I know Fluttershy had talked about the scents, but what hit me the strongest was the heartbeats. Even as I laid on the couch and waited, wearing a suppression ring and hoof cuffs, I could hear them clearly, clear across the room.
Midnight, Sparks, Iron Shine.
I could even make out the two guards standing outside the door and the three ponies on the top floor above ours. All other sounds were clearer too, but the heartbeats just cut through it all.
"Try it again," Sparks said encouragely to Fluttershy.
The pink and yellow thestral nodded and half closed her eyes in focus before she raised and shook her head slightly like she always did when applying her pegasus illusion.
Absolutely nothing happened.
"It may have been part of the blood magic," I suggested from across the room, "with that broken, everything that came with it went away too."
Which made sense. What's better than a super soldier? A super soldier can make himself look like the enemy, of course.
Fluttershy took a quick step back and looked at me in distress, "B-but... then I can't... everypony will..."
Sparks stepped forward and pulled the panicing batpony into a hug. Midnight moved over to me, "She's right, you know," she said softly, "If thestrals can't hide after this... it might cause more trouble than it's worth."
"The buck it isn't," I whispered back, trying my best to ignore her scent, "This can save the entire tribe!"
Midnight frowned at me, "How do you mean?"
"Let's discuss it after you stop smelling delicious,” I told her honestly.
She blinked at me before she took half a step back, "...Okay, fair point. We should be able to cast the spell in another hour or so, just... hang on until then."
"Hanging on," I confirmed.
...Perhaps eating before should have been part of the plan though, even if they thought that the second part would make me throw up.
Being hungry was definitely not the right play for this. I sniffed the air. Everypony smelled so… tasty. In more ways than one.
I licked my lips.
I glanced towards the door. I also really hoped we could get this done before Sunset decided to stop by and see how things are going, both for my and Sparks' safety. She is not going to be happy about this, but it'll be easier for everypony if it's done before she finds out.
...To be completely honest, if she or Luna show up right now, I’m hiding behind this couch. Especially with my hearing being this good.
I closed my eyes and breathed slowly and deeply, leaning against the backrest of the couch as I tried to not think about how nice everypony smelled.
So this is what it was like being a thestral back then… if it was in the middle of a war between tribes, I could see the temptation.
That must have been why he did it… or was it just a play for power, to us them to take over Equestria with the thestrals as his tools?
Had he even been one or just used an illusion over himself to influence them to his side?
And then everypony else had to spend how many thousands of years cleaning up his fucking mess.
Wonder what happened to him? Likely dead or somepony would have spotted him by now. Too bad really, would have been great if he survived until now, that’d mean I could find him and buck his teeth into his throat for everything he’s done.
He was worse than Discord.
Discord at least wasn’t actively malicious anymore, just a fucking idiot.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
I slowly and carefully stepped into the circle before I stopped and rubbed my ankles a little where the hoofcuffs had been.
“We should likely remove the ring too,” Midnight said from across the circle, “Don’t want it interfering.”
“I have control of myself, I’m not going to try escaping,” I said and rolled my eyes. No matter how tasty you smell.
Or how hungry I was.
That impulse on it’s own was more than a bit disturbing so I ruthlessly stomped it under hoof as Sparks nodded and lit her horn, lifting the suppression ring from my horn and put it to the side on a table.
I hate wearing those and I felt a full body shiver when it came off. Well… I suppose there was that one time…
The magic slammed into me and drove the air from my lungs as it lifted me into the air. I didn’t scream.
I’d like to say that was because I was too stoic or something as they ripped my magic appart, but you need air to scream.
And I didn’t have any.
It felt like it lasted forever, being turned inside out before I thankfully blacked out.
Paaaaaage, i dont like where this is going....
No he was the same as other tribe leaders like Platinum
Hearts and minds may not agree ,emotions topple strategy,it's kill or be killed
Aaawwww sheeeeeet, I hate coming in to these early, means I have to wait more until reading the next chapter. Bloody cliffhangers...
Has it occurred to any of you that you are playing god as the unicorns and one batacorn of old did?
if it wasn't for him the other three tribes would of hunted them down to the last. Or did you forget that? So much was dropped once blood magic came up. The temple is almost a wasted trip...
Or... he’s just like Discord.
You do have a suspiciously detailed statue of the guy, you know. Think of Discord’s past thousand years or so...
Considering that he ascended, and then chaos spirit meddled with him... I assume he has more "passive magic" than any one "standart pony". My predictions for his... uhhh. Uncursing? Unlikely...
