With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)

Chojin Patriarch · Jan 11, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
18th January 2013
05:11 GMT

"You. Analyst."

I don't look up. I've had a program notifying me of his location ever since the mission started. The Darkstars are all on-task and the other Lanterns defer to him. If there's going to be a problem, he's where it's going to come from.

I wouldn't be surprised if some members of NEMO thought of Orange Lanterns as barely-controlled weapons. Especially if they're privy to the results of Avarice overload. Or maybe this guy is just pessimistic and paranoid.

"Lantern Zartok. How can I assist?"

"Confirm for me that the Reach are besieging a New God vessel."

Well, not wanting anything difficult, are we?

"In-combat analysis isn't my speciality, but since-" Colos ordered us to be as helpful as we could without violating orders. "-you ask, I'll take a look."

My normal job is to analyse the behaviour of civilian populations. Which is extremely important when your enemy specialises in mind controlling them, and when anyone you meet might be a sleeper agent. But I'm also trained to look at demographic trends and decipher what major shifts in attitude are happening just under the surface.

Something that would be a big red flag for a Reach infiltration, I bet.

I'm supposed to be here to analyse changes in the behaviour of the Reach civilian population, and we've only just arrived at a planet that actually has a civilian population. I have work to do.

I dismiss the image of one of the Reach cities, leaving the ship's AI to crunch numbers of population movements and likely industrial output. And then I bring up an image of the 'siege'.

I'm sure this won't take long, after all. Zartok's probably looking for a reasonable cause to attack.

"The ship matches the images on-file for the Citizenry's ships. I can't tell you from here whether or not there's a New God on board."

"Does it use New God technology?"

It's not like it carries a big flag showing who's in command...

"There's no outwardly visible sign of it. All New God ships on record -from Apokolips, New Genesis and Karrakan- have a network on lines on the outer surface. But that just means that it isn't using New God technology in its shields, armour or sensors; the internals could have been refitted."

"Can you detect that?"

I'm sure there's some actual reason to have them exposed like that, but really? It just looks cooler.

In a word, no, but I'd prefer to phrase it differently.

"The sensors-."

Bit worried how Zartok will take such a response, eh?

"No."

I bring up an up-to-the-second hologram of our sensors' ongoing attempt to make sense of the ship through out stealth systems.

Presumably not a quick process, of course. Only to be expected, since any active pings would instantly expose them.

"I can tell you there's no obvious sign of exterior work and that it's mass is roughly what we'd expect it to be, allowing for the observable damage that the Reach inflicted to disable it so completely."

"Do not assume that."

...Huh, guess the analyst isn't the only one feeling paranoid.

"Excuse me?"

"Astarte is not the sort of willingly bow her head. The New Gods Grayven recruited will naturally be his supporters. That means that they are an impediment to her taking power from him."

Guessing that's based on the Illustres' observations? OR an estimation based on your own 'conquering warlord' experiences?

"So she might have sabotaged one of her own ships."

"Or the New God might have sabotaged it without realising that they were in enemy territory."

That's a lot of assumptions. Lots of ways you could be wrong...

"They have to open a boom tube somehow. Wouldn't a New God have to know where they were going?"

"Boom tubes do not necessarily require a New God to open them. Clarissi Dox can generate them using his power ring."

Yes, but he's a ludicrously smart fellow.

I.. didn't know that.

"Alright, but we don't know how their navigation systems locate the place where they want to end point. That might need a New God."

Or a very good method of sensing a specific location anywhere in the universe. Like, say, a universal network of emotional lights.

"Mm."

"I don't have access to Clarissi Dox's personal file."

To be fair, we've only seen him Boom Tube anywhere on screen... What, once?

"Neither do I. The Illustres mentioned it."

"Did he say how the Clarissi located his end point?"

Targetting data sourced from OL's Power Ring? Who knows?

"No. I doubt that he knew. The Clarissi is sufficiently intelligent that I doubt it would be a method that most of us could use."

