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.”

    Read More

    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?”

    Read More

    10 comments · 4,425 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?”

    Read More

    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.

    Read More

    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
Mar
19th
2019

Story Reviews » SA Round: 147 · 8:36am Mar 19th, 2019

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


The Intern wandered the endless mazes alone.

It is Right that Interns brave the darkness of the maze alone, if you think about it, for is not the intern but a redshirt, writ large and brave? Is the Intern not a kind of mythic creature, which cannot be stopped, which endures weather, unpaid labor, coffee runs, and endless work and comes out on the other side technically alive?

Yes, all of that, but it didn’t really matter because he hadn’t seen coffee in weeks, there wasn’t any work, and also the Reviews were Due.

The reviews were a kind of mystery, really. Where did they go? Where did they come from? Who wrote the stories that they read and who supplied the typewriters that they wrote upon? Intern does not know, and he does not ask. The asking is done by the narrator, narrating his--

“Are you done yet?” he asked.

“No,” Cyne said, frowning from her perch. “I am decidedly not done yet. This is a silly exercise in farce designed to cover up for the fact that we’re still stuck in the SA compound and we’ve all begun to accept that it is kind of endless, but also we don’t want to think about it.”

“Right. So. Reviews.”

“Yes. The Reviews,” she replied, and tried to trace out the trademark symbol after saying it. “I was going to, but then I didn’t sleep for three days. Well, okay, I slept a few hours.”

“But you have them, right?”

He lost sight of her then, and before he could call out, she had leap of faith’d down unto the stoney platform he was on and slammed her pile of reviews directly to the forehead, as the repeating advertisements in the Infomercial Room had instructed her, so long ago.

ROUND 147


Princess Luna knows her sister is hiding something. Whatever she may say, 'Daybreaker' did not seem to be some construct of Starlight Glimmer's psyche. It had been far too strong for that.

But Luna will learn that sometimes it is better to leave well enough alone. The truth is not always kind.


If I had to sum this story up: what if you could interview the devil, and he told you that there were Bigger Fish to Fry?


Daybreaker is kind of a joke. We’ve tried, and occasionally succeeded, in making her a Threat, a true and honest Spectre. Meridian Prime is good, and they know that we’ve traveled this road many times before. So, we get a kind of subversion of Daybreaker, the angry Celestia who destroys. It isn’t fire or burning that she wounds with--it’s words. It’s harsh, cutting, precise words. It’s the suggestion that the world isn’t the way it appears to be, and that some things which we believe we can rely on may in fact betray us.


Luna’s confrontation with herself, with what her sister could be (if Daybreaker is to be believed!), and with what to do with information she cannot really verify beyond doubt is kind of entrancing. What do you do with unpleasant truths, or things that may be unpleasant truths?

I’ve wanted to read this story for so long, but could never find the time to start it. Boy am I glad I got to do that now.

Daybreaker, as Cyne said, is often a joke of a threat. A fool of a villain. But not in Lightning. Here, we see her not as some mad tyrant bent on power and destruction of ponykind, but on manipulation and words. Words said to make you doubt all that you once believed. The revealing of truth.

I’ve tried a lot to say what I want to here, but I can’t seem to write words that do justice to this story. So I’ll say it as best I can. This story is fascinating, it’s beautiful, it’s... a little bit terrifying. Because Meridian Prime nailed this entire story.


Rainbow Dash sometimes flies high for Wonderbolt training, higher than almost any other pegasus. Up there, it's just her, the earth, and the sky. It's more than enough to give a whole different perspective on things.


Flying is one of our eternal fascinations, and for good reasons. Feet can carry you far, but they do so in such a limited way. We can climb to tall peaks, but do so only at great cost. A bird can make it there in a quarter of the time, and with about as much of the energy.

So it’s not surprising that a lot of writers looked to Rainbow Dash as a good excuse to write about flying. While Rainbow in show tends to be more about the thrill of dives and loops, the effortless always-on-the-wing way she gets around is perfect fodder for some in-depth character study about not only what it would be like to fly, but also what it might mean.

