Paul's Thursday Reviews CCXXXVI · 9:05pm Jan 21st, 2021
The time has come, but not for the reasons I anticipated.
As I’ve been setting up my schedules in the last few weeks, some things are becoming increasingly clear to me. My decision last year to make sure there was always a 70k+-word story in these blogs has put me in a position where it’s hard to get all the material I need to read done using my current wordcount limits. I attempted to expand upon those limits slightly, and that seemed to work at first.
Then last week hit. At my real-life job, I am a technical writer. When they first hired me on five years ago, there were ten tech writers on staff, myself included. Now there are three. As a result of this, a ton of extra material has fallen into my lap. One of these requires me to go onto the workshop floor and observe prototype tools being assembled for the first time so that I may document the process.
In the past, I would give myself little work breaks, which I would use to read stories for review. The amount varied, but usually I could get an hour-and-a-half done every day (two fifteen-minute breaks and an hour’s lunch). This was a huge benefit in letting me do my daily readings as well as the other things I wanted to do with my days (like writing). Now that I have to be on the workshop floor with some regularity – and throwing on all the other projects I’m now expected to keep up with – all of that has gone out the window. And I have to read more daily to meet my current 10-story-a-week blog needs?
Yeah. It’s time to change things up.
We won’t see the effects of this for over a month as I’m not willing to change my existing schedule over it, but I’ve decided to set a hard wordcount limit for the stories of these blogs. That wordcount will be 70,000, but will not affect the 70k+ wordcount stories, of which I will continue to try to release at least one-per-blog. Put another way: aside from the big stories, every blog will have as many stories as will total 70k-or-less words. That may be ten. It may be two. It will be one sometimes.
I’m also going to start limiting my weekly reading so that I only ever get one full blog done per week, plus some change to help me build a lead. Combined with the strict wordcount limit, this will theoretically allow me to reduce how much I have to read per week. It’s not foolproof; any week where I’m reading two 70k+-word stories at once (to keep up with the one-per-week rule) will inevitably put me right back at my 30k/day amount, for example. Further modifications may be necessary. But for now I will try this and hope things get better for me.
But damn, it will be disappointing to not release ten stories like clockwork every week. I was proud of my ability to do that.
Alright, enough technical stuff. Reviews.
Stories for This Week:
Tactics of Snowbound Unicorns by Novel-Idea
Incomplete by Dark_Soliloquy
The Drunken Ramblings of Vinyl Record Scratch by The Autumn Princess
Why Are You Here, Your Majesty? by forbloodysummer
The Lightning In Your Teeth by Meridian Prime
You Betcha! by The Cloptimist
Final Thoughts by President Dead
The Death of Daring Do: The Engine of Eternity by DuncanR
Sanguine Kindness by Rated Ponystar
Masquerade by McPoodle
Total Word Count: 190,612
Rating System
Why Haven't You Read These Yet?: 1
Pretty Good: 6
Worth It: 3
Needs Work: 0
None: 0
Tactics of Snowbound Unicorns
3,615 Words
By Novel-Idea
Twilight Sparkle won’t stop reading a book. Sunset Shimmer wants to meet their friends at Pony Joe’s. For the latter, there is only one way to rectify Twilight’s stubbornness, and it involves compact spherical forms of frozen water crystals.
Written entirely in good fun (as far as I can tell), this story is nothing save a big snowball fight. At first it’s just Twilight and Sunset matching wits, but then their friends Minuette, Coloratura, Coco Pommel, Moon Dancer, and Cheerilee get involved. Then a certain somepony shows up to deliver the “big guns”.
It’s silly, it’s pointless, and it’s very entertaining. I particularly loved Coco’s startling display of speed and precision. Don’t let the adorableness fool you; if ever I’m in a snowball fight, she’s the one I want on my side.
There’s also a hint of a romantic triangle yet to come, and I won’t be complaining about that.
All in all, this is an endearing break from all the drama and emotional baggage that has led the Wavelengths of Time series. While I thoroughly enjoy said drama and emotional baggage, it was good to see Sunset and her friends stop and have fun for a change. This story almost makes me regret living in Southern Texas, where snow is the tall tale of crazy people who have dared to explore the dangerous North and its population of questionably sane yanks.
Bookshelf: Pretty Good
Previous stories reviewed for this author:
The Cloudsdale Report — WHYRTY?
Bards of the Badlands — Pretty Good!
Grading on a Bell Curve — Pretty Good!
How Not To Use Your Royal Prerogative — Pretty Good!
