Episode 17: "Twilight's New Secretary"
…
One morning, Moondancer arrived at Donut Joe's shop in Canterlot for breakfast with three of her pony friends. It was a time that Moondancer greatly looked forward to. Ever since coming out of her shell, Moondancer had found the gatherings to be beneficial in maintaining her friendships with ponies she might have previously ignored. As she stepped into the donut shop, Moondancer saw her friends and sat down.
"Ah, Moondancer, glad you could join us," Lemon Hearts greeted and then asked her fellow unicorn. "Did you read the Canterlot Chronicle?"
"I can't say that I have," Moondancer replied in a confused voice. "Is this related to the battle of Mount Aris that took place recently?"
"Well, yes," Minutette remarked in a tone surprisingly void of her usual chipper nature. "But there's something else that's making headway."
Passing the latest copy over to Moondancer, Minuette and the others watched as their friend studied the article.
"I don't get it," Moondancer wondered aloud. "Why does Twilight need a secretary? Doesn't she have Spike as her assistant?"
"Well, yeah," Twinkleshine pointed out. "But I guess the workload has been getting to be too much for even him. He's now the number one assistant for the first ruler to see us at war in over a thousand years. I can't imagine all the paperwork that the war must be bringing."
To Moondancer, the statement came as a surprise. She worried that Twilight might be beginning to crack under the pressure. "I see," She nodded while adjusting her glasses. "Well, if it's a secretary job, I'm sure she can find a pony who's studious enough to maintain all her important documents. I imagine she's already gotten a thousand requests for job interviews if word of this is in a public paper."
But instead, all three unicorn mares looked at their friend intently.
"Why are you all looking at me like that?" Moondancer awkwardly inquired.
"Moondancer, isn't it obvious?" Minuette asked as she took a bite out of a donut. "You could be considered a front runner for the job. I mean, you know Twilight more than any of us. You two were so close that Twilight moving away caused you to become a shut in."
Twinkleshine not so secretly glared at Minuette as she added. "Besides, haven't you considered getting a more permanent job? A job that you could see yourself doing for years and years?"
Moondancer took a bite out of her donut and contemplated what was being said "I…I have considered that possibility," She stammered. "But isn't the job market for my areas of interest low? I mean, there are plenty of other good jobs available, such as a librarian. I would be really good as a librarian, I think." Taking a book out of her saddlebag, Moondancer placed it on the table. But the rest of her friends weren't convinced by her words.
"Yeah, we would be able to support you as a librarian, Moondancer," Minuette chimed in. "But we think you should at least give something else a try. Get out of the books and think about getting the bits. Maybe even see the world."
"Girls," Moondancer gulped as she took another bite of her donut. "Being in a library…is all I really know how to do. I can help ponies find whatever books they want, it's nice and quiet and I can be free to do research in my free time. Besides, I'm friends with First Folio. Landing a job with her shouldn't be a problem."
At that moment, a light green colored earth pony stallion came walking in. He was wearing a green tie and black sport coat. He approached the table, sneering at Moondancer. "I would take your friends' advice, Moondancer," He declared. "After all, do you know why I'm here?"
Moondancer cowered at the pony's dirty appearance, a foul smell coming off of him. "Your latest rent is overdue," He said in a gruff voice. "I'm tired of hearing your 'excuses'."
"Look, I'll get you the money, Greedy Fatcat," Moondancer replied as she tried not to snarl. "It's just that…I haven't really had a chance to…"
Before Moondancer could finish her sentence, the earth pony stallion stood up and glared into her face. "I've begun to run out of patience with you, young filly," He said, bending down and looking intently at her. "If I don't get my money by the end of this week, I'm putting you out on the streets. Is that clear?! Twilight Sparkle was always good at paying her rent on time when she lived in that old tower, and that was long before she became a princess. No reason why a grown pony like you can't do the same. Do you understand?"
Nodding nervously and without saying a word, Moondancer turned her attention back to her friends. However, none of them were in the mood for talking.
"Now, if you'll excuse me," Greedy Fatcat spoke with Moondancer's back turned to him. "I'm off to get my breakfast."
With her landlord gone, Moondancer felt that time was now of the essence for her!
…
…
Back at the Castle of Friendship, another day of learning about friendship came to an end and Luster Dawn left to spend some alone time with her mentor. By now, Luster had come to be fully settled with living in her new hometown. Although she couldn't help but feel slightly intimidated by the presence of the guards that now stood in front of Twilight's castle. She knew Equestria was in a state of war, but she didn't like how that seemed to make her mentor and idol so hard to approach.
