On the eve of the five-hundred-and-thirtieth year of Celestial Peace, a shocking accident befalls one of Equestria’s aviators during the Wonderbolts' performance at the Summer Sun Celebration.

Flaire d’Mare attempted to warn against the danger that caused the incident, and thus, she is commissioned to improve the safety of the Wonderbolts’ uniforms at the behest of their tenth leader: General Flash.

Assisted by the optimistic young aviator Fairy Flight, Flaire will do whatever she must to ensure a safer future for the Wonderbolts. 

Even if that means confronting the inner wound of her long-endured grief.

This story did not explode! What a relief and/or letdown.

Part of OPERATION CRACKFIC STORM 2024 ( group | stories ).

Thanks to Silk Rose for coming up with the idea, writing chapters 22 and 9, and developing the code; thanks also to Meadowsys for general code help.

Thanks to IrradiatedPirateBooty ( tumblr ) for the awesome character art.

And thanks to everyone in the comments who stuck around for the final countdown!

I'm fine with Celestia.

Celestia loves me.

Nothing is wrong.

This story is a semi-sequel to Twilight Sparkle and the Crystal Heart Spell (pdf)

Same continuity as The Queen of the Dark.

Once upon a time, there was an evil enchantress called Prismia. Only one special little pony could stop her.

Seven years. For seven years she was neglected. In that time, she was underpowered, defeated by a nag in the moon, defeated by an evil bug roach, a victim to tentacle vines, defeated again by the same evil bug roach as before, as well as many other slights and insults in between.

All she wanted was one episode of her own, one to show her glorious personality in all of its radiant glory. Unfortunately, it was not to be. Her impressive record as the longest living and serving monarch (now diarch, lots of love to dear, dear Little Luna), brokering peace and prosperity the likes of which no other nation could hold a candle to! Or a sun, for that matter.

Time to do something about that.

Filly Cadence turns her first heart. Part of the "Cadance of Cloudsdale" cycle; familiarity with the previous work is not required. Thanks to G.M. Berrow for the inspiration.

Luna, retired, receives a letter from Poppy, an art prodigy with terrible nightmares. She agrees to help.

Tonight, Poppy will discover there is Nothing to be afraid of.

Edited by Sky_Paladin.

Octavia Melody's love of music has revolved around a single influential and prestigious work of art, the song May Our Sun Shine Forever. Since she was a filly, what has been the Equestrian national anthem for generations has continually inspired Octavia to perform, shaping her into the promising cellist she is today. Though the completed original was lost to the passage of time, the remnants of the final masterpiece composed by the Grand Maestro Glissando has been the cornerstone of not only Octavia's career, but modern music theory in Equestria.

When the tattered remains of an ancient songbook possibly containing the original song in its entirety is found, the Equestrian Society for the Performing Arts and Princess Luna begin planning a concert series to celebrate the work's eventual restoration. However, their meeting screeches to a halt once Princess Celestia vehemently forbids anypony from playing the original in the concert and demands its restoration to cease immediately. Octavia Melody finds herself at a loss, wondering why the princess of the sun would silence such a beautiful song meant to bring light to the world.

Proofread and Edited by TheAncientPolitzanian and various others over the years of trying to fix this thing.
Cover Art Depressing Melody by TertonDA
Updated 02/27/24

After over a hundred years of ruling, Princesses Celestia and Luna are finally getting around to having their capital city built. For head mason Gabion, it's a once-in-numerous-lifetimes opportunity. Canterlot can only be built once, and he's the one overseeing it.

But there's a snag. The design of the castle is eye-poppingly impractical, ready to fall over the cliff at a moment's notice. It's a sin against good architectural practices everywhere. Even Celestia's assurance that she'll personally lend her magic to help build it does little to reassure him.

...And now he'll be giving orders to Princess Celestia herself for the duration of construction. This is going to be a weird job. Maybe he can get to know her a bit, if only to make things a tad less bizarre.

"My dear Twilight Sparkle,

Thank you for your recent letters. And I must apologize to you first and foremost that I have not responded back in kind to each and every one. I imagine has this concerned you, but please don't worry. Things have been very unsettled here in the castle as of late. Princess Luna has been researching Equestrian history, and I find myself in a strange kind of mood..."