Dinky the Discoverer gets it into her head that the world needs a scientific study of cuddling, embracing, snuggling, and all that good wholesome stuff that makes life truly worth living.
Unfortunately for Golden Harvest, who needs the time to prepare for an important festival, this isn't a joke. Fortunately for Derpy, this is a golden opportunity to prove she's not a joke.
With all the silly little conflicts going on, Golden Harvest can't offer much in the way of guidance, much as she'd like to. (Nor can Derpy, though for more conventional reasons). Still, Dinky's not a quitter. She will rise up and face the call of duty.
The trick, of course, is to hear it over all this shouting...
Inspired by, but not a contestant for, CategoricalGrant's CuddleFic Contest.
Please Note: This is a story in progress. The Science of Hugging is currently being written for National Pony Writing Month 2017. Final version may be very different.
Oh, this has potential...
8580341
Thank you.
Hmm. You lost some points with me at first, but I can't deny that this particular instance of Best Pony is a Muffins as opposed to any of the other possibilities out there.
In any case, this looks like it's going to be a fascinating ride from all angles. I look forward to more.
8581874
8582043
I just mean points in the sense of numbers in a score, not items on a list. Matter of personal preference, really. I just don't like that particular name for She of the Seven Bubbles.
8581874
Because Derpy is referred to as "Muffins" here? If so, then I'm with you on this.
The idea of this fic is wonderful, but seeing Derpy being referred to with this name that is a mirror of so many horrible things and that became born by a horrible mindset ruins the story and is why I refuse to read it.
8587780
Uh... it's just a name. Read the story and mentally replace "Muffins" with your name of choice. Trust me, it's worth it.
8587785
I know of this practique, I mentally replace things while reading all the time. This isn't just about reading that censorship name for Derpy, though. It's much more about what it stands for and about the horrible origins it has.
Better than simply overwriting the name in my mind, I'd hope for the author to change every mention of "Muffins" to Derpy's real name.
Using "Muffins" indirectly benefits Derpy's haters and the intolerant, hateful mindset that is responsible for this censorship in the first place, something that should never be done.
8587808
I made my position on this quite clear last time I wrote a Derpy/Muffins story, so I'm only going to say it once:
I don't approve of said ableist censorship (namely, the eye thing).
I like the name "Muffins" better than "Derpy".
These are not contradictory positions.
If you don't want to read the story because my choice of name has unfortunate connotations you don't approve of, that's fair enough. People have different experiences of the same material, and I appreciate that. Again, it's in the description so that prospecting users know ahead of time and can give it a pass if they want to. I won't even begrudge them their right to downvote it, if they feel they must.
But we had this discussion last time, and I have absolutely no interest in repeating an old and moralistic debate that left neither of us convinced the first time around. Especially when it involves being repeatedly accused - however indirectly - of being complicit with ableist censorship. So I'm not inclined to cut it much (if any) further slack; if it gets excessive, I'm going to interpret your future comments on this theme as "bothering" and block your account, as per the rules.
I really don't want to. I've got nothing against you personally, and in the interests of fairness, I let you have your say the first time around. I won't even mind if you want to respond to this comment of mine. But I will if this kind of commenting continues beyond that (say, with a third such fic), because on a site where you can simply ignore such a story, it's flat-out uncharitable and unfriendly behaviour. And as someone who cares about disabled people's rights, I don't appreciate persistent smearing on the same theme. Especially on such thin evidence as this.
I'm not trying to silence your view. You're entitled to it, and I acknowledge that even as I don't necessarily agree with it. I'm just not interested in seeing veiled ableist accusations clog up the comments section again.
8587893
Yes, these are contradictory positions. As well as I do, you know that this censorship name for Derpy used in credits and on toys was introduced because of the haters who picked on her cause they couldn't tolerate a disabled pony on TV.
You also know that this censorship name was introduced to please those haters and that Derpy is with its usage still partially affected by the events from five years ago and that she still hasn't recovered from those events completely because of that.
And, I assume, you are intelligent enough to figure out for yourself that, if anyone in the fandom adapts this name and uses it, as well, this is in the same way pleasing the haters, wether be it intentionally or unintentionally.
You cannot go and say "I just like this name more" and distance yourself from all the implications this decision holds. This is not such an innocent matter like deciding between calling her "Derpy" or calling her "Ditzy Doo", this is something that has far heavier things attached to it.
Regardless your reasons for calling her "Muffins", you cannot escape from it that using the name "Muffins" will always be in poor taste and in indirect support of Derpy's haters and that it will always have questionable moral implications if you do that.
