When a new large - and extremely powerful - group of enemies appears seemingly out of nowhere and attacks Canterlot, Twilight and her friends have to sneak into their underground lair to find and stop the source of their power. Then things get complicated.
Canon-divergent AU with an alternate outcome to the Season 6 finale.
Cover and chapter art by me.
Hot damn this is interesting.
So I'm curious on how exactly the season six finale played out if the changelings didn't, well, change and Thorax didn't become the leader. What little you've given implies it played out pretty much the same as before, just sans those details, but in my mind that still leaves a few blanks that need filling, and overall leaves it feeling vague.
I mean, it's not that key to the story, or anything, I guess I'm just uncertain on why Thorax felt obligated to go back to the Crystal Empire instead of stick around at the changeling hive and give them pointers (as surely they'd need some no matter how you cut it), leader or no.
Other than that, it all seems promising.![:twilightsmile:](https://static.fimfiction.net/images/emoticons/twilightsmile.png)
9518595
Personally, I find Thorax's story more interesting when he's with the ponies than with the hive, so I wanted to focus that on my story. Also, I didn't want to put too many details of my To Where and Back Again alternate ending, because I didn't want people to argue or get angry at me about it.
But in my AU basically the changelings are working with other ponies to try and make peace between them. Thorax does want to help teach the other changelings at some point (this will come up later in the story).
Thorax didn't go back to the Crystal Empire out of any obligation; instead he chose to. The in-universe reasons for this are A) He wanted to stay and learn more about friendship (partly so that he can help teach the other changelings later on because they are still learning to be good), B) His life in the changeling hive was a bad experience, and C) He wanted to stay with his first ever friends.
Thank you!
9518485
Thank you!
9521496![:twilightsmile:](https://static.fimfiction.net/images/emoticons/twilightsmile.png)
All perfectly valid reasons, actually. And I don't have a problem with it. I've come to like the changedlings, but I too kind of wish the show had spent more time on Thorax being Thorax before all of that, especially on that friendship between him and Spike.
And I can understand your fear of critics over the matter, but if I may, I think you're fretting over it a bit too much. The fic's acknowledged as an AU, and a pretty conservative one at that, and in my experience, readers are more likely to roll with that than you might think. It's really only when you do something on the more "extreme" end of an AU that you're more prone to get objectors, and this fic certainly isn't that as far as I can see.![:twilightsmile:](https://static.fimfiction.net/images/emoticons/twilightsmile.png)
Besides, I think these are details that would be good to be given in the story itself, if only to ensure the reader understands clearly just what makes the fic an AU in the first place...otherwise you're probably going to have more readers asking you for clarifications over it like I did as the story goes on. And sometimes, regardless of how you fear your audience might react, you just have to commit to it and lay down the line and say straight up that this is how it's going to be, take it or leave it. One of the advantages of that is that it shows you're confident in your own work and its chances for success.![:raritywink:](https://static.fimfiction.net/images/emoticons/raritywink.png)
And if you still have concerns about reader reaction, you can always explain your reasons in the author's note or in the comments like you just did with me.
9522043
Thank you so much for this comment!
I think I was just kind of paranoid since I don't know this fandom well, I didn't know how people would react. But I will definitely try to be more confident about this!
I will explain these things more in the story. I can include some of this in Chapter 2 to make it clearer to the readers, and if I need to, I can put more details in the author's notes if it's something that will come up in the story later.
9522043
Same here. Changedlings are great, but Thorax should have gotten more development before he became a king and all that.
If the main OCs in this story were voiced, what would they sound like?
9582397
I have voices for them in my head, but I'm not sure how to describe them yet. The most important ones haven't been officially seen in the story yet, but they will soon.
Is Rose an alicorn? If so, that'd be cool.
9588424
You'll have to wait and see!
9584790
When you do, could you please use voice actors?
9731562
I could maybe find some voice actors to voice them if I wanted to make a video of a scene.
I really dig this story. It's goooood.
9740487
Thank you! More to come soon.
Seriously wish that this story had more likes and views. It deserves them much more than some other stories.
9746958
Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoy it. I think the reason it doesn't have many readers is because I'm new at writing for this fandom.
Something tells me that the pain Thorax is in isn't from Scarlet's spell.
*Menacing duns*
I hope you're not setting up Thorax to die![:fluttershysad:](https://static.fimfiction.net/images/emoticons/fluttershysad.png)
9789082
The damage to Thorax is actually from the spell, and later in the story it will be explained exactly what the spell did. The spell Scarlet used an important thing for later in the story.
9790241
No, he is injured but not dying. He is my favorite character and important to the rest of the story.
Is this story also going to end with Chrysalis being overthrown and acting different then how she previously acted, and the changelings getting new forms that most of the fans don't like?
