Day ?? - Trust: Epilogue
A gasp for air.
A critical mistake.
Pain shooting through everything.
Nerves lighting up from the spine all over the body.
10013 opens its eyes.
It’s lying on something soft. To a drone that means - not a rock.
The situation doesn’t make sense, so it tries to sit up.
“...owww…” an inaudible grunt comes out of its parched mouth as its body barely moves.
It adjusts its expectations for an attempt number two, and just tries to turn to the side, which ends up with more success but also additional red-hot needles covered in extremely angry lightning cacti shooting through its body.
Through blurred vision, it can see something dark and… familiar? It blinks.
Another drone smiling at it. It tried to blink the haze away again.
“...”
Impossible.
There are very few distinguishing features between healthy drones but that only means some stand out immediately, and 10013 realizes it’s looking at 9999 smiling at it.
Buddy?
The smile remains as 10013’s eyes tear up but its body still isn’t listening. However, the tears wash away whatever crust was obscuring 10013’s vision and it realizes it’s looking at a picture painted on some kind of plastic mold with bits pushed out for a three-dimensional effect. Excellent likeness.
The picture is propped against a lamp screwed into a small bedside table. Correction - netside table.
10013 realizes that its support is swaying from side to side.
It’s shippy time again.
Was it all just a nightmare?
The pain shooting through its body as it tries to sit up again has something to say about that silly idea.
The two hammocks above 10013 are empty but there’s someone sleeping in the bottom one on the other side of the room- cabin. With no ability to speak or move, 10013 closes its eyes and, slowly, its mind lights up with familiar hive links.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five.
Five?
“...no…” croaks 10013, growing terror finally forcing its body to move despite the agony, and it pushes itself off of the hammock and onto the carpeted floor. Even the light impact lights up every nerve in its body and makes it pass out again.
Only briefly, though, as its internal clock tells it when it wakes up again.
This time, it stands up and painfully slowly limps over to the other drone in the cabin. It’s 99380, its link barely active and unresponsive when 10013 tries to mentally reach out.
“36658!” 10013 screams mentally, reaching only one other nearby link which shivers.
What did 36658 do?! I was supposed to stay down there! I can’t lose another one!
Why was everything so much easier for the few seconds when it thought it was the one dead? Why is it immediately so much worse when it is alive and 36658 is gone?
The link responsible for all this is the other one within reach, though.
SMILEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!
Foaming at the mouth with sudden fury, 10013 follows the link into the cabin’s bathroom. As it reaches for the handle, it sees that its foreleg is entirely held together with bandages covered with brown and green stains, but none of it matters due to the red haze descending on the drone.
It pulls the door open, ready to scream and maybe… just maybe… do something worse.
The small bathroom’s walls are covered in writing, all different but stating the same thought:
[Dum. Usles. Food. Stupd. Nofren.]
The writing isn’t in chalk, at least not entirely. Not white but dark brown. Smiley is lying motionless in a shower corner, the same dark brown smear on the wall above it. It doesn’t move as 10013 approaches.
“Get up!” the drone leader steadies its voice into a growl, and the Silent obeys, staring blankly at it and confirming that the blood added to the goop chalk is from its broken nose.
10013 raises its foreleg with a scowl, hoof glowing green.
Your fault! All your fault! 387 was right.
10013 breathes out and the foreleg descends.
Slowly, without the digging glow, and wraps around the back of Smiley’s barrel, pulling it into a hug.
Only then does Smiley react with a quiet sigh.
“This is an angry hug,” says 10013, each word slow and measured, all both an accusation as well as self-reflection, “But what’s done is done. Drones stick together. It is your fault, but not only yours. I agreed to 10101’s deal. We got a lot out of it. I made a choice to save you and… 36658 made a choice to somehow save me.”
Smiley slowly raises its hoof and 10013 follows it pointing at one of the many poorly spelled insults scrawled on the walls.
