Afterlife Prime

by Dreamshadow

Ponyville

I got up, glad to be back in my better body. Amazing how changing bodies can just remove all of your exhaustion like that. I felt perfectly energized, even after a long day of being a human.

I quickly got up and looked around the room. It was completely empty save for the bed. I guess nothing else is really needed. This body could eat, but didn’t have to evacuate waste. It got dirty, but cleaning could be found elsewhere. As far as a place to sleep went, a bed was all that was needed.

I amused myself by stretching my various equine muscles. I would have seriously played this game JUST to feel what it was like to flex pegasus wings. I hovered in the small room, unable to glide anywhere, but appreciating the feeling of being off the ground.

Landing and taking a quick drink of water, I walked out the door to see Azure Lily mumbling to herself discontentedly while staring at one of the flowers she had collected in her hair the other day.

“Hey Lily” I said. She immediately looked up and was suddenly right in front of me, smiling. She hesitated for a moment, as if considering whether it would be socially acceptable or not, then pulled me into a tight hug. I get the feeling that she thought I wasn’t coming back. I should probably take this opportunity to say something to convince her that she is a cool pony, that I wouldn’t ditch a friend like that, or the like.

But I’m not very good at that kind of thing so instead I just said. “So, time to go to Ponyville!” While disengaging myself from her excessively tight hugging. She nodded excitedly. “I leveled up! So now I can take you with me for short ranged Teleportation!” She informed me. “That should make it way easier to avoid trouble.”

I grinned, then reached into my backpack and took a drink from my waterskin with one hoof. “Look ma, no horn!”

She didn’t seem all that impressed. Unicorns!

We headed down the short stairway together. I got about three steps down before I started hovering my way down. I’m not sure if you’ve ever walked down a stairway on all fours, but it felt awkward. For me stairs would be forevermore a human thing.

Chen was sitting at her place in front of the bar. “Hey!” She said, still as cheerful as before. “Ready to go to Ponyville?”

“Eeyup” I responded in my best Big Macintosh voice.

“Hokay then, ikimashou!” she said, pointing a hand at a point in the empty air.

Why is she speaking Japanese. A glowing blue door opened in the air immediately in front of her palm. I looked through and saw a small purple dragon in front of a series of bookshelves. We’re in Twilight’s Library. Holy crap, it’s Spike! Taking a second look this guy didn’t exactly look like Spike, though if spike grew up healthy he might look like this guy.

Lily ran ahead of me into the library, hopping around like pinkie and examining everything as if it were simultaniously an advance release of her favorite book and a national treasure. I walked through with a smile alongside Chen.

“Yo Chen, how are things in Harwood.” Spike asked.

“Can’t complain, there was an awesome rooftop battle the other day. Oh, and a guy who looks like Cthulhu set up a gift shop with some hilarious items in it. We should swap for a week, hows Ponyville.”

“Well Iron Hoof hasn’t given up, Pinkie has started rumourmongering about magical artifacts, and somepony made ANOTHER copy of Rainbow Dash’s cloud house.” Spike explained, “Yesterday there was another contest down at the Acres, and for once nopony broke the ‘no-magic’ rule.”

I don’t think these are AI’s. I thought. Bringing up their character sheets I saw that surely enough they were both Level 7 Pathless Sages. On their character sheet was a seal that read Meadow Zone Transporters Guild. I noted that Spike was actually named Skip.

Skip approached Lily. “Hello! Have you considered joining the Transport guild? We’ll level you quickly if you take the right talents, you’ll get to see people and places all over the zone, and we’ll make sure nobody gives you a hard time,”

Lily stopped her in depth analysis of one of the house’s teacups and immediately began asking questions. “Is Twilight here? Are you a Brony? Did you make that character knowing you could hang out here? Have you ever had trouble about copyrights in Ponyville? How many ponies live here?”

Skip, to his credit stayed cool throughout the barrage of questions. “No Twilight isn’t here. Yes I am a brony. Yeah my old pony avatar died right after Ponyville was formed. No Hasbro is okay with it and lawsuits on Afterlife Prime are difficult. About 300 but usually under 100 at any given time.” He answered as quickly as she had asked. “Anyway, I’m going to go check in on Harwood. Have fun, don’t torment Iron Hoof too much, and consider my offer, the guild is good people, and I’m sure we’d find something for your friend to do as well if he joined.” Skip waved and walked through the portal.

