So, Chapter 20 Released Yesterday... · 10:22am April 25th
Can I just say I'm glad I found a way to explore my changeling headcanon naturally?
Like, I usually try to avoid stacking information dumps. It's always good practice to not subject the reader to something that reads like they're studying for a test. Still, I've always wanted to give a peek into how I imagine the hive working in this AU as there are some differences beyond Chrysalis herself. I'm committed to keeping this story as close to canon as possible, which is difficult to do while keeping Chrysalis as a protagonist with antagonistic behavior.
LEGIT SPOILERS HIDDEN BELOW: YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
Honestly, I was just trying to pay off a mistake I made when writing Chapter 17. Chrysalis hears news about changeling hate at some stupid fashion show that I'd wrote without thinking and published. I'd almost considered deleting the information, but then I decided to see about an angle I had written for a story now deleted all the way back from 2014 called Unraveling a Rainbow. Take Prim/Desi's situation and apply it to Rainbow Dash with her real self being an overpowered changeling bio weapon who can create massive explosions by collapsing the energies of back-to-back Sonic Rainbooms and unleashing them at once. By just making her be a loyal changeling to Chrysalis, I've been able to explore so much!
I've already finished Chapter 21's first draft, and in a word, it's chaos. Readers have probably forgotten during the hiatus, but everything happening in Manehattan right now is this AU's version of "All Bottled Up." If you recall, that's a Trixie/Starlight focused episode with the Mane 6 doing an escape room in Manehattan as the B plot. Now that Trixie and Starlight also have a certain Mithril Lily in their midst at the castle, I wonder how it will affect the ending of this little arc, if at all. I'm currently editing one of my prereader's fics, hence the delay of this blog post, but once I'm done with that, it's full-steam ahead on checking 21 while waiting for AP. I hope I beat him to it.
I other news, the new school year is taking up a lot of time, but I've got a few days ahead of relaxation. Last weekend was a nightmare of almost being trapped in a multi-level marketing pitch after being tricked to attend a BBQ the day prior by a now former-friends-turned... I don't want to say enemy... I never want to see him again though. I was terrified all day of fighting through a language barrier with all sorts of odd vibes from the people around me, and I was begging for him to just be straight with me. After I finally squeezed it out of him telling him that I wouldn't go with him on the day-of without knowing exactly what they were doing, it took me all of 5 minutes to trace it back to a direct-sales MLM thing. I was LIVID. In all my years, I have never told someone to "buck" off and that our friendship, if it ever was one, was over. Just thinking about it sends shivers down my spine.
He was going to drive me to the location, meaning I'd be stuck there... with no way to run away...
That's why I was so angry. He was willing to trap me in what would obviously become a sales pitch after getting a "free health check." I left my apartment for a few hours to have a chai milk tea and calm down. I'd never felt more like Vinyl Scratch from Electro Swing than those hours. I was a mix of emotions that I didn't recognize feeling with terror, hatred, self-loathing, self-blame, and guilt for yelling. I was the victim in this and I still felt bad for yelling. Sweet Celestia... the more I see how much Vinyl comes from me, the more I consider going to therapy.
Anyway, that's all I got for now. I need to finish getting some stuff checked on Jymbroni's story. When that comes out, I'll be sure to shout it out here, so stay tuned! In the meantime, if you want some good G5 stuff with a bit of inspiration from a certain master of Twilight X Rarity, be sure to check out the following story that deserves a lot more love:
See you in the next blog!
- Rego
I know I’ve seen Stormy Affair before, but I can’t for the life me remember where. At first I thought you’d mentioned it in a prior blog, but apparently not. Possibly just in the Featured Box? Well, Mono’s Bodyguard one-shots were always fun and flipping the character dynamics with Zipp and Sunny instead could shake it up quite a bit along with fun AU G5 lore.
Plus, this has your endorsement, I’m always looking for the rarity that is Worthwhile G5 Fics, and I see this author wrote an entry for the New Blood contest last year that placed. So, despite being almost 10K (enough to make me carefully consider for a new author I’ve not read before) I might give this a look in.
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Full disclosure if it wasn't clear from the content of the blog: I'm his editor/writing mentor. I'm not the best at catching GSP mistakes, especially when it's been a long session. But the following gif is an accurate representation of what it feels like trying to get a story's content past me.
media1.tenor.com/m/PpvL7pPT73YAAAAd/ace-attorney-franziska-von-karma.gif
When I go through his major drafts with my editing eye, I can easily spend 5+ hours and leave 200 comments.
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Sounds like you had an even more intense editing mindset than myself! I’ve approached that level of density with editing others’ work in the past, and was generally told to not push it. One reason why I generally only edit now if, on top of the fic interesting me, the author is willing to give me full reign on what I can note and suggest. I’ve no time or patience to just be a prose polish boy. Even if I am quite good at that.
And yep, I gathered you two had a close association – I see you’ve edited on all (four
) of his fics going back two years, for one.
My sympathies. Finding out someone is trying to take advantage of you, let alone a friend... That's horrible.
On a lighter tone, I loved Stormy Affair. Looking forward to the next one!
also, the whole infiltrator headcanon is fascinating.
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Honestly, it's mostly that I can either give a vibe check or I go all in. There is no middle. It always turns into me explaining my reasoning because I don't want to be misunderstood, which is why I don't edit others often. It's already taxing enough to check my own work, doing so for others takes forever. But, it's also the least I can do for helping me out with my other fics. Pretty much, if you check for me, I check for you.
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Thanks. Got a bit of toxicity telling me that I shouldn't be so shaken up about this being a 35-year-old man, but in truth, I was scared. Truly, thank you.
MLM people aren't your friends. Predatory capitalism will take that capability away from them. It's even worse if they're a family member you care about. I tried to warm him about it when I first saw the signs, but I guess at that point he was too far gone.
Issa good one! Probably my favorite of his that he's written. It was the first story that I felt his voice really shine through.
I'm glad you like it! I'm 80% sure you'll like 21 now.