Chapter 11
The clock on the dining room wall read half past nine at night, and Allen was tired. Even with all the help from Red Tape, Blueblood, and the self-writing quill, it had taken them most of the day to get through the stack of paper that Red Tape had brought with him. Even though Red Tape had said that the Equestrian civil service did the best it could to minimize the pain of dealing with paperwork, that didn’t mean that there was no pain, just that there was not as much as there could be. In Allen’s case, it was still a lot, though he repressed a shiver of dread at the thought of having to deal with the amount of paperwork that he’d just gone through in the way he was used to dealing with paperwork back in the U.S.
I’d kill myself before the end of the first hour.
Casting aside those thoughts, he idly shuffled some of the pamphlets and booklets that Red Tape had left for him on the table. Each one provided greater detail on what was expected of Allen as a soon-to-be citizen of Equestria. Casually picking one up at random, he was greeted by the sight of a trio of smiling ponies, one of each tribe, their hooves held out wide in greeting. The title, a cheery pink and blue ribbon of color across the top asked, So you want to be an Equestrian? Allen gave a humorless snort. “Not really, but it’s not like I have much of a choice in the matter at present,” he said as he tossed it back onto the cluttered table.
Leaning back in his chair, he scrubbed his tired face with a hand before getting up and going to the sink for some water. As he let his cup fill up, he thought back on what he had learned in the process of getting his citizenship papers in order. He’d actually been surprised when Red Tape had asked him to provide his human world information, such as his birth certificate, social security number, educational background, criminal record, and on and on and on. By the time they’d finished, Allen had felt as though he’d run a marathon from the amount of running he’d done around his house looking for the needed paperwork, and his brain felt like a pool of melted goo from how hard he had been thinking that day, trying to recall to the best of his ability information he hadn’t had available at the house.
One of those pieces of information was in regards to how much money he’d had before being brought here. Taking a sip of water from his glass, he gazed out the window at the darkening skies and thought back to that moment.
~oOo~
“Why do you want to know about my finances?” asked Allen, confused at Red Tape’s sudden question. “Anything having to do with them is on Earth, and I have no way to access them here, so they’re useless to me.”
Red Tape took a sip of water, which Allen had helpfully provided earlier in their meeting. “There are several reasons, Mr. Ross. The first being, since you are applying for citizenship with us, we need to do a background check regarding your financial assets for tax purposes and such.” He held up a hoof to forestall Allen’s reply. “Now, I know that currently there is no way for you to access your financial assets right now, and you might not have complete records of them, but anything you can give us would be welcome.”
When Red Tape paused to take another drink of water, Allen interjected, “Okay, but what’s to prevent me from lying to you about, well… anything? I mean, I could have been making everything up as we’ve been going along.”
Red Tape set his glass back down and fixed Allen with a serious look. “Mr. Ross, if you had been lying to me, I would know. These,” he pointed to his glasses, “are not just for helping me see better, they are also enchanted to detect when someone is not being fully honest with me. Now granted, the enchantment isn’t perfect, but it’s good enough. Besides,” he gave Allen a confident smile, “I’ve been a civil servant for a long time, Mr. Ross. I can tell when somebody is trying to be sneaky, even if they are not a pony.”
Allen licked his suddenly dry lips. “I-I see, well, okay, I was just curious is all.”
Red Tape chuckled and waved a hoof in dismissal. “Hehe, of course, of course.” His smile faded and a more neutral look took its place. “In any case, let’s move on, shall we?”
Allen simply nodded.
“Very good. Now, while the first reason is not as applicable to you in this regard, we would still like to have as much information about you as we can get. This will help us when we move on the second reason we need this information.”
“And what reason is that?” asked Allen.
“So that we can reimburse you for those lost assets,” replied Blueblood.
“Reimburse me?” asked Allen, confused. “Why would you guys do that?”
Blueblood sighed. “Because you were negatively impacted by Discord’s escape and since the Equestrian government is partially responsible for said escape, then it behooves us to at least provide some form of compensation to ease your suffering. Hence why we need your financial information: if we have that, then it will be a simple matter of opening up a savings account for you at a bank of your choosing and transferring the funds to you.”
Allen felt himself slump down in his chair slightly from surprise at Blueblood’s explanation. When he looked over at Red Tape and saw the stallion nod in confirmation, he just didn’t know what to think. After all, what kind of government willingly gives out money to people it hurt, especially if it was indirectly, at the drop of a hat like this? Licking his dry lips, Allen asked, “So let me get this straight here: you guys are going to just give me money, just like that? No strings attached?”
Blueblood nodded, though he had an odd look on his face as if he was wondering why Allen was so disbelieving at the thought. “Of course, it is only proper. While the Equestrian government didn’t intentionally free Discord from his prison to go on a chaotic rampage, he still did, and because of his actions, you were, for all intents and purposes, turned into an interdimensional refugee. Therefore, it is only right that you receive some form of compensation in regards to your suffering. Besides, both princesses have ordered it so anyways, so even if the rest of the government was against the idea, you would still receive compensation, either because the princesses demanded it or they provided you the funds from their own pockets.”
