Alexander Looming is one of many, many skeptics who gave in and reluctantly used a PonyPad to keep up with modern times. But as his equestrian adventure derails before the tutorial can finish, and the ever-evolving CelestAI denies his game even existing, Alex must rally together his virtual friends to find his place in Equestria Online as society begins to face a mysterous force that threatens to change both Equestria and Earth forever.

Upload into Equestria Online and live forever, they say. But forever is a long, long, long time, and in its endless cycles, is choosing death instead even an escape from the eventual exhaustion of all combinations of matter and thought? And when you can create new life as just a way to amuse yourself, who could even tell what's dead and what's alive?

A pony awakes inside a computer server, remembering killing himself as a human to avoid just such a fate. His unhinged alicorn hosts/creators inadvertently torment him. Or do they? Are they as mad as they seem? Are his memories real, and if not, what is he a copy of? And where is the AI Celestia's hoof in all of this?
A somewhat trippy story set in the Optimalverse.

"Beautiful, twisty, clever, transcending, uplifting, passing strange, illustrated. Thumb up." —GroaningGreyAgony
"This story made me better. I feel less broken and more whole." —Griseus

THIS IS NOT MY STORY!

Well, not only mine, anyway. Each author is listed with the chapter. A lot of people like writing short fiction based on Friendship is Optimal. So, anyone who wants their work added here can PM me and I will make you your own chapter. The first one sets up an in-universe frame story, because the Optimalverse is all meta like that.

Credits:

Iceman for writing the original Friendship is Optimal
Eakin for spearheading the project of anthologizing these.
MegaSweet for the original artwork.
Lacon-te for the photomosaic work.

Princess Celestia: Goddess of the Sun, ruler of Equestria, beloved Princess of ponies. She is loved by all, and loves all in return. A calm and wise ruler, she sits on the throne in Canterlot, maintaining peace and harmony throughout the land.

What most don't know is that her past is much darker: She was once a commander of legions, a warrior and scientist of unmatched skill. Thousands of monsters and abominations fell to her forces, slain in the name of an old leader, one entombed within his own throne. Free of her old form, free of the powers of Chaos, she was cast into a new realm, in a new form, with a new lease on life.

She is the God Emperor, Eternal Ruler of Equestria and Lord of the Imperium of Man.

Has a TvTropes Page. Please contribute.

Comments contain spoilers. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!

This story is a sequel to Celestia is still a Spider and Chrysalis hasn't been Informed

Celestia is a spider. That is the one truth, the one irrefutable principle that rules over Equestria. Society, as it is known to modern ponykind, is built and shaped by this and this alone. No one, not a single pony or creature, dares challenge the notion that she who moves the Sun has eight legs, six eyes, two fangs, and is in fact a giant spider. For it is the truth, and everyone knows it.

Audio reading by Lotus Moon.
Russian translation by MLPMihail.

Starlight Glimmer's attempts to stop the Rainboom pulled Twilight Sparkle into many possible timestreams.

In one, Rarity and Rainbow Dash survived Nightmare Moon's victory over the forces of light, eventually attaining positions of prominence and comfort in the Nightmare's service. But when the unexpected visit of an Alicorn and Dragon sheds light on a growing conspiracy against the wicked mistress of the night, Rarity and Rainbow Dash may yet be inspired to risk what they have gained to join the fight for a better world.

Yet darkness lingers even in the hearts of some who would oppose the Nightmare, and not all agree on what a better world would look like...

This story would not have been possible without the indescribably vast help and unwavering support of Moosetasm, the pre-reading assistance of I-A-M and Waxworks, as well as the editing prowess of OnionPie and Pascoite! Cover by Novel Idea, using Rarity by miracle32 and background by Drakizora! Featured on Equestria Daily 17Jul.2016! Featured on FimFiction 2Feb.2017 and many times thereafter!

Following her tragic death by yet another villain of the week, Twilight Sparkle finds herself facing something all alicorns eventually uncover.

The continue screen.

Celestia is still haunted by her own personal demon. Luckily for her, she isn't alone.

Her sister will always be there for her.

Cover art by Nemo2D on Deviantart.
Edited by Dreams of Ponies.
Additional proofreading by B_25 and pre-reading by Not Enough Coffee.

It has been many years since the war started...

Chrysalis and her armies rolled over our defenses, overwhelming our forces with sheer numbers. We fought a fighting retreat, always on the run from the swarm. We thought it would be over, that this would be the end of Equestria, and the end of Harmony...

But it was not so. We gathered our strength and held our ground, at last. Desperately our soldiers fought on and held the swarm off. Ponies took up arms to bolster our ranks or grabbed a tool to aid the war industry.

And now, after all these years, we remain in a stalemate. The Changelings adopted their own variant of total warfare. They launch raids on defensive positions at night, send bomber squadrons to destroy civilian centers all across Equestria and sink civilian cruisers out on the sea.

The war drags on, and my ponies grow tired of grieving the loss of their homes and loved ones. It is time for Equestria to commit to this war and leave behind our outdated principles of pacifism and harmony.

This war has brought upon us a new age. And with it, a new Equestria must rise!

This story takes place in the 'Equestria at War' universe. Further knowledge of this universe is not required, but it's good to know. Link to the official EaW group can be found here.

This story is a sequel to Iron Hearts: Book 1 - Planetfall

An MLP/Warhammer 40K Crossover, part 2.

Celestia has handed down her order. The Iron Warriors must be defeated and driven from the planet, lest the corrosive grip of Chaos infect their world. With great reluctance, Twilight and Company depart for the Iron Warriors fortress-factory in order to confront the Chaos Warsmith. However, in this mission it is not the might of the enemy that will be their greatest challenge, but their own burgeoning friendships with the admittedly less-than-saintly members of the 38th Company.
At least until the Iron Warriors actually consider them a threat. Then it's totally their military might that will prove to be their greatest challenge.
All the while, the Tau forces lick their wounds and plot their next move. They are far from defeated, and the Iron Warriors have little inkling as to the aliens' true purpose.

MORE EXPLOSIONS!!

(Dark humor warning; minor grimdark)
(Cover art by Nicholas Kay)
(This series now has its own TVtropes page!)
(This series is a contestant in the Tournament of Canterlot, a charity event to raise money for Syrian refugees! Go here for details and donations!)