Chapter 11
Forever a Changeling
by Scootaloo-009, a.k.a. Mechsrule1
My Little Pony and related names, images, and scenarios are property of Hasbro Inc.
Chapter 11
Dozens of ponies were gathered in the Canterlot Castle Garden for this solemn occasion. There wasn’t a single dry face at the funeral. Ponies had come together from all over Equestria to mourn the death of this particular pegasus.
Princess Luna was in attendance. While she did not know the deceased as well as some, she had made sure she was in the front on this occasion. Her sister, Princess Celestia was up on the stage beside the casket, giving a speech. She had insisted on being a speaker. While they had both outlived millions, this pony was very special.
“We are gathered here today to say farewell to a near and dear friend,” Princess Celestia began. “A loyal and trustworthy pony I would call one of my good friends. Today we lay to rest Clockwork. He dutifully maintained all the public clocks in Canterlot for sixty years, following in the hoofsteps of his father...”
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She hated being the bearer of bad news. She really did. She hated how it always seemed to be her job to break it. And this would be devastating news. The library was open for business so she strolled right in and looked for the pony who ran it.
“Hello, Twilight,” she said.
“Hey, I didn’t expect you to be here. What’s up?” Twilight asked, smiling at the familiar face.
“I’ve got some bad news.”
“Oh? Did Spike knock over another display in your shop? I’ve told him to be careful.”
“It’s not that.” She sighed. “You’d better sit down for this.”
Twilight noticed the weight in her voice and complied.
“Twilight, there was an incident with our supplier. Because of that we won’t be getting any more ink in for three months. I know how much you go through a week, but I’m afraid we’ll run out before we can get more in,” she explained.
“Of all the worst possible things,” Twilight began. She stood up and conjured a beanbag chair behind her. “This is the worst. Possible. Thing.” she fake fainted into the beanbag chair.
“Um...”
Twilight got back up with a grin. “I’ve always wanted to do that. Anyway, thank you for the warning. I’ll try to work through the ink supply I have here. I should have enough to last until you can get more in. I hope it wasn’t a serious problem.”
“No, just some prankster poured invisible ink into the machinery so they have to take it all apart and clean everything to prevent contamination. Do you really have three months worth of ink here?”
“It’s more like six, but I like to be prepared,” Twilight replied. “Again, thank you for letting me know. I’ll try to leave some for your other customers.”
“Thank you for being so understanding. I’ll let you know when we get more in. Buh Bye.” She left the tree house a little lighter. She seemed to have taken it well. At least she thought Twilight had taken it well until she heard shouting.
“Spike, we need to get an exact amount of our ink. Now!”
“At least I only had to tell our biggest customer,” she sighed. “I can’t imagine having to walk all over Ponyville telling everypony there’s an ink shortage.”
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“Hey, girls.” The voice was quiet and sounded sleepy, but it brought everypony to silence immediately.
Applejack and Pinkie looked up, shocked. They hadn’t really paid attention to the mound of goo Rainbow Dash lay in front of, but now they wish they had. The upper portion had been peeled back like it was made of clay. A nearly identical changeling to the one on the floor was now pulling itself free. The only difference were a few blue bands across her abdomen.
Applejack and Pinkie Pie tackled her, squeezing her tightly. She squirmed about at first, but then returned the hug.
“We thought we lost yah,” Applejack said.
“Dashie!” Pinkie cheered.
“But how did yah do it?” Applejack asked.
“Our special ability,” the real Rainbow Dash replied. “While everything was falling apart, I ran in here. I was lucky there happened to be this one changeling in here. I cleared off her face and jabbed her fangs into my head. I guess it worked because here I am.”
“Yah jerk, we thought yah were dead!” Applejack said, wiping her face off.
“I didn’t think it would take that long to change bodies,” Rainbow Dash said. “She was right. Our drones really are mindless.”
“How do we know you’re really you?” Pinkie asked. “She just tried to pretend to be you!”
“I caught you trying to free Discord again, so you could make him be nice, so you could have chocolate rain any time you wanted,” Rainbow Dash replied.
“Hey! I did do that,” Pinkie said. “It is you!”
“Of course.”
“Ah’m so glad yer okay,” Applejack said.
“So she tried to pretend she was me, huh? What gave it away?” Rainbow Dash asked. “I bet she couldn’t pull off my awesomeness.”
“No, she just used magic,” Applejack replied.
“Oh.”
“So what do we do with her?” Pinkie asked.