The Alchemy of Chemistry — Pretty Good!
Incomplete
2,921 Words
By Dark_Soliloquy
To Celestia, her public image is naught but a thousand-year-old lie. Feeling particularly guilty one evening, she admits to Luna her misgivings.
The last story I read by Dark_Soliloquy was… rough. It barely qualified as a story. But the author was twelve at the time. This story was written when they were fifteen, and it is like night and day. Here we have scene, setting, theme, intent, and even the suggestion of character. Clearly, this author came a long way in three years.
There’s nothing fancy going on here. Celestia feels like the praise and idolation she receives from her subjects are built upon lies, misunderstandings, and her own selfishness, and Luna advises her on the “issue”. It’s not a particularly new subject, nor is it approached in any original way.
But I’m okay with that, because I am aware of the author’s age at the time and the significant improvements they’ve made. Seriously, for a teenager this is great stuff. If Dark_Soliloquy continues improving as they did here, who knows what could happen? Alas, we may never know, as the author has apparently departed FIMFiction. I wish them luck in whatever endeavors they are currently engaged in and hope they have continued writing.
Bookshelf: Worth It
Previous stories reviewed for this author:
Goodbye, Dear Sister... — Needs Work
Vinyl begins calling Octavia. At two in the morning. Octavia is too tired to deal with this shit…
The premise here is a simple one. The majority of the story is Octavia listening to the voice mails a heavily intoxicated Vinyl left on her cell phone throughout the night. I feel her pain; I imagine it’s comparable to my little brother calling me to ramble on about his night life. And in all fairness, I would not be even remotely amused by Vinyl’s behavior if I were in Octavia’s horseshoes. Disgusted would be more accurate.
Still, the kind of things we read about in this story will almost certainly amuse most people, and I won’t deny I smiled a bit at some of Vinyl’s more personal slips-of-the-tongue. This is a story that will definitely have an audience, and I can’t say it’s bad. Pointless nonsense for humor’s sake? Sure, but still not bad.
Give it a go if you find alcohol-induced acts of less-than-legal mischief entertaining.
Bookshelf: Worth It
Previous stories reviewed for this author:
Tales From the Tailgate — Worth It
Why Are You Here, Your Majesty?
8,349 Words
By forbloodysummer
Chrysalis walks right into Celestia’s private chambers. Disguised as Luna, of course, but not so disguised that Celestia couldn’t eventually figure it out. Now she has to determine just what the former changeling queen wants from her. She never anticipated that Chrysalis would desire little more than somepony to talk to.
Set after To Where and Back Again, this story is about the nature of changelings and how they came to be that way. Chrysalis goes to Celestia because she hopes she will at least be able to empathise with the betrayal and loss of what little family she has, and the pain that can bring to someone who happens to be immortal. The following conversation delves deep into the nature of changelings and why, in Chrysalis’s experienced opinion, the “reformation” of her people will inevitably lead to their collective deaths.
forbloodysummer keeps things fascinating from beginning to end, creating a Chrysalis who is at once true to the show and yet wholly different from what might be expected. It’s a curious study that outright denies some common theories regarding changeling biology while still leaving open some hope for the future. For the worldbuilding and history lesson alone, I’d be recommending this. The fact that it is so nicely written is just a bonus. If I had to point out anything I might consider a disappointment, it’s that there’s no sequel to show us what came about from this conversation… although I will note that this story and the show’s canon don’t appear to be mutually exclusive.
Another strong showing. I look forward to the next one.
Bookshelf: Pretty Good!
Previous stories reviewed for this author:
Dancing in Melancholy — WHYRTY?
Mine For The Taking — WHYRTY?
The Lightning In Your Teeth
9,968 Words
By Meridian Prime
There’s more to Daybreaker than meets the eye. Celestia can deny it, claim that Daybreaker was only a product of Starlight Glimmer’s nightmare. But Luna is the Mistress of Dreams. She knows better.
In this unexpected tale, Luna decides to delve into Celestia’s mind to meet Daybreaker in person. The mare she discovers is not what she expected and, worse, may be more than even she can handle. The story doesn’t go at all like I anticipated, and I am filled with a subtle terror at the awareness that eventually, if things continue as demonstrated, Daybreaker will win. What’s worse, I have zero reason to believe in anything that is happening between her and Luna.
This is unusual, but it is very well done. Loaded with vivid descriptions, a complex relationship, and some entirely unexpected twists, it makes for a fascinating read. I recommend it heartily. I only hope that Celestia’s retiring helps matters.
