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.

No one in Ponyville is certain why the strange bug-pony is at the market, nor why he is talking to the silversmith. Or well, the bug-pony isn't doing the talking. Which is the strangest part of all.

(I had no better cover art really.)

(Featured on 2021-11-27. Thank you all.)

(The story was 1st on featured and passed 150 likes on 2021-11-28.)

(The story is still in the featured feed on 2021-11-29, I am super grateful for all your support.)

A prank ton wrong leaves Barry with spectral powers and confined to his new location. Will he be able to adjust to his new life?

A free commission/ co-op story for/with: https://www.fimfiction.net/user/322554/damiranc1

Inspired by Danny Phantom

...And so the Alicorns divided the three tribes amongst themselves, that one pair may rule over each nation. But the Wanderer had no tribe and no nation of her own, so instead she gave the gift of art and music to be shared by all, that all may live in harmony...

An Original Generation Story

Every pony knows that unicorns live in Lustre, pegasi in Meteoras, and galloway in Sylvain, and some think it should stay that way. The three nations don’t hate each other, but they definitely don’t like each other, especially now. Something is riling up the monsters and beasts of Cabalos and the nation’s leaders don’t know what to do. Unfortunately with generations of suspicion and pride to weigh them down, it looks like each nation will have to solve the problem on their own…

The village of Harmony wouldn’t know any of that. Deep in the secluded Valley of Life hidden in the Mercurial Mountains, this secret community lives in serenity with the world around them and each other and it’s been that ways for generations without anyone from the outside ever finding them.

That is until outsiders enter the valley, the first in a long time. One wouldn’t expect to find a hidden pocket of civilization all the way out here. Lightning Bug has never been good at making friends, but she manages to find a place to belong in this strange, happy town.
But with a rampaging dragon prowling outside, and something ancient and angry lurking beneath the mountains, none of them could go home even if they wanted to, not until their new home is safe. The six friends; outsiders and locals, will learn and grow together as heroes not just for the valley of life, but perhaps for all of Cabalos as well.

Special thanks to Pfeffaroo for the wonderful coverart!

Spike asks a rather unexpected question.

Things happen.

(Cover image has nothing to do with the story.)
(Added sex tag just to be safe)

It had been hard enough, being one of the first. With the walls dropped, leaving her nation, her herd, traveling to Japan and trying to exist among so many strangers... every day had been a challenge. But she'd tried. Day by day, hoofstep by hoofstep, she'd felt she was finding her place in the human world.

But now there are no humans. No other demis or liminals. Nothing to anchor her. She exists among tiny horses and the scent of their fear, or at least what little of it drifts into her cell.

For nopony can look at a centaur and see anything but a monster.

(Now with author Patreon and Ko-Fi pages -- and the TVTropes page just went live.)

Cover art by Harwick. Please contact him for commission rates & prints.

Trigger warning: character interpretation.

I have spent my whole life in the hive, learning to be an infiltrator. But now Chrysalis has fled, and everything has changed. I don't know what I'm going to do next.

Let me tell you how I got here.

Written as part of a fic exchange for Flashgen.

Cover art by Shaslan.

Hello, friends! My name is Lemony Cutewhistle.

I am probably a normal pony.

-

Editing thanks to Aquaman and Masked Ferret.

Lost, starving, and hunted by the law, a lonely changeling finds a traveling entertainer who he plans on using to restore his energy by extracting as much love out of her as possible.

Too bad his target turns out to be Trixie.

After a brief violent encounter and some mutual blackmail, the two of them decide to perform together in front of the town to raise enough bits and love for them each to go their separate ways.

It works out better than they expected.

Picture credit: Ashindo (Check out his Dark Equestria)
Now on Equestria Daily
Editors: Peter, Tek, Themaskedferret, Bluepaladin42, D48

This story is a sequel to The Mare In Gold

When a Royal Guard of the Crystal Empire finds an abandoned changeling foal, she takes in the infant and raises it as her own daughter. It’s love at first sight, and the bond that forms between them gets the guard in a lot more trouble than she bargained for.

Up Next: Black Gold