MLP AUs Thread

Welcome to the Alternate Universe thread!

Alternate Universes (a.k.a. AUs) are fun ways for fans to world build and create new scenarios that they wouldn't be able to otherwise by sticking exactly to the canon universe. Here you can discuss your AUs, talk about the AUs other people make, post AU fanfiction, and show off fanart that takes place in alternate universes.

This place is also a place to ask for advice, critiques, and other forms of help with creating your own AUs. So please don't hesitate to ask some questions.

First let's lay some ground rules:

1) NSFW content like gore and sex is permitted here but please spoiler them to respect any users who may not want to see that sort of thing.

2) Next Generation AUs are not permitted here. Instead, go to the Next Gen thread to discuss those instead.

3) And finally, all other AUs are permitted here.

School AUs? Permitted here:



Equestria Girls AUs? Permitted here:



AUs where The Mane 6 are Mideviel Druids (and adopt a Dragon Hatchling)? That's permitted.



Alternate Mane 6 AUs? Permitted here:



An AU that depicts the Mane 6 as pets while the other characters are their human caretakers? Permitted here.

>>1734086p

An AU that has Twilight being born as an alicorn with The Tree of Harmony as her parent? That's permitted too.



Crossover AUs? All permitted here too:









Even canon alternate universes are permitted here too (and this includes the alternate timelines).



>>1034896p







The sky's the limit with the possibilities! Now, have fun!

I commend you for an opening post better than I could ever do. Gg. I'll ramble another day when I'm less tired.

@LightningBolt
Thank you. It took a while for me to find the right images.

And sure, the thread won't run away or anything so I don't mind if you reply later or even tomorrow.

So, instead of just rambling for no reason in here, I have a question, a question I need help with because over a year of thinking, I have yet to figure out a solution to it.

Some minor info first:
This dude is a siren.
This dude is a zombie.
Moving onto EQG, this is that exact same siren. Think like how Princess Twilight went into the portal (Except he has no living counterpart).
This is the counterpart of that zombie, not the exact same as the siren tho.

So, little headcanon things here, siren magic/singing, the only ones immune to it are sirens themselves, and, the blue guy. Why? Well, plot reasons, if he isn't immune to it, the entire story would not need to exist as he'd just be easily seduced and there, story over. For in-universe reasons, easy excuse, he's a zombie, undead are immune to that kind of magic. Works out decently.

But, then we go back to the EQG version of him, who is not a zombie, and beyond being a huge jerk, he is a normal person, but, he's still immune to siren magic, for the same plot related reasons. My first thought was, I could make it apply to like just his family or something, but nope, I wanted his brother to be affected by siren magic, just not him. And I certainly don't want some stupid thing like "oh he channels his pony self's immunity/he's got siren blood in him" as that's just dumb and too over the top for what I'm doing. I don't mind the solution being stupid but not like chosen one bullshit. He is supposed to be average and unimportant in the world he lives in, but his role in the story is important and so he needs to stay immune to that stuff.

But what reason could I possibly come up with that makes sense? He just really really REALLY hates it and so it doesn't affect him? That's too general tho and could apply to theoretically anyone.

It doesn't actually matter if I can't think up a reason, but I'm at such a loss thinking of one, and I thought that maybe someone who isn't me and isn't overthinking from knowing way too much might be able to think of a simple solution.

Lol….maybe he is deaf?

Like just bullshit it a bit so that he can only hear via a hearing aid. So he can pull the aid out during a siren attack.

@Background Pony #0E5E
@Background Pony #0E5E
¯\(ツ)/¯

@Background Pony #0E5E
I like the hearing aid idea.

@mjangelvortex
I don't, but I don't have any reason for not liking it beyond "i don't like it".

@LightningBolt

I thought that maybe someone who isn't me and isn't overthinking from knowing way too much might be able to think of a simple solution.

Well I don't know if it's a simple solution, and you might dislike it more than the deafness bit, but… would you be adverse to giving him a personality disorder? I mean, you don't have to use an actual real life one, necessarily, but something similar to a schizoid personality disorder might be just the ticket to explain why he isn't affected. I mean, one thing you can say about music is that it often speaks to us on an emotional level, right? So a disorder characterized by emotional coldness, detachment, isolation, apathy, and difficulties forming bonds or attachments to others might be the perfect set of issues to render any power the music might have entirely ineffectual.

Plus if you go that way, it also sets the stage to poke a little fun at your own lore. Just imagine his less tactful classmates talking about him being "dead inside".

@Background Pony #26AE
He already has ADHD, and a buttload of other physiological conditions that affect his brain. It wouldn't be insane to use something like that as it would just be yet another "oh i'm broken" type thing. Like some weird mental thing that affects his ability to perceive magic. Being that his pony counterpart is a earth pony and his only capable power is sheer raw physical strength. Plus he finds siren singing to be annoying, he much prefers loud angry screaming music instead. Maybe preferences for music can extend past just "i like/dislike this" and mean something else. And his brother doesn't have those issues, nor does he have such a specific musical taste.

