>>4339
Quote: "Well, I certainly didn't expect you to go all in with the whole brain thing, but to the surprise of no-one who reads my stuff-I'm delighted!"

Honestly? Neither did I. Then I re-read the anthology "Star Wars: Tales From Jabba's Palace", and it inspired me. The book includes a lot of scenes with the B'omarr monks, a monastic order that built the palace before criminals, and ultimately the gangster Jabba the Hutt himself, usurped control of it. (The monks still live there, but mostly just hang around on the lowermost levels.)

These monks have a practice where, once one of them has achieved a certain level of enlightenment, the others will remove that monk's brain and store it in a nutrient-filled jar, allowing the disembodied monk to contemplate the universe without being distracted by physical sensations. These monks also have access to "brain walkers", spider-like droids that their brain jars can be attached to, allowing them to wander about even after they've lost their original bodies. ("Brain walkers" are actually seen in "Return of the Jedi"; they weren't made up for the book.) I drew both from the B'omarr order's practices, and from the reactions of some of the people whose brains they removed without their permission (one as part of a plan to ensure he would survive his planned execution at Jabba's hands, another because the monks were taking back control of the palace after Jabba's death), for this story.

Quote: "Your actual writing is at a very high standard, and it's a pleasure to read, and you're updating at a very high pace."

Thank you.

Quote: "You seem to have a clear idea of what you're doing and where the story is going, too."

Well... actually, when I started this part, all I had in mind was "Twilight and Liza working together again, and there's a more sexual edge to it". The various aspects just came together over the course of about three drafts (one in my notebook and two as I was typing it up). Of course, now I have at least some idea of what will happen in the next part.

Incidentally, one really big change? It was initially supposed to start not long after part 1. The "ten years later" part came about during the second and third drafts. (Which means there's now a confirmed time period in which Scootaloo, Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon and Babs were all harvested, though the exact details of how it happened, and what they did with the parts, are still up in the air.) Also, Liza's ascension. I made mention of Twilight wishing for it in the first part, but I didn't quite figure out how to work it in here until I was going through this one about the third time or so.

Quote: "I'm really looking forward to the next chapter now that you spent the time to set the scene."

Glad to hear it. (Now I just need to write it. With any luck, it'll be out in the next couple of days, though I make no guarantees.)

Quote: "Incidentally: If you like MLP brains in jars, check out Airship-King's Brainy Twilight tumblr! Remember: If you can think of it, there is probably a tumbr for it."

Will give it a look.