• Published 28th Apr 2023
  • 5,428 Views, 347 Comments

Queen Weaver - TenebrisScholar



After stopping the apocalypse Taylor Hebert is shot in the head. However, a mysterious force grateful for her actions in saving the world saves her and subsequently transports her to Equestria, transforming her into a Changeling Queen.

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Chapter 17

“So, what do you think?” I asked Gruff after having finished explaining my plan to him.

“So, you're just gonna walk down the wall and grab the Idol of Boreas? Then you’ll give it to some griff to make ‘em king or queen?” Gruff asked.

I nodded. “Pretty much, yeah. If they’re willing to sign an agreement with me to give me military aid against Chrysalis and her hive.”

“You know this’ll probably make the civil war start back up. Some folks are gonna say the idiot didn’t get the Idol themself and thus they don’t have a right to the throne. Others will say they have the Idol so that makes ‘em the king or queen. Then all Tartarus’ll break loose.”

“I’m aware of that possibility and I’m very confident I can end the civil war within a month, depending on what happens. So, what about you? You willing to accept the job?”

“Me?! I’m too old!” Gruff all but shouted before breaking out into a cough. “Sure the bits would be nice but being king would kill me! If some other griffon didn’t kill me first that is. I like my job as a historian and ambassador to Equestria. All I gotta do is a whole lotta nothing except go to Canterlot sometimes and tell some young whippersnappers history sometimes. Find some younger griffon to be yer darn puppet!”

I rolled my eyes. “I'm not looking for a puppet, I’m looking for an ally I know for certain I can trust. That trust hinges on them owing me for installing them as the ruler, but as long as they help me I don’t care what they do from there. But fine. I was thinking the money, fame, and power would get you to agree but oh well. Do you know any younger Griffons who’d be willing to sign that kind of agreement and won’t try and screw me over later? I’m willing to pay you for valid suggestions.”

“Hm… Nope. Can’t think of a single one!” Gruff shook his head. “Unless helping you benefits them somehow there’s no griff who’d agree to it in the first place. Who in their right mind would ever put themselves into that kinda debt?!”

“Come on. You’ve gotta know someone.” I drew fifty bits and set them on a table.

He eyed the bits happily and rubbed his talons together. Then he paused and frowned. “Hrmph… Well… I suppose there is Gallus.”

“Gallus?” I asked.

Gruff hesitated then shook his head. “Bah forget it!”

I added a few more bits to the stack. “Who’s Gallus and why did you recommend them?”

Gruff sighed. “Gallus is… Ah, to Tartarus with it. I’ll just go get him and show ya.” Gruff got up and started walking over to a set of stairs. “Gallus!” He shouted up the stairs.

“What?!” A young voice shouted back.

“We got a visitor!” Gruff shouted.

“Great! So what?!”

“Get your butt down here! I wanna introduce ya!”

“Ugh… Fiiine!” The voice groaned.

Not long after, a very young Griffon with blue feathers came down the stairs. He paused as he saw me and I felt a spike of fear and uncertainty from him. “Uh… Grandpa Gruff…? We’re not about to be kidnapped… right?”

“No, you aren’t.” I told Gallus before looking back at Gruff. “This is your grandson?”

“No!” Gruff snapped grumpily. “I’m not any griff’s grandpa, they just call me that. Gallus here doesn’t have any family. But I’ve taken him in so he isn’t living out on the streets. He’s the only griffon I can really think of who might work for what yer planning. But as you can see he’s too young! How old are you again? Eleven?”

Gallus sighed in annoyance. “I’m twelve.”

“Right, twelve.” Gruff nodded.

I took a deep breath and slowly released it. “Twelve… The best you can come up with is a twelve year old…”

“Don’t blame me. I told ya to forget it as soon as I said it.”

Gallus looked at Gruff then back to me. “Sooo… What’s going on? What am I too young for?”

“Can you keep a secret for like a day or two?” I asked him.

“Uh… Sure?” He said uncertainly.

“I’m going to take your word for it. I’m already here so it’s too late to matter anyway.” I stated. The worst that could happen if he spread it around would be a bunch of Griffons waiting to ambush me to take the Idol the moment I climbed back up. I was pretty sure I could handle that. Especially since I’d know they were there in advance when I sensed their emotions. I came here expecting a fight to begin with.