These kinds of pieces live and die by their ability to paint pictures with words, or provide some kind of arresting image. There is one here--you’ll probably see it, so I won’t say--that actually got me imagining what could happen after this flight, what might have been. That’s the feeling you want out of a character study.

Up Where the Air is Clear is a neat little story. The kind that thrives on painting a picture to see it as you read it.

And paint a picture it does. For how short it is, it’s amazing that Rambling Writer could fit so much character study into this story. RW reminds us that it’s often the most trivial, simple things that are the most wondrous. Sure, doing a Sonic Rainboom is fun and exciting, but the thrill doesn’t last very long before you’re tired of it. But seeing the heavens without the soupy haze of an atmosphere; the pure and simple feel of flying through the air, without a care as to where; watching the sun crest over the horizon and seeing as color and life flood through the world… that is where beauty and enjoyment lay.


Hey, you!

It's been awhile, hasn't it? I was hoping to say hello this weekend. Meet me at 2 o'clock this Saturday evening at Canterlot Castle if you're up for it. Dress warmly, come alone, and bring stories!

—Lily


I wasn’t sure what to expect from this one, but the beginning is pretty engaging. I’m a sucker for loners, having been one most of my life in one way or another, and our narrator is the picture perfect example of one. They have let so many friends slip by, and their connections are tenuous, at best. The letter they receive from the titular Lily brings up questions of why they drifted apart in the first place, and the reason being lost to time is actually kind of a wonderful stroke.

Streak, the narrator, receives a letter from an old friend… and jumps at the chance at some genuine connection. After all, this time someone actually sought him out on purpose. She wants to sneak into the castle, and he follows behind. Who she is, who he is, and what they have in their past is unfolded bit by bit. There’s a lot to unpack here--and the intention of the story, what it is trying to say, is kind of ambivalent for reasons I could only explain after you’ve read.


As for the rest… there are several ways to read this story. I actually talked this fic over with a couple of folks, and your mileage is *definitely* going to vary. How you read this fic is going to depend on your life experience, but also what you feel about this *kind* of story. So recommended, as something to link to a friend and Discourse about. That kind of story is honestly pretty valuable.

Friends drift apart sometimes. It’s sad, but true. But what happens when you can’t remember why you drifted in the first place? That’s one of the struggles the narrator goes through, and as the story unfolds, we discover more and more about why they did. About one friend stuck in the past, trying to struggle forward -- the other in the future, refusing to be dragged backward. But they’re both still trying, which is what makes this story so impactful… they just can’t understand each other’s methods of trying.

As Cyne said, this story’s mileage will absolutely vary depending on your life experiences. I’m a bit of a loner myself, one who struggles to allow himself to connect meaningfully to others. That’s why this story hits me so hard. As for you? Well, I guess you’ll have to read it and find out.


Our lives are journeys, and each year is a landmark. From the day we're born to the day we die, we live, learn, and love, and we leave our mark on the world behind us. And while some of us live in cages, not aspiring for greatness, some of us were born ready to shatter the bars and soar free.

My name is Sierra. This is my life.


Going year by year is an interesting gimmick, and this look at a character’s journey through life. Slice of life is fun, and one of the reasons that its fun is because we genuinely like being alive. I know, I know, hearing that from me is wild. But we do! And we like the chance to experience bonus life.


So a story devoted to literally going through the events of a life really gets at that hindbrain bit, makes that nice SoL buzz in the back of your brain that enjoys All Creatures or Walden. As a wideview-SoL, this really does it for me. I think you’ll see what I mean.

I couldn’t believe we hadn’t featured this one already, I had to keep going back and checking. It’s just that good.

Written in a very peculiar style of going year by year, it follows the story of a pegasus filly’s developing dream flying. Of experiencing true freedom. But this is life, and the story recognizes that dreams don’t always work out the way we think they will. This story shows us what happens when we give up on our dreams, when we accept someone else’s as our own.

