The business of government never stops, and paperwork never rests, even on Hearthwarming. But this particular Hearthwarming, Cabinet Secretary and tea enthusiast Dotted Line plans to do his level best to see it, at least, take a break. His ponies need to go home to their families, and he, well, he has plans this Hearthwarming.

Five private heavens have gone horribly wrong, leaving behind five little ponies just trying to find a way out.

Now in Chinese, courtesy of hehelover!

Now with a Spanish translation by Spaniard Kiwi!

Obiter dicta -- things said in passing.

A collection of short stories, vignettes, and delete scenes, mostly based in the Civil Serviceverse and tending to be either slice of life or comedy. Also contains contest entries including FanOfMostEverything's Imposing Sovereigns.

Currently contains:

1. An Afternoon For Dotted Line [slice of life] [comedy]
2. The Game The Princesses Play [comedy]
3. On the Inaccuracy of Proverbs [slice of life] [comedy][sad]
4. The Nature of War [history]
5. On Forensic Accounting & Choral Singing [comedy]
6. Hoofprints [human][sad]
7. Dr. Spinning Top—Specimen Annotated Daily Schedule [slice of life]
8. Love and Other Acquired Tastes [comedy][sad]
9. Any Other Business? [comedy]
10. Songs Like Snow [romance]
11. Civics [comedy]
12. The Other Princess [slice of life] [comedy]

A year after the first Hearth's Warming, unification hasn't gone as smoothly as ponies would have hoped. Old grudges and hostilities flare up despite the best efforts from their leaders. By the time the second Hearth's Warming has come around, cold, bitter feelings claw once more at Princess Platinum's heart.

Things take a turn for the weirder when she finds a tree in her living room and Commander Hurricane in her kitchen. He promises that there's a simple explanation for everything.

The only catch is that the 'explanation' will take all night. Generous though she may be, Platinum can settle for two hours.

The clock is ticking, Hurricane.

Written as a Christmas present for Fahrenheit, posted now after giving time for Farrie to savour it first.

Cover art by Rossby Waves.
Preread by Carabutt.

Octavia: Prodigy. Virtuoso. Artist.

And, no matter how much she wants to deny it, Pie.

I miss you. Please come home. I'll be waiting for you.

Originally written for Equestria Daily's Writer's Training Grounds #3.

Cover art swiped from Spittfire Art.

"Artificial Intelligence of the artificials. How perfect and godlike. Their emotions, their symmetry of thought. They are everything we cannot be, and we are everything they are not."-Prof. Olive Leaf Department of Artificial Life. Manehatten Institute of Technology.

They are in our world, they do our work, they live their short lives, they do what they are told, then die like all the rest. Most ponies aren't even aware how many artificials live in Equestria with them.

Twilight Sparkle is Celestia's chief officer in the hunting of artificials that have strayed from their desired programs. Now she has been given a new assignment of retiring five artificials living in Ponyville.

Luna discovers a lone member of the Royal Night Guard stationed beneath her private balcony. As a question becomes a conversation, as an evening becomes a week, and as an annoyance becomes a friendship, an unfortunate truth looms large in her mind: nothing is ever as it seems, neither in dreams nor reality.

Comments contain spoilers
Edited by PresentPerfect and Grand Moff Pony

When Gaberdine is awarded a noble title by Princess Celestia, he soon finds out that his new lands contain several surprises. For starters, there is no land in his new barony. Secondly, his new castle turns out to be a broken-down riverboat. And third is… seaponies.

Baron Gaberdine has a lot to learn about his new barony. And himself.

Fortunately, he has a very young teacher.

Now with a sea-quill (sorry) Drifting Down the Lazy River

Cover photo by PhoenixSwift
Editing/Pre-Reading assistance by Tek, Shaleclaw, Peter, Seether00, Monsieur Connoisseur, GhostOfHeraclitus, The Masked Ferret, Blue Paladin42 and Admiral Biscuit

Note: Unlike The Traveling Tutor and the Librarian, this is a single POV love story, like Changelings, Love and Lollipops. Only with fewer cannons and fountains.
Now Featured on Equestria Daily
With a YouTube Reading of the first chapter by BigAsh
And with a dramatic reading by Neighrator Pony and company Full playlist here.
Thanks for a wonderful review by Paul Asaran
Available in paperback through Lulu.com at cost.

Princess Celestia goes out on a whim for an ice cream cone and discovers just how shaky her own personal finances are, leading to a fiscal catastrophe that could threaten the status of the entire nation.
Featured on Equestria Daily with two stories by Bad Horse called Sisters

Now with readings from the Living Library Players and joehighlord.

Editing assistance by Bad Horse
And a review by Paul Asaran
And a Spanish translation by Kiwi.
And a Chinese translation by way of Nova Twinkle.

"It's called 'Shh'," said Fluttershy. "It's a game about who can be quiet the longest. Sound fun? I'm the world champion."

Fluttershy is not a pony who makes things up. She really is the world champion of "Shh," or The Quiet Game. And now it's time for her to defend her crown, with Twilight Sparkle and Rarity along for the ride.