The Scenes Of FiMFictionby Arreis Of AvalonChaptersAutumn in Canterlot (Slice Of Life)Cutesy Wootsy (Slice of Life, D'aw Tag)Most Wonderful Of Nights (Sad)Free As The Sun (Sad, Romance, AU)The Worst Hell (Slice of Life, Comedy, D'aw Tag)The Fragrance Of Dark Coffee (Human, Slice of Life)Fade (2nd Person, Sad, AU?)Autumn in Canterlot (Slice Of Life)The pegasi had done well this season. The sky was filled with the clouds of autumn, yet not so full that steady streams of sunlight could not be found in the city. The air was chilled slightly, but the ponies of Canterlot had come to expect that, living on a mountain. Those who stopped a moment would gaze at the sky, taking in the gloominess with a smile. While the clouds hid the beautiful blue expanse many loved, there was a certain touch of nostalgia in the heart of every pony that seemed to burst forth when the air turned colder and the sky became that dull shade of grey. Ponies trotted around the city, cloaks wrapped around them to fight off the cold. Few ponies wandered in this chilly time, preferring to stay indoors near family and friends. Those who did travel did so with a smile. It was a magnificent time of the year, after all. For one pony in particular, however, it was by far the best time of the year. The Princess looked out from her balcony in the morning, watching as her sister began to lower the moon. Her own horn would glow with her golden aura, calling forth the sun that few would see. It rose into the sky, and as it was most mornings this season, it would be hidden behind the cloud layer for most the day. Celestia did not mind, however. She loved to see how her sunlight wrapped itself around the clouds, bathing the wisps in a golden radiance. On certain days, Celestia suspended day court. She couldn’t stand spending every day stuck inside the stuffy castle – She wanted to soar in the fall. And soar she did. As she trotted to her balcony, she spread her wings. With a single sweep of them she was lifted into the air. She flew higher and higher, taking a deep breath. She felt the frigid air in her lungs, filling her with that feeling of rain to come. It would rain most days, bringing with it that scent of petrichor, wet leaves and freshly burned pine wood from the chimneys of her subjects. She flew over the mountain, stopping before one of the pools of mountain water that flowed down to the ground far below. She dipped her head down, taking a few drinks of the fresh spring water. The crystal surface of the water rippled, distorting her features as well as the setting behind her. She watched for a minute as her reflection slowly wavered back into what she truly looked like. Her reflection smiled back at her. She wore no crown or regality. She was a free pony, today. Above her, she could see the spare few green leaves hidden behind and beneath the stunning seas of orange and red. A soft breeze blew them aside to reveal leaves of sunlight and gold hidden deep, near the bark. Beyond the leaves were more, and beyond those, more. Far above her and the shifting leaves were the shifting clouds, and above those, the untold wonder of the sky. Celestia sighed softly. She rolled onto her back in a very un-princess-like way, but she didn’t care. Nopony was watching. Nopony cared. She could rest and simply watch the grey expanse of cloud above drift slowly by. She could gaze at the few leaves that were bustled off their branches as they fell to the ground. She couldn’t help but close her eyes, smiling. She took a deep breath. She could smell the water in the air of the storm to come. The air froze her bones, but the warmth of nostalgia burned in her heart. She clung to that for heat, letting it fill her whole body with its bliss. She breathed in again, now smelling the leaves around her as she heard them crinkle and rustle in the wind. Her mind drifted along with the clouds in the sky. She thought of days with her sister, eating warm fresh pumpkin pies, jumping into leaf piles. She remembered the warmth from fireplaces late at night, the popping and crackling fighting with the pitter patter of rain on the windows. She was filled with an indescribable feeling, that feeling she got as she curled up with a good book in a warm blanket, a cup of steaming cocoa in her grasp. Celestia sighed in content, opening her eyes once more. The clouds had allowed a thin ray of sunshine through, shining on the stop where she lay. She shifted herself back to her hooves, feeling dew soaking into her fur. She shivered, shaking herself. As she stretched out a tad, the thin beams of sun slowly warmed her. Chuckling, she smiled. Her reflection had many dried leaves in her mane. Using her magic, she removed them, smiling. The crinkled in her magic, sending chills down her spine as she heard them. She looked once more above, seeing the trees and imagining them more as fields of pumpkins and strawberries, simply swaying in the wind. The image caused her to giggle, the sort of laugh that turns into a guffaw, then a bellow, then practically a roar of laughter. Wiping tears from her eyes, she sighed. She lived for the days away from her work, away from the courts and the problems that festered, no matter the season. She longed for days of freedom and flying, where she could enjoy herself and leave civilization behind for awhile. Where she could rest. But those days were far and few between. Celestia watched as a stray falling leaf of gold passed her by on the breeze, just as the days of her life passed her by, and just as the seasons pass. Memories of other days come tumbling from the past to remind all ponies of good days and bad days, and how they pass as well. All things come and go, like the tide of an ocean on the beach in summer, or the green leaves fading to gold and falling in the autumn. Like the flowers that die in the winter, and the storms that blow away in the spring, all things pass away some day. But, that day was far off for Celestia. There were many more memories to make, and many more autumns to enjoy. As she flew away, she had to laugh. Many ponies thought Summer was Celestia’s favorite season… But the days of golden trees and frigid air would always remain in her heart as her favorite time of the year. Author's Note https://derpibooru.org/25 is the picture this is based off of! https://derpicdn.net/img/2012/1/2/25/large.png if you don't like Derpibooru :33 Cutesy Wootsy (Slice of Life, D'aw Tag)Rainbow Dash, fastest flyer in all of Equestria, coolest mare alive (maybe even cooler than Daring Doo), and altogether awesome gal stared in the mirror. Normally her ego would swell at the sight of herself in the mirror. Not today. Today, the most amazing mare alive was staring at her reflection in disgust. The reason? Her decidedly NOT cool outfit. Blue floppy ears. Blue bunny booties. A blue saddlebag that forced her wings to hug her sides uncomfortably. She could hardly stand to look at herself. The thought of other ponies seeing her like this made her muzzle scrunch up in distaste. She was totally, undeniably adorable. Tonight was the big Nightmare Night Costume Party, hosted by none other than Pinkie Pie. It was sure to be a doozy, with that mare planning it. But, there had been a catch in the costumes. Rainbow had been set to wear a Vampony outfit, or something REALLY cool like that, but then Pinkie had delivered an alta-mata somthing. She set some rules for everypony who came. Everypony who comes to the party has to come in an outfit that’s opposite to who they really are. Rainbow was so epic, so cool, so amazing, and now she looked… well… Rainbow sighed. She looked cute as hell. Somehow, she had managed to repair Fluttershy’s ‘dangerous mission’ outfit. She had figured that since it had the words ‘dangerous’ and ‘mission’ in it, it couldn’t be that bad to wear. But she was wrong. Sweet Celestia, was she wrong! The floppy ears, booties - And, worst of all was the way her wings were tied down by the matching saddle bag around her. She shifted uncomfortably, her wings squashed by the stifling outfit. She looked at herself in her cloud mirror, sighing. “Well, I got Pinkie’s rule down pat.” She couldn’t help but grin a bit. “Heh, I’m sure to win the prize for ‘Most Not-You’ at the party.” That single thought helped reassure her. Gently, she rolled up the sleeves of the outfit. She thought it made her look MORE cute; whether that was a blessing or a curse at this point, Rainbow didn’t care. As long as she kept her eyes on that prize, it didn’t matter. Rainbow tilted her head, continuing to look at herself. Her mane curled a bit over her eye, hiding part of it from view. She smiled softly, seeing a small blush rise to her cheeks. She looked REALLY adorable. What did this remind her of?... It was a long time ago… She laughed out loud as she remembered suddenly. Back when she had been a little filly, she had a stuffed bunny she got from Fluttershy for some birthday of hers. She had cherished that little thing. That was way long ago, back before she cared about adorableness or coolness or anything. She had just loved her little Snuffle-Bunny. Snuffle B. had been a little blue stuffed bunny toy with big, floppy, fluffy ears and bright black eyes. Over the years, he had gotten a little beat up - after all, Dash had always been a bit more rough and tumble than some other kids. Rainbow remembered when she had made her dad sew her bunny’s arm back on. She had been so worried it would never be repaired. He had ended up fine. Dash didn’t quite remember where the little guy had ended up now, though. He was probably sitting up somewhere in her attic in a box of kid things. She had gotten swept away by cooler things, like the Wonderbolts and racing. Rainbow giggled softly, brushing her mane to the side as she drank in nostalgia. She grinned at her reflection, chuckling. She was so going to win that prize. She was Rainbow Dash - the most adorable mare around, even if nopony ever knew it; even herself. She glanced at the clock, her mane flipping slightly so she could see. It was about half an hour until the party started. She should probably get going if she wanted to get there on time. She glanced behind her once, seeing a very sleepy tortoise slowly opening his eyes. "Heya, Tank! How do I look?" The tortoise slowly blinked. Waiting a moment, Rainbow saw her pet smile, as though his mouth were made of molasses. Rainbow chuckled. "Thanks, buddy." Quickly, the bunny clad Rainbow Dash bopped her pet's nose with her own, giggling. "Alright, you gonna be fine here?" Being the smart tortoise he was, her bobbed his head up and down in slow motion. Rainbow chuckled and turned around. "Alright. I'll be home later!" In a dash, despite her tied wings, she got to the door quickly. She opened the door and trotted to a pulley system she had installed. Smiling, she jumped onto a wooden platform and snapped the pulley, letting herself be lowered to the ground. "Can't wait to get my wings back..." Sighing, Rainbow began the long trek to Sugarcube Corner. At least she was sure to win a prize for her adorable outfit. On the way there, she was greeted by many a pony. A few greeted her with a smile; others with uproaring laughter. She rolled her eyes and kept walking. The party, as it turned out, was quite a lot of fun. Fluttershy (dressed as a big, scary wolf) had loved the use of her old outfit; Twilight (wearing Spike’s dragon costume as a cop out) completely agreed. Applejack (dressed as a racoon) couldn’t stop laughing, along with Pinkie Pie (top notch, dressed up like a funeral cake). Rarity (dressed in only the finest hideousness of a pony off the streets, she said) took a middle ground and complimented Rainbow’s sewing abilities. They partied all night long, but to Rainbow, it didn’t matter if anypony saw her. It wasn’t like her reputation was ruined. She had enjoyed herself, and it didn’t matter who won the prize anymore; she was with close friends who all enjoyed her company. Cutsy Wootsy or not. Author's Note This took awhile; Definitely not one of my favorites. Cute writing for a character I (personally, guys) dislike is tough. Well, hopefully you all like it! I hope it wasn't too forced ^^;;; http://alasou.deviantart.com/art/Costume-Swap-party-381670764 Most Wonderful Of