"What if... the Dark Side is like one giant ice cream cone surrounding the Vanilla Zone which is why we have such a hard time breaking free?!"
"Pinkie—"
"AND... without her harmonic friends nearby, Dashie starts to lose it in the whosit? I mean, I'd go crazy and start dreaming up big baddies too!"
"Twilight, admit it. Pinkie might have an oxymoronic way of describing her theories—but it's a lot simpler than... brrrrr... the actual, literal Discord having r-returned!"
"Rarity, if Rainbow Dash said it and Applejack confirms it—"
"But Applejack only knows what Rainbow Dash experiences."
"Yer sayin' she ain't experiencin' reality?"
"No, Applejack, what I'm trying to say is that it's all a matter of perspective. I agree with Pinkie insomuch that whatever's happening to our friend—and to us—is merely a component of dwelling on the Dark Side! But to actually claim something so horrible as... as D-Discord returning..."
"Just because it's terrible dun mean it ain't true, Rarity."
"Applejack—"
"Truth hurts more than we want it to. I'd say we treat this like it's the worst case scenario. We accept what Rainbow Dash has declared about Discord and then we focus on what needs to be done about it!"
"B-but what can we do about it? If Discord's really b-back, then we're in m-more danger than we can even pretend to imagine!"
"We're not in danger, Fluttershy."
"But Twi! We couldn't reach Dashie when she needed us the most! That's poopy news! It's like the Defcon One of Poopy news!"
"What in the hay is a 'Defcon?'"
"Definitely Enigmatic, Freaky, Calamitous, And Nasty!"
"The word 'and' doesn't start with an 'o.'"
"Then you think of something, Twilight!!! Golly-gee-gummy-gunk! It's a little hard to break the forth wall when it starts to break back against you!"
"I-I-I don't even think I can ever g-go back to the Vanilla Zone after today..."
"But we have to, Fluttershy! Otherwise we'll never recharge! We can never help Rainbow Dash!"
"Hrmmm... ya reckon we should keep ourselves from goin' back into that bright'n'shiny place? See how long we can manage?"
"I... shudder to think of what that might do to us, Applejack. Unless you, Twilight, think it wouldn't be harmful to us or Rainbow."
"I... I-I can't say for certain. All evidence seems to suggest that it would be a detriment to our connection to Rainbow Dash to never, ever go back to that place."
"Then maybe we can go there for only a short spell? Feel it out? Like a quick power nap?"
"After what happened last time, I don't think we can afford to experiment much... as much as I'd love to."
"Duaaaaaaah! We can take turnsies! Rotate our filly fuzzy sleeping schedules around the clock!"
"That's... actually a good idea, darling."
"Make it so that one of us is always guardin' Rainbow Dash? Like a loyal pup? Shucks, sign me up!"
"And after all that's happened, she could really use our help. I mean... have you ever seen her so... so t-terribly distraught?"
"Can't say that I have."
"Nope."
"Uh uh!"
"You've known her longest, Fluttershy. How about you?"
"I... I-I can't remember. Rainbow Dash has always been the strong one. All the way through Rohbredden—as we watched her surpass obstacle after obstacle—she only served to reinforce the courageous, resilient image I've had of her. But seeing her utterly collapse like that..."
"Mmmmmm... makes you wonder exactly what p-poor Dashie went through right after we all went kablooey."
"Good heavens... I shudder to think! And now the weight of Discord has fallen back on her shoulders!"
"Yeah... ... ... ..."
"... ... ... ...what if it really is true? What if our beloved Rainbow is... is actually tethered to him like we are to her?"
"Then it's our job to give her support! We carry her spirit on our shoulders like she's carried us! After all, we're in this together!"
"Of course..."
"Absolutely!"
"Yeah!"
"Boy howdy!"
"After all she's been through, we deserve no less! First thing she wakes up, I suggest we all gather around and tell her how we're going to plan to deal with this threat—"
"I'm awake, egghead," Rainbow Dash droned from where she laid curled up under starlight. "You can tell me now."
"Eeep!" Twilight Sparkle jolted in place. She and the other ghostly mares pivoted to face Rainbow Dash.
Stirring, Rainbow Dash rubbed the gritty remains of tears from her eyelids and squinted at the group. "I'm totally sorry for freaking out like I did before..."
"Oh Rainbow Dash..." Fluttershy floated forward with ears folded.
"You have nothing to be sorry for, darling," Rarity said.