“I will show you how to make another slate, but you will be the one to make it. No one will hold your hoof anymore. You will learn quickly… or not, your choice. I will sacrifice no one else for you until you earn it. That’s how it’s going to be, whether you understand me or not.”
Smiley lowers the hoof again and returns the hug. 10013, however, senses a pull from the Silent’s hive link and, even as angry as it is, it can’t stop its curiosity.
Smiley is scared and freezes up. 9999 pauses to yell at it to run and digs at the strange, fleshy tunnel collapsing on them. Smiley finally moves, but the moment of lost time makes it so that the tunnel swallows 9999, leaving only its hoof sticking out of the flash mass. Smiley pulls at the hoof to help 9999, and is left only with a broken off fetlock in its hooves, melted by the acidic tunnel. Smiley flees.
Smiley sees a cleaner disc stuck under rubble. A tool like itself, and tries to free it. It digs it out and pulls, leaving only a useless half of the chassis in its hooves. Everyone screams at it to run while looking up in horror. Smiley flees.
Smiley watches as crawling 20100 pulls out unconscious 10013 across the floor while 36658 holds the ceiling a little further away. 36658 is burning with love while being visibly crushed with every passing moment. 20100 puts 10013’s shattered body in a cocoon glued to Smiley’s back with 99526’s goop. 36658, with no painkillers, screams as lava drips from the ceiling on it, setting its carapace on real, non-green fire, but somehow holds. 99111 picks up collapsed, dead-eyed 99380 while 20100 gives one final look to 36658 and says: “High Score is proud of you, buddy.” Smiley flees alongside everyone.
The three brief flashes of memories end, releasing 10013 back into the real world. 10013 breaks the hug and stands up with a hiss of pain.
“Clean up,” it nods to the walls, “We represent the hive, and this will reflect badly on us all. You are responsible for yourself. No one will hold your hoof anymore,” it repeats.
With that, 10013 slowly limps out of the bathroom, closing the door behind itself. The bitter aftertaste of the entire interaction remains, but the desire to physically hurt Smiley from earlier when it realized what must have happened after it passed out is gone.
Yet another mental pull draws its attention to 99380’s hammock. The unconscious drone’s link is woefully weak but it feels as if there was a message waiting for when 10013 woke up. Upon tapping into it, 10013 finds itself once again in the darkness of the hive mind, this time facing-
“36658?” 10013 smiles but that simple quickly fades when 36658 coughs and says:
“Is this thing on? Holes, I hope so. 10013, you need to know this but I don’t have much time. 99380 is exhausted already from the first time stop but agreed to let me record this so I’ll try to be quick. I asked how it was doing it but it just said the hive mind has buttons,” 36658 takes a breath as 10013 slumps to the floor, feeling its heart being ripped out of its chest for the third time in mere minutes, “First thing first - don’t blame yourself. Maybe don’t blame even Smiley, although definitely bonk it over the head if you all get out,” 36658 chuckles with surprising positivity and 10013 realizes that it’s not stuttering anymore, “Sorry I lied to you but I knew you wouldn’t agree with my plan. By now you must have realized that the painkillers were to knock you out and let me take your place. No, it wasn’t not due to my desire to be like High Score. I…”
36658 takes a deep breath before continuing.
“Throughout this trip, I spent a lot of time with 387 and he helped me realize something. I…”
The drone pauses and tries again.
“I am the problem. All my stories about High Score, the crazy ones I mean, I told them all because I believed that the hive would break down someday soon again, that the good times will end in a not too far future. I wanted us to have something to aspire to, some culture, and awareness of ourselves. I wanted us to know we weren’t just tools even if it all would inevitably collapse. But… 387 told me a lot of stories about his life, about the dark times the hive went through, and about something I didn’t have anymore - trust.”
36658 shakes its head.
