Chapter 22: A Convenant Takes Shape
“If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.”
-Nelson Mandela
In the warm candlelight, Alternia smiled as she scanned the day’s notes with half-shut eyes. Three days after Cyndra had reconciled with Chrysalis, Alternia and the queen had finally managed to hammer out more of the treaty’s details. Specifically, they had covered several clauses that would not only mandate aid to be given to ponies dealing with the trauma of changeling revelations, it would also allow changelings who had suffered under the hooves of ponies to be given psychological help and counselling. What’s more, the program would spearhead activities and events helping ponies to get used to the changeling presence and helping changelings to integrate among ponies.
As far as Alternia was concerned, it was a stunning achievement. Ponies and changelings were staying up to celebrate the rest of the day away. Luna, Cadance, Shining Armor and Blueblood were playing some sort of roleplaying game that Alternia had never quite picked up upon. Was it called Oubliettes and Ogres? Alternia shrugged, all she knew was that the last time she had checked on Luna’s chambers, Blueblood had apparently rolled a “one” for initiative, which had led to a concerted groan from the “party.”
Meanwhile, her sister had gone for a walk with Cyndra and Lamia. Alternia still felt a bit guilty, knowing she had played a part in causing the rift in the first place, and Chrysalis wasn’t letting “Celestia” forget it either. While she had become more diplomatic during the meetings, Chrysalis still scowled at the Equestrians. Nevertheless, Alternia was glad that her niece was reconciled to her mother.
Sighing, Alternia stretched up her hooves, and proceeded to scratch a spot on her head, right behind her horn. It would be where her antenna would be if she was fully ascended changeling queen. Alternia rubbed that point on her carapace. But the itch wouldn’t go away. Trying a different approach, Alternia reluctantly pulled her hoof back and shut her eyes.
For a while, Alternia sat motionless in her seat. The only sign of movement was the rising and falling of her chest, and her furrowing brow.
That frown suddenly vanished, and at the same time, Alternia’s eyes shot open. A burst of magic flung the doors open, and Alternia charged towards the southern wall of Camp Draco. The wall where Chrysalis said she was going to take her daughters to.
Chrysalis smiled as the cold afternoon air chilled her carapace. It was a pleasant experience that eased all the worries and stress she had accumulated over the course of the day.
Then again, most of them weren’t that significant. Or perhaps her happiness at having her two daughters standing beside her was making her lackadaisical? Chrysalis didn’t care at the moment, and neither did Cyndra or Lamia. The family just walked silently next to each other, enjoying the night and each other’s company
“Wow. I never realized you could see so far from here,” Cyndra said, gazing over the battlements. Lamia joined her.
“Indeed,” Chrysalis remarked. The small family and their guards watched the golden glow of the setting sun play on the desert sands in silence. The view was only marred by a small group of flies that buzzed around the battlements.
“Cyndra,” Chrysalis asked, “can I ask you a question?” At her daughter’s nod, Chrysalis turned her gaze back toward the desert.
“I wanted to ask you if Lamia has told you about your other aunties and your grandmother.”
Chrysalis allowed herself to smirk slightly as Cyndra shook her head, her eyes wide with surprise.
“I told Lamia and the princesses about my family one night during dinner. You should know about your family history as well.”
“I’m sorry, Queen Chrysalis, but I’m going to have to interrupt you.”
Chrysalis spun around to see Celestia striding towards her, followed by several pony guards. Celestia’s features were serene, but Chrysalis sensed that she was worried.
“One of the base’s new proximity wards was triggered. Did you order any changelings to come to the base?”
A frown etched itself on Chrysalis’s features and she shook her head, dislodging a fly that had landed on her ear. “No. Are you sure it isn’t one of your pony contingents?”
“No. The Equestrian Foreign Legion arrived yesterday, as did the last supply caravan. There should be nothing coming to the base, especially at this time of night.”
Chrysalis snarled at Celestia, whose features remained impassive as ever. “Unless somepony wanted to attack the base.”
“Queen Chrysalis, Equestria First would have to be incredibly stupid to attack the base proper, especially after their first attempt failed. I was thinking more along the lines of somechangeling.”
For a moment, Chrysalis’s eyes widened. “What?”
“Did you consult any other changeling hives before you attacked Canterlot?”
Chrysalis bit back a snort. “No. Why would I need to?”
Suddenly the air grew hot as several columns of green fire flared into life on the battlements. For a moment, everybody stared at them, before springing into motion. Chrysalis stepped closer to her daughters, her horn glowing. Celestia stepped in beside her, magically summoning a halberd in a burst of light. Ponies and changeling guards quickly flanked their rulers.
All the while, Chrysalis wondered where in Tartarus the changelings came from, until she noticed the one thing absent from the whole scene.
The flies! Gritting her teeth, Chrysalis got ready to fire at the attackers once they completed their transformation.
The fire faded away, revealing ten changelings. One of them was tall and slender, slightly below Chrysalis’s own height. Chrysalis frowned as she saw her appear, and then she gasped. While it had been years since she had saw this queen, Chrysalis immediately recognized her.
“Simulacris? Is that you?”
In contrast to Chrysalis’s wide-eyed reverence, Simulacris’s lips were drawn back, and her fangs gleamed in the darkness.
“Yes, sister—” Simulacris gasped as Chrysalis seized her in an embrace so tight, her carapace joints were heard creaking. Simulacris struggled and squirmed, but Chrysalis’s grip was iron.
That is, until the younger queen squeaked, “I need to speak to Princess Celestia.”
Chrysalis froze, her eyes wide as she wondered if her sister was joking. Using that moment, Simulacris freed herself from Chrysalis’s numb grasp, strode past Cyndra, Lamia, and the astounded chevaliers, making her way to Celestia. As she neared Celestia though, there was a flash as Chrysalis teleported in front of her sister.
“Simulacris, stop. What’s going on?”
Her eyes moist with tears, Simulacris glared at Chrysalis. “What’s going on? Chrysalis, my hive’s about to be attacked by two hundred pony extremists!”
Chrysalis spluttered. “What!—”
Simulacris cut her sister off with a hiss. “Thanks to your invasion of Canterlot you revealed our entire species to the world! Did you even think about the consequences, Chrysalis? Now get out of my way!”
The horror that engulfed Chrysalis nearly robbed her of speech. Concern overrode her shock though, and she managed to get her locked jaw to move. Her ears shooting up and pointing forward, Chrysalis met her sister’s hysterical eyes.
To her surprise, Chrysalis felt as much terror and sympathy coming from Celestia as she herself felt. She gave the princess a surreptitious glance; she hadn’t expected that strong of a reaction from a non-changeling.
