XI - Justice
The dawn broke over the horizon all too soon, heralding with it the dawn of a new day. A day seemingly like any other - but all knew this was no ordinary morning. Instead of the usual bustling of Canterlot's city streets, the cries of street merchants, rumbling of chariots and ringing of bells, all was silent, save for the slow, steady chime of Canterlot Castle's bell. Every second, it rung out a slow, solemn note, echoing through the streets as though it were the beating heart of the dead city. Those who chose to enter the city streets were uniformly clad in black, their heads downcast in mourning, out of respect - or fear.
The hour of Princess Twilight's final ceremony had arrived.
In the highest tower of the Castle, Moonlight raised her head, basking in the warmth of the sun's rays streaming through her open window. She hadn't slept for even a single second, but there was no tiredness in her eyes. Nor was there any fear. She was, once again, at peace. No matter what happened today, Equestria would be forever changed. Such certainty about the future bought with it a serene sense of clarity.
Draping a thin black sash over her usual ceremonial uniform, Moonlight descended down the staircase and was greeted by her bodyguard, each of them sporting black legbands in addition to their uniform. These were her soldiers. Loyal to her, and nopony else. She would have placed her life in the hooves of no other.
"Good morning, Ma'am." The stallion looked tired, and uneasy. They all did. "Admiral Gallus has requested an audience with you as soon as possible in the throne room. The ceremony doesn't begin for another three hours, but he was quite insistent."
Moonlight nodded, unfazed. Gallus almost certainly wanted to interrogate her on the Royal visit. He couldn't possibly know what was going on, and a small part of her had hoped he wouldn't have been able to attend in the first place. Flurry Heart might innocently believe Gallus could be convinced to accept her as the new ruler of Equestria, but she wasn't so naïve. Perhaps she should simply have him arrested now, get it all over with.
"Thank you, Astral. I'll deal with it right away."
She set off at a brisk trot, her retinue in close pursuit. The courtyard was deserted, spare for a few guards posted on duty. More of her soldiers. Gallus had made a severe mistake by placing the Equestrian Guard under her command. From the blossoming trees hung thick black streamers, fluttering in the wind like ghostly reminders of the gruesome spectacle that had played out in this hallowed fortification a month prior. Had all of this really begun over a little filly?
Gallus was there, as he promised. He had been at sea for less than a week, but he had already adopted the mad, wide-eyed stare of those who had gazed upon empty unending oceans for too long. His armour was replaced by a luxurious purple robe, embedded with gems and golden thread, which clashed horrifically with his bedraggled feathers and stench of sea salt. He was grotesque.
As Moonlight approached, he gave her a lazy smile, one that reminded her of many of the stallions she'd played poker with. The grin of a bluffer. Playing for everything, but nothing to play with.
"Chancellor Moonlight. How are our little guests?"
Moonlight fought to keep her emotions under tight control. One slip now, one tiny mistake, would ruin everything. "They are as well as they could be, under the circumstances. They grieve for the loss of their family member."
"As we all do. I've never seen Cadence so catatonic. It's doubtful she'll be able to resume her position as Princess of the Crystal Empire anytime soon. Her prince consort isn't looking much better." Sauntering over to the throne, he collapsed into it. "I must say, their daughter is something else, isn't she?"
Moonlight's eyelids flickered, but her expression gave away nothing. "Princess Flurry Heart is merely accompanying her parents to pay her respects to her aunt. I haven't had the time to speak with her properly."
"Really? I was told you spoke to her at great length."
There it was, the bluff. Not even a good one. "I'm afraid you're mistaken, Admiral. I've been far too preoccupied over the past few days to exchange idle chatter. Apart from a brief discussion with her during their arrival, I've heard nothing. You know how rumours spread." She watched his face closely, searching for the slightest suspicion - but there was nothing.
"Forget it, then. I heard you sent that meddling gelding Ivory Brilliant packing. Good work. Without their pet hound, the Royal family is nothing but a cluster of impotent has-beens." He sighed, sinking deeper into the throne. "Our Princess is due to be buried in a few hours. I should change. This is hardly appropriate wear for the funeral of our beloved monarch." He rose to his claws, then theatrically paused.
