Good progress on Midnight Rising this weekend · 6:28pm Aug 7th, 2023
Got it up over 8500 words now, with probably another 5-6k to go. Yep, gonna be another big one, like all the griffon chapters. Among (many) other things, I’m taking pains to touch on everybody else present so you can get an update on what’s going on with them, including the Shadowbolt girls and our illustrious school heads.
And since I mentioned that I’d be using a new narrative device in an earlier blog, I’ll give you a sneak preview of it, told (as always) through Sunset’s point of view:
I’m hoping that the only reason my friends seem to be recovering their memories is because of their internal magic that comes with their status as human Element Bearers. Because If the rest of the school, or worse, our principals and the Shadowbolt students start to recall it, then… Well, things get tricky and potentially quite messy quickly. And no, not in a good way, Pinkie Pie! Or at least, not entirely.
So yeah, they’re now following my stuff and leaving comments on the Googly Doc. They insisted, and how could I say no, since I’m immensely enjoying the feedback and it’s helping to jog their memories further? Pinkie wants to hear more about her time with the dragons while Fluttershy is especially enamored of the griffons, but Rainbow is impatient for Gilda to arrive and Rarity is wondering if she could use the portal to return to the dragon lands.
And AJ? Aside from seeing how she met her coming Saddle Arabian paramour, she just wants to see how Midnight got revenge on Lemon Zest since she can’t seem to recall it no matter how much she racks her brain. Rainbow can’t either, which isn’t surprising, given they were both a bit… distracted at that point. Regardless, she’s promising all of us that if Midnight didn’t punish her properly, she’ll “march on down to Crystal Prep and sock that Lemon girl square in the jaw!”
Fertile Fields: Damn straight I will! And no, I ain’t gonna apologize for swearing, Rares. Ain’t wrong if it’s honest and well-earned cussin’!
Crystal Queen: Hmph! Such a terrible example you set for Apple Bloom with your less than silken tongue, darling.
Fertile Fields: Oh, get off your high horse, filly. You seriously think she ain’t heard it all before? You oughta hear Granny Smith swearing up a blue streak sometime. Don’t let her Sweet Granny Goodness routine fool you—when she gets mad, she can out-cuss all of us combined!
Sugar High: Oooooo… really? Hey AJ, can I come over this weekend, then? I wanna hear her go at it! There’s nothing more fun than hearing grown-ups throw around a bunch of four-letter words!
Hyperdash: You’ve got a real weird idea of fun, Pinkie. And AJ ain’t lying, Rarity! I’ve been there when Granny gets pissed and trust me, she could make a drill sergeant blush. As for Lemon Zest, I’m with Applejack here. For as abusive and over-the-top as she was, Midnight better have punished her good and hard. Because if she didn’t, I’m heading over to Crystal Prep with AJ to do it PROPERLY!
And now we’re arguing in the Googly Docs comments using our personal accounts when we login from home—at least, when they’re not reading over my shoulder as I write, like now, as I pick this up the next day. I guess I’ll include any interesting comment chains in the main story since they provide a little additional context.
The idea is that it’s supposed to look like google doc comments as Sunset’s friends are finally made aware of her writing and start adding their own input as they slowly regain their memories. Should hopefully add additional interest and context even if you don’t like a particular scene or theme. AJA likes it and enjoyed editing the first 6,000 words even though he’s not really into this kind of stuff for the most part, so it seems like it can work.
And as for our heroines’ handles? Well, those of you who have read Harmonic Resonance should find them familiar: they’re the goddess names of the Humane 7! Readers may recall that they saw this reality on their post-ascension travels through the multiverse, so you may yet get a glimpse of them later in this story. It’s even possible there might be at least one minor intervention whose nature I haven’t yet worked out.
Anyway, I expect to have the new chapter draft complete by this weekend, though launching it on Sunday morning as I would like is probably pushing it. I’ll give one more update as we get closer, and hold on to your hats, folks. I’m going to be introducing yet another couple classes of fetish I’ve never used before.
While I haven't used this exact technique in story, I have, funnily enough, used it in the comments sections of your stories -- especially back in 2016-18. And I've been doing running commentary by main characters on secondary characters all the way back in 2015-16 with Movie Night. There was no way I wouldn't love an idea like this!
It's good that you are making progress. I'm looking forward to reading it.
Also I once read a stroy that consisted entirely of characters commenting on a story and eachother. Trying to figure out who was using what name was part of the fun.
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I remember. Your Linky & Twinkleshine commentary was always a highlight on my Firefly fics especially, since those two basically channeled you. The occasional appearance by Roseluck and Lily was fun, too when subjects interested them. Or when Roseluck dragged Lily along to read one of my more M-rated works.
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Just a few more days, and you’ll finally have it. Sorry again for the long wait.
It can work if done right. As for names, there will be at least a little of that mystery here as Sunset and her friends use aliases for their Googly Doc comments. But if you’ve read Harmonic Resonance, you’ll recognize them instantly.