“How did they find your hive? The last time we met, you told me your hive was hidden very well!”
“They’ve been combing the desert for weeks! Ever since your attack on Canterlot, no changeling has been safe!”
Chrysalis’s eyes narrowed. “My hive is getting by-“
Simulacris snorted in derision. “Of course yours would. Given the army you put together to attack Canterlot with, I doubt anything could truly jeopardize the safety of your hive. But thanks to you enraging every pony in Equestria, my hive can’t get the love we need. We’ve been starving, unable to do anything as the ponies closed in!”
Chrysalis calm façade broke and she gawked at the gaunt features of her younger sister. Her hair was uncombed and unhealthily thin. The holes in her legs looked so wide that the leg itself seemed about to break at any moment. A glance sideways at the changelings accompanying Simulacris only confirmed her initial observation. These changelings hadn’t fed properly in weeks.
All the time she had been planning for her invasion, Chrysalis had never truly considered the effect it would have on other changeling hives in Equestria. The realization that she had driven her sister to this state nearly knocked Chrysalis to the ground.
Her head lowered, Chrysalis looked up to her sister, a pleading note in her voice. “I’ll have a company of warriors sent to your hive. Just tell me where it is.”
Simulacris’s glare softened. “Thank you sister, but it is Equestria’s aid I seek. I know you want to help, and while I said nothing can jeopardize your hive, I can’t expect you to protect mine as well. If I concede my hive, at least it will be protected under official terms and by the Equestrian Army.”
Chrysalis’s eyes widened. “You would trust the ponies over your own sister? The Princesses can’t even control their own subjects. I was nearly killed less than a week ago!” She didn’t care that Celestia was standing behind her. She was not going to let her sister’s hive be annexed!
“And whose fault was that? You provoked their subjects and attacked their capitol. But since the Princesses are keeping you alive, of all changelings, they must be trustworthy!” retorted Simulacris.
Snarling, Chrysalis pointed her hoof at Lamia. “Trustworthy? The ponies were responsible for crippling my daughter and heir when she first tried to negotiate with them! They practically declared war on us right then and there!”
Simulacris frowned, but when her eyes wandered along the direction of her sister’s hoof, they expanded to the size of plates. Chrysalis smirked slightly at this, but to her bewilderment, Simulacris returned her look with a dagger-filled glare.
“You revealed the existence of every changeling in the world for a personal vendetta?” Simulacris roared, deafening Chrysalis.
Confounded, Chrysalis shook her head as she tried to process why in the world her sister was so furious at her. Was her anger not justified? Why couldn’t she deal some form of retribution for her daughter?
“I know you wanted revenge, but just because your daughter was hurt by the ponies does not mean you hold the right to doom every changeling in Equestria! My hive and every other changeling hive in the world are paying for your actions! Now get out of my way!”
Simulacris flared her tattered wings and hissed at her sister. When Chrysalis flinched and reflexively stepped backward, Simulacris took this opportunity to shove past her sister. In just three steps, the younger queen was standing before Celestia.
Though she did not know what to do and doubted she could change anything, Chrysalis fixed Celestia with a death-stare. However, the alicorn’s neutral expression showed no sign that she had even seen her.
After a brief moment of what seemed like silent preparation, Simulacris sighed and prostrated herself in front of Celestia, her muzzle touching the floor, and neck extended in the traditional changeling gesture of total surrender. Chrysalis was so shocked at her sister’s complete submission, she barely saw Celestia’s own eyes widen.
“Princess Celestia, I, Simulacris of the Shade Stalkers, concede my hive and my territory to Equestria on the condition that you protect my subjects from all forms of hostile aggression. Will you accept these terms?”
I do not know how I managed to retain any control over my emotions or faculties, for despite the years that had passed, I could still recognize Simulacris’s features. I still could see the adolescent changeling queen she had been. But what used to be a proud, albeit reserved and sometimes cold changeling queen was no more. Instead, all I could see was my exhausted and battered sister, grovelling in front of me.
Not for the first time, I called upon the Great Hive Mothers to curse this mask I had to wear. If I didn’t have to wear it, I would have seized my sister in an embrace. As it was, I steeled myself and spoke, hoping my voice wasn’t quavering.
“I do not accept your terms.”
“What? Why?”
I winced at my younger sister’s shriek of desperation. Chrysalis stared at me disbelievingly, and while I could feel her happiness that I had refused, I also sensed her worry for the safety of Simulacris’s hive.
“Your hive lies in Equestrian territory, correct?”
Simualcris blinked as she realized what I was thinking. “Yes!”
“Then you do not need to surrender to me as I already have the right to send troops to that area to enforce the peace. Of course, this would mean you would have to tell me the location of your hive.”
Simulacris nodded in resignation. “Your ponies have already found my hive, your Highness, and if I must sacrifice my pride to save it, then so be it.” She looked me in the eye. “My hive is located in the hills just south of Baltimare.”
I knew that place. I had on one occasion, wondered if that area would be a good location for a changeling hive. I suppose I had my answer now.
I turned to Shining Armor. “Captain, what assets do we have in the area?”
“Two companies of Royal Guard.”
I blinked. How did Shining manage to get two companies there so quickly?
My captain coughed. “The Royal Guard has been on high alert since the last incident. So when a REINS informed me last night that their local monitoring unit received word about a possible rogue militia unit that plans to deviate from its planned training schedule. I immediately radioed Baltimare HQ to muster two companies, and had them directed to the area in order to intercept them.”
I nodded, inwardly applauding The Royal Equestrian Intelligence and Naval Service’s work.
“Understood.” I was about to say more, but instead frowned and glanced at Simulacris. “Queen Simulacris, just how did you find out about the upcoming attack?”
Simulacris raised an eyebrow. “We’ve been monitoring your newspapers. Once we were aware of the pony extremists, our infiltrators began to scour the cities for these extremists, and we increased our perimeter patrols. Two nights ago, they tracked a small group of armed ponies searching the area around our hive. The patrol cast disguises and tried to divert them away, but the ponies didn’t fall for the bait, and attacked us. My changelings were revealed, and the ponies escaped. We were discussing possible responses last night, when one of our changeling infiltrators overheard a bar conversation between a local militia commander and an Equestria First member he had been tailing. He found out about their plans and immediately flew back to my hive.” Simulacris gritted her teeth. “If his information is right, then they should be only a few hours away.”
I grimaced and started to make my way off the wall. “Then we have no time to lose. Queen Simulacris, I am aware that changelings have excellent portal creation abilities. Can you open a portal to the area where our Royal Guard units are located so we can rendezvous with them?”
