Each of the Bearers of Harmony came to that first Grand Galloping Gala with a dream in her heart and dreadfully few relevant facts in her mind. Rarity dreamt of finding her Prince Charming. She knew his name, appearance, and not much else.

But in this timeline, one of her friends has her back.

This story is a sequel to Grunts

Following abject defeat, a certain amount of listlessness is to be expected.

Some Storm Guard settled down, tried to build new lives. Others took the chance to go back home in an effort to pick up the pieces of what they had.

One, who hasn't quite decided what he wants to do yet, vists one who most decidedly has.

And what he wants to do is bake.

Every couple months or so, Gumption visits Ponyville to sell off a few gems. His secret to finding them are three Diamond Dogs he raised as pups. The only reason anyone knows about this is the Royal Guard spotted his home and the three during a routine patrol. Their orders were to observe but not engage unless necessary.

Thorax has the nerve to mysteriously, suspiciously go missing at a political summit that every single major power in Equestria is attending.

It's up to Pharynx has to find him and chew his ear out and make sure he's safe and sound and destroy whoever took him away.

No, he's not worried. That would be stupid. It's just that if he doesn't find Thorax quick enough he's going to raze Bitaly to the ground.

Everything is fine.

Given a unique perspective on negative emotion, less than a foal's knowledge of ordinary magic, a healthy schadenfreude, and danger bearing down on all sides, the self-proclaimed "Weiss Noir" makes no plans accounting for his death, and plans to keep it that way, even after being torn away from earth, turned into a unicorn, and dumped into one of the most inhospitable locations and times in all of Equestria.

Stranded in the Frozen North, a place where biting cold ends lives, and one thousand years in the past, in a time when peril is the norm, rather than the exception, Weiss decides to indulge in sorcery most foul, stolen ideas, and human ingenuity to survive.

Given the choice between a mad slaver and a mad sage, however, there is no avoiding an inevitable tide of ponies escaping the conquered Crystal Empire to bask in the warmth of his well-stoked hate. Something which draws attention, enemies, and most worryingly, the rivalry of his "peers".

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Now what do you do?

When you've been gone for more than a thousand years, you have a lot to catch up on. You may even owe a ton of apologies. Heroes old and new must deal with the consequences of their choices, each in their own ways.

And before they settle down in the new realm, the Pillars will become acquainted with the Spirit of Chaos himself.

It's springtime in the School of Friendship and a certain squad of star students are feeling its effects.

Ocellus and Smolder are shedding their skins, Gallus and Silverstream are losing their feathers, and Yona's coat is dropping in giant piles of fur that look like the dead bodies of stray cats.

Everycreature's feeling terrible.

...It's probably a good thing that Sandbar decided on a cute nurse costume for his most recent sewing project.

Dragons are something of an enigma to Equestria. Those who do live within the borders are largely reclusive, either building their hoards or sleeping away the decades. So far as dragons who are active in everyday life in Ponyville go, Smolder represents a 100% increase in the population.

Twilight cannot let this opportunity slip her by. Enough time has passed for it to not be a diplomatic faux pas to sit Smolder down and grill her for much needed details on her species, not only for the sake of science, but for the benefit of the young dragon in her personal care. Naturally, the topic of death comes up.

Twilight handles that about as well as you might expect.

Discussion of death is largely academic and intended to be comedic but I've tagged it teen to be safe. No actual death or scenes of violence are shown so I didn't think the death tag itself was needed. It's also tagged for comedy as that was my intent, but only you can tell me if it's actually funny or not.

Now with sequel: Growing Up Dragon

A Kirin remembers the Joy, Happiness, and Love that the Stream of Silence has robbed from them. They cannot even bring themselves to touch or hug the one they hold dearest in their heart. How has this cooling of their emotions truly affected them?

Editor: Mr Numbers

Artwork: Screencap from Season 8 Ep 23

Bone Daddy has lived for several hundred centuries. Most of what made him equine and anything like his pony brethren has long since been lost to the cold dead ravages of study. He published medical papers through the decades and was funded by Princess Luna from well before she ever became Nightmare Moon. Now, something has arrived, a tiny package that he must deal with. A package that is alive and breathing still, with an innocence that might save him.

Featured: 11/24/2018 - 1/26/2018

Editor:
Mr Numbers
Enigmatic Otaku

Artwork by:
Cover:
Glacier Frostclaw

In Story:
Trees

Ravvij