Few things bring as much joy to Berry Punch as riding trains. Because of this, she was overjoyed to find a misprinted timetable that listed a new train travelling to Canterlot in the dead of night- -and even more pleased to discover that rumors of a new, experimental type of engine were true.

Except that this train does not run quite on time. And not many ponies seem to be willing to ride it, despite how many cars there seem to be. And how everything is oh so silent. Or, as Berry Punch begins to discover, something she would rather not know about the last train car...

Applejack is chosen as The Nightmare's new host.

It really isn't that big of a deal. Until it is.

Marble's life on the farm is simple and idyllic. She helps out Pa and Limestone, and in her spare time carves and sculpts rocks. She has it pretty great, she thinks. It cannot last.
Pa thinks it's high time she get married and settle down to focus on more important things, like family, and work. He doesn't see her sculptures as a way to make a living, and insists she visit the Pairing Stone for a match.
Reluctantly, she agrees.
She meets her suitors, but the Pairing Stone says all three of them are a good match. Marble thinks they're all equally unsuited. She refuses to marry any of them, and will go to great lengths to keep her freedom.

The Unity Day party at Sweet Apple Acres goes awry after surprising accusations are leveled at Applejack, on account of some difficult-to-discern lyrics.

Find Iron Wolf's dramatic reading of this story, in a super cool Polish accent that kicks the whole thing up to 11, here.

This story is a sequel to Shatter, Silence. Shatter

The quirky Cherry Lattice is a baker in Maretropolis who loves her job, and more than eating the masterpieces she bakes, she loves to share her goodies with others to brighten their lives. But that’s her day job. At night, she’s known as Fili-Second, the speedy mare who cleans up the crime in the streets in record time.

As her belief stands that nopony should have an unhappy Hearth’s Warming, she decides to pay a special visit to a certain somepony to make his or her holiday a merry one.

(NOTE) I realize that the official comics have a different canon concerning the Power Ponies; but for story purposes, I will be ignoring the comic canon, for the most part.

Cover art by me. Expertly edited by my good friend Test4Echo. Wonderful dialogue help from Diamond_ Emblem.

The end has come for Ponyville.

Octavia, frankly, could not care less.

My name is The Merry Widow. And tomorrow I will die.

There comes a time in every ship’s life where they have expended their usefulness, and all that awaits them is destruction at the breakers. Beneath Luna’s stars in the long darkness before my death, I am given a gift, and new hope.

The Merry Widow will not die unmourned.

Appropriate Photo credit: The HMS Unicorn, a British frigate from 1894.

Title from Psalms 107:23
Excellent reading by Illya Leonov

Igneous Pie needs an errand run and Limestone has volunteered. Igneous lets her go, but he sends Maud and Marble with her to keep her in check and make sure she doesn't have another road rage incident. Can Maud and Marble manage the rage of Limestone Pie?

Most likely not.

Twilight receives an urgent message from Sunset Shimmer, a vague cry for help against an unnamed threat. She races to the rescue without question or hesitation, and arrives to find a floating eyeball from beyond the bounds of corporeal reality taking up residence in her kitchen. Is it evil? Malicious? A threat to life as we know it?

...Maybe? It's creepy as heck, either way, and it's wreaking havoc on Sunset's social life, so it's gotta go.

Silver medalist in the Writeoff Association's December 2016 contest, written for the prompt "Has That Always Been There?" Inspired by this tweet. Cover art by illictic, used with permission.

Edited by DannyJ.