Can't Choose Your Family
Can't Choose Your Family
by CyborgSamurai
“Another lap, Princess?”
Celestia cringed as Canterlot Castle came into view from around the mountain. She knew she shouldn't be delaying like this, but considering that Equestria hadn't played host to the Summit of the Gods in over five thousand years, she felt entitled to a little nervousness. She'd put it off for another five thousand if she could, but alas, a direct request from Asgard wasn't one to be denied.
Celestia sighed. “Take us in for a landing.”
Her dealings with the other members of the Pantheon had always been icy, at best. They were keen to bring up every social faux pas she and her family had committed, and even if they only did it in hushed tones and snarked whispers, it was no secret she and Luna were tolerated at best, and mistrusted at worst. The reasons why were understandable, but it didn't make the interactions any more pleasant.
Celestia gave the empty carriage flying beside her a perfunctory glance. Her thoughts threatened to fall back into the tug-of-war they'd been in for the last month, but it was too late to go back on her decision now. Discord deserved a chance at reform, and to prove that there was more in his heart than wickedness and mischief. It was a risk, yes, but she'd taken precautionary measures this time, and if there was anypony who could convince him to use his magic for good, it would be the Bearers.
The two carriages landed side by side on the runway with a pair of soft thumps before coming to a halt. Celestia stepped out, gave her carriage pullers a nod in thanks, then walked towards the castle. Her trepidation about Discord would have to wait, as the next three days would require nothing less than her full attention to keep things going smoothly, and she needed to gather her thoughts for what was to come. Frey would be constantly critiquing her form and control of the sun. His twin sister, Freya, would get Luna drunk, and then they'd work together to seduce everyone that wasn't a blood-relative. Thor would be destroying all the fine china and complaining about the lack of meat. Odin and Tyr would be constantly on her case to to allow more accommodations for the handicapped in Equestrian law. On, and on, and on. At least seeing Father would be nice, although—
“Excuse me, your Majesty.”
Celestia jumped at the voice. She turned, and saw that a royal guard had appeared soundlessly at her side. He bowed low before speaking again.
“There's a mare in the castle gardens who wishes to speak with you.”
Celestia wasn't sure what was more surprising—that a simple guard had managed to sneak up on her when she could hear everything within a twelve mile radius, or that said guard assumed she was just going to drop everything, and cater to the whims of a complete stranger. It was true that she tried to be approachable by her subjects, but as the co-ruler of the realm, her time was decidedly precious, and each one of her guards was well-aware of that.
Which, combined with the stealth, made Celestia understand that this wasn't a guard at all.
“Is that so?” Celestia said to the imposter. “Does this mare have a name, by chance?”
The imposter looked up at Celestia with ice-blue eyes. “She strikes me as someone who prefers to keep a low profile.”
Celestia's suspicions were aroused, but that statement alone wasn't enough to jump to conclusions. “I've an entire Pantheon waiting on me. Is this important?”
The imposter winked, and his open eye morphed into a cat-like slit.
“Family matters are always important.”
Celestia managed to keep a straight face, despite simultaneously feeling a chill go up her spine, her stomach drop out, her mouth go dry, and her skin break out in goosebumps. She'd known this encounter was going to take place after releasing Discord, but for it to happen so soon? It seemed that certain individuals were keeping a closer eye on her realm than she'd realized.
The imposter correctly interpreted Celestia's silence as his statement being ill-received. He sat on his haunches, raubbing a hoof against his breastplate.
“Will you see her?”
Celestia grit her teeth. She very much wanted to say no. She wanted to walk past this creature, and continue with her life without any further thought, or hesitation. However, she couldn't allow herself to do that. She'd always believed that no matter what kinds of things may have happened in the past, family will always be family, and there was nothing she, or anypony else could do to sever the ties of blood. If she was going to be stuck with somepony for eternity, she may as well try to be courteous to them…
...even if it were akin to pulling teeth.
“Lead the way,” Celestia said.
The imposter nodded and led Celestia off the cobblestone path towards the western grounds. They walked for several minutes in silence, passing by flower gardens, elegant fountains, and intricate stone statues. The air was filled with the heady scent of lilacs, and a weak sun shone down on them from above. They neared the hedge maze, then stopped at the stone pedestal where Discord had once stood.
