Regeneration Part 9
"Every great decision creates ripples, like a huge boulder dropped in a lake. The ripples merge and rebound off the banks in unforeseeable ways. The heavier the decision, the larger the waves, the more uncertain the consequences."
- The Seventh Doctor
+}{+
The words "Pinkie Pie" and "Funeral" should never be in the same sentence. Especially together. It sounded wrong to think of such a thing even happening. Pinkie Pie was special. Not just in how she made everyone laugh and smile but in everything she did, from appearing out of nowhere to sensing events before they occurred. Rainbow Dash wasn't an idiot. Everypony had to die someday, but Dash always figured that Pinkie Pie would die of old age while outliving practically all of them, with her wake being a big farewell party.
Only Pinkie Pie was the first Element to pass away and in the middle of her prime.
The funeral was the most somber and depressing thing Rainbow Dash had ever been to; not only did she feel like she would never be happy again, but it felt like a disgrace to everything Pinkie Pie was in her memory. There were no balloons, happy, colorful flowers, or uplifting songs. Even the memories of her were spoken in a dark, tearful silent mood.
The reasoning was simple. Nopony could come to terms with it. Because it just seemed so unfathomable and wrong that the word couldn't even be muttered.
Suicide.
Of all ponies, the Element of Laughter itself, Pinkie Pie had killed herself. Hanging her neck by a rope that suffocated her to death until she was nothing but a corpse. Rainbow Dash had heard Rarity screaming at Sugarcube Corner and rushed in, thinking she was in danger. When she saw Pinkie's dead eyes and realized what had happened, Dash threw up and panicked. Something she had never had in her entire life. Rarity, meanwhile, had practically torn Pinkie Pie off her hanging spot and tried to do CPR, screaming at her to wake up.
But she didn't once breathe or move again.
It took four ponies to finally get Rarity off the body so that the body could be taken away to the hospital's morgue with a doctor to help calm Rainbow Dash down.
Rainbow Dash, standing in the rain with her friends by her side, watched as the pink casket decorated with flowers and cards was lowered into the grave after final words from a somber Princess Celestia. The entire graveyard was filled with ponies from practically all over Equestria. All of whom were touched by Pinkie Pie in some way. All who wanted to say their farewells. Rainbow Dash barely dared to touch the casket or say anything. She was only thankful it was a closed service since she couldn't even imagine the thought of seeing Pinkie Pie lying in there as cold as a statue. Applejack and Rarity were by her side, looking just as staggered as her. Rarity hadn't been able to stop crying, and AJ barely said a word, instead looking downward to the point her hat covered her face. Everypony was sad, and not one smile could be given. Even the unemotional sister, Maud, hadn't stopped crying silently since the service started.
When the sound of the casket hitting the bottom of the hole was heard, everypony started to turn away and return home. There should have been some kind of party or celebration for Pinkie's life. But nopony had the strength to do one. How could anyone have a party when the premiere party pony was gone?
Rarity and Applejack were already leaving to be with their families. The only ones remaining in the graveyard soon were Dash, the gravediggers, and Twilight Sparkle. It was taking all of Rainbow Dash's strength to not rush over to Twilight and smash her hooves into her face. Because the damn alicorn hadn't cried or shown any sorrow during the funeral. She gave a speech and said she would miss Pinkie while stating she loved her, but Twilight did it with such a stone-cold expression that either Twilight was hiding all her emotions inside of her or she was not feeling anything. Rainbow Dash wanted to believe it was the former, but ever since she returned from Osaka, something had clearly changed Twilight, and not for the better.
The damn Harmony Canon was proof of that.
Rainbow Dash was no stranger to killing. She had done so in the war against humanity. But when she learned what had happened in the aftermath? All the lives that were just snuffed out like that? Rainbow Dash finally felt something that she had never felt for any human before: sympathy.
Rainbow Dash still couldn't sleep well and drank more often than usual. Her Element had caused one of the worst acts of mass murder that had ever happened both in Equestrian and Human history. To make matters worse, many ponies hated Equestria's princesses and heroes for what they had done and outright called them monsters. They finally went too far to the point that areas of the nation were outright rebelling or seceding from Equestria out of disgust and horror.
Ponies were outright calling the Elements of Harmony the Elements of Massacure for their actions.
And Rainbow Dash couldn't find it in her to deflect that.
