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With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)
- Thread starter Mr Zoat
- Start date
-
- Tags
- self insert young justice
Rebu
hey, little Anna, you're the one
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2017
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- 225
I vaguely recall something like that happening on Law and Order and/or The Good Wife. Maybe Suits. But those are literally the only legal dramas I'm really familiar with, so I may be wrong.
Mr Zoat
Dedicated ragequitter
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Thank you, corrected.
Sadly, not correct. Though they were less likely to be used as draft animals and more like servants/status symbols.
Must Not Rule Eight.
Gosh, no. They might have introduced formal serfdom, but slavery had been there all along.
Were you aware that the Patron Saint of Ireland, St. Patrick, was an English slave who got sold over there?
Steelplaza
Custom Title
- Joined
- May 12, 2015
- Messages
- 280
Small unit farming is awful in terms of productivity, as Bleez notes. It's also a terribly unstable lifestyle in which there are many factors beyond the control of the individual farmer which can render them destitute after a couple of bad harvests. It sort of makes sense with what the Alignment is doing because this is specifically as criminal punishment, but I'm not sure it's a great idea to try to force it on a bunch of aliens being imported to Havana. Especially when they could presumably be doing actually economically productive things. Here is in the real world we don't use robots for farming either, at least not in the beep-boop humanoid model sense, but we do use plenty of high tech machinery that allows a very small percentage of the population to feed the rest, and I think that's a pretty good idea.
Khornelius
Overlord of the Underworld
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- 96
I was referring to the political entities they came from rather than the people they are.
Flightless Man
Versed in the lewd.
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- 1,207
So whatever Bleez said on the knife shopping trip, convinced Jade this is fun/necseacary? Bleez is more conservativly dressed also. I'm guessing the ladies had a conversation.
Michael Vonica
Not too sore, are you?
- Joined
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- 251
In the real world, wouldn't the next few steps be to have our machines become capable of basic recognition and perception, in order to allow them to further automate their function? Once they reach that point, they effectively become robots, even if they aren't human shaped. They'll have almost all the intelligence of a human, at least when it comes to their work, and many times more physical capability than a human. Humans will still be necessary for the quality checks, maintenance, and problem solving. At least for a while.
Impatient_Quill
Versed in the lewd.
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2017
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- 1,561
PDV
Revelation That Uncertainty Is Itself An Answer
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2018
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- 438
Much harder than it naively seems. Moravec's Paradox: perception and locomotion are hard, it's thinking that is easy.
And therefore that robot probably sucks, on priors.
Michael Vonica
Not too sore, are you?
- Joined
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- 251
As time goes on, and AI have more time to develop their ability to make sensory judgements, and computers gain more power to dedicate towards the development of these abilities (even if advancements in computational power are diminishing), such difficulties will be overcome. With enough dedication towards the problem, such things might even be overcome relatively soon. I just don't think that industrial farming robots are high on anyone's priority list, especially since, if one were seeking to increase the efficiency of farming, they have other, lower hanging fruit to pluck first. I'm almost certain that, barring any extraordinary catastrophes, humans will be able to create such AI within the next three to four decades, at most. After all, in the Wikipedia page you linked, Andrew Nig is quoted as saying, "almost anything a typical human can do with less than one second of mental thought, we can probably now or in the near future automate using AI." And that was in 2017. It may not be very precise, but it'll only become more certain from now on.
Workhorse (part 15)
Mr Zoat
Dedicated ragequitter
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7th October 2012
21:39 GMT
"Illustres."
I'm not an expert on her species' physiology, but Onisia looks more than a little ground down. She smiles honestly enough when she sees me, but it fades almost immediately when her eyes pass over my companions. Not that she's unhappy to see them, they just don't arouse a positive response.
"Madam Grand Convenor."
I make the fists-together-in-front-of-my-chest gesture that is their bow-equivalent. Jade copies it immediately while Bleez-. No, there she goes. I suppose that out of all four of us she's the one who was formally trained in this sort of thing.
"I think I understand why you gave control of the Orange Lantern Corps to someone else."
"Not planning on staying in office?"
"Not in the long term. But I don't know who else I could trust this with."
Bleez perks up. "I-." / "I could-."
Bleez frowns at me in puzzlement. "Sorry. I was…" I return my full attention to Onisia. "I know a species of telepaths. Two species of telepaths, actually. If you want to know who's committed and who isn't, you could hire a few."