“I'd forgotten how beautiful this realm is.”
The imposter's voice had changed. It'd initially been the gruff bass of a stallion, but now, it was the fluid alto of an older mare. She turned and looked up at Celestia with a wistful smile.
“Your grandfather spoke of it many times, but I never believed him until I came and saw it for myself. Even now, it takes my breath away.”
Celestia regarded the imposter evenly. “It's been a long time, Loki.”
There was a burst of violet flame, and the imposter was replaced by a dark green mare with a raven mane and tail. She wore a decorative yoke and horseshoes similar to Celestia's, and set upon her brow was a golden crown with two long, curved horns. Her cutie mark was a snake encircling a planet devouring its own tail, and her eyes were cold, reptilian slits that gazed at Celestia with unnerving intensity.
“So it has, Celestia. So it has.” Loki looked her up and down, taking note of the height difference between them. “You've grown into your power nicely, I see. And here Odin was worried that you wouldn't be able to handle one measly, little star.”
Celestia frowned. “Don't you ever get tired of switching genders?”
A lewd smirk crept up on Loki's face. “You should consider broadening your horizons. Sex means nothing to a shapeshifter, and it's quite an eye-opening to experience all of what procreation has to offer. Svadi may have been ensorcelled the first time, but if he'd had regrets about having relations with me, he wouldn't have asked for my hoof in marriage.”
“And that's what I never got,” Celestia said abruptly. “You do nothing but serve your ends for eons, playing pranks and causing mischief for all the other members of the Pantheon, but for one simple mortal, you settle down, devote yourself wholeheartedly to raising a family, and then beg, literally beg Odin to give him immortality despite knowing it's forbidden! Why?! Why did you do so much for Grandfather. but not even lift a hoof for anyone else?!”
Loki's eyes dimmed at Celestia's outburst. She looked up at the sky for several seconds, then blinked a few times before turning away. Her reply was a whisper, but the wind carried it to Celestia's ears.
“You've never been in love, have you?”
Celestia opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She wanted to believe that response was sincere, but taking anything the God of Deception and Mischief said at face value was about as safe as diving into a pit of poison-tipped spikes. It wouldn't be the first time Loki had tried to earn the pity of others in order to get what she wanted... yet still, Celestia couldn't help but wonder, for if the twisted, haunted look on her grandmother's face wasn't real pain, then she didn't know what was.
In either case, that particular stroll down memory lane wasn't worth the headache, so Celestia quickly changed the subject.
“I don't suppose you're here for the Summit.”
Loki laughed bitterly. “The only Asgardian I've spoken with in centuries is your father, and even those times have been few and far between. I'm here because I sensed the release of your uncle Discord.”
Celestia's face reddened. “Please don't call him that in public.”
Loki turned back to her with a curious look. “Haven't told your subjects about that little tidbit, eh? Naughty, naughty. Perhaps you take more after me than you're willing to admit.”
“I'm well aware of the ways I 'take after you.'” Celestia brushed her mane out her face. “The rest of the Pantheon takes every opportunity to remind me, and it's one of the reasons why Equestria's always been so low on the dimensional totem pole.”
Loki scoffed. “You're never going to please them, you know. No matter what you do, say, or accomplish, you and your sister will always be condemned in their eyes simply because of your relation to me. You could prevent Ragnarok itself, and they'd still whisper and make fun of you the second you looked away! Why bother? Their approval means nothing, Celestia, and the sooner you realize that, the better off you'll be.”
“Do you see Asgard's influence anywhere here?" Celestia gestured to the garden around them. "Do you see me or Luna asking Frey and Freya to speak on our behalf, or pestering Father to ask Odin for special favors? We made it painfully clear that we didn't want or need anything from the Pantheon when we took care of Discord by ourselves, and making myself late for the Summit to talk with you should prove how much I care about what they think. Let them whisper all they like; their heads are too far up their own plots for anyone to hear what they're saying.”
Loki's face glowed with fierce pride. “You're definitely my granddaughter.”
Celestia straightened to her full height. “Luna and I didn't build this realm from the ground up because we felt like we had something to prove. We did it because we could, and because we felt it was the right thing to do. We want to use our power to make something we and our subjects are proud of, not to impress a bunch of stuffy, self-righteous deities. They can sod off to their own realms if they don't like what we've done here, and I'm not afraid to say that to each and every one of their faces.”
