To some ponies, I’m a normal archaeologist who spends her days playing in the dirt. To others, I’m a daring adventurer. When new access to yak territories yields a list of archaeological gold mines and one of them is in the Dragonlands? I have to be both.
My story for The Springtime Sequel-Slash-Sandbox Switcheroo, written for FanOfMostEverything and inspired by his story Daring Do and the Weapon of the Ancients. Reading his story first is in no way necessary (but you should read it), and this story should not in any way spoil his.
(The image used for this cover was made by Ric-M some time ago.)
Chapters (1)
The law of unintended consequences hits again.
Petunia! Always nice to see her, especially since she's moving up in the archeological world.
"You're not going to swashbuckle any dragons, are you, dear?"
"I told you, Mom, I'm not wearing the pirate outfit."
"Did you seriously topdeck another counterspell!?"
)
(Hey, this is based on one of my stories.
Huh. Didn't think Estee entered this contest.
"Be gentle! And don't let any of them touch gold. That never ends well."
I do appreciate how Petunia focuses on the bones. It is her area of expertise.
Curious to think that timberwolves have bones, even wooden ones.
I suspected where you were going with this, and I was not at all disappointed. A thoroughly enjoyable read of actual archeology, yak logic, and adorable paleontologists. Thank you immensely.
OMG. This was awesome! Expected the Smooze at the end. Was wrong, as you know.
Daring's commentary is awesome!
Did not expect that chain of events. Hilarious!
How on Earth have the yaks not wiped themselves out by now?
8885689
If anyone had the advantage of fully understanding what you did with Weapon of the Ancients, it would be you.
I was surprised at how many little quips and jokes worked their way into this story. I did spend a lot of time thinking about everything, though.
On that note...
8885934
Dagnabbit. You're right on all counts (generic spiders, by the way) but the one I didn't give you enough information for. I'm going to have to think about how to slip in some implications, but the birds I had in mind were pigeons. "Flying trashcans", as I think Bugsydor called them, seemed appropriate for the yaks' style of problem solving.
(Edit: I have inserted a line in the final yak translations. Feel free to verify if that's enough to make a guess.)
8885766
8886037
Yaks tough. Just wait until I get around to writing that space race idea I've had rattling around my head for a year or two now. Then you'll be asking how they haven't wiped everyone out.
8886098
I'm sorry, I don't understand Trixie.
So, Yaks were the Precursor to lots of things... But not everything.
Lol if Discord is due to yaks.
8886098
Yeah, they're certainly dumb enough. Of course, will it be as good as/fit into Changeling Space Program?
8886109
I have no reason to believe the yaks created Discord. I doubt they're powerful enough, and yaks at least try to follow logic. However, I cannot promise that a different yak village didn't have a hoof in the existence of timberwolves. They were probably gathering the dogwood seeds to stop them from multiplying and were more than happy to offload their problem anywhere else.
8886650
I can't promise that it'll be as good. For starters, I am aware of CSP, and have heard good things about it, but have not had the time to read it. Secondly, if we're lucky, anything I write will be about as good as this. Bugsydor tells me that these were some of my best words to date (and I think he's right). I have played KSP (my most significant achievement being the creation of an orbit-capable spaceplane with a mass of about 400T and a payload capacity of 30T), so I am at least familiar with the source material. Mine'd probably be focused on the technologies and politics, though. If you'd like an approximation of how I'd do, I wrote an Unhinged entry featuring both yaks and an attempt to go to space a little while back. The comments on that have a couple more of my thoughts on the matter as well.
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I'll give you that it's still a little vague. I've gone and tweaked it again, and I don't think I'm likely to change it further. If you Google "rats with wings" (and I probably would have had to a couple of months ago), the association is reasonably strong.
Huh, did not see that coming.
Yaks. The annoying frat boy Forrest Gumps of Equestria.
However they still figured it out in the end. The got the flammenwerfer out for the spiders eventually.
WRITTEN WORD NOT ABLE TO CAPTURE YAK MAGNIFICENCE
ACHIEVEMENTS OF YAK KIND TOO GREAT FOR PUNY ANNALS OF HISTORY
Also the team-up of Daring and Petunia is brilliant and well-handled and she is adorable
That was, uh, wow... I loved it. This was great.
The yaks shouldn't worry. The Dragons will die once Ragnarok arrives. Then Yaks have village back. Perfect plan.
Great fic, very funny, and I loved the ending. It is very low key, but also very well paced. Wish that Petunia Paleo had a bigger part, however.