Come to think of it, this may be the entire reason she chose to do so.
Bookshelf: Pretty Good!
Previous stories reviewed for this author:
Hyperion — Pretty Good
You Betcha!
1,876 Words
By The Cloptimist
Requested by The Cloptimist
When an accident leaves Kerfuffle in the hospital, pervasively cranky Torque Wrench decides to do something about it. Not because they’re friends, of course. No way. It’s just that nopony else will.
...cranky Torque Wrench. I didn’t even mean to make that pun, but suddenly her entire character makes so much more sense to me now as a result. Not that I ever had a problem with her character; I love cranky ponies.
Anyway, this is a pleasant short story in which we learn how Kerfuffle got her prosthetic leg. More importantly, it’s about how Torque Wrench may be the single kindest – if not outright most important – pony in Hope Hollow, not that she’d ever acknowledge it. It was wonderful to watch these two interact and their friendship grow.
There’s no big lesson learned or overarching point to this, which is fine. The story does exactly what it needs to, with an expert’s usage of Show over Tell. If this is the kind of material filling all of The Cloptomist’s work, I’m really looking forward to more.
Bookshelf: Pretty Good!
Previous stories reviewed for this author:
New Author!
Final Thoughts
1,000 words
By President Dead
Sequel to Second Thoughts
In Second Thoughts, we watch Twilight have dinner with a creature that she apparently mutilated for unknown reasons. I was confused, even if I enjoyed the overall atmosphere of the piece. President Dead eventually contacted me and cleared the air a bit, so I went into the sequel (or “epilogue”, as the author puts it) with a much better idea of what was happening.
The story starts off with a brief philosophical rant that will probably fly over most people’s heads, but at the very least sets the tone of the story. We then watch as Twilight and her mutilated companion prepare to… well, I won’t spoil it.
The great news is that this time there is no question what’s going on. I understood the Twilights’ intentions and where they were going with the spell. The final implications – the awareness that Twilight is seeking some kind of conclusion, confrontation, or consequence – felt very appropriate. And the fact that President Dead never lets us see the result? It felt like the perfect way to end it.
I am pleased by this story. That said, I think it is best read immediately after the original, just like a proper epilogue would be. I’m not sure if that means this should have been added as a “final chapter” to the original or if separating it like this was the right choice, but either way I’m glad it exists. This makes the previous tale feel properly “completed” to me.
Bookshelf: Pretty Good
Previous stories reviewed for this author:
Second Thoughts — Worth It
The Death of Daring Do: The Engine of Eternity
80,563 Words
By DuncanR
Sequel to Biased and Incomplete
In this story released before Daring Do’s true identity was made canon, It turns out that there really is a Daring Do out there. Except she’s named Derring-Do, and spends most of her time as a pencil pusher. Oh, yes, she’s gone on some digs and is an expert in the field of archaeology, but she’s by no means an adventurer. That won’t stop Rainbow Dash from trying to drag her along on one, though!
Wow. This is a far cry from the mere social drama that was Biased and Incomplete. The original story introduced Derring-Do as a grouchy pegasus with a crippled wing and gave Rainbow some food for thought regarding the faux nature of heroes. This one turns that lesson on its head by forcing Derring-Do to become a hero whether she likes it or not. And while Rainbow can take some of the blame for dragging her into this mess, it’s hard to deny that Derring gains a lot of cool factor before the end entirely on her own.
The story starts off slow, with Rainbow trying to convince Derring to join her on a journey to the Crystal Empire to learn about some miracle cure. It takes some time to get to the whole “archaeology-based adventure” thing, but when it does DuncanR really kicks things up a notch. The action scenes are exciting, the dangers felt serious, and there were times where I felt like I was watching an early Indiana Jones movie (from which I am certain DuncanR borrowed some ideas). Amidst all this excitement lies the ongoing battle between Derring and Rainbow, with the former trying to stay grounded in reality and the other trying to encourage her to look beyond her narrow perspective of “reality”.
The end result is fun in a great many ways. Be it climbing a giant floating construct to fleeing vengeful undead, this story has everything you’ll need to get your adventure on. With Derring’s constant self-conflict and change of perspective, drama fans have all they need. And that little gimmick in the very last chapter is amusing, at the very least.
If you’re a fan of Rainbow Dash or Daring Do, I’d call this a must-read.
Bookshelf: Why Haven’t You Read These Yet?
