Hello, everyone! my name is Shadowmane PX-41, and as you may or may not be aware, I am an Admin on Let's Make You Known. And as such, I decided to make my own little interview of one of the authors on this very group.

Yes, just like Lost Marbles and Castaway Pariah, I am going to delve into the mind of one of our most enigmatic, beloved, and very productive writers, LyraAlluse.

So, without further ado, let's jump right into this and get the party started!

LyraAlluse, the man, or woman of the hour. My name is Shadowmane PX-41, and on behalf of Let's Make You Known, I am here to interview you and share your thoughts around.

Cool! That sounds like fun. And I am a girl.

Alright. Now before we begin, do you agree that this will be shared on Let's Make You Known for all to see?

Sure.

Wonderful! Let's get this show on the road then.

It's...

INTERVIEW TIME!

So, I suppose I should start with an easy question. What got you into Friendship is Magic in the first place?

I grew up watching generation one and 1.5 of my little pony. I also watched generation three. So I was always a big fan of the franchise.

When I heard that they made generation four I was kind of skeptical at first. I didn't think they would be able to make anything that captured the dark tone of generation one. But I gave it a shot after a friend told me to watch it and I ended up really liking it.

That being said, generation one and it's movies are still my favorite incarnations of the franchise. I hope future generations of mlp will attempt to capture the dark D&D like tone of the original series and maybe include other fantasy creatures such as elves, rock hounds, and other fantasy elements that were in generation one.

Ahh, yes. I myself enjoy seeing all of the unique monsters and creatures that FIM has to offer, and it makes me wonder what we could see in the future.

I'm still vying for a Medusa Pony myself, but you never know...

How do you feel that MLP has affected your life?

It has definitely inspired me to make a lot of different stories, artwork, and music which I have put on this and other sites. A story I wrote called The Tale of Applena that ended up getting published in a short story collection actually started out as an mlp fan fiction about the apple family. But it quickly turned into its own original fantasy story/universe.

A publisher who had published some of my horror stories in a different short story collection previously read the story after I showed him a few different fiction pieces I had finished, and to my surprise it ended up getting published as well.

I also had some art pieces that started out being backgrounds for mlp artwork but I turned into their own unique art pieces get featured in a film called Fae's Redemption.

Mlp always seems to help me get the ball rolling with my creativity. And the same can be said about one of my favorite anime series of all time, The Vision of Escaflowne. That show has inspired me to make a lot of my own original fantasy artwork, music, and stories as well.

Yes, I understand. FIM's been an inspiration for me too. I love nothing more than fleshing out the characters and making them seem much bigger and much more believable than what the show and Equestria Girls have set for them.

So, what episode of MLP do you think has had the biggest impact on you?

I think the episode that has had the biggest impact on me is Brother Hooves Social. The funny thing is that a lot of people hate that episode. But it actually made me cry. And not a lot of things can actually bring tears to my eyes or make me cry in general, so that is saying something. The reason it spoke to me is that I've always been a sort of outcast in my family. After leaving a not very good home situation, I ended up getting cut off from both my mom's side and step dad's side of the family. I haven't really had any contact with either side for six or more years because of this. Brother Hooves Social reminded me that I miss my family and wish things could be worked out. But sometimes your family might have a perception of you that isn't true or might not understand your motives for doing things. So it can be hard to work things out and find common footing. At least the episode had a happy ending. It gave me some hope that maybe I can find a happy ending with my family situation one day as well.

Hopefully that wasn't too personal. I could always change my answer if you want.

It's never too personal, Lyra. That episode was such a strong one for Big Mac and Applebloom as a whole, and I'm glad that you enjoyed it.

What's your favourite Mane Six pony?

My favorite mane six pony is Pinkie Pie. I like that she is goofy and spontaneous. But on the other hand, I like how she can also be serious and just as smart as Twilight when she applies herself. I feel that I can identify a lot with Pinkie Pie. But I also kind of identity with Derpy too as I am a bit of a klutz in real life and am very awkward/ shy around people I've just met. Basically if you take all the spontaneity and humor of Pinkie Pie and combine that with the clumsiness and socially awkward behavior of Derpy, that is pretty much my personality.

Ahh, I see. I enjoy Pinkie Pie as well, purely because she always seems to make the best out of a bad situation.

That, and she's had the best jokes from the whole show...

How do you think Season Six has been, compared to other seasons of MLP?

