Part 7 (Founders) - Chapter 3
They were all there, the day they had the vote. Everyone but Alex, unconscious as she was in a hospital bed. There were no more attempted suicides; not now that the shock of having Odium gone for good was finally over. That left Alexandria with a problem, of course.
What could they do with a dozen ponies that had tried to take over? Moriah participated in several of the proposals that were made, just as all of them did. Rather than keep all of them locked up in little cells during the week or so it took them to work out what they would do, Cloudy Skies helped the ponies move into the high school gymnasium, which they kept locked.
Nopony resisted. None of the recovering ponies seemed to have much in the way of willpower left, really. Odium had taken it, claimed it for himself. It was only the beginning of what he had cost them. Oliver didn’t know if those ponies would ever be fully independent again.
“What have you decided?” True Sight, first of the cultists to be free, seemed to speak for them now, though they were actually three distinct groups. The Equestrian ponies numbered about nine, plus another five humans that had been captured in Philadelphia. Another three were ex-military human ponies, part of Abrams’s band. Evidently they had been “recruited” when their convoy met up with the ponies leaving Philadelphia.
As a result, they were the most intact, since they had only been under Odium’s control a few weeks. Even so, there was an empty look in their eyes whenever Moriah looked at them.
The three separate groups sat a little distance apart from each other in the gym, all surrounding the table where the ponies of Alexandria sat. Well, most of them. Alex remained unresponsive, possibly brain dead. Oliver still didn’t know if she would ever wake up, despite all the medical magic he could pour into her as she slept.
Moriah wore her prosthetic horn all the time now. It took enormous concentration and effort to actually use the damn thing, but it was getting easier every day. Another few months, and she might be able to lift multiple objects the way Joseph could.
Joseph had taught her daily for more than half a year, but Moriah would always think of magic as the first gift her “little parasite” had given her. Then again, she supposed he was responsible for that too…
Cloudy Skies had led their meetings in Alex’s absence, just as she always did. When speaking with other ponies though, it was Moriah who rose to her hooves. “We have.” She lifted a piece of paper, and tried to make her voice as official as she could.
“Refugees and former slaves to the spirit Odium, we have reached our decision about you. We considered your proposal, and considered a few other options.” She tried to linger longest on those words, since many of the "other options" had come from her mouth. Some had been accepted. Most had not.
“The ponies of Alexandria have voted unanimously to accept your request to join our settlement as permanent citizens.” She tried to meet each set of eyes for a second, like she imagined Alex might do. “We will work with those who were living in temporary housing before to find somewhere permanent to live. Those who wish to change their housing arrangements may also do so if you wish, using one of our trailers if you want water and electrical, or any home in the city if you don’t. We will discuss at a later time the ways in which you might contribute to our city. We do expect, however, that each of you will contribute to the degree you are physically and psychologically able.”
“We also understand the mental and physical trauma you suffered was severe. We hope to offer you all the support we can, so long as you choose to live with us here in Alexandria.” She fell silent then, waiting for their response.
The dozen ponies muttered in hushed tones for a few minutes. Moriah could’ve strained to hear them if she really wanted to, but she didn’t see the point. She made quiet conversation with Joseph until Carol stood up again.
“We are all very happy you decided to accept us. I know how hard it must be, after the way we treated your hospitality last time. That won’t happen this time. We’re grateful you’ve given us another chance.”
Moriah admired Carol’s discipline, and not just because of her delivery now. She had heard her impassioned pleas in the last few days; about how winter was coming up and some of her ponies could barely feed themselves without help, so complete had Odium’s damage been. Of all those that had been with the cult since childhood, only Carol herself seemed intact for the experience. She hadn’t been willing to talk about why.
Moriah nodded, and proceeded to explain the rest of the plan in detail. How, for the next six months, each of the ponies of Alexandria would take one of the most helpless of the immigrants into their homes, and care for them in addition to their other responsibilities. Even Moriah with a heart of iron had wept when she considered the horror of these ponies’ experiences. Those worst off, though adults, had an independence and level of development equivalent to a young child.
There were four such cases. She knew the torture Odium’s voice could bring, and she had felt it for less than an hour. The thought of the horror it might work upon someone in a lifetime she could scarcely comprehend.
The human ponies, for all their shock and confusion, seemed to have emerged relatively unscathed. She listened diligently as each in turn answered their questions about their skills and training, doing so honestly this time.
It was about the best list they could’ve hoped for. A few paper wranglers, a truck driver, a policewoman, a high school teacher, and an electrician. That last guy was going to be a celebrity if he ever got his crap together.