Loki waggled her eyebrows. “You know, Equestria's used to having just one ruler now. What say you leave the realm in the hooves of your sister, and come help out your grandmother for a bit? I'm sure Luna would jump at the opportunity to spread her wings after being in your shadow for so long.”
Celestia flattened her ears. “I've told you once, I'll tell you again, and I'll continue to tell you as many times as I have to. Luna and I want nothing to do with your schemes. We won't get in your way so long as you don't threaten Equestria, or move against Asgard, but that's the closest thing to 'help' you're ever going to get from us.”
“Fair enough, I suppose,” Loki said. A mirror appeared before her, and she examined her appearance with a critical eye. “A warning, though. A day will come when you'll have to make a choice between your family and Asgard, and if you side against me, I won't show you or Equestria any mercy.”
Celestia yawned. “Can we skip this song and dance, please? Spare me the same tired ultimatums you've been issuing for the past ten thousand years, and tell me why you're here.”
“Oh, as if you don't know.” Loki gestured to the empty pedestal beside them. “I want to know why you've released him.”
“Because I believe he deserves a chance to prove that he can use his magic for good,” Celestia replied patiently. “Discord's powers are great, and will be quite useful if he can keep them in check.”
Loki's mirror suddenly expanded to the size of a screen. Images of fire, destruction, and chaos played on its surface while emaciated ponies wandered aimlessly through a multicolored, checkered landscape. The Sun and Moon did figure-eights in the sky, and a pod of dolphins tangoed off in the distance.
“Need I remind you of what he did?” Loki spat on the pedestal. “He wallowed in the suffering and misery of your subjects, and toyed with the fabric of reality like it was his own personal plaything! His meddling would've eventually caused the entire realm to collapse, and worst of all, he knew that, and didn't even care! Even I wouldn't go that far, Celestia! A monster like that deserves far worse than the punishment you and Luna dealt him, and now you're giving him a chance at reform?!”
“It's our decision,” Celestia said. She used her own magic to make the screen show an image of an irate Loki screaming at Discord and slapping him across the face. “You forfeited any say in the matter when you renounced him as your son.”
“His betrayal deserved nothing less.” Loki made the screen disappear with a pop. “He only attacked Equestria in the first place because he wanted to hurt me.”
“I thought betrayal was an extension of your domain,” Celestia remarked mildly. “I assumed you'd be used to such things.”
Loki regained her composure, and her shadow suddenly rose up behind her to envelop her like a shawl. “Does it seem so odd that the God of Deception would value loyalty and honesty above all else? Trustworthy followers are hard to come by in my circles, Celestia, which is why I've tried so hard to recruit you and your sister.”
Celestia rolled her eyes. “That, and because we control two of the heavenly bodies powering the Bifrost.”
A disturbing smile crept up on Loki's lips. “Yes... that, too.”
Celestia looked over at the hedge maze. “I guess I don't understand your definition of betrayal. You've tried to get me and Luna to help you countless times, and each time, we've turned you down despite your insistence of obligation to family. Your claims that we're ungrateful brats that only have the sun and the moon because of you have fallen on deaf ears, so what's the difference between our repeated refusals, and Discord's mutiny?”
Loki followed her gaze. She contemplated the question for several seconds before replying in a calm, even voice. “You've become wise, but you've still much to learn about my ways. Betrayal is the act of repealing an allegiance or pledge of support, which is exactly what Discord did when he tried to rise up against me. On the other hoof, you and your sister have never sworn yourselves to me, and the only pledge you've given is the one you mentioned about not getting in my way, which you've honored."
Loki turned to Celestia. "It's true you've turned me down every time, but despite that, and everything else I've done, you've never once refused an audience with me, because I know you respect me as your grandmother. Your unconditional love is a beautiful, precious thing, my dear, and I value it very highly. It's why I'll continue to try bringing you over to my side, even knowing it's a fruitless cause.”
