The global dust storm of a century, the dying message of an indomitable robot, and a unicorn who just can’t let go of a mystery.

(Now with a dramatic reading by Skijaramaz - Tone Shift.)
(Russian translation available at ponyfiction.org.)

No one alive today can say where she came from; simply that she has always been there.

And yet, few ponies have had a greater impact on Princess Celestia's life than Raven, her most faithful aide.

Inspired by and based off of a headcanon put forth by Heir-of-Rick, though perhaps a bit less insidious than what he had in mind. He very kindly provided an alternate version of his image for me to use as my cover image! Text added by me.

All comments and criticism very welcome!

Featured in the Royal Canterlot Library! Go there to read the interview for some behind-the-scenes info on this story!

Translations: Chinese, Spanish!

This story is a sequel to It's a Dangerous Business, Going Out Your Door

The great adventure achieved its goal. Twilight Sparkle was cured of her deadly horn rot, her friends came back safely, and everything can go back to normal.

Except, of course, that such an upheaval is never truly forgettable. It leaves its mark on all who take part in it, touching and changing them in ways they may not, at the time, completely understand. Like the pressure in the earth that turns coal into diamonds, the stresses of disaster--or its near aversion--alter the natures of ponies, and alter the relationships between them. Twilight Sparkle, on a seemingly ordinary day, is about to learn that first hand.
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This story has been floating around since shortly after Dangerous Business' completion. At the time, I envisioned it as the first in what would be a whole cycle of stories, building up to a monumental, multi-story tale very similar to what eventually became Besides the Will of Evil. It's not quite 'canon' to BTWOE--for one thing, Twilight and Spike's relationship here isn't what it is in there, since the later clarifications by the showrunners were taken into account with the later story. However, I like to think that the spirit of this story still informs the later, larger story. Astute readers will also see a clarification of something that was only hinted at in BTWOE. I hope old readers enjoy their fond memories, and that new readers enjoy what has long been a fan favorite.

UPDATE: 8,000 unique views! Wow! I'm incredibly flattered!

TVTropes Page

Plowpony's Day- a day of peaceful rest and relaxation. Or it was, until Twilight Sparkle badly mangled a teleportation spell. It has left her with a bad case of Horn Rot, a disease that if untreated could prove fatal. What's more, the malady is advancing faster than the slow-brewing potion that cures it!

There is one swifter cure: the Beneviolet, a star-shaped flower that grows in the distant Archback Mountains, far beyond the western borders of Equestria. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity choose to undertake the long journey for the sake of their friend. Their path will wind through floes of ice, across gold-tinted plains, into distant forests glimmering with magic. They will learn much about the world beyond their homeland- and much about themselves, as well.

Yes, it's "Dangerous Business," here on FIMFiction. A huge debt is owed to all those who have supported me over the years. I've edited the story some to remove extraneous bolding and italics, but other than that, it remains unchanged. I hope new readers enjoy it as much as old ones did.

TVTropes Page

Rainbow Dash didn’t know she’d be on the precipice of the biggest change in her life when she nonchalantly agreed to help Pinkie Pie. Throw a party, make a lot of foals happy, go home. That was the plan.

So…why does she keep going back? Why does home…feel so empty?

Unable to shake the one foal that refuses to leave her head, Rainbow Dash is ready to jump into the greatest change—and greatest challenge—of her life.

And that, my friends, is only the beginning.

Chinese translation by luhcow:
无光，无声 Unseen, Unheard - FimTale
https://fimtale.com/t/34089

Something I just couldn't get off my mind until I wrote it down. Be warned: the ponies in these battles really go off on each other. Almost exactly like it is in "Epic Rap Battles of History", except with less cursing. There's plenty of verbal bashing, though.

Vinyl Scratch is the DJ for most of these battles, and will be doing the all-caps commentary (except for the ones she's in, of course). OC tag because of slight self-insert.

I've heard that this story is better when read with someone else. You know, with each person doing one half of the rap battle?

List of Rap Battles (as per request)
#1: Twilight Sparkle vs. Rainbow Dash
#2: Pinkie Pie vs. Rarity
#3: Spa Sisters vs. Flim Flam Brothers
#4: Octavia vs. Vinyl Scratch
#5: Angel vs. Gummy
#6: Derpy Hooves (Ditzy Doo?) vs. Lyra Heartstrings
#7: Princess Luna vs. Discord
#8: Scootaloo vs. Pipsqueak
#9: Fluttershy vs. Screwball
#10: Apple Bloom vs. Diamond Tiara
#11: Trixie vs. Featherweight
#12: Silver Spoon vs. Spike
#13: Sweetie Belle vs. Queen Chrysalis
#14: Applejack vs. Carrot Top
#15: Bon-Bon vs. Lyra Heartstrings
#16: Twilight Sparkle vs. Rainbow Dash (rematch!)
#17: Big Macintosh vs. Shining Armor
#18: Iron Will vs. Photo Finish
#19: Gilda vs. Prince Blueblood
#20: Nightmare Moon vs. the Doctor (Doctor Whooves)
#21: Princess Celestia vs. Princess Luna
#22: Snips and Snails vs. Twist and Ruby Pinch
#23: Braeburn vs. Soarin'
#24: Zecora vs. Cheerilee
#25: Winona vs. Opalescence
#26: Derpy Hooves vs. Pinkie Pie
#27: Spitfire vs. Daring Do
#28: Princess Cadence vs. Queen Chrysalis
#29: Babs Seed vs. Lightning Dust
#30: Sunset Shimmer vs. Trixie *
#31: tba

Picture by Silversnow here on this site.

...should there be a 'sex' tag, considering some of the stuff brought up in the rap battles?

A starving colt is found hiding in Applejacks barn, he refuses to speak too much about where he comes from, claiming that he would be branded crazy and locked away.

Applejack doesn't know if that would happen,

But he does seem to know more about her and her friends than he should
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Okay first fiction on this site, more of a way to develop my skills before I launch into some big ideas I have so constructive criticism is appreciated as my descriptions probably suck right now

This is inspired by Oh to be Old Again by Minalkra (which you should totally check out as well)

Enjoy!

EDIT: Now with cover art by the ever talented mix-up! It is just awesome! Check out his pages here and on Deviantart!

A group of pony radicals try to summon a demon to overthrow the princesses. Instead they got a human. They don't know what a human is.

((Pre Princess Twilight))

((Edit: Featured 5/11/2020. Didn't expect this to go over so well!))
((Edit2: Ch.8 featured 10/1/2020))
((Edit3: Featured 10/22/2020))
((Final Edit: Featured 3/25/2021))

Twilight did her duty. She saved everypony she could, except herself. Now trapped by an evil cult, in more pain than she has even been in before, and dying on a sacrificial altar, she calls for help. The Nightmare answers.

Will Twilight become the next evil to threaten the world or will the Nightmare simply be glad to have some freedom? One thing is for certain, Twilight's life will never be the same again.

The Editors
Cander (CH 1-Current)
Yutah123 (CH 8-9)

Now with an excellent reading by StraightToThePointStudio (Currently only up to CH 30)

And we even have art!
[Warning Spoilers] Twilight's Nightmare Art