"Chancellor?"
"Yes?"
"The Crystal Empire is of concern to me. First, this meddling in our internal affairs is no fluke. Second, Flurry Heart has, as I'm sure you're aware, a very good claim to the Equestrian throne. I'm sure they intend to stake a claim to our country, some day or the other. When that happens, can I count on you to stand by me?"
Now, it was Moonlight's turn to mask her emotions. "Beyond a doubt."
Gallus' eyes, wide and bloodshot, burned into her. Moonlight didn't even flinch, but internally she was desperately uncomfortable. Something was wrong. Gallus had always been paranoid, but this wasn't paranoia. It was insanity. For the first time in years, she felt the claws of her own terror seize her in their icy grip. Gallus turned away, his expression static and unchanging.
"Good. That's all I needed to know." He made for the door, and in moments, was gone. Moonlight could hear her heart pounding in her chest, feel the thin snakes of sweat run down her forehead, her legs threatening to buckle underneath her. It must have shown, because one of her guards approached her with a look of concern.
"Ma'am, are you feeling all right?"
Moonlight swallowed and fought to control herself. All of the morning's tranquillity had gone, and all of a sudden she was nervous. She turned to her soldiers, eying them closely. Not a flicker of disloyalty amongst them.
"All of you are privy to the events of this evening. You are aware of Princess Flurry Heart's intentions. Is that correct?"
In unison, they nodded. Their leader, Astal Spark, spoke for them all.
"Of course. It's our humble pleasure to welcome Equestria's new unifier."
The determination in his voice was reassuring. "As you just saw, not all of us are so eager to welcome this change. Admiral Gallus may well attempt to resist this new development. If he should do so, arrest him. He is alone and unaided. If he fights back, show no mercy."
Unease amongst the ranks. A few stallions exchanged glances. They weren't unfounded concerns. Rival commanders placing each other under arrest was how civil wars started. Eventually, Astral Spark nodded, bringing his soldiers to a consensus.
"Of course, Chancellor. We trust you."
Cozy sighed, and battered the radio against the floor once more. The soft buzzing and crackling faded in and out of coherence, but not a word of Ponish could be heard.
"Stupid piece of cheap... WORK!!"
"That's now how radios work. Actually, that's not how anything works." Chrysalis sounded bored - which she was. "You know, this got old the third time."
Cozy's blood hit boiling point, and she spun around with a look of fury on her face that could shatter glass.
"SHUT UP, YOU STUPID BUG! I'M TRYING - *bash* - TO FIX - *bash* - THIS STUPID - *bash* - STUPID - *bash* - STUPID RADIO!"
As Chrysalis' jaw dropped, Tirek burst into laughter at the scene.
"Oh, how perfect!" He doubled over, clutching his chest in apparent stitches. "I could watch this for hours! Really, I could."
"Insolent brat! Why, if you were one of my changelings, and I were... well... corporeal... well, then I'd rip you to pieces for even THINKING about talking to me like that!"
Cozy slammed the radio against the floor one final time, and was rewarded by a sudden burst of chatter. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she leaned in intently, praying she had tuned the radio correctly.
"... the process has only just begun, but already the turnout is impressive. It would not be an understatement to say that all of Canterlot and many from beyond have arrived to pay their final respects to the Princess who so dearly loved them all."
Triumphant, Cozy laid down and listened intently. The broadcaster sounded bored, as if he had rehearsed his lines once too often.
"In addition to the vaunted elite of Equestria, the Royal Family of the Crystal Empire is also in attendance, paying their respects to their fallen family member - Princess Cadence, Princess Flurry Heart and Prince Consort Shining Armour are seated astride Chancellor Moonlight."
Moonlight watched the procession pass her by, her expression unchanging as she took in the many sombre displays and banners. All in all, she found it far too garish for her taste. This was meant to be a funeral, but a passer-by could have easily mistaken it for a festival.
