Finding Fluttershy

by SamFaith

A Message From the Author

First off, I would like to thank all of you, every last one who read this story. I especially thank those who stuck with it during the long hiatus(-es). I also would like to thank you for reading this, my message to you. This has so far been my BIGGEST writing project, and at times more than I was ready to tackle. I usually work in what is known as Flash Fiction, which is typically a story of three hundred to one thousand words. Not only is every chapter of this more than a thousand, but most of them are close to two thousand words, so I was FAR outside my comfort zone.

And you read it!

For me, that is a stunning success: That I was capable of creating something so far out of my normal limits, and have it bring joy to people.

This story started out as a Critique of My Little Dashie, which despite my complaints, should be REQUIRED reading for any brony. For those who wanted to know what I didn't like about Rob's story:

1. The main character had no family or friends
Yes, I can acknowledge that this was likely done to make the story easier for him write, but how many of us are really that alone in the world?
As such not only did my story show the character's Mom & Dad, but Sister, and a couple friends.

2. He got lucky
Okay... minor nitpick of a complaint, because there are people who DO win at casinos, or in the lottery, some even make meager profits every time they gamble, and use it to supplement their income.
I simply went a different route, having my character (mostly) financially secure, which may have been no better, or even some might consider worse, but it made it easier for me to write.

3. Dash's job of mowing the lawn
Do you REALLY think Dash would have been satisfied with mowing the lawn? I do not. Now thinking of a job that would be satisfying for her would be difficult, admittedly. Especially when considering that she's meant to be unknown to the rest of the world. It's important to feel useful, but how useful would one feel when all that one can do is mow the lawn?
I like to think I played this one at a clever angle, passing Fluttershy's appearance off as being a costume, so that she could educate children.

4. Cliche of Twlight Botching a spell
I never liked this, and I think validation came in the way of a FIMfiction Journal Entry about writing crossovers. The argument boiled down to Twilight being too careful and meticulous to let her magic get that out of control. Granted, Rob gave an extraordinary situation that made it reasonable, but I still wanted to find my own path.
This unfortunately left me with a dilemma: HOW did Fluttershy arrive at our hero's door, and how, for that matter to get her back home? The solution came to me early on: The Doctor. I'm a fan of the new Doctor Who episodes, and of course there's Mister Time Turner in the show, who looks like a ponified David Tennant.

5. Nameless main character
This one doesn't hit you until you think about it. What was the name of the character in "My Little Dashie"? This, I commend Rob for, I don't think I could write a story like that, especially as well as Rob did. To be fair, I don't think I really could write as well as Rob, but I can find his plotholes.

6. Fifteen years later... AND NO VISITORS?!
This is the big one, the one that actually started me on the story, and that I changed as early as Chapter 3. Near the end of "My Little Dashie" the doorbell rings, and it turns out to be Celestia and the rest of the mane 6. Daddy and Dash PANIC, because in all of the time that they've been together, neither one even THOUGHT of what to do if a visitor shows up.
May I remind you that by this point in Rob's story it has been FIFTEEN YEARS?!
... I really don't know what else to say here...

So that... covers, I guess, my mini-critique of "My Little Dashie" and reasoning behind the flow of my story. I know there are problems with mine, and I do invite constructive criticism. I am happy for the joy I could spread, and the joy my readers have given me.
I thank you again.
-Samantha Faith

Comments

[Swokk]

The end was quite abrupt, I didn't at that point even remember this had a relation to DW.

But I understand, because when I think about all the ways you could have Fluttershy brought in, there aren't a lot from the Doctor to Twilight's botched spell.

Maybe, sometime later, you could go and revise the story a bit to remind us that this is a crossover?

[SamFaith]

2384526
Sorry, I don't think I'll revise this one... It took a lot outta me to finish, especially during my final classes. I may come up with a shorter story and continue the theme... After all AJ, Rarity, Pinkie and even Twilight may have Pony in Earth stories to tell. (PS If you find stories like these, I would like to read them )
In Fact I was thinking about writing my own story about Lyra somehow finding her way to the human world...

[SamFaith]

2387360

I'm so SO SO SO SO HAPPY to hear that you liked it so much. If you have any idea where I can go from here, I would love to hear about it.

[jackal4563]

I greatly enjoyed this fic. Thank you, author, for this splendid read. It seemed to end abruptly, if I were required to give at least one criticism.