• Member Since 5th May, 2013
  • offline last seen Last Friday

Carapace


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This story is a sequel to The Face I'll Wear


Dear Small Pony Book,

Hello. My name is Thorax. I am a changeling formerly of the Badlands Hive, ruled by the terrible Queen Chrysalis. Nowadays, I am fortunate to call the Crystal Empire home, and their Royal Family my friends.

Since I'm rather new to living in pony society—without orders to infiltrate, of course—my new friends have been doing their very best to help me get acclimated to this strange, alien way of life. To this end, Princess Cadence has instructed me to tell you of my experiences so that we might use this as time to reflect together. However, I do find it strange. How am I to discuss my day to day interactions with a book? Especially one without a name? You can't not have a name, that would just be rude. So, I will just have to figure one out for you.

I'm not sure why Cadence is laughing at that, or why Shining Armor is groaning. This is a very serious issue.

These ponies are strange. But I don't think I'd have them any other way.


A little thing for me to fiddle with when I'm bored. Updates will likely be sporadic. Tagged as a prequel/sequel to The Face I'll Wear because it will explore some of the same themes and will show events before and after the story.

Preread by Timaeus.

Chapters (20)
Comments ( 755 )

I confess that I would have liked to court her after the invasion, if should would allow it.

"she"
Also:
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I think this is going to be an absolutely delightful story to watch.

A delightful premise and a promising first chapter. I look forward to seeing where you go from here.

Oh... isn't he just adorable!! ET your her out twilight sparkle xD naming a book haha...

Delightful premise, adorable first chapter, oh yes. This one's definitely a winner. I like Thorax being one of Flurry Heart's babysitters.

7770619 I'm on the same page as this guy. I look forward to more whenever you give us more.

Will definitely be reading this later!

It's tough, I suspect, when you have new foster parents.

Maybe I'm just stupid, because I didn't know changelings could turn into objects.

7770951 Did you watch Thorax's first episode? He turns into a rock at one point.

7770958 I am binging the whole thing, so I am not there yet, but I will get there. But it... doesn't make sense. I guess I can see the tactical advantages...

Can we have a Thorax tag already!

You write a delightful Thorax, ZOMG. :pinkiehappy:

7771073 Probably not, its been almost two years since the last tag got added and it was freaking Glim Glam.

7770951

We find out about that in the first episode with Thorax.

(sees ZOMG's bio at the top)

Death of the author is my new favorite thing.

Huh...no comment to that.

Also, when is the next chapter of Village Without Respite coming out? I'm still trying to keep track of the characters but there's so many names per chapter I keep forgetting who the hell is who, and as such I would like to know how many more bloody names you're going to bring in for me to remember. XD

7773275 Funny how he's the ONLY one who's ever done it. Which makes me wonder if the rest of the Changeling race was just too stupid to consider the idea of changing into objects themselves.

You ever notice how even though they can make themselves look like other ponies, they're pretty bad at acting like ponies? I think about that and I can't help but think...wow...Equestria's lucky to have survived this long if they can't tell the difference between friend and fakers.

But that's just me. Now that they are good, at least they don't have to worry about that crap anymore.

ZOMG you write the most adorable Changelings on this site by far! :raritywink:

7773454

ZOMG you write the most adorable Changelings on this site by far! :raritywink:

He and about five (or possibly seven) other people are the ONLY people who write decent Changeling stories that don't involve rape or porn. That is highly deserving of respect considering he could have taken the easy way of getting views and done just that. So massive kudos to him.

I like this. I'm guessing Thorax is still the same age even in his Alolan form. He reminds me of Season 1 Fluttershy.

Tickle torture like that should be illegal! lol
Good work :)

You have Thorax nailed so wonderfully well! It's such a joy to read it. You can really understand him, where he's coming from, and sympathize with him quite readily. It's going to be an absolute joy following this story, I can tell. :pinkiehappy:

Thorax is so adorable. Hopefully one of the chapters is about directly after "The Face I'll Wear" short you wrote.

7773316
I seem to recall changelings disguised as inanimate objects in the comic, but I'm not certain on that, and too lazy to look it up.

7774596 No. Just had a look myself and they don't.

Well, actually I think one tried to disguise itself as a lamp, but all it did was stick a lampshade on its head and that was it...

7774596 By the way, between you and me, I really want to see bat ponies in the next season. Imagine an episode where Luna instructs her bat ponies to mingle with Equestrian society in order to strengthen co-operation between the guard and the public, but the bat ponies end up frightening everyone who think they're vampires, and so the Mane 6 have to help out by allowing one or two bat ponies to live in Ponyville and get the citizens of Ponyville to trust in the Night Guard, a task made difficult due to the fact that the Night Guard bat ponies act too serious all the time and jump into action at the smallest of things.

