Growing Up
It was a hard decision to make, so in the end, I didn't make it at all. As the next few days passed without incident, Mom assumed the default: I was going to accept the band. Then I started assuming it too. I never sat down with a pencil and paper or anything to weigh all the pros and cons. It just... slowly became obvious.
I didn't want to let Mom down, and I was sure Thunderlane would forgive me right away. I definitely didn't want to grow old and die. I was pretty sure Cinnamon was right about the tradeoffs. At the very least, my life with Mom would be a good life, and then I'd have even more "lives" to live afterwards.
So what if I always need a parent to look out for me? Everypony says being a foal is something to be cherished. It's the best time of your life, right?
In the end, I guess it just came down to the simple fact that I liked being a foal. So things moved forward, and we made our wedding plans for the weekend. Princess Celestia was busy, so Princess Twilight Sparkle would be officiating in her place. To avoid a tremendous crowd, only Ponyville residents would be allowed to attend, unless we had specific ponies to invite (we didn't).
It wasn't like I ever settled completely, though. I knew I could still back out if I got cold hooves. You have to wait at least a week before getting married, but they give you as much time to decide as you need. I don't think anypony ever took longer than a month, though. It's a pretty obvious decision. Being frozen is a really big gift. Weird, but big.
So Friday evening after school (a week from my banding), Mom took me to the Carousel Boutique to get fitted for the wedding.
I stood up straight at attention as Rarity altered my tux, while Mom sat in a chair in the other room, reading a fashion magazine (at least, that's what she was doing when I left her there).
"Rumble, you will look fabulous when I'm done with you," said Rarity, and then she lowered the volume of her voice. "It's too bad your mother opted to wear her old wedding gown. I'd rather have updated it for her, but at least I can make your outfit complement hers..."
"Ugh. It's icky. She married Dad in that thing," I whispered.
Rarity frowned. "Confidentially? I couldn't agree more. I'd rather the fashion traditions for frozen weddings differed significantly from the standard kind," she whispered back. "It must feel unseemly to 'marry' your actual mother. But, the two kinds of marriage do have many similarities. This isn't just a legal arrangement, or an agreement to remain young. Your mother is giving the remainder of her life to you, Rumble. You must realize the gravity of that gift. That's the whole purpose of the ceremony."
"And my gift, too," I huffed. "I won't ever get to make my own decisions, you know? We're both giving up something big! Of course I want to live forever, but it's so weird that this is even a thing in the first place. I mean, I'm pretty sure I'm going through with it now, but I still don't understand it."
Rarity smiled. "Oh, I think I do. Princess Celestia made it a thing, as a special offering just for you."
I jerked my shoulder slightly as she shifted the tux in front. "Me? But why?"
"Well, she can't freeze every foal, or our population would die out. But she can save just a few of us. This is generosity at its finest," said Rarity, pinning the neckpiece carefully in place. "You shall be young, spry, healthy, and handsome forever. What better gift could there possibly be than eternal youth?"
I didn't want to admit it, but I couldn't think of one.
The wedding took place on Sunday. It was held in a large open area at Sweet Apple Acres. The whole town was there. After Sweet Pop, Cinnamon Tea, and I had our pictures taken together (as planned), I approached Princess Twilight Sparkle. She was all by herself, standing by an apple tree as guests took their seats some distance away. She was staring at the barn in the distance for some reason I couldn't guess.
"P-princess?" I called as I walked up to her. I tugged nervously at my tux.
She turned and smiled brightly down at me. She had her crown and a formal gown on, though some mud was getting on the hem. "Hello, Rumble. You can call me Twilight, if you want. I trust you're excited for your big day?"
I looked at the ground, then back up to her face. "Y-yeah. I wanted to ask you something, though," I said.
She nodded solemnly. There was nopony nearby us. "You can ask me anything at all." Her voice sounded strangely authoritative.
I swallowed. "Do you think I should do this? The infinity band, I mean."
Her eyes softened. "I... can't decide that for you, Rumble. But if you're not absolutely certain you want to do this, we need to call off the wedding now. We can postpone it—"
"No, no," I said, waving a hoof. "I do want to do it. I just want to know what you think."
"I'm afraid it isn't up to me. What I think isn't relevant," she whispered.
I narrowed my eyes. "You don't believe that."
