How Did We Get Here?
Twilight Sparkle's gossamer wings buzzed as she hovered down the streets of Ponyville. While most changelings were shut-ins anyway (it comes with a lifetime of being mistrusted), this was especially abnormal for her, given how little she left her home at the library. She usually preferred to stick to her work, or study. It didn't help that whenever she went out, ponies would constantly stare at her, muttering things to each other that they thought she wouldn't catch. What was worse was that, as a changeling, she could physically feel the distrust emanating from them. However, she wouldn't let that bother her today. Not when she had real friends to see for the first time in her life.
Soon enough, Twilight reached Sugar Cube Corner, and gently nudged open the door. Mrs. and Mr. Cake, two of the few ponies who didn't care whether she was a changeling or not, greeted her warmly as usual, and began preparing her usual pastry. Twilight gave them her bits, and searched around the cafe, soon finding Pinkie Pie already on break and saving a table for the rest of them. The bright pink hippogriff was already devouring several large cupcakes, getting frosting all over her beak.
"Hi, Pinkie," said Twilight, plopping into a seat next to her friend.
Pinkie wiped the frosting off her face. "Oh, heya, Twi!" she said, giving her friend a small pat on the back. "Glad to see you made it first! I was sure Rainbow would be the one!"
"You know how she likes to nap," replied Twilight with a smirk. "She's probably sleeping in. But I'm sure she won't miss today. Loyalty chose her, after all."
"Yeah. So did you have to beg Spike to let you have the day off at the library?"
"Not really, he understood." Twilight's ears drooped a little as she looked out the window. Most ponies simply trotted by, minding their own business, but a few were staring into the diner, glaring at the two non-ponies who dared to eat there. "I just wish more ponies did."
Pinkie followed her gaze. "I know," she replied. "The Cakes have lost some business since I started working here. Still, they were nice enough to hire me, and they told me they don't care about the naysayers."
"True." Suddenly, Twilight's eyes caught a welcoming sight. "Look! There's Rarity!"
Indeed, there was no mistaking those ivory-colored scales or purple spines. Plus, there was the glamorous dress hugging her body, covered with a rainbow of gems. Rarity was drawing the same stares as the others, but she didn't even seem to care. She strutted into Sugar Cube Corner proudly, and used her tail to gently close the door. She ordered, then went and joined her friends.
"Hello, darlings!" she said, showing off her pearly white teeth with a smile. "It's wonderful that we could all get together like this so soon! Plus, there isn't a deadly crisis hanging over our heads like last time!"
"I agree," said Twilight. "As exhilarating as the battle with Nightmare Moon was, it's nice to have some peace and quiet for a change."
"Another adventure to save the world would be kinda cool, though," said Pinkie.
Twilight and Rarity giggled, but before they could respond, a commotion outside drew their attention. On the path up to the cafe, an orange-coated yak and a minotaur with a rainbow-colored mohawk were racing each other, charging up the road and leaving clouds of dust in their wake. The ponies caught up in the clouds coughed violently, before glaring back at the strange duo. Finally, the minotaur reached the door to Sugar Cube Corner first, bursting in triumphantly.
"I did it!" she exclaimed. "I made it first, and—" Then she turned and saw Twilight, Pinkie, and Rarity all gathered at the table. "Okay, I made it fourth."
"HA!" said the yak, coming up behind her. "Rainbow may beat Applejack, but Rainbow still sleep in and late to the party!"
"Speak for yourself!" Rainbow Dash shot back. "You were late, too!"
"Applejack had work to do!" insisted the yak. "Applejack admittedly not early, but work too important for Applejack to skip out on!"
"Calm down, girls, it's not like either of you were really late," insisted Twilight. "Rarity just barely got here."
"What held you up so much?" asked Rainbow, turning to the dragon. "Did you have another outfit you had to finish?"
"As a matter of fact, yes, dear," replied Rarity. "Ponies may be more difficult to design for than dragons, but I assure you, I'm making my mark on their fashion industry!"
"I can't wait until you finish our Grand Galloping Gala dresses!" chimed in Pinkie. "Then, when we go, I can really show these ponies what it means to party!"
"Any creature seen Fluttershy?" asked Appelejack. "She have more laid back job compared to some of us! Why she last to arrive?"
Rainbow shrugged. "Anxiety, I'm guessing. You know how that kirin is with social situations. Then again, maybe some pony just brought her a sick animal, and she got held up, too."
Twilight opened her mouth, only to be interrupted once more. This particular interruption took the form of the door glowing with aqua-colored magic, before slowly opening. On the other side stood a bright yellow kirin with a pink mane, her single horn glowing. She glanced around the inside of the cafe nervously, before noticing her friend group, and perking up a little. She gently trotted towards them, quickly using her magic to shut the door behind her.
"Oh, am I the last one to arrive?" she asked. "I'm sorry, everyone. I got held up with Angel, because he wouldn't eat his breakfast, and I had to resort to the Stare, and by the time he was done, it was so late."
