Fuck me sideways this is what I like to see. You can make a great story out of this. A really great story. Maybe have chrysalis replace Luna now. Hundreds of years later the ponies forget the old one. But Celestia doesn't. I want to see what this world looks like after this plan works

Fantastic

"He who can destroy a thing, controls it."
- Frank Herbert, Dune

Paul Atreides would have destroyed a star-faring civilization rather than surrender into slavery. This story scales it down to a planet, then cranks it up to 11. Celestia would destroy all life on Equus rather than surrender into slavery... It's jarring to see this sort of ruthlessness from Celestia.

It's a well-told story. Almost needs a Horror tag, but it's a well-told story.

Feels like this could be an offshoot of "Friendship is Optimal" in Celestia's win at all costs attitude, Like I get the fact of a protective mother being one of creation's deadliest foes, and this is probably just a "taste" thing rather than any comment on your actual story or you as a writer, but a complete destruction of everything feels a bit ham-hoofed of her. Like maybe after Chrysalis has gotten herself "cozy" in victory, she'd likely keep Celestia around as a toy, someone to brag at. Celestia could start a subtle campaign to get the quote-unquote "good changelings" to split away from the bad (like Chrysalis). I dunno, it's your story, this is just an idle thought,

"Never compromise, not even in the face of Armageddon."

This story shows just why one should never compromise even in the face of certain death and defeat, either you die or you win against all odds, simple as. Although having access to magical invulnerability "diplomatic" circles certainly helps to take the risk out of staring downing the apocalypse.
I can tell why you wrote it like that, but it does feel like it cheapens Celestia's resoluteness by relying on this contrived plot device of a magic circle, even if I'm not certain as to how you would otherwise be able to explore this aspect without something to enable it as hard as the diplo circle did.

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Yeah, admittedly a bit ... aggro. Long week dries up inhibitions and heats conversation. (Cooler heads and all that.)

You may be correct, but we've all been exposed to the heavy "never give up never surrender, freedom and liberty" and all that, from mass media, fantasy and fiction. Having been insanely fortunate to have been exposed to the world at large from a personal perspective growing up, it really depends on where you're from. Some would capitulate after a token resistance, others would fight to the last.

Hope, is both a powerful motivator... and a powerful poison. Dead to the last man, or death to a culture, a race, an identity. Would you rather lose your life, or have your identity stripped from you? Going from John Jacob Jingle Helmer Schmidt the 4th, to It. And letting your family becomes It. Or Its brood.

In the end its how much we as a people value the identities and society we hold up either as magnanimous truth, and from my heated tale, its obvious im biased to what side I'd be on.

Edit: The other guy down there got it. If I got down voted because if the aggressiveness, then fair, and justified.
I myself have never gotten the taste of such downright evilness, but I have assisted in pulling people FROM it and the fallout of such a thing. Indentured servitude turned slavery still very much exists, people.

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Coward, is what you are—trying to find a justification for everything. It's easy for those who have never suffered hardship to judge those with the hardest decisions.

Who are you calling a damned coward!?

Oh, and just NUKING the frickin world is a good idea? Look, I do get the whole world domination and the nasty slavery down on my head.

But, why didn't Celestia find a way for the sun to specifically target the Changelings!? You know, like a sun laser beam?

Or make a bio-weapon to specifically targeted them or something?

Edit: The other guy down there got it. If I got down voted because if the aggressiveness, then fair, and justified.
I myself have never gotten the taste of such downright evilness, but I have assisted in pulling people FROM it and the fallout of such a thing. Indentured servitude turned slavery still very much exists, people.

Oh, Hell No I didn't! You can't just say I "got it", when I haven't even responded back to you yet.

Don't think of me being unresponsive ( Until now. ), that I will just agree to what you're saying. Right after you made a mediocre "deconstruction" of my old comment, and also insulting me!? I'm definitely not on your side, after what you had said to me at least.

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I was referring to Shimonsays...?

Also, another thing that I mentioned in my follow up response as well:

Pride. Just like hope. Another powerful motivator and an extremely powerful poison. Pride if anything is whats keeping a lot of society from advancing, never willing to accept if they're wrong because they don't want to accept a possibility like that. Like how you'd you'd rather disagree with someone because of an insult, versus taking logic and understanding.
Ex: Neil DeGrasse, he's a freaking assailed, but he's also one if the most brilliant foremost scientists in the world, but he'd tell me to my face im a fucking idiot. He'd point at you and say the same thing.

So if he found a cure for Cancer and premature death syndrome for babies, you'd rather he stuff it back into his throat because he insulted you?

(Hes not that kind if scientist but its just an example.)

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Hmm? Well, you quoted my last comment. So, I thought you included me.

This was good. It wasn't great, but it was a good few minute read.

Funny how immortals do not need to follow the morality of mortal creatures.

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Morality changes when viewed on a macro level.

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I bet you're real fun at parties.

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"Time not important only Life important" - The Fifth Element

There's a reason the dragons thrive where they live. Essentially heat proof and with a diet of basically rocks, older dragons like Torch probably looked up and said, "Ah, some dumbass pissed off Celly... again."

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So, I may not be reading into it deep enough, but I don't think the story is trying to pontificate or argue a moral position at all. There are certainly Lessons, like don't piss in the Cheerios (or murder the sister) of the being that controls the sun. Don't play your hand when the enemy has an ace up their sleeve. An ace that ends the game in such a way that there is no winner.

You, the reader, are free to have an opinion on the behavior of the characters. You may even be free to have an opinion on the behavior of the author so long as you don't make it personal and keep the discussion about the story.

As for me, I hate it when the comments section is more incendiary than the story itself. Good thing this story gets a pass due to setting the world on fire.

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LITERALLY... at least for a few minutes.

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In some situations it's not about a choice between right and wrong, simply the lesser of two evils.

Guys, it IS entirely possible that both sides suck. Celestia and Chrysalis could both be bad ponies. There doesn't HAVE to be a "good guy" in a story.

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this

Just because you oppose the bad guy, does not make you the good guy.

That said...there are some limits that cannot be tolerated, some lives that are better tossed aside, if only for the chance to spit in the eye of the one who put you there, knowing it would be your end. I'm not certain this is one of those times, but talk of camps certainly make one think...

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As much as I hate to say it; Good point.

Good story!

The premise reminds me remotely of this one:

TA World of Matchsticks

• MLP: FiM
• Adventure
• Drama

There's a reason why Celestia never uses her true power.

• Violence
• Celestia
• Chrysalis

Vedues · 4k words  ·  1,439  39 · 21k views

Celestia chuckled and leaned in close, flashing the changeling a wide smile. “Then it's a good thing that neither side will see the other as an enemy. We will all be just a different tribe of ponies all trying to work together for the greater good, in harmony and peace.”