Ginger Mint

hi hi Being that humans are sapient, just like Discord and Chrysalis, they are the perfect comparison to predators and predatory nature. Humans are our world's most successful predators. Even when you only consider our agricultural practices, we have appropriated more than 40% of the Earth's surface to our own ends, which is driving a massive and ongoing extinction event. I can only suspect that future generations will judge our irresponsibility unfavorably in this regard. It is human nature to want things. We want things we don't have, but so strong is this drive that even people who have everything anyone could possibly need -the richest people in the world- they still want more. In fact, detaching one's self from the need for things is such a difficult task that people can spend their entire life trying to do so and still not succeed. However, simply wanting something does not necessarily give people the right to have it, especially when the thing they want is someone else's. Theft, rape and slavery are all crimes where people take something they have no right to take, be it property or people's freedom to choose. Princess Cadence's use of mind manipulation without permission was certainly an evil act. Whether that makes her evil or not depends partly on her willfulness, although like Twilight Sparkle from Lesson Zero, or the Cutie Mark Crusaders from Hearts and Hooves Day (who's actions in both cases were rightly considered wrong), she can get the benefit of the doubt for having been young and not knowing any better, possibly having had to pay for her misdeeds off screen. We don't ever see her use that ability without permission as a responsible adult. Also: In the context of Equestria, being bug like does not follow that they are without intelligence. Even insects such as a humble monarch butterfly have been shown to be capable of comprehending concepts like friendship and loyalty.

hi hi I can scarcely believe that this is an actual debate that people are actually having. Are you serious? The things that Chyrsalis and Discord did were absolutely evil, and I'm a little bit unnerved that I am going to have to explain why. Argument 1: Changelings were invading Canterlot strictly for food. Can you fault a predator for trying to catch prey for food? Rebuttal 1: First of all, you need to cross out the word "strictly," there was nothing precise or stringent about Chyrsalis's invasion plans. They were there for power as well as food. Chrysalis herself states that there was more love in Canterlot than they had ever had before, thus, it was their choice to try to take all of it for themselves, and far from being a non-sapient predator, Chrysalis showed the mental capacity to make that choice. There are absolutely conditions where you can fault a predator for trying to catch prey for food. Human beings are subject to this judgement frequently. It is what has lead to the creation of the concept of "poaching." Furthermore, even non-sapient predators are subject to direct intervention when they are inadvertently introduced into a foreign environment lacking in natural controls. Argument 2: They're not evil for reason one. Rebuttal 2: As reason one is not valid, neither is reason 2, however I will leave you with this quote: "Chrysalis had been wrong; she had always been wrong. A changeling needed others' adoration to keep moving, to keep breathing. That, she could have stolen; she could've taken it and eked out an existence as a footnote, always hungering for more. With friendship, freely given and returned... With friendship she could truly live." - Who We Are, kits Argument 3: They're also not terrorists. What defines terrorism, and would this invasion define it? Rebuttal 3: There is no ubiquitous, legally binding, criminal law definition of terrorism. This makes this argument highly subjective, but honestly the point is moot. "Not a terrorist," is not the bar set for good, moral behavior. However, by one common definition, "deliberately targeting non-combatants (civilians) is an act of terrorism," which Chrysalis clearly does. By another definition, "using violent acts which are intended to create fear," is terrorism. The Changeling army does this as well, as they need love, not fear, to survive, yet they run amok through the streets blasting buildings and causing ponies to run in terror. Thus, they are definitely terrorists. Argument 4: Same deal with Discord -- he's not evil. He was acting on his nature as an entity of chaos. Rebuttal 4: Discord was also sapient and could have chosen alternative means to his own ends. You say that his targeting of the mane 6 made sense because they were his biggest threat? Guess what, that's not chaos, that is a deliberate choice to further a specific end. So it would seem he can choose to do something orderly and not chaotic, but only when it is in his best interest? This would be a double standard. Discord is a textbook sociopath, but I guess maybe his popularity explains why sociopaths keep finding themselves in positions of power and so readily able to exploit the people subjected to them. Some faith in humanity, lost.

