Celestia is trapped on Earth.
Not as a human. Not as an alicorn. She's a common horse, an Arabian mare, without her magic, voice, knowledge of the language - not even freedom, forced to work at a riding school.

What can a single Arabian mare do to get back to Equestria from this backwater European country? With only the mind of a princess and a pencil in her teeth, Celestia must find a way home.

[Illustrated] [Alternate Earth] (without Bronies)
Rated Teen for language and some scarce suggestive themes.
Proofreading by AlicornPriest

Polish language version

Featured on 17th of July 2015, Friday. To everyone who has viewed this story and those yet to view it, thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Coca Cola and cookies for everyone!

Shortly after Twilight Sparkle became a princess, Celestia approached her former-unicorn student to explain the situation to her.

Here's how it went down.

Based on a funny Harry Potter parody.

Octavia is looking for a new home in Ponyville and decides to check out Vinyl's available space. Of course, she would happen to come to town right when a major storm's about to hit, and that storm would drop a whole tree on Vinyl's home. Seeing their situation, Fluttershy kindly offers them shelter.

That might not have been the best solution. Can Fluttershy help these two musicians get along, or is a new storm about to form inside her cottage?

Takes place at the same time as the Season 1 Episode, Look Before You Sleep.

Pre-read by Mercurbee (formerly Mercury Gilado) and The Bean.

Third place entry for Skeeter the Lurker's Switcheroo! contest.

Cover art used with permission from Bukoya-Star

Now featured on Equestria Daily!

I am surprised and flattered to discover a new audio reading by Scribbler Productions!

"All my life, I've wanted to fly
But I don't have the wings, and I wonder why
I can't break away..."
Most pegasi figure out flying easily enough. Heck, most of them figure out how to do it before they even get their cutie marks.

But not me. I couldn’t do it, no matter how hard I tried. I couldn’t even hover. Not for more than a few seconds, anyway. And not even Rainbow Dash, the greatest flier in Equestria, could seem to help me. We tried everything, and I failed every time. Day after day, I tried – and day after day, I failed, until finally I was ready to just give up. I’d never be able to do it. Nopony would ever be able to help me to fly...

...until one day, somepony did.

Dear Princess Celestia,

I'm sorry I haven't written in a while. Things seem to be falling through the cracks lately. Spike thinks I should go see the doctor, but...

Alone and afraid, Sunset Shimmer has been living off of the streets in Canterlot ever since she ran away from home. She is barely holding on as it is and winter is coming soon, and Sunset doesn't know how she's going to survive this one. On a particularly cold night, she's out searching for something to eat when she bumps into the last pony she expects to see walking through the slums: Princess Celestia.

Edited by Alcatraz
Cover art drawn by Dilarus

YouTube Reading!

After years of trying, Scootaloo finally discovers her special talent.
It's the worst thing that ever happened to her. She'll have to leave Rainbow Dash and all her friends behind as she's forced to go off and learn about her new talent... and then it gets worse.

The sequel, Choices Legacy, is now available.

As always, I adore getting comments about the story; the more specific and prolific the better -- negative comments included. Your comments help make my future stories better.
Featured on Equestria Daily.

Many thanks to my team. I couldn't have done it without them.
Pre-readers:
MailboxBomber
Kyaksa
tosety
IceBeerG

Dialog Consultants:
Jacob Ellinger
kidmurkury
markey58

Editors:
IRpony

Proofreaders:
OkemosBrony
Unimpressive Vagaries

Artwork:
Scootaloo Vector by MoongazePonies
Background and cutie mark by author
In-Chapter art by author

While relaxing after a performance, the Rainbooms discover Sunset has scars that she definitely didn't have before the Fall Formal.

As of 9/14/2015, this story has a dramatic reading by Goombasa. Give it a listen!

7/7/2016: Now with cover art designed by the very generous Novel-Idea! Thank you so much!

7/23/2016: This story has a reading by Gabriel C Media. Give it a listen!

When Twilight visits Celestia's private hall of stained-glass windows, each bearing the image of a long-gone friend, one in particular catches her eye.

Who was this pony?

Why was she so important to Celestia?

And why does she look so familiar?

There is now a Spanish translation of this story, courtesy of Spaniard Kiwi

All it takes is a leap of faith, one moment, one split second where things could either end horrible, or maybe... Give birth to the start of something new.

If you believe in what you think you can accomplish, then the whole wide world will be on your side.

A nice song to fit the mood: youtube.com/#/watch?v=16FdJrrAWSo

Part II of 'The Sad Bundle'