Rainbow Dash grabbed her saddlebags and the yoke lanterns from her old body and donned them. The lights had gone out but they seemed undamaged. She took one last look around the room before stepping over her old body and heading for the door. “Let me see her.”
They led the way back to the entrance. Rainbow Dash had to use their lights to guide her way. They squeezed through the hole Pinkie Pie had made and into the warm midday sun.
“Colt that feels nice,” Rainbow Dash said, basking in the warmth. She closed her eyes and burst into flame, returning to her pony form. “Huh. That was harder than it should have been.”
“What do you mean?” Pinkie asked.
“I think I lost all my forms when I changed bodies. That’s a bummer. So where’s Queenie?”
“She’s right over here,” Applejack said. She led the way down the rubble over to where the changeling queen lay tied up.
Applejack looked Recarn up and down. The changeling queen had clearly taken the brunt of the cave in. Her body was riddled with small marks from rocks and her back shell was dented like the moon. Her wings were broken and useless. Her horn had been broken off near the base.
Rainbow Dash stood over her and focused. Her front hoof erupted into flame and turned into a blade. She raised it up over Recarn and held it there. Then she put it down and shifted it back. “I can’t do it. Despite what she did, I just can’t kill her. I’m not that kind of pony.”
“So what do we do with her?” Pinkie asked.
“We can’t leave her here. She might come after us,” Applejack said.
“We’ll take her to Princess Celestia. She’ll know what to do,” Rainbow Dash said.
Pinkie Pie and Applejack nodded and helped Rainbow Dash drag the unconscious changeling queen to the balloon. They didn’t waste any effort making the trek comfortable for her. They just dragged her along over the rocks and tree roots. Applejack and Rainbow Dash heaved her into the basket and climbed in. Pinkie joined them a moment later and they began floating off.
“Pinkie, where is the anchor?” Applejack asked. She leaned over the side but couldn’t spot it. She hadn’t brought it with her either.
“It’s back in my A-hole.”
“What,” Rainbow Dash and Applejack said together.
“That’s what I call my portable hole, incase I get another, which will be my C-hole.”
“What about... Forget it. I don’t want to know,” Rainbow Dash said.
Queen Recarn groaned. Instantly the three others in the balloon turned and stared at her. She opened her eyes and looked at them in confusion. She strained against her bindings but couldn’t get free. “Great. I’m now your captive.”
“We’re taking you to Princess Celestia. She’ll know what to do with you,” Pinkie Pie said.
“I don’t think so. Untie me,” Recarn ordered.
Rainbow Dash expected something. Her body burning with pain, a will to move, something. She knew she could resist but she didn’t feel anything. The command meant nothing to her body. She smirked. “Looks like that won’t work any more.”
“Ungrateful welp,” Recarn said.
“For what, turnin’ her intah a changeling? Ah’m glad yah did save her, she’s mah best friend, but tah took away a lot from her too,” Applejack said.
“She’s also alive. And she’s better than before,” Pinkie replied. “I’d love to be able to fly.”
“She can’t have foals,” Applejack said.
“I don’t want to have them. The thought of actually having a foal does not appeal to me at all,” Rainbow Dash said. “It would take a very special somepony to convince me to pass a melon through my crotch.”
“Try an egg,” Recarn snapped. “One a year. More if you live near ponies.”
They ignored the queen and Applejack continued, “but yah don’t even have the choice now.”
“I suppose that would have been nice,” Rainbow Dash agreed.
“But now you have a huge family. Who knows how many other changelings there are,” Pinkie countered. “And she could adopt.”
“Ah’m happy the way Ah am. Magic and flyin’, they ain’t fer me. If Ah had tah choose, Ah’d rather die an earth pony,” Applejack said.
“But it’s not your choice, it’s Rainbow Dash’s,” Pinkie said.
The two looked at Rainbow Dash expectantly. She just had to shrug. “I don’t really know how to feel. Can we say I’m glad I’m not dead and leave it at that?”
“Why are you taking their side? We’re both changelings now. Yes we were ponies, but that won’t make them understand,” Recarn said. “Ponies hate us.”
“Ponies are afraid of us because we’re always in the shadows. If we actually got to know them, we could be friends,” Rainbow Dash replied.
“Yeah, we’re still her friend,” Pinkie PIe said.
“We were only afraid she wasn’t the Rainbow we knew,” Applejack added.
“Wow, two whole ponies. That’s clearly a majority,” Recarn said, rolling her eyes.
"They accepted me even though I am a changeling," Rainbow Dash said.
