Crackship Contest Results! - Original Pairings

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Bicyclette #1 · May 13th, 2022 · 14 · ·

The weeks have passed, the stories were read, and the judging was done.

And wow, you folks were inventive! There were so many rare pairs that were so rare that they never would have been thought of, much less written about, were it not for the contest story about them. And the better the story was, the greater the tragedy it was that we will likely never see the ship written about again. Though at least some consolation can be taken when the fics are so good, one can imagine them as the definitive shipfic for that pair. Many such cases!

(Oh, and you guys really liked Sombra! There were four Sombra fics!)

Seriously, these stories were amazing. It was very difficult to narrow it down to the eleven that will be recognized in this post, and there were many, many great ones that were heartbreaking to see not make it in. Please, give those stories in the contest folder a read!

We have a tie for second place, resulting in the following podium:

First Place: $80
Second Place (tie): $50 (x2)

In addition, instead of a Fourth Place we are giving out four Committee Prizes, which are halfway between a place on the podium and the individual Judge Prize:

Committee Prize: $35 (x4)
Judge Prize: $15 (x4)

Now, on to the results!

The Red Parade's Judge Prize: A Wish on the Lightning by Shaslan

[Lightning Dust x Fiddlesticks]

I love FiddleDust. I'm not going to pretend that I'm not! So call me biased if you want, but I hope you believe me when I say that this story is really, really worth your read! The world set in this story is rich and vibrant, with a steampunk vibe that I have always wished I could capture, and is topped off with massive floating airships, daring and fearless pirates, and of course, a wonderful love story. This really has it all, and I'm so glad to have read it.
--The Red Parade

EA Wish on the Lightning

Captain Lightning Dust of the airship [i]The Washout [/i]has everything she wants. Everything but a cream-coloured mare who plays the violin like a soul possessed.

Shaslan · 4.9k words · 52 2 · 434 views

BaeroRemedy's Judge Prize: Satin Morning by daOtterGuy

[Rarity x Flash Sentry]

You will not find a character that's more fun to read than Flash Sentry in this story. The dialogue is punchy and captivating and I had a smile on my face whenever he spoke.
--BaeroRemedy

ESatin Morning

Rarity, an overworked historical seamstress at a time travel agency, meets wackadoodle slang slinging Flash Sentry

daOtterGuy · 14k words · 37 16 · 417 views

Snow Quill's Judge Prize: The Guard of a Different Stripe by Rego

[Zecora x Fleur de Lis]

I’ll admit, this one took a couple hundred words to get used to the narrative voice and writing but man, once I was in I was hooked. I haven’t read a story written (almost) entirely in Zecora’s rhyming scheme and I sincerely applaud the author in pulling it off. I didn’t know I needed Zecora and Rarity having some ‘girl talk’ in the same story that she helps thwart changelings with secret guard Fleur. And then they go off and have a duel date which is, honestly, the best way to end this story.
--Snow Quill

TThe Guard of a Different Stripe

When Zecora is asked to show cosmetics from her herbal collection, She finds herself in the middle of an elaborate misdirection.

Rego · 11k words · 177 5 · 2.6k views

Bicyclette's Judge Prize: Boulder and Phyllis by SparklingTwilight

[Boulder x Phyllis]

when i came up with the idea for the contest, i was hoping to see ships whose audacity went beyond the unexpected pairing of two characters who would have no reason to meet. i wanted to see ships where the characters make you question the very idea of characters, or what “shipping” them together would even mean!
Boulder and Phyllis delivers on this hope wonderfully, pairing Maud’s igneous companion with Starlight’s philodendron plant. there is no dialogue between these characters, or even the possibility of it, perfectly fitting the story’s distant, poetic style with its many short sentences that lets the impact of this story stretch far beyond its few words. they stretch across the years that the story covers. they stretch across the gap between inanimate and animate beings. at the end of it, they make me feel the deepest of emotions for the connection between a plant and a rock, and that is a beautiful experience.
--Bicyclette

TBoulder and Phyllis

A love story of those who are left behind.

SparklingTwilight · 1.1k words · 26 1 · 509 views

Committee Prize: In Darkness by applejackofalltrades

[Spitfire x Applejack]

It's easy to take a lot of things for granted: the way we can walk, the way can talk, the way we can breathe... these are all things that most of us never think about. But this story serves as a reminder that nothing is for certain: not even sight. The character work here is rich and vibrant, and the atmosphere perfectly brooding for the war-weary world we find ourselves in. It's dark yet beautiful, with an ending that shows that hope exists even in our darkest times, even after everything we've lost. This is a piece that will really stick with me for awhile, and I absolutely loved every single word of it.
--The Red Parade

A slow burn (pun sadly intended) that's raw, powerful and extremely well-written with great characterization.
--BaeroRemedy

TIn Darkness

In the aftermath of a warzone injury, Spitfire learns that there's more to life than meets the eye.

