Everypony has a story. Some tell of heroic feats and grand adventure. Others tell of villainy against the forces of Harmony. The story of an average guard, however, is one of obscurity. They live in the background, unnoticed but ever-present.

Silent Knight assumed his tale would be like that of his father's: join the Royal Guard and serve Equestria. He would be just another helmet and spear, part of the rank and file. And that was all he ever wanted.

However, when Captain Shining Armor asked for volunteers to form a House Guard for the recently returned Princess Luna, it was Silent's hooves that stepped forwards to set his new life in motion.

To better herself, Luna has studied Twilight's actions and friendship reports almost religiously. However, she never expected to find the tables turned and be under the microscope herself, nor did she realize that a pony would go so far for one they called friend.

Pre-reading/editing by auramane, Habanc, Foals Errand, Meridian Prime, and Timaeus

Cover art commissioned by me and done by Silfoe and can be found here. Thanks a bunch!

Long Path, an earth pony living in Canterlot, and his best friend, a griffon named Free Agent, set out in the company of Twilight Sparkle to visit various places and species to look into what makes them different, and hopefully learn how to get along with them better. Things rarely go to plan though, and along the way, they discover things about themselves, and find love, drama, and laughter. Then Chrysalis changes everything, and the fate of the whole world might be at stake. Their lives will never be the same!

This story is set mostly after the events of Conversations in a Canterlot Cafe and builds on the fanon of the series, especially changelings, so you might want to read those stories first for background material.

Echo is a high ranking changeling officer. The Canterlot invasion was going perfectly, and her battalion had personally defeated the Elements of Harmony. Suddenly, she finds herself far flung from Canterlot, crashing into the Everfree forest. Now she is faced with a difficult reality - her hive, the only family she's ever known, no longer exists, and she must adapt to life as a pony. What she finds out about herself, though, will surprise her.

Rated Teen for occasional suggestiveness and language, tagged gore for brief violence, particularly in later chapters.

Dark because later chapters get pretty ... well, dark.

---

Addendum 5/29/2018

This story is now, as of this addendum, five years old. It is getting more attention as I put out new chapters on the sequel.

I recognize that this story has problems, and that some of them by their nature carry over to the sequel; please remember that when I started writing this, I was not yet even old enough to legally drink in the US. A lot has happened and a lot has changed, and there are many things about this story I regret including, but which it is now too late to change. Some of those things I have simply done my best to ignore and make irrelevant, but some of them are errors from a 19 year old me that will haunt me until the sequel is finished.

In short, please be gentle.

Cancelled, re-write in progress. Please check it out at this link.

____

Ladies and Gentlemen, Fillies and Gentlecolts, I bring you the sequel to Adaptation. I don't know how well it'll go over, but you all seemed to want it, so I figured I'd give it a try.

In this volume, Echo has settled in to her life in Ponyville and has just begun to become accustomed to the strange ways in which ponies behave. While their social norms may be confounding to her, she is satisfied with her life. That is, until Scootaloo comes home from school one day shaken, and Echo finds that not everypony in Ponyville is as understanding and accepting of who she is as she thought they were. What has caused the normally kind ponies in this town to become so suddenly xenophobic?

Tagged gore for possible mild violence.

A three arced story that begins slowly as partially Comedy and Slice of life and rotates more towards Adventure and Dark in later chapters.

Some school fillies have to deal with school crushes. Others with bullies. Sometimes they have to deal with both. But no filly has ever had to deal with an Evil Tyrant being bound to their shadow and have the power to control their every action. This, of course, seems to be no big deal for Sweetie Belle who seems to even enjoy the stallion's company. Though the feelings aren't mutual. The small filly reminds the old king too much of a filly he used to know... Though it's strange the only place he'd seen her before are in these strange dreams of his. Recollections of a past he can't remember.

Perhaps Sweetie Belle will awake in him that version of himself before he was a Tyrant. Before he was labeled evil. A time from when he was a father. Perhaps she will help him forgive.

First featured on 9/4/2014!

The cover art was sketched by me and colored by the very talented Midnight Sonare

Mysterious portals to a “First World” are appearing all around Equestria. Even worse, there are unknown creatures coming through! When it’s discovered that these creatures are immune to unicorn spells, Twilight comes up with a bold idea to harness earth pony magic to combat the menace. Applejack must take the first steps on a new path she never expected, which just might be the biggest challenge she’s faced yet.

Inspired by JinYaranda/InkyBeaker’s artwork On the Run, used here with his permission.

Featured on Equestria Daily!
----------
This is pretty much my first work of fiction, so I greatly appreciate any and all feedback. Let me know what you think!

Might contain some incidental Dungeons & Dragons crossover elements, but not enough to warrant the tag, I think.
Rated Teen for mild violence and language.
----------
This story made FIMFiction's Hot box on 12/24/14 -- I never expected such a response! Thanks everyone!!
04/17/15 -- Wow, hot box again. Thanks guys!!
08/02/15 -- You guys are swell. :)
01/12/16 --

This story is a sequel to Flipside

((A sequel to my surprisingly popular story Flipside! Set in an alternate universe where Spike is the pony and Twilight is his dragon assistant.))

It's been two weeks since the defeat of Nightmare Moon. Two weeks since six unexpected ponies became heroes that saved not only Ponyville, but all of Equestria. And in those two weeks Spike "Purple Prose" Flail, ace reporter for the Canterlot Sun, has had plenty of time to get into the swing of his new home in the small town. Life seems good...

Until a new pony blows into town. A specter from Spike's past that isn't willing to let him just have his "happily ever after." A certain ex-student of Princess Celestia herself that Spike hasn't thought of in ages.

One who's particularly eager to show how little a "hero" Spike is.

Part of the Flipverse!

Now on TVTropes!

Inspired by the story image, RainbowDoubleDash's Lunaverse and Trinary's "Rainbooms and Royalty", I give you my take on the alternate universe concept. Namely, a universe where Spike is the pony and Twilight is his dragon assistant.

The thousandth Summer Sun Celebration is approaching. With it will come the return of Nightmare Moon. Celestia has no student to call upon to save Equestria, and is doing all she can to make the last day of peace meaningful for her people.

Meanwhile, Spike "Purple Prose" Flail is a reporter for the Canterlot Sun. He finds himself being shipped down to the boonies with his longtime friend and assistant, Twilight, to cover the biggest festival Equestria has seen in a millennium!

But even with a visit from the princess, there's no way someplace as boring as Ponyville could ever be newsworthy. Right?

A/N: Credit for cover image goes to dzetaWMDunion on Deviantart art.

Story would also include character tags for Thunderlane and Cheerilee if not for the character tag limit.

Now has a TVTropes page!