//------------------------------// // Act 2: Sullen Pride // Story: Friendship is Failure #5: Pride and Punishment // by DakariKingMykan //------------------------------// ACT TWO Working as a loader. All Talon ever did was move big boxes and packages from the delivery wagons into the stockrooms of the building, or vice-versa. If it wasn't boring it was exhausting, and the only reward other than the money he earned was the exercise that came with it. Of course, being the gifted and imaginative actor he was, during breaks, he often liked to be alone, and sit himself in quiet corners, and imagine himself in adventure fantasies-- like shooting a movie or being in a cool play. Today he quietly daydreamed about a space fighter movie. He was the leader, sitting in a fighter ship and that he and his fleet were soaring through space in a cosmic war.   Strangely, he imagined his teammates resembled Twilight and her friends. “Scout to wing-leader!” cried Twilight, “We’ve got enemies coming at Twelve-o-clock!” Radar showed many enemy ships and a giant battle-cruiser heading their way. “Weapons armed, let’s party!” said Talon. “Aye-Aye!” said Spike. “I what…?” asked Rarity. “Never mind!” replied Spike.   The ships flew in and engaged battle, firing lasers and missiles. Rainbow shot two bogeys down. “Take that space suckers!” “Help!” Twilight cried “I’ve got one on my tail! I can’t shake it!” “I’m coming!” cried Talon, and he maneuvered in and shot the bogey down, “No one threatens my teammate.” With all the rouges finished off, the team prepared to finish off the mother kill cruiser, piloted by the dreaded Athlitas… the dreaded space pirate. She actually contacted them on their radios, “You and your forces are doomed, Captain Talon. You’ll have no choice but to surrender to me!” “Not today Athlitas!” shouted Talon. The kill cruiser began to fire many laser beams and missiles, prompting the team to swerve, roll and maneuver their ships in furious directions. The ships started to get hit. “Energy systems dropping!” cried Twilight. “We’ll be blown apart!” shrieked Rarity. “Keep going, we’ve got her in range!” “Aye-Aye!” said Spike. “I what?” asked Rarity. “Ugh… forget it!” snapped Spike. The ships continued to maneuver in. “Get ready!” shouted Talon “Fire!” and they all unleashed their missiles to the bridge. Athlitas screamed as the missiles crashed and began to destroy the cruiser. “Brace yourselves… SHE’S GONNA BLOW!!” shouted Talon! KAPOW!! The cruisier was destroyed, blown into space junk, and the team was safe. “All ships check in!” called Talon. Twilight: “So far, so go!”  Rarity: “Okay, okay! What’s next?” Rainbow: “No sweat, skipper!” Spike: “Aye-Aye… and don’t say it!”   With the day saved, the five ships headed off for their next assignment. That’s when Talon snapped back into reality. He sighed, having felt much better, but someone cleared their throat wanting attention. "What, I'm on my break!" Talon snapped, but then he realized it was Twilight and he friends stopped at the gate. “Oh, it’s you all again.” Twilight said to the manager she had important business to talk with Talon, and was granted permission to come in while he was on his break. “We’d like to talk with you, Talon-Ted.” said Twilight “And as princess of friendship, I insist on it.” her friends supported her. Talon sighed irritably, “Look, I know what my sister’s trying to do and I can assure you that you’re wasting your time. I have no interest in becoming an actor or celebrity.” “But why ever not…?” Rarity asked “We’ve seen just a little of your skill already and you could be the greatest star in all of Equestria.” “Yeah, isn’t it your dream to be a superstar?” asked Rainbow “That’s what Ath-Lita told us.” Talon sighed and rolled his eyes. “My sis may be great at sports and all that stuff, but she’s also the world’s foremost expert on ignoring everything you say, and caring only for herself!” The others all felt that sounded harsh, but strange at the same time. Suddenly, a magical letter appeared right before. He sighed irritably as he read the envelope, “Another invitation from Canterlot Players.” Rarity’s eyes lit up like the sun, “Canterlot… Players! Why that’s only the most prestigious, most elegant, most inspiring guild of performances in all of Equestria!” Twilight and Spike remembered going there, during Twilight’s time in Canterlot before coming to Ponyville. They loved the performances and the plays, and were even permitted backstage at times to meet the actors in person, and even get their autographs. “I can’t believe they sent you an invitation!” cried Twilight. Talon gazed grimly at the envelope, not even bothering to open it. “Actually this isn’t the first time they’ve done it, and not the first time either I’ve done this…!” and he softly but fiercely tore up the letter into pieces, making the gang gasp and Rarity faint in shock… “I’ve told them more than enough times that I have no desire to join them, or any acting group.” said Talon. “But why?” asked Twilight “Why would you want to throw away the chance of a lifetime?” Talon could see he would have to explain; a story he had explained so many times it was boring him to death. “I used to dream about being a famous actor. That’s why I practiced