Twilight Sparkle is a gifted student and scholar. When she attempts to harness her creative side by writing a science-themed sensual romance novel, however, things rapidly get out of hoof. Can her friends stage an intervention before she humiliates herself (and them) at a prestigious literature recital?

No. No, they cannot.

Trixie's had a bad string of luck with love lately. Starlight hopes this means she'll finally get a chance to be with her.

She's wrong. So, so wrong. Because the one Trixie becomes enamored with? It's herself.

Written to fulfill a challenge from Angel Midnight, who challenged people to write a story featuring a character from a list, as a present for her birthday. I chose Trixie. I hope you like the result!

Trixie's line of work is dangerous. But she's a careful showpony, and that's why she's only died a few dozen times in her career.

She thinks this is normal.

Mount Vehuvius is about to erupt for the first time in over five hundred years, bringing ruin to the town of Pommepei, and only Maud Pie can stop it.

To Applejack's bewilderment, she's not interested in doing that.

Originally written for Everfree Northwest 2023's Iron Author competition, in which it placed third. Thanks to Undome Tinwe for editing help!

This story is a sequel to Sisters

Info

A Quills and Sofas Christmas Fic Exchange gift for applejackofalltrades with the prompt "gimme any applejack ship but DONT make her straight :gun-2:", spruced up from its first draft. Inspired by Space_Kase's amazing Past Tartarus and Back, which you should really be reading instead.

Thanks to daOtterGuy for convincing me to kill many, many darlings by not adding back in the scenes I cut from the initial idea, and to Emotion Nexus for help with the shortdesc.

Longdesc

In the future of the Crystal War timeline, King Sombra has finally been defeated. But the war being over just means that its wounds can only begin to heal, and all Applejack can do is give Pinkie the home that her family's rock farm can no longer be.

Sequelness

While this is a sequel to Sisters, it can be read as a standalone without missing anything.

Princess Celestia has a problem. Or perhaps it's Twilight Sparkle that has one.

Every few weeks, an intoxicated Twilight Sparkle will randomly teleport into Celestia's castle in search of snacks or simply for a place to crash.

So what could this all have to do with Celestia in particular?

Now with a reading! HERE!

Longdesc

Was this all there was? For her and Maud to die out here, at the foothills of the Crystal Mountains, never having had a chance to live their lives beyond that little rock farm?

There was supposed to be something more, wasn't there?

But what?

Author's Note

Based on various thoughts about how weird the Pie family is, my Dr. Maudileena Daisy Pie headcanon, and just how much more would be different in the various alternate Starlight-induced timelines beyond the little bits we saw.

Based off a prompt from Bean's Writing Group Discord server, "From the beginning, you know the end". Thanks to Short-tale, RDT, and Techno Flare for their feedback.

After decades of war, the Crystal Empire is finally on the verge of defeat.

On the eve before marching upon King Sombra’s last stronghold, a lone night ranger stumbles upon a strange unicorn, a mare who claims to be the cause of all their pain and suffering.

Rainbow Dash is determined to get married. The most successful apple orchard in Equestrian history is going broke. Pinkie Pie is unemployed.

Twilight is finding all this rather suspicious. Is she really the only honest pony in Ponyville? And can she keep it that way?

Maud Pie has been tormented by a secret she has had to keep from Pinkie Pie for many years. A secret that her Nana has now taken to her grave, but which Maud feels she needs to tell. She owes the truth to her adoring baby sister... but after all of these years, how can she come out and tell her something that could change the way she sees herself and the world around her?

Co-written by Bootsy Slickmane
Rated T for mature themes.