I found some ponies standing around the mill today.
I was doing some paperwork in the office. Trying to figure out how the income's been coming in and comparing it to the payments heading out. I've been hoping that since we've got so much of the base for the town built, we'll get an accountant moving in soon. I'd rather not take the trip into Canterlot, especially when I'd have to haul all the ledgers with me. And it feels like there's a lot of ledgers.
Maybe an accountant's the last stage. When it comes to the ones who were here before me, most of the homes are up or just about finished. Plenty of stores. Got a good foundation on Town Hall, even if I keep telling them they've got to do a little more about protecting it from lightning or they might wind up building it all over again. Can't do much about that as a unicorn. But we've got shops, houses, place to keep the government safely isolated is in progress, and the flood of ponies found places to wash up in.
It all creates numbers. I wanted to go into town and see if we've got an accountant yet, and then I was thinking about going home. It's been getting easier to go home lately. For the last couple of years, it felt like I was spending most of my life in the mill. That was what needed to be done. All of the construction, and the mill had to provide the wood for just about every tenth-bit of it. The sawblades never stopped. Needed a night forepony, needed to keep going deeper into the wild zone to get fresh trees, and then we needed to replant them and put some earth ponies on those seeds because the only thing more important than wood today is having wood tomorrow.
But now I'm getting some time at home, because the crush is finally easing off. I think I need to spend more time at home, with my spouse. Because I've just about got my own place finished off, but it's been slower than most. I keep having to stop and put my hooves in on other projects. Ponies send for me when they've got building problems and while they trust my crew, they know who runs it. Something goes frogs-up on them, and they know there's only one of me.
I've spent a lot of moons fixing everypony else's problems. It's done bad things to the schedule for wrapping up my porch.
Crush meant the mill was running under Sun and Moon. Crush had ponies pushing themselves too hard to keep up. Had to mandate work breaks so nopony would go down in a pool of their own froth. Spent a lot of time going down to the floor and prodding the crew away from the blades, before they got so tired that they put themselves into their work and lost parts they can't get back. There's been some laughs about that. I was the only unicorn around for a while, and that meant nopony knew how to deal with a horn prod.
But I found a few ponies standing around on their own today. Taking a break without me needing to push them into it. Or poke.
It's not a bad sign. Crush time's ending, and I don't have to worry so much about the crew getting hurt because they push too hard or too long now. I'm looking at it as a positive change. Maybe I'll go find Brass after I leave and have a drink with him. Celebrate, because he's probably reached the point where his ponies aren't slumping into sleep and getting their snouts stuck in pipes. I'll ask Brass if he's heard anything about an accountant coming in. He's got the same problem as me: the mark tells you how to do the work, but it's not much help when it comes to running the business.
But after that, I'm going home. I want to put in some more work on the porch. It's for her. When she's home, she uses what's there of the porch more than anything else. So the porch needs to be finished.
If the porch gets finished, maybe she'll be home more.
They were only a few body lengths apart.
Fleur hadn't been actively chasing down the pegasus any more than she'd managed to ensnare any Bearers: in both cases, there had just been so much else to do. But as with the concept of rebuilding her web, the idea had never slipped her mind. One of the most beautiful mares she'd ever seen was sharing a settled zone with her and if you were unfairly sentenced to a prison whose chef made the word's best vanilla cake (something else Sweetbark probably couldn't appreciate), then you had an obligation to sample a slice before you escaped. Or more than a single slice. With the pegasus, Fleur had been fully prepared for going to four.
But there had been no fully active hunt to find out where she lived: in part, this was because Fleur hadn't known who to ask -- well, mostly hadn't known. She'd been sure that Pinkie would have the information, and also would have wanted to know why Fleur was asking.
She didn't know much of anything about the pegasus. Admittedly, she was finally getting a chance to learn. The first look at the mare's puzzle had told her that the metallic was still single, because none of the pieces (some of which felt unusually new) had any aspect of fulfillment about them. That felt like it should have given Fleur a chance: she might not have dark fur, but she was tall enough to satisfy that particular corner. The mare had nothing against horns (although she also liked wings). She was repressed, but she was also trying to actively find a way out of it. All the pegasus might really need was somepony with enough ambition to get close, the charm to stay there, and a guide harness on standby.
But all Fleur's talent could ever do was tell her about the sexual aspects of a being. She didn't know where the pegasus resided, had no idea what her job was... well, she could finally start to make a guess on that one, because the pool of illumination from the streetlight was providing Fleur with her first true look at the metallic's mark.
...tail groomer?
It felt possible. But the icon was unusual: a lush white tail over shapely red hindquarters, just as metallic as the rest of the fur. A butt on a flank. If 'tail groomer' wasn't the answer, then Fleur was currently at a loss for what the image meant. And when it came to thinking of any other options...
The pegasus was beautiful. Take Fleur out of the race and she would be the most beautiful mare in the settled zone. The tail was flawless obsidian, the brilliant yellow of the eyes had originally made the unicorn think of Sun --
-- they were only a few body lengths apart, and the hip-swaying trot meant to close that distance had stopped at the sound of the first word. Because that brilliant yellow was looking directly at her, and Sun was cold.
"I'll save you the introduction," the beautiful metallic slowly began, every little motion sending reflections into the night. "You're Fleur Dis Lee."