Previous stories reviewed for this author:
Appletheosis — WHYRTY?
Flight of the Magpie — WHYRTY?
An It Harm None — Pretty Good
Bittersweet Music — Pretty Good
Biased and Incomplete — Pretty Good
Sanguine Kindness
66,395 Words
By Rated Ponystar
Things went a little differently when Twilight removed the desire to eat apples from the vampire bats. Yes, “vampire bats”, not “vampire fruit bats”. Now Fluttershy is sick, her condition getting gradually worse. No efforts are spared to save one of Equestria’s heroes, but in the end…
And now there’s a murderer on the loose.
This story felt a lot longer than it really was. Not because it was bad, but because the events within are so tragic and painful that you find yourself wishing it could be over. I hope you haven’t fallen in love with any given character in this franchise, because there are very good odds that they won’t get out alive. And before you go thinking it, Rated Ponystar isn’t concerned with such common concepts as “plot armor”.
Had I gone into this story knowing what to expect, I may have appreciated it more. When the story begins, I was really interested in what appeared to be a new, interesting interpretation of Flutterbat and vampires in general. Rated Ponystar wasn’t giving us your traditional seductive, manipulative, bloodsucking villain, but a force of nature acting without any higher purpose. Oh, yes, the Flutterbat was intelligent to a certain degree, but not a schemer. Not a supervillain. Not a ponified Dracula.
I loved this approach. It made the whole thing feel fresh, and had me wanting to know more.
And then, out of nowhere, Rated Ponystar pulls a complete 180° turn. Not only is Fluttershy acting like a traditional vampire – with all the tropes that comes with it – but they’re even removing Fluttershy from the equation entirely by having her possessed by a vampire from past times and giving it the woefully unoriginal name of Nosferatu. Suddenly everything I was hoping for and enjoying about this story is gone, and that left me bitter and frustrated for a few chapters.
I eventually got over it, as I understand that this was the author’s plan all along. I just wish it hadn’t been. I wish it had remained Fluttershy turned monstrous for the whole rather than some clichéd “ancient evil” Dracula we’ve already seen a gazillion times. Insofar as plot development goes, I wish Rated Ponystar had provided some sort of clue that this was coming early on instead of slamming us over the heads with it like a metaphorical sledgehammer out of the blue just when things are at their most interesting.
I know the last couple paragraphs makes it sound like Sanguine Kindness is all kinds of bad that you should absolutely avoid. On the contrary, it’s actually a pretty good story, one that will appeal to sadficionados, lovers of macabre and dark stories, and those who want a story that doesn’t sugarcoat events with a fairy tale “everything will turn out happy-go-lucky in the end” format. What Rated Ponystar gives us in the fight against Nosferatu is as good a gritty vampire story as one could hope for. It’s painful and emotional. There’s a continuous discomfort as we come to realize that nopony is safe, even our most beloved ponies, and that at any moment one of them can (and will) die in ways that are not noble or heroic.
There are still a few issues I’ve yet to mention. Take Celestia and Luna, whose collective incompetence with this story reaches legendary proportions (although I give the author credit for making this an important plot point rather than ignoring it). There’s plot points that are forgotten, such as when Granny Smith leaves for Manehattan to be with a distraught Apple Bloom only to miraculously be back at Sweet Apple Acres at the exact worst time with no explanation given. There’s the regular coloring of the word blood to red every time it turns up, as if this is supposed to mean something even when there’s no point in emphasizing it – which is more or less every time it happens. All of this on top of me questioning if the author performed any proofreading whatsoever, despite the claim that it was “edited” by third parties; the errors are prolific at best.
Still, the overarching plot is pretty good. As far as that goes, I think Rated Ponystar’s biggest mistake is how the first, say, third of the story suggests one format, mood, and style that is completely removed from all the rest. If I had known where this was going early on, I wouldn’t have had such a vehemently negative reaction when Twilight left Fluttershy’s tomb the second time. But ignoring that one (significant) flub, I think the story as a whole is good. Just remember going in that this is a traditional/stereotypical vampire story with all the commonalities that implies and you should be good.
Oh, and that it’s brutal. The Mature rating is well-earned, not just in terms of the violence, but the emotional strain it may put on you.
I suppose while I’m at it I should say something about the images. Throughout my career as a reviewer, I have made no secret my dislike for including images in stories. I won’t bother reiterating my reasons here. Rated Ponystar uses images for this story. Frequently, sometimes two a chapter. It may surprise everyone, but this is only the second story I’ve ever seen that does this in a way I don’t find objectionable. It helps tremendously that the author isn’t snatching random images from Derpibooru that maybe halfway kinda-sorta fit the scene or using screencaps. Instead, Rated Ponystar got a talented friend to create custom artwork specifically tailored for the story.
