Well, knowing the Mane 6 are heading into a string of volcanoes, that's one hell of a title to open up on. This should be.... interesting.
The chapter starts with Twilight trying to work out if Tick Tock was one of the smartest ponies she'd ever met, or one of the dumbest. Since the chronomancer was able to help Twi modify spells in ways she never thought possible, and acted like doing this was commonplace and simple. And yet, was so completely wrong about the very basic fundamentals of how magic worked, at least as Twilight understood them.
It was like meeting a brilliant arcane physicist who couldn’t do simple addition.
Nice Einstein joke.
Tick Tock had shown Twilight how to turn her 'Personal Temperature Aura' into a 'Party Temperature Aura' allowing her to keep a dome of, relatively, cool temperature around the group, as long as they stayed very close to Twi. Though doing so took almost all of Twi's concentration, and they had three days to go to get through the area.
Wait, if she has to keep it up for three days, how is she going to get the eight hours of rest she needs to refresh her spell slots? The 'mass' version of a spell always takes up a slot several higher then the base spell. (Hey the story is the one writing it to sound like a D&D type spell system.)
Rarity meanwhile is spending the trip complaining, about how hot it is, how bad the smell is, just basic everyday Rarity stuff. It gets on some of the others nerves, especially AJ. RD simply bitches that it's to cramped for her to spread her wings and fly for a bit. One point really just emphasizes something from last chapter I brought up.
Her dress, like all the others’ clothing, was damp with sweat.
Once more, why the buck are you all still wearing them at this point? They are filthy, only serving to trap your own sweat against your body, absorbing the stink and keeping it more prevalent, and being uncomfortable. I can get the Equestria V ponies having the bizarre and nonsensical version of modesty so ingrained in them that they don't think about it, but the Mane 6? As to them bickering and whining at each other, here at least I can understand it. The conditions are miserable, they're hot, sweaty, cramped, stressed, yeah I could see them being rather on edge here, and it's not overdone.
It seems that Tick Tock's map is not omniscient, as they come to a gorge, with a river of lava at the bottom. The map said that there was a bridge of rock over it, but that seems to have broken off in the month or so since Tick Tock came this way. Yet even as they talk about this, the map updates itself to adjust for the missing bridge, making Twi begin geeking out again about wanting to find out how it was made.
Once her attention was forced back on the problem of all of them getting over the gap without anypony slipping or leaving the rather small field of her temperature spell, she says it's easy, they simply have to look at it as a test. Look at the problem, and figure out what the right solution to it is.
Twi exasperatedly interrupts her, telling her it's not that kind of test before actually figuring out what she just said, getting an idea from 'fill-in-the-blank' Though going the expected "What did you just say?" where Pinkie responds with everything OTHER then the one part that gave her the idea. Expected, maybe cliched, but still funny.
She would simply extend her aura spell to cover the gap and let them jump across one by one.
“Hop, skip, and a jump!” Pinkie shouted. “♫It’s not very far, just move your little—"
Rainbow put her hoof in Pinkie’s mouth.
Just, tiny things like that make the story just so damn entertaining, and it's all perfectly in character for them.
Tick Tock was unsure, asking if Twi, well 'Sparkle' was sure she could do it, that the temperature dome was taxing enough without extending it even further. Twi responding that with Rarity's spell boosting help, it should be easy.
Rarity smiled and brushed back her mane. “Well, yes, I suppose I am quite the natural,” she said, earning eyerolls from Rainbow and Applejack.
Thirding that motion from AJ and RD
Twi sends the chronomancer over first, since she has her own spell to keep the temperature down, asking her to figure out just how far her extended one goes on the other side, so the rest of the ponies know how much room they have. Which turned out to be not enough. While the plan worked, and also caused the spell to increase it's cooling power as well, it didn't expand far enough over the gap to give everypony a safe landing zone. Twi getting the idea that while she couldn't make the spell any bigger without using to much energy, she could alter it's shape, decrease the useless open space on either side, and use that to extend the needed space.
I really liked this bit, just seeing inside Twi's head as she works out the problem, possible answer, issues, adjusting it to better work, and finally coming up with the right one. It really felt like how Twi's thought process would work, and was really quite interesting. It would have been completely possible to simply have her mention changing it's shape but not it's size, and then just do that. But adding in her working out the best shape first, bringing up possibilities, seeing how it all worked, very nice touch.
