Being an alicorn filly isn't easy. It's hard to enjoy your foalhood when you know you'll be spending your eternity as a responsible adult. But when the castle attendants and even their own mother starts to avoid them, a pair of little princesses find themselves struggling to understand what's wrong...
As an existential threat arrives in Equestria, the fillies find themselves thrust into the storybook realm of Clydestale where they must rediscover the power of imagination and learn what it truly means to be creative. Let the line between "fantasy" and "reality" be blurred as the princesses explore lands they could once only dream of with the help of a most peculiar storyteller...
Cover art by the talented Calena: https://www.deviantart.com/cafecomponeis
Official Soundtrack (In Progress)
Hmm... well this seems like a cute fic as long as you don't look at the tags that are in no way shape or form hinting at anything going on.
The little princesses grinned from ear to ear as they confronted the pale-pink alicorn, whose mouth opened and closed as she struggled to find her words. “I uh… please, call me Cadance… y-your majesties.”
Le gasp!
This is wonderful for your first pony story! I completely love it and am following you!
Liking it so far, though I wish Celestia would've thrown a bigger tantrum or pleaded more with her mother. That or she is that bit more of a mature kid to understand that her mother had to leave.
A nice lil' start
“I told you!” Luna scoffed, raising her head high and puffing out her chest. “It’s never just a dream!”
Oh boy
As Luna joined her, the two sisters gazed up at an enormous crystalline dome that surrounded the castle, the light of the sun tinted orange as it shone through the fiery magic above. Celestia squinted a bit, faintly seeing the puffy rolling clouds brushing up against the mountain the palace sat upon.
Oh BOY
The little princesses grinned from ear to ear as they confronted the pale-pink alicorn, whose mouth opened and closed as she struggled to find her words. “I uh… please, call me Cadance… y-your majesties.”
Oh BOY
Thank you all so much for your support so far!! Super honored to be featured. This has exceeded my expectations and I can't WAIT to share with you all the exciting and wondrous adventures of these little fillies! Trust me, I'm only just warming up.
Is this an Alt Universe (which I assume not by the lack of said tag) or, Age Regression + memory or, distant past displaced into the future or... something else type of story.
I want to know! I got hooked but, chapter two ending is confused the heck out of me.
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I suppose "alt-universe" may, in fact, be appropriate, given this takes place at a specific point of time. I was just always under the impression "alt-universe" meant "what if something completely different happened", which this is more "something happened between two events". I'll consider adding alt-universe if people think it falls under that category. ^^
I'm curious where this is going.
This part is especially alarming. How is it possible that Cadence intends to have her wedding in Canterlot, yet never spoke to the queen? Not to mention, why is there a queen in the first place?
My immediate assumption due to the likeness of this situation to the S2 finale is that this is the result of Changeling shenanigans, but this could just as easily be a diversion.
If it's no secret, how long do you intend this story to be?
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Ah, ok, that answer my question regarding the universe.
Which bring me more question...
In this new chapter, Cadence mentioning something about wedding, and "has gone to speak with her fiance", directly after speaking to Stellaria if her words are to believed, that mean... uh...
I should 'totally' focused more to the two little fillies then... r-right?
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Hey there! Thanks for the comment. Given we're three chapters in now and on the cusp of the jumping-off point, I intend for this story to be much longer than a one-shot. I don't have an exact number of chapters planned out, but we're definitely looking at a "novella" to "novel" length story.
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Tooootally~
In all serious, starting next-chapter the cat's out of the bag and I'll probably stop being so cryptic. The story is ultimately about Luna and Celestia, and I intend to keep it that way. Cadance was more a plot device to communicate when this story is taking place, leaving the mystery of why to still be discovered and/or inferred.
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Ah, you're pretty ambitious, I like that. Keep it up, I'm looking forward to the next chapter.
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Well truth be told, this might be my first story on fimfic, but I've written several original novels before this. So it's nothing new to me! Thank you for the kind words, it means a lot coming from you. ^^
Luna and Celestia are sooo cute as foals!
Well, something has to break soon. The tension is palpable and the guns feel like they're about to go off.
Most intriguing chapter, though a bit cryptic. There's got to be more to that "Shield" than what meets the eye
Though if something dangerous is happening that is apocalyptic-level threat, I don't understand why Cadence would want to have her wedding in the midst of it. I can't tell at the moment if the shield around their palace is meant to keep them in (Since Cadence managed to get in from the outside) or if it's to keep something out, and I bet it's screwing something major with the timeline.
Cadence was also wise by choosing her words. Judging by her initial reaction in the previous chapters and the fact she's an alicorn at this point in time, she probably already knew Celestia and Luna
Anyways, loving the characters and still hooked! Good job!
Ah, I'm happy to see this story updated and it is also good to see finally some action.
Huh, so if I understand this correctly, to combat whatever this "Inkblight" is, the sisters have been reverted to filly-age as only in such conditions are they able to interact with the book in a special way?
I wonder if this will cause them to be transported inside the book or if that's just a red herring. If it is the former, I hope there will be glimpses into the outer world time-to-time, because the siege itself sounds fairly interesting as well.
