Epilogue
Twilight Sparkle settled uneasily into her throne, tail whipping about behind her in agitation. It wasn’t anything specific that was going wrong—but her new tail made it difficult to find a comfortable position. She rose, shuffled a bit, nudged the cushion on her throne, then gradually settled back down. Was that better? Not really, whatever.
Her friends hadn’t gotten off easier. The effects of what Equestria now called the “Great Fox” had remained on them as poignantly as on Twilight herself, making subtle adjustments to appearance and behavior that many creatures didn’t even notice. Applejack’s mane was still fluffy and hot, Rainbow’s tail was big enough to have a private seat of its own, and Pinkie had kept one of her bows. She used the ribbons even now to sip delicately at fruit punch in a tiny little teacup.
Of course, the worst thing by far was the map. The Cutie Map looked to be having a kind of nervous breakdown, with their marks appearing almost everywhere at once, shifting from one section to another and growing larger and smaller as different problems arose, then were supplanted by others.
Starlight Glimmer nudged the table with a paw, which she’d kept. “Looks like Equestria is recovering about as well as we could expect. So where do we start, Princess? Nowhere’s jumping out at me.”
Don’t you even start with me.
“Cloudsdale,” Rainbow said, surprising even Twilight with her sudden confidence. “Everywhere else has a mix of different powers, kinda like Equestria was before. But my hometown is all the same. The weather factory probably needs to be overhauled before it’s running again. If we don’t fix it now, all Equestria will hurt once their rain doesn’t get delivered on time.”
Rarity cleared her throat, pushing aside a bright blue strand from her face. “I don’t mean to be confrontational, but I think you’re describing an advantage, dear. Those winged-creatures they ended up… that kept a sense of camaraderie. The city isn’t aching like Canterlot. Just look at all those flashes.”
She lowered her voice, leaning in for them all to hear. “I’ve heard rumors—and they’re only rumors—that some ponies were eaten during the Fox. I know, it sounds dreadful. But the evidence is there.”
“That’s horseradish is what that is,” Applejack countered. “Ain’t nopony got eaten like it was the olden days. We’ve come further than that.”
Rarity raised a defensive hoof. “I’m just repeating what I heard. The rumors were about Canterlot, which is why I mention them. So many creatures, who have always depended on the princess for order in their lives. Then they’re gone, and… the results are rather predictable.”
Twilight winced as she heard it. She knew those rumors—and worse, she knew they were true. Correlating the dead and injured during the Great Fox was difficult, given how many were still missing, and how remote some villages could be. But the numbers were depressingly high.
“It’s not your fault, Twilight,” Princess Celestia had reassured, the very next morning. “You were as safe as you knew how. No creature could’ve anticipated anything as virulent as Eevee crossing over to our world. Don’t blame yourself.” She also hadn’t done anything to blame Starlight, even though her work on Twilight’s portal had caused the effect to spread.
But if Starlight ached about it, Twilight could no longer make out her grief through those solid blue eyes.
She rose from her chair, straight down to the table. “It’s no one place that needs our help,” she said. “I wish the map was being… clearer about its intentions. But what I’m seeing from all this is that we need to split up. I think Rainbow and Fluttershy should go to Cloudsdale, uh… Rarity and Applejack can go to Canterlot, and Pinkie and I will visit Manehattan. That means you’ll be holding down the fort on the school like before, Starlight. And Spike, you’ll be making sure Ponyville doesn’t burn down. Any… worse than it has.”
Spike looked up from his little chair, long tail twitching. But other than the strange blue spheres, he’d mostly escaped the Great Fox’s worst side effects. Not all of the Dragonlands had done so well. Celestia help us if they realize we were the ones who caused it, instead of just the ones who saved the world.
For that reason alone, no creature could ever learn the true cause of the Great Fox. Its secrets would have to go with her friends to their graves.
“Can’t we go and check on a little village like Appleloosa or Dodge Junction?” Applejack asked. “Canterlot’s got lots ‘a help, I’m sure. But nopony cares about the little guy.”
