Encore
It was with no small amount of pleasure I returned to Canterlot. In terms of non-traditional guard duties, that could have been worse. I had survived it; accomplished all missions; and returned with trinket, trophy, and treat, the last of which I had resolved to share with the Princesses as proper tribute. Still, I was relieved when the last train from Ponyville allowed me to reach the castle in time to join the line of petitions and reports to the Princess. I would hate to interrupt the Princess's other business to deliver this report. It involved the royal protege, so I was not quite sure of the importance that should be assigned to it. A typical verbal report would do for now.
When it was my turn, I caught a flash of emotions as soon as I walked in, quickly smothered. Surprise, certainly, but other things as well. Exasperation, perhaps? The petitions must have been extraordinarily taxing this day. “Princess Celestia, I have come to report.” I bowed low to the Solar Diarch, and gave a smaller bow to Princess Cadance, who seemed more bemused by my arrival, and did far less to hide it. Curious.
The Solar Princess tilted her head, raising one perfect eyebrow. “...Idol, I believe you were tasked to investigate Ponyville. And to patronize it.”
“And I have, your Highness. I visited every business of note, though found little of real interest in many.”
“… You’ve been gone for two days.”
“Of course, your Highness. I left immediately the morning after receiving my orders. The mission is accomplished, and I would like to report.”
The Princess’s smile seemed more forced, though I could hardly imagine why. “I see.”
“You will undoubtedly be very pleased with Twilight the Younger. Her friends are…” I searched for a good word. “...Diverse in their mentality. In truth, I could not have imagined her befriending any of them before leaving Canterlot. They will be good for her. Though I do hope she will not become too much like Rainbow Dash. She is a little more… aggressive than I am used to.”
Cadance tilted her head. “Um… how?”
“A small misunderstanding, resolved quickly. Her heart was in the right place. I would recommend being more cautious of the one known as Pinkie Pie, but I believe unpredictability is her nature, so I cannot presume what would be done in that regard. I quite liked Misses Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack, and assure your Highnesses that Twilight has done quite well for herself. As for Miss Zecora… the Everfree could not be in better hooves. I believe she is uniquely prepared to handle the wardship of the forest.”
“And the businesses?”
“Quills and Sofas sells… quills… and sofas.”
“And everything in between, one assumes?”
“No. The name of the store is as concise as it is accurate. The rest are of above average quality but with little else to distinguish them, with several exceptions. Miss Rarity is the proprietor of Carousel Boutique, and both her work and ethics are unquestionable.”
“Her… ethics?”
“Indeed. The Sugarcube Corner is far above and beyond the average, and I bring some of their finest. Miss Pie delivered her some of her ‘Extra Scrumptious Double Cream Sweetcakes’ on the train, and it is only proper that I share this bounty.”
“She delivered them to the station? Well, that was certainly nice of her-”
“No, your Highness. She delivered them to the train and left. She claimed she did not have a ticket.”
“...While it was at the station?”
“No.” I cleared my throat, not wanting to draw the attention of the Pink Demon, and certainly not wanting to think too much about her. “Sweet Apple Acres provides fantastic produce, and, while not a business per se, Miss Fluttershy is amazingly adept with animals. I have no doubts she would be utterly entranced to meet Philomena. As for myself, I made few other purchases.” I began laying out my findings. “A set of chisels from Rich’s Barnyard Bargains, a preorder for a dress, a few other things of minor note, and one… Pinkie Pie Party-in-a-Box. I have not opened the last and may never.”
“And that?” She raised a hoof to point at one of my items.
“It is a chicken composed of rubber. I purchased it at the local ‘joke shop’. It is hilarious.” I stomped on the creature and it made a goose-like honk, followed by a squeaky wheeze. I smiled at the very absurdity.
Princess Celestia opened her mouth, then closed it. She started to say something, stopped, and gave a small snort of laughter. “I… suppose it is!”
“Yes, your Highness.” I agreed.
“Well! I… I should commend you for a job well done. Perhaps you should take some time to relax-”
“Ah, yes, I nearly forgot the Ponyville Day Spa. It was a delightful experience. I laid hooves on one of the proprietors and learned a few things. I truly cannot recommend it enough.” I nodded firmly and gathered my belongings, silencing the large rubber poultry by stuffing it deeper into my saddlebag. “I will prepare a formal report as soon as possible to ensure I have missed nothing.”