Nights (Sad)Celestia laughed as her younger sister flew around, groaning. “C’mon, Tia! Surely, the sun must be setting soon.” “Hold your horses, Luna,” Tia said, her amethyst eyes sparkling with laughter and joy. Luna rolled her eyes at the pun as she landed next to her sister. “The time is a structured thing; if I set the sun too soon each night for your pleasure, ponies would start to worry.” “Why should they worry? They should enjoy my night more,” she said, pouting. Celestia simply smiled and nodded. “Yes, they should.” She glanced critically at the sky outside, smirking. “One night couldn’t hurt,” she said, almost conspiratorially. Luna smiled brightly as her sister’s horn began to glow, her aura like sunlight; Luna shut her eyes and joined the setting, and in her case, rising of the celestial bodies of the Sun and Moon. In perfect synchronization, the two beings moved, in perfect harmony. The Sun never faltered in its setting, and the Moon n’er in its rising. All was right in the world. All was perfect in Equestria. The light slowly shifted from soft to deep as colors fragmented the air in a myriad of brilliant pigments; crimsons and scarlets were born from sapphires as the rest of the sky became a majestic violet. Luna watched the change as she always did: completely in awe. The complexity of it all, the beauty of the world she lived in. It was wonderful. She sighed out in sheer bliss as the sun made its final arc, disappearing over the horizon. Both alicorns let their magic fade slowly. “Why don’t you take a break from dream duty tonight,” Celestia said softly, nuzzling her sister. “Enjoy your night.” “But what of good dreams, sister? Don’t the ponies need my dreams?” Celestia laughed, her voice like a bell. Luna had always loved her sister’s laugh. She heard it so little now. They hadn’t been able to be together in a long time. “I will take your duties tonight, Luna. Please, just enjoy yourself; don’t worry about me.” Luna beamed. “Thank you, dear sister.” With an exclamation of sheer joy, Luna took flight, leaving behind her older, happy sister. She felt the warm night graze her wings; oh, how she loved Spring. She breathed deeply the fresh air, practically purring as she smelled all different flavors of smell. The rivers by their castle, the flowers that stood tall this season. All this and more bombarded her with sheer stimulation, leaving her breathless in its wake. She laughed as she flew down next to a pool of water, dipping her hooves through and making a large splash. The water danced around her, little gems of light that shifted around. She whooped, laughing louder than she had in a long time, cooped up alone in the palace. She had been alone too long. This night was good, as the night always was; oh, how she wished she could feel this free, this lovely forever. “Oh,” she cried out as the water fell, smiling. “Oh, most wonderful of nights!” She rose up again, twirling around in the sky. Everything was perfect, here. Everything was lovely and dark and majestic. She gazed up at the stars, naming all the constellations. She knew them all by heart; they had become her friends, her companions these many years. Centaurus and Capricorn and Chameleon shined brightly at her. Andromina sang a beautiful song in the sky as she glowed. These constellations were her closest friends. She could talk with them. With them, she would never be alone again. Celestia wouldn’t want her to be alone, correct? So what was wrong with being friends with the stars? Luna shivered as she felt the nights gentle brush against her fur, that tender touch of the wind that lured her away from this place. Why would she ever want to leave? Why had she left? She sighed as she flew down to the grass, feeling the ground tickle her as she stepped. She giggled softly at the sensation, then rested on her stomach. She let her head rest on her hooves, feeling the wet ground soak her fur. She watched her reflection in a nearby pond with little care. Her slitted eyes and fanged grin smiled back at her, that violet - blue miasma that was her mane waving softly in a non-existent wind. Her gorgeous eyes and her bright smile. All was right with the world. Everything was perfect. She was not alone. “Oh, most wonderful of nights,” she said with a smile as she shut her eyes, her tears joining the water in the pool before her, unnoticed by all but the stars. Nightmare Moon sobbed in the sky in her fitful, 900 year rest. She rested in the moon, forever dreaming of the days she had lost. The world she had been shunned from. How much she had forgotten but the stars; her only company now. The stars who watched over her. The stars who had discovered her. The stars who would aid in her escape. The stars looked upon her with such great pity. As the moon waned in the sky, eventually disappearing, it was the worst nights of all. The moon became a cradle for her as they tried to hide her from the world she had loved once. They tried to help her forget. Forever, she cried. Forever, she was doomed to remember. Her tears became so fitful, so many that seas were created; they named them after the Lunar Mare, that poor mare whom they had come to know. This ‘Nightmare Moon’, this mare named Luna, trapped in the body of a so called monster. Mare Cognitum was where they first found her; The sea that has become known. Mare Nubium became where they hid her; The sea of clouds to shield her from the world. Mare Crisium was for the particularly bad dreams; The sea of crises. But now she simply stayed in one place, no matter what. Mare Imbrium; The sea of rain. The saltwater rain: The nightmares tears. The stars could not take her pain. Her sorrow made them dimmer, almost filled with sorrow themselves. And so they counseled as the sun took to the sky and hid them from view. They voted. They agreed. The stars would aid in her escape. They would make her dream come true. Her night would be as loved as she wished herself to be. Nighttime eternal would let them be with her. Let them comfort her. There may come a time when her plan failed; but, for what time they had, the constellations would love her as none other seemed to now. For, Luna was alone. Luna was abandoned. The stars did all they could, but it was for nought; the stars are only stars. For but 100 years more as they worked themselves slowly closer to her, all that they could do, Nightmare Moon dreamed. She dreamed of better days. She dreamed of pink flowers and pools of water and her loving sister that would never send her away. She dreamt of loving ponies who gathered for her night. For her. She dreamed. She dreamed of the most wonderful of nights in her most horrible of dreams. Author's Note http://pridark.deviantart.com/art/A-Wonderful-Night-381504014 Whaaaat?! Two chapters, one night?~ I can't sleep, so here you go xD Also, went with a sad one this time. Got tired of all the cutesy wootsy nonsense; I wanted something on the sadder side this time. Free As The Sun (Sad, Romance, AU)Author's Note I'm afraid I can't remember the source of this banner. If I find it, I'll post the link here as usual. And, now that banners are gone, I will be taking prompt requests/picture requests! PM me or post a prompt in the comments if you would like to see it done! General rule is, no sex, but gore isn't TOO bad. Keep it PG/PG-13 guys. Thanks for your suggestions! The continuation of this fic depends on them! I might throw in one or two of my own prompt ideas, but all in all, I need suggestions!! Free As The Sun (Sad, Romance, AU) Rainbow Dash raced through the town, her sword resting by her side. She made sure to avoid main roads to avoid any questions as to why she had it; Celestia only knows how many questions she would get if anypony saw her. Still, she was galloping so fast, nopony could stop to question her. Rainbow Dash had always moved fast; it was in her nature. Her special talent, even. Speed. Agility. The ability to race forth and, most importantly, not get caught. Being a thief suited her. But today she wasn’t running from something, like the police or the merchants - today, she ran towards something. Like a lover. Rainbow took a deep breath of the crisp, before dawn air. She opened her wings and took to the skies - it was far easier than traveling on hoof. Her sword rested tightly around her flanks, completely secure. She sighed in relief as the chilled air of the oncoming winter bit at her feathers. The air was so much more alive to her; so much more free. Free of the oppressing nature of the earth below, free of any and all distractions. But she would gladly stay on the ground, if even just for a glimpse of her mare. She reached her destination far sooner than she thought she would. Not that she was complaining, however. The sun had hardly begun to rise over the horizon. She landed, not at the front gates of the beautiful house, but at a curtained off entrance to the attic. Vines snaked up to the entrance, concealing it further. Dash sighed contently as she trotted in. “Shy?” “B-Back here,” a timid voice said from further inside. Dash felt her heart soar at the sound of her voice. It was like the chirping of birds; crisp, clear and bright. Dash smiled as she trotted back into the room. She caught sight of her quickly: her beauty stood out. Fluttershy stood, watching out the large window that allowed a view of the city below. Her mane curled down her face softly; the only thing that kept it out of her eyes was a small butterfly hair pin. She wore a long ivory dress, the sides accented with evergreen leaf patterns. In her hair was a single rose, hiding the pin - she wore one every day, here in the city. Rainbow trotted up to her, planting a small kiss on her cheek. “I’m sorry if I’m late,” she said, almost breathlessly: from the fast flight or from the sweet sight, she could not tell. She took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. She felt this way, each time she saw her; she loved every minute of it. Fluttershy blushed lightly and turned her face away in embarrassment from the kiss. “I-It’s fine, Rainbow. You’re right on time.” Rainbow smiled and nuzzled her mare, sighing in contentment. Fluttershy returned the affection before clearing her throat softly. “Do you think…” Her voice trailed off. “What is it, Shy?” “Can you help me get my dress off? I-If it’s not too much troub-” “Of course I will,” Dash said, chuckling. “Just lie on your stomach.” Fluttershy blushed further, but Dash was used to that. She did as asked, lying down. Rainbow stepped over her and took her in. Slowly, she sat down, sure to sit close, but not too close for comfort. Shy smiled at the gesture. Slowly, tenderly, Dash reached out and took the strap of the dress with her hoof. She slid it over her marefriend’s shoulder, making sure to go slow. Fluttershy continued to blush, but Dash paid no heed. As she struggled to grasp the strap in her hooves, she decided to give up. Just as slowly as before, she leaned her muzzle down and clenched the thin strap between her teeth. Immediately, Shy tensed up. Dash breathed out her nose slowly, sliding the strap off completely. She moved to the next one, this time feeling her muzzle rub against her marefriend’s back. She loved the touch of that fur. She pulled that strap away too and sat up once more, smiling softly. “You can stand, it’ll just slip right off.” Blushing, of course, Fluttershy stood and allowed the dress to fall off of her. It landed in a clump around her. She stepped out of the dress and lied down, allowing Dash to push it away from them. “Permission to cuddle,” Dash asked, almost like a cadet to a sergeant.Shy giggled softly and nodded. Dash smiled - that giggle was so adorable - and sat next to Shy, feeling their fur rub against the others. They steadily grew closer, until Shy was resting her entire body against Rainbow’s. Rainbow sat facing the window, watching the sun rise. Birds flew around that dawn, free as… well, Rainbow thought, birds. She opened her wings, draping one over Shy like a large blanket. Shy didn’t object - she never did. Instead she nuzzled the feathers, looking out the window in silence. They laid there a while, both simply enjoying the privacy. Yet, all silence is eventually broken. This time, it was shattered with a