"And sometimes we play chess with other people's lives"
-Magneto
"He's WHAT?!?!"
Fluttershy cringed. Even though she was one of the most powerful beings in the world, with abilities and magic that allowed her to reshape the world at a whim, and whose body had been remade into that of the most glorious of immortal stock... she was still Fluttershy. It didn't matter if there was nothing that could truly hurt her; she would still feel the urge to tremble and curl herself up into a small ball when faced with an opposing force.
The force, in this case, was in the form of a pristine white alicorn with a grand purple mane that seemed to twinkle like diamonds.
"He's... he's... coming to tea."
Rarity gave her friend a sour look. "Darling, I want to make sure I understand this right... Doubt, the monster that corrupted Twilight and drove her away from harmony... who helped create Nightmare Moon and whose actions have led to the need for all of us to take our rightful roles as rulers of Equestria... he is coming to have tea with us?"
"He said we could do hot coco if we wanted."
The fashionista let out a suffering sigh. "Fluttershy, my dear, he is the enemy. We can't socialize with him. It would cause a scandal... our little ponies might think we have become monsters ourselves... it would be the WORST... THING...."
"Ever," Fluttershy said, finishing the quote. When Rarity huffed a little Fluttershy smiled and shrugged. "Sorry... but you have said that a few times."
"The classics never go out of style," Rarity stated, taking a nibble of a sugar cookie that lay on her plate. She had always dreamed of having tea in Canterlot Castle but now that she had done it several times she found the whole experience had become, sadly, rather pedestrian. When you could travel anywhere with a blink of an eye having an afternoon bite in a fancy castle just couldn't live up to the hype. "Now then, we must figure out a way to politely decline his offer and suggest that he spend some time in the dungeons."
Fluttershy rapidly shook her head. "Oh no no no! The dungeons are not ready yet! I found out that they put 900 count thread sheets on the beds when it needed to be at least 1500. And the jacuzzi isn't getting as hot as it should."
"You do realize that ponies that go to the dungeon our prisoners... we don't have to treat them like guests at a grand resort."
Fluttershy blinked. "But... but if we are mean to them they will never join us." Rarity blinked, considering this idea.
"Fluttershy brings up a good point," Faith said, entering what had once been Celestia's bedroom. Several guards flanked him, including a age progressed Sweetie Belle dressed in the most beautiful of uniforms, but he paid little heed to her or her guards. In fact, if it weren't for the leg irons he wore he would have appeared to have been just another stallion coming to join two lovely mares for a bite. "Unless, of course, you want to just kill all that disagree with you and be done with it. Can't recommend that path, especially since you are already trotting on thin ice, but I suppose it is up to you." Faith settled down and stared at the empty cup before him. "Would you like to be mother?"
"Huh?" Rarity said in an utterly undignified manner.
Faith flashed her a look of utter disdain. "Serve... would you like to serve." He brought his right hoof up and scratched the base of his horn, right were the magic dampener had been clamped upon it. "I would but I am currently without my magic."
"I will serve," Fluttershy politely, her horn encased in a golden glow as she began to pour Faith a cup. "Would you like a straw."
Faith rattled the chains that bound his forelegs. "Please. And a bit of lemon, if you would. I tend to like a little bit to my tea." He smiled as Fluttershy did as he requested. His eyes slide over to lock onto Rarity's, the silver alicorn smile conveying utter amusement at the rage that the white alicorn was attempting to conceal. She hid it well, but when you were as old as Faith was... and as evil as he had once been (and yes, he could admit that he had been quite evil during points of his long life) you could just tell when an enemy was seething. "I would have thought you would know the proper way to serve tea in Canterlot, my dear Rarity. You have so worked hard to achieve a standing here... such a good student."
"If I didn't know any better I would say you were mocking me," Rarity said with all the snooty airs she could.
"Yes, and it is quite clear, looking around, that you do not know better." Faith leaned down, sipping the tea through the straw. It wasn't the same as using his magic to take a drink but beggars couldn't be choosers. He'd only discovered his love for tea-time after Twilight had introduced him to the concept. Oh, he knew HOW it was done... but he'd never really had a chance to sample the drink until he'd returned to being Faith. Now he loved the stuff more than Twilight did and the poor mare was constantly having to get him to not partake in the daily ritual. "Now then... I suppose we have much to discuss."
