There were less ponies present than I expected.
Instead of a large room bustling with journalists, the fancy looking presentation room had less than thirty correspondents in it. Each one had their journals, cameras, interns, and other equipment to help them record their stories. At the front row, Applejack and Twilight Sparkle sat patiently, deep in a quiet discussion.
Celestia stepped up behind the podium at the front of the room. The rest of us, that being Princess Cadence, Princess Luna, and King Myself all took seats behind her.
“Good afternoon, everypony. I’m glad you all could make it here today,” Celestia welcomed the press. “I’m sure you have a lot of questions, so to get used to the way things were, we’ll start slowly. We’ve got a lot to cover today, so let’s get started with the basics. As I announced yesterday, we have begun negotiating peace between changelings and ponies. King Phasma is here today to answer questions you might have. Please keep your questions limited to him, the Fifth Hive– that being the kingdom he rules, the peace between our kinds, and changelings in general.”
She stepped away from the podium and motioned for me to take her spot.
“Starting right away, huh?” I whispered to her as I passed her.
“It’s going to be a long day, so it’s best to start immediately,” she explained.
I stepped up behind the podium and looked out over the small crowd. The flash of cameras made me flinch, but I cleared my throat and greeted the food.
“Hello everyone. I am King Phasma, but I hope you all know that already. I was hatched… not too long ago, but I’m older than I appear. I am the sole son of Queen Chrysalis still alive, and I have established the Fifth Hive after failing to usurp Queen Chrysalis during the invasion. I suppose I’ll take questions now.”
There was a flurry of flashes as the journalists all said their questions. They didn’t shout, they were professional enough not to do that, but they did immediately try to voice all of their questions at once. I picked a pony at random for the first question.
“You, over there in the ugly fedora.”
‘I wonder if he wore that fedora to get noticed, regardless of how tacky it looks. If so, he’s a genius.’
The pony stood up, “News Reel, Las Pegasus Weekly. What do you have to say about your involvement in the Invasion of Equestria?”
I blinked, “Ah. I was ordered to plan and execute the invasion by my mother, Queen Chrysalis. I did not have a choice, as refusal was simply not an option, and there were no alternatives. I had tried to search for any way to avoid war, but my token effort was not enough to uncover anything. I had too much going on to properly search for a peaceful solution.”
“Such as?” The stallion asked.
“.... I was working to uncover the fates of my siblings, plan the invasion, create a loyal power base, and appear nothing less than completely loyal to the Queen. Before you ask, my siblings, the last one having died around three hundred years ago, had… mysterious fates. My investigation into that matter yielded disturbing results.”
“What was your personal involvement in the Battle for Canterlot?”
‘Err….’
“I provided the main distraction, as planned, and searched for Princess Cadence while Queen Chrysalis dueled Princess Celestia. Then, finding Captain Shining Armor of the Royal Guard was added to my list of duties. I fought him, won, and captured him and Princess Cadence. Then I went and tried to kill Queen Chrysalis. I didn’t succeed. Next question.”
Several hooves reached into the air, with the ponies attached to those hooves asking their questions aloud.
“Mare with the tan coat,” I pointed to one.
“Name Drop, Canterlot Consortium. Why have you sided with Equestria, and why should we trust you?”
“Asking quite the question there. I have sided with Equestria because it was shown that peace was indeed possible. One of my closest friends discovered a way to solve our hunger– that being the sole and unavoidable reason for the invasion– without hurting ponies. Immediately, I dropped any other plan and embraced that idea. As for why you should trust me… I don’t think I can possibly answer that. It’s up to you all to decide if you can trust me, not the other way around.”
The ponies all diligently jotted down my words as the mare asked her next question, “When did you first decide to side with Equestria?”
I frowned, “That question is more complicated than it appears. I sided with a Princess of Equestria around December, before the invasion. Specifically, I was approached by Nightmare Moon, the banished-and-possessed Princess Luna, and was eventually offered an alliance. I was as desperately in need of allies, so I accepted the alliance. Equestrians wouldn’t be reduced to chattel slaves at best, and though it would most certainly suffer under her rule, Equestria would survive in the end. And, most importantly to me, I would gain a powerful ally that would help me kill Queen Chrysalis. It was the lesser of two evils.”
