The first story in The Journey of Graves.

Ponyville is getting ready for the arrival of Princess Celestia's marshals, elite of royal guard and travelling heroes of the people. But in all the hustle and bustle of party preparations, a lone traveler slips into town, a young man with business concerning Twilight Sparkle. What that business is remains to be seen, but you can be sure Ponyville won't make it easy for him.
After all, where would be the fun in that?

Donut Joe keeps his store open on Hearth’s Warming Eve. And why not? He doesn’t have anywhere else to be, and neither do the tired, bitter ponies who find their way inside.

But the Eve is young, and strange things lie ahead. Who knows what might happen on a night like tonight?

(Inspired by the song "Old City Bar," by Trans-Siberian Orchestra)

Reviewed by TheifofZ here.

A damaged robot pony, unlike anything ever seen in pre-industrial Equestria, is found in the orchard. Before it collapses, it says only two words: "Twilight Sparkle..."

Twilight fixes the mechanical mare and gives her a new directive: "Make friends." Now a robot must learn what it takes to be a good friend and, while she's at it, what it means to live...

Featured on Equestria Daily (11/22/15) and The Goodfic Bin! (3/20/16)!
Featuring illustrations by Colby Green (Illustration Gallery found HERE.)
Editors: GaPJaxie,The Knight Templar, GenerousGhibli, E3gner, and Reese.
Technical Consultants: Artichoke Lust and JFalk.

Now with its own TV Tropes page!

Because sometimes even a villain should get the chance to have a happy Christmas with her family.

The captured Changeling sits despondent in the interrogation chair. Looking up, he sees what can only be his interrogator enter the room. A one way glass window holds Celestia and Luna, or at least, that is what the Changeling assumes. The interrogator sits down, rather uncomfortably. Apparently, he has not had much experience in dealing with Changelings; who had? The Changeling surveys his surroundings. Three white walls and one with the mirror and door. A table waits patiently in front of him while a light shines overhead. The Changeling is bound to the chair by his forelegs and wings. A faint humming sound suggests some kind of magic dampening field. The interrogator is an Earth pony, or as the Changeling designation system states, a norm. The interrogator opens his mouth to speak but two green eyes glare him into silence; he is clearly afraid of the Changeling. Overpowering his fear, the interrogator speaks.

Cover art is provided by jjamess10 because he's awesome.

Now with a sequel!

Twilight can hardly believe it when a walking, talking corpse of a pony shows up on her doorstep asking for directions. Even more unbelievable is that the undead colt wishes to find his murderer so he can return the weapon that killed him. Twilight halfheartedly agrees to help him, and finds herself stuck with what is possibly the most cheerful cadaver conceivable.

The gift of thought is a powerful thing, and what one chooses to do with that thought makes all the difference.

Facing mistrust and a changing mind, a newly hatched Changeling drone without the influence of a queen must find out what kind of person it wants to become.

In the aftermath of a huge explosion in the Everfree Forest, Ponyville soon finds itself as the new home for Lucario, an "Aura Pokemon" from another dimension. While he avoids explaining what has happened to him and where he came from, he repays his new friends' kindness by protecting them from the evil forces that suddenly appears around Equestria.

Meanwhile, a certain princess of the night watches his every move, unable to judge if this new visitor will bring safety or utter destruction upon the land.

(This story primarily takes place between season 2 and season 3. Elements from season 3 and beyond may occur, but won't have a significant impact on the plot.)

Kuno, a young changeling, is left weak, bloodied, and bruised after the events of the Canterlot wedding. She is soon discovered by Warden, a Royal Guard. But for some reason, Warden shows her mercy. Instead of taking her into the custody of the Royal Guard, he becomes both her captor and her savior. But over time, Kuno will come to ask herself the hardest question she has ever pondered: Can a changeling feel love?

Pinkie's new to Ponyville, She's just been invited to work at Sugar Cube Corner and live with the Cakes while she gets to know the town. But on the way she meets a strange, blind creature with no fur, no cutie mark, and no place to live. Seeing her chance to make a friend, Pinkie quickly decides to help him, but how will this affect how the other ponies will see her with this strange blind thing?

Picture was made by my friend Escopeto. Also, not a fallen soldier story. The AU tag is because I'm setting this before Pinkie's arrived in Ponyville and things may turn out different for her, she may or may not even get Gummy.

Wow, on 9/17/2020 the remake kicked this story all the way to #2 on the popular list for a few minutes and got its first tenure on the Featured list.