I lay there for a few moments. Whatever it was that I had just gone through; time vortex, inter-dimensional space or whatever, had really messed up my sense of balance. Eventually, I managed to get to my hooves as my strength returned and my breathing slowed, my body at last running out of adrenaline. I looked around. Directly behind me, possibly my point of origin, were the smashed and shattered remains of the pegasus. In front of me on the other hoof, were Time Turner and Apple Bloom.
I was glad the two of them were alright, although they seemed to have ducked to avoid something looked more than a little spooked. I rubbed my aching head as I got up. Looking up at my horn, I realised my dark magic was still active. I quickly cut it off, my horn turning back to its normal spiral design, and my eyes regaining their usual colour.
“Ooh, what the hay just happened?” I asked nopony in particular. Time Turner answered.
“The angel’s gone, and you came out through some kind of tear. What did you do?” he asked perplexedly.
My memories of my relatively brief visit to the past were still fairly clear in my mind, although now they had a sort of dreamlike quality to them; possibly due to the fact that, technically, they never happened. I quickly surmised what had happened. The Timelord was not best pleased.
“So let me get this straight; you were sent back in time, just prior to a big historical event, caused one major and probably several smaller paradoxes whilst you were there, and then that Discord fellow came and sent you back here?” I nodded. “Are you completely barmy?! Do you realise what could have gone wrong?!” I guess my grasp of temporal mechanics wasn’t as strong as I thought.
“What happened to the statue anyway?” Apple Bloom butted in. “It kinda shattered just after Blade Star disappeared. And why are ya dressed up like one of Princess Celestia’s guards?” I turned to her and looked down at myself. I’d lost the spear, but the rest of the armor was all still with me. I quickly set about removing it, my coat and mane regaining their usual colours.
“Ah had to try an’ blend in when that darn thing sent me back; wound up in Canterlot. How long was Ah gone anyway, AB?” I asked curiously. Her answer surprised me.
“Bout three seconds. Ya vanished in like a flash of light, then the pegasus cracked and fell apart, then you flew out of thin air.” Time travel for you. To me I’d been gone for several hours. I sighed, rubbing my nose with a hoof and turned back to Time Turner.
“Alright, Doc, since that thing’s gone, is there anything else we need to worry ‘bout?” I asked. He shook his head.
“What you did could very well have come unstuck and you certainly would have gotten yourself kicked out of the Academy for doing it, but there shouldn’t be any more issues. Just, don’t do it again, okay?” he pleaded. I laughed. “Oh, and I think you’ll be wanting this.” He passed me my dear old Stetson, the Indiana Jones theme music echoed as I settled it back on my head.
“Sure thing, Doc, next time Ah find ya staring down a weepin’ angel, Ah’ll just let it be.”
With the crisis over and everypony reunited, we all went back to the front of the shop. It was just getting on for quarter to six, and about time for the shop to close. For the sake of everypony involved, we decided that what had transpired would be kept between a small number of ponies; those involved, Twilight, Applejack and the other Elements. Twilight, as the local princess and scientist; she would undoubtedly enjoy analysing the remains, and Applejack due to the fact that it involved both her coltfriend and her little sister.
After handing over the clock that we had originally intended to bring, amidst much chuckling, Apple Bloom and I started on our way home. It would certainly be an interesting story to tell; good for a Nightmare Night yarn in any case.
The two of us steadily made our way through the town as everypony closed up for the night, completely unaware of what had transpired. I was certainly glad that the thing had been destroyed and was for certain, dead. Even if we had managed to trap the angel by its own reflection, it would still be a risk. Plus there would be endless questions about why Time Turner had a snarling pegasus statue in his back hallway.
By the time we made our way onto Sweet Apple Acres, it was starting to drop dark. The last red hues were beginning to fade, replaced by the purples and deep blues of the twilight. With the action over, I was experiencing something along the lines of delayed shock and adrenaline. After all, not less than twenty minutes ago, I had, in cold blood, thrown the changeling queen off a balcony to her death, and what was worse, I had enjoyed every second of it.
