The subjunctive is the verbal mood of abstractions and possibilities. To ponies and their indicative-based language, it is a frightful mood, awkward and unwieldy. To changelings and their language of nearly inaudible shrills, it is indispensable.

Equestria’s inhabitants are a diverse race, no two the same color, who speak a language of concretes. But to Errenax, a changeling linguist well-versed in both languages and fascinated by their dimorphism, everything about them intimates a singular notion: that this division of moods and language is perhaps deeper than it initially appeared.

Thank you to my editor, Golden Tassel.

This story is a sequel to Past Sins

Hearth's Warming is a time for friends and family to come together, celebrate harmony, and welcome the new year. Nyx is looking forward to just this as she rides the train to Canterlot with Spike and Twilight. She's going to meet her extended family for the first time and wants nothing more than to make a good impression. Yet, the sheen of the holidays can't hide the trouble caused by meddling grandparents, relentless reporters, and a paranoid uncle.

Shining Armor learns the most important tactical lesson of his life.

Audio version! https://youtu.be/YgDr0Xc6rN8

Now with a Spanish translation by Spaniard Kiwi!

When Apollo 11 lands on the moon, Neil Armstrong utters his famous lines as his boots land in the lunar regolith, but when he turns around he finds something no one was expecting or had ever planned for.
There's an alien on the moon. And it's blue, four-legged, and staring at him.

Sequel here.

Twilight Sparkle calls upon a genie. The process is mired in rules, but she won't let that stop her. With the genie's power, she could change the world. She has until moon-rise to make her wish.

Rules provide structure and order. Rules offer reliability and build society. Rules are boundaries that we live within, but rules can be broken. Sometimes, we have to break the rules to do what is right.

But some rules can't be broken.

Sometimes, rules are shackles.

Featured on Equestria Daily.

Dramatic Reading

Nightmare Night! Rainbow Dash's favourite time of the year.

Well, it would be if she wasn't cooped up amongst the upper-class of Canterlot.

Taking matters into her own hooves, Rainbow Dash breaks out an old costume and goes to show the Canterlot elite what a real nightmare night is like.
Little does she know somepony else already has the same idea...

Apple Bloom is home alone on Nightmare Night and invites her two best friends over. They each tell a scary story about bat ponies, but one of these stories may just turn out to be a little too scary, and a little too real.

Nightmare Moon won. She defeated Celestia, broke the Elements, banished the sun. This all happened a very long time ago. So long ago, that she has had plenty of time to change her mind.

Of course, fixing our mistakes is never so simple, and never without consequences. Even with particularly potent help.

"If you came to conquer, you'll be king for a day. / But you too will deteriorate and quickly fade away."
— "No Control" by Bad Religion

A big thanks to Craine, Sorren, and Idylia for prereading and editing. If you enjoyed the story, don't forget to check out their pages.

Equestria Daily
Royal Canterlot Library (FIMfic version)
Russian translation by Doof
Chinese translation by Dreams Set Free

Kitsune Heart has done a dramatic reading of this story! Find it over here.
ObabScribbler has done a dramatic reading of this story! It includes a full cast of voice actors. Find it over here.

Comments contain spoilers.

Spiders. Oh, how I hate spiders. And yet Luna insists on keeping one as a...pet.

Just a little fun story to keep my skills sharp, so don't expect it to last very long!

Brony - they're haiku. A long commentary would be longer than the poems.