-Yep-

It was a normal morning as far as Filibuster was concerned. He woke up, bathed himself, and prepared to start on morning training. His squires, blank flank colts in apprenticeship to the Guard, dressed him in his heavy chain jerkin and sword belt. Heavy boots protected his hooves, and a pair of vambraces made sure that should he chose to wield a sword, it would remain securely attached to his foreleg. Today would be a melee training day, dull swords and bruises and a lot of sweat. Then he would don the rest of his armor and take up the long, arduous duty of palace watch.

It was a testament to a Guard's strength to be able uphold their stoic visage after a hard morning of rigorous training. One all of the Solar Guard were happy to boast to each other about, often and loudly.

Filibuster felt powerful, nobler even than any other position fit for his pedigree when he was dressed in the golden armor of Celestia’s Guard. He not only was strong and we'll trained, but his authority could stretch all the way to the goddess herself.

And that was what really made him happy.

Filibuster was no fool, at least of that he was sure. He didn't just act above others, he made sure he could hold it. With discipline, strength, wit, and skill he had earned his rank. Even if it wasn't high enough to exempt him from palace patrols and guard posts. He often liked to make sure that was obvious to the other Guard members in the sparring fields as well.

His spear and sword skills were unmatched by any of the Earth pony or Pegasi Guards, even without magic. And his magic was some of the strongest in his division. He hoped to rise to the rank of Captain as soon as possible, only an old crone stood there now where Shining Armor once had.

Filibuster grinned as he made his way to the sparring field, now he had no competition without that pony in the way. A Sparkle as the Captain of the Guard, it was laughable that a non-noble had ever held it. Disgraceful that a non-noble would be married to the Princess of the Crystal Kingdom as well, but not something Filibuster had the authority to deny.

For now he could vent that sort of frustration out on the other Guards in the arena. He started with the spear, his personal favourite. It had a long reach and a deadly speed when swung correctly. The training spears were dulled, but they still held the shape and weight of a real spear and could leave one hell of a bruise on anypony if used correctly.

He entered the Courtyard under the shaded partitions that held warming fires at this time of the year. The simple covers only provided protection from rain or snow, but the squires, smiths and Guards all gathered under them when they were not on the fields themselves. These frosted grass platforms were a luxury for the Guard this high in the mountains, the triple circle of grass was one of their prides and joys: Mostly because this was where most of the blood they shed in training fell.

Filibuster ducked past a jab by one of the other Guards, a twist of mauve magic knocked the spear tip away. He blocked another strike in the same motion from another Guard. The two were suited up in the same jerkins that Filibuster wore, though both had taken the caution to don padded helmets. Filibuster didn't get hit, he didn't bother to wear one of those obstructing devices, they muffled his hearing.

A wooden pole whipped toward his head, it whistled past his ear as he dodged and the Guard who wielded it overextended the strike. Filibuster's training spear whiffled as he gave it a spin, the other Guard’s spear sailed away. In the same motion his other opponent took a harsh, breath taking hit from the metal capped end of Filibuster's spear. Filibuster gave one final flick against the retreating Guards' flanks as they went to retrieve their weapons and recover in the shade.

As Filibuster turned away from the field, prepared to get a drink from one of his squires with a laugh on his lips, he caught sight of a blood chilling scene:

Coalback walked with purpose through the Guard. Most recognised him from his newly frequent visits to the mess hall that never failed to clear the room, but none dared to stop him. Not even the Lunar Guards that scrambled in behind him dared to make a move to halt him.

Coalback had already locked eyes on Filibuster, but stopped short of the field. Instead he squinted at Filibuster, and then observed the rest of Guard that had paused on the field. In a moment he seemed to have reached a decision and turned to one of the Lunar Guard next to him.

Filibuster could not hear what the stallion said to the Looney, but he was certain it wasn't good. With a nod the purple clad bat-pony sent one of the other Lunar Guards to collect a chainmail jerkin from one of the squires and a heavy belt. By now Coalback had attracted a crowd of the all stallion Guard, most watched but several lent the use of their squires to dress the huge pegasus.

Among the Guard, if a stallion wanted to fight, there would be nopony who would try to talk them out of it. Even if all they could do was try, or even if they truly did not belong. Comradery amongst stallions, as they say.

Coalback's eyes never left Filibuster as squires scrambled around him to fit the jerkin and the boots properly to him. Some of the squires presented Coalback with several training weapons: swords of various lengths and weights, spears equally as varied, and several wooden shields both for the wing or the foreleg. Coalback selected a blunt wooden sword with a metal core.