Edit: And no I'm not saying that earth ponies are devoid of magic, but his pony self is only undead and not just dead due to passive magic inside him, but otherwise, he's just strong. neither versions of him are very big on tangible magic.

I got a AU of my own

Images related to it here — the descriptions also contain some information about it

@LightningBolt
Him having a psychological condition where he just doesn't get or understand music seems like a good option for this.

@Mildgyth
I love the amount of word building you put into this.

@mjangelvortex
It's not something he'd think about/understand beyond "my brain is fucked" even if it was explained, nor would he care. So, I think that would work. It also means he can listen to a siren song and just hear it for what it is without being put under a spell.

@LightningBolt
Yeah. It feels like it could fit. That way he can still hear but he will be immune to siren songs.

@mjangelvortex

Thanks.

@mjangelvortex
Works out well, I like it.

@LightningBolt
That's good. Need help with anything else?

@mjangelvortex
Yes, but, I'll have to write a mini novel about the next point I need help with. P:

So I'll have to figure out how to describe it as simply as possible.

@LightningBolt

@Background Pony #26AE
Edit: And no I'm not saying that earth ponies are devoid of magic, but his pony self is only undead and not just dead due to passive magic inside him, but otherwise, he's just strong. neither versions of him are very big on tangible magic.

No, I get that. In fact we've discussed earth pony magic before, in the Culture, Biology, and Dietary Headcanons thread. Not sure if you'd remember, I was the one advocating it as being love magic, with said magic being a vital part of biological life (thus why earth ponies were so good at growing), before we ended up discussing the notion that Princess Cadance is Equestria's greatest necromancer.

Which is the long, roundabout way of saying I'm completely on board with passive earth pony magic.

And that I like coming up with hypotheses on things. Finding ways to make things make sense is great fun.


@LightningBolt

@mjangelvortex
Yes, but, I'll have to write a mini novel about the next point I need help with. P:

So I'll have to figure out how to describe it as simply as possible.

Waits patiently…

@Background Pony #26AE
Yeah I totally remember that post in the thread. I'm often musing ideas and concepts in there that I use in writing in some way.

Relatedly, but not my 'big' question, but how is pegasus magic/powers depicted generally in EQG? Speed? It just feels too different to me and I can't comprehend it being all that useful in most cases.

@LightningBolt

@Background Pony #26AE
Relatedly, but not my 'big' question, but how is pegasus magic/powers depicted generally in EQG? Speed? It just feels too different to me and I can't comprehend it being all that useful in most cases.

Well I think it's safe to say we can leave out "weather control" and "flight" from the list, since none of the human pegasi equivalents can really do either of those things (aside from the mane 6 alternates, of course, and even then only when they tap into their special main-character-only magic abilities). My inclination has always been to assume enhanced physical abilities outside of strength (since again, that's an earth pony thing), like Rainbow's super speed ability. But enhanced agility, or exceptional balance, or fast reflexes, or maybe even something that combines those like gymnastics skills or dancing prowess, all seem like other perfectly viable possibilities for pegasus magic in the human world, should you want to go that route.

I'm also partial to the idea of them being into the "extreme" sports stuff too. It's far too easy to picture Lightning Dust and the rest of the Washouts doing skateboard stunts, or channeling 1986's RAD and being all about BMX bike racing, or something on that order.

@Background Pony #26AE
Problem is, the one I wanna focus on, while he is a skilled flier as a pony, his EQG counterpart, well he's not sporty, he's clumsy, kinda not-smart, and he's not good at a lot of things. Speed is the only one that I can really see as being viable, but he's supposed to be a music teacher, when is he gonna run around?

@LightningBolt

@Background Pony #26AE
Problem is, the one I wanna focus on, while he is a skilled flier as a pony, his EQG counterpart, well he's not sporty, he's clumsy, kinda not-smart, and he's not good at a lot of things. Speed is the only one that I can really see as being viable, but he's supposed to be a music teacher, when is he gonna run around?

Well, could he be really good at playing music? I imagine something like the classic Flight of the Bumblebee or some varieties of speed metal require a fair amount of finger dexterity. And granted, it's a bit of a stretch going from flying to music skill, but at least it seems potentially arguable.

Unless of course you want to make his music so emotionally fulfilling it makes the listener feel like they're flying. It's still a bit far from actual pegasus stuff, sure, but probably not outside the realm of possibility for the world in question. After all, music seems to be one of the things that triggers actual magic in the series anyway, so you could probably make a halfway decent case for it.

@Background Pony #26AE
Well it's like the only thing he's good at, so maybe. Tho his pony counterpart is also really good at it, arguably better. I wanted to avoid anyone that isn't able to use magic naturally or with a magical artefact (jewellery) to be able to pony up tho, so he can't do that without outside help.