they could find some other way to... I dunno, tap into it. If Flim and Flam could do it, there has to be a way.
Or maybe I just need to let her go. I just don't wanna.
I think Dashie needs to kiss her again back in the real world.
...Wait, they kissed? Did I read that right? Lemme double check... yep. That was a thing that just happened. Well, congratulations. Dashie has officially kissed Applejack... in her dreams. Does that count? Yeah, it counts. Good on ya, JE. Now promise me Epcot's OK, and we're aces.
...She IS okay, isn't she?
Ya big bunch of pessimists, don't you know sometimes dreams come true. Maybe even Epcot...
5905841 5905888 5905901 5906141 5906189 5906511 5907542 5906567 5907627
Replying to everyfuckingpony because why the fuck not. Maybe our heroine will use the wish on the Discord shard to bring back Epcot.
Remember when we used to call her "dumbass"?5907861 Nah, it'll probably be to save AJ, to some extent.
I'm getting warm fuzzies from the new episode and today's chapters of both Appledashery and Ynanhluutr. This is a good day.
5907861
I've been hoping for that for a while now.
5907861
Nope, very unlikely. Who says Epcot is gone? She may just as well just be back in Cider Space in the exact same situation she was in before the mortals visited. Sure, she is "gone" to the waking world, but she is still there.
Why should Dash bring her into the mortal realm? She is an interesting character, but she belongs into Cider Space and nowhere else. Who should guide other mortals stumbling into there in the future?
Dash can't just bring along every new likable character she meets to the rest of her epic quest, no matter how cute or possibly useful they would be (Maud, anypony?).
Applejack is number one priority anyway, isn't she?
5908104
The difference is, Epcot wouldn't be happy. She spent, what, ten millennia alone in Cider Space? Giving her friends this awesome, then just yanking them away would be cruel.
5908568
I thought about that, too. But before all that time she had to spend alone, she was surrounded by so many Alicorns, chances are good that she had a lot of friends in them, too. She lost all those friends too and had to deal with eons without anypony to talk to.
Was she happy? No, not really. It was heavily implied that she missed the company and most of all her feeling of purpose and usefulness. But she is still a construct.
She didn't break in the time she was alone. She didn't loose her body or mind but instead waited faithfully to one day once more fulfill her purpose. I imagine her simply returning to that state.
Sure, she learned a lot from them and will never forget them, but were the mortals that visited her realm for such a short time really so much more special than the countless Alicorns she knew and lost? Why should she not be able to "live" on without them till one day somepony else might need her help?
5907861 Maybe. We'll see what happens next soon enough, I guess.
After all that's happened in this story, I've pretty much quit trying to second-guess Skirts and...whoever else is working on this story.
It's easier on my sanity that way.
5908622
Just because she could handle it, that doesn't mean it's fine to leave her. Besides, I think we all know by now that Rainbow's not getting back to Ponyville without using the chaos shard, and I can't really think of anyone else in need of it (AJ and Shindig ought to be fine). Basically, what I'm trying to say here is I want Epcot to have a happy ending, damn it!
5908889
I guess I just didn't get attached to her as much as some others
Well that was the absolute weirdest first kiss ever.
I'm not sure I even comprehend what condition Applejack was in and why.
This arc sure has been crazy.
Been up an extra few hours, 9am now. Just to make sure this didn't go the other way and I'd have to drop it
Oh yeah also i realized a stronger dream, but she didn't say who's. Could it have been the stronger dream of the dreamer
Aw yiss.
Godfuckingdammitdash
AW YISS
But damn, AJ is not going to remember this when she's awake, is she.
GG, Dash. You've done it.
WAIT. NO. EPCOT!!!!
No pain can describe my love for this fic. Stop playing with my fEELINGS-