There was a moment somewhere in fleshing out a simple sketch into the image above where I thought "Maybe I'm going a little over the top". Luckily my inner Dash stomped on that idea, then lit it on fire. In fairness, judging by her part in the "Find a Pet" song, this is pretty much how she sees the world every day anyway.

I vaguely recall a time when the pony pets were controversial and unwelcome. I recall reading opinions about how they were forced into the show to give Hasbro more toys to market (as if they had needed any excuse to package a pony with a random animal anyway, as I understand it. At this point, I imagine getting a chance to buy show-accurate versions of the pets would be greated with great enthusiasm.) "That damn owl" was a phrase I heard repeatedly in regards to Owlowiscious, often voiced with the hope that we'd never see him again. I'm not sure if any of those viewpoints still exist, but personally I love the various pets (and that damn owl especially.) "Just for Sidekicks" was a highly entertaining episode in my book, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of them in the future. (I still say that it's a crime that "sleeping Owlowiscious on a perch" isn't a regular background asset for Library scenes. He'd work just fine as furniture, and make for an easy cameo.)

If you suspected that all of that was a rambling preamble to "Equestria Girls" talk, you weren't entirely off the mark. Personally, I just find the whole thing funny. No, it's nothing I would have asked for, and when viewed as the only (to date) MLP:FIM movie it's certainly a let down as a premise, but beyond that I really have no issue with it. There were some good chuckles to be had in the trailer, and I know I'll have to watch it eventually to satisfy my curiosity, so I may as well go into it being open enough to give it a chance. I really started drawing these fanarts in order to share in my little cousin's enthusiasm for the show, and she's eagerly awaiting the film, so I hope she has a blast with it at the very least.

Ultimately, though, the characters just look so much better as ponies.

Edited 9/18/2013:

"But Harwick... she still looks completely deranged."

Yes. Yes she does.