"Darn tootin'!" Applejack nodded. "If I was in yer place, no doubt I'd be caterwalin' somethin' fierce as well!"
Rainbow Dash merely stared at Applejack. She stared and she stared...
"Okay. Maybe not. Heh..." Applejack tilted her hat back. "But... you gotsta admit... that's an awful lot to digest in one evenin'—"
"Mrmmfff..." Rainbow Dash stirred some more, rubbing her eyes. "I don't really want to talk about it. Not right now."
"But Rainbow Dash!" Twilight glided forward with an anxious expression. "This is very serious! We have to deal with this as soon as—"
Pinkie rested a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. The party mare shook her head, then spoke to Rainbow in a calm, melodic voice. "Don't let us interrupt your shuteye, Dashie. Cruddy crud or not—you still need to rest for the trek ahead."
"Grnnngh... sleep... how..." Rainbow's tired eyes darted around. "How long have I been sleeping?"
"Not long enough," Fluttershy said. "Trust us."
"Ungh..."
"Uhm... erm..." Twilight cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, Rainbow. Pinkie's right. You really could use the rest right now."
"Where's the Herald?"
"Don't worry. They're safe—"
"If they're safe, then you can tell me where they are," Rainbow said with a sudden frown. "Well? How 'bout it?"
Rarity sighed, then looked aside. "Fluttershy, darling?"
"Flynn's guarding Seraphimus at the moment," the pegasus said. "Logan and Kepler are scouting."
"Uh huhhhh..." Rainbow Dash blinked. "And what about Wildcard? Ariel?"
Fluttershy merely smiled.
"Flutters...?"
"Look for yourself, darling," Rarity said.
Rainbow didn't have to look far. She tilted her head to the right and nearly bumped into Wildcard's beak. The griffin slept, perched in an upright position directly in front of Rainbow—his back to the twilight. In the midst of his slumber, the Desperado somehow continued clutching Bard's staff with his one good talon.
Rainbow looked to the left... and got a muzzle full of gray fuzz. Ariel was spooning her from behind, enveloping the petite pegasus' body with a protective hug. She was also asleep.
It was like waking up in a warm cocoon of comraderie. Rainbow Dash instantly lost the nerve to move any further.
"Well... uh..." Rainbow gulped. "...I guess I'm getting some more sleep."
Twilight stifled a breathy giggle. "Looks like it."
"Have... have they been here long?"
"All night long, Rainbow," Fluttershy said. "Wildcard insisted on guarding you all night. And Ariel..."
Rainbow's eyes briefly crossed Applejack's gaze. "Yeah..." She lowered her head as she rested in her friends' close proximity. "Yeah, I get it."
"They believe in ya, Rainbow," Applejack said. "And so do we."
"Mmmmm..." Rainbow exhaled softly. "I guess... g-guess I'm pretty lucky, aren't I?"
Twilight nodded. "All things considered."
"Right..." Exhaustion set in once again, and Rainbow closed her eyes. "Good enough."
She snuggled under Ariel's arms... and was fast asleep as her friends looked on.
HHHNNNGGGGG...
AWWWW that ending was kind of adorable.
Taking turns is the best plan to deal with Discord honestly it's the only thing they can really do that is likely to work.
...well, I didn't need my heart anyways! Yup, functioning hearts are for the weak! Ehehe... *ded*
Kind of hoping that Discord can manifest when the girls are around, and is just choosing not to for now. The conversations and dynamics that could crop up between them are just too juicy not to make use of. Not that Dash and Discord themselves can't have interesting converations once Dash gets over her initially 'Auuuaaagh!' reflexes, but seeing how the other girls would play off Discord would be very entertaining as well.
What's funny is they're acting like Discord is such a huge, bad, evil deal... yet Dash has run into far more violent and worse over the course of her journey. Discord just gets top billing because he's part of the genesis of it all.
Taking turns is seems like the best idea at the moment. Unless he can still show up when only one of them enters the Vanilla Zone. Or something like that. I'm actually kinda wondering when does he even go? Like the girls are in the Vanilla Zone so what about him?
This was a nice chapter seeing all the support from Dashie's friends. Lol at Ariel though. Can I break the fourth wall too? Heya Pinkie!
Ariel is too damn thirsty, even when she's being supportive. XD
It's nice to see all of this support, but I personally can't wait for the trolltastic Discord moments in the future when the initial freakout is over.
