Epilogue
The train made its way north via north-northwest, rocking back and forth on the tracks. Twilight enjoyed the gentle sway, she found it comforting, and to her it felt like the rocking of a cradle. Being rocked in a cradle was nice, but Twilight had a secret; she thought that perhaps, maybe, rocking a cradle of her own might be nicer.
Being an aunt had made her grow up quite a bit, it had forced her from her comfort zone, and she discovered the great joys of making friends with ponies not your own age. Her nieces and her nephew had given her a new perspective on friendship, as had her students, all of them. Each one was a treasure in their own right, with something unique to them to teach her.
With her head resting against the glass window, Twilight hoped that this time, things would work out for Trixie and that there would soon be a new niece or nephew running around. Being with Trixie through those agonising moments of heartbreak had changed Twilight profoundly and she now had a new perspective on the sanctity of life. Sighing, Twilight tried not to think about it too much. She had mourned the loss of those potential nieces and nephews with Trixie and moved on, just as Trixie had. It had been another friendship lesson, one that Twilight had written a bestseller book about—bonding through loss.
Feeling the soft touch of a foreleg resting upon her own, she glanced over and looked at Rarity, who took the opportunity to lean up against her. She and Rarity had bonded through mental illness, obsessive compulsive disorder, making their bond special and unique. It too, had inspired Twilight to write a bestselling novel. Mental illness had a tough bit of social stigma, there was a fight waiting to happen, and Twilight planned further salvos in the future to aid in Cadance’s crusade.
“Applejack never learns, darling.” Rarity nodded her head in Applejack’s direction.
Blinking, Twilight glanced over at Applejack, who was once again playing poker with Sumac and losing. Twilight smiled at the look of frustration on Applejack’s face, which she found quite amusing, and was somewhat distracted by the sensation of Rarity breathing on her.
“Sumac was born for a life of graft,” Rarity whispered into Twilight’s ear, causing it to flicker. “It’s amazing that Trixie has done as much as she has with him. He’s a rogue, but a charming one.”
“I dunno, I think Applejack is smarter than you give her credit,” Twilight whispered back to Rarity. “I also think that Applejack knows exactly what she is doing.”
“How so?” Rarity’s lips puckered into a fine moue.
“Sumac can’t lose when he’s gambling,” Twilight began, and she paused for a moment to pick her next words with great care. After some time spent considering what to say, she continued, “He can lose to another pony with a talent for graft that matches or exceeds his own, but ponies like Applejack don’t stand a chance. And I think Applejack is smart enough to have figured that out by now. I don’t think that Applejack is trying to win at all.”
“Then what is she doing?” Rarity asked, breathing the words.
“I think what Applejack is doing is trying to make Sumac a gracious winner. He’s a good colt, but he can be a little smug and a whole lot smarmy. He gets that from his mama, Trixie. Now more so than ever because he has a little piece of her soul. Sumac can’t help but win, and he’s not a good winner.”
“But Applejack is teaching him to be.” Rarity’s eyebrow arched as she cottoned on.
“Yes.” Twilight nodded.
“I see.” Rarity rubbed her foreleg over Twilight’s as she continued to lean up against her dear friend. “Twilight… we can be more than our cutie marks, right?”
Turning her head, Twilight looked Rarity in the eye.
“I can’t seem to stop whatever it is I’m becoming. I keep taking on more and more, chasing the next rung of success, and I just can’t seem to be happy with where I am. I am in a very good place, but it is just not enough. I feel this rush of happiness, but it only lasts for a while and then I feel the itch to keep going. Every day, I lose just a little bit more of myself, and I know for certain that I am losing my connection to all of you. Last year, I spent more days away from Ponyville than in Ponyville by a very large margin, according to my dayplanner. Sweetie Belle spends more time in my home than I do.”
Twilight worried, fearing that Rarity would make her mascara run if this kept up. She didn’t know what to say or how to respond to the mare leaning up against her. Twisting off to one side, Twilight reached out, touched Rarity’s neck, ran her hoof up along the graceful curve, paused for a moment along the corner of her jaw, and then she stroked her best friend’s cheek.
