SigmasonicXToday at 8:57 AM
Alright, going to actually read Past Sins now
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jTrcxbye9NPKHn9Iqp0AVHwdb9a11WVpxuudQZKMqkk/edit?usp=sharing
Reading the season 1 version
Surprised the cover artist is still around
https://www.deviantart.com/dreatos
SigmasonicXToday at 9:03 AM
Didn't expect Twilight to be captured in the prologue. Not much of a prologue, then, really.
Ogodei-KhanToday at 9:06 AM
Twilight's a Princess now. All Princesses must be captured or you don't have a story
SigmasonicXToday at 9:06 AM
Season 1, though
I find myself reading the villain's lines in Chancellor Neighsay's voice.
Celestia taking initiative? Now I know this is a season one fic!
CappyToday at 9:20 AM
v_v
SigmasonicXToday at 9:32 AM
It's interesting to see how the characters and narration feel the need to tie everything that happens back to events in the show. Rarity compares Twilight getting captured to the Diamond Dogs incident. The narration compares Twilight's locator spell to Rarity's gem finding spell.
Twilight going back into the Everfree Forest just a day after cultists captured her and took her there, and after Spike brings up the cockatrice turning her into stone in "Stare Master", just to retrieve some books, is some season 1 fandom Twilight.
Almost instantly, Twilight's mind began to jump to the worst case scenario, much like it had done when Fluttershy had taken Celestia's pet, Philomena.
Oh come on!
Philomena isn't even relevant here!
Reminded of the flavor text of this card
https://img.scryfall.com/cards/large/en/isd/127.jpg?1517813031
What would have been a nice and pithy line is ruined by over explaining.
SigmasonicXToday at 10:20 AM
Alright, with Era back, taking a break from the fic... before I even finish chapter one.
[...]
SigmasonicXToday at 11:46 AM
Alright, now that that's done with, back to Past Sins.
Tried to bump the thread as early as possible to see if it could catch any post-reorg-unreorg attention
Weird, there are links to YouTube videos in this story
CappyToday at 11:52 AM
:o
family guy-esque cutaways?
SigmasonicXToday at 11:53 AM
It was to explain a reference to rubbing on the rims of wine glasses
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwCR1FpbnhQ
CappyToday at 11:53 AM
:o non-pony cutaways
SigmasonicXToday at 11:53 AM
Which is... why?
It wasn't even relevant
CappyToday at 11:54 AM
SigmasonicXToday at 11:55 AM
Finished chapter 1. Twilight is acting like an idiot and not telling Celestia about Nyx, meaning there's going to be a part where this all blows up in her face.
Story isn't bad or anything so far, to be clear.
UberTagToday at 11:55 AM
Twilight acting like an idiot... are you sure one of the show writers didn't pen this?
SigmasonicXToday at 11:55 AM
Though I'm being lenient on stuff I can identify as "early fandom mistakes"
CappyToday at 11:57 AM
Ohhh slam
SigmasonicXToday at 11:57 AM
Well, going out of her way to hide that she found a possible reincarnation of Nightmare Moon because she thinks Celestia will destroy her is a bit OOC even for panicky Twilight
CappyToday at 11:57 AM
Uber with the dunkington!
SigmasonicXToday at 12:05 PM
In the story, Twilight decides to claim Nyx is her cousin, reasoning that she doesn't talk about her family so no one would know better. Funny how this turned out to be canon in the season 2 finale.
SylveeToday at 12:51 PM
All I know about that story is that Nyx is a meme on /mlp/ for shitty ocs
SigmasonicXToday at 12:52 PM
Halfway through chapter two, she's just "generic filly".
But I know more stuff happens with her
[...]
SigmasonicXToday at 12:54 PM
Rarity went from frightened of Nyx to being obsessed with her design and wanting her to go out with her Nightmare Moon eyes undisguised pretty quickly
SylveeToday at 1:01 PM
That story cover art is pretty edgy
SigmasonicXToday at 1:04 PM
It's a story for ADULTS after all
SylveeToday at 1:06 PM
I can't get over Twilight being hanged
SigmasonicXToday at 1:06 PM
One of the GAF posts discussing the story mentions the author said that's figurative and won't actually happen.
