Everfree Northwest 2019: A Non-Chronological Summary · 10:01pm May 26th, 2019
Or: Tales of an Eternal B-Lister
"We met all our adoring fans! All five of them!"
I guess I should talk about this before it all leaves my brain.
I didn't do a recap of my first and only BronyCon last year.
This is because, without going too much into particulars, last year's BronyCon was an interesting experience that in the end was something that didn't work for me. I'm into the bright and joyful and target-demographic and sometimes the mischievous/not-dirty-just-dodgy side of MLP. Too often, though, BronyCon felt like a celebration of... well, bronies, with the show coming second, TV-14 during the day, MA-17 at night. It's a valid approach, I suppose, but something I couldn't slot into. So much of it just felt weird. I hung out with a lot of amazing people, and actually had a touching encounter with one of my readers that nearly brought me to tears (thanks, Toph) but they were oases in a desert for me.
So I was a little worried about coming back out at this year's EFNW, especially knowing that so many people I knew but hadn't talked with for quite some time due to my hiatus were going to be there. Because for the last year-plus, being an MLP fan felt very much like being lonely in a crowd.
There was no way I could have known at the time, but I needn't have worried. Tonally, EFNW is officially my Home(tm) to me, and to be frank, this was the best time I've had at a pony con since the early days of the fandom.
And I have you lot to thank for it.
Mainly bulletted experiences below, with expansion where I feel like it.
Three times in three days:
"Hey, I love your black and white Sci-Twi button!" "Thanks! It's actually Juniper Montage, though." "...who?"
- Rolled into EFNW with bestie Shaxbert (you may know him from my OC and some other, uh, questionable pony arts)
- Decided to actually meet people on purpose this year instead of being dragged into gatherings and meetups by accident
- Ended up being dragged into gatherings and meetups on purpose
- Like, way too many, to the point where I actually had to duck out of a few because I just did not have the stamina at my age anymore
- So yeah, the plan ended up working a little too well
- Bought a laptop on Saturday morning
- Went to the dealer's hall that same day and saw 90% of plushies there that cost multitudes more than the laptop I'd just bought
- I know the time and money and labor that goes into making even one of these, but the sticker shock will never die
- I really at some point am going to buy a high-quality current-era Starlight (or have a custom Juniper pone made) tho :(
- Tangentially related: Was happy to pass multiple times by someone cosplaying Wa-... crap, it was on the tip of my tongue what the hell is her name again
- Gained even more love for the Young/Student Six than I thought I had already
- Yona is Best X stupidsexysmoldertho
- Had a Gallus-themed cocktail; like its namesake it was abrasive as hell but had its moments
- In retrospect, probably should have had the Silverstream given my sweet tooth; that one was literally topped with blue cotton candy
- Realized how surreal it is for Vincent Tong (otherwise Straight Up Amazing Dude(tm)) to finally voice an MLP character I actually unequivocally like)
- Did a WHOLE LOT of deep technical Starlight talk with Arcshod, one of the few people I found at the convention--nay, this whole fandom--who understands true enlightenment. Just don't ask him about anime, his taste in it is hoooooooorrible
Covered topics: power couple ships vs. complementary support couple ships, giving Starlight all of the Trixies, the possibilities of Sunset/Starlight shipping (verdict: absolutely possible, also hot as hell, but honestly having them just be best friends makes for much better stories). Was a good time.
- Was met with inarguable proof that any sort of deep writing topic (i.e. mental health, LGBTQ+ writing, etc.) panel CANNOT be performed in the space of an hour. It just can't. We have actual empirical proof of that this year so EFNW please blow all of those back up to 90-120 minutes plzkthx.
- Was shipped at least twice with Novel-Idea
- I'm pretty sure we eventually we just gave in
- Which I was fine with--over the course of the whole con this dude was a complete boss who seemed to be on a mission to get me to not be anxious of being around other pony fans anymore. It worked as well as it could have, which is to say quite a bit. My heartfelt thanks.