Seated aside her, Flurry Heart tapped her hoof slowly, a stoic look fixed to her face. She hadn't spoken a word to Moonlight since the two of them had sat down together. Was she reconsidering? Overthinking? Maybe just rehearsing her speech. Somehow, the Alicorn's expression was always unreadable. Beside her, Cadence and Shining Armour barely reacted to their surroundings, stealing occasional worried glances at their daughter.
It took almost an hour for the procession to arrive at a close. When it did, the rows of seated VIPs duly filed out and were directed towards Canterlot Castle. Seizing the opportunity, Moonlight approached Flurry Heart and coughed as loudly as she dared. The princess barely glanced behind her at the sound, not breaking step for even a second.
"Quite the display. I'm sure my aunt would have been very pleased." Her voice wavered slightly as she spoke, surprising Moonlight. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't get distracted. We have a lot of work ahead of us."
"Don't worry about it." Moonlight muttered, shooting glances at random passers-by, searching for eavesdroppers. "Gallus is back in Canterlot. He must have arrived last night. I saw him this morning - he looks awful. He's not going to take today well."
Flurry Heart nodded in the direction of an apple tree, and the pair split from the main group as surreptitiously as they could. Once underneath the tree and away from the crowd, they could talk more freely. Flurry Heart glanced over her shoulder before the spoke.
"Does this change our plans?"
Moonlight took a moment to think before she answered. "I know you've got your ideals, but take it from me; there's no way he's going to accept you as the new Princess. Or anypony. As far as he's concerned, this is his country."
"And you propose... what?" When Moonlight didn't answer, Flurry Heart continued. "I refuse to start my reign by arresting scores of dissidents. Gallus may object as much as he like, but I believe the Equestrian people will stand with me and my message of hope and peace."
Moonlight felt an uncomfortable jolt shoot down her spine. What was it with Flurry Heart? Her logic was flawless, as always, but the conclusions she reached always felt so... wrong.
"I understand, your highness. I'm sure you're right. Perhaps I'm being too belligerent."
They re-joined the procession, soon finding themselves filing into the royal mausoleum. Despite their lateness, they were quickly ushered to the front by the sympathetic crowd. Though she accepted graciously, in truth Moonlight disliked being so close to Twilight's corpse. Conversely, if Flurry Heart was perturbed by the proximity to the body of her aunt, she again showed no indication.
The entire chamber was overcrowded and overheated from the burning torches that lined the walls. The overpowering scent of incense and smoke suffocated her. Without warning, a series of bell chimes rung through the room, and every attendant rose in acknowledgement.
The priest was getting too old for grand formal ceremonies, and required the assistance of three young acolytes to get through the ceremony. Moonlight had never believed in such superstition, but Princess Twilight's belief had been a well-attested, if private, part of her life. It was what she would have wanted.
Gallus sat only a few seats ahead of her, dressed in a simple black robe, looking more like a monk than a leader. He said nothing during the service, staring straight ahead the entire time. Moonlight found herself wondering what kind of griffon he was. She'd never once discussed personal affairs with Gallus. Was he married? Was he religious? What did he do in his spare time? What had made him like this, so callous and power-hungry?
It didn't matter, she decided. Gallus had made his choices, and they had led him here. Perhaps, in another world, the two of them could have been allies. Friends, even. But it wasn't to be.
The funeral dragged on. Princess Twilight was laid to her final rest between the tombs of Princess Celestia and Luna, as she had requested. Moonlight felt a chill run down her spine as the lid to her tomb was drawn shut forever, turning the final page on a chapter of history.
"My dear Equestrians. May I extend my deepest condolences to every one of you for your most terrible loss..."
The Changeling ambassador looked disinterested; his voice was flat, betraying his apathy. Privately, Moonlight suspected he hadn't even reviewed his speech before this point. Dear Equestrians? The phrase sounded old-fashioned, not to mention condescending. Whatever Flurry had planned for tonight, it couldn't possibly be worse than this.
