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ask-iamnotanalicorn · 3 years

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Previous: The Nightmare Moon Timeline

The Tirek’s Reign Timeline

After Nightmare Moon’s return and battle for the throne, Princess Celestia and her protégée, Princess Cadence, subdued the maddened alicorn and managed to imprison her. Celestia had no time to celebrate not having to re-banish her sister for another thousand years; she went into a deep study, searching for the missing key that would activate the Elements of Harmony and free Luna of the poison darkening her mind and feeding on her ancient wrath. Princess Cadence and her husband Shining Armor took over running the throne of Equestria, giving the sisters time to find a solution and reconciliation. She is a wise and fair leader, despite her youth, and the uneasy country began to settle.

But with Celestia so distracted and Cadence not yet trained in monitoring the ancient dungeon of Tartarus, Tirek made his escape unnoticed. He was more cautious now than in his last quest to steal Equestria’s magic: the theft of a few ponies’ magic here, the emptying of a lonely hamlet there. Rumors of a magical plague and a strange monkey-horse creature who ate magic were all Cadence and Shining Armor had to go on, and they and the Royal Service were baffled by this creature or affliction that struck and then vanished again and again. Panic began to spread through Canterlot as more and more ponies on the outskirts of the city reported their magic stolen.

By the time word of a magical plague and centaur sightings reached Celestia, the only pony present who would recognize the significance, it was too late. Tirek had gained enough magic to come into the open and make his attack. First Cadence and her husband and guards fell, unprepared for what they faced. With Cadence’s alicorn magic combined with the many ponies’ he had stolen, Tirek defeated Celestia in spite of her best efforts. And lastly, ignoring her spitting invectives, he drained Nightmare Moon, as well.

With such potent magic flowing through him, Tirek’s lust for more power grew worse than ever before. He set out to steal the magic of every pony and magical creature in Equestria - and there were none who could hope to stop him.

----

In the town of Featherhorn, there lived a young stallion with his parents, brother, and sister. He was a perfectly normal pony... or he would have been, were it not for the wings and horn he was born with. He got on alright - he had a few good friends and a supportive family, a love for his work and a faith that sustained him – but there were a number in the town who disapproved of him. He was the butt of many jokes and accusations, and often distrust. And the cultists who carried on in town caused trouble and made things worse for him, since he got the blame. He found it more and more tempting to stay out on the road, plying his trade and absorbing the confusion of strangers better than he could take the dislike of his own neighbors.

One day while the stallion was home, the town received word that a monster was coming. The monster had stolen the magic of the princesses, and now he was a giant, rampaging across the land and stealing the magic of every pony he found. He would soon be upon their town, and there was little time to flee - for who could run faster than this massive monster? Were they all doomed to lose their magic, and worse, their marks?

There was a small chance: a system of caves where they could hide, deep enough that the monster might not find them. But there was not enough time to get all the townsponies out, especially the sick and old; they could already hear the creature’s thundering hoofsteps on the horizon. If only they could distract it somehow, or slow it down... but who could hope to even do that much with a monster so powerful?

Nopony expected the young stallion, the alicorn imposter, to speak up:

“What if he believed there was another alicorn?”

The plan was dangerous. He would need help; handicapped in both flight and unicorn magic, he wouldn’t be able to fool the monster for long on his own. Few were willing - and of those who were, only a small number had the abilities that were needed. In the end, it was the stallion’s own brother and mother who helped him craft the final bits of his plan.

When the monster came upon the pony town, ready to further engorge himself with pony magic, the brown stallion appeared in the sky. He flew with confidence, bolstered by the carefully-directed winds of his expert flyer mother. His horn blazed with gold and silver light, bright as a star, aided by his magically gifted brother. And the monster believed the facade, and hungered only for more alicorn magic.

The chase lasted an hour, carefully-aimed magically bolts reflected through Sales’ horn by Pitch Black, skillful dodges aided by Pitch Forward. They had no hope of continuing the charade indefinitely, but that hour was enough; the townsponies were able to escape, hiding deep where the power-mad centaur wouldn’t find them. When at last the centaur swatted Salespitch from the sky and drained the magic from his injured body, the monster was enraged to taste such a miniscule amount. Black and Forward attempted a rescue, and were drained as well, their weakened bodies falling beside the unconscious Salespitch.

When the monster turned back to his initial target and found the town empty of all ponies - what’s more, he could not detect pony magic anywhere nearby - his wrath burned the town to cinders. But when he returned to find the ponies who had tricked him, in order to punish them further, their bodies had vanished.

Eventually, the monster left, continuing his rampage across the landscape. In a hollow of a tree, Pitch Black waited with the unconscious body of his mother and the severely injured body of his brother, the three of them blessedly undetectable now that they lacked their magic. But Black did not need his cutie mark to remember his driving purpose: to be there at the zero hour, when those he cared for needed him most.

The townsponies found them eventually; the father and daughter were overjoyed to find them alive. But Sales would not waken, though the best healers in the town mended his wounds. Badly injured and drained of magic, he slipped into a coma. Only alicorn-level healing magic might stand a chance of healing him, but that was lost to the monster.

But the town had been humbled. The one many of them had scorned the most – the pony who so hated being mistaken for something he was not – had taken up the very trait that caused him such trouble in order to give everything for the sake of those who despised him. The townsponies of Featherhorn vowed to protect him until he could be healed, and to keep away the members of his cult should they reappear to take advantage of his comatose state. And should he waken, they would treat him with the respect a hero deserved.

The monster still rampages. None in this group of refugees can hope to defeat him. But they have a refuge where they can stay safe until the nightmare has passed - and but for three of them, every pony and zebra has their magic. Perhaps one day, their fallen few will regain their magic, and the princesses will rise again.

But for now, they wait. And they guard their fallen hero.

-----

Fun Facts About The Tirek Timeline/Art:

- Yup, you guys just got a pretty close parallel to the mysterious Tirek Incident. It obviously didn’t go down quite like this in the comic timeline, but some of the important bits are in there. We’ll eventually find out what happened. I so wanted to avoid too many spoilers, but the story wouldn’t make sense without SOME of them, so... merry early Christmas, I guess XD

- And yes, I did consider letting Sales die in this timeline. But I just can’t kill off my boy. I also snuck in the meaning behind Black’s cutie mark, I’m curious to know what ya’ll think :D

- When Tirek sucked the magic out of Nightmare Moon, he unwittingly drained out the corrupting magic that was so heavily influencing Luna and fueling her rage and paranoia. Additionally, Luna got to see her sister lose her magic while fighting to protect her from Tirek. They reconcile over this event and join with Cadence to search for the missing Elements of Harmony.

- The Crystal Empire will come around because it has to, but Sombra bides his time a bit more when he realizes there’s a GIANT MAGIC-SUCKING CENTAUR hoarding the collective magic of the entire nation of Equestria, and it has bomb-blaster beams that can level towns.

- Meanwhile, a certain race of bug-ponies are infiltrating the Crystal Empire, seeking safety from the magic-eating centaur who is just TRASHING the place for fun now that he’s got so much power to chuck around. Plus there are rumors that this kingdom was once RUN on love, and Chrysalis really wants to figure that out. There’s a whole ‘nother story in there, I’m certain, and it probably involves a few specific changelings making friends with a few crystal ponies and learning about giving love. Maybe this time, without several humiliating defeats via pony love shockwaves and weaponized rainbows to harden her pride, Chrysalis might actually be willing to give it a try herself.

- This is a timeline where the princesses DO find ponies who can wield the Elements of Harmony. Ironically, Twilight was drained of magic along with the rest of Canterlot, but her studies in magic theory and history lead her to studying ancient texts about the Elements, and one thing leads to another until the princesses meet her. Also, Twilight is a bit better at making friends in this universe since she wasn’t constantly distracted with trying to please Celestia (not that I blame Celestia for the canon events, I mean look what could have been avoided in THIS timeline!). They don’t have the special Super Power-Up box and keys, but I like to think the initial power burst of the reactivated Elements does the job on Tirek as well as it was meant to on Nightmare Moon.

- No, Luna does not get the bad magic back when her magic is restored along with everyone else’s. The Elements don’t play that game, that stuff is burned. She and Celestia go back to ruling Equestria together once this is all over while Cadance works on connecting with the newly liberated Crystal Empire and their changeling allies.

- Honestly, I didn’t expect it, but this is one of my favorite of the art pieces in regards to composition and color. I just really like how the color turned out, and the magic glows. I was rather happy to find I could duplicate the effect of Tirek’s magic illustration from the show without too much trouble. :D I also borrowed a lot of tones directly from a screenshot of the show scene. It’s really nice when art things come together!

Next Week: Discorded

#mlp ask blog #mlp #tirek #pony ask blog #alicorn #salespitch #pitch black #pitch forward #celestia #luna #cadance #princess cadance #sacrifice #love

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petboymart · 3 years

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Hi :) this is for your matchup event. Congrats on your milestone !

My name is Mabel (not my real name)

I go by she/her and they/them pronouns

I have brown hair and light brown eyes. I’m quite short (5’2 the last time I checked) and really bony. I have tan(ish) skin and a few beauty marks on my face. The one thing I pride myself on physical appearance wise is my hands, because I think they’re really pretty ōvō

I’m really excitable because of my ADHD, but I can calm down and take things seriously. I like to make playful jokes and play flirt with my friends quite often. I get distracted easily and have a bad memory but I’m super supportive. I overthink a lot and am a hopeless romantic. Physical touch + words of affirmation = the best way into my heart.

I think all pet boys are good 😎

I love collecting things and starting new projects even if I don’t finish them. Study dates and picnics are my favorite date ideas. Anything creative is my go to (art, reading, writing, crafts, games, etc).

Thank you !

congratulations !

you have been matched with

kittyboy akaashi !

oh to be loved by cutie kitty keiji,,, he’s so sweet, he remembers everything and never makes you upset, on purpose anyways.

he loves ur hands !!!!! hes insecure about his but the way you kiss his knuckles makes him feel so happy he just grabs your hands and litters them in kisses

he adores it when you hold his hand or cup his cheeks,,he just loves how your skin is so soft against his,,,

he wraps his tail around your hand or wrist whenever he’s uncomfortable, and you know to wave goodbye to the crowd and take him home and let him nuzzle into your neck

he helps you out with any studying, smiling at how you glow when you get a question right, he’s very well versed in human language and what they learn, smart kitty

he was at first scared to touch you, but after some coaxing he’s come to naturally gravitate towards you, just sitting down next to you and putting his fluffy tail on your lap, or mumbling about how much he loves u <333 ugh so cute

“hey keiji was there something special we had to do today?”

