The Survival Of The Species

by Borderline Valley

Chapter 18: Laying and Lifting the Law

James Mender

“So, you don’t have a plan?” I ask him, dryly.

“I have dozens of plans, don’t insult me. You, however, get to make your own choices. I’ll just be giving advice,” Discord answers.

“What can you tell us about what we’re up against, then?” Captain Weathers asks.

“That kind of thinking,” Discord responds with amusement. “The goal is to merge into pony society seamlessly, so that neither of you think in terms of ‘us and them’ anymore.”

“That’s certainly isn’t going to happen overnight, I hope you realize.” Alexander says with a measure of concern.

“Of course it isn’t. It won’t be accomplished in your generation, surely,” Discord comments.

“I thought the goal was to keep on living?” Captain Weathers points out, warily.

Discord gives an exaggerated sigh. “Keeping you alive and propagating is simple. I could easily whisk the lot of you away to a large island, thousands of miles away, and set you up with a self-sustaining environment. I even have an old acquaintance I could easily pawn you off to, and he would do something similar.” Discord laughs darkly. “That would be little better than a prison, and your potential would be wasted. Besides, such guarantees have unpleasant side-effects, so that is one of my last resorts. I will keep my end of the deal, but that doesn’t mean I’ll use the easy, boring, slow-death-of-all-things-good-about-you way.” Discord then mutters something under his breath that I can’t quite make out.

This is rather unsettling news, to say the least. After my previous experiences with this god, I hadn’t expected such a serious atmosphere when he showed up earlier this morning and wanted a meeting with the four of us. Perhaps being a chaos god means he isn’t always frivolous? Just to keep us guessing?

“So… integration,” Rodin says thoughtfully.

“Aside from the language barrier, what sort of obstacles will we face?” Birchwood asks.

“Culture shock, mostly. You have some things in common, but there’s a lot more that you don’t,” Discord muses. “They’re more technologically advanced than you, but they don’t exactly use it to make weapons, so you’ll actually have an edge militarily.” Discord snaps his head to the side in order to give Captain Weathers a look. “Not that you should ever need that edge.”

The Captain nods in silent agreement.

“Don’t worry about the language barrier, by the way. It isn’t a problem anymore,” Discord adds as an afterthought.

Rodin’s eyebrows shoot up in interest. “How did that happen?”

Discord just cackles, “Wouldn’t you like to know!”

“Moving forward,” I interrupt, trying to keep us on the same page, “What is this ‘Culture Shock’ thing you’re talking about? Some kind of magic?”

Discord looks at me, seemingly disappointed for some reason. “You ever travel, James?”

I frown. “A few times.” Times I don’t like to remember.

“Ever meet people who did things differently than you?”

“I did, yes.” At least, thinking that I was different from those people is how I can sleep at night.

“And were you friendly with these people?”

“No… I killed them.” It’s the whole reason I was traveling in the first place, but even in that context, everyone I’ve met whose ways opposed mine has ended up dead... I think I see his point.

Of course, if these ponies are insane and power-hungry enough to even compare to rogue Spirit Weavers, then I would have no qualms about killing them anyway. It would just be good common sense. But from what he’s told us, these ponies aren’t even familiar with killing; but how else could they be different from us?

“I don’t think the comparison really works, however.”

Discord snorts. “From the sounds of things, you need to learn tolerance. I had hoped for better from you humans.” He cracks a grin. “The ponies actually could teach you a few things about that.” The grin fades into a grimace. “Not a great deal, but they can teach you some.”

“How exactly are the ponies different, Discord?” Birchwood asks.

“I think he’s actually avoiding answering that question; am I right?” Rodin asks amusedly.

I am a little surprised at Rodin's insight, I admit, though perhaps I should not be. Ever since our minds had been temporarily merged, we’ve both changed a little. For the better, I hope. Perhaps I should re-evaluate him?

“You wound me!” Discord gasps dramatically, “As if I would ever deliberately dodge a question!” and dissolves into laughter; literally, dissolving into motes of light that swirl around the room.