I personally think that season six has been pretty good so far. I am definitely enjoying it a lot more than season five. In my opinion, season five started out strong but ended on a rather weak note. On the other hand, I have found all of the episodes of season six to be pretty entertaining. The only episodes from season six that I haven't enjoyed as much as the others have been the episodes involving the CMC. I think this is because the writers still are not sure how to write CMC episodes now that they each have their cutie marks. But I am optimistic that they will start thinking of better CMC episodes as the season progresses.

I personally think that Season Six has been on rocky ground, and Cart Before the Ponies and 28 Pranks Later did not help it.

Any worst episodes of the show?

I feel that the worst episode of the show, without question, has been Princess Spike. They basically took all of the good qualities of Spike and everything he has learned up until that point in the show and completely tossed it out the window in favor of proving some kind of point or trying to force a lesson onto the viewers. Spike is one of my favorite non-pony characters of the show besides Discord, so when I see the writers completely mess up a Spike episode, it really impacts me. Putting all that stuff aside, the episode as a whole was boring. I literally almost fell asleep watching it. I'm not even joking. You know you have a problem when an episode can't even hold your attention the entire way through. Fortunately, season six has done a good job with Spike episodes so far. The Times, They Are A Changeling has been just one of many positive portrayals of Spike this season. It makes me happy that Spike is finally getting the good episodes that he deserves.

Alright. For me, 28 Pranks Later is undoubtedly the worst episode of, well, ANYTHING I've ever seen, and you're welcome to check out my review on it down below:

Why does this episode exist?!

Best Song?

I feel that the best song in the show so far has been Celestia's Ballad. It does such a good job of highlighting the love Celestia has for not only Twilight, but in some respect, all of her subjects. I've listened to every remix of the song and I love every version of it.

It also has a deeper meaning too, when you think about it. It can be applied to really any situation where someone has had to work hard to achieve something and finally accomplishes what they have set out to do. The lyrics of Celestia's Ballad can be symbolic of that guiding force telling you that you've done well and fulfilled what you've been put on this earth to do.

For being such a short song, it is full of symbolism, and is very beautiful. For these reasons it is still my favorite song in the show to this day.

Yes. Who could ever forget the time that Sunbutt the 1st sang her song of majesty to Twilight and the bronies of the world before making her into the most controversial thing in the whole show?

What story genre is your favourite, not just on this site, but on shows and movies as a whole?

I have a few different favorite genres. I am a big fan of the fantasy, horror, and adventure genres. These are also the genres I like to write and create things in general in. I also like humor which is why I am often drawn to watching animated television shows and films. Although these are some of my favorite genres, I have a pretty open mind when it comes to entertainment. Just as long something comes from a unique perspective and holds my attention, I will give it a watch, listen, or read.

I myself enjoy Comedy, Action, and Slice of Life. Not only are they the easiest to understand, but each one has a different sense of beauty.

Comedy showcases how humor can come from anywhere, not just lame puns.

Action shows just how much of a threat certain villains can be with the right powers and targets

And Slice of Life is the best way to bring out someone's true emotions as they go through the struggles of day to day life.

If you could meet one person who was a voice actor, or who worked on the show, who would it be?

If I could meet one voice actress or actor, I would love to meet Kelly Sheridan, who was the American voice actress for Hitomi Kanzaki from the Vision of Escaflowne, along with other anime characters throughout the years. She is a very talented voice actress who often gets overlooked in favor of newer voice actresses. But I really enjoy and respect her work.

I once saw Kelly Sheridan at BronyCon 2015. She was wearing an equality necklace and was basically doing her best Season 5 Premiere Starlight because we were halfway through the season at that point. I distinctly remember Vectored Thrust saying "You lied to us!" In a PERFECT Double Diamond impersonation.

Oh, that was a fun convention...

What do you want to see out of MLP in the future?

I would like to see the writers be willing to take more risks with the show, similar to the darker themes that were present in generation one. I feel that the writers often have to walk a very fine balance between making a show that is appropriate for all ages but at the same time doing their best to introduce more adult themes.

An easy fix to this would be to simply raise the age rating for the show. For example, give it a teen rating. This way, they could get away with darker themes without having so many limitations placed on them. And if anyone wanted to complain, they could simply point to the rating and say, 'It says it right there on the screen. This show is for viewers thirteen and above'.

They actually DID raise the age rating of the show for one particular episode. That episode of course being Lesson Zero. To this day, I will still never get the thought of a mentally insane Twilight Sparkle out of my head...

