Twilight Sparkle never seemed to notice Lyra Heartstrings. She didn't even remember Lyra's name.

They were friends back in Canterlot and even went to school together. Yet Twilight didn't notice that Lyra just happened to move to Ponyville the same day she did. She didn't even notice when Lyra appeared at her welcoming party. Nor did she ever seem to spot her old classmate passing by in the background on any other day during her stay in Ponyville. Some days she could look right at Lyra and never realize that they knew each other.

Lyra isn't a very noticeable pony. She has put a lot of effort into that.

Set in late season 5, after Amending Fences.
Note: Lots of spoilers in the comments.

Maud did not love Rainbow Dash.

Maud did not understand love.

Maud understood war. Maud understood battle. Maud understood loss.

Those are the things Maud understood.

[Maud/RD - Season 5 finale AU]

XCOM Record: Operation: Rising Star
11:52 am, 18th Febuary, 2016
Northwestern Territories, Canada.

Summary: Witness reports contact with extra-terrestrial creature. X-ray is unconcious and unresponsive. X-ray does not match description of previously observed species.

Response: Strike-One dispatched on high alert, orders are to recover X-ray alive. Alien Containment prepared for the new arrival.

***

The war ended. They were beaten back, their mothership destroyed, their command structure in ruins. Lost ships and soldiers continued in vain, but thanks to XCOM, humanity won, and the world was saved. The Volunteer saw to that - everything changed because of one man.

And then suddenly, everything changed again. Only this time, it's not a man's doing - it's a mare's.

Proofreading by the aweome Setokaiva, entirely without me asking!
Tagged Dark and rated Teen: Gore, because there is going to be some blood shed by the end of this.

Lists are a simple way to keep yourself productive. If the list is detailed enough, you don't have to even think. The movements become mechanical. Automatic. Which might just be exactly what she needs right now.

Featured by Equestria Daily on 05/27/2016
Chinese Translation
Spanish Translation by Spaniard Kiwi

This story is contained in my book "Dash Tries to Win Your Heart and Other Short Pony Stories"

If you have interest in purchasing this non-profit book, check out my online store at this link: https://www.lulu.com/search?adult_audience_rating=00&q=flutterpriest

The story of "Twilight's Kingdom" from Discord's point of view. Written as a prequel to "No Escape From Yourself."

Cover art from PonyChaos13's "7th Element Project", which predated "Twilight's Kingdom" but was shockingly prescient.

A year goes by and nothing changes: Octavia comes home late with tears and her family home is still in jeopardy, but Vinyl is used to it. They both are. The night ends no less calmly than any other Sunday too.
Then with the next morning comes calamity. There are few frustrations as painful as to be helpless against a loved one's suffering, and with the new day Vinyl comes to terms with the reality of how futile all that pain really was.
________________

Includes Semi-Mute Vinyl and other random minor headcanons, because fluffy pony ears.

Special thanks to FimFiction user AdmiralPopeye for collaborative proofreading and editing.

Let me give this to you straight. I'm a doctor. My title says 'Nurse', but I'm a doctor. I deal with sick and injured ponies daily, and give both treatment and advice to them with trust and confidence. That includes a certain six friends and their own medical needs.

If the rest of Equestria actually knew that disaster was one missed pill away, I don't think 'riots in the streets' would be sufficient to cover it. But I'm bound by Doctor/Patient Confidentiality, so I guess I'm the thin red line between civilization, and eternal enslavement by some horror from beyond.

That eternal enslavement thing sounds better every day, mind you.

*Cover image original artwork credited to mysticalpha

Supreme Overlord of the Dominion of Equestria.
Wonderful title isn't it?
Capture the Country, Marry the Princess, Take over the world.
Sounds like an Adventure story doesn't it?
Well this is no story.
How do I know? Well I'm not stupid for one.
All those other dolts that came before fell into too many simple traps.
They're all so easy to avoid.
That's why I work to rule.
The rules.
The Rules of an Evil Overlord.

Ponyville's new 'code enforcement professional' has got it into her thick, monotonous head that Fluttershy has too great a density of pet animals, and she's set out to rectify that situation.

Twilight, though, has a problem with this, and she'll have to use her full authority as an alicorn princess to put a stop to it.

Audio reading by Crafty Arts | Dramatic reading by DRWolf

Other stories based on this story:
Six to Eight Weeks Unnecessary
Five to Seven Weeks Detention

This story is a sequel to Rhythm and Harmony: The Octascratch Prompt Collab

These are various short stories by various authors pertaining to the love between Octavia and Vinyl Scratch.
The thread for prompts may be found here.

The original publisher has vanished without a trace, so we have decided to keep this collab going by having me taking their place. This will update at intervals~