Chapters Friendship is Failure #6: Write a Wrong
INTRO
Princess Twilight Sparkle, Starlight Glimmer and Spike were visiting Canterlot after a tiresome week of working at their palace; just to get away from it all and have a break.
The three of them were enjoying themselves at an outdoor Café, and Spike was added several sugar lumps to his cocoa. “Spike, I think that’s a little too much sugar.” said Twilight.
“Actually, I don’t think it’s enough sugar.” replied Spike, and he continued to add lump-after-lump.
Meanwhile, Starflight was reading the entertainment and marketing sessions in the newspaper, “Oh, dear…!” she said softly. “What is it?” Twilight asked with concern, and Starlight showed her the section she was reading.
It stated that the book publishing industries were facing mockery and a loss of funding due to failing to sell any copies of publish works of one “Stone Heart.”
There was a picture of him in the article. Stone Heart: a navy blue unicorn with a light brown mane, and his cutiemark was a picture of a broken pencil and a book with pages falling out of it
Spike looked at the article below the picture and read aloud, “Known as the worst writer publishers and critics have ever known; Stone Heart’s books have been known to never sell a single copy, and has been rejected form many other publishing companies due to rapid increasing infamy which would likely sully the good reputations of publishers and good writers in all of Equestria.”
All three friends didn’t know what to think, especially Twilight, who loved reading. “What would be so bad about his stories that they wouldn’t sell?” she wondered aloud.
Starlight gazed at the column over and over, “There’s nothing here about what he wrote.”
Just then, they all heard the sounds of ponies laughing and taunting at the garbage collector whom was emptying the waste-bin outside the café.
“Hey, Stone, written any new baby-stories yet…?”
“Maybe he’s finally accepted that No-pony likes him.”
“No ponies but twelve year-old dummies.”
The ponies continued to laugh, but the other pony-- a navy blue unicorn with a brown mane and the exact same cutie mark as the one in the picture, and wearing an sewage green colored suit in front-- glared angrily at the three nasty ponies, but didn’t say a word as he took the trash, loaded them into his big wagon and went off again.
“It’s Stone Heart.” said Starlight. It was definitely him. The three friends watched as he pulled his trash-wagon down the road, and a couple more ponies laughed at him and taunted him.
“I never wanted to hurt your feelings… That was just a bonus for me.”
One pony approached him, “I really liked your story, Stone.” she said sweetly.
Hope began to shine in Stone’s eyes, “Really, you did?”
The mare nodded, and help up a destroyed book, “My cat loved it too, it makes a great throw toy.” she laughed, and then threw the destroyed book in the wagon with all the other trash, making Stone cringe in anger, and then he went off with his wagon, disappearing around a corner.
Finally, Twilight lost patience, and she confronted the two ponies. “Hey, that wasn’t a very nice thing you just did!”
The two ponies changed their attitudes almost at once when they realized whom they were speaking with, “Oh, Princess Twilight…” said the mare “Forgive us, but we couldn’t help it. That’s what everyone does to him.”
The other pony, a stallion, agreed with his friend, “Yeah, have you actually read his books or talked to the guy? He’s awful, and it’s no wonder he doesn’t friends. He won’t take anyone’s advice, and he can’t seem to handle criticism.”
Every word said made Twilight was to seriously scorn and reprimand the two ponies for such shameful attitudes and behaviour, as a true Princess she didn’t think it wrong to try and get both sides of the story, especially considering she hated seeing a pony being treated so poorly and not knowing why.
Starlight and Spike could see from the table, “Uh-oh, she’s got that look in her eyes.” said Starlight.
Spike sighed, “Here we go again…” and he tried to take a sip of his cocoa, only get a face full of melted sugar. “…Maybe I did add too much sugar.”
Friendship is Failure #6: Write a Wrong
Act 1: Try not to be mean
ACT ONE
A few days later, Twilight and friends acted casual, while secretly spying on Stone Heart. They discovered where he lived; in an underground house dug into the side of a grassy hill in the meadows.
It seemed that all Stone ever did was come out of his house, in his uniform, grimmer than ever, and go around picking trash, and of course he got made fun of by several ponies along the way, and then he would just return home and not come out again until the next day, and then it was the same thing over and over and over!
Today, it was the same routine; he was passing by the same café collecting the trash from the bin. Twilight and friends looked up from their menus spying on him. “Twilight, this is so boring!” groaned Spike “We’ve watched him for three days and all he does is pick trash. When are you going to talk to him or anything?”
“Shh! Keep it down!” said Starlight.
