>>12733552 (OP)
Let's go have a chat with Steady. If anybody can help clear our minds, it'd be him.

>>12733552 (OP)
See what's on Steady's mind.

>>12733552 (OP)
talk with Steady
we've been neglecting his Social-Link

>>12733591
>>12733592
>>12733630
Emerging from the tent, you make your way over to Steady, nodding to the princesses as you pass them. Steady lifts up a hoof and you give a low-five in greeting, each of you grinning at the other.

"Been a while, hasn't it?"

"You bet, Stalky. Didn't realize you'd gotten to be such a big shot, running around with the princess and taking private training lessons from that hurricane of a mare."

You shrug. "Things just turned out that way."

"C'mon, man, you're just being modest! I used to go on adventures like that way back before I was a captain, and they were hella fun." He nudges you and leans in. "So, what happened?"

"What happened?"

"You know, when you were trying to find foxy 'I'll-kick-your-ass' mare."

"Who?"

He rolls his eyes. "Rose."

"Oh. Nothing special, really. Ran into a scavenger at the old campsite who directed us to Withers where we found Rose healing."

"Yeah? There's a doctor in that tiny place?"

"Uh-huh."

"And the new guys?"

"Just a couple random pegasai that decided to join us. I don't know anything more about them."

"I won't complain about the extra set of hooves." His face darkens. "But look, man, about Celestia..."

"She's pretty cool. I like her."

"That's the thing... I'm not blind. I see what's going on between you two, and I gotta advise against it."

What is it with ponies getting in your business all of a sudden?

>>12733842
And why's that mate?

>>12733842
"Wish I could say this was the first time I've heard that..."

They're right though. If we have to go home at the end of all this then we're just setting Celestia up for disappointment

>>12733842
"Yeah, you and everyone else."

>>12733863
>>12733916
>>12733997
"Wish I could say this was the first time I've heard that..."

He jerks his head back. "Really?"

"Yeah. But what's your take on it?"

"She's different from us. Aloof. And not 'cause she tries to be, she's just so much older, thinks so much differently, it's like we're two different species or something. She doesn't understand the kind of troubles normal ponies go through. She won't understand you. Yeah, she might dig you for a while, but to her, things coming and going is just another part of live, even the things we see as important."

Crossing your arms, you look up as if the sky could tell you the answer to your troubles. Steady sounds correct, but at the same time, that isn't the kind of vibe you get from Celestia. Older, more experienced, yes. But aloof to the point of disconnect? That doesn't sound like her. That's not the kind of pony who drops everything to go with you to find a friend. That's not the kind of pony that goofs around in moonlight, or--you chuckle at the memory--steals your blanket so she can sleep next to you.

You shake your head. Steady's known her longer, though. And truth be told, you don't know how much longer you'll be sticking around. You might be gone forever once you reach the Scales.

"I see your point, Steady, I just... I dunno. She's a labrinyth. One I'm not sure I'll ever figure out."

"Take it from me, Stalky. Wander too close to the sun and you'll get burned."

File: 1376156552264.png-(246 KB, 700x700, hwerf.png)

Goat Train sketched another thing, but since his computer got busted he won't be able to finish it for a while. The pony on top of the quester is Rose.

>>12734116
We'll see how things play out then, there's a lot going on.

>>12734157
Heh. Did he say who the top right figure's going to be? I'm guessing it's Silver.

>>12734219
it's just a reference for the eyes (notice how they're both looking the same way). It's not actually meant to be a pony.

>>12734157
I'd let Rose get on top of me if you know what I mean

>>12734116
"Did you know someone who...'wandered too close to the sun'?"

>>12734116
GOOD THING I'VE GOT MY SUNBLOCK

But yeah, I'd rather get too close to the sun than leave myself out in the cold.

>>12734205
"I'll see how things play out then. There's a lot going on."

"'See how things play out'?" Steady steps in, poking your thigh. "Trust me, Celestia is bad news. You don't want any part of that."

>>12734360
"Did you know someone who 'wandered too close to the sun'?"

"Not... not personally. Not really. But I've seen ponies try and heard about others. None succeeded. Some were utterly crushed. That's how it works with her."

