Second update: Daily Equestria Life With Monster Girl

So it turns out there's people reading this story who, for lack of a better summary, haven't met me.

They haven't looked at the main 'verse, and may have no intention of ever doing so.  They aren't familiar with the AU elements which have built up over the years.  Every character interpretation is being seen for the first time.  They are here for Cerea, and nothing more.

Which means they haven't had previous exposure to how I work.

Hey, long-timers!  Remember when the Triptych comments section was full of people telling me how much I clearly hated Twilight?  How about when we had a small contingent begging that Joyous' "torture" end?  Oh, and let's not forget the one who felt that a silly comedy about garlic knots required the Bearers to be separated from their Elements.  That was fun.

It's starting again.  (Realistically, it's been going for a while:  it's just recently become rather focused.)  And this 6200 word chapter hit a natural break point going about 90mph -- after I finished writing something which, to be fully frank about it, creeped me out.  This is a bleak sort of segment to begin with, and the last big scene is one of those reminders you get every so often:  ponies aren't humans.  After finishing what I felt was a fairly intense scene, knowing that I have readers who think the story is getting too dark...

So I said two things, in full public view:  first comment on the chapter.  The first was that there will be a third update on this story before February ends.  I very actively don't want to give people too much time to stew over this one.

The second is that the next chapter will contain a ray of light.

I will very likely never make that kind of public announcement again.  But there are readers who don't know me, the cries of too close are about to go up, and...

Sometimes, we all need a chance to breathe.