In a world of snakes and ladders, Rarity has had to learn a single, simple fact:

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single mare who desires recognition and success must, without a doubt, be a social-climbing bitch.

Edited version of my entry to Everfree Northwest's Iron Author competition. Special thanks to Swan Song for the encouragement, support, and for believing in this story strongly enough to throw money at it when I was ready to give up on it.

Amazing cover art by the fantastic lilfunkman

"Applejack?"
"Yes Twi?"
"I found this book outside the Everfree Forest... It seems to be Apple Bloom's diary."
"Mah sis kept a Diary? Does it say what happened to her?"
"...Yes..."

TheLostNarrator did a fantastic reading of this story some time ago; find it here.
Now with a reading in Finnish, courtesy of DubbiKnight.
And a reading by Lotus Moon.

Princess Cadance will find what she seeks at the top of the staircase. She just has to reach it.

The first Nightmare Night with Princess Luna was fantastic. Big Macintosh had finished his cart rides, and was ready to mingle with the rest of Ponyville. When Cheerilee comes rushing up with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle in tow, they learn Applebloom went missing from Pinkie's little herd. A search begins, and a creeping dread comes over Big Mac, as he can't help but notice a strange scent in the air, as they draw closer to the Everfree Forest...

Art -- http://imalou.deviantart.com/

Princess Celestia has been keeping a dark secret from her subjects for a very long time.

It's not an easy truth to tell, but if anyone can accept her after learning it, it will surely be her most faithful student.

Third Place Finisher in Equestria Daily's 2013 Nightmare Night Contest!

Twilight Sparkle has obtained the combined power of all four princesses of Equestria. Wielding this power, she confronts Lord Tirek, but the result of their fight is a tie. When he holds her friends hostage, she is forced to make a difficult choice.

All is not lost, however: one force remains in Equestria that could give her the edge she needs to defeat her foe, save her friends, and restore the world. She need only retrieve it from Zecora and place it around her neck...

Runner-up (one-shots category) in the Twyrant's Kingdom Competition.

Story inspiration: Corruption of a Desperate Mare, by Chris Wöhrer.

Edited by NightWolf289, AugieDog, and Prak. Thanks also to Pascoite for his WRITE review.

Rated teen for gore and dark themes.

Featured on:
Fimfiction.net Feature Box (05/12/14)
Equestria Daily!
The Royal Guard's Fic Spotlight #10.

This story is 100% approved by Twilight's Library!
Approved by Nonpareil Fiction!

There is a very good reason that Princess Celestia sends Twilight and her friends to do her dirty work.

There is a very good reason that immortal, impossibly strong alicorns have a fleet of guards.

The newest Princess of Equestria needs to learn what strength really means to an alicorn.

"Beware Her wrath, fools who dare threaten our Kingdom. For if Celestia be our Shield, then Luna is the Sword."

Spiritual companion to Sweet Celestia.

Applebloom has had a room of her very own for over a year now, and she no longer has scary dreams when she's all alone in the dead of night. But something has come back to visit her, and this time she's old enough to know two things: it's not her friend, and it's not imaginary.

A very short and moody story about one of the many things grown-ups forget.

Apple Bloom has a very important classroom duty, at least according to Miss Cheerilee.

Second place winner in the January Writeoff - All In