Is that who Celestia is? A tease? You'd hate to think of her that way, but now that you think about it, you could hardly be the first to try for her. She's one of the rulers of the country, powerful both politically and physically, not to mention ponies probably find her gorgeous. Maybe she realizes how temporary this all is and is just having a good time while it lasts.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained, though.

>>12734375
"I'll keep it in mind, Steady. Really. But I'd rather have the sun than stay out in the cold."

He shrugs. "Alright. Just trying to look out for you. I gotta make sure my division's getting ready. We're gonna head out soon. Later!"

He runs off and starts helping some soldiers pack up. You're a bit lucky you don't have any belongings to worry about.

>>12734518
Check in with the elements.

>>12734518
At worst we get a killer suntan out of this.

I wonder what Silver and Rose were discussing.

>>12734518
Have a seat somewhere, would like to simply sit until the camp has been moved.

>>12734566
You walk over to the Element's tent, peeking inside. They're all busy packing, like everyone else. Rainbow spots you.

"Hey! What's up, big guy?"

"Just checking in."

The rest of the Elements turn to you, waving before they get back to work. Rainbow hovers over, probably looking for an excuse to blow her packing off.

"Have you ever been to the Scales before?" you ask.

"Nah. Actually haven't even been this far south, either. Closest I got was Dodge Junction, and that place was pretty boring and dusty. Only reason I'd come this far south is for one of my friends. I heard the princesses have been there, though."

"Yeah, I heard as much. They didn't seem to thrilled about returning themselves."

"R-really?" Dash's face fell. Rarity had stopped packing as well, turning to face you.

"Did they say why?" she asked.

"Bad memories, mostly. Nothing terrible happened there, it's just hard for them to take that stroll down memory lane."

"I can imagine, them being so old and all. They must have been completely different ponies back then."

You nod. "Well, I don't want to bother you girls any more, so I'll step out. Later."

They state their farewells and get back to it. You should probably be careful about talking so freely about the Scales. Most ponies seemed intimidated enough by them.

[cont]

>>12734950
>>12734595
You stroll across camp to Rose and Silver. Rose notices you long before you make it there, but Silver's still in the middle of talking when you walk up and greet them.

"Oh! Hey," he says, suddenly blushing.

"What were you chatting about?"

"N-nothing!"

Rose huffs at Silver. "He was talking about you."

You raise an eyebrow. "Me?"

"Yes."

Crossing your arms, you turn to Silver. "Well?"

He glares at Rose, who merely glares back twice as strong. Shirking away, he tries to make himself as small as possible. "Um, heh, well, we were talking about, y'know, how we're almost done with this whole thing."

"Hopefully," says Rose.

"Uh-huh. Hopefully." He gulps. "Anyways, I was kinda wondering what exactly you had planned for, uh, after this."

"I think he's in love with you."

"Hey!" He puffs his chest out, regaining some of his bravado, but Rose just stares him down again. "But, um, yeah. Just wondering."

>>12734959
Not sure, there's a lot of unknowns right now. I wish it was as easy as telling you directly.

>>12734959
I...I don't know.
I miss home, but I also kinda like it here. And it's not like I'd be able to come visit on holiday.

>>12735005
>>12735063
"Not sure, there's a lot of unknowns right now. I wish it was as easy as telling you directly. I mean, yeah, I miss home, but I also kinda like it here. There's just too much I don't know and I wouldn't want you making plans or getting your hopes up. Sorry."

"O-okay, well, if you do stick around, I've got an extra bedroom in my place in Canterlot you could crash... just so you know."

"Thanks."

Rose has gone back to breaking down a tent, all but ignoring the conversation. No snarky comment? Not gonna tease Silver at all?

"Rose?"

"Yes?" She doesn't turn around.

"Did you have plans for afterwards?"

A long pause hangs in the air. Silver stops what he was doing, curious as well.

"...Not specifically. I may return to Withers, I may not."

"Why wouldn't you go back?"

She drops the tent with a snort. "Because things have changed. This rebellion has uprooted southern Equestria, and I do not think things will settle nicely once it is over. I don't know if I want to go back to the ponies I grew up with, because they may not be those ponies any more. I may not be myself, anymore, either."

"You're pretty good at fighting. You could probably join the Royal Guard."

She glances over to Silver. "That would not be entirely impossible."