After taking a moment to finish writing my response, the mare raised her hoof again, “One last question, King Phasma. You are very insistent on your mother, Queen Chrysalis’s death. Why? For what reason have you founded this new Kingdom and declared war against your own mother?”
‘Now to call back to the seed I planted.’
“To answer that, I would have to start at the beginning of our relationship. One year ago, I was hatched from an egg.” There was a relative uproar in questions and confusion in the air. “Yes, one year ago, I was born. I’m… not actually that young, but that’s a longer, more complicated story. One year ago, Queen Chrysalis hatched me from an egg she laid and genetically modified. Then followed several months of intense training and learning, starting from the very first day. Not particularly full of motherly love, but what pushed me to outright treason against her was the aforementioned fates of my siblings. Their explained deaths didn’t add up, and I worked hard to uncover the truth. What I learned was that following my successful invasion of Equestria, I would… share their fate. My siblings, the few that had not had their lives callously thrown away and used up like matchsticks, were…”
I paused and rubbed the side of my head, leaning against the podium. If I concentrated hard enough, which I actively tried not to, I could feel the Nightmare’s drilling pressing against it.
“... They were alive. About five of them, in the absolute barest definition of alive. Caught on the brink of death and refused that release, Queen Chrysalis had taken their often horribly torn-apart and mutilated still-living bodies, and… and lobotomized them. Trapped for centuries, dying but unable to die… I ordered their release to happen once Chrysalis and I were too far away from the Hive, but there was something else I found. An empty vat, similar to the vats that each of them were kept in. One empty vat. One foolish Prince who followed mother’s orders… It seemed obvious to me that Chrysalis had no intention of sharing power following the end to our starvation. It was her, or it was me.”
“So you sided with Equestria purely out of fear?” A pony asked, out of turn.
I scowled, but could not rebuke him. It would have looked bad if I refused to answer a question like that.
“N–no. I had searched for alternatives to war, but I failed. I admit that I failed to find a way for peace, and that I didn’t dedicate as much time or resources as I could to finding an alternative path. But I tried from the beginning to avoid the invasion. I even sided with an obviously-evil demon to avoid dooming your species, but to be fair, I gained quite a bit from that alliance. Next question.”
More ponies asked questions. One in particular glared at me in a way I could not ignore.
“Applejack,” I said, pointing to her.
She stood, then suddenly froze before she could speak. Casting a look around, she cleared her throat, “Applejack, Element o’ Harmony. Do ya feel sorry for your actions during the invasion? For tearing families apart, and–” Applejack cut herself off, staring past my shoulder, where I knew Celestia was sitting.
‘A helpful glare from the small sun Princess? Who knows, I’m just glad she shut up.’
I sighed, “I am sorry it happened. One action taken by me during it was… perhaps too far. I had taken a ‘shortcut’ so to say, and hurt a pony I shouldn’t have. However, at the time, I was far from the most collected individual, and I made that mistake in pursuit of something I cannot apologize for; the invasion was to save our species, and for that reason, I cannot condemn it. I am relieved beyond words that such a violent status quo is no longer needed and that we can work together, but as a Prince then and King now, my first duty is to my people. I am sorry the invasion happened, but I cannot be sorry that I did everything I could to save my species from extinction.”
“And what about whatchya did after the invasion?”
‘You better not…’
“Any ponies harmed afterward were harmed due to self-defense. I go out of my way to make sure things are handled as bloodlessly as possible. Next question.”
“Who were these hurt ponies?” Another pony asked, taking advantage of the immediate silence following my answer.
More camera flashes meant that ponies really wanted an answer to that.
“The ponies captured by the Fifth Hive consist entirely of either Division-P inquisitors, whose actions will be covered later today, and individuals under the employment of Count Double Dealings. Next question.”
Applejack raised her hoof again.
“You, the stallion with red eyes,” I pointed away from the Element o’ Harmony.
“Hot Take with the Canterlot Times. King Phasma, what are your plans following the end of the war with Queen Chrysalis?”
I glanced back at Luna. She gave me a half-nod.
“The Fifth Hive will work towards bringing back our species from the edge of extinction, as well as furthering our ties to Equestria.”
“Could you give me some examples of quote, ‘furthering ties?’”
“The Fifth Hive has numerous economic interests, and the amount of involvement of changelings in Equestrian economics grows with each passing week. Our two militaries will be cooperating at a much closer level as time goes on, as the need for a united front grows. Finally… I hope to further our ties to Equestria at the top level.”
