20- Alicorn Farm
Act Two: To Kill A Changeling
“What is all of this?”
“Right. So you know how you planned on moving your office and staff over to the Crystal Caverns? Well, since you can’t do that now– security reasons and all that, we’re bringing it here. Just the important bureaus, the ones that need direct communication immediately.”
I sighed and rubbed my eyes, “Fine. Sure. But why here?”
Coxa pointed to me, “Because you’re here. There’s still a lot that needs to get done– a lot, considering yesterday’s events.”
“I meant here, in this room, Coxa. Why did you feel that it was necessary to bring twenty changelings into my hospital room uninvited?!”
Luna stirred against my chest. I held my breath, but thankfully she stubbornly clung to sleep.
“Technically, it’s a medical ward room, not a hospital room,” one of the drones behind Coxa said.
“Coxa,” I said quieter, “Get your goons out of here and go find somewhere else to dump this stuff.”
“There’s no room,” he insisted. “We’ve already crammed as many lings as possible into those spare rooms near your office. Oh, by the way, my desk is in your office for the time being. If you want a room to yourself, you can move into the Crystal Caverns.”
I patted Luna on the head, both as a self-reassuring gesture and to push her nebulous mane further from my face.
“Not gonna happen. Not anytime soon.”
“Exactly,” Coxa smiled. “So we’re roomies! Lacewing is operating out of some sitting room on the sixth floor. It’s a bit further away from us, but the view is to die for. Thorax is… staying in the Crystal Caves. He wants to be with the drones while he’s here in Canterlot. By the way, he said he’ll be visiting Manehattan more often; Double Diamond still wants to spend some of their time there. I’ve gotten Thorax set up with being steward of the Manehattan operations as a result. He… doesn’t get the logistics, so that’s still going to be handled by Thalamus. Really, he’s in charge of the pony outreach programs.”
“Coxa,” I groaned, rubbing my eyes again. “While I appreciate you telling me this directly, get the rest of the changelings out of our bedroom before I get up and kick each of you out myself!”
The twenty drones in the room froze, looking to Coxa for orders, boxes of forms and orders still clutched in their hooves and telekinetic grips.
“... Fine, we’ll crash somewhere else,” Coxa grunted. “Boys, go find somewhere else to take over. Somewhere with a pool table, if possible.”
The changelings saluted and began the process of moving their work and workstations from the small room.
“Can’t believe you even thought that was a good idea,” I muttered.
“What? It’s not like we’ve put a high value on personal sleeping spaces before,” Coxa pointed out. “Hell, you bunked with us in Manehattan.”
“This is different,” I said, refocusing on cuddling my marefriend. “You don’t just set up offices in sterile hospitals- and further, I want to actually take the damn day off. Besides, that was always temporary. Back me up here, Celestia.”
The white alicorn’s ears flicked in my direction, but she continued to stare out the window. She had sat there unmoving for the past hour.
Coxa continued, “The most important thing is that we’re close to you, Phasma. You have to be close for shit to get done in a timely fashion. You’ve already banned us from setting up shop in Luna’s office–”
“And bedroom,” I growled.
“– so we have to work something out,” Coxa finished.
“This is the freaking Palace,” I hissed. “How is there not enough room? This place has rooms specifically meant just to collect dust!”
Coxa shook his head, “We’re already taking up a number of the free rooms available. Places we can patrol and keep a tight lock on, Lace is still unconvinced that we smoked out every Division-P sympathetic Royal Guard…. Look, I’ll squeeze in lings where I can, but I’m taking your personal office for myself while you’re indisposed. Speaking of which, any news on that end…?”
I nodded towards my immobilized left foreleg, “Internal bone has been punctured straight through. It’d take months to heal on its own. I’m dealing with this mess, then I’m on ice for a week in a pod.”
The drone sighed, “I can work with that. We’re all happy to hear you’re relatively okay, Phasma. Hell, when the news broke, everyling was cheering for you. A whole team of assassins cut down like lichen growth! We’re practically having a second holiday today!”
I sighed and leaned my head against Luna’s, “Glad to hear it. Anything else, or can I rest?”
