"Roque?!" Shouted a young, breathless colt as he scampered over the jagged hill of a stony plateau. Far behind his shiny figure, the gleaming image of a trapezoidal, crystalline house stood in the glare of a noonday sun. "Roque, come on! Toss the disc back!"
A slightly older colt stood at the crest of the hill. His glassy eyes sparkled like kaleidoscopes in the daylight as he gazed into the sky. He spoke over his pearlescent blue shoulder. "I lost it, Nexx!"
"Lost it?!" Nexx stammered as she lurched to a halt besides his brother's shiny flank. "How could you lose it?! The thing's made of southern dragon sapphires! It glows brighter than the sun!"
"I found something cooler," Roque said with a wide grin.
Nexx's shimmering eyes crossed in confusion. "Huh?! What do you mean, 'cooler?'"
"Look for yourself." Roque pointed towards the southern horizon with a lustrous hoof.
His younger sibling stood beside him, squinting. A high pitched gasp escaped his lips. "Whoah! What is that?"
"Beats me, but it's coming at us fast!" Roque remarked.
Both foals' eyes were trained on a thin, silver shape gliding in from the south. It followed the edge of the ravine that ran past their rock farm along the western plateau.
"What is it, a bird?" Nexx chirped.
"It's too big to be a bird, crackflank!"
"Hey! Mom said you're not allowed to call me 'crackflank!'"
"You're not gonna earn a cutie mark saying dumb things like that. At this rate, you'd might as well chisel something on that blank butt of yours!"
"I'm telling on you!"
"Shhh!" Roque leaned back on his haunches, craning his glimmering neck. "Look!"
Nexx's eyes widened, for the object was descending, lowering towards the horizon and passing over the tops of the forests on the other side of the canyon. Soon, it was skimming over the plateau, flying so close to the ground that its silver body was reflected off the many jagged sapphires sticking out of the earth.
"Uhhh... R-Roque?" Nexx stammered, hobbling backwards on trembling limbs.
"Will ya listen to it..." Roque cooed, his mouth agape in wonder. "It sounds like a hundred crystal foundries..."
"Roque, I'm scared."
"Pfft! You're always scared!"
"No, I mean it," Nexx squeaked, tugging at his brother's sparkly tail filaments. "Move! It's gonna hit us!"
"No it ain't—!"
"Yes it is!"
"No, it—"
At the last second, the glider twirled to the right, its unconscious pilot collapsing over the controls.
"Whoah!" Roque howled. In a single leap, he swooped Nexx's shrieking body off the ground and dove the two of them down the hilltop. The two colts rolled out of the way just as the aircraft ricocheted off the earth. The vehicle bounced, spun, and slid for several yards until it slammed hard into a ten foot tall chunk of sapphires. With a shower of blue shards, the crash landing had ended, and all was dust and foreboding haze.
Nexx coughed several times, waving the dust away from his mouth.
Undaunted, Roque stood up and trotted swiftly over to the crash. A worried Nexx waddled after him. Soon, both colts were staring at a niche carved out of the base of the sapphiric spire. Within the crater, the managlider was crumpled, its silver exoskeleton folded in over itself. But that was the last thing that was stealing their breath away.
"Holy cow!" Roque exclaimed.
"No way..." Nexx leaned down and squinted. "A real, live unicorn?"
"I think he's dead, Nexx."
"Uh uh!" Nexx tried to frown, but his frightened eyes were locked on the muscular figure below. "If he's dead, how could he have flown this thing?"
"Duhhhh. He died in the air."
"Why would you fly in the air if you knew you were gonna die?"
"How the hay should I know, crackflank?! It looks like he's a soldier—Whoah!" Roque did a double take, smiling in bizarre wonder. "Look at that! His forelimb is totally ripped off!"
"Oh, ew!" Nexx trembled, standing behind his brother as if the older colt could somehow erase the fact by blocking his sight of it. "That's terrible! Why's he—like—got sticks and stuff attached to it?"
"I think he just came out of a battle and needed a crutch," Roque murmured, his eyes squinting as he observed the stub of the injured limb. "Man, he's got bloodstains and everything!"
