She would rather stay in a cave,
she would rather blend into their society,
she would rather find a box and live in it,
she would rather be ANYWHERE but there,
but she knew he could help; that he could aid her in her plans of revenge.
If only he wasn't such an idiot...a stupid, lazy, adorable idiot.

Time in Ponyville has broken. Everypony is dealing with it in some way or another—except you. You're fine, somehow. Oh, and me. I suppose that's where things start. Let's be on with it then, shall we?

Twilight accidentally steps on a snail. This makes her sad. As the years go on, several other things happen.

I thought this was my first story rated 'everyone', but it isn't. It kind of is though? Anyway.

All the ponies from Miss Cheerilee's class have returned for the reunion.

All but one.

Written for EQD's Writer's Training Grounds #009.

(Audio version by Pony Tales.)

I thought it was just a particularly hot summer. When my friends and the rest of the town started acting weird, I thought it was just the heat. After all, we've had heatwaves before, and those always drive ponies a little crazy. That's what I told myself, anyway.

And then I did some digging and realized I was right... and also very, very wrong.

Time may heal all wounds, but the scars and trauma left behind could change those affected in both expected and unexpected ways, and not always for the better. For some, time is enough, but for others, something more is needed. A distraction. Something to cling to when you feel there's nothing left. For the Princess of Equestria, that something was a mystery better left unsolved.

Fantastic cover art once again done by Mix-up!

Celestia is lost. She needs to get home.

This story was written for the 2023 FimFic Science Fiction Contest. It placed somewhere.

Co-written by HPBudgecraft.
Edited by James Fire.
Pre-read by Samey90 and Majin Syeekoh.
Now with a reading by Zachmoviefan.

Sleep paralysis: a state in which one is aware, but incapable of movement or speech. It occurs when awakening or falling asleep. It is said that between eight to fifty percent of the population will experience it at some time in their life.

It is during this time that one may hear, feel, or see things that are not actually there. Beings of shadow or darkness that seem to wish to cause harm to the victim of the paralysis.

For Princess Luna, she's about to experience the horror of it all first hand.

Lightning Dust's lived a successful life. She's a hero of Amareica, a top tier Wonderbolt, and a legend among her friends. But nothing she does will ever bring Octavia back.

It's been seven years since Lightning Dust's wife died. That's about to change.

Originally written for a Sofa and Quills Speedwriting Contest where it placed third. The story was conceptualized and written in the span of an hour with the themes 'Dream' and 'No Way Home.' The original version is the second chapter, the first chapter is an extended version written after the contest.

Equestria's last night is nigh. Next evening it will be ash. Twilight slips off with but the past to bargain with. Can she buy a future?