I consider J'onn J'aarkn's likely response to being invited to a civilisation of spacefaring humanoids.
"Or just ask for volunteers. They don't get out much."
"I didn't abolish our internal intelligence agency so that I could make a more malevolent one."
"Th-?"
"Or to enact emergency laws which somehow never seem to lapse."
"You could just enact them and rescind them before leaving office. Given that you only intend to stay in power for the duration of the emergency."
She shakes her head. "It's a bad precedence to set."
"If you're-."
Bleez steps past me, smiling warmly.
"Hey. I'm Princess Bleez, Crown Princess of Havania, from the Thanagarian Empire."
"Yes. I thought that the Thanagarian Empire was a military oligarchy?"
"The Empire is, but old colonies like Havania have their own planetary governments, you know?"
"I didn't. The Alignment government didn't allow that sort of stratification. They felt it would inevitably lead to tribalistic factionalism. As opposed to all of the other kinds of factionalism that they had."
Jade nods. "If there was an alternate centre of power, people might rally around it. If the only power centre is the government, then as long as they don't splinter openly, that's where it stayed."
I smile smugly. "Unless acted on by overwhelming external power. But seriously, geographic representation by people who can be removed by their constituents is a reasonable way to guard against abuses of power. Keep the people making up the upper levels of government apart from each other prevents groupthink and…"
Bleez looks pointedly at me.
"Sorry."
"The point is, Havania has plenty of people who have studied interstellar economics and I want to help."
"So do all of our neighbours. It's surprising how much of their advice involves dismantling our industry or giving it to them."
"Yeah, that doesn't surprise me. But it's not necessarily a bad idea. If they're involved in your economy then they won't see you as so much of a threat. Telling them that you're not arming up for a war isn't the same as them seeing it in a shareholder report. And in a way, your success becomes their success. When your economy does well, they profit as you do. It's not money going out, it's them getting the money they need to buy more of your stuff." She wing-shrugs. "Economics isn't a zero sum game. Unless you're trying to destroy them and economics is just a weapon, which is how Thanagar usually sees it. Then it's more of a negative sum game because everyone loses."
"Do you have a plan?"
"I don't have the data to make a detailed plan. That's what I wanted to request; access to economic data."
"I assumed that the Illustres would have been able to give it to you?"
"I'm supposed to be on holiday. And that sort of economic information-mining is a pretty hostile gesture."
Jade looks away. "Supposed to be."
"And I'm not actually an economist. Which is another reason why Dox is in charge."
Onisia considers that for a moment.
"Is there a Vril Dox the Third?"
"Ah, not as yet, though I imagine that his foster father has suggested it."
"I meant other people with his intellect."
"Coluans are insular and pretty xenophobic. And while they're all significantly above humanoid norms for intelligence, none of them are on his level."
Onisia nods resignedly. "Then I will authorise Princess Bleez having access to our data. Lantern Xor is best placed to provide up to date information, though not much has changed since his last upload. Non-security-related information gathering is… One of the things we're working on."
Bleez gestures with her right wing. "If you want, my people could do that. If you're worried that your data is bad, we can get wings in the air and check every city and factory and feed back to you."
"And what would that cost us?"
Another wing shrug. "Nothing. I want to get my people used to working with aliens, and in the Empire, aliens… Aliens aren't treated well. It's a different context to the relationship, and I want them to learn something from it."
"Why?"
"Because I'm going to change things when I take over, but I can't do that on my own or without knowing who I can trust to actually do what I want." She smiles. "Sound familiar?"
"Very." She nods. "I'll allow it, on the condition that you give me equivalent data on Havania."
"Just Havania?" Orisia nods. "Sure, I can do that. I'm just wondering why?"
"Because I do actually talk to my father. I'm not in any position to complain about Thanagar having slaves when the Alignment did the same, but I do need to know that you're going to follow through on your promise to abolish slavery."
"That's fair." Bleez nods. "I know our history isn't all that reassuring, but I really do want to change things. I just… I can't force things. I've got to be careful, or a lot of people could get hurt, and I don't just mean other thanagarians."
Orisia nods. "I'll sign the data release order. You can access it from any secure government data repository. Let me know when you have assembled your audit team."
21:39 GMT
"Illustres."
I'm not an expert on her species' physiology, but Onisia looks more than a little ground down. She smiles honestly enough when she sees me, but it fades almost immediately when her eyes pass over my companions. Not that she's unhappy to see them, they just don't arouse a positive response.