‘That’s one way of saying it…’
“Could you clarify that last statement for us?”
The sudden thought of yelling ‘I’m banging Luna,’ did nothing to help my sudden nervousness. If changelings could blush, this would be ten times as awkward.
“Ah, well, you see, Princess Luna was the one who befriended me and helped bridge the gap between our kinds, and, uh…” I tapped my forehooves together, “... has pursued me in courtship.”
‘There.’
I breathed out slowly as all the reporters jumped from their seats and belted out questions.
Celestia returned to the podium, and I made room for her, returning to my seat next to Luna. When I sat down, she reached over and held my hoof.
“You know, they must be suffering from quite the whiplash seeing the Prince of Dread act like a nervous teenager,” she whispered.
“Uh huh, I’m so very fearsome,” I muttered.
“You did well, Phasma. You were endearing, if nothing else.”
“Thanks, Luna. Your support means a lot to me.”
She smiled and nodded as Celestia managed to get the crowd back in control.
“Yes, it is true, Princess Luna and King Phasma are in a relationship,” Celestia confirmed. “What that means for our two Kingdoms is up in the air, however, I am happy to see my sister have such an opportunity for companionship. From complete isolation to… Ah, forgive me. I shall answer any questions you have regarding the peace from our end, my little ponies. Yes, Quick Read?”
The pony she pointed at stood up, “Your Highness, what changes to our daily lives will this bring?”
“Effectively none. This is a great leap forward for our effort to end the war, but there are less than a thousand changelings within the Fifth Hive at the moment. The odds of anypony even seeing a changeling in their life at the moment is almost zero. Exception being anypony in Canterlot, as that’s where the Fifth Hive is temporarily located.”
“One more question, Your Highness,” the pony said. “The ponies held captive by Queen Chrysalis will still be released, right?”
Celestia nodded slowly, “Of course. That was never in question, my little pony.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
“Next question?” Celestia prompted. “Hmm…. Sir Double Check, go ahead.”
‘Double seems to be a common name–’
The pony, a brown unicorn, stood and spoke, “What will be done about the disappearance of Count Double Dealings?”
‘... Fuck. Family, I take it? Guess he didn’t trust any answer from me, or something.’
“Count Double Dealings’ status is being investigated by the Crown. The matter will be properly investigated, and handled with justice and future matters in mind.”
“Future matters?” Double Check quoted back.
“The war is not over, my pony.”
Double Check stomped angrily, “So my nephew’s disappearance is to swept under the rug–”
Celestia’s voice drowned him out, “Your Nephew will receive justice, but there are thousands of lives at stake. Putting everything on hold or at risk for a single life is something I cannot do.”
“You did it when you failed to prepare us for Nightmare Moon’s return,” Double Check snapped.
The ponies gasped, and Celestia leaned back from the podium. She took several moments to recollect herself and stamp down on any errant emotions. This I could tell only due to my empathetic senses, as her body language and facial expressions were kept under complete control.
“Sir Double Check,” Celestia said in an all-too-harsh tone, the kind that your mother used with your full name. “The matter. Will be. Investigated. I have no intention of letting anypony go unharmed, unfreed, or unavenged, depending on their status. However, we must do this with patience and calmness. Making demands will only get more ponies hurt, or any due process irrevocably destroyed. The Crown extends its sympathies to all ponies affected by the invasion in any way, especially to those whose loved ones' statuses are in question.
“Now. Sit. Down. I understand how fearful you might be, so emotional outbursts are not only understandable, but expected, but we must conduct ourselves with decorum. This is still Equestria. We are still in Canterlot. Let us not forget that.”
Celestia cleared her throat, “Now, I believe that should do it for the first round of questions.” She gestured to several aids who stood to the side of the room, and they began distributing papers to the press. “This is the official first debriefing on the matter of Division-P. Since there is much rumor and speculation about Division-P, we shall go over the basics first. Division-P was a covert organization in all but name, whose purpose was to pursue changelings within Equestria. To pursue this effort, in conjunction with the Royal Guard, Division-P hunted down all known changelings within Equestria, following what evidence they had. Several innocent ponies lost their livelihood due to their errant accusations, and several were incarcerated for extended periods. I will give you all a few moments to read over this in detail, now.”
