Princess Luna asked a simple question, or so she thought.

"Why did you ask me out?"

Of course, Rainbow Dash rarely has simple answers. She has awesome ones.

Written in response to SMP #106: "Rainbow Dash finally gets with somepony she's always looked up to."

Though I'm not entirely sure how it is that I wrote a clean SMP response....

(No real edit, just found out the appropriate Source for my cover image and wanted to fix that up!

Source for uncropped version.

Now with ko-fi link!)

If there was one thing that Rainbow Dash knew, it was that everyone loved High Princess Luna. And that, by Proxy, everyone loved her daughter, Princess Twilight, as well.

Too bad she loves said young Princess in a completely different way.

Eh, she'll figure it out.

While exploring Canterlot Castle, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash uncover a room filled with stone tablets connected to dials. Above each dial is the name of an alicorn they know.

These old things couldn't possibly control an alicorn's power, could they?

Only one way to find out.

When the Wonderbolts are brought to Canterlot for a big performance, Rainbow gets to stay in the castle and starts having strange dreams. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to put her in the room right in between Discord and Luna.

Coauthored with DayDrifter75.

Even athletes know when they have to go into beauty works for the sake of their health. Rainbow Dash knows this and yet she has to confront her fears in some way.

Lotus Blossom and Aloe have been treating Rainbow Dash for weeks now, and a few weeks after the events of The Throne of Tirek, Rainbow comes in long overdue for a treatment. Maybe it isn't so bad sometimes to do this whole girly stuff, but it certainly is wince-inducing.

Set in the Somepony Universe, at the same time as Road Trip

It occurred one peaceful night. Half of Equestria awoke to the sound like a double-shot thunderclap. A percussion heard in the skies and rattling windows from Apploosa, to Canterlot, to Ponyville. Nopony knew what it was or what it heralded for the world as it drew a line across the nation.

For Twilight Sparkle, this isolated incident might have faded from memory after a time, if not for the strange rumors of a creature sitting on the hill on the outskirts of town.

These are her thoughts given written form. These are Sparkle's Notes.

Report EVERYTHING to the Princess.

On the first anniversary of the defeat of Nightmare Moon, Pinkie Pie is preparing the party to end all parties. It is her masterpiece, to show her father that she was justified in fleeing the family farm ten years earlier.

Acting off of a mysterious remark by Princess Luna, Twilight Sparkle is trying to work out which of her friends is suffering from nightmares about a horrible danger coming to Ponyville during the Summer Sun Celebration. All she knows is that this pony lied about their cutie mark story...

And Pinkamena is also preparing for the arrival of her father. She has a masterpiece of her own, but it is quite different from Pinkie's...

After a near-death experience concerning a manticore, the Cutie Mark Crusaders are faced with their own reactions, or lack thereof.
But what would their sisters have done in their place? And is it possible that they're not as perfect as the fillies always thought of them?

Disclaimer: This story does have a Happy Ending. I don't do stories without.

Edit: We made it into the Popular Stories Box. A big thank you to everyone who made that possible.

As Twilight goes throughout her new life, she takes care to never forget the special ponies that helped to mold her into who she is, even with the pain that comes with the remembrance. One pony in particular, however, stands out among the rest.

When an unknown future beckons, she calls upon the blissful memories that she treasures so much, and remembers the pony who taught her the most important lesson of all...

How to love.

Cover art provided by SilFoe, used with permission.

Recommended music for the letters: Green and Blue - Halo 4 OST

It is in the moment of our greatest need that we become the most susceptible to change. But sometimes, what you have to offer, might not be enough, even if you are a princess who has seen more suffering than any other pony in this world.

When a young life is in danger, it is up to Luna and Rainbow to help overcome what is the result of their own shortcomings.

Proofreaders: Kevinltk, twilight-the-pony. Thank you so much!

Image by Famosity