This story is a sequel to A Unicorn and an Alicorn Walk Into a Library

Lyra Heartstrings has grown. Years of work improving herself and helping those around her improve themselves has granted her mastery of many things, but will it be enough to hold the world together during the coming trials?

Art (on commission) by the always amazing WitchTaunter. (I couldn't resist getting art done by a fellow appreciator of the shid.)

See This Blog for licensing.

This story is a sequel to Mark My Words

When the Triarchy of Princess Trixie, Princess Twilight, and Prince Mark took over from the missing Royal Sisters, they made many changes. Most were for Equestria as a whole, but some were in Canterlot Castle itself. Under their more informal manner of ruling, unusual characters and events livened up the Royal Castle behind the scenes for the most part. These are vignettes of some of those people and their effect on those around them.

This story is a sequel to Brave New Pony World

For many years, Prince Mark Wells has been secretly working through Harmonic Composites, a company that was built both in Equestria and the United States and connected by portals for the purpose of building Equestria's economy and technology. The moment has come for Equestria to formally make itself known to the people of Earth and initiate open trade without revealing that they have been in contact for a long time already. After defeating many dangers in Equestria, they must now face the perils of a new world, including politicians and a vindictive young lady.

This story is a sequel to They're... ON HOLIDAY?

Ayyyy, featured despite the sequel curse on 16.10.2023! Can we keep the last spot in the box? What's in the box? Why is the box?
EDIT: Added a character cheat sheet on the bottom.

Updates: Weekly-ish

Six years have passed since the Canterlot invasion. While the relationship between the Changeling Hive and Equestria is warmer than ever, the relationship between the deadly tunnels under the Badlands and the small, mostly defenseless changeling drones who live there isn't.
However, thanks to the knowledge granted in the recent years by a mysterious "smart box", and the guidance of drone veterans who survived under the "old rules", the post-Canterlot "new rules", and the terrifying "shippy time", fewer and fewer drones perish daily while mining materials for the hive's day to day operations.
Fewer, though, still means far from zero, and there are those among the drones who are doing all they can to finally transform the underground from fatal threat to something the drones deserve - not just a place to hide, but a true home. With copious amounts of goop, unstoppable curiosity, copyrighted board game, and a blessing from High Score, there's no way they'll fail, or at least not for long.
Drones know that everything is a trade and life is just a price. Unfortunately, sometimes there are near-invisible asterisks.

--High Ranks--
Chrysalis - no need to explain.
99 - a classless changeling. You figure out her rank on your own.
156 - current highest rank infiltrator. She and 387 might be an item.
387 - current highest rank warrior. There's nothing special about him.
2119, 3012 - unlucky top floor guards
--Drones--
10000/10k - drone leader
20100 - a drone supposedly out on a mission for the hive. Painter, the worst nightmare of casinos
57999 - the closest Ds have to a doctor, grows plants in a greenhouse
65536 - a drone living in Canterlot, a Nightguard. Sort of Luna's adopted kid.
99380 - hive mind manipulation specialist, that might be a curse.
99111 - mechanist, tinkerer. Engineer would be too... successful.
99856 - alchemist
99200 - explorer/survivalist
99012, 99066, 99971 - quicktrotters
99911, 99158, 99112 - drone crisis response team
99999 - a drone.
Smiley - a Silent who surived long enough to gain some mental capacity. Can't talk.
--Other--
Gloom, Night Hunter - Canterlot Nightguards

Updates: Weekly, hopefully.
Don't think about this too much, it hurts the squishy sponge.
WOO, FEATURED! 18.1.2020

EDIT: Added a character cheat sheet in the bottom of this section due to requests.

The only thing that's known about changelings in general is that they came from the Badlands and that they eat love. Oh right, and that their queen is evil, cool, and certainly does not star in some of the wilder pony dreams.
Not much, is it?
The thing is, it's not as if they know too much themselves. For example, how many of them there really were? How many of them survived the invasion? How silly was it to attempt to disrupt princess Celestia's cake supply?
No one can fully answer such burning questions. Only one thing is for certain - they're now everywhere, and they all have their own stories to tell, some long, some short, some violent, some silly, some happy. Changelings all over the place.
Not every creature minds, though.

