• Member Since 29th Apr, 2012
  • offline last seen Jan 12th, 2019

D G D Davidson


D. G. D. is a science fiction writer and archaeologist. He blogs on occasion at www.deusexmagicalgirl.com.

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Source

After Minuette receives her hourglass cutie mark, she must join Equestria's mysterious and secretive Order of Timekeepers, the worshipers of the Titan Chronos doomed to count the hours, minutes, and seconds of every day to ensure the princesses raise the sun and moon on time. But when Queen Chrysalis begins snatching chronomasters from across Equestria, it's up to Minuette and the last remnant of the Order to stop her. With changelings at every turn, there is nopony they can trust, yet only trust can save them.

Now with its own TVTropes page!

Featured by Seattle's Angels.

Translated into Polish by Korodzik.

Thanks to adamscage for the cover art.

Part of the SALT September 2012 writing contest.

Chapters (1)
Comments ( 42 )

Colgate is best pony

1251659

>Colgate is best pony

Not only that, she also deserves at least 20% more stories about her! dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Colgate_beam.png

Indeed.... Must have River-ish personally

Fantastic job! I went through the whole thing and the only edit I spotted was a few missing commas in one sentence. "Running through the yard was a stream with an artificial waterfall that turned a wheel powering a giant water clock." needs a comma after stream, waterfall and wheel. Otherwise, an amazing story that I would enjoy reading the rest of.

This needs some following up now, or at least some kind of proper conclusion to finish the story. At the very least, a chapter 2. Like...STAT.

One of these pics is not like the other, one of these pics just doesn't belong~ One if these pics is not like the other, see if you can spot them all!

1251659>>1252848

Of course Colgate is best pony. She can fix your clock, fix your teeth, or kick your butt. She's like your one-stop shop for pony.

Fantastic story, you should consider continuing it, even if whats left is formulaic. I really liked how you went into a very monotone description once she chronospliced, you could tell sh*t just got real.:pinkiecrazy:

A rather thrilling adventure with a good general theme. I'm surprised it has got only so little likes.

Given that graphical opening, I'm also surprised there has been no dislikes. :pinkiecrazy:
(I loved that scene btw)

Please tell me there will be a sequel. :unsuresweetie:

Even if you're not going to continue Chronomistress, I really hope the Order of Timekeepers show up in some of your other works. At the end of the story, I still wanted to know what their deal is with serving Cronos and what problems their timekeeping is supposed to prevent.

Horrible realization: 'Cronos' is an alias for Moloch, isn't it? Even more stoked for "Princess Trinity" now! Just... Time Turner better not sacrifice Dinky or anything. :raritycry:

Also, what you did with the serum is a wonderful idea for a superpower. Reminds me of Cordwainer Smith's "Scanners Live In Vain," but with more kung-fu prowess.

1271917

I think the Order of Timekeepers is going to be my standard explanation for hourglass cutie marks, yes. As for whether Chronos will be in Princess Trinity . . . we'll see.

My inspiration for the chronoserum was actually the mentats of Dune, and everything I write ends up having Kung fu in it sooner or later.

What a pleasant story. The chronomasters are an interesting lot to be sure. And there's also Derpy, at her most classic. You go, Derpy!! (preferrably without crashing into anything) And the Minuette changeling truly caught me by surprise.
I can see why you consider it one of your best works.

Is there truly no chance for a sequel? The team of four looks like promising protagonists!

Wonderful! Finally a heroine (or two?!?) that I can really enjoy. Minuette appears self-aware but not selfish, intelligent without being arrogant, and forward-thinking as well as tough. :pinkiecrazy:

All this, of course, means that you won't write any more of this. :applecry: That's too bad.

(Also, “Sweetheart, what it--?” Huh?)

1358523

That's a typo. Thanks for finding it; I've added "is" before "it," so the sentence should make sense now.

I am considering reorganizing the story (breaking it up into four separate chapters) and continuing it. I have some other things on my plate first, though. I'm gratified that you like the heroines; my female protagonists are always important to me.

This is great. The story is interesting and I wasn't able to find an error. This story deserves more views than it has.

And Colgate is best pony. This is a fact. Anypony who has written Colgate knows Colgate is best pony.

Congrats on the Review feature mate!

1531207

Thank you. I just found that review feature thanks to Totallynotabrony. I'm rather shocked.

1531237
Well, you certainly deserved it!

1531251

I guess now I need to write a second chapter--the one involving slo-mo Kung fu with giant pocket watches, of course.

1531257
...

of course...


Actually, don't let anthing pressure you, trust me.

Okay, two questions.
1. How can you write so well?
2. Why is this story not featured on Equesria Daily?

That was a beautiful story. You are awesome.
Very very awesome.

1531270

Thank you.

It's not featured because I've never submitted it. At your suggestion, I may. In all honesty, I've never submitted because, having written this for a contest, I wasn't sure if I would continue it, but now that it's been featured in a review, I may change my mind.

