For the third year in a row, the Grand Galloping Gala ends in chaos.

Twilight really should have expected as much.

A finalist in Everfree Northwest's Iron Author Challenge! Written in just two hours, with the prompt-words fire, palpable, & brooch.

Fluttershy put down the marker pen and frowned at her calendar. “I just thought: When is your birthday, Discord?”

On the sofa, Discord stopped eating his saucer and stifled a chuckle. “Birthdays? Come now, Fluttershy. What makes you think the Master of Chaos wastes his time on birthdays?”

Originally intended for Loganberry's Flashfic 150, September 2018: "Birthday Magic" event.

Chiffon Swirl just wants to be noticed as an up-and-coming baker. Entering the Ponyville Baking Competition seemed like a good idea, at least until it involved making carrot cake. Nopony likes carrot cake.

Carrot Cake just wants to be noticed by a certain blue mare. Entering the Ponyville Baking Competition seemed like a great way to make that happen. If only he knew more than one recipe.

A special thanks to BlazzingInferno for the title and the long description.

This story is finished, and I will post a new chapter every Tuesday and Thursday.

Maybe dragons should be tough.
Maybe they shouldn't care for anybody else.
Maybe they were never meant to hold a needle...

Entry for the June 30th minific write-off: It Could Have Gone Better

This story was revised with helpful feedback from many amazing people, whom you can find at this story's original post.

Rarity has feelings for a certain dragon, and she isn't sure how to feel about that. Word from the family grapevine is that her old Grandpa Merc might have something to say on the issue, so she seeks him out.

It turns out he has a story to tell her. A love story of sorts. A very old one.

Editing by SirNotAppearingInThisFic and Georg.

Picture credit to BenWootten and Paizo Publishing

Some dragon lore borrowed from D&D.

Mrs. Cake’s life isn’t always a piece of cake. The bakery needs running, Pound and Pumpkin are always up to something, and babysitters aren’t always easy to come by.

Original draft was an entry for Everfree Northwest 2018 Iron Author Contest. Received an Honorable Mention by Xepher.

Credit to Xepher for the short description.

Twilight and Spike have a great system for finishing papers late at night. What Twilight doesn't realize is just how much Spike helps her after she passes out at her desk.

Spike and Rarity end a long day of work by doing nothing.

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Assistance and pre-reading courtesy: Cinder (personal friend)
& ericremotesteam.

A delinquent young alicorn named Luna just transferred to the Royal Crystal Academy, and Drying Paint has fallen head-over-hooves in love. But she doesn't care about him — or seemingly anything, except for the dark, mysterious gathering place she disappears to on weekends.

Paint might just find a chance to win her heart there. But the shadows hold dangers he never would have expected, and everyone must walk into the darkness alone.

Highly Recommended by Present Perfect! "It's won one contest and taken second in another … because it's outlandish, ballsy, and utterly unique. Read it."

Winner of Cynewulf's Worldbuilding Contest! "Horizon manages to hit both the kind of reader who likes Infinite Jest and the kind who hasn't cracked a physical book since high school, and he does so simultaneously. This is one of his better stories."

Won second place in the 9/2017 "True Colors" Writeoff (as a first draft)! Then third place in the Lunbra group's "An Unexpected Meeting" contest! Also featured by Seattle's Angels!

Rated ★★★★ by Louder Yay! "Both really good and really interestingly different, and that's a combination I can get right behind. An easy recommendation."

Praise for the Writeoff version:
"Seriously though, Loveless is one of the coolest things I've yet seen in the fandom." —CoffeeMinion
"Dear god I love this so much. ... The story crashed into me with energy, style, and pizzazz." —MrExtra
"Literally the story of how gothic clubbing destroyed the Crystal Empire." —horizon

Cover art by Graypaint. My thanks to GaPJaxie and Haze for editing assistance!

The first time we danced, she broke my jaw in three places.

The life of a disposable minion in the service to the Dread Ahuizotl is filled with acts of senseless violence and hardship, normally ending in a hospital or unmarked grave, but for Disposable Minion #3, the job just got more interesting.

He fell in love.

And love hurts.

Credits to the amazing Luvlessi for the cover art
Background music: The Masochism Tango by Tom Lehrer
With a wonderful reading by Luvlessi
And a second reading by Crafty Reads
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