Wanderer D 5,501 followers · 65 stories

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  • 133 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 · 4,637 views
  • 148 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 · 4,256 views
  • 155 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 · 4,412 views
  • 159 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 · 5,918 views
  • 164 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 · 7,948 views
  • 169 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 · 6,354 views
  • 173 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 · 8,117 views
  • 177 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.

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    10 comments · 5,219 views
  • 180 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 · 4,516 views
  • 183 weeks
    SA: Round 177

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


    Intern sat looking at the list of new interns, then frowned at the absence of the same. "Now, where could they be?" He exited the janitor’s closet and started down the hall, only to stop at the sound of maniacal laughter. "...the hell?" Rounding a corner, the mystery of the missing interns was solved: Winter had them all lined up in one of the larger conference rooms while he stood behind what looked like a control panel. Each was seated in a chair, sweating profusely as they watched a figure dressed in black and white silently making motions as if he was in an invisible box.

    Intern sidled up to Winter and whispered, "Umm...what are you doing?"

    Winter startled and said, "Oh! Intern! Just in time! Here, put this on." He handed him a round, red, spongy object.

    "What is this?"

    Read More

    6 comments · 5,381 views
Jan
26th
2022

Story Reviews » SA: The Last Round · 3:09pm Jan 26th, 2022

"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."

"But, Mr. D… those are not your friends, they're—" He cut off, remembering Seattle Lite's parting words: "Whatever you do, don't break D of his delusion. It's the only thing keeping hope alive."

Truth be told, at this stage in time, Intern wasn't really sure if that had been the real Seattle Lite, or the burlap sack with the attached prosthetic arm stuck in an eternal thumbs up. 

And truth be told again, he didn't want to find out for sure. Because he was certain it had been just yesterday, when it was just him and D at the office.

Still, life continued, so he took a deep breath and steeled himself. "Um, sir, about my recommendation?"

"Oh, yeah! Yeah! I wrote it down, and printed it. And uh… I signed it? Yeah, I did. Hold on. This person is famous already. What do they think this is, the Royal Library? We don't take self-promoted stuff. We do actual work." 

"I'm not sure—"

"Anyway, yeah. Your recommendation is on the table. I asked the others to sign it, but I'm not sure if they did."

Intern walked over and, after moving some potatoes and dried fruits out of the way, found what he was looking for. The letter was properly formatted, it talked about his diligence, his support, his reliability and how much of an asset he had been to everyone here.

Thankfully Wanderer hadn't scribbled in fake signatures for the others, but his was right there, crisp and clean.

Intern swallowed. "Thank you, sir, this is… more than I expected."

Wanderer snorted. "For all the work you did? You and the others deserve more than just a letter to remember you by." He sighed. "But that's all I can do."

Intern glanced at the latias, typing away at the keyboard, then to the sacks, then back. "Sir you… you really should know that—"

"I know."

Intern closed his mouth and nodded, watching Wanderer type away for a few more minutes. "Sir, maybe it's time to let go."

The furious typing continued unabated for a few more seconds, then whittled away until Wanderer leaned back. "It's hard to let go."

"I know, sir," Intern said, walking over to place an encouraging hand on Wanderer's shoulder. 

Wanderer sighed, glancing over at the burlap sacks. "For the record, I never thought the burlap sacks would fool you for as long as they did."

"They never did, sir."

"Yeah. I know."

"Come on, sir. I'll help you wrap up."

"...thanks, intern."

"Of course, sir."


If there was one story reviewer team that truly exemplified engaging the community and helping others shine, it was always Seattle's Angels.

Unlike other groups, this one wasn't about self-promotion. People wouldn't just submit their own fic in order to get accolades and views. Seattle Angels would search, take recommendations, and dig out hidden gems that hadn't been given enough credit. 

The authors didn't know their stories were being scouted. Unlike a place where you posted your work and then your name, fame, and fandom presence affected the likelihood of being reviewed and provided a seal of approval, these blogs talked about the stories that should've made it on merit alone, but didn't for any number of factors. Whether the author had ten followers or a thousand, it didn't matter. The story, if it was good, and had few views, it mattered, was considered, and included.

There are many, many such stories on this site. Many more will be written, and they'll be passed by because other, more popular authors, have also posted at the same time. Or perhaps the timing was wrong and another topic was more immediately appealing.

