Cypress Flash has worked at Station Thirteen as part of the Logistics department for a month, and has had no reason to believe that it would ever be interesting. That changes when one day, he uncovers a perplexing mystery in the form of components missing from the storeroom. It'll be up to him and Kai, the station's only Changeling, to figure out not just who stole these supplies, but also why.

An entry for the 2023 Science Fiction Contest II.

Cover art adapted from this image. All credit goes to the original artist.

Chamomile isn't a train conductor. She isn't an engineer, either. She's just a widow taking care of her lonely Bridlewood tea shop and disabled son. Yet, when she receives word of a job opportunity from the newly instituted Equestrian Railroad Company, asking for ponies to extend the railroad to a forgotten realm in the Frozen North, she is intrigued. Perhaps such a place holds the key to changing her son's life for the better.

This simple task is colored by the group she's paired with: a reserved unicorn, a gung-ho pegasus, and an earth pony no less burdened than herself. As they journey forward, she'll find they bring out sides of her long since buried, and new sides altogether—not least the earth pony, whom Chamomile finds herself growing inexplicably closer to.

It'll be up to her how to react to this change—and what kinds of memories she wants to make.

This story is complete, and will be updated every Tuesday and Friday.

My eternal gratitude to all of my pre-readers and editors who, with all their various contributions, comments, and concerns, helped me bring out the best in this story:
Stinium Ruide
Ghost Mike
VoxArachne
Sledge115

Little Tigress provided the cover art. Their deviantart can be found at this link. Thank you so much!

This story was written and revised to be set during the Tell Your Tale YouTube Series and after the Make Your Mark special, and as such, departs from the Make Your Mark series. That said, I have tried to make it so that watching either the special or the series is not necessary to understand the story's contents.

In the city of Cóltoba, Stormy Flare contemplates her failures. But a chance encounter will remind her that they weren't all in vain.

Second-place winner in the Ancestral Tribute contest.

Cover art adapted from an image on Unsplash.

Inspired by the work of Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Rated Really Good in Ghost Mike's Ponyfic Review Monday Musings #39

Rated Why Haven't You Read These Yet in PaulAsaran's Thursday Reviews CCCXXVI

Argyle came to us by sea. He brought us his notes, a smile, and an impossible dream.

This story is complete, and will be updated every other day.

Pre-read and edited by Stinium_Ruide, Nailah, and applezombi. Thank you for your help!

Featured on Equestria Daily.

Rated Excellent in Ghost Mike's Ponyfic Review #5.

Recommended by TCC56.

When Spike catches a terrible cold, Pinkie offers him a treatment plan in the form of a special kind of soup.

A special Reviewer's Mansion Secret Santa Gift Exchange story for the one-and-only Ninjadeadbeard, who asked for "Spike and Pinkie, Comedy or Slice of Life." Comedy isn't really my forte, but I tried to incorporate some semblance of humor into this piece. I hope you enjoy it! Happy holidays!

No actual relation to the real Crystal Noodle Soup product.

Over the weekend some ravens got into the abandoned shop down the street.

That was when Brimstone knew his time was up.

A story set in the Rekindled Embers universe, which was created by my friend, applezombi. Please send him your support.

Join the RE Discord server here!

You can neither escape nor forget the life you lead, much as Twilight Velvet wants to. Though proud of her children, she can't deny that being known only as the mother to two of the most powerful ponies in all of Equestria hasn't been easy. She'd like to forget her doubts, though, and a riverboat cruise seems like the perfect opportunity.

But still: you can neither escape nor forget the life you lead, regardless of whether it's the one you thought you'd have. But that's not what matters. Sometimes it takes being on a riverboat to the sea to remember that.

Runner-up for the My Little Renaissance Contest, and ended up placing 5th overall.

Pre-read and edited by the ever-wonderful Stinium Ruide, Ninjadeadbeard, Seriff Pilcrow, and applezombi. Thank you for all your help!

Cover art drawn by the wonderful Cyonix. My only edit was adding in the text.

Attending the Gala was the last thing Silver Zoom wanted to do, and attending it alone was somehow even less preferable than that. With the prospect of a night spent entreating ponies who only care for the fact that he's a Wonderbolt ahead of him, he expects nothing short of a miserable experience.

When he meets Windy Whistles at the Gala, though, her enthusiasm towards him appears to be just the change of pace he needs. But Silver cannot anticipate just how much he'll have to reckon with before the night's over.

Won first-place in Nailah's Shipping Contest with the re-roll pairing of Silver Zoom and Windy Whistles.

Featured on Equestria Daily.

On the day of his breakup with yet another mare, Braeburn finds an eye in his bathroom mirror. Naturally, this leads to speaking to an eldritch abomination, a ritual, and... even love?

This story was written as part of a gift exchange by reviewers for the Reviewer's Mansion group, as a gift for Firefoxino.

I'm not sure what Lovecraftian fever dream induced this story, but I apologize in advance.

Invited to a special six-performer poetry slam competition, Maud Pie hopes that she'll be able to share her writing with an excited and accepting audience, and possibly even win. But when an old acquaintance, whose talent is specifically tailored for the creation of poetry, throws her confidence into disarray, doubts begin to settle in Maud's heart.

Will Maud be able to overcome her fears and perform? Or will she choke before the first line is uttered?

Won first place in the A Change of Pace Competition. Pre-read graciously by Nailah and applezombi.

Featured 10/20 and 10/21!

Rated Pretty Good in Ghost Mike's Ponyfic Review Monday Musings #10