Rarity has an important question for her close friend, Twilight Sparkle.
Written for the Choices: Species Swap competition.
Pre-read, edited, and generally helped significantly by the awesome Gravelordnito.
Featured on 27/11/22, thank you! Thank you all!
Casketbase77 - Indisputably the best mood piece of this year’s batch of entries....This is neither a comfortable fic nor a feelgood fic.... Reflection is heavy on heartache, light on closure, and carried terrifically by Rarity's refusal to give up on a very troubled friend.
Edit: Now part of the Reflection-Verse Group
Edit: Now with an Audio Readthrough by Rainflicj3r
Chapters (1)
I must admit, I would love to see this turned into a longer story.
Well, now I'm in a pickle. I'm working on my story and it has this exact name
Although mine is in plural, so I think the name can stay.
Interesting story. I don't always read stories with the dark tag but sometimes I make exceptions.
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https://www.fimfiction.net/stories?q=reflection
If you want your story to keep its name, now you have to fight one of the existing stories that already has that same name in a magical duel.
But more seriously, I found this story interesting and I suspect it will prove memorable. (More details to the author in PMs.)
Looks at the story picture....
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See, I think that, you think that, hell we ALL think that. Rarity on the otherhand...
Great story. Probably one of the best ones I have seen this year.
You nailed the little details of Rarity's life and give Twilight's character distinctness from her pony self.
Not just her self loathing, but how she tries so hard in contrast to her pony counterpart.
In the greatest of ironies, I think maybe it's actually Fluttershy who will be the most helpful here.
A nonjudgmental space for her to relax and wind down could be just what Twilight needs.
Plus Fluttershy has befriended way scarier monsters then her best friend.
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...
Ooof. That was quite a punch in the feels.
You know, I don't think I've ever seen another story with Twilight as a Diamond Dog?
So is Twilight still the Element of Magic in this universe? Just for clarity's sake.
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Yes, whilst it may not be explicitly clear the six engaged with Nightmare Moon and unlocked the Elements of Harmony. I tried to follow the shows canon to a degree (things have changed but nothing too altering yet) and we're currently two episodes away from the S1 Finale, which I'm considering as a sequel to this fic.
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Okay.
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Same here, tbh.
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About the changes - is Spike there in this version of Equestria? There's no hint of him in the story, and a doggy Twi probably didn't react the same way to the entrance exam to the Gifted School, if she ever took it.
Fascinating and heartbreaking. Ponies don't exactly deal well with things outside of the comfortable norm, especially not species they see as dangerous. Poor Twilight has a long way to go, and it's not like this one can glide to social prominence with an extra set of appendages. (Seeing how she handles the later parts of canon is especially intriguing. Sorry, Sunset, you got replaced by a Diamond Dog.) Excellent work. Thank you for it and best of luck in the judging.
Oh wow this intriguing to read. It's not just the fact she is a Diamond Dog in this verse, but being adopted by Celestia, and more importantly NO SPIKE, that really causes major changes. With a direct connection to Celestia she gets more benefits but way more pressure she puts upon herself. Combined with Ponies natural wariness and speciesism other races, and no siblings to ground her anxieties then it's leads to a more possibly stepford smiling, self critically loathing Twilight that feels isolated and overachieved to hide her pain. I would really like to read a full story even if it's just done as an Anthology of events or key moments. To better highlight the differences for this dynamic. Hmm I wonder how this Twilight would run the Friendship School featuring other races like the Young Six, or what her reaction to meeting good Diamond Dogs Kingdom characters from IDW "Season 10" be like? Anyways wonderful insight into a nice if bittersweet take of elseworld tale.
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Spikes existence is currently up in the air for me, but if he DOES exist he certainly won't be with Twilight as we've seen.
What I find interesting about your setup: you could've just have it be merely prejudice. Racism against non-ponies. That would've been the simple path, a clear one. The one most stories like this one probably choose. But... It's a little harder to dismiss it all when there actually are Diamond Dogs out to eat ponies, isn't it? And Twilight had to rescue one of her best friends from this fate? Not quite so easy to dismiss this prejudice when there is some reason for it being there in the first place.
HOLY SHIT this needs a sequel, top fic I’ve read all year!!
Not half wrong at times :)
" and violet-tinged rods of earth barred the entrance,"
So her magic is that she's basically an Earth Bender?
(Explains how a chubby academic beat the crap out of a pack of other Diamond Dogs.)
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Yup, Rarity notes she's "the forerunner of geomantics" at one point, though lets not forget that Twi is a fair bit smarter then your average Diamond Dog and (being one herself) is surprisingly strong at times.
One of the finest pieces of fiction I've read in some time. Thanks for the good read!
It's a very interesting story, and a lot of worldbuilding tidbits throughout. Rarity's own voice really shows through the narration here.
This was an uncomfortable yet suiting start middle and end. This is just me but I feel a stark yet heartbreaking apathy after reading the story. I wonder if Twilight is starting to accept that there may never be a cure for what she has, which in turn, I feel genuine crushing desperation from Rarity's side too.
Is this an ever-losing battle to help her friend? or will she start feeling indifference from her effort?
Fantastic story here, I loved it. 10/10
Having this on loop while reading this story does not help the matter ^^' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UhoIM7dHvA