With nothing more to do, we rounded up the prisoners and made a five hour trip back to Baltimare to put them inside one of the Baltimare prisons. Since our society was relatively peaceful there was room, but just barely since the closest prison was fairly small. I had to call upon the reserves of my guard and some of the other two branches to become impromptu prison guards for the time being, and that made things all kinds of complicated.
We all know how much I love complicated.
Aepnet and Sinosis were given private cells away from the main group of prisoners. We didn't want them rallying them to any sort of prison breakout. That would be all we needed, wouldn't it?
Once the prisoners were secure, it was back to the war room in Canterlot. I left Lieutenant Rapids to hold court in my stead until everything got settled, which hopefully wouldn't be too long. I wasn't too sure, though. A somber mood had fallen over the nation in the three days since the arrest of the emperor of all of Griffonia. War was in the air.
And so there we were. All four princesses and captains in a now slightly cramped war room. We did not think about the conditions, however. We were all trying to wrap our heads around what the coming months, maybe years, would look like.
"The dukes want to meet with us," Celestia said, kicking off the meeting officially. "They're calling themselves emissaries from Empress Kathyrine the Fifth, but I have no such illusions. They'd come even if Empress Kathyrine told them no. They're maneuvering to make Kathyrine either a puppet ruler for one of them, or they'll try to oust her entirely."
"Which would mean death for her, right?" I guessed.
"Generally that's how their society switches power at that level."
"So why doesn't she just abdicate?" I grimaced and looked over at the large map of the world on the wall, focusing specifically on Griffonia. "Seriously, she could just come here and hide, right? Especially if she's under constant threat of assassination."
"If Aepnet is found innocent then she can return the throne to him, something that I think she is hoping for."
"But something quite unlikely with the evidence that we have obtained," Luna muttered. "We must discuss what shall be done with Aepnet if and when he is discovered to be guilty for the crimes against our nation."
"Sinosis too," Cadance pointed out. "He is just as guilty as Aepnet is."
"I know we don't have the death penalty, but does that mean we just keep the Griffonian emperor in our prison forever?" I fluttered my wings nervously when I think of what that would mean for Kathyrine, provided she survives long enough to make our judgment. "What about releasing him? If we release him in ten years or twenty, or whatever, then he's going to want a war."
"But how avoidable is war to begin with?" Luna questioned. "Should we begin preparing armies now?"
"I do not know," Celestia said quietly. "I think that we need to meet with the dukes first. I have no illusions as to who has the power in Griffonia now that Aepnet is no longer in charge, and it is not Empress Kathyrine. I'd say she has no more sway than a servant in the castle."
"I think you're right," I said with a nod. "You saw how that guard was leading her around. She couldn't have told him no if she wanted to."
"Indeed." Celestia sighed and began rubbing her temples in a way that reminded me of somebody that I know really, really well. "So what do you propose? I'm open to any ideas."
"We propose that the dukes be met with before any war plans are drawn up," said Luna, "but we should keep the idea in mind; prepare for it in the event that the dukes declare war so that we are not caught completely off guard."
Celestia nodded. "Very well. That seems like a sound strategy."
"Should we ask Saddle Arabia for help?" Cadance asked. "Sultan Mesud promised to come to our aide if we ever got involved in a war, right?"
"Indeed," Celestia confirmed. "Should we get involved with Griffonia, Mesud would ready his armies for war on our side."
Er...
Hmm...
I didn't like that.
Sure it was good to have allies in war, but in a planet as small as this one with as few countries as this...
"So, quick question," I said, raising my hoof. "We have an alliance with Saddle Arabia wherein they would come to our aid in the event that we go to war, and I assume that the Crystal Empire would fight on our side too, right?"
Cadance nodded. "We don't have a strong military as of yet, but we'd start building one if we had to."
"Right. So, here's a big question." I walked over to the map and tapped on the large blue spot labeled "Minotaur Lands." "Does Griffonia have any such treaties with the minotaurs?"
A slight frown crossed Celestia's face, but she tilted her head in a slight nod. "Yes. They have a few treaties with a few of the larger clans."
