HEARTS WARMING IN A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE!? Kitkat212 recently uploaded a G4 2D animation titled "Heartswarming." If you'd like to find out more, check out the article below! (Trigger warning: Horror/disturbing. Contains dark themes.) This video continues the story of Kitkat212's MLP survivors infection au (alternate universe) series as various creatures try to survive a zombie apocalypse inadvertently caused by Discord. One group of survivors includes Ocellus, Smolder, Gallus, and Rumble, who have taken refuge in the the ruins of the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters in the Everfree Forest. All four of them are lying on the floor. Smolder complains about missing summer break. When Gallus points out that missing summer break is what Smolder is bummed out about versus the zombies, Smolder says she wanted to complain about something else other than the world ending. Ocellus, who's likely still stressed out due to the events of a previous episode where she was forced to kill a zombie, begs the group to talk about something else. Rumble asks if the group can talk about a nice thing, to which Smolder replies with "Sure. What's the nicest thing you can think of?" Rumble replies with cupcakes from Sugarcube Corner. Smolder likes that answer and then asks Gallus for his nice thing. Gallus refuses to answer, though, so Smolder says her nice thing, "a good book before bed," and moves onto Ocellus, who responds with Hearts Warming, specifically "my first Changeling Hearts Warming with my family." That causes Rumble to remember his brother Thunderlane loving to ski. Gallus, who hasn't contributed much to the conversation, brings up the Heartswarming feast the Young Six had with the professors following the events of the episode "The Hearts Warming Club." The video then cuts to that feast with the Mane Six, Young Six, Spike, Starlight Glimmer, Princess Cadance, Shining Armor, and Flurry Heart sitting together. Festive music begins as Rainbow Dash complains to Applejack on them having to take a quiz on Hearts Warming. Applejack reassures her that the quiz is tradition and that there's a few questions about Daring Do on the quiz. Yona then proclaims her love for quizzes as Rarity adds holly berries to Yona's and Fluttershy's ears. Ocellus remembers Pinkie Pie's Hearts Warming cracker and not being able to wait to introduce that tradition to the Changelings. Ocellus remembers the smells, the sounds, the flavors, the smiles, and the love making the Castle of Friendship "even more magical." Smolder then points out they would've missed out on that feast if it weren't for Gallus' actions in "The Hearts Warming Club" and getting them all to stay in Ponyville. The video then cuts back to the four at the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters, where Ocellus sadly notes that "Hearts Warming is a long way away from us now." Smolder replies with "Not tonight, it isn't" as the four fall asleep. After a fade to black, the scene cuts to Gallus flying away from the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters. Gallus then sneaks his way into an arts and crafts shop. Grabbing a bag, he starts looking around for materials. Continuing to look around the shop, Gallus suddenly hears rustling. Gallus then quickly gathers the supplies and exits the shop through the window, with a zombie stretching out from the shop window. Arriving back at the castle ruins, Gallus unpacks his bag and begins decorating the room as sweet holiday music begins playing. After decorating the room with lights, ornaments, presents, light up bottles, and a small tree, Gallus collapses back to sleep. Smolder eventually wakes up, and after staring at the decorations in awe wakes up Ocellus and Rumble. The video ends with Gallus fast asleep, exhausted but happy at giving his friends another Hearts Warming despite the state of the world. The video boasts stellar animation, great voice acting, and plenty of adorable moments between the characters. It also does a great job of showcasing that even in tough times, you can still have moments of levity and happiness by people from whom you least expect it. Be sure to support Kitkat212 by subscribing to their YouTube channel! For another example of Kitkat212's work, here's their video "Washout," where Lightning Dust and Rolling Thunder discuss their past mistakes and needing to atone for them while hunting zombies in the ruins of Ponyville! (Trigger warning: Blood, death, dark themes) Also, happy belated Heartswarming from the Daily Dose of Pony crew! -VentureCorp

