Big Mac doesn’t say much. That’s just his way. However, when a routine medical exam reveals he’s going to lose his voice, he decides he’d better get his last round of speaking in while he still can. Saying a few last words to his friends (and asking out a certain schoolteacher) is all he planned on doing. If only he understood the full repercussions of opening his big mouth.

Featured on Equestria Daily!
Reading by DRWolf: Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3

The original version of the story took 12th place in The Writeoff Association's July contest, "A Matter of Perspective"

The search to find the right pony to serve as your bodyguard can take a lifetime. Finding the pony you want to spend your life with can take just as long. Fortunately for Rarity, she finds both of these qualities united in one pony.

Nothing is ever easy, however. And in a way, the journey to happiness is never truly over.

This story was tagged as 'dark' for minor blood, and off-screen death in certain scenes. Not enough to really shock, but I thought it prudent to mention regardless.

This story is dedicated to Monochromatic, who has become a friend to me over this last year.

Enjoy.

It is the day of the Summer Sun Celebration, and Princess Celestia is coming to Ponyville. Twilight Sparkle is overseeing preparations yet again, and has meticulously planned every last detail to ensure that everything is perfect for her mentor's arrival. Nothing is going to go wrong.

Except when the big day comes, Twilight has gotten four hours of sleep and Fluttershy is nowhere to be found. Pinkie Pie sets off after her with nothing but a dark coat and the voice of a chain-smoking stallion, and the Apples and the Carrots are at each other's throats while Rainbow Dash is attempting to fill in for Fluttershy.

As her plans collapse around her and Ponyville descends into chaos, Twilight Sparkle must focus on obtaining the one thing that can set everything right: the all-powerful, awe-inspiring magic of caffeine.

Six Star Equestria Daily Feature

On a trip to visit Twilight's parents in Canterlot, Twilight and Rarity find themselves in an unusual situation. Can they straighten everything out before they have to return to Ponyville?

Anypony would have laughed if you'd told them that Discord was flirting with Twilight Sparkle a few weeks ago. She'd never give him a chance, right?
Well, once his spectacularly obvious advances on her commence, Equestria is shocked; she isn't out right rejecting him. In fact, she may even be interested.
The HORROR!

WARNING: The dark tag is for a reason. Ye be warned.
[Other] tag is to accommodate additional characters.

EDIT: Featured 10/22/14! Thank you so much! I didn't expect this to happen at all.

The wonderful people who edit and proofread my story ^^

The Tears of Gaia. An artifact of unmeasurable magical power from the Ancient Days, when the Others ruled the land. If found, they would be the discovery of the century!
At least, those are Twilight Sparkle's thoughts. But something is stirring in lands to the south. Soon she will find that she and her friends are not the only ones who are after the legendary Tears. And so what starts as a simple research trip is soon to escalate into the greatest journey of the young ponies' lives, filled with new friends and foes, incredible danger and great adventure!

Accolades:
EqD featured- 21/09/2012
Now with its own TVTropes page right here!

NOTE: While I do appreciate all comments I get on this story, I would personally prefer if they could say a little more than the typical "Awesome chapter, I love it!" or whatever. What do you love about it? What struck you in this chapter? What would you like to see explored or expanded? Are there things you don't think are working and if so, how could they improve?? I have a pretty determined vision for this story, but it wouldn't hurt to know for the future!

The Mane Six have left Ponyville for the summer, each traveling to a different part of Equestria for different reasons. But a few months and a little distance can't stop their friendship!

The Mailbox: Reloaded is an experimental collaborative project, chronicling our cast's trips away from Ponyville for the summer in letters written to each other. Each character is performed by a different writer. This story collects the letters for each week in an easy-to-read format. Our cast:

Twilight Sparkle is played by bats
Applejack is played by bookplayer
Rainbow Dash is played by Jake R
Pinkie Pie is played by JaketheGinger
Fluttershy is played by Peroth E
Rarity is played by TheLastBrunnenG.

Rainbow Dash knows one thing for sure, she is definitely not a barbarous, uncivilized dolt who doesn't know polite conversation from a hippopotamus's rear end. And also that she's definitely not the one who's wrong. Rarity is wrong. Rainbow Dash is absolutely, totally, a hundred percent sure of it.

But then why did Rainbow just buy a wagon load of apology bouquets?

Out on the frontier, the only friend a pony can really trust is the gun in her hoof. Out where the land is wild and the buffalo roam, more than a few ponies have foregone scratching out a living on the farms or mines to seek riches and glory on the wrong side of the law. As a particularly mysterious and valuable cargo heads west on a long train journey, six mares follow with trouble in their wake, each intending to claim the prize for her own.

Also, a lot of ponies get shot.

Edited by: Exuno
Preread by: barbeque
Inspired by the art of: Coin-Trip39
(Make sure you take a look at the cover image full-size! It's fantastic!)

A compilation (done with permission) of the following group: The Mailbox

The Mane Six have left Ponyville for the summer, each traveling to a different part of Equestria for different reasons. But a few months and a little distance can't stop their friendship!
This book collects the letters they send back and forth, telling each other about the new places they go and new ponies they meet, comforting each other when they get lonely or homesick, and keeping the spirit of friendship alive.

Rated Teen Sex for alcohol references and some innuendo.

Be sure to check out the Cast, Crew, and Extras chapter for links and titles of the side stories!