"Um, hi," Luster said nervously to the guards, but the guards didn't reply. "Nice day, isn't it?"
The guards said nothing.
"I guess you aren't in the mood for talking," Luster remarked under her breath as she knocked on the door. "You are protecting the Supreme Princess of Equestria, after all. I suppose you have to find something to do."
A few moments later, Spike answered the door. "Oh hey, Luster!" He greeted while gesturing for the pink coated unicorn to come inside. "Glad you're here. Twilight's been expecting you."
"What does she have planned for me this time?" Luster asked as the young dragon led her to her mentor's study.
"I think you might find it interesting," Spike answered. "Did you read the Canterlot Chronicle?"
"I don't really read the news. What's in the Chronicle?" Luster asked with concern. "Is everything alright?"
"Well, it's something that a pony like you may not be interested in." Spike said with a slightly embarrassed look on his face.
"I'm open to whatever Princess Twilight wants me to learn," Luster replied, suspecting nothing. "So go ahead, tell me."
But Spike felt like he wasn't the one to answer Luster's question. "Perhaps you ought to see for yourself."
Opening the door, Luster was led into Twilight's study where she saw her mentor stressed and her mane frazzled while looking down at her desk.
"Um, Princess Twilight?" Luster asked, causing Twilight to stammer slightly as her concentration broke. "What's going on here?"
"Oh... uh... h-hi, Luster!" Twilight stammered while looking over at her personal protégé. "Sorry for looking so, uh…"
"Frazzled?" Luster remarked as Twilight hastily straightened out her mane in front of the young unicorn. "Don't worry, I've had those kinds of days sometimes. What's on your desk?"
With her hoof caught in the cookie jar, Twilight showed Luster what she was looking at. A pile of applications!
"Applications?!" Luster Dawn realized. "Applications for what?"
"A secretary, Luster Dawn," Spike answered. "Can you believe that with all that's going on we don't even…"
But a clearing of Twilight's throat caused Spike to stop answering for his big sister. "Right, I'll let you answer that." He meekly chuckled as he flew out of the study, leaving Luster and Twilight alone.
Once the door was closed, Twilight finished what her royal advisor had started to explain. "Ever since I became supreme ruler of Equestria, I've managed to get everything done except for one thing…"
"Hire a secretary?" Luster guessed.
"Bingo!" Twilight nodded while taking the applications away in her aura. "The fact is that I can't manage both running Equestria and answering all the mail that lands on my desk. Do you know how many times the mailmare comes here and to my royal quarters in Canterlot?"
Almost as if on cue, a gray coated pegasus mare pony flew into the room.
"Um, Muffins," Twilight cleared her throat, directing her to look at Luster Dawn. "Forgive me, but…I happen to be teaching my protégé here if you don't mind."
"Teaching what?" "Muffins" asked. "Don't worry about me, I'll just leave these here for you to sort out. I've still got lots of other ponies to tend to on my route." She left an entire mailbag full of letters on the floor of Twilight's study before leaving, but not before banging into the wall of the study due to her wall eyed condition.
Once "Muffins" was gone, Luster turned over to look at the large mail bag that had been dropped off.
"I mean, there's nothing with Muffins frequently dropping off mail, of course," Twilight blushed. "It's her job, after all. But it's getting to be a little too much for one fragile minded pony like me. And poor Spike just can't keep up anymore."
"I'll say!" Luster remarked while peeking inside the bag. "Where does all this mail come from?!"
"From all over Equestria," Twilight explained. "There's even a special area of many post offices that are reserved for mail addressed to me. At least, that's what Muffins tells me."
Suspecting that this what she'd been called in for, Luster declared. "If there's anything I can do to help, Princess Twilight…"
"Actually, there is, Luster," Twilight declared as Luster pulled herself out of the mail bag and turned back to her mentor. "Tell me, are you at all familiar with a pony named Moondancer?"
"The pony who looks exactly like you but with different colors, and wears a black wool turtleneck sweater? Yeah, I know who she is," Luster nodded. "We actually crossed paths a few times at the Canterlot Library. Why do you ask?"
"I'm just thinking," Twilight proposed. "She may be the only pony who can truly be my secretary. But taking her out of her element isn't going to be easy as pie."
This made Luster slightly confused.
