Wanderer D 5,502 followers · 65 stories

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  • 113 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 · 8,849 views
  • 134 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.”

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    12 comments · 4,652 views
  • 149 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."

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    10 comments · 4,266 views
  • 156 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?”

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    10 comments · 4,423 views
  • 160 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?”

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    7 comments · 5,923 views
  • 165 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

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    6 comments · 7,954 views
  • 170 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. 

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    8 comments · 6,366 views
  • 174 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.”

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    9 comments · 8,124 views
  • 178 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.

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    10 comments · 5,223 views
  • 181 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!”

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    4 comments · 4,521 views
Jun
19th
2016

Story Reviews » SA Reviews #86 · 11:41pm Jun 19th, 2016

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


“But it’s tradition!” Red opined, throwing his paws out to the ferret who turned her nose up. Not even the adorably tiny cufflinks the squirrel possessed were enough to draw her gaze back.

“I shall not put a single nut in my mouth on our wedding day!” said Ferret, hugging her fluffy tail to herself. “It would be unseemly!”

“My father put a dozen nuts in his cheek pouches when he said his vows and he was proud to do it!” Red huffed. “Will you at least change your mind on the tradition of the bride and groom nibbling down the same wood chip?”

“And it can’t just be cake because why?”

“TRADITION!” Red said, jutting a small finger in the air, as an entire chorus of red squirrels jumped out of the woodwork and echoed him.

———

“And that’s when we start the song and dance,” said Red, wringing his ink-stained fingers together.

Plum glanced up from the manuscript, nonplussed. “These aren’t reviews. These are stage directions about you getting married from the proposal to three years after the honeymoon. Where are the reviews?”

Red grinned. “Oh! Well, those happen on page four hundred and three, right after the helicopter chase…”

ROUND 86


Vinyl and Octavia meet the Devil.
Written for EQD's Writer's Training Grounds #019.


Equestria is a land of fables. Things happen there that are impossible for us: meetings with spirits of chaos, tangling with agents of the universe, and regularly conversing with beings that, to us, would easily pass for divinity. In that world, there is little that is impossible, and much that we consider magic is perfectly mundane. taken to its logical extreme, even a meeting with the literal Devil himself can be fodder for a slice of life story.

You’ve all heard The Devil Went Down to Georgia I’m sure, and if you haven’t then you are uncultured swine of the oinkiest variety. It is a mythical song deeply rooted in Americana about a musician who bets against Satan’s fiddle playing, and if he wins, he gets to keep his soul. This story is essentially a retelling of that famous duel just with Vinyl and Octavia as the ones whose souls are on the line. Though almost a line-by-line retelling, I think what carries this fix is the fact that it has a pony-ish wrinkle: the duel occurs as a matter of friendship between Vinyl, who is in way over her head, and Octavia, who wants to protect Vinyl from the Devil’s depredations. There is some entertaining subtext sprinkled here and there, with implications that Octavia has met the Devil before and may even be more than what she seems. It is a fable without being overly preachy, and a clear tribute without necessarily losing its identity to the original.

Hoof-ful of Dust is a familiar face here, despite how many of us feel they shouldn’t be, owing to how incredible they are. They’re amazingly talented and deserve more love damnit!

This story is a great example of how to do real life fables. The story of meeting the devil at the crossroads is an old one, and how we handle it varies from tale to tale. There’s Tenacious D who managed to fight the devil back and succeed. There’s the Medieval tradition of burying suicides at crossroads to prevent them finding their way home. And of course there’s the classic story of the musician selling his soul for legendary talent.

These stories have plagued artists for years, from Paganini whose incredible dexterity and skill with the violin led to his hometown refusing to bury him for fear that he truly had sold his soul, to the guitarist Robert Johnson who vanished for several years and reappeared with incredible guitar skill and a haunting voice, also leading to rumours of having sold his soul during his supposed invisibility.

Which leads us to this story, involving musicians and devils and the exchanges one can have. Hoof-full of Dust is masterful here, capturing the feel of the dark crossroads, not out in the middle of nowhere, but in downtown Canterlot, where mystery seems even more likely and the chance to meet strange figures is a common occurrence. Less common is who is met tonight by an unassuming musician packing up from a show.

I won’t spoil how it goes, though I’m sure you can guess who is met and what they speak of, but this story is short and sweet and exquisitely executed. It may even cause you to pause the next time you pass the crossroads, and wonder who might be watching in the dark.


Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity brave the last minute shopping crowds of Manehatten to get the Cutie Mark Crusaders the perfect gifts for Hearth's Warming Eve.
Sometimes things just don't work out.


I’ve always had a soft spot for classic Christmas stories. The ones that show characters sacrificing for another, or doing good deeds to the detriment of themselves and being rewarded for it. I love seeing selflessness in stories and the real world. It always gives me warm fuzzies to see people doing kind deeds and seeing ponies do it gives me the same good feeling.

This is a classic sort of Christmas (or Hearths Warming) fic, one that shows tis better to give than receive and share with others the riches you possess.

