Tales Shipping

[Notes]

Yeah, but to be certain, I have to wonder how they'll get together or keep in touch. Tropical Island didn't have much in way of technology shown on screen in Ponies in Paradise, so I have to wonder how they'd schedule a visit in a timely manner.

How far do you suppose Tropical Island and Ponyland are anyway?

[Lancewing]

Probably just a few miles away. Kinda like Hawaii with the USA.

[Notes]

I thought along the lines of eight miles. I mean, other than Bright Eyes' arrival there on one of those water-planes, Patch and Bon Bon passed the place while on their joyride in Up, Up and Away. There's no way they could have traveled much further than twelve offshore, right?

And if Tropical Island is only about eight miles away, then Buddy could pretty much borrow Lancer's boat to get there.

[Lancewing]

Ah...

[Clover22]

Hi

[Notes]

8Y

[Lancewing]

May 4, 2014 17:14:57 GMT -5 Clover22 said:

Hi

Hello.

[Kat]

Tropical Island according to the comics is roughly a ten minute boat ride, if I recall correctly. I'll have to find that particular one and check it again (Melody's family go to visit the Sunbright family). They take a taxi to the harbour, then I'm pretty sure they say it's a ten minute boat ride.


That aside, getting back to shipping - I think I deal with shipping a little differently than you guys, because I never really ship my characters until they get a bit older (because really, I'm not really keen on the idea of writing 9/10 year olds getting emotionally invested in one another from a romantic point of view, especially the boys). Kids mature a lot between 9-13, so I'll usually only start to deal with relationships once they've reached that junior high stage (so 12/13). Having said that:

Ace & Melody - currently my OTP! Just because she ignored Ace's crush on her when they're 10, doesn't mean she always will, and just because he's a little overbearing at 10, doesn't mean he won't mature and realize that he's been acting poorly. With my headcanon of him, his parents never really set an example of how relationships work (because they barely even like each other). So he never really got to see how a healthy relationship works, hence why he's a rude little nutshead half the time. He's like the textbook version of what happens to boys when they grow up thinking that they can have or do whatever they want, and no one teaches them that you need to respect everyone around you. Once he gets someone who does teach him how to treat people, then he can change his behaviour and learn how important it is to respect others. But when you're 10, it's a stretch to learn that on your own. Anyway - I adore their potential because they're both passionate about something they love to do, and they're both competitive. I can totally see them pushing and supporting one another in that way.

Ace & Starlight - They used to be my OTP, but then I got invested in Melody, so that changed. Back when I shipped them, Ace's family was different (his father was super controlling over his mother) and he didn't really grow up and start treating others better until his mother finally left his father (Starlight was actually the first one he confided in about his father, so they forged that initial bond). He still struggled with being an arrogant jerk at times (especially in terms of soccer; he was a perfectionist - left over from his demanding father - so he'd berate his teammates if they played poorly). Starlight, however, matured into a super confident and opinionated girl, and she would always call Ace out on his behaviour. She was a great match for him, because she represented everything his mother hadn't been when he'd been younger. He had a fear of turning into his dad, so the fact that Starlight would never just let him get away with stuff was exactly what he wanted in a partner. He always respected her opinion on things, and took her words to heart whenever she'd criticize anything he did. She also challenged him mentally (she turned out to be really smart, and in turn encouraged him to not just be a dumb jock, but to embrace his own intelligence) which turned out well for both of them, because they'd challenge one another in terms of grades and assignments.

Ace & Teddy - I have a weakness for these two together, especially if Teddy does indeed have abusive parents (and when he does, Ace has supportive parents, though they aren't around as much as he gets older). Teddy has great potential to be self-destructive and self-hating, and I love having Ace try to fix that in him. Half the time the future turns out well and Teddy does learn to accept himself, but the other half ends sadly with Ace just giving up in favour of following his dreams of being a pro athlete (because you can't help someone who doesn't want to help themselves, and if he's going to be a professional, he can't have that level of negativity in his life). They're totally my angstiest couple.

Teddy & Bon Bon - (I have to admit I've never ever liked Teddy & Sweetheart as a romantic pairing, they've always only ever worked well as best friends for me!) I love BB for Teddy because I always picture him as a lonely only child, so being around BB's huge family gives him the company and attention he's always wanted. I also love the idea of BB's older sister being a presence in Teddy's life (whether he wants her to or not) usually hounding him about his feelings for her sister, helping him buy her appropriate presents, that sort of thing.


I don't really ship anyone else on the show. I do like delving into Lancer & Brighteyes later on in life (late teens/early adult) as I can totally see her developing into a controlling sort of person. Lancer goes along with it at first, but eventually realizes she's running every aspect of his life (not intentionally hurtful - she just likes to control everything in her own life, and sometimes forgets that you shouldn't control the other people you're involved with). So they initially have this huge blow up, which causes both of them to change aspects of their personalities (BE learns to stop being so controlling, while Lancer learns to stick up for himself more). They never get back together in my futures, but they do re-kindle their friendship and credit one another with really helping them to become who they end up being. They'll probably be godparents to each other's children.

