Displaced from time and no longer the villainous Pony of Shadows, many in Modern Equestria know Stygian as a thrice renowned author. This, however, is a partial truth.

After a chance encounter with Stygian at a local antique shop, Sunburst comes to learn that his publications aren’t all that he expected. Feeling Stygian has not been truly represented by his books, Sunburst offers to aid in translating his revised autobiography — a task that just might liberate Stygian from an oppressive past and show him a kind future is possible.

However, the rewards of acceptance can only come at the risk of being known.

A story about stories, self-authorship, and the endurance of love.

Tossed through a portal as the last act by Twilight; Chrysalis is all that is left, the sole survivor of a fallen realm. Now she finds herself in a completely mechanized version of Equus, against an enemy with an all too familiar face; her own. Nothing is as it seems, and as more is revealed, Chrysalis finds herself questioning how she ended up like this. The real question is can she handle the answers she unconvers?

When Rainbow Dash is out of coffee. She has to get coffee. Real coffee. Will she be able to do so?

Third Place in The Spring in Her Step writeoff.

The Pony of Shadows, locked up in Limbo again after being so rudely expelled from Stygian a literally unknowable amount of time ago, receives a visitor.

This was the only story entered in the 277th Writeoff contest, "Dancing Shadows," where it inspired the cover artwork created by GroaningGreyAgony. It also occurs to me that the story can serve as a prequel to a story over on my AugieDog account called "Shadow Heart."

Dear [ Rarity ],

It is my sad duty to inform you that your services as Defender of Equestria are no longer required. Your employment was terminated as of three hours before you received this notice. Do not bother to collect your belongings.

In consideration of your years of service to the former management, I have decided, out of the goodness of my heart, to grant you a most generous retirement package: an all-expense paid, permanent vacation for you and you alone to [ a flea-bitten circus on the planet Earth, at the height of the Disco Era ].

Have fun!

Sincerely yours,

D.

President and CEO of Equestria Discorporated

The [AU] tag is there because, as the above quote indicates, this story includes a pre-reformed Discord, circa late Season Two.

Edit: Good HiE list approved

A/N Hi guys, this is just a short story I wrote in about an hour, HOPE YOU ENJOY! (I'd like to thank everyone who likes this, thanks for getting it featured)

A/N audio reading can be found here. Read by our very own The Mysterious Fluttershy Fan. Be sure to show your support to his channel if you like it!

You have lived in Equestria for some time now, around five or so years. You never meant to come here it just kinda happened. The first few months were a living hell for you, you were attacked because most thought you were a monster. This continued until you were captured by the Royal Guard and brought to meet Celestia and Luna. You explained your situation and over time you became friends, but that didn't stop the fact that you were ridiculed and attacked whenever you left the castle, and so in time you became content with staying within the confines of the castle. But one day guards showed up to your room and put you in chains...

Jazz is a high-class mare. Obviously. Her boyfriend, Anon, is cut from a similar cloth.

Is it any surprise, then, that the two of them would ponder the meaning of life on their date night? It's a totally normal thing for ponies (and humans) like them to do.

Or maybe they're just weird.

Day #2 of Hearts and Hands Week.

Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle have now been college roommates for a semester following their graduation from Canterlot High. With the rest of their friends busy for the holidays, Sunset decides to join Twilight and her family for Winter Break.

Written for Crimson_Demise for Jinglemas 2021

Ponyville is filled with strange citizens. Enigmas such as the mildly psychotic Lyra, drama queens Roseluck, Daisy, and Lily, as well as Pinkie Pie, the reality-defying party pony are all welcome in the quaint little town.

But there is one new arrival that stands out among the rest, an individual with a tale so horrifying as to shake this blissful village to its core.

Is it possible to heal any wound? To regain something lost that may never have been there in the first place? Does there exist any hope for a soul that has been so thoroughly broken and betrayed by the world?

In the bright and happy land of Equestria, is it possible to bring such a victim back from the brink?

This is a story that's been on my mind for a while, so I figured I'd finally mollify my creative muse's demands and get it out. One of my very favorite things to read about^__indeed, perhaps my most favorite subject^__is those who so desperately need it getting the help and therapy they need. I like to think that in Equestria, where the common citizen is so much friendlier than us humans, such help is likewise more plentiful.

I know that there are some individuals here on earth that are past the point of complete recovery, indeed, past the point that we have tools to help them. But I sincerely doubt that Equestria is bound by the same rules, and thus I've been wondering if there's any individual that's beyond help.

Strap on in folks, this one's gonna be rough.

New cover art by the fantastic Flygon! My gratitude knows no bounds!

(P.S. Just to clarify: The title is Libero as in the Latin word for 'liberate', not the volleyball term.)

(P.P.S. For those understandably put off by the...well...strangeness of the writing in early chapters, it gets better later on.)

In her dreams, it was always the same. A world of mirrors.

A gift for Snow Quill
CW: Some violence, themes of mental illness, blood