Site Post » Fic Spotlight #03 · 10:20pm Mar 6th, 2014
Hi guys. So I heard you like stories. On FIMart.org, nobody don't abide by no stories. The written English word ain't no comparison to the musical wonders hosted on FIMmusic.com. Why, I bet those rough 'n' tumble authorfolk you hear about on the news hardly even visit FIMyarncrafts.edu!
But this is FIMfiction.net, so stories you shall receive. The Royal Guard is sorry that it cannot provide you with joyous art, music, or yarncrafts, but hopes that the written English word will sate your terrible hunger for cartoon horses. Temporarily, if nothing else.
Please don't form an angry mob in response to this sad fact. Those never end well.
Anyhow, due largely to some minor malfunctionings with The Royal Guard's submission form (which have been fixed now) there aren't quite as many stories for you to peruse this time, so accept our sincere apologies on that. Do give the stories here today a good read-over, though, as they're all up to snuff, and nothing would make them happier than your consideration.
For more information on The Royal Guard, consider also checking out these links:
-The Royal Guard Group
-Submit Your Story!
-The Royal Guard's Reviewing Omnibus
-Join The Guard!
STORY TIME NOW!
This Week:
Action/Adventure
Reach, by ToixStory
Twilight’s Odyssey, by DemPonies
Faster, by Einhander
Dark
I Should Never Have Bought That Pony, by Final Draft
Sad
Asylum, by Daemon of Decay
Honesty and Lies, by NightWolf289
Dream, by Cascadejackal
Romance
The Thousand Year Romance of Clover the Clever, by Benman
ACTION/ADVENTURE
The world has changed in one hundred thousand years. The magic that once shaped life itself has faded into myth and legend. An age of industry has set upon the flightless and hornless ponies who now populate the world. Great metropolises of steel and brick rise from the republics and monarchies that dot the planet. In the seaside city of Gracia, sparkling capital of the Teton Republic, a young museum worker named Starlight makes her living in this brave new world, oblivious to the magical heritage that dwells inside her and the ponies around her.
That is, until one day when an earthquake in the west prompts Starlight and her new friends to embark on an adventure to the desert city of Sundown. It is here that an event not seen in tens of eons has occurred: a unicorn has been born.
Will I like this?: "Very few stories manage to be as unique as this one. This is the adventure of a pony who lives thousands and thousands of years in the future, long after the history of unicorns and pegasi have become little more than fairy tales. Definitely worth checking out if you're a fan of more original works." — PR Pearple Prose
In an Equestria where Discord never was, and the Pony Princesses never came to power, a young Twilight Sparkle loses her family in a crowd during the Summer Sun Celebration. Little does she know that her very existence is about to set a series of events into motion that will take her far beyond the borders of Equestria itself—and change the fates of both her nation and her life, forever.
Will I like this?: "An intriguing alternate universe adventure in the same vein as fandom classics like Night's Favoured Child. If you're like me and you love well-executed twists to the canon, definitely check this one out." — PR Pearple Prose
Ponies get older over time. They slow down. This is a part of life. But Rarity, Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie can keep pursuing their dreams as they get older. Rainbow Dash can't. This is her last chance to be a Wonderbolt, and despite working her tail off, she's not getting any better. In fact, she's getting slower. She just wants things to be fair. She wants one last chance to achieve her dream.
She wants to be faster.
This is what happens when she gets her wish.
Will I like this?: "Faster is the tale of a pegasus willing to do the impossible to reach her destiny. It is a story that is just as cautionary as it is about Dash's unwillingness to give her dreams up. While the resolution may not be as triumphant as many readers would expect, the story is delivered in a such an incredible manner that it hits you in a way that just make you stop and whisper "wow." “ — PR Garnot
Against better judgement, David buys his daughter a pony for Christmas. Too bad it was Diamond Tiara. She, like many other fillies and colts in Ponyville, was taken by Discord for his cross-dimension pony trade. Now she must convince David and his family to help her and the others get back to Equestria. Fortunately for her, David is more than happy to get rid of her. His daughter Tiffany however, is not.
Will I like this?: "An immersive blend of Equestrian characters and despicable human villains. The mysterious motivation behind the ponies' presence on Earth is beginning to be revealed. Read this if you enjoy seeing evil people getting their comeuppance." — PR ChromeMyriad
When Twilight Sparkle slipped beneath the covers last night, everything had been fine. She had friends whom she loved, a teacher she adored, and a bright future ahead of her. But when she woke up, her blankets and quilts had been replaced by hospital gowns and padded restraints.