"Madam Grand Convenor."
I make the fists-together-in-front-of-my-chest gesture that is their bow-equivalent. Jade copies it immediately while Bleez-. No, there she goes. I suppose that out of all four of us she's the one who was formally trained in this sort of thing.
"I think I understand why you gave control of the Orange Lantern Corps to someone else."
"Not planning on staying in office?"
"Not in the long term. But I don't know who else I could trust this with."
Bleez perks up. "I-." / "I could-."
Bleez frowns at me in puzzlement. "Sorry. I was…" I return my full attention to Onisia. "I know a species of telepaths. Two species of telepaths, actually. If you want to know who's committed and who isn't, you could hire a few."
I consider J'onn J'aarkn's likely response to being invited to a civilisation of spacefaring humanoids.
"Or just ask for volunteers. They don't get out much."
"I didn't abolish our internal intelligence agency so that I could make a more malevolent one."
"Th-?"
"Or to enact emergency laws which somehow never seem to lapse."
"You could just enact them and rescind them before leaving office. Given that you only intend to stay in power for the duration of the emergency."
She shakes her head. "It's a bad precedence to set."
"If you're-."
Bleez steps past me, smiling warmly.
"Hey. I'm Princess Bleez, Crown Princess of Havania, from the Thanagarian Empire."
"Yes. I thought that the Thanagarian Empire was a military oligarchy?"
"The Empire is, but old colonies like Havania have their own planetary governments, you know?"
"I didn't. The Alignment government didn't allow that sort of stratification. They felt it would inevitably lead to tribalistic factionalism. As opposed to all of the other kinds of factionalism that they had."
Jade nods. "If there was an alternate centre of power, people might rally around it. If the only power centre is the government, then as long as they don't splinter openly, that's where it stayed."
I smile smugly. "Unless acted on by overwhelming external power. But seriously, geographic representation by people who can be removed by their constituents is a reasonable way to guard against abuses of power. Keep the people making up the upper levels of government apart from each other prevents groupthink and…"
Bleez looks pointedly at me.
"Sorry."
"The point is, Havania has plenty of people who have studied interstellar economics and I want to help."
"So do all of our neighbours. It's surprising how much of their advice involves dismantling our industry or giving it to them."
"Yeah, that doesn't surprise me. But it's not necessarily a bad idea. If they're involved in your economy then they won't see you as so much of a threat. Telling them that you're not arming up for a war isn't the same as them seeing it in a shareholder report. And in a way, your success becomes their success. When your economy does well, they profit as you do. It's not money going out, it's them getting the money they need to buy more of your stuff." She wing-shrugs. "Economics isn't a zero sum game. Unless you're trying to destroy them and economics is just a weapon, which is how Thanagar usually sees it. Then it's more of a negative sum game because everyone loses."
"Do you have a plan?"
"I don't have the data to make a detailed plan. That's what I wanted to request; access to economic data."
"I assumed that the Illustres would have been able to give it to you?"
"I'm supposed to be on holiday. And that sort of economic information-mining is a pretty hostile gesture."
Jade looks away. "Supposed to be."
"And I'm not actually an economist. Which is another reason why Dox is in charge."
Onisia considers that for a moment.
"Is there a Vril Dox the Third?"
"Ah, not as yet, though I imagine that his foster father has suggested it."
"I meant other people with his intellect."
"Coluans are insular and pretty xenophobic. And while they're all significantly above humanoid norms for intelligence, none of them are on his level."
Onisia nods resignedly. "Then I will authorise Princess Bleez having access to our data. Lantern Xor is best placed to provide up to date information, though not much has changed since his last upload. Non-security-related information gathering is… One of the things we're working on."
Bleez gestures with her right wing. "If you want, my people could do that. If you're worried that your data is bad, we can get wings in the air and check every city and factory and feed back to you."
"And what would that cost us?"
Another wing shrug. "Nothing. I want to get my people used to working with aliens, and in the Empire, aliens… Aliens aren't treated well. It's a different context to the relationship, and I want them to learn something from it."
"Why?"
"Because I'm going to change things when I take over, but I can't do that on my own or without knowing who I can trust to actually do what I want." She smiles. "Sound familiar?"
"Very." She nods. "I'll allow it, on the condition that you give me equivalent data on Havania."
"Just Havania?" Orisia nods. "Sure, I can do that. I'm just wondering why?"
