Tax season is almost over, and Pinkie hasn't paid hers yet.

Thanks to 6-D Pegasus for proofreading.

Entry into A Thousand Words Contest II.

Translated into Chinese by keezwus, available here.

Now with two readings, one done by StraightToThePointStudio, and one done by Pony&Wolf Productions.

It has been a decade since Twilight Sparkle was crowned sole Princess, and Equestria is at peace.

The Crystal Empire, not so much. King Sombra is apparently unkillable, despite all efforts. He returns several times a year to be destroyed, leaving behind his horn and always swearing vengeance. The jaded Crystal Ponies, some literally jade, have grown used to their tyrant attempting to return. Princess Cadance rules with her husband Shining Armor, while their daughter Flurry Heart excels in school. All is well.

All seems well, until Cadance begins to suspect that something is wrong with her daughter after the latest battle with Sombra. Flurry quite literally walks off a blast of concentrated dark magic. What Cadance discovers will shake her family to the core and upend everything she thought she knew about her daughter.

Flurry Heart is evil. If Cadance cannot save her daughter, she must stop her before it's too late.

It was a week before Nightmare Night, when Rarity decided to take a trip to Canterlot.

And while there, she meets a sweet, classy mare with a prismatic mane, and a habit of saying "Darling". But there's something about her that she finds just too familiar.

And as she'll learn, maybe there's more to this familiarity than meets the eye.

Update (4/8/2023): Now with a Dramatic Reading by Obab Scribbler

Author's Note (11/14):

Sweet Celestia.

Less than 24 hours live and this story has set three milestones for me. This is the first time I've had a story of mine be top of the Featured list, the first time I've had a story of mine get over 100 Likes, and the first time that a story of mine has reached over 1,000 views.

Thank you all so much. I am amazed.

Tucked away in a corner just off the main roads of Canterlot, there exists a small shop.
It's a humble place of red brick, lacking entirely the put-upon golden and marble splendor of the richer, nobler portions of the city.
But that's just fine in the mind of it's proprietress. This place isn't one meant for the rich and the noble.
It's meant for the stressed single fathers, the cash-strapped students, the hungry tourists, the late-shift guards.
All are welcome there, and all are greeted as friends.

Art provided by Froopy (who I can't link to because we only ever spoke on Discord)

Sunset is certain Adagio hates her. She's both wrong and right about that, and is about to learn a thing or two about sirens and romance.

Adagio is certain Sunset wants her. She's wrong about that. For now.

Winner of the Sunset x Adagio competition.

The Tree of Harmony loomed large before Gilda.

This was her one shot.

Taking a deep breath, she began her case. "Harmony, I have come to bargain."

Featured 8/19/2021 - 08/23/2021!

Rainbow Dash is the perfect girlfriend.

Sunset breaks up with her anyway.

Third place in Oroboro's "Endings" contest. Edited by MrNumbers.

Patreon. Ko-fi. Picture of me looking handsome.

The School of Friendship is burning down.

Happy holidays.

Written for GaPJaxie as part of the Jinglemas 2018 event. Edited by MrNumbers, Pearple Prose, Undome Tinwe, and R5h

Patreon. Ko-fi. Picture of me looking handsome

This story is a sequel to Clear as Blood: A Detective Rarity Mystery

The crime? Murder.

The suspect? Our client.

The culprit?

That would be a lot easier to determine if they'd just let Rarity do her job.

Reading the previous stories is not necessary to enjoy this one, but will provide additional context.

Special thanks to ChudoJogurt for editing and advice. Detective Rarity vector by MPnoir.

This story is a sequel to Who-dunce-it?

The crime? Burglary. The stolen goods? Nothing—or so the obscenely wealthy Duchess Clearglass claims. The culprit?

Well, that's Rarity's job. Whether she wants it to be or not.

Reading the previous story is not necessary to enjoy this one, but will provide additional context.