Twilight on the other hand felt deeply concerned, “No-pony talks to him except for making fun of him. No-Pony says anything nice to him, or offers him help, and he always seems to be by himself… almost like… he has no friends!”
Starlight and Spike both felt that an awful situation to be in.
“Okay, we’re going in.” said Twilight.
“We?” asked Spike, but he was grabbed by Twilight’s magic and placed on her back as she and starlight trotted off to catch up to the sullen trash-picker.
Stone passed by a book stall and looked at the books on display. There were stories and novels he had read before selling like crazy, he only shook his head shamefully at them.
“Can I interest you in anything, sir?” asked the vendor, but Stone looked sourly at him and remarked, “I’ve already read these… they’re awful!”
The vendor felt most insulted, “Lots of ponies happen to like these stories, thank you very much.”
“Humph!” growled Stone “Then I guess I don’t like them either.” and then he walked off leaving the vendor to scoff, but Twilight and friends were confused at what just happened.
Finally catching up to him in a clearing, Twilight called to him softly, “Excuse me, Stone Heart?”
He turned around fiercely and snapped, “Yeah what!?” making the friends jump, but he quickly gasped and bowed down, “Oh, Princess… forgive me… I-I-I’ve just had a hard day.”
“Obviously.” muttered Spike.
“Shh!” snapped Starlight.
As Stone continued to walk home the friends walked with him. Stone could hardly believe; this was the first time ponies had walked with him and not say anything rude or insulting.
“So, um… this is your job?” Twilight asked.
Stone, and the others felt that a very silly question to ask, “Yes…” replied Stone “I need to make a living somehow, and this was all I could get. Most ponies wouldn’t hire me, and my books just don’t sell. Every-pony knows that!”
He referred to the newspapers as well as his infamous reputation.
They came to his house and there they found three big boxes with postage due on the tops. “Oh, no… not another one…” Stone groaned.
“What is it?” asked Starlight.
Stone opened the box, inside were many copies of books. Stone groaned miserably, “I thought so-- These are all copies of my unsold failed novels.” He picked up the postage due papers, “…and I have to pay for the delivery again!”
The friends looked at all the novels and their titles…
“The End of Ends”
“Some Things Never Change”
“Even the Purest Light Creates a Shadow”
“Voyage to the Edge of the World”
“Strange tittles.” said Spike.
Stone rolled his eyes, and then turned to walk to the door of his house. “Wait, aren’t you going to take these in?” asked Twilight.
“No, I have no room for them.” replied Stone “Now, excuse me please, I just came home for a bite to eat before my next shift. Good-day to you all, and thanks for not being mean with me.”
Then he went inside and shut the door leaving the friends outside to ponder at the stories. Twilight, being the book-worm pony she was and having her curiosity peaked, “I wonder why no-pony likes these stories?” she wondered. Spike and Starlight wondered the same things, and the each picked up a different book, and Twilight cast a special “Speed-Read” spell, allowing the three of them to just run through the books like being put on really fast-forward.
By the time they were finished each stories, they were all cringing and gawking in… rather a mix of disgust and shock.
“Why I… I’ve never seen anything like this.” said Twilight.
“How could any-pony possible stand reading this?” asked Starlight.
Spike just threw his book down and would have breathed fire on it to destroy it, but he was still cringing in disgust by what he had read. “Make it stop! Make it Stop!!” he cried!
Suddenly, they heard the door of the house slam shut hard, making them all turn round. There stood Stone Heart, and looked infuriated. He had obviously heard their remarks about his writing.
“I take back my thanks. I should’ve known…” that was all he said, and he grabbed his empty trash-wagon and headed off down the path.
“Wait, Stone Heart…” Twilight called, trying to apologize and explain, but Stone wasn’t the least bit interested; not after what she and her friends had just done!
Twilight felt really low, Spike and Starlight felt the same. “Come on, we’ve got to try and make it up to him.” said Twilight.
“But how?” asked Spike.
“Well, we have to try.” said Starlight “At least we can try to show him we don’t want to be mean to him like others have.”
“But we just tried that… and failed!” said Spike.
“Well, we’ll just have to try again, and harder this time.” said Twilight “True friendship always deserves a second chance.”
Inspired by her speech, Starlight was egger to try again, but Spike was not so optimistic, “Why do I have a feeling this isn’t going to end well?” he wondered, but he was, once again, grabbed by Twilight and mounted on her back as the ponies galloped off. Q�z��(
Author's Note
Yeah those are just titles of MY OWN stories, loved by some, pissed on by others (They can all rot in Tartarus for all I care)
Friendship is Failure #6: Write a Wrong
ACT TWO
All the rest of that afternoon, the friends followed Stone around trying to apologize, but stubborn as a mule, Stone wouldn’t budge. “I know exactly how this will play out, so don’t bother.”