[colour=#BFBFFF]hi hi[/colour] [colour=#773344]"Alright, here I go!"[/colour] Ember Spark crouched down as low as she could and checked her clearance side to side. She didn't want any of her tools to catch on an outcropping, and she avoided ducking her head underneath the overhang in order to make sure she would have clearance for the oil can strapped to her back. It wasn't too difficult of a squeeze for the smaller mare, but she took her time anyway. [colour=#773344]Next time, I must endeavor to construct a quick release mechanism for these tight spaces.[/colour] Emerging on the other side of the truss, she smiled and said a quick, [colour=#773344]"There, easy as pumpkin pie!"[/colour] before trotting around the room to take stock of her surroundings. Her hooves made a sharp clip clop sound even through the thick layer of dust on the ground. The claw marks along the murals were certainly an unwelcome sight, but Ember Spark wasn't entirely sure what to make of them. She walked right up to the wall and very nearly pressed her nose against it. [colour=#773344]"Hmmm... *sniff sniff* mmhmmmm... *sniff*"[/colour] She wasn't entirely sure what she was expecting to discover by smell either, just the smell of stone, dust and distant water. While the room certainly looked like like something out of a storybook, that particular segment of wall smelled remarkably normal. [colour=#773344]"Ahh... *Achoo!*"[/colour]She stifled a sneeze, which ended up being little more than a squeak, [colour=#773344]"It seems that there is even dust in the grooves of these claw marks. Whatever did this, it did so a long, long time ago. In fact, I don't think I see any kind of tracks in here except our own, do you? I admit the ambient light makes such a detailed examination difficult."[/colour] Ember Spark slowly pirouetted, taking in the sight of the room as a whole rather than just looking at the individual details, and what she saw made her smile. It reminded her of the scrap yards back home, holding together in spite of the best efforts of the Iceguard of old, like a stubborn old ship that hadn't quite given up the ghost. [colour=#773344]"I admit, I'm pleased that this place is in such good condition. The architecture is remarkably over-designed! The load bearing properties of these columns is simply astounding."[/colour] her enthusiastic smile tempered itself into a dimly lit grin, [colour=#773344]"Still, we should be careful not to disturb the load bearing debris if possible. As for the rest of the rubble, Emerath, Pocket Change... how large a stone do you suppose you could lift? I mean with your magic, if you had to."[/colour] Ember Spark paused for just a second before realizing that the looks on her companions faces meant that an explanation might be needed, [colour=#773344]"These claw marks are a good sign. I mean, they're only 35 smidgimeters deep. Impressive yes, but hardly cloven in two wouldn't you say? If we do find ourselves in a bind, a solid piece of rubble should provide respectable protection."[/colour] She sniffed at the air again as strange scents tingled her nose. There was water down one of these tunnels somewhere, that much she recognized, but there were so many unfamiliar smells as well, she wasn't sure she trusted her gut to lead her in the right direction. [colour=#773344]Well, Emerath said that Pocket Change was the spy glass...[/colour] Ember Spark finally settled down, coming to a rest in the middle of the chamber. [colour=#773344]"So, Pocket Change... You're our avant garde, do you see a path you might prefer to advance down?"[/colour]