“wasn’t there a movie you wanted to see?”

“that’s right ! oh thank you for reminding me keiji you’re the best !”

“mhm..hey..?”

“yeah ?”

“can i come with you ? please ?”

“awe of course you can ! you’re so polite, my sweet keiji !”

<<you hug him from behind, as he stiffens but relaxes into your touch, leaning his head back as he tugs you to his chest, burying his nose into your hair as you stifle a laugh at his tail wrapping around your leg. You rub his sides softly as he exhaled, purring like the sweet cat he is.>>

#petboy mart 100 sale !!#petboy mart matchups !!#cherry !!#kittyboy akaashi !!#ty all for 100 !!#hes so cute i love catboy keiji

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ask-de-writer · 4 years

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DARING DO and the ADVENTURE of the X'IBIAN VASE! : MLP Fan Fiction : Part 13 of 21

Return to the Master Story Index

Return to MLP Fan Fiction

Daring Do

and the Adventure of the X'ibian Vase!

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

And

Carmen Pondiego

Cover Art by

Doctor Dimension

52630 words

Writing begun 08/26/15

//////////////

Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights. They may reblog the story. They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions, provided that such things are done without charge. I will allow those who do commission art works to charge for their images provided that I receive a copy of each image for my archive.

All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fictions is actively encouraged.

///////////////////////

Relaxing on a chaise lounge beside the delightful pool that used to be the bath of an Emperor, Carmen adjusted her dark glasses against the glare of the sun on the letter. She was wearing only a skimpy bikini of bright red and her trademark hat.

The floating island of VILE’s headquarters was presently in the tropics and that suited her perfectly.

She skimmed through the Chineighese characters with utter familiarity. Her brother in law, Marehem, was having the time of his life, bedeviling the ROT expedition. She was chucking at the recent double disaster with the railroad cars and flipping ROT’s truck. (He insisted on using the character of poison toadstool for them).

Done with the letter, she handed it to Blendin, who was visiting. He was chuckling himself as his mother hit the pool. Her hat and glasses sat on the lounge. She was a red and khaki torpedo swimming underwater to the other end of the pool.

She shot back, underwater again, the whole length of the pool and surfaced like a one horned porpoise. “What do you think, Blendin?”

“I think that Adora would be furious if she knew but she really has no grounds to be. She did ask Eris to see what she could do to mess up ROT’s expedition. It was Eris’ idea to send Uncle M!

“After all, he has had so much fun with the Empire over the ages. Simply amazing how much chaos VILE’S temporal transport device can cause in the right hooves and his are as wrong as they can get!” They both shared a giggle.

Baron Von Nighthoof leaned down and took Carmen’s arm, lifting her effortlessly from the pool. He was smiling warmly at her. He hugged her closely and stepped back a single pace.

He offered her a flat case of the darkest wood, inlaid with his cutie mark. Carmen took the case and opened it. Her gasp of sheer pleasure was almost more reward than the Baron expected.

He nodded, “The copy of Pharow Underrock’s Golden necklace. It is ready to grace the only neck on this whole world that can outshine its beauty.” He reached forward and lifted the golden wonder out of its case and set it around Carmen’s neck, pulling her close as he fastened it.

She snuggled up to him and whispered, “You are not only evil, you are wicked! And I love it!”

~~ ~~ ~~

Jeremy was riding in the carry saddle of Sehang Shu while they discussed his knowledge of Ethnological Geography. After several hours, she said thoughtfully, “You actually do know more than your prior testing revealed, Jeremy. I do wonder why you did so poorly when it came to the tests.”

Glumly, Jeremy stared out at the bleak landscape about them and replied, “It sounds like an excuse. Blame my family. They are old Equestrian Military Service and proud of it. When I tried to study around them, they always interrupted it. Celestia forbid that I complain about it, either.”

“Did they not finance your education at the Royal University?”

“No, Sehang, they did not. I was entirely dependent on grants and scholarships. I have earned my way through my schooling.”

“I see, Jeremy. I have earned my way also. It is sad that such a family could not see fit to support so worthy a goal as education.

“Surely, though, with you at the University and they in Service or on the Family Estates, they had little opportunity to disrupt your studies?”

Jeremy snorted bitterly. “I wish it was true, Sehang. They had a nice townhouse in Canterlot, too. They made such a career of “visiting” the U to noisily interrupt my studies that, at the end, Princess Luna, as the Chancellor of the U had to forbid them entry to the property of the University at all.

“My uncle, Colonel Broadhoof, spoke out against her interference in a family matter. The Princess pointed out that it went beyond family, when they upset the other students’ studies.

“He called her a pustulent creature of nightmare, to her face.”

Sehang Shu commented, “That sounds as unwise as telling the Emperor to shove one up his ass!”

Jeremy smiled a little at the humor and went on, “The suddenly Sargent Broadhoof found that out! He was broken, forbidden any Canterlot Mustering and given a month of nightmares as punishment.”

“Bad dreams for a month is a severe punishment?”

Jeremy sucked his lips as he thought of a way to explain. “Let me put it this way. Somewhat over two thousand years ago, the Nightmare Wars got named that BECAUSE of Princess Luna’s use of nightmares as a weapon. Almost 20% of the unicorns attacking the Fortress of Nightmare committed suicide within five days of coming to the battle front.”

Very softly, Sehang Shu said, “I see. And she has had over two thousand years since to perfect that craft. Did he survive?”

Soberly, Jeremy replied, “Yes. Sort of. They released him from the Asylum about six months ago. He is still under treatment. The family blames me. They say that it would not have happened, if I had not chosen the University over a military career.”

Sehang Shu nodded sadly. “Some other herds view us in a similar manner. I am sorry, Jeremy.

“I have a question though. With a military background, how did you miss Qushi Han Le’s sharpshooters at the dock in Singapone?”

Grimly, Jeremy replied, “That was my fault. I was thinking of everything wrongly, and so did not even look for them. I have only realized today from talking to you, that I had any problem. Equestrian Superiority was an unquestioned value in my family. I did not even realize that it had soaked into me since my foalhood. I may still lapse but ask your forgiveness now. I will do my best to sort this mess out.”

Sehang Shu nodded thoughtfully. “The most important part of education, Jeremy, is not the learning of facts, as important as that is. It is the admission of ignorance and error accompanied by the effort to remedy them.

“That is what Ethnological Geography is all about. Our ignorance and erroneous knowledge of past civilization and the effort to remedy it is the whole foundation of the discipline.”

They revised their discussion of the subjects to be tackled in the colloquium. Jeremy found the conversation fascinating.

He actually regretted it when it was time to dismount for making dinner. After stretching out the kinks in his legs from the saddle, Jeremy wandered over to the cook stove.

He was mildly surprised when Soree made room for him. “How can I help, Soree?

“Measure the water into that pot to the third line, please.”

Measuring in the water, Jeremy commented, “It seems unfair for us to eat and none of the herd to have any.”

Sang He’s voice replied, “In the desert, we need only drink once in seven days. That will be a large drink, but it will do. We need only eat once in ten days, though we can eat or drink any time that the opportunity presents itself.

“Our ancestors were made for mountain and desert lands.”

“It still seems unfair! I presume that you do know what you are doing, after all, this is your home!”

He was surprised by the chuckle from the herd.

Dinner preparations were interrupted by the bellow of a musket and a cry from Sehang Shu!

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

Tyranny was fuming. “They had no business seizing our truck! Wasn’t it bad enough that their recklessness had already cost us one truck and most of the load?”

Overthrow, speaking from behind the wheel of the truck that they were in snapped, “That was your fault, Tyranny! So was getting into that train wreck! You disobeyed clearly posted signs about staying off the slope while the crossing was in use.”

Robber, sitting in the back of the cab put in, “How come, in the name of Discord, did you not read the traffic law pamphlets that I gave you? It was the Lock Keeper finding that out that you got your permit without taking their knowledge test that cost us the truck! Their rules are very clear and blunt. They seize vehicles that are used in deliberate violation of their driving rules.”

Tyranny glared out the window of the truck at the passing rice paddies and neatly laid out farms. His teeth ground. The worst of it was that they were both right.

All that he could do was growl under his breath about injustice, so he did. He sourly commented, “At least we have now got past the last two canals and what? Four railroad crossings without any further problems.”

Robber consulted their map. “See those bluffs up ahead? We will be going through an area of mountains. When we clear them, it will only be about twenty kilometers to Cantrot. We will have two rail crossings and one canal between us and the city.”

Ignoring Robber’s comments, Tyranny snarled, “That so-called Antiquarian, Daring Do, set us up! I have found out that she did not even take a single truck on her expedition! The expedition proposal that she gave us, before she quit on us, is why we came this way!”

Overthrow said dryly, “So, you finally figured that out? It took you long enough. I knew that she took us to the cleaners on the proposal as soon as I saw them go on upriver, without even transshipping.”

He suddenly applied the brakes hard, jolting them all. They were stopped only a few meters from a water buffalo on the road.

The two trucks behind them, driven by experienced Chineighese drivers, stopped without incident. Tyranny was reaching for the horn button when Overthrow knocked his hoof away.

“Stop trying to interfere! Tyranny, sounding the horn at domestic livestock is illegal. All that we can do is wait for it to move or try to ease around it. The law pamphlet suggests waiting in the case of water buffalo.”

He snarled, “Why should we wait? We can drive around it!”

Outside, over a tonne and a half of highly irritated domestic water buffalo was pawing the roadway and lowering its head to charging position. A peasant in plain cotton robes and flat conical hat was toiling up the road embankment toward the beast that was easily three times taller than he was. He had a long wooden switch to herd the loose animal away.

He barked some command at the buffalo. It turned its head and regarded its master briefly. Tyranny chose that moment to lean out the side window and make shooing gestures at it. The distraction caused the enormous brute to snap its head about and focus entirely on the truck! It charged.

The impact shoved the truck back and sideways almost a meter! It was accompanied by the shattering of glass night driving lamps and the crunch of metal. The buffalo backed off, shaking its head.

The peasant’s switch got its attention and it started to walk sedately away, guided by taps of the long wand. Tyranny, seeing it waking away, yelled, “Shoo! Get out of our way!”

