Chapter 18
When the night fell, stormy clouds filled the air, turning the streets of Ponyville into pitch black darkness, occasionally brightened up by a flash of lightning. The sky loomed over the city like a monster, ready to devour everything in its path. Every creature was running for shelter like there was no tomorrow. Except for one.
Cheerilee hobbled towards the train station with two saddlebags on her back, dragging one of her legs behind her. She was a broken shell, hiding in the shadows like some rogue, and frantically glancing around like a mental patient whenever her ears picked up any sound.
“Dad, miss Cheerilee would never do that!”
The sound of her name was muffled and distant, but her mane bristled anyway, and she dashed towards the gloom. With her injured leg like a ball and chain, she made it just in time to see two azure colored ponies emerging from around the corner. It was Bold Hoof – the unicorn that forced Scootaloo to talk, and his pegasus son – Gallant Mane.
“Hrmph, maybe she knew what I would do to her if she had tried anything with you,” Bold Hoof, always the braggart and always the first to start a brawl. “But from what I heard, other fillies weren’t so lucky...”
“But, what did she do, dad?”
“Something horrible, Gallant... You’re too young to understand...”
Cheerilee’s head dropped, and her eyes locked to the ground. The stallion’s words were screaming wicked innuendos, a duet with the scream of wind from the approaching storm. It was all a scream when the ponies she knew her entire life were accusing her of something so hideous and disgusting. It made her stomach turn.
“Oh, come on, dad! You know you can tell me anything!”
“Not this, my dear boy...”
“Why? Do you think I would be scared? Ha!” Gallant launched into the air like a rocket and performed a few loops. “I’m just like you, not scared of anything! If something ever attacks Ponyville again, I’m gonna mash it!”
“I know, Gallant, I know... I’ll tell you someday.”
Cheerilee took one step back into the gloomy alley. She wanted to get to the station, leave this sick town, and finally get some sleep. But fate had other plans. A gush of air came from the dark and hit the scene with the power of a hurricane. The breath of the monster from the high above grabbed the young pegasus by surprise, sending him higher and higher.
“Gallant!” Bold Hoof shouted, trying to catch the boy with his magic, but the pegasus disappeared in the shadow of the night.
She should have stayed away, should have let the father find the kid, should have just kept going towards the station – it was a logical thing to do. But when the colt hit the ground near the river, her instinct kicked in, teleporting her to his location before her mind could protest.
“Are you OK?”
“Miss, Cheerilee?” Gallant Mane shook his head. “No, you must hide! If my dad sees you… "
“I’ll be fine...” A lie, if she were to stay there for much longer. “How do you feel? That was a hard landing.”
“Um, I think I’m OK...” Gallant said, but gritted his teeth as he stood up. “A little bruised, but nothing I can’t handle. You... you really should go, before it’s too late—”
Too late came sooner than she had hoped. Bold Hoof dashed between them like a mad boar, roughly knocking Cheerilee to the ground. His expression told her, it wasn’t an accident.
“Stay away from my boy, you nag!”
“Dad! She just wanted to help!”
“Just like she ‘helped’ the other kids, huh?”
“I didn’t do anything...” Cheerilee stood up, clenching her teeth. The rough landing tore the gauze on her hoof. “You’re believing lies.”
“So, poor Scootaloo is lying too?” He glanced at her packed saddlebags, arching an eyebrow. “Going somewhere?”
“None of your business.”
“Oh, but it is!”
“What are you... Hey!” His magic surrounded her like a swarm of bees and jerked her off the ground. “What are you doing? Let me go!”
“I’m not gonna let you run away! First, you’re going to answer for your crimes, and then, and only then – I’m gonna personally run you out of town!”
“Darn it, let go!” Cheerilee kicked and struggled, but his magic was a vice, holding her tight. “You ruined the school, destroyed my house, and landed me in the hospital! Do you think the Princess’ going to turn a blind eye on all of this?!”
“That was self-defense! I couldn’t let you hurt my boy!”
“Self-defense?! You attacked me and beat up an innocent man, and you call that self-defense?!”
“Innocent? Just like his mouthy friend, huh?! Those humans are nothing but trouble!” Bold Hoof brought her closer and put on a sly grin. “When we’re done with you, I make sure to throw that... filth out of Ponyville, as well!”
Freezing razor sharp wind hit them once again, like a breath of a windigo feeding on the scene. When it faded, it left behind a clinking sound that got their attention. Bold Hoof’s eyes shot wide then, and Cheerilee hit the ground. An empty glass bottle with a skull and crossbones label was rolling towards them with a mocking cackle. An ominous foretaste of what was to come.
And it came fast. A hand emerged from under the nearby bridge, followed by the figure of a creature that Bold Hoof prayed not to meet. James stood in front of them, gaping. With his black armor, and empty eyes, he was death incarnate, and he smelled just as bad. Judging by the stench, he must have drunk a bar... and then some. He began walking towards them...
***
“I had a... weird dream a moment ago,” James said with a wicked smile. “You were there mister Bold, boasting about how you beat the crap out of my friend...”
Bold Hoof’s bravado turned to steam and faded like a fart in the wind. All of a sudden, he wasn’t so bold anymore – his name was like a cruel joke or the fate of irony.
“Look, um... I don’t want any trouble,” Bold said, motioning his son to get behind him.
“Odd… I could swear I heard you saying how you wanted to, throw me out of town?”
“Um... It was just an... misunderstanding—”
“Bullshit!” James’s good guy act was gone, replaced by pure hatred. “I know what I heard – how you bragged about beating the crap out of my friend, and what you wanted to do to Cheerilee, here.”
“Captain, please don’t!” Cheerilee interjected. “You’re drunk!”
“I’m not drunk, I’m... completely wasted! Mr. Bold... Would you like to join me? We could drink together for... good old times!” He said with a giggle but got no reaction. “Big mistake... If you would have said ‘yes’ it could have saved your life, but now…” Unicorn took a step back, hiding behind Cheerilee. The view made James laugh. “A cardboard cut out tough guy – that’s what you are! Only brave against those weaker than him. A goddamn... chicken!”
“Hey! My dad’s not a coward!”
“Sure... that’s why he’s hiding behind Cheerilee, shaking more than Lyra’s magic dildo!”
The young pegasus glanced at his father to see him cowering in fear, just like James said. For a normal person, that would have been a cue to shut up, and stay away, or to try to deescalate the situation, but for Gallant, the view was like a shot in the muzzle. With a defiant expression on his face, he blasted into the air, performing a loop after loop, going faster and faster, before launching himself at the bully with a mad battle cry. His flying hoof hit the spot like a sledgehammer... or so it seemed until James cocked his head and chuckled.
“You little shit!” His left hand was squeezing the kid’s throat before anyone could react. The effect was immediate.
Bold Hoof went first. His horn began glowing like a rod of hot steel as he enveloped James’ hand in his magic, trying to force it open, but it only widened the evil grin on James’ face. Cheerilee was next, grabbing his arm, and trying to pull it away, but it barely budged. No matter what they tried, resistance seemed futile.
“Captain, let him go! He’s just a child!”
“I’m not afraid of him, Miss Cheerilee!” Gallant said, unfazed by his situation. “Let me go, you monkey, and I’ll show you!”
“I’ll be damned... You really are a gallant little bastard, aren’t you? Maybe you could demonstrate it...” James glanced around for a second and picked up a hand size rock, perfectly smoothed by the river’s flow. “Here you go – crush it.”
