Author's Notes
If you have had enough patience with my writing to make it all the way down here, I thank you first, and hope you consider the time you spent reading to have been well spent. Please consider telling your friends about this story if you enjoyed yourself, but whatever you want to do is fine, too.
I could not have written “Wingmares” by myself—only the support of amazing friends kept me going on this project at times. First, I wish to thank Riza for being my primary pony pal and inspirational bulwark. I never would’ve started writing “Wingmares” without you. I also wish to thank Bairne and dastardlyW for frequenting my WIP and offering suggestions and encouragement on their own time.
I wish to thank the pre-readers of EqD next, since they’re the ones giving this story (among myriads of others) the go-ahead on the blog. Here’s to reading ALL the fanfiction (ALL the fanfiction?)!
I’d also like to give a shout-out to TwilightSnarkle, the author of “Order from Chaos” and “Justice”. He inspired me to tackle writing a long one-shot of my own. Supreme thanks are due to Cloudy Skies as well, a commendable author who volunteered several hours of his time to help me tighten up my rough draft. Thanks, too, to InertialSky over on DeviantArt for pointing out some more fixes.
If you enjoyed this story, I would love to hear from you. I have a DeviantArt account here so you can keep up with my writing endeavors whenever I get around to them. You can also reach me at thecouchcrusader on gmail.
Finally, I’ve another project I’m looking to get off the ground (haha). “Via Equestria” will be a multi-parter inspired by a commercial I saw for the “Official Training Bike of the Tour de France” at a sports bar one day. Like “Wingmares”, it involves a race—one that’ll take our favorite ponies all around Equestria. Check it out if you’re interested!
I have prattled on long enough. Thank you for reading.
— CouchCrusader
Also LikedSimilarAuthor
- Donnys Boy · 3.3k words · 267 6 · 7.3k views
- NotHereAnymoreProbably · 62k words · 309 12 · 8k views
- NintendoGal55 · 22k words · 367 7 · 7.8k views
- Souldin · 12k words · 225 5 · 7.6k views
- Rated Ponystar · 50k words · 293 17 · 6.3k views
- take flight · 3.5k words · 61 0 · 2.6k views
- NintendoGal55 · 96k words · 221 10 · 5.3k views
- Silver Tongue · 1.9k words · 135 1 · 4.1k views
Stats
Page generated in 0.134 seconds
Total duration
1,017 users online
2,139,311 hits today, 2,054,621 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Zero comments?! Hopefully being in the feature box will fix that. This is a great piece of headcanon! Liked, Fav'd, Watched
So many stories in my "read later list" ...Why did you have to add another?!
Oh well... I'll get through it all.... Someday.
....
I can't find any words to describe exactly how awesome this story is... So I'll just go ahead and say you deserve an award or something for this story.
This and Via Equestria are among my absolute favourite ponyfics. I find it a little disheartening that they seem so underappreciated.
Loved it all! Very cute!!
558548Thank you so much! That scene was a lot of fun to write -- and I'm floored that you like this story enough to consider it your favorite
560804Don't worry 'bout saying anything more. It's more than enough that you read through it all XD
627625Considering how precious folks' time seems lately, hearing you finish it in one sitting's really amazing. Thanks for your time!
628029It's a small dream of mine to invade other folks' headcanons with my own. Won't lie.
628214Take your time.
628288Aw, shucks! I appreciate it.
628376As I told edifyingedicts up there, I'm on the moon that you like my stories that much. Via Equestria 3's on its way soon, hopefully!
629246Thank you!
Hi! Hey, let's have a "This story is in the Featured box party!
WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON MY COMPUTER?
I'm typing a comment! I've invited him to a party!
This is the tenth party that you've sent invitations via comment at, and you've only been on my computer for two DAYS!
So?
Or is it a she? *looks at computer* Hey look! 100 likes! Let's have a "100 likes for 'Wingmares' Party"
That makes it eleven parties.
I've not read any other beginning stories, but this could easily have been fully canon. Very great job, loved every minute of it.
630248Holy cow, I have 100--
... I'll be back. Let me find air, first.
630293Hey, I'll take that. Thank you for reading!
I remember reading this fanfic when it was posted on EqD, it was the first ponyfic I ever read and I loved it and it still remains one of my all time
favorite fics.
630382 you are welcome, just keep writing more, and you'll have a permanent fan.
This was a very nice, very cute story. Well played
First of all I would like to say that I have read this story before on EQD. That being said this story is well worth a second read and that's saying something coming from somebody who can't stand rereading something they've read previously. This story is 100% awesome and I do love it so. I'm glad to see it here on FiMFiction.
634274 Thanks a bunch! :D
638345 I'm thrilled to hear that! Yeah, I'm always surprised by how many people come back to re-read this story. Thanks so much for coming back!
639376 Wow, thanks! I definitely indulged myself while writing that scene.
If you want to see a massage done RIGHT, though, head on over to Pain in the Tail. Nightbreak's pacing and description within that story are fantastic.
My favorite part of this story was the bullies. Not because they were at all likable, but because they were written perfectly. They act exactly how real bullies act, and receive the same amount of punishment for their actions (none).
