FimFiction Link - Short ID: 500026/the-only-mark-that-matters
Published: Sep '21 — Jul '22
The plot is that a pony has a cutie mark of himself fucking Celestia. Celestia tells him that it'll never happen. He later joins her guard. Given that plot, I went in with low expectations. The fic far exceeded them. It's largely comedy, with some weaker adventure arcs. All in all, although I've said that it far exceeded my low expectations, I can't honestly say that it's good. The author merely did a far better job with the premise than I ever expected.
The latest chapter, which is the end of the 'The Suitor' arc, has some readers rightfully concerned. The fic is not over, but signs suggest that the author has accidentally resolved the main arc.
Fic is still ongoing since my last review. I'm still reading it. I can't honestly say that it's good, but it appears to be improving. The comedy lands and it's some of the easiest reading I've ever found. My current worry is that the fic won't end. It appears to be following canon's timeline and it's currently in season 3. I worry that it will exceed one million words and continue all the way until the end of the show.
The wrestling match with Celestia and its consequences are such a great read that I'm forced to recommend the entire fic.
My last review was for chapter 64. We are now on chapter 117. The chapters between have largely been minor adventures or the character relationships of the protagonist, his girlfriend, the Mane Six, and the various princesses. It sometimes seems as if the author is forcing more wrestling in to the fic in hopes of recapturing the glory of the big wrestling match, but that concern has faded away. All in all, the fic remains some of the easiest reading I have ever encountered. I dare say that it's fairly competent writing. The author writes the Mane Six very well. The fic is character-focused first and foremost and it shows. It's certainly not the self-insert trash that you will be expecting. The humour frequently works.
My concern that this fic will continue until the end of the show appears to be well founded. The fic is currently up to The Cutie Map, which places it just short of halfway through the show's episode count. I find that The Cutie Map is where many fics that make a habit of including the show's events suddenly stop. I'm unsure why. Maybe the authors are like me and never got past season 5.