1) After you were old enough, you either became one of the older kids that looked out for the younger ones, putting your life on the line, or you walked quickly everywhere and hid.

I didn’t walk fast enough.

It lasted until I got this scar I cover up on my stomach, and it ended the way it began. I may not have always been shackled, but I was enslaved for a long time.

2) Because she moved back home.

… I miss her.

3) Too overt. She’s way more passive aggressive than that. Plus, she doesn’t hate me. She just thinks I’m a useless drain-on-society. At least that’s what I coxed out of Bon-Bon once.

4) Hmm…

5) Ow. I used to know a stallion that loved that game, but I never played it.

6) I dunno. I guess I’m supposed to be a pillar of virtue or something, in which circumstances are ignored and all things must be equal.

I’m lazy, I’m nosy, I don’t have a proper education, my grades were poor, I was promiscuous, and let’s be honest, I’ve contradicted myself more than once. I don’t know why anypony would look up to me.

1) I finished Krastos’ present, but now I’m not sure if I want to give it to him or not. He’s going to be really busy… He won’t get to use it. Maybe I should just try to find something to buy after all.

2) Regrettably.

3) Sounds like a minor misunderstanding. This was less of a vacation-type thing and more of an information gathering-type thing. I was specifically gathering information about orphanages.

There were several of us in each group as we traveled. Whole thing took place over only a few weeks. We were rarely in a town for a day; sometimes went through a few. Barely got to see or do anything. Extremely low funded operation. We had to even bring non-perishable food with us for nearly the whole trip.

As sort of a celebration, though, we ate at a cheaper restaurant and I got these parmesan noodles with spaghetti sauce? That was good! I’ve had it a few times since then.

Immediately after that was when I was employed as an ambonic musician.

4) I guess being walked around the hallways of the castle from one room to another. I had to be shifted around a lot. Pretty fantastic place, if you’ve never been though.

5) Well, I got through the introduction. That is a lot to look through, even without the text rips. I wasn’t aware that Ion Storm had a bad reputation at the time. I never played the game on computer, only PS2, so I got a hold of it quite a while after it first launched.

6) That’s what we called them back in the streets, and they didn’t seem to care. They referred to themselves the same way. But once I moved to Ponyville everypony was all “You can’t say that! That’s offensive!” So… I dunno. Regional, I guess.

Well, there’s a long answer and a short answer. The short answer is because, that’s what Griffons called us. As for the long answer, well…

Worlds with multiple sentient species don’t just become intellectually advanced all at once. I don’t know that your world keeps track of this sort of thing, because you’re the only ones, but the process in our world is called ascension. It’s not the most popular subject among ponykind because we weren’t the first to ascend. We weren’t even the second.

To be considered an ascended species requires several things. You have to be capable of organized thought exchange, both verbally and in writing, amongst yourselves and other ascended species. You have to be capable of sustaining yourself in an isolated environment indefinitely (a nomadic lifestyle must be a choice, not a requirement). You have to be capable of creating shelter from raw materials and defend yourself from harsh environmental conditions. And I’m sure I’m missing some, but the most difficult is that you must be able to prove that you, or a community of your peers, can protect themselves against a staged attack by a malicious entity.

It’s debated pretty fiercely between dragons and griffons which ascended first, but we definitely came after both. There will always be those that argue, but there’s pretty definitive evidence. As we were hunted by them, griffons also studied us. When pegasus and unicorns first appeared, they observed pegasus manipulating rainfall to yield more substantial wild growth, and reported mild, though varied magical ability in us long before our recorded history began.

Griffons named us unicorns, which in their language at the time (they’ve gone through a few) meant one-horned, and pegasus were called pterippus- which I’m fortunate enough to be able to manually type out, because I can’t even pronounce that. After our ascension began we kept our name, but the pegasus didn’t.

The story goes that a “hero” by the name of Pegasus united or conquered, depending on interpretation, every major pterippus community and changed the entire species’ name to his own. He did some other stuff but I’m not all that into specifics. To that end, pegasus were the first pony species considered to be ascended, though at that time the term had yet to be defined.

Our hornless, terrestrial cousins have an interesting story. Pony roughly means small horse. Earth ponies were so named once unicorns and pegasus started appearing, as a way of further defining them, because we’re all ponies. But when our ascension began, one group of grounded ponies relied on hard work and close ties to the earth. They became what we recognize today as earth ponies.

Meanwhile the other group, fascinated with magic and the desire to harness it, called themselves crystal ponies. They somehow found that crystals were easier to store magic in and harness magic out of than anything else in the world. They even somehow used magic infused into crystals to create the artifact known as the Crystal Heart. When earth, unicorn, and pegasus ponies had to unite in order to survive, timelines show that crystal ponies had no need for outside help. Though the other three had lost contact with them, crystal ponies were already decades ahead of their time through magically-aided technological advancement. At least, so the story goes.

