History Fanfic / Whispers

* HeterosexualLifePartners: Aurora and Moonthistle, although [[AnythingThatMoves the latter's heterosexuality is debatable]].

It can be found [[https://web.archive.org/web/20160529022641/http://www.fimfiction.net/story/16112/whispers here]].

It can be found [[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/16112/Whispers here]].

** Aurora's nickname: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Hare Red Mare]].
** [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stella_Artois Stella of the House of Artois.]]

** The random terms Arcanus rattles off while reading the history book are mostly references to other fiction, including [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX Amdusias and Tantarian]] and [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI Dirt Dragon]]. The quoted song ''Back in Time'' is also reference to ''VideoGame/SonicR''.

* SingleMomStripper: The dancing mare introduced in chapter 7, known as [[MeaningfulName Turning]] [[UnfortunateNames Tricks]].

!This fanfic provides examples of the following tropes:

* BiTheWay:
** Moonthistle states that she'd happily take a shot at Stella if Arcanus didn't get to her first. In chapter 7, she goes on to infer sexual interest in [[AnythingThatMoves every named character in that chapter, one of whom is married, another her best friend, and the last a stranger she'd just met.]]
** ''Very'' slightly implied with Arcanus via a throwaway line of narration.

* DrinkOrder: In chapter 7, Aurora and Moonthistle order wine from opposite ends of the spectrum ([[WineIsClassy Chateau Maregaux]] and [[ATankardOfMooseUrine Fillyerna Reserva]], respectively). Arcanus [[RunningGag doesn't like wine at all]], and settles for water.

* InnocentInnuendo: Arcanus overhears his brother Prism exchanging suggestive conversation with a married mare, and [[GenreSavvy assumes it to be this trope]]. [[spoiler:Subverted.]]

* VitriolicBestBuds: Aurora and Moonthistle. Silvermane [[GenreSavvy notices it]] and muses that it's a healthy dynamic her own children could learn from.

-->'''NMM''': "What would father say, knowing that we…that [[WhatTheHellHero you used his gift to do this to me?]]"

* BerserkButton: Arcanus has two: mention his [[RoyalBrat brothers]], or [[MyMasterRightOrWrong question Celestia]].

* BiTheWay: Moonthistle states that she'd happily take a shot at Stella if Arcanus didn't get to her first. In chapter 7, she goes on to infer sexual interest in [[AnythingThatMoves every named character in that chapter, one of whom is married, another her best friend, and the last a stranger she'd just met.]]

* ContrivedCoincidence / TheMagicPokerEquation: Moonthistle's approach to intelligence gathering at the Pony'borough card table is to mention Princess Luna with varying levels of respect and gauge the other players' reactions. Naturally, she is dealt ''exactly'' the ammunition she needs to make this believable: the queens of clubs and spades, which both depict Luna ''and'' allow her to win via two pair.

* {{Expy}}: Arcanus is mostly Twilight Sparkle with a bit of Fluttershy's reticence mixed in.

* InsufferableGenius: Aurora ''behaves'' like one, but it's not clear if she's actually this or just an arrogant BlueBlood.

-->--'''Tricks''': "[[LampshadeHanging Yeah, ah sure had prophetic parents.]] Sometimes ah wonder if they somehow knew [[SingleMomStripper ah'd end up livin' up to it."]]
* NoodleIncident: The "silence weed incident" Celestia and Luna [[TeensAreMonsters supposedly pulled on their mother in their youth.]]

* ShoutOut: One that actually ''lampshades'' the fact it's a shout out, too.
-->'''Moonthistle''': "Heh, inner workings. [[{{WesternAnimation/Archer}} Phrasing-]]"
-->'''Aurora''': "We talked about this, 'thistle. Devise your own jokes."

* SophisticatedAsHell: Irontail chewing out Golden Ace in chapter 2 and capping it off with:
-->'''Irontail''': "Or how about knowing thy [[PrecisionFStrike bucking]] place?"

* TitleDrop: Appears to be a recurring theme, as all chapters are named after a phrase contained within.

* [[AloofBigBrother Aloof Older Sister]]: Aurora's sister Belphegor seems to be one of these.

* DarkFic: Advertises itself as this. Time will tell if it delivers.

