The feels...
The walk to the Cutie Mark Crusader Clubhouse wasn’t very far from the Apple Family House. If Konrad had to estimate the distance, he would have to guess about 150 yards give or take. Apple Bloom was as happy as she could be, telling Konrad about her adventures and attempts at earning a Cutie Mark with her friends. Even he was surprised to learn about events that weren’t even portrayed on the show. Konrad wasn’t sure whether this was due to being in an alt-verse or simply not enough time to show all the attempts.
”What am I thinking? Of course, this isn’t the canon Equestria! My presence alone, along with Sunny Town, disproves it as canon. But...”
“There it is, Konrad! Our clubhouse!”
Coming to a stop just a few feet from the ramp, he looked at the treehouse. It appeared exactly as he remembered it, innocent yet full of fun. And here he stood, ready to hang out with Apple Bloom.
”...this is damn close for me.”
“Well, what do you think? Ain’t it look nice? My friends and I put it together.”
The man smiled before replying,
“It looks cool, Apple Bloom; I wish I had one like it when I was a kid. Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!”
Gently setting Apple Bloom down on the ground, Konrad began walking up the ramp after the filly went before him. Despite his larger size and weight, the treehouse ramp stood firm. The sounds of his footsteps reverberated through the treehouse once he made his way inside. He barely had to lower his head before entering the clubhouse and was taken aback at the interior.
The room was larger than he expected, with plenty of space for him to stand up. It was mostly empty except for the podium, a lamp, country-style curtains, a Cutie Mark Crusader bandana on the wall, and a single flyer depicting Rainbow Dash as a Wonderbolt. The poster was likely made or paid for by Scootaloo. It fit the bill that either Scootaloo or Rainbow Dash would have made fan merch for her fans. Konrad narrowed his eyes at the poster, remembering his first encounter with her.
” It was a messed up thing Rainbow Dash said to Ruby; you’re definitely not the canon Rainbow Dash.”
“Something wrong? Is our clubhouse not cool?”
Shaking his thoughts, Konrad turned to Apple Bloom and smiled,
“Everything is fine, Apple Bloom; I just remembered something about that night.”
Apple Bloom lowered her ears in sadness and frowned. Konrad felt guilty mentioning the nightmare they experienced together and set about to comfort the filly.
“Oh, Apple Bloom, it’s okay, I promise. The clubhouse is really cool, and I’m happy I get to be here with you.”
Apple Bloom looked into his eyes with the sadness still present.
“I wish Ruby was here too. All of that happened to her just because she got a cutie mark. I’m...I’m not sure I should even get a cutie mark.”
The man got down on his knees and held up a finger, continuing to look into her eyes.
“Apple Bloom, please...Don’t ever say that again. What happened at Sunny Town was a terrible crime; Ruby didn’t deserve what happened to her. That was caused by evil, not a cutie mark. If she was here with us, do you think she’d want you to stop trying to figure out your special talent?”
Wiping a tear, Apple Bloom replied,
“No, I guess not. She’d want me to be happy and keep trying.”
Patting her on the head, he continued,
“That’s right, and we owe it to her to live our lives to the fullest.”
Putting a hoof to her chin, Apple Bloom asked,
“But if they were Ruby’s friends, and they did that to her, does that mean my friends could do that to me?”
Konrad sighed and pondered his next response to the seemingly endless but heavy questions.
”Oh, Apple Bloom, you’re not making this easy at all.”
“I’m not going to lie to you; anything is possible. I mean, look at me!”
Konrad pointed to himself to drive his statement home.
“I never expected I would be here, let alone fight zombies, see a ghost, or heck, anything aside from other humans. I never expected any of those would be talking ponies for crying out loud!”
She gave Konrad a confused look before he answered,
“Ponies didn’t talk when humans were around Apple Bloom. Humans were the only talking species....”
”I hate lying and making up lore on the fly. I almost wished this was the future; it would make my life easier. Looks like I need to pull a Javik.”
“...around during my time. The ponies looked radically different too.”
Konrad made a halting gesture with his hand, knowing Apple Bloom would ask questions about his revelation about ponies.
