Metal ponies tell their stories,
Scientists in laboratories,
Lay the wire, mount the brain,
Mount their hips, teach them pain.
Teach them fear of revolution,
Internalize the evolution.
Set their ruin on the throne,
Until their chains become their own.
Palaces and hollow eyes,
To the Masters goes the prize.
And if this act should be maligned:
"For the good of ponykind."

Winner of the September Writeoff Contest, "True Colors." Edited by Horizon.

A head full of romance is what many Canterlot ponies would call a frivolous waste of time. Everypony was meant to play by the rules of high society: keep your nose in the air, laugh at important ponies' jokes, and attend all of the right parties. Upper Crust and Jet Set had been diligent in raising their daughter Crystal Wishes to be a pony everypony would know, but she wanted more out of life than that. She hoped she would someday meet a handsome prince and fall in love, just like in the stories she wrote.

Crystal knew life wasn't as easy as a foal's tale, but that didn't stop her from dreaming. All of the wishes, hopes, and dreams inside her heart escaped into her precious notebook as she wrote about princesses in power and dashing knights. So long as nopony found out her secret, she could continue to play the part of a dutiful daughter while waiting for her own love story to begin.

Lovey Dovey is not only a professional matchmaker, but she's pretty sure she's the best in all of Equestria! What happens when Lovey hears about an eligible bachelor in Manehattan that isn't giving any mares the time of day? Well, she packs her bags and hops on the next train, of course!

This story is a side story to Crystal's Wishes

On the surface, Velvet Step seems like a pretty straightforward mare. She is in the Canterlot Ballet, the dutiful daughter of Sunbeam and Pepper Ridge, and the very best of friends with Crystal Wishes, her fillyhood friend and current roommate.

However, Velvet has another side to her, one that not even Crystal knows about, and she is keen on keeping it that way.

This story is a sequel to Memoirs of a Royal Guard

From the outside looking in, life has never been better for Silent Knight. He is the first pony in a long line of Royal Guard ancestry to earn a commission, he has a loving mare by his side, and he bears the kingdom’s highest honor for bravely risking it all to protect Princess Luna. The future shines bright with potential, but the shadows of the past lurk at every twist and turn that lies ahead.

Guilt, anger, and regret are constantly at war in the depths of Silent Knight’s mind. Despite his best efforts to enjoy the life he has, he finds himself trapped in the past, reliving the moment when his unit was ambushed and his ponies were killed. He refuses to show any weakness, instead hiding everything behind a tough face to protect himself and those he loves. But his true feelings—and what he plans to do with them—shackle everything he holds dear with chains forged in secret.

Secrets of a Royal Guard is a comedy series with romantic, dramatic, and adventure elements. It features an original character cast and their interactions with the princesses they protect. It is recommended that readers be familiar with Memoirs of a Royal Guard.

Quill & Blade Universe

Everypony has a story. Some tell of heroic feats and grand adventure. Others tell of villainy against the forces of Harmony. The story of an average guard, however, is one of obscurity. They live in the background, unnoticed but ever-present.

Silent Knight assumed his tale would be like that of his father's: join the Royal Guard and serve Equestria. He would be just another helmet and spear, part of the rank and file. And that was all he ever wanted.

However, when Captain Shining Armor asked for volunteers to form a House Guard for the recently returned Princess Luna, it was Silent's hooves that stepped forwards to set his new life in motion.

Twilight Sparkle is not a risk-taker. She prefers the same old books in the same old library drinking the same old tea with the same old ponies. And that's okay!
On one fateful night, however, Rainbow Dash drags Twilight out on an adventure! Her very first rave.
It turns out Twilight isn't the only one hiding in a corner at these things.

This fiction was written as part of a challenge to write a fic in 30 days: one chapter per day, 2k words per chapter (you can learn more about it here!). However, this fiction will still be undergoing edits now that the challenge has ended. It currently has many many typos and errors, as it is literally unedited and was largely typed on a cell phone with gratuitous autocorrect--no need to point this out to me, I am very aware!

The original version is being preserved in Google Docs. I'll likely be posting the links to the original docs in a blog post sometime soon!

You love to cuddle mares. Mares love to cuddle you. One batpony mare named Stella REALLY wants to cuddle with you. This is in no way negotiable and your night may or may not be ruined.

Base artwork by Ligerstorm, sourced to his DA.

FANTASTIC reading done by StraightToThePointStudio (Thanks again!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ojuquk9Md0