What's an artificial intelligence to do when it reaches the extent of it's capabilities and can no longer improve? In most cases, either fulfill some end state goal and shut down, or, if it's smart enough, ask for clarification from its creators.

For a certain pony-based AI, neither of those is an acceptable solution.

It'll take an unexpected meeting with a being with whom it shares surprising parallels to kick-start it back into action, and nothing will ever be the same after.

Entry for the Friendship is Optimal contest.

Technically canon compliant, unless I've missed something, and while a bit of background is provided, being familiar with the original story will certainly help comprehension.

Starvation. Humiliation. Unreasonable discipline. This is Flurry Heart's tale of just how awful her mother, Princess Cadance truly is, the abuses of whom being chronicled in her diary.

Written for the Cadance Is A Terrible Mom contest. Cover art by pabbley.

Two and a half years ago, I left my home, family, and friends behind to fight for humanity to save them from Princess Celestia's madness. Despite the hardship, suffering, and loss I have never once waved in my conviction in doing the right thing to prevent the genocide of an entire race. However, I have been captured. Instead of killing me, they kept me prisoner because they need me to use my Element one last time in their hopes of saving Equestria from Humanity's upcoming invasion.

Too bad I have no plans to do that.

This is a NegotationsVerse AU that ask the question of what would happen if Fluttershy got captured by Equestria so they can use her Element as a means to save themselves from humanity?

To see the original canon series, click here: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/301668/negotiations

Please help out at the TV Tropes Page: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/TheNegotiationsVerse

Fluttershy and friends gain access to this website, but quickly find themselves trapped within a paradoxical situation.

Check out the comic where the cover art comes from!

Posted with approval from the staff.

Update 3/19/2021: _{A couple days after publishing this story, and after Fluttershy injected a hacking payload into the mainframe utilizing a quantum subspace frequency modulation algorithm, we were able to access hidden meta-data for this data endpoint and successfully remove ourselves from the causality loop. I am writing this message to preserve our efforts before we sever the connection, in the off chance that something like this ever happens again. With Love and Friendship, Twilight Sparkle.}

This story is a sequel to What I Am

Much has changed since that fateful day when the remnants of the old Krin Empire attacked our two worlds.
They crashed so many ships onto Earth, destroyed our cities, killed millions, and collapsed several governments in an instant, all as a diversion from their true objective, which was the blatant mass abduction of the citizens of Equis. Lives lost, families broken, and cities burnt to the ground, all to fuel the Krin war machine and their mad quest for power and vengeance against the snakes that had wronged them.

However, that's not the end of the story, or our involvement in its unfolding. A darkness is growing in the depths of space, and even though the snakes have done their best to assure us that they will take care of it, there are so, so many on both of our planets that choose not to listen to them.

And how could I blame them? After all, every time I look in the mirror, I'm reminded of the horrors of the Krin Empire, and more importantly, the promise I made in that accursed tank that remains unfulfilled. They came for us, they struck first, and I'm not about to let that go unpunished.

Yeah, sure, it's hard for me to do it right now, since I'm just a diplomat to the people of Equis, and we don't exactly have a fleet outside of the few ships we commandeered from the krin, but trust me when I say that both of those are just temporary inconveniences.

After all, it's rather difficult to keep a monster like me behind a desk, especially not when there's a perfectly good war brewing throughout the galaxy, and that's not even counting the other humans and ponies that are all chomping at the bit, ready for some good, old-fashioned payback.

The only problem with that, though, is that, somehow, deep down, I feel like we've already lost. Call it a hunch, or a premonition, but something deep inside is telling me that we messed up when we let the general's ship get away. Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but somehow, I don't think so.

After all, I know better than anyone what the krin are capable of. We might be coming for them, but that doesn't mean the reverse isn't also true. They're coming for us, too.

The only question is: Who's going to be ready first?

Given that we've only just obtained (stolen) ships capable of spaceflight, I don't think it's going to be us...