I hope that didn't break his immortality
I wonder what changes this will give? I can't really tell what removing both layers did other than removing the ability to hide
Oh christ please don't murder our feels anymore. Can Page have it easy at least once
10511232
What exactly did the one in the temple do that was so bad? I dont follow
10512068
He used bloodmagic.
That is it. I think a sacrificial pony was needed. There were skulls too...
He seems so tame in comparison to what we do.
10512032
oh gods no...
10512084
Oh ok ty
welp, he has done it, despite the risks. Lets see how it turns out.
10512060
I'm like, 99 percent sure it won't. It's an alicorn thing.
10512020
Getting pretty sick of Page's assumptions about what happened in the past. He felt that the Alicorn thestral should have just tried to negotiate peace with the other races that were actively trying to commit genocide against them? WHY would you negotiate peace with races that would rather see your entire species dead? If they want your entire race extinct, chances are they wouldn't never accept any peace treaty.
10512124
Or just, maybe, you know, the blood curse having nothing to do with the other tribes and more to do with surviving in a monster-ridden jungle. The other tribes wanted them dead because they (with the blood curse) are equatable to vampires in fiction, which, for the most part to the extreme, are kinda murder machines that emphasize on the murder part. So, in other words, the reason for the blood curse likely has little to do with the primary three tribes, and more to do with the thestral ancestral lands not being particularly conducive to civilized life.
10512124
Thing is; we just don't know.
We had one of the mares (daring?) Give a translation of the main room. Blood magic came up and then all other progress was halted. He stopped caring about any and all history he stopped investigating all of that. Because blood magic. He took rubbings and such from the place so someone in canterlot right now is actually learning the bat pony history. Page does not care about that anymore. We never really discussed what was in those rooms. Because blood magic. So we will never know the story because blood magic.
And it horrifies me. These posts are the most likely ones to get downvotes. Some wonder if time travel will be involved or when Darth Page will arrive. He is here. Been here for several books now. He straightup mind raped the Storm King and a changeling queen. More power than Luna and less skill. He has none of her ethics or morals. He is praised by reader and pony. Protagonist centered morality right here. Would other people do these things if given these powers? I might and i would hang my head in shame.
Page, the bigot, in top form here.
10512032
Chances of the statue being Page after accidentally being sent to the past?
10512143
And i can't help but wonder if Hiver is doing this on purpose just to mimic the show...
*Page wakes up to see Sunset across from him*
Page: Eep! Ohhh hello Sunset~! I was j-just taking a nap!
Sunset: *ice cold stare*
Page: *nervous laugh* Kitten? You're really mad at me aren't you?
Sunset: Page...feel your horn.
Page: My horn? About about my hor---
*Page feels a distinct large spiral...similar to a particular obsidian statue he hates so much*
Page: OH BUCK.
Sunset: *stare intensifies* Yes. Yes you are. Luna is coming in a hour. You can explain THIS to both of us when she gets here.
Page: *gulp*
This was a huge thing and just get fixed like that? Extreamly dissapointing...
10512008
Very poetic. Times dictate the actions. And this ponys are spoiled by peace the Alicorns bleed for...
10512019
Indeed. I think that Page is a hypocritic. He forces the change ! Not let them all decide on it.
I would have the curse removed but keep the Bloodmagic. To say it in trippel cuteness:
CMC BLOODHUNTER!
The Bloodmagic cost are low wile the benefit is large.
- Awareness of any lifeform that has blood in his vains
- The supply is more than meet. If the actively hunt later they might not even need hostital supplyers
- Relationship to Griffons and Changeling grow by basicly become Predators and have very similar needs
- All the Abilitys and passive buffs
10512045
The curse is already removed.
But it would be awesome if Discord prevent the Bloodmagic from getting removed. Otherwise he Cheats with the contract he has with Discord.
That at least my view of things...
10512207
Letting them choose is the most ideal solution. Make a spell for full pegasus to complete it all and send the information out to the masses. Though i would heavily regulate the blood drinkers. That is a scandal waiting to happen.
10512060
That spell suppouse to unto bloodmagic not undo Alicornhood...
10512063
Massive weakening. It only cost blood to consume but the benefit of this benediction are huge!
10512118
Exactly
10512124
Indeed. Page dont considered the times of old and implications. He only see the peace ponys have now. Celestia heart bleed for them to have it...
10512143
I agree. Hes a hypocritic and short sighted and of it because hes to emotional. If not for his blood focus he would call the Thestral Alicorn a hero!