War was one thing, but this was wrong.
So wrong that Pinkie Pie took her own life because of it.
Seeing the casket for the first time, Rainbow Dash finally understood why ponies had defected. Why other ponies rejected their "mission." And why Equestria was tearing herself apart to the point that you might as well call it the prelude to a civil war.
This is wrong, Rainbow Dash thought as she felt tears dripping down her eyes. What have we done? What have I done? I...I want...
She wanted the war to end.
She didn't care about anything else anymore.
She just wanted all the death to stop.
And yet she didn't know how to do so.
Save for one way, she knew how.
"I'm not letting you use my Element again," Rainbow Dash said to Twilight, who turned around and narrowed her eyes. "I know Rarity and Applejack already told you not to use theirs, so here is my statement. It's not going to be used for your Harmony Canon. Never again."
"Dash, we need-"
"We need to end the war, Twilight, but not like this. We need...to stop this," Rainbow Dash stated while noting with bitter irony how it was coming from her of all ponies. She had called out Lyra for thinking this way before she went on the run. Now she was telling Twilight to end a war that had gone out of control. "Half of Equestria is either rebelling or will rebel. I can't even sleep without thinking about the devastation we caused. And Pinkie Pie..."
Rainbow Dash took a deep breath before pointing to the grave. "Pinkie is dead."
"...I know, Dash," Twilight whispered as she closed her eyes. "I know she's dead. But that's not my fault."
"She's dead because you made us into monsters!" Rainbow Dash screamed.
"None of you refused to give up your Element in the end," Twilight said, looking directly at Rainbow Dash in the eye. "You gave me your elements and we used them. You could have said no. All of you could have said no. But you didn't. I told you everything possible with the Harmony Canon, and you still went with it anyway. As did the rest of the Princesses."
"... You're right," Rainbow Dash said with a heavy sigh. "I did. I didn't think it would be this bad. Maybe this was the wake-up I needed to finally understand what Lyra was saying about the war. Because this isn't us. This isn't supposed to be us, Twilight. I thought we were doing the right thing with the war because humanity really needed our help, but after what happened? I finally realized they do need help. Help from us."
"What you are speaking of is treason, Dash," Twilight pointed out.
"Then bucking arrest me. Because I don't give-to use a human term-a fuck what you think, Twilight," Dash growled as she stomped her hoof. "We just lost Pinkie Pie. Pinkie Pie! One of our best friends! And here you are not even sad-"
"Don't you dare think I am not sad, Rainbow!" Twilight hissed as she closed her eyes. "You think I'm not horrified that she killed herself? That I lost one of my best friends? That, every night, I don't cry thinking of all the times we were together? Do not accuse me of not caring because that can't be the furthest thing right now. I am just keeping calm because if I don't..."
There was a long silence between the two as the rain continued to fall on them. If the grave workers were paying attention, they kept silent about it. Twilight sighed and opened her eyes, looking more tired and lost than Rainbow Dash had ever seen her friend. "My brother is dead. My parents are still unable to come to terms with it. Fluttershy, Flash, and Discord betrayed us. Spike refuses to talk to me, and our last conversation led us to say things that both regret. Princess Celestia has been keeping to herself in her room for days. Princess Luna is too busy trying to keep things together with me. Cadence is dealing with the same issue in the Crystal Empire, and her daughter refuses to speak to anypony. Half of Equestria is rebelling, and numerous forces are outright going awol and joining the other side. Now my friends refuse to help me or deal with me because of what we all agreed to do-"
"And you want to do it again," Rainbow Dash interrupted with disgust. "Applejack told me you wanted to use the Harmony Canon again."
"Dash, humanity wants to destroy us," Twilight growled as she shook her head. "They already fired six nuclear missiles at us, and if it wasn't for the barrier protecting us, we would all be dead."
Dash winced upon hearing that but couldn't say she was surprised.
"I am trying to do what I can to save our species from not just humanity but our own ponies, who have lost faith in everything we believed," Twilight sighed and shook her head. "Not to mention we still have no solid way to counter The Doctor."
"...Then why bother fighting, Twilight?" Rainbow Dash asked with a heavy sigh of her own. "Look, I hate giving up as much as the next pony. But it sounds like this war will get worse in our favor. What's the point anymore of this? We failed. Can't we just sue for peace or ask for a ceasefire? Damnit, I'll even take going home with our tails between our legs. I just... I can't do this anymore."
