"They take da' pain out, make it somethin' good, somethin' good. Wear yer' blues well, colt, you gonna earn every drop of em'. Yer' gonna be tangled up in blues," the old stallion told Blues, presenting him with the saxophone.

Blues himself tells us of his life after that day and as he explores what it means to be "painted blue"; to hope, to fear, to love, to lose. He tells us as he learns what really makes a stallion a stallion, what it's like to leave something you love behind, and what risks one must face in life or risk becoming nothing at all.

All of this, Blues tells us, takes place against the background of critical moments in his life and as he travels the scope of Equestria from Manehattan to Ponyville and Appleoosa. All the while the songs he learns from his pain mingle with the one his mentor, Moody Blues, revealed within him...something unbelievable the old pony did to bring it forth.

The friends we take for granted are often the ones that leave the largest impact on our lives. When Spike falls seriously ill with a mysterious disease and the ponies strive to nurse him back to health, Twilight Sparkle comes to grips with this very realization about her number one assistant--and friend.

EDIT: So this little story made it on Equestria Daily on 10/8/12. Now please excuse me while I pass out on Rarity's fainting couch while murmuring a soft Fluttershy "...yay."

They came suddenly and without warning. They wanted us to boop them. We must resist.

The art is by neuro if anyone was wondering.

Queen Chrysalis likes it when I boop her on the nose. It helps her relax. However, one day, Princess Twilight Sparkle bursts in, thinking that Queen Chrysalis has put a spell on me.

Surely, when I explain to her that I boop her, she'll understand. Right?

Right?

Inspired by a delightful flash game that can be found here.

Featured on August 28th, 2016. This is as unexpected as it is amazing.

After a long, grueling trial, the Crystal Empire was finally freed from the dark influence from King Sombra, once and for all. The triumph was tainted, however, by a tragic sacrifice. Now, with one of them gone forever, Twilight and friends must find a way to cope with the loss in their lives.

Anon-a-miss, the mysterious gossiper, plagues CHS. Caught as the perfect scapegoat, Sunset finds herself more shunned than ever before. While determined to clear her name, Sunset decides that first she needs a break. From everything. Back in the place she used to call home.

But as soon as Sunset leaves, her friends at CHS realize the depth of their mistake. Not just in accusing Sunset, but also in forgetting Sunset is not like any other human. As they try with all their might to earn back their friend's trust, they quickly come to learn that they know very little about Sunset and the world she hails from.

And worse for the girls, as Sunset begins to pick up the shards of her old life in Equestria, she begins to wonder whether she really wants to stay at CHS at all.

Rainbow Dash never got that Sonic Rainboom to work. She never met five other ponies destined for the same great purpose she had. She never even heard of the Elements of Harmony.

All she remembers these days are the sudden appearance of the Crystal Empire and the constant war that rages between it and Equestria.

As King Sombra grows in power, twisting the Crystal Empire's innate magic for his own dark purposes, the Equestrian forces find themselves in a war quickly shifting in the enemy's favor. Against the encroaching tide of oppressive tyranny and darkness, even the stoutest of Equestria's heroes have begun to tire.

Second Lt. Rainbow Dash, Wonderbolt division of the EUP guard, has been sent to Canterlot, where a special weapon is said to be developed, a weapon that could save Equestria and put an end to the war.

Instead of a mystical sword or a massive cannon, Rainbow Dash returns to the battle front with a small baby dragon in her care.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Limited gore (i.e. blood, violent death) in later chapters

Written for the Fifth SpikeDash Competition: Alternate Universes.

A little known fact about Derpy Hooves is that she has been keeping a diary ever since she learned to write. Spread out through several volumes, she has documented the various ups and downs of her life so that she may reflect on them. Derpy's diary tells a long story of positives, negatives, and the occasional tragedy. But through it all, Derpy always manages to find the light at the end of the tunnel.

The night that Cadance discovered the ghost of King Sombra lurking in the Crystal Palace should have been the worst of her life. Her greatest enemy is now lingering in her own home... and she knows that she's going to get to the bottom of this.

There hasn't been anything going on in the palace for a long time, and the tyrant's ghost will only prove to be a problem... won't it?

Reccomended by PresentPerfect in his spoiler-filled review! There is a reading by Lotus Moon for the pre-EQD version! An entry for Jake The Army Guy's Horse Words Extravaganza, where it ended up being an honorable mention. Now has a spoiler-filled review from the Reviewer's Cafe that you can read here! Also featured on Equestria Daily! Selected as one of 40+ stories to read for 2019 Shiny + Cadance day on Equestria Daily!

It's time for Starlight Glimmer's first Grand Galloping Gala! Unfortunately, she doesn't have a date while all her new friends do.

Well, all her friends, but one...

Collab with: Lucky Seven

Art by: the discorded