“I’ll let you sleep,” Coxa said, raising his hooves in a placating gesture. “Thorax and Lace will stop by later today. All three of us are keeping a tight ship right now, making sure everyone is accounted for and nothing has gone missing. My henchlings will drop off some orders for you to sign, but otherwise I’ll see you tomorrow, Phasma.”
“See you, Coxa,” I said.
When the door shut behind my friend, I turned to the last person in the room. She had remained silent while staring out the window, her presence in her own medical wing unquestioned.
“I’m surprised you’re not needed to directly help out, Celestia,” I said quietly.
Her muzzle twitched as she turned her head slightly towards me, “The cleanup crew finished picking up the last pieces of the pony you dashed across a quarter of the entire Upper District. We will not hear the end of that disaster, not for at least another decade. While your changelings have been celebrating the victory, we’ve been quite literally picking up the pieces.”
“Sorry, Celestia,” I told the back of her head. “Next time I’m ambushed in an alleyway– which would be the third time– I’ll think about public relations before I kill my would-be murderers.”
“.... I am sorry.”
I rolled my eyes, “Let’s just skip that and get to the part where you lambast me for defending myself, Celestia.”
Celestia turned away from her window, looking at me with tears in her eyes. That detail came as a shock, as I had not detected any sadness at all in the room.
“I’m sorry, Phasma. This all happened in m– our city. You’re obviously not celebrating what happened, but seeing such disregard and blasé attitude from the changelings just– it’s just bucking frustrating! Those attitudes are what started all of this. When I say that this should never have happened, I mean that either these perpetrators should have been caught long ago or you should have enough skill and experience to handle all of those bloodthirsty warmongers with ease. But as always, there’s never enough time. You did what you had to do.”
I frowned and nodded towards my immobilized left foreleg while Luna pressed up against my right side.
“I’d give you a hug, Celestia, but I’m a bit stuck. How are you doing?”
“... Well enough, I suppose,” Celestia mumbled. “I’m not the one covered in wounds.”
“They pumped me full of stuff that’s got me feeling all warm and tingly inside,” I smiled.
Celestia giggled and wiped away the water in her eyes, “Yes, well, try not to get too used to the feeling. I will need your aid in the coming days. That is why you are forgoing the usefulness of a healing pod.”
My smile slowly slipped away as I thought about her words.
“Celestia, what’s going to happen to the survivors?”
She frowned, “If this happened a year ago, they would have been thrown into Tartarus without a trial. Whereas you were still a fugitive when Double Dealings tried to murder you, this was an outright assassination attempt against somepony who is effectively a Prince of Equestria. Now, they will face a short trial, will be found guilty, and then… I don’t know. I guess I’ll throw them into Tartarus for the time being. If we have to move them to a maximum security prison due to the… number of future captives, we shall handle that then. Regardless, they will never see the light of day again.”
I leaned back in my bed, staring up at the ceiling.
‘... I guess that’s that. Most of them I killed personally. The rest rot in a jail cell forever. Hmmm…. Am I supposed to feel happy? Sad? I just feel… frustrated.’
“Speaking of trials,” Celestia announced, causing me to turn back to her. “We need to decide when Chrysalis’s will be. We have finished preparations for all the evidence and witness testimonies…”
Just as Celestia trailed off, the door to my medical ward room burst open, and a panicked pink alicorn galloped through. Cadance came to a screeching stop before us, waving around a newspaper in one of her hooves. Luna shot upright, blinking away sleep and in a defensive posture. I placed a hoof on her shoulder to calm her down as Cadance yelled at us.
“Phasm– Celestia, Luna, there you are! You three need to see this!”
Celestia trotted over to the side of the bed as we all read the newspaper Cadance presented to us.
Luna snorted and laid back down to sleep, "Good luck with that, sister."
"Now we know what Division-P's plan is," Cadance said while Celestia and I read the newspaper. "I have to give it to them, but this is much more clever than fighting."
Celestia groaned, "Motherf–"
“Marquess Deep Pockets!"
