There have been many close calls, regarding the times when Equestria was in danger. Villains who threatened the balance, and each time the Element bearers were called to stop them. However, each time they came to face such dangers, the threat from said villains was no longer present. Each and every time, said villains would say that they would rather live in peace, and not seek to disrupt everyone’s peaceful living. The reason? There was this old figure who appeared, and simply talked to them. And his words would be etched in their hearts for many years to come.

6/27/21: Thank you all!

6/28/21:👍🏼🔥

6/29/21:👌🏼

6/30/21:✌🏼

7/03/21:🤟🏼

7/05/21:🤙🏼

7/11/21:🤘🏼

7/18/21:🖖🏼

08/16/21:💪🏼

09/19/21:👏🏼

10/21/21:🙌🏼

It was nearly one thousand years ago that Opaline Arcana defeated Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends. Her plan had succeeded, and the three ponykinds were split, their bonds broken. However, the ordeal left Opaline drained of her magic. If she revealed herself too soon, everything would have been for naught. She had a castle, but she couldn't leave.

While she still had her followers, there was one major issue: She is immortal, and they were not. Thus, she was eventually the only one left, and she required an assistant. Unfortunately, enchantments will only get a pony so far, and wild creatures aren't exactly reliable. While a young unicorn mare named Misty Brightdawn would come to her a few years before she would finally get her chance to return to the public eye, there were hundreds of years where very little happened.

However, about sixty of those years are an exception. Those were the years that she found herself with something she never expected.

A companion. A human companion.

Suggested by Wanderer312.

Jason's life has grown dull. While some may have thought that the weekly monster attacks might have kept him on his toes, he had grown to learn that as the norm around town. Now, after months of living in Ponyville, he can't shake the feeling that there is a void in his life. He follows his usual routine every day: breakfast, a quick shower, followed by a quick walk to the park to read the newspaper. One morning, he finds two parents playing with their filly in the playground. As he watches, an idea sparks within his mind: why not adopt a pony of his own?

Featured on Equestria Daily

Swift Wind got lost in the Zebrican savannah. There he encounters a bipedal creature. Then he runs.

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The first chapter was written as a one-shot and I still consider it as such. If you want some more fluff after finishing it, feel free to continue reading.
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This story was heavily inspired by this BBC video about persistence hunting. Whether you like or dislike the story, please leave a comment and criticize away or I can't improve my writing.
Special thanks to joeSFX for helping me edit this story!

20-year-old Ryan Burbank is living with his girlfriend in their woodland home when he is struck by a mysterious infection seemingly out of nowhere. To everyone's horror, his sickness spreads quickly throughout his body, shutting him down one piece at a time. The doctors are at a loss of what to do about this new form of bacteria. Ryan and his loved ones choose to keep fighting until either a cure can be discovered...or the pain becomes too much.
At the height of his suffering, he discovers a happy little show while watching television in his hospital room. The bright colors and happy attitudes of the cartoon equines provide him with a much-needed escape from the daily pain of being killed from the inside.
Eventually, the pain becomes too much and he decides it would be better to go out surrounded by his family, in the embrace of those who kept him company throughout his short life. Just as he starts to fade, his eyes wander to the screen of the hospital room television and the cartoon ponies who adorn it. Something strange begins to occur...almost like the screen is pulling him in. Tunnel vision, maybe?
No, that can't be it...why can he hear his name being called by a very familiar voice? And why is she...crying? Who is this crying, familiar voice and why does she seem to know him?

[img]https://orig10.deviantart.net/bf87/f/2014/010/3/0/recup_pinkie_sphear_1_2__by_xdrawdex-d71pigr.gif[/img]

SPOILERS IN THE COMMENTS

Rated "Teen" for language and the "Sex" tag is for all of the sexual humor and suggestive situations. If I decide to up the suggestive stuff in the future, I'll change the tags and rating to fit that change.

Cover by enamis.