The Princess had insisted they sit separately, to avoid looking like co-conspirators. Instead, she found herself shuttled between a thin, haughty-looking stallion she didn't recognize, and a grumpy-looking griffon whom she'd also never seen before, but whose demeanour screamed soldier. Flurry Heart had seated herself, predictably, between her parents, who looked like they were going to throw up.
More speakers. More droning. Empty words, meaning platitudes, baseless rhetoric. Moonlight was getting too old for this. In a few years, she had decided, she would retire and let Flurry Heart find some other poor shmuck to take her place. Perhaps Astral Spark. He was young and ambitious, not to mention bright. He'd be an excellent captain. Better than her.
So caught up as she was in her mind wandering, Moonlight didn't notice Flurry Heart taking the stand until she had already begun to speak, startling her out of her stupor. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Gallus shift slightly in his seat, suddenly alert.
"Friends. Family. Brothers and sisters from every corner of Equestria. What a privilege it is to speak to you on this solemn day. The loss of my aunt has been as difficult for many of you as it has been for me. Princess Twilight Sparkle was a mare of simultaneous great kindness and iron resolve, and her legacy lies before us as not just yesterday's gift, but also a blueprint for tomorrow." Her voice, clear and precise, carried itself across the room like a lullaby, and virtually every member of the audience seemed hypnotised. "The years to come are uncertain and the waters of our new regency untested. I know many of you fear the future. Let me assure you, you need not."
She paused for a few seconds, closing her eyes as if collecting her thoughts. Had she not been numbed already by dozens of speeches, Moonlight would have felt somewhat stirred. As it was, she could only feel the pit of anxiety in her stomach deepening.
"It was a wiser mare than I who once said that we had nothing to fear from the future but the pitfalls dug of our own fear. Though she is sadly no longer with us, her words are alive today in a way they could have never been during her life. From the lowest to the highest, there is much fear in the officials of our new regency. This precarious tower must find new foundations - or inevitably collapse. Though Princess Twilight passed without selecting an heir, by the right of blood, the Equestrian crown may pass to her closest female Alicorn relative." She let a moment pass, allowing the words to set in. "Me."
Gallus dug his claws into the wood of his chair. His head turned slightly, eyes narrowing as he took in Moonlight's nonchalant expression. The Captain of the Royal Guard stared fixedly ahead, not giving Gallus a single glance. Murmurs, whispers, but not a single shout of anger.
"Quiet, please." The room was instantly silent. "Equestrian citizens, I pledge from this day forward to bring new unity to this broken land; to meet adversity with a conviction that would have made my aunt proud. The brave and noble souls who have laboured to represent Equestria will, of course, be honoured as the heroes they are, and will find their stations restored to the same standing they always possessed. Where change has occurred, it must sometimes be embraced. But change must not be championed as an end in and of itself. Where we encounter violence, where we find brutality, where we face cruelty, we must drive it out in favour of peace, justice, and compassion."
"Our message of hope is not for Equestrians alone. The Crystal Empire is to be finally reunited with the Equestrian motherland, and a new era will dawn over not just our country, but also the world. Equestria will once again become a shining light atop a valley for everycreature the world across. I will withdraw our soldiers from their provocative adventures abroad. The Western Fleet will no longer be given free reign to terrorize Yak fishing vessels. Only through mutual respect can this new world be achieved."
"I have been involved in intensive discussions with Chancellor Moonlight over the past few days to finalize this process." Every eye in the room swivelled her way, including the bloodshot, furious eyes of Gallus. "Her resolve is as strong as mine in this decision, and she has agreed to step down and resume her position as Captain of the Royal Guard with full honours. I invite her to step forward now, and pledge her loyalty to me."
Feeling more embarrassed than apprehensive, Moonlight rose from her seat and awkwardly strode up to the stage, trying as hard as possible to project an image of confidence. She could feel every gaze in the room on her. When she reached the stage, she stooped into a deep bow.