“Look, we understand if you’re upset…” said Twilight “But we do want to make it up to you, maybe even help you.”
Stone only laughed sarcastically, “I’ve heard that before too. You mean you only want to help yourself. That’s what it usually is. Please, just do yourself a favor and don’t go any deeper into this.”
He tried to go about his own business, but the friends just wouldn’t let him be. “Could you at least tell us why you’re so down like this?” Spike asked.
Stone was really growing annoyed by all this harassment, but if it meant getting the friends off of his back, “Fine… though I really don’t see the point.”
He invited them to his place after work at sundown where they could talk privately without anyone disturbing them, which was one of several reasons why Stone lived in a dugout out in the meadow; not many people lived around or came by and they couldn’t make fun of him or insult him.
Twilight knocked at the door, and sure enough Stone was home and politely let them in, “Mind the books…” he warned them, but too late as Starlight bumped into and knocked over a large stack of books, “Sorry…” she said sheepishly.
The friends suddenly saw why Stone didn’t take in those boxes of books inside from earlier. The entire house was pretty much all one room, and everywhere they looked there were many stacks of books, and unopened boxes of books. All of which were returned, unsold copies of Stone Heart’s novels.
The friends didn’t have to read the books, from what they had read earlier that day, to understand the struggling Stone was going through.
Stone made some tea and piled some biscuits on a plate. The friends all sat near the fire and Stone sat in a lone armchair away from them, almost as if he were trying to avoid getting too close to them or too friendly with them.
“So… um…” Twilight said trying to choose her words carefully, “How come you write such… unusual… stories?”
Starlight and Spike wanted answers too, and Stone sighed, “I’ve told this old story to so many, and it hurts me each time.”
He explained there were several reasons why he wrote stories, preferably the way he wrote them, that no one seemed to like.
He used to be into read stories, but unfortunately most stories he read usually ended up going against his preferences-- he would see and read a whole lot of plots that he did not agree with.
-A boy being forced to accept the love of his life no longer wished to be with him, or that a life together was impossible; and most of the time… just accepting it and moving on with his life.
-A hero struggling so hard to help save people’s lives and whole worlds from disaster and yet he got treated like a pest and went on unappreciated and scorned.
-Cliff-hanger endings that neither explained nor showed how things happened after the end.
“Every single one of them I ever read, it was always the same!” groaned Stone “No one ever bothered to explore alternative plots and ideas, or focus on What Else could have happened instead of just the one plot.”
He angrily slammed his tea-cup down shattering it.
The friends all jumped and were baffled by his frustration. “Whoa! Someone has priorities.” Spike muttered, but that earned him a nudge from Twilight.
“Tell me…” asked Starlight “Did you have… any friends at all to confide with?”
Stone looked more disheartened than ever. “I did once…”
He explained that he had several friends he knew since pre-school, they all grew up together. One of them was a mare, Sandy Beam, whom he fell in love with, and for a while it seemed she shared his feelings.
However, as the ponies all grew up, they began to change as they took interest in new things. Some of their friends moved away to lead new lives, just like that… gone.
Sandy was all that Stone had, and she promised to always hang by his side… but then one day, she too had changed. She had made new friends, seen knew things and wanted to continue to explore. “I’m sorry Stone, but Things Change… I need to explore the world around me, try new things, and meet new people. Good Luck.”
That was it; basically she just dumped him in cold blood, not even asking if they’d still at least be friends. Just up and left him…
Stone felt so hurt and betrayed he grew bitter and cold. He detested the stories he had read, and scoffed at life itself for the things it took away from him and only ever left him with more and more things he detested and refused to put with.
The friends all stared at him with wide-eyes, and Twilight was most livid; the very thought of some-pony just abandoning someone who cared about her just so she could fulfil her own desires and please her own personal gains. “I can’t believe she did that to you.” she said to Stone.
Stone nodded and said, “Friendship never got me anywhere but down, and I was so incredibly angry about it I had a hard time thinking clearly or sleeping well at night. Until one day I started writing out my own stories in ways that vented my frustration and anger into harmless tales… which he called Fics…
Fic… being short for Fictional.
It became an obsession. Ideas just kept pouring from my mind, inspired by my life and by the terrible stories I had read before, and as the saying goes, “If you want something done right, do it yourself.”