"C-can't he just grow it back?"
"Pffft. Nexx, just because he's a unicorn doesn't mean he can grow stuff back."
"But I thought all non-shiny ponies could grow legs back after they snapped off!"
"They don't snap off, doofus! They have blood and muscles and guts and stuff."
"Ewwww..."
"I know, right?"
"Uhm..." Nexx bit his lip. "Do you think..." He trembled even more. "Do you think the pony's from Searo?"
"You really are dumb, aren't you?" Roque smirked down at him. "Does he look like a girl to you?"
"Uhhh..."
"Well?"
"No..."
"All dudes in Searo are slaves. Everypony knows that. Besides..." Roque stood up tall. "If it was a real metal mare, I'd kick her butt for you."
"Would you really?"
"Yeah! I'm not afraid of any Searonese bounty hunter! Or a Ledomaritan!"
"Ledo... martian?"
"Ledomaritan, crackflank! Y'know, soldiers from the north?"
"What's he doing way down here in Sapphire Country?"
"Beats me." Roque began trotting down the crater.
"Roque! Roque!" Nexx squeaked, tugging on his tail. "Stop it! What are you doing?"
"What do you think?" Roque smirked back at the younger one. "I hear you get an electric shock when you touch a unicorn horn!"
"Ewww! No no no no! Don't touch itttt!"
"Why not? Pfft. Not like he's going anywhere—"
"Roque! Nexx!" A deep voice shouted from a shadowy figure above. "Get out of there now!"
Eyes wide as saucers, Roque instantly scampered out of the hole and stood besides the tall stallion. His brother was right behind him. "Sorry, Pa. We were just—"
"You were just nothing!" A leering pony with a reflective coat and a shimmering mane brushed them both aside as he swiveled a shotgun around his flank. Once it was propped in front of him, he sat on his haunches and slid his forelimbs into a pair of hoof-braces. "Get back in the house with your Ma and don't come out until I tell you too!"
"He's hurt, Pa!" Nexx squeaked. "His leg's broke! I think he snapped it off!"
Roque growled, "What did I tell you about unicorns—"
"Enough, both of you!" The father spat. He concentrated, and a stream of glowing light coursed down from his skull, through his limbs, and into the crook of his hooves where he made contact with the rifle. Soon, the crystals housed inside the chamber hummed with dangerous energy. "It's not enough that I hear the sky falling outside my backdoor and think my two foals are dead! This stallion is dangerous!"
"You gonna shoot him, Pa?"
"Get into the house! Now! I'm not asking you another time—"
"South..." A raspy voice rose against the dusty wind. "Trying... to go south..."
The two colts gasped and hid behind their father.
The stallion squinted suspiciously down the sight of his rifle.
Crimson stirred, his pained eyes squinting over a grimacing muzzle. "My friend... h-has been taken by a metal mare. Must... s-save her..."
The father blinked. "Is that right?" He intensified the energy burning into his rifle. "What reason should I have to believe you're not just a paid thug working for the Killas?"
Crimson panted, trying to stand up—only to collapse on his side with an agonized wheeze.
Nexx and Roque watched mutely, anxiously.
"Nopony comes flying in on a thing like that without wanting to crack some heads!" the father exclaimed. "So how about it, huh?"
"F-Franz... ington..."
The farmer lowered the crystal gun. "Huh?"
Crimson gulped and murmured, "Not... with Searo..." He hissed, then added, "Or with Ledomare..." Exhaling hard, he slumped down to the wrecked remains of the managlider. "Eagle Eye... Phoenix... I-I failed you..." His body fell unconscious with a lasting wheeze. "Rainbow... Dash..."
The stallion stared at him, his polished face gaining a further sheen with sudden sweat. He lowered the rifle and ran a hoof through his sparkling mane. Just then, a feminine voice called out from the far side of the plateau.
"Tweak? What's all the commotion? Are the boys okay?"
His nostrils flared as he gazed at the stallion's muscular body, his weak breaths, and the bloodied mess his forelimb had become.
"Awwwww shoot..." Tweak muttered, then tilted his head back. "Fetch the first aid and some hot water, Ma! We've got company..."
