>>41620550
Thread Question fell off
*Ahem*

>What's your favorite meme or ponified version of a meme?

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T H O R A X X ! !
I HAVE COME TO TEAR DOWN YOUR EYESORE OF A NATION. THE NEW GOD OF WAR HAS DEEMED YOU UNFIT TO RULE!! I WILL HAVE YOUR HEAD!!

>>41620631
is that fucing kratos?
what the fuck is his problem

>>41620654
He's bald

>>41620336
do it, I'd read it

>>41620631
wat

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>when PiE is DiE
rip in pizza, strawberry
WE'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU, LUX

>>41621179
I can't believe strawberry is fucking dead

>>41621280
SHE WAS MERCILESSLY EDGED FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS DAMNIT

>>41621179
Write it yourself

>>41621494

>>41621179
Killed by the coof

>>41620550
henlo me posting again
also, fuck this stupid timer

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>>41623644
>I WANTED TO GO TO MCDONAAAAAAALDS AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

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>>41624158
WE HATH MACDONALD'S AT OUR PALACE IN CANTERLOT!

>>41624734
NO I WANTED THE TOY!!

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>>41625237
YOU WILL EAT YOUR MOONSLOP AND YOU WILL LIKE IT!!!

>>41625255
YOU EAT IT THEN IF ITS SO FUCKING GOOD

>>41626071
>"Okay but do you have my weed?"

>>41626071
Was she holding?

>>41624734
>ITS NOT THE SAAAAAAAAAAAAME

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>>41627825
>"Ewww where you get that big welfare green pepper burger?"

>>41628602
Don't they eat hayburgers in Equestria.

>>41629235
It's a classic Richard Pryor joke he's referencing. but I'm pretty sure the line is "hey, where'd you get that greasy, green-onion welfare burger?"

>manticores typically nest in damp caves with pooled water
>They choose such locations for easy access to water but also to keep their wings from drying out
>Many ponies might not be able to tell at first glance, but a manticores wings are quite thin so......
>Most ponies don't get more than a first glance, you mumbled to your self
>Skimming through the encyclopedia you begin to zone out
"Ughhhh"
>You close your eyes and take a deep breath
>Your mom and dad expect too much of you
>Spending so much of your time reading through dusty old books
>All this information going into one ear and out the other
>Thus was your life as the future ruler of the Crystal Empire
>Dad gets to lead the guard and hassles ne'er-do-wells
>He always has the best stories to tell
>If half the stories you hear from the guards are true then he is a very different pony in his line of work
>You have never really gotten to see firsthand of how he handles ponies who have broken the law but it doesn't sound like he gives much leniency
>Never really have talked at length about it, or rather he wouldn't
>He probably has some idea in his head that it is to "protect you from the horrors of the outside world" or some non-sense but you wished he would indulge you
>You don't get out much
>Too busy learning the "tools of the trade" as your mother and Princess-Regent puts it
>Speaking of
>You turn yourself from your thoughts and return to the book

>>41629608
>This was not an unfamiliar tome
>"Beasts of the World:Known or Otherwise" by one Distant Demeanor
>He was an explorer a very long time ago
>Even before the Crystal Empire disappeared
>You had read many of his works
>"The Zebra Conundrum", "Saddle Arabian Days", "Griffons, The Final Problem"
>You could go on
>He wrote from the perspective of his time
>Ponies were to inherit all that there was and the rabble and creatures that plagued these lands would bend the knee
>As time passed everypo-err, Everyone found more common ground than differences this sentiment faded
>For the most part anyway
>Nowadays Equestria is home to a number of non pony's
>Though they don't really have their own towns, or cities they can still be found in the countries more populated areas
>For that matter you turn to the table of contents of your book
>Kirin, Griffins, Wendigos, Diamond Dogs, Humans, Changelings, Draconequus, Zebra
>Humans...
>You haven't read about them for a while
>You read this book so that you had a understanding of the histories of the various creatures you might parlay with
>But you have never seen a human
>Youve seen all manner of being enter the court at your mothers behest but never a human
>Skimming through the book you read a familiar passage
>"What is it to lay down and die?"
>"To succumb to the short comings of the soul"
>"I do not know"
>"Nor do i think any other pony knows"
>"Our spirit does not dour at the prospect of hardships"
>"To a never-ending descent"
>"We move forwards towards a brighter tomorrow"
>"That is what separates us from the dregs and beasts of the world"
>"Both words describe the human experience perfectly"
>"Bestial, and lowly"
>"Hailing from beyond the frozen north, into the great darkened freeze, Humans wallow in starless night and cold"
>"A sunless expanse so bare that it numbs the mind"
>"Temperatures so low that even magic begins to settle and fade"
>"Capable of turning the smart and willful into mere animals"
>"Do not believe a word of it my friends"
>"These humans like to spout such tripe so that it may help them live with their own shortcomings in all walks of life but none of it is true"
>"Humans do indeed live in the barren wastes they so like to describe but it is not out of necessity"
>"Merely their nature"
>"Ever combative of change they choose to subject themselves to this torture rather than find refuge in other lands"
>"No heed or pity should be laid at the foot of the human"
>"They care not for this world or its inhabitants"
>"Barely being able to grasp our tongue, it is folly to conversate with such specimen"
>"They only ever emerge to trade for coal and other raw materials"

>>41629614
>"Never has a humans tired eyes gazed upon the luster of gold and silver, and saw its glory"
>"Only chunks of coal do they value"
>"Though it makes for quite the astute likeness"
>"Humans never come bearing gifts when coming south"
>"Always expectant of a swift trading of coal for whatever they can scrape from their lands"
>"Never a conversation of why they live in such abject dreariness, nor a regard for our ever so generous offers should they ever deign to move south towards our border"
>"It is always the same line of thought"
>"They trade us bits of a glassy green ore called malachite, for a bounty of hardened coal"
>"They do not make small talk or any other polite gesture"
>"It is all business"
>"As soon as they are done with their material needs they leave as soon as they came"
>"Pulling their large wooden crates through the snow on long beams they depart back north"
>"Into their humble abode"
>"Good riddance I say"
>"Though we have no formal line into their dwellings a few things can be assumed"
>"First of these is that they are carnivorous"
>"Large chunks of meat from all manner of being hang from their primitive carriages"
>"Never has there been a report of a human attempting to eat or otherwise harm another pony but that is hardly proof of anything"
>"Second is that they have at one point met another grouping of ponies"
>"Our first ever record of encountering them, had one of their number speaking a very broken form of equish"
>"Though never being conversationalist they could at least grasp the concept of a social encounter"
>"Third and most curious is that their seems to be less of them every time we have the displeasure of partaking in trade relations with the humans"
>"Though we can never be certain as to what they face in their homeland it seems that they are dwindling"
>"Or perhaps an even more concerning possibility is that they are slowly becoming less dependent on us for our supply of coal"
>"That their numbers swell behind the icy veil and prepare to invade our lands"
>"Barbaric creature such as them that are incapable of politeness are all the same"

>>41629295
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAx553k7W5s

>>41629620
This gon b gud

>>41620631
Calm down bro

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>>41629620
interesting

>>41629976
He’s Greek, they got short tempers

>>41629620
Keep it up!

>>41620550
>everything is pastebin
why in the FUCK have u not migrated to ponepaste yet???

