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TehTadpoleJackson In reply to neneroi24 [2014-11-28 20:47:47 +0000 UTC]

I'd say around, oh, I dunno... a minute and a half.

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kyuubinaruto18 In reply to Sturmlion1 [2014-12-02 07:52:06 +0000 UTC]

Maud can pulverize a rock with her bare hooves and throw a rock so hard it makes a sonic shockwave. Getting out from under a bed doesn't seem that difficult.

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Sturmlion1 In reply to kyuubinaruto18 [2014-12-02 16:31:20 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, but Mauds under the bed with Trixie. Do you think she wants to get out?

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neneroi24 In reply to schneelocke [2014-11-28 03:07:09 +0000 UTC]

Yes, exactly. Oddbastide and Drakenichols1 explained it at length in their previous messages (down there, in this same page). They made an analysis of the story so far that is both beautiful and brilliant. "To be free is to be able to live without the others" is, as they state, obviously wrong: that's actually called "to be terminally psychotic". Maud is trying to sell Trixie the idea that, to be free, she should become a hermit just like Maud and stay forever at the farm. Of course, it's a lie: that's not what's good for Trixie, but simply what Maud wants for her own satisfaction.

But Trixie has seen through her, and I don't think she will drink the kool-aid.

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Argofinkal In reply to neneroi24 [2014-11-29 06:28:10 +0000 UTC]

...

I thought that "live without others" just meant not being dependant on their opinions to be happy with who you are. You know, the exact opposite to Trixie.

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Argofinkal In reply to schneelocke [2014-11-27 22:23:05 +0000 UTC]

I think she just means that she's making their opinions too important for her self-esteem.

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neneroi24 In reply to LadyDaliena [2014-11-26 14:41:26 +0000 UTC]

Hehe, yeah.

Advice for Maud: Don't be possessive. Learn to accept your loved one as she is. That's the basics of relationships. Accept her life goals and dreams and the job she chose for herself.

Advice for Trixie: Giving up your independence and dreams to stay at the farm, forever depending on Maud to live, would have been the *worst possible choice* (tm). Good for you that you didn't fall for it.

Hopefully Maud will not go bananas when she realizes she can't control Trixie's life...

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LadyDaliena In reply to neneroi24 [2014-11-26 17:53:51 +0000 UTC]

Maybe Maud doesn't notice she's being possesive (in many cases that happends) and if that's the case. Someone sould tell her  so she could get better.

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Argofinkal In reply to neneroi24 [2014-11-26 17:23:12 +0000 UTC]

Uh... Even if her dreams are of revenge and humiliating others? Even if her dream of being worshipped by all is, not only impossible, but unhealthy?

Being a showmare is alright, but if she can't be happy with who she is unless everyone tells her how great she is then she's never going to be happy. That's Maud's point, even if she's being a bit possessive.

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neneroi24 In reply to Argofinkal [2014-11-28 02:53:31 +0000 UTC]

Nope. Not at all. That's what *you* would like Maud's point to be. Because you like Maud, and you want her to be a cool character, and you want her to teach Trixie all sorts of wise lessons, and you *definitely* don't want her to be psychotic, unhinged and dangerous.

Too bad those are not the facts. "Being a showmare is alright" is not Maud's message to Trixie. Reread the dialogue. It's all there. Maud wants Trixie to stay forever at the farm, cut herself from the outside world, give up her job and her career, do nothing at all except (perhaps) light house chores and be forever dependent on Maud to live and survive. All the time, Maud has been preaching this message. And the worst of all is that she's becoming increasingly VIOLENT every time someone (Trixie or anyone) opposes her or irks her in any way.

Maud is not a wise mentor. She's turning into a possessive, abusive person who uses all the twisted arsenal of the emotional blackmailer (especially fear, negging and guilt) to manipulate her loved ones into submitting to her. Things look bleak for the ending of this comic...

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Argofinkal In reply to neneroi24 [2014-11-29 06:24:07 +0000 UTC]

God danggit. I am saying that being a showmare is alright, but that Trixie wants to be a showmare for the wrong reasons.

And she's hellbent on revenge.

The way I see it, though, Maud is saying that, if there is anything she can do that can convince Trixie to stay, it would happen. Even of that meant lettingn her freeload while Maud does everything. Not healthy either.

And I know she's violent, but then again Trixie deliberately did something she knew would hurt her emotionally... but I don't think Maud is consciously trying to emotionally blackmail Trixie, just trying to do everything she can to avoid losing her girlfriend... especially when that girlfriend seems to want the affection of the whole world over her own.

I like both of them, but I can't help but think that people are trying a little too hard to vilify Maud - I mean, I don't see you acknowledging that Trixie's got her own problems... what, all of that behavior at the beginning is acceptable just because she comes off as adorably tsundere? Is her obsession with revenge acceptable then? Need I remind you that she made use of a dangerous artifact in canon? And, even if it got out of hand later, she DID want to humiliate and exile Twilight.

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HugoMndz In reply to Gildor-Surion [2014-11-27 00:18:07 +0000 UTC]

If I ever have a boyfriend, I'd like to do that. This is actually a good idea

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neneroi24 In reply to Oddbastide [2014-11-26 14:16:11 +0000 UTC]

That was a brilliant summary of the present situation, Oddbastide. And I must say Foudubulbe has earned all my respect for the masterful way in which he has steered the story to this point. He's been dropping hints and clues for a long time to the fact that Maud has serious issues and mental problems. The way she acts in today's strip comes as no surprise. Her aggressive attempt to make Trixie give up on her dreams is a textbook example of how to use fear, obligation and guilt ("FOG") to control people. For reference:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotiona…

Forced to act under pressure or threats, it's easy to fall into a pattern of letting the blackmailer control your decisions and behavior. Good for Trixie that she saw through it. Giving up her independence and dreams and staying at the farm, forever forced to depend on Maud to live, is most obviously a *bad choice*. Let's just hope Maud will not come completely unhinged when she realizes she can't make Trixie submit to her.

