This story is a sequel to The Best of All Possible Worlds
In school, everypony learns about the official history of Equestria, the acts of heroes and villains that made the world what it is today. But at home, everypony learns another, secret history, about how their family and theirs alone is at the center of Equestria's history, and how without them, the world will fall apart. This Hearth's Warming Eve, Twilight Sparkle and their friends will share their secret histories, and in this way discover that the bonds between them reach back far earlier than Rainbow Dash's first Sonic Rainboom.
This is a follow-up to my earlier story, "The Best of All Possible Worlds". That story was set centuries in the past, while this story is present day. If you're wondering where the humans came from, see another side story that is otherwise unrelated to this, "Parade Coverage". Despite that, I expect that this story stands alone. The story's set in an alternate-universe Season Three that branched off early in Season Two.
It will be interesting to see the varying comments of those who have read "The Best of All Possible Worlds" vs. those who haven't.
For those who have read the earlier story, this part will read like watching two trains on a collision course, all in slow motion.
For those who haven't read the story, you get to be one of the commuters in those trains.
Well, if its as hilarious as Best Of All Possible Worlds, I'll read it.
2112 Overture - Rush
good to see blue blood keeping up with the family duty
Oh no...
Oh dear....
Just... EEEP Mommy, this is, and their is nothing I can do, and at the same time... I cannot stop looking away. This is going to be.... dangerous and funny, and well, yikes and I bet we are not done yet with the Sparkle family just yet. Just. Dang..
also, where do I go to get the security clearance to actually see these removed sections I am rather curious now. Still, just, anyway, this is going to be interesting.
OH!!! Is this how Twilight meets the writer of the last story?
2524848
OK, now that I'm freaked out, I'll read the first one. I do prefer slow-mo to death.
Nice work on the title picture. Since people will probably appreciate a key to reading it, the squares are male and the circles are female (though empty circles may be allowed to represent either), and Pinkie's grand-ancestor has their own symbol. Unicorns have a horn, pegasi have wings, earth ponies have little feet, alicorns have all three, and the griffon has wings and more birdlike feet.
Looking at it from left to right, we've got Bluebelle as the ancestor of the Blueblood line on the far left and the Sparkle line beside it, which was mentioned in The Best of All Possible Worlds.
Next we appear to have Rainbow having all her female line ancestors back to the end of The Best of All Possible Worlds with the same colouring and cutie mark as Firefly. Twilight and Rainbow also have dotted lines to Spike and Scootaloo, presumably meaning "not blood-related family"?
The Apple family tree is fairly straightforward, as is Fluttershy's, but we can see Pinkie's grandmother on her father's side was a pegasus, and Rarity's father is an earth pony.
At the top, Celestia and Luna's father is a unicorn.
Back to the story, from the work Blueblood is putting in to convince ponies that the changelings are evil, it seems Celestia would like the changelings to be more accepted. It also looks like Blueblood's nephew is just as ahead of the curve as his ancestor Bluebelle was.
Ah yes, a horror from the world of the humans that previously could only have been imagined by ponykind...
*gulp*
...fangirls! And fanboys!
Oh, yeah, and there's Gilda and Pinkie Pie threatening to reveal horrible truths about the griffons. This can only end well
2525526 The shape of Pinkie's ancestor is known unofficially as a blahl.
Do mine eyes decieve me? It IS real! This is truly the best of all possible worlds, what secret histories may be foung here?
So, Firefly begat Firefly begat Firefly begat Firefly begat Firefly begat Rainbow Dash.
Works for me.
hmm...pinkie distinctly using "[REDACTED]" means that the SCP is involved, somehow, doesn't it? that would explain why she keeps breaking the fourth wall. bet they were the ones involved in setting up the portal, or at least keeping an eye on it.
I saw this in the Feature box and thought it might be good, but then I saw McPoodle was the author.
Insta-Fave
Nice "genogram" you got going over there. I mean it.
Damn. I need to get off my lazy arse and read the last 10 chapters of Worlds.
It's sorta sad that the Blueblood of the generation still needs to be an idiot after all this time. Though presumably, a select few now know it's an act.
Well, I spun out once. A train wreck might be fun!
Blueblood's a clever bastard, that he is. I really like the idea that he's a decent and intelligent pony who hides behind a facade, using his unflattering public reputation to turn ponies away from the wrong way of thinking.
They also have a tendency to take the highly-visible, evenly-balanced image of six ponies wielding the magic of friendship to mean they are an exclusive group in which one of their friends doesn't "fit" simply because he has no Element and is demographically dissimilar. It's a holiday that celebrates diversity and inclusion, and he's not spending time with this friends.
I see our modern Blueblood is upholding his ancestral legacy. What a great family of ponies.
Interesting, I wonder if Rarity really has no knowledge of her roots, or if her family's secret history has the details.
Truly an underappreciated job.
Well that's mildly suspicious. Heh.
Is there a larger version of the cover image, by any chance?
2525526 2526520
Actually, I posted the key in disguise as this blog entry. If you want to know who everybody in the diagram is (and see it big enough to actually make everything out), click the source link on the cover image and read the description on DeviantArt.
Well, I'm intrigued thus far. Especially since it seems that Pinkie will be sharing her secret family history as well.
Oh, right, the title.
I wonder how many genealogies will be brought to light, and how the revelations will be taken. Especially if I'm reading those family trees correctly...
2526693 Looks like the new interface was defeating me and my tablet, the source links on cover images only show up on mouseover so I just wasn't seeing it. Thanks for the response.
2526693
Much easier to make out like that, thanks.
2526179
Wait, what do you mean, "redacted"? I never wrote that...
Alright, who's been editing my story?! Somebody snuck in after the fact, and replaced "Emperor [REDACTED]" with "Emperor Redacted"!