The transition from walking away to charging was almost instantaneous! The huge heavy horns and thick skull of the enormous animal slammed into the right hand door of the truck. It was almost perfectly centered, smashing and folding the door inward hard enough to bounce the dazed Tyranny almost entirely off his seat!

The very upset peasant used his switch and fanning motions of his hat to steer the water buffalo away, successfully, this time! Robber shuddered as he saw the peasant’s orange mane and blue fur for the first time.

The steering still worked properly. Overthrow got the truck back on course and they were cautiously back underway.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

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#DARING DO AND THE ADVENTURE OF THE X'IBIAN VASE #Part 13 of 21 #MLP Fan Fiction #Written by De Writer and Carmen Pondiego

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dragimalsdaydreams · 5 years

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man, I think this is the first time I’ve ever had a legitimate ponysona... before this, I could never figure out what class of pony I wanted to be-- and even more frustratingly, if I even wanted to be a *pony* in the first place. I eventually just cut my losses and bound myself to specifically a ponysona or else I’d still be going around in circles still (changeling? deer? kirin??), and I finally figured out an interesting approach to my ‘sona’s class that I think rly fits me

anyways, her info under the cut

Name:

Willowsprout. most folks just call her Willow, though her parents call her Sprout/Sproutling

Class:

most folks assume Willow’s a full-blood unicorn due to her more obvious physical traits. legally she’s an earth pony, since newborn unicorns (in my lore) don’t grow a horn til a few weeks after birth, so her non-unicorn parents just assumed she was full-blood earth and registered her as such. in reality, she’s a bicorn (a concept I describe in more detail here), with most of her magical ability influenced by her earth pony side, and most of her physique influenced by her unicorn side.

Parents:

I usually don’t care to think up parentage for my personal ‘sonas b/c history/family doesn’t matter to me so much as their current/individual state, but this time I might?

see, I’ve always joked that my personality is basically the love-child of Fluttershy (talent with and compassion for all creatures, social anxiety) and Treehugger (hippie aesthetic, mellow vibes, talent with plants), so it makes sense that I’d make them my ‘sona’s parents. BUT a unicorn/earth pony bicorn is p unlikely to result from pegasus/earth pony parentage. not to mention Willow’s white/green palette compared to their respective yellow/pink and green/red...

even so, I still like the idea of them being Willow’s parents, so IF I were to go with them, I’d make Willow an unplanned pregnancy from a fling b/t the two. I like to imagine Discord/Fluttershy/Treehugger in a loose poly “angle”, where Discord/Fluttershy are a solid romantic pair, while Fluttershy/Treehugger sort of vacillate b/t close friends and partners. Discord, despite his tendency towards jealousy, has come to affectionately tolerate(?) Treehugger, and is happy that his wife is happy with the both of them. Willow, however, was born a bit before Discord/Fluttershy became an official couple, and it threw their relationship into a bit of a spiral until Fluttershy, Discord, and Treehugger all finally sat down and worked out their feelings and relationships. since then, Willow has been raised with all three acting as her parents

now if I were to instead just make up parents for Willow, then I’d make them both earth ponies. I like the idea of Willow being entrenched in earth pony culture w/ very little unicorn cultural influence. I especially like the idea of at least one parent (if not both of them) being a farmer of some sort

Special Talent:

while Willow can do magic-based dexterous tasks and pick up reasonably-sized objects with the grace and precision of any full-blood unicorn, she has 0% aptitude for any kind of active spell-casting. even the most simple of spells that a unicorn foal could produce are simply impossible for her. Willow’s true power lies in her earth pony side, with complex, intimate connections to the earth. despite the weakness of her spell-casting, Willow has found a unique way to combine the overt magical influence of unicorn magic with the more subtle influence of earth pony magic

with this combination, Willow can connect to and sense the physical/psychological states of individual organisms and broader ecosystems around her. this can be used identify and help heal ailments, soothe troubled minds, abstractly communicate with other organisms, and even navigate new environments. the Special Talent that Willow typically uses this broad-scope ability for is monitoring broad ecological systems and restoring these systems to balance

one interesting trick of Willow’s Talent allows her to meld seamlessly with the environment around her as a sort of “camouflage”. this doesn’t change anything about her physically, but rather slightly alters the perceptions of those around her so that she simply doesn’t register under any senses. this allows her to quietly observe the environment around her without actively disturbing it. of course if someone knows Willow should be somewhere near them, they can break this passive magic fairly easily, but most creatures aren’t expecting a quiet pony observer, so it’s still a great boon to an ecologist such as herself

despite the control she can exert with her talent, Willow never had much of a taste for the strict monitoring of pony-controlled ecosystems like those around Ponyville. she thinks it best to leave a system to its own devices unless absolutely necessary. thus, Willow’s taken to casually traveling the land, documenting flora and fauna, and stopping to help any systems that need to rebalance

these travels have brought her into contact with several other species, and given her a broader perspective on pony relations with the land and other creatures. she’d never been able to put a hoof on exactly what bothered her about pony-controlled systems, but she’s since learned what it means to live in and among systems, rather than ruling and subduing systems as ponies tend towards. she’s now an active supporter of non-pony sovereignty and land rights, and always works directly with locals whenever she finds an ecosystem in need

Cutie Mark:

Willow’s mark is a stylized aspen tree forest hanging down into the shape of an aspen leaf, representing the concurrently individual and collective nature of nature

(yes, I know her name is Willow, but willows are close relatives of aspens, and “willow’ flows better for her name..)

Personality:

Willow is generally laid back and accommodating, taking situations as they arise with the patience of a rolling wave. she used to be rather timid in her youth, but has mellowed out a bit in her adult years. her social anxiety is definitely still there, but it’s far more manageable now. while Willow is polite when confronted, she’s still not an especially sociable pony, even without the immediate threat of anxiety

Willow tends to shut down in crowded, loud, high-stress environments/situations (this issue is compounded in areas without much plant life, like cities). a thousand-yard stare and one-word responses are clear signs she probably needs a breather with fresh air and a potted plant or two

while Willow’s “camouflage” magic is certainly an active choice at crowded social events, she’s prone to unconsciously pulling the shroud around herself as she simply goes about her life. she prefers to quietly observe the world around her even when she’s not working, and the shroud helps her pass through the day undisturbed. this often leads to spooks when she unintentionally creeps up on a friend to say hello

despite not being very talkative with other creatures, Willow’s prone to idle chatter with plants, and even sings to them on occasion. this likely doesn’t help them grow, but she at least enjoys it

while Willow certainly has strong opinions on social issues-- especially those intersecting with her work with nature and other creatures-- she’s more likely to quietly observe and catalog the opinions of others and act accordingly, rather than state her opinion outright. she’s just not one for outright conflict

Hobbies:

beyond her work with all things natural, Willow loves visual art-- especially drawing and various crafts like sewing, knitting, and found-object sculpture. she loves to collect any interesting rocks, dried plants, and various animal bones she finds out in the field, which she sends back home to later arrange into elaborate displays. her drawing skills are highly refined, and she’s a well-known name among zoological/botanical illustrators. she often takes commissions from fellow researchers who need visual aids for their own work, completing them while trekking around the world

Willow’s interests slant towards the macabre in some respects, which sometimes shocks strangers who judge her to be too meek to enjoy such subjects. usually this interest is academic, such as dissecting a corpse for study/reference, or exploring abandoned areas for curiosities. though she won’t deny that she enjoys the fear-driven thrill of a good spooky tale~ Willow’s humor also tends towards the dark and self-deprecating, especially in the company of close friends

Willow loves a good book-- when she’s not out in the field, she’s most content to curl up in bed with a biology journal, fantasy book, or supernatural/horror novel. she dabbles in writing, but mostly in the form of field journals and poetry

Physicality:

Willow takes strongly after her unicorn side in this respect, with very little built-in strength or stamina to speak of. her work serves to fortify these physical aspects of course, but any time she takes an extended break, she’s right back to square one

Willow’s one physical reminder of her earth side is her small hoof-nails, whose color often blends into the color of the surrounding hoof anyways

Willow is rather short and slight compared to most ponies. while unicorns aren’t the tallest of classes, they usually aren’t the shortest either, so her size is a bit odd to see in a so-called unicorn lineup. her height may be influenced by her earth side since earth pony sizes can vary a lot, but it could just be a simple genetic fluke in this case

#mlp #My Little Pony #my little pony friendship is magic #MLP:FiM #ponysona #anyways anyone who knows me know this is just my dragonsona as a pony I'm sorry I'm so predictable asdfgh #willowsprout

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mlpdestinyverse · 5 years

Photo

Parental Shipping

Sky's romance radar is going off and his excited patting intensifies.

Feat. Skychaser, Dreamaria Flow, Serein Paleo, Rhea Rainier Venture Gale, Rainy Daze and Caramello