It is also curious to see that while Cadance is around for her wedding and Twilight is tagging along, the enemy seems to be something completely different than Changelings.
The art is really cute and the music is nice as well! Did you compose it?
I'm looking forward to the next chapter.
Ah shit,
I've gone from passive interest to full investment in this, let's go
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Yup! I actually got my start in this fandom as an orchestral/soundtrack composer looooong long ago. I figured writing a fanfic was a perfect opportunity to explore some new music as well. I've got at least two other songs for this fic in the pipeline, even!
Also, super stoked to see you enjoyed Chapter 4! I'll admit, I was pretty anxious about that one as I feel it has a bit of a tonal departure from what's been established already, but I think it serves its purpose well, simultaneously answering some questions and asking some more. Next chapter will be along tomorrow!
Aw yeah! It's time for the 冒険 bouken to begin. Wish Adventure started with a B like it does in Japanese. I like alliteration.
Glad the artwork turned out great and the song is fun!
Nice name for a villain/force of nature too. It's the worst foe of any analog writer.
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Preaching to the choir there about alliteration! ;) I probably have an unhealthy obsession with it... but it's just so fun. :D
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Well damn, that's awesome. Meanwhile, I hardly even managed to squeeze out two fanfics (besides my reviews, but those are fairly different beasts,) I'm looking forward to hearing them as well.
I think it'll likely be the next chapter that will make or break things, as this one largely served as a transitory chapter between setting up the mystery and setting the action in motion. Not that I'm worried, your experience shows, I can see that the fic is in good hands.
I can't wait for the next chapter!
So there's a time-freeze instead of two plot threads. A bit disappointing, as I think the siege could have been a very fitting tool to deliver extra tension and a sense of urgency, but if you think this will lead to a better narrative, I'm not gonna grumble much.
I can tell this Silver Stream, just like the story itself, won't be as straightforward as she seems. A character with no ulterior motives surely wouldn't immediately greet two defenseless fillies with a sneering voice. The fact that she almost immediately changes character to become a mentor-figure, while also displaying much uncertainty about the things Celestia and Luna mention also seem to back this up. It almost makes me thing she might be an impostor or that her tale is either greatly embellished or an outright fabrication.
I'll be curious to see where you're going to take this.
Also, I have to ask, while it certainly isn't the only story about being transported into a book, but I'm still getting heavy 'The NeverEnding Story' vibes from this fic. Are you perhaps inspired by that book or is it just a coincidence?
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The NeverEnding Story is definitely an old favorite of mine, but I wasn't directly thinking of it while conceptualizing this story. It may have a subconscious influence on me when I planned it out, though!
In short, the reason I've opted to avoid exploring the siege is because I don't want to distract the audience from the journey and development our main cast is about the experience. Furthermore, while this DOES sacrifice a sense of urgency, it opens the door for the fillies to continue being fillies. There is a weight upon their shoulders now, barring them from returning home prior to completing their quest, but this way it makes more sense for them to focus on what's immediately in front of them and maintain the light-hearted tone.
Plus, with what I have planned, poor mother would be holding the line for a LOOOOONG time if things kept going as normal. :D
Wow. These descriptions are absolutely wonderful! I really need to step up my description game.
Yep, don't trust Silver Stream, not one bit.
Wow! What a nice chapter! Got some action going and the mystery growing at the same time! Huzzah!
D'aww
“YOUR MAJESTIES!” A female voice exclaimed, before a violet unicorn dove between the fillies. With a flash of magic, a purple barrier surrounded the two sisters and their protector, the glass raining down as the unicorn winced.
Oh...OH....OOOOOH
Halt the presses!
Alright, quite a lot right and quite a lot wrong with this chapter. I'll do tit for tat
1. Good: Celestia has a stronger characterization in this chapter. It's nice that she can keep a level head given the situation they're in. Unfortunately, this gives way to the first major problem
1. Bad: Luna. Just given the context that they escaped the last chapter seeing their mother fighting for their lives, we're greeted by Luna saying things
Given the fact that even Celestia points this out to her ( “Well… we can’t spend too long here,” Celestia said. “Weird time stuff or not, mother needs us. Do you have the artifacts?” ) it feels very out of character or extremely foolish that a child would behave so playful and aloof given what we just witnessed.
It's like watching Nero play the fiddle while Rome burns.
There is no problem is Luna becomes aloof and playful AFTER the reveal of the Time warp in this dream dimension, but witnessing beforehand, it torpedoes her character and the pacing.
2. Bad. Killed the tension. Idk, maybe Silver Tongue is playing up to her name and their mother is getting chewed, maybe she's lying through her teeth about everything, though that would bring problems as to why their mother would entrust her children to her. This chapter is trying to tap dance being an incredibly cute kid adventure whilst the parental figure is being attacked by an eldritch horror. It's trying to have its cake and eat it
2. Good. Silver Tongue. With a wonderful introduction, a whole new batch of mysteries gets opened with each question. This is something I have really enjoyed out of every chapter thus far, every time a question gets answered, the answer is satisfying AND it brings about new questions. A shifty character to say the least, I'm looking forth to her interactions with the duo!
