This isn't where I belong. I left all this behind years ago, moved on with my life. But a mare from my past brought me back, and now she won't let me go. So I'm stuck here, trying to make the best of it with ponies that don't understand me, don't even like me. But when something moves in the darkness, and when things go wrong in the cold, dead night, they'll turn to me to try to set things right.

Why? Because once a police pony, always a police pony.
~~
This is a spin-off story to 'Why am I Pinkie Pie?!', and will contain spoilers for that story, but it's not necessary to read that story to understand this one.
Cover art by the talented Conicer
Need more Cinnamon Swirl? Merlos the Mad wrote a fanfic of this story!

There is now a side-story: A Hard Day's Nightmare Night

Moondancer may know the principles of magic and science like the back of her hoof, but when it comes to the principles of friendship, she's objectively hopeless. Even so, there's one special unicorn who she's shared a close connection with since foalhood.

With the encouragement of her almost-friend Minuette, and the guidance of somepony she never expected, Moondancer is prepared to do everything in her power to find out just how close that connection truly is.

All she has to do is overcome her fear of putting herself out there...

...and get Twilight Sparkle's attention while she's at it.

Editing duties courtesy of nanashi_jones. Cover art graciously provided by hoyeechun.
Special thanks to Fahrenheit for extra input and motivation.

[Complete! With TVTropes apparently!]
Also, apparently, an animated trailer.

In a world of brass and steam, Twilight Sparkle had thought she had made a life-changing discovery with the invention of the telescope. For better or worse, she was correct.

Now her discovery has not only changed her life, but the lives of those she seeks out in her desperate attempt to contact the only other creature as lonely as Twilight herself.

It all would have been much simpler, but it had to be the one Twilight could only call The Mare on the Moon.

Decidedly not within walking distance, then.

[Featured on EQD before story was meant to be submitted. 4/03/2015]

[Editing team: Southpaw, Wolfvenom, Maskedferret, SwanSong and BluePaladin42, without whom this story would be a fraction of its current state.]
[Special thanks to Novel-Idea for the updated cover]

Main Course is a successful chef and restaurant owner. Or he was, anyway, until a fire tore up his life's work and left him adrift. When he visits his sister in the rural backwater town of Ponyville, he discovers an abandoned building that's perfect for a quick fix-up so he can flip it for a profit. But the building comes with an unforeseen tenant, and when he lets her stick around he discovers that maybe, just maybe, there's something out there more important than wealth and fame.

The Shaper is a smith of unparalleled skill, her creations the most sought after in the fallen world. When a pony named Lyra comes to her with a unique commission she has to put all her skill to the test to craft a weapon of great power. For Lyra's goal is not an easy one, and it is not just any weapon that can kill a Dragon.

A story inspired by this and this image, as well as this challenge by CDRW (whose fic A Still More Glorious Dawn Awaits is quite good).

You'd think that being trapped in stone would mean that, if nothing else, I could get some peace and quiet. Unfortunately, it seems that Celestia has other ideas.

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

Honestly? I'd prefer the boredom.

Cover art by matrosha123
Spanish Translation by SPANIARD KIWI found here

Braeburn is a stallion from a family of workaholics. He is determined to make sure Appleloosa becomes a thriving, successful town no matter what - even if the cost is his own health.

Lily is a nervous mare who is scared of her own shadow. She has lived through Nightmare Moon, Discord, a dragon, an ursa minor, plus whatever else has attacked Ponyville this week. She would much rather stay home in her nice, safe garden with her nice, safe flowers than venture outside her front door - but her friends have other ideas after reading Iron Will's latest book.

When Braeburn is sent away from Appleloosa to stay at Sweet Apple Acres for the sake of his health, nopony would ever have imagined the two would meet. Yet the yearly celebration of the Spring is Sprung Feast provides the stage for a very unconventional love story.

Featured on EQD! 28/3/13

While studying, Starlight notices weird changes in Twilight when around Sunburst. She tells her to knock it off in the nicest way possible.

Spoilers for the Season 6 Premiere.

Cover art by Cover Designer Novel-Idea

After the Crystalling, Starlight Glimmer starts to feel quite fond of Sunburst. She's always thinking about him and feels her stomach explode in butterflies whenever he comes to mind. She is constantly hoping from a letter from him, and has a strange desire to be close to him.

She approaches her mentor, Twilight Sparkle, questioning if these feelings are normal for friendship, or if their friendship is... special for whatever reason.

A brief discussion had by Twilight and Starlight with a few slightly humorous scenes.

CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR SEASON 6! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Most ponies assume that something is wrong with Ditzy Do's eyes. Theories range from a head injury to a genetic disorder to muscle damage behind her eye. The crueler folk suggest she's just retarded. Nicer ponies say it's just a party trick she never got tired of.

They're all wrong. They're all very, very wrong.

I discovered the truth one day in conversation with her. One eye would always look at me, and the other would wander. At least, I thought it was wandering. So while we were talking, I followed it. Goddess in heaven I wish I had not. Never follow the other eye. Ever. Because Ditzy Do's eyes work fine.

She's just watching something. That... thing that's always in the corner of our eyes. And if she looks at you with both eyes?

Goddess save you.

----

Preread by BrastaAAura17, Chase Cosmicwing and dreamingnoctis. Cover art also by dreamingnoctis. Guy's a bro.