Destinyverse

Mod: MiaMaha Follow the fanstory of Destinyverse, an MLP: Friendship is Magic future AU that follows the shenanigans, adventures, and personal journeys of Equestria's next generation of ponies along with many familiar faces. ((This is not an ask blog! This is a chaptered story supplemented by art dumps, misc art, and occasional animatics to further explore characters! If you have any non-spoilery questions, please direct them at me, the creator! Thank you!))

[mlpdestinyverse]

Timeline and Past Arcs

READ FROM THE BEGINNING!

__________________________________________

~Story Archive~

(Chapters related to specific character arcs are listed below! Most are chronological, but some chapters may be out of order.)

Skychaser’s Arc

Monochrome’s Arc

Eventide Twister’s Arc

Nova Spark’s Arc

Dream Flow Chapters

Astral Dusk Chapters

[mlpdestinyverse]

I Want To Be An Author

I've held off on posting this here after posting this on dA because I hate the feeling of disappointing people, but I want to be absolutely transparent:

If you've been wondering why I've been MIA, being hit with the epiphany that I want to be an author is one of my main reasons. Art is fun, but I've come to understand that writing has always been my passion. And for a long time I've been directionless on where I've wanted to take myself in life.

So here we are: I want to write original content for a book series. That's a daunting goal, so for now, the goal is to write that first novel. I'm several chapters in now, so I can happily announce that I very much plan to have my first book series be KINDRED - the original rework of Destinyverse.

I love my cast, the arcs I've written for them, the futures I've had planned, and the lore ideas I've never gotten to share. I've known for a while that I wanted my characters and story to be 100% my own and not limited to fanwork.

So I've been happily planning and expanding on characters, world lore, scenes, etc (my story outline alone is 110 pages long)! The biggest hurdle will be dividing events into chapters and books. To give you an idea on what I had planned for Destinyverse: I wanted to establish the backstories of all the main story cast before going into the present-day main narrative.

With a book series, I won't have every character pre-established, so alongside plot I'm going be weaving in elements of the past arcs you've come to know (along with unveiling the lore and workings of the KINDRED universe). So it'll be a challenge, but one I'm working hard to tackle!

I'm sure you're wondering what will become of Destinyverse: its not quite on permanent hiatus yet. If I need it, I want to keep it around if I'm in the mood to continue drawing some ponies for fun! But truthfully, I will be putting my time and effort into my book and related research/art.

If you've enjoyed my writing and my original cast of characters and want to see their stories play out in a similar, inspired fantasy-based world, hopefully you won't mind sticking around for KINDRED. I've yet to decide if I'll make a Tumblr blog for my KINDRED concepts and official art. I'm not sure how many people here would be interested. So for now, any art related to it has and will be posted to my dA and on Bluesky:

Deviantart

Bluesky

If you followed me purely for MLP content, then unfortunately this may be where we part. If so, then please know I appreciate you and any support you've given my work until now. Thank you. <3

For now, here's a small preview of some concept art (old and new)!

[mlpdestinyverse]

hi!! I remembered this blog recently and I’ve been super enjoying going back and catching up on the stories I didn’t get around to reading years ago. (I especially really like Nova’s story - my fave thing about nextgens is the exploration of how the parents’ experiences would impact how they raise their kids, and Nova not wanting royal life vs his mom well-meaningly pressuring him into it bc she doesn’t understand how his misgivings are different from the ones she once had is just super good)

anyway I just wanted to say that I still really enjoy this universe and even before I found your blog again, the characters would still come up in my mind every so often. like I think all the soft Eventide/Dreamaria scenes I read back then altered my brain chemistry or something. I hope you’re doing well wherever you are now and that you know this blog still brings so much joy :)

((Oh my goodneeessss <3 Your message was such a delightful surprise- honest to God, I always convince myself that people have moved on from my story, only to find out it's managed to linger in some people's minds oAHSFahsf oh...thank you for reminding me why I write.

(Nova's narrative is one of my faves of the cast so MMYESS excellent that you enjoy it!! )

If I altered your brain chemistry with my two girls, then hell yes, mission complete hAHAHA 🤣

Again, thank you so much for your sweet message. <3 I have been doing alright and I think I'll finally make a post on why this blog has been inactive for so long!))

[mlpdestinyverse]

TMI Tuesday: Top 5 Favorite songs?