Hmmm...HMM, protect them from whom? I ask!
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I'd like to address each of the problems you pointed out.
This ties deeply into my portrayal of young!Luna. Young Luna deflects. If you study psychology, particularly trauma, different people have different responses to it. Some people laugh hysterically when they're afraid or shaken. It's a coping mechanism. Luna is one of these types of characters. She internalizes everything, and fears conflict, making every effort to avoid it. At the same time, she is still a child - a sheltered one, at that - and as such has no idea how to deal with this sort of problem. I think it's asking a lot for both young child characters to suddenly "man up" as it were and be fully focused and serious, especially when Luna has already been established as very rambunctious and abrupt.
I don't quite see how Silver Tongue ties into this problem? Anyways, this I will acknowledge is a struggle-point for me, but I would like to point out that this was never meant to be a high-octane action story. It was always meant to be more about mystery, character growth, and adventure. Chapter 4 was the exception, not the rule. Yes, it establishes the threat and the danger, but it does not establish the tone going forward. I believe the "tension break" more lies with Luna, and I've already addressed why she's behaving the way she is.
I'll admit that the shift is a bit too quick in Chapter 5, but I do not want this story to be moody and drawn out. This is an all-ages fic, written in such a way that I would be comfortable sharing it with children. It has its scary or intense moments, but for the most part it is simply fun, exciting, and - hopefully - thought provoking. (That last part comes later.)
Hello, when can we expect the next chapter? I'm really excited to see the rest of the story.
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Very soon! Honestly I can't apologize enough for the delay.
Admittedly, Into the Light is a very low priority compared to the enormous list of other projects I've got on my plate. BUT, I do want to make clear that Into the Light has an EXTREMELY special place in my heart considering where I plan to take it. I have no intention of abandoning it, but it MAY be slow going.
That being said, I've actually been sitting on Chapter 6 since January, and have Chapter 7 mostly written. I just wanted to take a bit more time to edit 6 and finish 7 before probably releasing them both pretty shortly after one another. Thank you for being patient so far, it's encouraging to hear people are anxiously awaiting more!
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Ah, I'm glad to hear the story isn't dead. I was just surprised that the story went dark after the first five chapters came out in such rapid succession, but it makes sense now. Take your time and I'm looking forward to it!
Ah the prodigal story returns.
Good lord, that's adorable.
Another nice chapter man, I find it really interesting how deconstructive it is to normal story tropes, everyone is talking so naturally about the idea that this is just a story. Silver Tongue still seems very shady (the name quite likely plays a big role into this,) but I can't even guess what sort of shady she is yet. I'm looking forward to the next chapter!
Silver a cute.
It is both intriguing and a bit uncanny that the residents of this fictitious "Story-like" world are so in tune with writing and story tropes. We essentially have Silver Tongue living out her wildest and limitless fantasy constantly, in a world she designed herself to encompass as many adventures as possible. She also said she elevated herself to alicornhood using the elements of imagination, so she's also living an IRL power trip.
And yet, despite being a literal god for this world, she's completely alone, save for her muse. And to be perfectly honest, if she created this world, wouldn't Calliope technically be like her talking to herself?
As I said in chat, this gives me strong "Neverending Story" vibes, and that's a good thing.
I was going to ask why Silver Tongue didn't just offer to take them up one at a time, but then-
Worth it.
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I'm glad you're enjoying the "meta-ness" of the story! This was a particularly fun chapter, since it paints the picture of the journey and completes the main cast!
Just want to clarify tho, Silver Tongue did NOT create the entire world, just the Crystal Vale, which is only a region of Clydestale. ;D
Yep, something is very suspicious about all of this ....
Hmmm ... a shadow of cold ... Windigos maybe?
THIS! I remember reading this before I had my account and listening to the song with it and forgot about it, So happy I bookmarked it!
Great fanfic
Embarrassed about her older works? Man.
I must say, the easiness with which you both quickly and deeply describe the feel and composition of a background is really worthy of praise. I'm glad I also still find Silver's meta humor deeply amusing.
Flawless reasoning, perfect execution, superb results. Give this filly a Nobel prize
Hmm! Perhaps, the story isn't just an adventure, but both a commentary on writing issues for experienced and inexperienced writers? Juggling both an emotional in-world dynamic with this meta-commentary is a bit of a tall order but, even if it's sprinkled in or if a few challenges require the protagonists to learn writing techniques (and by extension, teach the audience) it would be fantastic. A bit like the Neverending Tale's ending.
HMMM
Ah, making the journey interesting is important, and the self-fulfilling commentary also marks the necessity for character growth and pacing. Ngl, at first I thought Celestia was going to pull them out of the mist, but we instead gained this new "Scottish" character I prrrresume?
One thing that also should ring a bell, is if this land is written by the dreams and thoughts of writers from Equestria, what does that say about legends, curses, myths and scary folk tales? They could be represented in here as well
Lookin' forth to more!