Swissssssssssssh! The Lounge Sphere flew in from the south, gliding down into the valley of Amulek, then slowing down to enter the hangar at the rear of the Noble Jury.
Roarke glanced up from where she stood beside Kera. The little filly's glowing horn illuminated the metal mare's features as she levitated several planks of lumber, rotating them around one another in elaborate motions.
"Mmmff..." Kera's tattooed brow furrowed, her eyes clenched as she sweated. "What was that?"
"Your father has returned, evidently."
"Snazzy," Kera murmured. "Think he and Booster brought some Chineighs food with them?"
Roarke glanced at her, her lips slightly curved. "Finish your meditation, child," she said. "Then we can retire for the evening."
"Heh, you k-kidding?" Kera smirked. "I could do this all night—!"
Cl-Clank! One piece of lumber collided with another, sending a shard of splinters flying at Roarke's neck.
The mare quietly ducked. Milliseconds later, a tree right behind Roarke wobbled as several dagger-sized chunks of wood embedded in its surface.
Kera gulped, squinting one eye open. "Uhhhh... you d-didn't see that."
"No." Roarke stood up, dusting herself off. "But I almost felt it."
"Eheheheh..." Kera shuddered. "Sleep sounds good right about now..."
Inside the hangar, Booster Spice helped Pilate out of Whizzball. The door from the stairwell creaked open, and Bellesmith galloped in.
"Finally!" she exclaimed with a smile. "You've been gone all day!"
"Sorry I took so slow in flying us back here," Booster said. "We visited a tavern, after all..."
"Mr. Spice," Pilate chuckled. "All you had was a grape knee-high."
"Yes, well..." Booster fidgeted. "I-I didn't want to take any chances."
Belle embraced Pilate and rubbed noses with him, grinning. "Beloved..."
Pilate kissed her, then lingered, nostrils flaring. "You know... there was a time when Eagle Eye borrowed your conditioner, not the other way around."
"Hmmmph..." Belle stuck her tongue out. "You forget that it was I who had to grow her mane back."
"Indeed."
Zaid strolled in. "Hail the conquering zeroes!"
"Hardy har har," Booster mumbled, shutting the sphere with a hydraulid hiss.
"Well?" Zaid folded his forelimbs and smirked. "Did you learn anything on your fart-finding tour?"
"As a matter of fact, we did," Pilate remarked.
"Although Pilate utilized some rather unorthodox tactics," Booster said.
"Unorthodox?" Belle squinted. "How so?"
"Let's just say I got to show off my stripes to a certain degree," Pilate said.
"Pilate..." Belle sighed. "Please don't tell me you revealed yourself as Jurists."
"I assure you, nopony knows where the Jury is, much less where it will be next," Pilate said. "But my decision was a timely one, for I think we may have found a plausible avenue into infiltrating Val Roa."
"Oh?" Belle leaned her head to the side. "In what way?"
"I will explain—although Rainbow Dash would very much like to hear this." Pilate craned his neck. "Just where is our illustrious leader at the moment?"
"Where else?" Zaid smirked. "She's moonlighting."
"Ungh..." Booster Spice trotted past him. "I'm only on this ship for two months and already you make me wanna jump off."
"Heheheh..."
"What's more, they've begun exploring several of the outlying areas to the west. This includes the bluffs of Alafreo," Princess Luna's voice said, drifting nebulously across the pale cloud beds. "It would seem that there—more than any other location—they have encountered noticeably friendly locals, and have initiated a robust trade agreement."
"Heck yeah, the locals there are friendly!" Rainbow's voice cracked. She lay on her back, forelimbs crossed behind her head. Her pendant pulsed with lunar energy as she gazed casually into the starlight. "If I wasn't—y'know—a terminally ill half-chaotician with east farting powers, I'd totally pick that part of the continent for an extended vacation!"
"Well, according to Celestia, the Alafreons and the Durandanans have become fast friends overnight. Jerrio, the First-Born himself, has made three separate trips, and on each return he brings good tidings."
Rainbow smirked. "And just what are the Valkyrie's grandfoals using to trade with those turtles, anyway?"