I've heard about Coluan intelligence, but I always assumed that it was overstated. I still don't see how an organic brain can out think a power ring's AI, but Zartok doesn't strike me as someone who gives out compliments freely.

...No, he's not. But he does recognise talents he doesn't have.

"What is this?"

He indicates a point on the hologram.

Something the Reach wants, I bet...

"That's where the Reach ships are focusing their scanners." I press a button to bring up a cut away image compiled from other Citizenry ships of this class that have been dissected before. "It-."

"A storage bay, yes, I can read. How long until we get an image of what's inside?"

...And if the Reach want it, then you don't want them to get it.

"We won't. It's shielded, and the sort of things we'd have to do to get through that would give the Reach a good chance of detecting us."

"How about reading the Reach's sensor logs?"

That would take some serious hacking, given there's probably a noticeable light-speed delay.

"Same problem."

Zartok keep staring at the image. I give him a moment, then reach for the control to bring back the images I'm supposed to be studying-.

After all, if he wants to see this stuff that badly, he can just use his Ring...

"Are we detecting any Scarab Warriors?"

"Ah, no. Not that that necessarily means that there aren't any here, but there aren't any deployed with their Scarabs active."

They are infiltration-friendly tech, after all. Wouldn't be otherwise if they could be picked up at a distance.

"Normal Reach soldiers could undertake a boarding action, but if all they wanted to do was destroy the ship then they could accomplish that with their own vessels."

"So you think they're waiting for the Scarabs to arrive."

Are you asking, Zartok, or just looking for agreement, so you;'re in the clear to attack?

"I doubt that it would be more than one."

"I wonder what the delay is."

After all, Scarab Warriors are one of the toughest super-soldier systems in the galaxy. I'd be impressed if any non-Lantern threat needed more than one.

"There's no reason for Scarab Warriors to simply sit on worlds that have no particular significance. They have far more ships than they do Scarabs and they weren't putting their ships in defensive positions either."

"The Scarabs for this area are with the ships attacking the periphery. They don't have any here."

...In other words, Lanterns would effectively have a free hand in the system...

"It could just as well be that the Scarabs themselves consider this task to be beneath them."

"And that means… They don't have a counter for Lanterns."

...You've already decided to attack, haven't you, Zartok?

"They have interdictions fields capable of stopped most forms of power ring faster than light travel. They don't need a counter when they have enough ships to wear us down and kill us with overwhelming firepower. At most, we would have a few minutes of relative freedom while they repositioned their ships." He smiles, awkwardly. "Besides, going by the current kill-death ratio, I wouldn't call the Scarab Warriors 'Lantern counters'."

It's true. A new Scarab Warrior will usually kill a new Lantern, but once they start gaining experience the advantage shifts to the Lantern, and as far as we can tell it stays there. The Reach either don't have the ability to create something better, or they're saving it for something.

After all, most of a Scarab's weapons systems have to grow from the armour. A Lantern can create constructs anywhere.

He keeps looking at the image, and I'm-.

Oh, that's not awkward. That's just how he smiles.

Hey, it's still better than some species. Ever seen a yautja smiling? It's been known to scare small children of other species...

I'm thinking of asking if there's anything else he wants. But he turns away, eye glowing.

"Let me know if any Scarab Warriors appear."

...I suspect you'll know before they do, Zartok.

Well, looking more and more likely Zartok is lining up to capture a prize from the Reach. He doesn't even know what, but if they want it, then he wants it first. Any guesses as to what it might be, folks?

And how big a shitshow this is going to turn into? At least now that analyst can get back to his real job instead of answering near-impossible questions...

Duke Long · Jan 11, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
I bring up an up-to-the-second hologram of our sensors' ongoing attempt to make sense of the ship through out stealth systems.

'through our'

Mr Zoat said:
Zartok keep staring at the image.

'keeps'

Mr Zoat said:
Oh, that's not awkward. That's just how he smiles.

Hahaha, I was wondering why he'd smile awkwardly.

Ngamer11 · Jan 11, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
18th January 2013
05:11 GMT

Okay, what's this Darkstar's name Mr Zoat?

