This story is a sequel to Idol Hooves and The Deathly Tired Princess

Recently promoted to the rank of Colonel, (not his fault) Idol Hooves is tasked with the supervision of rebuilding the Crystal Empire's Guard Force. As the first Colonel in several centuries, Celestia, Luna, and his friends Shining and Cadence feel the rank and his stoic demeanor will be a boon for the traditionalist crystal ponies.

Plus his recent fame thanks to the plush dolls made in likeness are sure to draw recruits in by the wagon full!

How will Idol and his family handle this new life in the land of the far north? Can Idol keep Cersus out of trouble long enough to finish his task before being court-martialed?

NOTE: This story is a sequel to my own Idol Hooves story, which is based off Vdarke's Changeling of the Guard. Events depicted in this story are not cannon unless he decides later to borrow some!

Commissioned the cover art from Scope from the COTG Discord, and it looks lovely! You can find him on Twitter, and Deviant Art

Editor in Passing HorseWordFan is the one you have to thank for the newest round of edits!

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.

Sunburst has a secret.

He is deeply and utterly in love with Shining Armor and Princess Cadance.

Though, honestly it's probably best that this stays a secret. Shining is a stud and Princess Cadance the most beautiful mare in Equestria. They're way out of his league and happily married.

It's just a bunch of dumb day dreaming and childish fantasies. They couldn't possibly like him like that.

Right?

Proofread by my lovely and utterly fantastic friends Nova Quill and Undome Tinwe .

Cover art was done the fantastic Silfoe, special thanks to her for letting me use it.

"This was a delight to read. Cute and fluffy all the way through.

Also, I appreciate the actual in-character bits and what they did for the story and progression a lot." - Carapace

"I rather enjoyed this one, gar." - Cynewulf

"What is there to say, if you like cute fluffy shipping, then you’ll like this one, and should go read. If you don’t… what’s wrong with you?" - Hopeling's 27/05/2019 Review

"This story was immensely enjoyable, one of the best I've read in quite some time. All the characters were an absolute joy to read, and the chemistry between them was perfect. The only thing that could've made it better is if there was more of it " - Krickis

Idol Hooves holds a special place in Equestria. He's probably the only exiled changeling to serve in the Royal Guard, or at least, that's what he expects, as exiles don't really broadcast that fact. However, it's well known that Princess Celestia loves all of her little ponies, and her guards perhaps more so, and that makes it one of the best ways for a changeling to discreetly feed.

But how does a changeling even get there, let alone get exiled in the first place? For that matter, why would it ever go to Canterlot? Set a number of years before the series proper, before Luna’s redemption, Idol details how he was exiled, the ponies he’s met, and the series of misadventures that led him to joining the Royal Guard, and should continue a good ways into the series, as something of an alternate perspective.

Soon, he’ll have to deal with a boisterous new princess to serve and a royal wedding in the works bringing a third to power. Will his old instincts bring this new life crashing down around him? What precipitates Chrysalis’s ill-fated assault on Canterlot? Is it really so wrong for a changeling to enjoy good craftsmanship to an obsessive degree?

New cover art provided by the fantastic Carnifex

And a TVTropes page here.

And an Ask Blog of questionable canonity!
Out of Idol Curiosity

Fanart by Norad2! Major thanks! Short For a Royal Guard

Art by Egophiliac of Idol and his Daring Duckie Please don't tell him what that brush is meant for.

Rating updated to (T), it's a bit darker than (E)
Comedy Tag added as well
And changed the character tags a bit.