The time has come. I am to go soon. However, just before I leave, there is a pony who desires to speak with me. We share a few words and she begins to cry. I tell her what is the point if I'm only a pony in the background? Apparently, to her it's so much more than just that.

Everyone knows Pinkie Pie and her love of smiles. But why is she so eager to smile? Why is a smile her most valued possession?

For a person to truly value a smile, there has to be an event, a catalyst that makes them value happiness above all else.

For Pinkie Pie, that event was Sunshine; the sick Pegasus.

Edited by Fernin.

Years ago, Twilight preformed a spell to teleport a notebook to herself that she needed but had left behind at her home. The spell worked, just not as she intended. The notebook was actually a diary, and it was not hers. It was the diary of a human boy, she read the diary making foot notes as she went along until, much to her surprise, it vanished. The next day she tried it again to find that her foot notes had been responded too. Over the years the two wrote back and forth like pen palls. Their friendship grew and grew until one day the letters stopped, until today, today she receives one last letter.

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

It was a simple, straightforward question. Or at least, that’s what she thought. Nevertheless, she looked at the mare opposite to her and cocked her head. “Pardon me, but, do I know you?”

Originally written for Quills and Sofas Speedwriting “Do I Know You” Panic and expanded to this. Thanks to The Red Parade, AFanaticRabbit, Atom Smash, SnowOriole, nagolucky, BaeroRemedy, Morning Sun, and Emotion Nexus for prereading during the contest.

Death is the equalizer of all mortal souls, so it is only right that an immortal princess—the princess of the night—is the one who guides these souls to their eternal home. Before each of these ponies crosses the threshold, they are automatically sent to the dream realm, where Luna grants three of their most fervent wishes, some of which are heartbreaking, uplifting, or both. This is a collection of stories of a few of those departed souls, both young and old, and the princess who gave a peaceful journey home to all of them.

Spike has a bad dream, and goes to find Twilight.

A paid commission request for B_25.

Spike carries each of the most important ponies in his life home after a long day.

A commission-turned-gift for B_25

UPDATE: A Spanish language translation for Carry Me Home is now available, made by Spaniard Kiwi on his deviantart.

UPDATE (2024): Them's Writin' Words podcast did a wonderful review of this story. I appreciate all the thought and work put in to their critiques and all the kind words.

Dragons. Big. Selfish. Treasure mongers. No other creature in Equestria is as selfish as they. The spend their entire centuries long lives building and hoarding huge stockpiles of treasures, which they guard fiercely and frighteningly. Many are the treasure hunters who've attempted to cash in on the goldmine that is a dragons hoard. They almost always regret it.

One dragon is actually really strange about it, however. Oh, he has a hoard, which he guards just as fiercely as any other. But! But, he actually has the capacity to trust certain ponies and other creatures enough to let them gaze upon his most precious of treasures. This isn't the most surprising thing, however, despite its seeming impossibility. No. The most surprising thing is just what treasures his hoard contains...

Cover image by Wildheart Wolfsong, used in a dramatic reading by Dr. Wolf.

Can now be read in Spanish here. thanks to Spaniard Kiwi.

Twilight Sparkle thinks she will never die.

She wasn't prepared when her friends died, when she could only die when her domain - friendship - faded away. Friendship never faded. She was stuck being immortal for all of time. Even dragons - even Spike - were not fully immortal like she was, just long-lived. Even Celestia and Luna went, when the sun exploded and obliterated the moon. Even Discord went, when Faust, the Creator, fulfilled her promise and remade the world into perfection. Yet she was stuck as an alicorn, watching universes rise and fall.

Twilight Sparkle is wrong.