An alternate take on events that begins in the middle of Chapter 2, Episode 6 ("The Traditional Unicorn Sleep-Over") of Make Your Mark. This story assumes reader knowledge of the show up to that point.

Zipp had a lot of suspicions about Misty, the strange unicorn that Izzy had met in town earlier that day and invited to an impromptu sleepover party at the Brighthouse. But while she'd been exercising her detective skills on their guest all night as the oddities surrounding her piled up, she hadn't meant to drive Misty away. So when, after Misty flees from the party in a panic, Zipp notices that she's still out in the Brighthouse's garden, pacing frantically, Zipp decides to see if she can talk to her, and figure out just what is going on with this curious new pony.

And what she learns may well give Zipp room for pause -- and a need to exercise some comfort skills.

Please note that while this fic is rated E, there is some mild discussion of parental/familial abuse.

A reading from StraightToThePoint Studio is now available! Also featured on Equestria Daily!

Cover art by emera33; used with permission. Pre-read by TCC56 and Goldenwing.

Featured 10/9/22-10/12/22!

Sometimes Dad can be gone for a while when he goes on one of his research trips. But sometimes he brings back something special. Today he brings back a strange statue of a pegasus frozen in fright.

Written for the 2022 May Pairings Contest.

Time and water have a lot in common.

They erode stone, help plants grow, and follow their own course... usually.

When an unusual tide carries with it a far-flung summer fling, Sunny Starscout discovers an exception to the rule and a mysterious teenage colt who may change her life forever.

A Sunny Starscout x Sandbar shipfic written for the 2022 Crackship Contest.

Thanks to Saddlesoap Opera and Patchwork Poltergeist for their prereading, editing, and support, and a second thanks to Saddles for making the picture for this fic.

Hitch never expected he would be here, making friends with the pegasi and unicorns. Yet here he is, for better or for worse, and in this moment, he takes the opportunity to think back to his past. Everything that has he's encountered has made him the pony he is - how could any of these other ponies possibly understand that?

Pipp, however, might just understand more than he realizes.

Written for Omegathyst for Jinglemas 2021

Zipp packs up her now-obsolete flight lab.

Sunny believed the tales. Really believed, in a way that most ponies didn't anymore. About the Elements of Harmony, and about Twilight Sparkle. Back when Equestria had princesses, and was whole, when every creature knew the real power of Friendship. She believed⁠—and she knew that, one day, if she believed hard enough, it could be again.

Elsewhere, distant, Twilight Sparkle watches her would-be student, and frets.

A Russian translation by NovemberDragon is available here. | Русский перевод от NovemberDragon доступен здесь.

A Chinese translation by forgivenlove is available here here. | 这里有forgivenlove的中文翻译。

A reading by ObabScribbler is available here.

Part 1 of Equestrian Scions, which continues with The Dreamer and Me.

A late addition to the "But what happened to Equestria?" story pile.

[04/29/21 - 05/02/21] Featured. That's a first for me. Thank you all so much.

This story is a sequel to Your Faithful Disciple

Izzy Moonbow has always been a dreamer. Her imagination is boundless, and her energy bottomless. Most of her family and friends have learned to take what she says with a grain of salt. So when Izzy starts talking about her dream of the mare with the mane made of stardust, most everypony goes on with their lives. Magical manes? Alicorn princesses? Myths; relics of bygone history. 

But Izzy knows that Luna is real. And Luna has a dream…

A Chinese translation by forgivenlove is available here here. | 这里有forgivenlove的中文翻译。

Part 2 of Equestrian Scions, which began with Your Faithful Disciple and continues with To Be a Princess.

[08/13 - 8/16] - Made it into the featured box at some point during the quiet hours of late night/early morning and was still there two days later. Thank you.

Cover art by pkbunny, used without explicit permission; if the use of the image offends, I will gladly remove it.

This story is a sequel to To Be a Princess

It’s a wide world out there, and Zipp Storm wants to see it all. Too bad she spends most of her time locked up in a castle. The burdens of royalty and popularity don’t sit well on her shoulders—not like they do on her sister’s, at any rate. Her passions and destiny lie outside the walls of the castle or the streets of Zephyr Heights.

So what if she has to sneak out without getting caught? By this point, she’s pretty good at it.

Flurry Heart has found a kindred spirit.

Part 4 of Equestrian Scions, which began with Your Faithful Disciple; this story is preceded by To Be a Princess, and followed by the conclusion, Shine Like the Sun.

Cover art by Swaybat, used without explicit permission. If the use of the art offends, I will gladly remove it.

09/02 - 9/03 - Despite the controversy in the comments (or perhaps because of it), featured. Thank you, though given the feedback so far I think this is far from my best work.

This story is a sequel to The Dreamer and Me

Princess Pipp Petals lives in a castle on a mountain on top of the world. She has everything she wants (except a working pair of wings). Yet as she looks down over Zephyr Heights and to the lowlands of Equestria below, she cannot help but feel dissatisfied. What is it that she is missing? She who has everything money can buy and a family that does not want for success?

Cadance has seen her type before.

Part 3 of Equestrian Scions, which began with Your Faithful Disciple; this story was preceded by The Dreamer and Me, and is followed by Hope and the Horizon.

Covert art by Cloudberry_mess, used without explicit permission; if use of the image offends, I will gladly remove it.

This story is a sequel to Hope and the Horizon

Hitch Trailblazer’s family has always been important to Maretime Bay. Their lineage goes back to the founding of the town. And now, with the sheriff’s badge pinned to his shoulder strap, all the weight of that legacy is coming down on him. He has a lot to live up to. But he’ll be okay.

Elsewhere, distant, Celestia watches and ruminates on her choices.

More than one dawn will happen in Equestria today.

[09/23 - 9/24] Briefly featured. Thanks, all--and happy G5!

Part 5 and the finale of the Equestrian Scions, which began with Your Faithful Disciple; this story was preceded by Hope and the Horizon.

Cover art by sofiko-ko, used without explicit permission. If use of the image offends, I will gladly remove it.