The Science of Dogs · 12:29am Feb 11th, 2023
It's kind of funny that despite my preference for writing in the Equestria Girls verse, my most popular fic (that I actually feel like I did a good job on) is a FIM centred one. Admittedly, it's a distorted version. Yet a version it still is.
Reflection showcased a Twilight that superficially resembles the mare we all know and love, yet she's a mess of conflicting emotions and instincts inside. A carnivorous predator raised amongst a prey species, put under the lens of a society that mistrusts even those with the mildest of differences, she pushed herself to the utmost to prove her good intentions and worthiness. Only to find for some, well, that doesn't matter a damn thing.
I said I'd return to this world. That this Twilight, this confused young bicce trying to find her place in Equestria, deserves more of her story told. Both as a national hero, polymath, and Countess as well as a girl struggling to understand friendship, herself, and what it truly means to stand out.
So yes, this is a long-winded way of saying Reflection is getting a sequel.
Kind of.
Reflection and any of its following works (of which I've several rough outlines) has always intended to follow the best example of 'Verses out there and be a chronological thing. Estee's "Triptych" verse for example has a concrete end point for canon episodes and a very clear timeline. You start at "A" and move to "B" etc. Similarly, FOME's "Oversaturated" verse also has a solid 'my canon starts here' marker.
My intention has always been to roughly follow the shows release, with Reflection itself pinning a very clear time period for its story to have taken place. The original idea for a sequel would have involved the Grand Galloping Gala, unfortunately my muse deserted me on that and whilst there are still some core beats I want to work with, it's frustratingly dry idea wise. I tend to get a tad melancholy when I'm struggling with writers block/indecision and this has been no different.
So instead of leaving this world dead and buried until I could get my head into gear, I decided on something else. Inspired by Bicyclettes new competition I thought to myself "This sounds like a job for Canterlots newest renaissance mare!" and considered a "floating" sequel of sorts. The fic that I'm currently writing will be canon to Reflection, merely not a direct sequel to it. Set sometime in S2, it may reference the burgeoning ideas I have for the true sequel, it may not. Either way though you'll be getting more Diamond Dog Twilight (Di-Light?)
To add to this challenge I'm going to try something different. I've used an RNG prompt device to give myself 3 sentences I'll have to use in the fic somewhere, I'm going to try and get each chapter to 3000 words in length... AND I'm going to try and get the fic done in 3 chapters.
It's a big ask, but I like to think I can get it done.
Oh and finally, I often like to talk about the mood music I listen to while I write a fic. As a "coming up" thing of sorts I'll give you the link to the current tracks.
Blog post had no science of dogs. Am disappoint.