As the centuries pass, cutie marks come and go. Some are common: the healing cross, the basic compass rose, the courier bag. Others are extinct: no more mercenary companies, no more mercenary marks. A few are incredibly scarce, coming along once a generation or less: the mark for luck falls into that category. A number only manifest when the call for them arrives: train tracks didn't appear until it was railroading time. But for the most part, ponies take their mark with its associated talent and magic as a blessing in their lives -- no matter what that mark turns out to be. And they accept it as they accept themselves.

Luna, in her first truly open palace session dealing with the public, is about to meet the exception: Joyous Release, a pony who wants nothing more than to be rid of her mark forever -- and every bit of the talent which comes with it.

But marks are permanent...

(This story takes place shortly after A Total Eclipse Of The Fun.)

Cover art by Harwick.

Part of the Triptych Continuum, which has its own TVTropes page and FIMFiction group. New members and trope edits welcome.

Now with author Patreon and Ko-Fi pages.

Pinkie should really start reading signs more often. Anti-Earth Pony meetings are no joke.

Echo is a high ranking changeling officer. The Canterlot invasion was going perfectly, and her battalion had personally defeated the Elements of Harmony. Suddenly, she finds herself far flung from Canterlot, crashing into the Everfree forest. Now she is faced with a difficult reality - her hive, the only family she's ever known, no longer exists, and she must adapt to life as a pony. What she finds out about herself, though, will surprise her.

Rated Teen for occasional suggestiveness and language, tagged gore for brief violence, particularly in later chapters.

Dark because later chapters get pretty ... well, dark.

---

Addendum 5/29/2018

This story is now, as of this addendum, five years old. It is getting more attention as I put out new chapters on the sequel.

I recognize that this story has problems, and that some of them by their nature carry over to the sequel; please remember that when I started writing this, I was not yet even old enough to legally drink in the US. A lot has happened and a lot has changed, and there are many things about this story I regret including, but which it is now too late to change. Some of those things I have simply done my best to ignore and make irrelevant, but some of them are errors from a 19 year old me that will haunt me until the sequel is finished.

In short, please be gentle.

"Unicorns have magic, Pegasi have the sky, and Earth ponies have the ground beneath their hooves. Though they are all different, they share a common trait amongst themselves. All of them have the ability to earn a cutie mark. So, where do I belong?"

Soapbox -- a donkey born into a pony family -- tries to understand where he fits in since he can't use magic, fly, have the strength of an earth pony, or earn a cutie mark.

Equestria. A land of friendship and harmony. Apart from the occasional irredeemable villain, nopony is left wanting for companionship. But what if you aren't a pony? What if you don't know what you are?

For those who live below, harmony can be quite different.

What is it like to fly? To defy gravity in all its' power. To say no to the very laws of physics that keep the world in order.

To be able to see the world in a way only 1 out of 3 ponies can view.

I live that life everyday. Some could even say it is not longer nostalgic. I think I've seen it all. From the lush forests of the Everfree to the splendor of Canterlot and the big city, Manehatten; to the small town of ponyville where I reside to the city of Cloudsdale where I was born. But only now do I realize what true ability I have. Now I understand why I was gifted with such an ability.

They make make fun of my eyes, but I see the world in a different way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is my first "artistic" style fanfic, so please criticize as much as possible! This is meant to be sent in to EqD as part of the "Writer Training Grounds". Please enjoy!

Art by alexmakovsy. All rights and appreciation goes to him

Porkmetheus is an exceptional pig, and Ponyville's most energetic porcine resident. After an accident sparks his tiny imagination, he wonders if, maybe, he too could fly!

A short one-shot inspired by One Bad Apple and the opening of Too Many Pinkie Pies.

Side Story to The Demesne of the Reluctant Twilight Sparkle

When Doctor Princess Twilight Sparkle got Ponyville and the surrounding lands as her exclusive demesne, she knew it meant changes and stuff. Glittering opportunities. Dire crises. Friendships gained and imperiled. The dawn of a new age for Ponyville. A renaissance of the arts and sciences. A great test of her abilities as a leader and as a friend.

The brewing civil war took her by surprise, on the other claw.

The Princesses and their allies in Canterlot are working to change the laws, disband the new militias and ensure a lasting peace, but they need time. Soon, this cold war of arms and intimidation will heat up, and all the laws and decrees in the world ain't stopping it.

Doctor Princess Twilight Sparkle will buy them time. She will do what it takes to keep her friends, her family, and yes, her demesne safe.

With the help of a handsome griffon security professional—that's me, by the way—a devious illusionist, a ruthless athlete, a bored noble, and a pair of boater-clad con-ponies, she'll stop the damn war herself if she has to.

Touch wood I'll live to tell about it...

Celestia had a vision, of two beings, one of darkness, one of light. They claimed that they would reclaim Equestria and return it to dust. The next day, a small creature appears, frightened, scared, and afraid of her very touch. A child. A child who may herald the end, or save Equestia from its demise.

Isaac has been in the basement as long as he can remember. So many times has he descended through this purgatory of death and murder, god and demons, so many things that hurt, burned and killed.
Then one day it stopped. A secret room that opened the chest he had known so long, and he was free. He could leave the Basement.
He didn't see anything else that followed him out.
He didn't expect the world to have changed so much in his absence.
And he never could've imagined they'd all be ponies.

And ponies never imagined that simple children could ever save them from the forces of evil.

Holy Hell! This got featured! (1/8/16)

A-again? Thank you! (1/22/16)

IAmNotSmartest.omfg has stopped responding. Close the program? (2/12/16) >No >Hell no >Back the %#$@ off

IT JUST KEEPS HAPPENING I DON'T UNDERSTAND. (3/22/16)

And again? I though Friday the 13th was supposed to be an unlucky day! (5/13/16)

*Incoherent stuttering* (5/30/16)

Character list will be updated as necessary, those not immediately listed are:
- King Sombra
- Twilight
- Spike
- TBC

Characters from the Binding of Isaac are under Other, as you'd expect.
Correct me if I get an item's effect or description wrong!
Correct me if I get grammar or spelling incorrect, I'll fix them as I'm aware of them!

Cover art is by me.

Huge thank you to TrueGentleman, who has taken it upon him to aid me in the editing of this story! (Stopped as of 18 onward)

Appreciation for HydraLightning, proofreader from CH3+.

And a special thanks to awesomesauce4 for inspiring me to start on this! Here's their story!
|The Unbinding|

In the magical land of Equestria, there are no ponies.
In the sleepy town of Ponyville, there are no ponies.
In the glittering Castle of Friendship, there are no ponies.

So who are all these colorful quadrupeds?