Oliver was too busy caring for Alex to cook like he used to for these big dinners, so they had to make do with a large pot of Sky’s “everything soup” and the greens she had gathered that morning from Oliver’s withering garden. It was enough to feed them all without delving back into canned food, so it would have to do.
When all was done, when she and Joseph had made room for their two new guests, when the new ponies were asleep and the stress of the day was finally over, Moriah dragged him away from his game and into the waiting car. She didn’t tell him where they were going, which he took to mean she had entirely the wrong intentions.
On any other night, she might’ve found the idea of going somewhere secret by the dark of night with her lover very, very interesting. Not tonight, though. Given the reason for this conversation, she couldn’t have had less interest in sex.
She took Joseph to her secret place, where the tiny patch of forest met lake. It was very beautiful there, though they had to use their horns to light their way. She had picked up on the light spell in the last few days, which came from the tip of the prosthetic even though it was just wood.
That seemed strange to her, but she wouldn’t question it. What mattered was that her magic was finally working. Lose it on her very first day as a unicorn, and it took getting knocked up to finally bring it into focus. The world wasn’t fair.
“Joe, stop!” She gave him a shove with her magic this time, the only sort of touch he seemed to understand. It was always easier to get through to Joseph when magic was involved. She shoved him against a tree and pushed him into a sitting position. She never could’ve done it if he had been resisting, but he didn’t. He never did.
“What?” He looked like he genuinely had no idea why they were here. Was that possible? Moriah’s magical senses were feeble even with the prosthetic, but she couldn’t not sense the foal, no matter how hard she had first tried not to. As it got larger, it was becoming more difficult. It wouldn’t be long now before it was going to be obvious she was carrying a passenger, eleven-month pregnancy or no. Better now than Oliver’s hints he was going to tell instead.
“It’s about that, but it’s not that.” She dropped to the ground, taking several deep breaths. She didn’t close her eyes though, for fear she would see what Odium had shown her: her own death, alone and unloved. Damn that monster if it thought she was going to let its prognostications come true. She twisted sideways, putting a little pressure on her belly. Even with her baggy sweatpants, she expected this would be enough for him to understand. “We should’ve been more careful, Joseph. I’m not sure I’m ready to start a family…”
The stallion stared. From the expression on his face, Moriah knew instantly that he hadn’t known. Joe was about as good at lying as Alex: not. He tried to speak, but only weak gasps emerged from his mouth. Eventually he seemed to give up entirely.
“I thought you knew. My magic… I can sense it. Every day. Every minute. It’s the first thing I ever felt, I don’t know how…” she trailed off, realizing it didn’t matter. What did she care why he hadn’t realized? It had served her purpose, in any case. It meant she could confront this on her own terms.
He shook his head. “N-No.” He coughed and spat, though the subject of something not actually the foal itself seemed to make things easier. Ease him back into the real word. “I knew your pattern changed, and it was changing all the time, but- I thought it was because you were finally understanding magic! You were levitating! Working on other spells — I expected it to change.”
“Well, it did, and here we are. I read about it; it takes eleven months for a mare to carry a foal to term, if nothing goes wrong. That means we have about nine left, if I’m working the math right on when it was… conceived.” She shivered. Even now, the thought of all this female stuff made her uncomfortable. The Equestrian princesses would mock her until she died.
“I guessed- I thought it might happen eventually… but it hadn’t happened to anyone else! I just figured- we couldn’t be first…”
“Of course we would be.” She glared at him. ”Joe, who else is active?”
He had no answer but to strike his face with a hoof. “Oh. I guess we should’ve… thought about this. Guess it’s a little late for those pills that-”
“Yeah.” She knew what she was about to say would probably offend him, but she said it anyway. It was better to tell an unpleasant truth than put even more between them. “I asked Oliver; there’s nothing he can do. None of the books had anything about abortions, and the danger of testing something meant for humans on an alien body…”
“The Equestrians don’t have birth control?”
Moriah shook her head, and started to answer, before she shoved him with a hoof. “It’s a little late to be asking about that now, Joe. We’re stuck. Anyway — it’d be selfish of us to try and stop it even if we could. We’ve already lost Alex. We need every pair of hands. Weren’t you the one who ran the numbers and told me that ponies won’t return fast enough in our lifetime or several lifetimes after? We have to get the numbers up before all the machines break down. Isn’t that what you said?”
