Long Path, an earth pony living in Canterlot, and his best friend, a griffon named Free Agent, set out in the company of Twilight Sparkle to visit various places and species to look into what makes them different, and hopefully learn how to get along with them better. Things rarely go to plan though, and along the way, they discover things about themselves, and find love, drama, and laughter. Then Chrysalis changes everything, and the fate of the whole world might be at stake. Their lives will never be the same!
This story is set mostly after the events of Conversations in a Canterlot Cafe and builds on the fanon of the series, especially changelings, so you might want to read those stories first for background material.
Chapters (20)
This seems interesting.... Let's strap in and see where the ride goes.
you wrote a story with griffons! you are officially twenty percent more awesome goldfur!!
I looooooove your take on Changlings in each one of your stories thus far. And I can't pick a favorite because they all tie in so nicely. Keep it up!
Only thing I noticed now and again was the accaccidental name flip of the characters Long Path and Free Agent. Other then that I am not really amazing at grammar lol.
Hah, this one seems fun! I will gladly continue reading it
Love it. A bit disappointed he isn't a true Griffon. I was hoping for a Griffon culture exploration story, but this is still good. Also, Free Agent isn't a very Griffon sounding name.
*Equinology.
The roots are anthropo-logy. "human/human-shaped"+"-the study of".
Good start!
Oh, Twily's gonna LOVE Path. Looks like he'll soon be a well paid employee of the Crown...
Wonder if they'll find out what happened to Free, and where he came from...?
But doesn't he have some color when in changeling form? I mean, if he is, say, red, then he must be a Red Changeling I'd guess...
Now this is quite interesting. Hope to see more.
Cute avatar, reading the first chapter based on that.
How did this get featured on the same exact day that it was posted?
5596418 The feature box is weird like that.
Yussss!!!
Love your fics and this one is no exception!
You did refer to Free Agent as Free Path quite a few times, though.
5596313 10/10
I love your changeling stories, Glad to see another one, even if it was commissioned.
5596022 Free Agent's origin won't be so easily determined because Redacted - I'm not telling yet! You will just have to keep reading.
5595732 Equinology - I kind of figured it would be that, but I was trying to make sound more like anthropology. After all, these are ponies with human-like qualities, so it's a cross between anthropology and equinology, hence equopology.
5595651 Stick around - the griffins will turn up again in a later chapter, although I will point out that this will be a more light-hearted kind of story rather than an in-depth exploration of the cultures. As for the name, I didn't have a choice in that. I'm just going with the view that his parents knew that he was not what he seemed, and he was brought up in a pony society, so they gave him a name more suited to him.
5596600 Thanks for pointing that out. I think I've fixed all the mistakes now.
5596888
But Equopology doesn't really work.
And it turns out the griffons are biased!
And the minotaurs!
And the changelings! (Wait, we already knew they just think of ponies as food...)
So basically on Equestria, speciesism is magic!
5596888
I'm fairly certain the word you're looking for it Hippology. Equine derives from latin, where as all parts of anthropology derive from greek.
I like your two very non-standard protagonists. Long Path's talent is very interesting, as is Free Agent's personality and nature. Have you ever read Ardashir's Manehattan Madness, which has one very major point of similarity with your tale?
Another Cogsverse story? Excellent.
You know, that makes me wonder how many of the non-blue changelings were squished against the walls of their homes and other buildings by the love shield of dooom. Or was that covered in one of the other 'verse stories and I've just forgotten?
Also, different coloring pretty clearly says he wasn't an abandoned blue. Given that the other hives are all known to have changelings in and around Canterlot in different roles, ones that Free Agent would quite possibly have run into over time, if he is still an unknown at this point in his life I'm going to guess that he is from a non-Equestrian associated hive. One over by the gryphon lands, perhaps?
Nice special talent for Long Path, ought to come in handy.
I love how in depth your stories go as far as culture is concerned. It makes your stories some of the most interesting on the site.
5597711 More will be learned about Free's background eventually, although it might create more questions than answers. It won't be as obvious as you might think.
And very few non-Blue changelings were hurt by the love shield. Apparently while it was like a solid wall to the Blues, it was more like a blast of wind to the others. Blues were squished against unmoving objects, but non-Blues were just knocked into them.
Shit, another story by GoldFur? Well better just put this in my bookmarks along the others.
Intrigued to see where this is going, glad to see a depth to the characters and world already being established. Though apparently that is something you are known for? I have not ready any of your works before, which is apparently something I need to correct.
