"The skies split apart and the God of War stepped through."
-The Narrator, God of War
There was a very old saying in Equestria, dating back to the first arrival of Celestia and Luna upon the shores of Bridle Bay. Though several of the words have no modern version, the basic idea can be gathered from what is available.
'There is no peace when the gods go to war'
The sleepy citizens of Winniepeg were learning the truth of this old adage first hand.
The first warring had been the sound of explosions echoing from the Great Opera House. It sounded like some giant pony was stomping on the ground, trying to squish a bug. Then the building had trembled and a great multitude of light had blazed out, nearly blinding all those that saw it. The ponies that had not yet retired to their beds quickly sent up the alarm and their dreaming brothers and sisters awoke to find the Opera House, that hall of culture, reduced to kindling.
Then the cries had been heard. Not from those that looked upon the event... no, these cries came from two beings that hung in the sky. The first, a mighty alicorn with massive wings and hair the color of the rainbow and a flank stained with the pallet of the afternoon sky, let out a scream of fury and frustration, challenging her opponent and daring her to attack.
Queen Rainbow Dash, the alicorn of loyalty and commander of the pegasi air force and the Wonderbolts.
The other was her opposite in form and demeanor. This mare was smaller but no less awe inspiring, with a body and mane that resembled the night sky. She never said a word, instead allowing her actions to speak for her thoughts. Her horn flashed and great tendrils of white and black magic lashed out like whips, cracking and breaking against the dark sky.
Twilight Sparkle, the alicorn of the stars and personal student to Princess Celestia and, if one were to believe the rumors, the creature known only as Doubt, the corrupter of souls (at least that is what the queens labeled him).
It was Rainbow Dash that attacked first, her horn flaring as she called forth the storm clouds and the lightning. The air became thick with electricity and a current of raw energy ran through the night sky. The rumble of thunder foretold of Rainbow Dash's power and she did not disappoint. The queen lifted up her head and the dark clouds took on the forth of a great war hammer bejeweled with ball lightning.
She swung her weapon and Twilight dove away, tucking her wings as she began to twist. She rose, the funnel of winds that gathered behind her roaring as the power of the gale was summoned. No since Commander Hurricane had one so easily called out the winds and yet here was Twilight Sparkle, who had not even been born with wings, seeking to become his heir.
The great twister met Rainbow Dash's hammer head on, ripping the clouds apart and forcing the speedster to warp a safe distance away. The cyan alicorn refused to give her once friend the chance to press the advantage; instead, Rainbow answered back with several Rainboom bombs, hurling them at Twilight and shaking the city with their rage and light. The night was chased away and Twilight Sparkle found herself in a world of white, with nothing to hide herself and no shadow to take refuge in.
Twilight turned tail and spirited away, but if Rainbow Dash believed that her friend was turning tail she was sadly mistaken. Twilight twisted her head around and fired off a dark orb, hurrying away as it began to consume the rainbow energy around it.
The black hole... a star which had collapsed upon itself and now captured all, including light. What better weapon for the once dark alicorn?
Rainbow cried out, fighting against the pull. Any blasts she sent at the hole to try and destroy it merely fed its greedy mouth and let its mass swell. The cyan alicorn struggled, twisting and beating her wings, but every second saw her move 1 foot forward and 2 feet back.
Finally, Rainbow launched out a chain of pure magic, lashing it around Twilight's ankles. The alicorn of the stars fought her own battle but found herself being drawn towards her black hole, a victim of her own trap. Even turning into starlight would not help her, as she was now caught in the pull as much as Rainbow Dash. With a cry of frustration Twilight shut down the black hole and the night sky returned to normal.
The two deities panted, their wings flapping as they sought to steady themselves... then they launched themselves at each other once more.
~MC~MC~MC~
"Huh..." Trixie said, twisting her head through the bars of her cage, attempted to see Princess Cadence. "Trixie must admit, she knew she was powerful, but to be ranked next to two alicorns... Trixie blushes."
Faith chose to ignore his friend and her ego stroking. "Cadence, what happened? What are you doing down here?"