Joe looked down, pawing at the ground and muttering. “I didn’t think it would be us.”
“Maybe not.” She looked up, eyes wide and pleading. “Please, Joe. I need you tell me you’re not going to abandon me.” She reached out for him with one leg, more desperately than she had felt in her life. “I needed you back in Los Angeles. I fucking need you now. It’s too much for one person…”
Moriah knew full well what he must be thinking. Joe might be able to understand codes and crack computer systems, but when it came to the rest of his life he was simplistic and predictable. Within his mind, she could practically watch the gears turning as his fear of commitment clashed with his desire for her. Could there be something more in there? Moriah had never imagined she’d felt anything more than what her body demanded she felt.
Yet now, as he reached out to embrace her and pull her close, she imagined that maybe, just maybe, she did.
For the first time, she was okay with that.
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Aw!
Seriously, as Cadance would point out, Love is a magic all of its own! I'm glad that Joe is going to try this. Yes, he and Moriah are going to have endless troubles, stumbles and wrong-turnings. 'Happily Ever After' is a dream for fools and foals but there is a possibility of happiness in their lives now.
I doubt those worst affected by Odium's evil will ever really recover. I'm sure that Oliver's medical training will include at least some information about how to care for those left permanently requiring living assistance due to brain damage, but it isn't going to be any easier. Nonetheless, by taking these unfortunates in, they've proven that they are the better beings.
I wonder what, precisely, Riley did with Carol to restore her mind? Was it something to do with Changeling magic or was it the Magic of Friendship acting in some way upon her? I hope that it wasn't the manner in which she was released. I'm pretty sure that they'll all feel bad if it turns out that breaking Odium's hold using the HPI's anti-magic field was what left those four brain-damaged.
I can sense a conclusion of this phase of the tale coming up now.
I wouldn't usually fave a story before it's finished, but I'll make an exception here. Oh, and an upvote too of course.
Really glad things are working out ok for Moriah at long last.
I had been wondering about her name, given one of the ciphers. I guess that explains it, somewhat.
all-that-think-they-see-will-be-blinded. all-that-know-they-are-blinded-will-be-given-truer-sight.
The name True Sight did sound particularly suspicious given that, but the interlude from her perspective made it seem she was just under Odium's influence like anyone. I guess her past somehow ties in with that little snippet of information.
Moriah won me over in her own chapter, and now, I can almost feel good about Joseph. Gudawnya kid.
it's the final countdown.
So folks, seems we're nearing our finale.
Great to see things are winding down, and the added bonus of a cute chapter.
Well, at least she came clean with him. They're going to need to get some names ready for when it arrives, I suppose there are a few readers with suggestions on that front. I suppose Sky and Wander will be next.
Those two are possibly the most dysfunctional of the original 5 founders, with Joe's social ineptness and Moriah's misanthropic anger at everything. And I have a feeling they're going to be the very best parents in the world.
I find myself wondering if Chapter 6 will involve Riley "reverse feeding" on Alex while holding hooves with all the other Founders gathered around the bed.
this leads me to believe moriah was male
6388603 That's been known for a long blooming time.
6388665 how'd i miss something like that!?
6388689 Transexuality/transgenderism is typically far from people's minds, so when an author decides to be subtle about such things, it can fly over some people's heads. I've had several moments like it myself.
6388719 no, i mean how'd i miss it in the story? where was it said that moriah was male?
6388740 6388719 It wasn't mentioned outright that Moriah was male beforehand. Heck i'll be honest I don't know if Moriah WAS male before hand, that's where my confusion is. I'm wondering if Moriah was born with female parts, and the Event didn't change them the way they wanted. As in they are Female to Male Trans and they don't WANT to have their female parts. It isn't made clear in the story and really just befuddles me.
Dang, so much for the Equestrians being particularly useful contributors to the overall effort. I suppose that was too much to hope for.
Heh.
Alright, Joe, time to not screw this up.
Ehh, good enough.
The recovery will be slow, but without further Odious interference, it will happen. And a new generation will come, not knowing of the horror that nearly consumed this world.
6388740
I think it was mentioned about the time that Alex came back from Equestria.
-Equinox_
6388796 It's practicaly said though, when they first met Moriah, she said "I'm female?" and grimaced.
6388965
Yes, IIRC there was a comment (maybe during the first chapter after the memory
orbscrystals) that only Alex truly knew what Moriah was going through.6388398
That may have been an ineffective act of defiance on Carol's part or something.
