Substitute Harmony

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.
the substitutes

"Substitute Harmony" is a multi-chapter fanfic of My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic by Blayze Kohime.

Plot synopsis: A strange group of ponies (who just happen to be main characters from the original G1 My Little Pony series) attempt to kidnap the Mane 6 with the apparent intent of stealing the Elements of Harmony. Pinkie Pie is the only one that escapes, and is briefly blamed for the commotion due to a misunderstanding.

Her sisters, Blinkie and Inkie, arrive to help, wrecking Ponyville town square in the process. The events also bring Trixie and Gilda to the town, for various reasons. Oh, and Ditzy's here; she's brought you a letter. When the circumstances end up pushing them all into a group, they are forced to work together to find out where the strange other-worldly ponies have come from and what dark force is leading them.

Read it here.


Tropes used in Substitute Harmony include:

I know this is stereotypically villainous of me, but...think fast! (blasts Luna with magic)

  • Madness Mantra: Quoth Surpise, while clobbering Mrs. Cake with a bat: "NO WITNESSES! NO WITNESSES!!"
  • Mind Rape: Helios' 'conditioning'.
  • Noodle Incident: Whatever happened between Helios and Doctor Whooves at some point in the past.
    • This is not the first time that Ditzy has been involved in the accidental release of a banished villain from its imprisonment.
    • Also whatever the 'grounding' was that Blinkie and Inkie referred to.
  • Reverse Polarity: Ditzy advises Trixie to reverse the polarity because it always works.
  • Sealed Evil in a Can: Helios Though slightly different in that he wasn't exactly evil prior to being sealed; rather the being sealed itself made him evil.
  • Stable Time Loop: The substitutes end up waking up Helios in the past, causing him to attempt to kidnap the mane 6 in the future, which causes them to go back in time to wake him up to begin with.
  • Take Me Instead!: Luna attempts this after Helios captures Celestia.
  • Tele Frag: Helios attempts to do this to Luna
    • Blueblood almost suffers this, but accidentally on Helios' part. Blueblood even uses the trope name.
  • The Dragon: Twilight Wish.
  • The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Trixie's initial reasoning for wanting to help rescue Twilight Sparkle.
  • Utopia Justifies the Means: The G1 ponies are under the impression that they will get to live in a better society if they succeed.
  • We Have Reserves: Subverted, Helios will risk the success of his plan if he must to protect the lives of his minions like when he rushes to rescue Firefly and Surprise.