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Cryptological horse puns! Shower scenes! Sickle being a bitch! All this and more in today's episode of The Chrysalis!
7406059
Doncha know not to use redundan words? And yeah, I kinda agree with her on sex - she's clearly having fun, and those prudes could've had it too. Sickle's a bit direct, but she means well.
Changeling ghouls? As if Whisper needed that. Although if there are any civilised ghouls around it might be fine, I guess.
New Chapter! Is it heaven yet!?
Saw that coming from a mile away, but still the feels struck me hard.
7406095
It ain't redundant if she's being enough of a bitch!
But yeah, she means well... in her own twisted, violently assertive, socially unpleasant way. I mean, hey, she's even willing to share the fun!
7406200
Heh, maybe not with that ending.
7406401
Dude, you must write (optional) chapter with Sickle having rough, hot, loud and extremely lewd sex. It is known. She deserves it and readers deserve it! Fuck that bitch (literally)! YEAH!
Poor Whisper.
7406401 I'll go read it in an hour. I have stuff to do and I'll be needing some time for this.
I saw what you did there. Were there hints in previous chapters as well? I still can't figure out last chapter's.
7406467
Afraid not. Chapter 15's message uses a much simpler cipher, but the only way to decrypt it is to work it out. Which is much easier than such a thing would be for this message, at least!
7406407
Heh, I have been tempted on occasion to write something porny. I don't know if I ever will. If I did, it'd probably be related to Without a Hive and the other stories in that line, because of the character interactions and development it would involve... but I have to admit, something with Sickle would be good for outright lewdness and depravity.
At first I did a double take and smiled. And then when the terrible, yet obvious was revealed my reaction reminded me of this:
i.gyazo.com/f7501b3393c9aba9b8143e3d954ee860.png
Welp, there go next three excruciating weeks of waiting for more.
Also, I found a little mistake:
could i get the cypher for that last bit please? i think i might have figured it out for myself but...
Oooh, the first changeling ghouls! Huzzah! Time to see how they are! And certainly looking forward to the next chapter. And good luck with writing them!
7406570 im trying to figure the particular Vigenere cipher key in the clues for the text provided in key, but hitting a perceptual wall. Didn't seem to be many of the others ive tried. Ah well, when im less tired I need to look at it.
7406751 well, the standard cypher is a simple letter swap, and from what i figure...V-E, the reason being that the letter E is the most commonly used letter in the English language and from there, its assigning the logical letters after that...unless its a randomized code and then i am at a loss
7406779
I'll save you a lot of time by telling you it's not a simple letter swap, and you won't get anywhere that way. 7406751 has the right idea. I will say that all the clues to solve it are in the chapter...
7406852 i am afraid that this does not help me due to my being autistic, i tend to be very literal minded and miss the more subtle details. lets just say that...abstracts and me? not good bedfellows...
Woo, an update, so soon after I caught up on the story! Nice chapter :) I like the encrypted part at the end- it took a while, but I got it (with a little patience) :P It was slightly chilling to read, too!
(So, did the megaspell in Ponytown ever go off, then?)
7406535
Why not both? Then you can have all of the lewds and descend further as an Author along with the rest of us!
To come that far, to have a single moment of hope, and then to have it torn asunder like that. I want to give Whisper a hug
Uhhhhhg. Why must i be so shite at puzzles. I don't even know how to encrypt a sentence, let alone decrypt a paragraph. And i'm guessing that there's tons of different ways to encrypt. I guess i'll just have to wait until next chapter
Well as horrible as it sounds, at least this uncompleted Stable should be unpilfered of both information and supplies. It isn't sounding to good Whisper's chances of finding many survivors of her hive if the reports are any inkling to the chances of her finding survivors.
I suppose what they found in it shouldn't be to surprising. Not only was it an uncompleted Stable, but it probably didn't have any Earth pony magic built into it other then the door.
A mistake be here.
So think Honest Hearts (heh) but way, way more dried out. So really, not that much like Honest Hearts.
As someone who's been following you for a long time, I have to say, it's been quite fun watching you improve your skills as a writer.
I didn't get very far into Fragments, but Without a Hive was the story people kept comparing mine to back when changelings were still a (sorta) unexplored concept. And though it did have some serious problems (*cough* pacing *cough*), it was the kind of stuff I was struggling with in my own writing, and I really enjoyed it nonetheless. I don't think I enjoyed the concept/approach of A New Way quite as much, but I think it had a better structure, and the way you kept plugging away at these big epics 'till completion was very impressive to me.
