Twilight Sparkle, now Princess of Equestria, discovers that Celestia and Luna are spending their retirement larping as powerful spellcasters in the backyard pine forests of Ponyville.

Cover image by Hispers.

Princess Luna faces a philosophical quandary that challenges the very concept of Equestria's cuboid storage devices.

Chrysalis is beaten. Her invasion of Canterlot has failed. Her hive has been scattered to the winds. And with Equestria on guard, love is in short supply. She has failed her people, and now the future looks bleak and grim.

But there’s a change in the air. Chrysalis can feel it in her bones and in her dreams. Something is calling to her, drawing her and the remnants of her hive north. To the place the changelings once called home.

Placed sixth in the August 2015 Write-Off Event: Distant Shores.

The secret of Santa Hooves is, there's not just one. There are thousands... all of them changelings, bound by an ancient pact to deliver presents in exchange for love to get through the winter. Times have changed, and the changelings no longer need the love, but they honor the pact... even Queen Chrysalis.

Even though it goes against everything she believes.

Because some ancient beings you just don't cross- even if it means dealing with a little pony brat who wants to bake cookies on Hearth's Warming Eve.

Besides, every year somepony has to save Hearth's Warming. This year it's Chryssy's turn.

(Don't worry. She does it. Even if she hates doing it.)

(And featured from Christmas Day through 12-29-2018! Thanks, everyone!)

Cover art by AmethystLongcat.

Part of the Remember Fort Libris print anthology, thanks to our Kickstarter supporters!

Its been hectic, but Spike has finally settled in as Equestria's inter-species ambassador. His latest (and trickiest) meeting is with an eccentric equine hailing from Discord's dimension. She seems to want help with a personal problem.

I don't write Screwball stories often, since she strains my brain to its creative limit. Let's see if Spike fields her any better than I do.

This is an entry in the Snippet Series, an anthology of old oneshots that I (and my good buddy Str8aura) wrote based around interesting pics I found. New ones will be posted every other Thursday for the foreseeable future.

Everygriff's got to do their part for Mt. Aris, what with trouble on the horizon; and what can be done, by whoever can do it, should be done. And if Queen Novo needs a face for the country - a perky, cheerful, smiling face to keep the general public happy and enthusiastic enough to soldier on as always, who better to do it than a hippogriff who's reputation abroad was that she could turn the world on with her smile?

Mt. Aris needs a personality to sell. Silverstream fits the bill. It's nothing less than her friends would do for their countries.

And what's a few silly comments compared to the happiness of others? It's no less than her friends could do, right?

All my thanks to WandererD for his help, Equestria at War for being an indirect inspiration - though not a 1:1 for the story's setting - and Best girl for being amazingly cute and lovable.

Sorry for hurting the things I love.

Art does not belong to me, and will be taken down upon request.

A human, having suffered due to the mysterious means of his transmission from one world to another, is stuck in bed recovering from his injures. While a little alarmed to find that the one looking after him is not human herself, he can't do much about it.

It helps that - as he finds - she's also rather good company.

One second she was about to taste the sweet and delicious victory she's been yearning for since she was imprisoned.

"You're a pony yourself, aren't you? I'd be damned if you were the next one to bring my downfall, pony."

Instead, she's tasting the Castle floor as her mind began to fully understand the situation she was in. All decisive thoughts were thrown out the window. There was only anger and pain.

It's a sunny afternoon, and all of the girls have managed to gather for a picnic on a hill.

Each has drifted in their own way; life has called them somewhere else.

Twilight Sparkle struggles to bring them back together: to make those giddy times return.

You have to learn how to say goodbye in life. Goodbye to friends and farewell to family.

But, sometimes, there's the odd few that will always be with you.

This story is a sequel to Why Ancient Rituals Don't Always Work

It's been almost eleven months since the event at the Ancient Mareyan Sun Temple. Ahuizota and Derring Do are settling into the life of a family, ready to raise their kid. There's still much for the young couple to learn, and it can only be taught with time.

They just cross fingers and feathers and hope they don't screw it up.

*****
A/N:
Title name by The Shade