I looked up to see both of the princesses staring at me, mouths ajar. The room seemed oddly warmer. “Is there anything else?”
“N...No! I believe I’ve heard more than enough. Ponyville sounds… lovely.” Celestia blinked rapidly. Odd. Perhaps she was daydreaming about a longer visit. Good, she could use the time off.
“Permission to speak freely?”
The Sun Princess looked hesitant but nodded. “Permission granted.” I could not begin to fathom her look of concern. I was the last of the reports for the day, and there were no more petitions.
“With respect, your Majesty, in the future? If you wish me to take a vacation, you have but to ask.”
I left quickly, intent on receiving my orders for the following day.
“...I told you that wouldn’t work,” Cadance giggled, as the door closed.
“Oh hush- oh my Faust that’s good, you have to try one of these-”
“Captain, I do believe this is borderline fraternization.” I offered as Spitfire planted herself across from me in the mess hall. The room, as usual, was relatively quiet. The mess hall was not known for exceptionally good food at the evening meals, as most ponies with a talent for cooking preferred not to waste it where ponies wanted to generally ‘eat and retreat’... if they didn’t already intend to go to home-cooked meals with their families. To me, it was a fantastic place to write a report while having a meal. I found that I rather liked my new quill; perhaps I had misjudged Quills and Sofas quality. That would have to be annotated. Page ten. Or perhaps I should rewrite the whole report.
Spitfire snorted. “No offense Hooves, you’re not my type. This is just coworkers having a few cold ones together at the end of a long day at work, all Harmony approved and everything.” She switched from wheedling to sing-song. “I got the goooood stuff~!” she pulled the neck of a bottle from her saddlebag.
I grunted, but she had me. Salted Caramel Whiskey was a wicked creation, but the Wonderbolt Captain knew my weaknesses far too well. “Burn your pinions. What do you want, Spitfire?”
“Heard the Princess ordered you to take a tour of Ponyville. Got a prospect going there.”
“I presume you do not mean Fluttershy.”
Her snort was as impressive as it was impolite. “Near as I’ve heard that one barely flies more than the Bug Mare.” Her eyes narrowed. “...Do you know something I don’t know?”
“Topaz dislikes that nickname, and… I have no idea how to safely answer that question. I saw nothing to make me judge her skills as anything other than ‘graceful’.”
“Sorry, sorry.” She waved a hoof. “C’mon, give. You did a checkup on Ponyville. I’m sure you got a good impression of the folks Sparkle hangs out with, because that’s what Celestia would have wanted. You had a chance to meet that Rainbow Dash filly, and it wasn’t when she was squealing like a fangirl or freaking out over her performance...”
I gave a small nod as she poured the delightful amber beverage. “She is brash, aggressive, willful and uncouth."
The pour slowed, but only for a moment as the flame-like pegasus shrugged. "Damn. Thought we might have some potential in that one. She’s got the speed, and she certainly has the reflexes..." She swirled her own mug in a practiced motion before taking a sip. Her shoulders and wings relaxed as she did so, and a waft of pleasure emanated from her, slightly tinged with disappointment.
I hesitated. I did not particularly like the Element of Loyalty, but I felt that clarification was in order. "...Spitfire, you are brash, aggressive, willful and uncouth. And you are the best leader the Wonderbolts have had during my lifetime."
She nearly spit out her drink, coughed and pounded a hoof into her chest. "...Damn it, Hooves, usually I have to buy a stallion dinner before he kisses my flank like that. What about Wind Rider?"
"Case in point.” I rolled my eyes. “And Wind Rider retiring raised the overall level of tolerability of your group immensely.”
She scoffed, waving that away, "You never did like him. But then, you don’t really like the whole ‘showpony’ thing. You know, most ponies would think all of that ‘brash and uncouth’ stuff was an insult."
"I believed those were all required traits for joining the Wonderbolts. Order knows how Soarin got in."
She gave a broad grin at that. "Someone had him try on the tights and none of us are willing to go without that ever again. And he’s one of the best long-distance fliers we’ve ever had, but mostly the first thing.”