"Celestia or Luna might know of something you could do," says Silver.

"True." She kicks you in the shin. "Aren't you going to help? Or are you just going to stand there chatting all day?"

>>12735313
Alright.
Help her break down the tent, having hands should make it a little faster.

>>12735313
Help them out.

>>12735313
Help, but continue chatting. Multitasking!
What made Silver decide to join the Royal Guard himself, anyway?

Ded, questanon broke his back taking down the tent.
The end.

>>12735353
>>12735415
>>12735480
You walk to the tent next to Rose's and start breaking it down as well. Luckily, it's a small tent and isn't difficult to handle.

"So, Silver, what made you join the Royal Guard?"

"ME? Oh, I've always held respect for the station. Ever since I was little, I thought Royal Guards were the coolest."

'Ever since?' you think. He still sounds like a kid.

"There are many parts to keeping Equestrian society as peaceful and happy as it is," he continues, "and one of those is the Guard. They stand for the very peace we treasure, and I'm glad I can be a part of it."

You hear a gagging coming from Rose, and turn to find her sticking her tongue out as if wretching.

Silver narrows his eyes. "Hey! Just because you don't believe in the peace doesn't mean it's not real!"

"You're a blind, young, naiive thinker. You haven't been in any real battles besides this one, have you?"

He looks away. "Well, no, but--"

"The soldiers of Equestria don't stand for peace, they're a blindfold. They keep all the cruel things about the world hidden so the average citizen doesn't have to worry about it. So they can live their lives happily. You shouldn't become a soldier for peace, you should do it because you realize true peace doesn't exist."

"No!"

Rose glares at Silver, but he doesn't back down this time.

[cont]

>>12735723
"You're just like Steady! You don't believe ponies can be happy left by themselves. You think there's some evil inside everyone that we have to scare out of them, or that they can't think for themselves, or that you're all alone as a soldier and everyone else is just ignorant. That's not true! Ponies are good! They're smart, too! I've seen it with my own eyes."

Rose steps forward. "The problem is they THINK they're smarter than they are, and that they can handle anything or that nothing will ever happen to them. But something will. Something always does."

Silver looks to you for backup.

I'm working extremely hard to make a response that's short, elegant, and coherent.

Well, I definitely see one pony that thinks she's smarter than she is.

((That's probably too confrontational right now.))

>>12735730
Silver, you're right. Ponies are inherently good, they are smart, but only about what they know. They care little about war or those who keep them safe so long as their life continues uninterrupted.
Soldiers on the other hand, not unlike Rose, don't understand the kind of life the average pony lives, they may have lived a similar life at some point in the past, but it was taken or given away and now they've forgotten how things were before.

Bah, I'm not sure I've even hit the right argument here. This is what they started discussing, but toward the end they both seem to be arguing two different arguments.

I'm a little lost as to what you two are disagreeing over. Maybe peace means something different here, but back home it means something like freedom from serious conflict and unhappiness.
I've seen there's danger in your world: from the tales of having to fight off dragons, and from this advisor that's currently pitting people against each other.
But most of the ponies I've met ARE good, and because of that they want to protect each other from the harms they encounter, and from that springs groups like the Guards and the Stampede, who try to minimize the conflict and take it on themselves to try to protect as many as possible from it.
The peace and protection that much of the populace experiences may be created by ponies, but so's everything you eat, and every tool you use. It's still just as real.

>>12735730
Good and evil are inherit in all things. But I think that's what makes the good we do so much more beautiful, and meaningful. That we are capable of so much evil, but choose to do good. If everyone was good merely because good was their nature, and had 0 potential for evil, then the good we do would be as special as a fire is hot, or water is wet.

>>12736237
>>12736451
You rub your chin, thinking about how to best put this without getting a new bruise from Rose.

"Silver, you're right. Ponies are inherently good, they are smart, but only about what they know. They care little about war or those who keep them safe so long as their life continues uninterrupted. Soldiers on the other hand, not unlike Rose, don't understand the kind of life the average pony lives, they may have lived a similar life at some point in the past, but it was taken or given away and now they've forgotten how things were before. Most of the ponies I've met ARE good, and because of that they want to protect each other from the harms they encounter, and from that springs groups like the Guards and the Stampede, who try to minimize the conflict and take it on themselves to try to protect as many as possible from it. The peace and protection that much of the populace experiences may be created by ponies, but so's everything you eat, and every tool you use. It's still just as real. That's just my opinion, though."