“I’m going to go down into the Abysmal Abyss and grab the Idol of Boreas. Then I’m going to give it to someone to make them king or queen of Griffonstone. They’ll owe me a debt for retrieving the Idol for them and making them the king but the only payment I’ll ask for is military aid and Griffonstone becoming an official ally of my hive. I need as many allies who I can trust to not screw me over or betray me as I can get. And right now other than the Crystal Empire, Griffonstone is my best bet. Gruff recommended you.”

Gallus took a half step back in surprise. “Me? King? Huh? Are you sure you got the right griffon?”

“No. I’m not. Gruff, mind telling me why you thought it would be a good idea to make a twelve year old the king of Griffonstone?” I asked.

“Ya wanted someone who’d agree to those terms and wouldn’t stab ya in the back. Well he’s the best choice you got!” Gruff grumbled.

“My terms aren’t that bad, damn it!” I growled.

"You're right! They're too good to be true, is what they are! No griff in their right mind will believe there aren't hidden strings attached that you don't want them knowing about until it's too late! So how the heck did you think folks would take it!? There ain't a griffon alive naïve enough to agree to this!" Gruff half shouted at me.

I raised a hoof to my face and groaned in frustration. This was going to be way harder than I’d expected.

“Uh… What about Gabby?” Gallus suggested.

I lowered my hoof and looked at him. “Who?”

“Gabby. Her full name is Gabriella or something, I think, but she tells everygriff to call her Gabby. She’s the mail courier. She’d probably agree.” Gallus told me.

“Oh right… Forgot about her.” Gruff said, scratching the side of his face. “She’s a weird one… Has a personality more like a darn pony than a griffon! Way too soft for the military or leading the kingdom in a war. She’d be a terrible queen and a horrible commander. But she’s probably the best option you got other than Gallus. She’s the only griff old enough to be queen who might agree.”

I sighed and raised a hoof to my face in exasperation. “Wonderful… So my only two options are this Gabby, who you seem to have sooo much confidence in,” The sarcasm was heavy in my voice. “And a literal twelve year old… Those are really my only two options?”

“Yup.” Gruff nodded.

“Hey, I never said I’d agree! I might be young but I’m not stupid!” Gallus objected.

“And I wouldn’t have any hidden strings attached like Gruff seems to think I would. All I’d want is help against Chrysalis and for Griffonstone to become my ally. I’d even sign a damn contract saying so if I needed to.” I told Gallus.

That seemed to make him stop and think.

“But you’re too young. If I did make an agreement with you, we’d need to find a regent to rule in your place until you were old enough to be king. Oh I don’t know… Gruff maybe?” I stated.

“Not a chance!” Gruff declared.

“I mean… If that’s really all you’d want…” Gallus muttered.

I put a few more bits on the table. “Tell me where to find Gabby, and what to look for. Once I talk to her, I’ll make a decision. Maybe finding a regent will be easier than finding a king since the main agreement will be with Gallus, not them…” I was exhausted already and I was trying to find any possible way to make my initial plan work.

Gallus told me where I could find Gabby and generally what she looked like. Having a place to look and a description, I turned and left.


Twilight and Rainbow Dash exited the train and trekked up the mountain to Griffonstone. “I’m so excited! Bygone Griffons of Greatness was written a long time ago and ended with the coronation of the fourteenth king of the griffons, King Guto. I wonder who’s in charge now. Oh! I heard there’s a statue of King Grover outside the Griffonstone Library! Photo op! And we’re totally going to have to sample some famous griffon scones. They're supposed to be the best! I’m telling you Rainbow, Griffonstone is going to be…”

Twilight trailed off as they walked through the arch signifying their arrival to Griffonstone and saw the city.

Her eyes widened in shock and horror seeing what she had expected to be the greatest kingdom in the world was a dilapidated mess. Buildings had holes in their roofs or walls, garbage littered the streets, there were even a few houses that had crumbled entirely, likely meaning there were plenty of Griffons who were actually homeless. No one was smiling or seemed happy.

“A total dump?” Rainbow finished for Twilight who was staring at the wrecked city slack jawed in horror.