So it's a common thing people noticed back then
SylveeToday at 1:09 PM
ummmmmmmm, I don't know if I should say something. I read through the synopsis
SigmasonicXToday at 1:10 PM
I don't care about the story, so spoil away
SylveeToday at 1:10 PM
That definitely happens
All the stuff on the cover is from the book
SigmasonicXToday at 1:10 PM
So the author lied then
CappyToday at 1:12 PM
rip twilight
SylveeToday at 1:12 PM
I don't know how the book actually reads
But the plot sounds like pretty bad fanfiction
SigmasonicXToday at 1:13 PM
Just introduced the mulberry teacher in chapter 3(edited)
SylveeToday at 1:14 PM
What's funny is that the author apparently tried to rewrite some of the story in response to people complaining about Nyx being a Mary Sue
And what they did was have some of the students in the school hate her for being so amazing at stuff instead of all of them liking her
CappyToday at 1:14 PM
?
SigmasonicXToday at 1:14 PM
Yes, that's why I'm reading the older version
SylveeToday at 1:14 PM
C- you tried
SigmasonicXToday at 1:15 PM
It's
CappyToday at 1:16 PM
why does "beetle" look like a ladybug
hmm i guess they are beetles
SigmasonicXToday at 1:16 PM
Ladybugs are yeah
SylveeToday at 1:17 PM
I think the number one sign you have an overpowered villain is if the Elements of Harmony don't work on them
Because in the show the Elements/Tree are basically the strongest thing in existance
UberTagToday at 1:19 PM
(Starlight Glimmer excepted.)
SylveeToday at 1:19 PM
Starlight didn't defeat the literal elements of harmony though, she just beat the Mane 6
CappyToday at 1:19 PM
what's the tier list
SigmasonicXToday at 1:21 PM
Mole at top
SylveeToday at 1:21 PM
Something like:
Tree/Elements
Full power Tirek
Twilight with Alicorn Magic
Discord
Love
Sombrero
Chrysalis after sexing up Shining
Fuck
Forgot the mole
CappyToday at 1:21 PM
Aya?
SigmasonicXToday at 1:21 PM
He wouldn't get that reference
Giant moles are top tier, moles that are anime girls are worse than trash
UberTagToday at 1:23 PM
http://images2.fanpop.com/image/photos/9500000/Aya-and-Rei-super-gals-9597033-640-489.jpg
CappyToday at 1:23 PM
what about the vines
and the windigoes
i need match ups
UberTagToday at 1:24 PM
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/uCJYhmVomjw/hqdefault.jpg
CappyToday at 1:24 PM
vines vs tree/elements is a clean 10 -0(edited)
SigmasonicXToday at 1:26 PM
Moles don't have big eyes
Failure even as a mole
CappyToday at 1:27 PM
v_v
too much bully of aya
she has it bad enough already
SigmasonicXToday at 1:27 PM
I think we scared away Sylvee
CappyToday at 1:28 PM
Anime vs Sylvee is also a clean 10 - 0
UberTagToday at 1:28 PM
That's an ironclad rule.
1
SylveeToday at 1:31 PM
I was reading stuff
But the anime didn't help
CappyToday at 1:32 PM
the skurinu
SigmasonicXToday at 1:32 PM
In the story, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are being bullies. Back in the days when they were the least redeemable characters.
CappyToday at 1:33 PM
now they're the least existing characters >_>
SigmasonicXToday at 1:33 PM
And now they just came over to play with Nyx, Twilight lets them go, and Nyx doesn't think to tell her they were bullies despite having no reason to hide it
UberTagToday at 1:37 PM
Starlight Glimmer not taking Diamond Tiara under her wing is a missed opportunity. Especially after they made it clear that DT has a crone for a mother.
SigmasonicXToday at 1:37 PM
Now Twilight is reminded they are bullies and remembers them making fun of Apple Bloom in "Call of the Cutie". Funny how the actual show just has Applejack be oblivious about this despite being present for that too.
In "Family Appreciation Day"
CappyToday at 1:38 PM
the show is kind of super terrible about that sort of continuity >_>
SigmasonicXToday at 1:39 PM
While reports of such things are rare, exceptionally magically inclined unicorns were said to be able to perform a rage shift where their anger feeds into their magic and causes a physical change to their bodies. Twilight had experienced one such rage shift when she was trying to understand Pinkie Pie's sixth sense, and today would be the second occurrence.
Mane and tail set ablaze by her rage-driven magic, eyes glowing red, and her coat a bright, angry white, Twilight glared down at Diamond Tiara like she was a pony of the apocalypse.
God, I forgot how so many stories tried to canonize Twilight's Rapidash form from "Feeling Pinkie Keen"
SylveeToday at 1:46 PM
The bigger problem with DT is that they reformed her purely so the CMC did something important enough to warrant them earning their cutie marks, and the writers had no plans/clue what to do with DT after that.
