In the not too distant future, a plague has killed a good number of the plants and some part of the land is ether, unlivable now, or been tacking by other creatures (dragons, changelings, ...)

With not enough food & rume in Equestria for all the ponies, the princesses make a plan. Every pony will have to fuse, (for ever), with a other pony.
Now every pony has to choose with which pony to fuse with. Will they fuse with there brothers/sister ? Will the 2 stallions that can't pick which of the 2 mares to go out, with will fuse together (and the 2 mares) ? Are the Princesses going to fuse together ? Will the C.M.C. fuse all 3 together ? How will the Mane 6 pick their fusing-partner ? Who will fuse with Spike ? Will a parent fuse with there child ? Will somepony fuse with the other gender ?

5049486

This is a really cool and intriguing idea.

5049486

I've been thinking about this a bit more because the idea intrigues me so greatly.

One of the things that would influence a pony's decision is how the fusion spell resolves tribe/gender differences between the two fusing ponies. Does it hybridize them? Or, does it choose from the options available? Or, can the fusing ponies choose which tribe/gender to keep?

I think the most interesting scenario would be if the ponies don't get to choose what tribe/gender they end up as, adding a small element of risk to the decision. You can imagine that under these conditions, Rainbow Dash's choice would be obvious: she'll choose a pegasus, and it would probably be Fluttershy. She wouldn't risk losing her wings.

If we continue with the idea of Mane Six fusions, I then think that Applejack would choose to fuse with Pinkie. Fusing with Rarity would mean having to give up one of their dreams (Sweet Apple Acres for AJ, high society for Rarity), but Pinkie has no such ties, and is practically part of AJ's family anyway.

Which would leave Rarity×Twilight, and I don't think Rarity would mind that too much. If the fused pony remains an alicorn, she gets to be a princess. :)

5050075 Thanks

5050275

I've been thinking about this a bit more because the idea intrigues me so greatly.

ok

One of the things that would influence a pony's decision is how the fusion spell resolves tribe/gender differences between the two fusing ponies. Does it hybridize them? Or, does it choose from the options available? Or, can the fusing ponies choose which tribe/gender to keep?

I think it would be the which ever does the new mind would find the most comfortable.

I think the most interesting scenario would be if the ponies don't get to choose what tribe/gender they end up as, adding a small element of risk to the decision. You can imagine that under these conditions, Rainbow Dash's choice would be obvious: she'll choose a pegasus, and it would probably be Fluttershy. She wouldn't risk losing her wings.

ok, but then now she is to shy to fly

If we continue with the idea of Mane Six fusions, I then think that Applejack would choose to fuse with Pinkie. Fusing with Rarity would mean having to give up one of their dreams (Sweet Apple Acres for AJ, high society for Rarity), but Pinkie has no such ties, and is practically part of AJ's family anyway.

Why wouldn't Applejack fuse with Big-Mac ?

Which would leave Rarity×Twilight, and I don't think Rarity would mind that too much. If the fused pony remains an alicorn, she gets to be a princess. :)

ok

p.s. What about Spike and Cadence ?

5050444

Why wouldn't Applejack fuse with Big-Mac ?

I didn't say she wouldn't, but I was only considering mane six fusions in that example. One of the great things about this is the many, many possibilities.

p.s. What about Spike and Cadence ?

I can't see it myself. Despite their previous association, it seems like a bit of a crack pairing. Cadance's first choice would probably be Shining Armor. Another logical choice would be Twilight (which would at least guarantee an alicorn), although that would probably be rather weird for Shining Armor. But then, weird is kind of the norm for this scenario :)

5049486
Intriguing, indeed.

The way I would go about this scenario would be two-tier: Ponies are given a due date for them to find (and register) a fusion partner, and all ponies not registered or fused by then get entered into a lottery. The lottery scheme wouldn't be completely randomized, though: first age groups, then necessary professions (farmers, Royal Guards, probably some others like weather ponies, (basic) bakers and teachers), then actually goes random. Then there would be the question of how goes the lottery for the necessary professionals (among them, or like pulling one and then giving that one a partner from the random pool).

Finally, end results: mixed minds, or double personalities?

5050788

I was thinking mixed minds. It'd be a rather different story if it was of the two-ponies-in-one-body ilk, although that would be interesting too :)

5050537

One of the great things about this is the many, many possibilities.

Ya

I can't see it myself

No together, who do you think will fuse with Spike ?

5050788 5051111

Let's no forget race, family-tise, and friendships, and Love ...

5051524

Oh.

Starlight Glimmer.

But seriously, in my mind, I imagine that the fusion spell would only work on (and be mandatory for) ponies. It feels like it would be a tall order to fuse a pony and dragon, and since Spike is the only one who lives with ponies anyway, it's not a big problem if he stays dragon. If anything, it could even be counterproductive to the goals of this post-apocalyptic society; Spike is a unique asset.

5051603

Why Starlight Glimmer ?

p.s. OH, know story ideal, Spike fuses with a stallion so that he can get his wife pregnant.

5051693
Because all the mane six have already fused, and Twilight doesn't really know what to do with Glimmer :)

5052265 What about the ponies in "our town"

5052690

What about them?