"You are a wretched lech, Spitfire."
"I’m not wretched, I’m the best there is. I just call them like I see them. Any luck convincing Wispy to try out?"
"No. She has bribed me to stop bothering her with it."
"A fighter, knew I liked that one. You up for a counterbribe?"
"I believe that was a counterbribe."
"So it'd be a counter-counterbribe. I want her in the 'Bolts. I get Agility from her and Speed from Dash down in Ponyville, Endurance from Soarin, and I’m on my way to making my own Elements of Air Superiority.”
“I do not think that is a thing.”
“It could be a thing! I’d barely ever heard of the Elements of Harmony, you’re telling me there might not be some super secret forgotten pegasus elements of something or other?”
“I think ‘air’ is an element.”
Spitfire considered it, cursed, and downed her own drink. Mine had become empty at some point, so she refilled both. “Alright, alright. So how’d you run into Rainbow Dash, anyways?”
“She threw me into the dirt a few times.” I admitted, shrugging. “She is fast.”
Spitfire choked. “She’s like half your age!”
“She tied me up first, I had little say in the matter.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I’d hate you if I didn’t fear you. You were there for like a day and a half!”
“And I had much to do, so much was accomplished.”
“Ugh. I just don’t see it.” She shook her head. “No offense.”
“None taken. I was surprised myself.”
“I don’t know why anything you do surprises any of us at this point.” She downed her second shot. “Alright. I’ll keep an eye out for her name on the list of applicants. She’s clearly going to be a good fit if she can get her tail up here.” She heaved herself to her hooves and trotted out, and I followed her.
“Are you sure that you should be flying after imbibing?”
She scoffed. “Please, Hooves, I’m a professional. I had more than that in my morning coffee.” She stretched her limbs, grinning at the setting sun. The grass at her hooves began to brown as she lowered herself into a crouch. I backed away quickly.
“I feel that should be more concerning!” I called out as she rocketed from the ground, hooves leaving flaming grass in her wake as the mare left a smoke trail behind her. I sighed, stomping out the smoldering grass. Blasted showboat. But I had to admit… nobody could beat Spitfire out of the gate. Rainbow Dash would be in good hooves.
I returned to my room to find Shining in a mood. “...Have you-”
“I have not asked her to marry me yet. More importantly- well, less important, more relative chronologically-” I nodded at this correction. “-you were right about there being something up about those star box things. A mess of shady business.”
I gave my bed a wan look. No rest for the weary. “Go on?”
Shining shrugged. “Okay, first off, you’ve met my father.”
I nodded. “I have found Night Light to be surprisingly well-composed for somepony who has been gnawed upon by a dragon so often.”
“Ha. Seriously though, he’s spent more time in the Royal Observatory than anyone, including Twilight, even if it’s only because he’s got years on her…” Shining’s face fell at this. He, like the rest of us, had originally expected Twilight’s trip to Ponyville to be a short-term assignment. He was still getting used to the change of plans. “...Guess he might keep the title for a while, huh?”
“It does look that way. Your sister is doing well enough in Ponyville to have established a squad of...interesting friends. Young Spike has even developed a crush.”
“No! There’s another dragon in Ponyville? I had no idea. Good for him.”
“No.”
Shining looked at me, perplexed for just a moment before realization sank in and he facehoofed. “...We ruined him?”
“He is utterly twitterpated with one of the Elements. Cadance will be delighted.” I had been uncertain if romantic entanglements belonged in my report. They probably did, I decided. Though this was less an entanglement and more of a one-sided crush. An annotation, perhaps. Princess Cadance would never approve of it being a mere footnote.
“And that, my friend, is why we don’t tell her. She’ll meddle.”
I felt the need to defend her. “...It would hardly be meddling…” And that was hardly a defense. Bah.
Shining recognized the attempt and allowed it. “Fair enough. She’ll be excited when she finds out or she’ll be heartbroken with him; you know how she is,” Shining assured me with the same faraway look he always adopted when thinking of his soon-to-be fiancee. He regained focus, however. “Anyways. The boxes. Dad. He recognized parts of the lightshow almost immediately. They aren’t just random star patterns, they’re actual constellations. Not the famous ones, obviously, but a lot of the ones that lost their shape.”