But they're there, and they're waiting for someone to read them.

Read them. Give unknown and/or little known authors a chance, and if you find them, share them with others. You don't have to do an in-depth analysis of what makes it good; a blog post, a shout out, mentioning it on Discord… What little you can do helps, and it exposes those wonderful lost stories to light.

Seattle's Angels truly did something unique to this fandom. Something I've never seen before, or have since. It was an effort from the community for the community, and I think any fandom would be lucky to ever have something like them, even if I doubt it'll happen again.

I wrote the intro for the very first Seattle's Angel's review, and I guess it's only fitting I write the last one. After about ten years (SA started in 2012), it's finally time to close shop. 

We cannot forget, of course, the enormous effort that went into each blog. The research, the feedback, the quality checks, the editing, discussing, and drafting that each review blog had. This was all done by the Angels themselves, from Round One with alexmagnet, Scribblestick, and Nietzsche in 2012, all the way through to RTStephens and FloydienSlip, who penned Round One Hundred and Eighty Six last year.

Time has moved on for everyone. Some members have completely left the fandom, others are still around but unfortunately unable to continue this very demanding project. I can't stop emphasizing this took a LOT of work, and I am grateful to have witnessed it flourish through the years until it reached its natural conclusion.

Will something like this happen again? Well, depends on the fandom, but we have a lot of things still going on, and as a community, we can still remain tight enough for something like this to be relevant again, in some form or another.

For now, we must bid goodbye to Seattle's Angels. But before we go, I've asked current and former Angels to write some words here for posterity, and also for one last story to recommend, if they feel so inclined. No review this time.

~WD


THE LAST ROUND


Matthewl419:
I had a lot of fun with both this community and the SA members. I don't have any particular story to recommend, nor will I go find one, because I want to encourage you to explore on your own. Sadly, this fandom is one I've had to step away from because I realized I was spending an unhealthy amount of time in it. I won't ever forget y'all and my time here has been an integral piece of my life journey. So I guess my last bit of advice is to keep loving others no matter what. Find new stories, find new adventures, explore life, and love everybody along the way, even those you disagree with. Peace out, y'all.


The Masked Ferret:
This was a wonderful, exhausting, ridiculous ride from start to finish. I always admired the work SA did and it meant so much to get to help share the overlooked stories on this site. I’ve found so many good authors and better friends from my time with this gang and I know any future plans will be equally ludicrous.
 
Thank you for the wonderful memories and stories and keep sharing everyone. SA and Pony is proof that with good friends you can do so many amazing things. As to a recommended story, I don’t think I can choose just one. I suggest checking our past posts or browsing the stories in our group as we covered so many gems.


FanficReader920:

Firstly, I want to thank my fellow Angels for accepting me into their company. It's been fun working with every single one of them. I hope our time together has made your lives a little bit brighter, as it did mine. To the readers: it's been a privilege to share these fine stories with you all, and I hope that we did a good job finding stories you liked. Don't let us going away stop you from finding some stories that are a bit off the beaten path. Finally, for the writers, present and future, never stop writing, and if you ever need someone to review your work or give a draft a once over, don't be shy to shoot me a DM. 

If I had to make one last recommendation, check out “The Legend of Trixie,” part of Ninjadeadbeard's AnarchyVerse. That said, regardless if you’ve read any of the other stories in the series (which you should still do) story is the one that stands the most on its own and is, in my opinion, the best example of Ninja's comedic stylings. If you're looking for an epic story along with a lot of heart and humor to go around, then this universe, and this story in particular, definitely fits the bill.


FanficReader920 AKA Knightro, out!


FloydienSlip:

I was honored to be invited to this group that I had followed for so long (podcast episode 2!), reading and reviewing stories, and making friends along the way. SA really made a big impact on me over the last several years, and I’ll always be proud of my time here and look back on it fondly. Please remember to love each other, treat each other well, and do the right thing.

For one more recommendation, give “Daring Do and the Hand of Doom”, by Unwhole Hole, a whirl. They have become one of my favorite authors (we’ve featured several of their stories on SA) and remain much more underviewed than they deserve.


DrakeyC

I was honored to be ask to join the group and happy to be part of it, it got me looking for and reading stories I'd have never found otherwise. My only regret is I'm not as involved in the MLP fandom these days as to help keep it running.


