Thunk.
Garnet Dawn nearly fell to the floor of the carriage as a hard bump knocked her from the depths of sleep. She groaned and blinked her weary eyes open. The cabin’s lanterns had sputtered out hours ago and the chill of the wilderness had crept into the lonely carriage.
Thunk.
This time, Garnet did land with a yelp on the hard wooden floor of the carriage. The smell of old timbers and slightly musty upholstery filled her nostrils as she picked herself up and looked out the window.
The sickly scrub and wretched trees that tenaciously clung to life at the edges of the Badlands lurked beyond the dark mist that hovered over the earth. The twisting terrain was dimly lit by the stars spotting the black heavens above. Only the stale runoff from the Elderfields River carried any life to this desolate place and even then, it was but a pale imitation of the real thing.
As they turned a bend on the all-but-forgotten road, the orange and rose unicorn beheld her destination. It wasn’t a wondrous place. Far from it.
But it is, perhaps, a beginning.
Since the accusations, all the other so-called beginnings had turned out to be just painful ends.
She was tired of those. More than anything, Garnet needed a real new beginning.
Still, Elderfields didn’t look like a place for such things. Calling it a city would be giving it too much credit. It was little more than a village with delusions of townhood. The place crouched on the horizon, illuminated by a few watchtowers that stood sentinel on the Badlands side of the village, while any other light was lost in the murky haze rising from the dank Elderfields River.
Still, there was something about the village. Something cold. As if things waited for her in the mist. Unpleasant things. Dark things. Things of shadow. Things of nightmares.
She shook herself and pushed away the dark thoughts. Now wasn’t the time for doubt.
Thunk.
Garnet pulled her eyes from the village and down to the note. With a simple application of magic, her horn lit up and illuminated the message.
It was little more than a scrap, hurriedly copied from a bounty board outside the last nameless town she had managed to escape. A single chance to maybe, just maybe, clear her name.
It was worth a shot.
After all, she was alone. The only ally she had was miles away. And while that stung, she was determined to carry on in her absence. She could do no less.
Honor would demand nothing less. And while the world may have ripped many things from her… she still had a little of that left.
Thunk.
If only a little.
Sunset Shimmer ripped her gaze from the bookshelf and returned to staring out the window. Outside, the summer sun blazed down on the sparkling city of Canterlot. Every golden spire and ivory dome gleamed. Even the small lakes, rivers and the castle moat reflected the cloudless sky and the great glowing ball of fire above.
Still, Sunset found it hard to appreciate the view.
From here, she could see a few leftover banners from the Summer Sun Celebration, though they should have been taken down a month ago. And every banner was a reminder.
She slumped to the floor again and just stared at a forgotten flag on a house not too far from her apartment.
“Really?” Moon Dancer squealed after Sunset had finished speaking. “You… you want to spend the Summer Sun Celebration with me? And… and you want to take me on a tour of… of… the castle?”
Moon Dancer’s squeal upon seeing the Hall of History had left Sunset half-deaf until she remembered the right healing spell. At least the other unicorn had managed to be quiet enough not to damage any windows when they visited the Castle Archives, the smaller version of the Royal Canterlot Archives. Even then, it was a miracle old Scrollwork hadn’t thrown them out on their tails.
She’d even introduced Moon Dancer to Philomena, who had spent the next hour showing off for the younger filly until Moon Dancer had actually fell over trying to keep track of the phoenix’s acrobatics.
But more than anything, it was seeing Princess Celestia once more that had made Moon Dancer’s day. Sunset had found herself smiling as Moony pranced around the white alicorn in delirious glee while they visited her in the West Garden. Sunset had even swiped a few of the Princess’s precious Moon Lanterns for them to snack on as they watched Celestia raise the sun from a small rise in the garden.
That was a good day, Sunset thought with a sigh. I can’t remember the last time I actually had fun with somepony.
She’d had fun with Celestia before. And by herself, of course. But when she had been with Moon Dancer… it was different in a way she couldn’t describe.
You can describe it just fine, groused a voice in the back of her head. You just don’t want to.
Sunset wasn’t about to get into another argument with what she now called her ‘angry little pony.’ She had decided giving a voice inside her head an actual name was a surefire way to end up in a straightjacket.
Still, it had a point. It was the same point Celestia had spent a very long time trying to get into Sunset’s head. Only now did she realize the truth behind it.
I have a friend. And I really enjoyed spending time with her.
