Well, Aura got what I expected her to get. Though to be honest, I expected her getting it a lot earlier. I mean, my little brother is in the army and they look down pretty heavily on stealing, at least they did in his platoon. And I think a royal guard, which is a higher level of the military (in my opinion at least) would be even harsher than a basic army. Still, nice to see Aura out of the picture.
Welp, now she's been booted out with a General OTHC Discharge. Best job she can get for a while is working at fast food, if she's lucky. Thing is, if you have ANYTHING other than an honorable discharge from the military, it's going to be brought up in a job interview and you have to explain why.
Sucks to be her, but that's what happens when you don't let go of a grudge. Wouldn't be surprised if she turns to crime after this.
Honorable Discharge If a military service member received a good or excellent rating for their service time, by exceeding standards for performance and personal conduct, they will be discharged from the military honorably. An honorable military discharge is a form of administrative discharge.
General Discharge If a service member’s performance is satisfactory but the individual failed to meet all expectations of conduct for military members, the discharge is considered a general discharge. To receive a general discharge from the military there has to be some form of nonjudicial punishment to correct unacceptable military behavior. A general military discharge is a form of administrative discharge.
Other Than Honorable Conditions Discharge (OTHC) The most severe type of military administrative discharge is the Other Than Honorable Conditions. Some examples of actions that could lead to an Other Than Honorable Discharge include security violations, use of violence, conviction by a civilian court with a sentence including prison time, or being found guilty of adultery in a divorce hearing (this list is not a definitive list; these are only examples). In most cases, veterans who receive an Other Than Honorable Discharge cannot re-enlist in the Armed Forces or reserves, except under very rare circumstances. Veteran’s benefits are not usually available to those discharged through this type of discharge.
Bad Conduct Discharge (BCD) The Bad Conduct Discharge is only passed on to enlisted military members and is given by a court-martial due to punishment for bad conduct. A Bad Conduct discharge is often preceded by time in military prison. Virtually all veteran’s benefits are forfeited if discharged due to Bad Conduct.
Dishonorable Discharge If the military considers a service members actions to be reprehensible, the general court-martial can determine a dishonorable discharge is in order. Murder and sexual assault are examples of situations which would result in a dishonorable discharge. If someone is dishonorably discharged from the military they are not allowed to own firearms according to US federal law. Military members who receive a Dishonorable Discharge forfeit all military and veterans benefits and may have a difficult time finding work in the civilian sector.
Aura would get OTHC because she wasn't court-martialed.
OTHC? Seriously? She attempted to murder a pony in front of everypony. Yeah the theft, and sabotaging her fellow cadets, I can see OTHC. But she tried to brain her opponent in a demonstration (after being told to stop (so we can add insubordination to the list)), when it broke cut Diamond's face, and tried to murder-stab her with all her Earth Pony strength. On top of all that other stuff. I'd think that'd qualify for a Dishonorable Discharge.
Although even with the OTHC, having to explain attempted murder, theft, malicious and injury inducing sabotaging of teammates, and insubordination. I can see her turning to a life of crime as well.
4934434 I agree with you on that. Bad Conduct, all the way, I think.
4933947 I wouldn't. She can still re-enlist, she can still be a danger to herself and her comrades. In any case, though, if she was this bat-shit insane, she would have been discharged earlier.
I really liked this chapter, but one thing that really broke my suspension of disbelief was when the drill sergeant said that there was no danger in using blunt metal swords, when in reality, blunt metal swords are just as dangerous as sharp ones, because they can easily break bones. I really wish there was a throwaway line about some weak enchantment or something that made the swords only cause bruises, and then the enchantment is broken in the middle of the fight and it makes the swords brittle or something, giving a reason for the sudden breaking beyond just rage-strength.
I actually prefer the way you wrote it. I would not have been satisfied with Aura becoming friends or even allies with Diamond Tiara. It was very clear before that she was just insane/ a bitch. Anyways, keep on going this is fantastic. My only complaint is that the chapters are so short. I'd love to see a chapter that's a couple thousand words long.
