This story is a sequel to The Age of Wings and Steel

Tyria Metrel, an ensign assigned to the Equestrian embassy in the island city of Zyre, has her hooves full dealing with pirates and bad-tempered politicians. On top of that, a new ambassador named Rye Strudel has arrived on a mission from Princess Celestia, and he might well be the strangest pony she's ever met. Ambassador Strudel is a pegacorn, one of the rare crossbreeds unable to fly or do magic, but Tyria soon learns that his disabilities don't prevent the ambassador from getting himself into deep trouble.

Rye's cheerful curiosity and drive begin to stir up feelings Tyria thought she'd given up on—when he's not making her tear her mane out in frustration. After the two of them stumble upon a treasonous plot to seize control of Zyre, they'll have to work together to foil an old enemy, save the city, and maybe even find love along the way...

... provided they don't drive each other crazy, first.

"The pieces are set, and the dice are in play. But does every pony have the heart for this day?"

Nearly two hundred years have passed since Rarity Belle merged with the Crystal Heart and took the throne of the Crystal Empire. Since then, through her care, determination, and vision, the Empire has flourished like never before. Now Empress Rarity stands as not a ruler of a providence, but the monarch of a rising superpower.

Today though, is the Empress' Birthday, and Lady Merry Sapphire, seneschal to the Empress, is determined to make this the best birthday Rarity has ever had. Little does she know that not everypony shares her enthusiasm for today...

Notes:
This is an official prequel to the Princess Twilight Sparkle's Birthday stories, created by Autumnschild. This story will develop and expand much of the world we made, but taking place 250 years before PTS500 and its sequel, PTS505. Due to its time gap and status as a prequel, you do not need to read the stories created by Autumnschild, and I have done my best to help that. However, knowing what happened in them will help you be a bit more aware of what is going on, and I encourage you to go read them for they are very enjoyable.

We now have our own group! Come check out the Birthdayverse!

Credit goes to Autumnschild for the proofreading for this story.
Razalon The Lizardman is credited for the grammatical overhaul.

Great thanks goes to these two, for this story would not be as good without them.

After putting on the Element of Magic, Sunset Shimmer was shown just how much of a monster she really is. But that wasn't all the Elements did to her.

Sunset has now been forced to serve penance by answering any question truthfully and by doing anything asked of her, whether she wants to or not.

And she really doesn't want to.

Until all of the hatred in her heart is gone, Sunset is at the whim of her peers, unbeknownst to them of course. Can her new "friends" help her down the road to redemption?

If not, there's always that other Twilight Sparkle she keeps running into.

Current editor: Nomad_Sigma
Guest editors: Cerulean Voice, Flint Sparks, Starlight Nova, and Sholan
Extra thanks to Icarus_Gizmo, JustAnotherTimeLord, and HenryAnthonyCourtler

Cover art customized by Amber Spark!

Now with it's own TV Tropes page!
Posted on EQD June 25, 2014
Wanna read it in French?
Or, read the E-Pub version here or the online version here
Now available in print format!

When Twilight and Applejack have a falling out over who can claim to have the best big brother, each will stop at nothing to prove theirs is better.

And their brothers will stop at nothing to make their sisters happy.

This story is a sequel to Families

Third in the Nuptialverse...

Twilight Sparkle has done much for Equestria. If it weren't for her, Equestria would be destroyed three times over by now.

So what happens when she has to leave? What happens when she and Spike are forced to depart from Equestria in order to fulfill their duties? And what happens when there's still important things at home to do?

Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash now have to get along without the one who leads them. All of Equestria is counting on them. Can they do it?

AU only post-season 2, since the basic idea for this fic was created long before it aired. Events similar to season 3 have happened, all of which will be revealed. Strongly recommended you read Post Nuptials and Families first.

Cover art by Concier

Something is causing the pegasi to follow an irresistible urge to hug their ground-bound cousins, leaving Ponyville foundering in a mildly annoying emergency. Twilight Sparkle ventures into the no-more-dangerous-than-usual town in a desperate attempt to solve the cutesy crisis and finally get her study time back.

Inspired by shortskirtsandexplosions' story Herald.

For the first time in a long time, Twilight finally has the chance to sit down with the rest of the Bearers for a get together in the same, special place. The six prove that the bond of their friendship can conquer all and can never be broken no matter what happens.

Warning: cute story with singular dark chapter.
Idea provided by Arcum42. Set in between Season 2 and 3. Apparently really cute, but still too dark to not come with a warning. Comedy tag added for comedic dialogues, situations are slightly more on the comedy side than SoL. Tagging's confusing for this one, so tread carefully.

Trigger warning: mind control, alcohol use by minors, mental abuse, mostly concentrated in one chapter.

Octavia is a mare of refinement, calm, and organisation. She enjoys Ponyville life with Vinyl Scratch, and Vinyl's niece, Scootaloo. She sets boundaries, rules and safety measures that ensure all that creative energy is not spent on self-destructive behaviour, and so far her overly energetic housemate has followed these rules to the letter. Oh, and Scootaloo listens most of the time, too.

So when it is decided the next sleepover will be at Scootaloo's place, Octavia is keen to prove she can succeed where other adults have failed, namely to have a night with the Cutie Mark Crusaders and not have her sanity driven to its breaking point or any pieces of furniture broken beyond repair.

This can only end well.

If you like this story, you might want to check out this blog, too, for two stories I got involved in.

Inexperience is a foreign concept to Celestia. At least she thinks it is. Right up until the moment a rash decision leaves her with a student who is a dozen years younger than what she's used to.

Enjoy.

An abridged history of Equestria, exploring over two-thousand years of pony history, from the Equestrian Exodus to the Return of Luna and everything in between.

*Be aware that this is very much a fluid work-in-progress, and is subject to any and all relevant developments in the show's canon. Predominately head-canon based chapters are marked with an asterisk.*

*Edited and revised for Season 4!*