(Note: Shipshape's World is meant as a comical pony 'shipping' farce. One source of inspiration for this story was the card game Twilight Sparkle's Secret Shipfic Folder (TSSSF), by the lovely folks at Horrible People Games. As of this writing, I'm told neither Horrible People nor their horribly wonderful game are long for the world. I'll be sorry to see them go. Perhaps this story can hang around as a testament, but feel free to take this story about as seriously as you would take the game upon which it found inspiration.) --9/7/2015
"Shipshape, Shipshape, everypony needs a date..."
Shipshape isn't real. That's what everypony says.
Equestria is a land filled with history. Some stories are true. Some are legendary. Some are myths, and still others are mere pranks. Shipshape, the Matchmaker, is as much a tall tale as the Headless Horse - stare into a mirror, invoke his name five times, and you'll see an image of your very special somepony. Innocent playtime for giggling fillies or daring colts. To think any more of it is to invite a chuckle when you're young, and a condescending harumph when you're old enough to know better. There are some ponies however, who curse his name. The truth can set you free - but it can also crush your soul.
Some will win, and some will break even, but Sir Arthur Eddington's third rule applies - you can't quit the game.
Shipshape isn't real. But he knows you better than you know yourself.
Can't really take seriously because of:
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I'm going to be blunt, you need a dark tag on this thing. Diamond Tiara's blackmail thing didn't come off as funny, it came off as kill the demon with fire. Also trapping Twilight there with the only other guy and being incapable of escape to the point of total insanity says that the established rules of Shipshape are wrong or that there is some malicious intent in the realm. Either way it is still dark as hell. I got a pretty heavy chill after I finished reading this.
Also Spike has some serious delusions that come off as very unhealthy. That kind of crap tends to lead to violence down the road.
Hmm...interesting take! There are some bits that are kinda spooky, yes, and some that are a little sad, too. I see your point on that - I considered those bits while choosing genre tags for the story, but ultimately didn't think those themes were represented strongly enough to warrant their own tags. Some of the inspiration for this story comes from the card game "Twilight Sparkle's Secret Shipfic Folder" (TSSSF) by Horrible People Games, if that helps to explain the basis of the humor.
I'm interested to hear what folks think - if everypony finds it dark/sad/etc enough to warrant genre related tags for the whole tale, I'll see about adding some.
To clarify the ending:
Twilight and Soarin are just stuck where they are until their proper "ship" comes along (we don't know who that is, since the story doesn't go that far). The unhinged behavior from Twilight is the result of a theme throughout the story for her - a reaction to the fact that she can't control/understand/reason her way out of this situation. It's meant to act as a foil to her behavior in the episode "Lesson Zero", and poke a bit of fun at her attempts to bring order to what is essentially a nonsensical situation. The quote at the very end of the story that suggests she might be stuck there forever is just a parody - a ponified play on the fate of General Woundwort from the classic novel/film "Watership Down". Instead of 'the general will get you', it becomes 'the princess will kiss you!'
The quote at the beginning of the story is in turn a ponfied parody - this this case a play on the tale of the Walrus and the Carpenter from Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking Glass" (Alice in Wonderland)
I liked this; it was well written. That ending did sort of turn it in a different direction, though. Have a Spikestache!
Bruiser has read this story on request. Bruiser finds it an entertaining tale that brings forth many of the more adult fans fantasies. Certain relationships are more surprising then others, but in the fun of the story telling you see how the author sees the secretive world that is the true Ponyville; the true feelings of Ponyville ponies. The obvious and displayed is not always the truth. Bruiser finds that the many references of classic literature and TV fit well within the dialog and is a nod to those influences to make this story easier to digest as you read. Bruiser thinks Q is awesome in any form. As to some of the comments on here that state it needs to be labeled as dark... Bruiser does not know if dark is the correct word. It is darker then the world that MLP is based on in the feel that Alice has slipped into the looking glass creates a certain feeling of a coaster with highs and lows. It wasn't nightmarish, gory, or violent but it clearly did not have a happy ending that your typical MLP episode would have. Based strictly on the wording of what DARK is as a label and since the perceived theme will be based on the readers feeling, Bruiser would play it safe and place it in the dark tag in the same way one may place Goosebumps in such a tag. Bruiser's own feelings about this tag is that there would be so many more ways to make this darker and solidify it as dark. We assume that the bodies are transported to this supernatural realm and that there is no real time limit on finding your ship and yet this realm, this presence, this incantation seems as if it could be a living breathing being with needs of it's own. May-hap Shipshape has, since the beginning of time, always kept one or two ponies behind to feed on their life forth as they wither and die. There is a hint of cannibalism at the end that is left off screen but is that enough to push it into full dark. Bruiser personally would have had one of them picking their teeth with a bone and solidify it as dark but Bruiser is a bad pony.
Okayyyyy.........I think you had fun writing this. Am I correct?