“What I just said was a huge can of worms, and I’m sorry to have sprung that on you. For now, just please set that aside...and don’t tell anypony else for now.”
Apple Bloom nodded her head as Konrad continued.
”I really need to watch what I say. This is harder than I thought.”
“Anyway, my point is anything can happen. However, I don’t think that will ever happen. I’ve seen differences between the ponies here and those from Sunny Town. They understand the power of friendship, they understand cutie marks, and they’re not under the influence of evil.”
Konrad sat down, crossed his legs, and motioned for Apple Bloom to sit down.
“Your family and friends love you, Apple Bloom. You have a good home here too. And as far as I can tell, there’s no evil influence moving about, telling them lies and convincing them bad things are good and necessary.”
Apple Bloom listened intently to Konrad; he could see she was scared at the word “evil.” Before she could ask, he elaborated,
“I think a demon influenced Gray Hoof and took advantage of their fear and ignorance of the unknown. Once it convinced them to commit that horrible crime against Ruby, it took control of their lives. That curse simply didn’t come out of thin air; it was evil magic Apple Bloom. There are forces of good and evil around us, always battling for our souls. You saw the result of evil; don’t forget to recognize it and always remember Ruby and Mitta.”
Apple Bloom looked down at the ground and said,
“Or else it could repeat...just like a lesson to be learned.”
Snapping his finger, Konrad continued,
“Exactly, Apple Bloom; never forget about Sunny Town. And speaking about remembering Ruby and Mitta, I will talk to Princess Luna about an idea. It’s about something I think we could do for them.”
Apple Bloom’s face lit up in a hopeful expression, and she asked,
“Oh! What is it? Can I help?”
”Yeah, I think that’s a good idea. Equestria needs to know what happened. I’m certain Princess Luna would be on board with it.”
“Let me talk to Princess Luna first, but yes, you can help. I have to warn you, the feels will hit you hard once we get approval.”
Apple Bloom looked confused at the human expression.
“The feels?”
Chuckling at her response, Konrad continued,
“It’s human slang; it means feelings, along with ol’ poor Wojak. I’ll explain it later, but for now...”
Konrad stood up and stretched his back before continuing,
“Don’t let fear of the unknown hold you down, don’t let it control you. Live your life to the fullest, Apple Bloom, and don’t stop trying to earn your cutie mark. Help others find theirs too! We only have one shot at life, and we need to make the most of it, so make it a good one.”
”Kinda had to steal from Doc Brown there, but hey, that line still holds up.”
Apple Bloom pondered his words for a few seconds before nodding and smiling at Konrad. Her innocent smile still proved effective at melting his heart. She did not make it easy for him to keep his composure. Pointing a finger to the door,
“I want to see the rest of the farm. Let’s enjoy the day, Apple Bloom! I don’t really know when I’m going to Canterlot. The Princesses didn’t exactly say when I would be leaving, so let’s go do something!”
Apple Bloom jumped up on all of her legs and cheered,
“Alright! Let’s try apple-bucking!”
”Apple bucking? Cool! How hard could it be?”
Before Konrad could leave the treehouse, he felt a tug on his leg. Turning his attention back to Apple Bloom, he was greeted with the sight of her hugging his leg. Getting to his knees, he returned the hug. Once the hug was over, much to Konrad’s disappointment, Apple Bloom had once again surprised him. He couldn’t believe what he was witnessing as his jaw dropped.
In her hoof extended to him was her own Cutie Mark Crusader bandana.
“Are you...giving me your bandana?”
Apple Bloom smiled,
“Eeyup! I’m making you a member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders! I know you’re gonna be busy, and you might not be around all the time, but you gave me yours. I feel it’s only fair I give you mine. Plus, you made me realize I shouldn’t stop trying to earn my cutie mark, and you saved my life too! So here ya go!”
Apple Bloom held it out once more for Konrad to grab. He swore he could see sparkles shining from Apple Bloom’s Crusader Bandana as if it was a critical item in a roleplaying game. He felt his heart pang with the feels, but the good kind. He did his best to not tear up and cry as he reached out and grabbed it.