“Wha… Bu… How… No… This can’t be right!” Twilight took out her book again and began flipping through it, occasionally looking back up at the city as if something might have changed as she was reading.

“Uh, Twi…? You okay?” Rainbow asked, looking at Twilight in concern.

“Something’s wrong! This can’t be right! Griffonstone is supposed to be the most amazing kingdom in the world not… not this!” Twilight exclaimed as she scanned the pages searching for an answer. For a reason for why the once great Griffonstone could have possibly degraded to the state it was in now. Something she may have missed before. But there was nothing. The answer she was looking for simply wasn’t there.

Eventually Twilight slammed the book shut and ran into the city. Rainbow followed after her.

Slowing down Twilight approached a Griffon. “Excuse me, sir, this is Griffonstone right? The capital of the Griffon Kingdom?”

The Griffon just walked on by her without paying any attention.

Frustrated, Twilight approached another Griffon. “Ma’am, is this Griffonstone? Please, my friend and I might be a little lost and…”

The griffon just flew off ignoring Twilight entirely, much to her dismay.

“See? These griffons are exactly what I thought they’d be.” Rainbow Dash stated.

“I don’t understand… This is Griffonstone, it has to be! But… if it is, then why is it so…?” A griffon landed on a branch their house was sitting on and the branch immediately broke under their weight causing the house to fall and crash into the ground. The Griffon spread their wings and caught themselves before they could fall, so they were alright. Twilight still winced at the sight. “Run down?”

“I dunno. Maybe the current king sucks or something?” Rainbow suggested.

“We don’t have a king, losers” A familiar voice declared.
Both Twilight and Rainbow Dash looked and saw Gilda standing not far from where they were.

“Hello, Gilda.” Rainbow spat.

Dash.” Gilda growled back.

Twilight looked between the two uncertainly.

“What are you doing here?” Rainbow demanded.

“Uh, I'm a griffon? What's your excuse, dweebs?” Gilda snarked.

Twilight stepped in between the two of them. “Ehem… We’re looking for somepony. Weaver, the new changeling Queen. She’s supposed to be visiting Griffonstone. Maybe you’ve seen her around somewhere?”

“Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t. What’s it to you?” Gilda said with hostility clear in her voice.

“Well, we’re her friends. Look, I know you and Rainbow may have had some issues in the past but this is important. So if you’ve seen her, could you please tell us?” Twilight pleaded.

“Ugh… Fine, whatever. I saw her go into Grampa Gruff’s house earlier.” Gilda pointed at a particular house. “She left not too long ago and went that direction.” Gilda pointed elsewhere.

“Thank you, we really appreciate it! Come on, Rainbow.” Twilight said before running off in the direction Gilda had pointed.

Rainbow glared at Gilda for a moment, and the griffon returned the glare. Then Rainbow snorted and followed after Twilight.


It was still relatively early in the morning so I found Gabby before she started making her rounds delivering the mail.

“So you’re a changeling?! That’s so cool! I’ve never seen a changeling before! And a Queen! That’s amazing! Is it true changelings eat love?! Are you hungry? Wait, you aren’t going to eat me are you?” Gabby asked excitedly.

“Yes, no, and no. I’m not like Queen Chrysalis or her hive. So don’t attribute what you’ve heard about them to me.” I stated.

“Whew! Thank goodness! I was a little worried there for a second! Haha! Oh, but you were looking for me. Why? Do you need my help with something?” Gabby asked.

“Maybe. Someone recommended you as a candidate for… let’s call it a project I’m working on.” I told her.

“A project? What sort of project? Whatever it is, I’m willing to help out however I can! Oh, who else are candidates? Do I know them? Maybe me and the other candidates can all work together with you on this project!”

“It’s confidential for the moment. I need to know if you’re what I’m looking for in a candidate first before I tell you. So would you mind answering some questions? Keep in mind, all of this is purely hypothetical but I need to get an accurate gauge on your personality and general psychology, but I need you to answer seriously.” I told her.

“Sure! Ask away! I’ll answer as best I can.”

I nodded. “Alright, first, are you a pacifist?”

“Well, yeah, I’d like to think so. I really don’t like the idea of fighting anygriff.” Gabby said with a smile.