More cultures! More nations!
Holy shit this continent is confusing.
Er.. if Crystal ponies don't have blood and guts.. what do they have? It sounds like they shatter or snap like crystalline structures from the text. I have to admit that's one piece of potential head-canon I'd not even thought about.
I take it then that not only is our little party going to be segregated, but massively so over country-wide distances which I can only imagine will take another epic 200 chapters to even begin to resolve.
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I am more excited that they are crystal. I am doubly interested that the rock farm is isolated enough where the foals have never seen a unicorn. The question becomes whether or not that's limited to the farm, or is true of the entire territory. Certainly seem isolationist and intent on staying out of the ongoing regional conflict, if we are to extrapolate from this encounter.
So, just to keep track:
Crimson is south of Foxtaur
EE and Josho are also south, in the same general area as Crimson by virtue of the Killas
Rainbow Dash and Roarke are *also* headed south, in the direction of Searo
Belle and Phoenix are presumably headed north, to Blue Nova and the site of the opening chapter.
Isolation seems to be becoming a theme, again. Flavored this time by the isolation of small groups, versus the isolation of the individual as seen in Austraeoh.
Here's a fun thought: the Killas are mining the same type of crystals that Tweak and family seem to be harvesting. Tweak and family are also made out of crystal. Inherent conflict, potentially deadly inherent conflict. That said, if the chapter title remains true to the text to which it is an homage, this will not end well for the "rock hounds."
Welp. Let's hope that the crystal ponies are generally as friendly as they are when Cadence is their Princess.
Wait. If Twilight wasn't there to help the Crystal Empire fight off Sombra, and the crystal ponies regained their luster only after the Crystal Heart was filled with love, how are they all sparkly?
2243043 No, not really.
Bro, just read thefirst two stories.
I assume you meant "he."
Good chapter. Now we have, like, four arcs going at the same time. I'm actually more curious about Pilate's current condition than anything else, though...
Shiny coats?
Related to the Crystal ponies, perhaps?
...1885?!?!
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Whoa, dude. I didn't even catch that little nod. Good eye for a blind zebra.
Also, my actual named character is a redneck waving a shotgun around.
I'm okay with this.
Twenty-five four-count mountain climbers, ):(. Knock 'em out!
Oooooh. Looks like we're still missing Phoenix, Belle, and Pilate. Hopefully they're still alright.
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A *Crystal redneck waving a *Manashotgun around.
I'm trying not to think too much about that book, though, I still get very sad thinking about it.
2246569
I read the first few lines of Tweak's dialogue and thought, "I wonder if... nah, it can't be..." Clearly I am wrong. I look forward to seeing your OC tear things up with the barnyard boomstick.
Also, mountain climbers suck. I hate them with a passion.
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Yeah, that one got everybody.
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Oh, do you? Well, here's a math problem for you then: If I had two fucks before you told me that, and I have two fucks now, how many fucks did I give about your opinion?
KNOCK 'EM OUT, LEATHER NECK!!!
I just had a thought that maybe IC is writing a story for each vowel. Also I have a theory: Austraeho was world building. Eljunbyro was action. So I think Innavedr will be charcter development. SCORE
I need to start commenting on this story more. I'm interested to see just how isolated this little family is. Perhaps there's another nearby farm, or maybe a small town. I also can't help but wonder if there's just the 'shiny ponies' or if there's other shiny beings, such as shiny Zebras or something. A crystal Zebra would be pretty freaking awesome.
2246569
Rednecks are the best.
SO MUCH CHARACTERS!
CRYSTAL PONIES.
Wow this is definitely a plot twist. It seems that they channel magic differently than any other pony too. They must be in tune with crystals and express magic through them as a unicorn does through its horn. It might be a while until we find the whole gang back together again...
Might as well sit back and enjoy the ride.
2246663
Oh my gosh...
That burn.
They're shiny?!
SOMEONE GRAB THE POKEBALLS!!!