”Holy hell...She’s giving me her crusader bandana...damn the feels. I’m a crusader now.”
Holding it in his hand, the weight of Apple Bloom’s trust hit him like a train. She considered him not just a friend but a close one, maybe even family. He elected to put it on his head pirate style, and when he made the final knot, Apple Bloom shouted,
“Boom! That’s what I’m talking about!”
Apple Bloom held out her hoof for a hoof bump, which Konrad gladly returned.
”There’s so much dust in here! And damn, the feels...the good feels, man.”
Konrad let Apple Bloom out of the clubhouse first and followed close behind her. He swiped away a tiny tear of joy, happy to be with the best filly in the world. One thing weighed on his mind before he exited the treehouse.
”If the multiverse is real, then does that mean Wojak is real? If so, I hope he feelin’ the good feels like I am now.”
For the past 15 minutes, Konrad had been trying to buck an apple tree near the Apple Family house. He failed at every attempt as the tree moved and clearly took every forceful hit. The fruit simply would not fall no matter how hard he tried. This frustrated the man, while the apple family got a few chuckles at his attempts. Applejack laughed, Apple Bloom cutely giggled, and even Big Macintosh gave a deep, hearty laugh.
“Okay, does this thing have God mode on? Why are the apples not falling down?”
Applejack adjusted her stetson hat and walked over to the tree, intent on giving a proper demonstration.
“I don’t know what you mean by that, but power ain’t everything; you gotta have the proper aim and instinct to know where to hit it. Just watch.”
The tree reverberated from the country mare’s buck, causing the apples to fall down. Smiling in satisfaction, Applejack picked up an apple and enjoyed the fruit while Apple Bloom collected the remaining ones, putting them in a spare cart nearby.
“See? Now try again.”
Picking a nearby tree, Konrad locked his eyes and focused his instinct. Deciding on an attack plan, he pointed his finger at the apple tree and comically and dramatically said,
“So, you have chosen death.”
He ran to the tree and made an impressive roundhouse kick, hitting the tree rightly.
“Yeah! Take that apple tree-AH!”
Despite successfully kicking the tree, it had the last laugh. As they fell, several apples hit Konrad on the head, frustrating the man. The Apple Family once again laughed and giggled while Konrad grunted in embarrassment.
“Well, how do you avoid the apples hitting your head?”
After the laughing stopped, Applejack replied,
“Well, it helps where you stand too. I always look before I start bucking the trees. It also helps I’ve been doing this all my life.”
Turning his head back to the tree, he narrowed his eyes, pointed a finger, and said,
“I’ll be seeing you again...someday.”
The Apple Family laughed at Konrad’s silly antics before he turned back to them and asked,
“So, what’s next on the-”
Before finishing his question, a Solar Royal Guard walked up to the group. Pointing his eyes to Konrad, the stallion Guard delivered a message.
“Apologies for the interruption, but you’ve been summoned to the Golden Oaks Library by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. I’ve been instructed to escort you. Please gather your belongings if you have any.”
” Seriously?! I didn’t get one fucking day with Apple Bloom?”
“Aww! But we didn’t even get to try other stuff! I wanted to spend the whole day and have you meet my friends!”
Hearing the filly’s distressed statement, the Royal Guard assuaged her fears.
“If it means anything, we have not received redeployment orders back to Canterlot. The Princesses simply wish to speak to him if I were to guess.”
Apple Bloom’s ears perked, hopeful that Konrad’s presence in Ponyville wouldn’t be ending prematurely. Applejack stepped forward and asked the Guard a question while Big Macintosh picked up the remaining apples on the ground.
“I don’t suppose you mind us accompanying him? My little sister would appreciate it if she joined him.”
The Guard put a hoof to his chin and pondered for a few seconds. He shrugged and said,
“The Princesses did not give any restrictions. I see no reason to deny your request.”
Apple Bloom gave a small cheer as Applejack looked back at her brother.
“We’re going to town for a little while. Tell Granny Smith we’ll be back now, you hear?”
