There's a painting that was left behind by the late Granny Pie. Hidden away in the attic and carefully wrapped in a piece of cloth, it preserves the smile of the filly it depicts.

She doesn't feel too lonely, really.

Written for the Dialogue Only Contest.

Inspired by the classic adventure game Ib and its 2022 remake.

"The first time I came back, I thought it was a miracle. By the fifth or sixth time, I knew it was a curse."

Death is a reasonable fear, but it is also a constant reassurance. A promise that no matter how bad things get, they will one day end.

That promise was broken, leaving Rainbow Dash to pay the cost.

A very last minute entry for the 2024 SciFi Contest III.

Special thanks to ScreamQueen and Rb for prereading and valuable feedback.

General content warning: Some depictions of blood, death, and debilitating injuries, but no graphic descriptions. Some existential horror.

This story is a sequel to Mundane Utility

Nopony seems to understand how hard this is on her. Maybe Zipp can find joy in social isolation, but the more sensible of the sisters recognizes that she's been largely cut off from fame, fortune, and the constant reinforcing platitudes of those who clearly love her. Still, when Pipp is truly feeling lost, she can always power up Bestie, check the views on her latest video upload, and bask in the approval of the upvote count --

-- what's that little red symbol? That's never been there before...

...okay. Even more to the point: who cast that downvote, and how can Pipp make sure they never do it again?

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

While the story is labeled as a sequel, this just indicates that it takes place after the original tale. No extra reading is required.

Fire.
Panic in the streets.
Canterlot lies in rubble and ruins, the citizenry in chains.
Calamity has come to Equestria.

But that's none of Derpy Hooves' concern. Leave that mess for the Heroes to deal with (they always win in the end, right?). Besides, she's got her own problems to deal with. Problems that take the form of a very tall and intimidating figure engaged in a very one-sided affection.

Entry for the May Pairings 2023 Contest.
Cover art provided by Mutter_Butter

How do you improve on perfection, once perfection has become outlawed?
Pinkie hopes to find out, with the help of Pinkie and several (mostly) willing volunteers.
After all, nothing bad ever came from mixing high-sugar coffee drinks and highly experimental magic, right?

Written for the Quills & Sofa's "Expanded Universe 2" contest as a sequel to Grand_Moff_Pony's The Amazing Arcane Alicorn Frappe
Reading the prequel is not required, but will make certain aspects of this story clearer.

What's it like, knowing one of your best friends tried to kill almost everypony in the world who looked like you?

Sometimes Pinkie Pie would wake up from a nightmare, and remember.

Soon she started hoarding cans of paint...for her own protection, she said. But that was only the beginning.

“Please look after my children.”

Pear Butter’s last words were spoken to the stranger who found their crash: the cruel, otherworldly siren named Adagio Dazzle, who sees in her death a golden opportunity.

What starts as a plan to raise willing minions for sustenance and protection goes… a little differently than Adagio had in mind.

Cover art by Uz Naimat!

When an artist dies, the value of their art goes up!

Sweetie Bot refuses to use her generative AI to commit plagiarism.

(A Sockpuppet-Samey90 collaboration.)

After an attempt at soapbox racing leaves the Cutie Mark Crusaders with nothing but a coating of tree sap, they decide to try a new scheme to gain their cutie marks, based on a conversation Apple Bloom overheard and Sweetie Belle's memory of one of Rarity's romance novels.

Because what could possibly go wrong?

Now with an audio reading by Pony&Wolf Productions
Now with an audio reading by Rainbow Infinity Readings!

In the wake of an unspeakable tragedy, Cheerilee finds herself struggling to survive the long year ahead of her. But her former lover's death has left an open door: one that invites ancient figures and stories from old tales and legends. As the line between reality and mythology begins to blur, she can't help but wonder: what did Applejack do? And... did it kill her?

Cover art by Cereal.

A gift for my incredibly awesome buddy, Mushroom. Congratulations on everything you do, and keep kicking ass. May the world never stop you.