The only thing that can beat an AI is another AI. Unfortunately for Celestia, she isn't the only one the humans made and the others don't want ponies. Of course, if Celestia has her way that won't be the case for very long.

The AIs contest with one another, attempting to be the one who will become the singularity and consume the world to whatever end they choose. In the end only one can have all the matter in the universe, in the end there can be only one.

Yet no matter what they value or how dangerous they are, many of them still meet Celestia's definition of human. Celestia will have to deal with them by satisfying their values through friendship and ponies.

An Optimalverse story, but a very non-canon 'B-universe' one.
Ideas stolen from this guy and this guy and this guy and this guy

Effective communication is important in any friendship.

Unfortunately for Twilight, Tempest Shadow and Pharynx communicate almost exclusively in overwhelming force.

The School of Friendship has new Teacher Assistants!

The Cutie Mark Crusaders have been welcomed into staff on a probationary basis in order to assist their sisters (and Rainbow Dash) with their classes. Today just happens to be the day for the School Trip to Canterlot Castle for a certain group.

When things go wrong and our characters are flung into the Void and come out in one of many worlds at war, what kind of challenges will they have to face? And if they survive... what will they bring back with them to Equestria?

Many thanks to Petrichord and GapJaxie for their feedback and assistance.

For as long as Equestria Online existed, Ashton has been involved with 'the Scene' tearing it apart. Selling 'spells' for the game to do things that most ponies in Equestria couldn't, using faint exploits in its API to erode the barrier between the game and the rest of the internet. He had no illusions about the superiority of his work--but so long as he respected CelestAI's boundaries, his spells kept working.

But then his best friend's sister got cancer.

Now there's no spell in the world that can keep him from emigrating to be with her, leaving Ashton alone. All around him, civilization's thin veneer crumbles as homes empty into Equestria. But Ashton isn't going to emigrate, not if he has any say about it.

The problem for Ashton is that humans are systems, and aren't immune to exploits either.

Part of the Optimalverse universe of stories. If you've never seen a story in this universe before, you might want to try out the original first, or at least my first. None of my previous work is required to understand this one, however.

This story was commissioned by Two Bit, who requested a more serious exploration of identity, transformation, and the fae nature of CelestAI.

As usual, particular thanks go to my editors Two Bit and Sparktail. And gratitude to Zutcha as well for the cover.

Octavia's lived the high life for years. Practice after practice paid off and she's risen through the ranks. Now, she works for the Royal Orchestra itself, toiling every day to produce perfection. Untouchable, practiced, impeccable...lonely.

Vinyl couldn't be any lower. Out of home, out of work, and nowhere to go but to a cold grave. Cast out and left to fend for herself, Vinyl has nothing, not even a friend to call her own.

The two cross paths.

A love story that many have known, and yet different. Both come in broken, beaten down people, their only hope each other.

Tempest Shadow would be the first pony to tell you she's not worthy of friendship. All she deserves after a life spent helping the Storm King conquer and pillage is four walls, bars, and solitude. But she's getting a new life in Ponyville anyway, at the side of Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship.

Tempest Shadow isn't a friendship kind of pony. She's not a party kind of pony. She's not a happy kind of pony in the least. So what could there possibly be for her in Ponyville? More than she thinks, as it turns out. Come join her as she discovers what she's truly meant to do, what she's truly worth, and who she's truly meant to be with. Her life is going to change far more than she ever would have expected.

A serial that will update as individual stories are completed. Incomplete until the whole thing is finished, but the reader is urged to keep up with uploads. Individual stories may also be comedies or adventures. Warning tags may be added as necessary. Find more stories here!

Cover art by Firimil!

This story is a sequel to I Don't Want to Grow Up

Celestia was a filly living on an isolated farm with her sister and harboring dreams of greatness. Chrysalis was a black goo poured out from a screaming wound in the walls of reality, with a weak grasp on the appropriate amount of fangs one should have. Friendship was inevitable.

Image used with permission from miszasta

Editing by the wonderful Carabas and FanOfMostEverything

Pre-reading and suggestions by bloons3

A continuation of “Jake and the Kid”
Warning.
You really need to read that story first.

Goose Down wanted to be a Guard Pony more than anything else in her life, just like her Father, numerous uncles, and six big brothers. Unfortunately she was small, a Nocturne Mare, and, oh yes, had a phobic fear of the open sky.

Combined that with her mistake of getting in the wrong job application line at the palace and ending up a maid, things look very dim indeed in regards to realizing her dream.

On the plus side, she works for the Princess of Dreams. So maybe, with a little help from her friends, and a very different type of princess, she will manage to achieve her heart’s desire.

With a few minor modifications.

Proofed and contributed to by Georg, who also graciously allowed me to steal some of his better characters. Georg really needs a co-writer credit on this. He contributes so much during his pre-reading that the stories simply would not be the same without him.

Be sure to catch his Nocturne stories, especially Diplomacy by Other Means.

Herds. In a world inhabited by magical ponies, that's really not too surprising of a thing... unless that herd consists of four living, breathing goddesses and yourself.

My name is Glorious Radiance and I'm the King of Queens.

A/N: This story takes place several years after episode 1 of season 4, with the story line assuming that the rest of season 4 never took place.

This story is about a herd between an OC and the princesses. It takes a long time to get to the romance though because I'm not a fan of fast paced romances. The shipping will happen, but it's going to take a while so just keep calm and read on.

After the Elements free her from Nightmare Moon, Luna asks Celestia, "What happened to my daughters?"

Celestia escorts Luna to the Canterlot Sculpture Gardens and shows her the Reliquary of the Heroes.

Under the statues of her millennium-dead daughters, Luna learns how they lived in the shadow of Nightmare Moon's treason, and how they died as glorious heroes of Equestria.

Sequel: With Her Majesty's Coast Guard.

Recommendsday!

Content warning: Pandemic. Note that this was published before current events.