"We can't go home," Twilight whispered, shaking her head. "Now that Pinkie Pie is dead, we cannot use the spell. The Elements of Harmony were needed to get us home; we're here for good without them."
"Then let's negotiate with-"
"I will see all of Equestria burn before I negotiate with The Doctor," Twilight growled with such rage in her eyes that Dash swore she saw the build-up of dark magic out the corners of her whites. "You have no idea what he is capable of, Rainbow Dash. What I saw him do. He's the worst enemy we've ever faced, and I fear what he will do to us all if he wins. I will not bow to the stallion that killed my brother, scarred me, and embarrassed me like that. Never."
At that moment, Rainbow Dash knew that the Twilight she knew was dead. Something inside her had broken, and the once kind, sweet mare who wanted to learn about friendship and spread it to the world had been replaced with a bitter and spiteful being filled with sorrow and rage. While Rainbow Dash could blame The Doctor for it, it felt like a moot point. This wasn't the Twilight she loved and cared for. The one she went through so much with in the past. The Twilight that Rainbow Dash respected and loved.
This was a total stranger, and she did not intend to follow her to whatever end was to come.
"Then count me out," Rainbow Dash whispered as she shook her head. "I'm done, Twilight. I won't leave Equestria and do what I can to defend her, but I want nothing to do with you anymore."
"What happened to being loyal, Dash?" Twilight asked in a tone that sounded both accusatory and hurt.
"It's called being loyal to your consciousness, Twilight," Rainbow Dash replied before turning away. "And my loyalty is to those I consider my friends. You aren't the Twilight I am friends with, and I hope she returns to us one day. But for now? I want nothing to do with you."
Rainbow Dash didn't even let Twilight say anything back in return. She just took to the skies as fast as she could to hide the fact that she was crying.
+}{+
When the funeral was over, Applejack just went home, grabbed her hardest drink in her cellar, and went to find a good place to sit and ingest it. Much as a part of her wanted to drink it all down in one gulp and get so drunk she'd be more numb than a mouth in a dentist's office, she sipped it quietly while being deep in thought. Applejack often liked to think she had a clear and leveled head. It came with growing up faster than she wanted when her parents died. So why in the sam hill did Ah agree to let Twilight use mah Element like that?
Applejack would be the first to outright say she disliked humanity. Hay, she might even hate them, especially since Big Macintosh was now a prisoner or dead because of them. But even she knew that what happened with the Harmony Canon was wrong. Maybe because she had never been involved in the war, save for donating to the cause, she couldn't grasp the loss of life. But eighty-five million lives? And partly because of her?
Not even her hatred for humanity could diminish the disgust and guilt that was worming inside her.
Applejack, for the first time in her entire time since the war began, felt that they had made a mistake in what they did. Humanity deserved to be converted, and some may even need to die for how bad they really were. But this? This was wrong.
And it seemed half of Equestria was thinking the same thing. Portions of the entire nation were outright demanding an end to the war or committing secession. Some were even calling for the Princesses and Elements to be judged for their crimes of mass murder. Ponies were defending their actions, citing it was war, and they needed to stop humanity for the greater good of harmony. But this felt like something other than harmony. This felt like the very opposite of it. Applejack couldn't even look at herself in the mirror anymore without thinking of the final moments of all the humans and some of the ponies settled in those areas that died instantly. Others couldn't even look Applejack in the eye because they were disgusted with her despite all she did for Ponyville. More than one pony in Ponyville sneered or whispered behind her back, insulting her good name. Usually, Applejack would confront somepony talking negatively about her, but this time she didn't have the strength to do so.
Partly because she felt, deep down, she deserved it.
Pinkie Pie's suicide only made her feel more justified for her self-disgust. Pinkie Pie was a good-hearted pony. She could see the best in everyone, even the worst of them. For her to just kill herself like that? It meant that she felt that what they played a part in was beyond forgiveness. And Applejack didn't know how to move on from that nor what to even think what this meant.
Was this war really unjustified? Did it mean that Lyra was right? Were the princesses, the being she worshiped her entire life, wrong? Was Equestria the villain? Do Ah even want to believe that, or can Ah even believe that to be the case?
