47.4 - Coffee Texts With Nono

While Summer waits for the Amaris to announce dinner is ready, she got a series of texts. What's going on?

Nono's making up the fanfic requirement, she just wanted an excuse to share her hobby with a friend. Now whether Summer figures that out is unknown.

Thanks for that follow-up note, Bill. Jason I was suddenly terrified that we were going to have an entire herd's-worth collection of JQ fan fic go public. Of course, he might be kind of curious about what Summer might write ...

*** Dave H. said: Of course, he might be kind of curious about what Summer might write ... Alycia: "I'm sorry I didn't treat you like a person earlier." Summer: "There is one way to earn my forgiveness." Alycia: *nervous* "What is that?" Summer: *shows phone with texts from Nono, talking about writing JQ fics* "Help?"

Bill G. said: Summer: *shows phone with texts from Nono, talking about writing JQ fics* "Help?" ... "Wow. That's ... um ... lots of ... knife work. Ah, is this what's called 'slash fiction'?" "Sure."

*** Dave H. said: Of course, he might be kind of curious about what Summer might write ... The Pony and the Porcupine Once upon a time, there was a magical crystal pony, named Radiance. While wandering through the forest, she fought a fierce and monstrous beast! She drove it off, but its claws had pierced her crystal skin and drawn much blood. She crawled to a nearby tree, next to a peaceful pool, and laid down. Before she knew it, she'd passed out from the pain. When she awoke, her injuries had been bandaged up, and she'd been covered in a thick net of tree branches to conceal her. There was even a basket of berries for her to eat, woven out of leaves and twigs, though she didn't need food. She rose to her hooves, though her legs were still shaky. That's when she heard the noise: "psst! psst!" She looked around and found a creature hiding among the roots of the tree! It was a porcupine, with long sharp quills growing out of its back. "I saw you, and tended to you. Are you feeling better?" he asked. "I am," said Radiance. "Thank you so much. And who are you?" "I'm Jake, the Porcupine," her rescuer said. He smiled at her, but Radiance saw that there was something sad in his eyes too. "Is there any way I can repay your kindness, Jake?" she asked hopefully. The porcupine was silent a moment, then nodded his head. "You see these quills? They are long and strong, the best quills of any porcupine. I inherited them from my father. But they also make me lonely, because nobody can come near me. I'm on a quest to find my father and ask him how he tends to his quills. Maybe, if I learn his secret, I can get close to somebody too." Radiance thought this sounded very sensible. She saw his shelter beneath the tree, saw his short legs, and thought a moment. "Jake, are you able to move very fast?" The porcupine shook his head. "I'm wise in the ways of the forest, but you're right, I cannot travel easily." Radiance nodded at herself. "Hop up on my back then. I'll gallop us both in whatever direction you want, and you can keep a lookout for dangers, like the one that met me earlier, and teach me more about the forest. Okay?" "But, I might pierce you with my quills," the porcupine pointed out, hanging his head. "I woke up well cared for," Radiance said, smiling. "Did you do so while you were dragging branches over me, or tending my wounds?" "No," admitted Jake. And with that realization, he smiled back. "Because I was careful. I'll keep being careful. Then.. okay!" The porcupine gathered a few belongings, and food enough to make the trip, and hopped carefully onto Radiance's back. Together, they set off in search of Jake's father, rumored to be in a land called the Sepia Wastes... To be continued

Let's see the verdict!

This comic is wildly non-canonical but the punchline was worth it.

Bill, I cannot properly express the raucous laughter this latest comic caused.  Never change.

HA! It is not at all impossible that Jason would write fanfic about himself, for a variety of reasons. He would be instantly mortified, and then horrified to discover that the site didn't allow the story to be taken down. ("That's not  what I thought fanficforever.com  meant!")

Really, there's only one more place we can take this joke.

"😅 HA HA HA yes I have heard of this story you read. Whoever wrote it should stop." LOLling here.

It might be tempting to read Summer as sheltered or naive on some topics, especially in this post ("write a steamy fanfic about this guy" "okay, here's a My Little Pony story about friendship"). It's sometimes tempting to write her that way too :)  The truth is hopefully more complex. She went through a lot of experiences pretty fast - living virtually in Jason's house (and her uncertainties about that, and him), traveling to Florida, and especially the deep despair of the Sepiaverse. She (and Aria and Pneuma before them) would also tend to avoid sensitive topics with people she wasn't sure about. All that adds up to a girl who should come across as bright and cheerful and optimistic and chatty, not because she doesn't know the world has darkness in it, but because she does. So who knows? Maybe she would write some AJQ fan fiction. Maybe she already does.  :) Mostly, though, I'm looking forward to more conversations with Alycia, and other PCs, and some of our NPCs, where some of this can come out in-character and we see who she really is. Relevant lyrics, from Poe's "Control" : So this is how it feels / To breath in the summer air / The feel the sand between my toes / And love inside my ear / All those things that you taught me to fear / I've got them in my garden now / And you're not welcome here Come a little bit closer / Let me look at you / I gave you the benefit / Of the doubt it's true / But keep in mind my darling / Not every saint is a fool

I agree it's easy to see Summer as the perpetually sunny, perpetually kinda-naive perky magic girl (even, if you squint, a magic one , though not really). Indeed, it's very comfortable seeing her that way because that's such a comforting character to know is out there in the world. I can imagine that would get old fast. I've been reluctant to dive into the Alycia/Summer conversation I know has to happen (because Alycia insists on it) (and because I  want it), largely because I don't know yet the status quo after we finally return, from how long in the future that is to what Parker's fiendish plan for Alycia's day-to-day turns out to be, and all of that is oging to have some impact on that conversation.  Ironically, Alycia and Summer might find they have something in common in terms of expectations placed on them -- which, desired or not, are a heavy weight.

*** Dave H. said: I've been reluctant to dive into the Alycia/Summer conversation I know has to happen (because Alycia insists on it) (and because I  want it), largely because I don't know yet the status quo after we finally return, from how long in the future that is to what Parker's fiendish plan for Alycia's day-to-day turns out to be, and all of that is oging to have some impact on that conversation.  Yep, that's the right time for it. :) So here's the comedy outcomes from that conversation. Summer gets tired of dealing with Alycia's shit Alycia gets tired of Summer's shit Alycia is brought round to a more optimistic viewpoint Alycia realizes it worked, and is informed of incoming girls' night out or sleepover Summer is convinced of a more pessimistic worldview Neither girl changes their mind How Summer describes Jason How Alycia describes Jason The Ponies listen in Both girls put off the Jason question for another time Someone shit-talks Alycia in front of Summer "Robots aren't bad after all"

How Alycia  describes Jason To be fair, that seems to be how most of the Menagerie describes Jason. He occasionally even describes himself that way. :-)