Nothing is without a price, as many discover to their sorrow. Few are those who truly know themselves, and fewer still are those who know which prices are worth bearing—and which hide perils threatening that which they most treasure.

*****

My gratitude to all of the participants in the "There Is Magic In Everything" writeoff event, for the comments, reviews, and appreciation which helped bring this to its current form.

Audiobook here, courtesy of Neighrator Pony!

And a second reading here, courtesy of Illya Leonov!

Now available in Spanish, courtesy of SPANIARD KIWI.

Another subterranean temple. Another priceless magical artifact. Daring has fought him for the fate of the world before …

But now she's discovered who killed her father. And only one of them is going to walk away.

* * *

My entry in the "Famous Last Words" minific competition (14th place out of 51), expanded and polished for FIMFic publication.

"Highly Recommended" by PresentPerfect! Rated ★★★★ by Louder Yay!

Why would you think this is an Adventure Clyde story? That would be silly! This is a Friendship Is Magic fanfic site!

What this IS, is a story about Twilight Sparkle and the young dragon she has an ill-defined pseudomaternal relationship with. He happens to write stories. Some of those stories might happen to be about the Alicorn of Adventure, but be that as it may, this is a character drama in which our protagonist Twilight Sparkle must struggle with Spike's first exposure to the complex legal and ethical minefields of consensuality in adult relationships.

Okay, maybe this is also a literary deconstruction and reconstruction of "Adventure Clyde" (incl. tumblr and associated reviews and written works), reconciling his existence with My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic canon, while staying faithful to the My Little Pony universe and offering subtle and profound observations into the nature of scientific rationality, Freudian psychological analysis, and oranges. But we all like literary deconstruction, right?

Right?

*crickets*

Now with a dramatic reading by Present Perfect and ShadowOfCygnus!

REVIEWERS AND ELLIPSES WARN YOU AWAY:

"This story is egregious serial nonsense. (…) I think I … hated it. (…) It isn’t great literature. (…) Recommended." — Titanium Dragon

"My god (...) No." — Present Perfect (Highly Recommended)

"(...) a terrible mess (...)" — Bad Horse (Recommended)

OTHER ACTUAL WORDS SPOKEN BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE ACTUALLY READ IT:

"Oh man. (...) bad (...)" —Protopony350
"(...) by god (...)" —Skeeter the Lurker
"(...) weeping (...)" —Orbiting Kettle
"I have no idea what the hell (...) I fear for my well-being (...)" —Skywriter

THE PRAISE FOR "THIS IS NOT AN ADVENTURE CLYDE ADVENTURE" WHICH GOT THE STORY REJECTED BY FIMFIC MODERATION UNTIL I CENSORED DUBS:

[6:19:06 PM] horizon: Hey guys! Can I get a blurb for my upcoming story?
[6:20:08 PM] Zaponator: "Literally the best thing I've ever read. A true piece of art that puts to shame any written work before it, and will likely stand as a great unconquered titan for any work after it. 7/10 —IGN.com"
[6:20:41 PM] Dubs_Rewatcher: HOLY S**T
[6:21:03 PM] Haze: and this is how Displaced became canon

Adventure Clyde™ is a registered service mark of Protopony350 Industries, Ltd.

North of Canterlot, in the far marches of Equestria near the border with the Griffon tribes, there is a mountain that flies.

West of Canterlot, beyond the Galloping Mountains and a desert painted in the pastel hues of a faded rainbow, a tower sits at the edge of the world.

South of Canterlot, past the Everfree forest and the desolate badlands, a city of gardens waits to be born.

The Lost Cities Challenge! Awesome authors who have taken it upon themselves to explore other abandoned places:

- The Land of Glass and Stone, by RazgrizS57
- The City that Breathes, by Pearple Prose
- Aletheia, by Foehn
- Far Kobresia, by Baal Bunny
- Keskiyönnon, by Bradel
- Unknown Architecture, by Not_A_Hat
- The Gentle People, by Bad Horse
- The Seal of Wax and Glass, by DuncanR

Dramatic Reading by Illya Leonov: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4.

Royal Canterlot Library interview for Lost Cities.

The base and the glass are no different from any other snow globe, but it holds an endless void inside it. When two young sisters jokingly request for it to show them its magic, it gives them the power to fill it as they please. Within that dimension, they might as well be goddesses--but to the world at large, they're still confused, frightened children.

The younger sister, bitter and lonely, thinks it's a chance to make a better world than our own. The elder sister just feels responsible for protecting the innocent pastel quadrupeds they've created. But can two children really be the goddesses the pony race needs? And when monsters begin to threaten the ponies, what must the sisters sacrifice to create the Equestria they dream of?

"...The test ends when you open that door."

Princess Luna has begun searching for her own personal student, and her test has hit a small snag: Not a single unicorn, out of the dozens of applicants, has passed. In fact, every last candidate has failed the test in seconds.

But just what is the purpose of this test? And how can somepony pass it?

A young earth pony named Morning Glory is going to find out.

A forgotten manuscript reveals an odd journey purportedly undertaken by Lord Dunsany, a Promethean explorer of the Lands of Dream. While the manuscript has yet to be authenticated, its contents are interesting enough to merit my posting them here.

Thanks to Estee and Humanoid for their assistance in preparing this transcription, and their invaluable advice.

[5/25/2015] Now reviewed by Seattle's Angels, and featured at Royal Canterlot Library.

[5/26/2015] And now, by grace of Illya Leonov, there is an audiobook! Youtube / MP3.

As the details surrounding the Canterlot Invasion don't add up, Twilight investigates the suspicious disappearance of a guard during the attack.

Young Mia is determined to run with wild horses and nothing is going to stop her. Not her mother. Not even a pony with stars in her mane, come to take her away on an adventure...

An attempt at writing something for children + 3rd place winner of The Most Dangerous Game! Cover art by myself.

Until I take your place, I am just a white space. I was nothing, but now I am you.

Reading by S Ninja