Odium's control was only absolute on Equestrian Ponies, and Carol was a batpony, not a pegasus.
While a devotee, she might not have been as vulnerable as others. Abrams wasn't.
She appears to be someone born into the cult, not absorbed by it.
Didn't she have doubts when going after Riley?
6389223
Not sure I follow. I was just talking about the coincidence of her name with something from one of the ciphers.
6388448
Although the story's already written, so name suggestions by readers are kinda useless.
6388913
Yeah, find your own horrors, ya durn whippersnappers!
This rubs me the wrong way. Sure, they mentioned the practical reasons that they simply don't know how to do an abortion on ponies and even if they did it would mean losing whatever the foal might be able to contribute. However, they didn't even bring up the fact that it's just wrong!!!!! It's immoral. Think about it. If you stumbled across an infant laying in a carriage on the side of the street, would you stab it to death with a knife??????? I hope not. Only a cruel, heartless, bastard would do that. Well, abortion is basically the same thing. Really, the only difference is that said infant is a few months younger.
6390238
In the middle of a prolonged global disaster situation the moral thing would be to NOT have a kid.
If you are barely hanging on yourself, what chance is a newborn going to have.
You have a dozen competent individuals trying to salvage what they can before they freeze / starve to death.
A dozen who are also now responsible for twice that many brain damaged wards.
Is it right to kill a kid? No.
Is it right to have a kid when you LITERALLY cannot care for it? Also no.
All of which is a moot point.
They cannot abort as they do not have the tools, time or knowledge to do so without killing Moriah.
Welcome to Third World health care concerns. Check your First World privileges at the door.
(Note: They had already reached the point where having a kid wouldn't be an overwhelming issue...
Then Odium destroyed what little infrastructure they had.
Its a giant case of extreme extenuating circumstance.)
Well, that was a lot of much-needed heartwarming.
For the time being, there are 3 things I wish to know about, if possible in spin off form. 1) Sunset. Where did she trot off to? 2) An average day in the life of Joe and Moriah's kid at the age of peer interaction. 3) The circumstances of a returnee towards the end of the return spell duration. Do they have welcome back parties, and re-orientation classes by that point? Archive the immortal is in nap mode, but I'm pretty sure all she needs is time to get a wake up, though a kiss from Oliver, or a boost from Riley might not hurt.
6389223 Abram gave oliver a clue about why he and his military group followed odium without going into big detail. "Trojan Horse" that's why instead of breaking down over time and then having no defiance Abram was able to will up enough control to change his aim at the last moment.
If what I read for the Thestrals was true (I like calling them that so that's what I'm going to do!), I don't think Moriah's pregnancy is going to last 11 months. it'll be a fair bit shorter than that.
"Do you think we should include the book on birth control, for the population of maybe a thousand ponies worldwide who will be reverting to a subsistence lifestyle that depends on a constant supply of new foals as they try to adapt to their new world?"
"I think they'll figure it out by the time they need it."
Why is anyone surprised they got or got someone pregnant? It's sort of a hard to miss activity! I mean maybe she struts up to him all slyly and says, "Do you remember the time when I told you those magic words: does this smell like chloroform to you?" or "I poked holes in the condom, baby," but otherwise it's like "OH MY GOD WHAT A SHOCK SEX MAKES BABIES WHO KNEW" A guilty wince I could understand, but surprise?
6391379
Because Joseph. No savegame to load either.
Aww... beautiful...
Alright, plans have been made, facts have been stated, and a foul is on the way.
ONWARD!
6391352
I'm not sure which direction you felt the same about in reference to Kefka. Did you mean you felt he was well executed or that he detracted from the story?
I wonder if Alex will be reborn as an alicorn... From Moriah Kelly no less!
I doubt it but that would be a hilarious thing.
love the chapter.
Dude, the moment you decided to take advantage of your 'female stuff' by having a stallion plow a foal into you is the moment you lost the right to complain. You can't have your cake and eat it to.
6391379
Old comment, but the answer to your rhetorical question is due to the 'it happens to other people, not me' mindset. For the reason that people think, 'I'll never get liver disease by drinking, that happens to other people' and 'smoking won't kill me, that happens to other people' peoplw also think they couldn't possibly get pregnant. They grasp at any logic, no matter how wrong, and use it to assure themselves.
Heck, this kind of thinking even happens when you're climbing a tree, or are driving a car. The higher the risk, but greater the pleasure or reward, the more likely someone will fall prey. Sex has a lot of pleasure.
The Picture is broken. Thank you for the attention.