Madeleine Crumpet: A world-trotting jeweler with an eye for gems… and pleasant company. Of the stallion persuasion.

Rubyk of Trotheim: A cold noble of the forbidden Equestrian North.

What cause could bring these two unlikely figures together?

“My dear, you will not believe what happened to me on my last islands trip. I can scarcely believe it myself! But a girl doesn’t often get to help out in an affair like that. It was just like a Shadow Spade novel! Although that pony – Mister Rubyk – was about as far from the grand dame of mystery as you can get. I suppose it takes all sorts.”

"Oh, Mister Rubyk? Let me tell you dear, stallions don't come like him very often. There's just something about him – other than being the tallest in the room by a country mile. And when he smiles… brrr! Don't believe me? Well, then just let me tell you what he did when we found the body..."

[Update August 5, 2017: To address some of the legitimate reader concerns regarding the length of the several sections, in-line chapter headings within the story sections themselves have been added. A Google Docs version containing links to individual chapter headings is forthcoming. The author owes a sincere thanks to those who have reviewed this story to-date and hopes that this change will help to address some of the difficulties that he made for himself in posting this novel as he did.]

For four pony visitors to Earth, practically everything is new and overwhelming, including food: not only in the wide variety of foods available for delivery, but how do you eat them with hooves?

Things in bowls are easy to figure out, but how should a pizza be approached? Is it, in fact, a flat breadbowl, a combination of soup and fondue held in by the crust?

Coming 6-27-22 a reading from StraightToThePointStudio!

In the far future of Equestria's history, ponies and the other species of their world have ventured out to live in all the wondrous corners of their sparkling galaxy. Now, the spiral arms hold both the borders of six great civilisations and vast unclaimed regions of glittering stars.

Starships of all shapes, designs, and sizes now carry their crews as they seek adventure, fame, fortune, curiosity, or for some...to discover the secrets of the galaxy's turbulent past. But to many others, it's simply their day-to-day job to haul cargo and make a life in the space between worlds. To be one of the thousands who keep the galaxy running.

To be one like the cargo ship Claudia.

The crew of the small vessel all came from different places, desiring different things. Whether it was their wish to do this to prove themselves, their need for the money to save a loved one, their ambition to make a name across the stars, or having to make do with a path in life they hadn't expected to find their dream. But no matter their mixed origins, no matter their unassuming nature, they have one truth of the galaxy to discover.

That the black leaves few without trials if they wish to find a home within its both beautiful and foreboding expanse.

Five years ago, a disaster left low-Equus orbits swamped with orbital debris. The husks of dead ships careened through the aether, threatening any that might try to leave the planet. But now, it’s under control. Debris trawlers roam the skies, picking up those husks and carefully gathering smaller shards. Thanks to their efforts, bit by bit, space is becoming usable again.

Mesonox is a newbie on one of those trawling crews, recently hired to fly on DT Heavenly View. She’s aced the sims. She knows her ships. She knows her tools. She knows her techniques. And her crew just got assigned to grab a typical wreck. It’s a straightforward job: clean up the small debris, get the large debris under control to haul back to the scrapyard. The perfect task for a rookie like her.

Time to get to work.

The Grand Hotel in Ocean City, MD has balconies overlooking the ocean. A place to relax and watch the ocean, the beach, the seabirds, a place to catch a nice refreshing ocean breeze. On the eleventh floor, there’s no reason to close it; there’s no possibility of anybody flying in and stealing your stuff, right?

Surely.

Now with a reading by StraightToThePointStudios!

Additional coverart work by AlwaysDressesInStyle

Doing laundry is always a chore, and sometimes I envied my pony neighbor for rarely having to do laundry. Until I found out she wasn't allowed to wash her blankets.

It’s an unfair rule and shouldn’t apply to ponies, but the laundromat clerk won’t budge. A creative solution is required.

For Bicyclette’s Thousand Words contest

Now with a reading by StraightToThePointStudio!

Now with a reading by Rainbow Infinity Readings!

Now with a Chinese translation by FLX071!

Fluttershy finds birdsong wonderful. Regardless of what that birdsong is about.

Written for Bicyclette's A Thousand Words contest. Has a Chinese translation done by hehelover.

Welcome to Ponyville, Population One.

A series of letters sent by now missing student of Princess Celestia, Twilight Sparkle.

Featured on 06/04/22

Back in Equestria, the spring equinox is a hard line, the last day of snow, winter is over, full stop.

On Earth, that’s not exactly the case. The equinox might have come and gone, the clocks might have been set to a summer schedule, it might be April and still snowing in Missouri.

Now with a reading by StraightToThePointStudio