"But, I thought you already took Moondancer out of her element with that party," Luster explained. "The "I'm Sorry I Completely Ignored You" Party you once taught me about? The one you, Spike and Princess Pinkie Pie threw for her?"
"That was different, Luster," Twilight corrected. "Moondancer has always had a secondary element aside from her frequent studying, the library. Taking her away from the library is like…how shall I put this? Like taking Celestia away from her sweets."
"Professor Celestia sure loves her sweets." Luster giggled briefly, only to quickly correct herself. "Sorry, go on."
"The fact is, Luster," Twilight continued while draping a wing over her student. "I think it would do both her and I some good if she becomes my secretary. She's studious and organized like myself and I can't think of nopony else better to be my secretary, if she wants the job. That's where you come in."
Luster then asked. "What do I do, Princess Twilight?"
"Do you have any plans to return to Canterlot over this coming weekend?" Twilight questioned her student.
"Well, my grandfather's birthday is this weekend in Canterlot," Luster confirmed. "Plus, I've been meaning to see Moondancer again since I moved here. I trust you want me to convince Moondancer to be your secretary?"
With a stamp of her hoof, Twilight made her answer clearly. "Correct!" She declared. "I can't think of anypony more qualified."
But Luster suspected something else was ahoof as she questioned. "Then why don't you offer the position to her yourself, if you don't mind me asking?"
"I think it's better if Moondancer hears it from you instead of me," Twilight explained. "I'm not sure if she's entirely forgiven me just yet for all the years of unintentional neglect."
…
…
Meanwhile, Moondancer and her friends were recoiling from the encounter with the former introvert's landlord. Sitting at the table now felt more uncomfortable than relaxing given the events that had just transpired.
"Is he always like that, Moondancer?" Lemon Hearts asked with a worried look on her face.
"Unfortunately, yes," Moondancer somberly replied. "Lately, I haven't been keeping up with the rent. All I've been doing is spending all my time at the library and using some of my inheritance to pay said rent."
"Hold on, hold on, hold on!" Minuette exclaimed while waving her forelegs back and forth. "You got an inheritance? When?"
"About five years ago, from my grandparents after they passed," Moondancer explained. "I thought it would keep me financially secured. But I guess that's not the case, even though I'm careful to control my spending."
The three unicorn mares looked at each other closely and then they felt that something needed to be done.
"Moondancer, this is why you need to look for a job," Twinkleshine declared while taking the book from Moondancer. "Something that doesn't involve you being in a book all day. Something that'll keep a roof over your head. Please, we're asking you as your friends."
With the odds against her, Moondancer had very little choice in the matter. "I mean, if you really want me to consider looking for a job," She sighed. "I might…take a chance at it. But can I talk to First Folio first and get her input? We are close friends after all. At least she can give me some advice."
…
Knowing that her friends were unconvinced, Moondancer bade her friends goodbye and headed over to Canterlot Library, her sanctuary from the troubles of everyday life in Equestria and her home away from home. Sitting at her usual sitting spot in the library, Moondancer didn't look at a book, but the newspaper that had Twilight's ad in the paper.
"Moondancer?" First Folio called as she trotted over towards Moondancer. "I didn't expect to see you here so soon. Don't you usually come later?"
"Sort of, First Folio," Moondancer sighed while putting the paper down. "Had an encounter with my landlord this morning at Donut Joe's."
First Folio's eyes widened in disbelief! "Greedy Fatcat?!" She remarked in a hushed voice. "That pickpocketing pony's at it again?! How much does he want for rent this time?!"
"I'm not sure, he didn't mention a price," Moondancer replied and sighed. "Look, I rarely make requests, but do you have any books on how to get your landlord off your back? I could sure use some."
Feeling sorry for Moondancer, First Folio sat down next to her friend. "Sadly, those kinds of books don't exist, Moondancer," She remarked while taking a look at the paper. "It says here that…"
"0Twilight is seeking a secretary?" Moondancer finished. "Yeah yeah, I know. The thing is, Twilight's supreme princess now. What do you think she'll expect to see in someone like me? She'll want the best of the best, and I doubt I fit that criteria."
However, First Folio had a sense that Moondancer was hiding something from her. "Well, Moondancer," She remarked while adjusting her own glasses. "I think there may still be a way for you to stand up to your landlord. Come with me down to my office and I'll explain."
Following her friend down to the libraries' basement, Moondancer wasn't sure of what was to happen. But as she followed First Folio, she noticed her dirty landlord looking right at her with a scowl on his face, which made her feel very uncomfortable.