The story focuses on Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash all coming to Manehatten a few days before Hearths Warming in search of the perfect gift for their respective siblings.

Applejack has discovered that a family vault has been opened and hopes to find things of their Mother’s for Apple Bloom, along with some help from Babs Seed. Rarity wants to take her sister to see the Bridelway show Manespray as she feels it will perfectly combine Sweetie’s interests in both singing and spending time with Rarity. Rainbow Dash knows the best scooter is the must get holiday gift and isn’t about to let Scootaloo go without. They decide to split up and search for their respective items, each agreeing to meet in two hours time.

This is where the story really shines, smoothly transitioning between each perspective and showing us exactly how things go, or don’t go to plan. The characters are beautifully fleshed out and each one feels very true to character in how they deal with their personal challenges and it kept me intrigued and wondering what would happen next as the story unfolded.

There’s also some great characterization happening with the secondary characters, especially Babs. Oroboro does a beautiful job of capturing her young voice and making her feel very true to her age, in that awkward transition between child and more mature teen.

If you don’t mind reading holiday fics any time of year, or even if you want to hold onto this til it’s closer to the season (or the half-way mark) this is definitely worth your time.

Does anyone even still give physical gifts on Christmas? I thought that all gifts went through Steam nowadays. It eliminates all the lines and the cars and the having to brush shoulders with real people, ew. Get with the times, holidays! But as Equestria is a strange and backward place lacking the wonders of the internet, ponies still have to go and get actual things to give to real ponies. And Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity have some very important ponies to gift for their miniature counterparts, i.e. the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

But like you do, things don’t always go as planned. This is a sweet story about the stress of not only holidays, but trying to give the person you care about a gift that shows exactly how much you care, and it must be delivered perfectly, because, well… they deserve perfection, right? When it comes to loved ones, we think that somehow a grand gesture will “prove” what we already show them every day of the year. Seeing the ponies grapple with this anxiety is endearing and adorable as their grand plans slowly, irrevocably come apart. Yet through it all runs that inimitably equine thread of friendship and love shining through even in the worst times.


After a stressful week at the boutique, Rarity decides to unwind at a local drinking establishment. Things quickly get out of hand.
"A gripping tale of mystery and intrigue!" - No one ever
"Love, laughter, tears. This story has it all!" - Don't quote me on that
"One of the seminal works of our generation. Truly a masterpiece." - Voice in my head
"You're adopted." - My mother


Now as we all know, Rarity is the best pony, the true savior of Equestria, and the deliverer of all true believers from gaudy trends and awful fashion statements. This is why even when she is drunk and talking to an apple, she is still best pony.


Pictured: Rarity wielding the ban hammer that will destroy non-believers.

So if you ever enjoyed watching ponies acting silly, this is the story for you. Rarity and Applejack walk into a bar, and Rarity doesn’t walk out until she has to be carried. Also there is an apple that she decides must give her life advice. While this is definitely more of a “scene” than a story, it involves Rarity, and she’s always making scenes, amiright?!

I’m sorry not sorry. This little fic is like an apple, really. Quick, easy to digest, and pretty delicious when it goes down. Also it has Rarity. Did I mention that? I’m a huge fan of characters that stay “in-character” even though they are in situations we normally wouldn’t see them, and this story definitely manages that.

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’m a sucker for good characters. Whether they’re expanded background characters or full fleshed out OCs, I don’t care. I swoon at development and depth and scoff at cardboard puppets.

This story however brings new meaning to the term ‘Original Character’. What do I mean? Well, examine the title, this story is exactly what it says on the tin. Rarity and Applejack are spending an afternoon at the bar having drinks and chatting. Applejack decides to head off early and Rarity stays behind. She’s about to finish when she notices AJ has left an apple behind. A perfect example of her trade, red and lush, shining skin, a single bead of condensation sliding down its skin. So naturally she stays.

Look no further for a beautiful example of how to do one side of a conversation. We never hear more than one side of things, but we always feel we know exactly what was said by the other party. Despite lacking a mouth, they manage to express joy, comfort, skepticism and disbelief for our dear Rarity. Whether they truly do this or if it’s merely Rarity’s imagination is left up to the reader.

Showing characters when they’re not themselves can be a tricky thing to do but Paulicus never fails to show us Rarity despite herself. She slowly becomes more and more inebriated; she gets more and more relaxed and maudlin by turns. She relaxes and opens up. Treating the apple more as a friend as the evening progresses and becoming more hyperbolic as things progress.

I have to admit, if I was the barkeep, I would’ve cut her off long before she cuts herself off, but I’m rather glad they don’t. This is a great little single scene story that I can’t recommend enough.


Prince Flimberlino and Prince Mustachio the Flambulous are here to sell Prince Blueblood some wings, and at a bargain of a price.


I have a soft spot for some of the villains I admit. Chrysalis? She’s pretty cool and can be very goofy. Nightmare Moon? Very cool design, she seriously spooked me the first time I saw her. Sombra? Same deal. But Flim and Flam, or Prince Blueblood? Ooh, now those two are my jam.