All right. She knows my name. My full name, which means she's either been in the area at just the right moment, or she's been asking ponies about me. Why is she --
"And you're an escort," the pegasus softly added. "But not an active one. Not at the moment, since Ponyville isn't your territory and you haven't announced yourself."
-- asking a lot. It begged the question of why. The best case was that the metallic was attracted, and had been trying to learn more. But there wasn't a single puzzle piece glowing, and Fleur was right there.
"I'm pretty sure you know my name," traveled across the chill breeze to Fleur, moving downwind. "But let's pretend you don't, just for a second. I'm Joyous."
The escort carefully shifted her features into a smile.
"I did know that." Why is her tail starting to lash? "I saw you at my welcoming party, and I asked Pinkie about you." The smile widened a little, and Fleur added a small head tilt to the mix. "Actually, she mentioned you the first time I met her. Not by name. It wasn't anything insulting --"
"-- I don't know Pinkie very well," Joyous cut her off. "Not as much as I'd like. We haven't seen each other very often since my own party. But I can guess. She said you were beautiful, and I was beautiful."
There was no audible ego in the statement, perhaps because a statement was all it had been. They were both beautiful. Joyous, at least, was fully aware of how she looked.
"Yes."
The metallic coldly nodded. The movement made a patch of dark blue dance upon Fleur's snout.
"Ponies mentioned you to me," the pegasus told her. "For the same reason. It's not why I came to your party, though. I've been..." and there was something strange in her tone "...trying to attend parties lately. Getting used to them. To being around the number of ponies who show up."
Gently, "Enochlophobia?"
The mare's brow furrowed. More light bounced.
"I don't know what that is."
"The fear of crowds," Fleur clarified.
Joyous' cold eyes abruptly widened. Narrowed again.
"None of your bucking business."
Get it over with. The sooner she found out exactly which lies the pegasus had been told (or, in the worst case, which truths needed to be covered up with extra lies), the faster she could correct them. And then there might be an apology, Fleur would think nothing of it but ask for a chance, the metallic should take some time to know her better, and an evening spent in each other's company...
Ponyville didn't have a lot of bars, but all of them were open at this hour. Fleur was absolutely certain she could find somepony willing to buy them drinks.
"You don't like me." She could hear it. Anyone could, and Fleur didn't know what Joyous thought she had done.
"Oh, really?" Open sarcasm, words almost hissing their way through the night. It felt as if pegasus magic was trying to force moisture into becoming acid.
Keep my posture open. Calm. Let her know I'm willing to listen... "I'd like to think I'm entitled to know why."
It was a sentence which made the wings flare out, the wide span of an endurance flier to go with that incredible rib cage.
"Entitled," Joyous softly said. "Oh, yes. I believe that. You definitely think you're entitled."
I don't understand. What does she think I --
"Ponies mentioned you to me, early on," Joyous repeated. "Because we're both beautiful. There was a lot of it shortly after you arrived. It hasn't been happening anywhere near as much lately. I'd have to guess, but... I think some of them just wanted to see us together."
The bright, cold yellow eyes briefly surveyed the area. Peered out into the darkness beyond the streetlamp's pool of light, and Fleur wondered what she was seeing. Someone had once told her that pegasi were capable of perceiving heat (and, despite the obvious jokes, it hadn't been meant in the sexual sense: ponies very obviously didn't have an estrus cycle). Those who shifted the seasons had to see what they were working with. It was supposedly a kind of sight which came with its own colors, spectra which couldn't really be described to those who lacked the extra sense. Most ponies staring out into the dark while standing within this many lumens would have trouble making out anything, but with a pegasus...
"Looks like everypony's missing out," the metallic observed.
Looking for body heat. I have to remember they can do that. If I'm on the run, I'll need more than one kind of camouflage.
"And when I say they wanted to see us together," Joyous calmly continued, even as the temperature of voice and air began to drop, "I'd guess some of those desires were actually fantasies. Two mares like us, just -- being together."
'I've thought about it too --' no. Too early. Save that until after I've calmed her down.
"It's natural," was what Fleur went with instead. "You already know I'm an escort. There's always clients who want to see two mares together." With what was meant to be the lead-in for a light laugh, "Some of them even hire accordingly. Of course, then it's two mares and the client. And when their intent wasn't just to watch, then some of them aren't quite up to the challenge --"
The wide wings shifted, just enough to notice, and chill air blasted through Fleur's fur.
"-- stop."
Fleur's mouth closed.
"I was curious about you." Normal volume again, almost immediately resumed after the single ouburst -- but the atmosphere felt as if it was rippling. "Not enough to go looking, but enough to keep my eyes open and my ears up. I heard a few things, and... after I heard them, there didn't seem to be much point in looking at all."
Keep it calm, try to make her calm... "Joyous, I don't know what you've heard, but --"
"-- but then I saw you again." The words slashed across Fleur's sentence like talons. "Well, most of the town was in the cider line..."
Fleur blinked.
"I never saw you there. I would have --"
-- wait.
She'd thought she'd seen something. That night had found it flickering against her vision. The briefest glimpses...
"No." The word was placid, and the increasing movement of the lush tail made the tone into a lie. "You didn't."
Slowly, the wings began to refold.
"I haven't been in Ponyville all that long," Joyous told her. "I'm still trying to settle in. To -- make friends. That's hard for me."
