First place winner of the RariLight Creation Contest #2!

A day before the town-wide Hearts and Hooves Day party, Twilight Sparkle received a strange note in the mail. There was no doubt that it was Rarity who had penned the curvy script gracing the letter, but the riddle that lay tauntingly alongside her greeting was quite the mystery.

And Twilight loved solving a good mystery.

Cover art belongs to Grandifloru!

Thanks to Azusa for proofreading.

A dragon wanders through a starless night, into a land that banished him centuries ago. Never did he imagine he would return to the world that cursed his very existence, but when the sun and moon failed to rise one fateful day, something compelled him to begin the long journey home to the princess who shattered his heart.

Octavia's cutie mark is a treble clef, but that is only her destiny. Her parents had a different plan for her life. Neither her parents nor her destiny asked what she thought. At the bottom of her heart, all this little pony ever wanted was to know that she was not alone against the world, and to play beautiful music.

Now with a follow-up story, Render Unto Them Wubs.

=#= Written for the Octavia Fans One Year Anniversary Contest. Root idea stemmed from a backstory for everyone's favorite grey cellist that has been rolling around in the back of my head for a while.

A creature watches the daily goings on of Ponyville from a small hole far above.

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Reading by RockieQuickfireVA - Voice Actor on YouTube

At first, you thought this whole idea would be absolutely ridiculous. Why should you, one of the most popular DJs this side of Equestria, go to a classical music concert? It would totally be a waste of your time, because it's just not your speed! You're used to dropping the heaviest beats, not watching somepony drag strings across strings.

Until you listen to her play for the first time.

(Comments are always appreciated! I like reading feedback from you guys.)
UPDATE 4/22 - Thank you guys so much for all the favorites on this! This story is already way more popular than my first, and I'm glad most everyone who read it liked it!
UPDATE 5/5 - WOW, I'm surprised this story got excepted into Twilight's Library, but it did! I'll get to updating this thing once I figure out some more plot stuff for it.
[img]http://i.imgur.com/6MrWqNZ.png[/img]

Applejack's love for her farm and her family define her. They're the two things in her life which keep her going: the only motivation she needs to get out of bed every morning. Her brother, her sister, their grandmother, and—and the three of them, keeping their family orchard going strong together. It’s the life she always wanted.

But Sweet Apple Acres has taken a hit in recent years. It’s hard to ignore how, so recently, the four of them used to be the five of them, or how the farm’s account is running as dry as the fields themselves.

But it’s just a phase; a bad one, but they come and they go, like the seasons themselves. Applejack knows it’s just a matter of persevering, and staying the course. Better days are just around the corner.

[10/10 The Equestrian Critics Society] [Featured on EQD] [Twilight's Library Approved]
Having a morning ritual allows a pony to prepare for the coming day with a minimum of thought, thus freeing their minds to contemplate everything from the past to the future... for some this is less than ideal.

Editing: Tundara and Flea Candy

I was still a young colt when I took my first steps into the world of steam engines and railroading. I was meant to sing the song of steel, the chorus of the railways. Despite the challenges, discomfort, and dangers, I wanted to be a railway pony. I wanted a fine steam engine like #3803. I wanted to be like Highball.

What I got? Well now, there's a story worth telling...

They said mighty Saraneighvo would never fall.

They said proud Saraneighvo would never weep.

They said old Saraneighvo could never die.

In the darkest of days, we find solace in whatever we can.

Inspired by the story of Vedran Smailović, the real Cellist of Sarajevo.
Audiobook version read by Illya Leonov
Editing and Prereading by: LoyaLiar, JustAnotherTimelord, and Sojourner
Cover art by me.

Flash Sentry is having a very bad Hearts And Hooves Day.

His date has been cancelled.

He has to work a double shift.

And for some reason, stallions are hitting on him at a bar...

Yeah, really bad Hearts And Hooves Day.

Edited by MythrilMoth.
Special thanks to Weeping Angel for pre-reading and JaquelinDreamz for permission to use her artwork.

This is 100% Approved by Twilight's Library