((OKAY last one for now cause I don't want to swamp everyone's dashes more than I already have. <xDD HM. I've been listening to a lot of new music lately. My memory is poor so I might not remember some of my oldie faves right now. <xD But imma list a few, in no particular order: 1. "Brave Enough" by Lindsey Stirling 2. "Lend Me Your Voice" from Belle 3. "Whisper" by Crywolf 4. "Little Girl" by Faith Marie 5. "Wake Up" by EDEN

Hilariously enough, almost all of these are Destinyverse character songs hAHAH-))

[mlpdestinyverse]

If you play DnD, then which class(es) would best suit you or your character?

((I have not played, but I know what I know through Critical Role, so maybe one day. u v u I'd personally love to be Warlock or a Rogue! Destinyverse Cast-wise, since it's canon that Human!Summer Rush runs an Ogres and Oubliettes campaign, I remember imagining Terra Rosa as a Druid, Astral Dusk as an Artificer, Monochrome as a Ranger (with Tank as their animal companion), and Skychaser as a Rogue~))

[mlpdestinyverse]

TMI Tuesday: Favorite anime?

((If I have to pick one, I think I'll settle on Madoka Magica. Genuinely incredible writing (psychological horror is fun~), beautiful soundtrack, emotional plot, really interesting visuals- it's just a fun time. u v u Tis one of my inspirations when it comes to writing~))

[mlpdestinyverse]

TMI Tuesday: Favorite MLP character? Least favorite?

((Favorite: Sunset Shimmer. Best girl. Beautiful baby who deserved a better, far more powerful villain arc. I just love her vibes, she's so cool and protective, yet caring. ; w ;

Least Fave: Imma be real with ya'll, I didn't like Rainbow Dash for a while. <xD It was the immaturity and her ego. But once I started writing her, I saw the potential depth of her character and started enjoying her flaws quite a bit~))

[mlpdestinyverse]

TMI Tuesday: Who's your favorite MLP AU Artist?

((I loved Lopoddity's work on dA, she was probably my biggest inspiration when I started out! I think that's common for a lot of Next Gen artists. <X3))

[mlpdestinyverse]

TMI Tuesday: Do you have a ponysona?

((I do!! Her name is Ink Dapple (AKA Inky!) and this is her current design~ Prone to changes!))

And this is an alternate design of Inky as my species of Kiryn!

[mlpdestinyverse]

TMI Tuesday: What do you think of G4.5 and G5?

(( Never watched Pony Life ( didn't even know it was called G4.5?? What???) But eeehh I'm not really interested in the style. <xD It just reminds me of kid shows that go way too extra to be funny. Haven't watched anything outside of the G5 movie yet! I, personally, thought the G5 movie was wonderfully animated and super cute overall!! I didn't mind the premise of the tribes being separated again, probably because of the potential plot reveals that may happen in the future. For now, I've seen glimpses of the visual quality of the show so far and....ah....<xD Well, my interest has dwindled, so Imma let the show cook for now.))

[mlpdestinyverse]

TMI Tuesday: Pet peeves?

((Oh buddy

I. I hate. When you take the time to share something with someone - it could be something that happened in your life, or a piece of media you're enjoying, or a project you're passionately working on - and they just..... either give you the vaguest response, or no response at all. Like, they just respond with a noise, like "ah", and/or they change the subject or immediately make the conversation about them and make no actual commentary to show what they think, that they care, or are even paying attention. Oh my GOD, I've been experiencing that all my life and my patience has been worn thin. Even a simple "That's cool!" would be enough of a reaction, but that alone is rare for me. It makes me feel like I'm just a brick wall the other party gets to chat at all day, and I'm not allowed to do the same back. It's gotten bad enough that I don't bother sharing things about myself with people these days unless someone actually asks. And even THEN most people just brush off my response and go right into talking about themselves, so I don't even OAISHFIOHASifh ))

[mlpdestinyverse]

TMI Tuesday: Favorite food? Least favorite? Favorite weird food combination?

((I'll be combining these two asks, because food! >:0

Breakfast: On weekends, when I can take my time making and eating it, I now make tuna bowls. :0 Mix canned tuna with some cooked diced onions, peas, and throw an over-medium egg on top, and it's a good time. Lunch: I usually eat leftovers from dinner the night before, but when we can get lunch from a restaurant, then I love getting Thai! I love getting vegetable fried rice and grilled pork skewers!! \QwQ/ Dinner: As a Filipino, I gotta say nothing puts me in a good mood like some pork sinigang (sour meat soup) with white rice. But growing up, my fave was always adobo chicken wings. Least Fave: I'm not the most picky person, but I really just do not like pickles. <xD Or olives. And I will begrudgingly eat peppers. So I guess I can say that I reeaaally don't like Supreme Pizzas. Weird Combo: Does pineapple on pizza count?? I'm that gal. :0 That and I love using honey as a condiment. Love dipping fried chicken, fish, and such savory meats into it. u - u Not sure if that's a common thing!))