It had been another statement, and it made the tiny laugh feel mandatory. "The way you look? Ponies trip over their own legs, trying to find ways of being your friend! I would know --"
Just above a whisper, as the black tail abruptly came to a stop, "-- I don't trust easily."
They were words which brought about an automatic reaction, something which never became visible in the pool of light. But Fleur's talent delved deeper, searching for something it could never truly sense.
Pieces showed what somepony wanted. There were times, especially when somepony was fresh off a negative experience, when it was possible to infer the opposite. But when it came to what had actually happened, you couldn't get it all from the one it had happened to. You needed --
Softly, "I'm sorry."
It wasn't a lie. It was her best guess, it was fully sincere, and now she wanted nothing more than to speak with Joyous, truly talk, because getting to four was going to take a lot of work. It might not be possible at all, and Fleur still wanted to talk. Because the pegasus was beautiful, and... it felt as if something had happened. Something which never should have happened to anypony.
They could have a discussion about pain. The ways it could be forged. Turned into a weapon.
Fleur had meant the words.
Joyous ignored them.
"Just going into somepony else's tent... that's a pretty big deal for me," the pegasus continued. "I wasn't going to stay long. But I heard you outside, with Fluttershy." A soft snort. "Of course you were with Fluttershy. I heard you talking to those two stallions. They tried talking to me before I went into the tent, because of course they did. And you said a few words..."
The pegasus' lips pulled back from her teeth.
"Words about emergencies, and potential missions," Joyous half-spat. "But that was the excuse. You decided you were entitled to that spot. So you found some victims. And you took it."
Yes.
"No --"
The tail was moving again. "-- really? You're really going to stand there and try lying to me?"
Dark blue light flashed into my eyes, just before I heard a tent flap drop. She must have looked out for a second and then pulled back. I kept thinking I was seeing dark blue all night.
She has hindquarters on her flank. That can't mean a talent for sensing lies...
...unless it's going the long way around for horse apple production.
"Joyous --" It was almost desperate. Fleur felt she was allowed to sound desperate. The most beautiful mare in Ponyville (other than herself), possibly one of the most beautiful mares in the world, and every tenth-bit of body language across tense muscles and rippling feathers said the pegasus hated her. She had to fix it --
"I followed you." Because no sentence could be completed, except for the one which had put Fleur into Ponyville. "I watched. You just took. All night, until the two of you finally went to bed. Fluttershy's too innocent to really understand most of it: even I get that, and most of what I know about her is what everypony else says. But I know when an expert is at work. You saw what everypony else had, you figured out how much of it you wanted, and then you took. Over and over, because somepony like you can never have enough --"
She's beautiful, she has to understand --
"-- and it's never happened to you?"
Air was pulled in between exposed teeth. A forehoof scraped at the road.
"Really?"
But there had only been one actual word, and it seemed to create an opening. Fleur talked faster. "You're -- look, I know you have to hear this all the time, because I get it too! You're beautiful, Joyous. We both are! Somepony looks like we do, ponies just want to give you things! To make you happy, because they think it'll give them a chance in return! I know it's happened to you --"
"-- there's a difference," Joyous cut her off, "between a free offering and one that's been forced. I'd know."
There was something young about her voice, deeper than the tones. The flawless body was that of a newly-minted adult, but the voice suggested early adolescence.
"It's just flirting!" Moon's craters, did anypony of beauty in this town understand how the world worked? First Fluttershy, and now this? "You have to know what that's like! You're just like me --"
The mare's left foreleg stopped scraping at the street. It came up, and then it slammed into the ground.
"I'm not!"
It was a protest. It was almost a shout of denial and when it came from somepony who was so beautiful, it was also Fleur's turn to ignore something. "-- and we need to be capable of using what we have, because we're only going to have it for so long." Did Joyous truly not recognize that? Were there two mares who needed to be taught? Admittedly, she wouldn't be getting paid in bits for the second education, but Joyous would be grateful and once that happened, they could start working on going to four. "Beauty is a tool. And besides --"
She made the mistake, and it began with a laugh. A true one, so rare for her, because she acknowledged her next words as something funny. The humor which came from observing a universal truth.
She would lie awake in tangled blankets for hours, reflecting not so much on her words as the reaction to them.
A reaction which led to everything which had happened after she spoke.
Hindquarters on a flank. A tail groomer. In terms of the obvious, it had felt as if there was nothing else it could mean.
Nothing which wasn't sane.
"...if you can't hold onto something just because you're attracted to somepony, you don't deserve to have it! Show a little willpower! Or use it! None of them even tried to trade for a nuzzle --"
Stark. And the mare's expression twisted into fury, flashing dark blue into Fleur's eyes again -- but it was a cold fury, something which moved down the chill breeze into Fleur's fur and skin. " -- that's what you think? That's what you are?"
Fleur didn't understand. All she knew was that any chance to be with the mare was slipping away, four to zero, all she could do was hold her ground and try to think of anything which might work --
"Fine," the pegasus said, and the words were encased in ice. "You think that if you can't hold onto something because you're attracted to somepony, you don't deserve it." A little childishly, "That's what you said. I heard it."
"It's just common sense --"
"-- you're attracted to me."
Fleur blinked.
Her talent is -- the same talent doesn't need to have the same icon, if she has mine --
"I saw how you were moving, once you spotted me," Joyous observed, and the tiny laugh had no humor in it. "It's pretty obvious, especially after I watched you flirt up and down the line. Not just that: doing it with Fluttershy at your side. She was right there, and you kept 'flirting' anyway."
