The Noble Jury shot ahead like a fiery red cannon. It took every ounce of Rainbow's strength to so much as keep the vessel within her line of sight. She found herself naturally ascending, as if in expectation of the skystone ship somehow burning its way past the natural vanishing point.
A pocket of violently displaced air rippled ahead of her, toying with her feathers and throwing her flight off balance. Nevertheless, she glided east as speedily as her wings could afford her.
The Noble Jury weaved left and right. Rainbow judged that Floydien was attempting to create wind drag and slow the vessel's eastbound approach. Still, it grew more and more distant, and Rainbow as at a loss to catch up.
She was only just starting to panic when something truly drastic set in. Without warning, the world around her spun. Rainbow's startled mind attempted to explain what was going on: a wind gust? A tidal wave? A stray comet hitting the ocean?
Then, by the fourth blink, Rainbow Dash understood completely. Her body jolted in mid-air, quivering uncontrollably. Wave after wave of dizziness rippled through her being, the first time in several days. Wincing, she slowed her flight into a casual drift, flapping her wings for the sole purpose of keeping aloft. She winced, and her tearing eyes flickered yellow on red before flashing back to their normal ruby luster.
"Never good t-timing... never g-good..." She wheezed, voice cracking as she struggled to fly upright. "Come on, keep it together. K-keep it..."
Her eyes rolled back. With a wheezing exhale, her body went numb—as did her wings. She plummeted towards the Frozen Sea below.
"Spit!" Floydien grunted, gripping the ship's controls with a pair of tight, cloven hooves. "Spit spit spit spit spit!"
"Care to put your brain where your muzzle is?!" Josho shouted, leaning against the edge of the cockpit for support. "How do we stop this dayum thing?!"
"Floydien has a good mind to throw fat boomer into the engine and blow a gasket!"
"Cute." Josho threw himself—grunting—against the floor and virtually stuck his head down the crawlspace. "Hey! [h]Heeeey! Shut it off! We're leaving Miss Paint Bucket in the dust!"
Indecipherable shouts dripped down the rattling bulkheads.
"I said!" Josho frowned. "Get that goggled brainazoid to cut the engines! We'll end up in flames if we continue this interstellar loogey impersonation!"
"Gnnngh!" Eagle Eye stumbled into view two decks down. His lavender face looked up. "Old stallion! Tell Rainbow Dash that we need another three minutes of flight before we can recalibrate the engines for the next test!"
"Gonna be a little hard to do that, seeing as she checked out, sugar flanks!" Josho snarled back.
Eagle Eye blinked. His face paled. "Oh cat nuggets!" With a whimpering squeak, he scampered back the way he came, dove through the navigation room, and flung the heavy door back open to the engine compartment. "Cut it off! Cut it off!"
"But... I-I gotta fix this thing!" Props stammered into the lavender pulse of the caged tome.
Eagle Eye shouted, "Rainbow Dash is outside, remember?! She'll be a pinprick on the horizon by now!"
"Whoopsicles!" Props grimaced, turning to face the array of sparkling cables fastened to an instrument panel. "Uhhhhh... uhhhhh..."
Ebon spoke up from the far side of the engine room. "Whatever you do, Props, be delicate!"
"I'll do a tea party later! Dashie needs us!" She pouted. "Ohhhhhhhh—" Lunging forward, the goggled mare bit onto one wire and yanked it loose. There was a flash of mana, and the entire ship surged backwards, decelerating within an instant. Props' body flew hard into Ebon Mane. "Ooof!"
"Daaah!"
A pair of blue eyelids fluttered shut.
A mane of prismatic hair billowed out from a leather coat's hood.
The world toppled and spun while a glittering ocean of ice loomed ever closer.
"Austraeoh..."
"Mmmmmm..." Rainbow's mouth stirred. Her wings twitched, quivered. Water enveloped the toppling world.
"Austraeoh... when did you stop flying east?"
With a gasp, Rainbow's eyes flew open. Red and yellow colors flickered, then reflected frosty waves of water.
Gritting her teeth, Rainbow fought against the dizziness, spread her wings wide, and caught air just seconds before she could plow into the currents of the Frozen Sea. Her body pulled itself upright with a jolt, the tips of her hooves skimming the cold, cold waters. She hissed through her teeth from the numbing sensation. As her dizziness dissolved, she swore she saw a dark mass surging underwater along with her. A pulse of light emanated from below, crimson and bright. Before she could make out the texture of scales and massive fins, she had pulled up to a comfortable distance, flapping her wings until she was a stone's toss from the glittering waters.
