For most of Applejack's life, she didn't know what she was. True, she understood who she was well enough.
But ponies don't change shapes, nor do they get strength from love.
Applejack never thought too hard on it... until the events of a certain wedding brought about some harsh realizations.
Now, with Equestria still reeling from the surprise attack, will Applejack manage to come to terms with what she is? Will she even be able to keep her secret safe?
For if the royal guards don't get her first, the conspirators in the shadows just might...
Image provided by Heilos -
Chapters (19)
I finally have an Applejack is a changeling story. that makes all 6.
You have intrigued me. This is the first not-specifically-Flutterdash story I've read in... months I think. Keep it up, I look forward to seeing where this goes.
Sweet roller blading jesus. That was awesome. Make applejack join the hive. That would be so awesome.
Interesting. Will read more as it comes out.
(Joke) Alt. Title: The Irony Of Changelings (These Stories Never Change!)
1989881 Umm... i think you got the wrong person.
1990049 Hee hee
woops. I've gotten too used to replying to comments on my own stories. That was meant to just be a generic comment.
This is the very first Applejack changeling story I've ever seen, and as such have high expectations. Let's get to reading it.
Edit: Good job, but I've gotta wonder why Applejack has a secret cottage in the woods for that. I mean, why not just lock herself up in her room? Sure, someone might walk in, but it's hella better than hanging out in the house from Blair Witch. She's not a werewolf, she's not gonna hurt anypony. Her family (or Mac, at least) knows what she is, so what's the point of it?
An interesting concept. Continue, I want to see where this goes. I will give you a moustache for a great first chapter.
Don't make me regret this.
This should be interesting.
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It's actually pretty simple. The cottage was an older Apple family house - closer to the time Granny Smith came to Ponyville. Since the family got so big, they had to build a new one to fit it, but for sentimentality reasons, they left the old house standing.
AJ uses it instead of locking herself in her room to minimize the chance of running into anypony by accident (Say, Applebloom who's still in the dark on account of her being young and something of a blabbermouth, or a certain weather pegasus who doesn't understand the concept of doors
I'll go more in depth with her reasons later (I hope), but the basic gist is she does it mostly for the peace and quiet and to remove the chance of freaking anypony out needlessly.
Thank you all for such positive feedback! I honestly was not expecting this story to do as well as it has, so seeing a night of drunken reasoning pay off like this totally made my day.
1990655
I really starting to consider drinking... So many good stories written like this...
Great show vs tell.
I...want....to read more! Ever since I started reading it, so many things about Applejack's character makes sense with being a changeling! I am sooooo following this story. And I RARELY read a story that isn't finished. Keep up the good work ^_^
1991080 Thanks, I'm really glad you like it
1990805 Friendship may be magic, but alcohol is divine.
1990655
This turned out rather well for being inspired by a night of drinking. Really well, even. I'm not all that interested in exactly how much sense it makes for a particular character to be a changeling (although your explanation works nicely); rather, it is the emotions of the character and the reactions of others that I find interesting. We haven't seen too much yet, but so far I think you've gotten characterization pegged. Ashamed Applejack, supportive Big Mac (I seriously loved their dialogue in this chapter by the way), and concerned Twilight/RD all make good use of their established characters and provide ample fodder for the coming conflict.
Please, sir, do continue. Don't bother worrying if the idea of "mane six as changeling" sounds cliche or silly to you. It's all about the execution, and I really like what I see so far.
No one was added it yet so
1991173 Wow, and I thought my day was already made. Thank you so much! Guess that means I better crack open another cold one and get to work.
1991216 Basically, that whole scene was the inspiration for this story. That, and the sheer adorable factor is almost potent enough to be weaponized
1991247
huh....
Yes, finally AJ's turn at the changeling go around. I was wondering when some would do it, and you are are doing it well, my friend. Can't wait to see more.
