After the events of Siege of the Crystal Empire, the ex-King Sombra and Radiant Hope travel the world to resemble Princess Amore to atone for Sombra's past mistakes. All the while dealing with demons of the past and preparing for the future.
Commissioned by Holycross9, a long time follower of mine.
Okay...if you've been following me for any length of time, you know that I hated Siege of the Crystal Empire. A lot. I've gone on record and said I consider it the worst comic IDW has ever produced. And that I considered Radiant Hope unsympathetic and do NOT like her.
But I ALSO said I had intents to do fix fics because I felt the amount wasted potential in that comic was a large part of why I hated it.
So when I got this commission, Holycross let me try to fix some of those issues while I was at it.
Note, I didn't say an ACCUSATION fic or a 'beat up the character I dislike' fic. I don't blieve in those.
This wasn't easy to do, given my feelings for the subject matter, but I'm okay with how it came out, I hope you like it!
My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro!
Cover Art thanks to Fluttershy626!
If you hate it so much why agree to this then? I'm sorry but it seems like you'd rather avoid this type of story.
6912815 Because it gave me a chance to fix some of the issues I had with it that made me hate it.
6912850 Personally I liked it.
6912857 Which is exactly why I made sure NOT to make this a Siege of the Crystal Empire bash fest. I don't think Fix fics SHOULD be bash fests. I think they should just address the problem, NOT rip the work apart.
6912896 So... the opposite of.... nearly every Mare-Do-Well 'Fix Fic' out in existence?
6912900 Yeah, about right.
I think most people get Fix Fic (a fic intended to correct problems with the canon thing) confused with Accusation Fic (fics intended to chew out a character or characters for doing something they didn't agree with).
In my opinion, fix fics should actually ADDRESS the problem with the original in a respectful way.
6912908 Yeah cause nearly EVERY Fix Fic that deals with Mare-Do-Well that I've seen? Only seemed to have been accusations.
6912916 Same here.
And same with the Wedding 'fix fics'.
Fix Fics shouldn't just be the writer's venting their anger at something they don't like.
6912926 Speaking of those stories do you have any issues with those episodes?
6912927 I think Mare-Do-Well could've given a bit more time to the Mane Six trying other methods before resorting to it, or saying their ORIGINAL intent was to help make sure she didn't get over her head, or such.
As for the wedding, my biggest issues is the mane six just leaving Twilight there. I actually DON'T hold Celestia badly there because she though Cadence was her FREAKING NIECE so her being mad at Twilight and going to check on her made a LOT more sense.
I don't think the mane six deserve being chewed out, but that does annoy me. I'm MORE annoyed by the fact people tend to forget Twilight's actions at the wedding hall are only right from HER perspective, not from everyone else's at the time, and act like the OTHER characters are the only ones who messed up there.
6912937 Yeah.
6912937 It says a lot that Darth Link 22's Nuptialverse has probably the most even handed "Canterlot Wedding" Fix Fic of the whole bunch (it addresses ALL the characters' missteps, INCLUDING Twilight's, without making any of them look like the bad guy).
And, yeah, "Siege of the Crystal Empire" was a story that could have been a lot better if it wasn't so rushed. They tried to condense a six-part story into a four-part story and the story suffered for it (in other words, the exact opposite problem a certain pair of two-part stories that shall remain nameless had). And that's in addition to what YOU pointed out.
But, anyway, excellent job on the emotional content, exchanges and wrap-up of this Fix Fic.
After the terribadness that was the Seige arc, this is a welcome thing.
I salute you, author.
6912926 Here's one link of a Wedding fix fic that was done right: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/126499/the-canterlot-healing-process
6912937 Not to mention that Queen Chrysalis should be the character that fans should be angry with, since she caused all of Twilight's friends to turn on her.
6913355
Oh that guy. The entire season 5 finale was showing 'don't screw with the timeline' and he has Twilight fix things by screwing with the timeline even bigger than Glimmer did. (Removing past Glimmer and raising her in the present, to erase current Glimmer? How in the hell does that NOT fly in the warning the story was giving about time travel in that verse?).