GRASS IS GREENER IN TARTARUS!? MLP writer and animator couple TheLostNarrator and Magpiepony recently put out a couple of shorts detailing Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity finding "greener pastures." If you'd like to find out more, check out the article below! [Content warning: Strong language] The "Out of Context Ponies" series is primarily run by Magpiepony, which has the ponies of MLP say things "out of context" for the sake of comedy. Part 1 begins with a background of bright balloons and lively music playing. Eventually, a curious Applejack shows up on the screen. After looking around for a bit, Applejack becomes bored and as the music cuts declares, "That's it! We're packing up and moving to greener pastures! We ain't gonna out of context here anymore!" Applejack then exits the frame with her reason for leaving being "Too many babies." Afterwards, Part 2 begins with rotating cylinders of skeletons, fire, and chains in what appears to be Hell/Tartarus. Applejack shows up and says with a confused expression, "_This_ is greener pastures?" Rainbow Dash enthusiastically yells "Hell yeah it is!" Applejack facehooves and asks "Are you color blind!?" Rarity then appears and asks "What colors do you see, Dash?" After looking around, Rarity hits the walls as she ask Rainbow "What's this one?" Green liquid sprays out of the wall and Rarity shudders in horror. She stutters with eventually proclaiming that it's "GREEN!" Rainbow Dash, struggling to explain, proclaims "Well..... *squawk*...... Isn't.......isn't green supposed to look like......" The video ends with Rainbow Dash saying, "Fuck you, AJ." Although brief, the pair of shorts provide plenty of comedic bits and good animation like the other shorts in the series! Be sure to support TheLostNarrator and Magpiepony by supporting them on Patreon and subscribing to them on YouTube and Twitter! The pair also have their own merch store that can be found here! For another example of the pair's works, here's "Ask Ponies - Princess Cadence," which has Princess Cadence answering questions from fans! -VentureCorp

One of the most skilled and underrated guitarists of the pony fandom is back with a staggering symphonic metal medley! Pony music medleys and symphonic metal are a classic combo. Think of L-Train's tribute to MLP:FiM or Bronyfied's Brony Metal Medley. There's just something irresistibly badass about taking music about tiny pastel horses and playing it with wicked, shredding guitars. One (very undeservedly) lesser known musician is Pathfinder Project, formerly known as Rockin'Brony. Since 2012 he's been on the metal scene making covers of MLP songs as well as music from other fandoms. Some of his most well-known songs are his covers of Open Up Your Eyes and The Living Tombstone's Discord. Horse music enthusiasts might also know him as one of the guitarists on 4EverfreeBrony's Second Chances, and he backed PrinceWhateverer on Fan The Flame, Red Like Roses Pt. 2, and Ace Of My Heart. Recognized for his crazy talent on the guitar, he's supported acts such as Prince and Cyril The Wolf at BronyCon '14–'17. His first solo act, however, wasn't until 2023 at Everfree Encore. This little exposition wouldn't be complete without mentioning his original music. He's done some amazing work with the Night EP; I'm talking about lengthy, intricate guitar solos that don't need lyrics to convey emotions. His other original songs are collected on Heroes of Harmony, and I strongly urge you to check them out. Now on to the topic of this post: for the last couple of months, Pathfinder has been working tirelessly on a new medley: Pony, Riffs & Nostalgia. It's got a little bit of all of the above—show music, fan covers, original stuff, a couple of meme songs—and it shows just how far he's come as an artist. Whether it's on the keyboard, on one of his 10-or-so guitars, or with his singing voice, he pulled out all stops. The description teases the possibility of another medley in the future. I'm eagerly looking forward to whatever he creates! _If you enjoy Pathfinder Project's music, show him your appreciation, and check out his other stuff on hisYouTube channel or Bandcamp page! _ -DuxTape

 SUNJACKERS MUSIC VIDEO!? CaptainHoers, an MLP artist and 2D as well as 3D animator, recently uploaded an animated music video of the song "Why's This Dealer" set in their MLP webcomic Sunjackers. If you'd like to find out more, check out the article below! [Warning: This article contains language and drug reference. Viewer discretion advised] The video and music begins with a pan down of the city of Sunjacker's cyberpunk Canterlot, complete with neon lights, flying pegasi and drones. One of the main characters of Sunjackers, Atom Smasher, can be seen impatiently waiting for somepony to arrive. The video's main lyrics then begin with "Why's this dealer...... taking the piss? I've been standin' here.......... for thirty minutes!" The lyrics repeat again (with the last line being replaced with "I need my things") while Atom tries balancing on some shopping carts to pass the time. The story continuing through the lyrics, Atom Smasher reveals that she's been waiting outside a store called "Pets at Home" for her drug dealer, who drives a Vauxhall Zafira, to arrive. Atom texts her dealer asking why they're taking so long, only to be eventually assured by the dealer that they're on their way. After looking at her phone's notes to pass the time (her phone was out of data), Atom goes into the store next to Pets