In the wake of the events of "Infernal Machines" and the Nightmare's most pathetic assault on Ponyville yet, Applejack is thrown into an existential crisis, despite her not knowing what the word "existential" means. So when a stranger named Stranger arrives in town, teaching a new way of coupling talent to power using complex machinery, she is quickly suckered in, along with everypony else. Now, it falls to the Most Dependable of Ponies to bring the resulting ruckus down to earth, but can even Applejack's legendary pragmatism stand up to the brain-fizzing horror that is... CONTRAPTIONOLOGY?

Now with a Spanish translation by Spaniard Kiwi!

(Many thanks to Delta93 for proofreading!)

(Battle scenes at Chapter 16 and Chapter 17, that's where the 'Gore' tag comes in, just in case.)

In retaliation for the attack on Canterlot, Princess Celestia leads a crusade against the Changeling Horde. The Elements of Harmony fight bravely in the campaign, and are rewarded with landed titles in the newly-conquered Duchy of the Outer Lands.

Friendship is magic, but will it prevail against the cold, hard reasons of state?

Tagged as 'Alternate Universe' because of divergence following Season 2's ending. But if possible, I will try not to go too far off track. The story will probably have a more medieval atmosphere than canon.

Rated 'Teen' just in case.

While the story will contain all of the Main Six, interactions between Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Twilight will (if according to plan) drive most of the plot. Thus the tags.

Other characters from MLP:FiM might be mentioned in the story, and they will deviate (a lot) from 'acceptable' canon. List so far: Princess Celestia, Spike, Applebloom, Big Mac, Granny Smith, Angel, Twilight's parents, Cadence, Shining Armor, Rainbow Dash's parents, Discord, Luna, Lightning Dust, Pinkie Pie's parents, Octavia, Pinkie Pie's sister (Inky), Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo.

Inspiration from the strategy game "Crusader Kings II", the novel, "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", and a metric ton of Chinese historical dramas.

After yet another failed attempt at getting their cutie marks, the Cutie Mark Crusaders decide it might be time to change their approach. The arrival of Discord seems to be the perfect opportunity to put their new plan into action. But they quickly learn that even a small favor from Discord can yield some very unexpected results. They'll need all the help they can get to fix this mess.

Sounds like just another day for the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

This story takes place between the events of "Princess Twilight Sparkle" and "Twilight Time".

I extend my sincerest thanks to my editor and proofreader, RaylanKrios, whose advice and patience were invaluable in making this story the best that it could be.

Discord's the only creature in Equestria who can recognize the human for what he is -- not the long-lost Seventh Element that never actually existed and couldn't have existed before the human arrived, but a meta-reality warper, an entity far more powerful than Discord with the power to warp the minds of all around him and the very rules of magic to make sure that he's always the Big Hero. And the role the human's assigned to Discord is the Villain to beat down or kill.

Pre-reform Discord's fine with being the villain. But on his own terms. Not dancing on some alien interloper's puppet strings.

Without friendship, or even allies, Discord's going to have to find a way to defeat a creature who can alter fate itself and who can even mind-control him. Or he may just end up worse than dead.

Art by Tenchi-Outsuno. Progress Bar at my writing journal.

Trigger warnings: Mind control (magically induced love, magically induced friendship, magically induced stupidity, Discord being Discord), noncon/dubcon (magically induced love, other forms of highly dubious consent), rape (female on male), violence/gore (mostly against Discord), literally everything in chapters 19-21, humans not being presented as unilaterally wonderful and superior to ponies and/or draconequui.

Rarity has accomplished everything she’s dreamt of accomplishing, and she couldn’t be happier. At least, that’s what she thinks, until an old friend comes unexpectedly bouncing back into her life. A RariPie story.

Warnings for: Dancin' and drinkin'.

Cover art was drawn by the multi-talented and ever-fabulous Baby Seal Burritos.

Silver Spoon wanted nothing more than a summer spent shopping and hanging out with her best friend. Except when she finds out Diamond Tiara went on vacation for the entire summer, and her dad forces her to run his summer lodge by Swan Lake, Silver Spoon knows this will be the worst summer ever. Especially when she finds out who her first customers are.

What's worse is after a canoeing mishap, Silver Spoon finders herself drawn to a certain crusader.

Can she resist Sweetie Belle's charms?

Edited by: Elric of Melnipony
Proofread by: RaylanKrios

For contodaslasganas who was promised a Spoon fic a long time ago.

Sometimes, a mare just needs to climb a tree and stay there for hours and hours and hours on end. Octavia does not find this amusing, however. On the eve of her big audition for the Royal Canterlot Symphony, she needs her sleep. Unfortunately for her, Vinyl has the keys to their apartment, and she just won't get down from her darned tree.

It's going to be an interesting night... But maybe not for the reasons Octavia suspects.

Silly shipping with a slice of slapdash snugglery.

Rainbow Dash decides to delve into the depths of expression through emphatic embraces with her friends, because hugging is magic. If it just so happens that Applejack seems to be the superior snuggler, well, who is Dash to turn down a challenge?

The actual story contains a lot less obnoxious assonance than the title, but c'mon, doesn't it just roll right off the tongue?

Written for the delightfully dapper DbzOrDie and long, long overdue. Better late than never, right? Uh, right?

A head full of romance is what many Canterlot ponies would call a frivolous waste of time. Everypony was meant to play by the rules of high society: keep your nose in the air, laugh at important ponies' jokes, and attend all of the right parties. Upper Crust and Jet Set had been diligent in raising their daughter Crystal Wishes to be a pony everypony would know, but she wanted more out of life than that. She hoped she would someday meet a handsome prince and fall in love, just like in the stories she wrote.

Crystal knew life wasn't as easy as a foal's tale, but that didn't stop her from dreaming. All of the wishes, hopes, and dreams inside her heart escaped into her precious notebook as she wrote about princesses in power and dashing knights. So long as nopony found out her secret, she could continue to play the part of a dutiful daughter while waiting for her own love story to begin.

Usually, we feel alone when we're by ourselves. But sometimes, the loneliest place is in the middle of a crowd. Spike has to get away, and he needs somepony to talk with him so that he can get through the evening.

Now with a narration by Razor Reviews. You can find it here.