And we are here!

Thank you all so very much for joining us on another round of this contest! I’d like to start off by thanking all of you who did get around to reading and commenting on any of the contest entries. It is difficult for many stories to get the attention and engagement they deserve on FimFic these days, and all of you who take the time and effort to support these stories are truly doing Celestia’s work!

And thank you to everyone who has contributed stories to this contest! Whether they were official entries in the contest folder, or the ones that could not be finished on time in the In Spirit folder, we loved and appreciated the time and effort and courage it took to share your stories with the world. Every single one of your stories have contributed to the donation of $2,634 that was made to OutRight International. I thank all of you for your efforts in helping to eradicate the persecution, inequality and violence lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ) people face around the world!

And though the existence of such awful homophobia even in the userbase of a website dedicated to fanfiction of colorful gay ponies is a sad thing to see, it does show the need for contests like this to continue. I am happy to assure you that it will, later this year!

But of course, we must now move on to the results. Every year, I worry that as the heyday of the fandom retreats into the distant past, these contests will also not be as they once were. But the quality of these stories really put my fears to rest! There were so many amazing stories to choose from that narrowing it down inevitably leaves behind really great stories that we saw something special in, but that is the difficult task that we face as judges. We only hope that our words do these winners justice.

There will be eight entries recognized in this post, to be awarded the following prizes:

• First Place
• Second Place (x2)
• Fourth Place
• Judge Prize (x4)

Now, here they are!

I admit that I was wary going into this story with its M rating and blatant Sex Tag, however, within the first few hundred words, I was assuaged of that weariness and was all on board. This tells an excellent story of a trans stallion (a rarity in this contest) Zipp and our favourite sheriff Hitch. The story is about identity and what that means, both stallions discovering themselves in each other and learning to be in a relationship with one another. Intermingled are numerous saucy sexual scenes that are both intimate and sexy, showing the effort needed to listen and fulfill your partner’s needs while delivering prime sex time. For those looking for something sweet with a side of raunchy, I wholly recommend this fic, otherwise this rightfully deserves my judge’s prize.

—daOtterGuy

I admit that I did get a kick out of a story that introduces cricket to the world of Equestria, but the story doesn’t require you to know anything about it, as it is told through the eyes of newcomers to the sport. I love how its prologue is a pitch-perfect sports movie opening, with fashion student Blank Slate unknowingly showing a talent for a game that he’s never heard of. And the budding romance between him and Spearhead is a delight to read, with the latter perfectly fleshed out from the background pony that we see in the canon. Love blossoming on the cricket field, and the joyous highs and anxious lows that come with that, is not how most sports movies go, but more of them should.

—Bicyclette

TBeyond a Boundary

• MLP: FiM
• Romance
• Slice of Life

Ponies! Cricket! Awakening M/M yearnings!

• OC
• Other
• Coriander Cumin
• Royal Guard

The Cloptimist · 4.8k words  ·  22  6 · 188 views

It’s a stroke of genius to tell a story about losing your identity through the lens of sexuality, because the second is such an important part of the first. “Fairness in Our Town” offers a unique look at Starlight’s “equitable” utopia at a time when the brainwashing has only just begun, and many of the pilgrims—Double Diamond especially—are struggling to “massage” that immovable part of their identity into place. After all, in a truly equal society, everyone would be pansexual, and no-one would be exclusive. But the heart wants what it wants, and Double Diamond’s assimilation into Our Town is a heartbreaking meditation from a heart wanting several things in conflict, slowly breaking into the submission that we all know is coming.

—Miller Minus

TFairness in Our Town

• MLP: FiM
• Dark
• Drama

Double Diamond isn't pleased by all aspects of Starlight Glimmer's society of true equality. But even if it isn't always great, at least it's fair, right?

• Sex
• Other
• Starlight Glimmer
• Double Diamond

SparklingTwilight · 4k words  ·  18  3 · 313 views

“colts don’t cry” was one of the most emotionally impactful stories of the entire competition. The author, alafoel, captures not only the confusion, excitement, and fear of a child discovering that they’re queer, but also the exhaustion and resignation of a stallion who has thought about this particular part of his past many, many, many times. The tone and writing style evoked the literary version of Brokeback Mountain, which felt extremely appropriate. The subject matter, too, was handled excellently. There are some very taboo topics discussed in this story, but they are presented through the lens of a young colt who is completely ill-equipped to handle the situation he’s found himself in, and the strong focus on the pain it’s caused him makes Braeburn very sympathetic. I could go on about the use of metaphor, the characterization, and the pacing, but suffice to say, alafoel took on a huge challenge with this story and rose to meet it.