"Because I do actually talk to my father. I'm not in any position to complain about Thanagar having slaves when the Alignment did the same, but I do need to know that you're going to follow through on your promise to abolish slavery."
"That's fair." Bleez nods. "I know our history isn't all that reassuring, but I really do want to change things. I just… I can't force things. I've got to be careful, or a lot of people could get hurt, and I don't just mean other thanagarians."
Orisia nods. "I'll sign the data release order. You can access it from any secure government data repository. Let me know when you have assembled your audit team."
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Darko
Connoisseur.
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2019
- Messages
- 22,944
"New porn material!"
And one made up of telepaths is more scary than a lot of other things.
'Then it is'
Though some may be interested in exploring space after they were freed.
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Mr Zoat
Dedicated ragequitter
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2016
- Messages
- 17,029
Thank you, corrected.
Lazurman
That Others May Fap
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2015
- Messages
- 7,497
One of the downsides to loving a guy that just plain loves working. He can't put it down and do fun stuff because to him it is fun.
Vaermina
Well worn.
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2015
- Messages
- 6,652
Certainly gonna suck when he suffers the inevitable burn out.
Chojin Patriarch
Veteran Lurker
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2019
- Messages
- 2,575
Turns out trying to handle everything yourself isn't so easy? Even with trusted advisors and subordinates, there's still that niggling doubt that they might not have shaken off the instinct for personal profit, huh? Maybe you need a vacation. Little private time with Xalitan?
And that instantly tells her this is more than a personal visit, doesn't it. Even if they declared 'business or pleasure?' when they made the appointment...
Plus, OL probably wouldn't enjoy the drudgery of status reports, mission assignments and logistical management Dox handles...
Ladies first?
Yes, I can picture him - and any other martians following his path - wanting to 'boldly go'... And then 'boldly come', if you catch my drift.
...Yeah, I doubt it would fare well in the hands of less altruistic successor...
Hey, it worked for Sheev.
Which is a bad example, of course...I could see successors enacting laws to profit them after they leave office... Politics isn't called a Great Game for nothing, and some assholes love to cheat. (And let's leave it at that, considering Rule 8....)
Okay, enough OL-style 'diplomacy'. Time for someone actually trained for it...
...Well, not the best start. Still, high hopes!
Leave no other option to follow, eh?
Yes, that's why they did it. We get it, OL...
And now I'm picturing Picard telling Data to hush...
And given their trust issues, the Alignment isn't looking at all side of the offers?
Until a hungry populace decide to overthrow the government who managed to make it incredibly difficult to afford food...
And I bet that's kind of refreshing that she's asking for it nicely, instead of just sneaking into government databases...
Do what you love for a job, and you'll never work a day in your life...
Man, I could hear her eye roll.
Are you offering to help him make one? Because I think Xalitan might have objections.
...Maybe if you wanted one third of Vril Dox... And that's lowballing the relative intellectual difference.
...Has he been personally flying around double-checking every report? I could see it happening...
...Eternal friendship?
Don't forget 'weeding out those unsuitable for that task'. That's a pretty big issue that will almost certainly come up...
Quid Pro Quo. I suppose having information on a more successful neighbour might provide some guidance towards a freer market.
That's still a ways off, barring any untoward incidents...
Heh. These two are more alike than it looks, aren't they?
Well, that went well. Looks like the beginning of a great friendship. Assuming other Thanagarians don't go sticking their beaks into places they aren't needed. At least the Alignment has a big orange stick to keep Thanagar proper off their back. It'd be interesting to see what they make of each other's data, but unless they discuss it in OL's presence...
Oh well, back to his holiday!Cuchulin
Versed in the lewd.
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- 2,266
"Better to burn out than fade away", If he burns out that is.
Darko
Connoisseur.
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2019
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- 22,944
Yes, I can picture him - and any other martians following his path - wanting to 'boldly go'... And then 'boldly come', if you catch my drift.
Now I gotta wonder what the Martian equivalent of a green-skinned space babe is.
Rule 8 covers politics for the last 20 years.
Politicians being assholes is older than most civilizations.
It wouldn't be Paul is he wasn't being a smug know-it-all.
Even one third of his intellect would still be impressive.
Given the fact that the former government is gone abd the new one may trying to figure out how to do things, yeah he may do it either out of paranoia or because there aren't enough qualified people.
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Prince Charon
Just zis guy, you know?