Chen smiled. “Well if what I’ve heard about this place is true we’ve all got a busy few days ahead!” She announced. I wondered what she meant by that. I should have known better.

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“OMIGOSH, I just knew there was somepony new in town because my kidney was tremble-y, but there are THREE new someponies all at once, which means triple the party! But what do catpeople eat? Probably fish like griffons, AND MILK. But sorry My name is Pinkie Pie and I know EVERYPONY in town and...” she gasped sharply. “I ALMOST FORGOT.”

She pulled out her welcome wagon.

Awesome

“Welcome welcome welcome/A fine welcome to you”

We get to go to a Pinkie Party!

“Welcome welcome welcome/I say how do you do?”

Quite well, I think this is what we’re gonna be busy with.

“Welcome welcome welcome/I say hip hip hurray”

She pulled out a trumpet and blew it directly behind my head. That pain in your head is telling you that this is the real Pinkie, which gives you an obligation to get sugar high, give her a massive hug, engage in random baking with her, and prank all of the ponies with faux Rainbow Dash cloudhouses with her.

“Welcome welcome welcome to Ponyville today!”

A batch of cake batter was launched at me at high speed. I jumped to dodge, but was far too slow. So I went for the next best thing and tackle hugged Pinkie while covered in cake batter.

She giggled. “Aww thanks, I bet you knew I liked cake batter! Which means that you are a really nice pony because you gave me a hug AND cake batter and...” She picked me up off of her. “Since you are covered in cake batter and not acting all flustered that must mean you are used to being covered in cake batter which makes you.” I tried to resist laughing at Pinkie’s cake batter covered face but failed as she loudly announced “A BAKER!”

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I found myself in the back of sugarcube corner before I had quite noticed what had happened. On my way being dragged through town I had seen Quills and Sofa’s, Rarity’s fashion shop, the town hall, and several ponies. Most had waved in a friendly manner to me. One dark blue Pegasus had pointed a hoof to himself then me and smirked. I wasn’t quite sure what he was trying to get across.

I felt a chef hat placed on top of my head. Lily was standing next to me looking a little confused.

“So what are we gonna make?” Pinkie asked me. I considered asking her how to make cupcakes, but to be honest I felt more like making muffins.

“Lemon Poppyseed Muffins!” I announced with zeal. “I LOVE Lemon Poppyseed Muffins!” She said, “I’ll give Derpy one too.” She said, surprising me.

“Wait Derpy lives here?” I asked. Pinkie giggled, “Well Duh, this IS Ponyville!”

I put that on the backburner as I began listing off ingredients. Another reason I chose muffins is because they are something I make for myself on a regular basis.

I was unsurprised, but duely impressed by Pinkie’s ability to gather ingredients as quick as I could list them off. I was likewise surprised but impressed by the quantities she was taking out. “Um Pinkie, are you sure we’ll need FIVE bags of sugar?”

“Of course silly! We should bake a whole bunch of Muffins, so that we can serve them at the party! And party muffins need lots and lots of sugar!” Pinkie looked thoughtful for a moment. “OH YEAH, I forgot to give you your invitation! I’m so sorry, it’s your party and everything and I forgot to invite you. Silly me, can you forgive me?” Her eyes seemed to grow two sizes as she asked. She looked rediculously guilty.

“Um Pinkie, I don’t even know what to forgive you for, when and where is the party anyway?”

She cheered up, “Twilight’s Library, at sunset.” As she said this she passed out mixing bowls to each of us and began absentmindedly putting ingredients into hers.

I pondered a moment, I didn’t actually know how time worked in Afterlife. Back home the sun had set several hours ago. But the other day I had been in this zone for hours of daylight. I wasn’t even sure if time moved at the same speed here.

“So you are coming right? I’d hate to have you not come, being the new ponies in town, because then it would have to be a new ponies in town party with no new ponies.” We had each taken a large mixing bowl and begun mixing our own batches of batter, I ground lemon rind into mine. “Of course, we wouldn’t miss one of your parties for the world!” She looked happy enough to explode.

Well we have her alone, might as well talk some business. “So Pinkie, have you heard of a genesis orb?”

