Realistically, they have options. For example, they could flee to another country, except that the Princesses could track them down and besides, one of those borders just effectively closed. There's probably some caves around which nopony's ever fully explored. A life spent reeking of fur dye might be possible. Or they can just stay in the hallway outside the throne room, waiting to be called in so they can explain how their good intentions turned that last mission into the biggest fiasco in Bearer history.
...so where were those caves again?
(Now with author Patreon and Ko-Fi pages.)
Cover art taken from an image created by ExitMothership. Commission information can be found here.
Chapters (1)
They went to France, didn't they?
EDIT: Dangit.
...Quick question.
Did Tia and Lulu get the idea for this masterstroke from Discord? This seems like his kinda thing.
Sometimes, you just have to know who should Help.
9704526
I was actually working from a sort of quadruped North Korea.
Master Strategists indeed!
After getting the repeated descriptions about what the country was like, I actually did expect that the true mission was to sow chaos and upheaval, 'cause no good Celestia and Luna would let that stand without some very, very good reasons.
And hmm... Yeah, it is the sorta thing that should happen naturally, instead of being told about it and then have bad acting.
When the title was given as Leader, I had a pretty good idea of what country was being referenced. Good job, there!
9704555
*North Cowrea
9704526 Sounds like it.
9704530
even if they didn't, im sure he had popcorn and was watching it
9704558
9704530
The story implies the Leader requested Twilight' party in particular. Which was, shall we say, a bit of a mistake.
If you take a restrictive, joyless, terrible place, and you send there the Elements of Harmony... well, something's got to give. And it won't be them.
Formenting the Rise of the Proletariat through the Power of Friendship; fantastic :)
Only this crew could accidentally topple a tyrannical dictator by doing the barest minimum of representing their individual elements.
And the Princesses, with their strategists, were counting on that.
If I was one of the Bearers, I might be a bit miffed at that. Being used as pawns in nth dimensional chess must get tiresome.
This was just fucking fantastic. Glorious.
I cannot adequately express through text how incredibly amused I am right now.
When these mares (and dragon) mess something up, they do it with style.
I am really curious about what the Leader species was.
Anyway, very funny story, kind of want to know about the Noodles incident but you don't talk about the Noodles incident. Ever.
That was a very Mane 6 series of events, I could totally see all of that happening.
9704526
I believe it was Not-North-Korea.
9704530
It's been established as Celestia's thing since the Grand Galloping Gala. "Liven things up" indeed.
Both princesses are good at pattern recognition. Since in the Estee-verse "it's not an official bearer visit until someone's posted bail", this has their hoof-prints all over it without needing help.
Ponyville is so reality warping the Lord of Chaos considers it a fun hangout.
Celestia just weaponizes it and calls it "Friendship missions".
The Gang Starts a Revolution in North Korea
IIIII had a feeling they were going to be supportive of this result. XD
Very clever and fun storytelling! I like when someone successfully pulls of this kind of 'story in review' format. It felt a little out of character on occasion, mostly from Pinkie Pie who just seemed a bit too Twilight-y for me, but it wasn't detrimental. Nicely done, and quite entertaining!
9704563
Perfect. :)
SO....MUCH......LAUGHING...……..
9704563
I both hate and love you in equal measure for that pun.
I smell an international grand galloping gala here...
I was braced for an unmarked feghoot, but this is good as well.
At first I was appalled and thinking "how could the sisters ever leave such a horrible ruler stand?". Then I thought about it and said ruler must have a really good argument to keep free.
Nice way of showing what it was.
You know, those six really need a pin that gets pulled when they're sent on a mission. Or in Rarity's case, a lot of pins.
Mane 6 solve North Cowrea. Can we please make this real?
I wish i could find this funny, but I cant.
This is celestia being an ass again, for a good cause. Sure, wont deny that.
At this point, I just write her off as a donkey with great pr in verse. She's going to get away with what she does by virtue of that. Oh well, at least the six did some darn nice things in trying to better lives in bad straights.
Yeah. I expected her to say that. That's the thing about a grenade with the pin missing: you can always count on it to explode.
I’m beginning to think the mane six plus Spike are bad at diplomacy.
