• Member Since 3rd Sep, 2011
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PresentPerfect


Fanfiction masochist. :B She/they https://ko-fi.com/presentperfect

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  • Saturday
    Twilight the 没用

    Yesterday, a fellow named SoothingBell asked if they could translate Twilight the Useless to Chinese, and no way was I gonna say no. :D

    And they turned it around in 24 hours, amazing!

    https://fimtale.com/t/64723

    4 comments · 129 views
  • 6 days
    Idle musing

    so-called because that's what led me to the realization

    What is so compelling about the idea of "warrior woman runs afoul of a wizard and is flung centuries into the future" that I made it happen twice?

    ...And with slightly more musing, I also realize, in a roundabout way, it was with the same wizard. >_> Huh.

    Read More

    7 comments · 161 views
  • 1 week
    Fic recs, March 20th!

    Posting a day earlier than usual because the next reading is a long one!

    H: 1 R: 2 C: 1 V: 1 N: 3

    Read More

    6 comments · 187 views
  • 1 week
    Fic recs, March 14th!

    Lotus Moon has done a reading of Fleety's What's Philomena's Name?!

    Hey, help out Regidar, he's looking for experimental fics! Self-promotion allowed!

    Read More

    5 comments · 234 views
  • 2 weeks
    Fic recs, March 8th: Top Ten of 2023!

    Whaaaaat, two review blogs in a row?

    Well hell yes, because I have done much better with the top ten this year and I am inordinately pleased with myself! :3 here's the explanation of the setup, for all that it has never adequately explained what's going on to like, literally anyone:

    Read More

    19 comments · 270 views
Mar
26th
2020

Who would you ship with Starlight? · 8:22pm Mar 26th, 2020

You can't answer "Twilight", "Trixie", "Sunburst" or "Maud".

And more than naming a list of canon characters, I want you think about Starlight Glimmer. Picture her at any point in her life that we've seen. What person would make a good pairing with her? Give some descriptors, paint a picture, sell this supposed love interest to me.

I may not use this, but I had an idea.

Report PresentPerfect · 420 views ·
Comments ( 39 )

She'd need someone who could contain (or at least redirect) her worst impulses and encourage her best. They don't necessarily need to be her intellectual equal, but it would certainly help; otherwise the two could easily fall into more of a teacher-student relationship. (Not that that can't go into romance in and of itself, but it'd be more problematic.) Magical capability is definitely helpful, both in terms of understanding and appreciating Starlight's passions and surviving and helping undo those passions going awry. (Again, see the bit about Starlight's impulses.)

Perhaps the trickiest part is the other person's own social life, which kind of needs to be in a Goldilocks range. Too few other friends and they and Starlight could latch onto one another in an unhealthy codependence that may well result in another cult if Twilight and friends take an extended absence from Ponyville. Too many, and Starlight just has another group to feel awkward and extraneous around.

Hmm. This might be cheating, since it's almost saying Sunburst on a technicality, but Moondancer might work, provided she's stayed in touch with her fellow CSGU alumni.

Hmmmm... I'll get back with you on this particular topic.

That’s a hard one

You can't answer "Twilight", "Trixie", "Sunburst" or "Maud".

You missed Spike and Thorax. :moustache:

Fluttershy, every time.

For these reasons.

I've long maintained that Sunset is one of the most ship-able characters in MLP so I'll go with her!
And you can easily do pre-reformation for both as a Villain Couple (god that would be a mess), both post-redemption, or one reforming the other!

A well-worn, dog-eared copy of Karl Marx's Capital.

It is a physical relationship.

No, I would not like to revise my answer.

Tempest Shadow, obviously. Or if you want a straight ship, Starswirl the Bearded. (Maybe GlimGlam has a thing for older stallions, and they certainly would have plenty of magic stuff to talk about.)

or Discord. They start hate fucking and then develop genuine feelings for each other.

