- Member Since 15th Sep, 2011
- offline last seen Oct 4th, 2021
Bookish Delight
I've moved on from Fimfiction. New works on AO3!
Bookish Delight
Joined 15th Sep, 2011 ·
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It’s always nice to see stories where sex isn’t subliminally condemned and used to enhance characterization.
My only disappointment is that neither of them had a penis, but I can totally forgive you for that.
8641186
You know how I feel about doing the same thing as everyone else.
8641210
Oh snap.
I just got told.
Oh, hello, a Juniper story. I don't think I have actually seen one of these yet.
Another story? Good for you.
Is that supposed to be Starlight?
Good story.
8641461
::chases Shimmer back into her own stories::
Crazy chick jumps between text files I swear. Thanks!
8641464
Happy New Year!
Very sweet and very sexy in a friendship sort of way! I really enjoyed how you showed Starlight helping Juniper see her own self worth. Great story!
And another good story yay
Is it wrong that I want to see Juniper as a pony?
Have yet another fave!
8641770
derpicdn.net/img/2017/12/10/1604717/medium.png
8641785
Weird. I always headcanonned her as a Pegasus for some reason.
Thumbs up for neat pony pic!
You've still got it! starlight has mastered the magic fingering
8641828
I did too, but alas, she showed up as an erfpone on her Minis merch, so she's doomed forever.
I was gonna say that Starlight seems more confident and collected than usual, but apparently she's been busy.
8642845
You found my secret.
This is tooooootally canon to this story.
Not enough Juniper stories out there. Thanks for adding a lovely installment to the collection.
8658686
More Juniper coming, watch this space! I kind of fell in love with her so
Well, OK, before we get to the substantive stuff:
i c whut u did thar
ANYWAY!
The great, over-arching theme of your Starlight Glimmer stories, from where I'm sitting, has been about examining the nature of Redemption and resulting friendship that is, at its core, the unifying theme of both FiM and EqG. Because that theme is a strong, integral part of what makes both series what they are, and why they are able to invest us emotionally in their characters: it's nice to believe in a world of second chances. But because these series are what they are, they also tend to present that theme in broad, simple terms. Which isn't any sort of a slight against them, either; indeed, in its own way, that too is a key part of how they work as well as they do. But it does also mean that there are flip-sides, aspects of this concept that they often do not meaningfully explore*, and that is where you come in. Because the cost of that redemption, the shadow it casts, and the fact that those who see wrong in themselves often struggle to see anything else once they recognize it are all things that I don't know that I could see either show ever really getting into in much detail, but wind up being the heart of this story here, and quite the beautiful story it makes, too.
Admittedly, to get my critique out of the way first, there are some leaps being made here that I struggled a little bit to go along with. That Starlight and Juniper would be attracted to each other is not, per se, one of them; never mind the absolutely keen connection between them that IS believable and drives the story, nor for that matter that some of the best material here is in fact about the nature of attraction (but we'll get to that more later x3), but the accompanying rush of emotions that surely comes with this kind of experience feels all but built to foster that exact sort of feeling. Rather, it's how we get there. Most of the time, your ability to extrapolate from the lead the show gives you is peerless, and on the whole that's true here too, but I can't lie: I struggled a little bit to believe in the intensity of Juniper's and Starlight's feelings here given the brevity of their interactions in the actual show.** Those feelings just start out so clear, and so intense, in a way that feels less like the heat of Passion and more like a relationship that has, in fact, already been built with much more clarity than seems possible with even the most generous read of how long these two have known each other.
That having been said, everything else going on here works. Indeed, just so we're clear, I love the relationship you portray here between the characters, even with my leaping trouble. Starlight's heavily considerate handling of it in recognition that she's the one with more experience, Juniper's pure awe at what that experience has taught Starlight and that Starlight in turn is passing on to her, and the fact that those descriptions apply equally well to the emotional and physical levels of this relationship is exactly the sort of thing I love most in your writing. Indeed, I think that's the aspect I appreciate most about how you construct the dynamic at play here, the clear and concise ways in which you communicate the trust that is asked for and received in both directions (reinforced by some excellently-played little touches, like Starlight using her relationship with Trixie as a point of reference), especially because, once again, you do a fantastic job handling both sides of the coin here, using each to feed into the other.
On the emotional side of things, Juniper's feelings of self-doubt about how meaningful her new friendships can actually be given the circumstances by which they're made, and how much she can believe that she actually deserves them in any case, is, as always for you, very well-rendered; the specifics of why that works so well, I'll discuss at length a bit more later, but even so the way in which we get those glimpses into her thought process, and the way the rushed, rushing pace of those thoughts reflects her innermost character really nicely, stands out. I also very much appreciate how Starlight uses this moment, not just to reach out to Juniper herself, but to further vouch for the good intentions and sincerity of the hu-Mane Seven. It's not only another great facet of that Experience Factor I talked about before, but also serves as a solid reminder that, yes, even as they go unseen in this story (for the most part; I did enjoy you picking up the same playful arguments the girls were having at the start of "Mirror Magic" here), the hu-Mane Seven genuinely are a generous, giving group.
