Forget not that I am a derp.
As Celestia can attest, nothing is ever simple. A stallion may walk through a portal in a huff and everycreature may cheer his departure, but that doesn't make him any less of an important functionary in the greater scheme of things. And so, while the Princess of Friendship can handle the straightforward task of averting world war, Celestia must shoulder a heavier burden.
She has to convince a bureaucrat that he made a mistake.
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Hah, i always imagined the new Changeling Kingdom to be a protectorate of Equestria but more becase Celestia wants to leverage Equestria as a way to keep them safe rather then any benefit for Equestria. Thoraxes comment about consequences for his changelings if all go to war was pretty clear, i mean most probably still resent the changelings for their past deeds so wouldnt have a problem stomping on them.
But thats about it as far as i can see any of them being a protectorate of Equestria.
And honestly i like this, rather then just giving up on him give him a second chance, make him understand his mistakes, clear his ignorance and all.
When i watched the episode and we came to the part where the new 6 made all that damage around them, including destroying a frigging tower and quiet close to everyone down below, i though he might bring up some good point about the obvious lack of organization or safety measures taken.
Instead we get a Space marine yelling "Xeno scum!".
I don't want mindless antagonism, but if these races truly are so temperamental as to risk war over one stallion's words, I would doubt how dedicated those allies truly are. Yes, I don't want war, and would rather have them as allies, but it's telling that Celestia didn't truely answer that. Because if they are that temperamental, they are poor allies, and worse friends.
Enjoyed the story by the way.
I'm okay with this. Celestia's words were measured and sensible, only showing a hint of steel where necessary to drive the point home. Discord was an unexpected, but welcome, addition. Now if only we could see this in the show.
Yeah, I think this is an exemplary example of the subgenre, and a lot more subtle than most, as befits you. Also, I was particularly impressed by Discord shelling himself with the chair.
I like this story, but the show and fics giving the griffons any sort of political power makes me laugh. When Gruff mentioned the griffons military, I was laughing my ass off. Who the fuck's he trying to fool?
8825380
The threats of war weren't over what Neighsay said, it was over the missing students
8825410
Then why didn't Celestia say so, it's a valid point that Neightsay brought up, but all Celestia said in response is how we'd rather have them as allies then enemies, which is a bit of a "dodge the question" answer.
Nice to see someone addressing this topic with some concern for both sides, and without it just becoming a punishment story.
Neigh!
Well, at least it isn't error 404 and you can find it at all.
orig00.deviantart.net/2e63/f/2012/225/5/1/mlp__404_lost_foreverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr_by_salsasamuri-d5axmtw.jpg
Take THAT ya speciesist, fascist warmonger!
(i can't find a raw version of this. ignore the captions, i guess.)
Either way, 10
s!
Oh, and Mr Neigh-say?
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/65935582014922688/
If Neighsay is supposed to be an Umbridge-expy, I can see that. However, unlike Umbitch, he had some good points about the school.
This is the best Neighsay story I've seen so far
Celestia's very calm and sensible, and that was wonderful to see.
Neighsayer's fears are totally unwarranted. The yaks don't have NEARLY enough numbers to be a credible threat. And the griffons? Ha! it is to laugh.
Twilight did sort of screw up by not mentioning that she intended to enrol international students of other species into her school, though. And for practical reasons, if not cultural or diplomatic ones. Surely somepony would've noticed something was off if the canteen was required to provide crystals and meat to cater to the dietary needs of other species?
A whole lot of drama could've been avoided if there was just a little more effective communication earlier on. I feel like Twilight really should've been called out on this.
Granted, Twilight was really nervous at the time and may not have done so because the EEA has never considered the possibility of such an outlandish concept in all its history, but you'd think that such an unprecedented event would've at least warranted a heads-up.
I mean, there's a reason most countries have a whole separate tier of accreditation/licensing for institutions to take in international students. Systems need to be in place to deal with the fallout when things go wrong.
A few more cathartic stories like this one, and I might be able to continue to watch the series without spitting too many fumes. Thanks.
For some reason - probably because he reminds me too much of human governments - naysayer annoyed me more than Starlight post-5/pre-6 and I didn't think that was POSSIBLE.
(But probably laregly due the fact Celestia didn't call him out even a little on the aforementioned international incidents.)
I do like the idea of giving Neighsay a second chance. However, I had Celestia force him to resign because it was the only way I could see to shake him up enough to start thinking. She suggested he go look at the various races rather than arguing from ignorance and blind fear. The implication was that if he could rid himself of his bigotry, he could be rehabilitated.
