Site Post » Fic Spotlight #01 · 10:21pm Feb 4th, 2014
Heya, folks. I feel like we don't talk a lot. How are you? How's your day been? Succeeding at your dreams? Achieving all you've ever hoped for?
...Still working on it, at least?
Well, if you're not in the mood to talk, that's fine. I'm here if you need a shoulder. I got two of them, and they're both very absorbent if you have need to dry your tears.
Anyhow, as you guys might've heard, The Royal Guard opened up their Submissions Form a while ago, so as to allow you to send them your cool stories. After working through a whole bunch of submissions, The Guard has collected some fifteen of the approved stories, that you may see and enjoy them for this first fic spotlight.
Also, there's been a mite bit of confusion about this hanging around, so before we go any further, please note that The Royal Guard is not an official part of Fimfiction.net. Some members of Fimfiction staff (like resident handsome devil Obselescence) do work with them to make sure they're on the level and doin' good, but The Royal Guard is itself independent of Fimfiction as an entity, and should be considered as such. We hang out sometimes, see each other for drinks—but we're just friends.
SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, HERE'S THE FIC SPOTLIGHT:
This Week:
Action/Adventure
Of High Seas and Howling Winds, by InsertCoolUsernameHere
Through the Well of Pirene, by Ether Echoes
Harmony Theory, by Sharaloth
What Bound Them, by The Headless Horsepony
A Mighty Demon Slayer Grooms Some Ponies, by DGD Davison
Trixcord, by RTStephens
Night’s Favored Child, by Municipal Engines
Dark
Without a Hive, by Phoenix_Dragon
A FLEet|ng LIght |n thE DArknEsS, by Flashgen
Romance
Colorless, by The DJ Rainbow Dash
Sugarfree, by Wade
Sad
Wonderbolt, by WovenWord
Slice of Life
Burning Day Brethren, by Cerulean Voice
Chess, by KitsuneRisu
(Yes, there are quite a few Adventure/Action stories this time around, but that's just how the cookie crumbled. The fics are posted in Spotlights based on order of approval and we got quite a few cool Adventure/Action stories in our first week or so. We've got plenty of other neat stories from other genres in this post too, and will be posting plenty more in the future, so keep your ear to the ground.)
ACTION/ADVENTURE
Of High Seas and Howling Winds, by InsertCoolUsernameHere
Twilight Sparkle has hit a wall in her studies. So when she is tasked by Princess Celestia with joining an expedition on a faraway island, she can't help but see it as a form of punishment. Nevertheless, she packs her bags and heads to Baltimare, one of Equestria's many port cities. It should have been simple: find a ship offering passage and pay them to take her to Haven. She soon learns, though, that ponies are afraid of the unknown waters past Eternity's Crossing. Despite her best efforts, she is unable to find a ship willing to take her there. That is, until she meets Captain Rainbow Dash.
Brash and enigmatic, Rainbow Dash, along with her crew, are the only ones willing to ferry Twilight on the waters of the Forgotten Sea. She expects six months of quiet travel that will allow her to continue her studies. What she gets is an adventure which makes her realize that, when sailing the high seas, the line between right and wrong is never as clear as it seems.
Will I like this?: This sea-spanning adventure does more than fling us into a storm of action and plunder. While following Twilight's quest to reach the Forgotten Sea, readers are thrown into a maelstrom of personality as well. If you're interested in alternate universes that really invest in their characters or epic quests in the vein of "Pirates of the Caribbean," then this is the fic for you. —PR Golden Vision
Through the Well of Pirene, by Ether Echoes
Daphne has tried to live her life as any normal teenage girl would, focusing on school and the intricacies of adolescent life in an effort to forget her more imaginative childhood. Now, however, her kid sister has been kidnapped by forces she cannot understand, and she is forced to give chase into a land she had once thought only make-believe. Cast adrift in a strange and magical world, Daphne must reunite with her long-lost friend and embark on a journey of discovery that will take her to the worlds she could only dream of.
Will I like this?: Through the Well of Pirene is a right tidy fic, with all the bits needed to be entertaining: compelling characters, excellent description, magic wands, and goblins. You’ll like Pirene if you like well paced tales of adventure that always find new ways to surprise and impress you. A proper tidy fic, this. —PR Comrade Sparkle
After the Changeling invasion, Celestia and Luna make the decision to have Twilight investigate the Elements of Harmony and solve the mystery of their power.