Maybe she had to tell somepony, just this once. "Fluttershy and I are --"
"-- I get ponies doing that around me a lot," and the metallic had cut her off again. "The movement. Because so many of them are attracted. You're better at it than just about all of them, though. Still... you said something."
The pegasus' wings flared.
"Let's test it," Joyous said, and took off.
It wasn't much of a flight. The metallic stayed within the radiance of the tall streetlight. She just moved up and back, to the edge of the pool: something which placed the obsidian tail into darkness. And then as Fleur watched, the reflective blue legs began to weave under the mare's belly and barrel.
The air started to dry out. Vapor became visible as white stands between the reflective hooves, quickly thickened and coalesced. Cloud weaving, and quickly: the mare was clearly talented. If that vapor didn't stay white --
"-- I'm not going to send lightning at you," Joyous calmly said. "You can stop backing up. There isn't going to be any rain or hail, either. I'm making something I can rest on, so I don't have to hover the whole time. That's all."
And that was exactly what she did. One cloud, just large enough for a single pony to lie down upon. The pegasus landed, curled her legs under her body, and looked down.
Fleur, still confused, looked up. Even with a truly talented pegasus, the color of the vapor would need a few seconds to shift: enough time for the unicorn to strike or flee. Joyous was just... resting. Looking down at Fleur from a height, and not even all that significant of one -- except for one factor. In Fleur's estimate, if she were to fully rear up on her hind legs, try to make herself as tall as possible for a few seconds, she would come up just short of reaching the metallic. A place of perceived safety.
"One last time," the pegasus calmly said. "You think that if somepony can't hold onto something just because they're attracted, they don't deserve it."
It felt as if her own nod was a little shaky, and she wondered how visible that had been. Everything about the encounter seemed to have gone strange.
"So we're testing that," came downwind on cold air. "We'll see how you do. You're attracted to me? Then use a little willpower, Fleur."
The cloud did not darken. The mare's eyes did.
The air was cold. Crisp. Autumn heading into winter, just waiting for the final push.
Then the downwind breeze had a scent. Something subtle, an fresh aspect which Fleur barely registered before --
"And hold on to your sanity."
-- I. Want. That.
I Want That.
I WANT.
and all she was became desire and all she desired was the mare, the world was the mare and the mare was the world, there were no thoughts of time or pain or bits, there was no need for security because there was no future without the mare, she wanted and a low keening arose in her throat as she began to paw at the road, her skin was flushed and sweat was breaking out in her fur and she couldn't think she couldn't think there was something in her which wanted and it didn't think at all
the mare
the talent
she couldn't reach she couldn't reach not with her hooves she couldn't rear up for long, she wasn't tall enough, she was approaching the cloud and the mare was just looking at her but the wings were flaring again, the mare was getting ready to move if necessary, move away and she wanted shewantedshewantedshe
the talent
the talent is stronger than anything I've heard about or read or dreamed and it's sex appeal
monster abomination nightmare
I WANT
she's going to fly
I WANT
she'll fly away and I'll never
Her horn had ignited. Glow surrounded her forehooves.
fly with her
wanted to fly with her
everyone else everyone else could and I tried, I always tried, and I was strong enough to get off the ground, but it wasn't flight and
she laughed
Keratin began to part company with the street.
she always laughed but it never hurt
I wanted to fly with her and she's
I WANT
Stopped.
Stopped, forelegs just a few tail strands up, with her hind hooves still held in gravity's eternal trap.
I want
I want to fly
I want to fly with her
her/not her
not her
I wish I could fly
Fleur's horn winked out, and her forehooves crashed onto stone.
"Is..." Her ribs heaved. Sweat rained from her coat. Her tail slammed down between her legs, pressed tightly against her fur, and stayed there as her head lifted and furious pale violet focused on the target of her rage. "Is that all you've got?"
Joyous blinked.
The air changed. The scent shifted, heaving lungs brought it in, and she didn't want any more. She didn't want anything except to get at the pegasus.
Slowly, the metallic stood up. Looked down at Fleur, with body and cloud casting their shadows.
"How --" and then the pegasus stopped. Fiercely shook her head, and took a slow breath of untainted air.
To get at the pegasus, in the name of making sure that nightmare of a talent was never used again. "You --" Her ribs were still heaving, and her tail wasn't going anywhere until she knew the reaction had gone back down. "-- you..." Her teeth clacked against each other, twice. "...you..."
Speech was good. Speech was a sign of something which could think, at least once you got away from the worst specimens at the parties. She just needed to find more words.
"You held on," the metallic softly said. "You actually..."
One more head shake.
"I don't like you," Joyous stated. "I don't like users. That's why I usually do whatever I can not to be one, and it would be so easy for me, wouldn't it? Easier than it could ever be for you. I don't like users, Fleur. But... consider me impressed."
Her wings flared out. Dark blue went into Fleur's eyes. And by the time she could see again, the beautiful monster was gone.
It's a little strange to go through town now, because I saw so much of it when it wasn't a town at all. Just a few homes and improvised shelters, plus a lot of farting ponies sleeping in a barn. Now there's streets and buildings. I'm starting to see neighborhoods appear.
I wonder how the Founders feel, because they were here when there was nothing at all. If it's even stranger for them, to think about the progress when they've got so much in their memories which isn't it.