…
"Sit down, Moondancer," First Folio gestured to her friend when they reached Folio's office. Moondancer obeyed, placing the newspaper on the desk. "There is only one way for you to stand up to your landlord, get him off your back. You need to find a trade…a job." Folio insisted.
"I know that," Moondancer protested. "But I already have an ideal job picked out. I want it to be in a library like this, myself among books. My friends all want me to seek a job as Twilight's secretary, but…but…"
"But what?" First Folio questioned. "Are you afraid to change for the better again? I know how much of a shut in you used to be, and it pains me to see you still shutting yourself off like this."
"All I've ever been able to do was to be in a library, be a librarian among other bookworms like me," Moondancer explained. "I know I wouldn't make a lot of money, but it would make my life worthwhile. Isn't that what's most important?"
Sitting back in her desk, First Folio contemplated what Moondancer said as she played around with a stack of recent bits she had collected. "The fact of the matter is, Moondancer," She finally declared. "Being a librarian is rewarding. But financially, it's not enough. I mean…I make three hundred bits a week, and sometimes just a week's pay isn't enough to cover my own rent."
"What is the rent on your home?" Moondancer asked.
"Five hundred and fifty bits a month," First Folio answered. "The rest of that comes from parts of what I make from overdue returns. It may seem like it's stupid but it's true. But you don't have to endure what I feel on a daily basis. You can make so many bits as Twilight's secretary. And I know you'd be good at it."
"Are you saying…" Moondacer asked while briefly turning away from First Folio. "That I need to give up being in the library forever? I like it here!"
Sighing, First Folio could identify her friend's pain. "You don't need to give up being in the library forever, Moondancer," She declared while placing her forelegs on Moondancer's. "But you can't spend all your time here. You have friends to spend time with outside of these walls. As your close friend, I think it would do you some good."
Suddenly, First Folio got another suspicion regarding Moondancer. "Unless," She pondered. "Maybe you still haven't fully forgiven Twilight for what happened?"
"When she didn't show up for my party?" Moondancer asked, jumping back out of her seat slightly in disgust. "Part of me still hasn't forgiven her for that, First Folio! How could I work for a pony that would do such a thing to me, even if it was unintentional?! That was the first time I opened myself up to others, and the pony I felt inspired by didn't even bother to show up! That's not something I can just forget, even if I want to."
"Bear in mind, Moondancer," First Folio countered back in a calm voice. "That this pony is also your supreme princess, and your friend."
"Do you think that matters, First Folio?" Moondancer asked in a loud voice. "When she failed to return that book Dusty Pages loaned to her, did you expect her to be supreme princess? Because I certainly didn't! It showed me that Twilight still didn't truly care, because if she did there's no way she'd have let a book from her favorite librarian get so overdue! Even I didn't know she still had it, or I'd have returned the book myself."
Flabbergasted, First Folio let her guard down. "Perhaps you need to really consider putting the past behind you, Moondancer," She suggested, trotting over to Moondancer as she looked away. "If Twilight is to fully atone for what happened, then why shouldn't you do the same? She apologized for both incidents, and has been through so much since then. You have too."
"Look, Folio," Moondancer weakly replied. "I…I need to go!" With tears in her eyes, Moondancer left the office.
…
…
A few days later, Luster Dawn and her family were aboard the Friendship Express bound for Canterlot. It was meant to be for the celebration of her grandfather's birthday, but for Twilight's faithful student there was an entirely different agenda to follow. "Hey Mom," She asked her mother. "While we're here, do you think I could visit Moondancer at some point? There's something the princess asked me to do that involves her."
"Moondancer?" Fire Blaster remarked. "We haven't seen her since we moved from Canterlot. Of course you can, honey!"
"Good," Luster smiled. "Because Princess Twilight asked me to get her to take up that position of secretary. I'd hate to let the supreme princess down."
"Personally, I think Moondancer would be great at a job like that," Moon Dusk declared as he turned to his wife and daughter. "She's got the organizational skills that Princess Twilight is looking for."
"But keep in mind, she won't be pulled from the library so easily," Fire Blaster cautioned. "We all know how much of an attraction Moondancer has to the Canterlot Public Library."