at Home, Dunelm, a home furnishing store. Looking at some bedding, Atom Smasher is tempted to ask her dealer AGAIN when they're arriving. Another "Why's this dealer" loop plays as Atom jumps on some bedding and ends up at the register as a very unamused Kirin scans the lamp on her head. Atom Smasher is a cat confirmed After jumping out (or being kicked out) of Dunelm, Atom's phone rings and she sees her dealer speeding down the highway. She thinks "What the fuck is he doing" as the car swerves around several cars. As the car bounces in the background, Atom points out her dealer nearly caused an accident, but shrugs it off as she needs her drugs. Ah yes, THAT expression.... The dealer, who is revealed to be the griffon Kobal from Sunjackers, apologizes for keeping Atom waiting in the rain. Rain reassures Kobalt, saying that "I know that your job is draining." Kobal then reveals that the reason he's late is because he's been at home playing God of War. The camera then switches to a very unamused Atom Smasher. After another "Why's this dealer? Taking the piss........ I've been standin' here.......... for thirty minutes" loop, the video ends with Atom strangling Kobal for making her wait so long for such a stupid reason (while the loop repeats itself into the credits). The video boasts stellar animation as well as plenty of comedic moments to entertain viewers. Be sure support CaptainHoers by subscribing to his YouTube channel and Tumblr page as well as supporting him on Patreon! For another example of CaptainHoers' work, here's their video "Wenches and Mead 2021," their biyearly animation of the song "Wenches and Mead!" -VentureCorp

LINUX EXPLAINED BY DERPY!? Simula Ponies, an group of animators who frequently make MLP 3D animations in Blender, recently uploaded a video where Derpy explains the misconceptions of Linux. If you'd like to find out more, check out the article below! The video's audio is taken from another YouTube video titled "I'd just like to interject for a moment uwu."  The original narrator, who is adapted to be Derpy Hooves in the animation, debunks common misconceptions regarding Linux in a high pitched "uwu" voice. The video begins with Derpy with glasses on and talking normally with the words, "I'd just like to interject for a moment. What you're referring to as Linux is in fact-" Derpy then removes her glasses, continuing the sentence with her trademark cross eyes and a high pitched "uwu" voice. Derpy then reveals that what many people think of Linux (which she pronounces as "Linyux") is actually a GUI (Graphical User Interface) plus Linux. Linux is not actually an operating system (OS) in itself like Windows and Mac; it is actually a free component of the GUI system that works with Linux, utilities, and operating components to resemble an OS. Derpy excitedly says many users use a modified version of the GUI system every day, though they refer to it as Linux not realizing it is the GUI system developed by the GUI project. While Linux IS a real thing that is heavily used today, it is a component of an operating system rather than an OS itself. Elaborating further, Derpy cutely explains the Linux is the "kernel" of the OS that manages processes between the hardware and other utilities in the OS. Derpy says that Linux is "usewess" by itself as it needs components to function. She summarizes the whole operating system as "GUI with Linux added!" The video then ends with Derpy smiling at the camera while putting her hooves in the air, proclaiming that "Aww the so-cawwed "Linyux" distwibutions awe weawwy distwibutions of GNyU/Linyux!" The video is extremely well animated and the adorable voice of Derpy keeps listeners engaged despite some of her "uwu" language being a bit difficult to understand. The original video includes a transcript, though it is in "uwu" language as well! Be sure to support Simula Ponies by subscribing to their YouTube channel and checking out their models on Sketchfab, a 3D modeling site! For another example of Simula Ponies' work, here's their video "Five Nights at Freddy's VS Ponies - Neonora found a job," where the pony Neonora tries to survive her new job as a security guards at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza! -VentureCorp

DARING DO AND DERPY WITH ZOMBIES!? Kitkat212, a G4 2D animator, recently uploaded a video titled "Derpy Do and the Zombies." If you'd like to find out more, check out the article below! **(Trigger Warning: Horror/Disturbing. Contains blood, zombies, and dark themes)** ** ** The story takes place in  Kitkat212's MLP survivors infection au (alternate universe) series. Due to a zombie apocalypse inadvertently caused by Discord at the beginning of Season Nine, Equestria's society is in shambles as various ponies try to survive the outbreak. The video itself involves Daring Do and Derpy Hooves' interactions while periodically searching Equestria for survivors and supplies. The video begins with A.K. Yearling waking up, though Yearling has partially adopted the mantle of Daring Do following the