This Is Her Stage Now · 4:09am Jun 5th, 2014
Well, that happened. Technically, it's still happening.
If you're seeing this, let's talk about super-cute blue girls!
I meant to go make an official blogpost about this story's release yesterday but it's in the feature box now, so I doubt I need to posterize it. Suffice to say, if you haven't read Lulamoon's Castle yet, what are you waiting for? Free time during the weekend? Pah! Live on the edge, that's what it's for. Besides, I'm not sure how long I can hold the clop in the box at bay. 
Speaking of which... yeah. First-place featured. It'd probably be top of the heat lists if I were able to give it the Shipping Bump, too Scratch that WE ARE NOW AT THE TOP OF EVERYTHING WALKING THE PATH OF HEAVEN. YOU GAIS I LOVE YOU.
Now, getting to the featured box isn't the biggest achievement in the world or anything (at times it feels like casinos give more generous odds) but if there's one thing this week has proven it's that there's still an audience here for friendship, heart and happiness. This overjoys me like you wouldn't believe -- seriously, I was getting worried. It really does seem most days that if you want to be noticed at all, you need to either write (a) sex, (b) violence (c) shock material, or (d) Octascratch. (I don't really have any problem with these -- well, okay, sometimes the Octascratch 
-- but none of them are things I'm any good at, so you may see where frustration can set in.) Thank you all for the support, and I'm really glad you're all enjoying yourselves. That's what an entertainer cares about most, after all. 
Liking the conversations going on in the comments, though I of course can't stick my nose in all of them. I will say I did not expect Gearloose to get this much love. She's one of the only two OCs I've ever created, and who I've been sticking into random cameos in some of my stories since 2011. Do people really want to see more of her? I'm so confused.
As for this story's genesis...
I've tried and failed to write about Trixie a bunch of times. One of those times is actually on Equestria Daily, while actually managing to never mention Trixie in any way. It's also nothing but a prologue. (Ahhh, the golden days.) I've always liked antagonists that are a lot like an established character, but occupy a far grayer moral area. Blackfire, Vergil, Shego, Jeanne... you get the idea. The main reason I haven't written about Trixie for four years though is that I always told myself I'd save her for a magnum opus of sorts. There's a full-fledged and pretty meaty outline still sitting on my hard drive that I wrote up in 2011 involving her and Twilight doing an Equestria-wide tour of Trixie's magic show, with the two of them learning about each others' lives and growing closer in the process. Even now, though, it's still too big a project for me to attempt, which is why I haven't. Lulamoon's Castle, however, actually does most of the legwork it would have. Strange how life works.
Anyway, after failing to set the world on fire with my first foray into writing Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon last month (you'd think people hated the Adorabullies and Equestria Girls or something! That can't be it, though. I think it was just something about the phases of the moon), I just sort of started writing a Trixie comedy fic to take my mind off of things. Over time it morphed into an 8K essay, and after my glorious editor utterly trounced it in combat, it was reconstructed with state-of-the-art heartwarming technology to become stronger, faster, and wordier, before finally being unleashed to get its revengeance. And here we are.
As a note since I saw it as a constant back-and-forth hot button in the comments: Twixie's actually one of my favorite ships, guys. I just happen to be a retired longtime romance fanfic writer. And yet, old habits die hard. These are all the words I will say on the subject, to cover all questions. 
Finally, I've been thinking of giving them away story by story, but everything I write contains tons of shameless pop culture references. Here's a key to some things to look for!
Chapter 1: contains pretty obvious references to Princess Bride and Mobile Fighter G Gundam.
Chapter 2: contains a reference to Ranma 1/2, and half-handed nods to Frozen and Power Rangers In Space -- so half-handed it's not worth trying to find them, really.
Chapter 3: The family of three in the opening sequence all have character-referential names -- 2 from anime, 1 from Western animation. Cookie to the first one who gets them all, and once you do, the daughter makes total sense. 
Chapter 4: Kamen Rider fans will get the joke regarding the video in the author's notes, but outside of that there's actually nothing here! I need to step it up.
