This story is a sequel to The Empty Room

It is six months after the Fall of the Guardian. The Mane Six and all of Equestria are coping with the losses they have suffered, but the day seems lighter than it was before. Yet unnoticed among the dust of the Fall, a shadow begins again to stir...

A/N This story is set six months after the conclusion of Wanderer D's excellent work "The Empty Room" and I highly recommend it. Constructive criticism, comments, and suggestions are eagerly, eagerly accepted. Hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing.

Obiter dicta -- things said in passing.

A collection of short stories, vignettes, and delete scenes, mostly based in the Civil Serviceverse and tending to be either slice of life or comedy. Also contains contest entries including FanOfMostEverything's Imposing Sovereigns.

Currently contains:

1. An Afternoon For Dotted Line [slice of life] [comedy]
2. The Game The Princesses Play [comedy]
3. On the Inaccuracy of Proverbs [slice of life] [comedy][sad]
4. The Nature of War [history]
5. On Forensic Accounting & Choral Singing [comedy]
6. Hoofprints [human][sad]
7. Dr. Spinning Top—Specimen Annotated Daily Schedule [slice of life]
8. Love and Other Acquired Tastes [comedy][sad]
9. Any Other Business? [comedy]
10. Songs Like Snow [romance]
11. Civics [comedy]
12. The Other Princess [slice of life] [comedy]

In the early days of Equestria, a dragon threatens the fledgling realm. It falls to Clover the Clever and Smart Cookie to find a way to defeat the beast.

Princess Platinum's helping too, though. Whether they want her to or not.

Cover art from the gallery of scrimpeh. Proofread by themaskedferret. Written for the Imposing Sovereigns contest and for the Marching Forth theme for the Time Action Glory Challenge! group.

Spanish translation, by SPANIARD-KIWI.

Dragon Lord Ember took her throne when she won the Bloodstone Scepter, and its ancient magic which controls dragon minds.

In a world linked to Equestria, a very different Ember chafes under her father's leadership, hungry to take ownership of the instinct-controlling power of the Bloodstone Crown.

Their two worlds are about to meet. And one dragon must take a desperate stand between Equestria and the deadly, unforgiving call of the wild.

* * *

Winner of the Imposing Sovereigns II contest!
"Equal parts character piece and action movie, and it is amazing. I can’t recommend it enough." –FanOfMostEverything
"For anyone who thinks that ‘mere’ fanfiction cannot be art, I can safely add this to the list of counterarguments." –cleverpun
"This is a good story, an important story, because it is so very relevant. Behind the fire, scales and teeth, is a very simple but incredibly real story about finding one’s true place in the world." –Venerable Ro

Highly Recommended by Present Perfect! "Treat yourself to the most unique story on Fimfiction ... a pulse-pounding thriller that explores Dragon Lord Ember in ways no one else has."
Featured by Seattle's Angels! "[Horizon] goes the extra mile ... if you’re looking for a great character-driven story about characters confronting their EqG counterparts, but especially if you are a fan of Ember or just dragons in general, then go check this out."
Recommended by brokenimage321! "Drop what you're doing and go read [it] ... A moving story about inadequacy and adaptation. And it has some of the best combat scenes I've ever read, in any genre, period."
Recommended by HapHazred! "Distinctively written ... Exciting, interesting, and gets more intense and cerebral as time goes on."
Reviewed by cleverpun! "[W]ell worth your time."

A huge thank you to Skywriter for prereading assistance!

This story is a sequel to Administrative Angel

Discord is having a gloriously unlucky day. First he accidentally got sucked into a human high-school version of Equestria. Then he got stuck there after blowing up the portal home. His life hasn't been this chaotic in ages!

But a burst of reverse future memory is about to convince him to destroy this new world — and the power of Harmony seems to be on his side. Against those odds, it will take the full wit, courage, and magic of Celestia and Luna to save the day.

No, not the Princesses.  That would have been simple.

Rated 'Why Haven't You Read This Yet?' by PaulAsaran! "I can’t stress enough how good this was in all aspects, from the narrative voice to the characterizations to the creativity underlining it all, to say nothing for how much fun it is. ... I greatly enjoyed this and think most people will too, be you a casual reader just wanting to enjoy Discord, a more technically minded one looking to see Discord done right, or someone who just wants a worthy follow up of Administrative Angel."

Recommended by Present Perfect! "The same strong writing and the same authorly voice as the original ... it's thrilling watching a world-ending threat through the villain's eyes."

Silver medalist in the January 2019 "Reversal of Fortune" Writeoff! Significantly expanded and edited for FIMFiction!

Praise for the Writeoff version:
"There are clever stories that make you feel smart, and clever stories that make you feel dumb, and I'm finding this very much in the first category." –Chris
"Things just don't stop moving." –Xepher

Fifty years ago, the first thing most ponies thought when they heard the word "Ponyville" was "What?"

Ten years ago, it was "Monster attacks."

Right now, it's "Princess Twilight Sparkle," which is certainly a step in the right direction. Mayor Mare wants to keep up the momentum, but she needs help. And it just so happens that Twilight needs a favor to push this "School of Friendship" she's so eager to build past the zoning board...

Awarded "Most Creative Plot" in the Original Parings group's May 2020 Pairings Contest.

After a few moons in Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle has confirmed that everypony there is indeed crazy. But it's a fun kind of crazy, one she's come to appreciate.

She's much less appreciative when it comes to madness waiting for her back in Canterlot.

Cover cobbled together from this vector and this site for escape rooms. Rated Teen for Lunar ribaldry. Preread by Speckle.

Sunset Shimmer ran away. There's really no other way to say it. One can call it exile, tactical retreat, or even a permanent change in residence, but the facts are the same. She turned her back on the only reality she had ever known, and ran away. By the time she stopped to look back, the damage was done. It was too late. Celestia would never forgive her. She would never forgive herself.

There's someone else who will, though.

Written for Fan of Most Everything's Imposing Sovereigns contest.

Twilight Sparkle is delirious from lack of sleep; Rainbow Dash is Rainbow Dash. They fight crime. Sort of.

[Season 2-ish]

The guards are scared to say it.

Sunset Shimmer has returned to Canterlot.

And the Princess is furious...

Not in continuity with my other stories. Just something that popped into my head one day.

Spell Nexus (mentioned only) is from Past Sins, by Pen Stroke