—Vivid Syntax

T"colts don't cry"

• MLP: FiM
• Romance
• Sad
• Slice of Life

Young, dumb and gay: Braeburn tries to work through all of this when his cousin Big MacIntosh visits from Ponyville.

• Profanity
• Big Mac
• Braeburn

alafoel · 10k words  ·  53  22 · 747 views

The word “romp” comes to mind mere seconds into reading “The Two Doctors”, and it stays throughout the entire adventure. For a shriveled-up and cynical horseword-reader (not that I know any of those) it would be easy to scan the cover, see two would-be-lovers sharing nothing in common but a title, and worry about what lingers inside, especially when one of the characters is so often nothing more than a vehicle to reference a certain British sci-fi staple. But that’s what makes it so disarming. It respects its characters, giving Doctor Whooves a delightful sheen of mystery and whimsy, and Doctor Caballeron a backstory that fits him as vanishingly as his ascot. It balances fun, adventure, realism, and mutual distrust blooming into mutual affection, for 10,000 words straight. Go on, look inside the beaker—there is a chemistry to these two bubbling subtly, and it will explode in your face.

—Miller Minus

“The Two Doctors” starts as a clash of worlds, as Dr. Whooves and Dr. Caballeron in the canon are painted as little more than their respective stock archetypes. But as the story continues, it does a beautiful job in not only deepening their characters, but giving them a context in a larger Equestria that makes sense as a world where both of them can exist. Their adventure together is a self-aware pastiche, lovingly hitting the classic beats of trust, betrayal, sacrifice, and turning out to be more like each other than initially thought. By the time it ends with a promise of more adventure/dates to come, their chemistry together is more than earned.

—Bicyclette

The structure and pacing of “The Two Doctors” felt absolutely impeccable. More than any other story in this competition, this one felt like an episode. Given a few more seasons, I honestly expect that an episode like this one would air, and I hope Silver Needle is very proud of what they accomplished with it. I’m planning on studying this one later myself to improve my skills with effective use of action and suspense. Great work.

—Vivid Syntax

This story more than any other felt like an episode of the show if they had ever done Indiana Jones but gay. The chemistry between both of these unlikely paired stallions was phenomenal and a joy to watch to burgeon into something more over the course of the fic. The emotional throughlines and characterization carried this fic heavily through excellently paced structure. Truly a joyous and worthwhile read for how well executed of a plot this story manages to convey. You should absolutely read it when you get the chance or whenever you just miss the show and want a new episode in written form.

—daOtterGuy

TThe Two Doctors

• MLP: FiM
• Romance
• Adventure

Doctor Caballeron is down on his luck, and just as he's finally found something without Daring Do getting in the way, a mysterious pony calling himself "Doctor Whooves" appears.

• Doctor Whooves
• Dr. Caballeron

Silver Needle · 10k words  ·  12  3 · 291 views

This story is a difficult read, in a positive way. The mindset of self sacrifice in Blueblood’s mind as he copes with his inability to engage with his sexuality while struggling against the lack of freedom he has as a member of his family is very real. Watching him overcome his internal prejudices and break free from the restrictions placed upon him is glorious to watch with a hopeful ending to tie everything together. Though you’ll find yourself mired deep in the complications of being unable to live as your most authentic self, this is well worth the read for the catharsis of coming out on the other end better than you were before.

—daOtterGuy

There have already been many good things said about "In the Shadow of the Sun", and here’s some more: it is a hard-hitting and deftly themed thing of beauty. Shaslan’s depiction of Blueblood cuts a sympathetic stallion being torn in half by his duties and his desires, and what’s interesting about his duties is that they aren’t even clear—not to him, and not to the reader—not when the resident matriarch does not age or plan to retire, and certainly not while Equestria is sprouting brand new alicorns (plus an extra matriarch) over the course of his young years, all of these changes buffeting him away from his duty while he clings to it for dear life. Because that is how he was raised. This is not a story of virtue, of the strong male leader overcoming his challenges despite their difficulty, but one of internalized homophobia, of a life that is devoid of self-ownership, barreling in the wrong direction as a result. But not all hope is lost. Shaslan leaves in a reminder that it is never too late to change, and to get off the track that someone else laid for you and seek out what you really want in life.