He went on explaining how he wrote the stories the friends had all read…
-The boy being dumped in cold selfishness, like he had been, instead became insane and consumed by evil, threatening vengeance against those who wrong him.
-Or even running away from those who disagreed with him, rather than try to fit in, and go on a world-wide journey to find himself, and a new life.
-Sometimes at the end of the story, even if the friends of the character realized how wrong they were to have treated him so bad and wanted to make up for it, he would refuse and not wish anything to do with them ever again, as punishment for hurting him in the first place!
…All this and more, the way reality actually followed instead of always ending calm and cheerful.
“To me, getting all these ideas and feelings out in story-mode… it just felt so wonderful, and so reliving. A world I could control, and get things I wanted to see for once…!”
It was at that moment, Stone began to sing about his Fics…
(19:30)
When I feel dismayed, or hurt, or betrayed, By the so-called friends and ponies I knew… I find myself recovered, because I have discovered… …There is one other thing I can do.
It’s a special little hobby of mine To write up many stories so divine Fics, they are how I get my kicks… Like a box of magic tricks… All the messes they can fix
Fics, when my heart is poked with pricks, I can straight out the cricks When I write into my fics
I’m not the kind of guy, who lets pain and woe slide by. It’s just hard and stressful each and every day.
When I want to scream or shout, I just write fics all about… …And soon I cast all of my woes away.
When I’m fed up with the stories I have read, I can write it all different way instead
Fics, put my feelings in a mix Better than sunny picnics… Of all things they are my picks
Fics, make ‘em four, or five, or six and the way that my heart ticks… When I’m writing up my fics
So keep all your changes and friends to yourself, And let my work on all the Fics in my bookshelf
Fics, when the pain of life inflicts Like a bunch of old slapsticks I can turn to all my fics
Fics, No one knows what it predicts Others give me big conflicts… …but I love them all, MY FICS!! !
Stone felt much relaxed after the song, and the friends were amazed at how some-pony showed such devotion to their own works and pride that went into it.
Suddenly Stone’s features hardened, “I tried to publish my works, feeling maybe I could living off them, but I was panned harshly by critics and proofreaders who never once said anything nice about my characters, plots and everything else…”
He showed them all scrap books of reviews he had received from publishers and critics, which read…
“Your story reads like a spoiled brat!”
“Your characters are so boring, I’d rather watch paint-dry than read this train-wreck.”
“You shouldn’t be a writer.”
“You need to learn to improve your writing.”
As much as even Twilight understood why all these ponies were saying such things, even she began to realize this was going a bit too far. “No pony even gave you the slightest bit of encouragement?” she asked.
Stone shook his head, “No… and when my sales never happened and publishing companies went downhill because of my failure, that’s when ponies in the street began to taunt me, making me loathe and despise life even more.
I can’t believe how many ponies like all the stories that I don’t like, when all I tried to do was give something different, something new, but no… to them, it’s always got to be what they want!
They would either say rude things to me… and those that didn’t offered to help me… by suggesting I do things that I won’t have in my stories—giving characters more development, making them more mature than emo, and making them grow and do a whole bunch of things just so they would turn out less how I wanted them to be, and more how they wanted them to be.
Since I refused their so-called help, they all ended up turning on me too; making fun of me wherever I went and treating me like a pest.”
He didn’t have to go on; the friends were clearly able to realize what happened after then. Stone obviously quit writing since he was getting nowhere with it, and took up a dead-end job as a trash-picker, as it was obviously the best he was able to get given the bad reputation he had.
It really wasn’t a nice life to lead.
Friendship is Failure #6: Write a Wrong
Act 3: Write what's Right... or So?
ACT THREE
Stone sighed softly as he hung his head.
Twilight tried to make some suggestions to him, “Well, I hate to say this but, maybe you should consider… you know… changing your attitude and expand your tastes.”
Starlight agreed, “Maybe you could write a story based on the suggestions others have given to you, or even combine them with your own ideas.”
Spike nodded “Yeah, maybe then every-pony won’t be as mean to you anymore.”
Stone was far from moved by their suggestions. “Weren’t you listening to a thing I told you?” he said sternly “I know you’re trying to help, but that’s not the kind of help I want. I don’t like the ideas that ponies seem to crave for; in fact I hate them, and I wouldn’t write them for anyone or anything, and I certainly wouldn’t want to be praised for such… trash!”
Twilight felt both shocked and livid by what he said. She hated it when others insulted books that others worked so hard to make, many of which she enjoyed reading, but then again calling Stone out on his attitude harshly wouldn’t be very smart at this point.