- (Yes, Novel, this is why I humored you constantly yakking my ears off about your AU where if I'm reading this right I'm pretty sure Equestria Girls never happened I hope you appreciate what I do for all of you people i keed it does look interesting though maybe I'll poke at Alchemy of Chemistry at the very least)
- Freaking FINALLY met Adgerelli after we missed each other no less than 6 times last year
- Roleplayed catty Starlight vs. Sunset mini-squabbles with The Albinocorn
- This lasted nearly all four days
- Was shipped with Albi because of it
- It's fine
- It was around this time that I realized: I've read almost diddly squat from any of the fandom's most notable authors. Like, for example, I love Monochromatic, but I've heard she also writes things? I have no idea what they are something about a library
- I am only slightly jesting for effect here, I am really bad at reading ponyfic
- Came away from this con with no less than five new story ideas tho
- All of them involve Starlight freaking hell
- Witnessed the funniest convention opening ceremonies I've ever seen in my life
- Was gifted an Equality Starlight Glimmer Plushie by Reia Hope
- Hugged the Equality Starlight Glimmer Plushie
- ...I take everything back plushies are absolutely worth $500
- Broke Kelly Sheridan's mind by causing her past and present to collide
https://www.deviantart.com/shaxbert/art/Friendship-is-Pancakes-798977356
(had that made for her months in advance yeah; also gave her an extra copy <3)
- Bringing the Starlight plushie: also the right call
- Bought a second silver engraved Starlight necklace (EQG version this year to go with my pony one) from MyLittleTies
- Alternated both over all four days
- Basically elevated my Glimmy fandom to a level of dankery that would make DWK jealous
- Did so in a convention filled with Sunset Shimmer worshippers
- I live dangerously
- That said, there was way too much Sunset merch that I actually wanted to buy and if I had the time machine I think I'd just go get it all now. Including the pocket watch, the plushie, and the colored light LED statue that in no way fits into my life but just look at the freaking thing it lights up through all the rainbow colors I want it I am a sucker for things that light up in rainbow colors as my tokusatsu roleplay toy collection will attest ;-;
- I saw this more than I wanted at the con, so I'm just putting this out there. If you're one of those people who logic-dissects the Applejack cliff scene in S1E1... omg stop it. 
There is literally no reason to. It's supposed to be an overblown, overly sincere dramatic moment where Applejack technically didn't lie. There are far, far more deserving things in this show to complain about. Like The Maud Couple.
I'm just saying. 
- Met Carabas who if memory serves was just a nice guy with a gorgeous accent; sometimes, that's all you need in life
- Watched She-Ra & The Princesses of Power with Cynewulf (hi!) and ScarletWeather after the latter sat on the thing for NINE MONTHS OMG SCARLET I LOVE YOU BUT I WILL COME OVER THERE IF YOU DO THAT AGAIN
- It was fun watching her reactions tho
- Also watched ScarletWeather and FanofMostEverything, aka Fimfic's two Magic The Gathering titans, finally have their fated duel
- Literally understood none of what was going on in said duel as it lasted for a full hour and a half
- Fangirled over Nicole Dubuc (current co-showrunner and writer of a ton of stuff like the good season of W.i.t.c.h., Lego Elves: Secret of Elvendale, Young Justice, etc.) in front of Nicole Dubuc because I've been a fan of her career for like 15 years now
- Was then bought a freaking latte by Nicole Dubuc, who also gave me legit animation writing industry break-in advice and encouragement and said she can't wait to read my writing
- The catch is that I have to move to LA. I kind of despise California with every fiber of my being (the weather and traffic do not work for me), but this is the closest I've ever come to considering it
- Held a literal conversation with Coco Pommel (thank you, Cathy 
) after telling her what Coco means to me and my life; barely avoided crying on the spot
- Finally bought a Front Page plushie after wanting one for eight years
- This promptly happened Sunday night I have no idea how
Glimmy you scamp what have I told you about recruiting ponies for the town
- After lots of convos and paneling, am finally able to put in the words why why I genuinely love my favorite three ponies (and two humans). Essays may come. Probably not tho.