I’d had similar feelings after my encounter with Strong Shield. Of course, Strong Shield did not deserve what I had done to him; Chrysalis was another story. After all it was her, by proxy, that had cost Strong Shield his eye. She had imprisoned a princess and a future princess and injured another. Her ‘children’ had harmed dozens of ponies and caused a great deal of damage to Canterlot and made a wedding memorable for all the wrong reasons. Her death was, in that sense, justifiable.
But, on the other hoof, I had never done something like that before. I liked to think I was not capable of it. Sure I had got in fights and such over the years, and I had seen that I had a darker side, as we all do. But the fact that I had used the excuse of a paradox to kill another being was something that made me sick to my stomach. Yes, it had never really happened, but to me it was real. And hay, Chrysalis may have harmed ponies, but she had not killed anypony. Did that make me worse than her?
This was something that was going to stay with me for a long time. I mean, I’m sure pretty much everypony would have been happy to have a shot at taking out Chrysalis, some would be content to kick her when she was down. But nopony had ever had the opportunity. And there is a difference between saying you want to do something and actually doing it.
So it was then, during that walk back to the home and ponies that I loved and cared for, that I realised how deeply my hatred ran. And it was blind hatred to boot. I had never had a run in with a changeling before Strong Shield, and yet when put face to face with their queen in an opportune moment, I had killed her. In a nation that is based on the principles of harmony; loyalty, honesty, generosity, kindness, laughter and magic, I had allowed my hate to flourish.
I resolved then and there, to drop it. Hay, if I hadn’t managed to work it out of my system after the experience I had just undergone, there had to be something wrong with me. From that moment on, I set aside my thoughts and feelings regarding changelings. Yes, they had done terrible things. But they had done nothing to me. They were beaten, and were in no position to come back to try again. There’s no point holding animosity against a defeated foe. Who knows, perhaps one day Chrysalis shall be deposed and a peace may form. It would do no good if ponies, or changelings, still held onto grudges. I remembered what Applejack had told me about doing that.
I removed the old hog’s tooth bullet from under my hat. It was still inscribed with Chrysalis’ name. But what use was it really now? Taking it in a hoof, and with all the force I could muster, I hurled it off into the nearby woods. I was done with it. I had moved on.
With this revelation, I brightened up noticeably. Apple Bloom had been sticking close by my side all the way back. To take my mind off everything, I did my best to focus on her. After all, she had had just as much a traumatic experience. I was in my late teens when I first saw the Weeping Angels and the buggers gave me nightmares for a week. She would need someone to help her for a while. I thanked my lucky stars that Equestria had somepony to help with bad dreams as well.
When we got back, Apple Bloom, much to AJ’s surprise, wrapped herself around her sister’s forelegs. I quickly explained, as best I could, that we’d had something of an encounter with an alien at Time Turner’s shop, but that everything was alright now.
“Ah was just gonna head out to see Twilight, AJ. Ah figure it’s best that she knows ‘bout this sooner not later. Just to be on the safe side,” I said reassuringly. Applejack had understandably been quite worried for both of us when I explained about the stone pegasus. In fact, she insisted on coming with me to see Twilight. So, I turned to Granny Smith, who was in her rocking chair
“Granny! Can ya keep an eye on AB while me and AJ are out; poor thing’s mighty spooked.” Granny Smith replied with an affirmative and took the filly into the other room. And so, I quickly hurried over to Twilight’s.
The lights were on at the Golden Oaks Library when we got there, and from outside I could hear Twilight, well, being Twilight and obsessing over something. Knocking on the front door (it was after hours for the library, after all) I kindly greeted Spike and asked to see Twilight.
“Maybe you can help calm her down. Ever since Time Turner brought those bits of stone in, she’s been going nuts,” he said as he ushered us inside.
We found Twilight and Time Turner studying the remains of the pegasus on one of the libraries reading tables. From the look on Time Turner’s face he was having one of his rare ‘Doctor’ moments, where he let his old universe saving self, shine though the typical clockmaker façade. Twilight was just as hyper, eagerly putting the stone remains through a number of tests using a small chemistry set that she had pitched on the table.