She watched Rarity shiver a bit in response.
Pulling her hoof away from Rarity’s cheek, she gestured over at Applejack and Sumac. “With our dear friends and family, anything is possible.”
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Tramsterdam terror..
TRAM = TRAIN?!!!!!!
No, no trains.
PLEASE NO MORE TRAINS!!!
ANYTHING BUT THE TRAINS.
7968217
NEVER GET ON A TRAIN WITH GOSLING!
Just ask Seville.
There's quite a bit of backstory to this fic that we haven't seen yet. I am perplexed and intriguéd.
7968222 or Bucky.
Just ask Twilight.
7968222 Not even a hype train?
7968241 those are the worst.
Tramsterdam = Trams + Amsterdam, smoking joints on public transport?
Nieces? Plural? Did Cadance pop out another one? Wouldn't be surprised. I wonder if this one's an alicorn?
Where the hell does Twilight find time to write all these best sellers? I mean, seriously!
That stuff with Trixie is a little too vague for me to make predictions about. ...Can you predict stuff that happened in the past? Whatever. I originally assumed that since she's asexual, that she wouldn't be having any foals. I may have assumed too much. Mea culpa on that one. It still kinda cheeses me that Lulamoon Hollow will only recognize a blood child as a legit heir, but the world is run by assholes, what can you do?
Might we see Rarity take focus in an upcoming story? Something about her unresolved concerns tells me we might.
So, since
RadicalHonestysomeone is going to see that bit about Twilight wanting to rock a cradle and think about Spike, I may as well ask: How did our favorite firebrand spend his infancy?For a series that's given a fair amount of depth and thought to Pinkie Pie, I don't recall ever seeing Mr. and Mrs. Cake. Don't get me wrong, I love what you've done with the Pie family, but Pinkie does have a second family, and I'd like to see how they weigh in on her troubles.
I still have some other lingering thoughts before I wrap all this up, so expect another couple posts from me tomorrow. The last one will be me going on about how brilliant this story is and you are for writing it, so look forward to that.
7968222 My opinion of Weedverse's Rarity is evolving. Until now, she has been among my least favorite of the Mane 6 depictions. I don't think it is just about her getting little 'page time', Fluttershy has arguably gotten as little. And it's not that I don't like Rarity in fanfiction, she's in the top half of my list of favorite Mane 6 ponies. But Weedverse Rarity has been a little cold and disconnected in the stories till now. But she was successful by her own definition and seemed OK with where she was at.
Now we see Rarity's pain. That she knows she's become disconnected. She doesn't like it but doesn't know how to fix it. Seeing her admit her problem makes me think there's a plan for Rarity, and that makes me happy.
Gonna sound stupid, and my idea is probably not one that'd fly in this universe, but I had a thought.
Given more ponies finding faults with their cutiemark compulsions (Flicker, Rarity, Flam after the fact), I wonder if perhaps a break is in order. Not like "Our Town" or anything, but like a retreat. A vacation if you will. Starlight holds onto a cutie mark for a week (or even just a day) and let's the pony/ies sort themselves out for a bit without the big tug from flank-based-destiny, and then returns them before some sort of deeper existential crisis/hollowness can happen.
Again, probably a horrible idea and numerous parties (if not all) would probably be against this. But it's an interesting concept that floated out of my head and into this post. That and I'd love to hear a take on the plausibility/absurdity of Destiny Depravation Therapy.
7968474
This is actually an idea that I've been floating around for a good long while now. Starlight finally finds a useful purpose for her special spell. A positive, nurturing use for her special spell.
7968324
While working in the lab, or doing something, she blabs out stuff, all of the jumbled mess inside of her head, and Spike puts it together into a coherent, readable format. What Spike writes gets turned into a book.
And it becomes a bestseller.