“Let's say you held a position of political power and there was a hostile foreign nation threatening a nation allied with Griffonstone, would you be willing to go to war to protect the allied nation?” I asked her.

Gabby raised a talon to her chin. “Go to war? No, I’d probably try to get the leaders together to talk it out. War’s just awful. I wouldn’t want anygriff getting hurt.”

“What if talking it out wasn’t possible? What if war was inevitable and your allies were all going to die if you didn’t help them? Let’s assume the enemy kingdom was the aggressor and the only thing they wanted was the complete extermination of your allies.” I asked seriously.

Gabby’s smile fell and I felt her discomfort grow. “I… I’d try to help my allies, of course… But I’d try to find a way to settle things without violence. And why would anygriff want to do that at all? I… I don’t like this question.”

I nodded. “Okay, then let’s move on. You see a random person on the streets being attacked by a mugger. What do you do? There aren’t any guards around and by the time any might show up it’ll already be too late. A situation I’m sure isn’t all too uncommon here in Griffonstone considering its current state.”

“I’d try to help the griffon being attacked. I mean… What else could I do?”

“What if the mugger or muggers had weapons and seemed like they were going to kill the griffon they’re mugging?” I asked. This was just to throw her off and anyone listening to make it seem like my questions really were made up hypotheticals rather than serious situations. I was hoping it would make it harder to guess what I was actually planning.

“I… I’d probably hide…” Gabby said, sounding somewhat ashamed of herself. “Then when they left I’d try to get the griffon they attacked to a hospital.”

“Yeah, I imagine a lot of people would do the same. I can feel you’re a bit upset. You don’t need to be. These are just hypotheticals so I can evaluate how you’d react under different kinds of stresses and pressures.”

Gabby nodded. “Right. Okay… Sorry I’m just not used to having to answer questions like these…”

“It’s alright, just try to relax a bit.” I said in a calm tone. I gave her a moment to relax before continuing. “So let’s say there’s a giant monster attacking. It’s completely indestructible and is destroying everything. Entire city blocks are being destroyed and people are dying or getting hurt in droves. The casualties are astronomical because the monster simply can’t be stopped, so there’s an evacuation in progress. What do you do?”

“I’d try to stay behind and help everygriff I could get to safety. I couldn’t just leave knowing anygriff was still in danger.” Gabby stated. She was actually surprisingly confident in her answer this time.

“Alright. If you became queen of the Griffon Kingdom what would you do? Not just the first thing but in general.”

Gabby smiled widely. “Oh that’s easy! The kingdom isn’t doing well right now and everygriff is so grumpy… So I’d do everything I could to improve the kingdom and make life better for everygriff! Hopefully I could cheer everygriff up and make them stop being so darn mean and grumpy all the time.”

“How would you go about it?” I asked.

“Uh… I’m not sure exactly…” She said uncertainly.

I continued asking her some questions for a bit, but my opinion was pretty much already solidified. She was a terrible choice.

She was too naïve and idealistic. She was waaay too trusting, taking my word at face value when I was a member of a species known for kidnapping, replacing, and feeding on people. She would be more of a liability than an asset when it came to the war with Chrysalis. She would have actually tried to be a benefit to the Griffon Kingdom which was good, but considering her naivete I wasn’t confident she could actually accomplish anything even if I gave her the Idol of Boreas. Plus I doubted I could get her to agree when I would tell her it would likely result in a civil war.

She was pretty much a non-option.

“Weaver!” A familiar voice called out behind me.

I paused as my blood ran cold. I looked behind me and saw Twilight and Rainbow Dash approaching me and Gabby.

“Wha… What are you two doing here?!” I demanded, unable to restrain the anger in my tone.

“Ooh! Are these your friends?!” Gabby asked excitedly as she flew past me towards Twilight and Rainbow. “Hi, I'm Gabriella, but you can call me Gabby since we're friends now! Pleased to meet ya!”

“Hi, Gabby. I’m Twilight Sparkle and this is Rainbow Dash. It’s nice to meet you!”

I rushed over to them. I had to head this off and take control of the conversation now before this became a disaster. “Heeey, Twilight and Rainbow!” I said in an overly friendly tone with a forced smile. “Funny bumping into you here. I know you two said you were going on vacation but I didn’t think you’d be heading to Griffonstone of all places.”