non-stop. I would watch performers and how they do it and try to copy them. I would memorize the transcripts perfectly, match their voices, and when I got to meet actors in person I would impress them with my own talents, and they told me… “You should be an actor.” Unfortunately, I had a dream. I know that most actors required college degrees, or professional lessons, and some even needed to hold up a simple job in order to be accepted into these things.” A moment of silence followed, “Well, yeah that’s the only way to get into these things now or days.” said Rainbow.” “Is it!” snapped Talon “Well what about child actors? I don’t see their degrees, and I don’t them having to go through college. Sure they have a few lessons and stuff like that, but they got it easy. So I felt I didn’t need any of that stuff. I was already talented enough, more than anything any school could teach me, but unfortunately the acting world proved to be horribly biased and full of bigotry. No one would give me the chance simply because I lacked a degree and the backgrounds they wanted. Therefore" they wouldn't even give me a chance to audition, and just kicked me out. I tried to protest and begged them to let me try; that my acting was good I could even surprise them-- No luck. Yet, along came some other ponies with degrees, and they were welcomed in with open limbs. I would them audition, and their acting left much to be desired-- off note singing, lousy dancing, and the impressions-- oh they were so awful!!! ...Yet those ponies were instantly praised and given roles... simply for having a degree!! Never had I seen such ridiculousness, and yet it seemed to rule over all. No Degree... ...No Entry! My sister began to detest the way I approaching things and insisted that I go to school and do things “The Right Way” as she put it. "Get that Degree." she demanded "Stop being such a pathetic disgrace!" My own sister, just as bigoted as all the rest, and now here she was telling me to forget myself and become just like all the rest. I tried and I tried to explain to her, but she wouldn’t hear of it, and she ended up signing me in for acting college, and I had no right to refuse… or she threatened to beat me with a bat. So I went in, and as expected, I didn’t need their training, I was already a big hit and became the top student in class… simply from what I learned by teaching myself. Classes were still expensive, so I took up a job as a shipper on loading docks to pay for it. I graduated early and got that ridiculous degree everyone kept preaching to me about. That's when all the doors to the acing world finally opened before me; the agents were finally willing to give me the time of day, and offers were pouring in like crazy, even though I hadn't even auditioned. My answer was "No!" to all them!! …No surprises, they were shocked and appalled that I refused every single offer given to me! I told them that I was angry; angry with them, with my sister, and with the entire acting community, for making me go against my pride. I wanted to prove to the world that you didn’t need a degree or such things like a job or professional lessons to get into the business. Now that I actually have a degree, there’s no way I can prove that! If I were to audition and accept roles, it would mean becoming just like they were-- bigoted, biased, and extremely hypocritical. Ponies would laugh at me behind my back. What?! NOW... I was suddenly good enough for them... just because I had some ridiculous piece of paper?! I wouldn't, I couldn't... become one of them, and hurt my pride all the more. So, I gave up on becoming an actor all together; continuously rejecting any and all offers thrown my way. Of course along the way I had that accident and broke my back legs for a while, but they gave me a huge cash settlement and I healed, so I don’t really need to be an actor anymore.” The rest was pretty much history. The others could tell that ever since, all Talon ever did was work as a docks loaders and then return home to do nothing but laze about, or act and dance every now and then. “I.. de… urgh!” Rarity choked on her words and felt like her brain was going to explode from what she had just heard. “I’ve never heard such nonsense!” The others were inclined to agree; giving up on something so good that could make so many happy because of self-pride?! “That is my decision!” said Talon, “And the last thing I need is more ponies like you telling me what I should be doing. Now, if you'll excuse me, my break is over. I have to get back to work." Twilight refused to let something like this go. “Talon, listen to me. You need to understand, you’re just making things hard for yourself and for those who care about you.” Talon was finding it harder to maintain his temper. “All right, Princess," he said looking her deep in the eye, "If you think it's so wonderful, YOU get a degree, and then YOU become a huge celebrity that way. ...BUT GET OFF ME!!" With that, he stormed off leaving Twilight and friends aghast. "How rude!" sneered Rarity. "What a jerk!" added Rainbow "We're just trying to help him, and I balks at us like that." Twilight felt just as upset about it too, but she still wasn't willing to give in. "Come on, gang. We've got thinking to do."