“...They what?”
“I don’t get the exact idea of it, but the night sky used to be a lot more interesting and organized. I think Princess Luna had something to do with it? Anyways, the boxes are just projecting a bunch of those old constellations. They’re all jumbled and not where they should be, they spin and stuff, but dad says it’s so blatant it ought to be obvious to anyone with even a passing astronomical inclination. His words, not mine, but he was pretty offended. Maybe a little disappointed that I didn’t catch it, but...”
“Hmm.”
“And I could absolutely prove all that… if the Book of the Night Sky wasn’t missing pages.” He finished, heat in his voice. I could understand this strained fury. In his family, damaging books was tantamount to treason. And stealing pages from a book- I was suddenly grateful Twilight the Younger was elsewhere. There would have been consequences.
“You suggest thievery, then?”
“And fraud, don’t forget fraud.”
“Then why have you not arrested them?” I sputtered, furious.
Shining sighed. “Because they have Princess Luna’s blessing.” I blinked, and he continued. “Basically, the only way to charge them is to say they stole from the Observatory and duplicated Luna’s works… and that she just gave her blessing to the theft. The first thing she’s provided patronage towards is someone who just abused her trust,” Shining shook his head. “It’d mean scandal. Besides, we don’t know they stole from the Observatory personally, only that there are pages missing that happen to coincide with some of their imagery, because a lot of them are just random dots. Oh, and it gets better!” He pulled a padded box out of his pack, revealing one of the devices.
I steeled myself as Shining activated the contraption with a small switch. To my disappointment, the room did not darken and the lights were not nearly so beautiful as they were for the princess… in truth, it was somewhat blurry, and it hardly did more than provide a slightly pleasant light show. Still, I could see several patterns of ‘stars’, though I could identify perhaps one of them. The sky had never been particularly noteworthy to me before the most recent Summer Sun Celebration. The light cut off as Shining flipped a switch, and then gave it a casual shake before offering to me. “You try.”
I flipped the switch, obligingly. Nothing happened. I frowned, activating it twice more. A faint grinding noise, but no lights. I lifted the box, looking it over skeptically, but could find no immediate cause for the failure.
Shining held up a bound scroll. “Oh, my apologies~! I forgot to mention the ‘Care & Agreement’ section of the Star Box instructions!” He unrolled the scroll… and the end fell to the ground. “Failure to obey the following voids the warranty of your Official Star Box. Protect from loud noises. Protect from sudden impact. Do not shake. Do not apply heat. Do not scry. Do not open. Do not apply excess magic. Do not eat. Do not wear. Do not bounce. Do not-”
“I believe I understand.” I frowned. “So what is wrong with it?”
“It’s broken. Junked. Take it back, it won’t work anymore. Except you can’t because you broke your agreement. This is the third freaking one I’ve gotten. I didn’t even read the agreement the first time and spent hours trying to fix the thing on my own. Do you have any idea how much they’re selling these for? If it weren’t for the mess hall I’d be eating grass this week.”
“...Are they truly so fragile?” I stared at the box in utter disbelief.
“Near as I can tell, you get a dozen uses out of it and the thing burns up. There’s some kind of mechanism in it that breaks the blasted thing if you open it, and I’m pretty sure the innards are made of glass. Some kind of magic-light projector in the box itself, glass panes for the stars, and a fancy bit of metal in there to wreck the whole thing at a moment’s notice. Of course, it’s all ‘proprietary’ so talking about it will bring the full legal might of the Bilkmore Brothers and their Patron down on you.”
“If you are not to open it, how do you know that?” I queried, more than slightly impressed with his diligence.
Shining held up the box with his magic, his horn glowed, and a tendril of light seemed to wrap around the center of the box, then formed an orb around the entirety of it. Shining casually took the shield in his hooves, and twisted in opposite directions. The shield split from one orb into two identical domes, each with half of the box inside. The contents were mostly preserved, from what I could tell. “I mean, it’s still closed, technically.”
I considered it, eyeing an oddly faceted metal orb that had likewise been split, if not perfectly down the center, enough to make out that Shining was indeed correct. “Show-off.” I took the one dome and looked closely. On the remains of one darkened glass plate, I could see light spots that would coincide with that of the ‘constellation’.
