Five humans fell through the barrier between two worlds, straight into the clutches of King Sombra. Forced to drink from a mystical teapot, their bodies transformed into beasts he could use. With his helmets in place he now commands them:
The Yak with brutish strength, the Unicorn and his piercing spells, the Thestral who stalks the night battlefields, and the Dragon that rains down fire on those who oppose their Great King. All four now loyal soldiers.
But what of the fifth? What happened to the last human in the group and why does he not fight alongside the others?
Warnings:
- The death and gore tags relate to particular moments that are more implied than seen and described.
- Darker themes are usually in, but not exclusive to, the main story arcs.
- There is also minor talk of suicide in a very short part, so I have added the tag just to be safe.
- Contains themes regarding gender identity and dysphoria which play out over the course of the entire story.
As before, this may need to change rating from Teen to Mature.
Cover art is by the very talented Mix-up.
Um, apparently this made the featured list on January 15th 2020... Thank you all so much!
Featured on Equestria Daily on May 26th 2020!
This is the home of the stories known as the Teapot Tales.
Side story arcs will be between the main arcs.
Side stories along with a second and third arc are already planned.
That was great.
9913806
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it. Only got to read it from start to finish myself about two hours ago. I tend to jump from moment to moment in a chapter then stitch them all together. It usually works... *nervous laugh*
Nice to see a sequel to this story. Well at least he is still a guy sense he has antlers, which does don't have, unless it's a reindeer and not just a deer.
9914049
Truthfully John is a doe, though doesn't know what type of deer. Doesn't even realise she caused the roots and moss to grow as has yet to develop an understanding of magic. John has had a rather traumatic day considering everything that has happened and didn't really think further than "I am now physically female and look like a deer" before fleeing for some kind of help/safety.
To help the distinction, John has much smaller antlers even though they are not accurate on typical deer.
The third story actually got its working title and bones of its plot while I was writing this one and afterwards I brainstormed a whole bunch of little moments that could become one-shots in the future.
Though the teapot will come back, not sure which story it will be, but until then we probably won't be seeing much in the way of transformations. More the characters coming to terms with everything.
Alright, you've got an interesting foundation with these two stories, I'm eager to see what's going to happen with our transformed humans now.
9914248
In some ways, so am I.
I have a good idea of number three and I need a little something extra to make number four strong. Can't promise exactly when, but they will get there, if the heat I am dealing with here for today and the next two days doesn't melt me first.
I enjoy this plotline, can't wait for the next story. :3
9914334
Glad you're liking it. Hoping I can keep it meeting your expectations.
I also now have a rough outline up until the ninth part. Things could easily change though and I'm not setting a real schedule for these. They kind of just pop into my head, usually at night, and I have to write them then and there, despite my need for sleep.
I suppose it's my time to say ehem MOAR
Nice to see an update on this!
9922345
MOAR is coming, just one of my main tasks as a carer taking some time today. The planning for it is growing stronger every day. After developing the personality quirks for the characters, I'm now working on the talents for our unicorn and bat pony. Luckily not needed straight away.
9922446
This chapter was a big worry for me and would've been out earlier before I fixed an issue that could've seen me hit with a ban, though it wasn't for the content of the chapter. My biggest worry was, would the concept work?
We have now met our main two P.O.V. characters in their new forms, meaning it should be a little easier from now. Though, in saying that, I have a slice of life probably stand alone side story planned for just our unicorn and bat pony friends. Sadly, that one is well down the line. I want to finish this arc before then.
Glad you both enjoyed the chapter.
Guess he’s just another *puts on sunglasses* John Doe
9925225
YEAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
That was fast!! But glad to see John met with friendly natives. Now how long until she can get to someone who can realize what's going on?
9926571
The background work I've been doing has sped things up a bit. That and I am enjoying writing this. It has been so long since I have enjoyed the simple freedom of writing on the fly. I've missed it.
Not the fastest I've ever written a story but that was an insane level of output that wiped me out for four months and made me question if I could ever write again. This is a much more comfortable pace.