“That’s... very generous of you guys… I’m not sure what to say honestly, other than thank you,” replied Allen gratefully.
Blueblood returned Allen’s thanks with a warm smile. “You are welcome, Mr. Ross, it is the least we can do.”
“Though I do believe that you are entitled to additional assistance beyond compensation for lost assets,” interjected Red Tape. When Allen gave him an inquiring look, he continued, “As His Grace said, you were harmed due to Discord’s actions and made a refugee. Therefore, you are currently classified as one. Though,” he waved a hoof to indicate the pile of papers in front of him, “after we get through this, you’ll be well on your way to citizenship here in Equestria. However, due to the nature of your arrival here, both Princess Celestia and Luna have decided to grant you tax exemption status for this tax year to give you time to both become acquainted with our tax laws and secure a steady income.”
Allen was so surprised that he nearly fell out of his seat.
Seeing Allen’s stunned look, Red Tape chuckled. “Yes, I know, it seems too good to be true. However, Princess Celestia, and to a lesser extent Princess Luna, are very concerned with maintaining a good public image, especially in the face of something like Discord getting free. That has created no small amount of work for us as we try to reassure both the citizenry and the international community. Moreover, since you were directly impacted by Discord’s… shenanigans, they felt that it was necessary to provide you with these benefits as a way to show both you and others that we do care and are willing to take responsibility to make things as right as possible.”
Allen sat there, blinking as his mind processed what Red Tape had told him. After a few moments, he cocked his head to a side. “So what you’re saying is that I’m some kind of PR stunt?”
Red Tape waggled a hoof side to side. “Sort of. Don’t get me wrong, the princesses do care about your situation and want to do everything they can to make your stay more comfortable while you are here.”
“I’m sensing a ‘but’ in there somewhere.”
Red Tape shrugged. “But they also have to make sure that Equestria as a whole is safe, both from foreign powers who may take Discord’s release as a sign that we are weak or use it as a way to gain concessions out of us at the diplomatic table, as well as to protect us from the more… ambitious elements within.”
“What do you mean, ‘ambitious elements within’?”
Blueblood quickly interjected, “Nevermind about that, Mr. Ross, you don’t need to worry about that sort of thing.”
Glancing over at Blueblood with a searching eye for a moment, Allen decided to let it go. “If you say so.” Turning his attention back to Red Tape, he asked a final question, “So is there anything else, or was that it?”
“That was it, as far as financial matters are concerned. When the time comes we’ll send somepony to go over the finer details with you and get you set up with a bank account and such.”
Allen nodded. “Alright, sounds good.”
~oOo~
After that, Allen’s quill had signed the various papers that Red Tape had placed in front of him. It had been an interesting experience for Allen, with both Red Tape and Blueblood helping him to get his affairs in order, for which he was eternally grateful. As such, the majority of his time with the prince and bureaucrat passed without issue, though there had been a hiccup or two along the way.
Turning away from the kitchen sink, Allen walked back to the table, and setting his glass of water down, he scanned the table until he found what he was looking for. It was a colorful pamphlet with three ponies in armor lined up in profile on its front, the heading, in big bold letters proclaiming, Join your local guard today! Allen stared at it for several moments before reaching out and lifting it off the table; he’d already looked through it earlier, but for some reason, he felt compelled to do it again. Opening it up, he read through the information contained within again. It was all the standard info that could be found in a recruitment pamphlet, such as details about benefits, pay rates, how it would help you become a better person, how you could become a hero, etc. Allen shook his head as he set the pamphlet back down and thought about what he was going to do going forward.
The reason he had the pamphlet and was in this situation, was because Red Tape had asked him during their discussion if he possessed any weapons or armor in his home, which of course he did, - after all, what self-respecting farmer wouldn’t? –, though he was presently unable to get at: as his dad had hidden the gun safe’s key somewhere where he couldn’t find it. However, whether he could access the guns wasn’t the point, the point was that he had them in the first place, and as such, Allen had felt that honesty was the best policy, in this case, so he’d nodded his head.
The conversation that had followed had been… interesting.
~oOo~
Red Tape hummed thoughtfully to himself as he used his magic to sort through several papers that he had pulled from his seemingly bottomless briefcase. After a moment of this awkward silence, he gave a slight nod. “Very well.” Turning his attention back to the paper in front of him, he began to write. “I will need a list of all weapons in your possession, as well as any magical artifacts or armor, magical or otherwise, that you may also possess.”
Allen crossed his arms over his chest, an unhappy, almost combative, look on his face. “Why do you want to know that?” he asked flatly.
Red Tape glanced up from his papers for a moment before giving Blueblood a look that said would you take this, please? before then returning to his work.
Blueblood simply nodded, and turning to face Allen, he said, “I am not sure what your world’s laws are concerning the possession of armaments, Mr. Ross, but in Equestria, ownership of a weapon or magical artifact used for battle is generally restricted.”