I have had other OC's I've shipped the main kids with, but don't really feel like discussing those. Maybe in another post.

[Notes]

Wow; you sure did write a big, meaty post! I love those from you!

With the ten-year-old thing, probably because they dabbled in it in the show, they would end up dating for short periods of time. Very short; a month or two at the most. And of course, nobody would get emotionally invested because a) most of them aren't really mature enough to do it and b) the ones who are mature enough are scared to do so because they might be laughed out, or be confusing. Even as friends they won't tell everyone everything. But I like how, at that age, they're still just friends with the boys when they aren't arguing and normally escape teasing from friends.

That said, I do do the limited stuff of ten-year-olds, where nothing goes beyond the occasional hug. That would mean that Ace would still be an immature brat, but he could still change if I ever decided to write them older. Melody sees that and normally ignores his affections unless it benefits her (hence their immaturity becomes twofold). But Ace can also be quite the nice guy, as he shows the members of the soccer team when he's feeling like it, and more rarely the girls. With Ace, it's all about his moods, and even his best friends can't really change them.

As it was presented in the show, though, I've never been a huge fan of Ace and Starlight. Ace was just so mean to her, and was too busy chasing after Melody/Lavender/Another girl, and he doesn't even realize Starlight's crush on him, only noticing her for her soccer skills. Patch always tries to hint at it with varying degrees of obviousness, but he passes it off as a joke at first, and later gets irritated once he thinks of her as a friend, so Starlight ends up alone for a while. I don't know what happens next, though, because the characters are pretty much in a loop right now.

Teddy and Ace versus Teddy and Sweetheart... wow. My relationship is like these other ships in another fandom (Littlest Pet Shop) where the fans ship everybody with everybody. Two popular ships involving a popular character named Sunil (a coward) are with his best friend, the dancer gecko Vinnie (TVTropes has him listed as Ambiguously Gay) and the comedian skunk Pepper. One of them has so much in the show it's ridiculous, and the other only has the rare moment but works better. I've never done much with this stuff (might not, I'm just not a huge fan of Teddy) but they're about equal right now in functionality.

Teddy and Bon Bon works somewhat as one of those silly little banters, but I think they end up being closet friends. Then sometimes they get together at one of their house and eat some cookies while talking about their lives and doing homework. Not just because I have other ideas of shipping either. They're so different, but have more common ground than meets the eye.

I've thought about every combination, but am not insane enough to try and make some of them work. Where would I put Lancer/Melody in a story, anyway...? Nowhere, I tell you, because in addition to being fandomly unacceptable, it just doesn't work well. Nice idea for Bright Eyes and Lancer, though; realistic but with a happy ending. Crescentium also had them fall apart beyond repair in December Romeo. While that was realistic, I didn't feel it worked in the story... l8, Or maybe I just like the normally well-done happy endings in the show too much, and I imagined the ponies as their ten-year-old selves wearing oversized clothes in that story.

[Lancewing]

I will say this right now, not a fan on slash pairings, so I'm not even gonna touch TeddyAce.

The others on the other hoof (LOL) sound pretty interesting. I'd also say that Lancer/Sweetheart and Lancer/Bon Bon are good possibilities.

[Notes]

Well, not everything is everyone's cup of tea. Ace and Teddy work really well as friends who butt heads all the time, too.

Lancer and Sweetheart is officially the best Sweetheart ship; I'm calling it, for obvious reasons. And Bon Bon certainly could work with Lancer, with dual loneliness and sensitivity on both sides. Oddly enough, some people have done Patch and Lancer (Pancer), and in a very odd way, that works too, with the curiosity. If Lancer is lonely, he could use a bit of goofiness in his life. Clover and him would work too...

Bright Eyes, be careful. The force is strong with this one.*

[Lancewing]

Well duh, but I don't see them THAT close.

And one user paired him with Firefly.

[Notes]

I guess that's plausible too. I've only ever read slash and Kat's works with them, and never did much experimenting with them. Who IS close in your 'verse?

PFFT, FIREFLY? It might work if Firefly and him lived on the same side of the rainbow but... wow. 80 I'm amazed.

[Lancewing]

Meaning?

I know, right?

And then there's Starlight, assuming Ace hits it off with Melody.

[Notes]

Teddy and Ace are always either confidantes or boyfriends in the stories I've seen that they're major characters. And, if you were asking what I meant by 'close' I mean best friends or confidantes, or really anything of the sort.

If you ask me, I think Ace likes ACE best.