The Marquess didn't smile. This was an occasion for a glare, a hard state that communicated her disapproval. The flashes of the cameras lit up her diamonds like a school of fish reflecting sunlight.
"We have already said all that needs to be said!" Deep Pockets stated. "The changeling threat has not passed! It has seeped its insidious claws into the heart of this great nation! The New Harmony Coalition stands against this menace, just as our brave and fearless guards have done. How can we abandon them? How can we fail them so?! We must come together and stand united to save Equestria! The Bill Against Foreign Influence is the only way to protect yourselves and your families!"
The mare grunted, shaking her head in disgust as the massive collection of camera crews tracked her movement down the steps of the Parliament building.
"My friends across the aisle are using words to scare you. Using the buzzwords their chitin-covered masters tell them to. Let me be clear! This is not a call for abdication! The Princesses always have been, and always will be, our rightful rulers! They alone have earned the right to wield the power yielded to them by the vaunted Princess Platinum! This is a call to action! We must save them! The Princesses need us! After centuries of risking life and limb, is this not the bare minimum we can do for them?!"
There was a chorus of murmurs and agreements from the gathered crowd. Marquees Deep Pockets gestured to the ponies behind her; over fifty of her fellow members of Parliament were arranged at different levels across the steps, giving their own opinions and statements to reporters from their respective districts.
The Marquess gestured out to the crowd.
"And here we stand united, ready to save Equestria! We must check the changeling threat within the kingdom, just as the E.U.P. holds our borders! The capture of that tyrant is not the end! We will not rest until the Princesses are guarded against their influence and for that Prince of Terror to be brought to justice! For peace! For prosperity! For Equestria!"
"What a load of ponyshit."
Thorax's muzzle twitched at the swear. Coxa tossed the newspaper into the trash as he sat there, trying to think.
"I mean, honestly, you think the Princesses are going to abdicate?" Coxa ranted. "And forget that hogwash about it not being abdication- these restrictions would mean they couldn't even wipe their asses without permission from Parliament! Their expenses would even be under review!"
Thorax fished out the newspaper, spreading it out to read again. Double Diamond hovered over his shoulder, pressing against the young Prince.
"And don't even get me started on that laughable, unenforceable, ridiculous, stupid demand of Phasma abdicating to Thorax! No offense, Thorax."
"None taken," Thorax muttered, rereading the passage on the front page.
Coxa paced the floor, "I mean, honestly, do they expect us to just roll over and let them tell us how to run our kingdom?!"
"No," Lace replied, thumping the radio and leaning in close to it. "They expect us to fight it and give them a casus belli to force us out of their borders."
"So let me get this straight," Diamond murmured. "Those Division-P ponies are behind this?"
"Yup," Lace replied, not turning away from the radio. "Blasted thing, tell your parents this model sucks!"
"A-and they got two-thirds of the entire Equestrian Parliament behind them on this?" Diamond continued.
"Yup," Lace repeated.
"Woah," Diamond gasped. "That is so not cool, dude. Why are so many ponies listening to them?"
"That's a job for Phasma and Celestia to figure out," Lace told him.
"Why me?" Thorax asked. "They want- they're demanding Phas steps down, but why me?"
"Because you're…" Lace trailed off.
"Manageable," Coxa finished.
Lace nodded, "Manageable. The ponies like you. You weren't involved in any of the planning and offensives of the invasion, and I'm sure they are counting on controlling you somehow."
Thorax frowned, "I'd never betray my friends like that! I can't lead the entire changeling race- and I definitely can't usurp one of my best friends!"
Diamond chuckled, "Just goes to show how little these ponies know about you changelings."
"Mmm, I dunno," Lace cut in. "Thorax is the most pliable out of the entire First Fang. And if push comes to shove, changelings change. We bend with the wind if it takes that to survive."
Thorax shook his head, "I mean, we like to say that, but how long have we been upholding the Masquerade Protocol? Ten thousand years? I dunno guys, this could ruin everything…"
Diamond nuzzled Thorax, rubbing their cheeks together before he kissed the Prince's neck.
