Who is that mystery mare? · 4:20am Jul 4th, 2018
The mare pulling my cab was like no pony I'd ever seen before. She was a unicorn, which was odd in and of itself, and she was a beautiful golden-green, almost like a field lit by the sun right after a rainstorm.
Writing fanfiction is weird sometimes.
There's an unwritten rule (or maybe it is written; I sort of skimmed the instructions) that you shouldn't use the same characters across different 'verses. That's the kind of thing that's likely to confuse readers.
I was going to give an example here, but off the top of my head, I can't think of a single professionally published writer who jumps around in genres as much as I do. I'm sure there are some, but I can't think of them.
Obviously, in fanfiction some things are sort of laid out for us. The vast majority of stories on the site have Princess Celestia as ruler of Equestria, from the happiest, fluffiest Crystal Wishes romance to the darkest Fallout:Equestria story.
Not to say that we can't change that if the story dictates, but in general readers are going to expect that sort of thing.
Likewise, if the story's set in Ponyville at the same time as the show, it's a fair bet that the Mane 6 will be there. Some of the popular background characters, like Lyra or Applejack show up in lots of fics, too, and that generally doesn't confuse anyone.
When it comes to OCs or obscure background characters, though, it's probably better to not move them across universes. That just gets confusing.
This is why you'll find Apple Flora in the Sam and Rose stories, but nowhere else.
Or why Starlight (not Glimmer) and Diamond Mint are only in CSI/OPP.
Episode Screencap
It's less confusing to readers that way, IMHO. If I mention Silver Spanner or Ambrosia, you've already got an expectation of the universe, and I think that if it turned out to be some sort of weird conversion bureau thing you're probably going to hate me. Possibly hit me with tire irons. Whereas if I used new, different characters, you'd hate me less. Maybe just use a baseball bat, because it is conversion bureau.
So I've made a rule that I never cross the streams characters from one 'verse to the other.
Now, there have been characters I've used in non-verse settings, but those don't count. Both Silver Glow and Cayenne made an appearance before Silver Glow's Journal, although in both cases they weren't set in any other 'verse—both stories were in anthologies.
In terms of actual 'verse stories, there's only been one exception to my general rule thus far: the miller. She's appeared in I think five different stories.
Way back when, I wrote Interview with a Cab Driver. That had this exchange in it:
“It . . . it was kind of an accident, but we're really happy. The doctor's curious, because he hasn't seen any journal articles about what kind of foal it might be.”
“Because your marefriend isn't a crystal pony.”
“She's a unicorn. Works in the typing pool at Silver Barrel.”
I'd say go read it right now, but don't.
Instead, listen to AShadowOfCygnus' reading. He made Golden Agate's character pop.
Ever since that reading, I think of Golden Agate every now and then, and so when it came time for a cab driver in FNFE, I realized that I needed to answer the question of his daughter. Was she crystally?
Yes, it turns out that she is.
She also got his gaits, including the Tölt.
Will we see here again, either in FNFE or somewhere else?
I don't know. I honestly don't have an answer for you.
As an author, this could be a fitting conclusion. I've answered the question of Golden Agate's daughter, and along with it several open questions about his life.
At the same time, so much of my impetus is me wanting to know more about a place or a thing or a character and not being satisfied until I do know.
Characters should be described by what they do and only incidentally by what they look like. One of the advantages of using a fairly standard show character is the reduced (but not eliminated) amount of words you need to describe them to the satisfaction of the audience. Cranky, for example. Instant description and what he does. Derpy, much the same. A character named Huggy Hearts, you can probably wing the description. Do that long enough and the readers are going to start to twig to it. "Hey, he spent three paragraphs on what this character does. Maybe he's important."
Who's that Poképone?!
Cool, thanks for answering that! Obviously a lot of us were curious. Maybe some day the muse will bug you to tell her story, eh?
When I saw the first vid you posted, I was amazed to see the horse going full-on left-side / right-side, and this one is even better. It's a fascinating gait to watch.
Who you gonna call?
... that made me feel old.
Biscuit you threw AJ under the bus? lol.
Ah. That explains that quite nicely. Thanks for resolving the mystery.
As soon as I get out of this conference room, I'm going to listen to that reading. I remember this story fondly ;)
But your post reminded me about something, something I've asked myself ever since SG's journal: what happened to Cayenne afterwards? In the case of SG the end felt a little bitter sweet but with a bright future over the horizon, in the case of Cayenne it mainly felt melancholic, a little sad even. Impending loss.
How is Cayenne today? I think I'm not the only one who grew very fond of l'poney terrible.
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I agree. I didn't used to think that, but now I do. I'm pretty sure that in Spring Comes To Snow Hill--which was all OCs--not one of them was described a bit, with the exceptions of gender, an approximation of age for Maple Leaf, and the fact that Sugar Bush was pregnant.
I do worry sometimes that that can make us lazy as writers. I think that in original fic, you need something for a reader to hang his hat on, such as bright-eyed Athena.
