Pinkie Pie has a secret. Actually, more like fifty secrets.
See, Pinkie isn’t really Pinkie. She’s actually a whole hive of changelings, working in shifts to absorb as much love as they can. Ordinarily, that works out fine for Grasshopper and her sisters--but what happens when somebuggy breaks the rules?
Note: This story uses colored text for some important bits. Readers with colorblindness or using monochrome displays may have trouble. If it's getting to be too much of a problem, drop me a line, and I'll see what I can do!
Edited by Krack-Fic Kai. Thanks, Friend!
Inb4: Yes, this AU makes no sense and doesn't stand up to scrutiny. But it's a Pinkie Pie story, for Chrysalis's sake. Just enjoy it.
Chapters (7)
Fascinating concept. And given Pinkie, it almost works. Looking forward to seeing what you do with this.
Not the first "Pinkie is multiple Changelings" story I've come across, but that was only 8 rogues, while this is a hive of 50, one presumably being the queen. I'm a bit busy right now, but I should be starting on this fic later today.
9943296
What do you mean 'Almost'. There's 50 of them, it explains everything from the teleporting, to being in a dozen places at once, to being able to hide absurd amounts of stuff in her hair/head.
You misspelled my name, but I like that version better and I might change it when I get off mobile.
9943390
While it's not implausible by any means, the fact that there's fifty extra people that need to hide in town and wield the Element do present logistical problems. There's more than enough grace to cover any problems even without suspension of disbelief, though.
This is brilliant, I love it!
9943416
Oh jeez! Sorry about that! Would you like me to fix the typo?
9943468
Homestly, I think I like 'Krack-fic Kai' more. It kinda suits me.
Pinkie Pie making no sense and not standing up to scrutiny was the plot of a Season 1 episode. Any attempt to explain her is likely to run into that problem.
(I personally prefer the Diane Lokisdottir Conjecture, but you marked it AU and all fanfiction is AU anyway)
Vermilingua--literally, a Latin portmanteau of "worm" and "tongue," the term usually used to refer to the taxonomic suborder of which anteaters are a part of (hence the name).
So...being translated..."how the wormtongue"? Or "how the anteater"? Or was it just made up, and it only happened to be spelled the same as an actual term?
So in this setting, Pinkie Pie was a pony as designed by committee, as to maximize loveability? Huh. Now the big question: is this before or after the Canterlot Wedding?
9943619
Ah, I was gonna change this one to a different reference... Oh well.
Humans swears tend to referencing diseases (E.g., "lousy" = full of lice) or something forbidden (E.g., "hell"). That's why one of my preferred pony-swears is "foundering"--"founder" is a really serious medical condition that makes horses' hooves fall off.
Given that we're not dealing strictly with ponies anymore, though, maybe they should have a different set of swears, don't you think? Perhaps ones that are a little more insect-like in nature?
9943704
No, I agree, and I figured that was the case, I was just working at translating the word, seeing it was Latin and I'm familiar with the language. There was just more than one way to interpret it, so I wanted to make sure I was getting it right.
9943674
Probably before, tgough the chronology is a little wibbly-wobbly.
9943569
Diane Lokisdotter? Never heard of that one. I'm guessing the idea is that Pinkie is secretly descended from Loki, Norse trickster god?
...I think someone wrote a fic once about how Celestia and Luna were daughters of Sleipnir, and thus granddaughters of Loki, but if so, it's buried deep in my "read laters"...
9943806
I am unfamiliar with -sdotter as a name suffix, but given the prevalence of -son in Minnesota, I have have to agree. Daughter of Loki seems to be the intended translation.
I also remember the fic you mentioned. It had "Grandma" Loki in pony form show up, and was closer to Marvel than actual Norse. I'll post a link once I manage to track it down.
Oddly enough, Pinkie being a "shared identity" of literally fifty different Changelings makes WAY more sense than IT SHOULD.
A surprisingly logical Alternate Universe story, but one that doesn't skimp on the humor either (which makes sense as Pinkie IS the featured character).
All in all, really good work on the exchanges, characterizations and future chapter set-up in all the right places.
On to the next chapter.
9943806
Found it: Can't choose your family.