“Oooh yes, it’s that shiny magical snowglobe right? The one that weird pony with the discord eyes wanted. He was creepy, but he was happy as well, and not in the meanie pants evil laugh way..” She looked worried. “Maybe I shouldn’t call him creepy, he might not like that, and just because he isn’t a pony and reminds me of discord, and is after magical artifacts of great power and keeps secrets doesn’t mean I should make fun of him. Do you think he’s mad I made fun of him?”

I thought about it for a moment. His eyes really did look like Discords eyes.

Her face is constantly moving, isn’t it? “No I’m pretty sure it’s fine.” I responded, hoping she wasn’t really worried. He is one of the creepiest people I’ve ever seen. “I think he would take it as a compliment actually. She had already begun filling a multitude of muffin tins with her batter. I was still grinding lemon rind into mine. She took a pan and began making lemon glaze that smelled like extremely sour candy.

Lily was looking at me strangely as she began spooning batter into muffin trays. I suppose I didn’t really talk to her much about the genesis orb.

“So where can we find the genesis orb?” I asked.

“Ohhh thats easy, the same place we always find magical artifacts and stuff. The Everfree Forest! For some reason when I told that to the discord dude, he just frowned and muttered and stuff.” Maybe he doesn’t know what the Everfree Forest is. Or it was also possible that it was just one of those areas that scaled to level, and he felt a couple of lower level characters with knowledge from the show would have a better chance than him.

We finished cooking. Pinkie talked the entire time, mostly about funny ponies in town. It was strange though. Half of her stories were about ponies from the show, and the other half were about ponies who I thought were players.

I dreaded what I was about to say, but felt I had to say it anyhow. “Pinkie, do you know that you are in a game right now?”

“You mean the muffin making game! Yup.” Lily gave me a concerned look. As if to tell me I shouldn’t existentially challenge the reality of the happy pink pony in front of me. I wasn’t good at listening to those kind of hints.

“No I mean this whole thing. The body I’m in isn’t my real body, it is an avatar that I play a game with.”

Pinkie looked concerned, she put on her thinking face, then quickly poked me. “Ow” I said. “Hehe, you are a silly filly, of course that is your real body, I can touch you can cover you in cake batter and hug you and everything!”

“My real body is an upright ape and you are a cartoon character!” I informed her. It sounded perfectly reasonable in my head. She giggled “There are a lot of silly ponies in Ponyville lately. Don’t worry, sometimes I like to be a monkey too, I eat lots and lots of banannas and climb trees and everything!”

Lily started to laugh at me. I thought of a way to prove my point. “You and spike flew in a Balloon to announce for the running of the leaves the first year Twilight was in town!”

“Yup, did you like my announcing?” She asked

I suppose I should think of a less public example. “Er yes, yes I did, it was really witty.” I thought of something I couldn’t know “You forgot your own birthday and thought all of your friends didn’t like you anymore and went crazy one time!” After it had left my mouth I realized how utterly rude it was. Lily facepalmed and looked at me like I was an idiot.

I am an idiot. Pinkie laughed, “Yup, that sure was silly of me!”

“Er, I’m sorry I brought it up, but you have to admit, it’s weird that I know that.”

“Well it’s weird that I know that your name is Fractal Cloudfront, or that you are 24 years old, or that your cutie mark is a dodecahedron even though you are a baker, but I know all of those things anyway.” She happily told me. “What does your cutie mark mean anyway?”

I give up. “It means that I’m good at er...” How to explain D&D. “Make believe games and writing fantasy characters.” I ventured. Pinkie giggled a little “I knew THAT from the upright monkey thing. Anyway, thanks for helping me bake! We should totally bake together again sometime. But right now I have a PARTY to prepare.”

We left sugarcube corner. “What was THAT about?” Lily asked me as we left.

“Well... she kept talking about her friends from the show, and it sounded like she was living two lives, on programmed into her memory and one that her avatar experienced. That can’t be healthy.”

Lily looked at me with a frustrated glare. “Okay, well as many things as there are wrong with THAT assessment, I was TALKING about this ‘genesis orb’. I thought we had decided to travel together and be PARTNERS, which means I expected to know what we were doing. ‘visiting Ponyville’ is all well and good, but maybe you should clear your motives with me.”

She looked something between angry and sad now. “You trust me don’t you?” I had backed away and was suddenly aware that many ponies had stopped and were watching our altercation.