One of the stallions in the crowd guffawed. "We use those to train the colts," he yelled, the laugh ready before it ever left his throat. "You know, before their balls drop!" The crowd erupted into laughter, one that Filibuster gladly joined in as he leaned on his spear.

Filibuster truly enjoyed the spectacle the painted pegasus put on amongst all the white coats and brightly colored manes. Even if he wasn't sure what the purpose of it was. Some of the older squires laughed along with the stallions, but Coalback and his entourage remained stoic as the arm length stick was attached to his foreleg for him.

Coalback stepped onto the frosted field and walked toward Filibuster, who only grinned wider. "I heard about your little spectacle last night," Filibuster announced as Coalback approached, loud enough that the entire courtyard could hear. "I heard you ran into the first bar you could and drank 'till you cried your eyes out. Perhaps I was wrong about you, you're nothing more than a sniveling welp. All bark, no bite!" he taunted.

Coalback stopped just outside of the reach of Filibuster's spear, the wooden sword's tip sank into the cold sod. "That 'bark' was a warning," Coalback said just as loudly, calm much to the surprise of the entire crowd. They grew silent as Coalback's deep timber settled over them. "You should be honored that you got even that, prey," he growled with rolling 'r's.

Coalback’s stance widened, the wooden sword brought to the ready. Filibuster's eyes widened in mock surprise as he followed suit. An intricate twirl of the spear brought it to the ready. Coalback feinted with a jab and went right, Filibuster followed with a vicious swing of the spear.

The crowd of Guards spread in a wide circle around them, jeers and cheers alike filled the air as they watched Filibuster dance with Coalback. Bets were made: How many moves Filibuster would use or how long the newcomer would survive.

Coalback wasn't quick with his blade like Filibuster could be with the tip of his spear, but the other stallion was better than he would have originally expected. Coalback dodged when he couldn't block and the lead-core wooden sword knocked the tip of the spear away whenever it could. But Filibuster knew he held the advantage with his longer reach.

Even though Filibuster was aware that the stallion was strong, he never realized quite how much. Several times Filibuster got the blunt, pointed tip of his spear on a path that should have smashed through anypony else's defense, but Coalback demonstrated an expert amount of speed and strength to bat away the tip. Several times it opened up Filibuster to attack, dramatically so, but Coalback hadn't struck yet.

He toyed with him, that's what he did. He wanted to judge just how good Filibuster was. And Filibuster realized it, and it made him furious.

Filibuster twisted his face into a grimace as he retreated a step. With a grunt he rose to his rear hooves and swung the spear in a deadly fast swing with a flick at the end to drive Coalback into a retreat. The stallion flinched back as the tip of the spear whistled just in front of his scarred throat and lunged into the opening between swings.

It was a tiny window, Filibuster had been able to make sure of that. With a quick twist from his hooves, the rear end of his spear slammed down. The capped end caught the wooden sword and snapped it and the metal core in half.

Coalback didn't even flinch. His huge, chainmail bolstered shoulder slammed into Filibuster's chest and knocked the wind and his spear from him. Coalback never let up once he'd gained the advantage, a snarl on his lips as he found himself in close combat with the other pony.

To his credit, Filibuster didn't give up. His hooves came up to protect his core as Coalback aimed for his barrel. He managed to turn a hoof away and open Coalback's own side to attack, but before he could strike the painted Pegasi's wing shot out. It impacted his armpit with extraordinary force and Filibuster was robbed of air as his chest spasmed. Coalback’s hooves found the back of his head and Filibuster's muzzle met Coalback's knee in a single motion.

Filibuster cried out, suddenly blind with pain. He felt his rear leg snap under a hoof far before he felt the actual pain. And then Coalback's huge forearm was pressed into his throat in a stranglehold.

The crowd was shocked silent. It had ended so quickly, and not in the favour that they'd thought it would. Bits changed hooves.

When Filibuster was able to see again he found the bloodied tip of the broken sword in front of his gushing nose. He could feel blood roll down his heel where the broken sword had hit him. Coalback pressed his arm into Filibuster's throat but had yet to actually strangle him.