[mlpdestinyverse]

TMI Tuesday: What inspired you to create this AU?

((Hello!! Thank you for the asks, how fun. >:3c

When the Next Gen hype train started some years back on dA, I was really fascinated by the beautiful designs I saw and ended up wanting to design Next Gen chars of my own, for funsies! I was super into the idea of creating "sun and moon heirs" (I just love the theme), so my first Next Gens happened to be Princess Lumina and Prince Amadeus! Dream Flow and Eventide Twister were already designed at this point, just for the fun of creating pony OCs, though they weren't their own fully-realized characters yet. It wasn't until the idea of adding in a third royal kid, Star Chime, grew on me that actual story started forming! I began thinking up the very first story scenarios between Star Chime and Dream Flow.

Originally the story was way more focused on the Canterlot Royal Family (Luna and Celestia's tragic past, as well as the mystery behind their origins, were HUGE inspirations as my mind was eager to fill in the lore gaps). But as I designed more next gens, the story just kept expanding and interconnecting until some things got tweaked and the story shifted to our current cast. ; w ;

Besides the royal sisters, the concept of Cutie Marks and their connections to destiny has ALWAYS been a point of fascination for me. So this story ended up being a way to explore the theme~~ ))

[mlpdestinyverse]

How have you been lately, mod?

((Aww!! HIYA, I've been pretty alright! I've been focusing on my well-being this past year and have gotten into exercising and eating healthier, and that's all going really well so far, so that's been pretty uplifting! Besides that, I'm just chugging through work as usual and finding time to work on content when I can! ; w ;

I have a month-long vacation coming up in May, which I'm looking forward to! I'll be out of the country and nowhere near a computer, so I won't be working on any writing or drawing, but it'll be a fun and hopefullysafetrip!

Thank you so much for asking! <3 Made me very happy, eheh~))

[mlpdestinyverse]

It’s recently been brought to my attention that mobile tumblr suCKS ASS AT SHOWING TAGS AND LINKS, which is a huge problem for anyone on mobile who’d want to look into more story chapters/parts in chronological order OTL Yikers... 

BUT!! I also noticed there’s an option to pin posts, so I am going to TRY to pin a post that links to the chronological story timeline, AS WELL AS individual character arcs (or, for now, any stories that they’re tagged in). Let’s see if this works...

[mlpdestinyverse]

“Heir”

Feat. Nova Spark, Prince Amadeus , Princess Star Chime

Amadeus’ coronation has Prince Novis thinking about his own impending crowning. He can’t shake that something just feels...wrong. 

Previous: “Pressure”, 

~Destinyverse Archive~

Story Under The Cut!