That, my friends, can make all the difference in the world. The images don’t appear forced. Rather, they seem to accentuate the story. I’ll admit I found the art style didn’t quite pull off what was needed for a story of this nature; the juxtaposition of cartoony characters with the sheer violence didn’t always work for me. Having said that, I think there are a lot of people out there who will see that juxtaposition as a boon rather than as a flaw. Either way, it strikes me that the author and the artist did the best that could be expected. I give my nod of approval here, and don’t expect to do so for this subject again for years to come.
Sanguine Kindness will work wonderfully for lovers of macabre stories and vampire fiction who also don’t mind having their emotions ripped apart. Happy Ending Crusaders should run to happier places with their tails between their legs. This could have been a sadfic masterpiece if it weren’t for the writing issues and the one major plot flub, but for what it is?
Bookshelf: Worth It
Previous stories reviewed for this author:
The Assassination of Twilight Sparkle — Pretty Good
Never Forget Me — Worth It
Masquerade
14,114 Words
By McPoodle
Sequel to The Perfect Little Village of Ponyville
In The Perfect Little Village of Ponyville, we learned that the Mane 6 and Vinyl Scratch have all been trapped in a dream state by an evil dragon emperor intent on conquering Equestria. Vinyl Scratch, the only one to realize what’s going on due to her blindness being miraculously cured, managed to awaken Twilight. Now the two of them have decided to enter Pinkie Pie’s dreamscape, concluding that she is easily the best pony for navigating dreams outside Princess Luna.
This was not at all what I anticipated, and that is a good thing. Unlike Twilight, who dreams in clear scenarios with set goals and motivations, Pinkie dreams in layers with no clear plan in mind. You might think this would lead to something insane like ponies with erasers for heads, building-sized squeaky hammers, and colors far beyond the visible spectrum. And you’d be, surprisingly, wrong. Mostly.
I enjoyed this one. It’s much shorter than its predecessor, and yet it felt appropriate given what Twilight and Vinyl had to go through. It all felt Pinkie Pie, and yet it felt Pinkie Pie in a way that makes sense, as opposed to:
Not that I’m knocking the canon depiction of Pinkie Pie’s mind. I’m merely pointing out that McPoodle’s depiction is very different, and not in a bad way. In fact, I’d argue it had to be different, just for Twilight, Vinyl, and the audience to not go insane.
Ultimately, this was a pleasant story that delves into Pinkie’s head in ways both unclear and patently obvious. It took me a while to realize that the last chapter was doing in regards to Pinkie’s… “friends”. It was interesting from start to finish, and I couldn’t have asked for more. The only caveat I’d apply is that you absolutely should read the prior story, else you’ll be lost as to why the heck any of this is happening in the first place.
Bookshelf: Pretty Good!
Previous stories reviewed for this author:
The Invisible Hairless Ape — WHYRTY?
The Perfect Little Village of Ponyville — WHYRTY?
Stories for Next Week:
Carousel by Thornquill
Inner Demons by Spider8ite
The Torch be Ours by The 24th Pegasus
A Corrupted Princess by Nailah
Dragon Greed is Good by Snuffy
Mother of Invention by zaponator
Trixie's Beau by Scyphi
Princess Twilight's Escorts by FerociousCreation
The Flower Mare: Seele by Flammenwerfer
Thirty Days, Thirty Twilights by Esle Ynopemos
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Have you ever reviwed "An Extended Holiday"? Its really long, but its extremely good. You dont even have to review it, I'd just recommend that you read it.
Sometimes sacrifices must be made, but it's good to know you'll manage to, uh, manage your reading schedule nonetheless.
Thank you for the lovely review, and the compliment! I'm really glad you enjoyed the story.
Re: the last comment, well, if you ever decide to read more of my stuff, then... yes, it's pretty much all like this. (And most of my stories are short, and there aren't very many of them.) Dragon Lord Ember Skips Work is my most well known, Red/Yellow is my most read, and Away is probably my favourite, so I'd recommend one of those if you find yourself in the mood some time in 2022.
Thank you again, it's an honour to be here!
Ahh, Carousel is really good. :D
The granular level of detail you put into planning, scheduling, and executing your reviews always makes me shake my head. If I tried to do, well, anything in my life that way, I'd explode. I salute your fastidiousness!