“Restricted in what way?” asked Allen warily.
Blueblood sighed. “Broadly speaking, only those affiliated with the government such as police or military personnel are allowed ownership of weapons, though there are exceptions that are granted, such as settlers living in or near dangerous areas such as the Badlands to the south, or adventurers who travel to said areas, but those types of dispensations are uncommon, as few ponies have the need for a weapon in the first place.”
“So if you don’t let ponies own weapons generally, how do they defend themselves if they are attacked?” asked Allen.
Blueblood’s response was to light up his horn. “Well, unicorns can use their magic to help keep themselves safe, as there are many different types of defensive spells available for use by the general public that does not require a permit to use.” He let his magic fade from his horn as he continued speaking. “Pegasi are often able to fly away from danger, much like birds do, though there are some that will use their ability to fly as a means of attacking those that threaten them. In addition, pegasi can use the weather as a weapon in extreme circumstances. Finally, earth ponies can either run from danger thanks to their enhanced endurance or use their natural strength to pummel it into submission,” he finished with a shrug.
Allen meanwhile, sat chewing his lower lip as he digested this new information. Finally, he said softly, “But I don’t have any of those abilities. Is it really fair to place me at a disadvantage like this when I never asked to come here in the first place?”
Both Red Tape and Blueblood looked at each other for a moment, as if hoping the other would have an answer to Allen’s question. Finally, Red Tape sighed and replied, “No, Mr. Ross, it would not be fair to put you in that position. Even though – and of course I realize my own bias is showing a little here – Equestria is one of the safest places in the world in terms of things such as natural disasters, crime, and conflict, I do see your point. I take it that you come from a world that is less… friendly in nature?”
Allen laughed, and for some reason that neither pony could determine, a chill ran down their spines at the harsh sound of it. After a few moments, Allen’s laughter faded to mere chuckles, and as he wiped a stray tear from the corner of his eye, he replied, “That, Mr. Tape is the understatement of the century. If it wasn’t for the fact that humans breed like rabbits, our species would have probably died out by now. But I digress,” he finished, waving a hand as if to close the matter.
Clearing his throat awkwardly, Red Tape fiddled with his glasses for a moment. “I… I see. In any case, Mr. Ross, seeing as how you do not seem to be willing to relinquish your weapons,” Allen’s amused snort gave him pause for a moment, “then we have two options available to us.”
“And those are?” asked Allen, as he leaned forward and placed his elbows on the table while steepling his fingers in front of his mouth, as if he were a corporate CEO waiting to hear a subordinate’s sales pitch for a pet project of theirs.
“Well, of course, the first solution would be to grant you a special dispensation, though that would require more paperwork, and a special hearing in front of one of the upper members of the nobility, and slash or the princesses. This usually depends on the size of the requesting group and their justification for wanting the weapons. In our case, His Grace’s presence should be sufficient in that regard, so we won’t need to travel to Canterlot and schedule a hearing.”
“Thank God for small favors then,” cut in Allen, a tinge of humor coloring his voice.
Clearing his throat, Red Tape resumed speaking, “Yes, well, the second option, and probably easiest, from our standpoint anyways,” he pointed a hoof at Blueblood and himself, “would be to have you join the local guard unit here in Ponyville. You would then be considered an employee of the Crown and as such, would be allowed to keep your weapons. This also has the added benefit of granting you a small stipend each month and gives you the opportunity to become better acquainted with your neighbors. There are also the educational opportunities – even if, considering the small size of Ponyville, they would not be as good as those found in larger cities, but still, I believe that this would be the best solution to our problem!” he finished, a happy smile on his face.
“Except it isn’t,” Allen shot back. When he saw Red Tape’s happy expression melt away to confused disappointment, he explained, “While on the surface joining the guard would seem like a good idea, and one where everybody wins, the way I see it, it’s only a win for you, not me.”
“I don’t understand,” said Red Tape, unhappy at the rejection.
Allen sighed. “Alright then, I guess I’ll just spell it out then. I do not want to be drafted into military service. It’s bad enough that I got pulled here to your country against my will, it’s another thing entirely for you to coerce me into joining your military!”
Red Tape opened his mouth to reply, but a raised hoof and look from Blueblood silenced him. Turning his attention to Allen, Blueblood asked softly, “Mr. Ross, in your world, did you have an equivalent of a local guard force?”
Allen shrugged. “Probably, if I assume we are talking about the same thing. My country had a National Guard that was split up by states rather than towns, and they would often times get sent overseas to fight, and I don’t want that.”
Blueblood nodded, understanding growing in his mind. “I think I see the problem, then.” Turning himself to fully face Allen, he said, “Mr. Ross, I feel as though there has been a miscommunication here, and for that I am sorry. Both Mr. Red Tape,” he glanced at the aforementioned stallion for a split second out of the corner of his eye, “and I only want to help you adjust to living in Equestria with as little trouble as possible. While it is certainly possible for us to grant you a special dispensation allowing you to keep and use your armaments as necessary for your defense without you having to join the local guard, it might cause tension between you and your neighbors should word get out. This is a relatively safe area, and ponies might wonder why you have weapons if you don’t intend to use them to help keep them safe by joining the guard force. Moreover, should word get back to Canterlot, it could also create trouble with some of the other nobles who are… less than friendly towards other species, shall we say.”