Of course, given the obvious 28 Days Later cashgrab episode, they SHOULD raise it to PG-13. That would make for a much more interesting premise on some of the episodes...

Give me your honest opinion on this next question. Do you want to be a famous writer within the brony fandom as I do, or are you wanting to stay in the lower, calmer follower threshold?

I think I would like to be a well-known writer, musician, and artist outside of the fandom. I have gotten a somewhat small following for my art after some pieces were displayed in the Faye's Redemption film. I got some fans of my writing after having it published in three short story collections. And I am slowly getting some fans for my music project.

As for the brony fandom, I think it is great if people can enjoy my fan fictions, fan art, crafts, games, and other things I make that relate to the fandom. But I wouldn't say it is my end game to be famous in it per se. I would just like to create things that people enjoy reading, viewing, or listening to. Most of my fan fictions are humor pieces for that reason. I am glad if I can make people smile one way or another. Whether if it is something I create for the fandom or original things I set out to make.

I also hope the things I do can inspire other people to be creative and express themselves in new and unique ways. I always enjoy reading, viewing, listening to, and experiencing what other people create. And I feel very inspired by the creators of not only this fandom, but the many fandoms I am part of.

How inspiring. It's no wonder why I'm following you already.

I myself want to have a professional editing job in real life, ironing out and and all grammar errors, missed commas and full stops, and just give people a better sense of storytelling.

With Cart Before the Ponies and 28 Pranks Later, many bronies' faiths—and mine—in the show were damaged due to the quality of both episodes. How did you find those episodes? Did your faith in MLP start to dwindle as well?

I wouldn't say my faith in the show is dwindling. I would say that like every show, mlp has its good and bad episodes. My least favorite season thus far has been season five. But that being said, I still have episodes from season five that I really enjoy watching, including Do Princesses Dream Of Magic Sheep?

Looking back, I'm actually not a big fan of a lot of the episodes in seasons one or two either. I think the show was at its best in seasons three and four. Yet, I still find myself enjoying many of the episodes in season six.

It is on a weird limbo between being good like season four but having some off episodes (most of which dealing with the CMC) that bring down its quality and make it more like a filler season, similar to season three.

I don't think the show is getting worse or the episodes are lacking quality. I just think the writers don't know which direction to take certain things and are experimenting with new ideas.

It is quite plain to me that they have no idea what to do with the CMC now that they have their cutie marks. Hopefully they will start thinking of some new objectives for them because otherwise their episodes are going to continue to feel either forced or too cringe worthy to watch.

It also seems clear that they don't know what to do with the map. Which is why it has been left out of the majority of the season. The smart choice would be to leave map episodes for just the opening or closing of the seasons. Because otherwise you end up in the trap of having paint by number episodes like the Hoofields and McKolts.

I think if they focused more on exploring the world of Equestria and introducing new cultures, species, and other aspects of the world (like what fans want to see anyway) it will help them get around a lot of these color by numbers scenarios and open up all sorts of other windows of opportunity for the show in general.

Well, sometimes, experimenting with new ideas can either make an episode better if pulled off, or a total disaster if it's messed up in any small way, shape, or form.

I didn't like Cart Before the Ponies purely because the trope of having your thunder stolen by someone who's better than you and them literally taking your job is not a good trope at all. It only serves to make someone stand out as a pompous asshole who doesn't realize what they did until it's too late...

As for 28 Pranks Later. One episode in, and I can already say that F.M. Demarco should be fired from Hasbro. He ignored all of the continuity of the past six seasons, made the punishment even worse than Dash's harmless pranks, and overall just made this the epitemy of a Rainbow Dash torture porn in the last act.

Sorry for the mini-rant, but those are my opinions on those episodes.

Of all of the characters introduced this season, who have you liked the most?

I would have to say that Dragon Lord Ember has been my favorite character introduced this season. The non-pony characters tend to be my favourites, which is why I naturally gravitate towards the episodes with Discord, Spike, or other non-pony characters in the show such as Thorax.

Aside from all of that though, I thought that the episode she was featured in was genuinely good. It had a well thought out conflict and a satisfying resolution. Dragon Lord Ember's actions served as a good moral that despite what you may look like, or other physical or personality traits that might put you at a disadvantage, with enough hard work as well as dedication to your cause you can rise above those challenges and accomplish your goals.

I think her character is a good role model for anyone watching the show, and the episode she was featured in serves as a good moral for people of all ages.