“Everything I did - the stories, the plays, the memories I showed to others… all that was only reopening a wound that, due to me, never had the chance to heal. All I managed to do since High Score’s death was to sow distrust between us and the high ranks. You got it right, 10013, and that’s why you must be the one who stays alive - this isn’t the old days, and we need to work with the high ranks to improve our chances of them not coming back. High Score trusted 1988, which started everything, and I believe you’re a drone who can remember the old days but not get its outlook ruined by them. I tried to, I promise I really did, but I can’t let go, I relive everything every time I close my eyes, and that’s why I have to leave. And out of every veteran still alive you’re by far the best leader.”
36658 winces as 10013 stares at its image, tears flowing from its eyes.
“Sometimes the past needs to stay in the past and so on- ouch! I think I’ve just felt 99380’s headache, so I’ll cut it here. So, umm, my glorious last words - I really, REALLY wish I kept some of the agonyslayers for myself-”
The recording ends and 10013 gets booted from 99380’s head, leaving it feeling lonelier than ever before.
What doesn’t help is hearing the Queen’s voice inside its head:
“You’re finally awake. Come into my cabin.”
***
10013, breathing heavily from the effort of climbing a single staircase, slowly limps through the door opened by 99. To whatever little surprise the completely burned out drone can still feel right now, the Queen and the high ranks are accompanied by that changeling Paladin. Ten… was it?
Once it enters, everyone leaves, and the drone finds itself alone with the Queen lying on her belly on the bed. Normally at least a part of 10000 would be terrified, now all of the drone is just empty.
“As it turns out, Ten had some insight into how we got into this whole mess in the first place, but since he’s the ‘good guy’ now he has ‘laws’ to follow. Oh well, at least one of my infiltrators will have an interesting mission once we return home,” says Chrysalis and calls out, facehoofing, “Stop listening by the door, smartasses!”
“I’m here, Your Majesty,” says 10013 quietly.
“I know, I wasn’t just talking to myself,” she makes a pyramid from her hooves and props her chin on it, “I have three things to tell you.”
10013 waits.
“Number one - I couldn’t care less, but I know you do. The island is okay, there was no need for any evacuation, and the griffons played it as an archaeological dig gone wrong that caused some underground mess. As far as I heard, anyone opening their mouth about the cover story being bullshit got it shut by a sum of gold.”
“That’s good,” 10013 breathes out. Even at its numb state it helps to hear some good news.
“Number two - with the obvious exception of 36658, all drones are accounted for. No, I neither know nor particularly care what they’re doing right now aside from 20100 who is in the casino on my orders, carefully recouping my monetary losses for this trip. For me, living status is what counts, which brings us neatly to number three. So, finally, I want to congratulate you for a job well done, even though you’ve made it as difficult for me as possible to mean it.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty, but I failed,” 10013 looks down at the carpeted floor.
“You made sure the damn machine didn’t destroy the knowledge device by honoring our part of the deal,” Chrysalis rolls her eyes, “You’re grieving a loss, I get it, but you’re only a few years old so you can’t even begin to grasp the extent of the good that deal can do. I sent hundreds of thousands of changelings to die for much less. I live with my decisions, and so will you. That it bothers you so much is a good indicator that you’re the right one to make them.”
“Is that all you wanted from me, Your Majesty?” asks 10013 openly, “I don’t know what to say right now. I just don’t feel… all here.”
“Understandable,” Chrysalis nods, “I have called you over to see how you were doing but also for this,” she clears her throat, “Ahem, we’ve never done this in any official manner but I think it’s warranted in this instance - I’m promoting you to rank 10000. A nice, round, easy to remember number. It would be a lot higher but I don’t want to argue about your silly High Score thing.”
“I’m not High Score, Your Majesty.”
“What you did will be vastly more impactful in the long run than whatever you think 9999 did, but calling you Even Higher Score would sound stupid.”
10013 sighs-
10000 sighs.
“Fine, be like that,” Chrysalis pouts, “That’s what I get for trying to cheer you up.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
The Queen sighs.
“Is there anything I can do to help? A second statue in your totally secret drone hiding place or something? An extra helping of love? We’ll be landing in Manehattan in about half a day and there’s a long trek to the Badlands still ahead.”
