It was leading to rabbit holes of character arguments that spiraled into hellish domains where finding a feasible 'out' for Sunset grew dire indeed. After several attempts I've decided to just rip out the rootA quick head's up on some changes... · 1:45am Sep 5th, 2018
I've decided to go in an make some alterations to the latest chapter in order to either tone-down or outright remove the 'prophecy'. It is just a bit too much of an anvil/blunt force exposition, and spoils too much potential tension from the finale. Looking back at things, I think it would have undergone more revisions if that part of the chapter had seen more attention. Most of the editorial focus tended to be on Twilight's part, and the first bit of Fleur's portion of the chapter. I put a self-imposed deadline ahead of getting more grease on the ol' face working on the chapter. A decision that I've always regretted in the past.
This will also give me and the characters a bit more wiggle room for the final confrontation. Hard locking things in advance tends to be a bad idea, especially when the piece of writing in question is nothing more than a couple notes in a story bible. Characters seldom co-operate once ink meets paper, I've found.
How much of the prophecy, or even Authea, will remain is still to be seen. I'm about to pull open the chapter file in a moment and begin work on the revisions. This is to give you all a head's up that it is happening.
Update 1:
Deleted
Update 2:
I think I have something that works now. Going to give it a few hours to let it settle, and then come back to it and see if I still like it. I'll leave the link open for the time being. Just, be forewarned, that is my scratch pad, and it is full of half-baked and written ideas. Read at your own risk beyond the first page.
Update 3: Removed link to my scratch pad.
Final Update: Gone and made the changes into the chapter. This is what was changed/added:
“Would you have preferred he took Persephone, and Demeter starve the world of the Spring?” Authea countered with a stifled laugh. When Fleur tilted her head in confusion, Authea continued, “Another story of another world, with players much like ourselves, dear-heart. Please, continue.”
“He has wronged us, and we must strike back. At the very least rescue our aunt.” Fleur beat her wings, and a great gust of wind burst from the temple, racing out over the sunny meadows. “The Olympians laugh at our weakness, at how timid we’ve become.”
“Hmmm, then Hemera should go to Lord Zeus with these grievances. Anything else will lead to war. Or, would you rather I go to my father? Mind, He listens to me no more than any other. The only council He trusts is His own… for now. In time He will find His equal, but you will not wait for them to meet.” Authea held up a hoof, forestalling Fleur. “No, say nothing else, dear-heart, and I will give you my council…”
Authea propped her chin on a hoof, and contemplated the fields outside her temple. A long procession of supplicants could be seen making their way along a narrow, cobblestone path. She clicked her tongue. Tilted her head. A whimsical laugh bubbled through her, and her eyes crinkled.
“Cousin, please! I need answers.” Fleur threw open her wings in exasperation.
“Answers? What makes you think I am in the business of providing them?” Authea snapped, amusement cracking as she crossed her hooves. “You came here looking for confirmation to what you already know. You and the other.”
“What ‘other’?” Fleur narrowed her eyes, and searched for whoever was spying on her. She detected nothing to indicate anypony was attempting to listen in on the conversation. Even the other gods knew better than to eavesdrop on another god’s temple.
Again, motioning for Fleur to stay quiet, Authea said, “Fine, if it will make you go away I’ll give you a snippet of Hope. Trust yourself. Trust the plans made. I make no promises of success, nor that everypony will come home, only that if you persevere there is chance. I am sorry to give only generic platitudes. You have come far seeking more, but even I can’t see the future. All I see are the currents of Hope, and the ways in which they may be navigated.”
Pausing, Authea gave Fleur a long, piercing stare, the blue of her eyes shining brighter still with intensity. She then leaned over, and gave Fleur a kiss on the cheek.
“I wish I could be of greater assistance, but I am already gone, and this advice is all I can give,” Authea’s smile turned sad, and with a deep breath, she said, “Now, as for you, dear Athena…”
Only concern is that she never tells her where to go; wasn't that the hook for Fleur to go to Southsea or whatever it was called? Might be misremembering, though.
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'Trust yourself. Trust the plans made.' is enough, I believe. I wanted to remove all direct talk of what would have been to Authea the future. My conception of her was always more as a sort of whimsical type of mystic character, like the Prophetic Hippie or Soothsayer. More feelings, generalities, that sort of thing. Having her directly speak to Fleur in such a manner was entirely a spur of the writing. Previous times she's spoken to or dealt with Fleur, back when I had Fleur having dreams that were Athena's memories, she could sense Fleur's pressence, but that was it. It dealt with her domain of Hope, the 'tides' as it were guiding her to know that at some point someone else would be there to see/hear what was going on.
This memory of Authea is a bit more direct, but then again, Fleur was in direct contact with the final remains of Authea.
Pinkie herself is extremely in tune to the tides of Hope, and for a very long time it was my intention to have it at this point where Pinkie absorbed the last traces of Authea. It struck me as a 'bridge to far', however, and backed off on the idea.
Hey, thank you for putting that in a post like this, saves me having to go find the change in the chapter!
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No problem! Visibility of these sorts of things is important. Most of the people who already read the chapter probably wont read this blog, though. Just a guess. I'm tempted to become a bit more active with blogging again. Been rather quiet the last few years.
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I almost didn't see this blog just because I didn't get a notification. Fimfiction is really wonky sometimes with it's notifications...