Quite spectacular. I love your voice, at least before the accident happens. It was very unique and entertaining.
Tamara's time with Theratha and Hayli was tragically sweet. I originally got a feeling that it was more of a paleopony primitive herd thing, but then it seemed to move far up the civilizational scale. I'm not sure I liked that.
I find Winter Whistle uninteresting, but I probably have a bias against stallions. I find Tamara's travels as a witch in medieval pre-migration Equestria interesting, but unsatisfying. It feels purposeless. And I'm not very fond of the idea of the main character birthing Celestia and Luna.
I want Tamara to encounter Theratha or Hayli again. Just once. I am far more interested in Tamara's own character than another destined Equestrian origin story.
When Tamara got her cutie mark a number of small details interspersed throughout the story so far suddenly made sense. It is also kickstarting a number of theories of what is to come.
When Tamara first arrived she's described as having a cream colored coat with red hair. Her firstborn is a pure white pegasus with strawberry blonde hair and rose colored eyes. Tamara earns her cutie mark, which is a quill and inkwell.
Based upon her description, love of writing, and current lack of Faust, I'm starting to suspect that Tamara herself will eventually become Faust.
Another thing that I suspect, though I know that it's a bit of a stretch, is that based on the first child's description and name, the second child will be a girl. If so and she is colored and named after the night (like Solar is about the daytime), I suspect that we're witnessing the births the future Celestia and Luna. I know Solar is a boy, but it's not like gender disphoria is an unknown concept in this story and given Tamara's change in gender in addition to species it's entirely possible that Solar could change gender during ascension to alicornhood.
All that said, I'm extremely pleased with this story so far and very eagerly await more!
And given the main character's origins, I don't find her first child's status as a colt convincing evidence that it will not become Celestia. It makes me slightly happier about the probable direction, actually. Points to interesting character interaction.
A thing I noticed. Most fics depict powerful magic-users, and their foolish enemies who consider it to be trickery are dashed against a magical wall. This fic depicts a magic-user who uses illusions and trickery, but I haven't seen many people call her bluff. It feels self-serving. But that doesn't really factor into my enjoyment, it's just something I noticed.
Yuh. I thought about the possibility of Tamara being Faust (considering the incredibly likely destiny of her children), but I didn't remember her coloring. This just clinches it.
6670335 Think less 'paleopony', more 'serfs'. Our earth pony duo in the beginning live simple lives, decades before earth ponies form any real, cohesive tribe. That doesn't mean civilization can't be found.
I'll admit, a weakness in this story is how little time I can devote to each character- I'll already be edging past novel length by the end, and the earlier chapters tended to jump by decades. I've fleshed Winter out as much as I can in the time I've given myself. As for Tamara's attitude, you can see the stark difference between the 'flashbacks' and bulks of the chapters just how her time in Equestria has changed her.
I get what you mean by the society being more interesting as a stand-alone thing, but any time travel story needs to tie into itself, unless you want to leave plotholes and Macguffins littering your office.
The question nobody's asked yet: why hasn't Tamara aged?
6669829 I've got ideas for a trans character in a later story, but believe you me, I think it would cheapen things to leave it as a 'whirly light show, boom, you're a girl!' scene. One of the best concepts in MLP:FIM is that the characters don't just pull out magic solutions- even when they have actual magic solutions, they need to work for them.
6670371 Oh, believe me, I agree. I would much rather there be a deeper story and explanation to it than that cheap trope. And based on what I've read of this story so far, I'm not worried about being disappointed.
As for why at least I haven't asked about Tamara's aging (or lack thereof), I was actually under the impression that she was aging, but only at a slower rate, for reasons as of yet unknown. My mental image of her until now has been of a mare who looked to be, perhaps, in her late 50s; aging but still rather spry. Your comment basically confirming that she hasn't aged at all brings up a number of questions, for sure, but it also makes me want to reread the last handful of chapters with the new mental image of her appearing in her mid 20s.