Dresses and coats pass Prince Novis as dozens of ponies and creatures mingle and meander about Canterlot Castle's massive Great Hall. In the background, elegant ballroom music drifts about from a professional ensemble, passionately playing their instruments at one corner of the room. Louder than the music is a constant rumble of pleasant conversation and laughter from the celebration's guests. Novis himself, however, chooses to stand off to one side of the room, taking small, periodic sips from his cup of sparkling cider. His foreleg bounces as he watches a newly crowned Prince Amadeus warmly welcome distant dignitaries at the center of the room. Flanking Amadeus' sides are his mother and younger sister - Princess Luna and Star Chime - both mares respectfully dipping their heads in greeting at each approaching visitor but being sure to give the stallion the figurative spotlight. The coronation ceremony had come to a close a few hours ago. Once the afterparty had commenced, Novis found himself and his mother Twilight not only separated from the lunar family as ponies lined up to offer their congratulations, but the two of them were quickly surrounded by other attendees wishing to converse with Equestrian royalty. It was only when his cheeks began to feel numb after an hour and a half of consistent smiling (a new record, for sure) that his merciful mother gently nudged him to walk around and mingle with everyone. He graciously and swiftly took the exit, and to be fair, he tried to carry out his royal duty of entertaining their subjects. But three near-identical, boastful conversations later, Novis' mind had become too fatigued to handle one sentence more. 'If one more person goes off about how they shook Amadeus' wing once, I'm going to lose my mind.' Novis isn't sure what's worse; the mindless idle conversation, the citizens gushing over members of the royal family, or the noble ponies' and their not-so-subtle gloating as they take the opportunity of a grandiose event to discuss business propositions with one another. Each kind of exchange meets his ears in a rise and fall of voices from where he stands. What Novis really wants - what he's waiting for - is one chance to just say hello to his best friend. They hadn't spoken in months due to the preparation and rehearsal the stallion's coronation required. And Amadeus had been too occupied pre-coronation for Novis to sneak in a word. Now Amadeus is preoccupied with aristocrats and leaders of other lands alike, and an opportunity to have a second of his time seems unlikely. Novis' blue eyes refocus, noticing a group of strangers waving enthusiastically a few yards away. By instinct, a smile too bright to match his inner discomfort stretches across his muzzle and he waves back. Just smile and wave; the basics of royal etiquette. Immediately his smile falls once the ponies have looked away, and he ducks his head to take one long sip, as if that'd be enough to avoid any more social contact. It's then that he feels a rumble in his stomach and he remembers he hasn't eaten since he and his mother arrived in Canterlot. As he maps out a route to the nearest snack table, one with the widest berth around groups of partygoers, a familiar voice reaches his ears. Novis immediately has to fight that urge - the temptation to pretend you didn't just hear someone call out to you, but the voice in question is too close for them to be addressing anyone else so unless you want to feign hearing loss, ignoring the voice would be impractical- "There's Prince Novis! We've been looking for you!" A young male unicorn - one of the many noble children he's been forced to converse with, so who-in-Equestria-knows what his name is because Novis certainly doesn't - and two unfamiliar unicorns approach. 'Oh my God, leave me alone.' "Friend! It's good to see you!" Novis's fake grin and saccharine voice greet them. In Novis' mind, there's no way his forced friendliness is convincing. But people are too self-absorbed and eager to hear themselves talk, so he's proven wrong every time, watching the male unicorn proudly raise his head high. "Good to see you too, friend!" The unicorn preens, tossing his head and his coiffed mane with it. Novis hears the two ponies accompanying the other stallion exchange impressed whispers and giggles, and even someone as oblivious as himself can read the situation and recognize a pony flexing his connections. Novis feels distaste form on his own tongue. "What a gorgeous coronation that was! Truly worthy of everyone's envy!" The unicorn leans in with a smirk. "Even your own~?" '...what kind of arbitrary-ass question-" "No, no, never!" Novis isn't sure whether to take it as a joke or a jab, so he settles on a weak laugh. "Amadeus is my bro- brother. My brother at heart. Why be jealous when I can be proud? He's come so far and worked hard for this." "Does that mean your coronation will be even grander, Prince Novis?" One of the other unicorns pipes in curiously. Novis barely conceals a flinch. His voice gets stuck in his throat, his eyes darting between each pony's expectant face. "Um-" "Prince Novis," his savior speaks in the form of a butler, whose magic hovers a tray in front of them. They dip their head respectfully, tilting the tray in his direction and revealing miniature orange cakes with soft, cloud-like white icing. At the sight, Novis perks up. "As requested by your mother, we've arranged your favorite carrot cake treats. Please, enjoy yourself." A sense of delight fills the young prince's chest, his belly feeling that much more hollow while breathing in the sweet scent of carrot and cream cheese