Or, you know...something like that.

I didn't read an official episode synopsis if that is what your facial expression is accusing me of.

HAHAA YESS!

I needed a new story to follow, and the fact that it contains my two most favourite things, Changelings and FREAKINGAWESOMEWRITING, IS THE BEST BONUS I COULD RECEIVE!

Arigatoo
Yokudekimashita

Spelled Cadance's name wrong all throughout this thing

-6666666666/10

Score is also retroactively extended to the last story in this series you wrote where I just didn't notice

Unfollowed

7775126

Sarcasm is unbecoming of you.

7780038

Well at least you caught it.

Would that I could say the same for everyone else who got salty, but I am an expert at overestimating this place.

It's weird. I know exactly what Thorax sounds like, but for this I imagined him having an Invader Zim voice.

Fun, but begs the following questions:
1: What the heck was Thorax doing to not be turning into a frosticle while he was out in the snow prior to The Times they are a Changeling? You know, OUTSIDE the shield noted in question 2. Out in that unending blizzard.
2: How is it so uncomfortably/dangerously cold in the palace when the Crystal Heart is projecting a magical arcology dome that keeps the area of the city in wonderful spring-time weather conditions 24/7, year round?
3: Why didn't Thorax use a bit more of a clever transformation, and transform into Crystal Hoof the Ever Fluffy? The guy can LITERALLY turn into a rock and a baby dragon. Turning into something more suited to evading frostbite seems like it should be basic survival 101. Just switch out the fine fur coat for something more suited to Yak physiology. Or turn into a Yak.

Don't mind me. I'm just getting the 401 on this story while I haul a load through this here plot hole on down to Texarkana. 10-4?

7812451

1. Because the blizzard wasn't raging in that episode, there was just snow on the ground. Big difference, and that's coming from a southern boy who has torn off his jacket while walking up the side of a mountain with snow on the ground because "holy crap, this is actually hot." He was running around and hopped up on adrenaline.

2. Because it was never stated that the city is eternally in spring while under Shining's shield. Just that he kept the blizzard out. I would imagine they still get their chilly days.

3. Because he's a goofball kid who doesn't think things all the way through (see his debut episode for further proof of that) and he's limited to two forms while in the Crystal Empire—his natural one and Crystal Hoof.

Bonus: because it's a silly comedy thing I'm writing for giggles :derpytongue2:

the ending of this chapter is just D'awwwwww.

7812451

1. Caves tend to be a constant temperature all year round around 10 degrees celsius all your round. Could have been hiding down there in his cocoon. Bears in Ireland used to hibernate in the Aillwee caves and given his cocoon would act as some sort of insulation I think he could keep reasonably warm. Caves also don't have draughts or windows and possibly could have been located near a hot spring or volcanic activity.

2. During the Crystalling the ponies didn't question snow inside the city limits, right next to where the heart is situated. So perhaps it maintains it in accordance to some sort of season. Also he noted he was bringing wet blankets to bed, so that kind of messed him up even worse.

3. He's promised to maintain a single form I think. And given his absolute rigidness in following the letter of the rules I wouldn't put it past him to just not consider it.

2 updates in 1 day? That rolling pin you were hit with must have been magical. We shall have to put it somewhere safe, in case it is needed again.

Magnificent writing, as always.

I watched a young mare named Tourmaline direct a stallion named Stout Heart

Awesome.

Cringe Comedy is cringey, but Thorax is getting better, which is nice.

Libellula, a genus of dragonflies... So not all changelings are names after body parts... So who and why did they name him Thorax?

I wonder if she'll make an appearance later...

Hmm... Well, Changelings know about romance, to some extent.

Hmm... I wonder if he'll be better by next entry...

Could Thorax learn unicorn magic if he gave himself a horn?

Hey, this is a really nice read. Thorax's diary has a lot of promise. The uncertainty and the application of changeling morals and concepts to pony activities is something I love doing myself.

And my god, 'Seepy Tora'. That is so painfully adorable I can't help but d'aww. Fantastic work.

The footnote was the best part, in my opinion.

I'm really liking this so far.

7812493

that's coming from a southern boy who has torn off his jacket while walking up the side of a mountain with snow on the ground because "holy crap, this is actually hot." He was running around and hopped up on adrenaline.

Sounded like Paradoxical Undressing, except milder.

I absolutely adore how you're writing Thorax in this; especially his dedication to testing things for edibility. He's such a delightful little bug. :heart:

7812946 If I ever go hiking in winter I'm going to be sure to carry a bottle of Italian or Greek salad dressing with me so that, if I get lost and begin to succumb to hypothermia, I can cover myself with it. That way, when the rescuers find my frozen body, they'll have a case of paradoxical dressing to deal with. :pinkiehappy:

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