After Spike finds an abandoned egg, his instincts kick in and he does everything to protect it.

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.

Every student of the School of Friendship had to complete a capstone project before graduating. While the other students wrote songs, baked cakes, and other ordinary things, Ocellus and her friends decided to make their last project together count--they built a ship, and planned to sail it north all the way up the coast to Manehattan. But none of them were terribly good sailors, and they never could've imagined what found them on the water...

Now they've been washed ashore in a strange land, surrounded by creatures they never imagined in their wildest dreams. To survive long enough to make their way home, they might just have to make some new friends.

Writen as a Patreon reward for Vilken666. Editing by the usual starpub crew, Two Bit and Sparktail. Cover by Zutcha.

Updates Mondays.

No important political meetings to attend? Check! No letters to answer? Check! A magical and child-safe gift for Flurry Heart that she's sure to love? Check!

Her schedule was clear. Shining and Cadence were off on vacation. She'd prepared all her materials. Twilight Sparkle was more than ready to spend a fun-filled weekend babysitting her favorite niece.

But she wasn't prepared for King Sombra's return. Nopony could prepare to be trapped with him inside a storybook of fairy tales.

And nopony's ever ready for an unhappy ending...

Proofread by: Alicornpriest

Winner of November 2017 NaPoWriMo: Goal of 50k smashed!

Now Featured on Equestria Daily - First hit the Featured Box on April 28th!