"An abundance of fruit. It would seem that the bluffs of western Alafreo are greatly lacking in both vegetation as well as sweet delicacies. The Durandanans provide the sentient tortoises with bananas, melons, and grapes. In return, the long lost pegasi of Equestria dine on... fish for the first time..."
"Heh... guess you're not all that proud about that last bit."
"In truth, Rainbow Dash, the thought of any equine devouring animal flesh disturbs me... but that may simply be a consequence of attuning myself to the modern Equestria that my sister has governed for so long. Alas, I'm old enough to possess an open mind. After all, Sarosians dine on insects and small rodents, and they've never fallen from my grace."
"Y'know, Princess, Fluttershy used to feed fish to her otters out by the cottage where she lived."
"The caretaking of wildlife is a different matter, for they operate by their own scale of harmonic balance. I must admit that I have several reservations when it comes to consumption on the pony level. It boggles my mind how you've been able to witness so many different cultures with such varied rules first-hoof and yet maintain your composure."
"Hey..." Rainbow shrugged against the cloud. "The Jury eats meat all around me. I've learned to chillax with it... so long as I don't take a bite myself."
"Your integrity is commendable, Rainbow Dash."
"Yeah, well... don't let it get around."
"I just remembered something. Jerrio and Sivrem requested that Celestia and I deliver a message from the Alafreons to you."
"Oh?" Rainbow Dash sat up straight, raising an eyebrow. "What kind of a message?"
"Are you familiar with a village that goes by the name of Abinadi?"
"Pffft! Totally! What, did Boxer have more snazzy things to say?"
"No, not him, though the descriptions I've heard of the village elder have instantly won my respect. Alas, this message comes from Lerris."
Rainbow paled instantly. "Uhhh... excuse m-me?"
"The changeling who traveled in your party, evidently. She wishes you and your companions good fortune, and she desires for you to know that she is thriving happily among her peers in Abinadi."
"... ... ..." Rainbow blinked. Slowly, she smiled. "Well, how about that..." She giggled slightly and hugged herself with a long sigh. "Now, if that isn't a bucket of awesome right there..."
"Celestia and I were certain you would benefit from hearing that."
Rainbow cleared her throat. She rubbed one of her eyes dry with a forelimb. "Yeah..." The mare gulped. "Well... it's s-super nice hearing that Durandana's doing nicely for itself too."
"Indeed."
"Cuz, y'know, if the place was imploding in on itself in cultural upheaval and all that crud—"
"I'm certain that is the least of your concerns at the moment," Luna's voice said. "It begs inquiring: have you had any success in reaching Val Roa?"
Rainbow Dash's eyes instantly clenched shut. She took a deep, deep breath.
Eventually, Luna once again spoke up. "...if that is a tender subject, we can switch to discussing something else—such as the welfare of your companions."
"Nah, Luna, it's okay," Rainbow Dash murmured. She reopened her eyes with a weak smile. "It's just that... th-there's not much else to say. I mean... we're trying everything we can to find a weakness along the border that we can fly through."
"A 'weakness?'"
"That's right."
"You almost make it sound like you're attempting to invade the kingdom, not bring it salvation."
"Well, honestly, Your Highness, at this point it's not like we have any other ch-choice!" Rainbow's voice cracked. "They're sure as heck not making it easy for us! Or for any other pony for that matter!"
"The kingdom is obviously experiencing a crisis, on top of the fact that they value their secrecy."
"Yeah, or maybe it's just Chrysalis who doesn't want anypony to know what's going on inside Val Roa."
"You truly believe her influence has consumed the land already?"
"I'd friggin' bet on it." Rainbow sighed, her nostrils flaring. She kicked lazily at the cloud bed beneath her. "We've certainly given her enough time to pillage the place from the inside out."
"Rainbow Dash..."
"She probably has a dayum hive being laid on the monarchy's chest, for all I know!" Rainbow wheezed. "The Val Roans are probably up to their fetlocks in changeling slime as we speak! And with me and the Noble Jury farting around the countryside, we certainly haven't made life any better for them!"
"Correct me if I am wrong, but have you not been exemplifying peace and harmony for the last sixty days in that land?"