outbreak. Fleetfoot confirms to Daring Do, who is brushing her teeth, that her team, which consists of Fleetfoot, Daring, Lightning Dust, and Rolling Thunder, will be heading from the Wonderbolts training camp, where a safe haven for survivors has been set up, to Ponyville due to a zombie sighting. After arriving in Ponyville, the team searches for supplies, eventually killing a zombie with a bow and arrow. A short montage plays of Daring Do sleeping, waking up, brushing her teeth, and her team searching for survivors and supplies while dealing with any zombies. Eventually, while at breakfast, Derpy shows up and sits next to Daring. After Daring confirms that she is Daring Do (though she asks Derpy to call her A.K.), Derpy confirms her name is Ditzy Do, though everypony calls her "Derpy." Derpy then reveals that Spitfire has assigned to Derpy to Daring's team and asks Daring about her books. Daring, however, doesn't think her books are relevant at the moment and as such requests Derpy to ask her another time. Following this, another short montage of Daring and her team going out on missions plays, with Derpy at a couple of points fishing a teddy bear out of a trash can and fumbling as the team lands on the ground. Derpy then sits down with Daring for dinner and repeats her questions regarding Daring's books. After Daring gives her permission to ask, Derpy asks if Daring will write any more Daring Do books. Daring doesn't think so due to the state Equestria is in. In particular, Daring argues that "Ponies don't need stories like mine." After pressed by Derpy further, Daring argues that the ponies "are living in an actual nightmare" and "are spending all their time on surviving." On another mission, the team enters an old bookstore, where Daring comes across one of her own Daring Do books being displayed. Fleetfoot then gushes about finding a copy of the book "Gusty the Great," saying it was her dad's favorite book when she was a filly. Particularly, when Fleetfoot's mother was sick, her dad would read it to her and her siblings every night to make them feel better. Rolling recommends Fleetfoot take the book with her, which Fleetfoot agrees with. Daring then glances back to her own book displayed on top of the bookshelf, likely reminded of the effects books have on ponies. The following mission, Daring sees Derpy pocketing a Rubik's, or puzzle, Cube. Upon seeing Daring, Derpy shows it off to Daring. Derpy gleefully gushes about the puzzle cube, saying that she hopes somepony might like it.  She then reveals that she's been collecting objects to show off to the non-pegasi at the headquarters in order to cheer them up. Daring, despite being a bit perplexed at Derpy's behavior, is happy for Derpy. Derpy then reveals that bringing objects for the other ponies is not just for them, but for her as well as the task allows her to focus on something other than fighting zombies and the feedback she receives from the ponies makes her feel good. Daring relates to Derpy's feelings, saying she wrote in-between artifact hunting and archaeological expeditions to make the readers happy and pass the time. In particular, she enjoyed hearing all the feedback from readers regarding her books as Daring liked how much readers enjoyed the books, though she also liked hearing how readers could relate to the books as well. Derpy then reveals that she'd only read part of one Daring Do book due to struggling to read, but in the part that she read Daring Do had broken her wing and as such was unable to fly. Derpy related to the moment as she used to be a really good flyer before she became cross eyed. Seeing Daring be brave and awesome without her wings inspired Derpy to continue doing good as well despite her own wings being impaired. Inspired, Daring thanks Derpy for sharing her thoughts and assures the latter that somepony will like the Rubik's cube she found. The following night, Daring Do is unable to sleep and eventually gets up. That morning, Derpy walks up to the cafeteria table she and Daring have been sitting at only to find Daring missing. Derpy asks where "A.K." is, only for Lightning to reply that the latter hasn't seen her that morning. Daring eventually shows up and reveals she's been working on a new Daring Do novel. While the story is a bit short and cover is a bit shoddy due to the hoof-written nature, Derpy is ecstatic that Daring changed her mind about writing further novels. Daring says that Derpy's words made the former realize that ponies seeing characters go through hardship similar to their own can make them feel less alone. Lightning counters with the stories not being real, though Daring responds with a simple "So?" that destroys Lightning's point. Lightning then points out that Daring's current attitude towards writing stories counters what she said earlier in the video, which Daring agrees with. However, taking in feedback from other ponies (particularly Derpy) changed her mind on the subject. Continuing, Daring is unsure if she'll write anymore stories following her most recent one, but