Alexstrazsa 1,275 followers · 15 stories

A guy who did pony stuff at one point.

News Archive

  • 111 weeks
    SA: The Last Round

    "So, what do you think, Corejo?" Wanderer D asked, politely showing off the stack of papers in his claw.

    The burlap sack with the printed (in color!) face of Corejo remained silent.

    "I see, yes, yes!" Wanderer D cackled. "Ahahaha! Yes! I agree! This story should do fine! So, who's reviewing it? RT?"

    The sack that had the picture of RTStephens on it tilted just enough for a single potato to roll onto the table.

    "And we have two! Alright, team, I expect you all to figure out who's doing the next one, okay? Let's not keep the readers waiting!" He glanced expectantly at the several sacks with pictures around him. "Alright! Dismissed."

    "Sir?"

    "Ah, intern. Is that my coffee?" Wanderer D took the proffered mug and downed the contents in one go. "Excellent! No time to rest! We have to edit what the guys just handed to me."

    Read More

    110 comments · 8,837 views
  • 133 weeks
    SA: Round 186

    Seattle's Angels is a group that promotes good stories with low views. You can find us here.


    The Dodge Junction train ramp was not where Floydien expected to be part of a reunion.

    He especially didn’t expect it to happen four times in a row.

    “Wait, Winter? What are you doing here?”

    Winter’s eyebrows raised. “On Summer vacation. What about you?”

    “Uh, same.”

    “Guys!”

    The two Angels looked to where the voice came from. Cynewulf came running up to them, a wide brimmed sunhat and sunglasses adorning her head. “Fancy meeting you two here!”

    Floydien scratched his head. “Same. Are you on vacation too?”

    “Yep! Had a blast down on the Horseshoe Bay coast.”

    “Well, ain’t this something!”

    All turned to the fourth voice. Knight strode up, his body decked out in fishing gear, complete with a fishing pole balanced over his shoulder. “Haven’t seen so many of us in one spot since vacation started.”

    Read More

    12 comments · 4,637 views
  • 148 weeks
    SA: Round 185

    Seattle's Angels is a group that promotes good stories with low views. You can find us here.


    Winter and Knight stared out at the bleak townscape. All around them, the fires raged unchecked as Ponyville's former occupants stumbled mindlessly about, their undead faces ravaged by rot and decay as they moaned for sustenance. Knight turned to Winter.

    "Ready to go?"

    Winter nodded and shifted a backpack. "Got everything with me. I guess it's now or never."

    Knight gave a wry smile. "That's the spirit. You do have your reviews, right?"

    "Of course!" he said, patting his chest. "Right here."

    Knight nodded and said, "Alright, here's the plan: we stick to the shadows as much as possible. From what I can tell, their eyesight isn't that good, but their sense of smell is excellent. We just have to stay upwind."

    Read More

    10 comments · 4,255 views
  • 155 weeks
    SA: Round 184

    Seattle's Angels is a group that promotes good stories with low views. You can find us here.


    “I see. Alright, I’ll let him know.”

    Intern twisted a dial on the small mechanical piece attached to his ear, retracting a blue, see-through visor from across his face. He turned to Floydien, crossing his arms. “It’s confirmed. Generation 5 is on its way. Season 2 of Pony Life is just around the corner. And the series finale of Equestria Girls was scrapped for a holiday special.”

    Floydien lifted an eyebrow. “And, what does that mean for us?”

    Read More

    10 comments · 4,412 views
  • 159 weeks
    SA: Round 183

    Seattle's Angels is a group that promotes good stories with low views. You can find us here.


    Over their heads the flak guns peppered the sky. The planes roared and sputtered. The clouds were dark, heavy with the child that was war. It was all noise.


    Cynewulf looked around the bend. “You know, I’ve been reading old fics. Remember Arrow 18?”


    Floydien slipped—a Floydien slipped—One Floydien came through the fractured time in the lower levels of the Sprawling Complex. “Uh, human in Equestria?”


    “Yeah. You know, we were probably too mean about those.”


    “They were terrible. I mean some of them. I guess a lot of everything is terrible.”


    “Well, yes. But anyway, I was reading it, and it occurred to me that what I liked about it was that it felt optimistic in the way that Star Trek was optimistic. It felt naive, but in a way one wanted to emulate. To regress back into it.”