We're also just under halfway through the first arc. Then some standalone slice of life pieces where we get to know the characters outside of fighting for their lives. Then back into the second arc which will make it clearer when this is all taking place. Anything after all of that is a bonus.
Glad you're still enjoying it.
9926583
I'm looking forward to the rest!
Also I forgot to mention it earlier ,but John's screwed either way: he's either John the Doe, or John the Deere :V
9926591
Yep!
Been playing with puns the moment I decided John would be a deer of some kind.
interesting so far, I wonder how many of them were originally human?
9927587
In the initial army, most of them are former humans. The ratio changes with conscription of all the ponies they capture when taking settlements. It will be a bit of a headache for those put in charge of repatriating the conscripted and the former humans at the end of it all (covers both arcs 1 and 2). Some do die in the fighting, though I won't go too graphic with it as I'm trying to keep the teen rating.
Reason why people on Earth don't notice, people going missing all the time.
Good chapter! Hopefully things start to look up for our waywsrd protagonists~
Also good job on the "ship-tease". After all, dealing with potential attractions when not only your species but also your gender was changed is not bound to be easy~
hum, I wonder how a deer and pony relation would work out? Normally, species have mental barriers and pheromones that makes it so that that you can't really have romantic feelings for another type of animals, I wonder how it is different for them? I wonder how the others are doing on their end and if her friends still have backdoors for Sombra to still control their minds in some way?
9934648
A short answer - Could be that they are along the lines of Spike liking other species.
Longer thoughts - For John, she has a very scrambled brain in regards to many things right now and the complement from Spears may have short circuited something there. For Spears, he may have a thing for other species, I'm not exactly sure yet with him.
In part, I'm still figuring them out. I didn't expect Spears to throw this at me. There are other ship-teases planned but this one wasn't. We'll see what happens.
Has also caused me to include him for Arc 2. Some things he will need to witness.
good old William free from Sombra's control. John having some emotional issues lol.
9935425
John won't be the only one to short circuit in front of a potential romantic interest. Some will even be actual show periphery characters but we have to wait for the one-shots with that.
Pfffhahahah oh you *really* went there
9935635
(Though sunglasses Dash would've been better.)
Oh, I went there three-fold!
And only a former human would get the jokes.
From the sounds of things, it seems like this is over a thousand years in the past before the crystal empire disappear if the Equestrians don't seem to have a clear name on Sombra yet even't if it isn't well known to the general public.
9937185
It is more Celestia not wanting to tell things in an attempt not to cause a panic. I may need to tweak that chapter slightly. Arc 1 actually sits between seasons 2 and 3. Height of changeling fear then the coming of Sombra. Is why there is an Alternate Universe tag.
The idea I'm running with is Sombra has stirred before the Crystal City as the magic sealing it weakens. Arc 2 will see a few distinct differences when the city actually appears. He is preparing to take the city on its return. The humans are convenient once transformed.
I'm giving you that as it really only comes across as assumption in Arc 1. Far clearer in Arc 2 and there is a lot more to it. To me, spoilers are an odd thing. You can say what happens in something, but actually experiencing the emotion of the moment whether watched or read is a very different and, to me, the more important thing.
Still loving this
Keep up the good work!
9941663
Thanks. Very happy you're still enjoying it.
But, like I said, we're getting close to the end of Arc 1. Not sure how much everyone will like the wind down chapters (was just running a first edit of the next chapter, the final action heavy one of this arc, until a minute ago). And I definitely want to do a bunch of the Slice of Life one shots before starting on Arc 2. So much will be made clearer in Arc 2. Just hope people stick around for it.
But, we need to get to know these characters in some possibly calmer settings.
9941673
Well, I, for one, am looking forward for the wind-down as that means our displaced humans get to meet with characters we know (Im going to guess at least the princesses, mane 6 and possibly Shining Armor), see how many were bronies (IIRC they were in a MLP con right? And John's sister and her friend were the bronies?) and the ensuing shenanigans. Also finding out if theyre all stuck like that or not.
