One Mare's Worth Postmortem (2/2): From Research Came Development · 1:36am Sep 2nd, 2015
The following contains massive spoilers for One Mare's Worth and Amending Fences. If you haven't read the first or watched the second, you might want to make sure you've taken care of both of those before going any further.
The rest of you? Thanks for waiting patiently while I sorted out my personals--now, let's get started!
As mentioned last time, I was actually a bit surprised to see almost nobody called out the myriad references and cogs at work in this story. I'm not mad or anything, because ideally any creative work should be an effortless and enjoyable experience for those who simply wish to be entertained, but contain depth for those who wish to look. Pure entertainment and black holes of meaning certainly have their place separately, of course, but when both gattai, that's a good sign that the thing they create will rise above. 
Which is to say that this is my favorite story I've written alongside Unison and Generosity Travels. I love digesting and writing both entertainment and metafiction, and all three stories have allowed me to dabble in both simultaneously.
Why, yes, you can write metafiction without it being blatant stuff like "Twilight Sparkle Earns The Feature Box." You just have to be good. ^_^
"One Mare's Worth"'s metafictional bent comes to life only when you realize that it that drags Amending Fences kicking and screaming into participation along with it. So, in the name of narcissism, here's a Rosetta stone to all the hidden stuff you missed!
The Title
This one actually is a pop-culture reference: it's a play on "One Man's Worth," one of the more renowned two-part episodes of the 1990s X-Men animated series. Basically, baddies from the future travel back in time and kill Professor Charles Xavier before he can form the X-Men, thus plunging the world into an Age of Apocalypse-ish timeline gone wrong.
Hilariously, it also applies to an AU fic idea that I will probably never write where Twilight did go to the party, thus leaving a nonzero chance of there being no one to stop Nightmare Moon. In a world shrouded in eternal night, Twilight and Moondancer are the only unicorns left who are knowledgeable enough and powerful enough to keep NMM at bay and ponykind alive. And of course, they're lovers. :D And then one of them would have to use a time travel spell to try and fix things thus making stuff needlessly complicated and I'm never doing it let's move on
The Chapter Names
- These, naturally, conform to a rough outline of the Scientific Method--how we encounter the phenomena of our world, question it, and learn more about the world and ourselves.
One of the arcs of One Mare's Worth is Twilight and Moondancer applying this method to the letter, both to their relationship and to the matter of energy sources--and succeeding, at least in Moondancer's own mind.
This certainly isn't the last you'll see of the Method, however--keep reading!
---
Chapter 1
- Naturally I had to weave in the book that Moondancer referenced having given Twilight long ago in Amending Fences. I feel like I could have done this in a more special manner, but it made for an easy way for Moonie to show Twilight her affection without slobbering all over her right out the gate. 
---
Chapter 2
- One of the romance novels that Moondancer is carrying is entitled "Dancing With The Stars." It's a silly namedrop of a reality show that ultimately doesn't mean anything and SWEET CADANCE IT'S ACTUALLY STILL GOING SERIOUSLY
- "But What About Lyra?" 
Sorry, Derpibooru folks, but it's time to face facts: Lyra may have been part of the Big Cantero Six, but canonically she meant the least to Moondancer. Moondancer refers to "those three" as the ones who convinced her to give friendship a chance--those three being Minuette/Twinkleshine/Lemon Hearts.
Pictured Above: An accurate depiction of Moondancer's friendship circle.
That said, I tried to toss her in anyway and ran into the same problem Larson likely did--too many characters, to little to do. So I cut her mercilessly and clearly because I knew people would cry wahahahaha
---
Chapter 3
So in the comments I saw that some people tried accusing Celestia of scheduling Moondancer's party for the same time that she totally knew she was going to send Twilight to Ponyville.
Few things about this.
- First off, I'm perfectly willing to recycle that tinfoil hat for you. I believe in Chessmasterlestia, sure, but she ain't all-knowing nor can she tell the future. I've too often seen Celestia viewed as some kind of Big Sister (Is Watching) figure and I will never get it, I swear.