icing. Just as he intends to push his magic forward and pick up a delicate treat, he doesn't miss the chuckle from the stallion next to him. "I'd say to watch your figure, but I suppose you won't have to worry about your coronation for another few years." Novis glances at his company, only to find their eyes boring into him. Despite wearing his formal attire he feels a shiver run across his pelt, causing hairs even under his dress wear to rise. The other unicorn just smiles back. "Don't mind us, your highness. Go on! You can probably afford it." That's when Novis catches the unconcealed movement of each of their eyes, darting between his face and his body, and his stomach churns in realization. The sickening feeling crawls under his skin, making even tailored clothes feel tight around him, making him feel exposed enough to take a step back from the platter and say, unthinkingly; "Thanks, but I'm not hungry." That's enough to dismiss the butler, who bows one more time before wandering away. The three other young unicorns pick up their laughter and chatter, but Novis hears none of it. The quiet bitterness simmering at his core brings him to block out their noise, yet simultaneously, his royal training puts him on autopilot. Not that it takes much effort to converse with nobility so self-absorbed, they'll put others down in every subtle way they can just to bask in a sense of superiority. He just has to be pleasant; smile and nod, laugh when everyone else does, 'ooh' and 'aah' as the other party boasts- Rinse and repeat. A robotic loop for...the rest of his life, Novis supposes. The aristocracy is a crowd Equestrian royalty has always strived to maintain a cordial relationship with, being collaborative partners and descendants of long-gone, highly esteemed wizards who once aided the crown. 'This is just the company I'll have to keep.' With his mind lost to a dull buzz of trivial exchanges, Novis would have missed the movement in his periphery had he not noticed the shift in the murmurs around him, now light and filled with reverence. Halfway across the room, Amadeus gracefully strolls away from his family, approaching a table of refreshments on the sidelines. The male Alicorn smiles and dips his head to the groupings of ponies he passes, who eagerly bow and curtsy in return. Novis sees his chance. "Uuh- excuse me, you three, I just remembered there are important matters I need to address, good day-" Novis quickly echoes what he remembers reading from his mother's list of "Common Phrases for an Eloquent Exit", the riveting sequel to her initial gift,  "Helpful Responses and Phrases for Pleasant Conversation." Novis doesn't bother waiting for an answer, throwing common courtesy to the wind in favor of making a beeline for his friend. It takes a moment of weaving and excusing himself, but Novis' eyes stay locked on that starry mane of blues and purples. A tinge of nervousness settles in him at the idea of not reaching the older prince in time, but to his own relief, the purple stallion finds his hooves past the crowd. Novis lets out a heavy sigh he's been holding in for far too long, and it's loud enough to catch the ear of the larger stallion. When Amadeus' lavender eyes fall on his smaller form, the other prince's whole expression brightens. "Ammy!" Novis greets first, grinning toothily and closing the last few steps between them. Amadeus surprises him by placing a hoof over his own chest and bowing deeply. "Novis, my friend! How wonderful it is to see you in good health!" He proclaims, standing up straight with a polite smile. Novis' face crinkles at the odd greeting, only for realization to hit him when he very much sees the mischievous twinkle in his friend's eye. The noise Novis releases is a sophisticated mix between a scoff and a laugh. "Hey, hey, hey! Don't you use your formal voice on me!" Amadeus' polite smile immediately splits into a cheeky grin. Horn glowing a similar shade to his eyes, the blue-splotched Alicorn levitates and tips his newly earned black and white crown at the purple stallion. "Mmmmm-m'lord~" This time unrestrained laughter bursts out of Novis, and he shakes his head vigorously. Oh, he missed him. "My Gods you're so stupid, come here." Amadeus is squeezed into a hug before another cursed phrase can leave his muzzle, and the silver-pelted prince chuckles low, surely aware of this. Novis feels the weight of one of Amadeus' shimmering wings return his hug (two wings would smother him, good thing his friend is thoughtful). Upon pulling away, Amadeus' face practically glows as much as his hair does in the night. "I made it, Nov..." "'Course you did." Novis' mouth quicks up in one corner. He lightly thumps the back of his hoof against the Alicorn's chest. "Like me or anyone ever doubted you, man. Congrats." "Thank you..." Amadeus sighs out. Novis can see a few tired lines under his friend's eyes, but he also sees relief in his relaxed features. A weight has been lifted; irrational fears and insecurities Novis knows the stallion has been holding onto, ever since... 'Your dad would be proud', he doesn't say. Novis can imagine the dozens of times Amadeus has to have heard that exact phrase within the hour alone. But meeting his friend's gaze, Novis sees warmth emanate from Amadeus', and the young stallion knows the sentiment is understood. "Sooo..." Novis rocks back and forth on his hooves, the awkward and mushy silence beginning to make him antsy. "What was your coronated name again? 