Author's Note
Hello, everybody (and Everypony). Just putting this up to clarify things and whatnot for you all-just a few points to address, nothing too heavy, honest!
First off-I'm not dead, and neither is this story (Oh, this story is way too branched out to be dead), I've simply lost motivation on working on A Game Comes to Equestria for a bit, but I'm still writing! just right now, not working on Chapter 21 or anything AGCTE-related due to motivation loss, so this story is on Hiatus. Aside from writing, I've been busy with Real Life stuff and other issues I won't delve into.
Also, about this story: I'm glad you've all made it this far (without skimming too much, I hope), because even at this point, you've barely scratched the surface. Due to how much detail I've put into the story's layout, with certain things and other results to be delved into, and the fact that each chapter set (the ones multiparted) is supposed to be taken in an Episodic route, this story will end up being aDoorstopper.That's why it tends to take long between chapters at times, aside from Motivation. This story will probably hit around 50 to 55 chapters or more by the time I begin covering the chapters that mark the end of the first arc-the arc you were just reading now. The expected end result (when the story finally ends) Will probably leave this story to be 95 to 110 chapters (not counting these notes, which I remove when I update the story with its real chapters), so this will be a long read, even if those amounts of chapters are just my guesstimate of it all. Technically, though, if you look at the Game's Collection Table of Content/Chapter Index, and if you count chapters that extend in parts (written with "(Insert title here), Pt.1") as one whole chapter, the number of chapters between all three arcs is 62 chapters. And for Spoiler reasons-the table of contents in that post isn't even complete, but because of spoiler reasons, I don't count what isn't in what was posted...for now. You can probably see why I tend to dip in and out of motivation for it.
Now, to clarify something a reviewer pointed out with a very confusing review (and an even more confusing conversation when I asked for them to explain the specifics): The earlier chapters (from the beginning to Luna and the Little Game) are...formatted weirdly. When I first began posting the chapters, I used line separators in the document in order to separate the scenes, BUT the format of the site ate those up, leaving no separation, and I have been meaning to fix that (with a few more touch ups to the chapters for any revisions), so I can understand confusion about certain characters in those chapters (primarily with Ancient Dunes), and certain events (Like the viewing of the strange episode in Domino), so this will clarify each so there's no more misconception:
Ancient Dunes Is a figure that constantly appears in Yugi's dreams-He never appears outside of them, and while he does bring in helpful infromation, he is simply a shadow of what would be there (which, as many sharp-eyed readers could guess, is The Pharaoh/Yami Yugi, the Spirit of the puzzle), and cannot manifest himself into the reality of Equestria, so he only appears in Yugi's dreams. Because he is a shadow that lives in Yugi's subconscious, he only knows what the amnesiac pegasus pony knows, and main builds on his past are from what Yugi can guess from his appearance: He was an Alicorn/Winged Unicorn once, though either through a sacrifice or as a divine punishment, he lost his wings and only has as much power as a normal unicorn (think of it as that Ancient Dunes was a god/immortal ruler like Celestia and Luna, brought down to what can be considered normal mortality), though he's still strong (just not as strong as an Alicorn). Yugi assumes from his dreams that they were once friends traveling together, until something separated the two from one another. As such, the Ancient Dunes in his head knows he's only a figment, a shadow of the real deal, and Yugi wants to find the real Ancient while he is a figment/just a dream, Ancient Dunes also serves to protect Yugi from anything hostile entering his subconscious-acting like a guard and a servant. To sum it up, if you've ever seen the 3rd Pokemon Movie, think of it like that of Molly and the Entei she created with the help of the Unown-Whatever Yugi thinks of Ancient Dunes, it becomes real in the dreamverse, and if he believes Ancient Dunes to be a friend, that's what he is to Yugi. The only thing he can't do is bring him into the reality of Equestria, since...stated at the beginning, he is nothing but a shadow, and thus can't manifest outside of dreams, not even if Yugi decided to try using the Element of Hope or Celestia tried using her magic to try to make Ancient Dunes appear in that reality.
The Stallion that appears in the Crystal Mountains/The Cold North , However, is NOT Ancient Dunes (nor an Alicorn at all). That one is actually, one of the Three Knights. Since Hermos appeared in the Bruised Apple chapters, that stallion can be guessed among you as either Timaeus or Critias (I will never reveal who it is specifically here, even if I wanted to spoil you-you will know in later chapters if you haven't guessed earlier). He, along with his fellow two knights, had actually come into Equestria after a rift had been split open between the human world, the domain of the beasts, and Equestria, something that hasn't happened in 10,000, 5,000 and 1,000 years (in each respective dimension/world), and after a monster who ended up in Equestria had informed the knights about sensing Yugi's spirit ending up there, to the skepticism of one of them. They traveled as a trio to investigate with the help of another monster in the domain and another pony who knows about the rifts, but due to the instability of the rifts, they ended up getting separated from one another-One ending up in the Badlands, Another ending up in Canterlot, and yet another in the Cold North. The Stallion in the Cold North is that unlucky knight. Due to them still being under their curse, their curse is reflected in the fact that all three have Dragon Wings in their pony form, but otherwise function as a normal species as they would be released from it (for example, without the curse, Hermos is an Earth Pony), and they don't stay in their pony forms for long-their curses are set on certain "triggers". While I can't tell you who has what trigger specifically, I can tell you the triggers regardless:
One will transform into their dragon form if:
-They are Hungry/Starving (or considerably battered up in battle)
-Extremely Enraged (as in, want-to-rip-into-somepony, angry to the point of losing all common sense, Berserker fury)
-If the sun is out and the sunlight touches them.