This is easily one of the best stories I've seen to date with Neighsay. Well done!
Please don't take this the wrong way.
Neighsay only did so due to prejudice, and he doesn't really care about justice, but maybe he may have some points to an extent.
The yaks were quick to declare war because they didn't like the hay they were given, and that was after they destroyed ponies homes. Obviously what Celestia said in this fic about "would you rather have them as enemies" is a super good point (especially since Equestria's army is as weak as Celestia and Luna are, the yaks would slaughter them).
Maybe their eagerness to make friends clouds their sense of judgement and they start to hang with 'the wrong crowd' essentially.
Featured.
8825553
Maybe it was mentioned in the proposal.
8825553
3.bp.blogspot.com/-svc12wwbPq0/V9nlJBKc6_I/AAAAAAAAlDg/qhJ0ag-nkv4MR5dr2Grzrf6KWqtMw7c0gCLcB/s1600/Young_Rainbow_says_hi_to_Gilda_S5E8.png
8825614
Yeah. Becuase a close real life senario i have seen even with being fired for ne nearly as stupid and hasn't goyten a job since he hasn't changed his view.
8825380
Wars have started for less. The problem is that Neighsay isn't just any pony but one with a high position of authority upon which reflects their relationship in Equestria. That being said, his words merely stirred the pot so that they were all at high tension and angry when the students went missing thus resulting in a near world war.
He was the catalyst. It's telling that only Thorax who actually lived among ponies and understands them was able to keep his cool upon Ocellus's disappearance.
8825401
If there's one thing you need to consider is that a threat to one of their own is very much an easy way to raise an army. We also don't know how organized Griffonstone is becoming. Noticeably neither Gruff OR Gallus asked for bits the entire two parter.
8825510
Umbridge actually DID have some good points. The teachers needed to be reviewed. While McGonagall, Flitwick, and Sprout are perfectly fine teachers, Hagrid needed some structure inserted into his teaching. It's too halfhazard. Snape shouldn't be around children. Ever. And, Binns needs to go.
Punishment for things like the Quidditch fight SHOULD go to a third party teacher that was not part of either House because obvious bias.
It's just that she didn't have their best interests in heart (mainly because you need a heart in the first place).
8825553
Actually, Twilight DID try to correct Neighsay at the meeting and he ignored her. Most likely Twilight didn't see that teaching foreign students in matters where she said it was basically about diplomacy would be an issue.
8825710
While he did have some points, the reason the yaks were such an issue is because Pinkie tried to replicate their culture in Equestria therein insulting it. When she showed them Equestrian customs, they were much more open about the whole thing. It's been a while as well, but it was after several insults that they declared war. Before that I could of sworn the threat was to cut ties instead.
---------------
Anyway, really good story OP. I like that Celestia was firm but not hardheaded about the entire thing. Conventional schools need a kind of control like the EEA; it just needs some restructuring to take into account different types of schooling. You can't expect, say, a theater school to function entirely like a regular public school for instance.
8825759
Good point, but we're not talking about neutral powers or those that tension already exists, we'll talking about Allies, as they are referred to, which is a terms that implies a certain amount of trust of each other. After all, you're trusting these people to back you up if you go to war or get attacked, you're comfortable sharing technology, etc. If you go dissolve an alliance and go straight to war over something like this, I question how much I could trust those people.
8825819
Remember these alliances are recent and they are mainly allied with Equestria, not each other. Equestria is caught in the middle because they are part of it, but dragons did not go an ally with yaks. So there's that.
Of course, there's also the fact that their willingness to go to war so quickly actually proves the necessity of Twilight's friendship school. A lot of the hostilities is born from ignorance of what friendship means - as seen with Ember in Gauntlet - and so educating them actually furthers diplomatic ties. The fact that Thorax - someone who lived and learned among ponies - is the most sensible makes it clear.
Twilight's school is a neccessity to create a strong alliance by educating their youths in friendship. Just being able to spend time together made a world of difference with the Student Six after all.
Of course, the main crux as I said before is that they are allied with Equestria not each other. Ember didn't threaten to burn Equestria to the ground, but every kingdom. It would not have been an Equestria vs other races war. It would have been a war among five races - dragons against changelings, griffons, yaks, ponies, and hypogriffs. That is much worse.
8825739 Eh, it wouldn't surprise me if Cloudsdale doesn't adhere to EEA guidelines or Gilda's enrolment wasn't reported to the EEA. But yes, it's a bit of a stretch.