“Hey, if we go back, can I be a changeling? It could be fun!” Pinkie Pie asked.
“There aren’t any nymphs right now. She stole the only one left,” Queen Recarn snapped.
“Then how were you going to make us changelings?” Pinkie asked.
“Nymphs grow really quickly before they have a soul. If I laid the eggs then, they’d be ready in a week. I’d need to visit a city to get the energy to actually make the eggs, but I would do what I had to,” Recarn explained.
“I think ponies would notice if they were gone for a week,” Rainbow Dash said.
“Well what was I supposed to do? Now we’re going to be exposed. They’ll hunt us down and kill our hive. It’s all your fault!” Recarn shouted.
“No they won’t. Princess Celestia is better than that,” Rainbow Dash replied.
“What Ah don’t get is how we got away so easily. Surely yah should have been tougher,” Applejack said. “Chrysalis nearly beat Princess Celestia.”
“I was never very good at magic. I was an earth pony before,” Recarn admitted. “And being this far from civilization leaves me rather weak. I have enough food to survive but just that much.”
“Is this really a good idea then? Bringing her to Canterlot?” Pinkie asked.
“Don’t worry,” Rainbow Dash said. “If she gets stronger, I will too. And what could she do against all the guards?”
“Traitor,” Recarn grumbled.
“You’re the traitor. You gave up what it means to be a pony,” Rainbow Dash replied. “I don’t care if we’re both changelings. I’ll never be like you.”
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“The mail, my queen,” the drone said, depositing a stack of envelopes on the queen’s mahogany desk.
“Thank you, drone,” Queen Ovi replied. She flipped through them to see if any required her immediate attention. One caught her eye and she pulled it out. “Who do I know in Ponyville?”
Curious, she tore the envelope open and skimmed the letter. “I’m Rainbow Dash, that drone you taught how to shapeshift, blah blah blah, still don’t know where I came from but I found another member of my hive. She didn’t know she was a changeling either. Going to visit my hometown to see if I can find anything,” Queen Ovi read. “Well good for her. Why can’t you do anything interesting?!”
“I’m sorry, my queen,” the drone said, bowing.
“Don’t be sorry, just... nevermind,” Queen Ovi sighed. “The council group is coming by later. Are you a part of that?”
“I will if you wish it.”
“Are you male or female?” the queen asked. “They like female.” She didn’t memorize everything about her drones. It was nearly impossible to tell them apart given how identical they looked and acted.
The drone seemed confused. “I am what the client wants.”
“But what do you like to be?”
Again, the drone didn’t understand. “I like to please the client.”
Queen Ovi sighed again. “Just go back to your room.”
The drone bowed and left.
“I love my little changelings, but sometimes I just want to beat some personality into them,” Queen Ovi said. “Maybe I’ll send this Rainbow Dash an offer to work here. Maybe some of her individuality will rub off on them and make them actually interesting.”
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The balloon touched town right outside the castle door. Pinkie Pie jumped out followed by Rainbow Dash and Applejack who were carrying Recarn. Despite having her horn broken, she was still able to shapeshift into the form of an old mare. Rainbow Dash wasn't sure why she was until they started dragging her towards the castle.
"Help! Let me go! I'm just an innocent old mare! Somepony help!" Recarn began shouting.
Rainbow Dash groaned. Several guards swarmed around them quickly, surrounding them. "She's just my mom. She's gotten a bit senile is all."
"Then why is she tied up?" one guard asked.
"Er..."
"That is a very good question. I expect a good answer." The guards parted and Shining Armor joined the circle. "What is going on here?"
"She's a changeling queen. We brought her here to see what Princess Celestia wanted to do with her," Rainbow Dash explained. "Her horn is broken so she can only shapeshift. She's not a danger."
"Then why did you say she was your mother?" Shining Armor asked snidely. "Why would an Element of Harmony go about lying like that."
"It's true. She's my queen," Rainbow Dash said quietly.
"That's all I needed to hear. Guards, restrain the old mare and her," Shining Armor ordered. The guards quickly pulled Pinkie Pie and Applejack away and pinned Rainbow Dash to the ground. Recarn was fairly helpless so just two guards held her down.
"You've been accepted for what you are, huh?" Recarn taunted.
"Shut it. And get off of me!" Rainbow Dash shouted.
"What's the big idea?" Applejack demanded.
Shining Armor looked back very seriously without a hint of joy. "I have extensively researched changeling biology since... you know. I know for a fact you have to obey any order she gives you. You are nothing but a liability with her here."
