Nightmare Night should be a festive time of year, but Discord's past failures continue to haunt him. Lost in his own world, he comes across the one pony in Equestria who can understand his situation.

A Halloween collab with my buddy, GravelordNito.

Cover art by LyraSempaiSketchBook on deviantart. Art belongs to them; I take no credit! If the artist wants me to take down the art, I'll do it asap.

A day together on the farm with Applejack is all that Rarity could ask for, and more. But good-natured teasing can go too far, and words can bring painful memories to the surface. Rarity struggles not only to console Applejack, but to help the broken mare overcome a past full of shame and regret.

Well, sorta.

"... at the forefront of our fandom’s writing scene ... Masterpiece." —PCaRG
"... really enjoyable ..." —City of Doors
"...worthy of high praise." —PaulAsaran
"Lots of wonderful world-building, great action, well-developed characters and an engaging story." —Hoopy McGee

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

As the Cakes make a very special gingerbread house the act reminds them of their lives together; hinting at those they loved, challenges they faced, and the struggles that continue even after lovers say "I do"...

Inspired by the image "Artist Training Ground Day 22" by Egophiliac. Used with permission.

Pony Joe awakens before the dawn each morning, readies himself for his day, and then walks through Canterlot's cold and silent streets to his doughnut shop.

Life has become pretty mundane for Joe, but as he serves his customers and chats with his regulars he realizes that he has come to rely on that repetition...he relies on it to keep from remembering.

As a casual utterance by a new customer sends Joe into a spiral of haunting memories we learn about his life...and what he must give up if he wishes to move beyond his past.

Pinkie Pie is being tormented by horrific nightmares. Unable to deal with it by herself anymore she seeks out Twilight's help, but will it have been the best decision when she finds herself alone in an abandoned, fog filled Ponyville?

Sequel: http://www.fimfiction.net/story/4676/Too-Shy-for-a-Rainbow

There have been a LOT of high-quality readings of Silent Ponyville, but this one is my personal favorite:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGh01rbB4o3xoSV7a6Omc-UJROXHRZ1Hv

Having returned to Canterlot for official purposes, Twilight and Spike grow increasingly ready to go back home to Ponyville. Yet, when Twilight recognizes signs of distress in the Sister Sovereigns, the princesses Celestia and Luna, her curiosity gets the better of her.

What she finds shows her more about her teacher than she could have dreamed...yet places her in tremendous danger...

This story is a sequel to The Turning of the Screwball - The Strange Case of Button Stitch

Button Stitch has contained the chaotic creature inside her, and is taking her first unsteady steps into the realm of relationships. Davenport, the proprietor of Ponyville's premiere supplier of Quills and Sofas, is the object of her fancy, and he thinks she's pretty neat too. Can romance bloom between the two most aggressively boring ponies in Ponyville?

Of course it doesn't go well. Murphy was a pony.

Continued in Screwball Over

This story is a sequel to Screwball Mio Amoré

Several months ago, a strange little propeller beanie dropped out of the sky and landed in an abandoned field outside Ponyville. The ponies went about their lives, blissfully unaware of what lurked underneath, until today...

The Royal Guard has intensified their training regimen after countless attacks on Canterlot. They’re tougher, better, faster, stronger – and, after months of hard training, they only accept the best of the best. The Night Guard, the elite soldiers trained to protect Princess Luna during the evening, are similar to the Royal Guard, only ten times tougher.

Undeterred by the challenges that await him, Pipsqueak (now a full grown stallion) signs up to join the most elite soldiers in all of Equestria... The Night Guard.

He isn’t doing it for the fame or glory. Pip is motivated by one goal and one goal only: to fulfill a promise he made as a foal. He will become the guardian of the night.

This story is technically a sequel to The Dream Stalker, but it is not necessary to read that story first in order to understand this one.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/6MrWqNZ.png[/img]
(Featured on Equestria Daily!)
(Artwork from stupidyou3 on Deviantart)