"It's no worry, Fluttershy," said Rarity. "At least you didn't attempt to turn your arrival into some competition. Unlike some other ruffians I could mention." She shot a sideways glance at Rainbow and Applejack.
"Hey, it keeps us in good shape!" Rainbow protested. Applejack gave a snort of agreement.
Fluttershy giggled a little. "Anyways, how have things been going for all of you?"
Twilight sighed. "I guess I can't complain," she admitted. "Though I do wish things were better. Before you all started arriving, Pinkie and I were discussing how these ponies still don't seem to trust us, even after the whole Nightmare Moon debacle."
Rainbow nodded. "When I'm working out at the gym, I get a lot of glances and suspicious looks. I'm sure it's not as bad for me, because I can't sense emotions like you, but it's still kinda hurtful."
Fluttershy's face fell. "I think ponies aren't bringing their sick pets to me, because they're afraid I'll go nirik on them. I've been in anger management ever since I got to this town. What more do they want?"
"I'm fairly certain you don't need it, dear," replied Rarity. "You are the kindest creature I know. Still, I must admit, I haven't been as successful as I would've liked. While ponies are more fashionable than dragons, convincing them that a dragon can do fashion seems to be a monumental task. I'm making enough to make ends meet, but not much else."
"Applejack have same problem when roaming around town," added the yak. "Sure, the Pears that hire Applejack nice, but ponies act like Applejack dangerous!"
"Hey at least the Cakes like me!" said Pinkie. "Though, like I said, they've lost some business since they hired me." Her face fell a little. "I feel guilty for making them go through that."
"Why are we even living in this town?" asked Twilight. "I mean, obviously I know why I'm here, but what about the rest of you? None of us are ponies, and most of them seem to automatically distrust us."
Everyone looked down at the table, no doubt thinking about their own difficult pasts, and what had happened to lead them to this moment. Twilight felt a twinge of guilt, wondering if she shouldn't have brought it up.
"I...well, it's a bit of a long story," admitted Rarity.
"Same here," said Rainbow. "Life just kinda threw things at me, until I ended up here."
"I have an idea!" said Fluttershy. "What if we all told our stories and talked about the circumstances that brought us into this pony town? I mean, we don't have to do that if it's too personal, but we could at least use it to get to know each other better. We hardly got to talk before we had to battle Nightmare Moon."
There were a few moments of silence, before every creature finally vocalized their agreement.
"I suppose I wouldn't mind sharing my past with all of you," admitted Twilight.
"Me neither," said Pinkie.
"So who should go first?" asked Rainbow.
Another veil of silence hung over the mismatched group. While everyone seemed to agree that the idea was good, taking that first step was a lot more intimidating. Bearing one's soul to others, even if those others were close friends, was not a task any of them looked forward to.
"Applejack suppose...she'll start," said the yak, raising her cloven hoof.
Several sighs of relief echoed around the table.
"Alright, Applejack!" said Rainbow.
Applejack gave a nervous smile. "It all start back in Yakyakistan..."
From the day she was born, Applejack felt like an outsider among the yaks. She was certainly loved by her parents and others, but that couldn't put aside that nagging feeling that she just didn't fit in. Perhaps it had something to do with her honest nature. While most yaks would profess that yaks were the best at just about everything, Applejack didn't follow that custom. She would never claim to be the best at anything, unless she could prove it beyond the shadow of doubt. As far as she was concerned, the only thing yaks overall were actually best at was, of course, smashing.
Even stranger to the other yaks was Applejack's insistence on working as hard as possible at everything. Most yaks didn't care enough to put effort into most of their endeavors, unless they were smashing. Applejack was a yak who would push the others to work on their crops, even when they had plenty of food for the winter. She would till their fields tirelessly, all by herself.
Applejack's most yak-like trait was easily her stubborn nature. When she pushed herself to work as hard as possible, she wouldn't ask for help, even if the task seemed impossible. She hated depending on others for success, and she was also as competitive as other yaks. She loved to smash things, of course, but she also raced against her friends frequently. However, she would never claim to be the best unless she won, and she would actively try to encourage others to be the same. That certainly didn't win her any points with the other yaks.
There was little in the way of bullying between yaks, but even without it, Applejack never truly felt like she belonged. She wasn't sure what it was she wanted, but she didn't think she'd find it in Yakyakistan. Eventually, she went to her family, and explained her decision to leave for Equestria.
The yak wandered around the pony country for a while, before eventually coming to a rest in the small town of Ponyville. Searching for work, she caught the eyes of the Pear family that ran the local farm. She heard some stories about the Pears having a rivalry with another family that used to live in the same area, but she didn't care about that. While the Pears were hesitant to hire a yak to work on the farm at first, Applejack's work ethic, plus her natural talent for farming, soon proved her worth in their eyes. For the foreseeable future, Applejack decided to settle down on the farm, writing back to her family when she could.