she's hopeful for the future. Daring and Derpy then head to the table where Derpy's been putting all of the objects she collects and places it on the table. Derpy then says that Daring doesn't have to write anymore books, though if she does make more, she should write them for herself as well. The video then ends with Derpy pulling out her Rubik's cube and smiling. The video is extremely enjoyable to watch with its impressive 2D stop motion animation and enjoyable character interactions. It also separates itself from other MLP infection AUs by focusing more on the survivors and how they react to the outbreak rather than the zombies themselves, which are more relegated to the background of the story. Hopefully Kitkat212 continues their MLP survivors infection au series well into the future! Be sure to support Kitkat212 by subscribing to their YouTube channel! For another example of Kitkat212's work, here's their video "I Know You Can Hear Me," where Fluttershy angrily yells out to Discord, who is not seen, about how he could've created a zombie apocalypse and ruined life in Equestria. -VentureCorp

ScarletFlight is back with a brand new PMV that shows off all of his video editing skills! ScarletFlight (known as JackDC93 until 2022) has been making pony music videos since late 2011. If you're in the mood for pony combined with nostalgic 2000s and 2010s pop songs from era-defining bands such as Coldplay or Muse, you've come to the right place. His original visual effects are top notch. _His most-viewed video sits at 1 million views. _ His last PMV project was _Meridian_ , a series of four PMVs with songs from Porter Robinson, Madeon, and CHVRCHES. I would be doing it a disservice to try to describe it. It's a true masterpiece. If you've never seen it, grab a cup of tea and watch it right now. _"We will see Creation come undone..."_ That series finished in 2021, but recently ScarletFlight has returned with a PMV of _Cheerleader_. This song, once again by Porter Robinson, came out earlier this year on his album _SMILE! :D_. The video features Rainbow Dash, with her role as an idol to Scootaloo and her relation to Twilight and Fluttershy. Porter's shredding synths combine awesomely with the fast-paced visuals and the space and retro computer aesthetics that Scarlet's videos are known for. The video ends with a short update on ScarletFlight's life. Since _Meridian_ he has moved from PMV production to livestreaming, and working on _Cheerleader PMV_ reminded him of the good and bad of these projects. Future PMVs may still happen, but at a manageable pace. I'm looking forward to them! _If you enjoyed this PMV, check outScarletFlight's channel for more. Leave an encouraging comment on this videos, and if you really want to support him, subscribe to his Patreon!_ -DuxTape

 RARITY DAY IS HERE! Source: TV Tropes Happy Rarity Day! If you'd like a round up of Rarity-related content, check out the article below! It's September 8th, which means it's Rarity Day! To celebrate, here's several pieces of Rarity-related content from various creators! First, here's art of Rarity from theretroart88! Drawn in a style to mimic hand drawn art, the piece has Rarity smiling at the viewer while the leaves blow by, reminding the viewer of the upcoming Autumn season in the Northern Hemisphere! Next, here's Hearth's Warming Eve on a Stranded Train, a short fanfic written by Sockpuppet, where Twilight Sparkle and Rarity have to spend Hearth's Warming Eve on a stopped train due to the weather! Though short, the fanfic is extremely heartwarming and shows how even when things don't go as planned, you can still have a good time with friends! Next on the list is Bar Jazz by MLP musician BGM! A blues jazz song, with BGM as Rarity, has Rarity lamenting over the hardships in her life while sitting alone in a jazz bar. The smooth jazz sounds and sad lyrics combined hit hard for any viewer dealing with hardship or loneliness. Finally, here's a custom Rarity plush by ShadowKrafts! It's an adorable small plushie great for any MLP plush collector to add to their collection! And that's it for the round up! Be sure to support the creators by following theretroart88 on DeviartArt, SockPuppet on Fimfiction, BGM on YouTube, and ShadowKrafts on Etsy! Don't forget to tell readers to support the artists in whatever way they can, whether it be financially, by liking, or by subscribing, or sharing! -VentureCorp