Story and Description Under The Cut

-Just outside the Cutie Mark Sanctuary, Skychaser lets out a satisfied breath and wipes the sweat off of his forehead. He watches with a smile as the volunteers for the Sanctuary's special outdoor crafts event help finish cleaning up the various table benches. The crowd of children are slowly but surely thinning out as they head home with big smiles on their faces and all kinds of creative projects held in a hoof, a magic aura, or under a wing. With the warm sun still beaming down on him, and with the event's end, the pegasus takes a moment to slide off his pink and purple Sanctuary hoodie, stuffing it into the saddlebag he had set down near one of the benches- ???: Skychaser! Hey there! Skychaser: *ear flicks and he turns to find a certain uncle Serein Paleo approaching. He grins* Ey, Serein~! You're finally here! I'd say welcome to the party, but it sooort of just ended~ -Sky recalls Dream Flow's excited chatter about her uncle coming down from Reinsforth to visit for the week. Between this visit and two others, Sky has long since warmed up to the kind older stallion. He's a polite and friendly presence, and it isn't hard to see why Dream is so fond of him- Serein Paleo: *chuckles* That's quite fine. I've already dropped my things off at Dreamaria's house and came to meet up with her. She said she'd be helping out at your event? Skychaser: Yep! Dream went inside to drop off some of the art supplies! *snickers* She's been pretty high alert while waiting for you~ Can't wait to see her face when- ???: OH, OH, who's Dreamy waiting for? *gasp* No way! Are you her mom?! -Skychaser jumps a bit and glances down to see who has to be Merry Daze standing beside Sky, leaning her head in as if to enter the conversation physically. She prances over to Serein, and with great wonder and admiration, she lifts his large braid above her head to inspect it at all angles. Meanwhile, Sky notices her two best friends, Caramello and Venture Gale, catching up behind her. They almost appear winded, as if they had to run to keep up with her- Caramello: *rubs the back of his neck with a nervous smile* Um, Merry? Maybe you should ask before touching somepony's mane? Merry Daze: OH! *looks up at Serein through her puffy blue bangs* Merry's sorry! But gosh, you're so, so pretty! And your hair's real pretty, like Dreamy's! It's so soft! Serein: *laughs into his hoof and smiles* Thank you! I'm actually Dream Flow's uncle, Serein Paleo. It's nice to meet you. Merry: *ears flicking up in surprise, she jumps back and closer to Sky* O-oh! Sorry! *rubs her foreleg with an apologetic grin* Merry shouldn't have assumed... Serein: It's fine, really! *smiles kindly* Not the first time. And I really don't mind. Venture Gale: *eyes narrow as he mumbles under his breath* Serein Paleo...? Skychaser: (?) *despite himself, he decides to address the colt beside him* Something up, Ven? -Skychaser doesn't miss the way Venture Gale immediately side-eyes him. It's to be expected. The colt has always held some sort of disdain for him ever since his and Monochrome's dating days ("Fluff-headed dweeb" was Ven's go-to insult back then). And if the distrustful squints had said anything, Ven's feelings certainly dipped further into the negative in the aftermath of his and Monochrome's fight, and in their following break-up. Sky can't completely fault the colt for it. Almost a year has passed since then, but at this point, Sky is pretty sure Ven only ever tolerates him and responds to him for the sake of their two mutual friends- Caramello: *turns to Ven* Huh? What's wrong? Venture: ....*frowns to himself* I dunno, that name sounds familia-aaAAAAH wait!! *nose crinkles, as do his ears pull back* You're the one who writes those...*squints* Romance books. Skychaser: *quirks an eyebrow at Ven's blunt distaste* You really don't have to make a face... Caramello: (!) Wait, you're right! Oh my gosh, I love your work! *eyes sparkle, the same stars Sky has seen ever since the teen was a kid. He turns to Ven excitedly* C'mon Ven, Sky's right! Mr. Paleo's books are really cool with all the pre-Equestrian stuff, and they're really, really sweet too! *he sighs dreamily, bringing his hooves to his cheeks* My fave's 'The Philosopher's Heart'...like, imagine a road paved with adventure, complete with a slow-burning romance. Merry(?): *nose crinkles, her voice low* Ew... Skychaser: *blinks and turns to the teen filly at his opposite side. With a nervous chuckle at the shift, he leans down and lifts up part of her bangs, revealing a sharp deep blue eye that shifts over to him at the action* Hey now, is that Stormy under there? Stormy Daze: ...*huffs and looks away with disinterest, pushing the moved section of bangs back further to keep her eye visible* Venture: W-well, the Daring Do and Spectrum Storm series have just as cool adventures! *shrinks a bit, his voice carrying a soft tinge of worry* R-right Mello? You still think I'm- that they're really cool, right? -Skychaser frowns. While aware that Venture's mother is a best-selling author, he can't quite understand what would cause Ven to appear almost restless at the idea of his friend preferring other books over his family's own fictional series.- Caramello: *smiles reassuringly* 'Course I do, Ven! They're both really good! Venture: *shoulders relax, as if relieved. But his signature squint reappears as he points an accusing hoof at Serein* Now I get it...best-selling books...winning over my own friend's heart with them...you're definitely my mom's competition! Serein: *blinks, confused by the whole exchange* Your mother...? -Sky sighs and presses a hoof to his face at the same time that Ven pridefully juts his chest out. Sky would say he's surprised by the teen's behavior but...he's not. He's really, really not. No amount of 'sweet temperament' (as Mello claims at least) can snuff out what Skychaser has come to see as the Dash family's pride, and what must be Rainbow Dash's competitive nature incarnate- Venture: A.K. Yearling herself of course~! Serein: *eyebrows shoot up, surprised but incredibly intrigued* Really? How incredible! *smiles brightly* I hold a tremendous amount of respect for Mrs. Yearling's writing! As they say, she truly shaped the adventure genre as we all know it! Venture: *clearly caught off guard, almost appearing bashful* Y-yeah! Yeah! She is amazing! *looks off to the side stubbornly* So, like, you better not underestimate her! Skychaser: *no longer able to hold back the mild exasperation growing in him over the colt's attitude. He sighs softly* Ven, come on, settle down a bit. *frowns at the colt* Serein's a guest and you're being kind of rude, buddy. Venture: *nearly squawks at the call-out, his golden eyes wide. While he starts fidgeting under everyone's stare, he shoots Skychaser a flustered look* I-I'm just speaking my mind! Geez! *crosses his arms dramatically, glancing down and grumbling under his breath* You should settle down...dweeb. Skychaser: *sighs again as he roughly scratches at his thick head of hair. By pure habit, he finds himself speaking without thinking* I swear if Monochrome were here- -Sky's mistake sinks in when he sees Ven tense up. The colt stares at Skychaser, wide-eyed and blank-faced. Soon the colt's mouth presses into a tight line, something serious and somber overtaking the young teen's expression. Before Sky can find it in him to speak, Ven is standing and trudging away, the stiffness in his shoulders obvious even as his shape grows smaller. Skychaser glances at the two remaining teens and watches them exchange glances, with Stormy wearing a tight frown and Mello appearing concerned. With a soft click of her tongue, Stormy Daze wordlessly stalks off after Venture Gale. Caramello, too, moves to follow, though not before shooting Sky an apologetic smile- Caramello: We'll take care of it. *gallops off after his friends* Serein: *frowns, appearing a bit worried* Is he going to be okay...? Skychaser: *rubs the back of his neck guiltily* I think so...Caramello and Stormy won't leave his side until he is. -All at once the unresolved conflicts within the colt's family - Monochrome's family -flood into his mind, and Sky mentally kicks himself for the careless slip-up. As much as he wants to apologize immediately, he knows well that the colt wouldn't want to see his face. At least not now. He'll absolutely track the colt down later for a proper apology- ???: UNCLE!! -Sky lifts his head to see Dream Flow yards away, wide-eyed and giddy. Smiling, he's just about to call out to her, but in the blink of an eye she's vanished from his sight. Blinking rapidly, he's about to voice his confusion until he hears an 'oof!" behind him. Upon turning around, Sky is met with the sight of Dream Flow hugging her uncle tightly, practically burying her whole face into his exposed chest fur. While he smiles seeing Serein embrace and nuzzle the mare back, he can almost swear that he barely even had enough time to process the sound of Dream teleporting behind him. Then again, it wasn't like he personally knew any other unicorns who used spells outside of basic levitation- Skychaser: 'Damn she's fast.' Dream Flow: *tilts her head back to grin up at Serein* Hi. You're as pretty as ever~ Serein: *playfully rolls his eyes and tousels Dream's hair, causing her to laugh* Aren't I the one who's supposed to be saying that? Dream: *grins wider* So you agree! Serein: PFT- you! *laughs and takes Dream's face into his hooves to lightly squish her cheeks about, bringing out more streams of delighted giggling and teasing from her* Skychaser: *can practically feel Dream buzzing with delight, her energy (and maybe the unfolding face-squishing battle) making Sky laugh* Hey now, don't you guys have an uncle-niece hang out to commence? Dream: *stops mid-squishing Serein's face back, still giggling madly* H-he's right! I surrender! Serein: *laughs with her* Curses, I thought we'd have a full blown battle this time... Dream: Maybe next time~ (!) *quickly jumps to her hooves* Oh!! Wait, sorry, I forgot my bag inside! I'll be right back! *runs off at the speed of light towards the building* Skychaser: (?) Why didn't she just- Serein: Ah, Dream can only teleport within a certain radius. Any further and it drains too much magic at once. Skychaser: Aah! Yeah, geez, I imagine... Serein: *stares after Dream, immense adoration in his eyes* ...she...has so much vigor here. I'm glad. Sky: *blinks and turns to Serein curiously* Wait, she wasn't like this in her old town? Serein: *pauses, as if carefully considering his answer. Settling on something, his expression softens* She...lost her spark for some time. *turns to Sky, smiling appreciatively* But it's back full force and that's all that matters. *winks* I'd say she found exactly what she needed here~ -Before Sky can comment further, both stallions hear heavy hoofsteps approaching before a kind voice calls out- Rhea: Mr. Paleo! *smiles sweetly as she moves to stand with the stallions* It's so good to see you! I had no idea you were visiting again! Serein: *eyes notably light up* Ms. Rainier! *smiles brightly* It's a pleasure to see you too! How have you been? Rhea: *giggles and waves a dismissive hoof at him* Now now, dear, I already told you that you can call me Rhea! That sounds far too formal for somepony like me. Serein: *corner of mouth quirks up* I should say the same to you. I'm fine with just 'Serein' myself. Rhea: Oh, but a historian like you deserves to be addressed properly! Serein: *laughs* Nonsense! You and I both know I'm just a silly romantic. Rhea: *chuckles into her hoof* For history and otherwise? *shoots him a playful look* I suppose the book you gave me last time was quite revealing. So I'll give you that~ -Skychaser takes a slow step back and blinks at the playful scene before him. He and Rhea had met Serein together through Dream Flow months back. And while he knew the two had a few interactions following that meeting and became fast friends within that time...well, the present friendly banter had Skychaser glancing back and forth between the two ponies- Serein: (!) Ah, you read it! Rhea: Of course I did! Like I said before, as a romance genre enthusiast, I enjoyed your past books~ And now I feel silly for not finding the time to read your newest ones! *sighs, placing a hoof on her chest* I say, your writing sure knows how to make an old mare feel like a filly again...the excitement of being young and seeking adventure and unknown horizons. Your stories always seem to embody that! Serein: *a light red dusts his cheeks as he smiles and shakes his head* I'm glad you enjoyed it, buuut if you're like me, I think you might feel older than you actually are. *to Sky's surprise, he jokingly winks at her* And believe me, we're not a day over 1000~ -Some sort of inside joke must have been exchanged and lost on Skychaser, because in seconds a booming laugh is escaping the large mare, startling some of the ponies in the vicinity. Yet Serein isn't deterred. The earth pony simply smiles at the sight, his eyes crinkling fondly- Rhea: *laugh slowly dying out, she wipes at her right eye* S-Serein Paleo, I swear you're a trip! Serein: Glad a hermit like me still has a sense of humor~ AH, but speaking of books- *reaches into his saddlebag and pulls out a new book, handing it towards the mare with a shy, lop-sided smile* If you'd like...I thought it'd only be right to gift you the newest addition to the series as well. Rhea: *gasps softly* Really? I was ready to just buy a copy for myself- are you sure? Serein: *smiles* For a fellow romance lover? Of course. Rhea: *giggles into her hoof and takes the book from him* How thoughtful~ Thank you so much. I really need to give you something in return when I can... Serein: (!) *awkwardly waves his hooves* Oh no, please, there's really no need! Being able to discuss things with you is more than enough. -By now Skychaser has successfully snuck a few paces back, leaving the two ponies to continue their joyful chatter without even noticing his absence. He eyes them, a smirk steadily growing on his lips- Skychaser: 'Ohohon what do we have here...~?' Dream: *happily trots back towards the group, carrying her small hip bag in her magic's hold. She blinks seeing Sky separated from the two older ponies and just...staring at them. After attaching her bag to herself, she moves to stand next to him* Uuh, hi! What are you- Skychaser: *throws an arm around Dream and begins excitedly and rapidly tapping her arm with his free hoof, not once taking his cat-like grin off of the older pair* DreamDreamDreamDreamDREAM- Dream: *blinks rapidly as her body shakes from the motion. Only when he stops does she look at him with wide eyes* W-wha- Skychaser: Do you see what I see? *vaguely wiggles his eyebrows as Dream traces his previous gaze to Serein and Rhea* Dream: *smiles* Uncle and Miss Rhea are really getting along! I'm rather glad, because he's kind of a hermit you see- Skychaser: Okay, sure, but not just that! You're the one with the fancy emotion powers, I know you must've felt it too! *presses the side of his head against Dream's as they both gaze at the duo. He whispers in a sing-songy tune* There's love in the aiiiir~ Dream: *pulls her head back to momentarily stare at Sky. Then, she bursts into a fit of giggles* Skychaser: See! You get me, right? *rubs his hooves together* Dunno about Rhea, but I know the signs...your uncle's totally head over- Dream: Y-you're so silly, Sky! *can barely contain her giggles as she speaks* Uncle's only known Miss Rhea for maybe a week at most, how can they be in love~? -Sky blinks, genuinely taken aback. But the mare seems to pick up on this, her giggles dying out at once- Dream: Wait, you weren't joking? *appears apologetic* Oh gosh, I didn't mean to laugh at you then! Skychaser: AH no, it's okay, I just... *rubs the back of his neck with an awkward smile* Didn't expect that answer? I guess I just assumed that, since you can probably sense love and all sorts of mushy feels, you'd be the first to pick up on it? Or like, you'd be an even bigger romantic than your uncle. *winces* Uh sorry, it's a lot of assuming on my part...*mumbles* Though I'm like, ninetyeightpercentsureyouruncle'sintoRhea,so... Dream: O-oh! Um, *glances back at the two older ponies, still caught up in their chatter. As she turns back to Sky, he notices she seems a bit self-conscious as she smiles* Right! It's only natural you'd think that! *begins absent-mindedly running her hooves through the hair lying over her shoulder* This is a little embarrassing to admit, but...romantic love is the one emotion-variant I have a hard time pinpointing. But only because it's so unbelievably complicated. Skychaser: *eyebrows shoot up* Really? So...what do you feel when you sense it? Dream: *chuckles sheepishly* See, even an answer to that isn't very simple! Because...at least from what I've felt, love in every form is made up of multiple emotions that can alternate at any given moment. *tips her head thoughtfully* Love can be warm and affectionate, but it can also contain fear, or anger, or sadness, or a combination of these things at once. The only common thread I know is that love in whatever form is intense. But since all emotions can be intense and come in different forms depending on the pony, it's really hard for me to differentiate "romantic love" from "general love" or even from an emotional response. *offers an embarrassed grin, rubbing her neck* But I've also never felt romantic love personally, s-so that doesn't help me with recognizing it in others! Uncle's books helps give me some insight, at least. Skychaser: *whistles* Wow, okay uh...as if figuring out your own feelings wasn't complicated enough, huh? *blinks* Wait, so you've never had a crush before? (!) Ah, not that there's anything wrong with that! There are plenty of ponies who are just like that, you know? Dream: *laughs, smiling cheerfully* Of course! Romance is dead and meaningless anyway. *the moment Dream sees Sky become bug-eyed, she quickly lifts her hooves up defensively* Kidding! I'm kidding, Sky! *laughs and sheepishly rubs her hoof* Just thought I'd lighten the mood and try...oh what's it called...'cynical teenage humor'? That's what Stormy Daze called it at least! Ahaha, sorry... Skychaser: ....Stormy would say that. *chuckles nervously* It's fine! Your kind of humor sure loves leaving an impact, huh? Dream: *giggles* I am fond of shock factor~ *claps her hooves together, as if to bring their attention back on track* Anyway, if it helps, my real answer is that I never had a reason to! Skychaser: *slowly tilts head* Never had...a reason to form a crush? Dream: Mhm! No one in my hometown gave me a reason to develop one. *brings a hoof to her chin* Ah gosh, did that come out right? Maybe it's better to say that I've never had anyone...spark feelings like that before? -Skychaser hums to himself in consideration. While strangely worded, he's long deduced that some sort of sheltered life and her unique senses would be the cause of his friend's unique way of talking at times- Skychaser: Then...maybe it's a case of needing to find the right somepony who'll resonate with you! Like, emotionally? Dream: Maybe! But I'm not worried about it! *waves at him dismissively, giggling a bit* And it's not like I'm expecting anyone to feel that way about me anyway! Skychaser: *half-heartedly rolls his eyes* C'mon. Seriously? You're playing that card? *scoffs, shooting her his best big brother squint* Anyone would be lucky to have you. Dream: *smiles sweetly* That's a nice thing to say. Serein: *trots over, Rhea having seemingly left* Ah, you should've said you were back Dream! I'm sorry for keeping you waiting. Skychaser: Pssh, don't worry, Dream and I were deep in conversation too. *smirks* Right Dream? Dream: *smiles and tilts head* Uncle, do you have feelings for Miss Rhea? Skychaser: *sputters* Serein: *wide-eyed, his face slowly becoming an interesting shade of red* W-wha....I....what in the world makes you ask that? Dream: *slowly blinks* I was just...wondering? Serein: I uh...well you see... *even with his flushed face, his gaze trails off to the mare in question, silently observing her for a moment* She's...a stunning mare- *eyes shoot open, quickly adding* Andby'stunning'Imeantincredible. As in she's incredibly kind and i-it'd be hard not to enjoy her company, and... *trails off, the normally composed stallion clearly struggling as he stares blankly back at Dream.* Uh... Dream: *lifts her hooves up, sweating* I-it's okay uncle! I'm sorry for asking, I forgot this sort of thing would be considered embarrassing! Serein: *laughs, awkwardly pushing back a tuft of hair* Yeah ah, it's fine, don't think too much about it. *glances at Sky* Skychaser: *reading his mind, he smiles and makes a zipper motion over his mouth* Not a word. She'd probably like to hear all that nice stuff from you~ Serein: *nods briskly, then coughs dramatically* A-anyway! *weaves around Dream Flow to round her up and have her walk in step with him* Don't we have a ton of plans to start? Dream: *perks up* Ah, we sure do! *turns to wave at Sky* See you Skychaser! Serein: Yes, we'll see you around! -Sky watches the two leave and shakes his head with a smile, letting himself acknowledge how strange yet fascinating his friend is-

