Crkkk-kkk-kkk!
Eagle Eye winced, ducking his head slightly as he glanced forlornly at the rattling ceiling of a tight hallway. Gulping, he adjusted his hoodie and shuffled along with his sword and shield levitating alongside.
Ahead of him, Props, Rainbow Dash, and Josho traversed narrow chambers between cold leaning bulkheads. The light from the two unicorns shone off of glossy metal surfaces, giving the claustrophobic interior an ethereal quality.
"Have we figured out just who this ship belonged to yet?" Rainbow Dash spoke out loud.
"Hmmm..." Props rubbed her chin in thought. "Quadruple bolted bulkheads. Exposed mana conduits. Reliance on leyline reinforcement coils instead of enchanted crystals." She smirked. "I'd say standard Alexian tech."
"Alexian?" Rainbow repeated aloud.
Eagle Eye's echoing voice spoke up. "They're unicorns and earth ponies who hail from the far south."
"I thought there was nothing but ocean south of us."
"Er... south of Franzington, more or less." Eagle Eye smiled nervously. "Below Ledomare, the Continent breaks up into a bunch of seas and deep rivers that open up into the ocean. Alexia is the closest archipelago to the mainland, and the equines there have mastered ship building and merchant trade. They've been known to sail their mana-powered steamships all along the continental shore. Where they're not exploring or trading, they're at least selling their ships to other cultures who need to use them."
"So this may not have been run by... Alexians."
"Certainly smells too good in here to be Alexian," Josho said in a dull tone. "For all the time they spend around water, those bootstrapped freakazoids never bothered to bathe."
"Yes, well..." Eagle Eye shuddered. "That's one reason we always fought for the Ledomaritans and not for the Alexians."
"Yeesh." Rainbow Dash winced. "Was everyone on your continent going to war with someone?"
"Made for a good economy," Josho said. "Heck, all the explosions you started in Blue Nova has gotta give tons of ponies new jobs."
"Jee... thanks..." Rainbow muttered with folded ears.
"It's sad to think about," Props spoke aloud. "Jasper, Ebony, and I had a lot of reasons to call Nightshade a 'meanie head,' but we never had any grudge against the hundreds upon thousands of ponies who worked for her." She pouted. "With her company going bye-bye now, how many of those employees are going to have trouble feeding the mouths of their beloveds?"
"Well, Props, with the war over, maybe they'll consider something that doesn't involve the construction of weapons," Eagle Eye said. "I can already see the Council of Ledo funding a major agricultural boom!"
"If they're lucky, they'll just open borders with the northwest provinces and let ponies fill in a lot of that abandoned farmland," Josho said. "Who cares if the plains are haunted by the spirits of the dead caribou who once lived there."
"Hey, uh, not to sound like a heartless lame-o, but does it really matter?" Rainbow Dash's jaw tightened. "That place is friggin' behind us. Let's just focus on what's ahead."
Eagle Eye craned his head with a smirk. "You've said that a bunch of times already, and yet here we are in the belly of a crashed sea vessel. How does this count on 'focusing on what's ahead?'"
Rainbow exhaled out her nostrils. "Look, we're here for Props, okay? I made her a promise that we'd look for her Uncle, so let's get it done."
Props gasped, hopping excitedly. "So you do remember!"
"I always did," Rainbow muttered, wings flapping between the icy bulkheads. "I just lost track of what was truly important for a while there."
"Our... uhm... safety...?"
"Let's start with 'happiness' and see if we can make the ends meet."
"Shhhh!" Josho hissed.
"Wow, old stallion," Eagle spat. "Way to be a buzz kill."
"No! I mean it!" He raised a hoof while glaring at a corner of the hallway. "Clam up!"
Everypony came to a stop behind him, dead silent.
Josho's eyes narrowed. He gazed from left to right. At some point, a slight clattering sound emanated from the bulkheads in front of them. His ears twitched, and he turned to look back at Rainbow.
Eagle and Props trembled. Rainbow, in the meantime, nodded back and flapped her wings harder. With the grace of a flying serpent, she slinked around Josho's shoulder, clung to the ceiling, and flew her way around the corner.