What would High Score say?
“Can you help 99380, please? There seems to be something wrong with it,” says 10000.
“Ah yes, a drone who fried its brain trying to do too much too quickly,” Chrysalis winks at 10000, “I’ll see what I can do to ease its pain.”
“Thank you,” says 10000 with complete sincerity, entirely ruining Chrysalis’ menacing double entendre, and turns around to leave.
Hmph, maybe 387 was right about you after all, drone…
Chrysalis stands up from the bed and stretches.
“I guess I should take care of that immediately. No need to add a drone to the list of souvenirs you guys will be carrying already,” she sharply stomps the hoof against the carpet as 10000 limps towards the door, “And where do you think you’re going?”
“Sleep, Your Majesty,” 10000 replies, hissing in pain as it bends its neck to look back, “You said it yourself - there’s a very long road ahead.”
A shockingly gentle telekinetic grip betraying masterful control grabs 10000 and floats it into Chrysalis’ soft and fluffy bed.
“I won’t be here until we dock, and looking at your current first-rate freshly opened jigsaw puzzle cosplay a proper mattress must feel leagues better than those stupid hammocks,” she closes the curtains on the porthole, opens the door, and gives 10000 one final look, “99 will be coming along shortly to change your bandages. I’m not paying extra for you bleeding all over a royal bed.”
The door clicks, the Queen leaves, and the drone left alone in comfortable darkness yawns.
Despite what 10000 believes it deserves, it’s a restful sleep.
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Holy shit, what an ending. I admit I've had a good deal of trouble keeping the numbers straight, but you write the drones so consistently and differently that I never really needed to, save for when others are talking about them. Chrysalis is clearly making progress in leaps and bounds, as are the drones.
I'm gonna download a copy of this fic like I did its predecessor, and I hope I find it again in a few years to reread.
You better have another story that comes after this one ready! I need more drone sillyness!
A very good ending to this excellent story. And still it leaves me hungry for more :)
Thank you very much!
Without looking, I believe it has been more than a year now. Or at least it felt like it. It certainly has been feels-goodsy and carthartic-esque experience to see a liberated sub-race deal with the sudden newfound freedom.
From expressive creativity, to politics and belief. It will always be an emotional journey for the entire race.
You've certainly built up all these drones well enough that their numbers have a mostly distinct personality associated to them.
All in all, you've done well Wordsmith! It's certainly been a journey for us too.
Good story. But did you have to play with my feels like that?
DAMN that was quite the plot twist!
)
you could have easily made both 36658 and 10013 trapped and have 36658 heroically sacrific itself on screen, but this is wayy more surprising, props to you!
and thank you for being commited to this long ass story and not cancelling it on a cliff hanger, unlike some also great stories
(IM LOOKING AT YOU DROPBEAR AND LITERALLY EVERYTHING GOOD FROM <2016, WHERE THE FUCK DID THEY ALL GO!?
11632823
oh my god i just realised
is this foreshadowing to when 10013 stops itself from hitting smiley and hugs it?
Chrysais got her tech, the Drones got unlocks, and Pele got her sacrifice.
And the Griffins?
They got the bill.
Its… over? That feels like such a foreign concept to grasp, yet here we are. This story was around long enough (and fun enough) to become a normal part of my routine. I am going to miss the shenanigans of their vacation.
Maybe we find out who did actually set them up in the future.
jajjaja joer, xD muy bueno de principio a fin el fic, te quedo de perlas, muy divertido, y muy interesante a la vez... QwQ me dio cosita que se muriera el 30mil no se que, pero al final si ta bueno... 0,o aunque cortandolo alli dejaste un tremendo espacio de... puede que continue mas tarde... -w- quien sabe si veremos mas de estos loquillos mas adelante.
Nice fic!!!
It's all part of being a leader, after all. Nobody said you got all of the easy calls being in such a position.
That's actually immensely flattering, coming from Chrysalis. That's not something she just says to anyone, let alone so openly.
