You know the story: The sirens rampaged across the land, sowing havoc until Star Swirl the Bearded banished them to a magicless backwater of a universe full of naked apes.

The problem with historical narratives, as Clover the Clever can attest, is that the reality is rarely so cut and dry.

Technically part of the Oversaturated World, though no knowledge of it is required.

Thanks to my beta readers Daedelus Aegle, Masterweaver, and themaskedferret.

A long time ago, my family moved to Appleloosa, and we ain't had no luck since. We tried growing apples, but our orchards just never took right. Now, the bank's gonna repossess unless we can get some bits together real fast.

No, we ain't never been lucky, but in that ring, I don’t need luck. I’m one win away from saving our farm, and Granny says that tonight I’m fighting some fancy unicorn named Blueblood. I hear he's real fast, but there ain’t no way I’m losing with so much on the line.

This ain't gonna be pretty. In fact, I can just about guarantee it’ll be real, real ugly.

Edited by Pascoite.

Additional help from SongCoyote, Steel Resolve, Dragonas77, Skeeter the Lurker, Seether00, and RainbowBob

Cover image by viwrastupr

Mayor Mare had a life before politics, but she sacrificed it for the greater good. She can't have it both ways, of course… except that Twilight says the exact opposite.

Expanded version of a minific that tied for 16th of 101 in the /fic/ write-off "The Best Medicine."

Featured on Equestria Daily!

Sometimes, it's good to talk about your feelings. Other times, the only way we can understand ourselves is to sit and listen to the silence...

8th place finalist in the Forbidden Knowledge Writeoff event. With a huge thank you to everyone who commented on it over there.

A broad, clear path runs through a deep wood on the far side of Ponyville.

No one goes there.

Four young colts want to know why.

Octavia Melody's love of music has revolved around a single influential and prestigious work of art, the song May Our Sun Shine Forever. Since she was a filly, what has been the Equestrian national anthem for generations has continually inspired Octavia to perform, shaping her into the promising cellist she is today. Though the completed original was lost to the passage of time, the remnants of the final masterpiece composed by the Grand Maestro Glissando has been the cornerstone of not only Octavia's career, but modern music theory in Equestria.

When the tattered remains of an ancient songbook possibly containing the original song in its entirety is found, the Equestrian Society for the Performing Arts and Princess Luna begin planning a concert series to celebrate the work's eventual restoration. However, their meeting screeches to a halt once Princess Celestia vehemently forbids anypony from playing the original in the concert and demands its restoration to cease immediately. Octavia Melody finds herself at a loss, wondering why the princess of the sun would silence such a beautiful song meant to bring light to the world.

Proofread and Edited by TheAncientPolitzanian and various others over the years of trying to fix this thing.
Cover Art Depressing Melody by TertonDA
Updated 02/27/24

Filthy Rich is a miserable, bitter, angry sort of pony, and he figures he's got nothing to lose by trying to befriend Discord for personal gain.

Turns out he's wrong. About most everything, it turns out.

Feedback is extremely welcome, especially criticism of any kind! Also, I'd like to thank Isseus for looking over the first part of this story.

Deep in the Royal Library is a book. A terrible book that is said to send whoever reads it mad. A book so dangerous that it has to be hidden away and secured with chains to prevent it from ever being opened.

A book which has just been accidently checked out by Spike on behalf of Twilight Sparkle.

The Star In Yellow is rising once more, and only Rainbow Dash and Spike can save Twilight before it's too late. Ideas live forever. Ponies do not.

This fic is loosely inspired by the 19th century story 'The King In Yellow'.

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.

Brief stories about Equestria as it might have been—or, you may suspect in darker hours, already is.

25. Necessary Evil: Lord Tirek will return to wreak havoc on Equestria... but not before he's needed.

24. Queen of Foals (Fausticorn):
I met a traveller from an antique land,
Who said—"Four vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. . . . Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk a shattered visage lies alone..."

23. The Mechanical Donkey (Cranky Doodle alt-universe): A colt working for the school paper uncovers an old donkey's secret.

22. The Element of Audacity (Twilight, Dash, Cthulhu): It would take a very brave, very stupid pony to defy the Eater.

21. The Gentle People (dark): The gryphon tribe that tried to follow a pony goddess.

20. It's a Trap! And Twilight knows it. But her opponent knows that she knows it. But she knows that Twilight knows that she knows that Twilight knows it...

19. Fraud!: Trixie is accused of cheating at cards.

18. Celerity: Rarity wonders what Celestia sees in her.

17. Worth It: Fluttershy teaches Twilight about the cost of love.

16. Self Image (Twilight, Rarity): Is beauty really only skin deep?

15. The Quiet One (Luna): Some ponies express emotions differently.

14. Special: Discord teaches Pound Cake an important lesson.

13. Twenty-one! (Pinkie Pie, Twilight; comedy, horror?): Twilight discovers the danger of asking Pinkie "why?"

12. Changeling Dream: You may think the cost of living on emotions is too high. But we know the cost.

11. Loyalty (Rainbow, Applejack): The job of an Element of Harmony is simple, and sometimes impossible.

10. [revoked]

9. Sombra's Curse (comedy): The terrible curse Sombra unleashed that made him king, and stole his soul!

8. Game of Immortals (Celestia, Discord; dark comedy): Celestia likes to win—no matter which side she plays.

7. The Pony Side (comedy): Darth Vader has more important things to share with Luke than who his father is.

6. No Regrets (sad): Looking back on her life, Twilight remembers how she treated Derpy, and faces some unpleasant truths about herself.

5. Shipping Costs (comedy): If you knew you were about to meet Celestia in the next life, you might ask yourself: Did you leave the world a better place? Did your friends know you loved them? Should you have written thirty-nine chapters of Celestia clop-fiction?

4. The Green Hills of Equestria (tragedy): Vincent's big-game hunting trip was a success ... almost.

3. Mare of the Rings (Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash; comedy, LotR): The greatest could not be trusted with the Ring. So Gandalf sought out the humblest. Maybe too humble....

2. Happy Thoughts (horror): Her sun, happy to be in its place in the sky, wrapped the land in its warm embrace, and flowers bloomed in her hoofprints. Celestia smiled. It was going to be another perfect day in Equestria. And all she had to do was think happy thoughts. Again.

1. The Pony: Once upon a midnight dreary, while I clicked weak and weary,
Thru many a vile and bilious image on slash-b of yore...

Original cover art by ModeratelyDeviant@DeviantArt