Edging her way into the shadows, she flew for a few frozen seconds. At last, hovering to a stop, she pulled the collar of her leather coat down and ran a hoof across her pendant. A dim glow lit up the room, casting ruby beams across the walls. Rainbow Dash found herself staring into what must have been an open storage compartment. It was twice as wide as the Noble Jury's mess hall. What's more, it was longer How long—she couldn't say, the reason being that half of the chamber was submerged in water.
It felt colder in the room, but it wasn't just the water's fault. Gazing up, Rainbow saw that the ceiling of the chamber sloped up while the floor went down. Exposed ice from the glacier pierced the bulkheads, and a fine mist hung over the waters. From what she could judge, that portion of the ship had broken like a twig where it impacted the glacier, and the water had formed overtime from where the ancient ice had melted from friction.
Hoofsteps echoed behind her as the rest of the group trotted to a stop behind Rainbow.
"Sinking squirrelsicles!" Props exclaimed. "This ship sure took a dip!"
"I'm guessing all the water came from the glacier," Josho remarked.
"I thought the ice was too old to just melt," Eagle Eye said.
Props shrugged. "Could be that exposed manaconduits caught fire and provided enough heat to allow a slow burn."
"That would explain the burn marks along the shattered bulkheads," Rainbow said. Biting her lip, she levitated down and pressed the tip of her hoof into the waters. "Hssssss!" She hovered back up, shaking her forelimb as if she had burned it. "Luna poop! I think I grew new nipples from just touching th-that!"
"Why would you even do that?" Eagle asked.
Josho pointed. "That's why."
Eagle and Props craned their necks to see. Their muzzles hung agape.
A dim orange glow emanated from the submerged end of the sunken chamber. There was a light source from beyond the broken part of the ship.
"Is... is it a fire?" Props remarked.
"I feel bad for not seeing it first," Eagle Eye stammered.
"Yeah, well, nopony's perfect, princess," Josho said. He turned towards Rainbow Dash. "Whoever's alive on board this ship, they're probably camped on the other side. If I know a crap or two about Alexian vessels, we've just trotted the bulk of it. That end is smaller and likely more insulated."
"Seems like a good place for survivors to last a while," Rainbow said with a nod. "I wonder if any magical devices could operate from inside?"
"What for?"
Rainbow turned towards Props. "How's the signal?"
The goggled mare held up the instrument in question. After half a minute, she flashed Rainbow a bright-eyed look. "Could from anywhere. Which probably means..."
"Right under our noses," Rainbow Dash said with a nod. She turned back to the waters. "There's gotta be a way to get over there."
"All the other passageways are blocked up by ice," Props said. "We all saw it on the way here."
"We could go outside the ship again," Josho said. "See if there's another way to enter the vessel from the far side."
"Nah... All of that is under the iceberg's surface," Rainbow said. "The way we entered is the only way to do it."
"What if we got one of Floydien's or Roarke's tools from the hangar and tried to burn a hole into the far side of the ship's hull?" Eagle Eye asked.
Crkkk-kkkk!
Everypony fidgeted nervously as ripples of water ran across the disturbed pool.
"Couldn't have said it better myself," Rainbow Dash said, starting to strip of her coat. "The longer we take to get to the far side of the ship, there's not going to be any ship."
"Uhhh..." Eagle Eye squinted. "What are you doing?" He jolted as Rainbow's coat was thrown into his telekinetic field.
"What does it look like?" Rainbow Dash cracked the joints in her neck. "The next step is simple. I'm gonna swim in there and check what's on the other side."
"Pffft... Your funeral, color wheel," Josho said.
"Are you out of your pony mind?!" Eagle Eye gasped. "That's freezing water! You'll become a winged popsicle!"
"You obviously weren't born in a floating cloud city." Rainbow Dash smirked at him in the unicorns' light. "I can handle cold. I'm 'cool' all the time for a reason, y'know."
"Rainbow, this isn't a joke! You could freeze to death!"
