Mama never said there would be days like this.

Donut Joe, on his first day running his father's shop by himself, gets hit with a hurricane of tempers and accusations.

A well-connected hurricane of tempers and accusations.

Still, customers are customers, and they deserve the best service he can give.

My entry into the Everfree Northwest 2015 writing contest.

Edited by Noble Thought.

Featured on Equestria Daily.
Featured on FiMFiction.
Featured in Twilight's Library.
Audio Book Version by Obabscribbler.
Audio Book Version by Snogwritts
Review by PaulAsaran
Review by Ghost Mike

Hearth's Warming Eve.

For the ponies of Equestria, it is a time of giving and great joy, but for little Rose Aphid it could be the last day of her life. For you see, Rose is an outcast female changeling, and it has been a long time since she has felt love or kindness.

With time running out, her journey takes her to the most unlikely of places in search of love.

The first story in the Life of a Rose.

Sunset Shimmer and Starlight Glimmer have a humorous conversation over a nice cup of hot chocolate.

No, seriously, that's all that happens.

Cover art by Melusaaste.

Ocellus confesses her horrible crimes to Counselor Trixie. Counselor Trixie seems less than impressed.

This story was going to be my entry in the 179th Writeoff contest, "I've Waited so Long for This...." But that was a minific contest, and I quickly realized this was gonna end up being way too long.

So I thought I'd enter it in the Original Pairings group's Speed Writing contest since I don't find many stories where Ocellus meets Pony Joe...or Donut Joe or Joe the Donut Pony or whatever name he goes by these days. But when Trixie shoehorned her way in to such a large extent, I abandoned that idea as well.

Here it is now, though, but not on my Baal Bunny account where WriteOff-related stories go as a rule. Because this is all about breaking the rules!

Saving the damsel in distress is less impressive when you're the one who ruined her life in the first place.

Pony Joe is going to try anyway.

Now on Equestria Daily!

Thanks to Aragon, MrNumbers, and Themaskedferret for editing.

Thank you to SilFoe for letting me use her wonderful art, and to ThePoneDrome for the colourful additions.

Luna is the Princess of the Night, which is normally a job she loves...except on Hearts and Hooves Day night. Naturally, that is an evening of private nocturnal events and dreams for most ponies, and so Luna must put in overtime to make sure she assists her subjects without crossing any bounds, causing any awkwardness, or putting herself anyplace she isn't wanted.

Fortunately, Luna can at least take a break this evening to go to her favorite twenty-four hour bakery, Donut Joe's. Donut Joe is always there, no matter how late the hour, with a smile on his face, a mug of coffee for her in one hoof, and a plate of donuts for her in the other. And Luna is always happy to take a seat at the counter and talk with her new friend.

Meanwhile Donut Joe has had a special appreciation for his best night customer ever since her return over a year ago. He has always found something beautiful in the nights...and now he has found something familiar and comforting and special in Princess Luna.

Perhaps on this most romantic of evenings, a little something will come along to give these two a nudge toward each other.

(That little something ends up involving Discord, Celestia, love 'poison', and a party in Las Pegasus, by the way.)

Sequels:
Donut Nights 2: A Heartfelt Hearthswarming,
Donut Nights 3: Nightmare Night Canoodling

Sunshine Smiles is totally a serious businesspony. Totally! Like, prestigious enough for all those Canterlot types, you know? Um.

The Grand Galloping Gala! An event that six mares had looked forward to for a long time, only to be met with disappointment when their dreams failed to come true. But what if they had gotten everything they had wanted?

Well, that would leave poor Spike all alone for the rest of the night, with only bad vibes and Pony Joe to keep him company. That is, until a certain Princess makes her royal return....

There's no place like Donut Joe's diner to unwind after a long, hard day. Good company, great coffee, and the best dang cucumber omelette in Equestria. After the week Celestia's had, she could really, really use a place to get away from it all.

Here, the regulars all know her as Sunny Skies, the unassuming workaholic mare who hasn't taken a day off in... ever. Well, today's her lucky day. Sunny's about to have one apocalyptically long holiday.

Luna's become delirious with a fever, Discord's fled the castle in terror, there's a living moon locked in Celestia's dining room, and something is very, very wrong with Equestria's sugar.

Put on a pot of coffee, folks. We've got an all-nighter on our hooves.

Holy horseapples, Sugarfree has AMAZING FANART NOW! Cover art by the wonderful StyxLady.
Crazy huge thanks to Luminary, Brawny and Eakin for pre-reading and editing this horrid thing.

Soarin took a deep breath, and then took the plunge.

An entry to the May 2021 Pairings Contest.