Epic Tales from Horseapalooza · 9:51pm Aug 14th, 2017
I've been to Bronycon three times. It's been kind of a big deal for me.
The first time I went to Bronycon, it was my first time ever attending a convention. Up to that point, I'd still been mildly to moderatly ashamed of being a Brony, and I was really hesitant about taking the plunge and "admitting it." But I had a blast, I made some good friends, and I felt like I discovered my people. I accepted it was okay to be weird, and walked out of it a much happier person than I'd walked in.
The second time I went to Bronycon, I was unemployed and had no idea how I was going to get employed. I was spending money I didn't have to attend the con, just because I wanted one thing to go right for me in that awful, miserable year. And while I was there, I bumped into an old friend who liked my ponyfic, and he mentioned his company was hiring. I deferred, but he insisted (just about dragged me into it), and now I live out in CA with a great job and even some financial stability. He saved me from a terrible downward spiral. Plus I got a great plushie.
And this time? I reaffirmed some old friendships, realized some things about myself, and made some resolutions. We'll see if it turns out to be the life-changing experience the first two were. I think it's too early to tell.
But wow I got some great stories out of it.
Original Character 2: Alicorn Harder
"And so-" GaPJaxie explained, "characters don't hate things just because. They hate things because they've learned to hate them over time because those things have repeat negative associations. Understanding what life experiences have driven a character to feel hate will help you better understand their negative emotions. So, from the audience, can anyone give an example of a character who has learned to hate something because of repeat bad experiences with it?"
In the front row, a twelve year old raised his hand. He shouted "Ooh ooh!" and waved it about. GaPJaxie hesitated. He knew it would probably be better to call on another, but the kid was so enthusiastic, and Bronycon was supposed to be a child-friendly con. Haltingly, Jaxie raised his left hand. He pointed.
"My OC is an AI who can't die," the excited young boy shouted. "Because since he's just an AI whenever he dies he moves into a new robot pony. And he hates that he can't die because he's immortal so he just has to watch everypony around him get super old."
In that moment, GaPJaxie knew that this was no mere child. This was the one who was prophesied: The Littlest Edgelord.
And he was the hero the con deserved.
And That's How Equestria Was Made: Round 3
Celestia's stern gaze fell upon Twilight. Her eyes were hard and unkind, her shoulders stiff and straight. "Twilight," she spoke, her voice icy. "Why is the Crystal Empire vibrating?"
Twilight took a breath. She lifted her ears. "Because mare, I'm fabulous!"
Celestia considered that a moment. Her eyes turned to the next pony in line. "Rarity. Why is the Crystal Empire vibrating?" she asked. Then a moment later, she added: "And what's wrong with Twilight?"
And That's How Equestria Was Made: Round 6
"Okay, granted," Twilight said, her hoof making vague circular gestures in the air, "it's easy to focus on the negative aspects of time travel. I know nopony is happy that Equestria's economy has collapsed and the bit has been replaced with a birthday candle based black-market barter system. But, there's positive aspects to reintegrating the time stream too! Like, uh... I have a brother now!"
After a moment, she added: "Or... maybe I always had a brother. It's honestly kind of ambiguous."
Role Play Your Way Panel
Poor Rainbow Dash. She just wants to fit in with the cool ponies.
Perspective Panel
"So for example," GaPJaxie explained, gesturing up at the board, "say you were writing a story where Twilight turns into a deer, and her friends are worried that the transformation is messing with her head. You could-"
"Oh! Oh!" A hand shot up in the crowd. "Can I find that story on FiMFic?"
"What? Uh..." GaPJaxie squinted. "It's just an example of a story you might construct. I haven't actually written any story like that."
"Did somebody else write it?"
"Um... I don't know. Maybe?" GaPJaxie shook his head. "Okay, let's use a different example." He squeezed the clicker in his hand, and behind him, the picture on the projector changed. "Say you wanted to write a MLP/Sunless-Sea crossover."
"Eeeee!" A different hand shot up. "Where can I find that story on FiMFic?"
Slowly, GaPJaxie sighed.
Coming of Age Stories Panel
Collab Panel
A moment of silence for the 25 bronies who died during this panel as a result of acute diabetes and overexposure to true love.
Just look at them. They're the true fanfiction power couple!
