The Last Roundup
Rainbow Dash wasn't usually the type of pony to clean messes up. More often than not, she preferred the making of messes to the fixing of them. That was on a small scale, though. Minor crashes made minor messes, but when there were major damages to fix, she didn't mind lending a hoof when and where she could–as long as it didn't interfere with training or naptime. So when she heard that the town hall needed some sprucing up, she was happy to do what she could to help. Her partner, however, was proving to be a bit more of a detriment than an aid.
Muffins was a wonderful pony. Rainbow and the others valued her friendship dearly, but she had a great tendency to be clumsy. Her clumsiness was so prevalent that she had earned the affectionate nickname of "Derpy" from her pegasus friends. Today was no different for her, as she'd nearly caused more damage to town hall then she'd helped to fix.
"Huh?" Rainbow exclaimed as she narrowly avoided a sudden lightning bolt. "Now, careful, Derpy!" She zoomed over to her friend, who was bouncing on a nearby cloud as if she didn't have a care in the world. As much as Rainbow liked her, she couldn't deny that Derpy needed to focus just a bit more.
"Don't want to do any more damage than you've already done," Rainbow said, motioning to the town hall as a piece of the roof collapsed.
"I just don't know what went wrong!" Derpy responded, continuing to bounce until she received a shock from the cloud.
"Yeah," Rainbow said with a roll of the eyes. "It's a mystery."
Meanwhile, two ponies watched the goings-on from the ground. One, a unicorn mare named Tamino, was looking on with particular disdain. The other, an earth pony stallion named Strawman, didn't seem to share that sentiment.
"That's unbelievable," Tamino said, frowning in the direction of the pegasi.
"What's unbelievable?" Strawman asked.
"The way Rainbow Dash is making fun of poor Muffins!" Tamino answered. "Just listen to the name she's calling her! 'Derpy?' That's horribly offensive! The derogatory meanings behind that nickname are terrible, and I've never been more offended in my whole life! Somepony should stop her!" Strawman opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by the arrival of a third pony.
"Why should she be stopped?" Sugarcoat asked.
"Because it's offensive!" Tamino insisted.
"I don't think it's offensive," Sugarcoat replied simply.
"Well I do!" Tamino shot back.
"That's your problem then," Sugarcoat told her. "Just because you find something offensive doesn't mean everypony does."
"Well everypony should!" Tamino shouted. "Rainbow Dash is calling her hurtful names!"
Sugarcoat rolled her eyes and looked up towards the pegasi. Judging by the large smile on Muffins's face as she cheered Rainbow on, she couldn't be happier.
"Does that look like the face of somepony whose feelings are being hurt?" Sugarcoat asked. Tamino looked up as well, frowning a bit as she observed the pegasus's grin.
"Well...she probably doesn't realize how hurtful Rainbow Dash is being!" Tamino insisted. "Because..."
"Because what?" Sugarcoat asked. "Do you think there's some reason that she wouldn't be able to understand things as well as you think you're capable of?"
"W-well..." Tamino stammered. "It's...because she's..."
"Ohh," Sugarcoat said. "I see now. You think there's something wrong with her, so you're projecting that image onto her, judging others for how they react to your idea of her, and getting offended over it. So in essence, the only pony that's truly being offensive in this situation is you."
Tamino coughed and sputtered as her arguments were handily shut down. She tried desperately to come up with a comeback, but found nothing.
"Hah! Way to show her!" Strawman said, laughing heartily. "That would have been horrible if we couldn't call her Derpy! It would have been the worst thing in the world!"
"Why?" Sugarcoat asked, now turning her attention to the stallion.
"Because it just would have been!" Strawman replied. "I like that name for her, and if that name had to be changed, I don't think I'd be able to watch her or the rest of the town hall fixing team the same way ever again!"
"That's stupid," Sugarcoat said. "No matter what name you call her, she's still the same pony, and the team she's on is still the same team. If you stopped watching something you enjoy just because a name had to be changed, then you're just as dumb as this mare here."
Now it was Strawman's turn to be at a loss for words. He shook his head out, looking quite upset.
"But...I thought you were on my side!" Strawman whined.
"Nope," Sugarcoat replied. "I'm on the side of calling ponies out for being stupid, and that's why I'm glad I found you two." She then left without another word, leaving the two ponies stunned.
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I like this chapter. It'll probably piss a few people off, but it's a good summary of the whole DerpyGate(?) situation, I think.