"Oh yes," Fluttershy said. "You have been very mean and rude and...well... we'd like it very much if you gave us Twilight back."
"I've been rude? My apologies. But as for you final point, I confess I am confused. You know that I am not controlling Twilight... or you would if you were yourself, Queen Fluttershy." Faith stuck his tongue out and nabbed a biscuit, pulling it into his greedy mouth. "But then, you two aren't alone in those skulls of yours, are you?"
"I don't know what you are talking about," Rarity said.
"I am talking about my dear older sisters, who have taken up residency in your gray matter." Faith pursed his lips as he leaned back in his chair. "Kindness, Generosity... I wish I could say it was a pleasure."
Something flashed in the eyes of the two female alicorns, which was enough to confirm Faith's theory.
"You lost the right to call them your family when you betrayed the elements and fell into darkness," Fluttershy said, surprising even Rarity with her brashness.
"And they lost the same privilege when they left me on my own, confused and befuddled without any guiding hoof." A snarl appeared on his lips but he quickly tapped down his anger. "I was like a newborn and you and the rest of the family failed me. You abandoned me and stayed where you were tucked away. And then, when I dared to interact with the world, you piled scorn on me because you felt we should be above those things."
"You failed yourself, Doubt," Rarity said.
"Ah... now which one of you is saying that," Faith said with a smirk.
The white alicorn leaned forward. "You are such a rude-"
"That isn't very kind of you, Queen Rarity." He shook his head sadly. "Can't abide by your own rules? Tsk tsk tsk."
"Please... please don't do that," Fluttershy said.
"Do what?" Faith asked innocently.
"Try and turn us against each other. It won't work." Fluttershy smiled slightly as she sipped her tea. "Others have tried that but we are stronger than you assume. We won't fall just because you point out a few small details."
"That confident, are you?" Faith asked. "Well then, I was going to spend more time sowing the seeds of distrust, but I so do hate repetitiveness, especially when it is futile, so let us move on."
"Thank you," Fluttershy said. "Now, if it is ok with you, could you tell us where to find the rebels and Twilight."
"I haven't the foggiest. I left before Twilight got close to whatever cave they are held up in. My apologies." Faith leaned over the table, locking eyes with Fluttershy. "Next topic: You are going to fail."
"Excuse me?"
"You and your friends... this whole new rule that you've set up... you are going to fail... be overthrown." He waved a hoof at her dismissively. "Don't worry... every rule is overthrown. Nothing is truly eternal."
"Except you," Rarity pointed out. "And now us."
"Living forever and being eternal are two different things, my dear." Faith snatched another biscuit and munched upon it. "To be eternal is to last forever unchanged. None can claim that. All of us grow and change and evolve. I am not the same creature I was a 1000 years ago and I will not be the same 20 minutes from now. Everything is changing and growing. Such is life and not even an immortal is immune to that."
"And that is why you think we will fail?" Fluttershy asked, using her magic to snag a cookie.
"Of course. Nothing is static and already things are in motion that will challenge you."
"And those are?"
"The rebellion, for one," Faith pointed out. "You should have seen them coming, my dears. You overthrew Celestia and Luna and set up great change in this land... that will always cause strife. Change is violent and messy. "
"But we are offering something better," Rarity countered, wanting to shut the smug alicorn up (and not wanting to talk about anything that was 'messy'). "We offer the ponies of Equestria peace and joy and happiness. All that have joined us know only love and the glory of life. We are eliminating strife and conflict and war. We are setting up a utopia where all are free to live their lives and never fear being hurt."
"Oh, is that all?" Faith asked, a bit of sarcasm coloring his words. "You can't dream just a bit bigger?"
Rarity tisked as she took a sip of her tea. "That is your problem, you know? You believe that darkness is a part of life; you think of it as something needed, as something that must exist and that it can't be removed. You look upon this world, see all that is wrong, and just shrug your shoulders and refuse to do anything because 'that is the way it is'. What a sad, pathetic view from a sad, pathetic creature. Life has been hard on you and you've decided that since your existence has been cruel then all of life must be cruel. You have the power to help others, to make a difference, and you refuse! Instead you sit there on your plump behind, spouting off your little theories and sarcastic speeches and contribute nothing. And one of us 'little ponies' dares to try and save this world you belittle and mock. I tell you now that darkness is nothing more than a disease and we five will cut it away. We will save this world and that eats you up inside because if every pony is happy then you'll be the only one left around to be miserable."
