You're Not Better Than Your Friends
We were thieves, cons, and jerks.
We weren't friends, after, it's every pony for herself.
But we'd come to this little town.
Why? A new place to con. A new place to use and manipulate (and I wasn't black listed), a new place away from 'dweebs' that knew you.
We came together because we had a similar goal. We didn't get along. We didn't bond. We just all wanted something, and together we'd get it.
We'd been in the middle of nowhere, finding this town was a stroke of luck, I mean careful planning!
We met the leader. She just smiled at us. Five minutes after we opened our mouths every single pony in the town was frowning at us.
They drag us to that stupid cave, only Gilda really resisted, the rest of us . . . weren't exactly physical types. Gilda put up quite a fight, trying to get away. But for being all identical, when one fell, another just took its place.
Flim and Flam had experience running from mob of angry towns . . . but this town had experience in taking care of ponies trying to get away . . . a lot of them had tried to get away after all.
So . . .maybe I only couldn't really resist.
She magically removed Flim and Flam's cutie marks and put them in that vault of hers.
THEN THAT BUCKING NAG TORE OFF MY CUTIE MARK!!! HOW DARE SHE?! THIEF!!!
Oh, and they put the Equal Mark on Gilda in spite of her not being a pony. How did that work? Who cares? It didn't happen to me, so why should I?
She locked us in a tiny room like we were criminals (which to be fair, we were: fraud, plagiarization, and stealing an apple.)
The same message playing over and over, how cutie marks were bad, how being the same was for the best, how we'd all be happy and we'd all be friends once we accepted we were no better than everypony else.
What a total lie! Of course I'm better than everypony else!
But the message played over and over.
Gilda clawed and bit at the impossible symbol on her butt, but to no avail.
"I'm not a bucking pony! Oh buck now I'm using pony swears?! Oh Celestia! I want out of this horseapples!"
We were in there for days. Those messages never stopped.
Flam broke first. Saying how conning ponies had been wrong, and they should do their equal share for the community.
Flim . . . without his brother, broke much faster . . . apparently the two were practically two halves of a whole, they had relied on each other all their lives, looked out for each other, cared for each other, even when it was just them against the world they never stopped helping carry the other's weight. Pathetic. It's every pony for herself, blood or mud.
Gilda and I lasted weeks. I should have known the dumb griffin would break eventually though.
Finally she screamed. "I GET IT! I'M NOT BETTER THAN DASH'S NEW FRIENDS! I DIDN'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO KEEP HER FOR MYSELF!"
Geeze, drama much?
So Gilda became just another little brainwashed sheep.
I wouldn't go. I wouldn't break. I'd get out of here and that would be that. Even being black listed in Manehatten is better than this.
Better . . . where I had no friends, no family, no home, no bits, no job, no trust, the victim of a five minute scandal than forgotten about except for the 'do not hire this mare, she is a thief' black listing that reduced me to being a factory grunt at best. I would not lower myself to doing the work of scum!
Better than here where everypony would accept me, love me, not judge me, treat me like one of their own, never try to back stab me, always trust me, never use me, always be there for me . . .
I was the last to go, holding my hooves to my head screaming the truth Manehatten had carved into my soul. "I't s everypony for herself! It's every pony for herself!"
And finally one morning, seeing all those smiling faces, just wanting me to join them, offering no reward or treasure except themselves, not want anything from me except myself . . . I snapped!
"It's all for one, and one for all!" I declared, donning that maniac grin. Having finally seen the truth: Yes, friendship was magic, and friendship was equality!
We all hugged together, and sang a happy song.
We lived happily in Our Town with our new family, our new friends, our new selves, everything was perfect, everything was normal, everything was Equal!
Then . . . we had some unexpected guests! New friends to share true friendship with!
And we recognized so many of them! What a chance for redemption we'd truly been offered!
Flim and Flam apologized to Applejack for being so unfair to her in their cider deal before, then selling fake medicine and pressuring her into endorsing it.
