Lyra thinks Discord is an idiot for not thinking to dodge when the Elements of Harmony were about to strike him. Discord thinks this is the perfect opportunity for a game.

Part of the Borderworld.

Now with audio reading by Dreamless Portal. Chinese and Spanish translations also available.

To Twilight Sparkle and Princess Celestia, it is a simple surprise visit to Canterlot. To the ponies of the Equestrian Civil Service, it is twenty-four hours of chaos, politics, weaponized dessert, politics, underhooved manipulation of media, politics, and things batrachian and tentacular. Who said bureaucracy isn't exciting?

Princess Cadence tries to legally change her name to "Princess Cadance." Footnotes ensue. Part of the "Cadance of Cloudsdale" cycle, and a crossover with Ghost of Heraclitus's Civil Service stories. Familiarity with neither is required.

Oriole has a problem. She can't stop eating stallions.

Rarity has a problem. Her new friend can't stop eating stallions.

Twilight Sparkle has a problem. A stallion-eating monster has moved into her town.

Spike's just glad he's not a stallion.

At the height of the Dark Crystal Empire, the King of Shadows sits down to do his accounts, because even a totalitarian dictatorship cannot suppress taxponies.

But as he tries desperately to get through the impenetrable paperwork, Sombra finds himself the victim of a magically manifesting bird. Because of course he does.

I have no idea why I wrote this.

Made as a birthday present for the magnificent Evehly.

Princess Flurry Heart has been a little kidnapped. And only Shining Armor and Princess Cadance can save—roughly three quarters of—her.

(A study on fairytales.)

Proofread by Neko Majin C.

Tirek had returned and this time there was nothing that could be done to stop him. The Elements of Harmony had been defeated, the Tree of Harmony had been ripped from the ground, and every spell that was thrown at Tirek was useless. It was only a matter of time before he found the alicorns and then all would be lost.

What happened next though, nopony saw coming.

Now with a Russian translation, which can be found here.
Big thanks to Armorer.

For the first time in over a year, Princess Flurry Heart is left alone, creating the perfect opportunity for any ol' villain to come and take her away.

Those poor bastards.

Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns is famous across Equestria as a center of academic excellence. Only the best and brightest unicorns are offered places, selected by their academic merit, magical ability and passion for study. To make the admissions process as fair and reliable as possible, all candidates are given three exams by different teams of examiners, who then meet in private to decide which students are most deserving of a place.

Winner of the December 2014 Writeoff competition: Behind Closed Doors.

This story is a sequel to The Brightest and the Best

Professor Crystal Clear, Chairpony of the Board of Examiners at Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns has always taken pride in running a fair set of admissions tests to accurately assess all candidates and select those most deserving of a place at the elite academy. Together with her colleagues, she has upheld the highest standards of academic excellence, and managed the school examinations with the utmost professionalism.

Then there came the day they met Twilight Sparkle.