10512159
Good point... Would be a twist indeed.
10512214
Screw them. Its like removing a unicorns horn. The dont need meat only blood. The supply is waaaaay bigger than the demand even if every Thestral becomes vamppony!
Now for the final test. Fluttershy. Page. You know what to do.”
“d-do what?”
“Yeah, I don’t remember you telling me anything else we were doing.”
“Oh...well I guess it was implied. No matter, I need you two to procreate.”
“...what?!” “Okay-I mean- what?”
“We have to see if the curse is broken. With Fluttershy pregnant we can scan and see if the embryos are Thestrals and not Pegasi. What?”
“Cadence! Will you please stop?!”
“You’re being selfish stud! Now make babies!!!!”
10512219
Alright...
Where is the blood coming from? In America there is always a shortage of one kind or another. Who won't be getting the blood if vamponies are getting it?
You mean besides actually making repopulation possibly?
The current situation is a slow extinction that needs to be fixed, if that means you have to destroy the current status quo then it needs to be done even if it causes some problems for the current, and possibly the next two to three generations
10512032
If i recall though that statue of him was massive
10512243
In america people shot or stab eatch others on a weekly base... hundred of thousands dead every year via stabbing and shootings!
No wonder there is no blood to spare.
In Equestria a paper or kitchen accident is often the worst.
Plus... Pay people for blood donations and they bloody flood the hospitals with people.
10512259
Life sized statues dont really a common. Go big or go broke in the old days...
10512259
Like Celestia's size?.......
10512303
The way i pictured it was more house sized
10510203
10510030
Your own assumptions are that the rescue ship, while maybe not as "useful" as the Storm King's Mistake was modified to become, was a slower ship. Being a military vessel, the rescue ship should be considerably faster--just not as "useful" as Page needed it to be and therefore not suitable for the expedition. And that's also assuming that the ship wasn't taking advantage of the Crowns' Patented Emergency-Mobile-Zeplin-Jump-Drive System™ with its Ultra-Secret Dual-Alicorn©-Warpcore® for that particular mission.
10512214
So instead of Genocide of an entire tribe by being bred out of existence, you are suggesting speeding it up by completely turning them into Pegasi. Either way Thestrals would not exist anymore so it would still be Genocide.
Well, this chapter sure ratcheted up the discussion from the readers for sure.
10512304
I was thinking about stoned Discord size
Or a little bigger Celestia stoned size
And when Page wakes up, he's tens of thousands of years in the past--
Page: "Wait, how the fuck did I end up way back here!? "
Discord: "
"
Page: "Discord!? What happened!!?? HOW DID I TIME TRAVEL!!!??? "
Discord: "Well, when somepony of harmony tries to mess with a chaos-based spell, these things have been known to happen. "
Page: "How will I be able to explain this to Luna and Celestia? "
Discord: "I've no idea. And I don't think you'll live long enough to ever see them when they're born--whoever they will be."
Page: "Wait--aren't you the Discord from my time?"
Discord: "Nope, I'm from right here in this time. But I can smell my chaos in you, as well as how it got even more messed up than anything I could ever do. And you smell SOOOO delicious! LIKE FOOOOOODDDDD "
Page: ""
It just occurred to me: why couldn't they have just altered the curse to not reduce thestral birthrate.
10512210
Well, I meant his "second" uncursing. Or "first", if you count the fruit sucking an override, and not his direct condition. Let's be honest, on top of Discord's tranfsormation of the double "cursed" pony. ORIGINAL, DEFAULT state is the blood sucking. What is harder, removing a placed condition, or removing basic stat of a creature?
10512064
(Hiver's mind on reading that) Mmmmmmmmnope
10512259
He ate a Super Mushroom first?
What? It’s a magical, unexplored jungle. They could grow there!
10512378
As a ponythroat fan, I can get a laugh out of this.
Oh yes, interesting topics in the comments.
10512008
But this doesn't mean ancient Batacorn was a good pony, it just means the other leaders were bad too.
10512019
He's trying to lift a curse that is going to remove the batpony tribe. I really don't see the problem here. Must be a very benevolent god.
10512124
Defending yourself and turning your people into genocidal monsters are still rather different. (And they were able to defend themselves with the help of ancient Batacorn) And again: the enemy being evil doesn't automatically make ancient Batacorn good.
10512135
And according to their own story, the losing fight against the other tribes was first. Then came the Batacorn and gave them equal power. Then came the bloodcurse. Nothing about dangerous jungles. And the curse was not the start or the reason for the war.