She knows the drones well--that's totally something they'd do.
So first of all, I'd be lying to myself if I didn't say I'm somewhat disappointed in 36658, because part of what it did feels like it was deliberately punishing itself for a perceived failure that I don't think merited such a thing...but at the same time, I concede that it was absolutely right--10013's the one who got it right, and by that logic, I can see why 36658 concluded 10013 needed to live.
I guess most of all I'm just heartbroken any sacrifices had to be had at all...but life do be that way sometimes.
I really want to defend Smiley over what happened, but I know I logically cannot. It made a mistake, now it's going to have to face the consequences. Fortunately, it has the chance to atone for itself, but that means no more hoof-holding--it's sink or swim time. Hopefully Smiley ultimately swims, but it's going to be up to it to get there now.
Mildly surprised we didn't get more direct closure on the whole "let's frame the changelings for sinking the cruise ship" matter, but I suppose that ultimately wasn't so important in the grand scheme of things, so whatever--I'm not losing sleep over it.
Finally, this was a spectacular way to close off the story. Remarkably short and straightforward, but bears so much emotive punch to it and tackles a complex and painful subject pretty darn perfectly, saying just enough to get what needed to be said, yet leaves it clear there was so much more left unsaid...but it doesn't need to be said to still understand what it is anyway. It's not the sort of ending you would've expected for a story such as this, but it's ultimately the one it needed. So, in short, the story stuck the landing, and stuck it good. So that's one thing you don't need to worry about. Honestly, I think this fic worked out even better than its predecessor had (and it was a pretty good fic in of itself).
I'm glad you guys overall enjoyed this one. I got stuck a bunch of times because in several places I personally didn't enjoy, and I couldn't find good ways to connect what was happening to what I wanted to happen, but we got through in the end. I guess the story just feels entirely different when you can just read a chapter once and see the big picture instead of getting stuck in the weeds and bashing your head against the metaphorical wall regarding easily misconstruable details.
As always, if you're interested - all my stories take place in the same world so there's always some little detail to add to the whole puzzle. The reading list is either on my profile page or, for mobile devices, in a blog post linked to from that short bio on the top of the page.
11636256
It should be easier to remember after realizing that 99- denotes the ones hatched post return to the hive after book 1, which also hints why Chrysalis was protecting "93" who is nowhere near as powerful. I hope it'll look better when you re-read it in one piece instead of chapter installments.
11636273
Maaaaybe. I do have a tendency to count to three (which makes me a terrible Jhin player, for our League fans). Barring Blazing Light's storyline, but that's a special beast in its own right.
11636287
Eeeeh, I'd say decent at best. The excellent stories always kick me out of the featured page in a few hours and sit there forever, sucking up aaaaall the views.
11636289
- I checked, a year and a half. It might have been my longest-running, active story, although not exactly for reasons of adding content but getting stuck and having to work in a really short chunks. I'd like it to have a more meat to it, but in the end all that drone screwing around and being happy did build up the intended view of them.
- They're learning, and the point was to show they're about as used to not thinking of themselves as tools as the high ranks are, but Bugbutt is trying.
- I feel like I did okay with the veterans but poor 99526 was left by the wayside.
- Reading the final comments, I'd like to have a bigger reach, and for once it's not just for my own validation. Well, maybe one day I'll do a real book. But these das the ability to promote oneself is more important than any level of technical skill.
11636299
Would a story be worth reading if it didn't bring out any emotional attachment? In my opinion not.
11636386
- Thanks. I had a few ways to go about it in the end and relating Smiley's reasoning to its loss off 9999 and showing it this way won.
- I wish I could say I always finish what I started, but my library would prove me a liar now.
Yes, it was. I had things mostly finished for roughly two weeks and was just polishing them. My answers to comments can get a little bit into the "free DLC content" territory. If I have something to reply to. "I liked it" is flattering but doesn't really give much space for playing around with.
I'm always happy to see a new face in the comments.