Simulacris snorted. “And how do you expect me to do that on an empty stomach, Celestia?”
“I have a spell that allows a changeling to feed off the latent love energy that is focused on me.” I stepped towards Simulacris, who cringed slightly. I stopped immediately and smiled.
“It’s perfectly safe, your Majesty. Just touch your horn with mine.” Simulacris nodded tentatively, and relaxed. Slowly, I rested my horn on one of the crooks of hers, and closed my eyes.
Of course, there was no such spell, and I was lying through my teeth. What I really did was funnel my love energy through my horn, where my crown’s illusion spells would disguise it with “Celestia’s” magic signature. It would look like I cast a spell, but in reality, I was just sharing my love energy for Simulacris to feed upon.
The moment my magic met her horn, Simulacris’s eyes widened. Her own horn lit itself and she began to draw in my energy as fast as possible. Luckily, I had stored my love throughout the years, so even when Simulacris began to hungrily gorge herself on my energy, I wasn’t too bothered.
I thought I would have to ask Simulacris to stop, but after several minutes, she pulled away from my horn, her eyes shining much brighter and her figure looking less haggard than before.
“Feeling better?” I asked.
Simulacris nodded, taking deep breaths as she examined herself. “Yes. Much better.”
I nodded back. “Can you make the portal then?”
Simulacris’s lit her horn, looking eager to begin. “With some preparation, easily.”
“Good.” I spun around to face Shining. “Captain Armor, inform the base commander that we’re going, and then get your arms. I need to take my armor out.”
I turned back and headed for the door, but as I walked past Chrysalis and her daughters, something caught my attention. I sensed anguish, confusion and guilt radiating off my sister’s form. It made me stop in mid-step. I need not list the transgressions Chrysalis had committed against me and Equestria. However, I didn’t want Simulacris to lose another family member. She had already lost Mother, though she probably didn’t know it, and I was as good as lost. I could not let her or any changeling know about my existence, or about what I had done through the last 1000 years. It’d upset everything I had ever worked for, not to mention the peace process itself.
“Queen Chrysalis, we could use all the help we can get in this upcoming battle. If you are worried about love, I can allow you to feed as well.”
I saw Chrysalis’s lips part slightly out of surprise, but she quickly closed them.
“Of course.”
To the south of Baltimare lay a series of low, rolling hills covered in scrub. Lying between the edge of the desert and the city, lit only by the last rays of the sun, this desolate place was silent.
At least, it was normally. Tonight, the clank and jingle of two hundred Royal Guardsponies marching in column echoed through the hills. Suddenly, a flaming green-gold portal opened on top of one of the hills with a fiery whoosh a short distance from the front of the column head. Yelling loudly, the captain at the head of the column ordered his companies to halt.
Before anypony could speak, Princess Celestia emerged from the portal, dressed not in her usual regalia, but in a plate and chain mail set of gold-washed armor. What’s more, balanced on her shoulder was a halberd.
The soldiers gawked, nearly missing the emergence of Simulacris, Chrysalis, and Shining Armor.
“Captain Armor?” Celestia turned to her captain, wearing burnished steel armor and hefting a war hammer, who had already taken his place in front of the two columns, his horn glowing as he cast a sound amplification spell.
“Royal Guard! Atten-hut!” With a stomp, two hundred ponies stood to attention. Smiling in satisfaction, Shining Armor coughed into his hoof.
“First of all, I am actually Captain Armor, and this is indeed Princess Celestia, Queen Chrysalis and another changeling queen standing beside me. As to why...” Shining Armor began to pace in front of the column. “At oh-eight-hundred hours, REINS reported to us that a militia unit has gone ‘rogue.’ A few minutes ago at seventeen-hundred hours, Queen Simulacris, ruler of a small changeling hive south of Baltimare, informed us that this “rogue” unit is aligned with the terrorist organisation Equestria First, whose local forces have supplemented the unit to the strength of two hundred ponies, and that they are on their way to attack her hive. Our mission is simple. Intercept the insurgents, and stop them from reaching the hive. The chevaliers of Queen Simulacris’s hive will be assisting us in this operation.”
Shining paused and stopped pacing, looking at the ponies in the column with narrowed eyes. “Now I know some of you aren’t comfortable working with changelings. I certainly am not comfortable cooperating with Queen Chrysalis. If you object to these conditions, then you can leave. I won’t stop you.”
Chrysalis and Simulacris blinked and frowned at that, but despite hearing some uncomfortable shuffles, none of the troops moved, and Shining continued on his speech.
“But I ask each and every one of you: what was the oath we took as Royal Guards? To serve and protect innocent ponies, or to serve and protect all innocents?” Seeing the nodding heads in the column, Shining grinned. “I’m sure you all know the answer to that question. Well here’s the sitrep. Queen Simulacris’s hive had nothing to do with the attack on Canterlot. Her hive, her home, filled with innocents, and as another guardspony like you, I will not stand and let innocents be endangered again! Now are you with me?”
“YES!” Even with their ears pinned against their heads, the queens and Celestia winced as the full weight of the Royal Guard’s cry hit them. Shining Armor however, seemed completely unaffected, and was even grinning.
“Then saaaa-lute!” There was another stomp and click of heels before Shining Armor turned to Princess Celestia and snapped to attention. “Forces have been briefed, your Highness.”
“Excellent, Captain Armor.” Celestia turned to Simulacris. “Are we near your hive?
Simulacris took a moment to examine the area. “Yes, my hive and my soldiers should lie over this hill.”
“In that case, Royal Guard!” Celestia faced her ponies, brought up her halberd high, and swung it at the direction of the hill. “Move out!”
The two hundred Equestria First ponies were armed with an assortment of weaponry of different qualities, as well as armor of various types. While most of them wore old Guard armor requisitioned for militia use, none of them expected much resistance as they advanced toward the hive. However, as they advanced on the winding path between the low hills, they suddenly found their way barred by one hundred and twenty changelings in two long ranks.
That wasn’t such a problem, but the ponies started at the sight of Chrysalis standing beside an unknown queen, and they were horrified to find an armed and armored Celestia standing beside her.
“Ponies of Equestria First, I am Princess Celestia, and I ask you to stand down and disperse,” said Celestia in a serene, but firm tone.
“Trickery! It’s just a changeling taking the form of our Princess!” yelled several of the Equestria First ponies.
Celestia stiffened, but her eyes narrowed, and she pointed her halberd at the ponies. “I assure you, this is no trick. Now, lay down your arms, and I will show you leniency!”
