Ponyfic Roundup 294

Read it Later story count: 208 (+1)

On Ponyfic Roundup today, I shall be reviewing ponyfic. I know this is something of a controversial approach to the series, so I'm steeling myself for some complaints, but I'm afraid my mind is made up. Here are the three stories I've managed to get through this last week:

Consequence by Wanderer D
Eternity by Taialin
Freeze by BronyWriter

★: 0 | ★★: 0 | ★★★: 3 | ★★★★: 0 | ★★★★★: 0
Note: I use a skewed rating system. A fic I find average scores two stars.

Consequence by Wanderer D
Twilight
Dark/Alternate Universe; 4k words; Feb 2016; Teen

The consequences of Twilight's decision might doom the world.

Rather bleak, this one, as the short description might have you appreciate – though it's just slightly misleading. We open centuries into the future with Equestria in a dismal state, teetering on the edge of final oblivion. As the tale proceeds, we get a lot of world-building and some (though not all) the insight into why we're at this miserable point in time. Twilight's immortality and immense power have something to do with it, as you might imagine. The ending is a little bit of a cop-out, I feel – though some may well like it because of what it does – but the rest is pretty interesting. One for AU world-building fans who don't mind a bit of bleakness. They can probably add a star. ★★★

Eternity by Taialin
Fluttershy, Rarity and Other
Slice of Life/Tragedy; 5k words; Jul 2016; Everyone

The greatest displays of strength are not always the most overt. Fluttershy is not whom one would consider to be a strong pony. But when Rarity digs a little deeper, she discovers in her friend a strength that carries the weight of hundreds.

Acknowledged by its author as being inspired by Estee's classic Five Hundred Little Murders (PR 121), this is a different look at how Fluttershy deals with the deaths of critters she's been caring for. It's always a pleasure to see Fluttershy and Rarity placed together when they're written well, as is the case here. This story is from Rarity's POV, which allows us to share in her initial bewilderment (when 'Shy misses a spa appointment) and, much latter, her dawning understanding. If anything, it's their interactions that I found most satisfying, since the underlying story is not that different from Estee's, really the only reason this is a top-end three rather than a four. Read the end A/N and prepare to be touched. ★★★

Freeze by BronyWriter
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo
Dark/Horror; 4k words; Apr 2020; Teen (Violence, Death)

Apple Bloom hears something in the snow.

In the dead of night, AB sees a horrible monster, fangs slavering, and... wakes up. She's had a nightmare. But then she goes out into the snow and realises the monster is still there – and is pretending to be an injured Scootaloo. What Apple Bloom does next is what justifies the [Horror] tag, though it may not be what you expect. I can't say this fic shocked me too much, as I'd guessed what was going to happen right down to nearly getting the ending spot on – but the atmospheric nature of the writing was still enough to keep me reading. Another high three. ★★★

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Next time on Ponyfic Roundup: stories reviewed should include Vanner's Rail Riders.