- Defended the honor of SciSet in front of people who, let's face it, just haven't been assimilated yet
- Finally played Twilight Sparkle's Secret Shipfic Folder after having it hyped up to me over the last five years
- In the end... it was alright
- Shipped Applejack with her two dead dads, though, so it's definitely working as intended
- Met some actual honest-to-real, live, Lightning Dust fans! She's up to five, now~
- Met Rose Quill, aka AllyKitty (OHHHH!), aka the only other person at EFNW who knew what a Juniper Montage was
- Hap gave me an explanation of time travel built in real science that I can actually get behind
- Listened to a ton of fandom writers' fanfic summaries and thought processes and over the course of the con and was reminded how... sort of simple I am? Everyone seems to want to/be able to create a massive multiverse-spanning fantasy or sci-fi epic starring Sunset Shimmer and here I am trying to write technicolor Kimi no Todoke or Kamen Rider Fourze episodes for the twentieth time while having pipe dreams of being able to professionally write TV episodes aimed at 8-year-olds
- I suppose this is what one calls a "niche"
- Ran into Morning Sun for the fourth con in a row, got reprimanded for not watching Love Live past Season 1 for the fourth time in a row. And right when μ's gained their rival team, too, which is a kryptonite trope for me. This is entirely my fault.
- Also for the fourth straight con in a row, was approached by a random person out of nowhere in the final hour of the event who I'd never met before to be greeted with, "whoa, hey, you're Bookish Delight? I like your stories!"
- Actually there was a LOT of that this year. More than I was ready for or ever could have guessed. Also a lot of people who, when I introduced myself, went "I know that name from somewhere" and then I would have to tell them that I've been a fixture of this fandom from the start and someone told me that I'm officially the oldest/longest-running fic author here? Huh.
Anyway, it was all very... nice. Affirming. Like, attention, sure, but it really it was nice to know... that I matter. Or was able to make someone's life better. Even a little bit.
- And in the end, after all of the above... I decided that perhaps my time in this fandom was not completely unsalvageable.
General shout-out snot featured above: MudPony/Georg/BatwingCandleAxe/Czar_Yoshi/Super Trampoline/Winston. I'm sure there are more but I don't remember all the names of who I met there were too many of you and you were all delightful. If you're a name and you weren't listed above, let me know and I'll add it, or maybe even update the post with what I remember about you!
Despite what I said above, there's a part of me that wants to just slap together a BronyCon trip based on the strength of last weekend, but I should probably be financially responsible for once--it's been almost a half a year with this new job and while I'm no longer living paycheck to paycheck, I'm still at that moment where one really bad thing could put me right back at square one. Sometimes it really is just tempting to do one of those ko-fi things.
Still, I'll see you all at next year's EFNW. Wild ponies couldn't keep me away.
Thanks again to everyone reading this.
~B
And all is right in the world
T'was a blast meeting yourself as well.
I have yet to go to a horse convention. @_@ Maybe next year... I dunno. I can't do EFNW 'cuz that's out of my range, but Whinny City I can do. Is Ponyville Ciderfest in the midwestern area? I forget.
Can confirm that the Wavelengths Timeline is quality bookhorse drama. (Sunset Shimmer is treated as a bookhorse for the purposes of this universe.)
Yeah, more than once, I described some of my stories as "an AU where Sunset basically becomes God," to which the other person responded "So what's different?"
To summarize: She poked me to death with a bunch of assorted birds and faeries while some elvish asshat used them to expand his spy network, so in the next game I put a snake on a boat, ate her magic like I was Tirek, and used my elvish asshat to induce horrific mutations, making my minions so nightmarishly swole that she couldn't do anything to stop them from punching her face in.
Net result: One game to her, one to me. Then she scienced my goblins to death several times when I borrowed Cynewulf's deck the next day, so I think she still won. Pray pardon the use of technical language.
Also, now I want Juniper to go to CHS and have everyone go, "Hey, Twilight! When did you dye your hair?"
I have looked extensively and this is painfully scarce in either variety.
This is super adorable and also a really cool fan thing to do. :O
I'm glad you had a great time. I guess this also means I won't be seeing you in Baltimore in a couple of months?
cs11.pikabu.ru/post_img/big/2018/07/08/6/1531040144130433044.png
Enjoy!
It was good meeting you! And yep... EFNW is best con.
Finally played Twilight Sparkle's Secret Shipfic Folder after having it hyped up to me over the last five years
Yes! Me too. Fan beat me like a rug. I swear I'm going to make flashcards from my pictures this year so I can tell who is who next time and at Bronycon.
I'm going to... try to be at the next one.
5065078
Brb I have a comment to leave on Sunset Shimmer Is Perfect
That's our Reia. You'll never find a more generous soul in this fandom. Humble too, since he didn't even mention this when I saw him the other day.
