After Chrysalis failed to conquer Equestria, she was shamefully stripped of her title of "Queen of the Changelings".

Their people now leaderless, the Changeling race now finds itself in a unique situation. In the struggle for power, one Changeling seizes the attention of his people. Can he overcome his nature, and the nature of his people, to lead them into a better future?

A noble earth-pony family, fallen somewhat on hard times, is killed in a mining accident. They leave behind a single male heir, who is in sore need of a guardian, and of protection. Celestia takes the young pony under her wing and delivers him not to ponies - not earth, unicorn or pegasus - but to a dragon, an ambassador, an old friend of hers.

Playing a game which may just be deadly to the uninformed, the dragon decides that the one path open to him to ensure the safety of his charge and to carry out his sworn duty, is to adopt.

Twilight and her friends are approached by Princess Luna who presents them with a set of questions that trigger a long and perilous journey.

Did you ever stop to wonder what became of Trixie, Gilda and Blueblood after your encounters? What did these episodes truly mean to you? What role will they yet play in the lives of the Elements of Harmony?

Last, are these questions as relevant as the journey towards the answers? Who will benefit from seeking these answers - you, them, or I?

Many years after sending her beloved protege to Ponyville, unease sits heavily on Princess Celestia's heart as her relationship with Twilight Sparkle seems to have cooled despite all they've accomplished together. On the advice of her sister, Celestia sets out to investigate and resolve the lost connection with her most faithful student. What does it mean to be a Faithful Student...or a Princess of the Sun?

Earned a six-star rating on Equestria Daily and featured on its very own TVTropes page!.

When Rarity invited Applejack to spend a beautiful summer's day together, neither pony could have imagined it would be brought to an abrupt end by a Prince from the neighboring country of Saltlickenstein inviting Rarity to his magnificent jeweled city to commission her fashion skills.

The regal and charming Prince Lazuli sweeps Rarity and her friends off to his beautiful kingdom, but as things start to go wrong for the unlikely friends it's up to Applejack to uncover a sinister plot and stop a ruthless villain.

But can she do it in time to rescue the elegant purple-haired unicorn? And can she face her fears of destroying their friendship forever for the sake of something even more special between the odd-couple?

(For those who have read the previous version of this story, you'll notice the old chapters have been removed and I will be re-adding them once edits have been completed.)

What's it like to live in Canterlot, home of the princesses, assorted renowned celebrities and sophisticated ponies?

Well, it all comes down to who you are, really - and if you happen to be a fairly ordinary earth pony, you can get on with life quite easily with few distractions.

But what happens when life plays you an interesting hand, and suddenly you're thrown into the spotlight?

This is a tale of the everyday, and how it can turn from ordinary to extraordinary with a twist of chance.

This is a tale of friends, of laughter, of love and of life.

This is a tale of who we are, and how we got here.

This... is Sketchy Salad Symphony.

The myth of Equestria's discovery is well known—it is told and retold each year by Hearth's Warming Eve pageants from Manehattan to Canterlot. The true origins of the nation are, however, far more complicated.

After defeating the Windigoes and forging an alliance between their three tribes, Chancellor Puddinghead, Commander Hurricane, and Princess Platinum—not to mention Smart Cookie, Private Pansy, and Clover the Clever—have an uphill battle to fight before they can convince everypony to stop fighting and live in harmony. Legions led by Hurricane's political opponents plunge the pegasi into civil war, Princess Platinum and her father struggle to maintain control over insurrection-minded unicorn nobles, and Chancellor Puddinghead's hooves are full trying to convince the other Earth pony leaders of the importance of this new alliance.

It's a world of intrigue, war, and disharmony. Before the colonization of the new region of Equestria, the disparate tribes of Ponyland must be brought together—but this may come at a price.

(Author's notes: inspiration was drawn, in part, from this image: http://sakuyamon.deviantart.com/art/Founders-of-Equestria-277451481?q=boost%3Apopular%20equestria&qo=2 The depictions of the characters in that image are how I imagine them to be in the story, including the gender decisions made by that artist.

Also, some dialogue between Princess Platinum and her father was inspired by the musical Les Misérables.)

Three brave individuals- a unicorn, a pegasus, and an earth pony- undertake the most perilous journey anypony has ever been asked to perform to save the most cherished thing in Equestria.

We all wear a mask called composure, beneath which hides a heart that twists with guilt and hidden feelings. Regal as she is, Princess Celestia is no exception. What might be revealed should circumstances cause this mask to slip - or break?

Set several years after the potential conclusion to the series.

There have long been elements of unrest in Equestria. A monarch who has reigned for a thousand years will surely be called a tyrant by some. Those who plot Celestia's downfall know the princess herself is beyond their reach, but they can still strike at those she cares for.