The Starlight pairing I like that's not got Trixie in it is her and Aria. Which... admittedly, veers into headcanon territory quickly, since Aria's characterization in canon is pretty sparse. They've each tried to take over the world, they're both willing to go against the status quo, Starlight's got a higher-than-typical tolerance for eccentricities and deviant behavior (It doesn't need to be nearly this weird, but the story that got me thinking about them had them farming eyeballs together, because Aria's greedy, horny and opportunistic and Starlight likes pushing boundaries and doing weird magic stuff).

And, weirdly for MLP villains, Aria's still hanging out with her buddies after their plan backfired spectacularly, and she worked fairly seamlessly with said buddies while they were doing the evils (Okay, sure, there's bickering and snarking and all that, but that's mostly when they're between songs; when the time comes for them to actually get stuff done, none of them miss a beat). This, to me, suggests an appreciation for camaraderie that could be reconciled with Starlight's values without demanding too big a compromise from either side--so you wouldn't need Aria to "reform," necessarily, nor Starlight to go evil again.

Also they've got similar color schemes and Starlight is hella cute and pretty Best and deserves nice things like sirens.

Okay, shut up and listen: Miss Harshwhinny is the polar opposite of Starlight's Equality Cult - one says to excel is to fail, while Harshwhinny wants you to excel and doesn't care how nice or friendly you are. A trophy is literally on her butt, and it ain't no participation trophy. Furthermore, Starlight is a loser who doesn't actually believe in Equality, she just uses it as an excuse to disempower and lord over others. Harshwhinny would absolutely call her out on that BS, inciting the town to turn on her, then reluctantly taking Starlight under her wing to teach her to be less of a bitch. Romance develops from there, naturally culminating with Harshwhinny becoming an alicorn.

Butt seriously, Starlight is most defined by her poor impulse control and use of magic to solve problems, so I can't really see her with anyone but Trixie. They deserve each other.

I think she needs someone to keep her grounded. Not my personal preference but an Earth pony, one capable of showing her the power of taking it slow and not making her problems instantly better but a slow progression. Not checklists like Twilight but maybe a pony relating to plants... an arbor perhaps?

If you're looking for a story with it you can go with one replacing Golden Oaks.

But they need to be able to teach Starlight. Show her that just because it CAN be done instantly doesn't mean it's best... Someone who's slower or incremental approach can work miracles in her eyes or do things she thinks are impossible... Just someone to teach her that roses have more value than just a snack. They also need to be able to keep up with her.

5229243
You should have the mods put your old stories back up, dude.

PresentPerfect
Author Interviewer

5229242
Gross.

5229262
Oh, they absolutely do. :)

Kinda out there, but maybe Zecora? They're both enthusiastic about magic—Starlight from an academic level, Zecora from a spiritual level—and I think they could probably learn a lot from one another. Starlight would be naturally curious about how Zecora's magic even works, since we've never seen an exploration of zebra magic, and Zecora is very down to earth and tranquil, which would help to keep Starlight grounded. I think that Starlight might get annoyed with the constant rhyming, but hey, what's a relationship without some petty arguments here and there?

PresentPerfect
Author Interviewer

5229323
If I were ranking these, this would be my #1 answer right now, this is really good.

Fucking write it.

5229326
If I were even remotely skilled at writing Zecora's dialogue, I'd be tempted. Hell, I'm a little tempted regardless.

Sunset Shimmer. They’re both mainstream villains that got redeemed, and they’re both very skilled magic users that have strong bonds with Twilight.

Cheerilee. They're both the two professional educators in town, and have both dealt with the CMCs. They probably have a monthly meeting to coordinate any issues between the two student bodies. They also probably see each other at educational conferences in Canterlot or the Crystal Empire.

Georg #21 · Mar 26th, 2020 · · 1 ·

She is my sun, my desire, and I long to be with her always. Her every breath brings joy to my innermost self, and I lean as close as I can to breathe in her scent while she is bent over her desk, hard at work. Spiced chillis and cinnamon tease my senses, bringing a thrill that exceeds all of my previous experiences. Taco Tuesday, of course, my favorite time of the week, and when I put on the most weight.

I yearn to nibble back when she gives me a thoughtful nip during a break in her studies, but alas, I dare not even try. I am a slave to her caress, bending to her touch with a surge of unattainable desire, for our differences are such that the love I feel throughout my body can never be quenched by the mingling of our bodies and production of offspring.

