4217597 The triumph of nihilism over existence, thermodynamics, and an antiquated fertility demigoddess.
Sadly, nihilistic victories are empty, unenjoyable ones. Triumph over existence leaves one unable to interact with it. Triumph over thermodynamics leaves one unable to do anything. And triumph over a fertility demigoddess means nothing if one does not change the qualities that attracted her in the first place.
In any case, fantastic stuff, Goat Licker. I especially loved the explode-o-dome. If big particle accelerators are good, surely accelerators of big particles are even better! I look forward to more, especially if you go into more detail about Berry's ability to bilocate.
this story has brought of many emotions and thoughts i believed myself rid of decades ago so god job i guess ? the true merit of an author is to make the reader think and you certainly done that but damn i uh wow
Well good job Berry. You have successfully rejected reality to substitute your own. Now go prove you don't actually exist, wouldn't that be fun? Lero and the Runner, wonder how that would go down.
4218005 In Berry's case however there is a certain joy in her nihilism. She doesn't care what changes in her life, she is herself regardless of circumstances. In some ways it's enlightenment, a separation of her being from the world around her. Enlightenment has always stuck me as a cruel fate, and the worst part is you did it to yourself.
4217654 Runner in the woods is considered to be one of the (possible) origins of the the word Dionysus. I gave her bipedal cloven hooves like the satyrs, who were part of Dionysus's retinue, and the whole orgy thing, of course, was a Dionysian Mysteries/Bacchanalia. Runner in the Woods is basically pony Dionysus. The antlers certainly do hearken to something anciently Gaelic, though.
4218005 Yep, a very-big-particle particle accelerator. There's a reason I called that town Beavertron.
I appreciated your summary of this chapter. Berry didn't just triumph over the Runner in the Woods, but her own cutie mark.
The bilocation ability is me having some fandumb fun over an animation error in Sisterhooves Social, a season two episode. Berry Punch is in the race and in the stands at the same time.
Lero and the Runner, wonder how that would go down.
Sweating and panting heavily, the Runner clawed her way from Lero. "No more!" she said. "Enough!"
"Hmm, I don't know," Lero said, standing over her, sticky and fully erect. "I could go for another round."
The Runner, hearing such a terrifying boast, wailed and crossed her legs in protection. "Please! I'll let them go! Just... give me rest, please!"
Her magic flared, and ponies all over the world were freed from her bondage. She collapsed into unconsciousness.
Behind him, standing next to the tent, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and Princess Luna stared in awe.
Luna cleared her throat. "Thank you, kind Lero. I heard rumors, but had no idea... I mean, twelve hours! Thats-" Luna took a deep breath, regaining her composure. "Well, we thank thee none the less."
"Anything I can do to help the state, Princess Luna," Lero said with an awkward bow, his penis poking his tummy.
"So," Dash said, licking her lips and grinning at his erect penis. "Want somepony to take care of that for you?"
Lero smiled. "That would be great."
"Well too bad, you got goddess spunk all over you."
This chapter was...bad. I appreciate how the author was trying to do something new and deep, but it all came out as random nonsense and empty philosophizing.
This whole thing seems to have been posted 10 days too late, or something
She passed by the ruined walls of the abandoned explode-o-dome, where unicorn scientists once hurled rocks around a track before smacking them into each other to study the explosions.
Ahh. The Large Hard Rock Collider
“Mowing grass is a sick and depraved act,” Berry Punch said. “You should be ashamed of yourself, striking down grass as it reaches for sexual maturity, keeping it in an artificially retarded childhood, gelding those poor blades for the sake of appearances. How perverted.”
Hah. Brilliant!
(especially since Berry used her bilocation skill to heckle the participants while simultaneously competing in the event)
"Bilocation", hmm? Seems like common Earth Pony magic. Pinkie abuses that one a lot
The immediate outside world should be near freezing too, up to however far the radius is that your mad quest affects, but you aren’t doing that right because you’re a dilettante.
Heh. So, he's trying to slow down the world around him, but he's doing it all wrong because he's an amateur
Anyway, good luck with achieving that personal zero-point energy state. Bye dad.