    “Uh, that sounds nice?”

    Read More

    7 comments · 5,918 views
  • 164 weeks
    SA: Round 182

    Seattle's Angels is a group that promotes good stories with low views. You can find us here.


    “Okay, Winter, hit it!”

    Winter pulled a lever that ignited a rocket placed underneath the communal Christmas Tree. The tree blasted through a cylindrical hole and out into the skies beyond. It only took seconds for the tree to become a tiny red dot against the blue sky.

    Winter stepped away from the control panel and down to where Intern was standing behind a fifty-five millimeter thick glass wall. “We could have just picked up the base and tossed it in the garbage bin outside, you know.”

    Intern scoffed. “Yeah, we could, or we can go over the top in a comedic and entertaining manner that leads into our reviews.”

    “You’re getting all meta, now.”

    “Exactly! On to the reviews!”

    ROUND 182

    Read More

    6 comments · 7,948 views
  • 169 weeks
    SA: Round 181

    Seattle's Angels is a group that promotes good stories with low views. You can find us here.


    For the first time in the year that he worked there, FanficFan finally experienced quiet in the Seattle’s Angels Compound. All the other reviewers had gone home for the holidays, leaving him and Intern to submit the last round of reviews of the year. However, with Intern off on an errand, FanficFan was left alone.

    With stories ready to be read by his partner, all the reviewer could really do was wander around the empty building, taking in all the holiday decorations left behind from the Office Christmas Party a few days prior, like office space holiday knick-knacks, lights strown about the ceiling and wreaths on nearly every door. Plus, there was some leftover cookies and egg nog, so that was nice. 

    Read More

    8 comments · 6,354 views
  • 173 weeks
    SA: Round 180

    Seattle's Angels is a group that promotes good stories with low views. You can find us here.


    Cynewulf lay in a grassy field. This was a curious occurrence, as the Seattle Angel’s Dyson Sphere-esque compound basement labyrinth did not usually have grass. 


    But like she had many times before, she’d been teleported here, and whether or not the sky above her was real or not, she didn’t mind. The grass was nice, and the wind was nice, and whatever happened happened.
    f

    There was a great crash and Corejo stumbled into the grass to her right.

    “Oh, god, are we out? How did—”

    “No clue. I suspect that it’ll just take us back anyhow. Did you have the reviews? The machine came for me a few days ago, so I’ve got mine.”


    “I… Uh, I was late. I mean, we both are, unless you’ve been here for days.”

    Read More

    9 comments · 8,117 views
  • 177 weeks
    SA: Round 179

    Seattle's Angels is a group that promotes good stories with low views. You can find us here.


    Winter peered cautiously out the corner of the broken window, surveying the damage outside. He turned to his companion.

    "Looks like we're trapped in here," he said quietly.

    Intern grunted and adjusted the bandage on his arm. "Nothing we haven't gone through before." He looked up at Winter. "Got your reviews?"

    Winter nodded and patted his chest pocket. "Right here, where they're safe." He turned and looked once more out the window. "Now, it's simply a matter of getting through all those ponies." Winter shuddered as he took in the horrors before him.

    Read More

    10 comments · 5,219 views
  • 180 weeks
    SA: Round 178

    Seattle's Angels is a group that promotes good stories with low views. You can find us here.


    Matthew stumbled through the basement, crouching low to avoid all the pipes on the ceiling. Floydien hadn’t told him much, just that it was extremely important, had nothing to do with Intern, and to take the last fire door on the left.

    After what seemed like eternity in an instant, Matthew finally came to said fire door, damp with sweat and condensation. He carefully undid the latch and opened it with one arm raised just in case of any traps. Only to be greeted with the sounds of maniacal but joyous laughter as he spotted Floydien sitting in the center of the room surrounded by thousands of stacks of papers.

    “I found it!” Floydien said, tossing a stapled pack of papers to Matthew. “I finally found the answer. The answer to all of our questions. To our very existence!”

    Read More

    4 comments · 4,516 views
Oct
14th
2014

Story Reviews » Reviews! Round 54 · 5:50am Oct 14th, 2014

Seattle's Angels is a group that promotes good stories with low views. You can find us here.


