Celestia goes to extra effort to make the sunrise perfect for a very special holiday. Yet once that is done, Celestia herself is left sad and alone, for she has never been a mother... (A short Mother's Day story.)

Momlestia is Bestia. At least for today.

Cover art by NolyCS

Spike is growing up, a little bit at a time. It has its upsides. He can carry Rarity's luggage more easily, he gets to have a bigger bed, he doesn't fall asleep all the time, and, hey, wings are pretty cool, too!

Unfortunately, part of growing up is outgrowing things you used to take for granted. Alicorn Princess or not, Twilight's still a pony, and ponies weren't built with carrying adolescent dragons in mind.

Something random that popped into my head while rewatching some of this season's episodes. It could be read as something of a tie in to my previous story, "Seven Hour Bubblebath", but it can be read as a standalone story as well.

Luna's finally ready to get back out there into the world of Equestria, ready to see what's become of ponykind in the past thousand years. Except... she's not quite ready to go out on her own, amongst ponies that know only tales of nightmares and betrayal about her, and the one pony she knows personally is a little busy running a kingdom and raising the sun. When the offer for companionship comes from an unlikely place, Luna learns two great lessons. One, the risk to get to know a pony can lead to great rewards. Two, socks make everything better.

No longer grounded, Button Mash goes outside to find that all of Ponyville thinks he's dead. No matter what he does, he can't seem to get anypony's attention.

Stranger things have happened, right?

A young filly writes to the newly-crowned Princess Twilight, asking for advice.

She's made one small mistake, though, in assuming Twilight feels qualified to give it...

It's cold. Keeping inside and trying not to think about this is Phil, a human.

Outside, trying to get rid of her rubbish is Plum, a pony. But she's having issues.

Phil helps Plum, and in helping her encounters further issues.

Then there's soup. Or not.

Midnight Sparkle appears one last time in Twilight's dream, not to antagonize her, rather to just talk and clear things up.

For the Bearers, a mission can begin -- or end -- at any time. In this case, they're tired, hungry, completely out of bits, and stuck roaming the streets of an unfamiliar town until Sun-raising. So while they're waiting for their ride home, why not take advantage of that costume party? Just go in claiming to be masquerading as the Bearers, keep the circulation centered around the food trays... in Rarity's opinion, it's the best possible way to get through the night. And it's not as if they've ever had something go wrong at a high-society party before.

...except for all the times when it has.

The time to learn what everypony thinks of you is when nopony knows you're there...

(Now with author Patreon, SubscribeStar, and Ko-Fi pages.)

Dedicated to Harpo Marx.

On a warm, rainy afternoon, two young ponies take shelter in a gazebo. One is hoping to find a job at a bakery nearby, and just wants the rain to go away so she can make it to her interview. The other isn't really a pony, and just wants the rain to go away so he isn't caught.

Life tends to work that way, I suppose.

——————
Written for the Outside Insight Fanfiction Contest.
Featured 8-10-14!

Pinkie Pie's simple morning ritual threatens to shatter her very perception of reality, life, and choice in breakfast cereal.

This is PresentPerfect's fault.