A virus that transforms the infected into ponies swept over the world. Despite her best efforts to catch this disease and go pony, Ari was not among those transformed. With transformation magic banned forever and demonized by most of society, it appears she's stuck as a human permanently.

Only one group is in favor of turning more humans into ponies: the 'Shimmerists'.
...But they are very pro-ponifiation.

This story more or less takes place in the Pandemic universe. However, it's been updated to take place in the real 2023 and I haven't read the sequels. It's essentially a non-canon spinoff from the original.

When the ETS pandemic started spreading throughout the world the south in the United States was hit particularly hard. The south had a culture all its own with a stronger focus on conservative political beliefs, religion, and a strong belief in maintaining tradition and culture.

Having the ETS pandemic come strongest here was one of the greatest ironies ever. Now all of what the south was is about to be upended. For Mathew, a teen from a town in South Carolina it means far more than that. It meanst re-examining who he is and who he is meant to be.

Notes:

Shares same universe with: Pandemic by ASGeek2012 it is not required you read this story, but it will help understand some things going on in the background.

This story is considered an origin story for many of the characters in Pandemic: Picking Up the Pieces. This story is not required reading for that, but if you want to learn more about some of the characters this is where you'll find it.

Story is now complete and editing is underway. Many chapters are still pretty rough. I grew a lot as a writer as this story went on, and there is an increase in quality between the first half of this story the second half, and then the sequel.

Rating and Trigger Warning Notes: There are mentions of extreme violence at some points, general bigotry, LGBT characters (Lesbian and Transgender), there is no sex shown in this story but it's alluded to at some points

Lazy Pines is a small town in the high country of Colorado, easily overshadowed by the bigger sights to see along Colorado State 9. When influenza strikes the town hard, it is little more than a statistical blip in a typical flu season. No one thinks any more of it as the initial wave of infection passes ... until the other symptoms begin to manifest.

Meanwhile, during what should have been a routine trip to Canterlot, Twilight Sparkle stumbles upon a strange anomaly which turns into an all-consuming mystery. As she discovers the complex web of magic stubbornly maintaining this mystery's secrets, she grows worried what it could mean for herself and her family.

And as the residents of Lazy Pines struggle to understand -- or even believe -- what is happening to them, two worlds have irrevocably been set on a direct collision course.

Updates every other weekend.

Cover art by Mix-up. Please check out more artwork by this talented artist.

Now has its own TV Tropes page thanks to redandready45.

Story set in the Pandemic Universe
Original Pandemic Story by ASGeek2012
Does require some familiarity with the setup.

Special thanks for their feedback goes to
Halira
Cosmic Eclipse
And Bree R especially for collaborating because it wouldn't have been possible without.

Sapphire Sky didn't need to land on her feet after ETS, not after she gained a set of wings, and she took full advantage of them.

But months after humanity was saved from Sunset Shimmer’s plague and with the world having found an uneasy balance, she finds herself with time to take a vacation. Now that she has the means to do it, she decides to visit a friend she had only spoken with online out East.

Story takes place in August approximately two months before the events of Aftermath.
Cover art created by me
Other art related to Pandemic will be posted in this thread.