This story is a sequel to Second Princess of the Night
With Twilight and Ruby Sparkle settling into their new positions as rulers, they oversee the transition of the bat ponies to their new home. But now that two of the Four Shepherds have appeared, Equestria must prepare itself for the rest. The next Shepherd will be unlike Sombra or Night Walker, as he threatens not only Equestria, but the kingdoms of the other races as well. Awakening from his mysterious slumber, he will carve his way across the land, intent on regathering his unwilling army. But before he manages to travel to the edges of the world, he will leave a parting gift in his wake to Rainbow Dash and four other ponies he chanced upon. With her life forever changed, Rainbow Dash prepares herself for her new fate, as well as finding her place among the ponies that share her future.
You know , I know it's Dash , and that she isn't the most polite pony (given the ending of this chapter , that's an understatement
) but I can't help but find her rude for not at least saying "hello" to Ruby ... unless it was implied when she greeted Twillight , but still , given the fact that in the previous story they sometime asked for Ruby input (thus considering her a separate pony)...
...unless there is another reason for that ...
(Then again , I could undestand if it's to avoid having a double greeting each time the character is used , as it could quickly become bothersome for you
)
7501386 Everyone kind of settled into their own way of greeting. Twilight's friends for the most part greet her as Twilight, while most of the bat ponies will greet her as "Princess" since it's an easy way to address both of them, and it'll generally be them that ask for Ruby's input since they know her more than others. Though, I can already imagine a few situations where it's clear as to which one they are talking to.
Bat Pony : "Please, Twilight? It'll be awesome!"
Twilight : "No, I just don't think it's a good idea, or a safe one for the matter."
Bat Pony : "Ruby? Puh-leeeeeeeeze?"
Twilight : ".... Ruby says yes, but I still don't-"
Bat Pony : "Yay!"
Nice start to your new story and I enjoyed the mood music.
So Dash is going to become a Kirin?
7501801
I'm going to go with the term 'Drake'. While Kirin is a good word, the eastern aesthetic it implies doesn't really fit in this story.
7501811
oh well, dragons and Dash and stuff... Thats gonna be fascinating read
Second Princess of the Night was absolutely awesome and I have no doubts that you'll make Dragonfeather surpass its predecessor! Keep up on the good work!
So what... We'll have Twilight the Vampony and Rainbow Dash the Dovahkiin?
Just finished reading Second Princess of the Night and I loved it. I have no clue how I never saw it before until yesterday. Can't wait to see where this story goes with Rainbow Dash
7502578 and Cursed Rarity. The curse was re-sealed, but might break again later on.
Also I hope we get an evil Rainbow Dash for a bit. Would be awesome.
img09.deviantart.net/1277/i/2014/248/9/4/daedric_prince_of_loyalty_rainbow_dash_by_spectrumblaze-d7y00nd.jpg
7502578 something tells me she'd be more like the Grey Wardens without the death issue than A Dragonborn
Why doesn't Discord just snap his fingers and give Twilight and Ruby the ability to switch control of their body at will? (And, obviously, a bit of a makeover so that everypony would know who's in control.) It's been bugging me throughout the first story.
Other than that, your doing great! This series is a great read!
7515372
Glad you're enjoying the story. Discord was away on business throughout the first story, and while he will make appearances now and then in the stories, that doesn't mean he will be helpful. I like a playful and only somewhat helpful version of Discord. He can do a lot, but that doesn't mean he will due to his fickle nature and the joy he gets in watching others struggle through stuff. At somepoint in this story Discord will even comment that he took a peek back in Equestria while he was away, saw what was happening to Twilight, and promptly laughed while wondering how it will all turn out. As for Ruby and Twilight switching control over their body, they can't do it yet, but there is a reason why I said that the glass mirror had become a glass door at the end of 2PotN.
7515454 I see. Thanks!
Great story.
Holy crap that picture looks cool
. But I am pretty sure that was not the picture you were going to use at first.
7552045 Nope. I'll explain it in the author notes of the next chapter, but pretty much the art I wanted to use is spoken for. The pic I would have used was a dragon about to breath fire on Rainbow Dash.
7552058 When is next chapter?
7554025 It's currently awaiting the editing passover
Not dead, but I haven't been keeping up with Second Princess like I meant to. RL got in the way for a while and I just never had the chance to give each chapter a review like I wanted to.
Anyhow, I'm looking forward to this story as well, but I'd always been hoping when it came to Rainbow Dash's turn, we'd be seeing this:
img07.deviantart.net/34e8/i/2014/217/3/7/reaperdash_by_zilvart-d7trxgx.jpg
7556312
No worries, life happens. But that's an awesome picture, and now I'm kinda sad I didn't go that route.
7556538
It's never too late?
I tease.
7556783 Well, there is still two books to go, and while RD is going and a different route, the concept could still be used. The other books haven't been completely set yet, and The Dead still has yet to arrive.
7556946
I suppose the most fitting an perhaps harshest choice for the Dead would be Fluttershy. She's so connected to animals and nature she's virtually a druid. That would make Fluttershy being a target quite challenging.
7557026 I've been trying to figure out what I wanted for the rest of the girls still, so there's still room for it. I kinda imagine Fluttershy going a Zecora/druid route, but I totally forgot to make small hints of it in 2PotN. If I still go with the idea, there will be hints in this story.
