This story is a sequel to What Is to Be Done?
Things are different between Gallus’ life in Ponyville and his life in Griffonstone. Where he was raised things like laughing and speaking were unacceptable, especially when it came to speaking up. He never told anyone what happened in his past, and especially not about something that he would never tell.
Ocellus knows, and she isn’t about to let her friend suffer through something that she too understands.
Written in honour of the peaceful people of Byelorussia who have stayed strong in the face of extreme persecution.
Special thanks to Bean’s Writing Group and the members in it for their support!
Chapters (1)
Fantastic work, Myk. My best wishes to you, and the people of Byelorussia.
Enjoy the 7th of February!
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Thank you for your continued support! I'm truly grateful for it.
Another incredible story from you. So much emotion, conveyed and expressed, in a way that is anything but weak. My friend, you have made me cry today. That's high praise; you should be proud.
Love to you and your people. Not just on this day, but every other, too.
Салідарнасць!
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Thank you for your support throughout all of this, Gadot. Жыве мірны народ!
Oh wow I wasn't expecting Gallus even talk about his past was even more horrible that we would never expected and I guess Ocellus can sense it since she's a changeling they can sense emotions and she knows how it feels but man that was pretty sad I hear that he's been treated so badly there 😢
Oh jeez, yeah, could feel this one. Makes it worse knowing what inspired it. Beautiful story, and I think you did justice to such a sensitive topic while also leaving enough vague that it hits you even if you didn't know about the protests. Good job, bro.
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Thank you for the comment! It is a difficult thing to discuss, but I felt as if Ocellus would be the best character to really empathize with Gallus concerning this matter.
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I'm grateful to know you liked this story. I hope that the topic would shine through and people would be able to take it seriously, since it is something that really shouldn't be ignored.
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And probably that's why both gallus and Ocellus have more in common with each other both have really bad past 😔
Another wonderful story, Myka. You already know my thoughts about it when I talked to you personally earlier, but I want to say it again. I could really feel the emotion from Gallus, feel the pain he had to go through what he experienced.
Also, I just want to say that one day, the Byelorussian people will see freedom from Lukashenko and his regime. It's not a matter of if, but a matter of when. He will fall, and the people will be free.
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It is. Thank you again for the read!
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Thank you for those thoughts and your comments, I do hope that this story was able to communicate this struggle. Thank you for your hope, I too hope to see a better tomorrow.
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Yeah no problem and I really hope everything will be okay on your side as well
Congrats on being featured, and I wish only the best for Belorussia and her people!
This was a legitimately rough read... and I can't even relate on anything more than a sympathetic level empathetic at best. I... got lucky with where I was born... makes me really not understand why people of my own country want to... spit on our history, cry about, honestly trivial things. People that are actually suffering are dealing with shit like this... we really have it easy here, in the states. People seem to take that for granted...
I just don't know... my thoughts, prayers and my heart go out to those in Belarus. I'll not forget their struggles... and I'll make sure people are aware of it. It's the least I can do.
Ocellus and Gallus really do seem to have overlapping histories here. And it was truly touching to see Ocellus being there for her friend.
A very powerful read, in spite, or perhaps even because of its shortness.
With a heavy heart, but a hope for a brighter future, onward. Going forward is better than stagnation. Stay strong.
Shit man, that last bit cut deep. Excellent work with this, can tell it’s very personal to you and could feel it in every words.
A heartbreakingly beautiful piece, Mykola. Our hearts goes out to you all.
Stay safe.
This line in particular really struck me as something deep and poetic. An entire re-interpretation of Ocellus crystallized in my head after I read it. I do not experience something like that very often.
This is one of those works where I cannot think of any part that is not pulling its weight, nor can I think of anything to be added that could improve it. The use of trailing thoughts was really well done, as was the flow and buildup in general, and the conclusion was perfect. Amazing work, Mykola. The feature was more than deserved.
And that is just considering the piece as a character study, ripped from the context of its creation. This, too, you pulled off masterfully, and I can feel the weight of the personal in your Gallus. My thoughts are with the people of Belarus.
Maybe what people say about russians not having a soul is right after all. Since it seems that you pour all your soul into everything you make. Be it films, music, art… or such as this story case.
For someone who hasn't been beyond the borders of eastern europe, you sure gave us apart from a strong start that firmly set the mood, a rather accurate portrayal of culture shock, if you could call it that. The contrasting natures of gryphonia and equestria are such that it would only make sense that gallus felt so out of place. The joy, happiness and extroversion so common in a vibrant place like the school of friendship, are almost completely alien concepts for someone like him. Just as you put it, foreign in more senses than one. Then, comes the part where the food manages to make him miss his home, even for a few seconds. With just one line you managed to paint the perfect picture of someone who wants a reason to feel homesick, but given the circumstances, he is unable to. That's essentially gallus in this story.