“This seems…” I hesitated, searching for the words. “...Unlikely to have provided the show that the Princess received.”
“Oh, hers is probably something completely different. They don’t say they’re selling what they gave to Princess Luna. They just say that they’re selling something like what they gave to her. It’s legal. Barely.”
I considered, then felt my carapace heat. “They sought her patronage because it provides defense. Princess Celestia-”
“Already knows. She’s forbidden me to act on it.”
“Order preserve,” I growled, then considered. “Forbidden… you… to act on it?”
“I can’t exactly order someone to act on it in my place, either. I’m just telling a friend who happened to be interested in the situation. The guard is going to have its hooves tied on this one.”
“And… what about the ponies with these broken products?”
Shining grunted. “Nothing good. The Bilkmores sold a bunch, but they make a show of claiming how ‘delicate’ the things are. Nopony wants to admit they don’t have the newest and latest bit of royally approved… whatever. Even Celestia is careful not to show too much interest in anything or she’ll cause a run on the market. Remember that tea from Neighpon?”
“Matchstick.” I gave him a look for his failure to adhere to her appellation, but he was used to such things.
“Close enough. Celestia really enjoyed it, and suddenly boom, it’s everywhere, tea markets had everything else overstocked, ponies who didn’t even like it were still drinking it, and coffee places had problems with business unless they added it to the menu.”
“Except Donut Joe.”
“Donut Joe’s will live forever.” Shining swore. “That’s not even worth mentioning. Coffee, near a university and the guard barracks? But the point is, Princess Luna gushed over it, and now it’s popular and nopony wants to admit to breaking something so expensive and complaining might damage the opinion of the princess in question. Economics!” Shining stated, raising a flask his beau had given him, which I knew he only filled with water. Hardly a proper toast.
“Ponies are crazy,” I confirmed with a sigh.
Still, I decided… something must be done. When Shining left for home, I set about for the only obvious option.
Princess Luna was still a new feature to the castle but maintained a timidness that none of us had expected. Most of her time was spent alone or in the presence of her elder sister, and I confess, the guard was of two minds about her.
Some of us saw her as another princess to serve. Others, a potential security breach in progress. Any suggestion by the latter camp of putting her in a tower for her own security, or outside of the castle entirely, had been met with firm opposition from the Sun Throne, and the admonishment that the Lunar Throne was to be treated with equal authority.
A small number of guards had retired in protest. I, like the Solar Princess, was most disappointed.
It was extremely surprising how cautious many of the thestrals were being of the new Night Princess. To many of them, she was far more likely to support their needs, but at the same time, her precarious place in current politics apparently made it dangerous to reciprocate such support. As such, they seldom offered public announcements of their loyalty for fear of making her ‘the bat pony princess’ and further relegating her to obscurity.
Even so, I was very pleased that Mothchaser had publicly sworn her guard oaths a second time to the Lunar Princess, and her example was followed by a number of the most loyal of the Night Guard. Nonetheless, the thestrals still gave the Princess her space, and she had taken to roaming the castle at nights on her own errands, whatever they might be until her control of the moon was fully recovered.
I found her outside, in the same area of the castle that had previously been where she had been gifted the true Star Box. She sat on the grass, looking to the night sky, box on a stone pillar, deactivated. Her horn had only the faintest of glow, so I cautiously reached my senses towards her and barely recoiled in time. Longing, loneliness, and guilt poured from her like a waterfall.
I had sensed as much from her sister, though far more restrained, on the darkest of nights by her door, when young Twilight was elsewhere.
“Your Highness?”
“Hmm? Oh, pray, excuse me.” The Princess composed herself quickly, drawing a hoof over her face. Exhaustion. Order, what was this? Had the Princess been in the midst of a working? I spared the sky a glance. The moon was unmoved, but… were the patterns of stars more intricate? Brighter? I could not be entirely sure. I hoped I had not interrupted anything.
“Your Highness, I have troubling news.”
“And… thou do not wish to bring such news before mine sister?” The Princess had a tendency to slip in and out of old Equish. It had a certain charm to it, I found.
“Nay. I am afraid it concerns thy patronage. We have reason to believe the ponies in question are abusing thy good name.” I gingerly gestured to her gift, and frowned, giving it a good look.
