Book 1 - The Behemoth came to Canterlot

by Equimorto

Imaginations from the Other Side - Episode 4

"See, girls? The plot is moving forward now," Rarity said, but her tone was shaking, and her smile unconvincing.

"Still waiting on an update on the cracks world," Twilight said, "and on one for the hospital storyline. And probably on something else that I've forgotten because it's been too long."

Rarity tried to widen her smile. It didn't go too well. "Come on now, darling. I'm sure he has it all figured out."

Twilight shook her head while keeping her eyes on the unicorn, unamused. "I don't think he does. And honestly, even if he does, I don't think he's delivering on it. Do we really need to spend a chapter on a painting? Can't we move on to the important stuff instead?"

Rarity crossed her front legs and looked to the side, furrowing her brow and pursing her lips. "Oh, please." She have a short, hissing huff. "You need to learn to appreciate the flavour of things, Twilight. Why eat sweets when other food can feed you just the same? Why wear good clothes when simple panels of cloth can offer the same protection?" She flayed her front legs around dramatically for emphasis. "Why even read a book instead of its synopsis if you're not interested in how the events are presented? Why paint walls? It's what decorates things that makes us enjoy them, not only the barren and naked structure underneath!" She posed for added effect.

Twilight rolled her eyes. "And I am worried that there is no underlying structure under all this fluff and pointless meandering. You can't build a solid wall with just paint, no matter how many layers of it you apply. If you want to decorate something, you need something to decorate, otherwise all you have is a pile of decorations that is less than the sum of its parts. If all you have are bits meant to enhance an experience, but no experience to enhance, then what you've made isn't good. And if something is there, but it's too far buried underneath everything else, then it's not much different. Adding salt to food makes it taste better, but a pile of salt with some food beneath isn't good." She crossed her front legs, closed her eyes and nodded.

"How long will the potion last?" Fluttershy asked from her bed. "I don't mind being blue, but I would like to know when it will be over."

"Should be over soon," Rainbow Dash replied from atop her own bed. She moved one of the hats beside her to the side. "Rarity? When are you moving these?"

Rarity looked up. "Ah. Yes, darling, give me just a minute, okay?" She frantically began to look around the room for another suitable place for her pile of fashion.

"Girls?" asked Applejack, rubbing the back of her head. "Does anyone else feel like things are different right now? Different from the way they usually are?"

Everypony else in the room looked at each other. "Not really?" Twilight said.

Applejack bit her lower lip, then went back to looking at her tablet.

Comments

[FanOfMostEverything]

Interesting. There's definitely something leaking into this world. I'm not up to date on Pony Life, but it sounds like the Mane Six are roommates in this scene . That's definitely not right. And Applejack sensing something awry is a pretty major red flag.

There's also the question of why Rarity is so insistent that the story be viewed positively. Is she just trying to convince herself it's worth further investment, or is there something deeper and more menacing going on?

For the record, I'm still intrigued, in no small part because of the developments in this universe. Looking forward to more.

[Fiddlebottoms]

10434220
I'm pretty sure it is a reference to the episode "Flutterdash."
They're at a sports festival which has bunk rooms, Fluttershy is blue so she can imitate Dash, Bulk Biceps is inexplicably tiny. Also it was yesterday's episode, I don't know if any of this is relevant. Oh, and Fluttershy doesn't know how to play Buckball anymore, for some reason.

[DiscoPanda84]

Twilight rolled her eyes. "And I am worried that there is no underlying structure under all this fluff and pointless meandering. You can't build a solid wall with just paint, no matter how many layers of it you apply.

While not quite a wall, https://www.boredpanda.com/car-paint-deposits-fordite-detroit-agate/ would appear to suggest otherwise, assuming that the process was allowed to repeat a sufficient number of times to accomplish it.

[FredMSloniker]

I hope this means that the author does have an underlying structure. I'm okay with never learning it 100%, but if it doesn't exist, I might as well be listening to someone describing their dreams. And I don't even bother remembering mine.