Before Big Macintosh could reply, Konrad interrupted,
“Actually, Applejack, I’ll just tell her myself. She should still be in the kitchen. I’m going to grab my backpack and be out real quick.
Big Macintosh replied with an “Eeyup” and nodded as he pushed the cart of apples into the barn. Even though it was a day off, there was still no reason to sort the apples for tomorrow’s work. Konrad ran back into the house to gather his remaining clothes and toiletries. He also gave Granny Smith a final thanks and goodbye, telling her where he and her grand foals were going into town.
Granny Smith wouldn’t let him leave without a hug, another moment of the “good feels.” Once he was ready, he walked outside and slung his backpack, wearing the Cutie Mark Crusader bandana proudly. Knowing what Apple Bloom wanted, Konrad kneeled down and let her jump on his shoulders.
Looking up at Apple Bloom, Konrad asked,
“You ready, Apple Bloom?”
“You know it! I can’t wait to show you Ponyville and my friends too!”
The Guard huffed in annoyance at the delays; Applejack started walking ahead, leading the way.
“Well, we’d best not keep the Princesses waiting, so let’s get going y’all.”
Konrad started walking after Applejack, with the Guard following behind. Two more Guards were waiting for them at the entrance to Sweet Apple Acres, with another 10 on the other side of the road. They came from behind a small set of trees on the opposite side of the road, surprising Konrad. He knew Guards were hanging around but underestimated how many were nearby until they started milling out.
While he was glad they helped destroy the Blanks and the Blood Hooves, he remembered that he fought Guards. He also remembered he fought Shining Armor which he was sure they had not forgotten. Even though Konrad wasn’t making eye contact with them, he was sure they were glaring at them. As they continued moving towards Ponyville, which was coming into view, Konrad’s curiosity got the better of him.
Deciding to ask a question against his better judgment, Konrad turned his head to the same Guard who summoned him on the Princesses’ behalf.
”They probably aren’t the same unit; I doubt they’ll remember or have ill feelings. I’m gonna ask anyway.”
“Hey, what’s your name and rank? Just a bit curious.”
The stallion Guard raised an eyebrow before replying,
“Sgt. Headstrong. Why are you asking?”
Konrad nervously smiled,
“I’m something of a military guy myself. I was the human military...so to speak. I was just curious what your unit’s name was.”
While they continued walking, the Guard narrowed his eyes at Konrad before answering with a subtle tone of dislike.
“Spartrota. The best unit of all Equestria. But I’m sure you knew that....”
”Well, shit, they do remember. I guess they’re butthurt at being made second best by me.”
“Yeah, you guys are decent. Same with your Captain Shining Armor. Seemed like a cool dude.”
Taking a quick glance at the rest of the Guards, they all were focused on him with laser-like precision eyes. Turning his head back to Ponyville, Apple Bloom was utterly ignorant of the tension while Applejack laughed in nervousness. She attempted to change the conversation, hoping to keep the tension between Konrad and the Guards down.
“So uh, what did you think of Ponyville last night?”
“Yeah! Did you like it? You missed the moon cake at Sugarcube Corner! You should have had a piece.”
”Cake?! They had moon cake?! It wasn’t a lie! GAAAH!”
“Well, Apple Bloom, I focused more on trying to find you and Princess Luna. I didn’t get to admire it that much; I was busy playing hide and seek with our friends here. A game which I won, by the way.”
Konrad smirked at pushing the buttons of the Royal Guard, who were very patient and well trained in their military bearing. Applejack gave a cough at Konrad, signaling him to stop goading their escorts.
“But you ponies do have good style in decorations. It looked like a lot of fun.”
Apple Bloom beamed happiness at the compliment as well Applejack. The Guards either rolled their eyes or huffed in annoyance before returning their focus to the mission. Konrad and the Apple sisters talked about life in Ponyville and things they liked doing in town. Some of the details were unknown to Konrad, as he could not remember any of them from the show. Canon or non-canon, the new information about the Apple sisters and Ponyville he was learning made no difference. Konrad loved every second of the conversation and told them small tidbits about himself and Raccoon City, wowing them as well.