If my grandfoals ever read this, that's what a lot of ponies call the first ones in. They Founded the town. Brass told me that I might get counted on the list, but they'd have to make an exception for a unicorn and they'd be writing my name real small. Laughed when he said it, and I laughed too. We've been friends long enough that we can laugh about that.
Also, I'm still not going to tell you what his surname is. Let him do that, if he's still around. It's bad enough that I keep finding ways to bring up the farting.
We talked business. He's slowing down, too. Said he's thinking about rearranging some of the shifts, since there's less need to keep ponies going under Moon now. Then we talked about the neighborhoods, and he gave me something that's halfway between news and rumor. When it comes to neighborhoods, one of them is supposed to show up overhead soon. According to what he heard, we're going to see the first real wave of pegasi in three moons. Maybe less. And once they show up, they'll bring the next stage with them.
That's how far we've come. We're getting weather management.
I told my spouse, as soon as I got home. I hoped it would make her feel better. Ever since she came in, she's been complaining about not having a schedule. Not knowing what's going to happen with the sky every day. I tried to tell her that you get used to it after a while, and I even told her a little about meteorology, which is some science which settler ponies borrowed from the other nations. You're still guessing about what the weather's going to be when you use meteorology, but it's got a better chance of being a good one.
But she's wanted a schedule since the day she got here. She wants things to be more orderly.
I wish I could get her involved with things in town. There's plenty of mares who'd love to have her as part of their group, if they'd just get the chance to know her. But she doesn't go into town much. Still, even when there's more of a town to go into.
She's mostly on the porch.
I thought I did pretty well when I picked the site for our house. Maybe she agrees with me, because she's on the porch so much. I come home and find her sitting there on the rocking bench I put in for her, just swaying back and forth a little and looking at Canterlot.
Sometimes when I'm in bed by myself and she hasn't come up, it feels like she's either looking at it, or she's there.
I wish she wouldn't make so many trips. Sure, there's stuff which has to be purchased and you can't get it all in town, but we've got a decent mail service going. She could just place orders. But she goes herself, stays overnight most of the time, or for a few days. I worry about her. The road's got just about all the protections now, but it's never going to be completely safe. As much as she heads into the capital, it feels like something has to go wrong eventually. But she says we need things.
As much as she goes in to find the ponies she needs things from, she could start opening her own store. She's sure met enough potential suppliers.
It's not so much about buying, I think. Or even seeing her friends. She didn't have a lot of really good ones in the capital: we weren't there long enough. She's not comfortable here yet. She wants civilization, all of it. That's why I told her about the weather schedule. So she won't go on the road as much to get into where the rain starts on this minute and stops on another.
She thought coming here was a mistake. But I've told her about all the money we've made, how it's going to make things so much easier, and she just says that it means I'm not home enough. So I went home early and told her about the weather management coming in. Three moons. Could be less. That's not so long to wait.
Maybe she won't make so many trips between now and then. Since she knows how long she's waiting for.
She's on the porch now, while I'm writing this. I'm waiting for her to come up to bed. There's something else I want to talk about tonight.
I want my grandfoals to read this journal. If that's going to happen, there's a step which has to start soon.
I want to talk about having our first kid.
A Ponyville foal.
That'll keep her here. Because we'll be a full family. Just like we always wanted, when we were talking about getting married in the first place. The places we might go together.
That'll be our anchor.
I wonder if this sorta what facing Discord would be like...
Is that... Did she Feel The Other?? Can Discord sense that Other-feel from wherever he is??
----
----
Well that didn't go well.
And that title drop just added a whole new dimension to the background tale.
thank you for the chapter, i enjoyed it quite a lot
Wow, Fleur just found what its like to be on the receiving end. Really, really found out. She wanted Joyous only to discover she wants a monster. A creature more dangerous than Fleur can ever be. There is a lesson there. I wonder if Fleur will learn it?
Well, point to Fleur for being able to resist. But Joyous view is heavily tainted by her previous experience and see Fleur action only in a certain light. Yes, she use others but at the same time it is part of the game. Everybody use others in some form or another. That attraction isn't necessarily a bad thing.
And I am pretty sure she is mistaken about Fluttershy and Fleur.
And Fleur also understand that youth is fleeting and it affects a lot of her actions. In a sense she is absolutely right to strike the iron while it's hot.
Joyous Release goes biblical, in particular Matthew 4:1-11
Very intense. Super cool that Fleur was able to resist Joyous' talent at its full strength and even redirect the desire. That was wild. That whole scene was great. Awesome work.
I found the mill sections pretty interesting this time around. I keep reading them and thinking about where the parallels could be in the main plot, how they all tie in eventually. The wrinkle in his story of the wife possibly cheating on him in Canterlot (at least that's how I read it, definitely not healthy spouse behavior (to my inexperienced eyes)) has added a new dimension along with the time skip to show development has progressed. I actually in particular really enjoyed the line where he's wondering what it might have been like for the original settlers to see what it looks like now when it started from nothing. And adding that to his own experience of seeing it grow up around him. Must be surreal to be there when something like a town starts and see it develop and even participate in building it in real time.
Absolutely beautiful chapter. Thank you very much! And not trying to bother you by asking, but do you think this might get more than one update next month? I just love this story. If not that's cool too.