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2014
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- 10,293
I think this is one of those 'this is complicated, neither of us has a perfect memory, and we may not both be using the same definitions' things.
Mr Zoat
Dedicated ragequitter
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- Dec 1, 2016
- Messages
- 17,029
Rule 8 says that's what it covers, but that's actually a lie. You also can't talk about, for example, the Gold Standard.
Sceptic
Critical Irrationalist
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2016
- Messages
- 1,514
Gold is a terrible material for making fence posts. Not sure why we wouldn't be allowed to talk about that.
WereDragon
Bookwyrm
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2020
- Messages
- 449
I have no sympathy.
She decided to hook up with a guy who's idea of a good time is persuading a stagnant civilisation to uplift themselves. She is getting exactly what she asked for.
Paul isn't normally this eager. Not when he brought a specialist along to do the grunt work. Presumably he is a bit stressed from trying (and failing) to 'not work' recently.
Ardy
I trust you know where the happy button is?
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2017
- Messages
- 840
this is basically his version of edging, of course he's desperate to help
Bramble Thorn
Verified Silhouette
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2015
- Messages
- 704
Think of it this was. Are politicians being assholes right now?
Then it is still current politics.
If politicians suddenly stop being assholes immediately, then in twenty years you can not talk about the historical phenomenon of asshole politicians. The timer on the issue isn't from when it first popped up as a Political Issue™, it's when it last popped up as a Political Issue™. If the answer to 'when did people last have loud and public row over this?' happens to be something like 'Tuesday', then you have Current Politics™
MillicentBystander
Your first time is always over so quickly, isn't it?
- Joined
- May 16, 2019
- Messages
- 3
Jade seems entirely superfluous to this entire arc, less than an NPC
Stsword
Versed in the lewd.
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2017
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- 1,891
Watching Earth TV was revealed to be a Martian thing, not Megan thing, by Green Beetle.
So in all likelihood, their equivalent is probably based on human women of European descent, if Hello Megan! is any example they probably got a lot of older shows.
So Martian Tv Tropes probably has "Pink Skinned Space Babe."
Yes the writers of YJ actually came up with a justification for "Mars Needs Women."
Darko
Connoisseur.
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- Nov 20, 2019
- Messages
- 22,944
That could be it, but I was thinking more along the lines of their own version of TV and what they idealized as a physically attractive alien to be like.
Granted with their shapeshifting they may not have cared about appearance.
Well, maybe they could have cared about the skin color.
Coda
Versed in the lewd.
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2019
- Messages
- 1,084
Give it time. It's a plot point that she's being repeatedly neglected.
Sojiko
Getting sticky.
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2020
- Messages
- 87
I completely disagree. Her mounting frustration is a major part of this arc for me.
Workhorse (supplementary, Renegade Option)
Mr Zoat
Dedicated ragequitter
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- 17,029
7th October 2012
16:57 GMT -7
Luna freezes, her terrified exhalation immediately drawing my attention! I crouch slightly, staring around to try and spot-
There's nothing there, Lantern Grayven.
-whatever it is that's… Yes, I don't either, but something's making her gasp in horror like that. Relaxing slightly, I walk cautiously towards her.
"Luna?"
She shakily raises her right arm, pointing into the… Sky. At the clearly visible moon in the day sky.
"Ah."
I walk around behind her, wrap my right arm around her chest and my left hand over her eyes like a living blinker.
"It's alright, it's alright. It's meant to do that."
"Daddy?" Sarahtrots walks over with her ball. "What's wrong with Princess Luna?"
"She's had a bit of a shock, but she'll be fine in a moment. Why don't you go and play with Clare while she recovers?"
Sarah walks closer, then reaches up to pat Luna on the left thigh with her right hand before turning and running towards her sister. Through my right arm I feel Luna's breathing rate drop down to something more like her resting rate as she leans back into me.
"Feeling better?"
"The moon is raised!"
"Earth orbits its star, while its moon orbits the Earth. As a result there are times when both are visible from the ground at one point. Did you..? Not see it before?"
"Neigh, We did not!"
Sarah jogs past her sister and tugs on Sunset's sleeve. Sunset looks down, Sarah points to us and Sunset follows the gesture with her eyes. She blinks, clicks her right forefinger against her right thumb and appears next to us in a cloud of glitter.
"What's up with Luna? Or are you getting into public hobbling?"
"She saw the moon."
Sunset frowns, then shades her eyes as she looks up into the sky. "Huh."
