Thoughts from 2 A.M. (and a preview!)

So this is a blog. A blag. A blug, a bleg. Bleh. I suppose this is actually more of a blog post, but I don't want to get swamped in technicalities. Because I could also state this is nothing but words, comprised of nothing but letters, derived from nothing but thought which is assembled into a semi-coherent series of posts that, when put together in a chronological order, comprise a blog. But I'm writing this at two o'clock in the morning so I don't want to delve too deeply into metaphysics and all that.

Especially after what happened last time.

Anyway! My profile feels pretty barren so this is part of my attempt at livening the place up a bit. Next step is to match paint colors, buy some hand carved knickknacks from a secondhand shop in midtown, move in the furniture my great-grandmother carried on her back when she emigrated from Latvia. It'll all be so wonderfully domestic.

I suppose I should write some things about myself here. My first name is the fifth most common for guys in the United States. My last name is somewhere around the 90th most common. In the spare time when I'm not working toward my Bachelor's or writing stories about pastel horses, I enjoy such things as playing the piano, riding motorcycles, acting, practicing languages, reading, and all sorts of other hobbies that make this sound as though I'm writing this for some middle school paper or dating site. We don't want any of that now, do we?

TOPIC CHANGE TIME!

Can't think of much else to say. Mental reserves failing. Right now the first "real" chapter of The Astral Vow is sitting at about 3,389 words. I'm not quite finished with it yet so expect that number to grow. I'm doing most of my editing on the fly so as soon as all that needs to be said has been said, it should only take a couple hours more of editing to make sure everything's shining all nice and pretty. As much as I'd love to be optimistic and say it'll go up today or tomorrow, my best guess is that it'll be somewhere around Wednesday. Maybe next weekend. Or a couple months from now. I hate setting deadlines for myself and then overshooting them by a mile or a thousand. Best to plan for the worst.

(But seriously, probably sometime midweek)

I should make a quick note saying that the new chapter will take place after the Season 4 finale. As such, there will be spoilers as to what happened in said finale. If you haven't watched it yet, you really should. If you haven't watched it and decide to read the chapter, expect spoilers to break into your house through your computer monitor, ransack your collection of pullovers and besmirch your goldfish's good name.

I suppose that just about wraps up this first-ever blog post. Many thanks to everyone who favorited my story, thumbs-up'ed it or followed me. It really, truly, and honestly means a lot to me. Thanks for tuning in and I hope to see you all next time. Until that time, if such a time there be, I remain, with prose and buoyancy,

- ND

As thanks for sticking around and reading this insight into my madness, here's a preview from the next chapter. This is my writing in its raw form so there's still some tidying up to be done. Again, here be Season 4 finale spoilers.

Twilight crossed the room yet again and her mind told her that she was pacing. She replied that she was aware of that fact, thank you very much, and it would do well to keep its judgements to itself. She supposed she had been thinking too much about the past lately, though she couldn't help but feel it appropriate given the circumstances. After the battle with Tirek her life had seemed to take a new direction...again.

As a sign of condolence over the loss of her home, Princess Celestia had told Twilight that all the books that were still in her and Luna's old castle were to be considered her own. It had taken some organization (and a fair amount of coffee) but today was the day that they were finally going to be moved from their old home to their new one. At the old library, the books had been arranged by a primitive version of the Royal Cataloging Standard — an exceptionally outdated system that had been replaced centuries ago. Twilight shivered with anticipation at the thought of organizing them and putting them away in a much more efficient manner. Something about reshelving books always seemed to calm her down.

Through the window, the appearance of a vague airborne shape on the horizon broke Twilight out of her thoughts. She began to make out the shape of pegasi in flight, towing something behind them. Her ears perked up in anticipation, but as the shape drew nearer her heart seized in her chest. Rather than the type of cart regularly used in pegasus transport, the flyers towed an empty chariot. The two pegasi pulling the chariot were adorned in Royal Guard armor and flanked by two sentries.

"Please keep going...please..." Twilight begged.

In spite of her pleas, the guard formation began their descent until they alighted on the grass in front of the castle's front doors. Twilight closed her eyes. Maybe if she didn't see them they wouldn't actually be there. It was a futile effort but one she felt worth a try. It had been so soon since Tirek had been banished back to Tartarus that she didn't think the guards had decided to stop by for a cup of tea. Her heart started pounding and every muscle in her body tensed. It was a feeling she had come to know all too well. Pinkie Pie had started referring to it as her 'time to save the world sense'.

A knock on the front door reverberated throughout the castle. Twilight groaned.

"Oh, horsefeathers."