“Yo, C^2, we’re up this round,” said Red.

“K.”

“I’m gonna look for stories.” Red paused. “You coming?”

“Yea.”

“…But he she didn’t! I was out there, all alone! How could he she let a tiny little thing like me wander out there all alone? Doesn’t he she know how dangerous it is out there?”

“Is it really that dangerous?”

“Come on, alex! I’m a squirrel! Everything is dangerous!”

“Whatever. Did he she at least find a story?” asked alex.

Red threw his paws in the air. “That’s the thing! I come back, after hours of slogging through self-inserts and Mary Sues, and there, waiting in my inbox, are three stories from him her. I don’t get it!” Red attempted to calm himself. It didn’t work. “I bet he she didn’t even leave. I bet he she found those stories when he she worked with Pav last time he she was up. I bet he she sat in the tech room all day, doing whatever it is helicoprions do, while I went out and actually worked.”

“Geez, dude, calm down.” alex thought for a moment. “Have you gone in to check on him her?”

“…No. Do you think something happened to him her?”

“Let’s go find out.” Red hopped onto alex’s shoulder, and the two walked in to the tech room. The door creaked as they opened it. The only light in the room came from the computer.

“C^2? Is that you?” Red asked the figure in front of the computer.

“Yea.”

“What is that? Is that…” Red squinted to get a better look. “Is that Sunset Shimmer?”

“Yea.”

“O…kay. You get the reviews done?”

“Yea.”

“Good.” Red hopped on to the desk. “So, uh, how long have you been in here?”

“I dunno.”

“That’s concerning. You alright?”

“Yea.”

“You sure?”

“Yea.”

Red looked at the screen again. “That’s quite the gif.”

“Yea.”

“Have you had it open this whole time?”

“Yea.”

Red looked to alex for help. alex just shrugged and walked out of the room. Sighing, Red said, “Are you sure you’re alright? This can’t be healthy.”

“I’m fine.”

“Yeah, sure, whatever. You need help.”

Red turned to leave, but C^2 grabbed him. “Look, Red. It’s so mesmerizing.

ROUND 54


Wake up. Eat breakfast. Trot to work. Eat a sunflower sandwich for lunch. Trot home. Take a shower. Sleep. Routine.


I can’t help but think that it kind of sucks when a pony is literally named for their talent. We here in the good States of ‘Murica don’t like the idea of being pigeonholed anymore than the next shotgun-wielding maniac, so I can only imagine that it’s a cultural thing for ponies to pay no mind to being called what they do. Then again, that’s exactly what people did back in the days of swords and sorcery, so who am I to judge? This story deals with a pony who not only fits his name and cutie mark to a tee, he’s been so happy with it he doesn’t even care he never goes outside its boundaries.

Tedious Care is his name, and doing everything the same every day for his entire life is his game. We don’t get much about this pony or the world he inhabits, since it’s first person and we are restricted entirely to what he thinks about things. Unfortunately, this pony doesn’t do a lot of thinking. He has a post-it note that tells him what breakfast and lunch is going to be. He doesn’t like going out for lunch at work. He turns down offers to do anything different or think anything about what he’s doing. It may make sense because he’s, well, a tedious pony, but as a reader I often found myself floating in the same haze Tedious (called “Teddy”) was.

This’ll make the first part of the story rather hard to get through if you don’t like protagonists who can’t be bothered to show you a good time. But this story is also a journey about how a chance happening starts to inspire him, to write a new ending to the rote story of his life. If you can get past that first half, you might be touched by what Tedious ends up deciding.

My jimmies were considerably rustled by use of ‘lavender unicorn’, however.

I’ve long since accepted the fact that I’m a sucker for these sorts of stories. From The Diary of John (RIP, you wonderful story) to Saturday, I’ve found myself really enjoying stories about boring old ponies doing boring old things. It’s the simple things in life, ya know?

So what it is about Daily in particular? Is it just another one of those “boring” stories? Well, for the first half of the story, yes. Yes it is. Tedious Care lives for his simple routine and does everything he can to maintain the status quo. Anything different from the norm, like bumping into the town librarian, sends him off his game. And that’s where this story sets itself apart from other “boring” (there has to be a better term for this sort of story, yes?) stories. Tedious Care is so thrown off his game that he considers doing something different.