Cadence sniffed, her usual bubbling personality completely absent in the face of her new 'home'. Though the queens had done all they could to make the dungeon look like some posh hotel room there were still bars on the door and guards stationed at each exit. "What... what do you know?"
"I know much," Faith said.
"She meant about the situation, not in general," Trixie teased. "And they say I am arrogant."
Faith glowered at the wall, not caring if Trixie could see it or not. "I meant that I know much about the general situation... including some things many do not."
"Such as?" Cadence asked.
"Twilight's friends are not fully responsible for their actions." When the two mares began to clamor Faith whistled for silence. "They are not themselves. They have been forced to bond with their elements."
"Their elements?" Cadence said. "You mean-"
"My brothers and sisters," Faith said darkly, spitting out the word.
"I didn't realize obsoletes had brothers and sisters," Trixie stated.
"...abstracts." Faith glared harder at the cell wall before continuing. "Yes, brothers and sisters... and no, not."
Cadence blinked. "Faith, please don't do that double talk thing you do. I have a bad enough headache as it is."
"My apologies," Faith stated. "The simple answer is that brothers and sisters is the closest word for what I and the rest of the elements are to each other."
"What do you mean?" Trixie pressed.
"Abstracts are not born in the traditional sense. Life is our mother and father... we are born when a being feels us for the first time. The first creature that found the strength to wiggle it's body created Willpower. An insect being chased by a predator knew fear and thus created Fear."
"What of you?" Cadence asked.
Faith smiled to himself, remembering well. "I am the baby of the abstracts... one of the very last to be born. When a small foal looked upon his mother and believed that she would always love him... I was born." He chuckled slightly. “I was the one that was constantly coddled and worried over… my family feared that I could easily fade away if enough ponies lost faith. I think it was my age that allowed me to survive the loss of self.”
“How old are you?” Cadence questioned.
Faith smirked. “I am 1,709 years young… Luna beats me by a century. For immortals I am barely a teenager.”
Trixie let out a huff. She was going bored quiet rapidly. "This is all quite dull... could you please get back to the matter at hand?"
"Of course," Faith said, bowing his head. "My brothers and sisters are connected to me because we are all seen as parts of something greater. In this case, Harmony. We tended to, back in the day, find that we were influencing the same ponies and thus we became kin, in a pony sense." Faith chuckled. "It is hard to explain and even for I it is confusing... I have lived separate from my species for so long that I think in your terms and the ideals of my own kind are nearly lost. I am not a true abstract... I am more of a hybrid... an abstract pony." He frown marred his face. “That is why they behave as they do… and why Twilight’s friends are not to blame.”
“I don’t understand,” Cadence said.
“My brothers and sisters never learned how to adapt to the mind of a pony,” Faith stated. “All abstracts inspire ponies with their abilities. I learned to do it with a light touch, mostly because I was unsure myself what I was becoming until Clockwork gave me my new name. My brothers and sisters do not have those lessons and thus they are like hammers… they overwhelm their targets to near madness.”
“The queens are insane… yes, I can believe that,” Trixie stated. “Who would have this color carpet with these bedspreads?”
Faith rolled his eyes. “Yes, they are quite insane… and in Equestria you can be found guilty by way of insanity. That is how we must view Twilight’s friends… and that is what I had hoped to tell the rebellion before my imprisonment.”
“When you screwed up and got locked up,” Trixie reminded him.
“Quite,” Faith muttered. “Now Cadence, unless you have the urge to see baby pictures of me, perhaps now we can discuss what happened to you. I understand that the queens banished Celestia and Luna… why were you not given the same fate?”
Trixie and Faith could hear the annoyance in the pink alicorn’s voice as she spoke. “They got it in their heads that I could work with them. I think… oh, what’s her name, the yellow one with the long hair-“
“Gutterpie.”
“Fluttershy,” Faith said drolly.
Trixie shrugged. “Same thing.”
“-I believe she considers me to be another queen, but the others aren’t as interested. Perhaps the snooty white one-“
“Bitchity,” Trixie supplied. Faith did not bother correct her, as he still had some soreness in his neck from the beating ‘Bitchity’ had commanded her guards to perform.
