One of Luna's many duties is to act as a guide for the souls of the dead.

In their eyes, they see their final dream.

In her eyes, she sees beauty.

Second place in a Quills and Sofas speedwriting contest. The theme was: Luna Ascendant; the prompt was "A Final Dream". Special thanks to Shaslan for the wonderful cover art - I could not have asked for a better representation of my story.

CONTENT WARNINGS: Implied self-harm, implied suicide, death.

What if the alicorns of Equestria aren't just representations of their various aspects, but are in fact, linked to their very existance?

This question had been bouncing around my head, and just kept gathering more and more details until I had to get it out for others to know my suffering.

Look, upon the Desolation of Elysium, and know despair.

Edit: I may revisit this at some point and tweak it a bit, but mostly I just needed to get the idea out there before it joined so many others in the dusty, forgotten corners of my mind

All rulers eventually reach a point where they must take a life to save the realm. If a ruler is just, they will never know when it will happen, and will never do it lightly. Still, such actions are necessary. Princess Celestia knows this, and has given this lesson many times.

You can find a YouTube reading of this story here!

Dr. Tenderheart has done this job long enough to know what death means. But nobody noticed, and nobody cared. So she pressed on.

Quills and Sofas Panic Fiction entry for a Rob Panic. The prompt was 'naked on the beach.' 2nd place winner. Like what you see? Come join us! Content warning: death.

Rainbow Dash is old and sick to death of being on 'wing rest'. She knows she's got more left to give, and she wants to give the world one last sonic rainboom. No matter what the cost.

TW: suicide mention.

A retrospective look at Rainbow's life, as told by Rainbow as she goes on one last herculean journey. Originally a speedwrite for the 100th contest for Quills and Sofas, now doubled in length and fleshed out more. Special thanks to all the Quills and Sofas members who edited, especially Flashgen.

Pony Joe awakens before the dawn each morning, readies himself for his day, and then walks through Canterlot's cold and silent streets to his doughnut shop.

Life has become pretty mundane for Joe, but as he serves his customers and chats with his regulars he realizes that he has come to rely on that repetition...he relies on it to keep from remembering.

As a casual utterance by a new customer sends Joe into a spiral of haunting memories we learn about his life...and what he must give up if he wishes to move beyond his past.

Series finale spoilers.

Many years following the War of the Bell, Equestria is at rest, the land is filled with creatures living in peace, and friendship and the elements of harmony rein supreme. Princess Twilight Sparkle has grown in both maturity and wisdom as well as power, and, as royal advisor, Spike could not be happier with his life.

If only there wasn't the once-a-year event which seems to hurt his princess and friend so badly...

Why does she keep putting herself through this?

Cover art is property of Hasbro, Allspark Studios, and DHX Media.

Every year, Twilight and her friends meet to catch up on really old times.

Rarity often visits the Friendship Castle, hoping to see Twilight despite the many responsibilities pulling them apart. Time may stretch relationships but Rarity keeps the flame ablaze her own way—a very special book she's distractedly left behind.

Proofreaders: ARockRaider, Flashgen, GaraTheAuthor, Petrichord, Pocketbot, R5h, Shortmane, The Hat Man
Thanks to Lofty Withers for the short description.

The stars are vanishing from Equestria. It's not so bad.

My entry in the first Quills and Sofas Speedwriting Competition! An experimental story written in just under an hour and totally unedited. Enjoy.