And on the physical side of things, on top of your as-usual impeccable grasp of detail to show exactly how these two are interacting with each other, to what end and for what purpose (again, it is thoroughly connected to the actual themes of the story, and again I cannot give you enough credit for keeping that fact clear and present throughout), there are some interesting new twists this time as well. Some of that is the aforementioned difference in dynamic of our participants this time around; Starlight knows exactly what she's doing, and Juniper is all too happy to follow her lead, which in turn means the prose here favors Juniper's perspective. Starlight's isn't exactly absent, but it's secondary; the key is getting to feel that sense of learning, of opening up to new experiences, that Juniper goes through, which we do very much. As well, you're a bit more openly playful this time, a bit more naughty, as befits not only the experience gulf between the two girls but also the fact that both, in their way, have that streak in them. As I said, the way you tease at the notion of inter-species attraction (just right, I might add; it's comedic, but not cruel) speaks to that especially, and I very much enjoy the differing reactions to the notion from one who has been through the mirror, and one who, as yet, hasn't. It adds exactly the right kind of steamy quality to the whole experience, and if it isn't quite as emotionally intimate as your prior sex scenes, it nonetheless carries a lot of real weight to it regardless (in no small part because of how openly, wonderfully gentle Starlight is about each choice she makes, even at their most intense), and conveys its details effectively and meaningfully.
But as is always the case, all of this play and emotion serves a higher purpose, and that's where the story gets really interesting. Again, the running thesis of your Starlight stories has been about the nature of Redemption, not just as it applies to the reader but as it applies to the world of FiM and EqG, and I am continuously impressed at the new facets you keep finding to explore with each new story you use it in. Because we've tackled Starlight's struggles with feeling like she has worthwhile talents, and reconciling with her ambitions, and even getting a different point of view on how her past misdeeds nonetheless had some positive effects of their own. But underlying all of that, and laid bare by Juniper and her feelings here, is that nagging sense of Impostor Syndrome. The belief that even if she's found Redemption, even if there is Good in her, and even if her mistakes have been forgiven...she doesn't really deserve any of it. That fact underlies so much of this story, both overtly and subtly. Again, that opening look at Juniper, thinking about how the others are so nice and kind and good to give her a second chance, and how that twists around into a sense that it's almost like she's gotten away with something and that isn't right, is profoundly well-rendered and believable. But it's more than just that. Of course Starlight's the one who needs to guide Juniper into their encounter. Not simply because she's the more experienced, but because, even with how intensely and powerfully she may think about it herself (and it is here that I do most understand why Juniper's feelings are what they are, despite my earlier critique), Juniper would never act on them by herself. Because now, having had a good long look at the ugliest side of herself, she's terrified she doesn't deserve to. It's the power of that flip-side I mentioned before, the ways in which sometimes being forgiven by others makes you less likely to be forgiving of yourself. The way in which that pain is presented and explored here really resonates, and underlines every aspect superbly.
Which is to say, as is always the case with your work, you take this core notion and, through well-observed characterization, character development, and expertly-observed emotion, explore it fully and richly and compellingly. It gives us yet another story of yours that is at once enjoyable and visceral at a surface level, but also speaks to some really interesting ideas and themes at its heart of hearts, and both work together to enhance the other and deliver a genuinely rewarding read on multiple levels.
*though again, credit where it's due, sometimes they find a way to do so anyway, and it's amazing.
** and, in fairness, some of that is on "Mirror Magic" itself, which I felt made some similar leaps on its way to an otherwise-sound finale, so it's probably just as much my own hang-up as anything else. X3
Ah yes, hello meta joke.
I see what you did there.
Kind of a shitty one in my opinion.
No, I’m still not letting that one go.
8641186
I'm torn.
Part of me wants to fave this for how well written it was and everything that came before and after the sex...
But the Starburst shipper in me wants to just give it an upvote and leave it at that, despite the fact that Starlight and Juniper don't definitively get together in this fic.
I must say, this story is very well written. The pacing is way better than anything I could do. I gave this an upvote and a fave but there is one little thing that I was really hoping for. I was really hoping that Starlight would have gotten nude as well. Her and Juniper could have done so much more that way. I suppose with Juniper only having an hour there wasn't a ton they could do but I did like this. I do think a sequel would be good, whether you have Starlight return and have her and Juniper get a room and buck all night long or have Juniper go to Equestria and her and Starlight can have some hot pony fun. Good work though, keep it up.