Wheatland farms: the greatest source of food in Equestria. The ponies of Fillydelphia rely on it for bread, bakery products, and hay.
When a freak wildfire takes out an entire season's worth of crops, things are dire. The ponies of Fillydelphia are facing starvation.
Applejack hatches a daring plan. Accelerate the weather around her orchard, rushing through Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn, and reap another harvest in time before Fillydelphia's stocks run out. There's just one problem: all she has is a week.
For this to work, she needs a pegasus. Specifically, she needs a pegasus as nuts as her...
Contains AppleDash. Credit for editing/proofreading goes to Apple Cinnamon. Awesome art done for the story by arcanelexicon here. Written for the 3rd (?) AppleDash Contest about the themes of Family, and A Place Outside Ponyville.
This one jumped out at me - I'll be coming back soon to read it. It looks promising and the cover art is lovely
i love it!
I knew you were working on a seasonal story, but this is a really awesome idea! I think, maybe I know where this is going. However, I've been surprised before, and even if I'm right, it looks to be a really sweet story. It's a wee bit rushed, but I can't complain in the face of all that pony goodness. I do however have one more little gripe:
I don't think rats grow winter fur. I could be wrong, and probably am, but as far as I know, they only grow different sorts of fur when they reach adulthood, otherwise they constantly moult.
Anyway, kudos for the awesome first chapter!
6699762 Well, if they don't have winter coats, all the more reason for them to evacuate the orchard post-haste. :P
It probs feels a bit rushed because, well, Applejack is in a hurry. She's only got a week, after all. I expect it to feel a bit smoother once they get into the swing of things.
Or not! Maybe it's all my fault! You, the reader, decide!
i.qkme.me/3qco3d.jpg
6699486 I actually had three possible cover-arts. Originally I made one that was kind of similar to the one I'm using now. Then I got given (by arcanelexicon, who's in the story description) a neat little drawing of AJ and RD. I really liked it, but I wanted something with less black in it for the cover. I feel colours are a bit better at attracting attention, and black didn't really fit the mood I was going for. So eventually I redid my first one, but better.
I'm glad you liked it!
So far I'm liking it. I don't usually read contest stories, but this one has caught my full attention. Besides, I've been telling myself I need to read ships other than Sparity. Full throttle Hap
6701290 It's true that a lot of contest stories can be a bit rushed. Not so for this one! I took my sweet time on it. I actually wanted it out at least a whole week earlier!
6701398
I'll admit, I've rushed some of my stories (especially when it comes to getting it past approval), and it only backfired on me twice.
Very much enjoying this. I didn't quite think the plot would work, but this chapter has proved me wrong. Keep it going!
Well. Consider me intrigued. And practically drooling over this story. And eagerly stalking it. And all manner of positive things taken to the extreme.
6704109 This isn't even the strangest plot I've worked with. One of my favourite things about writing is that I can be pretty damn creative with nothing but writing ability to hold me back. I've written, among other things, stories about the universe being an antagonist, a book that rearranges what you always knew, and a romance story where neither characters are in the same room.
By comparison, I'd say cramming a year into a week is rather mild. I'm glad you enjoy it!
6704252 Sweet! Hopefully it'll live up to all those extremes.
Will you, dear?
I am liking this chapter. Immensely. Even the smallest sign of shipping makes me happy.
Orphan!Dash is best!Dash.
No, Dash. No. .... Dash, no. Bad idea, Dash. Don't you dare. No.
I take back my previous comment. Good Dash. Well done. You did it.
The instant I saw this in the feed I knew I had high expectations, and OWY has not dissappointed! Applejack and RD are being positively badass.
That last line slipped out of Applejack's voice for me, but in the best possible way. It made me think of some grim and grizzled commander rallying her troops the moment before battle. The premise is simply amazing and amazingly simple. Since conventional meteorlogical physics is right out the window on a regular Equestrian day, there's honestly no telling what reactions will happen when they attempt something like this.
It did strike me as unexpected that Aj intends to sell the double-harvest (normal price!). Instead of a purely charitable action, it could be seen by some that she's trying to jump a market of oppurtunity... and rallying free, voluntary labour to do it. 'tis a small nitpick, though; the story is great!
6704648 I admit, I didn't actually cover that aspect in the story, but I liked to think that the ponies involved were being compensated. At the very least, Rainbow's weatherponies would still be on her payroll, and the Appleoosa workponies would still be paid by Braeburn (which just leaves Rarity's force, which I did think were going to be compensated, even if I didn't explicitly say so).
I may consider adding a quick explanation in there somewhere: it was a bit of an oversight on my part.
I'm glad you enjoy it so far!
6704253 I thought The Many Complications of Interspecies Romance was bloody awesome. Been following you for a while.
It's weird - egg laying ponies/book universes my mind can handle, but a Harvest in one week just tripped my suspension of disbelief. I'm lucky that I did keep reading because it's turning out to be an really good story.
6707638 My mind does tend to go strange, disbelief suspending places. And then make them AppleDash, for some reason.
Glad you're enjoying the story!
I keep catching references that I'm pretty sure aren't there. It makes me look like a raving lunatic as I leap madly from room to room, yelling quotes and giggling to myself. I regret nothing.
6708432 I don't recall explicitly putting references in this chapter? Although I have a tendency to forget these things.
6708448
As I said, there are probably none. My brain just explicitly enjoys drawing parallels between things that aren't there. Still, as it hurts nobody, I'm willing to let it rampage quietly on the internet.
