After being sent off against her will by Happosai to the land of "The Everfree," a mystical realm where clothing is apparently entirely optional, with a poorly understood Egyptian talisman as her only defense, Nabiki Tendo finds herself as a wingless Sphinx in Equestria. Lost with no way home, and inexplicably transformed into a feline-like species that would most likely drive away Ranma Saotome even if she did manage to find him in this strange world, Nabiki now travels the land with her only ally: a wandering blue unicorn by the name of Trixie Lulamoon...
A Wild Pony in Equestria side story.
Updates will probably be infrequent, and interactions with the cast of Wild Pony few and far between.
Rated teen due to certain awkward problems Nabiki experiences concerning her new anatomy as a sphinx, as well as the occasional awkward situations that may occur from time to time.
Hmm...intriguing. Especially if Nabiki is still with Trixie come the events of Boast Busters...assuming that still happens, since this is still well before the show's premiere.
Awesome start!
The only thing that worries me at all is that random tag, and the author's notes...
I mean how random are we talking here.
Are we talking Pinkie level random, or are we talking Bobobo bo Bobobo?
I just have had bad experiences with stories taking that random tag a bit too far is all, so it kind of scares me to see that tag...
6930772
Random in the sense of being unable to apply contradictory tags to a story that is probably going to need them. Equestria may be a land of mostly peaceful pastel colored ponies, but even the canon show hints at darker elements hiding under all that candy-coated goodness. Rarity almost ended up as a slave to a pack of diamond dogs. Fluttershy almost suffered a similar fate in Trade Ya, when Rainbow Dash absentmindedly included her service as an animal handler as part of a trade to get a first edition book. If it wasn't a real and legitimate possibility for Fluttershy to end up as either a slave or indentured servant as a result of that trade, then Twilight could have just nullified it as being illegal under the laws of Equestria. Instead she had to actually arbitrate the dispute as if it were serious. They even have (and use) the saying about gift horses! Oh the implications!
Want darker than slavery being legal in Equestia? A chimera that was clearly sapient tried to eat Applebloom! And it has lived where it has that it has for long enough to be a recognized hazard that travelers familiar with the route can plan for! In alternate timelines, various villains have proven to be capable of either conquering parts of or all of Equestria or even wipe out all life within observable range.
And yet it is also a world where travelling entertainers can roam alone as they travel between cities and towns plying their trade. Where a fashionista can make a decent, even successful, living in a town where the inhabitants don't normally wear clothes most of the time. Where a library exists inside a living tree that is observably bigger on the inside. Where the harmony of love and friendship can and has saved the day more than once.
It's a light and fluffy surface over a grim and gritty underside.
This is the world My Little Sphinx (and its parent story, A Wild Pony in Equestria) takes place in.
One of my more popular stories on FFnet has the tags: Gothic Horror Romantic Sex Comedy Adventure Drama Alternaverse. In it, I pit the cast of Ranma 1/2 in a world where the silliness inherent in the magical girl genre runs headlong into what may well be the beginning of a lovecraftian level threat.
This should worry some of you.
On the other hand, don't expect to see anything on the level of Bobobo Bo Bobobo. There may be the occasional inexplicable action performed by ponies such as Pinkie Pie, Cheese Sandwich, or Party Favor, but ponies like those are few and far between.
I hope this addresses your concerns.
If I'm not mistaken, there's been a huge change to the show's line up in this story. In particular, NO MORE ANGEL BUNNY! Let his fan morn and his detractors celebrate.
6930956 I kind of picture Equestria to be similar to your standard fantasy world. The civilized parts are reasonably safe (but not perfect by any means), but the undeveloped parts are 'let the traveler beware'. Frequently the line between the two is blurry.
Nice beginning, Tangent. I was thinking Nabiki would be the one sent, if only because Happosai wouldn't want to be without Kasumi's cooking...
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If the vicious Caerbannog wannabe that almost defeated Nabiki was Angle Bunny, then he was quite a bit further away from home than usual. At the very least on the far side of Sweet Apple Acres from Ponyville past where the Everfree Forest runs into Froggy Bottom Bog, because that's the general area that the general area where the encounter took place.
Nabiki is not aware of it (and might never be), but there were two reasons the manticore had stopped chasing her when she broke clear of the underbrush as she left the Everfree Forest. One of them was that the recent bad experience it had during its previous attempt to hunt outside the tree line. The main reason though, is that she had crossed a hydra run in the process. Sure, the hydra was hibernating, but the manticore didn't want to take that chance waking up an ambush predator capable of taking it out even at full health, let alone while it was injured.