Or can we?

I take the time to display my desire to my love, shyly concealed from the view of others, and await her response. I yearn to see the seed of life grow within her, but to my dismay, even this rare display of my sexual prowess is ignored. Or at least until my hated rival approaches and engages my love with her crude attempts at intimacy.

"Hey, Starlight!" Trixie hopped up and sat on the principal's desk, giving Phyllis a shove to make space. "The school buckball game is about to start, and they're waiting on a certain great and powerful principal to make the opening announcements. Hey, you saved me a snack."

Trixie gave a quick bite at the white flower showing in Phyllis's foliage, only to have Starlight Glimmer yank the pot away from her at the last moment. "Strange," she murmured, looking at the tiny white flower. "I didn't know philodendrons flowered."

"Leave your botanical studies for school time," said Trixie, giving her friend a shove. "I've got a few hundred pounds of illegal fireworks to set off before somepony catches me, and after the buckball game is the perfect time to dispose of the evidence... I mean celebrate our school victory."

"Okay, okay." Starlight trotted for the door, turning back at the last minute to pluck the white flower out of Phyllis's pot and tuck it behind her ear.

As she left her office for the evening, she never even heard the inaudible screams of the mangled plant as it mourned the loss of its masculinity while clinging to the faint positive of his love being displayed for all to see.

If only she understood his pain, both physical and emotional.

5229330
I'll write the Zecora dialog if you tell me the gist of what you want her to say; I'm pretty good at writing poetry/rhymes.

Chrysalis. She's the universal solvent of ships. Also, she hates Starlight like fire. That's always hot.

Minuette, obviously! Canterlot unicorn for compatible interests, egregiously cheerful and optimistic (which seems to be one of the ways Starlight is susceptible to being steamrolled out of indecision or a funk), not put off by rank or power, and she's adorable. What more could ol' Glim-glam want?

She would bang the ever-living snot out of Flim and Flam, dominate them both, and cheerfully return them to their life of wandering roguery when they begin to get on her nerves.

Repeat more-or-less annually.

When you think about it, it's the ideal relationship for all concerned.

Scorpan. No I will not be answering questions. Seriously though. I did not want to see the show get into shipping until they introduced Sunburst. Would be a very healthy fun first relationship for both of them.

5229260
^ this guy

5229497
I never knew I needed this until now.

PresentPerfect
Author Interviewer

5229497
I demand this be written.

5229493
I like this and will take it into advisement.

5229400
Wow, man.
That was good.

Not sure I get the Taco Tuesday thing, though.
Fertilizer joke?

5229400
Is no one really gonna comment on the Phyllis x Starlight ship going on here? This is my new crackship.

5229599 Plants fix methane gas and use it as food. Also CO2 from burps.
5229614 Oh, I think it's a genius ship. But I may be biased.

Tirek. Because she's too dangerous to be allowed to keep her magic powers. :trixieshiftleft:

I'd start with Moondancer, as someone who can match her feelings of isolation and enjoys magical studies.

An old ship that might work is Double Diamond, during her time as cult leader.

PresentPerfect
Author Interviewer

5229895
I kinda feel like inter-cult ships are going to need a great deal of time and distance to work.

5229901
I will honestly ship just about anyone with Limestone, she's so great. :D

Applejack! She won't put up with Starlight's shit, will tell her the truth if what she's doing is wrong, and yet will also go out of her way to make sure Starlight feels like a part of a family and has a place where she belongs.

Star Swirl the Bearded. Brought together by work — both magical and educational — he at first treats her like crap, and she slowly comes to realize that he treats everyone like crap to cover up his deep resentment at never understanding the friendship magic that the inheritors of his legacy were able to bring to fruition. At that point she sees a little too much of herself in him, and realizes she's one of the few ponies alive who demonstrably understands his struggles from the far side. Romance blossoms as she tries to steer him off of the path of her own regrets, and manages to slowly crack his armor.

PresentPerfect
Author Interviewer

5230707
I detest how much sense this makes.

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