ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh

I'll make popcorn, you get the drinks.

2141168
DARLING! Are you possibly implying that fan reaction to this abnormal omake will be anything but stellar?
...Yeah I'll go queue up the mood music.

2141172
I imply only that:
i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj567/Starfalltheunicorn/mlfw4878-d99.gif

Mr. Cake was trying, very hard, to stare deadpan at the questioner.

What? It's a fair question.

“...Mmmh, I wonder if somebody is asking about my peculiar past, or the potential present? In either case, I am not automatically against the idea, but it would take a fairly exceptional situation to make it happen. So, as with nearly everything else, my mind is open. And I shall say no more on the matter.”

The questioner was asking about the potential present. The questioner would like to mention that this question was asked entirely for science and not in any way because there's a part of the questioner's mind that is wondering if any author could actually pull it off in an enjoyable, well-writte, pleasant way, and most certainly not because there's an even smaller part of said questioner's mind who would just find that hot, science and morality be damned. The questioner would also like to mention that one of the previous two sentences is a blatant lie.

Do I have to feel bad about myself now?

2141219
Nope! After all, I used like five of your questions... Although they might have all been frontloaded to this chapter. I'd have to triple-check my working doc.

I guess I could try to convince Twilight to let me try it out if I describe it as "SCIENCE!" and suggest some kinda application for it.

Ah, but the real question is, does he have any dwarfs for his !!SCIENCE!!?

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE4o2!!!~

2141233
I did notice that and it made me feel honoured. Just hope my questions didn't take things too far, or crossed any lines for my fellow readers. Then again, I probably shouldn't be worried about that, given that most of my fellow readers are probably of a similar mindset, or else we wouldn't be here.

In any case, it always brightens my day when this story reminds me that it's alive.

IT'S HERE!

Brilliant!

Commence read.

Ah. The questions.

Huuum, it seems the quotes around my question was lost to the ether.

Great answers though! Still hard to believe I was the only one with questions for the Dash!

Don't keep us hanging too long! Want more!

2141539
Fixed! You actually had -two- questions, and one of them seems to have accidentally gotten a pair of closing tags, instead of one open one close.

Seems to be highly unnecessary... I didn't favorite your story to read some strange meta-fic or fictional answers of fictional developed characters which doesn't even have anything to do with the future of the story because they won't remeber anything. If I would want that, I wouldn't read your story.

And no offense, but instead of writing pointless chapters for pointless questions, may use your time to write ACTUAL chapters. I miss them.

Well, that only took forever. Entertaining as these are, I am still looking forward to a proper chapter.

2141631

I am writing "actual" chapters, as we speak. But this entire thing does serve a purpose, little as you seem to see it: This all matters. Every answer here is part of the story. Every statement is a part of what makes 402 what it is. And sure, it's something that you could have been filled in with during the story, one way or another... but I chose an omake-style interlude as both a tribute to style (you can blame Adam Warren for that one) and to make it more palatable than a fistful of dry answers in a list.

I took up the idea of a Q&A in the first place because so many readers had questions and wanted answers. So I am giving them their answers, in the form of my choosing.

And more importantly, I want readers to still have -something-. Chapter 40 is a massive undertaking that is straight-up stupid in size and scope. If I didn't post things like this between now and when it goes up? You might not see a 4o2 update until the end of the SUMMER. Plus, in the depths of composing that gigantic text slog, maybe I want to kick back, take a break, and focus on writing something a little less... brain-wracking. And so I decided to do something fun with the fans.

Everything here matters. The questions are things the readers wanted to know. The answers are genuine. There's a puzzle, a mystery, to be unraveled in it all. There's sex, and quite a lot of it. And while the characters won't remember this actual session of Q&A, the facts they stated won't stop being true. There is, to some extent, something here for everyone.

If you think that anything that took place in this entire page, questions or answers, was 'pointless'? Then yes, you shouldn't be reading this story.

2141714
Actually, I haven't read BGPony all the way through myself. I used that color because I needed to make it distinct, but FiMFic has a hilariously limited text color palate. So no, it isn't for that reason.