"Like I once did," Luster Dawn sighed to her parents. "Before we moved to Ponyville, of course," Looking out the window of the train, Luster Dawn looked up to the sky and saw a pair of clouds in the shapes of two ponies reading a book together. But, it wasn't just anypony reading the book, it was herself and Moondancer. "In a way, I can understand how she might be feeling," She said to her parents. "Having all these possible changes thrusted upon you. Remember how I was like that when we first moved to Ponyville?"
"That's true, Luster," Fire Blaster smiled. "And look at yourself now…starting to embrace being around other ponies and creatures just like you."
…
The train pulled into the station a little later. Luster Dawn and her parents got onto the platform and then proceeded towards their old neighborhood not far from Canterlot Stadium.
"How we've missed this place," Moon Dusk remarked, looking at all of the homes that he instantly recognized. "It'll be good to see everypony again."
"Don't forget my father, dear," Fire Blaster reminded her husband. "This is his birthday, you know."
"Of course." Moon Dusk nervously blushed and chuckled.
As they walked into their old neighborhood, Luster Dawn turned her attention over to Moondancer's house. Immediately, a thought came inside of her that she felt like she needed to check on Moondancer.
"Luster Dawn?" Fire Blaster called upon seeing her daughter stare at Moondancer's house. "Are you coming? Your grandfather will be waiting."
"Um... s-sure," Luster stammered, looking back to her parents. "But, could you maybe wait for me for a second or two? I want to see if Moondancer is home."
Confused, her parents followed Luster Dawn to Moondancer's front door as she knocked on it. Standing in front of the door, Luster waited for whoever was on the inside to respond.
A few moments later, the door opened to reveal a unicorn mare with a mane in a tight bun. "Yes?" The pony asked, much to Luster's confusion. "Who are you?"
"Morning Roast, don't you remember me? Luster Dawn." Luster asked the unicorn mare.
It took a moment for the pony to recognize Luster. "Luster Dawn?" Morning Roast declared while chuckling slightly and nudging Luster playfully in the side. "Almost didn't recognize you there. What can I do for you?"
"Is Moondancer here?" Luster asked.
Morning Roast turned away from Luster for a moment. "I don't think she'll want to see anypony at the moment. She's a little…"
"Who is it, Morning?" Moondancer's voice called out, catching her sister's attention.
"It's Luster Dawn, Moondancer!" Morning Roast called back and the sounds of hoofbeats came towards the group, revealing Moondancer with her face stained with tears.
Luster was shocked by the face her old friend was displaying! "Moondancer, what happened?!" Luster asked as Moondancer wiped away a tear. "What's going on?!"
But Moondancer said nothing and instead gestured Luster Dawn to follow her inside as Morning Roast shut the door.
"I never really expected us to be meeting each other again under these circumstances," Luster remarked. "Why are you upset?"
Rather than answering Luster's question, Moondancer gestured for her friend to sit down on the sofa while Morning Roast stood outside the living room.
"It's…it's been a while, Luster Dawn," Moondancer cried, taking her glasses off and wiping away another tear. "He's getting onto me."
Luster became confused. "Who?"
"Greedy Fatcat, my landlord," Moondancer explained. "He's looking to get me out of my house, the one that Princess Twilight used to live in before she moved to Ponyville. Everypony here is asking for me to get a job, but…but…"
"You really don't want to?" Luster guessed.
"I want to get a job, but in a library!" Moondancer cried while looking right at Luster Dawn. "That's where my talents are and nowhere else! Yet ponies are telling me that I need to be Twilight's new secretary! But how can I even consider taking up that position, Luster? Especially after she hurt my feelings!"
"Moondancer," Luster Dawn said to the young unicorn. "When my family and I moved to Ponyville after the Legion of Doom's attack, I didn't want to change my life either. I wanted to stay at the School of Magic because it was the only world I'd ever known. But I have the option to come back here at any time and see my friends while also focusing on my new responsibilities."
Moondancer said nothing
"If there is one I've learned," Luster continued while briefly looking up at the ceiling "It's that sometimes change is for the better, even if we have to change our routines because of it."
Moondancer's eyes widened at the revelation of what Luster was saying!
"I can see you're afraid that you won't be able to do what you love forever…and at the same time, you want to make a change, but afraid you will lose a home…this home," Luster explained. "But a home is more than just a pile of bricks. Home is where the heart is. And I'm sure Princess Twilight can help you adjust if you take up her job offering. Whatever happened between you two is in the past, and in this time of war I think all of Equestria can agree that old wounds like this should be resolved. The choice is yours, though."