“It wasn’t that I didn’t trust you at all. I was going to tell you all of this, and all about the person who saved me. But yesterday I was tired, and right now I’m still just getting information myself.” I scratched the back of my head with a forehoof nervously with that awkward nervous smile I get whenever I am embarassed.

Some of the ponies around me had expressions that definitely fell into the ‘disapproving’ category. The nervous smile met a nervous chuckle as Lily suddenly realized that we were in public. She blushed red then loudly announced “We should be going to Sweet Apple Acres to get some of that cider which we love. I am certainly quite angry at you, for not telling me your evil plans to forgo getting cider, but now we will get cider and all will be well!”

I get the feeling that Lily had experience in her past acting for mandatory school plays.

We began hurriedly walking towards Sweet Apple Acres, but only made it a block or so before a red blur dropped out of the sky yelling “STOP!”

A Red Pegasus with a Yellow Mane was standing in front of me holding out a hoof.

“Um, Hello” I tried.

“Greetings, I am Ruby Pride, Pegasus Racer extraordinaire.” She lowered herself to the ground as if she was about to pounce. “And when two Pegasi of our Calibre meet there can only be one outcome!”

Okay so all the ponies in this town ARE crazy. She pounced on me, knocking me flat on my back. I spread my wings and brought my hooves up to guard as she brought her face in as close to mine as my intervening limbs would allow and whispered “A contest!” In the kind of tone most people would reserve for talking about their secret lovers.

Another Pegasus landed. “Hah! So Ruby is trying to sink her fangs into the new kid. The only thing that can mean is a race. And NOPONY races without Staggershock!”

All of them. A small gathering of Pegasi was building up around me as the word ‘race’ started being thrown around. A couple of Unicorns taking out what looked like stopwatches. Pinkie showed up; she had popcorn, and streamers in her mane.

I guess it was a good thing that I took sprint then! “Okay!” I announced, “Pegasi of Ponyville, get ready to be left in the dust!” I am starting to get excited about this race. I really had enjoyed the flying I had done, and the over the top competitive atmosphere

Within minutes I was in front of a scary valley to the left of town that looked like Ghastly Gorge. Lily, Chen, and Pinkie were all hanging out on the edge of the gorge together eating popcorn and chatting like old friends. Yay!

A Pegasus wearing sunglasses and holding a microphone floated up above us on a cloud. “Listen up Ponies! Today you put your pride on the line for the taste of victory! Leave nothing behind, use the utmost of your abilities and reach for victory! On your mark, get set, GO!”

We all exploded away from the starting rock, about ten pegasi in total. Remembering what I knew about racing I hang out in the middle of the pack, riding the wake of the racers in front of me. We came up on a tunnel with wind blowing us backward. I saw Ruby enter high, then tilt into the cavern in a semi-dive. She accelerated into that dive way too quickly. Must be an ability.
I took that as my cue to pour Ki into sprint. I took the tunnel head on and barrelled through like a madpony. On my way through I passed Staggershock and another pony. But as I came out of the tunnel my lungs were feeling the burn. I was likely to wind myself out before reaching the end of the valley if I had to do things like that at every obstacle.

I followed Ruby’s Lead to where a massive and unreasonable number of thorny bushes blocked my path. A saw a flash of light as Staggershock flared up behind me, and a bolt of lightning whizzed its way past me into the maze of thorns, passing me, and likely catching up to Ruby wherever she was in the tangle. As for myself, I had to slow down a little to avoid all the thorns, but I was good enough at dodging to avoid hurting myself, and I don’t think anypony passed me in there.

A couple passed me on the way out though. I was seriously flagging, my lungs and wings both felt on fire. I poured a point of Ki into regeneration, blindly hoping it would help. It turns out it did, but there was still no chance that I could win this.

I got to the area of the valley in which the moray eels lived and poured my last store of Ki into sprint, accelerating past them before they could react and banking around the right turn going strong. The straight stretch to the finish was fairly easy. But I saw both Ruby and Staggershock had finish well before me.

I landed at the finish line gasping for breath and coated in sweat. Staggershock patted me on the back “Awesome flight there bro, No newbies have tackled the course that well since yours truly.”

He tapped himself on the chest as he said this. “And seeing as I won here today, winning the Rainbow Ribbon, I think that means you’ll do pretty well in a while.” Rainbow Ribbon, heh. I’m going to need to win one of those soon. The amount of ego the pegasi here displayed would have been irritating if they were humans, but somehow it just seemed natural here. The hammy announcer pegasus gave me a white ribbon.