I also found a straight up Avengers sequel: Grandfather's Coming For A Visit
Everything else was just Loki in Equestria, rather him being related to anypony.
Absolutely LOVED how these Changelings' queen discovered Ponyville in the first place AND got the inspiration to create the Pinkie Pie identity and personality.
All in all, splendid work on the exchanges, characterizations and future chapter set-up in all the right places.
I'll most definitely be looking forward to more of this.
9943382
that does make it even sweeter, given all she is giving up so her children are fed. There is no 'pinkie prime' but given she is the one who uses the element she's the one who has to go on the adventures with the mane 6
its an interesting, better take on a hive mind
I'm interested, a good story so far
9943952
Honestly, yeah, I came up with it on my own and have no knowledge of actual Norse naming conventions, having seen the "-dottir" ending in places and basically bull****ing a direct port of "Loki's daughter". Well, the name of it at least; TvTropes has two slightly different WMGs amounting to the same thing.
Much like The Batman, Pinkie Pie is not a person, it's a Title.
A title passed down from day to day, hour to hour, showing all of pony kind the lovable ball of sugar and sprinkles that is- Oh dear GOD she's found the high-fructose-corn syrup! Contingency four, CONTINGENCY FOUR! All Pinkies on Deck! Commence Operations: 'Too Much of a Good Thing!'
aww i wanna give the little bug a hug
This was a downright precious chapter. Absolutely loved the reflection on the only male Changeling in the entire hive as well as the wonder concerning certain aspects of nature (including, but not limited to, why certain butterflies are bright orange).
Anyway, the exchange, characterizations and future chapter set-up are superbly done as usual.
VERY certainly going to be looking forward to more of this.
A little hard for me to pin down when this is happening. Before season 6, obviously, and before the end of season 2?
Eh, doesn’t matter. I like it.
...Sounds delicious.
9943674
Maximize loveability? Naw, if that were the criterion, she'd be Fluttershy, not Pinkie.
...Oh. Well, that's ridiculous.
...You know, I've heard that pink was once considered a manly color, being a watered-down red, the color of blood. Makes sense to me.
9944944
Chronology is purposely loosely-goosey, but we'll be seeing incidents from Seasons 3, 4, and 5.
Though I'm thinking of saving The Canterlot Wedding for the sequel, if/when it happens.
9943806
-dotter means just as it sounds. "Daughter of". Lokisdotter = Loki's Female Descendant, Daughter of Loki.
9945025
Fluttershy is a reclusive pony who lives in the borders of the Everfree. Popular party pony who thrives in making others happy is a far more interesting profile for changelings.
You mean like the ponies? Heaven forbid!
And then I'm sure he'll decide he wants to go and see everything for himself, so he sneaks out, and...
Still, totally game for whatever happens next. It's an interesting concept, this. Part of me almost wishes the show had done something similar itself, as I can't see any reason why it couldn't.
9944879
Yeah. The only male Changeling in the hive. Think about that for a moment. Pinkie's "husband" isn't around. My mind has gone to a very dark place right now, and I fear for Luke's long term prospects once he finally leaves the hive.
9945383
Please don't get into too dark a place... Luke is just having a hard time adjusting. Krack-fic Kai, my editor, pointed out that his story is basically that of a genderswapped Disney Princess. He's being coddled and set aside so he can get "married off" eventually, but he just wants to, as one princess said, to "let [his] hair flow in the wind as [he] rides through the Glen, firing arrows into the sunset." However, there's a lot more to being a drone than he thinks there is, even though he's upset at all the restrictions at the moment.
In short: Luke will get his happy ending, both in the short and the long term. He's gonna be okay.
9945392
Ok. Ratcheting back the drama dial. That still leaves open the question of why "Queen Pinkie" is an only mother. I can only think of "death", "divorce and moved back home", or "only needed for Princesses/new Queens". I think that covers all the bases, anyway... I'm sure either Rarity or Fluttershy will broach the question once the rest of the Mane Six has been filled in and all the dramatic flailing is over. (Rarity for obvious reasons, and Fluttershy for completely different yet equally obvious reasons.)
too bad its luke not keven
9944030
More curious about the Pie farm, Pinkie's family and Maud... Well-made cover story? Farm as a fall-back lovation? No wonder Maud knows all about magic cpntaining rocks, it's probably same rock Chryssie used.
