King Sombra’s dark influence was obliterated by the Crystal Heart, and the villain is well and truly dead. But when he attempts to steal the afterlife of an innocent victim, a human spirit is left hurtling towards Equestria, where this unfortunate soul is revived into the only vessel available: the reconstituted body of King Sombra himself.

Thus, a cheerfully oblivious alien is crammed into the form of the most evil and malicious being Equestria has ever known. Not that Shining Armor and Cadence know this, of course. As far as they are concerned, the King is back and he’s lost his fricking mind.

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It's a perfect day in the life of Twilight Sparkle. Ponyville's chief librarian has everything she wants: her books, her studies, a faithful dragon assistant, and the opportunity to go visit Sugarcube Corner on a beautiful afternoon, hanging out with the best friends that a young unicorn could ever ask for.

And yet, in spite of all this, Twilight has the distinct feeling that something is missing...

I am not Twilight Sparkle.

I have her body, I have her memories, I have her power. I am not her, and I have done such terrible things. This is my story.

Strange nightmares are plaguing the ponies of Equestria.

Somepony must help ponies to face their deepest fears, but unless Princess Luna is able to discover who—or what—is responsible, the nightmares may never end.

Scootaloo is ready to prove that she can be as fearless as her big sister, Rainbow Dash, even if it means never having a peaceful night's sleep again.

My name is Canvas. I remember because I wrote it in the corner of the white box. It takes twelve steps to get from the cot to the wall. And the lights hurt my eyes.

(Note: The story isn't in color because I decided to try this without the gimmick! But I still recommend reading the GDocs version.)

Braeburn's visit to see his relatives in Ponyville doesn't go quite as he expected. After discovering that he doesn't have a Special Somepony, Applejack resolves to fix this problem - by having Braeburn try to date each of her friends, in hopes things will click between one of them and her cousin.

Unfortunately, the road to Tartarus is paved with good intentions, and the poor stallion finds himself being roped into one disaster after another. Bear attacks, wearing a fancy suit, and a near death experience are just a few of the challenges he soon finds himself facing. Will Braeburn succeed in finding a Special Somepony to call his own? Or will Applejack's attempts to help her cousin only make things worse for him? The answer may surprise everypony.

"My life has run its course; I've planted my hooves firmly on the ground and ridden the ups and downs to my greatest potential. I've loved, I've hated, I've cried, I've laughed... but most importantly, I've overcome."

A simple life, floating on the wind.

Brace down and buckle up as you are taken along on the wicked rollercoaster ride that is Vinyl's life. Stand beside her as she first learns of her talents as a musician. Hold her hoof as she braves whatever life throws at her while buskering on the streets of Manehatten. Cry with her as she faces old fears and overcomes new ones. Cheer and revel in her marriage and success. Laugh wholeheartedly at her comedic small mistakes and happenstances.

Most importantly however, understand the rocky and twisted road that shaped the DJ we have all come to know and love.

Passions.

They can foster beauty. They can drive us insane.

Crossfade lives a dual life: one filled with passion, and one constructed out of necessity. They were two tracks that were supposed to form a harmony, but now, they're falling into a chaotic struggle of two beats.

My name's Rainbow Dash. I'm Equestria's fastest pegasus, I'm the Element of Loyalty, I've saved the whole kingdom more than once, I've laughed in the face of danger, and I'm a coward. That's right, I said it. I'm a coward. I've always been sure I could do anything. Win any race, beat any opponent, complete any job. But this is something I can't outrun, outsmart, or outlast. What's causing me—the most awesome pegasus ever—so much trouble? You wouldn't believe me if I told you.

The Shaper is a smith of unparalleled skill, her creations the most sought after in the fallen world. When a pony named Lyra comes to her with a unique commission she has to put all her skill to the test to craft a weapon of great power. For Lyra's goal is not an easy one, and it is not just any weapon that can kill a Dragon.

A story inspired by this and this image, as well as this challenge by CDRW (whose fic A Still More Glorious Dawn Awaits is quite good).