Panting, she hovered in place, her upper body slick with sweat beneath the tight contours of the leather coat. She gulped and looked all around.
The skies were clear. She was the only winged thing within visual distance.
Rotating about with a perpetual shiver, she finally saw the one speck that she was looking for. The Noble Jury floated in a limp hover along the eastern horizon.
Rainbow's body ached. Nevertheless, with the faint traces of her chaotic illness lingering in her veins, she lurched her way through the arctic breeze and approached the stalled ship.
Ebon, Eagle Eye, and Props galloped out of the stairwell. Breathless, they spun about, scanning every horizon they could. The cockpit door slid open, allowing Josho to stumble out and join them.
"What in the McBuck Burger happened?!" Josho growled.
"The engine worked!" Props gulped. "A little too well."
"Dang it, lady, are you ever going to get that thing working properly?"
"Don't be so hard on her, old stallion," Eagle Eye said, still worriedly squinting across the waves. "She's kept us from plunging into the ocean time and time again."
"I'd gladly take that at this rate—rather than drifting here forever and becoming sea serpent food!"
"Yeah, well, if we need to appease the hungry monsters here, we know who to toss first!" Ebon grunted.
"Ebon," Eagle sighed. "Must you—"
"I'm getting really sick of him spitting out mule muffins everytime he opens his fat muzzle! Is it so easy to forget that we're making a team effort here?!"
"The only reason I'm at the end of my rope is because I'm eating watered down vomit each evening for breakfast with nothing to shoot at!"
"Would it at least kill you to turn your frustrations to something else?!"
"Well, if I tried headbutting you, Sir Soups A Lot, I'd cause us all to starve, cuz you'd be sobbing it off like a pansy for a week!"
"Josho—"
"You really wanna push my buttons, don't you?!"
"How about it, burgundy?! Frying pans at thirty paces!"
"Everypony, cut it out!" Props stood between the stallions. She hoisted her goggles up to her blonde bangs and panted. "Look, I'm super, super sorries about the engine going all kersplodey. Next time we test it, we should just keep everypony on board, that way I can calibrate for the resistance manifold and make sure that we can decelerate in the future because—" She froze in mid-speech, blinking suddenly towards the western horizon. "Oh lookie! Dashie!"
Thud! Rainbow Dash's limp body plowed into Props. Both mares went toppling across the deck.
"Whoah!" Eagle Eye jumped in place. "There she is!"
"Propsy!" Ebon gasped.
"Hold on..." Josho trotted over and disentangled the two ponies with telekinesis. "There. Catch your breaths. Breathe."
"Nnnngh..." Rainbow Dash curled up, coughing and sputtering as her muzzle twisted in dizzied pain.
"Phweeeee..." Props sat up, shaking the cobwebs out of her skull. "Thank goodness I'm so plush or one of us would have broken something!" She leaned over and shook Rainbow's shoulder. "Hey Dash-Dash? You okay? Usually you bounce back up after plowing full force into another pony."
"Guhhh... mmmff... I'm f-fine..." Rainbow stood up on wobbling legs.
"Eagle..." Ebon leaned over, murmuring. "It's acting up again..."
"Yeah, I get it." Eagle nodded, then trotted to Rainbow's side. "Rainbow? How bad is it this time?"
"I said I'm fine," Rainbow grumbled.
"Because there's room in the infirmary for another pony, I'm sure." Eagle smiled and placed a hoof on the pegasus' shoulder. "Lemme just walk you down there and—"
"Don't you guys get a clue?!" Rainbow snapped, batting Eagle's hoof away and frowning. "I said I'm fine so I'm fine!" She hobbled forward. "Besides, the ship's more important than me."
Eagle Eye winced, biting his lip. "Rainbow..."
"Well? How about it?" Rainbow glared at Props as she trotted by. "We learn anything?"
"Uhhhhhhhhhh..." Props shifted uncomfortably.
"You know what? Forget it. I'm sure you've got control of it." Rainbow limped on towards the cockpit and shimmied her way down the crawlspace. "I'm gonna go crash for a bit. Knock on the doorframe to the observation room when you all are ready to give it another go."
That said, the ponies were left alone on the top deck, fidgeting in the cold winds.
Dead silent.