_______________________________________________________

Apparently I’ll take every chance I get to reveal small details about Dream, whoops

The Ven/Mello/Rainy trio originally wasn’t going to be in this, but then I remembered anything related to the Cutie Mark Sanctuary is going to be the best time for them to make appearances. And it was the best way to reference a previous chapter (Breaking Point) in the timeline. <X3

Reminder that Rainy/Merry/Stormy suffers from DID. And since Merry love love LOVES the name that was given to her by Sky, Merry likes talking in third person so she can hear it as many times as she likes. It helps solidify her identity and she just prefers talking about herself like that. And despite having one line, grumpy Stormy Daze finally makes her debut. Don’t worry. Despite her pessimism and harshness, she cares about Ven.

Ven talking big is the equivalent of a small kitten fluffing up. His attitude when he enters competitive mode is not to be taken to heart. <xD He just really loves his fam and their line of work.

Look at these two romance-loving goobers getting along. After many failed relationship attempts, historian and writer Serein settled on living a quiet life in Reinsforth writing his romance novels and raising Dream Flow. And while Rhea’s dreams of love and a prince charming as a filly didn’t play out the way it should have, a part of her tired heart after so many years may find itself yearning for that kind of connection again. In the end, you’re never too old to find love again. And prince charming doesn't have to be some mucho masculine dude.

Just to clarify to be safe! When Dream mentions love taking on aspects of fear/anger/sadness, she isn’t referring to toxic relationships where one partner causes the other to become fearful of them, or makes them angry or upset in the name of “love”. She’s referring to when someone feels fear for their loved one’s well being, fear of revealing their deep feelings, feeling upset when their loved one is upset, feeling anger for them or frustration because they want what’s best. That sort of thing~ <X3

In the end, Sky is a shipper at heart, and this won't be the last you'll see of shipper Sky, hoh no

#mlp #My Little Pony #mlp art #mlp oc #skychaser #dreamaria flow #serein paleo #rhea rainier #caramello #Rainy Daze #venture gale #destinyverse #story

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argotmagazine-blog · 6 years

Text

The Art Of Being A Unicorn

“Look, all I’m saying is that I don’t believe for a minute she really wants to fuck women.”

Our first round of drinks arrived five minutes ago and already the conversation is on Candace and her recent induction into the Sapphic Sisterhood. I take a deep gulp of my Riesling. And another. Empty glass in forty-five seconds. Self-preservation in the form of wasted wine.

“It’s just some kind of phase. Maybe she skipped the ‘experimentation’ stage in college and wants a round two. Either way, no way she’s suddenly a dyke.” Kate takes a deep swig from her bottle of Magic Hat, confident she’s made her point. The alcoholic equivalent of dropping the mic.