"You heard wrong," Rainbow Dash growled.
"While a drone must, she is no longer a mere drone," Recarn said from the ground. "She's a queen as well."
Rainbow Dash felt the guards hold her tighter. Applejack and Pinkie Pie both gasped. Shining Armor slowly moved towards her. "Really now."
"I'm not, I’m what’s called a proto queen. Unless I end up with another changeling, I'm not a real queen. I can’t have nymphs or junk like that. It just means I don't have to follow her orders, not that I would."
"Rainbow, you knew yah were in the body of a queen? Whah didn't yah say so?" Applejack demanded.
Rainbow Dash looked away. "I didn't want you to get worried. I'm not her and I won't start a hive. I didn't realize what I was doing at the time but I could tell by the belly stripes."
"Sir, we really should take them to see the Princess," one of the guards said.
"Agreed. But you two keep in mind there is no pony in Canterlot better trained in changeling stopping spells than me," Shining Armor threatened. He turned and walked into the castle. The guards got off of Rainbow Dash but four stayed around her. One in front, one behind, and two on the sides. The ones on the sides held spears over her back so she couldn't fly away. Applejack and Pinkie Pie followed quickly.
Canterlot Castle was never meant to be a stronghold so the path to the throne room was fairly straightforward and short. Within a minute Rainbow Dash was standing before Princess Celestia, still heavily guarded. Queen Recarn seemed to have given up and was hanging limply from the hooves of the guards trying to hold her up. She still hadn't dropped her disguise though
"What is the meaning of this? Shining, I warned you about acting out towards peaceful changelings," Princess Celestia snapped. "Release Rainbow Dash. Now."
The guards obeyed but Shining Armor replaced them, holding his spear in front of Rainbow Dash. "With all due respect, Princess, it is my duty to protect you and I will do that."
"Shining Armor if somepony wanted to hurt me who actually could, you would not be able to stop them. Your duty is to protect the citizens, not me. Now what is going on here?”
"We have two changeling queens here, Princess," Shining Armor replied. He pulled his spear away but stayed next to Rainbow Dash.
"Two? You must be mistaken. I know Rainbow Dash is not a queen."
"Things have changed," Rainbow Dash said. "I finally learned everything. Where I came from, what happened. What she did to me."
"I saved your life and the lives of countless others," Recarn shouted.
"This is really Queen Recarn, my queen. I learned that my hive as a very unique ability. While I may be a changeling, I wasn't always. My heart and soul are that of a pony. I am Rainbow Dash the pony, in the body of a changeling. She goes around finding sick foals and turns them into changelings."
"That sounds crazy," Shining Armor exclaimed. "That means there could be changelings all over the place."
"Changelings that are ponies at heart. They don't know," Applejack said.
"You might remember me, Princess. I was 'The Miracle Colt'. I fell thousands of feet out of a balloon and survived unharmed,” Recarn said. “Only I really didn’t.”
Princess Celestia looked at her in surprise. “That was three hundred years ago. You couldn’t be the same pony.”
“But I am.”
“Miracle colt? Yah used tah be a boy?” Applejack asked.
“Believe me, this was really awkward at first, but the previous queen was killed and someone had to take over. I was the only one who could, so I did. I’ve gotten used to it over the centuries.”
"Rainbow Dash, are you a queen as well?" Princess Celestia asked.
"When I met her, she tried to kill my friends. I stopped her but she stabbed me through the chest. Before I died, however, I found the body of another changeling from my hive and put my soul into it. Nymphs in our hive don't have a mind of their own, so it’s not like I did anything to the other drone."
"That describes most changelings," Shining Armor interrupted.
"But they can still think. Our drones can't do anything but breathe. I didn't realize it at the time but I had accidently put myself into the body of a proto queen. I'm not a real queen because I haven't... gotten with another changeling,” Rainbow Dash continued.
"I am glad you three are unharmed. It is fortunate you were able to survive," Princess Celestia said. “We’ve seen how powerful queen changelings can be.”
"I think she had this body there as a backup, in case she got hurt. With enough spare bodies, she could live forever," Rainbow Dash finished.
Princess Celestia seemed genuinely surprised. "I hadn't even thought of that aspect."
"So? The queen before me did it. And the queen before that. What’s wrong with wanting to live forever?” Recarn asked.
“It is not the gift you think it is,” Princess Celestia said. “And if you think that is an excuse for your actions, you are very mistaken.”
