My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic/Fanfic Recs/Humans

Go back to the show's main fanfic recommendation page here.

All-American-Girl by Shinzakura
 * Recommended by Hidden Nimbus
 * Synopsis:Rarity’s two-week old daughter is accidently sent to the Human world and is raised by humans as an American citizen, named DJ. Then fifteen years later, Equestria finally manages to find DJ again and attempts to return her to her “real” family. The story follows DJ many years later.

Anthropology
 * Recomended by Poptard, Commando Dude, REV 6 Pilot, Troliolio, ombranox
 * Synopsis: "Humans. Truth or myth? Ancient lost civilization or just an old pony's tale? No pony has ever seen one, and most haven't even heard of them. But Lyra knows that these wonderful creatures are more than just old legends, and she's going to find out... and possibly drive her roommate insane in the process."
 * Comments: Short, but very fascinating. It's a story about Lyra interested humans but doesn't actually feature them in Equestria.
 * Seconded. It's very interesting to see a development of how much Lyra is affected by her interest in humans, and that there seems to be a complex backstory to "us", and how Equestria deals with it, doesn't hurt either. If you like Lyra, you'll be wasting time if you don't read this story.
 * Review here

Arddun Lleuad and Arddun Lleuad 2: Chwe Goleadau - Six Lights by Pride
 * Recommended by User:Korodzik, Metroidmewtwo
 * Arddun Lleuad Synopsis: A "human in Equestria fic". Where the protagonist and Luna fall in love. Yes, it is Better Than It Sounds. In other words, it's a story of one Chester, dropped into an odd fairy-tale world, who eventually finds somepony who needs him and loves him. Then things get sour...
 * Chwe Goleadau Synopsis: The sequel to Arddun Lleuad, it's an epic adventure/horror/romance story. Luna and Chester face a horrendous manipulative villain, who is threatening Equestria with something far worse than mere conquest.
 * Comments: The premise may seem unappealing, but this is a really excellent work of literature, with great writing (worth checking out for this alone), and averting the typical obnoxious, psychologically improbable protagonist. It succeeds at making you feel a strong emotion or two. On the other hand, it is primarily about a human and a horse in love, and while nothing explicit ever happens, the descriptions of their contacts are sensual enough to make one uncomfortable under the collar.
 * Chwe Goleadau, like its predecessor, is quite a stellar piece of literature (and it's just the draft version; had the author had time to polish it before he decided to leave the fandom, it might have been one of the best-looking fanfics ever written.) However, be warned - it is very grimdark, and halfway through turns into essentially an endless stream of Tear Jerker and Nightmare Fuel. Also, there are still sensual descriptions of the (still non-explicit) romantic contacts, which might make you uneasy.

Article 2 By Muppetz
 * Recommended by Commando Dude, User:REV 6 Pilot
 * Synopsis: The Princesses find an alien creature barely clinging to life at the scene of a terrifying crash. Can the Combined Power of the Elements of Harmony save it, or more importantly, should they save it? Will the arrival of this strange creature tear Equestria apart?
 * Comments: Very well written and fleshed out, one of the few quality humans in Equestria stories. Does an excellent job at illustrating how two very different sapient species would have trouble interacting with each other upon suddenly meeting.
 * Seconded, and heavily. Unlike the usual "human arrives in Equestria and makes many friends" plot, this story deals not only with the tension of the meeting of the two species, it also depicts how much their very natures clash. It also shows how the pony government would deal with such a strange incident, something that is very rarely put in the spotlight. Even though it's only six chapters in and it could use a beta reader due to writing flaws, I can't stop re-reading it.

My Little Dashie by ROBCakeran53
 * Recommended by Salnax1, Poptard, the User:Ace Of Scarabs, User:Revelo, Miar, Enistoja, omegaman
 * Synopsis: A nameless man lives alone in a dying city, in a world of apathy and gray, starving for color. One day, during one of his many lonely walks on the silent streets, he finds a box containing a young pegasus filly with a rainbow mane.

