Twilight Sparkle is dead.
Twilight Sparkle is only slightly inconvenienced by this.

Twilight, Spike, and their friends leave the School of Friendship to embark on another adventure. To fill in during their absence, Twilight assigned a substitute teacher to cover for her and teach her History of Friendship class. When the students find out they begin discussing what pranks they should pull or how they can convince what they assume will be a pushover substitute to go easy on the homework.

The pony who walks through the door is not who they were anticipating.

A human is transported to Equestria!

They immediately lock themselves in a room and refuse to come out.

This story is a sequel to Why No One Messes With Celestia

In the wake of Celestia's return to Equus, the ponies have worked tirelessly to prepare for the arrival of the Ascended. Defenses have been set up, weapons prepared, allies warned, but most important of all in the minds of both Diarchs, a cure for the Indoctrination has been pursued.

The Ascended, or the Reapers as they are known to the rest of the galaxy, are not amused. They attack in force, unwilling to stand by and let this small, barely space-worthy race of unascended quadrupeds neutralize their most effective weapon in their march towards galactic cleansing.

Now they too shall learn to fear the dark, and the Princess who controls it.

Some people do great things because they want to advance the cause of knowledge.

Some people do great things because they want to make the world better.

Some people do great things because they want to turn a profit.

And some people do great things because they are BORED.

Cover art by Liu Ting

In one last ditch effort to take over Equestria, Queen Chrysalis does the unthinkable and makes copies of herself using the Mirror Pool.

Unfortunately for her, even brand new copies of the Queen don't like being bossed around.

Artwork by DashieSparkle. Based off the ending to "Queen Chrysalis Does The Thing".

The secret of Santa Hooves is, there's not just one. There are thousands... all of them changelings, bound by an ancient pact to deliver presents in exchange for love to get through the winter. Times have changed, and the changelings no longer need the love, but they honor the pact... even Queen Chrysalis.

Even though it goes against everything she believes.

Because some ancient beings you just don't cross- even if it means dealing with a little pony brat who wants to bake cookies on Hearth's Warming Eve.

Besides, every year somepony has to save Hearth's Warming. This year it's Chryssy's turn.

(Don't worry. She does it. Even if she hates doing it.)

(And featured from Christmas Day through 12-29-2018! Thanks, everyone!)

Cover art by AmethystLongcat.

Part of the Remember Fort Libris print anthology, thanks to our Kickstarter supporters!

Word around Ponyville is that Queen Chrysalis is planning something.

Something big.

Something terrible.

Something beyond imagination.

If only Queen Chrysalis had any idea what that something was.

Artwork by UncertainStardust.

Some say the world is black and white, others shades of grey.
The truth is, as always, somewhere in-between.
In which a precocious filly contemplates context.

Now with a dramatic reading by Plundersteed!

Wherein the foals of Ponyville stage a Hearth's Warming play, and everything goes irretrievably to hell.

Written for Alaborn for the 2018 Jinglemas collab.