She doesn't seem to be normally insane. She was traumatized by Diamond Tiara during her developmental years. It is literally just because Diamond Tiara's there that Aura has lost her shit. If DT had not been there, Aura likely would have gone on to become a model Royal Guard and proud protector of the Princess.
Apparently people around here don't really understand how much of a monster Diamond Tiara is in canon, and just what all of that kind of bullshit can DO to a kid's mind that reworks their personality and mental processes, lasting long into their adult life - or even until they grow old and die, potentially. Research hasn't followed victims until that age. Depending on how severe the psychological torment, not many even reach that age to begin with.
Aura is technically the victim in all of this. To give an idea of what she's feeling like, if some guy murdered your best friend and then was released from jail and is now assigned as your partner at your otherwise dream job because he's 'reformed', are you going to be accepting of him or are you going to lose your shit and try to make his life a living hell? While DT may not have murdered anyone, the mental effects are literally not that much different. (And no, any of you people who'd say you'd do something neutral or try to show him up or be a role model or something for him - sit back down, the number of people who can do that in this world is so limited it might as well be a form of sociopathy) The fact Aura managed to prevent herself from flying into a rage BEFORE the physical conflict is somewhat miraculous, as victims of severe enough psychological trauma of this sort usually become so depressed and despondent that they either lose their will to live, lose their ability to emotionally connect to others, or exhibit consistently increased levels of aggressiveness and lack of forethought. Maybe she had counseling. Maybe she had help from concerned friends. If she did, all of the good people tried to do in fixing her up went out the window when she found out she'd be forced to work with Diamond Tiara.
Diamond Tiara ruined Aura's childhood, and now she's ruined Aura's future. Hopefully, if any good comes of this, it will be Tiara realizing what she was responsible for and just how horribly she screwed up in the past, and use Aura's future as the martyr and devotion to become the best guard she can be. For her sake, for Twilight's sake, and for Aura's sake.
If not, then she's completely irredeemable.
Remember folks, just because the story is revolving around DT and her feelings and how she's changing doesn't mean that she's yet a good person, or that her old horrendous deeds suddenly vanished. You can't just get emotionally attached to her and then defend her when she's met with the victims of her past. Reformation is something for the FUTURE, it does not mean your past sins are forgiven or that the people you've hurt or broken in your life are suddenly hale and happy again. It might even make things worse for them, seeing the person who hurt them getting to live a happy and better life than they get to, because -that- person doesn't carry the damage that was inflicted upon them. Let's use our heads, people.
And who was it that caused Aura to become like that? That was the /point/ I was making. With sufficient enough 'bullying', people can become extremely unbalanced to the point of suicide, murder, or other less final but ultimately damning courses of action and thought as their mental and emotional faculties are forever and forcibly re-sculpted and painfully marred - ESPECIALLY during the formative years of childhood; the very basis of which the rest of your life's personality and typically the way one looks at the world is founded upon - and any engineer will tell you what happens when you build on a broken foundation. The fact that Aura seemed to be going into the Guard of her own free will shows that she'd made recovery in the years between, that she'd likely gotten help. But even with help, the scars linger like welding patch-jobs, ready to bust apart again the moment too much stress is placed particularly on them.
Which went out the window when forced into close proximity with her tormentor. There's a -reason- we don't put trauma patients in with the people who traumatized them. If Aura was literally this crazy -all- the time, she would have been locked away. The fact that she's here shows that she was fine until she ran across specifically DT again. What is to not understand?
The only other option is that for whatever reason Aura is just naturally crazy, was crazy before DT bullied her, has always been insane, has never been taken in for help or treatment by her guardians or concerned townsfolk, and wanted revenge for what was carried out against her. Which makes no sense and I doubt would be the case. Either way, it's still something that might have turned up in a background check - which they would obviously do for a Princess' royal guardsmen. Psychiatric evaluations to make sure they aren't training a lunatic killer who'd stalk Twilight and slit her throat at night. If Aura passed, then it's most likely exactly how I've been saying all along. That she was broken by Diamond Tiara early on in her life, and the stress of seeing her tormentor again and being forced into close-quarters when she was bigger and more sure of herself pushed her over the edge. Not to mention the situation could have been avoided if DT had thought to work on her social skills more before arriving. Instead she ended up confirming and feeding Aura's indignation and the embers of revenge.
