All Twilight had to do was finish Starswirl the Bearded's final spell. She didn't have to become undead, seal her soul in the Elements of Harmony, or enlist her friends in an effort to fix everything... but you have to play the hand you're dealt.

Even if it's rotting off.

-

Big ups to Themaskedferret for all her support on this story.

Twilight wasn't one to sit alone in bars and stare at an empty glass. On the one rare occasion she found herself in that position, however, she thought to herself that though breaking up with somepony hurt, it was far worse when it didn't hurt at all.

Small writing exercise to vent out my frustrations at life.

Idol Hooves holds a special place in Equestria. He's probably the only exiled changeling to serve in the Royal Guard, or at least, that's what he expects, as exiles don't really broadcast that fact. However, it's well known that Princess Celestia loves all of her little ponies, and her guards perhaps more so, and that makes it one of the best ways for a changeling to discreetly feed.

But how does a changeling even get there, let alone get exiled in the first place? For that matter, why would it ever go to Canterlot? Set a number of years before the series proper, before Luna’s redemption, Idol details how he was exiled, the ponies he’s met, and the series of misadventures that led him to joining the Royal Guard, and should continue a good ways into the series, as something of an alternate perspective.

Soon, he’ll have to deal with a boisterous new princess to serve and a royal wedding in the works bringing a third to power. Will his old instincts bring this new life crashing down around him? What precipitates Chrysalis’s ill-fated assault on Canterlot? Is it really so wrong for a changeling to enjoy good craftsmanship to an obsessive degree?

New cover art provided by the fantastic Carnifex

And a TVTropes page here.

And an Ask Blog of questionable canonity!
Out of Idol Curiosity

Fanart by Norad2! Major thanks! Short For a Royal Guard

Art by Egophiliac of Idol and his Daring Duckie Please don't tell him what that brush is meant for.

Rating updated to (T), it's a bit darker than (E)
Comedy Tag added as well
And changed the character tags a bit.

Daybreaker: the monster in Celestia's heart, and the age-long mystery of her life. Her friend and tormentor, her companion and foe. Fanatically devoted to their future, yet desiring one horrific to Celestia.

It is growing stronger.

Sequel is now live!

Revenge. It has been the only thing on Chrysalis’s mind during the months of her exile. What should have been her greatest triumph turned out to be her ultimate downfall. After months of waiting, she has at last developed a plot to win back the support of the changelings and take over Equestria: Run a dating service.

Disguised as the lovely unicorn Cherub, she starts up her business, ready to reclaim what she had lost. However, she soon discovers that the dating world is not as simple as it appears. Realizing that she cannot do this alone, she is forced to seek help from the most unlikely of sources.

Cover image created and permitted by FeliXao.

They came suddenly and without warning. They wanted us to boop them. We must resist.

The art is by neuro if anyone was wondering.

When a certain drake find himself leaving home for a life of adventure, Twilight Sparkle finds herself in need of an assistant. While most would consider it the highest of honors working under any other princess, there's a problem with the newly-anointed alicorn.

She's absolutely, unapologetically, absurdly crazy.

Here are her adventures, as well as the adventures of her new assistant, who desperately wished he had ignored what father's advice and went into the profession of stripping.

Artists is Paradigmpizza

Ponies get punched, repeatedly. In the face.

Shattered Skies has lived quite some time. He had done well for himself over the past few thousand years; staying out of the public eye and remaining generally uninvolved from pony society while he tended his forests.

Who wouldn't want that, right?

His job came with excellent security and fringe benefits, but after he was betrayed by a princess he trusted, all he wants to do is to live a normal life even if the world tells him otherwise.

Oc disclaimer: The original characters that appear in the story that are not my own have been obtained from the original owners via written permission.

To better herself, Luna has studied Twilight's actions and friendship reports almost religiously. However, she never expected to find the tables turned and be under the microscope herself, nor did she realize that a pony would go so far for one they called friend.

Pre-reading/editing by auramane, Habanc, Foals Errand, Meridian Prime, and Timaeus

Cover art commissioned by me and done by Silfoe and can be found here. Thanks a bunch!