With The Chrysalis though, I almost feel like you must have hired a new editor or something, because you've taken your writing to another level. Whereas before I could recommend your stories on the basis of "if you like long changeling fics," now I feel that it's just an objectively great story. Fallout: Equestria is one of my all-time favorite stories, and your replication of its characterization, world-building, and plotting is pretty spot-on. The pacing is great, the editing is great... I was honestly a little blown away by the jump in quality between your earlier works and now. With most stories, I have to pick-and-choose what to critique and how to word it so as to not break the author's spirit. With this, I almost feel like it's nitpicking.
I think the only real criticism I've had while reading this story is what I feel is a bit of a (comparatively) lackluster characterization of the protagonist, especially for a first-person POV fic. There were multiple times as I read chapter updates when I thought, "Okay. Ignore the main character's species and profession. Now describe her."
...And I kept drawing blanks. (Incidentally, this is the same criticism leveled at Qui-gon Jinn and all the other flat characters from the Star Wars prequels.) Most everything about the protag is kind of just implicit in WHAT she is, rather than WHO she is. I guess you can describe her as a "fundamentally good person," but even that is usually implied by her role as the main character.
Now, if you had described how she was DIFFERENT from other changelings, infiltrators, or heroes, that would have been pretty interesting. But as it was, she lined up pretty much exactly with all the tropes and cliches surrounding this kind of hero, with very little else to add. In fact, when I tried to think of things like, "What is her favorite color?" or "What does she do as a hobby?" I couldn't even make reasonable guesses. She really did feel like Generic Changeling Protagonist.
...To be fair, I was never super-impressed with Little Pip's characterization in Fallout: Equestria either. I actually gave up on the story the first time I tried to read it, and it wasn't until I came back and reached the incredible worldbuilding that I was hooked. I'm also very picky when it comes to characterization, especially of the main character, since that's my favorite part of storytelling. And your other characters seem perfectly fine for their more limited roles.
But yeah, if I had to pick out something that could be improved, it would be that. And it does seem like you're working to improve it. She likes... reading and spending time with friends? I wish we got to actually see her reading and spending time with friends, but exposited characteristics are still better than none at all. She used to work as a... mail clerk, I think, and tracked smuggling rings? Not much for 170,000+ words, but I'll take it. Her siblings actually had real names and personalities? I wish she had a real name and personality, but at least her normality becomes weird by comparison, right? ()
Anyway. I love this story, and judging by the good number of comments on this chapter already, I'm glad to see that other folks do too. It's probably not going to be one of my top-five-all-time-favorite-stories or whatever, but it's pretty darn high up there.
Basically: you did good, dude. Often at this point I offer my services as a prereader or whatever, but honestly, I'm not sure you need it. I feel like I'm taking pointers from you at this point. ~ Sable
P.S. Oh, and the way you have Dusty as the actual "leader" of the group, as much as there is a leader, and Whisper as just a sneaky support character is actually pretty cool. It's a fun and fresh twist on the genre to have the main character NOT be the one calling the shots. The entire plot arc right now would actually just be a party-member side-mission in any other story or game.
The only thing ive been able to puzzle, is that likely for the key, its that its likely either a 8/16/4 letter translation key if its what Im thinking. Can you at least confirm that?
D'aww, he's shy. I'm surprised Sickle can stand him.
Also, code broken. For those who are curious, Whisper actually tells you the key, sneaky little bug.
7407986 i was figuring it was something she said, but then again, i tend to miss the social cues since its likely what it is
Soooooo pheonix, I loved this chapter, was totally thrilled while reading it...
...and then you destroyed my happiness by throwing a coded message In my face. Um...I have been banging my head on my desk and actually teared up at the fact that I am unable to understand and comprehend HOW to decode the vigenere code...thing.
YouTube did not help.
I really really am bad at codes and puzzles and want nothing more then to ask my prodigal roommate to come in and help me crack it for me. Sadly, he will berate me for being dumb and unable to understand it.
So! I am going to politely ask if you can SeND me a personal message with either A. A simplified way to decode it myself (hopefully) or B. The decoded message. Cause I am denting my skull and seriously mad at myself for not understanding what appears to be a very SIMPLE code to crack, if i go off other people's comments and how fast THEY figured it out.
Please excuse me, I need to bang my head some more into my workspace.
Well, that's gotta be the most traumatic thing Whisper will ever see.
