• Published 16th Sep 2017
  • 18,674 Views, 478 Comments

Myriad Thoughts - Tale Swapper



Words spoken in the heat of the moment often seem foul when tempers cool. Five girls face the mirror after their accusation, and see the ugly truth long before the revelation. An Anon-A-Miss story.

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Epilogue: A New Year

Rarity glanced down at her open notebook, a small frown crossing her face. Written below her was a selection of lies, half truths, wishful thinking, and deliberate pandering. She bit her lip. Why was this so hard?

"So, how're your new years resolutions coming along, Rares?" Applejack asked from behind her.

Discarding the notebook, Rarity threw her head back with a loud groan. "Dreadful, simply dreadful, Jackie. I was looking over my resolutions for last year, and I barely managed to accomplish any of them! And my plans for this year are no better."

Rarity perched on a chair in Rainbow Dash's basement, surrounded on all sides by her reclining friends. They'd decided to meet up for New Years Eve at a separate location than the farm- not wanting to fall into a rut. Applejack lay in a fluffy beanbag, Rainbow was busy trying (and failing) to win at ping-pong against Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy was playing cards with Sunset.

Sunset looked up from her card game. "I never bothered to try to write up resolutions. I personally never needed to- or I thought I didn't." She frowned down at her cards. "I should've realized that everyone needs improvement- especially those that say they don't." She carefully played one last card, and then passed her turn to Fluttershy.

Fluttershy frowned down at her own cards, then played three in a row that left Sunset gaping. "Yes well- I don't really know how to say this but... I always complete my new years resolutions. It never really seemed that hard." She looked up to find Rarity's violet eyes burrowing into her face.

"Really, darling? How? How could you...." Her voice faltered and died as Fluttershy Stared into her eyes.

Fluttershy eeped. "Ooh! Sorry, Rarity. You startled me." She pushed the now-frozen Rarity to one side, then continued. "Whenever I thought about breaking them, I went and stared at myself in the mirror for a few minutes. That always convinced me to keep to my resolutions."

Three girls stared at Flutterhsy for a few seconds, until a string of curses from the ping-pong table drew their gaze. Rainbow looked across the way at her opponent, who was idly spinning her paddle through the air above her hand. 'How? Pinkie, you never exercise, you never practice, and you haven't played ping-pong in years! How can you beat me?"

Pinkie grinned. "You know where the ball is, and where it needs to go. What more is necessary?" Her grin widening, she turned to look at Sunset. "So, Sunny- wait to play the next round?"

Sunset looked down at her hand, then studied the cards laid out in front of her. "Maybe after Fluttershy beats me. I need to work on this deck a bit."

"While we're waiting, Applejack can answer a question I've been dying to get out." Rarity cocked her head, and continued. "Tell me, darling- just who is your brother dating?"

Dead silence filled the room, as all five of the other girls turned their attention to the freckle-faced farmer. Applejack frowned, then looked across her friends, whose faces were filled with interest. She drew in a deep breath, then said. "Ah don't know."

Four loud "Whats?" echoed through the basement. Within seconds, Rainbow Dash had closed the distance between her and the farmer. "What do you mean you don't know? I thought you guys shared everything with each other?"

Applejack frowned. "He told us a year ago she wanted to keep things quiet. Apparently, she works in a job where bein' less than perfect can get you in hot water- and she's new there. Until she's really proven her worth, she don't feel comfortable sharin' her relationship with everyone, and heavens know the more people know a secret, the harder it is to keep it." She rolled her eyes. "After Anon-A-Miss, I kinda agree with him. Ah don't think Apple Bloom woulda spread who she is to everyone- but if she had, it might have gotten his girlfriend in real trouble."

Sunset frowned. "Wait, wasn't Big Mac meeting up with his girlfriend tonight? For a combination New Years and Christmas thing?" As Applejack nodded, Sunset continued. "If he's meeting his girlfriend alone, why did he take multiple gifts?"


Big Mac stepped out of his truck, advancing towards the small house in the uptown suburbs. Checking the two packages under his arm, he stepped lightly up to the front door of the house, and knocked three times. From inside came a raised voice, and then the door swung open, revealing a blue haired man in a polo shit and slacks.

"Mac! Welcome, come on in!" Shining Armor exclaimed, drawing the large man into a hug. As he released the larger man, he pulled the door shut behind the two of them, moving into the living room. Scattered across the table were several files and romance novels, with a coral-haired woman examining one of the student files in front of her. With a sigh, she snapped the file shut, then stood and gave Mac a kiss on the lips.

