Writing News + Past Sins 10th Anniversary Follower Appreciation Requests · 8:13pm Jul 8th, 2021
First bit of news that's not necessarily MLP related, but something I want to share nonetheless.
Today, Skullgirls 2nd Encore updated with Annie's Story Mode on Steam and PS4, a story mode I spearheaded writing as part of my work at Hidden Variable Studios. I've been something of the internal loremaster for Skullgirls at Hidden Variable for a while now as we've worked on other things, like the mobile game story modes. But with Hidden Variable taking over the development of Skullgirls 2nd Encore from LabZero in the wake of some... nastiness (won't go into details)... I was given the opportunity to take the lead.
It was by no means a solo endeavor. Everyone at Hidden Variable and FutureClub contributed with iterations and ideas. But at the heart, the story mode was mine to own from outline to script to implementation, with the talented artists at FutureClub handling the new art.
It's been an amazing thing, and right up the alley for an old fanfiction author like me to have to absorb someone other IP and try and push it forward. I want to thank everyone at Hidden Variable Studios and FutureClub for letting me have the opportunity, but also everyone here at Fimfiction who have enjoyed my stories and helped to hone my craft. Really, just feeling happy today and wanted to share some good news.
So yeah, been a bit hard to write on ponies when my brain is full of Skullgirls, but that doesn't mean I'm hanging up my hat here at Fimfiction just yet.
This leads me to the second bit of news.
Past Sins will be enjoying its 10th anniversary this August, and though it's short notice, I do want to try and get something new out for the occasion. For that, I've at least decided to add some more "Variations" to Glimpses if not making a whole new "Glimpses 2". And as part of that, I want to open and let people request the kinds of variations you would want to see.
So yeah, this is a request for requests specifically related to Past Sins and to the AU style short stories that you can see in the story Glimpses. I'll keep requests open until July 16th, after which I will make my selections from the requests. I promise to at least pick one of the requests, but if multiple catch my eye, I may use multiple of them to try and fill out the up to 5 short stories I hope to write.
Again, just want to express my gratitude to the community that helped nurture my writing talent to the point I was able to branch off and do this other cool thing at my workplace. Thank you all again, and hope to see you in August with some new pony words for Past Sins 10th anniversary. (I do have another story in the works I hope to get out this December if I can keep the momentum going on it. It's a big one.)
Congrats on such a great task! Glad you had a good team at your back to support you as well. :)
Congrats on the work with SkullGirls!
In regards to a Variation? I suppose I'll ask in the format of the questions of the ends of each chapter.
What if Nyx hadn't been able to save Twilight?
5551872
Drat, you beat me to it!
:P
I'm afraid I don't have any other ideas at the moment, but I'll be sure to leave another comment if I come up with something. For the time being, best of luck with your plans, Pen!
Variation
What if Twilight was able to catch up to Celestia after she had taken Nyx?
One of my favourite scenes is when the CMCs manage to infiltrate in NM castle. So...
What if they managed right there to make Nyx earn her cutie mark?
Congrats on your anniversary.
Well since we saw a dimension of what Nyx was like as a new born baby, what if we see who her birth parents could’ve been since she was born normally in that dimension(though I kinda guessed or figured who Nyx’s birth mother could be if you decided to do this request I’ll see what you think).
Man, you've really made a name for yourself! I'm sure you feel proud about the Skullgirls update.
holy shit dude, thanks for helping to keep skull girls alive.
it always gives me warm and fuzzies seeing people succeed, especially when they've left a pillar of themselves on a fandom.
this post reminded me i need to get that hardcover of past sins.
Requests for a second Glimpses? Cool! I myself have been working on a fanfic along that theme. In it, Nyx is picked up by Chrysalis. You could do one similar, where a villain finds Nyx. Or perhaps one where an adult Nyx finds herself having to run Equestria due to the other Princesses being unavailable for some reason, and she has to contend with having to rule yet again. How about one where Twilight tells all her friends about Nyx’s identity up front, instead of just Rarity?
Personally, I would like a continuation of Glimpse #5, the one where Celestia finds Nyx. Of all the variations you depicted, that was the one I wanted to see continue.
Variation:
(I really love Into the Depths)
Congrats on the successful work.
As for a Variation:
What if Luna had been the one to find Nyx?
