The heroic life isn't necessarily glamorous. Ben didn't get to fight the most recent alien to pop out of a pocket wormhole, because it collapsed shortly after arrival. The weird quadruped (a hand at the end of its tail, eyes where its nostrils should be) is currently doing nothing more than sleeping the trip off. But the Plumbers need to know what it's doing here -- and as long as it's asleep, there's only one means of interrogation available. Which requires using one of his least-favorite forms, but... that's the heroic life for you.

It's just that someone's already invaded that alien's dream.

And she has no problems with telling Ben how bad he is at it.

(Now with author Patreon and Ko-Fi pages.)

In some ways, every Bearer is a partial reflection of every other. Fluttershy can lecture, Pinkie is prone to overwork, Applejack has wound up lost in research, and Twilight's been known to hide under the occasional couch. But when it comes to Rarity and Rainbow... that's where the connection seems to be the most tenuous. They're each part of the same sextet and to outside observers, that's about it.

That little detour through the kite flying area means Rainbow isn't going anywhere for a few hours. Rarity refuses to abandon her relaxation site. And with the two mares stuck with each other, they're going to talk about how they have absolutely no commonalities whatsoever.

They're nothing alike, except for the one way in which they're exactly the same.

(Part of the Triptych Continuum, which has its own TVTropes page and FIMFiction group: new members and trope edits welcome. While this story does reference previous events, it can generally be treated as a stand-alone: no other reading is required.)

Now with author Patreon and Ko-Fi pages.

Cover art taken from an image by White Quartz, cropped by Dawnbreez.

There’s no end to the monsters that lurk in the dark.

Ghosts, werewolves, mad scientists, cultists, mutants, zombies, vampires, aliens and more lie in wait in the dark corners of Equestria, terrorizing the night. But the most infamous and dangerous of them all is the legendary witch Twilight Sparkle, with a five hundred million bit bounty on her head.

Seeking fame and fortune, Rainbow Dash sets out to defeat the legendary witch and collect the massive reward. The one thing she wasn't counting on was Twilight being less evil than she expected.

More stories set in this AU can be found here.

Cover art is a work in progress by Abode_WTF

She goes for long trots through the forest, as part of the duty. She observes the world around her, does her best to listen, and learns what she can from knowledge gained in solitude.

There are ways in which Fluttershy knows more about the world than anypony, and one of the first lessons was that the world is not what we make of it.

Ultimately, the world doesn't care.

(Now with author Patreon and Ko-Fi pages. Due to minimal length, this story was a Patreon freebie.)

In a sunburned Equestria, Rarity leads the pleasant life of a clothier in the tiny town of Spurhoof. She’s got a successful business, a capable assistant, and the respect of the place she’s called home for six years. Maybe she never achieved her foalhood dreams of fabulosity, but at least she’s comfortable. What more can a mare ask for?

Then a band of outlaws decide to pay Spurhoof a visit, and their leader’s eye has settled upon Rarity. Soon she’ll have to fight not only for her life, but maybe her very soul. Will her diamond turn dull under the hot Equestrian sun, or will adversity make her shine all the brighter?

Print copies now available for purchase on Lulu!.

Now featured on Equestria Daily.

Inspired by Fallout: Equestria and the song Bulletproof Heart by My Chemical Romance.

Other stories inspired by music:
Escape
Ordinary World
Bed of Roses
Drops of Jupiter
How to Save a Life
Forgive Me, Friend
Time for Tea

A big thanks to my brainstorming fellow and ever-awesome friend SorenPixels, who has helped me ponder the plans for this story since its inception.

Additional kudos to Danger Beans and Cerulean Voice for their help with the first few chapters.

Big thanks to the fantastic author Viking ZX for taking time out of his busy schedule to be my Alpha pre-reader.

Last but certainly not least, my gratitude to my gang of Beta pre-readers: Babroniedad, Lord-Commander, Merc the Jerk, Snowybee, Soge, and Wanderer D!

I was not prepared for the absolutely stunning world building or the incredibly well done characters. [...] This is a work of absolute art. — Equstarte Marine Sebaste

Reading and re-reading (and re-reading) this story was an amazing experience. It will always be one of my favorites! — Wanderer D

I dare say this is a masterpiece of the fandom. — FanOfMostEverything

It's a gorgeous, vivid-drawn setting you've crafted for this, and it hits its gritty Western beats and epic scope with aplomb. Rarity's character journey in this is a stellar one, and her gradual sink into (and recovery at the brink of) [...] darkness was wonderfully and believably told. — Carabas

Cover art commissioned from the fantastic bakki, with title work generously donated by Novel-Idea.

This story is a sequel to The Enchanted Library

It's easy to think about fairytales when you’re an ancient alicorn trapped in a library for centuries on end. It's easy to wonder how one would go about rescuing you, to think and devise and plot out how to free you in a blaze of glory, intrigue, adventure, and romance.

Or, rather, it’s easy until suddenly it happens and you’re forced to ask yourself the one terrifying question you’d yet to consider.

Now what?

PATREON!
Original story inspired by an old oneshot.
Chapter Art by Arctic Waters and lilfunkman// Graphic Design and Typography by Swan Song.

Twilight Sparkle is not a risk-taker. She prefers the same old books in the same old library drinking the same old tea with the same old ponies. And that's okay!
On one fateful night, however, Rainbow Dash drags Twilight out on an adventure! Her very first rave.
It turns out Twilight isn't the only one hiding in a corner at these things.

This fiction was written as part of a challenge to write a fic in 30 days: one chapter per day, 2k words per chapter (you can learn more about it here!). However, this fiction will still be undergoing edits now that the challenge has ended. It currently has many many typos and errors, as it is literally unedited and was largely typed on a cell phone with gratuitous autocorrect--no need to point this out to me, I am very aware!

The original version is being preserved in Google Docs. I'll likely be posting the links to the original docs in a blog post sometime soon!

Celestia: a filly of twelve. A cynical, hungry pauper, with a young sister to protect and feed.

But the food has run out. Winter has gripped the land for too long, and now the pair face starvation.

The cynic in Celestia knows she can't move the sun. But the child in her wonders... and so she tries.

(Inspired by the Donovan song of the same name.)

(Now with a dramatic reading here, by Crafty Arts, and here, by KeyframeProductions.)

(Now with a Spanish translation here.)

This story is a sequel to To Try For the Sun

The young alicorn Celestia leads and ponies follow, fleeing south from their frozen lands.

Luna is not respected, not mighty like her sister. She can only watch Celestia slowly crumble from ceaseless labor, and the caravan rot with animosity and fear.

She needs to help, yet no one will listen.

She needs power.

(Same universe as To Try for the Sun, reading one is not necessary for the other.)

(Now with a Spanish translation here, courtesy of SPANIARD KIWI)

The world has been dying for as long as the Enchantress can remember, reduced to little more than a desolate expanse of sand. And yet, she keeps walking, for she knows she is the last hope of the world.

When mares from extremely different worlds arrive in her desert, the Enchantress is forced to reexamine everything she thought to be true. There will be stories of monsters, books, ghosts, gods, stars, machines, and ponies who have not lived most of their life in a world approaching the end. They must come to terms with their vastly different experiences in a tangle of alternate worlds no one is prepared for.

The multiverse is a big place, and this small corner of existence has just received some unwanted attention.

Cover drawn by Little Duke!

-GM, master of ashes.