Yeah, Nabiki got lucky.
Now, if anyone really wants Nabiki to have eaten Angle Bunny (and it certainly is possible that the rabbit in question actually was him), then I invite speculation as to why he was so far from home in the first place. Or opposing speculation as to why that couldn't have been Angle Bunny. I'll pick whichever one I like the best and perhaps do up a little segment about it in A Wild Pony in Equestria when that story's timeline reaches the appropriate point.
"Please don't kill Angle Bunny..."
"Well, shucks. It's awful, but death just happens sometimes..."
"The little monster had to go."
"Cast your lots, people! Did the bunny bite the big one, or did Nabiki eat somebunny else?"
"Pinkie, please stop helping..."
6931163
Yeah, that sounds about right.
6931353 Well, none of the others are stable enough to be considered reliable.
As for the bunny vote, I'm going for the dark horse (no pun intended): Angel Bunny's evil twin, lurking and plotting to destroy his brother in order to enslave Fluttershy...
Is it sad that Fluttershy's name pops up in my autocorrect?
6930956 Thank you!
I was worried, but now I am just excited about the story you have painted in my mind.
...Boobs...
I have nothing to say about that.
We need a jaw drop emote...
Well, even if she doesn't remember her name, 'Boobs' still has Nabiki's personality and skills, so once she gets used to the stage, her lack of shame will help. Likewise, she should be able to make Trixie's bit purse stretch further, as well as promoting the show, Actually, while it isn't what she usually goes for, I could see her doing quite well as Trixie's assistant/pet.
Nice chapter, Tangent.
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Thanks!
I'm sure Boobs will get used to her own name.
Eventually.
Either that or find a way to crawl out of the screen and eat me.
Which would totally violate her parole, so I'm positive that she won't do that.
Anyway, here's a picture of Boobs the Sphinx!
pre06.deviantart.net/c8f3/th/pre/i/2016/040/2/6/my_little_sphinx_v1_2_by_reiko_foxx-d9r4k3l.png
Psst! I won't tell anypony she's missing her bell collar if you wont...
Chapter two now has a close up of the new cover image at the scene break (It seemed like the appropriate place to put it). While similar to the one I posted in this thread earlier, this time it includes the bell collar.
Which is really more of a play on words for "bell the cat" than a literal bell, since the important bit is a crystal sphere that holds pertinent information about Boobs and her case, as well as a few other special options.
Anyway, even though it's super easy to find in chapter two, here it is again anyway for those who don't feel like hunting for it:
cdn-img.fimfiction.net/story/wo1a-1455418522-315300-full
I would say that drinking her own milk would have diminishing returns, but it seems that she has magical teats so...bottoms up!
6934974
You're right on the money there. They lierally are magical.
Next chapter she gets to realize that she basically allowed herself driven into a starvation induced feral state for no real reason!
6934974 There is some sort of Orborous comparison to be made.
I'm really enjoying how far out this scenario is, especially the backwards way that ponies deal with dangerous if apologetic creatures. Sapient pets? Casual slavery? Possible death penalty for going feral even if recovered? Loss of all rights?
And yet, friendship is definitely there, even if Trixie will probably take as much advantage of it while she can. And honestly? Boobs is probably going to be fine with that, and may have even do the same if the situations were reversed.
I definitely look forward to Boob's continuing acclimation to being a qruaduped sphinx and for her skills to translate and be useful. She might even enjoy herself.
I wonder how much she remembers... Does she even remember the reason she was sent there anymore? Or her previous species?
6942230
Chapter two has been extensively rewritten, so most previous comments prior to this post may no longer apply.
Just thought everyone would like to know...
6948796 Thanks for the heads up
6948796 I gotta say i like this turn of events more now then before the re-write
Good job
Hmm...
Okay, I admit this is interesting. Really hate Judge High Tree and I'm glad Nabiki stuffed him into a cage. Also, interesting that Trixie can use the 'bondservant' thing to help Nabiki remember things, apparently.
...actually, Trixie could just order Nabiki to 'tell her story', and Nabiki would probably end up remembering everything. If Nabiki has information in her mind that Trixie demands, she automatically gives it.
Trixie certainly wouldn't have chosen to make Nabiki a bondservant, and she won't exploit it (it's already been shown that certain exploits aren't available), so I could easily see her using it to help her.
