>>17157 How even? Chrysalis and Cadence are both female.

>>17184 Maybe Chrysalis left Cadence with an egg?

>>16871 >Welp. I've been gone long enough that either nobody cares anymore, or anyone who does care no longer visits this place. Likely a bit of both. Apologies for the late reply, but I couldn't help but chime in after checking on this site to see how things were doing. It isn't a surprise that you got nothing in terms of engagement. Things have petered off in the fandom since your last post, and especially for this site. Add to the fact that you've been gone for all this time, it was safe to assume this project was yet another that could be added into the "deadfic" pile. I certainly thought this project to be of this state after radio silence after all this time. I am happy to see that at least partially, there's a chance for this work to continue in *some* form. But you are going to have to rebuild the community you had once more, seeing as they have probably left for other pastures due to a lack of activity for this work. And seeing how quiet it is here, you'll need to venture to other sites like Fimfiction, /mlp/ and wherever else you can scrounge up some engagement. As it is, the MLP fandom is in a very stagnant, somewhat dead state. Contrary to my expectations and ambivalence towards it, G5 hasn't done as well as I would have expected, playing it rather safe and resulting in mediocre to low engagement numbers. Which, in retrospect, isn't a surprise. The landscape that made MLP popular in the first place is no longer in effect, with it being another passing fad that is now dust in the wind. What is there is mostly self contained cliques that do their own thing, and is certainly no grounds for looking beyond that. Hence, you'll need to actively promote your work if you ever hope to get back into the swing of things, with an update of *some* sort to boot, even if small as 5000 words. -

>>17430 - I must contradict you in regards to hiding your work from common view. Whilst the project may no longer be updating as of its current state, that is no reason alone to hide it from anyone else from enjoying what you have already put up there. Plenty of dead fics get a trickle of engagement of some form, even if they may forever be consigned to the grave for one reason or another. I myself still read dead fics from time to time, enjoying what is there despite the incomplete nature of them. Merely change to title and description to indicate its hiatus, with perhaps an extra note edited into the introduction or elsewhere, and leave it at that. As it is, your work is one of the very few of the "old" guard that I enjoy, having no love for what FiM turned into during its mid and later seasons. I certainly don't care for what they did to the changelings, the gryphons, and other stuff with the lore that is now firmly embedded in the fandom's zeitgeist, having recontextualized all fandom output in terms of discussion and fan creations from then on going forward. They aren't all "bad" persay, but despite filling the world in, it feels emptier and more hollow in some ways than ever, the mystery filled in by what ultimately amounted to just adequate but ultimately mediocre "content" that exists to fill in the void for the sake of it. Alas, the mystery that was left in the earlier seasons where all sorts of diversity was to be had in filling in that void ourselves is no longer present, and part of the reason why engagement as a whole is not what it used to be. Speaking for no one but myself, there is little to nothing that has really engaged me with this fandom or FiM itself, save for in the form of old fan output or some newer projects that somehow miraculously managed to divest itself from modern FiM to do its own thing, such as that 4chan AI episode that turned out quite nicely as a blast from the past. https://youtu.be/QLGlrY7cooY It's a shame to see if your work would truly disappear, but ultimately it is up to you. I only ask you leave it up as a record for posterity, for what once was for anyone else that might eventually stumble across it for what had once been. - As for your other stuff, I can't say I can offer much in terms of comfort. That's a lot to go through for one man, and all I can say is you have to adapt to it, or just give up the ghost and move on to other ventures like you are doing now. As of right now for the CYOA, I never participated in it myself, save for as an enthusiastic commenter. But for the sake of it, I'll try to think of something. Just need to re-read the work and watch the episodes. Hopefully I'll have something soon enough for you, if you ever get back to it. In any case, I hope this post finds you well.

Well, I have something. It ain't much, but it *is* something. Been stuck in a rut, so I'll post here and see how it goes. --- You are Princess Celestia. Imperator of the United Equestrian States. Goddess of the Sun. Sol Invicta. Her Grand Royal Highness. Unifer of Harmony. Co-regent of Equestria. Such is the few of the many, many pretentious titles you have accrued over the many centuries, yet they were the ones you bore regardless. Throughout those centuries, you have seen many a strange thing during the course of your duties. The latest of which being those curious "humans" that have dropped into your lap shortly after the wedding of your niece with your student's brother. Some changed, some not, but many bearing a fantastical tale of not only coming from another world, but one which has ample familiarity with yours as a fiction. It was... Trying to say the least in assimilating them into Equestria proper, especially without derailing your carefully arranged plans. A literal monkey wrench throw into your grand tapestry by none other than the Agent of Chaos himself. A funny "prank" forged from one who has anticipated and preempted your desire to reform him into something less destructive. All now made moot with the draconesque nowhere to be seen nor found despite the best efforts of you, your sister, student and all of the best scryers that Equestria had to offer. And that wasn't even getting to the rest of the headache these humans had to offer with their foreknowledge. It was only by some tender mercy granted by fate did you manage to coral them in some fashion to prevent any more mischief. Not that you faulted them of course, seeing as they were brought here against their will. Though you were glad that some of them seemed happy enough to try and assimilate, making do what what has been brought on their shoulders. It heartened to you to know even as a supposed fiction, you, your student, and the rest of Equestria inspired those beyond its boundaries. Yet even still, there were those who wished to return home to their families, something which despite the best efforts of yourself, your sister, Twilight, and those knowledgeable in such fields, the answer of returning them home was yet to materialize. Long lived as you were, you were no less heartbroken to see those faces of despair when you told them without Discord, those who found themselves here may never find a chance to return home. Still, you were nothing if exceptional in making the best out of a bad situation. With the rest of Equestria at your back, you made sure that the humans whatever their forms may be found themselves a home, taking pains to ensure their assimilation whilst minimizing the impact they had to Equestria at large. You even found boons in the merits they offered in terms of the knowledge and other expertise some of them had, sectioning them off in their own new settlement somewhere near Whitetail Woods to do as they pleased whilst remaining close by to Ponyville to both monitor and ensure they didn't isolate themselves too much. But even still, there was friction to be had in some measure. Not least of which regarding the foreknowledge they had for event that would of come. Would of that is, if not...

