Big Macintosh, as the Chief of the Ponyville Fire Brigade, is in charge of training prospective recruits for their noble community service. This time, the recruits are a bunch of young stallions who hope to do their little town proud. They're a little rough around the edges, but that shouldn't be a problem.

So, of course, it turns into a problem.

This would be the day the regular fire brigade is unavailable to fight fires...

Time alone can't heal all wounds for Carrot Top. Sometimes life simply goes on in the worst and best possible ways.

Edited by the amazing Blood Lord and JohnPerry.

6/29/2014: Rolled out some shiny new edits, courtesy of Blood Lord.

7/3/2014: Featured on Equestria Daily.
7/23/2014: Approved by Twilight's Library.
8/19/2014: Approved by The Royal Guard.
9/5/2014: Featured by the Royal Canterlot Library.
9/20/2014: Featured by Seattle's Angels.

Pinkie Pie's 'cousin Horsey' comes to visit, but Twilight Sparkle is suspicious. Sometimes we wear masks to hide our true feelings... sometimes that can be taken literally.

Written for the May write-off competition, where the theme was "beneath the mask".

She cries in her sleep.

Her nightmares are music to my ears.

Pre-reader/editor: Arbarano

An entry to Equestria Daily's Outside Insight contest

When you're a foal, the summer days last forever.

Summer is freedom. The world is more alive, it is wider and brighter, its colors deeper. Summer is running in a meadow and swimming in a pond and catching fireflies at evening's last light.

Will Apple Bloom lead her friends to the pirate's treasure, buried in the apple orchards? Will Scootaloo make it across the burning deserts and find the magical, healing spring? Will Sweetie Belle defeat the evil Changeling Rarity who grounded her for no reason?

During the summer, every day is an adventure.

This is one.

Fiddlesticks walks the dead earth of the Badlands, and plays her song to the listening shadows.

(Audio version by Illya Leonov AKA Morgan Freepony.)