The Lunar Guards that had escorted him to the training fields surrounded them the moment they realized Coalback's intent, their heavy halberds were aimed in a bristling wall around the locked pair. The crowd behind the Lunar Guards quieted and split as somepony else entered the field. The Lunar Guards in front of Coalback didn't even have to check behind them, they merely stepped aside as a fully armored Luna stepped forward. Light wavered around her black armor, almost as if they could not meet properly.

"Any closer and I'll kill him!" Coalback bellowed over Filibuster's shoulder, his voice rang in Filibuster's ears. "All I have to do is squeeze!"

"Put. Him. Down." Luna's command echoed off the walls around the fields. Coalback swallowed, Filibuster could feel it against the back of his head. "Now. Or you will fight Us."

"Is that a challenge?" Coalback roared, his voice shook the ground. Filibuster's ears rang.

"Indeed," Luna said without hesitation. Her horn lit with blue magic and a heavy mace pulled free from her belt, it hovered above and behind her head ready to strike. Her wings shook loose to bring the two large, slender shields emblazoned with stars to bear.

Coalback growled deeper, more the sound of a bear. "He can't walk, someone come here and take him from me!" he finally bellowed, his arm slowly released Filibuster. Several Guards and their squires rushed through the line and collected him, almost too afraid to approach the Pegasus.

When Filibuster was clear of the field, a thin trail of red in the cold grass, Coalback ripped the stump of the training sword off of the vambrace he still wore.

"This will be Our final warning, Coalback!" Luna said, her voice filled the fields with her presence. "Surrender now and you will not be punished! It is too late to stop this from becoming an affair of both crowns, but not too late to still be able to fulfill thine promise to Us."

Coalback glared at Luna, he barely had to look up at the alicorn. He growled low and his snarl deepened. "Defeat me here, and you will have won my loyalty. But if you fall, I will leave this place and never return, Child of the Earth," he growled.

Luna stiffened, she hadn't been called by that title in thousands of years. It was not one that brought good memories with it. She calmed herself quickly with a recitation of the ancient rules of combat, older than herself: "By the laws of the ancients We must offer thee a weapon, and by right we must not use Our magic and thou must swear to keep to thine hooves."

"Done. An axe," Coalback demanded with a twitch of his ear. One of the Lunar Guard pulled free a heavy single-hoofed axe from his own belt and strapped it to Coalback's vambrace. Another Lunar Guard retrieved a wing shield and fastened it to Coalback's opposite wing. Coalback rolled his shoulders to test their weight, for him they were like toys; easily broken against others' bones.

Luna took a step forward and the Lunar Guard retreated, the crowd moved back in silence. Coalback stood his Ground as Luna readied her stance, and neither moved for what seemed an eternity. Their eyes were locked, but as still as they were both searched the other for any weakness and formed their plan of attack.

Coalback moved first, a glint in his eye the only warning Luna was given before a chunk of sod was thrown toward her face. She raised her shields reflexively and, unfortunately, closed her eyes for an instant. Coalback didn't slam into her front as she had assumed the stallion would attempt, instead he slid on the cold grass around her, axe embedded in the soil as his fulcrum, and delivered a harsh kick toward one of her hooves.

However, an alicorn's reflexes were far beyond the limits of mortal flesh and blood. Luna could not have dodged the attack, but she was able to roll her leg away from the strike enough to save the tender bones there. In a vicious swing her shield moved, nearly enough to stumble Coalback from the back draft alone.

Coalback retreated and was back on the assault in two powerful bounds. His axe whistled through the air and Luna was forced to huddle behind a shield as he battered it relentlessly. Luna’s mace swung with her head over her shield but the most it did to the pony was make him dodge over to the other wing.

Coalback surprised her again when he slammed into her shields, he used the pressure to lock the hook of his axe under her shield and slip into her reach. His thick hoof impacted the point between breastplate and pauldron, nearly enough to knock the Princess’s breath away.

Luna recovered quickly, she used her momentum from the impact to pull herself to her rear hooves and deliver a devastating front kick directly to Coalback's sternum.

The tip of Coalback's axe nicked her chin as he flew back, just enough to draw blood.

He was launched back by her might only to fall into a reverse roll and land back on his hooves. The single drop of blood turned to red pearl as it fell and landed with a light thud in the grass between them.

Now it was Luna's turn to gain the offensive, and she took her opportunity with great haste. She swung her mace in a close arc to herself, she let it swing out toward Coalback to keep him on the retreat but only gained a few passing blows to his wing shield. He batted it away most of the time, but the lighter hits he took to his wing. And once they'd found a pattern, Luna broke it in a spectacular way.