9898198![:twilightsheepish:](https://static.fimfiction.net/images/emoticons/twilightsheepish.png)
...going to really try and do this without fanning any flames, deliberate or otherwise...
How do you mean Chrysalis "acting different then how she previously acted?" From what I recall, she stayed fairly consistent on that all throughout the series.![:applejackunsure:](https://static.fimfiction.net/images/emoticons/applejackunsure.png)
9898198![:twilightsmile:](https://static.fimfiction.net/images/emoticons/twilightsmile.png)
Also, not to speak on the behalf of the author here, but he's already indicated in past comments earlier in the story that he intended to keep the events of "To Where and Back Again" largely out of this story, precisely because he knew it was a controversial subject for fans, and he didn't wish to add to the controversy. So unless plans have since changed, I can assume that is still the case here.
9898198
Wut...? It says in the description of this story that this is an AU where the Season 6 finale ended differently. Chrysalis has already been overthrown before the events of this story. And why are you ranting about an episode here? That has absolutely nothing to do with this story.
This story is criminally underrated.
10458230
Thank you. c:
I'm new to this story but I'm glad it's been updated. Don't worry about the long waits between chapters, just work on them at your own pace, I've been there, and I'm sure everyone else is willing to be patient too. This is a great new chapter, I'm looking forward to the next.
Very interesting way to start off the story can't wait to see how this will work out
Well then of course Pinkie Pie shut off the party Cannon off lol 😆
I'm really digging this story. Keep up the great work, my dude!![:twilightsmile:](https://static.fimfiction.net/images/emoticons/twilightsmile.png)
Ok so the celebration of the crystalling celebration is starting and it's so cool to see how thorax has been doing lately so this is takes place after the season 6 finale but with a Different Twist i wonder who's going to take over the hive his brother pharynx or someone not sure but after the celebration Luna visit Twilight into the dream warning her about the danger of the three unknown unicorns attacking Canterlot but who are those unknown ponies I guess we'll find out
Totally worth the wait!
I came in pretty late to your story but I'm glad that the story is continuing on and it is very interesting alternate route for thorax to decide to stay at the Crystal Empire can't wait to see what's the rest of it
10534569
Thank you!
10534603
As of now there's no real official leader but it won't be Thorax. And thanks, you'll see!
10534560
Thank you, and thanks for understanding. I definitely want to do my best.
10534601
Thanks, I will!
10534631
Thanks, I'm very happy to hear it! Your stories are definitely on my to-do list for when I'm feeling better.
10534647
Thanks, I have a lot planned for this that I'm excited to show people!
10535801
No problem, I understand
10535810
No problem I can't wait to see the rest of your story but try to take your time on your story 😊
Yay! New Chapter!
I was so sad when I thought this story might have been canceled, glad to see it continuing :D
10535898
Thanks! And nope, definitely not cancelled. I love the story too much to quit.
Well it looks like Twilight any others tried to figure out what the other unknown unicorn wants and so apparently they are attacking Canterlot but you need to find the source first and just like the changeling Kingdom there are certain unicorns cannot use Magic song With a Little Help from thorax he got enough information what is the cave looks like so now they are venturing inside and finding out what is the source
Oh boy things got really escalated very quickly in the middle of the story so basically they try to travel all through the tunnels but they lead to a dead end but unfortunately the noise and everything give the other unicorns that there is Intruders and the tunnels which makes things more difficult and unfortunately all of them got separated after the ambush while the other three got captured but the others who is not got away but now they're on high alert how are Twilight and the others get out of this situation
Things are really bad right now now they're in separate for groups unless you want to count Twilight not really having somebody with her but anyway Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie made their escape same with Spike Starlight and thorax but the ones who got caught Rainbow dash Rarity and Applejack doesn't look good for them right now especially Applejack hook a truth serum that she spilled the beans about every information what they were trying to do and what's going on around the world because apparently they are literally are in the dark what's going on in the world but now they know everything what's going on and things are much harder as it is
10536668
Yep, that's pretty much it. Not far into the mission and things are going VERY wrong.
Ok things look pretty bad right now the other unicorns found twilight again so did thorax fights with his thinking he disguised himself as Twilight so the other unicorns chase him instead which that's a pretty good plan but unfortunately Starlight and Spike got separated because now the other ones are chasing them but while this is happening thorax got Caught an unknown to the unicorns that is not Twilight but they took him to the leader and then leading him to the tunnel spike is trying to figure out how to get them out of there while Twilight is still running around she found Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy but it looks like they are close to the artifact still looking for but right now things are not doing good they need to find the others and thorax because he's in serious trouble I wonder what's going to happen