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The forest was quiet, with still air and streamers of sunlight piercing the treetops. Nothing flew; not a single bird chirped. Through the unnerving silence, Pinkie tiptoed, keeping her lip zipped. For all she knew, it was a party game, and if so, she wouldn't be the one who spoiled the fun.
Finally, she spied a flash of familiar yellow in a distant bush, and homed in, deliberately stepping on a twig as she got near so as not to utterly startle her friend.
"Oh dear!" Fluttershy screamed quietly. "Oh, hi, Pinkie. Please keep it down, if that's all right with you..."
"Fine by me," whispered Pinkie. "What game are we playing? Hide and seek? Statues? Outraged Conscience?"
"Oh, no, it's not a game," said Fluttershy. "It's that time again." She gestured with a wing, showing the bush and the nearby tree full of birds of all kinds: eagles, peacocks, finches, robins, chickens, a forlorn emu, all huddling together and looking mournful. Not a peep came from a single one of them.
"There's some sort of writing competition going on," said Fluttershy. "The participants have to write a story of two to eight thousand words in just a few days. They're all trying to win these medals that you can't even wear, because they're just illusions, or something like that. It's rather confusing."
"Well, that sounds like fun!" said Pinkie. "What's the problem?"
"Well... the writers go through a lot of quills. First Quills and Sofas sells out, then Barnyard Bargains, and after that they come looking for the birds. It's dreadfully upsetting, so my little friends are all hiding here. Nowhere else is safe."
"Oooh, Let me help," said Pinkie, drawing forth a cannoli-zooka. "No cute little bird is gonna get hurt on my watch--"
But it was already too late. From behind the bush, a stealthy limb reached forth and clutched at Fluttershy's wing, yanking out a large yellow tertial feather.
She uttered a piercing scream that echoed through the forest and leaped into the sky, followed by a whirlwind of shrieking and flapping birds, spiralling into the bright blue heavens.
Nowhere was safe.
Finally, she spied a flash of familiar yellow in a distant bush, and homed in, deliberately stepping on a twig as she got near so as not to utterly startle her friend.
"Oh dear!" Fluttershy screamed quietly. "Oh, hi, Pinkie. Please keep it down, if that's all right with you..."
"Fine by me," whispered Pinkie. "What game are we playing? Hide and seek? Statues? Outraged Conscience?"
"Oh, no, it's not a game," said Fluttershy. "It's that time again." She gestured with a wing, showing the bush and the nearby tree full of birds of all kinds: eagles, peacocks, finches, robins, chickens, a forlorn emu, all huddling together and looking mournful. Not a peep came from a single one of them.
"There's some sort of writing competition going on," said Fluttershy. "The participants have to write a story of two to eight thousand words in just a few days. They're all trying to win these medals that you can't even wear, because they're just illusions, or something like that. It's rather confusing."
"Well, that sounds like fun!" said Pinkie. "What's the problem?"
"Well... the writers go through a lot of quills. First Quills and Sofas sells out, then Barnyard Bargains, and after that they come looking for the birds. It's dreadfully upsetting, so my little friends are all hiding here. Nowhere else is safe."
"Oooh, Let me help," said Pinkie, drawing forth a cannoli-zooka. "No cute little bird is gonna get hurt on my watch--"
But it was already too late. From behind the bush, a stealthy limb reached forth and clutched at Fluttershy's wing, yanking out a large yellow tertial feather.
She uttered a piercing scream that echoed through the forest and leaped into the sky, followed by a whirlwind of shrieking and flapping birds, spiralling into the bright blue heavens.
Nowhere was safe.
EDIT: Boo, the day off is kaput. It seems I must win this in a straight fight. :flutterrage:
>>GroaningGreyAgony
During one perfectly nondescript early-morning moment, Twilight was in the middle of pouring herself a cup of coffee in her kitchen. The next moment was a rainbow-colored tumble that happened so quickly that she only felt the twenty or so bumps and knocks and jostles after Rainbow Dash had already thrown her into the puffy bank of a high-altitude stratus cloud.
"You'll be safe here!" screeched the wide-eyed pegasus.
As Twilight felt the bruises settling in from the hypersonic extraction, she calmly rightened the coffee pot still held in her magical grasp and poured the precious remaining trickles straight down her throat.
"Explain," croaked the critically under-caffeinated Princess.