Faith slowly turned to Fluttershy. "It isn't that plump is it?" He glanced at his flank in worry.
Rarity began to growl.
"My dear, foolish queen... you can no more remove darkness from this world than you can stop the sea from churning. Even with your mighty power there are still some things that you cannot control; one such thing being the nature of living creatures. Don't get me wrong, you are doing quite well... very fine job you did on your own sister, by the way. But that is only the emotions... not the nature. You create a choice and there will always be those that side against you. Some might simply believe that you are wrong. Others may cling to the old ways or perhaps want something new. Some just want to go against everypony else. It is our nature to resist and not always follow and because of that there will always be a rebellion.”
“Then we will just crush those that dare to fight against us.” Rarity declared. When Fluttershy stared at her with an open mouth and horror in her eyes, Rarity waved off her friend’s concern. “We offer them kindness and joy and they push it aside… they are no better than Discord. They are enemies to harmony and must be destroyed. Do you believe Discord deserves anything than what he got?”
“No... no he didn't. And if others won't listen to us and became just as much as a threat..." Fluttershy gulped before turning a steely gaze upon Faith, "then they will have to fall."
“Such is the way of rule,” Faith said, wishing he could use his magic to wipe the crumbs from his upper lip. “Of course, you run into the danger of force.”
“The danger of force?” Rarity asked, raising an eyebrow.
Faith brought his hoof down onto a biscuit, crushing it. “Apply too much force and one of two things will happen: subjects will be squished away, escaping your hoof and finding new places to dwell, leaving you with a more wide-spread problem. They will drift off, find others that don't know your name, and spark rebellion in their hearts. Then you will find yourself suddenly with too big of a world and not enough hooves.” He waved at a knife sitting on the table. “Their other option is that they will harden and press back.” He looked at the biscuit in annoyance, brushing the crumbs away. “And, of course, there is still the dangers from within.”
“W-within?” Fluttershy whispered.
“You honestly don’t think that you five can rule forever without fighting, do you?” Faith rolled his eyes. “Yes yes, you say that you can't be turned against each other. I say that is fooling yourselves. Fluttershy, what if a friend paints a terrible painting and asks you what you think… would you tell them it was ugly and you hated it?”
“N-no!” Fluttershy exclaimed. “That wouldn’t be nice! It could hurt their feelings.”
“So you would lie… I can’t imagine Queen Applejack would like that.”
Rarity wasn’t buying Faith’s argument for a second. “Friends argue all the time, Faith. You’d know that if you truly had some. We bicker and we feud but we always make up. Will there be disagreements? Of course there will be! But we will overcome them like we always do.”
Faith pursed his lips, before glancing at Fluttershy. “Yes, disagreements. You’ve had a lot of them and that was fine when you weren’t playing chess with a nation as the board. Now such disagreements can result in the deaths of millions.”
“We won’t let that happen,” Rarity said.
“What is greater… five or one?”
The fashionista frowned. “Five, of course.”
Faith laid out five cinnamon sticks. “Five.” He slammed his hoof down, crushing them. “One. One force will always be mightier than five splintered armies. And that is exactly what you are setting up here. The fact that you can’t see that shows me just how useless it is to hope that you will come to your senses. I had hoped there would be some chance of peace between all of us, that you would be willing to work to correct the mistakes you have made... I see you are too entrenched. Pity. Let slip the dogs of war then.” Faith bowed to Fluttershy. “I find I am no longer in the mood for tea. I would like to be shown to my cell now.”
“O-of course!” Fluttershy stammered, waving for the guards to escort Faith away. The abstract gave Rarity a dark smile as he was led away.
“Faith!” Rarity called out. She rushed over and, to his surprise, gave him a hug. “I am sorry if I upset you. I hope you can forgive me.” Before he could answer, she leaned in and whispered. “I am generous in everything… in happiness and wealth… and in pain. Remember that.”
“Oh… I will,” Faith said coolly. "Believe me, I will."
Must... Read... New... Chapter...