Gallant cocked his head and blinked, but with James’ vise grip around his neck, he wasn’t really in the position to argue. He grabbed the rock with his hooves, and squeezed it, puffing like a locomotive.
After a few moments of trying and breathing hard, he looked smirking James in the eye. “That’s not possible! Nobody is that strong!”
James grabbed the rock in silence and held it for all to see. His whole arm lightened up like a Christmas tree and magic began. Everyone watched as the piece of stone started shaking and letting out a quiet snapping sounds, getting louder and faster with every passing second. It all reached a crescendo a few moments later when the rock shattered into twenty tiny pieces.
“Nice trick, wasn’t it?” James presented the remains to Bold Hoof, before spilling them to the ground. “I must confess that it makes me wonder how much pressure could a pony skull take...” He placed his hand firmly on Gallant’s small head, and glanced him in the eye, his wicked smile piercing pegasus to the very soul. “Would you like to find out?”
Just like with his father, kid’s boldness went out the airlock, leaving behind a shell of a pony that would pee himself if fear hasn’t closed his sphincters tight.
“D-dad, dad!”
“Oh, and here I thought you were not afraid of me...” James let out a chuckle. “Like father, like son, I see...”
“P-please, don’t hurt my boy! Please... I’ll do anything!”
Bold Hoof was on his knees, pleading. His body shaking as if his heart was about to jump out of his chest. A pathetic view of a pitiful man. Cheerilee realized it wasn’t doing him any favors, and joined in.
“James... Please, let him go. The child is innocent.”
“Yeah... So were you, and so was John – that didn’t stop that idiot from starting a riot and beating you both up!”
“And you want to be like him?”
Her words poked something inside of him, and for a moment, everything slowed down. James glanced between the terrified kid and his father, and back to Cheerilee. Her eyes like a mirror that reflected his conscience, forcing his mind into guilt-trip mode.
“I can see why John and you ‘clicked’ so fast...” James shook his head with a bitter smile. “You’re right... to a point – kid’s innocent... Time for a switch!” He sent Gallant flying and grabbed his father instead, jerking him into the air like a sack of potatoes. “Hello there, cutie pie...”
“James! Stop this!”
“Unlike the kid, that bastard deserves a lesson, and you know it!” Bold Hoof froze, his wide and empty eyes locked on James’ grinning face. “You consider me some kind of psycho, right? Now, what should I do to earn it... Hmm, shot in the head, perhaps?”
“James!”
“You’re right, Cheerilee! You’re absolutely right... That’s no psycho at all... How about, I just poke your eyes out? No, wait, I got it! Total dismemberment!” James snapped fingers, and a shining piece of metal popped out of his right arm, like a death’s scythe. “We’re gonna remove your horn, hooves, and tail and donate it to science! What a great way to redeem yourself – teaching all those ponies about the anatomy... What do you say?”
The answer was a massive pile of undigested dinner making its way out of Bold Hoof’s stomach and onto his coat with a splash, slowly oozing down to the ground.
“Yeah... I guess you’re right, that would be a bit messy... Maybe we should go for something less dramatic after all—”
“Stop this madness!” Cheerilee tried again.
“Tell you what... I’ll stop when you pick a punishment.”
“I... what?”
“Tell me what you want me to do to him, and I’ll do it! It can be anything—”
“Let him go!”
“OK... Anything, but that...” He said with a smile, but Cheerilee remained stoic like a statue. “Oh, come on, Cheerilee! He attacked you, ruined your house and the school, and wanted to beat you up again! He deserves a goddamn lesson!”
“Yes, he does... But not like this! This is revenge, not justice!”
Everything stopped once again, leaving the air with nothing but the sounds of approaching thunder. James glanced at Cheerilee to see a gaze of concern and compassion. Even after all the crap that unicorn put her through, he couldn’t find a hint of revenge in her eyes. He couldn’t decide whether to hate or admire her for it.
Shaking his head, he turned to Gallant who was standing nearby in silence, with pleading face and watery eyes. “See that kid? That’s how you earn real respect.”
“R-respect?”
“Yes, respect... See, your daddy hurt Cheerilee... badly, and yet she still cares what happens to him... That’s pretty… noble. Stupid, but noble... Too bad I’m not like that...” James jerked Bold Hoof around, pointing his hand at something. “Do you know what that is?”
“Your… statue?”
“Exactly! Your daddy and the rest of Ponyville put that thing there, to... honor me because I helped you in the past... A monument of hypocrisy, built by a bunch of liars... And, if there are two things I really hate, it’s are liars and hypocrites!”
A small bubble on top of James’ right arm opened like an eyelid, letting out a soft buzz. The laser pointer of his particle cannon formed a perfect red dot right between the eyes of his prey, but before he could do anything, a loud rumble got his attention…
***
“STOP!” A voice boomed from the sky, and something hit the ground nearby like a meteor, sending dust and rocks flying. Celestia emerged from the cloud like a fallen angel, her squinted eyes locked on James.
“Wow! Have you seen that, kid?! Superhero landing! She did a superhero landing! Awesome! But, it’s very bad on your knees, you know—”
“Let him go!” Celestia said in a very stern tone.
“I thought you were called to Canterlot.”
“I got back as soon as I heard what happened.”
“Took you long enough! What, did you stop for drive-thru?” Celestia didn’t budge, clearly not in the mood. “Anyway... Go to the Sugarcube Corner, grab a cake, and get back in ten, would you?”
“Let my pony go, NOW!”
“Sorry, but I’ve been looking forward to kicking that asshole in his asshole the whole day. I’m not letting go until I’m... What the...?”
James glanced back. Celestia was focused, her horn charged and sparkling. She gritted her teeth with effort, trying to teleport the pony away, but it wasn’t working.
“Yeah... As you can see, I made a few upgrades since our last fight – no more teleporting me or anything within about a meter of me, away...” His speech only made her try harder, turning the air around him and the stallion into a fireworks show. “Goddamnit! Are you deaf? You continue doing that, and you’re gonna cut him in half! ... not that I would mind, it would be pretty cool!”
“Do not force me to do this...” The color of her horn changed from gold to red, and her eyes started glowing with intensity. It looked as if she was surrounded by the fires of Hell itself. “Please...”
“I told you, stop this damn magic before you hurt someone! I’m gonna let him go when I’m done... which should be in a few seconds,” he turned to flour-faced Bold Hoof and chuckled. “Gals... Always want it their way, don’t they? But, it’s getting kind of late, so let’s make the lesson quick...”
James aimed his weapon again, and the air turned to a jumble of screams and pleadings. The ragged clouds above decided to add a bolt of lightning into the mix, just when his cannon discharged. A final outcry before it all went quiet...
***
“Good riddance… I wanted to do that for a long time!” Shaky Bold Hoof opened his eyes to see he was still alive. His body was turned around so that he could see the middle of Ponyville. “It’s an improvement, wouldn’t you say, mister Bold?”
James’ statue that just a moment ago proudly hovered above the market was shattered into a hundred little pieces.
James turned Bold Hoof around, grinning smugly, like a winner. “All those things I said earlier? I could do them to you…” He looked him in the eyes. “Every... single... one. But I won’t. Because I’m not like you! I don’t believe in witch trials, the court of public opinion, or lynching people. I trust Celestia to look into this matter objectively. You’re free to go...” He dropped Bold Hoof to the ground, and Gallant Mane galloped to him like there was no tomorrow. “I hope your dad learned a lesson, kid...”
