Ladybugs. Cute, harmless, helpful for protecting crops.

And a source of dread for the Princess of Friendship, all thanks to her brother’s foalhood pranks and hoaxes.

Or is that all there is to it?

Content Warning: Sleep deprived ravings of a madman

Featured on Equestria Daily.
Featured on FiMFiction.
Review by Cerulean Voice.
Review by Undead_Wanderer

When a debt-collection company sends a representative to collect on Lyra's parents' debts, they don't care that her parents have been missing for years - the debt is legally hers. If she can't pay up, she'll lose her house.

In order to pay the debt, Lyra devises a plan that simply can not fail - she'll convert her home into an item shop and sell her way to riches! Surely Bon Bon will help, too. What could possibly go wrong?

Inspired by Recettear

When Princess Celestia comes down with a mysterious illness despite her immortality, her loved ones flock to her side, including Sunset Shimmer. With only so much time left, Sunset takes it upon herself and Twilight to get to the bottom of it. The two of them work together non-stop to find a cure, which would be fine, if Sunset had gotten around to telling any of them she's dating the other world's Twilight.

Edited by the kind and insightful Space Jazz. Cover art designed by the incredibly talented Kiki-Kit and modified by the masterful Amber Spark! Spoilers in the comments.

Years ago, Rainbow Dash achieved her lifelong dream of becoming a Wonderbolt. She'd gone through the academy, been a staple of the main lineup and, eventually, earned the rank of Captain.

At 43 years of age, it's time for Rainbow to leave that dream behind, but not before she can dazzle the ponies of Cloudsdale one last time.

Proofread by AShadowOfCygnus.

Featured on Equestria Daily!

Twilight Sparkle spent most of her life alone. Where others had pictures of friends or family, she hung academic certificates and awards. She wasn't unhappy. She had everything to look forward to and a path to what really mattered in life - tenure.

Sunset Shimmer knocked her life off the rails. She didn't expect to care about anyone else. She never put 'fall in love' on her checklists. It was a surprise, but a welcome one. Hand in hand, they started on a path without knowing where it would lead.

It led here, far off in the brush, the path she'd originally walked only occasionally visible ahead, taunting her with what could have been.

An entry for the third Sunset Shipping Contest.

Thank you to all my Patreons and commissioners for supporting me!

Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Equestria, is still, above all else, a dedicated librarian and bibliophile. Books must be cared for. Books must be returned on time.

Books must be respected.

Now with dramatic reading!

Typical stallion, can't multitask. Can he talk and listen at the same time? Derpy wants to know.

Note: Got the inspiration for this story when I was having a chat with my flatmates. The lads and I agreed that we can barely multitask. 😅

Cover art is by askclockwisewhooves on Tumblr. Not sure though, I screenshot'd it from a .gif I found on Google Images.

Growing up with only one parent is never easy. But when Trixie goes to Las Pegasus to meet her father, she wonders if knowing one parent was better than knowing both of them.

Editing/Pre-Reading/Advice by Milo_Chalks.

Cheerilee deals with being retired and seemingly having nothing really left to do in Equestria, perhaps her passed students can teach her a lesson in turn.

I had to do some timeline chopping to get it to work but nothing major, just some movements of years.

I had to toss in a handful of OCs for her students/famous writers/poets but I didn't list it because the story is about Cheerilee, not them. And technically the last non canon pony is actually taken from one of her students seen in the show but I had to give her a name.

What do you do when the road you set out upon suddenly becomes too long? Or perhaps too lonesome? Do you give up, do you take another, or do you simply carry on?

Vinyl decides to see where her path leads her, in hope of something better, or maybe just something different.