Pinkie Pie has always served admirably as the Element of Laughter, and it's time for the princesses to show their appreciation. In fact, they have a special assignment for her, something they've never tried. It will be the best surprise she ever had.

Third-place winner in the /fic/ write-off "The First Time."

Featured on Equestria Daily!

Thanks to Scott "Inquisitor" M for critique of my rough draft.

Nightmare Moon has been defeated, and Celestia is once more reunited with her sister. Her mission complete, Twilight returns to Canterlot. Meanwhile, her companions try to get back to their old lives.

What is a sock to a pony? What is it really? Something special, something wonderous?

Hardly.

And yet, a quartet of them bothers Twilight on her birthday.

Sometimes, socks are what you have to make do while reaching for perfection.

Cover image by therainpony. Check out their awesome stuff!

Proofed by: Dumbgamer99 and Senyu

What brought Rarity and Applejack together, nopony knows, but you can bet your last barrel of cider that nothing this side of Discord could separate them.

An ongoing series of slice-of-life snapshots. This barn here'll be clop-free, y'all got it?

These stories are in continuity with Luna's Librarian and If the Flight Suit Fits.

All chapters originally written as separate entries for flash-fic blog Thirty Minute Ponies (TMP). Many thanks to TMP for inspiring me to write!

Lift Carefully - Applejack and Rarity hatch a plan to 'help' Twilight by stealing her journal. What they discover is more than they bargained for.

Among the Hills a Winding Way - Confused about her feelings for Rarity, Applejack seeks comfort from her apple trees, who are eager to listen.

Torn - Rarity finds a philosophical Applejack irresistible and finally makes her move. Will an old hat be the only thing torn by night's end?

Drama-Induced Audience Apathy - Rarity thinks angsty drama will spice up their love life. Applejack is a bit more practical.

Ejection - Twilight and friends are determined to see Applejack and Rarity separated. How will the lovers cope?

Not Again - Applejack isn't feeling like herself. Can her marefriend Rarity help straighten her out?

The Honorable Thing - One more disappointment for Applejack might be one too many.

The Best and the Worst - Rarity's having problems with her work and her magic - nothing that an attentive and perceptive marefriend can't help with.

Crossed in the Mail - Letters bearing bad news can make a mare say things she might regret. Sometimes it's hard to remember that we don't have to endure life's troubles alone.

Tickets - With Mac gone to Appleloosa and Granny needing ever more care, the pressure mounts as AJ is left to fend for herself. A certain dressmaker's attention to detail may come handy.

Calendar - Some dates are more worth remembering than others.

Suddenly There Came A Tapping - The Cutie Mark Crusaders are on the run, forced to flee, and about to learn something that hopefully won't earn them cutie marks.

A Meditation Upon the Day's Toils, or, 'Bark' - Who's a good little dog? You're a good dog, Winona! Yes you are!

Slow and Steady - Big Mac notices a whole lot more than he lets on.

Tailoring the Conversation - Oh, what wisdom from the mouths of fillies! Especially the ones who've been peeking in the barn at really inconvenient times.

The Quiet Revelations - Applejack has a nice quiet sit on the front porch to think a few things over. Maybe a little too quiet - or maybe it's just right after all.

Answers Above - Rarity has something to ask; for other ponies this would be a formality, but for her, it will be out of this world.

Happily Ever After, Checklist Never Ending, Part 1 and Part 2 - With Twilight Sparkle as your wedding planner, you're in good hooves. Right?

Winter by the Pond - There's something Applejack hasn't been able to ask, and isn't sure if any living pony can make it easier for her.

Diminished Distance - Headed for their honeymoon, Rarity and Applejack find there are still things to learn about each other - things they'll wish they could forget.

Facing Worlds - Rarity said some things she shouldn't have at the latest Apple family reunion.

Subtle Like a Hurricane - A lady never begs, especially when public displays of affection are at stake.

This story is a sequel to The Unbearable Lightness of Being Sweetie Belle

The last year certainly hasn't been ideal for me. Losing Applejack followed almost immediately by Sweetie, well... maybe I spent more time in the Boutique and less time with my friends, but then... I don't know why, but I just had to get out of the Boutique. Get out before I did something drastic and incredibly stupid. But once out, where do I go? It's pouring rain, and I'm certainly not about to go back. Not tonight. Twilight's castle is glowing in the distance. Hopefullly, she was being serious when she told me to come to her if I needed anything, even if it's just a place to stay for the night.

Special thanks to my pre-reader Seether00, my editor EquesTRON, and Tchernobog for violently hating one of my favorite ships.

If you ask Applejack, she’ll tell you Pinkie Pie can be a few apples short of a bushel even on the best of days. They’ve always been good friends, but nothing more than that. After all, what could a hard-working apple farmer and a sugar-crazed party pony possibly have in common?

As it turns out, the answer to that question may not be a pleasant one, but something good may yet come of it.

Octavia and Harmonia Philharmonica were on their way to Manehattan, ready to fulfill their duty as granddaughters and visit Nana. Vinyl Scratch and her brother Long Play were traveling back home from a concert in Canterlot, the first that Vinyl had ever attended. Pure serendipity facilitated these pairs' first meeting.

(Inspired by the pure adorableness that is the cover art)

Ever wondered how Octavia met Luna, what prompted Lyra's fascination with humans, or just what Vinyl was up to before she met Octavia? Then this anthology is for you. All stories here are meant to flesh out and enhance the characters of the Royal Ponyville Orchestra, so while I would highly recommend reading that story before reading these it is not absolutely necessary as each story is designed to stand on its own.

When the guards find a foal crying in the city streets, they bring him to Celestia's attention. Soon after, It becomes apparent he has fallen through every crack in Equestria's society. Feeling she has failed the colt, Celestia takes him into her own home.

Special thanks to my editors: ersmiller and Rinnaul and to my comrades in crazy ideas Exelzior and BionicBrony.

Fluttershy finds herself in Canterlot, along with Rarity.

Well, not exactly "with" Rarity. The problem is, Rarity doesn't seem to know that Fluttershy is there.

Fluttershy will need a lot of paper, a fair amount of luck, and a little bit of magic to capture Rarity's attention.