Corejo's Reading Rainbow

Hasbro/DHX really missed the boat – how cool would it have been if season 2, episode 16 was named "Reading Rainbow" and the doctor was voiced by Levar Burton?

[Slice-of-Life] • 7,300 words
When a freak reading accident causes Twilight to be admitted to the Ponyville hospital, Rainbow Dash is right by her side. Compelled by a sense of duty and repayment, she takes it upon herself to cheer up her friend.

Hit the break for a chat with Corejo and links to Reading Rainbow out on the ponynet. Don't forget to grab your own ebook copy over at the Downloads page!

PoweredByTea's Never So Far Away

Simple, meditative, a breath of fresh air. The polar opposite of last week, really. The sort of story that should be enjoyed with a cup of tea or a summer's breeze.

[Slice-of-Life] • 3,500 words
Twilight takes a walk in the woods near Canterlot to clear her mind, when a mischievous little phoenix starts dropping chestnut shells on her head. Quite a familiar mischievous little phoenix.

Hit the break for quite a few words from PoweredByTea and a link to Never So Far Away out on the ponynet. Don't forget to grab yourself an ebook copy over at the Downloads page!

darf's A Single Step

You never really know what little events in your past, maybe even ones you've forgotten, have shaped you into the person you are today.

[Slice of Life] • 5,800 words
Twilight accidentally steps on a snail. This makes her sad. As the years go on, several other things happen.

Hit the break for a chat with darf and a link to A Single Step out on the ponynet. Don't forget to grab your own ebook copy over at the Downloads page!

Hoopy McGee's The Keepers of Discord

Discord is a fascinating character, as ponyfic has explored before. But just how does chaos incarnate stand being sealed in immovable stone for all eternity? (Assuming, of course, there's no Fluttershy around to bring him around.)

[Slice-of-Life] • 10,600 words
You'd think that being trapped in stone would mean that, if nothing else, I could get some peace and quiet. Unfortunately, it seems that Celestia has other ideas.

She has appointed these ponies... these 'Keepers', as she calls them, to keep me entertained during my incarceration.

Honestly? I'd prefer the boredom.

Hit the break for a few words from Hoopy McGee, and links to The Keepers of Discord out on the ponynet. Don't forget to grab your own ebook copy over at the Downloads page!

Cynewulf's This is a Story You Will Never Read

As we've all learned, friendship is magic. But even if you have many close, treasured friendships, sometimes you still feel lonely.

[Slice-of-Life] • 3,800 words
Twilight Sparkle is used to being lonely. Sure, she's got friends now, but sometimes they're busy and you're left to your own devices. When these times come, she takes refuge in a particular place and partakes in a very particular activity: writing. Specifically, silly throwaway writings. Why? Well, they're safe.

Hit the break for a chat with Cynewulf and a link to This is a Story You Will Never Read out on the ponynet. Don't forget to grab yourself an ebook copy over at the Downloads page!

OtterMatt's Somepony Else's Story

Sometimes as I'm driving, I look around at the cars surrounding me, and meditate (briefly) on the strange concept that nothing about me matters to any of the drivers I'm surrounded by, all of us speeding off to do something that matters very much to each of us and not at all to everyone else. We are all of us background characters in everyone else's lives.

[Slice-of-Life] • 2,800 words
Vinyl Scratch walks into a bar. There is no punchline.

Hit the break for a chat with OtterMatt and links to Somepony Else's Story out on the ponynet. Don't forget to grab your ebook copies over at the Downloads page!

D G D Davidson's Forever

In a land where females vastly outnumber males, is friendship magic... or a necessity? What do you do when your best friend leaves?

[Slice-of-Life] • 5,200 words
On the eve of her departure, Lyra pledges her love to Bon Bon.

Hit the break for a chat with D G D Davidson and a link to Forever online. Don't forget to grab your own ebook copy over at the Downloads page!

applecinnamonspice's Fire Spores

Spike really doesn't get enough love, in the show or in the fandom. Today's Vault entry reminds us that you should always make sure those who are important to you get enough love.

