The Results! - Right Back At It Again - 2020 Shipping Competition

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Lucky Seven #1 · Aug 9th, 2020 · 4 · ·

Hello, everyone! It's been a bit since our last blog, and we apologize for that. But without further ado, let's finally get to the results, shall we? Keep in mind, this will be a blog dedicated to just a quick rundown of each story, as well as their placement. If you'd like to see a more in-depth review of your story, stay tuned for the Review Blog we'll be posting on Friday, August 14th.

5th Place: Harmonia by Botched Lobotomy

Vinyl Scratch x Octavia

Harmonia is a story about Vinyl Scratch and Octavia living their lives out as bank robbers. It's got some incredible laughs, great dialogue and character interactions, and really nails the idea of a crime drama while not losing sight of the original source material's lightheartedness. We'd recommend this story to anyone who's on the lookout for some classic OctaScratch with a side of crime.

4th Place: If My Heart Was A Compass by Astrarian

Pinkie Pie x Rainbow Dash

A masterful PinkieDash story, told vicariously through stories relayed to Spitfire. The captain of the Wonderbolts is spot on in this story, as is the brash Rainbow Dash, but what really stood out to us was the author's characterization of Pinkie Pie. Too often, Ponyville's resident party pony is written in a way that comes across as little more than obnoxious and overly hyperactive. The way Astrarian was able to capture her voice so appropriately, especially for a romantic story, won over the judges.

3rd Place: Song of Myself by Ice Star

Ice Star steals our number 3 spot with perhaps the most daring entry of the contest. Song of Myself is a story about self-discovery. I'm sure it's no surprise to all of us here on this wonderfully gay website that's rife with shipfics, but we definitely like to write inclusive stories. Song of Myself takes it to another level, accurately portraying what it's like to be in the shoes of someone who is coming to terms with their body dysphoria. The story features a classic ship from back in the day, Luna x Sombra, written in an alternate universe in which Sombra never was the evil king we know him as.

Rather, he and Luna are in a committed relationship, one that Sombra is willing to go to any lengths to fight for. His dialogue is rather well-written, but it's Luna who truly steals the show with her masterfully written inward reflection. Seeing her place a value on her self-worth, worry about the opinions of other ponies (even her beloved Sombra), and even worry about what the future will hold in general, really spoke to us.

2nd Place: Not My Rescuer (but not bad either) by HapHazred

Spitfire x Rarity

Certainly the most unique pairing featured in this contest, Spitfire and Rarity work better as a couple than we ever could have imagined. The idea, at its core, is that Spitfire is set up on a blind date by Rainbow Dash. When it's Rarity that shows up, the true genius of HapHazred's pairing is laid out. before us. Flashbacks to the Junior Flyers Competition, as well as to the time Spike grew up far too quickly and rampaged through Ponyville, play through the minds of both ponies. To each of them, the incidents were an embarrassment; Rarity being embarrassed by the way she let her ego grow out of control, and Spitfire unable to accept that she hadn't been able to rescue the alabaster unicorn.

The rest of the story plays out like your average first date, and we were impressed by the finesse the author showed when writing dialogue between these two characters. They're oh so different, but in the end, that just helps bring them closer. If you're in the mood for a well-written story featuring two ponies whose entire personalities revolve around their need to please others, then this is the one for you.

1st Place: Project Rita by Muggonny

Vinyl Scratch x Octavia

And finally, we come to our first place entry. This one was an absolute blast for all of us to read. Let me set the scene for you.

Have you ever wished that you could go back in time, and possibly change certain aspects of your life? How about specific decisions you've made? Specifically those that pertain to romantic relationships?

Well, with the help of a new alternate reality project, Rita, anypony can see how their relationships will end up!

For Vinyl Scratch, this is a godsend. Sure, Octavia had walked out on her, but there had to be a way to win her back.

... Right?

This is a story for those of us who wish we could take back some of the mistakes we've made, but even more than that, it's a wake-up call. You're not going to be understood by everyone you have feelings for, and those feelings can always dissipate without warning. But that's life: Unpredictable.

I'd (Lucky Seven) like to break the group dynamic to say something. I'm personally going through a divorce myself right now, and this story spoke to me in ways that I honestly can't thank Muggonny enough for. I spent so much time wondering how I could change the outcome and make things different, but Project Rita makes one thing so absolutely clear that nobody can deny it.

You can't change how people feel.

But that also does't mean you can't give it your all and try, because some relationships can work even without many common hobbies, opinions, or interests.

We won't spoil how this story concludes, but needless to say, Muggonny did an excellent job all-around, and we'd like to personally thank him for his entry.

Thank you to all the entrants! We had a blast judging all 41 stories for the contest, and it's something we'd definitely love to do again in the near future. If any of you have any questions, comments, or even just want to review the stories on your own, feel free to comment below!

With love, the Right Back At It Again team <3

Muggonny

Muggonny #2 · Aug 9th, 2020 · 3 · ·

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