Swansong, an exiled changeling, is living in Equestria; surviving by any means she can. There’s a reason it’s considered Equestria’s second oldest profession. Swansong ekes out a living as best she can, until she finds herself in an impossible situation; she has laid an egg, a privilege normally restricted to the Queen’s brood.

As the the little hatchling grows, Swansong knows something is wrong. The child eats regular pony food, and she feels the love emanating from it. Her fellow changelings would either steal the child as a resource, to be fed on until she died; or they would kill her as an abomination.

She knows this, because being around the child makes her hungry herself.

Novel Tale is an author that's been living in Canterlot for about ten years now. That's a pretty good track record for a changeling. He's even included a changeling character in his latest book, and his fans have been loving his take on such an obscure mythological creature, especially his biggest fan, Twilight Sparkle. Things are looking up!

Then an army of changelings from another hive attacks Canterlot.

Now all of ponykind knows that changelings are real, and his readers are sure to realize that the changeling in his book was too similar to the real thing to have just been based on a myth...

earlier chapters have been revised as of 7/19/13 to be more inline quality wise with the later chapters.

Featured on EQD 10/5/13!

Let it be known that there will be extensive changeling world building in the chapters to come.

cover image courtesy of ackdari.

Much thanks to Nyerguds for proofreading and to all my fellow tropers on the TvTropes pony fanfiction thread for helping me develop this from a vague idea into an actual story.

After being stranded in Manehatten, a changeling is saved by a young filly who is being terrorized by a monster hiding in her closet. After the horror has been taken care of, the changeling and the young filly become close friends... and the changeling and the filly's foster father become something more...

The second story in the the rebooted Cricket-Verse, aka the Nonsense-Verse

Mole Cricket, former commander of the changeling swarm, finds himself stranded in Equestria, with no idea where the rest of his kind may be... and no intention of reuniting with the swarm, since the Queen would blame her failure in Canterlot upon him. After encountering a group of youngsters who, instead of seeing a monster, see a hero, the changeling decides to dedicate himself to an impossible goal...

To become the first changeling to attain knighthood.
Cover Art by SlashOpenTheSky

The first of five new stories for the rebooted Cricket-Verse... now renamed the Nonsense-verse.

An unexpected encounter with a stallion helps Fluttershy feel better about a personal problem... And then hilarity ensues.

There is now an Interquel in progress, taking place between chapters 3 and 4. And there is a sequel planned.

Leiurus Quinquestriatus, the Deathstalker, a changeling raised to be a living weapon, is left without direction after the Canterlot invasion. Found by The Great And Powerful Trixie, she is taken to the Crystal Empire, in the hopes that somepony will take her in. However, Leiurus was given very specific orders regarding the Crystal Empire...

Orders regarding its destruction...

Part of the rebooted Cricket-Verse, aka The Nonsense-Verse.

Orchid Mantis, a changeling, has come to the Crystal Empire, hoping to retire in peace. However, a terrible curse set by King Sombra as revenge for his defeat threatens the city, summoning monsters to raze everything to the ground... and only the power of love can stop them. The changeling, being able to tap into that power at will, has been drafted to help fight these monsters when they appear...

However, for a dedicated martial artist, defeating monsters is easy. For a changeling, raising a child is a much greater challenge. And building a meaningful relationship? Harder still...

Part of the the rebooted Cricket-verse, aka The Nonsense-Verse.

An innocent joke reveals a startling secret.
Due to popular demand, it has been expanded to three chapters, plus a sequel in the near future.

A collection of short stories about Mole Cricket, and other changelings, attempting to fit in with pony society.
For more of the Mole Cricket-Verse, you can read Your Fangs Are Showing, and The Royal Interview: A Mole Cricket Story.

Concluded early in favor of a reboot.

Ling, a mute and magic-less young changeling, is stranded in Canterlot. Only a week after the failed invasion, and desperate for love, she resorts to begging in the streets for hugs... and ends up adopted by the end of the day. However, there are those who see her, not as a person, or even a changeling, but as a pawn in a devious plot, one that could ruin her foster parents...

But Ling is nowhere near as defenseless as she seems...

The third story in the rebooted Cricket-verse, aka The Nonsense-Verse.