Tuesday Nightmare Night Update · 5:14pm Feb 11th, 2020
Progress has slowed a bit over the past day, but that might be because I've been working at a breakneck pace until now. I have the first three clop chapters completed and off to prereaders, with a combined total of around 18.5k words. The 4th and 5th chapters are in progress with about 5k words written between them.
At this point, I will probably attempt to have a full five chapters ready before I start releasing them. The 4th chapter is currently giving me some issues as it involves a complicated scene, and I've considered starting over with it completely, but I'd rather not trash what I have.
Teaser #2 follows:
Five minutes after he had left the command center, Colonel Stargazer, commander of the Canterlot garrison of the Lunar Guard, arrived at his destination—Prince Blueblood's private quarters.
There was no sign of the four thestral Guardsbats he had already dispatched to retrieve the Prince, but nor was there any sign of a struggle or foul play in the area. The sentries further back had also confirmed that the two pairs of bat-ponies had indeed passed their positions on their way to the Prince’s quarters, none too happy about their task.
His sharp tufted ears couldn’t hear anything from inside the luxurious suite, which was hardly a surprise—the Prince had magically soundproofed the interior to ensure no noise made within it could be detected on the outside, and he sometimes even cut off crystal communications within it when he was discussing business dealings with his agents, or was simply entertaining a mare or two.
He strongly suspected the latter was the case here, and that the Prince was now detaining his soldiers behind one of his room’s defensive wards while he enjoyed the company of some trollop who wanted notoriety and influence by bedding the Crown Prince. Thus, he pounded hard on the door.
“Blueblood!” he shouted. “This is Colonel Stargazer! I don’t care who you’re in bed with, so move your pasty white flank! Your presence is respectfully requested in the Command Center by order of Princess Luna herself!” he grated out the honorific.
His anger deepened when there was no immediate response, and he gave a sharp hiss. “Do you hear me, Blueblood? Open up now, or I’m coming for you!”
Abruptly, the soundproofing spell on the door dropped and he could hear mocking laughter inside—not belonging to the Prince, but to his own soldiers.
“Coming for him? Truer words have never been spoken!” a voice he recognized as belonging Private Penumbra spoke, though it sounded far stronger and deeper than usual, as well as slightly breathless.
“Got that right!” a heavily panting Corporal Concord agreed, and for the first time, Stargazer picked up some wet slapping sounds, his eyes narrowing for it even as he wasn’t sure what was wrong with their voices. “Luna knows we did!”
“Don’t worry, we’ll be along in a second, sir!” Riesling promised, sounding scarcely less out of breath. “Then again, for as much fun as we’re having, it might be a few minutes. Or an hour. Or even a day! Hey, would you mind sending us some food and drink in the meantime? I could use a flying boar steak done medium rare and a good wine! A proper Chianti, if you please!”
“What was that?” Stargazer snapped.
“Oh, you’re taking orders for everypony? Then what it’ll be, bats?” Riesling asked jovially.
“I’ll take Jackelope Stew!” Concord announced with a wet kissing sound. “And a tall amber ale!”
“Chicken Chutney for me!” Spring Air finished with another grunt. “And a round of Mango Mimosas!”
“I’ll make it simple, sir—just bring in a freshly slaughtered lamb and a full keg of Sweet Apple Acres Special Reserve Cider!” a breathless Penumbra finished to cheers, the four enlisted Guardsbats treating their now-seething Commander as little more than a waiter at a restaurant.
“You four are bucking for a court-martial and a thorough flank-kicking!” the seething Colonel announced, only to receive a fresh round of laughter back.
“Speaking of flanks, what was that about the Prince's flank being pasty, Colonel?” Sergeant Spring Air asked through repeated grunts. “I mean, isn’t your flank the pastiest one of all?” he wondered aloud to fresh guffaws and a sharp slap that sounded like a high-hoof.
The Colonel hissed sharply at the last line, which went far beyond simple insubordination into what sounded like an olden Nightborne slur against his Highborne heritage. Regardless, he was now certain that Blueblood had betwitched his soldiers upon entry with some kind of exotic potion or spell, giving them some of his mares to play with so he could escape undetected and do what he wanted. He now doubted the Prince was even home, not that he was in the least bit sorry for it.
“Enough! I'm ending this guano show right now!” Growling low, he used his master security crystal to unlock the door to the Prince’s quarters and flung it open hard.
Needless to say, the Colonel's guess as to what's happening is only half-right. And yes, thestrals eat meat in this verse—that's not an effect of the curse. Bottom line: I'm still working hard on these and now aiming for a weekend finish to the chapters with the goal to begin releasing them at the rate of one per day starting next Sunday or Monday. One more update will follow before then.
Given that you've stated to enjoy my regular comments I have to tell you that I will be going on holiday this friday and I won't be online until 22 februari. I will read all the chapters you've posted then and comment on each.
5201318
I appreciate you letting me know. I’ll look forward to what you have to say when you return.
PS: hope you have a good holiday.
I must admit- Blueblood in charge of such powerful magic scares (or maybe just annoys me?) more than Eclipse and Daybreaker combine. It's gonna take days if not weeks to clean up his mess.
5 days, 5 longposts. I'm going to need Rocky montage music for this!
5201346
I agree 100%. Which is why I think you’ll like the angle I came up with.