My Own 10 Favorite Ponyfics · 9:51pm Jul 30th, 2023
Impulse bid me scroll through my favorites tab a few days ago. There were many 4k-word Rarijack stories which have all blended together, many recent stories I recall well, and a few ancient classics I found myself suddenly reminded of (“Justice Itself,” holy cow).
Of those, there are a handful of stories which stand out to me, with honestly few similarities between them. Some are simple and cozy, some troubled me long after I finished reading them. Some feel singularly unique, some feel like brilliant portrayals of common topics. Stories that stick with me because they are lastingly effective at what they sought to do, whatever that is.
These aren’t in ‘order’ of best to worst, or anything like that. Just some stories which, for me personally, are worth coming back to again and again.
1. Tales From the Dark Side of the Mirror by Grimwolf (and its sequel). This one is a slow burn of gradual improvement, beginning its life as a low-stakes slice-of-life about the antics of Mane 6 ‘villains’ from the Reflections comic arc. It grows rapidly from there to be poignant and heartbreaking. We see missed chances and the ghosts of better worlds as characters are shoved from their destinies by the harder world around them: friends who, reflected, became enemies. Yet we also see hope and empathy with heroic takes on familiar villains seeking understanding and friendship with the errant six. The sequel follows these villains, benefiting from the growing maturity of the work to give us their own adventures: reflected changes on their past to make them heroes, and fun action as they contend with hostile versions of Spitfire and Zecora. Despite a shaky first few chapters and the sad yellow ‘incomplete,’ this is one I really do love (especially reflected Twilight, she needs so many hugs).
2. Good Morning, Cookie, by PaulAsaran. Rarity’s mother never received a focused episode, leaving the fandom forever viewing her through the only window we ever got: that of a semi-antagonist, annoying and oblivious, smiling merrily as she foists Sweetie Belle on Rarity. This is a delightful change on that, giving us a small story of her as a canny mother dealing with the inevitable pains of Rarity slowly growing to be Rarity. I can’t help but smile at the snooty grade-school Rarity putting on airs, and the clever comeuppance which results. Plus it has childhood Rarijack friendshipping, which will never fail to make me smile.
3. The Extra Mile by CommissarAJ. Speaking of Rarijack, how does a one-shot for the most popular ship stand out from all the others? I’m… actually not sure why I love this one so much, while struggling to recall details of the other Rarijacks in my library. I guess cozy, low-grade peril stories are fun for me, and this hits all the happy notes of their clashing personalities overcome by shared values and mutual respect, blossoming over the course of their stranded evening into passion. The humanized/EQG take makes it more approachable, and the chatter and snaps feel human and natural. This fic is a large mug of rich hot chocolate – no surprises are in store, but it’s great.
4. Evil is Easy, Governing is Harder by Aragon. The author is incredible at building long-winding gags which turn poignant, and adding throwaway jokes only to brilliantly redeploy them 6k words later. This is a fantastic introduction to their style humor, with all parts of it on fine display. It manages to be cynical while still being caring, sharp-tongued while respecting its characters, all bound by a story elevating it above thoughtless comedy. Luna in particular is a treat for me here, and I highly recommend any stranger give this particular spin on ‘evil Celestia’ a try.
5. And Borrowing dulls the edge of Husbandry by Softy8088. ‘This could be an episode,’ is a common compliment for fanfics, and it applies here. One of the really good episodes, where the conflict doesn’t come from idiot balls, miscommunications, or hastily-introduced villains, but rather two ponies with different upbringings and perspectives trying to do right. We can see both Twilight and Applejack as reasonable as they argue about a loan (not in the usual way, of course), and Pinkie’s eventual solution is all the more brilliant for incorporating both views perfectly, as well as showcasing her impulsive ability to get into hot water for a good cause.
6. Solar Wind by FanOfMostEverything. Yes, it’s a 1k word buildup to a pun, but man it’s funny. The hidden treat here is the caring, teasing way the solar sisters talk to each other, with Luna calling out her sister’s ‘hooves-off’ approach without the slightest rancor or criticism, merely noting that sometimes ponies just want an answer. It really does feel like how two ponies who love each other might speak, bringing us straight-faced into the inevitable comedic end.
7. Funatics by Baal Bunny. Two in a row of good solar sisterly interaction. I just threw these on in the order I found them, I swear. I love this story. The concept – the sisters engage in a kindness war, trying to outdo each other’s expressions of love – sounds like the lead up to a fun, forgettable comedy of thrown cake and lessons learned, but this instead takes us on a tender journey of subtle love, forgiveness, and reflection. Genuinely funny bits like the debate on how to pronounce ‘funatics’ are icing on the most wonderful cake of wholesome Celestia-Luna love I have ever seen.
8. Simply Rarity by Somber. I could not skip this story, much as I might wish to. Perhaps if I approached it without memory today I would not be so moved, but 2011 Dan bawled his eyes out at this little story of an impoverished Rarity and her sister struggling to survive childhood. This was my lesson that fanfics don’t have to be fun visits to Equestria or immature stories of day-saving heroes. Sometimes they are sad. Sometimes things don’t work out. This fic did more to influence my writing, I think, than any else.