[Slice-of-Life] • 8,600 words
The friends we take for granted are often the ones that leave the largest impact on our lives. When Spike falls seriously ill with a mysterious disease and the ponies strive to nurse him back to health, Twilight Sparkle comes to grips with this very realization about her number one assistant—and friend.

Hit the break for a chat with applecinnamonspice and links to Fire Spores out on the ponynet! Don't forget to grab your own ebook copy over at the Downloads page.

Obselescence's In Memory Of

Everypony grows old eventually, and it can be a trying time for their loved ones.

[Slice-of-Life] • 7,100 words
Dear Princess Celestia,

I'm sorry I haven't written in a while. Things seem to be falling through the cracks lately. Spike thinks I should go see the doctor, but...

Hit the break for a chat with Obselescence, and links to In Memory Of out on the ponynet. Don't forget to grab your own copy over on the Downloads page!

GhostOfHeraclitus's Whom the Princesses Would Destroy...

Ah, the unsung heroes of the world. The janitors, the garbage-ponies, the staffers of the Equestria Civil Service. The glue and the lubricant that holds society together and keeps it running smoothly. Always a shame when something gums up the works...

[Comedy][Slice-of-Life] • 19,700 words
To Twilight Sparkle and Princess Celestia, it is a simple surprise visit to Canterlot. To the ponies of the Equestrian Civil Service, it is twenty-four hours of chaos, politics, weaponized dessert, politics, underhooved manipulation of media, politics, and things batrachian and tentacular. Who said bureaucracy isn't exciting?

Hit the break for a chat with GhostOfHeraclitus, and links to Whom the Princesses Would Destroy... out on the ponynet. Don't forget to grab a copy in your preferred ebook format over at the Downloads page!

Skywriter's A Short Story by Twilight Sparkle

I feel strongly that today's story should be required reading for any aspiring author. It has a powerful message, about what writing is and why you should keep at it and the idea of perfection.

[Slice-of-Life] • 2,600 words
Princess Celestia helps to banish a hoofful of inner demons lurking deep in the heart of a troubled author. Metafiction, again, ensues.

Hit the break for a few words from Skywriter, and a link to A Short Story by Twilight Sparkle online. Don't forget to grab your own ebook copies over at the Downloads page!

Feather Sigil's I Am Chaos

Discord, as a character, has engendered a great deal of discussion and theorizing on just how exactly such a creature exists. Is he actually evil? As the spirit of Chaos, does he have any free will or must he always act in a way that is most guaranteed to 'shake things up', even if he doesn't feel like it at the moment? Can he ever not feel like it?

[Slice-of-Life] • 2,900 words
You think you know me so well, don’t you? I’m a spirit of chaos, and nothing else. You don’t even know the half of it! Sit back and indulge me for a little; I’ll make you understand what it truly means to be chaos itself.

Hit the break for a chat with Feather Sigil, and links to I Am Chaos out on the ponynet. As always, ebook copies are available over at the Downloads page!

determamfidd's It Takes a Village

Growing up is an adventure unto itself, especially when you're a dragon living among ponies.

[Slice-of-Life] • 147,700 words
Spike only wants things to stay the same. Time, however, has other ideas. He's going to need a lot of help...

Hit the break for a chat with determamfidd, and links to It Takes a Village out on the ponynet. Don't forget there are nice clean ebook copies waiting for you at the Downloads page!

Helljumper117's Firebird

There have been a fair few fics exploring the idea of immortality surrounding the princesses, but what of the solar princess's beloved companion? (Also have to laugh - I made a point of calling out the shortest fic here in the Vault on Wednesday, and today's entry dethrones it!)

[Slice-of-Life] • 1,100 words
Forever here. Forever faithful. Forever my friend.