7968480
Why does none of this surprise me? I hope his name is on the books somewhere. Or at least that he gets his cut of the profits.
Aww, no closure on the Pinkie Pie thing or who broke her heart.
Makes you wonder what Rarity's mark and special talent really is? Yes, gem finding was how she got her mark, but I wonder if her special talent isn't actually being successful in business.
Rarity started in a small farming town and becomes a success selling a product most of the townsfolk seldom use. She's not a noble but flourished in Canterlot and can hold her own in their circles. She's not an earth pony but is successful in Manehatten, the largest earth pony city (If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere).
If Rarity's special talent is being successful in business, the clash between her creativity and her business sense may be part of what is making her unhappy.
7968549
As stated so many times, that is intentionally left vague and will remain unknown.
But what kind of terror is it?
The gravity of personal destiny in the weedverse is a very fascinating cornerstone of the setting. Is friendship greater than destiny? Twilight might answer yes here, but from other stories and even events in this one I suspect the answer is more complex.
Good work~!
7968551
Personal interpretation: Rarity's cutie mark and special spell lead her to a source of venture capital. Being a foal, she didn't understand this right away, but as she got older, she understood that it was a means to an end.
Just my personal headcanon. Do with it as you will.
Sucessful people are some of the most generous. Bill Gates.
7968556
Eh, one can hope.
7968477
Could she also use the spell to switch Ponies Cutie Marks? Since as was mentioned when the 5 of them had their Cutie Marks switched and eventually returned due to Starswirls Unfinished Spell they came to better understand of each other, at least for those who were switched. Helping ponies to better understand each other through that could be another possible use.
Very deep, yet comical. Not this chapter, but the story.
It was nice, to say the least.
That was all around awesome. It left me with an unexplainable craving for quesadillas, though.
:)
Rarity needs more giant hats
Here's a minor stray thought. Twilight made a comment about how Sumac goes through grilled cheese sandwiches. The same kind he asked for after being rescued from Chrysalis. I wonder if it's become a comfort food for him?
...Yes, I realize how utterly irrelevant this is.
Most of all, I'm just glad Twilight was able to work through her quesadilla phobia. That's just an unfair one. Everything else is a work in progress, but hey, we're all in that boat.
7969513
Like Twilight Sparkle before him, Sumac found a means of independence. Twilight made quesadillas, Sumac makes grilled cheeses. And he can do so without adult supervision.
Many of the unicorns in the Weedverse all have a food that they latch onto because it becomes a part of their independence. For Tarnished Teapot, for example, it's egg salad.
7968480 I like it.
7968898 You should have been eating them all along like I have. I couldn't even recount just how many quesadillas I've eaten over the course of reading this story.
So, I'm pretty much content with Spike at this point. He seems happy and is working towards making his own relationships better. Awesome. One last question is lingering in my head, and that is this: If Spike is still a child, then is it really okay for him to have a full-time job like this? Especially given what his job is?
Honestly, though, I don't care all that much at this point. I'm just asking so I can get it out of my head; you know the drill by now. This is the kind of question that can be applied to canon Spike, so anyone could write a fic about it. I really want to stop asking things about Spike, but this rabbit hole goes deep.
Don't feel like you absolutely have to respond to this one. I'm 100% positive that I will be satisfied with wherever Spike is by the time the Weedverse concludes.
7970427
Flicker is a decade old but is gainfully employed as an apprentice. Pinkie Pie, as seen in the show, left home as a tiny filly and took up a job working for the Cakes.
I'm not sure that child labour laws apply here.
7970438
Less child labor laws and more of a child development thing. You know, that stuff RadicalHonesty brings up. (I give that guy a bit of crap, but honestly I like him.)
Again, I'm not too concerned about this. I am not losing sleep thinking about the implications of Spike's development in the Weedverse.
(Now what is that emoticon supposed to be saying?)