6913598
Twilight came across as a self-righteous accusing, nearly paranoid jealous type, and Shining Armor shot down all her accusations with what sounded like perfectly logical answers, and Chrysalis milked the wounded gazelle gambit for everything it was worth. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WoundedGazelleGambit
6917612 Yes, I've come realize that after reading the story I linked down below.
This is an interesting coda to the comics, and I like the voice that you gave to Radiant Hope. I'm curious what it was about the comics that you felt fixing, since the parts that drove me up the wall were ones you seemed content to keep in. I was mainly bugged by the fact that A)Minor, non-evil antagonists like Iron Will and the FlimFlam Brothers were suddenly interested in "taking out" ponies and risking themselves in a violent coup. And B) If Sombra is an Umbrum that can become good, then presumably other Umbrum could become good too, like Rabia's daughter, who is now locked away in the Umbrum Oubliette forever more.
6918137 I'll agree with you concerning almost everything (especially the part concerning Iron Will [I mean. it would have made MUCH more sense if he was being mind-controlled or if it was a robot made to look like Iron Will]), but I would hardly call the Flim Flam Brothers "non-evil". I mean, they were already criminals willing to let their best customer potentially die (and, mind you, this was in the actual TV series NOT in the comic) even BEFORE that mess (though I WILL admit that they are usually motivated by money, not revenge).
6918137 The fact that Radiant Hope showed no remorse or guilt for her actions period. Which I felt made her extremely unsympathetic.
So I fixed that by having her show a delayed reaction to it and that she ultimately does feel guilt over all the lives she jeopardized. WITHOUT someone giving her a several paragraph chewing out.
6918636 That's a bit of a stretch. Granny was going on and on about being a world famous Aqua-pony, Flim and Flam had no particular reason not to believe her more than anyone else.
Though I suppose the fact that they took over Equestria in one timeline does raise more questions about their willingness to participate in an armed takeover of the government...
6918686 Yeah, I think Radiant was very lucky she got judged for her crimes in the Crystal Empire, where Love Conquers All. To me it was disturbing that she spent 1,000 years with the Umbrum. Radiant comes off as pretty smart, so either the Umbrum are unbelievably good at pretending en masse to be decent people, including the children, or there are some Umbrum who aren't wholly evil at all times. Apparently Radiant spent lots of time with Rabia's daughter, enough to get to know her and be on friendly terms with her. The fact that she leaves that little girl to be locked up forever in the shadow prison as she strolls off with Sombra at the end is what really bothers me.
Now you have me wanting for more Radiant X Sombrero fics. Nice fix fic especially considering that you said you didn't like Radiant Hope that much.
I love this story. added it to my favs. I hope you do more with this couple. Let a wedding, the baby being born, bring back Princess Amore. So much is there! Cant wait to see what you do.
Can you please make a sequel to this?
Great work
I disagree (Hope and Sombra were my favorite aspects; the unnecessary antagonists were my least-favorite), yet still like this fic.
8000923 Which is exactly why I wrote it how I did: I acknowledge that even though I dislike something, others might like it, so I never write straight up attack fics, rather genuine fix fics that address problems I had how the show would.
Glad you liked it.
7591908
I have considered commissioning him to do a follow up of this one, such having Fleury Heart and Sombra's foal having a little play date while their parents observe nearby.
Good idea!
8300740
Good idea!
6918686
Huh, now that you mention it I recognize what you mean. Normally I don't read all that far into the comics (as in taking everything to heart), I just read them for enjoyment, and they have neat ideas which give me inspiration. So, often I am on the more 'it wasn't perfect, but I enjoyed it, so that's good enough for me' side of things.
So, its nice to have folks point out the weaknesses kindly, rather than beating them, and I think your tale here - while a little fast paced - 'fixs' your perceived problem nicely without focusing too much on it.
Simply said, I enjoyed this, and I hope you continue writing well
Luckily the show has made it crystal clear that everything comic related with the Crystal Empire (outside Princess Amore) never actually happened. I can believe that Radiant Hope was a real mare at some point. Even had the same idea from the comic for her.
But I can't see anypony being as blind as she was unless they're super high on Love Poison.
Great story though.
8000923
Radiant Hope is also my favorate *squee*
I can't wait to see Sombra's face when his child is going to have history classes about cristal empire