Book 1 - The Behemoth came to Canterlot

by Equimorto

Parity

"Did we win?"

"We weren't the ones fighting, filly. We just sat here."

"You know what I meant. Our side and all that. Princess Twilight and her troops."

"Well, it looks like it I suppose. Either that or the opposing troops are celebrating their victory by clearing out the storm."

"I mean, I guess they could do that, but I don't know. It looks hopeful."

"Yes, it looks good. It would look good for them too though. If you won the battle you wouldn't want things to look all gloomy and desperate, you'd celebrate."

"Well yeah, but..."

"But they're evil, and we're good. For us. They could be saying the same. Now, maybe they're ruled by a tyrant, maybe their living conditions are objectively worse, and maybe you could even have it that all their soldiers have a moral standing that would be more than questionable by our standards. But it's important to remember that as far as they're concerned, we are the bad guys. Very few ponies ever think they're the villain of the story."

"You'd think that would be nopony, actually."

"You'd think, but I bet you there's someone out there with just enough self awareness but too little sanity and care, somepony who decided they'll be evil because they can and who probably thinks they're doing Equestria some kind of favour. Someone who thinks the world needs monsters. But you're right, you would think it would be nopony, because no one really thinks they're wrong. If they did, they'd change."

"But ponies will usually think they're right, and they wouldn't do what they do if they didn't think they're right, or if at least they didn't have good reasons to otherwise, yeah yeah. Is this an attempt to teach me the value of dialogue?"

"It was more of an attempt to get you to temper your expectations about the results of the battle, actually. You're going to be really disappointed if it turns out we lost and you got yourself all excited thinking we won. I'd say it's better to be patient for the time being."

"But something is happening now and we've waited so long already, hasn't it been enough?"

"We've waited so long already, what's a little more? I'm just trying to pick the path that'll get us the best results."

"But don't you want us to have won?"

"Of course I do. Of course I'm hopeful, and I mean I'm really really hoping that is the case. But there's a difference between hoping for something and convincing yourself it's already happened. One is definitely less healthy than the other, and it can lead to a lot of serious hurt in the long run. You just need to learn not to give up hope in the process of setting your expectations and patience right. It's a balance."

"I guess. How long do you think until we hear something?"

"As long as it will take, filly. I have no idea, but sooner or later we'll know. Hopefully we don't find out the hard and painful way."

Comments

[Speckle]

This sounds foreboding. Sounds like an adult and a kid. Could this be Moonflower and her parent?