Alternate take on Season 5 premiere:

What if the Mane Six followed Starlight into the cave? What if they caught her instead of letting her get away? What if there was also a human living back in Ponyville who had trouble making friends?

This story is an "adopted" story of my friend TheHardie-Boy's story of "Caught and Punished", and that story was inspired by Slave Starlight written by titanictime2

The prologue and chapters 1-4 are from TheHardie-Boy's version, but with some minor edits. Chapter 5 and the chapters afterward are completely written by me. Despite the "Sad" tag, this isn't going to be a downer story and it will have a number of light-hearted moments. There will still be some sad moments, of course.

Special thanks to TheHardie-Boy for giving suggestions to the story and proofreading the prologue, chapters 1, 2, 8, 11, 12, and 32, and flutterJackdash for editing chapters 3 and 5.

You wake up in a land where magic is real and sapient ponies have built a civilisation. Being from a different universe, you have no understanding of their language or laws, but you're happy to have found yourself in the friendliest town there is. Good luck building a new life as their favourite... monkey thing.

Affection therapy: a new and innovative practice in Equestria wherein the patient/subject is calmed and relaxed through simple displays of platonic affection, such as ear scratches, nose boops, and belly rubs. It's surprisingly effective, and leaves the pony happy and content. The strangest thing, however, is that you, a simple human living in Ponyville, 'invented' this practice completely by accident.

*I wrote this a long time ago, before Every Little Thing She Does aired. The first chapter takes place between No Second Prances and that episode, and I decided to touch it up and release it now as an early Christmas gift to you guys, as a simple piece of cute, platonic fluff. More to come, too, when I find the time and inspiration.

Cover art by ElementOfFaith

Metal ponies tell their stories,
Scientists in laboratories,
Lay the wire, mount the brain,
Mount their hips, teach them pain.
Teach them fear of revolution,
Internalize the evolution.
Set their ruin on the throne,
Until their chains become their own.
Palaces and hollow eyes,
To the Masters goes the prize.
And if this act should be maligned:
"For the good of ponykind."

Winner of the September Writeoff Contest, "True Colors." Edited by Horizon.

One day a man wakes up in a pony's bed. For the next several days the two of them try to discover why such a thing happened.

They don't do a very good job of figuring anything out but they do cuddle a lot.

This story is a sequel to Romantic Meetings

Jake Taylor had been living in Equestria for four years with ponies and other creatures...but mostly ponies. Either way, there were no humans. But Jake couldn’t care less. He had two of the most beautiful, most amazing marefriends anyone could ever ask for: Twilight Sparkle and Starlight Glimmer. He doesn’t need humans to be happy.

But one day while in the library, when Jake meets an admittedly attractive unicorn named Sunset Shimmer, who claims to be from another world full of humans, Jake starts to have second thoughts.

So, obviously, this is that story I was thinking of. Unlike Romantic Mischief, this will be exclusive for me and Peni Parker to work on.

Speaking of which, huge shout-out to Peni Parker for inspiring this story with one of your chapters. I’m obviously starting with the same two chapters from Romantic Mischief, but I won’t take those down in case you guys just want a laugh

Former Princess Celestia of Equestria leaves an encouraging and comforting note for you.

Wake up in bed cuddling with a pony princess once, shame on the pony princess.

Wake up in bed cuddling with a pony princess twice, shame on...well, still shame on the pony princess.

Twilight is desperate to figure out her sleepwalking/sleepcuddling problem, and you want to help her in any way that you can. A sweet and funny little Slice of Life story.

Cover vector from Light Blade on derpibooru.

EDIT: Featured 10/15/19!

This story is a sequel to Scholarly Snuggles

After Twilight snuggles you (on Princess Celestia's orders) to learn about how the magic of cuddling relates to the magic of friendship, Twilight decides that her other friends should learn the same lesson- and sends you to Rainbow Dash first. Adorable cuddling and some surprising truths about Rainbow Dash (eventually) follow.

A sequel to "Scholarly Snuggles" and "Seraphic Snuggles", and the third story in the "Snuggles" series.

You have befriended Tempest Shadow, a former arch-nemesis of Equestria; you like to spend time with her in the local park, despite her not being a big talker. Maybe she'd join you for your afternoon nap, if you asked nicely?

Based on a basic scenario by Enigmatic Otaku on a brief Blog Post Contest I held a few weeks back, and published with permission.

EDIT: Featured just a few hours after posting, early morning 10/23/18!