Celestia wasn't sure whether to be flattered or repulsed. In either case, she didn't let her feelings show. It was obvious that Loki was trying to use her and Luna to for her own ends, but at the same time, there were indications that she truly did care about them, and that was the reason why neither of them had completely shut the door. Whether or not it was all an act was up for debate, but Celestia refused to admit there wasn't any hope for redemption for Loki. The chances might be slim, but if she ever were to have a change of heart, she'd need someone to turn to, and that's what family was for.
And, well... as sick and twisted as it sounded, Loki would reciprocate for them if the reverse were ever to occur.
That counted for something... right?
“I don't understand or agree with that logic, but as you said, I know little about your ways, so as always, we'll have to agree to disagree.” Celestia cleared her throat. “If you only came here to complain about Discord's release and try to recruit me again, you've wasted my time. Odin has left his fate to Luna and me, so he's ours to do with as we will. I've deemed that he deserves a chance, so I've taken steps to facilitate his rehabilitation. End of story.”
Loki raised a dubious eyebrow. “And how, exactly, is letting him live with a mortal going to make him change?”
Celestia smiled. “I think you, more than anypony else, will understand the effect a mortal can have on a god.”
Now it was Loki's turn to be speechless. She looked at the ground, softly clicking her teeth as she considered those words. She looked up again, back to the west, and for an instant her eyes were soft, and warm. Celestia didn't see it, though, and when Loki turned back to her, there was no indication that it'd happened at all.
“So be it,” Loki said. “Do what you will with him, but heed my warning, Celestia. He's proven to be treacherous once before, and his mastery of doublespeak is second only to mine. Give him an inch and he'll take a watering can, and before you know it, the mariachi bands will be playing once more.”
Celestia paled. “I swear to you, I'll destroy him myself before that damnable music ever befouls this realm again.”
Loki raised her chin. “I'll hold you to that oath. Well then, by all means, have fun with the wastrel. I assure you I never did—unless you count his conception. I didn't even know I could be impregnated by multiple creatures at once, though I suspect Freya was getting back at me for—”
“There are no words.” Celestia's eyes were shut as she willed her breakfast to stay put. “To describe how much I didn't need to know that.”
Loki snickered. There was a swishing sound as her shadow fell back onto the ground then a sucking noise as it morphed into an interdimensional hole. She stared at Celestia with an odd look as she pawed at the ground, her lips parted as if to say something else. She then shook her head and made her way towards the portal.
“Any messages to pass on?” Celestia called after her.
Loki hesitated with one hoof inside the hole. She didn't look back, so Celestia didn't see her face as she spoke.
“Tell Luna to be more careful. She should know better than to let Shadow magic possess her like that, and she can't always rely on you to pull her out of the fire. Still... I'm glad she's all right.”
Celestia nodded. “And for Father?”
Loki snorted. “Sleipnir won't listen, but tell him he needs to start using his damn head for a change. Just because he's Odin's 'faithful steed' doesn't mean that's all he ever has to be. I don't see you or Luna slaving away at Frey and Freya's beck and call, so why should he?”
Celestia exhaled out her nose to prevent herself from laughing. “I'll let him know.”
Loki traced the edge of the portal. “And... I suppose this counts for little, but I want you to know that I'm proud of what you and Luna have done here. Equestria wouldn't be half of what it is without your efforts, and anyone who can't see past your lineage is a thrice-damned fool.”
Celestia bit her lip. That... actually counted for a lot. If it'd been meant in earnest, at least. She wanted to believe that it was, but again, she knew better than to lower her guard. Discord wasn't the only one who'd take more than inch if given the chance, and as much as she wished she could accept the compliment, there'd been too many individuals, including Father, who'd told her to keep her distance from this trickster.
Celestia bowed her head. “Goodbye, Grandmother.”
Loki gave one last look to the west then stepped fully into the hole. It shrank down into a pinprick, then faded away completely, and Celestia was left alone in the sculpture garden.
“And thank you,” she whispered.
Celestia ran a hoof through her mane, collected her thoughts, then spread her wings and flew back to the castle. She landed at the main entrance, and her guards informed her that Luna had already started the Summit. They escorted her down to the main banquet hall, and as Celestia approached, she heard a loud, boisterous voice from behind a set of closed doors.
“This drink, I like it!”
“I know!” Luna shouted back in a lilted slur. “It's great, isn't—”
“ANOTHER!”
There was a sound of shattering glass, followed by joyous laughter.