Instead of a joyous reunion he was expecting, both ponies were just giving him this horrified expression as if they were looking at a ghost, zombie or an alien.
“What? I don’t shoot people in the back, you know. Go home...” He turned, to see Cheerilee giving him the same look. “Seriously? I didn’t kill the idiot! What else do you want?”
“It’s… not that...”
“Then what...”
He felt it, a warm sensation spreading over his left hand like hot water, except it was dark red and sticky. There was a nice round hole the size of a bit coin on the left side of his body, and the life-giving fluid was leaking from it like a beer from a tap. His confused eyes slowly turned to the left. Celestia stood there with the same horrified expression as everybody else, her horn still letting out some steam. A smoke signal pointing out the culprit.
“I… didn’t expect that...” He turned to the kid, showing him his bloody hand. “Do you know what this is?”
“B-blood?”
“More than that... This is the best present someone can ever give you, kid – pure clarity...” Both Gallant and Bold Hoof cocked their heads in unison of confusion. “It’s a rare gift that burns all the lies, leaving nothing but the truth... No matter how painful it might be...” He let out a slow chuckle and spat some blood. “You wanted to get rid of all filthy humans out of Ponyville, mister Bold? Something tells me, Princess’ gonna be more than happy to oblige...”
“James, I...” Celestia started, but when James glanced her in the eyes, she lost the words.
The weather decided to chime in, and the rain started pouring from the sky in torrents – like the tears from the monster that hung over Ponyville for the past few hours. James and Celestia stood motionless, staring at each other like a bunch of statues waiting for the downpour to clean them from the dirt.
It seemed like an eternity before his expression change, and finally, when it did, it was like a shot in her muzzle. James’ face wasn’t of anger, or rage, or anything else she had expected... Instead, it was a face of betrayal, and even with all this rain, she could swear she saw a few tears rolling down his cheeks. The view set her guilt on fire – a blaze that all the water of the world wouldn’t put out.
James broke the eye contact and turned around and without saying a word, began walking away – leaving behind a trail of red…
***
“I want to press charges!” Bold Hoof’s words woke Celestia from her daydream and back into the nightmare.
“I see you didn’t understand anything he said—”
“You’re taking his side, Cheerilee?! You should stick with your own species – how can you call yourself a pony is beyond me!”
“Funny... I was about to say the same thing about you...”
“Hrmph! The nerve! Your Highness, I officially demand an investigation!”
“You shall have it...”Celestia’s voice was cold and emotionless, her eyes fixed on the horizon. “I can assure you, I will investigate this whole incident myself, starting with... You!”
“M-me?”
When Celestia turned around, her face wasn’t of the benevolent ruler everyone used to know, but of something else, something... menacing. “Yes, you! Now, leave...”
“But... what about that human? You can’t just let him go, he’s dangerous!”
“Dear sir, allow me to say it one more time... BEGONE!” Her voice boomed like a shot of a cannon, and her eyes turned to sparkling chunks of ice. “Leave... before I show you how dangerous I can be!”
Bold Hoof opened his mouth, but one glance at the Princess close it shut again. She looked as if waiting for an excuse to tear someone in two with her own hooves. With a sheepish smile on his face, he nodded and trotted away with his son.
“Coward...” Celestia murmured as soon as their silhouettes disappeared into the gloomy night. “Cheerilee, you stay. I need to know what happened here…”
***
This was James’ second party under the bridge that night, but the way it started didn’t promise anything good. He was breathing heavily and thinking, then trying not to think, only to think about it over, and over again. He would probably stay in the crazy loop for eternity if it weren’t for the burning sensation radiating up his body. The familiar feeling of Tabasco being poured down his guts began as soon as the adrenaline wore off, and was getting from standard to Habanero.
“Fuck... The damn wound should have fixed itself already... Why isn’t this healing, APE?”
“The energy discharge left some kind of electro-static residue, preventing the nano-probes from functioning. Attempting to compensate...”
“It knocked out our nano-tech?”
“It would appear so, sir. Seeking medical attention is advisable.”
James didn’t get the last part, grabbing the bottle instead and getting ready to guzzle it all down. His approach wasn’t very original, in fact, it was probably the oldest one in the book. Drown your problems in the endless sea of ethanol, hoping they’ll somehow go away. Even if the result was always the same, people did it anyway, over and over... A definition of insanity, if there ever was one – old as dirt, but still going strong.
“Unless, you came here to lock me up, or finish the job – go away...” He took a gulp, didn’t waiting for an answer.
Celestia looked under the bridge but stayed outside – a bubble of magic protecting her body from the onslaught of the rain. James just kept sipping and didn’t even bother to look up.
“How did you know it was me?”
“I could smell the stench of hypocrisy,” James said with a smirk, but her arched eyebrow made it fade away a second later. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. Who else could it be? The better question is, how did you find me...” That one quickly answered itself. A diluted trickle of red was leading under the bridge, like a ball of thread leading to the Minotaur. “Right... You came to enjoy your handiwork?”
“I would like to ask you about John.”
“Oh, I’m sure he’s dying on schedule, don’t worry...” He was expecting a scowl but instead could see the horror filling her face. “Odd, I would have thought your little spies have told you everything by now.”
“I was informed about the incident, but... I had no idea it was that severe...”
“It wasn’t...” James took another slow sip, much slower than he needed too, savoring on her anticipation. “Dash saved his ass, and he managed to escape, but later fell down the gulch near your old castle.”
“Fell down... on his own?”
“Yeah... I saw it all – a freaking accident... What a guy, huh?” He tried to smirk but winced instead.
“Let me help you with that wound.”
“You helped, quite enough. Although I must say, this wound is pretty interesting… Not only did your magic passed through armor’s hyper-flex nano-polymer like a hot knife through butter, but it also somehow prevents me from healing. Almost as if it was... designed specifically for me.” James smiled bitterly. “But you wouldn’t know anything about that... would you?”
She answered by dropping her head, not even trying to deny the accusation. Her vacant expression and hollow eyes fixed on the ground were like a scream. She was guilty as hell.
“All those tests Twilight did on me, all those experiments, and Bon Bon sneaking through my room... It was to develop that little spell, wasn’t it?” James took another gulped and let out a chuckle. “Friendship is backstabbing, yay!”
“Allow me to explain—”
“Explain, what? That Twilight and you were looking for a way to kill me? I’m not good at this friendship stuff, but… I’m pretty sure friends aren’t supposed to stab each other in the back.”
“That spell was supposed to be used only in case of an emergency!”
“And that justifies it?!” He lifted himself off the ground and began stumbling towards the Everfree. “Fuck this shit!”
“Where are you going?”
“Anywhere, where you’re not!”
“You were drunk and threatening to kill a pony! How was I supposed to react?!”
“You really thought I would have killed him just like that? And in front of his kid, too?!” He shook his head. “Fuck me... You’re just like the rest of them! Thinking I’m some goddamn psycho!”
“With your reputation for violence, I needed to have means to keep you in check!”
Her words stopped him dead, just as the rain intensified – hitting him with raindrops the size of hail. Something high above was trying to cool off his hot head, and extinguish the burning rage inside of it.
