Dust has lived on the edge of Ponyville all her life, keeping to herself and studying. She knows Princess Twilight, and so when she realizes she's made a big discovery, she's eager to run to the castle and tell everypony the good news. But when she goes into Ponyville, they don't seem very happy to see her.

Why would that be? She didn't do anything wrong.

Octavia Melody's love of music has revolved around a single influential and prestigious work of art, the song May Our Sun Shine Forever. Since she was a filly, what has been the Equestrian national anthem for generations has continually inspired Octavia to perform, shaping her into the promising cellist she is today. Though the completed original was lost to the passage of time, the remnants of the final masterpiece composed by the Grand Maestro Glissando has been the cornerstone of not only Octavia's career, but modern music theory in Equestria.

When the tattered remains of an ancient songbook possibly containing the original song in its entirety is found, the Equestrian Society for the Performing Arts and Princess Luna begin planning a concert series to celebrate the work's eventual restoration. However, their meeting screeches to a halt once Princess Celestia vehemently forbids anypony from playing the original in the concert and demands its restoration to cease immediately. Octavia Melody finds herself at a loss, wondering why the princess of the sun would silence such a beautiful song meant to bring light to the world.

Proofread and Edited by TheAncientPolitzanian and various others over the years of trying to fix this thing.
Cover Art Depressing Melody by TertonDA
Updated 02/27/24

Princess Celestia always thought she knew how her kingdom worked. The Unicorns used magic specialized to their jobs. Pegasi flew in the sky and handled the weather. And Earth ponies... Earth ponies... uhhmmm...
Huh. Maybe Princess Celestia didn't know everything about her ponies after all.
Princess Celestia realized this after Applejack came to speak with her about a tax unfair to Earth pony farmers. It was during their conversation that Celestia realized she needed help.
Huh, isn't that odd Princess Celestia has had to leave on emergency business, leaving Luna to raise and set the sun? And hey, is that a new pony living and working at Sweet Apple Acres? I think her name is Sunshine Meadow. Surely, it's just a coincidence. Surely.

Twilight goes with Rainbow to watch her race in Cloudsdale only to suddenly find herself being 'wooed' by Thunderlane.

Saw the cover art and decided to make a story around it with permission from Ravenpuff

9/6/14 Featured!
I don't really know the meaning of this. I was going for a minimum length little thing because I saw the cover pic. Then it gets featured. Maybe it means I can die peacefully now. Except people want me to write more. Dunno what to do with my life anymore.

Many suggestions later. *Dramatic sigh* I suppose I'll switch this to incomplete. :)

YouTube reading by Captain Bron3y!

New chapters edited by the fantastic AnonponyDASHIE

Set in the 'Youngverse'

If there is one thing Celestia loves more equally as cake, it's cookies. And she doesn't shy around the fact. She keeps a secret stash of them hidden away in her room where she believes no pony knows of their existence.

Her sister, however, does know of them.

And Luna is very hungry for cookies...

The third and final story from Luna and Celestia's childhood in the 'When they were Young: Luna and Celestia trilogy'.

'When they were Young: Luna and Celestia trilogy'.
'When They Were Young: To the Moon!' - Part one
'When They Were Young: The Box Queen and the Dracony' - Part two

Inspired by this drawing done by the amazing egophilliac, go show her some love on her deviant art and tumblr blog!

Thanks to my pre-readers DVAN56 and Rainbowbob and my editors Draconian Soul and Merc the Jerk

[img]http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2011/345/a/a/discord_approved_by_ambris-d4ivln4.png[/img]

Set in the 'Youngverse'

The attack was sudden for the subjects of the great Box Queen. A powerful Dracony suddenly appeared in the sky, claiming she would lay waste to the small Kingdom and take all its cookies gold for herself.

Only the brave and fearless Queen Luna and her warriors, armed with their deadly accurate pillow catapult, stands between the destruction or freedom for the Box Kingdom.

The second story from Luna and Celestia's childhood in the 'When they were Young: Luna and Celestia trilogy'.

When they were Young: Luna and Celestia trilogy.
'When They Were Young: To the Moon!' - Part one
'When They Were Young: Operation: Cookie Liberation' - Part three

Inspired by the cover art drawn by the amazing Ende26. Go and show her some love for her art and blog.

Thanks to my pre-readers DVAN56 and Rainbowbob and my editors Draconian Soul and Merc the Jerk

[img]http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2011/345/a/a/discord_approved_by_ambris-d4ivln4.png[/img]

Set in the 'Youngverse'

One day whilst out practising, Luna gets spooked by a butterfly and accidentally sends it to the moon. Running high on giddiness at her new power, she decides to play several pranks on her sister Celestia.

Surely nothing bad will happen, right?

The first story from Luna's and Celestia's childhood in the 'When they were Young: Luna and Celestia trilogy'.

When they were Young: Luna and Celestia trilogy.
'When They Were Young: The Box Queen and the Dracony' - Part two - Part two
'When They Were Young: Operation: Cookie Liberation' - Part three

Inspired by this comic by the wonderful Flaysch-Katzerl, go and show her art some love.

Thanks to DVAN56 and DisHarmonize for their help!

Most ponies assume that something is wrong with Ditzy Do's eyes. Theories range from a head injury to a genetic disorder to muscle damage behind her eye. The crueler folk suggest she's just retarded. Nicer ponies say it's just a party trick she never got tired of.

They're all wrong. They're all very, very wrong.

I discovered the truth one day in conversation with her. One eye would always look at me, and the other would wander. At least, I thought it was wandering. So while we were talking, I followed it. Goddess in heaven I wish I had not. Never follow the other eye. Ever. Because Ditzy Do's eyes work fine.

She's just watching something. That... thing that's always in the corner of our eyes. And if she looks at you with both eyes?

Goddess save you.

----

Preread by BrastaAAura17, Chase Cosmicwing and dreamingnoctis. Cover art also by dreamingnoctis. Guy's a bro.

Pony Joe awakens before the dawn each morning, readies himself for his day, and then walks through Canterlot's cold and silent streets to his doughnut shop.

Life has become pretty mundane for Joe, but as he serves his customers and chats with his regulars he realizes that he has come to rely on that repetition...he relies on it to keep from remembering.

As a casual utterance by a new customer sends Joe into a spiral of haunting memories we learn about his life...and what he must give up if he wishes to move beyond his past.

As they both begin to mature, Spike and Rainbow Dash have a conversation about life, love, and what it means to fly.

Written expressly for Equestria Daily's Writer's Training Grounds #4.

Cover art swiped from QTMarx.