“Ah see ya heard ‘bout our recent visitor,” I remarked dryly as the two looked up at my arrival. Twilight eagerly trotted over to me.
“Blade Star you won’t believe this! I ran the test a dozen times, this rock actually shows signs of being organic.”
“Twilight, it was alive not ten minutes ago. And the damn thing was tryin’ to kill Blade Star and Apple Bloom!” Applejack exclaimed.
“They are an extremely dangerous species, Twilight. Even my people had the sense to steer clear of them,” Time Turner added.
“Okay, I get that they aren’t exactly friendly, but still. A lifeform made of sentient sedimentary rock! This has to be the first time science has ever encountered such a thing.” She began to pace excitedly. “I know; I’ll send samples to Pinkie’s sister, Maud knows more about rocks than anypony. I bet she could offer me some useful insights.”
“Twilight, not to rain on your parade or nothin’,” I broke in. “But shouldn’t we be more worried ‘bout the fact that a killer statue somehow got from Canterlot to Ponyville without bein’ noticed.” While looking slightly perturbed, Twilight reined in her enthusiasm and scientific curiosity.
“Well, from what Time Turner has told me, these ‘angels’ are immobile only when they are being looked at. The area between here and Canterlot is not lit that much. My guess is that it posed as a statue in Canterlot for a while, and then travelled at night to get here. It really is a brilliant defence mechanism when you think about it.”
“But what if there are more of these things?” AJ asked worriedly.
“I sincerely doubt that Ms. Applejack,” said Time Turner. “These things, if they can, tend to work in groups, not alone. My guess is that it’s a straggler. If there had been others, they would have descended en masse.” With Applejack now a bit more relaxed, we could move on to other issues.
“So what do ya want to do ‘bout this then, Twi?” I asked. Twilight thought for a moment.
“Well, since it’s ‘dead’, I don’t think we need to be too concerned. But I will send a letter to Celestia now and tell her what happened. After that, it’s probably best we send most of the remains to Canterlot for study. But I wouldn’t mind asking Maud about it as well. The only real concern is how it got here. Time Turner, are you positive it followed you, and it hasn’t come through another one of these tears?”
“I’m as sure as I can be, Twilight. Since it was on its own, it had to have been pretty weak. It followed me, but probably took a long time to regain its strength. That’s why it didn’t show up until now. I’m happy to help you check around Ponyville though, if you want to be certain.” Twilight nodded in agreement.
“Alright then, I’ll send a letter to Celestia now, Time Turner can help me tomorrow, and you two,” she gestured to AJ and I. “Can relax for the night.” With everything sorted, the two of us began to walk back to the farm.
The two of us didn’t really say much to each other as we headed out of town. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence at all. It was more that we had both just had a lot of things happen in a very short space of time. For me, I’d been sent back in time and murdered a changeling to satisfy my own personal demons. For Applejack, her coltfriend had stepped out for ten minutes with her little sister to take a clock to the mender’s and come back claiming that they’d nearly been killed by an alien statue.
I’ll be honest, when I woke up this morning, I didn’t see any of this coming. At worst I figured there’d be a little bit of awkwardness between Time Turner and Apple Bloom; since he seems to fear her more than anything else due to her sales technique.
Anyway, we trotted side by side out of town, each feeling a little lost in our own thoughts. I could tell from the expression on her face, that AJ was still quite worried. After all, weird things happening in Ponyville tend to go south real fast, see the return of Nightmare Moon, see the second coming of Discord, see Trixie, see Cutie Pox. Need I go on? As for me, I was still wrestling with my emotions. This eventually compelled me to speak up.
“Ya never asked me what actually happened when that statue caught me,” I commented. Applejack turned to me, smiling slightly.
“Ah figured that whatever it was had scared ya somethin’ bad, Bones. Y’all have been pale as a shadow pony since ya got back. And Ah know from experience that ponies need a bit of time before they start yappin’ ‘bout somethin’ like that.” I scratched the back of my neck.
“Do ya mind if Ah tell ya ‘bout it?” She shook her head. “AJ, that thing set me back to Twilight’s brother’s weddin’. But before everythin’ went bad. Ah caught that no good Chrysalis before she had a chance to do anythin’, and, Ah stoped her,” I paused for a moment.