“-might have also went along with it, but the other three-“ Cadence paused, but when Trixie didn’t supply and cute and insulting names, the alicorn continued, “-they see me more as a tool or a weapon; something pretty they can trot out to prove they haven’t destroyed everything from Aunt Celestia’s reign.” Cadence glowered in annoyance. “They kept me locked in my room when they weren’t having me canter about the city, visiting the poor ponies they are brainwashing. I haven’t felt the wind through my feathers or a drop of magic burst from my horn in nearly a month and a half. I was only brought down here because the queens are going after Twilight and don't want to risk my escaping.”
“Poor little foal, forced to not be in a dungeon for a month and let out to walk around,” Trixie snarked. “I mourn for you.”
“Trixie, the adults are talking. Go play read your magazine until we are done.”
“I am not a child!” Trixie roared.
“I am over a 1000, my dear… you are a fetus compared to me.”
“Fossil,” Trixie muttered.
"When we get out of here I am going to take you over my knee and show you just how much of a child you are!"
"Is that a threat?" Trixie snapped.
"A promise."
"You aren't stallion enough to handle me!"
Cadence blinked. “Are you two… flirting?”
“No!” Trixie and Faith said sternly.
The pink alicorn merely smirked.
~MC~MC~MC~
“So, this is the end of the world!” Shining Armor shouted, watching the battle above his head with wide, fearful eyes. The winds the two alicorns were whipping up roared around the team and the princesses, forcing the captain to scream in order to be heard. “And my sister is causing it!”
“I always knew she’d destroy everything!” Spike called out over the howling gale. Though his words were mocking, he couldn’t help but smile as Twilight began to perform Hurricane’s Lightning Rider maneuver. His best friend had been giddy when she had finally perfected it, having always wanted to determine if it was possible. Of course, she had told him she had no plans to actually use it in a battle…
Rainbow Dash screamed as Twilight bucked the bolt and sent it into the cyan alicorn.
…but fate had a funny way of making liars of us all.
The Doctor was the only one not impressed. “I’ve seen the end of days plenty of times and this rates about a 6.” He winced when Rainbow Dash animated several clouds to take on the form of griffons, which dive-bombed Twilight and forced the mare to go into her intangible form. “Though I will admit this is a bit flasher than that volcano…”
“They’re going to destroy the entire city,” Spitfire whispered, not caring if any pony heard her. This entire time she had been gearing up to take on Rainbow Dash, to give the queen some revenge for the pain she had brought upon her and those that had lost friends and family to their insane rule. The rest of the rebellion thought that she had a death wish because Spitfire lived with the guilt that she had ran while her friends and comrades had been brainwashed by the cyan alicorn.
But now, Spitfire knew that they were 100% right. She did have a death wish… because she could never hope to take on one of the queens and she STILL wanted to go up and kick Rainbow’s flank.
“I suggest we move!” Celestia called out. She grimaced as Twilight dove at her former friend, the sound of the two mares colliding rocking several buildings. “Perhaps to someplace where we can be sheltered-“
“-or we can get the hell out of this city!” Luna called out, already racing down the street. She turned, glaring at them when they just stared at her blankly. “This was suppose to be a rescue, right? Well then hurry up and RESCUE US!”
And with that, the 6 of them ran.
First, the fight. I felt it would be more interesting at this point to have the fight be seen by mortal eyes and have them try and comprehend what was happening. Later on there will be plenty of epic battles but I wanted another reminder that these are two near deities engaging in war in the sky.
The origin of the abstracts borrows some from the mythos of Green Lantern, namely how an abstract is born. I love the idea that Faith is the youngest, as it explains so much of his actions early on when you think of him as a lost child.It also feeds into the idea of imprinting and that while he is physically an abstract, much like Spike Faith thinks and feels like a pony and thus is different from his brothers and sisters.