9945418
And this is where biology fails me.
I've been basing the hive on how beehives work--but bee mating practices are wierd. According to my research, Luke will eventually fly away, find a meeting of queens, and... well, shall we say, have an excellent couple days, then die happy. However, I envision a better future for him--though I don't know what that would be.
For now, I'm tempted to side with Hops on this one--Mama hasn't told her what happens when drones leave the hive, and she's content with that knowledge.
ETA: I've gotten a couple of comments about the specifics of changeling mating habits. I appreciate the contributions, and I will happily respond when I get back home, but, in the meantime, discussing the future sex life of a little baby bug-colt is wierding me out. I have some ideas on how to handle it, but it won't become important until the sequel (if/when it happens), and, even if it does, Luke is still likely going to just fly off into the sunset. I have no interest in writing bughorse erotica, romantic or otherwise.
(Sorry if this is a little harsh... This is a conversation I never expected to have, NGL.)
9945244
...She's also a former (reluctant) supermodel, with a beautiful singing voice. And she's also super-adorable... When she's not either in a rage or giving Harry a massage... I mean, I can see how the reclusiveness would pose a problem for love-eaters... But, at the same time, Changelings are reclusive in their own right, so... Hmm...
...Well, it's clear that it's not so in this story, but... What if Fluttershy was also a constructed persona of this hive?
9945550
And now you know what prompted the question in the first place. Thankfully, this is a fanfic. Bull$#¡++¡ng workarounds to these sorts of issues is part of an author's job. And again, we don't need to nail down an answer until the Mane Six have had their freak out, calmed down, and been brought up to speed. Plenty of time.
9945008
Make sure you sign the waiver first!
9945732
My ponysona needs no waiver. He's got a form of resurrective immortality involving transferring memories to a magically-created body. It's magically exhausting, but when you can draw ambient magical energy from the forest around you, that doesn't matter much.
...I just hope that nobody from this hive is in range when he starts pulling... That wouldn't end well, for them.
9943674
I would also be worried when Thorax et al undergo their "moose-bug" transformation. What will happen to the Pinkie everypony knows and loves now that her gestalt personality is no longer needed for survival?
What? The butterflies? Or the flowers?
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9945025
Pink was a manly color, as recently as WWII, but it's entirely cultural so it still works here.
9945515
not sure if the author is going to go there given the plot holes that generates. Yes they could have just been a hypnotized family but that's a big hole to patch
or they could actually be Mama-pinkie's 'family' and are aware that pinkie is a constructed identity, maybe they found her as a larva and raise mamma-pinkie and then she eventually went off to found her hive, and thus the few times she does visit its mamma-pinkie in the role, legitimately visiting with her family. Still somewhat of a plot hole since pinkie did not exist until being founded in ponyville and the pies have photos of pinkie as a filly
I've been going through a bit of a dry spell whet it comes to my favorites updating, so I took some time to browse for something new and this nice little story you going on here should help fill that void. Only three chapters in and it's already fed me a few pleasant surprises, hopefully the trend continues going forward.
Ooh. Saw that coming.
Again, really good job on Grasshopper's reflections before she found out Luke snuck out. And that alibi they gave Twilight was a really good Mythology Gag to the "Too Many Pinkie Pies" episode.
All in all, wonderful work on the exchanges, characterizations and future chapter set-up in all the right places.
This is more or less what happened.
It's a good thing "Pinkie just being Pinkie" is a valid assumption to shrug off in Ponyville, or else those ponies probably wouldn't have been so willing to let the matter drop like they did.
The tension here was never around who was going to break the rules; we knew that as soon as they were introduced.
The tension is around what happens because the rules were broken, and I am eagerly awaiting to see.
Honestly, though, I’m really not sure what the hive was expecting. Tell somebuggy they can’t do something, and they’ll want to do it more, especially if the explanation for why they can’t do something is insufficient. Look at Luke; every time he’s asked about going outside, he was told that he couldn’t because he had a super important job to do when he was grown-up. When he asked about that job, he was told that he’d find out when he was older. If this debacle is anyone’s fault... well, it’s his, because he decided to break the rules, but it’s Mama’s fault for making it seem so appealing to break the rules.