Transformation Tea trips, triumphs and tribulations.
Yey! 2 updates in one day
9942141
Speedy story slinging severely scrambles sleep.
9942166
And now I get to rest and watch the end of this year's desert bus for hope donation drive (event now over until next year) while possibly playing some fallout 4 and thinking of how I want to handle the many things needing to happen in the next chapter... from Cremator's perspective. I'm scared.
Update - The test piece doesn't bode well for Cremator being P.O.V. Hope I can find a way for her still.
9942547
Those would be the tribulations.
I was thinking just now, had the ages of our protagonists been established? I dont think the first story mentioned them.
Edit: if I had to guess Jason and Jackie were minors (since it was mentioned William and John were chaperoning them to the con) and around 14-15 years? And John, Willian and Schmidt were on college so I'm guessing late 10's/early 20's?
9944975
You are right. I made them vague, mostly on purpose. Jackie and Jacob are in middle school (13 or 14) while John, William and Schmidt are in later high school years (17 or early 18).
Jacob and Jackie both age up to adult in the transformation, yet Jacob remains a blank flank. This is dealt with in a coming one-shot. William is the harder one to age post-transformation as he becomes a young dragon, similar in age to Smolder.
And, yep, my sister has generously shared her bug with me so it might be a bit before the next chapter. Sigh.
9945072
Heh, I guess I wasn't that far off, 1-2 years it seems. So post-Tf they would all be roughly the same age group as the mane 6 at this point in time? (I might be misremembering, fanon starts to bleed over canon after reading so many fics, but IIRC they were all 17-19 gap in the pilot episode and I remember reading somewhere the first 3 seasons take place in the span of a year more or less)
9945188
It wasn't intended but I think so. We will get an idea of how long this has been happening from other former humans rescued during the battle.
Mentally, I refer to the group at the moment as the Misfit 5.
Hadn't actually heard that theory for the first three seasons but that could make a lot of sense.
Interesting chapter, keep it up
9945239
Heh, the "Misfit 5" sounds fitting
Currently cursing myself while using this down time of being sick to re-read all of the story so far. Annoyed at the silly errors I missed and a continuity error I had to fix.
The equestrian army is certainly goong to have a noral dilemma once they figure out what's up with Sombra's army.
9955918
It is very much a mess, some of it isn't resolved until the later arc 2, which is why my planning on the next chapter is a bit all over the place. It is getting there though.
So, he isn't going tell tell them about the teapot and insist that's how he's getting his army? Because telling them that Sombra is mas kidnapping people via magic and transforming/vrainwashing seems like VERY pertinent info.
9955924
John is very mixed up at this point, but does try. However, the idea from her explanation sounds so weird as she tries to tell it to a soldier, he just brushes her off as being crazy without letting her fully explain it.
That right there makes Spear look like an absolute ****. "Oh hey you commited property damage to save some one from mind control while fleeing from an evil army, better throw you in jail to gain control over you like a ********."
Edit: I honestly don't see him as a romantic interest, he really has no upsides. He's unlikable, wrong gender and species. Sure John may be biologically predisposed towards his sort, but that's the product of dark magic so just going with it seems a little violating in how it would override personal attraction.
9955947
I know. Spears is rather stringent with his job and he could have made things a bit clearer but was rather overwhelmed at the time. He should have phrased it more about the danger of her lack of control with plant magic.
I honestly have to say I hate this part with a passion. I can understand wanting to distance yourself from what you don't like, but this feels like abandoning his own identity, given he's discarding his own name for one given by Sombra. If he already had some other dragon appropriate name for itself it would be different, but with Cremator it feels like metaphorical suicide.
Also they ARE being kept as prisoners then? Yep, the equstrian army is a bunch of ******* ****. They've already established they were adbucted and brainwashed by Sombra and have no intention of working for him, but the people who should be on their side deem it fair to slap them in chains and brand them as evil/criminals? So far its looking like both sides of the conflict are terrible people who can't be trusted.