"Yeah. Yeah..." I facehooved. "Yeah, see... if we go to war and all of these treaties are called upon, then that's the Equestrians, the Crystalites, the minotaurs, the Griffonans, and the Saddle Arabians all fighting in this thing. That's called a world war." I put my hoof down and flattened my ears, my stomach twisting itself into a million knots. "On my world we had two world wars that between military and civilian deaths led to about a hundred and ten million deaths. Yes, I said million." Everyone in the room gasped, their eyes wide. I hadn't really told anybody the scale of what my species could do to each other, so this was a bit of a shock to them. But I wasn't done.
"The world wars have resulted in tons more smaller, but still quite deadly wars in other areas. So overall I'd say that the world wars have been a result of somewhere close to two hundred million deaths! It's been over a century in my world since the wars, and we still haven't stopped feeling the effects, so..." I tapped the map with my hoof. "Do we really want to go to war?"
"Of course not, TD!" Luna said, slamming her hoof on the table. "But the stakes are now made plain to thee! Should we not prevent war then we may be pulled into the longest, most destructive war in our planet's history."
"And I assure you that if every almost civilization is involved then it will be." I took a deep breath and walked back over to my spot at the table. "So how are we going to stop this? If Aepnet gets out of prison at any point then he's going to want war. The dukes currently may want war. Do we just give them whatever the heck they want to prevent that?"
"We do not like the idea," Luna muttered, "but diplomacy must be a key factor going forwards. TD is quite right. War would benefit no one."
Our meeting was interrupted by a knock on the door of the war room. Shining Armor stood up and opened the door, revealing one of Celestia's guards who saluted all of us. "Princesses. Captains. We have a most urgent issue. All three Griffonian dukes have arrived at the castle and they are demanding to speak with Princess Antares."
"Alone?" Celestia asked.
The guard nodded. "Yes. They told me that they are open to speaking with you after they speak with Princess Antares first. They will leave if you do not find these terms acceptable."
I groaned and glanced over at the calendar hanging on the wall.
Yep. Monday.
* * * *
"Do not underestimate them, TD. They will try to manipulate you into doing their bidding, but you must not forget that your ultimate goal is to prevent war and get us into the room as soon as possible. They will try to cheat you and lie to you, so do not trust them for a moment."
Celestia escorted me down the hallway towards her throne room where the dukes were meeting me. So yeah, all I had to do was be politically savvy enough to prevent a world war. Should be easy enough for a dishwasher and elementary teacher with almost no history in politics or grasp of their culture. If they were an Earth culture, particularly a European power, I might have had a better grasp of it because I grew up learning about those things. Here, though? They could have had all kinds of customs and mannerisms that I had no idea about, and with the rate that Celestia was rushing me down the hallway, I didn't have time to learn.
"Your goals are the protection of Kathyrine and the avoidance of war. They will do everything in their power to make sure you are over your head."
"I'm already over my head," I groaned. "I have no experience in this kind of thing!"
"I know, TD. I know that you are unsure of what to do, but you cannot let them know that. Walk into that room with your head held high and confidence in your steps. They will sense any weakness in you if you show it to them."
We reached the throne room and Celestia and I stopped right in front of it. She gave me a comforting smile and put a hoof on my shoulder. "You will have four of your guards in there with you, including Captain Blaze. They will not try to harm you. Try to be in control as much as possible. Go into the room, walk past them without acknowledging them in any way, then sit on my throne. It will show them who is in control."
Wow. Even now I still can't believe that she let me do that. It makes sense considering that we needed to show them that as long as they were in Equestria I was the one in charge, but it was still quite a drastic measure. We needed drastic measures right now, though.
"It is time, Antares." Celestia pulled me in close and gave me a warm hug. "Good luck. You'll do fine. We will join you in there soon."
And then she was gone. She walked away to go to a side chamber where the other princesses were, leaving me with just two of my guards on either side of me. I took a deep breath and stood in front of the double doors that led to the throne room. Somehow they had become more massive and imposing, like a dragon was waiting on the other side and I had to go kill it with my teeth.
