Salvation is complete · 12:14am Feb 16th, 2016
I started work on Salvation almost four years ago. In fact, technically, I completed Salvation back in 2012.
For those of you who missed the back story, the original, 44k version of Salvation was written on an alt account for a story contest by Kits, a great author who has since left the fandom. His contest was pretty simple -- write a shipping story involving a "rare ship," which Kits defined as those that were significantly underrepresented on the site:
Possible pairings:
Rarity x Rainbow Dash
Twilight x Applejack
Fluttershy x Pinkie
Applejack x Fluttershy
Rarity x Pinkie
When you look at the combinations, it's pretty clear why they're so rare. These ponies don't seem like they have much chemistry between them, or in Applejack's case they're just boring (he's like the noble gases of romantic chemistry).
Anyway, I chose the pair that I though had the most potential, and went with Rarity and Rainbow Dash. I wrote the original version inside a dark, sweltering b-hut in Afghanistan during the few hours I had between my shift ending and bedtime, and in the end I had to ask Kits for a two-day extension to slam out the last chapter. The story won, but it felt rushed, and as soon as the contest was over I promised I'd rewrite it as it should have been. I figured, at the time, that might mean adding 20k or so, and take a few months.
Instead, the final story is 155-thousand words, and involves numerous new plot strands, character development arcs, and a completely different... well, almost everything.
It took an inexcusably long time to finish, because I can never seem to focus on a single story long enough to write to completion. Other ideas keep getting in my head, and I end up writing them instead. It's probably why I have so many short stories but only three novel-length stories.
But as of today, Salvation is finally complete. Thank you to everyone who's been reading this whole time, and thank you for your patience.
Salvation
In the magical land of Equestria, love is the most valued currency. More than bits, more than gold, more than fame, love is what makes ponies rich.
Or, in its absence, poor.
Rainbow Dash and Rarity have nothing in common except loss. One ignores her own pains, while the other jealously guards them. But now, back in Ponyville with old friends, their masks are wearing thin. The lies they tell each other and themselves cannot hold.
Love completes us, but love is also the knife that wounds us.
Great news. Salvation is the only story I stopped reading because it was just too good to read chapter by chapter. Next time it rains, breaking out the wine and going to town.
Ooof... I want to read it, but...
The sheer reputation it has intimidates me for some reason.
~Skeeter The Lurker
I had just bought the newest Mistborn but how can I be expected to read that when this is finished!? Sometimes you can be so inconsiderate Gardez.
Thank you for writing this, and thank you for sticking it out to the finish.
This story, even when incomplete, was easily one my top three favorites on the site. It feels like it's in a class by itself, and I'm eagerly looking forward to reading the last two chapters.
Hooray!
I ended up with a trilogy of stories totaling about 186,000 words from my entry in that same contest, so it's great to see this one complete!
Mike
3757078 RTFS, Skeeter :P
Man, I'm still dead from those Rarity chapters. Welp, looks like it's time to read the last four updates.
3757109
...Yes master...
~Skeeter The Lurker
3757138 Excellent. Excellent. The people of this website are learning their place.
3757139
Well, in that case, maybe later.
~Skeeter The Lurker
3757149 Did I say you could have opinions!?
Can't wait to finally read this.
I'll just leave this here...
Thanks and congratulations, CiG, this has long been a fic I eagerly look forward to every update, and I can't wait to read the big finale.
Welp, I just got heavy chills the moment I read the title of this blog. Only about two other stories have drawn me in quite like this one but this stays one of the strongest. Thank you entirely for the experience and the inspiration of a Rarity fic of my own where she has a similar mindset although she gets to that point for a very different reason.
Now just to find a good time to finish this masterpiece.
I cannot adequately describe my excitement over this
:D
And on the same night as Fractured Sunlight! :D My watchlist thanks you.
I'm gonna be so sad when I finish this thing.
Gosh, congratulations on finishing!
Now I suppose I have no further excuses to put off reading it.
Awesome! Well done, and congratulations.
Welp, time to start reading it.
Great news indeed!
Now, to read it...
Salvation has been in my read later for... two years now? I stopped looking up new pony fiction about a year ago,
...Might be time I take a look at it.
Duly noted.
Congratulations! Now what's going to become you 'I should really update this story' though?
EEE... Uploading this to my kindle now!
3758539
Ugh, I've got too many to choose from :(
3759130
Pssst
wind thief :x
I mean, congratulations on finishing Salvation!
Woo! Man, it's been forever since I read the original, or even most of this one. Time for the happy CiG reread.
3760205
No, no, you are doing it wrong. You didn't go far enough down on the dropdown.
Like this: wind thief
Congratulations on finishing this story! I'll definitely need to find the time to catch up on it in the future.