"Prelude to Change" is before "Change in Life" which is in a simultaneous continuity with "Conversations in a Canterlot Cafe", correct?
EDIT: Never mind, I see that you left a handy guide for what order to read them in on your profile page.
An edit:
...should read...
A nitpick:
BLT usually contains bacon. Bacon is mostly pork fat.
Really? A changeling story?
Come on, this premise is perfect for learning about Griffon culture and how they interact with Ponykind. What's the point of making him a griffon in the first place, if he's just going to turn out to be part of a species that's isolated from the rest of Equestria? That detail just seems superfluous; couldn't Path just be a 'pony' to begin with?
And Long Path is way too trusting. WAY too trusting. If someone goes 'Can someone really imitate me?', you're supposed to say 'Yes', because you are literally incapable of knowing the extent of changeling powers. This might be more plausible if he'd seen Chrysalis' abysmal attempt at being Cadance, but Path trusted Agent just because he's apparently too difficult to imitate. What if they have mind-reading powers? What if we're looking at creatures that kill and take in the memories of their victims in order to imitate them?
That said, *like* and *track*.
5596875 Oh, Goldfur you tease...! (shakes fist in mock anger)
5597928
Depends on the type of bacon, and the amount on just a sandwich wouldn't matter anyway.
5598254
Patience! I'm not done with the griffins as yet. Wait for a few more chapters.
You're looking at it from the point of view of the all-knowing reader. Long Path didn't know any of this but, right or wrong, he trusted his own judgement.
Long Path used Earth Pony punch.
Long Path squished a bug-pony...
Long Path comes of as ice cold.
5598254 To be fair, this is someone he's known for his entire life.
5596572 Apparently.
5598552 Maybe a new acquaintance who just so happens to be a griffin?
Maybe?
5598552 I don't know any of this either. I don't know the extent of changeling powers, and neither does Long Path. I'm noting that because I don't know the extent of changeling powers, it's not safe to assume that they can't imitate my friend.
That said, I'm not Long Path.
And I honestly don't think it matters whether or not griffins will be there. My point is that if you wrote this to be about a pony and a Griffon travelling together to learn about the world, why did you make it about a Griffon that happens to be a changeling? Why did you have to add that detail, when a 'griffon' is already interesting? If you needed to make him a changeling, why did you have to make him a Griffon? It all seems somewhat forced and superfluous, you know?
Griffon and Pony working together to learn about the world is an interesting premise. Changeling and Pony working together to learn about other species is an interesting premise. Griffon/Changeling and Pony working together makes me groan and go 'alright, overly complex story ahoy!'
The story IS interesting thus far, and I'm hopeful. It just seems like either the whole 'Griffon' thing or the whole 'Changeling' thing would be a perfectly great premise for a story, but mixing them together makes the whole 'changeling' thing detract from the 'learning Griffon culture thing', and that makes me sadfaic.
5598538
Hmm, true. I guess I've just only heard of leaner bacon, never actually witnessed it.
5600421 Please note that I was commissioned to write the story using those two characters, so I had no say in Free Agent being a changeling. That said, don't give up on the griffins just yet. And one last point - note the Comedy tag; this is going to be a more lighthearted adventure.
I don't remember if you dislike corrections in the comments or not, but I apologize if you don't.
The paragraph beginning with "The basis of xenophobia is fear." is missing an open quote at the beginning.
5602164 I don't mind corrections such as those. Fixed now, thanks.
I was like... yooooooooooooooooooooo!
This is really good! I will eagerly await the next chapter.
Hahaaa! Loved the newest chapter. Oh, poor Twily...I think she'll have to zap Free a lot of times before he gets it...IF he gets it!
I noticed just one goof: Free Agent became Free Path once. Oh, and then a missing " or two...
I know there's no romance tag on this story, but why do I see Roseclaw getting involved in the project and making another run at Path?
5602293 Romance tag added - interpret that as you like.
5602222 Fixed Free Path, but telling me that some quote marks are missing without telling me where is not very helpful.
5602361
What? And take away all your fun? Nooooo...that would be too easy
Damn...can't find it right now. I'll let you know if I spot it on next re-read.
Ha-ha, I'm really enjoying reading this story :D.
Please, continue being awesome
great chapter man.
Great chapter ... I'm looking forward to where this is going. Path is quite adorkable ... I can see why Roseclaw latched onto him. Free is reminding me of Jansen from Lost Odyssey, in a good way.
I'm not sure if it's the concept, or Free Agent that is making me love this story so much. All I know is that it's wonderful.