Still, there was no sense taking all day with it. I took a deep breath to center myself, ignited my horn, and opened the doors. They were there as promised. Three griffons dressed in regal outfits flanked by two guards in thick dark gray armor and wielding sharp spears and wing blades. They all turned in my direction when I entered the throne room, but none of them bowed. I closed the door behind me and tilted my head up ever so slightly and walked towards Celestia's throne. As I passed the dukes they began speaking to me, but as per Celestia's instructions I ignored them. I walked up to her throne, which was flanked by Captain Blaze and Sergeant Stones, and sat down on it, much to the surprise of the dukes. They put their heads together and muttered something that I couldn't quite hear, but based on the expression of the duke that I could see, they weren't quite sure of how to deal with this perceived power play.
Finally turned their attention back to me and all three bowed low to the ground. "Princess Antares," said the one in the middle. "My name is Duke Zangara. To my right is Duke Byck and to my left is Duke Fromme."
I inclined my head in a slight bow. "A pleasure to meet you, gentlemen."
"Indeed," said Fromme. "We find ourselves honored to finally meet the Scorpion Princess. Your exploits in capturing those beastly raiders are known to us."
Scorpion Princess? Well that one was new. And admittedly kind of cool. I assumed that it referred to my cutie mark and not the fact that my tail had a hidden, venomous stinger. Though if I was going to be called the Scorpion Princess, I might have had to consider looking into it.
"I'm glad that we can respect each other. It will make our negotiations simpler, and we all want that, yes?"
Duke Fromme nodded. "Indeed, Antares. We do have much to discuss, don't we."
Antares. Not Princess Antares. I noticed the distinction, as did everybody else in the room. My guards tensed up, but they didn't do anything about it. It was an intentional insult, but I was not going to rise to the bait.
But that left me wondering what I was supposed to do, then? Was I supposed to insult him right back and let him know that I could play that game too, or was I supposed to let it go? I couldn't think about it too long because then they'd know that I was weak, despite my initial display of dominance. If they were trying to get me to insult them then they could be looking for an excuse to walk out and start a war.
I settled for a single nod. "Yes we do. You came to me, so I assume you have something to say."
"Yes," Byck said. "We've been wondering what gives you the right to arrest our glorious emperor like you have."
"Er..." I raised my eyebrow and tilted my head. "Have you not been updated with current events? Have you not spoken with Empress Kathyrine about it? Aepnet was the one who ordered the 'beastly raiders' to sack the two border towns. Surely you know that."
"Yes, we have heard." Fromme took a step towards me, causing my guard to flinch forwards. "What was them ore pressing issue on our minds, however, was why you felt that our emperor was under your jurisdiction, or why you felt that you had the power to go into our glorious country at all."
My eyes narrowed and my wings involuntarily spread out to their full length, something that I had learned was a bit of the pegasus instinct in me coming out to make myself look larger and more imposing. I was really, really hoping that it was working.
"I went into that forest because those raiders sacked the town and stole over a hundred of my subjects!" I slammed my hoof on the throne so hard that a ringing sound echoed throughout the throne room. "You would do the exact same thing in the event that some pony raiders took even twenty griffins!"
"Indeed we would, but..." Zangara glanced at each of his fellow dukes in turn and a small smirk crossed his face. "You see, Antares, we would not object if Celestia or Luna or even that love princess came into the forest to retrieve the prisoners, particularly not with your admittedly effective methods..."
"But there is an issue there," Fromme continued. "They have legitimacy."
"Legitimacy?" A confused look flashed across my face for a moment. I hoped that it was brief enough that they did not notice, but a sinking feeling told me that they caught on. "I fail to see what their right to rule has to do with anything."
"I thought not," Zangara said with a light, condescending chuckle. "You see, Antares, Celestia is tied to the sun and Luna is tied to the moon. On top of that, they are the descendants of rulers, so they have claim to the Equestrian throne as diarchs. Cadance was the rightful heiress to the throne of the Crystal Empire, so her blood is royal as well. You, however..."
"Have no such claims," Byck finished.
"You were not even born in this land, correct?" Fromme guessed. "Or even a pony?"
Zangara snorted and his faint smirk widened slightly. "Or female."
