It's been a dismal excuse for a July here in England -- among the wettest and dullest in the last century, in a place that contrary to the stereotypes isn't always rainy. Well, not away from the western hills. So let's get back to the magical world of Equestria, where if it rains too much the powers that be can do something about it, such as sacking a weather pegasus or two. Anyway, a one-word prompt this month, and one which offers an awful lot of possibilities. I'm excited to see what you fine folks come up with!

Here are the full rules.
Please use this word counter.

You'll note that Rule 6 accommodates G5 entries. Since this means that an active generation is permitted, please bear in mind Rule 9 on spoilers. As always, comments are welcome in the relevant thread.

Remember, there is no prize, as such, for this contest -- but if you win, you will be able to choose the prompt for the next contest. You'll also get a mention on the group's front page. Though it does suddenly strike me that I haven't explicitly specified that "the group" here means this group, or even a Fimfiction group at all. See, I can do subversion too if I want to... But more seriously, here's the summary:

Prompt: "Underrated" (selected by axxuy)
Rating: E or T
Word limit: 150
Closing date: Monday 21st August 2023, 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!

7863036

Scootaloo cried, “I can’t even lift off. The closest I can get to flying is by sitting on this cliff’s edge…”

“I guess it’s time I tell you, squirt.” Rainbow Dash sat down by her side. “You weren’t built for slow take-offs. Your wings are shaped for speed.”

“I don’t believe you!”

“I know.” Rainbow Dash sighed. “It’s why I have no choice but to do this.” With that, she pushed Scootaloo off the cliff. “Fly!”

“Wha—” Scootaloo plummeted. “Rainbow Dash, please save me! I’m gonna die!”

Rainbow Dash lay flat, crossed her hind legs and supported her head with both forehooves.

The whole mountain shook as the sound barrier was breached. The sky bathed in rainbow colors. A moment later, a little filly accelerated vertically above the mountain.

Rainbow Dash squinted her eyes and watched her intensely. She proceeded to count, “Mach 2, mach 3, mach 4,...”

7863036

Winter rain and dead silence worsened Wallflower's depressing bar night. Skipping lunch didn't help.

Walking onto the balcony, she saw yellow skin. Anger exploded-Wallflower moved to strike her.

Something went wrong. That wasn’t Shimmer's scream. Gasping, Wallflower leaned over the railing. 

Bloody green hair lie on the pavement. Thunder crackled.

What had she done?

Instinctively, before witnesses could bellow, Wallflower unleashed the Memory Stone. 

Bright white flashed as she jumped onto the street. Cracking, blistering pain split in her foot.

Limping swittly, teeth gritting, Wallflower dragged her into the alley. Numerous stones uses exhausted.

Wallflower stared at lifeless blue eyes.

This wasn't Shimmer, fault of her violent misery and constant suffering.

Wallflower had simply wanted to rebound her rage back.

Tears welled as Wallflower left her to be discovered. Creeping away, she almost felt guilt.

Shimmer would pay for this infliction and more.

Pattering rain masked her escape into darkness.

7863036

"Four foals and one adult for Timmy Topple's Fantastic Adventure, please." Twilight glanced behind herself. Three Crusaders and one dragon. Good.

The bland teen behind the window lazily dispensed the tickets.

Twilight floated them out to her charges. "One, two, three, fou--" Her brow wrinkled with confusion. "Four. Excuse me, there's only four tickets here. You forgot mine."

He shook his head. "Sorry, I can't let you in."

"But I'm their chaperone," insisted the purple princess. "I have to go in with them."

Again, the teen shook his head before tapping the sign. Beside the movie's bright logo was the rating: 18-. And seeing her still confused expression, the colt noted, "Eighteen minus. Young audiences only. You'll have to wait over there."

Twilight turned, spotting Princess Celestia reading a magazine on a bench. Before she could question it, Celestia looked up and stated simply: "Luna had a fake ID."

7863036

“Ughhhh…”

“Now, Rainbow Dash…”

“Ohhhhh…”

“Ah know yer not one to put much stock in reviews.”

“Gahhhh…”

“Ah remember yer whole big tirade about how all them literary eggheads were wrong about Daring Do and the Realm of the Azure Skeletons…”

“Applejack, my stomach—”

“And ah remember when ya tore Zesty Gourmand a new one fer callin’ daisy sandwiches ‘unsophisticated’ too.”