“Are you going to kill her?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Rainbow Dash, I didn’t know you cared,” Recarn said sarcastically.
“Do you think I should?” Princess Celestia asked.
“Yes? No? I don’t know. Yeah she saved me, but she also tried to kill us.”
“I vote yes. It’s one less threat,” Shining Armor said.
“Enough,” Princess Celestia snapped. “Queen Recarn, you have a noble intention. Despite your transgression, I would still say you are a good pony. But I cannot allow this activity to continue. Ponies are not meant to live forever. I’d rather not have you executed. I’m not sure what to do with you. Shining Armor, put her in the dungeon for now. I will ask some other changeling queens for advice.”
Shining Armor nodded. Two guards helped him drag Recarn from the throne room.
"Tomorrow I will send some guards to the hive to deal with any remaining changelings," Princess Celestia said. "I am sorry, Rainbow Dash, but I must do this. I hope you understand."
Rainbow Dash shook her head. “I do understand, but there’s no need. There weren’t any others there. This was the only changeling, besides her, there. There are the others who don’t know, but I don’t know where they are.”
"I think we can leave them alone. They have done nothing wrong,” Princess Celestia said. “Is there anything else?”
“I think I need some time to think,” Rainbow Dash said. “Sort things out in my head.”
“We’ll see you back in Ponyville,” Applejack said.
“I will be sure to contact you when I know if my idea will work,” Princess Celestia said.
Rainbow Dash nodded and flew out of the castle.
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“Hey girls, I had Spike call you all here because Princess Celestia sent me a letter,” Rainbow Dash explained. It was the following morning. Her friends had all gathered in the library as she had asked.
“Are you going to tell us what you found out?” Rarity asked.
“Right. I will, but first, Princess Celestia told me that Queen Recarn is going to be executed in about two hours.”
“I’m sorry?” Fluttershy said.
“I’m kind of glad. She tried to kill us after all. Apparently Princess Celestia wanted to figure out a way to stop her from laying eggs permanently, but it couldn’t be done, so that’s it for her,” Rainbow Dash replied.
“I think we’re missing something,” Twilight said.
“Well Applejack and I went to find out my home town,” Rainbow Dash began.
“I thought you went alone,” Fluttershy said.
“Ah figured she could use the company.” Applejack said.
“Anyway it turned out to be Dust Bowl, Pinkie’s hometown,” Rainbow Dash said.
“We could have been best friends growing up!” Pinkie exclaimed.
“If I hadn’t gone to Cloudsdale and done the sonic rainboom,” Rainbow Dash continued. “Anyway, I visited my parents grave but I found out it had my name on it too.”
“Why would a grave have more than one name on it?” Rarity asked.
“If a bunch of ponies from the same family die at the same time, they’re typically put on the same tombstone,” Pinkie explained.
“Can I tell my story?” Rainbow Dash snapped. The girls sheepishly nodded and closed their mouths. “Okay, so there I found a bit of eggshell. My eggshell. When I touched it, it gave me a vision that showed me how to get to a cave nearby.
“There we found Queen Recarn. My queen. She explained that the night my parents died, I thought I had passed out, but I had really been crushed by a tree. I would have died but she put me in the body of a changeling.”
“I’m sorry to interupt, but what?” Twilight asked.
“It’s pretty confusing but yeah. Like she put a nymph on my head and I became the nymph.”
“So what happened to the nymph?” Fluttershy asked.
“Nothing. My hive doesn’t have any mind of their own. Every member is a pony put in the body of a changeling,” Rainbow Dash replied. “When we tried to leave, she tried to stop us. She was afraid ponies would find out about the hive so she was going to turn Applejack and Pinkie Pie into changelings too.”
“She said changelings can’t disobey, but Rainbow proved her wrong!” Applejack said.
“But Rainbow Dash stopped her and she killed Rainbow Dash,” Pinkie added.
“Killed?” Rarity asked.
“Nearly. Luckily there was a full grown nymph in the hive. She must have been planning on switching bodies soon. I did the same thing she had done to me before and put myself in this new, not-dying body. In the end, I’m still alive and she won’t be,” Rainbow Dash finished.
“If she was going to switch bodies, wouldn’t that make you a queen now?” Twilight asked.
“Sort of. I’m not a real queen unless I get with another changeling, which I don’t plan on doing.”
“So what are you going to do now?” Twilight asked.
“I’m going to become a wonderbolt!” Rainbow Dash declared.
“So that’s it? Nothing changes?” Fluttershy asked.