2141611

So I did, what I get for reading the update on my phone! Great answers, I really enjoyed this first bit of Q&A.

This little diversion of meta humor is a great way to bridge the LONG gap between chapters. I look forward to the next part!

seriously? not meta enough. we have to go deeper!

An interesting intro to a fun-sounding mini-segment...I think what I would have done differently is to make these Q&A bits a separate story, and link to the relevant Q&A sessions in the author's note of the real chapters. That way, anyone going back and reading the story can keep going without interruption, but still take the time to get these out-of-story asides should they so choose

just an idea

2141791
I had considered that, but the moderation team are pretty strict about not allowing separated content-- WUBbled is OK because it's more of a spinoff, but splitting them out would not be.

2141786
That's what I said!

2141802
huh...that's odd, seeing as Steel Resolve did pretty much exactly that with the NSFW segments of Green

So next chapter is huge? Are we talking 20k+ words or more? I had to order pizza to get through the last chapter of that scale in one sitting. I await the next chapter in the same way Pinkie waits for mail.
iambrony.steeph.tp-radio.de/mlp/gif/pinkie.gif?1355423153

Wait I've forgotten. How does the Princess, Celetia, have two lovers? Last I remember she had Twilight, only twilight. Unless you mean Luna's lover. Which of course you mean so I'm just being stupid at this time. Still a great meta-fiction with some really good one liners. I'm looking forward to how the twins came into being, though I'm properly going to be uncomfortable about the whole thing.

FF, out.

Is Celestia still taking questions or did I miss out, because their is one I really REALLY wanted to ask her.

2141669 so approximately how many words is chapter 40 at so far?

So... next 'chapter' is another Q&A?
And of course we're going to have questions. A story fails miserably if a reader has none part way through it. I'm truly hoping that, rather than just being Q&As, the next chapter is coming along somewhere in here. If it's only these Q&As, I'm rather disappointed. Been feeling strung along lately.

I'm not sure that i wouldn't have preferred the story to continue with where you left off, not these digressions instead But I trust that you have your plan laid out for what is to happen and i'm sure that this must have a purpose, though i can't quite figure out what yet. At this point i am close to forgetting everything that has happened so far, so i feel i need something that would remind me shorter than re reading everything because (i'm gonna admit it) I'm very lazy.

I don't want to seem mean or a critic, because i can see that you have enough people doing that without adding myself onto the pile.

Oh By the way the song i suggested is in its writing stages the actual composition will take a few weeks after i get the plan laid out.

"Wouldn’t that be a bit... I don’t know, on the nose? You do not see Twilight Sparkle walking around covered in glitter, or 'Flutter'shy constantly buzzing her wings. Just because my name includes an article of clothing does not mean I am beholden to said article."

Flutter's wings constantly have a nervous twitch, because she's so shy. Twilight is always sparkling with magic and is literally sandwiched between the personification of night and day at this point.

Though I do appreciate the Spike answer... Poor sugar-coated bastard. I know what it's like to have siblings... Unfortunately. How else would one be woken up from a chunk of their hand missing from a chemical burn? Powdered sugar in the cloaca, though? That must be one big pain in the arsehole.

2141631

At the end of the day the selfish bastard that is Ariamaki is writing for fun, not much else. So, unlike me, who will angst over whether people will like a section or not, no shits are given on his end, and that's the way he likes it.

This statement had no bias in it despite the fact that two of my questions were answered.

“Point. Ridiculous, yet entirely valid, point. Well, if we’re going to be sticking with descriptive text, let's switch our tense..."
I said, now in the past tense.

Ouch. Brain? Why are you crawling away from me?

Also, the answer is 42.