I raised an eyebrow and looked at Luna.
She noticed my expression and whispered, “You have one half of the story, we have the other. ‘Tis all true.”
“Oh. That makes sense. These ponies would have petitioned the Crown, and so their petitions– probably suppressed– would now be in your possession?” I guessed.
Luna nodded. Celestia began again once many of the ponies looked back up at her.
“These are the lightest of the crimes and accusations levied against Division-P, and are not the cause for its liquidation and arrest of all former members. After capturing changelings– and very rarely in the beginnings of its operations, ponies– Division-P held the changelings in the dungeon known as Locksdale Prison.” With another gesture, the aids distributed a second packet. “This contains the preliminary report of survivor eyewitness accounts of their incarceration within Locksdale. Under the orders of Princess Daybreaker…”
As Celestia explained the Inquisition’s actions under her Nightmare-possessed self, I sampled the ponies’ emotions. Growing discontent, disgust, and frustration underpinned every pony’s confusion.
‘Good.’
Several looked to be sick at points, especially when they got to the included photograph of the changeling who had starved to death in Locksdale.
‘Scalene. She was twenty years old. Served in the Third Legion, under my direct command. No one knows how she was captured, but many saw her die. She was experimented upon before she succumbed to her slow death, her injuries proving too much for her to survive while on the small rations she was eventually given. The dossier doesn’t have any of that, just a caption listing her as ‘A changeling who succumbed to injuries due to starvation.’ No name. No story. Just her end.’
I missed Celestia ending the presentation of facts, and her invitation for questions.
Several ponies raised their hooves quietly, with most still glued to the papers in their hooves.
“Princess…. How could you let this happen?”
I also missed who said that, but I didn’t miss Celestia’s response.
“I am sorry, my little pony. I myself had succumbed to feelings of hopelessness during the Invasion of Canterlot, and was possessed by an otherworldly apparition known as a Nightmare. Princess Daybreaker, the melding of myself and this Nightmare, ordered these atrocities to be carried out. I…” Celestia momentarily glanced back at Luna, much like I did. “I cannot accept responsibility for these actions, but I accept all responsibility and blame for letting Daybreaker into this world. This all happened due to my failure to protect you all, and for that I’m sorry.”
There were several more questions about the specifics of Division-P: who was in it (typically Canterlot unicorns), how they got away with this (Daybreaker had given them carte-blanche), how they could even come to do this (still being investigated), and so on.
Eventually, questions came back around to Daybreaker.
“Your Highness, what’s stopping this Daybreaker, or Nightmare Moon even, from returning?”
Celestia nodded to the two Elements in the front row, “In addition to being prepared with the Elements of Harmony for such an occasion, us alicorns are working together to investigate all matters pertaining to Nightmares; from their creation, to how they manifest, to pursuing their extinction. Their primary form of possession requires the subject to be at a very low point in their life, so together we must learn ways to counteract this, and to make sure none of us are so emotionally vulnerable.”
Twilight Sparkle looked– tasted even more so– surprised, and raised her hoof. She waited for the Princess to call on her, “Princess Celestia, what do you mean by exterminating these Nightmares?”
“I believe King Phasma can answer that,” Celestia said, stepping down and inviting me up.
I took the podium and nodded to Twilight, “These Nightmares are longtime enemies of changelings. Though this fact was unknown even to us until extremely recently, they have been the chief driving force for our extinction, having toppled at least one changeling civilization already. It is hypothesized within the Fifth Hive that they are the ones who have driven us to living far out in the Badlands, away from any form of civilization and in a particularly defendable position. As for their extermination, they have made their desire to end the world quite clear, and no form of peace can exist between us.
“They are demons in every sense of the word; their morals are incomprehensible, their nature is unknown, and their intent cannot be understood. All we know is that they want power, and for us to be hosts for them, therefore ending our civilizations. Their leader, known only as Epitaph, is currently missing, locked away somewhere, and must be “freed,” to quote one Nightmare. In conjunction with Equestria and Vallachia, we will scour Equus for these abominations, and put an end to them for the safety of Equus.”
I stepped back, but Celestia held up a hoof.
“Any questions?” She asked the crowd, keeping me next to her.
Together, we answered more questions about the Nightmares, the three known possession cases– we had left out the case of the lone changeling being possessed. I suspected Celestia didn’t want them to think that any person could be possessed, only alicorns and changeling royals.