We learn that once upon a time, boring old Tedious Care wasn’t so boring. He didn’t live by routine. He didn’t plan out every minute of his day. He didn’t get upset when something didn’t go exactly according to his detailed plan. So, when Tedious Care realizes he has the chance to return to that life, he actually considers it.

It turns out that Daily isn’t actually a “boring” story. It masquerades as one, sure, but it’s mostly focused on Tedious Care’s choices along the way.


Rainbow Dash tries her hoof at something she's never done before: poetry


Let’s get this out of the way: I don’t write poetry. I don’t know poetry. I don’t even really like poetry! Prose all the way for me, because dammit Jim I’m an author not a philosopher! So when anyone else, and I mean anyone, even tries to write poetry, I have to laud them just for putting in the effort. It’s almost like learning a whole new language with all those stanzas and codas and what have you. But in this story, not only do we get Rainbow Dash doing a not-very-Rainbow-Dash-thing, which is writing poetry, but we get to watch her read it aloud to an audience including her friends.

The poem itself I can’t really judge. It’s a simple one-two rhyming scheme that ends up being fun reading, because who doesn’t like rhyming? What’s really the draw here is that it ends up turning into a character study: it explores why Rainbow Dash flies in general, ignoring the fact that she loves to win. It also turns into an experience to tell herself that even though she loves flying, it doesn’t have to be the only thing that defines her.

Some people may take issue with this characterization—I’m not sure who—since they might see Rainbow Dash as all brash all the time, but I think the majority of bronies out there will appreciate seeing a side of Rainbow Dash that’s not quite sensitive, but definitely more introspective and thoughtful than we’re used to seeing. In all, a sweet tale that’s more of a glance at who Rainbow Dash than a full story, but it’s sure to leave you with a smile on your face.

I feel like we need a general disclaimer now that Nietzsche is gone: We at SA do not know poetry. BP, you don’t count.

So, given that, why are we up here, telling you to read what appears to be a story about poetry? Well, for the same reason Rainbow Dash decided to write and present the poem, I’d imagine.

The poem is pretty simple, as Red said. Easy peasy rhyming scheme and not much else. Pretty much what I would expect from Dash. And then I looked at the rest of the story and the poem in more depth. And boy, did I like what I saw. This story touched on a side of Dash I’ve wished authors would write more about. She’s not just a brash braggart, as many like to write her. In Slammed, we see a more introspective Dash. She’s telling the audience why she likes to fly. While that may sound simple enough, the poem goes far beyond the simple “Flying is awesome, flying is cool.” It delves much further into the “Why?” and into her insecurities. Her thoughts as she presents the poem are also particularly revealing. So while I went in expecting a silly poem written by Dash, I came out with a particularly excellent little character study.


I thought that I was past sadness. I thought that I had defeated it, but now I realize that I had just hidden it away to let it grow stronger. Now it's trapped somewhere deep inside of me where I cannot get it out. The longer the sadness festers inside of me, the stronger it gets, but the key to letting it out was lost a long time ago.


Oh boy, the sad tag. Like many, many other genres, the sad tag is abused in ways it should not be. In general, I use a tag only if that reflects on the story as a whole—none of that ‘tags may be added later’ nonsense or putting in ‘random’ just because the story has some characters that act a little off-kilter. For this story, there is only the one lonely sad tag, and I went in expecting to come out with eyes as moist as a body vigorously rubbed down with Aveeno body lotion.

It wasn’t quite as bad as that, because this story left me more in a position of ‘what do I do now?’ than ‘how sad that was!’ I don’t mean that as a negative; the story is supposed to be a pony reflecting on how they got where they are. Let’s get one thing out of the way: the entire story is in first person, and it’s being told to you with hardly a break for characters to develop organically. It’s a story about a story. I can hear the alarm bells ringing, so just calm down! No, calm down, put the red ink away, STOP—

Okay, we’re good? We’re good. Moving on, the author fully admits that it’s a story that isn’t so far from reality, also something I usually frown upon. But the lesson contained within was good enough that I at least didn’t feel immediately tempted to slap a downvote on the whole shebang and move on. And considering the horrors that usually lurk in this site’s dark corners, that’s saying quite a lot. We’re introduced very quickly to “Carter,” who carts things around for a living. Why he’s so blasé about himself and how he got that way is what I’ll leave to you to find out, as it forms the basic conflict.