First she keeps herself from being intimidated by Discord (at least without showing it).
Now she manages to ward off Joyous' special talent (although just barely).
That's two for two.
Now, if she manages to resist even Fluttershy's "stare," then Fleur definitely has my vote for strongest will in Equestria.
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Just started reading. So? Not all caught up. But one thought sits firmly in mind. Discord can warp reality. Can pull void from the stars themselves...
Celestia herself had a thousand years.
Even Sombra and his dark expriments could have.
Twilight is a brilliant mind. So...
Like just make them immortal?
Like other the narrative. Why is this not the first thought given?
And if population and land shortage is a problem. Well...
Maybe more immortals could solve that problem.
Because a very benevolent Celestia has not been crazy. And solved problems long term.
The building will be fine. Just got to watch out for anything sensitive like a big clock.
Dammit Fleur. A "we're not so different, you and I" speech is like wearing a sign saying "I'm a bad guy".
The Lie claimed Cadance was the weakest of the alicorns.
Incompatible world-views brought about by vastly different origins, though I can’t agree with what joyous did, not only is it dangerous but it is a abuse of her power regardless of what fleur did, it’s a slippery slope of vigilantism.
I can sorta see where Joyous is coming from here, but it's a deeply flawed perceptive and apparently a dangerous one at that. If she acts like this, I'm surprised she hasn't taken shots at any person that's charming or flirty. I guess there's a threshold and Fleur is the one that tripped it? Over all, she comes off as a child who doesn't have a full view of the world. Given her youth though, it makes sense that she'd still have room to grow as a person. Overall, an excellent reintroduction of a previous protagonist as a flawed character here.
10743612 Because Joyous is a monster. Her power took away other ponies' self-control, made them do anything for her, and only her, and nopony else. Then she got better, or at least somewhat.
Now she meets another monster just like she was, a pony who's special talent is to manipulate other ponies and take away their self control, make them do anything for her, and only her, and nopony else. She hates what she was and she hates what this other pony is, so she unleashes her power on the monster so they can see how terrible a pony they really are...
...only to find the monster is less monstrous than she thought. When all you have is a hammer, all problems look like nails. When you know how much of a monster you are inside, you start seeing it in everypony else. And now she realizes that sometimes it takes a beauty to tame the beast.
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Exactly! Joyous has the talent of ATTRACTION, as Fleur's self told her, Joyous is a monster, and a dumb one at that, I mean, even here I could feel the pull, no complete description, but the sheer COMPULSION, the promise of REWARD was... Decent.
But Joyous saw herself and stupidly thought "I am a Monster" a d never sought EDUCATION.
And then there's Fleur with the stupid villain speech, I mean, telling someone who LOATHES HERSELF that you're like her? She should have told her that the monster talent can be TAMED, that can be FORGED instead of SUPPRESSED.
And let's not talk about those who find the act of FALLING as the REWARD itself! Ponies like that might exist
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in fairness to Fleur, she had no idea that Joyous hated her own talent so thoroughly, or that Joyous spent her entire adult life with Red-tinge making her Talent grow ever-stronger.
Wow. Somehow the mill story is ramping up, and the conversation between Fleur and Joyous was intriguing.
And we get some backstory, too.
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Yes, as Fleur herself said, not one but two require THOROUGH education
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Given Joyous' backstory and what she went through (as detailed in A Mark of Appeal) it wasn't necessarily stupid for her to internalize a negative view of herself based on her experiences. Does that mean she was right about how she dealt with Fleur here because to her it felt justified? No. She took it too far, on purpose, when she doesn't even like using her talent usually, because Fleur acted in a way that upset her. So Joyous decided to punish her. It didn't work. It was practically verging on assault when you consider the way it warps your thinking when you're under her field of effect. Fleur doesn't have the context the audience does for why she acted this way so she would naturally interpret it through her own lens and make that mistake she did.
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Celestia can still die. It just won't be age that takes her. And as long as Fluttershy is Discord's only link to ponies... she's a weak point.
Someone like Tirek can kill weak points.
So it would still make sense to ensure that Fluttershy has a foal. Even if she were as unaging as Celestia...
Really, Joyous? You don't like that Fleur uses flirting and manipulation to get what she wants, so you dose her with what is basically a mind-rape drug?
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As I said... Dumb
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You know great point! I also like the thought about tirek? Tirok?
I must say its some times hard too imagine her having weaknesses, you know?
You read a bunch of stories. Where she can literally never die. Had also made everything. Its hard. When its fanfiction. Your...or rather my idea of character...ounce fluctuates?
Then after enough stories. You sort come too your own conclusion. After reading what amounts too very similar version of Celestia...even the rather bad ones.
For instance...I really like and enjoy Cackling Moons Celestia. She chill and just awesome.
I even like estee's Celestia. Particularly the one from...
Was it consquence of love? The one about the...
Love cutiemark?
Thats great. Love the sibling bond between Celly and Luna.
But...and too be honest read after so many chapters. Tripo...the one about the orgin of alicorns? Yes?
Not a win on the benevolent Celestia scale. Are Estee's character flawed and interesting. Yes.
Great characters. Fun and some of best dialogue. I have ever read. I also on occasion reread the tiny library fic. Because its that good.
But...this is just me. I know. After a fashion. Some characters even...just make me ask. Why?
I ironically wrote on Ice star new story Class reunion. I think it was called.