All the while, I kept my focus on Twilight and Applejack. The two had drastically shifted moods since the beginning of the press conference, much like every other pony here. Applejack for her part seemed to have lost much of her anger, or rather, redirected it elsewhere. When she looked at me, the spite no longer lingered in her gaze. In its place, a concoction of complicated emotions clouded any clear reading.
‘I suppose that’s a win for me.’
Nice.
Great chapter and damn, we are getting real close to the end, aren't we?
"Phasma, the Dread Prince of the Changelings who invaded and conquered Canterlot!" -Newspaper headline, but the picture is him awkwardly tapping his hooves together as he admits to dating Luna.
This was an amusing chapter, especially Applejack doing her best to pursue the truth to the detriment of the political situation. Seems very in character for her.
I'm still annoyed that he actively chose to to do the stupid thing when the smart option was easier. I mean no-one even asked and he just started admitting to crimes and berating the mane 6 for being horrified. Isn't he supposed to be competent politician?
I guess he managed to remove some of those brain worms for the press event, at least temporarily. I will take not doing anything breathtakingly retarded as a victory at this point.
Nice chapter and I hope Twilight and Applejack enjoyed the taste of their own words.
Well, the newspapers are going to have the dilemma of the century choosing which piece of news is worthy of headlines. Front pages of the next printings are bound to be interesting.
👍
I've never dropped my maths class faster than I did for this
Twas a good chapter, as per usual. Keep it up K.K!
Always love the bit of humor you insert
Would you like to know more?
Isimud (also Isinu; Usmû;[1] Usumu (Akkadian)) is a minor god, the sukkal of the god Enki, in Sumerian mythology.
In ancient Sumerian artwork, Isimud is easily identifiable because he is always depicted with two faces facing in opposite directions in a way that is similar to the ancient Roman god Janus.
Division P managed to off a few ponies as well? I wonder if one of them was the Sun Times journalist mentioned way back in chapter 64 who got "'caught" harbouring changelings'.
Looks like Applejack is happily burning through her credit with the Dirachy, somewhat understandable considering her element and general down to earth nature but not exactly who you want shoving an oar into a delicate press conference.
I do also wonder if nephew Double Check knows how much of a bastard his uncle was, Double Dealings wasn't exactly favoured by other Canterlot elite if Mirror Finish's experience is anything to go by. I could see Check trying to rally other nobles but the sections of the nobility which would ambitious/morally bankrupt/xenophobic enough to start an opposition to Phasma over this were no doubt already ccessories to murder/imprisonment/torture of both ponies and changelings meaning unless Check gets in touch with Inquisitors still at large he'll be more a barely noticable annoyance than anything.
I do wonder what the political landscape is going to look like after this post Division P. Lord Artful Acumen's Puritan Coalition would pretty much be DoA, much of the sycophants who haunted the Royal Court and hadn't been rounded up would be screaming to the high heavens that they weren't involved and Prince Blueblood's little 'social circle/royal court' he was trying to cultivate is going to evaporate, especially once it gets out that Princess Cadence was actively working against Division P and he did not.
I love how you took Applejacks' notorious stubbornness and cranked it up.
Of course murder would bother her, after all, she lost her parents. In her mind anybody losing a family member is the highest injustice one could suffer.
Seeing something like that happen would push her stubborn streak to blind levels, and it wouldn't matter whether she was right or not, or if she is trying to protect a murderous bastard like Dealings.
Love it, *chefs kiss*
Nice
Careful Double Check,accidents happen or some ponies can just dissaper.
I hope Phasma will use his changelings to silence some nuisance. Of course without telling others.
Shouldn't he be angry about that and tell that to Celestia to change it?
At least a name and her injuries to make the picture even more clearer for ponies
Wow, princess of ponies preaching friendship decided on genocide on species ,even on members that didn't do and won't anything, and those that aren't monsters?
The sarcasm mixed with a real question
Calling all demons inherently bad and other bad stuff is probably kind of racist at this point...
Demons are pretty much likable and can be good.
It can even turn out that angels and heaven are much worse
Didn't Phasma learn this from earth ?
For example Hazbin Hotel,Helluva Boss and other media with demons?