"Sunset, did you ever have a problem with Earth's orbital mechanics?"
"No, not really? Ah, Luna? You know it's meant to do that, right?"
I feel it as Luna regains control of herself, breathing in deeply and holding it before slowly breathing out. And in, and out.
"You may remove your hand. We are not some dumb beast who forgets what it saw the moment its sight is obscured."
I tighten my right arm slightly. I'd tilt my head to press into her hair if she weren't far too short for that to work in this shape. "So hobbling is off the menu?"
"Public hobbling is most certainly 'off the menu' in whatever form We happen to occupy."
I open the fingers of my left hand, uncovering her eyes while still leaving my palm against the side of her head. Though her formerly pointing arm has flopped down to rest on mine, her head is definitely pointed upwards to stare at the moon.
"The moon is in the sky."
I nod. "It certainly is. Sunset, why didn't you have a problem with Earth's orbital mechanics?"
She shrugs. "I'd been on Earth for a while before I even noticed, and nothing particularly terrible had happened. I guess it just signified… Y'know…" She shrugs against, this time a little more awkwardly. "Celestia not watching over me."
"Has Twilight said anything about it?"
"I don't think she's noticed. She's more interested in our technology and magic than anything else."
Luna's breathing is almost completely back to normal now-.
"Luna, moon of my skies, perhaps-"
She tilts her head back so that she can look up at me. "That was terrible."
"-if you don't stare at it?"
"We will recover Ourself. It was simply a shock."
"Had you really not seen it before today? You've been out and about on Earth several times."
"But for the most part We were inside, or the sky was overcast, or your moon not on display, or Our attention directed elsewhere. And then your filly Sarah tossed the ball high and there was a strange moon in the sky."
I nod. "A moon that didn't respond to your magic. I could see how that would be disconcerting, though I must say that I'm glad this happened while you are in human form and not as a pony."
She hesitates for a moment.
"You worry that in Our discomfiture We may have reached for it. We… Do not think that would have worked."
"Hopefully not, but if you threw out enough magic there might be other effects, even if the moon didn't start dancing to your tune. But hey! Good work on not falling over. It took Sunset a lot longer to get the hang of that."
"Did not."
"You were making 'my hands are hooves' gestures when you kidnapped Twilight Sparkle."
"That's not the same as standing up!"
"That is sufficient." Luna raises her right hand. "You may consider us sufficiently distracted from the shoddy construction of the local universe."
"This system runs fine unless someone introduces a solar mass into the system. Yours falls apart if someone puts two ponies in a vine pod. If anything, you and Celestia should try and make your system work like this one."
"That, we are informed, is pony heresy."
Sunset shrugs. "Probably. But there's something about the idea of making Celestia unemployed that really appeals to me."
I give her a mild frown. "You are aware that she'd still be Princess Regnant, right? All it would mean is that she could have a lie in."
Sunset avoids my gaze.
"Sunset."
"Look, Earth's full of strange ideas! I just got a few books on political theory and gave them to the Equestrian library service! I'm sure nopony is going to do anything crazy."
"Thou art trying to depose us?"
"No. I'm trying to get other ponies to depose Celestia!" She shrugs. "You're fine. You can stay."
"And Sister was wondering if We would like Our own student. Between thyself and Twilight Sparkle, we are unsure that Equestia would survive."
"Just because we don't do what you want, that doesn't mean that we don't do amazing things. Just, y'know, don't spend years lying to us and make sure you actually teach us things. It's not complicated."
Ah…
"Though… Maybe… Don't pick Starlight Glimmer. That pony… I think she might have problems."
Luna tilts her head back to look at me again.
"Neigh. Really?"
16:57 GMT -7
Luna freezes, her terrified exhalation immediately drawing my attention! I crouch slightly, staring around to try and spot-
There's nothing there, Lantern Grayven.
-whatever it is that's… Yes, I don't either, but something's making her gasp in horror like that. Relaxing slightly, I walk cautiously towards her.
"Luna?"
She shakily raises her right arm, pointing into the… Sky. At the clearly visible moon in the day sky.
"Ah."
I walk around behind her, wrap my right arm around her chest and my left hand over her eyes like a living blinker.
"It's alright, it's alright. It's meant to do that."
"Daddy?" Sarah
"She's had a bit of a shock, but she'll be fine in a moment. Why don't you go and play with Clare while she recovers?"
