Cover Image

At the Inn of the Prancing Pony

by McPoodle
Celestia awakens from an enchantment to discover that Equestria has been taken from her.

“To the precious peace-loving ponies of Equestria:

Has your life lost meaning in a world without Princesses?

Have law and order in your quaint little village collapsed under an endless onslaught of monsters and brigands?

Do you need a hero? Do you dare to be a hero in these dark and uncertain times?

Fear not, little ponies, for if you are brave enough, there is something you can do: Travel to Hoofington and spend a night at the Inn of the Prancing Pony.

I guarantee if you do, your life will change...forever.”

This is a story set hundreds of years before "The Best of All Possible Worlds", yet it was written after and influenced by the events of "Parade Coverage" and "Secret Histories". It was co-written with Hope. The cover illustration is largely taken from part of the fan art "First Day", by Harwick.

The "Alternate Universe" tag is because this story explores a different way that the events following the banishment of Nightmare Moon could have unfolded. As for the "Human" tag...well, that will become clear later.

Teen
Complete
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Alternate Universe
Human
Adventure
 
PO

150041 words: Estimated about 13 hours to read
Download:textHTMLePUB

51 Chapters:

  1. Preface 2014-04-11 05:48:57 UTC
    679
  2. Chapter 1: Signs and Portents 2014-04-11 06:17:28 UTC
    4244
  3. Chapter 2: Transfiguration and Descent 2014-04-14 04:29:27 UTC
    3354
  4. Chapter 3: A Tale of Two Sieges (Redfern) 2014-04-24 04:47:16 UTC
    2962
  5. Chapter 4: A Tale of Two Sieges (Horn's Reach) 2014-05-02 06:00:56 UTC
    4020
  6. Chapter 5: Sworn by the Horn of a Unicorn 2014-06-09 06:45:11 UTC
    4758
  7. Chapter 6: The Genius and the Mudhoof 2014-07-16 05:27:17 UTC
    2703
  8. Chapter 7: The Waggle Dance 2014-09-11 02:22:16 UTC
    3630
  9. Chapter 8: The High Court's Sentence 2014-09-19 06:54:20 UTC
    2366
  10. Chapter 9: Poor Wand'ring Ones 2014-09-22 02:29:31 UTC
    1810
  11. Chapter 10: Cloud Cuckoo Land It Was Not 2014-09-25 02:22:33 UTC
    3324
  12. Chapter 11: Border Crossing 2014-09-28 06:40:37 UTC
    2586
  13. Chapter 12: Cruelty Trap 2014-10-04 22:26:03 UTC
    3548
  14. Chapter 13: Black Hooves 2014-10-06 03:43:28 UTC
    3680
  15. Chapter 14: The Truth, and Its Consequences 2014-10-07 02:25:07 UTC
  16. Chapter 15: Everypony Should Believe in Something 2014-10-08 06:08:23 UTC
    3253
  17. Chapter 16: Village of the Polearms 2014-10-11 14:57:35 UTC
    1891
  18. Chapter 17: Non-Player Character 2014-10-12 22:43:14 UTC
    2468
  19. Chapter 18: At the Inn of the Prancing Pony 2014-10-15 05:58:12 UTC
    4163
  20. Chapter 19: Horsewords 2014-10-17 06:16:57 UTC
  21. Chapter 20: The Vital Importance of Snacking 2014-10-18 17:30:35 UTC
    2093
  22. Chapter 21: The Last Day 2014-10-19 22:42:34 UTC
    1776
  23. Chapter 22: A Princess in the City of Angels 2014-10-26 22:19:02 UTC
    3596
  24. Chapter 23: Into the Lion's Den 2014-10-27 00:12:51 UTC
  25. Chapter 24: The Lady...and the Lady 2014-10-28 00:10:35 UTC
    2836
  26. Chapter 25: Panic Control 2014-10-29 02:51:27 UTC
    2759
  27. Chapter 26: Orientation 2014-10-30 00:49:43 UTC
    1923
  28. Chapter 27: The Hermit 2014-10-30 01:45:27 UTC
    4794
  29. Chapter 28: An Unexpected Rescue 2014-10-31 05:47:24 UTC
    5073
  30. Chapter 29: She's Not Entirely Stable 2014-11-01 21:46:01 UTC
    6078
  31. Chapter 30: Calling in the Cavalry 2014-11-06 01:57:47 UTC
    4030
  32. Chapter 31: The Best Boat Ever 2014-11-10 06:03:53 UTC
    7532
  33. Chapter 32: An Alternative Theory 2014-11-10 06:10:49 UTC
    1065
  34. Chapter 33: Escort Mission 2014-11-12 03:22:03 UTC
    4159
  35. Chapter 34: Let It Go 2014-11-14 05:02:13 UTC
    5324
  36. Chapter 35: Magical Hydraulics 2014-11-17 06:17:26 UTC
  37. Chapter 36: You Are In a Maze of Twisty Little Passages, All Alike 2014-11-22 22:15:07 UTC
    3404
  38. Chapter 37: Celestia the Cheating Cheater Cheats Some More 2014-11-24 04:49:24 UTC
    3516
  39. Chapter 38: A Horse with Two Names 2014-11-28 20:43:34 UTC
    2717
  40. Chapter 39: Introductions 2014-12-02 03:34:12 UTC
    4731
  41. Chapter 40: That Trapper's a Keeper 2014-12-08 04:58:16 UTC
    1639
  42. Chapter 41: Syd and Marte Krofft This Isn't 2014-12-20 04:25:17 UTC
  43. Chapter 42: Reunions, Happy and Otherwise 2014-12-27 02:23:44 UTC
    2748
  44. Chapter 43: Eggwife's Treasure 2014-12-31 04:47:25 UTC
    4287
  45. Chapter 44: Falling Towards Apotheosis 2015-01-01 02:08:58 UTC
    1775
  46. Chapter 45: One Last Game 2015-01-04 03:08:24 UTC
    2942
  47. Bonus Chapter: Howard 2015-01-04 23:10:15 UTC
    701
  48. Chapter 46: Isolation 2015-01-04 23:14:08 UTC
    294
  49. Chapter 47: Two Sisters 2015-01-19 02:49:38 UTC
    1059
  50. Chapter 48: Rebirth 2015-01-19 04:16:10 UTC
    3666
  51. Credits & Acknowledgements 2015-01-19 05:34:46 UTC
    8085