Princess Twilight Sparkle has recently returned from a diplomatic mission to Gryphonstone. While she has gone beyond the borders of Equestria many times in the past, this is her first official state visit as a princess.

As a way of celebrating her success Princess Celestia hosts a tea party, during which the other monarchs of Equestria share stories about diplomatic blunders. These include Cadance's bout with Saddle Arabian purity laws, Luna's near beheading, and Celestia's ordeal with limes.

Cover Art is done by Baron-Engel.

Edited by Tempus.

Written for Aragon's Comedy (Is Serious Business) Contest under the prompt, we learned something political.

Sex tag is for sexual language/references and not actual sex, death tag is for mentions of death, and dark tag is because it does get a lil dark here and there.

Now with a Russian Translation!

Oh hey, this fic got featured on Episode 210 of Pony 411. That's kinda super cool.

"That said, Luna's story is hysterical, and there's some great sexual and relationship comedy in here. Worth it, on the whole." - PresentPerfect, Recommended for Laughs, Febuary 28th

Rarity is a sophisticated mare well versed in the topics of fashion, generosity, and of love. Well, in this universe, that last one may not hold true. In fact, she's pretty oblivious. Maybe she's just over-worked, maybe she doesn't read enough fan-fiction. Either way, there's a lot going on in Ponyville that she doesn't seem to notice.

(Rated Teen for alcohol consumption and allusions to adult topics such as romance and sex)

To a bunch of herbivores the idea of raising swine is a bit odd. However Applejack soon explains the lucrative business behind it. How will her closest friends react as they find out all the different uses for pigs?

This fic takes place after the events of Applejack's Day Off.

After millennia of reflexive compassion, the abdicant diarchy have retired from princesshood but not from meddling. Benevolence is a hard habit to break. So, when a haunted orphanage is discovered on the unsettled frontiers of Equestria, two retired princesses arrive to shepherd the dead to their rest.

Twilight Sparkle wakes up one morning to a harsh dose of unreality. She is stranded, without her friends, on an island which matches no known locale on Equestria. Surrounded and harried on all sides by the alien and the dangerous, she will find her mettle sorely tested, and find perhaps that the best friends you will ever have in your life are the ones you make when your back is to the wall...

Thanks to CedricBale and noobie56xx for tracking down the name of the artist so I could give them credit.

Celestia leaves to deal with a foreign crisis, giving her sister a chance to rule alone and become more attached to the modern world. She calls on Twilight Sparkle to advise Luna, hoping her student will be able to draw Luna out of her shell. With two major threats to Equestria already defeated in the past year, it seems like the perfect time to let Luna gain some confidence and experience in the modern world. After all, what are the chances of a third disaster occurring?

Now comes with complimentary tropes.

“We’re coming up behind you, Clipper. Seven clicks. White Peak reports the Cape Hornwell radio beacon’s broke. We’re radar only.”

“Celestia, what a time for them to be napping. You’ll have to guide us in, Baron. Our radar went down after that last wave. List is at ten degrees and hatch three is off its hinges.”

“We got you, Clipper. Just hold tight.”

“We’re trying. Gale Clipper out.”

When she was birthed with horn and wings she was thought to be a pegacorn, a rare and blessed blending of the tribes, whose long life and power brought wealth and stature.

Then the guards came, seeking the first alicorn born in over a thousand years.

An entry for The Most Dangerous Game contest
Now archived in Twilight's Library

A lot can change in a thousand years. For a pony out of her time like Somnambula, it can be disorienting and confusing. With her mind full of worries about her home, she decides to take a trip south to see her old hometown. But will she really find peace in a place where so much has changed, or does she perhaps have another reason for making the journey?

Editing provided by SolidFire and LoyalLiar.
Cover art provided by Ruirik.

For a long time, Twilight could feel it; a sense of emptiness she couldn't explain. Now that she's a princess, that feeling is stronger than ever. She finally decides to bring the matter up with Celestia. In response, Celestia gives her an old book.

The contents of that book will change her perspective of the world... and her beloved mentor. Just accepting the truth is a challenge. And after that?

She has to make a decision.

If you’re not watching PaulAsaran, let this convince you to. —PresentPerfect

An immeasurably well crafted, highly intense read. —Ghost Mike

First place winner of Rage Reviews! seventh F*** THIS PROMPT contest! So awesome.

Pre-read by JawJoe.

Cover art by Famosity.