Twilight sighed. "Okay, that came out badly. I'm flattered that you respect my opinion, but there honestly isn't a right or wrong answer to this one," she said. "It's a trade-off, like all things in life."
"It's not a trade-off for you," I pointed out. "You get to live forever, and be an adult too."
Twilight visibly stiffened. "Yes, and it isn't fair. However, it is a trade-off for me. I have centuries ahead of me in which I'll be responsible for the prosperity of an entire nation. I'll have to live with some of the consequences that you will, like seeing friends pass me by," she said. "I didn't ask for what I received. Unlike you, I wasn't really given a choice."
I paused. "Would you have made the choice? To become an alicorn, I mean."
"For the good of Equestria, of course—"
"Not Equestria. Just for you," I said.
Her face seemed pained. "I... I don't know, Rumble. Probably... I don't know. Look, it's a hard choice to have to consider, and I've never had to think about it."
I frowned. "Do you still think you have the better deal, not getting a choice?"
The princess said nothing, but she shook her head.
"I had to think about this stuff all week, and I'm nine."
Twilight placed a hoof over her face. "Okay. I'm very sorry. I'm calling off the ceremony now."
"No! Please! I want to do it, I swear," I quickly interjected. "I just... I just want to know why, okay? Why did Princess Celestia start doing this? Everypony has a different stupid theory, and none of them make any sense! Just tell me why I'm doing it. Please?"
Twilight sighed more deeply this time, and her neck slumped so far I thought her crown would topple off. "I'm not allowed to say, as you probably know," she said.
I rolled my eyes and turned around, but I felt her hoof touch my wing and tug me back. I turned my head, and she was wiping one of her eyes with a wingtip.
"Rumble, what do you know about death?" she asked me.
"Um, well, you die, and that's it. I mean, you kind of wake up somewhere else, and that never really stops happening, but you're gone from wherever you were, practically forever," I said. "It's too complicated to explain to foals, so they just tell us you wake up from a dream in another world, and you stop being 'you', and you're something else now."
"That's right. And while death may be a new beginning in an abstract sense, it's also an ending for you, because everything has an ending. Nothing can last forever except forever itself, Rumble," she explained. "That ending we all face is something our brains are actually hard-wired to prevent us from thinking about."
"Pfft, I wish! I've been thinking about death all week," I complained.
"No, you haven't. Not really," said Twilight, her face suddenly serious. "The research is very clear. Sapient creatures could not function if we were able to ponder freely about our own deaths. Our brains shield us from existential fear by categorizing death as an event that only ever happens to other ponies."
"I... I guess I don't understand," I said, shrugging.
"Your brain is constantly analyzing your future, Rumble. How will you feel when you see your mother in a wedding dress in a few minutes? What will you eat for breakfast tomorrow? When will you have your next fight with a friend?" she asked me, and then her voice softened. "These are all questions we consider daily. But we can only ask what will happen when we die by pretending it's purely hypothetical. Your brain literally will not allow you to consider the true possibility of your own death. This is why ponies are so bad at judging dangerous situations, and die from silly things like accidental falls. We can't weigh the likelihood of a simple fate we're all destined for. Overconfidence is literally built into how we think, because it's the only way any of us can function without going insane."
I lifted a hoof to point at her, and I noticed it was shaking. "Are y-you trying to scare me? I already said I wanted to do this!"
She shook her head and leaned down right in front of my face. "I'm sorry. I'm honestly not trying to frighten you. I just don't know how to say..." she whispered, then paused for a moment and looked me right in the eyes. "Rumble, all good ponies try to do things that we believe will provide the most benefit to society. The greatest good is friendship: the willingness to put others before oneself. Without it, civilization would be impossible. Friendship always requires sacrifice. Fortunately, life, especially moments like these, prepares us. It enables us to learn how to give selflessly."
I stood there for a moment, listening to the murmur of the crowd and the dissonant strains of instruments from the band being tested and checked. Princess Twilight Sparkle never took her unblinking eyes off mine, and I was too afraid to peel mine from hers. Finally, something hit me.
"Today... is about more than just me, isn't it?" I asked.
She nodded. "Exactly. And you don't have to do this. However, whichever decision you make, you are growing up today. Do you understand what I mean by that?"
"Yeah." I finally broke eye contact as I closed and rested my eyes. "Thank you, Princess. I'll see you at the podium."
Before she could say anything that would make it more awkward, I turned and cantered back to the crowd. I would have tilted at a full gallop, but I didn't want my tux to get all muddy.