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EvanKestral In reply to Oddbastide [2014-11-26 07:37:35 +0000 UTC]

Regardless of *your* attempts to reshape the narrative to what you want it to be, it's pretty obvious that Maud is telling Trixie she doesn't need to seek the adulation of everyone in the world - she should take pride in the love and respect of those she herself respects.

"To be free is to be able to live without others" is very true. it means you don't depend on the actions and attitudes of others for your happiness - you don't tie your happiness to the approval of the world at large. If you try to please everyone, you will end up pleasing no one, especially yourself.

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TheNewXv2 In reply to Oddbastide [2014-11-26 04:04:50 +0000 UTC]

Um. No? ....I think you fundamentally misunderstood completely what she was saying there.

Maud is trying to tell Trixie that she can live without having to wrap herself in the resentment of what everyone else thinks of her or might think of her.  It's made Trixie angry, bitter, and paranoid. She's saying that Trixie needs to be happy, and that a person can live their life without constantly thinking the world is judging you and everything you do.

Honestly, everything you just said is the exact opposite of this story's context, and you completely misinterpreted that whole thing grandly. :/

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Oddbastide In reply to TheNewXv2 [2014-11-26 05:22:32 +0000 UTC]

It's cute how you try to reshape things to fit into the narrative you are wishing for. Sadly, it doesn't work like that. You need to face reality, my pal.

Maud is antisocial and violent. We already know that. Normal people don't destroy houses and threaten murder only because some random guy is jesting at them or at their partner. Normal people don't attack a significant other (and strangle her, and swear to cause her hellish pain, and nearly break her bones) only because she played a trick with some pet stone. Normal people don't try to kill Princess Luna in cruel and sadistic ways only because of the vague suspicion that she may be a former lover of the girl you like. Maud is at least borderline psychotic, at worst batshit crazy.

On the other hand, Trixie is displaying a great deal of maturity and common sense. Her voice is the voice of reason. She is a magician and an entertainer; she knows it's what she likes to do; she even has the cutie mark to prove it; so why should she abandon her career to be a housewife for Maud? Only because Maud wants her to? Only because Maud is playing at emotional blackmail? That's not how a healthy relationship works. Controlling another person through the dynamics of fear, obligation or guilt can only lead to hurt and heartbreak.

There's no reason for any of them to make sacrifices. They can be together and pursue both their careers. There are plenty of couples like that, where one of the partners has a job that requires him/her to leave the house and travel from time to time, sometimes for lengthy spans of time. And these are loving, happy couples. Trixie's job shouldn't normally put a strain in their relationship... but, sadly, Maud isn't normal. She's jealous of the entire world, as she admits herself. She doesn't want Trixie to go into the outside world. She wants her to stay forever hidden at the farm, with no contact with any person other than herself. In one particularly scary moment, in a previous strip, she confessed toying with the idea of breaking the other girl's limbs to stop her from leaving. This is as sick as sick can be.

Trixie should be realizing by now that there's something very, very wrong with Maud. Sigh, to think they were such a cute couple at first... and now... argh...

Honestly, I can't imagine any way for this story not to end in tragedy.

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drakenichols1 In reply to Oddbastide [2014-11-26 14:28:44 +0000 UTC]

...After reading this analysis of yours, I have grown to love this story even more!

While cute and sweet romance is nice every now and then, straying away from that comfort zone can be a breath of fresh air. This story started as how all relationships start: awkward, clumsy, yet lovey dovey.

Then as we progress through the story, we see character development on Trixie's side. She still craves for the limelight, holds a heavy grudge towards Twilight, and is plagued by insecurities. Though despite all that, she has grown to drive herself to independence. This is especially shown when she wanted to learn how to smash rocks like Maud. That shows how far she's come.

But at the same time, a whole other side of Maud's character has been brought to light. As you said, she has some major antisocial issues. She knows not on how to act on a situation in a civil manner, often resulting to violence or malicious intents towards those who threaten to destroy her one true source of happiness. Before Trixie even came into the picture, Pinkie was the only pony in the world she cared for. Falling madly in love with somepony for the first time was something she wasn't prepared for, and thus she is unaware of proper relationship etiquette (lol wut?).

The chemistry between them, while complementing each other, is also quite flawed. Trixie wants to grow, but Maud is trying her best to prevent her from doing so. This is why they clash, and it's intense almost everytime they do so.

We all thought Trixie had issues, but the real disturbed pony in this story is Maud. Our focus on Trixie had ended after they had sex, so our perspective now goes to Maud. We are witnessing her degrading into something dangerous to both Trixie and other ponies. She is plummeting to self-degradation and all we can do is watch.

Frankly, at this rate, I don't see how this story will end on a happy note. And if that's the case then this will become one of my favorite MLP: FIM fan-stories of all time.

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inlore00 In reply to Oddbastide [2014-11-26 06:58:17 +0000 UTC]

Well i would not categorize anyone from MLP FIM as 'Normal', even the ones who seem normal. Sort of fits with the 'cartoon world logic'.
But i think this is what the story is about.
Learning to accept what Trixie does is not only part of what she is but how she makes a true living.
Many people have to accept this reality in one way or another
Like children who have to watch their parents go to work everyday
to actual couples like Trixie and Maud who become distressed when they don't see each other for long periods of time, be that months or at worse years at a time.

And eventually they have to learn to either live with it and heal or become sociopathic.

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