“It’s okay, Sugarcube,” Applejack said encouragingly.
“Well, ya know how I feel ‘bout changelings.” She nodded. “But one of ‘em is also a good friend to me. An’, it was only when Ah managed to get back, Ah realised just how mean spirited Ah was bein’. It’s like, ya know how a lot of the folks in Canterlot are a mite, uppity bout havin’ non-unicorns around? Well, Ah was like that with changelings only a dozen times worse. Ah just feel like such a dang hypocrite. An’ what’s worse, Ah thought that way ‘bout ‘em even before Ah came here. As soon as Ah saw Strong Shield, all Ah saw was a changeling, not my friend. An’ Ah can’t help but feel like, well, like a villain for bein’ like that. Like Ah don’t deserve what Ah have.” As I finished, I hung my head in shame. Applejack stopped where she was, and walked in front of me.
“Blade Star, look at me,” she said, for once calling me by my name. I looked up. “Ah’ve known ya for the better part of a year now. An’ in all that time, all Ah’ve ever seen is a pony who works hard, is honest an’ generally, good. Now Ah understand why ya might be feelin’ so down, but answer me this. If y’all are so bad for thinkin’ that way, how come ya realised what it really was and stopped it?” She sat down on her haunches and placed a hoof on my shoulder. “Sugarcube, the pony ya just told me ‘bout wouldn’t just admit he was wrong to think what he did; he’d be stubborn and push everypony else away. As long as ya don’t do that, Ah reckon y’all are gonna be okay.” I found my smile returning in the growing moonlight.
“Thanks, Applejack,” I said quietly. The two of us paused to nuzzle at each other for a moment before AJ broke away. The rest of the journey was spent chatting more easily to each other. I still wasn’t completely comfortable, but I felt somewhat better, knowing that somepony had faith in me as a decent stallion.
We soon arrived back at the house, lit up as usual. Entering through the kitchen, we found Granny Smith coming down the stairs to meet us. She looked a little agitated.
“Well it’s ‘bout time you two young’uns got back,” she complained. “AB’s still mighty scared, poor little thing just won’t settle. Big Macintosh is up there right this minute tryin’ to get the poor sweet thing to bed.” At this moment, Big Mac trotted down the stairs looking equally worried about his little sister. Big Mac may be protective of AJ, but Celestia help the poor stallion who tries to get near Apple Bloom.
“Did ya have any luck, Big Macintosh?” she asked. He promptly shook his head.
“Nnope,” he declared, concern clear in his voice. He sighed deeply.
“How ‘bouts Ah go an’ talk to her, AJ?” Applejack nodded in agreement, and so I trotted off up the stairs.
Apple Bloom’s room was just up the way from my own. I was opposite Applejack, and she was opposite Big Macintosh, with Granny Smith’s room being at the end of the hall. The door was slightly ajar when I got up there, and from within, I could hear the pitiful sound of her whimpering tearfully. And if there is one thing I simply will not stand for, it is to see a little girl cry.
“Hey there, little lady,” I said comfortingly as I walked into her room. Apple Bloom was curled up on her bed. She hadn’t shown even a hint of being scared at the time, but I guess, like me, the adrenaline had worn off. Even for a grown stallion, to encounter a weeping angel and then try to get a good night’s sleep was no easy task. As I spoke, she promptly looked up at me. “Big Mac and me are kinda worried ‘bout ya, ya know.” I sat down next to her on her bed and hugged her, just as Mac had most likely done.
“Blade Star, Ah’m really scared,” she whimpered. “Ah just can’t get that pegasus thing outta my head.” I stroked her mane comfortingly.
“Now, now, Apple Bloom, ya saw what happened; it’s in bits and last Ah saw, Twilight had it safe at the library; it can’t hurt ya none.” Apple Bloom nodded uncertainly.
“Ah know, and Ah keep tryin’ to tell myself that. But Ah just can’t shake the feelin’ that it’s still there, watchin’ me. An’ Ah just keep thinking ‘bout all those other monsters that are out there.” How many parents had had this happen to them I wonder? I know I’d gone through this phase, so had Lizzie. Apple Bloom was usually a pretty mature little filly, but the angel had clearly really rattled her, prompting her to fall back on old childhood fears.