>>41620654
He loves Chrysalis and wants vengeance for her

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>>41631945
because fuck you that's why

>>41629620
>"Perhaps it is best that the humans go the way of the uncivilized"
>"To be buried in the annals of time"
>"One day far from this one, they could be reduced to fairytales"
>"That they left no mark upon our world"
>"A pony might one day stumble across their bones, frozen beneath the tundra"
>"Excuberant claiming the discovery of a lost species"
>"But alas, for all that walks, flies, swims, or otherwise drags its self along this world, let it be known"
>"Distant Demeanor saw it first!"
>Though there is more of his thoughts on the creatures, one piece of their puzzle is missing
>A proper rendition of what they look like
>Almost every other species had a very detailed rendition of teir known anatomy and even what examples of what individuals could look like
>Humans only had a crude sketch
>A lengthy and thin being wrapped in some sort of cloth
>Two things coming out at the bottom that could maybe be decribed as hooves?
>Their equivalent at least
>Two more appendages coming from either side of the humans upper half ending in some kind of five pieced claw
>How strange it was that their body allowed them to stand up right
>Almost like a tree
>From where you can assume their head to rest, covered by that ever so obscuring cloth you can make out two beady and small eyes
>Just below them some form of snout pokes from the garment half covering its head
>The nature of the sketch being the blacksheep always seemed a mystery to you
>Though you had no one to ask about it, it didnt stop you from wondering....
>A sudden creaking takes your focus from the book again
"Princess, court will begin soon"
>Looking up you see Dusky Hearth
>A trusted maid of the castle, and long time confidant
"Tell mom I am busy today"

>>41632417
>"Flurry you know I cant"
>Court...
>Reading about the histories of other ponies and creatures was much different than dealing with them
>Your mother, as much as she loves you, does not give you any leniency in regards to being present when court is held
>Though you only have to participate a few times a week it still ends up being the worst parts of your day
>Hours of ponies complaining about the most mundane things
>"So and so isn't respecting my opinions!"
>"My neighbor painted his house a ghastly shade of yellow"
>"Outlaw romance novels, they are corrupting the youth"
>All of it so mundane
"Nothing important ever happens during court" you protest
>"Flurry, you know I have a lot of work still ahead of me"
>Turning your head away from her in acceptance you climb down from your seat
"Must you always guilt trip me?"
>"Must you always argue?" she said with a knowing smirk
"Tell her I will be there soon"
"I need to put all this stuff up"
>"Don't linger"
>Giving her a nod you begin mentally preparing yourself
>For all of the gusto your father puts into his line of work, it doesn't measure to your mothers dedication to statecraft
>She knows everypony who enter her court and there problems
>Deftly she weaves her web of intrigue to keep everything in its place
>Maybe not as dire as it you are making it sound
>She just has a secret sense for how ponies feel
>What to say, what to do, and most importantly when not to act
>She is more a spectator than a participant in the court
>Nudging ponies into talking their problems out rather than ruling in favor of one over the other
>Guess it comes with being the princess of love or whatever
>Putting away the last of your books you make for the door

>>41620550
You thought the mint ponut was your ally…

>>41629608
>>41629614
>>41629620
>>41632417
>>41632422
KINO KINO KINO
write more I'm so invested

>>41633876
i concur, more immediately please

>>41632422
>The halls of the castle were normally quite busy but as you made your way
>Ponies, Crystal or otherwise milling about attending to their duties
>This time however your trotted alone
>A sinking feeling started to form in the pit of your stomach
>Last time things were like this it was because a cavalcade of griffon emissaries had arrived to meet with your mother
>You were there too of course but you were purposely not warned ahead of time, so the following greetings and niceties were very awkward
>You didn't realize complimenting them on the size of their beaks was rude
>It seemed like it would be something their culture would be proud of but alas not
>Though with a bit of help from your mom you both smoothed things over
>"Princess, please watch where you are going"
>You hadn't even noticed you almost bumped into a maid pony levitating a large silver platter over her head
"Oh I'm sorry" you stutter out
"Just zoning out a lot today"
>Giving an affirmative nod she begins to turn and continue on her way
"Before you go, do you know where all the other maids are?"
>She turns her head back towards you
>"The Yakyakistan delegation is set to arrive soon and we are not at all done preparing for them" she spoke before turning away again
>If there was a pit in your stomach before, now it is a bottomless hole
>Yaks were loud, foul smelling, hungry and hairy things
>Its just how they are, they cant help it but your aversion to them is still all the same
>"Sorry princess I thought you knew but i really must get going, the banquet they have requested wont plate itself"
"Uhh yeah, sorry for stopping you again"
>Without a glance back she quickly trots off down the hall
"Ok flurry, focus" you mumble to yourself

>>41635848
>As you approach one of the few side doors that lead into the throne room you hear a loud crash followed by many hooves scrambling
>Nearing the door you hear muffled voices
>Prodding the door with your hoof you are greeted by the sight of a crumpled pile of wood and hay
>"You heard the princess, the yaks will not speak with us if they do not have their own platform!" yelled one mare
>"It was an accident!" yelled a stallion in return
>Two groups of ponies surrounded what seemed to be the remains of the aforementioned platform
>On one side was a group of castle workers, and the other, members of the royal guard
>"Just gather up all this blasted hay while we get these beams back on their supports!" growled one of the guard stallions at the front of their group
>"Don't tell us how to do our job!" jabbed back one of the workers
>Where is your mom in all of this?
>Taking a deep breath you step through the threshold of the door and clear your voice
"Please stop bickering" you said shakily
>Telling ponies what to do still doesn't come naturally to you
>Maybe it never will
>The guards make an effort to lower their head at the sound of your intrusion
>"Our apologies princess" spoke the de facto leader of the group
>Lifting his head he meets your gaze
>"One of our numbers over zealous inspection of the platform caused a wooden plank to give way and bring the rest of its bulk with it"
"Well please fix it quickly"
"The yaks could arrive any time now and we don't want them to throw a fit"
>Practicing in front of mirrors did not make the words of command come from your mouth feel any less awkward
>"Of course princess" he replied
>Looking to the worker ponies, they have already began sweeping up the hay and gathering it back into the piles
>Turning your gaze to the center room you cant help but notice the stark difference it now had compared to the usually elegant flow it previously held
>Large wooden tables take most of the space in front of the throne
>The platform that was being rebuilt was set center of the throne
>Large barrels flanked either side of the room near the tables as well
>Braziers hung from above the the sitting areas giving the room a warmer reflection in its crystalline walls
>It looked more like a feast than a political meeting
>In this confusion however a single thought slipped your mind
>Where is your mother and what is she doing?
>She is the one who made you stop reading to come down here anyway
>Trotting towards the throne itself you find your answer
>Just past it, she is on the balcony looking down onto a parchment that is being levitated in front of her

>>41635851
>Slowly approaching her she fails to spot you
>You cant make out exactly what is written on the parchment but it is very sloppily written
>Almost like a foals scribbles
>Speaking of foalish antics you ready yourself to scare your mother
>Your sweet vengeance for all the trouble she has caused you today!
>Lowering yourself into a crouch, you begin sliding ever closer to your victim
"Aaaah" you scream as you leap at your mom
>Unflinchingly she immediately seizes you mid air, in her magic and hovers you in front of her
>Without even batting an eye she levitates a piece of paper before you
>"Flurry now is not the time for games"
>"This is a list of titles and honorifics you are to learn before the banquet is held later tonight for our esteemed guests"
>The paper is filled top to bottom with different titles
>Some of them aren't even titles and just descriptors of separate feats the yaks prince had supposedly performed
"Mom, could you have not warned me about all of this a few days ago?"
>"No" she replied tersely
>"Apart of being a ruler is having to learn and think on the move"
"Surely you don't think I can memorize all of them before the yaks arrive!"
"The ponies out there are fumbling over themselves trying to finish setting whatever it is you have out there up" you reply just as sharply
>"Yaks much prefer the more rustic looks of a wooden barn to a castle made of crystal and since they are traveling to us, we are going to make them feel more at home"
"They sure smell like they live in barns" you mumble
>"You will be on your best behavior when they arrive"
>"No filly of mine will extend anything but their best hoof towards trusted allies"
>"Besides you have some time, the banquet wont begin for some time now"
>"There will be much talk before we satiate their appetite"
>She gives you a smile as she lets you writhe away from her grasp
>"I know you are always tense in these situations but I promise, just relax and whatever you do, don't make any comments on the size of their horns"
"You are never gonna let the griffon thing go" you say as you turn away from your mother
>"I'm only messing with you sweetie, I know you can do this"
>"But really, do not comment on their horns"
>"It is a very touchy subject in their culture"
>With a dismissive wave of your hoof you trot back down to the gathered tables in the throne room, paper in tow
>Sitting at the farthest one from the ponies hard at work you begin looking over the document of titles
>The mountain king? Conqueror of mole hills? Performer of the breaking dance?
>This was gonna be a disaster