- Secondly, all evidence points to Celestia sending Twilight to Ponyville the day after Moondancer's party. The day Twi blows off the party, Spike says the Summer Sun Celebration is "the day after tomorrow." Then when Twilight gets to Ponyville, Pinkie forces a party on Twilight throws a welcome bash, Spike says the SSC is in the morning. Gosh, it's almost like I checked beforehand before writing this!
I actually totally forgot to check before writing this and the fact that it all lines up is the best stroke of luck I've ever had in this fandom. :D
- Anyway, with all that in mind: in my personal timeline (and for purposes of this story), Celestia set up the Moondancer party because she knew Twilight would be invited--she stresses as much, and such a party would finally teach Twilight the value of friendship. When Twilight then DOESN'T show up but instead tosses Celestia the letter about the Mare in the Moon, Celestia realizes what happened, and that's the catalyst for her to send Twi that letter back that's all "OH MY ME BITCH WOULD YOU GO MAKE SOME FRIENDS ALREADY FINE I'M DEPORTING YOU TO A TOWN WITH THE SMALLEST LIBRARY IMAGINABLE."
- My apologies to Raven fans, by the way. I absolutely love Raven. (It's in my Meganekko Contract.) But I needed a "bad cop" to Celestia's "good cop," meaning she was left holding the short straw in this story.
What I really want to write one day is a story where Raven is just Celestia's bestest awesome closest personal aide who gets to see behind the scenes and and console celestia while the latter is off hours with her hair down and everything. I even could well set the story in a hot tub simply so more than five people would read it. 
---
Chapter 4
- So, yes, human bodies do convert stimuli into electricity. That was a thing that I looked up before greenlighting this project fully; I wanted science mixed in the romance given the two characters I was writing here. 
- I did, however, embellish things due to the magical world and just to make the story work. No one seems to have complained, so mission accomplished, I suppose. In the process of said embellishing, however, I happened upon a fantastic idea which tied both running experiments featured in the story together. And thus, in the end:
As the two kissed, they almost missed their horns growing brighter, or the sparks forming at their tips. Only when a stray magic bolt knocked out one of Moondancer's lights did they stop.
They broke apart, gasping for breath. With quick eyes, they surveyed the dimmer area around them.
"Connection... warmth..." Moondancer said, between ragged gasps. "...circuit!"
"Bio... electric circuit!" Twilight replied, gasping too. "Brought about by more than a little bit of chemistry." She giggled, composing herself. "I think we can call this first experiment a success?"
Moondancer nodded, smiling ear to ear. It all seemed so simple, in retrospect. Bring together two ponies for whom just being around each other provided enough of a physical and emotional reaction, keep their magic conduits open during the process, and the circumstances were enough to create a charge! Or who knew what else?
"It looks like it manifests through our horns," Moondancer said, touching hers gently.
"Probably because we're unicorns," Twilight said. "And because we purposefully linked our magical auras. Oh my gosh, Moon, do you think it's possible to control both energies at the same time? Because if we can, then that's the power that we've talked about!"
That all had to have sounded familiar to someone, right? I mean, I couldn't have been that subtle?
---
Chapter 5
- Finally, the biggie. MLP is big on name horse-play, and you may remember that in Amending Fences, Moondancer has a thing for Haycartes--a play on noted jack-of-all-geek-trades René Descartes.
What's interesting here is that Descartes is often credited for the creation of the scientific method.
What's even more interesting is that the catalyst of his creation of said method was a very realistic-feeling dream.
And now you're invited to read Moondancer's journal entry again, as it is naught but the culmination of her many scientific epiphanies, all tying the most direct path back to "Amending Fences" I could possibly manage.
Kicking and screaming.
In hindsight: if only she'd "doubted everything" like her inspiration had.
So here we are at the end, finally. If you made it this far, then wow, all the kudos. Even I get tired of hearing myself talk after a while! But seriously, thanks for enjoying. Alas, there probably won't be another story where all of the lightning bolts hit and the planets align simultaneously like they did here for quite some time.