soft sigh - a sigh of longing and sorrow. Rainbow glanced at Fluttershy as she shifted, reaching into her hair. Softly, she took off the pin in her hair. She stared at it for a moment before setting it down with another tired sigh. "What's wrong, love," Rainbow asked softly, concerned. “It’s my father…” She shut her eyes tightly. “He still doesn’t want me to go outside.” Rainbow shook her head, sighing. “Have you told him about… well.” “Dash, you know I can’t… You know how he would react to us…” “I know, I know… I just wish I could see you more often, Fluttershy…” Fluttershy nuzzled her marefriend softly, sighing. “Me too, Rainbow… me too…” Together, the couple stayed in their forbidden embrace, desperate for even a few moments in the others hooves. They watched as the sun rose, free, and they both dreamt of the day, they too, could rise. The Worst Hell (Slice of Life, Comedy, D'aw Tag)When I was defeated, it didn’t matter. I knew exactly what would happen to me. I would be sent back to my own personal hell. Honestly, hell’s not all that bad. A little dark, a little hot, a little confusing; honestly, everything’s just a little boring down there. But I forgot that hell can change. Everything about it can change. I was never expecting this. “Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!” “OH SHUT UP,” I shouted, slamming my hoof down as I glared at Sombra. “You can have the dang crystal when I’m done with Nightmare!” I watched as Sombra looked at me, his big eyes wide with shock at my shouting. “Oh no… Oh no, please don’t….” The little colt Sombra threw back his head, wailing. I rolled my eyes, wincing. “My kingdom for some earplugs,” I muttered, setting down the bottle labeled ‘Woona’. I pick him up and bounce him on my shoulder with a sigh. “Come on, you numbskull. Don’t you know how much I hate children?” “WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” “Oh for Celestia’s sake…” I set the wailing baby down, glancing over at Discord. Yep. He’s got it. “Discord… Give me Sombra’s pacifier…” Discord smirked, clutching it in his claw. “Nuh-uh. Mine.” My eyes narrowed. “Discooord… Give Nanny Tirek the crystal.” Ugh. ‘Nanny’ Tirek. “Nuh-uh! You a meanie nanny! Discord no give you nuthin’.” I leaned down to him, holding my hand down on his tail. He gasped and tried to fly away, but he didn’t get far - especially with those puny little wings. He fell to the ground, pouting as he clutched the crystal close to his chest. “Now, Discord… If you give me that Crystal… I’ll give you THIS thing.” Discord’s eyes widened as I held up… a copy of my brother’s necklace. Oh, sweet irony. “See? It’s even shinier.” Discord glared at me. “Me no trust you - you a big meanie!” “But you want the shiny, don’t you?” “... Gimmie da shiny.” “Give me the crystal first, Discord.” “... Okay, fiiine…” Discord giggled as he threw the crystal right at my face. I stumbled back, falling over, dropping the necklace even as I caught the pacifier. Discord roared - more a gentle grumble - and pounced on the necklace. “Mwahahaha!” He rolled onto his back, nibbling on the side of the gold piece. I rolled my eyes. He must be teething. I groaned and stood up, and he thankfully paid me no mind. Thank Celestia for small miracles. As I took the crystal pacifier over to Sombra, I thought about my peculiar predicament. I supposed hell had learned since my escape. It had made me isolated, but that was nothing new. I had simply been bored. But now, my eternal punishment was looking after wailing foals. Wailing foals of other enemies that had never been so bad as to be in my position. Every other villain those Elements had beaten, in baby form. I was forced to take care of them - if I didn’t, they just seemed to get more rowdy, more hectic, more impossible to ignore. I hadn’t had a moments peace in quite some time. Years? Eons? Who knew how long I had been trapped here now. I leaned down to the still wailing Sombra. He never stopped, did he? “Lookie what I have,” I said, gagging internally at the baby talk. “It’s Sombra’s crystal!” Sombra finally looked at me, sniffling. “C-cystal?....” His eyes widened in delight as he saw it. He giggled, bouncing on his rump against the floor as he reached for it. I watched him, chuckling briefly at the sight before shaking my head. “Yeah, yeah, here you go kid.” I gave him the crystal, turning my back on him quickly. Nope. These kids weren’t cute. They were just a nuisance. Case in point, there Nightmare went again. She was always trying to fly away! “Luna! Get back in your crib this instant!” The foal in question lost her focus as I shouted and fell back into the padded crib with a plop. She glared at me as she stood on her hind legs. “Woona big enough to be on floor!” I rolled my eyes. While she was the oldest of them all, she was the most rambunctious (though that could be debated when Discord got hungry). “I know, Nightmare, I know. But somepony can’t keep their wings under control. I’ve told you three times now to stop flying, and you know what that means.” Nightmare gasped, falling back into her crib. “Nooooooooooooooo!!!!” She thrashed around, banging the padded sheets angrily as I watched her little tirade. Her face even turned red with anger. I couldn’t help but snort before clearing my throat and regaining a poker face. Still not cute. “Now come on, Nightmare. You know as well as I do what happens now.” I grabbed the chain that was attached to the crib and took her forehoof. She tried to smack me, but with a hoof that tiny, she wasn’t doing much damage. I still told her off for hitting, though. I latched in her hoof. “There. Now, your punishment, Nightmare.” She looked at me with tears in her eyes. “Ooooh no. Don’t give me that face. You had this coming.” Her eyes only got bigger and more shimmery with tears. “Come on, Wo- Luna.” Bigger still. I groaned. “Alright, fine! 1 naptime with it on instead. That’s all.” “Yaaay!!” Her wings buzzed lightly as she lied down, yawning. I smiled softly at the sight as her hoof made it’s way close to her mouth. The little filly pulled it close and sucked on the edge of it, already on her way to being completely asleep. I glanced around at all the other foals. Chrysalis was still asleep in the corner of the room, clutching her little Shining Armor doll close to her. She was the most docile of any of the foals. Discord was yawning and curling up around the necklace. No issues there. Sombra must’ve fallen asleep right after I gave him the pacifier, cause he was sure knocked out now. He still had the crystal in his mouth, though. I sighed a deep sigh of relief and sat, adjusting the hideous pink bonnet I had been forced to wear by Chrysalis. She always knew when I took it off - somehow, someway. I glanced at all the sleeping foals in turn. Finally, a moment’s peace. I glanced at the bottle labelled ‘Woona’. Shoot. I forgot to feed her. With a yawn, I leaned back against the ground. I could worry about that one later, of course. I could probably just feed them all at the same time. Besides, if she was hungry, she’d certainly let me know. More crying. Yay. I smirked to myself. Finally, in the great stillness of the air, I could focus my thoughts on escape. I could finally rest awhile and discern how to leave this absolute hell. I pictured it as I closed my eyes; Equestria, under my rule. Celestia, bowing to me. Darkness eternal and all magic mine… Nightmare giggled softly in her crib as she watched her nanny fall asleep. She tapped her lit up horn, smiling brightly. “Nigh nigh, nanny Tiek. Sweet dweams....” she whispered, before lying down and taking her nap too. Author's Note HNNG~~ Thanks, SpiritofChaos, for sending me the ADORABLE pic that inspired this one~ http://ssalbug.deviantart.com/art/Nanny-Tirek-460579184 The Fragrance Of Dark Coffee (Human, Slice of Life)The rain was really coming down today. People avoided walking if they could, and those who were walking ran under jackets and umbrellas. The black skies seemed endless with clouds and the moon had no place there that night. The streetlamps seemed to flicker as the rain passed in front of them, letting each glistening drop shine. “We’ll be closing in about an hour, Miss.” She jumped as the sound tore her away from her window gazing and looked at the man who had spoken. The man at the counter chuckled as he continued washing the counter, shaking his head. “Didn’t mean t’scare you, M’am. Just wanted t’give you a heads up.” “It’s quite alright, sir. I was simply daydreaming.” “Aye, I figured. Never seen someone look that closely at a rainy day.” She giggled softly, looking back at the window. “Just… looking for some inspiration.” With a soft sigh, Rarity wrapped her hands around her mug, taking a deep drink of the coffee. She breathed in the smell. The robust fragrance seemed to envelop her with each breath, warming her to the core. She sighed again, smiling, and glanced at the picture on her computer. The design was taking a terribly long time. It was due tomorrow, and she still had no idea what she would do. She had spent every waking hour on this project, but nothing would come to her mind. Every idea she had was started and quickly scrapped. She rested her elbows on the table and glanced back outside once more. The sky seemed to be rolling from the wind. The lights looked beautiful in Manhattan. She was glad she had come here for the summer program her school offered, but still… She missed home. It was in her own home that she thought best and had the best inspiration. It was there that her friends stayed, awaiting her arrival. They were sure to ask her how Manhattan was, how all of her designs went over in the program. She brought the mug to her lips again, letting the inviting scent of dark coffee comfort her once more. She glanced at the design again, keeping the mug close to her. Perhaps… No, that couldn’t work. Or maybe a cerule- no, that shade of blue would clash horribly with the jewels she planned to use… She shut her eyes with another sigh, sitting back in her chair. “I’ll never finish this project…” Her laptop pinged. She glanced over at the messager she had open if anyone needed to reach her. Pinkie Pie? She rose her eyebrow and hit the button to accept the call. All at once, Pinkie’s face filled the screen. “Hi Rarity!!” “Pinkie Pie, darling, it’s so nice to see you!” Rarity smiled, setting down her mug. “Why are you calling?” “It’s not just me, it’s all of us!” Pinkie moved away from the camera so everyone could be seen. Fluttershy and Spike shyly waved. Twilight nodded, smiling brightly. Applejack tipped her hat. Rainbow grinned and shouted a greeting, a soccer ball held in her hands. Pinkie giggled. “We all wanted to say hi!” Rarity chuckled. “Well, this is a pleasant surprise. It’s nice to see ALL of you.” “How’s Manhattan?” Twilight asked, tilting her head. “It sounds like it’s raining pretty hard over there.” “Oh, it’s just a little storm. Other than that, the city is beautiful.” “Ah’m glad your enjoyin’ yourself, Rarity,” Applejack remarked. “You’ve been a might bit stressed out here at home. It’s nice t’see you takin’ a break.” “Yeah, Rares!” Rainbow got in close to the camera, frowning. “You had us a bit worried. You’ve got a HUGE class schedule this year! Make sure you’re actually taking a break out there, alright?” “Rainbow Dash, get away from the camera so she can see us all!” Rarity shook her head as they repositioned the camera. “Oh, trust me, I’m taking my time and relaxing as much as I can. I must say, I am a little bit frazzled at the moment, however. I’ve a design due tomorrow, and it simply isn’t coming together.” “I-If you don’t mind my asking,” Fluttershy said, “what’s the assignment?” “Well, I’ve got to design a gown for informal wear that can still be worn to formal events. I’ve only got my pick of two different fabric colors, and only few handfuls of gems left.” She sighed. “I’m afraid that I might have to delve into the realm of… urgh… costume jewelry…” Rarity winced slightly as she thought about it. “But don’t let my assignment bother you all. I’m not sure why I’m bothering to tell you all. You don’t need to hear my complaining about the subject.” “Shucks, Rarity, you know that’s what friends are for!” Applejack rubbed her chin, thinking. “Though, Ah