I've liked seeing all of the characters join the MLP roster this year. Ember, Saffron and Coriander, Thorax, all of those are great characters that I hope become recurring characters in the future.

Who is your favourite brony or pegasister within the community?

My favorite bronies and pegasisters in the community are the friends I have made on not only this but other pony sites as well. They might not be as well known as other members of the community, but I think all of my friends are really talented and they inspire me to create new things every day. They give me support, friendship, and kindness which are some of the most valuable things you can receive. I hope that people will take the time to look at all of my followers on all of my MLP accounts and follow them as well. They are really amazing people that deserve more followers and support for everything they do.

Respect for your fans? How admirable. It's great if you're a famous pegasister, but it's even greater if you truly love all of your fans and want to inspire them to get better. That's why I always give all of my fans what they need when they need it the most.

Especially LightningSword, considering all the shit he's gone through in the past years...

So, aside from writing, what do you like doing?

I enjoy making music, creating art, doing crafts, making games, making apps, making websites, doing graphic art design, making YouTube videos, and pretty much anything that keeps the creative juices flowing. In terms of hobbies, I like camping, hiking, fishing, swimming, rock climbing, and basically anything outdoor related. I enjoy learning about new fighting, martial arts, and weapon forms. Meditation, yoga, and Tai Chi are other forms that I practice in addition to mixed martial arts and other fighting forms throughout history. I am a big internet nerd and am very knowledgeable about many aspects of the web, including weird sites that are fun to visit (as well as wonder why they exist in the first place) and memes. I like anything that has to do with science fiction, fantasy, adventure, action, horror, and humor. I like anime, manga, comics, and cartoons. I also like everything to do with Asian popular culture including Asian fashion, music, and live action television shows and movies. I love learning new things and I like researching everything from edible plants to ancient civilizations. I love sharing all of the things I learn about with other people as well. I love animals which is one of the reasons why I am a member of both the brony and furry communities. And I have a big interest in the paranormal as I have had a lot of paranormal experiences myself. I also love everything to do with food. I like researching new recipes and making all sorts of Asian, Greek, and Indian style foods.

Whoa... That's a super-duper long list you've got there.

I myself ADORE the Japanese and everything they do. That's why I went to Japan just last month for two weeks. All the stuff I did there, let me tell you. Tokyo Disney, Joypolis, the tour of Tokyo's greatest Anime and Entertainment stops, Kyoto, Osaka, Universal Studios, and many, many more.

As for everyday stuff, I like swimming, writing, PS4, walking, bowling, and seeing movies.

Actually, on the topic of movies, I went to see Suicide Squad yesterday, and it was absolutely STUNNING. I just loved it, and I hope you check it out as well...

This is kind of a weird next question but, what Animes do you like?

I have a lot of favorite anime and manga. I've read over 200 manga (I know I have no life), and have probably watched more anime than that over the years. But I will narrow things down to my favorite anime and manga so it doesn't turn into a huge name drop. My top five favorite anime are The Vision of Escaflowne, Yona of the Dawn, Rokka no Yuusha, Seirei no Moribito, and Pandora Hearts. My top five favorite manga are Red River, From Far Away, Fruits Basket, Tail Of The Moon, and Crazy Girl Shin Bia.

Hmm. I myself am into Yo-Kai Watch, Pokemon (The games, not the shitty animes with that glorified Mary Sue, Ash Ketchum...), Psycho Pass, Sword Art Online, and Yu-Gi-Oh Arc V.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

There is probably a lot of things I would change about myself. I am definitely a work in progress like everyone else. But I think if I had to choose one thing, it would be to be more social. I've had a lot of things happen in my life which have led to me having a few different emotional disorders that often make it difficult for me to interact with people face to face. I hope that I can work hard to overcome these limitations so one day I will be able to interact with people on a more regular basis. As of right now, do to my limitations, I mainly have interactions with people online. It would be nice to be able to hang out with people in person as well. I am just taking things one step at a time.

Well, luckily for you, I'm a very sociable guy, and if needs be, I can even teach you some things once this interview is over.

Do you have any ideas for any future stories?

I have tons of ideas for future stories, most of which are humor related, as I mostly write in the genre of comedy. I also have some ideas for more pony related poetry and some picture books, where I illustrate the different pages of the story. Although I am not sure how uploading a picture book would work here on the site, so I might keep those particular projects in my journal.

Picture books? You mean like comics? That sounds like a great idea. But it would probably take much longer than actual writing, as you've gotta write each and every panel perfectly, and with as much attention to detail as possible.