“It’s just so weird.” Lisa tries to fish the cherry out of her Cosmo with the swizzle stick. She slowly pulls it up the side of the glass, and then loses it, the candy red sphere tumbling back to the little well in the bottom of the martini glass. She purses her lips as she stabs it and then pops it into her mouth. “She’s only dated guys, before. Though, I mean, it’s not like Dana is much of a chick. She’s so...” She trails off, twirling her hand in the air in front of her as she tries to find the word.

“She’s ‘so’ what?” I press, knowing the answer, my tone sounding more frustrated than I planned. The others at the table don’t seem to notice, but out of the corner of my eye I can see Kevin lean his head on his hand, so his face is ‘casually’ pointed my direction. He raises his eyebrows, his eyes reminding me of my promise to be nice to his friends. I give him my best ‘I know, honey, but I kind of want to stab them in the face right now’ smile in response, my lips almost painfully pressed into a thin, curved line, my eyebrows raised to mock his.

“Oh! Butch! That’s the word I was looking for!” Lisa looks satisfied. She turns toward her husband. “Right?”

Mark shrugs, dipping the complimentary pumpernickel directly into the included ramekin of butter. He scoops the off-white cream onto a corner of the bread, takes a bite, and double dips.

“Maybe she’s bi? Or pan?” I bring out the smile I usually reserve for annoying customers, hoping it will keep my voice even and friendly.

Kate scoffs. “People only say that as an excuse to be sluts.”

“I dunno, Kate. She was cheating on David with Dana before they broke up.” Mark points at Kate with his second piece of bread, his mouth full.

“Bisexual doesn’t mean slutty. And even if it did--“ My voice comes out an octave higher than I’d have liked. The customer service smile is not so much put back in its neat little compartment in my mind, as violently ripped away. Kevin takes in a sharp breath which evolves into a heavy sigh as he leans back in his seat, finding something interesting about the ceiling.

Kate speaks over me. “Yeah but David hadn’t had sex with her in, like, a year. So, that’s kind of his own fault.”

Mark helps himself to another scoop of butter. “You think Dana tricked her, somehow? I mean, like, Candace is lonely, vulnerable, and then this person swoops in and makes her feel desired. Yeah, the parts are different but if you close your eyes, it all feels the same.” He looks up at the rest of us, noticing the sudden silence. “What? It’s only gay if you give.” He pops the last bit of bread into his mouth. “Well, I guess except for butt stuff.”

I eye Kevin’s Captain and ginger ale. The server could come back any time, now. I really should have ordered something stronger than wine.

“Lesbians don’t do ‘butt stuff’, Mark.” Lisa rolls her eyes at her husband. “They use, I dunno, dildos and shit.”

“Cos all ladies really want the D.” Mark’s voice is smooth as he purses his lips in a cocky mockery of seduction, motioning with both hands to his crotch in the universal, ‘suck it’ sign. “Right, Kev?”

Kevin looks away from the lights on the ceiling. “Hmm? I, uh--“

“Oh yeah,” Mark interrupts, giving a slow, knowing nod, “Kevin knows.”

“Look, why--“ I clear my throat and lower my voice as Kevin gives me a light kick under the table. “Why do you care so much about Amanda’s love life? She’s dating a woman, now. So what? I mean I’m--“

“Wow, the salmon looks awesome!” Kevin interjects. He points at an expertly crafted photo of perfectly air brushed pink fish in the menu.

“Dude, you can’t order fish at Outback, that’s just weird.”

“I’m having the chicken.”

“Oh come on, why would you go to a steak place and not get steak?”

“I like chicken.”

“Blasphemers, all of you.”

I leave them to their bickering, reaching across Kevin to snag his drink. I stare at the side of his face as I down it in two chugs. Fuck it.

Later, walking to the car after goodbyes and promising to get together again soons are exchanged, I let out the hot, writhing put of snakes that have been in my stomach most of the evening.

“Dude, what the fuck was that?”

Kevin doesn’t even look at me as he pulls out his keys, pressing the button to unlock the car. His green Camry beeps, the interior lights automatically illuminating the cabin. “What the fuck was what?”

“Cutting me off like that when they were talking about Candace! I know they’re your friends, but they were being fucking assholes.”

He opens the passenger side door, stepping back and waiting patiently for me to sit down and reach for my seatbelt. “Because I knew you were going to play the bi card.” He pushes my door closed and walks to the driver’s side. His door dings when it opened.

“Excuse me? ‘Bi card’? Are you actually serous right now.”

The overhead light dims into darkness. He shrugs, inserting his key into the ignition. “I just don’t see why my friends need to know that about you.” He turns the key, reaching for the radio volume knob as the CD player come to life. Death Cab for Cutie pours from the speakers. “It’s not like it even counts, right now. You’re with me.” He turns up the volume and puts the car into reverse.

“Care to explain this?” Meredith throws the pink and blue notebook onto the black marble coffee table. It slides across the smooth, polished surface, before coming to rest in front of me. Half of it hangs into void between the table and the couch. The 3D yellow flower on the front bounces slightly on its small spring. Meredith glares down at me, the angry lines around her mouth betraying the age her perfect make up tries to hide.

“My journal? You bought it for me for Xmas.”

“Don’t be a smartass.” My dad’s voice holds barely controlled anger. I know that he will end up yelling by the end of this confrontation--he always does. And I will end up matching his volume as my words devolve into rage filled sobs. It’s a very specific script. But for now, he’s holding onto at least a shred of civility.

“I really don’t understand what’s going on right now.”

“What’s going on,” Meredith’s voice drips with patronizing contempt, “Is that you got ‘hot and heavy’ with Hope. What are you, some kind of dyke now?”

Pressure starts to rise in my sinuses. “You read my journal? What right do you have--“

“What right does she have?!” Dad jerks forward in his chair, his face red. “What right do you have?! You don’t own that journal, little girl. It’s under our roof, it is our property.”

“Why is this such a big deal to you?” My throat is tight and my words come out in a strange croak. I am determined not to cry this time. I won’t give her the satisfaction.

“The big deal,” Meredith’s lips purse in disgust, her coral lipstick fluorescent against her overly tanned skin, “is that it is wrong. And we will not have it under this roof.”

“Technically, I wasn’t under this roof. We were in Derek’s car.” I want to delete the words from existence as soon as they’re out of their mouth.

My dad sighs. I’m impressed with his composure thus far. I expected my inability to keep my mouth under control to spark the shouting portion of tonight’s entertainment. “You’re not even old enough to have sex with men, how could you possibly know if you want to have sex with women?” It’s the same line he’s given any time I mention my various gay friends.

“I’m sixteen.”

“Exactly.”

“The fact I exist proves that teenagers have sex, Dad.”

“I called her mother.” Meredith interrupts the debate on teenage sexuality to bring us this important breaking news. She crosses her arms over her off-white sweater, smirking.

Panic rises in my throat, followed by the acidic taste of bile. This panic is not for myself. “Are you serious? How could you do that?! Her parents held a freaking laying on of hands at her birthday party! They wouldn’t allow her to attend sex ed! What do you think they’re going to do with her when they find out she likes girls?”

“That is not my problem, but she assured me that this will never be an issue again. And you two are forbidden to see each other.”

There is a low buzzing in my head as my mind fills with a white, blank space. I don’t realize I’ve left the couch until I find myself sitting at my desk in my room. I’m surprised they let me leave without further judgment. I don’t even know if I’m grounded.

Later that night, long after my dad and stepmom go to bed, I sneak the cordless phone out of the living room, and dial Hope’s cell. It goes directly to voicemail.

The next day an overly polite computer voice informs me that the number has been disconnected.

Hope isn’t in school that Monday. Or Tuesday. Or Wednesday. Then, through the Humphrey High rumor mill, I hear the news.

“Her parents Baker Acted her!” I shout as I walk through the door leading into the kitchen from the garage. Meredith is at the island putting the finishing touches on a sandwich. She doesn’t bother to look up.

“Who are you talking about?”

“Hope! They lied and said that she’s a danger to herself! She’s in an institution because you told her mother about us! This is your fault!”

Her eyes meet mine, steel wrapped in brown silk. “I will not be spoken to that way by a dyke.” She takes a bite of her sandwich and places it onto a dark green plate. She carries it out of the kitchen, through the living room, out the sliding glass door, and onto the patio. She sits on the painted white concrete and dips her legs into the clear water of our pool.

“So you’re a lesbian?” My mother’s voice is calm and conversational. I hear her typing through the other end of the phone, multi -tasking between talking to me and participating in an ‘alternate-lifestyle’ chat room. She recently acquired a computer, launching herself into the late 20th century a year past Y2K. Her internet provider is AOL.

“No, mom, I still like guys, too. I guess I’m bi. I actually kind of like this dude in my Chemistry class. He looks like Ethan Embry.”

“I have no idea who that is.”

I sigh, exasperated in that way only teenagers feel when confronted by their parents’ ignorance of the really important things in life. “He’s an actor, mom. He was in Empire Records? Can’t Hardly Wait?”

“You know I’ve never seen these movies.”

“That Thing You Do?”

“Oh! I liked that one! Who was he?”

“The bass player.”

“Oh, okay. Yeah, he’s cute.” She pauses. “But you like girls, though.” Back on topic.

I slouch further into the fuzzy blue overstuffed chair in the corner of the den. It’s the ugliest chair that ever uglied but I love every comfy inch of it. It was the only piece of furniture left over from when my parents were married. I have no idea why my dad lugged around for over a decade. I am equally confused as to why Meredith allowed it in the house, as it clashes with everything, even if it is banished to the den, the room company is least likely to see. All I know is that I call dibs when I move out after graduation in a few months.

“How did your dad and Meredith take it?”

I sigh, my breath causing static into the phone. “Not good.”

“Hmm.” She makes a noncommittal noise and I can tell she is trying to decide to play nice or let me know for the eight thousandth time how she feels about my father and his bride. “You know, I’ve experimented with women.”

My mouth could catch flies. “Wha--really?”

“Mmmhmm.” The keyboard continues to clack in the background. “That one convention I went to, I played with a couple female subs. It was okay. Boobs I could play with all day but anything below that, eh. Not really into vaginas. Dicks are much more fun. Oh, and Allen and I did have a threesome with that Mille girl who used to live next door to us. Remember her? She used to keep an eye on you when you were in middle school?”