"And how's my other favorite man?" Dean Cadance said with a smile. "Everything work out all right with that new sister of yours?" She grinned. "I know it must have been difficult for her, but I'll bet you were able to ease her in a little..."

Mac grinned. "Eeyup. That advice you gave me- about talkin' to her sooner rather than later- turned out just right. Knew Ah needed to do something- and your suggestion was what she needed."

From behind him, Mac heard a clatter from the kitchen. Shining's voice echoed off several appliances. "Yeah, family can be tricky sometimes. Still, when I met her, she seemed like a good kid." He advanced from the kitchen, a set of appetizers laid out on a tray. "She even knew a bit about Twilight- said she's heard of her before."

Big Mac frowned. "Wait- hold up. Twilight? As in, Twilight Sparkle?" At Shining's confused nod, Big Mac's face grew thoughtful. "Ah can't tell you why- but I think Ah know exactly why Sunset's heard of her before- and it ain't the way you think."

Shining opened his mouth to inquire, but Cadance laid a hand on his shoulder. "Family secret, Big Mac?" As Mac nodded, Cadance smiled. "Then we won't pry." She smiled. "We should probably start dinner, anyway."

As Cadance turned back to the kitchen she felt a hand on her shoulder. Mac's voice held a trace of mockery. "As much as Ah love you, darlin', there ain't no way Ah'm lettin' you in the kitchen. One, you need to rest, since that boss of yours has you workin' on New Years. And two, after that disaster with the curry-"

Cadance swatted Mac's forehead. "Alright, alright! I know when I'm beat. I'm usually a fine cook, you know- the recipe just got away from me. Isn't that right, Shiny?"

Shining Armor glanced between his boyfriend and girlfriend, then turned back to the appetizer tray. "Cadance, I love you. So I'm not going to say anything more."

As Mac walked into the kitchen, Cadance humphed. Taking a seat on the couch, she said, "Getting ganged up by both my men. What is the world coming to?"

Shining looked up, a cheeky grin on his face. "I thought you liked it that way, hmm?"

As the sounds of a pillow impacting Shining's face sounded behind him, Mac turned his thoughts towards the enigma of Twilight Sparkle. What little he'd heard of Shining's sister contrasted with the girl described by his sisters. Both had the same name, and apparently a similar appearance, but little else in common. One came form a world of magic, and one from this one of course- but it seemed a reclusive shut-in would have little in common with a friendly princess.

'Cept for their pursuit of the truth. Sunset said she was a scientist of sorts- and that definitely fits with Shining's sister. Ah wonder what they're doin' now- both of them?


Twilight Sparkle turned, trotting down a long hallway. Canterlot Palace was nearly abandoned New Year's eve, as Princess Celestia always gave the majority of the staff the night off. The only individuals left were a scattering of guards and a few cooks- and the Princesses' party guests.

This year, Celestia had declined to hold a massive banquet or attend any of the celebrations going on throughout the city. The solar diarch had instead held a small, private party, and had enjoyed the company of her closest advisers, Twilight and her friends, and her sister. Now, however, the Princess was missing, a mere half-hour before the end of the old year and the beginning of the next.

Walking up towards the Princess' chambers- where she expected to find her mentor- Twilight instead found a door cracked which had been sealed for as long as she could remember. Well, that's not quite true, she thought, trotting forward, wings rustling. It was open once before- after the first time you came back from the human world.

Entering the chambers of Celestia's former student, Twilight found that selfsame Princess gazing down at a small picture next to an open journal. Twilight had lent Celestia the journal, hoping she could write something to her former student. However, Celestia hadn't been able to find the words. Now, surrounded by the detritus left by Sunset, recently cleaned up and restored, Twilight hoped her mentor had found the strength to write to her prodigy.

However, there was no quill held in her mentor's magic, no fresh ink upon the page. Celstia gazed at the picture held instead, looking at the image of the white alicorn cradling a small, red-and-gold unicorn. Celestia glanced up sharply at Twilight, her expression softening as she recognized who had intruded upon her time.

"Twilight- I apologize for disappearing, I just needed a minute to collect my thoughts." Celestia's voice trembled slightly, even as she glanced back at the entry in the journal.

Twilight walked up to her former mentor, and gave her a brief nuzzle. "Don't worry, Celestia. If anyone deserves time alone, it's you."

"Perhaps." the larger alicorn replied. Frowning down at the journal, she waited several moments before she spoke again. "It says here that she has been taken in by the Apple clan in their world."

She paused a moment, in thought, an old melancholy drifting across her face. "I... wish things had been different between us, you know. I wish I could have seen what she needed." She voice was still soft, but gained a hard edge. "I don't know them, Twilight. I can't help her from here. What if-"

"Celestia, talk to her, please." Twilight spoke up. "If you care about her this much, then ask her. I'm sure..."

