Fluttershy is given a rather odd request from somepony she thought she'd never see again: Iron Will. The minotaur seeks her out, asking her to teach him how to be as calm as she is. But when she agrees to being his tutor, will Iron Will take the lessons a little too close to heart?

(Cover picture belongs to John Joseco and I take no credit for it. Warning, some of his work is NSFW.)

Something is going around Ponyville, stealing both possessions and ponies alike. When a friend gets taken, Twilight and Fluttershy set out into the Everfree Forest to rescue her. But will they be able to stop this creature from raiding the town again, and will they be able to handle its challenge?

(Picture vectored by BreadKing)

Fauna, an earth pony, fails to secure passage home to be with her family for Hearth's Warming Eve. Things look dim, until a gift from a stranger offers a chance for her to see her family for the holidays. But is that gift what it seems?

(The 2nd place winner for the ponychan short story fic-off, moved here.)

(I'm not really sure what to tag this under. It might have dark/tragedy implications, but I'm not quite sure. Any advice on this is appreciated.)

Hearth's Warming is here again, that time of year where everypony is in good spirits... except one. Pinkie, the normally cheery mare, is oddly upset. She takes it upon herself to make sure the holiday is stopped, by any means necessary. Can one of her friends find out why she'd dislike such a festive day, and keep her from ruining Hearth's Warming itself?

Trixie, having recently lost all her possessions during a certain Ponyville incident, manages to find a lucky job as a performer for Equestria's most anticipated holiday. While there, she discovers something precious to her survived her caravan's destruction... and is currently being held by a familiar face.

Now, Trixie's determined to retrieve what's rightfully hers. But little does she know that her attempts will set off a chain of events, leading to what could either be the greatest or the worst thing that's ever happened to her.

(Image belongs to KP-ShadowSquirrel)

With seven stories planned, and one being released every 1-2 days, I hope you enjoy this collection of short stories that I wrote as practice. Watch and see a certain bookworm's secret, a journey to find a lost gift in dangerous territory, and a trip through the dangerous Everfree Forest in search of a friend. After that, you'll see just how much Pinkie loves laughter, a loyal friend's difficult decision, and Applejack's dealings with a less-than-fair opponent. Finally, discover how an invitation to the royal castle causes mayham for all involved.

Story 1: Empire
Tags: [Silly]
Synopsis: Spike comes home from his chores early, only to discover Twilight's secret hobby upon his return.
Characters: Spike, Twilight
Notes: The shortest story of the bunch. They get MUCH longer from here on out.

Story 2: Diamond Den
Tags: [Adventure] [One OC]
Synopsis: Rarity finds that she's lost a present for one of her friends in a place she hoped she'd never have to go back to again. She goes back to retrieve it, meeting a new face along the way during her adventure through the mazelike corridors of the Diamond Dog's Den.
Characters: Rarity, Fluttershy, Diamond Dogs, OC

Story 3: Forest Frenzy
Tags: [Adventure] [Action] [Mild Violence]
Synopsis: Rarity discovers Fluttershy missing, and a mysterious trail of paw prints trailing into the forest behind her cottage. Rarity recruits Applejack to help her follow the tracks into the forest, in search of their meek friend. Little do they know, the forest isn't the safest place to travel...
Characters: Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Zecora, River Serpent (Named Steven for this story), and Forest Monsters (Both recurring and original)
Notes: The longest story of the bunch... to the point where it's really hard to classify it as a short story. Still, it's the one I put the most work into, so I hope you enjoy.

Story 4: Funny Films
Tags: [Silly]
Synopsis: Twilight hosts a movie night, inviting along a certain pink pony. When Pinkie shows some odd behavior, Twilight develops an interest in the mare's peculiar sense of humor.
Characters: Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy
Notes: For the purposes of this story, TV exists in Equestria. Also, MOVIE TITLE PUNS AHOY!

Story 5: Decisions
Tags: [Drama]
Synopsis: Rainbow Dash is given a choice, between a chance to see her idols and fulfilling a promise she made to a sick friend. Will she remain loyal, or leave behind a friend in need?
Characters: Rainbow Dash, Gilda, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Spike

Story 6: Fair Play
Tags: [Drama] [Action]
Synopsis: When the annual Farmer's Competition happens to roll into Ponyville, Applejack is determined to win first prize, a generous amount of bits. But when one of her competitors refuses to play fair, what is an honest pony to do?
Characters: Applejack, The rest of the mane 6, Spike, OCs

Story 7: Castle Crashing
Tags: [Drama] [Comedy] [Slice of Life]
Synopsis: The mane 6 are invited to Canterlot Castle to stay for the night, with Princess Celestia desiring to set right a few wrongs. But when a few of the friends wander off, will the remaining ponies be able to find them, and keep them from making a huge mess?
Characters: The mane 6, Spike, Celestia, Luna, Blueblood, OCs
Notes: And this marks the end of my practice stories. I'd like to thank everyone who rated, commented, and enjoyed them as much as I enjoyed writing them. Feel free to comment on any things you liked/disliked, as they'll help greatly when I start working on bigger stories. And of course, if you enjoyed the stories, feel free to follow me!