I wish I could draw ponies! I want to draw this!
Friendship sandwich roundstable.com/forums/images/smilies/rainbow3.png
Shoulders, not withers?
Best chapter title
Well, this was a nice breather after the surprise right hook that was last chapter.
-Through the path long forgotten, into the darkness long begotten. Ofolrodi.
Good to know that her friends, both physical and incorporeal, are sticking by her side. On a side note, I wonder if her dizzy spells were actually discord attempting to gain influence over Rainbow, she hasn't had one since crossing over to the dark side, and he appeared instead of what should have been prime dizzy spell timing.
8275703
And, you know, the reality warping power to teraform the entire landscape for miles around without discernible effort on his part, make floating islands, mind wipe ponies with a touch, scare the crap out of ancient alicorn princesses... and his actions may or may not have resulted in the bodily death of all of the ponies closest to Dash.
I can really see why him showing up like this has her on the back hoof.
8275706
Clearly, he goes to the chocolate zone.
8275781
Oh, I get why she's freaked, I just find it kind of amusing how Discord for all his crazy chaotic actions never actually killed anyone. Even the death of Dash's friends can be more attributed to Twilight using the Elements without Dash, or the weird Austraeoh energies making the Elements go ker-splode, than anything Discord did directly. All his antics aside, he never did anything like, say, brutally murder an entire village like Shell did, or orchestrate wars that killed thousands like Chrysalis, or personally killed thousands then brainwashed an entire nation to worship her like Verlax. Yet Dash is going to try to put Discord on an even lower level than them, and really only because of how personal it was that his actions set her on her present path, and not necessarily because he's anywhere near as bad as some of the other antagonists she's run into already. Not so much faulting her for that, as just finding it kind of funny.
8275816
I'm curious what Discord will be like as written by IC. All we really have of him is the canon Discord from Return of Harmony. I'm mostly wondering if this Discord will have a more brutal side because of how Rainbow acts when her element is removed and she transforms. That may be another reason Rainbow is so terrified of him if she believes at his core he's that rampaging monster that tore ponies to shreds back when she was being held in Blue Shelf.
It's gonna be wild ride regardless.
8275863
I agree, and it would make sense he'd have a much darker side to him given this is not only Discord pre-Fluttershy friendship, but he's now free on the Dark Side where chaotic energies and events will abound. Still, from what little we've seen, he if nothing else still has his sense of humor and doesn't seem like the crazy, rampaging monster Dash turned into.
Guess we'll just have to wait and see.
Well, that's a heartwarming image.
1 egg
1 Tb lemon juice
1 drop dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
blend together on low in a small blender pitcher.
Drizzle in extra-light tasting olive oil. You'll add between 3/4 and 1 cup of oil before it firms up. Just keep adding it until it starts to get firm. If in doubt, hold the pitcher up sideways. If the mayo runs, keep adding more oil.
It keeps about a week in the fridge. It's better than anything you can buy in the store.
Rainbow called Snuggle-Buddies.™
They delivered.
8275733
I don't think you have your sandwich with a spoon, but it is a welcome surprise.
8275816
I wonder though, would she be equally freaked out if say Shell came back from the dead, his daughters horn strapped to his head blood on his breath and murder in his eyes?
Maybe Rainbow Dash has just been building the idea of Discord up in her mind for so long. She has seen worse since then, but she's also been hardened by life since then. When she met Discord she was all but innocent. It could be tainting her perceptions.
8275884
I assume that Discord is interested in "helping" Rainbow for personal reasons. If he is anchored to Rainbow like the other five, then he can only win through her. We don't know for sure what would happen to them if she dies, but I guess they would lose their last foothold and simply drift to the Harmonic Plains or the unknown soul snatcher device. Discord could face a similar fate in that case.
Now the question is, what would happen to Rainbow at this point without her element? Past events have shown that the spectres of her friends can't manifest when she turns into her chaos form, but Discord probably can.
A sensible idea coming from Pinkie? Surprising, but it is the best way for them to protect Rainbow... which since they're going to do it probably means it'll fail somehow. Perhaps she needs multiple of the mane six active to resist?
Many d'awws were had with this chapter. Good on you Ariel, Rainbow really needs this kinda support right now.
8275863
Her transformed behavior and the reason why Rainbow's even on this whole trip and why she's got ghost friends now helps suggest this Discord won't be 'nice'.