My right front hoof twitched, but I held my steadily rising temper in check. They were just trying to provoke me. If I didn't let them then they wouldn't achieve whatever it was that they were setting out to do. I took a few seconds to center myself before responding.
"Gentlemen. My claim to the throne comes from the Elements of Harmony: the most powerful known objects in the world. It is through their power that I ascended to become a goddess of ponykind. That is where my legitimacy comes from."
"Oh, so being blasted by magical gems is all it takes to sit upon an Equestrian throne?" Zangara scoffed and rolled his eyes. "I have never heard of something so ridiculous. You would most certainly be the first to have that happen. Supreme executive power derives from a legitimate claim such as royal blood or having the crown taken or given to you, not some farcical light show by some pretty gems that give you a few feathers!"
Captain Blaze's mouth twisted into a snarl, and I knew that he ever so dearly wanted to retort by shoving Zangara's hat up his rear, but he knew enough to hold his tongue. Good thing too, as that would have blown everything. Of course, I was vocally mad enough for the both of us.
"I wasn't aware that Griffonia had any say in who the Equestrians chose to take the throne!" I snarled. "Our country's political structure is not your business!"
"Oh? But then why is our leadership your business?" Fromme said with a smug smile. "You say that we should not judge on the matter, but yet you have arrested our own emperor and have taken a marked interest in our glorious Kathyrine. You have directly removed an emperor from power who has ruled our nation for thirty six years!"
"He ordered an attack on two of our border towns!"
"And you have proof of this?" Byck said quietly.
I nodded and folded my wings back to my sides. "Yes. We have proof of this. Documents and testimonies."
"I see." Byck quietly sighed and shook his head. "What assurances do we have that they are real? That they are not pony lies?"
"Should you like to examine the documents you may do so under the supervision of Princess Celestia, Princess Luna and myself."
"Under the...?" Zangara began sputtering some nonsense words that I couldn't make out before slamming his fist on the ground. "Antares that is completely unacceptable! The documents in question must be transported back to Griffonia to ensure their authenticity! Looking at them while Celestia and Luna watch us from behind to make sure that we don't get too close a look isn't going to convince us of anything!"
"It'll stop you from tampering with them!" I retorted. "If we give you the documents then what assurances do we have that you wouldn't 'lose' them or destroy them in any way?"
"How dare you!" Fromme roared, flaring out his own wings. "How dare you accuse us of something so dishonorable! The very implication that we would do something so... outrageous is of the highest insult!"
"Those documents are the prime evidence against Aepnet, and they show that he ordered the raids. Would you allow such documents out of your sight in our position?" I crossed my forelegs and glared at them. "Of course you wouldn't. You'd keep them in a safe under guard. You don't just lend the evidence to people. That's just stupid."
"That is our emperor that you have arrested, Antares!" Fromme scoffed and pointed a claw at me. "I cannot believe the nerve of you Equestrians! First you have a pretender take an army into our country, then you arrest our emperor on trumped up charges and false accusations based on crafted evidence! Those are acts of war!"
"Why in the world would we want war?!" I snapped. "The whole point of this meeting was so that we could avoid it, right? We don't want war any more than you do!"
"Then you shouldn't have usurped our emperor, Antares!" Fromme harrumphed and raised his beak into the air. "Though as far as you are concerned it does not matter. Griffonia does not recognize your legitimacy to the Equestrian throne, thus we have no more reason to deal with you in all of this than we would with a common farmer."
With that, he turned around and began walking out of the throne room without so much as giving me a courtesy bow or giving me any respectful goodbye in the least. The other dukes were quick to follow suit, which was more than fine by me. I hope the door hit one of them in the rear on the way out so hard that he had a bruise that meant that he couldn't sit down for a week.
With the throne room empty of stupid griffins, I was left with my thoughts. My really, really pissed off thoughts. I expected them to hit low, but not recognizing my right to rule based on where I had come from? I didn't expect that, and I don't think that Celestia did either.
My thoughts were cut off when Captain Blaze walked up beside me, shaking his head like he couldn't believe what had just happened.
