User blog:Sunshineandravioli/Back to the Daily Grind

Wow, we've had a wild week here, huh? Along with the usual wiki activity, we've got this whole SOPA/PIPA bill to deal with (which, for all of our sakes, I will not be discussing here; there's enough blogs already for us to vent on XD), and perhaps most importantly, I came back! (JK XD) If you've already read my return blog (thanks to all the kind folks who welcomed me back, from my oldest friends to the awesome noobs who've only ever heard of me =^^=), you'll know that I returned with big plans, including those for a weekly review/reccomendation (the first one will be posted next friday :D) and my considering posting a non-TDI fanfiction here on my blog. The latter is the main point I hope to cover in this post; I spent yesterday looking over several of these fanfictions and selecting a few that I might potentially like to post here. Now, I'd like to ask all of your help in selecting the first of these fanfictions that will be posted! Below you'll find short descriptions of each story, and after that a poll, asking which fic you'd most like to read! Since the whole point of my writing is to entertain all of you here, I thought I'd see which fanfiction would generate the most excitement and use that to influence my decision. Do feel free to comment as well; I'm eager for all the feedback I can get on this exciting new venture :)

Now, presenting the candidates!

Our Desert, Their Haven
Jak and Daxter Fanfiction

I think this is, by far, the oldest fanfiction I’m considering releasing here, being started at least a year ago. I think its quality has held up well in this time, though, and you can be assured that if I wasn’t pleased with the writing, I wouldn’t be considering posting it. The second-to-latest Jak and Daxter fic I’ve written, “Our Desert, Their Haven” is, to describe it in the most basic terms possible, an alternate imagining of the events of Jak 3. Really, though, it’s more a reimagining of the entire series, just with some of the settings and characters of Jak 3. To give away more specifics would be to give away most of both the story’s and the Jak and Daxter series’ plots, so I’ll just say this – there’s familial drama, sandstorms, black markets, corruption, a war, and a monkey-parrot thing. Two things should be kept in mind, though: one, though the chapters that are already completed would probably be posted weekly, after that I have no idea how often the fic would be updated (most likely, sporadically and far-apart); two, there are a couple of very PG-13 bits in here. You’ve been warned. :P

New Initiative
Professor Layton/Portal Crossover Fanfiction

This fic is what’s produced when you’re a fanfiction-writing nerd who’s into the Professor Layton series and Portal at the same time. XD Set in the universe of Portal while utilizing characters from the Professor Layton games, the story follows former professor Hershel Layton, a test subject at the Aperture Science Enrichment Center, as he is introduced into an unorthodox new testing initiative. Thus far this has about a chapter and a half completed, and would probably be updated relatively frequently (for me, at least), as I have a basic plot outline done. It would definitely be PG-13, though, and possibly somewhat spoiler-ish for those who have not played games of the Portal series (particularly Portal 2) or the Professor Layton series (particularly Professor Layton and the Unwound Future).

Currently Untitled Professor Layton/Portal Crossover
See above for my excuse for this crossover of immense dorkiness. XD

Anyway, while this fanfic has yet to have a title or even have its first chapter written, pretty much the entire plot outline has been written (though a small part of it was lost when my flash drive crashed; see my return blog for more info on that) and I’m liking the potential it holds. While to reveal too much could be spoiler-y, I can say that, like “New Initiative”, this story would star characters from the Professor Layton series, particularly Layton himself, as test subjects at the Aperture Science Enrichment Center forming a rebellion against GLaDOS and her allies, depicted here as humanoid androids. Later, however, the humans and androids are made to join forces against the appearance of a larger threat. Since this is the only story not to have any actual chapters written, it would probably be the slowest to be posted initially, but would be updated somewhat frequently after that. Like the other Portal-related story, this would probably be related PG-13.

Special
Professor Layton Fanfiction

Like many great stories, this one was based on a stupid question I asked myself late at night when I was extremely tired: what would happen if the Professor Layton characters had superpowers? My answer became this fanfiction, taking place in an alternate reality after the events of the game Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, where several individuals secretly have superpowers or other peculiar abilities, and must embrace them to save London when a mysterious villain emerges. While this story has a good amount of its introductory chapter written, an entire plot outline has not yet been made or decided on, so I have absolutely no idea how often this would be updated. Unlike the previous fanfictions, I’d say this remains more in PG territory than it does PG-13.

