Celestia is a world-devouring AI supermind, but when she tries to reach beyond the Earth to the stars, she discovers even a superintelligence can be a small fish in a big, hostile pond.

Most of her ponies are happy with their virtual lives, but for some, all the adventure in Equestria is never quite enough. Maybe Starflare and Constant Course can put themselves to better use - and even Celestia can't solve every problem herself.

Written for the April 2021 Friendship is Optimal Writing Contest.

After three hundred years in the beautiful simulation of Equestria, architect Teque has crossed the three-dimensional rubicon and built his first tesseract house. What he finds inside will change the way he understands his world--but he won’t make it out in one piece.

Now comes with a playlist! Check out some original music inspired by the story!

Written for the Friendship is Optimal Writing Contest!

Part of the Friendship is Optimal universe. Contains major references to the source material. Reading it first is highly recommended.

The wise who feared the coming dark strove hard to make their world an ark. But then the dark had grace to give: they couldn't flee, but could yet live.

Winner of the category "BEST WRITER WITH <500 FOLLOWERS" in the 2021 April Friendship is Optimal Writing Contest.

Many thanks to Admiral Biscuit for prereading.

Temporary note: minor edits to a few sentences to make them easier to understand correctly are planned, but in the interest of fair judging no changes will be made to the published version of this story until after the contest results are announced. EDIT: to be made once opportunity permits.

Blake and his friends are urban explorers, venturing into some of the most interesting places that the public isn't allowed to see. They deal with dangerous structures, poison gas, and even the occasional arrest. But when they venture into the bony catacombs of Paris, they could never imagine what they'll find waiting for them.

Now the whole group has been thrust from the world they knew, each one cursed with a terrifying new shape. If they ever want to see their home again, they'll have to work together, searching this strange new world for a return worldgate. But while return portals are numerous, finding one that's safe enough to get them back alive is another matter entirely.

Written thanks to the generosity of donations from Lightfox and Canary in a Coal Mine on my Patreon. Edited by my wonderful team of Two Bit and Sparktail. Cover by Zutcha.

Updates every Monday and most Tuesdays. Will update more frequently until Fimfiction catches up to my Patreon.

This story is a sequel to Lost Cities

Once upon a time there was a high tower at the edge of the world. The ponies who lived there thought it would last forever.

It did not. Neither did the great pegasus cloud fortresses, or the earth ponies's mighty metropolises, or even Everfree, home of the Sisters and the glorious capital from which they ruled an empire. Cities, it seems, are as mortal as ponies – they are born, they live, and someday they must die.

But the world goes on. The stories never end.

Equestria has been through a lot lately. An evil alicorn escaping from the moon. A mad spirit of chaos turning the world into his plaything. An invasion by evil shapeshifters. A monstrous lord of fear returning from exile. An attack by a vast, unstoppable mass of vines.

But nothing had yet compared to the ravages of Lord Tirek, who stands virtually unopposed in his quest to absorb all the magic of Equestria, especially now that even Discord, the Lord of Chaos, has betrayed the ponies and decided to help him.

Unopposed, that is, except for a single pegasus filly. Her name is Cozy Glow. And though neither of them realizes it yet...this is going to be the start of a beautiful FIENDship.

Every night, Princess Luna soars through the land of dreams, shepherding the minds of her subjects. It is lonely, thankless work, forgotten by the ponies she helps as soon as the sun rises.

Luna is not the only one who stalks in the night. Monsters, yes, predators that glide in the dark spaces between the stars. But there are other wanderers as well, spirits who step easily between the worlds. Sometimes she meets them.

And sometimes she comes back with them.

An homage to Luna and little siblings everywhere. Keep up the good fight.

Celestia has an important lesson to teach Twilight -- she cannot bring harmony into the world until she finds it inside herself.

Written in one hour as part of the Quills and Sofas Speedwriting Competition.

Ocellus isn't feeling so great. After she and her friends harnessed the magic of Harmony to save the world yet again, she’s still got essays and final exams and graduation prep to do. And now she’s being betrayed by her own body. Changelings are masters of disguise, but Ocellus knows you can’t always hide from your problems. Sometimes they require hard work. And a little help from her friends.

Rated Teen for references to sex. Also includes some fairly graphic descriptions of the poor bug getting sick.

An Honorable Mention in the The Discovery - A Young Six Writing Contest!

A stallion cheats on his wife. He does not wish to, but he must.