As I sat there comforting her, I looked out of the window. It was completely dark now, but it was also a clear night. I remembered fondly what my parents used to do when I got scared.
“Hang on, AB; Ah’ll just be a minute,” I said reassuringly. As I left, I made sure to keep the door to her room open so she could have some light while she was alone.
I headed back downstairs to the rest of the Apple family. We were all quite worried about Apple Bloom, but at least now I had an idea. Unfortunately, executing that idea would be a delicate operation and involve borrowing something of Big Mac’s. As soon as I got back to the kitchen I took him to one side.
“Big Macintosh, can Ah talk with ya for a minute?” I asked quietly. He nodded calmly and followed me out in to the hallway. As soon as I turned around to talk, he expressed his concerns to me.
“How’s little sis doin’, Bones? Ah’ve been tryin’ to get her settled but she’s right spooked.”
“She’s just shook up is all, Mac. Ah figure if we can get her to bed tonight, it’ll pass eventually. She just needs somepony with her to keep her company. Ah hate to ask ya this; but Ah need to borrow your Smarty Pants doll.” Big Mac snorted in surprise and the faintest blush could be seen under his coat.
“Ah, erm, Ah don’t know what ya mean there, Bones,” he replied anxiously. “Ah don’t know nothin’ bout no doll; and Ah certainly didn’t take one home with me when Ms. Twilight enchanted it and tried to give it to AB an’ her friends.” I raised an eyebrow at that.
“Big Macintosh, y’all are ‘bout as bad a liar as your little sister,” I countered. “Don’t worry, ah won’t tell nopony ‘bout it. Pinkie Promise.” I made the necessary motions, managing not to poke my eye out.
For a few moments, Big Mac seemed unsure, torn between helping his little sister feel better and sleep easier, and protecting his own dignity from possible humiliation. But, being the kind, caring stallion that he is, he eventually came to the only conclusion I could foresee.
“Fine, Ah’ll go get her,” he said at length before trotting off upstairs. “But this stays between us, Bones, ya hear?”
“Mac, Ah Pinkie Promised already, what more can Ah do?” I replied reassuringly.
He returned a moment later carrying the doll gently in his teeth. I quickly took it in my magic and, thanking him again, headed back up to Apple Bloom.
“Hey, ya still awake, AB?” I called softly as I entered. She was indeed still up, sitting upright in her bed. “Here, Ah got somepony here to keep ya company tonight.” I settled the doll next to her in bed and put it in her hooves. She looked a little perplexed.
“Hang on, ain’t this that doll Twilight ‘accidentally’ enchanted and made half of Ponyville go haywire?” she asked. “How d’ya get it anyway?” I quickly formed a white lie to spare Big Mac, and honour my Pinkie Promise.
“Oh, Ah remembered seein’ it back on Earth, so I just teleported over to the library and asked Twilight if ya could borrow it.” For a moment, I feared the ever inquisitive filly might press me further, but instead, perhaps due to the lateness of the hour, she simply hugged the doll and began to settle.
I stayed with her a little while as she drifted off, now much more relaxed and calm, particularly as, at the moment, due to the position of the moon, her bed was bathed in moonlight. Luna would be watching over her tonight. I eventually ended up having to tell her a story to send her off to sleep. But eventually, my patience was rewarded with the sound of soft snoring.
With Apple Bloom safely off to the land of nod, I headed back downstairs to see the rest of the Apples’. They were mainly glad that AB had settled down. After all, we all were quite worried about her. If I got the chance tonight, I would ask Luna to keep an eye on her dreams. Since it was getting on, it was well past Granny Smith’s bedtime, we all decided to turn in as well. I too was getting especially tired, considering that due to the time difference, I had been up about five or six hours longer than anypony else.
Hopefully, I would get a pleasant night of rest and a less eventful day tomorrow.
I keep wondering if it was a tear in paradox spacetime, if anything else managed to come through as well, such as a hivemind distress signal or memory, between queens?