"...and that pretty much how Applejack got to this point," she finished, before taking the last bite of her cupcake.
"Wow," said Pinkie. "They didn't like that you were honest?"
"Yaks not best at being honest, despite what yaks say," replied Applejack. "Applejack hoped that ponies would be more accepting. But most ponies distrust non-ponies."
"What about the Pears that you work for?" asked Twilight. "They seem to believe in you."
Applejack smiled. "Grand Pear don't care if Applejack yak or pony. Applejack work hard." She scratched her chin with one hoof, deep in thought. "Applejack think she remember him acting kind of off when he first hear Applejack's name, but that's it."
"Well, as long as he treats you right," said Rainbow. "Anybody else want to go next? No offense, but I'm not sure I feel comfortable sharing everything yet."
"I'll go," said Fluttershy, raising her hoof. Everyone else turned to look at her in surprise. "What? I can be brave when I need to. Besides, I want to get this over with."
"I don't see any reason why not," said Rarity. "Fire away, Fluttershy!"
"Okay..." Fluttershy began.
The Peaks of Peril were, surprisingly, not as perilous as one might expect. The kirin that lived there were hardy, certainly, but most wouldn't say their home was the most dangerous place in the world. The wildlife was harmless, the flora wasn't poisonous, and the path up to the top was safe, as long as one knew what they were doing.
Ironically, perhaps the reason they were known as the Peaks of Peril was because of the kirin themselves. Or, more accurately, the niriks.
It wasn't exactly common knowledge among non-kirin that, when a kirin becomes enraged, they transform into a fiery nirik. The kirin themselves knew this, of course, but they didn't pay much mind to it. Until one day, when an argument escalated into the entire kirin village becoming niriks, and burning most of their homes down.
The kirin leader, Rain Shine, attempted to start a discussion in order to prevent the incident from happening again, but there was too much discord and blame going around. In desperation, Rain Shine ordered the entire village into the Stream of Silence, which magically prevented them from speaking, and thus, from causing another disaster.
There was only one kirin who refused. Fluttershy.
Fluttershy was the most quiet and sensitive among the kirin, and possessed the unique ability to communicate with animals. Though she feared her own abilities as a nirik, the thought of never being able to talk with her animal friends and help them with their problems again was far more terrifying to her. Thus, she opted to keep her voice, knowing full well what the cost would be.
Rain Shine gave Fluttershy an ultimatum. She could either submit to the Stream of Silence, and permanently lose her voice, or she could keep it, but would have to leave the village. Fluttershy, even though she'd seen this coming, was heartbroken. Unwilling to give up communication, she packed her bags and left the Peaks of Peril. After some deliberation, she decided to try and fit into pony society, reasoning that, since they couldn't become niriks, they wouldn't try to silence her.
She soon found a small cottage on the outskirts of Ponyville, and began offering her services as an animal doctor. Ponies were unsure about her, since most of them had never heard of a kirin before. It only got worse when Fluttershy accidentally blurted out the truth about her nirik side during a casual conversation. It soon spread like wildfire throughout Ponyville, and ponies began to fear her. Still, a few trusted her enough to let her help, and that was what mattered to her.
Another blanket of silence drifted over the table as Fluttershy finished her story.
"Wow," Pinkie finally exclaimed. "A vow of complete silence? I can't imagine doing that. How would I throw parties without being able to talk?"
"I know, right?" replied Fluttershy. "I understand being afraid of the damage that niriks can cause, but it's not worth sacrificing our voices and our ability to communicate. As far as I know, the other kirin are still silent to this day."
"That's...actually kinda sad," said Rainbow. "What kinda life is that?"
"I don't think any of us could predict how we'd react if we had to do that," said Rarity. "Or if we'd be strong enough to say no if we were ordered to step into that Stream of Silence, or else abandon our home."
"Well, I'm feeling up to sharing my story, now!" said Pinkie, rebounding with her usual chipper nature. "Anybody else want to get some coffee?"
"Coffee sound good!" said Applejack. "But how pink hippogriff end up in pony town?"
"Well, before I lived here, I lived with the other hippogriffs on Mount Aris, in Hippogriffia. Or, at least for a while..."
Hippogriffia was once a beautiful mountaintop city. The hippogriffs, while not overly enthusiastic about meeting the other sapient races of the world, were at least friendly, and welcoming of outsiders.
But everything changed when the Storm King attacked.
Where he came from, no one knew. The only information about him came from a few rumors that had spread throughout the world. He was a conqueror who used his armies to devastate new lands, then simply abandoned them, leaving them in ruins. The hippogriffs had done nothing to earn his wrath, save perhaps for being a convenient target.