I just wanna be clear on what Twilight did, since it's pretty clear for everyone else. Was her big oopsie throwing magic at the artifact and causing the earthquake? Or did she specifically do something to get it broken?
How to solve a problem in Equestria or its neighbouring kingdoms: Locate source of problem, aim Bearers at source of problem, stand back. Covering eyes is recommended. After 48 hours, send cleanup crews.
9704961
From the sounds of it, she tried hitting it with different types of magic in an effort to fix it. One of which did cause an earthquake.
Wait, what genius sent the Bearers to North Korea?
Dare I ask how she knows that?
I can only assume that the only reasons the Leader hasn't gotten the Sombra treatment is because a. She isn't vivisecting her people in the name of science yet, and b. Geopolitics are more complicated now than they were a thousand years ago. (And c. Then we wouldn't have a story.
)
If you can't find El Dorado, make it. At your citizens' expense.
Oh. Oh. Silly me, thinking the sisters would let this stand for any longer than they had to. Brilliantly cascading calamity. Thank you for it. Here's hoping your own waits are less interminable in the future.
9704961
Destroying a superweapon that Leader wanted.
How I wish I could point these seven at all of our problems. North Korea, China, Russia, The EU, the United States, and California. Never mind all the people who need a friendship beam all over.
I definitely enjoyed this. But it didn't take me long to realize that everything that went "wrong" was the actual intent of sending them there in the first place.
9705117
I mean really, can you think of anyone better suited to accidentally destroying a superweapon by trying to figure out how it works than Twilight?
9705195
Dude. I'm Russian, and I don't see the crap like in North Korea here. We have freedom of speech, access to the Internet and the pricess on food is lower than in most countries, and we have an intelligent leader, and much, and I mean much, better health care in our country than in US. But if you are the one person who watches CNN and thinks that your Hollywood celebrities have the know better about my country you'll just ignore all of the things I written here anyway.
I mean, would I be here, reading this amazing fanfic, based on this beautiful cartoon series I watch on our television if Russia was like North Korea?
A beautifully pulled geopolitical trick shot, and a marvelous example of just-as-planned Princessing.
I hope the girls and Spike get a nice, proper vacation out of this.
9704555
Honestly, my guess was either that, or an attempted stab at Donald Trump.
So, in summation:
The Mane Six toppled Best Korea.
...Seems legit.
9705195
Admit it, our entire world needs to be "Elements of Harmony"-ed.
9704947
While that's entirely true, there was no diplomacy to be had here.
Leader's "mission" for the Bearers was intended as a weapons test/pre-emptive strike against Equestria. Celestia pre-pre-empted the strike and destroyed the weapon by giving Leader exactly what she asked for.
At least, that's how Sunbutt and Crater-ass saw it.
9704961
The artifact was destroyed by some combination of "too many kinds of magic at once" (Twilight), lightning (Rainbow Dash), and a zarlat stampede (Fluttershy and Spike (and Rainbow)). Mostly the stampede. The earthquake knocked the monster over so the stampede could stamp on the thing.
9705083
Because near-instant disintegration was too kind. Leader is going to be put on trial by the people she oppressed. She'll be wishing she got the Sombra treatment instead.
I’m sure there’s something philosophical in how Chaos is the ultimate manifestation of Harmony.
They couldn’t have planned this. If they had planned this it wouldn’t have worked. But just by being themselves they made everything explode.
9705331
In a weekend. They toppled North Korea in a weekend.
9705268
He also mentioned th EU and America as places that should be improved. And it's mostly Russia's fault we have our current president, maybe he's sore about that.
They keep describing this as a disaster, but it really sounds more like a job well done to me.
The main thing that spoils this one for me is, the girls would NOT be even a little bit guilty about this. In fact, they would almost certainly have deliberately LED the rebellion against Leader.
9705268
Well, you all were responsible for the greatest atrocity known to mankind.
The Election of Donald Trump!
Why... I simply can't imagine a worse scenario, can you? Look at all the evils he's done! Anita Orlando GonnagivemeaCoronaryfromlaughing said so!
Then the idiot who praises, with enthusiastic tone,
All centuries but this, and every country but his own;
I've got a little list — I've got a little list
Only the Mane Six could fuck up so spectacularly as to break a dictatorship on accident. XD