On the Intereactions between Alicorns and Changelings · 3:20am Feb 7th, 2016
So the last two chappies have exploded the comments section. So much so that I don't even want to try hunting down all the individual comments that were talking about these. Sorry guys, I'm not going to try to interject myself into a comment chain.
"Cimmerian has given up on his values"
Not really. He's been getting some flak both from the queens and even the other alicorns for being too set in his old ways, and he's going to give what they're asking for a shot. He may end up pulling out altogether, as I've considered at several points but right now the only thing that's really keeping him in the 'relationship' (I use this term loosely) is both his attachment to Din as someone who helps him and watches his back in her own way, and the fact that the queen is carrying his kids. He's already said he wont abandon them, and thus he's kind of gotten trapped in this whole thing by trying to hold onto his values. The thing is, some of them are directly conflicting. He wants to stay with the mother of his children, but she doesn't hold the same concept of a relationship as he does. Makes it kind of difficult.
"Cimmerian has accepted Zelus into the marriage."
No. At no point has he looked at her and said, "sure, lets go boink." In fact he's straight up said last chapter, "The Talk", that he reserved the right to say no to any individual, and Zelus has already stated she's going to go off for other sources. Zelus is going to learn the hard way that you can't have both a large source of love and a large selection to harvest from. Or at least, you can't get maximum efficiency from feeding on Cimmer and still harvest other males. That potent connection he has with Din will forever be out of her reach in this route.
"Din had no personality last chapter, she was a cold bitch."
Agreed, and she and Zelus were both acting off the entire chapter. Again though, they're exploring new territory, and they're not used to being able to do this sort of thing, being able to synchronize. Between the two of them, the biggest thing they want is the preservation of the hive. They also want to expand the hive, then both of them wish to see their mothers. Zelus isn't attached to Cimmerian in the same way Pandinus is though, just the addiction to the pure and improperly directed love, so the desire for his comfort falls back behind things they agree on being important.
Don't you listen to those haters, Reykan.
Explore these concepts the way you want to. I for one am quite fascinated with how this is progressing. While I like some outcomes better than others, you're supporting yourself very well in how and why these things are happening the way they are.
I'm waiting for the scene where Candace tells Zelus and Din that should they sleep around she will never get his full love. Or maybe that their current actions are pushing him away instead or drawing them closer, and it may get to the point that he only stays with them for the children and the love dries up and does nothing more then use them for sex like they were proposing he be for any other queens. I think the queens are treating sex and love like they are one and the same when the two can be given separately.
I am waiting for the chapter where he bangs one of them and they get no love as it has just become an act instead a loving moment. Then he watches as they scramble around trying to find out what is wrong with them or him.
3737985 Oh... that's evil. Especially that last part.
Reykan! Are you taking notes?
The last two chapters have seemed a bit tonally off, yeah. Both for the reasons you stated, and because Cimmer has held his emotions in check. By getting upset about it, he knows he's almost directly harming them, so he's been incredibly reserved about the whole matter.
I think the bigger items that seem a bit off, but not because they in any sense in error, are the Queens' reactions, and the lack of input by most other individuals on the matter. As to the former, the synchronizing does throw falso flags in that way. However, it also has to do with our impression that Dinner was progressing as an individual in her understanding of relationships. The swapping itself I can see happening. But both Zelus and their synchronized personality don't show that, and see things through traditional changeling lenses, referring to harvesting and love-resource as opposed to love-actions & relationships. This will be resolved with more dialogue from the characters (namely Din), given that the only 'understanding' from the changeling front was the brief comment by Din regarding it being 'just like Thrisha all over again'. It's also just a bit frustrating given that we thought Din was progressing with the understanding of love-actions&relationships, but she seems to ignore/forget what she learned through the self-harm episode given her description of 'Cimmer told me to share his/my love [presumably the love-resource again]'. We're pretty sure she genuinely loves Cimmer, given the self-harm episode and it's changeling love byproduct, so these actions & the synchronized personalities treating of him as largely resource is strange. Also strange is her understanding of monogamy earlier before they mated, because we are now led.to believe she merely saw it as limiting yourself to one other body/appearance for a mate, instead of an individual being, despite the fact that changing society still values individualism (Din wanting sentient drones, Mirage being terrified of the Link, etc).