Deactivating her spell, Luster waited for Moondancer to make her decision while her sister and Luster's parents waited in the other room.
…
The next morning, Twilight was alerted to the sounds of knocking on her door at the Castle of Friendship. Opening the door, she saw Moondancer on the other side.
"Moondancer," Twilight asked in a slightly confused tone. "What are you doing here?"
"Twilight," Moondancer nervously replied. "I…I've come to answer your call for a secretary, if you want me, that is."
A small smile came to Twilight's face, grateful that Moondancer was going to work for her and her fellow princesses. "I couldn't think of anypony more qualified," Twilight remarked, escorting Moondancer inside. "We're just about to have breakfast in the dining room if you want to join us."
Being led to the dining room, Moondancer was amazed to discover her friends and her sister sitting at the dining table along with Luster Dawn.
"Everypony," Twilight announced. "I'd like you to meet my new secretary, Moondancer!"
As everypony cheered, Twilight looked over to Luster Dawn and winked at her. For Luster had done her first task as Twilight's pupil and had passed that task with flying colors.
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All I can say is excellent job on the exchanges, characterizations, general episode wrap-up and future episode set-up in all the right places. I especially liked how all of Moondancer's friends were trying to help her find the self-confidence to step out of her comfort zone and audition for the job (particularly with the points that were made), as well as Luster's chats with both Twilight and Moondancer and Moondancer acknowledging some issues she still had herself.
VERY definitely looking forward to more of this,
I know this thing with Season 10 and beyond is supposed to be an alternate continuity that changes how Twilight's coronation went down and does other things like having the royal sisters teach in Ponyville instead of moving to a retirement home, and it's also meant to be seen as a marginally more adult and serious show ala Gravity Falls or Steven Universe with the addressing of mental trauma and therapy, but sometimes this "more serious" schtick gets a bit problematic. Having Moondancer still having trouble fully moving past what happened with her party at this point feels like character regression on her part. I do admit to liking Luster Dawn's character development in this chapter and seeing Moondancer ultimately take the job at the end. This is mostly good, but has two flaws; first the thing I mentioned with Moondancer still not having fully moved on, and than with Fat Cat. Ignoring the name that basically screams "I am not a good person", I'm not entirely sure he's in the wrong here considering the point he brought up about Twilight always paying on time, and there's no indication he's a bad pony. Are we meant to not like him? If so, I don't see why. He's not the nicest guy, but there are FAR worse landlords out there.
This chapter is...slightly flawed but still pretty decent and has set up some good possibility for character interactions in the future. I still fairly enjoyed it. I actually think it was better than the previous one. Anyway, these "Slice of life" chapters have been...interesting enough to keep me eager for the rest of the story. Going by the listings, unless you have come up with a new idea/plot, there is one more before the two villain episodes and the season finale parts. If the next one really deals with drifters, at least one of whom may be a criminal, working on the Apple farm, I wonder if Flim and Flam will be in any way involved (obviously not as the actual drifters). They did help in the fight with the LoD in the season 9 finale, but that's more "everyone has lines they won't cross'' than ''redemption''. That merely proves they are not evil, it doesn't mean they have changed their ways.
In any case, I look forward to the next chapter. After that, it's back to the more dramatic stuff. When that happens, they'll be another battle. I certainly hope Twilight brings ALL the allies for that.
Very good. I was kinda expecting a fourth of July themed episode but I like this nonetheless. I myself had Moondancer get a job closer to Twilight in my universe, becoming a teacher at the school of magic.
10316198
To be fair, a "4th of July-themed" episode would make more sense for the Equestria Girls universe (since the Main Seven would be more likely to realize the importance of "Independence Day")
After all, Equestria and most of its allies; with the exception of the Changelings; have had the benefit of pretty long lived benevolent leaders that DIDN'T abuse their power. So, yeah, about the only way the "Independence Day" themed episode would make sense would be if we were to have an episode set in the Changeling Realm honoring the anniversary of Chrysalis's overthrow.
10316227
Fair point. Now that could give me an idea for my stories. Though there could have been something involving fireworks and Trixie.
10316227
Speaking of the Equestria Girls series, I wonder if Sunset or any of the others are going to be brought in as reinforcements at some point. I mentioned before that the Dazzlings could either be allies (it's extremely hard to hear due to the sound mixing, but Pinkie mentions Adagio and Aria at the start of her list of friends in her and Sunset's short in "Holidays Unwrapped", which is confirmed in the episode transcript, implying they reformed or at least softened up toward Pinkie offscreen) or enemies (you know what they say, "old habits die hard"). Discord and Grogar should each be capable of restoring their powers. The author said that they were going to bring in at least Sunset at some point. I wonder when that will Happen.