Queen Novo bravely led her army into battle against the Storm King's forces, but soon, she realized they simply could not win. Fearing her race would be enslaved and forced to do the Storm King's bidding, she opted to retreat from Hippogriffia completely. Soon, she discovered a safe, underwater haven on Mount Aris, and led her people there. Using a magic pearl, the hippogriffs transformed themselves into creatures of the sea, and remained there, where the Storm King would never find them.
These developments did not sit well with Pinkie Pie, the most bright and cheerful of all the hippogriffs. Pinkie loved parties and bringing joy to all she met more than anything. Abandoning their home, cowering away underwater (as she saw it) didn't seem right to her. When she saw how miserable every other hippogriff was in their new location, she took it as proof that her way of thinking was correct.
Desperate, Pinkie went to Queen Novo, begging her to send scouts to search for help. Perhaps, if they formed alliances with other creatures, they could defeat the Storm King and reclaim their home. However, the queen refused, claiming that it could easily lead to the Storm King discovering their hideaway, and the end of the hippogriffs. It was then that Pinkie came to a decision: she would leave on her own.
Knowing the queen wouldn't approve, Pinkie opted to sneak away under the cover of the night. Upon leaving the sea, her body reverted to its natural form, and she flew away from Mount Aris. Pinkie had little sense of direction, but she'd heard stories of Equestria, and the ponies that lived there. Perhaps they would be willing to lend a hoof. But upon her arrival in Canterlot, she was dismissed by Princess Celestia's guards, who didn't trust a hippogriff. Depressed, and with few options left, Pinkie eventually settled down in Ponyville, finding a job at Sugar Cube Corner. Even if she couldn't help her own species, she could at least bring joy to these ponies.
"T-the Storm King?!" gasped Fluttershy, nearly knocking over her coffee cup in fear. "You mean he's real?!"
"Yeah," replied Pinkie, slumping against the table. "He's a big jerk, though. Probably wouldn't know a good party if it bit him."
"That's horrible," said Twilight. "Have you tried reaching out to Princess Celestia since we defeated Nightmare Moon? I bet she'd be willing to listen to you now."
"I did send her a letter explaining my problem. I understand if she hasn't had the chance to reply back yet."
"Don't worry," said Rainbow. "I'm sure she'll say yes. And we'll be there to help you, of course. Imagine the Storm King getting blasted by those awesome rainbow lasers!" The others all nodded their agreement.
Pinkie perked up a bit at her friends' encouragement.
"Well, darlings, I believe we should continue our little discussion," said Rarity, taking a sip of her coffee. "Does anyone mind if I share my story next?" Everyone else shook their heads. "Very well then."
Dragons tended to care very little about the beauty of things. The very dragon lands where they made their home weren't exactly pretty to look at, after all, so why should they? Some would dispute this, pointing out how dragons amassed massive collections of gold and jewels, filling their caves to the brim with shining objects. However, the true reason dragons made their hoards was because they loved to own things. Gold and jewels just made for convenient snacks.
It was her differing attitude towards this tradition that made Rarity such an outsider among her own kind.
Rarity loved gemstones, but unlike other dragons, she would use them to create something that was captivating to the eye rather than eat them. She also didn't want to keep them all to herself, but to share them with other dragons. Unfortunately for her, dragon society didn't place a lot of value on the whole generosity thing. In fact, most other dragons thought it bizarre, and saw Rarity as little more than a freak. There were exceptions, of course, like the Dragon Lord's daughter, Ember, but they were few and far between.
What made her even more of an outcast was Rarity's love of clothes. Most dragons saw clothing and fashion as nonsense created by other races, but Rarity couldn't get enough of them. She managed to teach herself how to sew through trial and error. Every tiny scrap she could salvage from neighboring pony communities went into creating her outfits, and she proudly displayed them whenever she got the chance. She even used gems she didn't share to enhance them. This, of course, didn't win her any points with other dragons.
Dragon Lord Torch didn't seem to know what to do with Rarity. To him, dragons were meant to be tough and fierce, not feminine and obsessed with frivolous things. Rarity's love of fashion stemmed from the idea of taking one's inner beauty and bringing it into the outside. However, dragons cared little about that. They were more interested in proving their strength and dominance. Dragon Lord Torch had spoken to Rarity many times, telling her how foolish her ideas were, but she wouldn't listen. After one too many of these discussions, Rarity finally made her decision. She would leave the dragon lands.
Initially, Rarity wanted to settle down in Canterlot, seeing the city as the embodiment of everything she loved. However, after a few days of staying in the city, using her supply of gems as payments, she discovered the most high society ponies were rather stuck up, and tended to look down on her and her fashion just because she was a dragon. Seeing that perhaps she'd aimed too high, Rarity left and soon found herself in Ponyville, a much smaller and more laid back town.
Soon, Rarity managed to scrape together enough money to open her own store, the Carousel Boutique. It took time for her to learn how to design clothes for ponies, but she mastered it soon enough. Though many ponies were hesitant about having a dragon in their town, due to fear, some understood her eye for beauty and her passion. Though she did have to ask ponies not to pay her in gems. While she was fine with eating the occasional stone, they didn't pay the bills.
