It takes a certain kind of pony to become a personal servant to the princesses. One must have patience, grace, a clever head, and be a problem solver.

Dapper Dash is one such pony.

Although skeptical about the idea of having a personal butler, Dapper Dash soon proves he is anything but an ordinary butler. While most ponies would be rattled or nervous around Celestia and Luna, he seems to be calm, and even managing to keep up with them.

He's a true gentlecolt, and not only that, he is quite the learned stallion, impressing even princesses. Clearly he is more than than he seems, but not much is known about him. With the drama around the palace it may be good to have an ally that can think on his hooves.

After all, a butler is there to make life easier for their charges.

Big thanks to Hoodwinked MCShelster for the amazing cover art! Really love how it turned out! ^^

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.

“Hey Pharynx?” Thorax asked, trotting up to his brother’s nest and nudging him.

“What wimp?” Pharynx asked, opening a lavender eye and looking at his brother.

“Why is mom our only parent?”

“Huh?” Pharynx raised his head.

“All the other nymphs have a mom and a dad. How come we don’t have a dad?”

One conversation over twenty years ago can do a lot. Soon after the anniversary of Chrysalis' defeat, Thorax and Pharynx begin to question...where's their father? After a little while of searching, they think they've found a lead. But one problem still remains...because deep down...Pharynx still isn't sure if finding their dad will fix anything...and if they do find him...will Thorax still need him?

Featured 7/12/2020, 8/16/2020, and 9/6/2020!

Traveling the world can be a strange and dangerous ordeal, especially when you're all but on your own.

And after one adventure ends in almost complete disaster, Twilight Sparkle has decided to take a much-needed vacation for both herself and her sole companion. Some time to themselves, some time to catch up on their reading, and some time to not almost be eaten by dragons. And fortunately, she's managed to come across a nice quiet little country town to settle her roots into for the foreseeable future.

Unfortunately, it's never quite that easy. Especially when your name is Twilight Sparkle, a pony with a knack for getting mixed up in all sorts of trouble. And the quiet little town she has found might not be so quiet after all...

Cover art commissioned by me, from one Hoodwinked MCShelster.
Audio-version over on YouTube.
If you can't see the cover art, it's because I currently can't upload it to FimFiction. So for the time being, you can see it by clicking This Link.

>>FEATURED A MULTITUDE OF TIMES. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH<<
Tags are subject to change depending on viewer response. For the sake of ease, here are my "subtags," placed down here instead of up there because there isn't room for them.
—Comedy
—Drama
—Mystery
An alternate universe story based on some G5 rumors, this really odd dream I had once, and a few other things. Expect references/shoutouts to all sorts of MLP media, such as the movie or comics, and various other fantasy works like D&D. But also expect some major instances of me changing things to further distinguish this from canon. Spike is a pretty good example. You'll figure out why soon enough.
This story is written exclusively for entertainment purposes.

Story has been canceled. For more information on that front, see here: https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/1004535/finding-friendship-cancelation-announcement

This story is a sequel to Walk Where There Is No Path

Now that Spike has convinced Princess Cadance that the ponies had been wrong to assume Thorax was an enemy, the kind changeling was given, and accepted, the opportunity to make the Crystal Empire his new home, one where he hoped to soon have many friends, plenty of love to sustain him, and basically a good life, much better than the one he’d escaped from. He really should have known it wasn’t going to be that easy.

Set between Walk Where There Is No Path and Winds of Change. The story will touch on some of the events from Path, but familiarity with said story isn’t an absolute requirement.

Edit 5-Aug-2021: Whoa, made it into the Featured slot! Thanks guys!

This story is a sequel to Trouble in Tiatarta

Reading Trouble in Tiatarta is not necessary to enjoy this story, but you should probably read Queen Chrysalis Reforms (Accidentally)

Rainbow Dash is certain she's about to have the best week ever! She's gotten a letter from her idol Daring Do, inviting her to an expedition to the ancient Centaurian ruin of Midnight Castle to retrieve a lost Equestrian artifact! A daring adventure with Daring Do? What could go wrong?

Well, for one thing, Doctor Caballeron could show up, chasing after the same artifact. For another, Lord Tirek and Cozy Glow could show up too, with their own nefarious plans. Wait, but they're supposed to be in Tartarus!

Maybe this isn't going to be such a great week after all...

Twilight Sparkle was banished from Equestria a long time ago for a crime she didn't commit. The rest of the Mane 6 have been searching for her to tell her that she can return. When they do find Twilight, they realize that the trials of surviving outside Equestria have changed their old friend. Not all the changes are necessarily good.

As they return to Equestria, they must figure out who is opposing them. Shadows lurk in every corner, enemies watching for a single misstep. Not to mention, Twilight's shadows are creeping up on her. But even if they do manage to face the trials and troubles, do they have what it takes to face what awaits them back home?

If you want to chat to me, we have a discord server here!

Editing team: Stinium_Ruide
People who've helped me before:
Ex-coauthor: computerneek
Ex-editor: Holtinater

The Changelings are in rough shape, ArchQueen Chrysalis has been taking over the other Hives and purging their Royals, with the intention of becoming the sole ruler of the Changelings and eventually taking over the world.

While she has successfully wiped out most of the Royals, she doesn't know she missed one, a young Royal Stallion, hidden away by his mother and father to challenge Chrysalis for the right to rule the Changelings.

Now this young Royal, with the help of his trusted friends and allies, must build his own Hive for the eventual confrontation.

Story starts a few years before Nightmare Moon's return and goes from there.

Will add or change tags if needed and may change the cover art.

The story begins shortly after Thorax helps the Badlands Swarm reform. MLP FIM is mostly canon, but a bit more combative.

Thorax now leads the Reformed Changelings. However, this is a new experience for him, and he must rely on old and new friends alike. While the Changelings pick themselves back up shadows have begun growing to the north west, and the horns of war sound in the north east.

Can Thorax and his brother keep the Swarm together or will it fall back into the darkness it fought so hard to leave?

Planet 4546B, an unexplored world on the edge of explored space.

The site of a desperate attempt by the Precursor civilization to find a cure for the deadly Khaara Bacterium. A thriving ecosystem only disturbed by the presence of the plague the Precursors left behind.

However, a lone unicorn named Twilight Sparkle has been thrown into this vicious world of ocean, having lost the battle against a time-manipulating foe. She tries her best to survive on one of the few spots of dry land available in the endless oceans.

But when the Aurora is shot down, and Twilight discovers a deadly infection spreading through her and the wildlife, she discovers she has to dive deeper, delve into the last holdout of the Precursor Race.

The last holdout of a nation that seems all too familiar...

Crossover with Subnautica. Spoilers ahead.