'Amadeus Sirius Altair'?" He exaggerates a thoughtful hum. "Pretty cool, but uh....maybe leave some star names fooor, I dunno, Star Chime?" Amadeus laughs heartily, easily breaking away from the heavy atmosphere. "Sister has plenty to choose from. And she has as many years as you do to choose her new name. You're both up next, after all." It happens again. Like a sack of rocks being forced down his throat to weigh in his chest cavity, Novis feels like he's physically recoiling away from the topic despite standing completely still. The sheer agitation catches even him off guard. 'It's just a coronation. You get through a big fancy ceremony, you're given a gaudy crown, then it's over. You move on with your life.' ...he knows it's not that simple. "That reminds me!" Novis puts every shred of energy into a completely natural topic change. "Now that your coronation is over, we should have a game night this week! It'll be a celebration between us! It's been WAY too long." Novis' hopeful smile falters upon hearing a nervous laugh tumble out of the Alicorn. "Oh yeah...sorry Nov, I wish I could, but it sounds like I'm going to be busier than ever now that I'm crowned. Mother informed me that there'll be responsibilities I'll be officially taking over, full-time. But!" Amadeus perks up. "But once things settle down in a few months' time, I can probably schedule something in!" A few months. Novis isn't sure what shifts in his own expression, but whatever it is, Amadeus catches it. The older prince's eyes soften, and he offers an assuring smile. Leaning down, Amadeus nudges the top of Novis' head with his nose. "Hey, it won't always be like this, Nova. Don't worry. We'll make time, I promise." "Yeah..." he returns in a weak attempt to agree. Novis tries to find the faintest bit of assurance in his friend's words, but the unease in his chest weighs heavier. "Oh, mother is waving me back over. I suppose I have more leaders to meet." Amadeus chuckles softly. Before Novis can look up, a single glimmering feather gently flicks his nose, startling him. The offended look he shoots the other stallion earns him a delighted laugh. Novis' suppressed smile betrays his feigned annoyance. But boy, Amadeus is lucky they're in public. It's like he forgets that lightning magic and pretty, manicured galaxy manes don't exactly go well together- "Cheer up, okay? We'll go all out and stay up as long as we want the next time we get together. And then you can tell me about all the progress you've made on your game! Believe me, I'm looking forward to it!" Right. His game. Novis presses his mouth into a tight line, but he manages a smile and a small salute when Amadeus glances back at him. "Yeah, yeah. Go get'em, prince." Amadeus reciprocates with a playful salute of his wing before striding back in the direction of his family and a cluster of attendees. With his back turned, Novis feels his smile vanish. 'Right...I'm next', he thinks, in a room full of carefree partygoers all gathered to celebrate the inauguration of their beloved lunar prince. A coronation is a joyous occasion, for the royal family and their subjects alike. Novis tries to imagine his own. The weight in his chest remains. -------------------------------- 'Where did she go?' Novis travels down another hallway, nearly identical to the one before it. Were it not for the years he spent exploring the castle during his and his mother's frequent visits, Amadeus acting as his tour guide, he would have absolutely gotten lost in the maze that is Canterlot Castle. Thankfully, he has a decent map of the layout in his head. It's been an hour since Amadeus' afterparty ended, and Novis was surprised by how fast everyone had scattered. One minute his mother and Princess Celestia were conversing in one corner of the Great Hall, and the next, they were both gone. His mother most likely assumed he would have rather stayed behind to see his "friends" off, as opposed to the reality of him ducking behind the snack tables to sneak his way behind the crowd with the precision of someone who's played one too many stealth games. Novis originally opted to retire to his guestroom for the night. But the discomfort he'd felt during the party had failed to leave him. He can't shake it. He can't pull his mind away from the reminder that in three years' time, he'll be faced with the finality that is his crowning. And the fact that this is his knee-jerk reaction to the mere thought has made it obvious that something is very wrong. He knows he won't be able to rest, not until he tries talking it out with her. And the only place his mother and Celestia would head off to would be... Beyond him to his left, Novis sees the large, open doors of the pillared corridor that leads straight to the throne room. When he turns to walk through the colossal doorway, he expects his eyes to lock onto the set of double doors on the far end of the hall. Instead, his deep blue orbs flicker toward a figure, standing off to the side. Princess Twilight Sparkle, framed by the towering windows and panels of stained glass lining both walls of the corridor, is gazing up towards one of the artistic glass panels. The light beyond it shines through, reflecting colors off of her tranquil face. Novis approaches wordlessly. If he's honest, he rarely pays any mind to the stained glass windows in this hallway, always shrugging them off as relics portraying events from far in the past. But as he slows to a stop beside his mother, the young stallion tilts his head back, eyes wide as he fully takes in the regal majesty that is his mother's stained glass portrait. The glowing, immortalized image of his mother on her coronation day, powerful wings outstretched, smiles elegantly back at him. "Amadeus will have his own panel built tomorrow. It'll be