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Yeah. That's an excellent point. Though, actually, I AM hoping that there is a scene with Grogar offering the Dazzlings a chance to join the Legion, but them refusing out of an equal mix of Even Evil Has Standards and Pragmatic Villainy (i.e. liking BOTH Pinkies enough to not want to hurt them OR their friends, but ALSO being Genre Savvy enough to KNOW Grogar and his Legion, while certainly capable of making it EXTREMELY close, WILL lose in the end and just plain enjoying the thought of actually doing something nice simply to keep the heroes [ESPECIALLY the Pillars] guessing). Discord, of course, offers them a way to restore their powers so they can help the Rainbooms (and even sweeten the deal by making their new gems ALSO capable of mimicking the Rainbooms' geode powers [Adagio getting Sunset's touch telepathy, Sci-Twi's telekinesis and Rarity's gem constructs, Aria getting Applejack's super-strength and Rainbow's super-speed and Sonata getting Fluttershy's "animal speak" power and Pinkie's ability to super-charge sugar]).
Somehow, I don't know, but I have a hunch the Rainbooms will probably be joining either late this season, early in Season 12 or in a "movie" set AFTER Season Eleven but BEFORE Season 12 (i.e. "Equestria Girls: Graduation" which, of course, has the Rainbooms graduating from Canterlot High, but ALSO fully graduating from their usual magical misadventures to larger-scale heroics). In the last case, Season 12 could be set during the girls' last summer vacation together BEFORE heading off to college.
And, now that I think about it, it might be a good way to pave the way for the Flim-Flam Brothers to start their path to TRUE redemption by actually using their mechanical skills to build weapons for Equestria and their allies (without actually charging for them, having just enough common sense to NOT add "war profiteering" to their list of charges [in addition to ALSO not adding "large scale murder" and "high treason" to their list of charges as for why they aren't allied with Grogar and his Legion] and realizing that, if they play their cards right, they could work their way toward not only full pardons for their earlier scams, but also take advantage of their actually helping the war effort as good publicity to improve their business AFTER the war). Even though they might initially have selfish reasons for helping out Equestria and their allies, they gradually see enough atrocities to make them see the bigger picture and realize just how good it actually feels to help others.
Sorry about that. (sheepish grin) Just got carried away with my thoughts.
Anyway, back to the point: All of what you said IS an excellent point.
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No offense, but I really don't want to see this series turn into an Equestria Girls fic. I'm fine with Sunset and the Dazzlings being in Equestria.
I managed to catch up to the latest chapters again. I hate my nervousness/postponing habits..
Certainly nice seeing Moondancer again and interesting to see she hasn't fully forgiven Twilight for what happened.
Makes me wonder about the "old wounds" Luna has from the NMM incident. Celestia didn't exactly acknowledge she was at fault too for that mess due to not being there for her(as in its not Luna's fault alone that led NMM to happen). Yeah she kind of said "sorry" in the previous fic but that was basically a passing-by mention rather than a huge thing where Celestia owns up to what happened to Luna(same with Celestia mentioning about the Tantabus in Retirement Blues or something. Just a passing mention rather than a horrified reaction that Luna was basically self-harming herself mentally).
And the "wounds" sure run deep. Just felt like there's unresolved stuff/stuff that wasn't properly resolved for the Nightmare Moon thing.
Felt like there's could be something within Luna like she's hasn't fully forgiven certain others or something.
I just want to say that thought due to reading the chapter.
That part about Twilight being the first ruler to be in a war since a thousand years is.. strange.
Like did Luna and Celestia were at some war too during their rules too? It felt pretty ridiculous that Equestria hasn't seen a war for a thousand years during Luna's absence. What's next actually, it turns out Equestria hasn't had a threat at all while Luna was stuck on the moon?
Makes me wonder if Luna had dark thoughts/issues of her return actually heralded many threats to return/rise up to threaten Equestria to the point eventually a war is now happening?
Honestly, Greedy Fat Cat sure aggravates me the moment he is on-screen(er.. on-page?) here.
I do hope karma bites him eventually for well.. his greed pretty much.
Really somepony named their goal Greedy Fatcat, points for parenting.