Flim and Flam, I adore everything about them, from their lanky design, to their slick patter straight out of the classic musical (And one of my personal faves) The Music Man. I adore their voice actors and their cutie marks, so distinct but perfect in how they fit together. How every part of their design denotes them as siblings. I love them when they’re scamming it up and being sneaky, I adore them when they turn their lives around and redeem themselves, I giggle when their plans backfire and (much like Team Rocket) they have to beat a hasty retreat.

My love for Prince Blueblood is a bit different. Him, I like when he succeeds. I like him as a buffon, or an oafish lackwit, but I really cheer when he turns out to be better than that. Whether his mistreatment of Rarity is due to the fact he’s fending off golddiggers, or pining for another, I want him to be good. I want to see him succeed. I want to see him grow and develop as a character.

This story is more the buffoon route. Two mystical princes from a far off land, who look oddly like Flim and Flam arrive with the intent of helping Blueblood become the alicorn he was always meant to be. They spin fantastical tales of their homeland and show him their powers. He eagerly agrees to assist them with their humble costs to defray such a rare artifact and we’re on our way in a rollicking tale that follows a route akin to ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ done pony-style.

This is a brilliant piece that has a feel of old fables and has an unspoken moral at the end for those looking. Ocalhoun has really carved a spot for themselves with these simple but hilariously funny pieces and this is definitely no exception. Every character feels spot on in behaviour and mannerisms and (somehow) resist the urge to mug for the camera.

If you’re a fangirl for these characters like me, or if you’re just looking for something quick and silly, you can’t go wrong giving this one a shot.

I believe Flim and Flam were villains more because they were opposed to the mane six than because of any actual villainy they’ve done. The swindlers and the con-men in these stories are the evil on the side we scoff at and pity more than rage and want dead. So much so that when they fool someone who deserves it, they suddenly become good guys after a fashion. They become the cathartic cudgel we like to hit the deserving with.

So when Flim and Flam come to Prince Blueblood trying to convince him they have a bonafide alicorn potion, it becomes a hilarious contest to see who falls flat on their face first. In keeping with the fable-like feel of our other stories, this could easily become the sort of cautionary tale that ponies tell their kids, which is appropriate for how short it is. What’s important is that Flim and Flam are the exact kind of massive jerks we remember, and poor Blueblood is no more or less clever than we’ve seen in the show. This is a short and funny tale about what happens when three equally skeezy characters collide, but one is significantly less clever than the other.


“So? What do you think?” Red asked as Plum set the papers down.

“Well, apart from the fact that the songs have no rhythm, it all lacks a cohesive story, and a dozen pages are just scribbly drawings of you and Ferret holding hands with hearts over your heads, I can’t say a play like this would actually make it in the local civics center, let alone Broadway.”

Red tilted his head. “… Play?”

“Red!” said Ferret as she strutted into the room, dragging a diamond ring behind her on her tail. “Did you finish the script yet? It’s a big day and the caterers need to know exactly where to position the landing pad for the helicopters!”

“Of course, sweetie!” Red said. “I was just running it by Plum for proofreading. Everything is going exactly as planned.”

Plum’s eyes went wide. With a growing sense of panic he flipped closer to the end of the giant manuscript, his eyes falling on a random passage on page six hundred forty.

“And that’s when we start the song and dance,” said Red, wringing his ink-stained fingers together.

Plum glanced up from the manuscript, nonplussed. “These aren’t reviews. These are stage directions…”


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 Wanderer D · 2,450 views ·
Comments ( 10 )
PresentPerfect
Author Interviewer

Pleased to see Hoof-ful getting some love here. :) Also, one story I didn't know about previously!

Huh. Didn't expect that.

Thanks for the review!

....well, that isn't creepy at all.

and if you turned on the view screen and fast forwarded a bit, you could see Spaceballs playing in the background!

4034829 What's not to expect? You're awesome and at times underappreciated. :twilightsmile:

Thanks for reviewing my story! I was wondering why I was suddenly getting a rush of notifications. :P Glad to see some people getting a kick out of my silly little idea. :twilightsmile:

I wasn't aware of this group before, but I'll definitely have to check you guys out. I do love me some hidden gems. So much for getting work done tonight, though!

From the looks of things, this group just hit a minor milestone. Seattle's Angels has now reviewed 300 stories. This calls for a celebration! Unfortunately, I'm not very good at celebrations, so I'll just play it low-key and pour myself some tequila. :yay:

4034737
He gets a lot of love here. Pretty sure this is his sixth story to get an SA feature. You'd think the rest of Fimfic would've taken the hint by now. Oh well, you can lead a horse to water, right? (Says someone who's read all his SA featured stories and nothing else of his but still isn't following him).

PresentPerfect
Author Interviewer

4038873
I'm following him, and I mostly know him because his stories always show up in my "review stuff with low view counts" blogs. :/

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