I honestly hope at one point Trixie orders Nabiki to tell her why she came to Equestria, just for the interesting changes that will inflict when we get to "Boast Busters".
6931353
I'll put my vote for a rival bunny for Angel's cushy spot in Fluttershy's cabin. Turns out many bunnies want to be Fluttershy's bunny, but there can only be one. Angel though has successfully beaten them all off for years now and if he and Nabiki would get into a fight he'd curb-stomp her in no time.
Because of this rival bunnies from across Equestria will travel through the Everfree to reach Fluttershy's cottage, most perishing along the way, for the chance to challenge Angel. This particular bunny though made it but was soundly defeated by Angel and was on his way home to plot an elaborate revenge.
This is the box that the staff of the veterinary clinic had to stuff Nabiki into in order for any of their clients to feel reassured that Nabiki wouldn't eat their puppies or parakeets:
t06.deviantart.net/9CKgmTju1HpBPJP4IS2KsN0S8PU%3D/300x200/filters:fixed_height(100,100):origin()/pre13/bbc0/th/pre/f/2016/046/f/e/it_was_just_one_parakeet__i_was_hungry__by_reiko_foxx-d9rvyra.png
Naturally, Nabiki liked the box a lot less than her regular cage, so actually getting her in the damn thing was an adventure all on it's own...
img05.deviantart.net/71f7/i/2016/046/e/1/guess_who_somepony_forgot_to_put_in_the_box__by_reiko_foxx-d9rxhc0.png
I really like this new version of chapter 2. I fully agree that the last version was way waaaaaaaaay too dark, this now actually seems like something you'd see in an actual episode. Kinda like Zecora's introductory episode. One thing that I think is funny and that nobody seems to have noticed it or mentioned yet: Birdy the Mighty, the last nickname Trixie called Nabiki, is from another show, an anime, altogether. Anyways, looking forward to chapter 3!
6951533 That's classic Nabiki for you: she always makes sure to have multiple points in any debate/argument. The big change is that they're now on her paws and not just in her mouth...
I love this as much as i love the rest of your stories!!!
I have decided to leave a proper comment.
The sphinx talisman already summoned a sphinx, indicating the sphinx was already a bondservant, while the lack of certain markings or shapes on the talisman indicated winglessness.
When Nabiki activated the talisman in Equestria, the talisman was in the wrong dimensional neighborhood to summon the sphinx, but the sphinx's magic and the talisman's bindings fulfilled their bond-purpose letter-of-the-law by merging the magic and talisman with their Sacred Charge, to insure that while Nabiki was out of range that Nabiki would be "protected by the sphinx" while satisfying the bond-contract by putting the talisman in a permanently active state by binding it to summoning Nabiki's sphinx form to satisfy the "summoned sphinx" clause.
Equestria's dimensional local version of Sphinx magic and Sphinx form took precedence as the contract was executed, leaving Nabiki with native body and magic adherent to a whole different set of rules than the talisman's source, breaking the syntax of the executed bond-contract of the sphinx's protection and consuming the amulet with the power demands of the transformation.
Nabiki's Sphinx magic has been shown to operate instinctively, indicating more than just the magic of the guardian sphinx was absorbed; a number of instincts may have been included with the body, even as the body was morphed from the guardian sphinx's form into a local equivalent.
This is exciting!!!
6933163 take all my yes and money i need more
6931090 no but we get a sad Fluttershy
also it either could have been Angel bunny dad or mom
6931353
You want a rationalization for how it could have been Angel Bunny? How's this:
Poor Angel. First he tried to kick the pony that was taking up all of his pet's time (only to find out the hard way that Ranma is quite capable of defending himself in his sleep,) flew threw the window he had just propped open (trying to give that pony a cold,) cleared the orchard before starting to come down (as a human, Ranma can get massive hang time with Kuno. How high can he, as a pony, kick a rabbit?) Only to land in a snow drift and run into a weird cat thing on the way back. Naturally, he tried to express his feelings toward the cat thing. Pity he got eaten for his troubles.
Nice chapter and I'm glad to see you adding to this story. Any chance we'll get another Ranma chapter as well?
So time DOES go faster in Equestria, good to know.
I had thought it didn't follow because the fight with Ranma traumatized it from leaving the forest.
Nice work.
So The Great and Powerful Trixie got herself a magical companion that can aparently change her size. (and eventualy regrow her wings)
This will be interesting.
Definitely interesting.