"You've been an Alicorn for like three years!" said Rainbow. "How haven't they ever gotten you yet?"
Rainbow Dash's eyes were enitrely bloodshot, to the point that nothing resembling the color white was visible. Her entire face looked like she had gotten whatever the opposite of a face-lift was, and there was a deeply concerning involuntary twitch in her left wing.
"Use your fucking words, Dash," said Twilight. "Who is trying to get me?"
"Th-the Writers, Twi!They're out of quills again, and they're not afraid to use us to write with!"
With trembling steps, Dash tip toed to the edge of the cloud and peeked down to Ponyville Square below.
"The ones who can't get away—they're good as gone Twi. I saw a baby pegasus, too small to fly, at Sugarcube corner on my way to you. Plucked absolutely clean. The m-monsters."
"Are you sure you aren't over-reacting again, Dash?" Twilight rubbed her eyes with a pinching cloud of magic. "Remember when you destroyed five-point-three million bits of weather equipment 'cause your turtle was sleepy? I had to implement a two percent sales tax increase in Manehattan to pay for that stuff, you know."
"Tank's a tortoise," came the automatic reply. "But this is serious, Twi, I don't—"
"Raaaainbow Dash?" croaked a small scratchy voice, from the ground below. "Rainbow Dash, is that you?"
Dash's eyes widened, and her head swiveled to find the voice. "Scootaloo!"
On instinct, her legs crouched in preparation of a jump, but Rainbow Dash caught herself at the last second.
"H-help me, Rainbow. Please!"
"H-hang in there, little squirt!" Tears threatened to spill from the Element of Loyalty's eyes. "I—I'm here for you!"
"It hurts so much, Rainbow Dash."
"Y-you're a trooper, you tough little thing, you!" said Dash as she backed away from the edge of the cloud. "It'll be over, soon. I p-promise."
Twilight blinked. She blinked again, voluntarily.
"What in my oedipal mother-figure's name was that?"
"It's sad, really," muttered Dash as she curled up into a fetal ball at Twilight's feet. "I think her wings are big enough for her to fly, now. But every time her feathers start growing in, there's another one of these contests. It's an awful cycle."
"Look," said Twilight. "I am not nearly awake enough to begin handling this."
Twilight began tip-toeing closer behind the unaware pegasus.
"I've been up busy all night, and I only have one day left."
Rainbow Dash froze and her eyes popped open, just as a touch of of magic tickled her wings.
"W-what were you doing all night?" whispered Dash.
Twilight smiled widely.
"I was writing, Rainbow."
During one perfectly nondescript early-morning moment, Twilight was in the middle of pouring herself a cup of coffee in her kitchen. The next moment was a rainbow-colored tumble that happened so quickly that she only felt the twenty or so bumps and knocks and jostles after Rainbow Dash had already thrown her into the puffy bank of a high-altitude stratus cloud.
"You'll be safe here!" screeched the wide-eyed pegasus.
As Twilight felt the bruises settling in from the hypersonic extraction, she calmly rightened the coffee pot still held in her magical grasp and poured the precious remaining trickles straight down her throat.
"Explain," croaked the critically under-caffeinated Princess.
"You've been an Alicorn for like three years!" said Rainbow. "How haven't they ever gotten you yet?"
Rainbow Dash's eyes were enitrely bloodshot, to the point that nothing resembling the color white was visible. Her entire face looked like she had gotten whatever the opposite of a face-lift was, and there was a deeply concerning involuntary twitch in her left wing.
"Use your fucking words, Dash," said Twilight. "Who is trying to get me?"
"Th-the Writers, Twi!They're out of quills again, and they're not afraid to use us to write with!"
With trembling steps, Dash tip toed to the edge of the cloud and peeked down to Ponyville Square below.
"The ones who can't get away—they're good as gone Twi. I saw a baby pegasus, too small to fly, at Sugarcube corner on my way to you. Plucked absolutely clean. The m-monsters."
"Are you sure you aren't over-reacting again, Dash?" Twilight rubbed her eyes with a pinching cloud of magic. "Remember when you destroyed five-point-three million bits of weather equipment 'cause your turtle was sleepy? I had to implement a two percent sales tax increase in Manehattan to pay for that stuff, you know."
"Tank's a tortoise," came the automatic reply. "But this is serious, Twi, I don't—"
"Raaaainbow Dash?" croaked a small scratchy voice, from the ground below. "Rainbow Dash, is that you?"