I met up with Lily, Pinkie, and Chen just past the finish line. They all cheered happily. “That was AWESOME, you are one of those super-duper fast pegasi. I really like super-duper fast pegasi. you went through the moray eels all like ZOOM, and WHIZZ” Pinkie was running around in circles. “I mean, I’ve seen better, but Dash would approve. You should race her someday, when you are faster.” Chen gave me a thumbs up.

“How did you all follow me?” I asked, “I was going pretty fast there.” Lily and Chen both rolled their eyes and teleported directly behind me. duh. Pinkie was still running around in circles, But I don’t think I need to ask HER how she was watching me.

“... but enough about Rainbow Dash! She announced, we have a PARTY to go to.” At this she immediately grabbed me with a hoof and began dragging me off towards the library. I think they have some law against allowing ponies to catch their breath in Ponyville.

Soon I found myself in front of the library. Pinkie stopped pulling me and quickly disappeared. I took a step forward, intending to walk in, when a grey stallion declared “Halt!”

He was wearing heavy looking metal armor that looked somewhere between the royal guard outfits worn in Canterlot, and the Iron Man armor.

“I have heard interesting things about you newcomer. I wish to inquire as to your business with the Element of Laughter.” He informed me.

I was still checking out his armor. It was totally boss. “You mean aside from parties?”

“I hear you have inquired about the Everfree Forest, the whereabouts of the other elements and their friends, and a powerful magical artifact. I wish to confirm that your cause is just, harmonious, and not a threat to the princesses or equestria as a whole!”

I narrowed my gaze a little, “you hear all that do you? Because all of that is Pinkie’s business and not yours. I don’t take well to ponies spying on me.” I tried to move past him, “I think we both know that while the Element of Laughter is a hero, she is not a suspicious pony. My instinct says to trust you, but the involvement of powerful magical artifacts makes this an issue of national security. Expect me to follow through on it.”

We both walked into the library. I’m not going to allow any amount of nosiness to prevent me from enjoying a Pinkie Party.

It really is indescribable how fun parties with Pinkie are. It isn’t so much the drinks, or the games, or the way that everypony dances with everypony. It was Pinkie herself. She seemed to be everywhere at once, always contributing a happy word to a conversation, or dancing in a silly way that made everypony else loosen up, or bringing baked goods or drinks to somepony. And most important of all, always smiling. Her smile went beyond being a social contagion, it got into your very soul and made you happy.

I honestly think we could be on fire in the middle of the everfree forest, and with Pinkie there it would still feel like a party. Element of Laughter indeed. I the party, still a little giddy from a combination of high-sugar chocolate cake and high-quality hard apple cider. I decided I should go check out the everfree forest before I left. I walked to Fluttershy’s cottage, Ponyville was small enough that it was a short walk. There was the familar tree her house was made of. the familiar menagerie of excessively cute animals, and behind her house... NOTHING.

Where the Everfree forest was most definitely supposed to be there was a completely, creepily empty field of perfectly even grass. None of the animals approached it, the wind didn’t even seem to extend into it.

I began rushing back to the party when I saw Iron Hoof standing in the middle of the road watching me. I angrily approached him. “WHAT THE HELL! WHy are you watching me, and more importantly, where is the everfree forest?”

He calmly regarded me, “You know exactly why I am watching you; and the Everfree Forest is, quite simply, not of this world.” I blinked, “You mean that there is no Everfree forest? Well then what the hay was Pinkie saying there was an orb in there for?”

He appeared as confused by my comments as he was by mine. “You mean to say that your goal in this does not include an invasion of Equestria? What you look for is of this world?”

“Of course I’m looking for something in Afterlife.” I considered this for a moment. I mean if I thought it was possible to travel to Equestria, I might want that too, but that is impossible” Utterly and completely impossible, I mean unless I meet Discord or something and he sends me there. But I’m not Echo, and I don’t think I’m in that kind of fanfic.

He actually looked relieved. There had to be some reason for him acting this way. “So you thought I was going to travel to Equestria, as in the pony filled, cartoon Equestria, with Twilight Sparkle and Princess Celestia, grab an ancient artifact, and attempt to conquer it?”

“Well it was a possibility that I could not ignore as a sworn servant of their majesties.”

I blinked. “Soo.... have you been to Equestria to swear some kind of fealty?”