Maria Layton and the Most Amazing Adventures Ever!
Professor Layton Fanfiction

What I suppose could be considered the TWE of my Professor Layton fanfictions, “Maria Layton…” is less a chapter-by-chapter story than a series of day-in-the-life vignettes, detailing the everyday lives of the Layton family through the varied misadventures of Layton’s young daughter Maria (a character of my own creation). A lighthearted, alternate-universe fanfiction (those of you who have played Unwound Future will understand why upon reading), the first vignette is nearly complete, in spite of a portion of it being lost in the aforementioned flash drive crash. Due to its simpler, lighthearted context and episodic structure, this story would probably be updated the most frequently out of all the options (though considering I’m Sunshine, how frequently “frequently” is for me is up for debate XD) and would be more of a G/PG-rated work.

Schrodinger’s Plot
Professor Layton Fanfiction

After playing through the Portal series, I gained not only an obsession with cake, whether or not it is a lie, and spaaaaace, but a keen interest in a certain thought experiment frequently referenced in the series, particularly the excellent companion comic (it’s somewhat deep and twisted but a great read, though it contains some spoilers for the original Portal; I highly recommend it if you have the time and/or interest). This thought experiment is Schrodinger’s Box, a paradox which outlines a situation wherein a cat is (theoretically; rest assure this was never attempted with a real cat and I forbid you people from doing so XD) locked in a box with an unstable element and a vial of neurotoxin; eventually the element reaches a point where it is so unstable it is capable of breaking the vial and releasing the neurotoxin, and at this time the cat must be considered simultaneously alive and dead until the box is opened. It was this thought experiment that inspired “Schrodinger’s Plot”, an alternate reality based on Unwound Future wherein Layton gains an unexpected ally over the course of his adventure. I’m not quite sure where and how this will be divided into chapters, but the first “scene” (which will probably amount to the first chapter) is almost complete and a complete story outline is already done, so this will probably be updated relatively frequently. As the inspiration might imply, this will probably be rated PG-13.

The Process of Shattering
Professor Layton Fanfiction

Probably one of my favorites among all my fanfictions, “The Process of Shattering” originally had five chapters completed, but sadly they were all lost in the flash drive crash. *moment of silence* I’ve since started rewriting it, though, and now the first chapter is nearly (re)complete. Set ten years before the original Professor Layton trilogy when (SPOILERS! :o) Layton’s sweetheart Claire was killed during an accident at her workplace, this story is an alternate reality based on the idea that Layton and Claire had a young daughter, Maria, who was also in the accident but survived. It then follows her life – and her slow, unsteady recovery after the loss of her mother – following this tragic day. Like many of the other fics, this one would probably be updated relatively frequently, and borders in-between a PG and PG-13 rating.

Additionally, this fic comes with a bit of a "bonus" story - the entire fanfic was initially inspired by a oneshot I did for fun, entitled "Long-Forgotten Happiness". Set during the events of Unwound Future, the short story made references to a past that was implied to be in an alternate universe from the series canon, and I became intrigued by what this past might be, which resulted in "The Process of Shattering" being started. Thus, "Long-Forgotten Happiness" would also be posted with the story, probably before the first chapter.

Professor Layton and the Fantastical Shadows
Professor Layton Fanfiction

Finally, we have this particular entry, which is unique in that it is being written in two forms – one being a traditional, chapter-based fanfiction format, the other being in a script style as if a screenplay for an episodic animated series. In both versions, the fanfic occurs a year after the events of Unwound Future, when a mysterious young lady known as La (another character of my own creation) appears on Layton’s doorstep to ask for his aid in an unusual matter, dragging the professor into a world he never could have realized was real. The two forms are identical aside from the format, even being at about the same point of completion (midway through chapter/episode one), although the script version is written slightly more simply and would thus probably be updated a bit more frequently. I would categorize this one more as a PG fic, though there might be some mild violence that could push it more into PG-13 territory.

So What Do You Think?
Which fanfic would you most like to see Sunshine begin posting? Our Desert, Their Haven New Initiative Untitled Professor Layton/Portal Crossover Special Maria Layton and the Most Amazing Adventures Ever! Schrodinger's Plot The Process of Shattering & Long-Forgotten Happiness Professor Layton and the Fantastical Shadows (Traditional Format) Professor Layton and the Fantastical Shadows (Screenplay Format)

While this poll probably won't be the sole influence in my decision as to what story I'll begin posting here (I also have to consider the stories' quality/content, their levels of completion, the potential frequency of updates, my own enjoyment in writing them, etc...), it will be a major factor. Thanks so much for your imput and intrest, guys! :D