It's been a dozen centuries since Discord's cousin Hades sold his former realm of Tartarus to Celestia and Luna, and now he's decided to get back into the game with another realm, a lighter, fluffier realm of daydreams that he calls Mythos. Visiting Rainbow Dash on Nightmare Night to recruit her as a professional daydreamer, Hades sets eyes on Fluttershy, and, well, a myth's gotta do what a myth's gotta do...
This story wasn't actually an entry in the Flutterdash group's Nightmare Night Story Contest, but it was inspired by the prompt.
Chapters (5)
So:
I'm aiming for four chapters, all about this same length, and hoping I'll get it done by Hallowe'en.
Mike
It is REALLY TWEAKING MY CHEESE THAT THE TITLE DOES NOT SELF-RHYME what have you done D:
8491424
The title comes from:
An old swing band tune of the 1930s. This is the best version I can find on-line, but Mora's Modern Rhythmists do it better than these guys. And yes, the the title's supposed to be ever so slightly teeth grinding...
Mike
This sounds like an interesting story. Though, I was kinda expecting Discord to notice or get a little jealous Hades' affections toward Fluttershy. Hope you update soon.
8491501
That's it. From now on it's pronounced 'Shay-dees'.
(I once had an exchange student staying with my family who always voiced 'es' as 'eees'. Like, 'Clo-thees'. He absolutely refused to believe me when I told him he was wrong, for the whole month he was there. Insisted I was pranking him.)
Only two parts of this stand out as veing incorrect. The first is he already has his own realm of Elysium, the Greek "heaven" to Tartarus' hell, as he is god of the dead. Second is that he would ever give away his dog. Hired is more like it, given he's definetly well trained and likely a demigod in his own right.
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Elysium:
Is pretty nebulous in the old stories. Sometimes, they say it's ruled over by Cronus. Sometimes, they say it's ruled over by Rhadamanthus. Sometimes, it's located on some far-off islands. Sometimes, it's the right fork in the road where the left fork leads to Tartarus. For our purposes here, I'm pretty much ignoring it entirely.
Mike
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I'm about:
two-thirds of the way through chapter two, "Persephone," so things are preceding apace!
Mike
How James Woods-ian is the voice of Hades? Because that is how I'm imagining him talking.
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There's more than a bit:
Of that "wheeler-dealer" sort of accent there, yes...
Mike
I won't lie, I'm a bit disappointed that you made another draconequus with the exact same anatomical assortment as Discord. I've always liked the idea that each draconequus has his, her, its, or xlem's own collection of animal parts.
That said, I do like the idea that there's a certain je ne c'est quoi about Fluttershy in draconequine eyes.
Also, I have to wonder why pegasi would wax cloud floors... though that might actually explain how they keep solid objects from falling through.
In any case, looking forward to seeing where you go with this.
8496212
I may have to:
Have Discord give that as another of the reasons he never liked Hades--they look too much alike...
Mike
Chapter three:
Entitled "Sisyphus, Tantalus, Ixion, et Al." should be along in a couple or four days, maybe.
Mike
Well now. Certainly not what I was expecting, and much more perilous. Allegedly, anyway. We don't know what Hades is planning, though his intimidation demonstration makes it seem less likely that this is all a misunderstanding. In any case, definitely looking forward to seeing where things go from here.
Well that was more unsettling than most horror setups.
Good thing I'm not:
Entering this in the FlutterDash contest. 'Cause there's one more chapter--"Orpheus," it'll be called--and the contest deadline's in just a couple hours...
Mike
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I'm quite enjoying:
Hades as a character--I'm hearing him as much with a Jon Lovitz voice as a James Woods voice at this point. We get him and Dash verbally sparring in chapter four, so we'll see how that turns out.
Mike
Orpheus? Uh-oh. That story never ends well.
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I hope it's not:
Too much of a spoiler when I say that I will endeavor to twist any situation into a happy ending.
Mike
Well, Discord can certainly do one of those things...
In any case, the climactic confrontation awaits. Hades may have given Dash more power than he intended... or he accounted for this amidst his plans. We'll soon find out.
Rainbow Dash is so awesome in this chapter.
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This whole thing is unexpectedly turning into a giant character study of Rainbow Dash and is going to need a fifth chapter entitled "Elysium." I really oughtta plan this stuff out more carefully before I begin writing...
So, yeah:
Gonna need one more chapter here. "Elysium" will be along at some point next week.
Mike
Oof. That was tense. And I can't help but think that Hades is still going to try to get them on some niggling technicality. Though if that wasn't just a ploy to get them to turn around, he probably has more pressing concerns. I suppose I'll have to wait and see.
8533751
Tense? But they're just taking a nice little walk...
Mike
And so ends:
My Nightmare Night story. Just in time for Thanksgiving almost!
Mike
...thats it? Honestly im dissapointed. Hades gets off scott-free and Discord goes about being a cunt by making RD out to be the villian? The fuck?
Aww, sweet end with a plausible (if probably challenging) path to a longer term happy ending. Do think that Discord's got some failures of self-awareness there, but then, it would probably be weirder if he didn't.
8542954
Forget it Vaal, it's Ponytown. Not that I entirely disagree with the trend more broadly speaking, mind.
8542954
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I can add a line:
About Hades getting taken off by Luna and Cadance for "more lessons," but Discord is pretty much gonna be Discord, I'm afraid.
Mike
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I don't think it's necessary. I think it's completely appropriate as-is bearing in mind what we've seen in the show. For the trend more broadly speaking, I was thinking more in terms of how this kind of thing is treated in the source material. (To the extent that I was actually a little bit surprised that apparently they put people in jail for stealing things, per the recent EqG short.)
As for Discord, I completely agree; Discord gotta Discord. I meant more that it wasn't a great trait in a person than that it was a poor portrayal of our ponies' purveyor of pandemonium.
Lovely conclusion. No wonder Discord was offering his two cents to Dash; she serves the same role he does in Fluttershy's life; they both serve as the chaotic catalyst that makes things happen, when otherwise she'd have all the excitement of a puddle.
Lovely adventure-romance all around, especially since no one got torn apart by maenads. Thank you for it.
8542954
To be fair, sticking him in the prison he designed doesn't seem like it'll do much. Worst-case scenario, he lets out the other inmates in a fit of spite.
The fact that the title doesn't rhyme is driving me insane.
orig00.deviantart.net/733e/f/2017/131/c/6/triggered_by_zutheskunk-db8ttce.gif
8577550
Yeah, it's:
Supposed to do that.
Mike
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"Shades of Hades" starring Sean Bean
He seems nice...but the moment he started ogling Flutters, my blood started to boil.
9792648
That's Hades:
In a nutshell!
Mike
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I know you said it was inspired by a Flutterdash contest, but was not an actual submission, so it made me wonder...so I looked through the Flutterdash story library and could not find this in there, so I am left hesitant to get emotionally involved in the story for fear it does not actually end up being Flutterdash, but I also really hate spoilers so don't tell me, but also please do tell me.
9794241
Can I say:
That they all live happily ever after? 'Cause they do pretty much do that...
Mike