Good thing you didn’t ask about Pinkie. It didn’t seem to matter that their sisters would’ve been changed anyway once Starlight’s attempt to cure them failed, there was still a sore spot between them about Pinkie. There was probably plenty of healing left to do there.
“They didn’t have it as bad,” Rainbow said. “I went through Appleloosa a week into the Great Fox. It was doing pretty good. Ponies were scared, and hiding a lot… but with all that space, there was plenty of room to roam around and hunt. The only time we had trouble is when foxes were stuck too close together and couldn’t get away.”
Applejack groaned noncommittally, then shrugged one shoulder. “You think the same way, Twi?”
She nodded. “We’ll visit all of Equestria eventually. But wouldn’t you say the Appleloosa ponies are tougher than city folk? Think of it like that—they don’t need as much from us.”
“I guess so.” She sat back, obviously still unhappy. But she didn’t argue anymore, so that was something.
“What about fixing us?” Rarity asked. “I’m not ungrateful, of course, but… I think I’ve had my fill of the cold for a good long while. My poor sister has to keep the fire burning in her room all the time.”
Probably never going to happen, Twilight thought. Unless you want to risk this starting again. But before she could find a more diplomatic way to answer, Starlight did the job for her.
“The Eevee doesn’t respond to magic very well. Our few tests resulted in…” She rested one paw up on the table for her to see, stretching it to extend the claws within. “Well, I tried it on myself first. Are you volunteering?”
Rarity shook her head, eyes going wide. “That’s where those came from? Celestia above I’m so sorry I mentioned it.”
Twilight glanced pointedly around the table. “This is important to talk about, actually. You need to know, and everypony you visit needs to know, that we can’t reverse this. Maybe one day some new transformation spell will be able to treat individuals one at a time, but there won’t be another wave to change them back like a week ago.
“As of now, inter-universal travel is permanently banned. Aside from the mirror portal, we’re sealing off every artifact and reference on the subject. Without access to the home of Eevee, we won’t be able to draw the power in. But the risk of losing what little we have gained is simply too great. We barely got our bodies back even this much. I don’t think anypony wants to tempt fate with another try.”
She didn’t even have to look at her friends to know they all felt the same way. Most of them weren’t even that resentful of what few fox traits remained. Some, like Pinkie, even seemed to enjoy the change. Because she’s half insane.
They rose, preparing to go their separate ways. Twilight remained by the table to answer questions and make suggestions for each group. With Equestria’s infrastructure damaged or completely out of commission, getting anywhere would be a challenge. But the worst for her group, which was why she’d chosen the furthest place to go.
“Guess we’re going together, huh?” Pinkie asked, her ribbons settling on the table between them. “I’m excited to see Manehattan again. Do you think the foxes will be happy to see us?”
So long as they don’t find out it’s our fault they’re still a little like foxes. She touched one wing lightly on Pinkie’s shoulder, smiling exasperatedly. “We’re, uh… not foxes anymore. You can go back to saying anypony if you want.”
Pinkie shrugged. “We might look more like ponies, but the feel didn’t change much.” She plounced past Twilight with a few bounding steps, leading her out. “I know you’re feeling it right now. You can still do things that ponies shouldn’t do. You know how people feel before they feel it. You can tell when somepony is about to open your door, or if they’re going to be upset. Does that seem like the way a pony would be?”
Twilight tensed reflexively, her tail lifting high behind her. But just knowing she was responding emotionally wasn’t enough to stop her from doing it. There was just too much instinct to ignore. “It’ll wear off. Residual magic never lasts on living things.”
She passed Pinkie, gesturing up the stairs. “We’ll be taking an airship instead of the train, by the way. I know there’s one leaving from the Canterlot dock first thing in the morning with relief supplies. We’ll just hitch a ride.”
And please don’t ask why we aren’t going with Applejack.
But Pinkie didn’t, and they worked their way down the castle’s spiral staircase in relative silence. “What are we going to do when we get there?” Pinkie finally asked. “Manehattan is just full of foxes, right? And we’re just two. Maybe Rarity should be going instead.”
