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RB_


Backflipping through reality at ludicrous speeds. What does RB stand for, anyway? | Ko-Fi

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Princess Flurry Heart and the descendant of Prince Rutherford brave the harsh conditions of the Frozen North, in search of an artifact they hope will save their home from a similar fate.

Written for FanOfMostEverything's Imposing Sovereigns contest, with the prompt 'Princess Flurry Heart, Survivor'.

Featured by the Royal Canterlot Library!

Chapters (1)
Comments ( 22 )

Very intriguing, you have some good imagery going on in this.

I really like the subtle worldbuilding that slips in between the conversation, here. Things about the history of the yaks, the present state of ponies... nothing seems forced, and that makes it much more wonderful and mysterious. Good job on this.

Poignant. You said a lot with a little here, drawing a future Frozen North in wide strokes while also executing a well-crafted personal drama.

Still, I do have to wonder whatever became of the rest of Equestria. I know it isn't the focus of the story. But still, you'd think they'd do something upon the fall and freezing of the Empire. In any case, thank you for this. Best of luck in the contest.

RB_

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Thank y'all kindly. :twilightsmile:

8014108
I actually had a bit on that.
The fall of the Empire was rather sudden; no one could have predicted it, so immediate aid was impossible. Equestria proper didn't find out about until much later, when a regular supply train encountered the storm. Several expeditions were sent out, but none reached the Empire. The Equestrian govenment was forced to declare the Empire lost.
The storm itself expanded outward, completely cutting off Yakyakistan and everything to the north of it from the rest of the continent. Communications were eventually bridged (magically, from the northern side), but sending aid was rendered nearly impossible (operating under the assumption that the storms of the north are a particularly unruly strain of the wild weather seen in the Everfree, and somewhat resistant to the efforts of ponies). Meanwhile, the crystal ponies and yaks had already been living in almost total cultural isolation for a very long time.

Interesting. So I'm guessing you're going for long-lived Flurry Heart, since it sounds like this Rutherford is distant enough from Rutherford the First that he wouldn't know much about his ancestor. Given that Yakyakistan has been cut off from Equestria for a long period of time, there's lots of opportunities for culture shock if Equestria ever meets the remnants of the Crystal ponies, who have blended in with yak society over time.

Something that's a little bit confusing is the mention of a shadow twice in a couple of paragraphs near the middle of the story. I thought at first it was a spectre or something, but reading again it sounds like it might refer to the shadow a large building is casting over the land, but on my first reading of it being a spectre I somehow had the idea of it being King Sombra making a reappearance to lead Flurry Heart to where she needed to go.

I wonder if Flurry was expecting to see the three figures at the end. If she's lived in cold areas long enough she would realise that the cold preserves bodies all too well (some rot and discoloration occurs but in other ways it keeps the bodies all too pristine), but I imagine it still to be a shock even if Flurry logically knew it would be the event.

RB_

8014241 It's meant less as a shadow on the ground as it is a shadowy form in the snowstorm. Like in the back of this image:
i.huffpost.com/gen/2563210/images/o-CHICAGO-BLIZZARD-facebook.jpg
...perhaps that could have been more clear.

And if I were her, I would be hoping against all reason that they would be gone.

I'd love to read a longer multi-chapter version of this if you ever get around to it. :twilightsmile:

I think this is my favourite one of the contest so far (though I've not read all of them yet). So much tantalising world-building, without losing the personal focus of the story.

RB_

8034760 Well then, clearly you must have started with this one! :raritywink:
Thank you for the kind words, though.

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Nah, I'm a little over half way through the ones that are out. There are some good stories there, and this is one of them.

Damn tease.

Nice job.

~Skeeter The Lurker

PresentPerfect
Author Interviewer

That was really cool. :D

RB_

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Of all the puns you could have made, you went with that?

PresentPerfect
Author Interviewer

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Goddammit. >.<

Wow! That was a lot packed into such a compact story! Well done! Leaves me wanting to find out more about the whole world! The imagery is great as well!

That was really interesting. For a short story it really said a lot.

RB_

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The winner of the contest was, very deservedly, Aragon's Evil is Easy, Governing is Harder. You should check it out!

Good imagery, but terribly wonky story otherwise. Donno why Flurry Heart is bringing an elderly yak on such a trip either.

Well this was a nice read. Solid worldbuilding between the cracks of the narrative and plenty of good imagery besides.

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