11636436
What would drones call someone who is scared of griffons? Beak eeper.
11636498
- I said it a few times already, but forcibly prolonging something until it becomes just a squeezed-out shadow of itself isn't good. Anyway, if you enjoyed this and haven't read Boss' stories, it's a similar vibe but significantly more story-rich.
- Nah, it's just a bit of detective work to have fun with. I originally had a clue to find in each day, and wanted Gem to figure it out and do a big reveal in the epilogue/final parts, but with how things were going it would just distract from the main, relevant, emotional piece. So yeah, it was Quest and I'll keep the reason as something that's possible to guess within this story.
11637047
Google translate is telling me you liked this story, and that's where I'll leave it
11637120
- As someone who works in a corporate setting, the true form of leadership is something that's been bugging me a lot, and people who try to claim the benefits without the responsibilities piss me off to incredible levels. I tried to make Bugbutt slowly transition to the latter. 10000, as a drone, had it in it because collective responsibility is just a drone thing, especially for the old ones.
- Pretty sure she wouldn't say it if there was someone else in the room with them. And if 10000 tells anyone, she'll deny it.
- I was thinking about setting up Higher Score, but that would both sound stupid and, when I thought about it a bit deeper, it would also screw up their belief system.
- I made several mistakes with 36658 because the reasoning for its sacrifice was originally different. Its and 99111's battle for points was supposed to get a lot more involved and in the end eventually even violent from 36658's side as 36658 realized that its stories about HS were the only things keeping it going and it would lose the point battle hard. Then, betraying its dronehood by violence against another drone as well as knowing that 99111 would make the stories end with its points, things would end similarly, although I think just breaking down and giving into fear with the griffon worked well too. 10013 was supposed to have a much less personal involvement, and was supposed to be learning from 65536. Funnily enough, giving Bugbutt and 387 more time to interact with each other as well as the Ds changed the flow of the story a bit. Hell, 387 was supposed to be a lot more paranoid about 99's origin and have his own storyline regarding that, but more focus on what now smarter and more evolved Bugbutt would do changed the course. 10013, in the end, was supposed to dig and partially cripple 99111 for causing 36658's death, and Smiley wasn't supposed to be involved at all. Buuut then I gave Smiley more of a role with Gem and some growth and changed things significantly. As they say - no plan survives first contact and, as I say - I have much less control of a story than it looks like. Sometimes someone commenting on an unusual behavior pattern can change how I think about a situation and butterfly effect everything. That's why I love comments.
- I've been putting emphasis on how important the concept of fair trade for the drones is since book 1. 36658 didn't get a particularly bendy stick but earned back its peace of mind and in its mind - redemption.
- Yep, Smiley's in a bad situation now. Not really because 10000 knows what happened, but because Chrysalis does by proxy. I just hope that the memory flashes were enough to convey both its reasoning as well as the idea that it is capable of some level of reasoning now.
- I answered it in an earlier comment so I'll be briefer - I originally intended to put a clue into each chapter and then write a password-protected chapter unlockable only with the culprit's name where Gem interrogates Quest and blackmails him into giving her free bodyguard services which she uses to protect herself from Canterlot drug competitors/mob but in the end it would kinda ruin the focus on the drones and I just didn't have the brainpower to make it fit in a way that wouldn't feel forced, so Gem just summarized the clues on the boat. As to why Q did what he did, it is possible to deduce, so I'll keep it a secret without spelling it out. I'll just say the reason was never to actually physically harm the changelings.
- I just have this stupid feeling that when it doesn't end in a high-stakes battle against the gods (or a drone riding a skyscraper-sized plushie shooting nuclear laser beams) with deep and lasting consequences it won't leave an impact on the reader and will just blend into the grey mass of "finished stories". I guess I just want to leave a meaningful mark and I can'T see myself doing that through my eyes. It's hard not to see myself writing on time borrowed only by the remaining longevity of the fandom.
it was a good story, but I still don't understand who sunk the cruise ship? Of the factions shown, there is no objective reason for anyone to do this. Even the Griffins from Black Ops would have been able to covertly do their business if a huge number of tourists had not urgently appeared on the island due to the flooding of the ship
Aw, I'm going to miss this one. I am surprised only one of the drones didn't make it, your stories usually end up killing off at least several characters. I do wish they'd all made it though. Poor 36658. It's nice to see Chrysalis being kind in her way, I hope it's a trend.