Sunset’s eyes moved from the forgotten flag to the eastern horizon. She couldn’t see anything, of course, but every time she looked out the window, her eyes had been drawn in that direction.
And now my friend is spending the next two months in Trottingham with her parents.
Sunset poked at a crumpled scroll. It rolled away until it stopped against one of the dozens of stacks of books scattered throughout her living room.
“This is so not fair. I finally actually want to spend time with another pony… and now she’s halfway across the Celestial Sea on the Griffish Isles.”
With a sigh, she dragged herself to her hooves and wandered over to her desk. Almost by reflex, she reached down and picked up an amber griffon feather from its small stand. It looked just as it did when Professor Polish had painfully plucked it from her transfigured body during Finals Week. After Dean Slate had used it to try and frame her, Polish had returned it to her after a thorough disenchanting and preservation treatment. The same day, the Princess had reinforced it with a stasis spell. It remained perfect, as expected.
Moon Dancer’s cutie mark was now carved into the quill. It was almost too small to see, but Sunset knew where to look. After all, it was just above her own mark.
Where once the feather had been used as a tool for her greatest defeat, now it was a reminder she wasn’t alone.
It didn’t help much right now.
“Because right now, I am alone,” Sunset muttered.
Once upon a time, that didn’t matter.
She flopped down on her couch and stared at the ruin of her apartment. It was too hot to go out and do anything, so she’d been rummaging through her store rooms and pulling out pieces of old projects, samples of half-forgotten experiments, or anything else that caught her eye. Since she was as prepared as she was going to get for her exams this Friday with the Princess, she’d been wasting time watching old documentaries on the history of the Everfree Forest.
She’d already read everything she owned. Again.
You could always go see your parents…
“Nope!” Sunset shouted. “Not happening!”
They’d help you!
“I don’t need any help. At least, not any help they would give me! Now go away!” With that, she shoved the angry little pony into a cage at the back of her mind.
Sunset looked up and stared at her reflection in the hourglass.
“Dammit. Moon Dancer’s been gone for just a little while, and I’m already talking to myself.”
Uh, you’ve been talking to yourself since halfway through finals week.
Didn’t I just lock you up? Sunset demanded.
Yeah, haven’t you figured out yet that you aren’t getting rid of me? You should be happy. It means that you aren’t really alone!
She buried her head in her pillow and let out a little scream. It helped. A little.
Garnet flipped a ten-bit piece to the carriage driver, a dark grey hulking mass of a stallion that looked like he had some yak blood in him. The stallion caught it in his teeth, bit down hard for a moment, then the bit vanished faster than any unicorn magic she’d ever seen. There was a glint in the stallion’s eye as he looked down at her. Instinctively, Garnet pulled her hooded cloak around her.
“Anything else, young miss?” the stallion rumbled.
She steeled herself. She wasn’t some cowering peasant. She was a sorceress, gifted in the ability to guide the Wild Magic of the world. “Another ten-bit piece if you forget you ever saw me. And if it is wasted, I will know.”
The stallion considered her for a moment before a grin broke out on his muzzle. Pearly-white teeth shone in the mist-shrouded torchlight outside the gate house of Elderfields.
“Done, young miss. Ain’t nobody to tell, anyhow. This far out, nopony cares where yer from or where ye be headin’.”
“Then it’s a simple promise to keep,” Garnet said as she threw him another piece. This vanished even faster than the first. “And considering what I paid you up front… I think I’ve given all I owed.”
“And then some, young miss. I’ll leave ya to yer business now. Ain’t plannin’ on stayin’ in this Goddess-forsaken land a moment longer than I got to.”
Garnet didn’t say anything. She just shrugged and turned toward the gatehouse. In few moments, she heard the creak of wheels and the pounding of hooves as her transportation left her behind.
As the chill began to seep through her cloak, she tightened it around herself and approached the gate guard. He was the typical fare. A bunch of metal pieces strapped to various parts of his body, a spear and an expression that showed how little he cared about anything.
“I request passage,” Garnet said curtly.
“Wait ‘till dawn,” the guard snapped. “Too much trouble to open the gates this late at night, just for a little slip of a mare.”
“I’ve come to help with your lost bards,” Garnet snapped. “I do not seek to cause trouble in your town, only to meet with others and depart in all haste.”
The guard lifted his helmet and stared at her for a moment.
