Just a quick note here before I begin. I've moved all my promotions to Story Promotions (Round XI) · 1:53am Jun 21st, 2015
Happy Saturday, guys! Have another round of story promotions!
... Right below the break. 
Life can be hard in the Apple Clan, for ponies who don't like farming. Farming is what the Apple Clan does, that's just how it is. But Caramel was never any good at it. He could never focus, and he was always making mistakes. One night, he decided he'd had enough. He was going to run away, and leave all his mistakes behind him.
Just as Trust took the title of "oldest story Bad has promoted," Patchwork swoops in and steals it. Even with the test of time, this story still shines through as a hidden gem.
Published just a year after the show's initial premier, Patchwork focuses on two things: Caramel's internal conflict regarding his cutiemark and life in Ponyville, and Caramel's interactions with a place and ponies unlike any other he's ever seen. After fleeing Sweet Apple Acres, Caramel injures himself out in the wild in an unfortunate accident. Thankfully, a mare saves him and takes him back to her village to heal his injury. Her village is no ordinary village. Here, ponies are assigned tasks and occupations based on birth order, size, and race, rather than individual aspiration.
Here, there are no cutiemarks.
I stumbled across this story shortly after watching The Cutie Map. I was expecting far more similarities than there actually were. While both Patchwork and The Cutie Map are dystopian societies (and collectivist nightmares), no wall-eyed stares are to be found here. In fact, despite the distress Caramel feels in the village, the residents seem pretty happy... Until, of course, Caramel does what Caramel does best:
He meddles.
What both the village and Caramel experience as a result of this meddling is what makes this story a hidden treasure. The OC cast is fantastic, from the young unicorn mare who saves Caramel, to a cobbler who helps Caramel learn his trade, to a young filly he befriends. All of them are crafted masterfully—even the "villains," though an idea rather than an individual is to blame here.
In addition to the great characters, Caramel develops along with the village in a way that is both believable and beautiful. Be warned: the ending may make you break out some tissues.
If you enjoy stories starring Caramel, great OC casts, dystopian stories, or a good look at the magic behind cutiemarks, look no further than Patchwork.
Some ponies never change. Prince Blueblood is one of them.
Maybe came to me by way of someone else's recommendation. I follow JohnPerry for his blogs rather than his stories, but this one looked rather interesting. I'm always on the lookout for stories about underappreciated/underused characters, and Blueblood, for better or for worse, is most definitely one of those.
Maybe follows the haughty Prince from his school days all the way through the events of the Grand Galloping Gala in Season One. Even as a young colt, Blueblood's canon personality shines through. Sent by his father, the Duke of Whinneyton, to a Canterlot public skill to learn social skills, Blueblood proceeds to learn... exactly none of them. Rude, arrogant, and disinterested in others, Blueblood finds himself without friends... except for Bad Penny.
Over the course of his years, like her name suggests, Bad Penny shows up in Blueblood's life, over and over again. She's the only one who makes an attempt to connect with Blueblood, from her "do-you-like-me" school days to her resigned acknowledgment of what Blueblood has become. Blueblood's father essentially leaves his son to fend for himself, surrounded by an echo chamber of "commoners" who, of course, want nothing more from the soon-to-be-Prince than fame and fortune. Meanwhile, Blueblood romances Princess Cadence and become the stallion he was born to be... or so he thinks.
Is this a Blueblood redemption story? Or is it the backstory that leads to the boorish brute we all know and hate?
Maybe.
Regardless of how you feel about Blueblood, this story is probably the best examination of his character that I have ever seen. And for better or worse, Penny makes a fantastic OC and counterpart to Blueblood—though flawed herself, she serves as an excellent foil, and more. Penny's interactions with Blueblood range from comedic to somber, making this journey very thought-provoking and emotional.
Will you cry? Will you laugh? Will you walk away from this story with a few things to think about?
Maybe.
If you enjoy stories about Prince Blueblood, a moving backstory and examination of an underused character, or thought-provoking stories, you have found your read.
It's been three months since Twilight and Rainbow Dash became a couple, once a week they go out together leaving Spike alone in the library. Left with only his thoughts to make him company, Spike faces the greatest enemy that someone has: themselves.