"So, let me get this straight, Princess Antares." I glanced down at him with a frown. "You punched Princess Celestia, a benevolent ruler who has always tried to do what is best for you and her subjects, in the face not once, but three times, but you didn't raise a hoof against them?"
I smirked and chuckled quietly. "Captain Blaze, my most valued of soldiers, my time will come." I looked back to the door that those stupid griffins had just walked out of. "Yes. My time will come."
She has hands now?
3984735 He's reminiscing. But fixed.
3984735 Great, now I've got the mental image of Antares with a human hand growing out of her hoof... Just what I needed before going to bed...
Also, legitimacy to the throne? Actually a solid defense. Nice idea, just hoping it'll work out in the end.
...
Aw, who am I kidding... We all know those idiots will fight over who gets power first chance they get and declare war the moment they find good enough cause to. This can't end well.
Yes. You do not make the story, you are simply a conduit from which it flows.
3984762 You get it.
3984766
Thanks.
As for things going the way they are, the griffons are doing everything in their power to make it look like Equestria is the aggressor. A bit like what Nazi Germany did to Poland in WW2. Ooh, have TD compare the griffons to the Nazis and claim they won't be happy until every non-griffon is dead or enslaved. At the very least it'll shake the loyalty of the minotaurs.
This is pretty heavy. I'm fairly sure (hopeful really) you won't let Kathyrine get killed off, but it's still pretty tense.
>Chapter title in German
>Imminent outbreak of a world war
I see what you did there, also because I'm a native German speaker myself.
I would have played the human superiority card, as in "If you had attacked humanity in this dastardly way we wouldn't be having this conversation because your entire pathetic species would have been eradicated already with one swift stroke by our most powerful weapons, so be grateful that I am now a representing a more merciful nation you imbecile featherbrain."
Oh yes, and Equestrian world domination.
3984771
Not to mention that, if Equestria isn't careful, this could turn into a failed appeasement strategy, also like with the Nazis. I wonder if TD recognizing that similarity in a future chapter is part of the plan.
You really hate aepnet don't you.
3984796 It's complicated.
So... now what?
The only route i could imagine would be staving off any acts of aggression with something like a Super Weapon (Nuke or Megaspell take your pick) being introduced.
Something like
MutuallyAssured Destruction.The Griffons are a warrior race. They value a heroic death in battle, or a Grand Last Stand. Take that away and they're going to have to rethink their stance if the threat of
Totally Assured Destruction hangs over their heads. (quite literally if you go down the road mentioned above)
"We don't want to fight, but if it gets to that we WILL wipe out your army or your KIND and render your country as WASTELAND if you so much as move against us. And we don't have to move a single hoof."
Of course as Morphy said, it would demonize the ponies in the eyes of the griffons/possibly everyone else.
3984810
"If we go to war, we will raze your cities. We won't give you a chance to evacuate first."
3984827
"So go back and prepare for your glorious battle little griffon. but know this, the flame of a thousand suns will descend upon you, the steel of a thousand mountains shall rain upon you, the death cries of countless souls will be upon you, your sky will be scorched, your mountains shattered, your soil poisoned, your cities rendered ruins, your glorious achievements and history made shadow and dust. Nothing will remain of your civilization, your remnants will regress and worship us given time. and all proof that your glorious empire EVER existed will be on the pages of OUR history books. So take one last look at your homeland when you return, look upon it and despair."
Is that good enough of a boast?
3984869
Or, perhaps from TD:
"Go. Go and sharpen your swords and string your bows. We'll see how effective they are when we drop ever-burning fire onto your cities, obliterate hundreds of your soldiers in the blink of an eye, and leave your land dead and poisoned.
You think we can't do that? Guess again. You were right when you said I wasn't always a pony. But that's not a disadvantage. It lets me think of things nopony would even conceive. And believe me, firebombs and destroying the soil? That's nothing, NOTHING compared to the real destructive powers of man."
3984869 "Yea, verily, at present I have no penis; but when I did have it was much larger and more well formed than either of yours ever could hope to be. Ask your mothers and wives, for they can attest to this truth. If you know what I mean."