CSquared:

I can't believe it's been nearly 10 years. Seems like it was just yesterday D invited me to join the group. I remember being floored then, and frankly, I'm still floored now. But I'm also so grateful. I definitely wouldn't have hung around Fimfic this long if it weren't for the friends I made along the way, and Seattle's Angels was a huge part of that. I would name names, but I will inevitably forget someone and that ain't cool. So all you nerds in that Skype chat were dope as hell, and you remain dope to this day. 

For one last rec, I'd like to send you all to A Hearth's Warming Scheme by Hasty Revision. The shenanigans Starlight and Trixie got up to and the friendship they developed were the highlights of the latter seasons for me, and this fic does an excellent job of showcasing exactly that. I also felt this fic nailed Trixie's voice, notably important given this was 1st-person from Trixie's pov. 

I'm also going to cheat and shoutout my man Duck's fic Rise Again. Maybe if more people read it, he'll publish another chapter :trollestia:

With that contractual obligation out of the way, just remember: It's always Christmas, yo


Winter__Solstice

Thanks for including me in this Group! I wasn’t here very long, but it was long enough to discover some outstanding stories I would have missed, and have some fun along the way! Thank you again. W_S


Archonix:

"My first post as an SA contributor was for an april fools joke, but then someone forgot to let me out of the cage when it was over. Thanks to that oversight, I was able to peer into parts of the fandom that were nearly invisible to me before, and I had the opportunity to introduce others to a whole bunch of, amazingly creative writers, who deserved to be seen and read by more than just one donkey-obsessed reviewer. SA showcased the best, and sometimes the weirdest, this fandom has to offer. I hope its legacy will continue in some new form form as the years roll on."


alexmagnet: 

It’s been a heck of a ride, huh? I left the fandom awhile back, but occasionally still check in on FiMfic to re-read some of things I liked. Looking back at everything and recalling all the friendships I made and the amazing stories (about Trixie) that I got to read, I can’t help but feel a bittersweet sadness knowing that most of those people, including myself, have moved on. I’m glad that I got to be a part of this community and contribute to it in some small way.  

As for a recommendation, who else could it be but Trixie? I’ll go ahead and recommend the first ever fanfic that I read. It was the thing that sparked my interest in writing fanfic myself. In no small part, it is to blame for all the weird stuff that I ended up writing, and also heavily contributed to my love of everyone’s favorite magician. The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle is a hell of a good story, and it despite the name, Trixie is basically the main character so it fulfills my final Trixie quota. 

So long, and thanks for all the Trixie’s!


Cynewulf:

Hey, remember how I had a weird continuity of intros for awhile? That was fun. I got the idea from Blame! Which is amazing. It’s also kinda niche and less heard of, despite it being amazing… something that I could say about a lot of what I read with Seattle’s Angels. If I learned anything during my tenure with SA, it was that there is so much writing out there that is underappreciated and absolutely worth the time to read. When you find yourself getting into a rut in the art you appreciate or create, go searching for the weird things on the fringes. You’ll find something interesting to you, I promise.

I considered what to recommend here. Silver Glow is like a million words and Respite is already well known… but in the end, I decided to back up my own words. In the odd margins, we find things worth reading. I’m going to recommend the artist formerly known as Chuck Finley’s story Darkly, Through Dreams of Home. Finley/Neon Czolgoz is generally genius and someone who is personally dear to me, and he also managed here to make a huge contribution to FiMFic’s anemic collection of trans narratives.


RazgrizS57:

I still come back to read this story every year or two. It's easily my favorite piece on this website and I'm glad I had the opportunity to review it. https://www.fimfiction.net/story/34787/a-door-jam

Don't forget, with enough momentum, pigs fly just fine.


Heartshine:
Seattle’s Angels was a lot of fun to join, and I was so honored to be a part of it! It was something that I had to be encouraged to join, and honestly I’m really glad I did it. Thank you for letting me show up, confuse the Intern, and read some awesome stories! 

