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.

This story is a sequel to Twilight Sparkle of the Royal Guard

Between castle gossip, professional rivalries, a blooming romance, and a mysterious malefactor still at large, Decurion Twilight Sparkle has a lot on her plate. Hopefully, she'll make a few new friends as she moves towards the destiny she's chosen for herself.

As per usual, big thanks to Magello for the rad cover art!

A young human girl runs away from home with her best friend, and finds herself much further from home than she ever expected. Her arrival in Equestria will cause ripples that affect ponies from the lowest to the highest.

Meanwhile, a young Nocturne mare begins an epic quest to earn the right to clean Princess Luna's porcelain throne.
Be sure to check out the Continuation. "How to Train Your Batpony" Not a Clopfic!

Let me extend thanks to Georg for letting me play with some of his characters and situations, and for proof reading and contributing some really good lines here and there.

Secondly, I would recomend reading some of his stories to better understand the jokes and situations that pop up in my story. Most especially I would advise you read A War of Words - The Opening of the Guard and possibly Genealogy (or the mating habits of Nocturnes Pegasi) (which is very long)

Life is looking up for Sunset Shimmer.

With her grandstanding at the Battle of the Bands, Canterlot High has taken a new approach to her. Amends have been made, friendships have been restored, and Sunset is on the fast track to becoming a better person.

But even now, there are still apologies that have to be said.

For her Spring Break, Sunset returns to Equestria to make up with her estranged family: the parents that raised and provided for her, and the sister she left behind. But a lot has changed since then, and some wounds won't heal by just saying 'I'm sorry.'

Fixing friendships is one thing. Sunset will be put through her hardest test yet when she tries to bring her family back together.

Another one edited by Cerulean Voice.

Stunningly amazing cover art drawn by Ayemel!

Featured on Equestria Daily.

Listen to the audio book here!

Orphaned from birth, with only the memories of a soft touch and gentle voice to remember her by, Twilight yearns for her mother. What pony wouldn't want to know why they were abandoned, why they were left to be found by the Princess of the Sun herself.

That was nearly two decades ago though. Twilight was older now, and hopefully wiser. She is happy with her two best friends, Cadance and Shining Armor. They are like family to her, the brother and sister she never could have. Though dreams still haunt the young mare, dreams of lullabies and tender kisses, she has moved on.

The personal servant to the Princess of Helios, the land of the Sun, Twilight enjoyed both rank, and knowledge. But it also means that when Princess Luna comes to visit her old friend, Twilight is given the task of tending her. The Princess has come in search of marriage, at the behest of her ruling Council. They demand an heir to ward off the potentially catastrophic attacks of the neighboring dragons.

Soon, Twilight will be tested and tried. She will be given the a choice between the life she has known, and the duty she is sworn to. But never, not once, will she forget.

For who can stop loving their mother.

Twilight finds herself struggling without a clear path in front of her as a princess. In a bout of panic, she seeks out her mentor, Princess Celestia, in the hopes of gaining answers, only to find herself with some much more distressing questions.

With a decidedly unexpected guest making herself comfortable in Canterlot Castle, it quickly becomes evident that her mentor has been keeping some interesting company over the years. Twilight quickly begins to realize just how much things are going to change for her. She's practically immortal. Which, apparently, means she's going to be spending a lot of time with beings a lot less mature than they first seemed.

(First Story-Woot. Likely to be broken down into three parts.)

Twilight Sparkle knows they’re lucky, and she’s not stupid. All her human counterpart wants is to try and understand how the magic works. But she’s in love, and as logical as she tries to be, she can’t handle a human version of herself being around her girlfriend Sunset all of the times she can’t be.

7/7/2016: Now with cover art designed by the very generous Novel-Idea! Thank you so much!

Sunset and Celestia reconciled many months ago, upon the former's return to Canterlot. Despite this, Sunset can't help but feel nervous as today is a special day: Mother's day.

A late Mother's day fic.

This story is a sequel to Princess Celestia The Changeling Queen: Stories Behind the Mask

At the Royal Wedding, Chrysalis and the Changelings were revealed to all of Equestria.

But another mask was torn away that day. A mask born for a thousand years. A mask created on one promise. A mask, that has become synonymous, fused, to its bearer.

A mask that when ripped off, causes Twilight, her friends and Luna to question everything they ever knew about the one pony, one very important pony.

At the Royal Wedding, the meaning of the phrase 'Princess Celestia' changes forever.

NOTE: Chrysalis is NOT Celestia!!! That'd be impossible to pull off.

Credits to: Plainoasis for the design of the cover art
Note 2: Original cover art here: https://angelea-phoenix.deviantart.com/art/Contest-entry-Changeling-Celestia-337023552

Pre-read/edited by Zervziel,
Blankscape,
FinalFan,
Courage Fire
Aurora Borealis

Side Stories to this can be found: here.

An audio-reading on youtube up to Chapter 21 is up by StraightToThePoint Studios. I'm aware there are others but this is the nearest complete one: [embed]https://youtu.be/X3eMW673CSY[/embed]

There are also 2 print versions of Princess Celestia:The Changeling Queen. Nonexistent Publications run and Ministry of Image's run.

Contribute to the TV Tropes Page (thanks to Babs_Seed72 for getting it up)

In a world ravaged by the living dead, one man has outlasted those with far more strength, speed, and experience. His only advantages are his uncanny luck and peculiar inspiration. This inspiration has never led him astray and even promises a fresh start. All he has to do is build a strange device that follows no earthly science.

While Earth’s story might be over, this cog-jockey’s has just begun.