Beneath The Ice

One of the common questions surrounding the popularity of a "children's show" like MLP:FIM is a simple one: why? I've seen that kicked around a lot. Personally, I used to think of it the same way. After having seen enough stuff about the show thrown around the interwebs, including a lot of clever mashups, my curiosity finally got the best of me. The second season had ended by the time I saw a single episode of the show.

A few months later I find myself trying to write an original story about it on a fan fiction website.

Wait, what?

I found that it's not really that hard to understand: powerful characterization seems to stick with people. Age or gender differences can be rendered largely irrelevant by it. The writers for MLP seem to have put that lesson to good use. Never underestimate the power of a feel good story either. I believe this is also why a lot of Pixar movies are beloved as much as they are.

The characters in MLP are, on the surface, a little stereotypical. Maybe that drives people off when they first see it. Once you crack that surface, however, there's a lot of depth that can be enjoyed by anyone of any age. Add in a few bits of physical comedy here, a few pop culture references there, and you have a winner.

A strange thing happened when I stumbled across this website. In a flash, I was suddenly overrun with every type of interpretation of the characters possible. And with that, my creative mind began to turn and this story arc came to be. This is not my first attempt at a fiction, but it will be the first that will be free for endless roaming eyes to see.

Other than the correct depiction of the characters themselves (the most important component of a story like this one), I am most concerned about my writing style and whether or not it will be well received. I do not have a strong visual memory, so there is a lack of evocative descriptions of scenery or emotion or physical action; I'm more of an X leads to Y leads to Z kind of person. As a result, my stories read more like how someone would watch an episode, show, or movie: dialogue reigns above all else.

For the most part, if something is mentioned, it has a direct or symbolic purpose in the story in one way or another. In a way, I would prefer for the reader to fill in the details with what they see in their own minds rather than me simply telling them what something looks like. You have the freedom to see what you want to see.

The future of "Beneath The Ice" is community dependent, as I tend to write material very slowly. If some other people get some enjoyment out of it, perhaps it will light a fire for me to crank it out a little faster. As of the posting of the first three chapters, about a third of the remaining story has been completed. I have also mapped out two sequel stories and a couple other ideas branching from this one. I don't know whether those will ever be touched, or even if I end up being the one to write them.

That said, I hope you enjoy the story.