A few minutes later, Mom and I took our places for the ceremony, at the back of the crowd.
Princess Twilight Sparkle stood up at the podium. "Let us begin," she said. The band began to play a tune I didn't recognize. I noticed Cinnamon in the band, playing the ocarina he'd shown me before. It was neat to see a foal—well, a frozen foal, at least—playing an instrument among a dozen adults, just like a real grown-up. It settled my nerves a little.
As tradition had it, my future Owner walked to the podium all by herself, to light applause. Then the music paused, and the band began to play "Here Comes the Foal."
"That's our cue," whispered Thunderlane, in his own tux. He looked very proud of me, even though it wasn't the decision he would have made.
You know, maybe that's why he's proud of me, I realized.
I took his hoof in mine and we began marching to the podium as everypony stared. I was super nervous, so I tried to focus straight ahead. Seeing the welcoming face of Mom in her beautiful gown helped a lot. As I passed the Bearers, I heard Pinkie Pie say something about some sort of 'obvious allegory', but Applejack quickly shushed her.
I finally ended up at the podium, and Thunderlane stepped to the side. I turned to face Mom. She looked proud, happy but tearful, and excited. I hadn't realized how important this was to her until now. We were both giving our lives away, and she had no regrets. I felt an incredible weight pressing down on my withers.
Princess Twilight rambled on about frozen marriage while I stared into my mother's eyes, ignoring the speech. Then she spoke loudly to catch my attention.
"Rumble, I need you to look at me for a moment," said Twilight, once again staring intently into my eyes. "I want you to think very carefully about this question. Are you certain you want to give your life to your mother, as well as all your future Owners to come? If you aren't absolutely certain, we will delay the wedding, and nopony will blame you. This must be your decision alone."
At that moment, I realized this wasn't just the biggest decision of my life. It was the last real decision I'd be able to make for decades.
Then I looked back up at Mom and smiled. She was so happy she was in tears, and her being happy made me feel happy, too. Of course I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her—the rest of her life, at least. She's my mother! What colt to a loving mother could honestly say no?
I knew the truth. Diamond Tiara was right. Miss Cheerilee must be insane.
"I am," I announced, clearly and loudly. With that declaration, all the weight lifted from my saddle.
Twilight paused a moment, then smiled. "Then I declare you Frozen, Rumble, and recognize your union as Colt and Wife." Everypony stomped with raucous applause. Thunderlane held out a pillow on which a sparkling blue sapphire rested. Twilight cast a teleport spell to switch it with the ruby, and I saw a momentary blue glow at the bottom of my vision.
It was done. "You may kiss, if you wish," she said.
I smiled as Mom leaned down, and we quickly kissed. It was just a light peck on the lips from Mother to Son, entirely platonic, exactly as it should be.
Naturally, I was altogether unprepared for the parasprites squirming through my belly.
Also LikedSimilarAuthor
- Trick Question · 13k words · 57 11 · 1.6k views
- Trick Question · 5.1k words · 44 5 · 1.2k views
- Trick Question · 11k words · 24 1 · 509 views
- Trick Question · 12k words · 47 13 · 945 views
- Not That Anon · 1000 words · 120 1 · 1.1k views
- Trick Question · 1k words · 77 9 · 1.8k views
- Trick Question · 1.7k words · 71 5 · 2k views
Stats
Page generated in 0.072 seconds
Total duration
708 users online
886,939 hits today, 2,454,720 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Well this was an interesting story, I would love to see hoe things go for Rumble after the 40 year mark. Keep up the good work
I'm confused on the wedding thing. Can you explain the whole thing to me? I love the story. But I don't get it.
Interesting read!! I hope Rumble made the right choice. That last chapter gave me an existential crisis I wasn't ready for, though. Either way, good job!!!
My favorite line in the whole story was this:
I literally died
9958190
I think that's the whole idea behind the Frozen Foal idea. It doesn't help Princess Celestia's real reasoning behind it is never said.
I think what Cheerilee meant was that if you become frozen, your "basic pony right" to freedom is lost. And that is not something you should lose.
About the death thing however. The summer when I was 12, I came to a sudden realization during the last day of my visit to my grandparents: they would die one day. And so would I. I remember very little from that time but my mother tells me that I cried nonstop for two weeks. And I mean cried, loudly. Only stopping temporarily when I somehow fell asleep. Overconfidence is a thing yes but so is paranoia.