While a few stories that ship Rarity with someone other than Spike acknowledge—or, at least, attempt to acknowledge—the impact this development would have on Spike's life, even fewer address the implications of Twilight doing the same. Often this is because the stories in question don't include Spike too much to begin with—I am guilty of this myself—or because he isn't thought to be bothered too much, so why address it?
Alone In The Dark is one of those rare stories that take a look at Spike's side of the story. More specifically, the story explores how Spike would react to the one he loves the most—the one, some argue, he considers his sister—spending more time with someone she loves than him. Anyone who has seen a friend fade away after being swept up in a relationship, or worried that a parent's new love will steal them away from us, can relate.
While this is a very short story, it covers a lot of emotional depth through Spike's inner conflict and monologue. In true Slice of Life fashion, not much happens—Dash arrives to take Twilight on a date, they leave the library, and Spike wishes them goodbye. (He also plays the saxophone, which I've never seen before, though.) However, this isn't a knock against the story—the focus is raising the question of how Spike would feel in such a situation and examining it thoroughly.
Without saying much more, this is a delightful little read from an interesting perspective that we haven't seen before. My only complaint is that it isn't longer and needs a little editing. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed this read.
If you're looking for a story about Spike, an examination of the consequences of changes in Twilight's life on Spike, or introspective Slice of Life stories, give Alone In The Dark a glance.
A Train, On Fire, Full Of Orphans
Lyra Heartstrings, who is not exactly the most responsible adult out there, is driving a train. A train with no brakes, on fire, full of orphans, which is approaching a broken bridge at terminal velocity.
Hmm. Well, at least things can't get worse.
After all of those feels, it's time for some humor. And what better humor than dark humor? And what better Dark Comedy story could there be other than one about... a train, on fire, full of orphans?
.. 
... Okay, okay, jokes aside, this is hilarious. Like most Dark Comedy stories, it's hilarious in a way that makes me hate myself, but not so much that I won't read it again. I have read this story several times—the initial read, and a few more to cheer myself up. Either this story is that funny, or I am just a horrible person. Probably both.
Um, so, synopsis... Right. Well, it's pretty much already there. Lyra fails at conducting a train, which happens to both be full of orphans and be on fire, and phones her best friend, Bon-Bon, for assistance.
This does not go well.
At a little under 4K words, this is quite the fast read... if you can keep reading between your laughs. It's very well-written, horribly absurd, deliciously side-splitting, and sufficient in terms of both orphans and fire to add a little cherry on top of my going-to-Hell-for-this sundae. Mmm, sundae.
If you need a good laugh, enjoy dark humor, or want to see what happens when Bon-Bon tries to advise her best friend how to conduct a train over the phone, this is the story for you!
Well, that's all I have for now, guys! Expect some more promotions in July. 
Until then, happy reading!
Shippy Cadance? There is no escape.
How does one's story become part of your reviews?
3167057 Sacrifice.
I have a desire to mine the series for every instance of the phrase "best friend(s)", since that is apparently Hasbro-code for "implied lesbians". (We can use it for straight couples, too, if there are any, we're tolerant.)
Have you read The Best Night Ever? I bet that one would give it a run for its money in terms of Blueblood's character.
I'VE READ THIS ONE.
I forgot where/how I first came across it but ohdeargodwhatlol.
Speaking of Cupid/Shipping/Wifehorse, that pic reminded me of another rather humorous story.
Apples? That's below the belt. Her friends are the Apple trees. I don't even want to know why Cadence has an infatuation with bigger layabouts than Tom.
3167399
Can confirm, The Best Night Ever, and its sequel, have pretty much the best blueblood characterisation on the site.
I also follow JohnPerry. It was initially because of his "Mission: Improbable" series that he's kind of disowned because he feels they're not his best work. Oh well. I still like them. So of course, I happen to follow his blogs as well. I understand Maybe is his best story, but I have never read it for some reason. Will I read it now that you've recommended it?
Maybe.
Oh, hey! Lately Train on Fire had been getting a bit of attention, and I was wondering where'd it come from. Guess I know it now. Thanks for the feature!