A thousand years later, Rainbow Dash awakens in a world she does not recognize. She has no idea how or why she came to be there. She does not know the language, the geography or any of the rules of this new time. She soon finds allies in Star Fall, a scholarly pegasus whose Talent is Magic, and Astrid, Star Fall's Griffin guardian. Together they set out to discover why Dash has been sent to the future, and how she might return to when she belongs.
War threatens the nations, a Nightmare stalks the shadows, and Rainbow Dash's arrival has turned her into a wild card in a deadly game that pits the law on both sides of a broken Equestria against a mysterious criminal figure, Max Cash. Yet the stakes are higher than anyone knows, for in her research Twilight Sparkle discovered a dark secret about the Elements, something that will shake the foundations of the world.
Will I like this?: After a bit of a jarring intro, this story quickly hits its stride and doesn't let up. A dark, tense adventure into a future torn apart by war, threatened by a crazed alicorn and a madman wielding the very tools that once protected it. Beautifully written, perfectly paced, and populated by some of the most fleshed out, well-rounded OCs I've ever read in the fandom. —PR Jake the Army Guy
What Bound Them, by The Headless Horsepony
It's been more than a thousand years since the Mane Six's adventures in Ponyville, and things look very different. Equestria is gone, devoured by chaos. Nightmare creatures roam the lands, changelings prey on the few remaining pony settlements, and all trace of the peace and harmony during Princess Celestia's reign has vanished.
Until, that is, a small group of ponies set out to map the Tangle, and find a slumbering dragon inside. Now Spike, a millenium out of his time and with only his memories to comfort him, is ponykind's only hope. Together, he and his new friends set out to find the one pony who can set things right: Twilight Sparkle.
Will I like this?: With excellent characterization and storytelling, What Bound Them certainly deserves more attention than it has. Set a thousand years in the future, the story highlights the struggle for survival based around a small group of ponies whose goal is to reclaim Equestria's future. Highly recommended for those who enjoy epic-length adventure stories. —PR Sorren
A Mighty Demon Slayer Grooms Some Ponies, by D G D Davidson
After Princess Celestia appoints Twilight Sparkle and her friends to be ambassadors to Earth, they decide to introduce themselves to the humans by appearing in a horse show, but they need someone to get them ready. They call on Megan, the legendary warrior who guarded ponykind in days of yore. Megan has banished or slain countless demons, but can she convince the ponies to hold still long enough for her to braid their manes?
Will I like this?: I can tell you one thing about this story: It’s not what you expect. The best thing about it is the faithfulness it gives to its Generation One source material, making Megan and her newfound friends into extremely believable—and enjoyable—characters. The characterization certainly shines through. —PR Golden Vision
In a desperate and costly bid to escape from his stone prison, Discord is left weak and helpless. Luckily for him, there is a nearby unicorn that he can hide in while he regains his power.
Will I like this?: Two masters of the stage, Trixie and Discord, coming together as one. What could go wrong? Just a hint of chaos with a touch of oversized ego and delusions of grandeur. —PR Dash247
Night’s Favoured Child, by Municipal Engines
For almost a thousand years, the immortal Nightmare Moon has reigned over Equestria as Empress. To the average pony, Nightmare Moon is an overarching enigma whose rule is absolute and whose wrath is terrible. But to Twilight Sparkle, who, as an orphan, has never known her parents, the Empress is something else entirely. When the young unicorn is brought under the royal wing as an apprentice, she learns a great deal more about the supposed tyrant than she ever knew. But as Twilight is introduced to life with her new mentor, she is thrust into a world of political intrigue, conspiracies and secrets. Secrets that were never meant to be revealed. As allies and enemies plot against the very peace of the nation, will Twilight fall prey to the perils of her new position? Or will she prosper and find in Nightmare Moon the mother she never had?
Will I like this?: An intriguing story that not only has a fantastic premise, but knows how to work with it. Night's Favoured Child is an excellent example of both character development and world-building, and a story that has kept me both guessing and enraptured. Do yourself a favor and check this one out. —PR ToixStory
DARK
Without a Hive, by Phoenix_Dragon
Young Nictis had one dream: to serve his hive by becoming an Infiltrator, the most vital and vaunted role a changeling could aspire to. To hide in plain sight among the other species, blending in, while gathering the vital emotional energies that fueled his people. Few were deemed worthy of the dangerous job. He was one of the few nymphs selected for training, in the hopes that one of them would develop the skills needed to be entrusted with such a treacherous task.