Two weeks later, she gets a panicked letter from Beavertron informing her that her dad is freezing the whole town
4220397 No, I'm fairly sure the author was aiming for random nonsense and empty philosophizing.
Based on some of the reactions here, I'm going to have to call this chapter a dud. I wasn't clear enough in my intentions. Berry Punch's "empty philosophizing" is her trying to rationalize her actions and decisions, which ultimately ends in her defying her cutie mark. Keep in mind that she made her decision on what to do before coming up with a reason for doing it. She is ultimately, not a nihilist, but an absurdist. The clue was that some of her speechifying was based on Camus's essay, The Myth of Sisyphus, specifically the parts about a meaningless life equaling ultimate freedom, and living a life of quantity over quality. Incidentally, her mother, Fruit Loop, walling herself off from reality was a literal reading of Camus's essay on metaphysical rebellion.
The clinking bottles in her saddle bag, and her constant references to burning things, was supposed to hint that they were Molotov cocktails (or the pony equivalent), and she was planing on dying as a way to defy her cutie mark, up until she was able to meditate her way out of her destiny.
I was way too vague in all of this, and I apologize. I absolutely did not mean to confuse the reader. The nonsense wasn't supposed to be random. At the very least, I hope no one was bored - a high crime in fiction writing.
As an aside, Kafka and Philip K. Dick are two of the biggest influences on my writing, and that sort of weirdness always finds a away in any long story I've written, even when it doesn't make any sense. It's a weakness I need to be more aware about, especially when writing a romantic slice-of-life story.
4226670 The Runner in the Woods is just an ancient, pre-historic pony goddess, and has no relation to the fae. She is organic to Equestria. The fae are the second-least interesting thing to me about the original Xenophilia, and they are unlikely to make an appearance or a mention in this story (no promises, though).
4226819 Star Struggle wasn't trying to slow the world around him; just himself, as an admittedly mad form of rebellion against the universe that took his herd away. But, as Berry Punch pointed out, he isn't doing it right
Well that was pleasantly surreal! It was a bit confusing but I really liked it. Would have helped to know exactly what her cutie mark meant though... Still, good job getting your freedom as you wanted Berry!
Maybe she would enjoy being turned into a human by Twilight's magic?
4226960 At least I got the internal rebellion right. Very interesting way of painting this one, it was surreal and still felt grounded in an odd way. Well done.
Well this... did not make too much sense in the grand scheme of the xenophillia verse. Unless The Runner is a Fae, like the one who brought Lero to Equestria in the first place, Then HOLY BUCK BERRY MUST HAVE HUGE FORT AND WILL SAVES TO BE ABLE TO BREAK OUT OF A HIGH FAE'S GLAMOR!
4295397 I remember a line from 'Heated Passion' chapter of Xenophilia, when the concept of a cooler was first introduced;
It helps for a couple of hours, if whoever’s wearing it uses it right.
So I thought, how do you use it wrong? It was supposed to be that Lyra's cooler was empty when she induced Bon Bon to have a second orgasm, but rereading that section again, it looks like I forgot to mention it. Damn it.
Only 70-80 years? I'd always thought magical pastel pony lifespans were longer than human norm, especially since Granny Smith is several hundred years old.
4295604 If I remember my Word Of Faust correctly, ponies have the same lifespan as humans. I figure Granny Smith is some insane outlier (or the writers don't care about continuity as much as the fans).
Okay... HELP! I totally missed out on these "Fae" characters. I don't have a single clue as to what they are.
All that aside, I really... kinda... maybe... Okay, not really "enjoy," but I appreciate this chapter for the new perspectives that it presents. I enjoy these trains of thought every once in a while and I can see the effort put into presenting the authors thought through the mediums of psychology, humor, and other references I didn't get. It is well written and artfully crafted.
4314943 The Fae are considered to be the kidnappers of Lero, based on the chapter 'The Altercation' in the original Xenophilia. They're considered to be the reason why Lero was so afraid of Princess Celestia's hair.
Interestingly, Anonauthor never confirmed or denied that they were the Fae - he was always vague about the identity of Lero's former captors ("may or may not be the Fae"). So you could probably imagine Lero's captors to be something or someone else, and still be technically correct about it, which, as we all know, is the best kind of correct.
Also, Berry Punch's thoughts and beliefs in this chapter aren't necessarily my own.
This chapter was amazing. I would like more if you don't mind. I love this kind of stuff. It was weird and I liked it. I understood it and I liked it. And you gave me several more things to read, which endears you to me in the best way!
4226960 I wouldn't call this chapter a dud in any way. High concept, maybe... but certainly not a dud. I like what you've done with Berry Punch and, even though I allready had XFT's version of her planned out in my mind, I find more and more that she's morphing into your version of her instead - and I'm liking her more for it.
Damn, now that was quite a ride. I regret I've had this chapter sitting in my 'to read' pile for so long.