So, it seems that the Forces that be are beginning to get a bit impatient with Dashie. Remember, it's not just about her flying off to die anymore. The world needs her to reach the Armory, and it appears that someone wants her to get the lead out.
Forty0five side-straddle hops, ):(. Knock 'em out!
Poor Dash. Dissension amongst the crew is rife once again
4044215
Actually she is flying east NOW. I think if anything that what triggered this was how far north she is. You don't usually head for the right edge of a sheet of paper by going to the north edge.
That mysterious voice (which I'm guessing is one of the Dragons) just made things a bit more interesting. I'm calling it that eventually its going to try and convince Dash to leave the Jury behind.
Rainbow ... what will it take to get you back to normal if disembodied voices being disappointed in you won't work?
4044228
But why would it care if she is going North or East or North East? If Jake is right and it wants Dash to get to the Midnight Armory any of the directions will do; even if North is a bit dangerous given the barrier thing IIRC. Its possible (and at this point I think pretty likely) that it has nothing to do with the Armory and there is something directly in the east that the voice wants her to see.
It could also be a more general thing however, more like its asking "When did you start caring more about these ponies then your mission."
4044228
4044248
I think it's more that she's taken all these detours and pit stops. Yeah, it was important for HER, but it's all ultimately been a distraction from the whole Austreoh thing. True, she needed her friends, but the world needs her to make it, and she is on borrowed time.
4044228 I doubt it. Although she is growing almost dangerously close to the northern edge of the world, and despite the fact that your response is an understandable conclusion, I believe it has more to do with her current mental condition. The return of the seizures is indicative of her time running out, but it's also symbolic of the degradation of her as a whole. What with her current mental state, it's really no surprise that she would begin to have these again. As for the voice, it may simply be worried about her finally losing endurance, which is looking very possible with the way she's treating her companions. Travelling east, as we all know, isn't simply crossing a physical distance.
4044277
Yes but if whatever is contacting her here was waiting for her to arrive say somewhere nearer the equator but further ahead and then finds her all the way up by the north edge... It doesn't seem like you are heading for the east edge if you reach the north edge. It would certainly annoy me if I were waiting for austraeoh to pass by and I had to go thousands of miles north to do it when I was on the direct line east.
4044282
It actually hasn't been THAT much time though. The big hiatus was when she was enshrined in the chaos metal. Beyond that there has not been much more than a couple of months(This is what -- the third time we had the opportunity to talk to Luna since the imprisonment and the first time was soon after the release.)
I would say that her avoiding Luna could have been part of it, but she has been out of contact for parts of the full moon before and that was just the first day unless we had another timeskip.
Is dat a Divine? Itsa Divine.
YOU GOT
BOOST POWER
Damn...for a second there, I thought she was gonna get left behind. Wouldn't that have been an interesting set of chapters?
Wonder who that voice was...
Also, I'm missing Whitemane. I wonder if Dash is ever going to hear from her again...
So, the chaos fainting is back, then? I guess Odrsjot has stopped being Odrsjot.
Those goddamn dizzy spells. How long has it been since she had one? Last one(s) I remember was caused by the book, back during the Lasairfion situation. I guess we were due, but that doesn't make it suck any less. Poor Dash...
Also, all the strife aboard the Jury can't be helping Rainbow's situation. Pull it together, guys.
Not sure if Axan or something else...
Beware of getting caught up in interstellar loogies.
It snot pleasant.
No sir, I did not see you playing with your dolls again.
Thats an idea. Size of the Jury, size of that sea snake, size of the hanger door, and if Josho wants to go fishing. Japanese whaling style.
Axan again? Or maybe the fish are magical too now. Actually, the creatures in the water are getting alot of foreshadowing, its a safe bet that some pony is going to fall in some time. Anyway, Rainbow still has attitude (Although I dont blame her too much as for why) and our pretty moon princess is likely going to be ignored again. Not awesome.
Also, Props deserves more gratitude on that zeppelin.
Well my theory is that it's Dash's loyalty to her friends that has kept her alive and undizzy for so long. Loyalty would make both her and her pendant stronger. Now she's not being all that loyal and the dizziness is coming back. The last dizzy spell we had not caused by the flame was back in eljunbyro, meaning a month and half dizziness free. And now we're seeing them more than once a week? Right when the bonds with her friends are being stressed farther than ever before?