[colour=#BFBFFF]hi hi[/colour] Ember Spark beamed with appreciation as Commander Gale pinned the Iceguard emblem to her side. It may not have been as practical or delicious a gift as the feast, but she appreciated that it was a symbol of something more enduring. For her, it seemed like a symbol of trust. She just nodded in agreement with Pocket Change as he conveyed his compliments, having already said her thanks just a moment before, and with her smile still firmly in place, she said her own hasty farewell. [colour=#773344]"Well... I hope still here you will be, once the armor we find, because to return here we will definitely choose. Besides, something to say, I..."[/colour] She noticed Pocket Change already walking towards the tunnels, [colour=#773344]"Oh, time to go! Until then..."[/colour] Ember Spark caught up to Pocket Change with a quick trot, adding as reassuringly as she could, [colour=#773344]"Don't worry, we're right behind you. Right Emerath?"[/colour] and as she looked to make sure Emerath was following along as well, she added, [colour=#773344]"Besides, you're the one with the lights."[/colour] Into the tunnels she went, and once they got far enough away from the welcoming glow of oil filled torches behind them, she carefully opened the valve on her oil can until just the faintest trail of drips was coming out. She didn't have any idea on how far they would have to travel through these tunnels, so she didn't want to run out too soon. Even if the can did run dry though, she was certain that with the chilly draft they were feeling, she'd be able to find her way somehow. She just kept her attention focused on the stone surfaces in front of her. In addition to keeping her footing and not hitting her head on anything, she was hoping to catch signs of any kind of moss or fungus. She had been amazed by all the strange growing things she had never seen before on this journey, and was hoping there would be something new to see down here too. Of course the dim light made it a difficult task, and she couldn't help but share her thoughts on the matter. [colour=#773344]"I have a hypothesis, Emerath, and I would like you to tell me if I'm right or not. If you ever decide to turn our adventures into a famous play, I suspect that this scene will be the easiest scene to design a set for. Pitch black against jet black with maybe a bit of charcoal. Ooh! I bet the actors could even walk up and down the isles while they perform for the added sensation of being spatially compressed. Oh, and who do you think you would get to play yourself?"[/colour] Even though Ember Spark wasn't speaking particularly loud at the moment, her voice echoed up and down the tunnels.

hi hi I went ahead and had Ember Spark wake herself up, but I didn't make a very long post because I want to give Emerath a chance to wake up too before we're off. Perhaps Pocket Change can have a brief bit where he can wake Emerath up, as Gale suggested, or perhaps Emerath can wake himself up? I don't think I can squeeze the conversation I wanted to have with Gale in right now, so that'll probably have to wait until after we are out of the tunnels. With that in mind: onward!

[colour=#BFBFFF]hi hi[/colour] [colour=#773344]"Wake, huh?"[/colour] Ember Spark squinted and blinked her eyes, trying to force the blurry shapes and colors in her vision into recognizable things. She didn't bother trying to stifle her yawn as she cautiously rose to her hooves, and the strange weight on her back didn't make the task any easier. [colour=#773344]Did I go to sleep in my work clothes again? Brrr, what a chilly draft, I hope there's nothing wrong with the ventilation system. I guess I'd better get out of bed and check.[/colour] The first step, however, was a doozy. Instead of stepping down off her cozy little bunk like she planned, her hoof clipped up against the completely level floor she had actually been sleeping on. While she was not the most graceful mare even in the best of times, having just woken up, the most graceful thing she could manage was to expertly plant her face on the ground before jolting to alertness. Her ears perked up, she sprang to her hooves and looked around, finally able to see that she wasn't actually in her cabin aboard the Polar Star. Her mind raced to recall the events that had transpired, the approach, the feast, the prophecy. They would have made a fine dream, had they not been real. Blinking her eyes a few more times to banish the last of their bleariness, she tried to figure out just who had asked her to wake up in the first place. Emerath was still asleep, and Pocket Change looked like his mind was preoccupied with something else. The three griffins standing in the doorway were looking rather expectant though, and once she saw that Gale was with them, she stretched her legs and walked a bit closer. [colour=#773344]"Ooh, hello there! To again meet and thanks give, my hope it was. Most appreciated your invitation has been."[/colour]

hi hi Aaand, post complete! That was a rather lengthy post compared to my previous ones, hope its not too big of a wall of text. Also, I hope this is what you had in mind, Trilobite. It wasn't much of a montage, but hopefully Ember Spark will get a little bit of the supply she needs most. (sleep)

