Millenia after fleeing the Cataclysm that destroyed their homeworld, the globular cluster that has come be known the Forge is home to all manner of creatures. The old powers that launched the Exodus are long gone, and the current settlements live on their bones, scavenging what they can from the ancient magitech.

When a unicorn named Rutile Quartz learns of a sealed Crystal Empire vault that is speculated to be the tomb of the last alicorn empress, she swears a vow to help the researcher in search of it find and open the vault to learn the secrets within.

In the Forge, a vow is more binding than the strongest of magics, something the sworn will sacrifice anything to see done. But everything has a price, and the pony who sets hoof in the ancient Imperial vault may not be the same one who leaves it.

An entry in the 2023 Science Fiction contest.
A crossover with the TTRPG Ironsworn Starforged. Familiarity with the game is not required.
Other tag is for reindeer, umbrum, and Rabia
A branch in the Eventide multiverse.
Also check out author Patreon, Ko-Fi and commissions.

Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment. The universe is full of hope, as it is with despair.

Far too often will the desperate fools of the universe lay their hands upon the key to their salvation...only to have it snatched away.

So when Ahzek Ahriman of the Thousand Sons encounters such salvation, he does respond with hope, but with determination. He will restore his lost brothers, he will right his ancient wrongs, and he cut down anyone who dares to stand in his way.

In the thirty-third century, ponies regularly travel to other stars using spaceships equipped with artificial intelligence. These “Spaceplones” look like mechanical ponies with engines and wings, and their friendship-capable artificial intelligence keep the pilots company and enable travel at superluminal speeds using the Friendship Drive.

While ponies can change their profession more easily, to a spaceplone, the purpose they were built for is part of their identity. Multi-role designs exist, but most ships are constructed for very specific purposes.

However, when ponies designed the computer architecture for the artificial mind of the spaceships, they used the minds they were familiar with as a template and ships can experience many aspects of the equine condition much in the same way ponies do.

In today’s episode of “imaginary dichotomies”: Freighter and combat spaceships.

Based on my (as of yet unfinished) other story “Friendship Drive Charging”, a crossover between MLP:FiM and the game Elite:Dangerous https://www.fimfiction.net/story/472354/friendship-drive-charging it is recommended you read at least some of that one first for context.

Rockhoof is trapped within a time loop trying to save his friends from death.

Teen Rating for intense themes. Death Rating for explicit but non-graphic depictions of character death.

Preread by The Sleepless Beholder, Dewdrops on the Grass, and LuckyChaosHooves

Edited by EileenSaysHi

Written for the Quills and Sofas Speedwriting Among Us Contest with the Imposter prompt "Running Out of Time"

Entry for Bicyclette's Science Fiction Contest 2023

Inspired by the video game The Sexy Brutale

Alexandra spent what was left of her life's savings on an opportunity to get far, far away from the routine and cycle of the American south. Leaving behind what's left of her family and friends, and starting a new life on the other side of the nearest Mirror Glass with her truck.

Taking a distance hauling job with a small freight dispatch company, its now her job to bring supplies and materials across the country where the otherwise robust rail network can't reach, or freight that the others refuse to move. It is a little odd that the company only has a handful of employees, but the pay's good... what could go wrong?

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Set prior to, and during the main series of G4 in a slowly expanding AU writing project, the story and wider AU will generally keep pace with the show's big narrative keypoints, but otherwise be off doing its own thing, divergence will be steady, but limited for much of the story. How cohesively linear it will end up being is still up in the air.

Proofreading and Editing by Mahazkei, Thaddeus Reynolds, and Saccharine Affliction

Rated T for now

After repeated incidents of "overpowering", Twilight Sparkle writes a program to find the cause of the recuring problem.

Written for the Science Fiction Contest II. Check out the other entries here.

Huge thanks to The Sleepless Beholder for prereading and PseudoBob Delightus for proofreading it!

Please be aware that the chapters with codes may have weird formatting on mobile view.

Twilight Sparkle (the book-horse) is sitting on her throne.

Pinkie Pie, with a glowing (flashing) cutie-mark enters the throne room, passing Twilight on her way to the gate.

Pinkie steps through the gate, soon meeting Twilight Sparkle (the book worm).

Twilight accepts the book Pinkie Pie is offering her, whereupon she is taking the proffered book with her into the library (her sanctuary) and starts reading the book.

Twilight Sparkle immerses herself in the book, wherein she is experiencing adventures she had never been prepared for.

“Why did Pinkie offer me this book?” Twilight ponders, as she continues her reading adventure.

Illustrated by: ??
Written by: Kentavritsa
Edited by: Kentavritsa
Re-edited by: ???
Puns: Intended

Ps: I may change the tags as the story develops, just as I may have to adjust the description and summary.

A boy is chosen by time and space to watch the balance of the multiverse unfold before his eyes. His role is to judge if balance is equal or shifting in countless worlds. If the balance has shifted between good and evil God helps those worlds.

Spike is the perfect assistant. He's been programmed that way, after all.

Unfortunately, he and Rarity and Twilight were programmed by Master Simon to help out around Mistress Olive's apartment before Mistress Olive kicked Master Simon out. And Mistress Olive doesn't like her assistants to have faces and names and personalities, especially when they come from some eighty-year-old cartoon show she's never heard of...

The original version of this story had no Pony content whatsoever and came in 2nd in the 247th Writeoff contest, "The Hurricane's Eye Blinked." It's been extensively rewritten since then and was now an entry in the 2023 Science Fiction contest where it didn't make the Top 12.

Very few things can slow an alicorn down. Between dealing with invasions of their kingdom, executing traitors, and generally maintaining the land, there's a lot that they have to be able to handle. But one thing that can slow down even royalty, particularly a certain crystal princess, is getting sick. With no success of normal medicine or even standard magical medicine to cure her body gone haywire, she turns in a last ditch effort, to a Ponyville scientist named Dr. Whooves, who has the idea to face Cadance's internal scuffle head on by going inside her body. Can they help her stop this bother to her rule once and for all? What will they discover on their way? Let's find out, shall we?

Rated Teen for lewd jokes and mention of certain anatomy

Big thanks to Nebbie for editing and overall help.