After working on a major project for the betterment of Equestria, Twilight Sparkle brings her work to her mentor and princess for approval and funding, and her proposal is rejected outright without explanation or sympathy.

Devastated by Celestia's refusal, Twilight tries to determine whether she has failed her work or her teacher - and wonders what her special status and talent is worth.

(This is a sequel to my first story, "What is Fame without Friendship?" Special thanks to wildberk for editing this story, and HoovesLikeJagger for the awesome cover art!)

After being together for a year, Laughing Stock is ready to propose to his girlfriend, Twilight Sparkle. The only problem: Her brother, Shining Armor doesn't think the comedian is the right stallion for his sister. Laughing Stock is willing to do anything he can to prove he is the perfect stallion for Twilight, even if it means spending a week in a cabin with the Royal Family.

Sequel to An Unlikely Couple. Upon hearing that his beloved wife Celestia is pregnant, Discord proceeds to have a midlife crisis. Afraid that the best of his years are behind him, it will take Twilight and Celestia to make the spirit of Disharmony see that fatherhood really isn't that bad. Not only that, his growing rivalry with Luna will only serve to make matters worse...

Celestia leaves to deal with a foreign crisis, giving her sister a chance to rule alone and become more attached to the modern world. She calls on Twilight Sparkle to advise Luna, hoping her student will be able to draw Luna out of her shell. With two major threats to Equestria already defeated in the past year, it seems like the perfect time to let Luna gain some confidence and experience in the modern world. After all, what are the chances of a third disaster occurring?

Now comes with complimentary tropes.

Princess Cadence is a lonely filly who has been shielded and protected all her life as a princess and member of the dwindling race of Sacred Alicorns. She longs for a friend her age to play with, and as a young teen she is sent to stay in Canterlot where her Aunt Celestia would personally mentor her in developing her magic. There she hopes to finally have the freedom she longs for and find somepony to be her friend. Instead, she is asked to foal sit for one of her aunt's royal adviser's fillies who may just be as lonely and reclusive as she.

This is the story of how Princess Cadence learns that the ability to give love cannot be complete without finding love for yourself, and sometimes it is found when you least expect it.

When your life is as dull a gray as the world that surrounds you, the mundanities can make it all seem meaningless. Sometimes all we need is a little color -- or six -- to reintroduce us to what truly makes life worth living.

*6-16-2017 Edit, added Rainbow Dash tag because it triggered knighty.*