So I am unsure about not being allowed to truly think about death. I think you can sneak up on you brain
.
Good story that makes me think even if I am the type that wants things very clearly explained to me so I can understand them.
But you will have to explain what connection the inability to comprehend your own death and what the "good" sacrifice is, because I do not understand?
This was interesting. I appreciate that it hit fast and hard with the moral dilemma's and implications, not sure it would have been as good a story if the writing was dragged out. I do wish we had some insight into the situation outside of Rumble's limited perspective, as there's some stuff going on here I would have liked to see explored from an adult perspective outside of target of inquiry, but I understand why you did things this way for narrative purposes.
If the intention was to get me thinking about tough concepts around mortality and off the wall magic based moral dilemma's, then mission accomplished. Almost wish you'd add an epilogue where Rumble meets Celestia for the first time years later to ask some of the questions there were no answers to at this point.
Anyway, thanks for sharing this strange tale of otherworldly magic shenanigans and squicky situations.
9958357
I can agree that it is a bit frustrating that "why kids?" is not answered. We are just like Rumble that way, and Twilight is not allowed to tell.
But, from a meta perspective: Why did the author make it about kids?
I think it is more then shock value. I think we are asked the question: what is a child? How do we see them? And are those ideas always consistent?
I don't know, I am searching for meaning but until Trick gives us the answer it might just be me seeing things.
Dang
I must say, I adore the audacity of your storytelling. It's like your brain pops up the premise, however outre, and then your storytelling gift MUST pursue it to the fullest, whatever the consequences.
Admirable. Bravo
I honestly have to say, freezing is one of the worst life extensions. The foals are stuck without the ability to be at their peak, physically and mentally. They lack the ability to be free at all except in case of sex. It's life as some kinda pet. Heck they can't even spend the extra time to learn new things, because either their owners won't let them, or they will forget them. And the worst part, they can still be killed, so it's more negatives then positives.
I'mma still processing the levels of this story, and that's the best part of reading.
9958712
I'm sorry.
I doubt that you read much science fiction, but honest to God if you don't sound like you're channeling Larry Niven. This was an outstanding story, and I'm pleased to have been able to read it. So much here to think about...
9958734
Don't be, I'm not. I perhaps sounded bleaker than I intended there. It's hard to describe - hard even to think about, not in a sense of being emotionally threatening, but just in a sense of being obtuse and slippery. At the bottom of existence, there is a basic feeling of rightness to the way things work. I can sense it, even if I can't grasp it.
That may be delusion on my part, or it may be some hardwired restraint imposed by evolution, or, possibly, it may be that I'm dimly perceiving something about the actual nature of reality. I'm far from the first to ponder this. At any rate, don't sorrow for me.
Well, that was interesting, and strange. :)
Sorry you had such trouble over it. I mean, I can see what probably led people to get upset (though I note that the story never seems to say who's right, if anyone, and there are definitely people in-universe uncomfortable with the state of things, sometimes people seem to just casually jump the gap between "there's something in this story I don't like" and "this story's author advocates something I don't like), but... I mean, it's not as if the rest of your catalog is all happy innocent puppies, is it? So I'm not sure why someone opening up a Trick Question story, when you'd been writing there for a while, wasn't prepared for any tinges of creepiness they might feel.
Anyway, thanks for sharing!
Honestly, this has gotten me thinking to the point where I am tempted to write a non canon follow up based on where my mind went with it, if you are ok with it that is.
9958744
Perhaps... if a young foal can find a surefire way to do it while being "watched like a hawk" and wearing an immortality collar they can't remove.
9958794
I was specifically channeling a recent neurology study that examined patterns in the brain and discovered the planning center of the brain shuts down when presented with any subject including both "you" and "death".
9958829
I have no choice but to care, silly.
The social world is rarely as we perceive it. We all have a fractured lens through which we see other people, and never really know them. Misunderstandings and grudges are often mistakes born from the inability to see the same way through that tempered shower-glass. I don't think things are ever as bad as they seem because I know the limitations of my social perception.
My mathematical perception, however, I can be confident in, and I know a lot about death from that. It'll be regrettable if I can't overcome my disabilities and write that book.
9958844
If you don't mark it as a sequel and are explicit that it's non-canon, sure you can.
