Cloud Wander's Tonight I Shall Be Laughter

We resume our regularly-scheduled pony reading with our first Comedy entry - lighter fare for the end of the year. Keep an eye out for subtle allusions to both historical figures and one of the best comic fantasy authors of our day.

[Comedy] • 8,500 words
Luna decides to work on her Element of Laughter. The Commander of the Lunar Guard gives chase.

Hit the break for a few more well-turned words from Cloud Wander, and links to Tonight I Shall Be Laughter on the ponynet. Check out the Downloads page for an eBook that works for you!

Christmas Break

Hello,  dear readers!

I am still recovering from a Christmas weekend spent with my family and girlfriend - and the previous week wrapping up loose ends at my day job in preparation for the time off - and so have not had time to prepare a Vault post for today. Our regularly-scheduled service will resume this Friday with Cloud Wander's excellent Tonight I Shall Be Laughter.

I hope you all had a safe and happy holiday, and enjoy these last remaining days of 2011.

Ebon Mane's Ships & Notes

This is the third entry in a row featuring a romantic tragedy... if that's not your cup of tea, my apologies! I'll have to start mixing it up. For today, though, we have a two-parter that tugs at the ol' heartstrings.

[Shipping][Tragedy] • 4,500 words
Friendships don't always last, time isn't always well-spent, and not everyone gets a happy ending. Everypony has their regrets, paths not taken, failures and lost loves. Sometimes, it's too late for second chances.

Hit the break for a few words from the good Ebon Mane, and links to Ships That Pass in the Night and The Three Notes on your favorite pony sites; check out the Downloads page for an eBook compilation of the two.

Melionos' Black and White

Today's Vault entry is a sad, sweet story of love and loss that seems to connect and speak to its readers very well... possibly because, like our last entry, it draws a great deal from the author's own life.

[Shipping][Tragedy] • 7,400 words
Lyra receives a mysterious book from an old friend, confessing a depth of feelings she never knew existed.

As usual, hit the break for an interview with Melionos himself, and links to Black and White wherever fine pony literature can be found - and don't forget to get your copy from the Downloads page as well.

Twilight Snarkle's Two Ponies

Today we have a sorrowful but sweet look into the lives of some original characters. It may come as a surprise, but the Mane 6 and our favorite background characters aren't the only ponies in Ponyville...

[Shipping][Tragedy] • 11,900 words
Smudge loved well, and loved deeply. Too deeply, perhaps, for the pony left behind.

Hit the break for a fun yet insightful interview with Mr. Snarkle himself, and links to Two Ponies on your favorite pony sites - and don't forget to head over to the Downloads page to grab an eBook copy!

Blaze's The Conversion Bureau

Today's Vault entry is special in a number of ways. To begin with, it is currently incomplete, and most likely will never be finished (in general, only completed works will be added to the Vault). But more importantly, it can be thought of as the Helen of Troy of Friendship is Magic fanfiction - the fic that launched a thousand spinoffs, many of which are better-known, better-read, and arguably better-written than the original. However, this is the story that started it all, and it is therefore the first Classic included in the Vault.

[Adventure][Human Crossover] • 20,300 words
The ponies and the humans have lived together in harmony for centuries. Equestria is an island inhabited entirely by ponies, and some have branched off to live with humans. However, the humans, seeing their bleak world and accepting that they have made too many mistakes in their world to fix, have decided to open facilities to convert humans into ponies and live in peaceful Equestria.

Hit the break for an interview with Blaze - whose opinion of his own work may surprise you - and links to read it on your favorite pony sites. As always, there are eBook copies in various formats available on the Downloads page.

If you need more Conversion Bureau goodness, Midnight Shadow (a Vault alum and prereader for EqD) maintains a guide to the Conversion Bureau's various continuities, and a directory of all Conversion Bureau stories.

Thanqol's The Old Stories

Today we have some worldbuilding, a look into Equestria's deep past, and a reminder that history and myth is rarely truly accurate.

[Slice-of-Life] • 9,200 words
There are stories which define us. Stories that inspire us. And there are stories that damn us.

Hit the break for an interview with Thanqol and links to The Old Stories on your favorite pony sites, and check out the Downloads page for an eBook copy!

Vanner's Carousel

There seems to be something about Rarity that draws interest into her backstory... and for some reason, it's usually sad. Today's Vault entry is another character study of Ponyville's resident white unicorn, exploring her relationship with her father.

[Tragedy] • 8,400 words
When Fluttershy asks Rarity where she learned to sew, she learns that remembering where you came from isn't always easy.

Hit the break to get some insight into Vanner's thoughts and process, and read Carousel on your favorite pony sites. Don't forget to check out the Downloads page for an eBook copy!