Most of their other reformed villains have gone better
Outside of some of the non-movie EQG villains
SigmasonicXToday at 1:49 PM
I'm sure we'll see a lot more of Vignette Valencia.
... Wait, did she even get reformed?
SylveeToday at 1:50 PM
They kept it ambiguous so little girls can play her as either a face or a heel
UberTagToday at 1:52 PM
https://derpicdn.net/img/2016/3/5/1102568/large.png
SigmasonicXToday at 1:57 PM
Still, as the filly looked up at the long-forgotten castle, something began to bubble up in her mind. Nyx tried to force whatever it was away, tried to clear her head, but the blurry images and voices persisted, playing out inside her head.
"Oh, my beloved subjects. It's been so long since I've seen your precious little sun-loving faces."
"What did you do with our Princess?"
"Whoa there, Nelly!"
"Why, am I not royal enough for you? Don't you know who I am?"
"Ooh! Ooh! More guessing games! Um... Hokey Smokes! How about Queen Meanie? No! Black Snooty, Black Snooty!"
Another pet peeve, when referring back to previous events, including the jokes
SylveeToday at 2:02 PM
The jokes are essential to the scene
ESSENTIAL
TrigonometrizeToday at 2:02 PM
QUEEN
MEANIE
SigmasonicXToday at 2:04 PM
Also annoyed that Applejack's line is there too.
SylveeToday at 2:05 PM
To be fair that whole scene has a lot of tension-breaking stuff in it
Because it was the first episode so they still had the kiddie gloves on
SigmasonicXToday at 2:05 PM
It was the author's choice to include all that, but yeah, first episodes
"And I know your mother's got to be worried too, Scootaloo," Twilight remarked.
"Oh no! My mom is going to flip!" the orange pegasus realized.
"Hey, don't worry, Kid; I've got you covered," Rainbow Dash said, giving Scootaloo a noogie. "I know your mom. How about I fly you home and explain everything?"
In the anti-Scootabuse phase, I see
This is clearly meant to push back on the orphan Scootaloo that's hated by Rainbow stuff
UberTagToday at 2:08 PM
I like this alternate universe where I have parents. Can I visit?
SigmasonicXToday at 2:11 PM
"That's her, Daddy!"
Twilight's eyes hardened as she saw Diamond Tiara standing on her doorstep, this time accompanied by an older stallion. He had a grayish-violet mane and a complementary grayed red tone coat. He was substantially sized, though not as large as Big Macintosh. He had a cutie mark of a jeweled necklace and jeweler's eyepiece. His azure eyes were turned down in a hard glare set directly upon Twilight.
Oh shit, Buff Filthy Rich
Oh shit
Below the portrait, set into the picture's polished wooden frame, was an engraved plaque.
Sir Spell Nexus
Headmaster of Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns
The villain is in education too!
I was right to imagine Neighsay's voice for him.
Another link, this time to show the design of a random character
http://images.wikia.com/mlp/images/e/ef/Bastion_Yorsets.png
What an interesting design!
(The image is gone)
SylveeToday at 2:38 PM
Joke's on you, that's his Cutie Mark
CappyToday at 2:52 PM
wait
a minute
SylveeToday at 2:55 PM
I'm waiting
CappyToday at 2:56 PM
oh sorry i was getting a drink
this is me being super pedantic (as usual)
buuuuuuuuuuuuuut
starlight said that trixie's better than twilight at "magic" but didn't twilight beat her using that
SylveeToday at 2:57 PM
Magic Duel was a mistake
SigmasonicXToday at 2:57 PM
Well Twilight doesn't make it her day job
CappyToday at 2:58 PM
i actually really dislike Magic Duel too >_>
i would've preferred a Moondancer-level treatment of Trixie rather than the outsized- magic-villain-obsessed-with-Twilight treatment(edited)
SylveeToday at 2:59 PM
Trixie in Magic Duel doesn't really feel like Trixie, it's generic evil villain with a hate boner for Twilight(edited)
TrigonometrizeToday at 3:02 PM
ALICORN
(plot device)
AMULET
UberTagToday at 3:03 PM
The amulet was the villain in Magic Duel.
SigmasonicXToday at 3:04 PM
Most of Past Sins chapter 6 is just the pilot recreated by fillies in a play
Pretty boring
UberTagToday at 3:04 PM
Just like the book in Inspiration Manifestation is the villain and not Rarity.
And how like none of the Equestria Girls villains are actually villains because they're merely possessed by similarly evil artifacts.
SigmasonicXToday at 3:05 PM
Except the Dazzlings
UberTagToday at 3:05 PM
Yeah, they're the exception.
