2020 has certainly been a year, I think many of us here probably did find comfort in padding up during it (or wished we could). Things have definitely slowed down now that the show is over and we still don't know what G5 is going to bring us exactly (Pony Life has definitely not attracted much attention on the site so far), but there's still people making content and there's still fics to consider. We had a bit of the old and the new in 2020, surprisingly enough. Like with the previous top ten lists this is aimed at showing off what I consider the best of the best. But of course, it's all based on personal opinion so please respect it. And like always, if there's a padded fic over the past year you liked that isn't on this list feel free to give it a shout out.

The same rules as always apply, and while I probably don't need to repeat them much I feel lie it's important to have them for those who've never experienced this sort of thing before. The rules are as follows:
1. The fic must've been published or updated at least once within 2020. For those that updated, check to see if they were included in any previous top ten lists and try to avoid the exact same placement for updated fics if possible.
2. Only one entry per author is allowed. Self explanatory, we don't want the list being dominated by one or two writers, we want even lesser known authors to have a chance to stand out. And we also want to put the spotlight on less frequently seen writers if they wrote something really group.
3. As these groups are technically SFW no linking to any of the fics may be allowed, some will inevitably be rated Mature and site rules forbid direct linking to any NSFW content (which a Mature rating comes with by default).
4. Self promotion is allowed, like always, but as much as possible avoid putting a story you wrote yourself at number one. Try to give another author top billing, even if you think you wrote something really good.
5. Give a brief explanation about why you chose the fics you did and anything you like about them. Think of it as a way to potentially lure other readers to them.
6. Honorable mentions are allowed, but like with previous versions I ask that you restrict them to three to five at the most. We don't want these lists getting too cluttered.

And now that we have that out of the way, here are my picks for the Top Ten Padded Pony Fics of 2020. Enjoy!:

10. The "Glow" Of Friendship, by Matt 11: This fic finally got updated again and completed after leaving off on an interesting cliffhanger of sorts in 2019. The reformation of Cozy Glow is still popular, and this fic does a fairly good job of wrapping up the arc and bringing everything full circle. The padded elements were more heavily focused on in earlier chapters though, the story elements in the chapters released in 2020 didn't have as much to do with them and as a result this fic got bumped down by what I felt were stronger written stories.
9. Derpy's Relaxation, by Zubric: You can't go wrong with the fandom's mascot a.k.a best pony Derpy Hooves. This is just a simple, fluffy one shot of Derpy padding up after a day of work. It's cute and to the point. Nothing wrong with something simple as long as it feels in character. Besides, the world needs more padded Derpy, am I right?
8. Royal Foal Wedding, By Foal Star: Foal Star continues to experiment and try new things, but for me his age regression AU continues to hold my attention. He seems to have a way to make the AU work, and in this case turn a simple premise into something delightfully chaotic, silly and adorable.
7. Sweetie's Little Accident, By The Killer Legacy: After over a year of being on hiatus, this fic came roaring back with a couple of chapters that really delved into the deeper, more foalish stuff. Sweetie Belle embracing her inner foal was adorable, and the conflicts set off by it were well done. The most recent update ended on a pretty interesting note, but we'll just have to see when it updates again. Hopefully it'll be well worth the wait.
6. Closer To The Heart, by ClandestineWing: This anthology series wove together a pretty interesting tale, exploring relationships and character dynamics in ways both familiar and unfamiliar. The key theme seemed to be acceptance, both for one's self and for those one loves who they fear will reject them over the interest. I do wish it had gone on longer, it seemed like it ended just when it was starting to get interesting. But I suppose that it's good to stop while you're ahead and to leave the audience wanting more. Definitely not what I would've expected from this fic back in 2019 when it had two seemingly unrelated chapters.
5. Self-Indulgence, by Baby Powder: A newcomer to the padded pony scene, and he (or she) most certainly made a big splash. They even managed to include a pretty surprising twist at the very end. But for the most part it's just a story based loosely around an image, in this case Twilight reading a book that's all about getting into the mentality of an adult foal and just letting go. If Baby Powder makes more stories I'm definitely going to be interested in what he (or she) has to offer.
4. The Secret of Crinkleloo, by SuperPinkBrony12: I really enjoyed writing this one. I won't get into my personal opinions about Scootaloo's canonical parents, but I definitely wanted to do something with them. And I wanted to try and change things up from my usual padded works, showing something a bit more realistic than outright acceptance (even if it's reluctant). I know I do a lot of stories involving Scootaloo, and have done padded works with her in the past, but I feel like this one was truly interesting for me to write and explore.
3. An uneventful morning with Sweetie Belle, by Miffington Lemil: Not technically a newcomer since he (or she) published a padded pony fic last year. But this one really caught my attention in a good way. The structure is a bit off putting at times, but it adds a good layer of mystery and makes good use of Rarity in a way you wouldn't expect. I think Miffington Lemil might be worth keeping on an eye on, though where he (or she) will go next I don't know. This was definitely a big step up for them, though.
2. Little Sister, Big Troubles, by Midnight Shadows: A veteran of the old Padded Ponies group who has been largely absent since the old group unexpectedly went down. But she returned quite unexpectedly with this commission, and quite early into the year too. Yes, it's a Sweetie Belle and Rarity fic with the roles being fairly obvious. But the characters and character development are very well done. If not for the fact that this fic was a commission and was at least the idea of someone else it would probably take the number one spot. This was a return I wouldn't have expected to see from Midnight.
1. A Pair of Foals, by Nido_King: Nido_King has probably cemented himself as the new "King" (no pun intended) of padded pony fics as a result of this fic. The sequel to both "A Couple of Secrets" and "Relaxing", Nido_King was able to do a lot to make this sequel stand out. Working in not just Cheerilee's hesitation and concern with Sugar Belle, but also some of the lingering feelings there might be for Big Macintosh even after their relationship ended. Nido_King had already laid a good foundation for this fic the year before, but he was able to improve on it and turn in a finished product that lived up to what had come before it. And it gives both Sugar Belle and Cheerilee more focus, letting them both further develop together. I don't even mind the fairly abrupt ending, it feels like a natural conclusion in this case.

