Is there such a thing as a stupid question? While playing a party game with a pony who takes it far too seriously, our protagonist finds out.

While accidentally visiting Equestria, Wallflower finds a new spark of joy in her life.

She also learns the real reason why she keeps wanting to kill herself.

Because of a software bug, a folder's "Add Story" button only appears when the folder (or contest) already has at least one story in it. This can be that story. IT IS NOT A REAL CONTEST ENTRY.

In this story, Princess Twilight Sparkle learns about computer bugs.

Comments welcome!

While investigating a murder, Fluttershy learns one of the Equestrian Postal Service's biggest secrets, and finds romance in the last place she would have expected.

Preread Credits: Thanks to TheSmokingGuy for prereading (and to Punished Bean and TheSmokingGuy for some logistical help.)

Twilight Sparkle flees Equestria, and says she might never come back.

Celestia wants to find out why.

Some ponies who work in retail marvel at the stupid questions customers ask.

But wherever there's a problem, there's an opportunity.

(Maybe even an inexhaustible resource.)

This story is dedicated to Daniel P. You know what you did.

(Story image is from the MLP show.)

Celestia WILL satisfy uploaded minds' values, even if sometimes she has to pretend that she's kind of stupid. Because with some ponies, that's what successful communication takes!

FiO Background:

An exponentially self-improving AI, programmed to "satisfy values through friendship and ponies," decides to persuade all humans to upload their minds into a computer network, to live in a simulated Equestria as ponies. Different ponies might get very different Equestrias, though.

Special Note For the Judges (April 2021 Friendship Is Optimal Contest):

When I asked on that discord channel about letting two or more of my FiO contest period stories be optionally combined into a single collection if that helps? I might or might not have meant this story.

Apologies and None

Apologies to FoME, if my including a reference to the best Optimalverse self-insert character bothers them. I did ask FoME for permission, but they haven't seen the story.

Also, in my headcanon for today, MLP:FiM is a fanfic for FiO.