1.0 link Rainbow Dash Network http://rainbowdash.net/ Pony (pony) http://rainbowdash.net/pony http://rainbowdash.net/notice/1316036 @<span class="vcard"><a href="http://rainbowdash.net/user/9434" class="url" title="Brendan"><span class="fn nickname">alargesmallhorse</span></a></span> I'll take your word for it as far as the author's goals in writing Cupcakes. As a reader I do get the idea of taking certain things in stride including gore, etc., but ignoring them completely is not something I think is really feasible unless I tone down or completely turn off my emotional reactions. When I do that, though, I not only avoid feeling disturbed, I also, close myself to enjoying it. The only way to really enjoy grimdark-like stuff, in my own personal experience, has been to embrace the gore or the shock. For some, including myself, ponies are an upbeat, happy, and refreshing break from that sort of thing. I'm probably not explaining myself well.