applejackofalltrades · 23k words · 94 5 · 936 views

Committee Prize: The Incognito Cart by bahatumay

[Spitfire x Sassy Saddles]

I will never ever get tired of Sassy Saddles' way of speaking in this. It's a wonderful idea with a fun main character.
--BaeroRemedy

Another surprising favorite of mine, this sounds like something that could actually be in the show? Well, the cart anyways. The Sassy and Spitfire ship was unexpected but well played, especially at the end back in The Canterlot Carousal. Overall this story was really cute, with good bits of humor (street corn named desire…fantastic XD).
--Snow Quill

EThe Incognito Cart

On the dark streets of Canterlot, a mysterious food cart offers ponies a taste of something uncommon, and sometimes, even more.

bahatumay · 5k words · 137 3 · 1.3k views

Committee Prize: No Filter by ReedHoarse

[Wallflower Blush x Vignette Valencia]

I was cackling for this entire story omfg this was perfect! I honestly can’t see Wallflower as anything but a hateful little internet troll now, and pairing her with one of the more forgettable (heh, ironic) EQG villains? Amazing. The start was hilarious and immediately had me hooked and I’m glad I got to see it brought around at the end.
--Snow Quill

No Filter takes the trope of ex-villains learning about the power of friendship through healing with each other and twists it masterfully, fully embracing the cynicism and toxicity of its protagonists to craft a romantic arc that feels just so fitting and real.
Vignette Valencia is a callous sociopath who only sees people for their positions in the social media influencer game, if she sees them at all. Wallflower Blush is a self-loathing misanthrope who needs to find something to hate about everyone around her, and relishes in nursing petty grudges. they are drawn to each other by a mutual fascination and contempt, then bond through their common love of viciously bringing down friends and strangers, which they are both very good at. my jaw dropped at just how perfect in feel their IM conversations were, and their wit and cruelty were both hilarious and exhilarating throughout. i loved these characters and their dynamic that worked far too well, and i hated how much i loved it. a journey of finding meaning and connection in this world for two deeply flawed people that i couldn't help but root for.
--Bicyclette

TNo Filter

Wallflower struggles with conversation at the best of times. But when she meets the worst person in the world, Vignette Valencia, she finds her easier to talk to than anyone else.

ReedHoarse · 14k words · 111 5 · 1.9k views

Committee Prize: A Life Lived in Hundreds by Botched Lobotomy

[Granny Smith x Twilight Sparkle]

The start of this fic caught me off guard, but as things slowly came together it dawned on me how genius this story is. The way it handles the passing of time, and the idea that all our lives are just little moments stitched together is prue brilliance, and it felt so wonderfully apt for the story to end the way it was foretold, while still carrying a hefty impact on our hearts. This stood out to me as one of the most creative entries in this contest and it is truly a wonderous piece that reminds us just how much we can do with words: no matter how few.
--The Red Parade

i don’t have the words to properly talk about A Life Lived in Hundreds. its hundred-word chapters, so dense in meaning with what they say and what they don’t say, have kidnapped me to a place beyond words. i have read this story three times and i have cried every time.
i don’t even have to read the story to cry over it. truly, it was a life lived in hundreds. i just have to recall the shape of that life, and the feelings well up in me once more. the tears well.
the idea that the existence of this contest contributed to this story’s existence makes everything i have ever done in this fandom, all the hours and money spent, all worth it just by itself. an honor beyond honors. it is the best story i have ever read.
--Bicyclette

TA Life Lived in Hundreds

Granny smith is born, lives life, and dies. In between, she falls in love with Twilight Sparkle.

Botched Lobotomy · 5.3k words · 44 3 · 934 views

Second Place (tie): Creatures of Habit by themoontonite

[Octavia Melody x Strawberry Sunrise]

How can we miss someone we've never met? When reading for this contest I was amazed at the depth and life infused into all of these characters, familiar ones or not, and how rich and vibrant their lives became. This story is probably the best example. The dialogue and storytelling is poetic in its nature, completely immersive and absolutely capitvating, and Strawberry and Octavia are so wonderfully complex and intriguing that I couldn't stop reading once I was in. I just had to know more about them! This earned a definite favorite from me and more than deserves its high ranking.
--The Red Parade

A very very short and sweet story with two wonderfully written leads
--BaeroRemedy

Beautiful. There really isn’t any other word to describe this one. I thought it was really clever to write Octavia and then ship her with Strawberry Sunrise. The Quills and Sofa’s bit was really funny and I really liked the ending, with them drunk and reading poetry. Overall this story is just, very comfy and sweet.
--Snow Quill

Creatures of Habit has a lovely, understated feel, painting its protagonists as two mares who exist on the edges of the outwardly cheerful and pleasant Ponyville that we know and love. their common sense of dislocation, and the warm joy of the recognition and comfort they find in each other are something more felt than read through the story’s emotionally impactful rendering, which even includes a very fitting poem.
--Bicyclette

ECreatures of Habit

Show me the ways that you talk, and all of the places you walk. If I lead, would you follow?