And the best part, is that this is a multipurpose tool that you took the most advantage of. Now having established gallus status quo on this new land, you also were able to plant the seeds of what is to come, and how reserved he is about his problems, which would come into play later as well. The ending part wouldn't have worked as well otherwise.
There's so much here that helps breath life into this fic. The casual and even trivial conversation between the students stroke the perfect balance between things that students would realistically discuss about and being in character, not to mention how nailed their voices there, as if they wrote themselves into this fic. If your remarkable eye for detail wasn't made obvious by this point, what has become one of my favourite examples of show not tell, the part where he mistakes the salt shaker due to his lack of focus/hurry, and his flight speed betraying his ruse, are yet other proof of this. These are the seemingly obvious things that, when the time of writing comes, stop being so obvious. But not in your case.
And talking about the obvious
Honestly? I didn't see that coming. Didn't expect Ocellus out of everyone on the young 6 to be the one coming in clutch. But once you got them together, it clicked. From how she could relate to him in that regard, to Ocellus knowing what day it was. Got an 'ooooooooohh' out of my mouth, followed by the realization that i am not as smart as my online iq tests claimed i was. But that quickly washed away the moment I felt the satisfaction of such a moment invade me. Only authors are allowed to manipulate/play with someone emotions/expectations, and you are not an exception. Glad you took advantage of this privilege.
But if there was something that surpassed this on being satisfactory, that would be the ending. That hug at the end, it was not only confined on Ocellus comforting gallus about his past experiences. It was gallus finally breaking free from the shackles of his homeland, coming out of his shell. It was gallus finally encountering something that, in a bittersweet way, gave him a taste of home. Everything is so neatly wrapped up here, and I love it.
Now, on a slightly more serious note
To quote a certain passage of this fic, all I'm reading here is the belorussian plight, being spoken by one of its people. The situation here, aligned perfectly with canon, the gryphon culture and gallus as a character, make for a relatable story fraught with the most raw of emotions. And you, mykola, you are the only author who we can trust to use fanfiction as a vehicle to get these kinds of messages across, to harness the power of fiction to write a diary that you want people to read. Your domain over the very essence of what writing is supposed to be, allows us to have a glimpse of the real world, through the lens of something such as mlp, that couldn't be farthest from reality. All this without sacrificing the elements that make the mlp world, well, mlp.
Anytime you feel that your writing is shit, please, let this comment, the story ratings, and the people that this story has affected, be a reminder of what you can achieve.
Is too late to wish you a happy 7th of feb. But that day just marks the beginning of the road down to freedom. And that's a road that unfortunately, here in the 21th century, is still going on. So instead, I wish for the day when fighting for freedom will become obsolete. With this, I bid farewell to your country, and its people.
аднак я яшчэ паспяваю павіншаваць вас з днём нараджэння. вы ўсё яшчэ заслужылі прычыну, каб быць шчаслівым!
I’m actually 6% Russian myself and I don’t know how people don’t learn about why communism and socialism doesn’t work. Hell as someone with German Italian and Irish ancestors myself and is being raised in an conservative family who are Christians too! Actually communism and socialism does look good in theory but it doesn’t work because well someone who can be corrupt with power will take over. During trump’s presidency, our economy was great and jobs were booming. People still had guns but did not pay for them at all and with Biden who is a pervert is not fit for president. He’s gonna take our guns away from us and make us pay to keep our guns too! We have CRT and it’s racism being taught but against white students. The media including the news are spreading rumors and killed or ruined lives like Amy Winehouse and she died from an eating disorder and probably drugs too! The media went after her so bad that they would harass her and Amy’s a singer who wrote back to black and rehab. CNN and other news stations are allow to dox people and harass people if people don’t want to be on live tv. THIS IS NOT AMERICA AND OUR FOUNDING FATHERS NEVER WANTED THIS! Hell a powerful figure can remove parts of history and I know one right know and it’s that not only African Americans were enslaved but the Irish and probably including my Irish ancestors were slaves at one point. My mom said it too! That part of history is not looked at all! Hell I’m not trying to be act like a victim but I’m being honest here if you look up Irish slaves you on the internet you will get history on it! Look at what communism is doing to Cuba and other countries. Cubns and Venezuelans are starving and are poor due to corruption! Look at World War 2 and when the Nazi party took power. Jewish people and others were discriminated against and sent to concentration camps! I’m half German and I’m ashamed by the Holocaust because it’s horrible and no one was safe! Look at the Soviet Union too! People were hungry because Stalin took their food and if they didn’t give it to the government the KGB will arrest them and execute them! Hell they held mock trials. But still socialism and communism may look good in theory but it isn’t good when practiced.
Your writing is fantastic, and your sharp ability to characterize shines through in your dialogue. This piece is absolutely dripping with a lot of heavy, traumatic emotions that make the inspiration for the story that much darker. Each installment of Gallus' journey is one that gets heavier in what develops but is extremely rewarding to read.