The following story takes place in the Equestria at War universe. It contains major spoilers for the Manehatten Protecterate.
Lilac didn't consider herself the leader type. And yet here she was, overseeing the vast city of Manehatten and the surrounding provinces. Years ago, after Equestria was conquered, Chrysalis had personally put her in charge of the shining city.
But Lilac soon learned that the ponies of Manehatten wouldn't give up their freedom even after the war was lost. Riots and uprisings were commonplace, and Lilac had her hooves full for years trying to put out the fires. Eventually, after countless promises, reforms, and policies enacted, she had finally gotten most of the ponies to see her not as a tyrant, but as the Protectress she claimed to be.
But the pony resistance was an ever present thorn in her side. Never quitting, never losing hope that one day Equestria could be free again. Thankfully for Lilac, she had managed to pull off something she thought impossible.
She had finally captured them. The leaders of the Equestrian Liberation Front. Now she was presented with the hardest choice she faced yet: What does she do with them?
What happen to Chrysalis? She still alive or dead?
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Chrysalis is doing her own thing back in Vesalipolis, ruling the rest of Equestria from afar. Presumably she wouldn't be too happy with what Lilac is doing here.
That what worries me. She try to over throw her. Show her true colors in the end.
Good story.
But uh... I haven't been on EAW Discord for months now but last time I there, there was talk of the Manehattan Protectate being the nicest place to live in the Changeling Hegemony and every other place would be worse. An example I recall was that one place would be even worse than living in Vesalipolis directly under Chrysalis. Lilac launching her own secession is... grossly optimistic.
Looks like this universe's ELF may end up being a pony-changeling alliance and may also end up starting changelingia-wide. Great story! Love the take on how the changeling reformation thing could happen in this universe.
But is it burning?
Starlight: "You think?!"
Chrysalis: "You better not..."
Good story!
I enjoyed reading it.
I had played Equestria at War a few times, but never too deep.
Is there some single background story or just a general canon with a few fanstories in-between?
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Lilac has pulled a Thorax. Of course Chryssy isn´t going to be happy about that.
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Mostly established stories for the countries. (Most) nations in Equestria at War have multiple story paths they can go down, and the Changelings conquering Equestria is one of them. Even then, there are multiple different outcomes for *after* Equestria is conquered, and this is also one of them... minus the uh, ending of this story. That's my personal take on it.
Lie. But the enviroment of being the conquered by the potential friend is....gonna make it a problem.
Great story! Well written! Love the title image too!
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Can you explain what you truly meant by that? Because, I'm a little confused?
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What i said explains itself? Changelings and ponies can be friends...but the fact that equestria is under Chrysalis's thumb is a major issue for any budding relationships.
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True, and makes sense for Chrysalis to ruin everything. Thanks for clearing that out for me.
Will they be a potential sequel IF Queen Chrysalis founds out. Or if their is surviving Main Six, or the Royal Sisters that can help Lilac, and Starlight/Trixie.
The misconception that Love-Bugs' inherent nature is Evil and Immoral had always irked me, and I think it had spoiled my perspective a little.
This was like a breath of fresh air after inhaling the same stale atmosphere for a long time. Maybe that's hypocritical of me to say, but I do enjoy a good switcharoo where it's Changelings preaching to Ponies on the virtues of friendship and love.
I do prefer the uglycute originals, but I understand why they did it.
If anything, I'd just want to see it happen over more than threeish episodes, even if just background shenanigans.
It may be my unfamiliarity with EaW talking, but attacking and subjugating one's race is a fairly good reason to never want to be friends with them in my book. That being said, the prose was very well written.
Independence for Equestria and ponykind!
There's a lot tonally to figure out but.. One of the main issues Starlight and Trixie could've tossed out is that the Changelings essentially destroyed the ponies way of life. They conquered them, their leaders are gone, they subjugate them for a love tax that on some level leaves them feeling emotionless based on how much is being forced to give (based on EaW).. Liliac not understanding that makes this feel so off when she's basically forcing them under her hoof regardless of anything else.
Sure they can be friends, but as it is they're under her heel. That's not friendship, they're more pets.
(Before reading the comments.)
I can't imagine that Chrysalis would be too pleased about this.
Though Gytha of Grenclyf might me very interested if she ever found out about this.
Added an image of Lilac as a Changedling
When I saw the skittlebug image on the dev channel I recognized the scene. Goodness, you've done pretty well.
Lilac is being very pragmatic and cunning there even if she is coming from actually feeling bad for ponies. Regimes built on brutal oppression can work only in short term as the more you oppress the more vicious the resistance will be. Integrating conquered/oppressed people is better or the unity of the country even if integration may not include full political rights per say, creating an actual reason for ponies to collaborate with changeling government will insure lasting peace and stability.
I feel like Starlight should have way more guilt, and apologize some more. You know, for almost killing Lilac ( Despite that Lilac was trying to be a "Good" Changeling to them. ).
Plus, being Racist/Xenophobic doesn't really help your case, Starlight!!!
Just saying.
Chrysalis will definitely relieve her as the Protectress of Manehattan when she sees this. That's a threat to her power in her eyes. It's revolutionary and it's a challenge to the recently-established changeling status quo. I wonder what will happen next, will Lilac manage to negotiate with Chrysalis or will the Ost-Kommando have to be mobilised to protect Lilac and Manehattan, who knows? It's up for speculation. What is certain is that Pax Chrysalia will be facing its first Hegemonic crisis(unless the Everfree had gone rogue then it's the second crisis) .
Is there going to be a sequel or like more on what happened after? 🙂
I like this story and the image of the reformed Liliac, but I feel like I have to point out that she is standing parallel to the mirror but the mirror image is standing perpendicular. And her right wing seems to be attached to her butt rather than her shoulder/side.
At any rate, I could see this story being an actual path for the Manehatten Protectorate to take in Equestria at War.
Basically Thoraxian rebellion take two. That's more or less how I hoped the Manehatten Protectorate would go when I first played it, but the actual path the mod went with was still interesting.
Gone?, you mean Celestia, Twilight and the others are dead?, or they are in exile?
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Based on my experience with the mod, Celestia and Luna are dealt with pretty vaguely, not sure if they were killed or exiled, but for Twilight, she was imprisoned and you then need to look for her as you fight Chrysalis' forces westward
As a personal comment I feel like this steers quite heavily into.. Well glorifying a despotic police state. Perhaps that’s just me. Otherwise it’s well written I just find the setting and content kinda strange.