SigmasonicXToday at 3:05 PM
Unless their gems turn out to be evil
UberTagToday at 3:05 PM
Starlight Glimmer was a legitimate villain, though. No evil artifact horseshit there.
I'm just that special.
CappyToday at 3:07 PM
Sunset was evil on her own too
UberTagToday at 3:07 PM
This is true.
Or at least the original Sunset was before they retconned her into this other character who feels completely separate and distinct from her.
Evil pony Sunset actually still exists. She swapped out with Dougworld Sunset when nobody was looking and infused her with alternate memories.
SigmasonicXToday at 3:26 PM
Diamond Tiara's father is part of the evil cult
Taking up the orange juice glass, Nexus titled the glass up to his mouth. With a few swift gulps he emptied the glass, shaking his head after he had finished. The perfectly chilled juice was delicious, but when drunk quickly it gave the unicorn a brain freeze.
The momentary discomfort, however, helped focus Nexus's mind. There was now a need for both subtlety and haste to ascertain who the filly truly was before Celestia could act in a way to make such an investigation impossible.
Can have blood rituals, but NO ALCOHOL
So much of this story is so... menial.
SylveeToday at 3:36 PM
Isn't it supposed to be slice of life combined with epic stuff?
SigmasonicXToday at 3:36 PM
Yeah, but it's like setting up a fair and nothing interesting happening.
"Yeah! Turn Fluttershy into a tree."
"W-why would you want me to be a tree?" asked Fluttershy, looking incredulously at Pinkie Pie for her incredible suggestion.
"Because, this one time, on a train, I got talking with Rainbow Dash and Twilight, and, for some strange reason, Rainbow thought you were a tree, even though you obviously aren't. But then you said you'd like to be a tree," Pinkie Pie answered Fluttershy before turning her excited blue eyes back to Nyx. "So can you turn her into a tree? "
MEMES
UberTagToday at 3:37 PM
This is just horrid writing.
Why are you subjecting yourself to this, Sigma?
SigmasonicXToday at 3:38 PM
It's one of the most important brony documents and it's still very popular, tho
UberTagToday at 3:39 PM
So is Fifty Shades of Grey.
My point stands.
SylveeToday at 3:40 PM
I mean Suicide Squad is basically required media
SigmasonicXToday at 3:48 PM
"Twilight, you okay? Yer lookin' mighty pale," said a deep voice on Twilight's right.
The unicorn was snapped out of her spiraling thoughts as she looked up at Big Macintosh, who had a moment free from customers to check on the pair.
"Oh... yes, sorry... I'm fine. Just... just a little light-headed."
"You want another apple?" he offered kindly.
"No, no thank you, Big Macintosh," the unicorn replied. "Uh, have they started the afternoon activities?"
"Don't think so, but I reckon it's going to start right soon," Big Macintosh answered, the straw in his mouth twitching as he spoke. "Saw Applejack and Apple Bloom headin' in that direction."
Talking Big Mac
Hmm, pretty sure he was already established as not talkative in season 1.
He only ever talked much in "Applebuck Season"
Maybe like with Scootaloo, this is intentionally pushing back against a common fan assumption
Pinkie Pie's frown quickly turned back to a sinister smile, her turning her head in another direction. "Don't worry about it, Dashie; now the spy is trying to run away from me again, and nopony can run away from Pinkamena Diane Pie."
MEMES
SylveeToday at 3:57 PM
Pinkamena wasn't a psycho killer, daily reminder
SigmasonicXToday at 4:02 PM
Alright, first OP Nyx moment. She's playing tug of war with the CMC against four older colts. They pull in the CMC, but then Nyx uses magic to cast multiple spells quickly in a row and defeat them.
SylveeToday at 4:03 PM
That one specifically was apparently edited later to make some people frustrated at her
Although I feel like the better solution would be to remove it altogether
SigmasonicXToday at 4:04 PM
We already saw in "Fall Weather Friends" that ANYTHING GOES in pony tug of war.
Only Applejack was upset about Rainbow flying
Oh shit, the villain knows The Stare.
And it's definitely The Stare, because Fluttershy made sure to give a detailed explanation to all readers that haven't bothered to watch "Stare Master" I guess
CappyToday at 4:08 PM
this author doesn't really know their audience, i guess >_>
SylveeToday at 4:08 PM
I think they just REALLY wanted to make sure everyone got the reference
CappyToday at 4:09 PM
it's not fun if you explain it
SylveeToday at 4:09 PM
ur not fun
CappyToday at 4:09 PM
nyxnyxnyx
SylveeToday at 4:12 PM
Oh, Sigma. Is the main character actually a bug thingy that can turn invisible?