Twilight shrugged. “I’m… reasonably sure the map wants us there. It’ll be just like old times—visit somewhere, search for the friendship problems, and do our best to help.” And hopefully nopony died there.
“Trusting to fate, I like it.” Pinkie wrapped a ribbon around one of Twilight’s legs, about halfway up. She wasn’t sure she liked the sensation very much—the ribbons were soft, but also always uncomfortably warm, like touching a pony’s bare skin. And if they were attached to her, did that mean…
Not going to think about that. She pried herself free with a little levitation, now mercifully returned. So far as she knew, only her senses were still twisted by her time as a cat. She was an ordinary Alicorn otherwise. “I guess you could call it that.”
They emerged from inside the castle into a Ponyville that was more or less the same as it had been before the disaster began. A total of three homes had been burned, and one pony was still missing: one of the flower sisters. If anything, the town was closer together than ever. Ponyville had always faced greater dangers than most parts of Equestria, this was just another one for the wall in Mayor Mare’s office.
Twilight didn’t say anything else until they were halfway to the train station, listening to the thoughts and feelings of a hundred ponies. After the dark visions of the map, seeing somewhere ponies were actually succeeding was a little healing she desperately needed.
“You’re different, Pinkie,” she said, as the old building was finally coming into view. Engine 38 was still shoved off to the side, resting silently on some empty track. It was already becoming a bit of a tourist destination in itself, the train that saved Equestria. It would probably end up in a museum before the year was out, along with the disassembled portal (with all the functional bits missing, so nopony could study what was left).
“I am?” She tilted her head to the side. “I don’t feel different. Other than the obvious.” She adjusted her bow, grinning wider.
Her hair was still curly, but that expression—it made Twilight shiver. Not as strange as Starlight’s solid-color eyes, but still hard to look at. “You’re calmer than usual. Are you feeling okay? If one of my friends needs help before we go and help somepony else, you know how important that would be.”
Pinkie patted her on the head with both ribbons at once. “That’s thoughtful, Twi. But… I’m fine, really. I think the fox thing just… helped me see the world a little differently, is all. I don’t have to rush out and take the fun. Fate’s funny like that—it’s always there to make sure the fun can find me.”
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I swear it was mentioned earlier that Spike turned into a Dragonair in the Patreon version.
All's well that ends with nobody important dying. I take it the implication is that not everyone stuck to the eeveelutions?
hmmm...
I will be honest this ending feels a bit abrupt, and the mentioning that some ponies turned Eevee were eaten made this take a slightly dark turn. When I first read this story's description I had expected a light hearted adventure, of course the light hearted thing was not to be *points to the drama tag*. Will this story have a sequel were we see have Equestria and beyond are dealing with the changes? I feel leaving thins as they are will leave a lot of things feeling unresolved.
Yeah, this story was good and Starscribe should feel good, but I'm pretty sure E-rated stories aren't allowed to come right out and say that people were killed and eaten offscreen (see: the show itself dancing around the issue of the Appleparents).
10108970
This isn't actually a response to the comment it's linked to, I'm just pointing 10108998 towards the person who asked for (and received) permission to write the sequel their own linked comment suggested.
It certainly could have gone worse, but this is a major setback in terms of getting the world to an upward spiral of harmony and cooperation. Still, given time, the world will recover... but that secret is a sword of Damocles hanging over several heads. And one of them is Pinkie. One wrong word at the wrong time...
Well, at least she's learned not to rush to the exciting parts anymore.
Also, oblique acknowledgement of the big issue facing Eeveequestria: Foxes aren't nearly as much of a social species as ponies. Herd instinct getting replaced by territorialism and dominance fights would've been a major obstacle for the perpetuation of civilization, as griffons demonstrate.
But in the end, everything's on track to getting back to normalish. We still have the magical land of Equestria. Its inhabitants have just been...
10108970
A lot more explicitly, yes. Though it just mentioned him turning into a blue noodle of a dragon; I'd thought he'd become a Dratini until the orbs were mentioned here.
