Story Ideas Pitch No. 1 · 12:53am Aug 21st, 2015
I have a lot of ideas for stories. Doesn't mean they're very good or that I actually get around to completing them (I think I average around 1/6 concepts to creations), but I do end up making quite a lot of lists of random crap.
Some are just a single line of information or just a lone question or query, while others end up being more expansive and complicated.
Some are rather dark and serious, while others can nearly scratch through the bottom of the barrel of mindless humor/personal amusement. (See The Many Clones of Twilight Sparkle for an example.)
Anyways, since I hate appearing as lazy as I am, I think I'll start pitching three story ideas (or more) at a time. Even if no one ends up interested in any of the ideas, it might be good to keep track of how many half-baked thoughts actually end up seeing the light of day.
Tl;dr -- here's three Discord-related stories I've been thinking about.
1. "(Not My) Home Sweet Home" (title pending) -- comedy, sad, slice of life, human, alt-universe?
Set in the same universe as "Sombra the Highly Unmotivated", this one shot or short novella would detail the lives of Discord and Twilight a year after being sent to Earth. As Twilight's friends and other displaced ponies and creatures try to settle into their new surroundings, Twilight becomes more and more unhappy about her current situation. Nearing her birthday, Discord goes out of his way to try and make her happy.
This story would also deal with the small percentage of humans that don't take the sudden appearance of ponies on Earth all too great. When out for dinner at a restaurant, someone insults ponies in general within earshot of Discord. Obviously, he doesn't take it well and events escalate from there.
Since finishing "Unmotivated", I've always imagined scenes between Discord and Twilight, both romantic and sad. I've also always wanted to know what Discord would do to a drunken human that insulted his marefriend. Plus, the slow incorporation of ponies into the world leads to a lot of interesting discussions.
I won't give away other ideas, but just so it's clear: NO SOMBRA, NO STEVE.
2. "The Life and Times of Discord the Draconequus" -- comedy, slice of life, human (probably some feels -- I tend to do that a lot.)
Late one night, unsuccessful filmmaker David (he sometimes directs those infomercials where people drop stuff on the ground) takes a wrong turn to the washroom and winds up at a job interview with Discord. The job? Produce and direct the life and times of Discord the draconequus, from the start of his life to the end.
Terrified by the monstrous creature, David reluctantly agrees after learning the alternative to agreeing is being sent to an alternate dimension for the rest of his life. (David is the 47th film director Discord has interviewed, thus far, making him a little annoyed of the process.)
Enlisting the mane six to help stage such a large production, Discord muddles both truth and fiction to cast himself in a better light than most remember. Celestia and Luna may or may not be portraying themselves.
David (actually trying to make something out of all this) would be trying to figure out how the draconequus works and just why he want a film to be made about his life -- and just why he wants it told in such a way.
(Expect a lot of film/television/director references because I'm a rather large film buff.)
3. "Discord Inc." -- dark, adventure, alternate universe, black as tar comedy.
I've actually had this story on the brain for a while and this is basically the third version of it.
Anyways, three months following Trixie's first episode appearance, she performs her magical act in Canterlot for Celestia and all the big wigs. The show -- sadly -- does not go the way Trixie wished it could've, so she laments to herself in the Canterlot gardens. As Trixie sees it, it was Twilight Sparkle that ruined her career after her visit to Ponyville, and as such, she hates her with a passion.
Who should happen to hear such loud lamenting? Discord, of course. (In this story, he only goes to stone to get a break from everyone for a while.)
Wanting to help, Discord makes Trixie a deal. With the snap of his fingers, he'll set in motion a series of events that'll slowly ruin the life of Twilight Sparkle and whoever might be close to her. Without thinking about any repercussions, Trixie agrees and Discord shows her the first event in Twilight's "ruining."
One morning, Twilight is given decaf coffee instead of regular. This leads to her downfall.
Impatient by such silly tactics, Trixie asks Discord to leap forward in time to when Twilight is really in pain.
Cut to one year later, where Trixie finds all of Canterlot in ruins and the sky painted black. Discord giggles to himself and explains what a bad choice Trixie has made. By ruining the life of Twilight Sparkle, that in turn ruined the lives of everyone in Equestria as well.
Chrysalis had never been stopped. King Sombra reclaimed his Crystal Empire. Most ponies are scattered and the Elements have disbanded. Twilight Sparkle, blaming herself for everything that's happened, has gone into hiding.
Now it's up to a disembodied Discord (more akin to an imaginary friend) and an unwilling Trixie to set everything straight. But since Trixie isn't quite the hero Twilight was, Discord allows her a single cheat:
Each time she dies, she's given a sixty second restart to figure out what went wrong.
In simpler terms: Fallout: Equestria meets Hard Reset meets my horrible sense of comedy/lack of morality.
I've wanted to start on this one for a while (and have been compiling some notes), but fear it might fall on its face due to the dark tag/subject matter. Either or, it's another story idea.
So those are three (oddly Discord related) stories. Any of them sound good? And of them sound terrible and I shouldn't waste my time on them? Regardless, I'll write whatever I feel strongest about next.
Thanks for reading this random blog post!
Your idea for "Discord Inc" sounds awesome! I've always loved your darker writings especially "Strings" and "Dinner With the King." Plus I'm very curious to see how you would do Sombra and his empire. I'm sure his interactions with Chrysalis would be interesting.
You bastard the second one made my brain make feels! How? Why?! Damn you and damn my stupid brain!!!!
Last one seems legit.
I want to see that last one become a reality.
I think the first one is a definite win.
I like the third idea, but have to give my vote to the first one, as I cannot stand the concept of a death reset. Simply because well, it doesn't matter on skill, tactics, etc. You basically have an infinite amount of chances to get an event right, so eventually you'll get it, even a moron could get it right with enough tries,
I like both number 1 and number 3 with a strong leaning towards number 3. But number 3 sounds like more work.
first
3335949 All right.
3335946 "Discord Inc." would be a lot of work. Considering I'm already plotting it out in arcs and different timelines. I'm surprised that would be your cup of tea, seeing as it's the least comedic of the three.
3335802 The first one would be a lot of fun for myself. I'd get to mash ponies with humans and then Discord versus a racist human (a poniest?). Could be both humorous/scary.
In terms of the sixty second restart, it would only work under Discord's rules. So... it's hard to say how well it would work out or if it would last the entire journey. But, still, valid point.
3335784 Thank you! So do I.
3335748 I'm happy to hear that.
And I'm once again surprised to find the darkest of suggestions gaining the popular vote.
3335730 Just from a brief description? How did that happen?
3335726 Wow! Someone that actually knows me for my darker material. You must be that guy that read that stuff!
Anywho, Sombra would control a section of Equestria as would Chrysalis. Doesn't mean they wouldn't try to take that bit of land from the other at whatever the cost.
I choose door number 3.
...hmmm...I like 1 and 3 best...of course, I like slightly melancholy things (despite my geberal outward attitude, I am a slightly melancholy person myself), and the darkness of choice 3 is appealing, for some reason...
3336024 my brain latched onto "why would he want this movie made?"
1.movie is apparently supposed to follow his life all the way to the end
2. Spirit of disharmony. Something equestria is lacking in (for the most part)
Brains conclusion: Discord is dying and wants to leave something behind to be remembered by. And be remembered as a person not just as The big bad mad spirit of chaos.