As to the latter reason, this is still somewhat of a private matter, so the only reaction we have is Cadence, and she knows it's somewhat messed up. Yes, there has been pressure (or just teasing, since Cimmer is somewhat sensitive onot the subject) regarding herds. But even Celestia isn't aware of the specifics in this. So the lack of others seeing changlings as the 'bad guys' here gets to us. Us as an audience are culturely dissonant from even the ponies, and the swapping issue seems very major to us. To ponies with herds, it may be less so, but even then I still suspect most would be shocked regarding it, or offended if they were Cimmer, as the closest analogy would be your mate sneaking other pony into your bed, claiming it was her, and encouraging intimacy without knowledge or approval.
I think it's really the situation that's off more than anything else, and reception will improve as it develops more and personal viewpoints become clearer. You seem to be doing well, Reykan, given you say to even give Ted the agency as your character to choose to exit the relationship. You're not railroading a romance/harem against character, and that's great. Just keep up the good work.
I am simply happy that he is willing to work with them on it, and keep an open mind.
May be he eventually falls for Zelus...Maybe he does not...either way it will be a learning experience.
The only reason I jump up in defence of it so quickly is that there are so many people that hate it.
Herd and OC Alicorn stories can be good if they are done well.
I trust you. We'll see where it goes. Good luck. I just started rereading from the beginning again.
3737943 I have to, though that doesn't mean I'll fold under pressure because someone whines. I have a few ideas about how this will play out, and the next chapter will see the return of an old favorite of mine. It should be fun!
3737985 That last idea would be a very real possibility, but not for his relationship with Pandinus. For now, he holds her in high regard despite the ideas she has. She is the mother of his kids, after all.
3738075 It's extremely difficult to be logical about something that's so emotional for people, and relationships are very emotional for humans. Add in the fact that he has to almost force himself to be happy all the time around the changelings to feed them, and it's causing a lot of stress on him. He's developed an eye-twitch by now at the very least.
3738080 I still haven't decided what to do with Zelus, actually. I tend to write this chapter by chapter, idea by idea. Zelus is in for a scare next chapter though, that's for sure, and without the grounding Din has, she's going to get hit hard.
3738104 I find myself going back to check details all the time, actually XD
3737943 I'd hardly call any of this hate and more concern of the direction of the story.
3738265 Concern is a form of fear. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.
Don't be concerned. The author knows the way.
3738273
Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to bad changeling gel. Bad changeling gel leads to a clogged fountain. And as we all know, clogged fountains will explode gel everywhere given that the pump enchantments don't have a fail-safe.
Don't let your fear make spoiled emotion gel explode all over the city.
3737985
You have a very good point. They're confusing non-changing culture/emotions again. I can't say I recall the wording being present, but they certainly seem to stumped on any separation of 'loving' and 'making love'. Not to mention their habit of treating love as an object, and not a relationship.
I like the way Cim has handled the whole thing to be honest, and to an extent Pan as well, which is to say I like how you have handled all of this.
With the queens at least, the changeling's have been consistent in acting according to the culture you have drawn up. They don't have a concept of emotional give and take between individuals, which is a fundamental building block of complex long term relationships between a marriage couple. Though I would have expected the independent drones to know a bit more since it is implied that they spend more time among the other races than queens would, and the hive link allowing free sharing of knowledge at a somewhat subconscious level as demonstrated by Trixie's knowledge of changeling stuff without Zelus actively telling her (though I may be remembering incorrectly on this count).
Cim is fully coming to terms with the fact that he can't expect an airplane to handle like a submarine. both maneuver in three dimensions, and certain principles overlap, but ultimately they are very different. By demanding for rights rather than to be right, he is making the best possible of the situation.
I am also interested to see how his knowing it wasn't Din in Din's body would affect the harvest of love. To an extent, sex will produce some measure of attached emotion regardless just from oxytocin's impact on the brain to strengthen associations and the fact that it is Din's body. I would expect that there would be a flavor of resentment or resignation in spite of Cim's best efforts. Also, I can't remember, was there a distinction in flavor or potency or at all between love and lust?