“You?” he laughed. “And what’s a little runt like you going to do? If you haven’t heard, fifty of ‘em are just gone.”
Garnet had had enough. She didn’t have much dignity left, but it wasn’t all dead. She spoke a word and in an instant, a gout of flame appeared between them. The guard staggered backward as Eoana took her flame-wreathed form and let out a loud screech in his face. Then, with a few gentle flaps of the disguised hawk’s wings, Eoana perched herself on Garnet’s back.
“Any other foalish questions?”
“No, ma’am!” the guard squeaked as he turned and pounded on the gate. “Open the gates and be quick about it!”
There must have been something in his voice, because nopony protested on the other side. Instead, Garnet heard the sound of cranking gears and stretching rope as the gate of Elderfields opened before her.
“Thank you ever so much for your time,” Garnet said in her sweetest voice, before turning, snapping her tail at his nose and marching into the slumbering village.
Eoana let out another screech as the gate began to close.
Sunset caught herself staring at the bookshelf again when a faint buzzing from somewhere beneath the mess of her desk yanked her back to the real world. With a flare of magic, Sunset floated over the journal emblazoned with her cutie mark out from under a mass of alembics and test tubes. It hummed, sending waves of bright pink light shining through the dusty air.
I’ve got to clean up in here. Later.
The buzzing and glowing stopped as Sunset opened the book and found Celestia’s gentle script tracing itself over the pages of her journal.
Dearest Sunset,
I’m afraid I will need to cancel the rest of the week’s lessons. There’s been an incursion by a rogue dragon into griffon lands and the Griffon Ambassador has requested my direct intervention in the matter. I doubt it will take much longer than a week. I have had prior dealings with this dragon, and the most difficult part will be finding her. After that, I expect things will go quite smoothly. After all, dragons respect strength above all else, and you of all ponies know what I am capable of.
Sunset smirked a little. After the incident with the visiting nobility from—ironically—the Griffish Isles from a few days ago, Sunset had a new respect for the Princess’s diplomatic skills. Especially the skills that didn’t use words.
I am truly sorry. I know you are missing Moon Dancer. I would have you accompany me, but the journey is quite long and I will be doing a great deal of flying. Still, I am certain you will find some way to occupy your time. I would recommend simply allowing yourself to be open to whatever opportunities present themselves.
You may be surprised what unexpected events can teach you.
Yours truly,
Princess Celestia.
Sunset tossed the book on the floor with a groan and buried her head in the pillow again.
“Stupid dragon,” Sunset growled. “Ruining my week by stealing the Princess. What in Tartarus am I supposed to do now?”
As if in response, somepony knocked on her door.
Sunset blinked in surprise. After a moment’s consideration, she narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the journal.
“This is your doing, isn’t it?” Sunset asked the journal. The journal didn’t respond, but Sunset could have sworn it looked smug.
As much as an inanimate object that had no physical similarity to a pony could look smug.
With a sigh, she trotted through the accumulated junk and headed down into the foyer as a hoof eagerly pounded on her front door again.
Night had settled into Elderfields like an unwanted houseguest. A cloying mist stuck to the streets, seeping up from the thick river that wandered through the heart of the village. Shadows darted left and right through the fog, but Garnet Dawn paid them little heed. Despite the doubts nibbling on her mind, there was no reason anypony would look for her here. Even then, she knew this was a bad idea when she turned a corner and saw her destination.
Garnet stared at the grubby tavern with a frown.
Why do bounties that involve others always start in a tavern anyway? What was with that? There were other places ponies could meet, even in a dinky little village like Elderfields. Libraries! Cafes! Meeting Houses!
“This is a bad idea,” the unicorn muttered to herself. “This is such a stupidly bad idea.”
A part of her just wanted to continue through the town and disappear into the Badlands. It was only a small part, but it was loud in her mind.
Still, she trotted forward and pointedly ignored the stares of the townsponies around her. This was probably her last chance to clear her name and not end her days as some strange hermit living… well, living in the Badlands, most likely.
She threw up her hood and made sure her face was sufficiently in shadow. After all, even if this was a bad idea, making a proper entrance was always a good idea.
Sunset froze a second before pulling open the door when she heard the cry from outside.
“What?! Why?!”
She knew the voice, but couldn’t quite place it. However, she did recognize the next voice.
“Short answer, because it’s the right thing to do.”
