This isn't where I belong. I left all this behind years ago, moved on with my life. But a mare from my past brought me back, and now she won't let me go. So I'm stuck here, trying to make the best of it with ponies that don't understand me, don't even like me. But when something moves in the darkness, and when things go wrong in the cold, dead night, they'll turn to me to try to set things right.

Why? Because once a police pony, always a police pony.
~~
This is a spin-off story to 'Why am I Pinkie Pie?!', and will contain spoilers for that story, but it's not necessary to read that story to understand this one.
Cover art by the talented Conicer
Need more Cinnamon Swirl? Merlos the Mad wrote a fanfic of this story!

There is now a side-story: A Hard Day's Nightmare Night

Comet takes his job too seriously. Angel doesn't take anything seriously.

Comet joined to protect kingdom and princess(es). Angel joined for adventure and danger.

Comet isn't interested in mares. Angel can't stop talking about stallions.

Comet is a pegasus. Angel is a bat pony.

Together, this unlikely duo goes through life as Royal Guards from basic training to fully fledged guardsponies. Who knows? Maybe they'll even start to get along.

Cover art by slawomiro.

"Cutie Mark Crusaders Alicorns, Yay!" Follow the CMC as they adjust to new expectations and find new crusading opportunities.
Is there enough aspirin in Equestria for the denizens of Ponyville who have to deal with three ever-helpful alicorn fillies?

For Rarity, the words left unsaid are often most meaningful. A life of standards and a sense of class has led her to assume that breaking these standards are wrong, and that reining in one's true emotions is a path to success.

However, something has been keeping her up at night and threatening to break the mold she has lived by throughout her life. Which will crack first, her presumed lifestyle or herself?

Zecora, the zebra shamaness has lived in the Everfree Forest for some time, but has never gone beyond except for the sake of finding roots and herbs for her potions that her woods cannot supply. But upon making friends with young Apple Bloom and later Twilight and her companions, she has taken it upon herself to travel beyond for a time. Stopping at Sweet Apple Acres for a minute to speak with Applejack, she catches the eye of Macintosh. The stallion falls for Zecora at first sight and then does something very poorly thought out to prove himself to her...

Big Macintosh goes on strike when he sees he's the one doing all the heavy lifting and harder work at Sweet Apple Acres while his sisters frolic. His idea catches fire throughout Ponyville, and soon every stallion is up in arms! Sexism explodes in the tiny town, it's Stallions on Strike!

Immediately following the events of Appletheosis, Applejack must relearn her place in the world as the new Princess Mara of Equestria. Meanwhile, her family and friends have their own troubles with the changes. Through it all, little Merry May, first in the service of her goddess, tries to hold things together and keep everypony sane and happy.

I won't tell you what to do, (this time) but reading Appletheosis first is highly recommended. The Shadow of the Goddess also provides useful background and will become very relevant in later chapters.

After an accident, Rarity and Twilight are thrown in a race against time to stop their transformation into changelings before they become part of Chrysalis' swarm forever.

In the heat of the moment, some ponies have a habit of letting things out. Sometimes they are minor things that most just shrug off and forget about in a matter of milliseconds. Sometimes they are things that, once revealed, shake the very foundation of their existence.

Rarity's latest revelation falls into the latter.

[Please read the author's notes after the expansion before reading. Thank you]

Welcome to the new Equestria, Twilight Sparkle. See your friends at each other's throats? You have to choose between them now, to stop the heartache of war with decisive victory. For the nation lies bleeding, its harmony shattered into a million pieces. Black and white and right and wrong have blurred together.

You must choose wisely, or all shall die.

~Image by JohnJoseco~ If anyone can find a fitting, unique image for this story, please do not hesitate to link in the comments.

[Author's Note]

The following stories should be read in order to get a good grasp on references to previous works.

- Sunset (Mandatory)*
- My Little Muffin (Optional)
- Clash of the Heavenly Titans (Optional)*
- Blood is Thicker / The Reluctant Reunion of the Redoubtable Rabble-Rouser (Strongly Recommended)

All can be found on my Deviant Art account: http://ciroton.deviantart.com/
Those with * can be found here on FIMFiction.