Just because DT didn't throw the first punch in this situation does not mean the blame falls elsewhere. To think so is vastly short-sighted and abusive of someone who's already been victimized. Aura supposedly did her best to move past her earlier issues, and could be assumed to be going into the Guard to secure a better life for herself. A future with order, a career that would give her greater self-confidence and sense of worth. Now with this reaction, based on stress and psychological deconstruction when being faced with the person who likely hurt her most in her life (from her reaction and its parallels to real trauma cases) she has completely lost any hope of regaining the future she was working towards.
If you say that's her fault, then it's not a matter of me being wrong or right anymore. That's a lack of humanity when we blame the victims.
That aside, I'm hoping that Diamond Tiara realizes just what she's caused. That she'd been so terrible to someone when she was younger that it damaged them even to their adult life. And that that damage cost them their career before it could even properly begin. I'm hoping that will be the catalyst she needs to truly become a better person, and a devoted guard. It would give meaning to Aura's inclusion in the story.
Edit: On a finer note, anyone who's been in a fight before will tell you how hard it is to stop hitting once you're mad. No matter if someone tells you to stop or not. That's just plain and bloody natural, part of the fight-or-flight mechanism. Once you identify something as a threat and emotions and fear and the like take hold while you're fighting it, it's like the body goes on auto-pilot and tries to finish the job so it's no longer a threat. It takes training to be able to stop oneself as easily as you seem to think.
Of course she's not a good person, you don't need to talk down to me like I haven't figured it out. I was saying, under current UCMJ law, that's Uniformed Code of Military Justice btw, she would have been found to be mentally unstable. They go through a rigorous amount of backlog of all of your past traumas. For example, if you went to a shrink because of a horrible time in your life, they would want you tested again for mental processes, and have all the information from your previous case filed away until further notice. They bring up, in MEPS (don't remember what it stands for, but its the medical screening for all branches) every single childhood trauma you have on file, going so far as to ask exactly who instigated it and if you have any lasting feelings about it. Hell, there is no way they would be shortsighted enough to put her in the same boot as DT.
I'm not defending DT at all. I'm merely saying that, as a military, nopony would be stupid enough to let her reenlist as anything more than a janitor.
4941839 I agree, and so would the military brass. It doesn't matter why you did something, only that you hurt another cadet and that you disobeyed orders. She is not entitled to anything, not a jury or anything, because she screwed up.
Its her own damn fault.
That doesn't mean it isn't partially DT's fault, either, of course. But its still her own fault.
I expected Aura to get some form of comuppance, but not quite like this. I expected something along the lines of conduct unbecoming along with a general discharge. Axe crazy out of nowhere.
Aura pretty much had that coming to her. Any soldier who can't be trusted to obey orders in combat rather than go chasing off after her own objectives and priorities obviously lacks discipline and will eventually get a comrade killed in the field. This isn't the first time either. It's kind of ironic that she ended up being destroyed by being the sort of pony of which she accused Diamond Tiara of being.
I'm just wondering if this is the end of her story or if revenge will inevitably carry her to crime and treason?
Yes, I'm aware that Diamond Tiara planted the seeds years ago but the point is that, for the Army, it doesn't matter. The point is that she's damaged goods and what happens if she comes across another trauma trigger out there in the field? What if she suddenly attacks another comrade or, God forbid, a non-combatant because they somehow form an association in her mind with some past trauma? If I was feeling generous, I'd give her a medical discharge on the basis of psychological unsuitability. However, given the number of times she's apparently ignored her DI's warnings, I think that he wasn't in a generous mood.
"Today," he called out to the other recruits, "we start on weapons training, starting with swords. Normally, we start with going over basic moves. You would start by walking through the steps, move on to practice dummies, and finally train against each other. In light of recent events --" he raised an eyebrow and glanced between the two mares " -- culminating in this morning, I have decided to make a major change. Today, we start by having Diamond Tiara and Aura give us a demonstration."
Oh boy.
"These," he called out, "are practice swords. They are made of actual metal, help get accustomed to the weight and balance of an actual blade. However, they are dull, so there is no chance of accidentally causing harm to yourself or sparring partners."