"Applejack?" She looked to her left and saw her sister-in-law, Sugar Belle, walking towards her while still dressed in her funeral dress. "I was wondering where you left."
"Ah needed to think," Applejack answered as she took another sip from her bottle. "Applebloom?"
"In her room. Sobbing," Sugar Belle answered as she sat down next to Applejack. The farmer pony handed her sister-in-law the drink, and she slowly took it before taking a large gulp and giving it back. "I need to tell you something. I...I got a letter from Big Mac."
Applejack's eyes widened, and her head snapped towards Sugar Belle so fast it nearly broke. "H-How?"
"A pony I had never met before handed it to me. I think he was a member of the Underground Railroad," Sugar Belle answered with a sigh. "Before you ask, no. I've never been involved with them. This just came out of the blue."
"Are ya sure it's from him?" Applejack asked desperately. Ever since Osaka, Applejack wasn't sure if her brother was a prisoner or dead. Despite hearing the stories of how humans treated their prisoners, she wanted some hope that her dear older brother was alive.
"I've read his writing so many times in the love letters we always sent to each other that I know his style by heart," Sugar Belle replied before giving a small smile. "He's alive."
Applejack felt her sorrow from earlier slowly diminish as she let out a big gasp of relief. He was alive. Big Macintosh was alive. She hadn't lost another family member like her parents. "W-What did he say?"
"That he was being treated well and believes the war is a mistake," Sugar Belle said with a heavy sigh. "He says he's had time to learn about humanity. See their side of everything. He believes that...Equestria needs to stop before we do something we'll all regret. After what happened with the Harmony Canon, I think it's too late."
Applejack didn't say anything but grunt a bit.
"He...he told me to leave Equestria," Sugar Belle admitted as she closed her eyes. "Told me how to contact the Underground Railroad, and they could get me out. He wanted me to get you and Applebloom out as well."
"...That would mean leavin' the farm," Applejack whispered in disbelief. "Leavin' Ponyville. Mah friends. Equestria. He wants us to just...drop it all and go?"
"Applejack, the writing is on the wall," Sugar Belle said as she got up and glared at her. "We just committed the biggest war crime in history that I can't even blame the humans for wanting to nuke us at this point. Half the population is ready to outright rebel to end the war or fight them with fanaticism because they think they are traitors. You can't even look Twilight in the eyes, and Pinkie Pie is dead while Fluttershy has already left with Discord. The humans are winning the war, even if they haven't managed to attack us directly. It's almost a matter of time before they figure out a way beyond the barrier. They already figured out a way to undo the Conversion Potion. How long do you think it will take until they get past that?"
"But..."
"Applejack, the moment the barrier goes down? Equestria is finished," Sugar Belle stated with a shake of her head. "I love my home, but I love my family more. I love Big Macintosh, and I'd rather live with him in the human world than waste my time preparing to suffer or die in a land that has lost all sanity. The only reason I am telling you all this is that you and I are family. I love you and Applebloom, and Big Macintosh misses you both. Come with me to see him, and we can put this entire war behind us. Let Equestria just suffer for the madness it created. Let's just get out of here, please."
Applejack, on her part, didn't say anything. It was known that there had been some ponies in Ponyville who had defected to the humans. Ponies that Applejack had known her entire life or for a long time that she felt disgusted about for leaving like a bunch of traitors. She called them all sorts of names and swore that if she ever learned that a pony was thinking of betraying Equestria for the enemy, she would tell the E.S.S. as soon as she could.
Now Sugar Bell, part of her family by marriage, was telling her outright that she wanted to defect. There was a part of Applejack that told her to do this. To take all of them and abandon Equestria as if she was a sinking ship with too many holes to plug in.
The other part of her was telling her to tell the nearest E.S.S. agent or one of the Princesses that her sister-in-law was planning to leave Equestria with an organization deemed an enemy of the state. It hurt Applejack to hear Sugar Bell say she would rather be with the humans than her own kind. It hurt even more upon realizing that Big Macintosh was telling her to do it, meaning he had the same mindset.
Like Applejack, Big Macintosh was proud of their home and all they accomplished with it. Four generations of Apples had made Ponyville the place it is today, and a legacy was tied to it. To give all of that up? Big Macintosh would never suggest such a thing unless things were really that bad, even under the threat of torture.
But if they did this, it would betray everything Applejack stood for.
