The mirror appeared one morning in Rarity's home. It was covered in the dust of ages. Traced in the dust, with the tip of somepony's hoof, was a message and a plea.

SET ME FREE

Slightly expanded from an entry in GaPJaxie's My Little Speed Writing Competition, which gives you 60 minutes to write a story based on a prompt chosen by the masses. Join us in the Discord if you're interested in improving your writing skills!

This story is a sequel to Leading Causes

Twilight Sparkle has more than a little anxiety about Spike's upbringing. In the wake of the Molt and the Sludge fiasco, those anxieties are clearer and stronger than ever. Like any good caretaker, she took advantage of an opportunity to learn more about dragons, including their needs and, most importantly, their vulnerabilities.

What started as a casual conversation about death for Smolder spiraled out of control into a full-fledged princess freakout, one that she is in the middle of. When it becomes clear that her teachers are completely hopeless when it comes to dragons, it's up to her to take Spike under her wing and teach him what they can't, one lesson at a time.

After a surprising number of requests for a sequel to "Leading Causes", I finally came up with something of a quasi-anthology of Smolder's lessons to Spike. While I do have a fair number of ideas, expect sizable gaps between updates.

Rated for academic descriptions (but no depictions) of death, and possible future scenes of hunting and fishing at a level slightly too mature for an E rating. Warning tags may be added later if I, or any commenters, feel they're needed.

There's a new filly in Celestia's school, who finds making friends difficult. She's seated next to a filly who could care less about making friends. Neither is exactly friend material... but sometimes you just have to take a risk...

For more of this AU, see:

Series 1:

• Not Exactly Friends
• Shelter of the Storm
• Without Your Cutie Mark
• Never Any Doubt
• Sunset -- Part I and Part II
• Saving Sunset Shimmer
• By the Light of the Moon
• Trixie Luna Moon
• Ring Around the Moon -- Part I and Part II

Series 2:

• A Canterlot Engagement
• The Restless Princess
• Where Trouble Goes
• Meet the Sparkles
• Who Needs Enemies -- Part I and Part II
• The Visiting Team -- Part I
• The Visiting Team -- Part II
• What Nightmares Fear
• Hearth's Warming, AP Class

Being a Princess of Equestria is a hard and lonely job. Princess Cadance knows this firsthoof, and if it wasn't for her faithful husband Shining Armor, she would be grumpy too!

Still, she can't just sit by and watch her beloved aunts waste away in loneliness and anger! Maybe that old mirror hidden in her castle holds a solution...

Cover Art by TJPones

EDIT: Featured like 20 mins after posting (lol nice) on 6/3/19.

EDIT: #1 just a few hours after posting! Glad you all are liking it :3

It's been two weeks since Princess Luna's Return. Equestria is starting to realize that the Elements are back, with new Bearers. And what does that mean? Well, clearly this isn't the end of their adventures, and taking some personal time for Harmony to grow? That's just ridiculous. It's obvious that what they need is training in how to fight. And Emery Board, the greatest drill sergeant in any nation, is pleased to unretire long enough for offering his services to the restored crowns.

He got one session with the Bearers.

Realistically, one was enough.

(Part of the Triptych Continuum, which has its own TVTropes page and FIMFiction group. New members and trope edits welcome.)

Now with author Patreon and Ko-Fi pages.

This story is a sequel to Principal Noses and Ancient Roses

Baked Bean, fresh off his victory over the sirens at Canterlot High, is now eagerly preparing for the arrival of his first child with his beloved Princess Celestia while still attempting to perform his royal duties.

But old foes still lurk in the shadows, and Celestia's pregnancy may offer a few unique challenges as well. It will take everything Baked Bean can give to endure the coming storm...

Or maybe he just needs to provide Celestia with a deep-fried pickle covered in chocolate sauce and smothered in sauerkraut.

Editors:
Sipioc
Georg
Zen and Ponies
Spartanpony007

Cover Art:
Bean In the Oven by Sipioc

Reforming the tax and legal system had been her responsibility a thousand years ago, and it will be so again. There have been many changes during her millennium of absence, but the fundamentals always stayed the same. Ponies would find ways to circumvent the laws for their own benefit, and it was her job to make sure that didn't happen—in the most direct way possible.

Sequel: Gryphon Greed is Good
Artwork by: HoodwinkedTales with Speedpainting
Proofread by: Eckaji, Snakeskin Ducttape, and PresentPerfect
Featured on Equestria Daily
Review link: PresentPerfect, Ambion, and PaulAsaran

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

This story takes place after the events of the episode "Keep calm and flutter on."

After Discord's reformation, he decides to have a bet with Princess Celestia. Wanting to see her chaotic side, a bet was made between the two. For one whole week, Celestia will agree to become a draconequus, to see if she can control the powers of chaos itself. Celestia agrees on the condition that should she win, she gets to transform Discord into whatever she wants for a week in turn. However, Celestia has many secret desires and it doesn't take long for her to start abusing her new chaotic magic...

Editor: The Fan without a Face

Cover artist: hikariviny

Having finally accepted the idea of shared love magic, Pharynx has transformed. Thorax's efforts to lead an excitable pack of changelings have only eased with his broodmate's help, but Pharynx's shape and status aren't the only things to have changed. Much of Pharynx's cold demeanor has begun to thaw, presenting Thorax with something he's never had, before - an interactive, albeit slightly irritating older brother.

* Featured 12/2/18!
* Part of the Love Bug Continuity!
* Bugbro fluff (not romance/shipping) based after the events of 'To Change a Changeling'.
* Cover art by the awesome SpindleSpice.
* Live reading by Quinch!