Gallus doesn't want to go home for summer. With a little gentle persuasion, he gets his friends on board to keep him out of Griffonstone, though none of them are quite sure how to do it; that is, until Silverstream hatches a scheme.

All he has to do is join the Hippogriff Navy. It's not the relaxing summer away from school that he hoped for, but hey, it promises to be interesting! Who knows what three months as a sailor could bring?

Adventure? Certainly.

Self-discovery? For sure.

A sea battle with a band of renegade pirates? Anything's possible.

Romance?

Pssh. Yeah, right.

Edited by a crew of scallywags who mean the world to me. In no particular order: MissyTheAngle, Freglz, Muggonny, Semillon, FamousLastWords

Special thanks to Pascoite for his assistance.

Cover art commissioned from the incomparable Marenlicious!

Curious about how the next chapter is coming along? Check my user page for regularly updated progress reports!

Nopony is born a hero. It is only through their actions that they become as such. And not all heroes start out as outstanding citizens. Some of them started out as victims of fate who turned to unlawful practices as a means of living.

Cloud Clipper was a pony who never had the luxury of a family that could care for him. He did what he had to do in order to survive. Even if it meant living a life of crime serving as a deckhand in a smuggler vessel. Still, he made a decent wage and had adventurous life.

Eventually his luck ran out and the law caught up to him and his crew. His happy day's are done. Or so he thought. Because instead of a sentence, they offered him a choice. Face trial and lose or try his luck and enter basic training in order join the Penal Guard, an elite class of reformed criminals within Princess Twilight's Harmony Guard.

The choice was obvious, but unbeknownst to him, his life and that of those around him would never be the same.

A New Mareland citizen named Half Heart is suddenly slammed with a routine inspection by the Wingbardy occupation force.

It's not like it could lead to a chain of events which may or may not include: tanks, beer and bullets.

This is my entry for the Equestria at War writing contest.

Note: The 'Narcotics' tag is for relatively minor beer consumption.

Short story for Equestria at War. The Strawberry Duchy resists against a Griffenheim ruled by Archon Eros VII. Gabriella Eagleclaw prepares to organize her government for the inevitable war, while those loyal to Gabriella's reign fight to defend Strawberry.

Dusky isn't looking for trouble. All she wants is a job, a place to call her own, and a quiet life.

But when Diamond Dogs kidnap four foals, it's up to Dusky—formerly Major Dusk Fireball, Household Battalion, Equestrian Royal Guard—to lead the citizen-soldier reservists of the Ponyville Home Guard into the Dogs' caves in a desperate rescue mission.

Feature box, 2019-08-10 to 16! Thanks, all!

Cover art by commission with Pillowrabbit (Deviant Art / Fimfic ). Thanks!

Follows my "A Story to Relate to," but can be read fully independently.

Side-story: Redheart's War

Additional character tags for searching: Sweetie Belle, Flitter, Cloudchaser, Sparkler, Dinky Hooves, DJ P0N-3, Octavia, Princess Luna, Starlight Glimmer, Davenport, Bon-Bon, Toola Roola, Coconut Cream, Rainbow Dash, Mayor Mare.

A nurse has seen it all. A combat medic has seen even more.

Princess Celestia sends her elite Household Battalion—"Celestia's Own"—south, far beyond the borders of Equestria, to break the slave trade and to free the oppressed. Medic Redheart, a young rookie among the Guard's hardened veterans, is with her Battalion every step of the way.

She's never told anypony her story. Until now.

A side story/prequel to my The Ponies in the Caves and A Story to Relate To, but reads independently.

This story is fantastic. There wasn't a single chapter that didn't give me chills or bring a tear to my eye. The way you describe the selflessness of the soldiers, and Redheart's unrelenting drive to save them, no matter the personal cost, was exemplary. I look forward to more of your work.

-SGTBRONY

Has a Black Company feel to it with the medic POV. Great story so far!

-Lerris

Cover art by Pabbles, by commission. Thanks!

With massive thanks to the folks in the Discord for comments and advice, and Totallynotabrony, Raleigh, Sledge115, and ChudoJogurt for detailed pre-reading, in whole or in part. Any remaining errors are fully my own.

Author's notes and commentary blog, with big spoilers.