Applejack closed her eyes and lowered her head. "Take Applebloom and go."
"Huh?" Sugar Belle asked with a surprised expression.
"It will look suspicious if all three of us leave," Applejack said before taking another drink. Wiping her mouth, she continued, "Ah'll tell everypony that you took her to see your relatives down south. Ah'll then say Ah got a letter sayin' ya both died in an accident or something. Maybe them Underground Railroaders can arrange that. Just...take her and go to Big Macintosh. Make sure ya don't come back until this war is over. If there is anythin' to come back to."
"B-But what about you?" Sugar Belle asked.
"Ah'll stay here on the farm," Applejack whispered, slowly getting up and stretching her legs. "Ah can handle things here on mah end."
"Why can't you come with us?" Sugar Belle asked, biting her lip.
"Because Ah can't leave Equestria. Or Ponyville," Applejack chuckled with a shake of her head. "Ah'm stubborn. What can Ah say? This is mah home and, come hell or water, ah gotta stay with her. Even if she's wrong, Ah just can't leave her, but Ah won't let y'all stay here with me. So go. Take Applebloom. Get back with Big Macintosh. And..."
"Y-yeah?"
Applejack shook her head. "Pray that things don't get worse."
+}{+
Cadence swore long ago that she would never be a heavy drinker. She owed it to a mistake in her youth when she and her friends at school decided to drink despite being underage. It led her to do some pretty stupid stuff while drunk that made her get the biggest grounding she ever got from her Aunt Celestia. Since then, Cadence swore she would never drink again.
The past half year had seen that promise break apart into tiny pieces. Cadence's husband died, and her sister-in-law was battling PTSD and pushing everyone away. Humanity was winning the war with numerous subjects under her command and care dying regularly. There were outright protests and demands to end the war from within the Crystal Empire, with even talks of overthrowing Cadence and seceding from Equestria to be their own nation again. The final stroke that broke the camel's back was the Harmony Canon. Deep down, Cadence had wanted to use it to get revenge for Shining Armor's death. To make the humans pay and have them feel the pain, she felt deep inside. Especially if they were lucky and wiped out The Doctor as well.
But when she learned of the devastation and the harm it had caused, Cadence had never felt more disgusted with herself in her entire life. That was the first time she ever had an all-night drinking barrage in private to deal with the sorrow and pain in her heart. Learning about Pinkie Pie's suicide was all but the assurance that she needed to know this was wrong. Twilight's friends were like family to Cadence, even if she only got to know them during and after her wedding. To lose the Element of Laugher from suicide of all things?
It was like nothing would ever be the same again and that even if they won this war, it would be a hallow victory.
Although right now, war was the furthest thing on her mind.
The relationship with her daughter was the primary one.
Since using the Harmony Canon, Flurry Heart had refused to look or speak at her. Cadence knew she was upset about allowing it to be fired, especially when she made it clear that she was against it. Flurry Heart's expression was not sorrow or anger but disappointment when fired. At everypony there that day except for Spike, who had a fight with Twilight that seemed to end their friendship for good. That had also been heartbreaking as Spike and Twilight were always together, the best of friends, and were practically family in the eyes of the other. For him to reject her like that, it also had to be painful for him.
My whole family is falling apart, and I can't do anything, Cadence bitterly thought as she slowly got up from her bed and looked down from her balcony at the Crystal Empire. I can't even maintain order in my own kingdom.
Numerous riots happened in the city in the following days. It almost prevented her from going to the funeral. The Crystal Ponies had finally had enough, and most of the city was demanding that Princess Cadence end their involvement in the war, or they would force her out and restore their independence. The only thing keeping her safe from an outright revolution was that the military and guard were still loyal to her and her husband's spirit. Even if some of them didn't look at her with happy eyes anymore.
It was so bad that even Luna was telling her to get out of there with Flurry Heart until they could take back the situation under their control, but that was just one of many problems Equestria was facing. Most, if not all, of the southern lands, had declared independence, with lands on the east and west split over ending the war. Some were even demanding the princesses step down. Only the core and northern lands, save for the Crystal Empire, were still showing absolute loyalty to the point that anyone saying even the slightest criticism was being dragged out of their homes by angry loyalists and handing them over to the E.S.S. Some hangings were even being done.