dunno how much help Ah can be on the subject of dress makin’.” “It’s not so much the making as the designing, dear. I just can’t decide on what to do. The instant I get an idea, it just seems like it’s not good enough.” “Aww, don’t think that, Rarity!!” Pinkie bounced up and down, glancing at everyone. “EVERYBODY knows that what you make is SUPER great! If that’s not good enough, then somebody’s asking for something better than perfect!” Rarity blushed lightly, chuckling. “I thank you for your compliment, Pinkie, but I’m afraid that’s wishful thinking. I might be good at what I do, but I’m anything but perfect.” “Nonsense, Rarity.” Twilight smiled. “We all know just how hard you work with your dress making. We all remember the time you made our gowns for the Gala… and the costumes you made for Coco and her stage production…” “Yeah, Rares! You even look great now!” Rarity glanced down at her outfit, just a simple black turtleneck and red pants. She supposed her hair was rather nice today, but it was a very simplistic outfit. She certainly wouldn’t wear this to a meeting or other formal sett… “Wait a moment…” She glanced at her coffee again, smiling. “Why, Rainbow, I do believe you’ve given me an idea!” “Wait, really?” “Yes!” Smiling, Rarity moved the design to the foreground of her screen, reshaping the gown. Yes, it I just change the hem a bit and make the ripples flow more…” “Go, Rarity, Go!” Pinkie had managed to find pom poms somewhere. The others rolled their eyes and joined in the cheering. The man at the counter looked up and shook his head, smiling as he watched the college student hard at work. He saw at least one a day. Rarity nibbled on her lip as she colored the gown in. Two fabric colors left her with very little opportunity. She glanced back down at her coffee, watching the little cream swirls that danced in the mug. Determination in her eyes, she picked the two colors out and shaded in the gown. Carefully, she added a few jewels to the main chest piece, being sure not to overdo it. She gasped as she saw the finished result. A diagonal rippled dress that ended just a little past the knees with a chocolate colored skirt piece; the top was the same shade, a sash of creamy beige separating the two pieces. The same beige lined the inside for warmth and the extra tone. The sleeves were cut to rest just off the shoulders, the collar having the lightest of axinite and hessonite beading. With boots and a jacket, the dress would be perfect for an earthy tone to any autumn day, but with the right heels and some gold earrings, you’d be the hit of any formal event. “I did it!” A shout of joy came over the phone. Rarity smiled, giggling. “Rainbow, had you never said anything about my outfit, I never would’ve thought to do something so simple! Thank you ever so much, dear.” “Hey, don’t give me all the credit! You probably based it off a bunch of stuff, Rarity.” “Dash’s right, Rarity. Y’never give yourself enough credit for what you do. Give yourself a pat on the back. You’ve earned it.” Rarity smiled, glancing at her nearly empty mug of coffee. “I do suppose I owe myself some credit for seeing the inspiration…” She finished her coffee and smiled back at her friends. “I should get going if I want to turn this in early. It was nice seeing you, even if I was working at the time.” “Good to see you too, Rarity!” “G-Good luck on your project…” “Yeah! Rock it, Rarity!” “See you soon, Rares!” “Make sure y’have a good day!” Rarity smiled and ended the call. She saved the dress design and closed her laptop, taking a deep breath. She glanced outside. Still pouring rain. The lights shone through the rain, the drops of water shining like the gemstones around the coffee colored gown. She took a deep breath, breathing in that sweet scent of coffee beans and cream with chocolate that had formed the fabric for her gown. She glanced at the man at the counter. He was watching her with a soft smile. “Thank you for the coffee.” “Don’t mention it.” She smiled and paid. He cashed in the money and watched her go into the storm. Sighing happily, he began whistling a little jazz tune he had heard long ago. The storm roared it’s applause with thunder. The little jazz tune would always be there in the little cafe on a street in Manhattan, ready to provide a little inspiration now and then. You just needed to know where to look. Author's Note I saw a picture and just had to write this (despite staying up an hour and a half past my self imposed curfew, woops!). The picture is http://tao-mell.deviantart.com/art/Study-Time-499004779 . The song I listened to while writing this was Fragrance of Dark Coffee (from Phoenix Wright) with the combination of Rainy Mood. :) I hope you enjoy it! Fade (2nd Person, Sad, AU?)The wind howls around you, hardly noticeable. Your bangs whip against your forehead softly. Above your head, you hear dogtags clink together softly. Those are the only sounds you can hear. The sun has risen far over the horizon, high in the sky. The crystals have been destroyed. It’s nearly silent on the forgotten battlefield. You guess the war was won just in time. How pathetic. You allow a shuddering breath to escape your lips, tightening your hoof around your chest. Your ribs hurt like hell, but you suppose you’ll be alright soon enough. If the rumors coming in from Ponyville were true, that is. Looking at the barren landscape around you, you kinda doubted they were false. Dust, as far as the eye could see. Grey dust, and a brown, uneven landscape. The cold of the north had caused bitter, seemingly endless snowstorms and blizzards, freezing the hooves and bodies of soldiers. But now, the snow had ceased. The fighting had too. Everything, everyone, had just… stopped. Everyone but you. You groan as another wave of pain and nausea overtakes you. You curl up tighter, resisting the urge to throw up what remains in your stomach - not much, by a long shot, but you’d prefer it to stay inside you. You shiver as your spare hoof grips your staff. It’s helped you get this far, but it’ll never be far enough. Nothing can escape the Fade. No food, no water, nothing. “Come on, Dash, pull yourself together,” you hear your own rough voice growl out - but you don’t even register that you say it. The only thing left after you utter the words is a vast emptiness and a scratchy feeling in your dry throat. How long has it been since you had a decent drink of water? A week? 2? You can’t keep track of the days anymore. The sun follows its own schedule since Celestia disappeared. She was one of the first to disappear. You struggle to get to your hooves, only to collapse a second later. Pain shoots through your body and you cry out. The sound is swallowed up by the air. You shudder in pain, gripping the staff tightly. You hear the dogtags jingling together cheerfully. “H-Heh… Finally learned t’laugh, didn’t you?” You manage a rough grin, more of a snarl on your scarred face. She’d have loved it, though. She might've been serious, but she still appreciated smiles. You manage to sit up again, panting from exertion. You glance at your chest - so much blood. It’s managed to seep through your bandages. You don’t bother checking your pack - you know you’re out of new ones to change into. “Heh.” You manage a bitter laugh, spitting on the ground to clear the taste of dust from your mouth. “Let’s hope the wounds kill me before the Fade, right?” You bark out another laugh, glancing at the staff. “Ain’t that right, Pinks?” The dogtags just jingle in response. You sigh, your breath shuddering out again. Your lungs hurt. “Yeah…” You close your eyes, coughing out more dust. It was everywhere. You lean against the staff tiredly, your grin sliding off your face. “Guess I don’t have long, eh?” You shut your eyes tightly. “Tsk… what a way t’go. I couldn’t even die honorably.” The wind whistles around you. You feel tears start to rise to your eyes and you just can’t hold them back. You don’t have the energy to. They start to roll down your face softly, leaving your cyan fur shining through the dirt and blood that covered you entirely. You just let your tears fall. It’s the end. You might as well cry. No one’s here to see it, anyways. “Always thought I’d go out with a bang,” you say to the air. “Y’know - take out some crystal soldiers with me, maybe even land a blow on old Sombra himself. Instead, I’m just sitting here, waiting to… to end.” You shake your head. “The Fade’s no way to go.” You can almost hear her talking as the tags click. “Yeah, yeah, I know you wouldn’t believe in the Fade. You were a bit whimsical, sure, but you had a serious head about you. We all needed to be serious. It was a war, after all.” You laugh before coughing more. “I think the rumors are true, though. What else would cause this?” You gesture to the dust around you, that… void. You take another deep breath. You’re starting to feel so exhausted. “But I think Flutters is right. She heard from her source in Manehattan that someone came to Ponyville spouting some nonsense about timelines. It just makes sense that if… if that’s all true, and they fixed everything… Well. There’s no point for us to exist anymore. Right?” The tags have gone silent. “Heh.” You shut your eyes. “Yeah, you never said much.” You let the silence continue a bit longer before breaking it once more. “I wonder… what it’ll be like. Will I just… stop existing? Or will I move on to the right timeline? To… To the me that was supposed to be here?” You grin before laughing. This time, you don’t end up coughing. Small miracles, right? “Imagine it, Pinks! All of us, friends of some high up alicorn princess with magic strong enough to change our entire past…” Clinkclink. “I didn’t want to believe it either…” You glance at your hoof as it starts to tingle. The silence is getting louder. “But well…” You can see through your hoof. “Guess it’s not as fake as we all thought.” You cough into your hoof. When you look back at it, you can see blood faintly staining your fur. You can see through that too. “Y’know, Pinks?... All I really want… is to see you again. Maybe… maybe we could’a been better friends.” You let your hoof drop. You’re… really tired at this point. You shut your eyes, leaning against the staff. “I just hope… I see you there, Pinks.” Clinkclink. “Heh… S-see you… on the other side, right?” The staff falls from your hoof, clattering to the ground silently. You collapse, your body feeling weak. Static seems to fill your entire body. You aren’t breathing anymore. And then… nothing. *~*~*~ “Dashie!” You jump, the ball falling beside you. You glance at it, taking a minute to remember what you’d been doing. You glance behind you at Pinkie. “Aw, Pinks! Come on, I had almost beat my record!” “Oopsie! Sorry, Dashie!” Pinkie giggled brightly, holding up a tray of cupcakes on her head. “Just wondering if you wanted to try my new flavor! I call them Crumbdiddlyumptious Cakes, cause they’re made with cookie crumbs!” She giggled, a big smile on her face. You take a minute to memorize that smile. You’re not really sure why. Maybe it’s because you don’t want to forget it. After all, memories do things like that - they just fade away before you’re ready to say goodbye. … When did you get so deep? “Heh. Sure thing, Pinkie Pie.” You grab one and munch on it happily with your friend before returning to your game. Author's Note This one's based on a suggestion from Stormcloud1120, http://ncmares.deviantart.com/art/Do-You-Feel-Like-A-Hero-Yet-582852405 . What a stunning picture! Also, the song I associate with this chapter most strongly is Ever After, by Marianas Trench. Seriously, check it and listen to it while reading this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cts6y-v7hhU