"Hey, relax, handsome. You got this far, now's not the time to quit. You've got me, you've got your friends, and you've got the Princesses on your side. It'll be okay, Thorax."
Thorax couldn't help but smile and return the nuzzle, "Aw, thanks, Diamond."
"Phas said Celestia is on it," Lace chimed in. "Something about the Princess calling all her little knights to defend her. Let's just focus on each of our parts, the things we can control."
Coxa grunted, "Business as usual?"
Lace nodded, briefly flashing a smile to her coltfriend, "Business as usual. I'll keep hunting these dogs, you keep filling out pieces of paper and pretending you're as cool as me, and Thorax will keep working on bridging the gap between our kinds."
Lace gave the radio another hard thump. Before she could even lift her hoof off the device, a burst of static preluded the sudden cutting-in of swing music. The genre had taken off and was taking the kingdom by storm, following the changelings spreading it to their speakeasies.
"Mhmm," Lace grunted happily. "Steady as she goes, boys. Steady as she goes."
The steady tick-tock of the grandfather clock in the corner clearly unnerved Mayor Mince. Celestia sighed, rearranging the quills on her desk for the thirty-eighth time that day.
"Mayor Mince, I know I am asking for a lot, but we are out of options."
The stallion barked a laugh, his bushy white beard shaking.
"You are asking me to end my entire career! That's a lot more than a lot!"
Celestia sighed and looked at the aging politician. The mayor had put on his best suit for Celestia and even put on his well-polished medals from his days in the Royal Guard.
Celestia recalled his service. He had served in the Palace itself on the night shift. The greatest action he had seen was when a griffon murderer was apprehended in the lumber yards outside the city proper. Yet he wore enough metals to put Commander Hurricane to shame.
'I've really coddled them, haven't I?'
Celestia cleared her throat, "As I said, I am out of options. I am calling upon you to serve your kingdom once again, Mayor Mince Meat. I need you to stall the bill. Drag out the debate long enough for me to mount a capable offense to this ridiculous nonsense."
"My city is in full support of this bill," the stallion insisted, leaning forwards. "The poll results came in today. For goodness sake, Cincinneighti was hit harder than any other pony city! Every last pony podded- including my whole family! I only just got my wife and daughter back! You really think I should side with them?"
"We have captured the one most responsible for what happened, Mayor Mince. Chrysalis will face justice for what she's caused. Don't let all of our work be for nothing. Don't waste everypony's efforts and lives. This is bigger than us. Bigger than revenge. If we do not hold the peace, there will be more war. You know what that entails, Mince. You know the price to be paid."
He faltered, falling back into his chair.
Celestia sighed again, already hating herself.
"When your father-"
"Don't you dare bring him into this!"
"- When your father died, I was heartbroken, Mince. To give up your life for your kingdom is something terrible to happen to a young stallion. But he went after that hydra, knowing he could buy time to save lives. He knew the danger. He knew the cost. And yet, his comrades all say he did so without hesitation. He was a courageous and smart stallion, the likes of which are a rare breed. But he knew his duty. He knew he would be leaving you behind. I know his last thoughts were of you and your mother, Mince Meat. Now, I am asking you to tackle this hydra. You are correct; it will be the end of your career. Your fellow ponies may even insult or jeer at you, but it is time for you to save lives. That is what heroes do."
Her office was silent, save for the ever-present tick-tock, tick-tock.
"... I know it's hogwash," Mayor Mince said. "But my duty is to uphold the wishes of my constituents."
"Your duty is to protect them and serve their wishes to the best of your abilities. This bill is not protecting them. It is arming our enemies and defanging our ability to fight back. You know I'd give up my powers if I had to, that isn't the issue. There is no other option, my friend. No other pony I know I can rely on. I need you, Mayor Mince, to save Equestria."
The stallion groaned and wiped his eyes, "... Were the rumors true, Princess? I remember you there, at the funeral. Were they true?"
Her heart hurt.
"... Yes. But he met your mother on tour, and that was that."
Mince scowled, "That was that?"
Celestia shrugged, "I am a busy mare. And in time, the hottest embers can cool. Ours was young, so it was no surprise."
