When ponies say they'll do anything to achieve some goal, they rarely mean it. Morals, ethics, common sense, physical limitations, something will stand between them and true, full commitment to fulfilling the task ahead of them.

A mare raised from foalhood by Equestria's last true alicorn is not so limited. Even methods that alicorn hesitates to use are fair game as far as she's concerned.

Misty is about to make her mentor either very proud or very angry. Possibly both.

A belated G5 Halloween tale written when inspiration struck.

As Misty runs away from the brighthouse in a guilty panic, an unrelated botched spell leads to her meeting a fiery unicorn with a similar story to tell

While singing her villain song, Opaline accidentally opens a line of communication with Misty. This quickly devolves into a conversation about the aspects of Opaline's songwriting...and, for some reason, movie villains.

(Honestly, this was something that popped in my head. Please don't take it too seriously.)

Misty has finally left Opaline and her lair behind, but moving out is only the first step of shedding the thoughts and doubts that still haunt her.
Luckily, her new friends are willing to help her adjust and teach her about life in Maretime Bay.

Written after Chapter 4, containing spoilers thereof, and sure to be outdated by future episodes.

Credit to Cover Art belongs to Marenlicious

Now with a Russian Translation courtesy of NovemberDragon!

Sunny wakes up at three o’clock in the morning to find Izzy laying in the living room, staring up at the ceiling and looking very sleep deprived. What started as an attempt to try and ask the unicorn what she was doing up this late turned into something that every occupant of the Brighthouse will never forget… 

And it all begins with some thoughts laying in the back of Izzy’s mind.

Inspired by Ryan Lombard's Thoughts That Will Snap Your Mind in Half YouTube Shorts

Now with an audiobook reading by The Mystery Fluttershy Fan

Misty has a cutie mark, but she doesn't even know what it's for. Her name is unrelated to anything, it's just a thing. She doesn't even know her parents.

But maybe her friends can help her find who she really is—or help her consider who she should really be.

For the A Thousand Words Contest
With appreciated help from starcoder with editing and art.

Alphabittle never gave up hope that his lost daughter would come home one day.

His friends and family didn't agree, though they all felt sorry for the grieving father in denial.

Now more than a decade later, he takes Misty to her own grave.

Part of the No Dialogue Contest.

Featured 3/6/2025 - 3/8/2025!

And also featured on Equestria Daily on 3/9/2025!

Mane Melody survived its first few weeks and a visit from Phyllis Cloverleaf, letting Jazz Hooves finally find her place at the newly opened salon. When she is left in charge on a slow day, a strange customer stumbles through her door. As she gets to know the timid mare, Jazz discovers that showing just a little kindness in something as mundane as hoof care can make all the difference in the life of another.

Entry for The Red Parade's May Pairings 2024 hosted by the Original Pairings group.
Edited by: TheAncientPolitzanian
Preread by: Jymbroni, Scriblits Talo, and ItsVelvet
Cover Art: Heartfelt Hooficure by @Marenlicious on Twitter
Commissioned the artwork while at ポニコン11!

This story is a sequel to Cardboard Castles

Zipp was used to odd things happening to her. She had grown up with her sister in Zephyr Heights and Pipp was a drama queen who made the simplest task an impossible hurdle. She helped out at the Brighthouse nearly every day with her friends and they were odd. Magic coming back to Equestria shouldn't phase her since she finally got to fly around and finally use her wings like she always dreamed of doing.

Magic coming back should be a net positive. But waking up as a batpony when you didn't expect to would ruin anypony's day. And that was before she realized that the yearly Zephyr Heights Spooktacular was today. This was not her day and, for once, she was understanding why Pipp worried about the smallest of setbacks.

She isn't free. It's a prison sentence with furloughs, and how is she supposed to enjoy time away from the castle when she always has to go back? There's also wardens watching her on both ends and somehow, the pegasus is the less reasonable of the two. And when she's been doing the same things for as long as she can remember...

It's four a.m. That's when the servant polishes the throne room.

Maybe Misty Brightdawn wouldn't be cleaning. But the unicorn mare still doesn't know who that is.

(Now with author Patreon, SubscribeStar, and Ko-Fi pages.)

Mark interpretation by Sol-R.