I shut my eyes tightly, a sharp pain in my temple. My brain tries to process this outflow of information. The play dates with ladysubs weren’t really a big deal--I’d known about my mom’s kinky lifestyle for a while--but Millie? Beautifully damaged, dramatic, soft haired Millie?

“Y-You had sex with Millie?” I stammer when my mouth decides it can once again form words.

“Yeah. Kind of. Allen was there, too--“

“I had a crush on Millie, mom.” Actually, crush was a loose term. I was infatuated my Millie. I dreamed of Millie. She was the first real life girl I was ever interested in. My confused desires previously focused on beautiful actresses like Lucy Liu and Portia De Rossi, what with Ally McBeal being my queer gateway drug.

But Millie. There was something special about her. Something wild in the way her life was full of emotional turmoil and passion. She was a walking soap opera and it fascinated me. She was also the first person I ever smoked weed with, so there was something to be said about my mother’s choice of baby sitters.

My mother laughs. The typing sounds stop. “Really? You liked Millie?” Another laugh cuts off whatever I wasn’t going to say. “Looks like we have the same taste in women.”

“Oh god.”

The typing begins anew.

“I’ve seen her play five times.” The woman in front of me has dark hair and is beautiful. The dim lighting of the bar shadows her skin a darker brown and she wears her hair naturally, kinky curls springing from her head in every direction.

“And I thought I was bad!” I give a little self-deprecating snort. “I’ve seen her three times, I think? I try to make sure to get tickets whenever she’s in town. She really must love this venue.”

Arms reach around and above me as women crowd the bar to grab a drink before the end of intermission. Melissa Ferrick is already back on stage on the other side of the club, tuning her guitar and laughing at something her drummer said. The stage lights make her short brown hair look blue.

The woman takes a sip of her martini, her maroon lipstick staining the glass. I didn’t know anyone actually drank martinis. Everyone I know makes due with the cheapest beer they can dig up, and wine either in a magnum or a box. One day my friends will realize that being twenty-one means we are allowed to be choosy. I’m tired of pretending I like the taste of PBR.

“What are you thinking about?” Her lips are a smirk. I didn’t even realize I zoned out, staring at the dark green olive at the bottom of her glass.

“I want to eat your olive.” My answer is honest, but I wish I could take back the words. She raises her eyebrows for a silent second before bursting into laughter. It comes from deep inside of her.

“Is that what you kids are calling it nowadays?”

I’m glad for the bar’s terrible lighting as I feel my face get hot. I take a long swig of my Newcastle. Oh god, new subject. “I saw Doria Roberts open for her a few years ago. She was just fucking amazing. I just oh man so good.”

She gives me that smirk again and my insides feel squiggly. “I was at that show. Too bad I didn’t see you there, we could have met sooner.”

I can no longer meet her eyes. It’s just too much. “I was with my ex then, anyhow. He was reviewing the show for UCF’s newspaper. Trying to get a music column up and running. “

When I look back up, her eyebrows are furrowed. She pulls her head slightly away from me, looking at me out of almost the corner of her eye. “He?”

I shrug, not sure why she’s asking. “Yeah. Didn’t work out. Still friends, though.”

She shakes her head, sighing as she stands. “Sorry, chica, I learned a loooong time ago not to get involved with straight girls. To0 much drama.”

I spin fully towards her on my bar stool. “But I’m not—dude, I’m bi.”

She scans the crowd closer to the stage, making eye contact with someone and raising her hand in the ‘one minute’ sign. “Oh honey,” she says as she picks up her drink. She continues smiling at the woman in the crowd, not bothering to look back at me. “If you’re still calling yourself bi at your age, you’re straight. Sorry to let you know.”

She walks away, weaving through the crowd of bodies towards the front of the stage. Melissa Ferrick readjusts her mic, her black guitar reflecting the shadows of her fans. There’s a squeal of feedback. Everyone laughs.

“I’ve liked you since high school, I just needed to see what it was like.” Jane’s fair cheeks are red as she confesses, looking from me, to her hands, to the TV showing the DVD menu for Moulin Rouge. My lips are still tingling from the kiss she surprised me with a few seconds before.

“I--“ Ugh, I’ve never had to do this, before. “Look, Jane, I’m flattered and you know I love you, but not really like that. I just don’t—“

“It’s ‘cause you’re still in love with Ray, isn’t it?” She rolls her eyes, flinging herself against the back cushions of the couch with more force than I thought her tiny frame could muster. She blows an errant lock of blond hair out of her eyes.

“No, that’s not—“

“I liked you better when you were a lesbian.” She reaches for the remote.

“What is with you, today?” Kevin hurries to catch up with me as I hurry to keep myself a few steps ahead of him. I should have known better than to come to Pride. This was a stupid idea.

“What are you talking about? I’m fine.” I maneuver around a pretty girl with a pink crew-cut. Her t-shirt informs me that linguists do it with tongues.

I feel a tug on my arm and stop as Kevin uses it to hold me in place while he closes the last few feet between us. “No. I know what okay looks like and this is not okay. This is acting weird. What is going on?”

I gently pull my arm from his grasp and run my hand through my pixie cut. “I just--“ I pause to find the words. “I feel weird. Here.” I look down at the sidewalk. A fried and shriveled earth worm is stuck to the concrete. “With you.”

“What?” He sounds more hurt than angry. Damn it.

“It’s not really about you, I just feel like--” I shrug, looking up to scan the tops of the surrounding buildings. I never noticed that there was molding up there. Lion heads. Clichéd. “I feel like I’m an imposter. That I don’t belong here because I’m with a guy. Okay?”

He scrunches his nose and scoffs. “That’s stupid.”

“What?”

“No one cares that you’re here with a guy. No one is judging you for not being gay enough, okay? Everyone’s been enjoying the parade and the free candy. No one has even noticed. You’re being paranoid.”

I take a deep breath to keep myself from screaming. He doesn’t understand. He didn’t see the raised eyebrow the dreadlocked woman next to us gave when he caught one of the handfuls of condoms that were thrown into the crowd by muscled men in silver shorts. When he gave me a nudge with his elbow, saying “This’ll come in handy tonight!” with a wink. He didn’t see the man in front of us turn to look, pursing his purple stained lips, as Kevin stated with surprise that he didn’t realize the Polar Bear Club supported gay rights. The man rolled his eyes as I explained in a hurried whisper what the term ‘Bear’ referred to, and no, it didn’t mean they liked to jump into freezing cold rivers. He stood out in his black t-shirt amid the sea of rainbows. And it made me stand out beside him.

I slowly let out the breath I’ve been holding and take his hand. There’s no use in arguing. “You may be right. I’m just being insecure.”

We walk a few blocks, taking in the colorful crowd that surrounds us.

“Kev?” A voice from across the street stops our stroll. Candace waves, making her way through the crowd, Dana holding onto her hand protectively.

Kevin waves back and we meet in the middle of the sea of people. Hugs and "oh man how’s it been, haven’t seen you in forever"'s are exchanged.

“Wow, you’re the last people I thought I’d run into here.” Candace states, laughing.

Kevin returns the laughter, surprised. “What do you mean?”

“You don’t usually see a lot of straight couples at Pride.”

Jenna Swisher's work has appeared in Chatham University's literary magazine, Minor Bird, as well as Daikaijuzine, The Battered Suitcase, and Beyond Imagination. She lives in Pittsburgh with her boyfriend and their five cats.

#bisexuality #biphobia #relationships #emotional labor #pride #lgbtq #culture

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ambris · 7 years

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If you were asked to choose one episode from each of the seven seasons of MLP to hold up as the "best" of those seasons, which would you choose?

Season 1: Suited for Success

This finally introduces Rarity as the artist that she is, and it frankly integral to really understand her character for the series. Rarity being one of my faves by virtue of how relatable she is to me ALL THE TIME, this episode holds special interest to me.

Honorable mention goes to the series opener, “Friendship is Magic” though, for obvious reasons!

Season 2: Canterlot Wedding

Not only do I think this is the best (two) episode(s) of Season 2, I think it might be the best episode of the whole series to date. Just between the pacing, drama, music, EVERYTHING--I love this episode so much. It might be one of the few episodes in the whole series where I have NOTHING to criticize. IT’S FLAWLESS

Honorable mention goes to “Luna Eclipsed”, for giving Luna much needed development.

Season 3: Magical Mystery Cure

Probably an unpopular choice. I wouldn’t have picked this then, but looking back, it’s the episode in the season that had the most impact on me, even today. Ignoring the whole Twilicorn debacle, it’s biggest flaw is just being too rushed. But there’s a ton of great music, and the plot arc itself is great.

Honorable mention goes to “Magic Duel“, because I love Trixie and I was so happy to see her return. The nature of the conflict could have been handled better, but overall, I remember this episode fondly.

Season 4: Twilight’s Kingdom

This finale does a really good job bringing Twilight’s alicorn character arc to a satisfying epic conclusion. I know some people didn’t like the laser fights, but goddamn, it felt entirely appropriate to me. It was nice to see pair with demi-god levels of power actually commit to a straight-up knock-down drag-out fight; made better by the actually conclusion of the fight staying consistent with the show’s tone in spite of the fight.

"Filli Vanilli" gets honorable mention though. This was about the time that my online art career started to really take off, and having dealt with a lot of “stage-fright” at presenting my art publicly, I found it immensely relabable. Also hell THE MUSIC WAS SO GOOD.

Season 5: Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep / The Cutie Re-Mark

Kind of a tie here. I like the extra screen time and development Luna gets in “Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep”. It was way overdue at this point in the series.

Meanwhile “The Cutie Re-Mark” had an epic plot arc, build-up, and climax. And seeing all the AUs though was a freaking ecstatic delight for any fan of the series. I wasn’t that into Starlight as a villain, though she always did seem like a decent foil to Twilight. But I feel her 60-second turn around from “Selfish-Dictator-Who-Nearly-Fucked-Up-Everything-Forever” to “Best-Beloved-Friend-Of-Everyone” was supremely poorly handled, and made me disinclined to like her from the start (though as I’ve said, I’ve warmed up since).

Honorable mention goes to “Amending Fences” for some much needed Twilight backstory, AND for being really sincere and genuine about it. Handled really well. (Moondancer’s mane is still stupid though)

Season 6: Newbie Dash

Dash FINALLY fulfilling her dream on-screen. I didn’t know they’d ever really do this, but I’m glad they did. It’d be unsatisfying otherwise. The episode was sincere and significant in it’s message, while also just being tons of fun. Seeing Dash basically impersonate her friends is one of the comedy highlights of the whole series.