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>>41635859
>Performer of the breaking dance?
top kek
they may be smelly, but the yaks have good taste in titles

>>41636847
I don’t get it

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>>41635848
>>41635851
>>41635859
MORE MORE MORE
also make a ponepaste and dont FUCKING abandon this story please i want this SO bad PLEASE I BEG

>>41637450
This child feels demonic.

>>41638586
>the same star costume, but upside down

>>41635859
mmm yes delicious green

>>41635859
>i will tame the dirt monkey
Is that it? if it is bring moar

>>41638586
It’s the smile

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>>41635859
Loving the greens!
What name may we call you?

>>41640821
What a fat little filly.

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>>41641086

>>41635859
>After what felt like an eternity you finally lay down the document
>Closing your eyes you try to parse your mind to find all the bespoke titles you have just read
>Aaaaaannddddd nothing
>You know what?
>It doesn't matter
>Grasping the paper with your magic you carefully fold it together neatly and tuck it behind one of your wings
>You will just do a quick check up when the yaks arrive
>Looking up from your corner you can see that the throne room now bustling with the castles denizens
>The platform from earlier now standing on its own, taking center stage of the room
>A plentiful amount of hay is being spread about the floor around and atop the grandstand
>Thinking back to when first entering, you hadn't even questioned its presence
>Do yaks walk on and sit in hay?
>What else might they do to the rest of their food?
>And food there would be if previous experiences were anything to go by
>The first time you had seen a yak was when you visited had one of the markets near the castle with mom and dad
>Even back then as young as you were, you remembered much
>Your mom had you nestled between her wings and dad had been making stupid faces at you the whole time
>While milling about in the colorful stands two things had caught your attention
>Two large, hairy and decidedly not colorful masses of fur
>They were looming over a crystal pony at his food stall
>"Yak not understand what you want!"
>The pony at the stall pressed his hoof towards the one leaning over him
>"Bits, you oaf!"
>"I want payment for all the food you have eaten!" his temper flaring
>The large ball of fur leaned his head towards the ground and bit down on what seemed to be scattered pieces of half eaten fruit
>Whipping its head back up to the stall a hoofull of crushed apple cores landed squarely on the table
>"There are bits, did this make happy?" it asked with genuine confusion
>The ponies anger instantly turned to a dead pan stare
>Breaking your gaze on the predicament unfolding in front of you, your father notices it too
>"Yaks...." he mutters
"What is a yak?" you ask before standing up on your mothers withers
>Dad thinks for a second before replying
>"They are like us but..more..."
"Loud?" you asked him
>"Yeah haha, but don't say that to them sweetie, its rude"
>Smiling, you both turn you ears back to their argument
>"These bits!" stammered the incredulous pony, scattering a small number of gold coins before the yaks
>Without missing a beat, one of the yaks immediately lowers its mouth to the stall and scoop the coins from the table using its huge tongue
>The coins disappear into the yaks mouth as it begins to chew

>>41641162
>"Blyeah"
>As quickly as they entered the coins are spat from his mouth
>Rearing up on his back legs the yak begins to loudly stomp the currency into the dirt, deforming the small gold tokens
>It is at this point the vendor finally loses his words
>Mouth agape he backs away from his table
>The yak moved forward with a gruff tone
>"You trick me!" he said as he leveled his head at the pony
>After that your memory gets a bit fuzzy but you think dad sorted them out
>Or maybe not and that poor pony got headbutted
>Either way you had met more yaks since then and they are all the same
>"Flurry what are you doing in the corner by yourself"
"Huh"
>Looking up, your dad was walking towards you
>"Stuck in your head again?" he asked
"No, I'm just trying to memorize all these stupid titles" you lie
>"I know your mother can be a bit overboard with her little trials and tribulations she puts you through but she means well"
"Yeah I know, just wish she would clue me in on stuff instead of just dropping this stuff on me" you say before motioning around you
"Makes me feel like some little filly who cant handle herself"
>Dad closes the gap and pulls you into a hug
"Not in front of everyone!"
>Trying to pull away from him proves to be a pointless task
>"You are our little filly"
>"Besides, you always pick up on this kind of stuff pretty quick"
>"Faster than me at least"
"Where have you been anyway?" you asked before separating from him
"Aren't you guys supposed to be getting ready for the yaks to be here"
>"Ill have you know we have been running drills all morning missy" your dad replies
>"We are about to leave the castle and make for the edge of the city, where we are to meet the yaks entourage"
>"I came to let you and your mother know before we depart"
>"Where is she anyway?"
>You point a hoof to the staircase behind you
"She's on the balcony reading some kind of scribble"
>"Still?"
>"She has been there all day!"
>Turning from you he begins to ascend the stairs before turning around one last time
>"Make sure you go over whatever your mother gave you again"
>"She wouldn't have given you this task if it wasn't important, she trusts you"
"Yeah, yeah I know"
>You attempt to resist rolling your eyes but fail
>Knowing your dad will soon depart to collect the yaks party you sit back down at your table
>Levitating the piece of paper from your wing that you had stashed earlier you take a deep breath
"Okay, lets try this again"

i will try to get this moving quicker. Anon is around here somewhere
>>41637450
i might
>>41640821
Janny cause i do it for free (jk)

>>41641176
Okay, Janny it is then.

>>41641466
dubs seals it

>>41641576
Let it be written.

>>41641176
It’s not often you get green involving yaks
Can’t wait to see where this goes

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I hate Flurry Heart, I think she's an abomination that bends the rules of the setting in order to "be cute" and sell toys, like even worse than Candyass being a we-totally-forgot-to-mention third alicorn did.
And yet, this green is fantastic and I'm totally invested. That's a good trick.

>>41621179
F

>>41643014
The early comics were special, it's a shame they got the soul ripped out.

>>41643014
I don't think anyone likes Flurry Heart.