Mr Zoat · Jan 11, 2023

Ngamer11 said:
Okay, what's this Darkstar's name Mr Zoat?

They were listed in the credits as 'Darkstar Analyst'.

Duke Long said:
'through our'
'keeps'

Thank you, corrected.

DAT_NOOB · Jan 11, 2023

Looking to breach stealth?

Rafin · Jan 11, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
They were listed in the credits as 'Darkstar Analyst'.

What did he look like?

Handlewithcare · Jan 11, 2023

I really liked this and the previous update.

Zoat writes some of his best stuff when it's about people rationally pulling apart data, considerig the consequences and making logical deductions.

Coda · Jan 11, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
that it's mass is roughly what we'd expect it to be

its

Mr Zoat said:
out think

Usually one word, but sometimes hyphenated.

Rafin said:
What did he look like?

He looked like a Darkstar analyst.

Mr Zoat · Jan 11, 2023

Rafin said:
What did he look like?

Like a Dark-.

Coda said:
He looked like a Darkstar analyst.

Darn it.

its
Usually one word, but sometimes hyphenated.

Thank you, corrected.

Chaoswind · Jan 11, 2023

Really hope this isn't Astarte daughter being abandoned in enemy territory because Astarte fears Grayven is going to replace her with the younger model. It would be ridiculous for the circumstances to work so neatly to have her end in the custody of the orange lantern corps and the controllers and this fic is already suffering from character bloat so the last thing we need is for more random plot characters to keep track off... We are already suffering from the absence of the young team and cool kids like Cornwall boy (teen).

boo600 · Jan 12, 2023

Agreed!

More of the team is always needed.

The good news is, given how utterly devastating the Anti-Life infection of Earth is, we'll be seeing them as soon as the Reach is properly pushed back. That means that the only concern is not whether we'll get more Young Justice, but how well they'll be doing and which ones.

Personally, I'm hoping for more Kon, M'gann, Wallace, Kaldur, Artemis, Richard, Zatanna, Rob, Beryl, Angelika, and Raquel!

…there's so many. I haven't even gotten into more adult JL members, or Alan. Dear god this fic has so many great characters on Earth.

Ok. I'm going to root for more Vril Dox, Ragnar, Komand'r, Koriand'r, Xor…

Ok, I see what you mean. The only team member that I'm not extremely hyped to see is Speedy/Red Arrow, and Arsenal. I'm hyped for Canis, hyped for Superman, hyped for… all of them. There's really no point in being anything other than patient, is there? Poor Zoat can only write so much; space-time still limits him!

Congratulation on weaving an excellent narrative out of this many detailed characters, you crazy bastard.

Mr Zoat · Jan 12, 2023

18th January 2013
14:33 GMT -7

"Yeah, I'm…" I knock gently on the door of Sunset's office in her school. "I'm going to talk to her now."

"Dids't you not notice her distress?"

"Well, yeah, but that's a fairly normal result of her talking to Celestia and she actually seemed less bad this time."

The ability to send telephonic communication through the portal without laying down a cable is an innovation of Sunset's… Though I don't know if she's going to be doing much else with it from now on.

"She warded the portal 'gainst our sister."

"Which is blooming impressive, if you think about it." I hear footsteps inside the office. "Alright, she's coming. I'll call you back."

"Be well, beloved."

"I'll-" Sunset opens the door. "-try. See you later."

I deactivate the phone and subspace it, smiling at Sunset as I do so.

She looks… I think I'd say 'resigned' more than anything. She doesn't meet my eyes to start with, the realises what she's doing and meets them, then realises what she's doing again and stops.

"Hey Grayven."

"You wanna talk about it?"

She sort of… Twitches.

"Is.. 'no'.. an option?"

"Yees. Not a good one. Not one I'd recommend, because… No one wants to deal with Nightmare Sunset… But if you tell me to, I'll go."

