"What I can't wrap my head around is the fact that you found another pegasus inside that cave," Bellesmith said.
"I'm still betting it's a bored earth pony that got into a wrestling contest with an albatross," Rainbow Dash said from a low hover.
"That's not very likely," Belle replied with a thin glare.
"A giant centipede is not very likely."
"How many times have you run into giant creatures in caves?" Belle remarked as she, Rainbow Dash, and Pilate shuffled under the dimly-lit canopy of Foxtaur Forest. They navigated brambles and low-hanging vines and bowing trees. "And the one time you stumble into something that's remarkable beyond measure, you play it off like it's nothing!"
"Hey! I scavenged the book from there!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed with a wave of her hooves. "That counts for something, right?"
"And a remarkable book it was," Pilate remarked as Belle reached back to help him scale a bumpy series of exposed roots. "Full of alarmingly detailed illustrations and maps."
"Yeah, you got a good look at that thing, didn't ya?" Rainbow exclaimed.
"Indeed." The zebra smiled blankly. "Now if only I could have interpreted it."
"You mean not a single word inside that thing caught your attention?"
"Oh, several bits caught my attention, alright," Pilate said with a nod. He spoke solidly into the dense forest air. "I saw several symbols that I had studied before in Blue Shelf. Some carry more gravity than others. What intrigues me the most is one reoccuring symbol, one that you said was on a piece of clothing located near the body of the winged pony, if I'm not mistaken."
"Oh, right. That thing." Rainbow Dash nodded from above. "Yeah, the pony had a swell hoodie of sorts. The symbol was on that."
"Just what we need," Belle muttered with glazed eyes. "More symbols."
"I can only imagine if it's something of special significance," Pilate thought aloud.
"Probably the Secret Cabal of Zadubadabu or somecrap," Rainbow Dash uttered with rolling eyes.
"You may not be that far off."
Rainbow squinted down at him. "You're kidding, right?"
"I only mean to say that it most likely is an organization of sorts," Pilate said, briefly stumbling over a cluster of twigs as Belle caught him. "Erm... or at least it was."
"Was?"
"There's no telling just how old that skeleton was, or what it was doing inside that cave."
"There were symbols carved into the wall besides where the body was lying, right?" Belle said.
"Yeah." Rainbow Dash nodded. "Seems like a lousy way to go."
"I seriously doubt that the pony went down there completely by accident," Pilate said. "If I had my guess, I'd say it was a purposeful expedition."
"To what end?" Bellesmith remarked. "What would bring a pegasus pony so far into ancient Ledomaritan country?"
"What has brought Rainbow Dash so far?"
Belle glanced up at Rainbow, then squinted at Pilate. "Beloved, you don't think... you don't think that—"
"Another Austraeoh?" Pilate shook his head. "I doubt it. That would belittle Rainbow's significance as the 'spark.' Though, stranger things have happened."
"Well, one thing is for sure." Belle smiled up at their guide. "Rainbow Dash is one of a kind."
Rainbow Dash belched. She scratched her left armpit and squinted up at the forest canopy.
Belle sighed and trotted alongside Pilate. "Checks and balances, I suppose..."
"Someone explain to me again why we're just trudging around in this dank and dark forest," Rainbow uttered. "I have a good mind to hoist each of you under a foreleg and take us the easy way to the far side."
"Rainbow, you saw those flying unicorns who attacked us!"
"Yeah? So? The centipede kicked their butts! Then I kicked its butt!"
"That's not the point!" Belle frowned. "The Enforcers not only know which direction we've taken through the countryside, but they're sending scouts by air to find us!"
"And...?"
"And... we have the Foxtaur Forest acting as a means of masking our trail!" Belle smiled. "I know how much you wanna whisk us to safety, Rainbow, but we gotta lay low for a bit. You may be able to show a giant arthropod who's boss, but an entire Ledomaritan army?"
"Come on! We can take them!" Rainbow Dash grinned wide.
Bellesmith merely glared at her.
Rainbow sighed and folded her front limbs in a limp over. "Fine. At least let's figure out what that stupid book's about. I'm bored."
"I'm not sure that's possible," Pilate said. "I'd need access to a huge library of ancient languages, the likes of which could only be found in hidden archives protected by the Council of Ledo."
"Oh right," Rainbow Dash said with a shudder. "You told me about their dumb phobia of—like—old languages and stuff."
"Also, we really need to give O.A.S.I.S. a rest," Belle added.
"What for?" Rainbow Dash asked with a quizzical expression. "I got the glowy crystals that you needed, right?"
"It's of no use to us until we find a unicorn who can transfer energy into the implant in Pilate's skull," Belle explained. She blushed. "Erm... a unicorn with a horn, that is."
"Ahhhhh. Okay." Rainbow gazed ahead of them. "Guess you're in for a long, dark hike, Pilate."
"I don't mind one bit!" Pilate said with a grin. "I find the forest air invigorating."
Belle giggled and nuzzled him. "Only you, beloved. Only you."