“The last time I killed someone, we were fighting side by side. I remember that angel-white coat of yours looking pretty red in the end. We both fought, we both killed, and yet... I’m a psycho killer, and you’re a benevolent ruler,” he glanced at her with a bitter smile. “Reputation... Funny thing how that works... No wonder Luna’s still... Ah, never mind…”
He bit his tongue, but the seed was already planted, growing fast. He could see it in Celestia’s eyes – curiosity and fear, side by side.
“Luna’s still... what?”
“Never mind... I said too much, already.”
“I am trying to get to her ever since she got back. If you know something that could help, please tell me!”
He tried to stop it, but her words broke through his will… and a long dark chuckle left his mouth. “You... You really are something, you know? You want to get her trust? Get her to open up? You may start by not treating her like a complete moron.”
“What... What are you talking about?”
“The one thing she and I have in common – trust, or rather lack of it on your part!”
“I trust my sister with all my heart!”
“That’s why you sent your little agents to spy on her?”
A sudden stab in her heart left Celestia momentarily speechless with mouth hanging low, but the mystery of how and why James knew was quickly erased by the feeling of anger and panic. A moment later he was in the air, hanging by a magical noose around his neck.
“You told her?! You idiot!” She yelled, gritting her teeth. James just kept smiling. “How could you be so stupid!”
“Actually, she told ME!”
“W-what?”
“You heard me right, Miss self-righteous! She’s not the moron you take her for! She realized she was being followed YEARS ago, and when we became friends, she passed that information to me. I just put two and two together.”
Her magic faded in a blink of an eye and with it, the barrier protecting her from the rain. The water began striking her coat, quickly soaking her to the bone. But somehow, despite the torrential downpour, her mouth felt like a desert.
“Oh, why the sad face? Remember, she had a reputation! After all, she tried to kill you, take over Equestria, and make an everlasting night. And all for rather petty reasons, too...” James grinned. “Yeah... You’re right. People like her don’t deserve to be trusted.”
“I did not do it because I do not trust her! I did it to protect her!”
“Oh, cut the crap, would you? Luna knows ponies have doubts about her, she can see it in their dreams all the time. Especially those rich bastards, why do you think she hates those damn galas, so much? She knows that one mistake, and she’ll lose whatever little trust nobility has for her.”
“No... This cannot be true...”
“Really? You don’t trust her, why should they? Hell, who do you think spread those rumors about her and Shadowdancer?!”
“What... rumors?”
James cocked his head. “You gotta be shitting me right now… You didn’t hear how Luna was allegedly helping him during the takeover?!”
“She… WHAT?!” Celestia paused, but moments later, frantically shook her head. “No... I do not believe you! I would have noticed something!”
“Just like you did a thousand years ago?”
She noticed something else – a sinister grin on James’ face, getting wider and wider, his dark chuckle perfectly mixing with the view. He found a weak spot and wasn’t afraid to strike it.
“Stop! It is different now...”
“Is it? You didn’t trust her then, you don’t trust her now... History’s repeating itself—”
“No, it is not! B-be quiet!”
That was the last thing on his mind. The stutter was a dead giveaway that his words hit the spot. His gaping wound made him hungry for revenge, and he was going to get it.
He looked her in magenta eyes. “Do you know, how does it feel, out there?” He motioned at the moon, widening his grin. “It’s not pretty... First, there is the trip... All those lovely rainbow colors are drilling through your vision, leaving you with the nastiest case of vertigo you can imagine. You’re a lucky man if you don’t puke. Then you try to inhale, only to feel your lungs feeling with needles and liquid metal.”
“Stop...”
“Oh, let’s not forget the skin. I was lucky, my armor practically acts like a space suit, but Luna? Two hundred degrees in the sun, minus two hundred in the shade, plus a mixture of gasses trying to melt away your skin. Pretty nasty...”
“Be quiet! I heard enough...”
“Oh, and last but not least... Hunger and thirst. Just like my nano-tech, alicorn cells can synthesize the energy from a lot of sources, but that doesn’t stop your gut from nagging you. Try to imagine going hungry for a thousand years.”
“S-shut up! Just shut up already!”
“Face it Celestia, you abandoned her once, you’ll do it again!”
“No... Never!” Her tears were a and sobs were music to his ears. “Never again—”
“But, who cares, right?! She has a reputation, after all! Hell, I bet Twilight and you, have developed a similar spell just for her—”
A flash of white filled the air, interrupting his tirade. When it faded, Celestia was no longer there. The view made James high as a kite and grinning like some wicked clown… until, a moment later, it was all ruined by a voice from behind...
***
“Are you proud of yourself?”
James rolled his eyes, already knowing when this was going. When he turned, Cheerilee was there, scolding him with her gaze as if he was a student in her class.
“Yes, Miss Cheerilee, I am! Do you want me to stay after school to talk about it?” He tried his best to sound funny, but she remained a statue. He wasn’t the first brat she had to deal with. “Damn, that face... Too bad I don’t give a shit. Otherwise, it would be pretty scary...”
“Do you really believe Princess Celestia deserved that kind of treatment?”
“Oh, give me a break! You’re beginning to nag me...”
“Good! Someone has to!”
“Ugh, please spare me the lecture, OK? I don’t know how much you heard, but she deserved all of it, and then some!”
James tried to break the eye contact, but she didn’t let him. Wherever he turned, she was there, like a bad conscience he couldn’t shake.
“I heard it all, and we both know she didn’t! Yes, she made a mistake, but what you did was utterly cruel!”
“Mistake? She shot me for nothing, goddamnit!”
“For nothing? Really? You were holding a pony hostage! What would you do if the situation was reversed?”
James paused for a moment and smiled. “Hrmph, I would aim for the head... But Celestia is not me! And besides, that bastard deserved a—”
“A lesson! Yes, I know!” Cheerilee interjected and chuckled a moment later. “Heavens, you’re such an idiot!”
“Wow... That’s very un-teacher-like—”
“Oh, shut up! You’re not one of my students.”
“My first bit of good news! Now, if you’ll excuse me...”
“Can’t you see, you’re acting like a jerk?!”
“If you don’t like it, then why don’t you go molest someone else! Maybe earn that reputation that ponies gave you!”
He immediately realized what he just said. It was a slip of the tongue in the heat of the moment, but Cheerilee’s squinted eyes and bitten lip were a dead giveaway that it hurt. What hurt even more, was the glance of disgust she shot him a moment later, before walking away.
“Shit... Cheerilee, wait!” He ran in front of her, but she just kept walking. “Look, I’m sorry, OK?” He pleaded, but her face was a stone. “Would you stop for a moment?” She didn’t stop, in fact, she sped up, dragging her injured hoof behind her.
The view of the stumbling away pony sent an unbearable heating sensation through his entire body. An inferno to melt the glacier of lies he surrounded his conscience with. It was working fast and filling him with guilt.
“You’re right...” He said with a sigh. " I acted like a fucking asshole… Maybe Celestia was right, too…”
She stopped and turned, scolding him with her gaze like a brat after a very long school day.
“Apology accepted, but... we both know there is another person who should get one.”
“Cheerilee... What Celestia did, it...”
“Believe me, you’re not the only one who feels betrayed today...” She let out a sigh, fixing her eyes to the ground. “Ponies I knew for years and called friends attacked me for no reason. How do you think I feel about that?”
“So what are you gonna do? Accept their apologies and just forget about it?”
“If they’ll be sincere, then yes. What other choice is there? To run away? We both know that won’t do anything,” his curled lip was telling her he wasn’t convinced. “Look, I know Princess made a mistake, but maybe you should give her a chance to explain it?”