Hit the break for a few words from Helljumper117, and links to Firebird out on the ponynet. Don't forget to grab a copy in your favorite ebook format over at the Downloads page!

kits's Who We Are

When I finished reading today's story, I had to sit back and take a deep breath. After all, I'd been holding it for nearly seventeen thousand words.

[Slice-of-Life] • 17,200 words
A letter from Celestia interrupts one of Pinkie's parties with disturbing news. Now friendships will be pushed to the limit as Twilight struggles to uncover which of her friends is not who, or even what, she appears to be.

Hit the break for a talk with kits, and links to Who We Are out on the ponynet. Don't forget to grab your own copy in ebook format over on the Downloads page!

Autumn Wind's A Drop of Sunlight: The Becoming of Sun Brandisher

When did ponies become ponies, and not just, yannow, horses? How did their civilization begin? Today you find out!

[Slice-of-Life] • 3,700 words
Long before the coming of the Princesses and the Modern Age, long before the coming of Discord and the Chaotic Age, and long even before the three breeds moved apart, the Age of Separation, there was the first age: The Age of Grazing.

The Age of Grazing was the birth and childhood of the world, where ponies made many discoveries that would one day shape the future of Equestria and its sister lands. Behind every great discovery was a bewildered pony, marveling at a mystery of the world.

This is the tale of one such pony. From mouth to mouth and quill to quill, from whinny to word and from neigh to notes, his name has been transformed and altered, but today, now that his tale has been immortalized in a thousand history books, he is known as Sun Brandisher.

Hit the break for a chat with Autumn Wind, and links to A Drop of Sunlight all around the ponynet. Don't forget to grab your own copy in ebook format over at the Downloads page!

Lamia's Diary of a Ruler

More Celestia! She's a fascinating character, really; what would an immortal's daily diary look like?

[Slice-of-Life] • 28,600 words
My name is Celestia. This is a kind of log, an epistolary detailing various portions of my experiences throughout my long life, and several analytical reflections that come to mind at times. Most importantly, it is a collection of personal thoughts as I struggle through my eternal life's hardships.

Now that my purpose has been discovered, I have decided to share these entries with everypony here; perhaps my own shared introspection over my lifetime could provide an alternative way of thinking to some. If not, then I hope I did not bore you. I realize much of it is pointless rambling, but I have chosen several entries that I believe may be of interest.

Enjoy, if you like.

Hit the break for a few words from Lamia, and links to Diary of a Ruler out around the ponynet. Don't forget to grab an ebook copy over at the Downloads page!

RazedRainbow's The Mill

There's a lot of pressure on a young person (or foal, as the case may be) - societal pressure, family pressure, peer pressure - but things generally work out in the end.

[Slice-of-Life] • 2,700 words
Apple Bloom had always dreamed of the day. She just never dreamed that it would be a nightmare.

Hit the break for a chat with RazedRainbow (boy, I hope that handle doesn't mean what I think it means...) and links to The Mill all over the ponynet. If you ask very nicely, there just might be an ebook waiting for you over at the Downloads page as well.

Church's Who Makes the Wind Blow?

There's always something new to look forward to, waiting just around the corner.

[Slice-of-Life] • 3,500 words
I've always wanted a cloud... and now the day is finally here.

Hit the break for a chat with Church, and links to Who Makes the Wind Blow? out and about on the ponynet. Of course, you could always grab a copy of your own over at the Downloads page... um, if that's okay with you, that is.

DawnFade's Pirates for a Day

A short-but-sweet piece of innocent friendshipping. Do you remember what it was like to be young, to go off and have adventures with your friends? No? Maybe this will help remind you.

[Slice-of-Life] • 2,600 words
Pipsqueak and Dinky are good friends playing together in the forest when they make a discovery.

Hit the break for an interview with DawnFade, and links to Pirates for a Day all around the ponynet. Don't forget to grab yourself an ebook or two over at the Downloads page!