Rainbow Dash shrugged. “I learned everything I wanted to. Recarn was wrong. She said we weren’t ponies any more, we were changelings, but we’re not. We’re still ponies where it matters. In our heart. And if I ever get this mushy again, hit me.”
“That’s our Rainbow,” Applejack said, rolling her eyes.
Rarity held up a hoof. “Can we go back a minute. You said something about your parents’ grave?”
“I’d rather not... wait, I think you’re the only one who doesn’t know I was orphaned at a year old,” Rainbow Dash said. “Well I was. Now that everything is taken care of, I hope things can go back to normal. Well normal for Ponyville.”
“What isn’t normal about here?” Pinkie asked.
“So you’re really okay?” Twilight asked.
“Twilight, the only thing I was ever worried about was that I had taken the place of the pony my parents loved. Now that I know the truth, I’m fine. Really,” Rainbow Dash said.
“And yah know we love yah too,” Applejack added.
Suddenly the door to the library burst open. In the doorway stood a white rabbit stamping it’s foot in irritation.
“Sorry, girls, I forgot it’s time for Angel’s lunch,” Fluttershy said. She flew out the door and scooped up Angel as she flew.
“I’d better go too. We gotta get set up fer the harvest,” Applejack said.
“And I have so many orders,” Rarity said, leaving as well. “Oh, and stop by later, I made some modifications to your Gala dress and I want to see if they work right.”
“And I should go unpack. Bye!” Pinkie said.
The three left, leaving Twilight and Rainbow Dash alone.
“Hey, doesn’t this mean what your hive really is dead?” Twilight asked.
“Well when I die, it will be. I already thought it was dead so it’s not like anything changed.”
“I’m glad everything worked out in the end,” Twilight said.
“Me too,” Rainbow Dash agreed. “Hey,do you know a lot of legal stuff?”
“I’ve read a couple books on it. I could act as my own lawyer if I had to,” Twilight replied. “What do you need?”
“It turns out I’m legally dead. It hasn’t caused any problems so far, but it’s something I should fix before it does.”
“I know just what book we need. To the library!” Twilight declared.
“We’re at the library,” Rainbow Dash said, getting confused.
“By Celestia’s beard, that was fast!”
“Twilight, are you alright?”
“I think this town is starting to get to me,” Twilight said, rubbing her head.
“As a changeling would say, welcome to the hive.”
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The story is not yet over. There are two endings. Both reveal Rainbow Dash lied about one statement she made in this chapter, but it is a different lie for each ending. You’ll see what I mean in time. This also means there won’t be a direct sequel to this because if I made one it would make one ending definitively non canon. You’re welcome to make a sequel if you want, though.
If you like this story, you should check out some of my other works:
My tumblr, an alternate universe mixing MLP and Cyborg 009.
The Seven Tribes, a rather long fanfic that, like many stories, tries to explain the past.
Samurai Applejack, a drastically different kind of story. It’s rated mature for violence and some suggestive lines.
Night of the Werepony, what I consider to be my worst story, but it’s rather popular. It’s just one chapter long.
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The way you began the chapter... Fuck you so much.
((OOC: UPDATE!!!! YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!!!
))
wow great story dude even though i kinda wanted to see dash make a hive i mean dash as a queen the shit that would happen but if i tried to write a sequel like that i would not do it justice. -.- but i may try as this was a truly great story
Two endings, each with its own lie...I shall have to wait.
1971987
time for the author to Go To Sleep 
I agree. That wasn't funny
I'm not sure if the a-hole joke is meant to be a really dirty joke, or about computer drives. Its probably the really dirty one.
Legacy Of Kings - HammerFall
CALLED IT! Well sort of, I called that being the only way for her to survive at least.
You just had Twilight reply to herself... I think you accidentally a paragraph there.
1972070 It is I, your long-lost fifth cousin, thrice removed, Irrelevant Ska Punk! Huzzah, we are reunited once more!
So, hm. An obvious one is lying about not wanting kids. I guess another possibility would be Celestia is going to spare Recarn's life but wants to fake her death for some reason.
Now I just have to find some way to get to Equestria and break Queen Recarn out of jail.
Have her make some more nymphs too.
Get myself a new body then.^_^
This made me laugh.
denver.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw1021_Rainbow_Dash_says_youre_awesome.gif
NOOOOOOOO!!!!!
We must have more of this story.
fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/036/7/6/rainbow_dash_sadface_2_by_iks83-d4oqjae.gif
i.imgur.com/OG3FB.jpg
On a side note, permission to use universe in other fics?