Apart from bruises or something broken if hit hard enough, but nothing that can't be taken care of before it's too late.
"Since you two want to fight each other, you are going to do just that. You will fight until: one of you reaches what could be seen as a killing blow, one of you surrenders, you are too worn out, or I just get bored with the whole thing. So, take your weapons and get ready."
This won't end well.
"Well, if your sword skill is the same as your wit," she stated, "then I have nothing to worry about."
Ooh, catty.
"Isn't it obvious?" Diamond Tiara asked. "All the times we've sparred, not once have you been able to get in a good riposte." She could almost hear the "ooh" from the crowd.
That'd be the bronies.
"I'm not worried," Aura snapped. "You've always talked big, but are shit when it comes to actually doing something yourself." With that, she grabbed one of the swords, holding the handle between her teeth.
This won't end well.
The impact sent a shock of pain through Diamond Tiara's jaw. The muscles suddenly throbbed and her gums ached.
Ouch...
The feeling was pushed aside. Rushing forward, Diamond Tiara tried to attack Aura again, to get her before she could regain her balance. Years of experience had left Tiara with an understanding that an advantage should be pushed. Wait too long and not only can a target recover, but possibly even rally to victory. This was not some silly little thing where she could walk away after a devastatingly effective barb. This was an actual fight. And Diamond Tiara refused to lose.
Oh boy.
"That's enough," the drill sergeant called out moving toward the pair. Snarling around the handle of her sword, Aura reared up and came down hard, aiming for Diamond Tiara's head. The attack was so quick and sudden, Diamond Tiara barely had time to block. There was a sharp crack like thunder as the two swords struck, Aura's blade shattering. She continued to bring the handle and the remnants of her sword down.
Welp, her career's gone.
The broken end struck Diamond Tiara in the face, slashing across her muzzle and down across her cheek. The skin burned as it was sliced open, making Tiara's eyes water. Blood flowed from the fresh wound, running down her face and dripping into the dirt at her hooves. The sword slipped from her teeth as she let out a hiss of pain.
Oh dear...
"You have shown yourself to be a danger to yourself and your fellow guards," he said in a calm, cold voice. "You have stolen from your associates, disobeyed orders, and put others in dangers. Were you permitted to continue, you would have severely injured -- and more than likely killed -- another recruit in what was supposed to be a demonstration. You have been found unfit to serve in Princess Twilight Sparkles royal guard and are hereby dismissed. You have ten minutes to collect your belongings before you are escorted off the premises."
Yessss!
This was not something she had ever imagined. Having ponies still be mad at her for when she was a bully was something that Diamond Tiara had expected. Having one hate her so much that they literally wanted to kill her... it made her stomach churn with fear and guilt. Had she really been that bad?
I suspect Aura was slightly insane if she's willing to try and kill someone.
I swear I did not mean for the battle to go this way or to have Aura become so insane. Originally the battle was supposed to go very differently. Then I had planned to keep the battle the same, but change the ending of it as per what The Fiery Joker said would happen. For some reason, when I started writing it, it took a very different and darker turn.
Well, Aura got what I expected her to get. Though to be honest, I expected her getting it a lot earlier. I mean, my little brother is in the army and they look down pretty heavily on stealing, at least they did in his platoon. And I think a royal guard, which is a higher level of the military (in my opinion at least) would be even harsher than a basic army. Still, nice to see Aura out of the picture.
They can Aura. Also with how you been acting I'm honestly surprised you haven't been taken out earlier.
honestly she got off easy, had princess twiligth herself had been present.... can't see that going well.
Welp, now she's been booted out with a General OTHC Discharge. Best job she can get for a while is working at fast food, if she's lucky. Thing is, if you have ANYTHING other than an honorable discharge from the military, it's going to be brought up in a job interview and you have to explain why.
Sucks to be her, but that's what happens when you don't let go of a grudge. Wouldn't be surprised if she turns to crime after this.
4933842
What is OTHC Discharge? I'm sorry I'm not familiar with military terms or military time for that matter.
