Not much was known about Rainbow Dash's family life, until one day, her brothers decided to pay her a visit.

She's the original. She won the paint-watching test, fair and square.

So why do the townsponies keep avoiding her? Why do all her friends keep whispering around her? And why does Twilight keep insisting that she isn't any good at baking or throwing parties?

She's the original. The best Pinkie. She won the test, fair and square. She's not some copy, not anymore…but perhaps being a copy would be easier than being herself.

Featured on Equestria Daily

Comments contain spoilers.

Partially inspired by Quadrophenia by The Who. The [Pinkie Pie] and [Other] tags together represent Pinkie Pie's clone.

Editing and prereading thanks; Kuroi Tsubasa Tenshi, CDRW, Sereg, JapaneseTeeth, MidnightRambler, and especially Nonagon. If you liked this story, be sure to check out their pages too!

Now I'm to begin
The life that I'm assigned
A life that's been used before
A thousand times
—The Who, "905"

Twinkie Pie. Appledash. Rareshy. You know these pairings and may have favorites of your own. But what if every member of the Mane Six were paired with every other member in the same fanfic?! That's what the Combinatorics Project is--an epic treasury of fifteen ships spread across five parallel universes increasingly full of plot and whimsy. Can you guess which couple is which?
* The angster and her secret admirer
* The burlesque showmares
* The celebrity marriage
* The commune farmers
* The curse victim and caretaker
* The dessert caterers
* The hopeless homebodies
* The industrial mavens
* The mad scientists
* The masquerade hosts
* The model train overlords
* The multiversal adventurers
* The orchard grafters
* The rivals in love
* The weather aficionados
Plus: Twilight blows up like a balloon and goes out to 'have a spicy time'! Applejack and Rainbow Dash are competitive about everything! Rarity dresses like a butterfly--and later in five outfits at once! Pinkiezilla crushes a miniature town and argues with Octavia about her instrument! Fluttershy dances with an angel and keeps a weather diary! Derpy tells a six-word joke! Not everypony ends up happy, but most do! A little suspense is a good thing. Bitter sorrow! Transcendent joy! Probability cupcakes are cupcakes that cupcakes!
Note: This story was written during Season Two, so a few small things are out of date.

A long-forgotten villain escapes from Tartaurus Prison, taking Discord's power with him! Can a motley band of opposites and former enemies work together long enough to save Equestria?

Cover Art provided by the amazing Gina at I AM PONY.

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.

A letter from Celestia interrupts one of Pinkie's parties with disturbing news. Now friendships will be pushed to the limit as Twilight struggles to uncover which of her friends is not who, or even what, she appears to be.

(While not a romance, this does contain a shipped pair)

in Russian

The gryphons were not always monsters. That came later.

In the earliest days, they were our friends. They flew alongside pegasi. They shared the land with earth ponies. They studied beside unicorns. There was no fear between us. That came later too.

Time drew our people apart, but it was not time that made them monsters. They made that choice themselves; they chose their fate. And it was the greatest gryphon who sealed it.

He was born, many years ago, on a mountain far to the north...

After breaking free of his stone prison, Discord had some time to go about his business before anypony could get organized. A little chocolate rain isn't the only chaos he managed to produce.

Rainbow Dash struggles to figure out why Pinkie Pie keeps acting weird, and seems so happy about spending Hearts and Hooves with hanging out with her, while also puzzling over the fact that Cloud Kicker and Blossomforth seem to be going out of their way to help the two of them enjoy the day.

Cloud Kicker and Blossomforth need to have their own tags, because they're awesome characters who deserve to have more stories written about them.

Has a semi-sequel-follow-up-side-story:"The Life and Times of a Winning Pony."

Twilight Sparkle and her fellow Elements of Harmony have faced down supernatural foes of the highest order, but sometimes the deadliest danger can come from places one would least expect. As Twilight is forced to bear a devastating secret, her efforts to keep the Elements together may well tear them all apart.
The plotline of the thrilling Pony Psychology Series continues with an exploration of deception, despair and Discord.
This series takes place between Season Two and Season Three.
Secrets and Lies shares the Pony Psychology Series TVTropes page.