After a major dunking, I flung my head straight up. I gasped as my wet mane filled the air with a wild splash of lake water. Reveling in the cold sting, I grinned devilishly, slipped Scootaloo's goggles down, and took off once more towards the sky, burning a straight path for the rising sun. The air bit harshly against my wet face. It served to remind me that I was alive.
"Why would you keep flying if there was no place for you to go?"
With my teeth gripped over the hatchet, I carved the last of five initials across a wooden panel. I stepped back from the abandoned cabin and observed the tiny memorial I had made. It wasn't much, but the place in between mountains was far holier than when I had first arrived. Putting my things away, I turned my back to the structure and soared east, blurring above the peaks of the rocky ridges.
"Why would you pursue life if you were nothing but death?"
I munched on celery, smirking across the campfire as Red Turnip and Ironhoof exchanged bickering diatribes, much to the snickering amusement of their fellow Wintergaiters. Fulltrot spoke under the hush of night, asking me a few questions about my travels. I answered limply; all the while my ruby eyes were locked on the unassuming motions of the "stallion" named Gold Plate.
"Perhaps the very reason is because she herself was life, something that could be encompassed in death, but never defeated by it."
I kissed her ardently. There was a gust of mountain air. I gazed at her, and her eyes weren't green. My body froze from the inside out. Before the tears could spring loose, I murmured something and took off for the stars. Gold Petals sobbed something, and I flew even faster, burning my way east.
"She gave up so much: her home, her Princesses, her friends' families. And for what? If she stayed where she was, all she would have done was died."
Gritting my teeth, I climbed up the rigid mountainside. My body was pelted with snow from all angles. I hissed as I forced my muscles into the brutal ascent, mentally begging for a break in the blizzard at any second. Many thoughts pulled at me, both tender and happy. I shook them off and trudged on, hoping to make it to the east side.
"She chose not to die slowly. She chose instead to live swiftly, like a comet streaking against the black canvas of night, burning out within a blink."
The cloak billowed around me as I bucked the ball down the field and past Cherrymane's gasping line of defense. I skirted past two or three more ponies before charging Grassy Fields. With a shout, I spun in the air, kicked the ball upside down, and watched as it victoriously ricocheted off the stallion's head and flew into the goal. The young populace of Ridgeside cheered all around me.
"If that blink would be the only slice of light afforded her, she would make the most of it. She would split it apart with a sneer and relish the colors that fountained off her wings."
My eyes sparkled as I flew over the wide valley of Emeraldine, only to stumble upon an impossibly tall spire in the middle of the landscape. Verdestone stretched towards the sky's ceiling, its alabaster rock glinting in the sunlight. Below it, sprawling far and wide, the world bustled with life. A sharp breath escaped me, and I grinned as I flew towards the sacred urbanscape before me.
"She didn't know it, but she was destined for more than even she had the capacity to hope for. There was a reason for all her struggles and trials."
I held my breath as I descended like a dull rock against the pelting sandstorm. Once I landed on the dry flats of scorched earth, I wrapped a blanket over me and tilted my mouth away from the surging sediment. I wheezed and hissed, hoping for a break in the madness, and another chance to fly east.
"She was more than just a daring pegasus, she was a spark of life... the spark, the one and only spirit of animation and courage that this world needs."
I gazed at my hooves as I trudged limply through the hazy, gray ruins of Silvadel. Sam Rose scouted ahead while Ember Speak, Swirls, and Stu guided me through the crumbled wreckage of ancient buildings. In spite of the grim situation, the survivors managed several hushed conversations and chuckles. I couldn't stop looking up through the cracks in the ruined surface of the world, hoping for a sliver of moonlight.
"She flew herself into her own destruction. It was an act of bravery on her behalf, but it was the product of too much spark and too little purpose."
I crawled across the cave floor, my body throbbing in agony. The earth rumbled around me, and then a huge claw split my wing down the center. I screamed in pain, only to be grabbed in Axan's hand and thrown against the far wall of the place. Somewhere in the beating, I thought of smiling faces.
"On her own, Austraeoh will accomplish many impossible feats. But the entire journey cannot be a lonesome one. The spark needs to be re-lit, for her endurance to be reborn."
I was flying somewhere. My body was numb. My eyes opened, and I saw a tiny village resting on a plateau of arid stone. Dozens of earth ponies gawked up at me as I drifted slowly to the ground. Several claws deposited my bandaged, broken body. There was a gust of hot air, and I saw the shadow of a giant dragon darting off towards the craggy hilltops. The ponies galloped towards me, and that was when my eyes rolled back, surrendering to cold darkness.
"She has so many gifts, but there is one thing she is lacking..."
Whitemane's finally pulling Belle back out of her trance, time for the story to progress again
And here... we... go!
Subject: Rainbow Dash
Suffix Title Obtained: "Full Circle"
Preview: "Rainbow Dash, the Full Circle"
-Minty
Of course an Austraeoh recap would end on a cliffhanger.
I feel like this is where the story should be ended, just to mess with us
OH FREAKIN' FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUu-
WHY THE SUSPENSE!?
I liek lol, but the suspense is killing me ._. Well done, sir. Well done.
YESjust yes
That eyes not green thing is still the most powerful literary device I've ever seen.
Austraeoh: the tl;dr version.
Aw yeah, multiple chapter update and back into the thick of things! Can't wait to see what Belle's part really is in all of this...