Wonder where the rest of that squad of weepers are.
eres to hoping that Weeping Angel didn't pull that image burn trick on AB. Or if it did... That the paradox made it cease to be
wwoot the dry spell is over :D
a really good chapter with a vary happy ending and of cores Smarty Pants to the rescue.
NO! Don't return to the lightside! Join us! Join the darkside! We have cookies, pies and milk!
...
...
...:D
5707856 We also have Pinkamena Diane Pie.
5708172 Yes, we also have miss Pie....and rock...and TOM....
5708172
5708175 Since the two of you are agitating about it, I'll tell you this; one of the ideas I have currently rattling around for after 'My Family and Other Equestrians' is complete, is a fic written by Sombra on the subject of dark magic. It would be a mix of an autobiography and a textbook on dark magic. You may remember Blade Star has read a book in this fic entitled 'Treatise Upon the Darker Magicks', that is what I plan to do. Does this interest you?
5708209 Eh...Why not? The darkside intrigued me.
The darkside of the horse is strong with sombra, so he should give some insight...
There is a reference and pun in that sentence...
5708209 Yeah, I always thought about the dark stuff, my personal opinion is that instead of resisting the darkness or letting it corrupt you you should absorb it into your very being and use it as you see fit. Dark, arts do not have to mean that they are automatically evil. Just a thought. They could be used for therapy, like on ponies who constantly bottle up their emotions, let them loose and everypony wins.
5711742 *bitch. Bastard is the male version of that insult. Unless that was intended for more insult. In which case well insulted my friend.
Silly Blade star, the paradoxal energy generated by your misadventure over fed the angel and forced it to enter it's reproductive phase, causing it to shatter. AB has the right to be scared, theres a whole buncha baby weeping angels looking for a meal...
Oh poor Bladey, don't you remember the quote, "you either die the hero, or you see yourself become the villain"
This was fate's attempt to remove a foreign anomaly, but you set another path of time in motion
It's only a matter of time until Blade is split into a evil "Bloodied Blade" and a good "Shining Star" good/evil fractions where Bloodied blade goes on a xenocidal rampage and Shining Star can't do shit because he's the submissive weak willed counter part
5715775 It's a fusion reaction ^.^ Totally different from any reactor currently in operation.
5714750 Stop stealing ideas from original Star Trek!
5716340
I HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS DOING, ALSO, WILL IT BE AN IMPLIMENTED IDEA!? ALSO, WHY ARE WE SHOUTING?
5716364 No, that sort of thing reeks of a Stu. The whole dark magic thing has been put to bed as has anything to do with changelings. And for the record, the Star Trek episode in question is S1 E5 'The Enemy Within'. Finally, I have no idea why you are shouting.
5715870 I know, just.... nukes
oh well, lots' o' radiation
burn.... buuurrrrrn... BUUUUURRRRRNNN!!!!!!.... BUUUURRRRNNN!!!!.... BUUUURRRRRNNNNN!!!!!!
sorry, I just... I'll stop now
5711843 I pride myself on knowing the elements of a good insult, one good enough to make everypony go bug-eyed, to used a common colloquialism.
Oh yes, that's right. Every single last member of our species to have ever lived or will ever live participated in a starvation induced raid for food. You're a cold, heartless, racist bastard Blade.
5720269 Whilst the mirror would eventually become an angel, it would be looking at the original angel too, so you'd be quite safe. And with the original destroyed by the paradox, that process was incomplete.
5720301 To clear a few things up:
1) In this canon, the only hive is Chrysalis'. There are no 'friendly' changelings apart from Strong Shield. So he doesn't hate you.
2) The whole starvation excuse has never really washed with me. The scale and strength of forces fielded during the incursion contradict such an idea. I see it as a simple power grab of an expansionist monarch that didn't come off. Canterlot was the changelings' Kuwait; not necessary, but good for prestige and to secure Chrysalis' authority had it worked.
3) At least he is trying. He doesn't want to murder every single member of your species anymore.
4) Bribe:
5720502 1 Eh, yeah I can grant you the first one. The only idea of other hives is well, red ants vs black ants.
