With how much ponies stumble, fall, crash, take hits, and get things dropped on them, you'd think they would... you know... actually get hurt.

Well it turns out there's a reason for that!

The reason: Ponies are squishy.

Awesome reading done by CaptainBron3y A.K.A TheCaptainSand - Scarlett Blade. Check him out!

Sirens? Check. Villain songs? Check. Pinkie Pie? ...Uh-oh.

Musical mayhem threatens Equestria so often you can set your watch by it. That's where the Versebreakers come in. They're often mistrusted and always misunderstood, but these brave souls won't rest until everypony's safe from the threat of out-of-control musical numbers.

In this anthology, eight authors offer ten stories on ponies whose job is to halt songs. Each chapter is a stand-alone, unrelated story with its own unique take on the core Versebreaker concept. An anthology overview, and a brief introduction to each of the included stories, can be found here.

CONTRIBUTORS: AugieDog • BlazzingInferno • Caliaponia • FanOfMostEverything • Flink • horizon • Orbiting Kettle • Sharp Spark
Cover art: alittleofsomething

Stories reviewed by Louder Yay! "Some interesting twists ... it's more than worth reading all 25,000 words if you find the concept catches your imagination enough."

Anthology reviewed by PresentPerfect! "This anthology features some excellent authors doing excellent work ... So if you like the idea of comedy, read Manehattan Takes Rarity and 4th District Court, Canterlot, 11:35 A.M.. If you want to try the darker side, read Song and Seal. Everyone should read Heart of Silence, which is a ponification of Heart of Darkness and absolutely spectacular."

Crime was easy before Princess Twilight and the First Five ushered in a golden age of Harmony. Back then, any idiot could plan a robbery, just like any rat could sneak through the cracks in wooden granary walls. But now that everything is cloudstone and clearsteel, with magical countermeasures over the few remaining holes, it takes a different breed of rat to survive.

"Slippery" Jimmy the Grey is one of the rare few ponies who can still slip through the cracks — even with the legendary Rainbow Corps on his tail. Now he's got a billion-bit heist planned in the gleaming skyscrapers of Cloudsdale. If only he hadn't made the mistake of stealing from a dragon …

Now with a reading by Illya Leonov and Scribbler!

* * *

This is a crossover with Harry Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat novels, but it assumes no knowledge of the series.

Winner of February's Writeoff Association competition! * Featured by Equestria Daily! * Featured by Seattle's Angels!

REVIEWS: "Highly Recommended" by Titanium Dragon; "Recommended" by Present Perfect; rated "Why Haven't You Read This Yet?" by PaulAsaran

WORD OF MOUTH:
"The Iridescent Iron Rat was not only my favorite story from the most recent writeoff... it's my favorite story of anything I've read in months." —Sharp Spark

"What a ride it is. This story is made of awesome moments." —Casca, Seattle's Angels

"[A]stounding on so many levels. … If there’s one story from this round you have to pick, make it this one." —Corejo, Seattle's Angels

"Absolutely beautifully done. It fits the style and feel of the books to a perfect T." —Themaskedferret

After being stood up by Princess Celestia at one of Canterlot's most prestigious restaurants, the mane six plus Spike are stuck with the bill. How are they going to repay their massive tab?

Coverart created by the talented Seto.

Daring Do is on a quest to recover the Ruby of Raksamakesh! As always, she's prepared for every situation she could think of as she approaches the labyrinth where it is located. That doesn't help when she comes up across something she couldn't have expected; a monster who's...slightly more inept than what she's used to.

Discord has found Tirek, and is about to parade him back to his friends for their love and adoration. But an offer is made, an enticing offer... He'll need to talk this one over with a friend.

Before the Gauntlet of Fire, Celestia, Luna, and Dragon Lord Torch meet to discuss the future of their kingdoms – and how to ensure that the next Dragon Lord is exactly who they want it to be.

After all, if Princess Ember is to win, something has to be done about all those adult dragons seen in the dragon migration...

There is now a Spanish translation of this story, courtesy of 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]

This story is a sequel to Wolf In Pony's Clothing

Six months ago, Ardi was just a lone wolf from the Great Northern Forests scouting Equestria, keeping well away from those magic-using Ponies and their terrible Burning Queen.

Six weeks ago he was hiding out from a dragon in a town full of panicked Ponies intent on turning him into a wolfskin rug and stuck inside of an enchanted ponysuit with only one shy flier-pony, three excited pony-pups, and one underhanded baby dragon to cover for him.

Now he's returning to that same crazy town, no longer a wanderer but an ambassador and eager to make amends for his deception.

He's willing to bury the hatchet. As are the Ponies, but in what part of his anatomy?

A sequel to Wolf in Pony's Clothing.

The cover art was done for me by the talented Baron Engel.

Things aren't going well between Celestia and Luna. As tensions grow between them, it is quite clear that they simply aren't the same ponies they once were. Instead of risking the loss of each other's companionship, both agree that perhaps some distance would help them recover a little. Besides, Celestia could use the vacation anyways.

But the beach town of Dusk Falls is hardly the peaceful and quiet abode Celestia had been expecting. Amongst the boardwalks and carousels a sinister plot is unfolding, as trouble rises both in the heart of Equestria and in Celestia's new home.

Cover-Art Celestia Vector here and the picture in the letter 'D' is here.