Interview with Rainbow Dash
Transcript of an interview between Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash.
Date: 1215/08/02
Time: 11:32 am
Duration: 16 minutes
Interviewer: TWILIGHT SPARKLE
Interviewee: RAINBOW DASH
(Start of Interview)
TWILIGHT SPARKLE: Okay I think it’s recording. Say something- uh, say something testy.
RAINBOW DASH: I don’t- I- testing? I dunno. (pause) What- what the hay is that anyway?
TS: It’s a compact recording device. Lero gave me the idea, though-
RD: Figures.
TS: -he said something about using magnetised tape which, well, I don’t quite know what that meant but I thought- I didn’t want to use a record mastering set because they’re too big, so I enchanted a crystal to record audio on a substrate magical field-
RD: Twilight-
TS: -within its physical structure and- yes, love?
RD: I get it. Egghead stuff. Uh, how do you know it’s working?
TS: Oh well, I tested it before, but-
RD: So it’s working?
TS: -I can test it again, let me just turn it off and play-
(recording ends)
(recording resumes)
RD: -totally do not sound like that, no way, you fix it-
TS: Rainbow, it’s a completely-
RD: -and then maybe we can talk.
TS: - faithful representation of the sounds it recorded. You heard my voice just fine, right?
RD: (long pause) Fine. But I still don’t sound like that.
TS: (Quiet chuckle) Sure, Rainbow.
RD: Twenty percent more awesome-
TS: This again. (laughter)
RD: -that’s how I gotta sound. (laughing)
TS: Okay, uh, so the interview?
RD: Uh, right, the- is it really important?
TS: (pause) Yes. Yes it is. So lets-
RD: I mean it’s not like we don’t know anything about- you aren’t gonna ask me about deep dark scary secrets?
TS: Not unless you have some. It’s just for the book, Rainbow, that’s all.
RD: Oh. Oh yeah!
(hoofsteps, shuffling)
TS: So without further ado. (aural signature) Interview number one of- of several I guess?
RD: (laughter)
TS: Subject, Rainbow Dash, first mare of Bellerophon-
RD: Come on Twi, you know I think that sounds weird.
TS: I’m trying to be formal for the recording.
RD: (chuckles) Good luck with that.
TS: Fine, starting again. (page turning) Interview subject, Rainbow Dash, of the herd of Bellerophon, interview number one of- you know what, lets just forget that part. Interview commences Eleven thirty two am, the second of august one thousand, two hundred and fifteen. Anno Celesti.
RD: Because we might be in the pre-classical era.
TS: (laughing)
RD: We’d totally rock the world.
TS: No Lero, though.
RD: Ri- right. Yeah. That’d suck.
TS: So (pause) So yeah, lets start at the start. When did you first meet Lero?
RD: Properly? Like, not just seeing? (pause) Maybe about half a week after you- we found him-
TS: Meeting as in interacting, talking- oh-
RD: -you’d taken him and nursed him back to health I guess and then you introduced him to all of us.
TS: And your first impressions?
RD: Big. I mean huge, and not-
TS: (laughing)
RD: Twi, come on, be serious.
TS: Sorry, I guess I’ve picked up your dirty mind. (pause, inaudible) Okay, go on.
RD: Tall then. He was tall, and really awkward looking too and his eyes looked so tiny compared to ours, like- like a horse’s eyes, y’know? For a while I was kinda creeped out. He smelled nice though, real nice.
TS: So... confusing, you’d say?
RD: Yeah, I guess-
TS: He did smell nice, I remember that.
RD: -it was kinda a mixed signal? Anyway- yeah he did- anyway I guess all the confusion- he didn’t, uh, seem- I mean I guess I didn’t trust him, you know? Even if he’d spent time with you-
TS: In fairness he spent most of it asleep.
RD: -and I guess that- really?
TS: Like a foal. I suppose you just found something else in common with him? (laughter)
RD: Very funny.
TS: Okay. (pause) Okay. You got over your trust issues with Lero very quickly-
RD: He cracked a joke. I can’t-
TS: And then you, uh- he-
RD: -I can’t even remember what it was but it was hilarious.
TS: Right. So uh, he- you got over all that. And you started spending some time with him?
RD: Yeah. Uh, he was cool, really cool I mean. He had all these awesome stories about his world and he listened to me when I told him things about ours too, like he was really interested. He wasn’t like other guys, he really-
TS: Not like other stallions?
RD: -kinda clicked- uh, no, not- not like other stallions.
TS: I just wanted to be sure that came across.
RD: Right? Uh, yeah. He was more like a mare. I mean he-
TS: That must have been odd. For you, I mean.
