Oh to be Old Again: What They Know - regards to Interlude 5 · 3:59am Aug 26th, 2013
Ok, I know this is a long-running series and sometimes, things can get confusing. So I'ma lay it all out - this is what each character 'knows' from their point of view. So Twilight might be wrong about some things, Pinkie might be wrong about some things, Spring might be wrong about some things, and Bruce might be wrong about some things. They do not know what the others know.
WHAT TWILIGHT KNOWS: Bruce was 'abused' in some vague fashion and thinks he's a human. He knows things about her and her friends that are not public knowledge. She knows humans do not exist and cannot be created. She knows magic very well and knows how it can be used. She doesn't think he's a 'spy,' she thinks he's an escaped focus of some sort by some as-yet unidentified threat - an easily-controlled child they used to concentrate their power. Regardless of if they're trying to use him still, she needs to know what that threat is so it can be eliminated. Even if they're not using Bruce still, Bruce might know where they are or who they are or have some clue as such - and just because he's a focus doesn't mean he's the ONLY focus or the 'vague badguy' might not just create another one. She doesn't have access to Spring's notes that mention Diamond Dogs so that has never entered her mind.
WHAT FLUTTERS AND RD KNOW: Bruce was sexually molested at some point in time, physically abused and escaped his captors. He knows things about them that are not public knowledge. He tends to run away from bad situations and hide and he seems to be 'body-shy' - both indicators that their knowledge of him is right. His detailed knowledge of them make them confused and they will both probably defer to those with more intimate knowledge of magic and such to deal with that - no way could he know this kind of stuff otherwise.
WHAT AJ AND RARITY KNOW: Bruce was 'abused' in some vague fashion and thinks he's a human. They're not sure if humans exist anymore - he's so convinced of that. He has some kind of knowledge of them that is greater than even they can recall but it seems spotty. AJ specifically thinks he has a 'second sight' while Rarity will probably defer to Twilight in this - she's good with magic in her field but not a generalist. Rarity specifically thinks Bruce knows of some of her past dalliances and wants to keep those secret (she just thinks that way - he doesn't and never hinted at that). AJ specifically thinks he might lead her to where her missing-presumed dead parents are (he can't, she made that leap from 'second sight').
WHAT PINKIE KNOWS: Bruce is a very hurt colt, regardless of what he was before. Humans probably don't really exist but something happened to Bruce and she wants him to be happy again. It doesn't really matter anyway because he's a hurt little colt NOW and needs help. He doesn't act like the foals she's used to but he's not quite adult-like so she doesn't know how exactly to help him yet - she's working on it though. She's leaving it up in the air about the humans because, hey, stranger things have happened and she has a gut feeling that he might be right - it's just a bit outside of her experience and still hard to grasp.
WHAT SPRING KNOWS: Bruce was sexually and physically abused for years before he was found. He's created a fantasy world based off a popular book series to help deal with the trauma. She ONCE THOUGHT it might have been Diamond Dog enslavement but the physical trauma associated with that is not present so she's pretty sure it was his parents (who were monogamous and that's just 'weird' to her anyway - bias against that sort of lifestyle). She knows that Twilight and company are NOT a positive influence on foals - especially this one - because of some inter-departmental strife and her own dislike of these 'heroines' that have taken the spotlight when real heroes are regular ponies doing their jobs - like her. A bit of a pride thing to her. She really, really wants Bruce to find a loving family to take him in and provide a stable and solid foundation for a healthy pony life. She wants him to accept what he is and was and deal with it in a healthy way instead of retreating to fantasy-land.
WHAT BRUCE KNOWS: He's a 32 year old human stuck in a 9 year old pony body. He wants to get back to his wife above all because she needs him - the hell with everything else. These ponies are insane and if they would just stop treating him like a kid he wouldn't throw so many temper tantrums - Catch 22. Spring is particularly crazy because of her notes.
WHAT CELESTIA KNOWS: Something was pulled through and needs to be found to fix a problem. That something seems to be a child-creature now in the body of a foal. She needs to figure out a way to solve the issue without killing the child but she doesn't know how yet.
WHAT DISCORD KNOWS: Not as much as he thinks he does.
WHAT LUNA KNOWS: PAIN
So a flame-storm erupted in the comments about this chapter. Let it be known: this was pretty much my intention all along - to have no one believe him until a certain thing occurs. And I'm not 100% sure that thing is going to occur - about 95%. Give it 85% to be safe. Anyway, yes - this was ALWAYS my plan. Sorry to those having massive yelling-at-screen moments but thems what happened. I've actually lost a few readers at this chapter ... which surprised me, I thought I'd lose them at the CMC staring at Bruce's junk but hey. SO! This has been plan A all along. Sorry.
Haha, I noticed you got an explosion of confused comments with this last chapter. With fanfiction, few authors manage to write from persistent perspectives so folks aren't always used to the characters not having perfect knowledge of a situation. That and with how long it's been since they read previous chapters I'm sure some information falls into the gaps over time. It's just one of those things fanfiction writers end up dealing with in this hobby.
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Yeah, I know. I'm hoping this will calm some of those ... oh man, I almost meme'd here. Sorry about the mess. Anyway, calm some people down.
Hey Gnejen, if I spoil things for you later by asking you a question, will you hate me?
...This isn't any new information, really. Though I forget how Luna is factoring into things-- as far as I recall we haven't seen or heard from her at all yet. So, the "PAIN" is a bit confusing, but other than that this was pretty clear from the story.
I guess some people had preconceived plans for where they wanted this to go? Kinda silly imo, but I've fallen into the same trap myself from time to time, so I don't have much room to criticize.
So much confusion.
Also, Luna. I dun like the looks of that. . .
Win. I lost it there, and I've no idea why. It's good to see you trying to clear up the confusion, Minalkra.
I kinda got all of that from the story... I'm not sure why people are confused.
1308855 In interlude 4, Parabola Parable, Celestia said someone pulled something through and is now dying because of it. Luna was never mentioned by name though, so I definitely get where your confusion is coming from.
Bruce might as well run away again and jump the next train to Canterlot. Course that would end as well as expected.
Luna became so engross in the human series that she wanted to bring one to Equestria. Something that should have been impossible to do. Turns out it was, she just forced the magic and it backlashed on her.
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Ah, thanks, that helps. I guess interdimensional travel WOULD be a little beyond the reach of a regular pony, anyway. xD
Luna: PAIN?
Does she command a swarm of bees, or something?
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Bullet ants actually
Wait people were confused by the latest chapter?
was having a mental break down and Twilight was ready to kill Spring 
(kind of like me!)
The only thing that confused me in this story was how Celestia and Discord are around for one chapter and then they fall of the face of this fanfic. Also I was surprised how Rarity was the voice of reason compared to AJ or Twilight in the argument. Well to be fair I guess AJ
Sufficient evidence to believe Bruce is far from established, despite his uncanny knowledge. Nopony believes him, nor should they.
That said, they do all eventually need to learn the truth about him.
It would be a severe disappointment if that never happens.
Here's what I know: I like this story!
So what is the thing that will happen later in the chapters that will make the ponies believe Bruce? In fact, why didn't Bruce ask a simple question, "What would it take to prove to you beyond a shadow of a doubt what I am saying is true?"
I don't know what I would do in Bruce's situation, perhaps maybe talk to Spring, about everything I possibly know and the truth about my family and my "Previous Life". And maybe tell her that her skepticism is understandable and if the situation was reversed, with her in a human body saying she came from a world full of magical ponies, I probably would think she was delusional too.