It's official. Happiness is waking up and finding that one of you favorite authors posted a new story chapter.
7515454 With friends like Discord.... pass the mustard, please.
Twilight is a vampony...
I have to brutally slaughter her due to my divine obligation to exterminate tween girl tropes.
GOD TOLD ME TO DO EEEEEEEET!!!
4.bp.blogspot.com/-KSwdvc1bDiY/Uskt-I2IBGI/AAAAAAAAAco/B_FiTCTmopk/s1600/crazy-looking-crazy-man.jpg
(Alondro has cleaned himself up a bit, obviously...)
Not to be nitpicky about the picture, but are only rainbow's wing the only thing that get transformed besides the mind soul teeth and all that. I'm just saying that only making the wings in rainbow being the only real thing that changes kinda sounds a bit lazy. In no way am I trying offend you and I find it great you took lots of inspiration from this, but in just saying it would be a little more interesting if your version of dragon RD wasn't "just" like that picture linked in the author's note. This is just my opinion and I can totally understand if want rainbow to look like that, I'm just saying so advice maybe think over how you want rainbow to look in Her new form instead of just rlying on that picture alone.
And now Rainbow become a kirin.
I don't think Gale understands what the word 'gift' means.
7561582 I haven't expressed it in the story just yet, but the idea is that Rainbow Dash took on those initial traits and over a long period of time will become more and more draconian until she is full dragon. Until then, she'll be unable to revert back and forth from pony-form like Gale can. Additionally, each of the ponies affected have slight variations, but they all have the leathery wings initially.
But I do see where you are coming from, and I do admit that RD in the story is very much like the one in the pictures. I just really like the look and thankfully the artist gave permission to use the concept. Though I'll probably add a few more scales here and there than what is in the picture.
7561673 oh OK i think i get it. I do appreciate the obvious hard work that went into making the art piece or rainbow dash, I am just saying in my mind when I think if rainbow dash was getting changed by that thing you call gale, I imagine that dragon dash would be a complete pony/dragon hybrid with fire breath, claws on the front hoofs, tons of razor sharp teeth, and scales, awesome dragon wings (maybe a little rainbow in there somewhere), a real tail, but while still having some fur, back hoofs, and still having her awesome mane, and her cutie mark. (that is how I see it in my head at least) But when I see that art you show which i just assumed is what dragon dash would look like in the next chapter I guess in my mind, the though of the new dragon dash being just normal pony with dragon wings and different eating habits just feels a bit disappointing. but i can think i wait to till the next chapter before i make any real judgement calls and I am excited on how you use this concept.
This was awesome. I can't wait for more.
Well, this was much faster than the first transformation in terms of chapters passed.
7561710 No worries. I love hearing reader feedback and expectations so I can better understand what y'all and how you are interpreting the story. As for Rainbow Dash, due to the nature of the transformation it'll take a couple centuries for her to fully assume dragon form, so her initial appearence may be a bit underwhelming; I'm aiming for the long haul. After these four books are complete, I'm planning on having two last stories before I wipe my hands clean of the series. A one shot and a multi-chapter sequel to it set in the far future, in a time that Twilight and Rainbow Dash will live to see due to what happens to them. And maybe one other pony...
7562002 cool. Do you plan to anything with changelings or chrysalis? Personally just for future reference. Chrysalis is actually a tactical, strategic, manipulative genius. How? Here is a funny and smart video that explains it if your interested.
7562026 I've thought about incorporating the changelings. Chrysalis nearly became a Sheperd herself, but I decided otherwise. There is a chance that the changelings will make an appearence in Book 4 if they ever do, but I'm not certain yet. Changelings are awesome and all, but I fear I would spend too much time doing worldbuilding for them and would detract from the Four Shepherds. It also doesn't help that awesome fics like "The Irony of Applejack" exist, causing me to adopt its headcannon, and I wouldn't want to copy from it.
7564179 if you think that's great check out "Of the hive" and it's 3 sequals.
But yea I can see the problem with that. You think you might do some changeling stories after all the books for the Shepard out?
7564187 I'll take a look at those stories, and to be honest, I probably won't. Aside from completing some sorely neglected stories I've already posted, and a few side stories for the Shepherd series, I'll probably be wiping my hands clean of MLP fiction for a long time. Unless some awesome idea I can't ignore appears in my mind, I'd like to move on to other things. But who knows when that'll happen considering 2PotN took a few years to write. This is just a hobby afterall. I'd also like to do a few animatics for the series, such as intro animatics for Book 4 and the sequal set in the far off future.
7564212
Sure thing. Send me a pm with your info and we'll hash out the details.
7564398
I'd recommend you edit this post and remove your info. Not wise to give your social contact info on a public forum, including the comments of a story.
7564447 already done now onto skype
Hmm, I wonder how you'll do Rainbow Dash's mindset. As much as I liked Twilight losing her memories I hope it's not repeated here. Maybe it's more of a forced servitude, where she has to fight against a will that driving her. I guess only time will tell.
7564502 To be honest, I'm still hammerimg out some details regarding that. The dragon episode where Spike learns about the hierarchy of dragons had points I both did and didn't like. I had an idea how Gale's control would play out before that episode aired, but now I find myself deciding between adopting some canon aspects or staying on the original path. Whose to say at this point.