Honorable Mention 1 - Dashie and the Padded Bolts, by freedome-blitz: Updating only once in 2020 (just like in 2019), this fic started showing hints of something deeper as the Wonderbolts started padding up more and began losing control of themselves to something else. The mystery is still ongoing, and time will tell if it concludes next year and whether it'll be able to make the list if it does. It was a contender at one point, but competition bumped it out of the top ten.
Honorable Mention 2 - Cozy Glow's Padded Punishment, by SuperPinkBrony12 (originally Matt11): Matt11 transferred this fic over to me for continuation this year, and I did so. I think I did a decent job of continuing and ultimately ending the story started by him. Much like with "The 'Glow' of Friendship" the focus was on the possible reformation of Cozy Glow, exploring an AU after Season 8 where she didn't go to Tartarus. Due in part to it being a transfer and a continuation, it couldn't quite qualify proper.
Honorable Mention 3 - The Worst, by Wandering Pigeon: Just like last year this fic continues to hold my interest. Adding Sunset Shimmer to the mix was unexpected but quite engaging. I'm even more curious to see where this goes now and what this means for the Dazzling as they still grapple with their incontinence. Once again, this has been sparodically updated and is what's been holding my interest from Wandering Pigeon this year.
Honorable Mention 4 - Octavia's Lesson, by Detrail: After over four years of no updates, most would assume this fic had been forgotten and left for dead. But to the surprise of everyone (myself included), Detrail resurrected this fic for one chapter in 2020. This fic showed a lot of potential back in its heyday, it harpens back to a more interesting (and perhaps innocent) time. Sadly, that one update was all this fic got. It did continue the story of Octavia coming to grips with her desires, but not much else really happened and I'm not sure if more updates are in its future.
Honorable Mention 5 - Yosh's 'Ali-icorn Thermometer' Post Short Story, by Yosh E-O: Yosh is a writer with his own OC and a lot of personal issues that have definitely shaped his life and his inspiration. This little story is based on something more innocent though, a continuation of the story after the ending of the "Ali-icorn" short from over a year ago. It's an unusual story, but provides a cool "What If?" continuation for those interested.

And there you have it, folks. As always, I'm looking forward to hearing what you all think of this list and what padded stories you think deserve a shout-out. I'm sure I missed some of your favorites.

Whoah!?! Aww shucks, I never thought I would make a list like this, and especially not to make it into the top five!

Good news, is that more stuff is probably on the way! Just finished a long anticipated move... Nothing currently in the works, but still! I'd like to have something out by January's end c:

Glad to be ranked among some of my other favorite authors! Wandering Pidgeion is my personal mvp :P