Her words caused many of the Equestria First ponies to shiver involuntarily. Yet, the ponies did not break. Instead their cries got louder and more inane.
“Never!”
Sighing, Celestia averted her gaze for a moment, before she scowled at the ponies. “Then I have no choice. Royal Guard!”
The sound of a rapid-fire drum roll alongside a triumphantly blaring trumpet echoed throughout the valley. It made the ponies of Equestria First spin around, nickering in fear, looking for the source of the noise.
It was then that they spotted them. Charging over the hill, maintaining a perfect flying wedge formation, were a hundred and forty lance-armed earth and unicorn ponies of the Royal Guard. Their armor burning a copper-red ichor in the rays of the setting sun, they were led by a steel-clad stallion touting a warhammer. At the same time, sixty pegasi descended down on the valley from the sky, with all manner of swords and axes.
The sight of the Royal Guard on their flank and over their heads so distracted the militia ponies that they barely noticed the changelings lunging at them from the front until they were in their ranks. They were shortly followed by Simulacris, Chrysalis, and Celestia herself.
Chrysalis plunged herself into the thick of the fighting, her spear like a deadly snake, killing with every strike. She took the odd hit in her charge, but she managed to divert the blows so that they merely scratched her carapace. As Chrysalis continued to fight though, she began noticing that some of the Equestria First ponies were attempting to run, but most of them were quickly forced back to the group by the Royal Guard’s pegasi. Inwardly laughing at the irony of working together with the ponies she had attacked barely over a month ago, Chrysalis punched her spear through the chain mail of a pegasus. While her eyes searched for another target in the chaotic melee of ponies and changelings, Chrysalis saw that Shining Armor’s Royal Guardsponies were breaking through the rear of the Equestria First, their encirclement also sealing the enemy’s escape route. She noticed Shining Armor himself, his features barely even creasing, block a unicorn’s magical attack with his signature shield spell, before returning the favor by slamming his warhammer onto his attacker’s back, which crunched.
Somehow I’m glad I hypnotized him first. Thought Chrysalis, wincing as a pony managed to nick her wing. Chrysalis returned the favor by impaling the fighter and then tossing her to the side. There were a surprising amount of female ponies within the Equestria First contingent, though Chrysalis observed that stallions were clearly in the majority.
Sensing a flash of fear, Chrysalis glanced over her shoulder and found Simulacris being engaged by two earth ponies. While she seemed tired, Simulacris used her dual short-swords to keep her opponents at bay, cutting and thrusting with one sword while blocking with the other. In spite of her speed and skill, she was losing, and Chrysalis’s eyes widened as a pony managed a glancing axe blow on Simulacris’s side, drawing blood.
Her eyes filling with the red of anger, Chrysalis jumped into the air and propelled herself over the clashing ponies and changelings. She came down on one of her sister’s opponents, driving her spear into his back. The other pony tried to run, but Simulacris disarmed and skewered him.
“Do try to keep some of them alive, Queen Simulacris, Queen Chrysalis. I really want to interrogate some of them,” said Celestia, her slightly pained voice somehow clear over the din. Chrysalis spun around and stared at Celestia, her armor sporting several rather large dents, and her halberd dripping red, but that was not what caught Chrysalis’s attention.
“Look out!” she roared.
Celestia managed to spin around and bring her halberd up just in time to block a bolt of dark red fire, which upon contact, incinerated her weapon. Her horn glowing, Chrysalis flung her spear at the unicorn, impaling the screaming pony through the leg and pinning him to the ground.
Frowning, Simulacris decapitated another pony with both her swords, and backed up to cover her sister’s rear. “Why did you let him live? I know you’re a better shot than that.”
Seizing the spare short sword that hung from her side, Chrysalis blocked a strike from a pegasi. “That’s the spell that nearly killed my daughter. You’ll want him to be interrogated, Celestia.”
Celestia nodded, joining Simulacris and Chrysalis to form a rough triangle. Her features serene as ever, as she used her backup arming sword to sever a pegasus’s wing. “Thanks.” Celestia paused, looking Chrysalis in the eye. “And thank you for saving me.”
Chrysalis blocked another pony’s increasingly frustrated sword stabs. “I will not let you forget it.” Slamming the butt of her weapon into her opponent’s head, Chrysalis watched the pegasus drop, before she looked around for more targets.
There were none to be had, though. The field was littered with dead. The surviving members of Equestria First were laying their weapons down and being herded by the Royal Guards and changelings. Looking around, the queens and Celestia saw no other oppoonents and finally sheathed their weapons. They had won, though Chrysalis was surprised to notice that night had fallen. She supposed Princess Luna must have lowered the sun in Celestia’s stead.
Silently, Chrysalis, Simulacris, and Celestia walked through the once pristine field. Most of the dead were ponies wearing the old, re-used, or homemade armor of the Equestria First militia. There didn’t seem to be any changelings, or ponies dressed in Guard armor. None of the royals released their breaths, though.
They soon found Shining Armor, his helmet off, blood trickling from under his sweat-slicked blue mane, in discussion with a changeling chevalier. Both managed a tired salute when their leaders approached.
“Captain Armor, what are the casualties?” asked Celestia.
Shining Armor glanced at the changeling. “Chevalier Swift Shadow and I both cast spells to account for them, and got reports from everypony and changeling still upright. Sixty Royal Guard wounded, sixteen in critical, but stable condition, and five dead. Twenty-nine changelings wounded, fifteen in critical condition, with three dead. As for Equestria First…” Shining swallowed hard. “Over a hundred and twenty dead, and the rest of the survivors are all wounded. We fought to maim and wound instead of outright kill, your Highness, but they didn’t let us hold back for long. The rest, once they saw they how outnumbered they were, surrendered after some resistance.”
Celestia sighed, briefly closing her eyes. “Good work, Captain Armor. Your Royal Guards have performed admirably, considering these difficult circumstances.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.” Shining Armor turned to Simulacris. “Your Majesty, please forgive me for being so bold, but I doubt my Guard is going to have enough energy to set up camp for the night by the time we’re done here. Do you know of any natural features here that will at least offer my ponies some shelter for the night?”
Simulacris only smiled and stepped forward, placing her hoof on Shining Armor’s shoulder. “Captain Armor, your ponies saved my hive. You are heroes, and you will have a hero’s lodging for the night, and I will ask Swift Shadow to organize a proper burial for your comrades.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty, but it is too dangerous. We have too many prisoners, and the location of your hive will be discovered,” said Shining Armor.
