This story is a sequel to Princess Twilight Sparkle's 500th Birthday

Five years have passed since the events of that fateful morning. Smarty Pants and her friends set off on an adventure of a lifetime to discover the secrets of the past when they awaken a… oh wait, that would be spoiling it!

Many questions from the first story will be answered! New questions will arise. Lunch will be had, pies will be thrown, blood will be kept inside bodies because seriously, ew blood, you guys.

Notes:
- Cover art commissioned by HAK2. Check out his other stuff, too.
- This is a story in the Birthdayverse.
- This story was written and completed (except for the epilogue) before Season 4 of MLP:FiM aired.
- Many thanks to my faithful Pre-Reader and all around super-duper best pony, Blood Lord go read his story, too!

In an effort to keep her mind occupied, Twilight Sparkle decides to delve once again into the grand mysteries of Pinkie Pie. This time, Twilight's focus is on her claims of growing up on a rock farm: like so many things related to Pinkie Pie, the idea that somepony could grow rocks as an agricultural product makes absolutely no sense. However, the investigation eventually leads Twilight to a rather... surprising discovery.

This is the first story in The Petriculture Cycle.

Artwork by Page Turner. Now with a TV Tropes page.

Stephen finds himself as a pony in Ponyville at night while he sleeps. Convinced he's dreaming, he tries to deduce why he's having these dreams. While doing so, he's invited by the Mane 6 to join them in investigating the disappearances of ancient artifacts from museums around Equestria. Stephen must learn how to use his talents to overcome fear and exhaustion while juggling his 9-to-5 job during the day and seemingly sleepless nights under the guides of our favorite ponies.

Cover Image Sources:
http://episkopi.deviantart.com
http://sierraex.deviantart.com/

Today is Princess Twilight Sparkle’s 500th birthday, and her most faithful student, an earth pony with a familiar name, can’t wait to celebrate!

Notes:
- Cover art by ErinKarsath, used with permission. Check out her DeviantArt page.
- This is a story in the Birthdayverse, and you can find the sequel here.
- Many thanks to my faithful Pre-Reader and all around super-duper best pony, Blood Lord. Go read his story, too!
- This was written during the season 3 hiatus of MLP:FiM.

When Twilight gets a letter from Trixie informing her of the show mare's fast approaching visit, Twilight's all too happy to show her friend the town. Eventually, with Trixie wanting to go shopping, the two wind up at the Carousel Boutique. Putting the past behind her, Rarity amazingly mingles with Trixie a bit, and the three get onto the subject of magical cosmetics. Some remarks were made, and those lead Trixie to try some magic of her own.

Unfortunately, not waiting for Twilight's help, Trixie's spell backfired. The end result was her mane, coat, and magical powers being altered to match Twilight's. She's still Trixie inside, but that can be a problem on its own, too, especially now that she has the strength of Celestia herself.

This fine, comedic story was also worked upon by Skeeter The Lurker, Chaotic Noteworthy, and RainbowBob within the first few chapters.

Rainbow Dash can’t find her sunglasses. Rarity can’t find her fainting couch. Pinkie Pie can’t find, well, everything. Something’s wrong with the space where ponies store their favorite belongings, but will Twilight Sparkle be able to figure out why?

Ever had one of those days where everything's just gone wrong, one problem after another?

Of course you have.

Ever had one of those days when you wake up to find you've accidentally switched places with your counterpart in a world where you and all your friends are stallions?

...No?

Maybe that's just Twilight, then.

But the Princess of Magic isn't going to let a little thing like being in the wrong universe ruin her day. She has a schedule - a checklist! - and it matches up with this Dusk Shine's perfectly. Apart from the names and the genders, everything seems to be a match, and Ponyville has seen much weirder things since she moved here.

Being stallions or mares shouldn't make her friends that different. What could possibly go wrong?

Cutie Mark Crusaders Time Travelers, yay! ...Wait, what?

When older versions of Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Spike appear from the future, Twilight and her friends are in for the time of their lives. The Crusaders have gone back in time on a mission that may decide the fate of time itself! They are fearless, they are resourceful, they... completely messed up right from the start, huh?

Now it's a literal race against time to set things right, as powerful enemies from the future attempt to claim the past for themselves. So join the Elements of Harmony and the Crusaders of tomorrow in an epic story of danger, hope, despair, betrayal, revenge, love and swashbuckling high adventure!

Just remember the golden rule: Time travel doesn't make sense!

Celestia had a problem. Somepony wrote a novel about Nightmare Moon's rebellion. This made Luna quite unhappy, and unfortunately for her sister, Luna has not yet gotten the hang of modern traditions like freedom of speech, the abolition of the death penalty, and not bothering Princess Celestia when she's trying to sleep.

Fortunately, Celestia also had a faithful student, one who is now a Princess with an ill-defined portfolio and perfectly capable of dispensing justice by the laws of both today and one thousand years ago.

Now Twilight Sparkle has a problem.

(Title image hacked together from vectors by Martinnus1, Hawk9mm, and Paulie15.)