“Huh? What are you—?” Rainbow started but I didn’t give her a chance to say anything.

“Gabby, these are some acquaintances of mine! I met them in Equestria. Twilight, Rainbow, this is Gabby, another acquaintance I just met. Say, sorry to cut this short Gabby but I think I know enough for now. If I decide on you, I’ll let you know. Now if you’ll excuse me I have to have a word with these two in private.” I said, maintaining my forced smile.

“But—” Twilight started.

“In… private…” I whispered with a bit more force, cutting her off.

“Oh, okay! It was nice meeting you Weaver! It’s nice to meet you too, Twilight and Rainbow. I guess I’ll be going then. I got plenty of mail to deliver today. But we should totally hang out sometime!” Gabby said with a smile before flying off, waving at us.

“Skitter, what the hay was that?!” Rainbow demanded.

“We’ll talk in private. Follow me.” I said, letting some of my anger and frustration slip into my tone. I turned and started walking off, leading them out of the city so we could talk without anyone overhearing us.

Author's Note:

I wanted to make this longer but it just seemed like a good point of dramatic tension to leave off on. Plus if there's an issue with how I handled this chapter or the direction I'm taking it, it might be a little easier to rewrite it if it's so short.

So I guess you can consider this and Chapter 16 two parts of one singular chapter.

Edit: I've handled the whole Griffonstone situation poorly. I'll try to rewrite it and do it better.

Edit #2: You know... Thinking about it... I think I'm just done. I don't think I can do this story justice. I clearly don't understand Taylor as a character and I keep making mistakes that should be obvious.

Yeah... I'm not sure if I can continue this story.

Edit #3: Sorry for leaving everyone in limbo for awhile not knowing what I'm gonna do. I needed to take a couple days to think.

First, let me just say thank you. I genuinely appreciate all of the support.

Second, let me apologize. Normally I try to take criticism in stride. In fact I genuinely appreciate it as criticism is how I know what I'm doing wrong so I can fix it and improve. It also shows the individual leaving the criticism actually cares about the story too or they'd just leave a dislike or un-watch without saying anything or giving a reason why and moving on, like a lot of people have. Which is also fine, not every story is for everyone. I get that.

This would have been no different but it seems every couple of chapters since chapter 6 I have had some failing in my writing or plot that makes me have to go back and rewrite things. I think that started to eat away at my confidence a bit, at least in regards to this story in particular. Combine that with not wanting to make you guys have to read basically the same chapter repeatedly and the anxiety got to me.

That's not to say I don't want criticism. I do. So if you see something you don't like or that I'm doing wrong, point it out. I'd much rather be able to fix it than leave it like a festering wound on my story. I don't want anything to change. My issue stems entirely from myself so it's something I need to work on with myself rather than anything else.

I will be continuing the story. I'll try to maintain things as they've been, though I'd like to post more regularly/consistently but we'll see on that front.

I sincerely apologize for the commotion and drama, it was me acting rash when my negative emotions in regards to my own failings and ability as an author reached a bit of a crescendo. It won't happen again.

I'll try to see if I can rewrite this chapter. If I can, I'll try to get out the rewrite soon. If not, I'll try to work with what I've already written. Having one weak point in an otherwise okay story isn't that bad.

Tl;Dr: I'll be continuing the story and I'm sorry for being over dramatic.

Comments ( 23 )

will the other student 6 show up?
and will they become bigger parts of this story?

“We don’t have a king, losers” A familiar voice declared.
Both Twilight and Rainbow Dash looked and saw Gilda standing not far from where they were.

Here there is a missing period after that 'losers' and there is no separation between those two lines, they are as if they belonged to the same paragraph.


As far as the story is concerned, or in this chapter in particular, putting aside the suddenness and convenience of Gilda's appearance, her participation feels undercooked and forced into just being there to direct the ponies. At this point in time she is not on good terms with Dash and yet she helps them very easily, without having a single reason to do so.

As far as Gabby is concerned... I always thought she was on the young side, not too far from Gallus, both do to her size and behavior (she mingle with the CMC too well), but I guess if she has a job that would put her in the adult classification as far as Griffins are concerned?