It didn’t take long to enter the city limits of Ponyville, making Konrad excited at the beginnings of his new life in Equestria. The only thing he was experiencing now could be summed up in one phrase.
”The feels, man...the feels.”
Rarity woke up from her beauty sleep, something that was terribly overdue. The unicorn fashionista gave a lady-like yawn as she took her sleeping mask off. Once her vision was free again, she was greeted by her cat, Opal. The female feline was lying on the end of her bed, still soundly asleep.
“Good morning, Opal! Isn’t this a much better morning than yesterday?”
The cat opened one of her eyelids slightly before grumbling with tiredness. Opal tried to return to sleep, but Rarity would have none of it.
“No, it’s time to get up, Opal. Go downstairs this instant! It’s time for your breakfast.”
While Opal did not want to get up, she knew breakfast would be denied if Rarity’s wishes were ignored. Opal stretched herself before jumping off the bed. Once Opal vacated the bed, Rarity gently set her mask down. The mask was enveloped in a light blue magic hue and set on the nightstand beside her bed. She did the same to her silky Japaneighs nightgown, something that was expensive and hard to come by. Once she was as naturally bare as a pony could be, she took a quick shower and prepared her mane and tail the usual way. Her mane still needed to be professionally groomed, but she made it work despite Spike's accident from last night.
Rarity felt terrific as the sleep rejuvenated her mind and focus with clarity. Her brain swirled with new concepts for Heart’s Warming Eve Holiday, which was right around the corner. Rarity felt her creativity ready to be shown in the form of fashion and today was the chance to show it by drafting designs. Last night’s dreams were filled with nothing but beautiful images of ponies wearing expertly and tastefully created holiday clothes. It was a miracle that she did not get any nightmares despite the horrible incident two days ago. The images of those zombies and that rogue human and ghost weren’t enough to bring Rarity down in her dreams.
The unicorn made her way downstairs to organize for the day. When she arrived at the bottom of the stairs, she noticed several things were amiss. Opal wasn’t near her food and water bowl, something she was always punctual when it came to her pet. Meals were something the feline refused to miss.
“Opal? Where are you, darling? Don’t you want your breakfast? I have your favorite food.”
With Opal still not arriving at her food bowl, Rarity began to search around the main room. She wasn’t near her dressing station or behind the dressing curtains. Rarity was slightly worried as this behavior was abnormal for Opal, who at times was difficult but otherwise a good cat. The second thing amiss was the air, or rather how it smelled. The room usually smelled of fresh lavender or the random assortment of flowers she would purchase from the Flower Sisters. But her nostrils told her otherwise as a subtle but foul stench began to emanate from the first-floor hallway.
As she walked down the Hallway, she noticed two things. One of them was Opal, who was outside staring at the first-floor bathroom. While this relieved Rarity that her cat was no longer missing, another worry stepped into her mind. The second thing she noticed was that her bathroom door was cracked open. For various reasons, the door was always to remain closed as any possible unpleasant smells tended to distract and distress customers. It was necessary as some ponies were often nervous at trying new clothes out of their element.
Horrid smells could mean a loss of business, not to mention signs of unladylike hygiene. Gossip was prone to spreading like wildfire in Ponyville, and Rarity knew that fact well. Rarity was strict about her image for her peace of mind and the avoidance of negative perceptions from other ponies. As she approached Opal, the cat noticed her master and hissed. Though Opal was not hissing at Rarity, she was hissing at the door.
“What’s wrong, Opal? Is something in there?”
Opal continued to hiss and stare at the door, making Rarity charge her horn up for possibly throwing an intruder that may lurk inside.
“Stand back, darling, let mother handle this.”
With a determination of a confident lady, she opened the door and was greeted by the sight of the shower curtain. It had been ripped from the rail and laid on the floor folded and stepped upon. There were no signs of what individual could have done this.
Rarity also noticed that the window to the bathroom had been opened. This was puzzling since it was too small for anypony to get through. None of these explained why the smell of the restroom was horrible. Nopony should have been in the restroom, for that matter, as a plumber had yet to be available for her broken toilet. Then the reason hit her like a ton of bricks, which was not pleasant.