God Faith... why so British?
Once I decided that Faith should be much like the Bond villains of old (charming, polite, always scheming) and that his voice is Tom Hardy's making him fully British (or Trottingham, I guess) was an easy move and adds another layer to his character. In my head, Faith is so old and so use to long games (something he and Celestia have in common) that he can't help but be polite and calm... because he is always looking for angles.
Faith's theme, at least when i write this story is the Doctor Who instrumental Words Win Wars. I think that speaks alot to who Faith is.
One of the dangers to writing stories like this is something no one thinks about: the moment you have a character take an action it is established forever. Here I had two queens getting a long, lengthy discussion with Faith. I had to be careful to be true to their characters while also keeping them in their own ways villainous. If I did it wrong, such as making Fluttershy too weak, I could ruin alot of what I have set up.
An example of this is another story I read recently where the author revealed that one character was also playing chessmaster. A great twist, but it also made that character a villain when he didn't intend it too because of how he worded it. He pushed too hard to show the character was a schemer and as such went from 'playful chessmaster' to 'evil supervillain'. As such, the twist now threatens to ruin the story.
Getting the characters right the first time saves you heavy lifting later on. I needed to show that the queens, while still themselves, are also a bit darker and more willing to go to extremes... even Fluttershy agrees the rebellion must fall.
It is a careful dance, but when done right it makes things SO much easier.
Oh boy! Rarity and Fluttershy have tea with Jesus! Wait, no, sorry, wrong story.
Mind games have begun in earnest, I see.
By the way, I really can't wait for next chapters
1693936
So Faith is still considered an antagonist?
I'm looking forward to a chapter with Queen Applejack.
I can hardly imagine what "alicornifizationzealousity" has done to Best Pony...
Guess hypocrisy rots this world... I see what Faith is trying to do here, lets hope it doesn't go pear-shaped
They kinda remind me of Yagami Light, who found the Death Note and started killing criminals but when the authorities want to arrest him (under the alias Kira) he starts going insane with power and kills them ("Those who side against me are evil and evil must be eliminated!")
1693968
No. At his worst, Faith is an anti-hero. I like to play around with things and I like the idea of a hero having all the normal trappings of a villain (calm, he monologues, he is a chessmaster, so on).
iambrony.steeph.tp-radio.de/mlp/gif/172870%20-%20animated%20edit%20epic_wub_time%20reaction_face%20vinyl_scratch.gif?1344079760
SO AWESOME!
more plz more!!!!
Thats weird, from what I get so far, all other elements did not liked Faith from the beggining, even when they tryed to help Celestia defeat Discord, they still thought of Faith as uninvited Quest, when he needed help they left him, and now they blame him that he was doing bad stuff when they did nothink to stop him or change his ways, wow, Elements are sush hipocrites, they want to end killing and war by killing and starting war, they overrun Kingdom to create peaceful world, when Equestria was rather peaceful in rather long time, right now I m starting to think that talking with elements is like talking with a wall, and if it was not for Flutthershy, the element of Kindness would not even bother to invite Faith for a tea.
And now Rarity want to share pain in her generousity, Flutthershy will totaly not like that.
As for the final notes, the blame game is going all on, they will blame Faith/Doubt for everythink he did, but when he try to blame tham, they just use excusess, calling it small details, I hope that Faith will win blame game in the end.
oh faith you, messing with things, planning ahead, being British, your so crazy faith
The beginning's got a few...mistakes (at least in terms of missing letters and such)
'hot cocoa'
'dungeons are our prisoners.'
'including an age'
'right where the magic'
'a little bite to'
But past that point everything's looking fine
I guess Faith'll stay on the...'inside' and continue stirring things up. It's certainly going swimmingly at this point. I do wonder what will become of the book.
Food analogies
All sound arguments. All shot down.
Seems if it's the elements that are being stubborn...
Could the voice at the end of 'Faith and Doubt' have been their...'mother?'
When will Twi meet the mortal ex-regal sisters, if ever?
How powerful are Twi's friends, considering they didn't lose a bit of power giving their abstracts corporal forms?
Skill & Power are always up for debate on which is better...but if they're all at about the same level of magic, then Twi's got was more control. (Plus the whole magic duality thing is pretty...awesome)
Questions...
