In a sunburned Equestria, Rarity leads the pleasant life of a clothier in the tiny town of Spurhoof. She’s got a successful business, a capable assistant, and the respect of the place she’s called home for six years. Maybe she never achieved her foalhood dreams of fabulosity, but at least she’s comfortable. What more can a mare ask for?

Then a band of outlaws decide to pay Spurhoof a visit, and their leader’s eye has settled upon Rarity. Soon she’ll have to fight not only for her life, but maybe her very soul. Will her diamond turn dull under the hot Equestrian sun, or will adversity make her shine all the brighter?

Print copies now available for purchase on Lulu!.

Now featured on Equestria Daily.

Inspired by Fallout: Equestria and the song Bulletproof Heart by My Chemical Romance.

Other stories inspired by music:
Escape
Ordinary World
Bed of Roses
Drops of Jupiter
How to Save a Life
Forgive Me, Friend
Time for Tea

A big thanks to my brainstorming fellow and ever-awesome friend SorenPixels, who has helped me ponder the plans for this story since its inception.

Additional kudos to Danger Beans and Cerulean Voice for their help with the first few chapters.

Big thanks to the fantastic author Viking ZX for taking time out of his busy schedule to be my Alpha pre-reader.

Last but certainly not least, my gratitude to my gang of Beta pre-readers: Babroniedad, Lord-Commander, Merc the Jerk, Snowybee, Soge, and Wanderer D!

I was not prepared for the absolutely stunning world building or the incredibly well done characters. [...] This is a work of absolute art. — Equstarte Marine Sebaste

Reading and re-reading (and re-reading) this story was an amazing experience. It will always be one of my favorites! — Wanderer D

I dare say this is a masterpiece of the fandom. — FanOfMostEverything

It's a gorgeous, vivid-drawn setting you've crafted for this, and it hits its gritty Western beats and epic scope with aplomb. Rarity's character journey in this is a stellar one, and her gradual sink into (and recovery at the brink of) [...] darkness was wonderfully and believably told. — Carabas

Cover art commissioned from the fantastic bakki, with title work generously donated by Novel-Idea.

This story is a sequel to A Foreign Education

Twilight was sixteen when she became an alicorn. She hasn't aged a day since. Some ponies ask her what it's like, not being able to grow up.

Twilight can't really say. She's never known anything else.

This story is a sequel to Courtesans

Princess Cadence adopted a changeling, and now little Cheval is Flurry Heart's younger sister. As old enemies resurface, their sisterly love may be all that can save the Crystal Empire.

Cypress Flash has worked at Station Thirteen as part of the Logistics department for a month, and has had no reason to believe that it would ever be interesting. That changes when one day, he uncovers a perplexing mystery in the form of components missing from the storeroom. It'll be up to him and Kai, the station's only Changeling, to figure out not just who stole these supplies, but also why.

An entry for the 2023 Science Fiction Contest II.

Cover art adapted from this image. All credit goes to the original artist.

Fragmented tales from the frontlines, starring or about Sergeant Reckless.

My tribute and gift to an oft unsung hero.

This story is a sequel to Twilight Gets a Puppy, Season 5

Now that the time travel shenanigans are finally over... maybe. Twilight, Rahs, and Spike can get on with their day to day and break in their new roomies properly, while keeping Starlight and Tempest from killing each other.
Or keep everyone from making bets about it.

Still this years not going to be any less annoying, with newborns, changes in dragon lord leadership, cutie mark crusades, Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie, Discord, of course, Fluttershy's brother, the battle for Rahs heating up between the six, Ogres and Oubliettes games gone mad, a massive prank war, the return of Daring Doo, added on top of the prophecy not having happened yet, and the Sparkles will again find themselves in the middle of everything.

As usual the lewd warning goes here cause of some situations and Cadence. I don't want to use the sex tag cause there isn't any and people might get confused by the current cover art.

Coverart by Marking

This story is a sequel to Undead Robot Bug Crusaders

Apple Bloom is an undead ghoul, but that's OK. She's finally come to terms with her condition, and is determined to rise above her curse.

Sweetie Belle is a robot, but that's OK. With manual in hoof, she's prepared to learn everything she can about herself, and whatever the future holds.

Scootaloo is a changeling, but that's OK. Changelings are citizens now, and she's ready to do her part to show the world changelings can be friendly too.

Together, the three of them are getting by, one day at a time. They may never get their cutie marks, but that's not going to stop them from having fun, finding their talents, and maybe even going a week without causing massive amounts of property damage. Maybe.

Meanwhile, Babs Seed is still blissfully unaware of the unusual destiny that awaits her, Diamond Tiara is slowly finding her place in the world, and Ponyville is still the weirdest town in Equestria. But then again, what else is new?

Edited by Bahamuttone

Cover Art by someone close to me IRL who probably doesn't want anyone to know she made pony art.

Pinkie knows that being a baker means taking a lot of responsibility for your product. The bread has to rise with Celestia. Nopony needs to go through Round Two on the Baked Bads. And if at all possible, you should absolutely avoid serving the kind of 'donuts' which summon an eldritch horror from beyond space and time to destroy the world.

The Cakes keep slipping up on that last part. Not deliberately, at least in that they don't know they're doing it -- but somepony still has to clean up the tentacled mess, and do it by the time Sun is raised. Which is going to be Pinkie. Again.

Break out the caffeine. It's going to be a long night.

(Now with author Patreon and Ko-Fi pages.)

Rated C for Cthulhu Crackfic.

After having fought and won many battles against the changeling Queen, Princess Celestia always hoped that one day her offer of peace would be accepted and that Chrysalis would walk in her castle as a friend and not as an enemy.

She did not think it would happen like this. She thought the changeling would come in through the door rather than the window, for starters.

Have you ever wondered how the story of Equestria that you know might change if Fluttershy was a swordsmith?
How would things be different if Rarity had a Stand?
What about if someone gave Applejack a culinary degree, a space-worthy exosuit, and a phoenix-core wand?
What if all of these happened in the same story?

If you have, dear reader, then welcome to the Celestial Forge! Where every thousand words, random chance bestows one of your favorite ponies with a new outlandish (and often copyright-infringing) power!