There’s not a whole lot of resolution to speak of, but in a sad story about life, when is there ever any? I can at least say that the story stuck to its guns—it is sad and not much else. Speaking as a squirrel, I had to go and eat an entire gallon of almond gelato to feel better after reading it. And I even ate the gelato too.

This story is rather unorthodox. It’s a story about a story, so lots of things are told to us. It also relies heavily on the character of the narrator to make the story compelling.

If you’re the sort to skip straight to the Author’s Note before you read the story (what kind of monster are you?), you’ll note that the author informs you that the happenings of the story are based on actual events from his life. If you’re a normal person, however, you’ll notice that the narrator’s voice feels genuine. The narrator is earnest, if you will, in making sure we readers understand what he’s telling us. The events of the story he’s telling are pretty depressing, and he’s able to convey that depression pretty well throughout the story.

The narrator’s voice really is the key to this story. I mean, it is about all we’ve got, after all. I think, though, that the fact that this is based on actual events serves to give the narrator more credibility. The fact that the author experienced these events allowed him to write a story that felt that much more genuine. This naturally flowed into the narrator’s voice and made the story more compelling as a result.

So this story about a story thing. Well, it worked. The lesson the narrator learned is a pretty valuable one, and he was able to turn it into a compelling, genuine narrative. If nothing else, show up for the lesson and stay for the unorthodox, compelling narrative.


A recurring nightmare convinces Luna that, since her return, she has never regained her sister's complete trust. And at the forthcoming Festival of the Eclipse, she decides to make amends with a bold gesture.
But Luna's solution causes consequences she never anticipated. Consequences the whole world will feel. Now, Celestia and Luna must set forth on an adventure that will take them even into Tartarus itself, and set everything right before it's too late.
And if they're lucky, they'll rediscover the trust they once had a thousand years ago.


Adventure and wonder await beyond the boundaries of the earth in this epic little yarn starring the first pony princesses to help bronies everywhere sexualize the word "plot." Both Celestia and Luna are the central characters here, and while the mane six do crop up on occasion, the monarchs do the heavy lifting. This right here is something that caught my eye: an adventure? Starring just the Princesses? But they're super-powerful demigods! What situation could possibly arise to challenge their incredible might, to overshadow their prodigious behinds?

Well, for starters they could go to Hell! Or in this case Tartarus. Because that's where the moon is. Because Luna sent it there. To Hell.

Princess Luna had good reason though, straddling the line between "sweet act of love and submission" and "utterly boneheaded act of temporary insanity." Luna starts the story fretting that her jealousy about the moon being overtaken by the sun will resurface. In a desperate attempt to stave off a Nightmare remission and please her sister, Luna decides the only way to not be jealous is to remove what drives that jealousy: the moon! Naturally Celestia calls her out on being a total dork and the two dive into Tartarus to get it back.

This is a rollicking good story with plenty of strange and interesting characters the Princesses encounter. It's sure to give you your fill of both worldbuilding and sweet sisterly moments without those pesky mane six getting in the way. I know I had fun reading it. If you can get over the idea that Luna literally loves Celestia and values their relationship so much that she will actually give up her very reason for being to make Celestia happy, the rest of the story will be smooth sailing to the very depths of Tartarus and back. I love adventure stories that take risks, and quite frankly deciding to turn the rulers of Equestria, typically the distant mentor figures, into adventurers worthy of the title is a challenge in and of itself. I applaud the author for taking it on.

Oh boy, we saved the best for last. Seriously. Stop reading my drivel and go read Eclipse.

…You’re still here? Dagnabbit.

So, obviously, I loved this story. A lot. As a whole, it’s a story about Luna and Celestia going on an adventure and experiencing all sorts of wonderful sibling bonding along the way. The author is able to capture potential trust issues leftover from the Nightmare Moon debacle and turn them into incredibly compelling conflicts within the story.

That’s not even the best part.