[colour=#BFBFFF]hi hi[/colour] Ember Spark wasn't sure about the armor, but she didn't have a chance to point out just how bit most griffin's heads were or how helmets usually come in a single piece. Instead, she furrowed her brow and pursed her lips as she listened to Pocket Change's treatise on monsters, and after shaking her head, she replied with just a hint of incredulity in her voice. [colour=#773344]"Well that doesn't sound very nice, we'll just have to find them a different job."[/colour] When Emerath walked over to her, she tried to nonchalantly take a closer look at his notebook, hoping that maybe she could glean its purpose from either the title on the cover, some subtle clue hidden in its binding, size or general condition; or through some form of previously undiscovered visual osmosis. Of course, nonchalant for Ember Spark was actually chock full of chalance, and she ended up tilting her head awkwardly and looking conspicuously out of the corner of her eyes to try to catch the title only to be foiled at every turn. This didn't stop her from paying attention to Emerath while he shared his thoughts on the subject of monsters as well. When he got to the part about the monsters perhaps still hating the griffins, Ember Spark stopped messing around and began writing down notes. Once she was finished with her notes, she gently returned her notepad to its rightful spot and spoke up with an air of determination in her voice, [colour=#773344]"I do know one thing, if they're not going to be nice, then they're not going to get any thank you gifts from us."[/colour] A brief look of uncertainty was followed by a warm smile, [colour=#773344]"That is, of course, if they they should happen to remain in the first place. Which, in all likelihood, they don't. After all, thriving in these conditions must be no small feat."[/colour] She tossed a wink to Queen Katabat, but before she could continue talking, that short pause had given her the chance to have a brilliant idea, [colour=#773344]"Oh! If they are still mad, I would wager that they have a big pile of books somewhere too. I mean, to help them remember stuff, cause that is a loooong time. Beyond the mundane fact that anything older than a thousand years must have significant archeological value, it might be helpful to know what is making them so upset in the first place."[/colour] Suddenly, one of the gears in her head popped off and went rolling away across the metaphorical floor. [colour=#773344]"Lets hope we don't find anything like that, though. Still, we'd better be ready all the same, right? I'm going to go procure some provisions before we embark, lets meet back up in... wherever these tunnels are supposed to start, in a few minutes.[/colour] Ember Spark carefully walked away from the table full of books, then once she reached the hallway outside, she broke into a canter. Down the steps, through the majestic entryway, out into the blustery wind and finally back aboard the Polar Star. Even though the below-decks were just as warm and toasty as the great feasting hall of the Stormfast, if not more so, with the crew of the Polar Star nowhere to be seen, the entire ship took on an eerie disquiet feeling. Ember Spark hurried past the still messy mess hall, and past the empty bunks on her way to the boiler room. There, at the heart of the ship, the empty feeling faded away. The furnace rumbled as it slowly burned at an idle temperature, and filled the room with a soft cherry and orange glow. After checking the steam gauges, Ember Spark tapped on the boiler plate with her forehoof, giving the ship a contented, [colour=#773344]"'attagirl,"[/colour] satisfied that everything would coast along just fine for at least several more hours. Once the routine checkup was finished, she hurried over to her workbench with a can of engine oil and a spare flow valve. Drilling a hole in the top of the can, she sealed the valve in place and strapped the whole thing to her back. Then she was back on her way again, stopping in the mess hall briefly to grab a box of salted peanuts before returning to the vaulted halls of the Stormfast yet again. She let one of the guards guide her down to where she hoped to meet Pocket Change and Emerath again. The guard brought her to a small waiting area and she plopped herself down to wait, only to drift off, fast asleep as soon as her head touched her forelegs.

hi hi Look, its a scrap of free time, huzzah! I'm starting on my post right now, but as for gear. Almost everything Ember Spark might bring is already in her tool-belt, which she was already wearing. While she only has the basic essentials on hoof, the basics do make a bit of a list all by themselves. I'm cool with coming up with random things to have in her toolbelt too, if there ends up being something too awesome not to have at a certain point. However, I am purposefully leaving out any lighting implements from her tools, even though she ought to have a glowbug lamp or something. I'm just going to assume it got broken and she hasn't had a chance to fix it yet. (Because I think it will be good if she has to rely Emerath or Pocket Change to provide light.) Other than that, she has her goggles, and she did have an idea for a gadget to help them find their way. She's going to show up for duty with a can of engine oil strapped to her back. The idea is that, as they head down the tunnels, she will leave a small trail of oil on the ground like bread crumbs. That way they can smell their way back if they get lost.

