I'm a little late with the thread this month, so you'll sadly be spared any chance of a "hilarious" tenuous intro linkage between this month's prompt and a certain political event in the UK. I bet you're heartbroken. Instead, I'll go straight on to this bit:

Here are the full rules.

Remember, there is no prize, as such, for this contest -- but if you win, you will be able to choose the prompt for the next contest. You'll also get a mention on the group's front page. That's because I actually have the power to do that and it makes me feel important. Thus proving that we are a species who should on no account be believed. Anyway, here are this month's details:

Prompt: "Departures" (selected by last month's winner, paperhearts)
Rating: E or T
Word limit: 150
Closing date: Saturday 21st February 2020, 11:59 pm UK time (world clock)

Please reply to this post with your entry. This makes it easier for me to keep track. Please do not leave feedback until after the closing date.

Entries are now open! Have fun!

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George Washington birthday is the 22nd of February. Just so happens to be my grandma's birthday as well. which is why she was named, Georgia. She passed away at 96, but she would've been 101 years old this month.

So why am I talking about her? Because 2 years ago, I wrote a story that involved my grandma during the month of February and I find it ironic that I'm doing it again this month as well.

I made a story about her in the month of her 99^th and 101^st birthday, but not her 100^th.

Bright Bramley pulls his head up from the tub, "I gogh au auffle!" he announces, his face completely drenched. Bramley trots in place and shows his father the fruit in his mouth, "ish ya shee?"

"Eeyup!"

Bramley heads off to show his accomplishment toward his cousins at the apple family reunion, leaving Big Mac behind.

Mac focuses on the tub of water, letting his mind drift like the apples floating inside. His distant gaze didn't go unnoticed by his approaching sister, Applejack.

She knew what he was thinking, she was thinking it too, "First time we've had a get-together without Granny Smith."

"Eeyup."

Applejack leans on her brother for comfort, which he gives in return.

"...there's something the minister once told me." Macintosh reminisces aloud to his sister, "Life is like an ocean, each of us are our own boats that sail it. And Granny's boat... hers was a battleship."

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Trixie skidded to a halt amidst the Tree's roots. The pit of her stomach dropped away and she knew in her heart that Starlight had lost.

Sunburst noticed her stop and grabbed the magician's leg. "Come on! We have to go!"

She looked back up the tunnel, back towards the library and lost love. "..No."

He tugged again. "There's no time!"

A sad smile crossed Trixie's lips. "Sunburst? I'm an egotist, a fraud and a coward. I wasn't even a good villain. But my..." She hesitated as her voice cracked. "Best friend just gave up everything to make sure those kids got away safe. I'm going to make sure it was worth it." Her violet eyes turned back towards Starlight's last stand. "Let me do the right thing for once in my life."

Sunburst hesitated. Nodded. Ran.

And Trixie watched up the tunnel, waiting for Chrysalis.

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Forgot to reply before, whoops.

Well, this one’s a bit different than my norm. Hope it’s not a total failure.

Anyway, I call it:

Loss

Twilight stared deeply, into the hole,
A void that would swallow both body and soul,
A heart so heavy,
She was ready,
To take the first step to places untold.

But holding her back, with a cry of reproach,
Was I, a mare, with a snow white coat.

“Why must you go?” I cried out with a tear.
“Don’t leave!” I said, voicing my fear.

“I leave to save you, my dear Rarity,
I leave to save all so dear to me.”

“But saving you, that’s what’s important!
Without you, my days will be torment!”

Raising a wing, she too raised my head,
She then kissed I, the mare she had wed.

“There is no other choice, my sweet Rarity,
For it is but I who can stop this calamity.”

Then her heart so pure, so full of hope,
Led her away, down the dark slope.

Just a bit of fun though really like the idea of the Twili Institute of Science and Magic now.

Lift off

The tannoy crackled in to life across the complex.

"Pre flight checklist starting T-minus five minutes and counting"

Members of the Twili institute for Science and Magic checked over the telemetry. The colossal Tia-1 stood upon the launch pad dominating the skyline. Inside The dragons stood by the funnel system with the ignition team. The pegasi pilots offered a brief prayer to the elements. The rest of the mixed crew nervously awaited the countdown.

"T-minus 1 minute begin ignition burn"

Each member of the ignition crew approached their dragon and commenced making them laugh. The fire channelled to the engine and ignited in a brilliant blue flame under the exhaust nozzle.

" 5….4…3…2..1 lift off"

The unicorns poured their magic in to the engine increasing the thrust and the ship began to rise up ascending, departing for the unknown above.

Princess Luster looked back to her old mentor with a smile as they watched from the tower.

"I never thought friendship could take us so far"

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Dang I like this allot a good bit of emotion packed in there.