The Mayor tapped the arm of his chair.
"... For the kingdom."
The alicorn nodded wearily, "For the kingdom."
Orange slitted eyes. Black chitin. Red fin. Four legs. Looking carefully, I could see the small ridges and faint lines that marked where my body had been broken or torn apart. The most recent incident having put my foreleg in a sling…
Foreleg…
I blinked, looking away from the mirror. Even a year later, it was hard to accept at times. A year. I have been a changeling for a year.
My foreleg hurt. My whole body hurt, but my foreleg most of all. The pleasant warmth of over-the-counter drugs had long since faded, leaving me with the brunt of the pain. But I got to sleep in Luna's bed again, so there's that.
I pushed away from the wall, hooves clopping against the tiled floor.
'Fuck this, I wanna give Luna a hug.'
It had only been two days since Lantern Night, and each hour felt like a marathon for no particular reason. After being reassured by Celestia that she would handle the ridiculous pony bill, my only duty was to rest and recover.
A shiver went up my spine as I shouldered the bathroom door open. A familiar sensation of dread and wrongness filled every bit of my being. I slowed, turning and preparing a laser blast to cut my would-be assassin in half.
The room was empty.
I stood there, panting, deadly spell primed and ready.
'Other room?!'
I turned back and shouldered the door open, ready to cut to ribbons whoever was in my way. But the main room of Luna's quarters was empty, save for the alicorn herself. Luna looked up from her desk, staring at me. My spell fizzled away as I tasted her love- and growing fear.
"Phasma? What's wrong?"
"N-nothing," I stuttered, slowly making my way back over to her.
She met me halfway, kissing my cheek and pulling me into a hug. I wracked my brain for any detail I had looked over, trying to find any clue for why I felt like I was on danger.
I felt a second Weave present, and the bottom of my stomach dropped- 'No wait, Chrysalis is in the dungeons. That's over. So… what?'
I kept waiting for the axe to drop, but it never did.
"Luna, something’s wrong," I whispered.
"What's wrong?"
"I don't- I don't know. S-something."
Yet despite my insistence, nothing had gone wrong. Nor could I figure out what tipped me off. Luna's hooves rubbed my back as she pressed into me.
She hummed into my ear, "This room has more wards than most bank vaults, my love. If somepony was here, I'd know it. Did you hear anything? See anything? Taste any emotions?"
My ears flattened backwards, "No. Just you, Luna. J-just you…"
I raised my good hoof, returning the embrace and resting my head on her shoulder. My heart, beating a dozen times a second, slowly climbed down as I submerged into her love-filled embrace. My rump hit the ground as I lowered my guard.
"I don't… um… Thank you, Luna. I don't know…"
"Easy, you big bug. You are breathing like you just ran a hundred laps in the training yard."
I grunted, blowing her big, flowing mane out of my face as I leveled my breathing.
"Sorry. Thought that I was… in danger."
"Are you?" She asked.
I paused, thinking. "... I don't think so. I can't think of anything I notice. And you're here, Luna. You've got my back."
She broke the hug slowly, pressing her nose against mine, and looked up into my eyes.
"And don't forget it, Phasma. I am here. Hmm… My therapist explained a similar… incident I had shortly after my return to Equus. It happened more than once. I have been recently told that they are panic attacks."
I scowled, "I don't have panic attacks, Luna! I don't. I'm fine."
She stared back, eyelids drooping to an 'I don't believe you' position.
"I'm fine!" I insisted. "I… I am… L-Luna, I almost lost you!"
I was processing my own outburst when Luna pulled me back into a hug. I blinked, suddenly finding my eyes blurry. Alone in this room with Luna, I let out a quiet sob.
"I almost lost you. And my friends. And the Hive. E-everything, those bastards almost took everything from me again!"
"There it is," Luna sighed. "I was wondering how long you would hold it in. It is okay to be upset, Phasma. My sister and I are in agreement: this seems almost deliberately designed to invoke your past trauma. They hit you where it hurt most."