The box was activated. And nothing was happening. I was suddenly furious; not only had they provided poor counterfeits to the masses, but even the gift to the Princess had failed.
The Princess caught my expression and her face contorted in shame. “Prithee, wait, I can explain-” She took a step forward, staggered, and I moved to catch her before she struck the ground. The Princess convulsed, retched, and went limp in my hooves, shivering. Stress, weakness, pain roiled within her. The body of the immortal Moon Princess was too warm to the touch. There was only one possibility that sprang to mind.
“Fetch a healer!” I bellowed, augmenting my voice with all the magic I could muster. “The princess has been poisoned!”
Stats
Page generated in 0.024 seconds
Total duration
748 users online
950,166 hits today, 2,073,628 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Good god never change, Idol.
Never.
Idol's changedling form turning out pink would be hilarious. But something tells me he'd be more along the lines like Pharynx with darker colors.
They speak of him in hushed tones. Stories of his exploits are told from the seedy docks of Manehattan to the highest spires of Canterlot. Timberwolves tell their pups to behave or The Hooves will gobble them up.
He is the legend. He is Idol Hooves.
Hm, i wonder if idol’s overreacting or not. For all we know, that could be the flu; she does have 1000 year out of date antibodies, after all.
He's very effective.
God I love this guy.
I should very much like to know what else such a store should sell.
You underestimate The Pink One.
I love this guy so much.
... Phrasing, Idol.
He figured it out.
Reading your lines as Data makes them easily twice as funny.
I like this.
So she and Spitfire would get along like a house on fire. Because they probably managed to set said house on fire.
Have I mentioned how much I love Idol? Because I love Idol.
Can this be a thing?
She ran into him, rather. Repeatedly.
HAHAHAHAAAA! I swear Idol doesn't realize half the shit he says sounds sexual.
Oh this keeps getting better.
I am inclined to agree.
Yup.
Twitterpated, now that's a word.
To say the least.
Huh?
I, see. Sounds like a tourist trap.
He doesn't like this one big.
Economics are weird, what else can I say?
Oh FUCK.
It's somewhat nice to see that, ten years on, Idol has adapted to colloquialisms and understands, for example, that his mission was a low-key expectation of him taking a vacation. Still, retains his Idol charm though, and possibly his obliviousness to sexual innuendo.
oh shit, drama time!
Pinkie in a nutshell, all right.
Also,
Egophiliac is still doing pony art?!?!?!??!!?? Gosh dang it, I've been hanging in all the wrong circles again!
Twitterpated, someone, not counting me, remembers Bambi!!!
That fanart is some great stuff. It does make me wonder, however. Is Hooves still a 'true' changeling? He's lived plenty of years with someone who may or may not be holding feelings for him, feelings that he may or may not be unknowingly returning.
TV series and yaoi fanfiction is based on him.
I love the new chapter. But cliffhanger!!! NOOO
why must you torture us so.
Can't wait to see what happens next.
Idol casually spouting pony slang like "Burn your pinions" is amazing. They grow up so fast.
Just watch that it's not poison, but Luna overly wearing herself out. (Though I hope it's poison, I don't want Idol's worries to be unfounded)
Someone POISONED Luna!? Oh... heads are going to ROLL for that shit.
wow a grate chapter.
i am wondering if Flim and Flam have any thing to do with the star boxes?
and i am vary glade Idol was in the right place for the last part.
Idol, phrasing!
You have got to love both how blunt and clueless he is at the same time.
Aaaaaand suddenly we have a cliffhanger. But she will be fine.
...I hope.
Well looks like Idle is going to get a big promotion for acting so quickly if he actually save her might get Shining's equivalent posting.
“And… thou do not wish to bring such news before mine sister?”
do.. should be dost
You keep getting better and better. Holy crud I laughed my butt off with this.
9148090
In the show the hive changed when they collectively rejected Chrysalis' leadership and ideal. Idol Hooves is still loyal to his hive, and for him that's loyalty to Chrysalis. I don't think he would change unless the two separate, at least in his mind.
Also, in my fanon, the Changedlings look friendly and pony-like because they follow Thorax instead of Chrysalis, and Thorax idealizes ponies.