"'Nightmare Sunset'?" She steps away from the door and nods me inside. "That was the best you could come up with? It makes sense for Luna 'cause she used to spy on ponies when they sleep-"

I look at her pointedly. "'Guard their dreams against nightmares.'"

"-but I've never done anything like that. Would you call yourself 'Nightmare Grayven'?" She stops and frowns as I follow her into her office. "No, actually, that kinda works."

"I was thinking of 'Grayseid'."

"That works too. Damn it." She turns and sits on her desk. "So."

"'Thank you for being honest with me, and I never want to see you again'."

"Yeah. Yeah. Turns out, you were right the first time."

"It wouldn't have been the same. But I actually… Wasn't listening to your conversation. Can you..? Do you want to tell me what happened?"

"You know, it-. I used to complain about Celestia's friendship fixation. But I-. I mean, I… Get it, social relationships are important, I just-."

"What if the Elements were powered by something completely different? Would she have encouraged you to learn whatever that was?"

"No?" She blinks. "Though… I mean, yes, now. I don't know how she'd have-. If it was.. your rings or something-." She shakes her head. "No, it was-."

She takes a deep breath.

"Okay, so the Elements are loyalty, honesty, generosity, kindness and laughter. And those are what she was trying to teach me… Badly. Right?"

I nod.

"But she didn't tell me the truth about any of it. She banished me because I tried to find out the truth by myself and she lied about it. She lied about alicorn ascension, and she lied to and hid stuff from Twilight. And then… Loyalty? She's pretty loyal to Luna, but that… Basically meant that she was fine imperilling the whole country that was loyal to her because she cared more about her sister than the rest of us. And the same with Discord."

"And she exiled you when you were still loyal to her, just annoyed with her poor teaching methods."

"And the royal guards… She's been in fights and led armies before. She must have known that they were useless. And did you know that she invited Twilight and her five closest friends to the Grand Galloping Gala because she thought they'd make a mess of it? Hundreds of ponies were going there, and hundreds more worked hard to make everything work, and she deliberately ruined it because she was bored. She pranked Fluttershy when Philomena was dying-. Philomena's her pet phoenix. She just gets better when she dies. But she does stuff like that all the time!"

"And..?"

"She's a Princess. When she pranks people that's not a prank between equals. It's the-. It's the God-Queen of the country pranking someone. It's not like they could prank back, even if they could even think about pranking back, which they couldn't, because she's a God-Queen."

I nod sympathetically. "President Roosevelt was the same. One time, he ordered one of his bodyguards to go up a ladder onto a roof, then got someone to take the ladder away."

"Right! That's not friendly!" … "Is it?"

"No, it's not. So what you're saying is that she's not loyal, honest, generous or kind and that her sense of humour leaves a lot to be desired. So she might have been trying to teach you to be friendly, but what she actually showed you was…"

"The exact opposite. I didn't really… Think about it before. She… She taught me a lot, and it meant a lot, her taking time from running the country to teach me. Except, she… Doesn't really care about the country because-"

"Now hang-"

"-she put getting Luna back ahead of everything. And she taught me because she needed somepony to make that happen, which… Which would have been fine if she'd just told me what she wanted instead of dressing the whole thing up."

"-on. She didn't just quit when Luna came back, and she easily could have."

"And do what?" Sunset shrugs sullenly. "She's been princess for a thousand years. No one in the country can imagine anyone else doing it, including her."

"Luna slotted in."

"Luna slotted in because Celestia told everypony to accept her. And you were the only reason she started actually doing things. And-. I don't think-. I don't think Celestia has any friends."

I nod. "It would be hard. Though perhaps that explains why she couldn't use the Elements of Harmony herself."

"Maybe. It's-. Do you think I'll end up like that? A thousand years…" She snorts quietly. "I'm going to live a thousand years. I didn't-. I mean, I just.. took life extension as part of the package, but I'm just now thinking 'I'm going to be here in a thousand years'."

"You'll probably have moved somewhere else by then. And this city will look very different in a thousand years. You'd probably barely recognise it."

"I'd be surprised if I even remember it in a thousand years."