Plus, he'll be pleased when I tell him about Glimmy's antics with Front Page, there.
I'm glad to hear you had a good time at Everfree NW!
Also, totally agreed on the potential of Sunset/Starlight shipping, and that having them as friends is an even better idea.
Welcome back.
5065078
You missed the part where you summoned a giant steel dragon to ravage my hordes only to be betrayed at the last second by the wolf clans on your borders, but otherwise a fair summary.
One might say I blinded you. With science.
I'll see myself out now. (Also in your defense, I have played against Cyne's goblin party deck so often I have literally memorized how to kneecap it.)
*aggressive squealing noises*
SHE-RA WAS PERFECT AND ANYONE WHO ARGUES IS GOING TO DIE LIKE THIS IS MAGIC AND I'M PLAYING CHARBELCHER.
So um, really inconsistently but really quickly when they do. Is the joke.
(Honestly, that night was probably the highlight of the con for me. Thanks for coming by and watching. <3)
Anime face Jiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
5065444
I can’t believe y’all watched She-Ra without me and Fourths.
5065482
Added something for you :3
5065105
Afraid not. I genuinely considered it, but I'm trying to upgrade my quality of life first ^^
5066029
While this greatly saddens me, I can respect that decision. And I was gonna make you come to the bar crawl this year in search of a Starlight-themed cocktail...
5065801
yes good
also you should double continue because I promise A-Rise will not go in the direction you think it will!
Been a crazy work week so I'm only just now getting around to commenting here. But I guess it just wouldn't be the full FiMFiction Experience without me being crazy-late with a crazy-long comment so.... XD;
ANYWAY PIECE-BY-PIECE BREAKDOWN TIME 'CUZ IT'S BEEN A WHILE AND I'VE LEGIT MISSED GETTING TO DO THESE!
* Yyyyyeah as tempted as I have sometimes been to at least Try And See this all sounds like exactly why I didn't ever go to BronyCon even at the height of my MLP fandom. I mean hey! Those who go and enjoy? More power to 'em! But that sounds like a nice healthy helpin' of Not For Me, so I can definitely appreciate why your own feelings are as they are. Still good on you for giving it a try at least and I'm glad you still managed to find some pretty sweet-sounding oases. ^_^
* The notion that Sunset and Starlight being Besties is apparently a rare enough sentiment in this fandom to be deemed True Enlightenment when what it ought to be called is COMMON SENSE literally staggers my brain. Glad you found someone else who understands that though.
* Panels Tackling Big Social Justice Topics sounds like it's going through some Growing Pains across the Fandom Sphere in a lot of ways so I suppose it makes sense for that to be true at EFNW as well, especially because even in a show as relatively straightforward in its Moral Center as the MLP series I really can't imagine only an hour being enough time to even properly establish the full context of, like, any of them, let alone actually actively tackling the topic in any real detail.
* look as someone who spent way longer than is even remotely justifiable being Anxious About Being A Pony Fan in contexts outside of the ones I 100% controlled i just want to say that whole biz with you, Novel, and The Albinocorn sounds delightful and i am sincerely happy for all of you for getting to have it
* THE STARLIGHTENING RETURNS!!!
* Remember when I reviewed "The Taste of Friendship" and revealed that I know only the barest possible minimum about "Ranma 1/2"? Well I now realize that this extends to not realizing at all that part of the genesis of that story was the fact that Starlight and Ukyo shared a VA! This makes a story I already found delightful even better because I absolutely love crossovers based around characters who share a VA. Like, it is legitimately a Very Specific Thing that I love so much! XD
* ...wait there are Applejack's Element of Harmony Moment truthers out there? Do...do I want to know how that's possible...?
* Legit jealous of everyone who got to do a "She-Ra" live watch with you because oh my glob that sounds like it would be just the best.
* OK so
a) what is Twilight's Secret Shipfic Folder?
and
b) i count ONE dead dad for AJ and as something like THE AJ Fan I find it unacceptable that I cannot say with 100% certainty who the second could possibly be XD;
* Honestly I think on some level you and I are in something like The Exact Same Niche so
thumbs.gfycat.com/BigDefiniteBarnswallow-size_restricted.gif
* Perfect Choice of Sign Off Clip Is Perfect
Was great to meet you in person! Hope you'll be there next year.