9958851
if the planning center of the brain shuts down when presented with "you" and "death" couldn't that just mean it knows there's nothing after death so no point in planning?
9958950
I would argue against that, as that gets into the metaphorical of the brain definitely knows nothing is coming. I'd argue actually that the reason when death and us get into the same sentence, our brains picture it as the finale. Even if someone may have some foreign idea of something after death, there may always be this lingering knowledge of that in all physicalness, there is nothing after death.
Of course, I do wonder what the neurological study centered around when it made people think of 'death' and 'you' in the same sentence.(Note depressing things in spoiler tags) As someone who has had suicidal thoughts, it does intrigue me. Whenever I think of death, my planning never does go past death - because it has nothing to plan. But my brain then approaches it from 'what would I do before death to prepare.' Or I think about the process. Or a number load of things, depending on how severe things are at a time. For example, I've gone to places without notice - just thinking about how I jumped right now, etc., I would die. For most suicides aren't planned. How does this relate to the study?
After that long ramble, I... don't think it's because the brain knows for sure nothingness remains. It's just, our brains and us subconsciously may make that connection, and therefore the planning center shuts down due to this connection being made and the subconscious realization that there is no reason to plan. (of course, this might have been what you meant. if so, forgive me, it is nearly 3am)
All in all, I do wish suicide was mentioned among these immortals. I very much doubt no one took an out like that. THey talk about one foal dying to an accident, but no foal has ever... done the deed? It makes me wonder.
This story did make me think a lot so props on that at least! I came back to it several times today.
9958851
Okay, so now I'm all like, curious. And stuff. LOL. (as the current debased vernacular seems to go). Is the article available online? Did it include counter-logical, undefined, or non-parseable statements for ponies to ponder? E.g., "Will you be there yesterday?", or "Is the Wug octoculent?". And, I suppose, what *other* areas of the brain showed activity at that time?
Like, *hug*. And stuff. LOL.
9958950
9959396
9959450
Here's one review. As with studies of this type, the conclusion is a tentative explanation for the abstract findings, and more research needs to be done to support the thesis.
9959553
I believe it is primarily because the story is rated T, and includes the topics of sex with kids and child incest within a morally ambiguous context. These topics are extremely offensive to most readers, especially readers who avoid reading stories with the M rating.
To an extent you can sense this from some of the comments here. Readers are claiming to be disturbed in a way that is not gratifying.
For the record, the purpose of this story is not specifically to disturb the reader, and I don't find it disturbing, but I am not normal.
9959528
Not wishing to highjack the discussion topic, but, while quite interesting (and bearing in mind that I can't read the actual study), I'm not convinced that it proves anything about biological limits to mental processes. For most Westerners, your own funeral is something that someone else will plan and execute for you. It would be interesting to see the same test done on a picked group of people who have planned their own funerals in detail, or who have extremely strong views on what should be done with their body after death.
9959918
From my perspective, Celestia's a monarch, responsible not just for all of the Ponies, Griffons, Dragons, etc. that she rules, but also for the welfare of future generations as well. She's shown her concern for the happiness of individuals many times, but in the end, if she *must* have a certain result for Equestria, that would properly take precedence over the interests of any individual. Twilight's a major asset. Celestia would fail in her duty to all her subjects if she didn't try to get the most out of Twilight. She'd fail in her duty to Twilight if she didn't try to be sure that she could be happy while being useful. I think she does a good job in a difficult situation.
Well, Trick, your story is spurring thoughtful discussion, and that’s what you wanted all along, eh?
9960133
Maybe.
An interest in sparking discussion is not the primary reason I had to write this story (or why I write in general). However, I usually take spirited debate (and even flame wars) as a good sign that people are thinking, which is something I do like to encourage.
9959918
I considered a Horror tag here, given the final line of the piece and how the mood builds section by section. I actually did give a Horror tag to Innocence, Equestria in lieu of a Dark tag, and some of the themes here are identical. (Sadly, Dark is a genre tag and not a warning tag, so I can't always add it where it applies.) However, Innocence doesn't touch on the topic of death and is more overtly incestuous, sexual, and free-will-crushing than this one is. In contrast, this story is more overtly philosophical. For some people the two stories may be equally horrifying, but I don't want 'horror' to be the focus of this piece.
It's worth mentioning that the tags are there for readers, not author. I'm not suggesting that either story is dark or horrifying to me.