Have we really fallen so low? Cadence wondered as she recalled Discord and The Doctor's words to her, Twilight, and Shining that day in Osaka. About how far they had disgraced themselves and become blinded by their own arrogance, they couldn't see what they were doing was wrong. Cadence believed in Celestia's words about humanity. She never lied to her or told her anything that made her think her aunt was manipulating things.
But for the first time, she began to doubt.
Was humanity really so evil that it warranted all the extreme measures being used to fight them?
Was the war really nothing more than a cover-up to create a pony-only world by effectively wiping out a species that had ruled it on its own for one reason or another?
Was their world really...gone?
"Your majesty!" A guard screamed as he burst through the doors, nearly scaring Cadence into jumping into the air. "Princess Flurry Heart has run away!"
"What?!" Cadence shouted in shock and horror as she teleported to her daughter's room. She looked around and tried to find any sign of her, but there were nothing but worried guards and staff members as one was reading a piece of paper. Fear gripped her heart as she snatched it from him, and her worst fears came true upon reading it.
Dear Mother,
By the time you read this, I am already out of Equestria and heading to the human lands with Spike. I don't do this without regret because I know I am leaving you and others we love for siding with our supposed enemy. But I have had enough. I am not going to sit by and let you all commit genocide on a species that Celestia hates for whatever reason that, to Spike and me, is not good enough to warrant the destruction we are bringing.
I have had enough. I am defecting.
A war started because humanity wished to decide its own destiny. Yes, I know humanity played a role in my father's death, but how many children like myself have lost their fathers, mothers, siblings, and friends because of this war? Humanity may be flawed, but so are we. We claim them to be the barbarians of war and death, and yet, after seeing what the Harmony Canon has done, I feel that it is more associated with us.
I have always felt that this war is wrong, and Spike does too. We have never said or done anything about it because you, Aunt Twilight, and everypony else are our family. But this has gone too far. Aunt Twilight is no longer the happy and wise mare I love so much but a monster consumed by revenge and hate. Aunt Luna is too blinded by making war and protecting Equestria that she doesn't see that the only ones we need protection from are ourselves. Celestia is mad. Pure mad and zealous in her hatred for humanity. And if the rumors of her leaving our world behind are true, then she is also a monster and a liar who deserves to die for what she has done.
And you? Mom? I love you. And I will always love you. But ever since Dad died, you've been so consumed with his death that you've forgotten all reason. I can forgive forgetting about me at times because of your grief for losing Dad. I know I have as well. I hope this helps you see the light and become the Mom I love again.
Because this has to end.
I think a quote from the human world fits with what I am feeling right now: "Evil wins when good men do nothing."
I have done nothing in the past, probably because, due to my age, I was not expected to do so, but I will do it now. I will stop this war even if it means working with the stallion who helped kill my father.
Because Dad always says you must follow your heart to do the right things.
And it's time I did that.
I love you, and I hope we can still be a family when this war ends.
Love, Flurry Heart.
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Ooooohh... This chapter hit me HARD. So many emotions and tears its..
Thank you, for this heartbreaking, emotional, and amazing story.
Oh now this is going to be fantastic, good for Sugar Bell, Apple Bloom, Spike and Flurry. Run, run away from there as fast as you can. Equestria has brought hell to their doorstep. Equestria may as well be the solar empire at this point.
Putting the "Fun" in "Funeral" in absolutely the wrong way.
(At this point, an Equestrian win would be anything but blessed. :P )
That all being said, it's some sanity restoring itself to the world. At least the young have a chance to escape the hellscape Equestria is on course to becoming before being tainted irrevocably.
Definitely quite a turn from "Negotiations"-canon-story. Can't wait to see how Doctor and his companions are taking this, along with the Two Sisters... And of course what else lies ahead...
Keep it up.
Correction. You will never have a solid way to counter The Doctor. Because as Discord said, he is the Coming Storm. A storm that will destroy everything under a forest of lighting and a sea of fire as claps of thunder roar through the sky. A storm who's rage you have earned and will soon get.
Well, I am glad the Crystal empire didn't get nuked. I always felt that Cadence got the raw deal in the main cannon. If she found out about the lie, Celestia told. The lie that got Shining Armor killed. Whoa, boy. Watch out.
Well that's just great. My next chapter is similar to this. WHAT AM I GOING TO DO NOW?!
