Community service isn't exactly fun. Sunset Shimmer is learning that the hard way—especially when Saffron Masala keeps cooking extra meals that their soup kitchen couldn't pay people to eat. It's not fun, it's not worth it, and it's never ever ever going to change. And... for some reason, it seems Saffron's okay with that.

Now, six Wednesday nights out from the disastrous Fall Formal, Sunset decides that she might as well ask Saffron why.

Written for the May Pairings 2024 contest. Special thanks to my editors Octavia Harmony and Monochromatic, and to all of my wonderful prereaders. Art by me!

A pony approaches with an unusual request.

Written for the Dialogue Only contest. I’m taking the “no narration” challenge to heart and want the dialogue to do the scene-setting. For those of you who’d like slightly more info to go on:

Princess Twilight Sparkle, Equestria’s sole lawmaker, is holding court. Lyra Heartstrings approaches to ask her to change a very specific edict.

There's a painting that was left behind by the late Granny Pie. Hidden away in the attic and carefully wrapped in a piece of cloth, it preserves the smile of the filly it depicts.

She doesn't feel too lonely, really.

Written for the Dialogue Only Contest.

Inspired by the classic adventure game Ib and its 2022 remake.

Now with a Russian translation by November Dragon. [GDocs] [tabun.everypony.ru]

The only thing more shocking than a letter from their parents is what it says.

Fluttershy's always felt more than a little different from the other foals her age, but it wasn't until recently that she came to terms with one of the reasons why that might be. Her best friend, Jet Stream, has always supported her, despite how different they are...but he's been acting a little weird lately. Fluttershy wants to believe it doesn't have anything to do with her, but she's the only thing that's changed recently. Is she going to have to choose between her true self and her only friend, or is there something else entirely going on?

This story contains transgender themes.

A life of reverence for the sea, the tides they bring, the wonders they keep.

And the dreams they give.

Cover art by Boggy.

"The first time I came back, I thought it was a miracle. By the fifth or sixth time, I knew it was a curse."

Death is a reasonable fear, but it is also a constant reassurance. A promise that no matter how bad things get, they will one day end.

That promise was broken, leaving Rainbow Dash to pay the cost.

A very last minute entry for the 2024 SciFi Contest III.

Special thanks to ScreamQueen and Rb for prereading and valuable feedback.

General content warning: Some depictions of blood, death, and debilitating injuries, but no graphic descriptions. Some existential horror.

A thousand years ago in Equestria, Luna's frustration and desperation has been building for years and years as her social and political isolation grows, but just before Luna's jealousy and resentment can turn into murderous hatred against her sister, a new event triggars Luna's mental collapse and pushes her over the edge. When Luna by circumstance finds herself alone in Celestia's room she reads her sister's diary out of curiosity and discovers all of the disparaging criticism that Celestia has leveled at her over the years about how much of a nuisance Luna has been to her, but has been too polite to say directly to Luna's face.

Luna and Celestia had always supported and stuck with each other all their lives. Even when the common-ponies critisism and shunning of her was at its worst, the knowledge that her sister loved her kept Luna going. The realization that nopony, not even her own sister valued her or thought she was fit for the throne completely shattered whatever remained of her fragile psyche.

And so Luna just gave up...

She gave in...

If no one wanted her there...

Then she wouldn't stay there...

She would leave.

For a fee, you can rent a pony.

You can be a pony.

But you can never stay a pony.

An entry for the Science Fiction Contest III organised by Bicyclette.

Equestria has witnessed centuries of rapid technological advancement during Twilight's rule. Innovations in the production and integration of magic has led to countless improvements in the quality and efficiency of life in Equestria, and enabling ponies to finally touch the stars and new worlds. However, with the rise of more and more energy-heavy processes and a stagnation in development regarding the extraction of energy, Twilight turns to the biggest and final step in energy extraction: a dyson sphere: a massive device that would surround the sun and allow virtually all the energy released through nuclear fusion to be harnessed by Equestria.

Two former princesses have some concerns.

Written as an entry for the Science Fiction Contest III.