On a normal weekend, Cheerilee assigns everypony an assignment from a unit she has been using for years. She considers it to be the most important one of the year; to teach the fillies and colts about the differences between ponies, and how they can all work together to do more than they could on their own. Unfortunately, a confused trip to the library by three fillies raises questions the teacher can't answer.

In an effort to make sure she teaches everything she can to the best of her ability, Cheerilee enlists the aid of Twilight Sparkle to help rewrite the textbook she has been using for years. As the days tick by, however, she is forced to deal with something she thought she had a handle on a long time ago.

Surrounded by the Everfree Forest, filled with delinquents, devoid of morals and any real sources of magic, Ponyville is the worst place to live in all of Equestria. But it also has the cheapest rent and Twilight's life just collapsed to the point where she can't afford to live anywhere else.

Perhaps the only thing Twilight has going for her now is that Rarity, the most powerful pony in town, has taken a liking to her. Rarity is eloquent, but the leader of a gang. She's beautiful and intriguing, but the most irreverent and delinquent pony Twilight has ever met. Rumors swirl around her. Some ponies even say she and her entire gang are all vampires.

But Twilight is smart enough to not give in to temptations. Or join a gang. Or become a vampire.

It's been a year since a tragic accident took Applejack's parents. A year, and she still doesn't know what to do with herself. Encouraged by friends and family, she decides to spend the summer vacation at Fluttershy's beach house on Splendora Island. She's not sure if it's helping.

Then, one night, she finds something injured on the beach. No, not something. Someone.

What starts as good intentions steadily grows into something else. Whether that something else is good for Applejack is another matter entirely.

Have questions regarding the story? Visit the Q&A blog!

Now with a TVTropes page.

"PaulAsaran’s attention to detail and use of repetition, flashback, and expression to create an unforgettable story is something I’m still trying to get a handle on in my own work." — leeroy_glBZ

"Impressed every step of the way. Thoroughly good writing." — Shrink Laureate

Inspired 100% by the cover art. The idea jumped into my skull and refused to leave until it was written out.

Props to my wonderful pre-readers: SorenPixels, NaiadSagaIotaOar, and Wanderer D!

Cover art used with permission from LooknamTCN, verily one of the best RariJack artists ever. Check out their immensely enjoyable Tumblr.

Rainbow Dash can outrun just about everything in Equestria--everything, it seems, except apathy. The mundanity of her job drives her further out of her mind each day. None of yesterday's comforts can soothe her. Even fighting off monsters feels routine.

When Rarity mentions plans for a tropical vacation, Dash sees green (and blue, and whatever sandy color the island is), and sparks a plan. What kind of friend wouldn't accompany Rarity to a remote tropical island for a long weekend of fun?

What kind of friend indeed.

Inspired by Antonio Carlos Jobim's "The Waters of March." Cover art by Paintrolleire.

Presented with the opportunity to design and paint the ad campaign for an upcoming clothing line, Rarity realizes it's been a long time since she's drawn anything aside from clothing designs. She needs some practice to knock the rust off and a live model to draw from. Rainbow Dash is the perfect pony for the job.

Now if only Rarity didn't find Rainbow's posing so provocative ...

Editing by Formerly Committed and JetstreamGW.

When Spitfire finds herself grounded on the team injured list just before a show in Manehatten, she prepares for her life to crumble around her. The experience leads her to come across Rainbow Dash, temporarily managing the Manehatten weather teams. The two fliers will discover that sometimes it takes the darkest moments of our lives to find the brightest ones.

The Sequel: Feathers of Blue and Gold is out now!
Review in progress by Inky J
Video Review by Goomba Brony!
Video review by the wonderful ChaoticSeven!
Edited by the wonderful Taxus, Sorren, and Sojourner.
I do my own cover art.

There’s no end to the monsters that lurk in the dark.

Ghosts, werewolves, mad scientists, cultists, mutants, zombies, vampires, aliens and more lie in wait in the dark corners of Equestria, terrorizing the night. But the most infamous and dangerous of them all is the legendary witch Twilight Sparkle, with a five hundred million bit bounty on her head.

Seeking fame and fortune, Rainbow Dash sets out to defeat the legendary witch and collect the massive reward. The one thing she wasn't counting on was Twilight being less evil than she expected.

More stories set in this AU can be found here.

Cover art is a work in progress by Abode_WTF

A day of applebucking has Rarity fed up with Applejack. When the unicorn expresses her frustration in the oddest of ways, Applejack is left befuddled and confused. After some thought, the country mare goes to confront her friend. The discussion they have about it is nothing if not vague. Will this incident cause a rift in their friendship? Or, will it become stronger?

For Rarity, the words left unsaid are often most meaningful. A life of standards and a sense of class has led her to assume that breaking these standards are wrong, and that reining in one's true emotions is a path to success.

However, something has been keeping her up at night and threatening to break the mold she has lived by throughout her life. Which will crack first, her presumed lifestyle or herself?

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.