“I really need a minute…”

“And ah ain’t sayin’ it’s wrong to have different opinions from critics—”

“Hurp!”

“—but the thing is—”

“Oh gosh, finally, there’s one! Outta my way!”

In a bright prismatic flash, Rainbow Dash zipped off to the nearest lavatory, wherein the sounds of an unpleasant bout of retching could instantly be heard.

Applejack, staring ahead, sighed and finished her sentence. “Ya just can’t use that same logic with food safety inspector grades, Dash.”

7863036
I had a real difficult time coming up with a story this month, but luckily, I'm often haunted by memories in my life to take some inspiration from.

"The pancakes are ready, everypony," placing the cakes on the table, Sunny sits down with her friends to join them for the meal, "It's great to finally spend some quality time together with each other. It almost feels like we never converse in engaging topics about our lives. Know what I mean, Hitch?"

Preoccupied, Hitch doesn't answer as he's too focused on the article he's reading on his phone.

"Heh, always staying informed it seems, right Izzy?"

Izzy doesn't respond either as she's honed only on painting the image in her phone.

"Uh, Pipp?"

Pipp gives a 'like' on the video she's watching.

"Zipp?"

Zipp double taps the puzzle game she's playing.

"...Sparky?"

And Sparky is enjoying the fish in an aquarium app.

They were all on their phones, too engrossed into their cyber worlds to hear Sunny or witness her sardonic expression, "Normare Rockwell, if you were alive today."

A little over a day and a half remaining!

A notably small entry count so far. Let's see what it looks like at the end of tomorrow, though...

7863036

Underrated Power

“Girls, we need to focus on coming up with a plan!” Sunset said.

“What’s the point?” Rainbow complained. “None of our previous plans worked out.”

“My plans were perfect!” Twilight retorted, pounding the table with her fists. “I took each of our superpowers and our strengths and weaknesses into account.”

“And yet we’re still here—without the magical artefacts the thieves stole!” Rainbow replied.

“That’s because someone didn’t stick to our plan!” Applejack groaned.

Rarity scoffed. “I did what I had to do. Besides, it was your job to stay at the entry door in case the thieves ran away!”

“Again, I was saving Pinkie Pie!”

The argument stopped in an instant when Fluttershy sat down and put the missing artefacts on the table.

“But… how?” Twilight asked, as perplexed as anyone else.

“I used my power,” Fluttershy answered, grinning widely. “There is nothing one can do against thousands of insects.”

7863036

Last-minute entry, Cutting it Fine award again:
.

"Second-rate villain, they called me! Can you imagine?" Discord stomped one of his clawed limbs onto the ground. "Me! The Master of Chaos!"
Twilight furrowed her brow, more from annoyance than concern over the draconequus' woes. "I agree that their judgement has been harsh. You have brought them together, after all." Twilight looked around in her library, her frown deepening. "But is this a reason to turn all of my books inside-out?"
"Yes!" Discord shouted, a dark thundercloud spreading out from above his head.
"And to have the books talk and spoil the ending to everypony?"
"YES!" the same response came, louder this time. Lightning left the cloud and set a table on fire.
Twilight sighed. "Listen, Discord. I don't think you're underrated. But there's something even you sometimes need."
"And what is that, Princess of Friendship?" he mocked her.
The answer was mundane to his chaos ears. "A psychiatrist."

.
I'm not sure what that is. Other than that it's a flashfic. But that happens when you have minutes left. Maybe I just underrate it because I had to write it so fast..... I am surprised I made it in time.

7863044 7865412 7865460 7865570 7866703 7869343 7869792

Time's up, everyone! (Actually it was almost 11 hours ago, but I had an unco-operative internet at the time...)

Thank you as ever to everyone who entered. Particularly nice to see another newcomer -- welcome!

Feedback is open!

Dang, I bounced off a prompt again.

7869926
What kind of feedback, exactly?

7871033 You can rip me a new one with your feedback if you want.

7871033
See the Feedback section of the rules linked to in the first post in this thread, and if you like look though how it happened in some of the recent FF150s. But in summary: comments and thoughts about the various fics entered this time. That can include mini-reviews if you want. The only special requirement there is to keep them descriptive, without marks or stars or grades, to stop this deliberately low-key event feeling like an exam. Hope that helps!

7863044
Well, Scootaloo did always seem determined to learn how to fly or die trying. It's so heartwarming to see Rainbow help her with that.