Autumn in Canterlot (Slice Of Life)The pegasi had done well this season. The sky was filled with the clouds of autumn, yet not so full that steady streams of sunlight could not be found in the city. The air was chilled slightly, but the ponies of Canterlot had come to expect that, living on a mountain. Those who stopped a moment would gaze at the sky, taking in the gloominess with a smile. While the clouds hid the beautiful blue expanse many loved, there was a certain touch of nostalgia in the heart of every pony that seemed to burst forth when the air turned colder and the sky became that dull shade of grey. Ponies trotted around the city, cloaks wrapped around them to fight off the cold. Few ponies wandered in this chilly time, preferring to stay indoors near family and friends. Those who did travel did so with a smile. It was a magnificent time of the year, after all. For one pony in particular, however, it was by far the best time of the year. The Princess looked out from her balcony in the morning, watching as her sister began to lower the moon. Her own horn would glow with her golden aura, calling forth the sun that few would see. It rose into the sky, and as it was most mornings this season, it would be hidden behind the cloud layer for most the day. Celestia did not mind, however. She loved to see how her sunlight wrapped itself around the clouds, bathing the wisps in a golden radiance. On certain days, Celestia suspended day court. She couldn’t stand spending every day stuck inside the stuffy castle – She wanted to soar in the fall. And soar she did. As she trotted to her balcony, she spread her wings. With a single sweep of them she was lifted into the air. She flew higher and higher, taking a deep breath. She felt the frigid air in her lungs, filling her with that feeling of rain to come. It would rain most days, bringing with it that scent of petrichor, wet leaves and freshly burned pine wood from the chimneys of her subjects. She flew over the mountain, stopping before one of the pools of mountain water that flowed down to the ground far below. She dipped her head down, taking a few drinks of the fresh spring water. The crystal surface of the water rippled, distorting her features as well as the setting behind her. She watched for a minute as her reflection slowly wavered back into what she truly looked like. Her reflection smiled back at her. She wore no crown or regality. She was a free pony, today. Above her, she could see the spare few green leaves hidden behind and beneath the stunning seas of orange and red. A soft breeze blew them aside to reveal leaves of sunlight and gold hidden deep, near the bark. Beyond the leaves were more, and beyond those, more. Far above her and the shifting leaves were the shifting clouds, and above those, the untold wonder of the sky. Celestia sighed softly. She rolled onto her back in a very un-princess-like way, but she didn’t care. Nopony was watching. Nopony cared. She could rest and simply watch the grey expanse of cloud above drift slowly by. She could gaze at the few leaves that were bustled off their branches as they fell to the ground. She couldn’t help but close her eyes, smiling. She took a deep breath. She could smell the water in the air of the storm to come. The air froze her bones, but the warmth of nostalgia burned in her heart. She clung to that for heat, letting it fill her whole body with its bliss. She breathed in again, now smelling the leaves around her as she heard them crinkle and rustle in the wind. Her mind drifted along with the clouds in the sky. She thought of days with her sister, eating warm fresh pumpkin pies, jumping into leaf piles. She remembered the warmth from fireplaces late at night, the popping and crackling fighting with the pitter patter of rain on the windows. She was filled with an indescribable feeling, that feeling she got as she curled up with a good book in a warm blanket, a cup of steaming cocoa in her grasp. Celestia sighed in content, opening her eyes once more. The clouds had allowed a thin ray of sunshine through, shining on the stop where she lay. She shifted herself back to her hooves, feeling dew soaking into her fur. She shivered, shaking herself. As she stretched out a tad, the thin beams of sun slowly warmed her. Chuckling, she smiled. Her reflection had many dried leaves in her mane. Using her magic, she removed them, smiling. The crinkled in her magic, sending chills down her spine as she heard them. She looked once more above, seeing the trees and imagining them more as fields of pumpkins and strawberries, simply swaying in the wind. The image caused her to giggle, the sort of laugh that turns into a guffaw, then a bellow, then practically a roar of laughter. Wiping tears from her eyes, she sighed. She lived for the days away from her work, away from the courts and the problems that festered, no matter the season. She longed for days of freedom and flying, where she could enjoy herself and leave civilization behind for awhile. Where she could rest. But those days were far and few between. Celestia watched as a stray falling leaf of gold passed her by on the breeze, just as the days of her life passed her by, and just as the seasons pass. Memories of other days come tumbling from the past to remind all ponies of good days and bad days, and how they pass as well. All things come and go, like the tide of an ocean on the beach in summer, or the green leaves fading to gold and falling in the autumn. Like the flowers that die in the winter, and the storms that blow away in the spring, all things pass away some day. But, that day was far off for Celestia. There were many more memories to make, and many more autumns to enjoy. As she flew away, she had to laugh. Many ponies thought Summer was Celestia’s favorite season… But the days of golden trees and frigid air would always remain in her heart as her favorite time of the year. Author's Note https://derpibooru.org/25 is the picture this is based off of! https://derpicdn.net/img/2012/1/2/25/large.png if you don't like Derpibooru :33
Cutesy Wootsy (Slice of Life, D'aw Tag)Rainbow Dash, fastest flyer in all of Equestria, coolest mare alive (maybe even cooler than Daring Doo), and altogether awesome gal stared in the mirror. Normally her ego would swell at the sight of herself in the mirror. Not today. Today, the most amazing mare alive was staring at her reflection in disgust. The reason? Her decidedly NOT cool outfit. Blue floppy ears. Blue bunny booties. A blue saddlebag that forced her wings to hug her sides uncomfortably. She could hardly stand to look at herself. The thought of other ponies seeing her like this made her muzzle scrunch up in distaste. She was totally, undeniably adorable. Tonight was the big Nightmare Night Costume Party, hosted by none other than Pinkie Pie. It was sure to be a doozy, with that mare planning it. But, there had been a catch in the costumes. Rainbow had been set to wear a Vampony outfit, or something REALLY cool like that, but then Pinkie had delivered an alta-mata somthing. She set some rules for everypony who came. Everypony who comes to the party has to come in an outfit that’s opposite to who they really are. Rainbow was so epic, so cool, so amazing, and now she looked… well… Rainbow sighed. She looked cute as hell. Somehow, she had managed to repair Fluttershy’s ‘dangerous mission’ outfit. She had figured that since it had the words ‘dangerous’ and ‘mission’ in it, it couldn’t be that bad to wear. But she was wrong. Sweet Celestia, was she wrong! The floppy ears, booties - And, worst of all was the way her wings were tied down by the matching saddle bag around her. She shifted uncomfortably, her wings squashed by the stifling outfit. She looked at herself in her cloud mirror, sighing. “Well, I got Pinkie’s rule down pat.” She couldn’t help but grin a bit. “Heh, I’m sure to win the prize for ‘Most Not-You’ at the party.” That single thought helped reassure her. Gently, she rolled up the sleeves of the outfit. She thought it made her look MORE cute; whether that was a blessing or a curse at this point, Rainbow didn’t care. As long as she kept her eyes on that prize, it didn’t matter. Rainbow tilted her head, continuing to look at herself. Her mane curled a bit over her eye, hiding part of it from view. She smiled softly, seeing a small blush rise to her cheeks. She looked REALLY adorable. What did this remind her of?... It was a long time ago… She laughed out loud as she remembered suddenly. Back when she had been a little filly, she had a stuffed bunny she got from Fluttershy for some birthday of hers. She had cherished that little thing. That was way long ago, back before she cared about adorableness or coolness or anything. She had just loved her little Snuffle-Bunny. Snuffle B. had been a little blue stuffed bunny toy with big, floppy, fluffy ears and bright black eyes. Over the years, he had gotten a little beat up - after all, Dash had always been a bit more rough and tumble than some other kids. Rainbow remembered when she had made her dad sew her bunny’s arm back on. She had been so worried it would never be repaired. He had ended up fine. Dash didn’t quite remember where the little guy had ended up now, though. He was probably sitting up somewhere in her attic in a box of kid things. She had gotten swept away by cooler things, like the Wonderbolts and racing. Rainbow giggled softly, brushing her mane to the side as she drank in nostalgia. She grinned at her reflection, chuckling. She was so going to win that prize. She was Rainbow Dash - the most adorable mare around, even if nopony ever knew it; even herself. She glanced at the clock, her mane flipping slightly so she could see. It was about half an hour until the party started. She should probably get going if she wanted to get there on time. She glanced behind her once, seeing a very sleepy tortoise slowly opening his eyes. "Heya, Tank! How do I look?" The tortoise slowly blinked. Waiting a moment, Rainbow saw her pet smile, as though his mouth were made of molasses. Rainbow chuckled. "Thanks, buddy." Quickly, the bunny clad Rainbow Dash bopped her pet's nose with her own, giggling. "Alright, you gonna be fine here?" Being the smart tortoise he was, her bobbed his head up and down in slow motion. Rainbow chuckled and turned around. "Alright. I'll be home later!" In a dash, despite her tied wings, she got to the door quickly. She opened the door and trotted to a pulley system she had installed. Smiling, she jumped onto a wooden platform and snapped the pulley, letting herself be lowered to the ground. "Can't wait to get my wings back..." Sighing, Rainbow began the long trek to Sugarcube Corner. At least she was sure to win a prize for her adorable outfit. On the way there, she was greeted by many a pony. A few greeted her with a smile; others with uproaring laughter. She rolled her eyes and kept walking. The party, as it turned out, was quite a lot of fun. Fluttershy (dressed as a big, scary wolf) had loved the use of her old outfit; Twilight (wearing Spike’s dragon costume as a cop out) completely agreed. Applejack (dressed as a racoon) couldn’t stop laughing, along with Pinkie Pie (top notch, dressed up like a funeral cake). Rarity (dressed in only the finest hideousness of a pony off the streets, she said) took a middle ground and complimented Rainbow’s sewing abilities. They partied all night long, but to Rainbow, it didn’t matter if anypony saw her. It wasn’t like her reputation was ruined. She had enjoyed herself, and it didn’t matter who won the prize anymore; she was with close friends who all enjoyed her company. Cutsy Wootsy or not. Author's Note This took awhile; Definitely not one of my favorites. Cute writing for a character I (personally, guys) dislike is tough. Well, hopefully you all like it! I hope it wasn't too forced ^^;;; http://alasou.deviantart.com/art/Costume-Swap-party-381670764