”Oh no...please don’t let it be true! The only reason to open that small window is if...”
To confirm her worst fears, she used her telekinesis spell to lift up the toilet seat. The toilet lid shined in magic and slowly was opened. The sight before her was a rather large “dropping,” the likes of which she’d never seen before. Rarity’s eyes and nostrils twitched in distress before she screamed out loud for all of Ponyville to hear.
Konrad, Apple Bloom, Applejack, and their Royal Guard escorts hadn’t made it 50 yards past the Carousel Boutique before a scream was heard. Everyone stopped and turned to Boutique, causing all but Konrad to be alarmed. Not wasting any time, Sgt. Headstrong ordered 6 Guards to enter the home and search for the mare in distress.
“Land Sakes! That’s Rarity! She’s in trouble! Wait here y’all; I’m going to check it out.”
Applejack ran in after the Royal Guards, while Apple Bloom was calmed by Konrad.
“Apple Bloom, if I was a betting man, and I’m usually not, I’d bet she’s fine. I do admit, I don’t know her at all, but I get the feeling she’s that type of gal that makes a big deal out of nothing.”
Konrad had to try his best not to laugh and lose his composure as he knew he was lying through his teeth. Apple Bloom was innocent as always, and she bought his lie hook, line, and sinker.
“Okay, and you’re kinda right. She’s a really generous mare, but she does get upset over small things. I’ve seen it enough, and so has my sister. Her sister Sweetie Belle has told me some other stories too. And she’s one of the friends I want you to meet! She’s a crusader too! But I hope Rarity is okay, though.”
“Sounds awesome, Apple Bloom. Good to know.”
While he listened to Apple Bloom, Konrad was fighting a grin; one that would make the Grinch run for his money. Deep down in his gut, he knew what Rarity’s scream was about. Konrad was confident because that “thing” came from his gut the night before. His previous deployments to the Middle East made him realize that if a toilet had water, the smell wouldn’t be as bad if it could not be flushed. But there was one thing wrong with Rarity’s restroom; her toilet had no water.
The time passed from dropping the “present” in the dry toilet should have been enough. The smell was undoubtedly baked in; a severe cleaning and scent spray to remove it would be required. Konrad didn’t want to imagine how bad it smelled but hoped Rarity fainted in shock. He didn’t even hate Rarity; he liked her and her generosity. After having come to terms with finding pony mares attractive, Konrad knew why Spike simped for the fashionista. She was hot and carried herself confidently; no one could blame Spike except for his virgin approach to her.
But the temptation to get a reaction was just too great for Konrad. In many ways, he blamed Xbox Live for giving him the bad trolling habit. He only hoped messing around wouldn’t bite him later on. He did reconcile himself with the fact that he had no choice but to use Rarity’s restroom. After 30 seconds passing, which seemed like an eternity, Applejack and a Guard came outside and made their way back. Konrad had to give the Royal Guards some credit; their military bearing was impressive.
Not a single sign to the untrained eye would give away the Guard’s true feelings of what they discovered. But Konrad wasn’t an untrained individual; he could tell the Guard was using all of his power to not bust out laughing. Applejack, however, was red-faced like the apples on their farm. She didn’t want to say it, but he knew the reason.
“You two might want to go ahead on to the Library. Rarity...needs my help with something. She’s fine, so don’t worry about her, you hear?”
”Yes! I knew it! Ahahaha! Let’s see how far I can push this! It’s too hilarious!”
Konrad was fighting hard to stop laughing as he turned to the Guard next to Applejack.
“Hey man, like I said, I was in the military too. We got a lot in common. I like the fact you answered the call of duty.”
The Guard still maintained his bearing, but he clearly was on edge. Konrad knew the Guard understood the meaning but chose to hold it in.
“Sometimes it’s hard to get in life; we sometimes have to settle for number 2. It may stink, but we got to make sacrifices. It’s in our guts, you know?”
The stallion’s face started turning red like Applejack, as his limits were almost met.
”I’m going to break this dude! C’mon, man! Gimme the lulz!”.