Something similar.
About this. Like no class mobility? Like why is that their is a system in place. That gurantees. That if people want immortality. They just cant have it...because reason...
It just makes ever thing everyone does in these stories. Even amazing and awesome. Really make me go...hmmm? REALLY?
No one anywhere just wanted too know? Or question why only five ponies get too be immortal? No one? Any where?
I just had another thought. Like why is it that. No gets angery or bitter or...whatever? Or put another way.
And I know this is not true all the time? But...why are characters not asking difficult question...that may have difficult answers?
That create great tension? But anyway. I guess it really does not matter. These facts actually all got me into writing and fanfiction in general. When wanting a more?
Questioning story that...really challenges. All characters not just the canon crew. Every one gets have that same challenge. Put upon their soul. Who are they...and who do they want to...be.
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No, lying and manipulating people for personal gaming is absolutely a bad thing, that's literally very basic morality. Just because Fluer can take it as much she can dish out doesn't make it okay.
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I think your caps lock is broken pal, try and get it fixed
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One idea that I've come across, in several different fanfics, is the idea that Celestia has no idea how to make other ponies immortal; and neither do any of the doctors who have studied her throughout history. (One could certainly also ask whether Twilight shares the same immortality - she might not, after all - or, for that matter, whether Cadance does. Or even Flurry Heart...).
And Discord - well, his powers are unpredictable. That's rather the point of them, isn't it? Unpredictability and chaos! And... well, keeping someone the same age all the time - that's the very opposite of Chaos. That's stability, unchangingness - while Discord is always all about change and not staying still.
So. Maybe Celestia would love to keep all her little ponies alive - but she simply doesn't know how, and so instead she's protecting their civilisation while hoping that the next generation of doctors will finally figure it out...
One of the most interesting little tidbits in this chapter that gets a little lost is a bit of Joyous’ insight on Fluer and Fluttershy’s relationship situation. She sees the flirting as particularly egregious because Fluttershy was there. Assuming it was blatant infidelity.
The question remains if Joyous’ has good instincts or if Fleur’s claims they are just teacher and student are correct. Or most likely, they both are from different perspectives. Fleur proves that having insight for others doesn’t mean they have insight on themselves.
The potential ship is growing on me. Joyous comes off pretty bad here while trying to make her point. Fleur again shows herself that, her many flaws not withstanding, she has willpower in spades. Cant wait to see more!
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Well said. To be honest. Now I want too write that story. Sigh. When you have so many ideas. And you only can write so fast.
Ps. I write with my phone and dictation. My hands do not hurt so much. After that.
Hard though it is. In a lot of ways they really are a medieval-ish society? Is I got from what your saying?
I have always been fascinated by the cultural bleed from immortals and the beginnings of immortality. For society and the like. What would happen if everyone became immortal.
What would happen other then say...Apathy, mind. I do not like apathy, or Nihilism. I am a absurdist. Really. :)
What would old immortals think of it?
Another thought that pulls me...is. Even as the passing of ages. So often I read story's that do not...(This is one of the reasons. I wanted too write here. Period. ) Explore the impact of living through so many generations. And unlike most I am not talking about. The tragedy off it. But the affect of a living culture. Like what a unique character Celestia could be...if she held onto different traditions from ages pasted?
Instead of being this...person I guess with a kind and compassionate attitude. I always find the idea of both those things. Super interesting and fun too think about. Like I have never read about. The modern day Celestia participating in customs that by in large are dead. For herself or sister. Even others that she has lost. Or just for the sheer pleasure.
Like hey young filly want too hear about the battle of...whatever whatever? Or something?
THAT TOO BE IS A COMPELLING IMMORTAL STORY. Having all that exprience. And not just letting it go. Or MOVING. BUT!
Being moved by it. And wanting share...these pieces of yourself. That's beautiful too me. It makes me see the immortal. AS less something too be feared. But!
Instead a old friend or fiery Grandma. With bitch ass tats. And sick bob hairs style. You know? That's cool. '
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ive never heard of her, and all the context I have, I'm getting from these comments.
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*informed audience, then. My bad. No way to know who's read supplementary materials. If you are inclined though, and got some time to spare, check out the story Joyous Release came from, it's called A Mark of Appeal. It mainly focuses on the Royal Sisters' point of view as they try to help Joyous with an issue around her mark, I won't say more because it's worth experiencing for yourself. I followed it for years and can confidently say it's a beautifully crafted piece of art both in its parts and its whole. It adds a lot to the experience even of this story. All of Estee's work is like that. It's why they get such intense audience retention and why there is so much value in reading their entire catalog. If you like making connections between things and enjoy rich details and don't mind the writing style it's so worthwhile.
I don't even know how people couldn't like the writing style because to me it's unmatched in its richness and how much it rewards rereads. You catch all this stuff you missed the first time because of how it works out later on but it doesn't jump out at you unless you already know and can see the clues as they're being laid out. That's my shit all the way.
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Your mileage may vary. To me it all too frequently is unmatched in its richness in describing ponies that
suckare deeply flawed individuals. I am not one who receives emotional catharsis from watching others go through hell and manage to come out the other side. Are you familiar with the phrase "crapsaccharine world"?The hell of it is that you're right, and that Estee is an excellent writer. I have read several of their stories, and they always draw me in and cause me to care about the characters. The lighter fare, the comedies? Love them. I have nearly a dozen of their stories in my "Favourites" folder. Including "A Mark of Appeal". But too often, they're just too emotionally draining for me to say "I enjoyed it" instead of "I made it through to the end".
