Once, she was the Countess, the most famous lounge singer in Manehattan. Once, she spent her nights singing in the classiest bars and lounges, and her mornings dragging herself through hangovers and depression.

But that's all in her past. Now, she is Rara, tenant and helping hoof on Sweet Apple Acres, and the head of entertainment at the Apple Pie In Your Eye. Now, she has Applejack and the Apple Family to lean on for support. And now, she has a community and a family.

This is the life of Rara in Ponyville.

Part of the Noireverse, this story is intended to explore more of Coloratura's character within the series and universe. Rara is one of my favorite side characters in the Ponyville Noire stories, and there was a lot to her that unfortunately just wouldn't fit within the Ponyville Noire stories. I wrote this side story to give her and Applejack the spotlight for a while, as well as give some of the Noireverse's other side characters some more development.

I hope you enjoy!

The mares and stallions of Manehattan Tanker 45 in Firehouse 9 are amongst the ranks of Manehattan's Bravest, the firefighters who willingly rush into danger to save the lives of others. Hydrant, Bull Run, Smokey Bear and others perform a dangerous job and perform it well.

But when Skybridge Tower is accidentally struck by an airship, they are amongst the first to arrive at the massive fire. And their bravery may cost them all dearly.

Dedicated to firefighters everywhere.

Ponyville is one of the largest cities in Equestria, a center for trade and finance, a melting pot of many races, tribes, and cultures. It is also a place where corruption is a way of life. Here, the cops that aren't on the take are forever chasing their own tails, citizens live in fear, and gangs battle for control of the streets.

Daring Do has just been released from prison after a year-long sentence for thievery, and no one is about to let her forget her place. Phillip Finder is a local private detective and the bane of the Ponyville Police Department. The new partners quickly find themselves at ground zero of a city-wide gang war; surrounded by dirty cops, mobsters, assassins, and bizarre crimes, they can only rely on each other and a few honest ponies for aid.

They're hardly heroes. Which means they may be exactly what Ponyville needs.

Updates every Wednesday. Proofread by Eagle—Paladin of Shadows

The first story of the Noireverse.

Sex and Gore tags for suggestive content and graphic descriptions.

Check out the theme music by The L-Train by clicking here!

Featured on 1/29/18! Thank you all so much! <3

A bit of background...

Three years ago, I introduced Phillip Finder in my first fanfiction, "The Pony in the Gray Trilby." Over the next many months, I kept writing and eventually turned my first work into a twenty-story series. I learned much and enjoyed the stories' moderate success, but unfortunately, I became dissatisfied with them over time. I realize that it's perhaps a bit of a cliche that many artists end up hating their own work, but for both Tchaikovsky and myself, it is the truth.

I initially planned to write this story as a prequel to the series, focusing on Phillip Finder and Daring Do. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I wanted to improve upon my work, but felt as though I was being held back by the original series. While I am proud of my first stories for what I learned and gained through them, I decided that the best course of action for me, what would make me the happiest, would be to wipe the slate clean and start again from the basic foundations.

That's where this story comes in. A semi-reboot of the original series, the adventures contained herein, set in a vastly different alternate universe and replete with a mixture of reinterpreted and original characters, are the culmination of all the experience that I gained writing the original series. This is Phillip Finder and company as I meant them to be.

I hope that you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoy writing it!

A special party, dedicated to Pinkie Pie as a thank you for all she'd done. Who better to plan this event than Cheese Sandwich?

But this party is different. He's throwing himself entirely into it, putting all of his time and energy into the planning and preparation. So why is he not happy?

The Cakes and Rainbow Dash are determined to find out, and to help him find his happiness once more.

A Christmas charity story commissioned by Magic Step.

Nurse Redheart has had too many long days and weary nights, too many lost causes to care for. And one cold winter's night, she finally reaches the breaking point, questioning whether her career has been truly worth it.

But tonight, she receives an unexpected visitor, one who will help restore her hopes.

A special Christmas charity story commissioned by Crystal Wishes. Dedicated to nurses everywhere.

Alone in his hospital room is not how Stone Mason wanted to spend his last Hearth's Warming Eve. As they always do around this time of year, his thoughts turn to the mare he met thirty-two years ago, the one that changed his life for the better.

And then he hears a familiar voice coming from the hallway. She has found him once more, as he always hoped she would, just in time to give him one last gift. Because nopony should have to spend Hearth's Warming alone.

A Christmas charity story commissioned by themouthofmush. Inspired by the song by the Aviators.

Fluttershy should be focusing on the protest that she organized for that day, but her mind is focused on one thing right now: her friend, Tree Hugger. Their friendship is deep and abiding, centered in their mutual love for nature, and in Tree Hugger's serene ability to tune into whatever troubles Fluttershy and help her center herself.

But could her feelings for her friend go deeper than she thought? With a little help from her friend, Fluttershy will explore the depths of her love, and she may discover a thing or two about herself.

A Flutterhugger/TreeShy shipfic.

Dragons are feared creatures, portrayed as horrific monsters in every bedtime story that ponies have known from birth.

Spike is a dragon. And as time goes on, he grows more acutely aware of his monstrous side and wonders if the fabled beast is all he is meant to be.

His fears come to light one day while he his helping Rarity collect some gems. The two are attacked by a rogue Diamond Dog and Spike, acting in fear and anger, kills their attacker. Horrified at his actions, he flees into the Everfree Forest with the rest of the monsters. Now, it is up to Twilight and Rarity to find him and bring him back home, if they can prove to him that he is not the monster he believes himself to be.

To say that Hearth's Warming Eve among the Wonderbolts is a boisterous event would be an understatement, and this year is no exception.

But amongst the noise is Spitfire and Soarin. Friends since foalhood, they have taken this day out of every year to reinforce and celebrate their friendship, to spend some time together, just for the two of them. And this year is going to be no exception.

Except perhaps for the intervention of one of their teammates.

Special story requested by lambda as part of my birthday story giveaway.

Hearth's Warming Eve in Ponyville is always one of the most festive occasions in Equestria, a time for love to warm the chill air.

Today, two ponies will feel the same warmth in the chill air. Autumn Leaf is about to be presented his first gift from his distant admirer, Lemon Hearts: a sweet kiss under the mistletoe.

Short romance practice done in honor of the short but cute scene in A Hearth's Warming Tail. Edited by themouthofmush.