Sunset threw open the door and stared at the grinning face of the blue unicorn with a white and navy mane and tail. It was hard not to stare at her, because she was filling up the entire space where her door had been mere seconds before.
“Yowza, Sunny, nice place you got here!” Minuette chirped. “Being the personal student of the Princess sure has perks!”
“What—” Sunset tried, but Minuette ran right over her.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I brought a couple friends over. Trust me, we promise to make the day much more interesting.”
Sunset finally rallied.
“One: don’t call me Sunny,” Sunset stated in a voice that could have carved stone. “Two: who’s ‘we?’”
Minuette scooted out of the way to reveal an ivory-coated unicorn with a pink mane and tail. It took only a moment for Sunset to recognize her from Professor Polish’s class.
“Twinkleshine?” Sunset asked, shaking her head. “I don’t—”
“Oh, stop hiding!” Minuette said as she glanced at one of the tall hedges around Sunset’s home. “Come on out, silly!”
Sunset froze again as a third unicorn appeared. She had yellow coat, a light blue mane and a matching light blue tail. And she was glaring daggers at Sunset. If looks could kill, this one would have leveled several towns.
“You remember Lemon Hearts, right?” Minuette said from a few feet and a few hundred miles away.
“It’s nothing personal,” Sunset said with the smallest of smiles. “It’s simply what’s necessary. I have a destiny, Lemon Hearts. You just got underhoof.”
“H-how could you… after… I just…” The sobbing pony stared at her, tears streaming from her raspberry eyes. “After… we… you just used me… you knew and you used him against me…”
“Yes. I did.” Sunset shrugged. “It’s how the game is played. If it’s any consolation… take this as another lesson, Lemon Hearts. A lesson in the proper application of power.”
Sunset walked out of the room, leaving the sobbing pony behind. The small smile never faded from her muzzle.
“Yeah,” Sunset murmured. “I remember.”
“How nice.” Lemon Heart’s voice dripped acid. “Minuette, I did not agree to this.”
“You agreed to play O&O with us in exchange for double your usual order of apple turnovers.”
“You didn’t say anything about her!” Lemon Hearts stabbed a hoof at Sunset.
Sunset flinched.
A year ago, you wouldn’t have.
“I’m sorry,” Sunset said quickly as she moved to close the door. “But I’m very busy today. You’ll need to come back… um… well, never.”
Before she could get the door closed, Minuette got a hoof in. Her smile never faded.
“I’m sorry, Sunny.” Sunset twitched again. “But I’m under royal orders from the Princess herself. I am sworn to a sacred duty that I cannot… nay, will not shirk!”
Minuette looked up to something Sunset couldn’t see.
“What are you looking at?” Sunset grumbled.
“Melodrama!” Minuette proclaimed. “But never mind! What matters is we are here on a mission of utmost importance. And I am under instructions from Princess Celestia that I am to use any and all means—and ponies—” She smiled at Lemon Hearts. “I deem fit in the execution of my duties!”
Sunset had a really bad feeling about this.
“And just… what are these ‘royal duties?’”
“Why, to cheer you up, of course!” Minuette chirped. “We’re all here for that!”
Sunset looked at Twinkleshine, who just shrugged noncommittally. Lemon Hearts on the other hoof…
Lemon Hearts turned her blistering glare towards Minuette.
“You’re crazy,” Sunset said.
“You’re not the first pony to call me that!” Minuette said happily, her grin never faltering.
“Won’t be the last either,” Lemon Hearts muttered.
“Minuette, this isn’t a good time, I’m in the middle of—”
“—Being interrupted by your friends!”
“‘Friends?’” Lemon Hearts stage-whispered to Twinkleshine. “I don’t think so.”
Twinkleshine shrugged again.
“You can’t just canter in here and—”
“When I got an official letter from the Princess, I can!” Minuette said as she revealed a scroll with a broken seal bearing the Solar Sigil. “Now, are you gonna let us in, or am I going to have to get creative?
Now that sounded ominous.
“There’s no way I’m getting rid of you, is there?”
“Not in a million years.” Minuette said. Not once had her smile faltered.
“Then at least tell me how you intend to cheer me up.”
“Easy!” Minuette said in that sugary chirp Sunset was really beginning to hate. With a flash of magic, she pulled a book out from one of her bulging saddlebags and showed it to Sunset.
On the top of the book depicting a massive hydra was the title Ogres and Oubliettes. Across the middle of the cover were the words Bards of the Badlands.