Dash's eyes widened, and her head swiveled to find the voice. "Scootaloo!"
On instinct, her legs crouched in preparation of a jump, but Rainbow Dash caught herself at the last second.
"H-help me, Rainbow. Please!"
"H-hang in there, little squirt!" Tears threatened to spill from the Element of Loyalty's eyes. "I—I'm here for you!"
"It hurts so much, Rainbow Dash."
"Y-you're a trooper, you tough little thing, you!" said Dash as she backed away from the edge of the cloud. "It'll be over, soon. I p-promise."
Twilight blinked. She blinked again, voluntarily.
"What in my oedipal mother-figure's name was that?"
"It's sad, really," muttered Dash as she curled up into a fetal ball at Twilight's feet. "I think her wings are big enough for her to fly, now. But every time her feathers start growing in, there's another one of these contests. It's an awful cycle."
"Look," said Twilight. "I am not nearly awake enough to begin handling this."
Twilight began tip-toeing closer behind the unaware pegasus.
"I've been up busy all night, and I only have one day left."
Rainbow Dash froze and her eyes popped open, just as a touch of of magic tickled her wings.
"W-what were you doing all night?" whispered Dash.
Twilight smiled widely.
"I was writing, Rainbow."
Over Easter weekend?
I'll pretty much be singing and playing my guitar non-stop, so I doubt I'll be in this round...
Mike
I'll pretty much be singing and playing my guitar non-stop, so I doubt I'll be in this round...
Mike
>>Bachiavellian Darnit. Entries are closed. After that, I was so tempted to submit the prompt of 'Plucked!'
Keep North Through the Mud, Cosmos Mariner—Destination Unknown. No Time to Think, Away We Go, One Step at a Time!
My City Was Gone On The Wings of a Dream. The Real Me, Never Every Time.
Daredevil, Settling an Old Score Greater Than Friendship. Unfinished Business?
Jack of Spades, Queen of Hearts, Ot, Lock, Stock, and Barrel.
Shoutouts to Simpleflips: The Virgin Twilight vs The Chad Starlight, Gluing All the Leaves Back on the Trees. Save Some for the Rest of Us!
My City Was Gone On The Wings of a Dream. The Real Me, Never Every Time.
Daredevil, Settling an Old Score Greater Than Friendship. Unfinished Business?
Jack of Spades, Queen of Hearts, Ot, Lock, Stock, and Barrel.
Shoutouts to Simpleflips: The Virgin Twilight vs The Chad Starlight, Gluing All the Leaves Back on the Trees. Save Some for the Rest of Us!
>>georg
Just throw your vote to “On The Wings of a Dream”. If you’ve been plucked, all you have are dream wings. It’s close enough to be justifiable.
Just throw your vote to “On The Wings of a Dream”. If you’ve been plucked, all you have are dream wings. It’s close enough to be justifiable.
I am not likely to take part in the writing phase. I’ll consider drawing something.
>>Miller Minus
You don't need proper capitalisation when riding on the wings of a dream.
You don't need proper capitalisation when riding on the wings of a dream.
>>Zaid Val'Roa
Problem is, improperly capitalized dreams have a way of running out of money halfway through. In particular, there was a series of dreams that went ahead with far more funding than they needed due to overleveraged underwriting by the Perihelion Bank of Canterlot back in 350 CE, when the division of responsibilities in the New Celestial Government wasn't stable yet. The hidden losses of confidence in the solidity of the dreams slowly piled up, until they tipped over into the economic disaster later named the Icarus Scenario. Sudden shortages of essential commodities in the oneiromarket created a cascade of productivity crashes all across Equestria, which lasted until an emergency summit with some Saddle Arabian scientists brought into existence a thick black substance which Princess Luna proudly presented as a solution, stoking initial demand on the black market by making rations of it the only accepted payment for the occasional favors from her corvid agents all across Equestria's back alleys.
Unfortunately, disagreements over the proper disposition of the substance, as well as outbreaks of insomnia, made the resultant boom even more unstable than the bust, and after the terrifying rollercoaster of the next decade, from monthly stampedes to a few narrowly averted famines, the two diarchs finally hashed out the division of their courts that has lasted since. Celestia agreed to stay out of any further manipulations in the oneiromarket, concentrating her focus on more material goods, as well as keeping the energy of the sun confined to only the main part of the day, while Luna accepted the combination of lunar luminance limits and full responsibility for dream enforcement in exchange for the perk of being the only ruler to still be permitted to take caw-fee.