I would say that no one is actually saying this, and it's either a memory or just in Rainbow's head. Unless it is that Queen of Frost, which is possible because of the picture for the story.
I wonder if this is not a little bit of foreshadowing of her and the Noble Jury being separated in the future. If not, then it is just showing how much more dependent she is becoming on them. An reversal since she met them. Of course, her mind is just being heaped upon with troubles upon troubles and it isn't getting any lighter.
I am curious as to what is actually trailing them.
It's probably Verlax, Queen of Frost. Hope she's a friendly sort.
Personally, I think the "stop flying east" refers solely to her current state of mind. She may be physically moving in the right direction, but her mind is still in Lerris, full of regret and self-loathing, both for allowing Lerris to happen and for what she had to do to end Shell. I don't know what she needs specifically, but she needs something to snap her out of it. Maybe a Divine kick in the rump will do it.
...maybe.
Rainbow, stop! Stop it this instant, young lady!
I wonder how roarke is keeping up with the jury. and zaid I'm guessing is with belle and kera, keeping them company.
Something's going to have to give soon, either Dash being cold and distant or the entirety of the Noble Jury. Here's hoping it's the former. Somebody needs to give that mare a buck across the face before she finally snaps out of it.
24
4044732 I think one of the other Divines mentioned was a Queen of Frost. I'm throwing my bets on that one.
Another Alicorn lies in the future of Dashie, I can tell.
That Frost Wyrm is either bloody damn fast or there are a lot of fish in that sea.
4044215 I bet my favourite pen that this was Axan speaking. Everything fit, down to the choice of words. I had not considered the possiblity of Verlax up until this point - she should be in the south, to my knowledge (I remember saying something very similar about Nevlamas) - yet even now Axan must be following her, as she promised. She is around for a certainty.
4044228 She wasn't flying east the instance. Or, perhaps more likely, the statement was a metaphorical one. After all, Dash's character development made a huge jump to the west last week.
4044558
Of the "frantic companionship" that defines Odrsjot, ther seems to be plenty of former, little of latter...
was that the sea snake thing talking?
Ah, Axan, we meet again.
A message from MASH-
One z two z three z four
Five six seven eight zzz
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
Well, the farther along we get into the story, the more I'm seeing the Noble Jury falling apart. Tensions are high and the only thing that's holding ship together is Dash. I mean, look at what just happened - Dash was gone for just a little while unexpectedly and Ebon and Josho almost got into a fistfight (hooffight?). Imploding is building up to a definite split in the Jury - and it doesn't look like it'll be any better than when Roarke left. These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
Another dizzy spell. Now who is talking to Dash? Maybe a Divine?
... We need another Spike face.
-Spirit
It seems like everyone is on a short fuse. Please oh please can we take away the flame? Things won't go so well for the group's coherency if they break at the seams.
sometimes before it gets better the darkness gets bigger, and the one youd take a bullet for's behind the trigger.
Axan?
4389105 This issue is dash is holding them together, but She'd falling apart, and everypony else sees it and It's making things slowly worse.
obviously meant in the mental sense, but a valid question nonetheless.
Seeing her fall back into the loner behavior is unpleasant i just hope someone or something gives her a gentle buck to the head to bring back the nicer Dash.
I can totally understand why she's like that but that doesn't mean i like it.
The night is darkest just before the dawn.
Man, Dash is NOT in a good mood. I guess a not-so minor annoyance coupled with an ominous message and an old affliction on top of everythign she had to deal with so far aren't do any favors for the poor girl.
Got to start this one today after finishing Odrsjot. Quite the start, that's all I can say. Some time has passed and... well, I'm hoping they can get where they need to without too much more strain, because everyone seems too damned tense.
~SolidFire
Who is mysterious voice?
Axan is the only one we know who calls her Austraeoh, but it feels too simple.
Also, Dash, I don't give a crap if it's the wrong A word but you're acting like a huge asshole right now.
Damn Dash is really pissed. Hopefully the crew can come together soon because it’s basically one big bummer ride on the Noble Jury right now.
I swear, Everytime you hear "Aestraeoh" it's a different Divine each time. Always sounding dissapointed and chiding. Or taunting.
The first was Axan, then when she almost got killed by Nevlamas, her sane self spoke to her.
Now, we see a massive shape under the water with scales and thins, has to be the Ice Divine.
Dash is just...she's starting to crack.
8585779
Tonight hold her down and force her to talk to Luna.