STOP MOTION YARN ANIMATION?! EloiseYan, a student animator, recently uploaded "Pinkie Pie and Gummy trying to make a cake," a G4 stop motion animation made of yarn. If you'd like to find out more, check out the article below! The video begins with a shot of Pinkie Pie, made entirely of pink yarn. She is then followed by a cute little 2D animation of a cake and a bouncing Pinkie Pie head with a chef's hat. Pinkie's cake making process then begins with her pouring milk into a little bowl, afterwards adding sugar and an egg. After mixing the ingredients together, Pinkie hands the next step over to Gummy, also made of yarn! Gummy then starts battering the ingredients while Pinkie continues mixing flour, eggs and butter together. Gummy, however, accidentally makes too much cake batter to the point where he covers the whole house! Pinkie, however, tastes the cake batter and loves it. She then enthusiastically gives Gummy a hug, the latter responding with his usual blank expression. After the credits roll. Gummy tries a piece of butter. His face scrunches up in disgust, clearly not liking it! The video boasts superb stop motion animation, providing plenty of adorable moments for the viewer to enjoy! Hopefully EloiseYan continues with more stop motion animations in the future! Be sure to support EloiseYan by subscribing to their YouTube channel! -VentureCorp

 MLP Album Review: Forest Rain - Aetheria Check out Forest Rain's new album about pirates, war, and love! Aetheria! **Background ** Forest Rain is a staple fandom artist. Since early 2012 she's been making pony music, and she still makes regular appearances at conventions. Songs like _Join The Herd_ and _Great To Be Different_ are unforgettable classics. It's been a while since we'd heard new music. Forest Rain's last original work, the concept album The End Of The World, is from 2019, shortly before the FiM series finale. After that, it was quiet for a few years, with only Great To Be Different being re-released for the songs 10 year anniversary. In 2023 we finally got to hear new stuff, as Ponies At Dawn: Pandemonium saw _Soaring Hearts_ , a raw pirate rock song. It turned out that this was going to be the opener to a new concept album, Aetheria, featuring a cast of 19 singers. It just dropped so let's dive right into it! **** **1. Soaring Hearts ** The album starts off with the P@D release. It sets the stage for the world we are about to explore, Aetheria. This world is basically a creative spin on Equestria, where a generations-long war has been waging between two factions: the noble Sky Kings and the dreaded Pirates. The first verse is sung by the Pirates, who live freely on the lawless seas. A military drum then introduces the Sky Kings, Aetheria's Air Force that seeks to bring peace and security to the realm. The part where the Pirates and Sky Kings sing over each other introduces the key plot point: Aetheria is a world once full of magic, that has suddenly vanished (reminiscent of, but otherwise unrelated to, the MLP G5 Movie). Both factions blame each other for this incident, and presumably, this kicked off the entire conflict. **2. What Was Lost ** We now get a much heavier and more tragic perspective on this war. We're listening to a choir of spirits, the ones who have fallen or perished. It appears that only the dead understand the senselessness of all this fighting, and indeed, are the only ones who dare to cling on to hope. I can't help but think of _The End Of The World_ here, because that too is an album about war, fighting, and the many different emotions that are evoked by it. After a pessimistic turn, the main character learns this the hard way as her close friend tragically dies. The last line on the second to last song goes, "And if you happen to be looking down from the heavens far above / You helped us to remember: we're better off with love" Sounds familiar? **3. Dance of Blades ** Back to the action! The lyrics do a fine job at explaining what's going on: the Sky Kings, under General Anemone (played by Koa), have found the Pirate hideout and launch a full-on assault. Anemone is locked into a duel with Hyacinth (played by SparkleChord). Their differences are clear in their language, fighting style, and titles (General Anemone Silverwing, General of the Sky Kings Air Force, versus _just_ Hyacinth). We also get some moral ambiguity here, with the line "as free folk fight for hope" referring presumably to the Pirates. But despite being polar opposites, Anemone and Hyacinth discover a mutual respect, or even more... **4. What We're Fighting For ** We're now treated to the energetic apex of the album. With the sudden setting switch to a marooned beach, the affectionate bickering, and that sweet synth leading into the song, I can't shake the idea that I'm about to watch some great buddy movie. The song further explores the relationship between the two warriors, as respect blooms into love. And those "echoes, voices from another past?" Those are the spirits, who recognize and wholeheartedly approve of their unlikely bond. This song is just pure vibes, and it's begging to be heard live. **5. The Snake ** First off, hats off to Luna Jax for that excellent performance as the smuggler. Suave, coldblooded, and yet respectable. Even though this is his only appearance, the smuggler breathes personality. He's found Anemone hanging out with a Pirate and demands a bribe in exchange for keeping quiet, and he's clearly in it for the money. But at the same time, he claims to champion the cause of the poor, implying that the Sky Kings hoard foodstuffs and materials the common folk needs to live, and thereby force them to choose between stealing and starving. How much of his intentions are truly good can't be said, but the fact that Anemone doesn't protest suggests there is truth to his accusations. **6. Say You Love Me ** If you love romantic power ballads, this is everything you want. I just can't help but hum the tune at random times, Koa and SparkleChord clearly threw everything they had into this song. In going all out like this, the song does risk standing out from the rest of the album. Only in the first verse is it possible to really tell it's Anemone's part, and there's very little remaining of Hyachinth's rowdiness. **7. 