- Member Since 31st Aug, 2012
- offline last seen 7 hours ago
The Wind King
A natural born editor, sometimes I edit blank pages into stories.
The Wind King
Joined 31st Aug, 2012 ·
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Why would Soft Touch not be an Equestrian citizen? Or is Shining just being particularly dickish?
6760676
Well he's feeling Dickish, plus Barbed makes reference to the fact that she's under protection of the Hive and Equestria has done nothing but harm her, see the phrase "given to us" also her mother and father are dead, making her legal guardians Moss Blanket & Chrysanthemum, until she's of age she's considered a ward of the Swarm and not a full-citizen of Equestria, it's more like a dual citizenship, but she's also a walking reminder of the guards failure, Shining doesn't want to deal with it at the moment, and he's pissed off so for that moment she's a citizen of the hive, she can still go back to Equestria if she wishes with no legal "complications", once she's 16, although she might go back in to the medical system, it's a deep hurt not mentioned so spoiler, but that'll be addressed in a side-story after I finish the main one, if I get round to the side-stories at all, mostly because would you want to write that morass of sad?
Back to the salient point, Shining is attempting to make Barbed look bad, while brushing off the duty of punishment to Barbed to make him look worse in the eyes of of the other guards; low level manipulation & favoured officer mindset, he's justifying it to himself as he was sent to "aid", not take charge, plus there are other things that are not clear yet that help explain Shining's extreme hatred to changelings, might not ever really find a reason to insert them into the story other than a couple of nods and winks, but Shining was hurt multiple ways by the invasion and has a really, really low view on Changelings due to it.
6760759 He's gonna get his plot fired if he doesn't figure out this 'diplomacy' thing.
6760837
And Barbed has such a great diplomatic ability?
Shining has a lot of reasons to be angry, and while fully acting out here might be frowned upon, Celestia, Cadance, and Twilight were all badly hurt by the invasion, so they are far more likely to understand and back him up, he wouldn't be fired unless he somehow manages to declare war, get all of his guards killed, and kills the Ponies given to the hive for healing, you know the most extreme of fuck ups. Acting unprofessionally, take a week off, without pay, oh and the castle's been looking musty & dirty, here's a cleaning rag, have fun.
6760987 Oh, Barbed too. Maybe hoofcuff the two of them together and stage a fake
manstallion-hunt for them so they can do the grudging-buddy-movie-bonding thing.6761593
I want to respond, but I can't without some kind of spoiler, I can only say hope you enjoy the next few chapters, and that's a spoiler given the context.
Sooo.... is Shining now going to sentence himself to several weeks of cleaning latrines for assaulting one of his changeling counterparts?
6783412
Pretty certain that all of this is Barbed's fault, what with the taunting, manipulation, and scheming, but he's got a little bit of comeuppance coming.
Wow, that's... some pretty dark and nasty work in action there.
6807842
Thanks, I tried, and I don't think I quite fully got across the horror of it, but that is the reaction I was looking for, just wait 'til the rest of the plan starts to come to light.
6783412
Also forgot to mention that you can find Shining's reason for his extreme hatred of Changelings in this chapter, although I'd like to hear your guess for it first.
6827431 You mean beyond the whole "kidnap and imprison his fiancee and impersonate her while vamping him, also turning him against family" thing?
6827918
beyond that, he believes Chrysalis raped him while controlling him, when he and Cadance had done the whole romantic not until marriage shall we touch thing, something that was particularly hard (heheheh) during their puberty, and some of Cadance's late life surges as her power as the Princess of Love continued to grow as she fell further in love.
He constantly hopes that it isn't true, and Cadance has told him multiple multiple times that it doesn't matter, she still loves him even if she wasn't his first, but the doubt which is in his heart, which he had mostly come to terms with, flared during these events and made things tenser than normal.
Go away, Shining, nobody likes you.
Nice start. I haven't read the original fic, since it seemed really depressing, but this one seems to explain things nicely.
Cya
Raziel-chan
Shining is a throbbing dick, what a surprise.
Hmm, like it so far. Changelings would be awesome for dealing with mental problems. And, to be honest, people who help others do it because it seems right to them, makes them feel good or they get paid for it. I don't really see how changelings getting love in return would be any different.
I kinda checked the ending of the original fic beforehand, seemed horribly depressing to me, but you make it better with this, actually giving some good and making Celestia seem less cold, making the few years of isolation more of a test to see in changelings would behave themselves and not outright condemning an entire race indefinitely.
I wonder what would Shining do if he met some changeling children.
Cya
Raziel-chan
6843789
Changeling children (Hatchlings, Grubs, Nymphs, Larvae, Pupa, etc, etc) are a plot point here, they don't have the love to have any.
