Answer Key: Debrief · 10:19pm Sep 22nd, 2023
First of all, both extremely jazzed and extremely confused that this one got on the featured box. Maybe I should do that thing people do where they're like "featured on x/x/x!!". Maybe if it stretches out into tomorrow. Anyway, that's Sunset love for ya. Though personally it was written from the bottom of my Celestia-loving heart, if that wasn't obvious enough. All in all, my ego has never been in better shape, even if I think there are stories much more deserving of attention (as of writing this, "The Great Tabloid Disaster" by Lupin is also on the featured box. That story and their "A Tale of Two Suns" series have been major inspirations. So shoutout to them!!) Anyway 2x, on to my thoughts on the story
"Answer Key" was written as part of a prompt for the BGW's discord server. Technically the writing deadline was set for two weeks, but I wrote rushed through it within 2-3 days (very unwise). Because of that, this was very definitely very rough in my opinion and had little to no editing past the skim read right before posting (which bit me in the ass later when i found out there was a VERY embarrassing typo at the end of the story some 20 minutes after it passed the auto-queue. i was mortified).
The story itself comes from my aforementioned love for Celestia, and my slightly lesser but no less significant love for Sunset. I've always been fascinated by the interpretation that they have a weird, complicated mother-daughter relationship and always found it so compelling. Also i'm weak for fluffy, familial moments. So I threw my hat into the ring. I feel like I fell a bit short on the emotional resolution, though I think that comes from my general inexperience as a writer in writing these types of scenes effectively. I have a background of spending a large amount of my childhood in 3rd-person text RP discord servers, so writing this DID bring back a lot of memories. Not sure if it helped me at all though.
This story in particular isn't exactly the "definitive canon" that exists in my head. But it is a version that I think is interesting. There wasn't room for it in this story, but I definitely want to write something sometime where its clear Celestia's "parenting skills" need some work (im sure being the everlasting ruler of Equestria doesn't lend itself well to deep interpersonal relationships).
I think that's about all I have to say on "Answer Key" in particular. Until next time! Whenever that is lol
What a great read and thank you for hyperlinking to this author note.
There’s alway that moment in every child’s life when they link the concept of death and think of either themselves or their parents.
I still can’t imagine life without my folks.
At least this sunset probably wouldn’t go through the mirror unless it was to save celly.
Or how upset she would be to discover that alicorn / rule beside celly wasn’t the plan but to just be the key for a single moment to bring back a sister? That’d be a good sith moment.
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This is an interesting point. Personally it's a bit too cynical a take for the portrayal of Celestia I'm going for. The way I see it, she didn't actually have a big master plan and played it by ear when it came to the prophecy. Taking on Sunset as a student was for it's own goal, if she helped free her sister, then that would have just been a nice bonus. Still, I can totally see an older, jaded Sunset believe this and accelerate her "evil" arc because of that. Or maybe just as a standalone fic idea where Sunset Was In The Right, Actually
Anyway, thanks for reading! I'm still happy with this one ^_^