I would recommend the Friendship is Magic and Friends Forever comics, as they have an amazing art style and some truly gripping stories.

Do you think that FIMFiction will ever update and give us new character tags and new Ponemojis?

I think that FimFiction is always making new updates, and it wouldn't surprise me if they added more character tags or Ponemojis in the future. The main thing I am looking forward to is their new site which will (hopefully) be a place where people can upload both original fiction and fan fiction to the site. I've tried a lot of the other sites out there, such as Wattpad or Inkitt, but I have to admit that FimFiction does have a very user friendly layout. It will be nice to see a similar site for all writing in general. Hopefully they can make this a reality. I know a lot of people would like to see a more user friendly writing site out there on the web.

I hope so too. They haven't added a new character tag to FIMFiction since Starlight Glimmer. I really, REALLY want to see the other MLP and Equestria Girls character tags soon.

Last Question: Do you have an inspiring speech for all of your followers, and for any new fans that you might want to share?

I am not sure if it is inspiring, but I would definitely like to encourage any followers, fans, or friends in general to go after their dreams and goals. I think that we live in a time and society where people are not always encouraged to do things that are different because it goes against what is considered to be normal or doesn't fit in with current social ideals. In reality though, the most successful people are those who make their own paths and become their own bosses. I think the internet in particular has opened up all sorts of great opportunities for people to be successful, even from the comfort of their own homes. Despite what negative things people might say to try discourage other people from being successful, I just want people to know that working hard to achieve their goals is a great thing. And actually achieving everything you've set out to do is a good feeling in itself. So ignore the negativity and keep working hard to get all of your goals accomplished. Because everyone has a star hidden inside of them. It just needs the right opportunity to shine.

Wonderful. That's truly inspiring... *sobs*

Well, I wish you luck for all of your future endeavours, and thank you for your time...

You are very welcome, my friend. Thank you for taking time to talk to me as well. It was a lot of fun. Good luck with everything you are working on. I wish you much success on your current and future projects.

5453375 Thank you for taking the time to interview me. It was a fun experience. :)

5453383 I'm glad that you enjoyed it.

5453386 I did indeed. :)

5453415 Thank you for the kind comment. I hope that you enjoyed reading it. :)

5453425 It looks like you have some stories up. I think everyone who shares their stories in the folders here gets an interview at some point. :)

I will be looking forward to reading your interview. XD

5453375

Do you think that FIMFiction will ever update and give us new character tags and new Ponemojis?

I don't know about the emoticons, but I know that we will see new character tags at some point. The only reason they haven't been implemented yet is because knighty's been trying to work on a completely overhauled tagging system, and adding new tags before then will only create additional unnecessary work.

At least, I'm pretty sure I remember one of the site staff saying something about that around somewhere a few weeks back, I think either on the site FAQ or Staff page...

5453470 I should think that blog posts and future overhauls aside (which I quite frankly don't keep up with) it's quite likely that new character tags will make an appearance solely based on the fact that new character tags have been implemented before, and the demand for new ones hasn't really changed since then.

5453470 That's good to know. It's good to hear that they are always making updates to the site, especially with tagging system and other features.

5453475 It would be nice to see more of the background characters from both the Equestria Girls movies and the show included in the tags. :) And maybe have a few more emojis of some of the reoccurring background characters.

5453519 To be honest, I don't use emojis that much, but I don't see the harm in adding more character tags.

After all, if people don't use them... what's the drawback?

5453555 That's a very good point. There will probably always be writers who have a need for a specific tag for one story or another. So it can't hurt to have as many tags as possible. :)

5453586 I've written stories with very minor characters or even characters from generation one, so I know how that goes. It can sometimes be hard to find tags that fit in with a specific story theme. :)

5453415 GASP! Great interview, but you DON'T like Pokémon???!!!! It has a cool story...most if the time! And I love poke-pony crossovers! :(

5453908 true! The adventure is cool though right?

5453899 I actually really like the original Pokemon series. And I love watching Digimon, the original Yu-Gi-Oh and Monster Rancher as well. :)

5454508 me too! :)

Not sure how I feel about this one. I think you spent more time answering the questions yourself than actually conducting the interview. Especially with the "mini-rant."

5454769 Yay! It's always good to meet another fan of those classic shows. :)

5455256 I think they were just trying to make it feel more like a conversation than a one sided interview. And I think they did a good job of making things seem like a nice discussion rather than just a series of questions with answers.