Oh, sweetie, no.
11637233
I absolutely understand the confusion, see Gem's summary few chapters back and my big reply comment below where I defen- explain my incompetence.
11637256
- What? Noooo. I rarely go full captain genocide. Bugbutt's trying, but 700+ years of habit die hard.
- Poor Smiley.
And thus, you have completed another story. I'll admit, when I realized most of this fic was probably going to be drones doing drone things I wasn't particularly enthused, but you pulled off the drones becoming more then just goofballs pretty well. The rivalry between 36658 and 20100 over drone lore had a good payoff in the end, and it paired quite well with 10013s inner turmoil over sacrifice. Shit, even reading 65536 talking with Blueblood and the other drones was interesting, and its chapters were my least favorite in the first fic. Despite not being here for drone shenanigans, I ended up really liking this story. When the drones get back I get the feeling those that stayed at the hive are gonna be in for a couple days straight of storytelling. I gotta wonder how some of the others back at the hive are doing, like 1988, given the name drop.
11637301
seriously? but they didn't explain anything.
then they said...
and after that the topic of the ship was not raised at all and there was no "surprise". And if Black Ops did it, then they only increased their chances of attracting unwanted bystanders.
11637328
I meant my summary reply to the final chapter:
I answered it in an earlier comment so I'll be briefer - I originally intended to put a clue into each chapter and then write a password-protected chapter unlockable only with the culprit's name where Gem interrogates Quest and blackmails him into giving her free bodyguard services which she uses to protect herself from Canterlot drug competitors/mob but in the end it would kinda ruin the focus on the drones and I just didn't have the brainpower to make it fit in a way that wouldn't feel forced, so Gem just summarized the clues on the boat. As to why Q did what he did, it is possible to deduce, so I'll keep it a secret without spelling it out. I'll just say the reason was never to actually physically harm the changelings.
If that's not enough I don't have anything better. You can either leave it as something unexplained from the POV of the drones or as a big fuckup on my part.
11637320
I think this is a good reaction and I should take something from it too. It's a story with many things happening, different people will like different parts and dislike other, but as long as it's catchy enough to finish and not be wasted time, I should consider it a success. Too bad I'll forget it the next time I feel insecure about something.
11637344
then please link to this extended comment. I can't find it among your replies that troll readers.
the presence of such secret chapters is unfair to non-native English speakers because they will never be able to understand the presence of riddles, much less find a solution to them.
11637351
TLDR:
1) I am a non-native English speaker.
2) I didn't go through with the secret chapter idea in the end.
3) I repeat that I am aware that I handled the invitation + cruise ship sabotage poorly because the story took a different direction than I planned.
4) There are clues to what happened, and Gem spells out all of them. But here goes the summary: Glorious Quest organized it to prove his security company could handle big government contracts by showing they can handle keeping the Queen of changelings herself contained in a situation which should, judging by her past actions, piss her off to no end and make her act out. It only worked because Chrysalis acted way clamer than anyone expected.
11637212
I had forgotten they talked about quest being behind the bombing. I suppose it only makes sense that they sent out the invites. Absolutely agree about drawing things out as well, that is not a good idea. Just going to be weird that I don’t have something to consistently read for a bit. I need to start looking again!
Another good story, didnt know what to expect but you hooked me once again.
I feel kinda bad for reading it in four days. Maybe its time to start reading all the stories from the start to refresh my memories. Imbalanced and Boss series is one of my favourite.
Will there be story about big family reunion of boss and Chrysalis after shit hit the fan in legacy of light? Survival and all that.
