This has been many years in the making. Having written the first Yogsimulated back in 2019, I felt it could be expanded. And so began the sequel which I labelled as Expansim. More events, more members of the Yogscast, and more than just four points of view of the same events. Of course, things progressed slowly and I had to cut back on various parts of it. But it is almost here. Almost.

I’m not cutting anything more back. The plans are in place. It’s just a matter of writing. But once again my breathing difficulties are proving troublesome, stopping me concentrating on that writing as much as I’d like. As well as that, I might have underestimated just how big each of these six chapters would be. Swapping between viewpoints in them as I am.

As such, the release isn’t going to be one bulk upload. There’s three major events of the Yogscast that happen across the year. I timed the first Yogsimulated for a few weeks before Jingle Jam. The same has been the plan for this second. And that is the case. For the first two chapters. The other four will be timed around Camp Yog and Tiny Teams. Both text and cover are drafts, being finalised for the end of November. So, I present the opening of this first chapter of Yogsimulated 2 for you all to read.

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It had been many years of updates, bringing him and the others to this moment.

Back inside the simulation of Bristol that had been developed, it had been worked on to the point there was a whole lot more of it to explore. And a whole lot more to do in it.

Lewis was glad the company, aptly named Bristol Simulations, had allowed them to come back to show off what was new in the world.

Looking around Queen Square, there was a lot more snow on the ground than he had ever seen in the last few years. The entirety of Bristol covered in white made for a great start to this new video they would release in December. Whether they kept it for all the events they had planned, he didn’t yet know.

It fully depended on how everyone felt about it during this first event.

“Ped! Boba!” he called, watching Boba get hit in the face with a snowball as they turned to look. “You ready to start?”

“Yeah,” they both said with an intonation that sounded like a cat’s meow.

Activating his communications, he checked on everyone else. Then he checked on those in the ready room, who would be controlling cameras to provide more dynamic views than what the first person viewpoints of each person allowed. They confirmed the cameras were working great, and that those in reality had started recording.

Taking a deep breath, he stated they would begin in five seconds.

Tapping his leg as he counted down, on one, he raised his arms in welcome as he said, “Hello one and all to this wintery Bristol!” Dropping them to his sides again, he continued with, “No, you haven’t missed a delightful, snowy time. We’re back in the simulation of Bristol, ready to show the new additions that have been made. And will be going public in the New Year.”

“It’s so fun being in this snow,” Boba said.

Ped added, “And there’s plenty of fun to be had around here. But hey, Boba? You remember what we were talking about?”

After a second, they responded with, “Oh, right! We’re doing that now?”

“Why not?” Ped gleefully exclaimed.

Instantly, the two were holding swords. Almost as one, they charged toward Lewis, holding them high. Stopping an arm’s width from him, they swung the swords downward.

Lewis leant back a bit as his arm came to rest across his face, a shield now materialising on it. Thrusting that arm forward as the swords struck, Boba and Ped were forced backward.

Not content with just that, he swiped his arm back down to his side, slightly away from his leg as the shield converted itself to a shockwave launcher.

“You think because there’s two of you,” he said as he aimed that launcher at them, “you’d have better luck at taking over the Yogscast than Ben?” He fired the weapon, which launched an arc of energy that continued to expand in size as it travelled the short distance to hit both Ped and Boba. Who, having just recovered from being forced back, were now blasted through the air before they could defend against it.

As the two landed in the snow, almost disappearing into it, he shouted, “No-one will ever take me down! The Yogscast will stay in my control until I say so!”

Lewis walked over to where Ped and Boba had fell, dematerialising the shockwave launcher as he helped them both up. Their swords had also disappeared.

“Well, it was worth a shot,” Ped said.

“I wonder if anyone else could try taking you down?” Boba asked.

“Ah. Yes,” Lewis said as he stood back a few steps. “Just like last time, there’s more than just us here at Queen Square. Report in people! What have you been up to?”

“Ay! Bouphe ‘ere! With Ose an’ Ravs at Temple Meads.”