Ebonfallow is a meek changeling who, for reasons beyond her control, was born with the inability to change form. Blackfish is an orca of adventurous qualities both admirable and vexatious, and pines for something—or someone—interesting enough to satisfy an unknown thirst that plagues him so.

When the former leaves her hive for a coastal pony community in disgrace and the latter decided to explore the very same location she dwells by virtue of his unquenchable curiosity, their paths soon cross upon one calm, warm summer day.

And, as both soon find out, their fates may be destined to intersect in more ways than simply a single, freak encounter...

Following the events of the Storm King's invasion of Canterlot, peace returns to Equestria. Apologetic and disheartened from their failed offense, all of the shattered king's servants and soldiers collect themselves, pack their things up and return to their homeland from whence they came.

All except one.

The unicorn mare, who formerly called herself commander of the Storm King's army, decides to stay with the people she had once abandoned so very long ago. And with this decision, she finds not only forgiveness, friendship and long-lost belonging, but something more. And that something lays in someone who not only showed her all these things, but forever changed her life for the better.

However, just as the dust begins to settle, it seems as though a tremendous, if subtle problem starts to loom over Canterlot no sooner than had it averted disaster...

The Gourd Fest is a three-day-spanning changeling ritual a drone holds for a special individual in times of tremendous happiness and great prosperity. With how everything has changed in such a wonderful direction for them after Queen Chrysalis' defeat, they've decided to promote the tradition to a full-on festival the entire kingdom can be a part of. Upon one midsummer day, Thorax, king of the changelings, gleefully invites Starlight Glimmer and a few of her friends to attend the first, fast-approaching Fest with him and the hive. Tagging along with them with only the biggest of smiles on her face is Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight, ever the avid and agog learner, is positively eager to study and write about the customs of changelings during this joyous celebration up close. Thorax, ever the obliging character, is more than happy to show them to her first-hoof. And as fate would have it, a simple and amiable lesson taught in changeling culture won't be all either of them come out with by the time the Gourd Fest comes to its conclusion...

The Keeper is an entity of nature as ancient as he is perplexing. Unfailingly, he has guarded a grove that his people, a small, peaceful dominion of red deer, have held sacred for many thousands of years, allowing no harm or threat to trespass within its most secret depths. Once more his diligence is challenged when a small incursion of changelings invade his domain, seeking the precious, healing sap at its very heart.

After fending them off with his powers, he discovers that one of them, their captain, had been injured in the struggle and left behind for dead. Taking pity upon her, he brings her into his grove to heal from the wounds and debilitating poison accrued in the scuffle. The battle-worn and tetchy changeling, Cert, is of course incensed at the creature and swiftly begins plotting his demise. But after some events transpire that unravel their pasts and unwittingly tie them closer together, her view on him slowly appears to start shifting in another direction.

Contains Spoilers for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and one or two other things...

The onslaught of Calamity Ganon meant many terrible things for the peaceful denizens of Hyrule. For the timid Princess Mipha, champion to the piscine Zora people, it was death. And yet, hundreds of years after her tragic demise, Mipha's disembodied spirit aided in the effort to finally purge the malefic force from the land. By lending her still-potent powers of healing to safeguard the one whom her heart belonged to beyond even the grave, the Hylian Link, the Calamity was successfully unmade. Saddened to leave her dear Link, but content in having fulfilled her sacred duty, Mipha felt herself beginning to fade away. It seemed she was finally passing into the next world...

...But such a deserved and final end was not meant to be.

Awakening from what feels like a dream, Mipha discovers that she yet lives. Now, though, she dwells in a strange world; an alien world, filled with creatures she had never before seen and beings that rule with surprising sapience to match her own. Though her nature may be quiet and meek, belying her true inner strengths, she tries with all of her power to return to Hyrule, and perhaps even to her dear Link, if she is able. The only question to remain for her is simple, but most elusive.

How?

This story is a sequel to Things Are Rarely as They Seem

Much has changed, both figuratively and literally, since the changeling Habeas Brittle and the pony Prunus Persica saw past their differences and found something truly dear in one another. But as some time goes by and their affinity for the other reaches its apex, they find the unexpected and unpredictable has not yet abandoned their worries.

Both turn their gazes toward the unforeseeable future, tailed by dogged fear and angst, yet with hope still warm in their minds and hearts. And as fate would have it, they aren't the only ones who are discovering terrible troubles in dire need of being overcome.

Chauffeur is a pony suffering a grievous streak of misfortune spanning throughout his life. Up to now he has lost his job, his family's respect, and his house. And, wouldn't you know it, a swarm of ravenous changelings sweeps across Canterlot with him stuck dead at the center of their attack. Things can't possibly get any worse than that, right?

Well, after awakening following the swarm's attack, he finds himself in a dark and foreboding place. That place happens to be where said changelings make their home. Now he lays in the care of a changeling drone named Lacewing, who had taken pity on his plight. Because of Lacewing's efforts to conceal him from her brethren's hungry jaws, Chauffeur quickly discovers a peculiar change with himself has also occurred...

After being attacked by a strange being in the dead of night, a young unicorn mare named Page-Turner finds herself transformed into a loathsome, terrifying creature with an uncontrollable need to drink the blood of others through horrific means. Frightened by her sudden change in both body and nature, she flees from pony society but tries her hardest to remain a part of it in the process.

As her attempts to cope and adapt to her new lifestyle sour and wither with every passing day, she finds herself being hunted by those that wish to see her destroyed. With little choice to begin with, the only goal to dominate her mind soon becomes survival.

Habeas Brittle, a carefree changeling who left his hive, is attacked by a grim figure as he wanders through the Canterlot countryside. Wounded greatly in the scuffle, he is found and cared for by a filly belonging to a widowed mare with a dark past.
WARNING! Spoilers in Comments Section! You have been warned.

In a surprise visit, Dragon Lord Ember comes to Ponyville with important news to give to her good friend Spike. According to her words, a great gathering among dragons is soon to be upon them, and in it, every dragon of age must find another dragon to become mated to by its end -- for life -- or risk becoming mate-less and alone forever, as stated by dragon law.

With such a sudden and perturbing turn of events, Spike, who is of the proper maturity, finds himself thrust into a most dire situation. Being raised by ponies has left him unfamiliar with his kind's inherent customs and traditions, but he knows that if he fails to participate or act like a proper dragon at the gathering, he fears he could lose his chance to show Ember the feelings he's been keeping from her for the past few years.

Does Spike have the ability to behave like the rest of his kind? And even if he succeeds in relearning his dragon instincts with the help of his friends, will he still be able to win over Ember's affections before someone else does?