Drake's Reviews #12 · 1:06pm Oct 14th, 2016
Spent a few hours at work off-hours tonight with only my phone for company. Might as well read some fics.
Sandbox by Summer Dancer
Basically takes a cue from the comics - while Sunset is studying in the park one day, Cadance asks her to watch Twilight for a few minutes while she goes to the potty. What follows is conversations between Sunset at the height of her arrogance and Twilight as a foal. The two are characterized well, Sunset is a bitch but not a villain, she has some niceties to her, and Twilight is adorable.
Where the fic kinda fails is that it has pretty much one theme - Sunset's behavior and advice would cause Twilight's neuroses as an adult. At one point Sunset repeats the magic kindergarten bit from Lesson Zero, and she later tells Twilight studying and working hard is more important than friends. And in that it's a bit too clean, the idea that Sunset would influence Twilight so greatly. There's no give or take with them, either - if Twilight had mentioned Celestia talking about the Element of Magic in regards to her cutie mark, it would have been a great way to tie into the canon, but she doesn't. We're just watching Sunset talk to Twilight in ways that will affect her later in life.
But there's numerous poorer ways to fill 3000 words.
Recommendation: A neat little diversion with some humorous bits.
The Coronation by Between Lines
Through undisclosed means Sunset is now an alicorn (I presume because she's perfect 
) and has returned to Equestria for her coronation. And she brought the Humane Six with Sci-Twi included to Equestria with her.
The fic takes the framing device of Twilight and Sunset in a hayburger discussing what the others are doing. We get no clear references to some, very clear ones to others. But it works. We're left to infer what chaos was unleashed when the pairs met their counterparts rather than seeing it directly. We never even see Pinkie mentioned but it's obvious what's become of her. And in that it's kinda a clever, cute narrative. The details are all in what hasn't been seen, like coming to a party after it's over, seeing the mess left behind, and being left to put together the events yourself.
Recommendation: A funny and well-written little bit.
The Friendship Contest by Seventh Heaven
Sunset comes home and she and Starlight instantly hate each other. Thus begins the competition to prove who is the superior friendship student by making the most friends.
Putting aside the conflict is manufactured to get the ball rolling, this is funny. There's Sunset repeatedly mugging ponies by accident and hiding the bodies, Starlight is quick to resort to magic to make friends by brainwashing, and there's plenty of gratuitous cameos. What more can random lulz give us?
Recommendation: Simple but entertaining.