Twilight Sparkle dating. What terror awaits us? Honestly, as of right now, I kinda hope she doesn't end up dating Seville. Kind of a personal hang-up of mine. I do believe that people shouldn't have to date if they don't want to, so seeing Rarity trying to press Twilight into dating this guy was rather uncomfortable for me. Having her and Celestia effectively proven correct in their pressing would not be my favorite development. Of course, if it ends up being as well-written as nearly everything else you do, then I won't really have any reason to complain. Though I would like to see their friendship before I see them in a relationship. Assuming that's where you're going with it. For all I know, you have a new OC in the wings to bust into Twilight's romantic life. Or maybe a threesome with those two and Pinkie will happen, who knows?
There are very few things that I firmly believe in. One of them is that there is no single correct way to live life. Which is why one of my favorite parts of the Weedverse is it's depictions of so many different kinds of relationships. Let's go through a few, just for fun.
Tarnish and Maud had a passionate relationship that bloomed very quickly and has only been growing since. Added onto that is their ill-defined relationship with Octavia and Vinyl, which makes for very charming and interesting interactions. These four clearly help each other, and I'm glad they're in each others' lives.
Gosling is a very traditional, no-sex-before-marriage kind of guy. But while the royal PR department takes advantage of this, he's never shown as being better than anyone else for this choice. He does what he is comfortable with, and is clearly influenced by his own circumstances. Rather for being praised for avoiding pre-marital sex, he is instead shown as virtuous for standing by his personal principles in spite of incredible temptation (and an incredibly need for tension release). These two things are not really the same thing, however they might appear, and I highly approve.
Rainbow Dash appears to be chronically single, and perfectly fine with that. She engages in no-strings-attached fun, but only while being responsible about it. She is also shown to be very considerate for the emotional well-being of her partner, even if that partner is for one night only. On the surface, she appears to be the antithesis of everything Gosling stands for, the reality is that she's no less virtuous than he.
I still can't believe what you did to Applejack. Seriously, the only reason her former husband isn't my least favorite character is because I've never met him. If he ever shows up, I imagine he'll rapidly hit the top slot. (As it is, I fully expect Belladonna to hit that spot following her appearance.) As of this story, I think it's been about a decade since they married, give or take. She's holding up rather well, considering. I'd be very interested in seeing that explored more, but I don't know if it will or not. In any case, Applejack clearly knows how to endure hardship. She is simultaneously heartbreaking and inspiring.
I think this the last of my stray thoughts. My next post will be the wrap up for this story. I don't know if I'll type it up tonight or tomorrow.
7970469
Flicker probably has a far more demanding job than Spike does. He is expected to do life threatening things and exceptional ones at that, and he's judged harshly for failure. The difference is that it's clear his mentor is imparting his knowledge to him. Putting Flicker's development first, imparting his experience and life-lessons. And trying to identify the problems with Flicker's emotions and balance him out. His future is important to them, and his mentor understands his role in helping Flicker grow as a person.
Twilight doesn't seem like she even really notices that Spike is still growing up, and that she's important to his development at all. Like he's actually a very small adult, who is done with his development, and one that can be responsible for her well being instead of the other way around, or instead of the road going both ways.
In the show I believe this is unintentionally written like this, more of a symptom they're not thinking it through/disorganized with implicit and background characterization, but given the response from kudz a few chapters ago this appears to be a known facet of the story.
7971956
I'll have to take your word for it on that first part. Still haven't read The Mask Makes the Pony. Anyway, you continue to make fair and interesting points. Though at least in canon, his physical and emotional maturity are somewhat vague. I've seen a few headcanons that suggest that Spike will always be that size without hoarding, so who knows? Secret of My Excess brought up a lot of questions that it didn't bother answering.
Great. One story done, 7 different things brought up for other stories to cover.
We do this to ourselves damnit. you do, and that's why it really hurts.
A large portion of this piece can be boiled down to a single statement: Friendship is Magic. Well done Kudzu on another wonderful piece.
Kudzu you incorrigible tease.