8276068
Now there's an interesting theory/angle. That most of Discord's power over Rainbow, or at least her interpretations of his actions are colored by the psychological build up she's given him throughout this series. It might be a bit hard to make it work, but I'd be very interested to see IC explore this possibility.
d'awwww
8276068
Wow.
Not cool.
Like, that's just the most evil opponent she's had yet... And he's smart! He'd just mess with her at the worst times, trying to get her killed!
He canstay between the planes!
So from the shadows she'd seen before while traveling, and the images at the corners of her eyes, seems to have been Discord, so he can manifest while the 5 are out.
8276075
Maybe not though, since Rainbow Dash actually physically transforms into Discord when the pendant goes off. You can see that back when Bellesmith finds Dashie in that form in Blue Shelf. My guess is that Discord could have manifested himself physically all the time but was stopped in doing so by the pendant. But now, on the Dark side, there should be enough background chaos to manifest himself as a projection, but that he is still stopped from getting back to his full power because of the pendant still being there and Dashie's friends hanging around her
Wildcard is the best. Seriously.
As long as the Wildcard Alarm doesnt go off when on its Tactical Violence Response setting, Dash might actually get a full hour of sleep?
My, my. Such Nightmares. Luna really redecorated this place. :Discord:
Oooooh, Ariel's advances are gonna get awkward yet, now that Applejack is around to watch....
8275781On top of that, the draconequui are the only entities we've thus far encountered that are truly villains of cosmic proportions. Even the Divines were immanent, were part of that plane. But the draconequui and perhaps Discord in particular threaten the basic principle of cosmic Harmony, and so easily all of the Urohringr itself.
She won't judge you, Rainbow. It's not like that's her only power.
Then Seraphimus wakes up, with Shell's soul anchored to her. And Simon, for some reason.
Ariel, stop it. I don't think it's possible for me to like you more than I already do so what am I supposed to do when you keep acting like this?
8276186
That depends on how he can manifest, because if you are right and Rainbow really was Discord in those scenes, it apparently did not include his consciousness. The problem I see here is that Rainbow's transformation turns her into a feral Draconequus killing machine. And despite Discord's malevolent nature, I can't picture him as the responsible figure for the slaughter in Ledomare or on the slaver boats near Rohbredden. It does not fit his style as a trickster.
Unless things go all the way down the grimdark road and he comitted these acts to make Rainbow believe it was her.
And now cue the wakeup alarm of Discord.
8276306
There's that too. Honestly, without the elements of harmony, if Dash had not done what she had done, then there was literally nothing we have seen since that could have stopped Discord from turning the entire plane into his little playground of chaos. The divines we have seen so far have had no where near as much power as Discord demonstrated casually, and even if they banded together, I doubt they would have been more than a speed bump to him... and we know there were in no way prepared to do that.
Add on top of that the fact that when he finished he could simply move onto the next world shard and do it all again and, well, I think stopping Discord might have been the most important thing Dash has ever done, eclipsing even all of this East Horse nonsense.
Daww~
8276559
Or maybe he had no control either. i mean, if he did pretty much die in Ponyville, than imagine what for effect that would have had on his mind. Maybe it really was Discord, but one that had to basically regenerate after that incident, and now that there is enough chaos around he can slowly return to his full power again
Eeeeeeeeee!
8276883
Personally speaking, I'm not really fond of that scenario, because it would reduce the emotional impact of those moments in Rainbow's past, at least in terms of storytelling. It's possible though. I hope we get some intel from Discord about his experiences during Rainbow's two years of travel, but I don't see that happening soon, or without him speaking in riddles.
Ariel suddenly pulled ahead in the 'cutest pony' contest, derailing the long time champion Sweet. A-anyone remember Reeds and Sweet? No? Okay then.
8276446
I still miss Simon.
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Ah yes, rotate on shifts. Is good idea.
I mean, I get why, but I don't think pegasi have arms.
8275920 i'm so incredibly confused what this is doing here
8283853
Lookit the chapter title.
Aww!
Rainbow is never without support and protection, from warm, fuzzy bodies to ethereal, floaty ones. I cannot wait until we figure out what's going on with Discord.
Why wasn't it your first idea?
D'awwww
Nobody (including the commentators) mentioned Fluttershy saying " night"? Y'all are sleepin'.
Gawd almighty...this is what you get, Pinkster.
You've been at it for a while, only fair that it richochets back atcha!