Rainbow Dash was beautiful, the most beautiful pony to be born in a century — and so her fate was sealed. Beauty must be sacrificed, and so Rainbow Dash must die.

Winner of the 2023 EFNW Iron Author Contest. I think I beat out about 40 other writers, and it was hugely exciting to win. Hope you enjoy the read!

Prompts were: vibrant vestigial, vexing volcano, verdant vegetable. Pretty insane for prompts, but Xepher had to pronounce all the Aztec words in my story so I think we're even.

Lives are controlled. Communication is monitored. Anything deemed improper is censored. If you want to send messages in private, you need to do it physically, with couriers known as Runners.

Rainbow Dash is a Runner. It's not the greatest job, but it's for a good cause.

The government is hunting Runners. If they think you're carrying information they don't want you carrying, they'll come after you with everything they've got. They have nigh-limitless resources at their disposal: enforcers, vehicles, surveillance. Your life will be on the line until you submit. They will find you and they will hunt you down, and your only defense will be your wits and your ability to run.

Now it's the greatest job.

An experiment in atmosphere, entered in the Science Fiction Contest II because it inspired me to finish it. A thematic crossover with Mirror's Edge; no non-pony knowledge required.

This story is a sequel to Long Road to Friendship

It is a new year for Sunset Shimmer; a fresh chance at real happiness with her five best friends and her girlfriend. But Sunset is constantly troubled by her uncertain future, and haunted by the consequences of her past.

For her battle against Princess Twilight has drawn forth ancient forces with eyes on the last bastion of magic: Canterlot City.

As darkness closes in, Sunset must find her light and guide her friends to defend their world against old rivals and legends best left forgotten, all while dealing with their ever-looming futures.

But when graduation comes, what will Sunset Shimmer do? For she is still a stranger in this world, with or without her friends, and the road before her guarantees nothing.

Of course, with the universe conspiring against her, it'll be a miracle if she even makes it that far...

Story plot edited by HenryAnthonyCourtler
Pre-read by DrakeyC
Wonderful cover art designed by HanasakiYunarin!
Text added by Amber Spark!
The page of Spectacular Tropes!
Presenting the French translation!

Tortured by guilt, shame, and the shadow of Nightmare Moon always inside her, Luna passes the ages locked in a prison on her beloved moon. As the thousandth year approaches, she must make a choice whether to face her darkness or be consumed by it.

For a thousand years, the alicorns of House Solaris have ruled over the ponies of Equestria with wisdom and care. Now, in the present, Twilight, youngest daughter of the Queen, goes about her day as befits a Princess of the Realm.

It has been fifteen years since the Battle of the Bell, that terrible day when friendship failed and the forces of evil were triumphant. The conquerors of Equestria carved the land into three and settled into their rule, comfortable in the knowledge that nopony would ever be able to stand against them again.

In her home, a manor-house she calls Story's End, the Empress Cozy Glow receives an unexpected visit from a most expected visitor. It's a night she has long anticipated; the absolute final victory over the forces of light and love. After all, what has she to fear?

How much of a threat could an exiled princess from the far north possibly pose?

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Cover art borrowed from lilith1light.

Ten years ago, Twilight made the ultimate sacrifice in order to defeat Tirek. Equestria has been in a state of civil war ever since.

Canterlot has at last fallen, and the six heroes of the rebellion now go to face the ultimate challenge: defeating the godlike Twilight Sparkle. What they expect to be a brutal, hard won quest for glory and Equestria's salvation turns into something entirely different... and now they face a choice.

This story is a reaction piece against the Tyrant Sparkle trope.

Special thanks to Absolution for pre-reading and Danger Beans for proofreading.

Cover art credit: BluestreakFUS

Now with a Chinese Translation courtesy of Hellagur.

(Recommended that you watch up to Tempest Shadow's first appearance in "My Little Pony: The Movie" to fully get it)

Tempest Shadow. Greatest warrior of The Storm King's army, powerful wielder of raw magic, able to fight most Earth Ponies to a standstill. Though not the most strategic of minds, it would seem. However, Twilight Sparkle is more than happy to teach her the lesson of "Why Attacking Equestria When it's Most Powerful Protectors are in One Place is a Bad Idea".

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A simple short bit of writing that I came up with after watching "My Little Pony: The Movie". Just poking fun at the biggest plot hole of the flick, not meaning to be some grand epic. Though I do have ideas for a more serious series based on this, if anyone is interested.

If I've categorized this story wrong, please let me know and I'll attempt to rectify it. This is my first attempt at using this particular interface, and it's a bit confusing for me.

A more realistic take on the opening events of the MLP movie, where the entire cast is NOT hit by plot mandated incompetence. It is, as expected, significantly shorter.

(Minor spoilers for first 15 minutes of the MLP movie, but 90% consisting of what would already be known from the trailers.)

Cover image borrowed from DashieMLPFim

Twilight Sparkle was cursed, imprisoned into a castle. The only way for her to be freed was for her True Love to kill the great dragon guarding her. For years, suitors lined up in front of her castle. Today, she is waiting for her love to come.