Sunset Shimmer has finally rebuilt her life at Canterlot High. She has friends, she's in a band, people like her, everything's going great...

And then out of nowhere, she turns back into a small talking unicorn.

Now, with the help of her friends, she has to figure out why she's suddenly a pony in a human world, and whether or not she can become human again...or will have to leave her new life and go back to Equestria.

(Cover art vector sources: Elsia-pony, TheShadowStone)

Now with a TVTropes page!

This story is a sequel to My Little Investigations: The Gemstone Godfather

My name is Twilight Sparkle. I am the Princess of Friendship; one of the rulers of Equestria. There was once a time when I was called the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well. I used this identity briefly to teach my friend Rainbow Dash a lesson in humility. Several moons after that incident, somepony else has taken up the mantle, using it to protect ponies who are in peril. Very few ponies know the true nature of this enigmatic mare; I among them. The only thing known for certain is that she is a true hero.

But now, she has gone mad. Or at least, that's what we're supposed to believe after she allegedly crashed this year's Grand Galloping Gala. Personally, I'm not buying it. Like I said, I know this Mare-Do-Well. She would never do something like this. And as if to confirm my suspicions, there was a note left at the crime scene stating that an impostor is on the loose in one of four locations. Thankfully, I'm not alone in thinking this. My friends support me, and three ponies who have worked with Mare-Do-Well in the past agree that something is amiss.

This is their story as much as it is my own. Mare-Do-Well is our friend, and we have to be there for her just as she's been there for us. Whether she's in the Griffon Kingdom, Manehattan, the Mewlun Mountains, or here in Canterlot, we will find her and unmask her doppelgänger. Come along, Spike! The game is afoot!

The story we're about to tell you is real, although some details are ambiguous in nature. To emphasize this point, no names have been changed. It is also my duty to inform you that this tale contains subject matter that may be inappropriate for younger audiences. Viewer's discretion is strongly advised.

((Case 4 of the Mare-Do-Well Files. It's highly recommended that you read the other cases first; otherwise you will get confused.))

POV Codex:

T: Twilight Sparkle
S: Spitfire
O: Octavia
A: Amethyst Star
M: Multiple POVs in the same chapter

MLP/Skullgirls Crossover. Contains Skullgirls Spoilers.

A weapon lands in Ponyville. A living weapon. Bound and changed, she fought her world's gravest threat. Now she's free, for all the good it did her.
She is called Painwheel: a raging monster with the heart of a little girl. Will she find peace? Or more tragedy?

Ladies and Gentlemen(?), it's Showtime!

Alternative Version

Echo 1 is the callsign belonging to a group of armored vehicle operators in Takistan, the battlefield where every warfighter respawns. They're labelled loose cannons after an explosive incident, and are confined to their base as punishment. As the three start to ponder their use, a freak accident results in their arrival to Equestria.

Another day, another area of operations.

Echo 1-1 Actual: "Raptor", Stryker Commander (Sport Shades)
Echo 1-2: "Roar", Stryker Driver (Aviators)
Echo 1-3: "Splash", Stryker Gunner (Striped Shirt)

No gore, projectiles are magical. The level of violence shown is hardly above that depicted/suggested in the show.
A story inspired by my unhealthy ArmA addiction.

This story is a sequel to My Little Investigations: Wonderbolts Under Fire

My name is Octavia Melody. I play the cello for the Canterlot Ensemble, and I co-host a talk show on K-COLT Radio. I feel that music is a very important part of my life. It's how I express myself creatively, and while I can't speak for every musician out there, I know quite a few ponies who feel the same way. Which is why I was very excited to be given a chance to perform at the Manehattan Music Festival; an annual event where musicians from all walks of life gather to practice their art and enjoy the work of others. It is truly a music-lover's paradise, regardless of which genre you prefer. And as somepony who can appreciate all sorts of music (yes, even dubstep. Don't, tell Vinyl I said that), I was sure that this was the opportunity of a lifetime.

Then I get a mysterious letter delivered to my hotel room saying that if I so much as play a single note ever again, my life is forfeit.

At first, I thought it was a joke (and a poor one, at that). Nopony in their right mind would take a letter like that seriously. But then, a terrible accident occurs at the festival in the middle of Vinyl's set. As it turns out, she got the same letter I did. In fact, the only reason she's still alive is because she was rescued by a mysterious mare dressed in a rather bizarre costume. I couldn't make this up if I tried, though Celestia knows I wish I did.

Now, I'm no detective, but I know a rat when I smell one. I can say with a good amount of certainty that Vinyl and I weren't the only ones to get that letter. But what lunatic would go to such great lengths in order to hold every musician in Equestria hostage like this, and to what end? I don't have an answer to this, but one thing is for certain. Whoever it is, they won't get away with it.

The story I'm about to tell you is real (but again, I wish it wasn't), although some details may be open to interpretation. For the sake of clarity, I have decided not to change any names. Also, I feel it's fair to warn you that this is not a tale for young foals, the faint of heart, or the easily offended. If you fall into any of these categories, I highly advise you to turn back now and find something a bit more pleasant.

((Case 2 of the Mare-Do-Well Files.))

Equestria is a nation on the edge of disaster after the devastation caused by the Lunar Rebellion. Beset on all sides by nefarious enemies, vicious foreign invaders, insane Lunar cultists, malicious fey, and diabolical conspirators all threaten Equestria’s borders and stability. Midnight Sparkle, daughter of Archmagus Sunbeam Sparkle and herself a newly minted Magus of Equestria, soon finds herself embroiled in the chaos surrounding her homeland. But what hope does a single unicorn have against so many overwhelming threats?

A chronological sequel to The Lunar Rebellion.

My name is Spitfire. I'm the captain of the Wonderbolts; the best fliers in all of Equestria. As captain, I feel that I have a certain obligation to my team. In a sense, they're kinda like my family (and trust me, I'm usually not that sappy). So when our practice course is sabotaged and it almost claims Misty Fly's life, you can understand why that would make me kind of livid. Especially since we were practicing for this special competition meant to strengthen pony-griffon relations.

And if that wasn't bad enough, I also have this oddball stalker claiming that these attacks are gonna continue. No, I'm not kidding here. This weird pony dressed up like something out of a comic book says that if I want to stop these attacks, I have to find the dock-hole behind them. Hey, just a quick question. Why me? I mean, I'm concerned about my team and all, but I'm a Wonderbolt, not a detective! Heck, you clearly know more about what's going on; why don't you do the legwork and catch this guy?! For that matter, why should I trust you?! I don't even know who you are!

Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to snap like that. I'm just not in a good mood right now. And Celestia help anypony who crosses me, be it that assassin or the costumed freak. Because if I get my hooves on either one of them, it's not gonna be pretty...

The story I'm about to tell you is real, although some details are debatable. I'm not gonna bother changing any names because I know there's at least one smart aleck out there who's gonna try to figure out the real names, anyway. Oh, and all you parents out there might wanna consider sending your little ones to bed. I'm gonna delve into some pretty heavy stuff, and I don't want to traumatize anypony.

((Case 1 of the Mare-Do-Well Files.))

It has been more than one hundred years since Celestia banished Nightmare Moon. While Equestria has enjoyed a century of relative peace and prosperity, there are still lingering tensions between the three pony tribes.

Shadow Kicker, a proud warrior of Pegasopolis, must navigate the treacherous noble court of Canterlot and address the concerns and wounded pride of her own tribe in a desperate effort to prevent matters from coming to open warfare.