None of you realize how important this chapter is... mostly because it was writing this when, much like in Faith and Doubt, I realized who I was writing about. I thought I knew the main villain... it was while writing this chapter that I realized just WHO the mastermind was and what I had been writing up to.
The Battle of Winniepeg part 3 will be up soon... and with it some MASSIVE game changers.
Chapter? Chapter!
The one song I thought fit.
All better had to remove it from a playlist
Moaaaar, MMMMOOOOOOOAAAAAAARRRRRRR!!
Bucking AWSOME!
Hmmm... so that's why the Mane 5 are suddenly so intense... the abstracts are socially inept
What a piece of work is a pony, How noble in
Reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and moving
how express and admirable, In action how like an Angel!
in apprehension how like a god, the beauty of the
world, the paragon of animals. and yet to me, what is
this quintessence of dust?
That set of lines from Shakespeare was what this reminded me of.
Please let one of those massive game changers be Dash is defeated and turns to Twilights side
You now, it´s curious; in Airstream series "Lines and Webs" and "Dusk Dangerous Games" Celestia´s main plan is something very similar to what the Queens have archieved in your story (To harmonize Equestria into an utopia/distopia of smiling, obedient slaves, for their own good of course. I don´t want to spoil too much to anyone interested, but the plan also involved the elements and the "alicorn factor"). Your Celestia, however, is understandably horrified of the results of imposing absolute Order over their subject´s will.
1769001
Enter only the parts after v=.
Well, yet another interesting chapter, and I actually LIKED it!
Was bit saddened by lack of quips between Twilight and Rainbow Dash in this part, but still good! Twilight being able to summon a black hole was interesting (which if we go by the recent Trixie episode, isn't that far off from a parasprite, since they are essentially black holes... THINK ABOUT IT ), along with seeing a bit more of her and Dash's powers. Not to mention, more of Twilight's flying and fighting style that you designed yourself (as think Commander Hurricane's style wasn't really shown in that one episode, or the pony representing him, even; which is ironically the pony Twilight is currently fighting dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/Rainbow_Dash_lolface.png ), based off one of Equestria's founders.
The side arc(?) with Trixie, Faith, and now Cadence was entertaining and definitely shed a bit of light on the subject. Though I still think that Twilight's friends are somewhat in control of themselves, by acting in their normal mannerisms (namely, all those who've been shown (which just leaves Applejack) so far, though with subtle differences thanks to the abstracts forcing their actions), I shall accept your word here as the law. Bit of funniness here with Trixie's parody names (or just ignorant from not knowing) of the Queens/Twilight's friends. dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/Trixie_lolface_1.png And then, more Faith/Trixie bonding in what I believe is now to be the most interesting couple I think this story will have (at least, at this time)! If it comes to fruition, among all the seriousness Equestria is facing now, that is. Also, believable reasoning here about where Cadence has been and why she hasn't been imprisoned before now. And about her: so, unlike her aunts, is she STILL an alicorn in appearance, but with some minor difference to the spell the others did to Celestia and Luna, so she can't fly or do magic?
And then, back to the fight, more humor and interesting moments. Again, can't understand Doctor Who moment, with Doctor Whooves here, but eh, I get the feeling that he's kinda impartial to the whole thing (having messed with time enough times, though I know he still has his moments; as referenced when someone messes with his friends, when telling how the Queens took Dinky away from her mother). And hopefully, can get some more insight into Spitfire later and what happened exactly, to let us see why she sort of has a death wish in going up against Rainbow Dash as she wanted to before the fight started. But glad to see here that it was confirmed that Wonderbolts weren't destroyed, just... corrupted, as with remainder of Equestria. Curious as to how this chapter pointed you in direction of the TRUE villain here, if not Faith's siblings (as he said, for lack of a better word), but know we'll find out in due time, defender. Even though sure some of us want to know now! But I can wait, I suppose.
Anyway, now to wait for conclusion(?) to this fight! As well as seeing how the ponies will attempt to escape with Celestia and Luna, if Rainbow will try to stop them (or the guards, even). And sorry for no corrections AGAIN, haven't felt like it, but I may/will later. dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Fluttershy_umad.png
PS: I think we know NOW how important this chapter is, cause you said so in your Author's Chapter Notes. dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/lolface_Celestia.png Those of us who read it anyways.