8825759
I'm pretty sure he didn't ignore her. Their exchange in the initial meeting was as follows:
Twilight's correction isn't specific enough to hint that other species may be enrolling in her school. The EEA naturally assumed she was talking about teaching foreign culture to ponies far and wide. Besides, Neighsay's choice of words should've clued her in that he'd misunderstood her purpose for the school.
8825737 Possibly. Though it raises the question as to why Neighsay made no objections earlier, then. If that's the case, then the EEA isn't very good at its job for not thoroughly reading through Twilight's proposal.
8825759
They got their hay wrong so the yaks decide to declare war. That's called being a sociopath.
If there's anyone who treated this matter with the respect it needed it's you. Then again all I have read from you has never failed to disappoint. I'm glad to see that you keep creating fanfics of quality without overly dramatising the characters and being faithful to their incarnations in the show.
8825434
And this is exactly why I give this fic a like and a fav and not the other two.
8825553
It isn't good at it's job on just jow the stidents react. They were into the lessons and having fun till the EEA guidelines were enforced. Once they were enthusiasm for the school dropped.
8825887
You forget the key part. Neighsay nearly started a world war. A slap on the wrist will not do for that.
8825879
What he says literally ignores her words and continues his thought process. Yes, Twilight should have realized that there was something up, but none of that really indicates his racism. Part of that problem hilariously enough is the shows usage of "pony" with "person" as a catch all term until now. It's hard to recognize at the drop of a hat.
8825881
Again, I recall them threatening to cut ties but not declaring war until the last insult. There's a difference.
Of course, there's the fact that Twilight's school of Friendship is all about teaching why this behavior is bad and correcting it for future generations. So if anything, that's evidence that these creatures need the school more than anyone else.
Now this is the Sunhorse we need in the series: one not afraid to let jerks know when they've gotten on her last nerve. Any more nonsense outta him and he'll be sitting in a cage with a mouse pretending to be Ringo Starr asking him what they're gonna do tonight.
8825920
Hey, Starlight caused multiple world wars and other catastrophes, and she got an apprenticeship!
Pony morality is weird sometimes.
8825877
Their willingness to go to war speaks of poor relations between countries, as diplomatic ties should be strong before you start calling countries allies, as relations aren't just two-sided, either enemy or ally, they can be neutral towards each other, as most of Equestria's allies are towards each other. If strong relations don't already exist, then they aren't ready to be allies, you should build trust first, then seek alliances...not build alliances, then build trust.
And to pick on Ember, as you mentioned her, she threatens world war...or at least Continental war, over this situation, it makes me question her value as an ally, as it speaks to a lack of trust that should already exist before you sign alliances, especially with powers you already have tense relations with.
I enjoy this discussion, but I'm saying that Good Diplomatic Ties should exist before you create alliances, not after, and that nations so quick to go to war with an ally, might not be good ally material, as Neighsay said. However, that doesn't mean you make then enemies, just that you decide to co-exist normally until such ties exist, probably created through Twilight's School....
8825952
To be fair, Starlight's apprenticeship was a form of rehabilitation while turning this powerful unicorn into a great ally instead of enemy.
8825952
As much as i hate that how many actially lnow that happened?
8825920
Who downvotes this? In real life this level of insult what do you think would happen?
8825973
Point there, this have issue with it but that is a point. Plus she is trying to change. Neighsay nope.
8825962
True, but trust is usually built through alliance. Let me put it this way, did you become someone's friend because you trusted them or do you trust them because they are your friend. The first is what people think they did but the truth is it's usually the latter. Well, it's usually more of an acquantence thing but in diplomatic terms that's essentially an end of hostility and a treaty of favor.
Powerful alliances are built after that where you gain further trust, but a bit of blind faith is part of the deal. Then they show how much you can trust them depending on if that blind faith was rewarded or not.
As it stands though, Equestria is a third party between relations of the other states.
As for Ember, remember, this was done on pony soil which is something she is forging peace with. It isn't happening on, say, yak soil. In other words, even if all of the other races didn't show, Smoulder would still be able to go. She did not have to befriend any of the other races.
There is an alliance between dragons and ponies, ponies and yaks, ponies and changelings, ponies and griffons, and ponies and hypogriffs. But there is no sign that dragons and griffons are allied. They can't have Gallus and Smoulder open hostilities on pony land, but that doesn't mean Smoulder and Gallus have to see each other as allies either.
Twilight's school is forming an alliance between the other states with each other and Equestria to create something of a NATO. Until then though, Ember won't be visiting Queen Novo to talk about trade between each other. Equestria would remain the third party between their goods.
In essence, there is some trust with Equestria (though Neighsay severely damaged that with his comments) that they entrusted a youth to Twilight's school. This is a tentative ally. There is no little to no trust with the other races between each other yet so at best they remain allies of convience through Equestria.