Shaking her head, Simulacris briefly glanced at the ground. “My hive has already been discovered, Captain Armor. A few more ponies knowing about it makes no difference.” She managed a half-chuckle. “Besides, I have more than just a hundred and twenty changelings. I’m pretty sure my hive’s workers and reserve soldiers can help your ponies guard these prisoners.”
A grin breaking on his tired features, Shining Armor saluted and trotted back to his recovering troops. Swift Shadow also saluted and returned to his changelings.
As Celestia and Simulacris turned away, they found themselves faced with a downcast Chrysalis. Simulacris blinked in surprise, while Celestia’s features relaxed into an expressionless mask.
“Princess Celestia, Queen Simulacris, I must apologize. The consequences of my mistake cost you the changelings and ponies you lost today.”
Chrysalis turned to Celestia. “If it weren’t for Your Highnesses intervention… I fear my sister’s hive would have been destroyed.” Sighing, the queen bowed her head. “I’m sorry.”
From Simulacris’s point of view, Celestia seemed to stare at Chrysalis like she had grown another head. Then she quickly realized she was doing the same thing.
“Chrysalis… it’s alright, but you owe me one,” stammered Simulacris.
Celestia managed a tired smile. “Apology accepted.” The princess then gazed back on the ponies and changelings working together to bury and mark their dead. “Besides, look.”
Chrysalis frowned and followed Celestia’s gaze, before blinking in surprise and awe. Simulacris did the same, but all she did was raise an eyebrow. “Look at what?”
“Ponies and changelings,” said Chrysalis, a dawning look of realization coursing across her features.
Celestia nodded, her smile spreading into a grin. “This night was one of blood, tears, and sorrow. Yet, it has become the first time in known history that ponies and changelings willingly fought together, side-by-side.”
A few days later...
Celestia’s bright sun shone through the windows of the Camp Draco dining hall, flashing on silverware and porcelain and illuminating motes of dust in the air. The two queens and Cyndra, as well as Luna, Blueblood and Cadance were seated around the long dining table, eating a late breakfast. Conversation was light-hearted and much of the focus was on the food itself. While savoring the delicious sweetness of the pancakes and syrup, Cyndra took a moment to listen and watch the antics of the breakfast table’s occupants.
“Royal Guard Saves a Changeling Hive? Changelings and Ponies Together? Can’t your ponies think of some more inventive news headlines, Your Highness?” asked Chrysalis, throwing down a copy of the Everfree Press.
“If Belladonna were here, she’d barely get through a single page,” sighed Simulacris.
“Have you heard from Belladonna, by the way?” asked Chrysalis.
A forlorn expression came over Simulacris’s features. “Last I heard of her was nine-hundred years ago during the… “Viking” Age, as the ponies call it. She was heading from Zebrica, and making her way deep into the Gryphonian mountains, and I never heard a single word of her after that.”
Cyndra winced, while Chrysalis tried to smile. “Belladonna’s a resourceful changeling.” Her voice trailing off, Chrysalis swallowed and kept her eyes level. “I’m sure she’s still alive.”
The table fell silent, and the occupants’ attention focused on the food and away from the awkward atmosphere. That was, until Chrysalis turned to Luna.
“So… Princess Luna, what do you think of the newspapers?”
With a small sigh, Luna finished the last dregs of her coffee and set her mug back onto the ground. “I am not very experienced in judging newspaper headlines, Queen Chrysalis, but I must agree with you. They are boring.”
“I don’t know, Auntie Luna,” said Cadance, not looking up from the day’s edition of the Foal Free Press. “I kind of like Equestria First on Trial. It’s short, simple, and gets the point across.” Shining Armor sat beside her, sporting a bandaged forehead and munching on a croissant.
Luna groaned. “I don’t know how many hours my sister and I spent yesterday meeting with the Royal Equestrian Intelligence and Naval Service to get those arrest warrants finalized.”
“And we both thank you for that, your Highness. We might not have them all, but the majority of their organization has been crippled. Only the last of their leaders remain, and for now, I can rest a bit,” said Simulacris, refilling Luna’s cup. Chrysalis grimaced, but nodded slowly, before frowning.
“By the way, why did your sister leave with my eldest daughter, Princess Luna? She said she was going to help her with her scars, but I don’t see what she could do. I tried everything.”
Luna took a large sip from her coffee mug, before setting it back down on the table. “We’ve finally managed to figure out the spell they used to wound her. It’s an amplified version of an experimental spell the agricultural department was developing to burn magically destructive plant species like Poison Joke, Death’s Snare, and Tribblewort. Amplified, it can resist attempts to put it out with water and can inflict severe organic and magical damage far too easily, which is why Equestria discontinued its development. A scientist in the Agricultural Development Department who belonged to Equestria First recovered the spell for use by his organization. He has since been arrested.”
“And Princess Celestia has a solution for my sister’s injury?” asked Cyndra.
Nodding at Cyndra, Luna turned back to Chrysalis. “It’s not a complete solution, but Celestia believes that some of Equestria’s more advanced surgical techniques and mechanical technologies can allow for an advanced prosthetic that would at least allow her to walk properly.”
Chrysalis nodded, looking rather relieved, before eyeing her younger daughter.
“I didn’t realize you had such a liking for pancakes, Cyndra.”
“I heard of them while living in Equestria, but only tried them recently.” Cyndra took another bite. “Tof bamd gey wart as goof as te wons Celescia put er leve into.”
The queens suddenly froze in their place, utensils or newspapers held in midair.
“I’m sorry, Cyndra, but what did you say?” asked Simulacris.
Cyndra swallowed her food down, glancing between her mother and her aunt. “That the pancakes weren’t as good as the ones Celestia put her love into.” Cyndra cringed as Chrysalis’s and Simulacris’s brow furrowed. “Is there something wrong?”
“That shouldn’t be possible,” whispered Chrysalis.
“Your Majesties, is there something that concerns you about my sister?” asked Luna in a low voice. Cyndra blinked. Was it just her, or were the ponies exchanging glances with each other?
“Forgive us, your Highness. The thing is, it shouldn’t be possible for somebody other than a changeling to use love energy like that,” said Simulacris, her hoof tapping the table.
Cadance spoke up. “I’m not sure what you are mean, Queen Simulacris. Shining Armor and I infused love into our shield spell, and Aunt Celestia transferred her latent love energy to you. Why are you so surprised Celestia can put love into inanimate objects?
“Because it isn’t biologically possible. Only changeling queens can put love into inanimate objects,” said Chrysalis, her brow knitting itself together.
The door slamming open forestalled Chrysalis’s coming explanation. Luna stood up to rebuke the intruder, but stopped as Celestia strode in, holding a letter in her magic, Lamia hopping in.