"I honour you, Princess Flurry Heart, as sovereign of our nation. May harmony guide you."
Rising to her hooves, she was relieved to see a small, satisfied smile on Flurry's lips. Turning back to the crowd, she awkwardly waited beside Flurry Heart as she continued.
"I now invite the remainder of the new Royal Guard to do the same."
There was an awful hollowness to the words, and it only took a few seconds for it to become apparent why. Astral Spark and his troop were right there. They couldn't possibly have misheard. But they didn't budge.
Flurry Heart cleared her throat, and repeated herself. She showed no hint of panic. But still, nothing. Then Gallus rose to his claws.
There was something so utterly black in his eyes that he no longer seemed alive, more like a corpse puppeteered by some invisible string. The insanity that had been so clearly present earlier consumed him as his fears, his delusions and his every paranoid thought materialized in front of him. But what would have broken any other creature had only given him more strength, and as his beak twisted up in a thin sneer, Moonlight knew she had made a terrible mistake.
"My, my. Treachery afoot, it seems. My den is filled with vipers, just as I suspected. But what a pitiful display they make. I knew I should never have trusted you, Moonlight." As he stepped forward, he allowed the black robe he wore to slide off his shoulders. "How fortuitous that I never did."
With a snap of his fingers, he barked a harsh instruction. Slowly, almost shamefully, Astral Spark stepped forward and bowed. But not to Flurry Heart.
"I am here, my lord."
Gallus' smile extended until it threatened to split the corners of his beak open. Moonlight could only watch in disgust and terror as her soldiers, one by one, stepped forward to kneel to their true leader, each one seemingly afraid of what would happen if they didn't.
"Please place the traitor Moonlight and her foreign co-conspirators under arrest for treason."
Moonlight knew resistance would mean death, and she didn't have it in her to strike down her former comrades if she wanted. Flurry Heart, likewise, did not resist. But her father did.
"Leave my daughter alone!"
With speed Moonlight didn't know the aging stallion still possessed, Shining Armour quickly closed the gap between himself and Gallus until the two were an inch apart. Before anypony could react, Gallus was sent flying across the room by a single beam from Shining Armour's horn, before crumpling into a heap alongside the wall. He rose slowly, blinking stupidly as if astonished anypony had dare strike him.
Shining Armour was immediately pinned to the floor by three guards. For good measure, Cadence was dragged from the crowd and thrown beside him, stirring minor panic in the audience. Amidst the bubbling chaos, Gallus' voice rang out clearest.
"SILENCE!!!"
The room fell quiet once more. Gallus glared at the crowd at large, then turned back to Shining Armour. Seizing him by the horn, he began to twist, causing the stallion to cry out in pain.
"STOP!" Flurry Heart began to struggle with the two guards holding her in place. "Don't hurt him! Dad!"
A cruel grin crossed Gallus' demeanour, then he seemed to realize he was right in front of a public event. With obvious reluctance, he released Shining Armour and growled with displeasure.
"A family of conspirators aided by my own trusted aides. Take them away. I will deal with them later. They have bought shame upon our nation and besmirched the funeral of our beloved Princess Twilight. I don't want to see them again today."
Dutifully, Cadence and Shining Armour were hauled away. Flurry Heart followed behind them, determined not to be dragged out, but paused for one final parting shot.
"Your aide?"
Gallus grimaced as he realized his mistake. The crowd behind him no longer looked upon him with the reverence he was used to as a respected soldier. Instead, he recognized their stares as the fearful visages they were. But fear was enough.
The last thing Moonlight saw before the doors slammed shut was Gallus approaching the podium, tossing his pre-prepared speech to the side.
Moonlight was thrown into a tiny cell she didn't recognize, lacking windows or... anything. As the door was slammed, she was immersed in pitch blackness, and all her senses were cut off. She heard nothing, saw nothing, smelt nothing. The only sensation was of unpleasant, coarse rock walls as she fumbled around in the darkness.
Hours passed. A day. Two days. She lost any sense of time - she could only guess how many days it had been by the times when a slot would open and a tray of food would be thrown through.