Another pause, another glance, another sigh. The more James thought about it, the more right Cheerilee’s words seemed.
“Yeah... You’re probably right...” He shook his head and facepalm. “I really fucked up, didn’t I?”
“Let’s just say that if you were my student, you would have to stay after school... for a month.”
“Jeez, ever heard of cruel...” His eyes shot wide as if he saw a ghost. “Speaking of cruel… If Luna finds out what I did, you’ll get a jar for the school called ‘human reproductive system – extended edition.’ I need to find Celestia before it’s too late.”
Someone chose that moment to turn off the rain. Some of the clouds gave way to the moon and stars, turning the pitch black night into a spectacle of silver. An omen of hope.
“We both better go, before it starts raining again,” Cheerilee said.
“Your train probably left already... If you don’t have a place to stay, I bet Twilight would be more than happy to take you in.”
“Princess Celestia already told me the same thing, but I need to go to the hospital first, and get a new bandage.”
“Need any help with those saddlebags?”
“Thank you, but I’ll manage... You got bigger problems to deal with, not to mention that nasty wound.”
“Actually, I was able to compensate for the interference, during your conversation,” APE interjected. “We are regenerating, Sir, albeit rather slowly. Regeneration rate is down to five percent.”
“Thanks for the info, APE... If only the other problem was so easy to fix...”
“Good luck, Captain.”
“Yeah... Something tells me, I’m gonna need it. And, Cheerilee...” He let out a sigh. “Thanks for sticking with John and for this, it means a lot. Especially after what happened.”
“Is John, really dying?”
“I’m afraid so…”
“This is... not right,” she shook her head, her eyes fixed to the ground. “Not right, at all...”
“Well, on the bright side, he’ll at least finally get some peace… I know it’s cold comfort, but...”
“I wish things had turned out differently.”
“Makes two of us... Now, if you excuse me, it’s time to get castrated...” His comment put a smile on her face, but not so much on his. “APE, scan for alicorn life signs nearby...”
So... Was James really stabbed in the back here, or was Celestia justified in her actions? 
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...This time I'm gonna side with the ponies. Drunk and armed is not a good combination. That shitforbrains Bold Hoof needed to be dealt with, but you don't go waving around a plasma cannon when you're fucking high.
If it was one of my friends going around like that, you better believe I would call them out on being a dick.
That being said, Sunbutt's not totally innocent here. She clearly has trust issues and is in DESPERATE need of a therapist.
God why does new chapter have to take so long? I want MOTE
Even while drunk James makes a good point, friends don't betray other friends especially if said friend saved your flank from some life-changing ordeal. I don't need to question his clarity as he could've easily ratted out applejack's role in what happened to John but didn't.
9731052
Can't agree more. Obviously, dangerously drunk human with deadly weapons holding a hostage? Of course needs to be handled (and he did go too far with his words,) but Celestia bears the greater burden of guilt here.
Developing a lethal spell specifically to deal with him and using it? Clearly not trusting him after however many years after fighting side by side and so forth? (Her lack of trust has been hinted at in other chapters as well.)
Yeah, she's not innocent by far, including the stuff with Luna.
With all the garbage these two humans have been put through, I'm astonished they even bother with ponies anymore, tbh. Even if not permanently, just to let things settle, they've made no effort to just leave. In this case, Cherillee may be wrong in the idea it wouldn't do anything. The 'bad apple ruins the bunch' excuse only holds up for so long; and so far, the bad apples seem to be the bunch in this case, from the manipulative/gullible public all the way up to the rulers.
John/James' stubbornness in continuing to stay in Equestria has started to edge over the line from 'noble forgiveness' (of which is a good theme, don't get me wrong,) into 'utter idiocy,' however. Things have only gone downhill; and words can only fix so much. Attempts at murder kind of aren't fixed with a party and 'we're sorry.' Trust is a two way street; and the common theme in this story is that only the humans are the trusting ones. I can understand it being a character flaw, but there's a limit, and I feel as though the story has reached that point, and some.
developing a spell to specifically murder a particular person is betrayal, BUT if it comes out that Celestia has spells to kill all high powered entities, even her self i could understand. at this current time Celestia is a massive cunt and hypocrite
(Throws hands and air) what do you want from me story? This chapter did nothing but go in circles, and it just seems like it wants me to feel pity for the bad guys and be mad at at the ones that really haven't done anything wrong it bs. As far as I'm concerned Ponyville is full have a bunch xenophobe and the ones that aren't xenophobe are only comfortable when they're in control.
I like this,moar chapters!
Not going to lie this is a very divisive story that seems to want to have it's cake and eat it too. I'm not saying it's a bad story I'm just saying there's a lot of drama that happens and no consequences.
On one hand we have gunho mcgee being drunk and justified in being utterly pissed, but a little off and the pony retard would be dead. He may say he is perfectly fine, but with how things are going not even those that know him near perfect would be able to tell you if he was really going to do it, because that kind of situation is really a mountain of crap that can get you to do the worst things you would otherwise never do (as partially demonstrated here).
On the other hand we also have a not so innocent Celestia that had just the right tool for the right moment 'just' in case. Paired with her personality in this story, despite her more or less 'good intentions', would make it end up badly no matter what. That, and how she really has a problem with trust and all... Well, it wasn't going to end well, mostly because James may act like a retard for fun, but he isn't one (most the time).
So I'll stay in the middle and side with Cheerilee because best pony for now.
Too much guilt tripping. Basically every character does it to every character. Less would have been more. Bold Hoof should have been beaten up, not mutilated, not killed, but not going out scot-free either. Whether Cheerilee was there or not. After all, she got a beating for nothing, and was about to receive another one, she should be strong enough to witness a beating happening to someone who actually deserves it.
Gallant Mane was scared badly though, James was a bit more cruel to him than he should have been. Seriously, terrifying a kid to death then mocking him for cowering because of the acts of his father?
Then that Celestia episode, then Cheerilee is STILL guilt-tripping James... Just, lol. Free-for-all guilt-tripping-almost-deathmatch. Still interested in how the story of John will continue...
9731103
Pretty much this. Cheerilee's the only pony, only primary CHARACTER in this story who hasn't acted like an utter douchebag.
The man has a point. Celestia has spied on both him and Luna. Catching Bon Bon in the act is a huge giveaway at the lack of trust. Does Celestia deserve his anger? Yes, yes she does. Cheerilee though did not. And out of all of them, Cherrilee needs a happy ending and justice.
.....I can't really take a Side here, both were in the right and both were in the wrong. Celestia has to look out for ALL of her subjects and if that means making a way to stop one then she has to do it. James was pissed off and MAYBE Drunk (he didn't act like it at all though) but at the same time he was right, what happened WAS wrong and a good amount of fault lands on Celestia.
Celestia doesn't trust him OR John and the fact that the Severity of the situation wasn't communicated to her just means that her lack of public trust in them makes her subjects think that they can do what they want. On the flip side, she SHOULD have known he wasn't going to kill him much LESS in front of a kid. It's not James style and if she doesn't trust him even THAT much.....then well what's the point?
James WAS being an ass, but he was also right. Her lack of trust made this entire situation a MASSIVE Clusterfuck, the fact she was sitting on her gilded throne and NOT keeping accurate track of the situation happening shows she doesn't really care either. Yes James could have approached this entire mess with more tact, but at the same time what he said to her about Luna, while blunt, was true History WAS repeating itself.