Rainbow sighed, face-hoofing. "Yes, Y-Your Highness—"
"Have you not been acting as key guardians and defenders of justice in a time and place where the local ponies have no one else to turn to?"
"Yeah. We've been kicking butt and saving innocent flanks! I know that! But even still—"
"You must not punish yourself unnecessarily, Rainbow Dash," Luna's voice said. "There is no doubt whatsoever that you are a pony of integrity. You and your close companions are heroes to the core."
"There's a big picture here, Luna," Rainbow muttered. "I fear that we're not doing anything to tackle it."
"Well, you most certainly are not ignoring it," Luna said. "Neither are you ignoring the pleas for help from these needy villagers being plagued by the insufferable goblins of that land."
"Uh huh..."
"Your actions are completely and utterly commendable. Do not deny that."
"And I'm not, Luna." Rainbow gulped. "There's j-just... something else to it. Something else that I'm having a hard time with acknowledging."
"And what is that, exactly?"
"Don't get me wrong. I enjoy kicking goblin butt. I do." Rainbow rolled over on the cloud, hugging herself. "These punks deserve it. I don't know how come so many of them are so aggressively rushing up from the South—but the Jury's literally been the only thing holding them back, and their numbers are starting to dwindle. But still..." She sighed, her eyes thin and melancholic. "I-I know that deep down... I'm not doing this for heroism's sake. Neither am I doing it just to be a good pony..."
"Then what is your motivation, Rainbow?"
"Isn't it obvious?" the pegasus muttered. "Right past Val Roa is the Grand Choke. And I know that trying to take the Noble Jury through it is stupid."
"I seriously doubt that this 'Grand Choke' is capable of halting your travels—"
"No offense, but you're not getting it, Your Highness," Rainbow grumbled. "It's suicide." She gulped. "Not for me, though, but for the Jury. The place screws with magic. Every pony around these parts confirms it. Plus, it's all I've ever heard about the dang place since I started flying east in the first place." Rainbow sighed. "The Grand Choke may not consume Austraeoh, but it sure as heck would drain all the life from my friends."
"Your concern is admirable. And, believe it or not, Rainbow, I do get it," Luna's voice said. "You dread an inevitable parting of ways."
Rainbow slowly nodded. "For the longest time, I always figured that... y'know... something tragic would force me and the Jury to split. I know that sounds morbid, but we've been through some pretty nasty straits and it's taken quite a few blows to my faith. But these past two months?" She shuddered, smiling slightly. "They've been fantastic. Mega awesome, even. We've kicked butt and taken names. We're like friggin' superheroes out here. It's everything I've ever wanted to be, but..." Her smile faded. "...sooner than later, it's all gotta end. And I'm thinking that—deep down—it's not the border of Val Roa that's stopping me... it's just me stopping me."
"I seriously doubt that, Rainbow."
"Well I don't," Rainbow snarled slightly. "No matter how hard I shake the feeling, the truth always comes back to haunt me. And that truth is that... sooner than later..." She sighed. "The Noble Jury will make its last flight together. And... and I-I can't bear to face that. But I should."
"Nopony can blame you, Rainbow Dash. You've made some remarkable friends in your journey. It would not be easy to give them up."
The pegasus sniffled slightly. "I wish it was th-that simple, Princess. I've f-found more than friendship out here." She hugged herself and closed her eyes with a shudder. "I've found love..."
I can't wait for Luna to hear Dash's story of love.
Good to see that Durandana and Alafreo are doing fine.
Lerris? Oh. Right. That's the name she's taken now.
For a moment there, I thought it was a reanimated town.
This Grand Choke sure sounds like crap. Is this going to cause a total reset and cause a return to loner travels until she finds friends from the other side?
blacknright.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/the-princess-and-the-frog-promo-2-375x500.jpg
So does Rainbow not realize that since she uses magic to fly that she wont be able to fly across the Grand Choke either, or did somewhere confirm that her being Austraeoh will stop that? Because I think right now its just speculation by her that it won't.
I have this awful feeling that IC is going to wipe the cast, sans RD, at the end of this book.
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For the love of all things holy let this not happen
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Once she reaches the end, her Pegasus magic will stop working and she'll fall to the other side.
