Fanfic Spotlight #21 · 9:50am Jan 25th, 2015
Welcome once again to our weekly Fanfic Spotlight. This week: The Sisters Doo fall into one more big adventure, Silver Spoon has to deal with her Tarnished Feelings, and Twilight competes in The Moonstone Cup!
The Sisters Doo
by Ponky
Words: 116,988 Complete: Yes
Recommended by Ckat_Myla
Adventure, mystery, muffins... the two pegasi sisters Daring and Ditzy Doo traveled the world searching for various artifacts, spending years side by side until their unfortunate and violent falling-out. They went their separate ways, and while the youngest settled down in Ponyville with a family of her own, the elder used their former exploits as 'inspiration' for a popular line of books.
After years of milking her past, Daring is stuck for ideas to use in her next novel, and goes in search of her estranged sister to coax her into just one more adventure. The same sister who was written out of the books Daring wrote.
Beyond Ditzy's control, an adventure begins whether or not she is willing to chase it. This is a story about trying to mend a sisterly rift years in the making, with Rainbow Dash, Dinky, and the CMC along for the ride as well. Ponky's characterizations of both Daring and Ditzy are some of the best fan versions around, and this is not due to any bias this reviewer might have in the slightest.
With Ponky's return to the site on the horizon, and not one, but TWO companion tales to enjoy, now is the perfect time to grab your pith helmet and head into a lovingly-written, immersion story.
Tarnished Feelings
by DJLowrider
Words: 22,389 Complete: Yes
Recommended by Asylum1388
Set maybe a decade after the second season, this is a redemption-based story of Silver Spoon. It starts out with something she never would have expected: being on the receiving end of Diamond Tiara's sadism. Friendless and hurt, she suffers a complete mental breakdown outside in a thunderstorm, having all but given up on life itself. She wakes up the next day to find a friendly face offering a long-overdue olive branch and a chance to turn her life around.
It's a bit of an emotional roller coaster, skillfully written but for a few typos. I'd have to say that the one area it suffers in is the overall plot; it's a very typical emotion-based story with a few predictable twists, and thus won't hold the interests of those who don't emotionally invest themselves in their reading. Even so, I consider it worth the hour or so it takes to read.
The Moonstone Cup
by Cyanide
Words: 61,073 Complete: Yes
Recommended by Silver Flare
I’d like to take you on a little journey back in time. Let’s roll the clock back to the summer of 2012, a time when The Second Pony Hiatus had descended, and us enraptured fans had just begun to realize that this pony craze was showing no signs of slowing down. Changelings had just smashed their way into every corner of the fandom, and the speakers in my Subaru hatchback thumped Tombstone, Alex S, Elecktrokaplosion and Mando everywhere I went. I was only a few months into this mad obsession with pastel grass-chewers, and the sheer joy was keeping me awake nights.
The very first story I ever read and favorited on fimfiction was The Moonstone Cup, this lovely Shonen style tournament tale. From beneath violet bangs, a certain nerdy unicorn had already entranced me with her potential, and discovering a fun and interesting story that explored that potential gave me the goosebumps. I read breathlessly, hanging off of every word. In Cyanide’s hands/hooves the world of Equestria opened up, alive with texture and deep history and complex world-building. And Trixie. Awesome, excellent Trixie.
So, that brings us to The Moonstone Cup. A magical tournament only held once every few years, if memory serves. Twilight Sparkle had absolutely no intention to compete, since the competition would include the best magicians from around the world, some who may have been thousands of years old. But that doesn’t stop the mobs of ponies, gryphons and other creatures from descending on this year’s tournament once word got out that The Element of Magic would be competing.
Twilight has to deal with the unwanted attention of being Celestia’s student and an Element of Harmony, the scorn of a much-improved Trixie, the overconfidence her friends seem to have in her, and far more sinister things. Because for some of the longer-lived beings in this world, Equestria’s violent conflicts don’t seem all that long ago, and some scars run deep. Someone in the background of this tournament seems to have a very good reason for wanting Twilight to fail. Maybe even to die. All of which can be confusing and upsetting for a young filly thrust into the spotlight, especially when she doesn’t even want to win in the first place.
Go. Read. Rejoice in the simple pleasure of following a wingless Twilight Sparkle as she shoulders the weight of the world, one more time. . . Gah! I love this fandom so much!!!
Well, that should be enough word count to keep everyone reading for the rest of the week. We'll return with three more stories again next Sunday. Until then, have fun!
--Xepher, Asylum, Ckat, and Silver Flare
The Moonstone Cup is amazing. Though the ending can be a bit larger in scope than expected.
So freaking good to see Ponky back. We got Veggie back, too! It's like an old school revival!