Or maybe there will be. Much like a handful of other ponies (who I will cover in a future blog), Moondancer does things to me my muse.
We'll see what the future holds yet.
And hey, maybe she or I will get this "love" thing right in the years to come. Stranger things have happened.
See you next crime.
~B
Sources:
http://kaboderp-sketchy.deviantart.com/art/let-s-study-together-544418793
http://frogandcog.tumblr.com/post/123478923841/my-friends-a-commemorative-photo-from-the-groups
http://dm29.deviantart.com/art/Celestia-s-Aide-449939608
https://derpiboo.ru/808627 (original listed source is dubiously SFW; not taking chances)
http://luminaura.deviantart.com/art/Amending-Fences-Senpai-Love-544076796
http://nyan-pony-galaxy.deviantart.com/art/Moon-Dancer-546515554
http://dsana.deviantart.com/art/Heart-s-Content-552695447
Huh. I have to admit, I completely missed the allusion to the royal wedding. And some of the deeper Cartesian references. I caught most everything else, though I was more focused on the trials and travails of Book Horse 2: Book Horsier. Still, nice to have the reader's guide.
(Also, some people seriously thought there was a Celestial conspiracy to make Moondancer miserable? Wow. That's a lot of foil.)
Few things about this blog:
1) I find it utterly hilarious that you posted it seconds after I put it in a group spotlight thread.
2) To your point on Tia, I tend to view her more as a doting mother figure who has to distance herself from those she cares for most in order to teach them lessons. Once the lessons are learned, she seems to be right there ready to praise them. Alternatively, once they fix something she messed up, she seems rather willing to step up and be a big mare about her mistakes. Not so much a chess master, really. Though, one could argue that she set things up for Luna's return, but I'd say that's when her "big chess master scheme" ended. From there on out, she's just Celestia—for a given value of "just".
3) Dear heavens we match up on the Raven thing. She was my favorite Titan back in the day. Beast Boy was a close second just because I was a silly kid and I giggled at his terrible jokes. And that pic of Raven dressed as... Raven... *shrugs* is just perfect.
My one complaint is related to this, but flipped.
Celestia in your story knows who Moondancer is, from Twilight speaking of her. Celestia offers her a boon, and is supportive of her being a friend and possibly more for Twilight.
As you point out, after that Twilight heads off to Ponyville. Preventing/fixing a world-killing event does take precedence, for sure. There is some weight to what the others say, in that Celestia outright states that she knew Twilight needed to make some friends, to defeat Nightmare Moon. Reconciling that with your story, perhaps she felt Moondancer would be good. Minuette, Twinkleshine, Lemon Hearts, and Lyra would potentially be a good group of friends to be the bearers of the Elements of Harmony.
But the part where I step in and have an issue is after NMM is defeated. Celestia in your story demonstrates not just familiarity, but empathy with Moondancer. She has a heart to heart with her, and gets her. This same Celestia then decrees Twilight live in Ponyville with her new friends, and proceeds to never once point out to Twilight that she might want to check in with that one friend she had in Canterlot, whom she meant so much to. Similarly, she never seems to contact Moondancer, and suggest she take a trip to Ponyville to reconnect.
I'm fine with the overall dynamic presented between Moondancer and Twilight, and how it all fits with canon, aside from that. I feel that if the involvement with Celestia were omitted, it would all make much more sense. Making Raven not be the bad guy has little to do with me disliking her portrayal in and of itself, but having her be the one to be sympathetic with Moondancer's plight, and offer her the wing to have her party in behind Celestia's back would nicely fill up that plot hole.