Through the Eyes of Another Pony by CardsLafter
 * Recommended by Bugsydor, Freyaday
 * Synopsis: A self-insert human-in-equestria fanfic written for the express purpose of showing that these so-called toxic tags that normally doom a fanfic to failure can be used to good effect. The author wakes up to find himself in Equestria, meets the Mane 6, the princesses, and a bevy of OC's, and faces off against The Nightmare (the force that corrupted Luna into Nightmare Moon); wisecracking and taking aside glances all along the way.
 * Review here

The Son of the Emperor by No More Sanity
 * Recommended by A Bit Of Weather
 * Synopsis: "We all know about stories where Humans enter Equestria. But what about a world where Equestria is in the Human world? It is the year 1820, and a series of events brings a young unicorn and a human prince together. Together, they will embark on a quest to change Europe, and the world, forever."

Whiplash by Molotov Vovktail
 * Recommended by Gyvon
 * Synopsis:When a motorcyclist is struck by lightning, it sends him to a strange world in a seemingly unexplainable turn of events. With no one able to offer him the answers to his questions, he settles in for the long haul, and looks for a way home. Lost, injured, and still reeling in the post-traumatic stress of military service, as well as the criminal underground of street racing, he struggles to maintain his very sanity. Little does he know, the friendships that made life worth living for him would be the key to stopping an ancient enemy bent on anarchy and genocide.

My Little Person: The Strange Case of Lyle Hartman by Fernin
 * Recommended by Salnax 1
 * Synopsis: Lyle Hartman, your typical brony wakes up as Lyra Heartstrings. The problem is, nopony believes him.

Brave New World
 * Recommended by Pichu and Racso
 * Synopsis: It's just another school day for Twilight and her friends...or is it? When Pinkie Pie starts claiming that they aren't what they're supposed to be, everyone initially chalks it up to being just another bit of Pinkie's weirdness. They will soon come to find out that things aren't always what they appear to be.

The God Particle by EquZephyr
 * Recommended by Abstract Indigo
 * Synopsis: After an accident involving a particle accelerator a renowned physicist ends up in Equestria, where he struggles to adapt to a world that not only possesses but outright depends on magic.

The Kindness of Strangers by Lysis
 * Recommended by Pichu, Thebes
 * Synopsis: Fluttershy is transported to 1930's Earth, and has become human in the process. With the help of a stranger, she must find a way home before her window of opportunity closes forever.

Luna in the Sky with Diasynthes by GrimBloodyFable
 * Recommended by Nobble
 * Synopsis: Two OCs end up in the My Little Pony universe, and somewhere along the line are fed a mushroom by Pinkie Pie. It turns out to be a G Rated Drug, and Twilight and friends have to venture into the Everfree Forest to find a cure. Hilarity Ensues.

MLP Laboratories - The Outbreak by Neu Strasbourg
 * Recommended by Dialga X
 * Synopsis: Did the ponies really think they lived in a magical cartoon world? Where they controlled the weather? Where they had created and maintained an advanced civilization all by themselves, despite the fact they didn't even have thumbs? They believed that. At least for a while. But one by one, they are waking up to a much harsher, much more disturbing reality. They will try to fight their way out of a nightmarish place ruled by cold and sadistic entities.
 * MLP Laboratories - Freak Show is a companion piece.

My Little Brony: Reality vs. Fantasy by Klutzybear
 * Recommended by Anemoi, El Dark
 * Synopsis This is a standard "Human goes to Equestria", but this time, its Pinkie Pie of all ponies who brings the OC in. Naturally, he has an existential crisis and, by the second chapter, discovers that.

Somewhere Only We Know by Patchwork Poltergeist
 * Recommended by Machicron, DN Ap Ark, Xyzzy
 * Synopsis: Every night in a little stable just outside of town, the mare lays down to sleep. And every night she has the same dream about her and her friends.

Stuck by Lucid
 * Recommended by Sithking Zero
 * Synopsis: A /co/mrade finds himself in the world of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Will he ever get back home, or will he be stuck in a fantasy forever?