4933906
Honorable Discharge
If a military service member received a good or excellent rating for their service time, by exceeding standards for performance and personal conduct, they will be discharged from the military honorably. An honorable military discharge is a form of administrative discharge.
General Discharge
If a service member’s performance is satisfactory but the individual failed to meet all expectations of conduct for military members, the discharge is considered a general discharge. To receive a general discharge from the military there has to be some form of nonjudicial punishment to correct unacceptable military behavior. A general military discharge is a form of administrative discharge.
Other Than Honorable Conditions Discharge (OTHC)
The most severe type of military administrative discharge is the Other Than Honorable Conditions. Some examples of actions that could lead to an Other Than Honorable Discharge include security violations, use of violence, conviction by a civilian court with a sentence including prison time, or being found guilty of adultery in a divorce hearing (this list is not a definitive list; these are only examples). In most cases, veterans who receive an Other Than Honorable Discharge cannot re-enlist in the Armed Forces or reserves, except under very rare circumstances. Veteran’s benefits are not usually available to those discharged through this type of discharge.
Bad Conduct Discharge (BCD)
The Bad Conduct Discharge is only passed on to enlisted military members and is given by a court-martial due to punishment for bad conduct. A Bad Conduct discharge is often preceded by time in military prison. Virtually all veteran’s benefits are forfeited if discharged due to Bad Conduct.
Dishonorable Discharge
If the military considers a service members actions to be reprehensible, the general court-martial can determine a dishonorable discharge is in order. Murder and sexual assault are examples of situations which would result in a dishonorable discharge. If someone is dishonorably discharged from the military they are not allowed to own firearms according to US federal law. Military members who receive a Dishonorable Discharge forfeit all military and veterans benefits and may have a difficult time finding work in the civilian sector.
Aura would get OTHC because she wasn't court-martialed.
4933917
Ouch... I actually feel a bit sorry for Aura now.
4933917
OTHC? Seriously? She attempted to murder a pony in front of everypony. Yeah the theft, and sabotaging her fellow cadets, I can see OTHC. But she tried to brain her opponent in a demonstration (after being told to stop (so we can add insubordination to the list)), when it broke cut Diamond's face, and tried to murder-stab her with all her Earth Pony strength. On top of all that other stuff. I'd think that'd qualify for a Dishonorable Discharge.
Although even with the OTHC, having to explain attempted murder, theft, malicious and injury inducing sabotaging of teammates, and insubordination. I can see her turning to a life of crime as well.
4933785
I can't wait to see Twilight's reaction to the report when it crosses her table ... .
4934434 I agree with you on that. Bad Conduct, all the way, I think.
4933947 I wouldn't. She can still re-enlist, she can still be a danger to herself and her comrades. In any case, though, if she was this bat-shit insane, she would have been discharged earlier.
I really liked this chapter, but one thing that really broke my suspension of disbelief was when the drill sergeant said that there was no danger in using blunt metal swords, when in reality, blunt metal swords are just as dangerous as sharp ones, because they can easily break bones. I really wish there was a throwaway line about some weak enchantment or something that made the swords only cause bruises, and then the enchantment is broken in the middle of the fight and it makes the swords brittle or something, giving a reason for the sudden breaking beyond just rage-strength.
I actually prefer the way you wrote it. I would not have been satisfied with Aura becoming friends or even allies with Diamond Tiara. It was very clear before that she was just insane/ a bitch. Anyways, keep on going this is fantastic. My only complaint is that the chapters are so short. I'd love to see a chapter that's a couple thousand words long.
Aura deserved what she got. Her career will be blighted now.
If Aura doesn't kidnap Apple bloom and challenge DT to a duel to the death by the end of this fic I will be heart broken.
4940681
Hmm.... *Makes a note of this, just in case*
4934818 4935546
She doesn't seem to be normally insane. She was traumatized by Diamond Tiara during her developmental years. It is literally just because Diamond Tiara's there that Aura has lost her shit. If DT had not been there, Aura likely would have gone on to become a model Royal Guard and proud protector of the Princess.