They start leaping over, Pinkie providing morale support, holding up a large 10 sign for Tick Tock, and breaking out pom-poms for Dash. Though, maybe she shouldn't have encouraged her, as RD tries to showboat as she glides across, ending up with her wingtips crossing the border of the field, instantly dropping back down and yelping in pain, her feathers scorched, though no real harm done besides some wounded pride. AJ next, clearing Dash's head after a quick "bet you can't do it" from her. Then comes Pinkie.... who continues to make Tick Tock doubt the very existence of any kind of rational sense to physics as she casually hops into the gap, not even close to being able to clear it, and just as RD panics and rushes to save her, double jumps. No, really.
“Pshaw, piece of cake, Dashie. Or piece of Pie rather,” Pinkie said, snickering and waving her hoof. “Tutorial levels are really forgiving anyway. No trouble at all. You’re looking at the master of the double-jump.”
“There are no words,” Tick Tock said, shaking her head.
Why are any of them surprised at this point....
Flathoof makes it over easily, though Fluttershy, is Fluttershy, to scared to try, finally Lockwood simply carrying her over. Rarity of course using it for a bit of shipping fuel... yeah moving on.
Okay so then why did RD bother wasting time and energy crossing the gap, when she needs to come back over to grab Rarity and Twilight and carry them over? Rarity first, though before she could double back to grab Twi Pinkie hiccups, the ledge Twi was standing on starting to crack and slide into the lava.
RD manages to grab her, but as they flew back the ledge on the other side cracks, falling away into the lava slowly, forming another gap between the group and safety. RD drops Twi on the secure part, letting her try and keep the spell up and large enough to keep them from bursting into flames while RD and Lockwood started ferrying ponies over as fast as they could.
Oh, ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh that is nice, that is very very nice. I know exactly what that was, and that is a very VERY nice little addition. And one that someone reading for the first time wouldn't quite get, and even if they noticed, would only leave them curious and give them something to ponder. That... that is one of the best additions to the story so far in the edits. (Additions, not counting the toning down RD, since that's more an alteration or reduction.)
They all make it safely, Tick Tock urging them to keep moving before more of it starts breaking, Twi agreeing, saying they could rest at the next checkpoint.
Hmm adding that might be a bit much, but... no it still works. Someone reading it again already knows exactly what happened, but a new reader, yeah they might need a bit of added emphasis, giving what a major plot point this turns out to be.
They make it to the checkpoint, Twi bringing up something that I addressed.. kind of... earlier.
“We’ll worry about all that later, trust me,” Tick Tock dismissed. “For now, yes, relax. We’re going to need it.
Okay, this should be good. They pass out some food, nopony eating much, mostly due to how horrible Dolor food tasted. Though AJ noticing a bunch of bushes off to the side, asking Flathoof if they were the magmaberries he was talking about earlier.
Applejack inwardly flinched at the word, but brushed off the feeling.
This, is another interesting and good addition with the changes, playing up how unsettled AJ is at how close to her brother Flathoof is, while at the same time still having the feelings she has. Makes what comes later a bit more believable..well one part of it.
The two start talking about the berries, Flathoof rattling off what little he remembers his cousin telling him, wondering what AJ's background with farming could let her figure out, though she was stumped. They were unlike any berry she'd seen before, and had no idea what to make of them. Tick Tock jumps into their conversation, getting a few glares from AJ for it, mostly because she was trying to have a semi-private talk with Flathoof. The Chronomancer pointing out that they are magic, something AJ just shrugs at, figuring she's dealt with magical fruit before, mentioning Zap Apples.
Heck, my family takes pride in our yearly zap apple harvest,
Still not sold on how it's so obvious this is a yearly thing, given some of the remarks in the episode about them, mostly AB not having any idea about what making the jam entails, and saying she'd been waiting for years to help make some.