Funny how a weapon that was supposed to cripple Earth ended up doing far, FAR more damage to Equestria through fallout of its users.
Wow. With this kind of carnage, upheaval, and unrest in Equestria, suddenly, it makes sense as to why the Windigos exists.
11521943
That's something I dislike with the Doctor fics he's always over glorified like he's undefeatable when he very often fails sometimes in dumb ways and people die because of it, like with the firing of the Harmony Cannon he could've easily block the beam with the TARDIS or have the beam enter it and contain in its pocket dimensions, and you can't claim there wasn't time where you have a time machine with enough power to blow up the whole universe.
Did the nukes hit the barrier and melt, or did they actually detonate (either because they were proximity detected or because they were timed to blow up near the barrier)?
11522001
A damn good point. Why DIDN'T he though, Rated Ponystar?
11522003
Knowing TCB they hit the barrier and exploded on impact blocking the explosion and the fallout.
The barrier is one of those things that never made sense it blocks whatever the author wants it to block.
Dash might be the next one to leave. She's right on the edge; she's realizing that she gave her loyalty to ponies who abused it. All it would take is one more push...
It's been a while since a fic hit this hard
Good job
I’m glad Spike and Flurry Heart Sugar Belle and Applebloom defected I hope Rarity Rainbowdash and cadence finally wake up and help humanity
For a second I was scared Applejack was going to turn in Sugar Belle and other ponies like she did in the original, but glad to see in this alternate canon she's not a backstabber.
Yesss thanks for the update
11522001
in most doctor who canon, both TV and literature, he's said that he can't be everywhere at once and that some points in history can't be stopped, no matter how hard he tries. He couldn't stop the beam by going back in time most likely cause of the catastrophic paradox it would cause, no matter how much he would want to.
11522203
See that's just lazy writing, an excuse to nerf a time machine cause obviously all problems could be solved if the time machine worked as intended, and what paradox he would only need to go back a few seconds to intercept the beam, and even if we exclude the time travel aspect Doctor detected the Harmonic energy buildup well in advance or are you telling me that a spaceship that can move magnitudes faster than light couldn't intercept the beam?
Of course now they begin to wake up. After becoming war criminals wanted dead or alive by every human in existence. And Toollight shows just how far she's fallen. I have a hunch The Doctor will not be kind to her at all.
11521970
Logically? Have Thera smuggle a few WMDs into major Equestrian cities. Trigger half then warn the ponies that unless they capitulate you wil set the rest off.
11522218
Instantly solving all problems and never struggling or having trouble? He isn't a god, and to be honest, that doesn't sound like a very enjoyable read. Many readers prefer a hero with flaws, one who isn't perfect, because they are easier to relate to. No one is perfect and the struggle is part of life. Just winning all the time is not only unrealistic, but also not enjoyable unless it is your character and you're living a power fantasy.
In addition the Doctor might be overglorified, but that is because people may be focusing on the battles he has actually won, and not the work it took to win those battles.
Kinda dissapointed Flurry didn't go one step further and lead the Crystal Ponies in ousting Cadance. Given the description of how the guards loyalty was wavering, her endorsement would probably have blown that house of cards right down.
But, she's her mom, so I can see why she'd rather leave than have to turn on her directly. And an alicorn defecting to humanity will definitely have a major impact either way.
Still, losing the Empire probably would have meant losing the Harmony cannon, and with it remaining in Equestrian hooves, I don't put it past Midnight Sparkle to find some way to jury rig it even with the rest of the Elements noping out.
Of course, my main worry is: did we lose Moondancer and the anti-magic generator team? I'll have to reread the side stories, but I think they were developing that at MIT, which would be right in the area Sparkle just vaporized...
11522218
And do what? Now you're glorifying things, because even the TARDIS isn't invincible. There's a vast difference between repelling Mongol hordes and tanking something that basically fried the East coast of NA.
Its good to see that part of Equestria isn't willing to go that far into the war
Not your fault!? NOT YOUR FAULT!!!!!?
THIS IS YOUR FRICKIN FAULT!!!! PINKIE IS DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU!!!
SHE KILLED HERSELF BECAUSE OF WHATYOU DID!!!!
AND YOU HAVE THE THE ADACITY TO SAY YOU DID NOTHING WRONG!!!?
