The newly ascended Alicorn of Love is learning to use her newfound powers, including the ability to see emotions. When Cadance looks at Princess Celestia, though, she's sure that she must be doing something wrong, because what she sees makes no sense at all...

A brief story about feeling depressed.

And a continuation of my habit of naming stories after songs which may or may not actually be relevant.

Editing by TheMaskedFerret, inspiration by real life.

Rainbow Dash was the Iron Wing. She was a war hero, the Slayer of Shadows, the Liberator of the Crystal Empire, the Wrath of Celestia. And depending on who you ask, she still is.

But the war is over. There's little need for a pony like her in peacetime. So she keeps telling herself that she needs to adjust, that she needs to find a new role to fill in the world that she saved. But Equestria seems content to let her remain what she has become, even though they have no need of a warrior.

"This isn't how it's supposed to be", is something she keeps telling herself. But every time she says it, the only thing she can reply is, "so what should it be?"

One whole year after the close of the war, and Rainbow Dash still doesn't have the answer.

Art by NCMares.

After an incident between Applejack and Rainbow Dash, the two are finding it hard to communicate with each other. However, when a friend suggests a pilgrimage to help Applejack settle her feelings over memories of the past, Rainbow Dash and Applejack find that they may have to redefine their friendship.

Vinyl Scratch is a mare of mystery: hard to meet and even harder to get to know. It is an image she has cultivated since her early days as a DJ and is not likely to ever let go. She is the queen of the music scene and her purple shades are her crown. To her roommate, Octavia, she is a vulgar annoyance and a blemish on her otherwise spotless life. However, when she accidentally destroys the one thing that matters most to the unicorn, the cellist finds herself learning more than she ever cared to know about the rock-loving mare.

- Cover image by recycletiger

- As always, edited by BrotherPrickle.

Lightning Dust wakes up late, to another grey, gloomy day. She's cold and tired, and she's never felt so terrible in her life. But really, all she needs is to get back into a routine, or to see her friends, or to sleep a little bit longer... then she'll be fine.

Really.

Inspiration.

"Jesus, man."
—TheAspiringWriter93

"I'm sad now. Like.. you don't even know."
—thedarkprep

Dramatic reading by Limey Reads

Golden Harvest is not jealous. Sure, her neighbor Applejack has a life of adventure and glamor, friends who are national heroes and princesses, an appallingly lucrative share in the local fruit market, and firm, toned flanks. And sure, by contrast, Golden Harvest has been stuck with her snout in the same old muddy patch of carrots pretty much every day since she earned her cutie mark, her best friend is a dentist, and her idea for a 'Carrot Juice Season' never really gained much ground for some reason. But Golden Harvest is not jealous.

Not jealous at all.

She just wishes Applejack would stop being so distracting.

*

Pre-read by Midnight Herald and Communist Bob (no link).