I grunted, swallowing and blinking away tears, "E-everything. It was… the fear was visceral. I could feel it pumping through my veins! A-and just now, I thought, I thought…"
Luna just nodded against me, rubbing my back and avoiding my immobilized foreleg.
"Shit," I cursed. "I'm sorry for constantly being nothing but a mess, Luna. You deserve more than that."
She leaned back and pressed a hoof to my lips.
"I love you just the way you are, Phasma. Scars and all. And I am speaking of the scars on your soul and psyche, too. I want you to be you, nothing more."
I found myself tearing up again, "Ah. L-Luna, I love you so much..."
She grinned, the love pouring from her like a cool salve for my aching foreleg, "I love you too, My King. Now! What say you rest your legs and calm your nerves with me."
Luna led me back to her desk and directed me to sit in her oversized chair. I did so, then found her pushing me to the sides and back of it, making room for herself as she hopped up on it. The alicorn pressed her back against my chest and pulled the chair closer to her desk. Though she leaned to the side and avoided my bad foreleg, her proximity forced me to snuggle up close behind her.
Taking the rather obvious hint, I wrapped my good hoof around her and rested my head atop hers as she worked.
"Now," Luna began after a minute of quiet cuddling, "Chrysalis's trial will begin soon. After that, let us take a brief sojourn away from Canterlot. Maybe check up on Nisir and the progress of everyone there?"
"Mmm," I grunted, smiling. "Sounds good."
I must have passed out against her as I blinked and suddenly the sun's rays were cutting through the room at a fierce angle, the great big ball of plasma approaching the horizon. I yawned and stretched what little I could, the blue alicorn still cuddling up against me.
"Good afternoon, my love."
I yawned, "Mmm! Morning, pretty mare. Or afternoon, I guess. How long was I out?"
She lifted a document off her table and lifted it up to my muzzle. I took it, blinking away sleep as I read it.
"Three hours," she replied. "This was on my desk. Care to explain?"
"Uhhhhhh," I uhh'ed, scratching my head in confusion. "Hmm. Right, Lacewing suggested we infiltrate the households of all the Parliament members that are in support of that brain-dead abdication bill."
Luna snatched the request form out of my hooves, huffing. This close to her, I felt the anger pulse uneasily from her core.
"This is exactly what those fearmongers are preaching about, Phasma. You propose we- you infiltrate into the personal estates of all these ponies, and then what? What if a single one of the nearly three hundred Infiltrators is discovered? Do you even have three hundred to spare?!"
I cleared my throat, "We'll figure that out. Recall them from other operations."
"If a single is discovered-"
"If a single pony finds proof of Division-P involvement, the whole operation would be worth it," I interrupted.
"And then what? How exactly do you want to explain to Equestria the blatant disregard for privacy and rights this would require? This is… Celestia has this in hoof, Phasma. Would you agree?"
I sighed, "Yes, I trust her, but… I feel like we should be doing more. Division-P has revealed its involvement and I'm supposed to just… wait? Pretend like nothing is happening?!"
Luna turned upwards, nuzzling my face as she loomed straight up at me.
"No, Phasma. When you have a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. And you have quite the hammer! We shall proceed as we always have: working closely together to pull any thread we might find till the whole thing unravels. Then you use your hammer."
I kissed her cheek, "I guess I can live with that.”
Stats
Page generated in 0.026 seconds
Total duration
1,058 users online
1,312,757 hits today, 1,960,719 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Is the act title a reference to To Kill a Mockingbird
Nice
11680598
Yes
By Lunas Moonlight rump and Celestias flaming tits, this was a glorious chapter.
Very dramatic and unexpectedly intriguing content. They got 'subtile scalpel' foal napped and placed a 'Sledgehammer' in its place.
When they didn't manage archiving brute force, it has forced them to taken to aggressive propaganda and the open use of the less educated or outright scared horseapples out of their mind, so they place a moral or pride instead of reasoning to target their enemys.
They could not leave while they had a chance, now they run a escape towards the enemy.
Rather clever even if it is very brute force.
But this seem all they are capable with what
'Division-P' has left standing.
