FimFiction Link - Short ID: 443419/the-witch-of-canterlot
Published: Aug '19 — Dec '19
The witch of canterlot is a 102k word story picking up after a short time skip from the last where Sunset is relapsing by running from some error she made in canterlot, taking over a diplomatic mission her adoptive sister was going to do.
Off to saddle Arabia they go and it turns out her problems aren't actually stopped by distance as she juggles her personal life, expectations, some sinister plot and a princess who Shanghais her into wedding her.
This is largely played for laughs for the ridiculous notion that it is, and jts payoff is hilarious.
That said in contrast to the previous fic this one isn't nearly as funny, or the jokes went over my head. Its also much more serious tone as saddle Arabia is depicted much like the cities of alladdin are ln that its filled with poor hungry people with a king that eats like the wine will never stop.
Sunset meets an enigmatic figure who does sketchy things but feeds the poor and hungry and the police get involved since it was a crime.
Theres also a B plot covering sunsets lead up and fall from grace, it has neat worldbuilding and helps to contextualize the events of the previous story. That said its also a lot more interesting then the A plot, largley because Sunset kinda has the idiot ball and does well meaning but stupid things while in the third world country.
Theres an evil uncle trying to assassinate the princess to take power, and theres something involving djinn, dark magic and politics.
Sunset: Jerked around constantly, and gets all flustered like a teenager just now figuring out other ponies are pretty. She lusts after Shazarad and Luna. Neither of which pans out though for different reasons.
Arch:Shes an enigma that seems to want to help other ponies but she spends the entire fic dodging around the questions shimmer asked making her deliciously frustrating to read.
Shazarad: a very pretty pony and heir to the throne. She is almost assassinated at the start and dupes sunset into an arranged marriage with her, and sunset being a kissless virgin is hopeless whenever they share a room. She spends just as much time dodging questions as arch but unlike arch Sunset doesnt catch on.
The other characters are good but ultimately don't do a whole lot and aren't really worth mentioning here.
Overall while i do enjoy the kind of story being told it wraps itself rather neatly at the end after dropping a bombshell that Equestria is partially responsible for all things that go wrong in the world. Its less funny then the previous story and the stakes never really felt like that warranted the drama and the ending felt rather rushed considering. Its still an enjoyable read but it's a mere shadow of the previous story 6/10