Problem is, improperly capitalized dreams have a way of running out of money halfway through. In particular, there was a series of dreams that went ahead with far more funding than they needed due to overleveraged underwriting by the Perihelion Bank of Canterlot back in 350 CE, when the division of responsibilities in the New Celestial Government wasn't stable yet. The hidden losses of confidence in the solidity of the dreams slowly piled up, until they tipped over into the economic disaster later named the Icarus Scenario. Sudden shortages of essential commodities in the oneiromarket created a cascade of productivity crashes all across Equestria, which lasted until an emergency summit with some Saddle Arabian scientists brought into existence a thick black substance which Princess Luna proudly presented as a solution, stoking initial demand on the black market by making rations of it the only accepted payment for the occasional favors from her corvid agents all across Equestria's back alleys.
Unfortunately, disagreements over the proper disposition of the substance, as well as outbreaks of insomnia, made the resultant boom even more unstable than the bust, and after the terrifying rollercoaster of the next decade, from monthly stampedes to a few narrowly averted famines, the two diarchs finally hashed out the division of their courts that has lasted since. Celestia agreed to stay out of any further manipulations in the oneiromarket, concentrating her focus on more material goods, as well as keeping the energy of the sun confined to only the main part of the day, while Luna accepted the combination of lunar luminance limits and full responsibility for dream enforcement in exchange for the perk of being the only ruler to still be permitted to take caw-fee.
Happy Easter, folks! :yay:
I hope y’all are faring well. I keep bouncing off various attempts at stories, but I might be onto one that works...
I hope y’all are faring well. I keep bouncing off various attempts at stories, but I might be onto one that works...
Well, traveling and stuff ate up all my mental energy. No dice. Good luck! Hope to read everything when I get home.
I'm almost in this one.
I am finally starting to turn around my depression with the twice-weekly ketamine treatments, so I am now on the verge of being able to write again. I've used this prompt to restart a story I'd been working on, and I would submit it if I had the time and energy to finish it, but I don't.
However, I am going to finish the story this time, and I will be posting it in the folder before the contest has concluded (before the art portion is done, at any rate). I hereby Pinkie Promise it, which is a guarantee. So there. :derpytongue2:
Best of luck to everypony.
I am finally starting to turn around my depression with the twice-weekly ketamine treatments, so I am now on the verge of being able to write again. I've used this prompt to restart a story I'd been working on, and I would submit it if I had the time and energy to finish it, but I don't.
However, I am going to finish the story this time, and I will be posting it in the folder before the contest has concluded (before the art portion is done, at any rate). I hereby Pinkie Promise it, which is a guarantee. So there. :derpytongue2:
Best of luck to everypony.
All right. I'm ready for another try. Managed to come up with some work, edited it, and submitted it. Hell, I don't even care a fig whether or not I score highly. I'm just pleased as punch not only to have written something at long last, but to have actually finished something too. Boy howdy has it been too long.
>>Posh
>>BlueChameleonVI
Well now I’m more bummed; you guys are fun to do this with, and I hear the Mountain King makes some pretty mean flapjacks...
Naw, Easter is a happy time, but it’s also busy. I saw that coming and planned to take Friday off to buy me some writing time. Thought I was set until I found out Thursday afternoon that I was going to be needed Friday after all. Past that point, my usual couple of time blocks I can squeak in over a weekend got chipped away by either overt Easter activities or tangentially related circumstances.
At least our choir’s Easter song was good both times we sang it! :-p
>>BlueChameleonVI
Well now I’m more bummed; you guys are fun to do this with, and I hear the Mountain King makes some pretty mean flapjacks...
Naw, Easter is a happy time, but it’s also busy. I saw that coming and planned to take Friday off to buy me some writing time. Thought I was set until I found out Thursday afternoon that I was going to be needed Friday after all. Past that point, my usual couple of time blocks I can squeak in over a weekend got chipped away by either overt Easter activities or tangentially related circumstances.
At least our choir’s Easter song was good both times we sang it! :-p
>>CoffeeMinion
Yep, Easter's a good time. Had the family round for a nice big meal yesterday, finished of course with a lovely selection of chocolate eggs. Good time indeed.