Twilight's school forging friendships between their youths will ultimately be the catalyst to a more proper alliance.
Thus why Neighsay is so problematic - he damaged a possible alliance with his bigotry that he directed at leaders and/or high officials of foreign nations that would reflect negatively upon Equestria. Creating higher tensions as he damaged the trust in Equestria.
8825920
Maybe but then again I don't like mouthpiece fanfics. You also have to consider you're applying human judgement on a fictional species. It's clear the ponies while awfully paranoid against the unknown seem equally forgiving when those fears are out. So while you and I may not approve I'm quite sure that they would think it's ok.
Different societies, different treatment to the same problem.
8825990
How do you know what happens to a character after you saw only several minutes of him in total?
Maybe he can still realize his mistake since we actually dont know... anything really... about him. Besides that he at least come off as an asshole.
This story needed more Discord. Neighsay in this story gives a very distinct "I suck the fun and life out of everything I touch" vibe. Discord added some much needed levity.
I actually truly enjoy this one. Given the climate of fix fics, bash fics, and overall antagonism fics of Neighsayer to come the subtlety is very nice to see.
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Am I seeing this right? A snobby Canterlot official actually defending Fizzlepop Berrytwist??
Huh. Maybe Neighsay ain't as bad as we all thought. :)
8826017
Not saying he should be jailed but with lack of common sense he should not keep his position.
8826036
Simple. How we last saw him. He hadn't changed at all in his views.
8825422
Ask the author. This isn't canon you know.
LOVED IT! Though I'm still going with my headcanon that Neighsay is really a robotic pony suit piloted by two lab mice, and this was all part of an elaborate plot to TRY TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD!
8825422 Because he, as an official representative of the Equestrian government, made very clear his thoughts that Equestria didn't need a single one of them and would be better off without them ever daring to set claw, hoof, paw, etc... in their lands, simply out of blatant racism. That's the type of insult that severely messes up diplomatic ties. He was 100% responsible for everything that happened through his overbearing bigotry and idiocy.
As to the question itself. Because even a shaky alliance is better then open hostility. And all of the alliances were still very, very new and tenuous in the first place, simply needing time to settle and for all sides to become used to each other. This wasn't them threatening to break an alliance that has worked well for them for centuries over this. Most of them were still on their own trying to make sure a closer alliance with Equestria would be worth it, only to then deal with something like that. Could make one wonder if the Ponies might not just be saying what they think would get them on their side, all while playing them for saps and just trying to use them when convenient.
8826017 Yes, but there is a difference between being xenophobic, and just being a fucking idiot. When you spew out that level of racist bullshit, directly to and about three separate heads of state, possibly the brother or at least very high up and close confidant of another head of state, and... okay just some old guy but far as we've seen he's the closest Griffonstone might have to an 'elder' type role. Any one of which is perfectly capable of either squashing you like a bug, or ripping you to shreds personally. You're just an idiot. It says a lot that Thorax was the most chill of all the leaders the whole time, and even he looked ready to put his hoof up Neighsay's rump.
8825759 On the Umbridge thing. Even those 'points' are tenuous at best. The only teachers in the school that really had any problems were Hagrid and the Seer one (can't recall the name). Hagrid really was an expert on the subject and extremely eager to teach about it. He was a good teacher when it came down to actually doing the teaching. Is issue was having no idea about what creatures would make good subjects for the students to learn about, or find 'interesting'. All he needed was someone else to give him a course syllabus of what creatures to teach about and he'd be really damn good.
Trelawney (HA Rembers it) yeah she was an utter fraud who was only kept around to keep her safe. BUT, keep in mind what subject she taught, one that Dumbledore admitted to having no real faith in being a subject that even needed to be taught there in the first place, and one we've pretty much been shown through the story he was right about. There is no way to teach Divination, you either have the 'Sight' or you don't. All the stuff she taught was just as fake for them as it is for us. So it was a class that didn't matter if it was taught by a total fraud, as it was pointless anyway, and also an elective.
Snape though, he's not actually QUITE as horrible as made out to be by most. He's strict, overbearing, and unpleasant. But he knows his shit and was good at making sure the students learned their shit. He's a bastard I'd hate to have as a teacher, but not to the extent he shouldn't be there. With two exceptions. Harry and Neville. All the shit he does that DOES cross the line into unprofessional at best was focused on those two, both of whom he had a personal grudge with. Yes, he needed to be brought up and told to knock that shit off, but beyond that, he was doing the job.
8825921 Fair enough.