While on the subject, the last species to be considered ascended were cattle. Both goats and sheep are in the process of ascension.

1) That seems to be a theme in your world. Everypony believes history is absolute, even as stories are retold biased towards whichever country is telling them.

2) Aw. Very mysterious pair, those two. At least for how much they influenced net culture.

3) Nope. Nothin’ bad. Remember that game store? I broke into it once. Not to steal anything, I liked them too much, just to keep playing a game I was obsessing over.

So I hid myself away inside and waited until they forgot about me and left for the night. Then I picked up a controller and started playing. And I played and played and played- so engrossed that I didn’t notice the entire night had passed and they came back to open the shop for the next day! When I finally realized what was happening, they were already inside setting things up! They just kinda walked around me!

Once they realized I was out of the trance they had me help them set everything up, but I didn’t get in trouble or anything for it. They just asked that I not do it again. They were a really sweet couple. I hate that they got bought out.

Anyway, I was up for about 30-somethin’ hours, give or take.

4) I don’t like that part toward the end: “Straightened out and fixed?”

5) If anypony can find a picture of that scene from the original Dragon Ball where after being asked if he likes bacon, Oolong turns to Goku and yells, “What are you- brain dead or somethin’!?” I’d appreciate if you attached it to this post with a photo reply.

1) Don’t pokemon have personalities independent of their species? How would I answer this? I mean, I like Jolteon. Doesn’t mean I identify with it.

2) Maybe. Maybe events are manipulated a little to give the appearance that we’re more unified than we are. Maybe that manipulation causes ponies to subconsciously behave better; because their internal voice expects it of them. Maybe other nations fear our unwavering loyalty to one another, and what that could do if directed toward a threat.

Maybe.

3) Cooler than not having weapons? I guess so. But they’re also dangerous.

4) Thanks, but I sort of played that game to death. I appreciate the notification, though!

5) Everypony can be a chump now and again. Nopony’s perfect.

6) I knew about Matt, that’s how I found out about the show. But I hadn’t heard anything about Mike. That’s fantastic! Do you have any voice credits for him?

1) Never heard of it. In fact, I thought it was some comic at first.

2) Idea: Think of a good idea.

3) Become omniscient, I suppose.

4) Actually, I worked as an ambianic musician on Canterlot castle grounds for a spell. Made plenty of money, but I squandered it like a tool because I didn’t know what else to do with it. By comparison, things sort of went back down hill when I moved here. Just, you know, not as far.

But things are pretty darn good right now.

5) “Commandment Number Two: There is nothing I can do about the pun law.”

6) And the whole point of stealing a carriage is to take what was being carried inside.

7) Yeah, ‘cept I sucked at stealing too.

1) What does that have to do with who set the cameras up?

2) That’s an expensive habit there, buddy.

3) Non-ponies are fully capable of filling earth and pegasus pony positions. It’s just that too many typical unicorns can’t.

4) Sure. Sounds like a hoot.

5) Maybe not as far as a hope, but I certainly wouldn’t have to worry about Sweetie’s career taking off.

6) Used to be. And it’s because Princess Celestia wanted to find the source. If all she did was clean up the streets, whatever was causing the gang lifestyle to flourish would have moved elsewhere, where it would take longer to find again and be harder to track. Everyday the Princess had to make conscious decisions that I’d never want to make, but they had to be done.

And the source was found and eliminated. It led back to the former griffon government, hence the rocky political situation between us.

7) Don’t be silly! Ah-ha! I’m fine! I’m on top of things like a cake topper!

Either my first or second day out on the streets, once I was too old to stay in the castle during the day, I stumbled upon a group of older kids who called me over. They asked me a bunch of questions, like where my parents were and where I lived, and tried to explain a bunch of things. I barely understood any of it, but they led me to a street corner where a bunch of other foals around my age were playing. There I met my best friend.

We ran and sang and bounced rocks. When the guard patrols came around, we hid together from them like the older ponies did, even though they told us not to. We talked about what we knew and what we wanted to know. About our dreams and aspirations- the kind of things it’s easy to talk about when you’re younger. I tripped and fell at one point and she helped me up and made me feel better. We played together all day until it got dark and the older ponies said I had to go home. I was sad, but she said she’d see me again tomorrow.

I met her again the next day. She gave me a hug and we played again all day. She was the first real friend I’d ever had. I valued every moment I spent with her. I came back the next day, then again the next day, and the next day. Time seems to pass slower when you’re younger, so I don’t really know how long I knew her. But eventually the day came that she didn’t come back.

I asked and some of the other foals said that maybe she was sick. Next day, same thing. And again, and again. Eventually they wouldn’t even answer me. They’d just look away or ignore me if I asked about her. She was just gone. I never found out for sure what happened to her.

1) I haven’t, though somepony has brought it up before.

2) I can see this dialog is really gonna go places, with ground-breaking research and proper citations.