hi hi Congratulations! May you live happily ever after.

hi hi "Salted peanuts," Ember Spark said matter-of-factly, "I'm reasonably sure most griffins I know enjoy them, and they would certainly make a savory gift, but an opportunity this felicitous does not happen ever day you know. If only picking out birthday presents were this straightforward... I wonder, is it anygriffin's birthday today?" Ember Spark had heard quite a few tall tales in her time, especially during her studies in Canterlot. The world, it seemed, had no shortage of strange creatures lurking about here and there. And yet, at the end of the night, the sun would rise again on a new day all the same. Some of her friends might have called her careless, but in her own way, she respected dangers. She tried to understand them, to see them from a different point of view, but as she listened to the griffin describe the terrors, she felt a scratch across her heart, an inkling that they were perhaps not prepared for what was ahead. "H-hey now, lets be reasonable." she said quietly, more for her own benefit than anyone else, "If... if those shapeless terrors are still around, they probably cannot fit through the tunnels either or else somegriffin undoubtedly would have seen one by now. Unless they don't want to cause trouble anymore, in which case, I would suspect they are as afraid of us as we are of them." The thought did help a little bit, but it was her curiosity that actually pushed her forward, and the fear of the unknown was pushed aside by the desire to know it. "Maybe... just maybe." Her voice grew more confident with every word, "Perhaps after all this time, they're not as angry anymore? They say time heals... Ooh, Emerath, you're an expert on timekeeping, what do you think?" Ember Spark was already pulling out her official project notepad, getting ready to jot down more insights into the nature of time when Cleverboots asked if she was interested in going along. Emerath didn't seem concerned at all, and Pocket Change was ready to go. Worry had made its brief appearance before going on its way again, leaving Ember Spark convinced that this was a perfect opportunity for them to shine. After all, a little care and consideration can go a long way. "Ooh, ooh, I'll go too!" Ember Spark almost bounced in place again, stopping just in time to remember that her hooves were planted on the ground, "I've got an idea for how to find our way around in the... wait a minute." she paused, a look of concern falling over her face, "If the tunnels are too narrow for griffins, and this armor was fitted for a griffin, how are we going to get it back out again?"

hi hi I think that makes Cadence an in-law.

hi hi Well, I suppose the analogy doesn't extend into all aspects of family life, but I guess you could say that. Close enough.

hi hi So... I know this is a bit of thread necromancy, but I had a moment of extreme fridge logic that I feel compelled to share with somepony. Recently, I had a discussion with someone about the nature of Princess Celestia, specifically on the topic of why it frustrates me when people call her a tyrant. In the context of a family show, Princess Celestia is a good role model for an authority figure who acts responsibly. (After all, very few people elect their parents, but there are still many good parents out there. People's trust in good parents is why so many fascist dictators try to emulate the role of a parent.) How does this relate to Luna Eclipsed? Well, once I made the argument about how Celestia plays a role much like that of a parent, I wondered to myself, "How does Luna fit into that equation?" And this is where I had my moment of fridge logic. I realized that there is another totally viable interpretation of this episode that I hadn't even considered before. Luna plays the role of a step-parent. She comes into the family's life, seemingly from out of nowhere, and many times kids don't immediately accept step-parents. (Perhaps more often than not.) She tries to be their friends, but in the end, she realizes that as an authority figure, she has a different role to play. It may not have been what she expected, but its a role that is necessary for the whole event to work, and her efforts to fulfill that role are inevitably appreciated.

hi hi Oh my... its going to be hard to keep track of which things Ember Spark said and which things she only thought about really hard. Quick question: Is the scrivener called "Bartleby" or "Batleby?" I've seen it spelled both ways. Also: For the record, predictions and prophecies in Equestria are no sure thing either. The prophecy of Nightmare Moon's return called for eternal night, but as luck would have it, that never came true.