—Miller Minus

I just want to start off by saying just how perfect the title is? Equestria, after all, is ruled by the incarnation of the Sun itself: immensely powerful, immortal, and worthy of worship for the light and warmth and life it brings to this world. But all worship is mediated by mortals who project their own assumptions onto the will of the deities they try to follow, and the scale of such assumptions crush mere mortals underneath. Thus here is Blueblood, caught in a queer narrative of suppressing his own sexuality for the sake of expectations in a way that feels distinctly Equestrian, driven by resolvable ignorance rather than the cruelty and stupidity that humans do, resulting in a version that, if anything, is strengthened by resting more on Blueblood’s complexes and flaws. Watching him double down on his worldview every time a bit of it crumbled, no matter how much he hurt the ponies around him in the process, is an absolutely gripping experience that I cannot recommend enough. This is not only my favorite characterization of Blueblood, but one of my favorite characterizations of any pony that I have ever read.

—Bicyclette

“In the Shadow of the Sun” is a masterpiece in the use of theme. The central conflict—society’s expectations versus our true selves—is present from the start, and it never lets up. Shaslan presents a story that is two things at once. On the one hand, it’s a deep look at the loneliness of a character who not only was never given a choice about his life, but was never even given the tools to make that choice. It’s full of lore and problems that could only apply to a prince with an immortal ancestor, which further reinforces the ever-present pressure on him. And yet, on the other hand, it’s a universal tale of duty, self-acceptance, sacrifice, and the impacts that our choices have on others (including on future generations). The fact that this story does both is a testament to the heart put into it. This care is evident, too, from the way that the story comes full circle, in some ways to the same exact moment (including parallels to how the characters are standing in the room!). I was gripping the sides of my monitor as I read this story, feeling the pressure build on Blueblood. I pride myself on seeing endings coming, and this one kept me guessing, because so many endings would have felt earned. I’m amazed that the author threaded the needle down to the very end. Read this story. It’s so very, very worth your time.

And Shaslan: please let me know if you ever make a print version of this story. I need “In the Shadow of the Sun” on my bookshelf.

—Vivid Syntax

EIn the Shadow of the Sun

• MLP: FiM
• Romance
• Sad


Truth can be hard to find, and courage can be harder. Both are beautiful dreams, but Blueblood has a duty, and he will not forsake it.

• Celestia
• Prince Blueblood
• Trenderhoof

Shaslan · 7.5k words  ·  41  6 · 436 views

Genuinely hilarious from start to finish, “It’s Only Coffee” knows exactly what it is, how to deliver on it, and when to call it a day. To me, the most impressive thing about this story is the level of depth that Rego brings to both Obsidian Chalice and Onion Chip, even with the relatively low word count. Rego understands that absurdity is a great contrast for sincerity, and I would love to read another 100,000 words of nothing but slice of life moments between the two of them. Fantastic work on every front.

—Vivid Syntax

I’m not a fan of the Slice of Life. It is certainly no secret that I keep, however, this fic transcends my inherent dislike of the genre and has become one of my absolute favourites. Taking a meme pairing of an edgy OC and normie OC from the internet, transcending their initial concepts into fully realized characters, then writing out a mundane scene that shows their chemistry perfectly was nothing short of masterwork. It has the perfect comedic elements, the perfect cozy vibes, and the perfect cute gay pairing that makes this an absolute must read.

—daOtterGuy

I asked Bike if I could use the opening paragraph to “It’s Only Coffee” as my entire blurb. They said no. Such are the draconic conditions under which I work. Speaking of draconic, I could read about Obsidian Chalice (and his beloved and unassuming partner Onion Chip) for hours, especially when they are written like this. I’m not incredibly familiar with the meme behind the magic here; I only know it as a couple of characters that inspired a brief burst of fan art, to serve us all a bit of a laugh before we returned to our turgid lives. Rego decided to not only include the laughs, but to pumpkin-spice them up with a truly honest look at how this bizarre relationship might look in a fully imagined Equestria. It’s a heartwarming story of opposites attracting, of the growth that can spring from a healthy relationship, overflowing with loving details (their drink orders!), and I highly recommend it if you are looking to injure your cheeks from smiling today.

—Miller Minus

Miller asked me to tell him that he’s not allowed to use the opening paragraph to “It’s Only Coffee” as his entire blurb, which I agreed to because I love deliberately setting up bits for their own sake. And speaking of deliberate bits, “It’s Only Coffee” does my favorite kind, which is taking an absurd premise so seriously that it wraps around to being earnest. Dark Lord Obsidian Chalice is the best possible version of his origin as “Bad OC”. In the skilled hands of Rego, his dark and brooding demeanor, his threatening place in the world, and his scenery-chewing dialogue come together into a fully-fleshed character worth investing into, whose vulnerability around and love for his dear Onion Chip feels so heartwarming and real. I believe in them sincerely, and I love them.

