@Healthy Clop
That is a pretty interesting story

(Nevermind)

@reversalmushroom
They would rather not, and their reasons beyond that are personal.

Why is the artist not putting their name on this?

Awwww, I missed this one!

Yay!

Ice cream!

You know, this it is a very rare situation where a character who doesn’t usually have wings can be shown going though life-threatening circumstances, and then depicted with ethereal wings in the very last panel and that indicating LIFE rather than death.

Interesting to think about.

@Background Pony #C428
That feeling is very real!! And it will fade and even out with time, and things will return to normalcy!

But that doesn’t mean you have to stop drawing either! Honestly, I was going to mention in my other comment that I’m bummed you’re an anon because I really want to follow your work in the future! But I understand wanting the privacy too ^^

Just keep being you, and let yourself take a break! Don’t feel like you have to tell another story, and when you’re ready to tell another you’ll want to and the story will come to you!

For now though, as time goes on, little updates of how Sunny is doing, or very short sequences of her in daily life, troubles, fear of relapse, little extra bits and bobs, I’m sure we’ll all enjoy if you decide to doodle those over time ^^ Essentially, just because the story is told, don’t feel like it’s dead or over, your always allowed to do fun little doodles while you think of another story to tell, if you want to tell another!

And a big one, is just spend time with your friends, they’ll help get you out of that depression where they can, after a big project like this it’s very real!

@Background Pony #C428
Well, you are in luck, because I could use some advice on some related stuff, and that should be easier than making content yourself, right?
Click here for forum thread. And yes, Anonymous posts DO work.

Feeling some mad post project depression. I’ve never done anything that is this large scale and now that it’s over, I just feel.. empty. I’ve never had this much people engaging with something I’ve created in my life. it’s such a weird feeling.

@Draco Dei
It’s all good! I took it as you were just spring boarding off of my comment to talk to the artist, and I wholeheartedly agree with you!

@TheShadowblade
Ugh… just got done clarifying that. I will take your cheers, but hope you weren’t fooled by my error into thinking I was talking to you about continuing this work?

Not that there is anything STOPPING you. Quite the OPPOSITE. My cautions and such to the artist have nothing to do with you!

@Draco Dei
Here Here!!

@Background Pony #0EFB
Yeah, I could see that working, but if there wasn’t a good place to put it then there wasn’t a good place to put it.
“The perfect is the enemy of the good.” (Disclaimer: But perfect things, and IMO one perfect being, exist and perfect ideals are worth striving for.)

@TheShadowblade
Concurred. I want to be clear that if the artist wanted to tell a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT story at this time, or continue doing happy epilogues to this one I would be cheering without reservation. Heck, if they have a different art style in them, they could get working on that “X-men VS Magneto” (or whatever) style action picture/series I described.

That dark branch to the story though? They should table that until and unless they get a go-ahead from advisors who know them by name. And that is IF they decide it is a story that needs telling.

Ditto for a “side path” showing a set-back and recovery that Sunny might have had along the way (which I think might be better than an alternate “bad ending”).

I have to say, don’t stop writing Background Pony #0EFB, this series was amazing.

Every day when I got back from work I loved opening derpibooru to find new panels of the comic, the work you did below is incredible and kept me hooked like few other stories, now that it’s over I’m left with a little emptiness, I hope to open the page and find new cartoons of yours, I hope you will be encouraged to tell more incredible stories like this in the future, I hope to continue seeing your art, which in particular I loved.

Thanks for sharing

@Draco Dei
I actually had a scrapped scene that I didn’t know where to fit into the story of Sunny opening up the alicorn mirror while she’s in the hospital, asking the “mirror me” for guidance. Then Opaline catches a glimpse of Sunny and fills with twisted joy. She calls Misty over to see, telling her that Sunny is already destroying her own self and that they’re not even going to have to do anything. Sunny is anorexic. Misty, who doesn’t have much mental health knowledge due to being sheltered,asks her what that word means because she was admittedly growing concerned over her gaunt appearance. Opaline brushes it off, and would probably say something along these lines; “She’s probably insecure about something and starving herself because of it. Seems fitting. I’ll give her 2 weeks at most. Truly would have been funny if it weren’t so sad.”

You have a wonderful talent for illustration and storytelling. We hope you will stick around.

To the artist:
About 15 hours ago I wrote some intense words in a comment on an earlier image on this series, motivated by genuine concern for you.

This post is to let the artist know that those words do not apply to the creation of this particular image. It could be good, it could be bad, I’m being aggressively neutral on the point.

(I support you in your decision to remain anonymous, but even optimum choices can have trade-offs involved and in this case it is that things that would normally be directed to you privately must now be public. Actually, now that I think of it, if this site allows multiple accounts, perhaps you could create an account here JUST for this purpose? I dunno… might not be worth it even if the rules allow it.)

tl;dr for this section:
Keep doing what you are doing.
.
.
.
To all:
I like this image aesthetically, narratively, etc.
.
.
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To G5 artists in general (but LESS so to this particular artist because this style doesn’t seem suitable) :
I tried to search this site for an image of the Mane 5 (or just Sunny) throwing down against Opaline as I felt such an image would make a good one to link as an unofficial epilogue to this story as part of the dramatic tension here was “This leaves all of Ponydom vulnerable to Opaline stealing their newly recovered magic and then probably performing further evil with it.”.
The best I could find was this:

While that is a masterful imitation of the the style of a cover from the comics and has that emotional intensity, it merely implies imminent violence, rather than actually depicting it even to the level of Rarity kicking the manticore in the face or Twilight and Tirek altering the local topography with their clash. And that is not even counting the OPTIONS (not always useful to employ, but OPTIONS) opened up by not having to avoid showing blood etc.

This next one would qualify, except it is entirely too much in Opaline’s favor (she is disguised as Sunny), thus undermining the point of “You missed your chance byay! I have stamina and muscles again, thanks to my FRIENDS!”.

tl;dr for this section:
G5 artists, why you no epic fight scenes?

Coooooooool!!

@Adeire
She grew into it in the previous panel!

Really pretty and uplifting, it would have been amazing to see how much better she fits the bracelet Izzy gave her.

l i c c

Beautifully done!