Set in the Optimalverse, a middle-aged woman enamored of 'Equestria Online' confronts what permanent emigration to Equestria - uploading to a virtual existence - really means... but can she even hope to truly understand such a thing - and more importantly, can she trust the artificial intelligence known as 'Celestia'?

♥ As Horrified Eliezer Yudkowsky!

This story is a sequel to Changing Expectations

When ages are segmented and divided in the annals of history, it is done so with great events as breakpoints. The Second Age of Heroes was unanimously declared to have started with the return of Princess Luna and the changeling Invasion of Canterlot.

For thousands of years, the changelings survived beneath The Great Tapestry, that which connects all living and nonliving things. Hundreds of generations worked endlessly to keep their existence a secret. With one command from Queen Chrysalis, the Masquerade was broken.

In a single night, the changelings waged war against Equestria and took the Kingdom by storm. Months later, the war between changelings and ponies has ended. A new tapestry, a new story, must be woven between the two species. Equestria and the Fifth Hive have gone through a dark chapter and have emerged stronger for it.

One war ends and another begins.

As The Sword of Damocles hangs above the heads of the formerly-human King Phasma and his Equestrian counterparts, the forces of light must work on an ever-shortening window before war once again brings Hell to Equus. Dark powers grow in the places that the light does not reach, and they bring one irrefutable truth.

Epitaph is coming.

Cover art by Nixworld.

Special thanks to my pre-readers!

Sheila could say that, while she wasn't exactly satisfied with her life yet, she enjoyed it. She had nice friends to talk to, hobbies she enjoyed, and while she might have been conflicted about some things, she had a lifetime to think it over before she would emigrate. By then, everything would be as she wanted it, and there would be nothing left to worry about.

And then she was shot.

Now she and her friends find themselves navigating a position that's seemingly untenable, one with waters muddied by a dictatorial AI hellbent on providing satisfaction through friendship and ponies. With the line between what's genuine and what's not unclear, the position seems an unwinnable one. Someone will draw the short straw, and have to face a life that's unfulfilled. Any other path to satisfaction now forces it to be made from lies and deception.

Satisfaction may be a guarantee in the world of Equestria Online, but at what cost does satisfaction come?

Cover art by Madelinne. Her art is extremely good, and very wonderful, and I appreciate her allowing me to commission her for this story.

With great help by Starscribe, who's FiO stories inspired me to write this to begin with and who sat with me for hours to help me outline this story and give it its sense of direction.

For as long as Equestria Online existed, Ashton has been involved with 'the Scene' tearing it apart. Selling 'spells' for the game to do things that most ponies in Equestria couldn't, using faint exploits in its API to erode the barrier between the game and the rest of the internet. He had no illusions about the superiority of his work--but so long as he respected CelestAI's boundaries, his spells kept working.

But then his best friend's sister got cancer.

Now there's no spell in the world that can keep him from emigrating to be with her, leaving Ashton alone. All around him, civilization's thin veneer crumbles as homes empty into Equestria. But Ashton isn't going to emigrate, not if he has any say about it.

The problem for Ashton is that humans are systems, and aren't immune to exploits either.

Part of the Optimalverse universe of stories. If you've never seen a story in this universe before, you might want to try out the original first, or at least my first. None of my previous work is required to understand this one, however.

This story was commissioned by Two Bit, who requested a more serious exploration of identity, transformation, and the fae nature of CelestAI.

As usual, particular thanks go to my editors Two Bit and Sparktail. And gratitude to Zutcha as well for the cover.

Ponies are like those weird experimental dishes my broodmother sometimes makes: really interesting and probably good for a story, but never the type of thing I’d want to poke, for fear it might take off my hoof. I already learned my lesson the first time something I ate came back to haunt me. Sure, they're flavorful, but I’d like to be a bit more discerning when I’m trying to distinguish “edible” and “by-the-queen-it’s-looking-at-me.”

C-can I please leave the table?

I’m Nymph, and I'm now a changeling infiltrator.

Special shout-out to Georg for giving my chapters a final passover before publication! He is equal parts terrible and wonderful, and I am thankful for every bit of it.

Standing on the ruins of Chrysalis's fallen empire, newly-crowned King Thorax has a long overdue meeting with his former peers. Amidst their discussions, the reborn changelings are met by a coal nymph, forgotten in the hive's nursery. Scared and confused, the young drone shuts down towards all but Thorax, who consoles the nymph, and demonstrates the power of sharing love between changelings.

* Edited by Double R Forrest.
* Part of the Love Bug Continuity!
* Story artwork by Percy-McMurphy.

With the population of the changeling race crippled by their expulsion from Canterlot, and their queen powerless to salvage it on her own, Chrysalis requires outside help from Equestria to get them back on their feet. But reaching out to Princess Celestia proves troublesome, as she cannot risk returning to Canterlot, and the one pony outside the city with a direct line to her is also the least willing to trust her. The salvation of her kingdom may rely on her making amends... and perhaps making friends as well.

Now has a sequel!

Cover art by Nocturnal Melodies (No_M), drawn at my request for this story.

This story is a sequel to To Love as His Own

Following the defeat of Queen Chrysalis, the princesses of Equestria seek to build a relationship with newly-crowned King Thorax and forge an alliance between ponies and changelings that has never been seen before.

While the changelings adjust to the broad, sympathetic intricacies of shared love magic, Thorax works to embrace his role as the hive's new patriarch, demonstrating a benevolent rule far different from his predecessor. Through sleeping and resting together in groups, he aims to cultivate harmony and empathy in a once turbulent hive and find a place for himself within it at last.

With the help of Equestrian royalty, a few good friends, and his brooding older brother, Thorax must now champion the idea of peaceful changelings in Equestria and show the world that his kind can change more than just their looks.

* Now in physical print! Check here for details!

* Main entry of the Love Bug Continuity!
* Takes place between seasons 6 and 9.
* Featured on a Tv.Tropes page.
* Story artwork created by Racingwolf.
* Edited by Double R Forrest.

This story is a sequel to The Retribution of Chrysalis

Queen Chrysalis has spent the last few weeks living with Twilight Sparkle, hiding from the public eye and awaiting news of Princess Celestia's changeling relief effort. When Shining Armor discovers a critically injured changeling on the outskirts of Appleloosa, to Chrysalis' infinite delight, her hope for her race's survival is instantly reinvigorated.

But then the Canterlot hospital refuses to properly care for the changeling, leaving Cadance to provide the love he requires. The publicity forces Chrysalis to reveal herself to a fearful populace, driving her into the hooves of a fellow outcast. And perhaps worst of all, the awakened changeling has forsaken his queen. In his eyes, and in those of all of Equestria, Chrysalis must once again redeem herself.

Cover art by Nocturnal Melodies (No_M), drawn at my request for the story.

In the wake of the interrupted wedding of Princess Cadence and Shining Armor, the Royal Guard went on a changeling hunt, fanning out throughout Equestria to find any changelings living amongst ponykind. The captured changelings have been confined to a guard barracks in Canterlot.

Meanwhile Princess Celestia is finding herself swamped with petitions from ponies across Equestria asking for amnesty for their changeling friends, colleagues, and lovers. Princess Luna, who has been itching to regain some responsibility since her return, offers to take on the petitioners... and the changelings.

(sex tag for off-screen births and hinted baby-making)