—Bicyclette

TIt's Only Coffee

• MLP: FiM
• Romance
• Comedy
• Slice of Life

Two unlikely lovers take a warm break to enjoy Fall Weather Friends Day in Ponyville.

• OC

Rego · 3.4k words  ·  126  11 · 917 views

There is a reason why this story was the only one to generate threats from some of our judges if it did not end up placing. Threats that had no reason to be followed up on, as it being a masterpiece was clearly evident to us all. The framing plot of Sunburst wanting to get to the truth of Stygian’s story not only does a wonderful job in using every canon detail that would bring the two bookish unicorns Sunburst and Stygian together, but also in highlighting the biggest gulf between them as exemplars of their respective ages. The contrast between the modern setting of the soft and kind Equestria we know and the long-forgotten days of the Pillars is at the heart of the story, and the latter is beautifully rendered in a way few stories can match, truly feeling like a darker, more mystical, and crueler past of myths and legends.

The emotional climax of the story’s big reveal, bringing together so many setups into a beautiful payoff that makes the culmination of the romance feel so meaningful and well-earned, would have been enough by itself to merit this story’s placing. The one after that broke me, in the good way.

—Bicyclette

It’s dangerous to call a story flawless, but “Reward Prefers Risk” gets very, very close, enough to make even the nit-pickiest of nit-pickers sweat. The whole story shows the intense thoughtfulness of the author, from the excellent foreshadowing early on to the subtle evolution of Stygian and Sunburst’s relationship as time progresses. AltruistArtist also uses their word count extremely well. I would liken the writing to Disney’s renaissance of the 90s: not a line is wasted, and every single moment adds to the greater whole. It leaves you convinced that you must have just read an entire book series, right? How else could these characters have so much depth? The use of Old Ponish, too, was inspired, consistent, and perfectly in-line with the characters. It felt very unique to the two of them, and it was a marvelous canvas on which to paint their budding romance.

Superb work, AltruisticArtist. Your place is well-earned. Congratulations.

—Vivid Syntax

By the time I had finished the first chapter, I already knew that this was the fic to win it all. A fairytale-like romance telling the struggle of coming out during a time when that wasn’t viable and then adjusting to modern life when you’re hampered by too much unresolved trauma. The slow healing that Stygian goes through over the course of this fic as Sunburst falls in love with him is tremendous. It’s bigger than the sum of its parts, and one of the best fics I’ve ever read in the genre of both romance and drama. I just can’t put into words the comfort this fic gives as it guides you through Stygian’s experiences and tells both him and the reader that everything is okay. It touches on so many different aspects that never derail from the core themes of the story and is just one of the most tightly written stories I’ve seen which is astounding considering the word count. Regardless, I’m not quite sure why you’re reading this blurb when you could be reading this story, but go do that.

—daOtterGuy

I have a major problem with "Reward Prefers Risk", and it’s that I didn’t write it. I mean, what is there to even say? To list its virtues would be to take up your entire day. But I will try:

From the meet-cute to the epilogue, "Reward Prefers Risk" starts off excellent and only gets better with every chapter. It informs the reader early on what it will be about, while also leaving them with absolutely no clue as to what’s coming. It is a story about history, and the nuances of language; about how we use history to make sense of our life, and how we use language to make sense of our love. It’s a story about progression, for both Stygian as an individual and for Equestria as a society, painting a sharp contrast between Stygian’s harsh upbringing in a world where he could not be himself and this strange new world where acceptance and diversity is the norm. A world where friendship, warmth, and community can be found simply by being brave enough to step outside and face his fears. A world that has Sunburst in it, who himself changes over the course of the story, starting as a self-critical academic endeavoring to uncover the past from Stygian, but by the story’s thrilling climax is ripping off the stubborn bark of history in order to save him.

It’s inspiring, really, how AltruistArtist managed to reach into the dry and untended soil of the season 7 finale and pull out this earnestly beating heart. "Reward Prefers Risk" sits among good company atop the very summit of fanfiction, and it is an honor to co-present it as this contest’s winner.

—Miller Minus

TReward Prefers Risk

• MLP: FiM
• Romance
• Drama
• Slice of Life

Stygian struggles to see Modern Equestria as a world he can live in. Sunburst aspires to help change that.

• Sex
• Suicide / Self Harm
• Sunburst
• Stygian

AltruistArtist · 35k words  ·  62  6 · 586 views

And that is it! Prize winners will be contacted by PM in the next few days. Thank you all for being here with us and being what makes this contest so special. We will see you again later this year for the M/M Shipping Contest IV! But it will be quite some time before that happens, so if you are looking for other contests to enter, here are some that are currently running:

• The Portal Transformations Contest I, ending 2024 Mar 07

Goodbye for now!

