After being freed from Starlight's control, Double Diamond and Sugar Belle struggle to shake off her influence. Then they start to wonder: are there other villages in the desert – and other ponies – who need their help too?

Proofreading provided by Pascoite.
Entry for Writeoff FiM Short Story Round, Event 87. Prompt: The Other Side.

After his encounter with Yozora, Sora finds himself awake in a new world. Though it was far from ideal.

Trapped as the leader of a depressing little village where people gave up what made them different while stuck controlling the body of their leader was bad enough. But add onto that the fact that everything he learns about said leader makes him like her less, and the situation looks bleak for our hero.

Can he really just sit back and keep enforcing this girl's messed up beliefs of friendship? Or will his sheer belief in his ideals end up winning out in the end, undoing everything Starlight Glimmer has worked to maintain?

Author's Note: This is a complete re-write of a previous premise, which I liked, but felt like I could have done better. I've been hard at work trying to make the changes substantial, and to make them better than the previous attempt. I hope you'll enjoy the new version.

Update (2/27/23): New Cover Art!

Five private heavens have gone horribly wrong, leaving behind five little ponies just trying to find a way out.

Now in Chinese, courtesy of hehelover!

Now with a Spanish translation by Spaniard Kiwi!

While exploring a ruined castle somewhere in the Everfree Forest, Party Favor was attacked by a ferocious beast. Even though he manages to fight back, he starts growing more fur and behaving like a dog.

Will his friends help him find a cure?

The Elements of Harmony: Equestria's most powerful Magic, and the greatest Magic of all is Friendship. But what makes Friendship possible? What are, as one might say, the Elements of Friendship?

Starlight Glimmer seeks to stop an ancient evil, and if she is to succeed, she's going to need five other ponies to help her find out . . .

Cover Art by unsavorydom

This story is a sequel to Who Guards the Guards?

Two sisters, debating what the coming storm will mean for society.

Two more sisters, debating what they can do in the face of it.

One man, reflecting on what he hopes the storm will bring about.

These are their stories.

Continuity: The Song of the Spheres
Branch: The Seekers of the Stars

Double Diamond is a very special kind of pony. He's a frost-kin, a fairy that acts as a kind of guardian spirit to little children who get lost in blizzards. Of course, Starlight Glimmer didn't know that when she took his cutie mark.

It's been a week since Starlight Glimmer was kicked out of her little village, and Double Diamond got back all the things that made him himself. Like most of the ponies from the village, he's been spending this time reconnecting with who he is. And he's just remembered something very important to him.

Or rather, somepony.

Written for Jake's Horse Word Extravaganza.

Art sources

Celestia has often looked to the furthest edges of her kingdom when watching for dangers. Sometimes, she may even journey there, just to make sure things are on the up and up. Today, she goes to, of all places, the former village of Starlight Glimmer. But it is not the mare herself she has come to see, but the village's newest resident, who is not as unfamiliar to her as might first appear.

Starlight Glimmer is content with running her little village just outside of Equestria's borders. Having built from the ground up with her own four hooves a town where everyone is Equal, Starlight is satisfied. Ponies wander in and they decide to stay. There's no reason for her to return to her homeland.

Then Tirek defeats Princess Twilight Sparkle, and an undercover changeling tells Starlight Glimmer she's the last hope to save Equestria from the mad centaur.

This story is a sequel to Care from the Heart

You've been a dedicated citizen of Our Town for years. In fact, you were there long before that was even the name, and you'd grown fond of a certain individual over those years.

She stole him from you, though, and it's going to take a bit of work to get him back.

[Written for a female POV]