1769027
Not sure if right to call them Mane 5, even if they're split up for time being (not just literally, being in different locations for most part currently, but also cause they're united against Twilight and the rebellion), until the (hopeful) conclusion of this story. Maybe Queens as they are currently being referred to.
Just how soon are we talking? ah well, doesn't matter. Awesome chapter.
great chapter!
it's kinda nice to see twilight actually effectively use her wings and pegasus magic in combat, it's usually mostly for positioning while she uses her cataclysmic magic power.
i had thought that celestia, luna and company would have started moving sooner than that, they were trying to escape after all, and i think twi should be able to escape dash once she knows dash can't reach the princesses (at least if she manages to press her advantage for a second to temporarily stun her).
1769171
Cadence is still an alicorn. She just as been restrained like faith: chains on her limits that limit her strength, her wings bound, and a restraining ring on her horn.
1769184
They were mostly stunned. For everyone other than Celestia and Luna, they have never seen two beings this powerful waging war. It was awe-inspiring.
1769208
i guess. and besides; we're not sure exactly for how long they do stand around, as there is no indication towards the amount of time passed, the battle may have seemed to go on for quite a while, but that might have been less than 5 min in reality.
Actually, Doctor, I'd say it ranks closer to a 5. This is nothing compared to the time all those SCPs got loose. Geez, I was scraping fish from my shoes for weeks.
My opinion:
Well, buck...
1769051
You gave too much away. But it is nice to see others who read that story as well.
Common sense Luna has common sense.
The ending is the Green Lantern Corps comming to put the queens in their place.
MY GOD! I NEVER SAW IT COMING THAT THE ELEMENTS WERE THE ONES MAKING THEM ACT THAT WAY!
Exposition. Exposition everywhere. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad, and DEFINITELY not as annoying as Lord of the Rings was about it (Seriously Tolkien... shut up and get on with the freaking plot already...), just making an observation.
Okay, this is a personal issue here, but one thing that ticked me off about Return of Harmony is when Discord just touched Fluttershy and she became cruel. What made the other ones interesting is that Discord exploited personality flaws to corrupt the others, and Fluttershy just... ERG. I just call bull on brainwashing in general. It's just too unfair, and I hope with what the abstracts did to the rest of the main six isn't like that. I'm seeing some instances in RD and Fluttershy that support a non-forced corruption, so I have hopes.
Speaking of which, if the harmony brainwashing is supposed to make pony's lives better, then why haven't the queens used it on all their subjects, not just the ones that refused to change? If they're so intent on having each of their subjects harmonious, then why don't they just go all the way?
Oh look Rainbow Dash! You just destroyed a city in order to incapacitate Twilight! Your loyalty to your subjects safety and well-being just warms the heart! -looks up to the heavens- LAWFUL EVIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oy. Don't underestimate my intelligence, or that of the other readers here, that's rude. And don't give hints! I wanna be surprised! I hate being being able to predict things... and you probably just confirmed my suspicions.
Twi finish rainbow fast before the other abstract controlled bitches can arrive within the next half hour.
1769516
The idea behind the abstracts is that they are their element. Faith is litterally faith itself and can inspire faith. He does this by seeking out what you have faith in and nudging and guiding you in order to get more.
The other abstracts are more direct: they make you focus SOLELY on their element. For Fluttershy, she is set on Kindness mode and can't escape it. She is right now hardwired to only focus on kindness.
This is actually based on scientific fact... there are injuries to the brain that have caused people to always be nice or always be angry. They can't stop themselves, that is just what they feel. I think HOUSE did an episode about it once... NOTHING you do causes them to break from that emotion and their brains force them to reason that their reaction is correct, ie They think 'Well, he really meant it like that so it is ok if I don't cry like he expects'.
It is a touch like what Discord did, now that you point it out, but more grounded in how the characters are. Fluttershy is still Fluttershy, but she has been tampered with and this one aspect amplified. Faith is saying that she is a victim just like those the queens have brainwashed.