Butterscotch Sundae's The Party Hasn't Ended

If you like good PinkieDash shipping story, look no further! This epic tale brings us along into their dreams and nightmares, as they come closer than they ever expected to be.

[Adventure][Shipping][Tragedy] • 54,300 words
Pinkie Pie's unrequited love for Rainbow Dash reaches a crisis point as she fears the party in her heart has at long last come to an end.

Hit the break for an interview with Butters herself and links to The Party Never Ended on your favorite pony sites, and check out the Downloads page to grab a copy in your preferred eBook format!

If you're interested in more Butterscotchy goodness and the idea of a mature discussion about sexuality and clopfiction doesn't upset you, check out another interview she did with Doctor Dapples, one of our previous Vault authors. (Fun fact: the good Doctor's interviews with Butterscotch and Coffeebean were part of the inspiration behind including author interviews here at the Vault!)

Saddlesoap Opera's Pony Psychology Series

Perhaps one of the best-known fanfiction sagas in the fandom, today's Vault entry examines the psyches of the main characters and some fan-favorite characters... and the weaknesses that can be found therein.

[Adventure][Shipping][Tragedy] • 61,800 words
One by one, Twilight and her friends must come to terms with the consequences of being the Elements of Harmony.

As usual, hit the break for a discussion with Saddlesoap about his work and links to the story on your favorite pony sites, and check out the Downloads page for a copy in your preferred eBook format!

Patchwork Poltergeist's Somewhere Only We Know

Today's Vault entry is a beautiful, sad story of a broken mare who dreams of a better life... or a brash young pegasus haunted by nightmares of a world without color.

[Tragedy] • 4,700 words
Every night, in a little stable just outside of town, an old mare lays down to sleep. And every night she has the same dream of rainbows and open sky...

Hit the break for a look into the mind of Patchwork Poltergeist, along with links to the story on just about every pony site out there! And don't forget to check out the Downloads page to get Somewhere Only We Know in your favorite eBook format.

Somber's Simply Rarity

Today we have an in-depth character study of everyone's favorite fashionista, revealing a hidden past that has shaped her present.

[Tragedy] • 8,500 words
An argument between her friends has brought to question Rarity's generosity. Can a unicorn who's had everything and nothing truly be generous?

Hit the break for a few words from Somber himself and links to Simply Rarity on your favorite sites, and check out the Downloads page for copies in your preferred eBook format.

Pride's Arddun Lleuad

Today's Vault entry is an excellent example of a genre that's difficult to do well - a human in Equestria. Perhaps even more ambitiously, it ships said human with everyone's favorite Princess of the Night, and succeeds wonderfully.

[Adventure][Shipping][Human Crossover] • 40,200 words
University student Chester Llewellyn tries to survive in the Everfree Forest after being torn from Earth without warning or reason. But Equestria has sent a legendary war hero to personally recover him, for at the tallest point of Equestria, somepony needs Chester, and fast.

Hit the break for a particularly verbose interview with Pride and links to Arddun Lleuad on your favorite pony sites, and check out the Downloads page to grab it in your preferred eBook format!

I count myself lucky to have gotten this chance to learn more of Pride before his self-imposed exile from the fandom. If you were not aware, his final act as a brony was to release the sequel to Arddun Lleuad on his deviantArt account. Chwe Goleadau was originally only available from Pride as a downloadable Word document; it is now also online at the Pony Fiction Archive.

Doctor Dapples's La Poulain de Rue

This third addition to the Vault gives us a brief look into the darker side of Ponyville, a life as a foal of the street.

[Tragedy] • 1,800 words
Scootaloo reflects on her life on the streets of Ponyville, without a home and without a family.

Hit the break for an interview with the good Doctor himself and links to La Poulain de Rue on your favorite pony sites, and check out the Downloads page to grab it in your preferred eBook format!

Midnight Shadow's The Midnight Run

Our second Vault entry and author highlight is a thought-provoking exploration of what it means to be an earth pony and how their inherent magic affects their world.

[Adventure] • 3,100 words
Twilight is approached by Applejack with a strange request - to join her that night for a run, but all is not as it seems. Why is Applejack so nervous? What could this be about?

Hit the break for an interview with Midnight and links to The Midnight Run on your favorite pony sites, and check out the Downloads page to grab it in your preferred eBook format!

Syrin Kitty's Common Sky

For our inaugural Vault entry and author highlight, I am pleased to bring you my favorite Twilight x Luna fic by one of my favorite authors; a touching story exploring the first few steps of a new relationship.

[Shipping] • 21,000 words
Twilight ventures out into the mountains to see a once-in-a-lifetime event. Disappointed by her friends not coming with her, she crosses paths with a kindred spirit.

Hit the break for an interview with Syrin and links to Common Sky on your favorite pony sites, and check out the Downloads page to grab it in your preferred eBook format!