Starlight Glimmer takes Trixie for a stroll through the human world.

For the mare who's forever and always honest, it's damn near impossible keeping your most passionate and heartfelt confessions a secret. Thankfully, there's a hat for that.

Dobbin's been sneaking bites from the National Strategic Wheatgrass Reserve again ... and it finally occurs to his parole officer to wonder why Equestria has one. She asks Princess Celestia for the story.

It turns out there are some things ponies weren't meant to know.

A bunch of Writeoff Association authors got bored while waiting for the October 2015 prompt, and did a silly collaborative story jam on the Writeoff thread. This was the result. This story was co-written by myself, Georg, Not_A_Hat, CoffeeMinion, and Morning Sun, based on an unintentional prompt by Monokeras. (You can see who wrote what at the source thread.)

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Reviewed by City of Doors! (what)

Featured by Equestria Daily! (what)

Recommended by Present Perfect! "I'm with Parade Rest: What."

Princess Celestia violates Star Swirl's privacy. After asking for his forgiveness, Star Swirl the Bearded reveals to her the true nature of the secret she's uncovered.

Then the wizened mage makes an unusual request: pay his mercy forward to her prodigal students in the distant future.

For those less familiar with the show, the cover image shows Starlight Glimmer and Sunburst, younger mages who are referred to in part of the story.

Twilight Sparkle has learned many lessons about Friendship in Ponyville. On this beautiful spring day, she learns a very special lesson that she never anticipated.

Picture credit: Wikipedia
Inspiration Credit: Spring and fragaria ananassa
Now on Equestria Daily

It had been a long day at the boutique, and Rarity was looking forward to some well-deserved rest. Life, however, had other plans, and brought an unexpected customer with a formidable job at exactly the wrong time.

Refusing would have been the obvious choice, but Rarity sensed there was something more, and she was nothing if not a curious mare.

She wouldn't get her coveted rest, but a story about griffins told over tea seemed fair compensation for it.

Many, many thanks to Ceffyl Dwr for pre-reading and to The Masked Ferret for editing it.

This was an entry for the True Colors Write-Off round, so thanks to all the other authors and reviewers there for helping me polish this story.

Submitted to the Make Rarity Not Garbage Contest.

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.

Octavia's performance at the wedding of Princess Cadence was cancelled, and her ensemble was replaced by a mysterious DJ! When she goes to investigate, she discovers a world of music she never imagined from the turntables of Vinyl Scratch. She takes a chance and follows the DJ back to her home in Ponyville, and begins a journey full of music, love, laughs, some tears (maybe?), and... an evil plot!? What?

Let's read along, shall we? But brace yourself... it's gonna take a while.

Each chapter comes with a one-panel comic in the author's notes, drawn by yours truly!

Rainbow Dash and Applejack have cherished the years gone by at one another’s side, but beneath the wear of time, the fuel that is love can turn to ash and smother the flames they hold dear.

Beyond the smoke rising from the cinders, they face an uncertain future. Now, they must come to terms with the harsh truth that, sometimes, love alone isn't enough to keep a marriage burning bright.

Historian’s Note:
Spectrum of Gray occurs about fifteen years after Princess Twilight Sparkle’s ascension.

Cast: Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle & Granny Smith

Entry into the AppleDash "Second Chances" Contest.

Cover Design by Novel Idea
Sweet Apple Acres Background by bronyb34r
Sweet Apple Acres Barn by Jeatz-Axl
Small Cloudiminium: Customized from Screenshot by Novel Idea

Header Designs
Twilight Sparkle Cutie Mark by Intbrony 
Applejack Cutie Mark by BlackGryph0n
Rainbow Dash Cutie Mark by BlackGryph0n
Granny Smith Cutie Mark by The Smiling Pony

Beta Reader & Editor Credits
Ebon Quill: Audio Director & Quest Designer on The Manehattan Project
Little Tinker: Master of Systems at Poniverse & Scripting Engineer on The Manehattan Project
Beltorn: Commenter-at-Large on FimFiction
Cursori: Reader of Many a Pony Word

Special Guest Beta Readers & Editors
Monochromatic - Patron Saint of RariTwi
Oroboro - Expert in Emotional Devastation
Crystal Wishes - One Who Understood
Swan Song - Specialist of Sass and Snark
Corejo - Synopsis Nitpicker Brainstormer

Word Count: 18,000 words
Version: 2.3

Yo, the name's Vinyl Scratch, and all told, I've got it pretty good.

I do what I love, I love what I do, and what I do is make music that gets ponies pumped. I mean, you've probably seen me around. Truth be told I'm kind of everywhere—from Canterlot to Manehatten—doing fashion shows, clubs, weddings, and at least two royal shindigs post-changeling invasion. Funny thing about that though...

Special thanks to Dreams of Ponies, The Masked Ferret, and Skeeter the Lurker for their editing and support.