Re. Incomplete, I hate-in-ironic-quotation-marks when children write fanfiction and I read it, because there are only two possible outcomes: I think the story is very poorly executed, in which case I feel bad because they're a child, or I do feel it's written reasonably well, in which case I feel bad because I know perfectly well what my writing looked like at that age! Specifically, I have writing samples from when I was both 12 and 15, and let's just say that Dark_Soliloquy is running well ahead of my pace.
Only one I've read is "Tactics of Snowbound Unicorns," and agreed that it's a nice bit of fun that doesn't require you to be well read in that continuity to understand.
I actually read The Death of Daring Do in this last week, and I must say, it's pretty neat. The action and adventure in it were all just so well done... I mean, it was honestly just well done overall. It doesn't help that I'm a sucker for a "Daring Do on an adventure" story either.
One thing did really bother me about it, though, and that was the brief name change that occurs in one of the later chapters. It super ripped me out of the otherwise dramatic and amazing scene and I had to go to the comment section to figure out why it happened in the first place. I do appreciate the author's attempt now that I understand why, but it was just really jarring. Maybe it's just the spelling I'm used to now that it's an old story.
5439949
If you had asked me a year or even six months ago, I would have picked it up. But right now, when I'm booked on long stories through to June 2022, when it looks like it is never going to end, and I've just decided to cut down on how much I read weekly?
Sorry, but the answer has to be no. Maybe if it was completed, maybe if it wouldn't be pushed back a year-and-a-half, maybe if it wasn't already 2.6 million words long. It's just not plausible for me right now. At this point, with my gradual push to read less fanfiction, I don't know if it will ever be plausible.
5439982
Consider them considered. Looking at how my schedule is lining up right now, I could get to one of them sooner than later... if we're lucky.
5439995
To be fair, I don't know of anyone else who is as organized about this kind of stuff as I am. It's a gift... and a curse.
I like to think I was decent as a kid, but then I remember my first stories and realize that, yeah, I wasn't as good as I'd liked to believe. That said, I have no idea how I rated compared to Dark_Soliloquy at those times. I suppose I could dust off my old fictionpress.net account to find out, but... nah.
5440216
Ah, I recall that. It didn't bother me at all. I got the intention more-or-less instantly. If anything, I felt proud of her and thought it was a great trick on the author's part.
But yeah, it really was an excellent story overall.
5440295
Thats fair.
Thanks for the nice review! I'm particularly glad to see that story stands up ok after three more years of changeling canon being dumped on it by the show
You mentioned looking forward to the next one - I can make some recommendations of which to check out and which to avoid, if you'd like. But you also mention cutting down, so, happy to keep quiet if you prefer!
5441876
If you wanted to suggest something, I wouldn't be opposed. Just know it may take me a while to get to it.
Also, I love seeing alternate worldbuilding from canon. I don't necessarily think canon took the right path in some ways, after all. I doubt anyone does.
5442001 Three months later I'm realising I forgot to reply to this! I agree, I think the show canon could have gone a better route. Maybe not one as bleak as mine, but still a better one.
I'm wondering what story to suggest - are you much of an anime fan? Have you watched Neon Genesis Evangelion?
5498217
I'm going to assume you're aiming me towards this one, which I had considered reading but didn't track because I was wary of making unspoken promises for another big story that could prove gargantuan. Now that it's complete, it's turns out to be exactly the right length I'm looking for in terms of 70k+ stories. If that is the one you're after though, bear in mind I won't be able to get to it until at least March 2022.
5498255 Oh goodness no, I'm afraid I was going to be much more self-centred than that and mention one of my own! But it doesn't make much sense if you're not familiar with the source material.
- MLP: FiM
- Comedy
- Random
- Tragedy
Neon Genesis Evangelion. As told by Pinkie Pie.It was weird and experimental for me, probably flawed but I was so happy with it. Sorry, I've got nothing in the 70k range, writing lots of words is beyond me!
5498268
Why are you apologizing for me having guessed wrong?
Anyway, consider it on the list. Not sure how long it'll take to get to, short stories no longer have a reliable selection method now that I'm trying to clear out the bigger stories in my list. I can at least reassure you that it won't take the better part of a year like those tend to.
5440296
(Narrator: "They were not lucky.")
5540663
...yeeeah, it'll take some time.
5540888
No worries - if you ever get to them then I hope you enjoy, if not then no hard feelings!