Most Wonderful Of Nights (Sad)Celestia laughed as her younger sister flew around, groaning. “C’mon, Tia! Surely, the sun must be setting soon.” “Hold your horses, Luna,” Tia said, her amethyst eyes sparkling with laughter and joy. Luna rolled her eyes at the pun as she landed next to her sister. “The time is a structured thing; if I set the sun too soon each night for your pleasure, ponies would start to worry.” “Why should they worry? They should enjoy my night more,” she said, pouting. Celestia simply smiled and nodded. “Yes, they should.” She glanced critically at the sky outside, smirking. “One night couldn’t hurt,” she said, almost conspiratorially. Luna smiled brightly as her sister’s horn began to glow, her aura like sunlight; Luna shut her eyes and joined the setting, and in her case, rising of the celestial bodies of the Sun and Moon. In perfect synchronization, the two beings moved, in perfect harmony. The Sun never faltered in its setting, and the Moon n’er in its rising. All was right in the world. All was perfect in Equestria. The light slowly shifted from soft to deep as colors fragmented the air in a myriad of brilliant pigments; crimsons and scarlets were born from sapphires as the rest of the sky became a majestic violet. Luna watched the change as she always did: completely in awe. The complexity of it all, the beauty of the world she lived in. It was wonderful. She sighed out in sheer bliss as the sun made its final arc, disappearing over the horizon. Both alicorns let their magic fade slowly. “Why don’t you take a break from dream duty tonight,” Celestia said softly, nuzzling her sister. “Enjoy your night.” “But what of good dreams, sister? Don’t the ponies need my dreams?” Celestia laughed, her voice like a bell. Luna had always loved her sister’s laugh. She heard it so little now. They hadn’t been able to be together in a long time. “I will take your duties tonight, Luna. Please, just enjoy yourself; don’t worry about me.” Luna beamed. “Thank you, dear sister.” With an exclamation of sheer joy, Luna took flight, leaving behind her older, happy sister. She felt the warm night graze her wings; oh, how she loved Spring. She breathed deeply the fresh air, practically purring as she smelled all different flavors of smell. The rivers by their castle, the flowers that stood tall this season. All this and more bombarded her with sheer stimulation, leaving her breathless in its wake. She laughed as she flew down next to a pool of water, dipping her hooves through and making a large splash. The water danced around her, little gems of light that shifted around. She whooped, laughing louder than she had in a long time, cooped up alone in the palace. She had been alone too long. This night was good, as the night always was; oh, how she wished she could feel this free, this lovely forever. “Oh,” she cried out as the water fell, smiling. “Oh, most wonderful of nights!” She rose up again, twirling around in the sky. Everything was perfect, here. Everything was lovely and dark and majestic. She gazed up at the stars, naming all the constellations. She knew them all by heart; they had become her friends, her companions these many years. Centaurus and Capricorn and Chameleon shined brightly at her. Andromina sang a beautiful song in the sky as she glowed. These constellations were her closest friends. She could talk with them. With them, she would never be alone again. Celestia wouldn’t want her to be alone, correct? So what was wrong with being friends with the stars? Luna shivered as she felt the nights gentle brush against her fur, that tender touch of the wind that lured her away from this place. Why would she ever want to leave? Why had she left? She sighed as she flew down to the grass, feeling the ground tickle her as she stepped. She giggled softly at the sensation, then rested on her stomach. She let her head rest on her hooves, feeling the wet ground soak her fur. She watched her reflection in a nearby pond with little care. Her slitted eyes and fanged grin smiled back at her, that violet - blue miasma that was her mane waving softly in a non-existent wind. Her gorgeous eyes and her bright smile. All was right with the world. Everything was perfect. She was not alone. “Oh, most wonderful of nights,” she said with a smile as she shut her eyes, her tears joining the water in the pool before her, unnoticed by all but the stars. Nightmare Moon sobbed in the sky in her fitful, 900 year rest. She rested in the moon, forever dreaming of the days she had lost. The world she had been shunned from. How much she had forgotten but the stars; her only company now. The stars who watched over her. The stars who had discovered her. The stars who would aid in her escape. The stars looked upon her with such great pity. As the moon waned in the sky, eventually disappearing, it was the worst nights of all. The moon became a cradle for her as they tried to hide her from the world she had loved once. They tried to help her forget. Forever, she cried. Forever, she was doomed to remember. Her tears became so fitful, so many that seas were created; they named them after the Lunar Mare, that poor mare whom they had come to know. This ‘Nightmare Moon’, this mare named Luna, trapped in the body of a so called monster. Mare Cognitum was where they first found her; The sea that has become known. Mare Nubium became where they hid her; The sea of clouds to shield her from the world. Mare Crisium was for the particularly bad dreams; The sea of crises. But now she simply stayed in one place, no matter what. Mare Imbrium; The sea of rain. The saltwater rain: The nightmares tears. The stars could not take her pain. Her sorrow made them dimmer, almost filled with sorrow themselves. And so they counseled as the sun took to the sky and hid them from view. They voted. They agreed. The stars would aid in her escape. They would make her dream come true. Her night would be as loved as she wished herself to be. Nighttime eternal would let them be with her. Let them comfort her. There may come a time when her plan failed; but, for what time they had, the constellations would love her as none other seemed to now. For, Luna was alone. Luna was abandoned. The stars did all they could, but it was for nought; the stars are only stars. For but 100 years more as they worked themselves slowly closer to her, all that they could do, Nightmare Moon dreamed. She dreamed of better days. She dreamed of pink flowers and pools of water and her loving sister that would never send her away. She dreamt of loving ponies who gathered for her night. For her. She dreamed. She dreamed of the most wonderful of nights in her most horrible of dreams. Author's Note http://pridark.deviantart.com/art/A-Wonderful-Night-381504014 Whaaaat?! Two chapters, one night?~ I can't sleep, so here you go xD Also, went with a sad one this time. Got tired of all the cutesy wootsy nonsense; I wanted something on the sadder side this time.
Free As The Sun (Sad, Romance, AU)Author's Note I'm afraid I can't remember the source of this banner. If I find it, I'll post the link here as usual. And, now that banners are gone, I will be taking prompt requests/picture requests! PM me or post a prompt in the comments if you would like to see it done! General rule is, no sex, but gore isn't TOO bad. Keep it PG/PG-13 guys. Thanks for your suggestions! The continuation of this fic depends on them! I might throw in one or two of my own prompt ideas, but all in all, I need suggestions!! Free As The Sun (Sad, Romance, AU) Rainbow Dash raced through the town, her sword resting by her side. She made sure to avoid main roads to avoid any questions as to why she had it; Celestia only knows how many questions she would get if anypony saw her. Still, she was galloping so fast, nopony could stop to question her. Rainbow Dash had always moved fast; it was in her nature. Her special talent, even. Speed. Agility. The ability to race forth and, most importantly, not get caught. Being a thief suited her. But today she wasn’t running from something, like the police or the merchants - today, she ran towards something. Like a lover. Rainbow took a deep breath of the crisp, before dawn air. She opened her wings and took to the skies - it was far easier than traveling on hoof. Her sword rested tightly around her flanks, completely secure. She sighed in relief as the chilled air of the oncoming winter bit at her feathers. The air was so much more alive to her; so much more free. Free of the oppressing nature of the earth below, free of any and all distractions. But she would gladly stay on the ground, if even just for a glimpse of her mare. She reached her destination far sooner than she thought she would. Not that she was complaining, however. The sun had hardly begun to rise over the horizon. She landed, not at the front gates of the beautiful house, but at a curtained off entrance to the attic. Vines snaked up to the entrance, concealing it further. Dash sighed contently as she trotted in. “Shy?” “B-Back here,” a timid voice said from further inside. Dash felt her heart soar at the sound of her voice. It was like the chirping of birds; crisp, clear and bright. Dash smiled as she trotted back into the room. She caught sight of her quickly: her beauty stood out. Fluttershy stood, watching out the large window that allowed a view of the city below. Her mane curled down her face softly; the only thing that kept it out of her eyes was a small butterfly hair pin. She wore a long ivory dress, the sides accented with evergreen leaf patterns. In her hair was a single rose, hiding the pin - she wore one every day, here in the city. Rainbow trotted up to her, planting a small kiss on her cheek. “I’m sorry if I’m late,” she said, almost breathlessly: from the fast flight or from the sweet sight, she could not tell. She took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. She felt this way, each time she saw her; she loved every minute of it. Fluttershy blushed lightly and turned her face away in embarrassment from the kiss. “I-It’s fine, Rainbow. You’re right on time.” Rainbow smiled and nuzzled her mare, sighing in contentment. Fluttershy returned the affection before clearing her throat softly. “Do you think…” Her voice trailed off. “What is it, Shy?” “Can you help me get my dress off? I-If it’s not too much troub-” “Of course I will,” Dash said, chuckling. “Just lie on your stomach.” Fluttershy blushed further, but Dash was used to that. She did as asked, lying down. Rainbow stepped over her and took her in. Slowly, she sat down, sure to sit close, but not too close for comfort. Shy smiled at the gesture. Slowly, tenderly, Dash reached out and took the strap of the dress with her hoof. She slid it over her marefriend’s shoulder, making sure to go slow. Fluttershy continued to blush, but Dash paid no heed. As she struggled to grasp the strap in her hooves, she decided to give up. Just as slowly as before, she leaned her muzzle down and clenched the thin strap between her teeth. Immediately, Shy tensed up. Dash breathed out her nose slowly, sliding the strap off completely. She moved to the next one, this time feeling her muzzle rub against her marefriend’s back. She loved the touch of that fur. She pulled that strap away too and sat up once more, smiling softly. “You can stand, it’ll just slip right off.” Blushing, of course, Fluttershy stood and allowed the dress to fall off of her. It landed in a clump around her. She stepped out of the dress and lied down, allowing Dash to push it away from them. “Permission to cuddle,” Dash asked, almost like a cadet to a sergeant.Shy giggled softly and nodded. Dash smiled - that giggle was so adorable - and sat next to Shy, feeling their fur rub against the others. They steadily grew closer, until Shy was resting her entire body against Rainbow’s. Rainbow sat facing the window, watching the sun rise. Birds flew around that dawn, free as… well, Rainbow thought, birds. She opened her wings, draping one over Shy like a large blanket. Shy didn’t object - she never did. Instead she nuzzled the feathers, looking out the window in silence. They laid there a while, both simply enjoying the privacy. Yet, all silence is eventually broken. This time, it was shattered with a soft sigh - a sigh of longing and sorrow. Rainbow glanced at Fluttershy as she shifted, reaching into her hair. Softly, she took off the pin in her hair. She stared at it for a moment before setting it down with another tired sigh. "What's wrong, love," Rainbow asked softly, concerned. “It’s my father…” She shut her eyes tightly. “He still doesn’t want me to go outside.” Rainbow shook her head, sighing. “Have you told him about… well.” “Dash, you know I can’t… You know how he would react to us…” “I know, I know… I just wish I could see you more often, Fluttershy…” Fluttershy nuzzled her marefriend softly, sighing. “Me too, Rainbow… me too…” Together, the couple stayed in their forbidden embrace, desperate for even a few moments in the others hooves. They watched as the sun rose, free, and they both dreamt of the day, they too, could rise.
