Chapter Four Early Draft Snippet · 2:14pm Aug 18th, 2023
Chapter Four most likely won't be out for a little while yet, but that doesn't mean that I can't give you guys a small taste of it.
I would also like your thoughts on how I wrote Cadence in this. I wanted to show her when not putting up the front of "Princess of Equestria."
We also get to see a more playful side of Jackson here. I tried to do that with his interactions with Luna in Chapter Three, but I feel like he came off as more of a snarky smartass there.
(Note: This starts off in Cadence's Point of View)
... That’s when I heard the thump in the room next door.
The room that the creature - “Jackson, Luna said his name is Jackson.” I reminded myself - had claimed as his own last night.
“... Oh no.” I said simply as I rushed to the neighboring bedroom. I walked through the open doors…
… to find Shining asleep on the floor and Jackson giving himself a facehoof with an exasperated expression on his face.
“Fucking Christ, Shining.” Jackson said to my unconscious husband in his native tongue. He then shook his head and chuckled. “You're so lucky my brothers didn’t end up here with me. Who knows what dumb shit…” He trailed off as he finally noticed that I was in the room. “Uh… morning, Cadence.” He said with a small wave.
I was a bit freaked out that he suddenly knew our names. Then again, Auntie Luna probably told him when she visited him last night. I nodded in his direction and then looked back down at the sleeping stallion on the floor. “How am I gonna get you back into bed?” I thought. I could just use telekinesis, but it was difficult to maintain that for heavier objects as well as hold something as intensive as the protection spell. I then came up with an idea as I remembered the biped in the room.
“Yes… that could work.”
—---
(Jack’s POV)
I noticed that Cadence was now alternating her gaze between me and her husband. I could see that she was trying to tell me something, though I couldn’t be sure what she was trying to say. I raised an eyebrow and cocked my head to the side to show that I was not getting what she was implying.
She used her magic to pull my beanie off my head and float it over towards her, where she proceeded to make a show out of dropping it on the floor and picking it up again. Occasionally, she would point towards herself, then me, then the beanie, then Shining.
Repeat this for several minutes.
“Let’s see… I think she’s saying that I’m her and Shining is… the beanie? She… wants me to pick up her husband? Does she want me to carry him somewhere?”
I approached Shining and knelt down next to him while making motions as if I was going to pick him up. At Cadence’s enthusiastic nodding, I picked him up and put him over my shoulder like he was an old burlap sack.
—----
(Cadence’s POV)
I had to stifle a chuckle as Jackson adjusted Shining so that his head was resting on one shoulder and his flank on the other. I had to admit, it was pretty funny to see my husband being worn like he was a scarf.
“I wish I had a camera. That would make this just perfect.”
At Jackson’s questioning gaze, I moved my hooves in a way that symbolized taking a picture with a camera. Surprisingly, he understood what I was implying and pulled out the small black box from his pocket. I had noticed it the other day, and Shining had noted that his headphones were plugged into it when we met him in the throne room yesterday.
At first, I was confused about why he was pulling out his music player, before I saw what was on the back.
Three small camera lenses.
“His music player is also a camera?”
He tapped on… something a few times before handing it over to me. I took it in my magic and saw that he had... turned on camera mode? I guess that would be the right term.
“I think I’m starting to like this guy.” I thought as Jackson gave me a brief tutorial on which button to push to take a picture. I pulled the camera/music player up to take the photo. Jackson kneeled down so I could get him in frame easier, giving a thumbs up and a silly, over exaggerated smile.
While it did take a few attempts, I managed to press the button required to take the picture with my hoof. I handed the device back to him and his quiet laugh as he placed the device back in his pocket was all I needed to know that he approved of my actions.
I like to call this snippet "Cadence and Jackson collect blackmail on Shining."
Anyhow, I'll get back to working on the chapter now. Gotta write that Jackson Brunner Lore.