I'm not sure if I should even answer your second question, or simply thank you for the compliment. I guess, if I were to an attempt an answer, I would form it as advice:

1. Study grammar and style.
2. Read great books.
3. Practice.
4. Accept criticism.
5. Edit.
6. Edit again.

Great story, and I'm looking forward to more (should more ever come to be).
What I want, though, is to see more about the Order of the TImekeepers. That seems to be your selling point, really; the story is about the Timekeepers and how Minuette becomes one. Personally I would have loved the story to be about that; you mentioned on your blog that it was partially designed to combat Dr. Who crossovers (which I completely loathe, just for the record ;p), and exploring the structure and beliefs of the Timekeepers more so than you do in the story would be awesome. It's more of a backstory than the point of the fic right now, and while we see a lot of their beliefs and such thoroughly exploring Minuette's time among them would be a lot of fun, I would think.
Of course, that's not what your goal is, so I'll just have to satisfy myself with the (hardly bad!) story you're doing ;p

Congratulation for the review feature !

There is sometimes justice in this world!

:yay:

Why didn't I read this story when RavensDagger's "Of Time and Cavities" directed me to SALT and this story 2 weeks ago? Thank you Seattle's Angels for putting this story in front of me a second time and giving me the chance to remedy this mistake.

After it was mentioned that mentats were an inspiration for this fic, I immediately drew a parallel between the changelings and the Honored Matres: both groups are skilled at evoking intense joy in their victims. I wish I didn't see this connection. I don't want Honored Matres in my ponies, and I cannot unsee it. What have you done to me, D. G. D. Davidson?

Loved the story. I need to find more stories with world building and good writing.

I do hope you will continue this, especially now that your works kinda been highlighted.

Oh. That was awesome. Not a whole lot else to say.

But, where's the certain madpony in the blue box?

Is your Chronos supposed to be the Greek Primordial of Time?:rainbowhuh: because Chronos wasn't a Titan, that was Kronos, king of the Titans. Similar names, different entities.

1839765

I've conflated them. I went hunting for information on Chronos before making him the god of the Time Keepers; some of my sources make them separate, as you suggest, and others make them the same, so I considered the conflation justifiable, as it has precedent. I'm a fan of mythology but by no means an expert, so I'm willing to own any errors I make.

If this needs further justification, I note that My Little Pony draws on mythology but is never rigorous with it, and I found it more interesting if the Time Keepers worshipi a child-devouring monster locked away in Tartarus. The Time Keepers aren't really meant to be nice.

Here is from Theoi. I have no idea if this is a particularly good source:

KRONOS (or Cronus) was the Titan god of time and the ages, especially time where regarded as destructive and all-devouring. He ruled the cosmos during the so-called Golden Age, after castrating and deposing his father Ouranos (the Sky). In fear of a prophecy that he would be in turn be overthrown by his own son, Kronos swallowed each of his children as soon as they were born. Rhea managed to save the youngest, Zeus, by hiding him away on the island of Krete, and fed Kronos a stone wrapped in the swaddling clothes of an infant. The god grew up, forced Kronos to disgorge his swallowed offspring, and led the Olympians in a ten year war against the Titanes, before driving them defeated into the pit of Tartaros.

That is more or less the Chronos of Chronomistress.

Hmm, an interesting take of Equestria indeed!

I can't be the only one who thought about the juice of Sapho and Mentats when reading about the Chronoserum. :twistnerd:

2522124
That's what I had in mind when I came up with it.

Well written and highly enjoyable. The Timekeepers are both interesting and sinister. And you managed to cook up some very novel characterizations that haven't been touched on. It's very rare to have Time Turner not be Doctor Whooves - I think Sepia Tock is the only other deviation of note.

The bit when Minuette revealed herself to be another changeling was masterful. I had to reread the previous scenes and was amazed at how many sinister hints there were as to her being an imposter. Creepy! Not to mention when Chrysalis said that half of Ponyville had been replaced. Gave me chills. "Trust nopony" indeed.

Looking forward to the continuation.

I'm a fan of this story. My opinion of grew the more I read of it, and I think the later sections are better than than the earlier ones. I do admit to being afraid of a seriously dark ending about 75% through, and am glad you avoided that.

In the earlier parts, however, it seems like the lead up to changelings impersonating ponies is very abrupt. A little more foreshadowing and lead up to that would help, I think.

This story gave me the idea for another one.

Yeah, we need more about this and more about the timekeepers in general. I don't know where they fit into things or why they're necessary, and I don't trust them, either.

I loved this story. The characters were deep and wholesome, the dialogue crisp, and the writing powerful. My only nitpick would be that Derpy's clumsiness was overdone. Really looking forward to more.

Odd that it took me so long to get to this given that I read most of your other stories ages ago. Fantastic and fascinating story.

You are planning on finishing this right?

This is a most fascinating story. I do hope that there is more on the way.

So, do you have more plans for this, or is this one of those story ideas that's pretty much fallen by the wayside?

“Good thing, too, cuz I would’ve gelded the creep.”

A mare after my own heart.

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