And it adds further validity to my first theory about Tamara being Faust.
Buuuut, like I said, I eagerly await future chapters to learn for sure.
Think less 'paleopony', more 'serfs'. Our earth pony duo in the beginning live simple lives, decades before earth ponies form any real, cohesive tribe. That doesn't mean civilization can't be found.
Well, yes, I figured that out. Even during the primitive feel, earth ponies had agriculture, so there had to be civilization going. The very visceral way you depicted Tamara's learning of the old earth pony language (which was very good, by the way) probably contributed to that. Tamara at least was living a fairly paleopony lifestyle.
the characters don't just pull out magic solutions- even when they have actual magic solutions
Uh... Have you watched the show?
Elements of Harmony
memory rewriting spell, then Elements of Harmony
failed to get Elements of Harmony, instead the Magic of Love prevails
Twilight and Spike brave a magic maze, they get the Crystal Macguffin and Magicsplode everywhere
Elements of Harmony, transform!
Elements of Harmony locked away, but the Magic was inside you all along
Super Saiyan beatdown then Magic Box Rainbow Crap
Magic Map points you everywhere, also really ugly crystal treehouse
And the movies:
Elements of Harmony aren't available, but the Magic was inside you all along
6670452 Good point! I meant more about how every problem was of the man versus... well, 'mare' versus nature, self, etcetera.
The Elements of Macguffin, for instance, don't work if all the bearers aren't cooperating. The Table of Unobtanium only pointed out the problems, but the work still had to be put in.
Also, thank for the language bit- I was inspired by a couple of old sci-fi stories, actually.
How the hell did it take me this long to find this gem of a story. Your take on the pre-Equestrian history is one of the most engaging and interesting versions I have read so far.
Wow....that one bit about big red button that blink and whistle and have lots of warning labels......I love this story.........I’m also very tired. It was 9:00 two seconds ago.........now it 11:00
Quite spectacular. I love your voice, at least before the accident happens. It was very unique and entertaining.
Tamara's time with Theratha and Hayli was tragically sweet. I originally got a feeling that it was more of a paleopony primitive herd thing, but then it seemed to move far up the civilizational scale. I'm not sure I liked that.
I find Winter Whistle uninteresting, but I probably have a bias against stallions. I find Tamara's travels as a witch in medieval pre-migration Equestria interesting, but unsatisfying. It feels purposeless. And I'm not very fond of the idea of the main character birthing Celestia and Luna.
I want Tamara to encounter Theratha or Hayli again. Just once. I am far more interested in Tamara's own character than another destined Equestrian origin story.
6666766
What does this have to do with Xenophilia?
An other great chapter. This story is getting better and better as it goes along. I can't wait to see what is going to happen next.
When Tamara got her cutie mark a number of small details interspersed throughout the story so far suddenly made sense. It is also kickstarting a number of theories of what is to come.
When Tamara first arrived she's described as having a cream colored coat with red hair. Her firstborn is a pure white pegasus with strawberry blonde hair and rose colored eyes. Tamara earns her cutie mark, which is a quill and inkwell.
Based upon her description, love of writing, and current lack of Faust, I'm starting to suspect that Tamara herself will eventually become Faust.
Another thing that I suspect, though I know that it's a bit of a stretch, is that based on the first child's description and name, the second child will be a girl. If so and she is colored and named after the night (like Solar is about the daytime), I suspect that we're witnessing the births the future Celestia and Luna. I know Solar is a boy, but it's not like gender disphoria is an unknown concept in this story and given Tamara's change in gender in addition to species it's entirely possible that Solar could change gender during ascension to alicornhood.
All that said, I'm extremely pleased with this story so far and very eagerly await more!
Oops, I commented before reading the chapter.
And given the main character's origins, I don't find her first child's status as a colt convincing evidence that it will not become Celestia. It makes me slightly happier about the probable direction, actually. Points to interesting character interaction.