I think they BOTH need to step back and take care of the Situation at hand AND THEN fix their own issues with each other. They in all honesty just need to jump in bed and Shag their issues away
To readers? I suggest NOT taking a side right now, Tempers are running to high, emotions are rampant and that means that any type of Resolution to be made will just lead to more issues.
Seems that when it comes to Celesta vs. James, most of you react the way I expected. Drunk with a weapon and holding a pony at gunpoint... I think that once he sobers up, James will agree he really didn't leave Celestia much choice.
Of course, her developing that spell is another thing that will be addressed later on, but... the way I see it, she managed to hold Equestria together and defend it for a 1000 years, with no access to the Elements of harmony (as far as we know, at least). That means, she probably needed to rely on contingency planning in case diplomacy would have failed. Or, let me put it this way... Would you blame her for having a spell capable of killing Discord if he gets rogue (without using the Elements on him, that is)?
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9731078
9731081
Please, see the top of this post.
9731080
Please, see the top of this post.
When it comes to John... he really didn't have a chance to make that decision. He was what... 3 days on his feet between visits to the hospital?
With James it's different - he's one of those insecure people, using sarcasm and cheesy humor to hide his real feelings (pretty much the same way Rainbow Dash uses her 'awesomeness' and stunts to do the same). All that makes him a person that doesn't really know how to make friends. It makes leaving behind those few friends he has, a rather hard choice.
9731087
That definitely wasn't my aim here, if anyone feels pity for Bold Hoof then that's... odd (the kid's a different matter).
What kind of consequences (that would be in the spirit of the show) should happen at this point? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I have a feeling that a lot of readers would actually be glad if James went full throttle, and splattered Bold Hoof's brain on the wall?
9731103
Please, see the top of this post.
That was the idea, won't deny that
9731131
Yeah, I noticed that too (as ironic as that may sound), but I'm not sure how much I can reduce it at this stage... Will try to, though...
I don't think it would be in-character for her. She's a teacher, she probably has to deal with students trying to beat each other, all the time. It's not that she would have a problem with James pounding Bold Hoof to a pulp (because let's be honest, the guy deserved is big time!), it's more about the philosophy she teaches others. Acting against that, would make her a hypocrite, wouldn't you say
?
Um... I'm pretty sure James was mocking Gallant's father for cowering behind Cheerilee, not the kid (although James did mock him later when he was calling his dad for help - maybe you meant that). James definitely shouldn't do that, but being drunk, and seeing how 'brave' his daddy was towards Cheerilee just a few moments ago, put him into a kick-ass mode.
9731208
As for James vs. Celestia... please, see the top of this post.
Let's just say that, that's the plan
9731259
Please, see the top of this post. But to add to that:
Showing off his super-strength, and scaring to crush kid's skull should have been the apparent signs.
Um... except you know, alcohol makes you do things you would normally not do, that's the tricky part. Of course, James is a drunkard, so one could argue she knows how he acts when tanked, but he was pissed off as well. Ethanol and adrenaline don't mix well...
Or that she has the entire country to run...
She was suddenly called off, what was she supposed to do?
Don't tempt me to write a spin-off
9731055
9731095
Here is a flow for you, guys:
1. Plan it out
' and starts researching suicide methods... again
! May as well finish the chapter first...
'
).
2. Write the draft
3. Adjust the plan if it seems off (and it almost always does)
4. Contemplate why you are writing this shit
5. Rewrite
6. Gaze out the window, at the happy people outside. Wish you could be one of them
7. Think/research and write some metaphors, similes, and stuff that makes the read less drab (hopefully)
8. Hit 'F*ck it! Life sucks!
9. Try to translate ratchet strap and corn bags to your native language...
10. Hit 'F*ck it! Will never translate this sh*t
11. Go back to the story, and repeat 1-7 until you're done
12. Realize you still have to put it through Ginger, Grammarly, and listen to it from start to finish a few times
13. Waste yourself, hard
14. Wake up on the toilet in your own puke, with the head that seems two sizes too small for your brain
15. Go back to sleep (on the toilet, in case you need to puke some more later on)
16. Wake up with a throbbing hangover, clean up, eat something and promise yourself you'll never drink again (never, means Friday
17. Sit back down to the story and put it through Ginger, Grammarly, and listen to it from start to finish a few times and adjust commas, grammar, and stuff
18. Write some promotion stuff no one cares about anyway
19. Post!
Now, if you have any suggestion to the above, that could make it faster, feel free to post them
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have something to translate...
Looks to me as if the only one in this chapter who comes off as being in the right was Cherilee. I can understand where both James and Celestia were coming from and why both they acted the way they did, but that doesn't mean I think either of them was either truly justified or actually standing on any sort of moral high ground either. Though given Celestia's past with Luna, she might be lower than James IMO based on everything that was revealed about her actions and repeated mistakes, for an onlooker like me I think it's like the difference between being chest deep in quicksand and neck deep.
Something that is bugging me though. Was there a chapter with James catching Bon Bon sneaking through his gear? Did I miss a part?
I’m siding with Cheerilee, but Sunbutt should have treated Luna and James better.
9731311
......ok I'll just leave you alone...
Many ponies are imbeclles, Ponyville will have a dark future. This similar quote have been in my mind since I played a level as Jin in DW7, and I've been using it a bit in commenting these dark stories. But if they continue to do this, then Equestria have no future, if you know what I mean by that.
9731304
i think its more along the line of claiming John is her friend and developing a weapon in secret under the guise of using Twilight to acquire data on his being also hiding it under the guise of research. She is quiet literally the definition of a terrible friend
9731304
Oh I think having a contingency plan is logical; but not trusting someone after all this time and using said spell is what is the issue. Even using the spell could be excused, if for not the constant hints that she still thinks he's a psychopath- even when not drunk. (I.e. the example of him offering a massage, and her clearly thinking he has other motives.) She seems to be his 'friend' when it is convenient. It's the combination than makes the situation so nasty.
I agree with others here that it's a circular guilt-trip with not much being done though. As of now, we have very little consequences for anycreature. Well, the only major consequence appears to be John headed towards death and some feel-bads. That's...about it.
True, I'll give you that. John has been pretty much out of it; I'm still hoping for him to just find happiness elseware. Of any character, he has pretty much no reason to like ponies, other than Cherillee. Honestly, he's probably my favorite character because he's shown the most development of any of them- so holding out for a happy ending with him. Or if nothing else, a peaceful death.
For James...that's a fair character flaw to have; except his 'friends' haven't really seen so friendly; especially Celestia. It's more of 'who tolerates him the most'. If that's his characterization of a friend, that's a much deeper character issue than is being put forward.
Cheerilee is still the more level headed, but still heavily flawed. Unless it's the strange pony wistfulness peeking through, normal individuals don't simply accept an apology and go on their way after being beaten and having their house destroyed. Accept the apology and maybe never talk to again? Never really trust certain ponies again? Sure. But as it stands with her 'forgive because why not' view...she's bordering on being naive. Ponies she knew her whole life and taught their children turned on her due to a single event, assaulted her, and destroyed her home. That's...not a simple move-on-scenario. But perhaps that's the point, her view is counter to the opposite end of it all.