Seems 'mad with power' doesn't cover it;
'Crush the opposition'? Utopia's of happiness? Eliminating the darkness?
Yep. Delusional.
I do wonder how much...control the elements have on their hosts.
I mean if this all started happening 2 weeks(?) after Twi left...
Gods...or in this case, abstracts, seem to be the static ones in most...cases.
It's a bit odd that they wouldn't do anything for tens of centuries about Fai-well, Doubt (to them).
Maybe it was that Faith was given a body, or that he shared his power with Twi, that got the rest of his family so 'up in arms' that they took over their own hosts.
1694069
Faith is the baby of the family. The other elements are older, more mature. They saw Faith as a toddler who wanted to play and that is why they tried to get him not to help Celestia.
And that is also why Faith was able to survive losing his name: because he was young and hadn't figured out the world yet. He was able to mold himself and change and thus he is now more pony than he is abstract. Equestria was his mother and father and taught him how to act.
1694088
But this still not explain why other elements are so harsh on him, even if you treaten someone as kid becuase he is younger and less experienced, you also do not punish him as hard for making mistakes as someone on your age because young ones make mistakes more often and are less aware of it, basicaly not only other elements bullied him because he was younger, but even did not helped him when he needed it, and now putting all blame on him and want to punish him, it make no sense, why they hate him so much ?
After all if they thought of thamself as caretakers of a baby, should not they blame thamself for a bad parenting instead of kicking baby out of family because he started to act badly instead of trying to help him ?
Shame on tham.
1694019
Is the repeated misspelling "My apologizes" intentional? (I know it's used in A Clockwork Orange, but I can't imagine why you'd use that here...)
1694109
You must remember that abstracts are not ponies. We have only seen Faith/Doubt but he spent 1000 years on Equestria, learning from ponies. He is like a baby duck that imprints on a dog... Faith imprinted on ponies. The other elements are abstracts and thus have different opinions and ways... and those can look very cruel to those outside of their realm.
1693936 "God Faith... why so British?"
...
...k. Just remember: You made me do this...
fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/050/4/8/Why_so_British__by_gaaraofthehiddinsand.jpg
1694133
Hahaha, it kind of remind me off:
" Join us or die "
" You are with us or again us, there is no place for neutrality "
" We are good, and they are evil "
" Everyone who are not with us must die "
" We are importand, others are not "
" When you try to kill us, you are monster, when we try to kill you, it is for the good of everyone so it is ok "
ANd I can go on and on and on......
But most of it is a hipocricy
ANd the worse hipocricy what I do not like is when someone blame others for somethink it was not they fault:
" You was born as nobility, you are already importand, if not, you are worth nothink "
" You was raised in loving and rich family and you are good member of society, so you are good character, you was raised in poverty and in very harsh envirment and you dare to steal food to survive, you are villan and deserve nothink more than to lose your hand, and if you die from hunger, the better "
.......
SO yea, from my point of view, Elements are already lost, they are pointless and closeminded, they do not even deserve to be called anty heroes, it would only put anty hero name into a shame.
Faith's impassive reaction:
files.sharenator.com/memes_indeed1_Top_Hat_Explosion-s500x428-278960-580.jpg
In all truth there is no truth when it come to many to one ruler or powers, in this case faith wins eventraly they will fight each other conflicting morals and beleafs that is how nations end after all like our dear roman friends!
So Rarity is trying to hard (never liked her to begin with) she doesnt exactly know what true generousity is now I think, after all generousity is when yo ugive with no expectation of gaining somthing back, in this I got the feeling (i think Faith does aswell) that she expects more trust from him now,
"Dear rarity stop being somthign your not, for true generusity arives from ones kindess and regard for nonthing in return."
Love the Fluttershy in this she has her backbone AND her kindness is there, i feel she is truly intune with her element (little ot deeply so) but still epic Fluttershy.
why not faith just tell his family that by kidnapping ponies from the loved ones they are themselves causing misery
Must suppress....desire... to take...a shotgun...to their faces
Seriously though, this fic is amazing. Plain and simple.
1694174 They never were Anti-heroes by the setting of this story. As this story was inspired by the AC3, it's certainly easy to say that the Elements are Anti-villains, in that they claim they have a very reasonable explanation why they do the things they do. Shame only they can't see long-term with what they do.
