Random Ramblings XCV

IN WHICH I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS
For the last three weeks, Sunset Shimmer Buys A Burrito has been sitting at 99 net-upvotes (103 up, 4 down). I promised myself I'd write a blogpost once it got that hundredth net upvote, but it never came. Until today. So this is my little way of marking a milestone for a story I feel really deserves it. Thank you so much, everyone!

I've posted a dozen stories on this site. Mostly one-shots. But I'm more partial to some stories than others. I've always rather liked "Sunset … Burrito", enough to write three followups whose quality varies – "Sonata" is probably the best-written, but its lack of song references makes me sad; "Aria" is the most satisfying to me because she kills Donald Trump through sheer chutzpah; "Adagio" may be the weakest of the four narratively because I changed its ending last-minute, but I still love her reaction when Normal-Norman makes fun of her flat chest using only facial expressions. I wouldn't have written any of those had "Sunset" not been received so positively. And I might not have discovered how much fun the Dazzlings are not only to read but also to write. Especially Aria, who was my least favourite in the movie (still love her, but someone has to be last) yet I enjoyed writing the most.

Highs & Lows may be my most popular story by far, but I'll be the first to admit it's not very good. It was written in one insane go and I really didn't try… or edit. Compare that to its followup Lows & Highs, where I actually cared. Enough to spend two weeks agonizing over the exact wording of a key passage – I think the quality of the final product speaks for itself… at least for me, as I still have trouble reading aloud Sunset's lines in that part of the story. Hell, I was barely keeping it together when writing it.

I was satisfied with its followup, RVSS@4, but I regret I couldn't make it more of a comedy like I originally intended. At least a couple of readers have pointed out the shipping potential with Rarity and Sunset. I don't deny the potential exists. Indeed, I actively work to keep them from kissing – I've literally been clam-blocking them since H&L. But I'm not sorry for it. Hooking them up, no matter how good their chemistry is, is taking the easy way out. Life doesn't work that way. Realistically, given Sunset's fragile mental state, any relationship she entered at this stage would end very badly, especially if that relationship is with her only friend. To me, that smacks of dependence and possible transference (even though Rarity isn't a therapist). It doesn't help Sunset recover. So… no, I'm not going to ship them. I won't rule out a one-shot wherein they both realize why it can't work.

I started writing my newest instalment in Sunset's Recovery arc: the Flash Sentry story. I'm honestly amazed at how much of an asshole he is. It's weird; he must still care about Sunset since he beelines to her apartment once he finds out she won't leave, but he's not going to treat her delicately. I think the way their relationship ended really fucked him up. Since no one will read this, I'll just lay it out: Sunset Shimmer's lying about her age. Not that big a spoiler really since I've alluded to it in no fewer than three of my stories. He still finds her attractive – as does nearly every guy at CHS and a few of the girls – and he wants to believe at least some of the feelings from their time together were genuine. Essentially, he cares for her in spite of himself. Not sure how this will turn out, especially with Rarity there too, but it looks to be interesting. I hope I'm up to writing it.

Well, that's it for now.