Time to arming the troops against enemy known and unknown!
Can Phasmatodea not ask a day of hoove holding or two?:
cdn-img.fimfiction.net/story/nn4z-1543598974-426223-medium
Basically the immortals:
Like seriously, I don't envy them to have to deal with their surprisingly easy to manipulate population...
Guess Celestia leave the Nobleponies unchecked for to long.
I cant wait for those Division-P dogs to be dealt with.
Cant wait for more!
Is this a Prey and a Lamb reference? <.<
North Korea Moment.
Either way, nice to see the Bug King again, been waiting a long time, and again it doesn’t disappoint.
So what is this mysterious weave that popped out of nowhere and gave Phasma a heart attack hmm? Is it the Soul Fragments within the hammer? Or something else entirely? ;)
You have quite the hammer!
I feel like there is a euphemism there
11680916
Doctor Horrible explicitly made that joke, although it rightly belongs to Thor and the crossdressing he had to do in order to get Mjolnir back that one time.
There's also God-Splitter the literal hammer, for a triple entendre.
I think for chapters published more than, say, two weeks apart, a recap section would be beneficial. I had to skim through most of the last chapter to get context for this one cuz I don't remember a damn thing.
11681113
If you're on my server, I can give a quick recap if you ask in there. Otherwise, I'm going to have to say that it's a problem natural to any story with an infrequent update schedule on any fanfiction site. One of the downsides of this online format, as sequels will always have a recap in the beginning....
Hey, at least luna has her shit together at the moment, two alicorn sized panic attacks surely couldn't be good for public opinion
Love it. Swing truly is amazing, that early 1900 culture vibe where it’s at
I think the wholesome adorableness of Luna and Phasma's relationship is gonna give me a heart attack.
Was wondering when the politicians would get shoved into action. They've been remarkably quiet (relatively).
11680617
This has many horrible implications and we're here for them all!
Now that you mention it, that story and this have some rather curious parallels....
Our only question is: what the dog doing?
11681276
They're specifically aiming for the Prohibition era, so it makes sense.
I think Phasma needs to remember who he's fighting. They. Are. Fascists. Or close enough it makes no difference, and fascists above all are afraid. Afraid to look week or foolish, afraid of being persecuted the way they persecute others. Those in charge wouldn't hesitate to throw their friends under the bus to save themselves or dup nieve ponies in to doing their dangerous dirty work over the promise they'll be heroes. I think there's something to work with there. Maybe like exposing the story of one of those assasins, how they were some young idealistic kid recruited and indoctrinated into performing such violent acts. Not to mention once they catch one higher ranking member they can easily draw out more by leaking that he's talking.
I also got to say I sympathize with Phasma's trauma. It's not quite the same but I do freak out, suddenly thinking I've forgotten something I need or needed to do or missed someone calling my name when there was nothing there in the first place.
Anyway, thanks for the new chapter, much apriciate all your work so far.
11682677
Especially since those actually in charge are the Nightmares/Umbrum (this continuity has made them one and the same), who are going to kill everyone anyway.
11681240
Eh, I feel like Cadance is also very prone to panic attacks too. If that ever happens, can't wait for the shit show.
11680903
I don't exactly remember but don't Thorax and Pharynx have their own weaves too since their ascension to royalty? Considering that Pharynx is in Nisir, it might just be Thorax nearby.
I wonder of we get a airship combat scene.
That could get pretty epic!
For example something like this:
This get ones heart pumping full thrust.
And I am done with chapter 20 of CE 2, man when Phas saw the approaching team of assassins I can't help but but play the music of Doom Eternal - E1M1 - At Doom's Gate its the waiting game now for chapter 21 and so on
I've said it before and I'll say it again, democracy simply doesn't work.
Compadre, I don't know what black magic you use but you had me on the edge of the screen with my heart in my mouth, I simply couldn't stop reading.
These last 3 chapters are my new favorites.
That why they foalnapped the Changeling female, they pretend her to be a infiltration expert. Obvious ruse after the false flag attack.
Typically political bullshit, they probably try to remove the princesses influence since the unification war.