But when a training expedition ends in tragedy, Nictis finds himself thrust into the role not to serve his hive and people, but to preserve his own life. Separated from the hive, alone, he must put what little training he has to the test. He must blend in with the hive's greatest source of food, and its most dangerous enemy: the ponies of Equestria.
Will I like this?: This story’s author takes an alien perspective and runs with it as if it were the most normal thing since waking up in the morning. The world is mysterious, and the characters breathe. Fans of world-building will fall head over heels for this one. —PR ArgonMatrix
A FLEet|ng LIght |n thE DArknEsS, by Flashgen
The following transcripts are of a journal found in Ponyville on April 16th of this year. The last recorded contact with the town had been 3 days prior, on the 13th, when a team under orders from Princess Celestia was sent to look into several missing pony reports in the area. When another group of investigators were sent on the 16th, the town was found deserted. The journal’s owner is believed to be the princess’s personal student, Twilight Sparkle. None of the town’s inhabitants have been located in the weeks since.
Will I like this?: A mysterious, dark tale that keeps its thrilling suspense rolling right from start to finish—the intricate details, the oddities, and the anticipation all combine into something just as strange and alluring as its title. Whether it's horror, mystery, or even just general appreciation for gripping literature, this is your story. Just remember to read at night. —PR Yipyapper
ROMANCE
Colorless, by The DJ Rainbow Dash
I wish I could see you smile again.
Ever since it went away, the pony I once knew seemed to disappear as well.
At times, it makes me wonder if anything matters anymore.
It makes me wonder if I still matter to you anymore...
Twilight and Rainbow Dash come to a crossroads in their relationship as they look to the future. But with as bleak and depressing as it seems, what really is the point? Perhaps love does conquer all...
Will I like this?: Twilight proves just how far she’s willing to go to restore everything that she once loved. This story takes you with her on a journey through a world drained of color and life. This piece proves that no matter how gray things get, there’s always a rainbow to keep your head held high. —PR Dash247
There's no place like Donut Joe's diner to unwind after a long, hard day. Good company, great coffee, and the best dang cucumber omelette in Equestria. After the week Celestia's had, she could really, really use a place to get away from it all.
Here, the regulars all know her as Sunny Skies, the unassuming workaholic mare who hasn't taken a day off in... ever. Well, today's her lucky day. Sunny's about to have one apocalyptically long holiday.
Luna's become delirious with a fever, Discord's fled the castle in terror, there's a living moon locked in Celestia's dining room, and something is very, very wrong with Equestria's sugar.
Put on a pot of coffee, folks. We've got an all-nighter on our hooves.
Will I like this?: This is a story that plays with the characters of the Princesses like putty even as it sets up a most unexpected—but no less enjoyable—romp through adventure, romance, and magic. The pairing isn’t your usual ship, but that’s no reason to let it slide by. —PR Golden Vision
SAD
I have something I want to tell you.
It's a very simple thing. A short little phrase.
I wonder if it still matters, though, in a world like this.
It matters to me, but I'd like to know if it'll matter to you.
Will I like this?: I like to think that depression can have a silver lining somewhere in it. This story paints a very vivid picture of bleakness, but it leaves with its silver lining shining brightly for all to see: the definition of what it really means to be a Wonderbolt. -PR Comet Burst
SLICE OF LIFE
Burning Day Brethren, by Cerulean Voice
Three phoenixes' Burning Days occur simultaneously, against all possible odds. Deciding to take advantage of this once-in-an-eternity possibility, Philomena, Fawkes and Ho-Oh meet in the "Unbecoming" realm to share experiences of their worlds: their masters, acquaintances, apocalypse aversions and practical jokes.
Will I like this?: What exactly happens to a phoenix when it turns to ash during its renewal? If you’ve wondered about that question at all, then this is the tale for you. There’s no need to be a Pokemon fan or a Harry Potter fan in order to enjoy this crossover; everything is explained very well. —PR Dash247
It's all just a game, isn't it?
When it comes to Princess Celestia and Twilight Sparkle, Chess is much more than just moving pieces around on a board.
It's a game of the mind, of thoughts, of conquest.
But in a game like this, sometimes your greatest opponent is yourself.
Will I like this?: A simple experience that quickly turns to a deeper, more thoughtful tone. Still amusing to read, but great characterization makes the story thoroughly enjoyable. —PR Kaldanor
Can’t Choose Your Family, by CyborgSamurai
It's been five thousand years since the Summit of the Gods was last hosted in Equestria, and after dropping off Discord in Ponyville, Celestia returns to Canterlot Castle to meet with the entire Norse Pantheon. Before she can arrive, though, she's stopped by a guard with a strange message, sent on the behalf of a mysterious figure from her past.