Crystal ponies? Interesting that they exist in a place outside the Crystal Empire (Assuming, of course, that these shiny ponies are crystal ponies, and not some new race). So far, it seems like Crimson is in a better situation than the others we've seen. Dash is with someone who once tried to kill her, and who has shady motives. Eagle Eye and Josho are prisoners, and it's doubtful that they'll escape anytime soon. Crimson though? It seems like he's found himself with a family that'll take care of his wounds. Sure, Tweak may have pointed a shotgun at him, but he's no psychopathic metal mare or gang of Diamond Dogs.
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I think you two are totally onto something! There is definitely a pattern here! good eye.
When it comes to ponies, anything that exists in a group of six is likely to be more than just coincidence.
In light of all of this, welcome to this week's edition of BullShit Theories!
OK, so here it goes
Austraeoh = Determination (Rainbow Dash)
Eljunbryo = Faith (Apple Jack)
Innavedr = ??? (I'm gunna guess Rarity)
O******* = ??? (???)
U******* = ??? (???)
Y******* = ??? (???)
I feel like beyond these words and the related morals/traits and characters, each one of these stories has a specific and unique 'feel' that also relates to the stories, traits and characters.
Austraeoh really felt like an unstoppable directionless force.
Eljunbyro felt like a slow, grinding force that was determined to wear the party down into a fine dust
Innavedr is too new to describe
I want to hear people's thoughts on this. I know that we only have two firm data points, and its probably too soon to be making judgment calls, but tell me anyway. Where do you think this story is going? What sort of theories do ya'll have?
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Don't hold your breath...but on the slight chance that IC's sanity cracks in-between this chapter and the next, I will totally be cheering for this title as well
would that mean:
Zadubadabu = Non-sense (Pinkie Pie)
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I think you're the first person to bring up the vowels in each title, and it's an interesting possibility. You can never rule out anything with IC, no matter how crazy it sounds. 796 more chapters of Dash flying east? Me gusta.
Damnit, thanks for reminding me of "Where the Red Fern Grows." I swear my grade six teacher was trying to destroy our innocence by making us read that and "Bridge to Terabithia" in the same year. Glad Crimson's being taken care of, apparently by a family of crystal ponies who happen to live in Diamond Dog territory (bad real estate decision if there ever was one). Only four chapters in and its already shaping up to be a crazy ride. Its been a while since I've gotten to say this - until tomorrow!
Tweak, your character looks like he's going to be awesome.
2247226
The two existing stories have each explored shades of loyalty while touching on each other element of harmony. I'm not sure conflating a story with a pony is the right frame of reference, here. Rather, consider each arc a different exploration of Rainbow's existing traits, and her character growth in the face of isolation spawned from the Discord event. Rainbow is the last embodiment of harmony, but that is not to say that she was infused with it. Instead, the traits were always there and this journey is a discovery of them. Loyalty is the most malleable trait in this regard, and it is required for each of the other elements. The other elements do not require loyalty.
2247896
Your probably right, I suppose that any form of link that ties the chapters together with the members of the mane 6 are weak at best. I find myself forcing my hopes for this story into my predictions. I've always secretly wished that each main character could have an opportunity like Dash's, to embark on an epic journey that tests their mettle in unique ways and exaggerates each pony's most amazing characteristics. I never like it when the spotlight is all on one pony. Personal fantasies aside, you probably have it figured out.
one thing I must disagree with is that these traits aren't things that Rainbow has, but instead things Rainbow needs. Initially, she didn't have Eljunbryo. She didn't have the faith or reason needed to make the journey. She had the energy and strength, but she seemed aimless, empty and without motivation. The second arc gave that to her in the form of friends that depended on her to survive.
Again, maybe I'm wrong...Innavedr will do wonders in helping to establish a pattern.
these sound like hillbilies.
Hmph, I'll be interested to know how ponies made of crystal - that is, no internal organs whatsoever - can sweat, let alone why they'd need to.
They're all too scattered. I'm eagerly waiting for them to meet up again. Heh, I remember reading a story arc about a character going on a long journey to meet with another important character only to not actually get there on time and eventually died. Total disappointment. I hope that doesn't happen here.
Roque?
Nexx?
Of all the people to name characters after...
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A better question: if they have neither blood nor guts, why do they have first aid kits?