"Besides..." Rainbow Dash yawned and flew upside down in a reclining pose. "What are the friggin' odds we'd run into a unicorn lame enough to be hanging out in a place like this?"
Enter Roarke in 3
Probably about the same as finding a Dead Pegasus with a plot vital book protected by a Giant insect. *Shrugs*
1996863
Dun dun DUUUNNNN
Dat swell hoodie.
Great chapter, can't wait for more.
Quite good now that you lampshaded it Dash.
Marx-worthy eyebrow wagging from the title on down. Seriously though, and I say this a city dweller, you all should try hiking now and again. It's fantastic.
Rainbow, the fulcrum of meta-comedy in a meta-excerpt.
i50.tinypic.com/24ypjmc.jpg
You're getting less subtle, Mr 'Imploding Colon' :P
Belle, get away from the 4th wall! That's Pilate's job.
See what I mean?
indeed, what are the odds? There's no way a plot-convenient unicorn could possibly be nearby. What a silly thing to suggest!
1993541
What I could see is Shell trying to do something underhanded like shooting RD in the back to be stopped by Roarke who wants a fair fight and finds such tactics distasteful.
Dash could then see Roar stopping Shell and think Roar is on her side, only to be challenged to the death.
1997004
All you need is a big sign... Charging station ahead. 7 bits per thaum.
Gee, haven't we seen this before?
-dragonridergoku, "My Hope"
-dragonridergoku, "Ever East"
YA GOT YER WISH.
I like turtles.
The hoodie.
It was swell.
>swell hoodie
i c wut u did thar
RAINBOW ARE YOU TURNING INTO SPIKE
DON'T TURN INTO A DRAGON
I DON'T THINK AXAN WOULD LIKE THAT
How many hoodies out there aren't swell, that's what I want to know.
1997243
Bwahahaha!
Oh IC, you spoil us so.
I really want that swell hoodie.
d3eum8lucccgeh.cloudfront.net/designs/17469/browse_sobad_hoodie.jpg
Roarke..... is that a fan insertion?p
1996943 You'll have to explain the second one... I appear to have missed it.
Oh Rainbow Dash. You have just spoken an ancient, powerful invocation of summoning. Not only that, it's one that has a proven history of summoning malicious beings and events.
Hands down, this incarnation/portrayal of Rainbow Dash is the best. There can be no arguing with this, for it is a fact.
1999198
Every arc since Windthrow has had OCs named after the commenters. Surely you've noticed this.
Since you said that, about 1 : 1.
1999981 Hm.we may never know.
Rainforest - Michael Angelo Batio
2000218
EEYUP
1999859
You mean the city that has the same name as me isn't a coincidence?
...
Well, I feel sheepish.
Completely ok with this....just don't ask what could go wrong...for the love of pony God Dash don't do it!!!
HA!!! I GOT IT PUT IN!!!!!!! not exactly how I expected, but with IC's reputation, that makes sense. Zadubadabu is now a "secret cabal". The chapter named Secret cabal will feature Zadubadabu once more.
In other news, Dash has just doomed the group to meeting a unicorn lame enough to be there. Who wants a cupcake?
plot device incoming!!
Cue a secret society of unicorns. All wearing swell hoodies.
2005081
Heh, yeah, I remembered after I said it. That in mind, stay tuned.
2005291
Berets are awesome. Simple as that
2005291
Regrettably, no. Beret Guy doesn't nearly appear as much as he should in those comics, man. What is this, like, his third, fourth appearance? Black Hat gets all the fun.
2004830Compared to what I know now after having read ahead, I think I agree with your prophecy theory. So props to you for figuring that out before me!
2005360 2004830
Blame jury.
2005066Doctor Who is a boss show, with boss music to match.
2005316
There's Gotta be at least six, because we know quite well what he's like. I'm gonna go trawl through the archives, see what I can find.
This is Australia...
Yeah what are the odds indeed.
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
So we get a little bit more plot in this chapter, which is always good. If this pegasus came all the way to Ledomare having knowledge of the symbols, then I can only assume he intended to find the Machine. What with the way his book is and how he's described, he seems to be a member of an ancient cult of some kind whose goal has something to do with the Machine. Also, I'm pretty sure Dash just summoned Roarke. These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
Foreshadowing! Now I'm not sure what the pony/albatross hybrid was after, but I agree with 4th wall breaking Pilate that he/she probably wasn't another "spark" or whatever. Unfortunate adventurer, maybe? If this was Skyrim I wouldn't doubt it. Well, I've accumulated a ton of chapters, so only one thing to do - onward!
I think this chapter didn't on it's own shed much light on the situation. Something tells me, however, that this sets up a whole bunch of stuff that we don't know that we don't know yet. Thanks for keeping me guessing IC!
And dat bounty hunter be gettin' involved soon...
Onwards!
Oh yes, one of a kind.
hint hint wink wink
Also, anypony else notice that the picture on ):('s page has a lyra-esque mint green pony with a "swell hoodie" ?
3969522 why yes I did :)
...
Also, exposition! A good lot of it.
Ahh, the exposition.