Celestia shook her head. "I failed her Twilight. I can't..." Her head drooped. "I know I need to set things right, but- I don't want to have to face her." The hard edge returned. "But it's the least I can do to make certain her new family takes better care of her than I did." Celestia turned and left the room, as Twilight watched her, puzzled.


Twilight Sparkle ran her hand through her dog's short fur, Spike curling up on her lap. Looking out the window at the snowy ground, Twilight felt a small spike of annoyance echo through her mind. She'd rather not be here right now- she'd rather be back at her lab, plugging away at the strange data that had started showing up on her spectrogram. Energy transmissions at a frequency unknown to normal science! She was on the cusp of something, she knew it! And yet Crystal Prep was closed for the break, and her parents weren't going to let her go out and do field research tonight of all nights.

Twilight snorted, leaning back in her chair. Shining Armor had tried to tell her about some girl who'd been asking after her, but none of what he'd described had been very interesting- until the school she attended was brought up.

Canterlot High.

Twilight's calculations showed that the majority of the strange energy signatures she'd detected were focused on mid-town Canterlot, and CHS sat in the middle of that area. If she needed to snoop around the school, maybe this- Sunset Shimmer- might be able to help her.

Still, it was unlikely she knew anything about what was going on. What little imagery she'd garnered of the events which had caused the largest spikes in her data were probably photoshopped. They have to be. What little I saw violated the laws of physics in more ways than I care to contemplate.

Still, whatever the energy was, it was fluctuating more and more. As months past, what had been a curiosity had become less anomalous and more routine.

And the worst part of being here tonight is that I can't analyze the data that showed up three weeks ago. Why were there five spikes in rapid succession? They were smaller than the ones before, but after each one, the background levels kept rising. Now the background levels are almost as high as the first spike!

What the heck is going on around Canterlot High?


Sunset watched as Pinkie finally succumbed to sugar crash, falling asleep atop the pile of beanbags and pillows she'd accumulated int he middle of the basement. Midnight had come and gone, and as the hours passed, more and more of her friends had nodded off. She was the last one still awake.

Yawning, Sunset turned and sank into her own sleeping bag, reaching out blindly for her pillow, thrown across the room an hour before, during the last pillow fight of the evening. She frowned as her fingers caught nothing but empty air. She didn't want to move, but she'd have to find her pillow before she could-

A small spike of pain twanged through her skull, and she winced- even as her fingers closed upon the edge of a fluffy red-and-gold object. With a sigh, Sunset dragged her pillow into her grasp and beneath her head, swearing to be more careful with her cider consumption next time. At least I didn't have to get up to find my pillow.

As she drifted off to sleep, Sunset failed to notice the dim red glow around her hand- or the similar glow which rapidly fizzled out around the pillow which had dragged itself across the floor to meet it.

Author's Note:

Someone commented that when you have a Big Mac, you have to be willing to share. I took that to its logical conclusion.

In other news- cliffhangers! I'm planning on two side stories, at least, before the events of "Friendship Games" will occur. However, I don't know what I want to work on first, and I need a proper name for the universe I'm starting to build. I'm going to be putting up a blog post with some of my ideas soon- I love getting suggestions, even if I'll probably end up subverting half of them. (Mwahaha!)

Anyway, thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed Myriad Thoughts, and will field any questions you might have about my creative process, decision making, and sanity. Looking forward to writing more later!

Yours,
Tale Swapper

P.S. Did anyone catch who Pinkie stole that quote from?

Comments ( 70 )

Aww. My only problem with this is that it is over.:pinkiesad2:

I loved this and ergaerly await a sequel :pinkiehappy:

Congratulations on wrapping this up! This was an excellent story and I look forward to what you have coming up next. :twilightsmile:

Fantastic story and the best anon-a-miss fic I have ever read. I look forward to seeing what you do next.

Setting up for a sequel, are we? All right then, I will wait and see what's in store for us when the next story is posted. :twilightsmile:

Very intriguing prospects from Big Mac being with Shining and Cadance, to Princess Celestia trying to work up how to reconnect with Sunset, to Sci-Twi as we build toward the Friendship Games. Excellent story and I happily await what comes next.

And as for what to name this universe, what about Myriad-verse? It connects to the title of this story and gives a greater meaning of the countless things that could come from this and of how great their numbers are becoming as their friendships heal and blossom.

8474763
Myriad-verse might work. I like your explanation, too.

Excellent work! This was all fantastic!