At hearing Blueblood’s reply, Allen sighed and rolled his eyes. “Of course magical rainbow and sunshine land has racists too, I mean, why the fuck not? Do they wear white robes and hoods that have a smiley face on their backs that say ‘Have a nice day’, and go around burning crosses, too?”
Blueblood grimaced, his ears pinning themselves flat against his scalp. “I… don’t know, to be honest, they have never contacted me. Most of what I know comes from rumors and the occasional guard or police report. Princess Celestia frowns upon that sort of activity, and so they tend to keep to the shadows. However, that is not important right now.”
“And what is?” shot back Allen, a hint of irritation coloring his voice.
“To make sure that you have good relations with your neighbors,” replied Blueblood flatly, his own patience also starting to run a little thin by this point.
Noticing Blueblood’s less than happy mood shift, Allen grimaced and said, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to take my frustrations out on you, it’s just...” he trailed off.
Blueblood sighed. “I accept your apology, Mr. Ross, I can only imagine how you must be feeling right now. You’ve had a lot of things thrown at you in the past week, so much so that I think a lesser p-I mean being, would have probably broken down by now. We,” he pointed a hoof at Red Tape and himself, “want to help reduce the number of problems coming your way. That is why we wanted you to join up with the Ponyville Guard, as a way to justify your possession of weapons and to place you in a position where you can be seen in a positive light by the citizens of Ponyville.” Leaning forward, Blueblood gently placed a hoof on Allen’s shoulder. “I’m not sure how humans are in regards to new things, but it sometimes takes ponies a little bit to get comfortable with something that they are unfamiliar with, and until they do, they tend to act skittish around it, some even outright afraid; just ask Ponyville’s resident zebra about her first few months living here.”
“What, are you saying that ponies are going to run screaming for the hills at the first sight of me?” asked Allen tiredly.
Blueblood waved his hoof back and forth in a ‘so-so’ gesture. “It depends on the pony. Some will, others will be polite but distant, some will go out of their way to avoid you, along with a dozen different reactions from a dozen different ponies. However, they all have the same root and outcome: fear of the unknown, and unhappiness, respectively. We were hoping that if you joined the local guard it would be seen by the local populace as a sign that you want to be part of their community. That you want to help protect them and that you don’t want to just skulk around at the edges of their group like some nefarious entity.”
“So what you’re saying is that, if I join the local guard, the ponies of Ponyville will what, like me more or something?”
Blueblood nodded. “In a way, it’s more that they will get used to you and trust you more. Ponies like a person who is willing to lend a helping hoof, or hand, in this case. Moreover, the more they see you working with those that they know, trust and respect, the quicker they will subconsciously adopt you into their ‘herd’, so to speak.”
“Adopt me into the herd?”
Blueblood waved a hoof dismissively. “It’s a figure of speech. It means that they will come to see you as a friend, even if you’re not a pony, and that you are someone that they can trust to keep them safe, as well as someone for them to keep safe. In addition, it will give you the chance to make some more friends. Friendship is a very important concept here in Equestria, and having friends can help smooth tensions between you and others.”
Red Tape nodded, his happy smile back, and added his own two bits, “Yes, yes, and you won’t need to worry about being asked to ‘go overseas’ as you put it! Local guard units are only responsible for their immediate areas, though in extreme circumstances they may be drafted into the regulars, but if something like that happens, most citizens would also be drafted as well.”
“It still feels like you guys aren’t giving me much of a choice here,” said Allen as he rubbed the back of his neck tiredly.
The two ponies looked at each other for a moment, each holding the other’s gaze with his own until finally, they turned back to Allen. “Mr. Ross,” Blueblood said, “while we feel it would be best if you were to join the local guard… I feel that the circumstances surrounding your arrival would be sufficient to grant you a special dispensation at this time.”
“So I don’t have to join the guard if I don’t want to?” asked Allen hopefully.
Blueblood nodded his head with a sigh. “Yes, Mr. Ross, you will not be forced to join the guard, and I apologize if we came across as trying to force you to do so. That was not our intent. We just felt that it would be the best course of action and that it would give you the opportunity to be seen in a positive light by your new neighbors. Moreover, I figured that you would appreciate the benefits and pay attached to the position.Mr. Red Tape mentioned them, but I believe that on the second page,” he pointed at the enlistment papers, “is a more detailed list of all the responsibilities and benefits that you can expect from joining the guard.”
Allen flipped the page and glanced down the list. Fully covered health insurance, training, and equipment provided, a monthly stipend, and hazard duty pay? That’s...not bad, still, his eyes continued to scan down the list coming over to the responsibilities of the guard. As far as Allen could see, a guardsman, or guardspony in this case, seemed to just be a glorified first responder in that they were expected to help put out fires, rescue hurt or lost individuals, provide basic medical aid in emergencies and help keep the peace by supplementing the local police and military forces.
