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.

This story is a sequel to Discord Teaches Philosophy

Warning: The following is currently unedited and contains a significant amount of Philosophy.

After deciding on taking up the role of a Substitute and finding out that the main Philosophy teacher is boring his students, Discord decides to step in to take up the responsibility of teaching. And he will do it by teaching it in plain Equestrian, in a way that these young students would understand. As well as in his own unique way.

Lesson Plan (in no particular order):

Socrates: His Method and How We Ought to Live ✅

Plato: Allegory of the Cave ✅

Marcus Aurelius: How Stoicism Deals with Hardships ✅

Confucius: Who is Ruling Whom? ✅

Kintsugi: The Art of Imperfection ✅

Machiavelli: In Defense of the Prince ✅

Montaigne: Usefulness of Humility ✅

Rousseau: Of Savages and Civilization ✅

Kierkegaard: Subjectivity and Truth ✅

Nietzsche: Of Suffering and Happiness ✅

What it says on the box. Pinkie Pie has a hearse (somehow). She drives it. Hijinks ensue. What kind of hijinks? You'll have to read to find out!
_{I don't own Hasbro or FiM}

This description is inspired by a thing Eldorado said years ago.

Was also my entry in the Go Steady in the Dark event on writeoff.me.

Princess Twilight Sparkle took the Equestrian throne several years ago. Anon, her human friend, works at the castle as an advisor for her. However, lately he has been disappearing right after work, and Twilight is curious as to why. On top of that, he isn't the only one acting strangely, as her mom has been acting very dodgy around her too. Twilight has some suspicions as to why this is.

The instant she appears in this world, things go wrong for Twilight Sparkle. Fortunately, Anon the veterinarian is there to save her, and during the recovery process, they find they quite enjoy each other's company. Eventually Twilight wants to make her way back home and Anon has a decision to make.

Meanwhile Celestia, thinking Twilight is in danger, ventures to earth to rescue her, only to encounter dangers of her own. Princess Luna has to figure out how to rescue both of them without abandoning Equestrian rule.