Better Worded, they have such a narrow food source (the love hotel which has a small clientele, the Resort which harvests lightly, the pony residents and staff who live there, and the ponies who are there for healing (See Kick-Back, Soft-Touch, Clockwork & Gilded Gears) at most there are 40-50 permanent Ponies, and between 20-40 visitors at any point, that's enough to comfortably support about 250 adult Changelings, or 20 Changeling Nymphs, gestation, maturation, and Castetigation (Choosing a caste such as Drone, Infiltrator, Soldier, Behemoth, Builder, etc, etc) takes a massive amount of Emotive energy in a remarkably short time (3-5 years), and they just don't have the love in storage.
A lot is running on this diplomatic summit, just the 1% chance of re-integration is enough to make Chrysalis bend over backwards, smothering her pride and "I know what's best attitude" as much as possible.
One of the big points on the whole "You eat our love" is just how blasé the Swarm is about it, they tell the ponies that they are food to them, and that's not exactly a nice sentiment to hear; try walking up to someone else and going "You are my meal for today", broken nose and police at your door. Barbed Retort is kinda sarcastic about the whole thing with the words "A farmer cares for his harvest", but that's one of the points that needs to be taken into context. They do need to care, they want to eat well, they want to have positive emotions to feast upon, they want to have an Elysium where all is honey and milk, but the word "food" carries a bunch of negative connotations when a sapient creature is the food presented, even in a weird emotional context. Ponies are nervous herbivorous herd creatures and Changelings are predators, any attempt at integration is gonna have teething problems to start with simply due to this.
6784868 Good to hear that, since he must attacked Barbed Retort with the intent to kill.
Good damn it, what arseholing did that attack in Canterlot?
Cya
Raziel-chan
Wow, that's gotten really dark really quickly. But it's good to know that it's not one of Chryssie's own.
Hah, Shining can't stomach the mortuary.
6827945 He could always request that Chryssie answers while under a truth spell out something.
Cya
Raziel-chan
6844648
Oh no the comeuppance was Barbed's in this case for being a manipulative sarcastic bastard, Shining's comeuppance is having his world view slowly shattered and put back together as he realises he's been a racist/speciesist bigot, but that healing starts being detailed in chapter 4.
There is a very big clue as to how it starts in this chapter though.
6844712
Don't even know if Unicorn truth spells work on Changeling minds, notice that unicorn magic can only really detect the presence of changeling magic, and even then the best that two experienced medical examiners/dieners/autopsy specialists got was "a changeling did it, dunno what to tell ya otherwise", any interaction between the two magic's is untested and could be dangerous (it's not really explosively dangerous, but an attempt by an Unicorn would effect everyling attached to Chrysalis by her "hive mind" as the magic wouldn't "mute" the link first, and the psychic link could drive a non-changeling insane pretty quick if they were "reading", but they don't know that
).
It's one of the reasons that off-screen from the story Twilight wants this treaty to go forward, she's champing at the bit (ha.ha.ha.) to get her hooves on a changeling and discuss magical theory, they've pretty much been off the grid since the invasion, and part of the treaty, even if not sighed to the document, was that all Changeling corpses from the "love bomb and resulting injuries" would be delivered back to Chrysalis and her Swarm for grieving. Any dissections, Autopsies, and Medical Examinations were shut down, and the records filed as incomplete and inconclusive beyond some small facts.
6843866 As long as there's hope, I like it. Still, I hope that even though it's very important, she won't let the other participants in the summit step over her and the changelings. There's really a lot both sides could gain from a fair revision of the treaty/new treaty. Also, I wonder if the changeling will continue with their work on the badlands. I imagine it'd go a long way to have the place restored at least partially, plus it also gives them a bargaining point, sharing just how did they manage even that much, since even Earth ponies threw their hooves up and gave up.
Well, the changelings should work on their manners a bit and put effort in explaining to the ponies how it works. From what I've seen with Barbed talking to the ponies on site, they don't need to do a direct drain, but can also absorb emotions exuded by the pony. Explained like that it'd be less feeding on someone and more feeding on something someone else left around.
6844751 Well, Barbed didn't do much, he was just showing him around. :D Plus, I won't believe that there are no pony brothels where the prostitutes dress as anyone the customer wants them to, with heavy makeup and all, including the princesses. The only difference is that changelings utilise natural abilities unavailable to ponies while doing so.
Yeah, I can imagine him having quite a few BSODs once he realises just how much he let his hatred blur the world to him. Or, even worse if he actually hurts a changeling, or even kills one, only to find out later that they were innocent or were even helping.
6844791 Hmm, good point. Still, he could just try asking, even if he doesn't believe her outright, it'd be something.
Hah, figured Twilight would like that. Yeah, an entire massive branch of magic created by creatures almost completely alien physiology-wose to ponies and expanded over centuries, one that no pony researcher ever laid their hooves on. I can imagine her salivating uncontrollably at the idea alone.