>>41641106
Local pony Absolute Unit

>>41644425
>>41640089

>>41644425
i like flurry heart

>>41644425
My niece is perfect you fag

>>41641176
>Duke of cairns, Trotter of trees, Flinger of rocks, and a hundred other titles float very faintly on your mind
>You know you wont remember all of them but you will keep a hoofull that you can use tonight
>Levitating the paper you tuck it away beneath your wing again
>As you looked back up to the throne room proper you take in the sight before you
>The rest of the throne room at this point had been completely transformed
>More large wooden tables now lined the walls near the entrance and the whole palace floor was covered in hay and straw
>Castle staff bustled between them all, setting all manner of bowls and utensils. though you doubt yaks would appreciate, or use either
>A small team of guard pegasus were busy hanging a large, flowing banner above the throne rooms doors
>A greyed helmet with a pair of horns protruding from either side was emblazoned on the center of the tapestry
>Just how many yaks were coming to the castle?
>Even some noble families had begun to congregate inside the castle grounds
>You have seriously underestimated how big this "political event" would be
>Getting up from your table, you see a familiar face
>Dusky Hearth was among the gaggle of ponies attending the benches
"Hey Hearth" you call to her but she doesn't hear you
>She is completely absorbed in her work as the castles preparations come to an end
>Before you call to her again you quell the thought
>Now isn't the time to conversate
>You don't even know what you are supposed to do here yet really
>Finding your mother would be the next step you take on the path of trying not to embarrass yourself tonight
>Turning, you make for the balcony she had seem to take a liking to
>As you approach, your ears perk up to a conversation ahead of you
>Peering around the corner you see your mother talking to none other than the royal physician
>"-guarantee anything"
>Only catching the tale end of the sentence you haven't a clue what it is they could be saying back here
>Shaking your head, you mentally chastise yourself for eavesdropping on your mom
"Focus flurry, what is with you today?" you say to no one in particular
>Rounding the corner you announce yourself

>>41646446
"Mom, I think i have enough of these memorized"
>The physician turns to you first before lowering his head curtly
>"Princesses" he says as he turns to return to the castle
>Your mom rises as you approach
>She draws forward and wraps you into a big hug
"You and dad are the same!" you exclaim, trying to escape her hold
>She laughs as she nuzzles your hair
>"We have common ground" she says teasingly
>Releasing her grip, you step back
"Well what am i supposed to do when the yaks get here?"
"Just stand at the door and greet every one with a dumb smile on my face?"
>"No of course not, your duty tonight will be to escort and entertain the princes daughter"
>"It will be like a little play date!"
>Deadpan
"So why did I just spend an afternoon learning her dads titles instead of hers?" you protest
>"Preparedness young filly, preparedness"
>"When you inevitably speak to him you will do it as they prefer"
>"They come from afar at our behest to ensure our relations do not falter, it is the least we can do" she chides
"Yeah i guess.."
>"Good!" she declares
>After you and mom were done talking, both of you returned down to the throne room

>>41646450
>Your mother being the princess-regent sat atop the throne
>You stood to the side of her awaiting your fate as a glorified foal sitter
>What would you and a yak princes daughter even have in common?
>And what was mom and the castles physician talking about while all of this was going on?
>A question for another time
>"Brr Brrr Brrrr"
>Trumpets sounding made you turn your head to the door
>Finally something is happening
>The doors of the palace swing open revealing your father standing next to a gargantuan example of a yak
>His eyes completely obscured by his auburn fur
>Two long horns coming from either side of his head
>Behind them, a veritable herd of his ilk in tow
>All of them, decidedly quiet as opposed to their usually thunderous selves
>Between all the guard ponies and yaks flooding into the palace you fail to notice your charge
>The yaks daughter is seemingly nowhere to be found
>The tables begin to fill with his entourage as you begin to panic
>You dad departs from the princes side and ascends to his position next to the throne your mom sits upon
>He gives you a smile as he passes you but it does not quell your uncertainty
>Surveying the crowd you have no clue what she even looks like
>You expected her to be smaller than the rest of his group but no such luck
>Before you let your emotions get the best of you, mom begins to speak
>"Welcome, dear guests to our Crystal Empire" she declares
>"We gather here today to ensure our mutual prosperity, and friendship continues unabated"
>Instantly you are enraptured
>Mom always had a commanding prescence, having difficulty focusing on anything except for her speech
>"Though we lead different lives, our shared goal of harmony keeps us close"
>"May we tread this path together!" she exclaims
>The yaks prince raises himself to respond
>"Yes princess, to another decade of good times!"
>With a nod, all the yaks begin stomping their front hooves into the floor, crushing the hay and straw
>After this display of pride has ended the noble ponies in the crowd begin conversing with the yaks princes group as he steps towards the throne
>Your mother and father equally step down from their perch to greet him more personally
>Without giving you a glance they are gone
>You are on your own
>You have to go find this filly before you go crazy
>Or whatever they call their daughters
>"Excuse me, you must be Flurry Heart"
>Spinning around you see a yak about half the size of its kin
>But that's not all
>Looming behind her, something follows her
>A tall thin... something
>Long arms and legs, it stands motionless and quiet
>Five taloned claws, strange pointed snout (nose?)
>You have to angle your eyes up to see its head
>It stood well over the two of you
>Its gaunt eyes locked onto yours
>Audibly gulping you tear your gaze from it

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>>41646446
Whoo, more green! Couple typos in there, though:
>Now isn't the time to conversate
*converse
>you make for the balcony she had seem to take
*seemed
>Only catching the tale end of the sentence
*tail end

>>41646462
Aw shit here we go

>>41646201
Cope

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>>41646462

>>41646511
Yeah i was tempted to not even post it last night. I was too tired to catch everything and was just dragging through it. Wont happen again (hopefully)

>>41647289
It was mostly fine, could maybe use a couple more commas here and there, but those were the only major goofs I saw

>>41647289
Happens to all of us

>>41647289
I have been here for years and never proofread once. The thread gets what I wrote three minutes after I wrote it.

>>41647289
you're all good, it's probably going to happen to me too here in a few hours

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well, /bug/ is dead at the moment, but this green still fits neatly under the /aie/ net, so i'll post the completed chapter in its entirety

previously: https://ponepaste.org/10008

>Apart from a few diminutive ripples, the water was still; mirror-like, even.
>The golden glow of the early morning sun kissed the mountain lake’s tranquil surface, shimmers of light dancing about with reckless abandon.
>Some of them were cast onto the underside of a humble wooden canoe, half-docked on the lake’s edge.
>The boat had seen better days, no doubt, but for its intended purpose of the day, its quality would suffice.
>Anon sat at the shore-end of the vessel, and as he unwound his second-hand anchoring rope from the damp log it was wrapped around, he wondered what he would catch, if anything at all.
>Free of its constraint, the canoe began to move, but only just so - the landbound half still struggled to do anything but wiggle around.
>He tossed the rope aboard and used his free hand to give the earth a decent nudge, gently launching the craft on a course for the lake’s center.
>It rocked ever so slightly, sending stronger ripples cascading out, fated to fade before they reached the shore.
>Rather than row out to his destination, Anon elected to drift for a time, his gaze wandering about.
>Though his thoughts had been plagued by worry for the last day and a half, he felt it all melting away the longer he floated along.
>How long had it been since he’d actually been out on the water like this? Not since arriving in Equestria, that much was certain.
>A nearby mourning dove sang out in agreement.
>Anon shut his eyes, content to soak in the sunlight, his skin expanding microscopically under the summer haze.
>Despite everything that had been going on, he began to feel a welling in the core of his stomach, one that seemed to alleviate the natural tension throughout his body. He began to feel…
>/Content/.
>At the opposite end of the canoe, though, a weight shifted, heaving a sigh into the otherwise serene air.
>“Does your lesson plan involve wasting precious time?” Chrysalis asked as her minute movements rocked the boat.
>Anon’s brow sank, but he refused to dignify her attitude with so much as a glance in her direction.
“No, but I could work that in,” he quipped back.
>She guffawed, a singular bark of a laugh roaring past her fangs.
>“I fail to see how milling about a lake on a piece of driftwood is anything /but/ a waste of time.”
>Anon eyed the distance to the center, ignoring her complaint. From the floor of the boat, he fetched his fishing pole and laid it across his lap.
>He wrested the hook from its holding loop with one hand, glancing up at her as he did so.
“What, you don’t think nature can be enriching?”
>“Under different circumstances, perhaps,” she said. “It’s rather difficult to glean anything of worth with you across from me, doing…”

