Progress Report · 3:29am Mar 8th, 2013
To all of you who check out this blog, I am writing to let you know that I am still not abandoning you, or have dropped off the edge of a cliff. Work on Guardians of Magic is still continuing at a steady pace and the upcoming chapter is going to end up being something of a doozy when I get it rolling out for you guys. That said, GoM is not my only concern or project on the go, so having to share time between it, AoD, helping out a buddy with his chapter because he had been stuck for months, and another secret project of mine does end up putting a few constraints on just how much writing I'm able to get done for ponies.
However, I do have a little teaser from the upcoming chapter for all of you, introducing a new (read: yes, another new) character! Give me your thoughts, comments, and concerns about the latest addition to the supporting cast.
The creature sighed pleasantly as it looked at the closed doors. It was certain that within the room beyond them was a stallion working himself into a tizzy due to some project or another, and that the unicorn would have run himself completely ragged in the week of her absence.
Knowing that the inevitable likely could not be delayed any longer, the creature raised one small clawed hand covered in copper scales and knocked three times, then twice more, before opening the doors and entering the office. Just as she thought, Coltinster was surrounded by so many books it would have been impossible to see that he was there if the golden nimbus surrounding his horn didn't provide the light that gave him away. She could hear the sounds of his excited murmurs and the scratching of the quill being kept aloft in his horn's glow.
"I'm back," the young dragoness declared, and shut the door behind her. No new noises greeted her salutation, only the scratching of a quill and the flipping of pages rushed to meet her. Sighing again and shaking her head with a good-humoured smile on her face, she walked through the room on her hind legs until she was on the opposite side of the desk. "Coltinster, I'm back. Aren't you going to ask how it went?"
Still no response.
The dragoness eyed him sceptically for a few seconds, not sure whether or not she should believe how into his work he appeared to be, and then decided on the ultimate test. Grinning like the malevolent little imp she could be at times, she tiptoed past the stallion towards the large chest of drawers-that was twice Coltinster's height- that he kept at the back of the room. She glanced around and spotted just what she needed.
A minute later the small female dragon wyrmling was standing precariously on a pair of downy pillows that perched on a stack of four books, which, in turn, were sitting on the highest step of a stepladder. She reached a clawed hand out while being mindful of her balance. Almost there...almost...just a little more...
"Touch my chocolate without permission and you're a newt for a week, Irithera."
"Yiahhh!"
She landed with a thump and a clatter as the sudden sound of the Headpony's voice cost her her balance and her shot at the jar of dark milk chocolate Coltinster always kept out of her reach. A pillow landed on her head, with one of the books dropping onto the pillow before bouncing to the floor just beside. Groaning just a little in disappointment more than actual pain, the young dragoness stared forlornly at the jar of chocolates, tail swishing back and forth agitatedly.
Drat. And I was soooo close this time too...
Coltinster's hooves on the floor alerted her to his approach, and he chuckled faintly when his head appeared above her. "Irithera Brightflame, just what am I going to do with ye?" Irithera rose to her feet and looked down at them, feeling just a small amount of admonishment in the old pony's voice. She shuffled her feet while Coltinster turned away, hiding a smile. A piece of chocolate surrounded in golden light floated down in front of her nose, and the copper dragoness beamed in surprise before snatching it in her claws.
"Thank you!" she told him with the sincere earnestness only a child could produce. Coltinster's answering laugh was barely audible.
"Make sure that ye clean up the mess ye made," Coltinster said. He returned to his writing. "So, how fares our fine furred friend in Drakken? He hasn't been eaten, I hope?"
"Nope," Irithera replied brightly, munching on the chocolate while putting her impromptu chocolate-jar-reaching device away. "He's as fine as he always is. I think that he has to have dragon blood in him or the nerves of the Princess to live around such big, huge dragons all the time."
Coltinster nodded his head and made a noise in his throat. Irithera finished putting away the pillows on Coltinster's napping couch and the books into the bookshelf before looking at the old unicorn again. He was back to writing down whatever it was he was writing, the Headpony also holding up a book with his magic, and glancing at it from time to time.
What is he writing in that? wondered Irithera. Casually padding her way over to him, the dragoness clamboured onto his back and peered over his shoulder, inquisitiveness evident in her pointed face. Her tail waved back and forth, her ruddy brown scales faintly glinting in the light.
"That's Aragrakh," she pointed out, recognizing the pattern of the runes his quill was making on the page. He nodded.
“Very astute.”
“Why are you writing in draconic?”
“This is to be a going-away present for Twilight Sparkle,” he replied. “Tell me, Irithera, what is written using draconic notation?” She peered at the page for a second or two, reading it, and then her expression revealed sudden clarity.
“Spellbooks,” she answered. “Are you copying your super-secret spells to give to her?”
“Only a few of them,” Coltinster relented. “I certainly wish for her to be prepared for what she may encounter on her journey, but by no means am I entrusting her will all of my spells.”
"So which ones are you going to give her?" asked Irithera. "Are you going to teach her how to scry on ponies, or stop time, or turn into a raven?"
"Nay, I shall not be teaching her anything. Twilight Sparkle is the Princess' own pupil and the Element of Magic, remember? She will not need my instruction even if these spells are far more complex than what she has currently performed. From what I understand she has been able to teleport for over a year now and has since been able to create a moderately powerful Wall of Force. She will undoubtedly find these spells a challenge, but if I know her she will rise to the challenge."
Irithera nodded a couple of times, letting the silence sink in for a bit before opening her mouth again. “How do you tell if a foal has raided your pantry?”
Coltinster grinned slightly. “How?”
“Only the bottom shelves are empty. How do you tell if a dragon has raided your pantry?”
“How?”
“Only the gems are missing. How do you tell if a parasprite has raided your pantry?”
“How?”
“Pantry? What pantry?”
So, like I said, comments, queries, suggestions?
May the Grace of the Valar Protect You
Shire Folk
HA! So I assume by this new dragoness character she is Spike's age? Either way I do approve and the last part was funny too.
Interesting indeed.
Side note, just got Castlevania: SotN on the PS Store. Anyone else play that?
Look forward to it.
Sorry for being late! Very intrigued by this new dragoness and how she'll be ultimately involved in the story.
Also, your pre-readers will probably catch it, but I figured I'd give you the heads up:
I believe that should be with...
Dat final joke!
In terms of percentages, (ex:10%) how close is the next chapter to this fanfic to being completed?
1030170 It is currently 85% completed.
May the Grace of the Valar Protect You
Shire Folk