In the middle of the night, sometimes waking up to a whimper is worse than waking up to a scream.
Cover Art: Little-Tweenframes (SciSetDaily)
Cover Text & Header Designs: Novel Idea
Sunset Shimmer Cutie Mark: Millennial Dan
Beta Reader & Editor Credits
Corejo: Lavender-Unicorn-Syndrome Counter Agent
Little Tinker: Master of Systems at Poniverse & Scripting Engineer on The Manehattan Project
Beltorn: Commenter-at-Large on FimFiction
Cursori: Reader of Many a Pony Word
Word Count: 3,300 Words
Version: 3.3
Chapters (1)
Interesting. I like the dialogue especially.
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I can't say I identify, as the last time I can remember having a true nightmare must have been over 10 years ago, but it sure was an emotional piece. Great read.
I don't have much to say here, and I don't mean that in a bad way. It hit certain points that I can't really put words to, publicly. Thank you for writing this.
8491826
Thank you! I really wanted the dialogue to sound authentic, so it sounds like I did a good job at that!
8491827
8491828
Thank you! While I haven't had a nightmare like this in quite a while, I have had panic attacks like this. Way too much reality went into this... just like most of my stories.
8491831
I'll take that as a good thing. I always go for resonance with a reader.
8491921
As in this is a prequel to something else or this needs a prequel? Because both ideas intrigue me, as I'd considered neither.
I liked this quite a bit. The best part (at least to me) was how you blended romance with friendship in a real, believable way. A lot of writers (and I include myself in this) have trouble doing that, so I applaud you.
8491929
No story yet, but that might be fun to explore! It might even dovetail for another "Universe" I'm playing with.
8491933
That's some of the best compliments I can get: someone who doesn't have any experience with this sort of thing still enjoying it and getting it after a fashion!
8492002
Huh. I didn't even think about that, honestly. Just off the top of my head, I think a lot of people forget that friendship is the foundation of a romance. Once you've lost that friendship, you're going to be on really shaky terrain. Now as to how to write that concept... heh, I guess I just sorta make that up as I go?
Either way, thank you!
Truth be told, for some a nightmare is just as rare as a dream is fleeting. For others, dreaming altogether is a rare thing. Makes nightmares all the more entertaining.
8492270
Quite so. Many experiences dreams differently. For example, I rarely have nightmares, but I tend to have a week of nonstop super-intense dreams once a month. Which I wish I could remember because they'd make epic stories.
Yay, new Sunlight story! I encounter too few Sunlight stories with Princess Twilight and Sunset. I can understand why the other pairing is very popular, just wish I could find more like these.
An interesting idea, pony Twilight getting a glimpse of Midnight Sparkle. The two Twilights are pretty different but they're still mostly the same at their foundation, so seeing such a... perversion of themselves would be pretty traumatizing, along with a mindmeld gone wrong. I guess Sunset's demon moment was too different (and they've gone over that moment plenty of times already, as the crater comment referenced) for her to quite understand Midnight (demon Sunset was an exaggeration, but pre-reformation Sunset was already pretty close to that). Its always nice to read a new heartwarming comfort tale, even better with my favorite pairing.
8492379
The thing that got my interest for this is that Princess Twilight has never really gone dark side. So, seeing a version of herself doing exactly that... that's going to be freaking traumatic! I wanted to capture that essence. Sounds like I did. Thank you!
I... I have no words besides these, so I'll just leave them here. Bravo, damn good show sir! This... This is exactly why I follow you.
8492423
These words are MORE than enough.
Hmmm. Looking at the title. Looking at the tags. No [Fluttershy].
What.
"In the darkest hours of the night, when our thoughts are the loudest, the ones that scream, pierce, and torture us in silence, sometimes the one thing that helps us face our demons is the warmth of another's embrace. To remind us, that the morning dawn, and the day with the one you love, isn't far behind."
This was a touching fic Novel, and you've captured the struggles of a couple in the dead of night trying to fight their demons so effectively. Very few of us have had the luxury to have someone to hold us that way in the darkest of nights (and days). But for those of us who have, you have captured it well.
Thank you.
Cute fic, and with pony Twilight/Sunset, one of my favorite ships!
8492870
Thank you. It's a hard thing to capture such draining and difficult moments, but comments like this make it worth it. Because I've been on both Sunset and Twilight's side of things. Neither is easy. Both are better together.
8492917
I know! Princess Twi had her first, dangit.
Is NOBODY going to say anything about the obvious Patrick Rothfuss reference? REALLY?!
That's why I read this story! It was good, just like A Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss (which was decidedly more weird)
8493047
Well, I couldn't do it. That'd be cheating. I'm glad you enjoyed both the title and the story!
Night terrors are usually like this. I had a roommate once who had these horrible PTSD-related nightmares every few nights. Our conversations were never quite like this (aside from the obvious), but he told me that just talking to a supportive friend afterward always helped.
8493113
They're pretty painful. But yeah, no matter what, it's always better not dealing with them alone.
Loved this! So sweet and genuine. It feels like it could be the start (or end) of a bigger story too.
Neat.
Princess Twi and Sunset together are too rare, and when they happen, it too often falls into the same tired storyline and set of cliches. Thank you for giving them this. They deserve it.
I'm the same way... but sometimes it's totally worth it.
Eternal comes to mind.
8493158
Hm. You're the second person to say that. Interesting, since I had intended this to be a one-shot! Hmmm. I shall have to think upon this!