At least that's my theory.
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upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/91/Transformers-movieposter-west.jpg
If it's good enough for the Transformers Movie, it's good enough for IC.
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Nooooooooooo.....
Y'know, it occurs to me. What we've seen so far in this sixth installment is the Noble Jury molded into a veritable task force. I can't help but think that their talents are being cultivated here. It almost seems like a shame not to have them be able to use these talents on the Dark Side. I dunno. Maybe it's just wishful thinking, but my bet is that, one way or another, at least some of the Jury will be accompanying her to the Dark Side.
You're not the only one...
i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah38/kihutaja/mDLAP7o_zpsavlzzw9e.jpg
I see RD has the same reaction to that word as I do. I wonder how she reacts to "Shell"...
5028674 I think it's a bit early to be discussing that... but :(
Have I mentioned I like Zaid?
I think this is the first time the word chaotician has been used in this fic. The connection between this story and Appledashery is almost scary sometimes...
I forgot the changeling named herself Lerris. That totally threw me for a loop for a second. I'll admit, I was going to stop reading if a certain nigh-immortal madpony was mentioned again.
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5029427 I think we've settled that by now.
Luna is a smart Princess.
I'm apparently good at making predictions that don't come true... but I'll say that Rainbow will have to leave the Jury at the end of the book, or they will get split in Val Roa. But Lighting Bearer does make a real good point.
Lerris tho
So, Lerris confused me there for a second.
I've got a feeling at least one theme in this book is gonna be RD slowly relaxing her fears and realising that something horrible is not waiting just round every corner to kill some or all of the Jury... just before something comes round the next corner and kills some or all of the Jury.
Well Rainbow, that's a concern we all share. Everything that has a begining, has an end....just enjoy the ride while it's happening.
Suddenly realizing that Rainbow Dash has "Found Love in a Hopeless Place" and I'm slowly smacking myself for not thinking of this like last book.
No please no don't make her leave the Jury! Hopefully it'll be settled by the end of the book.
-Spirit
Ahh, I forgot about the odd attributes around the Grand Choke. I hope that they are over exaggerated and not truly that deadly. But what I'm trying to take in is the fact that we're close to starting an entire new story. I mean, it's close enough. She has to then travel back to the Midnight Armory and deal with everything that comes her way. Man oh man, that'll be interesting.
wouldn't earth ponies be safe then? They don't have any really outstanding/noticeable magic
I guess this chapter is like a prelude to the fact that by the end of this book, Rainbow will have left the Noble Jury. This is sad, indeed.
y u no pure technology
But you are Rainbow Dash, the 'big picture' is made of many little pictures, all of them required to help said big picture look coherent. Though that she are using this as an excuse to avoid inevitable departure....is understandable, and under other circumstances would be commendable. The last time she had to leave her friends, it was the most painful moment of her life. She doesn't want to repeat that experience.
Rainbow and Roarke sitting in a tree...
The thought of Dash leaving the jury has been teased so many times that threat of it has lost all meaning. At this point if she does leave them I wouldn't even give a shit.
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Super late to the party. But I hope that doesn't happen, the Jury is too awesome.
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But IC is better than Transformers + Lord of the Rings Combined,
That and your character here just got together with Props; Eagle Eye and Ebon got their love grove on; Kera's finally alright; and Roarke after 4 books finally got together with Dashie. What'll we do without all that awesomeness?
...yeah, Elma's name choice might have been a bit unfortunate in hindsight.
Count on Luna to set Rainbow straight on this journey
Perhaps when she gets back she can do that.
06/16/2017
15:55 UTC
When Rainbow heard that she was like
Really? Someone remind me, when was the first time we actually heard about this?
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"Ring a ling, message from Lerris"
"..."
"*Picks up phone* heeey! This is Lerris, I used to be named Elma but I wanted to name myself after a place that suffered catastrophy with no survivors. I wanted to say 'hi' is all,~"
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The weird part was reading this for the first time. Still is oddly pleasing that I got thrown in this magnum opus.
You got right in Booster.
Yeah, I had worried that this would happen with Rainbow. I can't even blame her.