Getting there on NMN + Teaser · 2:44pm Oct 14th, 2020
We have a 9500 word chapter thus far, tentatively titled Lunar Lust, and it's a doozie. I promised to take Luna to the very edge of temptation, and this chapter does indeed deliver that. Be warned it may also rustle some jimmies, not so much for what happens but for admissions of what happened in the past. Needless to say, Luna has very good reason not to allow herself to fall into darkness again or be corrupted by this curse. So, will Nightmare Moon herself appear, you ask?
Well, I'll put it this way: in a story of nearly every major MLP character being corrupted, how could I NOT include her? This is a... fitting chapter is the term I will use for it, as Luna attempts to end the infestation in Canterlot before it can break free of the castle. A teaser follows:
“HOW DARE THEE!” Luna screamed in outrage as she telekinetically flung her corrupted subjects all far away from her again. Her wings, which had been previously flaring in readiness to be rutted now did so in pure rage. “So… ‘twould seem that despite my defenses, thou hast been reading my thoughts this entire time!
“‘Twould seem all of thee hath been prying upon my most private of desires and altering thy actions to suit them! To trespass upon my mind is an affront I CANNOT abide!" she recited angrily as for the first time, Concord felt a moment of fear, realizing how badly he’d overstepped in taking the form of one of her past lovers, cursing himself for only reading her surface thoughts instead of her deeper ones. “Were we still The Nightmare, we would execute thee for thine insolence on the spot!”
Concord felt both a chill and thrill go down his back at the threat. “Please, My Princess! We meant no offense! Like all of us, he sought only to know what would please you! How best to pleasure you!” To Concord’s relief, Spring Air tried to defend him.
“He speaks the truth! I didn't mean to denigrate you, or your memory of the great Star Sable!” he bowed very low in supplication, his mind whirling as he tried to come up with an alternate strategy. He silently cursed himself for his own overconfidence, now hoping to stall long enough for their pheromones and the remaining ambient magic to affect Luna and make them more amenable to their advances again.
Taking a deep breath, Private Penumbra stepped fractionally towards her, only to freeze as she turned her angry gaze on her. “I do not excuse his actions… or my own, Princess. But do not begrudge us our desires! For wishing to revive The Nightmare herself! We do not wish to control or conquer her! We swear we wish only to follow her!”
But far from placating her, his words only infuriated Luna further. “Silence!” she shouted angrily, restoring her wards around their horns, far more powerful ones than before; ones they instantly realized they could not break. “For thou know not of what thou speak!”
“Then show us, mighty Luna!” A slightly sweaty but increasingly excited Sergeant Riesling said, his arousal only growing at the thought she might well be able to overcome and overpower all of them despite their enhanced thestralcorn auras and her undeniably strong desires. “He speaks for all of us! Show us the supreme and sensual regent you once were, and we will happily serve thy dark will again!”
Luna picked him up in her aura, drew him to her and held him fast, steadfastly ignoring the thestral stallionhood dangling in her face. “Thou wouldst be very wise to mind thy words and wishes carefully, young Highborne,” she said ominously, dropping him at her hooves and causing him to scramble back from her in fear and excitement. “For ‘tis certain thy fondest desire would be quickly and sorely regretted!”
The scene that follows will have all the force and firepower of an advancing Tiger Tank as Luna both explains and demonstrates why, in a sequence that I hope will leave everyone reeling. 
She's not going to hurt anyone--this isn't that kind of story!--but she's going to make abundantly clear why she cannot allow herself to be corrupted; just why The Nightmare she once was cannot be set free again.
One final section remains to be finished, but that needs to be hashed out between Leo Archon and AJ_Aficionado, owners of OCs Delta Requiem and Juniper Neptune, where you'll learn about the backstory of their relationship and why it ended--just why grudges are held by both sides. I need the usual editing passes done and all prereads in first, and a couple scenes flagged by AJA will also need to be fleshed out further. For now, we will aim for a Friday night release.
I am looking forward to this chapter a lot. Personally I expect Nightmare Moon to only appear in a flashback of sorts while Luna explains why she will not become the Nightmare again.
This is very much a case of "Never summon anything bigger than your head." And that means the one on your neck, boyos. Calling up that which can't be put down never ends well. Hopefully Luna gets through to them.
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We will see! Even aside from that, I believe you will appreciate the opening section as well.
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Well said. It's the way she does so that's the surprise.