He blushed a little, “no, but nonetheless I serve the royal pony sisters!”

I figured he was just RPing and keeping character. I guess it would be fun to set up a separate persona here.

“Okay, whatever. The point is even if I somehow ended up in Equestria, I would only want to help ponies. I love Equestria, I’m a pegasus, and the royal sisters are great in my books.” I saluted with a hoof.

He nodded at me, “It is wonderful to see such loyalty in our ponies today! I ask that I be allowed to come with you on whatever quest the Element of Laughter has sent you on, and appologize for monitoring you without necessity.” At this he bowed his head.

Oh why not. I was still fairly happy from Pinkies party, and really shouldn’t have gotten so annoyed at him for following me in the first place. “Very well soldier, but know that I am in charge of this operation.”

He smiled happily. I guess he’s just been getting the adventurers itch recently.

“Did your following me have anything to do with my cutie mark?” I asked him.

He broke my gaze. “No sir, I was just doing my duty to the princesses.” he said.

What an awful liar.

I made my way back towards Sugarcube corner, no longer having sleep in mind. I approached Pinkie at the party. Joining her in an erratic, and surprisingly difficult dance.

I found that dancing with Pinkie put all of my hard earned dodging skills to the test. She didn’t make small movements, and several times I found her hoof or rump came disturbingly close to hitting me. “So you said the orb was in the Everfree Forest, right Pinkie.”

“Nope.” She happily said, still dancing.

“Uh Pinkie, actually you did.”

“Nopey dopey, I said you could find it there! I got an itchy kidney, that means weird magical stuff is GOING to be happening in the everfree forest. Or at least I think thats what it means.”

I was very unimpressed right now. “And what does this have to do with the genesis orb?” I asked her evenly, still dodging her crazy dance moves as she stood up on one forehoof and spun around twice.

“Oh the crazy not pony that keeps asking me questions had the genesis orb. Its name is admin, and it doesn’t like my parties.” Okay something seriously weird is up with Pinkie, and trying to understand how or why she knows things is a pointless task. I had an amusing picture in my head of a pacman like administrator chasing Pinkie Pie around inside a computer.

I decided that I would go dance with Lily a little bit. She was happy to dance with me. “Where did you go? Everfree?” She asked me.

I frowned, “There is no Everfree.” I told her. “We’re probably going to have to go wandering around the place, find some other sources of information, should be fun.”

She didn’t look nearly as surprised as I had been. After a little more dancing, we began to yawn. “Looks like bed-time, see you in the morning.”

I went to the bed and logged out, finding myself again in the lobby chamber.

“Hello Fractal Cloudfront, did you enjoy Ponyville?” the AI asked.

“Yes I did.” A thought crossed my mind. “If you don’t mind me asking, what should I call you. I suppose Greeter would work, but since you claim sentience, I figure I might as well ask.”
“Greeter would be a wonderful name!” she said “very ponylike too. I won’t say you are the first to call me by a name, but it is a wonderful gesture.”

I smiled, “Well, goodnight then Greeter.”

“The magic of friendship indeed!” she replied.

I again chose the blue door, and went again to the waking world.

Second Level- Monk of the Inner Circle
Title: Newbie Racer. Location: Ponyville Library
Party members: Azure Lily, Pinkie Pie, Iron Hoof, Chen

Comments

[Dreamshadow]

Okay updating; apparently posting this here has un-italisized my italisized stuff. so I will be editing a bunch.

[edensbane]

Title Newbie racer... I approve

[Levite]

Great fic! I really like the idea and I can't wait to see how the story will evolve, about the AI "Greeter" and the game world. I may not have so much experience as others, but I find it well written. Kinda weird there are so little views and not more.
Anyway I can't wait to read more!

[Dreamshadow]

846424

Thanks, it means a lot to hear that people are enjoying this.

I've been struggling a little on writing chapter 4, but I have a general plan for where it is going. I think as it gets more updated it will likely get more views.

But remember, in order to get views I either need to trip a tag search, be on the front page, or get recommended. The first won't happen much, the second only happens on update, and on this site only for a short period, and the third depends on readers talking about it.

Speaking of which, "Mane Effect" by Quillery deserves more views and I am editing it. So I suggest you go read it, it is not a straight rip of Mass Effect, and is enjoyable whether or not you are a fan of the series.