Summer update 2: What's Sticking to the Wall?

Quick update on future plans.

Still working on the original stuff, I think I'm down to the last rewrite of what I wanted to do, only question is what to change in terms of details. Art's had some progress, but work responsibilities and sweet, sweet sleeping problems have caused disruptions.

So, all that to say: my break from pone may continue. But I have thought about what to write next. I don't want to do anything controversial anymore, and I don't want to do adult-rated stories anymore. Sadly, controversy is everywhere now, so it may be a moot point.

With those parameters, a simple solution presented itself: why not just do the 'episodes' the show never got to? We have a superhero episode in Power Ponies, but no 'video game' episode. I'd imagine someone's already done a Team Fortress 2 fic, but I'm sure I can put my own spin on it. Twilight picks the Medic class because "I have total confidence in my te-wait, why are you dying?" and Rarity picks Engineer because she just wants to sit back and enjoy the view. Rainbow Dash picks Heavy, not realising that she doesn't get her speed in-game and "Is this what it feels like to be slow?" and of course Applejack has to be the Spy. Think about it: any time she tries to pretend to be someone else, even with voice-warping, she lets out a "Can do" or "Howdie" and then acts all shocked when everypony sees through the disguise.

Other options were a 'Wish gone wrong' episode, you know the type: one child wishes their sibling was the other sex, comes to regret it soon. Dexter's Lab did it, Loud House did it, it's a classic. Doubt I'll go for that one, though, for obvious reasons. There's the old 'girls vs boys' episode, but there's no real way to do that justice now, either, so that's binned for the time being. An 'old vs new' episode where the girls have to pair up with Royal Guard veterans who know actual combat magic as opposed to friendship lasers, that can be interesting, but I've kind of touched on that with my Cadence fic already. There's still the Fall of Stygian idea, but that might get me banned in its current conception, so no progress there. Maybe another adventure story with the alternate Pillars, give them some depth. It's an idea, and D&D sourcebooks help a lot for inspiration, but there's no plot or concept yet.

The most promising idea right now? Another Ocellus fic. Just a standard feel-good story about her getting invited to a club in Ponyville, to come and enjoy a fandom with fellow enthusiasts. I haven't decided where I want to take it yet, but I know what I want the central twist to be, and it'll be in the title, but not obvious.

The working title, and the twist? Spoilers below.

Bite me.

No, seriously, that's the title. Think about this for a second. If werewolves and vampires were real in our world, just regular folks walking around after being revealed, you know for a fact there'd be weirdos looking to get bitten: furries, goths, random bullied kids who'll do anything to get more power... We all know fandoms or groups of any kind have rotten apples who'd harrass these creatures hoping to get 'infected.' Transport that logic to Equestria. What if some ponies think changelings are contagious? And what if you have a bunch of ponies who want to become shapeshifters? What if they're so entitled they'll try and friendship bomb or shame a vulnerable changeling into doing it? Again, not sure where exactly I want to take it tonewise, first few impulses were too political, but there's a show-accurate plot in there somewhere, if no one else has taken it yet.

Just throwin' ideas at the wall to see what sticks.