This horrible species has cost more ponies their lives than every other creature to ever exist in Equestria. Now one has made the mistake of challenging Twilight in her castle library. With all the fury the Alicorn can rain down, Twilight will make sure that this offender does not escape alive.

Lucid Storm imagines a world beyond death, where no pony will ever need to truly say goodbye to the ones they love. When all the magic and medicine of Equestria failed one young Sweetie Belle, he proposed a radical new technique--total brain recording, taken minutes before her death.

Years have passed since that day, years spent scrounging the funding for a body and experimenting with many failed machine intelligence models before tinkerer ponies all around equestria finally came together in the perfect synthesis.

After all this time, Sweetie Belle will finally have her second chance.

Written for Lucid on my Patreon. Edited by Two Bit and Sparktail, who also sponsored it. Cover by Magfen.

READ THIS INSTEAD

Has been republished ((again)) so I can submit other stories without waiting for the dreaded approval waiting time. Or I'm delusional, and that's not a thing. I was not. It really does work like that.

If you want to know why it was originally taken down, read the blog. ((Also my profile's comments. This shit is cringe))

244 likes 17 dislikes before the shameful snap I made ratings visible again 'cause ppl are still reading this for some reason.

New story of similar theme coming soon, so hold 'yer horses. But this time without the cringe. Hopefully.

Takes place in an alternate universe where princess Platinum, commander Hurricane and chancellor Puddinghead begrudgingly works together in threat of annihilation by the windigos to form Equestria without their advisor's intervention. However, not everything is sunshine and rainbows, as the desperate union continues to be plagued by ethnic strife between the three tribes, and constant border raids/skirmishes from their new neighbours begin to breed a culture of mistrust and paranoia.

One such raiders were the 'savage' eastern griffons; whose origins were hidden by the impassable eastern mountain ranges which cut the Equus continent into two. Wild tales and speculations came out of the mysterious eastern lands, as even the coasts were lined with mountains; seemingly to protect its vast riches from outsiders. Little did they know, the eastern lands did not hold vast riches nor fertile lands, but was a chaotic and violent collection of warlords, counties, dukedoms and kingdoms; all fighting for so long to the point that their original casus belli had been lost or forgotten due to time.

There was no creature in Equestria who could stabilise the isolated region; many griffons having fallen attempting to unite the vast lands. Luckily, the next ones wouldn't be Equestrian. (Yeah, you know where this is going)

Enter Bismarck and Mauser; the former having been forced into retirement by the boisterous Kaiser Wilhelm II, and the latter continuing to refine his rifle designs, and eventually witnessing his Gewehr 98 becoming the standard issued German rifle. The latter was a realist and an extremely gifted statesman; whilst the former was an inventor whose name would label the infamous "Mauser" small-arms company.

Can they unite the fractured eastern lands? Can they create a unifying identity to rally the apethtic citizenry? Can they fix the agricultural and economic strife? Can they turn their divided lands into a unified superpower? Of course they can.

* Erwin Rommel (Griffon)
* Winston Churchill (Changeling)
* Franklin D Roosevelt (Changeling)
* Queen Victoria (Changeling)

Disclaimer: First time writing. Writing on a phone. Harsh criticism is fine, just don't be unreasonable. Historical accuracy is thrown out the window to fit the narrative. Realism is also thrown out the window (goodbye immersion). Totally not a Gary Stu story with all the modern weapons (pretty much just a 'civilised' vs 'uncivilised' situation). The pony civilisation is not a fairy tale utopia. Lots of death. Research_all and add_equipment are used liberally. Victoria 2 (and hopefully soon Victoria 3) are referenced frequently (mostly in comments).

Cover art link: https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Otto_von_Bismarck_by_N.Repik.jpg
(The image is free to use, and requires no permission nor request to use) (If you're a dum-dum and asking if I made the cover art, "ofc I didn't make the covert art.")

Featured 06/27/21 ("The world must've gone terribly wrong for something like this to happen...")

Even the town of Appleloosa celebrates Hearth's Warming, and Braeburn thinks it's the best time of the year. Naturally, he can't resist talking about it when he writes letters to Little Strongheart of the buffalo tribe.

Little Strongheart soon becomes quite curious about this holiday, and decides to experience it for herself. To that end, she leaves her tribe and journeys into Appleloosa to spend the holiday with Braeburn, much to his surprise.

Still, Braeburn is delighted to play the host and show Little Strongheart how wonderful the holiday of Hearth's Warming can be. Will Little Strongheart come to enjoy and cherish the holiday as much as Braeburn?

Stories about monsters disguised as treasure chests were thought to be no more than legends.

But when Sunburst finds the last one in existence, the Changelings come to the Crystal Empire with a demand: kill it and send the species to extinction.

This story is based on a suggestion by LordMentat!

It has been only a short time since Sunset Shimmer and her friends discovered the second portal to Equestria on their spring break cruise trip. It now seems that there is a third portal that leads to a new world with a super computer that contains a virtual world.

Princess Cadance, just like everypony else, needs some time of leisure from her many duties. While Shining Armor is taking care of their daughter, Cadance enjoys her lone trips to the nearby Nephrite Forest, where she can be away from all of her burdens and obligations for at least a short while.

She was simply destined to get mugged eventually, wasn’t she? Why not by somepony who takes his job very seriously.

Also available in Mandarin Chinese (translation by keplebletbett) and Spanish (translation by SPANIARD KIWI).

Hearth's Warming Eve is nearly upon Canterlot once again. The city is abustle with holiday shoppers and busy little ponies, but they all have the same thing on their mind: The Hearth's Warming Play!

Ponies from all across Equestria come to audition for the distinguished honor of being in that year's playbill. Whether it's as a stagehand, a contributor, or the coveted actor, it was just an honor to be listed. This year however, an even greater honor was on offer: to share the stage with Princess Celestia herself!

Well, it wasn't yet decided what role she'd be playing, but she was auditioning! Of course she was going to get a role! Why wouldn't she? It was a shoo-in. Especially with her sister Luna waiting in the wings to support her.

Featured 12/1/2023. Much thanks!

Art done by the fantastic minekoo2.

Twilight Sparkle wakes up one day to find her marefriend, Tempest Shadow, has gone out of her way to make sure Twilight has the perfect day. However, Twilight has a nagging feeling there’s a reason for the favors, and she’s determined to figure out what it is.

Only a few months ago, Starlight finally rekindled her friendship with Sunburst, and despite promising to stay in touch, the planned letters never surfaced, by either. To this end, Twilight has brought Starlight back to the Crystal Empire, for little other reason than to make the two of them get closer - much closer - for a few days. But after learning from Sunburst of a new artifact discovered in the Empire that he is currently studying, Starlight is presented with a choice: with the power to rewrite the past entirely with little consequence, should one do it?

Manipulating the past can have drastic consequences, even if all intentions were for others' good...

Written for the short story compilation, Scattered Pages, a collaborative effort between multiple authors who volunteered for Ponyville Ciderfest 2023's writing team.

Cover art by slushpony. Edited by sonicsuns.