She would have guessed it had been ten days when Gallus came to visit her.
There was no light. She couldn't make out a single one of his features. She could only lie there, too lethargic to move, too numb to fully understand or even respond to the words spoken at her. Gallus, on the other hand, sounded just as unbalanced as ever, though with a slight air of refinement.
"I want you to know you failed. Flurry Heart and her parents have been put to death. There's still to be a trial, of course, but somehow I think the outcome is unlikely to shock anypony. You threw your life away for nothing. And now, you're going to die here. I had planned to put you on trial, but I thought it would be cleaner to simply announce you committed suicide by starving yourself." He cackled. "I hope you liked that plate of lentils and rice, because it's the last thing you'll ever eat. Assuming you don't get hungry enough to chew off your own leg."
The door slammed. The bolt locked. And Moonlight never saw anything ever again.
"...dramatic scenes here at Canterlot! I have confirmation that the remaining members of the Royal family have been arrested by the Equestrian Guard, alongside Chancellor Moonlight. There's still no official announcement as to what occurred at the ceremony, but multiple eyewitnesses describe scenes of chaos and fighting between Chancellor Moonlight and Admiral Gallus, leading to speculation of a power struggle that - "
The signal abruptly switched. A new voice began to speak.
"This is an emergency report. All Equestrian citizens are instructed to return to their homes. A curfew is in effect. Guards will arrest anypony caught outside. Do not attempt to organize. Do not attempt to contact family or friends. The traitors have been stopped. There is nothing to fear. Long live Equestria. Message repeats. This is an emergency report. All Equestrian citizens are instructed to - "
Cozy Glow turned off her radio set.
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HO-LY Jesus! All this happened because of a little filly! And I'm sure Cozy feels just as bad.
Putting Royalty to death and that little remark Flurry did really doesn't give Gallus any browny points.
This is quite the messed up situation and I didn't think it could've escalated the way it did. At least Cozy and Luster can have something of a happy ending if they just leave everything behind, because Equestria is no longer the way they remember it.
Shame Flurry didn't fight back, her first reforms of not being dictators to the Yaks was a first good one.
Damn, once again, I did not expect that. I think the fear of a possible civil war was what got the royal guard to side with Gallus. Speaking of him, I may be being silly or naive, but I can't help but feel that he's being possessed. Like, not specifically because of his dickishness and villainy, but with just the way he looks and acts. Either way, I hope Flurry and her parents will escape. She was the best hope for a stable Equestria at this point.
Technically, it was Discord's fault, again. Funny thing is, Cozy literally did nothing wrong since her release. Sure, she may have been a bit bratty at times, but none of her personal actions ever contributed to anything horrible happening. It was all Twilight, Discord, Gallus etc.
Damn, what a straight up villain monologue. Sombra would be proud.
How does Gallus expect to maintain his dwindling support and keep the nation stable with such blatantly villainous actions like this? I mean, he's already losing all of Equestria's allies.
I guarantee you that this will all come back to bite Gallus in the ass.
Harmony is dead
Nice chapter! Look forward to the next one.
One very small nitpick ... you would think that if Sweetie Belle is capable of teleporting (in fact, she even brought someone else along) than the alicorns/strong unicorns would have been capable of escaping by merely teleporting away.
I'm surprised that Flurry Heart was captured so easily. Looks like grim days lie ahead for Equestria.
I. Am. Pissed.
You assasinated Gallus' character. Gallus would never do this. He's not a power hungry megalomaniac. He's a snarky pragmatic griffon who loves Equestria and is loyal to it and the values Twilight and co. Instilled in him. Whats it to him if Flurry takes the throne? She's Twilight's niece.
Gallus better be possesed by Sombra or something, because I dont appreciate the Ron the Death Eater trope.
10918178
People change. Gallus loves his country like a domestic abuser loves his wife. He wants total control and won't stop at anything to have it. Would you expect an abusive husband to happily allow his wife to marry another person?