Let the spin-offs begin. I for one would like to see chiralee teaching her class about all the difrent types of Eeveelotions they might become. Might wright it myself if I can get past my crippling dyslexia and wrighting anxiety
...
this could have and in fact should have gone far better
10109019 When this story concluded on Patreon, I asked Starscribe if I could write a side-story and they said yes. I got an idea for one today.
The question that I don't think got asked- it seems that some level of exchange happened.
Where did all that lost pony magic go, especially whatever traces ended up in whatever Arceus-damned dimension the Eevee Energy came from?
I mean, we know that Equestrian magic has a tendency, once dimensional barriers are cracked to continue to leak into whatever new world there was a portal to.
So here’s a question: what Pokémon would the other species be transformed into?
Any more ideas?
Good story but kinda fell apart halfway through and trudged through to a rushed end.
Pony Pinkie kept her flesh ribbons, how horrifying.
Interesting, so the entire population of Cloudsdale didn't fall to their deaths. And since the details are unspecified, we can pretend it's some future flying eevolution.
Oh no.
Save time, turn extra-fae Pinkie into a statue now and not later.
10109083
Well there goes a fanfic I was planning... but the foals would still be Eevee, right?
10109046
I'm going to assume that the only fallout on the other side was Galarian Ponyta existing.
Eaten? Damn. Let's hope it was not cannibalism though, that'd be one hell of a hurdle to surpass.
Flying things? Likely not Eevee evolutions, else they'd have mentioned "flying foxes".
Dark implications galore, for many places a fox can go are not exactly amiable to ponies. Let's hope it didn't go into full blown horror territory with her being stuck somewhere dark, deep and narrow, far from any possible rescue...
Wait, Spike got transformed too? I swear I didn't read that. I got quite surprised when other species were mentioned too.
Pinkie's quite frankly terrifying right now. I wonder if she realizes how disturbed the girls are by her, and how hard it'll be for her to mend their relations until she apologizes, truly feels sorry for doing what she did. If she ever does, that is.
10109113
If the foals were still Eevee they'd have fallen to their deaths in the confusion of the change, so likely no.
So, in short, Twilight Sparkle and Starlight Glimmer almost destroy Equestria. For real, and only partially fix it.
Grogar must be out there somewhere muttering about retiring.
Can't wait for all the spinoff's on this be they long or short
One of the flowers is still missing? That rose some concern indeed. I just hope no one died during the crisis.
10109191
Same!
Oh my... this has potential for some dark dark storytelling.
Hmm. That ending feels a bit... abrupt, to be honest.
Huh. A full-on Dragonair? I'd have thought for sure a Dratini.
A general moratorium on extrauniversal may be a bit extreme, but perhaps not the worst idea all things considered.
This ending leaves me with a lot of questions. What were the "winged-creatures" the ponies of Cloudsdale turned into? What did happen to the dragons? How is Equestria going to rebuild and adapt after all this? Is it ever going to attempt exploring other universes again?
I suspect there will be more than a few spin-off stories written about this. This ending leaves a lot of tantalizing possibilities.
That got dark pretty quick.
Well, one can't really examine the full effects of "The Great Fox" without going through the more darker consequences of it, I guess. Can't help but feel a miffed that they are going to bury the truth, even for the sake of social stability.
Nonetheless, it is probably as smooth a crisis as it could've gotten. Onward to the next one.
10109014
It was probably the bloodiest crisis ever faced unfortunately. A Pyrrhic victory like that mixed with the fact that a science experiment caused it... not only will Twilight get targeted but everything she stood for (her friends, pursuit of knowledge, etc.) will also. Still, that blood is on someone's hoof even if by accident.
10109072
According to the wiki, it's a five-way tie for smallest (height). I'd honestly like to see a cosmoem transformation. The irony of the situation wouldn't be lost even in Equestria.
10109129
How strange (or normal) if "Ponyta" energy came instead...
The "Great Pony" event where ponies turned into ponies. A bit less dramatic.