Apparently people around here don't really understand how much of a monster Diamond Tiara is in canon, and just what all of that kind of bullshit can DO to a kid's mind that reworks their personality and mental processes, lasting long into their adult life - or even until they grow old and die, potentially. Research hasn't followed victims until that age. Depending on how severe the psychological torment, not many even reach that age to begin with.
Aura is technically the victim in all of this. To give an idea of what she's feeling like, if some guy murdered your best friend and then was released from jail and is now assigned as your partner at your otherwise dream job because he's 'reformed', are you going to be accepting of him or are you going to lose your shit and try to make his life a living hell? While DT may not have murdered anyone, the mental effects are literally not that much different. (And no, any of you people who'd say you'd do something neutral or try to show him up or be a role model or something for him - sit back down, the number of people who can do that in this world is so limited it might as well be a form of sociopathy) The fact Aura managed to prevent herself from flying into a rage BEFORE the physical conflict is somewhat miraculous, as victims of severe enough psychological trauma of this sort usually become so depressed and despondent that they either lose their will to live, lose their ability to emotionally connect to others, or exhibit consistently increased levels of aggressiveness and lack of forethought. Maybe she had counseling. Maybe she had help from concerned friends. If she did, all of the good people tried to do in fixing her up went out the window when she found out she'd be forced to work with Diamond Tiara.
Diamond Tiara ruined Aura's childhood, and now she's ruined Aura's future. Hopefully, if any good comes of this, it will be Tiara realizing what she was responsible for and just how horribly she screwed up in the past, and use Aura's future as the martyr and devotion to become the best guard she can be. For her sake, for Twilight's sake, and for Aura's sake.
If not, then she's completely irredeemable.
Remember folks, just because the story is revolving around DT and her feelings and how she's changing doesn't mean that she's yet a good person, or that her old horrendous deeds suddenly vanished. You can't just get emotionally attached to her and then defend her when she's met with the victims of her past. Reformation is something for the FUTURE, it does not mean your past sins are forgiven or that the people you've hurt or broken in your life are suddenly hale and happy again. It might even make things worse for them, seeing the person who hurt them getting to live a happy and better life than they get to, because -that- person doesn't carry the damage that was inflicted upon them. Let's use our heads, people.
4941151
I don't agree on DT ruining aura's future because, it's aura's fault for still swinging with a broken god damned sword
4941839
And who was it that caused Aura to become like that? That was the /point/ I was making. With sufficient enough 'bullying', people can become extremely unbalanced to the point of suicide, murder, or other less final but ultimately damning courses of action and thought as their mental and emotional faculties are forever and forcibly re-sculpted and painfully marred - ESPECIALLY during the formative years of childhood; the very basis of which the rest of your life's personality and typically the way one looks at the world is founded upon - and any engineer will tell you what happens when you build on a broken foundation. The fact that Aura seemed to be going into the Guard of her own free will shows that she'd made recovery in the years between, that she'd likely gotten help. But even with help, the scars linger like welding patch-jobs, ready to bust apart again the moment too much stress is placed particularly on them.
Which went out the window when forced into close proximity with her tormentor. There's a -reason- we don't put trauma patients in with the people who traumatized them. If Aura was literally this crazy -all- the time, she would have been locked away. The fact that she's here shows that she was fine until she ran across specifically DT again. What is to not understand?
The only other option is that for whatever reason Aura is just naturally crazy, was crazy before DT bullied her, has always been insane, has never been taken in for help or treatment by her guardians or concerned townsfolk, and wanted revenge for what was carried out against her. Which makes no sense and I doubt would be the case. Either way, it's still something that might have turned up in a background check - which they would obviously do for a Princess' royal guardsmen. Psychiatric evaluations to make sure they aren't training a lunatic killer who'd stalk Twilight and slit her throat at night. If Aura passed, then it's most likely exactly how I've been saying all along. That she was broken by Diamond Tiara early on in her life, and the stress of seeing her tormentor again and being forced into close-quarters when she was bigger and more sure of herself pushed her over the edge. Not to mention the situation could have been avoided if DT had thought to work on her social skills more before arriving. Instead she ended up confirming and feeding Aura's indignation and the embers of revenge.