3) I am, but it’s not. You shouldn’t feel the need to prove anything to me.

4) Too bad.

5) Remember that question about triggers?

Here’s one.

6) Zero. Unless you mean visual contact.

7) I’ve actually spoken about this before. Growing up I was right there with the grime. Keep your head down, your eyes averted and your mouth shut. As an adult, I understand the importance of speaking out. If I had made more attempts to contact law enforcement, I’d have been a lot better off. Maybe some more lives could have been saved in the long run too.

Where to start.

Answer (and links) after the break.

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That’s a pretty complicated question. As I’ve mentioned before, I only understand feminism as it exists in the human world.

See, just as women traditionally only held jobs like nurses and teachers in the past, stallions traditionally only worked as things like soldiers or laborers. They would risk life and limb with no hope of branching out into a safer or less physically extensive field. And of course, just like in the human world, mares have always been free to carry whatever job they want, even if mare soldiers were ridiculed the same way human male nurses are.

These divides still exist. They’re more subtle now, but you can look around any given town and see it; most of the ponies walking around are fillies because the most of the colts joined the military. And since mares don’t really get sick during pregnancy, this whole stay-at-home-mother thing never happened in our world.

In that way, I can sympathize with feminism the same way I sympathize with colt rights movements. It’s not fair for one sex to have an advantage and something needs to be done. What I can’t do is say I can relate to either, or that I fully understand it. I’ve felt out-of-place and rejected, sure, but never for being a filly.

Stallions may be physically stronger than mares, but a kick from an out-of-shape unicorn mare is still going to do some real damage. Even after everything that’s happened to me, I’m not afraid to go out alone at night. I might have some mental scars or knee-jerk reactions, but I don’t even think about it unless it’s brought up. I think we ponies have an easier time in that regard because of our physiology, and that in turn gives us a psychological advantage.

There’s a lot more I could say, but this is already getting pretty long.

I support equality.

Delightful, considering I used to be forced into theft.

Dragons stay at bay because of our magically capable numbers, but back before the formation of Equestria even pegasus and earth ponies were capable of deterring dragons.

And the only strength leaders possess is what their followers give them. Griffon history is the perfect example of what happens when leaders take advantage of their subjects. Riddled with assassinations, rebellions, and governments overthrown overnight. Why? Because their leaders don’t respect the power their followers possess, which is far greater than their own. And those followers remove them.

Even Princess Celestia only rules over us because we allow her to do so. Even with her being immortal to anything we’re capable of, she and Princess Luna could still be removed from power. Our numbers and individual strength are far too great to defend against.

Leadership is only a byproduct of society, and society is formed around ponies working together to specialize in their craft, field, or talent. Unity is our strength.

I think I first met him when he first made a tumblr. I was a little unnerved, but I gave him a chance and he turned out to be a nice bear. Until he was possessed by something wicked, that is. He was terrifying! He looked like a demon! I don’t remember how, but somepony reversed that and he went back to normal.

But I’d read what he’d say and occasionally we’d talk. I think we first formally met at a party or two. I know he helped look for Sweetie when she ran away. He slowly became a friend.

But occasionally somepony would ask him a question on tumblr about having a crush on somepony and I thought “There’s no way. Absolutely no way.” But the more I rolled it around in my head, the more it seemed to make sense. I thought about just leaving it alone, but I sat down and asked myself, “What does this really mean?”

“A bear has a crush on me. Is this a bad thing?” I had no reason to mind. He’s always been a sweetheart to me. I had went on a date with somepony else not long before hoof, but he was always really busy and it didn’t seem to be going anywhere.

“Would this work… physically?” I had to look up some stuff I never thought I’d have to look up to answer that. Measure and calculate some things that almost seem comical at this point.

“If it doesn’t work out, could we still be friends?” Admittedly he doesn’t always come off that way, but for the most part he’s more of the calm, logical-type. It’s a good possibility we’d be friends even if we couldn’t be a couple.

“Is it really worth a shot? Is there any reason why trying would be a bad idea?” I could think of only one or two, and I think I remember asking them when I first confronted him about a date. Which is what happened next- I just asked him if I was the pony he had a crush on and he said yes. Everything else just grew after that night. Slow at first, but here we are today.

It’s strange thinking about it now. I don’t know the exact date, but it’s coming on a year now since we became a couple. … So much has happened and yet I’m still left wondering where all the time has gone.

Keep reading

As with all real forces within our world, magic must abide by the rules in which our world is comprised. Magic has the potential to do anything; it will never be able to do everything. And even if it could, why would we want it to? The kind of destructive nature magic of that magnitude could have in the wrong hooves would be apocalyptic.

This is why we have hospitals. This is why we still have to grow food. This is why houses take more than a day to build and why death is still a threat.

Fantasy and magic are two different things, but it seems like sometimes ponies forget that.