Somehow, I've always known.

Cover artwork courtesy of Cloud-Drawings on DeviantArt.

My entry for the Dialogue-Only Contest!

Anon has a discussion with Button Mash’s mother (also known as Cream Heart) about the nature of the story they are in (this one).

For the sake of the long description being longer than the short description, this sentence exists.

Cover art is a screenshot from the Button's Adventures pilot by JanAnimations and ShadyVox (which was officially taken off of YouTube), but you probably already knew that.

A few years ago, a rumor surfaced that I creature of tall statue and thick clothing, made himself home in a cave on top of a mountain. He would offer insight into future events in exchange for food, as a tribute to his divine knowledge and has been known as The Oracle ever since. For years he has given out knowledge sparingly, now Princess Celestia, Luna, and Cadence have made plans to visit him, but Celestia’s question might be a little risky, but curiosity is killing her.

Anon has been living comfortably in Ponyville for a while now, but the novelty has been wearing off, and now he misses many of the entertainment options he had back home. He brings this up to Twilight, and together they arrange for a game night with her friends to try and make Anon feel more at home.

Unfortunately, Anon forgot just how badly human board games can strain or break even the toughest of friendships.

This story was a commission by IHateNumbers

Equestria and the Crystal Empire have fallen to the Changeling Hegemony, led by the brutal Queen Chrysalis at the head of a mechanized horde of guns and tanks. Princess Cadance stayed in the Crystal Empire; Princess Twilight stayed in Equestria. Chrysalis rules the continent, only defied by Nova Griffonia, the poor Griffon colony in the north.

Across the ocean, the Griffonian Reich pledges to reclaim its lost territory, sundered by revolution a generation ago. While the Alicorn Sisters retreat to New Mareland, Princess Flurry Heart and Shining Armor turn to Aquileia, the Republic born out of the ashes of the Griffonian Reich. The Kaiser of the Reich is only a child, subject to a regent bent on war and conquest.

Flurry knows the Reich and Chrysalis have worked together.

She knows that war is coming to Aquileia.

She knows that Celestia and Luna abandoned her mother and Twilight Sparkle.

She knows that the world is on fire, and she is the last true Princess of Ponies.

She knows she will go home.

Cover Art by Opal Radiance, commissioned by Sunstreaker.
https://www.deviantart.com/opalradiance

So there I was, minding my own business and helping my buddy out as a beta tester for one of his coding projects, when all of a sudden—

Surprise!

I got turned into the character I'd been making. More importantly, I got teleported to the middle of nowhere. It sucks that I've been placed in this kind of dangerous situation with nothing but the clothes on my back, but at least I have some superpowers to help me survive.

While studying the Cutie Map, Twilight is accidentally whisked away to another alternate universe!

After spending much time investigating this new world, she cannot figure out just where the timelines diverged or what exactly is different compared to her own universe, but she does seem to be bumping into things more than usual.

But maybe not all alternate universes are so drastically different.

Maybe some are only slightly to the left.

Nightmare Moon has been defeated by the new bearers of the Elements of Harmony. However, in a strange twist of fate, none of the bearers are ponies. In an Equestria that has a painful distrust of non-ponies, six creatures come together to ponder the courses their lives took, and the decisions that led them to Ponyville.

AU in which none of the Mane Six are ponies. My entry for Choices: A Species Change Contest.
Featured 11-12-2022
Also on Equestria Daily

After being sucked into the magical land of Equestria, YOU find yourself as the legendary Brony Hero in this exciting interactive adventure. Will you find the Time Orb and restore peace to the land? Or will you marry Fluttershy? Will you defeat the evil demon king Tirek? Or will you marry Luna?

With 21 endings to choose from, only you can decide your fate!

The time comes for all students to step out from under the shadow of their teacher and choose their own path.

On that path, knowledge is power, but if it all goes wrong... if that power is put into the wrong hooves... how far might somepony who is trying to reconcile the position of teacher with the duties of ruler be forced to go to fix these mistakes? What level of personal involvement in being responsible does she owe herself and her people?

...And how much is it going to hurt?

Gold medal winner in the The Brightest Days writeoff event. Thanks to the participants there for their feedback, as always!