2 Yeah, no. The show directly states the primary reason for the attack is food, and while her majesty could be lying the comics reveal their kind do indeed eat love to survive. Yes yes yes, the comics are "not canon" however, the show IS canon to the comics. The writers are not allowed to break established world lore without permission. Therefore when they show the changelings post invasion getting a meal, that specific instance of feeding may or may not have happened it confirms the idea they are emotovores.
Furthermore, given this position it is also canon that each individual ling is an individual with thoughts, feelings and emotions. (Because, as said, the comic writers must stick within base world lore) Holding an entire species responsible for the actions of one leader is like calling then entire German army in WWII evil, blatantly wrong. Yes Hitler was evil, yes his SS and Gustapo were incredibly evil, but the German Army was largely conscripts, and volunteers, professional soldiers. Just regular people under the command of evil forces. Changeling's are no different. Except they have the excuse of being nomadic hunter-gathers, they are a species which eats a food that cannot be farmed. They can NEVER settle down in one area and advance their civilization.
So while attacking Canterlot was admittedly retarded, it was just what their species dose. Yes you can get mad at Chrysalis for the incident, but her hive? No. You cant get mad at hunter-gather emotovores for hunting for food, no matter how paradoxical that is given their food source. It would be like getting mad at bees because one stung your dad and he died, it's what they do, they are bees.
3 True, but that docent excuse the 'Drizzt 'effect of "Only one ____ in all of time was good!" that's just poor writing. Additionally the notion that an entire race is just evil goes against the base premise of "Friendship" that FiM has going. Also... It would have been interesting to see what that 5.56 round would do to a ling exoskeleton. By my best estimation the exoskeleton would be 1.4 cm thick, and given entomology the material's properties are equivalent to a few higher end titanium alloys. Specifically one used as aircraft armor. Now you can crush a bug because it's chitin is micrometers thick, but a changeling, with over a CM of plating... they may be bullet proof.
5721639 Your statement that all changelings are individual kind of negates my own reasons for not blaming them. As a hivemind, the Nuremburg Defence (I was only obeying orders) would be applicable to them, as they would have no choice but to obey. However, as individuals, presumably with the ability to reason, they can be technically held accountable for their own actions (though I do agree with you about holding the entire species at fault). You don't blame the bee because it doesn't know any better, but a higher functioning being can be held accountable for its actions, as it possess an innate understanding of right and wrong, even in cases of survival.
Additionally, you state that changelings cannot farm their food source. Isn't that exactly what Chrysalis planned to do; turn Equestria into a vast feeding ground along the lines of the fields in the Matrix? I have previously put forward the idea in this fic of symbiosis as a viable option. A single changeling paired with a single pony would be perfectly able to live contentedly with a permanent supply of food. By the same token, each pony would gain a valuable ally, as would Equestria as a whole. The problem then merely remains Chrysalis.
As for Strong Shield as being the only 'good' changeling, that was poor wording on my part. I should have said he is the only good changeling that we know of. There may well be others who have left the hive when it was scattered from Tartarus to breakfast.
I do not regard Chrysalis, or any changeling complicit with her as evil due to their disinterest or hostility to friendship. I see them as a threat because they operate in direct opposition to Equestria. Chrysalis is unwilling to take any route bar conquest as seen in both the show and comics, in spite of serious defeats. It is like the US and Japan in the 1939-45 war. Their ideologies simply cannot match in their current state; one is based on relatively peaceful ideals and maintenance of the status quo, whilst the other is highly expansionist and warmongering. If negotiation is impossible, then the only other option is war. And given Chrysalis' past behaviour, she will not give up until she is dead.
On a side note, your comment regarding the Wehrmacht is actually invalid. Many regiments were found to be complicit in committing war crimes, uncommanded by the Waffen SS of Einsatzgruppen, comparable to the Soviets during the advances of 1939 and 1941. However, whether or not they were 'evil' is a whole other matter for another time.