themoontonite · 3.2k words · 49 5 · 374 views

Second Place (tie): A Mauderating Influence by TheDriderPony

[Sombra x Maud Pie]

Maud's dating Sombra. Somehow, I can believe this. Despite such an obscure, seemingly-random pairing on the table, this story was able to deliver a saucy and hilarious story that absolutely convinced me that this pairing would work in canon. I loved Sombra's show-boating and Maud's classical behavior, and the way the two were able to play off each other despite Maud being... well, Maud. Every joke landed and every line had its place, making this a very enjoyable and brilliant story!
--The Red Parade

"Then do it. Die." might be my favorite single line from this entire contest and perfectly encapsulates why this pairing works.
--BaeroRemedy

This one really came out of left field but you know what? I’m convinced. Maud is a really interesting character and I love reading stories that ship her with unexpected characters. The best part about this crackship is it makes sense, both in the combination of their personalities but also in how the author had them brought together. This was a very fun story to read and I kinda wanna see more of…Maudbra? Somaud?
--Snow Quill

this contest was full of great Sombras that i loved, so it really means something when i say A Mauderating Influence has the best Sombra i’ve ever seen: fully present in all his scenery-chewing glory, so effortlessly arrogant that i can’t help but be on his side, and not at all diluted by hidden depths or tragic pasts that could justify his villainry. no, this Sombra is just Like That, and is perfectly complemented by this Maud, who is unimpressible and unflappable, with a dry wit that betrays that she is on the exactly same level that Sombra is.
this was a superb situational comedy of these two characters being ridiculous with each other in front of a bemused Pinkie, with a chemistry that at times works far too well in a darkly sincere way. an absolutely brilliant ride!
--Bicyclette

TA Mauderating Influence

Maud's new beau is a real gem of a stallion.

TheDriderPony · 7.4k words · 132 4 · 2.3k views

First Place: Radiowaves by mushroompone

[Night Glider x Clear Sky]

It's difficult to say what makes this such a good story, because everything about it so strong. Form the concept to the shipping and the plot to the characters, every little piece of this story falls into place, and every single idea and though tis executed to absolute perfection. I was sooo hooked by this sotry I just couldn't stop reading it once it started, and the ending just made things absolutely worth it. The feeling captured here is unique, a sense of guilt and regret mired with the ghosts of things that passed, blended together in a wonderful concotion to knock this story out of hte park. This is a really special fic, and I would absolutely demand that everyone stop what they are doing and read this!
--The Red Parade

Taking inspiration from one of the best indie games I've ever played is an easy way to the heart. The sense of distance mixed with the intimacy of the conversations will tug at your heartstrings.
--BaeroRemedy

I really loved Firewatch and this story really shows love for the game. Apart from the inspiration though, the story stands on its own really well. Pretty much everyone can relate to the idea of ‘getting away’ (which is, of course, different than running away) from something. The building of their relationship feels very natural, even with the time skips between months. The way each chapter starts helps set the tone and adds such beautiful imagery, the perfect backdrop to Night Glider and Clear Sky.
--Snow Quill

what can i say about Radiowaves? its immersive prose made me sink into it right away, bringing me right there with Night Glider in that lonely fire lookout tower in the Smokey Mountains National Park. i felt the depth of the aimlessness and the loss of meaning that brought her there to seek solace. and i felt her annoyance at the cheerfully talkative Clear Sky when she meets her for the first time as a voice on the radio.
the isolation of the setting and the disembodied nature of their relationship really forces a focus on their connection, and augh, it astounded me how natural and organic its growth felt in all its subtle little details. their chemistry felt just so real and comfortable and warm to be in, until it hits up against the edges of what makes them both uncomfortable, and what drew each of them to their unusual jobs in the first place. running parallel to this is a shipfic-within-a-shipfic of a mystery that Night Glider and Clear Sky try to unravel, with both stories coming to a singular climax that was a beautiful masterpiece of thematic convergence.
Radiowaves had so much to teach me about how to write a romance, and was a joy to read.
--Bicyclette

ERadiowaves

Night Glider spends the summer as a fire lookout in Smokey Mountains National Park.

mushroompone · 20k words · 94 6 · 836 views

All prize winners will be contacted by PM in the next few days to disburse their winnings.

Thank you so much to all who have taken or will take the time to read and especially comment on these contest entries, prize winners or not. And thank you so much to all those who've written them!

Until next time, here are some other contests you can enter:

My ApplePie Contest, ending 2022 May 22.
My Thousand Words Contest, ending 2022 May 29.
The Original Pairings group's May Pairings Contest, ending 2022 May 31.
The Equestria at War group's Fifth Annual Equestria at War Writing Contest, ending 2022 Jun 01.
BaeroRemedy's And Hell Followed Contest, ending on 2022 Jun 18.

See ya!

DecoGalileo

DecoGalileo #2 · May 13th, 2022 · 2 · ·