The god re-forms behind us, leaning on the wall of the small building we reside in. “But in all seriousness, I don’t want to spoil the fun. The ponies won’t know much about you going into this; it’s just fair that you won’t know much about them either. With a little luck, and awareness that it’s not going to be a walk in the park, it should all work out fine, but the first few years should be good for some laughs regardless.”

“How exactly are we supposed to plan for this, if you won’t tell us anything concrete?” The Captain asks, exasperated.

Discord sighs. “Alright, fine. I have three plans of my own I can describe, and you can weigh their merit yourselves. But if you really want my advice, the whole village has to abide by a condition.”

I suppress a shudder. This might not end well. I still can’t believe I accepted that bet with him. What am I going to do with five favors?

I could spend one now and get him to tell us for free… But I don’t think he’d be very pleased about that.

As if in response to my thoughts, the god quirks an eyebrow in my direction, and waits for some sort of response to his offer.

“Alright, I think it’s worth it.” Rodin speaks up; leaning forward and resting his arms on the table we’re sitting around. “What’s this condition?”

Discord smiles, showing quite a few teeth, and reminding me of those wolves we so recently put down. “I’ve told you how the word ‘god’ isn’t used anymore? Well it really isn’t used anymore, to the point where introducing it again would be a bad idea. My condition is that you all stop using it. Call me the ‘Spirit of Chaos’, call the Alicorn sisters the ‘Princesses’, or make up your own names for us, I don’t care, just leave references to divinity out of conversation. Especially conversations with other races. This is the price of my advice.” Discord’s demeanor is more calm and serious than I’ve ever seen him.

I blink, looking at the god with confusion. Why would they not want that knowledge to be spread around? No matter what his reasons are, it’s a simple enough thing to do. Spreading word of this requirement is easy enough; the only problem will be convincing people to actually watch what they say and how they say it. I think I’ll leave that part to Birchwood.

Taking the resulting introspective silence as confirmation, Discord speaks up again, the atmosphere lightening a bit, prompting me to realize that air was heavy with something serious a moment ago.

“So, three plans. Here we go.” With a wave of his claw, one wall of the building is converted to some kind of black slate, and what looks like little sticks of chalk hover and begin to draw some diagrams on it.

It gets very complicated, very quickly.

---

Captain Weathers

Shaking my head to clear it, I do my best to focus on the task at hand. That meeting was trying in more ways than one, and I admit that the plan… or plans, really, that we chose rubs me a little bit the wrong way, but if that’s what is needed, that’s what we will do.

“Sir?” Vern inquires of me.

Right. Task at hand. “Find Sergeant Derik and tell him I want a report on how construction is going. Then spread the word that a council is being called tonight.”

Surprise registers on his face for a moment, before he quickly salutes me, “Yes Sir!” and moves off to carry out his orders.

Looking around, it’s not difficult to see how much progress has been made with my own two eyes, but it’s important that we not relax the system in place, lest it fail us when we really need it.

Derik finds me in short order, snapping to attention as he begins his report and reading off of some notes. I listen with one ear, as I compare his words to what I’m seeing. “-he last of the temporary shelters were deemed finished and claimed by the remaining families this morning. Work on the barracks was halted per your instructions and the last of the stone we brought with us was used in the foundation of Mender’s hospital, which is now ready for the framework. The teams cutting lumber had a few accidents, one of which required medical attention. According to Miss Minter, the civilian will make a full recovery.”

“Are the Forges ready to begin work yet?”

“No, Sir. They claim to need a smithy built to specifications we can’t accommodate quite yet. They have the tools, but not the environment in which to use them.”

My brow furrows in concern. We’re fine for the moment, but our tools will only last so long before we need the Forges to be able to make repairs.

“Do you have the report from the hunting teams?” I ask.

“Here.” He hands me the report in question.

It would seem that we’re collecting a surplus again, and are building a decent store of the more lasting foodstuffs, which means our cooks can start doing more creative things with the meals.

Good. It will be nice to get some real cooking again.

“Thank you, Sergeant, you’re dismissed.” With another salute, Derik takes his leave.

