Changelings attack Canterlot! Ponies run in fear! Good wine is spilled!

Who will serve justice in these times of peril?!

It can only be... The Mop Ninja!!

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In honor of "Power Ponies" release tomorrow. I'm so sorry.
Based off of the headcanon established in The Punch Bowl. Knowledge of that story is not required to enjoy this one.

A strange alien finds himself in a paradise greater than the home he left behind.

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Note: Basic knowledge of Metroid is helpful, but not required.
Some liberties taken with the Metroid canon. I think.

About two weeks ago Apple Bloom finally got her cutie mark. She has been having trouble remembering things for the last week and a half.

Could this be coincidence? Or is something else involved here?

[Comments contain spoilers. Beware!]

Everypony speaking like Luna? Twilight Sparkle as the head of the new Grammar Police? After a bet between the Princesses goes south, what do you expect?

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Image by AuroraChiaro

Berry Punch is the proud owner of the Punch Bowl, Ponyville's one and only drinking establishment. Outwardly, things are going very well, but appearences aren't always accurate. And unfortunately for Berry, sometimes things get worse before they get better.

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Cover image drawn by me.

Twilight, being an inquisitive pony, wants to find out what the source of Equestria's happiness is. The answer is not quite so pretty.

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A crossover of Ursula Le Guin's "The Ones who Walk Away from Omelas".

Thought I might as well publish this, feedback is greatly appreciated.

After an odd blue meteor crashes deep within the Everfree Forest, an insidious new substance spreads throughout Ponyville, and then to all of Equestria, corrupting the ponies it ensnares. Ponies everywhere must fight this new threat, but... they must also fight their friends, and even themselves.

Special thanks go to Silent Machina for being awesome and for helping to edit this story.

UPDATES:
29 June- Moderate changes to Firework Flare (chapters 2 through 5); he's now less of a Gary Stu. Also, minor changes in chapter 5 dialogue.
4 June- minor dialogue change in Fluttershy's scene in chapter 8
16 May- IMPORTANT UPDATE: The Griffins' role has been taken over by the Changelings; also, Captain Allbright was replaced with Shining Armor as Captain of the Guard; also, minor dialogue fixes and grammar/spelling fixes
17 March- fixed more grammar issues, modified a little dialogue here and there (nothing major)
26 November- Added chapter number as part of the title, fixed up some grammar issues
23 October- Modified Part 1, Celly/Luna dialogue