CappyToday at 4:12 PM
nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ;-;
i guess technically they would have a bug thingy
as a devotee
SigmasonicXToday at 4:16 PM
"Learning from experience," Rarity offered softly, staring into her own cup of tea. "Taking care of Sweetie Bell the past several years and running my boutique without any help, it's forced me to learn many things the hard way... at least since mother and father..." Rarity trailed off, the end of the sentence dying in her throat.
RIP Raridad and Rarimom
UberTagToday at 4:17 PM
Sweetie Belle has no parents. Scootaloo has parents. What a weird alternate universe this is.
SigmasonicXToday at 4:17 PM
So to recap, yeah that
UberTagToday at 4:17 PM
I have an 'E' at the end of my name. This is clearly an imposter.(edited)
SigmasonicXToday at 4:18 PM
TBF, it did take a while for people to get consistent about that, I remember
It's spelled with an E later in the chapter
I wouldn't be too hard on the typos, since those presumably did get fixed in the 2012 revision
Apple Bloom leaned in, lowering her voice. "Tell us something you've never told any other pony."
Nyx blinked in confusion and titled her head to one side. "Like what?"
Apple Bloom shrugged. "Anything."
"Yeah, just make it something cool," Scootaloo added.
"Well, I can't really think of anything to tell you, but..." Nyx fell silent and glanced back at her vest. "There... is something I can show you."
Jesus Nyx that's really all it takes?
(She's been hiding her alicorn wings)
SylveeToday at 4:27 PM
She showed Twilight
Fricken cheater
SigmasonicXToday at 4:42 PM
Great idea Celestia, follow this guy's advice to bring Nyx to him to cast a spell to supposedly look into her mind without telling Twilight what you're doing.
SylveeToday at 4:43 PM
Typical Student Teacher relationship
SigmasonicXToday at 4:45 PM
Alright, chapter 10, this is supposed to be when shit gets real™
Celestia actually does tell Twilight what she's doing TBF
Though she still thinks it's a good idea to leave Nyx alone with Evil Pony.
SigmasonicXToday at 5:02 PM
And she handles taking Nyx away from Twilight in the worst possible way
With Nyx bawling and crying for mommy (Twilight). You'd think not upsetting the potential force of evil would be a priority.
Nexus offered no words in reply as they moved across the hall. In the center of the grand space the ritual had been constructed. Four stone columns stood in a perfect square around a central point, torches burning at their tops. Unicorns that Nexus had brought in to aid with the spell, secret members of the Children of Nightmare, fed their magic into the columns, causing them to glow with ancient runes.
"How does this spell work, Nexus?" Princess Celestia asked quietly as she watched her guards place Nyx in the center of the elaborate ritual, placing her gingerly on a single, soft pillow.
"You need not concern yourself with the mechanics," Nexus assured the princess. "The spell will handle all the work. All you need to do is stand in the center and feed your magic into the columns. When the spell has enough built up energy, it will activate."
Princess Celestia nodded, striding into the center of the ritual while all the unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies that were working moved to the sides of the room. Nexus was the only one that stayed close, standing just on the edge of the spell circle as he watched her with slate gray eyes.
So Nexus's justification to Celestia was that this was a zebra spell.
And Celestia doesn't find any of the actual spell's set up odd.
SylveeToday at 5:05 PM
"How does this spell work?"
"You don't need to know"
I trust the guy don't you?
SigmasonicXToday at 5:06 PM
Among those who had been waiting in Ponyville were Night Wind, Gray Gale, and Stonewall, Nexus's lieutenants. Joined by them was another in armor, a thin earth pony with a regal blue mane and a gently turned mustache. To the locals, he was known as Horte Cuisine, a waiter at a local restaurant. However, to the Children of Nightmare and Pinkie Pie, he had been a spy at Nyx's school.
Now the author went too far! He made the random waiter evil!
From "The Ticket Master"
Wait, Nexus went out of his way to get Nyx away from Twilight, but he ends up teleporting back to Ponyville anyway?
Nightmare Moon is revived through Nyx and her very first act is to get revenge against Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon
I suppose I'll stop after chapter 11.
Princess Celestia thought back, and began to scrutinize every recent memory she had of Spell Nexus. Surely there had to have been a clue. Surely there had to been a sign of his treachery, yet she could not remember a single instance of doubt. Spell Nexus betraying her would be like Twilight Sparkle betraying her; it just didn't seem possible.
AS TRUSTWORTHY AS TWILIGHT
SylveeToday at 5:21 PM
Ok, who's more trustworthy
Twilight or Applejack?