THATS JUSTIVIABLE!!!! BECAUSE YOU DESTROYED AN ENTIRE CONTINENT WITH THE DEATH OF 85 MILLION PEOPLE WITHOUT MERCY!!!
YOU THINK THEY WONT BE BLOODTHIRSTY FOR THAT!!!?
You are not saving your species.
You are destroying them
Im proud of you Flurry
11522218
And you are just a complainer
Soon the dark harvest will be complete!
... Yup, I think my prediction that all of the Mane 6 and every single important character to this story (sans Pinkie), other than the loyalists, will be supporting the humans from now on. Every character has made mistakes, and it seems some of them are now willing to fix what they caused. I would even be surprised if Cadance or Luna defects at this point. Half of Equestria already has.
(I'll admit I'm surprised at Equestria's fracturing. I would have thought most would cheer atrocity. I suppose I give them too little credit.
Of course it doesn't matter how many recant now. What's done is done. It will take the Doctor's personal intervention to prevent them from being bombed into oblivion when the Barrier comes down. And it will come down, sooner or later.)
A wise man once said "You may damage the outer walls of a castle but it will still stand. If you damage the inside then it will crumple."
Equestria is torn apart and is breaking from within. Soon this shall end, whether it be by surrender or by the light of a sun born from atom.
Okay, I really want to see what kind of fight Twilight and Spike had.
11522218
Because...if he stopped the beam, he wouldn't have gone back to stop the beam...which is the paradox. If he goes back in time to stop the beam, then he never would have. Actual temporal physics there.
11522246
agreed...the doctors had his failures in the show, including failing to save a few of his companions and many of his victories tend to be as much luck as skill, which makes for a good read or show.
11522218
Look how many people disagree
11522218
It's like what Sam Raimi's Green Goblin told Spiderman: "The one thing they love more than a hero, is to see a hero fail, fall, die try. In spite of everything you've done for them, eventually they will hate you. Why bother?"
11523112
I don't disagree with that flawless characters are boring and it's more interesting story if they struggle but if they struggle because they're dumb or the plot needs them to be it's also boring.
It would be a time loop not a paradox the beam was already fired so he would have no choice but to stop it each time Doctor has pulled such times loops in the show IIRC where he run around him psst self to change things.
In the show the Doctor often struggles because he's separated from the TARDIS or going back in time wouldn't have prevented the threat anyway.
Plus like I said even if we take out the time travel aspect out of it the TARDIS is a space ship that can move infinitely faster than light it should have no problem catching up to the beam.
My main point is that the devastation of the USA and CANADA just feel forced for the story sake cause it could've been prevented.
11523227
I respectfully disagree. If he stopped the beam, his past self wouldn't have to go back to stop it, hense the paradox, which would summon, in doctor who lore, something very nasty due to the absence of his fellow time lords (established in the first chapter) in this reality, known as reapers
11523464
Maybe you should read that wiki page, that happened because Rose attempted to change a time locked event something that must happen that no time travel can undo.
Time paradoxes aren't the same as time locked events.
Time paradoxes can be turned into time loops or can be sustained by the TARDIS like how the Master created a time paradox to bring his allies from the end of time to the present.
11523475
I don;t think we're going to agree on this. Lets agree to disagree.
11523491
Blame the show for having very inconsistent rules that can be altered at any time.
You say time paradoxes are impossible yet they happen every few episodes and are always resolved at the end due to a mcguffin or the future Doctor altering the past, like how he erased his name from the timeline so no enemies of his would know who he is and stop coming after him and earth which should have prevented some of the episodes from happening.
Other times he'll just rewrite the whole universe from null.
But like I said previously let's exclude time travel from the equation he still has a ship that can travel faster than light there was nothing stopping him from just flying into the beam, most of the time the Doctor struggles in the show is because he's separated from the TARDIS and at that point he is but a single man with a fancy screwdriver that can do everything but call the TARDIS to him or actually unscrew things, it probably even can disarm a thousand nukes mid flight.
11523507
You are talking like he is a GOD
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Twilight has actually done MORE DAMAGE than just killing 85 million people.
She made thousands of animals GO EXTINCT
11523532
Well in his own canon he's refered to as the Lonely God.
well, I hope Candnace wakes up and defeacts as well, it is nice to see an Applejack and a Rainbow dash with working brains in this AU, I hope rarity leaves as well too
And so it begins.