Will I like this?: I’m sure we all have those family members that are difficult to be around. We just have to tolerate them as best we can. This story takes all of that and puts it on a godly level. —PR Dash247
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Submit your stories for review here!
Oh boy, here we go!
This pleases me.
1796406 brace for impact, bb
Cheers for the first TRG site post, hopefully the first of many!
Gah, more amazing stories I need to read!
Well, okay then.
1796446
Tidy, innit like.
Hm. I think I'll check out What Bound Them.
This is one hell of a selection. I wholeheartedly approve.
Just friends, eh? TIME TO SHIP!
It's great to see some of my old favorites pop back up, but it's also awesome to see new stories right next to stories that I feel are some of the best on the site. Thanks you, Royal Guard!
Oh my god, this is everything I could have ever asked for in a site post.
You guys rock.
It's always great to see more excellent fiction highlighted! This is an auspicious start. I've read a few of the featured stories and grabbed a few more for later.
Woo!
Does our story have to be complete before submitting?
1796659
Nope. We accept incomplete stories. Feel free to send one in, just know that we only accept one per author every consideration period.
Ooooo, excellent recommendations this time around. Quite a few that I have read, here are some of the standouts in my mind:
Through the Well of Pirene - You owe it to yourself to read this. The end of chapter 16 was a reading experience that will stay with me for a very long time, and I say that as someone with a lifetime words read count that is almost certainly north of 200 million. Don't let the Human tag scare you off.
Harmony Theory - My highest recommendations on this one.
A Mighty Demon Slayer Grooms Some Ponies - Despite going a little off the rails in the since pulled last chapter, this story is worth reading for the fascinating mix of G1 and G4.
Sugarfree - Wild and crazy and wacky, but in a great way.
I recognize a few of these, recently read Through The Well of Pirene, great fic. I've also heard a lot of good things about Night's favored child. I think I'll give these fics a try
Someone please tell whoever does the BBCoding on these posts that center-aligning story descriptions looks damn ugly. And to a further extent, the pre-reader comments. And the list at the top.
But other than that, I really have nothing to say considering this is the first real TRG post. Let's see how things go from here.
1796776
Opinions!
Wheeee!
1796761
I like the centered list. I agree with the rest, though.
So glad to see Harmony Theory was chosen, as that fic is criminally underrated.
Also, in regards to The Royal Guard being independent of fimfiction, why is it a group on the site if such is the case?
1796945 It should've been worded differently in the blog post, but yeah I get what you're saying.
How the hell is Without a Hive under "Dark"?
*checks original tags*
...Hey, Phoenix_Dragon, you screwed up your tags!
Without a Hive is excellent and I highly recommend it, but I think it would fit much better under maybe "Slice of Life" or "Romance" or "Sad".
I did not expect to see my favorite story up here. Kinda strange that the story I wrote which is highly influenced by said story is also up here.
None of mine, clearly the project is a failure.
1797029 This is a good sign that I should, y'know, actually read one of your stories for once, NLH.
Which is the story that inspired you?
1797045 Weird. I disagree with the author, then.
1797046 HA! Yes you should
And it was Wonderbolt by Wovenword.
I really loved Can't Choose Your Family.
Words often fail me when I try to describe things, but the author did a wonderful job of fitting Equestria and Norse mythology together, and it's... it's just really great, and you should give it a shot. I can't do it justice here.
(Incidentally, Obs, you forgot to link CCYF at the top of the page.
)
1796664
Can fans of stories send submissions, even if they did not write the piece themselves?
1797201
Actually, no. When people who aren't the authors send in stories and we pass judgment on them, we often get an angry letter back about how they didn't submit the story and such. If you want to submit someone else's story, at the very least you should let them know you're doing it and you should make sure they haven't already submitted one. Our duplicate system will filter out a fic that has the same author as one already under consideration in the current cycle.
Below can be found the exact sequence of expressions I made when I found out my story was, quite literally, the first fic you guys featured after opening submissions.
Words can't express how humbled I am. So I'll settle for keyboard smashing.
j'KNNEFK'Ms"FKJ'SDKLFN;KJSBF'ASND'JUbnEF'PKN'EJBF'aksNC'koFN'jbsc"KManEF;ONOEINacknlAS
This is a lot of stories to feature at once. Bunching so many together seems counter intuitive to your goal of highlighting the good ones. They're not really being highlighted if they're being thrown at us a dozen at a time.