Tinker, Tanner, Hunter, Spy by Shamus_Aran
 * Recommended by A Bit Of Weather
 * Synopsis: Archer is not having a good day. He's recently been knocked unconscious and imprisoned by a Fae race, notorious for their animosity towards humans and each other. Instead of cannibalistic Merfolk or mischievous Fairies, he finds... talking ponies. Who want him to be their "friend."
 * He is sentenced to remain in a small town they call Eqshana, until he can learn to "live in harmony" with its inhabitants. Unfortunately, a message from his king, Jove V, has turned his prison sentence into a mission of espionage. Now he must escape these no-doubt insidious creatures, and even more importantly, stay sane doing it. Along the way, he will answer one of the most important questions he has ever faced: Is there really nothing to eat around here besides hay?

What Separates by Zurock
 * Recommended by User:REV 6 Pilot
 * Synopsis: "An exploration of various real world topics and ideas by contrasting them against the more harmonious ideals of Equestria. In story, an extraordinary set of circumstances strands a human in Equestria, and his interactions drive the exploration."
 * Comments: Being Exactly What It Says On the Tin, this fic is a great philosophical examination of the culture clash that would happen if humanity and Equestria ever met face to face. Many good points are brought up and discussed in an extensive but clear way, leading to an extremely solid character interaction and development. This is the sort of fic that will have you thinking quite a bit after you read it, and I couldn't recommend it more than I already do.

''Brony International Guard by psychicscubadiver
 * Recommended by ruff1298
 * Synopsis: Twilight awakens one day to discover 25 strange creatures on her lawn. They have all apparently sworn eternal loyalty to her. As did the 225 others did with her friends, the Princesses, Trixie, and Derpy Hooves.

Battleships are Magic by totallynotabrony
 * Recommended by User:Nightelf 37
 * Synopsis: On the eve of the Gulf War, a US Navy ship sails through an intense storm and into a different world. Equestria and the other members of the United Lands are attempting to remove the dragons from their encroachment into Zebrica, but diplomacy is failing. While nopony wants a war, it appears that there might be no other option. Captain John Mittal and the rest of the sailors aboard USS Wisconsin have some tough political and ethical choices to make. This isn't their fight, but can they stand by while the rest of the world prepares for war?

Asylum by Equestria
 * Recommended by Pichu
 * Synopsis: It never existed. The events of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic were all just the delusions of an insane young woman who has been in an institution for the past few years. Now Tara believes she has conquered these fantasies, but has she really?

''[[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/18679/The-Tale-of-Gaius-
 * Recommended by User:Nightelf 37
 * Synopsis: A human knight from a far off and distant land finds himself stranded in Equestria and sets off to complete the mission given to him by his king. Along the way he will come across many challenges and gain both ally and enemy alike. While this wayward knight begins this quest alone and with a single goal, he will find himself as either an instrumental part in the survival of Equestria or in its destruction.

PonyFall - a Collaboration of Self-Inserts In Equestria — Discord is (somehow) set free once more. Once again, he hides the Elements of Harmony and this time, he doesn't give a clue as to where they are. Their six bearers and the Princesses confront him in battle. In the midst of that, he manages to grab hold of Princess Luna. However, just as he was about to cast a spell, she does so as well and it results in a bright pink explosion, which engulfs everypony (and some who aren't ponies) in Ponyville and beyond...
 * Recommended by User:Nightelf 37
 * Synopsis:

In Earth — Imagine if you will, that you were out for a walk one day, a supposedly normal day like any other, when suddenly, the sky becomes a bright shade of pink for a few minutes, and you start to smell the aroma of chocolate fudge. While everyone is panicking you search for the source of the strange smell. You find a mysterious stranger (an Equestrian) passed out on the ground. Who is this strange person, and what will you do?
 * Current characters with stories: Discord, Princess Celestia, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie & Fluttershy, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Junebug
 * There are more Pony Fall stories in FIMFiction.Net, but they haven't been approved by the group and thus aren't officially in the collab.

Sophistication and Betrayal by Drefsab
 * Recommended by Abstract Indigo
 * Synopsis: A Human in Equestria fic where the the protagonist and Rarity have fallen in love, set to the backdrop of a jealous old friend of Rarity threatening her business, and an increasingly complicated relationship between Rarity, the protagonist, and.
 * Author's Description: Rarity's life has been pretty good lately: Her business is booming, her friends are finding success of their own, and, best of all, she's found someone to share her life with. Someone from a completely unexpected place. But when an old friend from her past returns, she finds her very way of life threatened by a jealous mare who refuses to let old grudges die.
 * Comments: Readers should be warned that while they may not be the focus of the plot, there are quite a few explicit scenes which might be dealbreakers for some. The use of the second person might also be off-putting to some, but if you can look past both these and the premise of a human and a pony in love which is much Better Than It Sounds, there is some excellent characterization and emotional moments to be found within.