9. The Best Night Ever by Capn_Chryssalid. This one doesn’t likely need introduction to long-term veterans, and is oddly the only long story on this list. I suppose short, punchy stories are far more likely to make an impact on me, but this is the exception. Being a fairly straight insertion of Prince Blueblood into Groundhog Day, there is perhaps nothing particularly unique here but man it’s done well. The evolution of the POV, the plans, the madness and failed hopes and resolution, it is a romp and a story I can return to again and again. Blueblood has generally faded from both the fandom’s ire (he was the #1 punching bag for the first few seasons) and attention, but he got a lot of good fics back in the day and still has some trickling out.
10. Simple Gifts by Cynewulf. Not much to it, more tender solar sister interactions (I have a favorite story type, what can I say), but the minimalism and oddness of the ship went down very well. While not a fic I hold aloft as a perfect paragon of its kind, it sticks with me, drawing thoughts and wistful speculation. Much as Celestia herself, I suppose, pondering the painting gifted to her by a secret admirer.
BONUS!: Pinkie's Pies by Uz Naimat. It’s the nature of the human mind that things we read or see during our formulation influence us more than those of equal value encountered later. I doubt any of my recent reads will trouble or warm me with mere memory the way the above list does. But if one new fic does crest that barrier, it may well be this: a pleasant story of an unlikely pairing trying to publish a cookbook. The descriptions happily evoke the cover art, bringing the story full-circle in a way beyond most one-shots. Idealism meets and works around realism to eventual success, making the story feel neither cynical nor saccharine. A cozy little read which makes me smile just to recall it.
I'm flattered to occupy the same list as some true greats... even if it is for a fart joke. Hey, I'll take what I can get .
Also, I appreciate the prod to bump some stories up my Read Later list.
I knew you were big on RariJack, yet somehow it didn't occur to me that might mean a heavy dominance of the pairing in your favourites list. I guess because I'm the kind of reader where fic quality still tends to trump my personal biases in what I want to read. Or that my selection biases filter out the fics I would be cool on before I ever read them.
Anyone's call there!
Amazingly, I've read a decent few of these! I read/reread Good Morning, Cookie, ...And Borrowing Dulls The Edge Of Husbandry recently enough to have reviewed them, and while neither got my highest rating, they were both very charming, vivid and memorable comedies that, even now, I can remember many of the details of. A funny Cookie is needed, as is the ideals clash between Twilight and Applejack over financial loans with Pinkie helping out by being her. So I approve wholeheartedly of them as picks! Meanwhile, I still remember Simply Rarity and The Best Night Ever quite readily. I don’t remember anything about The Extra Mile, but I have read it, and on your praise, I might make it the rare EqG shipfic I read these days. And while I haven't read these particular fics of theirs, I'm not gonna object to Aragon, FoME and AugieDog/Bael Bunny making the cut. I'll certainly have to mark most of this list, nearly everything looks great.
Heavy domination by Celestia/Luna friendship stories alongside the Rarity, Applejack or RariJack ones, I note. Hey, you love what you love, and these all seem quality. I do wonder what trends would show if I made a top ten (my selections of favourites earlier this year isn't enough of a sample size to really be telling, I think). Not for reviews, just to show favourites like you do here. Maybe something for next year.
darn, I've read all but 4 of those, not enough for me to review it XD
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You kind of learn things about yourself doing that: not just what you like to read, but what sticks with you, what feels memorable. I'd be curious to see what fits that bill for you!
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Review... my list?
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blogs with at least five stories in them I have not read have a tendency to become review prompts
or at least, get put on the list to do sometime in the future :B
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Round down and do it.
Wow.. picking my top 10 would be… hell that would be hard. I’d probobly have to divide things into genres and go from there.
I don't know what my top ten would be, but the Savage Skies series, the Seven Days in Sunny June series, and the Shipping & Handling series are some of my favorites. If you're looking for some long form stories with a lot of depth, they're excellent.
As for shorter form stuff, "The One Who Got Away" will always hold a dear place in my heart, because it gave me an odd nostalgia for something that I've never experienced.
Going onto the theme of 4kish word stories that feature Rarity, "Simpler Times" was one that I enjoyed.
Number Five has been one of my Favorites for a long time. I'll have to dust it off and read it again, plus give these others a look.
If they're in your top 10, then I'll give the EqG fics a try, against my usual taste.
Truly, if I could have one incomplete fic on here finished, it's a really tough call but I'd give it to This Platinum Crown. There's just nothing like it.
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That's all it takes? 👀
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shh, don't tell nopony c_c
That's the story that got me started. Completely non-canonical, but great story.
Always flattering to spot my works in the wild world of recommendations.
Random fun fact: the ideas for Extra Mile was originally penned out for part of the shenanigans in Act III of 'A New Sun Rises', but was eventually scrapped since the ideas led more to focus on Rarity and Applejack, which wouldn't work well for a story that's meant to be for Sunset. Put the ideas on the back shelf for a rainy day, and, well, the rest is history. Plus making it into its own title meant I could lean more into the RariJack angle. Putting that into 'A New Sun Rises' would've just led to Csquared08's head bursting into flames... which was tempting, mind you.