Also I hate possession stories, such a lazy writer's trick.
10918410
That's a poor excuse for completely destroying Gallus' character. He may have had his flaws, but he also had a good heart, a fact your story completely overlooks.
10918487
I'd agree if this was set during the show's run, but it's been two and a half decades. Twilight's character was equally different, more jaded from years of rule, desperate to satisfy the demands of princesshood at the expense of her core morals. She had regrets over Cozy, fears about the future and no mentor to turn to, and reacts by becoming more and more controlling and distrustful of her own student's judgement.
It wasn't my intention to portray Gallus as a monster, merely an unstable and paranoid would-be-king who is desperate to keep his crumbling country together, and who will do anything to further those ends. Like every despot, he can justify anything in the name of the greater good. Cruelty has always been an important tool for authoritarians.
10918532
Justify it any way you want, but I'm afraid I have to agree with Matthais' judgment of it being "character assassination" for Gallus.
10918410
The only one I would put above it is time travel stories.
@Bluecatcinema and @Matthais Unidostres
If you believe a character can change to "good" (which has been demonstrated several times in the series) than the opposite must be true for any character.
It is Vanity's story, from what I have seen he is one of the best writers on FIMFiction, and we are reading it for free. If you don't like it - well there are a vast number of other stories available for you to occupy your time.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire.
You think Discord's regretting his actions at all now?
10918813
To be fair, this is an admiral trying to be a politician. While I did make an assumption previously that he may be possessed, it can be said that his is a case of incompetence mixed with paranoia induced insanity.
10918771
Ah, but not every bad character is willing to change. The Flim-Flam Brothers proved that back in Season 6.
So?? I said "can" ... as in the possibility exists.
10919296
That doesn't mean it should happen. And it's still no excuse to utterly destroy someone's character.
Just thinking... How many more... worthy guards Sparkle have to put on the back burner to promote Gallus to such high perch, hm? Chosen by Tree of Harmony, one of first pupils of her pet school... There is no one more capable to be her Captain of guard!
All I can wish Princess Flurry Hearth is to face her death with dignity to deprive that sick bastard the pleasure of seeing her beg for her life. Like the execution of Charles I from "Twenty Years After" by Alexander Dumas.
Let the last piece of Miracle leave this world with the head held high. Unbroken by the blind mob who in their arrogance think they don't need It anymore.
Damn, English just too... bland to say some things I think about this feather bag.
Well telling stories of what should happen would be quite boring. Haven't you noticed that the episodes in FIM center on something that should not happen but does!
He didn't destroy Gallus' character. He destroyed Gallus' character 20 years or so in the future.
10919625
That doesn't make it any better.
Gallus was a good kid. Good enough that the Tree of Harmony saw potential in him. That's why it's so jarring to see this story have him sink so low.
Just because you like Gallus does not make him sacrosanct. There are several characters in FIM that were thought highly of before going the villain path such as Luna, Sunset Shimmer, and Cozy Glow. Nobody is born evil and it generally takes a while for it to occur. In fact a character can become evil in what they believe is the pursuit of a noble goal. For example Anakin in Star Wars wished to establish order in the galaxy which was, in itself, not evil. The method though ...
.
What I always think is most interesting about good characters going bad is the "why". Perhaps Vanity will give us a bit of background in future chapters.
10920143
Luna and Sunset went bad before they were even introduced on-screen. And there is nothing to suggest Cozy was only corrupted after she started attending the School of Friendship.
10920346
Well you have just admitted that Twilight's school either can't detect when someone is a villain or allowed one to develop while in the School of Friendship. Feel free to choose which. In fact, Starlight Glimmer became aware of Cozy Glow's manipulative ways early on.
10921031
Victim-blaming? Really? Do you also blame Starlight's old village for not seeing through her deception, or everypony who was ever scammed by Flim and Flam for not realizing they were being scammed?
Starlight noted that Cozy was "devious". That doesn't always equate to "evil". And yet you still blame her for the fact that Cozy was just that good an actor.