I honestly recommend going through and reading any of the stories we’ve touched on, and probably several we don’t. That said, I was asked if I could give one final recommendation, and mine is for a criminally under-read character piece: Arrhythmia. Posh did an amazing job delving into the character’s head, as well as writing the slow fade of a relationship whose embers are dying. It’s really pretty, and if any of my previous recommendations tell you that I’m into that emo stuff, well, this one is fairly similar. But it’s super good! So keep reading, everyone!!


redsquirrel456:

I am thankful I got the opportunity to review the worth of so many fics. They ground against my sensibilities like a whetstone, sharpening my qualities as a writer and critic. It let me feel like I was part of something, and especially, part of a circle of friends. Think fondly of all squirrels, and try to remember where your nuts are at all times.

I recommend every story you haven't got around to reading yet. You will never finish, but that is what learning is. Princess Neon Boom is best pony.


Corejo:
Seattle’s Angels has been a part of this community for almost as long as I can remember. (Almost as long as I have, which is kind of terrifying to think about!  I really need to get out more…)  Being a founding member from start to finish, it’s been something special watching it grow and see the stories we’ve discovered along the way.  I’ve made many friends through this group, and thanks to them, I have just as many memories I’ll carry with me through life.

A good story isn’t measured by how long it is, but by how long it stays with you. I hope some of those we’ve shared have stuck with you, dear reader.  They certainly have for me.  

As for one last parting story to share, I honestly can’t decide, so I’m going to cheat:  pick one (or more!) that you haven’t read.  There aren’t many, but they’re close to heart, and you may even recognize some of them as stories we’ve featured before.

As always,
Onward and Upward.


Cerulean Voice:

I used to follow the fortnightly Seattle's Angels posts back in the height of my fandom activity (2013-2017) and despite the ridiculously random, improvvy nature of their intros, I was amazed at how they kept a solid continuity going, with frequent callbacks to past blogs. It was easily the fandom's longest running serial (what are we at now, ten years? Wow.) which is impressive in itself, but then there's the reviewing aspect of it all, the core of what it was about.

Of the various review blogs I read regularly, I appreciated that they deliberately sought out stories with low exposure. I've always been a fan of the rising underdog idea and it's actually what inspired me to start my own review blog, which I did for a fair length of time.

And then one day I was offered a spot in the team and I jumped on it. I think I would have had a much longer lasting tenure with them had my life circumstances taken such a hard 90° turn back then. Still, I never completely fell out of touch with many founding members, including Plum, Ferret, Hypotenuse (you know who you are) and Archonix. Others have since came after me, like Matthew and PaulAsaran off the top of my head to name a couple.

Sometimes I regret that I couldn't contribute more, but that's all on me. In fact apart from just a few reviews that I did do, I only wrote one part of the story. It was a weird time when we were in space for, uh, reasons, and I think I saved the ship from deadly space spiders by letting them bite me and having them turn around and cark it instead of me. Aussie blood, it's a powerful thing.

Anyway, the blog was always cool and the people behind it even cooler. I know there's no small amount of people who will miss it. Love to all of you,
CV


Belligerent Sock:
How time flies.

When I look back on my entry to the fandom, I find I'm casting my gaze over a ten-year-wide chasm. In a way, it's almost frightening. Just think how many socks you can go through in a decade. It's maddening!

Obviously, I've been out of the game for a long while. Transforming from carefree college student into working adult tends to limit the amount of time you have to devote to fanfiction (it'll also make you drink more, but I digress). Whatever I could say here would necessarily be about the Angels' earlier days than anything recent, and that goes for any fic recommendations, I'm sorry to say.

I'll admit, when I was first propositioned for this gig, I kept my expectations limited. I thought "Meh, we'll see how long this lasts," figuring the result would be a year at most. After all, there's only so much fanfic out there, and 99% of it is crap—whatever hidden gems there are to be found must likewise be limited. And yet, weeks turned into months, months turned into years, and still the Angels kept finding new gems, kept writing blogs, kept shining a light into that vast darkness.

This result is testament to the quality of the people involved in all of it. This edifice of madness would never have stood so long otherwise. It would’ve been one thing to grind away at the mountain of fics like dust-lunged miners in the deep, but it was quite another to do so alongside such bright individuals. It was fun to delve into a good yarn with them, seeing how we each looked at the same text in different ways, and it was always uplifting to see their motivation in action.

There were other aspects to the job which I enjoyed, certainly—getting to bantz about with the review intros was always a gas—but as the saying goes, "You stay for the people." The folks I met because some guy thought it would be a good idea to assemble a like-minded (read: crazy) group to stare at fanfiction every week, are still people I interact with on a daily basis, believe it or not. It's almost like shared experience is galvanizing or something.