One of the biggest difficulties I face when reading the Weedverse is a consistent feeling of dread I tend to get. Even in a story focusing around a gifted five year-old, it sometimes feels, at least to me, that everything is terrible and will simply keep getting worse for everyone. Tarnish trying to survive and find his place in a world that keeps kicking him when he's down. Twilight Sparkle having to deal with a life forced on her without her consent and enduring to avoid disappointing those she looks up to. Sumac's usefulness having his life plotted for him before he even has figured out who he is. Even with the good things that happened to these characters, I have a lingering dread in my mind that things are just going to fall apart and everyone will be miserable forever. At least part of this is me projecting, which is my own problem. This doesn't change how I feel while reading, which makes it difficult to continue sometimes.
And then this story happened. A story where Twilight's issues with dating tied to her inexplicable fear of quesadillas.
On paper, this is perhaps the stupidest thing I've ever heard.
In practice, this is perhaps one of the most brilliant things I've ever read.
When I started reading, I was getting some of the same dread. The Mane 6 were together, but there was a strong sense of how far they've drifted apart. Incidentally, that's something I've always hated seeing, close friends drifting apart, which wasn't helping with the dread. And then...things started getting better. Not just in the short term, but actually making real plans to try to spend more time with one another.
Things got heavy and depressing for some characters briefly, but they managed to start bouncing back thanks to their friendship. And then there's Rainbow Dash, who is and remains The Best. This is the first time that I felt that maybe, just maybe, these ponies will be alright. That they'll get to find their own happiness. That they won't be crushed by the hardships of their lives. Heck, that Sumac is only slightly acting like a moody teenager in light of having a constant target on his back is fills me with hope for the future.
The closest thing I can come to a criticism is that Rarity and Fluttershy really didn't stand out compared to the others. But you were juggling ten characters, so it's not distracting. Plus, Fluttershy didn't seem to have a long-standing problem to deal with, and Rarity is hinted to be approached in the future. So no complaints here.
I needed this. I think the Weedverse needed this. I'm sure you'll punch me in my emotional gut in the stories to come and make me dread all over again. But for now, I can approach this 'verse with renewed vigor.
7987925
He literally put his life into his work. That is why it turned out perfect, and that is the lesson for Pebble.
Absolute and total perfection comes at a terrible price.
So, I was at work tonight when something of questionable importance occurred to me. In an earlier post, I suggested that I expect Belladonna to become my least favorite character following her appearance. To clarify, I meant that in a "character I think needs a smack upside the head" way, not a "character I think isn't done very well" way. Same goes for when I mentioned Applejack's former husband. I'm sorry if this was obvious and I'm just wasting your time. I felt that, given the sorts of posts I've made in the past, that it might not have been clear.
8016143
See the link in the description? About the Weedverse? Join the group and look in the stories folder. You will find everything you seek and then some.
Oh god, I found something worse than a Diabolical Quesadilla!
cdn.ebaumsworld.com/mediaFiles/picture/730195/85202375.jpg
8016150 Thus far I've only read Gosling's main story and I'm still getting through the first with Tarnish.
7969616 I think most people have a food like that, mine's curry
8017817
That... THING....
Arteries... HARDENING.
Speaking, like KIRK.
Cardiac...
ARREST
X_x
7937853
I was just going back through these comments and I just realized that you made an anagram for PTSD. I just got it.
8108908
Short answer: It's complicated.
Pregnancy can happen outside of heats and there are a variety of ways to go about it. Heats just greatly increase the chances, depending on tribe. Fertility also has a magical element that can defeat certain types of protection.
So, it;s complicated.
8110493
A college education with psychology major?
Really, I don't know where to begin looking for so much condensed information all at once. It's like asking, "How do I build a car from scratch?"
I am positive the knowledge is out there, but getting all of it required would involve a lot of looking,
i'm curious as to what happened to the chair pebble made
8446217
Omw, did not mean to post anything, actually. Mobile site apparently grabbed the quote box without me noticing and spellcheck took care of the rest.