This story is a sequel to The Midnight Filly
Almost one thousand years ago, the Elements of Harmony chose new Bearers to protect Equestria after the attack of Nightmare Moon. Since then, whenever one Bearer died or retired there would always be a new pony to take up the role. Now, for the first time, all the Bearers are retiring at once, and six mares have been selected to replace them.
A farmer with a questionable tax history.
A Critter Ambassador who is scared of her own shadow.
The town prankster who clearly can't focus.
A greedy business owner who yells at her own sister.
A lazy weather coordinator with an oversized ego.
And a young alicorn who gained that status under poor circumstances and can't empathize with others.
Needless to say, Equestria is skeptical, but it's not like the end of the world is coming in a few months...
Inspired by an old blog post by RealityCheck.
Beta read by MyHobby, Crack-Fic Kai, and Pureheart 352❤.
Edit: Featured on 8/16/2019!
Should I have read the prequel first or is it ok to go straight in?
9783833
You can go straight in.
Dude, you have to advertise this more.
9783856
Thx will do
9783857
Any places you recommend?
9783864
I already added it to all the groups I know... maybe write up a prose trailer and post it in the Shameless Self-Promotion Bureau and wherever? And definitely at least blog about it.
Also, can you resend me the link to Ch2? I have misplaced it.
9783868
I'll take care of the promotions tomorrow.
I'm at the part with Pinkie Pie and the Cakes, and it's like the fourth footnote.
The Terry Pratchett "heavily footnoted" gimmick works best with a strong narrator's voice. However, your narrator's voice is pretty invisible. I'm not sure it's doing anything for you. The side-by-side formatting thing is pretty cute but, um... I anticipate highly mixed responses from your readers. I can easily imagine lots of people hating it to hell and back. Like, I have no problem personally with pretty much anyone's formatting, but some very special readers are very particular about things like this, and they will let you know.
Also, just on aesthetics, the "lots of footnotes" thing gives a sort of vibe of, all this is uncertain, we are attempting to reconstruct history as best we can here, please bear with us as we inevitably make mistakes, this is a work of archaeology or anthropology rather than fiction. It feels at home with a "sword and board" or "spellsword" type world, like the drooling masses imagine the
DarkMiddle Ages to be. However Equestria's world is a fusion, medieval meets modernity. Certainly I know when I watched the show I imagined the events happening now or close to now, not at some point in the past. Take that for what it's worth.In general I just think the footnote thing works best when your narrator is already a cheeky sonofabitch, not when he's mostly invisible.
9783911
Fair enough. I was trying to use the footnotes like RealityCheck did, since the original concept came from him.
So far so good, you've got an intriguing set up, and I'm curious to see how you use Discord in this. I wish you the best of luck with your writing
9783921
Man you must be old school, isn't RC long gone?
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Yup, although he still writes stuff in other places that I keep an eye on.
9783941
Does the link to the blog that inspired you still exist? I'd like to read it to see what he does.
(eta: If not, I'd settle for a gdocs!)
9783943
I actually have an old html file that it is on. I can send you the text, but I'll need to figure out if and where it should be publicly shown. (If you scroll down enough on the page, you can see a spoiler-y comment I made, I can send you that too if you'd like.)
9783864
Tried to find RealityCheck in archive been t couldn't find him
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He goes by RHJunior on AO3 if you want to see his stories.
Wow, this is very well written, well paced, interesting, has contenuity, and everything a good story should have, sweet, :D, faved, followed, liked, and eagerly waiting for more.
9785224
Aw thanks.
This is amazing, please make more
9785717
That's the plan.
Liking this. A really intriguing, fleshed-out setting. Reminds me of an AU about a militarized Equestria where Shining Armor was the headed of magic.
"I've seen your birth certificate, Aluvial."
"We agreed to never speak of that again."
In any case, very happy to see more of this setting. Eagerly looking forward to seeing how the Mane Six handle filling some sizeable horseshoes.
This is great I love this concept.
How come I didn't stumble upon this sooner?
Gotta love adorable Twily and badass Twily