 * ''Derpy's Epic Quest by Steeve Lee II
 * Recommended by G0vnah
 * Synopsis: Derpy's had it. Everypony is always laughing at her and Dinky, yelling at her, and calling her klutz. Well, she's done with it all! After running away to the Everfree forest, Dinky and Derpy come across a strange pool of water. One mystical portal later, they find themselves in another universe, where Derpy is the only hope for a world heading to destruction. Derpy must overcome her fears and clumsiness and take on the Devil himself in... ...DERPY'S EPIC QUEST!
 * Comments: Very interesting. The first few chapters are pretty emotionally intense; Derpy being the klutz and is very much deconstructed and played for drama, but is played for laughs at times, too. Incomplete at the time of this writing, but looks pretty good.
 * On the negative side, though: 1. Each chapter opens with a poem and the whole prologue is one big poem, which some may consider annoying (Steeve Lee II is definitely no Earnest Hemingway)2. the author is a Christian and, as such, has incorporated several biblical elements into the story, so YMMV there, and 3. the world Derpy's transported into may seem like too cliched of a fantasy setting to some, with the standard "Chosen One" plot and whatnot.
 * On the plus side: No swearing, everypony seems to remain (mostly) in character, no shipping (hopefully it stays that way), and the Christian elements aren't treated as a preachy lesson - for the most part, they're just used as fantasy elements to help tell the story.


 * The Ballad of Echo the Diamond Dog by Rust
 * Recommended by Sithking Zero
 * Synopsis: I always wanted to go to Equestria. When I got the chance, I took the deal without reading the fine print. To my surprise, I didn't arrive there as a pony, or even as a human. It seems I get to view this world from a different perspective then what I've imagined. My name is Echo. I am a Diamond Dog.
 * Comments: Sithking Zero: A very, VERY well-written story that defies a lot of fandom tropes- appearing as a human or pony, instantly loved by everyone, parties in Ponyville... blah blah blah. The main character, who takes the name of Echo, arrives in the middle of a jungle via Discord, hundreds of miles from Ponyville, as a Diamond Dog, one of the most reviled races in Equestria. What's more, he gets his throat slit by Ahuitzotl five minutes in, and has to be rescued by Daring Do, but he's rendered mute in the process. Put in a village of racists, the son of two extremely important figures of Equestrian History, and a nest of Hydras, and Hilarity Ensues.


 * The Conversion Bureau: Not Alone by Starman Ghost (TVTropes page)
 * Recommended by User:Gentlemens Dame 883, User:Dialga X
 * Synopsis: A different take on The Conversion Bureau. When the Equestria landform first appeared, humanity welcomed the ponies. When their imperialism is exposed, though, humanity gears up to take the fight to them. Both sides have their saints and sinners, with no blanket "ponies bad" or "humans good". Uses multiple forms of presentation such as newscasts and postings in addition to standard prose.


 * Heroes and Allies by Lynolius
 * Recommended by User:Dialga X
 * Synopsis: In 2012, the United States military makes First Contact with Equestria thanks to a military experiment that creates a portal linking Earth and Equestria. Soon, peaceful talks between the two worlds are established. But the US is dragged into a war between Equestria and the Liberation Alliance.


 * Friendship is Manly by Kanashii Panda
 * Recommended by Gilgamesh
 * Synopsis: Short animated Fan Film features muscle-bound male human alternate universe versions of female pony characters, who receive invitations to Gummy's birthday party. At the party they dance and generally do manly things.
 * Comments: This video is quite hilarious and bitingly irreverent. Affectionate Parody, Gender Flip, Mr. Fanservice, Race Lift, Rule Sixty Three, Testosterone Poisoning and Walking Shirtless Scene are all in full force here.