That is one of that kind of very wise questions you're supposed to pretend you have no answer for, I presume?
Later that evening Twiggles slipped on wet floor in her castle bathroom and it turned out that in contest between hard crystal and pony skull crystal comes on top ten times out of ten.
It almost sounds like others aren't directly accounted in utility function of friendship princess.
Yeah, that would be foolproof indication of social status being actual concern here.
Or maybe that's just because in everypony's personal history of operant conditioning death IS event that only ever happens to other ponies. For obvious reasons.
Questions of what Sunbutt's real reasons for this are, I do love the story. And now I'll probably end up taking the idea and using it.
Not at all connected to this mind you. Just inspired by it. It's too good not too.
9975920
I alienated a lot of friends with this story, sadly.
10061604
I'm glad somepony enjoyed it.
9958357
Given the content in both stories, I literally can't believe anypony finds this creepier than TSJ, but despite the hyperbole I'm still flattered.
You may find Innocence, Equestria similarly troubling.
Sorry—can't help but take it that way.
10061705
I have it open when on my desktop machine, but I almost never have the tab active. I'm super busy and bad at that sort of thing.
10061688
They weren't your friends then. Or they weren't very good ones to begin with, and the story just brought it out.
Like I said first time around, I probably will borrow this idea myself at some point. it's too interesting to leave like it is.
10061874
As long as you're clear that this story was the idea source and that it isn't an official sequel, that's fine by me.
10062069
Thanks. I wouldn't even call it an unoffical sequel. Spin off maybe. Use what was started here, but use different characters in the roles.
Wouldn't feel right to use the same one's again.
10062343
There are no children being raped in this story.
There no horses being raped in this story.
I do not think child rape is normal.
10062516
And just to be clear, this story is not intended to be a defense of foalcon or anything. It's entirely allegorical and has no social agenda.
10062689
I know it's not me. I don't even read most comments on stories.
This has me a bit torn, because I liked the writing and the way it made the infinity bands seem so menacing and scary, but when we finally find out what they do, and then it ends... I'm left wondering what all the build up was for? This was all tension and set up with no pay off. I guess it's just meant to make us think and ask the questions Rumble had? But, this isn't a new idea. This is the "would you become a vampire" question, with even less downsides to it. This is a win/win situation and the idea that we lose freedom is truly purely imaginary. True loss of freedom comes from death. This story did not make me think, it just had me excited and then it was over. I really got into this, the idea was great. Though, I don't understand why it had to be so uncomfortable. The whole thing felt like a huge cover for actually being about child brides. And how that's good because they get looked after. It felt like a really fucked up metaphor for something horrible, by comparing it to the best thing you could ever get, immortality. And if that's not the case... Then that's sloppy writing to make me consider that could be it.
In the end, I hate to say that I wouldn't reccomend this to anyone.
I do have one question, about the pic and event that started this, since I want too try and do something like it myself.
Am I missing anything at all that would help my writing by not knowing what started it all?
10111476
The fact that it isn't known is important to the metaphor of this story, but if you want to write your own story you can do what you choose.
10064231
I don't know if this helps or not, but the last line is a callback to how Cinnamon described something in the previous chapter. If you missed that, it wouldn't make much sense.
... I don't see what some people are being sticks in the mud about. There are far more fucked up ideas for stories on this site. Too bad this is a one-shot. There's so much that could be done with this universe.
I guess my only real question, is why Rumble was picked to be the P.O.V, character here? He's not the worst choice for the role for sure. It doesn't really affect the story for me honestly.
But I can't help but wonder.
10198702
I used him because he has an already established relationship with his older brother in canon.
Coming back and rereading this story, I am still floored. The dialog is so on point, and makes you think a lot. Awesome story.
You cheeky shit. I don't know if I'm talking to Pinkie or the author, either. :V
Well, you were right, I can't say I liked this, but I do have some appreciation for it. Mostly, I felt my brain circling the drain of Getting The Point without ever actually taking the final flush to enlightenment.
If you were to ask me, I'd say to rate this M not because its content is objectionable, but because it requires a mature mind to approach, which is the same reason I rate most of my stories T. But rating it T is, by the rules, completely acceptable.
10913986
If we're still friends now that you've read it, I fear you may be in the minority among authors we know.
Are there going to be any chapters, or a sequel to this, about Rumble’s life as a frozen foal?