This is exactly what the Anon-A-Miss should have been. I just can't think of how to say how many things this did right that the comic didn't. Thank you.:twilightsmile:

Ps: That fiRST LINE OF THE AUTHORS NOTE IN THE EPILOGUE I CRAPPED MYSELF

Pretty awesome story, but what did Celestia mean she failed to notice what Sunset needed....a mother a family Not a all knowing teacher.

Also that bit you said if Apple Jack hadn;t coem to her senses she would canceled the adoaption papers...i love to see a Anon Story based off that plot, what happens what the damage and what does it lead to?

Hope someone takes that idea and writes it.

Someone commented that when you have a Big Mac, you have to be willing to share. I took that to its logical conclusion.

I'll admit, this made me chuckle. Other than that, great story!

How is this done already?! I haven't even had a real chance to read it! 0.o

Loved the story, loved the epilogue and absolutely love the sequel hook.
I can't wait to see Sci-Twi meet Sunset.

That bit with Big Mac... I didn't see it coming :rainbowlaugh:

So her magic is coming back...

A Sequel? Yes please! :D

Well I'll be damn, didn't see that coming with Big Mac! Excellent job, T.S. it was an honor to have read this from beginning to end.

Welp, you've convinced me that you're worth paying attention to. Seriously, this story was really nice. Got the nice emotional stuff going on without it being a series of lectures about how bad the characters screwed up. I believed it. I believed all of it and I look forward to seeing what you do next.

People always say that Anon-a-miss has been done to death, but then some author comes along and goes beyond expectations and puts a great twist on it. This was a fun story and I definitely look forward to seeing more from you!

8476062
Thank you!
Also, thank you for giving me the idea for Big Mac's new relationship. Your comment on "New Family, Old Questions" got me thinking.

This is one of the best Anon-A-Miss stories I've ever read. I look forward to reading more of this 'verse from you :)

8476676
I had forgotten I'd even made that comment. :rainbowlaugh: The polyamory came as a surprise, but an intriguing one. I'd like to see where that goes.

I really enjoyed your fic which showed a whole new spin on Anon-A-Miss. This time everyone began to think more rationally and realized the error before things got really bad like in the other Anon-a-Miss fics, like Dainn's for example. You did address the Gilda and Lightning Dust thing, but you nip that in the bud. So, nothing violent happened. Plenty of drama with people realizing the truth and having people believe in Sunset rather than throw her to the wolves. The Rainbooms realize their mistakes before its too late and Sunset gets a merry Christmas. In a way, a better version of the comic. I mean, after everything they've been through, I'm glad the Rainbooms don't have to be told they messed up and realized they messed up themselves.

10/10 in my opinion.

Quite a few errors scattered around but still the best Anon-A-Miss story I have read on here, and I have read a lot of them. Liked and added to favorites.

Will you beaming a sequel to this story?

This was a dang good story.
GG m'dude.

Fluttershy was playing cards with Sunset.
Sunset looked up from her card game. "I never bothered to try to write up resolutions. I personally never needed to- or I thought I didn't." She frowned down at her cards. "I should've realized that everyone needs improvement- especially those that say they don't." She carefully played one last card, and then passed her turn to Fluttershy.
Fluttershy frowned down at her own cards, then played three in a row that left Sunset gaping.

Pinkie grinned. "You know where the ball is, and where it needs to go. What more is necessary?" Her grin widening, she turned to look at Sunset. "So, Sunny- wait to play the next round?"
Sunset looked down at her hand, then studied the cards laid out in front of her. "Maybe after Fluttershy beats me. I need to work on this deck a bit."

just for the record, and I realize this likely wasn't even your intent, but my inner "Yu-Gi-Oh!" fanboy is freaking out a little right now...

8503409
Your inner fanboy is about to be crushed.
This was a Magic the Gathering reference.
I make no apologies.

8503441
😓 Ah, nuts...
:pinkiehappy: No, silly: it's another card game!
😠 Pinkie: I love you, but now's not the time...
:pinkiesad2: Hehe: sorry.

This was good.
I love me a AU story where colder heads and logic prevails, and an otherwise stupidly written situation can be solved, by sitting down and thinking things through.
Have a like from me. :twilightsmile:

8507190
My body forcibly wakes me up if I fall asleep before three in the morning, so I just go to sleep at three in order to appease whatever internal clock I have.

I think this was one of my favorite Anon-a-miss stories, if not the top favorite (I don't recall better stories. I'd need to reread them to be sure). It was great how both their strengths and flaws helped them comprehend why they should rethink their stubborn outrage. So often, fanfics depend on sudden, unrealistic boosts to critical thinking that bypass a character's emotional reasoning.