And somewhere, Applejack sulks that her thunder was stolen by thundercloud-stomping Derpy/Muffins/Bright Eyes/Ditzy Doo/Bubble Butt/Klutz Horse/Where's Waldo again.
6756656
Gah! You totally reminded me that I meant to end the chapter with Applejack being surprised that Sugarcoat didn't pay attention to her situation.
This is what happens when I have to wake up at 4:30 AM and write my chapter at work. I'm too sleep-addled to remember things sometimes.
6756662
It happens. Chapter's only been up for like 10 minutes, right? Not to late for revisions! Or failing that, a teeny bonus 'Last Roundup Pt. 2' or something later in the day. Or week. Or month. Whatever time you've got.
6756656 Don't forget about Pinkie stealing some of that thunder.
*applause* Well said, Sugarcoat.
I've always been upset about the Derpygate thing because censorship in general offends me, and the real reason for the whole controversy is far worse than the scapegoat reason we were all given back when it happened. But I never overreacted to it the way the fans Strawman represents have. Anger over an unnecessary change that eliminates a shout-out to the fans is justified. Taking it out on the world/the show/Hasbro isn't.
(Incidentally, apparently it was never soccer moms in the UK who were to blame for Derpygate in the first place. It was some asshole at Apple. Go figure, huh?)
Oh, and I wouldn't bother editing the chapter to include Backgroundjack's boring drama. We all know the only scene that matters in this episode is the one with Derpy.
"Tamino"? I don't understand the ref-... I'm not quite sure what this "man" thing is, but now I have something to look forward to in this chapter.
Oh, it's just Sugarcoat being Sugarcoat... but it was pretty cool, how that was handled.
Best. Chapter. Yet.
*crazed, gleeful cackling*
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TakeThatAudience
6756828 When The Last Roundupfirst came out,Derpy was called simply that by Rainbow Dash, most of the fanbase loved it, however, one particular webcomic Artist named "Yamino" proceeded to start a campaign about how offensive the name was towards people who had cerebral palsy. Thanks to the actions of the movement she got started, Hasbrow retconned the episode, and the Derpy voice.
Frankly, I found her actions offensive. As someone with motor skills problems, I identified with Derpy.
6757065 Hooray, background info!
And it's nice to see a chapter where Sugarcoat approaches this objectively, not one-sidedly like she's been doing from time to time.
(sigh) Look, I don't dislike Derpy but I'm sorry, this was one of Applejack's best episodes that really deserves more attention. And not for some random little gag from an unimportant character who somehow became the fandom's mascot just from saying "muffins". Screw what's happening in the background, focus on the story going on in the foreground.
This was ICONIC.
6757105 actually, it was because of her eyes in the first ep. not because she said muffins.
that was just a quirk that we put on her after hearing a pony say it in the baked bads scene from Applebuck Season.
6757293 Sorry, it just really ticks me off that the only reason everyone remembers The Last Roundup, which is a really great episode, is just because of Derpy and nothing else, while everyone hates on Applejack with unoriginal and stupid "background pony" insults.
Man, it's not that I have a problem with this, but you should really consider doing two chapters for The Last Roundup, simply because Applejack's own actions are pretty facepalm-worthy still.
That said, I honestly don't have a problem with the name Muffins, which is what Hasbro appears to be going with these days. It's still something the fandom is responsible for in making her obsessed with muffins, and it feels a little bit closer to the standard pony naming theme.
6757372 I liked the last roundup but I did hate how they changed derpy's name and voice. That didnt ruin the show for me though or the character.
Is it just me, or does pony Sugarcoat look like the child of Flitter and Rarity?
>> BlabideeblahMLP 1) Who's Flitter?
2) I think that she looks like she has Trixie's mane.
Awesome chapter
OK, seriously, where is the real life Sugarcoat??? Little me would truly need her around!
Who's Tamino & Strawman? OC's of yours?
Oh this chapter was so deliciously meta...
It should be a two-parter, though, since it didn't include the main part of the episode.
Chapters like this are why I wish you could upvote chapters separately.
SHOTS FIRED!
6758942
see 6757065 for "Tamino"
See the following YouTube video for what a straw man is:
[youtube=cGZkCPo7tC0]
6771612 Sugarcoat calling Applejack out for not returning without blue ribbons and choosing to work to earn the money she feels she should have won would just be kicking her in the metaphorical balls while she's down.
6757801 Don't know if you still don't know, but for posterity... Flitter.