“What is it?” asked Chrysalis.
Celestia took a deep breath, and as soon as she had finished, the entire table scrambled to finish their breakfast.
“Another queen has been discovered.”
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Ah yes, It has updated, and A fine update at that
OH HELL YEAH!!!!!!!
Oh, by Jove, I've missed this. TIme to re-read all of this a fourth time.
Lovely work, and as always, longing for more.
The chapter that answers the question of Shining Armor being a pushover.
Bah. Could've been worse. Like a one for Perception. Or First Aid.
I remember trying to stop a party member's neck wound from bleeding. Nearly strangled the poor guy. Did some permanent damage to his Intelligence, too. Good times.
So Belladonna's on her way to being contacted, and Alternia's on her way to being discovered. Things are getting more and more interesting with each update
I had just finished reading chapter 21 and thought "Damn, it'd be nice if this got a update."
And behold, it did happen.
I feel like this terrorist organization is just a puppet though. There was that Shadow Empire mentioned earlier (not sure if they were scrapped or not).
WOOHOO AWESOME
Now to play the waiting game again... I only like it when I get the chace to read.
Can't wait.
Then Celestia's disguise dropped.
i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/682/121/daa.gif
(I know it's a bit early for April Fools, but considering the update schedule...)
I was thinking about this fic yesterday. Glad to see it's still alive.
Celestia needs to get Cadance and figure out how to use her diety status to make a love spell for food.
Technically speaking:
- Earth ponies can imbue energy into a medium [earth pony magic], and I've seen quite a few fics I think where that goes for cooking / inanimate objects (like weapons).
- Enchanting is the unicorn equivelant of EP magic.
- Magic can resonate with different energy types, as long as a pony can "feel it" (thus resonating with an energy to call upon (love and dark magics)), draw from it (a natural, aetheric, or artificial source), or access it.
- Alicorns are at minimum 9 x Pony tribes in power.
Thus Love Enchantments [Want it Need it, being a variation] are possible. So an Alicorn who's been around for millenia, could easily have made a spell for infusing love into food.
After all, the cliche' "Love is the special ingredient", and "made with Love" are cliche's since they are true. And common enough to be a thing.
So yeah, both a way to prove her wrong and keep her secret.
Commence read.
Peoples/species getting along.
And then another Queen.
5709764 Some interesting tidbits.
The way that part is phrased makes it seem like Alternia is sitting around in her natural form, which makes the subsequent rush out the door problematic.
And I'm not sure how I feel about that battle. It seems really out of character for Celestia to just ask them to surrender once and then immediately jump straight to murdering them. I mean, it would have been one thing if the Equestria First guys attacked first, but to have Celestia show up in the presence of the changeling queen that attacked Canterlot (which even a non-fanatic pony would find suspicious as fuck since changelings have apparently no size restrictions on their transformations in this) and order them to stand down before immediately attacking is just wrong on so many levels.
Unless Celestia is censoring the press, there would have been more than a few stories in the tabloids about how Celestia had been brainwashed by the changelings after pulling a stunt like that.
Been waiting a long time for someone to call out poor ol' Chryssi on her actions.
Cheers.
Yay! Another Update at last!!!! The secrets are being revealed!
I am loving every bit of the story.
Ha ! If this continue , we are going to have a changeling council composed of every queens ruling Equestria
I imagine the scene "Ok guys , we are all here except Alternia , anyling know where she is ?"
"Oh , that won't be necessary , I was here all along"
Whoa. Good to see this updated. I like that Alternia's starting to be discovered.
5709833
Agreed. It makes sense, imo, for /Alternia/ to fight alongside her sisters, but for /Celestia/, it's more problematic to justify why she's suddenly siding with a former enemy over her own (albeit misguided) subjects.
I'm glad to see this story has updated. And I'm all for a good battle chapter, as well as seeing the ponies and changelings standing side-by-side as allies.
Unfortunately, there's one thing that kinda annoys me, and it's a pretty big: Equestria First.
Rune Soldier Dan said it well four chapters ago:
You see, that pretty summarizes the problem I have with the whole 'Equestria First' antagonists and antagonists like them. They just feel like, well, for lack of a better word: tools. They're there pretty much to cause conflict in this story, to be the black morality in this story so, as you said in that earlier chapter, we can figure out what is grey. I totally understand that , I do, it's just... *sighs* they make for such boring and one-dimensional antagonists in my opinion. It's a similar problem with the way 'Evil Aristocrats' and 'Corrupt Royal Guards' are often used in stories; they're not interesting or engaging in anyway like a lot of good villains. All they really do is spout textbook bigoted diatribe and/or create more conflict for the plot, i.e. an attempted mass murder of innocent civilians, and in doing so, a means to get the ponies and changelings to unite against a common enemy (the latter of which I approve of, but still).
There's no real depth or moral complexity to these guys. They're just bland, racist thugs who are utterly without virtue. And while I still very much like this story and think this chapter did still holdup, I just really dislike those kind of characters, and not because I'm supposed to dislike them.
My moaning and groaning aside, I think this chapter still holds up very well. I don't want you to get the impression that I overall didn't like it. And it seems now that Belladonna will be joining the cast, I look forward to seeing her.
P.s. I don't know if they've already been made an illegal organization, correct me if I'm wrong and misread earlier, but I think that now with an attempted mass murder of innocents (which would include changeling families and children), then I think this would definitely lead to Equestria First being outlawed and its members arrested. There's no way they'd be allowed to continue operating legally after this. Just a thought.
It has a pulse!
YES! FINALLY THE NEW CHAPTER IS OUT WOOOO
I see what you did there
I thought a long time ago that Lamia (just noticed the name pun btw, I dunno how many people would've picked up on that pun) should've gotten prosthetics.
Aww man, there's no more chapters to read now
Whatever it is that has been making you not write chapters sooner, I hope that it isn't a problem anymore
5709759
5709729 Indeed, and it makes us want MORE MORE MOAR!!
The secrets are beginning to show.
5709725
Unless he's supposed to be the tank, and they're being ambushed.
Yes! And good chapter! Although I feel bad for the mares forming part of the rogue group.
Tribblewort? I can't image the levels of agricultural devastation that stuff must produce. Equestria's triticaline crop could be decimated!
5710250
In that case, Perception still stands as a worse alternative, though.
"Ambush? What ambush? I ain't seein' no ambush nowhere."
5709833
5710035
Here's the way I see it. The changelings tried the peaceful method at first. However, this group, disguised as Celestia's Royal Guard, attacked and almost killed the queen's daughter. Therefore, it is this group's fault that the changelings attacked in the first place. That's is why I can easily see Celestia siding with the changelings. As for Celestia giving this group only one warning before carnage, it's more than they gave Lamia.
