Somewhere in the Frozen North, a griffon expedition has gone missing. As the only airship specifically designed for the frigid environment, the Aurora Dawn and her crew's first mission out of the shipyards will be to find and rescue this lost expedition.

If only they knew what the expedition was really out there to find...

Inspired by the collective works of H.P. Lovecraft, though familiarity with Lovecraft's works are not necessary to get this.

I experimented quite a bit with narrative in this story, specifically in using different narrative voices depending upon the perspective. I'll leave it up to the readers if I pulled this off effectively.

My thanks to JawJoe for the exceptionally helpful prereading and suggestions on how to make this story all the better.

Now with a Russian translation, courtesy Steel_Ranger!

Timberwolves. Among the most fearsome creatures to lurk in the depths of the Everfree, these hulking, wooden monstrosities have sharp senses that make them deeply efficient at hunting and tracking ponies and other sentient beings that wander into the forest—and making sure they don't ever leave. Anypony with a lick of common sense knows they're not something to be trifled with, and any (generally ill-advised) venture into the Everfree must be done in groups and/or with extreme caution.

The new species of hairless ape that keeps falling from dimensional portals in the sky into the depths of the forest, however, seems to be entirely lacking in said common sense.

Not to be taken especially seriously. (Not that me saying so is seemingly stopping anyone.) Features implied violence, but no gore.

Pre-read by Dewdrops on the Grass and The Sleepless Beholder. Inspired by discord conversations with Estee about the common "Mandatory Timberwolf Encounter" trope in Human in Equestria stories.

Winner by default of the Dishonorable Creatures Contest I. Featured on 4/19/23-4/20/23!

An alien scientist is startled when Pinkie Pie stumbles across his ship in the woods near Ponyville. For him Pinkie is a problem: he's not allowed to make contact with intelligent natives.

Pinkie Pie is overjoyed when she stumbles across an alien spaceship in the woods near Ponyville. For her the alien is a new friend, to be given a Welcome to Ponyville party with all sorts of treats.

Of course, the alien is really alien- a methane-breather who can't leave his refrigerated ship. His biochemistry is very different from a pony's. Can Pinkie Pie find something he can eat that isn't poison? And can he keep other ponies from finding his hiding place and forcing him to leave before he's had his party?

Tied for second place in the Science Fiction Contest II. First draft released early as a Patreon exclusive, now posted here in edited form for everybody.

EDIT: Wow! Straight to the top of the Featured list! Thanks, everyone!

Part of the Remember Fort Libris print anthology, thanks to our Kickstarter supporters!

Octavia Melody's love of music has revolved around a single influential and prestigious work of art, the song May Our Sun Shine Forever. Since she was a filly, what has been the Equestrian national anthem for generations has continually inspired Octavia to perform, shaping her into the promising cellist she is today. Though the completed original was lost to the passage of time, the remnants of the final masterpiece composed by the Grand Maestro Glissando has been the cornerstone of not only Octavia's career, but modern music theory in Equestria.

When the tattered remains of an ancient songbook possibly containing the original song in its entirety is found, the Equestrian Society for the Performing Arts and Princess Luna begin planning a concert series to celebrate the work's eventual restoration. However, their meeting screeches to a halt once Princess Celestia vehemently forbids anypony from playing the original in the concert and demands its restoration to cease immediately. Octavia Melody finds herself at a loss, wondering why the princess of the sun would silence such a beautiful song meant to bring light to the world.

Proofread and Edited by TheAncientPolitzanian and various others over the years of trying to fix this thing.
Cover Art Depressing Melody by TertonDA
Updated 02/27/24

In their ongoing efforts to bring all of Equestria into closer Harmony, the three pony kinds are participating in a pen-pal gift exchange! Each group will be assigned names from another, and give gifts that celebrate the culture, identity, and uniqueness of their home; Bridlewood will gift to Maretime Bay, the ponies in the Bay will gift to Zephyr Heights, and the pegasi will gift to the unicorns of Bridlewood.

Of course, as princess, Pipp has the honor of playing Santa Hooves, delivering Zephyr Heights' Wishday gifts to the forests of Bridlewood. Along with her faithful guard, Thunder, she'll be delivering gifts, and she couldn't be more excited.

And, since Pipp is nearly always online somehow, somepony will know right away if something goes wrong.

...won't they?

Written for Iono for Jinglemas 2022

The prompt was, "Anything really, Fluttershy or Pinkie! Or Pipp!"

Pre-reading by badtigra, Sleepless Beholder, and Dreams of Ponies. Thanks!

One day, just like that, Celestia decides she's going to go mad with power.

Full-cast audiobook by Illya Leonov.

Edited by MrNumbers and Themaskedferret. Winner of FanofMostEverything's Imposing Sovereigns contest!

As seen on EQD and the Royal Canterlot Library.

Pipp is turned into a phone and decides this is an acceptable state of affairs, and an opportunity to earn more clout.

Zipp has objections.

(Written for Bean's Writing Group prompt 51 "Unexpected Transformation")

Somehow got to featured third and then second on 5/11/22! (Well sixth and then fifth with view mature on, but I keep that off so shh.)

There are certain issues involved with having Philomena as a pet. Giving the entire palace staff permission to take a swat at the bird if it tries anything? Has solved none of them. The phoenix is still trolling everypony, happily setting off pony tempers (and the occasional fire alarm) without a care in the world. The swats just aren't working.

Maybe a few murders will do the trick.

...or, given that it's Philomena, Celestia might have to go just a little further.

(Now with author Patreon and Ko-Fi pages.)

Rated C for Crackfic.

It really isn't Twilight's fault. She certainly didn't intend those exact results and given everything else which was happening at the time, there was no chance to fix it! Besides, it was just reasonable to expect that Ponyville's natural tendencies would solve things on their own. Probably without even noticing, and most likely with a squish.

But that clearly didn't happen. Because when it comes to that particular experiment's aftermath, the worst-case scenario just came through.

Fluttershy knows about the frog.

(Now with author Patreon and Ko-Fi pages. Cover art render created by Clawed-Nyasu.)

Rated C for vitamins Crackfic.

An alternate take on events that begins in the middle of Chapter 2, Episode 6 ("The Traditional Unicorn Sleep-Over") of Make Your Mark. This story assumes reader knowledge of the show up to that point.

Zipp had a lot of suspicions about Misty, the strange unicorn that Izzy had met in town earlier that day and invited to an impromptu sleepover party at the Brighthouse. But while she'd been exercising her detective skills on their guest all night as the oddities surrounding her piled up, she hadn't meant to drive Misty away. So when, after Misty flees from the party in a panic, Zipp notices that she's still out in the Brighthouse's garden, pacing frantically, Zipp decides to see if she can talk to her, and figure out just what is going on with this curious new pony.

And what she learns may well give Zipp room for pause -- and a need to exercise some comfort skills.

Please note that while this fic is rated E, there is some mild discussion of parental/familial abuse.

A reading from StraightToThePoint Studio is now available! Also featured on Equestria Daily!

Cover art by emera33; used with permission. Pre-read by TCC56 and Goldenwing.

Featured 10/9/22-10/12/22!