7865412
Murder! Technically manslaughter since it was unintentional, but that doesn't have the same ring to it., so murder! Wallflower lashed out and killed someone is the point. Though I'm not sure who. Yellow skin and blue hair isn't ringing any bells for me. Now, for this story the main thing is just that the victim is NOT Sunset Shimmer, but I do find myself distracted wondering if I'm supposed to recognize her.

7865460
I like this interpretation of underrated. I'm sure there's many parents who are very happy that these ratings are a thing. But I guess this one is worth seeing for the adults too. Lucky Luna to still be under the cutoff at seventeen—hundred that is.

7865570
You don't understand, Applejack. This is just a meal for only the most elite, experienced stomachs. As usual, Applejack makes for a good straight mare.

7866703
I can see an extra irony in this that the ponies who brought Unity to Equestria are all split into their own little worlds here. It's hard not to get at least a little boomer about cell phones sometimes.

7869343

7869792
You know what? Therapy is underrated. I would sure hate to be the poor guy with Discord's case though.

7863044
It's a neat idea for Scootaloo's true difficulty in being a crippling ability to find ways to travel extremely fast via launching extremely quickly. The burning question is: why tell her now? By the text, it seems RD has known awhile with no reason of not telling Scoots. Comes off a bit cruel to tell her way later. Tweak that issue, and it's a lovely bit in full.
7865460
A literal and punning use of 'under-rated'--an underrated concept in of itself! Comes out smoothly, and of course Luna, princess of the night, knows her way to sneak in and out. She'll always be an eensy on the bad streak!
7865570
Naturally, karma comes back to bite RD with AJ present to witness her competitive comrade's cumulative cockiness cut back at her. Love it.
7866703
I feel this between my family and I half the evening, yet we seem to get along fine. But not everyone is best living in this style. Sunny has a good point that at least EATING together as a group of friends shows decency.
7869343
Fluttershy must have given into the dark side and used cicadas. No other bug works as well for a cartoon, as many appearances of them prove, such as in Scooby Doo Myserty Inc. Also wonderful to give her the rare win, upsetting the usual claimant of victory. Underrated result all around she be worthy for.
7869792
I believe Sunset Shimmer would be an appropriate recommendation for someone Discord can talk to. Just send through the mirror and you can share him for 2.5 years each cycle. Problem semi-solved!

7871573
It's not anyone specific (and it's actually green hair, just a random technically OC I might make use of in an EQG story.

7872114

why tell her now?

There are several possibilities, like Scootallo not being mature enough to handle her great power.

I've also written a longer version of this story where this issue is explained. Rainbow Dash knew right away when she saw Scootaloo that her days as the best flier were numbered. She just wanted some time to enjoy the last of the spotlight before Scootaloo would take it all. 150 words simply wasn't enough to explain all that.

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Okay, results post. For the first time in a number of months, the entry count is small enough that I'll simply pick a winner. And so...

The winner is TCC56. This fic really did make me laugh out loud. If I were being really picky, I might suggest that "purple princess" was mildly clunky. But the rest? Glorious. The punchline is just too perfect.

So, thank you to everyone who entered, and congratulations to TCC56! You know how things go, so please offer up a prompt for next month!

7872728

If I were being really picky, I might suggest that "purple princess" was mildly clunky.

I can't help but alliterate sometimes.

And let's see, for next month, let's go with something relatively open-ended.

The Prophesy

7872732 I really thought I had a chance this month, but your idea was much more unique than mine. Congrats!

Well Rainbow's bout with food poisoning may not have been Logan's top choice of the month, but it just got my flashfic anthology into the Feature Box for the first time ever, so that's an excellent compensation prize. (Congrats, TCC56!)

7872732
Okay, sounds good! I'm going to very gently tweak that to "The Prophecy", since that's the usual British spelling (we only use "prophesy" for the verb) and I am from Englandland after all.

7872738
Yay, nice going!

7870986
You and me both.

7872809
AFAIK, the same is true for American spellings.

Last of the older feedback! I'm finally caught up!

7863044

Oh, I'm glad this has a happy ending. Knowing your joking entries, I thought Scootaloo is gonna die because Rainbow Dash got something wrong about her flight ability. Even you can write something wholesome.

7865460

18-, that's an age rating I will approve. Let foals sit alone in the movie theater, give them some freedom. I like that. A lot.
And the end is the funniest joke I have seen in a long time. Even a three-layered one. Luna being not just an adult, but being more than 1,000 years old makes this even funnier and that Celestia just let her get away with this despite being a ruler of Equestria makes it even more funnier still and adds even more depth to that joke.
You win the special joke award this month.