Hmm... They never found Toxic Love's body... Or whatever was her name. Hmmmmmmmmm...
I like this story a lot, so far. Things are kept feeling real, there are consequences to everyone's actions, but there's no immediate all-encompassing kill order against changelings some stories feature. And I like that after five years of Chryssie and her hive behaving themselves to the best of their abilities (however small are these in case of Barbed Retort), the ponies seem to be willing to forgive. Well, Celestia seems to be driven more by hurt pride, but I imagine she can put a lid on it if the other side proves their worth and devotion to peace. And I figured Cadance and Twilight would be eager to forgive. As for Luna, not much about her, logically, she should be one to appreciate second chances the most, but she seems to react rather violently. Weird, since she'd been forgiven for trying to end the world twice.
cya
Raziel-chan
6845300
She's sleep deprived and had to deal with a night of sorting out nightmares from the attack, and PTSD nightmares from the invasion, she's just cranky, and needs a cup of royal strength coffee, and Barbed Retort has no manner for those who have no manners. We never do get to see from her point of view, just Barbed's and he's not an infallible narrator.
She has her pride, and is a "mother" to them, she honestly doesn't care too much about what happens to her beyond it affecting her ability to care for her swarm, but if something seems unfair for her Swarm then she'll go tooth & Nail in a very diplomatic way. I might have been hyperbolic in my previous comment.
She landed in the Ghastly Gorge, broke her neck, died relatively painlessly, although she did drift in and out for 5 minutes or so, long enough to make her peace with the world and send out her goodbyes, and her corpse got eaten by Quarry Eels. I did originally toy with the idea of having her body kept by an unscrupulous Unicorn scientist but the Hive-Mind would hear her if she was alive, and if she was dead then it would be pure desecration of the dead so many times over. I won't shy away from gore, but it just felt like an overdoing the cruelty at that point.
Prejudices die HARD. (Yippee-Kia-Yay). Also note that nearly all of the Ponies/Changelings that Barbed is rude to hold a position of Authority, he's an anti-authoritarian in a position of authority and does everything he can to not be treated as someling important, just someling you can talk to and trust (which is why Faint Praise acted the way he did with him in chapter 1, and he could weasel the unrevealed information from Clockwork and Gilded Gears). This was caused by him having spent most of his time as an infiltrator dealing with Filthy Rich, Diamond Tiara, and her Mother as they funded his "expeditions" in to the badlands to explore ancient ruins and find historic artefacts, and ancient gems, and experts of their fields who would dismiss a lot of the things he brought back (sometimes from the hive itself as proof of an ancient shapeshifting species, because he has a sense of "humour") out of pure academic blindness. Chrysalis is the only "good" boss he's had, and he's still kinda snarky with her because she's made bad decisions that have had major consequences, but he's ready to help her. He's working with Shining Armour for the Hive, it's easier to be polite and will help them both do their work better.
Also, they have a pamphlet they hoof out to visitors that explain things in a blanket manner, the Royal Guards never read their paperwork.
Barbed has mastered the art of being an infuriating asshole even while doing innocuous things, it's honestly quite magical, there are extenuating circumstance and all the clues are out there now, but it'd be a spoiler to fully explain , so *shrugs*, I can't tell you.
Yes, yes there are, but remember Shining was fooled by this method, his friends were hurt by this method, his wife was kidnapped and "abused" with this method, it's a sore spot, especially to somepony who is already in a bad mood, Shining had a moment where his anger got away from him, he did it out of love, but that doesn't make it better, it makes it understandable.
As for him just asking Chrysalis about the whole thing, Cadance might for his sake and then tell him as carefully as she can, but he's scared of the answer, and terrorised by the doubt, she stuck him in a no-win situation and honestly, it was a massive fuck-up on her part. Chrysalis done goofed in a way that had lasting repercussions.
6845485 That she did, though it's kinda understandable, seeing as she could never really trust anyone but her give her entire life, just asking for help was pretty outside of her comprehension. Hopefully, amends can be made.
Wait, ponies still have nightmares about the invasion en masses? I imagine she must curse the reappearance of the Crystal Empire then, since its entire population has to have nightmares of Sombra's rule.
Ah, good, so she'll fight for her children.
Poor Toxic love. At least it was painless. And yeah, that scenario you mentioned would be just too cruel.
... I can't help but imagine a cardboard stand shaped like a cutesy changeling, "Do YOU know everything about Cutelings?", holding the pamphlets for anyone to take.
As we all know, the royal guard's record of preparedness is stellar. *insert gag reel of all the times they've been totally owned here*
Yes, Barbed is a virtuoso of covert arseholery. Though it's understandable of be had to deal with these arseholes.