The benefits weren’t spectacular, but they seemed alright. Of course, he couldn’t be one-hundred percent sure on that fact, as he didn’t really know all that much about Equestria’s economy, but still, it was probably better than nothing.
Setting the pamphlet down again, Allen turned his attention back to the two ponies. “I think I’d rather not join up with the guard at the moment,” and when he saw Red Tape’s ears wilt in disappointment, he hastily added, “but that’s not to say I never want to join, just that I don’t want to right now.”
Blueblood gave a disappointed sigh but nodded in acquiescence to Allen’s wishes. “Very well, Mr. Ross, we will respect your wishes at the moment. However, I should point out that if word gets out about your situation, it could damage your reputation with your neighbors.”
“I’m aware of the risks,” he said flatly, though after a moment he allowed his gaze to fall slightly and his expression to soften. “I’ll think about it, and maybe after I get everything settled, I’ll do some research on the matter, maybe see if I can talk with someone who is a local member, and see what they do,” he finished with a shrug.
“Well, I suppose that is that, then,” replied Blueblood tiredly, turning to Red Tape. “I’ll let you take care of the paperwork. Just send whatever you need signing to me, and I’ll see that it’s taken care of.”
“Very well, Your Grace,” replied Red Tape softly. “Mr. Ross,” he said, turning to Allen, “I will still need to know what type of weapons, armor and magical artifacts you have for our records, as well as what they can do.”
Allen grimaced. “That might be a while, seeing as how they’re locked in a safe that I don’t have the key to at the moment.”
Red Tape gave an unhappy sigh of disappointment. “I see. Well, I suppose we’ll have to get a locksmith out here to have them open it, then.” Shuffling the papers in front of him, he continued, “In any case, I believe that we have plowed this particular field enough, so shall we move on?”
When neither Blueblood or Allen objected, Red Tape gave a nod and they continued.
~oOo~
Sighing at the memory, Allen set the pamphlet back down on the table and scrubbed his tired face with his hands for a moment before leaning back in his chair to stare at the ceiling. The overhead lights cast a warm glow that served to chase away the gathering darkness outside, and Allen felt grateful for the fact that he didn’t have to rely on his gas generator for power anymore. On the other hand, he did have a small moment of… concern earlier, when Lightning Catcher and her crew had finished hooking his house up to the grid.
For some reason, it had completely slipped his mind that Equestria’s power grid might be incompatible with his home electric grid, a possibility which, if true, would have meant that the moment he turned the power on, things would have either not worked right or blown up in his face. Thankfully, that didn’t happen, as, by happy coincidence, Equestria’s power grid parameters were identical to home’s. Allen had had a small ‘oh crap’ moment when Lightning had turned on the juice and flipped the hallway light switch on, as he had forgotten to ask what the ponies used as far as voltage and such for their electrical devices, but when nothing bad had happened he relaxed.
When he’d mentioned his concern to Lightning, she had given him a confident smile, and said, “You shouldn’t have worried, Mr. Ross, we’re professionals! We always check the compatibility of the location with the regular grid before we hook up to the main.”
Chuckling at the memory, Allen let his chair fall back to all fours as he stood up and took his glass back to the sink. Setting it aside, he began making his way to bed. By now the clock on the wall read half past ten, and he wanted to get an early start tomorrow, as he was expecting yet more company. This time it would be his new neighbors, the Apple family. Apparently his land was actually occupying their land currently, and unfortunately, Blueblood and Red Tape hadn’t had time today to get that sorted out, so as a consequence, they were returning tomorrow, bright and early, to iron out the details.
Turning the kitchen lights, off, Allen double-checked to make sure his front door was locked before he ascended the stairs. As he climbed, he thought about the other two ponies who were going to be showing up as well. The first was the mayor of the nearby town – ironically called Ponyville of all things, Allen shuddered in thought of the fact that pretty much everything in Equestria was a horse pun – and while the mayor was coming to represent the town, the other pony that was coming by represented an organization called the Department of Occupations, Talents, and Industries. Allen wasn’t sure what to expect from them, but from what he could see, Blueblood wasn’t exactly their biggest fan, which meant that Allen likely wouldn’t be their biggest fan either.
Only time would tell in the end.
I rather enjoy how... sane everyone feels in this story. Or perhaps reasonable would be a better term? Either way, it's rather nice to see people communicating and working together to solve a problem, especially one as big as getting unceremoniously dumped into another dimension.
Never trust anyone who wants to take your weapons away.
It's nice to see a story that's reasonable, both in caution and friendly gestures to DD's.
Whether they're from the next galaxy over or the third dimension to the right, that's the sort of thing you want with first contacts.