And this isn't to say that you think like those haters. This is criticizing that you carry their agenda without even realizing it, by making unfortunate implications.
If you want to go this far, then there is nothing stopping you from it. Regardless of that, though, I will continue to address this matter whenever and wherever it comes up.
The reason why I am doing this is to prevent this censored name for Derpy from becoming established in the fandom. The ones who use "Muffins" as name for her are a minority, I am aware of that, but a minority can grow into a majority eventually, if certain things (like this fic) give people the impression something becomes a trend. You might believe your humble writing here doesn't have an impact, but people see this and they could think "Hey, that name sounds great! I call her that, too!" It is something that can inspire people, wether you intent for that to happen or not.
Which is especially likely to happen with new bronies who come into the fandom or only came into it recently. Bronies like this very likely don't know what happened five years ago, so they will see Derpy credited as "Muffins" after an episode, they will see this name for her being used in this fic and then get the impression that this is her name and, therefore, use it cause they think this is her actual name.
The name "Muffins" establishing itself in the fandom, especially after all that fight against Derpy's haters five years ago that the fandom was fighting, would, to some extent, mean that Derpy's haters have won in the end and it would render all the achievements and accomplishments from this fight for Derpy from five years ago meaningless.
This is not about what people like the most. This is about avoiding that the fandom adapts a censorship name that only benefits the ones who brought this turmoil over Derpy in the first place.
And that is something that can only be done by leaving a countermessage. You use "Muffins" as name for Derpy in your fics, I will write my two cents about it under said fic and explain why that shouldn't be done.
As a fandom who always stood for tolerance and keeps doing that, being centered around a show with that exact message of tolerance, I think it is our responsibility to ensure that we don't allow that a name for Derpy that was only born from hatred establishes itself here and also to ensure that newbies joining the fandom don't get the impression that this is Derpy's actual name.
If we stop voicing why Derpy shouldn't be called "Muffins", we have failed with this responsibility, so, as far as I am concerned, I will keep commenting like this when I see Derpy being referred to as such.
I understand how this raises concerns from your side that readers who take a look into the comments section first might not read your fic, cause it made them aware why it's a bad idea to refer to Derpy as "Muffins" and therefore, makes them change their decision to read the fic.
But at the end of the day, you make the decision to use this name for Derpy in your fics. As I said above, you are in a minority with this and most don't like to see this name for Derpy being used (especially not in such a way that an otherwise great story idea gets wasted and sullied by attaching such a problematic implication to it), so if people see this and voice their disapproval in the comments, this is the consequence of your decision of using it.
More than just that, using "Muffins" as her name in your fics is not a pressing matter for you. You aren't pressured to do this, you aren't going to die from calling her "Derpy", it will not make you sick. It would simply mean to have awareness of how and why "Muffins" as a name for her is problematic and to avoid that problem.
You could simply go and change her name to "Derpy" in your fics, especially after you got already offered to do that, and it would not hurt you.
It's simple and easy to do the right thing here. If you don't do it anyway, then this makes criticism you get as consequence for deciding for "Muffins" as her name just more legit and gives people even more right to do that. Because people have the right to say what they think, regardless of your approval.
The comments section is public and people will speak their minds, you got to live with that. You have your opinion of using "Muffins" as name for Derpy in your stories and you voice that opinion by doing this, others have the opinion this shouldn't be done, so they will voice that opinion under your stories, as well.
Being accepting of differing opinions is a two-way street, you voice yours, you gotta grant people the right to voice theirs under your fics.
If you block people for criticizing you under your stories for calling Derpy "Muffins", then yes, you do silence people then, because you keep yourself being able to say your opinion of how you want to call Derpy, but at the same time, rob others of the ability to criticize this and to give a different viewpoint in the comments.
You create an environment then where you make it look like that calling Derpy "Muffins" is the only viewpoint that exists and that everyone is okay with this by default, something that is far from the truth.
Instead of being hypocritical and abusing the block function by preventing people from countering and challenging your viewpoints, you should follow your own advice that you just gave me:
You don't have to read every comment, so if one bothers you, don't read it.
8588017
Let me make this clear: This isn't about having a different viewpoint by now. I'm more than happy for you to state your case civilly and with respect. I already said that I accept that some people will have unhappy connotations regarding "Muffins", and yes, I accept that some will not read my fics as a result. This seems fair to me. If they want to leave a comment pointing this out, I'm fine with that too.