Rose grumbles at you, shooting you a glare before going back to folding up her tent. You brace for a buck, but surprisingly she holds back. "Think whatever you wish. Reality is not so simple."

Silver is smiling to himself as he goes to work, nodding his head back and forth.

[cont]

>>12736562
"Silver, she's not completely wrong, at least, not how I see it. There are things out there which will always threaten the peace, and soldiers have to keep them from doing that. If they're successful, citizens will never know it existed... but that doesn't change the reality that, at some point, it did."

"I guess. But we shouldn't focus on things like that. We should focus on how to improve things so it doesn't happen again."

You nod and get back to work.

The three of you continue taking down tents and help other ponies load up when that's finished. Smalltalk pops up every now and then, but nothing as serious as that first conversation. Rose continued to be a stick in the mud, but you never expected anything else out of her.

And, if you're honest with yourself, there's a lot more truth to what she says that you want to admit. It's peaceful here, yeah, but just like this rebellion is showing, it's not all fun and games.

Eventually, the camp is packed up and moving out. A couple pegasai scout the area while another leads the bulk of the camp. You're a little surprised how much the small group of ponies can carry.

>>12736451
I really liked this line:
"The peace and protection that much of the populace experiences may be created by ponies, but so's everything you eat, and every tool you use. It's still just as real."

The debate was mostly about the role of soldiers and whether or not they created the illusion of peace or they maintained an inherent peace that already existed. I'd say you hit on it pretty well.

>>12736610
Where are we in this procession?

>>12736831
At the moment you're still alongside Rose and Silver. You can see Celestia up front and Luna bringing up the rear. Steady's with a group of ponies, probably his division.

>>12736990
Keep marching, I guess. We're keeping pace, right?

>>12737116
The ponies keep a quick pace, but you're able to stick with them without much trouble. For the next several hours, you march, chatting with the ponies or keeping to yourself, thinking about your destination as well as a certain white-coated alicorn. You learn from Steady the march will take another day or two after this, and then you'll be at the Scales. He jokes about carrying you, wondering if you're up for the march, but you tell him you'll be fine.

For the rest of the ponies, this kind of march is what they're used to. It had taken them several days of this to even get to the south. The few days of scouting, fighting, and teleporting you'd witnessed were not the norm. You wondered if the Stampede might show up, but for today, at least, you're safe.

You catch Celestia looking back at you a few times, smiling. You give her a smile back, though it often vanished after she turned away. Everyone had plans for after this was all done, it seems, but you don't even know if there will be an 'after'. Maybe you'll die on the way there. Maybe the Guardian will vaporize you. Maybe you won't figure out how to fix the negative effect you're having on this world and everything will wither away. Heck, one of the best-case scenarios involves you making it back to Earth and never returning.

[cont]

File: 1376167815738.jpg-(72 KB, 1024x758, 1358830235807.jpg)

>>12737429
Night falls and the ponies make camp. You help set up the tents, though it's a pain to drive the stakes into the hard, dry earth. The temperature drop catches you off-guard; one second, you're sweating, driving the stakes in, and the next you've got goosebumps. A sleeping bag sounds great right about now.

What you get is a tap on the shoulder. Turning around, you find Luna, looking down at you, face as sober as ever.

"Come."

She walks off to her tent and you follow.


~


That's all for today, I've got to run. The schedule of sessions for the next couple weeks is a little different than usual.

Next Wednesday, I am running things as normal.
Next Saturday there will NOT be a session, as I'm busy all day.
Wednesday after that, I will be running the session at NOON (12pm Central American Time) just like a Saturday session and it'll be just as long.
Two weeks from today will be a regular Saturday session.

>>12737481
Man, never a moment's rest for poor questanon.
Got it, thanks for the session!

>>12737481
Ah, thanks SA!

File: 1376169353372.png-(192 KB, 640x360, 640px-An_army_of_Pinkie_P(...).png)

(no) gay... solo... inside now... Celeste... ...give a little bit... Give a little bit of my life for you ...now's the time that we need to share. So save a smile- we're on our way -Californe-