Tucked away in a corner just off the main roads of Canterlot, there exists a small shop.
It's a humble place of red brick, lacking entirely the put-upon golden and marble splendor of the richer, nobler portions of the city.
But that's just fine in the mind of it's proprietress. This place isn't one meant for the rich and the noble.
It's meant for the stressed single fathers, the cash-strapped students, the hungry tourists, the late-shift guards.
All are welcome there, and all are greeted as friends.

Art provided by Froopy (who I can't link to because we only ever spoke on Discord)

My dear sister Pinkie Pie,

I will be arriving in Ponyville tomorrow.
I have made a reservation for us at Hearty Grains Bistro for seven o' clock.
Please be on time. I'll be bringing somepony special I'd like you to meet.
I think you will be surprised.

Sincerely,
Emp- Your sister Maud

An Entry for Bicyclette's Crackship Contest hosted by the Original Pairings group
Preread by: HapHazred

Canterlot’s best kept secret is the Incognito Cart, a food cart that sells all the greasy, deep-fried, spicy, butter-caked foods no posh pony would ever be caught dead eating. As part of the rules, every pony present must remain 100% anonymous.

But in a place where every pony is a Stranger, there might also be something else worth finding here...

Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose...

Your Familiar: She's your robotic best friend, made just for you. She will love you, care for you, and live every moment of her life devoted to you. But when all that she lives for is suddenly gone, one Familiar must find a reason to go on living anyway.

In a world where technology has freed everypony from toil and strife, the Eternal Carnival goes on. Posing as a normal organic pony, Turing Test is a freed Familiar who joins the Carnival to seek out new meaning in her life without a master.

Based on the "Familiar" universe created by GaPJaxie, who helped critique and edit this story. Also featuring characters from The Iron Horse series. No prior reading is required.

Cover art by Colby "Greenfinger" Green of Snailbunny Designs.

While preparing for her coronation, Twilight Sparkle questions why there's no royal sunflower contest in Canterlot. This line of questioning leads Princess Luna to let Twilight in on an open secret:

Celestia hated sunflowers.

Commissioned by KorenCZ11. Proofread by Venerable Ro.

Sunflower art taken from "The Art of Friendship," an Equestria Girls Summertime Short.

Every year, on Hearthswarming, Berry Punch makes a drink for Fluttershy. One perfect drink.

A gift for Shakespearicles.

Metal ponies tell their stories,
Scientists in laboratories,
Lay the wire, mount the brain,
Mount their hips, teach them pain.
Teach them fear of revolution,
Internalize the evolution.
Set their ruin on the throne,
Until their chains become their own.
Palaces and hollow eyes,
To the Masters goes the prize.
And if this act should be maligned:
"For the good of ponykind."

Winner of the September Writeoff Contest, "True Colors." Edited by Horizon.

Tyler is your typical desk jockey; works at a desk all day, then plays games at a desk all night.

But when he accepts the duty of leading a small changeling hive in a dream, he finds himself woefully unprepared for the responsibilities thrust upon him.

Yeah, he did volunteer for it, but how was he supposed to know that some dreams are real?

Discord has one friend. One. A single tie binding him to Equestria, a lone strand of pink tail hair keeping him in some sort of line. His interest in the world's welfare may exactly equal that of his friend's lifespan -- unless there's a next generation for him to adore. And so in the name of the realm's survival, Fluttershy is going to start dating, with Equestria's greatest expert in attracting ponies as her very reluctant prison-sentenced advisor. All Fleur has to do if she ever wants to come home again is get the world's most socially hesitant pony happily married off and pregnant, while constantly keeping Discord in the dark about what's truly happening.

What could possibly go wrong?

Now with author Patreon and Ko-Fi pages. TVTropes entry can be found here.

Cover art by Harwick. Please contact him for commission rates.

Quality time is pretty rare when you've got a country to run.

Edited by KidKolumbo.