Hmm.. Sadly I have forgotten the major points of 4O2's plot. I know you're a busy writer, especially with the scope of Chapter 40 and all, but could you give me a super - duper - luper quick recap? Pweasee? If not it's perfectly alright. Really liked the Q&A Section btw :)

2144435
2143045
If you all want a recap, I'll see about tossing something together, but don't be surprised if it ends up being either extremely sparse or not happening at all. Relatively low priority compared to writing forward progress, like this.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, you just get me Ariamaki

2141219 you got a lot of questions in there, I couldn't ask so many. Yours were really good.

also yay that last one I asked (along with many many others)

2141724
Well, the named color palette is hilariously limited. There's quite a bit of flexibility if you know what you're doing.

RAINBOW COLOR BLAST

I'm not sure if stories will work with hex codes or only with named codes, but give it a shot!

Holy crap it's an update! Even Doomsday is old news by now!

Gigantic dickmove! who'd've thought that?

Seriously, stuff like this should either be worked into the actual story or posted as a sidestory.

And telling people that they don't have to but will miss important stuff for the story? yeah, gigantic dick move.

From up, to down.

Glad to see this back up and running.

Hummm, thoughts on this: It definitely feels like it fits with the rest of the story despite the different format. It has the same light hearted and sexy themes going on, so I guess what I'm trying to say is that it doesn't feel like it clashes which is good.

Character and world building has always been a strong part of Four of Two in my opinion and it's great so see more of it through these segments. Hoping we get a look at Celestia enjoying her kink with Twilight later in the story and I'm curious as to how they would go about the dom and sub roles.

I definitely enjoyed it but I do want to say that while I am interested in learning about the main cast in these segments I can't say that interest extends to the background ponies being brought in.

Hehe a unique and thoroughly entertaining way of getting our questions answered, I approve 120%. Keep up the good work 'Maki, glad to see you're still finding time for us.

2141802

They go in doorframes, and the Fourth Wall doesn't have any of those. It has cracks and holes and gaps and fenestrations and screens and sockets and panes and drains and portals and openings and windows and hiding places and fractures and blinds and sliding apertures and...

My dear Ariamaki. Do you... Homestuck?

2149130
-- markedDifference [MD] began pestering auroraDimmet [AD] at 21:13 --
[color=FF6600]MD: No idea what you're talking about-- I mean, it's not like the announcement blog post was a Lord English joke.
MD: Or that I openly admitted to being a frequent and heavy early-adopter Doc Scratch RPer on the IRL Pesterchum client.
MD: Or that all of the fics on my Ao3, which is linked in my profile, are Homestuck.
MD: I have no clue what would give you that idea.

2149176

/S/ Attempt Rare And Highly Dangerous 5x Facepalm Combo.

Doc Scratch, eh? Fitting, actually!

2149471
I am an excellent host.
Writer.
Whatever.

An unorthodox, but entertaining chapter! Hope to see more soon.

Wouldn’t that be a bit... I don’t know, on the nose? You do not see Twilight Sparkle walking around covered in glitter, or 'Flutter'shy constantly buzzing her wings. Just because my name includes an article of clothing does not mean I am beholden to said article."
There's a short pause.
"...Also if you must know, they chafe my stallionhood something fierce."
"Welp moving on from that quickly!"

I seem to have misplaced my sides somewhere... anyone know where they went?

Just saw this

However, information relevant to the story will be revealed here. And some of these answers will be as large as entire chapters, with all the content you'd expect.

Really have no desire to read 4th wall breaking non plot moving forward nonsense such as this. Keeping it in my favorites, but downvoting it for now until actual plot occurs, whether it be of the literary or sexual nature.

I applaud you, Ariamaki. You have become one of 'those guys' that deletes comments that speak their opinion against you. You have proven yourself to be a douchebag by, not only deleting the comments, but also failing to inform us of doing so. It's common courtesy, after all.

I figured I would do you the courtesy of telling you that you'll have to earn my trust and vote back in your favor. You write pretty damn well, but you just can't seem to be able to take criticism, which is a major flaw in any up-and-coming author. I suggest learning from your mistakes, such as going on and on about 'the update that's coming very soon!' without actually delivering and pulling the aforementioned douchebaggery, and try to fix the image you have given yourself through such actions.

Good luck,
Valvy