Princess Celestia has asked Twilight and Applejack to investigate an ancient artifact in the Foal Mountains. However, trouble arises, and their efforts prove to be in vain. But as an old saying goes: If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try, try, try again.

If only this wasn't messing with their wedding plans.

Things happen. Nothing happens in between these things. If they did, they'd simply be things with more nothing between 'em. So how do you measure the nothing? Two ponies, equally flawed, intend to find out together... no matter how far it takes them.

This is the story that won first place in /fic/'s eighteenth write-off competition. The original story--here, split into three chapters--was written and edited over a period of just seventy two hours. I intend to add additional chapters whenever the fit comes upon me. Do yourself a big favor and check out all the other awesome entries as well!

Orphaned as a filly, a young pegasus named Kaviyayu is raised by an adoptive Earth pony family in a secluded, peaceful village. When a strange unicorn drops by the village, Kaviyayu and the other foals are captivated by her tales of the world, as well as her various spells and illusions for their amusement. But there's something about the way she doesn't speak of her own family... how she never removes her traveller's cloak... how she seems to take a very strong interest in Kaviyayu...

Who is this mysterious mare, what does she seek, and just what is so special about that pendant she wears?

This is the tale of how a seemingly ordinary filly rose to become both a princess and a beacon of love to ponies all over Equestria. Based on the back-story of Princess Cadance, as given by G. M. Berrow's pony novella, Twilight Sparkle and the Crystal Heart Spell. Also loosely inspired by symphonic metal band Nightwish's sixth studio album, Dark Passion Play.

Cover art by the lovely Ayemel.

Now with its own musical accompaniment courtesy of The L-Train!

Pre-reading by Noble Thought, Prak, The Albinocorn, ThatOneWriter, JustAnotherTimeLord, vren55, Majin Syeekoh, Foals Errand, Comet Burst, and Chris. Edited by ChromeMyriad, Titanium Dragon, Noble Thought, Prak, NightWolf289, PresentPerfect, and Chris.

Now featured by:
Fimfiction.net (Feature Box, 01/01/15)
Equestria Daily (01/19/15)
The Royal Canterlot Library (Off-site) (07/13/18) (Onsite) (07/20/18)

Approved by Tag-a-long's Book Club!
Approved by Nonpareil Fiction!
Highly Recommended by PresentPerfect!
Recommended by the Pleasant Commentator and Review Group!

Princess Celestia always knew that Twilight Sparkle was destined for great things, but she never revealed the source of that knowledge, not even to those closest to her. When the day of Twilight's true destiny finally arrives, can Celestia fulfill an ancient promise to save Equestia's past, present, and future, even it means saying goodbye to Twilight forever? How can Celestia refuse her mother's last wish?

Art by the inimitable Harwick

Howdy there.

Name's Applejack, and I like to consider myself a simple mare. I had a job on a rock farm, and before that, I was a simple dress-maker. I ain't bein' humble, but those days, nothin' too out of the ordinary really happened to me.

Then I met Earth Pony. She came out of the blue, but she was the sort of pony who could drag you along on anythin'. Lucky for me, I wanted to go, least at first. After that... well, I'll let you read those parts.

This story was written as a commission for someone who wishes to remain anonymous. He or she also provided the cover art, so credit goes goes to the anonymous commissioner of this story.

A noble earth-pony family, fallen somewhat on hard times, is killed in a mining accident. They leave behind a single male heir, who is in sore need of a guardian, and of protection. Celestia takes the young pony under her wing and delivers him not to ponies - not earth, unicorn or pegasus - but to a dragon, an ambassador, an old friend of hers.

Playing a game which may just be deadly to the uninformed, the dragon decides that the one path open to him to ensure the safety of his charge and to carry out his sworn duty, is to adopt.

"Hello, hello, hello, this is Thorny Bends coming at you live on Radio Free Canterlot, and from where I'm sitting, folks, the Land of the Eternal Moon is looking lovely. Well, except for that nasty smog cloud rolling toward us from the coast, but hey, that's the price of progress. Still, if you're heading outside you might want to think about an Easy Breezy-brand respirator, guaranteed to make the air taste like new. Buy yours from all major retailers today!

"As I'm sure you all know, it's been almost a thousand years since the founding of our great civilization. And as the big day approaches, I sure hope the High Castle set their clocks right. I'd hate to find out it was really last Thursday. Ha! But seriously, folks. I've been doing a fair bit of thinking about our fair Canterlot, and I've realized it isn't just somewhere we all live. It's what we build together into something greater as we all reach for the moon. A symbol for a way of life and a state of mind. So, in honor of the thousand years, I'm taking an eye in the sky peek into the lives of the ponies on the streets, and a few in the penthouses too. I don't often do real news on this show, but these are some genuine equine interest stories, folks. In their own small, unique way, these ponies are as vital to the city as the princess of the night herself. So settle down, get comfortable, and don't touch that dial.

"You won't want to miss this, I guarantee."

This story is a sequel to A Total Eclipse Of The Fun

Following the events of the second Return Day, Celestia and Luna made a pair of agreements. The second is that it's finally time to correct for a thousand years and more of almost totally nonexistent cooking skills. However, that's going to require teachers. And two very lucky ponies, the recently cross-promoted Solar head chef Anise Verum and her junior sous, Blending Stock, get to be the ones who instruct them.

There are lessons to be learned in that kitchen.

The first concerns how to survive explosions.

(Part of the Triptych Continuum, which has its own TVTropes page and FIMFiction group: new members and trope edits welcome. This story is a sequel to A Total Eclipse Of The Fun, but it's not necessary to have read that one first.)

Now with author Patreon and Ko-Fi pages.

[Complete] Celestia awakens to see an empty world, white sandstone stretching the horizon. She wanders the world as she builds it from her imagination, filling it with life, but as time passes, the world that she created begins to seem like little more than a lucid dream, conjured from the dust.

Cheerilee knows two things: she's an earth pony and she loves being a teacher at Ponyville Elementary. Nevermind the fact her mother was a pegasus and both her father and older brother are unicorns, the latter of whom just got married to an earth pony with a better teaching job than Cheerilee. It doesn't bother her, because she just loves being unable to find a higher paying job than what she has now. Really. She isn't that serious when she absentmindedly wonders if being a unicorn would improve her job prospects.

So with all that in mind, she isn't happy at all when she wakes up to discover she has spontaneously turned into a pegasus, a change that goes far deeper than just sticking wings on her back. And the trials she has to go through as a result of her new status will make her call into question just who she is and what she really wants out of life.

Rated Teen for references to alcohol and minor sexual humor.

Credit for the Cheerilee vector used for the cover image goes to J-Brony

*Featured 7/18/14 and 7/19/14*