Wow that's pretty awesome guys
What if Nyx had been found by Zecora instead if Twilight. Or what if Sunset was still Celestia's protégé instead of Twiggles.
Also congrats on the real world successes.
Looking forward to that! And yeah, congrats on Skullgirls!
Congrats on Skullgirls' success, dude! It's awesome to hear that something you put your heart and soul and a ridiculous amount of time and effort into bore fruit.
Man, been a long time since I went through Glimpses. But let me see... if I remember Past Sins correctly, Nyx called out Diamond Tiara as being one of the reasons for her causing... something. Having DT not be a bully at all wouldn't be realistic, but...
What if Diamond Tiara didn't bully Nyx?
You wrote Skullgirls?! Holy dicks I never knew wow. Big congrats like
5551941
Wrote "for" Skullgirls, just the most recent story mode with Annie. All the OG stuff was Lab Zero folks.
5551943
That;s awesome Pen. I I have any requests for Glimpses, I'll pop em down
Congrats!
5551943
That's still nothing to scoff at and worth big congrats
Variation: What if Nyx was found/raised by Applejack?
Lead on any sort of studio based project is HUGE! CONGRATS PEN!
Congratulations! The whole Past Sins franchise is still one of my favorite MLP stories to this day. And Nyx is still one of my favorite OCs.
And I do have a suggestion for Variations.
What if Nyx felt guilty after the whole thing and ran away from home out of fear and guilt?
Okay, I think I've thought of something decent:
What if Spike bottled up his mistrust* of Nyx?
*As depicted in Nightmare or Nyx?.
Congrats on both parts and I'm sure I'll think of something.
Wow, it's ten years old now? I still have my hard copy!
Congrats on SkullGirls! That's awesome :)
You'd like some variation requests? Okay, here's one:
-Since you've already established Twilight as an immortal alicorn in the PS universe, how would a grown up Nyx react to Twilight's passing in an AU where she didn't asend?
Here’s a couple of variations
1. What if Luna found Nyx first and kept her a secret
2. If Candace found her
3. Maybe a part 2 of if Celestia found her first
4. What if Nyx was created from Nightmare Moon’s defeat
5. What if Nyx was created as an infant
6. What if nobody ever found Nyx
1, What if Nyx became a teacher at the School of friendship.
2. What if Nyx became the seventh member of the student six.
Think you could get some really interesting and fun interactions between all these kind of characters. And it would be nice to see how Nyx may have effected/interacted with the events of the later seasons.
Congrats on both and what if the past sins happened in FOE
Me again. I thought of another one. What if the Princesses did not return Nyx to her filly state, and she had to continue on as an adult?
That your head is full of skullgirls is a good sign. It means you haven't 'outgrown' something like MLP just yet.
1. What if Nyx became a mother?
2. What if Nyx had a father?*
3. What if Nyx was a dragon?
4. What if Nyx existed in a video game (other than Alan Wake)?
5. What if Nyx was a colt?
6. What if it was Daybreaker being resurrected by the cultists?
7. What if it was Nyx who followed Twilight through the mirror instead of Spike?
*Please, for the love of God, don’t let it be Flash Sentry.
I like a story were Daybraker become Nyx's little sister
Wow I can’t believe it’s been out ten years. I remember listening to an audio book of this story around a few years ago. And since then I’ve been a fan ever since. I’ve even tried my best to make a sort of audio drama. Of which I am truly proud off. But thank you Pen Stroke for writing this beautiful story. As for a Glimpses story? Hmmmm, I don’t necessarily have a concrete idea, maybe something about Spell Nexes?
I'm looking forward to it!
Congrats on Skullgirls!
As Nyx is a counterpart of Luna, what if there was a Celestia counterpart to the story?
What if Twilight had gone to Canterlot with Celestia and Nyx?
What if Past Sins happened during the Season Nine finale?
What if Cadance didn't accept Nyx (at least for a while)?
Might’ve already been said, but what if Nyx still looked like an adult?
10 years already, and Past Sins still holds up as my favorite fanfiction. I'm looking forward to reading your new Glimpses variations. I'll also throw in my two cents' worth for variation ideas.
What if Celestia and the Children of Nightmare didn't find out who Nyx was?
What if Nyx was found and raised by Discord?
Ten years and I still love Past Sins, Silencing Song, and Better Living Through Science and Portals.