"Miss Pie delivered her some of her ‘Extra Scrumptious Double Cream Sweetcakes’"
"Miss Pie delivered some of her ‘Extra Scrumptious Double Cream Sweetcakes’"?
Well, poison or not, that was surprising! :D
This story continues to be one of my favorites. :)
"That ending."
Why did it have to end there!?
Well shit, that escalated quickly!
Nuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu, Idol must save Best Princess.
9148186
That's a good theory. But it begs the question, what's gonna happen when he's forced to confront the hive at the wedding and actually be forced to make a choice between the two. If he officially (in his own mind) rejects Chrysalis, would that do the trick?
9148257
I doubt that simply rejecting Chrysalis will do anything. Thorax rejected her long before the change. The change had to do with how they processed emotional magic. At best, it would be a lack of hunger for emotions, which was small enough that Thorax didn’t notice until it was pointed out.
In all likelihood, Idol would approach the idea of changing as a question of practicality.
A wise decision.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4XnhJhle6o
I hope Luna will be OK...though she's probably just overworking herself.
9148257
Someone already wrote a theory on it.
God damn it Idol, but don't ever change.
I'm betting by stealing and replicating her work, they are in effect draining Luna of her magic.
I can hardly wait to see how Hooves ultimately explains everything to our favorite ponies after the Wedding. And part of that will be them asking "wait, if the queen forbade you from reproducing, then how were you getting it on with all those mares over the years?"
It'll be glorious. 
"Getting it on?"
"This is Idol Hooves, we have to be literal: How were you having sexual relations, Idol?"
"I was not."
*Collective Befuddlement*
Then he explains and everypony's faces turn dark crimson as they realize he was being entirely literal the whole time and they're the ones with the dirty minds.
And so, the Celestialists struck first in this world.
It's about time they got to make a kill! Usually it's the Lunatics always assassinating everypony!
retched
Hmm, perhaps I haven't been giving dear Idol enough credit, he's not nearly so oblivious as he once was. He's still oblivious don't get me wrong, just not to such an extreme.
Nice concice pre debreifing report, especially with the Pink avoidance.
The last though. Sympathetic magic to reproduce the cheap slides might be residual through to the origional, if they were stupid enough to cheap out and use the Vampire Principle, though would that be any better than the poisoning, given the fastest way yo save Luna would be to blow the box?
Check the lock makers. And breakers. That trick with the glass plates is one taken from Bank Vaults from years ago.
AAAARRRRGGGGHHH! THE CLIFFHANGER!!! IT BURNS!!!
Poisoned Luna...
Celestia will be on the warpath for this!
Oh hello goosebumps. OwO What's this? A cliffhanger? With someone important? Wow!
Oh damn, I believe this is the first genuine cliffhanger of this story! The next chapter can't come soon enough.
9148288
You say that, but who says he'll even care? If someone points it out he'll probably just immediately conclude that the best course of action is exactly what he's been doing for the last ten years and nothing will change. In his mind he swore himself to the princesses which overrides Chrysalis because he never gave any oath to her.
9148359
AUGH. Fixed. I don't know how I missed that.
This line alone brought some chuckles from me; I also imagine Idol Hooves' voice to sound similar like this.
Make cheap junk? Okay fine.
Attack Luna? So terribly sorry, no idea how that big glass hole showed up right where your factory used to be. Good thing we had a holiday and no pony was at work.
moar.....
9148430
Oh, I highly doubt that Idol will ever return to the hive, even when Thorax is in charge. He holds his oath and duty above all.
So his choice to change forms into the new style would likely hinge on how much of an effect it would have on that duty.
Or an offhoof comment by a princess saying they like the way the Changelings now look. He wouldn’t even hesitate if he heard that.
Maybe Luna took the pages.
Like if I made a Moon bouncing ball and try to sell it I’ll get in trouble for copyright?
9148257
Well, partially it will come down to whether or not Chrysalis included any Orders like the ones about reproduction and going to the frozen north related to the invasion. If not it's possible he absolutely will have a choice and will do so most probably based on standing oaths of service and allegiance.
9148541
Honestly if that happened I wouldn't be surprised if at he just answered with "I am a pony." And left it at that.