[Part One of the Riflepony Series] When an unexpected heat wave scorches Appleloosa, Braeburn finds himself unable to save his family's apple orchard. That is, until he meets a certain pony whom he thought to be fictitious. The mare tells him of a treasure that is said to be buried in the town of Dodge Junction, and asks for his assistance in finding it. Will the tales of Cunning the Colt's treasure prove to be true, or were they simply folktale?

Proofread and edited by JohnPerry.

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.)

Twilight Sparkle was assigned to study the magic of friendship, and she's been doing an excellent job of in-depth qualitative study with a small group. But proper research into social sciences demands some quantitative analysis, too, and to get the numbers she needs, Twilight is following her royal mentor's instructions: heading out into unfamiliar territory in Ponyville to make more friends.

What will happen when one of the most socially awkward mares in all of Equestria starts deliberately approaching ponies she's completely ignored for months, despite living alongside them? Why does Spike have to do it too, and can a baby dragon's instincts mesh with equine nature? And why doesn't anypony seem to know who painted all of those murals they keep spotting?

Not a literal crossover, but expect lots of references, shout-outs, expies from non-Pony media, and mythology gags.

Pixelbright is a young unicorn driven by a question about the nature of the world. Her friend, Peppermint Tea, is integral to her quest. But the journey of discovery is not always an easy one, and the first steps are often the most difficult.