constructed next to Lumina's." Novis turns towards the sound of his mother's voice, now noticing that she's smiling warmly at him. He peeks past her and further down the corridor. Where there once was a panel that depicted the defeat of Lord Discord by the royal sisters now resided a more promising display; Princess Lumina in all her Celestia-like grace, with brilliant gold and orange glass illuminating the space around her half-Alicorn, half-Draconequus form. "And if I'm right," Twilight continues, a tinge of excitement in her voice. Her wing wraps around him and pulls him into her side. She gestures her hoof towards one of the normal windows next to her glass portrait. "Celestia plans on assembling yours right beside mine!" "A-ah..." he struggles out. "That's...great, mom." His mother's wing squeezes his side at the same time she grins down at him. "I'm beyond proud of Amadeus. But I have to admit, today has made it impossible to stop thinking about your coronation!" "S-same here." A painfully stilted laugh shakes his shoulders. "Actually, um, mom...that's what I came here to ask about, if-" Novis cuts himself off, because Twilight's eyes practically shine at the prospect of questions. She pulls her wing back and straightens her posture, taking on the stance of a wise, experienced teacher. "Ask away, Novie~" she answers with an almost sing-song cadence. A smile threatens to tug at his muzzle. He takes in a deep breath instead. "Well...today it's come to my attention that I'll most likely have less time to myself once my coronation has passed. There's..." He pauses because no way in Tartarus will he suggest to the Friendship Princess that the Friendship Prince has been spending his spare time and resources developing a video game. As if just bringing up the subject to his "friends" has ever ended positively. He's had quite enough of being subtly ridiculed. "...there's a project I'm trying to work on- not an invention, just for fun. It's a lot of meticulous work and I'm honestly worried I won't have time in the future to give any projects like it the attention they need. Am I wrong?" Law amendments, passing legislation, working with representatives and leaders; meetings, paperwork, hosting festivities, bringing ponies together and spreading the values of friendship; a long-winded list that barely scrapes the iceberg of duties Novis knows will be completely his one day. Novis' studies on those subjects and the times he's shadowed his mother alone have left him with only small windows of time to himself. And half of that free time is usually spent on everyone's long-awaited magi-tech research. It's not unlike the free time his mother sets aside to aid Sunset Shimmer in the mare's magi-tech pursuits. 'Maybe I'm overthinking this...once studying is out of the picture, I'll have more time than I'm imagining to-' "You're right that you'll have less time than you do now! You'll have plenty of fun work to occupy you, but that's the joy of making a schedule!" Twilight gushes, and oh, his mother speaks that single word like it's a holy phrase. "Once all of your duties for the day are organized nice and neat, you'll find yourself with at least an hour of downtime here and there, for any extra activities you want to fit in! Since your activities are just fun side projects, the work will be gradual, sure, but it'll simply be a matter of patience at that point." Oh... Novis really thought getting a straight answer would ease his gnawing anxiety. Instead, it feels more like his worst fears have been realized. An hour "here and there" won't be enough. The feeling in his chest shouts this at him, at her. It's not enough time to dedicate his...his attention and passion to his work. He doesn't want to just "fit it in", like a trivial hobby he'll drop the moment he's bored. He... "Is something wrong, Novie?" He's been quiet too long, he realizes. Twilight's looking at him, puzzled. "...I don't know, I've been feeling kind of..." Out of my mind. Restless. Terrified. "...nervous. Thinking about my coronation. I-it just feels like a lot, I guess." Novis bites his lip. "Almost like I'm...panicking inside." His mind feels scattered. He thinks back to earlier in the day; the forced socializations, the hollow friendships, his fake laughter and royal courtesies. Everything he's played along with until now...everything that'll be a permanent part of his life once he takes to the throne- And now he knows that the singular passion that gave him an escape will barely have a place anymore. Twilight's awkward chuckle snaps him out of his spiraling thoughts. "Oh yeah, you...might have gotten that from me. I used to panic ALL the time." Novis pauses, taking a solid moment to eye his mother. "...you still kind of do." "Alright, you got me there. But my point is that I developed a far better grasp on it once I settled into my role! You're quick to adapt, Novie. It'll get easier for you too, I'm sure. I can even teach you the breathing techniques I use to calm down-" Something crosses Twilight's face, as if she's been reminded of something. That eager shine returns to her violet eyes. "But fiiirst...I want to share something with you. I was planning on waiting a year or two, but maybe this will be an exciting source of encouragement!" A spark of magenta magic manifests a black velvet box between them. Her horn alight with energy, his mother wastes no time in presenting it to him before opening its lid slowly. Inside is a golden crown. It's covered in intricate carvings and adorned with evenly spaced blue gemstones. His family's six-pointed star sits neatly at the front, carved out of a red