I've wondered a few times what would happen if a pony more or less thought their destiny stupid and moved to do something about it, and this was just a glorious take on it.
I take Berry in this universe was more or less meant to end up a consort slash devotee of The Runner? Rather chilling stuff, since those old style gods seldom treated the mortals following them with much care. I was frankly quite surprised Berry was just let go like that.
I'm not sure how you feel about the comparison to a video-game, but I got this really neat Planescape: Torment vibe from this entire chapter. Mortals shaping the nature of reality simply because their Will is stronger than such flimsy things, old gods defied and made to bow because not even they may stop those that have learned their own natures, entire destines being reshaped because the right words were spoken at the right time with such conviction that the multiverse itself trembles at their uttering...
Honestly, if what you call a dud may give me goosebumps like this, I can't wait to see what you consider your magnum opus. I do however hope you tackle metaphysical themes like this again, because I at least really enjoyed this chapter and hope to see more like it.
...or you could just do as some authors do (eg. RealityCheck in The Great Alicorn Hunt) do and operate on the assumption that a diet heavy in Zap Apple jam has life-extending properties.
It's different and a bit too subtle in places, but there's a reason I keep wishing I could add individual chapters to the "ssokolow's Recommendations" group I administer.
Berry's parents have become Marauders. Mages whose insanity is powerful enough to self-manifest. At least in the White Wolf universe they are exempt from the drawbacks of true magic because they're completely lost to their delusion. The problem with them is that when you come within a certain distance you become a character in their world, because within that radius their world is reality.
Though Berry's parents are doing it wrong.
The Walker, if as Goat said is native to Equestria, could be a true Marauder. And yes, Berry has some major fortitude to be able to assert her own reality over the Walker's.
...the fuck did I just read?
pfftHAH! Berry, you... magnificent horse you.
And this Runner intrigues me, she does. Very old gaelic sort of thing going on there.
After listening to a lot of Night Vale podcasts this was ... interesting.
I'm not entirely sure what I just read.
4217597
The triumph of nihilism over existence, thermodynamics, and an antiquated fertility demigoddess.
Sadly, nihilistic victories are empty, unenjoyable ones. Triumph over existence leaves one unable to interact with it. Triumph over thermodynamics leaves one unable to do anything. And triumph over a fertility demigoddess means nothing if one does not change the qualities that attracted her in the first place.
In any case, fantastic stuff, Goat Licker. I especially loved the explode-o-dome. If big particle accelerators are good, surely accelerators of big particles are even better! I look forward to more, especially if you go into more detail about Berry's ability to bilocate.
Everything is nothing is everything. Nothing is everything is nothing.
These two statements are mutually exclusive and yet, paradoxically, are both true at the same time. It's all in how you look at it, I guess.
this story has brought of many emotions and thoughts i believed myself rid of decades ago so god job i guess ? the true merit of an author is to make the reader think and you certainly done that but damn i uh wow
THAT WAS FANTASTIC!!!OH GOD WAS IT FANTASTIC!!!!!
Well good job Berry. You have successfully rejected reality to substitute your own. Now go prove you don't actually exist, wouldn't that be fun?
Lero and the Runner, wonder how that would go down.
4218005 In Berry's case however there is a certain joy in her nihilism. She doesn't care what changes in her life, she is herself regardless of circumstances. In some ways it's enlightenment, a separation of her being from the world around her. Enlightenment has always stuck me as a cruel fate, and the worst part is you did it to yourself.
4217654
Runner in the woods is considered to be one of the (possible) origins of the the word Dionysus. I gave her bipedal cloven hooves like the satyrs, who were part of Dionysus's retinue, and the whole orgy thing, of course, was a Dionysian Mysteries/Bacchanalia. Runner in the Woods is basically pony Dionysus. The antlers certainly do hearken to something anciently Gaelic, though.
4218005
Yep, a very-big-particle particle accelerator. There's a reason I called that town Beavertron.
I appreciated your summary of this chapter. Berry didn't just triumph over the Runner in the Woods, but her own cutie mark.
The bilocation ability is me having some fandumb fun over an animation error in Sisterhooves Social, a season two episode. Berry Punch is in the race and in the stands at the same time.
derpicdn.net/img/view/2012/7/6/33877__safe_applejack_animated_sweetie+belle_hub+logo_carrot+top_berry+punch_dinky+hooves_golden+harvest_amethyst+star.gif
derpicdn.net/img/view/2013/8/12/398574__safe_animated_lyra_bon+bon_lyra+heartstrings_sweetie+drops_berry+punch_colgate_minuette_scrunchy+face.gif
4218075
Bodacious.