10109974
If some seemingly random law was suddenly decreed, people are going to ask questions and connect the dots. If not, people will eventually experiment on inter-universal travel.
At the very least, I'm certain Sunset won't be pleased at this.
10110067
I think Cutiefly would be fitting for the Breezies, too. Also, I just finished writing a side-story where there’s a throwaway mention of Yona becoming a Piloswine.
I wrote a side-story to this fanfic called Rain and Lightning (T). It stars two obscure background ponies who I’ve tried to write about in a previous Pokémon crossover, and it explores a dark topic that’s been brought up in the comments of this fanfic. Starscribe told me to comment about it here.
10108944
I never said that he wasn't helping, and that he hasn't done that kind of "indirect helping" before cough final episode cough. I just don't like that this story portrayed him as being a god on a leash. That at any opportunity where he could pull the leash away from the ponies' hands, he'll take it.
What I mean is, he basically said that if they couldn't figure it out, he'd sell them all. That's not how Discord is portrayed in the show. Yes, he's a bit of a dick, but he isn't going to say "welp, they can't fix themselves, time to go all evil and forget that I ever had friends and return to being lonely". He would instead help. He'd never say that he'd just abandon everypony.
I don't really see how you missed that line, to be honest. It's not me assuming anything, he literally said it.
Wait wait wait wait.
First off, you're ending it on this? It feels so... Unfinished. Feels like basically half the story was skipped, and that little to no questions were really answered. We still don't know the promise Pinkie talked about, or why she said the girls said they were "ready to evolve" or anything like that. It all just went by so quickly, what happened? The story started off so well...
Also, it was never mentioned that it wasn't just Eevee. There was no reference at all as to what happened to Spike except this chapter.
I really feel like this story could've spanned pretty much double the chapter count it's at now, and I honestly feel disappointed with how the story's ended. I'm likewise genuinely confused as to what happened. From what I read it almost seems like the plot changed midway through. Like you had one idea at the start, but then changed it to a different idea to the end, rushing it in the process.
10110154
Yeah, I thought it was rushed too. Starscribe should have spent less time on introducing the Mane 6 and more time on the epidemic. I'm still confused about Pinkie turning the CMCs into Eevees, too. I like this fanfic more for the potential of its setting than the actual plot. Just like A New World, a New Way!
Also, the problem with Discord is that he has the power to do literally anything, so writers either have to come up with explanations for why he can't immediately resolve the plot, or just ignore him altogether.
10110219
Yeah, exactly. The idea is great, and it started off strong, but it just kind of faltered and died midway through.
Also, canon Discord has plenty of ways for writers to avoid him interfering. Canonically, Discord doesn’t want to interfere. He can, and will if he has to (as shown on Chrysalis’ second invasion attempt not just because he’s still a spirit of chaos and wants to see what happens, but also because - as later episodes show - he wants Twilight and co to learn.
Yes, there have been times where Discord has been ignored in the show (Movie), but they can be explained away by other canon showings of why he didn’t interfere or help.
So that’s why I find it really odd, this portrayal of him. Star scribe could’ve simply said “You girls had it under control, what would you have learned if I’d interfered?” Yadda yadda yadda. But instead they went the creepy, pseudo-evil Discord route.
10110238
Also, since Discord doesn't appear until the end, his presence in this story is a deus ex machina.
This story was great and was a nice take on a pokémon crossover. It feels unfinished on purpose though, like it's designed to have a bunch of stuff left unanswered leaving the fans making thier own theories and even other stories based off of the universe. While that is a nice idea to do when writing a story, i can't help but feel it was forced, like you were trying to leave as many holes in story as possible without it falling over like a jenga tower and its.... likely the tower sadly fell over
I think there should be a group for this fanfic. There’s a lot of talking points, and people are already interested in writing side-stories. I’d make one, but I feel like Starscribe should make it.
This fic was... depressing. Not like a "you failed miserably to stop the disaster"-type depressing, but an extremely uncomfortable half-solved mystery-type depressing, where the metaphorical killer is still at large but the detectives console themselves that they've at least found the bodies. Odd analogy, I know-- either way, it felt like it was abandoned halfway through with no satisfying conclusion.