Rarity finished her tale, smiling brightly as she settled back down into her chair. She took another sip of her coffee. "I'll admit, my origins are not as...glamorous as I might wish, but I'm happy where I am right now."
"I don't blame you," said Twilight. "You've done pretty good for yourself. You have your own store in this town full of ponies. I think you might've done the best out of all of us."
Rarity blushed a little. "Oh, darling, you are too kind. I'm proud of my life, true, but I don't believe I'd say that."
Rainbow snorted. "Honestly, I still don't see the point of the whole fashion thing," she admitted. "It just seems unnecessary. Maybe I would've fit in more with the dragons than these ponies."
"Oh, don't say that, Rainbow," implored Fluttershy. "If you hadn't ended up in Ponyville, we might not have become friends."
"Yeah, I guess."
"Speaking of which," said Pinkie, "isn't it time for you to tell your story, Rainbow Dash?"
Rainbow's face turned a little red. "Well, uh...I'm not the only one left here. Twilight still hasn't told hers yet, right?"
Twilight paled. "I, er..." She fidgeted in her seat, clearly uncomfortable.
Fortunately for her, Applejack noticed immediately. "Oh, Twilight and Rainbow don't have to share if they don't want to!" she insisted. "We don't want to—"
"No, no, it's not fair if we don't," Rainbow replied. "You all did, the least we can do is put on brave faces." Twilight nodded in agreement. Rainbow took a single bit out of her wallet. "How about it, Twi? Wanna flip to see who goes first?"
"Sure," answered the changeling. "Tails."
"Heads," said Rainbow, before she flipped the bit. She caught it as it came down, and looked at what was facing upwards. "Tails. Stupid pegasus."
"Sorry about that, Rainbow," said Fluttershy. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure," replied the minotaur. "Here's how it goes..."
It was unknown to most Equestrians that the minotaurs made their home in the nation of Crete, a country to the west of Equestria. They mostly kept to themselves, avoiding little contact with other sapient species, although there were some, such as the famous Iron Will, that made their way to Equestria and made a living there.
Iron Will was probably the biggest proponent of the minotaur philosophy, which was all about assertion. Minotaurs believed in strength above all other things. Not just physical strength, but strength of will. They believed in claiming their dominance over other living things, and proving themselves to be the most powerful race in the world. This was where Iron Will got the idea for his determination seminars, which he spread all throughout Equestria, teaching ponies to be subservient to no one. Some ponies embraced his ideals, while others saw it as going too far. Of course, not all minotaurs followed this theory.
One such minotaur was Rainbow Dash.
Born to common minotaur parents, at first glance, Rainbow would seem to be just another follower of the minotaur viewpoint. She was brash, had a bit of an ego, and was very competitive with others. However, she didn't perfectly fit into the minotaur mold. For one thing, she didn't believe in shoving others aside just because they happened to get in her way, especially if they happened to be friends of hers. She cared more about being loyal to those who befriended her, even if she was surpassed by them.
Rainbow Dash was certainly capable of asserting herself, there was no doubt about that. Her parents lavished her with praise and support, even when she was unsuccessful, and this led to her belief that she was the coolest thing in Crete. Still, they had enough sense to instill a sense of morality into their child, and Rainbow grew up knowing not to unnecessarily push others around.
Unfortunately for her, while she could easily stand up for herself, that did little to remove the target from her back. Most minotaurs saw how she wouldn't exert her will over anyone that even slightly got on her nerves, and took it as a sign of weakness. Rainbow fought back against the bullies, but that only seemed to aggravate them further. Once she'd grown, Rainbow looked around and saw how little she fit in with the others, and came to a decision. After a tearful farewell to her parents, Rainbow departed for Equestria.
After a few rough incidents in other towns, Rainbow settled in the small town of Ponyville. She soon landed a job at the local gym, and soon began working towards her goal of becoming an athlete. Equestria's most famous athletic team was the Wonderbolts, which she obviously couldn't join, but there were other options. She hoped to compete in the Equestria Games someday, and trained her body night and day to stay in shape.
However, Rainbow found herself facing some prejudice she hadn't considered. Most ponies had only heard of minotaurs because of Iron Will, and tended to assume all minotaurs followed his lifestyle. While some didn't care, many ponies avoided her, believing she'd be far too forceful to be a friend. Outwardly, Rainbow pretended not to notice, but in reality, it hurt her.
Rainbow finished her story by taking the last of her coffee. "Yeah," she said after swallowing, "not exactly the best life, is it?"
"Applejack guess not," said the yak. "But why Rainbow embarrassed about that? She not do anything bad."
"It's more how I responded to it. Like I said, having Iron Will be the face of my entire species kinda sucks, and I just don't like to admit that it...stings. I like others to think it doesn't affect me."