I do agree with you in that the abstracts in their absence of contact with mortal ponies, have become hypocrites in their belief that they are setting themselves up as a benevolent dictatorship while they are drifting the ponies slowly into a form of dream world and anypony that does not agree with them has to go.
We do need to remember though, that there ARE ponies that agree with this new course that the Elements have provided, because for them, things are so much better and they can go about their ordinary lives without trouble. These are the ones that will brand Twilight, Faith, Shining Armor, Spike and the rebellion as traitors and villains because if Twilight's own army wins, then they will start a rebellion in the belief that they are doing it for the good of Equestria and in turn cause - presumably - an ever-going conflict over who is in the right and who is in the wrong.
Now, with that out of the way... Is there any chance of us finding Celestia and Luna after they were stripped of their powers?
1694327
Meaby Celestia is trying to get Luna into rebelion when Luna is trying to get Celestia into having some fun, and when rebelion will start, Twilight with her army will find tham on a farm playing in dirt, trying to make miniature version of canterlot from sand alown, I just can not think of tham any other way than little fillies playing around after they lost they Alicorn powers, it is like changing a 2000 year old Alicorn into 20 year old pony, it kind of leave a weird impression.
" H... hello Twilight, it is not what it looks like " said Celestia with embarasment on her face as her Faithful student was now powerful Alicorn looking on her from height when in pass it was other way around.
" Hi Twilight, we were just having fun in here, and if you join the fun will be doubled " Cheered Luna as she jumped out from behind Celestia.
So yea, after hudreds of years of dutys and worries, having a relaxing break is what they should do since they can not improve the situation.
1694280
Because they are so firmly entrenched at this point that Faith's only option is to play mind games. They believe they are right and telling them they are wrong won't do a damn thing.
Maybe there is a name for this, but Faith is doing his own Gambit. If a Xanatos Gambit is to set the board up to make every option a win, Faith takes every failure and sets it up to create success. He is a trickster and a con man and cunning stallion that, when caught in a trap, manipulates everyone around him to make the victory he wants.
There is an episode of Justice League where Lex Luthor's gang captures Batman. Joker is the ONLY ONE saying they should kill him. Batman is tied down, can't escape and at their complete mercy. he manages to play off all their flaws and use mind games to get one of the villains to turn to his side, betray the rest and save the day.
That is what Faith does: he gets caught and he finds a way to make every failure an even greater success. He just wanted a book... now he has the ear of two of the queens. He tried to see if he could form a truce... that fails and he manages to push Rarity's buttons to get her so mad she is going to do something stupid. And if that fails he will come up with an even better plan.
1694347 The question was more directed at defender2222 rather than you, I'm afraid.
1694357
I know, I was just joking around, but I will stop now, I promisse.
1694327
What happened to Celestia and Luna will be revealed very soon.
Alright, now I can't stop reading Faith's dialogue in Haytham Kenway's voice.
Freakin' Badass British accent - Ironically the two personalities are similar yet their goals are completely opposite.
Still, reading Faith as Kenway is too much fun so I think I'm gonna stick with that from now on.
Oh, and props for Faith's remarks on how pony (human) nature always leads to conflict and rebellion - Another agreed upon insight!
Awesome conversation Faith had with Rarity and Fluttershy! It is blatantly obvious that trying to reason with the abstracts is not going to work. To them, what they're doing is right and that's that. Its a shame that they can not see all of the angles of why doing this is wrong in so many ways.
Also, I think Faith is just playing along with the whole 'I'm captured' routine. I think that he's going to get down to the dungeon and when the time comes, release himself and any other ponies down there. More for the rebellion! Yay!
Nice chapter and look forward for the next one. Cherry-o!
- Super-Brony12
Good story, the minds games are getting interesting.
*imagines Tom Hardy's Bane voice coming from Faith*
Hmm, I think that actually works nice.
Another great chapter i like it how Faith change the mind thoughts of others.
just only ... magnificent
i c only 1 thing missing and tht is WAR.................. but es coming so i wait it out
1694355 Yes, how does Genorsity expect her sisters to listen to her when she tries to use force?
Already the seeds of treason have been planted in her and with the right amount of milking Genorsity can be made into the sixth ranger traitor of the Queens of Harmony although in that case she'll likely leave Rarity causing her revert to her regular unicorn self.