What is the best is King Ragnarok, the dragon king. He may only be in the story for a couple chapters, but he was a brilliantly written supporting character that absolutely stole the show from Celestia and Luna. And Ragnarok is merely one example of an excellently written side character. Though 8686 does a fantastic job with writing the alicorn sisters, and he does an even better job with developing their conflicts and trust issues, 8686 is able to make his side characters just as compelling no matter how little spotlight they’re actually given. From Cerberus to King Ragnarok to Valkyrie and more, no character is left unattended. This attention to detail shines throughout the story, and it’s significantly better as a result. Sure, the main narrative was amazing, but just about everything else was equally amazing.

Anywho, since you’re still here, you guys think you can do me a favor? I need a riot.

ヽ༼ຈل͜ຈ༽ノ KING RAGNAROK or RIOT ヽ༼ຈل͜ຈ༽ノ


“alex, you seen Red?”

“No, Pav, why?”

“Weren’t you with him last?”

“Yeah, we went in to the tech room to see what was up with C^2.” alex looked at Pav in horror. “You don’t think…?”

“No, alex, don’t be an idiot. But I haven’t seen either of them all week.” alex and Pav rushed to the tech room. They went to kick the door open…but it was already open.

“Oh. That was awkward,” said alex, bringing his leg back down to the ground.

“Yeah, you tell me,” grumbled Pav, getting up off the ground. “I threw my shoulder into the air.”

“Oh, thank goodness! You guys can get me out of here!”

“Red? What’s going on?” asked Pav.

He She won’t let me leave!”

“C^2, explain yourself,” demanded alex.

C^2 just pointed to the screen. “It’s so mesmerizing.”

“Yeah, sure, whatever. We’re getting you out of here.” Pav attempted to drag C^2 out of the chair. The helicoprion didn’t budge.

“It’s so mesmerizing.” With a desperate look in his her eyes, C^2 continued. “Help me…”


Feel free to visit our group for more information and events, and to offer some recommendations for future rounds. See you all next time!

Report Alexstrazsa · 2,511 views ·
Comments ( 20 )

Relevant

>intro/outro
I regret nothing.

Well, actually...

[12:15:15 AM] Csquerade: Just to be sure, though
[12:15:23 AM] Csquerade: The intro/outro is actually not a pile of poop?
[12:16:36 AM] RedSquirrel456: No.
[12:17:19 AM] Csquerade: It's about to be my first "published prose" on the site.
[12:17:26 AM] Csquerade: I can't decide if that's a good thing.
[12:17:30 AM] RedSquirrel456: Really?
[12:17:33 AM] Csquerade: Yeah
[12:17:43 AM] Csquerade: Csquerade looks over at all 0 of his stories
[12:18:19 AM] RedSquirrel456: Wow.
[12:18:25 AM] RedSquirrel456: Let's post that shit then.
[12:18:29 AM] RedSquirrel456: Get you some horse word cred.

I'm still not sure how I feel about this... :twilightoops:


ヽ༼ຈل͜ຈ༽ノ KING RAGNAROK or RIOT ヽ༼ຈل͜ຈ༽ノ

2531711
Don't worry, the shame passes when you start to sell out.

Why was there so little horror in this Nightmare Month's reviews?

Nothing looked interesting until 8686's name popped up. There aren't enough excellent authors on this site who not only like Spike but use him. Makes me willing to read his other stories.

2531710 Who says the Russians can't make musicals?

PresentPerfect
Author Interviewer

Oh good, Eclipse, that story was fucking amazing. :D

2531762

That might depend on whether or not they can find enough horror stories for a review round. As I understand it, horror is particularly hard to do well.

Then again, you could always wait until next round. If they post it late enough, it might even fall on Halloween day.

We at SA do not know poetry.

You can follow the moon, C^2,

2531711
After seeing "he she" so many times in the intro/outro, I hope you invoke Rule 63 when you get to Round 63. Can you even imagine what you'd be like if you were gender-flipped?

2535692
I need to be on Round 63, now.

2535723
mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw5485-Discord_just_as_planned.gif

:twilightoops:I-I mean, it's nine rounds away, so I'd think that would be plenty of time to work the pairings to your advantage.

:scootangel:

2535743
Is it really your master plan?

Or are you just my pawn? :trollestia:

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