Aw, I was really enjoying this story to. Even if you felt you weren't doing it justice, which I believe you were doing far better than a majority of Worm fic writers, I'd have liked to see where your Taylor went. Besides making mistakes is one of the best ways to learn and improve. I'll be overjoyed if you choose to continue, but understand if you feel the need to abandon the fic.

11876762
In fairness she kinda just popped up in the show as well.

As for Gabby, I kinda felt the same way, but it's also hard to say since she seems to be nearly as big as Gilda and have a lot of skills which is more unusual of someone younger. She could just be good with kids, young at heart, or on the small side. Who can say?

11876777
Maybe I'm just being over dramatic and letting my perfectionism get to me. I'll try to think about it for a couple days with a more level head before coming to an actual decision about whether or not to continue.

Please don't abandon this story. It's honestly one of the best crossover stories I've seen on this site.

11876792
I think its okay for your idea of Taylor to be slightly off, this is your story and your idea that you are expanding on even if it takes inspiration from others. It's important to have your own idea of what your characters think and feel, and sticking to your own interpretation is good.

I understand that wanting to make something as best as possible can overwhelm, and I think you're doing great. If you have a clear idea of how you want this story to progress then I recommend keep going! Even if you feel like you may make mistakes, The journey for us as readers is not only about engaging and enjoying the story, but also listening and understanding to you the author as you put in this work.

Do what you enjoy friend :heart: ~

Don't feel the need to drop the story just because you can't perfectly encapsulate Taylor. As someone that only reads Worm fanfiction instead of the original (like most of the fanbase), I don't see anything that she's done that's strictly out of character. Besides, I've still enjoyed several stories where Taylor has a completely different mindset than her usual self. Just because the story isn't "perfect" doesn't mean it isn't good.

Mr 0 #8 · 2 weeks ago · · ·

I hope you don't abandon this story I really enjoy it
Taylor is a tricky character to write for since here personality is very different at the different points in her life,
also I really want to see Taylor interact with Gilda especially when she finds out the details about her and Rainbow's friendship split up, Like I get Gilda wasn't the nicest person in her first appearance but its shown that Rainbow can be pretty malicious with her pranks but everyone forgives her.

I do hope you continue at some point. But if you need to take time to re-think things, go ahead. One step at a time with all things, right?

Cool stuff! I like the way Taylor thinks when trying to cause political situations she can exploit. It's interesting seeing her plans form and be acted upon.
I can't wait to see how she'll tackle the situation going forward and build up her hive eventually. Great work!

Please continue. :fluttercry: I'd rather get an imperfect story than no story at all.

Man, don’t stop this story! It’s a really fun read and I’m enjoying it a lot, please keep up the great work!

11876840
This is a perfect way to put it. One of my favorite things about fanfiction is that characters can act in a way that might not make sense in "cannon" but put into a new situation (such as being thrown to an entirely different world) they can act in a different manner that still makes sense. I know nothing about the original work besides what I have read in fanfiction and nothing you have done comes off as "wrong". There is logic and reasoning for everything she thinks and does that makes sense given what you have shown us. Does it fit some other people opinions of how the character "should" act? Of course not, there are a thousand different opinions on how every character should act and not everyone is going to agree to one. Too bad for them it's not their character they are writing, it's YOURS! Tell the story you want to tell and don't let anyone else tell you how to do so. What you have done has been great so far and I always perk up when I see it updated. If you still end up wanting to be done with it that is your decision, just as it is your story, not theirs.

This isn’t a bad handling. Just keep going with it and start working on having the Mane 6 start rounding off Taylor’s rough edges. It stands to reason that she is very poorly socialized with those who have a more normal mindset.

Your interpretation of Taylor has been consistent throughout the whole story. She didn't drop everything and do something so far removed from her character to get that upset over. I've seen way worse mischaracterizations of Taylor that I've still enjoyed, so dont let canon compliance force you into a corner creatively.

On account of myself on pretty much everyone reading this story: please don't just drop it.

This story has been one of the most engaging reads on this whole site and I think I speak for everyone when I say that we've become attached and invested in your telling of Taylor, no matter how alike or dissimilar she may be to the original.

I can tell you right now we're more invested in the character YOU have written than the one you seem to think you're failing to emulate. Which isn't true and doesn't matter, because Weaver as you're writing her is an incredibly interesting character and I urge you to think of her less as a Stencil to Taylor from Worm but more as a distinct character with an overlapping origin.