Good work, but please oh please keep focusing on Wild Pony.
Huh... Interesting. So far this is actually fairly well done, all things considered, and my concerns voiced in the Main story don't seem to be holding. The bond-servant thing actually provides the Proverbial "Middle Man" I had suggested without adding another character. Nabiki is bound to Trixie, meaning that they basically Have to travel together, and the fact that her magic has bound her into some sort of "Penance Ritual" means that they will both need to be mindful of their actions. How far will this go though?
On the one side, it could be mostly benign, with Trixie only having minimal control over her actions and Nabiki stepping in under the power of the Oath should her Bonded be in danger, but is otherwise more a formality (Unlikely considering the Magic we saw in this chapter)... Or, it could be more than that, where the Oath actually Actively triggers some sort of "Punishment" action, or maybe somehow affects Karma, should Nabiki try to do something the oath would take as "Wrong" or "Unjust".
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I actually parsed out the terms of Nabiki's oath section by section to determine what the guidelines were for what it actually does. Some of it actually works in Nabiki's favor, providing protections and access to abilities that she did not previously have available. Other bits are more problematic, and there are a couple of mistakes in that oath that are really going to cause problems for Nabiki down the line.
This big thing is that Nabiki's primary duty is as a bodyguard first and foremost. All other duties are secondary to this task. She is also specifically Trixie Lulamoon's bodyguard, and cannot be sold, traded, given away, or dismissed. This duty ends only when the oath's completion clause is met.
There's actually quite a bit more to Nabiki's oath, both pro and con. I may list the full parsed out list of terms and clauses at some point if anyone is interested.
In the mean time though, I'm probably going to work on my other stories more until Wild Pony's timeline catches up to My Little Sphinx. I make no promises though...
Like the new cover! And I like how you added symbols and stuff to when Nabiki is talking in her Sphinx Voice. Any chance though that you could make them a different color, cause it's kinda hard to read the words when she's giving her oath.
7016846
Glad you like the new cover art!
Unfortunately, the Zalgo text effect counts as part of the actual text, so anything that changes the color of either, changes them both.
7017280 Eh, worth a try, right? I understand, at least you can get the gist of what she is saying!
6931353 Ah! A Monty Python reference.
That bunny was pretty vicious...
Interesting to think that it might be a species of bunny that is like that.
Angel bunny just happens to belong to the death rabbit species...beware...
Reread it and still count find where Nabiki presumable called her by full name, you may have edited that out, the above quote is the first mention of 'Beatrix'
If Ranma and Nabiki were to meet in their current forms, I can tell that Discord's gonna have a field day.
7086879
It's in the magical oath Nabiki swore.
7102563 ah I don't know how I missed that I checked and double checked then gave a few more consentrated scans, also forgot to say that I enjoyed the start here, so Thanks for Writing!
Good start and good scenes.
Oh, so the Manticore has survived? I hoped the opposite...
Angel Bunny or one of his litter-siblings?
Good, very good.
And the (near formerly) Judge was a d*ck.
... just a question, will Happy re-try to send someone to fecth Ranma when Kasumi will ask him if the paper she had burnt was something important?
7183580
Kasumi burnt the paper because it looked like something Happosai wrote, and thought that it was too dangerous to leave laying about. She's not about to tell him about it.
7263857 So Happy will never learn that he will have to send another pasty or go for himself in the Everfree (and I hope that, if this will be the case, the Manticore will eat him, so it will die of food poisoning)?
Well, how do I say it ?
about this story, and "A Wild pony in Equestria"... it's hook, line and sinker my dear. Love them Both.
But, as an ungrateful bastard that show no consideration for the work of those who write, I need to say...
Give me More.
...
please
...
well, more seriously, the stuff is good, so, go at your own pace, and at worst, I'll re read everything once it's completed to remember everything a little better.
Have a nice day
I like this one too. I hope you are not having a really bad time in making more chapters for the two stories. I really like to read more awesomeness that is your making.
I prefer this one over the Ranma side honestly. I've seen many "comfort the abused Ranma" fics to sorta feel jaded for them.
What I always wanted to see completed is a story where Nabiki is forced to go on an adventure. Her arc is something I really want to see more of, namely her learning humility and trust. And seeing her go though that with Trixie (who really need s the exact same lesson) is just a bonus.
... although the boob thing is just weird...
6951533 was laughing at that part
In regards to the jail cells, was someone watching "Support Your Local Sheriff" again?