Two new chapters in progress for Midnight Rising · 6:25pm Mar 24th, 2021
Now that the release of Feathered Hearts - Continuation and Chronicles is in the books, it's time to turn my attention back to the Unleash the Magic series. And yet, even though they involve entirely different themes and verses (and ratings!) working on Feathered Hearts gave me a very tempting idea for both Midnight Rising and Nightmare Night; a thread that would end up going through both.
Credit for the idea actually goes in part to AJ_Aficionado, who sparked it with a single joke on the chapter draft in a google doc comment. If I use it, it would be set up in the former story to use in the latter story's climax, and might even be fodder for a whole new Temptations & Transformations story arc. What does it involve? The Griffon Kingdom's Hall of Heroes you saw in the released chapter of Feathered Hearts. Hell, the idea might even have a non-adult use in Feathered Hearts itself...
But that lies in the future. In the meantime, even while working on Feathered Hearts, I've definitely not been idle on Midnight Rising. I currently have about 8000 new words down in three separate but still incomplete scenes. This, in turn, means that I'm now faced with a mild dilemma.
As a rule, I generally allow no more than two M-rated scenes per chapter; usually a major scene and a more minor one so the reader--and the writer--can properly focus on and enjoy them. But here? I'm left with an instance where all three deserve equal billing and time to shine, but If I include all three in one chapter, there'll be way too much happening. So now the question becomes--which two stay and which one gets shunted to the next chapter?
I suppose I should explain what they are, though I'll spoiler it for anybody who doesn't want to know. I've written substantial chunks of 1) Rarity & the drakes, 2) Pinkie & the female dragons, with emphasis on Ember (you know, I checked, and there really doesn't seem to be a valid or even fictional term for female dragons?), and last but hardly least, 3) Midnight punishing Upper Crust in a far grander and more interesting fashion than she did in the story's initial version, introducing a previously unused race and fetish into the festivities.
I'm of two minds on this--one says let this chapter belong to Rarity and Pinkie Pie, as they crossed over to the dragon lands together and will both do their thing in their own unique but very fun way, while another says to keep Pinkie Pie for next chapter while letting Rarity and Upper Crust have the spotlight. I believe at this point I'm leaning towards the former option, but if you have an opinion, feel free to chime in. Whatever the decision, there will very likely be a new chapter ready by the end of the week.
Have to say, I'm thus far quite pleased with what I've done for all three scenes, even if unfinished. Oh, and... on a side note, I'm thinking of later doing an M-rated side story for Feathered Hearts. As Demon Eyes Laharl actually did one for the original story to show off his man/eagless ship titled Feathered Heart: Preening, I might do the same for the tiercel/woman one I'm developing in the new story... 
But once again, that lies in the future. For now, Midnight Rising has my focus, and I'll likely be turning out two new chapters over the next three weeks. There might be a small piece worthy of releasing a teaser later, but we'll have to see on that.
With the Midnight Rising dilemma, I suppose the question is who you'd have planned to go alongside Pinkie if you focused on Rarity and Upper in this one. I'm in favor of keeping the focus mostly in the Dragon Lands... though either Sunset has a good view of it all or the girls told her about it after the fact.
Well, full Dragoness (Drakaina?) chapter would be nice, but it's probably just personal preferences. Besides that I'm good either way.
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Not to worry. I already have a side scene picked out regardless of which scene ends up shunted to the next chapter. But I think I agree with you that the focus is best kept on the dragon lands for a single chapter.
And Sunset witnesses and recalls the events despite her own distraction because Midnight wants her victims to be intensely aware of everything around them as part of their punishment, and the effect is basically transmitted to everyone in Midnight’s presence. I have mentioned that a couple times in the story but I suppose it deserves reiteration in coming chapters. Maybe I’ll have Midnight herself explain it this time.
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Noted. I’m still thinking about it, but another option would be to give each of the three their own chapter even if they’re shorter as a result.
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For what it's worth, you've been clear on the Midnight-enforced hyperawareness. I was just thinking in terms of a clear line of sight through the portal to everything happening on the other side. Though it does lead to amusing mental images about Midnight shouting "Cut!" and fixing the choreography like an overbearing director. And presumably Juniper Montage shows up wearing nothing but an auteur's beret.