Pony Fanfiction Thread

At this point, I almost hope they'll just decide they're Better as Friends after all, because everypony just seems to get either more neurotic or bitchier the longer this goes on. And this is the "light-hearted" part?

It's starting to get more drama-intensive.

Rainbow Dash's growing discontent is a major B-plot that The Crystal Ball is meant to explore.

Some of Rarity's role has actually been revised, based on some of the commentary you've left, Yami. You've noted multiple times that she seems to be coming off as a jerk about the whole thing in a lot of her scenes, which wasn't the initial intent at all; she was envisioned as tentative but trying to be a supportive friend.

So I spent some time thinking about her behavior and ways to try and make her come off friendlier and more supportive of the central couple, before a thought clicked for me: instead of trying to downplay her jerkish attitude of the whole thing, why not explore it instead? Why is Rarity having so much trouble being nice about this?

That put a lot of ideas in my head, some of which will play out over the rest of The Crystal Ball and others that are reserved for later writings.

So, reading MLP comics. The story arc with Filthy Rich running against Mayor Mare is so much Harsher in Hindsight...

Any fics with Filthy as a Trump kind of figure?

edited 12th Mar '17 2:44:49 PM by TheHandle

Ehhhh maybe I was overreacting a bit. I was surprised to see her still so concerned about the viability of the relationship after the last crisis wrapped up, but as I said she's not completely wrong, and is also being polite about it (now Rainbitch on the other hand... but you're going to deal with that anyway). So you shouldn't feel obligated to revise too much on my account. Though now that you have ideas, I don't want to shut those down either....

Estee wrote one, I think. Never read it, but I remember the warning "This is exactly what you think."

Filth being the "villain" in the Equestria Girls is also Harsher in Hindsight.

Can't find it...

Nah, I'm glad you brought it up, because some of the elements I came up with lend themselves to what I hope is a much stronger story. Most of it isn't going to be in this one, though.

On a positive note which somehow slipped out of my head, it's a relief that this isn't about dragging out one ridiculous misunderstanding- it's just what (ahem) gets the Ball rolling.

Yes, I needed the misunderstanding to kick off the story, but ultimately the story isn't about AJ's sweet line. It's about jealousy, and jealousy transcends any one instance or moment.

Thank you everypony for y'all's feedback. Just like that, Chapter Two of The Crystal Ball is live.

Rough Draft of The Afternoon At The Summit: Chapter 4 is up for viewing. It has that Starlight / Luna conversation I mentioned.

So is Chapter 3 still, because I haven't published it yet.

Ahhhh! Another super-late draft! >.>

@Tobias: Huh, noticed you left some editorial comments. Not the story I would have wanted you to read, since in contained spoilers, but since you did, any thoughts?

Nah, don't worry. It didn't spoil anything I wasn't already vaguely aware would exist at some point. Like I said regarding discussion of upcoming season seven stuff: I knew the risks when I started posting in the MLP thread without having finished the series.

Besides, I benefit from a weak short term memory, so I've already forgotten half the stuff I might have gotten spoiled on anyway.

Main thing I took away from it was a question: it spends an awful lot of time on those two guards. They're funny, certainly, but are they actually going to be important to the narrative?

edited 14th Mar '17 3:21:08 PM by TobiasDrake

True on that, worst that it's a parody of a scene from other media.

And still, I barely even thought of that: I was wondering what you thought of the truly meatier section, the convo between Starlight and Luna.

Though, that bit with the 6 and co trying to cheer up the guards and Twi giving the one a reference guide to philosophy is too cute to ditch entirely.

Edit: And perhaps take a look at Chapter 3, that one is spoiler free and is a lot meatier.

edited 14th Mar '17 3:42:00 PM by God_of_Awesome

I felt like that was a good use of Luna. Generally speaking, as the OG Redeemed Villain, this tends to be her one role in the series: passing on the wisdom of someone who's made mistakes to someone who is either about to or already has made similar ones. I did something similar with her in the first chapter of The Crystal Ball.

It's her comfort zone. What she's good at.

Which makes it somewhat ironic that the other trend I see with her in fics is meting out insanely harsh punishments to already-broken baddies (albeit ones who really had it coming). The stick, if you will, to Celestia's Silk Hiding Steel... carrot?

In the story, Luna notes that she used to dislike Starlight after first hearing of her time travel shenanigans, and believes it's because she saw herself in there.

~

For the next chapter, I'm putting together a B-Team of characters associated with each of the Mane 6 that Luna has used at least once, for infiltrating the cult trying to resurrect Nightmare Moon and, eventually, rescued Nyx. Not necessarily antagonists, but some of them.

Trixie and Daring Do, no brainers. I had considered Moondancer and Lightning Dust, but the former doesn't seem cut out for it and the other one is an asshole. Also Gilda, but she's busy and I had a tough time explaining to myself why she was taking orders from the Diurnal Diarchy.

Having a hard time thinking of anyone for Applejack, maybe Trouble Shoes, using his powers of bad luck for good, althought he's tangentially connected to her, or Braeburn. Treehugger, somehow making herself useful. Fuckin' Cheese Sandwhich.

I couldn't think of anyone for Rarity, but it'd be nice to get a pegasus. Perhaps instead of associating with Rarity, Nightglider is brought in with a connection to Starlight. And then maybe Fancy Pants and/or Fleur.

Also, suddenly struck by the idea of Garble, intimidated into compliance by Luna, and forced to work for her after some transgression.

edited 14th Mar '17 9:33:29 PM by God_of_Awesome

I know it's not really right for his character, but I can't help but imagine that situation like Canach and Anise from Guild Wars 2

Okay, curious, morbidly curious, what is this reminding you of?

Eh... not sure what you mean?

Canach is just a Boxed Crook who gets turned into an errand-boy for the head of an information agency kinda dealy. Since I tend to headcanon Luna as operating Equestria's intelligence service, such as it is, the idea of Garble being pressed into her service made me imagine their relationship as being similar to that of Canach and Anise—with Garble being wry, constantly claiming how much he looks forward to getting away from her, and still probably enjoying her company more than he wants to admit.

But of course, that doesn't really fit with the Garble we've seen in the show.

Ah, okay. I just didn't get the reference.

From Dusk To Night's 50th chapter is now live. Feels kinda weird since when I initially set out, i thought it'd only take about 100 chapters, but the content isn't even half done, so definitely gonna go a ways over that. >.>

Erm, 'ello.

This is...a bit akward for me. You see, I have a MLP story but it's not fan fiction. It's writing practice. My feelings towards fan fiction veer towards towards the negative.

So. 'Ello.

I'll try to explain my story in a later post.

edited 16th Mar '17 6:03:21 PM by fredhot16