4218323
I hope I didn't bring out anything bad.
4218329
Thank you kindly.
4218351
4218977
I thought that's what you were referring to. (Personally, I thought one was just a careless changeling. Which? Can't say for certain.)
4219127 no just confusing and slightly bothersome but as before its what makes it a good story
This was amazing.
I wonder, given that the Hedge and the Lords and Ladies are already part of the Leroverse, if the Runner hails from a similar source?
Oh, and the idea that mental illness and unicorns combine to form abhorrent violations of the laws of reality is totally sweet.
…okay.
This chapter was...bad. I appreciate how the author was trying to do something new and deep, but it all came out as random nonsense and empty philosophizing.
The only way to truly appreciate this chapter is to read it while drunk.
4219127
Damn it Lero, stop breaking goddesses.
What.
Seriously what. I don't even.
Runner is what? Fae? I was thinking that Princesess have taken care of this psycho bunch in Equestria.
But most importantly.
What.
This whole thing seems to have been posted 10 days too late, or something
Ahh. The Large Hard Rock Collider
Hah. Brilliant!
"Bilocation", hmm? Seems like common Earth Pony magic. Pinkie abuses that one a lot
Heh. So, he's trying to slow down the world around him, but he's doing it all wrong because he's an amateur
Two weeks later, she gets a panicked letter from Beavertron informing her that her dad is freezing the whole town
4220397
No, I'm fairly sure the author was aiming for random nonsense and empty philosophizing.
Based on some of the reactions here, I'm going to have to call this chapter a dud. I wasn't clear enough in my intentions. Berry Punch's "empty philosophizing" is her trying to rationalize her actions and decisions, which ultimately ends in her defying her cutie mark. Keep in mind that she made her decision on what to do before coming up with a reason for doing it. She is ultimately, not a nihilist, but an absurdist. The clue was that some of her speechifying was based on Camus's essay, The Myth of Sisyphus, specifically the parts about a meaningless life equaling ultimate freedom, and living a life of quantity over quality. Incidentally, her mother, Fruit Loop, walling herself off from reality was a literal reading of Camus's essay on metaphysical rebellion.
The clinking bottles in her saddle bag, and her constant references to burning things, was supposed to hint that they were Molotov cocktails (or the pony equivalent), and she was planing on dying as a way to defy her cutie mark, up until she was able to meditate her way out of her destiny.
I was way too vague in all of this, and I apologize. I absolutely did not mean to confuse the reader. The nonsense wasn't supposed to be random. At the very least, I hope no one was bored - a high crime in fiction writing.
As an aside, Kafka and Philip K. Dick are two of the biggest influences on my writing, and that sort of weirdness always finds a away in any long story I've written, even when it doesn't make any sense. It's a weakness I need to be more aware about, especially when writing a romantic slice-of-life story.
4226670
The Runner in the Woods is just an ancient, pre-historic pony goddess, and has no relation to the fae. She is organic to Equestria. The fae are the second-least interesting thing to me about the original Xenophilia, and they are unlikely to make an appearance or a mention in this story (no promises, though).
4226819
Star Struggle wasn't trying to slow the world around him; just himself, as an admittedly mad form of rebellion against the universe that took his herd away. But, as Berry Punch pointed out, he isn't doing it right
4226960 It wasn't boring that I can say. Strange yes. But entertaining anyway.
Um.
Well then.
Okay.
(I did like reading about Berry's parents though, and getting this kind of look into Berry's head.)
that last line was the only proper way to end it all
*adds Berry Punch to the list of ponies that need to die*
Why? She annoyed me. No other reason needed. Because stuff.
Well that was pleasantly surreal! It was a bit confusing but I really liked it. Would have helped to know exactly what her cutie mark meant though... Still, good job getting your freedom as you wanted Berry!
Maybe she would enjoy being turned into a human by Twilight's magic?
Is Berry Punch best pony? I am not sure, but she does give the others a run for their money. I would love to see more of her.
Question. What the actual fuck was that? This entire chapter came out of left field.
4226960
At least I got the internal rebellion right. Very interesting way of painting this one, it was surreal and still felt grounded in an odd way. Well done.
Well this... did not make too much sense in the grand scheme of the xenophillia verse. Unless The Runner is a Fae, like the one who brought Lero to Equestria in the first place, Then HOLY BUCK BERRY MUST HAVE HUGE FORT AND WILL SAVES TO BE ABLE TO BREAK OUT OF A HIGH FAE'S GLAMOR!