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
So it appears that Crimson has crashed down into diamond dog territory and will now be cared for by this isolated family. Isolation seems to be a theme - the whole group is shattered beyond belief, with Rainbow and Roarke heading to Searo, Crimson with the Crystals,( that's what I'm calling them, so suck it up,) EE and Josho working for the Killas and Phoenix and Belle heading towards Blue Nova. We still don't know where Pilate is...however, from the way things seem to be shaping up right now, it's going to be quite a while before this broken group of friends reunites. Maybe he'll do a half and half thing like in Eljunbyro with the first half being about them reuniting and the last half of them doing something else. Also, just as a note, yes, I am aware of the title theme that states that each title in the series starts with a vowel: Austraeoh, Eljunbyro, Innavedr, and so on. I really hope this doesn't end after just five stories, though. That's too short, even for Austraeoh. These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
Are those crystal ponies?
shiny crystal redneck hillbilly ponys! Honeytiger would totally want to be one of those! But with more fire!
This is getting so confusing. You are currently developing your geography at a rate where I have trouble following the story alongside it.
I found it weird to find Zebras in Ledomare, given that their territory was said to be west of Equestria. But Crystal Ponies? Considering they are all blue and living close to the Sapphire Ravine, I would assume that in the canon of this story, Crystal Ponies are some kind of.... Elementals? Showing up close to large amounts of gemstones and indeed anathema to Diamond Dogs?
Now we have at least three independent nations south of Ledomare, all of which consist of one particular species, as opposed to the Ledomartian heteronomy. Taking into account that Ledomare was forged in conquest from a number of independent realms, that even makes sense. But what about the Pegasi? I do not believe they could have been eradicated during the Ledomartian conquest, they would have been incorporated instead. That means that their extinction would preceed even the founding of Ledomare, and..... daaaayum...
I like that you remind us of where everything is and who people are at the beggining of this fic. It acutally makes me really curious to know what it would have been like to start reading this from e or I
Oh man, it's cool to see the start of characters who will join the party later on. This is something. Something big and beautiful and special.
So we've got 3 new named OCs, only one of which I think is really going to join the story: Tweak. Those two will go south together, maybe fix that manaship to get there. Only time will tell...
-Spirit
P.S. My fingers are cold again. Blast.
Me is confused. And I really like the perspective-switching we have in this story.
Well, this is a very pleasant surprise.
So we are introduced to sapphire country and you guessed it! It's (going out on a limb here) full of crystal ponies like in the crystal empire. Crimson has clearly survived and has landed in what appeared to be rural sapphire country. The ponies seem like farm folk. Anyway, seeing as these new characters have been given names I'm goin to assume they will come in play in the story, just like the girl from chapter 1. Wow, these comments are becoming more like reviews. Onto the next chapter!
these are some REAL earth ponies!
Love this kind of thing, a myth to one group thinks that the first group is a myth. Anyway hope Crimson gets some help, he really looks like he needs it
So Crimson must've lost sight of Roarke at some point, seeing as he seems to have ended up south of Searo. But hey, he found a country of crystalline ponies.
Ooooo, I'm about as interested in this new take on crystal ponies as I am on seeing Crimson again.
As an aside, it's interesting how much the description of Crimson could have been Shell before we got a name for him. Now that would have been an unpleasant development for this poor family.
He made it!
That's almost all of them, now the only one missing is...
Pilate
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You do realise these sapphire ponies just about killed him out of paranoia, right?
8645037
I mean, considering who their neighbors are, I don't really blame him.
Well, this is a setup chapter (but a good one), but a couple things of note here.
A: Crimson has made himself a prosthetic leg out of sticks, that’s some MacGyver stuff right there.
B: The Killas were mentioned again. I think that these Killas are a notorious gang around these parts (Sapphire country) and that the friends are all within general vicinity of each other.
C: The most interesting thing of note, these new kids act like unicorns don’t exist. They treat the unicorns with the same reverence that the world has treated Pegasi so far. I think that the main residents of Sapphire country are either all a different species, or are all earth ponies for some bizzare reason. If they were all earth ponies that also arises the question of why, but I won’t focus on that right now.