In fact, you're perfectly OK to post a comment in my fics saying "Muffins is a name Hasbro used in response to ableists complaining about 'The Last Roundup'; some of us find this name to be too deeply associated with that nasty controversy for us to enjoy it, and if you agree with us, ignore this fic, or tell the author/readers that's what you think'."
That's fine. I don't agree with the position, but I can acknowledge it and let people express themselves. Who knows? Maybe if someone has a great argument, I could be persuaded to change my mind and see "Muffins" as unacceptable. Heck, 8582112 basically did something like that, and could expand that comment above if he wanted to. I'm OK with that.
No, this is about your comments insisting my viewpoint is wrong and yours is right, not merely factually but morally. Claiming, for instance, that my preference for "Muffins" contradicts and therefore invalidates my distaste for the controversy. Or claiming that my usage of "Muffins" will somehow validate to new users the ableism around "The Last Roundup". Or claiming that the name change, not the eye censorship, is the crime (Seriously? "Muffins" becoming popular over "Derpy" would necessarily or even probably render the work of the disabled-inclusive outlook meaningless? This is a transparent non-sequitur).
Basically ignoring what I'm saying in favour of tarring my position, come what may, for a moral crusade that is based on unreasonable guilt-by-association.
That is beyond challenging a viewpoint. That is coming close to moralistic bullying. In fact, the first time this issue came up, you accused me of lying - not of being mistaken, but of lying - over canonicity, on no more urgent grounds than that I claimed "Muffins" was the only canonical name.
And since then you've accused me - an avowed supporter of disabled people's rights - of supporting ableist victories, completely hostile to even the suggestion that any view other than yours is moral. Of course I'm annoyed. This is neither civil nor respectful. Worse, given the moral baggage you're bringing to the table, this difference of opinion becomes close to defamatory.
I'm not contesting the origin of the name, unsavoury as it was. But people are quite intelligent enough to distinguish between "Some people like Muffins, some people like Derpy" and "Some people want the eye condition restored, some people want it censored". Muddying the distinction is not a sign of moral purity or fortitude on your part; it's a deliberate and denialist refusal to acknowledge such a distinction, made worse by the moral baggage you attach to it, and does not therefore come across as intelligent.
You're basically denigrating my outlook based on something that's capable of being judged independently; in other words, based on prejudice. And from this, you want to make a claim to supporting tolerance? By equating "Muffins"-fanciers with people who want faulty eyes airbrushed out of cartoons, to say nothing of people who treat disabled people as second-class citizens? By ignoring or dismissing any other position, or - worse - lumping them in with the "bad" side regardless of what they actually say or do? Worse, by actively crusading against someone with said different view? That's exactly the kind of prejudiced and judgemental intolerance that motivates the ableists.
In any case, a victory against the censorship would be the character prominently restored with the eye disability unambiguously present i.e. the actual disability. If I said, for "The Last Roundup", the second take's voice acting was better, would that make me an ableist defender by default? Of course not, but by your loose logic, it would.
I appreciate your concerns, I really do, but I've reiterated my support for disabled people's rights and explicitly denied the association you assume. An ableist looking for support for their position will not get my vote, and certainly would be presumptuous to assume it based on the "Muffins" usage, again considering her disability is intact in the fics where it is used. If you or anyone else insists on making the association nonetheless, that's in defiance of this disavowal, and therefore deliberately uncharitable.
Least of all am I going to tolerate being repeatedly and stubbornly bothered in this manner when there are perfectly polite and non-judgemental ways to make your view heard. My preference may be unimportant - I could in theory simply replace the name - but moralizing it and then deliberately setting out to browbeat me and other users into changing it - by declaring it as immoral - is another level entirely. I am most certainly not about to change my preferences because someone insists on interpreting that preference as an immoral action.
That is what, if it comes to it, the block would be for, should it come at all. Alternative viewpoints are fine; persistent moral bashing and mudslinging are not.
8588180
If these are honest words that won't be taken back on the next opportunity by purposely interpreting my (or anyone's) criticism as "disrespectful" and as "moral bullying" to fabricate a block reason and give your viewpoint exclusivity here, then there shouldn't be any further issues coming from this.
What you listed in this paragraph is what I always did and what I will continue to do, providing comments with counterarguments to balance out your support of the name "Muffins" and to criticize the usage of said name, with the goal to (hopefully) prevent further usage of this name by others.
Technically speaking, you can still choose to interpret this as a diss of your person, rather than a criticism of referring to Derpy as "Muffins", and proceed to block users for speaking a different mind than you have, but I will still apply your own advice here; to simply not read such comments if a different viewpoint about the matter of which name to use for Derpy makes you feel attacked on a personal level or offends you. If it doesn't make you feel that way when people apply said criticism, however, you are also invited to intelligently debate the matter.
