Worth a Thousand Words
Fluttershy turned around from staring up through the ceiling of the large room. "Wildcard's coming back with Flynn," she said. "They'll be here in a few minutes."
"Well then!" Twilight beamed. "Maybe we'll finally turn the lights back on in this place!"
"I know this is rather redundant... but..." Rarity coughed delicately, shivering slightly as she gazed at the detritus exposed under Rainbow's ruby spotlight. "Do we really wish to?"
"We do if we want a lick of sense about what happened in this place!" Applejack declared.
"I'm getting a clear enough picture as it is..." Rainbow Dash said, trotting through the debris-strewn environment.
"No offense, Rainbow..." Twilight gazed lethargically at her. "But how can you logically come to any conclusion in the dark?"
"Just... the little details, egghead," Rainbow droned, shuffling along. The lightning bolt under her chin illuminated tool boxes, empty trays, and a smattering of loose armor plates. "Unless you forget, this isn't the first time I've stumbled upon an abandoned hole in the wall."
"Well?" Pinkie floated closer, batting her eyelashes. "What do your learned senses tell you, oh wise sage Dashie?"
"Seems to me that the ponies who once stood their post here left in a pretty big hurry," Rainbow said.
"Or..." Fluttershy gulped. "...they were attacked?"
"Fluttershy's right." Applejack motioned at the nearby table covered in scattered materials. "This place has 'ransacked' written all over it."
"And yet..." Rainbow shone her pendant around. "No bloodstains. No bodies."
"It could have been centuries, Rainbow," Twilight said. "Plenty of time for scavenging."
Rainbow turned to look at the unicorn. "... ... ...no skeletons?"
Twilight fidgeted in midair.
"Perhaps... they were buried?" Rarity suggested. "The bodies, I mean... before the survivors fled."
"If there were survivors," Pinkie said in a surprisingly grim tone.
"No..." Fluttershy shook her head. "I'm just not sensing enough organic material." She then squinted at Rarity. "Curious, Rarity... you think the Emeraldinians fled this place?"
"Well, take a look around!" Rarity's voice squeaked as she shivered again. "I certainly would!"
"Yuh huh..." Applejack stared at her with bored eyebrows. "Where to, pray tell?"
"Well, back to the Gondola, obviously." Rarity fluffed her mane to punctuate the obvious truth. "It's the fastest way to the Light Side."
"But Rarity..." Fluttershy chewed her bottom lip. "...they'd have to contend with sarosians and mean Rohbreddenites."
"Yeah!" Pinkie nodded. "And don't forget! Mortuana was stuck in Wyvern Point for the past few hundred years! That means the next alicorn to help them—Queen Whitemane—would have been a gazillion miles away!"
"... ... ..." Rarity blinked. "Well... bother. This is quite the contemplative predicament, isn't it?"
"Rainbow..." Twilight looked at their anchor. "In the past—when you came across places like this—how did you know for sure that the location had been utterly abandoned?"
"They weren't," Rainbow said. "And this place is waaaaaaaay different. That's why I'm making that guess."
"Well..." Pinkie rubbed her head. "What are you comparing it to?"
"In the middle of the Grand Choke... right when the ocean began..." Rainbow breathed slowly. "I stumbled upon a Val Roan encampment. An entire expedition died there. I knew because I saw the bodies buried... and the bones..." She shuddered noticeably. "... ... ...and the note from the last survivor begging forgiveness for resorting to cannibalism."
"Okie dokie lokie!" Sweating, Pinkie Pie gazed towards the opposite end of the room. "Why doesn't anypony shut me up anymore?"
"Oh my..." Fluttershy grimaced. "If that's how bad it can get on the Light Side, then how awful can the Dark Side g-get???"
"Oh come now, darling..." Rarity smiled nervously. "It's not all terrible! I mean... this is an Emeraldinian encampment! That's like a little slice of neighborly harmony!"
Fluttershy sighed. "Then what forced the ponies to leave this place?"
Rarity hung her head. After a few seconds of silence, she pricked an ear up. She raised her head with a glowing horn. "Rainbow Dash..."
"Yeah, Rares?"
"Up ahead. Towards the right. In the middle of the wall."
"Yeah...?" Rainbow lifted her neck, shining the ruby spotlight dead ahead. She trudged over loose bric-a-brac and unspent crystals. "What are you sensing, girl?"
"There's... an assortment of stones along the wall," Rarity explained. "Everything else about this room is chiseled to geometric perfection."
"The result of alicorn magic," Twilight said.
"Indeed. But somepony's placed something on the wall."
"Like what?" Rainbow asked, feeling around as she trotted further. "Some sort of symbol?"