As for whether it was forced on them or they accepted... well, that will be revealed soon enough.
And trust me, no one has come close to figuring out what is coming next and I will be shocked if anyone does. Even a few people I discuss plot points with were shocked by the reveals I have coming.
1769592
I'm aware of all you said, and I am glad that some parts of their personality are still intact, I just still don't like it. If they were forced to be like that, it just removes a layer of depth to them, but maybe that's just me. To me, it's more interesting to be given an offer you can't refuse. Brainwashing in general is just one of those plotline taboos with me... Kinda like bullies; Rarely done right, so forgive me if the mere mention of them makes my neck have a spasm.
AND TELL ME NOTHING.
1769592
I hope at the end it is not going to be another "Discord behind the curtain".
See Twilight you shouldn't have spared Scootaloo, I'm not saying you should have forced her to become herself again but you should ahve given her a warning blast so the Queens know who they're messing with. Oh well Rainbow Dash will learn soon enough that she can't take on Twilgiht on her own.
I just hope the Queens won't cheat and use Faith to force Twilight to surrender or do a 5 on 1 battle, cause if so they won't be playing fair.
Nice display of power between the two defender! Based off of the way you described the battle, it really does seem like the equivalent of two near deities clashing with each other. Loved the part where Twilight created a black hole and the part where Dash created a giant hammer out of storm clouds!
The little interaction between Trixie and Faith was very amusing, cause if this keeps up, they could become a possible pairing. But it's too soon to make any calls like that yet.
Also, Luna using her common sense, was very funny. She's yelling at everypony that now would be an excellent time to try and get out of the city, while they're just sitting there watching the battle with looks of awe. lol
Good chapter, great fight scene taking place, and I can't wait for your next chapter.
- Super-Brony12
I opt for the choice of Twilight killing Rainbow Dash. Anyone with me?
No?
Right, guess I got vetoed quickly
Anyway, keep this up! Love it!
Nah, Discord can only be freed by Chaos and Disharmony in his direct area. So uncle Dissi coming back is out of question. And that miniature black hole Twi fired... I don't want to be on the recieving side in a fight against her. The Faith/Trixie/Cadence side story fits well into and also solves some of the questions that pop up as he keeps the story going. Can't Trixie or Cadence take of the ring around Faiths' horn off or is it locked in place with an "Alicorn-Lock"? I'm too lazy to read the previous two chapters to remember
And have some mustaches for this awesome piece of literature.
Good chapter, the fight if getting really good. Also enjoyed the side arc with Faith, Cadence, and Trixie.
And this is a true epic battle, I must say that considering that Nightmare Moon is even stronger than Celestia and Discord is stronger than Celestia and Luna together if he have acces to alot of chaos, I find it weird that they used so tiny little power again mane 6.
Discord understaminate tham and did so many mistakes, just to make it game out of it.
And Nightmare Moon was rather kind villan, after returning from her 1000 years banishment she did not razed ponyvile for revange, did not killed guards who attacked her, she tryed to scare off mane 6 instead of killing tham and she directed her attack again elements, not those who tryed to revive tham, so I asume that Nightmare Moon did not wanted to kill any of her subjects even if it mean risking her life, because I see no other explanation why a black hole summoning Alicorn would so easy lose to mane 6, and I do not buy the whole understaminating think, she was banished for 1000 years to the moon by elements, there is no way she would just play with elements one day after sush experience.
Now after I read this chapter where Twilight and RainbowDash as Alicorn are using powers what tear up entire town, Rainbow spaming sonic rainboom like fast reloading canon, Twilight opening a black hole.
How can you read this and still belive in Nightmare Moon was defeated by mane 6, she could kill tham alot of times before they even found the elements.
If Twilight with her powers would need to face gorup of ponies who searched for elements or even had tham, I m sure it would be peace of cake to dispouse of tham, small black hole here, some battle ores there, and boom, her enemys are dead.
