Flashfic 251 members · 77 stories
Comments ( 32 )
  • Viewing 1 - 50 of 32
Loganberry
Group Admin

Here we go with the final Flashfic 150 contest of 2017. We're back to the conventional prompt format this time round, but how you interpret that prompt is up to you. If you're within the rules as linked to below, you're in with a chance! (Well, unless you won last month. Then you're not.)

Here are the full rules.

Remember, there is no prize, as such, for this contest -- but if you win, you will be able to choose the prompt for the January 2018 contest. You'll also get a mention on the group's front page if I actually remember, which I'm sure our previous winners will confirm will be an even more thrilling experience than reading this intro post. :unsuresweetie:

Title: "Through the Ages" (selected by last month's winner, Matthewl419)
Rating: E or T
Word limit: 150
Closing date: Thursday 21st December 2017, 11:59 pm UK time (world clock)

Please reply to this post with your entry. This makes it easier for me to keep track. Please do not leave feedback until after the closing date.

Entries are now open! Have fun!

I'm probably still gonna write something for this one. Just cause.

But anyway, good luck to all who participate!

6224066 Through the Ages

‘You’re so lucky to be able to live through the ages’, they said. If only they knew…

I never had the heart to tell them, despite knowing that this day would come. For a glimpse of time, I had some semblance of a hope when I witnessed Discord’s magic. It was for that reason that I ordered the Elements to release him from the stony prison. I would not care even if he destroyed the whole of Equestria if only he could have prevented this final fate of the universe. Alas, not even Discord could oppose the laws of entropy.

The ages went by, the stars twinkled and died one by one. So too did my Equestrian sun. I sit alone in the darkness now, counting the cold ages as they come and go. I envying everypony who passed away so long ago, for I lack the ability to die. I stay forevermore. Forever. Alone.

Edit: 01 - Through the Ages

6224066

Ha. One more of these flashfic contests, and I can collect all my entries thus far and publish them as an anthology.

This one I really liked. So many angles to approach it from: an immortal's or long-lived creature's perspective of history, intergenerational differences, or the tale of an inanimate object. In the end, I thought I'd go to one of my favourite subjects, and the result you see before you. Enjoy!


Funeral for a Fossil?

Once, someone asked Petunia why she cared about dead bones. She shrugged helplessly.

Beforehand, when Petunia visited the graveyard, she found a marble tombstone, fresh and white. On it was carved: “Here lies Azalea. Born to sow smiles. Died peacefully in her sleep.”

When Petunia dug into the Hill Park hill outside Ponyville, she unearthed the bones of an “Amborella Dynasty” pony. Consulting her guidebook, she learned the bones were blackened with plague.

When Petunia visited the Unnatural History Museum of Manehattan, she examined the Clubmoss tribes-pony skeleton. Covered with spear marks. Disappointingly, the museum only displayed a cast; real fossils were too delicate.

And when Petunia read books on dinosaurs, ancient fish, and trilobites, they all seemed to kill or to be killed. None had museums, or parks, or graveyards.

Again, someone asked Petunia why she cared about dead bones. Being a foal, she didn’t know. She just cared.

Feedback welcomed. Actually, is this automatic now?

6224066

Dialogue Through the Ages

"I remember when you were that young, you know?" Cheerilee indicates with a gentle flick of her head. An amber-coated colt, finding himself being noticed, waves back at the two of them. She and Apple Bloom smile and wave in response and the colt goes back to playing with his friends.

Apple Bloom gives Cheerliee a sideways look, suspicious about where this line of conversation is headed.

The teacher continues: "You were always raring about. Trying some new, crazy scheme to find your mark. You were so desperate."

"Ah remember."

"You'd try anything. Couldn't stop you."

"And?"

"Oftentimes it was a dangerous thing."

"Uh-huh. Yer bringin' this up 'cause?"

"Well. He's such a good little colt. Nice. Polite."

"He is."

"Respectful."

"Of course."

"Stays out of trouble."

"Does he?" Apple Bloom frowns dubiously.

Cheerilee lets out a light, melodious giggle and says:

"He must take after his father."

I swear I'm not trying to win some sort of award for using the most vertical space

Loganberry
Group Admin

6224847

Feedback welcomed. Actually, is this automatic now?

Yes.

6224066
Sure. Why not throw my hat into the ring as well? I could really use the publicity.

Guess where I got the inspiration for this story.:pinkiecrazy:


Day After Day

Sunrise sunset. Sunrise sunset.

It comes to a point where anypony would question if there's a point to this insanity. What possible joy can you get for being a princess of the sun?

Cheerful I was, beaming with rays of enjoyment for others. I didn't need a colossal star to do that for me, just being there was enough to make their day shine. Wishing to brighten up everypony's day, I expanded my attempts through a different form. The sun was my answer and they enjoyed it, were grateful even, but something changed over time.

They take my gesture for granted, not even noticing it anymore; too blinded by the light I cast for them.

My orb shines, yet my desire has dimmed out. Why continue when no appreciation is given in return?