“Yes!” Luna exclaimed. “Too long has it been since I've partaken in the ancient cup-breaking traditions! Waiter, bring out more goblets, for the day is young, and we've much more to drink!”
Celestia facehooved. She was afraid they'd break into the alcohol while waiting on her, and now the peace talks were going to be... interesting. She'd hoped Luna would try something else in order to buy her some time, but it appeared that she'd fallen prey to Thor's charisma. Celestia was annoyed, but considering it was as much her own fault as Luna's, she resigned herself to dealing with it.
“This is why I hate being a hostess,” Celestia grumbled. She opened the banquet hall door, walked inside, and shut it behind her with a click.
There are some things in life you can control, but sometimes, all you can do is make the best of things. Your blood remains the same no matter what life throws at you, and while you may not always get along, the bonds you share with your kin are worth the effort to preserve.
After all, you can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family.
The End
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In case you're unaware of the legend of Loki and Svadilfari, it goes as such.
There are two major groups in Norse mythology: the Aesir, and the Vanir. They had a big war once upon a time, but then grew tired of fighting and agreed on a truce. Asgard's walls were damaged in the war, and a 'builder' (actually an unnamed frost giant in disguise) appeared before Odin saying he could repair the walls if he received the Sun, the Moon, and Freya's hand in marriage as payment. Odin agreed to the terms, but only if the builder could do it in six months, which was an incredibly short time for the size of the city walls.
The builder had a horse named Svadilfari (Svadi) that could pull immense stones, and so he made amazing progress and actually started to repair the walls. With only one day before the deal's deadline and the builder looking like he was going to win, Loki appeared before the Aesir, and offered to solve the matter. Odin agreed. Loki then turned into a mare, and ran off with Svadilfari to 'distract' him all night. The frost giant flew into a rage when he saw Svadilfari run off, but didn't have time to do anything else, as his disguise fell off, and he was then subsequently obliterated by Thor, (the version I read said that he 'shattered his skull upon the rocks.')
Loki and Svadilfari returned the next day, but it was discovered that Loki was pregnant, and so she decided to have the foal. That foal was Sleipnir, and he was presented to Odin as a gift to be his faithful steed.
That's the original story. After reading this, my thought process then went as such.
-Shapeshifters are generally accepted as genderless in most sources of fiction. They might prefer one gender over the other, but can go either way, and from a psychological perspective, it's highly unlikely such an individual would define themselves as strictly male or female.
-Loki is well known in Norse mythology for 'getting around.' His children include Sleipnir the eight-legged horse, Jörmungandr the world serpent, and Fenrir the wolf. Discord could conceivably be the son of Loki due to similarities with chaos, mischief, and an amalgamation of animals.
-Svadilfari was a horse, which can easily be changed into 'pony.' What if the unnamed frost giant took him from Equestria and enslaved him somehow?
-Due to Loki being a shapeshifter with no preference to gender, what if s/he saw Svadilfari, fell in love, and nature took it's course?
The rest of the story fell into place from there. Sleipnir is born some time later, and becomes the steed of Odin. However, when he's tried to be given the Sun and Moon, he declares he doesn't want the responsibility, nor that he wants Freya as his wife. Instead, he'll have two children, and give the Sun and the Moon to each of them. Odin allows this, but only if those children were then pledged to the Aesir, so he decides to pledge them to Freya (Goddess of Seduction) and her twin brother Frey, (God of the Sun) therefore fullfiling the last part of the agreement. Sleipnir then later had two foals from two separate mothers, Celestia from Skinfaxi (shining mane) and Luna from Hrimfaxi (frost mane) and turned over their stewardship to them.
Makes sense, right? It does to me, at least.
Wow, the comment in itself was quite the interesting read!
Wonderful! I like it!
An interesting take on the origins of Celestia and Luna.
Very interesting indeed.
Now you just need to throw in Egyptian Mythos and we can re-enact Age of Mythology.
this is a great piece, making use of asguardian mythology and a bit of marvel... but i can never hear the name 'loki' and not think of 'The Mask'.
Which, combined as this scene is with ponies, made me think of a pic i saw of Pinkie pie about to put ON said mask. *Shudders*
I have so much trouble picturing Loki as gender-nonspecific after Thor & The Avengers
Interesting weaving, and I lol'ed at Luna breaking the goblet
Loki, was, an interesting pull off as a pony.