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>>41648819
>She eyed Anon’s rod up and down heh, confusion deepening as she combed over its form.
>“…What exactly is it that you’re doing, again?”
>Anon finished baiting his hook and stood the implement upright in his lap.
“Fishing.”
>She met Anon’s eyes, confusion mixed with untold amounts of frustration.
>A small, almost imperceptible smirk tugged at his lips.
“…Do you not-”
>“I know what fishing is, /dolt/,” she interrupted. “Why do you need that crude-looking implement? Are your kind not skilled enough to catch them without it?”
“We are, but this is easier.”
>With a freshly baited hook, Anon cast his line far out into the waters.
“In a way, it’s kinda like how changelings feed. Why go through all that effort when a disguise - the bait - works better?”
>Chrysalis broke eye contact and scoffed, slumping over and lying down.
>“Your gross generalization barely scratches the surface of what our hunts entail.”
>He shrugged his shoulders, leaning back in his own seat.
“My point still stands.”
>“Your poor comparison says otherwise.”
>The relative neutrality of Anon’s countenance cracked.
>A deep irritation welled within the recesses of his gut, one that he only just barely staved off.
>Escalating would do nothing but give her exactly what she wanted. As much as he would’ve loved nothing more than a verbal back-and-forth with the queen of attitude, his commitment to the cause required him to hold off.
>So, with great difficulty, he softened his features and said nothing in return.
>As more of the line gradually sunk into the murky depths of the lake, an overbearing silence draped its fragile arms over the canoe.
>Amid the tacit waters of the lake, though, Anon’s mind raced.

---

Four hours ago…

>The echo of hooves and shoes upon marble filled Anon’s ears, drowning out the comparatively wispy voices of the meandering gentry.
>As empty as Canterlot Castle’s throne room was on Sundays, it still had its fair share of kowtowers galavanting around the place, all pinning their hopes on having even a second with one of the royal sisters.
>Kowtowers who, as Anon passed by, reduced their frivolous murmurs into hushed whispers.
>Their accompanying glares were honest attempts to level him; how dare he, who cavorted with the dreaded queen of Changelings, /dare/ step foot in their most sacred of dwellings?
>Their indignation would only last for as long as he didn’t return their stares with his own barely restrained scowl, however, at which point they would avert their piercing eyes elsewhere.
>The myriad of judgemental onlookers ground Anon’s gears into metal shavings.
>‘Vagrants,’ he thought.
>“I’m so sorry, Anon,” Twilight said, looking up at him. “I knew ponies were gossiping, but this is just…”
>Her words trailed off, unsure of what to say.
>Anon sighed loudly into the charged air and shook his head.

>>41648825
“S’alright,” he said, disenchanted. “Not like their opinion of me matters, anyhow.”
>Twilight’s sympathetic gaze left Anon’s features, combing her immediate surroundings for some abstract wisdom that might soothe him in some capacity.
>“…I’ll make it up to you,” she said, coming up short. “I promise.”
“Ah, don’t worry about it. How they’re acting isn’t your fault.”
>“In a way, it is.”
“Sure, but that was an honest mistake. I’m not gonna hold that against you.”
>“Still.”
>Anon paused, his eyebrow raised as he looked upon her demure expression.
“You know what? I just thought of something you can do to help me feel better.”
>Twilight looked back up at him, hopeful.
>“What’s that?”
“Be my friend. Oh, wait, you already are.”
>As much as she fought it, his request brought a goofy grin to her lips. She hooved his side, ever so slightly pushing him to the left.
>“Anon, I’m being serious.”
“So am I,” he replied in sincerity. “Seriously, don’t worry about it.”
>Twilight hummed her appreciation in reply. As they crossed to the rear of the throne room, however, she found that she simply couldn’t relent.
>“…Are you sure?” she asked. “It could be something small, if you wanted. Maybe lunch somewhere?”
>Anon held his hand up to stop her, shaking his head.
“Helping me with the house is enough, Twiggles.”
>“I know, but I wanted to have…”
>Her sentence cut itself short as she eyed Anon incredulously.
>“/Twiggles/?” she parroted, as if hearing it the first time wasn’t enough for it to properly register.
>Anon laughed aloud, further silencing his onlookers.
“Yeah, sorry, that one was bad.”
>Twilight joined him with her own reserved giggle.
>“No, no, it’s just - how did you even come up with that?”
>Anon shrugged as they approached a set of double-doors leading further into the castle, two guards - a pegasi and a unicorn - stoically blocking the way.
“Phonetics, I guess.”
>She shook her head.
>“What am I going to do with you?”
“Apparently, put me in charge of supervillain rehab.”
>As the two closed in on the entryway, the guards stepped aside, repositioning to be parallel with the wall. The unicorn, with effortless grace that only decades of service brings, lit his horn with a brilliant blue aura and threw the doors wide.
>They both saluted her as the odd duo passed, the former’s armor plates clattering as they did so. Twilight nodded in respect as both herself and Anon passed through the threshold, and after a few steps inward, the doors shut behind them.
>The dull roar of the throne room was replaced with sterile silence, broken only by their rhythmic march forward into the labyrinthine inner halls.
“Wish /I/ was a princess,” Anon said, volume lowered to match his surroundings.
>“Wanna swap places?” Twilight asked in jest. “I’m sure you’d be great with all the paperwork.”

>>41648831
“…Yeah, nah, you can have that.”
>“I thought so.”

…

>A gilded archway, flowered vines creeping all the way up its pillars and spilling into the hallway itself, shone the way out.
>Amateur artists the world around would be put to shame by its natural framing of the cherubic greenery outside, a painting come to life.
>As Twilight and Anon traipsed into the living work of art, the wind swelled, blowing their hair about this way and that.
>The breeze played its usual song on the myriad trees scattered about, hitting every note with the skill of the world’s longest practiced musician.
>Birdsong leapt at them from seemingly everywhere, a barely restrained greeting for the guests of the hour.
>Twilight carried on without fanfare, having essentially grown up in the castle, but Anon paused for a moment.
>He’d only been once or twice, and neither outing had led him to where he now stood.
>Though it was only a fraction of what the gardens held in store, he still drank it all in.
>“Anon?” Twilight called out.
>Ripped from near-euphoria, he locked eyes with her.
>She idly tapped her hoof along the beginning of a cobblestone path, flanked on both sides by human hip-high shrubs, exotic flora affixed and bobbing up and down in a wave pattern the farther they went on.
>“I don’t mean to rush you, but we really shouldn’t be late for this meeting,” she continued, a bit bashful about having to remind you.
>Anon chortled as he left the veranda to join her side.
“She’d put the /world/ on hold for you.”
>“I’d hope not!” she replies, almost offended. “Her duty to Equestria comes before anything, she’s said as much herself.”
>Anon didn’t reply immediately. Twilight’s naïveté, in spite of her vast intellect, was sometimes staggering.
“I believe you, Twi.”
>The end of the hedge-line path blossomed into a sizable courtyard, packed to the brim with otherworldly flower arrangements and displays. Strangely enough, none of them had any plaques with information about what was on display.
>Stone statues were dotted about in tasteful locations, usually near vine-covered arches or sitting areas.
>Bush sculptures and immaculate hedge trimming acted as structure for the large space, intentionally directing focus in a way that led passers by on a path of sorts.
>Deeper into the greenery they went, though, and before long, they happened upon a small clearing.
>At its center was a simple stone bench, unassuming in both size and craftsmanship.
>Across from it was an empty stone pedestal. Same as everything else, no plaque could be found anywhere on it. Anon thought it an odd thing to feature, but brushed the feeling aside to focus on the bench’s occupant.
>Coat white as freshly laid snow.
>Pastel mixtures of green, blue, and pink all waving orderly in a wind only she could feel.
>Sunlight glinting off of a golden peytral.
>Wings slightly spread, catching the breeze.
>Lavender eyes fixated on a passing cloud.

