It Is Recommendsday, My Dudes #158 · 7:01pm March 27th
So going through my staging ground for this blog, I found I've got several sets coming up that are going to be big thematic bursts - like a month and a half of dedicated Student Six fics - so timing is an issue for me. I don't want to interrupt something like that in the middle, but I also don't want to let other (and potentially more time sensitive) things fall by the wayside either. So before I go deeper into those, I'm gonna take a few weeks to clear out my new writers shelf and shine a light on some quality that's gone under the radar.
Oh and also RariJack.
So on that note: let's start with first timer CherryPopsyPone and How To Love a Worm.
Rarity can't concentrate, and it's Applejack's fault. The farmer had asked her an utterly ridiculous question: "Rares, wouldja still love me if I was a worm?” It's nonsense. It's stupid. And it really, really bothers Rarity because Applejack was just so serious about it. So she, in turn, has to be serious and try to figure out an answer to the absurd question.
The story's only non-author comment notes that this falls into the category of 'crack taken seriously' and that really fits. 'Would you still love me if I was a worm' is a silly meme but this story actually turns it into a moral dilemma and serious debate for Rarity. If nothing else, that's a heck of a challenge and kudos to Cherry for pulling it off.
And it actually works! Rarity's internal monologue actually has the question make sense despite being utterly ridiculous. She manages to put it into a context that - for both Rarity and Applejack - actually works. I started reading expecting a bit of meme-y comedy but got an actual serious look at their relationship - most notably some deep thoughts on exactly why Rarity values and cares for Applejack.
Layer on top some just wonderful writing from a first time author - the prose here is tight - and an epilogue that brings in some excellent humor for contrast and you've got a top notch first story that's gone deep under the radar.
This story has no right to be as thoughtful and good as it is.
Let's pair that with a veteran: My Diamonds Leave With You by Gay For Gadot.
Rarity can only barely hold herself together as her now freshly ex-husband goes out the door for the last time. The divorce has left her a wreck. Fortunately, her good friend Applejack arrives at just the right time with a pleasant smile and an apple pie. That comfort is exactly what Rarity needs, but it doesn't fix everything. In the heat of the moment and caught up in her own fears-slash-desires Rarity kisses Applejack. And that's a problem, because Applejack is married to Rainbow Dash. And the next morning, Rarity's awakened by an angry pegasus knocking on her door.
As you can guess, this story's got a very different vibe than the previous - but that's no negative. 'Mature' is the first word I'd apply here, and in a lot of contexts. For starters, a love story hits different when they're all in their mid to late 40s instead of young, chipper kids. The choice to use them at this stage of their lives adds a lot of depth and legitimacy to Rarity's problem: as she puts it, she's going backwards in life (and relationships) while all her friends are solidifying theirs. That would ring a lot more hollow for an early 20-something. It also gives important space to breathe when Rarity starts talking about what she and Applejack had nearly shared more than a decade before. That just wouldn't work with less time under their belts.
Maturity's also the hallmark of how things are handled. Most stories this would jump right into a violent brawl or would go "And then they spontaneously became a threesome" without really addressing the underlying issues and problems. This story doesn't do that, and that's where it becomes really strong. Dash is pissed but she handles it by balancing both her own relationship and caring that one of her best friends is hurting. Applejack removes herself from the problem and tempers Dash's anger, fearing as much of what she's done to Rarity as much as what's been done to her. And Rarity… well, this is just some top tier marshmallow fluff. She's suffering and you feel it. She's confused and lost and– well, let's just say this is one of the best portrayals of an older Rarity I've seen.
Really, this one's just an awesome story overall. The characters are on point, the vibe is amazing, the situation's full of drama but is handled beautifully, the prose is excellent… This is a real gem.
New or catching up? Try Recommendsday: The Index for your story needs!