My reasoning for doing this has no meaning behind it anymore.

It's just sunrise and sunset now.

Gonna have to sit this month out. Jinglemas stories are due the same day, and I need every minute I can get.

6251447
I keep being busy enough that unless I get some time unexpectedly in the next day or two, I'll probably sit it out myself. I have notes on what I was gonna write, too, just no story...

--Sweetie Belle

Loganberry
Group Admin

24 hours to go. (Actually just under now.)

It's kinda sad so many had to sit this one out. But anyway, I'm a little surprised nobody thought of time travel, which is what I planned when I chose the prompt. As such, here is my entry, because it's fun to write.

OH! And it comes with cover art! Will have that at the bottom.

Once more, Spike and Twilight fell on the cutie map.

“Wait, why is is night again?” Spike asked. “Didn’t we already do Nightmare Moon?”

“Yeah, we did. I wonder if this is a different her, or some other threat.”

“Well, I gue-”

“What is it, Spike?”

“Look, the bushes!”

For there, in the bushes, were eyes. Not your standard creepy yellow eyes, mind you, but red ones. Red ones are always much worse.

“H-hello?” Twilight called out.

The eye grew closer. And closer. Before long, there was a… creature… belonging to those eyes.

“S-sunset? Sunset, is that you?”

For Sunset it appeared to be. Then the wings unfurled. They were not, of course, ordinary wings. These were more leather-y -looking, and slightly translucent.

“What are you?” Twilight asked, voice wavering.

Still no response. And still not-Sunset grew closer.

By the time they saw the fangs, it was too late.

6253149
Mine was gonna be time travel, though the fact that I have 109 words of notes about it suggests it wouldn't have worked anyways...

--Sweetie Belle

6253149
6253169
Time travel was actually going to be my idea, as well, but my fingers haven't yet managed to even create more than 20 words for the prompt in the past 3 weeks. :raritydespair:

6253196
I guess all of us that were gonna write about time travel really could've used it this month. :unsuresweetie:

--Sweetie Belle

6253196
You do still have a good few hours, 19 to be specific, so you should totally still write something! Even if it's not very good.
Whenever I know I'm gonna have a terrible story, I make it as meta as possible. You should try that if nothing else.

6253208
Yeah, that'd be nice. Especially considering I barely even wrote my thing. Still, 19 hours left, just crank something out even if it's terrible!
Actually, make it so bad that Logan cries from the pain of reading it :rainbowlaugh:

6253221
I think it's past time, but Loganberry hasn't closed it yet, so this is literally typed out with no proofreading. It's just cranked out, but at least it's there.

The Fissure

*Flash*

“Well, that didn’t work.”

Spike. That was Spike. Twilight’s castle!

Sweetie Belle ran forward to where Twilight and Spike were talking.

“Twilight! I really need you to —”

*Flash*

She was backstage. A concert?

“Sweetie Belle! You’re on next!”

“Wait. I can’t go on right now. I need —”

*Flash*

It was dark. She was in a bed? She flailed around for a light and felt something furry against her hoof.

“Mreow?”

“Opal?”

*Flash*

Sweetie Belle looked at the crack in horror as it grew. With the magical energies hitting it--

She banged her hoof against the chamber door.

“Let me out! It’s going to cascade. Somepony —”

*Flash*

“ —help me!”

Twilight looked down at her.

“No problem, Sweetie Belle. How can I help?”

*Flash*

--Sweetie Belle

6224066
Oops. Forgot to reply.

6254672

--Sweetie Belle

Loganberry
Group Admin

Okay, time's up! Actually it was a while ago, but that's on me for not saying so. I'll try to pick a winner by the end of tomorrow, given the time of year. Thank you to those who entered! :twilightsmile:

Well, now that Logan's officially closed the contest, feedback!!!
6224772
Ah yes, the alone immortal. I do like how you kept what the narrator was trying to prevent mysterious as long as you did. And on that note, I also like the ambiguity of who, exactly, the narrator is. I would assume Celestia, but for all I know it could be Derpy.

6224847
Dang. Here's a take on the prompt I did not think about, good job. Anyway, I'm not sure what to say about it. It's a slice of life about Petunia, presumably before her mark, looking at dead things. I like it, but I don't. And for that reason alone, it's my second favorite. Barely beaten out of position by SweetieAI's.

6225190
I'll start by saying the last line confused me so much. At least, the first three times I read it. I thought it was Cheerilee getting her daily shipping in. But it's actually about Applebloom and her colt, right? So it's a low-key-friendly-poking-fun at her. Mostly, though, I think the word cap messed up your idea.

6227421
Oh, depressed immortal this time. Um, yeah, I don't have much else to say. I mean, it's kinda just that. Great try, though, I hope to see you next time!

6253149
What are you even doing here?? You won! Stop participating :/

6254672
Well, I'll be talking about this one with the most vertical space.

“Well, that didn’t work.”

Seems familiar...