We're getting so close to the big reveal...
Man, it makes me impatient and want to rush to the end, but I can't yet! (The end's not even written!
)
Man I hate nitpicking stuff like this but it takes me out of the story when it happens and I think it weakens the story itself. Why did they need to use lethal force on the group? 200 or so people/ponies is more like a lynch mob than an army. The royal guard should be way more trained than a rabble of people, and therefor should have been able to police and disperse it. Even in the case of them charging (which they did) shining armor was able to shield an entire city, why couldn't he put a bubble around them? I feel the fight was forced just so we could have the ponies and changelings setting and didn't develop naturally. I think it could have worked better with another chapter of buildup rather than the one-and-done that happened here. It also seems so out of character for Celestia/Alternia to just go HAM on mostly civilian ponies. Sure they are hateful and mean to cause harm, but they are still her citizens and I felt she would have at least attempted to restrain them before she began cleaving them in two. Think of the outcry if police in the LA Riots just started using machine gun fire on the mob, would even those who have disdain for the rioters really support that? Just felt like a, and excuse my terminology but its the only way I can think of describing it, lazy way of doing it.
On the other stuff though, I liked new developments like more changeling queens and chrysalis and gang finally starting to see through Celestia. Good to have progress on that and can't wait to see when that is eventually brought up.
5710344
I had a barbarian who blissfully ignored an entire combat sequence because his player rolled six critical fails chained together to notice a damned thing.
We use the rule 'if you roll a twenty, roll again and add twenty. Repeat until yous top rolling Twenties' for critical successes, and 'of you roll a 1, start at 0 and subtract another roll from that. If you roll 1 again, go to -20 and keep going until you stop rolling 1s'
So yeah, he was at a -127 to notice that the party was in combat with twenty three goblin soldiers, and instead noticed that butterflies have wings, and the sky is blue.
Woohoo! updates!
So Equine version of agent orange?
5710353 You can also say this group has already been warned, as the one's that attacked Camp Draco were captured after they were beaten. I'm pretty sure something like that would have gotten a "Pull this shit again and we'll wreck you" from the Equestrian Government. At that point, the warning Alternia gave was more than adequate.
-dat moment when you've read everything in the "also liked" bar
5710481
That's some bad critical failure.
Hoo, boy.
At least he didn't start having hallucinations. Or mixed up friend and foe.
Somehow reminds me of when our warrior (the same one I nearly strangled) did a critical failure at riding and broke his hip.
He couldn't travel, so he had to stay at that little backwater village for several days until the rest of the party had travelled to the next big city and found a competent healer who'd come back to the village and fix him up.
To top it off, the whole thing ended with some of our stuff getting stolen and it was a real pain getting it back.
All because of one messed-up roll.
However, I now feel strangely thankful our GM didn't include that much combat...
… because the ponies provoked her and attacked her heir. So EQ 1st attacked Chrysalis's hive, Chrysalis attacked Equestria in response, and in response (presumably) EQ 1st is attacking other hives. FUCKING HELL this is a clusterfuck.
As much as I support Chrysalis, she does need to hear that.
Period instead of comma, lowercase thought.
Do changeling wings grow back? They look pretty damn frail...
Spelling.
They suspect...
Someone needs to make that Toy Story meme, with Celestia holding Chrysalis and pointing into the sky, saying 'Queens, queens everywhere!'.
5709764 I was under impression Cadance's magic was more on how to get ponies to love one another rather than actually making it or collecting that energy, your headcanon is different I suppose.
5709833 Do agree with your first phrase, but I would argue against your intrepretation of the fight. Because the Equestria First.. well they were attacking first, they're fully intending to attack Simulacris's hive. I do agree its suspicious, and perhaps it could have been done a mite better, but given changeling hives have multiple changelings anyway, there is really no way for Celestia to one-one prove it is well Celestia
5710046 Fair points. I don't believe in bland villains either, but EQF... they're not about being interesting, they are a tool for my plot purposes, because... well it's their consequences that create necessary conflict and perspective for the story. I needed them because there's no way there'd be no pony opposition to changelings. Also, now that one thinks about it, racism is a bland ideology don't ya think XD
I will say one thing. I have learned from this and... in the in-planning sequel, the antagonist for PC:TCQ... is very very complex.
5710471 Nitpick away. If you've noticed, I tend to reply to the nitpickers comments more.
200 ponies is several platoons and they're all armed if not with standard guard issued weapons, dangerous weapons all the same and some of them got Royal Guard training. Therefore lethal force required because these militia are going to give lethal force.
The bubble idea though... Oh god I think you just found a plothole. Then again... his shield caved in after the changelings bashing on it broke through... but yeah city... hmm... I got nothing, you got me there.
I thought it was the only logical progression when writing the fight scene. Celestia's and the EQF ideologies are too different, they were going to clash. Is it OOC for Celestia/Alternia to just go ham? Welllll considering the fact they're threatening innocents, and have attacked innocents, not to mentions she's given them fair warning in the newspapers and on the field that she disapproves and has told them to lay down their arms... yeah it's fair game, as I pointed out, they're not rioters, they are insurrectionist guerilla type organization.
5710353
5710035
5709833
acutually, it would work like this, and this was in the chapter so im not just guessing. while the Changling forces were fighting to kill from the get go, Equestrian Forces first attempted to disable their foes, but Equestria First didnt allow it. Equestria First didnt want to be captured as that would have interfered with their 'mission', thus, the Royal Guard was forced to kill their fellow ponies as they refused to surrender until it became obvious they were out numbered, out gunned and generally out matched in every way...
5710585 You got everything that you said including your reply to that other comment, right. Have a Rarity
5710013 LOL. I have my own plans for a queen's council though.... in the sequel
5710600 Cannot. Stop. Laughing. At. Toy. Story. Reference
Also, yes to Agent Orange. And yes to the clusterf*CK, though you got some of the events mixed up. That's how clusterf*CK it is.
5710118 5710009 5709751 5709729 5709759.....
i.imgflip.com/ikgnt.jpg
And it's just going to get better.
5710471 its really quite simple...the Royal Guard did attempt to capture/disable their opponents. however, Equestria First refused to surrender. such things have happened before in our own history, and not that long ago either. there were a pair of bank robbers in i think L.A. who refused to be captured. they were armed with multiple automatic weapons and equipped with body armour that rendered the weapons used by police forces near useless...the resulting shoot out took about twenty minutes or more, ending in both robbers dead and thousands of rounds of ammo fired. there were numerous casualties among police and civilians caught in the crossfire as well...and everything was filmed by a news chopper overhead, with the footage making it into the opening sequence for the movie S.W,A.T. some years later...