3984912
Random Griffon: You Bastard
TD: I knew your mother when she was making hers, thankfully you're too old to be one of mine.
3984895
"I will turn your land into DESERT, And i will call it Peace"
3984746
Even if they don't recognize the legitimacy of her coronation, she was still acting in part under the combined crown of the quadarchy or whatever it is now. They don't believe her? Well, she could just go grab Celestia and have her confirm it. And, oh, look at that, we need documentation? Luna could go grab it for us. Perfectly legit.
Hehe
3984936
Or, to really fuck with them.
"That wine you just drank? That wasn't wine. It was an experimental potion we've been developing.
In a few hours, you will start to molt. You will shed your fur as a new coat forms underneath. Your claws and paws will change, becoming hooves not unlike mine. Your beak, and your carnivorous diet, they'll go. You might not even keep your wings, but unlike griffons ponies aren't limited to one thing.
After the physical changes come the mental ones. Who you were will be replaced with a drone, a suicidally fanatical worshiper of the Equestrian Crown. One that will do everything we order, no matter how humiliating.
Or...
You could stop this. We have something that can halt the process. All it takes, is for you to make peace."
3984810
The Royal Legitimacy issue might be the key to killing two birds with one stone (or whatever the Equestrian equivalent is). It would require Princess Antaries to abdicate her throne however to prevent war. That is, somehow, her unwanted ascension be returned and placed on Twilight as it was intended to, thus allowing the other three Princesses to face the Gryphon Dukes and settle the matter without any more excuses from the Dukes. Also, it would restore TD to his proper species and gender (minus the fantastic cosmic powers and cool wings). Granted, it's a pretty far fetched scenario but nothing out of the ordinary that you wouldn't see in the climatic end to some epic story.
Otherwise, this fire is getting out of control, fast. Princess Antaries is an unknown factor to the Gryphons-- and it scares them.
I'd send copies of the documents to the allies of the Gryphons', Equestria's own and the neutrals like the implied lesser clans with an invitation to send their own experts to examine the originals. (Heck I'd send copies to the lesser nobles of the gryphon's with the same invite in the hopes of provoking some internal descent and civil war.)
I doubt that unless they stand to gain something that treaty or no treaty they'd support a provoked war of aggression with the lives of they're citizens unless there is either something to gain or serious cultural imperative.
Oh and medical shedding spells, I bet gryphons don't fly well when all there feathers fall out at twenty thousand feet and it would seem to fit TD's style.
Reference to my twelfth favourite film of all time much appreciated.
-Unnecessary end quote in the first line.
-Hand.
-"come to our aide" Pretty sure that should be "aid". There's actually a difference between both words.
3984951 lol sounds like something from a TCB fic with the potion turning the griffon into a pony
A world war? Are you sure Discord did not manipulate things so Antares would be a princess? Cause, well...
If this is world war then perhaps TD should introduce the idea of Blitzkrieg as well.
"... so, as I terrorize Griffonia, I will feed your griffons hope to poison their souls. I will let them believe they can survive so that you can watch them clamoring over each other to 'stay in the sun.' You can watch me torture your entire Empire, Aepnet, and when you have truly understood the depth of your failure, we will fulfill your 'destiny'... We will destroy Griffonia and then, when it is done and your Empire is... ashes... then you have my permission to die..."
If they didn't recognize 'his' legitimacy they wouldn't have requested a meeting with 'him.' In their eyes he is no more than a simple citizen. This pisses me off to no end. Ass hats need to be dealt with. Equestria would benefit from some humane methods.
3984995 i would like to know the eleven films that could possibly be superior to that movie. in fact, there isnt one thats better than the black knight scene alone
3985169
1. Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
2. The Terminator (1984)
3. Airplane! (1980)
4. Die Hard (1988)
5. Princess Mononoke (1997)
6. Toy Story 3 (2010)
7. Tangled (2010)
8. Aliens (1986)
9. The Dark Knight (2008)
10. The Prestige (2006)
11. The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003)
12. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
For more details about my tastes, see here
3985030 tcb?
