Ponyville has grown boring for Rainbow Dash. Sometimes, an entire week will pass between monster attacks.

What's a mare of action to do when her neighbors are all celebrating apples and hard work? When the weather bureau insists on gentle showers and sunny days, instead of something more exciting?

She has to find adventure, obviously. And when an airship captained by a pegasus pony flies through Ponyville one lazy summer day, dragging a flying iceberg behind it, Rainbow Dash realizes this might be the opportunity she's been waiting for.

But nopony ever said adventuring was easy.

With Celestia out on vacation for a week, Cadance sees a fine opportunity to spend some time with her Auntie Luna, who's now in control of Equestria for that time. She's always known Luna to be a bit... different, but she never thought she'd find herself suspecting her Auntie Luna of trying to take over Equestria again. Is she simply over-thinking things, or is something truly the matter with Auntie?

Set mid Season 2.

Featured on: 1/30/17!
Also, this is now my 5th story to have 100 likes!
Also pt2, this story was featured in SA Review #104! Check it out here!

SPOILERS IN COMMENTS
Preread/Edited by MLPMatthew419 and Mocha Star

It is a well-known fact that motherhood changes a mare. In Cadance's case, it seems to be changing her into Princess Celestia.

Cover art generously provided by DeusExEquus. Used with permission.

Now with a Spanish translation by Spaniard Kiwi!

Within the Wonderbolts, only a select few are chosen to perform death-defying stunts for a cheering crowd of thousands of ponies. This year, Rainbow Dash was not one of those few. A bet and a race against Spitfire might prove her last chance to get in. But in order to win, she needs an ace up her sleeve, a trump card. She needs a coach, someone that understands flying at an innate level.

She never thought that someone would be Big Macintosh.

Basically an 80's sports movie where Big Mac is Mr. Miyagi, Rainbow Dash is Ralph Machio, and Spitfire is that asshole from the other dojo. So...Spitfire.

This story is a sequel to Keeping It Simple

Octavia has fought hard in her life for three things: her art, her career, and her new boyfriend. She never learned to stop fighting.

It's a mistake that might cost her two out of three of the things she's fought tooth and tail for. She's still figuring out which two.

Strumming Heartstrings of the Equestrian Intelligence Services is on a mission. A mission from ... well, actually she just made one up for herself. Sure, she has her actual job of keeping an eye on Celestia's ex-student Sunset Shimmer, but that's not enough to occupy all her time. After all, Sunset seems to have gotten a bit better about not getting herself into too much trouble. Sometimes. Occasionally.

Thus, when Strumming encounters a mad zebra seemingly obsessed with getting revenge against the gryphons who injured him years ago, it seems like it might be an interesting diversion. Little does she know there's more to this case than meets the eye...

Princess Twilight Sparkle discovers a centuries-old mystery hidden in the Royal Archives. Her investigation leads through layer after layer of deception and misdirection, setting her hooves on a path that seems to be leading to a mysterious secret. Along the way, she learns that some friendships can be very, very strange.

Book 1 of the Alicorn Adventure series.

AUDIOBOOK by VisualPony
Featured at the Royal Canterlot Library
TV Tropes Page (Courtesy of Sandtalon)
Goodreads Page (Courtesy of Facedeer)
Equestria Daily Page

WARNING: Major spoilers in the comments. Takes place several months after the end of season four. (Not a Da Vinci Code crossover, BTW!)

Do you see a dark tag? No, you don't. Not dark. Well, okay, there are a couple of dark-ish bits, but that's all. Not enough to warrant a tag. Speaking of tags, there really ought to be "Badass Twilight" and "Friendshipping" ones.

Sequels and side-stories (and more) can be found here Offprint and AO3, and a hardbound two-volume set of all that can be ordered from The Ministry of Image.

My editor for the first edition of this story was Gogito, and I can't thank him enough for all the hard work he did. My editor for the revised version was PresentPerfect, and he did a terrific job of getting the story into excellent shape.

No one alive today can say where she came from; simply that she has always been there.

And yet, few ponies have had a greater impact on Princess Celestia's life than Raven, her most faithful aide.

Inspired by and based off of a headcanon put forth by Heir-of-Rick, though perhaps a bit less insidious than what he had in mind. He very kindly provided an alternate version of his image for me to use as my cover image! Text added by me.

All comments and criticism very welcome!

Featured in the Royal Canterlot Library! Go there to read the interview for some behind-the-scenes info on this story!

Translations: Chinese, Spanish!

"Those of us who have a general overview and knowledge of King Sombra regard him to be a despotic autocrat, a power-hungry potentate and a vicious oppressor. And, even if this condemnation is justified, we may perhaps not have the right reason for this attribution. This is due to the fact that before King Sombra turned to the tyrant we all know him to be, he was the greatest knight of the Crystal Empire."
-Sir Sombra de Onyx, Foreword to the Third Edition

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Used with permission, coverart by the talented Gaiascope.

Suggested Format:
Font: Georgia
Size: Normal
Color: Medium Dark
Spacing: 1.0

Technical A/N: The writing style of Sir Sombra de Onyx is heavily influenced by two books. These are Le Morte D'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory and Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott. For a detailed analysis of this style, see this blog enrty. (Warning: Text Block)

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Featured in the Royal Canterlot Library
Reviews:
Paul Asaran
Present Perfect
One Man's Ramblings

Hello, again!

Many ages after the original adventures of the Elements of Harmony, a certain dragon has his own role to play in the world. Strengthened by what they see as lacking, he stands apart from his own kin as they look upon him with both the fear and respect of one completely devoted to the destined task that he had been hatched for.

Cover art belongs to Minerea.