5710413 I have heard that the colors weren't right in that pick so it is left in the air. the best guess is by personality. I can see Celestia, being Kindness, Gernoristy, and Magic while Luna is Honestly, loyalty, and laughter.
5710649
Maybe if you made the situation seem more desperate, but right now I had no doubt which side would win in a fight, which means Celestias side had control over the outcome (due to better training and larger numbers) and as such she is responsible for the bloodbath that occurred. Just look at the outcome, 8 dead on one side and 120 dead on the other. That's a massacre. There was a similar such situation in which a mob a people upset with how their government was handling a situation and was fired upon by soldiers, we call it the Boston Massacre (and they arguably had a legitimate reason as it was 8 guys vs a mob) and it didn't turn out well for the government. Make me as the reader see the situation as dire and that they had no other choice but to use lethal force, but as it stands it ended exactly how any 200 man mob vs 200 trained soldiers ends, with the mob getting slaughtered.
I wouldn't worry about that too much, it was just what jumped to mind as an example of how little they tried before killing everyone. For all we know there was a device that amplified any spell cast in it, so shinings spell only works to that extent in Canterlot.
Lets change the scenario a bit to show why I think it was out of character. People in a town on the mexican border have had mexican drug dealers running through their town (civilians heaving and outside entity/changelings among them). These dealers are obviously dangerous as they fought against the police (these changelings attacked cantorlot). Now they hear that their government is in talks with these drug smugglers (remember, most of the details is unknown by the general populace, only select information). This cause them to decide they have to defend themselves and join a local group that is doing that (these newly angered civs join the EF). Since their government won't protect them from the smugglers coming across, they decide to take action into their own hands and fight back themselves. (the mob moving towards the hive). A radio broadcasts across the town saying not to do this as the smugglers are good, but it could also be a trick (Celestia not being believed as she stands with equestrias former enemies who can change shape). A force larger than the mob suddenly comes out of the town and opens fire, decimating them (self explanatory). Now the question is how would other civilians and citizens react to this news? They will first hear that it was changelings disguised as Celestia who did it, but then Celestia will have to come out and say that yes, she did kill those people and used overwhelming force to do so. Just saying, this isn't ISIS we are dealing with here.
5710649
1: I'm pretty sure most of us that have read anything about magic say that Canterlot is on a ley-line nexus, making magic easier in the area.
2: Don't tell me a city like Canterlot doesn't have runes spread all over it that make it easier to make these kinds of shields. The only difference is that shining is good enough to do the work, defensively, of a room of mages. Though then we get to the "They put all their eggs in one basket" issue for the wedding.
Plot-hole filled, though I'm sure he could have used it at some point, maybe a smaller one, though. Like to hold the prisoners at the end. That is kind of his signature spell.
As for the Agent Orange thing, I don't know, as soon as I read the description of it, that popped into my head.
5710046
Honestly, the fully-fleshed villains are becoming the cliche these days. Very honestly straight-forward hateful villains with no redeeming qualities are becoming scarce in good writing.
Everyone demands villains you can feel for, villains who can be redeemed, or anti-heroes who just went a step too far. Villains with tragic backstories, or someone corrupting them into something they originally didn't want to be. It's so trite now, and yet the readers demand and expect it so that's all we get. I don't -want- to feel like the bad guy deserves a fanclub and a thousand whiny readers or a raucous audience trying to make spinoffs that say the bad guy is just a good guy trying to protect his own and that the good guys are all assholes, like they do with their stories where they write Discord as just an innocent prankster or Chrysalis as a beleaguered and scared mother but otherwise a good person or something. There's a million of those these days, they're literally everywhere and it's getting tiring.
I remember when bad guys were BAD because they were truly bad people. Give them faces, give them identities. But let that be the end of it. Having too many complex villains is as bad as having none, possibly even worse. Good ol' racist thugs who refuse to listen to reason and hate for petty reasons that'd evaporate if they'd just open their eyes, but they don't WANT to see? That's some nostalgia right there.
Also wow I need to read back a few chapters I don't remember who any of these people are or what happened before this.
5710704 This was a huge shootout too. They were massively armored in 2-3 kevlar vests, and when the final count at the end of their rampage. Had taken between them something like 50-60 rounds. They weren't stopped until the police were able to get into a local store for assault rifles to fight back with.
They both shot themselves when it was apparent they weren't getting away. And let to massive legal reform for controlling weapons available to police nationwide. But yeah, i know exactly the pair you mean here.
5710677 Yes yes yes yes yes!!!!!!!! Also, quick question I have been wondering from the start- Where in Equestria is the REAL CELESTIA!?! You said at the beginning flashback with Alterna and Celestia that Celestia would need a 1000 years to recover. It has been a thousand years and Celestia is a no show. I am assuming this will be brought up soon? Thanks! Also, great work on this story it is really amazing.
Estrella Essentia
5710704
That is a fair argument to an extent. There are scenarios in which lethal force is justified. The question is whether it was here as immediately as it was taken. In your example, the use of high powered rifles, which take minimal training and practice and can achieve huge amounts of damage is not comparable to what happened here. Using a melee weapon takes a lot of practice and training just to use safely, not to mention much more to beat anyone who also can use it. Plus you have to learn to use it in a group so you don't harm your own side. So one side has extensive training in combat in both solo and group situations and the other has a few who know how to fight but most who only know the pointy end goes into the bad guy. Do you really think it was necessary to massacre the crowd like they did in order to protect the changelings? I think the 8 vs 120 outcome speaks for itself whether excessive force was used.
ALternia can't keep the secret for long now. GOOD they should know.
5710915 Granted, the EQF didn't surrender themselves until they realized they literally had no chance. As Shining said, they didn't give an opportunity for the RG to accept a surrender.
Massive battle on which ponies fight together and plastered all over the news, followed by a new changeling Queen being discovered? That can't possibly be a coincidence.
A most excellent chapter, though, and a update that I think's been a long time coming.
5710802
You know, I hadn't really thought about that before I read your comment but you're right.
Let's not forget about the villains that are just straight out evil. The ones who torture, maim, and murder so they can get something or just because they like it.
On the flip side, I still enjoy reading about villains who have redeeming qualities.
...I kinda lost track of where I was going with this
5710802
I have to agree with you, it is getting hard to find villains that are evil because they are just plain bad. It's probably because of the "People are neither inherently good or evil" crap that a lot of people spew.