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I'm slightly late, but time is up! Just the four entries this month, and I'll announce the winner in the next couple of days.

Feedback is open!

I wonder why there were so few entries. It's certainly a solid enough prompt.

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I have no idea certainly not though because I've been removing the competition. 😐

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In my experience, it's very hard to predict what will bring more or fewer entries. Ten last month ("A Near Miss") but just four this? I can't see there's any obvious reason for the difference. Just one of those things, I suppose.

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I really do apologise for the delay! My area (though thankfully not my house) has been badly affected by flooding, and it's really distracted me. But at least thanks to Leap Day it's still February! Anyway, my choice for the winner this time is TCC56's entry. Suspenseful and heart-wrenching in equal measure. As always, please let me know the prompt for March -- and I'll put it up as soon as I can.

Congratulations to TCC56 -- and thank you to everyone, as ever!

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Awesome!

And good to hear you didn't get washed away!

For my prompt, I'll offer up... Face Your Fears.

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Thanks! I'll put the thread up right now, as it's already 1st March here in England.

Stuff happened in January that made me completely forget about the flashfic contest for February..... But since I finally started participating just right after the new year began, I'll write one for February in retrospect to catch up on this, even though it can't win anymore. Can't miss writing an entry so early, that would be embarrassing.
And, filly, do I have a controversial idea for this prompt, I am excited to see how reactions to it will be. If my late entry is still being read, that is.
Because of a certain, rather unfavorable OC in the fandom and certain unpleasant happenings on Twitter involving a certain zebra we all love, a few weeks ago, writing this for the prompt "Departures", that I was immediately inspired to, and twisting said unfavorable OC into something positive and goodnatured, feels appropriate:

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White hooves pounding on asphalt at a breathtaking speed. A blonde mane flying in the wind, the result of her own tempo. Blue eyes that were focused on the grey building in the distance and on the smoke that rose up behind it. Blonde mane and blue eyes, Aryanne never gave anything about this shit. It didn't make her a superior being, she was just born that way, why did they think it made her better than others? Maybe she looked like them, but they weren't her people, not everypony who looked like that had a god complex.
And now they captured her friend. She hid him for so long, why did it matter to them that his coat was brown and his mane black?! They were the same, inside.
He was in the train, his departure near. All she could do anymore was saying goodbye. Aryanne sobbed, tears flowing.

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Not normally writing for OCs either, but this was too perfect of a fit, so I made an exception.

And some late feedback here as well, to make it all complete.

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Very emotional. I don't know who this son of Big McIntosh is (his only son we know about, in the future, was named Lil' Mac by the fandom), but the emotions are prime here. A masterpiece because it conveys so little with so much. And a nice bit of philosophy is always good.

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A better entry than in the previous month and it immediately makes me want to know more and read more. Making Starlight a hero who dies when sacrificing herself to rescue foals from Chrysalis, I don't know the intent behind that idea, but it makes for some very emotional suspense compared with Trixie's reactions. Sunburst running away is the best part, the few words used to get this across make the scene burn itself into your mind. And bonus points for including Twilight's library, I'm glad she isn't forgotten. I would read this if it were a lengthy story.

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That is some Shakespeare stuff (minus the confusing, old grammar) here, I love it! Even though I'm sure it has been done before since March 2017, a poem is very unique and rare for the flashfic contest. You did a great job at bringing Rarity's and Twilight's feelings to life here.

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Let's take the friendship to the stars! That actually sounds like a good title if that were a long story, "Friendship to the Stars". I love the idea of ponies going to space and spreading friendship to other races and species on other planets in the universe. It has a monumental feel to it and it's an idea that provides adventures with the ponies we love for a long time. I think this is my favourite entry of this month.

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I don't know who this son of Big McIntosh is (his only son we know about, in the future, was named Lil' Mac by the fandom)

Jim Miller (one of the people behind the show) came up with the name 'Big Sugar' when he was asked on the spot, quickly following it up by saying the fans will think of something better.

After a bit of digging, someone suggested the name 'Bright Bramley' to be a perfect name for the colt and I had to agree. Not only is 'Bramley' a type of apple, the 'Bright' part reflects Big Mac's father, 'Bright Mac'. Bright Bramley is also a gen 2 name, and it just so happens that 'Sugar Belle' is also a gen 2 name.

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Oh, phew, glad that mine didn’t sound like pointless and emotionless gibberish, at least.

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Jim Miller (one of the people behind the show)

I know who Big Jim is.

came up with the name 'Big Sugar' when he was asked on the spot

I suppose that information is okay. Unlike another information he gave a few months ago, calling Big Mac's and Sugar Belle's son "Big Sugar" doesn't trollishly contradict something we know since Season 1.