Magic works in strange ways, and seems to manifest in every pony differently. It's always about how one uses their gifts that magic has given them that matters. Sweetie Belle has learned one thing for certain in the past few years, and that is some gifts can quickly turn into a curse.

Featured on Equestria Daily: http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/11/story-like-me.html

Update 2/27/12: Fixed a flaw related to the "Sweetie only tried once", complaint. It now explains she attempted a few times.
Also minor grammatical errors.

This story is a sequel to In Her Majesty's Royal Service

After guardsponies Storm Stunner, Crack Shot, and Check Mate proved instrumental in stopping an interdimensional incident that threatened to annoy the city of Canterlot, the Royal Guard made a realization: perhaps they might just be able to serve functions beyond pulling aerial chariots and trying not to blink in public.

Now months later, they're finally starting to get somewhere with each of the odd regimens they've designed; it's a shame that three of their number will have to miss the progress to follow. In recognition of their prior bravery, quick thinking, (and to a smaller degree their dumb luck), Princess Luna has given Storm, Check, and Crack Shot a special assignment: to visit the lands on the borders of pony control, to sample the local flavors, and to maybe even take a picture or two. One might dare to call it a vacation.

However, expectations mean little so far from home, and despite Luna's wishes to keep the guardsponies out of harm's way, the world can easily change in a thousand years. The three guardsponies may be forced to deal with the inconvenience of their vacation turning into an adventure.

First Story: In Her Majesty's Royal Service

980 years ago...
Celestia has been trapped in the sun for twenty years now. They have been hard times for the ponies of Equestria as they have sought to try and rebuild their society and recover from all that she did in her madness. But fear not! For though her coat and mane are now pink, and though she is shorter, and though she remembers nothing of her previous life, all that Celestia was has been reborn, and returned to Equestria!

A distant prequel to the Lunaverse.

Sometimes, all we need are a few stats to shed some light on a subject.

A letter from Celestia interrupts one of Pinkie's parties with disturbing news. Now friendships will be pushed to the limit as Twilight struggles to uncover which of her friends is not who, or even what, she appears to be.

(While not a romance, this does contain a shipped pair)

in Russian

One beautiful morning, Twilight Sparkle decides she wants a free salad. After a small amount of theft, assault, battery, and arson, she sits down to enjoy what is sure to be the best tasting salad ever.

...Or she would have, if it weren’t for the Equestrian Intelligence Service locking her up as a potential threat to national security. Now, Twilight must escape a maximum security holding facility hidden deep underneath Canterlot. And to do it, she’ll need a paperclip, a spymare catsuit, an escape plan, and an alliance with the dastardly Drakbog, King of Frogs.

Ditzy Doo is the daughter of a prominent family in Canterlot. So why has she shown up at Rainbow Dash's doorstep, years after they last saw each other? Rainbow is willing to go to out of her way to help an old friend, but she may get more than she bargained for: being away from home isn't the only thing Ditzy has to adjust to...

A prequel to the events of both continuities in The Winningverse.

Co-authored by Chengar Qordath.

Rainbow Dash and Spike compete for a job at Quills and Sofas, in order to get a free sofa. However, neither of them really knows much about the proper selling of sofas.

(Written prior to Season 2)

Foals can do it, you can do it too! Miss Cheerilee points out some basic rules for all of her students to follow. (Note: rated teen for not having random sex scenes with Twilight Sparkle). Also, apologies to my editor Future, because I didn't run the story by him and he puts up with that sort of crap

(Also also, huge thanks to blackgryph0n *original artist* and Paleo Prints *the touch-ups* for letting me use their fine cover picture!)

This story is a sequel to From the Mouths of Fillies

Dinky and Sparkler have the most awesome godmom in Equestria--that's right, me! Rainbow Dash. Being friends with their mom means I've spent a lot of time with them over the past few years. They're pretty cool kids.

But then ... well, Ditzy got sick. Like, really sick. I've been watching them for her, but if she doesn't get better soon, they may be staying with me for a lot longer than I thought.

That's okay, though: I'm Rainbow Dash. I can handle anything life throws at me.

(Connected to From the Mouths of Fillies, Saying Goodbye, and Feeling Regrets)