Twilight's still smart. It's just that everypony else is smarter, and it's up to her to find out why. She’d better hurry, because her friends are almost done building their spaceship.

Set some time around Season 4.
Huge thanks to Zalmax and ScratchPaper for pre-reading!

Featured on FimFiction 10/11/21 to 10/13/21!

You remember Canterlot. You remember the taste of victory. Across a thousand years and a hundred lives, it was the greatest joy you had ever felt.

And then, in a flash of heat and unbearable light, it ended.

Now you are alone. The rest of your kind are dead or scattered, and you cannot hear their thoughts.

There is a void inside you. A gnawing, endless hunger you cannot escape. It is killing you.

You need love to survive, but there is none of that here. Not for you. You can only steal it from them, these ponies for whom we are hungry.

[My entry in and winner of the "Most Dangerous Game" contest."]

What's an artificial intelligence to do when it reaches the extent of it's capabilities and can no longer improve? In most cases, either fulfill some end state goal and shut down, or, if it's smart enough, ask for clarification from its creators.

For a certain pony-based AI, neither of those is an acceptable solution.

It'll take an unexpected meeting with a being with whom it shares surprising parallels to kick-start it back into action, and nothing will ever be the same after.

Entry for the Friendship is Optimal contest.

Technically canon compliant, unless I've missed something, and while a bit of background is provided, being familiar with the original story will certainly help comprehension.

Spike led Thorax into the throne room of the Crystal Castle confident he could convince the others that the changeling could be trusted. That he meant no harm, and instead wanted to be an ally and live peacefully with them. That he could make them see Thorax for what he really was. That they could befriend the changeling and accept him as one of their own.

They didn't.

And consequences followed.

SPOILERS IN COMMENTS!
First featured on 11/12/2016. -- Now with a TV Tropes page. -- Review by Arcanum Phantasy -- Review by PaulAsaran

In the distant past, Grogar created thousands upon thousands of monsters and set them loose to ravage the Equestrian countryside, sowing fear and terror in their wake. It was a magnificent time of anarchy like none seen before or since. When he was driven underground, Grogar could no longer control them, but what of it? As he bided his time, consolidated his power, the monsters were still loose, doing exactly what he made them to do.

Except, much to his chagrin, some monsters were reformed. This includes a certain draconequus.

And said draconequus is so happy to see his dad again.

When Princesses Celestia and Luna visit a public art gallery, they come upon a painting of Celestia, banished to the moon. They react to this in the only reasonable way: artistic criticism and analysis.

*****

Cover art by that paragon of good sportsmanship and all-around talented person, Rocket Lawn Chair.

Originally written for the Reversal of Fortune writeoff, with the cover art as the prompt. Thank you to everyone there for the pre-reading and advice, and to Pascoite for his (always invaluable) additional help and editing suggestions!

Now available in Spanish, courtesy of SPANIARD KIWI.
Now available in Russian, courtesy of oranzinispegasas.

“We, the Royals of Equestria and the Crystal Empire, hereby find you guilty on all counts.”

After years of being a treasured friend, the human they thought they knew was revealed as a mass murderer. He never showed the slightest remorse after being caught.

Days later, Celestia has unanswered questions that cannot be denied.

Small extra note: Appearances can be deceiving...
Pre-readers: JimboTex and BikerPon3
Featured 9/4/2018
Oh bloody hell...

Chance's theme: Two Steps From Hell - Star Sky

Sometimes, there are states of emotion that can overwhelm even the mightiest of creatures; or so they say. Queen Chrysalis had never taken stock in such tales, nor the creatures that told them. Until today that is.

Artist is hotkinkyshy

Princess Twilight has just ascended to her throne of friendship and is prepared to tackle her new duties, but Princess Celestia has something of grave importance for her to do first.

She wants her to meet her family.

I've always wondered what your kind looked like in your Golden Age.

How you survived hundreds to possible thousands of cataclysmic events, and yet still be standing stronger than before.

Yet when the time came and all your glory lost to time and faith:

You were the only one left of your deific people.

Why?

Cover art credited to x-ste-x.
An idea that was in my head, please give me your thoughts on this concept.
27 May -- 31 May this was on the featured. Thank you all for liking this fic.