Pinkie gets tired of all the talk of trying to figure out how to judge the berries, how they grow, all that. After all, the only thing that REALLY matters is how they taste. She rushes over to the bush, grabs a hooffull and starts pigging out. Both Flathoof and Tick Tock yelling for her to stop before she shovels them in her mouth, then staring in amazement...again...at her. Seems these tend to be a wee bit spicy, so much so it's considered pretty much impossible to eat more then one at at time without a break. Pinkie simply squeeing over how good they are, asking AJ if she could find a way to grow some back home.
The rest all take turns trying some, Rarity and AJ getting surprised by the kick, but enjoying the flavor after that, RD spitting it out and chuggng some of their drink supplies quickly. Then there's Twilight, who couldn't even speak straight afterwards, until Flathoof showed her a trick involving sucking on one of the branches of the bush, which had some sort of agent in it that countered the spiciness. Though after RD complained about him not telling her that, he points out that the amount of the counter agent the bush had was much smaller then the berry supply, meaning that if they all did that, they'd run out of bush stems before they ran out of berries.
I don't know what's odder, her saying that, or that by now even the Equestria V ponies are so used to things like that, none of them respond at all to it.
Yet again, even more so is the fact that she simply doesn't see what it is, see why its unsettling to her. But, more on that later.
Once the break is done the group heads off again, even some of those that supported taking the "shortcut" through the volcanoes regretting it when they find out that they aren't just going through a volcanic range, but actually through the crater of an active volcano directly. Tick Tock trying to calm them, pointing out that this is one of the least active volcanoes in the range. Before they step through the fissure into the thing, she stops and starts using a few spells, Twi asking her what she was doing. Tick Tock was using some medical diagnostic spells to determine how likely a volcanic event was. Twi impressed once she figures out how the Chronomancer had adapted the medical spells for another purpose. She was actually impressed with just how inventive Tick Tock was, able to figure out new ways to use existing spells, ways to tweak them a bit to do things nopony had thought to try before.
This is good, yes Twi has her issues with Tick Tock, mostly about her personality, but at the same time she more then willing to give her credit when it's due. While the Chronomancer's rather brash and condescending at times attitude annoys her, she's able to look past it and see that Tick Tock really does have some skills, as well as being highly inventive. That sort of character dynamic is amazing. Showing that just because you have issues with some parts of a persons personality, or have a rather antagonistic reaction to them at times, doesn't mean you can't respect them still. Can't still see their good qualities.
Anyway, Tick Tock says she rates about a 50% chance of some minor activity as they go through, so should be safe. Everypony else simply hearing her say there is a 50/50 chance this thing might erupt while they are inside it, reacting.... pretty much the way you'd expect anyone to react to that. Mostly along the lines of "Are you freaking insane?" As much as she tries to point out she said 'minor' activity, an eruption would be major, and there was only about a 3% chance of that far as she could tell.
“Miss Tock, I am beginning to think that my confidence in you as a guide is sorely misplaced,” Flathoof added.
“You can think or not think all you want, fact is that fifty percent is lower than average,” Tick Tock said, not bothering to hide her angry scowl.
First off, RD. As much as I may have complained about her being overly and needlessly aggressive and confrontational, here, it's justified. Though she might be a bit overdone, the snarl might be a tad much. But, she has a good reason to feel this way. That's what was missing the first time through. Not so much that RD was acting he way she was, though it was taken to far. But that there was no good reason for her to do so other then having a Conflict Ball super-glued to every hoof. So far, with a few exceptions, she's had a good reason for feeling the way she does. Lockwood aside. But already went over that. So yeah, maybe a tad excessive still IMO, but believable at least, and for good reason.
Secondly. Tick Tock... you constantly prove just how much you are NOT as smart as you think you are. 50% is EXACTLY average. Not only that, you gave your guess such a huge margin of error, it could be up to a 70% chance of it happening. Way WAY higher then 'average'.
Twi and AJ finally tell them they need to do it, since there is no other way to get through, so it's either that, or go back and take the other pass, losing several days. The only other ways through the mountains requiring large cliffs or drops, that while the pegasi could fly the group past, they wouldn't be able to do so while keeping everypony inside Twi's magic field. Though, oddly enough nopony actually brings up the option of turning around.
“This is ridiculous!” Rainbow shouted. “I can’t believe we’re actually going through with this. We’re risking being inside the thing if it blows! I swear, if we all die, I am so gonna say ‘I told ya so’. I don’t wanna do it, but I will.”