8493392
I still say Princess Twi had her first, before SciTwi ever showed up! So yes! They do deserve it! Thank you!
8493565
(And sometimes, yes... but I don't wanna).
To each their own!
This really got me to smile, and gave me a deep, warm feeling inside. Thank you, dear author! This is well worthy of being one of those stories I like to look back on sometimes to remind myself of important morals, this one being about sharing the heavy burdens of your heart with those you love and cherish. It's a very hard lesson to learn, but those bonds, once forged, can be the most unbreakable and profound things in the world.
8493940
Wow, that was better than anything I said in my author's note! Well said! Well said, indeed!
Not my most prefered iteration of Sunlight, but still wonderfully done. That there's a compelling premise and great character work to go with the comfort fluff is cake under the icing. Thank you for this.
8494065
You'll get your version in other stories, I promise. Let me have mine!
(Translates: Thank you kindly. I'm glad the layered approach worked!)
I was tearing up while reading this. It was really well written.
8496006
Thank you. There are few things more rewarding than hearing something like that for a heartfelt story.
This was absolutely amazing. I love how incredibly genuine the love between these two feel (dunno if genuine is the right word but its the best I got at describing how I felt). I also agree with a few others in the comments that this feels like the start of something bigger. I would love to see this expanded on, but even if you don't, I enjoyed every word of this one. Bravo sir.
If you keep tearing out pieces of your soul to write these stories, we're eventually going to be able to build a phylactery out of them, to keep you alive for all eternity so that you can keep writing these wonderful stories for us.
On the second thought, that doesn't sound so bad. The world needs more stories like this, and the world needs more people to read stories like this. Wild, passionate romances are great and all (and I've written my fair share of them), but as I've said before, stories have power, and I think we could all use a little dose of reality to remind us why real love is worth fighting for.
8497008
Genuine was definitely what I was going for, so even if it's not the right word, I love it! And I don't know why everyone keeps saying this feels part of a larger saga... it was never intended as such!
8497809
You'd had to fight my wife for that. Good luck. (You're hosed).
Even if one person gets a better idea of what relationships are in the long-term... then I'll be happy.
8497824
).
This is just me and my thoughts on why that is but, the two big things is the whole empathy gem thing feels like it could have been a cool story (the idea of SciTwi and PonyTwi interacting is fun, even if its already been done), and the story leaves off with Twi deciding to go to her friends about her troubles, which to me implies the buildup of a story of twilight overcoming her fear with their help (FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT
8492317
I'm seeing you pop up in stories I'm interested I reading. Which is very unusual. But this means I've gotta follow you now, apparently you make good stuff!
Also, a tip from a lucid dreamer: keep a dream journal. You'll find it takes longer and longer to write down your dream because of how much more you can recall. It was actually really annoying, haha. But then you won't have to forget epic vivid dreams.
I saw this in the feature box, and I thought it looked like it was worth a read. And I met you at BronyCon, so hey.
I have to admit, this ended up in my "tried to read it" folder. And I can't really figure out why.
The prose is good. I like your version of Sunset. It was a sweet scene, and put together with care and adorableness. I can't really point to anything other than... just taste, I guess? No thumbs-down from me, but I couldn't trudge through the rest of the story.
I'd love to read something else of yours, but it's kind of intimidating to look at your story list since a great many of them are sequels. Do you have any recommendations?
8513132
Hmmm! Well, I'm not really sure, especially if Kind Regard didn't work for you. So, I'll give you the short list.
The Alchemy of Chemistry - The beginning of the Wavelengths Timeline, the story of a young Sunset Shimmer's adventures as a tutor at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns.
Diamonds Amidst the Stars - Completely different AU where the newly-crowned Astra Princess Twilight Sparkle can't seem to escape the flirty machinations of Lady Rarity, the new ambassador from the deerkin! A grand romance set against the background of the invasion of Canterlot.
And a Sky Full of Stars - One of my favorite reviews is "this is 15K words of Warrior Princess Sunset Shimmer delivering holy vengeance against her enemies." A wild action piece set in a completely different AU of a high-magitech Equestria (that I hope to come back to one day)
8514107
I will have to check those out, thanks!
Great work here! I love the more subdued nature of the fic. Seeing hints of past events without full explanations is also good, even if I now really want to know exactly what happened (and how they got together :v).
And it's great seeing SunLight with Princess Twilight. I mean, the Sci-Twi version is great and all, but it can't beat the original!
I featured this on episode 203 of my podcast, Pony 411.
8520541
Amen! Nothing like the original SunLight, is there! Thanks for the feature!
8520549
Amen. hallelujah.
This was grear! You teally got the feel of the emotions down. But, I think the part you did best was showing Sunset constantly trying to get through to Twi, while still feeling helpless. It hurts me when I'm unable to help my friends, and feel helpless to do so. But, that does not mean I stop trying, but it means I push harder.
I also like what you said about courage. One of my favourite quotes about courage is from G. K. Chesterton: "For the only courage worth calling courage must necessarily mean that the soul passes a breaking point, and does not break."
8883884
I've been on both sides of this and it hurts like hell. The trick is to learn how to push and when. Sometimes people do need time... but trying to figure out what those times are and how long they last... that's the hard part.
Either way, thank you! I'm glad this story resonated with you!
8493047
I was looking for this comment! Happy to have found it ^-^
8520549
Nyet! Sci-Set is a hill I will fucking die upon.
8493047
I came here just to ask this question.
Based by the title I expected a longer introspective style fic with little to zero dialogue...