Fluttershy put a comforting hoof on her friend's shoulder. "It's okay, Rainbow. I think all of us would feel pretty bad if we had someone like that influencing ponies' opinions about us. Besides, we know you well enough not to judge you like that."
Rainbow smiled a little. "Thanks, Shy."
"Though your parents certainly explain your ego," Rarity muttered under her breath.
"What was that?!" Rainbow snapped.
"Nothing, darling!"
Twilight giggled at her friends' antics, but it faded as she recalled that it was her turn. "Well, I guess there's no turning back now."
"Are you absolutely sure you wanna do this?" asked Pinkie. "Because we'd totally understand if you don't. We won't hold it against you. Heck, we could pick this up at a different time!"
"No, no," Twilight insisted. "If Rainbow can be brave enough to show her vulnerable side, I can, too. I can't ask all of you to share your lives with me, then refuse to do the same."
"Alright, if you're sure," said Fluttershy.
"First," began Twilight, "there's something you have to understand about changelings..."
Out of all the non-pony species that had come to Equestria, changelings were the least-trusted of them all. The reason was obvious: how could one trust a species with the ability to disguise themselves as anyone or anything they pleased? Not to mention changelings fed off of love itself. In Equestria, changelings were basically the boogey ponies of bedtime stories, who would snatch up disobedient little foals and drain them of love.
Of course, those stories weren't entirely true.
Changelings were actually rather peaceful creatures. They indeed fed on love, but the way they usually went about getting it was by impersonating other species (mostly ponies) and making friends, using those relationships to draw just enough love to survive. Sometimes they were outed by unfortunate circumstances, which didn't do anything to help their reputation. Princess Celestia had met with the changeling leader, assuring them that they could simply be themselves and make friends that way, and told her ponies they had nothing to fear from changelings, but these actions brought about little change.
Twilight Sparkle, on the other hoof, had taken those words to heart.
As a young nymph, she had been hiding in the room during Queen Chrysalis' discussions with Celestia. The alicorn's words had struck a chord within her, convincing her that she shouldn't have to shapeshift in order to fit in with other creatures. She believed that simply being herself around others would enable her to make friends, giving her plenty of love to feed on, and more importantly, friendship.
Other changelings didn't follow Twilight's reasoning. They reminded her how ponies and other species had always inherently distrusted them simply because of their nature and powers, but Twilight didn't care. After growing up, Twilight eventually made the decision to move to Equestria, believing she could prove her theory was correct.
Unfortunately for Twilight, that task turned out to be much harder than she thought. Even after getting to Ponyville, and never changing her shape anywhere she went, she found herself surrounded by distrust. She had a tough time getting a job and a place to live, as most ponies feared her. Suddenly, friendship seemed unattainable.
It was then that Twilight was approached by a pegasus named Spike. Spike ran the Golden Oaks Library, and was looking for an assistant. He didn't care about her status as a changeling. He only saw another creature in need of help. An avid lover of reading and learning, Twilight eagerly took him up on his offer, and was granted a room in the library, as well as a job. Spike was the first friend she'd ever made that wasn't a fellow changeling, and with him, she stopped hungering for love constantly. The majority of ponies still viewed her with suspicion, but Twilight wouldn't give up on her dream of being accepted. Spike had shown her that it was possible.
"Wow," breathed Rainbow as Twilight finished her story. "I had no idea that Spike was that important to you. He just seemed like any other pony when we first met."
"When I first met him," replied Twilight, "he was the only pony that I didn't sense any fear from. Even the ones who were nice before were still a little afraid."
Pinkie sighed and slumped in her seat once again. "I just wish all ponies accepted us, even if we are other species. We don't mean any harm, why can't they see that?"
"Have you heard about their Hearth's Warming Holiday?" asked Rainbow. "Apparently, a thousand years ago, they couldn't even get along with each other just because of wings and horns."
"Still, there are some that are nice to us," said Fluttershy. "I think they're learning to accept other species, it may just take time."
"I hope you're right," added Rarity. "None of us really fit in with the rest of our own kind, and we all made the decision to come to this town. It would be terrible if it didn't work out for any of us."
Twilight smiled a sad smile, but there was hope in there as well. "For now, at least we have each other," she said, prompting Pinkie to pull everyone into a giant group hug.
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Can you believe I saw this in my notifications just seconds after you published it?
It was a very enjoyable read and an interesting choice of species swap. I'm glad I gave it a try
11420970
Thanks.
Haven't read it yet, but amusingly I had TWO DRAFTS with a similar concept (EOH are all different species) before focusing on something different.
Edit - Yup, similar themes as well lol
11421000
Huh. Interesting.
11421006
Yeah, though mine took a darker more militaristic twist.
11421032
If you still want to write them you totally should.