500 Years ** It seems that the smuggler (or his crew) has not managed to keep completely quiet. Or maybe word spread some other way. Both factions learn about a traitor in their midst, and prepare to deal with this. For Sky Kings and Pirates alike, this treason is on the pain of a nasty corporal punishment and probably death. This song gives some much-needed perspective from both sides, making you feel the gravity of the situation. For a 500 year feud, they are sadly short on specifics, though the word "genocide" gives a clear idea of what each may have experienced. **8. War ** _(Note to self: never betray a pirate.)_ Man, Crackinglazer is putting down a truly terrifying Pirate King act. His hollering insults sends shivers down my spine every time I listen to it. They found out about Hyacinth, and now she's facing ugly retribution. But just in that moment, the Air Force had the Pirates in its crosshairs. This seems to be pure coincidence, judging from Anemone's surprise at seeing Hyacinth there, strapped to the bow. To her second-in-command's surprise, Anemone calls off the assault in an attempt to save Hyacinth. When she admits that she was the rumoured traitor, the Airman takes matters in his own hands and fires his gun at Hyacinth. (I will just add that the dialogue and pacing of this last part is superb.) **9. Crack in the Dam ** Forest Rain narrates how this brought about the return of magic to Aetheria. The suspense is right, but there is nothing "playing out" here, it's very direct narration. Maybe this could have been played by the Spirits? That may have also lessened the _deus ex machina_ -esque feeling of this twist. The dam has burst open, magic is flooding into Aetheria, and Hyacinth has been resurrected from the bullet that just killed her. **10. Hope _ _**Love conquers all. Forest Rain pays a heartfelt tribute to Anemone and Hyacinth, thanks to them, harmony is restored and we're finally ready to build a new world. I hope I'm right in noticing that "Their color a deep purple hue" and "The rivers return and spin old water wheels" are thematic nods to the two protagonists. We even get a reprise of _Say You Love Me_ , with the Air Force and the Pirates taking part, too. And how cathartic is that final line, "But after 500 years of this / It finally is enough..." Just like in _The End Of The World_ , we find ourselves before a future that's hopeful, but ultimately up to ourselves to shape. In that album, that peace only came when the war had fully blown its course and claimed its victims. _Aetheria_ is much more fantastical and optimistic, giving us a careful but altogether warm resolution. Both sides yearn for peace, and no lives have been claimed from the main cast. It's an ending as happy as you can get it. **11. Song of New Horizons ** The album could perfectly have ended with _Hope_ on a bittersweet note. But seriously, a pirate album that doesn't end with a party overflowing with rum and cider? Are you crazy?! I love it when an album has a double finale like this. **Final thoughts _ _**_Aetheria_ is a solid album that tells a story with songs that are catchy and memorable, collectively but also on their own. At a few instances (_Dance of Blades_ , _Crack in the Dam_), the exposition gets a bit heavy-handed, but it is always carried by excellent voicework. Again, props to everyone involved. I wish the smuggler and the airman from _War_ had names (if only just outside the songs), so I didn't have to refer to them by these vague titles—though really that in no way affects the listening experience. As a final note, there's some vagueness about what kind of world Aetheria exactly is. This is clearly an MLP album with MLP fandom artists, but there is no reference to this, no telltale words like "pony" or "hooves". _Dance of Blades_ mentions hippogriffs, but the cover art shows characters in the anthro pony style. It will be up to the reader how to picture this. _If you enjoyed the album, you cansubscribe to Forest Rain on YouTube and buy Aetheria on Bandcamp! _ -DuxTape