Although I tend to subvert Checkov's gun all the time, and frequently insert the most mundane and unimportant details, so I think I can at least sometimes get away with it.
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Applejack is best background pony.
pre00.deviantart.net/6dec/th/pre/i/2011/288/a/4/vector__applejack_relaxing_by_fennrick-d4cxjbb.png
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It's certainly possible. As of right now, I've got nothing, but my muse is weird, and every now and then she smashes me with a 2x4 and says 'write this,' and it's best to do what she says.
It's a totally amazing gait. And apparently they can use the same gait from a walking pace to almost a gallop.
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99% sure I watched that in the theatre back in 1984.
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Supposedly from the German comic:
derpicdn.net/img/view/2013/4/22/305599__safe_applejack_dewdrop+dazzle_pinkie+pie_prince+blueblood_rainbow+dash_scootaloo_spike_twilight+sparkle_oc_oc-colon-yellowstar_and+applejack+is.jpg
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You're welcome!
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I think she got over it . . . I think she's like a plant with shallow roots, one that takes pretty well to being transplanted. It's traumatic at first, and she has trouble dealing with it, but once she gets back to Equestria it's not long before she becomes her own self again, and not too much longer after that--maybe a few weeks, maybe a couple months--before the pain is gone, and then she doesn't look back overly much. Probably doesn't write anyone back on Earth or anything like that, and there's a good chance she wouldn't even admit her weakness when they were at the transfer station.
I just think that in many ways, she's a very shallow pony.
In terms of the others, I think that Meghan made it to Equestria, and she and Silver Glow hung out in Chonamare. I don't know if Silver Glow and Meghan stayed together, but I do think that Silver Glow made it as a weather supervisor, and either didn't like it and quit, or requested the first transfer to the coast . . . there's no way she'd be happy managing tame weather for too long.
I think that Gusty went back to Earth and pursued a career as an actress.
Aquamarine and Cedric are together. I don't know where, and I'm not sure it matters. Wherever they are, they have a farm and Cedric works as a carpenter.
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I can claim M.A.S.H. 4077, The Rockford Files, Dragnet, The Dukes of Hazard and anything with John Wayne being my favorite things to watch on television.
I remember rumbling big block motors, shocked-up cars, big rigs being the kings of the road and wishing the 460 under my trucks hood was pushing a Mustang instead of a rusty old pickup with a T-19 tranny with an overdrive off an old bus and a four wheel drive conversion. Still miss that ton truck.
Am I as old as you? Probably not. I just got the honor of growing up on a farm, in a town that hasn't caught with the times. The fact that I still use a Ford 800 tractor might hint that I haven't quite caught up myself.
Honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way.
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You're probably older than me, than (1977). I don't remember most of those things, or if they still existed they were on the way out.
I did live in some small towns that were behind the times, but not that far behind them. Maybe five years, tops.
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I have lived in the same town all my life. I know an old woman who still drives a model A Ford.
Heck, I have trouble typing because I learned on a typewriter. Before they changed the key arrangement.
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Sounds like we are a bit similar Wrought-iron. I remember almost all of those except Dragnet and I still have my Dad's old '62 International A554 as the tractor on the block up home (the A554 was an update to the AW7 which I think itself was a cousin to your W-400 over there). The second farm fire fighting rig, was until two years ago, mounted on an old '61 Dodge D300 with a 426 that had been bunged in it by Dad in the early 70's when he bought it with the original 225 very much deceased... always wished that 426 had been in a Charger instead.
Why still use old beasts like them? Because they do the job and start every time you push the glow plug and/or start buttons, unlike some newer things on the farm. Who needs to be caught up?
No Model As that aren't hotrods up home but I do know of one old duck who still drives an Austin 7 and another who was driving an Austin Wasp up until last year... and sadly it is only because she stopped permanently that she is still not driving it. More power the the oldies who remind us that you don't need ECUs, PCMs, ABS, SIPS, ESC, SatNav, A/C, heated seats or other such fandangled whatsits just to go to into town once a week for supplies.
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Old iron starts when nothing else will, and keeps rolling when all others yield.
Heh. Let's keep the old iron and the old ways alive, shall we?
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You’ll probably both like this vid:
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Nice.
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Well, if that doesn't get your attention, nothing will!
All that quality brass and British green painted cast iron is very familiar... we still run a few bores and a 32V DC generator up home using Lister LD1 and LD2 diesels from the 50's which were always painted the same colour.
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I wonder if that’s just a standard British engine color?
I’ve noticed that a lot of industrial engines are painted a light green, and I’m sure there’s a reason for it. Even locomotive engines in the US tend to be (as well as the inside of the cab).
"Both Silver Glow and Cayenne made an appearance before Silver Glow's Journal"
Out of curiosity, what are the names of those stories there?
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Well, since you asked. . .
Silver Glow:
Ed Parker in Equestria
Cayenne:
The Longest Sentence
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Thanks!