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Indeed I did! Luna is also a real trip to write for.
Citizens! Check thine headcanons at the door!
Wow that was cute, fuzzy, sickening and horrifying. Impressive. I'll probably have nightmares. Please if it wouldn't be too much trouble, never write anything again.
6569061 So, you decided to read it, keep reading it. Then to top it all off you seem to think you have the right to judge someone else? Really? self centered snot nosed kid much?
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I cannot help but be who I am!
I just skimmed the middle, anyway.
I only wanted to compliment them on how horrifying it was!
Alright, alright, I went ahead and added a 'dark' tag. The story was never intended to be taken that seriously, but I see what you're saying folks, so I acquiesce
I appreciate the feedback, ferret, and to each their own of course, but I have to admit judging by the last sentence, I didn't think you'd intended the previous one as a compliment either. But, if you did intend it that way, thanks! If it's liked for being funny that's fine, but if it's liked for being horrifying, I'll take that too!
This is clever.
And evil.
And goes to my collection. :)
First incest, then an affair, then more incest, then Babycakes. Why did you have to go and ruin a perfectly good story with this garbage? D:
7657454
...of all the stories of mine for a reviewer/interviewer to see first!
This story was basically intended as a random shipping joke. Inspired by TSSSF.
...I mean Applejack falls in love with a tree, so...yeah.
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Actually, in that context, it at least makes sense. >.> I'll go give something else of yours a try sometime.
7662366
No worries, I totally get the reaction with this story. I published it shortly after Bronycon 2015. TSSSF was brand new to me then and I was kinda just enamored with the amusing stories we'd cook up in the game room for why Applejack just got shipped with Bloomberg, or Rarity with Tom, or Braeburn with Granny Smith. So that's totally what I was thinking about when I busted this out. Per the previous comments I'm pretty sure you're not the only one to look at it and be like '....seriously what the heck is this horse writing about?'
I should put the disclaimer at the top of the description instead of the bottom!
Thanks for giving me a look either way. If it's of any interest, I have a selection of what I personally consider to be my better stories over on my profile
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I'll be honest, other than Quantum Vault, the content of those other stories does not interest me in the least.
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No probs, just pointing them out since you mentioned you'd thought about reading something else of mine. I found something of a niche recently that people seem to like out of me, so I've just been running with it until i have some time to put towards more adventure-style stories. To each their own, no?
Before I read this, what is the Dark tag for ?
And how bad does it get ?
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It was some years ago, but as I recall, several folks requested the 'dark' tag because they felt some of the 'ships' had an odd taste to them, particularly the ones involving underage characters. While reading however, I strongly suggest you take the story at face value - it is rated teen and is about 'shipping' - kisses, suggestive innuendo, crushes, etc. The entire thing was written as a shipping comedy farce, inspired heavily by the card game "Twilight Sparkle's Secret Shipfic Folder" (TSSSF), and is set up to emulate the random shipping that occurs in the game. The story is a comedy and was never intended to be taken seriously
Also, check your headcannons at the door. This story will most likely mess with some of them if you have any
8186638 Can you please link me the game. Please
8187596
I did. It's in my last comment below
Cutie Mark Crusader Ghostbusters!! Yaaaay!!!
👻 😱
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Well, now, that was... something. The scene with Diamond Tiara almost ruins the story, but at least it's not explicit. I'm just thankful that Shiny didn't disappear after kissing his sister! As for Lunance, it's a good thing Cady's adopted. Woody Allen and Soon-Yi are still happily married. (Okay, bad example, but the point stands.)
I swear, this is one of my all-time favorite depictions of DisQord! (The only possible match for Discord is another Discord.)
Love the epilogue's opening!
This is what I was watching when my mother watched "Quantum Leap":
🍺🍻(That, "Roseanne," and "Dave's World.")
Aside from a few borderline creepy moments, this is a fun story. I think you had too much fun writing Luna's dialogue. I couldn't resist the "Ghostbusters" reference! I resisted the urge to add even more comments. I hate it when I find a long list of comments by the same person!
(On that subject, I just deleted one & moved it here: Why is there a blank "Author's Comments" on the last chapter?)
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I think maybe some folks might have taken it a bit too seriously, but I can't be the judge of my own work and so have to accept what folks perceive. It was also my first time ever trying to write something like this, so there's hindsight to consider, heh.
I admit I only vaguely remember this story now, after all this time. I do recall having a bit of fun with it though. It was intended entirely as a comedy based off of the fan card game TSSSF (Twilight Sparkle's Secret Shipfic Folder), which I quite enjoyed at the time. I thought it ended more or less well for all but one character, but again, all of that was meant to be humorous as per the game. Now that I look at it the Watership Down quote at the end was a fun add too
Anyway, I assume you enjoyed it overall, so thank you for the read and the commentary! I noticed you like finding 'references' in stories (I like putting them there), so I direct you to this blog post