I get too excited whenever I see this story updated. It's just consistently amazing.
And now, undead changelings!
Also I may or may not sit here for awhile and try to decipher the ending notes; not having much initial luck though, haha.
(Also, I am loving the relationship evolution between Whisper and Starlight~)
Love how Starlight is the only one with a Pip-Buck in the group- finally a protagonist without crutches, albeit an awesome one, but something I've noticed throughout the story is the Pip-Buck being the only source of light- surely Whisper in changeling mode has a stick on her head than can be used for light at the very least?
The ciphers in the author's notes are pissing me off! I can't decode them!
Also, that's horrible. Seeing your Hive like that. All those sisters, reduced to nothing but monsters.... That's horrible.
7406059 The ussual then.
The code however... I may need to call the Enigma people to crack this one, because I'm not a cypher man.
Why do I have the feeling that this village they were in was in reality a changeling-mayority settlement in disguise? That's the only reason I could come up with them reacting in such way abaut our heroes going in the relative direction of the ruins. Ponies wouldn't be concerned abaut a dead hive even if knew abaut it and the Ghoulings (heh) are bunkered inside the hive without a way out - no way they knew abaut them.
They would keep some population of other races to feed off love and that's why the hellhound was so nervous - he knew abaut evrything, probaly was told to question Sicle and they knew of his sezing because of them sensing love.
7407795 Now, that are some really good concerns put into words. Whisper needs some more character besides of what comes with beeing a bug. I also wonder how will she develop. My belief is that this aspect of her is on hold until she finally meets others, so the contrast be visable.
What I also want to say to that is: Whisper already has a fair few personality traits but is having them roped to what she is nessesarily bad? Sickle and Dusty suffer from simlar problems but does it make them less enjoyable? I belief that evrything needs weaknesses and balancing factors - there are reasons Superman isn't as popular as Batman.
7407986
That part amused me far too much!
7406981
I got a good laugh out of this. Thank you
7407983
You're definitely on the right track!
7408332
She can, and she did at one point (Entering the outpost, I believe). She tends to not do so when possible, since it does cost a small amount of magic, and she's still trying to be conservative with it.
7408339
7408382
To those who are having problems figuring out the cipher, there are some decryption tools you can find if you google the right terms. I've tested them out, and while some don't work (Or take a lot of coaxing), there are some that work very well.
7408900
I recommend the one on the old geocaching site from my sister's more adventurous days, if for no other reason than it kind of feels like Fallout hacking. It attempts to guess the key via analysis, but defaults to maximum key size (30+ characters). The real key is usually a substring of one of the oversized guesses.
7408900
The fact that I have to decrypt them in the first place is 25% of the problem. 50% of the problem is that I'm on an iPad and 25% of the problem is the difficulty of decrypting it; what cipher it is, the key, etc.
Is there anything important in them?
7409157
No, nothing I put in the authors notes or comments will be "important" to the story. I'm making certain that the story works completely without needing any additional content. The ciphers are just extra comments, background communications, or in-world messages that don't go in the story themselves, but which might give some extra insight into events or clues about what might be coming up. They're just minor extras offered as reward to those who work them out, and which I felt was thematically appropriate given Whisper's skillset.
As for figuring out cipher, key, etc, Whisper just about outright states all those things for this chapter.
7408900 Still nothing. I'm no matematician and the browser keeps crashing from checking all those propabilities...
please tell me not all are goimg to be feral, Whisper needs that.
7409417
I'm guessing you're using the geocaching site? It gets part of the work done (Although it guesses the key length as a large multiple of the actual key length. A whole multiple at least), but yeah, it generates 500 keys and 500 possible messages to go with those keys, so it really bogs down my browser. Still, the keys it does generate might just have the actual key buried within them...
If that one doesn't work, check a couple of the others that google finds. I know one of the links on the first page of my search instantly solved it just by pasting in the message and hitting 'break cipher'.
7408382
I forgot to respond to a few things here.
I really like your thoughts on World's End. Not going to say they're accurate (I wouldn't do spoilers), but I like the thought.
As for Whisper's personality, I think part of the problem is that she hasn't had any time off, yet. It's been most of a month now, and she's had very little down-time. She's basically been on-mission the whole time. There was the short celebration after the Army depot job (Which basically just consisted of a small feast that evening before heading off on a new job the next morning), and the small party in Mareford after the news about Celestia (A party which she took as an opportunity to get things done, rather than relax). Part of that I'd even say is because of her personality, and I hope there are some hints from her approach to things that show some of that personality.