A thing I noticed. Most fics depict powerful magic-users, and their foolish enemies who consider it to be trickery are dashed against a magical wall. This fic depicts a magic-user who uses illusions and trickery, but I haven't seen many people call her bluff. It feels self-serving. But that doesn't really factor into my enjoyment, it's just something I noticed.
6669829
Yuh. I thought about the possibility of Tamara being Faust (considering the incredibly likely destiny of her children), but I didn't remember her coloring. This just clinches it.
6670335 Think less 'paleopony', more 'serfs'. Our earth pony duo in the beginning live simple lives, decades before earth ponies form any real, cohesive tribe. That doesn't mean civilization can't be found.
I'll admit, a weakness in this story is how little time I can devote to each character- I'll already be edging past novel length by the end, and the earlier chapters tended to jump by decades. I've fleshed Winter out as much as I can in the time I've given myself. As for Tamara's attitude, you can see the stark difference between the 'flashbacks' and bulks of the chapters just how her time in Equestria has changed her.
I get what you mean by the society being more interesting as a stand-alone thing, but any time travel story needs to tie into itself, unless you want to leave plotholes and Macguffins littering your office.
The question nobody's asked yet: why hasn't Tamara aged?
6669829 I've got ideas for a trans character in a later story, but believe you me, I think it would cheapen things to leave it as a 'whirly light show, boom, you're a girl!' scene. One of the best concepts in MLP:FIM is that the characters don't just pull out magic solutions- even when they have actual magic solutions, they need to work for them.
6670371 Oh, believe me, I agree. I would much rather there be a deeper story and explanation to it than that cheap trope. And based on what I've read of this story so far, I'm not worried about being disappointed.
As for why at least I haven't asked about Tamara's aging (or lack thereof), I was actually under the impression that she was aging, but only at a slower rate, for reasons as of yet unknown. My mental image of her until now has been of a mare who looked to be, perhaps, in her late 50s; aging but still rather spry. Your comment basically confirming that she hasn't aged at all brings up a number of questions, for sure, but it also makes me want to reread the last handful of chapters with the new mental image of her appearing in her mid 20s.
And it adds further validity to my first theory about Tamara being Faust.
Buuuut, like I said, I eagerly await future chapters to learn for sure.
6670371
Well, yes, I figured that out. Even during the primitive feel, earth ponies had agriculture, so there had to be civilization going. The very visceral way you depicted Tamara's learning of the old earth pony language (which was very good, by the way) probably contributed to that. Tamara at least was living a fairly paleopony lifestyle.
Uh... Have you watched the show?
And the movies:
6670452 Good point! I meant more about how every problem was of the man versus... well, 'mare' versus nature, self, etcetera.
The Elements of Macguffin, for instance, don't work if all the bearers aren't cooperating. The Table of Unobtanium only pointed out the problems, but the work still had to be put in.
Also, thank for the language bit- I was inspired by a couple of old sci-fi stories, actually.
I have to say that this story has cot my interest and I am looking foreword to the next chapter so Keep up the good work you are doing.
Dragonfox
How the hell did it take me this long to find this gem of a story. Your take on the pre-Equestrian history is one of the most engaging and interesting versions I have read so far.
I hope to see more soon.
oh my gosh you sir are a writing genius I did not see that coming that is totally a different version of lauren faust genius.
canvas
palette.
Can't explode twice.
Twins uh?
7621469 Twins are 2 children from the same parents within 24 hours of each other.
I love you for this line. And this story. And I am beginning to guess our mysterious night fliers are the Batponies. Or so I can hope!
That cutie mark wouldn't happen to look exactly like this, would it?
Wow....that one bit about big red button that blink and whistle and have lots of warning labels......I love this story.........I’m also very tired. It was 9:00 two seconds ago.........now it 11:00
. . .
So she will travel into future, make show and go back to modern Equestria?