What's the deal with ponies? Squint just a little and you can't tell one from the next.
Ember doesn't even need to squint to get the effect.
Who would have guessed that a Dragonlord would have problems that needed more than just an application of violence?

Ronald Lee is the systems administrator for one of the largest fan-made online games in the world. Though nothing new has been produced for MLP for decades now, fans old and young continue to flock to the online version of Equestria they're building together.

Of course he knew that the programs they wrote would grow more intelligent over time. With cheaper hardware and better AI, this was always expected, and a user experience allowing for content similar to the show to be produced in real time for every user was always tantalizingly close.

Then Starlight Glimmer started talking to him.

This story is a prequel to Synthesis, and doesn't require knowledge of that story. You may want to check it out when you're done here, however.

This story was commissioned by Two Bit, who also helped edit because he is an absolute mad lad. Sparktail helped too.

Cover by Zutcha

Pinkie Pie is a very busy mare. Between her friends and her family, her party-planning job and her world-saving Element duties, she barely has any time for herself. Sometimes she wishes she had some help.

This wish is answered in the form of a small changeling, lost and alone.

Little did she or he know what series of events this would kickstart, or the marvelous new chapter it would open in the party mare's life.

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Cover Art and Proofreading by NecroHorse.

Twenty years. Twenty years spent sitting on a stone plinth, with birds getting absolutely everywhere. That kind of experience can change a pony, or a changeling. As long as she stays ahead of the newspapers and mail service, that story might even hold up.

A story about grudges, love, and the power of unremitting hatred.

No particular reason for the T rating, just covering my bases with how much Chrysalis teases ponies.

Special thanks to everyone who reads my works, follows me, or just happens to look at this -- you deserve to be happy too buddy, just like all our little buggy friends and even Chrysalis herself.

Written as my entry in FanOfMostEverything's Imposing Sovereigns II contest.

This story is a sequel to All along

Celestia thought she knew herself. She was sure that nothing could surprise her anymore. She was certain that there was nothing more that she could possibly be hiding from herself.
One attempt to identify a changeling presence in the royal guard later, she was coming to terms with how reality had decided to prove her wrong.

Pinkie Pie has a secret. Actually, more like fifty secrets. 

See, Pinkie isn’t really Pinkie. She’s actually a whole hive of changelings, working in shifts to absorb as much love as they can. Ordinarily, that works out fine for Grasshopper and her sisters--but what happens when somebuggy breaks the rules? 

Note: This story uses colored text for some important bits. Readers with colorblindness or using monochrome displays may have trouble. If it's getting to be too much of a problem, drop me a line, and I'll see what I can do!

Edited by Krack-Fic Kai. Thanks, Friend!

Inb4: Yes, this AU makes no sense and doesn't stand up to scrutiny. But it's a Pinkie Pie story, for Chrysalis's sake. Just enjoy it.

A Sequel to Midnight at the Crystal Library, though the most relevant parts will come up in this tale at the appropriate time.

When Sunset Shimmer and the human Twilight Sparkle embarked on a study-vacation to the Crystal Empire, they never expected to get into a battle for the very survival of the world, against not only time-displaced versions of their friends, but time-displaced versions of Demon-Shimmer and Midnight Sparkle. But they did, and with help they prevailed.

Now heading back home with a spell in hoof that might finally make Equestrian Magic safer in the human world, Sunset and Twilight will discover that not all of their past sins are completely gone and forgotten. The Great and Powerful Trixie plans to bring a Great and Powerful copyright suit against her human counterpart, Discord has decided to tag along and keep things from getting too safe and boring, and Princess Luna takes a near-lethal dose of Pinkie Pie's proprietary coffee blend before dream-diving for the answers she seeks.

But what starts off as a rollicking good time for some soon becomes a harrowing race towards oblivion or worse. Pranks are pulled, worlds ripped asunder, the Dazzlings learn to cook, and dreams are unveiled. What sort of madness is this?

Part of the Anarchyverse

Special Thanks to Comma Typer for the use of a few characters from his marvelous (seriously, go read it) Magical Curiosity series. Also special thanks to Toriandthehorse for support and help with the story's name.

The Library of the Crystal Empire vanished for 1,000 years with the city itself, taking (and ironically preserving) ancient tomes of magic long thought lost to Equestria. Now, in order to protect their own world from Equestrian magic, Sunset Shimmer and the human Twilight Sparkle will plumb the library's depths, accompanied by Starlight Glimmer, Sunburst, and the Great and Powerful Trixie, in order to find the answers they seek.

But soon they are swept up in an experiment conducted by none other than Starswirl the Bearded, who seeks to aid a friend of Equestria, the infamous Tempest Shadow (Fizzlepop Berrytwist) in restoring her broken horn.

One magical ritual, a dose of dimensional-duplicate-insecurities, and a mountain of existential crises later, and... well. Let's just say that Starlight might finally have some company in the "I destroyed Equestria" club.

Part of the Anarchyverse

Twilight Sparkle has always been frustrated with Discord. His ability to do anything, with no more effort than a snap of his claw. It shouldn't be possible. His power had to come from somewhere.
Then, one day, Twilight lets slip how she feels. Surprisingly Discord agrees to explain it to her. To give her the secret to all of his powers. If she's willing to pay the price that knowing it all will bring.

Probably the best thing to happen in Discord's long life was finding the magic of friendship. As much as the old Chaos Lord might complain, without it he would never have found so many that were dear to his heart.

When that heart finds itself empty, he comes to the Princess to ask a favor: allow him the opportunity to bring friendship to other dark hearts. All she has to do is lend him a statue.

The rest is in his chaotic claws.

Featured on 10/18/19, 10/22/19 and 10/25/19!

Featured in Equestria Daily on 6/18/2020 and in their 40 Fanfics to Read for Villain Day on 11/12/2020!

Reviewed here by Javarod!

Also reviewed by PresentPerfect with the rating of Highly Recommended! And it also made the Top 10 of 2020!

Death tag - no horrible murder, just a few mentions and the natural consequences of time.