RD: Yeah. (pause) Anyway he was really assertive when he wanted and he didn’t act like I was just telling him what to do all the time, or like- you know how some stallions get all snotty and try to be equal and stuff? Always complaining when a mare does anything nice and then acting offended when you point it out?
TS: I don’t- I haven’t come across that.
RD: Yeah well, your books probably wouldn’t complain much. (laughter) He was just one of the girls most of the time. Only- (pause). I dunno.
TS: What?
RD: He didn’t know anything. Like, anything. I told you about how he accidentally touched-
TS: (giggling) Yeah!
RD: I mean he didn’t know anything. I swear I spent most of the first month trying to show him stuff and he still didn’t get it most of the time.
TS: You seem to have done a good job anyway.
RD: You know it!
TS: For the record, how did you get from creepy with nice smell to, well, all this?
RD: Um, well that- I (pause) don’t know?
TS: Okay let me ask it another way. What caused you to start trusting Lero?
RD: Oh. Um (pause) You know I don’t do all that lovey dovey stuff, right?
TS: Sure, you don’t.
RD: Okay, because that’s totally not what-
TS: (whispering) Cuddlebug.
RD: -was going on, um, I mean I saw him around town a few times after we met. He was just walking around and looking at stuff, or sitting on a bench, or under a tree or whatever. A lot of the time he was, uh, reading books you’d given him.
TS: He is a pretty voracious reader.
RD: I guess. Anyway sometimes he’d head out of town and I figured he was just exploring. Who wouldn’t? New place, new things to see. So uh, this one day I saw him heading up to the Saddles-
TS: Near the Everfree Forest?
RD: Yeah. Most of the time he was up there staring at the town, but this one day I saw him right at the edge of the forest. He wasn’t doing anything, just staring at it, and then he suddenly turns around and walks back.
TS: Sensible. I told him the Everfree was dangerous, but he never listens.
RD: If he listened to you he’d still be in that library, buried under a pile of books.
TS: You say that like it’s a bad thing! (laughing)
RD: So it turns out he’s going up there a lot. I mean a lot. Fluttershy said she’d seen him up there maybe four or five times, scouting the edge of the forest and hitting stuff with sticks, like he was, I dunno- she didn’t really say he was in a bad mood or anything. So next time I see him up there, I fly right down and ask him what the hay he’s doing. He just looks at me for a really long time and then says nothing and starts walking back to town.
TS: Taciturn.
RD: What? Is that, like, tree sap or something?
TS: No it- never mind, tell the story.
RD: Oh- okay. (pause) So I say nothing? And then he’s all like I just wanna know what’s in there. So I tell him there’s loads of dangerous animals, like manticores, hydras, cockatrices, Zecora, more poisonous plants than you can shake a wing at-
TS: Zecora?
RD: -sea serpents, ursas, diamond dogs-
TS: I get the picture!
RD: Hey, that’s what he said! So um, then he started telling me how they don’t have any of that where he comes from and they’re all just myths and stories made up in the ancient past. Like, pegasi are mythological there. Dude, you did not just tell me I’m a myth, I’m right here! He acts like I’m a scary monster I play along with it for a bit, which was kinda fun. Then asks about some of our mythology.
TS: He did read about a lot of that.
RD: I tell them way better.
TS: I suppose he was trying to get a better understanding of our culture. It’s what I would do if I wanted to try and integrate into an alien society.
RD: Yeah, because you’re an egghead. (laughing) So I had the day off and figured since he was so obviously bored if he had to go find his kicks in the Everfree, he should get a better introduction to the Dash. I took him out to my favourite practice spot, you know the one up by AJ’s place? Showed him a few sweet moves and finished off with a low-level pass right over his head. You should have seen him duck! And he was all like, Dash, you’re so amazing! (laughing)
TS: And that’s how you came to trust-
RD: No way, that was just showing off my moves. I mean he seemed cool and all but he was just- that came after. I was still kinda weirded out by those hands of his too, always wriggling like little pink rat tails and- oh but later I found out-
TS: Lets just not talk about that right now, okay?
RD: (pause) Right. Right. (pause) Is it warm in here?
TS: So, was it something he said?
RD: No it was- we spent another day hanging out on the hill, and I guess we ended up talking about family and stuff. I was telling him about Cloudsdale. Oh you shoulda seen his face, he still couldn’t really believe a pegasus could walk on clouds. I had to bring one down and show it to him and he still didn’t believe it, so he tries to step on the thing and got his legs soaked.
TS: Oh I remember that! I never did get a straight answer about how he got wet.