1972197
Go ahead.
1972095
My Rainbow Dash doesn't want to have foals. Not a lie.
I'm going ahead and guessing what she lied about.
-She really is a Queen.
-Recarn isn't going to be executed
Those are my guesses.
I had to double check, but it say incomplete so I'm double happy, both for the update and the continuation of the fic :3
Love it so much
I'm hoping 1 of the endings is that the hive does somehow still survive. Imagine a government service where dieing children could be given a second chance at life. it's not living forever, just a second chance for a life that was cut short.
1972095>>1972237 Really? I would have guessed that either Recarn isn't going to be executed or that there WERE more changelings back in Recarn's Hive. The whole "I secretly DO want to have foals!" thing would have been pretty hard for Rainbow to hide later on.
Hoping I get one out of two on this one! :insertnonexistantwinkemoticonhere:
cool
1972237 Thank you!
Will try to find inspiration for story based on this, once it ends.
Good luck, have fun, live long and prosper, and all that jazz!
It was simple. What you do is have the queen lay a drone egg and then move her spirit into the drone. Problem solved. Even better that would probably put her under command of RD if she got out of hand.
Dude... Scootaloo! You brought RD back! Dude... just thanks. You really had me scared with that last chapter, I thought it was all over. I'm so glad you decided to not make this end as a tear jerker. (I guess I don't technically know yet, RD could be eaten by a manticore in the next chapter as an unexpected "
", but I have faith that this chapter means you decided to keep almost everyone alive.)
1972197
lh5.googleusercontent.com/-8JHn4w1cIpk/TYRj_08h-tI/AAAAAAAACaI/BjY1buqHO-M/s1600/1300512761109.png
You cheeky dickwaffle.
You had me for a minute at the first part.
Twi pulling a Rarity. Why have they not done that in the show?
Dammit! I was getting prepared for feels and then you do this to me!
Other than a few mistakes in grammar, it was a good chapter. Felt a little rushed, though.
Ha. Ha. Ha.
Oh Celestia, you're so silly. And/or a bit hypocritical.
I'm sorry, but my personal views on death and mortality and such make it so Celestia's little statement there seems... Ugh.
But that's really just due to my own personal philosophy, so let's move on.
Anyway, ending was a bit abrupt, especially the whole "Oh hey by the way Recarn is getting executed". Amusingly, the revelation was just as abrupt for the rest of the Mane 6 as it was for the readers, so I suppose that gets a pass.
Shining Armor was portrayed as more of a dick than I thought was necessary. I suppose he does have good reasons for being prejudiced against changelings, but I kind of thought he got over it at least somewhat earlier in the story.
Finally, I kind of wanted to find out what happened to that other changeling for Rainbow Dash's hive. Oh well, maybe in one of the epilogues.
...Why do I get the feeling one or both of the epilogues is going to be a downer ending?
Recarn is 100% dead. Also, endings tomorrow or Friday. I just want to go over them a little more to make sure everything is done. As a hint, they are dubbed "Queen Ending" and "Pony Ending". Oh, and one has a picture I made. If you followed my tumblr, you'd have already seen it.
Rainbow doesn't want foals huh? It may be the the truth now, but i doubt that will last too long.
I mean if the 'The Miracle Colt' was willing to overlook her/his original gender, whats really going to stop that biological clock from smacking RD over the head when she's already a mare.
Search your feelings RD you KNOW it to be true!
wizardart.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/the-empire-strikes-back-darth-vader.gif
The shivers! THEY BE TWITCHING! But a lie you say? This all deep.
Wait, so Celestia is gonna execute Recarn because she doesn't want her to be immortal, or did I miss something?
Well since we're being allowed to write alts of this, I'm going with my 'break-Recarn-out-of-Jail' plan/fic.
---
Recarn was wallowing in despair when the back wall of the cell blew up.
When the dust cleared she looked and saw a pale, thin, sickly looking human. The human coughed, swayed back and forth a little. Whether from the aftereffects of the explosion, fatigue, or illness it was difficult to say.
Recarn thought the human looked like Hell. Or maybe that he had been fighting his way through Hell. Or maybe even both now.
He then held up a stick of TNT while smiling. He lowered his dirty, scratched, taped-all-over glasses and... coughed out some blood. He blinked some. Then he rasped out "Come with me if you want to live."
'If -I- want to live?!' Recarn thought while staring at the human. 'What about -you-?! You look like you will keel over dead any minute...'
