After several bloody years of war, we are about to defeat King Sombra. I almost wish we would have lost.

If the sirens had their way, they would have divided and conquered all of Equestria. But a certain Star Swirl the Bearded wasn't having it. Rumor has it he found a way to banish them to another world – one where he believed their magic power would be lost. That world must have been the one where my Canterlot High friends live.

But Star Swirl must have sent them there ages ago. How come they're just surfacin' now?

A cursory look at the sirens' thousand years of history in the human world before the events of Rainbow Rocks. With apologies to Kim Stanley Robinson.

Absolutely no connection to Death and the Dazzlings.

"My handsome little cherub, close your eyes.
Mommy's going to give you clear blue skies.
So you’ll laugh and dance and play in the air.
And sing the song of angels everywhere."

The gryphons were not always monsters. That came later.

In the earliest days, they were our friends. They flew alongside pegasi. They shared the land with earth ponies. They studied beside unicorns. There was no fear between us. That came later too.

Time drew our people apart, but it was not time that made them monsters. They made that choice themselves; they chose their fate. And it was the greatest gryphon who sealed it.

He was born, many years ago, on a mountain far to the north...

It's been six months since Tirek was defeated, but Trixie still has nightmares. Nightmares of being pinned down, of the magic being ripped from her bones, of being thrown around like a worthless doll. It's been six months since Trixie has had a full night's sleep, and all she wants is peace.

But Trixie is fine. Trixie doesn't need Twilight. She doesn't need her family. She doesn't need anyone. Trixie loves being alone.

So why can't she stop crying?

A completely revamped version of a fic written for the Writeoff Association's May contest, "I Regret Nothing," which was originally published under the name Fight Back.
Loosely inspired by the song of the same name by Five Iron Frenzy.
Rated 'Teen' for some minor violent imagery.
Art by Kas92. Thanks to Manaphy, Floydien, Horizon, Trick Question, Majin Syeekoh, Imaginary Valued, and Pascoite for their advice and insights. I love you guys, and I couldn't do anything if it weren't for all of you guys putting up with my ceaseless nagging.

Five years ago, a storm brought a strange winged pony to The Village. Now, she lives at the edge of this small society, cast out, but unable to leave. As a year of terrible misfortune befalls the Villagers, they look for somepony to blame, and long-standing tensions begin to come to a head.

Soon, one side must break, for in The Village, there is neither friendship nor magic.

* * *

Special thanks to Sabrina "Sibsy" Alberghetti, for granting permission to use her character.

Thanks to GaryOak, AugieDog, Bad Horse, v-invidia, Derpmind, Randomreader-001, Reia Hope, and A-hardie, for editing and proofreading.
Reviews:
PresentPerfect
The Royal Guard

In the chaos after Luna's banishment, four warlords meet.

Spanish translation, by SPANIARD-KIWI.

Lyra Heartstrings, who is not exactly the most responsible adult out there, is driving a train. A train with no brakes, on fire, full of orphans, which is approaching a broken bridge at terminal velocity.

Hmm. Well, at least things can't get worse.

Fair warning: Dark humor ahoy, guys. Horrible things played for laughs.

Proofread by:

• Selbi
• Octavia Harmony

Fillydelphia! City of a thousand glittering opportunities! Come to Fillydelphia! Get your mane cut! Divorce your spouse! Buy a chariot! Rent a condo! Fillydelphia! The city that glows like the gin blossoms on its mayor’s face!

Trixie and Gilda have been in Fillydelphia for some time, and it’s almost, but not quite, to their taste. There’s no good work — at least, no good work with monthly paychecks, annual performance reviews and a promotion track that doesn’t involve murder — for a travelling illusionist and an uncertified bouncer, so to cover the rent they’ve had to resort to bad work.

Well, not bad bad work. And certainly not that sort of bad work. The hours are good, the pay is more than adequate, and the people they meet are interesting.

They cater to a certain clientele, ponies who know it’s not just what you have in life that makes you happy, but what you don’t have. Like vengeful rivals. Or snitches. Or nosy detectives.

Or dead bodies.

When that is the particular problem, Gilda and Trixie get a call. For a reasonable price and a good reference, they’ll make your problem disappear...

Once upon a time there was a little pink pony who lived on a rock farm and wanted nothing more than to be happy.