RD: (laughing) He looked so goofy buried up to his belly in cloud. We sat around for a bit and tried to dry him off in the sun, and while we’re waiting he starts telling me about a time he fell in some lake when he was a foal and how he ended up covered in mud all the way up to his neck. He started talking about how his sister teased him about it for months and then he just- kinda clammed up and put a hand over his face. (pause) Oh jeeze.
Gimme a sec. (inaudible)
TS: It’s okay, Rainbow.
RD: Yeah, it- yeah. (pause) Moment later he said he could have used a cloud shower right about then. Like, totally lame joke, but he was right back to the happy face again. That’s when I realised he wasn’t just some weird thing, he was really- he was so alone, but he kept right on going. He’d make a good weather pony.
TS: And so after that-
RD: Every day, soon as I finished work we’d go hang out together and head into town, or play sports. He was kinda slow and he got winded fast but man, those arms more than made up for it.
TS: Do you feel the way you acted toward others changed in any way after you’d spent some time with Lero?
RD: I- jeeze Twilight, that- that’s kinda tough. I dunno. Maybe?
TS: Maybe?
RD: Yeah, maybe. Oh I got one, like, stallions, I keep expecting them to be more, like, I dunno, Lero I guess? And when they don’t it pisses me- I can say that, right?
TS: It’s not a book for children.
RD: Oh, yeah, well it pisses me off when they act like-
TS: Stallions?
RD: -big foals- yeah. Okay so I know we gotta look after them, and there are some guys like Big Mac who aren’t idiots about it, if you know what I mean, but most of em are so- I don’t know. (pause) Male.
TS: (pause) And you consider this a negative trait?
RD: Twi-
TS: I’m not judging, Rainbow.
RD: (long pause) I dunno. Not negative. They’re guys, that’s how guys are. I just- Lero’s just different. Better, uh, I think, because it’s like he’s not scared of being seen as different. I mean he’s different already, how much more- I- you know what I mean, right?
TS: I think so.
(background audio, door opening)
(inaudible)
TS: You spent a lot of time talking about courting rituals.
RD: It- yeah it was kinda on my mind. For some reason. (laughter)
TS: How did it feel, having to explain them?
RD: Totally weird, but it was cool too, he seemed really into learning about it. (pause) He told me about some human courting rituals too- they’re completely backwards y’know?
TS: How so?
RD: Twi, you already know this-
TS: For the recording, love. For the recording.
RD: Okay, well (pause) You know how they’re a patriarchy? Like their guys are on top- uh, er, under-
TS: (laughter)
RD: Aw come on, you know what I mean!
TS: Sorry!
RD: (giggling) Anyway their mares are all showy, Lero says. They show off and try to attract the stallion and he has to give the mare gifts.
TS: That’s the backwards part.
RD: Yeah, but, uh, the stallion has to show off too or the mare might just leave anyway, so they all dress up, like, all the time and they’re giving each other presents, and it just keeps going on like that, like they’re competing to, uh, y’know be better at attracting their mate. I mean it’s not always like that, some of them- Lero could explain it better. They have to keep each other interested, I guess because they can easily find some other mare or stallion to spend time with. Compared to that, our stallions have it so easy getting dates, you know?
TS: You think they’re spoiled?
RD: I dunno if I’d put it that way. (pause) I guess I’m even more bent than I thought.
TS: I wouldn’t say that, Rainbow, after the other night-
(door opening)
LYRA HEARTSRINGS: Hey girls, what’s going on?
TS: Hi Lyra!
RD: Hey.
LH: Oh Twilight, is that your recorder thing? Shiny!
TS: I guess that’s probably a good place to end the interview.
LH: Oh that’s what this is? I’m so sorry, I completely forgot about that! Do you want me to-
RD: I’m gonna go find Lero-
LH: -sit in and maybe talk about- oh, he’s in the kitchen shelving groceries, I-
TS: Maybe we should-
LH: -thought maybe I should-
TS: I’m gonna turn th-
(recording ends)
These transcripts and things like it will pop up occasionally just to add a different view of things. Just so you know.
awesome story here have a RD kiss
and first biotches besides the author
imageshack.us/a/img33/5764/likethischapter.jpg
1515037
Any respect I may have had for you is now forever lost.
First may I say, yay! update
Secondly you made a slight error:
RS: Subject, Rainbow Dash, first mare of Bellerophon-
I am fairly sure that is supposed to start with a TS
I like it. I like it a lot. You really captured the feeling of Twilight TRYING to do a serious interview, but failing in a spectacularly Twilight fashion. The little pauses, interruptions, and broken sentences when they were talking over each other were a fantastic touch. Keep up the good work .