Just when she would have feinted with her shield, she ducked in the other direction and swung her mace hard at his shielded side. The heavy weapon impacted Coalback's side with a sickening crunch, his shield shattered with his wing as he was thrown by the impact.

The crowd cheered, nearly enough to drown out Luna’s command for her opponent to "Submit!"

Coalback's snarl quieted the crowd quickly enough for them to hear his wing snap back into place. The bloodied wreck that had been his wing jerked as the bones realigned themselves and snapped back into their joints, completely whole. His green eyes glinted in the morning sun as he turned a deadly glare to Luna.

And she panicked. In that moment she saw more than a beast or a pony. She saw pain, terror, sadism and hate. In an instant she saw a war, a battle to the death, and the fury of a civilization that should have died out nearly a millennia ago.

Before Luna could retaliate to these images, a spell that surely could have put the creature down, a mauve force-spell rocketed over her shoulder.

Coalback reacted faster than Luna did to the outside attack. His axe arm shot up across his chest and caught the spell only for it to sizzle against his borrowed chainmail and be deflected. The spell detonated against the stone walls behind him and left the stallion with his only injury to the decimated jerkin. His arm rings, unmarred, glinted in streams of light that swam through the dust thrown into the air.

In the same instant Coalback reversed the motion and flicked his hoof back down. The axe ripped free from its compromised fastenings and sailed through the air past Luna.

Luna didn't look to see who his target had been, she barely heard the heavy, wet, crawk it made as it struck. Instead she tackled Coalback to the ground, she pulled a knife swiftly from her belt and held it to his throat. Coalback smirked for only a moment, and laid his head down in the grass in submission.

A scream filled the courtyard, a wail of animalistic pain and fear. When Luna looked, she nearly cried out in shock. Coalback's axe had flown true; severed Filibuster's horn from his head with barely an inch to spare and imbedded itself in a post. Scarlet splattered wood, axe, grass and Guard alike around the severed appendage.

Blood gushed from the wound and the other Guards struggled to keep Filibuster still. His broken leg flopped uselessly as he clutched at his drenched face and tried to run from the pain at the same time. Somepony yelled for a medic, but mostly the Guards just stared at the subdued Pegasus with silent awe and hate.

"Actions speak louder than words," Coalback rumbled from under Luna’s hold, he looked directly at her through one, iridescent green eye. "He acted ... poorly."

"You mean you actually spent your spare time here?" Rainbow asked Twilight incredulously.

"Yep, I loved watching the court hearings. Mostly just politics and petitions but I found it extremely educational," Twilight said proudly. "The Royal Throne Room is where all of Canterlot's important cases and inquiries are held, where significant events in history are recorded, or sometimes even take place, and where judgement is made by a high judge and the Princesses during a trial," Twilight recited proudly. "Look, that mural is the oldest one in here! It shows the origin of pony kind," she said with an excited skip.

She led them toward the raised thrones and the wall to wall bas relief that covered the majority of the end of the hall. The Princesses were easily recognisable in the center, the only alicorns present. To each side were night and day, represented by a stylistic combination of the sun and moon above their heads. They looked out on a mirrored image of ponies being created: Pegasi pulled themselves from the clouds or simply were formed from a cloud; Above them, unicorns tentatively stepped down from the stars and rested on mountaintops; And nearest the Princesses the earth ponies shook clay from their manes and helped each other out of the ground. They came in the thousands.

"I'd nearly forgotten about that story," Rarity remarked as she admired the mural. "It's quite Romantic, don't you think?"

The grand Throne Room doors swung open on silent hinges under the guidance of two Solar Guards and Celestia walked into the room. The mares smiled and gave a deep bow to her as she climbed the raised platform. Celestia’s smile was more slight than gentle, forced.

"Good afternoon, my little ponies," she greeted and returned the bow with a nod. "It's good to see you all safe and sound, I've been fretting since I heard you arrived," Celestia admitted as she embraced her faithful student.

"You were worried 'bout us, Yer Majesty? We'll what fer?" Applejack asked, taken back by Celestia’s expression.

"I was worried more for worry's sake it would seem, you're all safe now and that’s what matters," Celestia said, she walked past them and relaxed into her throne. "I'm afraid that a Royal Case has been moved up to today," she said with a sigh and a reassuring smile. "It promises to be short though, I think. So if you'd like to wait for Luna afterwards you may, I won't take away from her time with you."

