• Member Since 15th Sep, 2011
  • offline last seen Oct 4th, 2021

Bookish Delight


I've moved on from Fimfiction. New works on AO3!

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Source

With the intramural soccer championships in full swing, team captain Indigo Zap is riding high. But one day after practice, old rivals show up equipped with trash talk that cuts right through Indigo's confidence and straight to her heart.

Just as she's about to give in, Rainbow Dash arrives to remind her what's really important.

Part of the Montage Cinematic Universe.

Cover Art: Jabbie / Edits: FSSZilla

Chapters (1)
Comments ( 33 )

Dare by Stan Bush is awesome. Period.

Not bad, Bookish. Not bad at all.

So, I really only have one question: Were you inspired by my fic Good Sport to make this story, or was it all on your own ideas?

It's fine, either way. The world could use more RainDigo shippers and now we barely find any stories like this here on FimFiction.

But then again, this fandom also need more RariFlare, SugarJack, SourShy, and LemonPie shippers...

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So, I really only have one question: Were you inspired by my fic Good Sport to make this story

While I did read and enjoy that fic: nope! I'm just slow. :fluttershysad:

I've been messing with this dynamic in various drafts since the day Friendship Games aired (seriously, ask Cryosite :P) This is just the first one that made it to the surface.

Majin Syeekoh
Moderator

That was sufficiently some manner of feeling I can't properly identify.

Cute? Heartwarming? I'll figure it out in time.

7675884 Alright. It's nice to know that there are still people who love the Crystal Prep Shadowbolts, even with LoE out now and getting mixed reviews.

With the other stories I made after that, Dresses and Daisies and The Truth Hurts, I wanted to have the other Rainbooms and Shadowbolts become friends and understand each other more. And yes, despite the fact that they do have some slight issues, they're still good reads. I do plan to finish the series with a Fluttershy X Sour Sweet story, then a Pinkie X Lemon story, finishing up with a Sunset and Sci-Twi story. And I will get to those in time, but right now, I'm busy writing my Yo-kai Watch crossover The Princess and the Yo-kai in the run up for when Bony Spirits and Fleshy Souls releases in the UK...

Will now unilaterally endorse a sports-manga style take on Indigo and Rainbow Dash trying to make it to Nationals purely on basis of this story. That was adorable and you should feel good.

I wish I could write a more substantive response, but my brain is currently running on empty.

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Will now unilaterally endorse a sports-manga style take on Indigo and Rainbow Dash trying to make it to Nationals

Given that that was exactly the sort of atmosphere I was going for here, I wholeheartedly endorse this endorsement. :rainbowdetermined2:

A new story by Bookish Delight? :pinkiegasp:

Anyway, that was a cute, fun tale. I did enjoy the banter between the different characters, and I do like how Rainbow and Indigo are shown to get along rather nicely after the events of Friendship Games. Lightning Dust was a nice addition as well, and I could definitely see her trash-talking when it comes to sports.

Also, this might just be me, but having the EqG version of Vapor Trail acting sarcastic got some chuckles out of me while reading it in her voice. I now wonder what the EqG version of Sky Stinger must be like. :twilightsheepish:

Excellent work as usual!

I approve of every moment of this. Especially Pinkie's teams of party agents. Funfiltrators, if you will.

Also, wow, this instance of Vapor Trail turned out a lot nastier. Didn't realize how much that codependent relationship mellowed her out.

In any case, great to have you back in the proverbial saddle, Bookish. Definitely looking forward to more in this vein.

Very good story with a great hook and ending. Nice to wee you back, Bookish!

I have to say this is very well done!

Such a cute little tale. Makes me wish that I could hurry up and write my own stuff with the Shadowbolts. So many ideas I have for them, particularly Lemon Zest and Sour Sweet...

Eh, I'll survive on yours for the time being.

It's funny to consider how much digging into a character's, or characters', psyche has been, at least on some level, the chief MO of your "Pony" work from the start. But I think this might mark one of the more interesting instances where the layers on which that's happening are as numerous and cleverly-linked as they are here.
I mean, on the one hand, duh, it's a great Dash/Zap bonding exercise; I loved back when you started your Shadowbolts work how you kept their voices distinct from the hu-Mane Six, even as you weren't afraid to work with the overlaps, and that plays out especially nicely here. Dash and Zap have a lot in common, but it's clear Dash has a degree of control and experience that Zap lacks, and moreover their goals feel distinct, if not necessarily disconnected, in some really interesting ways (Zap's distress at being the only one who wants to win because it's fun VS. Dash's natural competitiveness and desire to find the next Big Challenge to conquer).
But then there's also Dust and Vapor to consider; not only is picking them apart how Dash and Zap get themselves prepped for the next match (and help Zap soothe her own mood; it's understated, but I really dig how chewing over the Data of the Next Big Game helps Zap to cool down a bit after getting so riled up), but it gives us a bigger insight into the how's and why's of their picking on Zap the way they do too. That this dynamic finds equally-valid expression through their tactics on the field is a clever touch that throws it into nice relief.
It all works together to create this really intriguing mood of genuine analysis, both personal and pragmatic, that plays nicely to how strongly you characterize each of your players. I especially appreciate that Dash's motives aren't entirely altruistic - she does genuinely want a worthy challenge, after all - but nonetheless sincere even so, while Zap in turn may still have the Crystal Prep attitude inflecting her feelings, but also has a sincere and relatable desire to enjoy herself along the way; it's a fascinating balance that makes their dynamic really clear and compelling. And since literally analyzing the situation is what they're doing, it makes it that much easier and more enjoyable for us to do it right along with them. Topped off with an adorable Lemon Zest capper, and it stands as another in the proud, long line of great Character Studies you've so long excelled at.
I have my quibbles, I guess - there's the occasional leap in the pacing of the prose that feels a bit too sudden, like the appearance of the video footage Dash and Zap look over - but as a whole, I'd say this is an ideal start to the New Age of Bookish, one that recalls all your past strengths while showcasing clearly that there are new strengths to explore going forward. ^_^