And since you said that all that you listed above in the quote is "perfectly OK" with you, I will give you the benefit of the doubt that this is true and that you won't attempt to silence people here for criticizing your name choice for Derpy by blocking them the next time this happens, be it me or somepony else.
See you next time.
8589682
Thank you for the thoughtful reply, and I apologise for coming across as too confrontational and assuming too much in my last comment. I admit I was annoyed and partly dreading this spinning out into a debate I didn't really want to have, and that likely biased my judgement.
So long as we both understand we disagree over this particular issue and can do so respectfully, without impugning each other's motives, then I am OK with that. I'm glad we both agree on honest and fair discussion. That's all I wanted to be sure about.
8596355
Given that this is the Internet, the comments section could've been a lot worse. At least nothing got out of hand and it ended relatively peacefully. Your contribution is nevertheless much, much appreciated.
If it makes you feel any less envious, I need a good long runup to do half of or most of this stuff, and I have fallen flat on my face from time to time (for instance, Healing Properties had to be utterly revoked because of how badly I mangled it). It is not nearly as easy as I make it look. Also, it's probably a good idea not to read my incomplete stuff. That shows an unwarranted optimism about the future, or else phenomenal patience.
Regarding character interplay scenes, in general they're my favourite scenes to write. Once I get a grasp of character voice and how they'd play off (read: annoy, confuse, worry, sadden, guilt-trip) each other, it really is like the scenes just write themselves. My favourite so far is Golden Harvest; Dinky's a close second, but her child-level approach needs me to stop and think every now and again. Yet I ultimately have a soft spot for haplessly pragmatic types in a world of crazy.
Of course, they're all more or less fun to write (Diamond Tiara wasn't even more than a cameo in the original script, and turned out to be an unexpected delight)! Needless to say, the particular characters shown here will be making future appearances, both in this fic and - if I'm lucky - in other fics too.
And... I admit I come up short when it comes time to respond to praise, because there's only so many times I can say a hearty "Thanks!" (and there's a very narrow bar separating excessive ego from excessive self-deprecation), so I'll finish for now by addressing your two last points.
The duel narratives thing is partly a result of scene-management: the main connections were going to involve Ruby, Berry, Golden, Muffins, and Dinky a lot more, but certain "functional" scenes needed to be addressed, and I'll admit the resulting scenes didn't mix things up as much as I'd have liked. Ruby and Berry are supposed to be the main link (Ruby via Dinky and Berry, Berry via Ruby and Golden, with Muffins acting as a sort of wild card able to do whatever she wanted). Hopefully, it'll make much more sense if the future scenes come to light, because I do have a story plan uniting the two.
Lastly, re: the Muffins depiction. I don't see the distinction in practice; in PNO, Muffins really was a bumbler trying to dispel her unfortunate reputation for "hindering more than helping", and some comedic mileage is wrung out of that scenario (most obviously at the expense of poor Golden Harvest). I think the major difference between PNO and TSoH is that Muffins there was the main driver of the plot, so even as she causes damage and fluffs things, she's at least making narrative progress and coming across as meaningfully contributing.
By contrast, here she's so far been led by other characters instead, so that dominant influence isn't much in evidence. I think the reason she's coming across as more comedic prop than anything else is that, at this point, that's the most obvious trait of hers to emphasize, especially when up against the likes of Dinky and Twilight, who are respectively the main driver and the best equipped passenger. I am intending to give her more agency, and thus a better chance to show off other character traits, in the rest of the fic. Hopefully, that should go some way towards diluting the "comedic prop" impression. Hopefully.
In any case, thank you very much for the comment! It was a great help and a wonderful delight, as ever.
8589682
All right. I'm changing her name to "Derpy", here and from this point on. It's honestly less of a hassle, and I no longer have any interest in contesting the issue. Plus, I'd rather not shoot myself in the foot if it means turning away potential viewers.
9149154
Huh, that came unexpectedly..... But I am glad to read this. This was honestly the only thing that irked me about your stories; if there was one about Derpy or where Derpy is even just mentioned, I knew I wouldn't be able to enjoy it because it calls Derpy by a name that is essentially an insult for her, because of the way how it came to be.
And it did pain me that I was not able to read this story here in particular because of that, but I will always stand strong with good old Derpy and do what I can to protect her.
Looks like I can finally go and read this story now.