"Princess Luna’s coming here too? How important is this trial?" Twilight asked, her curiosity pushed her forward more than her concern.

"Merely a case that has transcended it's ability to be contained politically by just Luna. I'm only involved for minor reasons, mostly to soften the blow," Celestia assured.

Luna entered the chamber then, a small white bandage taped over her chin. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of the mares. "Girls! What are you doing here?" she asked, her trepidation barely hidden.

"What happened to your face, Luna!?" Pinkie exclaimed, already in a doctor costume by the time she'd zipped to Luna’s side.

"It is nothing. What are all of you doing here? You must leave," Luna insisted.

"Let them stay if they like, Luna," Celestia interjected from her throne. "Take a seat my little ponies, the trial is about to begin," she said. She motioned with a hoof to the side of her throne, and a wing for Luna to take to her own throne.

Luna frowned and obediently sat in her throne. The mares, with confusion evident on their faces, sat on the plush carpet beside Celestia. In only a moment the doors opened again and a large regiment of Solar Guards trudged into the throne room. It took a moment for the sound of dragging chains to reach them.

In short order the Guards split, they used the tension of the chains to keep their prisoner in the center. The Elements gasped in shock as they witnessed the pony, chained up so heavily that they couldn't even walk on their own, dragged forward until they were directly before the throne. The Guards grunted in unison as they tugged and twisted the chains to make the pony to sit up.

Coalback stared up at the Princesses blankly from behind his gag. Rainbow stiffened at the sight, her breath stopped in her throat.

"Isn't that-" Applejack began in shock.

"Coalback," Princess Celestia announced to the empty throne room. "You have trespassed on Royal Grounds, burgled my Sister's personal study, resisted arrest and assaulted members of the Guard multiple times, and mortally wounded a Guard in this most recent case. You have even assaulted Luna, she will hold a scar because of you. If not for my sister's generous heart, and had this been a different time, I would have had you imprisoned again or perhaps even executed."

The Elements looked between the chained up stallion and the Princesses, who only offered the barest glance their direction. Luna grimaced at her sister's tone, but was surprised at what she said next.

"However, in fairness I cannot ignore what you have done to the contrary. You saved Rainbow Dash from a brush with death, and not only that but you went out of your way to help her recover from her injuries. And you have surprised me with your civility in the face of uncivil treatment. And for that I apologize," Celestia said, nopony but Coalback saw how difficult it was for her to force those words out of her chest. "If you can swear to uphold our laws and endeavor to better yourself and the ponies around you, we would both be more than happy to grant you freedom and protection in our kingdom," she offered.

With a nod from the Princess a Guard used his magic to remove the gag from Coalback's mouth from afar. He stretched his jaw and spat out the flavor of the cloth.

"Will you accept this offer of peace, Coalback?" the Princess asked, an expression of hope clicked robotically into place.

"No," Coalback rumbled.

The mares shifted in surprise: How could anypony refuse such a generous apology? From the Princess herself no less.

"Then what would you have me do with you? I cannot in good conscious allow you to roam freely amongst my little ponies," the Princess rebutted.

"I would have you let me free. I am not your broken toy to mend, I should not even be here," Coalback said in surprisingly clear Equestrian, his accent rolled. "But Princess Luna has bound me to her service, so I must stay."

The Princess’s surprised expression was barely hidden, however her glance to Luna was not. "This is an interesting response, Coalback," Celestia said as she formulated some sort of appropriate response. "And what has my dear Sister asked of you, Coalback?" she asked.

"The Princess has tasked me to serve and protect," Coalback said.

"You would join the Guard?" Celestia said with a smile. "A noble endeavor, I think it would do you well-"

"I will not be made into one of them," Coalback growled loudly and pointed his chin toward the Solar Guards that still held his chains taught, his voice drowned out the Princess’s. "I don't know what they are, but I am to serve and protect from harm the Elements of Harmony, not you and this time forsaken palace," he said with malice

The throne room fell silent.

"When was this?" Princess Celestia all but demanded, a hiss barely made its way into her voice. She turned her accusative glare to Luna, whose ears fell as she straightened in her throne.