jewel that glimmers under the light of the stained glass. Novis feels an icy wave overtake his entire body. "May I?" His mother asks. He numbly nods, despite himself. He feels the metal settle on his hair, and when the Alicorn before him stands back to take him in, her expression is soft and prideful. A small mirror sparks into existence, blocking out the sight of her and replacing it with his reflection. He sees himself for the first time that day and sees creases under his wide eyes. The sight of that crown accompanying his face brings back the churning in his stomach. "A perfect fit." His mother declares. "I decided to have this custom ordered early! Rarity helped with the design. She used the highest quality gemstones she could find." She then playfully curtsies, dipping her head as an exaggerated fancy accent takes over her voice. "I'd say you look quite dashing, Prince Novis Noctis Spark." -the name he settled on for his coronation. Twilight lifts her head up to look at him, her expression expectant and playful. Novis tenses, his eyes flashing between her and his reflection. She's trying to get him to laugh. She's expecting a reaction. "It's...good." The words come out strangled, but clear enough. He tries to smile. The mirror reveals a grimace. "It's like a...new me." The mirror disappears in another spark of magenta magic. His mother's face is now clearer to him, and there, he sees a worried frown. The weight of the crown leaves his head, and he watches her carefully angle it back into its box. A soft sigh leaves her as she teleports it away, back to her room or whatever pocket dimension her powerful magic pulls items from. "Oh Novie..." she murmurs, catching him off guard. The tips of her feathers reach out and smooth back his hair. Novis meets her sympathetic gaze, feeling more vulnerable than ever before. A small sliver of hope manifests in him. Maybe his mother understands his fears better than he does- His hopes are dashed. "A coronation is a big change. You might feel like you're not ready for something that feels bigger than you. I've been there." Her feathers move to his cheek, holding his face there. "But I promise you, Novis; fulfilling your destiny is the most freeing experience. Soon you'll realize that there was never anything to be nervous about in the first place. You're more capable than you realize. You'll see." The gentle caress of her feathers ends at his forehead. She shoots him one last, loving smile. "Hey. Celestia told me dinner would be ready soon. We should get going; I'll teach you those breathing techniques after." Novis nods, because he isn't sure what else to do. With that, Twilight turns towards the archway exit of the hall, her regal white and blue gown flowing out behind her as she strides away. While he turns to follow, the young prince pauses in place. With a tilt of his head, Novis looks up one last time at the immense stained glass portrait. Celestia's fading sunlight illuminates her faithful student's panel from behind. The radiant purple and pink hues of his mother, in turn, fall on him in streams of colored light. His shadow hides behind him. A sharp pang hits his chest, and his ears pull back as his mother's words return to him. Fulfilling your destiny is freeing. Novis wonders, then, why he feels trapped. ________________________________________ Twi be out here like "It worked out for me, so it'll work out for you!" She's trying, guys. A bit of lore I ended up leaving out in this chapter, because it interrupted the flow: the "coronated name" is a tradition that started with the oldest of the royal children, Fleurence Valentina Heart of the Crystal Empire (AKA Flurry Heart). It continued onto Lumina Alice Solae, and then Amadeus Sirius Altair. As mentioned in his bio, the "Noctis" in the name Nova picked out is a nod to his soul brother and lunar prince, Amadeus. The tradition was intended to help each royal heir fully embody their ascension to the throne. I'm so happy with this art piece. Twilight's stained glass window from the MLP movie is one of my favorite MLP visuals of all time (I have a poster of the full version that includes her friends on my wall~), so getting to recreate it was such an honor. Also, you may notice that this illustration is an absolute parallel of a certain back shot of Twilight from the movie~ It was heavily referenced when making the background! But yes, this chapter is more of a transitional one, meant to fully establish Nova's inner conflict. ; w ; Very important nonetheless.

[mlpdestinyverse]

“Seasonal Greetings (Dream Flow)”

Feat.  Dreamaria Flow

"Sorry, did I keep you waiting? Goodness, it's been a while since we've last seen each other! Here, this is from me to you! I know, I know, I'm so late! But I wanted to show my appreciation. I know you've been trying so hard lately...you deserve something nice! You also deserve a break, but ahh, let's unpack that later! Haha! With that said: let's do our best in the coming year...!"

A message from our local friend and counselor, Dreamaria Flow-

My late Christmas/New Year's gift to all of you! I held a poll on dA asking which Destinyverse character I should draw in a holiday piece and Dreamers won! 

I've never done anything like this before, but I'm really into the concept of special "winter holiday lines". I also wanted an excuse to draw someone from the cast in a nice holiday outfit. > v > Honestly, this was a really difficult year for me. But I'm coming out of it with a will that's burning to stride forward. I truly hope I can work on more art next year and grow in whatever ways I can. <3 Thank you for sticking with me~