 More Pegasus Device? You betchya! More info below! [Content Warning - Grimdark/Blood] After 3 months of work, PhilCAnimate has released their rendition of a Pegasus Device animation! Following the original story of Rainbow Factory and it's associated stories across the fandom, this animation yet again attempts to depict said events, and very well I might add! Animated in Adobe Animate 2020 (the evolution of Flash), this wonderful animation is a captivating piece of work, so go check it out! One more thing I wanted to point out, some shots of the animation seemed to closely mirror the animation done by SinclairDuGore we covered many months ago. While some may think this is a bad thing, I think it is quite the honor for one's ideas to be so good that others want to use them in their own way! Anywho, go subscribe and leave an encouraging comment to this bean! Even small things like that can brighten someone's day! -Saphire Systrine

LIMITED EDITION TRIXIE PLUSH!? Symbiote Studios, a plushie maker that has a lineup of licensed My Little Pony plushies, recently released a limited edition "The Great and Powerful Trixie" plushie. If you'd like to find out more, check out the article below! The plush was originally an exclusive plush sold at San Diego Comic Con 2024. However, it has now seen a wide release on Symbiote Studios' website. Only 300 of these plushies were made in total and on the site they're limited to one per customer. The plushie is extremely well detailed with Trixie's magician hat and cape matching exactly what she wears in Friendship is Magic. While the plushie is near identical to the Trixie plushie that Symbiote Studios already sells,  outside of the hat and cape "The Great and Powerful Trixie" version also notably has Trixie's eyes looking very smug in contrast to the regular version. Overall, "The Great and Powerful Trixie" plush is another great addon to Symbiote Studios' releases of MLP plushies. If you can afford it at $30, you should definitely pick this plushie while supplies last! Source Hopefully Symbiote Studios continues to make quality licensed MLP plushies! Be sure to check out Symbiote Studios' other plushies on their site! If you'd like to see other Symbiote Studios plushies, in addition to the "Great and Powerful Trixie," they also recently released Sweetie Drops, Sunset Shimmer, Derpy Hooves, and Princess Luna plushies! -VentureCorp

ANON SCARES THE FLOWER TRIO!? Kid Wizard, a 2D animator who frequently does MLP animations, recently uploaded a video called "Scarin' Ponies" where the Flower Trio get the daylights scared out of them. If you'd like to find out more, check out the article below! The video begin with the titular Flower Trio from Friendship is Magic, Lily Valley, Daisy, and Rose, standing around with some other ponies. They then greet the camera only for their smiles to turn into frowns. Anon, an MLP fan character usually characterized as a green-skinned human with a question mark for a face, reveals himself to be the one the Flower Trio saw. After giving the "one moment' gesture, Anon turns around, only to turn to face the Flower Trio again with a scary face mask! The Flower Trio recoil and scream in horror, and then faint. The video then ends with Anon checking off the step "Frighten scaredy-ponies" on his to-do list. Though short, the animation boasts a stellar art style and a good sense of humor. It also puts the spotlight on the Flower Trio, which (particularly Rose) have been fan favorites in the MLP fandom for a while, but have rarely seen focus in fan media, especially animation. Be sure to support Kid Wizard by subscribing to their YouTube channel and supporting them on Patreon! For another example of Kid Wizard's work, here's "The Future is Now," where Sunset Shimmer determines who nerds are at school are using augmented reality! -VentureCorp

 MAUD PIE AND BEEF JERKY!? Pearmare Studios, an MLP content creator who primarily does MLP animations, recently uploaded a video in which Maud Pie contemplates whether or not to eat a piece of beef jerky. If you'd like to find out more, check out the article below! The video begins with Maud Pie, with her usual stoicism, staring at a piece of beef jerky in her hoof. After several seconds of doing nothing, Maud opens her mouth as if she's about to take a bite out of the beef jerky, but then decides against it. Silence from Maud follows while she pictures the stick of beef jerky in her mind. After still doing nothing, Maud's sister Pinkie Pie tries to push the beef jerky into Maud's mouth, but to no avail. Several "statistics" then show up on the screen, saying that "Every year hundreds of ponies starve by lack of beefy sticks," "9 in 10 ponies suffer from symptoms of Jerk withdraws," and "1 like = 1 jerkies." The video finally ends with Maud eating the beef jerky, complete with the Team Fortress 2 Heavy eating sound effect. Despite having no dialogue, the video is rather humorous while still keeping the viewer engaged with the violin soundtrack (taken from the video game Tomb Raider II) and the question of "Is she actually going to eat it?" Be sure to support Pearmare Animation by subscribing to their YouTube channel, Twitter, and Twitch as well as donating to their Ko-Fi! For another example of Pearmare Animation's work, here's their animation "Fluffle Puff Lineup (Animation)," a parody of the popular "Barbie Arrested" meme that has Queen Chrysalis and Fluffle Puff posing after getting arrested! -VentureCorp