“So, you just plan to live like this, a lonely and bitter trash-picker for the rest of your life?” she finally asked.
“Pretty much…” Stone simply said “At least by doing that I’m staying true to myself instead of caving in and letting others control me. So, as you can now plainly see, even if I did as you asked, nothing would change anyway, at least not for the better.
Now, I believe that’s all we have to say to one another.”
“Are you asking us to leave?” asked Starlight. “Well, you got the answers you came for, didn’t you?” replied Stone.
“But we can’t just leave you like this.” said Twilight “We want to help you. It’s what good friends do.”
Stone sighed, not only annoyed by the fact they still didn’t get the message from his story that he didn’t trust friendship nor wanted their help, seeing as it was those things that lead him into his sullen life in the first place, “You can’t help me, not the way you’re thinking anyway. It’s just not the way I want to be helped. I refuse to be like others, and I refuse to like what they like… the same way they refused to take interest in my likings.
Now, I’ve said my peace, and I ask you again, for your sakes… please leave!”
Not wanting to make things any worse, “Come on, Starlight… Spike… let’s go.” Twilight said,
Her friends agreed and they all left the house together, “Thanks for the tea…” Spike said, and then they were all gone leaving Stone to feel rather a mix of emotions by how he had just behaved, but he knew he couldn’t go back on himself and the way he set things.
Twilight had never felt so mixed up in her life. The way things had been going it seemed as it Stone Heart both was and wasn’t responsible for his own misery; given the fact he refused to change or take on the suggestions of others, and then again it wasn’t really fair that so many others took joy and pride at poking fun at him for quick thrills.
“I can’t believe how much some-pony can have such resentment towards friendship or the past.” she said to the others.
“Well… in honesty… I can’t say that I blame him.” said Starlight. Naturally she referred to how when she was wicked and resented others before she reformed. “Well, you were willing to give friendship a chance, as well as try new things.” said Spike.
Starlight nodded, “I couldn’t believe all the wonderful things I was being offered, despite all the bad things I did, and it did seem rather interesting to me.”
Hearing that made Twilight’s eyes twinkle with excitement and her wings flap with glee, “That’s it!” she cried.
“Huh?” remarked the others, and Twilight explained, “Maybe we can show Stone how interesting changes can be, and that it’s fun to broaden the horizons and try new things. Maybe that will help him give friendship another try.”
Spike sighed, and muttered in dismay “In other words: you’re going pester him to try to force him to accept your views and change his ways.”
Even Starlight didn’t like where this was going. She knew that forcing your own beliefs on someone was a bad idea, from experience, but Twilight, as Princess of Friendship, felt she was obligated to set Stone Heart on the right path to help him better his life.
“Now, the first thing he needs to do is get his old spark for writing back.” she thought aloud, and she suddenly had just the idea of how to make things right again, and remembered the boxes of books still outside of Stone’s house.
She used her magic to levitate one of the big boxes alongside her
“What are you doing with those?” asked Starlight, “You’ll see…” was all Twilight said, and she said nothing else to her friends for the rest of the night. In fact, once they returned to their hotel, since they had two separate, yet conjoined rooms; Twilight locked herself up in her own room… which was also Spike’s room too, forcing him to bunk in with Starlight.
“What do you think she’s doing?” Starlight asked.
“I don’t know, but I’ve known Twilight a lot longer than you have; when she sets her mind on a project, she won’t let anything stop her.”
Indeed, whatever Twilight was up to, she didn’t stop…!
For two whole days she didn’t come out of her room and merely ordered meals from room-service. She wouldn’t even answer when either Spike or Starlight knocked on the door.
“Like I said… she doesn’t stop for anything.” said Spike.
Suddenly, the door opened, and there stood Twilight looking much frazzled. Her friends couldn’t help but gawk at her like she was a monster.
“Are you alright?” Spike asked.
Twilight let out a huge yawn and replied “It wasn’t easy, but I did it.”
“Did what?” asked Starlight.
Twilight let them into her room, and saw she had been quite busy as parchments, quills and empty bottles of ink lay about. She had spent the past days going through some of Stone Heart’s stories and then rewrote and revised them, so now the stories would make more sense to others who read it and the characters had much stronger development and attitude than before.
-The boy was still dumped by the girl, and rather than becoming the evil villain, he helped fight the evil villain that threatened the girl and his friends, and in the end, he and the girl manage to depart on good terms.
-The boy, after spending a long time on his worldwide journey, finally found himself and realized that maybe his friends deserved another chance and returned to them with a warm heart and they all made up for their mistakes.
…Things like that.
