Working on a story in which Twilight plans a series of field trips so her students can see other countries... · 7:15pm Dec 13th, 2018
So, seeing as there was a lot of interest in What's your problem?, I've decided to use the sequel as an opportunity to play out a few ideas that have been tumbling around in my mind ever since Twilight first introduced the exchange students.
The biggest one is that it would be really interesting to see them go on field trips to their home countries, so they can explain what life is like there to their new friends. This would include fun festivals in the Changeling Hive and Mount Aris, and perhaps more grim explorations of places like Yakyakistan and the Dragonlands, culminating with a trip to the failstate of Griffonstone. I'm also thinking of having some intermissions between the field trips where they're just doing things around the school: obviously Gallus will have some overarching character development going on.
I feel like some of the content is going to push the rating from E to T, but it should be both fun and interesting to read, and obviously filled with World building.
Sandbar is about the only character from the last one who isn't going to be prominent in this thing, but me and Pickleless have been in talks about a Sandbar focused story.
So, now that all of that is out there, is there anything you guys would like to see in a story like this? I'm going to try to keep it relatively short, especially since Displaced Into Nothing dragged on for so long (despite being an absolute joy to write), but I would like it to be somewhat complete in terms of what can be explored.
Does anypony have any suggestions?
So far, my only thought is that it not have a downer ending. Well, that, and an idea with how Gallus would interact with Grandpa Gruff at the end. That, and I'm struggling with trying to fit Sandbar in any fic that wouldn't involve him and Ocellus being shipped.
Definitely check out anthropology texts and ethnographies, they can help you figure out how to present other cultures. Also, try to do research, and read things by people from those cultures, so you have not only an outsiders view, but an insiders as well.
Culture and society, no matter how foreign, always follow a system of logic. People are people. Be careful of orientalism and othering the other cultures in the pony pov.
As for what Im interested in seeing - Daily life, religion (or how spirituality can work in a world where ponies ascend to alicorns, and likely other races can ascend as well), scenery porn, slice of life bits? Its mlp, so you know.
4980818
Yeah, no, I wouldn't be shipping them. Sandbar still hasn't gotten over being a racist pony.
4980820
One of the things about an exploration / Exposition story is that you don't want to synthesize too much. Sure, my backgrounds in anthropology and sociology are going to help, as well as a firm understanding of the anatomy of these creatures, but I'm going to try not to go too far off of what we already know about them. This is more about exploring the implications of what is known than creating new things to explore, unless said things make for a good story fodder in the future.
4980822
I will definitely keep the scenery thing in mind. I know that there will be good opportunities for that on the way to places like Yakyakistan and Griffinstone.
Daily life is something I'd also like to dig into, although I'm going to have to do some slanted stuff for that when the countries put on big festivals for them. It should be easiest with Griffonstone, because I'm thinking Grandpa Gruff will just try to sell them random archaeological relics, and that chapter is gonna end up as another "Gallustopia needs Hugs" type deal.
I'll have to think about the spirituality thing. I get the feeling the changelings wouldn't have that, but the Yaks definitely seem the type to have some intense rituals. I should decide which ones Pinkie Pie has been in on. I also wanted to throw down the idea that the Yaks only seem crazy because they've been isolated in a hostile location for centuries, and have come up with a very particular way of interacting.
Nice, yeah, I see where you're coming from with not extrapolating too much from whats given, and developing the cultures organically. I look forward to what you write.
Dunno how well it'd fit with your intended plot points given where you left things off in the last fic, buuuuuuuut personally I'd kinda like to see Gallus and Sandbar interacting with each other one on one, you know, just as friends, bros hanging out, that sort of thing. Considering they're the only males in their posse, I can see them eventually bonding over that.
Maybe Discord shoehorns them into a Guy's Night or something, I dunno.
4982055
Honestly, I feel like they would realize just how little they actually have in common. I feel like it would be hard for Gallus to sympathize with Sandbar's problems, and hard for Sandbar to truly understand Gallus. As I've said many times, Sandbar's character seems to revolve around being uninteresting. Sandbar might not fully understand this though, so I can understand him trying to get Gallus alone, only to have that sort of conversation. I'm not sure though, I don't know enough about how males (or normal human beings really) actually think to understand the concept of them bonding over the fact that they are both males in the same circle of friends.
All that said, I will think on this, maybe come up with an idea that will work...
4982669
Exactly why I think it's worth exploring. They get together to try and hang out, only to discover that they're struggling to find much in common, and of course that in turn brings up tough questions about their friendship. Like the recent "The End in Friend" episode, except I reckon you could go waaaaaaaaaay deeper into the matter than that episode ever did.
But like I said when I first brought up the idea, I don't know how well that'd fit into your plans. It's just an idea that, were it me writing it, that's what I'd cover.
4982704
I don't think I could, seeing as it would be a brief intermission in a larger story. That said, if I come up with anything I think it's really interesting, I will go ahead and explore that.