Just read this one for the first time. Love it.
I really enjoyed the strong emotions you put into this story, it really helped me become immersed in the atmosphere of the camp. It was certainly very cute, and I'd have to say that those counselors can go... er... right, children read these posts, better keep that to myself.
This story needs moar thumbs
I'm usually not a fan of stories that only serve to fill in the canon's backstory, but I found this one a cute and enjoyable read; I'm glad I took the time to go through it. You've a knack for similes and personification that really helped polish out the descriptions, and they really helped paint the scenes vividly. Well done.
1051579 I love the man like you wouldn't believe.
This is one of those stories that make me scratch my head and say "Why is this not in the (multiple) tens of thousands of views??"
I can tell you spent a lot of time tightening this up- this is some REALLY REALLY good writing. The description of the Sonic Rainboom? Wonderful!
I completely agree with the comment above- you've crafted a great story that fits neatly in and around canon, and been able to pull out interesting facets of the characters. That's rare in most cases, but to do so when major story elements have been set in stone is nothing short of masterful. I'm going to go start on Via Equestria right now!
1296027 Thank you so much for reading and commenting! It really blows me away every time I see a new comment in my inbox. :D To answer everything -- I AM pretty happy with the audience this story has managed to reach, and the first chapter alone has over 2,000 views. If you feel like promoting it to your friends, though, I wouldn't turn down the publicity, haha!
This story wound up taking the month of November to complete. x_x I'm the world's slowest writer. Worth the time, though. Call me crazy, but I keep finding moments in the story where I can't believe I wrote a particularly nifty turn of phrase.
Hope you enjoy VE! It's been on hiatus for a while as real life is beating me on the head, but I hope to get it updating again soon. And once again, thank you so much for stopping by and letting me know what you thought of my writing :)
1296063
Already promoted to a few people! :) And as for speed of writing... are you familiar with George R. R. Martin?? Song of Ice and Fire has been extended by three books and he's been writing on the series for 20 years. The last one took FIVE YEARS to finish. You, sir, are quite speedy in comparison.
Also, the massage passage was some of the best intimate (Platonic, but quite intimate if you understand the distinction I'm trying to make) scenes I have ever read, hands down. I didn't catch a whiff of impropriety there, and I wasn't disappointed, it was that good.
Wait wait, I got one for you:
BEST 
FLUTTER/DASH 
EVER! 
I think it's a good story, but the scene with the massage confuses me.
Is it supposed to come off as "sensual" and feel like it belongs in a shipping fanfic?
The problem is because of this it doesn't mesh well with the story. We're going with a story about how two friends met and then out of nowhere out comes this and it makes me wonder what you're getting at (is this about friendship or romance) and then we're back to what the story was originally.
Otherwise I think it's great, just would love to hear you're thoughts on that scene.
1455980 A couple of people have pointed that out in the past, yeah. The explanation for that scene is that I am to massages what Batman is to dead parents. They motivate me and make me look crazy at the same time. I'm strange in that, if I read a REALLY good scene like that, I'll start feeling it in my head, and I sometimes pull up a Youtube video or two of someone getting their head rubbed if I'm feeling stressed.
Fanon has definitely established pegasus wings as a quasi-erogenous zone, and I was a little worried about how the massage scene would come across to readers while I was writing it. In the end, though, I decided I enjoyed it enough to take a chance with it and show how this was one of the formative moments of Fluttershy's and Rainbow's close friendship. Do I ship the two? Nah. I can't write shipping. But there you have it.
1456513
With various fanon ideas and the prevelance of shipping in this fandom, it's sometime very hard for me to gauge an authors true intent with a story, and in this case it felt best to just ask you directly.
Thank you for the answer it does clear up things.
Definetly worth my time reading!
Why couldn't I find this story sooner? It was very immersive, has my two favorite characters in it, is excellently written, and
nearlyperfect in grammar. I really felt the emotions of the characters, and the descriptions were excellent. Also, you threw in some fun little references (My Cabbages)I wade through tons of crappy fan fiction every day, but it's all worth it to find a story like yours. Why doesn't this have more views? It confounds me! Overall, one of the best pieces of fan fiction I have ever read. and this comes from a guy who has read hundreds upon hundreds of stories. One of the cutest stories I have read on this site! overall this is just an amazing story. You earned my respect, and another follower.
3013624 The setting for this story came to me incredibly easily, especially when it came to Cloudsdale Circuit. For some reason, I was a nut about drawing hypothetical race courses (think F-Zero, etc.), and it took several viewings of "Cutie Mark Chronicles" to help me flesh out the design. My intention was that you'd be able to identify almost each and every element of the Circuit from watching the show, and I like to think that got through.
To this day, I still have trouble believing I came up with a setting so cohesive. Everything I write seems to have much less focus on locale these days. :/ Thanks for reading! :D
Hey, I read through this whole story a few nights ago, but only now had the time to sit down and leave a real comment. I've been meaning to read this for a long time
First of all, I love how you worked this story into canon, and though it gives the ending away to anyone who has watched Cutie Mark Chronicles, your own interpretation and Dash's perspective gave the show-related scenes a different experience. The scenes following Dash after the race, such as when she loses momentum in the edge of the stratosphere and when she goes searching for Fluttershy do a lot to bring the readers down from the story's climax.