1797307
That was the idea to separate them by category. Not to mention we highlight many at once because it is both exposure to the author but also advantageous to the reader, who more than likely will only see a few they are personally interested in. Posting 4 adventure fics only wouldn't benefit a romance reader very well, after all.
1797056
Aww
Now that just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
1797586
I was pleased to see Wonderbolt here! Cheers.
Nights Favoured Child Is my all time favorite fic, I'm really glad to see it up here
1797586 You have no idea how much I loved your story. I wouldn't have written Colorless if I didn't read that first.
And as of right now, its my favorite story.
1797717 Well I'm happy that you read that fic, then, because Colorless was amazing
Wonderbolt is the only story here that I've read thus far, but if it's indicative of the rest of the stories, this is an awesome selection.
1797586
Dude, where have you been? I've missed your soul-rending comments on my story
In all seriousness, I haven't seen you around in a while. I may be to blame for not paying attention, but still. How's life?
Look at who's late to the party! (me)
Glad to see all the positive reception.
1797795 Thanks. I tried with that one, oh my god did I try (bonus points to who can get the reference)
1797785 As long as its alright with Wovenword
1797785
Real shippers do not ask permission.
1796723
1796728
Love you guys~
1797785
1797924
Oh my
1797885
I've been in read-only mode for a while. Lots of RL stuff popped up in the past few months, so I haven't even been able to focus on writing. Hopefully, things are gonna stabalize soon, and I'll be able to continue tearing away at your soul... story. I meant story. Yeah
1798445 you know, have you read my story speaking of which? I mean if you were to read it and leave a review, it would totally make my day
1798510
Well then, I'll have to give it a read. I'll probably get around to it tomorrow, though, since it's 2 a.m. right now and I have work in the morning
1797023
I was asked to pick just one of the categories to label it under, and, well... none of them really fit all that well.
Romance is a significant factor, and I almost picked that, but it's only has any significant presence for about half the story. While it's a big deal, it's not really what the story is about. It's about Nictis's growth and development, of which the romance part is certainly a significant part, but I felt that describing it around that one part was kind of mis-characterizing the story as a whole. It's a very close second pick, however.
Sad is also present in many places of the story, but while there are some very sad moments, ones that play heavily into what the story is about, but again, it's not what the story is about. Even comedy can have sad bits. I felt there were enough to warrant the Sad tag, but not as the one and only defining tag.
Slice of Life doesn't really fit. The FAQ characterizes that as being focused around a single event or small group of closely-related events, highlighting a moment in a character's life. Without a Hive, however, follows a changeling in a completely alien environment for over a decade, passing through a dozen different cities and towns, and whose life is affected by several major world events (At least once very directly). While there are calmer slice-of-life moments, it's very much not life-as-usual. Imagine if Twilight learned a spell to duplicate changeling shape-shifting, and in the process of testing it out, got stranded in the changeling hive and forced to blend in to survive. That would be an adventure story. The pony world may be familiar and "ordinary" to us, but it's very much not so for Nictis.
Dark, however... erg. Okay, dark has this natural reaction by many people to assume a Dark tag means the author is going to write something excessively nasty, where bad things will happen just because "it's more realistic," or turning the whole world into something only superficially resembling the show we love. I can't even say it's unjustified, as there are so many people who think adding those things in and slapping a Dark tag on a story automatically makes it that much better, when it usually does the opposite. Without a Hive isn't dark in that sense. In fact, I tried to present the world as close as possible to that of the show, and to even keep the content of the story reasonably close as well.
It is, however, pretty serious. There are some serious themes, and things often go very wrong. Nictis had a hard life. On top of that, he did some very bad things. A lot of very bad things, even. Enough that he could have easily been the antagonist of a story from somepony else's point of view. It's certainly dark when compared to the show. I felt that seriousness, and the weight of his actions, played a big enough of a role to make "Dark" the most fitting choice. It's the one theme that I felt
So while I don't think any of the tags really fit terribly well, I thought Dark-for-serious fit the least poorly, though I could easily see an argument made for Romance or Adventure.
(Eesh. If I wrote stories as quickly as I do forum posts...)
Not much going on in life just the mind meltingly boring monotony that is the senior year of high school. So how are you this fine day obselescence?