It Is Recommendsday, My Dudes #28 · 6:26pm Sep 29th, 2021
I'm running really behind this week, but damned if I'm gonna miss things. Though glancing at my story choices, it may be coloring what I picked this week.
Today's lead is Scythe by Liquid Truth.
Using a scythe is difficult when you don't have hands. Filly Applejack is having trouble with hers in the field when a kindly person in a heavy black cloak offers her some instructional tips. And, perhaps, an important life lesson along the way.
It shouldn't take too much to fill in the blanks here. It's not an unusual moment in the setting's history to look at. But this one stands out to me not just by the somber nature but with the... well, the peace of it. It's gentle. It's at ease. It feels comfortable despite the weight of the situation. Part of that by Applejack's side of the interaction - her innocence and later her understanding.
Following that, Monochromatic makes another appearance in Without a Hitch.
Another early favorite of mine, it's got the quite unusual duo of Discord and Mayor Mare at the center. It's from an old EFNW Iron Author competition and... well.
Mayor Mare is dying. In one hour, five minutes and thirty-two seconds. Only Discord is there with her.
This one's a knife to the heart, folks. Particularly for those of us who've seen a friend or loved one go slowly, this story hurts. But it also soars - Discord, the most unlikely character, is essential for making it all go off without a hitch. And it really shows where he went and how he developed over the course of the series.
This one's no easy read, but it's an excellent piece, both as a demonstration of Discord's character and just as a sad, somber tale.
New or catching up? Try Recommendsday: The Index for your story needs!
very intriguing-looking stories both!
Agreed about “Without a Hitch”! That one also is on my Recommended Stories bookshelf.
And “Scythe” is, for Liquid Truth, characteristically surreal, but suitably melancholy.