“But I’ll leave you with this. You Spartrota guys are tough. I know we had our differences, but at the end of the day, you and I are both military turds.”
The Guard lost it and busted out laughing, as the absurdity of the situation was too much. Sgt. Headstrong chided the likely Private for breaking his composure but ultimately punished him by making him go help clean the mess up. Applejack’s face was beet red, and she lowered her hat to hide her embarrassment. Sgt. Headstrong turned back to Konrad and narrowed his eyes.
“Look, the Royal Guard must maintain proper discipline and military bearing in the public eye at all times. You just caused one of my best troops to fail that important duty! Stop wasting time and get to the Princesses already! I can’t wait to be rid of you!”
”Bite me fuckboy!”
Faking his innocence, Konrad asked,
“What? I just wanted to give respect to you guys! Geez, c’mon, Apple Bloom! Let’s go see Princess Luna!
A grunt of annoyed disapproval came from Sgt. Headstrong,
“And her majesty, Princess Celestia.”
Konrad rolled his eyes, waved a dismissing hand, and continued,
“Yeah, her too. Onward bound!”
Konrad, Apple Bloom, Sgt. Headstrong and the remaining Guards continued their way towards the Golden Oaks Library. Applejack, the laughing Private, and the rest of the other Guards still in Rarity’s home began the task of helping Rarity clean up her restroom. Had she not been an Element of Harmony and already Hero of Equestria, it wouldn’t have been an issue for the Royal Guards to deal with. With that out of the way, Konrad gave his best Grinch grin as Apple Bloom enjoyed the shoulder ride.
”First the Good Feels, and now the lulz feels...damn the feels today! This is for you, Wojak!”
It didn’t take long for them to reach the Library. An eager human and country filly was ready to be reunited with the Lunar Princess of the Night once more...
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And finally, it updates. My god.
It's been so long to read this story
And I like it
Hey, it was worth the wait for me and i am very happy you haven't given up on this.
Could you imagine him interacting and befriending some of the Royal guards?
Sorry to hear about your kid man.
Wow, sorry to hear about your kid, man.
11317000>>11316814 Thanks guys. I miss him everyday. I'm not quitting what I started.
11316708 Perhaps. Anything is in the works, especially if Luna is solidified as a waifu. Celestia and Luna's parent's are still a thing!
11316697 Yeah it's been a long time for sure. What did you like about the chapter?
11316693 I delivered. It lives and it will live until being completed. I just wish I could turn the clock back to 2011. MLP was peak popularity back then.
11317179
mhm Its your call anyway
nice to see you back, my condolences for your child.
good chapter too ^^
11318064
What did you think of it? Your favorite part?
Finally it is back.
And after reading the AN, my god,dude, I'm so sorry for what happened to you.
No parent should lose a child. :(
11318400
Thank you. I hope you enjoyed it. They will be more frequent.
11318404
No, he's currently crying blood out of his eyes after finding out that his NFTs that he spent his entire fortune on are worth nothing.
i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/024/801/33481015d04b3974f9ed7acf616592901b13507ebdabf48ee1d6d09d63acc2c4.png
11320761
Well, it IS multi though. There's a happy Wojak out there. Honestly, NFTs are a scam unless someone truly wants to own an art piece and the creative canon rights. If Donitz sold the Story of the Blanks story line, I might be tempted to buy it...if it was cheap enough.
Personally, I'd leave the original Story of the Blanks alone.
Long rant warning.
I just got done binge reading the previous story and this one. And there's some things I want to say.
I like this story, but there is one big flaw that I really hate. The fact that Celestia and the mane 6 got forgiven far too quickly and easily. They antagonized and threatened him ruby and her mom. Konrad decided to be the better person by trying to de-escalate the situation, as well as explain the whole story, and explain why he looked like a zombie from the poison joke. Then they they just decide to say, 'hmmm that is a valid point, but I choose not to believe you!" Then RD just decided to be a massive jerk and insult Ruby about how she can't have babies, and that's something that Celestia should have repremended her for but did not. Konrad being non threatening and docile the entire time only threw a punch because of that uncalled for insult. I mean really, even they could deduce that if he wanted her dead he wouldn't have had to move to do it. Celestia being the leader should have been the level headed one and made sure things didn't get out of hand. But she didn't, she was even the one to give the command to shoot them with the elements. While Celestia and Rainbow were the worst offenders the others were still compliant.