9731304
You can't say with in the spirit of the show because none of this is within the spirit of the show. Ponyville is full of a bunch of violent bigots that are ready to Lynch someone at the drop of a hat even their own. Aj is a stone's throw away from being a sociopath. Rd mutilated and nearly killed somebody and we were guilt-tripped into her slap on the wrist being okay. The spirit of the show has been tossed out the window.
Wow... great definition of "control," Sunbutt. Your solution is to have a magical death cannon aimed at James' head? For somepony who's striving for the benevolent princess role, that's an awful tyrannical dictator sort of thing to do
9731304
1) I must point out that James uses Fear Tactics, alot. from the moment the bottle rolled out of the shadows it was obvious he was trying to SCARE both of them into submission, if he truly had intent to kill them he would have done it off the bat as that is how he seems to work.
2) Celestia has seen him Drunk but still capable of making the right choices, she has spent ALOT of time with him from how they interact. She SHOULD have known he was trying to make a point AND scare the shit out of them so that they back off.
3) She COULD have sent an Aid or a Guard that is used to the bullshit that happens in Ponyville with a direct line to her that WOULDN'T hide facts or the severity of the situation, which Celestia ADMITTED was the case.
4) I am all to willing to tempt you, I would love to see it
5) don't get me wrong, I am NOT disagreeing with what Celestia did. But with HOW she did it, she used Twilight to get what she wanted and that is a major No-No. With how Crazy James is I wouldn't have been surprised if he agreed to the testing and what it was for if Celestia ASKED him up front. James reminds me of Batman (if a bit more pragmatic about killing) I think he would have agreed about having something to stop him should he be mind controlled or worse had she asked, but she didn't and I think that is why he feels betrayed.
Edit BadBunny summed up how I feel.
What Celestia needs is to actually being on the loser side. As in, no matter how powerful she is, she is NOT a goddess, just a powerful magic user. Something that blocks (or even destroys) magic would be naturally horrifying to her. Also, if these ponies are so cowardly then they should react with horror at violence, not anger.
"Fuck.
Mother-
Oh damn god-
I GOT FUCKIN' NOTHIN'!
It's like watching myself get betrayed all ova' again. People ya spend your life with just turn around and blast ya to 'ell ova' a bloody misconception. No fucks givin' death ray to the face, made specifically to unteather ya Godmind from ya Corporeal Body then strand the former in a time loop and rip the latter to micromollecules.
Heh.
You'd think they'd know better...
You'd think thta they ought to put the slightest bit of faith in ya...
You'd think, eh?
Well, James boy. Keep thinking. Because no matter what, a fake friend is fake, and you are correct."
"Celestia can go perish into the frigid wastes of space. All ponies can go up against the Imperium of Mankind from Warhammer 40k(Exterminus). Cherilee needs a red pill. Everyone needs asprin and I need a new lighter."
9731259
"I stand by my view that all Celestias, regardless of universe need to suffer."
9731987
They are strong in groups but weak alone. Basic herd mentality.
9731080
Main problem here is casually using a 'lethal' weapon like it's a taser gun. She could have blinded him, she could have hit him with a regular energy blast. She could have even realized that he was just being a regular cunt and bluffing(like friends realise cause they know you) but no. She goes in for the kill.
You don't do that shit.
This is why Luna turned into a fucking cartoon villian.
This is also why she had to suffer because her sister refused to trust her and instead also went for the killshot.
See the similarities?
I do. And I stand by Nergal's point. All Celestias need to suffer.
9732109
That only makes them easier to kill with AoE attacks.
9732114
That's.....an incredibly good point. She bypassed ALL measures and went straight to 'well, I KNEW he was a psycho- time to kill him.'
I wonder does Twilight know that her research is being used as a weapon?
Celestia's mistake was not secretly making a weapon that could kill James, but becoming his friend while doing so. One does not befriend another while holding a weapon behind their back. If James is smart, he'll immediately start putting some relational distance between himself and Celestia until she demonstrates enough trust for a friendship again.
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9731324
That was kind of my intention - to show Cheerilee as the most balanced character, that uses her experience from the classroom instead of emotions, while James and Celestia both cross the line for their own reasons.
Makes me wonder how people will react when the next chapter with them is released to wrap it all up.
9731320
It was hinted a few times in other chapters that he thought someone was snooping in his room, and later in chapter 13, he caught and sedated her, put her in the bag, brought her to Lyra and confronted Celestia about it.
9731328
Bah! And I was hoping for some helpful suggestions (or translation
)
Seriously, though - if you remove all the 'morbid/funny' points from that, the flow is real. I admire writers who can just spew a thousand-words story in 30 minutes, but sadly, I can't do that. Add to that the fact that I'm not a native English speaker, and it slows down even further
9731331
This:
9731338
9731402
Yeah, that's pretty much why he feels betrayed, but... Ah, let's leave it at that for a moment.
I'll look for a comment when their confrontation chapter comes out
9731353
She definitely, sees him as a weirdo - no denying there, although truth be told, James' attitude towards killing would seem off even for us. He's this pretty much like:
I actually tried discussing this with a bunch of people, but almost always had the same response:
So, yeah... Celestia may have some problems with him, due to that
. Not that it justifies her actions, but... it's not entirely clear-cut, either.
Let me put it this way... imagine a guy who had almost zero friends in his life, then became immortal, then spent 300 years wandering dead rock, then came to the 'land of friendship.' Whether he says it or not, loneliness was getting to him (he did land in Equestria by trying to off himself), and now that he made a few friends, he doesn't really want to let it go, due to fear of being lonely again.
Plus, when it comes to Celestia, their relationship is more... complex. Think House vs. Cuddy, most of the time.
Just like in the real world, apologies and consequences can be (and usually are) two separate things. I could imagine Bold Hoof coming to her, feeling like an idiot and asking for forgiveness. She may forgive him, but that won't save his butt from prosecution, and punishment (may give him lighter sentence though).
IMHO the bigger problem here is getting apologies from the bystanders and her friends that didn't stand by her side when shit hit the fan. If she's to remain in Ponyville, she will have to feel safe - that means they'll have to earn her trust again.
The way I see it, she has two choices: leave Ponyville forever (even if she's cleared of all charges) OR, try to make peace and continue. James has a similar issue - he can either hold a grudge against Celestia forever or accept her explanation/apology and move on.
9731358
OK, obviously this situation is above anything the show could ever show, but don't you think you're pushing this a bit too far? What realistically would you say should happen? I'm pretty sure there must be an investigation before any punishment, and Celestia said she'll do just that, so...?
9733173
All I'm saying is like with a lot of other readers we are all already in too deep. Something needs to happen to balance the scales maybe a big trial to right all the wrongs idk not my story, you are the Captain whether we sink or sail on is up to you.
9733173
Had a far too long a comment before; but this sums it up.
Thus far, the only overall consequences (other than everyone feeling bad...) have been to kill John, who has, thus far, had the most realistic responses to the various events than any character. I find the fact he's the most relatable in terms of logical response...interesting.
The scale is very far in the 'keep abusing the humans' court, and not much is being done about that. Celestia, disregarding all options other than 'kill James' was the final straw in terms of believably for some, I think. Up unto this point, there were hints of her distrust, but it was still a working relationship in progress. Things were moving forward, even James was opening up.
The kill-shot and admission of all the backstabbing just regressed alllllllll the interactions before. We now have a human who will likely die- so far the only creature acting rationally as of the most recent chapter, and James- who, despite his oddities and flaws, was betrayed by someone who he trusted, and she should have known better, plain and simple. Yeah, he said things that hurt; well, guess what? She betrayed him, spied on him, used him, oh, and tried to kill him.