Okay, that is hilarious, and, really seems more in character for RD.
AJ gets them moving, pointing out that since they don't have any better options, the longer they waste talking, the more likely it would be for something to happen, they are better off just hurrying through it and getting to safety as quick as they could.
“You are?” Twilight asked.
Applejack shrugged and scuffed her hooves in the rock beneath her, giving it a curious look. “Call it a hunch, sugarcube, I dunno. I know the chance is there, but somethin’ tells me we’ll be fine.”
More well done foreshadowing. Though we'll see how true that is.
Inside the crater is just that, a massive crater. They come out from the fissure onto a shelf of rock jutting from the side, rather high up. A matching fissure on the other side being the clear exit. Connecting the two was an all to thin spur of rock, on that nopony thinks looks able to hold them, though Tick Tock and AJ both say it is, long as they watch their step. Though when showing just how steady it is, Tick Tock causes a chunk to break off, almost causing her to fall off into the crater, only saved by RD rushing forward and grabbing her tail.
Holy shit that... YES! THAT Is that Rainbow Dash we know! THAT is the Element of Loyalty. She might not like Tick Tock, definitely doesn't trust her, but that's not going to stop her from doing her best to help her if she's in trouble. Even if she does then simply brush it off as wanting Tick Tock around so she has somepony to yell at.
And now, oh look Pinkie Sense time. This time hiccups. Again. Really love this subtlety. Just before the cliff fell back at the chasm, she did the same thing, though smaller, and barely anypony noticed. That, is one hell of an amazing set up. Though since nopony noticed her doing that early, or at least connected it to the tremor that caused the fall... wow even that.. adding tremors before the main event, little things that all build up, DAMN that is good. and Tick Tock still skeptical about the whole thing. Pinkie manages to get around the hiccups that it meant Earthquake. The other Mane 6 yelling the they need to run for it. Tick Tock, basically being Twi from FPK, dismissing Pinkie Sense completely. Nothing but coincidence. No reason to rush and take risks.
She was interrupted by a fierce rumble that made the entire volcano shake.
“Well shite.”
Just... just her reaction, it's priceless.
The group rushed over the bridge, Twi adding a barrier spell to her thermal shield to help deflect falling rocks as around them the cater shakes itself apart, magma rising up under them. As the laws of Narrative fucking very the protagonists dictate, they just barely miss reaching the other side when the bridge collapses, dropping all of them.
Well... Fuck. that's, that's one hell of a cliffhanger.
Thoughts-So much to love. The utter aversion of Convection, Schmonvection was brilliant. Secondly, loving the changes to the characters, especially RD, she feels like the real RD, if maybe a tad bit exaggerated at times. The only issue I still have with her is he issues with Lockwood, and that, as pointed out last chapter, would be more a non-issue if they were directed at ANY pony, male or female, that acted that way, not just stallions.
The magmaberry scene was hilarious, completely incidental t the plot, unless the seeds AJ took with he end up being some key thing later on, and yet, totally needed to keep the story feeling as great as it does. I love when stories do this, slow down, take the time to have scenes that aren't directly related to the plot, just fun, entertaining bits that build some character, do some world building, just give us a chance to relax and catch our breath.
Tick Tock's dismissal of Pinkie Sense really serves to highlight just how good a foil she is to Twi, the two are so similar, yet just different enough to get on each others nerves. Already went on about how much I love keeping the balance of Twilight disliking Tick Tock's personality, while still respecting her talents and skills. Tick Tock again, shows that while she is skilled, is talented and is smart, none of it is as much as she thinks. Her inability to admit this, or even see it, is one of her biggest flaws. Her arrogance, her assurance that she is always right. And yet, again, it's not so bad to make the reader not like her, it's a flaw no doubt, but one the serves to make her more relatable, not to simply gives us something to dislike about her.
The added hints over AJ's connection to the ground is great, as is how they did it. Really, if the last chapter was the connecting point between the first and second acts, then this is the actual start of it, and what a start. And that ending. HO-LY fuck.
And that title... though, kind of sad that with a title like that, nothing actually caught on fire. But, it's pretty self-explanatory title.
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