Trixie_Surrogate

I hope bumps aren't banable... I don't mean to seem... I don't know, whiny? But I really would like some feedback. If I can't get anything else, perhaps just an opinion of whether or not the premise would be reasonable?

Greetings, my Brony Bretherin. I have a story idea that actually was sparked by some idle browsing through the troves of DevientArt Trixie pics and comics. More specifically, by the following image. Awesome, ain't it? But I digress. I have a few questions that I'd like some help brainstorming/researching, and would also like just some general advice. I have a lot of planning and research to do, though, before I really feel comfortable putting anything to paper; I've tried just writing from the hip but I eventually find myself feeling overwhelmed or I slam into plot issues, character inconsistencies, and general nonesense that kills my momentum, and by the time I'm done trying to fix those up, the original story has turned into a jumbled mess. The first things I feel I should worry about is just how the magic of flight would actually work with Trixie (and unicorns in general, I suppose) and those jems. Such issues include figuring out the rules of enchanted gem manipulation, the effect of magic on gems and vice-versa. With the issue of flight, specifically, is the gem dependent entirely on the unicorn's magic and magic supply to operate, or does the magic just spark the gem and the gem take over from there? If the jet gem does work on its own, how long do the jet reserves last? How long does it take to recharge the gem? If entirely unicorn dependent, how long will the unicorn's magic reserves last before being depleted? (In fact, what happens if/when a unicorn depletes their reserves? Do they simply tire out? Do they faint? Could a unicorn get sick or die; if the latter is possible, will it occur immediately, a short time later, or after an extended period of time?) Also, same general issues with the wings. In addition, can the wings be partially or totally destroyed during use? How long and how much energy does it take to generate them? Is flight possible with only half of the gems (read: gems only on one side) or will Trixie spin out of control like a clipped Suhkoi fighter? Another issue: can Trixie use magic to make her body more resistant to G-forces, as this will be a clear advantage for Rainbow. I'm sure there are other issues that I should be concerned with on that front. If anyone has ideas, I'm all ears. In terms of plot, I plan on the competition starting as a simple race; but as Trixie and Rainbow progress, they'll find themselves in situations that make them aware of Equestria's standing with some of the other nations. Relations are widely varied, ranging from allied, to mutually symbiotic, to strained, to even recently-turned-hostile. A goal, of course, is not just to show the what's of these relationships, but also the why's as well. There probably will be nations where ponies are liked or disliked all-together, while only certain races are looked down to or favored. By the end, the mares will finish their race, but it's their reports of Equestria's state of international relations that will hold more weight to Twilight and Co's concerns than who the winner is; with Twilight being, more or less, the head ambassador for Equestria besides Celestia or Luna themselves, she'll be especially curious. Character Development between the two main characters will be one of my main struggles; it's certainly the area that I'll need to flesh out the most, both in my planning and implementation. At current, I have Rainbow still distrustful of Trixie (the events will occur post-Magic Duel, only a few days after Twilight's ascension), while Trixie herself will be impartial overall (she and Twilight will be in favorable terms; not totally friends, but far from unfriendly). Trixie will appeal to Rainbow's vanity to convince her to accept the challenge (hoping that's not ridiculously cliche, but it seems like an easy and sensible solution...), plus I might have Twilight vouch on the showmare's behalf (need to find a why to make it authentic; I hate when things are forced in stories...). Eventually, between the racial discrimination, the sheer determination of both mares, and the forged comradeship resulted by their numerous near-misses with death, they develop an honest respect for each other. (Hmm. I suddenly want to work in a line, likely in the latter-half of the second act, with Rainbow replying to Trixie wondering why Dash would help her if she hates her so much; something along the lines of "the one thing worse than losing a race is to win by default." I imagine it'd show character development, would that be cheesy? And is it a bad sign that I'm [not really] trying to think of signiature lines just in the plotting stages? lol) Finally, I'm wondering, what would make for a good title for a story like this? I originally wanted to go with "Demons Flee Beneath their Wings", but it seems rather lengthy and doesn't really fit the premise of the story (that idea originally came only minutes after I was inspired to write the story of Trixie and Dash having an epic race). After that, I've been fretting so about the mechanics of magical flight and the overall plot of the story that I've put ... no further thought into a title. lol That's all I have for now in terms of my thoughts. If i had to hazard a guess of how long this story would be, I'd say around 80-90K words, tops. It'd probably take around ten months to complete after factoring in RL concerns and obligations; my pursuit of my Masters will definitely be a time killer. Anywho, I better put my thinking cap on, got a LOT of planning and deciding to do. Wish me luck. And again, looking forward to y'alls advice.