EDIT: And now my comment's doing it, too!
EDIT #2: [REDACTED], [REDACTED], [REDACTED]
EDIT #3:: OK, this is getting pretty creepy. Every time I try to type that name, it changes as soon as I save it. Hold on while I try something out.
EDIT #4: Alright, so I found I can write that name out on paper, and type it into Notepad and save it without anything happening, but if I enter it anywhere online, whether on this site or on a couple of random ones, it changes into "Redacted". I even tried a Google search, and got results for "Redacted" instead of for "[REDACTED]". It's almost like someone with ungodly power over the Intern...Luna!
Princess Luna, quit it right now! That law only applies to Equestria, not Earth.
Don't worry, folks, this is just her idea of a practical joke. I'm sure you won't be erased from history for knowing the true name of Uncle K or Emperor Noffony I.
...At least, I sincerely hope so.
2525266
Blueblood is credit to Equestria.
2527185
with curiosity.
Umm....maybe you could spell it out like t h I s?
My mind in going
2528044
OK. Tell me if this works:
E m p e r o r McPoodle likes to suck on his toes at night.
EDIT: Luna!
EDIT #2: And it's not true.
Yes, it is...
For a second I thought
was 
and 
's daughter until I figured out it ment younger sibling.
well this is certainly interesting, faved to see what comes later.
A bit odd… but certainly enjoyable. I’ll have to keep my eye on this. Especially liked the story about Spot the dog.
2528109 And how would you know that, Luna?
Are you a SPY?!
Haha, it all makes so much sense! If Pinkie's ancestor was [REDACTED], then that would explain quite a bit about her and her...unique qualities. I'm pretty psyched to see this wreck, so get on with the fireworks!!
I didn't even start reading this yet, nor did I know it was written by you or a follow-up to your other story and I was still interested. It just gets better and better.
I would be lying if I said I wasn't insanely interested in a follow up to Voltaire, particularly just how much Celestia fucked up a few lineages.
Applejack finding her ancestor was a thief...
Twilight finding out she is in fact a descendant of Starswirl...
And now, knowing Celestia's shipping habits, I find it very hard to believe she isn't somehow pushing Fancy Pants and Rarity together, two nobles who are generous despite, or perhaps because of, their power and influence. Curious...
Elusive Pants sounds more like Charlie Sheen's ponysona than Rarity's potential child, though.
I didn't quite pay attention when the lineages were explained back in Best of All Possible Worlds, so this is gonna be... interesting.
That said, I still shat myself when Blueblood said "I'll tell you when you're older."
2531899
Nope, Twilight does not number among Star Swirl's descendants. The lost family of Needlepoints, on the other hoof, do.
2532428
That's right, doesn't that make Rarity?
I'm overthinking this. Good. I like overthinking things...
2530754
Princess Luna would like me to inform you that she is emphatically not a spy.
In her words, this is because "spies are agents of higher powers. I, on the other hand, am a higher power."
(I wish she'd go away. It's getting very awkward reading my email on my bedroom computer while she's sitting on the edge of my bed watching me.)
"funny hoofnotes"
...It's probably just coincidence, but I get this intense feeling of, well, Terry Pratchett.
I wouldn't suggest calling this a stand-alone story if my results were any evidence. I didn't know it was a sequel when I attempted reading it. There is no build-up or real explanation for the humans' presence (the extended description lists a third story as providing that) then the plot proceeds to jump around like a toddler hopped up on sugar. Maybe it makes sense to someone who has read the first story, but from an outside perspective there is no focus and precious little sense.
The [REDACTED] joke also seems to be reference to another story, though I just found it annoying. Mostly because it's a fourth-wall joke that's subtle as a sledgehammer.
So... his name is Emperor McPoodle?
Confusing but interesting.
2532444 So that would mean that you are the leader of the spies. Oh, it seems Sue wants to talk to you.
Hey, Luna, do you have any slackers, or missing spies? I think one of your little ponies is spying on me. It's getting kinda creepy.
Sue!
Sorry to disturb you, princess.
Am I reading that chart right? Is Clover the Clever the father of the diarchs?
2536002
Spoilers...
2533291
Err...no. I am neither a pony nor a griffon, but just a plain old human.
Very amusing guess, though.
2524848
I like train wrecks...
2539373 Got a question for you, what is with the sudden jump from the last story to this one? It seems as though I missed something, such as the whole portal between Earth and the world Equestria is on.
Two things that confuse me here:
1) Didn't our heroes from The Best Of All Possible Worlds rewrite history so that Blueblood's family wouldn't HAVE to do that sort of thing anymore? Also, I don't see how it's able to fool anypony, it's so over the top.
2) If this is in a universe where MLP:FIM doesn't exist, why did the humans react in such a fanboyish manner to seeing the element bearers?
And one thing that annoys me. I don't like the idea of Equestria policing thoughts. That's the sort of thing only villains do.
2541098
You know, when I was writing this I realized the exact same thing, which why I went and wrote "Parade Coverage" as fast as I could and posted it first.
2542336
1) Well, they tried, but pony nature being what it is, it didn't take. As for whether his audience would buy it or not, well the only excuse I can offer is that they're tourists. I don't know about you, but I tend to leave my critical thinking skills behind when I go on vacation.
2) The next part will cover this, but basically what happened was a tell-all biography of Twilight Sparkle appeared on Earth soon after the language barrier was overcome, and a group of independent animators adapted it into the web series Friendship Is Magic.
As for "policing thoughts", Princess Celestia is no longer preventing her ponies from thinking about certain subjects. This does not mean that ponies are ignorant of the art of propaganda.
2544666 But what happened between then and here?