A Variant Season, On Display
A Variant Season
On Display
Cherilee watched her students, chest swelled with pride. The old wooden stage, battered but well cared for, always called up memories of her fillyhood - more years ago than she cared to count thankyouverymuch. Despite the ... unusual circumstances of the performance, the 'Great and Powerful' Trixie seemed to have fascinated many of the foals in her class. Especially the two colts on stage.
"Hey Snips!" The taller colt said, grinning from ear to ear from behind a table covered in purple cloth.
"Yeah Snails?" The shorter colt was several paces away from the table, taking one more as the audience watched.
"Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat!"
"Again?" Another step back.
The green haired unicorn reached into the black top-hat, tongue partway out of his mouth as he concentrated.
What the gangly colt pulled from the top-hat was not a bunny, not a rodent of any kind. It looked like a lion's head. It snarled like a lion, before Snips panicked and pushed it back into the hat.
Snails removed his hooves from above his head, got back up, and looked out into the audient. Waggling his eyebrows he said, "And now for something we hope you'll Really like!" The curtains closed. The audience laughed, uncertain.
Behind the scenes, the two colts sputtered in confusion. The stallion from the stage crew began ushering them offstage.
"H-hey! We still had another bit after that." Snips cried.
"Sorry kid, you two were five minutes over-time as it was."
[With all possible apologies and much respect to Bruce 'The Boss' Springsteen.]
The curtains swung open. Three fillies, orange white and yellow, stood on a small platform, each wearing a red cape with golden lining. Light shone down illuminating the three, casting reflected light onto a Broad sheet of blue fabric behind them. Creaking on its roller, the cloth shifted left to the right in a loop. Felt cutouts of clouds above and hills below scrolled by. A hissing scratch came from backstage as a record started; haunting guitar tones with an echo began to play as the trio looked out over the audience, looking at something distant. Then they began to sing...
We have swum, lakes and fountains,
We have climbed the tallest hills,
Trying to find ourselves,
Trying to earn our 'Marks'.
Three flags unfurled from the ceiling, one orange, one white, and one pale yellow. Nothing else adorned them.
We have run, we have crawled
We once scaled a three-story wall
It was three stories tall!
Trying to find our 'Marks'.
A paper maché Sun swung into view.
But we still haven't found out our Cutie Marks
We still haven't earned, yet, our Cutie Marks
Poles with felt 'leaves' tilted into view from the sides, creaking slightly, the background became dark green with larger 'leaves' stuck on haphazardly.
We once built a newspaper ship,
Studied shiatsu with hoof-tips
We've put out several fires,
But not our burning desire!
We've been poked and nearly strangled,
Learned that a Zebra isn't evil,
In fact she is pretty nice,
Though she lives in a weird home.
The Sun swung off the stage, replaced by a crescent Moon. The Branches shifted back out of view and the background rolled back around to blue.
But we still haven't found out our Cutie Marks
No we still haven't earned, yet, our Cutie Marks
The Sun swung back into view, Sharing the upper space with the Moon. The three flags furled up aa a long strip of rainbow striped fabric hung down below the astral props.
We believe in the Moon and Sun.
When a rainbow holds all colors, six become one,
And harmony comes.
And yet we're still looking.
The Sun, Moon, and Rainbow were all pulled back out of view. The three flags dropped down, tied to one another by a corner each.
We formed a bond, one to
Loose us from shame.
Our flanks are blank
Bared without shame,
All the same.
Because we know we'll always be there.
The Flags were pulled back up, the felt images on the background disappeared and the cloth stopped rolling, the lights dimmed.
But we still haven't found out our Cutie Marks
Yeah we still haven't earned yet our Cutie Marks
But we still will crusade, for our Cutie Marks
With a will, we crusade, for out Cutie Marks.
The lights came up, revealing the three fillies standing on a stage, the cloth pulled down. Sweetie Bell and Applebloom moved slightly apart, revealing a purple and green dragon who took a bow with the crusaders before all four ran offstage.
Dearest friends,
'Tia has just told me the most wondrous news. We shall soon be making a tour of the surrounding territories that I might be introduced to my subjects and they to me. While it certainly does my heart good to know my sister feels I have made enough progress for such an outing, the last stop on our tour leaves me quite well pleased. Yes, we shall make a stop in fair Ponyville, and we will have enough time aside from the official presentation that I will be able to see all of you 'in pony' as it were and not simply 'in spirit' as before.
Recent military activities have died down, Celly hasn't seen fit to explain exactly why we have had the Royal Troops perform military exercises at various remote locations all across our borders. I suspect it to be some show of our capabilities, although she has discouraged me from this reasoning. Which brings me to your last correspondence, your tale of impromptu diplomacy. I wish to ask clarification:
From one sentence to the you referred to a fight breaking out between the people of Apploosa and the Bison'i tribe, then immediately began describing what was clearly a food fight and case of extreme roughhousing. Did you switch accounts? Perhaps skip a scene? Were you concerned that descriptions of the true carnage would offend mine sensibilities?