1989988 I got a chuckle out of that
Now I'm gonna have to do a changeling story and make it as cliche as I possibly can just so I could use that title
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I am working on editing chapter 2 as we speak, so hopefully I'll have it out by the end of the day. fingers crossed.
Now ain't that somethin.
Well, shoot.
This is awesome. This is a good idea and I can not wait to see where you tke this story. Keep up the good work.
This is looking pretty good.
Wow. I love it! Will definitely be waiting for updates!
Oh boy. So question: is Vigil a changeling looking to retrieve lost changelings or does he really work for the Princesses, arresting changelings?
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That'll be gone over more in the next chapter, so I can't really reveal too much
COOL!
Just when I thought these fics were gone...
Y'know, I thought we sprayed for these.
1992982 I was wondering when I'd find you, Regidar
I can officially consider this fic a success now.
1993006 Aw, sweet.
knighty can't rake leaves over me and hope I just go away.
Very nice. Not enough fics star Applejack these days.
Also, congrats on being featured!
Alright, this is freaking awesome. Finely written, well-plotted. Vigil's entrance was fantastic, managin' so much with such a short exchange. I'm in awe, mate.
1993099 Thank you so much! You have no idea how much of a happy dance I'm doing right now.
I may just have to crack open another beer and see where that one takes me. And they say alcoholism doesn't pay off
1993132 Thanks!
Oh joy, the Royal Gestapo.
"I need to see your papers, please"
1993185 Huh, now that you mention it... Well, not like they have many choices. considering this is set a few weeks after the wedding (at the most a month), they don't really have a sure-fire plan of action against an enemy that can literally hide as anypony, and zapping every pony that comes and goes might be a little... extreme, not to mention taxing on the unicorns that have to do it
Well, Vigil has me interested - first time around, he seemed like a changeling doing his thing but now it seems like he really is a royal agent, so does that mean the guy he met was a changeling he's conning or is he a double-agent for Chrysalis or SO MUCH QUESTIONS
Loving the scenes with Applejack too (now write more babby Applejack)
Heh. Well, this will be interesting. I don't think I've seen changeling Applejack before. Kinda makes you wonder about the whole "Element of Honesty" thing.
I am a little confused about how this identification works, though. I mean, if a changeling were to take a pony's place, wouldn't they just take the ID and get by quite easily? For that matter, wouldn't the strain on the unicorns doing the scanning just be exacerbated by having to do it all at once to get everypony a valid ID?
But that's a fairly minor point. Other than that, nicely done.
1993386 The point of the ID is to have it, and to also be able to recite relavent facts about the pony in question (hence why Twilight rattled off so much).
A changeling just taking somepony's place may be able to get an ID, but as Chrysalis proved, they don't gain their memories or knowledge. So, the hope is that the two combined will expose flaws in a changeling's disguise.
For example, if Rainbow had been caught, she would've been hauled in for questioning, and likely a magical screening, then once she was confirmed to be the real deal, she would've been released. But if a changeling is caught, well... odds are they'll either get thrown out of Equestria completely or held for questioning (usually both)
It's not a perfect system - it was hastily implemented while a better solution is come up, but as of the story time-frame (only a few weeks after the wedding) a practical solution has yet to be found.
There's more to it, though, as I hope to show later (like pamphlets and posters with tips and suggestions for protecting your family from infiltration.)
End wall of text
Applejack's a queen?
All of my yes, TAKE IT!
Kinda guessed she was a queen from the fact that she looked different. Very interesting story so far. Looking forward to more of it.
1993582 Yeah, I figured making her a drone would be kind of underwhelming for a main character of the show.
Plus Heilos' artwork was too cool to just ignore.
1993645 True that. Now I want to know who her mother is... Chrysalis? (I'm aware that this being answered is very unlikely...)dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/shrug_Queen_Chrysalis.png
Question is. what is big mac? a guardian? or a victim?
This... this is awesome, my friend!
Any story involving Best Poni is a winner in my book. This just happens to be really well-written and paced.
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