And I know the title only alludes to Eeveelutions, but there are nearly 900 'mons to choose from and the lack of Pokemon variety kind of hurt this fic, and made it a little too boring. My two cents.
10111646
The reason why this fanfic ends abruptly is became it was a commission that had to be below a certain wordcount. Since Rainbow gets more focus than Twilight, and not much happens in chapter 2, I think the best way to fix the pacing would be to get rid of the first two chapters, call the fanfic Rainbow Dash is a Vaporeon Now, and spend the remaining 4,000 words on finding more of the parts Twilight needs.
I think the reason why Starscribe choose Eeveelutions is because they come in a variety of colours and have a variety of powers, much like ponies.
10111675
I'm always bummed when people don't agree with a creative decision I made, but the story ending where it does have nothing to do with the story being a commission. I chose to end it where it ends, it had nothing to do with money or patreon. This is where I outlined for the story's ending from the very first word in my scrivener document.
There are some here who don't agree with my creative decisions, there are some with any story. I hope they were able to enjoy the story for what it was, even though I don't think they're right and wouldn't change a thing about the story's pacing if I were to write it a second time.
10111747
Sorry if I came across as rude. Are you responding to me, or criticism in general?
10111751
To your suggestion that the story came out the way it did because of how it was funded. I just wanted to get on the record here in the comments that wasn't the case.
10111802
Speaking of which, I'm confused about how this story came to be. You said it was a commission in a blog post, but the description says you came up with the idea, then someone decided to sponsor it. Also, the link to Patreon looks awkward.
It's so rare for you to reply to comments that I felt called out, not to mention that you addressed criticisms I didn't mention in that particular comment. Sorry for any misunderstandings.
Me: Sees huge cliffhanger
TRIGGERED
Did you try turning it off and on again?
And did you install the latest updates?
If that doesn't work, try an factory reset.
Besides all the talking points, my favourite thing about this fanfic is that every member of a given Pokémon species doesn’t look the same.
One, Pinkie Pie being calm is a terrifying thing in and of itself. Two, that last bit just sounds....off, i can't be certain of it but that sounds like she's implying this whole thing was partially caused by her being bored.
Like for example in Hellsing Ultimate Abridged, "Where you see one man, i see four."
10145541
I’m well aware of that.
What we’re discussing is which Pokémon move is being used. Telepathy is NOT a move that exists in Pokémon. However in the anime/manga several Pokémon do in fact speak telepathically, but depending on the writer it is stated the Pokémon is either using the move ‘Psychic’ or ‘Telekinesis’.
Psychic (move) is essentially a catch all for any sort of mind over matter type powers (telekinesis, telepathy, etc) And existed first
Telekinesis (move) was added later in the series
10146936
I don't think telepathy was ever associated with a move in the anime, it's just a thing some Pokémon can do.
Very interesting fic and not at all what I expected going in. Started expecting a fun little romp work some Pokemon, ending up being much more horrifying than I thought. And I mean that in a good way, it's always fun when stories turn unexpectedly. Good length too.
Keep up the great writing!
10146936
10148502
Telepathy exists as an ability, but it very much happened before abilities were a thing and was used by things that can't possibly get it. It's not a move, true.
10168976
Reminds me of this:
derpicdn.net/img/view/2019/4/21/2018686.gif
Source.
But yeah, you are probably right.
10169116
Yes. Like that XD
Well, it was funny, I liked it... I guess it's a happy ending? Unless they want to try to use the EoH
So it WAS the entire world. I thought it was just Equestria. Here’s my excuse to write about hippogriffs.
Now that’s a noodle incident someone else could explore.
Not a bad story, but not the best, either. It’s got a clear beginning and a clear end—even though it feels like there could, maybe even should, be more (sequel, perhaps?)—but it feels like you glossed over/summarized the entire middle. I do understand why you may have done that, though. So I’ll still give it an upvote. Cause I like the premise, and what’s there, even if it feels like there should be more.