Maybe even continuation of legacy of light. Believe
Words betray me here, so keep up the good work.
11640418
- I'm a hooker.
- Writing time: year and a half. Reading time: 4 days. I'm not sure I'm getting a return on investment here.
- Definitely not. Boss and the vast majority of his group are very happy for (almost) never seeing Chrysalis ever again. I'm sure Three would love to meet the surviving drones, though.
- Can't comment on anything post-Legacy of Light, but I think I finally have an idea about certain things. It involves Opaline.
Nooooooo! For some reason this became untracked... I've missed sooo much
11640817
It's not going anywhere.
11640589
I just cannot read unfinished stories - it hurts. But when it's finished i can go to town with it.
Still waiting for Autstraeoh and Steel wings to be finished. Upd. Strange i was sure it was on fimfiction too.
I dont think investment in writing works that way. Positive emotions Stonks for me, hope for you too.
Opaline? Now this is real reason to watch g5.
No... the tree eating changeling... my bark meister... damn! I was really hoping all the chnagelings would make it out of this one at least¡ such is life i suppose... especially for drones. knew it was coming, but still sad... not to mention the brain fried changeling...
*reads description*
[insert "why are we here, just to suffer" meme here...]
Can't even go on a vacation...
Good story! I look forward to what's next, I already see it in my f...
...why do I get the feeling this is gonna hurt...
11663869
If it hurts, that means it meant something. And that's good.
Here I am again, the end of your library, and its always such a shame when i find out there is nothing more to read, I started reading this a fair bit ago, but stepped away from it until it was finished, largely because your content is pratically perfect for binge reading. Started the whole story over about 2 weeks ago and I finally finished it, and like always, amazing story, amazing characters, amazinf humour, and so many other amazing things. Even if this story was just a fun little romp without any weight to the rest of the world, it being called "They're on Holiday!?" Gives it a reason to be that way. I feel the need to say that you are by far the best author I have ever had the pleasure to read from, even as my previously read list expands, that fact never changes. Your characters always feel so real, your stories often bring me to tears, your humor often brings me to tears as well. As soon as i finished imbalanced, i wanted to go back and read it all over again. You are an amazing author, dont ever think differently and I thank you once again for everything you have written! Cheers!
PS: If you ever make paper copies of imbalanced, i will not hesitate to buy every single book
PPS: I didnt see there was already a sequel, on to that!
11680972
I can't say much more than thank you for your kind words. It's always great when my style, if I even have one with the variety of topics and storylines, clicks with someone. Plus, it does wonders for motivation. I can't help it. Broken inside, requires validation from the outside.
Now that I'm writing "They're home" I kinda feel more as if my content these days is terrible for episodic reading and only works as a flow, or in bigger chunks, but I'm too used to my weekly back and forth with my High Score cultists under a new chapter.
Now that would be silly, unless you intend to build an extremely depressing book fort.
I don't think this is a problem. You have a massive world built up across multiple lengthy time spans, and this was a new story taking place somewhat contemporaneously. We already have the broad strokes of the big world ending threats. It was nice to have a tighter, less impactful story that instead spent some time exploring changeling psychology.
11693247
Heh. Then I guess it's just me who isn't satisfied until continents are crumbling under the power of big bad evil guy while a lonely, trembling hero stands in the way. But, in the end, I'm just happy whenever anyone finds any of my stories worth the invested time.
...oh...god...no...please tell me someone did not actually allow the chaos bugs access to hardcore hallucinogenics.
11700937
Everything that happened was real.
LSD stands for Little Silly Drone, the more you know.
11701288
Oh thank God, with how much damage they did to the dreamscape unintentionally, there's no telling what kinda damage they'd to do to actually reality. But hallucinogenics would definitely let us find out.
11707376
No reason why both parties wouldn't enjoy it.
11707390
What? Noooooo...
11707472
They would at least try a couple times, just to be sure if it's a yes or a no no.
11708224
Yep.
11708567
Nice.