I apologized to Rarity for using our friendship to plagiarizing from her, and asked her to apologize to Coco for me for mistreating her and teaching her such unEqual things.
And Gilda apologized, for selfishly wanting Rainbow Dash all to herself, instead of Equally sharing her with her friends.
This was a chance to make up for everything we'd done!
So when Glimmer ordered asked us to put them in the education hut, we knew we were doing the right thing. It was to help them experience true friendship after all, and look at how we turned out?
Glimmer and Gilda even used how selfish Gilda had acted had destroyed hers and Rainbow Dash's friendship as the ultimate object lesson, how their different opinions and views on what made something 'cool' or 'lame' had destroyed the beautiful friendship they once had. Wasn't that proof how even without cutie marks, differences were poison to even the longest and strongest friendship?
And how I had let Manehatten change me from the mare with similar views as Rarity, into one whose view was opposite of hers. I pleaded with Rarity, practically crying. Wasn't that proof how Our Town was for the best if it turned around a selfish and self-serving mare like me?
As Glimmer said, "Differences that can't be reconciled exist, and must be eliminated."
Fluttershy was the first to see the light.
Gilda apologized over and over for what she did to Fluttershy before, and by proxy to Rainbow Dash. She hugged and squeezed her (but not too hard, that would be unEqual), Fluttershy made such cute squeaks when she was hugged. Gilda said how now she, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy could all be friends, with none of them envying or hoarding the other. All were Equal.
Did Fluttershy look guilty?
Was Fluttershy faking it?
Should I tell Starlight Glimmer our supreme leader founder?
. . .
Naw! Why would she be faking it?! HAHAHAH! This was true friendship! This was true freedom! I was free of everything I'd done before, my friends/family/townmates all accepted me without any judgements, this place was great! Once you actually gave it a try, anypony could see it was the best!
I had been so wrong before. Using and discarding others like tools. Flim and Flam only seeing ponies as walking wallets. Gilda thinking Rainbow Dash only needed her as a friend.
We were bad ponies before (and one bad griffin), but Sameness had made us good ponies (and griffin). We were the ultimate proof that Glimmer had been right, our selfish differences had driven a wedge between us and ponies who just wanted to be our friends.
We'd all been so selfish, but Starlight Glimmer had shown us the way to the light.
We now knew true friendship, and it was wonderful.
Then Starlight Glimmer was revealed to be a hypocrite. She had kept her cutie mark. Saying how she needed it to remove our cutie marks and how the Staff of Sameness was just a piece of wood. She said how the other things she said weren't a lie.
Then the entire town, from the oldest to the youngest, from the earliest new comers to those who had been with her before Our Town was even founded, all turned on her at once, and all instantly wanted their cutie marks back.
Including us.
So we got our cutie marks back. And Gilda finally got that mark off her flank thanks to a no face random unicorn who now had their talent back for cleaning things up.
And we took what little of value she had in her house (she wasn't coming back for it) which turned out to be, not very much at all. Weren't cult leaders should be have huge bags of bits hidden in a safe somewhere? But we didn't find any vault or hidden giant stash of bits! We tore the house apart. Nothing better than had been in the other houses. What a waste of time. We knew better than to waste time going through the other houses. These losers didn't even use money.
If one thing she said was false, then therefore everything she said was false.
If the messenger didn't practice what she preached, then therefore the message itself must be false.
And if every pony (including foals who had known no other social structure their entire lives) rejected everything she had ever said and we had utterly embraced before after a sixty-second reveal and exchange, why shouldn't we?
If everything Starlight Glimmer said was a lie: then equality and friendship are a lie, and therefore greed and selfishness must be true. I can't believe I let myself fall for her transparent lies.
We then left the stupid no-horse town, not waiting for Rarity and her friends to get back.
We then went our separate ways. After all, it wasn't like we were friends, and it was every pony for herself.