"Far more intricate than that, darling." Rarity managed a smile. "If I trust my artistic muse—I daresay it's—"
"A mural!" Applejack gasped.
Sure enough, Rainbow's ruby light was glinting off a multi-colored assortment of hundreds upon thousands of tiny stones delicately arranged along the wall at the end of the room.
Rarity pouted. "Must you steal my thunder, as t'were?"
"Sorry..." Applejack winced. Tilting the brim of her hat, she nodded ahead. "Give it a shine, Rainbow. Let's see what we're lookin' at..."
Rainbow was already rubbing her hoof across the lightning bolt of her pendant. The harmonic energy intensified, brightening until the entire wall was illuminated.
"OooOoooOooOooh...!" Pinkie Pie cooed.
"Oh how pretty..." Fluttershy smiled, her shiny eyes reflecting a brown shape situated in the middle of a verdant green plain with mountains in the distance. "... ... ...what is it?"
"Uhm..." Twilight rubbed her chin. "A structure? A mountain? A city?"
"It's Trixie Lulamoon's hat!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.
Twilight gave Pinkie a double-take. "Who?"
"Y'know..." Pinkie winked. "Trixie? Remember? From way back when? The Ursa Minor stomped through town and you showed her who was boss?!"
"... ... ... ... ... ..." Twilight blinked hard. "Egads..." She rubbed her horn, wincing. "Yeah, sure, I remember. Just... come on, Pinkie... talk about another time and place—"
"Well, it does resemble a wizard's hat, I suppose," Rarity murmured, squinting at the conical shaped structure. "But that's being quite vague at best. I think Twilight's right. The mosaic is depicting a mountain of some sort... or a city..."
"It's both," Rainbow said in a calm tone. "It's Verdestone."
Applejack's eyes twitched. "That's Verdestone?"
"Eeeyup." Rainbow nodded.
"Oh wow..." Twilight smiled wide, hovering up to the mosaic. "I've read about the faraway capital of Emeraldine in many of the royal history books—but never have I seen an illustration this... this..." She giggled inwardly. "Isn't this amazing?! It's so intricate! And it's ancient too! This... this is like a time capsule to a long lost age!" She gestured. "This is a mental snapshot of what the city looked like when the expedition first arrived here in Darkreach! I wonder what it looks like now..."
"The city surrounding its foundation is a lot bigger," Rainbow Dash said. "And there are a bunch of roads and trade routes connecting to it like a huge web."
"Wowie zowie..." Pinkie looked at her. "You say that like you've seen it in person!"
"That's because I did," Rainbow said with a nod. "It's where I met Whitemane."
"Land's sakes..."
"That must have been an incredible experience," Fluttershy said.
Rainbow shrugged. "I wasn't there too crazy long."
"But you were there, right?" Pinkie leaned forward. "Huh huh huh?"
"Totally. The city's built in levels... rising from the bottom to the top." Rainbow gestured midway up the ginormous cylinder. "That's where I went to shop for an outfit that would hide my wings." She pointed even higher. "There's the gates to the Council where I first met Steelteeth... or was it Steeltooth? Goddess... I hate myself sometimes..."
"Mmmmhmmm. Steel Jaws. Yes. Got it." Rarity drifted forward with a dumb grin. "And where did you run into Her Royal Fabulousness? Hmmm?"
"Whitemane?"
"Do tell!"
Rainbow pointed at the summit. "Right there. The utmost summit. There was a palace built there for the Royal Family—Onyxxus and Whitemane and Mortuana and the like." Rainbow smirked slightly. "From the looks of it... that place must have been super old. It was there when these dudes created this mosaic. Huh... cool."
"How long were you in the palace?"
"Eh... overnight. Slept on a bed. It was nice, I guess."
"You..." Rarity fought the urge to squeaked inwardly. Turning rosy, she chose the softest thing within reach to hug—which turned out to be Fluttershy. "You actually had a princess slumber party during your journey eastward? Squeee!"
"Oh... uh... how dreamly!" Fluttershy stammered. "Rarity, my withers..."
"Yeah. I suppose you could say that."
"Ohhhhhhh it must have been heavenly!" Rarity sighed.
"Dressed in silk? Standing on the cool, windblown balcony?" Rainbow gazed at the mosaic. "Staring out at a countryside dotted with lights... like stars?"
"Reckon it does sound a mite bit relaxin'," Applejack said with a grin. "You deserved no less, sugarcube."
Rainbow exhaled. "I... didn't really care for it."
"Heeheeheee!" Pinkie giggled.
"Why not, darling?" Rarity pouted, sad-faced. "You were experiencing a slice of unmitigated luxury and elgance!"
"I... didn't really enjoy a lot of downtime back in those days," Rainbow said. "Every moment I got a chance to think, it just... r-reminded me of the fact that you gals were gone..." She rubbed one fetlock against the other, pensively.
