TTectonic

• MLP: FiM
• Romance
• Sad

Rainbow takes Rarity on a short holiday to try and get away from everything. But she knows there are some things you can't leave behind.

• Suicide / Self Harm
• Rainbow Dash
• Rarity

Seer · 2.8k words  ·  84  4 · 1.9k views

It is in my opinion quite fitting that a story named Tectonic can be so moving and so riveting on a fundamental level. I think it’s safe for me to say that at this point in time I am quite familiar with Seer’s work, but this was one story in his discography that I haven’t yet read. But that being said, I believe that this piece is just as powerful as the rest of his works. Let’s hit it. 

Tectonic is a story that follows the relationship of Rarity and Rainbow Dash. However, their current situation isn’t exactly romantic. Rather, Rarity is very unwell and Rainbow is desperately trying to help her out. In a frantic last resort, Rainbow decides to take her on a holiday, but the location that Rarity decides one is quite an odd choice. She wants to visit the frozen mountains of the Crystal Empire.

I’ll take a moment here to recognize the setting. Because what makes some of Seer’s work so powerful and enticing is his atmospheric work, and this story exemplifies that. The barren frozen wasteland that I picture when reading this story genuinely does make me feel cold, and that itself is a key detail in the plot of this story. Rarity feels cold, and Rainbow wants her to feel warm again.

From here I’m going to start talking about themes and ideas of the story. Spoilers ahead. 

In the story, there are several points when Rarity goes out onto the ice sheets. She has a line that is a recurring theme in the fic: she doesn’t find anything beautiful anymore. And it is here that the story’s content warnings come into play.

Because Tectonic is a story about depression, disenchantment, and disillusionment with life. It’s about Rarity, who has fallen so far out of touch with things that she doesn’t find life beautiful anymore.

This is highlighted by both the content warnings and the beginning of the story itself: it’s established that Rarity isn’t well, and despite Rainbow’s best efforts, she isn’t getting much better. 

And this information makes things even more chilling in the foreshadowing moment when Rarity looks into the lake and sees the missing part of herself. This moment, coupled with the final fever dream-esque scenario in which Rainbow wakes up in bed alone, leaves the reader with a fairly grim picture of what happened.

All in all, the conceptual work and the execution of the plot were expertly crafted. The ideas at play are heart wrenching and brutal, with just enough pieces for the reader to put it together. This is a story that is very deep and tragic, and in a way it reflects our own lives incredibly well. 

The two characters at play here, Rainbow and Rarity, may seem unconventional at first. Rainbow is almost scared and desperate, while Rarity has fallen out of touch with beauty and her own life. So, the argument could be made that these characters don’t reflect their show versions. But, I’d counter that with the point that this story isn’t about who the characters currently are, but who they could be. Perhaps who we could all be.

Because I think that I sympathize with both Rarity and Rainbow Dash here. I’ve had times where life lost its color, and it was difficult to find the beauty and the vividness that it was said to have. But I’ve also had to sit on the side, desperate and helpless to help someone on the other side. It’s a battle, between respecting their space but wanting to help them, and a position that is so incredibly difficult to be in.

So all in all? The characterization was vivid, brilliant, and utterly relatable. And I think that’s part of what really, really sells this fic for me. 

There were a few nitty gritty prose things I want to briefly cover here. The biggest thing for me was that there are a few odd sentences where the phrasing stands out as odd to me, for example the line

It had taken Rainbow three weeks. Constant pestering, badgering, prodding and poking.

Is a bit of a fragment, I personally would connect the two with an ‘of,’ but I’m not sure if this was a structural decision for the sake of the story. If it was, I’m not sure if it’s prominent enough to be worth keeping. 

Then, in the line

Normally she wouldn’t be seen dead in them, but sometimes needs must.

Where the back half of the sentence feels like an incomplete thought rather than something more final.

These odd sentences aside, there were also some technical points.

“Yeah yeah confidential I know it’s just... Like, I’m not blind,” Rainbow said, ”I know there’s something wrong with her. But I just don’t know how to fix it.”

Could benefit from some commas at the beginning.

Even when she pulled Rarity back to the cabin, wheezing with strain and panic and fear for the way Rarity’s legs didn’t seem to work properly..

Double period.

“Rarity… I.”

Period feels wrong, perhaps an ellipses or a dash?

But don’t get me wrong, this story was very enjoyable besides these little tiny things. They really don’t detract from the story at all, but I bring them up to be comprehensive and thorough. Sue me. 

This was a beautiful story about depression and the darker side of life. It was a wonderful plunge into two characters who have loved each other and likely still do, but are torn apart in a sort of battle between themselves. I can see parts of myself on both sides here, and the characterization was expertly crafted and poised. This is a uniquely powerful story that I would highly recommend to anyone willing to take the plunge. 

If you’re a fan of romantic tragedies or want a good fic that explores the feelings of depression, I would highly recommend this story. 

You already know I’m a big fan of the Seer words, but this piece really was masterful. Did a lot of things that I’ve tried to do myself at one point or another, and as usual you really grasp these ideas and execute them wonderfully. Fantastic work man, looking forwards to your next piece, wherever it may go! 

Thanks so much for your review mate, it really means so much from a writer I admire as much as you!