Ponyfic Roundup Awards One (PRs 1-10)

Fear not, I'll be back to normal with Ponyfic Roundup 11 next week – but it's struck me that, having had 10 PRs now, it's perhaps time to hold a little awards ceremony. Since I generally choose five stories for each Roundup, here I've chosen five out of the several dozen I've reviewed. It just so happens that five gained 9/10 ratings, so the shortlist was fairly easily determined this time. Three fics get Bronze Awards, one gets a Silver Award... and the winner gets the Gold Award.

Ponyfic Roundup Gold Award

Height by PoweredByTea (PR 6)
Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy
Adventure; 10K words; Jan 2014; Teen
A lovely, lovely piece of FlutterDash friendshipping. Very convincingly told in first person by Rainbow. The experimental epilogue was a risk, but I liked it. This is now a firmly established favourite of mine. A very worthy winner!

Ponyfic Roundup Silver Award

Naked Singularity by Cold in Gardez (PR 2)
Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy and Celestia
Comedy/Random; 11K words; Mar 2012; Teen (Sex)
An immensely funny fic in which Twilight attempts to write an, ahem, "steamy" romance novel. The author has that gift for suitably cringe-inducing humour that fits Twi so well. Don't read in public, as your giggles may get strange looks!

Ponyfic Roundup Bronze Awards

Fallout: Equestria by Kkat (PR 5)
Mane Six, CMC, Spike, Derpy and OC
Dark/Crossover/Adventure; 620K words; Sep 2013; Mature (Gore)
KKat's story (actually much older, but I use FIMFiction dates) really shouldn't have worked. I avoided it for years because of its gory scenes. Yet it draws you in, the writing improves vastly after a slightly shaky start, and the post-apocalyptic world really does convince.

Fluttershy is Free by Jordan179 (PR 3)
Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and [can't say; major spoiler!]
Slice of Life; 10K words; Jan 2014; Teen
A fascinating, thoughtful look at a potential alternative background for Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash is mostly there as support while 'Shy's remarkable backstory unfolds. Quite unlike anything else I've read.

Forever Young by Hyperexponential (PR 9)
Discord, Fluttershy and Rarity
Sad/Slice of Life; 4K words; May 2013; Teen
This, fillies and gentlecolts, is how you write Discord/Fluttershy stories. Given  the date, ignore any conflict with the S4 finale. Extremely good characterisation and – yes – you may find yourself shedding a tear for Discord.