7865570

So, what's the takeaway here, Rainbow Dash likes to eat poisoned food? And, thus, she berates food inspectors after they rated the food unsafe for consumption? Rainbow Dash who knows everything better, it fits to her, but defending poisoned food is extreme even for her. I wonder what got into her to do that.

7866703

I feel sad for Sunny. She's just trying to have a conversation with her friends. Clearly, the smartphone plague has taken over Equestria in its distant future. Conversation is underrated now. That wouldn't have happened during Twilight's time.

7874055 But the ending is tragic. Rainbow Dash's carrier is ruined. She worked her whole life to be able to consistently do a rainBoom, but now a mere filly is doing Machs.

In the end, there can be only one best flyer, and it won't be Rainbow Dash.

7874110

Then I like the end even more. Rainbow Dash learns a lesson about passing on the torch to new talent, instead of gatekeeping the top spot for yourself. She grows a bit here.

Hi, I decided to read through some older months, provide some feedback.

7865412

Limping swittly, teeth gritting,

Hmm, I could actually see "swit" as a word. Kind of like a portmanteau of sweat and wit? Or maybe as a derogatory term?

I think this might be my favorite fic in this month. I like the cold, rainy scenery and gritty tone.

One thing that's itchy to me is that it's never really explicitly stated where Wallflower is in the beginning of the fic. It's implied that it's a bar because tonight is a "bar night," but I feel like the fic could still be happening afterwards at like Wallflower's hotel room or something. Another thing (Axuuy also noticed this): Wallflower's victim's primary characteristics (hair color, eye color) are described in a way that it feels like it's hinting the reader should be able to figure out who this character is.

Oh! Also I liked that you pointed out Wallflower broke her foot landing. It gives a nice grit. I love it when characters feel more breakable.

7863044

"Scootaloo, guess what!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

"What?!" Scootaloo asked.

"The Equestrian Airspace Authorities approved our application to perform in Greg!"

"Wow! Finally!" Scootaloo paused. "Greg?"

"Yeah, you know, Greg!"

"...Greg?"

Rainbow nodded. "Greg."

"I've never heard of 'Greg.'"

"Me neither!"

...Maybe Rainbow had finally started to go senile.

"Until today!" Rainbow presented a map. "It's 605 miles north of Canterlot, see?"

"That's the middle of nowhere!" Scootaloo exclaimed, staring at the tiny black blip surrounded by unremarkable green. "Do ponies even live out there?!"

"Apparently! Do you want to go?"

"Duh!" The only question was whether Scootaloo could actually perform there. Scootaloo studied the map... No mountainous terrain to speak of. Not to mention no roads, rails or rivers even led to Greg.

"Rainbow," the orange mare sighed, "You're getting too old to carry me every time I need to get going again, and that's not even mentioning how we'll even get there in the first place."

Rainbow nodded, "I thought we could use the hot air balloon!"

"Really? That's genius! I can't believe we haven't thought of that before!"

"I know, right?!"

boink

I agree with Rewan that it didn't seemed uncharacteristically cruel for Rainbow to hold off on telling Scootaloo. I could see it as an alt-universe Rainbow.

7872160
An alternative character you could've used is Spitfire. She's likely more knowledgable in flight theory, so she'd know things nopony else might, and it's pretty likely she wouldn't have a reason to know Scootaloo prior to the fic.

7865570
I feel like the idea of Rainbow being like, "what else are critics wrong about," "Oh I know, food saftey!" is pretty amusing. I remember the first time reading this, I found the line, "Applejack, my Stomach" pretty evocative of the last time I barfed.

7866703
Hah! Relatable!

7869792
I love the delivery on this one. Overall, good exectution!

7916503 Your picture is awesome! I even blogged about it. Scootaloo is like those guided missiles that can't take off by themselves, but they can glide just fine.

7916503
Thanks for the kind words; breaking her foot felt a realistic move to emphasize the tone and Wallflower's panic and desperation. In any condensed story, there will be cuts, as every word matters. The exaction location is not essential and allows for imagination to overtake. As to the victim's identity, it's one of those things that goes either way: there is either satisfaction is deducing the answer or the lingering aura of mystery. I chose the latter.

7916503

Thank you for the feedback, I'm glad you liked it!