6 Hearts [visual]

[verygassy]

[Hey guys, Its Minako. And she looks quite thoughtful.]

Hey, guys? Maybe I'm just playing devil's advocate here, but I honestly think you guys need to give the princesses the benefit of the doubt on this one. And yeah, even Zetta.

Yeah, they kept things from us. That sucks, I get that. Maybe they should have been more open about that plan, or maybe not. I know a lot of ponies will use that against the princesses.

But in the end, I can't be angry at them this time. In fact, I completely understand why they did it. Sometimes we have to keep secrets to protect people. And sometimes, yeah, things will backfire when you do that. But that's the nature of being a leader. That's why being an alicorn here is earned, don't you think? Its not always straightforward and you have to make the best decisions that you can with what you know. Leaders...ponies in power...they don't have the luxury of being 100% transparent. Sometimes divulging the truth is more dangerous than than keeping the secret.

Besides. Hasn't it occurred to anyone that us being angry at the princesses for this - us acting like this - is exactly what the Pale Pony wants? The more she can manipulate our fear, the more our fear causes us to mistrust and even hate others, the more of an advantage she gets. She says friendship is a weakness? She says friendship doesn't matter? Well? We're just proving her right. And she'll keep stealing stars. Or, at least I'm pretty sure that's what Princess Celestia meant with that, because the whole Pale Pony absorbing stuff and...stuff.

...

I know ponies are mad, right now, and I admit I was cheesed off at Zetta when he first started this...but we need to show the Pale Pony that she's wrong about us, and that just because she's got all that power, doesn't mean she's right about that.

[With that, she gets down on one knee.]

So...Princess Celestia, Princess Luna...Overlord Zetta. I humbly apologize for not believing in you. I hope you can forgive me.

Comments

[Visual]

[cape_and_wizard_hat]

Stealing stars!? Trixie knew there was something wrong with the night sky! She would like her stargazing to be kept in peace, thank you!

[Trixie seems more upset at Calice than any of the princesses.]

Re: [Visual]

[verygassy]

Well, yeah, that's kind of the conclusion I drew from what she said...

[Visual]

[cape_and_wizard_hat]

Ugh...

...But yes, Trixie is in agreement with your statements. She shall always bow down to them and forgive them. There are some mistakes that should never become hatred.

[Visual/Private]

[caneattheseapples]

They'll forgive them. They need time to stay pissy, but they'll get over it.

I think friendship is a weakness, at least for the Pale Pony at least. I kind of got friendship up in her stupid face.

...I think she may have reacted.

[Visual/Private]

[verygassy]

You think she did!? What happened?

: [Visual/Private]

[caneattheseapples]

Well.

I kind of jumped on top of her and in the excitement of the moment I, uh...I kinda didn't realize she was on fire.

She could've just burnt me to death. I think she was gonna, until I tried talking to her.

[Visual/Private]

[verygassy]

[JAPPLEACK.]

What did you tell her?

[Visual/Private]

[caneattheseapples]

[Did you think she was done endangering her life like a moron? Then you are wrong.]

That I saw her message.

And that she was going to be okay.

Re: [Visual/Private]

[verygassy]

[ON FIRE, JAPPLEACK!!!]

...Do you think...Calice is...?

[Visual/Private]

[caneattheseapples]

[SHE SAID SHE WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION TO THE GIANT FLAMES SOMEHOW, OKAY?]

...It's Twilight.

I'm pretty sure of it. Like 90% certain.

[Visual/Private]

[verygassy]

[Damn.]

...I'm sorry, Jappleack.

Maybe...maybe its a sign, though.

[Visual/Private]

[caneattheseapples]

Don't need to apologize to me.

[But it helps, at least a little. It's hard for her to hide how bothered by it she is.]

It could be. It could be a lot of things.

I still don't know.

[visual]

[like_a_dragon]

Ugh, more of these?

Look, I get where you're coming from, but all that distress with the sun and moon going haywire and everything else was seriously not cool. And that Zetta guy isn't as innocent as you are making him out to be.

Three of my friends got attacked during this past week, and my friend and I have been on watch alert because of all this craziness. So the next time they want to pull something that puts their entire of kingdom, fine, just have them leave me and my friends out of it.

Re: [visual]

[verygassy]

I never said he was innocent. Trust me, he's not and I know that.

But I doubt the princesses would have ever agreed to it if they didn't think they could handle it. Or if they didn't trust Zetta to do the right thing in the end.

[like_a_dragon]

Let me tell you a story. And I'm not good like those other folks that tell long-winded stories, so bare with me.

There was once a guy that lost his father and wanted to be the strongest fighter. So he decided that he was going to go out and find as many people to fight. And when he finally defeated one that was really strong he killed them. And he kept doing this. Finally, at the end, he came to a young kid of the man he just defeated. Then he realized just what had happened and that he had been doing the same thing. And so he adopted the kid and taught him a way that wouldn't bring his mistake.

He did the right thing in the end, but what about all that suffering he happened in the meantime? Are we supposed to just forget about it?

[verygassy]

I never said to forget about it. But we do what we can to reverse the damage.

You have a right to be upset, but the truth is, there are some things that a leader has to do that...a lot of others can't or don't have to do. And its not easy knowing that your decisions can result in others disliking you. But sometimes, to protect those we care for...you have to take a risk. And once its over, you do your best to handle the fallout with your followers.

[like_a_dragon]

So is that us or the people that live here?

[verygassy]

Both! We live here right now and this is their home.

[like_a_dragon]

I'm not so sure. When this whole thing started I kept being told that it was okay for us to be left in the dark because we're the ones causing all this problem. And it was up to us to solve it.

If anything this whole thing goes to show that we may be living here, but we're not really that welcome.

[verygassy]

And who told you that?

[Visual]

[foolish_seal]

Much as I'd like to stay mad from this whole thing, you have a point. Running around pointing hooves won't solve much, especially with this enemy.

I just hope the Princesses don't do anything like that again soon.

[kuukai]

Still don' get what actually happened.

[ KYOUKO ] I wasn' at the fight so all I know's the princesses an' Zetta faked the whole thing ta lure the Pale Pony out. Okay, fine. Wish I'da been there cause I coulda said some things. But the point is:

All this stuff we went through an' then all th'resentment tha's been on th'scrolls the last few days. I just wanna know. What'd it achieve?

[verygassy]

Honestly, I wasn't at the battle and I've learned a lot just from everypony on the scrolls. We didn't know about the whole "I can just take your powers away like that" thing, for example.

...Which isn't surprising? But we know it exists now.

[kuukai]

Hey, if we got somethin', great. Plan wasn' a total wash. Just as long as it wasn' all for nothin', or just ta see if we could do it.

Cause when the dust clears and everythin's calmed down again, how will we remember this?

Nobody was hurt permanently, far as I can tell. Just a few hurt feelings, an' some sickness that we'll get over.

But ya ask me, for the trouble Zetta caused, a little depowerin' might be good for him. Everythin' balances. Th'only thing we gotta be careful of is lingerin' resentment -- towards him, towards the princesses, anyone who helped. As long as some of us are workin' ta counter that -- the right way, withou' tellin' people what ta think, but carefully --

Maybe everythin'll turn out okay. [ One can only hope. ]

[Visual]

[punched_by_sisko]

[And there's Q chuckling]

Oh, I have to admit, what Zetta and the princesses did was quite ingenious. They'd fit in on Romulus with the other Romulans.

Before Hobus, that is.