Cyne mentioned Walden. And honestly, having just read that book, I’d agree. The SoL style of that book which makes it so renouned is part of why Sierra satisfies so well.


Matthew woke up in a cold sweat, sheer panic in his eyes. “That was weird,” he said to nobody in particular. “I dreamt I was an… Intern…” He shuddered and laid back down.

Cyne watched him from the shadows, tuning fork in hand. She grinned and walked out of the room, turning left down the hall.


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 · 2,267 views ·
Comments ( 9 )

I am in the space between spaces.

PresentPerfect
Author Interviewer

Oh yeah, Lily's Letter. :D

The most annoying thing right now is having strict limitations on what I add to my RiL in an effort to reduce it to a more manageable level while you people keep introducing me to things that look awesome. Curse you. Curse all of you! :flutterrage:

5030153
Why do I take such joy in reading this comment...

5030153
Why have strict limitations when you can 2888 stories in your RL instead? :pinkiecrazy:

5030346
Because every story added to my RiL is a promised review, and should I ever stop reviewing I want to go out having kept all those little promises. Have to make Pink Pony proud. :pinkiesmile:

5030359
:rainbowderp:
Well that's an ambitious promise.

5030400
I swear to Luna, my ambition will be the end of me.

:rainbowderp:

Two SA reviews? I'll be damned.

If I had to sum this story up: what if you could interview the devil, and he told you that there were Bigger Fish to Fry?

Welp, that's going in the description.

Daybreaker is kind of a joke. We’ve tried, and occasionally succeeded, in making her a Threat, a true and honest Spectre.

I honestly think Daybreaker has a lot of potential as a concept, so long as you don't fall into the cliche of "oh noes, it's NMM but with fire" and make her an actual character, based on Celestia's flaws. I've definitely got other ideas for her.

Meridian Prime is good, and they know that we’ve traveled this road many times before

:pinkiegasp: swoon
More seriously, this is really cool to hear from someone who is 50% of the reason I started to write at all (Cold in Gardez being the other 50%). I wouldn't have been inspired to try my hand at writing things of my own if I hadn't read works like When The Levee Breaks.

So, we get a kind of subversion of Daybreaker, the angry Celestia who destroys. It isn’t fire or burning that she wounds with--it’s words. It’s harsh, cutting, precise words. It’s the suggestion that the world isn’t the way it appears to be, and that some things which we believe we can rely on may in fact betray us.

Yes! After all, Celestia's not impressive just because she moves the sun - she's impressive because she managed to rule a kingdom for over 1000 years and come out smelling like roses (the kingdom too). You don't manage that without being a pretty smooth talker.

Luna’s confrontation with herself, with what her sister could be (if Daybreaker is to be believed!), and with what to do with information she cannot really verify beyond doubt is kind of entrancing. What do you do with unpleasant truths, or things that may be unpleasant truths?

I think making this about Luna and DB was the real point of inspiration for me - because their relationship is just layers upon layers of history and complication. It's fascinating, then, to see how they unwind.

I’ve wanted to read this story for so long, but could never find the time to start it. Boy am I glad I got to do that now.

:pinkiehappy:

Daybreaker, as Cyne said, is often a joke of a threat. A fool of a villain. But not in Lightning. Here, we see her not as some mad tyrant bent on power and destruction of ponykind, but on manipulation and words. Words said to make you doubt all that you once believed. The revealing of truth.

I refer you to my above response to Cyne, but it's awesome that this came through so strong for both of you.

I’ve tried a lot to say what I want to here, but I can’t seem to write words that do justice to this story. So I’ll say it as best I can. This story is fascinating, it’s beautiful, it’s... a little bit terrifying. Because Meridian Prime nailed this entire story.

I don't really have a response to this other than to inform you that I have having difficulty not 'squeeing'.


All in all, I am beyond flattered. Thank you, Angels.

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