Hollow Shades is a small farming and lumberjacking community, a tiny bubble of Equestria existing on the edge of the Everfree Forest. Things have been hard-going since the lumber mill was closed down and the town is slowly dying out. A young filly named Corn Crib however might have found a solution when she makes a bargin with a talking scarecrow she meets along the road. But who is Lord Barleycorn, and how can he possibly breath life back into Hollow Shades?

This is a lighthearted story that contains lots of OCs outside of Ponyville. The mane six will appear, but not until later chapters.

First time featured was May 23, 2014! I can't believe it! Thank you everyone! =3
Now with its own TVTropes page!
Picture was made by my friend Escopeto. He did a fantastic job of representing my story.

After decades of war, the Crystal Empire is finally on the verge of defeat.

On the eve before marching upon King Sombra’s last stronghold, a lone night ranger stumbles upon a strange unicorn, a mare who claims to be the cause of all their pain and suffering.

What Spike saw in the doorway of King Sombra's crystal palace hasn't left his mind. The fear of Twilight abandoning him haunts him through recurrent nightmares. Anxiety taunts him when he's at his most vulnerable, reminding him of all his failures, all his inadequacies, all his wounds.

One night, this fear and anxiety manifests itself in a full-blown nightmare, dragging Spike face-to-face with his greatest fear. What if Twilight never needed Spike in the first place?

Takes place right after the Season Three opener (before Episode Three).

Thanks to RGLloyd for editing.

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Check out the YouTube reading by the awesome Chinchillax!

Check out another YouTube reading by DJ Tazzlez from Hive Radio!

Rated Teen for some dark elements.

The glamorous unicorn Opalescence is haunted by bizarre recurring dreams of a world in which she and her friends are all animals. But as vivid as these dreams are, surely they're just dreams, right? There couldn't actually be a parallel universe somewhere where they're little more than pets ... right?

Over a thousand years ago, two royal siblings fought for the sky and were exiled, one by her sister's hoof, and one in penance for what she had done.

In the present Republic of Equestria, no one remembers them as anything more than legends and old pony tales. Save for one shy filly who fell from the sky one fine summer's day.

An Alternate Universe "What If" tale, reconstructing the beginning from a different angle.

Twilight ventures out into the mountains to see a once-in-a-lifetime event. Disappointed by her friends not coming with her, Twilight crosses paths with a kindred spirit.

A dragon has lived alone for centuries in a cave far beneath the earth. When a pony trespasses on his domain through no fault of her own, what will become of her?

Are you the kind of person who would rather experience this story with your ears than your eyes? You're in luck! Here's a reading of the story courtesy of Thornquill!

There are few things that Twilight Sparkle is sure about but she knows for certain that Princess Celestia does not, and never will, play pool.

With thanks to Luna-tic Scientist, Lord of Dorkness, docontra, and JCatt for their help pre-reading. Cover image by Skyline19.

This isn't where I belong. I left all this behind years ago, moved on with my life. But a mare from my past brought me back, and now she won't let me go. So I'm stuck here, trying to make the best of it with ponies that don't understand me, don't even like me. But when something moves in the darkness, and when things go wrong in the cold, dead night, they'll turn to me to try to set things right.

Why? Because once a police pony, always a police pony.
~~
This is a spin-off story to 'Why am I Pinkie Pie?!', and will contain spoilers for that story, but it's not necessary to read that story to understand this one.
Cover art by the talented Conicer
Need more Cinnamon Swirl? Merlos the Mad wrote a fanfic of this story!

There is now a side-story: A Hard Day's Nightmare Night

A filly Twilight Sparkle forgot to bring a book to read on the train, and now faces a horribly boring afternoon...

Or, she does until she notices another filly reading. Surely she can sneak a peek, right?