This story is a sequel to Brighter Horizons

Adopted from infancy, there are few things Flash Skies wouldn't sacrifice for Equestria and the ponies who love and raised him. But when a pony is brutally murdered and all evidence points to Equestria's adopted son, unshakeable loyalties are questioned, friendships are strained, and a mysterious enemy more deadly than anything Flash has ever faced will manifest their dark designs against Equestria itself. Can friendship truly prevail where there is uncertainty of who is truly a friend?

Friends are close, but enemies draw closer in this thrilling sequel to Brighter Horizons!

Edited by Venerable Ro.

(Cover Art: Shimmering Sunset by Kirk Crane)

There's something strange and unnatural living in Bon-Bon's house.

Something other than Lyra.

This story is a sequel to Brighter Horizons

Adopted from infancy, Flash Skies has sworn to serve and protect the ponies who took him in, by becoming a member of Equestria's Royal Guard. But when allegations of a tribe of marauding, massively mandibled mares mauling a pony comes to Celestia's attention, Equestria's adopted son is sent to investigate. Will he discover the truth behind the tales? Or will he end up on the menu?

Inspired by the Legend of the Mares of Diomedes, the carnivorous horses captured by Hercules. Adventure and amusement await! (Wow, featured on 9/8/22, thanks FimFic!)

(A spin-off of Brighter Horizons, join Flash and friends on a new adventure!)

Edited by Venerable Ro

Cover art 'Dark Forest' by CA34CB

I have no idea what happened. One second, I'm sitting at my desk, working. The next second, I'm Sombra. Or rather, I'm in his body. And nobody seems to believe me about it...

Now with (amazing!) cover art by Mix Up. You can find their work here.

Lunch time is one of the more normal times at CHS. All the students come together at about the same time to do the same thing, and the odd breaking into song notwithstanding, not much really changes about that. It is, after all, lunch time. It’s when you eat lunch. Then you carry on with your day. Kinda hard to mess up.

So, one day, Aria Blaze decides to eat some lunch.

Velvet Sky is the best chess player in her school. In fact, the difference in strength is so wide that no one is a match for her.

So does anyone like playing against her?

They shouldn‘t, why would they play if they only lose?

Adopted from infancy, Equestria is the only world Flash Skies has ever known and loved. A beautiful world filled with adventure, love, and awesome friends, life is good. But when you're the only member of your species in an alien world, eventually you want to find out where you came from and if there are others like you. With the help of his friends, he finds his way back to Earth, but will he like what he finds? He may discover more than he bargained for, and an enemy that's been waiting for him to come home.

"Alright what even is this? Why hasn't this been featured, and why are there so few upvotes? I almost passed it by and I expected to drop it immediately due to low quality. But, nope it’s the best human raised by equestrians I’ve read this far." -A Predatorial Horse

"This was a fantastic read that I just happened to come across randomly.
This is a unique approach that is a breath of fresh air. In a sea of mostly silly stories, you're creating something that seems more real than most. Thank you for your work on this take, and I will be looking forward to seeing this story through!" -Chillean

"GREAT STORY!
It's rare for me to come across a good human in Equestria story that feels organic and not forced.
Too bad it's over. Now I've gotta wait years for the sequel to be done before I can read it." -Mocha Star

"Upside to reading at work: quality entertainment while waiting for the day to end.
Downside to reading at work: when said quality entertainment legitimately makes me cry in empathy." -Striving for Harmony

A non-spoiler review to whet your appetite!

Does the Pinkie Pie on the left look like an unfeeling automaton? A magical construct with no capacity for thought or action beyond a simple phrase, like 'FUN'? Well, only the latter's incorrect.

She thought it was all over when her resolve broke and she was flashed back to the mirror pool. Emerging from it for the second time in a lifetime, the first Pinkie Pie clone only knows one thing; she's alive and well, unlike every single one of her reflections. Is she just a lucky reflection? A copy?

In the middle of the Everfree, confused, forlorn, and lost; where will she go, what in Equestria will she do?

And why are these six ponies, including the pony she herself is a reflection of, trying so hard to find her? They were saying something about "splitting the Element of Laughter" . . .

Can't let them catch me. No matter what it takes.

Imperaxum's entry to The Most Dangerous Game contest. Will be submitted when complete, and must be completed before June 27th.

This story did not explode! What a relief and/or letdown.

Part of OPERATION CRACKFIC STORM 2024 ( group | stories ).

Thanks to Silk Rose for coming up with the idea, writing chapters 22 and 9, and developing the code; thanks also to Meadowsys for general code help.

Thanks to IrradiatedPirateBooty ( tumblr ) for the awesome character art.

And thanks to everyone in the comments who stuck around for the final countdown!

Twilight Sparkle is hearing voices. That's bad! Luckily her doctor has just the right medicine for her to try.

A psychiatry horror story.

Preread by Love And What Came After!