If he feels like he has made the greater error, that's a manipulative relationship if I've ever seen one. (or a greater character flaw than has been portrayed.) Cheerilee has no basis to guilt-trip him. That's just being naive.
You mentioned the next chapter wraps things up? That is...a bit disheartening, honestly. None of the issues here can logically be solved in that time. Well, unless they literally just...leave and that's how things are left off.
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>House
orig05.deviantart.net/2911/f/2012/227/3/c/dr__house_and_chase_as_ponies_by_sasukex125-d5b6x49.jpg
9733202
I agree. I think the story has guilt-tripped us into thinking that everything that's happened to John is okay because "misunderstandings". At this point in the story Celestia should have just let him kill himself... it would have been less painful for him.
9733303
Exactly. The Rainbow incident I understand, and that was a fantastic way to showcase John's character. However, everything after that just was a giant guilt merry-go-round that just milks the misunderstanding trope. I'm honestly hoping for John to survive, pull through, and showcase a giant reality check to Equestria. (I.e Actions, meet the consequence of John leaving and refusing to return for a while, (and making quite a few races examine their views of ponies in the meantime,) and who cares if creatures feel guilty.) Instead, I fear a bunch of feeling-bad moments will occur and he'll just stay, go on and 'rise above' all that
The scale has just been tipped over too far; there needs to be a counterbalance, especially from someone who was affected by the actions, not Celestia, since she has been part of the problem.
9733313
I also believe that there's going to be a lot of guilt tripping on the ponies behalf, and round round the Merry-Go-Round we go.
9733173
You forgot about why the three races came together in the first place and here's a hint: it's a whole lot colder then they think. But that's a good video you chose.
9733318
Yup. While nothing gets done, our humans suffer, but at least everyone feels bad!
If that's the case....eh. Yeah. I've mentioned leaving Equestria a few times (much to the authors annoyance, most likely,) but at this point, after all that has happened, I'm honestly interested into what options they have. I mean James would stick around simply because he's seen as 'crazy but an ok guy.'
John...well, he's probably the most rational and genuinely good-hearted character we've got, and he might just die. But then if he lives, how far do you push the 'he's got a big heart' thing? The characterizations have been painted into a very uncomfortable corner.
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The worst part would be if James ends up being painted as the bad guy in the situation and giving the most ground. I mean, Cheerilee has already pretty much glossed over being attacked on by the town and having her home destroyed (funny how she puts the residents of Ponyville on level with her students). If James follows her example he'll more or less be at Celestia's mercy (and no, her guilt won't necessarily going to help her make better decisions in this case).
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Pretty much. Others are saying how Cheriliee is level headed- I'm going with borderline naive. Somehow she's just....going on her way.
James isn't in the wrong here, yet because he said some things that hurt feelings, he's the bad guy? If I got borderline murdered by someone I considered a friend, I'd roast them alive with words too! Neither human owes these ponies anything anymore, quite the opposite in fact. Yet they continue to act like 'because we're guests, we have to just take it.'
Im with James on this matter, Celestia should have really thought of some of her actions more thoroughly
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Perhaps if Cheerilee had wanted James to act like an adult, she should have treated him like one. Badgering him into apologizing to Celestia while he's doubly inebriated and injured with no regeneration, seems...poorly thought out. It would make more sense to get James to sleep off his intoxication, get him some kind of medical treatment or at least some pain killers, and then talk him through the night's proceedings. Once his anger had cooled a bit and he had thought things through, he'd probably be a bit more reasonable. Instead, we're jumping from one hot-headed emotional outburst to another.
Cheerilee might technically be the most level-headed person in the room, but she's not making particularly good decisions here either.
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Exactly. Furthermore, something that we need to not forget, he is still coping with the fact John is going to die, AND just was betrayed by someone he thought of as a friend. So we have someone who is grieving on multiple levels, drunk, hurt....and she's going to berate him for mouthing off? Really?
Doesn't really fly in my opinion. He has every right to shred Celestia. The remark towards Cheerilee is the only thing he needs to apologize for at the moment, and even that shows how deeply hurt he is at the time. Yes, perhaps he should apologize for Celestia in time, but his words (however hurtful,) were warranted. The burden of guilt is mostly off of his shoulders, and to have him being painted as the bad guy is just rather manipulative.
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So much hate for Celestia here. Even from the author, because he depicted her as she is in this story. Which is sadly not 100% alien from canon Celestia. There are small hints in the show itself, this story only exaggerates it and takes it to a whole new level, but you can exaggerate only what is already there.
I will probably get some down votes for this comment but I have been thinking of this "Celestia-phenomenon". I don't know much about personal beliefs of the creators and sponsors of the original show. Lauren Faust is said to be a feminist, but it only shows in the high number of mares, the girly themes and that there are ruling females. Hasbro certainly isn't feminist though. The show, while it conducts a LOT of important message about emotions,everyday life, child raising, politics etc. is Christianity (or more specifically, Catholicism) incarnate. Suffice it to say that the Catholic church is not my favorite, and the analogies fit too well.
Princess Celestia = God
Princess Luna = Lucifer
I am sure those familiar with the Bible can recall the story of the downfall of Lucifer. Well, what do we have here? The God, The Princess of the Sun, the celestial (which literally means heavenly) Princess, immortal ruler of the Sun and Earth, who happens to have the most pristine white coat in the whole ponyverse and a pair of graceful angel wings. I will ignore the Nazi connotations this time, let's roll with Catholicism.
Those who wrong God (Celestia) end up in Hell (Tartarus), or getting turned in stone (Sodomah and Gomorrah). But to stay in topic, Lucifer (Luna) was the most graceful angel, the leader of the angels in Heaven. Strange how her name also starts with Lu... I know, it is a Latin name, not English, but Lucifer is also a Latin name, and the Church uses Latin language a lot. While her reasons were different from the reasons of Lucifer, she turned against Celestia, and became the ugliest of the demons, Nightmare Moon. Who happens to have a black coat and bat-like wings, which have been associated with demons generations since. Of course, God (Celestia) cast her down, but instead of the eternal torment in the depths of Hell, she ended up in the Moon, because this is a show for little girls. Reading the Bible from an Atheist viewpoint, God is a tyrant. So was Celestia. She has developed since, but still has some tyrannical tendencies. Luna turning against her was at least 50% her fault, just as in the case of Lucifer.
I believe this to be the reason behind lots of stories depicting Celestia as a tyrant - the resentment for the Catholic church. TCB stories are stories straight outta
Comptonthe catholic masses. God promises heaven, enlightenment and a happy forever after - but only if you give yourself and all that makes you human up.One more thing: ever wondered why rainbows are so meaningful in the show, especially at world-changing events? No, they don't represent gays or the freedom of sexuality. They represent the alliance between the human race and God as it is written in the Old Testament, or in this case, the alliance between Celestia and her little ponies, or between the ponies representing the Elements of Harmony themselves. Who happen to be the ultimate weapon of Celestia, the judgement of God itself.
I don't know whether it was intentional or not, but despite the show teaching me a lot of useful lessons, it uses very heavy Catholic symbolism.
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While an interesting theory, I'm fairly certain that is not the case in the majority of stories here. Since the show does pull from the mythos of various religions and views, perhaps there was a part here and there. But as in-depth as you've described it? Going to have to disagree.