--156,387--
156 - infiltrator, F, hive loyalist.
387 - warrior, M, knows strangely too much.
918 - infiltrator. F.
47989 - drone, hit head on rock, a bit confused
559, 791, 2899 - warriors, M
10013, 13887, 19441, 31214 - drones

--1988,9999--
1988 - infiltrator, M, in charge of the lumber camp lings, totally femboy looking.
9999 - currently the highest ranking drone in the hive, involuntary drone Jesus.
36658, 57999 - drone bark meister, drone bark padawan. Definitely not opiate dealers.
13415 - drone, second-in-command after 9999.
17070 - cooking drone, deaf.
20100 - moving pictures drone
54331, 74989, 33125, 65661 - drones
3x Silent

--1313--
1313 - infiltrator, M, breaks easily, is put together easily.
Zamira - F, Blueblood's zebra bodyguard

--65536--
65536 - drone, requires no details here.
Sharp Biscuit - Batpony, M, Nightguard Commander.
Beacon - Unicorn, M, paladin Grandmaster
Pink Sunset - Batpony, M
Gloom - Batpony, F
Night Hunter - Batpony, M
Steel Glimmer - Batpony, F

This story is a sequel to The Painless Murders

The graveside is a place of deep reflection. On friends who will never forget. On lives touched, even saved, and forever changed. On a legacy that will carry into future generations.

Featured Jul 26-27, 2023.

Written for Bicyclette's A Thousand Words Contest II 2023.

This story is part of the Dark Steel series and makes use of characters found in those stories. Being familiar with them is helpful, but not required.

Thanks to OConnerGT-R for pre-reading, Airy Words for proofreading.

Cover art photo by Katharine Sparrow, licensed for free use from https://www.stockvault.net/

It's always been fun playing Dungeons and Dragons with the girls. Applejack never gave thought to running a campaign herself until their group hit a wall. Sunset's game had just finished, Twilight wasn't ready to start a new one, and no one else volunteered. It was Applejack or bust.

But she wasn't much into dragons, glowing swords, and all that. As her writing slows to a crawl, Applejack takes a walk outside in search of inspiration...

This story is a sequel to Man Cannot Live On Tea Alone

Jake is a human, pulled into Equestria by a magic mishap. Rarity is a fashionista, businessmare, and all-around interesting pony. Jake and Rarity go out for coffee and conversation, and enjoy each other's company. Can Jake match wits with Rarity? Can he keep up with the savvy, sassy mare that he's come to appreciate?

No. No, probably not.

Rated T for Sassy Waitresses, Blushing Ponies, and Ponies That Are So Cute They'll Make You Die. (Oh, and violence!)

Story inspired by gign-3208's beautiful art.

It is highly recommended you read the prequel story first, but this story can stand on it's own thanks to a preface at the beginning that can bring new readers up to speed.

Special thanks to SS&E, Fourths, and Jern for editing.

This story is a sequel to Business Trip

Five years ago, sixteen mares founded a hotel in New Jersey called the Mareiott. These are their stories. A sequel to Business Trip, it's recommended (though not necessary) to read that first. Act I serves as a prequel, Act II is comprised of side stories to Business Trip, and Act III explores what these mares have been up to in the ensuing years.

Of note, Mr. Jones Goes To Equestria is a side story to this, and completely optional prior reading.

Character tags: Cherry Pie, Daisy Dreams, Dewdrop Dazzle, Diamond Rose, Feathermay, Flitterheart, Honeybuzz, Lily Blossom, Lulu Luck, Ploomette, Plumsweet, Rainbow Flash, Snowcatcher, Starbeam Twinkle, Sunny Rays, & Sweetie Swirl

_{Each chapter will be told from a first pony perspective, so you can see the character's thoughts and motivations for their actions. That's sixteen individual points of view, and the pony in focus will be spelled out in the chapter name. Also, please note that due to the changing perspectives, the tone of the story will shift from chapter to chapter.}

Written as a thank you to all those who enjoyed the original and requested a sequel, and also serves as another entry in Admiral Biscuit's challenge/request/not-a-contest for more slice of life fics featuring ponies working on Earth:

https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/869870/story-notes-labor-day-plus-a-challenge-to-readers

Pre-read/edited by: Snowliasion & Roxylalolcat

Dutch dialogue in Feathermay's chapter courtesy Snowliasion

Everyone knows the story of how the Mane Six came together to defeat Nightmare Moon, right? Nnnope! At least, not in this alternate universe where Harmony had other ideas.