"No, formative memories do tend to stick with you better."

"So… Right. She's bad for me, and I don't think I can teach someone like her to… How to change."

She looks up at me.

I frown. "What?"

18th January 2013
21:47 GMT

I walk into the Canterlot Palace dining room, prompting Celestia to look up at me.

"Grayven? Why are you here?"

"Sunset has… Is concerned about you, and has asked me to help."

"In what way?"

"I'm here to become friends."

Idkusername · Jan 12, 2023

…

I'm at a loss for words. HAHAHA!

Darko · Jan 12, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
I walk into the Canterlot Palace dining room, prompting Celestia to look up at me.

"Grayven? Why are you here?"

"Sunset has… Is concerned about you, and has asked me to help."

"In what way?"

"I'm here to become friends

Celestia: Sunset, I apologize for everything I have ever done to you that made you feel wronged! Now please get this lumbering lunatic away from me!

Renegade: Ohh, Celestia! You want to go out for ice cream!

Celestia: AAAHHH!!!

Darko · Jan 12, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
18th January 2013

The link in the spoiler box is missing this date.

KaiKolo · Jan 12, 2023

If Sunset has to suffer the Magic of Friendship then so does Grayven.

Lord Ernest · Jan 12, 2023

Come on, I need to follow this more than that stealth mission to Reach space!!

Chojin Patriarch · Jan 12, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
18th January 2013
14:33 GMT -7

"Yeah, I'm…" I knock gently on the door of Sunset's office in her school. "I'm going to talk to her now."

"Dids't you not notice her distress?"

An odd moment to cut away to the Renegade, but if it makes the amusement of Zartok's next scene better, I'm all for it. And I've no doubt Sunset is in need of some hugs after dealing with Celestia a week ago. Presumably a few things hit her hard after she thought about it...

"Well, yeah, but that's a fairly normal result of her talking to Celestia and she actually seemed less bad this time."

The ability to send telephonic communication through the portal without laying down a cable is an innovation of Sunset's… Though I don't know if she's going to be doing much else with it from now on.

I'm guessing a magical patch on both sides of the mirror gateway, acting via sympathetic resonance. What's more amusing is the image of Luna sitting there with a mobile phone on speaker (because her head is probably not a comfortable shape for regular handset use...) Or more likely floating. Wonder if she gets internet through it.

"She warded the portal 'gainst our sister."

"Which is blooming impressive, if you think about it." I hear footsteps inside the office. "Alright, she's coming. I'll call you back."

Sunset's certainly come a long way in a couple of human years.

"Be well, beloved."

"I'll-" Sunset opens the door. "-try. See you later."

Please, no attempted incinerations. The Renegade's just a bit too tough to burn...

I deactivate the phone and subspace it, smiling at Sunset as I do so.

She looks… I think I'd say 'resigned' more than anything. She doesn't meet my eyes to start with, the realises what she's doing and meets them, then realises what she's doing again and stops.

And that's a long way up, no mater how tall Sunset is now.

"Hey Grayven."

"You wanna talk about it?"

Ah, one thing Grayven-16 would never be caught dead saying...

She sort of… Twitches.

"Is.. 'no'.. an option?"

Now, now. It's not good to bottle things up, especially at your age. Besides, the Renegade's tough, he can handle a bit of cursing and slapping around.

"Yees. Not a good one. Not one I'd recommend, because… No one wants to deal with Nightmare Sunset… But if you told me to, I'd go."

"'Nightmare Sunset'?" She steps away from the door and nods me inside. "That was the best you could come up with? It makes sense for Luna 'cause she used to spy on ponies when they sleep-"

Honestly, I'd have gone 'Duskbringer'. More fitting for sunset.

I look at her pointedly. "'Guard their dreams against nightmares.'"

"-but I've never done anything like that. Would you call yourself 'Nightmare Grayven'?" She stops and frowns as I follow her into her office. "No, actually, that kinda works."

