Nearly Six Years. God Damn It · 6:30pm Apr 10th, 2023
I'm not sure how many of you are still in the fandom after all this time. It has been way too long since the last chapter of Filly Fluttershy, and for that I'm sorry. Thing is, the last few years have been kind of crazy, and it's been impossible to find any time to write.
The good news is that I have been able to get some writing down the last few weeks, and the next chapter is coming. Hell, yesterday I was able to put down nearly 2,300 words, which might be an all-time record for me. I'm hoping to have the next chapter out in early May, but that will depend on a number of factors. At this point, I just have to tackle the boss fight and the ending, so I don't want to say that I'm almost done, but I'm getting there.
As for what's in the chapter, those of you who've played the game should know that it'll center around Fluttershy and Discord. I've been rewatching parts of Keep Calm and Flutter On for inspiration, especially the part where Sweet Apple Acres is flooded/frozen over. Rest assured, this isn't a redemption story. I think this Discord is far beyond that. But it has been kind of fun writing him in this chapter, though there are times I could swear I'm slipping into Batman's Joker with him, or maybe Dr. Gregory House from House M.D.
In fact, while it's actually a Fluttershy and Celestia scene, I do have a sneak peak that I can share with you all from earlier in the chapter.
The power of flight flared through Fluttershy’s wings as she had shot down the Shrips and Mega Mussel. She separated the Bow of Light into its bladed limbs, and as Celestia’s magic propelled her forward, she held the blades out, slashing through the Ganymedes on either side. Three Komaytos hurtled toward her, and she corkscrewed with limbs extended, slicing through them. She then recombined the bow and fired an arrow at each of three Gyrazors that emerged from the nearby clouds.
“What else do we have to fight with?” Fluttershy asked. “I mean, the Three Sacred Treasures are great, but… well, it’s Discord.”
“For now, it’s just you and the Three Sacred Treasures,” Celestia said. “I’m hoping it will be enough.”
“Wait, that’s it?” Fluttershy said. “We could’ve fought Discord like this three years ago. We could have fought him before he set that Wish Seed trap. All of this, Luna, the Parasprites, the Chaos Kin. We could have avoided all of it.”
“Ideally yes,” Celestia said. “But let’s not forget who we’re dealing with. Discord’s power is the stuff of nightmares, even among us gods, and the Three Sacred Treasures are not what they once were. Even if they are enough, this will be a long and difficult fight. And if they are not, if we had confronted Discord earlier, we would have been ill-prepared for what he was planning. More so than we already were…
“I’ll admit, the last three years have not gone well,” she continued. “Not for us, and certainly not for the Earth ponies. But for better or worse, those crises have come and gone. Discord has played out his entire hand, and there are no more crises left to distract us. We know his plan, and we even have a few key allies ready to mobilize at a moment’s notice if need be. We couldn’t ask for a better time to strike.”
“If you say so, Princess Celestia,” Fluttershy said, and left it at that. Celestia’s magic guided her down, toward a vast canyon spanning the plateaus as far as she could see. More Monoeyes and Miks flew out from below, and she opened fire on them as she took her descent.
So that's pretty much it. I don't want to be too optimistic, but I hope I have something to show you in a few weeks.