It's that iron-clad friendship that allows me to look back on all this with not just nostalgia, but fondness. Even here, at the closing of this drawer of the Armoire of History, I can say I've no regrets as everything is folded and neatly put away. To all who joined together on this grand experiment, to all who supported us, and to those whose works we shed a little glimmer of light on, I say: thank you.

Here's to what was, what still is, and what may be. Angels, fly high!


Ebon Quill:

I sit in a shoddy basement apartment surrounded by dead memories as I write this. It's a little after 4 AM, and this goes up in the morning. I've spent a while trying to get the words down, to find whatever pithy arrangement gets my point across the best. The one that leaves you thinking on the way out or something that lingers, spurring you to do better. To be better.

That's what we were. We highlighted stories that might not have been the best technical examples, or the slickest paced, or whatever, but always stories that did something Well. In showcasing them, we tried to inspire you to try something new. To reach for new heights. To do Well.

Maybe that's what I mean. I want you to remember that, even though we're gone, we are still cheering for you. You can do better. You can be better. You can be the inspiration.

With Gen 5 starting this year, I can't wait to see what you'll do next.

Time to roll down the shutters. I'm gonna go get a drink. If you find me at a con, the magic word is "tarantella". Let's get a drink and remember.

To what was. To what is. To what will be.

  • Ebon Quill 

Pav Feira:

All throughout my school years, I didn’t consider myself to have any talent in writing. Later as an adult, I watched a cutesy cartoon. Then I visited a website about said cartoon, which was running a contest. I tried writing, of all things. Enjoyed it. Tried my hand at editing too, and loved how I could play a small part in helping others bring their vision to life. Met others, attended meetups, made some strong connections. Via those connections, I was asked to participate in a review group. I’m so grateful for that string of circumstances, for the experiences I got to enjoy as a result.

This fandom has birthed a ton of truly incredible fan content, stuff that got all the attention it deserved. But for every fandom staple with tens of thousands of views, there were hundreds of passion projects that were a little rough around the edges. Hundreds of enjoyable reads that didn’t get blessed by the algorithm. Hundreds of experiments that took worthwhile and interesting risks. Hundreds of people not unlike myself, perhaps, who might not have gone on to careers as professional writers, but who nevertheless enjoyed FIM so much that they needed to express and share that love. Expressions of love, everywhere, that deserved to be celebrated.

Even now, after real-life circumstances pulled me away, I’m glad that I was able to give back to the community in some small way. I’m proud of the work our Angels did. Perhaps an imperfect process, just as the promoted stories themselves may have been imperfect. But worth celebrating all the same.

From Angels past and present: Thank you.

We’d love to hear any memories you guys have of SA, any sketches you liked or stories you found through us or any other way we made you smile.

OUTRO

Wanderer D lifted his backpack and made sure it was secure. "So, where are you going next, Intern?"

"..."

"Come on, you can tell me."

"Uh… yeah, uh, I've heard good things about the Amphibia fandom. But before that, did you really—"

"Ah, that's good stuff. Gotta love Amphibia. I know some of the people that work on it, did you know?"

"That's uh… that's nice, but sir…"

"Yes?"

"Did you really need to set the building on fire?"

"Nope. But sometimes, you just need to make sure things are done properly."

"I see sir, in that case I hope you don't mind if I get out of here before the authorities arrive?"

"Not at all, godspeed, Intern."

"Goodbye sir."

Wanderer D, took off as well, flying down the road until he reached the unexplainable, oddly generic anime-style river in the middle of the city. He looked at the sky, where he could imagine the faces of his-burlap-sacks-erstwhile friends looking approvingly down at him.

"You did good, everyone," he said, saluting the mirages in the sky. "You did good."

The End


Seattle's Angels was a group that promoted good stories with low views. You can find our group here. Stories, suggestions, posts, etc. will remain for archiving and reference.

Report Wanderer D · 8,838 views ·
Comments ( 110 )

So long, and thanks for all the horse.

Gonna miss y’all being the highlight of my feed for years. :raritydespair:

All good stories have an ending.

Thank you for all the work over the years. It's been some damn good reading.