And please stop being so hard on yourself. What you have written so far is better than you give yourself credit for. Especially the way you are writing Taylor.

Sorry for leaving everyone in limbo for awhile not knowing what I'm gonna do. I needed to take a couple days to think.

First, let me just say thank you. I genuinely appreciate all of the support.

Second, let me apologize. Normally I try to take criticism in stride. In fact I genuinely appreciate it as criticism is how I know what I'm doing wrong so I can fix it and improve. It also shows the individual leaving the criticism actually cares about the story too or they'd just leave a dislike or un-watch without saying anything or giving a reason why and moving on, like a lot of people have. Which is also fine, not every story is for everyone. I get that.

This would have been no different but it seems every couple of chapters since chapter 6 I have had some failing in my writing or plot that makes me have to go back and rewrite things. I think that started to eat away at my confidence a bit, at least in regards to this story in particular. Combine that with not wanting to make you guys have to read basically the same chapter repeatedly and the anxiety got to me.

That's not to say I don't want criticism. I do. So if you see something you don't like or that I'm doing wrong, point it out. I'd much rather be able to fix it than leave it like a festering wound on my story. I don't want anything to change. My issue stems entirely from myself so it's something I need to work on with myself rather than anything else.

I will be continuing the story. I'll try to maintain things as they've been, though I'd like to post more regularly/consistently but we'll see on that front.

I sincerely apologize for the commotion and drama, it was me acting rash when my negative emotions in regards to my own failings and ability as an author reached a bit of a crescendo. It won't happen again.

I'll try to see if I can rewrite this chapter. If I can, I'll try to get out the rewrite soon. If not, I'll try to work with what I've already written. Having one weak point in an otherwise okay story isn't that bad.

Tl;Dr: I'll be continuing the story and I'm sorry for being over dramatic.

11878755

Some recommendations.

First: Listen to yourself and take a few days. And I don't mean a week or two. It is obvious that you have placed high expectations on yourself with this story and that is taking a toll you. Take as many days as you need to relax and clear your mind. And don't worry about us readers, we will be here, waiting for you as long as you needed.

Second, before you decide to go back and write or rewrite more, construct a narrative path with a few key moments and an established goal, even if it is vague. Having a end goal, even if you can't see it in full detail at the moment, will help you immensely in developing your story.

Third, remember that this is your story. To please your readers first and foremost you have to be pleased with it. It's okay to pay attention to criticism and try to address it, but the moment you let the criticism dictate the flow of the story, or worse, start asking readers for directions to take in your story, that's a good way to not please anyone, especially yourself as the writer.

In my opinion, I think you should definitely continue this story. I personally don't mind how you're writing it. I have not read Worm before, so I can't say anything in regards to Taylor's characterization, so I just treat her as your usual "human transformed in Equestria from an alternate Earth".
This story has my favorite take on the Crystal Empire arc, considering it's one of the few stories where we have most (if not all) of the prominent Crystal Empire-centric characters being present in modern day Equestria! As well having them all be on at the very least neutral terms with each other.
I hope you don't give up on this story, as it's definitely shaping up to be very interesting one.
:)

11863111
Canonically in s04 it was clairvoyance, not precognition (present events, not future). Still, "vision" is correct, it is a magical warning about danger.

Taylor runs into Gilda
"She's Violent, self-centered, and egotistical but loyal to her friends and her word!
She's... She's Perfect!"

11879821

Semantics. The point stands. These allegations that Celestia has vision powers are fanon.

Some fans take some of the most insignificant things shown in the cartoon and blow them up to ridiculous proportions, and that's fine! But then they want to pass them off as canon in claims, and that's cringe.

Another example of this is the Thestrals! That was only shown once and then never again. Instead of accepting the logical explanation that "they were pegasi in disguises", some fans created this whole mythology of a new tribe of bat ponies who worship Luna harder than the other three tribes combined to Celestia, who form the Lunar guard and who are as obsessed with mangoes as Applejack is with apples; ignoring all evidence to the contrary.

11880137
Except we have confirmation from staff that they were born that way... Anyway, this is getting offtopic.

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