Progress

Chapter two of Greater Lights: Adaptation is coming along pretty nicely. I'm most of the way through the fourth scene out of a total of seven. Barring unforeseen complications such as really large chapter dumps of fics I'm following (I'm looking at you, Pusspuss! ), I should have the next chapter complete and uploaded by the time the new episode airs. (Knock on wood, cross my fingers, squeeze the goat's testicles.)

So, to reward you lovely readers for your patience thus far, here's a sneak preview of a bit near the end of the first scene of Chapter Two: Castle Tourgasm!

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Thinking of the word “talent” made me realize something. The phrase “special talent” had been thrown around casually several times by now. It was time to find out if it had a special meaning in pony society.

“Umm, Twilight?” My voice had an uncertain quality to it, and I was messing with my glasses again. She’d been about to lead us away from the throne room, but she paused when she heard me address her. She turned about, ears perked up expectantly.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you something, and I suppose now’s as good a time as any.”

She smiled gently. “Go ahead, Derren. I’m always happy to impart knowledge to those willing to learn.”

Drawing a deep breath to calm myself, I replied, “I’ve heard the phrase ‘special talent’ bandied about a number of times in the last twenty-four hours like it has some sort of special meaning. Is it true, or am I just blowing smoke out of my butt?”

Twilight looked at my lower cheeks momentarily as if expecting to see some sort of reaction, which prompted another snigger from a certain sky blue mare who was turning out to be quite the pervert. I was tempted to ask Twilight if I’d farted, but it was all too likely that the joke would go over like a lead balloon.

“Never mind, Twilight, human expression,” I sighed with a hand on my face. She was rapidly demonstrating a tendency to be frustratingly literal-minded. I could relate, since I knew that I had a similar problem. Some past memories fluttered to mind at the thought, and with a grimace, I resolutely buried the regret that surfaced at the recollections before focusing on Twilight’s voice.

“It just so happens that you are absolutely correct. We use the phrase to refer to an area of endeavor that a pony excels at, sometimes to the point that it uniquely identifies the pony. When a pony discovers that talent, he or she earns what is known as a ‘cutie mark,’ a brand that magically appears on the pony’s flank at that time.” She punctuated this by wiggling her rump, emphasizing the magenta and white stars on her flank.

Intentional or not, the way she was shaking her backside had a very sensual ‒ if rather awkward and uncoordinated ‒ quality to it, and I had to fight down a lump that had formed in my throat. My reaction was not lost on her friends, as Rarity and Fluttershy quickly moved to stop her, and Pinkie and Rainbow both fell into peals of uncontrollable laughter at our expense.

I gave off a surprised and outraged grunt as Applejack shoved her Stetson in my face to blind me from the scene in front of me.

“It’s fer yer own good, sugarcube,” Applejack drawled in a deadpan tone.

“Are you quite done with the unseemly display, Twilight?” Rarity inquired somewhat sharply.

Twilight made some affirmative noise that I couldn’t quite make out from behind my makeshift blindfold, which smelled of hay and long-dried sweat, as well as an odor that I couldn’t quite place, but could reasonably assume was Applejack’s unique scent.

“I’ll grant that you smell nice, Applejack,” I said, “but I think it’s safe for me to have full use of my eyes now.”

Said accessory was quickly removed from my face at that point. The farm pony’s face had a salmon tint to it as she returned the hat to its proper place on her head.

I continued in a droll tone, “Well, that’s one bit of knowledge I’ll never be able to forget, no matter how hard I try.”

“I’m sure it is,” Twilight replied, cheeks flaming.