My only gripes are technical: With outright poor formatting, one can grind through a story with mental corrections on the way. The grammar and spelling are not bad, but mistakes are that much more jarring for occuring when I build faith in the wording and let my guard down.

I am not saying you should have thrown proofreading to the wind, but total polish would bolster the immersion and the sense of suspense that creates a page-turner you can't put down (or click away from ).

A fantastic, wonderful and magnificently written take on the fan-divisive Anon-A-Miss storyline. I look forward to seeing where things go from here.

A few spelling and grammar errors throughout the story, but it in my opinion, it was well written. If there's a sequel you're planning on writing, I'll be looking forward to reading it. :pinkiehappy:

edit: and now I just saw the sequel on your stories page. :twilightsheepish:

Comment posted by Tale Swapper deleted Nov 5th, 2017

And I thought that Big Mac was gonna be paired with Sugar Belle. When Applejack and Sunset find out who Big Mac's dating, they better be ready for that day.

That was an hell of a ride for my feelings, thanks for the storie.
Can't stay long here to talk my mind, I have a sequel to read!

8606555
She has her depressed mode where her hair goes flat. Cupcakes spawned from there, and from there multiple personality disorder. At least in the show I wouldn't say she has shown any real signs of multiple personalities.

8660966
and yet to say you forgive them is entirely insincere, because from a psychology perspective the mind well not simple let it go and forgive so simply, in an attempt to apply an artificial scab, the wound festers and infects because there is still a chunk of metal inside said wound. choosing to forgives nice and all, but it takes more then a choice for this stuff to process.

Wonderful, truly a privilege to read. The emotions you captured were superb. Thank you for writing it.

Well, this was certainly one of the better Anon-A-Miss stories that I've read. Well done.

As Mac walked into the kitchen, Cadance humphed. Taking a seat on the couch, she said, "Getting ganged up by both my men. What is the world coming to?"
Shining looked up, a cheeky grin on his face. "I thought you liked it that way, hmm?"

:rainbowlaugh::pinkiecrazy::heart: Didn't see that one coming, nice job. :trollestia:

Someone commented that when you have a Big Mac, you have to be willing to share. I took that to its logical conclusion.

:facehoof: Still a nice job, but you lose a point for the terrible joke. :trollestia:

And the worst part of being here tonight is that I can't analyze the data that showed up three weeks ago. Why were there five spikes in rapid succession? They were smaller than the ones before, but after each one, the background levels kept rising. Now the background levels are almost as high as the first spike!

Coinciding with each friendship being rekindled I take it? The sequel will be interesting.

As she drifted off to sleep, Sunset failed to notice the dim red glow around her hand- or the similar glow which rapidly fizzled out around the pillow which had dragged itself across the floor to meet it.

Yes, definitely interesting. :raritywink:

All in all this was probably one of the best Anon-a-miss stories I've read. Very good characterization, a well done plot, and a story that managed to immerse me in it for a couple of hours.
Very well done, congratulations. :twilightsmile:

8737645
Glad you enjoyed it.

This is pretty much everything I ever wanted in an Anon-A-Miss story. Low level / no violence. Fairly realistic reconciliations. Moderate levels of drama. Explorations of characters rather than simple blame games. Dem Feels. Well-written to boot.

Have a like, a favorite, and a follow my good fellow.

My sincere thanks and congratulations to you, dear author, both for providing me with a worthwhile source of nightly amusement and for writing one of the top five best Anon-a-Miss fics I have ever read. The cliffhanger at the end is most intriguing, and reminds me somewhat of FanOfMostEverything's Oversaturated World, of which I am a devoted fan; whether the similarities persist, I will be most delighted to discover.

8827804
For 1 and 2, fair enough. I would say, however, that the younger sibling/older sibling dynamic throws a bit of a Monkey Wrench into this debate, due to the responsibilities that come with that.

As to number 3 though, you misunderstood me. I was talking about fics like these IN GENERAL. I’m well aware that it would have been incredibly out of place in this fic. Ruinous actually if it was done in this fic. As for the comic, it was horribly executed in a technical sense, but I see your point.

8838546
Goes to more on Sunset. Why would Sunset do this? Why make it so obvious that it's her? Why after working so long and hard to give it up for what?

8838587
Exactly. My response was more general philosophy than situational response.

8838657
so far a very interesting anon a miss tale.

Much more enjoyable than average Anom-a-Miss stories!

Mac and Cadance. Now there's a ship i would bever guess. You almosted did sugar bell but CADANCE.

Now do the pony versions see eachother?

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