~~To be fair, what is her 'alicorn domain', assuming she even picked one~~? You know, like Twilight is ~~Magic~~ Friendship, Cadence is Love...
Edit: Okay, scratch that. she's 'Magic'. I would assume that leans more towards 'thaumaturgical study and analysis' than 'casual experimentation and instinct'...

"I was thinking of 'Grayseid'."

"That works too. Damn it." She turns and sits on her desk. "So."

Eh, sounds like a medication. Possibly for hyperactivity...

"'Thank you for being honest with me, and I never want to see you again'."

"Yeah. Yeah. Turns out, you were right the first time."

Oof. Blunt as ever, Sunset?

"It wouldn't have been the same. But I actually… Wasn't listening to your conversation. Can you..? Do you want to tell me what happened?"

"You know, it-. I used to complain about Celestia's friendship fixation. But I-. I mean, I… Get it, social relationships are important, I just-."

And not just for their magical system's ultimate artefacts. Because people...

"What if the Elements were powered by something completely different? Would she have encouraged you to learn whatever that was?"

"No?" She blinks. "Thought… I mean, yes, now. I don't know how she'd have-. If it was.. your rings or something-." She shakes her head. "No, it was-."

There's an alternate universe idea: The Harmonious Elements of the Emotional Spectrum. Would suck to be the pony bearing Rage.

She takes a deep breath.

"Okay, so the Elements are loyalty, honesty, generosity, kindness and laughter. And those are what she was trying to teach me… Badly. Right?"

I nod.

Indeed. Well-established backstory there.

"But she didn't tell me the truth about any of it. She banished me because I tried to find out the truth by myself and she lied about it. She lied about alicorn ascension, and she lied to and hid stuff from Twilight. And then… Loyalty? She's pretty loyal to Luna, but that… Basically meant that she was fine imperilling the whole country that was loyal to her because she cared more about her sister than the rest of us. And the same with Discord."

"And she exiled you when you were still loyal to her, just annoyed with her poor teaching methods."

And those things alone would have prevented her from using the Elements, yes.

"And the royal guards… She's been in fights and led armies before. She must have known that they were useless. And did you know that she invited Twilight and her five closest friends to the Grand Galloping Gala because she thought they'd make a mess of it? Hundreds of ponies were going there, and hundreds more worked hard to make everything work, and she deliberately ruined it because she was bored. She pranked Fluttershy when Philomena was dying-. Philomena's her pet phoenix. She just gets better when she died. But she does stuff like that all the time!"

Honestly, I can see the appeal. A thousand years of that stuff must get real played out real quick.

"And..?"

"She's a Princess. When she pranks people that's not a prank between equals. It's the-. It's the God-Queen of the country pranking someone. It's not like they could prank back, even if they could even think about pranking back, which they couldn't, because she's a God-Queen."

Hence the sheer shock people exhibited when they realised that yes, their god-queen does have entirely normal feelings...

I nod sympathetically. "President Roosevelt was the same. One time, he ordered one of his bodyguards to go up a ladder onto a roof, then got someone to take the ladder away."

"Right! That's not friendly!" … "Is it?"

I mean, the guy probably had a chuckle about it... Once he'd managed to get down off the roof.

"No, it's not. So what you're saying is that she's not loyal, honest, generous or kind and that her sense of humour leaves a lot to be desired. So she might have been trying to teach you to be friendly, but what she actually showed you was…"

"The exact opposite. I didn't really… Think about it before. She… She taught me a lot, and it meant a lot, her taking time from running the country to teach me. Except, she… Doesn't really care about the country because-"

Eh... She usually seemed upset when something threatened her 'little ponies'.

"Now hang-"

"-she put getting Luna back ahead of everything. And she taught me because she needed somepony to make that happen, which… Which would have been fine if she'd just told me what she wanted instead of dressing the whole thing up."

But telling you might have fouled up the process. We've been over this, haven't we?

"-on. She didn't just quit when Luna came back, and she easily could have."

"And do what?" Sunset shrugs sullenly. "She's been princess for a thousand years. No one in the country can imagine anyone else doing it, including her."