That said, she is going to get at least a little time off, and I expect the contrast should highlight some of those traits. It just might not be by choice.
7409574 I'm going to bed, I'm bad at procedural transformatons. Going to bed now.
I also have the impression that the World's End inhabitanta had followed thw main cast. They will save them in the next chapter if I'm not mistaken.
Understandable. Speculation is Magic
Okay, I feel like a freaking idiot. I could swear I thought I put that in for things, okay, for all the folks, time to reply to them with the message.
7406570
7407497
7408139
7408952 There's a site I used that has probable chances of key size based on things, its how I figured it out with the geocaching site, which gets an add to more cipher stuff.
7409157 Often times, there is something nice in them to add to the story. But only one has stumped me so far, though this one came darn close. So i'll be trying to get every one along with a few others and posting them in here for everyone.
Anyhow, here is the message.
this is bulwark assuming command. weather has gone rogue. fallout now spreading west and north. radiation levels already elevated. outpost is no longer tenable.three of our company have fallen to radiation poisoning. all others suffering early symptoms. no radaway available.intent is to head north, find medical supplies, and search out friendly forces. will join if room exists for us.if not, intent is to survive as best we can until our queen returns.desire left a personal note before losing consciousness. message follows:to any infiltrators responding to the recall, and especially ripple, whisper, shadow, and dagger:turn around. go back to equestria. search out crystal life technology facilities. infiltrators have been conducting a special operation to secure a contingency plan for survival. find them.do not return to the hive. there is nothing left.i love you all.
7409643 apologies as well, forget to add you in replies, code below. Knowledge should be shared after all.
7410912
7409274
You said there was nothing important in them? I suppose that doesn't count as important, but it'd still be nice to know that stuff.
7410917 This message makes sence. And the feelz...
7411023
Whisper already summed up everything important to the story. She just left off the personal "I love you all" and how it addressed her (And her other Infiltrator sisters) by name.
YAY NEW CHAPTER EVEN THOUGH IM TWO DAYS LATE!! :D
I knew today was gonna be a good day!
I was listening to the song Prey by Pegasys and I thought "I havent checked The Chrysalis in a while" and ta da! Life is great again.
Aaaand its over. Damn it. Welp! Time for another long wait! Im gonna go shiver in the corner while I go into withdrawal.
Yeah, everybody saw that coming
Sickle doesn't do "friendly" though. She alternates between "bitchy" and "too friendly"
Wait, what? Influence?
the magical-radiation-mutation lottery. Hah.
Why does that even surprise her? Seriously. She should know better by now. Then again she seems to have some deeper problem with 'em...
...for those trying to escape justice, I assume. I guess Sickle had better things to do with this doggie than sharing her activities since she stopped being a raider
Who says she doesn't?
Hah. But of course.
Which is good; less chance on mutated monsters
She... might want to take that armour off
Yeeah, was thinking that too
The fact it's clearly been unused for ages is not a good sign, though.
Wait, what? That means they didn't already come from Equestria, doesn't it? It means that they were irradiated... at the hive
You could argue they're nothing but spine
I dunno. I'd expect a place like this to have water filters. Water seems kind of important in the middle of a desert?
Heehee.
Eeyup
It would be really ironic if they were indeed the ones who gave Equestria balefire technology, and this was just a weapon test that happened to accidentally be planned too close to their hive
Wait, what?
Hah. They stole a Stable door
Yet another sign they won't find anything alive in there...
Oh, yay. Changeling ghouls.
Remarks and corrections:
> Starlight replied, bringing both forehooves over her ears
Missing period at the end.
> “You have such a charming way of making friends.”
Who says this? Is that Starlight again?
> this whole expedition of ours it going to be
this whole expedition of ours [is] going to be
> Thankfully, the “ready” light lit up; beside it, another blinked red, indicating that the door was operating on backup power only.
Split that off into a new sentence at the semicolon. There's no reason to combine these two sentences; the second sentence does in no way elaborate on information given in the first part. It just adds new information.
7406852
Honestly? It's just too much work at this point. I've kinda given up
The one mare in this fic that is lewd as fuck and enjoys being overtly sexualy, and she makes me gag. It's not fair! The actions Sickle does would be hot, if not for who and what she is. That is some outstanding characterization there. You should be proud that you wrote a pony so disgusting that even the thought of her rear end makes me want to run away screaming.