On the possible continuation of Lyra's adventures in chaos · 1:01pm Jan 5th, 2015
I've been toying with an idea.
I previously stated, to the disappointment of some, that I had no intentions of writing a direct sequel to Just Dodge!, my most popular story in a long time. Mainly this is because I didn't particularly want to repeat myself, having already told the story I wanted to, with all the jokes I wanted to tell and all the headcanon snippets I wanted to add. I'm not a fan of "more of the same" sequelising.
But then I got to thinking about my two biggest inspirations for the story, the equally excellent Hard Reset and Best Night Ever, both of which were also stories about time loops. Specifically, I recalled how both of them had sequels of their own, showing how their central characters progressed after escaping the loops. Now, I don't want to do this exactly, as the story of Lyra playing for the Sowers of Discord is probably funnier as you imagine it in your head than it is how I'd write it, but the point is that a sequel to a time loop story need not necessarily have more time loops.
What I eventually came up with was that if I were to write a sequel to Just Dodge!, I'm thinking that I'd do it as an AU wherein Lyra wins the game (legitimately, not through loopholes), taking advantage of some of the ideas that some of the more insightful commenters brought up. The beginning would see the end of the time loop shenanigans, and the rest of the story would deal with consequences and show what exactly Lyra's wish would've been, which you'll note was never actually revealed in the original.
I'm making this blog because I wanted to gauge the level of reader interest in such an idea, because this hypothetical sequel would be a very different beast to the one you all liked so much the first time. While it would feature more Lyra and Discord, it wouldn't have much time loop stuff, it would be a much darker story (not in the blood and guts sense, but Lyra's corruption would necessarily have to progress much further to have allowed her victory) and it probably wouldn't even be a comedy (most of the time).
Just Dodge! was lightning in a bottle, and I am probably not going to be able to top myself. I want to be clear on that. But if you think that this concept is one you'd like to see, then I may at least make an attempt.
I would read that.
And I would love it!
I'm in *dons dramatic badass sunglasses*
...Indeed.
I'd prefer to read about Lyra telling the story to Twilight and include everything she learned about the Elements' power, thereby giving Twilight a better idea of just how nigh unstoppable the Elements' are, and her reaction to it is one of amazement, horror, intrigue, and disgust in the lengths Lyra went to in order to obtain that wish.
But hey, your idea is great as well. Consider me interested.
I want to read that story 10 minutes ago.
That idea sounds like a keeper. So long as she doesn't just wish for hands.
2702375
No. God no. Why do you think I would do something that awful to you?
Do I want it? I
needkindly request it!I fully support and endorse this idea; any story with Discord written well is a story I'll read six ways to Sunday.
Worth
That sounds like fun to me, although I would be perfectly happy with either conclusion to the time loop so long as Lyra is still mostly herself and not corrupted to the point that she is unrecognizable. The part that really interested me was the interplay between her and Discord because it looked like you were setting up some very interesting character dynamics there, so I will be happy so long as you explore that relationship more.
Lyra winning... Now I really wanna see that
I would read it for sure. Your Lyra is an interesting character that I would like to see more of.
So would this be a chapter by chapter thing, where Lyra finds a different way to win in each chapter with each chapter being an alternate way she could have succeeded? Or is this going to be Lyra just retrying again and again to see how many different ways she can win again after already winning one way? Or have I completely misunderstood, and will this new story be just one of the ways that Lyra could win?
Any way you slice it, the possibilities are all awesome.
I'd be interested in reading something like this. A lot of things are possible when a free wish is involved. I just wonder if Discord would twist the wish into something else. That seems like it could funny
Do eet
puu.sh/e8nbt/7db881d9d7.gif
Well I would read it (hopefully im 1000 chapters behind in al my other stories)
but you could have it where when Lyra tried to kill the mane 6 having that success. And then knowing that discord could always go back in time and do that if he wanted to win somthing along the lines of that.
~Reggie
I am definitely down for some dark, AU sequel.
2702390
Hey. Hey. You should do that. Make it your Dangerous Game entry.
2704220
Oh hell no. I ain't entering no contest. I'd get curbstomped. Especially if Aquaman or Gardez enter.
sounds like fun. I'd read it.
2704267
Why is winning the only thing that matters? And why shouldn't you test your mettle in a contest featuring writers of that caliber?
2704544
Well, it's not, and normally, I would. If you'd made the same suggestion to me last year, yeah, I might have entered. But at present, my time is a limited commodity, and I want to devote it only to things I might accomplish something with. Entering the contest may be fun, but I very much doubt I'll win and I probably won't accomplish anything other than getting in more writing practice. And if writing practice is all I'm after, I'd rather get it working on one of the fifty or so other stories I've already got in the pipeline, since most of those would help advance my ongoing worldbuilding project.
And even those I'm probably going to put on hold for a while as coursework becomes more demanding. I probably won't even start on the Just Dodge! sequel for another few months.
Besides, none of the prompts are giving me much in the way of inspiration anyway.
2704689
Fair enough.
2704691
Maybe next year I might enter if studies haven't swallowed me whole by then.
I'm curious, but I would probably enjoy it more if it were a comedy. Either way, I'm interested, and would probably read it (eventually).
It's an interesting idea for sure and I admit that I rather enjoyed the weirdly dark nature of the story towards the end. If this were Lyra's character in the show (which is impossible to tell since she's A) a background pony and B) has no speaking roles) then I can totally see that happening, but, to me personally, this idea of an AU off of your own story seems a bit ambitious.
If you really think you can do it though then I say go for it and I wish you the best of luck.
An alternate 'what if she'd won' scenario? Sure, I'd read that. Unfortunately though, the most obvious scenario is that Discord uses her method and defeats the Elements. Which, while a reasonable story, would probably be a bit darker than you're describing simply fro Lyra coming to know chaos a bit better.
Though I suppose...it would actually be very interesting if you turned it into a mindscrew, in which at the end of the story it's completely ambiguous whether Discord used Lyra's method, or Lyra was merely an alternate personality of Discord's, of whether she "became" him by being better at chaos. Her wish at the end might have something to do with that.
That could potentially be an awesome story and would stand well on its own. But, I'd kind of rather actually read something more light hearted.
It may be very late to comment, but do it. Seriously, it has been long enough since this story was written that that the fresh mindset may give some truly inspired idea's. There is also the fact that loads of new info and insight on both Discord and Lyra have been revealed on the show since this was written. The way the original idea could have played out may have changed, or it could have been further reinforced. The story can go on and it can be good, so why not?
Loved the story hope to see more.
I'd be interested.