The Worst Hell (Slice of Life, Comedy, D'aw Tag)When I was defeated, it didn’t matter. I knew exactly what would happen to me. I would be sent back to my own personal hell. Honestly, hell’s not all that bad. A little dark, a little hot, a little confusing; honestly, everything’s just a little boring down there. But I forgot that hell can change. Everything about it can change. I was never expecting this. “Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!” “OH SHUT UP,” I shouted, slamming my hoof down as I glared at Sombra. “You can have the dang crystal when I’m done with Nightmare!” I watched as Sombra looked at me, his big eyes wide with shock at my shouting. “Oh no… Oh no, please don’t….” The little colt Sombra threw back his head, wailing. I rolled my eyes, wincing. “My kingdom for some earplugs,” I muttered, setting down the bottle labeled ‘Woona’. I pick him up and bounce him on my shoulder with a sigh. “Come on, you numbskull. Don’t you know how much I hate children?” “WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” “Oh for Celestia’s sake…” I set the wailing baby down, glancing over at Discord. Yep. He’s got it. “Discord… Give me Sombra’s pacifier…” Discord smirked, clutching it in his claw. “Nuh-uh. Mine.” My eyes narrowed. “Discooord… Give Nanny Tirek the crystal.” Ugh. ‘Nanny’ Tirek. “Nuh-uh! You a meanie nanny! Discord no give you nuthin’.” I leaned down to him, holding my hand down on his tail. He gasped and tried to fly away, but he didn’t get far - especially with those puny little wings. He fell to the ground, pouting as he clutched the crystal close to his chest. “Now, Discord… If you give me that Crystal… I’ll give you THIS thing.” Discord’s eyes widened as I held up… a copy of my brother’s necklace. Oh, sweet irony. “See? It’s even shinier.” Discord glared at me. “Me no trust you - you a big meanie!” “But you want the shiny, don’t you?” “... Gimmie da shiny.” “Give me the crystal first, Discord.” “... Okay, fiiine…” Discord giggled as he threw the crystal right at my face. I stumbled back, falling over, dropping the necklace even as I caught the pacifier. Discord roared - more a gentle grumble - and pounced on the necklace. “Mwahahaha!” He rolled onto his back, nibbling on the side of the gold piece. I rolled my eyes. He must be teething. I groaned and stood up, and he thankfully paid me no mind. Thank Celestia for small miracles. As I took the crystal pacifier over to Sombra, I thought about my peculiar predicament. I supposed hell had learned since my escape. It had made me isolated, but that was nothing new. I had simply been bored. But now, my eternal punishment was looking after wailing foals. Wailing foals of other enemies that had never been so bad as to be in my position. Every other villain those Elements had beaten, in baby form. I was forced to take care of them - if I didn’t, they just seemed to get more rowdy, more hectic, more impossible to ignore. I hadn’t had a moments peace in quite some time. Years? Eons? Who knew how long I had been trapped here now. I leaned down to the still wailing Sombra. He never stopped, did he? “Lookie what I have,” I said, gagging internally at the baby talk. “It’s Sombra’s crystal!” Sombra finally looked at me, sniffling. “C-cystal?....” His eyes widened in delight as he saw it. He giggled, bouncing on his rump against the floor as he reached for it. I watched him, chuckling briefly at the sight before shaking my head. “Yeah, yeah, here you go kid.” I gave him the crystal, turning my back on him quickly. Nope. These kids weren’t cute. They were just a nuisance. Case in point, there Nightmare went again. She was always trying to fly away! “Luna! Get back in your crib this instant!” The foal in question lost her focus as I shouted and fell back into the padded crib with a plop. She glared at me as she stood on her hind legs. “Woona big enough to be on floor!” I rolled my eyes. While she was the oldest of them all, she was the most rambunctious (though that could be debated when Discord got hungry). “I know, Nightmare, I know. But somepony can’t keep their wings under control. I’ve told you three times now to stop flying, and you know what that means.” Nightmare gasped, falling back into her crib. “Nooooooooooooooo!!!!” She thrashed around, banging the padded sheets angrily as I watched her little tirade. Her face even turned red with anger. I couldn’t help but snort before clearing my throat and regaining a poker face. Still not cute. “Now come on, Nightmare. You know as well as I do what happens now.” I grabbed the chain that was attached to the crib and took her forehoof. She tried to smack me, but with a hoof that tiny, she wasn’t doing much damage. I still told her off for hitting, though. I latched in her hoof. “There. Now, your punishment, Nightmare.” She looked at me with tears in her eyes. “Ooooh no. Don’t give me that face. You had this coming.” Her eyes only got bigger and more shimmery with tears. “Come on, Wo- Luna.” Bigger still. I groaned. “Alright, fine! 1 naptime with it on instead. That’s all.” “Yaaay!!” Her wings buzzed lightly as she lied down, yawning. I smiled softly at the sight as her hoof made it’s way close to her mouth. The little filly pulled it close and sucked on the edge of it, already on her way to being completely asleep. I glanced around at all the other foals. Chrysalis was still asleep in the corner of the room, clutching her little Shining Armor doll close to her. She was the most docile of any of the foals. Discord was yawning and curling up around the necklace. No issues there. Sombra must’ve fallen asleep right after I gave him the pacifier, cause he was sure knocked out now. He still had the crystal in his mouth, though. I sighed a deep sigh of relief and sat, adjusting the hideous pink bonnet I had been forced to wear by Chrysalis. She always knew when I took it off - somehow, someway. I glanced at all the sleeping foals in turn. Finally, a moment’s peace. I glanced at the bottle labelled ‘Woona’. Shoot. I forgot to feed her. With a yawn, I leaned back against the ground. I could worry about that one later, of course. I could probably just feed them all at the same time. Besides, if she was hungry, she’d certainly let me know. More crying. Yay. I smirked to myself. Finally, in the great stillness of the air, I could focus my thoughts on escape. I could finally rest awhile and discern how to leave this absolute hell. I pictured it as I closed my eyes; Equestria, under my rule. Celestia, bowing to me. Darkness eternal and all magic mine… Nightmare giggled softly in her crib as she watched her nanny fall asleep. She tapped her lit up horn, smiling brightly. “Nigh nigh, nanny Tiek. Sweet dweams....” she whispered, before lying down and taking her nap too. Author's Note HNNG~~ Thanks, SpiritofChaos, for sending me the ADORABLE pic that inspired this one~ http://ssalbug.deviantart.com/art/Nanny-Tirek-460579184
The Fragrance Of Dark Coffee (Human, Slice of Life)The rain was really coming down today. People avoided walking if they could, and those who were walking ran under jackets and umbrellas. The black skies seemed endless with clouds and the moon had no place there that night. The streetlamps seemed to flicker as the rain passed in front of them, letting each glistening drop shine. “We’ll be closing in about an hour, Miss.” She jumped as the sound tore her away from her window gazing and looked at the man who had spoken. The man at the counter chuckled as he continued washing the counter, shaking his head. “Didn’t mean t’scare you, M’am. Just wanted t’give you a heads up.” “It’s quite alright, sir. I was simply daydreaming.” “Aye, I figured. Never seen someone look that closely at a rainy day.” She giggled softly, looking back at the window. “Just… looking for some inspiration.” With a soft sigh, Rarity wrapped her hands around her mug, taking a deep drink of the coffee. She breathed in the smell. The robust fragrance seemed to envelop her with each breath, warming her to the core. She sighed again, smiling, and glanced at the picture on her computer. The design was taking a terribly long time. It was due tomorrow, and she still had no idea what she would do. She had spent every waking hour on this project, but nothing would come to her mind. Every idea she had was started and quickly scrapped. She rested her elbows on the table and glanced back outside once more. The sky seemed to be rolling from the wind. The lights looked beautiful in Manhattan. She was glad she had come here for the summer program her school offered, but still… She missed home. It was in her own home that she thought best and had the best inspiration. It was there that her friends stayed, awaiting her arrival. They were sure to ask her how Manhattan was, how all of her designs went over in the program. She brought the mug to her lips again, letting the inviting scent of dark coffee comfort her once more. She glanced at the design again, keeping the mug close to her. Perhaps… No, that couldn’t work. Or maybe a cerule- no, that shade of blue would clash horribly with the jewels she planned to use… She shut her eyes with another sigh, sitting back in her chair. “I’ll never finish this project…” Her laptop pinged. She glanced over at the messager she had open if anyone needed to reach her. Pinkie Pie? She rose her eyebrow and hit the button to accept the call. All at once, Pinkie’s face filled the screen. “Hi Rarity!!” “Pinkie Pie, darling, it’s so nice to see you!” Rarity smiled, setting down her mug. “Why are you calling?” “It’s not just me, it’s all of us!” Pinkie moved away from the camera so everyone could be seen. Fluttershy and Spike shyly waved. Twilight nodded, smiling brightly. Applejack tipped her hat. Rainbow grinned and shouted a greeting, a soccer ball held in her hands. Pinkie giggled. “We all wanted to say hi!” Rarity chuckled. “Well, this is a pleasant surprise. It’s nice to see ALL of you.” “How’s Manhattan?” Twilight asked, tilting her head. “It sounds like it’s raining pretty hard over there.” “Oh, it’s just a little storm. Other than that, the city is beautiful.” “Ah’m glad your enjoyin’ yourself, Rarity,” Applejack remarked. “You’ve been a might bit stressed out here at home. It’s nice t’see you takin’ a break.” “Yeah, Rares!” Rainbow got in close to the camera, frowning. “You had us a bit worried. You’ve got a HUGE class schedule this year! Make sure you’re actually taking a break out there, alright?” “Rainbow Dash, get away from the camera so she can see us all!” Rarity shook her head as they repositioned the camera. “Oh, trust me, I’m taking my time and relaxing as much as I can. I must say, I am a little bit frazzled at the moment, however. I’ve a design due tomorrow, and it simply isn’t coming together.” “I-If you don’t mind my asking,” Fluttershy said, “what’s the assignment?” “Well, I’ve got to design a gown for informal wear that can still be worn to formal events. I’ve only got my pick of two different fabric colors, and only few handfuls of gems left.” She sighed. “I’m afraid that I might have to delve into the realm of… urgh… costume jewelry…” Rarity winced slightly as she thought about it. “But don’t let my assignment bother you all. I’m not sure why I’m bothering to tell you all. You don’t need to hear my complaining about the subject.” “Shucks, Rarity, you know that’s what friends are for!” Applejack rubbed her chin, thinking. “Though, Ah dunno how much help Ah can be on the subject of dress makin’.” “It’s not so much the making as the designing, dear. I just can’t decide on what to