*insert fast-forwarding tape sounds here*
"Previously, on Austraeoh: Rainbow Dash does awsome things."
Well, not only have we caught up with Austraeoh now, but also Eljunbyro. Good lord, 272 chapters in a nutshell is tiny.
Get outta here Philosophy. That's Lyra's job.
Now, as Mintelle has said, we are full circle.
Yep, RD was still alive (STILL ALIVE (music note)) when Axan dropped her off. Now Belle, get going girl!
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
Oh.
My.
God.
This chapter was beautiful.
Every part of it.
Whitemane's words were poetic in the most perfect way.
The recap was perfectly paced and bittersweet with memories.
Being an Imploding fic, of course it had to end in a cliffhanger.
I can honestly saw that this is one of the best Austraeoh series chapters that I have read.
Ever.
Bravo.
Also, about relighting the spark - I'm starting to seriously consider that Dash and Belle are going to start sharing the same body. These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
P.S.1887790I must give you credit.
I'm making a note here:
ACHIEVEMENT GAINED.
You've travelled hard and tried quite hard
To escape me.
A dual-planed Machine.
Lies dormant below the earth right now.
The Spark has died, it's engines fried,
And everypony will burn.
But there's no sense crying o'er the end of all things.
You just keep on flying like a coward with wings.
'Till you bring the Harmony
To the Midnight Armory
And you bring your silly friends back to life.
(If you get the reference, you're awesome.)
and here i thought we would get a jerky transition. beautify done good sir.
Ignition in 3... 2... 1...
This is Australia...
You know...now that Belle knows everything about Rainbow Dash, and seeing how Rainbow Dash have react with everyone about her story...I'm getting curious on how the discussion will go.
Now we can truly begin again.
So, it wasn't Axan who annihilated Aridstone after all. That's definitely troubling.
...
...
I have no words to describe how perfect this chapter is...
C-Could I borrow some words please?
...
*AHEM* Anyway, it's nice to have Rainbow's past cleared up, and we can move on to Belle now.
Although, maybe something about Darkstine would be nice? Nah, it was PERFECT.
I knew it couldn't have been Axan who destroyed the villagers. Glad to see my huge paragraph of my logic behind that back in the chapter where Shell is introduced was correct. I know I'm still way behind the party but I'm making progress toward catching up. Onward!
That was the line when I finally started crying. It felt good too.
2001015 you have an awesome profile picture!
3441961 Thanks!
This is Australia...
Well then. That's a wonderful recap. The feels... And what is she lacking? Endurance. But Bellesmith will give it to her.
Wow, that recap was more emotional than I realized. Yet fitting.
So much feels.
I second that guy below me, I remembered this quote from reading it almost a year ago. That is powerful. I'm glad to have found it again.
Friendship. And now begins the story of the Noble Jury.
Still catching up
Now that was an epic reveal. I mean we all knew she was alive at thus point but still, imagine when the chapter first cane out. People probably shat themselves.
I do believe that these last 20 chapters (I think) have answered 90% of Austraeoh's questions
Eljunbyro, Rainbow dash flies east?
More like Rainbow dash flashbacks.
Nice arc btw.
Great chapter.
Friends? I'm guessing friends.
And on that note, here we go!
Holy Moly, Chills! This is a great 'pump-up' chapter after the somber goodbye of last chapter.
Ladies and gentlemen, Austraeoh in a chapter.
Aside from that, can't wait to see what she's lacking. My bet is that it's something related to Belle, or to Eljunbryo.
And with that the dust that my feels have been ground into once more get the wind blown back into them!
Ho-ly shit. Probably the best chapter yet. The culmination of everything that came before is upon us, and it's gonna be wicked. I'm hyped. Beyond hyped. Onward!
~SolidFire
dun dun dun!
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
-Dylan Thomas
04/29/2017 22:14 UTC
God dammit, IC! You just had to mention Gold Petals, didn't you?! (I miss her so much! )
STAHP PLAYING WITH MY EMOTIONS, IC!
i feel like this is my life
Am I the only one who thought this was just a filler episode (chapter) with narrative? A lot of comments here are saying it's a great/perfect/best/awesome chapter but it's just a recap of Austraeoh. Not complaining on IC's transition to the next part, just confused why people think this is a great chapter. I was inclined to read nothing but the bold text halfway through.
This is the first continuation of the story from Dash’s perspective since the end of Austraeoh. I hope this means we’ll finally get Dash back now!
this reminds me of a book, "Achilles' choice":
"Achilles was offered a choice between a long, boring life and a short, glorious life.
he chose glory."
Literally, this entire chapter is a summary of everything that's happened up until now.
Talk about disposition
Oh well, we are collectively and wholely caught up now. Time to return to Belle and see what she does with all this knowledge now. Let's hope she's in a position to act, and not locked away somewhere.
With all her fainting spells, they probably don't consider her much of a threat to lock up, but hey, you ever know.
What's more, I don't think she's gonna be having anymore fainting spells.
Those fainting spells were likely the product of too much information being shoved through her head.
My bets are on Whitemane doing it, since she clearly has mind/dream reading powers. It wouldn't surprise me if she had the power to share them too
This was a beautiful chapter, and heavily needed after not reading this for a few months.
How dare you remind me of the heartbreak of the best character in the series!
Proof that Axan didn't kill the ponies of Aridstone, Chaos Dash did. How awful.