Six years ago Equestria's first manned mission to the lunar surface, Excelsior 7, ended in abject tragedy. Six years later a pair of young astronauts have been sent to provide closure.

Inspired by the Safire memo.

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

Millions of years in the future, Celestia and Luna watch over a dying world. Its surface is a cracked, barren wasteland, baked by a dying sun. The ocean is a caustic soup, choked with salt. Few creatures can survive this hellish future, and even their days are limited.

Yet, despite the desolation, there is some good news: Celestia's birthday is coming up, and Luna has a surprise for her...

Special thanks to Themaskedferret, BronyWriter, and Georg for proofreading and editing. Seriously, you guys rock!

This is the story of the end. This is the story of the death of Equestria. It is the story of the reign of her royal majesty, Princess Twilight Sparkle of the Fading Sun.

The alicorn sisters are dead and Equestria has turned to Twilight Sparkle to guide it. However, just maintaining a dim sun a fraction as bright as her mentor's keeps the new princess near her limits.

Years have passed and Twilight Sparkle is sure of only one thing. Equestria is dying.

NOTE: Written before "It's about Time" in season 2. Everything after "Read it and Weep" was ignored throughout this story.

It was a just a common, ordinary spell, one that unicorns use every day. Somehow, something went wrong. Now Twilight Sparkle has to figure out how to cope with the aftermath... before it's too late.

Fourth place finalist in the "Out of Time" writeoff prompt at writeoff.me.

Thanks to Bachiavellian, Titanium Dragon, FanOfMostEverything, FrontSevens, horizon, JonOfEquestria, The Cyan Recluse, The Letter J, and Trick Question for their reviews during the writeoff.

Prophesy says that Twilight Sparkle will not outlive her friends.

To preserve the Princess, her friends must survive.

They may not be immortal - but one year can become a thousand at the speed of light.

An entry for Science Fiction Contest II, where it took a Committee Prize!

Additional tags for spoiler purposes: My Little Pony: A New Generation ; Mane 5

Featured 3/23/2023 - 3/28/2023!

And featured on Equestria Daily on 4/4/2023!

Thanks to my pre-readers: The Sleepless Beholder, Dewdrops on the Grass, daOtterGuy, and Avery Day.

A short existential horror. Apple Bloom accidentally time travels a fraction of a second into the past, and realises she's the only one there. The world continues on around her, yet she's not in it.

The present is an infinitely thin span of time bordered by endless past and future. Everyone you know and love balances on that line. What if you fell off?

Written to be exactly 1000 words for the 1000 word contest (Horror).

Cover image made by me. Special thanks to SpoonierThanThou and Steady Gaze for pre-reading!

Featured 22/06/23 - 24/06/23. Fanfic reading. Translations: Ukrainian

A journal was found. Old and weathered with years untold. The first entry was dated yesterday:

My name is Twilight Sparkle, and for the last 33 days I've been stuck in a time-loop, repeating the 23^rd of March, 2 A.R. It is still unknown how the loop started, nor how I can end it. All I can say with any amount of certainty is that time for the rest of the world resets every night, and every morning I wake up it is the morning of the 23^rd.

Now with a reading by ObabScribbler. Link!

An alarm sounds. There's a planet nearby. I wonder if anyone can hear me.

Wednesday, 26th: Autumn Paradise started work on the farm today. I think she'll fit right in.

Wednesday, 26th: Autumn Paradise started work on the farm today. She seems a little tense, but does she ever know her way around an apple tree.

Wednesday, 26th: Autumn Paradise started work on the farm today. She says she's spent the last two days here, but I don't remember seeing her at all.

Wednesday, 26th: Autumn Paradise started work on the farm today and wouldn't stop crying. She says she can't find a way out.

Edited by spigo.