For most of Applejack's life, she didn't know what she was. True, she understood who she was well enough.
But ponies don't change shapes, nor do they get strength from love.
Applejack never thought too hard on it... until the events of a certain wedding brought about some harsh realizations.
Now, with Equestria still reeling from the surprise attack, will Applejack manage to come to terms with what she is? Will she even be able to keep her secret safe?
For if the royal guards don't get her first, the conspirators in the shadows just might...

Image provided by Heilos -

This story is a sequel to The Eagle Is Sealed

While Luna spends her time chatting with the three astronauts onboard Columbia on the three-day trip back to Earth, the humans still on the planet have to deal with the fallout her appearance has caused. Unfortunately for Charlie, that fallout starts for him as Soviet interest .

Now they're after him. He'll have to avoid, evade, and straight-up fight the full might the Soviet spy machine can bring to bear upon one man. Hopefully it'll be enough to keep him out of their clutches.

For if they can't have him, they'll do their best to make sure no one else can, either.

Featured (briefly) 9/23/14!

Sequel here!

It all starts simply enough with Chrysalis sending two of her most trusted changelings to infiltrate the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, but now she has a civil war on her hooves that threatens to spill over into all of Equestria.

Celestia and Luna have read the signs and enlist the Mane Six to handle the changeling threat forever... by stopping it before it ever happens. Using one of Starswirl the Bearded's most coveted spells, they have a chance to go back to prevent Queen Chrysalis' tragic origins, but one misstep could destroy the present that they came back to protect, and when they get tangled up in the history of the Elements of Harmony, things get even more complicated.

(Conceptualized prior to season 3 or the comics, though it takes place shortly after the events of The Crystal Empire).

Long live the Queen.

An evil mastermind once attempted to take control of Canterlot for herself, if only for the understandable reason of being hungry and wanting to feed her army. She was quickly taken care of. But although nothing has been heard from her since and her army presumably since starved or perished, nothing can push away darkness forever.

When a select few Changelings return to Ponyville, their reception is understandably negative, and questions are asked. What brought them here? Why are they here? What are their intentions? These are only a few of their stories. Each of the Six responds to their arrival a bit differently, from sympathy to distrust to outright hatred.

All of this takes place over the course of one day, at the same time, through parallel perspectives.

EDITING UPDATES

6/26
Sad category removed. Comedy added.
6/27
Grammatical errors fixed. Continuity tightened. Short chapters extended to meet 1000 word goal.

With Twilight Sparkle's ascension to Princesshood, little fillies across the world dream away with the knowledge that any one of them could become a Princess themselves, somehow, some day. Unicorns dream of sprouting wings and tasting the clouds, Pegasi imagine what it might be like to conjure from thin air, and the Earth Ponies...

Well, they've always been a practical people. "Keep your hooves on the ground and your head with your hooves," as they say.

But one little Earth Pony wonders how different her kind is from the fiery Pegasi and crafty Unicorns - What does an Earth Pony have to offer that they don't?

So, she does some light research on the inherent magics of ponykind, and how they tie together into the apex form known as an Alicorn.

She is less than pleased with her results.

--Rated Teen for some dark, dangerous, and mature situations which may not be appropriate for all audiences--

In this verse Chrysalis successfully takes over Canterlot with no last minute hiccups. This hardly ends her venture. In fact, it is just the beginning.

Will neighboring nations become friend or foe? Can her rulership survive the enemies lurking in the shadows ready to sabotage her every effort? Among these obstacles are foes the Alicorns and element bearers would have faced...

NOTE- I began this story early into season 5, accordingly much of the changeling lore in this story won't match details shown in Season 6 and beyond.

"I'm Yah-Shee and he's Arrell, and it's our job to analyze their weapons, armour, and skills to find out who would win an Equestrian Death Battle."

This story takes the concept of Death Battle and carries it over into Equestria, pitting different ponies and other Equestrian creatures against each other in one-on-one fights to the death to see which is superior. Extensive research is done on both combatants to figure out who would win, and is presented as a written battle to be more entertaining.

Readers are asked to suggest possibilities for battles in the comments, or by messaging me. You are allowed to suggest OC characters, as long as they are from a story that is at least somewhat well-known.

"But for now, it's time for an Equestrian Death Battle!"

It is the summer of 2020. The popular TV show "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" has finished its eighth, and what appears to be final, season. In the wake of increasingly violent attacks by an extremist Internet-based terrorist group, the founders of the popular pony site, Equestria Daily, decide enough is enough. Bronies from all over the world have gathered in a small, abandoned industrial park in the run-down outskirts of Chicago to find the culmination of their dreams: Equestria. Through the wonders of science, they flee Earth for a land of magic, mystery and secrets. They will be weighed, they will be measured... will they be found wanting or will their dreams come true?

Story Idea inspired by a chapter in Shipping and Handling by PegasusRescueBrigade.

Cover image is a composite of the original Stargate movie poster and 'Canterlot At Night' by Cosmicunicorn, Source

The Sequel: Magical Wizard Brony Detectives

Twilight asks Discord for a game of chess. Discord agrees - in order to make a point.

And in order to ask Twilight to complete one simple task.

Twilight still isn't having a very good day. An army of changelings is attacking Canterlot, and the experimental spell that blew up in her face has stuck her in a time loop until she gets everything perfect and saves Equestria.

She's got a plan. She's also got a problem: Suddenly, she's not the only one whose day is repeating. And when you're caught between unstoppable force and immovable object, life has a tendency to get complicated.

* * *

This story is an authorized alternate-universe re-imagining of Eakin's Hard Reset, in which multiple loopers turn the time shenanigans up to 11. (Knowledge of Hard Reset is not required, but based on reader comments, will help in sorting out the early chapters.)

Cliff's Notes versions: RampantArcana has started a GitHub repository to codify the time-loop rules and the early-story timeline. Hawthornbunny has posted a chapter-by-chapter breakdown of all the loops, including the ones we don't see, with a lot of critical analysis. Those links contain spoilers (of currently posted chapters). If you're confused, either one of those fan projects is a great starting point, and story comments have a lot of insightful discussion as well.

Publication schedule: 2014 kicked my plot, but as of November I'm picking up the writing again and hope to have something by the end of the month.

Cover art by Alexstrazsa.