6708614 Rampage away! Don't let me stop you!
Welp, that was amazing. Pat yourself on the back author, you've earned it. That ride was hype as fuck.
6710537 A happy accident only, I'm afraid.
6711616 For that?
I think I can conjure up better puns than that, and even if I can't, I'm sure I'll be able to weather the damage done to my ego. I don't spend all my time yearning to put as many word-jokes as I can in my titles and comments.
Wow. One of the craziest plots I've ever read (and I've read about squirrels trying to invade minds) and yet so brilliantly executed! The plot, the characterisation, the writing as a whole... Practically perfect in every way. All I can say is you ought to celebrate for the next year - or at least a week - because heck if you don't deserve it.
6712114 That's quite glowing praise. Cheers! I'm very glad you enjoyed it.
That's not a hurricane!!!! you need water, lots and lots of water, that's why the form at the ocean level. It's the main power for a hurricane, once it touch land it start to dissipate. and once is complete out of the water it takes from minutes to hours to disappear at all.
It's the same as a typhoon, only it's at the Atlantic ocean and the typhoon is at the India Ocean. A hurricane is strong winds, a lot of rain, some thunders and lightings, and big waves!!! I know because I live in a place which has hurricane alert from september to may each year. So what you have is a big tornado, not a hurricane.
Great fic, by the way!
6718794 Weather confuses me
Glad you enjoyed the story! Sorry I know nothing about storms and stuff!
I hope this wins the competition! An excellent story, brilliant! Kudos for a brilliant job! Gah! This is too awesome!
I'm going to comment twice, because this story deserves it. Instead of just spouting my admiration this time, I'll quickly run through what I liked about this story:
- Everything works the way it would in Equestria. A shorthand way of saying all the characters, settings and events feel both real and tangible.
- The pacing is just right. I commented on the first chapter saying it felt a bit rushed, but that sense of urgency really hit home in the second chapter and the pacing clicked for me. While maybe the story could benefit from going into more detail of the tornado, I feel it's pacing is perfect having read the entire story.
- The ending tied the whole thing together. It sticks in my head as one of the best endings I've read, because it is open about rewarding the reader for sticking around.
Again, kudos and good luck!
6719628 Cheerio! I'm very glad you enjoyed it.
6723729 Yeah, but she got Applejack.
Best reward of all for hard work.
So, I found this item. Usually it's a chapter, concept, or a small piece of it that earns likes and favorites from me.
This whole ball of epic, though... From the first world to the last... it is an incredible thing for me.
The concepts, the characterization between RD and AJ, the growing sentiments and affection between them as their epic week progresses... Pacing was also really good. The whole story earns the like and the favorite from me! (And that's a rare thing!)
Based on that alone, I did a quick rundown of your other stories. A few have earned likes from me as well, and a few others I'll likely need to read or reread...
So to aid in this, I will be adding those stories I haven't read yet to my 'read later list'. I am also now stalking you in the form of a follow for all future stories.
You have my attention.
...my...undivided....attention...
6763064 That's quite glowing praise. Thank you.
Writing style kinda reminds me of the Leviathan Series by Scott Westerfeld: One hairbrained scheme after the other .
It caught my attention, held it, and never let go. Liked and faved
6777657 I'm not familiar with that author, I'm afraid. He sounds like he's done some decent work, though!
Thanks for reading. I'm very glad you enjoyed it.
As a life long book addict, I can confidently say that there are highly praised published authors who can't hold a candle to you, and to this story in particular. The romance, the plot, the mechanics - the entire story was one perfectly executed plot point after another!
In conclusion, thank you so much for writing this.
6826493 Ah yes, but do those highly praised authors have ponies?
I didn't think so. See, the odds were stacked in my favour all along! Ponies make everything better.
6826565
Ponies do improve everything, don't they?
6828080 Most things, yeah.
Truth be told, I am particularly happy with this story, though, so I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Reminded me a lot of Rainbow Typhoon, really.
Not a bad thing at all, either. I liked that fic a lot. Same as this one.
~Skeeter The Lurker
Oh yeah.
"Judgement pending".
~Skeeter The Lurker
6847130 Never heard of Rainbow Typhoon, I'm afraid. I may have to check it out if it's similar to this one.
Not, uh, sure what Judgement Pending means, but I'm sure it'll be lovely! I love judgements!
6847173
Here ya go.
~Skeeter The Lurker
6847178 Ah, that'll be why. Came out a while ago.
I'm afraid I'm of the 'arrived in 2014' variety. There are loads of pre-14 stories that I've simply never heard of. (Not that I'm generally aware of stuff that doesn't get handed to me on a silver platter).
I'll see about reading it, if I have time. I've always had a soft spot for the whole 'going up against insurmountable odds' kind of deal. Why, one of my current projects involves RD winning a race against teleportation.
6847185
SOLD.
~Skeeter The Lurker
6847194 Well, we'll have to see if I can finish the bloody thing first.
Projects are like bananas. You start with a bunch but they go pooey brown in no time.
Oh no!
All the cool little page breaks you used are broken because of the blacklisting.
~Skeeter The Lurker
6933491 I noticed, but I've been too busy building robots to fix them! I'll get around to it soon, I promise.
And chapter 1 down! It was a pretty badass read. The tension was real, the energy of the story was up there, and all the characters were done justice. One minuscule thing that caught my attention was Granny Smith's nay-saying at the end; that struck me as a little out of character for her, as I'd expect her to be cautious, but supportive... but that's such a minor thing it's barely a blip.
I see why you're proud of this one. I'll look forward to the next chapter!