The Flight Back
"Hey, Ether?" GaPJaxie asked, tucking his phone into his shoulder as he walked off the flight. "A quick question. Did you pack up my Rarity plushie by mistake? It was in my hotel room, but now it's gone and it isn't in my bag."
On the other end of the line, static-filled words could be heard.
"Damn," GaPJaxie muttered. "No, don't worry about it. It wasn't one of the expensive plushies. With how high my fever got on Sunday, I was actually hallucinating a decent bit, so I probably just imagined bringing it back to the hotel room. I must have left it somewhere in the con and wandered off in a daze."
On the other end of the line, there was a faint pause. Then a few words.
"What? No. The con was a ton of fun. Why do you ask?"
Stepping out of the gate, GaPJaxie quickly moved to the side to get out of the other passengers way. He stopped there for a time, straining to listen to the other end of the line.
"Oh. Oh wow. I am sorry. I thought that was just a dream." He coughed. "So uh... just to confirm. Are you being metaphorical, or did I actually growl at you when you came to the hotel room door?"
He paused. He listened. "Like a good dragon, or an evil dragon?"
That first anecdote is great.
I love the story of meeting somebody at one convention and it leading to a good job and helping turn your life around! That makes my day.
How Equestria Was Made was so much fun. Do you know if anyone was recording it?
Also, I'm very sorry I missed the Littlest Edgelord.
See, this is why seeing a dragon is important. You can tell if it is a good dragon or an evil dragon by how shiny its scales are!
Best Con Recap!
I don't get the coming of age joke. c.c
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It's Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest eating the heart of a unicorn to survive.
Yes, I laughed at that. Then I left because the smell of food was making me hungry.
You should have told him to kill his darlings.
Better yet, you should have told his parents.
I'm sorry you were sick but glad you had a good time in spite of this. It was good to meet you.
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I didn't see a camera or any staff there. They had to go find one to turn up the speaker volume, so I wouldn't expect that one to show up on YouTube.
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But not at the convention center. I'm pretty sure that they don't invite you back if you leave bloodstains in the carpet.
Oh, dear, sorry you had a fever.
Glad that that didn't dampen your time at the con, though. :D
Still sad I missed some of those panels.
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The next generation of the fandom!
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It made my several years, so yeah, it was a big deal.
I owe that guy... a lot. Quite a lot. Friendship really is magic!
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Child friendly con! Child FRIENDLY!
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Sadly, Pascoite is correct. No cameras for that one.
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All of them but the improv exercise will be on YouTube soon!
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Depends on what you mean by soon. I think last year, it took them about 6 months, and the quickest I ever remember was still over 3 months.
This sounds slightly familiar...
But I also like the cut of that kid's jib.
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This part isn't remotely an exaggeration.
So, I've had this idea of Twlight being a Zee-captain and the other main six being the various Officers (Spike fits into the "Mascot" slot) for a while now but I'm just not sure where it would go.
Also, semantic question: what defines a "crossover"? I wouldn't really consider my idea a "crossover" and more of a "melding". Canterlot would replace London and various Sunless Sea story characters would be replaced by MLP characters so what is the term for that sort of fan-fiction? Where you mix settings but not really characters? Is that still a "crossover"?
He'll be embarrassed by that when he's older. Hopefully, he'll stick around long enough to learn to do it right... someday.
Sure, but then I can't ask you where to find the story on Fimfic whenever you mention something interesting! That's an important part of the panel experience that can't be transmitted through a video.
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Eh, I usually call it a crossover, but I concede that's just for lack of a better term. My Sunless Sea story idea is also a "melding" in that sense, with Rarity as the zee captain and Twilight as the young explorer seeking her father's bones.
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It's a crossover:
It is also probably a mashup.
I think I said hi at least once. Probably at dinner asking where Ether was. So it goes when there are too many faces to see each year and never enough time. Sounds like you had fun too. Good!
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Normally I specifically think of characters when it comes to using the word "crossover" these days but that definition is appropriate.
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But Rarity makes such a good Modiste (though maybe not a Merciless one) and a good option for a First Officer. Though one thing I was thinking if doing was have the characters fill more than one slot: AJ as Cook/First Officer and so on, was working on fitting them into slots. And I had no real plot to go with it sooooo... yeah.