After a hard day's work at the post office, Derpy Hooves has a list of errands she needs to take care of. After all, she has to be ready for tonight!

...If only she could remember what it is she needs to be ready for!

It's been a few years since you married the retired Celestia, and even longer since the biggest coincidence of all time caused your sudden appearance in the alien world of Equestria. You were told that there was no way home, and you eventually came to accept that. Since then, you've created a place for yourself in this fantastical society, and you couldn't be happier.

However, when you and your wife stumble upon the Return Scepter, an ancient artifact capable of teleporting its wielder to their home, you find yourselves in a world all-too-familiar to you. Humans are capable of great things and wield incredible technologies, but they can also be cruel. There is no telling how they might react to the alicorn princess's sudden appearance, and with no food, money, or transportation to work with, it's going to be difficult to do much of anything without drawing attention to yourselves. Now, you must travel across the country to your original home in order to return Celestia and yourself to the life you've left behind.

...But then again, didn't you leave this life behind, too?

Requested by AllBridge.

Princess Twilight Sparkle has been trying to get comfortable in her new castle in Ponyville. It has all of the amenities she could ever want, including a massive library for her to indulge in, but it's still a big adjustment for a mare like her. On top of this, she is less than enthused when you point out that this massive library inside of a castle could inherently be considered a book fort.

Though it sounds to you like that's exactly what she needs right now.

Requested by Ladon.

The princess just finished her last task for the day. Spike is out of the castle on an official errand. You know how to slip by the guards without drawing attention to yourself. Everything is falling into place.

You have business to take care of, but you'll have to do the unthinkable first: You have to kidnap Princess Twilight Sparkle.

Uhh... why?

Twilight Sparkle is an extremely important pony to you. After ending up in Equestria, she was the one who took you in. She was the one who taught you what friendship can be. She was the one who treated you like an actual person. Over time, the two of you became extremely close. How could you not fall for her? The problem was, you weren't brave enough to let her know that. It took some time to finally build up the courage to tell her how you feel.

But you were a day too late.

Equestria can seem like a magical place where wonder and excitement await you at every turn. At least, it can to a human like you. Over time, though, you get used to it, and it's inevitable that the excitement will die down sometimes. Now is one of those times, as you and your wife Celestia wait in a stupidly long line at the market. What sort of magical antics will you get into to pass the time?

You're going to have a casual conversation, of course. What else would you do?

Princess Celestia has long been aware of the existence of Daybreaker, a version of herself powered by fear, anger, and stress. Thankfully, Daybreaker only exists in her nightmares. At least, that's what she had hoped. In truth, with the mounting pressures being put upon her in an ever-advancing society, she has become acutely aware of the very real possibility that Daybreaker may one day overtake her. Now, it's up to you, her loving husband, to ensure that this does not come to pass.

...Well, good luck with that.

Requested by Ladon.

When you woke up one morning, you weren't expecting to be greeted by candy-colored ponies ruled by a tyrant named Nightmare Moon. You also weren't expecting her to take such a liking to you. She's a bit cruel to her subjects, but you admittedly don't mind the preferential treatment she gives you. So... maybe you like her back?

Perhaps love is the one thing she's been missing.

You've been courting Luna for several moons, and the two of you couldn't be happier. However, even as a retiree, she has taken it upon herself to maintain her nocturnal schedule and watch over the dream realm. This has made it difficult for the two of you to make plans together, but an off-the-wall idea of yours might just be the solution you're looking for.

Hopeful Skies is a bright-eyed and cheerful girl. Her outlook on life is a surprisingly carefree one considering that her mother is a retired alicorn and her father is a human, not to mention that she can shapeshift between two forms. Even with the unusual upbringing she comes from, nothing can slow down this ray of sunshine!

At least, that's what she thought. With the coming birth of her new brother, she may be forced to realize what it really means to be an older sibling and the responsibilities that come with it.

Cover image is AI generated.