-A good explanation of your purpose
Wouldn't this make Celestia and Luna nieces to Fenrisulfr, Hel, Jormungandr, Vali and Narvi?
This is surprisingly good. In the tradition of Asgard, I proclaim my call!
imageshack.us/a/img33/5764/likethischapter.jpg
2005904 someone mod Age of Mythology for equestrian please.
PLEASE!
Why are the more popular religions so boring? Like seriously. The Bibles got some good shit, but Greeks and Norse got the MONOPOLY on good theisms. Loki, use any ability and guile to prevent the construction of the wall. Alright I got it... I'll get f
ed by a horse. if I'm gonna foil somebody's plot, I might as well get some myself AM I RIGHT?
2006091
You choose Discord, Celestia, or Luna as the main deities, and the Mane Six for the minor. Twi and Pinkie are the top tier. AJ and RD are the middle. Shy and Rare are the first to be picked.
Someone.
USE THIS!!
Wow, that was awesome. I'd be begging for more of this if I didn't know it would pull you away from PoH.
2004677 Fascinating.
Extra spaces.
Reminded me of 1984's doublethink.
I loved this line. Like a lot.
He's not, is he?
CyborgSamurai!!!
2006526
LOL
2006533
You did a good thing here. I thank you.
2006539
Glad you enjoyed it. I've a bet going with one of my pre-readers to see whether or not it's going to get featured. I owe him five bucks if it does, but I honestly don't think it will.
I also submitted it to EqD, and I owe him ten bucks if it gets approved there, lol
2004677
All I can say as a Norse mythology enthusiast is that you have made one Hel of a crossover!!!!
2006553
I C WUT U DID THAR
2006551
Well, I'm working against you on that first bet... sorry?
2006557
Thought you might. Also, I've got a challenge in the Crossovers forum that's up your alley if you're interested. It involves a certain Prince of the Geats
2006558
It's not clop, and has no shock value, therefore it won't get featured.
Maybe this is a sign I should start catering to a different audience? I bet could write a pretty good kinky clopfic...
2006576
I don't know... My story got featured, and it's an expansion of Equestrian history. (I'm still shocked that it happened, especially considering the first two chapters.)
2006573
If I wasn't balls deep into writing one of the longer, more highly rated fics on the site I might consider it, but unfortunately I gotta stick with my bread and butter.
Thanks for the offer, though.
2006587
Fair enough. Just thought I'd mention it
2006551 I sincerely hope you loose ten dollars
I'm no writer, but I'm gonna tell you what I think anyway, because I didn't pick this pretentious sounding handle just to read pony words. You're asking a lot for readers to both love MLP AND love Norse Mythology. This just hamstrings your outside readership (cuts their tendons, you might say).
My knowledge of Norse Mythology comes from a little bit of wiki research after playing Age of Mythology, and admittedly a little bit more from the movie Thor. In other words, I recognize all of the names and have just a flicker of meaning into their characters. None of it adds anything to this story.
This story's strong point is not the crossover, but the character interaction. Celestia and Loki is gold, but everything else felt weak. I think that clearly identifying the Norse Pantheon weakens the story because readers automatically fill in context that YOU, the author, should fill.
I'm going to be a dick and compare to your other work. The Zodiac Knights in Powers of Harmony work not because "Zodiac is Awesome!", but because they weren't introduced as "Look at these awesome OC Zodiac Knights!" It was subtle. It was a mystery for readers to figure out. By the time you introduced them as the Zodiac Knights (or their Echoes, at least), I was ready for it.
I really wasn't ready for a giant Norse Crossover. The only people that are are people that really love both MLP AND Norse Mythology, and that is a much smaller population of readers than you deserve. Your work is great, and I'll say that writing clop will lead you well if you want readers to put their context and fantasy into your story. As a bonus, I won't read it and I won't leave my feedback on it. But I've seen you build something great, and I think you should use the techniques that make it work in some of your other works.
Premise reminds me a bit of Under the Northern Lights.
2006483 now that I think about it, I KNOW there's a civilization mod for MLP, so I have to get that game.