Also LikedSimilarAuthor
- Alex Warlorn · 15k words · 40 2 · 1.9k views
- Alex Warlorn · 4.4k words · 31 2 · 972 views
- Alex Warlorn · 2.5k words · 169 25 · 8.9k views
- Alex Warlorn · 1.4k words · 18 3 · 1k views
- Godzillawolf · 13k words · 18 2 · 1.2k views
- Alex Warlorn · 7.4k words · 32 3 · 2k views
- Alex Warlorn · 3.5k words · 58 1 · 1.8k views
- Godzillawolf · 4.7k words · 20 0 · 1.3k views
Stats
Page generated in 0.148 seconds
Total duration
831 users online
725,013 hits today, 2,064,738 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
That would have been interesting
Of course, everything Starlight Glimmer said wasn't a lie. That's the Association Fallacy, aka "Hitler Ate Sugar." Friendship really is important and arrogant disdain really is a bad thing. Starlight Glimmer believed many false things and did some evil things in their pursuit, but she also believed many true things and did some good things, too.
Not too shabby there. I liked what was presented. Wouldn't have minded seeing it blown out to a full story instead of just a recounting, but it was still good.
5885945
Thanks!
5886094
Thank you, I just wanted to make it as concise as possible.
5885985
Which is the entire freakin' POINT here. And the way her herd flip flopped on everything she taught them, it felt like they were trading one singular mind set for another.
5886278
Yes. Which was done in both directions -- by Starlight Glimmer and her followers in rejecting everything good about their Marks and Talents because their own mistakes regarding them had caused pain in their lives; and then by her disillusioned followers Starlight's lie had been exposed, rejecting everything good in her philosophy.
Or ... maybe not. Most of the Ponies of the Village seem to want to keep on living there and continue the friendships they had made there, only on a more honest and individualistic basis. So it's possible that Starlight Glimmer actually accomplished some lasting good as well.
An “at least the trains run on time” story. Interesting.
5886295
It's just jarring with the existence of ponies like Diamond Tiara who DOES use cutie marks as a form of division among ponies (if only for her grudge with Applebloom). I felt there should have been some mention after Glimmer's lie was beaten, that the ponies' DIDN'T think equality in of itself is bad.
5886319
Hm?
5886336
The reference is to fascists making the trains run on time. The demarking and equalization reformed the 4 of this story.. This brings up an interesting point:
I heard Theists promote converting criminals for reforming them. I figure that once the criminals realize that they can get into heaven by killing nonbelievers, it could badly backfire. Besides, the criminals might figure out that religion is fairy tales. It is better to instruct them in secular humanism and explain that arse-ponding prison is a choice:
If one does not want to go to arse-pounding prison, stop committing crimes.
If you shave off 3 words, this story will have the Registry Number of the USS Enterprise NCC 1701.
5886335
Were you a bit disappointed by the fact that the recent episode seemed to have Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon getting some screen time -- but it was actually just Apple Bloom's dream-versions of them?
5886387
That actually sounds logical. Sharing faith with criminals and letting them know they're not alone in the world. And the idea that turning from faith is inevitable is rather narrow minded. Even MORE narrow minded is the idea all faiths teach "kill nonbelievers and you'll get into Valhalla," or that killing nonbelievers is the way to break your cycle of reincarnation and reach enlightenment. Seriously, that's a vicious anti-religious view, even if you think trying to convert criminals wouldn't improve their behavior, those reasons are more about taking stabs at religion than the idea itself being impractical or a poor result outcome.
This fic was about how the entire town flip flopped on EVERYTHING Glimmer was saying. And HOW such flip flop attitudes are just as dangerous as Glimmer's zealot attitude! And the classic association fallacy.
5886415
Applebloom isn't about to imagine them as anything BUT enemies since their only interactions have BEEN as enemies. When she gets a cutie mark she can be proud of, they don't show up at all because she can't imagine how they'd react if they couldn't tease her about it.
