It Is Recommendsday, My Dudes #79 · 10:06pm Sep 21st, 2022
Continuing the thread of the last couple weeks, it's Twilight Time! In particular, it's time for adorable little filly Twilight. Because Purple Smart gets even cuter when she's an eight year old hellion.
We start slow, with a work from PaulAsaran: Friendship = Evil.
Princess Celestia arrives on the scene of her young student Twilight causing trouble. In this particular case? She's created a multi-story book fortress inside the palace library and is refusing to come out. When confronted under flag of parley, Twilight explains that she has fortified herself against the evil duo of Cadance and Shining Armor, who are dookie-heads. And then calmly outlines that she can mathematically prove that the pair's romantic relationship is pure evil.
Now, I've heard this particular equation before in slightly different contexts. But it does make for some good comedy, and doubly so once you take into account Twilight's future personality and duties.
It isn't complicated. It is hilarious. I don't think I really need to go a lot deeper than that - if the idea of a seven year old adamantly explaining algebraic logic about why her brother's girlfriend is bad to a millennia-old demigoddess inside a book fort doesn't make you at least chuckle? There is nothing I can say that would change your mind about this story.
Now, a bit more complicated is a story where young Twilight is sharing the stage with an infrequent rival: Prince Blueblood. The two have quite a mystery on their hands in The Prince, the Mockingbird, and the Dreadful Twilight Sparkle by the ever-popular Carabas.
We open with Blueblood discovering a beautiful pegasus in the Place and - being a proper noble gentleman - leads her on a tour. As it turns out she's The Mockingbird, a famed master thief and she promptly steals Harmony, a priceless painting that's been hanging in the Palace for centuries. Upon realizing that he aided in the heist, Blueblood sets out to make things right by catching the supercriminal himself! ...over literally everyone else's objections. Unfortunately they take him at his word that he'll leave well enough alone.
Less than a minute later, he conscripts an eight year old Twilight Sparkle as his assistant and dashes off to Manehatten to hunt the Equestrian equivalent of Carmen Sandiego and defeat her in a battle of wits.
Okay, again: if you read that and don't instantly see the comedic potential, I don't even know what else to say.
This story delivers on the premise in spades: Blueblood fumbles through the investigation like Clouseau (but much more upper class British), Twilight demonstrates she's smarter than most adults while still being a child at her core, and Mockingbird is a delightful mix of vamp, smug, and completely thrown by the small child and her smaller dragon. The lesser stars - like Fleur and the newspaper filly Decibelle - also shine quite nicely
While there's certainly some adventure to be had, the story is much more focused on the comedy. Which is wonderful - Blueblood's earnest bumbling in pursuit of his mystery is hilarious, all while Twilight plays the competent straight mare to his blithe idiocy. We're less Holmes and Watson and more Bertie and Wooster. The whole thing's a great series of laughs, and well worth the reader's time if you have any taste at all for Blueblood being a dumbass and Twilight being the world's smartest preteen.
New or catching up? Try Recommendsday: The Index for your story needs!
You know, a part of me can still barely believe how infrequently the show ever did scenes with any of the Mane 6 as foals outside of “The Cutie Mark Chronicles” (and no, “Where the Apple Lies” and narrated flashbacks in “Going to Seed” don’t count). Almost nothing outside of the plot necessities in “The Cutie Re-Mark”, and literally nothing for Twilight past one moment in “Amending Fences”. It’s a kids show, and the adults want it too, come on! At least fanfiction has provided us with some Filly Twilight stuff. Not enough, at least not enough quality stuff. But some.
PaulAsaran doesn’t often delve into cute adorable comedy, but when he does, the results are usually pretty great. Weirdly, my most vivid memory of this story isn’t to do with it at all - it’s Paul being stunned with me pointing out in my review of it that it was his highest-rated story. Really took him by surprise, that!
Otherwise, though, eeyup, the premise of Filly Twilight using science and maths to prove friendship is evil with Cadance as a basis is too good to pass on. And that Blueblood/Detective Twilight farce will get a look soon too.
Ahh, Prince and Mockingbird was great :D
Both are great selections and are in my favorites.
Filly Twilight + Comedy = Pure Awesome!
I’mma check both stories right now.
I've read Friendship = Evil and I see I described it as "what you should read if you're looking for something sweet and cute that won't test your brain or stomach, but will test your smile muscles". I join in the chorus of approval for PaulAsaran's story. The Blueblood fic is going straight on the RiL list!
Thanks for the review! Always great to see that little bit of lightheartedness make more people smile.
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Shtaaap, y'all are makin' me
Much obliged for the review and recommendation!