Honorable mention goes to “Gauntlet of Fire” because of EMBER. THIS EPISODE INTRODUCES EMBER. I LOVE EMBER. YOU LOVE EMBER. EVERYONE LOVES EMBER. EMBER

Otherwise it was merely standard fun fluff for the series.

Season 7: A Royal Problem / The Perfect Pear / Fame and Misfortune

3-way tie on the last season, all fantastic for different reasons. It’s possible this last season might have been the best season yet. It’s also possible that each of these three episodes aren’t far away enough for me to get a broader perspective on what had the most impact.

“A Royal Problem” gave us the much needed and called for Royal Sisters episode. AND IT WAS SO GENUINE. And just handled perfectly.

“The Perfect Pear” was just. . .the perfect episode. Again, addressing an issue that has long been overdue, and doing it with the perfect blend of sincerity and emotion. WHO DIDN’T NEARLY CRY?

And “Fame and Misfortune” might be unpopular to pair with these others, but I absolutely loved it. I consider it an appropriate inverse to “Slice of Life” (which I loved too btw). Where as that episode glorified and celebrated everything Brony--this episode is an honest carefully crafted criticism of the bad parts of the fandom. As I said before, if you’re offended by what the episode had to say, you’re either being too insecure, or directly the problem.

Anyways, Honorable Mention has to go to “Shadow Play”, for attempting to give us an Avenger’s type experience. It falls a bit short of that, but I appreciate the attempt anyway.

There are so many more episode that deserve mention though. I had to force myself to keep my Honorable Mentions limited to one entry, or else not do them at all. Or I’d have to create a “Oh and I loved this episode too” category and then we’d be here literally all day.

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cutsliceddiced · 4 years

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New top story from Time: Welcome to the Golden Age of Live-Streaming

On Saturday night, hip-hop eminence Derrick “D-Nice” Jones threw a dance party for 100,000 with attendees including Michelle Obama, Mark Zuckerberg, Drake, J. Lo, Rihanna and both finalists for the Democratic Presidential nomination. The crowd was even bigger on Sunday. In an interview with CBS This Morning’s Gayle King on Monday, D-Nice confirmed his plans to keep the party going daily for as long as possible. But before you cancel the DJ, rapper and producer for creating the world’s most distinguished COVID-19 cluster, I should mention that the gatherings—dubbed Homeschool at Club Quarantine—have taken place exclusively on Instagram Live. The host, ensconced in his kitchen alone, is practicing social distancing.

This is live entertainment in the coronavirus era, when theaters, concert halls, museums, sports stadiums and nightclubs are closed; music, comedy and book tours are canceled; and non-news TV production has ground to a halt. Within the space of two weeks, Americans have seen so many of the institutions that kept us amused, informed and intellectually stimulated during national crises past shut down. It may be negligible in comparison with the plight of those who are feeling the effects of COVID-19 firsthand, or even the sadness the healthy among us feel at being separated from loved ones, but the loss of both the physical public square and platforms like daily talk shows are also tragic. Which is why it’s been so encouraging to see artists and entertainers from across the culture use DIY methods of communication to fill that void. After years of puzzling over Generation Z’s love of YouTube stars and live streamers, the over-30 set isn’t just starting to understand the appeal of these platforms—we’re relying on them to stay sane.

youtube

In the week or so since late-night hosts sent their staffers home to self-isolate, Stephen Colbert has brought us such welcome distractions as the abbreviated, solo “Lather Show” (from his bathtub) and “The Flame Show With Stephen Col-burn” (at the fire pit on his patio) featuring a video-chat performance from Late Show bandleader Jon Batiste. In mini-episodes filmed at home with his wife behind the camera, Jimmy Fallon has been leading split-screen conversations with stars like Jennifer Garner and Lin-Manuel Miranda; Fallon’s two young, joyfully disruptive daughters have become America’s sweethearts. Trevor Noah has The Daily Social Distancing Show, while Samantha Bee has enlisted her husband and kids to shoot Full Frontal from their rural backyard, with plans to air a new episode on Wednesday. A Little Late host and YouTube native Lilly Singh is off the air but back to her 15 million subscribers with pandemic-related comedy skits. And so on.

Daytime talk-show hosts have followed suit: Ellen DeGeneres has been posting phone calls with friends such as Jennifer Aniston and Tiffany Haddish on her Twitter account. The View often looks like The Brady Bunch intro now, a grid of faces with Whoopi and Joy logging on live from their respective homes. One of that show’s alumnae, Rosie O’Donnell, raised $600,000 for The Actors’ Fund with Sunday’s one-night-only revival of The Rosie O’Donnell Show—a special that had her video-chatting with Billy Porter, Patti LuPone and other Broadway-adjacent celebs “from the comfort of my garage-slash-art-studio.” (Parents who’ve been entertaining young kids at home for the past few weeks must have felt a pang of recognition upon spotting the signs of family craft projects in the background.) The crisis has even brought Oprah back on a daily basis, from her home, in a free Apple TV series called Oprah Talks COVID-19; the first episode consisted of a FaceTime chat with Idris Elba and his wife Sabrina Dhowre, who both tested positive for coronavirus, her laptop propped up on a stack of books. Never mind that her sectional is approximately the size of my apartment; when was the last time a billionaire media mogul looked so relatable?

Which is why I FaceTimed @idriselba & his wife Sabrina who are safely quarantined together after he tested positive for COVID-19. Idris fills me in on his journey and Sabrina reveals the result of her test after they decided to quarantine together. pic.twitter.com/HETVZeqCPE

— Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) March 22, 2020

It’s been especially heartening to see artists who, like D-Nice, have scrambled to create something entirely new. As book clubs spring up with the help of video conferencing technology, publishing site Literary Hub has launched the Virtual Book Channel, whose Vimeo-based shows offer the kind of readings and author interviews bookstores across the country have had to cancel. Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard has been live-streaming daily performances on YouTube to benefit various medical charities. NPR has made a schedule of “live virtual concerts”—most of them on social media or video platforms—that have been announced, ranging from the Vienna State Opera to events organized by indie labels Don Giovanni and Third Man.

From Bernie Sanders hosting a YouTube live stream on the coronavirus response with AOC, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar to Padma Lakshmi leading pantry-cooking tutorials on Instagram, there’s a DIY COVID-19 video for every political alignment and cultural niche. A homespun microgenre of coronavirus-themed parody song has emerged, with the reliably profane Liam Gallagher transforming his old Oasis hits into “Wonderwash” and “Champagne Soapernova”; if there’s a boomer in your life who can’t wrap their mind around social distancing, send them this Twitter video of Neil Diamond tweaking “Sweet Caroline” so that the chorus begins, “Hands, washing hands/Don’t touch me/I won’t touch you.” We’re seeing artists’ and celebrities’ living rooms, meeting their spouses and kids, cooing over their pets. Though these videos can’t replace communication with friends and family—or, obviously, satisfy our moral obligation to help coronavirus patients, healthcare workers and those in our communities who’ve lost their jobs—there’s a sense that if we’re all self-quarantining at home, then we’re all in this together.

View this post on Instagram

We made black-eyed peas over polenta! Recipe in bio.

A post shared by Padma Lakshmi (@padmalakshmi) on Mar 21, 2020 at 1:42pm PDT

Whether we’ve realized it or not, I think a lot of us are finding the same sustenance in these rough dispatches that teens get from YouTube vloggers, TikTok dancers (whose acolytes now include LeBron James and his adorable family) and social media influencers of all stripes. Why, we’ve spent years asking ourselves and each other, would you watch a spoiled 15-year-old with no discernible talent try on every item of clothing she’s ever ordered on the internet when you could be bingeing The Sopranos, or at least Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Why listen to some weirdo warble over canned beats when practically the entire history of recorded music is available to stream? What we forget is that young people are often looking for something the professional, adult-dominated entertainment industry can’t offer—something past generations found in the crude mediums of punk music or zines or early internet message boards: a sense of intimacy. Even for kids with vibrant social lives and supportive families, adolescence can be horribly lonely. Maybe it’s not the content of haul videos or live gaming streams that has them hooked; maybe it’s the sense of community and personal connection these lo-fi videos create.

After 13 days away from almost everyone I care about, I’ve begun to remember what profound isolation—whether physical or psychological—can feel like. That certainly explains why, though I used to hate using video chat apps, I recently spent 90 minutes on Zoom with friends self-quarantining in Australia and “met” an old pal’s newborn baby on FaceTime. But it’s also why, on Sunday, I tuned in to an impromptu Instagram Live performance by rock icon Patti Smith and her musician daughter Jesse Paris Smith. Amid songs, poetry and pep talks, they revealed that they were broadcasting from a smartphone propped up on containers of instant oatmeal and aloe vera juice. As cool as it was to see one of my favorite artists play a live show at a time when in-person concerts are impossible, what really brought me comfort was the sight of a woman I so deeply respect hunkering down with family and taking time to check in with fans. In sharp contrast to Gal Gadot’s smug video of celebrities singing “Imagine,” Smith’s gesture seemed to come out of humility, generosity and respect for her fellow citizens.

youtube

Millions of us are suddenly becoming immersed in this social-video ecosystem to an extent that we’ve never been before. We’re not just occasionally posting a viral clip on our platform of choice; we’re getting emotionally invested in this stuff, because it’s the closest thing we have to live or even daily entertainment. And we need those things—those culture-wide conversations, songs and jokes, that shared mourning for those we’ve lost—so that we never forget we’re living in a society, especially at a time when it’s crucial that we all do our part to keep each other safe.

There’s no guarantee that mainstream pop culture’s new DIY spirit will endure after Elba recovers, Bee is out of the woods and coronavirus has gone the way of H1N1. But, either way, it won’t be long before a critical mass of Gen Z reaches an age when their sensibilities start shaping the entertainment industry proper. For them, YouTube, Twitch and TikTok will always be part of a standard creative toolbox. The inevitability of this generational shift used to terrify me (a luxurious fear compared to what’s weighing on our minds these days, I know). Now that I finally get it, I’m curious to like, subscribe and see what happens.

via https://cutslicedanddiced.wordpress.com/2018/01/24/how-to-prevent-food-from-going-to-waste

#Time #top stories #IFTTT #news

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