Starlight and Spike read the raw writings of the stories and their reactions were much different to that of the original versions. “Much better…” said Spike.
“I like it.” agreed Starlight.
Twilight smiled wearily, and revealed it was only the first step. “Now I’m going to get it published, on Stone’s behalf, and who knows, this just may help get him out of his slum.”
Spike felt a little concerned, “Um… wouldn’t that be stealing?” but Starlight shook her head, “Since the originals failed to sell and the publishing companies discontinued them; there really aren’t any piracy laws.”
Twilight nodded and showed Spike the Equestrian Law Book. Surely enough, what she was about to do wouldn’t count and theft.
“But then, why not take it for yourself?” asked Spike “You could be famous… well more famous than before that is.”
Twilight jeered at Spike for such a thought, “Because I am trying to help a pony in need!”
Spike hid behind Starlight, quivering, and Starlight felt Twilight was a little too tired to do much else at the moment. “Maybe you should get some sleep first.”
Twilight let out a huge yawn, “I guess you’re right.” and she flopped down on her bed. Starlight used her magic to cover her warmly with the sheets.
Still, Spike was rather worried as he read through the stories… he wasn’t sure how Stone would react to this. Even though nothing illegal was about to be done; what would he think about his characters being revised by some-pony else?
Author's Note
I said EQUESTRIAN LAW, as in it may differ from our world
I tried to research to see if what Twilight is doing is really piracy or not, but unfortunately, nothing told me what I really wanted to know. All I wanted was a yes or no answers, not ambiguous long descriptions that didn't even come close to answering me
So I just put EQUESTRIAN LAW instead.
Friendship is Failure #6: Write a Wrong
Author's Note
Sorry to sound mean, but how Stone behaves here is pretty much how I prefer to behave if I have to write fics that I really don't like when the characters have to do things I strongly disapprove of...(Of course, no destruction or chaos like that) but given all the grief I receive from such pigs and mockers... I'd say it's well deserving.
But hey, it's really no different than how my stories get treated each and every day anyway (But I'll still make 'em anyway)
Act 4: Story's Over
ACT FOUR
One week later, Stone was returning home from his early morning trash route, and when he checked his mailbox he found a response from a publishing company he had been rejected from earlier.
“What’s this?” he wondered “…Probably another taunt or rejection notice.” but much to his surprise, it was a congratulatory message saying that they had sold a number of his books and the sales were really improving.
Enclosed was also a paycheque, and for quite a handsome sum as well.
Stone was surprised and couldn’t understand it in the least. “I didn’t submit any new books.”
He galloped back into town, and what he saw astonished and confused him all the more. Many ponies were reading copies of his stories which had all previously been rejected.
He also noticed that hardly any ponies were making fun of him or calling him names. With the exception of a few… those same two ponies from yesterday.
“Way to see you finally taking someone else’s advice.”
“Yeah, you couldn’t write a story on your own to save your life.”
…And the two of them still tossed copies of his book in the trash, and went off.
Stone, still confused by all this, took the books out of the garbage. They seemed exactly the same on the outside, except for one little bit of writing which read, “Edited by Princess Twilight Sparkle.”
“What…? Edited…?” he snapped softly, and he felt compelled to sit quietly and read the stories and see what had been changed.
By the time he finished… he was most outraged, so outraged that he threw the two books up high and fired a blast of magic from his horn, roasting the books to ashes, “…How could she do this to me?!” Stone grumbled to himself.
Twilight and friends knew nothing about this as Twilight had been far too busy with the arrangements she had made over the past week.
First she revisited one of publishing companies, and explained the situation, how she had edited Stone’s work, but more credit was to be given to him for coming up with the original concept, though she herself was entitled to a small percentage for her work as well.
Once the company realized the improvements made-- on their specifications-- were very impressed, and published the works without hesitation.
Twilight then arranged for the libraries and bookstores in Canterlot to shelve the books so the public could enjoy them, and much to her delight, many ponies couldn’t put the books down…
They just kept reading with awe and amazement. Many even gave Stone better reviews, and a lot who teased him before didn’t tease him now.
Starlight and Spike were impressed, “You really did help improve the reading industry, Twilight.” said Starlight.
Twilight nodded and said, “And once Stone sees how much better these changes have made things and how ponies attitudes have changed, I’m sure he’ll be willing to open up, and maybe even give friendship a chance.”
Spike merely gave a small grunt, “Not likely.” But Twilight didn’t ignore it this time, “And what is that supposed to mean?”
“Look, I’m not saying you’re doing a bad thing, but do you actually think Stone will be willing to change his ways?”