do. The instant I get an idea, it just seems like it’s not good enough.” “Aww, don’t think that, Rarity!!” Pinkie bounced up and down, glancing at everyone. “EVERYBODY knows that what you make is SUPER great! If that’s not good enough, then somebody’s asking for something better than perfect!” Rarity blushed lightly, chuckling. “I thank you for your compliment, Pinkie, but I’m afraid that’s wishful thinking. I might be good at what I do, but I’m anything but perfect.” “Nonsense, Rarity.” Twilight smiled. “We all know just how hard you work with your dress making. We all remember the time you made our gowns for the Gala… and the costumes you made for Coco and her stage production…” “Yeah, Rares! You even look great now!” Rarity glanced down at her outfit, just a simple black turtleneck and red pants. She supposed her hair was rather nice today, but it was a very simplistic outfit. She certainly wouldn’t wear this to a meeting or other formal sett… “Wait a moment…” She glanced at her coffee again, smiling. “Why, Rainbow, I do believe you’ve given me an idea!” “Wait, really?” “Yes!” Smiling, Rarity moved the design to the foreground of her screen, reshaping the gown. Yes, it I just change the hem a bit and make the ripples flow more…” “Go, Rarity, Go!” Pinkie had managed to find pom poms somewhere. The others rolled their eyes and joined in the cheering. The man at the counter looked up and shook his head, smiling as he watched the college student hard at work. He saw at least one a day. Rarity nibbled on her lip as she colored the gown in. Two fabric colors left her with very little opportunity. She glanced back down at her coffee, watching the little cream swirls that danced in the mug. Determination in her eyes, she picked the two colors out and shaded in the gown. Carefully, she added a few jewels to the main chest piece, being sure not to overdo it. She gasped as she saw the finished result. A diagonal rippled dress that ended just a little past the knees with a chocolate colored skirt piece; the top was the same shade, a sash of creamy beige separating the two pieces. The same beige lined the inside for warmth and the extra tone. The sleeves were cut to rest just off the shoulders, the collar having the lightest of axinite and hessonite beading. With boots and a jacket, the dress would be perfect for an earthy tone to any autumn day, but with the right heels and some gold earrings, you’d be the hit of any formal event. “I did it!” A shout of joy came over the phone. Rarity smiled, giggling. “Rainbow, had you never said anything about my outfit, I never would’ve thought to do something so simple! Thank you ever so much, dear.” “Hey, don’t give me all the credit! You probably based it off a bunch of stuff, Rarity.” “Dash’s right, Rarity. Y’never give yourself enough credit for what you do. Give yourself a pat on the back. You’ve earned it.” Rarity smiled, glancing at her nearly empty mug of coffee. “I do suppose I owe myself some credit for seeing the inspiration…” She finished her coffee and smiled back at her friends. “I should get going if I want to turn this in early. It was nice seeing you, even if I was working at the time.” “Good to see you too, Rarity!” “G-Good luck on your project…” “Yeah! Rock it, Rarity!” “See you soon, Rares!” “Make sure y’have a good day!” Rarity smiled and ended the call. She saved the dress design and closed her laptop, taking a deep breath. She glanced outside. Still pouring rain. The lights shone through the rain, the drops of water shining like the gemstones around the coffee colored gown. She took a deep breath, breathing in that sweet scent of coffee beans and cream with chocolate that had formed the fabric for her gown. She glanced at the man at the counter. He was watching her with a soft smile. “Thank you for the coffee.” “Don’t mention it.” She smiled and paid. He cashed in the money and watched her go into the storm. Sighing happily, he began whistling a little jazz tune he had heard long ago. The storm roared it’s applause with thunder. The little jazz tune would always be there in the little cafe on a street in Manhattan, ready to provide a little inspiration now and then. You just needed to know where to look. Author's Note I saw a picture and just had to write this (despite staying up an hour and a half past my self imposed curfew, woops!). The picture is http://tao-mell.deviantart.com/art/Study-Time-499004779 . The song I listened to while writing this was Fragrance of Dark Coffee (from Phoenix Wright) with the combination of Rainy Mood. :) I hope you enjoy it!
Fade (2nd Person, Sad, AU?)The wind howls around you, hardly noticeable. Your bangs whip against your forehead softly. Above your head, you hear dogtags clink together softly. Those are the only sounds you can hear. The sun has risen far over the horizon, high in the sky. The crystals have been destroyed. It’s nearly silent on the forgotten battlefield. You guess the war was won just in time. How pathetic. You allow a shuddering breath to escape your lips, tightening your hoof around your chest. Your ribs hurt like hell, but you suppose you’ll be alright soon enough. If the rumors coming in from Ponyville were true, that is. Looking at the barren landscape around you, you kinda doubted they were false. Dust, as far as the eye could see. Grey dust, and a brown, uneven landscape. The cold of the north had caused bitter, seemingly endless snowstorms and blizzards, freezing the hooves and bodies of soldiers. But now, the snow had ceased. The fighting had too. Everything, everyone, had just… stopped. Everyone but you. You groan as another wave of pain and nausea overtakes you. You curl up tighter, resisting the urge to throw up what remains in your stomach - not much, by a long shot, but you’d prefer it to stay inside you. You shiver as your spare hoof grips your staff. It’s helped you get this far, but it’ll never be far enough. Nothing can escape the Fade. No food, no water, nothing. “Come on, Dash, pull yourself together,” you hear your own rough voice growl out - but you don’t even register that you say it. The only thing left after you utter the words is a vast emptiness and a scratchy feeling in your dry throat. How long has it been since you had a decent drink of water? A week? 2? You can’t keep track of the days anymore. The sun follows its own schedule since Celestia disappeared. She was one of the first to disappear. You struggle to get to your hooves, only to collapse a second later. Pain shoots through your body and you cry out. The sound is swallowed up by the air. You shudder in pain, gripping the staff tightly. You hear the dogtags jingling together cheerfully. “H-Heh… Finally learned t’laugh, didn’t you?” You manage a rough grin, more of a snarl on your scarred face. She’d have loved it, though. She might've been serious, but she still appreciated smiles. You manage to sit up again, panting from exertion. You glance at your chest - so much blood. It’s managed to seep through your bandages. You don’t bother checking your pack - you know you’re out of new ones to change into. “Heh.” You manage a bitter laugh, spitting on the ground to clear the taste of dust from your mouth. “Let’s hope the wounds kill me before the Fade, right?” You bark out another laugh, glancing at the staff. “Ain’t that right, Pinks?” The dogtags just jingle in response. You sigh, your breath shuddering out again. Your lungs hurt. “Yeah…” You close your eyes, coughing out more dust. It was everywhere. You lean against the staff tiredly, your grin sliding off your face. “Guess I don’t have long, eh?” You shut your eyes tightly. “Tsk… what a way t’go. I couldn’t even die honorably.” The wind whistles around you. You feel tears start to rise to your eyes and you just can’t hold them back. You don’t have the energy to. They start to roll down your face softly, leaving your cyan fur shining through the dirt and blood that covered you entirely. You just let your tears fall. It’s the end. You might as well cry. No one’s here to see it, anyways. “Always thought I’d go out with a bang,” you say to the air. “Y’know - take out some crystal soldiers with me, maybe even land a blow on old Sombra himself. Instead, I’m just sitting here, waiting to… to end.” You shake your head. “The Fade’s no way to go.” You can almost hear her talking as the tags click. “Yeah, yeah, I know you wouldn’t believe in the Fade. You were a bit whimsical, sure, but you had a serious head about you. We all needed to be serious. It was a war, after all.” You laugh before coughing more. “I think the rumors are true, though. What else would cause this?” You gesture to the dust around you, that… void. You take another deep breath. You’re starting to feel so exhausted. “But I think Flutters is right. She heard from her source in Manehattan that someone came to Ponyville spouting some nonsense about timelines. It just makes sense that if… if that’s all true, and they fixed everything… Well. There’s no point for us to exist anymore. Right?” The tags have gone silent. “Heh.” You shut your eyes. “Yeah, you never said much.” You let the silence continue a bit longer before breaking it once more. “I wonder… what it’ll be like. Will I just… stop existing? Or will I move on to the right timeline? To… To the me that was supposed to be here?” You grin before laughing. This time, you don’t end up coughing. Small miracles, right? “Imagine it, Pinks! All of us, friends of some high up alicorn princess with magic strong enough to change our entire past…” Clinkclink. “I didn’t want to believe it either…” You glance at your hoof as it starts to tingle. The silence is getting louder. “But well…” You can see through your hoof. “Guess it’s not as fake as we all thought.” You cough into your hoof. When you look back at it, you can see blood faintly staining your fur. You can see through that too. “Y’know, Pinks?... All I really want… is to see you again. Maybe… maybe we could’a been better friends.” You let your hoof drop. You’re… really tired at this point. You shut your eyes, leaning against the staff. “I just hope… I see you there, Pinks.” Clinkclink. “Heh… S-see you… on the other side, right?” The staff falls from your hoof, clattering to the ground silently. You collapse, your body feeling weak. Static seems to fill your entire body. You aren’t breathing anymore. And then… nothing. *~*~*~ “Dashie!” You jump, the ball falling beside you. You glance at it, taking a minute to remember what you’d been doing. You glance behind you at Pinkie. “Aw, Pinks! Come on, I had almost beat my record!” “Oopsie! Sorry, Dashie!” Pinkie giggled brightly, holding up a tray of cupcakes on her head. “Just wondering if you wanted to try my new flavor! I call them Crumbdiddlyumptious Cakes, cause they’re made with cookie crumbs!” She giggled, a big smile on her face. You take a minute to memorize that smile. You’re not really sure why. Maybe it’s because you don’t want to forget it. After all, memories do things like that - they just fade away before you’re ready to say goodbye. … When did you get so deep? “Heh. Sure thing, Pinkie Pie.” You grab one and munch on it happily with your friend before returning to your game. Author's Note This one's based on a suggestion from Stormcloud1120, http://ncmares.deviantart.com/art/Do-You-Feel-Like-A-Hero-Yet-582852405 . What a stunning picture! Also, the song I associate with this chapter most strongly is Ever After, by Marianas Trench. Seriously, check it and listen to it while reading this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cts6y-v7hhU
