Been tearing through fan fiction lately so it’s time for more collections. I’ve gotten through nearly 20 stories in the last two days. Given that most of them were simply short stories it just doesn’t make sense to do a post a title. I might have to go back to proper novels just to keep things neat and at a reasonable posting frequency. Also trying a slightly different format, putting the link to the story at the top of each section instead of the title at the top and the title with link at the bottom.
Twilight Sparkle Makes A Cup Of Tea by Ghost Of Heraclitus
This one is by the same author as Whom The Princesses Would Destroy… and this one is completely different from the previous stories from him I have read. This one is almost not even a story. No conflict, no real tension, and it really is just Twilight making a cup of tea in the morning before her day begins, yet it is extremely engaging because more than making tea is really happening. This is a perfect example of how to do a simple character study. Just a single scene of the character doing something simple, exploring how and why they are doing it, but without any blunt exposition.
Unlike several of the shorter stories I’ve read recently this would not make a good scene in a larger story. Putting this between two other scenes, even as just a relaxed moment, would both rush it and limit it too much. As brief as it is, it works best as a stand alone moment to savor without being a bridge between other things.
Dictated, Not Read by Device Heretic
This is a fairly sad story. The author is the same one who wrote Eternal, which as I mentioned previously, is one of my favorite stories and is probably the reason I’m reading so much My Little Pony fanfic these days. It deals with Twilight Sparkle’s parents, which is interesting because we see them so little in the show. We see them the first time when Twilight becomes Celestia’s Student, then they are never mentioned or heard of again. Twilight doesn’t even seem to talk about them much. When I finished this I didn’t think they were even in the wedding finale of season 2, but I just went and checked and they are both in the wedding and when Twilight becomes an alicorn. So that was just bad memory. Still, three seasons and they get basically a guest spot and two snapshot close-ups in big scenes.
This story was sad, but very well written, so much so that when I finished it I felt the need to find and hug one of my parents. Because even if it seemed silly, I figured there is never a bad time to tell your parents that you love them if the mood takes you to do so. I’m starting to think that MLP fanfics might be the secret chink in my depression/apathy. As mentioned in a previous post I have had more emotional responses to these stories than I’ve had in the rest of my reading during the last five years. Have to say these ‘human emotions’ you call them? They are a little weird. Especially when I’m having them when reading about cartoon ponies.
This story is now tied for the funniest fan fiction I’ve read. This is neck and neck with Whom The Princesses Would Destroy… for which one made me laugh harder. This one was fall over laughing the whole way through. One bit I was cracking up so much I had to put my kindle down and wait for it to finish up before resuming, and then I went back to reread that part and nearly had to stop again. It is just a silly little story when all is said in done. No big worldbuilding concepts, no in-depth characterizations, just a simple little story that is hilarious. I’d recommend watching the Crystal Empire episodes that started season 3 of the show first. It just adds another layer of humor on top of everything else. Highly, highly recommended.
The City of Doors 