Today’s story is a short, potent look at losing a loved one who hasn’t gone anywhere.

Alabaster
[Sad] [Slice of Life] • 2,165 words

Vinyl Scratch visits her father.

FROM THE CURATORS: Our mission at the RCL is to find stories which truly stand out as exemplars of what pony fanfiction can be — whether that means exceptional wordsmithing, clever approaches to canon, deep worldbuilding, etc.  Alabaster cut right through that to grab our attention with how bluntly evocative it is.  “This feels genuine,” Present Perfect said.  Chris agreed: “Either the author’s writing from experience, or there was a major investment of empathy in this fic.”

We also noted the sure hand of its laconic prose.  “Its biggest strength is the way it knows exactly how much detail to show,” Ben said, and Chris added, “It’s the little things, like where she’s feeling frustrated at the pleasant-but-generic items the staff puts out, that elevate this from ‘generic sadfic’ to ‘potentially cathartic.'”

Read on for our interview, in which DawnFade discusses forgetting and reveals the reason behind the story’s title.

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Give us the standard biography.

I have dark hair, enjoy long walks on the beach, and can’t write a bio to save my life.

How did you come up with your handle/penname?

I’ve invented a thousand reasons behind it, but the first was probably “nobody else has it”.

Who’s your favorite pony?

Rarity. Class and composure make for a cool character.

What’s your favorite episode?

Sonic Rainboom, I think. Even after all this time it’s still cool.

What do you get from the show?

Humour, fun, it’s something to just chill out and watch.

What do you want from life?

Happiness, of course! There’s no greater prize.

Why do you write?

It’s been my passion ever since I learned how. It’s part of me, I can’t not write.

What advice do you have for the authors out there?

Read a lot, and compare your work to published authors. You can learn a lot from them.

Fics tagged Sad tend to rely on forcing emotions onto the reader. What’s the secret to letting the sadness flow naturally?

Make it relatable, but don’t shoehorn it. Approach it in a realistic manner rather than an obvious attempt to manipulate the reader. Sprinkle it with bits of comedy and happiness to make the contrast more meaningful.

Is it truly a blessing to forget?

In some cases, yes. If you can’t ever move on from something, maybe it is better to forget just so you can live again.

What’s the other meaning of “Alabaster”?

Alabaster is the colour of Vinyl and her father’s coat. People are free to find their own meaning in it.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I’m grateful that you’ve decided this story is good enough to add to your site! I hope my answers were satisfying. :)

You can read Alabaster at FIMFiction.net.