Just because DT didn't throw the first punch in this situation does not mean the blame falls elsewhere. To think so is vastly short-sighted and abusive of someone who's already been victimized. Aura supposedly did her best to move past her earlier issues, and could be assumed to be going into the Guard to secure a better life for herself. A future with order, a career that would give her greater self-confidence and sense of worth. Now with this reaction, based on stress and psychological deconstruction when being faced with the person who likely hurt her most in her life (from her reaction and its parallels to real trauma cases) she has completely lost any hope of regaining the future she was working towards.
If you say that's her fault, then it's not a matter of me being wrong or right anymore. That's a lack of humanity when we blame the victims.
That aside, I'm hoping that Diamond Tiara realizes just what she's caused. That she'd been so terrible to someone when she was younger that it damaged them even to their adult life. And that that damage cost them their career before it could even properly begin.
I'm hoping that will be the catalyst she needs to truly become a better person, and a devoted guard. It would give meaning to Aura's inclusion in the story.
Edit: On a finer note, anyone who's been in a fight before will tell you how hard it is to stop hitting once you're mad. No matter if someone tells you to stop or not. That's just plain and bloody natural, part of the fight-or-flight mechanism. Once you identify something as a threat and emotions and fear and the like take hold while you're fighting it, it's like the body goes on auto-pilot and tries to finish the job so it's no longer a threat. It takes training to be able to stop oneself as easily as you seem to think.
4941151
Of course she's not a good person, you don't need to talk down to me like I haven't figured it out. I was saying, under current UCMJ law, that's Uniformed Code of Military Justice btw, she would have been found to be mentally unstable. They go through a rigorous amount of backlog of all of your past traumas. For example, if you went to a shrink because of a horrible time in your life, they would want you tested again for mental processes, and have all the information from your previous case filed away until further notice. They bring up, in MEPS (don't remember what it stands for, but its the medical screening for all branches) every single childhood trauma you have on file, going so far as to ask exactly who instigated it and if you have any lasting feelings about it. Hell, there is no way they would be shortsighted enough to put her in the same boot as DT.
I'm not defending DT at all. I'm merely saying that, as a military, nopony would be stupid enough to let her reenlist as anything more than a janitor.
4941839 I agree, and so would the military brass. It doesn't matter why you did something, only that you hurt another cadet and that you disobeyed orders. She is not entitled to anything, not a jury or anything, because she screwed up.
Its her own damn fault.
That doesn't mean it isn't partially DT's fault, either, of course. But its still her own fault.
Love how you have Diamond feel a little guilty. Poor Aura
I expected Aura to get some form of comuppance, but not quite like this. I expected something along the lines of conduct unbecoming along with a general discharge. Axe crazy out of nowhere.
4940688
No. That is such a bullshit twist.
Aura pretty much had that coming to her. Any soldier who can't be trusted to obey orders in combat rather than go chasing off after her own objectives and priorities obviously lacks discipline and will eventually get a comrade killed in the field. This isn't the first time either. It's kind of ironic that she ended up being destroyed by being the sort of pony of which she accused Diamond Tiara of being.
I'm just wondering if this is the end of her story or if revenge will inevitably carry her to crime and treason?
Yes, I'm aware that Diamond Tiara planted the seeds years ago but the point is that, for the Army, it doesn't matter. The point is that she's damaged goods and what happens if she comes across another trauma trigger out there in the field? What if she suddenly attacks another comrade or, God forbid, a non-combatant because they somehow form an association in her mind with some past trauma? If I was feeling generous, I'd give her a medical discharge on the basis of psychological unsuitability. However, given the number of times she's apparently ignored her DI's warnings, I think that he wasn't in a generous mood.
I'm glad you went with this version. It may be dark, but it seems kinda... Realistic.
Oh boy.
Apart from bruises or something broken if hit hard enough, but nothing that can't be taken care of before it's too late.
This won't end well.
Ooh, catty.
That'd be the bronies.
This won't end well.
Ouch...
Oh boy.
Welp, her career's gone.
Oh dear...
Yessss!
I suspect Aura was slightly insane if she's willing to try and kill someone.
I see.
Damn. Doesn't surprise me. She should have been kicked out for theft to begin with.
Okay, that was awesome!