“You’re kidding. You’re kidding, right?”
Minuette shook her head. “Nope!”
“And the Princess ordered you to do it?”
“Yup!”
“Ordered you?”
“Uh-huh!”
Sunset sighed. She could have demanded to see the letter, but there wasn’t much point. Minuette didn’t seem the type to pull something like this on her own. And this had Celestia’s hoofprints all over it. The specter of Moon Dancer loomed over this little invasion, too.
For just a moment, Sunset felt her mask slip.
Moon Dancer got Princess Celestia to send Minuette here just to cheer me up?
“Oh… fine!” Sunset finally shouted. “Get in here.”
“Trust me, Sunny—” Twitch. “You’re going to love this! I’ve got an epic adventure planned for us.”
Sunset moved aside and Minuette pranced through the door. Twinkleshine wandered through at a leisurely stroll and rolled her eyes at Minuette. Lemon Hearts didn’t even bother looking at her. It was just as well. Sunset was pretty sure that glare could vaporize at close range.
Princess Celestia and my only friend are conspiring against me.
I’m doomed.
OH COME ON! Another great fic to read, just as Dresden Fillies updates, and I'm in the middle of Sunset of Time.... which am I supposed to take care of first?
Well, now! What did we have here? Oh yes, I'm looking for to this....
More Novel-Idea, on MY fimfic? This is grounds for celebration
Looking forward to seeing where you take this, it already has a good start
Aw, Sunny is going to get more friends now, even if she's going to have to be dragged kicking and screaming into friendship. That's the Princess for you. I only know a little bit about tabletop games, but considering how... chaotic they can get sometimes (even just with writing a character sheet), combined with Sunset's past... history with them, this is not going to go smoothly. I hope Sunset doesn't have anything too valuable or fragile in her room, considering how many unicorns are in the room.
I'm looking forward to reading another one of your stories of course, but I'm also curious if this fic will cover how this group shifted from Twilight to Sunset.
Well now. This is certainly sounding interesting, especially if the interludes with Garnet are what I think they are. Though I have to wonder where Twilight was in this. Did Minuette just not conscript her, or was she able to avoid the timely maniac somehow? (And if so, will she ever be able to teach Sunset? )
Looking forward to more.
Be glad Minuette doesn't know the Doom song, Sunset...
Nice start; definitely watching this addition to your 'verse.
7872464 This is set before "The Application of Unified Harmony Magics", so no Twilight yet.
7872705
Yes, but it is during the period when Sunset accidentally stole Twilight's friends. I can't help but wonder what she was doing as they left her.
I'm really looking forward to seeing how you all enjoy Novel's story. As the occasional D&D player and long-time member of a weekly tabletop gang, I can honestly say that I had a lot of fun with this setting and narrative.
Although not as much fun as a certain other member of the editing staff who shall remain nameless
In "The Alchemy of Chemistry" Celestia said she didn't enjoy tomenting ponies and/or Sunset Shimmer. To me that seems to be the biggest lie ever told
Also, I am still surprised that the Celestia is putting that much effort in "helping" Sunset to make friends. In the "Canon" timeline she just let "destiny" take it's course or some other bullshit. Why she didn't torture/trolled Twilight as well?
Hello there. Not much I can say other than excellent start to this story. The exchanges, emotional content, humor and future chapter set-up in all the right places. I particularly like the effort that is going into Sunset's character development. And hey, at least Celestia and Moonie know better than to let Sunset stew around being lonely, even if it means introducing her to somebody who is only marginally saner than canon Pinkie Pie (marginally saner because, at least, she doesn't have the cartoon psychics stuff or the fourth wall jokes) . I'll definitely be looking forward to more of this as soon as time and inspiration will allow.
Incoming massive comment spanning the entire chapter. Because putting a warning at the beginning of the comment totally makes it okay to do whatever was warned about!
Because it couldn't be the beginning. There is no beginning to the wh--
*COUGH*COUGH*
Excuse me.
Not if you name it "id"! Then people just think you want to bang your mom.
HEYOOO!
Did I already use that joke on one of your stories? Sunset talks to herself a lot.
That is an impressively spherical crumpled scroll. Or Sunset hit it harder than a poke.
Does that work for you? Cuz it never works for me.
Ah, good. Er. Not good...
F*** YEAH.
Although I suppose that kind of in-character boast loses some of it's...magic... when you are actually a powerful sorceress for-realzies.