Great chapter. I think what I like most is how Dash and Twilight keep slipping in and out of formality, something we would expect from such close friends with such different personalities. That kind of dynamic between characters is always great to see. I did like the surprise at the end as well. Gives us a laugh and something to think about at the same time. By the way the idea of using crystals as a technological medium completely fits my headcanon if Equestria were to advance to the modern era.
Out of curiosity, why is there an extra 200 years in the Equestrian year? Obviously it's before Nightmare Moon but what events happened to begin the calendar?
nice chapters, Lyra is such a fourth wall troll she is /laugh
I REALLY like the way you have the characters not just talking in turn. They're actually talking over one another and interrupting like normal conversation/interview.
Good chapter.
1515070 how and y
okay, look, i know everyone seems to think it's CLEVER to role-reverse the genders....
It's not. It's really really annoying and detracts from the reading *because it's unrealistic and takes you out of the story. Gender roles are not some arbitrary cultural accident. There are numerous biological reasons for the hunter/gatherer dichotomy, for masculine and feminine roles, and even for the social leadership roles in human society being masculine while nurturing roles were feminine.
I do not say "male dominated" for two reasons. One, for 99% of human history women were chattel, but so were 99% of the males. If you weren't born a chieftain, noble, warlord or emperor, you were a serf like everyone else. Two, all that "male power" amounted to was being the first to die when the saber toothed tiger decided he wanted cavepeople for lunch... even today, males in the "patriarchy" die younger, work harder, and get on the front lines first and the lifeboats last.
If we're going to play this silly-ass women's studies game: Horses are herd animals, which means a large group of females dominated and led by one MALE. Mammal behavior in those regards is that the male is the leader and protector of the herd. If anything they would be even more of a "Patriarchy" than humans! (And no, Lions are not "matriarchal" either. The males bang all the females and chase off the competition, while the females do all the hunting. Who does it sound like is in charge?)
If you want to write about a matriarchal society, write about a beehive or a school of seahorses.
1515131
People like you with your infuriating 'first' comments are the bane of sites like this.
1515140 so
1515142
If you can't interpret the message in my previous comment, we have nothing to talk about. It'll undoubtedly fly over your head.
1515145 not if i fly over yours first
1515148
I'll just say that your comment made absolutely no sense.
Seriously, my monitor turning into three meerkats dancing the Nutcracker would make more sense.
1515154 this might help
1515162
I was implying that you were unintelligent enough to understand that I was saying people like you are ruining the site with your incessant bullshit comments.
Congratulations, you just proved it to me. It must be so nice being you, every day must be a new adventure.
1515134
1)I suspect that speculative fiction may not be the genre for you, if your suspension of disbelief is so easily broken. Human societies are set up by and for humans, and different species are going to have different norms.
2) This:
Is factually incorrect, as even a cursory amount of research would have demonstrated. But don't let me distract you.
1515134 Despite what you might think, the gender roles aren't reversed. They're different.
In nature there's less dimorphism between male and female horses - they're about as strong and large as one another and equally capable of protecting themselves. The issue in this particular society is that males are very rare (a wizard dun it), and need protecting in order to prevent the loss of breeders. Over time that easily translates from "males need protection" into "males are inferior" and only fit for breeding and labour.
When your males are a distinct minority it only makes sense that the females would take on a lot of the roles that our society traditionally reserves for men. It's a practical use of resources.
And, for the record, I'm a good old-fashioned patriarch myself. Even got the big patriarchal beard and a wife who darns my socks and makes me tea whenever I wish, that's how patriarchal I am. dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Lyra_dealwithit.png
1515169>>1515162
I'd appreciate if you stopped fighting in my comments.
1515209 Stop beating me to the punch, dude!
1515134
Yes, and this is a fictional take on a fictional world filled with fictional characters, where males account for something like 1 out of every 10-15 births, ruled by a duo of female demi-gods.
So it would make sense that this fictional species has a rather matriarchal society, where females are in charge, and in abundance, and where males are considered something to protect.
Did I mention fictional? They're also not human, or even in the same dimension as humans are, and likely think differently? Also...
Fictional.
EDIT:
Actually, you're wrong on this. From Wikipedia -
1515213
Like a ninja.
1515079 Ah, thanks, I thought I'd caught all of those.
Transcribing interview recordings is such a crappy job... you got it perfectly.
I have my doubts about the date. Why would it be called "Anno Celestii" ? I mean when the sisters took over from Discord, they were considered equal. And I am sure Celestia would not start a new calendar to comemorate banishing her sister. ( it was a trafgic event for her. Also, if she did, everypony would know who nightmare moon really was.)