"Two nights ago," Luna responded calmly, "I took Coalback aside and forced him to swear his loyalty to me through the power of his Name, which I cannot speak again," Luna explained, she turned to Coalback next and spoke, her Sister ignored for the moment. "The Elements of Harmony are Equestria's last line of defense in the face of evil and chaos. In ages past they ended wars and set the balance anew. More recently they have pulled the balance back to where it belongs when others would have tipped it toward darkness and chaos," Luna said with a wave of her wing toward the stained glass windows. Coalback turned his head to look at the windows himself, and the image of Nightmare Moon and Discord as the Elements' power was released on them. "Now the Elements of Harmony reside within their bearers: these mares," Luna said once Coalback returned his attention to her, she used her wing to point to the six mares beside Celestia’s throne.

Coalback’s intense gaze turned to them, but Rainbow was certain that he looked directly at her.

"We have spent many hours traversing the dreamscape, and We can only come to one conclusion," Luna continued. "A force of evil has risen again, one that the Elements alone cannot defeat. We fear that they have been targeted and that without discreet and effective protection they may be lost forever."

"This is an extreme response to an assumption, dear Sister," Celestia said after a moment. Whether worry or irritation tinted her words was indiscernible.

"As is an execution before a trial," Luna shot back instantly. "Coalback's origins may be a subject of debate, but according to the laws you put down nearly a thousand years ago; an execution may only be performed without a unanimous vote of the Royal Council, the Archmage, and both of the Princesses," Luna recited.

The throne room was silent again, this time in shock that the Princesses had argued over something. It was silent until Rainbow simply could not remain still anymore.

"You really wanted to kill him?" Rainbow asked weakly, her voice nearly failed her as she realized what may truly be why Coalback was so on edge around the Princesses.

"Yes, but it is far more complicated than-" Celestia admitted and began to elaborate.

"Because he's from some really old legion, or something?" Rainbow blurted, her anger on the rise.

"He is not-" Celestia began, ready to launch into her own speech. But again she was cut off, this time by the rattling of chains.

"We killed thousands of you, hundreds of thousands of ponies," Coalback spoke, his voice filled the room without rising to a shout. "Armies marched through cities and blood followed them in floods," he growled, something shifted the air behind him and rattled the chains. "We hunted alicorns for sport; that is why she hates me," Coalback finished, and for just an instant he looked surprised at his own outburst.

"Exactly," Celestia said after a few moments of tense silence. With an extremely deep breath she sighed and stood from her throne. "I expect an official apology to be made to the Guard you injured, and ample compensation for trauma to be provided," she said calmly. "I also expect you take great care with the Elements of Harmony; should any of them come to harm by your hooves you will have me to answer to. And I have never been defeated by one of you," she added. And with that she descended from her throne and teleported out of the room with an intense flash of pure sunlight.

The room remained in an awkward pause, nopony quite sure what was the appropriate action. At least until Coalback barked "I've been pardoned, take these damned chains off o' me," to the guards that held his bonds.

Author's Notes:

This was much easier to write! Back to the basics: Violence, gore, shouting, even an explosion!!!

Quick confirmation: the Royal Guard is mostly stallions, but there are mares. It just so happens that it was mostly stallions that morning, the girls have their own division. Also, the Thestrals use all the same fields, just at night. The palace never truly sleeps as a result.

Also, Coalback's wing only became dislocated ... at every joint, but the bones were still whole.

Also also, that legend on the wall plays pretty heavily in some of the backstory.

Now, finally we get to the point that was reached in like 3 chapters before, and it feels a bit more like a struggle to get there, which hopefully means it holds more weight. My goal this whole time is to deepen the meaning behind some of the events that sort of came out of the blue before. It felt like I was just coming up with stuff as I went (which I was) but now everything is (sort of) planned out and imbedded and mixed liberally into the story as a whole. I've been attempting to follow a principle in dramatic writing that is known as Chekhov's Gun:

Chekhov's gun is a dramatic principle that requires every element in a narrative be necessary and irreplaceable, and that everything else be removed. "Remove everything that has no relevance to the story. If you say in the first chapter that there is a rifle hanging on the wall, in the second or third chapter it absolutely must go off. If it's not going to be fired, it shouldn't be hanging there."

And I like this principle because it makes a lot of sense. If a writer mentions that Pinkie has a strange fascination with a painting on the wall, it should have SOMETHING to do with future chapters, otherwise why have it at all? I don't like when that happens, at some point in something that's meant to be at least partially, even comedically, dramatic it needs to have continuity of its elements. Chekhov's quote says it all, and once I realized it was a thing I started to notice where it was and wasn't being used properly.

Okay, rant done. Tell me all your criticisms and comments in the, well, the comments ...