5721935 The Nuremburg Defence always applies to foreign soldiers during acts of war. Which I think we can both agree the Canterlot Invasion was. Assuming the 'lings have/are a standing army they can NOT be blamed for their loyalty to their nation and service to their leader. Additionally... they were being very nice during that invasion. You don't see them kill anyone, not even the ponies who were trying to impail them with spears. They only restrained ponies. In fact in background you see a pony hit with a stun spell, fall off a ledge, and get caught by a changeling who puts the pony on the ground safely. They took care to minimize casualties.
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Yes, because that's what their species would HAVE to do to get anything like agriculture. They can not be held to the same moral standard as other creatures, their food source is the emotions of sentient creatures (presumably since they don't just run puppy mills). Enslaving ponies is no different from humans raising chickens to eat. Howeaver I agree with you that a single changeling paired with a single pony would be perfectly able to live contentedly with a permanent supply of food. But is that something they are even aware of? Possibly not, they have no agriculture, they are hunter-gathers. When did they go to school? DO that have civilization? Unlikely. They are at best nomadic trials. Uneducated barbarians with little time for thought as they must hunt daily... Chrissies idea of "live stock" might have been the first changeling notion of a permanent food supply ever.
Ah, then I withdraw that portion of my argument.
Look at how that ended, Japan is now one of the US's biggest allies. Yeah sure the US did force them to change with two realy big wake up calls, but now? Best of friends. The US and Japan could be in a buddy cop movie. If anything that shows that the Changeling should have a hoof offered in friendship.
Not so sir. Trade embargoes, and non-aggression defense pacts are equitably valid options. As for Chrissie... agreed, but that docent mean you should attack the race. The CIA docent assassinate an entire nation, just heads of state.
No it is not. It's intended to show that you can not take the actions of a group to be the desire of all the individuals within that group. Furthermore a lot of those war crimes were done on orders to be followed under pain of death. Enough of them objected to have several assassination attempted on Hitler be planned and one actually attempted. Changelings are no different. Yes their leader is evil, sure some of them probably happily follow her, but a large chunk of them likly are there under coercion, say "fight or no food." That's defiantly a Chrissie thing to do.
5722172
There's a world of difference; chickens are lower functioning animals barely self-aware (I know, I have a whole flock and the regularly attack their own reflection), ponies by contrast are on a par with humans.
"Princess Celestia, how is the Manehatten project coming along? Any word from Los Alamareos?"
You never studied the League of Nations did you? If you want to have an effect on a state leadership, you need to be decisive and emphatic in your response. With peaceful states such methods can work, but against one that actively opposes cooperation, it will not be effective.
Additionally, I do agree that coercion of such an extreme would be a valid defence, in such case perhaps Equestria ought to set up a railroad for friendly changelings. In the end though, if there is to be a lasting peace between our peoples, to quote a notable terrorist; we must cut off the snake's head.
5722258
You wouldn't think so if you had to eat sentient life only. This is a case of Blue and Orange morality.
I did, WWII history was the subject of several different papers I did in pursuit of my Masters. The League was an ineffectual poorly organized system attempting an international government. It can be discounted except as the precursor to the UN.
Then there's no problem, she starved to death in a small room a few months after the invasion in a tiny pocket dimension with the only way out being locked by an impossible riddle. A new Queen has yet to hatch as there isn't enough food left with the civilian section of the hive for procreation. <<Man the comics are fucking grim...>>
5722311
Yay! I've been going through a module on it for my degree in Strategic Studies. The lecturer keeps trying to claim that the League succeeded in the economic realm due to the continued existence of the International Labour Organisation. It's just so damn funny, particularly their attempts at collective security:
'Japan stop attacking China.'
'I'm not attacking China, I'm protecting my and your economic interests.'
'Oh, okay. We'll just send a commission of enquiry to check you do everything by the book'.
'Good news! The province we were operating in wants to become independent, we'll protect their right to self-determination. Right Manchukuo?'
'Yes'.
Quick! Take all my love!
5722348
I would, but it only works out to 5 meters, line of sight (or smell, touch, ectra). If I could get it over the internet I'd jsut be surfing for kitten pictures all day.
5705740 A hivemind only ever has one leader. If another leader-type is born, they either fight for leadership, or one of them leaves the hivemind.
Awwwwwwwww!!!