This story is a sequel to Gallus gets interrogated
Everything was splendid. The calm ocean, the warm sun, getting closer to home with every moment... until it wasn't.
Now, Silverstream finds herself entangled with an ancient plot of revenge, planned by a thousand-years old, evil empire worshiping the darkness incarnate. Without her friends and family to ask for help, she has to step up to her role as a Student of Friendship in a place shrouded in darkness.
This is the most serious work in this series. It is still T-rated, and contains nothing you wouldn't see in a PG-13 rated movie. I did my best to show things with caution and do it delicately, but this work contains 'fun' things like discussions of slavery, fascism and racism, including scientific racism. If you for any reason want to avoid reading discussions on that topic, feel free to skip this story - all others in this series are happening at the same time, and this one is not needed to understand the rest.
And as always in my stories, some names and lore are a reference to Equestria at War, but the story happens in main MLP canon and no knowledge of EaW is required.
Will you be doing stories for the rest of the Young Six?
Yeah? Then name one that ultimately wasn't proven true by the end of FiM, Sil (I mean, there did seem to be a trend for that).
Speaking of not every stereotype being true...
Sil, you're not supposed to make radicals think too hard about their own radical thinking. Their brains can't handle it!
More seriously though, Strike doesn't seem to be beyond all reason, so maybe she can get through to him just enough to make a difference.
Heck, sometimes they do it in song!
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Absolutely! Since the reception of this stories is very positive (and I'm still positively surprised by it), I decided to stick to my original plan - one story for each member of the Student Six, and then a final big story including all of them facing a bigger challenge together :).
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Well... I want to name one legend or tale that wasn't real, but it seems to be kind of impossible. Yeah, Silverstream is just really trying to be diplomatic here.
And her stereotypes about pirates are definitely not fully true, as we can see. Wait until she starts to realize that there is quite a difference between 'high class, civilized, interested in culture' and 'not being evil'. Evil that masks itself as 'civilized' can be really good in hiding.
Making radicals and other people realize they may be hilariously mistaken is a staple of ponies, after all. Starlight being a prime example of someone like that. And now Silverstream is trying her best, coming from position of understanding fear quite well, and wanting to spare others this feeling.
Not gonna comment on Strike's
hippogriff-shaped headachepossible redemption though, you will need to wait for the next chapter ;).Eyup! I suck at song-writing sadly, so don't expect Silverstream to reform the
totally not Nazi referenceChiropterrans with a song and dance, sadly. She will have to do with her brain, her ability to relate to what is going on, and unending boundless enthusiasm.Good stories, keepit up!
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Thank you! I am now writing the next chapter, maybe I will even finish it and publish today! The feedback and interest in these stories is amazing, it really gives me strength to write more.
No offense to Luna, but that honestly wouldn't surprise me. Luna doesn't strike me as the sort who'd reliably remember the names of creatures she's only met in passing at best.
Interestingly, they're not wrong...they just have it backwards. It's the other way around, lads!
7.000 words is actually pretty average for a chapter length. It's when you start getting into 25,000 words or more that you start getting excessive.
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Well, Luna is trying her best. And she is working hard in the dream world, so I wouldn't put it past her to have a very good memory when it comes to names, so she can recognize and speak to ponies who have regular nightmares. But she is also partially stuck in the past, and I can sadly agree that she is still learning how to be a more modern ruler.
To quote Silverstream, 'it's just a misunderstanding!'. It's sadly a big one though, but fortunately the Student of Friendship is on the case :). But yeah, situations where you have enough facts to support the wrong idea are the hardest to disprove, since you have some facts that correlate with it.
Well, my average over all my works (over 300 000 words total right now) is around 5 000 words. The longest chapter I ever wrote was over 9 000 words. Seems I'm just on the shorter side when it comes to chapters. Definitely shorter then Tolkien's average of 7 500 words per chapter in LOTR trilogy.
Thanks for the comment! This work is slightly longer and darker then the previous Gallus one, and I was worried no one will like it because of it, but it seems I was wrong.
So, who's next?
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I don't want to spoil it, buuut... it's going to be a girl, and she will go in the opposite direction from Silverstream to reach her home :).
No offense to Silverstream, but Ocellus might still be. One's intelligence doesn't necessarily have to have any involvement with one's skills of observation, after all.
Besides, it wasn't that hard of a deduction to make anyway. You already gave her the twos she needed, she just needed to put them together. And put them together she did!
That's what I was thinking--you all clearly already know the secrets here, or at least enough to accurately deduce them, so why bother keeping a secret everybody already knows anyway?
Actually, I'd think it'd be the extinct animals doing the "haunting" here, since all that hunting got them in that state.
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Looking forward to it.
So...Yona, then.
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People thinking that just because one person in a group is super-smart means the rest is inferior in intelligence. Hmm, I wonder where he may have come upon t h a t funny idea? Definitely not in a perfectly rational and not racists society ;).