I guess that's all there is to say here! Thanks for playing, thanks to followers old and new, and we'll see you next story! Just as soon as I, uh, figure out how to follow this act. 
Until next!
~B
I've seen enough hentai to know where this is headed.
In my defense, I've got tons of stuff on my Read Later list, so I was waiting for more of your DT/SS story before I committed to it. But if it means that much to you, I can go ahead and read it sooner rather than later...
Also, I've thought about running a contest to have people identify all of my non-pony references in a story (or a chapter of a story), maybe offering an appearance of someone's OC in a future chapter or story as the prize. I doubt I'd get much interest, but I'm sure you could drum up quite a few participants if you wanted to run with the idea.
Having finished the story, I can say with some certainty that it wholly deserves to be the top of everything. It is a magnificent story, rich in emotion and Theme (and, as you point out, Pop Culture references that are organically sown into the story so as to avoid being cloying or distracting but ring oh so true when you catch them) and structured so carefully to flow and build to a conclusion that feels too perfect to even put into words as it ties everything together so perfectly. I'd keep babbling on, but then we'd have a full Review on our hands, and that's still coming (and I think it's going to be chapter by chapter, btw, but I'm still not quite 100% committed just yet >w>).
Suffice it to say, congratulations on another Winner. You continue to impress and amaze me at just how much you keep being able to find new and wonderful and true things to say about these characters and their world, time and time again.
Lulamoon's castle if the first one of your stories I read and it was an amazingly good story. Loved the back and forth between Twilight and Trixie, and how, in the end, they both saw alot of things they lacked in the other one. Wish for a sequel, but if not, it does end on a very nice note and hints at a potential romantic future between the two of them. Good luck following this story up
And even in your blog posts, references! Kamen Rider Gaim and Kabuto references, no less! I am impressed.
Hey, I read the Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon Equestria Girls fics! Pretty sure I've read all of your EG fics, actually.
Lulamoon's Castle was very nice, though.
Congratulations, you're still in the top spot.
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While I do love me some Rider and I do love me some references, it's more that Trixie just kind of lends herself to way too many of both. It's like they just fall out of the sky.
Be glad I haven't talked about her passing through yet.
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No need for defenses -- just having you here is good enough for me.
I think I was only down about the Diamond thing because it caught, like, almost no one's eyes, even though it was released during site rush hour and everything. Those were crossover numbers that first week.
I'm still going to finish it, though.
A wise man once said, and I paraphrase, "A good joke is funny to those that get it and invisible to those that don't get it."
Well, I found the Princess Bride reference funny. The jokes/references I didn't recognize didn't interrupt the flow of the rest of the story. So, I guess you did something right.
Also, OctaScratch? Making a lot of assumptions there.
...
Wow, I cannot tell an invisible joke.
I will say nought but this for the moment, Bookish Delight. The only shipping in this story is friendshipping. And despite the very obvious handicap…
This tale of yours has nevertheless allowed Twixie to replace ScooTiara as my favorite ship. And that’s the real magic of friendship.
I'm glad to see it getting so much attention.
I was following Bookish Delight before it was cool.
All I can say on the matter is 'you write good.'
Take pride in your skill, enjoy the success, and keep us coming back for more.
And once everyone's addicted, start charging.*Cough*
2177199 No fair, beans!
Great job, now give us more Gearloose!
Also, I'm missing a reference, Vergil under the gray area you mentioned. The only Vergil I know of is the main hero from Static Shock. Other than that I got all of your references. All of them. Grandmother once said this, "if you understand everything, then you will never be lost in confusion". Seeing the world with pure sight, Kamen Writer Whiteeyes!
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But he's not the Vergil I mean here. I mean, of course, the one from the Devil May Cry series. You'll have to forgive me for being a bit surprised that you know Jeanne (Bayonetta) but not Vergil. Jeanne's pretty much Vergil 2.0. :D
Nice rollcall. And I LOVE Static.
Anyway, watch this entire video (no seriously all of it; ESPECIALLY the last couple minutes) and bask in glory that is Devil May Cry 3. You're welcome.
whoa i love this story and love your work,i also get some of your references,even the one that you have on this blog post with this stage now bit
watch out for fallen fruit