Heh, I love playing illusionists. (At least I think that is what the "hawk" line meant) I can act as absurdly confident and powerful as I want, and then use some illusions to trick some people into actually believing me. As long as you have some actual firepower to back some of your claims up.
This is what I call Dragon Diplomacy. According to the GM I was with, even if you are perfectly calm when speaking, promises that just happen to involve extreme bodily harm are still considered "threats". Which fall under the Intimidate skill. If I had known that, I wouldn't have put points in diplomacy! Nobody tells me these things.
In all fairness, nothing in this explicitly says that the event that is about to happen is unexpected.
...And the moment Sunset left the room, Celestia cut off the transformation spell on herself, disguising her as a journal. And she looked very smug. Sunset was right. After all, she had recently had quite a bit of practice reading the princess.
yes
I was still reading this as if it were part of the O&O story part, and my first thoughts were "Okay, guys, Sunset gets a pass for being new to this, but you all really should not still be making characters that look identical to yourselves." And then I realized this was real. And it made sense.
See? Would that be intimidation, or diplomacy?
Also missing end quote after creative.
She doesn't? She doesn't seem to be the kind to lie about it, but I could certainly see her doing it without a divine mandate.
Let the madness begi--er... continue!
Also didn't realize just how big this comment was until I hit the preview button. Are you cool with me posting this massive thing here, or shall I tone it down for the next chapters?
7872306 Now that's a hard question. I'd say mine first because it's short, then focus on Sunset of Time, because at a certain point of Sunset of Time, you won't be able to stop (I stayed up until past 1AM to finish the story once I reached the point of no return, though I can't remember where that was at the moment.).
7872348
7872374 I accept celebrations as tribute. Though I be confused by "the MY FimFic" bit, so I'll assume that means your feed and I'm just too zonked to get it at the moment.
7872407 Don't worry. There's a Roomba MacGuffin there somewhere if anything gets too badly damaged. (And yes, she is getting dragged in kicking and screaming. Except this time, she's not the only one. )
7872476 Is that the one that goes DOOM DOOM DOOM DOOM DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM?
7872407; 7872464; 7872705; 7872726 Twilight will be touched on, but only briefly.
7872809 I'll admit to everyone right now that I've actually only played one D&D game in my life... the one I'm in now that's been going on for about six months. However, I've done roleplaying for decades. Not quite the same thing... but I like to think I'm a quick study.
7873544 She doesn't have Fourth Wall Powers as far as you know.
7873871
media.giphy.com/media/v6LMmhsuP49Bm/giphy.gif
Do it, please, please, please! I've always wanted someone to do a blow-by-blow follow-up of one of my stories! This is the GREATEST THING EVER. Go totally nuts with it. I've done this with other's stories and I've dreamed of the day I might get something similar! (Hell, my follow-up for Sunset of Time was 10,000 words).
7875360
And celebrations you will get! As long as you keep updating, that is
As for the "MY fimfic" thing, it's a goof on the clickbait ads that used to show up on some websites. The whole "something something in MY computer? It's more likely than you think!"
Don't put too much thought into it, I was just being a dork
7875360
My comments are far from intellectual, (at least in a helpful or intuitive sense) so "follow-up" is not how I would describe a compilation of them. Most of the time they are silly and inappropriate. But hopefully it will be entertaining, if not enlightening!
Now the problem is just shifting different mental models of Sunset to the forefront of my mind every time I read another chapter of a different story. Currently reading Sunny, Moonie, and Twily. And reading the Group Precipitation part of the Oversaturated world. I really ought to pick Long Road to Friendship back up. Also had Sunset of Time on my read later list for a while. I want to say "Too many Sunsets", but that doesn't seem like a sentiment you'd agree with, or that I myself hold.
7875360 That's the one, it's about 6 months long ; episode 1 of Invader Zim...
7875400 Don't worry. The story's actually done, it's just in the final polishing phase. Next one comes out next Monday! And ah... that makes a bit more sense now.
As for the last bit... we're all mad here.
7875606 Then you have yet to read an Equestria Daily episode followup. My follow-ups are usually goofy shout outs to my favorite lines, reaction bits and other amusing anecdotes. They actually do serve an important purpose: it leads the author know if the comedy beats worked right and the emotional beats worked right.
But I'm good with you just amusing me as well.