I noted that in this story, Rainbow and Fluttershy lost contact with one another when the race took place, and didn't reunite until they by chance found each other in Ponyville. Some authors would've tried to make some sort of bittersweet deal out of this before the inevitable reunion, but I'm actually glad you chose not to. The whole story is upbeat and fun, and to have Fluttershy or Dash spend a few good moments in melodramatic despair would've hurt the tone.
The characterisations of Fluttershy and Dash are absolutely awesome. You've done great giving them more history and details than what the show provides, and in doing so you've made these main characters even more three-dimensional and loveable. Everything from Fluttershy's parents, the part where pretend to be more like Rainbow when nopony's looking, and Rainbow Dash's growing dedication to Fluttershy fits the characters and gives them a richer background and ample things to love about them both.
I will make special mention of the preening scene. It did seem a little sensual in places due to imagery, but I had my 'ship-everything' goggles on, so in all honesty there's nothing really wrong with the scene. Some of us simply see things rose-tinted by default. The fact is Fluttershy has skills that are probably very common and not taboo in Pegasus culture - preening is important for avians and athletes have massages to restore their muscles - and she's offering to use them on a friend that has never received such treatment. This is likely the Pegasi equivalent of human teenage girls doing favours like painting nails or styling hair, so you shouldn't feel like you went wrong somewhere because
we're all people with dirty mindssome people read things a little further than was intended.Then again, Rainbow Dash did seem very...impressedby Fluttershy when she got a real look at her, and when Fluttershy saved her from expulsion. It was like a blend between admiration and puppy loveMoving on with a few final rambles, I like the idea here that Fluttershy and Rainbow were close friends prior to the penultimate race. It's different from my headcanon that it was that race that made them close friends, but it still makes sense all the same. It's nice reading different interpretations and theories.
I hope my rambling wasn't too overbearing. I wanted to sing my praises for such a cute story that made bedtime a little better for me.
3201987 Wow. Thank you so much for the long and detailed comment XD This story was crazy. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash wrote themselves the whole way through -- I just followed in their tracks.
To be honest, I remember feeling weird leaving Rainbow Dash where she was at the end of the race, even with the epilogue I had planned in mind. The whole story was about showing how she became friends with Fluttershy, but she didn't wind up getting that satisfaction. At any rate, Hurricane Fluttershy threw this story into non-canonicity when we see Rainbow's still there at flight camp after she got her cutie mark, but I'm still holding onto this story for reasons, haha.
This was brilliantly done. A wonderful and heartwarming expansion on one of my favorite scenes in the show. Kudos to you good sir, kudos to you.
Well, this is also long overdue, but what the heck. Thank you so much for this lovely little in-canon dance! I always enjoy a deftly done fic of this sort, and while the first parts left me wanting for sweemy sky-visual details, the description of sunrise over Cloudsdale near the end made up for it--and indeed, the fact that you put off your big description until the end served the story quite well, an indication of RD's growing sensitivity to the outside world (achieved as a direct result of her association with Flutters). Well done!
is this shipping?
XD
~Wywint
Yay!
some friend shipping!:3 
I can see why this story has so many accolades. :)
Oh wow... YOU were the author to this gem all along? I remember favoriting this story waaay back in the day (at least 3 years ago). It was the first FimFiction story that I favorited. Heck, I'll re-read this gem for old times' sake!
Keep being awesome! ^^
This was amazing. It's the kind of fanfiction that I went looking for back when I first started reading fimfic. A perfect extension and fleshing out of a well known story, setting, and relationship. We always knew Rainbow and Fluttershy's friendship went back to flight camp, but never got to see how it started.
Your portrayal of the camp bullies is so spot on it's scary. It made me recall a year of my own at summer camp. The precision with which they can avoid detection and be as cruel as possible while always making it look like you're the crazy one.
This story just serves to highlight how great this friendship is for both of them. They both learn from each other's strengths, with Dash gaining an appreciation for a less direct or confrontational approaches and 'shy gaining confidence in her own abilities, if not in speaking up for herself and learning to trust ponies who are worth trusting.
I'm surprised that I haven't read any of your works before. Who knows when I'll get around to reading more, but this definitely ensures the rest of your stuff stays on my list. I'm of course kind of sad that you're probably long done with making anything like this, but you've surely left some great work.
Also, 6771779 who the heck is cabbage guy? I could tell this scene was meant to be referencing something, with the hammily oblique way the cabbages were described as "orbs" until the "reveal".
7774973
From what I understand, Cabbage Guy is from Avatar: The Last Airbender (the original cartoon, not the movie). I haven't seen it myself, but heard about it from pop-culture osmosis. Apparently, this traveling cabbage merchant was a recurring background character, and his cabbages and/or cart were frequently destroyed as a running gag.
Full review here, but in brief: this is a lovely story, and it's held up remarkably well for a fic this old. Faved!
you made chapter 2 chapter 4 and the epilogue in 2011, and made the rest of the chapters in 2012?
Really enjoyed the story. Thank you.