Well that’s that, then. After three whole days of construction, we finally have enough buildings to give everyone a roof over their heads at night. This is as good a time as ever to lift it. It might slow progress some, but that’s the price we pay, and there isn’t as much of a rush to finish, now that everyone has the basics.

I square my shoulders and start looking for the Forges, to see what might be done. Tonight will take care of itself, now that the word is out.

---

Rodin Everblaze

I miss having a tower.

Back home, my tower was the tallest building in the village, and could be seen for miles. It had been constructed early on in the history of the village, and had been home to the resident mage for generations.

Even once we came here, I had a tower, though it was little more than a vertical piece of ruins that happened to be more or less structurally sound.

Now?

I sit inside what amounts to a miniature hut, with just enough room to store my things and two make-shift mattresses for me and Sophia. It’s made mostly of wood, though the roof was woven from foliage… somehow. They’ve had a lot of practice working with the resources in the Everfree, I must admit.

Sighing, I get to my feet and exit the hut, careful not to disturb Sophia while she sleeps. Outside, our little home is marked as ours by the new staff I’ve been carving during meals. Most of the huts I pass have things of that nature; trinkets displayed across the entrances to help distinguish between the rather similar looking structures.

Everyone’s looking forward to getting real houses built, but the communal ones have to go up first.

The barracks, the hospital, the town hall, even the grain-silos need to be put up. Most of those buildings are nothing more than foundations and half-completed frameworks. And they’re all single-story, too. We don’t really have the tools or the resources for anything more ambitious than that, though I could have obtained them, I suppose.

If we were willing to steal, I could have easily summoned what we needed, but then again, our goal is to not anger the ponies.

My magic has been of help, these last few days, what with cutting and shaping wood, magically treating some of it, and moving some of the heavier objects with the clever use of the Force and Shape runes, but there’s been so much to do, and I can only do so much before digging into my bodily reserves.

Unwilling to run my body dry, I found myself doing actual physical labor for the first time in years… It almost felt refreshing. Almost.

My sore feet take me to the center of camp, where a large circle of space has been left open. A small ring of stones at the center contains a large collection of scrap wood.

As I enter the open space, the murmurs of the crowd fade into anticipatory silence. Along the edges of the clearing, the silhouettes of over fifty small groups of men stand, more or less evenly spread, waiting on me.

I missed this, the last time. Being unconscious, this little piece of ceremony had been skipped, or so I had heard.

I approach the circle at the center, until I am standing next to Governor Birchwood, who, to all appearances, has been waiting there patiently.

In my mind, I quickly assemble a very familiar spell: a center of Fire, tempered by Desire and modified by Shape. The runes draw the energy they need and vanish leaving only a tiny thread of red energy still connected to me in my mind’s eye.

Outwardly, fire spills from my outstretched hand and onto the firewood, igniting the bonfire and throwing light off into the corners of the night. The faces of my fellow men of the village shine clearly now, and a tiny tension is released. The council is now officially begun.

Next to me, Alexander begins addressing them, going down the list of each Family in the village, calling out to them. Each time he calls out a sur-name, a man of that name calls back, announcing his full name, and cementing his right to speak for his family at this particular council.

When they get to Everblaze, I call out; “Rodin Everblaze” at a moderate volume, and then let the spell I’m directing take hold of my focus. I already know most of what this meeting is about anyway, and don’t particularly need to pay attention.

Instead, I keep my mind occupied with retaining the imprint of my will on the spell fueling the bonfire; misplacing your attention long enough being one of the dangers of using these particular Runes. This is child’s play for me, for… several reasons actually, but molding the cheery little flames with my intent gives me something to do at least. Playing with fire has always been a good way to relieve a little boredom.

What does catch my attention is the last two names called out after the Zikter Family is accounted for.

“Fisherman,” Alexander calls.

“Leo Fisherman.” A man replies, and I turn my head to get a better look at him. I know that man from somewhere…

“Winters,”

“Katherine Winters.” A woman’s voice rings in the air, and my eyes widen in surprise.

There’s a woman representing her family? How- Oh, now I remember.

