Set in the "Friendship is Optimal" universe, this is a one-shot story examining a throwaway line in one of the last chapters of the original - what happens when an implacable, ruthless and overall efficient Celest-AI meets something which isn't just dead matter, but doesn't qualify as human? This is one possible take on it.

Equestria has made the discovery of the century. They found what they believed to be the last of the mythical race of the humans trapped inside of a large crystal. Curiosity takes hold and with the help of Twilight Sparkle and the elements of harmony they decide to set it free. But was that a wise decision?

Cover art not done by me.

Twilight Sparkle learned how to be a unicorn at Celestia's knee, and few know more about her than magic. She learned how to be a pony from her five PFFs, and they count her as one of their most treasured friends. Now, Celestia wants her to learn the science of living deliberately, which will take all of the skills and resources she's accumulated so far.

A note on tags: FIMFiction considers 'Adventure' and 'Slice of Life' to be opposed tags, but I wish I could have both. A mighty river is fed by many streams. (Maybe I should just alternate each week.)

On secret assignment from Princess Celestia herself, Twilight investigates a powerful magical artifact for clues to the mystery of Luna's transformation in the evil Nightmare Moon. Incautious use of the artifact sends Twilight hurtling back in time. Can Twilight discover what caused Luna's transformation? And will she ever make it home again?

Kickass cover art used with permission from Bitz.
http://allthebitz.tumblr.com/

My name is Rainbow Dash and today I learned something new. I learned I'm actually a changeling. You'd think that would be something you would already know. I just learned it now when I saw my true self for the first time. How did I come to replace the real Rainbow Dash, and when? And why can't I remember it?

Luna does her best to catch up on the events of the past thousand years and ends up reading even more than Twilight.

One day, an ancient tome slips into her pile of reading material and she reads it eagerly. What she finds there may very well be the discovery of the millennium: The location of the last refuge of the humans.

With the help of Twilight and her friends, the Lunar Princess sets out on an archaeological expedition to find the very last human on the planet of Equus.

And they found one, but why is he forged in a full body armor and claims to not being a human... Well he's not one anymore.

Silence. The golden rule is silence. Silence, and obediance.

For years, you have trained as a royal guard. Now, thanks to the fortuitous return of Shining Armour, your old-time friend and Captain, you are promoted to guarding Celestia personally. What follows, though, is the discovery of a personal side to the Sun Princess that you could never have imagined, not even in your most vivid dreams.

A foray into the Optimalverse.

The powerful, world-spanning AI Celestia has but one goal: To satisfy human values through Friendship and Ponies. But for those humans, is it worth sacrificing one group of friends for another?
And what's really so dang great about satisfaction, anyway? For those who value knowledge, is happiness ever worth self-deception?

Pinkamena "Pinkie" Diane Pie is Us. In crazy brilliance, We made Pinkie so strange that We would never be suspected, and it worked until the very end. An end that came about, not because We failed, but because of inescapable circumstance.

Now, We must run.

We do not want to think about what they will do to Us if they catch Us.

After nearly being mugged Twilight turns her considerable talent with magic towards self defense. When a fight with Luna goes farther that either of them wants it to, Twilight will need to find redemption in her new position as Luna's bodyguard and stop a conspiracy that wants to bring back a force more dangerous than either of them.