Substitute - AMA II

Hello everyone. Welcome to round two of the AMA. Or, rather, volume two, as I previously referred to it as. There are some questions here, although not as many as volume one. Anywho, let’s jump right into this, shall we?

With me today is Twilight’s voice. Say ‘hello.’

“Hello,” Twilight’s voice said.

Now, you know Twilight’s voice as the Twilight watching from nine day’s into the future. I think, for the purposes of this AMA, she can continue to be a disembodied voice.

“Well, I am watching through a crystal ball. Well, I was. But why am I just a voice?”

Well, the story has treated you quite a bit like one up until this point. I don’t see any reason to break the convention now. Besides, it saves me from having to create a setting for this.

“And that’s another thing. I was… well… I was keeping to myself. After everything that happened… I realize you’re doing some sort of interview thing, but… I don’t know if I can do this right now,” Twilight’s voice said.

Ah, yes. You see, Twilight, you have exactly one question. It’s a pretty pertinent question, mind you. I realize that things have been rough, but I figured given this question, bringing you here might give you the chance to answer it in your own words.

“I see.”

But we can save it for last. We can warm up with some of the generously asked philosophy questions. I think you might have a decent time thinking them through.

“Hmmm. Philosophy, huh?”

Yes.

“Well, it’s a little less concrete and quantitative than I like. It’s so variable, if you know what I mean. But, I am the Princess of Friendship and it’s not like that’s concrete and quantitative either. Actually, philosophy is probably a key part in my duties, now that I think about it.”

Philosophy of friendship, right?

“Sure!”

Well then, let’s get into them.

How many roads must a man walk down before you can call him a man?

“Oh, well… that isa question. It doesn’t really specify what types of roads,” Twilight’s voice quivered uncertainly.

I assume that it’s not as simple as taking a left turn at Albuquerque. And then a right at the stop sign.

“Right, right. Well… How should I put this? I guess there’s a point where you cross some threshold. Like, imagine you start out at some location when you’re born. That’s some area that isn’t… uh,”

Perhaps the word you’re looking for is "manhood"?

“Sure,” Twilight’s voice replied. “Let’s go with that. Manhood. You go through life traveling down these roads. Some will lead toward this manhood area, other roads will run parallel to it, so you don’t go closer or further away. Some roads lead away from manhood.”

Twilight’s voice perked up. “It all depends on what choices you make in life. Being a good pony and living for others, I think, will tend to take you closer to that, erm, manhood area. And, I think, these roads are best traveled with friends, too.”

Spoken like a true princess.

“Thank you!”

Next question…

Who let the dogs out?

Probably the Baha Men.

“Who are they?” Twilight’s voice asked.

They were a music group back almost two decades ago. “Who let the dogs out?” was their hit single.

“That’s interesting. But what’s it have to do with dogs? Are they in some sort of… Oh! Fluttershy wouldn’t be too happy about that!

Heh. Well, it probably isn’t about that. But, I think, some of the more truthful interpretations of the song might ruin some childhoods, so I think I’ll pass on explaining it. Besides, you would have to hear the song for itself.

“Oh, I see.

"To be or not to be", is that a question?

“Oh!” Twilight’s voice exclaimed. “This is from a famous play!”

Indeed it is! Our world has a version of that play too, I think.

“To be or not to be? That is the question. Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune… Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing, end them?”

You would know that by heart.

“Well, of course I would! I’ve read all of the plays. I have the complete set,” Twilight's voice said, her tone full of pride.

Certainly. But what about the question?

“Well, the actual quote is when the main character of the play is contemplating death. Of course, he talks about it in multiple parts of the play, but here he likens it to a dream.” Twilight’s voice sighed. “Ahhh, the choice of language in that soliloquy is excellent. Not a surprise that it’s so famous.”

Spot on! I am curious, however, on the original question taken by itself. What say you?

Twilight’s voice paused. “Well… it does look like a question.”

I think I agree. The wording is… straight-forward, but by itself, the question doesn’t provide a lot of context with which to answer.

“…No, it doesn’t.”

Well, anywho, that does it for the warm-up. Let’s finish this off with the most pertinent question.

Twilight’s voice sighed. “Okay.”

Before I ask, I need to make sure of something. I realize that you have already been through everything. You are answering this question after the fact. There are others following along who have not reached the end of the story like you have, and I have the distinct feeling that what you are about to say, in response, will reveal everything to those not caught up. Are you prepared?

Twilight’s voice didn’t respond for a few moments. Then, “I’m ready.”

Alright. Here we go.

Future Twilight said that her future self was not talking to her. Why not? What was Twilight doing during that time that justified ignoring her past self?
And please let it not be because she didn't recall hearing from her future self, therefore she had to ignore her past self when the time came.

…

Well…” Twilight’s voice began, “No. It wasn’t. It was… It… It was complicated.”

Yes. But, I think, you should say it.

“We talked about this. Starlight, Sunset, and I. We… concluded that we didn’t have a way to save the unponies. There was no getting around that for us.

“I wanted so badly to prevent the whole thing. I wanted more time to help them. To help Adamantine. I guess… I wanted to save her too.

“A-and…” Twilight’s voice stammered, “I… could have prevented it. I knew enough to prevent everything. But I would have just drawn things out. Adamantine would watch her unponies slowly die out. RQK, they mean the world to her. You know that, right?”

I do.

“Maybe it wouldn’t have been so much of a shock to her. But then… we talked. The three of us. What if preventing that allowed Sombra to take over Equestria in that alternate timeline? What if we accidentally got on Nightmare Moon’s bad side and she threw us into a dungeon for the rest of our lives? Do I risk the lives of millions to save a few thousand? There’s… so many ‘What if?’s.

“We decided that everything that happened was the best we could hope for. We agreed to it.”

Twilight’s voice remained silent. A sniffle sounded through the void. Some light sobs followed.

“I gave up the crystal ball,” Twilight’s voice said. “I let Princess Celestia take it back to Canterlot. I knew that if I didn’t interfere, things would run their course. We’d save millions of lives in those alternate timelines.

“But even now I’m still tempted. I want nothing more for something that can’t ever happen. Gosh, I… This whole thing has been my greatest failure.”

Twilight’s voice devolved into a series of sobs. She spoke nothing more.

Hmmm.

Twilight.

Twilight’s voice sniffled.

There’s something that I want you to know. I have been saying it all along, and you said it once yourself.

You did what you could and you hoped for the best. Yes, your best was not enough, and it is what it is. Either way, you tried.

Yes, these were unfortunate circumstances. Your heart was definitely in the right place. Take solace in that.

Twilight’s voice whimpered. “I… still failed.”

You can’t win them all. Even the best, believe it or not, fail sometimes. That’s what life is all about.

Sunset wrote about this in the friendship diary. Perhaps you should read it.

Twilight’s voice remain silent. Long moments passed without any indication of thought or response. But, finally, “Maybe I should. Maybe I should,” Twilight’s voice replied, her tone unwavering again.

Yes.

“…If that’s everything, then… I’d like to go do that.”

That is everything.

Thank you for joining me for this AMA session, Twilight. And for you, readers, this is RQK, signing off.