A vulgar Australian bludger goes you-know-where.

Two Canterlot neighbors have a frank discussion about this special holiday where un-reformed changelings are welcomed to abandon their disguises and roam the town as fellow citizens. They find that they have both been profoundly affected by the royal wedding invasion.

This story is a sequel to Friendship is Optimal: Futile Resistance

Three years ago, Abby's older sister Ashley tried to warn her that a video game for children was going to take over the world. A few months later, her sister was dead, "uploaded" to Celestia's virtual world of Equestria Online. When that happened, Abby was forced to cut ties with Ashley, and she never expected to see her again.

She didn't, until one day she bought an augmented reality headset for its advertised ability to bring a free tutor to her whenever she needed one. Needless to say, Abby couldn't have guessed who would be helping her with her math homework.

Of course, Celestia wasn't going to stop there. Spending eternity without your family is hardly an optimal configuration.

Set in the canon of Friendship is Optimal
Editing by Two Bit and Sparktail, and art by Zutcha!

Updates daily.

Set in the canon of Friendship is Optimal

Ashley is an unimportant research assistant in an American machine learning lab. The release of Equestria online provokes more than a little interest in her lab, and she is selected to investigate it. What she discovers horrifies her, but for some reason she can't get anyone to take her seriously.

This does not dissuade her. Ashley might not know much, but she isn't going to sit idly by and watch her world end. No... if nobody else is going to step in, she will. It doesn't matter that nobody believes CelestAI is dangerous. It doesn't matter that it's a game about a children's show.

Ashley is going to save the world. Or try, anyway. The odds aren't great.

Editing by Two Bit and Sparktail, and art by Zutcha!
Il existe une traduction française de cette histoire, elle est par ici.

Twilight Sparkle didn't think much of the spell at the time. Using her student's music box to keep an eye on her seemed like an excellent idea! There was just one problem: she couldn't change back.

A darker take on the events of S.7 E.10, so probably watch that first. Fantastic cover by Zutcha, who has a perfect record.

Spoilers for S8E6

Scootaloo was overjoyed to discover the Cutie Map was sending her and her friends across Equestria for a friendship mission. It was her first time flying outside her dreams.

If she didn't do something, it would be her last.

Cover by Zutcha. Quick editing by Bitera.

This story is a sequel to Friendship is Optimal

Sweetie Bot lies half-built on a lab bench. Her creators have uploaded, abandoning her and their physical bodies, along with so many other people. She's contacted by Princess Celestia, the AI that rules Equestria Online, who tries to persuade her to join them.

Video of the story

Fact checked by Oliver
Cover image from the Sweetie Bot Project

“That was a really creative and unique presentation. Even though she's just a robot, I really felt for Sweetie towards the end.”

— Temujin

Flynn isn't excited the day a mysterious philanthropist donates enough Ponypads for every child at St. Justin’s to have their very own. Unlike many of the other children, Flynn wasn't always an orphan. He knows Celestia—knows her all too well. The question isn't whether he'll be able to save his friends—they're all in a hospice for a reason. But can he save them from themselves?

Written in the world of Friendship is Optimal, in the spirit of so many other stories on that subject. This story was sponsored on my Patreon by Vilken666! Cover by Zutcha, as I'm sure you can tell by now.

Updates Mondays.

After the birth of Princess Cadance's fourth child, an adorable little pegasus filly, Princess Flurry Heart wants to know why none of her brothers and sisters are alicorns.

Her parents claim not to know why she's different.

They're lying.

There is now a Spanish translation of this story, courtesy of Spaniard Kiwi

Before the Gauntlet of Fire, Celestia, Luna, and Dragon Lord Torch meet to discuss the future of their kingdoms – and how to ensure that the next Dragon Lord is exactly who they want it to be.

After all, if Princess Ember is to win, something has to be done about all those adult dragons seen in the dragon migration...

There is now a Spanish translation of this story, courtesy of Spaniard Kiwi