Haven’t been around for nearly as long as most people, but I hadn’t realized how long it had been since the last SA post, but also how much I’d enjoyed and reviewing them. They’ve been great for all the reason you’ve all cited, and I’ll sorely miss them and the stories they’ve brought to my attention - they’ve generally been really well-picked, and I’ve rarely been disappointed by a story I chose to read based on its SA featuring.

Thanks a lot, guys.

RBDash47
Site Blogger

End of an era for sure. Thank you all for all your work to highlight underappreciated fic over the years.

Y'know, I was wondering what had happened to that occasional influx of stories in my feed. Can't believe I missed that it was SA. :fluttershysad:

If I could make a suggestion, if you want to keep the spirit of SA alive and give readers the opportunity to promote others' work (not their own, that's what the Shameless Self-Promotion Bureau is for), why not create a discord channel for it? Readers with low follower counts may want to recommend stories, but putting up blogs won't reach a huge audience.
I guess you do need to be on the watch for self-promoters that way, but eh, just throwing the idea out there.

I was asked if I'd like to write a message, but ultimately decided that my contributions were... underwhelming. I wrote for, what, three blogs? Maybe? My own blog just took up too much attention. So I felt that my place would be better down here, waving goodbye from the comments section.

What little I participated in was fun. I wish all the members, no matter how active, godspeed.

Thank you for all the reviews and hard work. They really helped me find some gems in this community.

Thank you for all your hard work.
At one point, the SA livestream was the highpoint of my week. Sometimes they even talked about the stories...

One of my favorite memories of my time in the fandom was being on the SA podcast and forcing Professor Plum to say "Horsecock" in his sexy accent.

I'd tell y'all to stay awesome, but that'd be pointless. It would be impossible for you not to be. Faff eternally, my dudes.

So long and thanks for all the fics.

I think I really owe SA a lot from when I started. It was the fact that they featured my story A Fleeting Light in the Darkness that I submitted it to EqD, and then that it kind of blew up. And while I didn't publish much at that time, I look back on those reviews and that response as igniting my passion to write. I hope it's done the same for others you've highlighted.

Thank you for all of the hard work you all have put in.

Heh. I finally made the SA cut, and it’s a shout-out in the finale. Godspeed you magnificent horse people. God speed.

Oh wow, it truly is the end of an era. Godspeed, everybody. I'll do my part to keep this fandom's blaze of creativity burning into the future.

You guys have made a lasting legacy for the site. Be seeing you.

Aw, thanks Wanderer for giving my poor, beleaguered intern character a proper sendoff. :twilightsmile:

Even though I have no idea what Amphibia is.

Man, this hits hard. Seattle's Angels was the second group I followed in 2014 for learning about new stories, along with the Royal Canterlot Library. Ever since I discovered both, I wanted to write a story that got featured on one of them. But I gave this up when RCL folded, since I figured they were easier to get into than SA, which dictated they'd only feature an exemplary story that wasn't well known.

Yet somehow, by not trying at all, I actually got featured on Seattle's Angels last year. It was just a silly story I wrote for Jinglemas 2020, but the kind folks at SA said that my story could've been an episode with a minor rewrite. It was so awe-inspiring for a fictioneer like me to finally get recognition from one of my favorite story recommending groups. The fact I got it just in time is simultaneously happy and sad.

I haven't even gotten close to reading all the story's Seattle's Angels have recommended, but I've always enjoyed the ones that I did get around to. The reviewers had very good eyes for stories through a multitude of genres. It'll be a bummer not seeing you guys pop up every week anymore with a new batch of underappreciated stories, but fortunately you left us with a ton of material to remember you by.

Thanks for the stories and memories!

Thank you all for all you've done! You will be missed, and surely long remembered.

Thank you for your work. The SA will be missed.

Awwww. I may have not paid that much attention over the years, but Seattle's Angels was always a staple of my feed. It was always comforting in its consistency, and I find myself already missing it in ways that belie my amount of interaction. But I've always been hard with goodbyes because I don't do well with endings.

And this is the end of an era.

I will remember you fondly.

The end of an institution.

“Don’t be sad it’s ending. Be glad for all the time it was around”

Wanderer D
Moderator

5631188 Well, now you have a new project!

It's was hard to write this one, for sure. You guys deserve a lot more than a single blog goodbye, but you all made the community better.

