Have you ever wondered how pony names somehow always accurately relate to the identity of the pony in question? Well, that's all thanks to the efforts of one stallion. And he hates his job.

Name Rater has always had a very unique skill: the ability to gauge the talents of others at a glance. And once this became known, everypony began to depend on his guidance, much to his chagrin. This is his story, a tale of great self-sacrifice and even greater grumpiness.

And no, this has nothing to do with Pokémon, the name is just fitting.

There was a pattern here....

She hadn't seen it before. Or rather, she had refused to see it before.

But...

Were ponies really so... naive?

Fresh cookies are a great start to a summer afternoon, and an unexpected surprise makes things even better. What's a little filly to do, though, when the best foalsitter ever is running late, her BBBFF starts acting funny, and her house is filled with molten rock?

Winter has come early this year, and after a long night out rounding up her animals in the face of Rainbow Dash's "awesome" snowstorm, Fluttershy is oh so cold.

But the worst of it is that Rarity knows exactly which pony Fluttershy wishes would come along to warm her up.

This story is a sequel to A Colt Once Forgotten

Their mission was to drop into Pakistan and retrieve a CIA asset, a quick in-and-out rescue op. But the op was more than a little odd; communication with command was immediately lost, a cloud bank appeared seemingly from nowhere, and the CIA lost its people in even an shadier way than usual. Pararescuemen Jack "Frost" McDaniel and Harris "Duke" Sky will soon learn that there is a lot more happening in this not-so-simple rescue operation than anyone could ever have known.

Preread by the incredibly talented totallynotabrony

Star Swirl the Bearded, exiled by Princess Platinum and worried for his continued survival, sends a letter to Clover the Clever briefly detailing his views on ponykind's origins, the nature of the physical world, and the future of his species.

In the aftermath of her battle against Tirek, Twilight Sparkle is unwell. She wants more. She needs more. And she is afraid of what others might think of her.

But even in the midst of her growing despair that she has betrayed everything she stood for, she learns something about friendship and what it means to be an alicorn.

While in the Ponyville Psychiatric Ward, Lockheart receives a visit from a friend.

Full Cast Dramatic Reading can be found here.

Beta Reader: Obabscribbler

Cover art for this story was provided by PurpleRoselyn

Very special thanks goes to Magpiepony for helping with character concepts and development.

After a long day of flight practice with Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash discovers the filly knows next to nothing about preening and takes it upon herself to teach her.

Warning: May Contain Feels and/or D'aww moments.

Featured on FIMFiction on 7/20/2013. Yay!
Featured on EQDaily on 09/12/2013 Double Yay!
Reading by TheLostNarrator (excellent!): Here
Reading by DRWolf: Here
Reading by Joehighlord: Here
Riffed by Draklox: Here
Korean Translation: Here
Spanish Translation: Here
French Translation: Here
Chinese Translation: Here

Deep in the catacombs beneath the Crystal Castle, Cadence and Shining Armour discover something that brings Luna running. When the moon fails to rise, Celestia follows to investigate.