Spike longed for years to have a family of his own. With Twilight's help, he applies for adoption.
Can he succeed in the trials of parenthood?
Can his daughter survive the life of royalty?
Can the royal coffers endure the doting of three zealous aunts?

Set seventy years after the end of Season 3.

Featured on Equestria Daily!
Cover art by EZTP also featured on Equestria Daily! [#3]
Additional supplemental art provided by MelonDraws, spokenmind93, EZTP, EifieChan, Ayemel, and Ninny, with more to come in the future.

Edited by the amazing Shahrazad

*Note*: [Sex] tag added for the use of innuendo and mention of the topic in later chapters. No 'on-screen' content included.

This story's update frequency is incredibly sporadic, but I promise, no matter what happens, no matter how long it takes, this story will reach completion. (Update 12/28/22: YES, I PROMISE I'M STILL WORKING ON IT!)

This story is a sequel to The Changeling of the Guard

To live in Everfree Forest requires one to make a lot of sacrifices. Zecora can attest to that; for years the ponies were too frightened of her and her studies to even make contact.

Then again, that's for the best; the forest has never been kind to intruders. One never does know what fate can be levied for not treating it with the respect it demands. Still, she wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

The same can't be said for her newest ward.

More future-sidequel than sequel to Changeling of the Guard, as Idol isn't starring, but something I'm going to work on in tandem with it.

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.

For Spike, the Summer Sun Celebration was more than the celebration of the summer solstice. It was the day he and Twilight came to their new home in Ponyville, the day the Elements of Harmony were rediscovered, the day six mares found a bond so powerful, it would define their entire world.

For Spike, today was a day of remembrance.

Art by MrDaviez

This is 100% approved by Twilight's Library - Miss Dark Angel

If she had been a good little filly, she would have listened to her mommy and daddy and her teacher and the esteemed mayor of Ponyville. If She had been a good little filly she would have stayed indoors, hiding under her bed as she waited for the Royal Guard and the Princesses to arrive and deal with the dragon. If she had been a good little filly, the kind of child that always got what she wanted for Hearth's Warming, she would not be on the trail leading up the mountain, to where the dragon now rested.

Glitter Belle is not a good little filly. She is a curious one, whose curiosity has brought her face to face with a very, very large dragon. Let's hope it's in the mood to talk.

This is 100% Approved by Twilight's Library

He had to look down to see her. A pony, a creature no bigger than a goat, stood on his doorstep. Her pale blue fur and ragged, blood-red mane couldn’t have looked more out of place in a town of goats and minotaurs. Kev stared at her, wondering what to do. His father would’ve chased her away with a club and a string of obscenities. His grandfather would’ve eaten her. His great grandfather would’ve eaten her and not gone to prison for it.

A story about one minotaur’s relationship with his society, his family, and his wife.

Featured on Equestria Daily
Edited by PresentPerfect
Cover art by Ruirik
(In progress) Reading by ABagOVicodin:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

A diplomatic crisis arises between Equestria and the small, poor kingdom of Tarandroland, ancestral home of the reindeer. Celestia and Luna agree that it is time Luna takes a more active hand in foreign relations again, and Luna brings Twilight with her as someone she actually trusts and can talk to. But the mission turns out to be much more than political discussions - if scheming unicorn courtiers, unfriendly surly reindeer, bloodthirsty pirates, ancient sorcery and dangerous monsters weren't enough, our heroines must deal with something old - older than Luna. And is Luna really ready for diplomatic action, will Twilight learn to use a fan properly, and exactly how wrong are Spike's superhero comics about reindeer mythology?

Now has a TV tropes page

It turns out that ponies don't need to go to the bathroom because they run on cold fusion.

Meanwhile, Maud Pie has found a bunch of glowing, green rocks. I wonder what they could be?

It's finally over. The games, the traps, the taunts, the meddling...it's finally all over.

With his most hated foe finally gone, Ahuizotl does what any good villain would do:

Monologue.

It's a good thing Daring Do is such a good listener.

Art by Kna

Approved for Celestia's Library.

Approved for Twilight's Library

Featured on Equestria Daily.

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!