>>18532 You shook your head, sighing as you stared up at the sign hanging over your head. (Jan 5 2025 – 7:16 PM: Scrap this section. Introduce herself as Sunbeam. Her sister Moonlight. >"Lies, Delusions, and Fabrications." you muttered to yourself, taking note of the rest of the surroundings. "-At least the last part is accurate." Beyond the trees that marked the border of the Everfree Forest, the only other sight of note was the small abode that was too large to be called a hovel, but too small to be called a proper house. Oh there was more construction being done, indicated by the barren frames and other elements that littered the site. But the area otherwise had little of note. Then again, you were not interested in the building itself. Your eyes shifted to the window next to you, taking a few steps to check your reflection. Staring back was a unicorn with a strawberry red mane that was wrapped together in a loose ponytail. Checking her flank, your cutie mark was that of a sun warming some flowers. Your reflection smiled back, giving you a nod. >“Yup, everything seems to be in order.” you chuckled, giving a quick swish of your tail. “All for a perfect day, too.” Another chuckle escaped your lips as you turned your gaze to the door. >"Well Sunbeam, time to check out what's on offer." You raised a hoof to knock on the door- “My name is Twilight Sparkle, what’s yours?” Blinking, your hoof fell short from the wooden frame. >“Twilight?” You pressed an ear to the door, hearing flash of changeling magic. “M’name’s Applejack. Pleased ta meet ya! We here at Sweet Apple Acres are pleased ta… Ta...” A moment of silence followed for a few seconds, the slam of a forehoof on the ground caused you jerk back. “Consarnit all!” You blinked, creeping up back towards the window. Raising your head, you saw Applejack sans her typical Stetson staring into a mirror. Her muzzle was scrunched up in a scowl, staring daggers into her doppelganger for a few seconds more before running a hoof over her mane with a sigh. A weary smile took to her lips, head shaking. -

“Ya gotta improve on your improv, sonny.” With that, the mare disappeared in a flash. In her place took the form of a black maned, brown coated, brown eyes earth pony stallion fashioned in the most generic, unremarkable ponies you have ever laid eyes upon, which in itself proved to stick out like a sore hoof to your eyes. “Yup. I ain’t worth a damn as a changeling, it seems. Thank God for Zecora.” the stallion nodded in agreement, tossing his head as he turned back to the table to his left. Your eyes followed, spying a vial filled with a pink liquid that found itself in a gryphon’s talon. Without preamble, the stallion took it whole in one go. The pink liquid disappeared down his gullet, the stallion’s form stiffening for a moment before relaxing as he loosed contented sigh. Opening his eyes, he slotted the now emptied potion back on the table as he disappeared into another area of the house. You paused for a moment, considering your next options. A cheeky grin found its way to your muzzle. Your horn lit up, magic defusing around your body as a spell took form. You whispered incantations, layering upon a weave that soon rendered your form invisible. Light warped off your form, your hoofsteps silenced as you eased a lockpick from your saddlebag. With but a few twists and turns, the door unlocked. You slipped inside, careful to ensure the door closed behind you with naught but a sound. You grinned. Stealth was more your sister’s forte, but you picked up a few tricks here and there over the centuries. Lockpicking was not one would normally associate with your person, but there was only so much you could do without allowing your mind to grow bored and wander. It never failed, the small pleasures of a distinct click sending a shiver down your spine. Turning your head, you crept along the hallway’s wall and taking note of the inner surroundings. While nothing to write home about, there was a few interesting things of note within the main room. Nestled in the corner of the room, you noticed a table set with a minor alchemy set dedicated to brewing potions, tools and the like hanging off the wall for whatever purpose. The table centerpiece was clear, save for a flat device you knew to the stallion’s laptop. Next to it a sun crystal glowed, an improvised hodgepodge setup connecting a wire from it to the device. More crystals and other knicknacks littered the space, including a few more of the changeling’s potions. Beyond that, the home seemed fairly normal otherwise. - That's as far as I've come. I'l leave it as is to see what sort of feedback is incoming. Hoping this small morsel satisfies the thread for a little while.

>>18533 Sneaky Celestia! Very cool.

>>18534 Celestia spying on changelings in a human settlement? If I read that right? Interesting. If you want feedback though, I should be the bitch who tells you to work on your grammar, there's quite a bit of engrish in there.