"It doesn't look that far of a swim," Rainbow said. "Besides, looks like they got a fire on the other side. I should be fine."
"At least let one of us come with you!" Eagle Eye said. "You shouldn't have to go alone!"
"Look, I'll give you guys a signal." Rainbow nodded towards Josho. "You bring the sound stones?"
Josho nodded and slipped one from out of his jacket.
Rainbow grabbed it in the crook of her hoof. "I'll fill you guys in on what I find. If I need help, then one of you can come over. Feel free to spend the next minute or two deciding who gets to be a second-wing polar bear for the afternoon."
"I volunteer Eagle Eye," Josho grunted.
"Dude!" Eagle squeaked.
"He already looks purple!" Props giggled.
"D-dudette!" Eagle squeaked in a higher pitch.
"Nnnngh... Yeah... I think I could use an excuse to wake up." Rainbow Dash gazed at the waters. "Celestia, give me strength."
"At this rate, she would do better to give you balls," Josho said.
"Not where I'm going." Rainbow Dash said. Stepping up to the pool's edge, she took one breath... two breaths... three breaths... then clamped the soundstone into her mouth and—
Splooosh!
If a million knives stabbed every single square inch of her body, it still wouldn't have been an adequate description of how cold it felt. Undaunted, Rainbow Dash kicked her limbs, torpedoing her way towards the dim light on the far end of the sunken chamber.
Could from anywhere
---Could be from
First RD says its cold, then she jumps right in. Alrighty then.
Question is.. couldn't Josho have ported there?
*mumble, grumble*...Goddamn water temple....
The underwater levels are always a bitch.
Twenty-five pushups and twenty five situps, ):(. Knock 'em out!
Umm wait is the fire under water if not why didn't RD just fly over?
Onwards and Eastwards!
Pause, Iron Boots, unpause.
Pause, Kokiri Boots, unpause.
Pause, Iron Boots, unpause.
Pause, Kokiri Boots, unpause.
Pause, Iron Boots, unpause.
Pause, Kokiri Boots, unpause.
Pause, Iron Boots, unpause.
Pause, Kokiri Boots, unpause.
Ocarina.
C-Left, C-Up, C-Right, C-Left, C-Up, C-Right.
Wait for repeat.
Wait for cutscene.
...
...
...
Pause, Iron Boots, unpause...
4082993 If we did that we wouldn't be here complaining about water temples. Soo guys what's your most hated Water level?
Rainbow, there's a difference between being out in really cold air and being submerged in nigh-freezing water.
Love the chapter title. Hopefully what or whoever is on the other side is friendly. A half frozen Rainbow Dash could be in trouble.
4083186
Technically speaking the water is warmer than the air, it just conducts heat better so the heat leaves your body faster. Also, speaking from experience, cold water isn't bad, you don't want to be in it for more than twenty minutes or so, and you'll want to dry off and have warm clothing afterwards, it's just most of the time the shock of submerging in the cold water is what causes people to panic and die. (You also really want to control your breathing first off, it gets extremely easy to hyperventilate)
I think there'll be more sex-related humor in Urohringr than in all the other stories. Or I'm just picking up on more of it. I guess I've been reading too much Shakespeare :P
Glad to see Rainbow's still as headstrong as ever. I admit to being one of those people who touches the water and just kinda hangs around there, making it worse by going in an inch a minute. It's always easier when you just ¡Dive!
Im just hoping Dash is a lot faster than that diver in Return To Posieden Adventure Below The Sea Part 2.
Wonder if theres any useable skystone left in that thing.
Splish splash, I was takin' a bath...
4083183 I was always annoyed by the water levels in Crash Bandicoot.
No, IC. No. We don't speak of the Water Temple.
Now...
I still doubt they'll find Prowse. That seems too easy... too quick. I'm expecting him to show up at that mountain thing that's in the Strip of Flurries (is that what it's called? I forget, but it sounds right). Or even on the far continent. But hopefully whoever these guys end up being, they have some information on his whereabouts.