11421047
Honestly I moved to my latest version because its different from that/this. I suspected trying to force that idea was my problem
Hey there. Thanks very much for sharing this one-shot story. Definitely understand the selection for other species for the Mane Six in this universe and how well you did keeping them in character despite the differences in species while still taking the species differences into account. Also like that this story takes place AFTER Nightmare Moon was already defeated. The backstories to how they all ended up moving to Ponyville certainly make sense. Yak-Applejack is a farmer who, while certainly stubborn and willing to smash when necessary, is less boastful than other yaks and ended up getting hired by the Pears (I'm guessing they took over Sweet Apple Acres after Bright Mac and Pear Butter died because Granny Smith was too old to do that sort of physical labor anymore, Big Mac couldn't do the job on his own and Apple Bloom was too young, so they DID need the help), Hippogriff Pinkie went looking for help concerning the Storm King, but didn't have much luck (well, outside the rest of the Mane Six [I could easily see the fight with the Storm King being THIS Mane Six's SECOND big adventure in this universe - AFTER Nightmare Moon, but BEFORE Discord]), Kirin Fluttershy refused to give up her voice because she loved communicating with and helping the animals too much, Dragon Rarity enjoyed fashion far too much for the tastes of most of the other dragons, Minotaur Rainbow believed in being assertive without being a bully (which most other Minotaurs disagreed with) and Changeling Twilight was positively inspired by one of Celestia's failed diplomatic talks with Chrysalis, even if most of the other Changelings didn't agree with her and met Pony-Spike when he gave her a job at the library (and I think it is only a matter of a couple of months before Twilight learns that earning and sharing love with no fewer than six good friends [counting Pony-Spike] has made her stronger than even she thinks and is proof positive that Celestia was absolutely right [and I could even see this Twilight eventually becoming the new Changeling Queen alongside Thorax as the King]). And I'm glad to hear that at least a few of the ponies (besides Spike and the Cakes, who already treat them with the respect they have definitely earned) have already started to warm up to them (and I'm willing to wager that at least three of those ponies who are already starting to warm up to them are a certain trio of fillies very well known to fans of the franchise).
Anyway, downright excellent work on this one-shot.
To kinda echo what 11421080 Comickook said, you did a great job integrating the Mane 6's canon personalities/motivations into the lore surrounding the various species you swapped them to. Nice touches aplenty; kudos!
11421080
With the Pears, it was more the idea that, in this universe, the Apples were the ones who moved away, instead of the Pears. Pony Applejack just doesn't exist in this world.
11421109
All right. That makes sense. Thanks very much for the correction.
This was a very good AU story and liked the choice of species that you swapped the Main 6 with.
interesting take
feels a bit off tho
like how Dash is a Minotaur and not a Gryphon
and Apple-Yak is a neat idea, but why not a Buffalo?
and on the more minor side, no mention of Smolder in Rarity's backstory? and no Ocellus or Thorax in Twilight's?
as an aside, i wanna see a crossover between this AU and canon circa mid-season 8
Now this is an AU I'd gladly read more of.
11421226
I was originally gonna have Thorax be the king of the changelings in Twilight's story, but I decided that would raise questions as to where Chrysalis was, so I didn't.
11421250
and the other questions?
11421254
I'll be honest, I didn't think of Apple Buffalo until I was already done with Applejack's section. And the thought of using Smolder in Rarity's backstory didn't even occur to me.
11421264
If you ever do a sequel with the Young Six you could have Smolder end up at the Friendship School because secretly she really wanted to meet Rarity.
This extends to the others haveing slightly different connections to other secondary cast.
Thorax's defection could be because Twilight proved there was a better way.
Rutherford could see Applejack as a reason Yaks can trust ponies.
If Bight Mac and Pear Butter are still alive then AJ could help Grand Pear Swallow his pride and make up with them
I am sure Discord would find the chaotic nature Nirk Futtershy appealing and become her friend easier.
Rainbow and Iron will could have a rivalry.
11421306
Yeah. Those ARE some really good thoughts. I could see all of that too.
Of course, the Friendship School could be set up after Twilight and Thorax took over as the new Changeling Queen and King (so, shortly after Season 6 instead of the start of Season 8, so a full season early, which would allow more character development for the Student Six) with Twilight getting the idea from all the adventures she shared with her friends as well as how she and Thorax both realize that the Friendship School would be a great way for the other Changelings to learn to earn and share love. As Twilight is the new Changeling Queen, she isn't bound by Equestria Law per say (so Neighsay can't do a thing about it), but still has enough respect for Celestia (and probably Luna too by that point) to have a sit-down with the Princesses to discuss the plans for the School.
On another, earlier note, Starlight Glimmer encountering this Mane Six for the first time should be interesting (given her "Sameness Spell" would have no effect on any of them as they have no Cutie Marks to mess with - meaning that she would HAVE TO think of something else).