* InsufferableGenius: Aurora plays the attitude to the hilt, but time will tell if she's got the skill to back it up.
** Moonthistle certainly has both. She casually levitates a plate of food and wine, setting them to orbit around her head ''in opposite directions, occasionally stopping one to take a sip/bite without affecting the other'', all without seeming to really pay attention.

-->''Moonthistle'': "Ever find thyself thinking, 'gosh, this'd be so much easier if I had a screwdriver?' I made a list."

* BiTheWay: ''Very'' slightly implied with Arcanus via a throwaway line of narration.
** Moonthistle is a clearer example, outright stating that she'd chat up Stella herself if Arcanus didn't beat her to the punch.

* BiTheWay: ''Very'' slightly implied with Arcanus via a throwaway line of narration. Moonthistle is a clearer example, outright stating that she's considering making a move on Lady Stella if Arcanus doesn't get to her first.

* LoveAtFirstSight: Arcanus falls for Lady Stella the moment he sees her; by next chapter, they're ''married''.

* NoodleIncident: The silence weed incident from Celestia and Luna's youth.

Relations between the alicorn sisters have grown turbulent and unstable in recent months, until one sister finally crosses a line that forces the other's reluctant hoof. Nightmare Moon's insurrection is ultimately averted and the natural cycle is restored, but are the tragic events of that night merely the prelude to something even worse?

Originally posted as a one shot under the title ''As Night And Day'', it has since been continued as ''Whispers'' and focuses on [[OriginalCharacter Arcanus]], Celestia's brightest student of the era.

* ActionPrologue: Celestia vs Nightmare Moon in chapters 1 and 2.

* DarkIsNotEvil: Celestia [[DiscussedTrope discusses]] this trope by making the distinction.
-->'''Celestia''': "Dark magic, [[LampshadeHanging or rather, evil]] magic. In her normal frame of mind, Luna would detest the implication that her night was in any way associated with evil."
* DownerBeginning: The ActionPrologue details Luna's transformation into Nightmare Moon [[DoomedByCanon and subsequent defeat]], and there's been no action since.
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: Moonthistle and Aurora's introductions.
* EvilIsNotAToy
* {{Expy}}: Arcanus crosses Twilight Sparkle's academic obsessions and social disinterest with Fluttershy's reticence and shyness.
** Aurora is effectively Rarity with a touch of Rainbow Dash's self-image issues thrown in, and an AloofBigBrother (or sister in this case) to envy.
** Moonthistle completes the circle by being ''loosely'' based on Applejack (common sense, mundane thinking), with some of Pinkie Pie's laid-back playfulness mixed in.
* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Moonthistle tracing her tongue along the bottleneck "suggestively."
** Also, the unnamed father of Silvermane's children apparently [[ButLiquorIsQuicker got her drunk and seduced her.]]
* HopeSpot: Nightmare Moon has a brief one when she realizes that the final element (Magic/Friendship) can't touch her because Luna and Celestia's sisterly bond has been destroyed.
* IncurableCoughOfDeath: Silvermane.
* InnocentInnuendo: Arcanus overhears his brother and a married mare "in the throes of passion" and, after a moment, assumes it to be this trope. [[SubvertedTrope Subverted.]]

* PurpleProse: The first chapter qualifies a lot of things with needless adverbs and a great deal of SaidBookism. This tapers off a bit in subsequent chapters though.

* SophisticatedAsHell: Irontail chewing out Golden Ace in chapter 2 over the matter of ''formal address'' of all things, and capping it off with:

** Silvermane and Moonthistle are fond of this too.

** Chapter 5 also drops the title of the story itself, ''Whispers''.

* VitriolicBestBuds: Aurora and Moonthistle, in a similar vein to Rarity and Applejack (on whom they are based). Silvermane identifies this dynamic, and laments that it's something her own children could learn from.
* WhoWantsToLiveForever: Celestia mentions that she has never lived out a true relationship because of this, and that how long into the future - beyond the lives of Arcanus, his descendants and then ''their'' descendants - she will still be waiting, alone, to hear her sister's voice again.
* YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe: The author has done his research, but the FloweryElizabethanEnglish is far from perfect.

* DarkIsNotEvil: Celestia [[DiscussedTrope discusses]] this trope by making the dinstinction.