It grinds my gears to see crowds corner characters like this, prodding them for info when they can't/shouldn't react or retaliate. Then again, this is politics, and TBH I was never one for posturing and such. I much preferred the story when Phasma was down to earth in Hooferville, even if he had to keep a low profile. I know it's close to the end, but a few more chapters or even some scene like those with the Mane 6 would be great, if you can fit that in.
Also, far be it from me to judge, but in the art you linked, an anatomically correct human torso with deltoids on a pony/changeling is WEIRD.
Headline, Royals possessed by demons! Calls to abolish the diarchy grow!
Yep. The three most important political players have all been possessed. Questions about leaving all this power in the hooves of potential demon hosts will be raised. Double Check will have more of an ax to grind in a bit.
Later headline "Princesses unfit to rule! Anti-diarchy protesters took to the streets to condemn what they call a cover-up of crimes. Protest leader Double Check told us 'My family was destroyed by that bug, and the crown sided with an invader. Ponies can't put or faith in a government that is corrupted by demons.'"
11043173
I don't know why but I immediately read this like a newspaper message from Hearts of Iron IV XD
i.redd.it/qhwcqum7zm8x.jpg
11043151
These demons aren’t from Helluva Boss, anything you learned from that show does not apply here.
Beautyful chapter. Lovely revelations.
I wonder when the war against Nightmare's start turning into overdrive. Perhaps Storm King event?
O bloody hell, its motherbucking Sombra isn't it?
11043204
They were examples, to give an idea at what I mean
Headline: Princess Luna a pedofile?Dating a year old!
Will protective services take care if him?
Read more on Page 5!
Also:
Count Double Check filing paper to adopt the one year old Changeling soon to be orphan. "Time to raise the poor todler"
11043212
And they were used to help a point that doesn't make sense, that the demons of this world maybe are not all bad.
As far as we can tell, they are all bad, and using Helluva Boss and others as examples doesn't help the point cause they don't apply to this story.
11043178
i.imgur.com/gKQ0Ph1.png
11043125
Division P has always harmed both ponies and changelings. If I'm not mistaken this is the very first time they are brought up (even if not named), all the way back in chapter 65:
Although it's interesting to note how the captives are now characterized as innocent civilians that Division P mistook as changelings, rather than political prisoners sent to jail by Daybreaker herself.
11043212
Bayonetta is also a good way to show dark side good, light side baaad.
11043169
Well, this is a press conference. The whole point of the event is to let the media corner important people and pepper them with questions in a controlled environment.
I really like these last few chapters. They are very political in a good way, with peace negotiations and press conferences. I hope that I can find more great stories like this one on that aspect. Cute picture too.
Keep up with the writting KK
11043230
Random reporters :
"King Phasma, did you have sex with Princess Luna already?
"Is Princess Luna pregnant?"
"Is Celestia next?"
"King Phasma, do you plan increasing the changelings population by impregnating ponies by yourself or with other changelings?! "
"Do you plan this way to conquer Equestria, become a Changeling Emperor by winning elections by changeling majority?"
11043151
Yes, lets think of the nice 'demons' who...
Oh.
The Nightmares are at best a hyper-evolved predator species who unlike Changelings have not and most likely will not discover that mutual symbiosis with their prey is better than 'the hunt', considering that even co-operation between themselves is fraught with betrayal due to taking the term 'survival of the fittest' to the extreme.
11043169
Its another way to produce conflict in a story that doesn't involve physical combat, as well as possibly set up some future event/arc as KKSlider likes to do.
11043229
Actually, in Bayonetta both sides are bad. The "good guys" are the Witches and Sages trying to keep Demons and Angels in check.
11043239
I prefer considering Nightmares as "reality viruses" like the Outsiders from Harry Dresden. They infect the body (world) through vulnerable cells (individuals) and propagate until the host dies and move to the next.
11043239
Kind of similar to pony and changeling relationship,isn't it?
A non-harmful solution for extracting love was never found and was supposedly impossible too,the same with friendship with ponies,etc
So why not find nightmares of this world to form a Nightmare alliance
11043237
"No, I do not. Even if I was a changeling, I do not think it works quite the way you expect it to. Also, I'm reasonably certain I shouldn't be in this story."