Listing their names after the regular run down the alphabet had ended should have tipped me off first. James had told us about the two paladins that Discord had healed of their afflictions. I still think James wasn't telling us everything, but I didn’t press him for information. If I learned anything from that mind-melding thing, I learned not to pry into his secrets. I'm just thankful I can't recall the details of his memories. Her presence does make sense, however. By tradition, even new families to the village could have a seat on the council. By the same traditions, a woman could sit, only if all the men were underage or unable to come. Those two have no family here, and represent only themselves. Their addition to the village reminds me of when I fist came here... Though I doubt that they had to swear oaths.

“This council has been called by the Good Captain. He will now speak his piece.” I am discovering that it is often rather difficult to tell from his tone of voice, what Alexander’s true thoughts or feelings are. He’s very good at projecting one thing while feeling another, or so James tells me. All I can detect is casual sincerity, and the formal anticipation of Samuel’s words. It’s perfectly appropriate, but I’d never be able to tell if he was, say, bored out of his mind.

It’s one of the things I find fascinating about him.

“I have arrived at the conclusion,” Samuel says from somewhere on my right, presumably standing with his sons, “as Captain of the Guard, that the time of crisis has passed and it is time for the Guard to step down and end martial law.”

Surprised murmuring breaks out for a few minutes as the people digested this information. Despite it being part of the plan, I was and still am rather proud of Samuel for so readily proposing to give up that kind of power. Of course, learning to live without his direction again is going to take us some trial and error, I imagine.

Though I suppose, thinking of his wife, that he has had some motivation to give it up. He has been forced to live apart from her, the price he and the rest of the Guard pays for as long as they wield this power. How long has it been? Three years? Or was it four…

My musing ends as the Governor takes control over the situation, speaking to the whole council. “The Captain has proposed the end of our State of Emergency,” he says formally. “Discussion now begins, and then the council will vote.”

Alexander then turns and takes his place in the circle, leaving me in the center to mind the fire. The first speaker steps forward, an older man that I recognize as one of the resurrected soldiers.

He begins his speech and I return my gaze to the bonfire. My turn to speak my piece comes right before the Governor's, and as such, I must endure the speeches of a great many of both fools and wise men.

I shift closer to the fire, getting comfortable as I await my turn to support the Captain in his choice.

---

Comments

[Minalkra]

Patriarchal, interesting ... though not unexpected given the more early-history feel of the humans. Skipped the plans, sure.

A part of me is irked at the thought of humans needing to change to suit the ponies and yet another part of me is so glad it is that way. Irked because 'grr humanity FUCK YEAH' and all that rubbish I hate (yes, even in myself) and relieved because ... well, it's their home. Sure, it wasn't the village's choice to be sent there but they are guests and their land was gifted them by the Princesses. It's not the ponies that need to change - though they will eventually simply by diffusion. So 'yay' for no good choices!

[The Good Dark Lord]

A military captain willingly giving up his martial law power? Now that's unrealistic even for a fantasy story

[Borderline Valley]

Alright, it's been two weeks and I still am having trouble deciding on how to best approach the next few chapters. (also, life is conspiring to keep me busy with other stuff)

I'm putting this on hiatus for the time being. When the next chapter or two is written, it will be back.

It could be no more than another week from now... Or it might take a month or two. We'll see.

Thanks to all you who've been reading this so far, I hope for your sake that I'll be able to figure this out sooner rather than later.

[AnormalUnicornPony]

3272126
Or four months I suppose. I have waited much longer before. If it helps I do think you have handled this story so far rather well. Especially now that you have skipped ahead to more action.

[Borderline Valley]

3726093
I'm starting to work on this again, after quite the leave of absence. I still have a week or two left of time outside of semesters, and this has re-captured my imagination, so at the least, you can expect another chapter in that time.

I've got a lot of material to pour over again though. I'll admit, it's encouraging that this keeps drawing in the occasional new reader, so thanks for that there boost.

I still am slightly uncertain about a few things, but I think I've reached the point where I need to either keep moving forward, or let the story down gently, and I like what I've done here too much to let it die before we reach the end.
(Take that latent perfectionist tendencies!)