Jokes aside, yeah, Silverstream herself admits Ocellus is way smarter then she is. No shame in that, Twilight's friends have no problems admitting she is just super-smart. Doesn't mean they are stupid, and underestimating them is a very bad idea as multiple bad guys already learned. We can also see it here.
Living one's entire life in a paranoid society focused on hiding, and then being a part of even more secret society inside it can do that to people. And fear is a very potent, and addictive, poison as well. It makes people comfortable despite feeling afraid, so they don't want to stop being afraid.
And aside from philosophical answer, they were worried about spies, and plausible deniability is a thing.
Fixed, thank you!
... you may not need to wait for long, actually ;).
Grover VI? Acturian Knights? is it just me or do I smell a fellow Equestria at War enjoyer?
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Absolutely! It even says so in the story's description :). Over a 100 hours of playing EaW went into making this story, since I really wanted to feel the nations I describe before putting them on paper. I hope I did them justice.
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Wow that's amazing! I think it really show. Good job ;)
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Thank you! All the other parts are planned, I'm finishing Ocellus's story now, then we have the other two students, and then a big, 2-part finale.
Since you're also a fan of EaW, I'll give you a small hint for the next story in the series; it will involve someone who, if you go through all their story and finish their tree, succeeds at all their ambitions, including the crown, only to put it away because they do not feel they are worthy of it.
Don't spoil others here what country it is (unless you put it in the spoiler, then it's fine), but if you manage to guess it, you can probably also guess who goes there ;).
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Okay, I've gotta admit that I can't guess, my experience has been mainly with the Empire, Aquelia, Wingbardy and my second favorite fish if you know what I mean ;)
I'm sure Gallus would have come and rescue her they are so cute together ( yeah I ship them )
Oh dear Pirates
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I have a strong hunch I know what fish you meant, and yes I like her as well :).
Well, Ocellus's story was just finished, so now I will get to the other two. You should see them relatively soon, although I'm juggling 3 series at the time now so can't promise when it will drop. But soon.
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Shipping among Student Six is very popular, from what I've seen. I'm not going to confirm anything in this comment, but I'm also not denying anything, so feel free to ship them to your heart's content :). I absolutely do not mind.
And shipping aside, you bet Gallus would launch the rescue instantly. And the rest as well. They wouldn't even wait for armies and such, they would just go in.
Although Silverstream is also far from helpless, as we see in this story :).
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If only they were just pirates... yeah, Silverstream is not lucky with where she ended up. Probably second most unlucky place to be in this series, just behind Ocellus.
“Oh, but some need to be trusted. The Ancient Centaur, for example. Or Nightmare Moon.” He smiled slightly, seeing her grow more and more nervous.
Yeah just like I said anything could happen here even if it's Legend doesn't mean it's true specially in Equestria
I really do like how the kids taking these lessons from the main six by heart that's pretty amazing
Basically she saying that this is another never-ending story of Revenge that will lead up to just pain and misery to everybody who got caught in the crossfire
Well I got to say this was a pretty interesting way to start out the story so gallus tell them what just happened to him during the summer vacation but it looks like the others also had a pretty interesting summer as well including silver stream getting kidnapped by Pirates so she told them about what happened on the way home everyday was just fine until there was another ship thinking that could be another one but instead it turns out to be a pirates called themselves Chiropterrans which apparently that's supposed to be urban legend but nope they are real and the captain told silver stream to run away but she couldn't because they will kill them so she Stay and it looks like the leader of the Chiropterrans name lightning strike basically talking with her and throughout her conversation with him he was pretty surprised how come she in this situation and he was even confused why because she thought without any fights or arguments she just wanted to help to understand the situation even showing a little kindness to him which he was pretty conflict about this whole situation I just hope she knows what she's doing
Well apparently as Nightmare Moon I guess there were some Ponies were okay with the Eternal Night yikes 😬
Mind controlled what are you talking about nobody forced Luna to do anything she choose to not let the darkness get the best of her she never wanted to become Nightmare Moon ever again and that's some crazy nonsense they're talking about
Hey he basically showed Mercy on the other sailors that's pretty awesome it looks like Silver Streams words is starting to get to him in a good way
Silverstream
Silverstream
But yeah it sounded a little psychotic
Oh wow this is getting very serious so they finally made it to the island but unfortunately lightning told silver about this whole sacrifice to the greater good of Nightmare Moon and apparently this is much serious that we thought it would be once she got all chained up and everything what are the guards ask them what happened to the other sailors he told them that they have died tried to protect her which that's not true they must have escaped and probably call for help so it looks like silverstream has some help from the inside and it feels like it's been a few days that she's been stuck like this even having nightmares about Nightmare Moon and Luna tried to get through to her but something Darkness stopping her but she power through it and she rescued silver stream from The Nightmare and she told the princess about this whole situation what they were going to do Luna tried to figure out what to do until then silver stream is basically on her own for now until helps arrive and silver stream try to convince the leader and even one of the scientists to reconsider about this whole situation on how they proceed about this whole internal night but apparently it's not working they felt like they had to do this not just for the bat ponies but to everybody silver stream is starting to question that is she the right creature to do this she's trying to feel like this is getting hopeless don't give up hope silver stream I'm sure things will work out somehow