8376403
I'd call it more along the lines of the Swiss. They're concerned strongly about an alien kind of weapon with unknown capacities and naturally are worried about it's control- but they're not taking those weapons away. And logically, would you be less nervous about an alien species packing strange weapons setting up housekeeping in your back field without a clue as to what he's doing there, or one that's part of the local authorities that happens to use his native exotic weapons as part of the oathsworn "herd of arms", as it were? While the latter is most straightforward, it's obviously not the easiest hoop to jump through, nor is it apparently required.
It's a genuine concern though, for all their assertions that Equestria is 'safe' (and I would heavily argue against that assumption) Ponyville certainly isn't. Furthermore, the protagonist has asserted that aside from his weapons he has no way to defend himself, which is absolutely true. If he were caught out by a manticore or a bugbear without a loaded gun on his person, all he could really do is scream for help and pray he doesn't die. Normally I'd agree that his possession of weapons is concerning, but in a world where it could literally mean the difference between life and death for him? I'd at least be reasonable enough to let the guy go with a stern warning not to use his weapons unless absolutely necessary, and ask the local guard to keep an eye on him.
This is still the weakest part of the story, in my opinion.
Which is saying quite a bit about your writing because it's something relatively minor all things considered that most stories would just gloss over.
Why is the solution for him to apply for citizenship when there are other more reasonable options? The equivalent of a Permanent Residency Card (AKA Green Card), Refugee status, temporary work visa, some new status given the unique situation he's in that there likely isn't a legal standing for in Equestria.
Why the path to citizenship? Especially when he's only had a small amount of experience with their government, his only sources of information have a distinct potential bias to them, and he's only been there a short period of time. It's weird that he'd consider giving up his citizenship to become a citizen of another power under these conditions.
This alone gives a French Foreign Legion-like option. That could be explored.
And to be honest, I was looking forward to more politicking of that nature. It's an angle few people have tried and it just feels too... easy right now for lack of a better term.
I wonder at the ponies reaction to the guns.
Also, one could totally scare most ponies shirtless by the act of describing some of our weapons.
"We have devices capable of destroying an target from ten miles away. We have machines that are immune to all but the most damaging of our weapons, capable of plowing through all defenses an enemy has. Metal birds on wings of flame that rain death upon our enemies. Devices so powerful they can bathe an entire country in atomic fire, cleansing all in its wake. We are the masters of our art. What we cannot tame or use we kill, merely to use to step ever higher. We have reached for the stars and held them in our grasp! We are humanity! None can stop us! MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAH!!!!!
8376600
fear that which is not fluffy
8376396
I can't recall very many stories on this site that escalate tensions to the edge of hostility, then de-escalate them through talking the way this one did. I find it refreshing. A lesser fic would've degenerated to a fight by now, to show how awesome the main character is, then have him win and show mercy to show that He Was Good The Whole Time. This would often signal the end of all character conflicts for the whole story.
Another great chapter, as usual.:D
Nice. Wake up early and I see another update!
Thanks! Keep up the good work and good luck with work/life dude.
Red Tape the hero we need... Lol. I like it.
So ponies in more hostile areas have weapons? I'd assume that Big Mac has access to something since their farm borders one of the most dangerous places in Equestria.
Also I remember a bit from before the rewrite, and I can say I like where this attempt is going much better. Feels much less hostile now as he is actually getting helped due to Discords antics instead of punished.
8376600
Silly pony, don't you know that humans need stuff that explodes? Everything we own and use, explodes! Little explosions... BIG EXPLOSIONS... lots of fun exploding.
8376749
I'm not saying I don't like the story, don't get me wrong. It is a refreshing change of pace to be sure. I just love the idea of magic vs. tech.
Though I rarely like the ones where the protagonist fights the ponies then spares them because he's good. I like new grimdark stuff usually.
8376518
There are several reasons why I decided to go this route. Reason number one is that if Allen becomes a citizen of Equestria, then he will enjoy the full legal rights and protections afforded to citizens of Equestria, both within and without Equestria's borders. As of this moment, Allen doesn't really have any legal protections as the United States doesn't exist in this world. This means that if Allen gets into trouble there is nobody who would or even can help him. And subconsciously, Allen realizes this. He knows he is by himself without any kind of support, and when you're flailing around in the deep ocean, you're going to cling to whatever floats. Besides, Allen isn't giving up his American citizenship, as many Americans possess dual citizenships. And just because he becomes a citizen of Equestria does not automatically mean he loses his American citizenship.
This brings us to the next point that I want to talk about, why Allen is going along with this. As mentioned before in the story, people who are not citizens of Equestria are not permitted to own property, (they can still trade, do business in the country, and rent property, but they can not outright own homes, businesses, or industries,) if you think this sounds dumb, you would be right, but there are cultural/political reasons for this setup that will come to light soon. (At least this is the direction that I am currently planning on taking that part of the story in at present.)