Yep, Easter's a good time. Had the family round for a nice big meal yesterday, finished of course with a lovely selection of chocolate eggs. Good time indeed.
>>CoffeeMinion
I'm glad you at least had a nice time. ^_^ Come join me in the Oops No Time box if you like, and better luck with story-writing in the future…
I'm glad you at least had a nice time. ^_^ Come join me in the Oops No Time box if you like, and better luck with story-writing in the future…
Wow, this is a strong slate of authors. It's one of those rounds where you don't have to finish high to consider you've done well.
>>Pascoite
Too right. I don't fancy my chances against Anonymous. That guy makes Tolkien look like a complete hack.
Too right. I don't fancy my chances against Anonymous. That guy makes Tolkien look like a complete hack.
I make this my peace offering just in case an angry mob comes after me for my reviews. (Does anyone else feel like this when they review?)
Anyways, not entirely related to the Writeoff, but after reading a couple Rainbow and Scootaloo pieces, here is a little more to give you the Rainbow and Scootaloo fuzzies: here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Upgj3VBUkU
Anyways, good luck! I can't wait to see the results! (And the art!)
Edit: sorry- for some strange reason the url ain't working
Anyways, not entirely related to the Writeoff, but after reading a couple Rainbow and Scootaloo pieces, here is a little more to give you the Rainbow and Scootaloo fuzzies: here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Upgj3VBUkU
Anyways, good luck! I can't wait to see the results! (And the art!)
Edit: sorry- for some strange reason the url ain't working
>>PinoyPony
Thank you for reviewing! If anyone gets upset at you just point them in my direction and I will pile drive them.
Seriously, good job.
Thank you for reviewing! If anyone gets upset at you just point them in my direction and I will pile drive them.
Seriously, good job.
>>PinoyPony
All right! We've both done the whole gallery AND guaranteed two comments for each story. High five, fellow completionist! n_n
All right! We've both done the whole gallery AND guaranteed two comments for each story. High five, fellow completionist! n_n
>>BlueChameleonVI
>>PinoyPony
You guys are kickin’ azz. ^^ The workshop aspect of this is the best.
Speaking of, I’mma get my own review thing fired up here too before long...
>>PinoyPony
You guys are kickin’ azz. ^^ The workshop aspect of this is the best.
Speaking of, I’mma get my own review thing fired up here too before long...
Since likes are anonymous (and it would be rude not to answer back)
>>BlueChameleonVI
>>CoffeeMinion
High five! Or in this case, since it is a Pony round /)
>>BlueChameleonVI
>>CoffeeMinion
High five! Or in this case, since it is a Pony round /)
Just a quick note to let authors know that I've created the "On The Wings of a Dream" folder over in the Writeoff Association FIMFiction group. (As well as the folder for last month's pony minific competition, if anyone expanded one of those fics out to a longer standalone story.)
Obligatory reminder: DO NOT POST YOUR FIC THERE UNTIL THE JUDGING IS OVER! I'd hate for you to break anonymity by jumping the gun.
The Writeoff group's folders are locked to those with "Contributor" status -- however, everyone who has ever participated in a Writeoff before qualifies for the upgrade. If you're not a "Contributor" to the Writeoff FIMFiction group, reply to me here with your FIMFic username, or PM me on FIMFic, and I'll fix that for you.
Obligatory reminder: DO NOT POST YOUR FIC THERE UNTIL THE JUDGING IS OVER! I'd hate for you to break anonymity by jumping the gun.
The Writeoff group's folders are locked to those with "Contributor" status -- however, everyone who has ever participated in a Writeoff before qualifies for the upgrade. If you're not a "Contributor" to the Writeoff FIMFiction group, reply to me here with your FIMFic username, or PM me on FIMFic, and I'll fix that for you.
Only six submissions?! :pinkiegasp:
That's remarkably weird. I really need to get myself back to health so I can contribute again.
I'm still working on mine. It might take longer than hoped because I may want to join the Incest competition which ends Tuesday, but I'm dedicated to finishing it. Maybe I'll ask for a prereader if I can find anypony.
That's remarkably weird. I really need to get myself back to health so I can contribute again.
I'm still working on mine. It might take longer than hoped because I may want to join the Incest competition which ends Tuesday, but I'm dedicated to finishing it. Maybe I'll ask for a prereader if I can find anypony.