I wasn't worried. I wasn't worried about anything specifically, I certainly wasn't worried about this. But it's okay. Accidents happen. Things can be fixed. Just wait. No matter how wrong it feels. No matter what's happening. Everything will be okay. Stay calm. It's all under control.

An entry into the 2nd A Thousand Words contest, under the "Horror" category.

Title and suggestions courtesy of Reviewfilly.

It's a tale that's been told hundreds of times, isn't it? The average Joe lives a boring, mundane life, wishing for something greater. Then, one day, something happens that sends him to a foreign world, giving him a fresh start and a new perspective on life.

You've always wished that would happen to you. There's a show with talking ponies you like quite a bit that would be just perfect for it, too.

Be careful what you wish for.

This story is a sequel to In Plain Sight

Princess Twilight Sparkle has become the new ruler of Equestria. Just as you're getting ready to finally settle down with Celestia, she disappears. You made a vow to protect her, but what will you do when, faced with the kidnapper, the world looks the other way? Does Celestia even want to be saved?

The climax of the Royal-Tea series.

Your wife, the now-retired Celestia, has been acting strange lately. Tonight, she has something she needs to say, and the look on her face is all you need to know that it is important.

So important, in fact, that the trajectory of your lives hinges on your response.

"It's just the flu," you told her. But your lovely wife isn't having it. No spouse of hers is going to suffer under her watch! You definitely have ponypox, and she knows just what you need!

Apparently nopony informed her that her methods were found to be ineffective over 200 years ago.

Or that humans can't get ponypox.

Requested by LordMentat.

You've been courting Luna for several moons, and the two of you couldn't be happier. However, even as a retiree, she has taken it upon herself to maintain her nocturnal schedule and watch over the dream realm. This has made it difficult for the two of you to make plans together, but an off-the-wall idea of yours might just be the solution you're looking for.

Life has been pretty terrific since you married the retired Celestia. You've done your best to be the kind of husband that she deserves, but one day, she mentions that you don't really get along with Luna all that well. As such, you decide to rectify that, ready to form a close relationship with your new sister-in-law.

Unfortunately, Luna seems intent on making that difficult for you.

On the outskirts of the Everfree Forest, not too far away from Fluttershy's cottage, there lies a picturesque pond with a surprisingly gentle waterfall feeding into it. Behind this waterfall, a hidden grotto keeps itself a secret from prying eyes that may hope to defile it.

Fluttershy is the only exception.

When she needs some time to just get away from it all, she sometimes comes to the grotto to rest, reflect, and relax on her own. There are few places in Equestria that can replicate the sense of peace that she feels there, and she's glad to have it all to herself.

This makes it all the more worrying when, on one of her usual visits, she realizes that she's not alone.

Starlight Glimmer has been tinkering with some new spells as of late. She was convinced that she made some kind of connection to... something coming from light-years away. As much as you love that mare, you found that hard to believe, even if you are technically an alien.

As such, it came as a happy surprise when Starlight actually managed to secure that connection, revealing a massive network of information right at the tips of her hooves. Your shared glee is short-lived, however, as you come to the startling realization that you recognize this network.

After all, once you put something on the internet, it's there forever.

While on an extended trip to Canterlot with Twilight, you became acquainted with a mare named Moondancer. She makes you feel all kinds of things that you've never felt before, and Twilight caught on to this pretty quickly. After some teasing, you decided to shoot your shot. Moondancer... didn't take it too well. It seems that, somehow, she simultaneously has confidence issues and a huge ego.

Or maybe she's just nervous.