Everything is wrong and nothing makes sense; even her friends have changed. The doctors keep telling her that she is sick, that none of it was real and that it was all in her head. Yet she remembers a life far beyond the hospital walls. She couldn't have made it all up on her own.
They must be lying… right?
Will I like this?: "A darker, subversive story that yet manages to keep its head held high and its themes upliting. Read this if you enjoy a more mature, realistic approach to "dark" ideas." — PR Golden Vision
A look into the inner thoughts of a certain pony.
Believe every word, for she is honest.
Even the strong crumble under the weight of life.
But not her.
She promises.
Will I like this?: “Honesty and Lies is a story that shows us both the dangers of living with self-imposed lies, but also of accepting the truth. At the same time, we also learn that true strength lies in true acceptance. Knowing that no matter what has happened or what will happen, what has been lived and enjoyed remains forever." — PR Garnot
Sometimes, dreams are all we have. Sometimes, that's enough.
Hidden deep within a maze, well away from prying eyes, there is a statue. The last great work of an artist long forgotten, her time-worn visage watches the raising and setting of the sun and the moon as though enraptured.
Who created such a marvel, this sculpture of copper and brass, of crystal and cog, and why, is unknown, lost to the mists of time.... until now.
This is the tale of a painter and a clockmaker, and the love they shared.
This is the tale of a dreamer, who knew only her dream.
Will I like this?: “Once in a while, a story comes along that challenges the conventions we take for granted and reminds us of the subjectivity of art. This evocative and compelling short story takes readers on a unique and beautiful journey, reading like poetry, and shows a familiar world from a new perspective. This story is hardly fanfiction at all; it's true storytelling to the core.” — PR Flint Sparks
Clover the Clever has found a love so pure and true that no pony can stop it. But even the greatest love cannot conquer death itself.
So Clover will keep looking until she finds something that can.
Will I like this?: "A powerful short story about the lengths that love can take us to keep us together." — PR Ninestempest
Nothing under Comedy? Did all those submissions get lost?
I love these posts, thanks for the good work and the wonderful recommendations.
When I saw the picture for "I never should have bought that pony", I assumed Diamond Tiara was regretting a recent purchase.
The only fim site mentioned up there that is real is FIMmusic.com, and all it is at the moment is a troll page.
Why did I even check?
1902158 I forget, does it say anywhere if every submission will be reviewed and the author will receive a response explaining whether their story was or wasn't accepted before each fic spotlight? Or is it because you guys only selected a certain number of fics to review and there's a large buildup of them behind the scenes right now?
I ask because I submitted a Comedy story before the date in which the submission form stopped working, and didn't receive a reply informing me of its status.
Somepony needs to actually make a FIMyarncrafts.edu.
1902247 Okay thanks.
1902151
Ah, but the guy says that he's actually planning something with the website.
(at the bottom)
Kinda interested in what he's gonna do with it.
1902200 Jeeze. Is it bad that I actually know somebody who would be able to make a profit there with her pony amigurumi? The hilarious thing is that from what I can tell, she's not even part of the fandom.
1902252 I did say "at the moment".
We're saving the pitchforks and effigies for when Knighty upgrades the site again.
>DARK
>story doesn't have a dark tag
Wat.
1902363
It said to choose the tag that best fit the story from a short list of tags...unfortunately, Dark was the best fit. The underlying theme is
a cross dimension pony tradeDiscord instigating an all out war between Equestria and Earth...so...it's dark.But it focuses more on the bond between Diamond Tiara and Tiffany, and the moral consciousness of David. There is humor, but not enough for a comedy tag.
FIMyarncrafts.edu??? But aren't stories crafted yarns?
The intro always gives me a chuckle or two.
I like it.
1902260
... Well played.
Sheesh, how am I supposed to keep up with all these, and all the other interesting stories I see, AND real life?
Ahh hell, I totally forgot that Reach finished, and right before my unread chapter count surged by about 30 chapters too.
Wow, this was a short one of these. I'm kind of relieved because my reading list is already long enough, but still.
So does this mean that authors have to seek you out and submit their stories themselves?
1903965
More or less. TRG doesn't just go and collect stories all willy-nilly ('cause that'd be a bit of an organizational mess). It's pretty easy to submit, though. In fact, there's a link to the form right in the post.
You know what's funny (and, in a way, sad)? That none of those sites you mentioned actually exists. And here, courtesy of knighty and all you decent writers and readers, we a have a bustling community centered around fanfiction, which--among other genres of art you mentioned--isn't even regarded as art and is one most often scoffed at!
In your faces, other media!