Rock's as solid a unicorn can be without being an earth pony. Then most of a life time growing up in a mine is going to leave a whole bunch of rough edges. Still Rock's always figured that it was pretty good preparation for when the sun went down for the last time ever over a year ago.

Now though she's stuck in a whole other Equestria and there's another unicorn that looks just like her that also lives in Ponyville. Just she's still calling herself Rarity and is far too prissy for her own good.

Soon she's going to meet other ponies in the same predicament, linked in ways they don't yet understand and try to find a way home to the Equestria that they know.

Course first off she's going to have to work out how to get along with herself...

***

Courtesy of an awesome brony Random Elements now has a tropes page : http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/StrykesRandomElements.

This fic was completed in the week between One Bad Apple and Magic Duel, so consider anything before that as having happened for purposes of this fic and everything after as not happening yet, or at all.

Original chapter publish dates:
Chapter 1 - 24th July
Chapter 2 - 29th July
Chapter 3 - 2nd August
Chapter 4 - 8th August
Chapter 5 - 12th August
Chapter 6 - 30th August
Chapter 7 - 1st September
Chapter 8 - 5th September
Chapter 9 - 9th October
Chapter 10 - 5th November
Chapter 11 - 28th November
Epilogue - 28th November

Following the final Magic Duel, Ponyville holds Trixie in custody until she can be attended to by one of the Princesses. However, when Celestia arrives with Prince Blueblood in tow, a shocking truth awaits the residents of Ponyville.

Featured 30-March-2016, thanks to all readers!

Celestia has lived for countless centuries. Looking over Equestria like a caring mother and tending to the needs of even the smallest of creatures. But now her time grows near. As she looks down upon Canterlot one evening, she has an unexpected visitor - a small, exuberant filly.

Her name is Death.

This is an idea that wouldn't leave my head, inspired by Fairy Slayer's "Mommy Nearest," Aldea Donder's "Alicorn," SoundofRainfall's "Play" and RainbowDoubleDash's "Lunaverse"

Alternate Universe: Instead of Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia made Rainbow Dash her personal student instead! Follow her through the events of the 1,000th Summer Sun Celebration. A reimagining of "Friendship is Magic"

I was known as Frank DeFontaine. I was going to a Halloween party. I was a pretty intelligent kid, starting my first college term, and decided a little dress-up couldn't hurt.
My buddy Richard got involved, though. And like everything, he took it a bit too far. This time, I didn't say no, though. I really should have.
Next thing I know, we're going all-out on making my Dullahan costume. Because he's my favorite optional boss, and all.
Really shoulda known something was up when that guy behind the counter just so happened to have a sword that fit our specifications perfectly.
Next thing I know, I'm in Equestria. And I'm missing a head.
Sakes, I could use a drink. And a neck.
-----
Featured on 2/19/2014.
I'd like to leave it at "Holy mother of-!" but that doesn't capture what I'm feeling!

When Fluttershy helps Twilight out with some spells she has never tried before, they end up turning a piece of candy corn into a real, flesh and blood, breathing mare. While they try to figure out how this happened, the mare leaves an impact on everypony she meets.

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.

A new pony has arrived in Ponyville on the day of Summer Sun Celebration. Who is he? He's nice but when the residents of the town learn more about him, even more unanswered questions seem to pop up.
Can anypony figure out this mystery?
Probably when they actually ask the right question.
Are they going to?
No
Will he interfere with events?
We'll see.

This is just an idea I had and wrote by hand (later edited onto a computer) in a matter of a few hours. I have no delusions that this is a perfect story. Just some fun I had when writing out ideas. For the most part it will focus on different ponies crossing paths with him as the series goes on and not directly follow him. This IS technically a Human in Equestria story but by no means is he ordinary, both in body and mind as you will notice in the first chapter. He WILL be unrealistic, so please no comments about him not reacting to the situation like a normal person.
As for the back story of the character, I had originally included it but at second glance, I felt it would be better for both people inside and outside of the story to figure it out.
The amazing artwork was done by Mix-up. You can check out his other artworks on his Deviant Art page.

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.

The story of my down fall had started. I was out numbered, out gunned and my magical reserves were drained. At the moment when I felt the bullet hit, I thought it was over and I would never see those I care for again, so I closed my eyes and accepted what would happen next.

But desitny stepped in and gave me a new chance to live again. I now have chance to experience life in the fullest; or will I be doomed to repeat my mistakes again and watch all that care for to fall to the darkness that is ever present.

The world I awoke to was different but it felt right. Everyone is here alive and well and what I know about them and the world is wrong. There is no talk of war, but the factors that lead to war from where I came from are still present. The people of Equestria seem to be unaware of advances in technology that have happened. This is due to the fact that nobles keep every advancement a secret so that they can keep the power that they had for generations. Not all but some want change and advancement.

Now the time has come for me to make a choice of who I should be.

Should I become the silent protector who leads a normal life? Should I become a soldier that rose out from the ranks to be a beloved leader? A wandering warrior with immense power and skill that found something worth protecting? Or become a legend of shadows and take my place as the greatest warrior till the end of time.

I don’t know what I’ll do, but as Valkyrie of Equestria, I Twilight Sparkle will do everything in my power to save this country.