Starlight agreed, “I hate to say this, Twilight, but Spike could be right.”
Twilight wanted to argue, but she suddenly began to feel maybe they were both right. She needed to see if Stone would really be willing to open up to every-pony. So she decided to make one final arrangement…
She arranged for an autograph signing, and not just any signing. This was a chance for ponies to make amends with Stone, at least those who wanted to, and at one bit for an autograph the money would be donated to charity to help others as well, which would also look great for Stone’s reputation and would probably bring him more potential friends.
So it was done…
The next day, a large table was setup, and huge stacks of the books were piled for those who didn’t have any that they could buy for one-extra bit if they wanted an autograph.
The lineups were already forming, and many ponies had their books ready to be signed while others had already purchased books to buy.
Twilight was even asked by some to have her autograph too, since she worked on the book as well. She didn’t think it would be too much, but it would cost them one extra bit for the charity.
There was just one thing missing though.
“Where’s Stone Heart?” Twilight asked, “The signing will be starting soon.”
“Well, the invitation was sent.” said Starlight.
Spike looked around, and suddenly, “Hey, there he is.”
They all saw him, casually walking down the road on one of his trash-pickups, and even didn’t even look the way of the signing.
Twilight teleported right in front of Stone, frightening him softly, “What are you doing?” he asked. “I should ask you the same thing…” snapped Twilight and she motioned over at the signing that was about to begin… except he still wasn’t present.
“Oh, that…” he said with sarcasm, “Yeah… Thanks, but no way!”
He tried to move his wagon past her, but she popped up right in front of him no matter where he went. “You’re beginning to really make me mad, you know.” he said to her “I know what you did to my books, and frankly it makes me sick!”
“What?!” snapped Twilight.
Before Stone could answer her, a small slab of mud splattered on his front hoofs, a few splat’s from the impact landed on Twilight too.
It was those same two ponies from before who had thrown the mud at Stone, and they didn’t even care that they hit Princess Twilight either, they just laughed like a couple of hyenas and slapped each other a high-hoof.
“Did you see that?”
“Yeah, we got him good.”
Twilight glared furiously at the two ponies. “You two have an awful lot of nerve to have done that.” she scolded them, but the two ponies only laughed at her even more. “What is wrong with you two?!”
“Nothing’s wrong with us.” said one of the ponies “We just love to make fun of ponies. It’s fun and it’s funny.”
“Yeah, it doesn’t matter if you or Stone became the nicest ponies in Equestria; we’d still make fun of you.” said the other. They tried to run, but Twilight having lost her patience, used her magic to encase them in a magical dome, figuring they both needed serious reprimanding for taking pride in hurting other ponies’ feelings like a joke.
Sadly, Stone was still unmoved by her gesture. “You see, Princess…?” he sneered at her “You can change my story is written, but you can’t change the way I think, how I feel, or what happened to me in the past!
Just as you can’t change how every-pony else feels or behaves either!”
Twilight’s features hardened, “I cannot believe you, Stone Heart!” she scolded “I try to help you get your life going in a better direction, and this is how you thank me?!”
“Thank you?” scoffed Stone “I told you before… I didn’t want your help! The help you gave was not the help that I wanted. You turned my characters into things I hate. I do not want to be praised for things like that, no matter how many like them! Besides, you haven’t changed any-pony at all!”
Twilight could not believe this was happening at all, “But look at them all! They like your stories now.”
“Well I don’t…” snapped Stone! His shouting caught the attention of every-pony waiting in line for him to arrive, and they couldn’t believe what he was saying. “You all heard me!” he shouted as he approached them “I don’t like what these characters have become. I don’t like the way they are behaving, what they are doing. And as for all of you… you only like the stories now because they have all the things YOU like in it!
Well, I don’t like them, and I don’t like all of you for the way you treated me and my original stories earlier! I was writing about certain points of reality, and I was trying to make you all realize things don’t always work the way you want them too, but I guess that’s not ever going to happen.”
He paused and then turned to face the big stack of edited stories he despised, “So you can keep your shallowness as well as your messed up ideas about friendship, moving on and positive endings…” he grabbed his wagon, and poised it straight at the piles of books, “…But these ridiculous stories… will never see the light of day again!” He gave his wagon a huge shove sending it bolting straight at the piles, and Twilight and Starlight had no time to try and stop it with their magic!
The many ponies in the crowd ran for cover as the wagon CRASHED right through the piles, smashing and breaking all the books to bits!
Twilight and her friends watched in absolute horror! Twilight was so incredibly horrified and livid she couldn’t find any words to say, but Stone did as he approached her, “Consider this a real eye-opener and a message…
…You Lose!”