They have a temple with a massive stack of pony skulls and a sacrificial altar. The ritual slaughter of other ponies was part of their culture. And the "smelling tasty" seems to be exclusive to other ponies too.
10512143
yeah, a bit more batpony history would have been nice.
I don't see how stopping 2 wars and preventing big casualties can be considered evil. Maybe not the pure "peace by negotiation" route, but realistically still one of the least violent and least bad options. I also see no base for your "no ethics or morale" accusation. He's trying to stop the disapperance of batponies and thinks creating a cult of genocidal monsters is bad.
10512207
At wich point has page forced any batponies to do anything? I don't remember any such occurences.
Or do you mean they should be able to choose to be vamponies? Creatures that were created to be a threat to all other ponies? I doubt any of them would even want to keep the blood curse. Even if they did, that's way too dangerous to allow.
10512214
Letting them choose to become pegasi might not be possible. I wouldn't go as far as calling this a continuation of the genocide, but it's kinda morally grey. Like offering PoC to become caucasian instead of fighting the racicsm.
Letting them choose to become vamponies might be extremely dangerous. Who would take the responsibility if somepony gave in to their cravings and attacked?
Letting them choose to become original batponies is what's currently being researched. It would result in them not dying out. The tribalism problem is still present though.
10512482
"Griffons welcomed"
I would be very happy if this spell does what it is supposed to and cure the Blood Magic. Even when it would be a good setup to send him thousands of years into the past, I really don't want Page to be the next person to cause a Flashpoint Paradox.
10512019
I don't think that playing god is so much of a problem, but it is still creating one. What Page seems to be ignoring is the fact that most of the thestrals are going through with this at his request because he's an Alicorn (a god by most standards as Page has described). Granted, he didn't know that the illusion wouldn't work anymore until now, but now that he does, it seems like he's trying to save a people that don't want to be saved.
If someone (not page) asked the Thestrals whether they'd like to keep the status quo, or become thestrals permanently with no illusions, I really do think that the vast majority would want to stay as they are ( being turned into a true pegasus would probably be more popular, but idk if that's possible). Right now they live essentially normal lives, but with Page's plan they'd either be forced into the spotlight at home, and face discrimination despite his best efforts, or be forced to completely uproot their lives and exiled to a colony in the middle of nowhere in order to save their race. those both seem like pretty poor options compared to the status quo. Page could try and play the long game and slowly integrate the idea of Thestral acceptance with popular media and some public volunteers over the next couple of decades, but it seems like he's only looking for "here and now" solutions that will only make things worse in the process.
I get that Page is trying to do the right thing, but he's (somewhat unintentionally) unilaterally forcing this on the Thestral population, and as C.S. Lewis once said; “Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive".
10512314
I am suggesting to give them a choice. I value individual freedom and liberty. There is a good chance with current social climate that they will choose that over becoming a regular bat. However, that 100% of them pick that is unlikely.
10512472
Letting them choose is the best way to respect them as a people and as individuals. We now know with Fluttershy that if Page forces this he is forcing them to deal with the racial bigotry. How many bats will choose to be cured once they know they can't hide?
And don't bring up People of Color; the resemblance isn't there anymore, if ever. While i once met a black man who's only opinion on his heritage is slavery that is more from him not looking than a lack of good things. That was a pitiful conversation as i knew his heritage better than he did. Most of them (if not 100%) still have pride and for two centuries we have dozens of "colored" heroes, if not hundreds; some lost to history. To make them resemble the current problem they have to be making themselves look white and remove all pride they have in their color. Even in the worst times of slavery neither group resembled each other.
So yes. Letting them choose on an individual level might mean not enough bats to save a people. I am good with that; i respect their choice. I respect them. There are laws against murder so a few bats might end up in Tartarus if they pick to drink blood and can't find a way to get it peacefully, that was their choice. Choices have consequences good or bad. I also know ponies and the likelyhood of them picking that is slim to none unlike some humans who would pick that just to see how many people thay can kill before the law catches up.
And you are only looking at the effect not the means. Stopping two wars is fine. What is not fine is his lack of respect for life. What he has done, and continues to do each night, is worse in my eyes than anything humanity has ever done to anyone.
To continue on the poor analogies with PoC; it's like saying that by shooting one child in the head you stop all gun related crimes in the world for a lifetime. Was the effect good? Yes. Was the means worth it? Milage may vary; if one volunteers maybe but i still would question if they were making an informed decision.