Life & Story Updates + New Avatar!

Hi everypony ^ω^

First of all I want to thank @LadyLullabyStar on Twitter for the amazing art she made of Rye for a raffle! I set it up as my avatar as soon as I saw it: I adore how cute he turned out

Isn't he just a precious smol boi?

Now onto the update proper:

I know I haven't updated any of my stories in quite a while, but rest assured I haven't forgotten about them

I've been busy at Uni this past few months, but I've been slowly chipping away at the first non-prologue chapter of Friendship is Magic: How it All Began!

I'm hoping to publish it before the end of the year, but no promises

I guess I've been keeping you waiting long enough though, so here's an excerpt of Chapter I—The Mare in the Moon:

~ ~

"Are you sure about this, Minuette?" Twinkleshine asked me.

We were walking —or in my case, bouncing— towards Twilight's tower in the castle grounds. She wasn't in her usual reading spot in the gardens, so most likely she was there studying.

"Maybe she'll finally wanna come! We don't lose anything by asking," I said with a shrug and a smile.

"Except a little bit of time," Lemon Hearts giggled.

We climbed the spiral stairs which went a loooong way up. The tower was tall like the ones featured on my favourite bedtime-stories that held captured princesses guarded by fearsome dragons. The difference here was that this one held instead our ever reclusive friend Twilight Sparkle and her adorable (don't let him hear that!) little assistant Spike.

I plopped my left ear right up against the big blue doors as we came upon them, trying to hear if there was anypony inside. A mischievous grin crossed my face when I heard some loud snoring inside.

I theatrically raised my right hoof and repeatedly assaulted the massive entrance, making Twilight yelp, Lemon Hearts giggle, and Twinkleshine roll her eyes at my splendid performance. I heard Twilight hastily trot up the doors to answer my knocking.

Twilight's mane looked absolutely dishevelled and her eyes widened at our unexpected appearance. "Girls?" she yawned. "What are you all doing here?"

"Hi there, Twi-Twi!" I chirped while trying to suppress my giggles. "Moon Dancer is having a get-together for her birthday party in the west castle courtyard later today. You wanna come?"

"Oh, sorry, girls... I've got a—" Twilight let out another yawn "—lot of studying to catch up on." She gave an awkward smile that looked quite off with the bags under her eyes. "Can you tell Moon Dancer happy birthday for me?"

Twinkleshine sighed. "Will do, Twilight; will do."

"Thanks girls! I've got to go back to studying now," she said with a determined look. "See you around!" She yawned for a final time before closing the massive doors with her magenta magic a tad too strongly, without even commenting on my usual nickname for her (she usually hates it!)

Lemon Hearts chuckled. "Classic Twilight; always with her muzzle on a book. No time to rest for her!"

"I know, right? Does she do anything more than studying?" Twinkleshine replied with mirth.

I smirked at that and playfully jabbed her as we walked down the tower's stairs. "You weren't complaining last time when she helped us study for our finals."

Twinkleshine sighed before letting a chuckle of her own. "I know, I know. It's just that she's more interested in books than her friends."

"That's just how she is," Lemon Hearts said. "At least Moon Dancer's breaking out of her shell. We'll get Twilight someday!"

"You're right, Lemon Hearts, we will!" I shouted with a hoof in the air, to which both my friends giggled.

That's all for now. Thanks everypony who decided to follow me in these past few months, and if you like cute pone art remember to check @LadyLullabyStar's Twitter!

Bye for now :3