So many ponies gawked in horror at the way he had just snapped at the Princess like that, but no one did anything to even try to stand up to him; too afraid of what else he was capable of doing in his present state of fury!
Stone decided to ultimately leave Canterlot altogether and move someplace else where he was not known too well and try to make a fresher start; without friends, without ponies poking at him, and most importantly, no nosey ponies trying to force their views on him and get him to change his ways over things he hated!
“Oh, and one last thing…” Stone said as he used his magic levitate his uncashed-in cheque “Use that to cover the damages as well as go to your charity. I don’t want it. Not knowing it came from those horrible books!”
Then he was gone, and Twilight felt a mixture of anger, embarrassment, but above all she felt crushed!
Friendship is Failure #6: Write a Wrong
Closing act: Life is/isn't a story
CLOSING ACT
It didn’t take too long for the cleanup to be completed, especially seeing as Princess Celestia helped out.
When she heard of such a disturbance so very near the royal palace, she arrived on the scene, and she was very disappointed with how things turned out.
“Princess Twilight Sparkle…” she scolded “I understand that your intentions were for the benefit of others, the way you handled the situation as well your actions were highly inappropriate. You and Stone Heart caused a disturbance!”
Twilight bowed apologetically.
Celestia then turned and scorned at the crowd of ponies, including the two Twilight had arrested, “And as for all of you… You’ve been worse! You MADE the disturbance!
Although I don’t approve Stone Heart’s attitude, and am appalled by his actions, he was quite right in scolding all of you. You have no right to enforce your beliefs on him, nor poke fun at him for your own amusement or just because of petty differences.
Every-Pony is different, as well as their appearance, preferences and beliefs. I am only thankful that no-pony was hurt physically and no serious damage was committed, and you should all be thankful that Stone paid up for his actions.”
Celestia had then made a royal decree, due to the disturbance and baffling behaviour the books had caused. Production of the edited books was to be cancelled at once, and all the remaining existing books were then and there decreed to be burned.
So, ‘twas done…!
Many ponies, especially Twilight and friends were disappointed and saddened by all this, but Celestia refused to go back on her word. To her, it was a very befitting punishment for actions she did not wish repeated.
She did however agree to pay off the book companies and stores for any financial losses, just enough to rebalance their budgets.
“Now if you’ll all excuse me…” Celestia said to Twilight and friends, “I must go and speak with Stone Heart. His actions were very reckless and just as inappropriate!”
“Your highness…” Starlight quickly called “Please, try not to be so hard on him.”
Celestia nodded once “I don’t intend to be. I don’t want things to be any worse.”
Then she disappeared in a ray of bright sunlight.
“Well, that went well.” said Spike, but Twilight and Starlight glared angrily at him.
“Are you okay, Twilight?” Starlight asked. “No… No I’m not.” Twilight said softly. She was still very shaky, not just by her reprimanding by Celestia, but also because of the great mess that just happened, and all because she was unable to reach out to Stone Heart and convince him to change.
“That Cutiemark on his flank…” she contemplated, and remembered how the pencil was broken and the book next to it was shattering, “…Maybe that was his destiny all along.”
Starlight put a comforting hoof on her friend’s back, “He chose to be the way he is. Of course he was driven to it, but… that doesn’t matter. A Cutiemark isn’t always accurate, just like how a story is always accurate.”
Twilight knew she was right. This story really didn’t have a happy or positive ending, exactly like Stone said. “I guess that’s just sometimes how stories end.”
Spike nodded, “And real life is something that can’t always be controlled either. We can always write it the way we want it, and once it’s written out, it can’t be re-written. It is what it is.”
Many other ponies overheard what had been said, and for the first time they were actually starting to realize how true that was, but too late to make amends for the way they had all treated Stone Heart and his original stories.
As for Stone Heart, he and Celestia had a small chat to discuss his actions, and he did get sentenced to a-hundred hours of community service to pay off for the damages, which Stone didn't seem to mind a bit as he was proud of what he did, standing up to people and telling them to bug off.
Still, Stone made good on his word, and he moved away from Canterlot, to find a place where he could live to his own liking. No one knew where he had gone, but they just hoped he would be okay!
Author's Note
Don't get me wrong about Celestia's actions. As supreme monarch of Equestria she CAN do such things, and she ISN'T ALL beneficent, she is vindictive as well. She can't let every sing;e action slide. Heck, she had Princess Luna banished to the moon... Discord turned to stone...
So I don't think what I made her do up there is serious.