'Oh well, it's better than dying here.'
She nodded and got up to go with him.
---
Anyone like how I put my SI in there?
Man, realy realy bad. Absolutely not proper for ponies!
Take another try.
But most of all I missing something...
Imho Celestia executing someone solely 'because pony should not live forever' is totally OOC.
You's a dick, you had me thinking Rainbow was totally dead right in the beginning... now back to reading.
And again... THE INK! What shall we ever do?!
The ending seemed to fly by way too fast. It was almost like you were telling us a summary of the whole story.
I want to think this is Rarity conversing with Twilight, but if it isn't her than who IS conversing with Twilight here?
1972237
You're an asshole for that first opening. The second one was just beating a dead horse.
*The audience groans*
Thank you, thank you. Also, never mind immortality, for the most part the Queen was just giving dying ponies the chance to finish living out their lives. Killing off the entire hive over that seems a little off for me.
1974596>>1973346>>1973607
Look, as I said, Princess Celestia wanted to stop her from laying eggs. That's the only reason she had to execute her. That's what she wanted to stop. Even if they jailed her for the rest of her life, she'd still lay eggs. Princess Celestia had no other choice.
1974422
Random background pony #1283
I like this story but I don't like the idea of having two endings, just pick the one you likes the best and scrap the other one
1974710
Of course, if they jailed her for the rest of her life and monitored her closely, any eggs she laid could have been easily dealt with.
Execution, especially for something that the executed may or may not be able to help, seems rather harsh and out of character for Celestia.
1975370
But smashing potentially hundreds of eggs isn't worse? They're not like chicken eggs, each one is fertilized.
1975395
But, as you have pointed out in the story itself, each one is completely soulless.
1975494 But word would spread and everypony would want one.
I wonder do it was really necessary to kill Queen Recarn.
If a pony foal get killed or injured very badly, would not they parents do everything to get they filly back, even if it mean she will be in body of changeling, Queen Recarn with Celestia help could go totally legit.
1975504
Want what? An egg? Why? Pretty sure most ponies don't much like the changelings, and very few would like to become one willingly.
Also, the odds of anyone actually finding out seem rather low, given how well Celestia has been able to keep certain other things secret.
And even if word DID spread somehow, Celestia could simply refuse. Or, in the worst case scenario, execute her then and ONLY then (though that would still be ridiculously cruel and out of character).
I just can't see Celestia committing such a horrible act (executing someone for something that isn't technically their fault). Her sister tried to kill the whole world and she just got imprisoned and later redeemed. And in the show the worst any of the mane six ever thought she would do was banish and imprison. I don't see why banishment and imprisonment wouldn't work here.
All in all, imprisonment for life seems to be a completely reasonable and in-character solution to the problem at hand.
Finally, immortality available to all doesn't seem like a bad thing (assuming the eggs can be produced in sufficient quantity, would have to make more queens). Of course, that is simply my personal opinion/philosophy there.
1975545
Stick around for the endings. I think you'll like one.
1975556
Oooohhhh....
EDIT: My original post could be interpreted in many different ways. I am unsure how to convey my emotional response without using one of those little smilies, and I NEVER use those things.
It is positive, though.
EDIT2: The "Oooohhhh...." is to be interpreted as an interested "Go on...". Except don't go on, because I don't want spoilers.
8-Bit Theater reference?
The story has seemed a bit rushed, but I can overlook it for the content, and I look forward to the endings. Some people seem to think differently, but I have absolutely no problem with two. The more, the merrier!
1975985
Yup. Next thing you know, I'll be including star metal and trying to make the orb of air. It was a blow-
Well, this chapter certainly flew past. I liked the first twist with Clockwork better than the second one (that felt forced after the first scene, though I'm with hexavier in thinking that we need to see Twilight pull a Rarity at some point on the show. The typos were up as well, did you get rushed posting this chapter for some reason?
Anyway, it looks like you've got some interesting options for winding this story down to a conclusion, I'll be looking forward to seeing what two paths you give us. (Frankly, Celestia's decision to execute Recarn really doesn't play straight to my feelings about how things have been proceeding with the story to this point. Hopefully, that will be one of the two possible lies, and the Hive of the Pony Hearted will not be dying out with Rainbow Dash as the last possible Queen. Hmmm... actually, I suppose that Recarn could have been convinced to pass on in one way or another and Dash will have her own secret duty outside of her regular job now. I'm sure you'll give us a couple of intriguing directions for our consideration.)
1974710 Alright then.