So I think you do a pretty good job of making a plausible way Equestria could fit into the Norse mythology and you give enough info I think for those with rudimentary knowledge of norse mythology to understand. Indeed, no knowledge of it is really necessary to understand the meat of the story (by which I mean what the story is really about once you strip away the fandom and references and leave it just the emotional and intellectual core of it). I very much enjoyed this. Good stuff.
Loved it. I always love stories that tie Equestra into an existing mythology or body of folklore, and this was a fantastically executed instance of such. Thank you for it.
I believe famely is the ones that cares for you even if blood ties you.Those you keep close is the ones that matter.
Oh wow.
Just, good chapter and good story.
Very enjoyable.
So are the rest of the Pantheon just normal human(?)-looking Norse Gods, and the only ponies/horses are Loki and the descendants of Svadilfari?
Well, CyborgSamurai, you owe your pre-reader $10. And you deserve to lose every cent of it for writing such a spectacular story and then betting against yourself.
I want to see more of this! That was funny, heart warming and AWESOME! Norse Mythology earns a fave from me!
I've always enjoyed the idea of Loki and always disliked it when he was made into a villian like in the movies. I mean his kids are awesome and he is literally mischief!
As a fan of ancient mythology, this story was highly relevant to my interests. You've done a fine job tying together both Norse and Equestrian lore.
These passages, however, were probably what went the greatest distance in earning this story another fave:
The mental image of Freya and Luna's shenanigans was hilarious, and while it took me a moment of thought to "get" the joke involving Odin and Tyr, the realization was so worth it. Also, I'm not sure what's so wrong with giving Discord a watering can, but the fact that mariachi music is treated with such revulsion amuses me to no end.
This works. It's short, doesn't really go anywhere, but it's entertaining and the premise makes sense.
Haha. Brísingamen wasn't the only necklace forged that night. Loki knows.
Congrats on EQD. Suppose by your earlier blog you knew this was coming.
This is good... I demand more! *smashes goblet on the cobble*
Hehe, couldn't resist
But this is good, you should continue.
2004677 but doesn't this means that when Loki brings in Ragnarok, Celestia and Luna have to fight for Asgard anyway? since they do pledge themselves under Freya and Frey just to control the Sun and the Moon, and I doubt Freya and Frey would do nothing when the times comes.
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Ragnarock may be on the horizon but what's worse is that family is already here today.
2004677
where in the world did that picture come from?
This isn't a crossover, remove the tag.
Norse gods making Equestria is obviously canon.
Nice fic, though.
2004677 I went along the lines that Discord and Loki were the more mild-tempered offspring of Sutekh/Set/Seth/Setekh/Suty (Hmmm... BLACK SUTY!! NMM came from him too!
) the Destroyer (who was also one of the great Tom Baker-era Doctor Who one-shot villains. He was just so friggin' evil, and he totally got off on it.).
He was the god of darkness and chaos, also a usurper and traitor who killed and dismembered his brother Osiris, then possibly tried to molest Osiris' son Horus (HE WAS A PEDO TOO!! THIS GUY WAS FRIGGIN SUPER-SANDUSKY-LEVEL EVIL!!)
And then there's the fact that his physical form was likely an amalgum of different parts of creatures... A CHIMERA!!
Of course, there are also the older myths that have the Egyptian god of chaos and evil as Apophis/Apep, a giant snake. But that kinda doesn't work too well with Pony. There are only little snakes to scare Twilight in Pony.
Though, there are some later representations that describe Apep as a dragon... but that would make all the dragon evil. And then there would be fanfics where Spike is the son of Apophis and has his evil spirit inside him and make him grow really big and evil and eat all da ponies in the bloodiest and most brutal grimdark gore fic every conceived (cuz you know some fanfic writer would do it).
2073903 I have to agree on technical terms. This would be more in line with 'alternate universe', rather than a crossover, since it's not actually utilizing any published fiction or non-fiction story as part of its basis. Rather, it's utilizing a human religious mythos and tying it into Equestria as an alternate origin story.
It's no more a crossover than is the inclusion of monsters from Greco-Roman mythology.
God my side were killing me after that.
Realizing a mariachi band is about to play is like being killed by hitmen. Right before it happens you scream *slowmo* ooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhh nnooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!