And yes, It turns out that not only have I read "A Mark of Appeal", I added it to my "Favourites" folder. I still managed to completely forget about the character.
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My Caps lock was on the PHONE's virtual KEYBOARD, there's no way it could be BROKEN.
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Very true. Everyone is different and enjoys different things. I can understand being drained after reading some of the fics, especially if anything in it hits home hard for you. But that's why, for me, it is so powerful. The darkest shadows bring the high points into even more stark relief because of how difficult the journey to get there was.
Plus there's a certain quality of Estee's work I especially enjoy where like you said, the points of view we get are flawed, and we reading don't actually get the full picture. Things are underlying. Things the characters themselves don't even know or realize until suddenly or gradually they do. That's a pretty bold writing move especially because not every reader will want to or be able to read in between those lines to catch that, thus you risk them misunderstanding until things become clear with future updates. If they're willing to stick to it and find out.
Lol that is funny. It might have been years ago when you favorited by now though so you can give yourself some slack.
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Very apptly put. There is rather cool game. Forgive me forgetting the title. But it talks about this very thing.
A hero bard with magic and song. Changes the world. But he meets a warrior. The saviour of the world...but!
She is taught. That with her magic sword. She will slay all evil. With her sword. And through the story. Is confront over and over. With the idea. Through praise good will. She has learned.
To equite problems...with her sword. And problems that need the sword. So...hammer and the nail indeed.
"Nothing which wasn't sane."
"Nothing which was sane."?
Yeah... Joyous, who has a talent that can take Fleur's ability to be something that thinks (even if she was able to shake it off eventually). Joyous, who has a talent that'll last her whole life, when Fleur's already-weaker beauty will fade far sooner.
Yeah.
Still quite an enjoyable chapter on this side of the screen, though!
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Frank Miller? Is that you?
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Not really a contest, I don't think.
Discord? He's a bully. Sure his power is several orders of magnitude beyond every other bully Fluer's dealt with in her life but the underlying principle is the same: don't let them see your fear.
Joyous? She's raw animal magnetism. Again, amped up way beyond normal but, also again, something Fluer's spent a lifetime steeling herself against.
The Stare, though. That's weaponized kindness. It's "your mother is very disappointed in you right now even though she still loves you" dialed up to eleven. I don't think Fluer's life has left her with any defenses against that.
It wasn’t until reading this chapter that I remembered something about Triptych-verse Pinkie Pie: she hates Vanilla.
I have to ask, Estee — was that double entendre deliberate?
10744495
I don't know if I should be offended or what to feel.
10744709
It's a distinctive part of his writing style that he stresses words by capitalizing them. If nothing else, I've said that you have something in common with a very popular, successful, writer.
10744748
B... But Miller is the drunken uncle of the comics industry!
10744795
Well he is now, yes. But at one point, he was a glorious breath of fresh air.
This was a very entertaining confrontation. They really are remarkably different... jaded and experienced facing traumatized and largely naive when it comes to personal interactions. It was interesting to see Fleur out of her element and consistently misreading Joyous until things took a bad turn for her.
I’m curious to see how both of them deal with this encounter going forward, as I suspect it shook them each in different ways.
Something humans don't always understand.
"Frogs up" is a wonderful ponyism.
Oof. Amazing what you can miss while you keep looking back on what you once had.
Yeah, Joyous is the worst possible pony to hear that particular philosophy. Some things are outside of conscious control.
... Well, most creatures' conscious control. With Fleur's history, she could give the average Green Lantern a run for their money on sheer willpower.
"Especially when we get to make unicorns work without their horns for Winter Wrap-Up."
"Ha! Good one."
Ah. Parallels on parallels. I get the feeling that this plan won't work as well as intended. That or this fellow is one of Rarity's ancestors and the longing for the capital never fully went away.
Fascinating encounter. Each mare has given the other something to think about. And given how Fleur basically represents everything Joyous fears she could become, I can understand the pheromone assault.
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Celestia does know how to make another pony immortal. They just have to Acsend into an Alicorn.
It’s just that Celestia doesn’t know how to make Alicorns. She’s got a good guess... but knowing how doesn’t make it so. To ascend is a process that transcends knowledge... and in fact, knowledge of ascension can (and does) impede the very possiblity. If there was a reliable way to become an Alicorn, Sunset Shimmer would have become one.
So yeah. Immortality is possible and Celestia knows it, and can even spot possible candidates for it. But she can’t guarantee success. Twilight Sparkle seems to be her first deliberate attempt that succeeded.
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She knows how another pony can become immortal, yeah. She just has no idea how she can cause that to happen.
...language is a complicated thing, is it not?
This fic sounds so hot and bad at the same time, but considering the tittle I think that’s the point, so well done!
Now the question is: How the F did this managed to fly under my radar for so long?
The idea behind this story sounds amazing, maybe I give it a try. Amazing cover by the way.
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While browsing the site, I randomly find the author of one of my favorite stories.......hmm......is the site trying to tell me t re read their story or is something else going on......we'll never know
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I only find this story due to a display in the art for fanfiction group, so maybe you are right and the site is trying to tell us something.
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Ironically, that's how I found it as well......hmm.....