Sarah walks closer, then reaches up to pat Luna on the left thigh with her right hand before turning and running towards her sister. Through my right arm I feel Luna's breathing rate drop down to something more like her resting rate as she leans back into me.
"Feeling better?"
"The moon is raised!"
"Earth orbits its star, while its moon orbits the Earth. As a result there are times when both are visible from the ground at one point. Did you..? Not see it before?"
"Neigh, We did not!"
Sarah jogs past her sister and tugs on Sunset's sleeve. Sunset looks down, Sarah points to us and Sunset follows the gesture with her eyes. She blinks, clicks her right forefinger against her right thumb and appears next to us in a cloud of glitter.
"What's up with Luna? Or are you getting into public hobbling?"
"She saw the moon."
Sunset frowns, then shades her eyes as she looks up into the sky. "Huh."
"Sunset, did you ever have a problem with Earth's orbital mechanics?"
"No, not really? Ah, Luna? You know it's meant to do that, right?"
I feel it as Luna regains control of herself, breathing in deeply and holding it before slowly breathing out. And in, and out.
"You may remove your hand. We are not some dumb beast who forgets what it saw the moment its sight is obscured."
I tighten my right arm slightly. I'd tilt my head to press into her hair if she weren't far too short for that to work in this shape. "So hobbling is off the menu?"
"Public hobbling is most certainly 'off the menu' in whatever form We happen to occupy."
I open the fingers of my left hand, uncovering her eyes while still leaving my palm against the side of her head. Though her formerly pointing arm has flopped down to rest on mine, her head is definitely pointed upwards to stare at the moon.
"The moon is in the sky."
I nod. "It certainly is. Sunset, why didn't you have a problem with Earth's orbital mechanics?"
She shrugs. "I'd been on Earth for a while before I even noticed, and nothing particularly terrible had happened. I guess it just signified… Y'know…" She shrugs against, this time a little more awkwardly. "Celestia not watching over me."
"Has Twilight said anything about it?"
"I don't think she's noticed. She's more interested in our technology and magic than anything else."
Luna's breathing is almost completely back to normal now-.
"Luna, moon of my skies, perhaps-"
She tilts her head back so that she can look up at me. "That was terrible."
"-if you don't stare at it?"
"We will recover Ourself. It was simply a shock."
"Had you really not seen it before today? You've been out and about on Earth several times."
"But for the most part We were inside, or the sky was overcast, or your moon not on display, or Our attention directed elsewhere. And then your filly Sarah tossed the ball high and there was a strange moon in the sky."
I nod. "A moon that didn't respond to your magic. I could see how that would be disconcerting, though I must say that I'm glad this happened while you are in human form and not as a pony."
She hesitates for a moment.
"You worry that in Our discomfiture We may have reached for it. We… Do not think that would have worked."
"Hopefully not, but if you threw out enough magic there might be other effects, even if the moon didn't start dancing to your tune. But hey! Good work on not falling over. It took Sunset a lot longer to get the hang of that."
"Did not."
"You were making 'my hands are hooves' gestures when you kidnapped Twilight Sparkle."
"That's not the same as standing up!"
"That is sufficient." Luna raises her right hand. "You may consider us sufficiently distracted from the shoddy construction of the local universe."
"This system runs fine unless someone introduces a solar mass into the system. Yours falls apart if someone puts two ponies in a vine pod. If anything, you and Celestia should try and make your system work like this one."
"That, we are informed, is pony heresy."
Sunset shrugs. "Probably. But there's something about the idea of making Celestia unemployed that really appeals to me."
I give her a mild frown. "You are aware that she'd still be Princess Regnant, right? All it would mean is that she could have a lie in."
Sunset avoids my gaze.
"Sunset."
"Look, Earth's full of strange ideas! I just got a few books on political theory and gave them to the Equestrian library service! I'm sure nopony is going to do anything crazy."
"Thou art trying to depose us?"
"No. I'm trying to get other ponies to depose Celestia!" She shrugs. "You're fine. You can stay."
"And Sister was wondering if We would like Our own student. Between thyself and Twilight Sparkle, we are unsure that Equestia would survive."
"Just because we don't do what you want, that doesn't mean that we don't do amazing things. Just, y'know, don't spend years lying to us and make sure you actually teach us things. It's not complicated."
Ah…
"Though… Maybe… Don't pick Starlight Glimmer. That pony… I think she might have problems."
Luna tilts her head back to look at me again.
"Neigh. Really?"
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