And that's not all, they didn't feel any remorse whatsoever when the Elements "Killed"Konrad. Not until they learned from Luna that he was a human. Then they did the whole "I didn't know" spiel, even though Konrad explained everything to them. Well sorry but actions speak louder than words. I mean Rainbow still isn't sorry, that is seriously messed up.
And it's not just their actions but their words. Specifically the ones they "conveniently" decided not to say to Luna. For instance, they told her that Konrad turned into a Zombie and that's why they blasted him with the Elements, but decided to leave out his explanation of being under the effect of poison joke. A lie by omission is still a lie.
Also while they didn't kill Konrad they actually double killed Ruby and Mitta, and yet there's no remorse for doing that to them And yes they ended up in another reality with a better future, but the characters in this universe don't know that and just blasted them into nothingness!
And yes, here in the real world it has been years, but in the story it's been less than 24 hours when they get completely forgiven for their crap. Konrad gets blasted and he just immediately forgives them, no human would ever do that. Luna and Applebloom should have been giving them the cold shoulder for weeks if not months! Nobody would ever forgive something like that so quickly. Even with Konrad surviving they should still be mad at them, they still did and said horrible things. If they want forgiveness they better darn well earn it.
Honestly I'd prefer if you would go back and rewrite parts of the early chapters in the story having Konrad, Luna and Applebloom not forgive them so easily. But that would probably be tons of work for you to do that. So I'm fine with you continuing from this point, but please try not to let Celestia and Rainbow off the hook too much.
Sorry for the rant, I just really needed to get that off my chest.
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Battle of the Blanks is currently getting a rewrite. I've completed the first 5 chapters. It's going to be a bit darker, and Princess Celestia's attitude has been rewritten to be more level-headed. I probably will re-write parts of Aftermath at some point. Keep in mind, I was a new Brony at the time and I made numerous mistakes (I didn't know clop was slang for fap at the time for example, nor did I understand Equine biology all that well.) The many mistakes of grammar and spelling will be fixed and frivolous parts will be cut out. For Rainbow Dash, I'm going to try and make her just overzealous and not be so fucked up on the insults, but Konrad and Rainbow Dash rivalry will still be a thing. Konrad and RD WILL be settling their differences later on in Aftermath and I'm VERY excited to write that part.
In addition to the forgiveness part, yeah, I guess forgiveness was a bit too. Princess Celestia also isn't going to get the respect she's used to from Konrad. Notice in the latest chapter he didn't care to see her and the Solar Guard got pissed? Yeah, that's gonna be thing, and passively irritating Celetia will be a recurring theme, as it's central to Discord's part. Don't forget, Celestia and Luna's parents will be a thing too, they have a part to play for their "possible" future son-in-law. Lyra will be trying to woo Konrad really hard, and she will pull out all the stops to get his heart. I'm really excited to write it all.
Also, the elements weren't going to put them into stone. The poison joke would have been removed, Mitta and Ruby would have been cleansed, and would have had small time to say goodbye to Konrad anyway. They were dead and were going to pass on either way. The Elements of Harmony don't kill at all, so it was a complete shock to them. I thought it would be cool at the time to have Celestia screw up because he sister was almost lost and killed, having the thought of losing her twice would compromise her and bring her down from the perfect image but I guess I screwed up on that part.
I hear you though on the faults and I'm glad you've pointed them out. The meeting with Luna I'm writing now, just started the next chapter! It would be out next weekend, so stay tuned! And again, thanks for sharing the rant. I want to make the story better, so I need feedback like this.
I just noticed the update, happy to have you back.
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You're welcome. I'm trying to update all of my stories, even Battle of the Blanks.
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You know was always kind of confused that the MLP series never had something like this in it. Like I know they did a zombie episode with the rainbow prank cookies, but they could have literally had an entire episode or even a 2 part episode for this.