5052893 Starlight Glimmer could fuse with one of them !?

5052895

Well, you've got to think about character motivation. Why would any of the ponies in the town want to fuse with the pony who manipulated and dominated them for however long it was?

5052911 Touche

p.s. Do you think Pikie Pie would fuse with her big sister, Maud ?

5052925

p.s. Do you think Pikie Pie would fuse with her big sister, Maud ?

Ooooh, the Pie sisters is a tricky one, due to the fact that Pinkie and Marble are twins; it would be expected that they might fuse. However, my headcanon says that the bond is strongest between Limestone/Marble (an overprotective big sister kind of thing) and canonically, Pinkie shares a strong bond with Maud, so yes, she probably would. The result would either be two very well-balanced individuals, or the end of the world.

5053108

What about the cakes ?

5053251

They'd fuse. I'm sure they would. :)

5053368 But who with who ?

5053372 With each other. o.o

5053372 Plus have their babies fused to each other, if somehow the policy extends that far down.
Which would also be an interesting question: who would be exempted? It first makes sense for the policy to have a minimal age. Second, strategic assets, who might be preferred to be kept as individuals (Would the Elements of Harmony be usable by anybody else than the unmerged Bearers?), and others who will fuse after others (I imagine that the military insists that the princesses don't fuse, so the princesses compromise to be the last ponies to fuse). Third, a priority list: first people outside necessary jobs (incidentally including nobility and commoners together), then civilians in these jobs, then the military, and finally the princesses.

5053396 Which one would fuse with Ms. Cup Cake ?

5054603

Plus have their babies fused to each other, if somehow the policy extends that far down.

Do YOU want to fuse with your baby ?

who would be exempted?

Why would some-pony be exempted ?

It first makes sense for the policy to have a minimal age

What shod be the age ? Teens, or older then adults ?

Second, strategic assets, who might be preferred to be kept as individuals

What would your assets have 2 do with the fusing ?

Would the Elements of Harmony be usable by anybody else than the unmerged Bearers?

I think the Elements would go 2 the fuse pony that was ones the Bearer

(I imagine that the military insists that the princesses don't fuse, so the princesses compromise to be the last ponies to fuse).

Why ?

Third, a priority list: first people outside necessary jobs (incidentally including nobility and commoners together), then civilians in these jobs, then the military, and finally the princesses.

Why in this order ?

5055402
The two babies fused together. I did say that fusions should happen within age groups.

Perhaps a cap age of 12.

The military plus the princesses should be the last to be processed for strategic reasons: Equestria wouldn't have armed forces if it didn't have to fear for its safety, and this time will be one of significant weakness. I would want to have a relative surplus of military/population on this trying times.

5055735 But why the princesses last ?

5056136
Because they are Equestria's single greatest strategic asset.

5056199

...

5056320

If you disagree, explain why you don't think the princesses should be last? It does make a lot of sense to exempt certain individuals of vital, irreplaceable importance from the fusion process. The scenario you've come up with is compelling precisely because it is realistic, which means that it naturally invites these kinds of considerations.

5057214 If/when the princess fuses together then the jest have to protect jest one pony

What other ponies would be exempted ?

5057246

I think Nacho's list pretty much covers it. The bearers are unique assets for whom their individuality and identity has previously been of great importance (as they're the bearers of the Elements). Now, however, without the Elements, it's possible that this is no longer necessary, but would you take the risk for the sake of three fewer mouths to feed? It makes for a more fun story, certainly (because I want my Pinkie Apple Pie fusion dammit ^^) but it could be argued that it's not the most realistic course of action.

Then again, Celestia is historically bad at forward thinking, so maybe she'd request it after all. :)

5057448 And how would the convince all the other pony to fuse, but let them (mane 6 & ...) keep there individuality ?

5057523 They don't need to convince anypony. You said it yourself: it's by order of the princesses.

5057621 by order of the princesses, all of you, except for those 6 mares, have 2 fuse

5057705
Yup.

5058452 What about the ponies that are with some-pony ?

5057621
Furthermore, we have to consider the possible effect on Equestria's already sharp gender skew. It would be okay if fusing males with females either randomly assigns gender or creates a hermaphrodite, but it wouldn't be okay if it favours one gender over the other.
Although... the planners would probably sit on the information if it is something they consider favourable. Perhaps they could want more females so to repopulate faster, or would want more males to decrease the inbreeding index.
Who knows.

5058462
My own interpretation called for an initial registration of volunteered pairings before entering to the many tiers of the lottery scheme. Therefore, if some ponies wanted to merge among themselves, they would be. I believe we had already mentioned here about the Cake adults merging with each other, and also having Pumpkin and Pound merged to each other.

5058500 So... you think that the ponies would fuse with there special-some-pony ?

5058506
Most likely.

5058562 What makes you say that ?

5058568
As some others would rather fuse with blood relatives or business partners. The Spa twins. Flitter and Cloud Chaser. Applejack with Mac (if she isn't excluded). Granny Smith with Apple Strudel.

5058983 But why special-some-pony ?

5059278
How old are you?

5059569 Why do you ask ?