Don't know why some people are so quick to talk about war and kicking some griffin butt. It is kind of obvious that the documents where planted in a place where they would be easily found. Aepnet may still be guilty, but I am fairly certain one of the dukes helped with making the potentially false evidence found. Find out what duke and then reveal the information to the others. They will be too busy fighting a civil war to invade Equestria.
3984953
Hopefully she can capitalize on their supposed fear. (Still hoping for something like a show of force/WMD's)
The concept of deterrent of aggression via threat of
MutuallyTotally Assured Destruction.might get the griffons to rethink their stance.i.canvasugc.com/ugc/original/817bcfd5d39f6f725457ccf77141a47029e062cf.png
They could go to war, but did they ever stop to consider just who they were going against? Two of the four rulers control heavenly bodies. I wonder how long it would take for them to start smelling like roast chicken when the sun is left directly above their land? Or how long it would take them to thaw out should it be the moon instead.
Wouldn't this make TD be from sometime after 2045?
When they were questioning TD's legitimacy, I kind of expected TD to say "Well why come talk to me at all then? Assuming I don't have the power of a goddess and ruler of Equestria, then why even request an audience with me and me alone? Being a little hypocritical, don't you think, FROMME YOU BITCH!???"
Okay, maybe not those last 3 words...
3984984 That sounds awfully familiar...
3985237 The Conservation Bureau
somegriffins be deservin dat pimp hand tho'
3985442 Not only that, but if TD can remember some stuff on WW2 they'd then have Panzers and Shermans rolling in along with some aircraft, and each pony using something like a M4 or a AK-47. If THAT'S not enough to deter them, then the griffions are officially the stupidest creatures on all of Equus.
3985543 Um, this is Equestria. They don't have guns or tanks. Plus, pretty sure TD never learned how to build guns much less tanks. The sheer amount of funds they would need to build even one factory and to properly assemble a tank would economically cripple Equestria.
3985565 Funny thing about war is that it tends to be an economic boost while it goes on, due to providing so many jobs in production and the military. Also, if EQ could not afford the costs of building a factory or two, how could it possibly afford things like Canterlot?
3985543 For this, I'd worry most about how much he can remember about chemistry. Gunpowder is relatively simple to make, but it is less powerful than other propellants. For example, I doubt TD would know how to make guncotton (nitrocellulose).
3985477
Probably not, but WWI started in 1914, which is 100 years ago(and TD's probably been gone from earth for a couple years, making it 2014 earth time, if not farther).
Plus he could have been exaggerating.
eh, honestly in my opinion,
im not liking this turn of events in this story.
there's a enough war stories out there.
heres what I would do
did you know the surface of the sun can reach up to 27 million degrees? I bet you didn't know that. did you know that our unicorns are capable of putting up barriers around entire cities? of course you didn't. did you know that we could put barriers around our selves, allies, and anyone else who ask for safe haven to keep the temperature at a safe low while we leave the sun up until your reduced to piles of melted chicken. you didn't, what a shocker. so please go right ahead and start a war we'll all see how long you can last.
I honestly cannot wait to see TD's revenge. It will be glorious.
stopped
Present and past tense in the same sentence.
Hmm... there's more than two creatures at this meeting, so wouldn't it be all? Or are you talking about both as in griffins and ponies?
Sentence seems awkward
Different tenses
event
drop the in
too close
Dukes? More like dumbasses. If they did not recognize his/her legitimacy as a ruler, then why ask to see him/her first? That would have been an amusing question for him/her to ask.
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Oh, the inspiring death-threat speeches in this chapter's comment section. They make me grin with both pride, and a little disgust at our aggressiveness. Vivat aeterna homo sapiens!
3985751 See, while that is a very good threat, here's effectively what that boils down to:
If you start a war, then we'll just have Celestia wipe you out.
Not quite something that TD would threaten, I think. It sounds a little too dependent.
If he REALLY wanted to sound threatening... I found a comment from last chapter that gave me both chills and the urge to giggle uncontrollably.
3977950
And as a general rule, if something makes me do so for over 15 seconds... I must assume I'm not allowed to do it.
Remember guys.
Blasting with elements is not legitimate to them, but being lucky enough to be born to a ruler? That's legit.