In order to accept and reconcile the story with canon, we have to already accept that Twilight was kind of a jerk and did totally forget about Moondancer in favor of her new and more exciting friends. This is really the point of Amending Fences, so that's fine. But with the story, we have to accept that the Celestia portrayed in the story also decided to forget about Moondancer. She might have tried to contact Moondancer and been rejected; that would be pretty sad and fit, but I have a hard time believing Celestia would not mention Moondancer and such an obvious friendship problem to Twilight in order to help her and Moondancer fix things. Instead, Spike happens to mention those friends years later, and Twilight suddenly realizes on her own she's been horrible.
I feel that the desire to have royal approval of their relationship in order to push the "I'm doing everything right and still get screwwed!" element came at the expense of plot cohesion.
3363696
...why would she need to?
She saw Twilight happy in Ponyville and gave her student exactly what she wanted, just like she did with Moondancer in my story. From there on, with Luna back, her obligation to meddle in Twilight's life outside of Princess Training is very much ended. It would make little sense for either Twi or Moon to learn the friendship lessons they did regarding each other if Celestia gave it to them on a platter.
3363651 and I agree on Celestia. She watches, she sometimes guides, but she doesn't direct (EDIT: Unless the world is in danger, natch, and even then). She lets ponies find their own way until--and even sometimes past--they hit a brick wall. To look at it another way, the heart-to-heart Cel and Moondancer have in my story also serves as a warning from experience--and that wasn't an accident either. And shared empathy is well and good, sure, but how many more times have Celestia shared empathy with Twilight herself? Moondancer would hardly be special in that regard.
tl;dr: Sometimes the world sucks and life is dumb. This applies, quite often, even to Equestria.
3363696
Re: Your edit:
Bingo. And that has been Celestia's MO for the entire series.
3363734 See the comics, and even the Journal of The Two Sisters. Celestia is a teacher. And that means letting your students figure stuff out.
Celestia is where Dumbledore went after Harry Potter. After King's Cross, Harry chose to go back, and Dumbledore took the train and went . . . On. And behold, it was the Ponyville Express, and he got to have a magic school and a Phoenix for a pet, and the first time he saw himself in the mirror, his sparkling rainbow mane rippling in the breeze, he thought, "my God, I'm fabulous."
3363779
My HP knowledge is surface at best and I still bust a gut just now.
...no, scoots, YOU are fabulous.
...I really need to pick up the Two Sisters journal, don't I...?
3363651
I just tracked down the spotlight. Thank you.
Story of my life. Oh, the many references I've dropped that slid right by all my readers...
If it makes you feel better, I noticed that one. I just didn't think other folks would need me pointing it out.
derpicdn.net/img/view/2015/4/12/872341.png
Oh, you've got one of those, too?
...and once again, Elric the Science Nerd is thinking, "Isn't that common knowledge?"
3363779
derpicdn.net/img/view/2015/4/12/872341.png
3363851
Can't speak for others. I "knew" but I researched anyway to see how deep the rabbit hole went.
That and I'm technically a computer scientist. I have to refresh myself on organic meat-things.
3363881
I know a little bit about a lot of subjects. Wanna chat about sub-atomic particles? Sure, I've picked up a thing or two. Feel like talking about cosmology? Awesome, I can discuss some topics. Interested in paleontology? I know a great book you should read!
So while I don't really know enough to be useful in any single area, I do know enough to be boring in a wide range of topics.
3363851
Also I'm responsible for at least one draft of the Meganekko Contract.
It's the one that defines Rule #34 as stating "Have Her Leave Them On."
Might have gotten revised since then, however.
3363920
Oh, hells yes!
Otherwise, what's the point?
Dang. I wish I had this much in-depth thought with my writing. I'm just barely past writing by the seat of my pants.
Not that I don't put thought into my works, but you clearly put a lot of thought into the story. And it paid off.
Serendipity is a marvelous thing, isn't it?
3363651
Almost forgot--I miss TT so much. (The good one; not the one running now whose only purpose is to be funny and only succeeds half the time.) Raven was easily my second favorite character overall. My favorite was Blackfire because I'm a terrible person. ;_;
3363779 I don't even like Harry Potter, but you just made me want to go back and read it again. I can totally see Dumbledore as Celestia!