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>>41648836
>A smile that had been there before he was born, and would be there long after he was gone.
>“Princess Celestia!” Twilight called out, unfolding her full wingspan in excitement.
>Celestia’s gaze flicked in their direction, focusing first on Twilight, and then on Anon.
>Her already-present grin widened as she departed from her seat and turned to face the both of them fully.
>“It’s always a pleasure to see you well, Twilight,” she said as she ambled over, her movements almost ethereal in their grace.
>Twilight took off from Anon’s side, meeting her mentor halfway in a rather heartwarming embrace.
>Stood there awkwardly, he wasn’t quite sure whether he should bow or just keep waiting.
>After a few moments, though, Celestia lifted her head from Twilight’s withers, holding Anon’s eyes as the hug broke off.
>“It’s a pleasant surprise to see you as well, Anonymous! How have things been for you?”
>A genuine grin supplanted his awkward neutrality.
“A bit hectic,” Anon replied, letting go of a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “But I can sleep in my own house again, so it’s not all that bad.”
>“I heard about that,” she said, almost penitent. “I can’t help but feel somewhat responsible, having not assumed that Chrysalis would be able to gather another hive to launch an offensive.”
>Anon shook his head, in mild disbelief that she of all people would apologize.
“Ah, you’ve got nothing to feel bad about. I mean, you didn’t blast my house with lasers, did you?”
>He redirected his focus to Twilight, an enigmatic smile on his lips. She did everything she could to avert his gaze, a bashful red hue on her cheeks.
>Celestia giggled at their playful banter, her voice joining the garden’s symphony of sounds.
>“That, I did not.”
>She beckoned the both of them forth with a wave of her hoof, another bench just to her left.
>“Make yourselves comfortable, you two.”
>They wasted no time following her suggestion, Twilight taking the spot closest to her mentor.
>“Did you have time to read the brief I wrote about yesterday?” she asked, removing her dual tote bags from her withers.
>“I did,” Celestia replied. “For being specialized in subterfuge, Chrysalis is quite skilled at causing a commotion, isn’t she?”
>Fresh memories of the incident crawled to the forefront of Anon’s mind.
>One moment in particular repeated ceaselessly in his head - the moment he made eye contact with the panicking crowd.
>Big and small, young and old, it didn’t matter; the instant the overgrown insect reared its ugly head in his shop, their terror had become indiscriminate, extending to him as well.
>It weighed heavily on his conscience, dragging the middle of his brow downward.
>Inwardly, he wondered why he cared so much; for someone so disenchanted with outsider opinions, the resulting gossip stung quite cruelly.

>>41648843
“Sure is,” he said dejectedly before returning to a more neutral tone. “That was probably my fault, though. I should’ve just kept her in the back.”
>“It goes a bit farther back than that,” Twilight interjected. “I should have overseen her myself yesterday, or at least stayed with you during the festival.”
>“I’m not so sure either approach would have helped,” Celestia said thoughtfully. “Her behavior during her earlier lessons indicates as much. It’s as if she revels in derailing our attempts to show her the error of her ways…”
>Celestia rested her eyes on the empty pedestal, a surprising lack of frustration in her words.
>Amid a few moments of tender quiet that took hold of the conversation, Twilight fetched a few scrolls from her tote.
“Well, that sort of thing was what she was all about, right?” Anon said, cutting through the silence.
>Celestia focused on him once more, her gaze willing him to extrapolate.
“I mean, I don’t know much about her, but it feels like she’s been doing this sort of thing her whole life. Could be that’s all she knows.”
>He held his hands up in mock surrender for a split second.
“You guys know her better than I do, though, so… you know. I don’t really know what I’m talking about.”
>“You actually know her about as well as we do,” Twilight said as she straightened out her parchment. “Maybe more, judging by your conversations with her during the festival.”
“We barely even talked to each other, though,” Anon replied, his face contorted in skepticism.
>“Believe it or not, she still shared more than she’s ever been willing to with us or her other tutors.”
>“Indeed,” Celestia agreed, her tone implacable. “The most others have managed to get from her are short replies and silent, begrudging compliance.”
>Twilight perked up as she finished checking over her scrolls, hopping off of the bench to hand them to her mentor.
>“That’s actually why I brought Anon along with me today, Princess,” she began, tail swishing with enthusiasm.
>“Given yesterday’s findings, I’m planning to put a new, specialized team together to strengthen our efforts toward Chrysalis’s reformation. I believe that if said team is composed of individuals with unique backgrounds and consequently unique mindsets, we might be able to replicate the effect that Anon had on her on a more consistent basis. The specifics of how the team would operate are detailed in those scrolls.”
>Celestia pored over the documents for a few moments before pointing a subdued smile in Twilight’s direction.
>“I agree wholeheartedly with your plan of action, Twilight,” she said before switching her gaze over to Anon. “I assume that you’re to play a role in said team?”
>Anon leaned forward and planted his elbows onto his knees.
“You know it,” he breathed, an imperceptible hint of dread on his tongue.

>>41648848
>“The specific titles and roles everypony will hold will be ironed out once we have a few more members,” Twilight explained further. “Right now, though, I’m confident that Anon will be a team leader.”
>Anon’s eyes came to rest on his close friend, surprised at her commendation.
>Prior to then, they hadn’t spoken about his specific role in her team, only that he’d be a part of it.
>In all honesty, he’d hoped to have something minimal; something like a substitute role, where he’d fill in for whoever was sick, or something along those lines.
>The less he had to deal with Chrysalis, the better. All he really wanted was his house fixed, and after that, he’d be done.
>There he was, though, a newly minted team lead. /Directly/ responsible for turning the former queen away from a life of villainy, which he was already hesitant about at best.
>He loathed the thought, and almost tried to worm his way out of it right then and there, but he paused just as he went to open his mouth.
>Twilight wasn’t just smiling at him; no, she was /beaming/, pearly whites and all.
>Her focus darted back and forth between both of his eyes, searching every crack and pore of his for an inevitable reaction beyond bewilderment.
>She was, quite plainly, proud of her decision to appoint him.
>Him, who lacked any credentials, and had no experience with rehabilitation.
>Just someone who happened to be in the wrong place at the right time.
>…
>He mirrored her merriment, his own crooked grin pointed right back at her.
>‘That’s it,’ he thought. ‘She’s how you’ll get through this.’
>He wouldn’t be helping Chrysalis, no - he’d be helping Twilight.
>Though his task still appalled him, he felt some solace knowing he would be of some use to her.
>A pang of guilt wracked Anon’s chest - how could he need so much convincing, even after the deal they struck together?
>“In that case,” Celestia began, “I’ll have an identification card made for you so that you can access the castle as you please, Anon.”
“Don’t I need, like, a background check first or something?” he asked incredulously.
>Celestia chuckled, batting his concerns away with a hoof.
>“That won’t be necessary. As a close friend of Twilight’s, you’re welcome to peruse almost anywhere. There /are/ a few off-limits areas, but you’ll know them when you see them.”
>He nodded, sight planted firmly on the grass as he went over his admittedly small list of questions.
“Do I need to move here, where she’s kept?”
>“Only temporarily,” Twilight replied. “Until we can get a few more ponies on board.”
>Anon inwardly groaned, but stopped short of frustration taking hold.
>As much as a temp move annoyed him to no end, he realized he’d be staying in the castle.
>In /Canterlot Castle/.
>Five star meals every day, amenities most people only dream of, a room with a view…