Somehow I doubt this because I feel I know you well enough to hope you would not condescend to me, also because the resolution involved one of the pies described-which would have no place on a true battlefield. Modern Warfare confuses me, and my sister's attempts to explain seem to end with one or the other of us laughing inappropriately. Also, who is this 'Bloomberg'?
I have finally had the chance to meet with my niece. Cadence is a good sort, I feel we shall become good friends, though she seems a mite melancholy just now. I'm certain it shall not have a long hold over her though, I sense a determination in her worthy of an Alicorn, the will to move mountains ... much like six other ponies one could name.
I digress, allow me to reiterate my statement that I look forward fondly to our coming opportunities to see and speak with one another once again, my friends.
in friendship and in trust,
Princess Luna Nocturne Equestria
"Alright, I'm here. Hyou're three days over the time limit I gave you. We're already in the planning stages of another design I had on... reserve." The dark gray stallion didn't sound entirely confident, which was all Rainbow Dash needed.
"Thank you. Thank you so much for coming out here. I... ahaha... sort of called a couple of the Wonderbolts out here too - to save time, not about the suit thing. I'm sorry I lost track of that. You didn't deserve that, that's why I asked you to come. But you might as well tear up your other contract, after you see this there won't be any question about what suit the 'Bolts will be using." She was excited, hopeful, nervous, and a little in awe. 'Please don't think I'm going behind your back. I'm telling you the truth, it's bigger than some costume now. The Wonderbolts are the best bet for lending this project credibility. I wouldn't have believed any of this two weeks ago.'
"You have a reputation for honesty in your dealings, and a certain ...mad... genius. That's hwhy you're not in court right now. Let us see if my faith in you proves valid."
"That... trust me, this isn't like anything you've seen before. I only need you to trust me for this one moment." 'This is gonna be so awesome. Wait, did I run out of earplugs?'
The five pegasi looked at each other. It had been a week of grueling exercises, repeated practice of individual steps that had them tearing at their manes for how pointless it all seemed. The Dead Drop portion had been the worst, Thunderlane had sprained a wing in the second run-through. And though Rainbow Dash had paid for a healing mage to be on standby, an expense that boggled the mind, the pain of the experience had almost convinced him to quit - he would have if the Captain hadn't been there with them.
All that had changed yesterday. They failed the first time, it was a miracle nopony was injured. But... but they had experienced a glimpse, some idea of what all their hours of effort and week of missed work were for. Smiles and grins all around, the Sun was directly overhead and it was time for the present, time to knock everypony off their hooves.
A white pegasus with a blonde mane helped Hoity Toity up. "Mane, that was somthing wasn't it?" was what he assumed she said, because he couldn't hear a blessed thing at the moment.
Rainbow Dash trotted up, holding his trademark glasses with her left wing. She presented them to him with an apologetic smile, eyebrows raising when she had made eye contact. He managed to keep a straight face as he nodded once, slowly. After that he couldn't help smiling, at least until a thought occurred to him. He tried telling her, but it seemed lipreading was not among her talents. He reached into his saddlebags.
All very impressive. I have no idea what the practical uses will be but he had to hold up a hoof to keep her from trying to explain what she was obviously very proud of. but however, why were the suits purple!? Even in the face of miracles, one had to keep their priorities.
Rainbow ducked her head, grinning in embarrassment. She gestured and he gave her the pencil. Yeah, it was the only color of the right material I had on hoof. The 'official' version will be blue with the yellow 'bolts' motif, no messing with a classic.
The fashion pony shook his head in disbelief at the mare before him, remembering the last few minutes. The group had come in, diving from great height, descent becoming steeper as they flew. The line seemed to scrunch up on itself, a snake becoming an arrow, and harder to track as they flew so fast the air behind them became a white trail of cloud. As they became close enough to be seen as individual pegasi the formation had begun pulling up again at an impossible angle, wasting precious time rolling over and back upright at the last moment.
That moment, the world had seemed to explode, a flash of blinding light that left rings of darkness spotting his vision, and no time for that to concern him as the LOUDEST NOISE in existence - and he had once personally observed DJ Pon-3's little 'toy' - no, this noise had picked him up like a foal's doll and tossed him flat on the ground, had shaken his entire body. There hadn't even been time to be terrified before it was over. It was random chance that he has seen one of the pegasi from the performance disappearing into the distance-if that had been what he had seen.
Rarity watched the bipedal figures run away, baying. 'Serves you right.' she afforded herself the thought because their cries and their speed demonstrated that the explosion hadn't harmed them. Sweetie Bell's expression had lightened in the distraction 'you couldn't possibly have kept one, sister, where would it sleep?'