The quality of the entries this year was really high, and it's amazing how much you donated on the community's behalf, Bike! Thanks for running it.

An excellent slate of winners. Congratulations to all!

It was fun to simply write for the joy of it! Amazing stories, all.

Look at all that money for charity! Wow!

Congratluations to all the winners. Honestly, I'm surprised that I placed so highly in the rankings with the stiff competition in this. Who would've thought me writing Chalice like Deus Ex's Adam Jensen played by Nicholas Cage would tie for second?

CW: Homophobia
This was my first M/M story ever and it was a pleasure to write. It was also healthy for me to write it. I was raised in the fire and brimstone Southern Baptist Church, so you can imagine all yarn I have to unwind from that. Exposure to LGBTQ+ material through MLP fanfiction over the years has pushed me from "I don't care what you do or don't do" to "all love is lovely." I'm a straight-ace guy myself, but I'm still not sure if I'm a good ally. That's not really for me to be able to claim as it's an observation that someone else has to make in you. I do hope that I am.

Also, I'll be honest, part of me writing this was for me to practice empathy as I continue to work through the mire of deep-seeded M/M homophobia I still have. That being said, I'm glad that I was able to contribute something that can add to the ever-growing list of opportunities for others to see two boys kissing.

Finally, another confession: I modeled Chalice's taste in coffee after mine. I personally don't like coffee. Too bitter. I need like 3% coffee and then 500% other things to mask the taste of coffee for me to like it.

Congratulations everyone! I'm thrilled to see so many of the wonderful stories I had the opportunity to read place among the winners. And, of course, a tremendous thank you to the judges for all of their hard work and dedication to this contest -- and to making this site all the brighter through its presence. It's so heartwarming to see that big, big number we all helped to generate for OutRight International.

I am truly at a loss for how to articulate just how much it means to me to read each of your thoughtful reviews on my story. I'm sure it comes as no surprise to say that it sits very close to my heart and was written with the sincere hope of providing an earnest emotional experience to those who read it. Knowing it has, that's a true prize unto itself. Thank you so, so much for your incredibly kind words ♡

Wow. Today's turned out quite a day for my writing. Placed in this contest AND I got my first "do you take requests" comment!

Seriously, thank you! It's still pretty impossible to believe that something I wrote managed to reach out and make people feel things. I think "colts don't cry" was the first story I've ever actually finished, so it's all sort of... Unbelievable. It's meant a lot to me to see every comment that people have left, the reception has been incredible. Seriously, every comment has made my day - every like too.

It was sort of an insane, fervorous write. Before I actually opened up the document to write, I had a completely different story idea that I decided to scrap (which it turned out was basically the same idea as a previous winning story, The Flight Before The Fall, so scrapping it was probably a good idea). When I actually started to write, all I really had was the title. "colts don't cry". From there, I'm not really sure what happened but I guess it worked.

I'll admit I haven't read all the submitted stories this year, but I feel I should share some of the ones I enjoyed. Metronome's Blue and Gold was a great read, and homer simpson's It'll be ok was an entertaining and original story from a first time writer. Both are bit on the heavier / emotional side, but TCC56's Love, Interrupted By A Thousand Years was a lighter, upbeat read I enjoyed.

Also, wow. $2.6k for charity. It's really incredible to see so many people come together for this. It's a nice community - I hope I stick around here.

I want to extend my sincere gratitude to Bicyclette for inviting me on this ride, and all three of Bike, DaOtterGuy and Vivid Syntax for being such pleasures to work with. There’s nothing like talking shop with some extremely passionate authors when bragging rights (and I guess some scratch) are on the line, and the experience of sharing our love for these wonderful entries while also levelling concrete, actionable threats at each other for trying to place Story X over Story Y so help me Celestia is something I wouldn’t trade for the world.

But I also want to thank the authors! I cannot stress enough how astounded we were at some of these entries. The care and emotion and effort that went into each and every one of them was truly inspirational, and it made separating them so, so difficult. You have all done yourselves unbelievably proud. And don’t think we didn’t notice so many participating authors commenting on each other’s entries! It warmed my brittle little bird-sized heart to see so much participation from so many of you.

Thank you all for making this such a wonderful experience. I wish you all the best in the new year! 🐦💙

I'm very honoured by this, thank you! Well done to all the entrants, I loved reading these stories

There were so many great stories in this contest. I'm honestly amazed and very proud I got one of the Judges' Prizes for The Measure of a Stallion.

Many thanks to all the judges and to everyone who participated, and congratulations to all the winners!

Finally, that $2600 for charity? Awesome.