>>41648857
>Plus, it would give the construction crew more time to work on the repairs to his house.
“Sweet.”
>“Have you fielded any additional members yet?” Celestia asked her student.
>“Not yet, but I’m compiling a list,” Twilight said, her tone having sobered a bit. “It’s only prospective right now, but I’ll work on it whenever I’m not busy with Chrysalis.”
>“It may be in your best interest to expedite its completion,” Celestia said grimly. “There are those within the noble houses who would sooner see her turned to stone than wait for rehabilitation.”
>Twilight nodded, more down-to-earth than before.
>“Understood, Princess.”
>She cleared her throat, glancing to and fro.
>“Do you mind if I excuse myself for a moment?” she asked, awkwardly giggling. “I had a /bit/ too much lemonade on the train ride here.”
>“Of course, Twilight. Take your time.”
>“Thank you!”
>Without much fanfare, she scooted from her seat and trotted off into the garden, strolling out of sight only a few moments later.
>The pressure of a timid silence fell upon Anon’s shoulders as soon as she rounded the corner.
>The last thing he wanted to do was bore the princess with meaningless small talk, but apart from Twilight’s project, his life wasn’t exactly exciting.
>Mercifully, she seemed to pick up on his sheepish pause.
>“It brings me great joy to see her so passionate about Chrysalis’s reformation,” she mused, her nostalgic gaze locked onto where Twilight had disappeared.
>Anon’s smile returned, a crooked thing, as he recalled how animated she was when she initially described her overarching plans to him.
“She’s certainly inspiring, that’s for sure,” he responded, propping his chin up on his hand, his elbow still leveraged against his knee.
>Celestia hummed her approval.
>“You’re still quite apprehensive about reforming Chrysalis, I assume?” she asked, her calm eyes now locked onto Anon.
>He attempted to hide his surprise, but in doing so, only ended up further emulating a deer in headlights. He sat up straighter and let his arms fall into his lap, cautiously holding his eyes to hers.
“What do you mean?” he asked, unable to drum up any other reply.
>“There’s no need to be ashamed, Anon,” she reassured with a warm smile. “Your harsher feelings are perfectly reasonable, considering the circumstances.”
>All he could do was blink.
>He thought it quite odd - observing from afar, she seemed the ordinary mare, but the weight of her presence at that point in time felt otherwise.
>Perhaps it was simply a matter of nerves getting the better of him?
“How did you…?”
>“It was plain as day, even in the few words you’ve spoken about her thus far,” she said, searching his features as she spoke.
>His face began to heat up in embarrassment. Was he really that easy to read?

>>41648867
>Every word he might’ve offered up in some form of coherent response died in his throat, forgotten as soon as they were thought of. Luckily, after a few tense moments for Anon, Celestia’s gaze softened once more, making way for a throaty chuckle.
>“I’m only kidding, of course. Twilight included it in her report.”
>Anon’s heart descended from his throat, finally allowing him the privilege of swallowing.
>“Though, I am curious,” she continued. “Given that you hold Chrysalis in low regard, what compelled you to help her reform?”
“Well, the, uh…” Anon began, trying his hardest to relax. “The promise of my house being rebuilt in exchange definitely helped. I know that sounds shallow, but it really did work.”
>“Oh, I’ve no doubt about that,” she said, her expression having fallen into calm neutrality. “But is that /truly/ the only reason?”
>She turned in her seat to fully face him.
>“I combed through the itemized records of the damage done to Ponyville; I’m aware of what you lost during her attempted invasion.”
>Anon’s mouth hangs only slightly open, attention held by Celestia’s weighty gaze, morphed by empathy.
>‘Did she look through my…?’ Anon thought, disbelief coiling around his heart.
>The sparks of indignation felt in his chest were quickly snuffed out, though, when he remembered that he willingly reported all of his damages in that itemized list - including his personal belongings.
>Which included /everything/ in that box.
>“I apologize, by the way,” she continued in a quiet, almost respectful tone. “I didn’t intend on intruding into your personal business; I was simply reading over the records to organize the reconstruction efforts, and it caught my eye.”
“It’s… alright,” he said, both words a struggle as he fixated on a random shrub off in the distance. “But, um… you wanted to know why I’m helping, right?”
>Celestia nodded her head, her eyes refusing to leave his person.
>A haggard sigh freed itself from the deepest pit of Anon’s lungs, mingling with the open air for the first time in years.
“It’s the same thing I said to Chrysalis. I don’t think she can do it, I don’t think she /wants/ to do it, but…”
>Anon met Celestia’s eyes out of the corner of his.
“I’m forcing myself to trust Twilight more than I do my doubts. She’s a better person than I’ve ever been or will be, you know? I want to trust her. I want to /believe/ that she’s right, that anyone can come back from those depths.”
>He shuffles his feet as his eyes meet the floor.
“Maybe it’s something more than that, but I don’t know. I’m not emotionally intelligent enough to pick myself apart.”
>Celestia studied him for a few moments, seemingly measuring the weight of his words, before the corners of her lips curled upward into a gentle grin.

>>41648885
>“While I don’t quite agree with that last point you made, I’m glad that you’ve decided to give our cause a chance,” Celestia beamed, her smile having spread ear to ear. “And I’m sure Twilight would be overjoyed to know of your confidence in her.”
>Anon nodded, an unsteady smirk on his lips.
“She’s really something else,” he said, almost wistful. “I just hope I can keep up with her. The whole ‘team lead’ thing has me freaked out; honestly, I don’t think I want to be in that spot.”
>“I didn’t either, funnily enough,” Celestia admitted roundly.
>He met her regard once more, two sets of eyes locked in a delicate dance.
>Words formed on his tongue, but died there just the same.
>‘…Just a mare.’
>Before either of them could break the tender silence, a white-hot flash of magic manifested a scroll in front of Celestia. It fell out of its suspension not even an inch before Celestia grasped it in her tranquil aura, just as nonplussed as Anon was.
>“I wasn’t expecting any direct mail this afternoon,” she mused, an eyebrow hiked up in curiosity. “Pardon me for a moment, if you will.”
“Oh, yeah, no worries,” Anon replied, returning to a more relaxed posture in his seat.
>Her eyes scanned the parchment with practiced focus that jumped from line to line at breakneck pace.
>She hummed aloud when she finished, a microcosm of disappointment ever so slightly tightening the muscles in her temple.
>“It seems as though Chrysalis might be stuck in her cell today,” she breathed as she rolled up the parchment. “Her tutor has fallen ill, the poor mare.”
“Shoot. Is she okay?”
>“Thankfully, she only has a fever,” she replied. “Nothing that a few days of rest and relaxation can’t fix. Though, in the meantime, that /does/ present us with the challenge of what to do with our student.”
>Anon’s chest tightened like a vice.
>Although Celestia didn’t explicitly voice her solution, he knew /exactly/ what she was implying.
>There was no time to ruminate on it, either, much to his dismay; the longer he waited to offer help, the more disingenuous it would appear.
>And he /was/ there to help, wasn’t he?
“Do you need me to take over?” he asked, swallowing his discontent as best he could.
>Whether or not her surprise was feigned was anyone’s guess - she’d been at that game for far longer than Anon had been.
>“You wouldn’t mind filling in on such short notice?”
“I mean, I already got all my groceries earlier, so sure. I don’t have a lesson plan yet, though, so I don’t really…”
>He tapered off as his mind scoured memories at a million miles a minute.
>He’d only been up here one or two times prior, but if he remembered correctly…
“Isn’t there a lake on the other side of the castle?”
>Celestia said nothing, only flashing a colorful grin his way.