1694408
Oh god I thought I was the only one!
Have a pic!
25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_me4309pAKL1qlsagpo1_1280.png
I think I seem to be the only one to read Faith's dialogue in the voice of Alan Rickman. It just clicks for me.
smilepanic.com/wp-content/uploads/MOAR4.jpg
Why can't they just accept that his name is faith I mean come on its not that hard to remember
NOW things are FINALLY getting interesting! Faith has found a way to turn Extreme Kindness against Extreme Generosity. Torture! Will Kindness crack before Faith does? Find out on the next episode of DRAGONBA-wait.)
I still want Faith to get smoked a little. Just those smug characters throw me off. Oh, and where did he find the time to plan this? He seems to have like, the next 50 moves played out in his head. Oh right, 1000 years old... Never mind. Still bugs me, though.
By the way, is Faith like Twilight in that they both never have backup plans? He's confident here. TOO confident that his plan will work. That would be an interesting flaw that Faith could have (Besides monologuing philosophy to the readers to death...)... or he has no other way out...
And I think I see certain pieces of the chessboard now.
Team White:
King (Most Important Piece): Twilight
Queen (Trump Card): Faith
Knight (Indirect Fighter): Shining Armor
Rook (Brute Force): Spike
Team Black:
King: Honesty (She started this, after all) or Some Other Puppeteer (I'm suspicious)
Queen: Loyalty (Her power is...well...powerful)
Knights: Generosity and Kindness (They seem to operate similar yet oppositely)
Bishop: Laughter (Odd fighter)
Hm. Long comment... YAY OVERANALYSIS!
1694019
So somewhere along the lines of Hannibal Lecter?
Dialogues with Faith have been my favorite parts of this story so far. He's really well written as the anti-hero you portray him as. He strikes me as a roguish sort of hero. Sly, manipulative and deceitful, yet ultimately working for the greater good. I still can't shake reading him as Liam Neeson in my head though.
I am curious as to how far and fast the new queens will warp their "utopia" into something much darker than it already is. As Rarity implied, it looks like they have already accepted or considered torture as an approved means to an end. Many such dictators in stories seem to fall into that trap of justifying horrendously evil acts "for the greater good." Faith could theoretically try to exploit this by pushing the queens do commit these acts faster than the rationalizing/reasoning would normally evolve, and shock them into seeing what they have become.
1695451i thought haytham was dead...
KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIL HIM
great chapter!
i have to say, this is quite different from the prequel; it had more "speed" to it, more change, in pretty much every aspect. this is more static, or at least slower in changes. granted; the story-line is still young, much can and probably will change during the story's progression.
and im never gonna tire of Faith, he's simply awesome in every way, i love his kind of character. goes and gets caught by the enemy so he can criticize them..., he has got to be the most annoying being in existance to have as an enemy!dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/Twilight_Sparkle_lolface.png
1696976
He is dead.
But when a badass like him gets mentioned, you can't keep him down!
24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_md9g2ihLSd1r8bko6o1_500.png
1694408
That is another good idea for what Faith could sound like. I actually wrote Faith before playing AC3 but if it had come after I could have easily made him have Connor's Father's voice
whelp the abstracts have officaly caused brain damage in all the other elements/ lets just say they by some miracle of unartural physics stop twilight, stop the rebellion. now they have removed the element of magic, in 998 years discord well escape, they lack an element of magic, they are screwed. or maybe king sombra manages to regain his foothold in the crystal empire, since now the group isn't there to unite the crystal ponies, dark magic it seems is incredibly effective agianst alicorns as celestia and luna needed the elements to defeat him the first time. what happens when the ponies ally with the gryphons agianst them? then the changelings? and for lunas sake, what about the dragons! they honestly believe they'll be able to face a army of large powerful fire breathing magic proof beasts? this story is going great, but the abstracts as a family lack forsight.
Hold on... if Celestia and Luna were made into normal ponies (not belonging to Earth ponies, Pegasi or Unicorns)... is their intellect also gone?
1700282
Well, their intellect seems to come mostly from experience, due to having lived for so long. So as long as they retain their memories, I think their wisdom won't have changed much. But I'm not the author.