11043258
FUUUUUUCK
Their names begin with P, not my fault XD
FUCK MY LIFE XD
I changed it,thankfully I wrote Phasma the first time correctly but the second time,Page ,(probably thanks to Discord), somehow lost his way to this story and Phasma asked him replace him for a moment to not answer reporters stupid questions XD
11043227
I simply didn't expect Division P to manage to kill their own kind. Imprison, pod and use for the first few 'feedings' of captured changelings, that was shown in the story at various points, but not actually kill a pony.
It doesn't fit their MO, considering the bitchfit Daybreaker had over the death of a single Inqusistor in the line of duty and her general desire to keep ponies 'her' ponies safe.
11043261
There would be less than 5 pony deaths, and they were mostly due to accidents, and what Daybreaker doesn't know won't hurt her....
11043266
Makes sense, though I would have loved to see the resulting explosion from Daybreaker once she learned of those deaths in an alternate reality from the current story.
I doubt she would actually kill anyone but the targets of her rage wouldn't exactly be in one piece, at very least mentally after a rageshow directed at them like that.
11043211
my money is on the pony of shadows
11043256
As I stated in my reply, co-existence requires co-operation, something the Changelings have in spades among themselves even in the dysfunctional Fourth Hive.
Nightmares have no such internal co-operation, perfectly willing to gank each other at the first opportunity. There was a reason why I selected the 'turn on Epitaph' quote from chapter 96.
Mutual understanding and co-existence can only work if both sides are willing, something that the Nightmares have shown to be unwilling to extend even among themselves, let alone their prey.
The Changelings have been offered the chance for 'reformation' because they have been shown both the ability and willingness to change. To offer Nightmares, the 'ultimate' predators who would murderkill anything stupid enough to offer (even other Nightmares) puts me in mind of the morons in Doom Eternal and the whole 'mortally challenged' shitshow.
i.redd.it/twocfg8jrmm11.jpg
TLDR: Think Nightmares like they are monster sharks, monster sharks who are hungry and want to eat you (edit: and each other). They have even said as much. And you want to stick your head into their mouths to see if they are friendly or not.
That image is adorable an i love it. Also love how the artist made it look like something painted on a canvas and not done in a computer program. Anyways led up the awesome work!
Gee, thanks.
11043344
just remember: you're nothing more than a tool
11043075
"Isn't he supposed to be competent politician?"
No. No he is not a skilled Politician, he's just got two highly skilled politicians beside him guiding him.
11043256
Nightmares are like the ancient sith. You cannot ally with them
11043375
But it's different with normal siths,new generation of siths.
So it's similar with Venom from Marvel.
There is a chance to ally with a young, or weaker nightmare that is on the bottom of the hierarchy, or both
11043379
Well “normal sith” to me are like the ancient. The rest are “lesser sub sith” which is why they can maybe be allied with in some circumstance
As for new generation it depends by the general rule will always be fight among selves for power, cannot ever be trusted or allied with. And with the nightmares they are creatures, manifestations of powerful negative emotions brought to life my ponies subconscious and natural magical energy of equs whose nature makes them all like that and can’t be changed and like a dangerous animal must be put down for the sake of the lives of actually “people” or ponies
In my head cannon they aren’t even sentient but merely mirror the sentience and intelligence of the minds which they were created from, unable to be independent of it
Did Applejack’s emotions shift because of the revelations on what kind of cruelty ponies are actually capable of? I imagine when Phasma said he killed double dealings in self defense applejack probably did not imagine a pony would have killed or maimed another or simply didn’t believe him but given what division P was shown to be capable of I can imagine she now knows what he may have actually been capable of. Which only makes her look like more of an ass for trying to make phasma look like a villain (alright well more like a villain) during the press conference.
All that aside I loved this chapter and hope for more!
But he isn't yet? Is Luna really that forward?
11043151
But demons aren't real and them shows are tv shows
At the time of this comment there are 50 people reading the story at once
11043075
You must have forgotten about what backstory we've been giving in the story about Phas before his reincarnation in Equs, he was just your average Joe, a filthy casual in early to mid 20'ies like you and I who was murdered with no context to why.
Also his 'mother' Crissy here didn't put any effort in his year long growth spurt to teach him how to be a politician before the war.
11043427
Ha, you might to reread the small scene after the Gala.
11043459
Yo I came back from a 8 day field exercise and coming back to read two chapters of this made my fucking day. Especially because on the first 3 days it rained snowed and hailed (it was like bead size hail). it sucked