As such, the triggers can be reversed if:
-You feed them food (or if they get knocked out)
-They calm down or you help to snap them back into normal thinking/common sense
-you make sure the pony stays in a place that doesn't let any sunlight in, or wait until a rainy/very cloudy day to see them, see them in the middle of a storm, or see them at night. (-this trigger you really can't help too much at all...the Knight stuck with this one KNOWS they can't control it like the other two)
Anyways, back to topic-The knight had ended up in the Cold North on accident, but it's likely due to him running into what is most definitely Sombra, he's no longer there. Like the other two, he's wandering Equestria. While they are investigating, their main focus is getting back together.
The Bronies/Pegasisters Mentioned in Chapter Four Aren't really characters, but rather the terms I use to describe the fans of the show (in the human world only) in this story. They were mainly mentioned to show that there's a sudden inter-connection between the Human World and Equestria (If you'd like examples of this happening in other media, you can actually look to Digimon on this, or look up the Trope "Comic Books Are Real" on TVtropes). In the human world, the show is as popular as it is in real life (with all of its ups and downs), but it is generally regarded as a work of fiction-many of the fans and even people who just know of the show, know that the ponies aren't real-just like how they might regard those affected or collected by the Orichalcos a rather serious, riot/mass spread illness crisis to a point where many towns and cities might need to enforce not only a curfew or advise people to stay indoors, but fall under marital law, rather than assume right off the back that its magic (very deadly magic) beginning to spread all over the world.
So, wouldn't you be surprised if extra footage featuring another pony among the group suddenly popped up in an re-airing episode, with no explanation why? all people who have seen Yugi within Luna Eclipsed in this story are just as baffled as to why he just appeared, and why there was extra scenes and what not, and even intrigued and discussing (maybe even having arguments over) sudden new episodes and altercations to new ones. They believe it's something the writers, directors and producers of the show (or even just Hasbro in general) just suddenly decided to release, even though they're all just as baffled as the viewers.
The truth is, what they're seeing is what's going on in the world/dimension Equestria is in, It either taking place in events that become "New Episodes" or taking place in the events of episodes already aired, making what is truly shown as "Alternate Takes" of the Episodes. However, not all of the story in Equestria is shown (hence, if you see a chapter marked SE-short for Special Episode-you know that whatever happens in Equestria is something humans are seeing televised and out of the blue In Universe), and there's a reason why. This is drawn back to the "rifts" once more, but there's also some form of communication between Equestria, and the Human world (who and what kind of communication is unknown as of now), along with there being some sort of new, fragile, Magical connection between the two. It doesn't happen for all events, but whenever this connection suddenly flares up in power, it twists around both dimensions and turns whatever is broadcasting My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, into, in Layman's terms, a Magical Two-Way Mirror that shows what's actually going on in Equestria at that moment to the humans.
However, no human citizen, fan or not, doesn't even know that, or the rifts, or the fact that Equestria exists in a Different Dimension. They just believe its just all apart of the show, or apart of an advertising gimmick Hasbro is doing. Only those whose knowledge of powerful magic is worth their salt would have an inkling of a clue of what is really going on, but other than that, all humans in the human world can be perfectly assumed as blissfully unaware of what's truly going on.
With all those three perfectly cleared up, I'll just say this: Please do not confuse one for the other or mix all three into one-all listed above are separate as explained.I know there are things that might confuse you off the bat...so I don't mind you asking me about it...but please, explain why in a clear manner so I can explain to you in detail, and that I may understand. I don't want to be frustrated or make you feel like I'm angry at you because a PM or review about a detail you're asking about or pointing out, and the conversation that follows after wards makes no sense in its wording (and I'm serious about this-the last thing I want is for people to feel uncomfortable or for myself to feel uncomfortable and confused). I'm just trying to help you in a nice, polite way, so if you do have something to ask in the future, and I respond to it, do explain in a clear, polite way so it'll be quick and easy, rather than long and dragged out. It also helps if you don't skim the story and read it more carefully, but if you're still confused, you can ask me-I really won't bite your head off, honest.
Anyways, thank you all for reading this, you are all awesome! and thank you for understanding that this story is on Hiatus until I get the motivation back for it full force. And, of course, thank you for your continued support. I may not say much on it, but it really means a lot to me, seriously.
-Rainstone56
(this is a saved archive from the original, which has been replaced with the real chapter 21 for the story)