I quess I just find it realy hard to find a balance in all of this, when two Alicorns fight it is a totaly epic battle with tons of destruction, if Alicorn would face army of soldiers she would fight tham hard until the enemy army is defeated, but when powerful Alicorn face a group of normal ponies, all of the sudden she have trouble to get rid of tham until they revive artifacts and defeat tham.
I bet Alicorn Twilight would say this: " It seems that princess Celestia and Luna are afraid of my powers and they managed to find replacement for elements of charmony, how cute, now, what should I do, meaby black hole will do or long range fire spell, nah, what am I thinking, I do not want to kill anypony, and if I try to scare tham of, it will be like trials for tham what will make tham stronger team, and they are so loyal to they princesses that they would never join to me or even listen to me, what to do hmmmmm......., oh I got an idea, I will just use my telecinetic powers from high distance to separate tham, put tham in a magical undestructive cages, and than I will lecture tham, hopefully it will help me win without hurting any pony ".
Falling in love with a mortal... :I This won't end well
1769050that would be a good plot twist! DO IT NOW AUTHOR!
1769876
They all have magic canceling rings on their horns. Only a bolt of magic will remove it.
1770480
I see. But didn't you say (IIRR) their magic is dampened, not cut off?
1770109
Already covered it in the PM I sent, but here is the short answer for everyone else: First, Nightmare Moon (or, should we say, Luna) was trained by Faith/Doubt and taught how to fight in their plan to attack Celestia.
Let's look at how Faith compares to Nightmare:
-Both tend to be more defensive (retreating, setting traps) than offensive.
-Both tend to use mind games
-Both tend to seek to corrupt ponies (Rainbow Dash for Luna, Twilight, Applejack and Cadence for Doubt)
-Both NEVER SHUT UP. Seriously, Faith and Nightmare having a monologue-off would be a never ending battle.
Also, I have always held that Luna was very much weakened from her fight with Celestia and a 1000 years suspended in the moon, thus why she fell easily.
Had Luna waited a few weeks... well, then it would have been a different story.
1770505
Dampened to the point that they can't even spark their horns. It is a 100% dampening/cancelling
Twilight has the advantage of teleportation: if she feels she is losing the battle (and has not been knocked out by RD) and her team has already taken Celestia and Luna to safety, she can simply give Dashie one final monologue before "poof" to the secret base. Which reminds me: can the others Queens teleport/travel extreme fast to Winniepeg to backup RD? For now, we have only Rainbow´s word that the Queens are a day of distance from their location, and she is the Element of Loyalty, nor Honesty.
twilight twilight twilight, if your going to use the stars as a weapon, use a dwarf star, it has the same gravity well as a black hole, but you'd more then likely survive it's center like nothing, rainbow wouldn't be as lucky.
1770989
No. Only Rainbow can teleport, as speed was one of the things she excelled at. Just like Fluttershy has The Stare and Pinkie has Pinkie Sense
Eventually Rainbow Dash is going to let her frustration and anger get to her and Twilight will be able to take advantage of that.
But Winnipeg's still fucked though.
On another note, Faith and Trixie conversing turned out be a rather interesting and hilarious part of their sidearc. It's obvious that those two will never be together but it's always fun to put in the joke situation of "flirting posing as arguing". Great stuff right there.
Hey I just finished reading Faith and Doubt again, and I was reading the...prologue? The preview bit for The abundance at the very last chapter. And I noticed that you haven't mentioned the abstract that coerced the 5 elements into believing Twilight and faith(which it kept calling doubt) are corrupt and evil. Is that coming up?
1772326 That was our mysterious Puppetmaster. They don't usually come out and reveal themselves until all their minions. in this case, the Elemental Abstracts, are defeated.
Whenever I read this story I can't help but think of this song:
I think it just sums up what Faith is saying about the Queens so well.
Aaah, I want more! <3
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Are we talking about the Third Doctor visiting an alternate reality Earth and was forced to watch as all the world's magma chambers all surged upward all at once and covered the planet in fiery death... or Ten at Pompeii? And lets face it. After the Time War, the Doctor is no doubt a little jaded anyway.