Rainbow Dash, best pony, fastest flier in Equestria, all around awesome mare, was called upon to help with the wedding of her friend's big brother. And hey, she never leaves her friends hanging! Of course, when it turned out some kind of bug thing had replaced the bride, Rainbow was more then ready to fight. Heck, even after it seemed all hope was lost, the pegasus refused to give up.

So when she saw Shining Armor charge up a final spell, she smirked.

But when that spell reached her and flung her against the wall, her smirk devolved into shock...

Cover art is a combination of Deception is Magic vector by Helios and Sonic Rainboom Version One by SkyRings.

Upon Nightmare Moon's return, the leaders of other nations gather to discuss the situation.

They're not especially happy about it.

Cover art from the gallery of WingFlyte.

Spanish translation, by SPANIARD-KIWI. Russian translation, by Dark Room Collaboration.

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?

Ditzy Doo has gone through a lot over the years. She's been a planeswalker, a wife, a mother, a savior of worlds, a postal worker, and more besides. But a routine delivery route is about to lead to a very novel experience for her.

Not enjoyable, no, but definitely novel.

This story is in the same continuity as Elementals of Harmony, but reading that isn't necessary to understand this.

Written for Estee's Swift Selections contest. Graciously edited by themaskedferret. Rated Teen for unpleasant things happening to minds, bodies, and souls.

Image credits: Ditzy's mark | Equal Four marks | Starlight's mark | Colorless mana symbol

When the Stars set her free...
When the Sun fell... When the Nightmare consumed the land...
When the Elements of Harmony were but a forgotten legend...
We were there.
The battle against Nightmare Moon, as told by one of its survivors.

What? What're you looking at me like that for? Of course that's how it happened!

This story is a sequel to Deep Cover

Butter Up isn't Fluttershy -- but she does play her on TV.

Cadance isn't Sombra. But Sombra's leadership is all the crystal ponies remember, a ruler they had to love at all costs, with the final payment being their own lives. And as they gradually come to see their new Princess as leader instead of savior, too much of that residual fear is being transferred to her. They praise her, adore her, refuse to correct her no matter what she does -- because they live in terror of the consequences for doing anything else. They have yet to find their own voices, and may go on repeating hers until Celestia and Luna switch shifts. So how can she make them tell her when she's wrong, see that there's nothing to be afraid of, and take the next step in coming back to themselves once and for all?

Forbidding them to do anything other than criticize her should do the trick, right?

...right?

(Part of the Triptych Continuum, which has its own TVTropes page and FIMFiction group -- but can be read as a stand-alone, and no knowledge of the other stories is required. New members and trope edits are welcome.)

Now with author Patreon and Ko-Fi pages.

Sometimes your passions are at odds with one another. In some cases, they're so at odds with one another that you need to hide behind a different name just to be yourself. Living two lives is hard, and in the case of Photo Finish and Rainbow Dash, it's about to get harder.

Rated Teen for mild cursing, alcohol, and mild adult themes.

Thanks to my good friend Falkon for edits, MelodicMarzipan for the awesome cover art, and everyone who has pestered me to work on this story since I had the idea back during Season 2

Hey look, someone reviewed my story!

Princess Luna should invest in an in-tray.

Part one of a three-part series.

Princess Celestia has been in love with Twilight Sparkle for years. The rescue of her sister had been the start, but since then Twilight has saved Celestia, Luna, and their kingdom countless times. However, Celestia's true feelings have remained hidden, even from herself.

That is, until the day her love is revealed to her through a dream. But Celestia is determined to keep her feelings to herself. She has no idea how Twilight will react, and would prefer things remain they way they are, with the two Princesses as friends.

Unfortunately, Luna immediately finds out. A small group of ponies is quickly gathered, all with one goal: to force Celestia to confess her feelings and end her thousand-year relationship drought.

This causes so much chaos that Discord goes on vacation and will not be appearing in this story.

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Edited by ShutterflyYay from chapter four onward.