"Oh Rainbow Dash..." Fluttershy turned misty-eyed.
"I'm so sorry," Twilight said in a sincere tone. "I'm sorry that our being gone kept you from enjoying pleasantries..."
"Eh... nothin' for you to be sorry for. I experienced a lot of stuff... I've been to a lot of killer-cool places. I'm proud of it all. Really, I am. But... y'know..." Rainbow turned her back to the mosaic. "...I much rather be here... on the Dark Side... surrounded by confusion and grim shadows..." She finished with a wink. "If it means having you guys with me again."
The ghostly quintet merely smiled at that.
"We're glad to be with you as well, Rainbow Dash," Twilight spoke warmly. "And we're going to help you get back in one piece. Who knows? Hehehe... maybe you can revisit those places again?"
"With a real smile on your face this time!" Pinkie hoof-pumped. "Weeee!"
"Yeah... just maybe," Rainbow said. A beat. She lifted her gaze a few degrees more.
She became aware of Flynn and Wildcard standing just outside the penumbra of her pendant's glow. They were silent until she made eye contact with them.
"You... uh... you done reminiscing with your friends?" Flynn asked.
"Er... yeah..." Rainbow cleared her throat. "Sorry, dudes."
Wildcard shook his head.
"Don't be sorry." Flynn smirked, trotting over to examine an overturned crate of crystals. "If you have the downtime to catch up with them—be our guest. We haven't the heart to stop you."
"To be perfectly honest..." Rainbow fidgeted in place. "...I... didn't really think I was gonna have all this downtime since crossing the edge."
"Yes, well... that's bound to change sooner than later," Flynn muttered, levitating multiple magical reagents off the floor. "What say we get this place lit up so we can properly prepare for the inevitable?"
Wildcard looked at Rainbow.
Rainbow nodded.
Wildcard nodded back.
"You get that crud energized, Flynn," Rainbow said, trotting briskly across the room. "The girls and I will look for a generator room or something."
Pinkie waved a hoof. "Just be on the look out for clever girls!"
"For what?" Rainbow looked back. She ran into a doorframe. Bonk! "Augh! Dang it, Pinkie!"
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Dammit Pinkie.
It's nice to have these moments to just... talk. Really builds the world.
Forty crunches, ):(. Knock 'em out!
If she does, then this time she needs to bring her friends along with her. Introduce the old friends to the new friends she made.
That aside, stopping and relaxing is always necessary, especially with a journey like Rainbows, which has, is, and will be taxing her mentally and physically. Reminiscing on the good times is an excellent way to do that, especially with those who were unable to appreciate them, whatever the reason.
This was really nice. It was good to see them all just talk about things and for Rainbow to reminisce on her journey.
Good blast from the past flashback. Verdestone as a city really rocks and is still my favourite region outside of Equestria in this setting.
The mural worries me though. Such a nice piece of art in a desolate place like this? Fate (or Rainbow) will find a way to crush it.
Oh wow, now I'm feeling a bit nostalgic from reading this chapter!
Ahh, earlier books...
On another note, I'd love to see Dash revisit some of the locations from past books (Maybe not Lerris, for obvious reasons)
Turn on the power, turn on the lights. We need more power to reveal those who lurk in the darkness.
Temporary crisis averted due to distracting murals of reminiscence. Just need to make sure there's distracting murals hanging around every time Dash decides to wander off, now.
Oh, well, um, I guess that's one way to describe a slumber party.
8289342 Especially to see the reactions of Rainbows old companions to the original friends.
A lot of detail in the image? Someone had an accurate mental image or picture to go off and a lot of time.
If Dash has a real close look at it, will her perfect memory of locations make her realise that theres something wrong with that imge, like that particular window shouldnt be there, but slightly to the left as it were?
Will they find out the reason the generator isnt working is because theres a giant electric cave eel asleep in it?
So, when Flynn tries to get the generator going, he's gonna say "Hold on to your butts"?
As nice an idea as it is that Dash could take the girls with her on a cross continental tour of the world, well... I guess if they've survived that long without the Elements, they can do it again.
As so many have said, I can't see Dash sticking around in Equestria, she's changed too much, seen too much.
She'd turn in her element and hightail it East once more.
-Through the path long forgotten, into the darkness long begotten. Ofolrodi.
8289292
The only time in TV or movie history I have ever seen anyone properly deploy a SPAS-12.
Everyone else keeps the stock folded and shoots from the hip (you can't see your sights like that)
You can't unsee this. Every action movie ever is ruined.
It's always nice to have a talk every now and then.
Was kinda hoping this chapter would be a thousand words long just for the joke. I'm not complaining that I get to read more though!