>>41648893

—

>The line pulled taut, jolting Anon from his rumination.
>He pinched the reel between his index finger and thumb before it spun away from him, wrapping the rest of his hand around it to ascertain a better grip.
>The canoe rocked slightly as he aligned himself in the direction of the tugging, breaking Chrysalis from her own meditations.
>“Took you long enough,” she jabbed, casting a patronizing sneer Anon’s way. “Your efficacy as a predator leaves much to be desired.”
>Her smart remark bore no effect on his focus. The frenzied clicks of the reel being spun backward were all that registered, all that mattered in the moment.
>Whatever was on the hook, it wasn’t too big, judging from how easily he could maneuver the rod.
>In another life, he might’ve cared about the size of his catches, but there, on that mountain, he was content in settling for anything at all.
>Before long, his quarry broke the surface, shattering the glass-like surface of the lake in a flourish of splashes and ripples.
>He left the line at about half the length of the rod as he pulled it in, catching the fish in his firm grip as he looked it over.
>The sizable thing was roughly six inches in length, maybe a bit more. Its amber scales caught the sunlight amicably, and if he angled it just right, it almost looked as if it were glowing itself.
>Its mouth pulsed rhythmically as he held the Equestrian Sunfish in his hand, smoothing its yellow dorsal spines over with his thumb.
“Not bad for the first of the day,” he mused aloud.
>“You consider that diminutive thing to be satisfactory?” Chrysalis asked, barely stopping herself from cackling.
>Anon vocalized his irritation under the guise of clearing his throat.
“Moreso the fact that I’m out here doing this at all.”
>She rolled her eyes, looking out to shore.
>“Is that supposed to be my lesson for today? How trite.”
>Anon, inwardly passing his anger on to the hapless little fish, tossed it back out into the lake once he freed the hook from its mouth.
“Nah.”
>She shot him a scathing glare that threatened to bore a hole into his head.
>“What, then? Don’t tell me this nonsensical excursion was intended to teach me about /patience/.”
>Anon paused for a moment as he laid the rod down beside him.
>He could have acted like there was something that he was overtly trying to impart upon her, sure, but he saw little point in maintaining that illusion for the time being - and if it served to intrigue her further, then all the better for Twilight’s cause.
“There’s no lesson for today,” he deadpanned. “Your other tutor called out sick, and I was on standby.”
>“So this /is/ a waste of my time,” she exclaimed, scaring off a few ducks who had happened to swim by.
“Oh, come off it. You’re telling me you’d have rather sat alone in your windowless cell than be out here?”
>“/Yes/!”

>>41648898
>The guards lining the shore from where they had launched all turned to face the noise, not a few of them shaken by her anger.
>Anon, meanwhile, dropped his facial facade.
>A deep scowl overtook his previous impartiality, glowering at his unruly passenger.
>“If you’ve nothing to ‘teach’ me,” she nagged, “then bring us back ashore at once. I refuse to suffer any more of this-”
“You don’t get what’s going on, do you?”
>Chrysalis’s eyes became daggers, her belligerence deepening.
>“Watch your t-”
“No, really,” Anon interrupted again. “Have you ever even considered why Twilight and Celestia are going through all of this effort to help you?”
>“What does it matter?” she asked, volume once again rising. “That they’d be so foolish with their trust speaks volumes on its own.”
>And there it was. Her true intentions, revealed so carelessly in the throes of anger.
>Anon could feel a vein threatening to burst from beneath his flush skin.
“You’re going to be turned to stone, Chrysalis.”
>Those seven words leveled her outrage almost totally.
>“…You lie.”
>Anon guffawed in disbelief.
“What, did you think the nobility wasn’t going to try to sink their teeth into you eventually?”
>Chrysalis remained stunned in silence, eyes darting here and there in an attempt to parse the disconcerting revelation. Anon, finally pushed to exasperation, wasn’t intent on waiting for her to gather her thoughts.
“The upper crust is almost entirely in agreement that they want you indefinitely turned to stone, and before long, they’re gonna have enough backing to force Celestia’s hand. The only reason you aren’t essentially braindead on a pedestal in the royal gardens right now is /us/.”
>Another pregnant pause held the two of them in its choking grasp. Vexation had been all but drained from Chrysalis, and in its place was an uncharacteristic meekness that held her stock-still.
>“My hive…” she muttered. “What will become of them, if I’m sentenced?”
“The new one?” Anon asked. “Either way this plays out, they’ll be welcomed into your old hive, if they’re willing to readjust as functioning members of society. Twilight is trying to offer /you/ the same courtesy.”
>Chrysalis continued staring headlong into the bottom of the canoe, periodically remembering to blink or swallow. Her inner conflict waged war just below the surface, contorting her facial features and clamming up her chitin; as much as she claimed to loathe her old hive, they were her only chance at salvation.
>“Why wasn't I informed of all of this until now?”
“Because it needs to be genuine.”
>She regained eye contact with him, a smidge more focused than she was a moment ago.
>“…So why did /you/ tell me?”
>Anon pressed his lips together tightly.
>Uneasy questions beget uneasy answers - or rather, no answers at all.
“…I don’t know. Just be thankful I’m indebted to Twilight.”

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>>41648909
>He swept up both oars in his hands and angled them out before lowering them into the water. They treaded the surface for a moment before he plunged them underneath and began to row steadily back to shore, breath hitching with each stroke as he put in a solid effort to gain a relaxed speed.
>“What’s the meaning of this?” Chrysalis asked flatly, the sudden movement having spurred her to begin collecting herself. “Where are we going?”
“Back to your cell,” Anon replied tersely in between strokes. “Isn’t that what you asked for?”
>She could only blink in response, several seconds passing before she found her voice again.
>“…I suppose it is.”

with this green finally updated, i will now focus my lazy ass on almost nothing but the wanderer until act 2 is complete. sorry for the delay, lads

>>41648928
Huge post, it’s great

Holy green, batman
Bumping to read later

>>41648928
We thought you were dead!

>>41650340

>>41648928
Thanks

>>41648928
Cute bug

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Guess what day it is, guys.

>>41653304
\[T]/

>>41653304
Twilightsparkleday?

>>41654228
TO THE MOON

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404 KB GIF

>>41653304
Lyraday of course.

>>41654884
Who?

>>41655288
oat thief

>>41655686
I don't see any stripes...

>>41620550
Newfag question because the OP links seem to be broken
What does PiE stand for?

>>41657530
Pinkie pInkie pinkiE

>>41654812
Gonna say hi to Luna

>>41657530
Ponies in Earth, the reverse of AiE. Yes, we know, but it spells "pie" and everybody loves pie.

>>41658536
"Pony in Earth" sounds like putting them in graves.
Should be "Pony on Earth".

>>41658553
Anon's second sentence addresses your issue.

>>41658553
>PonE
This one’s a winner

>>41646462
You still alive?

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>>41650340
never dead, but i did have to take a long while to come to terms about how i actually want to write wanderer. i've really enjoyed writing my more prose-heavy green for /bug/ but i don't think that'll carry over very well to a more action/adventure type romp given my skills and limitations when it comes to writing. wanderer isn't going to be barebones by any means but i needed to stop agonizing over every single detail and realize that you guys can piece together the setting/what's going on without me drowning you all in paragraphs upon paragraphs of purple prose. that reluctance to downsize is actually a huge chunk of what caused such a huge gap between updates, i had to go through a ton of revisions for the chapter that's in progress because it just dragged on forever and none of it sounded right
also check out the in-progress cover art lestrange has been working on for the green. it's fucking sick

>>41659776
Neat art

>>41659242
Go back in time and tell them that

>>41659776
Good luck ever reproducing those fucking clouds digitally.

>>41659776
Cool stay undead

>>41662398

>>41653304
Based