Community service isn't exactly fun. Sunset Shimmer is learning that the hard way—especially when Saffron Masala keeps cooking extra meals that their soup kitchen couldn't pay people to eat. It's not fun, it's not worth it, and it's never ever ever going to change. And... for some reason, it seems Saffron's okay with that.

Now, six Wednesday nights out from the disastrous Fall Formal, Sunset decides that she might as well ask Saffron why.

Written for the May Pairings 2024 contest. Special thanks to my editors Octavia Harmony and Monochromatic, and to all of my wonderful prereaders. Art by me!

Discord can have good behavior, even when nursing a broken heart over his best friend. It's when her heart is broken that he can't do it anymore.

It's a good thing he has a friend to help him give her space.

At least ten years of unrequited fluttercord included. This is my submission for the dialogue only contest.

A pony approaches with an unusual request.

Written for the Dialogue Only contest. I’m taking the “no narration” challenge to heart and want the dialogue to do the scene-setting. For those of you who’d like slightly more info to go on:

Princess Twilight Sparkle, Equestria’s sole lawmaker, is holding court. Lyra Heartstrings approaches to ask her to change a very specific edict.

The Legion Of Doom are finally free from the stultifying confines of their stone prison! There's just one thing stopping them from resuming their terrifying campaign of terror though, and it's a pretty major one...

Anon is enjoying a cup of coffee and a great book in Twilight's library, but the arrival of a pegasus turns his life upside down.

It might also be a response to that, or it might not. (Not intended, but things click.)

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!

The nine mercenaries of Teufort hold several beliefs in common: weapon maintenance is vital, everyone else on the team is crazy, and a good hat is precious. Dell's a little worried about having two strange specimens from that last category just appear, but -- hats are hats, and one of them has already been claimed. Maybe it'll end there.

Maybe the original owners won't show up to take them back.

Maybe said owners aren't small magic-wielding equines.

...well, crap.

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

Rated C for Concheror Crackfic.

Fifty-odd years after Twilight Sparkle took the throne, Equestria is in a golden age of technomagical innovation, with concepts from the human world competing with entirely original innovations in an upward spiral of ingenuity that promises to last forever.

… Sorry, make that promised to last forever.

On an entirely unrelated note, two elderly twin unicorns just teleported to an uncharted tropical island.

A double entry in the Dialogue-Only contest and the Tropical Post-Apocalyptic contest. Rated Teen for references to alcohol and almost certain death.

Applejack has some chores to do.

Rarity wants to go on the lake.

Come hell or high water, one of these girls will get what they want.

An entry into the Dialogue-Only Contest.

In this world, there is one thing that scares Trixie to death, and another one worth dying for.

An overdue dedication to a great and powerful friend and Trixie writer, Ninjadeadbeard, which may not be proper to put here due to the present themes but is only fair, as his legacy and our memories of him will live on forever.

Many thanks to ThePeer, Mockingbirb, Rego, Bronie312,Bean, Riley, 6-D pegasus and Buck Swisher for their invaluable input and to Felfox for the amazing cover art, check his twitter for more masterpieces.