10921292
Translation = true but you don't like it. Sounds like we can wrap up the Gallus argument.
Off topic.
Devious definition = showing a skillful use of underhanded tactics to achieve goals. Even Starlight was surprised at her actions!
Of course I do - it was her job!!
Hmm ... isn't that exactly what happened?!
I always find it amusing that you seem to think a what ... 10 year old (?) ... is solely responsible for her actions and none of the adults supervising her. Cozy Glow stated in Marks for Effort "I just moved here" and not "my family moved here" so it seems she is living at the school. If you are allowing children to live at your school then the staff have voluntarily taken on obligations as a defacto parent/guardian. One of those is to see to Cozy Glow's mental wellbeing and the staff failed in this obligation.
10921707
By what logic does that "wrap it up"? It's completely unrelated. Cozy was meant to be a villain from the beginning. Gallus was not.
There is no proof that Cozy doesn't have parents. And the school has many students to look after.
Once again, you're blaming others for Cozy's actions. If the CMCs, Diamond Tiara and Babs Seed (who are around the same age) can be held responsible for their actions, than so can she.
So yes, I would say it is certainly far more likely than not that Cozy Glow was an orphan.
When you take in an orphan and don't have the time to care for the child that is on you ... not the child.
Btw - your silence means you admit that Starlight Glimmer failed as a counselor. You really can't admit your wrong can you??
A person is not born evil. A good family results in a very high chance of being a good person. Had you switched Cozy Glow with say Apple Bloom at birth do you think Cozy Glow would turn out a villain? I think not. You blame the filly which, I think, is incorrect. I blame the upbringing that resulted in the evil filly which is not something any reasonable person would expect Cozy Glow to control.
10921870
1) Cozy would have had to have some kind of guardian figure in order for her to be enrolled in the school.
2) You're basically blaming Starlight for not being a mindreader. The way Cozy described her scheme made it look like she just wanted to help the CMCs. That would not have made Starlight suspect her of being bad.
3) Saying "it's everypony else's fault Cozy went bad" is not an argument. And being a child does not absolve her of responsibility. She wasn't some naive kid who didn't know what she was doing. She knew exactly what she was doing the whole time, yet you act like she's some innocent victim.
10922031
Unknown. However, the fact remains the school did take charge of her care and thus became responsible for her. Spin it however you want ... they took in a filly with problems that they could not handle.
You hypocrite! You're blaming the victim (Cozy Glow)!! She lost her parents, her home, and likely most of her possessions. Probably has some mental scarring to boot. Yet you blame her for not turning out as a normal filly.
10922181
"Problems" she kept to herself, as part of her plan to fool everyone. But you insist on blaming those who were deceived, and absolving the deceiver of any and all blame. Cozy was not the victim in that scenario, no matter how much you claim otherwise.
There's no proof of any of that actually happening to Cozy in the canon, nor even confirmation from the writers. If all you have is non-canon statements, then this conversation is over.
10922227
So the patient is supposed to make their own diagnosis ... seriously ... you are losing this.
Remember this post you made?
So when a writer makes a statement that supports your argument you consider that canon. However, when a writer makes a statement that does not support your argument you do a 180 and suddenly it is not? Double hypocrite!!
Part of being an adult is admitting when you are wrong. Refusing to admit your wrong when facts are against you leaves you looking like a petulant child. Somebody here pointed out something I was not aware of concerning Ocellus. Looked it up and the person was correct and I told them so in the thread! Admit and move on - it does not hurt!
Yeah, I would say this conversation is over.
I think this is my first time making a comment, but overall this story is just blatant character assassination. I gave it the benefit of the doubt for a while, but I don't think I'm going to continue anymore. I don't mind inconsistencies here and there- but there's so many aspects that are just completely wrong here. Can someone who's finished with the story tell me if it's worth continuing?
11088523
Agree with this, it's pretty nonsensical. But at this point I just want to see where this crazy ride goes.
The Crystal Empire and the Changelings definitely should declare war on Equestria for this.