And the Crusaders could still be strongly inspired by the Six (in this case, six beings who CAN'T EVEN GET Cutie Marks still managing to accomplish so many great things [Scootaloo, particularly, could end up admiring that, if a Minotaur can be such a great all-around athlete even without being able to fly, there is still hope for HER]).
Ba-dum-tiss!
11421264
Tbf, Yaks are shown to travel on occasion, whilst Buffalo (as Native American stand ins) are more close knit and stay together
This was an interesting concept and a good execution. a good SoL, if you ask me. Have a like
11421235
I might write more stories in this AU in the future. Lots of places I could take it.
11421372
Would you believe me if I told you that was unintentional?
What a delightfully interesting one-shot. Thank you kindly for sharing it with us all.
Applejack speaking in the third person was something I didn't expect to see today.
Man, the unexpected things with AJ just keep coming!
May those guards swiftly loose their jobs then once the Storm King inevitably comes a-knocking on Equestria's door.
Seriously, that wasn't their call to make anyway.
Not exactly legal tender, I assume. Though in canon Equestria, gems were readily used as a replacement for traditional currency more than once...but eh, this is an AU anyway, so what's it matter in the end, right?
Yeah, points like that are a good reminder that, despite all the lessons learned against it throughout G4 and now G5, the ponies do seem to be naturally discriminatory unless they actively work to rise above it, and even when they do rise above it...it generally doesn't take much for them fall back into bad habits.
(Honestly, because of that, I don't know why so many fans have such a hard time accepting the idea of the ponies separating again by the time of G5--there's plenty of evidence throughout just G4 that ponies were swift to forget the good and unity, and slow to learn it again)
Anyway, this was a nice little what-if kind of fanfic and definitely fits perfectly for the contest. Though there are two minor points I'm mildly disappointed about--for my own WIP entry for said contest, I also have Twilight as the changeling and Rarity as the dragon, so now I feel a little like I've been beaten to the punch.
Oh well, I'm at least covered plot-wise, and that's probably more important anyway.
The moral: no matter what species you are you can still enjoy cuddles!
The only species change that I disagree with is Dash being a Minotaur, while I can see her as one, I just can't see her as a species that can't fly, so I imagine her as a Griffon, since they tend to be selfish and look out only for themselves.
Damn this AU be straight up bussin fr fr
Fluttershy, the quietest Kirin being the one refusing to give up her voice is almost poetic.
Making Dash a Griffon would have been an obvious choice for many but your interpretation of her being a Minotaur is interesting and it works.
Was expecting Rarity to be a Diamond dog, but now I do think Dragon Rarity would make a better character, along with the potential reversal of pony Spike having a crush on dragon Rarity lol.
And of course, Twilight being a changeling gives a lot of room to build and speculate. Especially since even though she's not a pony, she can still "ascend" through either by fanon "changeling queen metamorphosis" growth, or through canon transformation like how Thorax did it. Would be fun to see her become a changeling queen with a little crown on her head.
Really looking forward to seeing more of this AU.
This is an interesting story. I don't recall coming across another story where the Mane 6 were non-ponies.
11421730
Thank you.
11421932
Yeah, plot is probably more important than what species they are. Good luck with your entry.
11422220
I considered making Dash a griffon, but I thought I could do more with her being a minotaur, since we only ever saw one in the whole show, and didn't know that much about them.
11422530
Yeah, I COULD see the Pony-Spike having a crush on Dragon Rarity thing (and, as this Spike is implied to be in his late-teens at the youngest, there is actually more of a chance of that crush eventually being requited though with Rarity pointing out that dragons have life spans of well over a thousand years barring violent death, so the odds are that she would long outlive him [as well as all of her friends with the possible exception of Changeling Twilight, but that didn't stop her from befriending them]).
And all of your other points are great too.
11421932
Yeah, just about all of those points are great, especially the one concerning the hope that the guards that snubbed Hippogriff-Pinkie getting fired (Celestia, Luna and probably Shining Armor would certainly not be too pleased to hear about something like that) and how they overstepped their authority.
11423273
Honestly, the bigger issue I face is whether or not I can finish it and get it all posted before the deadline.
ATLA reference?
11424539
Yes.
This is just as interesting as the actual show's storyline. I would love to read more about it. I really liked your rationale behind each species being chosen for each individual. Kudos on a great ficlet.
Only the avatar, master of all 6 elements could stop him but when the world needed her most she vanished~
Lol, sorry I couldn’t resist, that was the perfect set up and no one else seemed to do it
Yep, she's definitely a change from the norm.
11436153
Fixed!
I think you've got one too many "She" in there.
This was a nice fun story to read, and it's done some interesting worldbuilding, and it feels a little more inventive to have them talking about their histories after dealing with Nightmare Moon.
11457024
Thanks for the comments. Fixed that error, too.
This was a fun read!
Quite the standout group, huh. (I wonder if they'll one day teach friendship to a bunch of mostly-pony students.)