I mean I don't blame her with all the stress and everything that happens to her I will let out every emotion
Boy that was certainly crazy but pretty worked out very well so silverstream is basically is almost giving up hope but then one of the guards got her up and lead her to the room and apparently she is surrounded by couple of bat ponies still feel like they're way of Hope is starting to go down in tube for their country but silverstream convinced them that they don't have to hide anymore or fight Equestria is more forgiving after a few years surely they can listen for a reason without anybody getting hurt knowing to the fact they felt like they were cornered and it looks like Eternal Eclipse despite his pride and everything thinking this will be the only way to go even Luna was there but in her disguise tried to convince the bat ponies of extreme to try to understand that things change and they can still help them but unfortunately they didn't and now they were arrested and no need for extremes hopefully they can understand sooner or later after that it looks like Lucent Eclipse and lightning strike was with silver string to talk with queen novo and Princess Luna and so far things turned out pretty well and silver stream is just so glad that everything is over and also looks like Twilight and her friends are going to be very busy with that country but nevertheless I'm sure they'll figure it out wow this was a pretty hectic story but very good one and I felt like this is kind of reminds me of Tiny Toons how I spend my summer vacation type of thing either way this was pretty good let's see the other kids been doing either way keep up the good work
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Yeah, it's a running theme in this series. I personally call this entire series (and this title is used in ao3 and ff versions) "The world is complicated, but friendship is still magic". Basically, even if the real world is not as easy as the show proposes, and problems cannot be solved so easily, doesn't mean friendship and the values of Harmony are worthless.
Sure, you can make a story that's very bleak, where all these things are worthless. Some people are, and some of these stories are amazing. But I really believe that there is a point in being good in life, being nice to others, and, within reason, trying to help. Hence this series :).
Eyup. A sad story, a cycle of vengeance we know so well in our world, and Silverstream can understand because she lived in this fear. Fortunately for her, it ended before doing lasting damage to her and her people, and it gave her an insight and understanding towards others living in such fear.
Everywhere in the world, you will find people supporting some (long-gone) totalitarian regime X, or Y, or Z; and forgetting that said regime would target them, as well. Such is the nature of evil, sadly.
Propaganda is an amazing tool. As other commenter here noticed, they are kind of right - just in reverse. Nightmare Moon was corrupted and Elements purified her. for these thestrals, it was the opposite, Nightmare was 'real' and Luna is the corrupted version.
To quote him some time earlier, " Is this how ponies win their wars? With words? It’s scary how persuasive you are." Silverstream is quite likely the most charismatic out of Student Six, and we can see here why it is a great strength.
Oh, and typos fixed, thank you!
A 'little' psychotic, yep.
Thank you and you can count on me writing more :). Two student stories left, and then two-part finale for the series. Have a nice read!
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Eyup. A sad story, a cycle of vengeance we know so well in our world, and Silverstream can understand because she lived in this fear. Fortunately for her, it ended before doing lasting damage to her and her people, and it gave her an insight and understanding towards others living in such fear.
Yeah I did remember something when I was watching the Power Rangers Time Force about this whole never ending hatred and revenge
Propaganda is an amazing tool. As other commenter here noticed, they are kind of right - just in reverse. Nightmare Moon was corrupted and Elements purified her. for these thestrals, it was the opposite, Nightmare was 'real' and Luna is the corrupted version.
Which I've always hated how they tried to reverse how good things turn to bad
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Yep, there are some really good series, both fantasy and sci-fi, with that theme. Circle of unending hatred and vengeance is something that we humans are sadly very prone to.
It's amazing how propaganda works, when you look at it from outside. Taking something good, and reversing it into something evil. It is very scary, and sadly very effective at times. Good thing we have Silverstream here to try and fight those lies.
A bit late there, Gallus.
I think there is a part missing?
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A little late, yeah. In his defense, he's a good friend, and it's a natural reaction when someone says "Something really bad happened to me" to ask "Are you alright?". For all he know, she can still be traumatized, wounded, or worse.
A typo and a part missing! Thank you for pointing them out. Fixed.
And of course thanks for the comment, it always warm my heart to see more people taking interest in this series :).
I know I'm late to the party. But, I just wanted to point out you misspelled her name here.
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You absolutely aren't late, and thank you! No idea how I missed it XD.