And see? That's why I tend to focus on my stories. Since I started writing, I haven't done nearly as many follow-ups and I found myself avoiding other Sunset stories so I can keep my Sunset and company straight in my head. And Long Road and Sunset of Time were major inspirations for me... so yeah, you're going to want to read those. Long Road will make you grin like an idiot for at least a day or two, Sunset of Time will make you sob your eyes out while loving every tear. At least it did for me.
So, yes, I can see too many Sunsets. But I'm also running SunLight Sliders, working on a story about seven years ahead of this one, preparing to edit a story four years ahead of this one and working on a completely different Sunset set after Legend of Everfree in the EqG universe.
...so I don't get to judge ANYPONY.
7875861 That's funny, because I never saw that. I was thinking of the song that came from the Sir Apropos of Nothing book series by Peter David. But parallel evolution and all that.
Here we go. Story two, and since it's not done yet... I'm sure I'll be able to take my time, too.
So, let's see here. We've got Twilight's old Canterlot friends, the
D&DO&O players' guide, and a bag of dice. Sounds like Sunset is in for an involuntary good time! I've got battle assembly this coming weekend- I'm an Army Reservist- and I'm looking forward to playing some D&D during downtime with some of my battle buddies. It's a tradition of ours on longer 4-day drill weekends. So this story's coming at just the right time!7929517 Don't worry, you'll have the rest next week, so you'll have a nice dose of O&O before and after to go with your D&D!
Having read
Little Truths (which I highly recommend) first, I can see Lemon Hearts acting the way she does. I am rooting for her to give Sunset a VERY hard time. I don't know if I could ever forgive her. She will have to do a Princess level event in order for me to change my mind.
8088826 Did you end up reading The Alchemy of Chemistry before Bards?
Edit: Yes, you did. Of course. I'm just too out of it today to use my memory.
This is already a good start for the story especially with Minuette's antics. Having read Little Truths by Ebonquill I know why Lemon Hearts is angry at Sunset and I hope Minuette can help them.
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Sorry I never replied, but I remember being very excited to see your responses, because you were the first to go through Wavelengths starting with Little Truths!
Bloody hell, those descriptions are amazing. I feel like I'm in this drab, dismal, dinky corner of the badlands. This is going to be another amazing story, isn't it?
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Wow, I just re-read these for the first time in months. I did go a little nuts with these descriptions, didn't I? Yeah, this was a great story to tell. It was hard to flip back and forth!
Well this is an interesting start. Curious how these stories intersect.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=i%27ve+grown+accustomed+to+her+face&&view=detail&mid=A5E073543AC47E0E8E18A5E073543AC47E0E8E18&&FORM=VDRVRV
Heh... heh heh... hehehe... "we're on a misson from God."
Sorry, linking the mission statement and Tia's near god hood to old movies...
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Not QUITE that evil...
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Heh. I can dig it.
I'm a year late finding your Wavelengths AU...so happy I found you!!! Great world building, lovely interactions between characters, and fantastic "what if" with Sunset.
Onward!!!
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Thank you! Don't worry, there's a ton more on the way.
Thanks again! I really wanted to give Sunset a real chance to become the pony she could have been. I hope I'm doing her justice.
(BTW, love your emote overload)
Oh, you and I are going to get along greatly.
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Minuette is such a joy!
Ladrien, your reaction to that first quote was exactly the same as mine. So much so, I was actually looking for the second half of it for a second or two, and confused when I couldn't find it.
By the by, I would've responded to your comment properly, if it weren't two-plus years later.
The first time I read this, I was vaugely familiar with DnD, as in it had a lot of dice, and was a tabletop roleplaying game with monsters, magic, and fighting. I come today to reread this a changed being. I have now been in a campaign since January, meeting about one to two times a week, started a different one, that's only two sessions in, and is utter proof of the meme about it being impossible to find a time to play, just started a third one run by someone in the first one, with the players also being from the first campaign, but with different characters and a change of DM, with the first one still running, and have run a couple oneshots. I've played a cleric, a fighter, and a wizard, and made a druid I've yet to play. I read this knowing what D&D is like, and now am trying to deduce things, and maybe rolling some. I look forward to this reread.
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Then you knew about as much as I did when I wrote it.
Well, unlike in D&D, the mechanics of O&O serve the story, not the other way around! (Or maybe just my dice hate me)
Nothing like the one person you actually trust going behind your back to invade your personal space, and giving away your private information to make you reevaluate who you should trust.