I think the date system used by Equestria would start at its founding, the first Heart Warming day.
Strangely enough, this chapter is actually heart warming. Not only is it silly enough to be entertaining, I find enough character moments in the transcriptions to make me go d'aw.
I guess, despite the lack of imagery, details, vivid wording, and whatnot (which is obviously expected in interviews), what few words are spoken are enough for me to easily imagine how Lero felt when he first showed up, how he was viewed and treated, what his first month was like etc without writing god knows how many chapters to do it.
The heart warming part was how RD describes how she finally started to warm up to him. How there was even a hint of sadness to it. I loved that so much. Thank you for a good moment all from something as simple as a recorded interview!
1515264 dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Cheerilee.png
Rainbow, stay on topic, and since when did Twilight get such a dirty mind?
Very very nice, I want more so much more, anon author left his story far too early for my liking, and this fills that gap nicely.
then again anon author may find more time later on to write another set of stories in this Universe.
I really felt like I was listening to an interview,,
<-I like this one better
1515134
I'm just gonna leave this here.
1515134
Sweet Celestia... did you just try to use earth logic on a world of magical weather controlling, sun and moon moving ponies?
There is not enough hooves in this thread for an appropriate facepalm...
You know, it'd have been nice if the original fic had gone into as much detail about the relationships as you are . I find this intriguing and interesting, but the original is almost excessively cloppish. Meh. Moving along.....
1515373
I also find this fic much more interesting than Xenophilia.
1515134
Most animals on earth are born in about 1:1 ratios of male to female, even if the social structures are set up differently. Altering the ratio by a lot must alter the social structure of the animals.
If you note though, the gender roles of mare and stallion do not correlate exactly with human masculine and feminine gender roles.
Found a minor typo:
RS: - faithful representation of the sounds it recorded. You heard my voice just fine, right?
It took me a moment to figure out who was speaking - RS should be TS.
Found a small error:
Caps, bro.
Very good so far. I had hoped for more things like this (details, backstory, etc.) in the original, as many others seem to be saying.
1515309 since she stopped being a virgin apparently.
Great chapter but i hunger for more.
ZombieMonkey7: I uh dunno (pause) what my thoughts really are on this chapter. While interesting it's mostly recycled information (pause) also cutting out Lyra at the end, not cool (laughing)
Okay, this is one of my fave chapters by far, if only because of how it was set up. XD I felt like they were really in character, aside from a COUPLE of Twi's comments, but as this is a lot in the future, it's not really fair to say that, as we the readers just don't know what happened, or is going to happen, etc. In short, great job, but I want maor! Umm, when you have time, that is.
1515068>>1515162 I am wholly in agreement.
1515134>>1515209>>1515213 This is what I love about this story, that it can inspire reasonable discussion over why human society is structured the way it is and what would be different if our very physical nature was different. In the end, I call something a good story if I finish reading it and say to myself: "I did not think of that before, perhaps I should consider this a bit more."
This fills in the details of xenophilia just nicely. Rather enjoyable.
1516331 ... This interview is YEARS after Lero got there, though. How could the nickname start now when she was using it in the original story years/months earlier? (Sorry if I'm so confused.)
I'm excited for the explanation of when Lyra joined the herd. That's a pretty big change considering it didn't occur in the original Xenophilia.
1516341
the Ponyville Perspectives chapter, is snippets from a much earlier time (recently after Lero had arrived and began integrating into society) than this interview between Twilight and Dash.
1516474 *Blinks*
I knew I was overlooking something really, really obvious...
Still enjoying this. The different chapters make it exciting. Keep going.
This is a very interesting chapter, I feel even more interested in reading the actual story because of this. It also sounds like the kind of way that relationships are supposed to develop.
1515309
I don't know why but your current avatar with that comment makes me laugh.
1515355 hence the name "reality check" too caught up on a reality he thinks he knows xDD
Anyway this interview I found good everyone was in character xP and it sounded like an actual conversation/interview I could easily picture RD on twis sofa while she sits in her single chair this interview would be awesome to see animated or just voiced over on a recorder with some VAs anyway I'm patiently waiting for the next chapter! :D
This just clicked...he's got the three most dangerous ponies in pony ville as his wives... he's a safe stallion
1516474 1516486
That's right. There's going to be a lot of bouncing back and forth in time as we go forward, as the work as a whole is arranged to fit themes rather than follow a particular chronology.
1517380 Eeeyup!
1517396
I'm really impressed with how well you managed to get this one to feel like an actual conversation. It's something that's always hard to do in writing. I've been putting this fic off for some reason but now I've got to read it.