"Hey, Rarity, what was that just now?" The unicorn filly asked, looking around.
"I think it was the other reason I have a bone to pick with those Diamond Dogs."
"Still think you could have let me keep one." The younger sibling grumbled, not entirely distracted.
"Not unless Mother tells you it's ok." 'Which she would never do.'
"So, why does a random explosion make you mad?" Sweetie knew her sister didn't like noise, but still.
"There was nothing 'random' about that, Sweetie. Unless something has gone horribly wrong, that was the Weather Team."
"Are you sure? It didn't sound like thunder-unless it was all the thunder in the world. It sounded like how you described the Cloud..." The younger Bell child's eye went wide as her mind caught up with her mouth.
Rarity smile at her sister, pride. 'Clever Girl.' "Yes, that was another 'Cloudboom'. Set off on purpose this time. Although, I do think Dash called it a ... 'Sonic' Cloudboom or some such, something a little different." 'And hopefully involving far less broken glass this time.'
Sweetie Bell considered all this, a darker thought occurred to her. "Uh, Rarity, your friends... they didn't figure out how to do this as a weapon, right?" Of course they hadn't, they were heroes-right?
If Rarity was tempted to laugh, one look at her sister's face killed the impulse. "No, Sweetie, nopony would ever use this as a means to hurt anypony - it would be too horrible to even consider. The pegasi who did this ended up traveling Very fast - much faster than they could normally ever hope to fly. This is a means of high-speed transport. It can't be used as a weapon because it needs at least two ponies to do -from what I understood of Rainbow's explanation- and what two ponies would agree to do something so... mean?" Her explanation was starting to sound less believable to her own ears, thankfully they seemed to have settle Sweetie Bell's fears.
She was spared further musing as they reached her friends and the other witnesses to the event.
The ponies took out the 'ear plugs' Rainbow Dash had issued along with instructions and a stern admonishment to use the marshmallow looking things. Rainbow brought the last arrival back to the group as Rarity arrived with her sister. Jackie was still grinning ear to ear, 'I'm not even going to bother saying I've seen everything now - whenever I do one of these girls comes up with something even crazier.' The others seemed to have similar thought.
Pulling the second earplug out, Spitfire took an appraising glance at the cyan pegasus. "So what happens now?"
Rainbow grinned, "Now? Now we wait for Fluttershy and her crew to make it back here. After that, you learn how to do a Sonic Cloudboom. After that, you take this to the Princesses and history happens ."
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*sigh* Time to read another long, great story. Let's hope I can compare this to "On a Cross and Arrow."
1302026
I would say this compares very well.
1302116 Maybe I'll read after I finish writing my story.
i.imgur.com/cnM31.jpg
Loudest NOISE?
Nice chapter otherwise
I love Rocky and Bullwinkle.
I...wut?
Interesting but...I don't know. seems kinda weird.
1302143
Thanks, fixing
1302283 Always nice to see a fan of the classics
1302542 Bruce Springsteen 'I still haven't found what I'm looking for' Mind's Eye PMV, and some
plotstory tacked on the end. All in all it was a bit of fluff as we get back up to steam, so if it amused it served its purpose.Sooooo let me get this straight... Twilight became Applejack who becam pinky pie who became Fluttershy who became Rainbow Dash who became Rarity who became Twilight and ALL in their own, and somewhat belivable, way? AWESOME!!!!
1303950 carry the one, divide by...
Yeah, that's it. It works-more or less-because each of them already had a bit of the other persona in them to begin with.
1304318 Though I haven't finished the 2nd chapter the Element change is scarily similar to the Fic I'm writing. I like this and I'm eager to see how the new Mane 6 handles the new Element combos. Good Job.
1304464
Check Out The Fluttershy Effect and Rainbooms and Royalty for another two alternate timelines that started right around when I did.
Synchronicity happens, just go your own way. I look forward to seeing what you come up with.
1304570 Well then I then have to inform you that a mix of Diablo3, LoL, School and lazyness will make that chapets come out very rarily but thanks for the watch.
1304918 You're welcome of course.
Whatever keeps you sane. I'm going to have to cut back here when school starts m'self.
Don't stress about release dates, just make sure you give your ideas time to percolate to perfection.
After all, we're still waiting for Season 3, amirite?
1304962 You think I'm sane.... my friend you could not be further away from the truth. =D
ps: What does percolate mean?
1305343 oops, sorry. It's a means of brewing coffee that uses a complicated pot and steam pressure.
I was using it as an expression for a slower way of doing something because you like the result better.
Also, Of course you're mad, otherwise you wouldn't be here
1305392 awwwwww yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah. I leaned a new word yay
I'll probly start writing chapter 2 after I red your whole fic.
