Dusk Shine is completely fine with being a stallion.

Sure, he doesn’t like it, but I mean who does, right? He isn’t good enough to be a mare, like his friends are, so there’s no way he could be transgender.

Feeling out of place and alienated around his closest friends has to be some kind of friendship problem, and that is what he’s here to study after all.

Maybe once he fixes this hole in his heart, he’ll understand why his friends seem to want him around. Maybe he’ll even be somepony who deserves them.

Retired Ex-Princess Luna has joined the Wonderbolts to stave off her boredom. Rainbow Dash isn't exactly thrilled to have her aboard.

This fic is a gift for the wonderful, amazing Zontan. Love ya, buddy <3

Sometimes, watching those we care about suffer can hurt more than anything.

Iron Will doesn't sit down and take pain in stride, though. He's gotta fight back. Like an angry bull. So when the ignorant jerks up at the state capitol decide to be idiots, he has to figure out a way to make things right again.

Only sometimes, there's no perfect catchphrase for the job.

First place entry in the Quills and Sofas Transgender contest.

My entry for the Pride and Positivity event. Please consider donating to one of the following charitable causes:

• Transgender Law Center
• Palestine Children's Relief Fund
• Sewa International (Indian charity collecting funds for COVID relief)

Cover art was a gift from a friend, applejackofalltrades! Thank you so much!

Much gratitude for my fellow Q&S members for their support/suggestions/prereading: applejackofalltrades, themoontonite, Undome Tinwe, The Red Parade, Silvermint, Bicyclette, wishcometrue, The Hat Man, Vis-A-Viscera, and Atom Smash.

Additional editing/prereading provided by ninjadeadbeard, Jarvy Jared, and Arkane12

Twilight has been studying so much recently, so Rarity comes over to try to shake her out of it.
Then, the next day, Rarity comes over again.

Winner of the second Spookfest competition for the Quills and Sofas Speedwriting Group.
This is also a prize fic for the very talented Snow Quill, who graciously provided the cover art.

Rainbow Dash is trapped in a room, and she can't get out until she writes a letter.

Russian translation by Repitter.

Russian audio reading, also by Repitter.

Proofread by MrNumbers and Octavia Harmony.

Sunset Shimmer, who is catastrophically out of Wallflower Blush's league, has come back to town for the summer. Sunset is very kind and attentive. She likes hugs. She keeps coming up with cute little inside jokes. She stares, piningly, when she thinks Wallflower isn't looking.

So, it would just be very easy for Wallflower to get the wrong impression.

Which is why she was happy when she stumbled across a way to know the objective truth about how she and Sunset measure up against one another.

A last-second entry in the Sunflower Shipping Contest.

On the day of the 1000th Summer Sun Celebration, five friends travel to the edge of the world

First place in a Quills and Sofas speedwriting contest with the theme "love" and the prompt "unafraid". Originally written in 75 minutes, this version has seen some editing and adjustment. Special thanks to Undome Tinwe, applezombi, TheLegendaryBillCipher, and Vis-a-Viscera for pre-reading during the contest!

Blindness, contrary to what Rainbow had always imagined, was not like being in a dark room.

Winner of the first Anonymous Contest for the Quills and Sofas Speedwriting Group . Originally written in 75 minutes, this version here has received some mild refinement.
The art is by Mark Chadwick on Flickr and is licenced under a Creative Commons license.

Though the distance between Pinkie Pie and her five closest friends has grown in the half-century since they claimed their Elements, she does what she can to prevent the others from drifting away. It’s small things, mostly: tea with Rarity, a drink with Rainbow Dash, a few words with each of the others. The friendship still makes each day together magic, and she works as hard as ever to bring cheer to all of her friends. When the smiles come less frequently, that just makes each one that much more precious.

In a sunburned Equestria, Rarity leads the pleasant life of a clothier in the tiny town of Spurhoof. She’s got a successful business, a capable assistant, and the respect of the place she’s called home for six years. Maybe she never achieved her foalhood dreams of fabulosity, but at least she’s comfortable. What more can a mare ask for?

Then a band of outlaws decide to pay Spurhoof a visit, and their leader’s eye has settled upon Rarity. Soon she’ll have to fight not only for her life, but maybe her very soul. Will her diamond turn dull under the hot Equestrian sun, or will adversity make her shine all the brighter?

Print copies now available for purchase on Lulu!.

Now featured on Equestria Daily.

Inspired by Fallout: Equestria and the song Bulletproof Heart by My Chemical Romance.

Other stories inspired by music:
Escape
Ordinary World
Bed of Roses
Drops of Jupiter
How to Save a Life
Forgive Me, Friend
Time for Tea

A big thanks to my brainstorming fellow and ever-awesome friend SorenPixels, who has helped me ponder the plans for this story since its inception.

Additional kudos to Danger Beans and Cerulean Voice for their help with the first few chapters.

Big thanks to the fantastic author Viking ZX for taking time out of his busy schedule to be my Alpha pre-reader.

Last but certainly not least, my gratitude to my gang of Beta pre-readers: Babroniedad, Lord-Commander, Merc the Jerk, Snowybee, Soge, and Wanderer D!

I was not prepared for the absolutely stunning world building or the incredibly well done characters. [...] This is a work of absolute art. — Equstarte Marine Sebaste

Reading and re-reading (and re-reading) this story was an amazing experience. It will always be one of my favorites! — Wanderer D

I dare say this is a masterpiece of the fandom. — FanOfMostEverything

It's a gorgeous, vivid-drawn setting you've crafted for this, and it hits its gritty Western beats and epic scope with aplomb. Rarity's character journey in this is a stellar one, and her gradual sink into (and recovery at the brink of) [...] darkness was wonderfully and believably told. — Carabas

Cover art commissioned from the fantastic bakki, with title work generously donated by Novel-Idea.