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My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
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... sigh
Well that's depressing...
Im really upset that i let my gaurd down.
It's hard, but I don't really see what else Dim can do. If he stays, he'll have to become a tyrant just to make those that oppose him behave. There's a hard part of me that feels that if the town cannot be responsible for their own security, then maybe the town should die. Not the occupants, but this town, as a town? If it's unsustainable, if the citizens cannot find a way to sustain it, then yes, the town should die.
8418824
This is an amazing example for why centralised governments and the strong rule of law are a good thing.
This town is a libertarian paradise with a free, unrestricted market. They had good security, the best mercenaries that they could afford, and when a potentially better money making opportunity came along, it was taken. Since rule is done by those strongest, there was a coup d'état in the pseudo-military structure and they took over the interests of the town.
Now, the town will potentially wither and die. They are so desperate for continued security that they are turning to the one responsible for the immense destruction in a hope to save themselves.
What I really wanted to do here was highlight the difference between Equestria's strong, centralised government in comparison to other places in the world where folk are 'free.' It isn't just for the reader, either, no, this is for Dim. He's getting an education in the importance of a strong, centralised authoritarian government and the obligations it holds for its citizenry. By associating with folk who live in outright anarchy, he'll have a better understanding of the needs of the common populace and what the Crown can do to serve them.
Damn, Dim is a cold
motherfuckersisterfucker. I like him a lot.8418864
Oh come on now. Dim is not a motherfucker.
8418877
That is true, I apologise and amend that motherfucker.
That's... not an unexpected result. Although Snowbird's fate was somewhat crueller than I had anticipated.
8418864
nice fix
8418905
Shades of Vlad Tepes.
8418959
Yes, that is what I drew inspiration from. People lived for a long time after being impaled. Surprisingly long.
8418837
By witnessing this failure, he can understand the weight and reach of success elsewhere. I like it. If you're doing it right leadership is hard. Perhaps one of the hardest things there is. That's why it's so tempting to abuse and do it wrong. Because it's the easy way, and can still technically get the job done, though in a cancerous fashion. Dim's seeing one of the consequences of the latter here now.
8419021
Yes. This is a huge part of his character development.
8418837 it will have to be agree to disagree here. Maybe it is in part that in the real world such government does not function prperly. If anything they cause most of our strife, even our own. Here these guys had family. In fact the majority did. And snowbird murdered the leader that lead them to a better life. by all means they woulda lynched him, not followed him. They were the majrity. IN fact would have the entire town on their sside.
8419081
Here is where your logic falls apart:
If the commoners had the means to defeat trained soldiers in battle, they wouldn't have hired them in the first place, they would have defended the town on their own.
Logical consistency.
8419081 No as history has shown time and time again with events like this. Not common in areas with strong central governments in recent year but definitely in the past it has happened and still happens in places with war lords
8419155
Because it would be small handful of soldiers versus more soldiers and the general population? It makes little sense that if most of them settled down that they would listen to an ursurper wanting to ruin their lives. Especially if it meant fighting someone who survived a troll army.
8419189
But there was money on the line. Remember, they are mercenaries first.
8419189
Clearly wasn't a small handful if over 100 of them died.
Logically speaking, if Dim killed off most of the town's soldiers and left them relatively defenseless, then a majority of them had to turn.
8419160
It happens here. The swords were just replaced by legislation and background idiocy. Less blood but still bullshit.
8419189 All it takes is for those supporting the moron to be in charge with power while the rest are unprepared and waiting for a better chance to make a move. Snowbird probably held their families captive and made sure they weren't armed any longer.. keep working for steady paycheck or a huge reward that is likely to let you retire to a life of luxury
8419198
I know the implication. But they had made the place their home. So it seems contradictory.
8419192
They had presumably lived there for years, had family and settled. So they abandon that stability to return to the wandering and violence. It deels like a human aspect is ignordd
8419218
Not really, have one relinguish power for not doing the obvious themselves, remember Star didnt take the bounty, obviously most wanted it. Eliminate star, a hippogriff (not to costly) and with the hippogriff the unicorn can be brought down easily enough. We know Dim is better then that, they don't. Looks like easy money. Hardly a loss of stability.
8419218
The promise of being fabulously wealthy and providing for their family would be a powerful motivator for a professional mercenary.
8419226
Professional merc, but not a wise one. A wise merc would take a steady job that provides everything they otherwise would need but not have, as opposed to 'maybe you'll be really rich if this works out'. It's like quitting your 9-5 where you make twice the living wage just because you bought a lottery ticket as a gas station.
I think this goes back to what I said earlier - these are people who are good at soldiering alone... not thinking. Of course, that's for the ones who made the conscious decision based on that incentive alone. I'm sure there were others under peer pressure, others who saw how many took the offer and decided to join in to get a share since /clearly/ they were going to win with this huge group.
This feels like you sub-wrote a case where equinal herd mentality fronked 'em right in the chute to see if anyone was paying attention.
8419305
You know, i was about to ask what happened to the revolver.
found that. Now im even more sad.
8419318
There is a cut scene where Blackbird thinks about it being thrown into a fire and hearing the loaded chambers exploding, but the scene didn't frame well. It was when she was up on the rooftop while Dim went to take care of business. It just felt wrong to include it, as if it was the last thing she would think about at that moment.