Didn't even have to load the video to know the song!

Stellar work, as usual. All aboard the Friend Ship!

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Thanks, you guys. It's great to be back :D

7676859
I really appreciate the long review, and you managed to brush up against some things no one else has yet, like the hidden backstory between Indie and Lightning. Good job. :raritywink:

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It was originally going to be Sky Stinger and Vapor Trail (I have no pressing love for either of those characters; mind you I felt they were executed well for their episode but just their character types just aren't of the sort I enjoy, so I have no problems throwing them under the bus :D) but then the irony of having Lightning being one of Indigo's rivals bowled me over like a wrecking ball and I couldn't say no~

That was a great story. It would be great to see more stories like this.

7677136 Hey, it's my pleasure! Nothing quite beats sinking my teeth into a new Bookish Story, there's always SO MUCH to chew on. <3

Nobody beats Dash at badass boasting! :rainbowdetermined2:

A very nice story with cool characterization; your Shadowbolts stories are always worth reading. And yes, there was a really strong sports manga/anime feel to this. :twistnerd:

I only have to say Bravo on the story. There's isn't many stories about these two, and they are my favorite characters. Why this isn't in the feature box? :rainbowhuh:

Indigo wins by nakama power and training scenes. Definitely manga-style!

Sheez, I've stumbled into Indigoza Eleven.

I finally got around to reading this, and it's a pretty great story.
However, and this is just a personal issue, Vapor Trail's behavior here just doesn't sit right with me. Mainly because it's pretty much the exact opposite as to how she acts in the mane series.
Sure, EQG characters don't act exactly like their pony counterparts, but their personalities at least have some similarities. Heck, even EQG!Filthy Rich showed SOME kindness by giving Gloriosa the extension she wanted when he could've legally claimed the camp as his then and there, and then he gracefully, though not happily, accepted that they managed to save the camp with the concert.
Again, this is just a personal issue, and all things considered is probably a nitpick, but I just had to get that out there.

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Thanks!

And yeah, I think Vapor is a mostly personal, but valid thing to bring up. I needed someone to run alongside Lightning, and my choices were somewhat slim? Few factors happened:

- I'm actually not a fan of her or Sky Stinger at all
- I actually really like the Wonderbolts and am tired of people dumping on them because of misquided personal projection reasons, so using any of them would have just been old and tired (plus they've been in the comics already)
- I'm actually a big fan of "alternate dimension version of character acts ractically the opposite of prime version of character" stories (even though when the first EQG comic pulled it with Babs Seed I didn't take well to it either ^^;)

And... thus we got Meanievapor! I regret absolutely nothing, but I wish I'd had better choices.

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- I'm actually not a fan of her or Sky Stinger at all

I'm actually curious as to why you dislike Vapor. Sky Stinger, I can kind of understand.

- I actually really like the Wonderbolts and am tired of people dumping on them because of misquided personal projection reasons, so using any of them would have just been old and tired (plus they've been in the comics already)

That's something we're in 100% agreement on.

As for the issue of not having many characters to choose from, I guess you figured it would be easier to use a pre-existing character than make one up for the story.

Above: Vapor Trail.

Sky Stinger made me mad, but seeing Vapor blatantly support his nonsense for so long annoyed me just as much. :fluttershysad:

And yeah, I briefly thought of making an OC but adapting pony versions of characters to EQG is one of my favorite hobbies in this fandom, so...

7991937 To be fair, Vapor did have her valid reasons for what she did.
But then again, there IS a difference between a behavior making sense, and that behavior being likeable.

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For story purposes, yeah, it's completely valid--I actually really like how Sky and Vapors' dual dilemmas are set up. S6 writing kicking ass as usual.

...but me, I woulda just let Sky face reality. :P

7991959 Fair enough.
I'm not really sure what I'd do in that situation, but luckily for me, I doubt I'll ever be put in anything like it.

PresentPerfect
Author Interviewer

Vapor Trail as a bad girl? I'm shocked! :O

Vanhoover Lumberjanes

Okay, but this is win. :D

Loved the interactions with Rainbow and Indigo

Pulls out Chainsaw

Alright, who do I have to kill to make Indigo happy?

SLZ

Just ship these 2 already.

Very nice. I love it.

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