5631206
And a BIG thank you for all the work you put into this site and helping the Angels for all these years.

Thank you for the good work you do and have done.

I didn't honestly follow these very closely, but they'll still be missed. An active effort to identify and promote quality material is just such a unique thing to the pony fandom. Ten years of it is dang good though.

I never really looked at SA's posts too much, but all the same it's a shame to see it come to a finish. I've been on this website since 2015, and the group was a constant sight. When you start to get used to something just being there, it becomes difficult to watch it go when it inevitably reaches its end.

I wish all of you the best in your future endeavors. Ciao mein, everyone.

So long and thanks for all the hard work. I found so many great reads that I might never have found if it weren't for y'all.

I’m gonna cry.

Scratch that. I’m already crying.

Thank you, SA and all Angels, for everything. You shall forever be missed.

Seeing 'Grogar' reviewed by the Angels is a highlight I'll carry forever.

Thanks, fellas.

Thank you, Best Girl Heartshine, for the parting recommendation.

And to the rest of the angels. Knock back a mint julip on heaven’s retirement porch.

Where are the passions they essayed,
And where the tears they made to flow?
Where the wild humours they portrayed
For laughing worlds to see and know?
Othello's wrath and Juliet's woe?
Sir Peter's whims and Timon's gall?
And Millamant and Romeo?
Into the night go one and all.

Where are the braveries, fresh or frayed?
The plumes, the armours--friend or foe?
The cloth of gold, the rare brocade,
The mantles glittering to and fro?
The pomp, the pride, the royal show?
The cries of war and festival?
The youth, the grace, the charm, the glow?
Into the night go one and all.

The curtain falls, the play is played:
The Beggar packs beside the Beau;
The Monarch troops, and troops the Maid;
The Thunder huddles with the Snow.
Where are the revellers high and low?
The clashing swords? The lover's call?
The dancers gleaming row on row?
Into the night go one and all.

L'Envoi

Prince, in one common overthrow
The Hero tumbles with the Thrall:
As dust that drives, as straws that blow,
Into the night go one and all.

--William Ernest Henley

Let's look forward to the lights that are new. Thank you guys, and Godspeed.

an end of an era, thank you all for everything

Thank you, everypony, for your contributions to the horsewords fandom. :twilightsmile:

Where now are the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?
Where is the helm and the hauberk, and the bright hair flowing?
Where is the harp on the harpstring, and the red fire glowing?
Where is the spring and the harvest and the tall corn growing?
They have passed like rain on the mountain, like a wind in the meadow;
The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow.
Who shall gather the smoke of the deadwood burning,
Or behold the flowing years from the Sea returning?

Farewell, fair friends. It was a good ride.

Never knew about this group........ shame it folded before I could learn of it.....
Hopefully something like this springs up again! To those who were a part of it, I wish many good adventures on this site, on others, and in life!
also, what is your opinion on Level Dasher's idea?

And another book closes. Thank you for all the hard work you folks have done. *Raises a glass of root beer*

I discovered many good stories through this group and will miss the opportunity to peruse the selections. Thank you all for all your hard work!

Ah, shit man.

Thank you, everyone who participated in this. You all did good.

Wow. That made my heart sink like a rock tied to a chain with a propulsion system going right down the Marianas Trench at full throttle.

Thank you for everything. I’ve found great fics through here. I was thrilled when you guys picked up a few of my own. You were a bright spot in the world, and you did it your way.

The hope we all must live with is that others will carry their own lights forward. But you carried yours well.

Thank you.

Farewell SA, thanks for all the time and care you guys have put in over the years.

Well dang. Getting all sad here. Thank you for the great service you provided.

Burn baby burn!

In all seriousness I found a lot of good stories through Seattle's Angel's and while I didn't go through every blog update. I cherished what I read

Thank you for many stories I would not have found otherwise. You guys are (not were, are) a big part of what makes being here smile-inducing.

Whatever else you find yourself doing, may it treat you well.

Also thanks for the free advertising. Very much appreciated. :pinkiehappy:

PresentPerfect
Author Interviewer

okay, but pav's not dead or anything c.c holy shit

godspeed

Godspeed to all of you. Thanks for the recommendations - and recommending my works.

Fare thee well, and thank you for the good times.

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