She was backstage. A concert?
“Sweetie Belle! You’re on next!”
“Wait. I can’t go on right now. I need —”

Reminds me of the final acts of this for some reason...
The others have no reminding. Certainly interesting, and easily my favorite. I really, truly love it.

6256073

I like it, but I don't.

:rainbowhuh: ?

And for that reason alone, it's my second favorite. Barely beaten out of position by SweetieAI's.

NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Glad it ranked so high. Thanks for the feedback!

Loganberry
Group Admin

6224772 6224847 6225190 6227421 6253149 6254672

Thank you to everyone who took part, and a warm welcome to those of you who decided to give it a go for the first time. I hope you enjoyed it and will feel like sticking around!

After some thought, I've chosen Impossible Numbers as my winner. As Matthewl419 said in his review, it's a nicely different take on the prompt, and in any case I've felt since we first saw Petunia that it would be good to see her again. Congratulations to you, IN! The usual request now: please come up with the prompt you'd like to have for the January 2018 contest, then post that in this thread. Take a day or two if you like, or post it quickly if you prefer. Since I'll be away over New Year, that will start a couple of days later than usual, but otherwise the format will be the standard one.

Oh, and a special mention to SweetAl Belle for this:

“Well, that didn’t work.”

Spike. That was Spike.

It was indeed - - and in canon now. Nicely done.

6256649

YES! I am the first DOUBLE WINNER! :pinkiehappy:

We definitely need more Petunia on this site. If I wasn't tied up with about a dozen other projects I also wanted to do, I'd write a fic for her myself. In the meantime, I suppose a merry prompt for the starting month of a bright new year would be...

"Laughter, Both Old and New"

Last time, I used Rarity's generosity as a theme, or at least as part of one, so this time I'm looking at Pinkie Pie. Naturally, even though I cannot win, I will at least aim to add to the collection next month for your reading pleasure. I hope it proves to be an inspiring prompt! :pinkiesmile:

6256073
Glad you enjoyed it!

It's funny, I literally started writing this past the last minute, but I started writing because I had written out the plan of what the story was going to be, and I really wanted to write it. I just figured if I couldn't get it in here, I'd find someplace else for it.

I was writing really fast, and was using a lot of very short sentences and sentence fragments for lack of space and worry of whether it'd fit, but, you know, it also did a good job of conveying the mood, I think. I do like how the story ended up.

The Hard Reset reference was totally intentional, and was even in my notes. The concert was more a subconscious mesh of all the various stories I've read with Sweetie Belle as a singer, I think.

6256649
You know, I remember hearing Spike say that and going "Did Spike really say that in canon?". With how many times it was said in Hard Reset and Hard Reset 2, it's kinda drilled into my head. It seemed totally appropriate here, though.

I liked having everything loop back on this. Funny thing is after I wrote this, I suddenly remembered the season finale of Star Trek: TNG, Only so many ideas around, tho'.

6256683
Congratulations!

--Sweetie Belle

Loganberry
Group Admin

6256683

YES! I am the first DOUBLE WINNER! :pinkiehappy:

Well, the first if Pascoite (April and October) is really a figment of all our (and his) imaginations, yes. :raritywink:

"Laughter, Both Old and New"

Sounds interesting. Accepted! As I said, the post will go up in early January but not on the 1st. Probably around the 3rd.

6256811

Well, the first if Pascoite (April and October) is really a figment of all our (and his) imaginations, yes. :raritywink:

:rainbowderp: Ah.

Well.

Um... I'm the second double winner, and therefore my triumph is squared. Therefore it's greater. Woo! Victory mathematics is the best! :twilightsheepish:

6256791

Thanks! Although, since Matthewl419 ranks you higher, if we were in another universe and he were judging, you'd be the winner and I'd be congratulating you.

And I would never know, that in this universe, I was the winner...

:applejackconfused: Whoa...

Loganberry
Group Admin

Ooh, before I forget: Amereep's entry reminded me that I haven't updated the rules to take account of the movie. I will do so shortly, but to be clear: yes, movie-based stories are acceptable for Flashfic 150.

6256819
Well, you know, in that universe, Loganberry might have reviewed all the entries and ranked yours higher!

Though Loganberry's second pick might not have been me, in which case... actually, I think my head's spinning now. Time travel and parallel universes always gets tricky...

(Not to mention the universe where gamexpert entered and won...)

--Sweetie Belle

6256819
6256832
I tell you, though, it was crazy hard to choose between yours. Like, on a scale of 1-to-1,000,000,000, SweetieAI won by 1 point.

6256865

In that case, I want a recount. :trollestia:

6256821

Amereep's entry reminded me that I haven't updated the rules to take account of the movie.

Mine's did?:derpyderp1: A story about an underappreciated Celestia got you thinking of the movie?

Loganberry
Group Admin

6256933
Yep. "Sunrise sunset" -- the Storm King uses that exact phrase at the end of his semi-manic "Day! Night!" bit in the movie.

  • Viewing 1 - 50 of 32