I'm the only one getting a big "mines of moria" feeling of this city so far?
Can't wait for them to read the mural.
Also, I'm silently gonna leave this in here hehehe: 68.media.tumblr.com/463e03642ad705d0ff87b88639a57ba1/tumblr_oswqqvkbsn1w6ax09o1_540.png
Original from Sinrar: http://www.deviantart.com/art/Eastward-680375268
Ah, brings back a lot of memories. Not too surprised that Rainbow neglected to mention the hoofmaidens.
8289732
You know a mural is a painted picture right? There's nothing to read.
The mural is the image of Verdestone.
While it's true a mural can have words as part of the artwork, this one seems to be just the portrait of the city going by the description.
The door locks! Ariel, get the door locks!
And before Rainbow flips the breakers... hold onto your butts.
It's good to see Rainbow going in for that role playing exp.
I didn't know we needed this break, but I'm sure glad we've got it.
That was a fun trip down memory lane. I'm totally looking forward for the encore trip around the world, solely because that brings us closer to Roarke again.
RAINBOARKE4LYFE NEVER GIVE UP THE DREAM
I legitimately do not know if this is sarcasm or not, and it bothers me so.
Man, I really hope that we get to see another talk with Whitemane at some point... I imagine she deserves to know what happened to her sister.
Also, I kind of had an odd thought. Even if they have to make the journey full circle, coming back over the other edge than came down on, then there is one of Rainbow's old companions they may yet see again before they manage to reach Equestria. Floydien took his ship and set sail west as Dash set out across the Choke, he might very well meet them part of the way over. I would like to see the girl's reaction to the boomer spiting going on with that reunion.
And then it turns out the generator takes on the form of a skeleton.
That you need to throw down a well.
While Flynn is reading from an old tome.
Something about people coming.
And the lights turn on to reveal the surprise party that the 3 factions on this side set up for Dashie when she shows up!
I like how were getting all these throwbacks to the earlier books, almost as if it's hinting at some sort of reünion
8290261
I know you're being cheeky, but it would be really funny if it was a literal surprise party. "WELCOME, AUSTRAEOH" declares the banner while the changelings, bat ponies, and night shard sing a jolly song together.
...
No, I'm not drunk, just sleepy!
8290150
Too many characters need to appear again. Or even get their own spinoff stories. I'm sure whoever writes the dialogue for a story of Floydien in Darkstine would get an academy award.
I guess turning on the lights will alert the whole dark side of their presence.
8289803
Actually it is a mosaic, not a mural, a mosaic is many small stones put together in a manner that creates a picture. In this case of Verdestone. A mural is a painting.
8290609
going back and reading... it could go either way, it's not specified what was placed on the wall, paint or stones, but AJ specifically calls it a mural, and Rarity seemed inclined to agree, so I'm acting on the assumption that it's paint based on that.
8290617
And now I want to see that mural... Anyone feel like drawing it?
8290617
Yeah, my confusion came from not understanding that the mural/mosaic only showed the mountain/city. I tought that it showed more, like a whole story of what happened inside the place, and that the representation of Esmeraldine was only the first part. I meant reading not in the sense of reading words, but rather of interpreting the mural (wich again, I tought it was longer and with more information). My mistake.
This wall needs a mural...oh, wait, it has one!
Clever girl...
8290843
Somewhere in this mural is one little gemstone with a carving. And if you take a closer look, you can read one sentence:
Littlepip was here.
Too bad the generator runs off dead foals. Then Duke Zaap Nator shows up and saves the day!
Princess slumber party!
Says Rainbow Dash before things go horribly wrong. Things have been a bit too quiet so far, a sketchy abandoned-in-a-hurry base does seem like a good point for the party to have their first encounter with something.
That said, the downtime to talk about Rainbow's past adventures was nice. Cool of IC to keep those little references to past books going so everyone keeps it kinda fresh in their minds.
8289445 8289895 l could see 'Hold on to your flanks,' but we need to get Flynn a cigarette first.
8290371
I'll happily preread, if anyone gets on that. That'd be solid gold!
8290630
...how did I miss that 3 times?
Very well. I, and AJ, were wrong.
8291634 AJ likely hasn't had the education necessary to distinguish the two, being more focused on practical things, you on the other hand have no excuse
8291716
I saw the word mural and somehow forgot the description of what it was in favour of what I knew the word mural to refer to.
or, I couldn't see the forest for the trees, as it were.
8291837
I am just giving you a hard time, don't worry about it.
Whinnyas Tirith.
Or Canterlot, come to think of it.
Ship's refueled, captain.
Jurassic Park reference? Otherwise I don't get it.
I've been asking that since season one.