4295397
I remember a line from 'Heated Passion' chapter of Xenophilia, when the concept of a cooler was first introduced;
So I thought, how do you use it wrong? It was supposed to be that Lyra's cooler was empty when she induced Bon Bon to have a second orgasm, but rereading that section again, it looks like I forgot to mention it. Damn it.
Thanks for pointing that out. It will be fixed.
Only 70-80 years? I'd always thought magical pastel pony lifespans were longer than human norm, especially since Granny Smith is several hundred years old.
4295604
If I remember my Word Of Faust correctly, ponies have the same lifespan as humans. I figure Granny Smith is some insane outlier (or the writers don't care about continuity as much as the fans).
4295652
Eh, I take show info over writer intentions any day.
4295487
Ah, ok, yeah, that makes sense to me- causing climax with no fluid to spray making it worse, I'm ok with that.
This was good, but what the fuck?
4217654 Hauntingly beautiful too. A true show of the fae folk. Who try so hard to be human, and fall so short at the same time.
Okay... HELP! I totally missed out on these "Fae" characters. I don't have a single clue as to what they are.
All that aside, I really... kinda... maybe... Okay, not really "enjoy," but I appreciate this chapter for the new perspectives that it presents. I enjoy these trains of thought every once in a while and I can see the effort put into presenting the authors thought through the mediums of psychology, humor, and other references I didn't get. It is well written and artfully crafted.
4314943
The Fae are considered to be the kidnappers of Lero, based on the chapter 'The Altercation' in the original Xenophilia. They're considered to be the reason why Lero was so afraid of Princess Celestia's hair.
Interestingly, Anonauthor never confirmed or denied that they were the Fae - he was always vague about the identity of Lero's former captors ("may or may not be the Fae"). So you could probably imagine Lero's captors to be something or someone else, and still be technically correct about it, which, as we all know, is the best kind of correct.
Also, Berry Punch's thoughts and beliefs in this chapter aren't necessarily my own.
I thank you for your comment.
This chapter was amazing. I would like more if you don't mind. I love this kind of stuff. It was weird and I liked it. I understood it and I liked it. And you gave me several more things to read, which endears you to me in the best way!
4368320
Camille Paglia.
4226960
I wouldn't call this chapter a dud in any way. High concept, maybe... but certainly not a dud. I like what you've done with Berry Punch and, even though I allready had XFT's version of her planned out in my mind, I find more and more that she's morphing into your version of her instead - and I'm liking her more for it.
4393994
Thank you for your kind words. It's also an honor to have influenced a fellow Xeno-writer's work, no matter how minor my influence may be.
*Slow clapping.*
Damn, now that was quite a ride. I regret I've had this chapter sitting in my 'to read' pile for so long.
I've wondered a few times what would happen if a pony more or less thought their destiny stupid and moved to do something about it, and this was just a glorious take on it.
I take Berry in this universe was more or less meant to end up a consort slash devotee of The Runner? Rather chilling stuff, since those old style gods seldom treated the mortals following them with much care. I was frankly quite surprised Berry was just let go like that.
I'm not sure how you feel about the comparison to a video-game, but I got this really neat Planescape: Torment vibe from this entire chapter. Mortals shaping the nature of reality simply because their Will is stronger than such flimsy things, old gods defied and made to bow because not even they may stop those that have learned their own natures, entire destines being reshaped because the right words were spoken at the right time with such conviction that the multiverse itself trembles at their uttering...
Honestly, if what you call a dud may give me goosebumps like this, I can't wait to see what you consider your magnum opus. I do however hope you tackle metaphysical themes like this again, because I at least really enjoyed this chapter and hope to see more like it.
holy shit
4295692
...or you could just do as some authors do (eg. RealityCheck in The Great Alicorn Hunt) do and operate on the assumption that a diet heavy in Zap Apple jam has life-extending properties.
4226960
It's different and a bit too subtle in places, but there's a reason I keep wishing I could add individual chapters to the "ssokolow's Recommendations" group I administer.
4219407
Late reply is late.
Berry's parents have become Marauders. Mages whose insanity is powerful enough to self-manifest. At least in the White Wolf universe they are exempt from the drawbacks of true magic because they're completely lost to their delusion. The problem with them is that when you come within a certain distance you become a character in their world, because within that radius their world is reality.
Though Berry's parents are doing it wrong.
The Walker, if as Goat said is native to Equestria, could be a true Marauder. And yes, Berry has some major fortitude to be able to assert her own reality over the Walker's.
i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/185/168/misc-jackie-chan-l.png