Pinkie Pie purchased five of the best balloons in Equestria and tied them to her tail. She had a very special purpose in mind for her balloons, but sometimes life has better plans in store.

Featured story of the Hearth's Warming Care Package, a 26-story anthology written explicitly for Kiki Havivy this holiday season.

Review by Present Perfect

It's just another day of weather bucking for Stormy Skies. Nothing special, as usual. Then, like a bolt out of the blue, everything changes and nothing is the same again. Now she finds herself accused for crimes she didn't commit and threatened by unknown assailants. But can she trust the mysterious mare, Misty Morning, or is she a part of the plot as well?

(Edited by Icy Shake)

Pinkie tries to find the perfect joke for her inflatable body. It's much harder for her than it sounds. The joke finding that is, not the body.

Preview image by Missangest.

Discord needs something to keep himself occupied that won't make him end up as a glorified lawn gnome for another thousand years. Knowing that causing chaos on any scale he would like is off-limits, he decides to play his hands/claws at a diversion Celestia seems to have a addiction to: teaching students!

While the search for little ponies he can tutor in the ways of chaos is cold at first, he eventually stumbles on a little pony who seems after his own twisted patchwork heart. A little pony who's bossy. A little pony who's annoying. A little pony who, just possibly, reminds him a little of himself when he was just a few thousand years old.

Indeed, this "Diamond Tiara" is going to be the best student he's ever had!

Ever Watchful was a typical young bull, eager to see more of the world outside his isolated home. At least, more of it besides the bleak wastelands that surrounded him every day. However, when actions beyond his control sends him in the direction of the city of Tauronto, the other last great city, he must question everything he has assumed about the world and himself as he carves out a new life.

Also, what the hell is this "Crystal Empire" place, anyway?

A bullied runaway foal, faced with a decision that could change his life forever, runs into a pair of helpful salesponies.

Together, they'll teach him that, like life, a name is only what you make of it.

Two ponies walked across the equestrian wasteland. A mysterious mare behind a mask and an oversized stallion. They aren't there to be heroes, they don't want to make new friends, and they aren't trying to make the wasteland a better place. But just how easy is it to remain neutral in the wasteland?

(My first attempt at any form of pony fiction, and my first FoE sidestory, and the first bit of writing I've ever published. Here goes nothin'. Cover art credit to Sw1tchbl4de on deviantart, and a super awesome job it was!)

Hidden Fortune and her sister grew up in the Wasteland, learning its dangers and doing their best to stay out of sight and out of mind of the larger world. During a treasure hunt they discover a Stable, and a chance encounter changes their world. Now the sisters must travel out of their element, learn how to survive all over again, and hopefully, discover the one true treasure of the Wasteland.

Cover art by Jordo76.

Skittles are Equestria's latest trend, but when Rainbow tells Twilight that she doesn't like them, the studious unicorn comes up with a rather bizarre theory: maybe Rainbow tastes like Skittles herself, and is therefore immune to the taste. But are they ready to find out if her theory is correct?

Editing by Sharp Spark. Preread by Rasael.

The graffiti did not bother her. The art of vandalism was, in some form or another, as old as civilization itself. The content, on the other hoof, was an entirely different issue. “Princest Is Wincest,” it said. Bad grammar and spelling were one thing, but this was an attack on the Equestrian language.

Luna frowned. She would have to ask Celestia about this at the first opportunity. Perhaps there were spare funds for a literacy program. If nothing else, Tia might be able to explain what exactly the phrase meant.

Thanks to Wade and Sereg for prereading. Thanks to Burraku_Pansa and especially Midnight Rambler for editing.

Dramatic reading, courtesy of CaptainBron3y.