Everypony has a story. Some tell of heroic feats and grand adventure. Others tell of villainy against the forces of Harmony. The story of an average guard, however, is one of obscurity. They live in the background, unnoticed but ever-present.

Silent Knight assumed his tale would be like that of his father's: join the Royal Guard and serve Equestria. He would be just another helmet and spear, part of the rank and file. And that was all he ever wanted.

However, when Captain Shining Armor asked for volunteers to form a House Guard for the recently returned Princess Luna, it was Silent's hooves that stepped forwards to set his new life in motion.

Once a year, the Night Guards of Canterlot receive a very important shipment, much to the distress of their peers. Flash Sentry has no idea what the fuss is all about.

(Submission for EqD's Friend Off event.)

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Steel Song is a lot of things. Earth pony. Uncle. Professional bodyguard.

Retired.

So when he receives a mysterious package from Princess Luna a few weeks after the changeling invasion, he's understandably apprehensive. More-so when he presents himself before the Royal Diarchs to find that not only do they desire him to come out of retirement, but to take command of a most unusual position...

A position that may have more significance than any of them suspect. Because strange thefts are occurring on the Equestrian Railway, thefts that nopony can explain. Thefts that may have far more sinister intentions than their seemingly innocent nature may convey.

Intentions sinister enough to shift the balance of power in Equestria forever.

Book I of The Dusk Guard Saga.
Epic Fantasy
Has a collection of Side Stories as well, the first of which is here.
Now with a TV Tropes page!
"This is 100% Approved by Twilight's Library!"
Added to Twilight's Library 11/26/2013
Added to Canterlot's Finest 12/01/2013

"They take da' pain out, make it somethin' good, somethin' good. Wear yer' blues well, colt, you gonna earn every drop of em'. Yer' gonna be tangled up in blues," the old stallion told Blues, presenting him with the saxophone.

Blues himself tells us of his life after that day and as he explores what it means to be "painted blue"; to hope, to fear, to love, to lose. He tells us as he learns what really makes a stallion a stallion, what it's like to leave something you love behind, and what risks one must face in life or risk becoming nothing at all.

All of this, Blues tells us, takes place against the background of critical moments in his life and as he travels the scope of Equestria from Manehattan to Ponyville and Appleoosa. All the while the songs he learns from his pain mingle with the one his mentor, Moody Blues, revealed within him...something unbelievable the old pony did to bring it forth.

Twilight Sparkle conducts an experiment and succeeds in obtaining an unusual flower with some intriguing properties.

What it could teach her, however, might prove to be more than she bargained for. She finds herself having to face surprising—and maybe frightening—new possibilities about the universe. How does it work? What is 'real', exactly? And why are these suddenly such uncomfortable and challenging questions for her?

Pre-reading and editing for this story was done by Grand Moff Pony, The Dobermans, SIGAWESOME, Reese, Georg, LCranston, and Equestria Daily pre-readers 63.546 and Slorg. Many thanks to all of them for helping this get where it is!

Now with an audio reading by TheDizzyDan!

Stand up straight, keep your appearance, be perfect. These are just a few things that Prince Blueblood believes is required of a common prince. It's easy for Blueblood to keep his mane neat and not make a fool of himself, but to ignore the pounding in his chest when he thinks of his best friend who married a princess... that's another story. Fancy Pants is a new seed in the garden of his life. It's hard to explain what exactly drew Blueblood to Fancy Pants in the first place, but he finds the more time they spend together the more he finds his heart pounding at the thought of the stallion.

Editing done by Vivid Syntax

Sweetie Belle gets stuck in a time loop.

Traducción Española: https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Un-poco-circular-1-4-990271915

Proofread by many people such as: 0_0, refferee, Leonzilla, crooked, TheGreatEater, and other people I may have missed.

This story is a sequel to Everypony Cuddles, Sometimes

Twilight Sparkle banishes Rainbow Dash to the Cuddle Zone. Granted, her aim was a bit off.

Cover art by CaptainPudgeMuffin

Additional Tags: [M/M Shipping]
Everyone has things they aren't particularly good at, and we all work to make the best of our weaknesses. Sometimes, though, our weaknesses can prove to be tools of our undoing. Written in response to a story promp by BillyColt.
Cover Image graciously provided by Pyrestorm.

Additional Tags: [M/M Shipping][Bittersweet]
As Hearts and Hooves day rolls around, Flintlock goes about his ritual of cleaning the attic - or at least, that's his excuse to the rest of the family. It's also a time to dig out his old uniforms and bits of nostalgia and... to look at pictures. Passion may only last a moment, but love can last a lifetime.

Cover graciously provided by DelusionInABox