1307204
Ohh yeah, say it loud: I am a Dictionary and I'm Proud!
1308451 I am a Dictionary and I'm Proud... Did I do ir right?
1313032
A fine effort.
A note to all of you who are still here:
I WILL be finishing this story, updates are going to be father apart, probably about a week between chapters.
All the typical excuses apply: work, school, family, life, etc.
My plan, for now, is to release chapters every week until the story is done. let me repeat that: I will finish this, you will not be left hanging. I can't keep up the insane schedule from earlier-14 chapters in three weeks seems to be my upper limit. The very stress that prompted this story and fueled the early work is what now threatens my production of the rest... something about swords, I think?
Looking at the narrative, studying what other writers on the site seem to do, and a little honest assessment has led me to believe this really should have been two stories - chalk it up to a first-timer's mistake.
I know a lot of you liked 'variant season' well enough, thanks you're awesome, but I see a lot of opportunity that was squandered in the middle episodes. Once the story is finished I'm going to investigate the site rules and see what I need to do to split the chapters and eventually re-write much of it.
Whatever happens from here, thank you, thank all of you.
Working on this story has taught me so much, it's hard for me to imagine that in June I wasn't even a fan-truly friendship is magic.
Speaking of learning, it has come to my attention that at least some writers here thank readers for their favorites... I don't know why that's taken me so long to figure out, but it sounds like a nice thing to try and gives me an excuse to learn just a tiny but about you - hopefully without coming off as stalker-ish.
TL:DR, story gets finished slowly over autum, you rock.
When will this be done?
1323329
Lemme' see what I can do to elucidate:
Working on 'Horsefeathers' right now (should be done by tomorrow)
This chapter and the next will conclude 'A Variant Season'
One more story arc before the story reaches where I originally meant to end it.
After I conclude the story, I'm going to cut it down to the 1st 14 chapters (and bonus karaoke) and re-write the second half as a separate story
(that's a long-term project, I'll... I don't know where I'll keep the originals until I make any progress but I won't just delete them.)
That is as far as I've considered the matter.
I realize this is probably TMI, but I wasn't sure which question you were asking, so I answered them all (well, all the spoiler-free possible questions.)
I'm sorry the story won't be coming out at the break-neck pace I was producing it before.
I've been able to rekindle the disturbing (to me) ease with which the early chapters came - but I need to edit my work mercilessly to provide you all with my best efforts.
I was talking about the story "A Minor Variation." I've never seen your work before at all.
But thanks, though!
1323722
I uh, oh
Sorry. A minor variation is my entire body of work.
I apologize for the vagueness. There should be 7-ish more chapters, at one a week that should last up to the end of October.
1323729 Okay, great! Is this the most dedicated you've ever been to a story?
1323733 Well, since this is my only story so far, yes. I am dedicated, the story itself will not stop bugging me to be told.
Honestly, at first it was scaring me how much I felt almost compelled to write this. Telling stories comes naturally to me, but this feels like something else entirely.
I feel I need to reiterate this: this is the First work of fanfiction I have ever written, and my First published piece of fiction as well.
(well, other than a story I wrote in the 3rd grade and the teacher ended up using in a book she wrote about education - self published I guess I mean.)
I have read a heck of a lot of fiction, and I think that informs my writing.
Wow. Massive difference between chapter 21 and the one before. It was so much more coherent. More work on it, I assume?
Yeah, so ... trying to think of more words of praise (it gets difficult after so many chapters). Uh ... Yeah, you did good
and looked out into the audient
The three flags furled up aa a long strip of rainbow
With a will, we crusade, for out Cutie Marks
1. Audience.
2. Aaaaaaaaaaaa
3. Our.
1936611
(how did I miss this, it isn't even a word
)
(auuugh
)
1.
2.
3.
Another awesome chapter
And by the way, did you know that the loudest sound ever recorded/observed in Human history was from the eruption of the Krakatoa volcano?
It was recorded to have been heard as far away as 3,000 miles, that's just about the width of the US. vagabondjourney.com/travelogue/wp-content/uploads/1500-map-usa-maine-arizona1.jpg
^ Line would go all the way across if straight
And released about 13,000 times the nuclear yield of the Little Boy bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima.
img.ezinemark.com/imagemanager2/files/30006024/2011/03/2011-03-19-09-52-44-1-lightening-appeared-during-a-volcanic-eruption.jpeg
The more you know
stream1.gifsoup.com/view/204031/the-more-you-know-o.gif
2905606
Nnope, I did not know that. Fascinating 
1461282 That avatar nearly gave me a heart attack.
Sonic Cloudboom for the win!
comma after orange and white.
_______________________________
Applebloom >> Apple Bloom
__________________
Sonic Cloudboom FTW!
The old "Rocky & Bullwinkle" show