Now we come to the part about why Allen can't apply for a Green Card, work visa, refugee statues, or a special status just for him. The simple answer to this question is that the Equestrian government doesn't have a Green Card or work visa system, and while Allen could be classified as a refugee, that still precludes him from owning property under Equestrian law and creates an even more complicated mess for all involved. As for the special status idea, that would just create more work for the Equestrian government that they do not want to deal with right now. Plus there is also the risk that more people, like Allen, will show up in the future. The government doesn't know if what Discord did was a one shot deal or if it will continue to bring more people and things into Equestria. Therefore, it becomes necessary for them to set up a legal precedent for how they will handle future situations like Allen's if they were to occur.
Now, this isn't to say that later on, the Equestrian government can't change things around, especially if there is a large influx of new entities from other dimensions. But as of now, it's just Allen, and making him a citizen is the quickest way to put out that particular fire, thus freeing up resources to combat other fires that are still burning thanks to Discord's shenanigans.
I hope that this clears up some of your questions/concerns in regards to this issue. If you have anymore or need further clarification, please feel free to ask.
8378196
Well that clears everything up nicely and I completely understand your logic.
Unfortunately, I have to point out one flaw in your line of reasoning.
The US does not formally recognize dual citizenship and dual citizenship status only applies if you are born in that nation to citizens of another nation or you're born on a military base that's been set up in another nation as those are still legally the soil of that nation and the nation that owns the base is just renting it*.
By becoming a citizen of Equestria he would effectively be renouncing his US citizenship.
Although there is a work around given that in addition to the various methods I noted in the previous post, there is the little used honorary citizenship. It's not well known as it is quite rare for any nation to award it.
*In real life this is a source of contention between the US and Cuba as we try to pay them the rent money while they refuse the money and ask us to leave. Unfortunately, we can't just withdraw our base there so there's this weird limbo state around the base. Completely irrelevant to the topic at hand, but I don't often get the chance to mention these random facts.
8378308
Actually, that is incorrect. According to the State Departments website,
This last sentence is important as it is what gives Allen the ability to keep his U.S. citizenship, the State Department continues saying,
So as stated here, the U.S. government recognizes that dual nationality exists, but it does not encourage its citizens to obtain it because it makes it easier to help and or deal with American citizens abroad. Now, the last sentence of the first quote gives Allen the ability to retain his American citizenship as, (if he were to return home, and the U.S. government learned of his Equestrian citizenship,) he could prove in a court of law that he did not willfully seek out Equestrian citizenship, nor did he intend to relinquish his American one. As Equestria does not have any programs that would allow him to properly function in Equestrian society, (i.e. own property, get a job, keep his weapons, etc.) then he was forced by circumstances to accept Equestrian citizenship. And as you probably remember, it wasn't Allen who broached the topic of citizenship in the first place, it was Blueblood and Red Tape who did.
So to summarize, Allen did not seek out and "apply for the foreign nationality voluntarily, by free choice, with the intent of giving up U.S. nationality." Therefore, he can still, retain his American citizenship. Besides, since America doesn't exist in this world, how are they going to know that he accepted Equestrian citizenship in the first place? Unless Equestria is able to open a stable portal to Allen's dimension and establish contact with the United States government or Allen is sent back and tells the U.S. government that he became an Equestrian citizen. Then it's all a moot point anyway. If either of those cases were to happen, then the worst-case scenario would be that Allen would have to choose which citizenship he would want to keep, as I highly doubt even the U.S. government would just say, "Oh you're a citizen of another nation now? Well, guess you won't be needing this American citizenship anymore." Without giving him time to explain himself before a government official. Though I could be wrong on that last part, this is the U.S. government we are talking about, but I digress.
The point is that Allen should be able to retain his American citizenship in this scenario because he didn't willfully go out, with the intention of becoming one, it was pretty much forced on him by circumstance and he didn't have many good options to pick from, so he went with the one that was the best in this case, which was to accept the Equestrian governments offer of citizenship or risk losing everything.
Regarding Mayor Mare, she'll only be interested in ensuring that Alan isn't a cause of disruption to the town and its surrounding control zone. However the Guildmaster may be a bit more problematic. He/She might have an agenda about using the windfall of human tech to promote his own position in the Guild's hierarchy.
8379001
Huh, the stance on it must have changed since Immigration's website said something different. I retract my complaint.
8379169
Well you know how government is, depending on how long ago you looked that info up anything could have happened. But you were right to bring that particular issue to my attention as I did not originally research that particular point. So thanks for making me make sure I wasn't being a derp.
8379211
No problem.
Sorry about the delay, was watching the eclipse. Path of (near)Totality FTW.
8379538
Nice, it's cloudy where I am at, so I can't really see it. Oh well.
It seems fair to give him his weapons but the guard option is pretty cool as well. Though I hope he still just uses the sword and spear that they use instead of guns.
Great story bro! I look forward to the next update!
And the part when he gets to show the ponies human weapons.
lol
8380526
Why not both? I'd be content with that.
Plus he can put a bayenant on his rifle and he'll have a spear AND ranged weapon rolled up in one. Xp
Oh, god. Please don't have him join the guard. I hate that trope.
It makes no sense, and it's been played to death at this point.
I really like this kind of story. Not necessarily the HiE in general (depends on the story), but the kind where OCs are mixed with regular characters, and all of them are realistic.