...Not for a few years, anyway.

"Luna slotted in."

"Luna slotted in because Celestia told everypony to accept her. And you were the only reason she started actually doing things. And-. I don't think-. I don't think Celestia has any friends."

Given the typical lifespans of the ponies (under a century for Pegasi and Unicorns, maybe two or so for Earth ponies...) I suspect any friends she tried to make just... Evaporated in her memories.

I nod. "It would be hard. Though perhaps that explains why she couldn't use the Elements of Harmony herself."

"Maybe. It's-. Do you think I'll end up like that? A thousand years…" She snorts quietly. "I'm going to live a thousand years. I didn't-. I mean, I just.. took life extension as part of the package, but I'm just now thinking 'I'm going to be here in a thousand years'."

...She says, to someone who spent an unknown - but certainly long - time in the Land of Summer's End.

"You'll probably have moved somewhere else by then. And this city will look very different in a thousand years. You'd probably barely recognise it."

"I'd be surprised if I even remember it in a thousand years."

At least, without some manner of memory enhancement spell.

"No, formative memories do tend to stick with you better."

"So… Right. She's bad for me, and I don't think I can teach someone like her to… How to change."

...Where are you going with this?

She looks up at me.

I frown. "What?"

...Cue smash cut to...

18th January 2013
21:47 GMT

I walk into the Canterlot Palace dining room, prompting Celestia to look up at me.

On two legs or four? Not that it really matters, does it?

"Grayven? Why are you here?"

"Sunset has… Is concerned about you, and has asked me to help."

Oh, boy... This promises all manner of hilarity...

"In what way?"

"I'm here to become friends."

Though, when you look at it, it does make sense. She needs more than a population of reverential mayflys...

Honestly, that's probably what Celestia needs now. A peer, an equal, who can talk to her when she needs succour, or cuff her upside the ear when she's being foolish. Like a good friend should be willing to do. And if he's serious about Luna, then they'll have to learn to get along as more than 'my brother-/sister-in-law'. This plot bunny holds much promise...

Bud-E · Jan 12, 2023

Honestly, I thought he'd introduce Celestia to Diana or something him being friends with her himself is surprising and hilarious!

moralrelativity · Jan 12, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
But if you told me to, I'd go.

Use of the past tense here feels odd to me because it's really a statement about the present. So
told -> tell
I'd -> I'll

Mr Zoat · Jan 12, 2023

Darko said:
The link in the spoiler box is missing this date.

Thank you, corrected.

KaiKolo said:
If Sunset has to suffer the Magic of Friendship then so does Grayven.

And Celestia.

Chojin Patriarch said:
To be fair, what is her 'alicorn domain', assuming she even picked one? You know, like Twilight is Magic, Cadence is Love...

No, Twilight is friendship. Sunset is magic. This was already covered.

moralrelativity said:
Use of the past tense here feels odd to me because it's really a statement about the present. So
told -> tell
I'd -> I'll

Me said:
"No?" She blinks. "Thought… - Though
She just gets better when she died - dies

Thank you, corrected.

WereDragon · Jan 12, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
18th January 2013
14:33 GMT -7

Not a twist I was expecting.

…still have no sympathy for Sunset. Melodramatic teen is angry at her mother for not being perfect, news at 11.

She snorts quietly. "I'm going to live a thousand years. I didn't-. I mean, I just.. took life extension as part of the package, but I'm just now thinking 'I'm going to be here in a thousand years'."

Did she never get the update about Grayven spending centuries(~ish) in the future?

DAT_NOOB · Jan 12, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
No, Twilight is friendship. Sunset is magic. This was already covered.

But I thought Friendship was Magic?

WereDragon said:
Not a twist I was expecting.

…still have no sympathy for Sunset. Melodramatic teen is angry at her mother for not being perfect, news at 11.
Did she never get the update about Grayven spending centuries(~ish) in the future?

I mean... I'd say this goes a far cry from being "not-perfect" but then I'm not a Brony so IDK what actual canon says.

