Sister-story to Paul's Persistently Protracted Practice Pieces.

A collection of extra-short stories written as contest entries for the Writeoff Association. This collection will only feature the stories with word counts between 350 and 750 words. The contests with longer word count limits have their own separate compendium: Paul's Persistently Protracted Practice Pieces. Check below for a list of each story and a short description.

Note: Random tag used because I have no idea what prompts will arise in the future. Check the individual story descriptions for additional tags. Character tags reflect the most recently updated stories only.

White Lies: [sad][slice of life]
The simple act of giving Apple Bloom medicine reminds Applejack that there are actually some downsides to honesty.

Pink: [comedy][slice of life]
It's an all on one pranking war, and Vinyl is on the losing side. Perhaps Octavia can help deal with the problem?

Well, She Tried: [comedy][slice of life]
Twilight discovers Spike's secret notebook of plans for wooing his lady, and decides it's time to have a little talk with the lovestruck dragon.

Above: [sad]
A young changeling queen longs for a better life in the darkness.

A Most Dastardly Foe: [comedy][mystery]
Celestia's morning is interrupted by what may be her greatest rival yet.

Clockwork: [drama]
Clockwork Callous, legendary clockmaker and inventor from the Crystal Empire, unveils his first creation since the Empire's return.

I Wasn't Prepared for This: [sad]
Celestia has a new student. But before she can embrace this change, she has to deal with the old one...

Ticks and Tocks: [drama]
It's just another tea party with Fluttershy. Everything is fine. Perfectly fine. Just ignore the little voice in your head, Discord.

Princess Twilight Sparkle discovers a fact about alicorn reproduction she never expected.

So do the other princesses.

Editors: Pascoite

Image Credit: Twilight Sparkle Play Doh Eggs from Toy Kingdom (Honest! It surprised me a little too.)
Now on Equestria Daily. Those cruel, cruel people.
And a wonderful reading by Pony and Wolf Productions

Everyone hated Adagio... Well, most guys did. There was this one kid named Clef Rest, seemingly both a good singer and a brave guy. People don't really know him that much, but he'll be notorious throughout Canterlot High for defending such a villain like Adagio.

Artwork done by ta-na!

Featured on 10/26!

One day, Fluttershy woke up with a feeling that something was amiss.

What is this overwhelming sense of dread coming from her shadow and has it always looked so menacing?

Chrysalis kidnapped a dozen ponies, threatened Equestria, was betrayed by her own kind, and has now vowed vengeance on Starlight Glimmer before leaping from the ruins of her castle and flying off. She is definitely going to get away.

Absolutely.

Yep.

Reading by TheCaptainSand - Scarlett Blade

Translated into Spanish by ZodiacalComet

Following another date together, Discord asks Fluttershy to talk dirty to him.

Perhaps he should've been clearer about it.

When some of her friends develop a relationship after spending a few days out to solve a friendship problem, without finding any friendship problem in the first place, Twilight Sparkle start to think something is wrong with the Cutie Map. She's mostly right.
Warning: Story is very silly and we can only hope it never turns out to be canon.
Rated T for some sexual references.
Proofread by the awesome Nephox Venom.
EDIT: Featured in 18/10/2016! YAY! THANKS GUYS!

This story is a sequel to Asking a Favor

Sunset Shimmer has an interesting encounter with this world's version of a horse when she goes to help Applejack on the farm. This leads into a conversation that gets a bit more introspective than Sunset was probably hoping for when she came over that day. Sometimes you just need to hear the right advice from a friend though, and Applejack is plenty happy to oblige.

Set between the first Equestria Girls movie and Rainbow Rocks. Part of a series of fics I've been working on about Sunset's early days learning how friendship works, which starts with my previous story Asking a Favor. Can absolutely be read as a standalone though.

Rated Teen for one double entendre joke that I feel keeps it just out of E territory.

When Flash feels down on himself, Ditzy Doo offers some insight.

Slight spoilers for Equestria Girls: Legend of Everfree

Garble has won the Gauntlet of Fire and taken the Bloodstone Scepter. Upon hearing of this, Celestia, determined to stop the bloodthirsty Dragon Lord in his tracks, challenges him to a one-on-one duel for the fate of Equestria and the Dragonlands. An immortal alicorn capable of moving the sun with millennia of experience under her belt versus a teenaged dragon with no experience at all.

Garble accepts.

Stupider things have probably happened, but it's hard to say how.

Cover art is taken from this comic by Niban-Destikim.