Difficulties · 4:03pm Jun 11th, 2012
Chapter Four of "Friendship is Sanctioned" is a complete and utter bitch to write.
Mind you, this isn't all that surprising. It is perhaps the most important chapter in the story, and will introduce some key plot elements.
For one thing, there's the matter of Exathel. It's a creation of my own, designed to fit into the 40k tradition of re-imagining ancient cultures with a dark sci-fi twist. (Free Lyra plushie if you guess who they're based after.) We will get to see their vicious Malakin soldiers for the first time, and gain insights into what their sinister leader Dante Ferin is trying to accomplish. The challenge with them is to make sure they embody true Vile Villains, but at the same time keep the story from falling into grimdark territory.
As such, Chapter Four is going to be delving more into the comedy-horror vibe that was first introduced with Mister Floats in the first chapter.
We will also be learning more of the way Chaos is involved in all of this, which is yet another challenge. The MLP idea of chaos is cupcakes and bicycles raining from the sky; 40k's idea of Chaos has a bit more oceans of blood and screaming corpses and SIIIINNNNDRIIIIII!
This is a lot for one chapter, which why it's currently shaping up to be considerably longer than the previous ones. I don't know exactly when I'll have a rough draft ready, but if anyone wants to join the Sanctioned Pre-Reader Squadron, leave a comment or send me a PM.
good to hear this story is not dead, keep it up!