Sceptic · Jan 12, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
It's not like they could prank back, even if they could even think about pranking back, which they couldn't, because she's a God-Queen."

Mr Zoat said:
"I'm here to become friends."

And Sunset finally manages to prank Celestia back.

Handlewithcare · Jan 12, 2023

Luna: Tis most impressive

Discord: I agree. Not even I ever came up with torture so subtle and exquisite

Sunset: Come on guys, it's not that bad

Twilight, storms in: THE TREE OF HARMONY JUST CAUGHT FIRE! WHAT DID YOU DO???

Sunset: ...Okay, maybe it is

Traditionally accelerated friendships between protagonistd are formed by going on an adventure together. This should be fun.

Mr Zoat · Jan 12, 2023

DAT_NOOB said:
But I thought Friendship was Magic?

Mr Zoat said:
"…resonance effect from having thousands of thaumically active individuals believing the same thing!"

Sounds like Sunset's made a… Person whom she tolerates?

"But that doesn't explain why they believe that in the first place!"

Twilight's awake, then. Not sure why she came here…

I knock on the door.

"Yes!" / "Yes!"

I push the door open and then trot inside. Celestia's current and previous students are standing in front of a blackboard covered in… Um, even more Atlantean thaumaturgical notation several levels more advanced than I can understand and what appears to be the far more primitive pony equivalents.

Though the meaning of 'F ≠ M' is clear enough, especially with Sunset's chalk floating next to it.

"Sunset, I need your help."

She glares at the blackboard, then at Twilight, then turns to me. "Well I'm not making any progress here."

"Am I attractive?"

"Ah." She blinks. "What?"

I shake my head. "I don't know anything about pony standards of beauty, do I?"

"I-." A mildly disturbed look on her face, Sunset gives my front arc the once-over. "Why.. do you even want to know?"

"I had that whole dream thing with Luna, but I don't know if she's just humouring me or if there's actually any potential there."

Sunset fixes me with a level gaze. "Grayven, I'm.. glad that you're enjoying yourself, but-." I do my best to look innocent. She doesn't buy it. "Grayven, this is my home. I lived here for most of my life, and I do not want you treating this as a booty call."

"I'm not. I like her."

"And… What about Kara?"

"Is constantly on guard to thwart my villainy. That's not a good basis for a healthy relationship. I don't want to have to constantly blackmail someone into spending time with me."

"Can we.. please.. focus?"

"Alright. How's it going?"

"Ah…" Twilight looks uncertain. "I'm still not sure this is going to work."

"Jgh!" Sunset gestures to the board. "I literally just finished explaining it to you. You know it makes sense. You're not that indoctrinated. You'd have to be some sort of total Starswirl fanfilly-."

"Wh-? What?" Twilight grins unconvincingly. "Pf! Nooo. I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation why your math seems to make more sense than Starswirl's Grand Thaumatic Theory."

Sunset rolls her eyes. "Looks like Celestia got to you early."

TodaBruh · Jan 12, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
"I'm here to become friends."

The beat and worst thing that could happen to her. Treat it as getting to know the in-laws.

iamnuff · Jan 12, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
"President Roosevelt was the same. One time, he ordered one of his bodyguards to go up a ladder onto a roof, then got someone to take the ladder away."

... To be fair, while a little bit mean, it's nowhere near the scale of 'haha, I'm going to convince you that your pet is dying.'

I've never heard of that story-beat before, but it sounds genuinely sociopathic.

mastermenthe · Jan 12, 2023

iamnuff said:
... To be fair, while a little bit mean, it's nowhere near the scale of 'haha, I'm going to convince you that your pet is dying.'

I've never heard of that story-beat before, but it sounds genuinely sociopathic.

I would think that fantastical pranks require a fantastical world.
Could a fantastical world lead to social acceptance of fantastical pranks?

It's tedious to determine just how much tge baseline mundanity of a given world affects the acceptability of pranks within that world.

Pinklestia · Jan 12, 2023

Oh this is good.

Yeah turns out Celestia is not actually a good pony.

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