But the gun is gone, ruined.
Blame the monomyth.
8419331
Monomyth? Losing the revolver? That's a... off kinda trial... wouldnt be a Threshold point.
8419337
Dim and Blackbird both have survived... The Ordeal.
Life will never be the same ever again. Blackbird will never trust anybody quite like she trusts Dim.
8419343
There's no adhesive more tried and true than a bunch of dead horses.
Jokes aside, in a way it feels symbolic. Like Destiny said, "Your time as free-ranging birdthing is at an end. This pistol was your free agency. The world needs you to be his anchor and for him to be your new protector. So go be a wife, damnit."
8419354
No, Blackbird will be re-armed, not to worry.
8418250
Oh I understand that all too well. Even unspoken agreements can be broken, such as "Don't bite the hand that feeds you". ~.~
Also another chapter that is mostly sad that ends on a sad note. I hope that the next chapter will be more balanced.
Also, I am sad that we didn't get to read much of Dim burning the wicked for their crimes.
8419354
Also no better condiment than dead horse. Right Boulder?
8418974
Indeed they did. Especially when it was done 'correctly'.
Vlad may have been a cruel sonofabitch, but he was a very thorough one.
Fun fact, my family may or may not descend from one of his distant cousins.
8419354
8419363
A good protector is worth protecting, after all.
Best get to trottin', little ponies, your home is no more.
8419354
That was a terrible pun...
Lets see can't call it 9 to 5 since guarding the city is a 24x7 operation. While they have what they need they DO NOT safety there are still the factors the city employed them for and keep them employed for. If the reward is large enough it not only lets them retire it lets the relocate someplace where they wouldn't have to fight all the time.
So a constant job that covers the needs and maybe a little more but your life is still at risk. OR a possible large enough reward that lets you retire and relocate. Also you aren't betraying someone that belongs to the city therefore who cares if it goes wrong they go back to guarding the city no harm no foul
Tard and feathered with your own feather's, eyes plucked and tortured. Then getting raped by a poll.... Fuck pissing dim off, fuck threatening his love and fuck ever getting on his bad side.
8419810
But see... there's a problem with betraying some pony who has all sorts of inventive ways to dispense of you. It's still a bad gamble because simply put... he who knows more can do more, and make other ponies do what they want.
You know, like die for betraying them.
Knowledge = Power
8419218
Your logic depends on stupid people acting logical. LOGICALLY it would be seen as a bad idea to kidnap the dark wizard's friend and burn down their home on the off chance that he would surrender peacefully instead of just getting pissed off, but they did it anyway.
8420036 I will give them a small stupid credit for either not being told the whole story or making an assumption based upon other wizards they have known.. Of course this should've been countered by the fact as a rule the larger the reward the more dangerous
8420053
8420036
"We have guns and we'll hold his companion hostage. Hold my beer, this is gonna be awesome."
8420057 Not sure they were drinking only Beer maybe some hard cider or was teh reward that insane
8420059
It was meant as a joke, nothing more. Typically, stupid people say, "Hold my beer and watch this," just before getting maimed, dismembered, or killed.
8420062 Understood that just pondering if they had extra help in being stupid..
Maybe a few celebratory kegs of Sweet Apple Acres finest
There will be time for more guns, bigger guns.
Given the massacred town was a week away, presumably the scout hadn't returned with confirmation when the murderers acted. Which was pretty goddamn stupid on their part.
"Oh, the people we want to deal with apparently annihilated an entire town? Huh, their leader even left a signed confession/warning there? Oh, and she serves the same master the witch besieging our town is trying to curry favour with? Maaaybe we should stay away from that sort of people."
Admittedly they only had Dim and Blackbird's testimony that it was the case. However in situations like that, the wise move is to wait and see, not conduct a violent coup and execute your commanding officer. Maybe prepare to do that, don't actually do it at the first chance you get.
Intel would have clarified the options and likely results:
1. Dim kills you all.
2. Catarina kills you all.
3. Catarina pays you as promised, then once she's done her business elsewhere; kills you all (a person who wipes out an entire town in such a way is either; a psychopath, a very powerful evil/amoral warlord, a zealot, or an existential threat. None of which will allow a town they don't control to exist.)
4. Dim escapes/is killed/etc but doesn't (somehow) kill you. No bounty but still alive, right? Except you've just murdered your commander and usurped power on the promise of a fat paycheck, which won't be coming now. Plus, your commander? She was very well liked in the town you live in... Guess what? The civilians are pissed, your men are pissed, Catarina's pissed, and Dim's pissed. Who at?
You.
You're fucked no matter what happens.
That is why you wait for intel before committing irrevocably to a very permanent course of action.
PS: Dammit Kudzu. You made me look up enucleation. Blech.
8427402
Catrina.
And what if the intel is not favourable to your takeover?
8427418
Then you either scrap, alter, or delay your plan.
If more intel will negatively affect your operations, you either have something very wrong in your command structure/staff, you are running/are a mook in an underground cell, the plan is horseshit, or you are so terminally short-sighted you're essentially doomed regardless so why the hell not, you'll be dead shortly anyways.
Adapt to the circumstances, knowledge is power.