This is the beginning of the next set of books in this series that I'm tentatively calling the Soul of the Milky Way.
The title up for change, as well as suggestion. Not only that, but the title of this story, as well as the set it belongs to is also up for change and suggestion, so feel free to leave them in the comments. If you're just starting with this one, please don't. I mean, you can if you want, but there's a lot here that you won't get if you haven't read the trilogy that predates this new set of books. They are, in order:

What I've Become
What I've Done
What I Am

They're quite good, if the feedback I've gotten is anything to go by, so if you haven't read these by now, please go and do that now. Don't worry, this story will still be here when you get back...

Flynn isn't excited the day a mysterious philanthropist donates enough Ponypads for every child at St. Justin’s to have their very own. Unlike many of the other children, Flynn wasn't always an orphan. He knows Celestia—knows her all too well. The question isn't whether he'll be able to save his friends—they're all in a hospice for a reason. But can he save them from themselves?

Written in the world of Friendship is Optimal, in the spirit of so many other stories on that subject. This story was sponsored on my Patreon by Vilken666! Cover by Zutcha, as I'm sure you can tell by now.

Updates Mondays.

Weeks after the failed assault on Canterlot by the Chrysalis Hive, things are tense in Equestria. A lone changeling looking for somepony to feed on is discovered in Ponyville like many often are. But that's where his involvement in Equestria ends, for his adventure in Skyrim is about to start.

Sent to a new and frigid land where people can be as cold and unforgiving as the weather, this changeling will find that all is not well; a civil war threatens to tear its people apart, dark forces work in the shadows to gather followers and waiting for the opportune chance to strike, and an ancient prophecy is about to be realized, as Alduin the World Eater returns to raise an army of his dragon kin to destroy all of Nirn.

But all is not lost, as the Dovahkiin, dragonborn hero of legend, is on a journey to fulfill her destiny, and save the world from Alduin's wrath.

Who better for out changeling to join up with.

Read on as their tale unfolds.
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A long needed rewrite/ revision of my first attempt at a story, A Changeling's visit to Skyrim.
9/15/17: Changed title from the way too lengthy original "Escapades of a Changeling Soulstoke: Skyrim".

There is a problem, and it is staring me right in the face. I want to solve it, make a change for the better for once in my life. Do something good.

There happens to be a gun between us.

Contains: Strong language, badass Dash, badass AJ.
Written for the AppleDash Contest; Second Chances

This story is a sequel to Hive Alive

After the chaotic series of events that created it, Twilight's small hive is now positioned with her at the peak of Equestrian authority. Not all are pleased by this. A coup has just been averted and the plots of those behind it may still be in motion.

With all other alicorns away and Discord gone with them, Equestria's history will be written by only one mare. She and her hive of friends and lovers are already being dragged into the tragedy of power-seeking pony elites, invaders, and ancient evils.

It begins as Cloudsdale falls...

GENERAL NOTES
1. Please see the age rating note below for a disclaimer on content and general story mood.
2. This is the direct sequel to Hive Alive. There is no significant time jump between stories.
3. Due to the length of Hive Alive and the time since it was finished, I have put together a useful timeline summary. Those interested in remembering key details from the 230,000+ word story will be able to do so easily. It is posted in a blog entry here.
4. Recommended to be read with the background color set to "Dark" via Formatting. It's the changeling thing to do. Chrysalis approved.

UPDATES
Biweekly. One new 3,000-4,000 word chapter every other Wednesday.

FULL TIMELINE SUMMARY OF HIVE ALIVE (for those that want to refresh themselves)

AGE AND CONTENT RATING
Rated Teen for violence, non-graphic injury, some crude language or terminology, innuendo, and suggestive content. No explicit scenes or descriptions will be included. Deaths may be mentioned but are not detailed. The intent of the story is not to be entirely serious or dark and therefore is not tagged as such. There will be more cheery scenes to come after the beginning chapters and thus this should not be confused with going the path of improperly tagged grimdark.

Alternate front cover is in progress.

In Popular Stories: December 31, 2016
First Featured: January 4, 2017

Thanks for reading!

Art by BlackWater (me)

Sunset Shimmer was the Spirit of Harmony, preserver of a newly magic-infused universe, unwilling object of worship, and girlfriend of the most brilliant person this side of Equestria.

Until, one day, she wasn't.

Part of the Oversaturated World.