I can't help it, the changelings are the cutest thing in mlp bar none. I just can't help but hope for the best for them no matter what.
Anyway, the next chapter can't arrive soon enough.
Cya
Raziel-chan
Nah, I'm quite sure they are just massive throbbing arseholes. That our either Celestia wants the summit to fail, or they are acting against orders, or they're trying to provoke the changelings to attack and use it as an excuse to kill them all. Our it's done kind of retarded test.
I just hope they get their comeuppance.
Cya
Raziel-chan
Celestia's engineering a diplomatic disaster so she can finally annihilate the Changelings for Chrysalis embarrassing her during the wedding.
I wonder if there a spark of destiny for making Swiss cheese.
Cya
Raziel-chan
6858332
I am certain there is a cutie mark for cheese-making, probably one of Cheese Sandwich's parents.
Although now I am wondering how it would affect an entire hive if a queen chose cheese-making as a talent.
Changeling Dairy Farm anyone?
6858460
Knowing her she'd still build a fortress out of it. Still, I wonder what Chryssie's spark of destiny is.
Cya
Raziel-chan
6858836
It's not acting, I can tell you that.
Another nice chapter, I wholeheartedly agree with Chryssie about what should be done with Steel Shod, but I'd add shoving his horn up his own arse at the end.
Haha, I like how other guards are teasing Shining.
Cya
Raziel-chan
6878800
You don't sodomise Unicorn Vampires, silly, you stick their horn's through their hearts, chop their heads off, and stick a lemon in their mouths. It's gotta be done quick though 'cause they tend to struggle all the way through the process.
6879562 Will, you could shove it so far up his arse that it pierces his heart.
Cya
Raziel-chan
Could be worse, he could've used a BLIT image for a cutie mark...
Weaponised cutie marks. Brilliant!
Huh, Shining seems to be much better now, though he still hates Chryssie. Understandable, I guess, but she's far too cute to hate.
Cya
Raziel-chan
6900083
Don't give him ideas you fool
.
Plus we have to take into account accidental flank exposure (man, never thought I get to type that), can't go exposing the Canterlot nobles to his mind altering flank, no matter how much fun it would be. (all innuendo entirely intended, RD approves
)
6900239
Well Cutie Marks seem to weaponise Ponies (Think Ripple from "The Chase") so why shouldn't someone who can freely alter their form give themselves something that can be used as a weapon. The reason it's not been seen often is A) The Royal Records of Dangerous Cutie Marks (Celestia kept good records of anypony with a mark that was a clear and present danger) and B) it doesn't exactly aid in keeping a low profile disguise if crowds of ponies take a look at you and start trying to claw their eyes out in primal terror of your glorious flank.
6856101
6852891
I'm pretty certain it's in the chapter, Faust herself (she's more of a devious trickster figure in Changeling mythology, who took the Power of Love away from the Ancient Hive Mothers, and gave them to the Ponies, which is why Changelings need to feed on Ponies) is conspiring against her attempts to co-exist in a mutually beneficial manner.
Nice, good that Barbed survived.
Nice crowd address.
Hmm, I wonder if one can design an opposite spell, affecting only ponies. I wonder how they would like being squished against walls.
7004164
Of course Barbed will survive until the end of the story, he's the protagonist, he'll die at the epilogue, and we're not there yet.
Thanks, I was worried (again) that it seemed forced, unnatural, and far too quickly paced.
No, because it wasn't a spell in the strictest sense of the word, same way as dysjunction isn't a spell in the strictest sense of the word. It was pure emotion given form.
7004321 Oh you.
Damn, oh well, on the other hand changelings could load an item or place worth so much negative emotion that ponies would kill themselves from despair and depression when there.
Yes, I do vastly prefer changelings to ponies, why do you ask?
7004603
Fairy nuff.
But 10 points to you if you can actually put names and faces to all of the victims that got mentioned in Barbed rant at the mob.
7004321 Nuuuu Barbed is too cool to die (is it spoilers when the author does it?)
I'm loving all of your world-building, if I haven't said it before. I'm a little surprised that the love blast would've smeared changelings, but this is a more rough-and-tumble Equestria, I suppose.
My favourite bouquet is orange lilies and monkshood - "I hate you and I'm coming to get you"; you really can say it with flowers.
7006580
Maybe, maybe not, it all depends on wether or not I'm lying to you guys with a smile on my face.
It's simply physics, the shield was a perfect sphere designed to repulse, it started from the highest point in the city, any changeling not in the air already would find the shield pushing down on the from above while it expanded. The show holds no accountablity to the laws of physics so long as it makes a better story, while I try to make a blend between the two.
I researched flower language for this chapter to make sure I got it right, which means that everyone gets a Flower language pun, considering that Begonia's mean "Warning: Danger" Shining's sarcasm was spot on even if he didn't know a single thing.