The ponies show up at McDonalds to sign some paperwork and enjoy some free food, but not everypony is happy about being there.

Princess Luna is a pony who still hasn't developed social skills very well. Twilight Sparkle is trying to convince her to just spend one day with her, and when she finally does, she does her best to help Luna get accustomed to being out in public.

Maud Pie is devoted to rocks. She loves rocks. She has a pet rock. His name is Boulder.

Maud also writes poems. Thousands of them. They are all about rocks. Which she loves.

This is my first attempt at writing anything like this. Maud Pie is my absolute favorite character, so I decided to write a bit about her! I'm not attempting to follow any rules or certain poetic style; just writing it as it comes to mind. They all stem from my love for the character and the episode. These were all written with a very monotone, deadpan voice in mind.

Rarity is honored to have been sent a special VIP ticket for a prestigious pre-opening performance of "Out Of Her Shadow," the latest musical that her friend, Coco Pommel, has made the costumes for. Oddly enough, though, she seems to be the only one in attendance.

Thanks to Auramane for convincing me to write this!

It is Twilight Sparkle's first night as a princess of Equestria, and she cannot sleep. As the excitement she felt during coronation fades away, it gives way to a deeper anxiety. The young alicorn lies awake, her thoughts dwelling on her new destiny, her responsibilities, her fears, and her own mortality.

Or, as the case may be, her lack of it.

As morning draws nearer, Twilight leaves her bed haunted by a question, and so she decides to seek out the one pony who can answer it.

Now has a dramatic reading on Youtube! Major props to Goombasa.

Queen Chrysalis' mother paid a heavy price when a misunderstanding caused a sudden "purge" of changlings from their peaceful existence alongside ponies. Years later, Chrysalis continues to struggle against her past and the regrets she holds as she attempts to find a way for her own to survive.

This is the story of a very ordinary pony's extraordinary day. Carrot Top and Derpy are good friends indeed, and sometimes friendship can lead to wonderful surprises. It can also lead to arguments, frustration, and general grumpiness, of course, and this story has all of those things as well. But mostly, this is a story about the day Carrot Top learned how to fly.

*****

Originally written for the Hearth's Warming Care Package contest. Many thanks to the contestants who commented on this story, to my EqD pre-reader, and especially to Sessalisk, for helping to polish this story to its present state. Cover art by the incomparable Elosande, used with permission.

Fanart here, courtesy of lalieri!

Audiobook here, courtesy of Deftfunk and Scribbler!

Now available in Spanish, courtesy of SPANIARD KIWI.

For Vinyl Scratch, the entire world isn't in color, but in sound. Yet for all her love of her musical art, she doubts her work at times. When Pinkie Pie's two sisters are due to visit Ponyville suddenly, Vinyl is the one who is to provide music for the welcoming party. Yet the need to create new music for the gathering brings up Vinyl's doubts and forces her to investigate what sisterhood might "sound" like. And as she encounters one of Pinkie's sisters, she learns that one's talents are a part of who they are. And that talent is not whether you do something better than somepony else, but if you love what you do and give it your all.

Rainbow Dash has always been fond of Scootaloo, cheering her on from the sidelines and admiring her with almost religious reverence. But when her parents are absent from the talent show Rainbow Dash learns that this is in fact a common occurrence and begins to suspect that there's more to the filly than she originally thought. She takes it upon herself to find out the truth and help her number one-fan.

Twilight has discovered a strange old book purportedly written by Star Swirl the Bearded, and Rainbow Dash discovers a latent spell in it that transports the two ponies to a strange island in the middle of nowhere. With no viable options available to them, Twilight and Rainbow begin to search the island for clues to a way home and the reason behind the odd puzzles and contraptions presented to them.

Dramatic Reading here.