5886439
Exactly. It made perfect sense that Apple Bloom's dream-visions of them would have been as their own worst and most stereotypical manifestations.
I was bummed that the twittermites probably aren't real either. They were cool creatures. Maybe they are real, and Apple Bloom took them from some half-remembered biology class?
5886472
They could just as easily be an invention of her mind. My only regret is that Bloom didn't have an exchange with her shadow AFTER it was revealed what it was.
From what I know, you're actually just a b*tch, two conponies and a jerk.
Like battle droids, or stormtroopers. Except these guys have a degree of individuality.
Riiight.
To be fair, you're a designer, not an athlete.
Pot kettle black.
Fair enough. But at least you didn't steal an Apple, then you'd be screwed, I'd like to think Applejack is a fair level headed pony, but woe betide you if you screw with her family.
Vegeta, what does the scouter say about her power level?
Vegeta "It's, 5."
Really? What about her ego level?
Vegeta "Lemme check." *scouter explodes* "That answer your question?"
Yes, thank you.
Yikes...
Hey, it's one of their few redeeming qualities, along with having a great singing voice!
It's Jeez, and like you're one to talk.
It's. Not i't s.
Yikes...
Not always. Heck, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash are fire and rain yet they are the best of friends.
Granted, but most CAN be.
5886752
No comment on them flipping back to being jerks?
5886789
Not really. I kinda expected it.
5886791
It was the whole tragedy of the piece.
5886815
Hm.
5886278
Considering they were being lied to, technically abused, and had their trust betrayed by her... why WOULDN'T they just ditch her and everything she brought with her? Distance themselves from her and her ideas, grow closer with one another. Only natural.
Keep in mind, they weren't there to be philosophical. Glimmer was the philosophical dictator/conqueror. They were there to be free of their pain and insecurities, which Glimmer promised them. It's not about them taking in her ideology, it's about them following her instructions in order to find happiness and trust and real friendships, which she abused horribly.
5886415 I liked the fact that, at least according to Apple Bloom's subconscious, the adorabullies take turns picking on others, in a twisted way it was nice to see Silver Spoon taking the lead on something and Diamond Tiara following.
I was also disappointed by how everypony in town turned instantly and completely on Glimmer, that seemed unrealistic. On the other hand, these are individuals who are part of a cult, and have had a very strong follower mentality pushed onto them, so I guess once it seemed like the Mane 6 had a stronger message, they instantly fell in line.
Still, the ending, where all the other ponies were like "we're going to stay in the town that Starlight founded and embrace the friendships that she made possible, and if she ever makes it out of the caves alive of course we will arrest her and hand her over for judgement" seemed kind of harsh.
And yeah, I do wonder if some of those foals who grew up in Our Town really do have = cutie marks, since that's how they were raised, and what they will do now.
5890211
Personally, I just see that as Applebloom's unconscious at work, since Silver Spoon and Diamond TIara are utterly identical in her mind.
5890223
Interesting.
It's a really interesting take on the idea of how maybe Starlight's utopia really did do something good (at least for this gang of miscreants). But my biggest problem is that this is too good an idea for a tale told entirely as a recount. It would be much better as a narrative with all the events and details and dialogue. I do mean that as a compliment, though: it's a neat idea and I really find myself wanting to know more instead of the bare-bones version Suri gives us.
5916142
Thanks!
5886815
Only Siths deal in absolutes .
5886295
Doubt she sees it that way. She wanted a community of complete and total equals. Now her utopia is lost.
6717657
Should I take that as a compliment?
6717657
Be sure to tell me when you've posted it.
5885985
The problem is that I fear season six will fall into that, rather than Glimmer's good intentions not being evil in of themselves.
6717657
They appear together in some segments of the Ponies and Dragons collection.
You can has review!
9183551
Well. Should have seen that one coming. Seems like failures is all I can write sometimes.