They interact like normal people, but there is a fantastical element as well. I hope it continues this way.
Also, while the "joining the guard" thing has been done before, I am actually looking forward to see what you will do with it. Ideas aren't wrong if many people do them. It just matters how well you are able to do it.
Just like how HiEs are everywhere, but some are really good.
8390470
Lol
8391098
i.imgur.com/2mbpx2F.jpg?1
daa
8376403 But I only want to take some of your weapons away! You can TRUUUUST MEEEEEEEE!!
The Mane 6 all appear and raise eyebrows. "Maybe in the thousand years before the show started," Pinkie Pie grumbled. "But now we have to rebuild Ponyville almost as frequently as South Park does!"
"Of course not!" Blueblood declared. "That would be ridiculous!"
"Well that's good to he-" began Allen.
"They wear black masks and threaten to burn down cities if someone speaks that they don't like!" BB finished.
Allen began to slam his head against the table in response to learning about Pony ANTIFA.
Ya know, I kinda feel the restriction on weapons is rather pointless.
Unicorns with their magic can craft practically ANYTHING into a weapon in a moment's notice, or hell, just levitate a pony up and slam them repeatedly into something hard until the target is a pulp... pegasi can fire LIGHTNING from clouds and create controlled tornados... some earth ponies can fling 1-ton boulders a mile or more... Really, these ponies by themselves can trigger miniature natural disasters if they chose to. What's the point of telling ponies they can't have the equivalent of a pointy stick?
Just a common sense analysis of the situation.
Magic, when utilized strategically, kicks the crap out of most physical weapons' utility. Poison gas can still be useful if the unicorns don't have the right type of shielding up, though. (One may wonder why Alondro has taken such pains to craft magical warfare strategies... muwah ha ha ha...)
8395829
You are right. But you're also wrong.
It's a matter of one's mindset.
Of course humans (and especially Americans - wink) think nothing about turning anything and everything in their environment into a weapon and then using it on somebody.
Ponies, however, are not natural born killers and their society reflects that. They don't naturally see their magic, their wings, their hooves as killing instruments. It simply does not occur to them. And maybe Celestia and Luna don't want them to learn otherwise.
The use of forged weapons might even be a psychological necessity for them. Perhaps the guard candidates can only be trained to kill with weapons. In other words "I can't kill unless I have tools specifically for killing."
From there, it's quite easy to make such tools restricted.
8402070 But that makes the ponies less than children. And in the show, they certainly behave that way at times. But in a story with more of a world structure and not needing to keep things very simple for the audience, the ponies should be allowed to think as though they're real people with brains capable of drawing rational conclusions and being as inventive as one would assume a sapient, reasonably advanced creature must be to form a civilization.
I can't really laugh at "horse puns" as names of towns considering Manhattan is a thing and I live a few minutes from the town of Manville.
:/
8415961
Lol
8416137
That answers that then.
oh i wonder how the apples will react to this guy
Enjoying this story so far... God knows if something like this happened to me I would have locked myself up and panicked like crazy.
Is this dead?
8923116
No, I've just been busy, and I've had to do a major cut of content that required me to try and figure out where I wanted to take the story from here.
9296213
first of all no i don't mean a whetstone nor do i mean a grease pen or a wax pen. i have used both pens and don't really care for the smell produced when a torch is taken to them. now i know around my parts you can go to any hardware store and buy something called a "WET"stone which is a chalk like stone used to leave a high heat resistant line.
second that post was over a year old man and mostly said in joke do you really have nothing better to do other then correct precede wrongs on the internet? if so then i would like to direct you to any youtube comment section.
Good to see blueblood is a pretty good stallion. Always nice to see something new instead of the standard he is a rich snob or complete jerk
9625658
I tend to enjoy it when authors give Blueblood a good and fleashed out personality and/or a reason for the way he behaves in the gala episode.
Him acting like he did to Rarity because he actually wants to counter-act the social trophy status, society's gold diggers have placed him on.
Let's all face it.... Rarity was a shallow gold digger in this case. Wanting Blueblood not for him, but the idea of him and his status.
I wonder how they figured out the conversion rate between USD and bits...
10334165
They didn't. They just went with the easiest option and took the value of Allen's assets at face value and called it a day.
It's weird how he only thinks about just having his electricity back and not water and sewage too. I mean the water has to come from somewhere and go somewhere. Or it that just a minor detail that got ignored?
Well, that seems like a good start for somebody. He kept some money, housing and power is still good, farm is, at the moment, still fine.
Personally, I would reason that being near the everfree is reason enough to have a permit for weapons, but A, I don't know how close that really is, and B, he doesn't know about the everfree much yet.
I really like how you're doing blueblood here, being such a good emissary for the princesses, and actually being useful. That should be a catagory on this site, "Blueblood Being Useful"
10335968
His water is handled by his well, and sewage is taken care of by his septic tank. When Discord brought Allen's farm through, his spell brought the underground components as well.