A ten page short:
What if all the magic we see in the show is exactly what it appears to be? Does that concept scare you? It should.
After a shocking discovery changes his life, a young griffon follows in the hoofprints of his childhood hero, and mounts an expedition deep into the frozen west.

Both 'The Brightest Shine' and 'Piracy' redirect here, and with good reason; read on and it will make sense.

Alone, a young timberwolf must try to survive in the wilderness. Survival above all else. That was what his mother taught him. But when he encounters 'monsters' that could apparently 'gobble him up in mere seconds', he begins to doubt everything he knows about the world.

Nopony ever said the friendship between Fluttershy and Discord would be an easy one. The difference in their life expectancies doesn’t help, but that’s a problem Discord can fix with a snap of the talons—that is, until Fluttershy finds out. Discord isn’t one to give up easily, though. He’ll do anything to keep his one and only friend. Anything.

Inspired by the image by C-Puff.

There is now a video review! And still another video review! And Russian and French translations! And there are dramatic readings from Joehighlord and Dr. Wolf! But wait! There's more: Dr. Wolf has collaborated with Meb90 and a team of other talented artists to produce something amazing.

Twilight Sparkle uses a teleport spell and goes into the future. It works.

Coverart by: 2snacks

Now has a dramatic reading by Goombasa
Also exists IN SPANISH now thanks to SPANIARD KIWI

I've spent the majority of my life tilling the desolate land in which I live. Every day, I wake up to move useless rocks from one location to another. This is an archaic line of work that my family has clung to for generations. It is a dull, grey existence.

Today, I have woken up in a strange room, lying in a bed that isn't mine. I'm surrounded by five mares whom I've never seen in my life. They claim to be my friends, and expect me to bring joy to the hearts of everypony.

Joy? I don't think I've ever experienced this for myself, so how am I supposed to thrust it upon others?

My name is Pinkamena Diane Pie, and I'm not sure what to make of this situation.

His defeat during the siege of the Crystal Empire did not kill Sombra. He was already dying. Now alone in a frozen wasteland, his final moments approach.

Now with audio reading (for older version) by Coombs & Kuroba.

Having made peace with Twilight Sparkle after the fateful incident with the Alicorn Amulet, Trixie attempts to regain her foothold in the world as a traveling magician. When one of her many mishaps on the way out of town with a rival performer leaves her with a reason to fear for herself, Trixie returns once again to the librarian for help, only neither of them truly understand how serious the playful curse will eventually turn out to be.

Sometimes, a random pony with no place in the world will simply come into being in Equestria.

It's part of Fluttershy's job to look after them while they're there.

Minuette is determined to have a nice date with a nice stallion, no matter what that takes.

Twilight Sparkle just wants her to stop wreaking havoc on the time-space continuum.

Things get complicated.

Edited by Exuno
Preread by Barbeque

Sometimes, we all need company. Big Mac found his in the form of a doll — a filly's mere toy. She provided companionship as an inanimate object, but now, it's not enough. Big Mac attempts to find a way to transform her into something more capable of understanding, but when he does, will he be able to make the ultimate sacrifice to see it through?