Also, I'm intrigued by Alexia. It sorta made me think of the Earthsea books. I was almost starting to imagine potential side-stories involving it, but I doubt anything will come of it. As of today, my ratio of finished-to-conceived stories is approximately 0:1,046.
This went up while I was at work and I honestly spent five minutes wondering what the fall out would be if my boss caught me on my phone reading pony fanfiction instead of watching the front desk. Eventually logic won the day, unfortunately.
After the first time, the Water Temple was easy. I don't know what everyone's problem is.
They should have sent Josho.
1) He can teleport.
2) His fat will insulate him.
I disagree with the title, but this was still a good chapter.
Can't wait to see what happens next.
I wonder what will happen on the other side.
Uncle Prowse/Random Pony could be on the other side. Then out pops a blue pony with wings and rainbow colored hair. Whose first words will probably be, "Josho was right, this place stinks." and pass out.
Well, that my guess anyway.
4083443 You have Eagle Eye and Ebon in a small ship.
If it doesn't explode due to the unresolved sexual tension, we will.
4083183 My six year old self hated Misty's gym.
I only had a charmander and a couple others.
I wonder how they will find a blue pony if she decides to get any colder. O wait...the mane. What if there isn't a fire? And what about the local fish-life?
4083862
Josho is needed to get the majority of the party to safety when their part of the ship buckles.
If it is really Prowse in there, I would really be asking him how the heck he got into this situation.
Go Dashie!
My wife says "nuh huh, I love the water temple, in all the Zeldas!"
She's weird though.
hope everyone on the jury currently, is ok. anybody think zaid could also talk some sense into belle.
"Dude"
"Dudette"
Weird to see some of the Los Angeles vernacular used by a character.
Oh and should have sent Josho. Loads of insulation.
...Excuse me while I try to stay away from the cold forever.
4083829
It's not so difficult, just really, really, really tedious because of some questionable design decisions.
4086033
I skipped over two-thirds of it. Like, I flipped two switches, got two keys, got the essential items, and beat the boss. Maybe I just do really good with tedium or something.
If that's what a quick dip of a hoof did, what's a full-on immersion gonna grow?
Why didn't Josho just teleport? Why didn't Jack get on that bloody plank! Because some people are cryophiles in denial, that's why!
I'm actually pretty cold myself right now. Not particularly comfortable to read about horrible, freezing doom under these circumstances, but it certainly helps immersion along.
hamsterdam415.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/do-not-want.jpg?w=500
I'm dying over here
RD always has the best ideas
4084882 I'll say: she married YOU!
I don't care how OP you are, Blackjack, don't mess with Austraeoh Dash.
4085150 plus, yaknow, teleportation.....
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
I'm liking this little escapade into the (half) sunken ship! It's interesting. And does Dash WANT to die? There's got to be an easier way to do this. These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
So, who are we going to meet? And, will Dash survive this water?
-Spirit
4083162 sounds about right
4463871 I'm shocked that you didint comment on the title of this one it being Zelda related and all
4083162
It's like that one movie with the cruise ship flipping upside down . . . except with ponies, different circumstances, and it's not flipped upside down.
Okay, maybe it's original.
4083162
Changing boots to items was a great improvement.
I don't get the reference.
Good to see you improving.
Cool story.
Considering Dashie knew quite a few cows back in Equestria...
Also, thanks for reminding us just how raunchy this series has become, Skirts, hoo man
one pair of scented candles away from becoming an orgy in here
Well it's not the Water Temple's that everypony hates. It's the Rage Turtles.
nuklearpower.com/comics/8-bit-theater/060819.png
As well as the creepy, incesty (although not that much, anymore), Dooms Day Cults who worship Chaos / Elder Gods.
nuklearpower.com/comics/8-bit-theater/060912.png
... Although Nevlamas was a lot less creepier than Ur.
6390750
Eagle Eye mentioned earlier that the leather they used for Dash's stuff. Didn't come from anything that could talk. So Dash isn't wearing the great, great, great aunts 20 times removed of her friend's cow slaves in Equestria .